It had been a few days since Luna and Drake had been recovering in a nearby village. They were popular and well-respected, granting them a warm reception in most places they went. Moreover, after looking at Luna being carried in her husband's arms, they needed to get her to rest immediately.
At first, Drake had a hard time settling down. He knew his wife was safe, but with this assurance came a sense of paranoia. He fulfilled her orders by sending a message to their former captain. After that, the only thing he could think of doing was to fortify the village and patrol its borders.
There wasn't any need for this as the place was generally well guarded. However, with the random attack, it was never too safe for his liking. The village they stayed in was frequently used as an outpost of Thresh Old; it was a point for recuperation and rest for the passing adventurers or knights. While there was no governing authority, a sub-post of the adventurers' guild looked after the village's safety and general concerns.
Finally, after a few days of staying there, Luna was now doing much better; the shock her mana core absorbed after the initial attack seemed to have lingered for far longer than she could've guessed.
"I don't understand…." Her hands grasped the warm mug of chocolate mixed with herbs, her sleeve covering most of her fingertips as she looked at Drake leaning forward and sitting on the chair.
"It felt like my mana core didn't exist….I could see it clearly; there were no impurities or cracks, whatever that thing did was something new. A weapon that we haven't faced before…" She bit her lip and stared at the ground, a weird sense of dread washed over her body.
Drake's response was cut off by an adventurer rushing into the room. He had a torch in his hand, symbolizing some sort of emergency. Immediately, Drake got to his feet and asked, "Where and how many?"
"A group of disguised individuals, they seemed skilled….Prancer came back injured.." The adventurer seemed disappointed in himself, "More importantly…they might have a hostage.."
"Show me the way," he grabbed his claymore, placed in the corner of the room. Looking at Drake, Luna placed her cup aside and stood up as well, "I'm with you,"
"No. You stay here. You're recovering."
"I'm fine, I'm fully healed," her eyebrows furrowed as she crossed her arms.
"No yo-"
"Guys….I hate to interrupt..but we need to go, now," the adventurer chimed in before leaving the room.
Luna stared daggers into Drake's soul before he finally gave up. Of course, this was the outcome; trying to convince her otherwise was pointless. "But you stay behind me. At all costs,"
At the same time, back in the chaotic environment of Hexora, Dio stood in his room with a perplexed look on his face. The campus was in an uproar as students ran around everywhere. This was another bonus of studying in Hexora: everyone there prioritized the safety and sanctity of the students. There was a protocol set in place for this exact reason, albeit it was pretty rare for people to invade Hexora.
"We have to go….we have to go now…" he grabbed John's hand and ran out of the room. He was certain the likelihood of his leaving campus was low, but at least he could look around here for her.
He found clumps of students running around, fighting back against what seemed like monsters. The biggest question was how these creatures even entered the campus. The lack of professors was clearly impacting the safety.
It wasn't too long until the Professors were alerted and informed of the happenings, even if it would take only a few minutes, the damage could be monumental. Such was the importance of the faculty.
"Sword and Shield users! By me! In the front! Protect our mages and healers!" a girl who looked a year or two older than Dio yelled. She was in full-body metal armor that had spikes on its shoulder pads. A shield almost as big as her body was held tightly in one hand, and a giant spear in the other.
"Priscilla! Draconis and Crypt are engaging the Orcs and Ogres. Marlaux needs reinforcements, join them once you're done here!" another voice yelled at Priscilla, whose shield now glimmered a bright yellow color. "House of Phoenix! Heed my words! I, Priscilla Raven, will slay their commander. Join me! Raise your shields and fight for your allies!" she roared while charging forward.
"House of Oro! Protect those who need help, and gather supplies for the injured! There are five more points where monsters are amassing. Take charge of retake and support anyone who needs it!"
The Houses of Draconis and Crypt were known for their raw combat power. While Phoenix were the strategists and order maintainers, they spearheaded the foundation of the disciplinary and safety committee. The Houses of Karma and Marlaux specialized in curse, support, and healing magic. They invested their focus into setting up traps and arrays that aided them in times like these. Finally, the House of Oro were known for their ambiguity. They didn't necessarily specialize in any one field, which was why they were tasked with recovery and broader targeting tasks.
There was no time to waste. Dio ran threw the ranks of students now donning their battle gear. He rushed towards the quadrant where the House of Karma was situated; every passing minute meant another instance where she could be in danger. He had so much to tell her, his vision, the fact that he was now a tier three mage, and his conversation with Professor Felix.
His yearning echoed through the winds as she caught fragments of it, barely holding onto her consciousness, Hina tried to look around. She was upside down, somebody carried her like a rug sack, this person was strong enough to travel through the woods at such a pace. Everything was moving too fast, her jerky vision catching the entrance of two mellow-looking adventurers.
A Broadsword of some kind slacked over the man's towering shoulders, his shoulder pads roughly the size of a helmet. He swung the sword around and dug it into the ground in front of him. Exactly behind him, blue sparks crackled and burst out, tiny electrical discharges set off all around them.
"Who are you?"