Chapter 298 - Another Group?!
For a moment, everyone went deathly quiet, with some freezing on the spot.
’Sandstorm?’
They’d barely left the city for more than a day... and there was already another one.
Just then, Owen’s voice loudly rang out behind Theo.
’’Already?!’’
Those who’d been frozen in place finally snapped out of it.
Their expressions immediately began shifting.
At the same time, Gabriel’s head snapped towards Theo’s group.
’’This is all your fault,’’ he spat angrily. ’’If we hadn’t wasted all that time yesterday because of you, we would’ve already reached Petra!’’
Owen immediately turned towards him.
’’What the fuck does yesterday have to do with this?’’ he snapped. ’’We would’ve left at the same time this morning regardless. Or are you simply not smart enough to understand that?’’
Gabriel’s expression twisted out of anger.
’’YOU—’’
’’SHUT THE FUCK UP!’’
Nadia’s furious voice instantly silenced both of them.
She glared between Gabriel and Owen.
’’I don’t give a shit whose fault you think it is!’’ she barked. ’’Move! Now!’’
Without wasting another second, Nadia turned around and started running.
The Dragonfang members exchanged glances before quickly following after her.
Gabriel gritted his teeth, glancing at Owen one final time before turning around as well.
’’Everyone,’’ he hissed. ’’Go.’’
The Imperial Church group immediately followed after him.
Letting out a sigh, Theo shook his head lightly.
’’Let’s go,’’ he said, nodding his head to the front.
Without any delay, their group also started running.
Just like that, the entire expedition was rushing across the desert.
Nadia kept glancing over her shoulder, her expression becoming tighter and tighter.
’Why is there another so soon?’ she thought, clenching her jaw. ’It doesn’t make any sense.’
’Regardless, we have to make it out of here as soon as possible...’
Her mind only churned for a moment.
Then her head snapped back.
’’Who here has the summoning affinity?’’ she shouted to the back.
Theo, Owen, Iris and Jim exchanged quick glances before shaking their heads.
At the same time, four hands immediately rose amongst the group, including Lyra.
Nadia quickly counted all of them before opening her mouth again.
’’How many people can your summons carry?’’
’’Fifteen!’’ one of the Dragonfang members shouted.
’’Same here!’’ a church member also replied.
’’Seven!’’ Lyra shouted.
The final summoner hesitated for a moment.
’’I can do ten!’’ he finally said.
Nadia stared at them, running the calculation through her mind one more time.
’No, there shouldn’t be any danger!’ she thought, gritting her teeth. ’The Desert Vultures hide in their nests during sandstorms.’
Normally, they would’ve sensed the summoned creatures even miles away from their breeding grounds.
It’d been the exact reason why they hadn’t used any flying creatures while traveling through the Fire Ant area.
But now, that danger was gone.
’’Summon them!’’ she finally shouted. ’’And don’t worry about your mana.’’
The four summoners immediately reacted.
Mana began erupting around them as large white masses opened up.
One by one, summoned beasts started walking through. Some were large enough to fit four people, others only just enough for one.
Before long, fifteen summoned beasts had appeared.
Nadia barely gave anyone time to look at them.
’’Get on!’’ she shouted. ’’We don’t have time to spare!’’
Everyone immediately started moving.
Members from all three groups rushed towards the summoned beasts, quickly filling every available spot.
Theo and the others naturally headed towards Lyra’s summons.
Within less than a minute, everyone had found a place.
Nadia jumped onto the back of one of Dragonfang’s larger beasts, sitting directly in front of its summoner.
’’Go!’’ she shouted.
ROAR!
The summoned beasts immediately took off.
Some spread their wings and shot into the sky, while others raced across the sand at incredible speeds.
Nadia kept her gaze locked on the horizon.
One of the Dragonfang members sitting behind her suddenly leaned forward.
’’How much time do you think we have?’’ he asked loudly. ’’Before the storm reaches us?’’
Nadia’s expression tightened.
’’Impossible to know exactly!’’ she shouted over the rushing wind. ’’It could fully form at any moment, or it could take another hour and a half!’’
The Dragonfang member frowned immediately.
’’And how long till Petra?’’
’’Around the same!’’ Nadia replied instantly.
The man’s expression changed right away.
Even moving at their current speed, they would be cutting it incredibly close.
Nadia gritted her teeth.
If something unexpected happened on the road... they’d be doomed.
’’Just keep going as fast as we can!’’ she shouted.
The summoner nodded once.
For the next five minutes, the expedition raced through the desert without slowing down.
Gradually, the landscape began changing around them.
The large dunes were replaced by enormous sandstone pillars that rose hundreds of feet into the air.
Dozens of sphere-shaped holes were scattered everywhere inside, some even containing nests.
’’So these are the nesting grounds,’’ Theo muttered, narrowing his eyes. ’’But why aren’t there any Desert Vultures inside?’’
He wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the peculiarity.
At the front, Nadia also couldn’t help but narrow her eyes.
’’What is this?’’ she muttered to herself. ’’Is it a low mating season?’’
She clenched the fur of the beast below her tighter.
’’Whatever it is... please let it not become an issue.’’
Minutes ticked by.
As they got deeper into the nesting grounds, Theo began noticing scattered bones across the sand below.
Many were from creatures that’d clearly been hunted.
But others were unmistakably human, and they were fresh too, considering the weapons mixed amongst the bones.
Theo frowned slightly.
’Well over a hundred people died here recently,’ he thought. ’But why?’
Just then, Feng’s voice suddenly rang out inside his mind.
’’Contractor, there are numerous presences approaching from ahead.’’
Theo’s head snapped up right away.
’’How many?’’ he asked.
’’Over a hundred,’’ Feng replied rapidly. ’’But it includes two B-ranks.’’
His eyes widened right away.
He exchanged several glances with his friends right away.
Lyra and Iris had been warned by their own beasts and had quickly informed Jim and Owen.
’’Stay together,’’ Theo mouthed.
Before any of them could react, movement appeared between the sandstone pillars ahead.
Well over a dozen people rushed into view.
Behind them... flew over a hundred large Desert Vultures.
’’Help us!’’
’’Please! Save us!’’