Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer
chapter-312

The Elite Team he joined temporarily called themselves; Team Sapphire.

After receiving the mission, Team Sapphire left to do their job. They would need to scour the entirety of the Sylvenvale Great Forest for this so they have no idea how long this mission will take them.

The Sylvenvale Great Forest was vast and dense, with countless hiding places for the demons they were searching for. They moved cautiously, wary of every rustle in the undergrowth and every shadow that crossed their path.

For the first few days, their search yielded little results. The demons seemed to have vanished without a trace, leaving no clues behind. But as they pressed on, their persistence paid off. They began to uncover small signs of demonic activity - a trail of broken branches, a faint sulfuric smell in the air, and occasional sightings of demonic minions darting between the trees.

Ashton spoke up, "It seems like we're making progress, we're getting closer."

Ember nodded in agreement, "But we have to be careful. These demons won't go down easily."

Zephyr added, "We also have to keep our eyes open for any traps they might have set up."

Luna chimed in, "And we can't forget about the possibility of ambushes. We need to be prepared for anything."

Orion spoke up, "We'll have to split up to cover more ground. But we should set up a rendezvous point in case any of us need backup."

Terra agreed, "That's a good plan. Let's stay in contact through our communication crystals too."

Ashton said, "We'll do all of that, but we do it tomorrow. The sun's almost out, we need to make a camp somewhere to spend the night."

The rest agreed with his words and they set out to find a suitable place to camp out. Thankfully, they manage to find a place that works well. The team then started carving out a space for themselves.

As the team busied themselves, Ashton walked around the camp, leaving clear white runes behind. Ember and the rest of the team noticed him and asked what he was doing. He replied:

"Making a runic formation with obscuring and isolating functions, this way we can rest well without the need to be alert for any kind of ambush."

Before they could ask him more questions, Ashton finished laying down the formation. The team immediately experienced what he was talking about. Of course, they were initially skeptical if this thing could truly do what Ashton claimed, but after a round of testing, they discovered that it is indeed working as intended.

"Damn, bringing you along might just be the best idea ever." Ember cheered as she got comfortable.

"What she said..." Orion chimed in. "With this, we can always get a good night's sleep even while we're out here. Seriously, you're awesome."

"Hey, I wanna learn how to do this too! How much will you charge for a lesson?" Luna asked.

"No need to pay. I was planning on teaching this to the Guildmaster for contribution anyways. I can teach you all for free." Ashton smiled as he joined them around the bonfire.

The night passed uneventfully. With Ashton's formation, everyone was able to sleep well and recover from their fatigue.

When they woke up the next day, everyone was energized and ready to perform another round of patrols. After eating breakfast and doing their morning routines, they set off to continue their mission.

As they continued deeper into the forest, the signs grew more frequent and more ominous. The minions became bolder, launching sudden attacks on the team and retreating just as quickly. The team was forced to fight back, relying on their unique abilities to defend themselves and push the demons back.

Days turned into weeks, and the team pressed on, driven by their determination to uncover the demons' true intentions. They came across hidden lairs, where they discovered dark rituals being performed and nefarious plans being hatched. They fought fierce battles with the demons, with Ember's flames lighting up the darkness and Zephyr's swift movements leaving the demons confused and disoriented.

Ashton's skills as a healer were put to the test time and again, as the team suffered injuries and wounds in their battles. But he also proved to be a formidable fighter, unleashing a series of attacks that left the demons reeling. But he still hasn't shown everything yet.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the team stumbled upon a clearing deep within the forest. There, they found the demons they had been searching for - a group of powerful sorcerers who had been orchestrating demonic activity throughout the forest. The sorcerers were guarded by a powerful demon lord, who had been using his dark powers to manipulate the minions and lay the groundwork for a devastating attack on the nearby cities.

Ashton spoke up, "That's bad right there. Those ritual circles contain obscene amounts of force. If they all explode at the same time, it could potentially wipe out the entire Sylvenvale Great Forest. We need to stop this."

Ember nodded, "I agree. But we need to be careful. These are powerful sorcerers we're dealing with. Plus, there's also a Demon Lord. This won't be an easy fight."

Zephyr added, "I'll try to take out the minions first. If we can clear them out quickly, it'll give us a better chance to focus on the sorcerers and the demon lord."

Luna chimed in, "And I'll use my powers to create a barrier around us. It should help protect us from any surprise attacks."

Orion said, "I'll stay close to Ashton to make sure he's protected while he focuses on healing us and attacking when needed."

Terra added, "And I'll use my earth powers to create traps and obstacles to slow down the demons and give us an advantage."

But before they could even move out, they heard a forceful grunt coming from the Demon King...

"A bunch of rats has appeared...you all can't possibly be thinking of stopping me, Lord Azazel, right?"

The Demon Lord's name was Azazel, a towering figure with jet-black skin and eyes that glowed with an infernal light. His mere presence sent a chill down the spines of the team as they stood before him.

"You are foolish to come here, mortals," Azazel snarled, his voice a deep rumble that echoed through the clearing. "You cannot comprehend the power you face. Begone, before I destroy you all."

But the team stood firm, their weapons at the ready. Ember stepped forward, flames dancing around her fists. "Calm down, hot stuff. We just want to tango a bit, it won't take long I promise" she said playfully, her voice ringing out clear and strong.

Azazel chuckled, a sound like a grinding stone. "You are all so confident," he said. "But confidence is no match for true power." With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a wave of darkness that washed over the team, engulfing them in a cold, suffocating void.

The team fought desperately against the darkness, their senses dulled and their movements sluggish. Luna's arrows went wide, and Terra's earth-shaking attacks missed their marks. Zephyr's agility was hampered.

But of course, that didn't take long because of Ashton. It only took a snap of a finger for him to remove the negative effects from his teammates.

Through sheer force of will, his teammates fought back against the darkness, channeling their energy into a single, devastating attack. Ember's flames blazed brighter, Luna's arrows flew true, and Orion's bolts of lightning crackled through the air.

Azazel roared in fury as the attack struck him, his body wracked with pain. But still, he stood, his power undiminished. "You are all so insignificant," he bellowed. "You cannot hope to defeat me!"

And with that, he lunged forward, his massive form filling the clearing as he launched himself at the team, ready to crush them with his power.

Ember used her flames to deflect the dark magic while Zephyr darted around, trying to find an opening to strike.

Terra summoned the earth to her aid, creating massive boulders that she hurled at the demon lord. Luna channeled her magic into a powerful beam of light, temporarily blinding the demon lord and leaving him open for Orion's arrow to strike true.

Ashton remained at the back of the group, he closely monitored everyone's condition as he continued to channel his spell. The demon lord turned his attention to Ashton, sensing the source of the white flames that were consuming his minions.

"You dare to defy me, little healer?" the demon lord bellowed. "I am the lord of darkness, and no mortal can stand against me!"

"How about you shut the fuck up and just die already? I think we prefer that more than you constantly flapping that disgusting gums of yours!"

Ashton raised the intensity of his spell and blessed all of his teammates with powerful Aiding Spells that energized them.

He also gave them the blessing of the Purifying White Flames, his specialty spell that can neutralize any demon's false immortality and could purify the corruption they leave behind.

With his unwavering and unparalleled support, the team managed to eventually slay the Demon Azazel and put a stop to his nefarious plans.