บท 125: Balanos!
In the once quiet library, the sounds of steel clashing against steel echoed.
Amy took a step back and struck down another one of the paper swords that had somehow hardened themselves to be stronger than steel. It followed the same principle as Amy's light sword.
Though neither were made of steel, they still replicated its properties.
"I've made more preparations ever since our last battle. I had thought that you were just an Apprentice but to think you were already an Adept and a particularly strong one at that."
"Crescent Light!"
"It's pretty rude to interrupt someone while they're talking."
The sorcerer nonchalantly waved her finger. Dozens of pages came together to form a giant shield which blocked Amy's attack without much effort.
"..."
Amy continued to face off against the sorcerer. She didn't plan on exchanging any words as she couldn't lose her focus for even a second.
To add to that, there were also hostages scattered around the library. If Amy were to press forward and ignore them, they'd be killed.
That's why, though many minutes had passed since Amy entered the library, she only lost stamina and hadn't gained any ground at all.
'It's impossible for me alone…'
At least, not with the hostages.
Amy looked down at the dozens of paper swords that were stabbed into the floor and fell into thought for a few moments before leaping backward to dodge another sword.
"I guess coming up with a name on the spot is pretty rough…"
Amy muttered and pointed her sword at the sorcerer and focused. She closed her eyes and extended her senses using her energy.
"What are you trying to do?"
The sorcerer frowned and quickly sent half a dozen swords her way but Amy simply blocked them all. Realizing that Amy was about to do something that could threaten her, the sorcerer quickly made a move.
She tapped the air with her staff like a droplet falling into a pool of still water and then muttered a few words.
Immediately, several shelves worth of books came flying over to her and spun around her rapidly. The pages kept being ripped out and forming a giant sword right on top of her.
Finally, Amy opened her eyes and held out her free hand. A sword manifested on her hand and at the same time, two swords of light began floating around her. A couple of seconds later, four appeared and a few more seconds later, a dozen appeared.
Amy took a deep breath and ran. The floating swords followed her close behind and began flying off by themselves all to protect the hostages that she could see.
As each sword flew off, a new one would take its place. Once all of the hostages had a single sword guarding them, Amy was already only a few meters away from the sorcerer.
Without another word, the sorcerer pushed her staff forward and the giant sword moved according to its movements.
It was at least ten meters long and four meters thick.
"Huff…"
Amy inhaled a breath and then slashed at the giant sword with the swords in her hands. The light swords floating around her soon followed but Amy's feet were still sliding off the ground.
Realizing that she wouldn't be able to stop the giant sword with her trembling arms, wings sprouted at her back but all it did was slow down the sword.
"Urk…"
Amy had to close an eye to concentrate.
It was impossible for her to stop the sword and there were still hostages surrounding them. However, though it was impossible to move the sword, was it the same for the hostages?
Using the swords, Amy slowly began moving the hostages a few at a time. She wasn't able to control all of the swords with her mind simultaneously, it was the best she could do to hold out and wait until her swords finished.
However, how could the sorcerer allow her to do everything so freely?
The sorcerer quickly fired a few dozen swords at the hostages and Amy was forced to relinquish the control of the swords stopping the giant sword to help the hostages.
It resulted in her being pushed back even faster than before.
"Aaaghh…"
With the increase in pressure, Amy's arms could barely manage to hold on.
"Miss Amy!"
A voice suddenly called out from behind. At that same moment, mist began forming all around the library.
"James?!"
"Yes, I've come with reinforcements!"
Following his statement, a blue fire suddenly swept past Amy and burned the paper swords that were targeting the hostages.
A few metal rods also brushed past her and the giant sword and headed straight for the sorcerer but she managed to block them.
"Move out of the way!"
Realizing that all of the hostages were safe, Amy began releasing her hold on the giant sword.
"Just a little bit… more!"
Amy yelled out and redirected the sword to aim at the floor.
It caused an explosion of dust and rubble. The power behind the giant sword wasn't a joke.
"What of the other students?"
"Reinforcements from the households have arrived and have evened out the odds."
It had only been around half an hour since the attack began. The only households that could react this fast and were this close to the academy were the minor households.
The four major households were quite a distance away from the academy as they were the pillars. It wouldn't do if they were all stuck together in one place as most of the city wouldn't be under their protection.
"What about Sebastian?"
"We don't know where he is…"
"I see…"
Amy stopped her questions and focused on the threat in front of her.
If it wasn't for the hostages, then Amy had a greater chance of defeating the sorcerer but now, with both the hostages out of the way and the reinforcements, it was a guaranteed win.
"Let's quickly take her down so we can meet up with Sebastian. If my hunch is correct, he should be fighting the Valian right now."
"The one who attacked the academy last time?"
"Yes, most likely."
"Then, we've really got to hurry."
James raised his energy as the mist gathering inside the library thickened. Willow and Freddie were right beside them and using their abilities to defend against the sorcerer's constant stream of attacks.
Amy brandished her two swords and raised her energy as well.
…
"Ugh…"
The Valian groaned.
Since they came underground, a few minutes had passed already but other than the wound on his chest, there were only a few scratches covering his body.
"Shouldn't you be running out of energy by now?!"
The Valian yelled out and punched the ground. The force behind his punch was so strong that the ground caved in and the ceiling, which is the academy's floor crumbled.
As much as he wanted to escape, he couldn't. Sebastian had been hiding in the shadows and attacking him from blind spots. Whenever he tried to escape, Sebastian would just pull him back using shadows.
"I've still got plenty! Death Throes!"
Sebastian yelled out and struck the Valian with his spear.
—How much have you got left?
"It'll last for around five minutes at most if I continue my current pace."
As much as Sebastian wanted to use his multicolored flame attacks, he'd be draining his energy even more. The only reason he could use lightning with such efficiency was the spear.
"Aaaggghh!"
The Valian roared in frustration and began hitting the ground and the walls surrounding him.
BANG BANG BANG
"This crazy son of a—!"
Sebastian couldn't help but curse out as he was forced to get out of his shadow. Before he could find another safe spot to hop into, the Valian grabbed him by the scruff of his clothes and then threw him up.
"HAHAHA!"
"ACK!"
It was a clean blow on Sebastian's stomach. If not for him strengthening his body at the last second, there would be a hole in his stomach.
However, he couldn't help but cough up some blood once he landed on one of the upper floors.
"Looks like you really are running out of energy!"
The Valian cheered and kicked Sebastian through one of the windows and sent him crashing onto the ground in front of the other students.
Before he could stand up, another blow landed on him. The Valian had leaped from his spot in one of the upper floors of the building and landed on Sebastian's body.
There was an explosion of dust as Sebastian was pummeled.
The Valian held Sebastian's neck as he raised him up.
"So long!"
"Unhand him!"
A few attacks suddenly bombarded the Valian's flank and forced him to let go of Sebastian.
"Tch."
The Valian clicked his tongue and turned his attention to the source of the attacks, the teachers that had been fighting against his comrades.
"None of you know who you're messing with—"
Just as the Valian finished his words, there was a giant explosion from the library and several figures landed on the ground in front of him with force.
"He's here already? Hmph. Looks like it's over."
The Valian put his hands into his pockets and glared at Sebastian.
"You're all finished."
Seeing as how his comrade had arrived, he no longer felt the need to do anything and quickly leaped to the library's general direction.
"Amy!"
Sebastian silently healed himself underneath his clothes as he neared Amy and his friends. Though his body was screaming in pain and it felt as if he would collapse at any second, he endured.
"Run… Sebastian… They have a Magus on their side!"
"What?!"
The teachers who were gathering around Amy and the others were alerted.
As if on cue, a giant blue beam of light suddenly came from the library and threatened to swallow everyone whole.
The teachers and students who were fighting quickly moved first. Their enemies had receded earlier and it looked like they had expected this beforehand.
Everyone used their abilities to the utmost to defend against the attack.
Amy also forced herself to stand and provide a wall of light using the rest of her energy. Though James and Freddie weren't able to help defend, they weren't in the state to do so either.
Willow didn't have the power to even sit up and raised his hand. His blue flame wrapped around the various other abilities in hopes of defending against that light.
BOOOOOOOM
"AAAAGGGHHH!"
Everyone roared.
There were dozens of Adepts here and a few Casters, but none of them were able to contend against the power of the beam that had just appeared.
It was the power of a Magus.
After what seemed like an eternity, the beam disappeared and most of the people who had helped to block it had fallen down in exhaustion.
"Hoooh… I underestimated the academy, to think that they were able to block one of my attacks…"
"You can fire several dozens of those attacks, what's there to be impressed about?"
"Tch. Why don't you end it already?"
An unknown man, the sorcerer, and the Valian spoke respectively.
The three of them had arrived a little bit away from everyone else.
"It's over…"
One of the students muttered.
"..."
Sebastian looked around. Though he could barely stand, he still decided to stand in front of Amy who had already collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.
"Well then, it's time to finish our business here."
The man clenched his fist and a blue ball of light covered his hand.
"Amy," Sebastian spoke without turning his head. "Whatever happens, I love you, don't forget that."
"Haha… What are you saying? Don't we still have to celebrate your birthday later?"
Amy stood up with trembling legs and tried to stand beside Sebastian but he stopped her. He turned his head back to look into her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"...?"
—Sebastian…
"I have to do it."
—…
"Well then, enough of that."
The unknown man raised his hand and pointed it at the lone figure standing amongst his enemies, Sebastian.
"Obliteration."
"Balanos!"
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