"The Evil spirits are used for extraction and then in the usage of making a lot of things. From magical instruments to potions and pills. They are used in enchantments and formations!" Kat explained, facing Eldros as they moved away from the secret place they set up for hunting the Evil spirits.
"You'll explain what they are used for later, Kat," Jarek said with weary amusement. "For now, we have to think about how to return. Since they set the monsters to attack us, they might be in the Wilderness to physically attack us themselves."
Everyone nodded.
Jarek turned to Eldros. "We'll have to split up. Since Eldros isn't familiar with this place, I'll go with him while the rest of you go your separate ways. We'll meet up at the Outpost!"
They all exchanged glances. There was no need to say anything else as they were already used to that kind of thing. Without hesitation, they all faced different directions and then melted into the Wilderness.
Jarek turned to Eldros. "Keep close."
Then she shot into the forest, her figure blurring enough that he could see and keep up.
Eldros ran after her, his heart beating fast, his eyes narrowed, his Hand of the Demon arts ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice.
They ran through the forest, Jarek in front and him behind her. Even with the sun above, the undergrowth was dark and damp with a faint fog of coldness.
Although she was moving incredibly fast, she was also moving slow enough for him to keep up.
But suddenly she stopped running and stiffened. Her eyes narrowed.
Eldros came to a stop a few feet from her, and his hand immediately dropped to his iron disc. The hair on his body rose as he felt danger surrounding him.
"Come out!" Jarek said. The space around her rippled as power covered her form. Her voice set the air on edge as it vibrated in the forest. "I know you are there, come out now!"
"Hehehe." A dark chuckle came from the forest and glowing eyes appeared, quickly followed by a body.
Jarek reacted with narrowed eyes while Eldros stiffened.
"Jarek, I'll finally hold your head in my hand, you bitch!" It was the leader of the Skullhowl.
"Malri!" Jarek said in a cold voice. "This is all your work after all!"
Malri, the leader of the Skullhowl, laughed, pleased. "It's my work. One by one I killed off all the stronger teams. At first, it was because the strongest teams always had better loot, but now it's more than that!"
Behind Malri, Eldros counted up to seven members, all of them either two or three stars. His heart began to beat fast as he realized the situation he was in. Things had gone horribly wrong! There was simply no way he could fight seven Magus of such stars at once!
Jarek seemed to realize the same as she turned to smile at him sadly, but then her eyes hardened and she raised her hand. A ripping wave of energy tore from her, howling forward with the power to shred skin from bone.
She aimed directly at the Skullhowl subordinates at the back!
But Malri did not allow her. Black mist poured from his mouth and formed a shield that blocked her attack. He laughed. "You should leave our subordinates to fight it out with each other! Just like all your other team members are currently fighting it out!"
Jarek did not have the time to process that information as Malri was already on the move. Black mist covered him and he shot forward with blinding speed, the two of them disappearing into the forest where crashing sounds soon echoed.
The lead subordinate, a three-star Initiate of the Arcana Magus, raised a long dagger and licked it, bloodlust dripping from him. "We are going to carve you up, boy... eh?"
He looked at where Eldros had been standing previously, but he had already disappeared!
The Magus with the dagger's eyes widened. He cast his senses out to scan the surroundings, then pointed with his left hand at a crowded dark bush. "There...!"
Eldros was indeed there, but he was already on the move.
A disc, thrown with the power of the Demon Hand, shot out of the bush so fast it seemed to disappear and reappear in front of the Magus with the dagger, taking his head clean off!
Disbelief and shock were still etched on his face as his head spun.
Eldros didn't even wait for the body or the head to land as he had already closed the distance between him and his opponents.
But the element of surprise was already lost. The other Magus were waiting for him!
"I'll take him! We're ready for him now!"
It was a woman with a spear that glowed golden and she was in the lead. She thrust her spear forward with all the power of her two stars.
Eldros dodged at the last moment and closed in, his left claws slashing at her forehead.
But she snorted, her eyes flared with cold light, and an illusory spear appeared in front of her face, shooting forward ferociously. It was an attack meant to crush Eldros's hand!
Eldros didn't pause as his left hand continued. He slammed into the illusory spear. It pierced his hand a little before it shattered, but his hand continued. His claws dug into her face and he ripped the front side of her skull away.
With that, he turned, gripped his iron disc, and shot into the forest like a hunting arrow.
The five remaining Magus stared at the place where Eldros had stood, and the two dead in a matter of seconds, stunned into silence.
But the next instant, they were running after him!