Chapter 240: Saving a town.

The adults burst into a momentary, collective sigh of relief. The Soul maidens were not there to start trouble.

Etania gave Lucian an awkward, apologetic smile. "As you can see, Lucian we’ve been walking for a very long time, and we are starving. If you have any food to offer us, we would be very grateful."

An older woman whispered from the crowd, "They are Soul maidens, we can’t say no." For all they knew, if they turned down the request, they would be wiped out. Besides, they were willing to pay. Right now, they all needed the money to rebuild their town.

Lucian’s tense shoulders dropped, and a warm, genuine smile broke across his face. "Ah, say no more! Twigs Blue Crossing may be a local town, but we never turn away walk-ins. Come, let us get you washed up and_"

Grrrhhh! another sound came. This time, the sound didn’t come from Little Mai’s stomach. It reverberated from the back of the town, sending a violent shockwave through the sky that shattered three windows in the nearest teahouse.

The ground vibrated furiously. Birds burst out of the canopy in a panicked cloud.

"Beast attack!" a man screamed, dropping his cart that was loaded with wood.

"It’s coming from the woods! A King Beast is coming!" someone else shouted frantically, pointing toward the dense tree line.

Panic instantly erupted in the town square. Villagers began running in circles like headless chickens, dropping baskets and tripping over stools.

Lucian’s eyes went wide with sheer terror. "A King Beast?! Here?! We already have enough problems?!"

"We have Soul maidens everyone, don’t panic." An old man shouted from somewhere in the chaos of those who planned to escape.

Suddenly, a few people stopped, pinning their hopeful eyes on the group of girls they had almost turned away.

Etania didn’t hesitate. She grabbed Lucian by the shoulder, her eyes flashing with a fierce, protective light. "Mr. Lucian! Tell your people to hide!" She commanded, her voice ringing out strong and clear over the screams of the crowd. She drew her weapon, her soul energy flaring to life. "Get everyone into the shelters! We’ll handle this!"

Etania didn’t waste a single heartbeat. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out the Stasis Prism from her pocket and released the Half-Life beasts of all the Soul maidens.

The half life beasts roared, instantly charging forward to form a defensive wall between the soul maidens and the impending threat.

Crashing out of the treeline was a Froshark! Dozens of these horrors were now known to crawl through the murky depths of the Wild Lands since the flood.

"Get ready!" Etania screamed. "Don’t let it reach the town!"

The Half-Life beasts launched themselves at the monster, slashing with claws and snapping with venomous fangs. But the Froshark didn’t even flinch. Its giant throat swelled up like a purple balloon.

Crooaakk!

A sonic blast burst out of its mouth! The force was so absurdly violent it ripped up the cobblestones and sent half of the Half-Life beasts tumbling backward like bowling pins. Etania and the maidens were thrown off their feet, skidding violently through the dirt.

"My hand!" one maiden groaned, coughing up dust. "I think i broke it!"

"Then step aside!" Etania coughed, scrambling to her feet. "It uses sound-based attacks! Maidens, form the Wind shield with your energy. Get into formation. Disperse the sound waves!"

Three maidens immediately leaped into the air, their blossom burning bright. They spun their hands in intricate patterns, unleashing swirling tornadoes of wind element energy.

Claudia roared as she released a blasting a blade of compressed wind right at the beast. The energy packed wind blades sliced into the monster, leaving bloody gashes, but it only made the Froshark angrier. It roared, its tail whipping around like a steel beam. Etania dived forward to cover Little Mai, but the creature’s sharp dorsal fin clipped her side.

"Etania!" someone shrieked.

Etania gasped as blood soaked her clothes. The pain was searing, white-hot, and sent her vision swimming. The Froshark towered over her, opening its big jaw to swallow her whole.

"Not today, you amphibious freak," Etania spat through gritted teeth.

Channeling every last drop of her soul energy, she slammed her palm against the monster’s lower body. Spatial runes flared around the beast’s huge body. Space folded, distorted, and with a loud POP, the entire King-tier Froshark vanished into thin air, teleported miles away into some distant, unfortunate hot mountain range.

Etania collapsed onto her knees, clutching her bleeding side, panting heavily. The immediate area fell into a stunned silence, save for the crackle of her lingering portal energy.

Within seconds, Claudia rushed to her side with tears in her eyes. "You crazy girl! You could have been bitten in half!"

"I_ I sent it on a little dry vacation," Etania wheezed, letting out a weak, breathless laugh. "Though I think it ruined my favorite jumpsuit"

Claudia placed her hands over the wound. A gentle, shimmering light washed over Etania’s side, knitting the flesh back together and numbing the agonizing pain. "Stay still and let me fix you, you heroic idiot."

As the mud settled, heads began popping out of hiding. The people of Twigs Blue Crossing looked at the maidens in absolute awe. They had just watched a tiny group of bruised, dirty young women completely vaporize a King Beast that could have wiped their town off the map!

"They_ they saved us!" Solange yelled.

"The Soul Maidens saved Twigs Blue Crossing!"

Cheers erupted through the streets. Children poured out of hiding, weeping with relief, bringing out damp towels, bandages, and whatever food they could scavenge. Lucian ran up to Etania, bowing so low his nose nearly touched the dirt.

"Miss Etania! Ladies! Words cannot express our gratitude!" Lucian stammered, his eyes wide with profound respect. "You fought off a King beast while injured and starving!"

Etania accepted a warm damp cloth from a grateful old lady, smiling weakly as Claudia finished wrapping her waist. "Just doing what we can, Mr. Lucian. We couldn’t let it destroy your town."

As the villagers showered them with praises, a few town elders huddled nearby, whispering frantically with glints of hope in their eyes.

"Did you see that portal opening? She made a beast vanish!"

"If they can defeat a King beast--- " an elder whispered, looking at Etania like she was a walking miracle, "do you think they could save us from the Cannibal tribe coming tomorrow?"

Surely, the cannibals had taken a big loss in the floods like they all had. As long as they breathed, they would be coming over to restock at all costs. So, they couldn’t let the Soul maidens leave, even if they had to trick them into staying.