Eternium ~ 33! <3

<Dale, sweetheart!> Dale’s eyes popped open, and his iris dilated in annoyance. <Time to wake up! We’re under attack.>

“First off, I was cultivating, not sleeping. Next, how are we under attack? Did we land?” Dale’s words were angry, but his tone was defeated, fully understanding that there was nothing he could do at this point to ignore the dungeon.

<Right, well, it seems that we are flying into a swarm of creatures that are hungry. Mana or Essence starved, actually. So, they are likely going to be landing and attacking the delicious sources of power on the surface, starting… now.> In the distance, Dale heard a scream of pain and terror, echoed quickly by many more.

“The academy!” Dale was on his feet and running toward the screams in an instant. The people at the academy were weak, just learning how to control their bodies and cultivation! If they were attacked - no, Cal said that the attackers were after power… Dale adjusted his charging sprint, aiming for the entrance to the dungeon. In moments, the attackers were in view. “What are…?”

Dale didn’t finish the question, instead landing among the flight capable creatures with his fists leading the way. He winced as the first blow felt like punching a wall had when he was a Fishy. <I’ll keep you updated as you fight, Dale, just so I can get you their weaknesses and types.>

“You. Just. Want. Free monsters!” Each of Dale's words were clipped, and he was speaking at Mage speed as he punched the leathery creature below him. When blunt force trauma didn’t seem to be doing the trick, Dale coated his hands in Sword Aura and shifted from fists to rigid palms. Empowering his blows with Mana, Dale sunk his hands deeply into the unknown creature and grabbed onto any organs he could find, tearing the monster up from the inside. At this point, it finally noticed his existence and screeched in pain. 

The screech was a potent ability, some form of sonic or wind attack, and if Dale hadn’t been holding tightly to the body, he would have been blown away. Instead, he layered a drop of Mana over his ear canals and continued his grim work. He opened the creature more deeply, then released a burst of Sword Aura that damaged the beast enough to bring it down entirely.

<Nice job, Dale!> There was a slight pause, and a low whistle. <Looks like this is a ‘young adult wyvern’. If this were a human it would be a nineteen-year-old farmer. If there are stronger versions of this creature, be careful. It’s capacity for growth… it’s potential… it’s off the charts.>

Water started to collect on the ground around Dale, and he snorted condescendingly. “I knew it. You’re drooling, Cal.”

<It was a good meal, is all!> The words sounded especially defensive to Dale, but the water vanished in an instant, and a new order came in, <Feathered creature over there! Caution, it seems to be an aeromancer of some sort. If it gets you in the air, it’ll tear you apart. Likely level in the mid B-ranks, but it has a few people fighting against it currently. You might tip the scales in your side’s favor.>

“Thanks, Cal.” Dale dashed off, debating on how to handle the creature ahead of him. It was likely far stronger than him, but he had a few extra tricks up his sleeve that most people didn’t. He swung his arm through the air, and a hair-thin line of Sword Mana extended away from him and… bounced off the smallest feathers of the creature. “Yikes.”

“You’ve been overusing that ability.” Gomei appeared next to Dale, staring at their feathered foe. “If you use something too much, you become predictable to your enemies. Remember, Dale, you do have enemies. You can handle this opponent, I’m off to find more worthy prey. Consider this battle your training for the evening.”

“Gomei?” Dale looked over, but the Elf was already gone. At least Dale wouldn’t be punished for missing a training session. He was secretly relieved, uncontrolled monsters that didn’t have an issue with him personally were a comparative relief. Dale sprinted forward, trying to think of a way to take down this huge beast. He landed on it’s back and started punching, but the thick feathers and downy fur underneath absorbed the blows with ease.

He flipped off of the creature as it swiveled it’s head around like an owl to snap at him, but his distraction was beneficial in allowing a Mage that had been under attack to dance out of the way. Slashing talons tore a deep furrow in the ground, and a gust of wind threw the dirt into the faces of the attacking Mages. It wouldn’t have damaged them, but the people affected still raised their arms to shield their vision as the Beast had intended. It lashed out and tore a chunk out of one of the attacking Mage’s calves, downing the man and pouncing on him.

“No! All of you, punch forward in three, two, now!” With a synchronicity that could only be achieved by hearing, reacting, and moving at superhuman speeds, the gathered group punched straight forward. Once again, Dale had the disconcerting feeling of hitting what felt like a wall, though there was nothing in his path. The Creature collapsed as the back of it’s head exploded outward, and it collapsed on the fallen Mage. “Good! Get him to the healers, let’s get moving!”

Dale watched the group run off, wondering how they had just achieved that feat of power. <Dale, looks like you guys took down a ‘Griffin’. B-rank six, nice work! Must have been a air-dungeon designed creature, woof there is some shoddy systems in that beasty!>

“Can you please just direct me to the next threat that I can handle? Also, can you get some Goblins out here or something?” Dale winced as a small stone building shattered from the pressure of a few higher-ranked beasts fighting Mages. “We are starting to take damage.”

<Sorry, Dale, can’t do it. Too much chance of people attacking the Goblins instead of the monsters, and I need to be ready in case they try coming after me down here.>

Dale grunted and returned to battle, doing his best to find ways to join a group of fighters in attacking Beasts whenever he got the chance. His next few battles were relatively easy, but then he joined in against a giant toad with tiny wings. Somehow, likely Mana, the Beast was able to jump to extreme heights and remain hovering at that altitude. This allowed it to chase any Mages that were attempting to escape, or it could avoid attacks that should have taken it down.

Dale’s sword aura skittered off the creature, it’s skin somehow refusing to part for the incredibly sharp Mana. Like the Griffin, the toad didn’t seem to be hurt by blunt attacks, so Dale was having trouble finding ways to damage the Beast. It landed on the ground to crush a student beneath it, and made to jump away as a potent lightning bolt was being directed at its face. In a moment of inspiration, Dale sent out a bit of Mana and connected tendrils of air-aligned Mana to the air around it. He had used this method in the past to slow himself when falling, and now it was far more potent. The toad tried to jump, but only made it a few feet off the ground before slamming back down - just in time for a surge of power to fry its brain.

“Nice work, kid!” Someone called to Dale, but the man vanished before Dale could get a good look at him.

“Thanks!” Dale called back uncertainly. There was more work to do, so he rejoined the fray. He threw himself at enemies with abandon, knowing that if he didn’t take them out, someone else could very well be badly hurt. Each time a student orr lower-ranked person was squashed, smothered, crushed, or torn apart, Dale felt that he was failing them. Though he was no longer legally the Noble in charge of this area, it was still important to him, and the people were supposed to have someone fighting for them!

“Where is the Guild?” Dale bellowed into the air, gaining attention more from the monsters than the people fighting against them. “Where are the High-rankers, where is Barry?”

There was no answer, and the fighting raged for another hour before they seemed to pass some sort of zone that kept the monsters from following. Or, perhaps, they had simply passed through the swarming beasts and come out the other side. Either way, Dale could finally take a moment to breath and look around the area. The academy was missing several buildings, the ground was awash with blood, and bodies of creatures and people were strewn all over the place.

Dale closed his eyes and breathed deeply, then opened them upon hearing a noise. He saw someone lifting the bodies of the Beasts that had been slain, and a cursury glance showed that this was happening all over. What infuriated Dale was the sight of the Guild crest that each  of them was wearing. “What are you doing? I killed that one.”

“The Guild has claimed all the fallen for resources.” The man shrugged and held up his hands as Dale’s Mana started to boil into his aura and press down on the man. “You want to go to war with Barry? Be my guest, but I’m just following orders. I won’t fight you for the body, but someone else will just come to collect it from you.”

“I am getting sick and tired of this… dictatorship!” Dale snarled, turning his eyes toward the location the bodies were being carried or dragged. He blanched as he saw that it wasn’t just  the Beasts being carried there. Now he understood what the man meant when he said ‘the fallen were being claimed for resources’. Something needed to be done.