Lassim hovered above the village of Blazewind, his senses finely tuned, scouring the area for any remaining demons.
After two more hours of intense focus and searching the mountain paths, Lassim’s [Spatial Vision] picked up faint, flickering distortions in the threads around the village’s outskirts once more.
He immediately shifted his attention to the disturbances.
"[There’s more of them nearby,]" he thought, tightening his grip on his halberd as he flew toward the disturbance. "[Three of them this time, scattered apart.]"
The closer he got, the stronger the abyssal energy sensation became. Just as before, the atmosphere shifted unnaturally—the wind fell silent, and the shadows deepened, twisting in ways that defied nature. But Lassim was ready this time.
His eyes glowed with the power of the void energy coursing through them, cutting through the blurry and distracting hallucinations as he quickly identified the locations of the demons.
They were hiding within small crevices in the rocky mountainside, their forms barely distinguishable from the shadows they cloaked themselves in.
He wasted no time, hoping to kill them before they realized he was on to them.
In one swift motion, Lassim activated [Tempest Steps], his body becoming a blur as he dashed toward the first demon. Lightning crackled through the air, and with a single slash of his halberd, the demon’s frail form shattered, disintegrating into a cloud of misty dust and rags. Its dying whispers shrieked briefly before fading into silence.
The second and third demons attempted to flee, their forms flickering as they wove fog to amplify the hallucinations around themselves, trying to confuse Lassim and escape.
But his [Spatial Vision] was too powerful and he already knew what to look for to see past their tricks. He could see the exact paths they were taking, following their every movement as they affected the spatial weave with their natural weights affecting the fabric of space.
He closed in on the second demon, releasing a controlled [Hydroburst] that exploded with a concentrated shockwave of water and lightning that shot forward in a controlled wave, engulfing the demon and tearing it apart before it could react.
The final one, seeing its companions fall, hesitated for a split second, giving Lassim the opening he needed to drive his halberd straight through its chest. The demon let out a final wail before disintegrating like the others.
With the last of the Wraithmire Demons defeated, Lassim floated in the air for a moment, catching his breath as he surveyed the now-empty mountainside.
The air was much clearer around the entire area, the oppressive aura of abyssal energy dissipating, leaving only the natural sounds of the wind and distant wildlife to return to normalcy.
"[That should be all of them,]" Lassim said to his companions, his voice steady as he lowered his halberd. "[The village should be safe for now at least.]"
Marinelle’s voice was calm, reassuring. "[You did well, Lassim. The village can finally breathe easily again.]"
Zaphy’s usual excitement rang out in his mind. "[Yeah, Brother! You got ’em good! No more creepy whispers or weird shadows!]"
Lassim smiled faintly. "[Let’s head back to the village. Elder Daxian needs to know it’s safe now and we should give him a chance to rest.]"
With a final glance at the surrounding nature, Lassim flew back toward Blazewind, his mind already turning to what he planned to do next to help out.
When Lassim returned to the village, he landed at the entrance of the village and, once again, sent a small spark of his own lightning mana into the barrier. It parted for him as it had before, allowing him to step inside.
The village was quiet, but Lassim could still sense the tension and anxiety in the air. Hopefully that would change in just a few mere moments from now.
Lassim made his way to the village center building, where Elder Daxian still stood within the large circular array, maintaining the [Thunderveil Curtain]. His violet hair was more damp with sweat than when Lassim last saw him, and his hands trembled slightly as he continued to channel his mana into the barrier.
Lassim approached quietly, "Elder Daxian."
Daxian looked up, his tired eyes meeting Lassim’s. "You’re back," he said, his voice hoarse. "Did you find them?"
Lassim nodded. "Yes. I took care of the remaining demons. They’re gone now."
A heavy sigh of relief escaped Daxian’s lips, his shoulders sagging as the weight of responsibility began to lift from him. "Thank the heavens…"
Lassim stepped closer, his tone firm but reassuring. "You can relax now, Elder. I’ll keep watch over the village until the array master arrives. You need to rest."
Daxian hesitated, his brows furrowing. "But the [Thunderveil Curtain]… I’ve kept it up for nearly two weeks. If I lower it now—"
"I’ve already taken care of the demons," Lassim interrupted gently. "There’s no need to maintain the barrier any longer. Let it down, Elder. I promise, I’ll keep the village safe."
Daxian looked at Lassim, uncertainty in his eyes. He had been the village’s protector for so long, and the thought of letting someone else take over—even for a short time—clearly made him uneasy.
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Seeing the hesitation, Lassim made a decision.
For the first time in a long while, he allowed the full weight of his cultivation to seep out. The air around him thickened, his divine mana that he constantly managed to not allow its presence to cause problems after his first mistakes after leaving Khaalseu’s realm, pressed down with an overwhelming pressure that radiated outward like a storm slapping him down.
As if a spark of Famthar was personally visiting the world.
Daxian’s eyes widened, and he took an involuntary step back as the force of Lassim’s spirit power washed over him, and nearly stumbled from his already exhausted legs nearly wanting to give out.
For a brief moment, the elder was reminded of a time when he first met the Sect Master all those thousands of years ago as a young Spirit Growth stage cultivator. The overwhelming distance and gap between stages and the spiritual pressure had made him greatly admire the Sect Master and aspire to reach the heavens.
He seemed to have forgotten that moment and had a flash of sadness for how slow his cultivation had been in recent years as prioritizing the wellness and happiness of his citizens was his focus.
When had he slowed down? When was it that he forgot this desire? When had he allowed himself to fall into a situation where some young personal disciple rose to a power above him and had the power to protect this place he loved when he himself wasn’t able to? When had he fallen so behind?
Lassim smiled calmly, reigning in the pressure after a few moments. "Trust me, Elder. Go let your people know that everything is under control. Tell them that Sect Master Volten’s personal disciple is here to help. Everyone can finally take the chance to rest while I’m on watch."
Daxian’s shoulders slumped further, the exhaustion in his body catching up to him.
With a weary nod, he deactivated the [Thunderveil Curtain]. The powerful lightning barrier flickered for a moment before dissipating entirely, leaving the village exposed but safe.
"Thank you, Lassim," Daxian murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I’ll go speak to the villagers… then I’ll rest."
He shuffled tiredly past Lassim, patting him on the shoulder as he went. "We’ll talk later, once I’ve had some sleep. See you soon."
Lassim nodded, watching as the elder left to address the village. The relief on Daxian’s face was palpable, and Lassim felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that the village would finally get the rest it so desperately needed.
Once Daxian was gone, Lassim followed him out the still open door and ascended into the sky, his body crackling with lightning as he activated his full cultivation.
The storm cloud that usually followed him when he rotated his cultivation expanded overhead, dark and swirling, casting a protective shadow over the village. His constellation came into view, the lifelike Leviathan showing its disdain for the heavens and desire to ascend as it broke the sharp and pointed divine chains that held it down for so long.
High above the village now, Lassim activated [Grand Aegis], summoning his ice dragon companion which created a massive ice wall around the perimeter of Blazewind.
The wall was tall and formidable, shimmering with frost as it encircled the village, leaving small gates at the entrance that Lassim could easily manage.
With the [Grand Aegis] in place, Lassim activated his [Spatial Vision] once more, the progenitor marks extending but just rotating with minimal use to just empower his eyes as he began scanning the area for any signs of danger.
The village was calm, as expected with the air clear of abyssal energy, but Lassim remained vigilant. This village was his to protect for however long it took the array master to arrive.
Down below, Daxian’s voice echoed through the streets as he addressed the villagers, his words carried on by his cultivation.
He explained what had happened, that the demons were gone, and that the village was now being protected by Lassim, the personal disciple of the Sect Master.
A collective sigh of relief seemed to wash over the village as his words reached each home.
For the first time in days, the villagers felt safe. They began to emerge from their homes or able to fully shut the blinds without anxiety or worry, their faces weary but hopeful from what he could see with his enhanced vision and spirit sense. They were finally able to rest without fear.
As the village settled into a quiet, peaceful slumber, Lassim remained in the sky, his gaze sharp as he watched over them.
The [Grand Aegis] Ice Dragon shimmered beneath and around him, its icy surface reflecting the faint light of the stars as the day ended and night began.
Hours passed, the village below silent and still. Lassim could feel the weight of the exhaustion that had gripped the village slowly lifting, the tension easing as the people finally allowed themselves to sleep.
Over sixteen hours later of only the low rumble of his storm above him to accompany his watch, Lassim noticed a figure approaching the village from the sky.
The cultivator wore the purple martial attire of the Lightning Sect, with bronze accents marking him as an outer sect disciple. His cultivation pressure he releases as he flew through the air marked him at the Spirit Ascension stage, level 1.
The disciple flew cautiously, his eyes wide as he sensed the immense pressure that surrounded and warded the village like a giant beacon of warning to anything that wished to approach—Lassim’s divine presence lingering heavy like a wall of danger.
He shuddered slightly as he approached, recognizing the golden accents on Lassim’s attire that marked him as a personal disciple of someone, but the pin with the small amount of the Sect Master’s Defiance Lightning was instantly recognizable to every lightning cultivator. It was so unique that everyone had felt its creation.
He instantly knew just whose personal disciple he was and was even more intimidated.
The disciple floated forward awkwardly, bowing deeply as he greeted Lassim. "Senior… uh, Senior Lassim, I presume? I… I’ve come to assist with the restoration of the village’s formations. I’m an array specialist… well, not a master yet, but I’m confident I can restore the defenses!"
Lassim smiled warmly, his usual friendly demeanor returning as he floated down to meet the disciple at the same level. "No need to be so nervous or worried. I’m thankful you’re here to help. Once the defenses are back online I can take a break too."
The disciple let out a shaky breath of relief. "T-Thank you, Senior. I’ll get started right away. The mission hall sent me the schematics for the old formation, so I know where to go and what to do. I’ll have the arrays up and running in no time!"
Lassim nodded, watching as the disciple hurried off toward some building near the village’s core to begin his work. The young man’s eagerness to make a good impression was obvious, but Lassim appreciated his enthusiasm.
Less than thirty minutes later, Lassim felt the shift in the air as the village’s new defensive array activated.
A shimmering dome of energy surrounded Blazewind, and radiated enough power that Lassim reckoned it was enough to withstand even Spirit Transcendent-level attacks.
The activation of the array woke Elder Daxian, who emerged from his home looking considerably more rested. He flew up to where Lassim still floated in the sky, his eyes bright with gratitude.
"How long was I out for? Ah, anyways, you’ve done more than I could have asked for, Lassim," Daxian said, his voice filled with relief. "You can rest now. I’ll take over from here."
Lassim smiled as he deactivated his [Grand Aegis], allowing the ice wall to dissolve into a fine mist that faded into the morning air. "A bit over 16 hours, but it was really no trouble at all. I’m glad I could help in this way. The village is safe now."
Daxian clapped Lassim on the shoulder. "Rest well, my friend. I’m sure you can head over to the Boar’s Head tavern as I saw old Mr. Thomas firing up the grill as I passed by if you want something to eat."
"Ah? That sounds good. I’ll do that and see if they have a room for a short meditation, and then I’ll be out to check and make sure everything is back to normal. Feel free to ask for any more help from me once you’ve had a chance to get a handle on the current situation of everyone. If anyone needs healing, I can help with that as well." Lassim replied.
Elder Daxion smiled, "Perfect! Thank you, Lassim."