The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 50: What we are. (Part 2)

I ran quickly. The road was decent and easy to manoeuvre. The forests between what I knew as the Sky Caller Mountains and Crysis were thick with trees and life. Occasionally I passed groups of refugees being led by the guards, though not just from Crysis. They were from countries I had barely heard of before, symbols that had long passed after the Fall of Areithia.

For the most part there was no need to help. Rift Walkers were attracted to larger clumps of people, and it seemed breaking into smaller groups was how they avoided detection. It was the border where I had woken that needed the most protection. That however didn't mean they were completely safe. The occasional skirmish between lone Rift Walkers wasn't rare and I intervened where I could.

"Thank you," the tired guard held a sword and breathed heavily. "I saw my life flash before my eyes there."

"No problem," I replied simply. "Make your way quickly. I picked off the Rift Walkers I saw, but more may still be lurking.

"We will," he saluted me.

"Before you go, have you seen the Saint?" I asked as he turned away.

"The Saint of Skies?" the man pointed away from the road. "She should be that way. She attracts majority of the Rift Walkers to give us peace. There's more than I have ever seen before today. I think this will have to be the last set of groups."

"Thanks," I replied but frowned. "How many more of there are you?"

The guard paused and looked at his companions and then faced the group of fifty they had been leading. "From the checkpoint, we left as ten different groups about the same number. We all knew that many of us wouldn't make it, but we do what we can."

"Get going, I'll help who I see," it was the least I could do. I'm not sure how my actions would affect Areithia after their Fall, but I couldn't just let people die where I could see them.

"May the Great Spirit protect you," he bowed and the others behind him did the same.

"And you," I replied in kind before heading the way he pointed.

It was quieter off the road but as I ran, I felt a building presence of mana. It flowed through the air congregating in the direction I headed, a sign that someone was processing vast amounts. I felt the wind rise before I saw it. The air whipped up, pulling me closer and as I broke through the trees, I saw the destruction that it led to. An enormous swell of winds wrapped into a tornado of branches, rocks and dirt. In its centre white skeletal creatures were being torn to pieces. I swallowed my saliva, truly that was the powers of a Witch.

I moved closer, resisting the pull of the winds before they suddenly burst apart and Rift Walkers fell from the sky, many of them dissolving to dust before hitting the ground. There were all sorts and from what I could tell, ranked up to 5. With the winds dying down I spotted the lone figure in the air. She flew towards the ground, a blast of blade like wind cutting those that had survived.

A shrill screech broke out from the forests opposite where I had entered. The sound was clear in my memories, more Rift Walkers. They scrambled out of the trees and straight towards the Saint of Skies. She faced them with an angry roar, the air bellowing in response and pushing them down. As I moved closer, I could see how tired she was. Lines of sweat poured down her face, her movements no longer smooth but agitated by aching muscles.

"Watch out!" I activated the Leap skill and shot to her side. While she had focused on those in front a hail of spikes burst from the trees to her right. My energy swelled and I forced confidence into my muscles, deflecting the bony spears away with my fists. The last spear I caught and with a tremendous grunt I threw it back the way it came, cleaving the head of the Rift Walker who had tried the ambush.