BXBX NOVEL Chapter 41 Why Must It Be At This Moment?
"Sir Randel! What\'s the matter?" Eli hastily asked the exhausted Randel in concern.
"The Spectre has deduced your identity... They\'re on their way now to capture the Lady!" Randel said in panic.
Shock filled the entire crew of the grievous news. Eli was frozen stiff and panicked. Her complexion became pale as beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her shiny dark eyes were now dull, dim and blank.
"Why must it be at this moment?"
With her voice shaking in anxiety, she uttered aggrievedly. She stared at her two weak hands that weren\'t even a threat to someone like the members of Spectre.
She wasn\'t ready. She wasn\'t even able to know how to increase her strength in order to escape from the threats around her. Why now? What must she do?
This was the very same feeling she felt the time her mum collapsed and slowly succumb to her sickness.
\'Why do these situations always come when I am not ready?\' \'
Am I going to be helpless again?\'
\'Will I experience that excruciating feeling of losing someone again?\'
Little Han is in grave danger, Babao and Wisey too. She even dragged Randel, Olivier and the Prince. Her mind went blurry and her vision slowly became dark, as despair started to grow in her heart.
Suddenly, she heard a cold yet assuring voice, as she felt warmth coming out from the hands placed on her shoulders, stabilizing her emotions, "Eli… This time, you are not alone."
\'This time, I am not alone..\' The words echoed inside her , trying to blow away the fogginess of her mind.
The voice continued to soothe Eli\'s disturbed heart. "Today, my own hands will protect you. So that tomorrow, we will have a chance to grow your strength."
Then the last string of words ignited the light into the darkness in Eli\'s heart,
"So today, you must live! We all must live!"
\'We must live!\'
Color slowly appeared on Eli\'s pale complexion, clarity could also be seen on her eyes as she looked towards the source of that voice who gave her much encouragement - Leon.
Determination filled her heart, which was earlier filled with despair. There were two messages sent through Leon\'s words that resonated to her -
Accepting, that now, she was weak and she needed help.
Survive today, to have a chance to grow strong tomorrow!
Leon was relieved upon seeing Eli look at him in dependence and hope for the future. At this moment, she needs his protection, and he will give exactly that. Tomorrow is the opportunity she needed, and he will give exactly that!
Without the need of words to get the message across, Leon gave a nod of assurance to Eli and proceeded with the rest of the crew to prepare for a fight.
Addressing the crew with him, he expertly navigated, "Right now, we do not know how many people we are going to face.."
"Randel, reinforce the vicinity\'s protection spell with a concealment spell, to buy us more time."
"Baobao and Wisey, I need you to detect enemies coming near our area as early as possible. I also need the information about their numbers and the type of beings they are."
"Olivier, recharge your mana as much as you can, let\'s stretch out your summoning capacity. Be ready to go all out…"
"As for the two of us, let us go inside as I needed a pen and paper," Done with his navigation, Leon focused towards Eli.
Going back inside the cottage house, he immediately proceeded writing as soon as Eli gave her the pen and paper. After writing, he bit his finger and stamped his thumb print with blood to the paper he had been writing into.
He then led Eli towards the teleportation array with the letter in his hands. He had long noticed the teleportation array and recognized traces of the mana coming from a Silver Dew Elf. Although he didn\'t confirm yet with Eli, the fact that she was able to dwell here freely, told him that the Silver Dew Elves had some connection with her.
He placed the letter at the center of the array, the inscriptions glowing in green as the blood thumbprint emitted a faint red light. Soon, the letter completely dissolved.
"Wait here for a while and try to calm down." Leon dragged a cushioned chair near the teleportation array, not forgetting to take with him a throw pillow to support Eli\'s back.
"I will see the situation outside, as we wait for the response of the Silver Dew Elves." Ensuring that Eli had sat properly and comfortably in the chair, she patted her head with an assuring smile.
"But I\'m worried about you guys…" Eli said with concern.
"Do not worry, you know my ability right?" Leon responded with certainty in his eyes.
Eli, who already knew that worrying anymore would hinder Leon\'s preparation, nodded in response, still with anxiety in her heart.
Leon went out with haste, but took a sudden pause as he was about to close the door and said,
"I would highly advise that you take your grand piano in your space bag to keep it safe. It\'s precious to you right?"
Eli was startled and looked towards Leon\'s broad back as the door slowly went to a close. That back, in her vision seemed so reliable. It seemed to speak to her heart, \'trust me\'.
Now alone in the room, sitting silently to wait for the good news, she only knew that there was only one thing she could do, to pray to the Great One.
Looking towards the heavens in total surrender with her two hands solemnly placed in her heart, Eli uttered her prayers aloud, as it resonated in the living room and even outside her cottage:
"Oh! Dear Father, Heaven and Earth\'s only Great One,
I am always grateful for all the things You have given and done.
Now, Oh Father, I feel so weak and helpless,
Threats left and right kept appearing to me, who remained defenseless.
You, Oh Father, are the one who gave me and my companions our lives,
I trust with all my heart, that you have a purpose and you will keep us alive.
I pray that you will guide us on how to proceed,
Sharpen our swords, let darkness not succeed!
Let the foundation of righteousness remain unscathed,
With your blessing upon this crew, let victory be proclaimed!"
Her words ignited something within the hearts of everyone who was protecting her outside. It was their first time hearing someone solemnly praying aloud for their victory, other than the priest.
They can feel an inexplicable magical power showering in their bodies, strengthening their will, their minds and their power.
"Divine Blessing!" The crew was extremely surprised, especially Leon, Olivier and Randel. They know that this phenomenon could only be achieved when an ordained Priest prays to the heavens to give someone a blessing.
"Lady Elise.. Who is she really?" Everyone asked in their hearts.
But it was not time to find the answer, as Baobao immediately announced,
"Prince master!"
"There were a total of twenty pairs of humans and beasts about to approach the ten kilometer limit. And the beasts were unusual, there was a very foul smell coming from them… I detest it so much!" Baobao reported immediately.
"They were advancing in different directions, groups equally splitted to four. Two of the groups ventured pointing towards our direction on the northwest and east."
"Master, what to do?" Olivier asked Leon the next course of action for the defense crew.
"Do not act yet, wait a little more.." Leon declared with steadfastness in his expression, like a captain of the ship, staring straight into the approaching storm calmly and without a hint of fear.
The cottage suddenly opened, a figure hooded in green appeared. It was a tall yet delicate figure, seemingly a woman as her shiny copper brown hair flowed gracefully beyond the bounds of the green colored hood.
"We have received your request. Our response, no killing within the bounds of the forest. Keep the covenant intact."
A cold glint subtly appeared on Leon\'s eyes, however he didn\'t react and let the figure finish.
"In turn, a disorientation spell was casted in the entire free region of the forest. Everyone will be affected and will lose their sense of direction… except those who ate this flower." The figure then used magic to distribute a flower to each of them, its petal was bright violet with golden ends.
"Now, I will bring Lady Eli to safety. Contact us the same way after resolving the matter." The figure uttered her final words and immediately closed the door of the cottage. Soon, a flash of green light was seen at a certain window.
"Eat it." Leon ordered the team.
Even though they do not know what the flower is, the crew trusted Leon\'s orders.
After a minute, Baobao immediately reported, "Prince master! The groups started to venture opposite our direction!"
Leon then finally released their battle strategy, "Our strategy is to lure them out of the forest, do not engage in battle until you are completely out of the forest. As much as possible, lure them away from Silvertown too."
"Baobao Wisey, go with Olivier, to target the group exploring farthest to our vicinity. Randel, the second one."
"I will be left to deal with the nearest two groups."
He handed out several spell papers on each of them and finally said,
"Go! Eliminate all that threatens the Lady!"