Icarus sighed as the three of them walked through the dense forest they had entered shortly after leaving the Wyvern fortress area.
Saarnax had gone up ahead to look for enemies as he was bored of asking Icarus to fight and being refused.
Occasionally, Ingel and Icarus would walk by a corpse of a large monster, often too scorched to identify at a glance. Icarus would take the opportunity to siphon off some of the creature's mana in hopes he could use it to advance his magic, but it was of no use.
No matter the combination, he used it would always be inferior to 'Ice Missle' as he now called it, so he eventually just decided to focus on mastering Ice Missle to the best of his ability.
They eventually came upon the head of a massive red snake, which was severed cleanly with a burn mark. Icarus had noticed as they went forward, the wounds got cleaner, as if these monsters were falling with progressing ease to Saarnax.
Going a little farther, they found him sitting on top of the body of the snake, chewing on a chunk of its meat.
"Took you long enough, huh? Let's camp here, I'm tired."
Icarus sighed again, "Maybe if you paced yourself, we wouldn't have to camp so often. We've been in this forest for 6 days now!"
Saarnax scowled, "I'll pace myself if you fight me! I need an opponent!"
Icarus shook his head, "For the last time, I am not fighting you until we reach the human continent!"
Saarnax looked back at him angrily, "Then stop complaining!"
The two butted heads, and Ingel finally roared.
"Damn you two! If you need an opponent, I'm right here, you stupid Lizard!"
Saarnax looked towards him skeptically "You are weak. I have no interest in that."
Ingel's forehead bulged, "Oh yeah?! let's go then!"
Saarnax materialized his spear and crackled with lightning, and Ingel drew his sword and burned hot with fire.
Icarus didn't bother trying to stop them and simply started setting up camp.
Ingel blasted toward him, "Azlat Maxim!!!"
His sword scorched white hot and slammed into Saarnax's spear.
The impact blew them away into the sky, where they began exchanging blows.
Icarus gathered some wood and lit a fire. He produced a metal pot from a large bag Ingel had been carrying and hung it above the fire.
He cut some meat off the snake and produced some water with magic, pouring these ingredients into the pot.
He finally added some powder that had been given to them by the village that created a fine broth that made most meat taste good, and some vegetables that he had identified as safe based on a guidebook that Maerguam had made him read during his time in the dragon village.
He wiped his brow and smiled at him. Creation Queen, an enormous crack of thunder shook the earth and was followed by a huge explosion somewhat near him.
He looked alarmed and saw Ingel in a crevice in the ground with the lightning spear jutting out of his stomach.
His stew had fallen from the post and clattered onto the ground, and he angrily looked up at Saarnax, who was hovering just above them.
He had several wounds across his body, none of which were deep, but it was clear the fight had been somewhat taxing.
"This is too far!'
Saarnax looked back, "Ha! Too far!? This is your fault for not facing me all this time!"
Icarus angrily looked back into his eyes. He had hoped he would be able to make it to the human continent with these two, but this Wyvern was just too untrustworthy.
If he let him get any stronger, there would be a huge problem.
Icarus materialized his staff and aimed it at the Wyvern. The three-dimensional formation expanded outwards, and inside it formed a spear of unstable and shifting temperature.
He fired it, and the somewhat darkening sky was illuminated, and Saarnax, having no time to react, was blown hundreds of feet away. Being dragged by the spear as it travelled for a long while before exploding.
It was brilliant; the sky, which had been only partially illuminated, was basically turned into daytime for a brief moment before the light faded.
Icarus wasted no time, and inside the formation, dozens of temperature Missiles formed.
Saarnax had chunks of flesh and scales missing, and one of his arms was severely damaged. He stared down at the human who had unleashed the attack.
The fear he had forgotten had fully resurfaced, and he felt death was close at hand.
Behind him, Icarus heard a ripping sound and a gasp for air. A moment later, Ingel stood up and spoke, "I'm fine, Icarus, relax for now."
'huh?'
Icarus, who thought Ingel was basically on the verge of death, released his spells and turned around.
Ingel held Azlat, and the wound in his stomach was almost closed and healing before his eyes.
"I told him to go all out. My healing has gotten much faster recently, so it's not a problem unless I'm instantly killed."
Icarus was baffled by this and turned to Saarnax angrily.
"Is this true?!"
Saarnax nodded meekly, Unable to speak.
Icarus relaxed, "Damn fools, tell me next time."
And so the three of them awkwardly went quiet for a while before sleep took them.
.
.
.
5 more Days had passed, and Saarnax had continued sparring with Ingel, no longer travelling ahead of the group wildly.
Icarus was bored that they were growing stronger at amazing rates, while he himself was still stagnant.
Initially, he been most surprised by how quickly they healed. Saarnax, who had appeared gravely injured, had gotten up early the next day without a mark on him.
Ingel healed so fast that even grave wounds would only slow him down for a few minutes now. Icarus had literally seen Saarnax tear a hole through his side multiple times, and Ingel wouldn't even stop advancing.
Soon enough, they would both be stronger than him.
However, he hoped that day would come after leaving the continent.
But his hope for that was fading now.
They had left the great forest after ten days and now stood upon a high mountain.
Ingel pointed, "Right there, that is the edge of this continent."
Where he pointed was a mountain range so far away that it looked to be about the size of a fingernail.
Icarus turned slowly and cautiously asked Ingel, "How large are those mountains, roughly?"
Ingel turned, "Well, I've only been once, but they are about ten times as large as this one."
Icarus shuddered at the scale; this 'continent' was larger than anywhere he had ever been. Such a ridiculous mass floating above the clouds was incomprehensible to say the least.
Not to mention that the other side of the continent would be just as big, he wondered how large this world was in totality.
In front of him, he saw plains, a desert, and strange rock structures laid out for hundreds of kilometres.
This small journey would truly be his biggest test yet in this world.
Icarus took the first step forward, wondering just how long this would take him.