Chapter 172: Hes just kind of a brute. (1/2)
”It seems like we have some business to take care of on our side too,” Layla said and stood up just a minute after their talk with Jorga.
At the same time, the noble dragon who had welcomed Arima before landed beside Oulan and informed him about something through telepathy.
The old dragon's eyes widened and he nodded slowly. ”I had no idea they could do that…”
Jorga frowned as he looked at both Layla and Oulan. ”The Téra are gathering. And they're getting stronger as they do so,” the former spoke up to explain the situation. ”They are not as strong as the ones we encountered in Hell but they seem to be feeding on Fafnir's aura.”
”Should we stop them?” Karma asked.
”Yes,” it was Oulan who answered her question. ”They are grouping around the largest domain on this continent. It seems that they are preparing to attack it.”
”It's strange,” Karma tilted her head. ”I thought that they were not supposed to be intelligent enough to prepare a coordinated assault… Arima said it was a special case in Hell since the stronger ones had appeared and controlled the others.”
”Then does it mean that one of those superior Téra was born on this planet because of Fafnir's energy? So quickly?” Jorga was surprised. He had studied those Téra a little bit and at least on his planet, they were far from being intelligent. Their strength was not that high too.
”They get stronger over time, as Pandora designed them, but they can also feed on wild auras and energies to empower themselves,” Layla said. ”And basically, the stronger they get, the smarter they become. It seems that the Téra are the kind of monsters that act mindlessly but are extremely cooperative with their peers…”
”It should be all right though,” Karma declared and everyone looked at her. ”I was with Arima when he was fighting the stronger ones in Hell. If the ones here were to be as strong as them then we would have a huge problem, particularly if there is more than one, since even Arima at full power was struggling against them.”
”But Fantasia is far from having a comparable quantity of aura and energy as Hell had on its surface. At best, the strongest we will find will be around the First or Second Divine. Maybe Third Divine, if they're able to share the energy and concentrate it into a single Téras,” she supposed and Layla nodded.
”I agree,” she followed and looked at Oulan. ”Tell the dragons to retreat, I will go there myself.”
Oulan nodded and signaled the noble dragon who had come to warn him. ”Carcus, go tell them to retreat and avoid conflict.”
Carcus nodded and flew off as he transmitted the message to everyone through telepathy. Layla sighed and her silver wings grew on her back. She flapped them and instantly disappeared. Oulan looked at her as she disappeared and then followed her.
Jorga blinked as he looked at them. ”What am I supposed to do now? Did I come here to just tag something, and complain about my life?”
Karma giggled. ”Maybe.”
”…Why are you still here?”
”Hm? Me? Why would I go? I'm a weapon in the first place and only Arima and Night are allowed to wield me,” Karma shrugged. ”And I don't like to fight.”
”You're at the First Divine though…” Jorga retorted.
”A detail,” Karma smiled. ”Also, there's no need for me to step up,” she added and Jorga frowned. Karma chuckled at his reaction. ”She's strong, you know? She was not able to display her strength in Hell but Layla is very powerful. She might even approach Arima's 'level of existence'.”
”She's far from being as strong or sagacious as Arima, of course, but right now she's one of the most 'complex' individuals in this Plane who can reach great heights.”
Jorga was a bit amazed. Layla was a lot stronger than he had thought. He was lost in his thoughts until he felt Karma climbing on his body.
”…oi.”
”What? Let's go there and watch.”
”Why should I be your mount? Why don't you use that big creature over there?”
”I don't want to wake up Deva without Arima around… she's kinda scary,” Karma admitted and Jorga grunted. He clicked his tongue and ascended in the sky before flying toward the place Oulan went to.
***
Layla arrived before anyone and spotted the horde of dragons flying away from the tall rocky mountain that stood proudly in the middle of the continent. She scanned every life-sign with a single glance and focused on the huge mass at the feet of the mountain.
Her eyes blinked several times and her pupils went from one side to the other. Then she closed her eyes and summoned her rapier.
”Six thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight targets…” She muttered and the blade of her sword glowed. She gradually opened her eyes and her wings left a white trail as she moved fast enough to leave an afterimage as she charged toward the Téra.
It was just like in Hell. They were weaker but their appearance was pretty much the same. They could be nothing and anything at the same time. As Lanya's rapier flashed, a silver light followed the path she made among the army of monsters.
Oulan arrived at that moment and froze in a stupor. The moment he reached the combat zone, he saw the intricate silver lines floating among the Téra as if it was a physical substance of some sort. The whole army was bathing in silver light and each Téras was in contact with at least one of the lines.
From above, it looked like an intricate puzzle with intertwined strings. Layla reappeared above them and, as she swung her rapier naturally, a wave of corporeal light spread around her like water. Strangely, the Téra could only look at her as their veins were bulging and illuminating through their skin.