A few minutes earlier, the group of three, consisting of Orson and his two teammates, Conal and Beck, had landed at a spot slightly farther out on the edge of the city center.
Unlike the rest of the team participating in this mission, the three of them were almost completely wiped out right after the enemy's opening attack.
As for their mounts, two of their Griffins were dead, and the remaining one was badly injured and unable to move.
Among the three, only the leader, Orson, was relatively intact, suffering just minor external wounds. But for his two teammates, the situation was far less favorable.
Conal had one arm broken and suffered light burns on parts of his body.
Breaking his arm twice in such a short span made Conal curse his luck.
The only fortunate thing was that Conal was a Mage specializing in long-range combat. Therefore, losing the use of one arm did not greatly hinder his ability to continue fighting.
And though his injuries were not light, Conal restrained himself from swearing aloud because his teammate Beck had nearly lost his life.
Beck's limbs were shattered, his body severely burned in many places, and he even suffered internal injuries.
Thanks to the timely support of his two comrades, Beck survived the critical moment. Nevertheless, with such severe wounds, it was clear he could no longer fight alongside them.
Thus, the remaining two had to improvise a simple stretcher from a wooden plank to carry Beck to a relatively safe spot not too far away.
After finishing arrangements for their severely injured comrade, Conal turned to Orson and asked:
"What should we do next?"
His words implied whether they should abandon the mission at this point.
The group's miserable state after just the enemy's opening strike stirred fear in Conal, making him hesitate about continuing such a dangerous mission.
Hearing Conal's question, Orson didn't need much time to think and immediately replied:
"Of course we head to the center, to provide support for Guildmaster John's team."
Naturally, Orson's decision wasn't born of camaraderie or righteousness, but simply because the situation forced them into it.
He continued: "Once trapped inside this cage, if the mission fails, we'll hardly escape in the end. I have no intention of placing my fate entirely in someone else's hands. That leaves only one choice: fight."
Conal muttered: "Damn it! Then let's go."
Though he understood Orson's words were true, Conal was far from pleased at being left with only one option.
The two ran through the chaotic streets. The closer they got to the center of the battle, the fewer people they saw around. Soon, only other adventurers remained nearby, scouting for information.
Orson was just about to call out to the adventurers nearby to join them and strengthen their forces when suddenly a loud noise erupted, drawing the attention of Orson, Conal, and everyone around.
The sound was like thunder crashing, accompanied by the shattering of stone and brick.
What they saw next was a black-haired child running at incredible speed.
Suddenly, something shot down from an angle above, piercing straight through a nearby house and leaving a gaping hole.
Even after tearing through the building, it didn't slow down, continuing to fly toward the child, then smashing into the ground just behind him.
It was clear that if the child hadn't been moving at such incredible speed, that projectile would have torn his body apart instead of merely gouging the ground.
With his sharp eyesight, Orson recognized the object as an arrow. Judging by its angle, it must have been fired from high above the mage tower.
Orson: 'A precise strike from such a distance? And with such speed and power?'
He felt a chill of dread, wondering whether he could survive if he ever became the direct target of such a weapon.
Just as they saw the black-haired child, the boy also noticed them. He looked at them, seemingly about to speak, when suddenly he flinched and turned his head toward the mage tower.
Seeing this reaction, Orson was struck by a terrifying premonition. His spine went cold.
At the same moment, both the child and Orson shouted a warning:
"Careful!"
An arrow infused with some kind of magic streaked across the sky. The instant it reached the airspace above them, it exploded. From it, countless small green lights rained down at terrifying speed.
Each light was like a magic-forged arrow, delivering death upon everyone standing below.
Screams erupted everywhere. Many people were pierced through, their bodies riddled with holes, dying instantly.
As for Orson, he immediately pulled out a heavy, thick shield. With one arm he dragged Conal down low, while with the other he raised the shield overhead, using it as a cover for them both.
The rain of light-arrows slammed into the shield, striking so hard they left deep dents, even though Orson had reinforced it with a considerable amount of his spiritual energy.
Orson clenched his teeth, gripping the shield with both hands. His muscles bulged as he strained to hold it steady.
Crouched beneath, Conal finished his magic and conjured a protective barrier around them both. With that support, the pressure on Orson lessened considerably, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Now with some strength to spare, he glanced around to check on the others.
Blood covered the ground, bodies lying in gruesome states too dreadful to look at directly.
Almost everyone who survived had been lucky enough to stand near the edge of the attack's range, giving them time to escape.
As for those within the strike zone who remained unharmed, besides Orson and Conal, only one other remained: the black-haired child from before.
Orson whispered: "Tris."
He muttered the boy's name, who was now hidden within a shell-like form: tall, broad-limbed, and ugly-faced.
That figure kept running, dodging and defending against the arrows still targeting him.
Before he fled, Orson received a magically transmitted voice:
"Do not join the battle to reclaim the mage tower. A group of Magical Beasts, led by a silver-haired woman, is approaching from behind. Gather and lead the other adventurers nearby to deal with them."