The Homeseeker: Elemental Adventurer LitRPG [Isekai] (Series Complete!)

The Elemental Dragon raced in, coming in from above and opening its grotesque maw as its eyes danced in a kaleidoscope of colors.

"Attack!" Dimak said.

"How?" Enzo asked, Elemental Water hovering ahead of his arms. "It is so far! And flying so fast!"

"Gorb, move us out of the way of its first attack!" Zalan demanded.

"On it," Gorb said.

A huge burst of wind manifested from the side, shoving the hot air balloon in one direction. It wasn't enough, and suddenly a tiny additional breeze moved them just out of the range of attack. The Elemental Dragon shot by like a bird diving for prey, the blur swishing by and throwing the basket off balance. Moss held up the Wind Wand as it disintegrated.

"Once again, I have saved all of our lives. No need to thank me," Moss said confidently.

"I can not tell if he is serious," Enzo said.

"Best to ignore him," Slauson said to Enzo before turning to Zalan. "Now that we are here and on its battle ground, what is the plan?" Slauson asked. Zalan ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you not have a plan?" Magnolia asked, annoyed.

"Other than to use the Oculus of Annihilation," Moss clarified.

"I didn't have a lot of time to focus! What do you guys have?" Zalan asked.

The dragon was turning below, flapping its wings rapidly to gain altitude. Its eyes locked on to Zalan, the colors changing between different Elements.

"I can throw rocks at it," Dimak suggested.

"What an inspired idea," Slauson said sarcastically. "The Elemental Earth user wants to throw rocks at a monster."

"Maybe if all of us use our power at the same time," Dimak said.

"That is something that we could have done from below," Slauson said.

"But now we are closer!" Dimak said firmly. "The increased intensity might be enough to overwhelm it."

"He's right, Slauson, it never got close enough to give us a chance at a direct attack. It's the best idea we've got. Everyone fire on my mark," Zalan said.

"I have no energy left to provide any attack," Moss said, raising his arms weakly.

"Anyone who can attack, get ready!" Zalan snapped.

The basket leaned to one end as all able-bodied fighters gathered their Elemental Power ahead of them, preparing for the oncoming dragon. The dragon was close enough for Zalan to see its eyes had gone a light blue. Icy cold air leaked out from between its teeth. Zalan wanted to call out that ice would be incoming, but was afraid that any word that came out of his mouth would be taken to mean it was time to attack. He waited another two tense seconds. The dragon opened its mouth, releasing the beginnings of an icy torrent.

"Now!" Zalan exploded.

Focusing his energy into a single point, he shined as much Elemental Light as he could, redirecting it to target the monster's eyes. The ice refracted the light, sending it blasting off in a hundred different directions. The combination of attacks sent particles of different elements flying randomly. Flaming sand whipped by Zalan's face and one of his eyes was blinded by a passing line of his own light reflected back at him. Shards of ice stuck into the bottom of the basket and the balloon shifted a dozen feet away from the explosion of clashing elements. Despite their combined intensity, they couldn't overwhelm the dragon's attack.

The dragon veered away, looking only mildly annoyed by their attempt. No injuries could be seen, not even on its eyes. Zalan frowned in disappointment, then felt that they were descending too fast. Shooting his face upward, he saw tiny holes in the balloon overhead.

"Moss! Patch that up! Use tree sap or something." Zalan pointed.

"I can barely conjure a twig," Moss complained.

"Either do it or we fall to our deaths," Zalan said. "Gorb, try to keep us aloft."

"I already am," Gorb said, his face red with strain. "It may be the only reason we're not in free fall."

"Someone boost Moss up! Hurry," Zalan said.

With a wave of her hand, Magnolia summoned a sand platform to raise Moss a few feet to the holes in the balloon. He immediately began sweating in the heat of the balloon, running a hand over his forehead.

"The dragon is circling back," Rep pointed.

"As soon as that patch is done, blast as much heat as you can in there," Zalan pointed to Rep and Slauson. "Enzo, I need you to redirect its next attack. Its eyes are blue."

"Are you sure that means it will exhale water?" Enzo asked, holding up his arms in preparation.

"No, but I'm pretty sure," Zalan admitted. "Dimak, help me form a wall to try and block any incoming attack."

"We will never succeed if we defend without returning an attack. So long as we are in the skies, we are at its mercy unless we let off relentless attacks," Dimak said.

"And we won't survive if we don't defend this," Zalan replied. Dimak nodded, frustrated.

Spinning one arm in a circle, Zalan created a pane of white light to try and shroud the basket from the dragon. Dimak placed a wall of earth just behind the light, creating a tangible protection that the dragon couldn't see.

Stretching the protective wall, it was the first time Zalan wished he had Elemental Shadow Power to shroud him and his friends away from his enemies. Or any way to create some invisibility from his enemies for two seconds of rest. Pulling the thin wall of light high, Zalan covered the entirety of the hot air balloon, but knew it would be of little help. It may have made them even more obvious to stand out as a bar of light in the middle of the sky. Still, Zalan wanted to try something—anything—to protect the balloon from any more punctures. And Dimak's wall looked like it could withstand some level of attack.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Hearing the water slosh from the dragon's mouth, Zalan turned to Enzo and nodded sharply. Grunting with strain, Enzo split his hands out, dividing the water down the center and sending the waves falling down around them like waterfalls. What little water touched the basket was barely enough to get the occupants spritzed in a layer of mist. The balloon lurched upward, pushed up by Gorb's power as well as Rep and Slauson feuling the now-sealed balloon. The dragon passed them by, whipping its tail in frustration.

"It is only a matter of time before it decides to run into us," Gorb said, breathing heavily and leaning against the basket. Moss nodded, sitting on the floor of the basket with his eyes closed in exhaustion.

"Or focus its attack only on the balloon, leaving us at the mercy of the earth below," Rep added.

Zalan nodded, running his good hand through his hair in stressful thought. He kept the wall of light up around them, hoping it would make it harder for the dragon to focus on any key points of the balloon. Zalan watched rocks fall from Dimak's wall, his energy failing him and unable to keep the shield together. Zalan hoped it wouldn't fall on anyone below. Looking around the basket, he saw only about half of the fighters looked ready for any kind of counterattack. He pursed his lips, looking between Magnolia and Gorb.

"Either of you think you can get us on the back of the dragon?" Zalan asked.

"You are thinking of using the Artifact already?" Magnolia asked, her face grim.

"We have not fared very well so far," Slauson said, sounding as though he agreed with the plan.

"No. At least not yet," Zalan said, hoping it wouldn't come to that. "None of our attacks are gonna land a direct hit so long as it keeps flying around freely. We need to get right up on top of it and hit it with everything we've got."

The group was silent for a moment.

"You want to get on its back?" Moss asked, flabbergasted.

"Yeah, unless you have any better ideas! Can you do it, Gorb?" Zalan asked.

"I may be able to do it," Gorb said, trying to stand straight, then placing an arm on the basket for balance.

"Allow me," Magnolia said. "I can create a pathway of sand to get onto its back. And I know I have much more energy than anyone that fought off the Grimfangs."

Gorb nodded, putting his full weight back onto the basket with gratitude.

"Get us up high," Zalan said to Rep and Slauson. "Way higher than we are now, I want to get to the dragon from above."

"Are we sure we want to be getting much higher?" Enzo asked, looking over the side.

"Higher will not make a difference. A fall from this height will already kill us," Magnolia assured him.

"Oh good. That is very comforting," Moss said sarcastically.

Igniting their arms in flames, Slauson and Rep put as much warm air into the balloon as they could muster in a few short seconds. At a distance, the Elemental Dragon was circling in place, coming up with its next Elemental Power before attacking. The balloon continued to climb to new heights, and Zalan flinched as he felt the cold vapor of a cloud pass over them. Despite their circumstances, Gorb looked around in awe.

"Above the clouds," Gorb said. "True flight. More amazing than I could have imagined."

"Father will be ecstatic to hear this," Enzo said, bobbing his head in agreement.

"We may want to focus on making sure we survive this," Moss chimed in from the floor.

"Who's going to get on the dragon's back with me?" Zalan asked, looking around.

He was met with nervous stares, save for Rep and Gorb who raised their hands without hesitation. Zalan smiled at Gorb, but shook his head.

"You need to make sure to keep this thing in the sky," Zalan said, pointing to the balloon. "Plus, it looks like you can barely stand."

"I can kill the beast!" Gorb insisted. "Just like last time. I can use my Elemental Air to boost a weapon through its thick hide."

"Not this time," Zalan said sympathetically. It was clear his friend wanted a second chance to avenge Fran by killing the monster that killed her. Gorb frowned deeply, but nodded begrudgingly, averting his gaze.

Zalan waited for more volunteers. He had hoped that Enzo and Magnolia, the least exhausted of the fighters, would join him. But they didn't look keen on getting into close quarters with the monster. Slauson's eyes were focused solely on the balloon, clearly avoiding looking eager to fight. Dimak sighed loudly.

"I wish to join. Sincerely. But with my remaining energies, I think I would be more a hindrance than a help," he said.

"It's fine, I get it," Zalan replied.

"You looked equally exhausted, Zalan," Moss said, worried. "I am not sure you can manage this attack."

"I'll be fine," Zalan said confidently. "I'll have Rep with me."

"Leave me with the Oculus of Annihilation," Dimak said quickly after. "If you do not kill it, then I will."

"And get all the glory?" Zalan said. "Nah, I'm keeping this."

"You do not care about glory," Dimak spat. "You offered to allow me to win the Elemental Rage Tournament."

"I knew it was rigged," Moss said from below.

"Hey, if anyone cheated, it was Slauson," Zalan said.

"What does he mean by that?" Moss asked.

"Nothing," Slauson dismissed quickly.

"The dragon approaches." Gorb pointed below.

The purple and black monster broke through the layer of clouds, climbing gradually with every flap of its large wings.

"Magnolia, we need to get going," Zalan said.

"Just a moment," she said, extending a path of sand into the space next to the basket.

Zalan looked at Rep, a serious gaze on his face.

"You don't have to come. You have a wife now, remember?" Zalan said.

"One that may not live if we do not succeed in our endeavors," Rep said, equally grave. "And how am I to ensure that you do not do something stupid if you go on your own?"

Zalan lips twisted into a grin.

"Thanks. I'm glad I can count on you," Zalan said.

"Until the end." Rep shared his smile.

"The platform is ready for you. Be quick, the dragon is near," Magnolia said.

Enzo helped boost Rep and Zalan to the sand platform and stood back, looking ashamed at remaining behind. Zalan felt somewhat like he was walking the plank when he looked down at the open expanse of land below him. Seeing the entire domain of the realm like little points on a map was surreal to him. Adrenaline coursed through him, his ears loud with the sound of his own beating heart. Even from this high above, he could see scars sketched across the earth from Elemental storms or Beasts of Slumber in motion. Then the dragon filled his view, less than a hundred feet below him.

"Gorb, help direct us as we fall," Zalan said, feeling every one of his veins pulse with every powerful heartbeat.

"I will do what I can," Gorb said.

Zalan waited for another second, realizing he was frozen in place in fear. The plan was good in his head, but now that he was actually standing hundreds of feet in the air on nothing but sand, everything felt like it would go wrong.

"Someone may need to push me," he admitted.

"Unsheath your sword and imbue yourself!" Rep said.

Zalan put his injured hand in his pocket and gripped tightly to the Oculus of Annihilation. As Zalan empowered himself in a shroud of light and pulled his blade, Rep grabbed firmly on the front of his shirt and leapt off the plank of sand. Zalan screamed loudly as he was pulled off with his friend. In freefall, he barely had the cognisance to point the sword ahead of him as he fell. The dragon looked shocked at the incoming humans, and tried to move out of the way.

Zalan felt a gust of Gorb's wind push him and Rep on target, and he got ready to face the great beast in the sky.