While Fawn took care of that monster, Jasper had already pinned down the other, smothering it with his darkness.
Dark wisps covered its face, but the large rock lizard threw its limbs about, thrashing the best it could. The ground shook as it tried to break away from the darkness.
Tossing my hands out, I murmured, "From the scorching heart of the sun, I call forth the power of one. A sphere of sun rays and searing flame, with a power that only I can tame. Spirits of Hexarium bless."
The ball of light I'd summoned formed inside of the grockett, burning it from the inside out until the structure of the monster crumbled, leaving nothing but the grass that had once covered its head and back.
"We make the best team," Jasper gloated.
"Always." I winked at my twin before noticing Aimon and Silas in battle with a grockett near the edge of the grasslands that led into the village. It was the same one that had slithered away when we landed.
Silas summoned ink, forming three ink runes in the air. "By the power that binds and the forces that restrain, I invoke the stillness, both body and brain. Rooted in stillness, held by my command, in this enchanted state, unable to withstand. Spirits of Hexarium bless."
The runes flew toward the grockett, searing into its rock form, and its body ceased any movement.
"Robust earth that holds so hard, I call upon your element, to bring me stability and guard. Allow me to pull, push, and destroy what once was. Spirits of Hexarium bless," Aimon chanted.
He swirled his arms around as the grockett's rock cracked in different areas. The rock crumbled and floated away from its body before being abandoned and falling to the ground. The grockett didn't make a sound as it was being torn apart, thanks to Silas's runes.
We made our way back to Fawn and her adventurers as jagged silver flashes broke over the horizon, lighting up the darkening sky.
"Master Fawn," Shay greeted Fawn with a respectful bow. "It issogood to see you, and we are immensely grateful for your help."
"I will always help my adventurers," Fawn replied simply as she conjured a blast of wind to blow through, cooling us off with the misty air. "You weren't at the last meeting, were you?"
A grief-stricken expression crossed Shay's face as she shook her head. "Unfortunately not."
"Then you aren't aware of who my companions are." Fawn turned toward us with a soft glance. "These men are the shield of the Lethium Empire, but they're also my bonded mages. Aimon, Bastian, Casper, Jasper, and Silas are incredibly powerful. I'm thankful to have them by my side to help in any situation that may arise."
"It's nice to meet you five. I'm the leader of this party, and I'm an electricity mage." Shay bowed to us as well. "I was shocked that you were bonded, but I will pledge my loyalty to you as much as I have to Master Fawn." Straightening, she waved a hand toward her party. "This is my party."
"I'm Kevin," a man with brown hair and brown eyes introduced himself with a shy smile. "I'm a tamer mage. I usually tame squck or wooly rhinos to help out, but there weren't any animals around. Guess they knew better than to be around the monsters."
"I'm Celeste," the next mage introduced herself. She had white hair and silver eyes, and she bowed similarly to how Shay had. "I'm an air mage."
"I'm Sara." The woman with red hair and green eyes smiled. "I'm a phrenic mage."
"And I'm Dylon." The man with orange hair and purple eyes smiled respectfully. "I'm a bone mage."
Something that I noticed about this party that I didn't notice with any of her other adventurers was the way that they all looked at her--not just Shay as the party leader, but the entire party. They looked at Fawn as if she hung the moon, and it was inspiring. All of her adventurers should regard her this way because that was what she deserved.
"I am extremely proud of my party," Shay spoke up with an excited smile. "Master Fawn trained me herself." She paused, glancing over at us. "I wasn't there when some of the guild members attacked her. I was on a mission, and when I returned, Ash explained everything to me. I am deeply apologetic that I was not there to help defend Master Fawn."
The five of us shared a glance as Fawn summoned a tickling gust of wind that floated Shay's hair around her. "You have nothing to apologize for. You've never betrayed me, and I do not believe you will. You are one of the only adventurers that I have full faith in. Thank you for all of your hard work and your loyalty." Fawn smiled at her.
Shay's eyes glistened with unshed tears before she winced, and Ash took a transparent form in front of her. "I have another scroll. It's from Declan, and it's urgent, otherwise I would never interrupt a mission."
Shay nodded. "Don't worry about it. Master Fawn ran into us, and she helped us wipe out the grocketts. This village is safe...for now. What's Declan need?"
"That's some really good news that I didn't realize I needed to hear." Ash let out a relieved breath. "Declan's party isn't faring well against the horde of glidaton. They need backup as soon as possible. They're in the next village over."
"We are on it. Thank you, Ash." Shay ended the call before glancing at Fawn.
"Go help your fellow adventurers. We have places to go anyway," Fawn assured her with a smile. "Be aware of your surroundings, and stay safe. Spirits of Hexarium bless."
"Spirits of Hexarium bless, Master Fawn." Shay bowed again before she and her party acquired their brooms and lifted into the sky toward the east.
The mages in the building had just started to venture out and into their village, which had been mostly destroyed, save for some homes and a few other structures.
