Chapter 219: [Side Story] Barren Lands of Winter Surgence (8)


    "N-No... The big bad wolf..." Nicole muttered out as she hurriedly stepped back from the sight of the paw that was protruded out from the bush. "Please... Run, just run... He''s... He''s..."


    "Nicole, stay behind me," Lier silently red at the bush, awaiting the attack from the wolf. Preparing to cast out a skill, she entered into a battle stance. "If you want her, thene at me!"


    "Grr..." A deep growl echoed through the forest as suddenly, a humongous wolf that seemed to be that of the size of a lion appeared out of the bush. With white and grey fur around his body, a scar that was apparent on his left eye and a scowl of that anger hurriedly jumped forward towards Lier.


    "U-Ugh..." Fending off against the attack, Lier muttered out a spell as her de soon glowed a blue aura. In the next moment, small bits of frost began covering her sword. "Hahh...!"


    [ Lier''s Sword Technique - Frost Enforcement ]


    As she reflected the attacks against the wolf, Lier slightly jumped back as she tightly gripped onto her sword. With one swing, she struck at the wolf''s body with all her might.


    Then, following the sequence of attacksLier stepped forward as she hurriedly sent another strike at the wolf. With an elegant posture that seemed to be that of a dancer, Lier shed through the wolf as if it was paper.


    [ Lier''s Sword Technique - Frozen Elegance ]


    "Grr..." Taking the full blows from Lier''s attacks, the wolf clicked his tongue. "Weak... Absolutely weak!" Roaring out in a loud voice that seemingly resounded through the ins, the wolf turned towards Lier as he swung his ws at her. One time, two times, three times... The number of strikes that he was sending towards Lier seemed endless. "I''ll show you what''s strong!"


    "What...?! Why do you still have so much energy left?!" Lier slightly struggled to dodge against the wolf''s attacks. It was fast and precise. Every time she would attempt to dodge against his deadly ws, she was weed by another one. Her health couldn''t keep up. "A-Ack..."


    Lier''s technique was to slow down the movement of her enemies, whether through her skills or her precise swordsmanship. When she activates a skill, she would typically decrease her enemy''s agility by default or at times, make their movements sluggish.


    However, for this instanceit seemed that the wolf was immune.


    "Like I said... Weak!" The wolf growled in anger as raised his paw up into the air. With the countless amounts of attacks that Lier had taken, one final strike from the wolf would then seal her demise. "Face your end!"


    "N-No... Mama! No!" Nicole cried out as she saw the ongoing battle with the wolf. "Please run! Mama!"


    "Aha... Mama?" Whilst the battle had taken to the attention of the group, the child that was by the front of them effortlessly made his way towards Nicole. "Your real mama is waiting for you. Mummy would be please for today''s hunt."


    "No...!" Nicole screamed as her hands were forcefully grabbed by the child. "I don''t want to go... Not there...!"


    "...hey, kid," with a silent chant from above the two children, a ck void shot forward towards the boy that was beside Nicole. In turn, the child noticed and leapt backwards, releasing his grip from the girl. "Haven''t your mom told you not to use force to get your way?"


    "Not to use force?" the child clicked his tongue. "Hah... Mummy actually says to use force when I don''t get my way," with a smirk, the child jumped forward towards the young manSanke. "Don''t underestimate me!"


    With his heterochromatic eyes shining in a bright aura, the atmosphere around the man slowed down, as if time had stopped. In the next moment, the child that was in front of the man disappeared. Following that, time had begun to flow normally again.


    "...?!" Sanke, who was shocked at the sight turned to nce around the area to see where the child had gone to. However, he was nowhere to be found. "...no, this is..." clicking his tongue at a sudden realization, he hurriedly turned towards Nicole, where in turn, was greeted by an empty space of where she once stood. "Grr... Damnit!"


    ...


    Whilst Sanke was busy handling his own matter, Lier and the wolf was still in a fight. Though, if the fight were to continue, the winner would be obvious.


    "U-Ugh..." Lier clicked her tongue. "This strength..."


    "Hmph... For a human," the wolf appeared from behind the sluggish Lier and soon pounced at her. "You sure can take my blows well! But... That won''t allow you to survive today!"


    "Ugh... Lier, I can''t up with this!" Renryth cried out. "Everything''s going on cooldown, you need to end this, now!"


    Despite being at the end''s meet against her opponent, Lier was still able to sustain herself well thanks to the back-up from Renryth that allowed her to stay alive. As the Windstorm Mage, there were a few varieties of weak healing spells that could be used to aid an ally. Though, it couldn''t bepared to that of a priest.


    "I''m trying!" Lier shouted out as her de fended off against the ws of the wolf. "But... This guy... A wolf... But..."


    "Hmph, you don''t need to know who or what race I am since you''ll die," the wolf continued to pounce forward against Lier, dwindling down her health. "After that... I''ll deal with you," moments after he had pounced towards Lier, his gaze turned towards Renryth who was supporting Lier by the distance through the few support abilities he had.


    "U-Ugh... I''m reaching my limit," Renryth clicked his tongue. "Who knew that not getting proper rest would bite at me today..."


    "Hey, you big wolf!" Lier stated. "Who said you get to turn your attention away during battle like that?" Taking the notice to retaliate, Lier silently muttered out a spell as she swung her sword at the wolf from behind him. In the next moment, she connected another skill as she protruded out multiple spikes that entrapped the wolf within her skills. "Hahh!"


    [ Lier''s Sword Technique - Winter Cross ]


    [ Lier''s Sword Technique - Icy Confinement ]


    As she used skill after skill against the wolf, she slowly managed to back her enemy away into a corner. One strike, one swing and stream of skills at a time.


    "Y-You..." As if she was progressively gaining strength through her endless amounts of attacks, the wolf was pushed back. "How... Grr... You!"


    "Hey, you stupid wolf!" As he was in a frenzy, a child''s voice rang through his ears. "Are youing or what?! I''ve already got Nicole. You''re just wasting my precious time. I want to go home and y already!"


    "What? So easily?" he replied silently.


    "What, so easily? It''s as simple as taking away the feeling of safety from a baby," the child''s voice suddenly became uneasy. "U-Ugh... Anyway! Just get over here fast! Do you want a storm toe to you?"


    "Hmph..." The wolf sneered as he turned towards Lier and Renryth who was now inbat mode. "...I''ve had my fun. You''re lucky you survived!"


    "Hey, you...!" Lier cried out as she attempted to reach the wolf in time, however, with his fast agility and strength, the wolf hurried back into the forest, away from the group. "Ugh... He escaped."


    "That''s a good thing," Renryth sighed with relief. "If he were to keep up the pace... We''d have been in trouble."


    "No... It''s not a good thing," Lier shook her head in worry. "If he''s leaving so suddenly..." Turning towards the direction of where Sanke and Nicole were, she saw that they were nowhere to be found. "Ack... Nicole''s gone! Damnit..."


    "...where''s Sanke?" Renryth questioned. "Did he went to chase after them?"


    "Probably... We have to catch up with them, and soon," she nodded her head. "Do we follow after the wolf?"


    "No... He seems to be running away from us to cause a diversion," Renryth stated. "So... If we want to follow after them..." As he muttered out, the atmosphere around him and Lier began to turn chilly. "...ugh, another hail storm? It seems it''s going to be a fierce onepared tost night''s sudden wind. We have to hurry and find them before" as he turned his head towards Lier, he noted that Lier was extremely focused on her surrounding area,


    "a sudden storm, just likest night," Lier nodded her head. "Over there," pointing over towards the southern area of the forest, Lier soon continued. "I think I know where Sanke and Nicole went. ignore the cries of the wind, we have to hurry!"


    Without another word, Lier ran towards the area which she had pointed towards without waiting for the reply of Renryth.


    "...?!" Shocked by Lier''s sudden demeanour, Renryth cried out. "Lier! That direction is...!" Being unable toplete his sentence in time, he clicked his tongue. "Ugh... The cursed ruins by that direction... if we go there..." with aplicated expression, he shook his head abruptly as he took a step forward. Without another choice, he followed after the woman.