𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚... ᴷᴺʸ ˣ ᴳᴱᴺˢᴴᴵᴺ

파리⬩ Wind Gliders

Sumiko was swift to assume a fighting stance, but before she could do anything more, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder, the familiarity of said hand making her drift her gaze to the side.

"Aether..."

"Stand back, Sumiko."

Bemused at the request, Sumiko nonetheless complied, stepping a few feet back and letting her gold-haired friend handle the floor.

Expelling a steady breath, Aether concentrated and dredged up the power within him as traces of Anemo began to course around his being, his teal chest thrumming with an ethereal glow in response to his will. Wisps of wind energy gathered around his blade, and in that moment, he crouched on one knee before hopping up with a full turn and swiping his weapon across the air.

"Go with the wind!"

The firm command was brought forth at once as a medium-sized tornado coalesced and rotated violently towards the group of incoming hilichurls. The powerful force pulled them in and lifted them up into the revolving column of air, rendering them helpless to resist the forceful current.

All of a sudden, several burning arrows whooshed through the air and came into contact with the spinning vortex, thus causing the tornado to swirl in a lethal combination of Anemo and Pyro.

The two fighters jerked their heads towards the source responsible for the assisting attack, only for their eyes to broaden when a smirking Amber conveyed a playful salute in return. Extending a thankful nod to her, the whirlwind finally dispersed after a matter of seconds, eventually scattering the hilichurls as they burned to nothing but ashes from the scorching aftermath.

"Heads up, you two! There's more incoming!" Amber announced spiritedly, sharpening her eyes to another horde of hilichurls from afield, albeit fewer than the last.

Paimon grimaced. "Ugh! These things just don't know when to give up."

Sumiko and Aether brandished their blades and met the rushing hilichurls halfway, unleashing their respective techniques in tandem that greatly overwhelmed the masked goblins later on.

It didn't take long for them to subdue the remaining goblin creatures. Despite having a fierce spirit in battle, they possessed a rather simple-minded thought of fighting instead of retreating, one which rather ended pitifully for them.

"All right! That's the last of 'em." Taking one final glance around her surroundings to clarify, Amber then faced her companions with a fond smile. "Though, I gotta be honest, you two surprised me with your moves there. Thanks for the backup."

"Happy to help," Aether responded kindly, throwing his sword aside as it disappeared. "They're not that strong, but they sure compensate for numbers."

"How did the hilichurls end up here anyway?" Paimon questioned queerly. "These creatures don't appear to be the kind to set up a camp so close to a city."

"My exact thoughts," Amber concurred. "It's more normal for them to be much further out in the wilderness, but because Stormterror has been around a lot more frequently, our orchards have been destroyed and the local market has been affected as well. When the storms would hit, we usually end up with at least a few injuries, so the Knights of Favonius have been tied up doing the best they can to scout and defend the area."

"In that sense, these hilichurls have been getting closer and closer to the city, right?" Paimon asked worryingly.

Amber nodded responsively. "Clearing this camp should help make this area a little bit safer."

"If that's the case..." Sumiko mused out. "We should keep a close eye on where these hilichurls might appear next."

"You got that right!" The girl offered a thumbs-up before beckoning them with a hand. "Anyway, now that's over, follow me! A responsible knight must ensure you three are escorted safely into the city."