Supreme Magus

By watching the orc warriorsʼ weapons coming down on the demon like they were the wrath of the heavens, RaghʼAsh could almost smell the sweet scent of Lithʼs blood in the air.

Which is why she was dumbfounded when a fireball exploded on the ground and sent the orcs surrounding Lith flying like leaves scattered by the autumn wind.

RaghʼAsh blurted out in her stupor.

The lack of air element prevented Lith from flying or casting powerful air spells, but there was more than enough to support a tier 0 gravity magic trick. Even the shockwave from a simple fireball was enough to buy him some space once his opponents had become weightless.

ʼI think we are in trouble.ʼ Solus was worried. ʼThe lack of earth magic already prevented us from Blinking. Now even flight and lightning bolts are sealed. What if the shaman can seal the other elements too?ʼ

ʼThatʼs the bad news. The good news is the same applies to them.ʼ Lith watched some orcs trying to produce air blades, yet all they managed to do was waste their mana.

ʼTheir coordination is nonexistent. Weʼll see who runs out of tricks first.ʼ Lithʼs hands moved so fast that for a second even the shaman only saw a blur. Then, a volley of fireballs and several ice spears darted toward the mana crystal.

RaghʼAsh attempted to raise a stone wall and failed.

ʼGods below! What have I done? I must protect the holy crystal!ʼ She thought. She didnʼt have the time to nullify two elements and even if she did, it would make her completely useless in combat.

The only thing she could do was to push TestaʼLhosh and the crystal away with spirit magic while shielding herself with the thickest ice wall she could produce in the little time she had left.

She succeeded in saving both the crystal and herself, but it came at a terrible price. Lith had timed the two spells so that the fireballs would hit first, shattering the ice protection he knew she would have employed, so that the ice spears would find a clear path to the enemy.

RaghʼAsh was alive, but barely. Chunks of her flesh were missing because of the explosions and several spears had struck her despite her raising walls one after another. She was already healing her wounds with Invigoration, but the aftereffects would leave her weakened nonetheless.

ʼWhat an idiot!ʼ Lith inwardly laughed. ʼPlaying dirty is a game two can play. I want the crystal badly, but not if it costs me my life. By attacking it, I can force the orcs on the defensive.ʼ

The orcs rushed Lith again. The demonʼs blasphemous act had pushed their rage to its peak, allowing their bloodlust to blind them. Exactly like Lith wanted. The orcs were a threat to his life only if they coordinated their efforts.

They attacked him as if they were alone, giving no consideration to their own companionsʼ movements. Without tactics, the orcs were just an annoyance. Their crude weapons were nothing compared to Gatekeeper, their boosted cores granted them feeble abilities compared to Lithʼs bright cyan one when pushed to its limit.

RaghʼAshʼs plan had only one flaw. Both she and Lith knew it, but only one of them could exploit it. Depriving the world energy of a specific element blocked the related spells, but it couldnʼt affect fusion magic.

Fusion magic didnʼt rely on external energy but on the elemental power its user naturally stored. Lithʼs air fusion could not only make him incredibly fast, but it was also channeled and amplified by the Gatekeeperʼs enchantment, boosting the swordʼs edge.

A single slash was what it took to cleave an orc asunder, along with the ax with which he had attempted to block. A single lunge would go clear through its intended victim and beyond, wounding those stupid enough to be near its exit point.

screamed in anguish as she ripped off the head of one of their youths to consume his flesh to regain her strength. The fight had barely started, yet the number of her warriors had halved and she was gravely injured.

Thanks to Invigoration, RaghʼAsh was able to instantly assimilate the foodʼs nutrients and restore her strength. TestaʼLhosh immediately ran to her side. The chieftain was visibly worried for her.

Without the shaman, the tribe was as good as dead. The holy crystal would become a liability instead of a treasure. TestaʼLhoshʼs life depended on her.

TestaʼLhosh said while delicately leaving the crystal by her side.

The chieftain didnʼt trust her more than he would a nest of vipers. His words were meant to remind the shaman that the survival of the Grey Wolf tribe needed at least two orcs.

He didnʼt miss how RaghʼAsh moved her gaze from him to the remaining three youths. There was still a male left, which meant she still had options. Inwardly cursing his bad luck, TestaʼLhosh unsheathed his greatsword and joined the fray.

Aside from the holy crystal, the chieftainʼs blade was the only treasure of the Grey Wolf tribe that had survived the war. It was an enchanted weapon that had fallen into the orcsʼ hands after its previous owner had fallen into their stomachs.

RaghʼAsh nodded. Her powers activated the crystal once again, passing all the remaining energy she had stored within it to the chieftain. His core immediately turned from bright yellow to bright cyan, which Solus promptly reported to Lith.

ʼFor f*ckʼs sake! I hate fair fights!ʼ Lith inwardly cursed. TestaʼLhosh was at least 20 centimeters (8”) taller than Lith and 30 kg heavier. Thanks to his Awakened like body, those 30 kg were all muscles.

Lith had no advantage against TestaʼLhosh, aside from his own equipment and training. In terms of sheer physical strength, the chieftain was like an adult fighting a prepubescent teen.

ʼHow long until the balance is restored?ʼ Lith hated forcing Solus to consume her remaining mana, but he had no choice. Only when all of Lithʼs skills were online again he could safely terminate the orc tribe.

ʼEarth is back to normal already. Air should support spells up to tier two.ʼ Solus replied. She was already so weakened that only her natural senses remained. Solus decided to save the remainder of her mana for an emergency, just to be safe.

She could have used Invigoration, but unlike Lithʼs, it required more time and was dependant on her companionʼs status. Using it would not only leave her completely helpless for a while, but could also destabilize Lithʼs mana flow.

Solus couldnʼt stand by idly either, so she moved from Lithʼs mouth to his right hand and turned into her glove form. That way he could at least use her as a shield if the need arose.

The greatsword gave TestaʼLhosh the superior range, forcing Lith on the defensive. Their fusion magic was on par, so it was like neither was employing it. The chieftain was faster, stronger, and to make things worse he shouted orders that made the remaining orcs regain their sanity.

RaghʼAsh was now back on her feet, using the crystal to infuse one of the young female orcs until the youth screamed in agony. The shaman didnʼt trust the chieftain more than he trusted her. RaghʼAsh wanted to win, no matter the cost.