Chapter 41 Defeat

Whatever the assailants were, they were skilled. The way they dashed I could sense no aether coming off of them. Even with all the evolving I had done I still wasted some aether when I reinforced myself which I assumed they were doing.

Otherwise the speed that they used would have to be pure physical force and though that could be the case I distinctly felt that before we had been there their threat was not as high as it was now.

The only other person I knew that could do that was Tama and she was a tier 4 existence

Whenever she fought the danger I felt from her would increase exponentially but in normal life I couldn't feel anything.

*BOOM*

The sound of them running broke the sound barrier and it was within the very second that one of their fists was in front of my face.

It was only with great luck that I was able to react to the punch beforehand and get my arms raised to defend.

Even after I had blocked the attack I could still feel the bones that had broken.

I knew that there was no way to defeat them, the only thing I could do was delay.

I whistled hoping that the new summons would know what to do.

*Caw* *Caw*

They crowed, before coming upon them like an angry god.

For a second I saw actual hope, before I had forgotten about the new summons in the heat of the moment but now that I remembered about them and had them fight for me we might actually be able to kill them.

Even more the sound of battle would attract Tama and Delta. While the assailants might know about Tama and Delta it was likely that they didn't. Otherwise they wouldn't have been that loud in their attacks.

But right now I have to focus on surviving. My arms were dead though I could use them again if I was given time to heal them.

And time was what those crows gave me three of them fell upon the one that was attacking me distracting them but before I could start to heal my arms I heard Aoif cry out behind me.

"GAAAH"

I looked back and saw how Aoif's legs were out of commission, it seemed that they weren't going for the kill on us, only trying to disable.

That brief moment of distraction cost me however, the assailants were able to escape the Aethon while I was checking on Aoif. Though littered with unhealable cuts the assailant was still able to escape despite the blood pouring out of their wounds.

I could feel the air rupture as the assailants' form flickered from where I had identified them to my side then to my back.

I couldn't do anything, I wouldn't be able to react in time.

A swift hit to the back crippled my spine. I lost all feeling on my lower body.

…

Seeing Darwin fall to the ground, his spine broken horrified me. I could feel and see his soul dim as the feeling left his body.

For the first time in my life rage filled my being. My vision turned red and though my legs were crippled I still tried to stand up and walk.

The creature saw this and put a stop to that, it was with my teeth grit and rage in my heart that I was knocked unconscious.

…

*BOOM*

The sounds of battle could be heard from Melia's side of the territory.

I was just cleaning up the table when I heard the booming sound of battle and the banging of the door being opened.

One of Melia's slaves…

Ahem workers appeared a haggard appearance most likely from running.

"The Lord has been attacked and crippled!"

The haggard man yelled panic clear in his eyes

"What!?!!?" I yelled how could I have not felt it, even though I heard the sounds of battle, I assumed with the level of power that Darwin and Aoif had gained that they were able to overcome any attacker but to cripple them both they had to be at least tier 5.

I rushed out immediately, reinforcing my limbs and transforming into my fox form to go even faster.

…

I was right in time to see the sight of Aoif being knocked out.

Immediately I weaved an illusion of them being knocked out then projected that onto the world.

However they were able to resist a bit but only for a couple seconds before they were knocked out.

Immediately I go to my lord and see if there was anything I could do to help him recover.

I could already see a green light trying to heal his spine.

"Take care of Aoif. I'm able to heal myself.." My lord orders me.

"Yes, my Lord" I answered before going over to Aoif.

The only injuries she had were the broken legs and a head wound that took precedence.

Immediately I transform back into my human form before taking her in my tail carefully supporting her head so as to not further injure her head.

My other tails were dragging the enemies by the collars of their armor.

In my hands was Darwin, while he could heal himself I was not willing to let him do that in the open.

"Wait!" Darwin yells and I stop startled by the suddenly commanding tone.

This was the first time that my Lord had ever used such a harsh tone against any of us.

"Melia, check on her please," My Lord's voice cracked at that moment.

I hadn't even noticed that Melia was there, so focused on Darwin and Aoif that I hadn't noticed that Melia was dying in the corner.

"Don't worry my lord nymphs can't die unless their trees are destroyed, her physical avatar will be restored in a matter of hours at her level."

Done with placating Darwin I continue back to the house where I could give Darwin a proper place to heal.