Morale was at its peak, but the players kept sneaking wary glances at the missionary floating in the sky. As long as the boss didn't move, the battle was not over yet
The situation looked deceptively in favour of the defenders. After the cannon strike the mist army had lost too much firepower and was now being overwhelmed.
However, after a few minutes what everyone feared the most happened.
"Time to end this!"
Missionary Entragur's stern voice sounded through the battlefield and a tumult could instantly be heard from the mines. Dreadful footsteps could be heard, announcing the march of an army.
Slowly an entirely new army came out of the mines. At its front were two apostles surrounded by thin lines of mist, floating up and stopping just below the missionary. Afterwards the familiar troops appeared one by one.
Tanks, warriors, assassins, priest, lizard riders and even ten battering rams. A terrifying lineup faced the defending army. Everyone realized that the time had come for the mist dwarves to start the final assault. All the waves before were only to weaken the defence. And now it was time to break through.
"Why do they still have so many people left…"
"I'm getting so damn tired."
"Don't slack off now!"
"Yeah! This is the last attack! We got this!"
"Come on! Take out whatever you got! Don't save anything now!"
Serena stood on top of the wall, close to the central tower. She looked at the carnage of the war, her face pale. Personally, she didn't like fighting. Watching the tournament was not too bad, but this war where thousands die each wave took quite the toll on her. If it weren't for Liam, she might have never considered joining the game. Luckily, she discovered professions, which brought her much joy.
But now when Serena looked around, she found that not even half of the chefs who came together with her remained. Shaking her head the young girl carefully moved towards the tower.
"Serena, do you find it difficult to endure?"
"Yes…"
Serena nodded at the older woman who had been the first chef recruited by Dream Avenue.
"It's ok. No one will blame you if you leave the wall for a while."
"Yes, thanks. I will wait downstairs."
Saying so Serena sneaked away. She walked down the spiralling staircase, leaving the wall. Outside there were a few tents where people dragged the knocked down NPCs, saving them from death. She noticed many of her fellow chefs.
Meanwhile the atmosphere on top of the walls became tense as the mist army gathered, ready to move any second now. At that moment Liam sent a new order.
[Bleary Mirage: It's time. Use Twin Blast and Thorn Impale on the apostles. Don't let them block our skills!]
[Cyclone: I've been waiting for this!]
Cyclone's eyes sparked with excitement. She scrambled to take out a dark green scroll while simultaneously opening the menu for Lekraxc's spells. It was time to let the troll shaman show his most powerful attack. At a cooldown of twenty-four hours [Twin Blast] was a spell focused on a single target.
Two things happened simultaneously. While Lekraxc began to move his staff back in the town, Cyclone unfurled the green magic scroll, activating the spell with a thought.
Missionary Entragur was just about to give the command to move when he felt something, looking at the sky with a frown.
Suddenly a vast magic circle formed. It covered half of the battlefield, emitting a mighty pressure. Mana surged towards it in unbelievable amounts.
Simultaneously another magic circle, somewhat smaller, created from green and golden runes, appeared below one of the apostles. It sucked in less mana, thus activating first.
The apostle's body suddenly froze, his instincts screaming of danger. He urged the mist wildly, shooting thin tendrils towards the magic circle, trying to absorb the energy.
However, the spell was too overwhelming. The apostle had barely began absorbing when hundreds of thick wooden stakes erupted from the ground. They had terrifying thorns and sharp tips, almost like chainsaws.
The stakes broke out of the ground circling the apostle, shooting into the air at high speeds. Before the mist dwarf could even think of evading, he had already been impaled from all possible angles. Even the players on the wall flinched watching the brutal scene.
A moment later the wooden stakes faded as if they had been an illusion and the apostle's dead body fell to the floor. The rest of the mist army standing further behind didn't even have time to process the death of one of their leaders before a spell erupted from the second magic circle.
Two roaring, revolving snakes of water erupted from the magic circle with immense power. They neared each other and entwined like twin dragons, or like a massive rope. In no time at all they had reached the other apostle.
The dwarf attempted to shield himself with the mist, but it was futile. The water crashed into his chest and continued, dragging the apostle along, mercilessly slamming him into the ground.
The entire battlefield trembled and the apostle's chest caved in, but the spell was not over yet. It grinded the apostle along the ground. The enemies were shocked, doing their best to escape as the apostle drew a line through the mist army.
Finally, the spell slammed its target into the mountain, breaking through the rocks and burying him deep within.
When the [Twin Blast] spell ended and the water rained to the ground, there was no sign of the apostle anymore. While the players cheered the mist army was shocked. The spells didn't cause large casualties but they took away two of their powerful pillars.
"Such a cowardly strike. Mist dwarves are not afraid of death! Our might is not something you can stop! Embrace the mist!"
Missionary Entragur raised his fist towards the sky. The mist surged with his gesture. A powerful might radiated from his body, stabilizing the mist army. They closed their formation, echoing the commander with loud shouts.
"Embrace the mist!"
"Embrace the mist!"
"Charge!!!"
The missionary's voice fell like a sword of judgment. All the mist dwarves were filled with admiration and zeal as they began to move. Entragur floated at the front as the number above his head changed from zero to ten.
[Cyclone: Well, if this isn't a sign!]
[Braag: I guess we will see Hotpot in action!]
[Bleary Mirage: Almost. Hotpot will go. But Cyclone, you need to stay behind. The guild members need someone to lead them!]
It took a second but surprisingly Cyclone didn't reject, showing her growth as a guild leader.
[Cyclone: Ok…]
[Silver Blade: Whom are we taking instead?]
[Bleary Mirage: Your brother did well earlier.]
[Final Fend: Yes! Let's go!]
Silver Blade rolled her eyes, but she had to admit that Final Fend was probably the most powerful player after Hotpot. Even Liam had been surprised to realise that Final Fend had quietly become a tier 2 character.
There was not much more to discuss. The team of ten people quickly left the walls. While the members of Hotpot abused their [Flying Dash] to the fullest, Final Fend had to take the perilous road through the enemy army. Fortunately, they had been mostly thinned out by now so Final Fend could sneak through.
Instead of the remaining enemies it was actually one of the shadow figures summoned by [Dance of the Devil] which tried to attack Final Fend unexpectedly. The young man had to waste some stance in order to escape.
A few seconds later the group reached the frontline of the mist army. Watching more than a thousand fully armed troops from up close was quite frightening but there was no hesitation in anyone's eyes. They swiftly entered the red dome, confronting the missionary.
Entragur floated in the sky in his black armor. Notching the players he stopped, looking down with his indifferent eyes.
"Trying to stop this missionary? How brave. You will be great additions to our glorious army."
"Ha! Dream on! When we're done there will be no army left!", answered Final Fend confidently.
"Amusing…"
The missionary waved his hand with a condescending sneer, signalling the others outside to continue their charge. He would catch up to them after cleaning up those ants.
Silver Blade and Radiant Shield looked at each other as the latter took the first step. He started the fight with [A Paladin's Challenge]. Slamming his hammer against his shield Radiant Shield produced a wave of light, which slammed into the boss, securing aggro.
"Hmpf."
Entragur reached out with his hand. Immediately mist gathered towards him, condensed, and transformed into a large, black halberd. Its handle seemed to be constantly moving like fog, radiating an ominous feel.
With his weapon in hand the missionary suddenly turned his body and shot towards the ground, pointing the sharp tip on top of his weapon's head at Radiant Shield.
The dwarf's movements were incredibly fast. Players of lower levels would find it difficult to even keep up. But Radiant Shield could be counted among the top tanks by now. He stayed calm as he moved his shield to block the blow.
[Stance -31]