MTLNOVEL Chapter 488: Return
"Vernon, do something!" Nia shouted, desperately casting Verdant Bloom to restrain the advancing zombies. But the vines were weaker now, continuously snapping under the weight of the monstrous creatures.
Vernon yelled while still firing as fast as he could. He managed to blind one zombie by shooting out its eye, but the creature continued its advance. It was simply not enough.
Nia's staff glowed as she summoned another Thorned Barrier, but the remaining Giant Zombies smashed through it effortlessly. The situation was dire.
"Ugh… We have to retreat," Nia said, believing they had no other choice but to escape from the Zombies and return once the enemies had left the area. They just had to make sure to fix the place before Shane and Lysandra returned. It was risky but she believed that the Giant Zombies would not decide to just camp in the town and wait for Shane's arrival.
Vernon and Kale weren't able to decide quickly. Though they considered retreating, they believed that they could still somehow try...
However, as the two Giant Zombies closed in, ready to finish them off, a sudden whistle of arrows cut through the air.
Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~
One after another, they struck the Zombies perfectly, embedding themselves in the creatures' eyes!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Zombies roared as they lost their vision! They could only flail blindly, likely unaware of why they had become blind since they shouldn't feel any pain.
"What the—?" Kale muttered as he staggered to his feet. Those arrows were definitely not from Vernon.
They turned toward the source of the attack, spotting figures cloaked in shadows atop a nearby hill. Their movements were swift as they didn't stop attacking the Giant Zombies, releasing volley after volley of arrows that found their mark.
"It's not over yet! It seems we have reinforcements," Vernon shouted, taking advantage of the distraction to reload. He then fired at the blinded zombies, targeting their weakened heads.
Kale also regained his composure. Although he still had no idea about the identities of their helpers, there was no time to think about it. He immediately took out one of the recovery potions from his pocket and consumed it.
Then, he charged forward once more. He timed his attack for when everyone else stopped shooting the Zombies to reload.
With his Guardian's Warcry activated, he triggered his Five-Meter Jump and swung his axe into the exposed neck of one of the Giant Zombies, severing its head in a single, devastating strike!
Nia supported him with a final Verdant Bloom, the summoned vines tightening around the last zombie's legs and holding it in place just long enough for Kale to finish it off.
Thud! Thud!
[ You have eliminated a Giant Zombie. ]
Just like that, the battlefield fell silent once again as the battle ended.
Kale turned toward the hill, waiting for their rescuers to appear. To be honest, he guessed it might have been the Scavengers who had helped them this time.
"Whoever you are," he called out, "you just saved our hides. You can come out now."
Soon, several figures began to descend, their identities still vague but all seemingly wearing proper armor and cloaks covering their bodies. There were five of them, and they were definitely not the Scavengers they had met earlier.
Nia, Vernon, and Kale exchanged wary glances. Though the five weren't showing any hostility, these people might try to steal something from them again. It would be a huge problem if they wanted the Automated Turret that Shane had left behind.
Although the three of them appeared strong thanks to the Titan Serum they had obtained, exhaustion was still evident in their heavy breathing. They couldn't afford another fight at this time…
Thankfully, the five seemed to have no plans of harming them at all.
As they approached, the group soon realized their identities. They were the elves from the Silver Mine Camp. Their green hair was unmistakable under the fading sunlight.
Their leader was a tall figure with emerald eyes and an elegant demeanor, completely unlike the savage appearance of the Scavengers. He wore lightweight armor that glowed faintly as he moved—definitely a Master or Epic Grade item. Across his back was a finely crafted bow, the Great Hunter Bow that Shane had distributed earlier.
The leader stepped forward, extending a hand in greeting. "I am Aelorion, captain of the second elf squad. I believe we haven't officially introduced ourselves since you left the Silver Mine Camp immediately after being recruited. Shane instructed us to visit this place during his absence, suspecting you might encounter trouble."
Kale, wiping sweat and grime from his brow, shook Aelorion's hand firmly.
'So that's how it is… I heard about them from Lysandra, but they're always on missions outside the camp, so we haven't met before,' Kale and the others thought.
"So Shane sent you? That guy's always thinking ten steps ahead," Kale grinned, despite the exhaustion evident in his eyes.
Nia bowed slightly, her relief evident as she finally relaxed. "We owe you our lives. If you hadn't arrived when you did…"
"Think nothing of it," Aelorion said with a gentle smile. "It is our duty. Besides, it seems we've come at the perfect time."
The other four elves introduced themselves briefly: Sylvara, Theren, Lirien, and Caelathor.
With the Giant Zombies defeated, they all stayed in the town to await Shane and Lysandra's return.
With nothing much to do, the elves immediately set about helping Vernon, Nia, and Kale reinforce the town's defenses. Sylvara scouted the surrounding area for any remaining threats, while Lirien tended to their light injuries using her healing salves. Unlike the Healing Tokens they had, the salves she made provided a soothing sensation and rejuvenated weary bodies.
As night fell, the elves insisted on cooking a meal for everyone. They took out a collection of preserved ingredients and spices from their packs and prepared a delicious stew that filled the air with an irresistible aroma. Needless to say, the ingredients came from the Silver Mine Camp, which had established trade with nearby Neutral Shelters.
A small campfire was soon made in the town square… Though they had Light Orbs from Flasher Zombies, the campfire provided warmth, so they felt it was necessary.
Kale leaned back on a makeshift bench, savoring a bowl of the stew. "I'll admit," he said between bites, "this is the best meal I've had in ages. Beats the rations Shane left behind."
Aelorion chuckled, amused by Kale's occasional jabs at Shane. "Cooking is an art we elves take seriously. Food should nourish the body and the spirit."
Nia, seated beside a cheerful Lirien, nodded in agreement. "It certainly does. I feel like I could take on another horde after this."
Of course, that was only a joke—she really wanted to rest for several days.
Vernon, still on his favored rooftop, shouted down with mock indignation, "Save some for me before you all eat it up!" Discover more stories at empire
The group laughed at this, and one of the elves hurriedly finished his meal to replace Vernon's station.
Soon, they shared stories about their past, slowly growing closer to each other. Despite the lingering threat of Zombies, the atmosphere in the town was incredibly positive.
Time quickly passed, with the elves integrating seamlessly into the town's defenses. All Zombie threats were eliminated as they waited for Shane.
They helped fortify a part of the wall, maintained the Automated Turret, and even set up watch rotations. Vernon, initially reserved, found himself swapping scouting tips with Sylvara, while Nia worked closely with Lirien to learn some of her healing techniques.
Well, the elves certainly had different healing abilities, but it didn't change the fact that they also used nature, just like her.
Kale, on the other hand, sparred with Theren, as the latter also used an axe as his main weapon.
Finally, on the third day after Shane and Lysandra left, a faint glow appeared in the center of the town.
Needless to say, Shane and Lysandra materialized!
Shane immediately scanned the surroundings, worried that his three recruits had failed their task. Lysandra did the same, but thankfully, everything seemed to be fine.
However, before anyone could welcome them back, a mysterious gray fog began to rise from the surrounding trees outside the town…
The elves and the three recruits frowned, unsure if there were Zombies capable of controlling fog.
The sudden shift in atmosphere sent a chill through the defenders. However, since Shane and Lysandra had already returned, they knew there was no need to panic. There was even a chance that the gray fog's appearance was related to the two Foreign Survivors' return.
"Is this some sort of Necromancer's ability? Are we being attacked right now?" Kale muttered as he gripped his axe tightly.
Sylvara stepped forward, analyzing the fog. "It's not natural," she said. "This is… magical in nature."
They were unsure what was going on, but suddenly, Aelorion had an idea. "Ahh! It's similar to the gray fog that sent recruits like us out… It's a bit different, but it's close…"