The Wandering Fairy [LitRPG World-Hopping]

Their march up to the shrine was a slow one… And fairly deadly at that. With Soren positioned in the rear and Uruk at the front, the pair were able to keep Isha safe while allowing her to focus on channeling her magecraft at the center.

Unlike most magecraft spells, Shepherding was slightly unique in similar ways to Myrin's own Spirit affinity. But rather than dealing with spirits, hers dealt with Spirit Beasts. What's more, the commands she issues to these creatures would still be carried out even if the Spirit Beast roamed outside her Soul Realm's range.

She explained to him during his time researching how to reach the 2nd Circle that most magi of her affinity tend to foster a deeper connection to the Spirit Beasts, unlike those from outside the tribe. This allows them to not have to worry about their commands failing, or the Spirit Beast disobeying the moment the anima fueling the spell runs out.

In Isha's case, she was said to be the best at this compared to others in her generation. The Snow Wyverns she controls were loyal to her commands and treated her as if she was their own kin. There were even plans to use Isha to deal with the ever growing population of Ashari.

Though, that did not mean it was at all easy… As they marched up the steps toward the Serpent Shrine, it became apparent to Soren just how vulnerable she really was. Isha has no way of defending herself without her beasts. And at the moment, most of them were busy evacuating the civilians left alive in the plaza—at least, what remains of them anyway. She needed both Soren and her brother to defend her while issuing her commands from a distance.

Uruk on the other hand was a completely different story. If Soren had to describe it, his methods were all flames and no protection. Wielding his mighty spear, the young warrior was able to cleave through countless foes blocking their way like cutting through butter. Though, it had to be said that the majority of the Fallen that were attacking them were far too old to fight, and severely weakened. It seems that Elder Kaalan was aware of this and was only using them as fodder to buy himself time.

Time that he could use to finally strike the Petalsword Sovereign…

Opposite of where they were heading, Soren saw it all unfold before him. The enchantingly dazzling flower danced in the snow, wielding a blade of anima in hand that sprung petals in its wake. Facing against Her was Elder Kaalan—what was left of him at least… With cuts covering every inch of his body, the old shaman had certainly seen better days. And yet, his eyes still flared with madness.

Madness that seemed both cold and hollow… And yet, there seemed to be another aspect to it that Soren could not fathom to understand.

"Focus!" Uruk yelled as he took another step forward, piercing the air with his spear. Every enemy struck by its ivory blade would quickly erupt into a pillar of smoldering flames. "The sooner we end this, the better!"

Way of the Fire Snake… Soren thought while commanding another Fairy Blade to tear through a nearby Fallen. This Soul Technique is certainly interesting…

Outside of Rodrick who was a walking nuke, and Ellisar who wielded his blade like a hungry hound, Soren had yet to see many great Soul Techniques being used in battle. Uruk was the exception. His ability to coil his anima to flow with his body was beyond anything he had seen before.

Unlike magi, Sentinels channel their anima through spirit and instincts alone. But what that anima was channeled into was still important. Whether it be the shape, the sharpness, or simply the flow of the anima itself—these factors still played a major role in how a Sentinel could defeat their opponents.

Uruk's Way of the Fire Snake was one such battle standard. Although [Eyes of the Fairy] hadn't gleaned much of it yet, he was certain that it consisted of only nine forms. The first being Blazing Fang Strike. Like a snake spreading its venom, Uruk can spread his flame anima inside the those he pierces, burning them from within.

Although there was certainly more to it, Soren wasn't completely sure how much of it Uruk had mastered, or whether some of these forms from the Soul Technique demanded a higher Class to even achieve. Even so, his achievements so far could not be underestimated. Despite being a 7th Class Sentinel, Soren felt that his potential was certainly much higher… Perhaps in a few years, he might even match Rodrick in strength.

What am I even saying… Soren shook his head as he marched forward with the pair of siblings. I'm not even certain we'll have a few years with how things are going…

Despite the Fallen being far weaker compared to the ones he had to deal with in Celestine, that did not really take away from their numbers… The further they marched up the steep staircase, the more enemies showed up. Not to mention the horde marching behind them…

And beyond all of that, his injuries were still a severe problem. Soren's vision had not fully recovered yet, and even his ability to walk was almost completely hindered, slowing down their pace further. As he glanced up at the distant shrine, pierced by the blinding pillar of light, Soren's face only darkened more and more.

Just then, a pair of swords fell down on Uruk like a monolith, stopping them in their tracks.

In response, the young warrior unleashed the second form of Way of the Fire Snake, Coiling Ember, creating a defensive circle stance with his flaming spear that burned away the strike's momentum.

The three of them were pushed back down a few steps as they were hounded by the violent snowy winds. Isha caught Soren in the last second, stopping him from tumbling down the steep slope.

"Elder Fanyun…" Uruk muttered under his cold breath. Though his face was covered by the skeletal mask, his eyes remained blazing with anger.

Soren squinted his eyes from the falling snow, trying to get a good look at their new adversary. Despite the unclarity of his vision, there was enough to be seen for his body to freeze still.

Broad arms like that of an orc, each holding a bloody cleaver. A body that towered over most in this snow-filled wasteland… But most terrifying of all was his gaze… Endless and filled with rage. His figure alone gave a nauseous feeling to most that tried to gaze upon it, and yet it were his eyes that stared back that truly gave him the creeps.

For a second, Soren forgot the icy-cold grip racing toward his bones… A sudden burst of warmth filled the air, as if he had entered a hot sauna. Even the snow beneath their feet began to melt.

Steam rose from the giant's body, as if he were a volcano inching to explode.

"I should have expected this…" He mumbled faintly to himself.

After all, their destination had been set in stone from the very beginning. The Serpent's Shrine was home to the Beacon of Guidence—the very thing empowering the village barrier's magecraft formation. And the ones operating it had always been the elders.

From the very start, the three of them were marching into the lion's den.

Soren grit his teeth as his hand clenched tightly around his wand. Many thoughts entered and left his mind, but no plan seemed feasible without some serious… sacrifices.

The enemy they were currently facing—Elder Fanyun—was said to be a 6th Class Sentinel, one rank higher than their highest. Uruk may be strong, but that didn't mean he was invincible.

Perhaps if him and Isha acted as support, they would stand a chance at defeating the raging giant, but they were still racing against time… If they stayed here for too long, they would eventually be overrun by enemies from all sides without achieving their ultimate goal.

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As the thoughts continued to pile up in his mind, he heard Uruk sigh. "What in the Serpent's name are you thinking so hard about?

"Just go. I'll try to keep Master Fanyun occupied."

Hearing this, Soren's eyes narrowed, hardened with resolve. In an instant, all his hesitation escaped.

He glanced at Isha for a brief moment then closed his eyes, channeling the proper axioms and runes into place. Seconds later, a much larger Fairy Blade manifested before them.

Standing atop the glass-like sword, Soren signalled to Isha to do the same.

Fanyun noticed and flared his nostrils. The steam rose from his body, coiling around his arms before heading for his two massive orc cleavers.

Uruk responded in kind, taking a step forward and allowing his flames to coil around his spear in a vibrant pattern. He slammed its pummel into the snow, allowing the raging flames to fan out in all directions.

Just as the two were about to clash, Soren gave the command to his Fairy Blade, allowing the pair to drift past the chaos. The flying sword pierced through the snow and wind, racing up the slope with everything Soren had.

Despite Fanyun's attempts, the pair of magi were able to head further up the staircase unimpeded. The raging steam coiled and tightened even more as his attention was fully drawn to Uruk's successive attacks.

Clinging to Soren's back, Isha took one last look at her brother. His smoldering flames coiling into a pillar brighter than the surrounding snow storm… Even as they got further and further away, its radiance shined through the endless veil.

Her lips curved up slightly.

In the distance, Uruk spotted the tiny speck swiftly drifting away, carrying his sister with it. He smiled faintly then turned to Elder Fanyun once more. This time, the fervor in his eyes was as clear as the white powder melting beneath his feet.

"I heard from Soren, but I still cannot believe it… To think that all this time, you and the others have been the traitors of the village all along… Disguised so deeply, that you had even forgotten your original identities.

"Tell me. Do you still see me as your student? Is this truly what you intended to use our sacred Ways of the Fire Snake for all along?"

No response.

"Answer me!" Uruk roared. His flames grew more and more wild.

The colossal giant stood there in silence, eyes brewing with blood lust. Long gone were the kind eyes of the playful Elder… Someone he had once respected and adored.

He clenched his own chest tightly. "It hurts you know… Having to face you… Having to face my own grandmother…

"To think the values you instilled in me were never yours to begin with… How utterly despicable…"

With that said, Uruk picked up his spear once again and took a step forward, shedding away at his own hesitation.

"Sadness and grief had overwhelmed me. But now, all I feel toward you and the others is anger…

"Anger that can only be quelled with your blood."

Soren's journey up the slope might have seemed easier due to the Fairy Blade spell, but only the opposite was true. The amount of anima needed just to maintain the blade's shape was already taxing enough, but there was also the fact that along the way, they had to face several Fallen, each of which were slain quickly.

Nevertheless, the burden was already becoming too heavy. He had still not fully recovered from all the after effects of using [Eyes of the Fairy] and now he was once again overusing his abilities.

If only Myrin was here… A simple solution to his problems, indeed. As a 4th Circle magi, the Elven Songster was more than capable of getting them up to the Serpent's Shrine quickly.

The only issue was… Cassia.

At the moment, the chaos was still centered around the Blossom Sword Flower, but Soren was sure that their target would soon shift toward her again. Although the young girl was only a Tier 1 Phantasm, her connection to the Serpent of Untruths was already more than valuable… Even Cassia herself noted that the Vynasians were after her Soul Weapon to begin with.

Who would have thought that those same Vynasians would be her own family members?

He shook his head slightly and commanded the sword to go faster, piercing through the air with greater strength. By now, the scattered Fallen standing before them no longer posed a threat. With their speed, none were quick enough to even attack them as they blitzed through the ever growing crowd. Their destination was set. His eyes were locked in on one thing and one thing alone.

The Serpent's Shrine.

The sinister building grew in size the closer they came. The strange energy exuding from within becoming more and more apparent. Even Isha started to notice.

"This…"

"The Beacon of Guidance," he answered. "I assumed you were aware?"

She clung to his robe tightly. "I… It indeed had a strange feeling before, but not like this… Just gazing upon it is terrifying now…

"No wait…" Her eyes widened. "This sensation… It's similar to when one gazes upon the Serpent Statue's eyes…"

Hearing this, an idea began to form in Soren's mind. He was sure that the Serpent Statue's eyes were some kind of Philosopher's Stones.

Philosopher Stones had the strange property of being able to channel the flow of anima. It was because of this effect that made them valuable to Magi and Phantasms alike. From wands to staves to even ritualistic altars, their demand was needed in all kinds of places.

That was to say, perhaps the Serpent Statue's eyes acted as 'conduits' for the barrier's anima. That was why looking into them was forbidden—the anima within was far too concentrated compared to the rest of the village.

But now, that same concentration within the eyes had spread everywhere. The lie that had been concealing everything had already unraveled—nothing was hidden away anymore as it used to be…

I wonder why I was the only one to sense that strange sensation before… Perhaps since it was his role that broke the lie, the effects were not as hidden compared to the others.

As he pondered over this, Soren quickly approached the Shrine's courtyard. The building was now completely in view. He commanded the flying sword to go faster.

Up above, a Snow Wyvern could also be seen circling around as if to watch over them.

"He's back…"

Soren nodded at Isha. "Im going to try to disrupt the magecraft formation the elders are maintaining. As soon as that's done, we have to swiftly get out."

Staring directly into the evil building, Isha's eyes became flooded with resolve. "Alright. May the Serpent grant its blessings."

Just then, Soren noticed an array of shadows up ahead. It didn't take long for him to realize what it was.

"How annoying…" He wanted to curse but held himself back.

"What's wrong?" The young shaman looked over his shoulder. Her eyes immediately locked in at the problem. Countless Fallen warriors were lined before them, as if they had been awaiting their arrival.

"We're not going to fight them," Soren declared. "We've already wasted enough time. Hold on tight—I'm going to allow this sword to fulfil its true potential."

True to his words, Soren didn't hesitate to issue the command: discard all safety and go as fast as possible. The sword instantly reflected that reality. It whistled through the air like an arrow, heading toward its target with no regard for itself or those riding atop it.

The faster they flew, the more cracks began to appear on its glass-like surface. But in that moment, he did not care. And neither did Isha. With all the anima available to him, he forced the weapon onward—to pierce through their obstacles with unwavering resolve.

And that, it did. The crowd of soldiers all frantically splintered away from their sword's path, trying to avoid the deadly collision.

Although it worked, neither Soren nor Isha could celebrate just yet. In fact, they were more keen on cursing their own fate. With no way to stop, the two braced for impact as the gate to the Serpent's Shrine came into view.

They had inadvertently turned themselves into a battering ram!

"Watch out fo—"

The sentence was cut short. The gate broke apart to pieces, sending the pair of magi flying into the shrine head first.

Soren coughed as he clumsily tried to lift himself up, but it was clear that he broke a couple bones from the impact. He grit his teeth tightly and tried to search for Isha, who had landed closeby.

Suddenly, the smoke and dust cleared, letting him see his surroundings once again. At the center of the shrine was the familiar pillar of light. Surrounding it were countless people wearing decorated masks—their anima in sync and slowly circling around the brilliant beacon. They had finally made it to their destination.

"The village barrier…"