Five days later we managed to beat the deadline and paid the guild in time. "Phew that was close" Shakti said as we exited the guild hall. It was a bright and sunny day, and I almost didn't want to spend time in the dungeon if I could patrol the city with my friends. "Sis I'm sorry for what I said" "I know I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you, but I'm still responsible for this and I don't like dragging other people into my responsibilities," they hugged each other and it warmed my heart seeing them treating each other so well.
The two of them had a fight about Shakti constantly being late to meet the deadline but it seems they made up.
"Craiku Clover thanks for helping me meet the deadline, really I appreciate it" she said with a smile on her face which is rare to see. "No problem, you bought me this awesome equipment so I owe you one" she pats my head, "You don't owe me anything, can't I just help you because I want to" she asked me. Guess she has a point.
"Can you pat my head again?" I asked, feeling my face heat up, she obliged. "Ok I want you to take a break from the dungeon today, you can go to the dungeon for now on but on the days you're not you'll patrol the city with us." She explained, I didn't mind this, we fought in the dungeon for five days straight, even though I get sick of the smell of monster blood sometimes.
So I told Viola I couldn't go into the dungeon today and she surprisingly agreed, and she looked a little healthier than she did five days ago. Is living in poverty that bad, geez, "Are you sure you're not mad at me" "Of course not, I actually feel better than I have in a long long time and I owe it to you and your cowboy friend" he's not a cowboy, ok maybe he is. "But do you mind if I ask you why you're still in your usual outfit if you're not going to the dungeon today"? She asked as she ate her breakfast, wait where'd she buy that from?
"To patrol the city for the Evils of course, I can't fight them in my civilian clothes. I mean I can but I wouldn't recommend it," I joked. "But you'll be available tomorrow right, will it be just you, I feel the most comfortable with you, I don't dislike your friends but I am really looking forward to some alone time with you" hold on, alone time with me, isn't that what a someone says when they wanna be more than friends, and I'm not talking about best friends, no way I'm just a kid I can't do that, or can I. "Sorry but he and Clover are a package deal. With the Evilus running around, traveling alone is a fool's game." Said Shakti,
"Uh Craiku who is this scary lady who is staring at me" she said hiding behind me, "Oh that's Shakti she's my captain," she grabs my arm and drags me away. "I'll talk to you tomorrow morning, see you then" she looked a little scared and disappointed. "Craiku, I don't trust that girl one bit" she said bluntly. "I get that we just met her but she doesn't seem like a terrible person."
"I'm not saying you can't be friends with her, just stay on your guard and promise me you'll keep classified information as classified as possible." She said her grip was very tight, so much so that it started to hurt a bit, "Sis let him go you're scaring him" she said, forcing her to release me. She immediately calmed down and she seemed to not realize what she had done.
"I'm sorry, I just, that girl gave me some weird vibes and I got scared" scared of what? You're a level 2, "Uh I got a question for you, is it true that Supporters are treated like garbage, my dad was a supporter before he retired but I don't remember him being treated roughly like her" both of them looked at each other as if they don't want to tell me but they reluctantly start talking.
"Yes it's true, it's an unfortunate reality but supporters in most cases are not highly respected amongst even their own peers if you can even call them that" Shakti said. "And remember that even your dad went through some tough times as a supporter even if he was treated better than most. And I'm sure you can figure out why" Adree followed up with. "Normally, adventurers who aren't powerful become supporters.
Most Familias delegate their weaker members to the role of supporter, even if they level up." Shakti spoke, both of them took turns speaking. "It's not like having falna magically gives you the ability to get stronger without limit, it depends on what the person is made of. If you can stand in front of the monsters without crumbling under pressure"
Adree said as she held her Sacred Oath. I thought about it for a bit and remember my dad talking to me about it when I was really little. He told me that if I'm nothing without falna then I shouldn't have it in the first place. Hence why he made me earn it, he wasn't abusive or anything. I expressed my desire to be an adventurer at an early age and he respected my desire the best he could.
Mom thought he was crazy for letting me fight monsters as a kid but then again he only allowed me to fight goblins until I was 8 and got better at karate. There are some races like the naturally powerful dwarves or the magically adept elves that can fight monsters on their own, though, so I don't want to say all civilians are powerless.
My magic isn't even tied to my falna, I always had it even before my original deity gave me my blessing. I remember feeling so powerful that day, I slew the remaining monsters in my village like a mad man, and I crippled the monster population and put hunters out of business for an entire season then I was banned from the forest. Still it's sad that weaker people even with falna can be picked on, guess receiving a blessing doesn't solve all your problems. I learned that lesson the hard way. Dianna was so mad when I got my blessing and she started picking on me even more.
I didn't realize how dangerous she was until I defeated her for the first time almost a month ago. We walked through main street but something didn't feel right. "Has anyone seen Clover" "He said he'd be here after he bought some arrows. Wonder what's taking him so-" before Adree could finish her sentence a fireball came flying towards a food stand, but I raced there as quickly as I could and shockingly made it there in time. "Bestow divine protection with the aquatic might of a waterfall. Block the flames of those who sin. Water Barrier"!
I raised my wand and completed the Incantation Auntie taught me and the fireball was blocked by a large wall of water. "Geez that was close" I checked to see if the store clerk was okay and thankfully he was just fine. "Thanks kid but I thought you didn't need to use Incantations" "Oh so you've heard of me, that's only true for spells I'm familiar with and this is a new one" I explained. Shakti immediately dismantled the culprit behind that fireball and took the magic sword he used to launch that fireball.
"All of you charge ahead and protect the civilians from the Evilus, use your bodies as shields if you have to" "Yes ma'am" everyone moved out. "Seriously who are they trying to prove, launching a fireball at a defenseless old man is.. ugh" Adree was so mad she couldn't find the words to describe her rage. Half the block was on fire before long, "Oh no," "I don't suppose you have a spell that can make it rain" "Unfortunately that is a negative" I said . "But I do have my ice spell" "Use it at once, we can worry about wet clothes later" Shakti commands. "After you put it out, go find Clover. He might be unarmed right now."
On the other side of Orairo, Clover stood outside of Gonibu Familia's shop where the Evilus were threatening them. "Hand us everything you got and we may or may not kill you" said a brawny man with a scar on his face. "Fat chance of that happening"! Clover said, "You're Genesha Familia's archer, Clover right, I've heard of you, so strong willed, it's pests like you who need to know their place" he said holding a knife to his forehead. "I'm not afraid of you," he grew frustrated, "Scared or not your death will make others feel fear-" before he could stab his head a throwing knife made him drop his own.
"Uh no, you gotta pay for your items, no matter how much poverty you experience, believe me crime only pays for the people who bring you in" a pink haired prum girl had come to his aid. "I was wondering when you'd show up" "Wait you're that runt from the Astrea Familia" while his guard was down Cover punched him in the jaw and threw him across the field. "Everyone attack, make sure they don't get away with attacking our favorite black Smiths" said a red headed girl, "So how much do I owe you for the arrows" "On the house just get them" another smith said as he tossed him 7 of them.
"Sorry we thought we'd have more time" "Seven, I'd get the job done with three" he said confidently a dagger flew past his face making a cut in his face and blood ran down his cheek. "Hey" they were met with a horde of killers armed with weapons and the lust for blood. "Tch we can't even have a conversation around here, welp it's a heroine's job to do community services, let's do them a service and take them out" Alise said as she charges into battle. Clover shot three arrows consecutively hitting two of them in their knees and one in their shoulder before he ran up and punched him in the face before he finished it off with a tornado kick.
"And that's the last of them, thanks for the help shorty" "No sweat, but call me that again and I'll make you wish I didn't save you" Lyra said. With her was Iska Neze Asta and Noin who helped take out the majority of the soldiers. "Miss, please you gotta help my wife and daughter please" said a man covered in ashes. He pointed to a building being vacated by a bunch of people who were escorted by a group of adventurers. "Why aren't they among the people who are evacuating,"
"They had to leave a couple of people behind because…they were taken hostage at the top of the building. She's not even 8 years old yet please I'm begging you ""Don't worry sir I'm not scared of fire I am an enteral-" the flames around her body disappear. "Uh oh, that's not good," she said with a panicked expression, "I told you that you shouldn't have used it twice." Clover picked up his crossbow and went inside the building.
"Hey you're down to five arrows" Lyra yelled as he ran into the building, "Maybe but I'm still alive and as long as I'm still breathing I'm not gonna turn my back on someone who needs help" he raced inside the building pulling the scarf over his mouth and nose and sidekicked a soldier that was standing in his way. "I'll help him, fire is not a threat to-" a large hammer hits the ground in front of her.
"Ugh damn it everywhere we turn there's more terrorist waiting to punch us in the face" The building was going up in flames and Clover fought and fought his way to the top of the building and he reached the point he suspected that they were being held hostage. The door was being blocked by two soldiers. "What are you doing with those people, let them go now"! "Or what, you're already drained Clover, and at this point all you're doing is me a favor by coming here" said the man standing at the center.
"There's a child in there, and you're gonna let her die"!? He said unable to hide his anger. "With how long we've been after your soul it shouldn't come as a surprise to you that we don't have any qualms against killing children" he said approaching him, but pulled out his knife and he swung aiming for Clover's neck only to get it blocked by his crossbow and kicked twice and then he jumped kicked him towards the window. "There's a little kid in there and you're gonna kill her, if you're so desperate for kids' souls why haven't you done it already?" he had a satisfied expression.
"Answer me now or-" in an instant he was impaled from behind, he was so enraged he dropped his guard and forgot about the other two guarding the door. "This is the part where you die, say goodbye archer." "Water arrow" a lance of water rushed through the window and sent the man flying into the wall. "Hey who did that!" A boy crashed through the window at the same time, "Leave him alone!" He punched him twice in the face and picked him up and he threw him out of the window. "Boss no"! His two henchmen said Craiku placed his hand on Clover's back and began healing him; he soon rose to his feet.
"Are you okay, I'm sorry I took so long, I ran here as fast as I possibly could." He said as he hugged him, "Yeah yeah I'm okay, but they got four people in their including a little girl, if the flames don't reach them then the smoke definitely will suffocate them so we gotta act fast" "Gotcha, I got the one on the right you got the one on the left" Craiku said wasting no time rushing towards him "Fine…I'll slit yer throat first, kid…!" The man reaches behind his back and draws his sword. "Stone cannon ball" he shot a cannon ball at him causing him to flinch and Craiku drew his spear and slashed him across the chest drawing blood.
"Ach I'm fucking bleeding, wait blood…how dare you draw blood you little shit" he raised his sword above his hand and struck him with everything he had. But although Craiku was small he managed to block it with an overhead block causing him to recoil. "Ugh just die already, I'm supposed to be close to level 2"!
He screamed, he continued thrusting his sword at him but he deflected and blocked it with efficiency and accuracy. "Triple water ball" he launched three balls of water in his opponents face and got several bruises on his face. Getting hit by a water ball was like getting punched in the face. He aimed for his head but he ducks down using his small stature to his advantage and uppercuts him then the man knees him in the stomach.
"Ha not so tough now are you-" he punched him in his solar plexus, "Stone cannon ball" he launched it at his hand and forced him to drop his sword and karate chops him in the side of his head and he fell unconscious and completely collapsed on the ground. Clover shot two more arrows at the left soldier's forehead and he ran across the room and sidekicked him at an extreme speed and he fell unconscious. "Clover, you got stronger I went through all that to take him out and you made it look easy, how dare you" he said, "Complain later rescue now" "Come with me, this place is too full of smoke" he picked up his spear and twirled it around and he formed a small tornado sending the smoke out of the window.
"That should give you some breathing room but it won't last long" among them were a man a woman holding a little girl with white hair holding a teddy bear. "Who are you?" "Someone who wants to help you, now follow me," he leads them to the window. "Craiku bad news! The fire escape has been burned down and it's too firey down there to land" Craiku thinks for a moment, "A ha I got an idea" he raised his wand and gave a confident grin.
"Follow my order and provide divine protection. Let's put them into an eternal winter slumber with no chance of resurrection–Kuros Anemos"!!
He unleashed a powerful icy wind that extinguishes the fires down below.
"When you can't find a fire escape, you make an ice escape"
He raised his wand once again, I hope this works.
"Arctic spirits that envelop our forests with frost, here my name. Respond to the contract, let snow rain! Follow my order and provide divine protection. Let's put them into an eternal winter slumber with no chance of resurrection–Kuros Anemos"!!
He shot a wave of icy wind in a diagonal angle and a entire platform made of solid ice began to form.
"Come on, come on" he keeps on blowing icy wind creating a path made of ice.
"I did it, I really-" he staggered back.
"Easy, easy , don't use so many spells at once" Clover said. "It's the only way out" there were two rails made entirely of ice. "If a fire escape doesn't work how about an ice escape" he picked up the girl, and Clover picked up the mother, "You're not gonna make us slide down these poles like we're at a we slide down the stair handles" Craiku gave him a goofy smile. "My God we are" he slid down the first ice rail carrying the girl. "Hold on tight," he rode his way down with the two soles on his boots. "Weeeee this is so amazing" the girl said.
"He's serious about thi-" she was picked up by Clover. "If you can't beat them join them" they slide down and eventually crash into a pile of snow. "Yay that was fun, again again" the girl said, "Yeah no we are never doing that again, but I'm glad you liked me ice escaped, I practiced it for an entire month and I thought I'd never get to use it" Clover looked stunned. "You rehearsed this"!? He shouts.
"Let's get them to safety and get back to work, we still have plenty of fire to put out" he said as he pulled out an elixir and drank it.
He then used Kuros Anemos to put out the flames unleashing powerful blast after blast until eventually all of the flames were extinguished.
The mother and daughter were reunited with the father and the two boys fist bump for getting the job done. "We're getting pretty good at this aren't we" Craiku said confidently, "Yes we are, but again please try to cool it with the magic" Craiku made a deadpan expression. "Oh come on you know that was funny, you're smiling"
"I am and I hate it" the two of them looked around and saw a bunch of Evilus soldiers that were frozen solid. "Eek I have to be more careful when I use my magic, I could have frozen an adventurer that wasn't committing evil." "You did,"!? said a group of girls who were all covered in frost and snow. He turned around and saw the Astrea Familia shivering with annoyed expressions. "Uh hey Alise, you girls seem cold today"
"Yeah all because Mr Frosty the snow mage went ahead and froze the Shopping district out of goddamn nowhere" Lyra said poking his cheek, "Cold hands cold hands ew ew ew" he flinched. "We were fighting the Evilus minding our own business when some massive title wave came out of the blue and washed us up and then it turned into ice when a blizzard hit us, we had to dig ourselves out and break out the ice, we were frozen from the waste down waste down. And half of us are wearing shorts"!
Kaguya complained. Craiku twiddled his fingers as they continued scolding him for his reckless spell casting. "Let's not be so hard on him, he's just a kid and he did put out the fires." Ryuu said, "But please, I request you to get better control of your magic" she said, "Yes, I'm very very sorry for freezing you girls, it won't happen again" he said. Ryuu approached him, "Well it was this kind of magical power that ended up saving us from the pass parade the other day. What I wouldn't give to have magical power like that" the elven girl comments.
"But you got that amazing healing spell, I would have been toast without it" he complimented.
"And right now we'll need to put that healing magic to work, and since you are going around giving people frostbite you can led us your healing abilities to compensate for this"
Lyra demanded, "Oh of course, I have plenty of magic left in me"
Crazy to think that I accidentally froze the Shopping District. I just wanted to put the fire out, not, I really need better control over my magic power output.