The east side of the city, where the toughest battle was still ongoing with nearly the same degree of intensity as it had been earlier. The number of gigantic magic crystals littered about the whole of the field of battle, they were all roughly the same size, and about as large as a small house, yet the magical energy from them felt… Well, it was nauseating.
With the last of the smaller dragons finally slain, the utterly exhausted adventurers turned to face the next massive threat, the very same one that Bokhoir had been single handedly holding at bay for quite some time now.
He needs a break before he breaks. "Nernatti-"
"I can't cast that spell again until I've…" She spoke exhausted, and had difficulty breathing. "It takes at least 60% of my maximum mind to cast. I poured more than that into it earlier."
"Damn, hand me an elixir! I'll bring it to Bokhoir!"
"We're all out! We've been healing mortal wounds with magic for a while now."
"Damn it! Where's Hashana, he should have ordered some more Elixirs by now?"
It was right about then when a messenger came running up with a small bag filled with items, and a letter.
"Ganesha familia captain, Shakti?!"
"Here!"
"I have a letter for you, from the alchemists, and one from Lord Ganesha. This is all I could bring you."
"It's dangerous here, what familia are you with little girl?"
Shakti was covered in blood, sweat, clothes half torn, leaving more than normal exposed… Most of the adventurers were in a state like this. Dragon's fire is nothing to scoff at. The sight terrified the girl making the delivery.
"Hermes familia, my name is Asfi Al-"
"WHAT!?" Shakti's outburst drew the attention of quite a few, the paper in her hands, crumpled up in her hand. "DAMN IT!"
Ilta came over. "What's wrong sister?"
"Read it…" She handed the letter over to Ilta…
"Sister, we still need you here-"
Shakti grit her teeth. "I know, damn it!"
"Um, this package has some items for everyone. It was a rush job so I didn't get around to making a lot. But these should help you handle the dragon flames. And then these are the last of the elixirs outside of the emergency ones set aside for the gods."
"Ilta, take care of the rest of these things, I'm taking the Elixir to Bokhoir now. We still have to deal with the bigger dragons now. This battle is far from over. What I'd give even just for one of his wolves. Or some reinforcements… Anyone would be nice at this point."
Shakti grabbed one of the rather precious few elixirs, while Ilta took the remainder of Shakti's top off, and replaced it with the flame resistant scarf, tying it behind her back. And then she ran right into the hellish fray with Bokhoir.
"Come here, and ration these supplies properly! No one dies today!" Ilta ordered, and one of the adventurers healing the others came over to grab the box. "Asfi Al, go back quickly, do your best to do it in a way the dragons won't see you-"
…
Shakti came in, as she did, scales flew off from where her fist landed.
"Wow, not bad!" Bokhoir praised, cleaving his hammer-axe up, underneath another dragon's jaw.
"I can buy you 5 seconds at most." Shakti said, tossing the elixir to Bokhoir.
"Many thanks. I could use a break, but this'll help." Bokhoir smirked, popping the bottle open, and downed it quickly, waiting for one second for it to get to work. And then joined back in with his physical strength restored. "Still sweaty, but that's nothing new." He laughed.
"At least I'm not half naked anymore. Damn dragons are perverts through n' through." Shakti complained, shoving another fist into a dragon.
Down from the sky came a leaping boar, falling down with the intent to kill, his blades slamming right onto a dragon's neck. "Hmm. It didn't cut?"
"You've got more juice in the tank now don't you? Let it out."
"Give me a few minutes to grow accustomed to this new level. I'll hold them back for a while after this."
"That would be great, but sorry to say, on your own, you're too weak to hold all three of them back on your own."
"I'm not."
The other members of Freya familia, specifically the new level 6s had arrived, along with two of their Andhrimnir to aid in the healing. Hedin clicked his glasses, as he took in the situation with a few glances.
"Allen, Hogni, support Shakti, I'll support Ottar with magic. Bokhoir, we'll work to give you the chance to show us what you can really do."
"AHAHAHA! Now that's more like it! It's about time you showed up, I was afraid you were going to miss all of the fun." Bokhoir laughed, finally having his chance to press the advantage. "Stay 50 meters away, any closer and you'll get caught up in something you'd rather not be in."
Asfi was completely paralyzed with shock seeing these crazy monsters up close and personal. I'm still so far from them, but I can feel the intensity of the battle from here. What is that man, Bokhoir the Bulwark doing? A skill?
"Heh, I've only used this once before. Dragon, you should feel honored to force me to use this…" He focused, and… "Dragon Slayer's Drive!"
Bokhoir swelled slightly, his speed tripled… everything tripled, even beyond what he was doing before. He was now exhibiting a truly impressive power, single handedly fighting off one of the three remaining dragons.
It was here and now, that the true limits of power that a level 6 could command were shown. The battle wasn't one-sided in either direction now. It was even… And Bokhoir made damn sure the dragon knew that.
A claw swipe, armor turning to scrap metal. A hammer blow, bones broke, scales scattered, teeth shattered.
A roar of fiery breath, and a light hammer, clashed… The dragon recoiled, Bokhoir's weapon flew back.
A neck swing, an armored lariat… A dragon's neck compressing, narrowing, and narrowing.
With the free hand, Bokhoir shoved his hand deep into the dragon's neck.
The dragon took to the skies.
A swing and a twist, he overcame the dragon's lift, toss slamming it into the ground, right onto his hammer-axe, rooting it in place, loosely.
As it struggled, it tried to breathe fire, but nothing came…
Bokhoir came down in a pencil dive. Landing right behind where the crystal was located. He grabbed hold, then tore it out of the now soon to be carcass… And then… It was dust.
"Alright, yeah, I need to rest now… That was far more effort than I thought it would be." He smirked, then looked up to tease Nernatti. "So, you're gonna kill one? Or am I going to be the only one to level up here?"
"Shut up and watch me."
Nernatti's spell had been another long charging one, and… with it she matched one of the dragon's fire breaths, then activated her skill, temporarily amping up her magic devouring the enemy's magic attack… The result, another slain dragon, of the larger variety. She picked up the magic crystal, and then started heading back to the city center.
Asfi, did her best to keep up with the two as they ran back.
…