Deep into the dark of the night, the defence of Quinteburgh was slowly reaching its conclusion. But before that, the devastation was sweeping past the brave defenders' last breath and stand. Spells of various elements bombarded the Razor Grizzly. Immediately after, fighters charged right up into its reach. Swords, axes, polearms, maces, and other arrays of weapons clobbered its tough hide. Some drew a deep cut, some drew a shallow scratch, and some couldn’t even reach their target. The Razor Grizzly was quick for something of its size. A single swing of its paw was enough to kill the average man. Desperation and despair filled the brave defenders’ expressions.

The Razor Grizzly swung with its whole body, sending everyone in its vicinity flying away. It was also then the second and last line of defence fell.

A horn was sounded.

“Fallback!” the Guild Master, Edith Rosemary, shouted.

The Razor Grizzly took a swipe and took along a huge portion of the ground and the lives of many soldiers and adventurers. The situation had escalated into a dire state. The Undeads had all been slain but the Razor Grizzly persisted strongly. A single monster brought ruin and despair to all the brave warriors who stood against the uneven odds but their bravery and efforts, in the end, amounted to next to nothing.

“Fallback?” Lyra questioned, her hands did not stop once in releasing arrows at the Razor Grizzly despite her arrows had never managed to pierce through its skin. “What of the Grizzly?”

The arrows flew fast and straight but against the Razor Grizzly’s tough hide, they only bounced off. In fact, only a few attacks had managed to harm it. Most were just mere nudges to its large physique. Still, these futile attempts did provoke the Razor Grizzly’s ire, causing it to unleash red lightning upon its attackers. The mages’ magic barriers could only do so much against the might of the Razor Grizzly.

Rosemary clicked her tongue at such a sight. “I will stay and hold the Grizzly back. The rest of you will retreat beyond the gates.”

“You want us to leave you behind?” Joshua asked with a straight face. “That’s not happening, Guild Master?”

“The second line of defence has fallen. They are locking the gates as we speak. If you stay here, you will be locked out of the city.”

The Razory Grizzly roared, unleashing a burst of red lightning at its attackers. Defensive spells from mages fell quickly and the shields of the fighters melted against such force and intensity. Many were wounded and not a small number perished from that single attack.

“Your heroism is much appreciated, Edith,” Iris remarked. “But I concur with Joshua. Leaving you behind while we scuttled to our safety is just… not the kind of person I am. I dislike owning such a huge debt, especially a debt that will never allow me to repay it.”

Rosemary looked at Iris with an expression of disbelief. Her gaze went to Joshua and then to Lyra, who all bore the same resolute eyes as Iris.

“That’s right, Guild Master. If even a merchant is willing to stay and fight, then how could adventurers like us be willing to run away to safety ourselves?” a wounded and bleeding adventurer shouted.

The other remaining soldiers and adventurers cheered in unison. In the face of certain death, not even they had the galls to run away now. If they retreated to safety while a merchant was willing to stay behind to defend a city that wasn’t even theirs, these adventurers and soldiers would never be able to regain their honour and integrity. Worst, they could even be trialled for their cowardice,

While Rosemary was looking for words to persuade them into retreating to safety, the sound of the gates closing shut reeled her back to reality.

“Well, looks like retreating is no longer an option now,” Iris said with a nonchalant tone.

“Your bravery is commendable, Lady Iris,” Rosemary praised but a sigh followed. “But how do you intend on stopping the Razor Grizzly? We have wounded it to the verge of death. We have cut off its limbs for God knows how many times. Its head has rolled more times than the fingers I have on one hand. It recovered from everything we did to it. The Razor Grizzly before us is now different from an Undead. At least even an Undead could be killed from decapitation.”

The Razor Grizzly was about to unleash another devastating attack but a few swift cuts from Silva, Joshua’s golem puppet, disrupted its aim and focus. The premature devastating attack ended up harming the Razor Grizzly itself. Normally, this would spell the end for the Grizzly but after a few seconds of respite, the grave wounds on the Grizzly all closed up on their own as if time had been rewinded.

“Tenacious fellow,” Joshua remarked. “Silva, retreat.”

The golem puppet nodded and moved to Joshua’s side with a single leap.

Before anyone could ask for Joshua’s reason to order his golem puppet to retreat, he explained, “Silva is low on Mana. If it takes another hit from the Grizzly, it will be destroyed.”

“Can’t you replenish its Mana then?” Lyra asked.

“Replenishing it in the middle of a battle will put me in a vulnerable state.”

“I am of the same state as the poor golem,” Iris said.

Iris and Silva had been vital in preventing the Razor Grizzly from advancing. Iris’ mastery of Shadow Magic and Silva’s swift and lethal cut were the reasons the Razor Grizzly took this long to break through the second line of defence. In fact, the Razor Grizzly would never be a match for the two if it wasn’t undying.

The shadows that constricted the Razor Grizzly’s every move was torn asunder. The Grizzly suffered grave wounds with its forceful method of freeing itself but with its undying state, it paid no heed to its own recklessness.

“I thank both of you, all of you, for your efforts,” Rosemary praised. She stepped forward, standing in front of others. “Now, please kindly get behind me. It would be a shame to get my own allies caught in my spells.”

“Guild Master?” the adventurers and soldiers blurted out in confusion.

Once the Razor Grizzly had recovered from its wound, it charged straight at Rosemary with red lightning enveloping its huge body.

Rosemary produced a cane from the back of her robes and conjured a pale blue magic circle at the tip of the cane. “Water Cannon!” she shouted.

“Was that necessary?” Lyra questioned in her heart. Nivia and Erin were the only people she had seen using magic but neither the two had ever shouted the name of the spells they were using out loud.

Balls of high-density waters shot out from the pale blue magic circles. Although those spells didn’t do much against the Razor Grizzly, they did manage to push it back.

“Aqua Pillars,” Rosemary muttered.

Pillars made of water erupted around the Razor Grizzly, trapping its movements. When the Grizzly flailed around, the water pillars exploded. Lyra could even feel the force of the explosions from here.

The Razor Grizzly roared angrily and charged at Rosemary but she calmly waved her cane around and uttered the next spell, “Tidal Barrage.”

Magic Circles formed above her and streams of pressurized water poured out from these circles. The Razor Grizzly struggled desperately against the strong current but the force of the rushing waters triumphed against its strength. Deep cuts were drawn on its skin and the water also carried it far away from the gate.

Rosemary fell to one knee. The others immediately approached her to help but she waved them away. “Just stay back, all of you.”

“Will you be fine, Guild Master?” Lyra asked.

“I may not be in my prime any longer but this is nothing. I’ll be fine when I finish my work. Water Prison!” she shouted.

Water formed out of the air and shaped itself into a container around the Razor Grizzly. The Grizzly tried to pry its way out with its paws but no matter how hard it lashed, the Grizzly stayed imprisoned. It bellowed in rage and unleashed the red lightning from its body wildly but all that was of no avail.

“Ha!” Rosemary heaved a loud breath and raised her arms.

The Water Prison containing the Razor Grizzly flew up high into the sky.

Gasps of awes came from the adventurers and soldiers. Iris whistled in admiration. Lyra simply stared dazedly.

“Impressive,” Joshua praised.

Once Rosemary had sent the trapped Grizzly as far high up as she could manage, she lowered her arms, willing the trapped Grizzly back down.

With Gravity and the force of Rosemary’s spell, the strength of the fall’s impact was drastically enhanced. As the Grizzly hit the ground, a wave of force rippled from the epicentre. The mass of flesh and blood scattered everywhere with the impact. The limbs flew in all directions and the head landed right before Rosemary. A faint growl could be heard from the lone head of the Razor Grizzly.

“Most impressive,” Joshua added.

“Indeed,” Iris nodded. “Such a simple spell but as expected of you, Edith. I heard tell of your many exploits and I’m beginning to believe they weren’t exaggerations.”

“This should buy us some time,” Rosemary said, ignoring Iris’ remarks. “Everyone, rest up. Take a long breather. It will take the Razor Grizzly some time to recover.”

Hearing this, Lyra finally released her firm grip on her bow. Ever since the battle began, she had not let her bow out of her hands. She feared she would lose to her fear and ran if she did. She knew perfectly well how needless her contributions were. Amongst her acquaintances, she was nothing and this battle further proved her self-doubts. While she did have some passion for adventuring, a battle like this was never something she had expected. If it wasn’t for Erin and Celia, she doubted she would stay and fight.

“Are you alright?” someone asked her.

When she looked up from the boulder she sat down on, it was none other than the Guild Master.

Lyra nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just… this is the first large-scale battle I have participated in.”

“Really? I heard you did tremendously well in your last excursion. I read the reports. Your skills are noteworthy.”

“You jest, Guild Master. I’m nothing compared to your feat.”

Rosemary smiled wryly. “That was an empty performance of a lady past her prime, Miss Lyra. I have exhausted myself just from a few spells. I probably can’t use any significant Magic Arts for a week.”

“Even so, it was better than my performance.” Lyra cast her gaze down. “My arrows couldn’t even scratch the Razor Grizzly. My presence is of no help.”

“That does not matter, Miss Lyra. What matters is your heart. In spite of knowing your skills, you didn’t falter. You didn’t run away. That’s the first step. You have shown your resolve. I have seen plenty of people with strength but lacking the will and resolve. When faced with even an ounce of hardship, they surrendered without even trying.”

“I will take your consolation to heart, Guild Master.”

“It’s no consolation, Miss Lyra. I merely spoke the truth. I know you feel inferior in the company of the likes of Lady Erinthea but she is a Fae and she is much older than she looks.”

Lyra tittered.

“You’re still young. You have plenty of room for growth. Keep that in mind, alright?”

Lyra nodded.

Just as the air began to mellow, circumstances took a sharp turn.

“Edith, something’s happening,” Iris spoke with a firm tone. That was enough to send everyone into alert.

Everyone followed Iris’ gaze and they landed on the Razor Grizzly. Parts of the huge monster were squirming and struggling to piece themselves together but now, they had stopped. The mangled corpse ceased all movements and the wounds no longer showed any sign of recovery.

“Strange...” Joshua muttered. “I no longer sensed any life force emanating from the Razor Grizzly.”

Lyra cocked her gaze to Rosemary. “Guild Master… did you—”

“Impossible. I didn’t do anything else other than dropping it from the sky. Whatever happened, it’s not me.”

“Then it must be the caster himself, no?” Iris suggested.

Lyra’s eyes widened. “Erin… did you succeed?”

“Perhaps our dear Erin had succeeded in eliminating the Necromancer? This seems like the most probable reason.”

“A single Fae that was nowhere even near the level of thirty is able to brave the challenges of The Singularity and slew the mastermind living in the depths. This sounds like a tall tale, Lady Iris,” Joshua said.

“If it’s her, it’s possible,” Lyra said. “She’s special. You can’t deny that, Mister Joshua.”

“I know she’s special, Miss Lyra but the threat of The Singularity is unprecedented. Even if it’s her, I don’t have the confidence.”

“It doesn’t matter now. The Razor Grizzly is no longer moving. It’s dead. This stands to reason that the Necromancer is slain,” Rosemary said. “Lady Iris, could I trouble you in assessing the other gates’ situation with your shadow Familiars?”

“No trouble at all, Edith,” Iris replied with a smile but unlike her usual composed smile, there was a slight twitch in the corner of her lips.

“Thank you, Lady Iris. Let’s just hope the others are faring better than us.”