Chapter 71: Saving the Day
Everyone in the area looked towards the apex of a nearby hill in shock, especially those men dressed all in black. They didn't dare to look down on the arrival of this small girl, for behind her was a man whose presence brought off a sense of utter dread in them. While they couldn't tell his level, the disparity being so too large, they could tell it was higher than all of theirs.
That meant that this man had broke through to the Sky Realm! Magician's at the Earth Rank like them didn't dare to even look at someone of his realm wrongly, let alone face off against them. Even at their numbers.
Instantly, the assumed leader of the bunch, a man at the Middle Stage Spirit Rank pulled out a rather ancient looking scroll. On its aged form, various runes surrounded its frame and a dull azure glow immediately shun once it was unravelled. That dull glow turned bright quickly before the scroll seemed to erupt into ash. The ash took on a marvellous transformation as it turned into several black lines that arranged itself into a large flat circle in the air, quickly forming into the familiar shape of a void portal with its eternal darkness centre and azure glowing rim that whisked off into a smoky texture as it extended from the portal.
Without delay, that man leapt into the portal, vanishing into its deep darkness. Following his lead, several of the others began to retreat into the portal as well. However, before most of the, could all vanish, a loud sneer turned the over half of them still as suddenly they felt a deep coldness and they began to freeze from the feet up. Eventually, more than ten men were standing, encased in a thick frost that kept them frozen in place, but breathing. Only, the coldness that they felt prevented them from being functional, only able to chatter their teeth and watch in dismay at what was going to happen to them.
Soon after, the portal dissipated, finally leaving them behind with no way out, captured in frost.
"Wow, Daddy! You've turned them into popsicles!" Andria laughed and clapped her hands as she unsteadily ran down the hill with a gusto. Lexa looked on in trepidation in her arms as she nearly tripped up several times, ready to act if she were to fall over. Thankfully, Andria reached the bottom with steady steps and worked her way towards the students, teachers and guards of Hawk Academy. Behind her, Alexander Wilderwolf and a few Wilderwolf Soldier's followed behind at a leisurely but guarded pace.
The carriage and a few soldier's were left behind as the carriage would have trouble traversing such uneven and steep terrain.
"Hello cool girl, brooding boy, and sir shaky butt! I am Andria and this is my Tamed Beast, Lexa!" Andria introduced herself in bright spirits, even remembering to introduce Lexa too as she held her loftily above her head. Lexa simply laid dangling from her hands, letting out a helpless sigh.
"Meow~" Lexa decided to give her usual greeting.
All of them looked at the scene in front of them with an incredulous expression, their faces as if saying "That's a Magical Beast? Isn't it just a normal house cat?".
"Why do I feel like I'll be seeing this sort of reaction a lot in the future." Lexa muttered with a wry smile as Andria returned her to her usual spot in her bosom.
"Y-are you the Left Hand of the King and Queen... Head of the Wilderwolf family, Alexander Wilderwolf?..." One of the Hawk Academy teacher's limped forward. While they had escaped the brunt of the tragedy, many of them still held wounds of various intensities. Only the majority of the students made it out unscathed, physically at least.
"Indeed." Alexander answered as he reached the gathering. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the several wounded folks in front of him and he let out a deep sigh. At least there didn't seem to be anyone in a life or death situation. "Anyone with any medical training, go and help as much as you can. Especially those three children. Damage dealt by magic above your level can't be light on them!"
"Yes sir!" About five out of the fifteen or so Wilderwolf Soldier's answered with stoic voices before bounding forward with determination.
"I don't know how to thank you!" The same teacher from before bowed deeply with reddening eyes. Following his lead, the other teacher's and guard's bowed as well. They still felt incredibly guilty at being unable to protect their student's/employees.
"I just did what I should. No-!!" Suddenly, Alexander ceased talking and his head whipped to the several frozen black-clothed men as he shouted loudly in exclamation, bringing everyone's attention there too.
To their utter shock, they found that blood was leaking out of every orifice in the head's of the captured men in black. Each of their eyes had turned dull and grey as well; lifeless as they stared dully forward.
"They actually had some sort of spell embedded in them!" A guard exhaled.
"It would seem so." Another teacher sighed disappointingly. "The one's that escaped must have had it activated so that they don't talk."
"This is my fault, I actually underestimated this group. I had thought they would be unable to do anything under my Shimmering Frost spell that freezes up the body entirely, allowing for hardly even the slightest of moments while also keeping them breathing and alive. Looks like this group isn't just some simple bandits..." Alexander muttered darkly. 'Lets see if I make the same mistake if I see you lot again!...'
Meanwhile, Andria had noticed from the corner of her eye a dazed look on Sandra, who was sitting on the ground, her wounds already healed with a healing type magic from one of the Wilderwolf Soldier's. While her wounds were not small, they had mostly been dealt with. Walking up to her, Sandra was suddenly surprised by the magnified view of a cute young girl's face just inches from her own, causing her to gasp and accidentally knock heads with her.
"Ow, ow! Why hit Andira?!" Andria hopped in a circle as she pressed a free hand on her bruising forehead, a pout forming on her lips.
In her arms, Lexa let out a bellowing and cheerful laugh, causing her to pout more.
"S-sorry." Sandra apologised as she shook her head. Knocking her head seemed to awaken her from her dazed state somewhat, but she still seemed to portray a solemn mood.
"That's okay, Andria's strong!" Andria posed one of her arms in the show of her "muscles". Only, her arms were too skinny and fair to look anything but the arms of a doll.
Sandra finally let out a giggle at Andria's mucking around and the colour seemed to gradually return to her eyes before she let out a defeated sigh once more.
"hmm..." In Andria's arms, Lexa thought on what could be going through this girl's head that has got her so sullen. Well, more so than the other's who suffered the ambush. Take the two other students who were injured, Seph and Jared for example. Seph is silent and holds a solemn air, but even more so their is a strong determination in his eyes while he reassures a shaking Jared while he tries to get over his building nerves. "Did this attack have something to do with you?"
"!" Sandra flinched visibly and her mood only turned more solemn. "O-one of the men told me i-it was... my fault..."
"Eh?" Andria tilted her head confused. "Why would they attack you?"
"It's that Chris Farhawk fellow isn't it." Lexa spoke, a growl to her voice as she spoke with narrowed eyes.
"..." Sandra simply nodded, giving them her answer. "I-It's all my fault! If I only let him win, no one would have got hurt!!"
"Stupid!" Andria stuck her tongue out and stated, somewhat surprising both Lexa and Sandra alike with her bluntness. "You can't give in!"
"Her word's might not be all that elegant, but she's not wrong." Lexa agreed.
"B-but-" Sandra was about to fight back when Seph and Jared suddenly joined in on the conversation as they walked into their small circle.
"They're right." Seph spoke in his usual cold voice, however their was a warmth in his eyes as he placed an arm on Sandra's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"Yeah, we may not have any proof to go against that little brat, but that doesn't prevent us from giving him hell!" Jared managed to put on a big grin and stop shaking for a few seconds to look rather heroic as he joined Seph in placing a hand on Sandra's other shoulder.
"Yeah, kick his bottom in!" Andria cheered, stretching on her tiptoes so she can pat Sandra on the head. Though even then, she was still a little short of reaching her goal and could only pat the air awkwardly.
"T-Thank... Y-you!" Sandra held back her tears as she brushed them dry before replacing her look of angst with one of determination. She was usually a strong-willed little girl, and it didn't take long for her to realise that acting all sombre wouldn't help her. Though it was impossible for someone so young to put the event past her so quickly and she still held some lingering fear as she spoke shakedly, yet yet determinedly. "I-I'll definitely kick his ass!"
"That's the spirit! Haha!" Lexa laughed.
"Andria dealt with him once, so call Andria over to help when you do!" Andria seemed more than enthusiastic at the prospect of beating up Chris Farhawk, and Lexa couldn't help but agree. She wouldn't mind throwing in a few bites and slashes of her claws as well.
As the children's tense mood turned warm with laughter, Alexander looked on warmly for a few seconds before getting to work, using his limited medical knowledge to help a few of the injured as well.
In the end, for the Hawk Academies' student's and staff's protection, the two side's mutually agreed to travel together towards Falcon City.
Andria was joyful when she heard this and advocated for Sandra, Jared and Seph joining them in the carriage, which Alexander agreed to after some convincing. He was never good at refusing requests from this youngest daughter of his. Especially when she gave him one of those cute puppy eyes of hers.
And so, After about an hour of settling various tasks, The Wilderwolf party was joined by the student's, teacher's and guard's from Hawk Academy as they continued on their trail to Falcon City. It took a while for all of the people from Hawk Academy to cool down after such a daunting experience, but eventually, the sound of merry talking could be heard as teacher and guard's talked to some of the Wilderwolf soldier's and the around 20 student's began talking among themselves. the palpable fear that had brewed since the ambush gradually vanished with the passage of time. Though at the same time, the experience and fear they felt at that time would never truly be gone from their thoughts so soon...
All the while, hidden eyes were watching their every move intently, a sinister gleam hidden within...