Chapter 004. Stories always begin with an introduction (4)

"What's happening? Why is there a black flare?" Vega asked frantically, taking her finger back like it was burnt at the strange coincidence.

Ayla also couldn't conceal her surprise albeit it was more controlled than Vega's excessive reaction. Furthermore, the black flare brought important clues which answers the thing that bothered her instantly.

The Leviaths only becomes disconcerted if there's a more powerful threat to them.

And there's only one creature that could do this.

All things alive in this world follows a complex system wherein the strongest resides at the top and preys on the weakest barrel.

One hundred years ago, humans ones roam this world freely, expanding their reach and knowledge as much as their mortal limitations allowed them. But humans become extremely ambitious and wanted to breakthrough their limitations and become one with the gods. This crazy fixation angered the gods, resulting in their regression as a pitiful fodder in a caged home.

The arrival of valkyries as the new apex predator only brought more humiliation and suffering for humanity.

"There's a Valkyrie in that location." Leo gulped in disbelief. He could barely complete his sentence, in fear that it would summon the creature in front of him.

But they don't know how many they are over there. It could be ten or fifty valkyries.

Ayla didn't like the way her mind is predicting the worst case scenario. They had to go now if they want to go home with the same number of people they started this run.

"Chief, this is bad." Leo muttered, landing on their position with the other porters. Everybody could recognize the ominous black flare blowing from this position and was awaiting Vega's orders.

Honestly, it wasn't that hard of a choice, but she never like being pushed in a tight corner. Vega groaned, massaging her temples. "It can't be help. Let's prepare to the flare's location."

Vega then turned to the white cloaked person, who was strangely quiet by the side. "Ayla...finish the Leviaths off. The excursion ends here." She spoke up with unwilling heart.

It's a shame. Vega deliberately made the cavaliers work on their own as she wanted to train the cavaliers to rely on their own strength without Ayla's assistance. Every objective in this run has to be hold temporarily.

The yellow flare was launched to the sky without delay so the cavaliers fighting at the distance were able to sight the signal. They were inwardly confused as this always meant to retreat or abandon the run.

Unfortunately, the leviaths became even more agitated, assuming the change of behavior on the cavaliers as aggression. Their more ferocious counterattack overwhelmed the cavaliers barring their smooth retreat.

Ayla didn't waste any time to join the battlefield and was already armed with multiple sharp spears suspended behind her.

"Hey, retreat already! You want me to skewer your body too?"

The cavaliers below felt their breath hitched on their throat at the sight of the gleaming spears and desperately acted to move out the sharp weapon's line of fire. They wouldn't simply become meat skewers with that numerous spears in their body.

Ah, their strongest weapon is indeed dependable...but frightening.

Ayla flicked her hand forward, enabling the suspended multiple spears to sail downward right on each leviaths' necks with a terrifying speed and precision.

"Be obedient and die." She stated vacantly but her eyes held a degree of frostiness deep within.

Just like that a large area of Leviaths fall on the floor and began emitting the hot noxious gases as they decomposed. The faint bluish spears vanish just like earlier and became a plain ring band around Ayla's index finger afterwards.

Vega placed the flare gun back to its holster, knowing the cavaliers would have seen the yellow flare by now.

"Get going. Let's go, let's go!" Somebody hollered, followed more shouts to move faster as the porters scrambled to get everyone's horses.

Everyone was visibly rigid, knowing the severity of the black flare in every run. Nobody could possibly predict what could be happening on the other side.

"Go ahead with the other cavaliers. We'll catch up right behind you." Vega told Ayla for the last time and left along with the other porters in a haste.

It was reasonable to let them go ahead as they'll be faster traversing the trees than by horse.

The cavaliers automatically arranged themselves behind Ayla, knowing Ayla's temperament after doing so many runs together.

"Let's go before the Leviaths could notice us." Ayla stated after making sure the Leviaths were moving away without sparing them a glance just like she predicted.

They all called out their individual Tyrfings as precautionary measure, while using their aurora to fly from one branch to another. Each tyrfing varying in length and type but all lethal and impenetrable in the hands of their owner.

"Divide yourselves properly and separate to cover more grounds." Ayla announced, receiving sounds of agreement from others.

Their hearts heavy in grim anticipation to what awaits them.

...

Meanwhile, back to the abandoned town's plaza, Team A's initial ground plan ultimately broke down at the sudden arrival of the five valkyries.

Typically, facing against five valkyries would be fairly easy to do with the party's whole strength. But by a stoke of misfortune, they had to separate at the perfect moment.

There was a sound of explosion as a valkyrie's leg smashed right above a small house with a ear piercing screech.

The three people fighting against it had evaded the attack in the nick of time or they could have been one with the rubbles right now.

"Damn. What kind of game is fate playing at us?" Caelum smiled amidst his obvious exhaustion, wiping the corner of his mouth unconsciously. The metallic taste linger in his mouth, causing him to frown in frustration.

"Caelum, what should we do?" Azah exhaled. His exhaustion was apparent with the way his arms would quiver while holding his tyrfing.

Miroh coughed from the dust that rose up from the rubbles. "It's difficult for short-range cavaliers to fight an agile valkyrie." He muttered warily.

Miroh glanced at his sword in bitterness. It was no different from normal swords at first glance unlike the blue sheen that emits from Azah's broadsword. He was even beneath the porters in terms of usefulness.

Right now, their numbers are in such disparity with not enough cavaliers to outright fight five abnormal leviaths whilst also protecting porters at the same time.

In short, they are force to remain in this place and face the enemy in a losing battle.

Caelum agreed with Miroh's statement, clicking his tongue hatefully at the valkyrie. They just had to be paired with the worst type of leviaths for their weapon.

"We'll stall them as much as possible. Team B should be coming soon to help us." Caelum's self-assured grin wiped off the moment they were ambushed and became a serious person who's direct with his words.

A female scream suddenly tore across the sound of ongoing battle, catching their attention.

"Miroh, go over there and divert the valkyrie's attention." Caelum stated.

Miroh's eyes widen in momentary panic before collecting himself enough to nod firmly. There's no time to act wishy-washy in the battlefield he willingly entered.

Azah can't help but voice out his concern right after Miroh left. "Keid told us to protect the part-timer. Why shove him out there alone?"

"Greenie can do it. He's not the kind who'll die easily." Caelum replied confidently.

No person could survive this long with an un-imbued sword, but on the other hand, it was probably how he develop his strong receptivity to danger. He can see why Keid took special consideration to the greenie.

The valkyrie in front of them screech in anger, spotting the two preys had survived.

At present, their chance of surviving dwindles every second with those disgusting human eaters alive.

Caelum chuckled lowly not the least bit daunted, while reloading his crossbow. "I'll count on you to kill this bastard."

Not a lot of people knew he owns a long-ranged tyrfing since you can count in one hand the times called it out in runs.

Some may claim he's more like VVIP than humanity's strongest weapon.

"Sure." Azah had to chuckle despite the fact that they might die today.

Ah. Fighting leviaths is still better than prison after all.

Fortunately for Miroh, he had spotted the valkyrie quickly thanks to its podgy figure clawing over a part of a three story building. It was an abominable mess of a pig-like human.

He could see several porters huddling inside the farthest corner of the room due to a gaping hole from a part of the wall in the third floor.

His worries slightly loosen since it was a midget compared to average leviaths and was a slow one. But the problem now is how to lure the valkyrie away?

The valkyrie barred its razor sharp teeth, displaying its powerful and flexible jaws. It may have a short and podgy stature, but it did nothing to tone down its spine tingling screeches. It clearly knew there are preys above as it scratches continuously on the cement with its 8 in. claws.

Inside the entrapped room, the situation is not any better. Some of the porters were in the verge of breaking down.

"Why did this happen to me?" A porter began mumbling incoherent tirade while biting on his fingernails in a corner.

They were all the remaining porters who was farther from the reach of the valkyries and escaped just in time. But their luck seem to be running out soon as they had ran themselves in this corner whilst finding the nearest place to hide in the heat of the moment.

Miroh caught sight at the third valkyrie slugging a couple of blocks from him by accident. Seeing this gave him a burst of inspiration.

He ran to the direction of the slugging valkyrie, leaping using a burst of his aurora. In just two consecutive jumps, he was able to cover the distance from his prior position to the third valkyrie.

"Hey, you dumbass! Eyes up here!" He shouted as he gather a huge quantity of aurora to his hands, striking it directly on the face with a devil-may-care approach.

Punches will always be better than swords in his opinion.

The valkyrie screeches, staggering backward at the force of Miroh's punch. Steam began to evaporate out from the impacted area as it regenerates.

He grinned smugly, satisfied at the result of his plan. "Are you angry? Come eat me then!" He spewed out snide comments, successfully rousing the valkyrie.

The valkyrie screech angrily, opening its mouth filled with rows of sharp needle-like teeth. Its tail snap to his direction like a whip in retaliation except Miroh was able to predict this move and narrowly missed it.

He gritted his teeth at slight throb on his torso, but shrug it off in the middle of jumping through structures while evading the valkyrie.

The valkyrie used its tail to destroy the structures blocking its path as it slugged behind Miroh in a different speed compared to earlier. Miroh had flipped the valkyrie's switch somehow, based from how it was wrecking everything just to catch him.

He glanced back, seeing the valkyrie catching up to him like a storm. But instead of being afraid, his mouth quirked up with that exhilarating feeling of doing something exciting.

"Ah. This is better. Hey, catch up!" He shouted.

'Almost there.'

He persevered, nearing the three story building.

As if sensing their presence, the pig-like valkyrie stopped creating chaos. Its large pink snout breath out sharply before screeching as if declaring its dominance.

"Go play with sluggy, you pig!" Miroh shouted, estimating his trajectory at the right moment so he could use the pig's head as springboard to propel himself up to the third floor.

The pig was ignorant of the steaming part of its head, its attention was purely on the new company. It bristled in agitation, thinking the valkyrie was here to fight for its prey.

Valkyries are known to be territorial in nature.

And the slug valkyrie's erratic behavior made the tension even bigger.

Miroh felt accomplished, watching the two valkyries began to aggressively tear each other down. Whoever walks out as the victor is not worth knowing, it would be better if they tear each other down to filth.

'You played right to my hands.'

He thought in disgust from above, standing up with a slight jerk after landing roughly.

"You're one of the cavaliers, right? I'm right." Somebody whispered in a daze, recognizing Miroh as the boy beside Caelum.

"Quick, quick, please get us out of here!" A porter showed a look of hope.

Miroh don't know how to respond to them. He could only divert the valkyries in his own creative ways, but could not kill any with his useless tyrfing.

Even ordinary knights could kill a leviath or two in right condition.

If only he could get power enough to rise above those fuckers, then...

"It's safer to remain here for now. The valkyries are no longer a threat to us." He eventually replied somberly.

The others, as expected, did not take this lightly.

"I thought this place won't have any monsters? But why are there actual valkyries?"

"Our fate is doomed!"

More voices started voicing out their fear at the same time increasing the volume of the noise like the sound of tormented souls from hell.

Miroh flinched as he frantically tried to hush the crowd. He couldn't blame them for becoming emotional, but their actions is like welcoming death to come to them.

"The flare has already been activated. The other side should have an idea of our serious situation by now." He tried to

soothe them. Maybe because of what happened earlier, but he felt less nervous by now.

"They should be coming by now."

"When is the strongest weapon coming?"

"Sir, what should we do?"

Miroh was about to speak once again, when a porter abruptly sprang up, pointing at a direction restlessly.

"They're here!!"

They could only watched in silent awe as a group three effortlessly killed the two valkyries Miroh pitted to each other.

They almost forgot to breath at the efficient clear-cut way they worked together as if performing a dance routine.

There's no doubt they were the other team they were waiting for.

Miroh felt like something burdensome was finally lifted off, giving him great relief. Does that mean they're saved?

A white figure nimbly landed in front them like a cat, startling everyone in the room. The person removed their hood, revealing the green tresses that seem to emit its own light by their intensity.

Their bright green eyes scanned the room quickly before nodding in satisfaction. Their mouth quirked up in a derisive way although her small pale face exuded not a hint of mirth.

"7. Not bad. I thought you're all a goner."