Chapter 131: Escort Missions (1/2)
“Just one of them will come with us?” One of the many overlapping voices whispered to the people next to them. The concern was evident and Ilea just waited on her spot on top of a house near the group of people that was being managed by the soldiers who would come with them.
Ilea just smiled, just one of them? The people didn't even consider the soldiers who were nearly at one hundred and fifty, certainly not incapable warriors. However it would be a shame if the survivors died on the way and Ilea did plan to do as much as she could.
It seemed the soldiers finally managed to explain the formation, where to go and most importantly the rules for the survivors. The woman who had previously talked to Ilea waved towards her and turned around, towards the gate that had been opened a couple meters wide by Rock.
“See you Ilea, don't take too long.” Trian said, having landed next to her. “Don't fuck around too much in the capital.” the man said and she just nodded.
“You really embraced that team leader thing you've started. I wondered one thing Trian.” she said, peaking his interest as he looked at her through the slit in his helmet. “Why are you still here? I thought you just joined the Hand because it's a family tradition or something, wouldn't now be the time to get out?” she finished, knocking off the gathered snow on her armored legs.
“What a surprise, you actually care about me? Well don't consider me too much, I have my reasons and you have yours.” he said but she just shook her head.
“I like to fight, and I like you guys. That's reason enough but hey, whatever goes on in your head...” she touched his shoulder. “I'm glad you're still hanging around.” she winked and summoned her helmet before following the rather big group of survivors and two soldiers leaving the gate. The close vicinity had been cleared by Navalis and Trian beforehand so at least for the next couple kilometers there wouldn't be imminent danger.
The survivors had been divided into three groups. Children and elderly unable to fight, adults below level fifty and the rest. Adding to Eleonora's bad mood the two first groups were much bigger than the last one. She looked over to find a mage at level seventy walking next to her. A sigh left her mouth, the air visible before her as she pushed her coat closer to her face.
The last of the group had left the gate of Morhill, the formation not quite what she had intended. It was a given though, the civilians unable to follow her instructions without any training as soldiers or adventurers.
“Where's... oh..” she whispered to herself as she looked around and then up to find their escort flying about a hundred meters above, the lightly falling snow making it hard to see her. Still the black wings could be made out.
“Man I wish I had wings...” she continued to murmur to herself, annoyed at the still cold weather. At least down in the plains the cold would be more forgiving. For now she hoped at least half the people made it to the next city, if that city was still standing of course.
Ilea landed on top one of the demons, crushing its head with a quick punch, destructive mana entering the demon while it screamed and flailed upwards, the sharp claws glancing off the hovering ash around its target. The other demon nearby ran at her but the woman simply appeared behind it, sending the creature to the ground with a hard kick. Another blink and stomp later and the area was clear.
Looking around, Ilea breathed out and looked towards the rising sun. They had encountered stragglers, both demons and other monsters using the opportunity to hunt or forced to relocate due to the new threat. They had come out of the mountains a couple hours ago, the refugees having slept for a couple hours earlier. The motivation to get behind walls was high and pushed the group further than Ilea thought possible, certainly further than most humans on earth would be capable of walking in ten hours. Not like an elderly man could even walk for ten hours straight.
The several dozen people with levels above fifty were the reason for their success, willing to carry people and more of the light equipment they had taken with them.
Ilea turned around and flew back into the nearby forest, finding the refugees huddled together and waiting for her report. The soldiers and capable people formed a protective circle around the rest. Ilea landed near the woman, Eleonora Siva apparently, captain of the scouts squad they had found near Morhill.
“All clear, we can move out into the plains. You lead, I'll stay above as before.” she said to the woman and flew upwards, checking the surroundings. The day was clear and down here the snow had already melted. The forest was thick and dark, more than a few of the survivors had injured themselves at the brisk pace. Other than Ilea there wasn't a single healer in the group. Luckily no demons or other monsters had managed to sneak by to heavily injure too many people for her alone to handle, the mostly just sprained ankles had swiftly been healed.
The country spread before her as Ilea checked for movements, the speed of the group below her picked up as they finally exited the forested hills. The lands were still mostly frozen, soon plants and flowers that didn't survive the winter would sprout again and color the area in a lush green but it would take another month at least.
The sun was high on the horizon, its warmth burning away the remnants of winter. Ilea could finally see a wall and lights in the distance. There was no massive smoke going up from the still rather far away town, which was a good sign. Only a few demons had approached the moving group in the past hours, each taken out by Ilea before most of them even realized there was something coming. A few feathered Drakes made themselves seen but quickly moved away after Ilea shot an arrow their way.
“It shouldn't be very far to Marwatch now.” Eleonora said to her companion, moving her pack a little on her back.
“I can see walls and fires in the distance. I assume that's the city we're going for?” Ilea landed next to the woman, motioning towards the general direction of the town.
“Probably, if I didn't get lost completely. I can't say until I see it myself though.” the woman said and Ilea nodded, grabbing her around the chest and flying upwards. Eleonora gasped as they got higher and higher but soon she was mesmerized by the quick ascent and newfound birdsview.
“Fuck that's so awesome...” she said, Ilea just smiling below her helmet as she nodded towards the town in the distance.
“That it?” she asked and the woman nodded quickly. “Wanna see something cool?” she asked and didn't wait for an answer before she simply let go of the captain, the scream making her smile as she flew after her, quickly overtaking the woman with a blink and catching her a moment later.
“You're mad...holy shit why did you do that?!” the woman was gasping for air but the punch directed at Ilea was either not meant seriously or her strength stat was under leveled at best.
Ilea just shrugged as an answer, quite happy the boring tour would finally be over.
Darkness filled the room, day in day out it had been the same. Eve opened her eyes from the meditative state to check if she didn’t miss anything. The hall was the same it had been a week prior. The bookshelves were still empty, the table and the adjacent chairs unoccupied. And so she waited, completely invisible to most eyes she waited in her chosen corner of the room.
Space enough for her to lean comfortably but not enough for someone to choose it as their own spot for lounging. All the leads had come together to this building. An old house, quite well built but then again most buildings in the capital were made to last. To her annoyance, there was nobody to stalk, nobody to get information from, just the dim light that occasionally made it inside from the windows.
The house held little to no comfort, this room obviously holding the only importance. The only reason Eve was still there after searching through the whole place was that there was no dust. The space was used, she was sure of it and with the information she had managed to obtain in the past weeks she was sure to have stumbled upon something big, something she had been looking for for many years.
And today would be a day for answers, she felt it. She literally did though as the vibrations of someone entering the house could be felt from below. The place wasn’t registered, didn’t show up in any public records of the city, even some middle level officials didn’t know anything more about it or simply let her know she should stay far away from it.
Of course her actions, as experienced as she was, would alert anybody that would occupy such a place if they had paid the right people, had influence in the right circles. If this was worth her time though, these people wouldn’t care or they would send someone to hunt for her. It had always been that way and at this point she knew it to be one of the most effective methods to get her targets to show themselves. Being a little too obvious, making intentional mistakes. It would help increase their biggest weakness, that so far at least nine out of ten people possessed. An otherworldly sense of superiority.
A smile bloomed on Eve’s face as she pushed her magic further to be even harder to detect. Even Ilea would have difficulties with her weird spherical vision Eve had trouble completely avoiding. The training had pushed her to be even more creative in using her powers. Smells merged around her and light fell naturally through her illusion spell as she slowed her breathing.