Summer days in the Misty Mountains left as fast as they came.
Temperature in the region normally plunged to frosty winter conditions for nearly half the year. The next half would be separated into autumn and spring. Only occasionally, would the stingy sun allow its rays and heat to permeate down onto the ground.
Snow and ice would finally melt and usher in a brief period of floods. Perhaps, steam could be seen emitting from the mountain valleys as well.
Sheyan dipped his hand into the incomparably cooling stream water, allowing the chill to penetrate deep into his bones. He then splashed his face with the refres.h.i.+ng snowy water.
By his side, Annenia Cyathea released a nature magic art, "Toxin-probe". He then nodded with satisfaction.
"The river source isn"t polluted, Sire Protector."
Sheyan then scooped the stream water to drink as water beads trickled down the cracks of his fingers, slithering down his neck and into his chest.
The earth shuddered slightly as the giant ent, Ferrell, straightforwardly stepped into the river stream. His roots begun absorbing the water, as he nonchalantly pulled out weapons like spears and stone hatchets from his wooden body.
Ferrell chuckled with a childlike vigor and proceeded to lie down across the river stream, allowing his entire body to absorb water.
Emerald green glows exuded out from the hands of several elves as they unleashed healing nature magic. As the wounds along the ent"s body swiftly healed, the giant ent boomed with a deep m.u.f.fled voice.
"The MIsty Mountains are still filled with these filthy orcs."
Desirese Roots appeared rather aged with white hair and beard. However, he was dressed like a vanguard and took the frontlines of the continent. He gazed into the distance and issued resentfully.
"Everytime we bring sufficient forces, the orcs would vanish like spineless rabbits. Yet once we are low in numbers, those gutsy orcs would always provoke our path into the Misty Mountains! This is definitely related to the Uruk-hais commanding them."
After a half hour of rest, Sheyan laughed as the group toured past the top of a tiny hill.
"I truly hope more orcs will show up. The more we eliminate now, the less pressure in the next part of my plan. Franklin, how useful will your illusory arts be?"
Ever since Franklin was released from prison, he didn"t rush to locate the other party attached to Mister Wrights or look for missions. Instead, he wisely seeked out and latched onto Sheyan and Reef.
Due to the dangers of the future and that they could hit it off quite well, Sheyan naturally brought him along.
Upon hearing Sheyan"s question, Franklin immediately understood the first audition trial had arrived. He earnest replied.
"That will depend on which aspect. I can confuse the orcs with illusions to prevent them from identifying the genuine target, while simultaneously a.s.sault them with illusory beams. However, the traveling elves though mighty, are mostly long-range combatants. I feel that this team lacks individuals who can storm the front."
"Well said." Sheyan glance down the hillside and observed the next group of charging orcs. Under the leaders.h.i.+p of Uruk-hais, they prepared to a.s.sault.
"Then what is your plan?"
Franklin didn"t answer and proceeded to take action. He raised the recently acquired magic staff with both arms and released a long incantation. One could observe the target of his magic was the giant ent, Ferrell.
Thick white mist begun lingering around the giant ent as Franklin continued chanting. Yet the ent felt nothing strange.
The thick white mist churned speedily and quickly congregated on the s.p.a.ce beside the giant ent. Finally, it formed into an enormous cloud that took the shape of the ent.
After around ten seconds, Franklin terminated his chant and white mist dissipated. Yet shockingly, an exact replica of the giant ent stood right beside the ent!
Franklin wiped away his perspiration and proudly announced.
"This illusory reality possesses vitality and defense similar to Ferrell, but the ordinary attack power is weakened by 33%. Also, it inherits Ferrell"s pa.s.sive abilities but not the active ones, and cannot be healed."
Sheyan"s eyes sparkled as he asked.
"How long does it last?"
Franklin replied.
"Thirty minutes. The higher my intelligence, the longer the duration. Because the giant ent is too formidable, I cannot use other illusory arts after duplicating it."
"Got it." Sheyan replied. "Can this ability be used on contestants?"
"Not an issue, but I must coordinate with the target of interest." Franklin answered.
By now, the orcs had started charging up the hill. The giant ent Ferrell bluntly uprooted a nearby tree, and strode towards the hill edge with rock fragments dripping down.
Meanwhile, Franklin"s ent replica directly stood in front of Ferrell and bluntly endured the first wave of aggression by the orcs; including flaming spears, flaming hatchets and other weapons that could deal additional damage to ents. However, the replica wasn"t affected by those.
The elves flew into action. Each one of the elves were gifted archers and adorned beautiful longbows, that appeared primitive yet exquisite. The arrows shot out carried a shallow green glow at the tip, which would expand like roots upon striking the orcs; piercing deep into their flesh and organs and issuing additional agony.
Annenia Cyathea brandished his magic staff as nature energies started swirling around his body. The exuberant energies congealed on his magic staff and formed a vigorous light globe at the tip.
Whenever an Uruk-hai entered his shooting range, the light globe on his staff would pour out a white and gentle beam at the Uruk-hai"s leg. Instantly after, the Uruk-hai"s leg would swell up weirdly like it was rapidly growing. Yet during this process, the Uruk-hai"s body would remain normal and at the end, its legs would exceed the limits of its body and explode into blood pieces. It was an exceedingly dreadful sight!
This ability of Annenia could be described as the deviating path of healing arts. Originally an enhancing or rescuing ability, it deviated into a terrifying killer move! One could observe that Annenia Cyathea was truly an extraordinary elf, one who imagined outrageous moves to blaze his own trail. It was no wonder he was greatly enlightened by Sheyan"s "Stairway of the Sun".
Evidently, the orcs and Uruk-hais were minions of the Dark Lord. Therefore, the contestants soon discovered they similarly received fate points when their elf allies killed the orcs. However, the amount of fate points were meagre and ten orcs was only equivalent to a single fate point. Nevertheless, an Uruk-hai provided one fate point.
If they personally killed the foes, an orc would produce one fate point and an Uruk-hai ten fate points.
Despite the ferocity of the elves" a.s.sault, the amount of orcs occupied overwhelming superiority and they swiftly charged up to the top of the hill.
At this moment, the giant ent raised its "wooden club" up high and swiped through horizontally!
With Franklin"s replica absorbing most of the long range damage, ent Ferrell was still thriving with energy. His sweeping tree was as long as 7-8 meters and smashed at least ten orcs flying, before they tumbled down the hill again. The ent then hurled the tree down, with resulted in a frightening explosion that left the affected orcs as meat paste; dying a terribly incorrigible death.
Sheyan observed another endless stream of orcs approaching the hill and hastily shouted out.
"Witness this! I shall display the might bestowed by my high-G.o.d."
Although Sheyan"s words were aimed at the elves, the ent was actually the most curious one. He had heard the elves chatting about the miracles of Sheyan"s "Pestilence Monarch" ability. Yet all these while, he didn"t have the chance to witness it.
"3, 2, 1…." Sheyan counted composedly and activated the outbreak of his "Pestilence Monarch" ability. A devilish alien "Stairway of the Sun" plant phantom surfaced behind him.
Following that, countless formless rings of viral corruption rippled out towards all corners!
Thump! A sonorous sound echoed out as the earth trembled faintly. Unexpectedly, the giant ent"s branches were swaying as his knees crashed heavily onto the ground. The other tree he uprooted fell to the ground as shock and fear inflicted his wooden countenance.
"What...what kind of nature"s freak!! Impossible, this sensation.....ahhhhh!!"