After Seth distributed the mana gems to the elven mages, they eagerly absorbed them into their essence stones. The mages quickly regrouped and began drawing a large circle several meters wide, adorned with intricate patterns and runes unknown to Seth.
The magic circle was nearly complete.
The elves surrounded the circle and, without hesitation, began channeling their mana. Ethereal veils of various colors enveloped their bodies as the mana seemed to dance on their skin. Their individual energies merged gradually, becoming one unified flow.
Seth was captivated by the beauty of the ritual. The materialization of their mana was mesmerizing, and to witness such precision in their control required a mastery he had only imagined. Yet, the elves performed the ritual as though it were second nature.
Curiosity sparked, Seth enhanced his vision with mana, allowing him to observe the delicate interplay of magical energies. The way the elves' mana intertwined, how spiritual affinity shaped the flow of ambient mana, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Then, he saw it. The elves' mana surged into the circle, and as they whispered inaudible incantations, the circle glowed with an intense white light before bursting into flames.
Startled, Seth leaped back, instinctively distancing himself from the fiery display. He hadn't anticipated such an explosive turn of events.
"Spiritual Summoning!!" Katia shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"Come forth, mid-rank fire spirit! Fire Salamander, we offer our mana as sacrifice!!"
As her words faded, the ground beneath them trembled. Several elven mages collapsed, drained from the strain of the ritual. The earthquake intensified, and the air grew scorching hot, nearly unbearable for Seth.
"Damn it, what are they doing!?" Seth cursed, stumbling to regain his footing.
In the heart of the magic circle, a crimson, reptilian figure began to take shape. The salamander was immense, majestic, exuding an aura of terrifying power. Its glowing red eyes, full of intelligence, locked onto the world as it unleashed a piercing cry that shook the very forest.
Seth hadn't even realized he had bowed under the weight of the creature's aura. Clenching his fists, he forced himself to stand, shaking off the mental pressure. He couldn't allow himself to submit—only his master deserved that.
Katia stepped fearlessly into the blazing circle, her skin untouched by the flames. Her eyes were resolute as she addressed the towering fire spirit.
"O Spirit of Fire, grant us your strength and dominion over nature. These vile creatures have defiled our lands, slaughtered our families. Burn them with your vengeful flame!!"
The salamander responded with a deafening roar. Moments later, it exhaled a small, glowing orb that ascended into the sky, rapidly absorbing ambient mana. The orb swelled in size before plummeting toward the battlefield.
Panic seized Seth. "Wait, what have you done? There are still survivors in there!!"
He grabbed a nearby elf, shaking him violently. Just as panic threatened to consume him, several figures materialized nearby. Rakahn and the others appeared suddenly, as if they had always been there.
"Aah, right... they had 'Stones of a Thousand Steps,'" Seth realized, releasing his grip on the elf.
The "Thousand Steps Stone" allowed short-range teleportation through space magic, connecting two runes to transport users. It was a lifesaving mechanism but limited in range, vulnerable to interference from disruptions in mana.
Before Seth could process the relief of seeing his comrades, a thunderous explosion tore through the night. The fireball, now fully formed, obliterated the earthen wall and nearby trees in a blinding flash of heat and light. Seth shielded his eyes from the flying debris as the searing winds lashed his body.
"Damn! What in the world was that!?" he muttered in disbelief. "This attack could level more than just one clan!"
"So this is the power of a mid-rank spirit…"
As they approached the magic circle, they saw the salamander slowly dissipate into steam, its form vanishing. Katia, the young elf who had stood bravely at the center of the ritual, had collapsed.
"Katia!!" Rakahn yelled, rushing to her. He gently lifted her from the ground and carried her out of the circle.
Their eyes met as Rakahn cradled her in his arms. He nodded to Seth, acknowledging the success of the ritual, before moving toward the elven mages who had not partaken in the summoning.
Seth stood frozen, overwhelmed by a sense of awe and dread. The salamander's single attack had wiped out over fifty variant monsters, and it hadn't even been summoned at full power. Yet, Seth couldn't shake the terrifying realization that in this cursed forest, there were hundreds—perhaps thousands—of creatures far stronger than this spirit.
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
"Can we really survive this?"