Hunter Greylock adjusted his coat as he walked over to the withering tree. His neck kept turning as he looked from side to side. The elves, who were now seven in number, excluding Hazel and her family, were in a much better shape that he had expected.
"Hmm. It seems I wasn't needed after all," Hunter smacked his lips. "But I could have sworn I felt something very ominous from that storm cloud."
"It was beyond ominous, brother," Alaric sighed, shaking hands with Hunter. "The supposed Black Meelo that we came for was the avatar of a sealed Deity. He called himself Ulak."
Hunter's eyes dilated, "A deity? But how...? How was he able to possess something if it was sealed?"
"The seal must have gotten weaker and it's only a matter of time before he re-emerges again," Alaric said.
Hunter stared at him in uncertainty before asking, "How were you able to subdue the avatar of a Deity without external help?"
Alaric smiled wryly, moving over to his wife's side, "I don't know if a witch's help can be counted as external help, but we wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Achlys's sacrifice."
He went further to explain how she had severed the connection between Ulak and the Black Meelo. Although the mystery of how the Black Meelo's body wasn't destroyed after that, still lingered.
Achlys sat up and explained with a cracked voice, "Ulak was quick-witted. He cut himself off before my spell took total effect. Part of his consciousness and essence were now one with the Black Meelo. There was nothing to server. Though it did take a great toll on the creature's body, that was why it wasn't able to unleash any external attacks."
"That was why Ulak, at least the small part of him inside the Black Meelo, kept coating himself in darkness and that reddish energy," Powder said in enlightenment.
Achlys nodded, "What we just defeated was a droplet compared to the vast ocean of power residing in the void."
"Wow," Alaric scoffed wryly, scanning his hands. "Now I feel so useless."
"We all are before otherworldly beings," Hunter patted his shoulder. "We have to convey this to the Castle immediately."
"I'll... go," Lyla said, dragging Alaric's broad sword with every last strength in her arms. She dropped it a few metres away from the tree and clutched her knees as she panted for breath.
They patiently waited for her to stand straight and wipe the sweat on her forehead.
"My mother is one of the royal seamstresses. I'll be granted a quick entry," she added with a heavy breath.
The two men simply nodded. She was an adult in her mid-twenties and was very outspoken. Alaric couldn't leave his wife at the moment, and Hunter had to escort them back to the district just to be safe.
"I'll go with you," James said half-heartedly whilst sheathing his axes. Before anyone could interject, he was already walking ahead of Lyla.
"I can't be totally useless," he mumbled under his breath.
She rolled her eyes and jogged after him, "James, hold on."
Alaric crouched as he reached for his wife. He carried her gently and stood up. She shrunk in his grasp, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes.
Hazel supported Aziel as they began to walk out of the Blood Forest. Not only had Aziel sung spells to keep Achlys alive, over and over, she had also used a big chunk of her Mana to buff Alaric and Lyla.
Her body could move but her head felt light, and her vision was quite blurry.
The atmosphere was quite damp as the elves walked through the forest in silence. They were all lost in their own thoughts.
Spotting the treeline that led out of the forest just up ahead, Hunter sighed and said softly to Alaric, who was beside him, "I know this isn't the right time for this, but you have to be very carful from now on."
"Did something happen?" Alaric asked, stealing a glance behind him, just to make sure that no one else was close enough to hear them.
"Yes. But what I fear for, is what might happen if we don't act quickly," Hunter said worriedly. "The reason why I couldn't get here in time was because of the Crow's letter I got from the Academy."
"The Academy?" Alaric raised a brow. "The Academy would never send a..." he paused, his eyes going wide in realization. "Except it has something to do with the White Order."
"Exactly," Hunter nodded. Then his face went pale as he added, "The Dark Druids have returned."