Chapter 29
"It's amazing! Maybe we should put it back on its previous branch. Would you like to do it for us, Virgil?"
"Of course, please wait a moment." Virgil turned and went out. When he came back, the bird was gone. Xerath was still holding onto Sylas, squeezing her hand tightly every time she turned back.
Virgil occasionally raised his eyebrows as Sylas looked at him, making the little girl nervous.
"Virgil, there's something I must warn you about beforehand. It's very dangerous to fall from this height."
Virgil shrugged, now understanding that every time the archmage squeezed the little girl's hand, it was a way to prevent her from losing control and causing an elemental outburst.
"Sometimes I feel like you purposefully come at this time just to mooch off our food."
It was probably lunchtime, and even if Virgil didn't come, they would have eaten their meal twenty minutes later.
Virgil had no intention of denying it. "Elvis is really skilled!"
The lunch wasn't exactly fancy, just a typical "researcher's lunch." Thick stewed peas, carrots, and beef poured over mashed potatoes mixed with egg yolk and cream, served with two thick pork chops. Enough to make up for any mental exhaustion. As usual, Virgil sat farthest away from Sylas, quickly finished his plate, and satisfied, rested his head on the table, saying to Xerath, "I've found a few good buyers for you."
Xerath was initially surprised, then quickly glanced at Sylas, making sure she wasn't listening. She quietly breathed a sigh of relief and told Virgil, "Let's talk after we eat."
After finishing their meal, Xerath left Sylas with Hyectra. She and Virgil stood at the stairwell outside the living room and said, "Please go ahead."
"Oh... you know my rules, fully protecting the privacy of the sellers and buyers. But considering our many years of friendship... The first buyer has a unique profession, similar to yours. I think this is a good fit, just a slightly lower offer. The second is a lord with a hobby of collecting rare and exotic creatures. The third is a couple of wizards."
"Allow me to interrupt, what profession is so special? Is it also an Elemental Archmage? I refuse if it's a Lich. Necromancers are also not allowed."
"Oh, no, if I tell you, you'll know. Please allow me to keep it mysterious."
"Then let me guess, is it the Dragon Knight? There's only one in the whole continent. Truly fitting, any elemental turmoil is child's play before a dragon."
"..." Virgil looked at her in disbelief, before finally saying, "You're truly perceptive, esteemed archmage."
Xerath gave a proud and graceful bow.
"So, what do you imagine...?" Virgil said, but he forgot what words he was saying when he saw Xerath widen her eyes in fear and quickly move to the front of the living room door.
Surprisingly, the door wouldn't open.
"Xerath, what's wrong?"
"I'm afraid she heard us talking, step back!" Xerath also took two steps back, as golden magic surged through the air, urging them all to unite and crash against the exquisite door.
With a loud bang, the door was pushed open, hit against the wall with a strange force. The sound of the wind suddenly grew louder, and Virgil hurriedly covered his eyes with his arm when he rushed in.
The wind and sand were too strong.
"Sylas!" Xerath exclaimed in surprise.
Hyectra disappeared without a trace, and the fire lord chef was also missing. The small absorbing crystal on top melted completely, and the transparent door on the terrace shattered, leaving only a doorway. The dry scent of the desert poured in with the wind, toppling the coffee table. Xerath quickly dodged, as a few lightweight items were thrown out of the doorway by the wind.
Sylas stood on the terrace, while the magic wolf Titus was bound in a small whirlwind, spinning along with the wind. Sylas hadn't quite mastered this spell yet, but it was clear she was learning.
The archmage shouted loudly, "Sylas!"
The little girl ran to the edge of the rooftop and turned back when she heard the shout. Her green eyes were almost melting, tears seemed to be flowing continuously. Xerath felt drops of water hitting her face. She cried out, and the wind suddenly grew furious. The strong wind tore through its barriers, and it seemed that windows downstairs also shattered. The howling wind created a forcefully carved pathway. Xerath managed to quickly create a wind shield to protect herself and Virgil. The sharp wind blades left deep imprints along the pathway.
"Sylas! Calm down!"
"Xerath wants to sell me! Deceiver!" With eyes that resembled emeralds, Sylas expressed her sorrow as if they were about to shatter. She tearfully accused Xerath with the turbulent and restless wind reaching new heights after each word. It was similar to the storm they faced that day. Xerath could hardly control any wind, as they all seemed to have spoiled their little sister. They roared, rushing towards the person who dared to break their beloved little sister's heart.
Xerath was caught off guard. The thin wind element could barely sustain the wind shield, and Virgil was weaponless, completely a burden. The mage tower had become a passage of wind, and there was no safe place except for around Xerath.
"Oh my, I'm really sorry."
"Shut up." The archmage chose the simplest phrase to silence Virgil's incessant chatter. "Sylas! Where are you going?"
"Outdoors! Go back! Anywhere! Just don't bring Xerath!" The enormous wind tunnel wreaked havoc inside the passage, sucking in anything that could be absorbed. The resulting vortex disrupted everything, including the archmage. She struggled to free one hand and continued to write in the air. Simple but effective wind blades cut through the wind tunnel. The collision of low pressure and low pressure created a tremendous noise of annihilation. The resulting shockwaves caused significant trouble, forcing Xerath to be distracted and miss numerous opportunities to counterattack.
The archmage wouldn't normally be this passive, but the changing wind directions from above and below had a fatal impact. It was much easier to activate wind elements in an updraft, let alone dealing with Sylas in her enraged state.
"Sylas! I don't plan to sell you!"
"Liar!"
Fire joined in, rocks making up the mage tower broke free from a weak binding spell and joined in the heavy blows. The archmage tore open the space in front of them with their hands, radiating golden magic. This caused the wind shield to completely fail, but just in time, an Earth Child emerged from the rift in space, forming a stone wall in front of Xerath. Sharp slashing sounds echoed closely in front of them.
"She truly wants to kill you!"
Xerath glared at him irritably, "You should know what she's faced before, right?" This stone wall bought her a brief moment to catch her breath, but Sylas was going to jump down. Xerath wasn't sure if Sylas would die from the fall or if some unknown wind magic would carry her away, but one thing she was certain of.
We can't just let this demon beast go like that.
