Despite the heavy exhaustion, Lady Kalasena carried Yuna deeper into the tunnels, where it was cooler. Once the air stopped hurting, she carefully laid the girl against the wall and plopped down herself. She was so tired, physically and mentally, that she ignored the fact there might be enemies lurking nearby. Her eyelids drooped shut and before long, she drifted into a deep sleep. It could have been a peaceful way to die… is what she thought, when a humongous aura blasted through the world, thoroughly asserting its supremacy! It was Protector Avin's True Perception! The tremendous suppression and piercing gaze associated with it scared Lady Kalasena and Yuna awake. Sweat drenched their backs, which had already dried up. They were frightened stiff, wary of every shadow around them. Their muscles were tense to the point of breaking. The aura receded a few seconds later, granting them mercy.
What was that?
That question burned on their minds. The situation was too strange, so they decided to sit still and wait a bit longer. Not long after, a glowing ball of light flew over with incredible speed. Lady Kalasena did not hesitate to grab Yuna and run. In her mind, there was no way that thing was friendly. However, she was surprised to see that it stop and fade away, leaving behind a trail of light. This only left them with more questions. After all, neither Lady Kalasena or Yuna were familiar with the Featherwind Sect, Martial Energy, or Protector Avin's methods.
"Sh-Should we follow it?" Yuna asked.
The lady nodded begrudgingly because there was no better alternative. The silk bridges that they planned to use were destroyed by the salamander's attack. This might be their only path to the surface. Yuna was out of Magic Energy, so they travelled in mostly darkness. Lady Kalasena stayed alert with her sword ready, but nothing attacked them. It was serene. Did that aura scare the insects off? If that were the case, then it was a blessing in disguise. The further they went, the cooler it became. The caves were regaining their normal temperature after the salamander's explosive fire spell. That was comforting, since it meant they were leaving the range of the monsters' battle.
However, the temperatures started to rise again. A blast of hot air hit them in the face. Less than a minute later, there was an eruption of Magic Aura that sent chills down Lady Kalasena and Yuna's spines. It was the lava salamander from before! They found shelter using some rocks and braced. Boom! A tremendous explosion of heat and light sent fearsome winds tearing through the tunnels. Small rocks and pebbles flew by at breakneck speeds, along with plenty of dust. Had Lady Kalasena and Yuna not found shelter, they would have been pelted to death. Yuna gulped, as Lady Kalasena held her breath. When the storm passed, they cautiously stood up. The light trail they were following led directly towards the salamander and it shimmered, almost like a haze. Exchanging a glance, they decided to press onwards.
The air steamed and made their mouths dry up. Sweat poured from their faces like a shower and drenched their clothes wet. It was deeply uncomfortable and exhausting. As they got closer, that light trail faded away entirely, replaced by an ominous crimson glow. And finally, at the end of this long tunnel, it connected to a large sloping shaft that led higher. The temperature was at its peak here with red lava flowing from the walls and ceiling. It looked like the mouth of a volcano! Although that salamander was nowhere to be found, something else was there… It was that gargantuan insect! Currently, its body was curled tightly around itself, resembling a small hill, except that 'hill' was charred, smoking, and burnt black. The pungent smell of burning insects wafted in the air. The two ladies observed the monster for a while, only to find it unmoving. It was dead! This Rank 2 Beast Lord which singlehandedly defeated their entire party and gave off a sense of invincibility… was actually dead! It was somewhat hard to swallow.
They made sure it was fully dead before they tiptoed around it. Lady Kalasena noticed two… things ahead. To err on the side of caution, she used her Martial Perception to investigate. When she discovered what, or rather who, it was, her eyes widened. Who would have thought that this stoic Grand Lady would display so many emotions in one day? She dragged Yuna over without explaining, and upon arriving, Yuna understood why. Lying there unconscious were Elizabeth and Freon. They were practically naked and covered in burn marks. It was easy to guess what happened. Yuna dropped to her knees as her heart was impaled by grief. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown, thinking they died. Thankfully, a soft hand gripped her shoulder.
"They're alive."
"They are?!"
"Can you heal them?"
"No, I… don't have any Magic Energy left."
Lady Kalasena said nothing and lifted Elizabeth. She glanced at Yuna, who sat there dumbfounded, and then at Freon. Her meaning was obvious. Yuna quickly caught on. There was only one way to save Elizabeth and Freon now, and that was to bring them to the surface. There could be someone among the Arcane Knights who could help. Believing that, Yuna carefully helped Freon to his feet. Together, they continued their ascent. The tunnel was long and steep, but they were in much better condition than Elizabeth and Freon, despite their many injuries. Once they left the range of the battlefield, that light trail reappeared. The interference strength had weakened enough.
Like this, everyone's path started to converge. Nassandra, Evylin, Tolin, Sir Melvin, Lady Rainie, and Sir Pelton came from one direction. Benedict, Shirley, Lady Mel, Sir Welkis, and the unnamed man from another. And finally, there was Lady Kalasena, Yuna, Elizabeth, and Freon. Some scattered knights were moving about too. Of course, many perished. Not everyone was as lucky. One small mistake or accident could easily become fatal. It was already incredible that this many people survived for this long. Had it not been a group of Grand Knights and Arcane Knights, boasting some of the strongest warriors that humanity had to offer, it would have been a different story.
On the surface, after Elder Argo reached everyone with his martial technique, he looked around. The battle between the beast armies was still underway outside Elder Ludin and Terus's barrier. People would have laughed if they heard that chickens, wolves, toads, mantises, and ferrets fought each other. There were clear differences between them. How was it any fair? Normally, that would have been true; however, these were not ordinary animals. They had transformed due to the special environment and gained new abilities.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Trees were felled, rocks were blown apart, and rivers were redirected. Countless explosions and heavy clashes resounded through the night, as the landscape was being redrawn! The stench of blood filled the air, alongside the many corpses scattered everywhere. It was a bloodbath. The Rank 2 Beast Lords that commanded the armies growled. Their bestial instincts yearned for more. Only one army could remain!
Nobody realized, but the wolves gradually disappeared from the battlefield. Their leader, the Late Rank 2 Beast Lord Obsidian Wind Wolf, died, so they lost motivation. They decided to lick their wounds and conserve their strength for the next clash. The toads were the next to depart. It was in their nature to be solitary and aloof. They would have never participated, had their leader not pressured them to. With the departure of two groups, the battlefield felt emptier.
The chickens were gluttons, and they grew by consuming anything energy rich. This fight was not something they could ignore. The mantises were small, but savage creatures. Using Martial Energy, they could deliver flying wind strikes to cut everything in sight. A complex battlefield was where they thrived. The ferrets were the fewest, except their poison was truly a headache to deal with. Anything they touched would wither away and die. Not to mention, their leader was the Half Rank 3 Beast King Triple Poison Ferret, which made them overly ambitious. The Rank 2 Beast Lords were finally about to step in, when a figure shot into the sky. A vast aura spread out, establishing its preeminent power! It was Elder Argo, a Grand Rank 2 Lord!