Chapter 485: Arson (2)

Perseus POV

"They never learn, do they?"

Here I am again, watching as they turn my peaceful forest into a fiery spectacle. It's like a broken record, the same tune playing over and over. You'd think they'd catch on by now, but nope, they keep diving headfirst into the same mistake. I mean, come on, it's almost funny how they keep rolling the dice thinking this time it might go differently. But nope, same old story. 

Giant lizards then emerged from the depths of the charred forest. As the lizards surged forward, their jaws opened with a primal roar that echoed through the scorched landscape with jaws snapping people in seconds.

The towering trees that had provided them shelter now crackled and popped, succumbing to the relentless onslaught of fire. 

The battleground became a chaotic spectacle. The air crackled with the primal forces of claws meeting enchanted weapons, and the forest echoed with the resounding clash of magic. The giant lizards, their eyes gleaming with an uncanny intelligence, fought fiercely to reclaim their home.

In the midst of the chaos, predatory magic creatures emerged from the shadows, their otherworldly forms twisting and contorting as they weaved through the mayhem. 

My eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for any heroes among the arsonists responsible for this devastation, but none of them were there. 

As I moved closer to the heart of the conflict, my senses were assaulted by the cacophony of roars, growls, and the sound of other magical creatures. The ground beneath my feet trembled as the giant creatures clashed, their primal instincts driving them to defend their territory. Each swing of a massive tail or swipe of razor-sharp claws sent shockwaves through the air.

At least this time, these guys were prepared, they came with gear to hunt all of the animals down and they were actually winning.

These arsonists weren't just opportunistic bastards, they were organized and prepared for this assault on our home. Their sinister intent was clear, not only to burn our sanctuary but to systematically hunt down all of us.

I need these creatures to run away, I need them later as a wild card instead of fighting like this, they're smart, but not smart enough to counter the efficiencies of humans and demons.

I gritted my teeth, my mind racing as I considered our dwindling options. The giant lizards, lions, and tigers fought valiantly, but the arsonists' gear gave them a deadly advantage. It was a cruel twist, the predators, the hunters had become the hunted, and the scales tipped in favor of those bastards.

I'm going to risk destroying the forest for this, but it should scare the beasts a bit. I then took out a whistle that the chief handed me earlier. Bringing the whistle to my lips, I blew a sharp, piercing note that cut through the chaos of battle. Almost immediately, a gust of wind swept past me, carrying with it an otherworldly energy. Leaves and debris swirled in the air as the wind spirits answered the call.

I knew the risk of calling upon the wind spirits and the potential destruction they could unleash due to their unpredictable nature. Yet, in that desperate moment, it was a calculated gamble to buy time and create enough chaos to allow the creatures to escape unharmed.

As the wind spirits swept through the battlefield, a temporary calm enveloped the area. The flames flickered, and the arsonists hesitated, momentarily unnerved by the supernatural intervention. The creatures, sensing the change in the air, froze in fear, and retreat further into the safety of the forest.

I rather not call these guys, cuz they only respect one person, and that is...those who inherited the mantle of chief, meaning that unless the chief is here, they may attack the rest of us as well, just in case, I transformed to look like them too.

They don't have true forms, considering that they were literally just air, but they do occasionally form a physically humanoid body every now and then.

The wind spirits were both ruthless and unpredictable, their allegiance tethered not to the desires of mortal beings but to the protection of the forest, and that's putting it lightly because even the villagers are scared of them.

Despite their intimidating reputation, the wind spirits were the true guardians of the forest, maintaining the delicate equilibrium of the ecosystem. They protected the flora and fauna from external threats, their unpredictable nature serving as a deterrent to those who sought to exploit the sacred sanctuary.

Paradis managed to tame them somehow when he fought their king, the spirits themselves can be easily defeated, imagine a 1 hp but 999 atk stat mob, they will quite literally rip you into shreds. Their king is the only one with a somewhat durable body, and such existence can only be born every couple of decades, which we currently do not have, so I can't really tame these guys unless I become chief and meet their proxy leader to prove my worth.

I joined in the fight and helped expel the arsonists and mages a bit, I didn't shred them apart or anything, but I did kill a lot just so the wind spirits wouldn't attack me for being too soft, they were really quick, probably the among the top 5 fastest being in the world.

After a while, I managed to penetrate their line and reach their commanding tent.

"Lloyd?"

"Perseus?" the guy recognized my voice

"You...dude, what the hell?!"

"Things change, alright?"

"Change? Burning down our home? What twisted logic brought you to this? I thought you were proud of your heritage, and your ancestors, and this is what you do? Burn down our forest?!"

"Sometimes you have to destroy to rebuild," he said cryptically as if it explained everything, "And this forest is standing in the way of peace."

"Lloyd, I'm giving you a chance, leave, and hide. Leave this place before it's too late. Don't make me regret this."

"Regret what?"

"I've never killed anyone from our village, and I hope for it to stay that way, run and hide while I'm giving you the chance."

"..."

"Go! Lloyd! Before I have to stand against you. Before it's too late for both of us!"

"Even if it's you, I'm prepared to lay down my life." he then took out his sword