Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer
chapter-328-14051726

Ashton stood at the mouth of the portal, the unconscious group of fey was being transported one by one, assisted by his magic. He looked up and down the rocky path leading to the portal, scanning for any sign of the demons that he knew were coming. He did not doubt that they would do everything in their power to prevent him from leaving the Netherworld with these people.

Ashton took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. He knew that he couldn't let the demons catch come close to them or else he'd be putting these poor souls at a greater risk.

They've already suffered enough torment here. As much as possible, Ashton wouldn't want to add any more of that, so he had to make a stand here.

With a determined look on his face, Ashton stepped forward, his body tingling with magic as he readied his powers. He held his wand to his chest as he muttered a deep incantation.

Several elements condensed around him, forming all sorts of projectiles ready to be launched at his signal.

Suddenly, a chorus of growls and snarls erupted from the darkness, and Ashton saw the first of the demons emerge from the shadows. They were grotesque and twisted, with leathery skin and gnarled horns. They moved with an unnatural speed, lunging at Ashton with their razor-sharp claws.

Ashton met them head-on, his magic flaring as he unleashed a barrage of spells and projectiles. The demons were relentless, but Ashton was equally so, his powerful magic making quick work of the first few waves.

But more and more demons kept coming, and Ashton knew that he couldn't hold them off forever. He had to get the fey through the portal and back to Elstar before it was too late. Unfortunately, the portal only accepts one person at a time so this is going to take a while.

With a fierce determination, Ashton fought on, his body moving with a grace and speed that shocked the demons. He dodged and weaved, his magic lashing out at the demons with deadly precision.

He unleashed a barrage of spells from his arsenal. With how many spells he used, people would guess that he's a factory of mana. And that's not entirely far from the truth.

Ashton's mana pool was immense. In addition, it's also incomparably dense and pure. He could literally stand here all day releasing a steady barrage of spells and he would still have mana to spare by the end.

The fight continued until the rescue was over. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief as the last of the unconscious fey disappeared through the portal. He turned to face the path he had just come from, ready to deal with the demons that he knew will pursue him.

But before he could even take a step, he felt a sudden surge of demonic energy from a distance. His gaze hardened and his senses were on high alert.

And then he saw it - a dark, shadowy figure in the distance, shrouded in a cloud of black smoke. Ashton could feel the raw power emanating from it, and he knew that this was no ordinary demon.

'Another Demon Emperor, perhaps even stronger.' Ashton analyzed from where he was.

"At any other day, I'd be more than happy to play with you. However, I've gotten tired of this place. It's dull, bleak, and honestly depressing. I've decided that I don't like it here so I'm going to leave for now."

"I'll probably return in the future though, but don't count on it."

With a calm and steady hand, Ashton erected a barrier around himself and the portal. The barrier glowed with soft blue light, pulsing with magical energy. Ashton poured all of his strength into it, determined to keep himself and the barrier safe.

The dark figure let out a low growl, its eyes blazing with fury. It raised its arms, calling forth a torrent of dark energy that hurtled towards Ashton with terrifying speed.

The barrier held strong, the magical energy absorbing the full force of the attack. Ashton felt the strain on his body, but nothing too serious. This demon won't stop him that easily. He channeled all of his magical power into the barrier, pushing it to its limits.

"There, that should be enough." He whispered to himself.

Ashton's barrier held strong against the relentless attack of the demon and the horde of demons. He poured all of his magic into the barrier, feeling confident that he could hold them off indefinitely.

Truthfully, Ashton would've liked to stay and play with them some more, but he knew that he couldn't stay here forever. He needed to get himself and the fey to safety.

Ashton made a quick decision. He lowered the barrier to the ground, allowing him to move freely within its protective confines. He kept a wary eye on the demons outside, but they were unable to breach the barrier.

With a smile of satisfaction, Ashton stepped through the portal, emerging on the other side in a relatively safe location.

But he knew that he couldn't relax just yet. The demons would surely continue to pursue him all the way here, and honestly, Ashton didn't like that idea very much since that would risk the safety of those he just rescued.

Ashton took a deep breath and focused his magic on sealing the barrier. He drew upon every ounce of his strength, channeling it into the barrier until it glowed with a bright, pulsing light.

Finally, with a sense of relief, Ashton completed the spell. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having outsmarted the demons.

But he knew that this was only a temporary victory. The demons would surely find another way to track him, and he needed to be ready for whatever came next.

Either that, or they'd vent their frustrations somewhere else. Whatever it is, Ashton will keep an eye out, ready to respond to situations where his help was necessary.

It was then that he discovered that he ended up at the same place. The Temple of Nightmares. And since he was abducted before he finished the job here, he decided to continue it now that he could.

After performing the necessary rituals to cleanse the Temple, Ashton turned to the fey, checking to make sure that they were all still unconscious but stable. Their injuries are all healed and their expressions are relaxed.

While they're asleep, Ashton invoked his authority over Dream Laws. Using this, he helps them get rid of any trauma they developed during their time in the netherworld.

He cured them one by one and was thankful that all of them manage to recover. They would still remember the horrible things that happened during their abduction but it wouldn't scare them as much anymore. Plus, Ashton made it so that their memories of that place will go blurry over time, that way, there wouldn't be a risk for their traumas to relapse.

After half an hour, the unconscious fey began waking up.

One by one, they began to stir, blinking in confusion as they looked around at their surroundings. They quickly realized that they were no longer in the Netherworld, but back in their own world.

Ashton watched as they looked around in wonder, taking in the sights and sounds of their home. He smiled as he watched their expressions change from confusion to joy.

"Thank you," one of the fey said, looking up at Ashton with a grateful smile. "We would've died in there if it weren't for you. Thank you so much for coming to save us and returning us back home."

Ashton nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having helped these innocent beings. "It was the least I could do," he said. "I'm just glad that you're all safe now."

The fey began to gather their things, getting ready to leave. They thanked Ashton again, each one giving him a small gift as a token of their gratitude.

Ashton watched as they disappeared into the distance, feeling a sense of contentment that he had helped them. He knew that there would be more dangers to face in the future, but for now, he was happy to have made a difference in the lives of these feys.

With the feys rescued and the demon-infested areas cleansed, Ashton felt light. He made his way to the nearest village, still feeling the sense of satisfaction from rescuing the fey from the Netherworld. But as he walked, he felt something buzzing in his pocket.

He took it out and realized that it was his badge, the one he had received when he became a member of the Demon Slaying Squad. It was flashing a red light and emitting buzzing noises, indicating that there was an urgent mission waiting for him.

Ashton checked the badge and read the message. Galadriel, the Capital City of Sylvenvale, was under siege. Demons had launched a surprise attack, and the city was in danger of being overrun.

Ashton felt a pang of worry as he thought about the people he knew who lived there. He knew he had to go back and help them.

Without hesitation, Ashton took flight and decided to go back to Sylvenvale before it was too late.