Chapter 296: Storm before the Hurricane
-----Kaede's POV
It's been a few day's since we left Yarene, but we've made a lot more ground that I had first thought. I did end up quickly checking up on Yui and Mell to see how they're doing, but I couldn't stay for long considering I've been the assigned watchman for when the soldiers need to rest since I don't really need to sleep. I would've thought Yui and Mell would burst into tears when they saw me, but they're surprisingly doing well, and I can already see that they've grown quite close already. Still, it was nice to see them even if it had only been a couple days, but I figured with how much we've travelled now, soon I wouldn't have that luxury to check up on them.
And that would soon come to pass as a sudden crack of lightning could be heard as I continue flying above the soldiers.
Neri: "Kaede! How does it look?!"
Hearing Neri's call, I examine the storm carefully and quickly realize that the storm is approaching us. We could take a detour going more north in hopes to avoid it, but that'd consume a lot of our time. I would just say for us to just take on the storm, but I can't really see how deep the storm goes. Either option comes with risks, but to be honest, I just really want to get to Inasdale as fast as possible. Making up my mind, I fly down to Neri and the others.
Kaede: "The storm's coming towards us, and it stretches quite far."
Masked Captain: "Is there anyway we can avoid it?"
Kaede: "No. Also with the storm coming at us, it'd be more efficient to move through it."
Masked: "Alright. We continue through the day and get through this storm!"
He yells out to the rest of the soldiers as we all soon pick up the pace as I fly back up above the trees. Sure I lied there, but I'm sure this is the right decision.
...
In no time at all, the storm was upon us as buckets of water poured down upon everyone with lightning strikes going off ever minute or so. I was afraid that the horses would panic and cause more problems, but it seems like the lightning is actually making the horses go faster. Most likely due to the adrenaline pumping through them in fear of the cracks of the lightning. As for me, I'm actually quite enjoying this shower of rain while flying, and with the wind being inconsistent, trying to push me in all different directions, it makes for quite an interesting flight. It's as if I'm in a constant battle with the wind which also gets my blood pumping.
Mai: "I didn't see you as some sort of masochist."
Kaede: "Hah! Maybe. I've just been getting bored with such easy flights."
Mai: "I guess this would be helpful for your upcoming fight. Your opponent will likely take you on in the skies as well."
Kaede: "Then I'll just enjoy this storm as much as possible."
Mai: "Just be careful of the lightning."
Kaede: "Got it."
I was planning on conserving as much mana as possible, but I suppose a little barrier wouldn't hurt. And almost immediately after I cast a barrier around me, lightning strikes my barrier as my hearing quickly fades, leaving only the ringing sensation. Talk about timing...
Mai: "See?~"
Kaede: "Yeah yeah, thanks, Mai."
Her voice echoes in my head, but after a while, my hearing would soon come back as more lightning strikes could be heard in the distance.
Kaede: "Hey. What would've happened if I got hit by that directly?"
Mai: "I highly doubt you'd die, but you'd definitely fall out of the sky. Lightning can screw up with your nerves and your muscles, so it'd be difficult to continue flying after that."
Kaede: "I see. What about a human?"
Mai: "They'd likely die."
Kaede: "Then shouldn't we cast a barrier around the soldiers?"
Mai: "Pfft. Can't you tell? They've already set up their barriers."
So that'd make me the careless one, flying around with no barrier until now. Heh.
Kaede: "Thank you for the info."
Mai: "Not a problem."
I think I can possibly use lightning to my advantage if I do end up fighting this demon in the sky, but this info would also be valuable in the event that the demon uses it against me as well. I don't know exactly how powerful my opponent is, so it's nice to be aware of these things. I swear, Mai could give me more information like this sometimes, not just when the situation calls for it.
Suddenly, something powerful just entered the range of my mana-sense. I quickly turn to my left to see something massive flying straight towards us, through the storm itself.
Kaede: "Mai?"
Mai: "Ah~ It's our friend from back then."
Kaede: "Wait, you mean, that wyvern?"
Mai: "Correct."
We've passed the mountain range, so that wyvern shouldn't be here, so then what gives?
Mai: "She probably took notice of the amount of mana coming form all the soldiers."
Kaede: "They can sense mana too?"
Mai: "Of course."
That would make sense then. I bet seeing all those soldiers using up mana like that would make them seem like a giant buffet for that wyvern. She probably wants to feed her babies.
Mai: "Well? You want to stop it? This will prove to be good practice for your fight."
Kaede: "I don't want to kill it though. Not when I know of it's babies."
Mai: "Just repel it. You don't need to kill it."
Kaede: "Okay."
I take off, flying straight towards the wyvern before it can reach the soldiers, but the closer I get, the bigger and bigger it looks. I've fought a dragon before, and sure a wyvern is apparently a lot weaker, but it's still intimidating going up against such a massive creature. Hmmm, actually... Maybe this wyvern could be useful? If I can somehow charm it, or tame it, them maybe we can use it in the fight for Inasdale?
With that thought in mind, I slice my palm with my nail, drawing out blood to create a massive, long whip, in hopes to maybe force it into submission. And in the next few moments, I finally made contact with the wyvern.
It went to try and bite me, but I manage to avoid it, dodging to the side with my wings before making a slash with my whip, striking it's left eye. It shrieked in pain for but a moment before opening it's mouth as I begin to see a burning light coming from it's throat. Instead of dodging it's next attack, I wait there, waiting for the moment it breaths it's fire. And right when the fire began to leave it's mouth, I erected a barrier right in front of it's face, causing the flames to shoot back into it's mouth, causing quite a considerable explosion as it roars in pain.
Kaede: "Heh."
I can't help but smile as the feeling of completing dominating a massive creature like this as I immediately follow it up by making a heavier slash with my blood whip, slashing at it's face once more, but I might've put a but too much force into it as the smell of blood quickly enters my body. I feel my heart begin to pound from it's smell as I end up making another slash, only this time at it's wing, causing more blood to spill out of the wyvern.
Suddenly, it turned away as if to try and run away, but I take that opportunity to grab it's tail, digging my nails past it's scales before sinking them into it's massive tail as blood quickly pours out onto my hands. I can't help but giggle at the sight of a massive creature like this being unable to fly away from someone as small as me.
Kaede: "Come on, you can't get away from me? Even when you're that big? How cute."
Not wanting to let this continue on for any long, I fly down back to the ground, away from the soldiers and into a part of the woods, dragging the wyvern by it's tail as I pick up more speed. And right before I get to the tree tops, I come to a sudden stop and instead throw the wyvern down past me using it's momentum, causing it to completely demolish a large group of trees before it smashes into the ground, making a massive shockwave spread out to the other trees as they all begin to snap from the force alone.
The wyvern doesn't bother to move as it lays there on the ground, defeated as I slowly move down, landing right in front of it's face. I watch as it slowly opens it's eyes to me before closing it just as slowly, almost as if it admits defeat, awaiting for it's execution.
Kaede: "Don't worry I won't kill you."
I place my hand on it's massive snout as it opens it's eyes once more. I really want to extract it's blood to fill up those bottles, but I think the correct move is to win this wyvern over. So instead, I use my healing magic to heal it's wounds as I watch the cuts on it's face slowly fade away and it's broken wing from smashing into the ground earlier slowly straightening out. It's eyes open wide as it finally understands what it is I'm doing.
Kaede: "But in exchange, I need you to do a little something for me."
I'm aware that this wyvern will most likely die in the upcoming battle, but I'd like as much help in this fight as possible. As for it's babies, I guess I can figure something out.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone