The onslaught, from the seemingly never ending horde of undying skeletons, did not cease, nor decrease in the slightest.
Everyone remained fighting with everything they had, while trying to outrun their pursuers.
Wounds were visible on every single one of them by now, all besides Ray, who had somehow managed to use his limited essence on the really bad hits he would've needed to take, and therefore was still relatively fine. Though, even his armor slowly began showing signs of the fight.
From the corner of his eye, Ray noticed how Effie's round shield's condition was worsening by the second. If it wouldn't be dismissed soon, then it would most certainly break for good.
"How far, Eff?"
Through labored breaths, the huntress responded, "We should be close. A minute, or two at most."
That was enough for Ray, after having seen Effie's shield's current state, he knew, something had to change in their formation, and that change would be him.
He used a short moment, after having just stopped three skeletons from basically pulling his heart out, scarring his face, and slashing his throat, he put his shield arm to the side, and reached to his back with his other arm.
When the arm came to the front again, there was now a beautiful halberd firmly grabbed in its hand. Ray upped his tempo again, just slightly, to get ahead of Effie, and began making use of the entire space.
A halberd, under normal circumstances, could never be truly used while running, that was, if one didn't limit themselves to the spear tip of it, but Ray used his strength to win space the others would follow into.
Ray swung the weapon as if it was barely a short sword, it was taxing, and he could've never done such a thing, before the transformation, but right now, it was enough.
Behind him, Effie, Caster, and Kai were looking at his movements, becoming mesmerized for just a moment… Though, while Kai had that moment, Effie and Caster did not really.
Caster barely evaded a hand reaching for his face, thanks to his aspect, while Effie barely managed to get her shield in front of her chest, before multiple hands stroke against it. Both managed to defend themselves, but it was close.
Nevertheless, the pressure on them had slightly decreased, and Effie used this slight respite for her move.
In the very front, Ray was still 'dancing' with the skeletons, swinging his halberd in controlled arcs, while constantly changing his stance and continuing to run.
Then, a roar from behind him sounded, as he looked back, after having just dealt with a wave of skeletons, he noticed Effie had finally dismissed her shield and summoned her bronze spear.
She chose offense rather than defense, it seemed.
'Well, people tend to say, "The best defense is a good offense."' as he was thinking this, Ray noticed a slight decrease in the pressure and numbers of skeletons that were coming for him.
"I guess we're getting closer, Eff!" he called over, without turning.
"Finally…"
A rather silent mumble, that could barely be heard, reached his ears. He wasn't sure who it was, but it was most likely what everyone had been thinking deep down.
While the front had it easier with every passing second, the pressure on the rear was immense. Not only were they forced into the physically most taxing role, but with the light that came closer and closer, also the psychologically hardest.
Nevertheless, everyone did their part, to the best of their abilities, Sunny, Nephis, and Sunny's echo were holding on. They were getting nearly overrun, but they held strong. All the while, Ray, Effie, and Caster were responsible to pave the way.
And then finally, Ray saw an absence of skeletons, and what would be the next stage of the escape, a bridge that appeared to barely hold on.
With the respite, due to the absence of skeletons, Ray turned to Effie with a wry smile, "We don't seriously need to…"
He earned a smirk in return, "What else, of course we need to get to the other side of it."
"Thought so…" Ray sighed, before a thought crossed his mind, and he asked with a bright smile, "Hey Kai, got a bit weight left on your flight service?"
"Eh, not enough for you…" the charming archer replied awkwardly, as he eyed Ray's frame.
"Hehehe, just catch my hand when I jump…"
Everyone looked at him as if he went mad, but no one said anything, since they couldn't. Because in the next moment, mere seconds after saying this… Ray was already airborne.
Kai's eyes went wide, and he immediately chased after his friend, while slightly altering his grip on Cassie. Just enough that his hand was somewhat free enough to reach after Ray's hand, that was still outstretched.
Surprisingly, Kai caught him, and was able to carry him along. Without thinking much more about it, their handsome prince quickly crossed the chasm of the bridge. The water below them, most likely a part of the dark sea.
Effie and Caster's eyes went wide, for a second as the plan actually seemed to have worked, with no one besides the one having initiated it, knowing how. But that shock quickly wore off.
The huntress went first. It came as a relatively easy decision, since Caster would be able to rush over at any point anyway, knowing his aspect.
As Effie rushed over, Kai had already arrived on the other side, and Ray and Cassie were now standing next to him, with Kai looking incredulous at Ray, who was merely grinning in return.
Kai could only sigh, before a voice came from the young man in front of him, "Hey, I think you should make yourself ready to possibly carry another person over. Just a feeling, someone may try to play hero, or martyr… depending on their motives, if they fail."
Ray ended the sentence with a shrug and an innocent grin. Something that slightly unnerved Kai for a second, before he attributed it to have been a bad joke. Regardless, Kai still made himself ready for anything that could happen.
By then, Effie had also arrived and took a moment of rest.
On the other side of the chasm, Sunny, Nephis and the stone saint were still holding back the hordes, while Caster was already halfway across the bridge again.
It also appeared as if Sunny was telling Nephis something, she apparently didn't like, but ultimately relented, after which she turned around and ran over as well. When she had nearly made it, she readied her sword, the white flames burning bright in her eyes, and as soon as she made the last step cut once, straight across the bridge, earning gasp of surprise from everyone else, besides Ray.
'Man, he really is predictable…'
"Kai…" Ray let the rest of the sentence silent, but his friend realized that he had as it seemed predicted such an outcome.
Before the bridge even fully fell, Kai was already in the air again, and not a second too late at that. Sunny had just dismissed the stone saint, and was now sprinting towards the edge of the chasm, and jumped, but then froze, as he noticed Kai approaching.
Caught completely in surprise, the throwing knife in his hand froze mid motion. But in the end, Kai managed to catch him, and carried him over, similar to how he had carried Cassie earlier.
There, Ray really needed to hold back his laughter, due to the scene. Effie was the same, and even Nephis and Caster appeared at least slightly amused. All while, Sunny wanted to basically disappear in a hole.
His plan was perfect. This is what he had believed, but… he had completely forgotten to add the abilities of his comrades into the equation.
While every member of the cohort took a moment of rest, due to there not being anything that was trying to rip them apart on this side of the chasm, they began noticing turmoil on the other side again.
Most weren't sure what it was, but Sunny and Nephis, they had an idea what that could be.
Seconds later, their thoughts turned out true, as the horde of skeletons parted, and made way for a group of about a dozen people. The host had arrived. At least those that had survived the way.
Of course, the cohort couldn't be sure, that everyone went down here, and quite frankly even doubted it, but Ray and Nephis still saw that the group had diminished a bit.
Up front in the group was the familiar face of the giant, Tessai. His height made him stand out in the group, but right now, his face was even more defining.
It shower surprise, unwillingness, and clear, unrestrained hatred, as he glanced over to the other side. Focused entirely on the heartily smiling Ray.
Very soon, the pressure the group of the host became apparent, as they were slowly pushed towards the edge.
Every member of the cohort silently watched it all happen, without making any move. All but, Ray.
'Tessai isn't the smartest, but seeing how they made it here, there are still pathfinders, and therefore most likely Gemma as well. One of the two will soon order the retreat. Otherwise, they would be even more stupid, than I gave them credit for…'
While those thoughts crossed his mind, Ray took out a single one of his knives, from the bone belt he had around his waist, and held it readily in his hand. 'Not yet…'
He was ready, but the host didn't have the time, and energy to notice it. And then, indeed. Someone inside the group ordered a retreat, visible by the shifting formation of the group.
'Now!' That was the exact moment Ray had been waiting for. His body immediately sprang into action, as he hauled the throwing knife, which instantly after disappeared, due to its enchantment.
This time, Ray hadn't aimed for Tessai or Gemma, but simply straight into the heart of the group, it was meant as more of a warning and a small test, than a real threat to the two lieutenants. He also didn't doubt, that they would be somehow able to defend against it, anyway.
And then it came…
[You have slain a dormant human, Kaelen.]
[Your being is getting forged…]
...and with it, a rush of essence.
'Glad I still count as a human…' Ray thought, glad about the way it turned out.
He closed his eyes, for a moment, trying to acclimate himself to the influx of essence. To the others, he merely looked like, as if he was just resting his eyes for a second.
They had not seen how he thrown the knife, nor when it hit and killed the fellow sleeper. At least most of them, had not. One pair of eyes had followed his movements, while another one had noticed when the knife hit the man.
But no word was spoken, as if they hadn't seen anything. Therefore, Ray remained blissfully unaware, and continued properly absorbing the essence.
Just to be sure, though, he also summoned his runes…