Reia finished her chant, and with a sharp flick of her wrist, the all-too-familiar blaze of a Fireball shot toward the Lizardmen camp. The heat from it licked across Peter's face as it passed, sharp and sudden, even from their cover. Her connection to the spell let her guide it slightly, only a little, but enough to steer it close to a tightly packed group of monsters. A moment later, it struck.
The explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet. Dirt, splinters of wood, and chunks of charred flesh burst skyward, staining the dank air with smoke and the heavy stink of burning scales.
A metallic gong sounded across the enemy camp, deep and resonant. It rang out again and again, and within moments the camp stirred to life. Lizardmen scrambled into position, their commanders shouting orders that rose over the chaos. Despite the surprise, they formed up quickly. There was some disarray, but it didn't last long. Peter had to admit, they were far more organized than he'd expected.
From what he could see, most of their forces were light infantry. There was no sign of heavier troops, at least not near the center of camp. That was a small blessing.
"Let's move," Peter said under his breath, and he and Reia sprinted east, weaving through ruins and broken stone as they looped around toward the fourth floor stairwell.
Thanks to the delay in the enemy's response and the time it took for their commanders to establish some kind of order, they gained a solid head start. A few arrows zipped past them, one clattering against stone, but none came close. Within moments, they were out of range.
Then, another explosion erupted from the western side of the temple. It was distant, but unmistakable. Nes and Allein had made their move.
They couldn't see the enemy's reaction from their side, but there was no doubt in Peter's mind it threw them into further confusion. If they hadn't figured out they were under attack from multiple directions by now, they would soon. Tris should be making her move any minute, and they needed to be ready by the time she led a group of Lizardmen back toward the stairwell.
Peter and Reia reached it first, panting from the run. He turned to her quickly.
"Reia, get another Fireball ready. If we time it just right, we might be able to hit the ones chasing Tris before they reach us. It'll scatter them. Just... don't hit her by accident."
She gave him a withering look. "Obviously. Starting the chant now."
Peter stepped back to give her room as she began to gather magic again, her hands glowing faintly as she started to shape the spell.
Not long after, Nes and Allein arrived from the western side, both unharmed.
"Mission complete," Allein declared with a triumphant grin. Her crimson eyes practically sparkled, like she was enjoying herself.
Even Nes looked pleased, which was rare. Maybe the only time Peter had seen that guy look genuinely happy was when he was knee-deep in combat.
"Nes, is that a smile?" Peter asked with a grin. "This might be a first."
He scowled, already annoyed. "Shut up. I'm not happy."
Right. And yet he was smiling like someone handed him a blade and pointed at a battlefield.
Peter smirked but let it go.
"Tris should be here soon," he said. "Reia, how's that spell coming?"
She hesitated, still focused. "I might need more time. It's close, but I'm not sure I'll finish it before they reach us."
She looked genuinely worried. Everything was moving faster than they had anticipated.
"Nes, can you stall the ones chasing Tris if she brings company? Ask her to back you up if needed."
He clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tch. I don't need instructions from you."
Typical. But at least he was already moving.
Nes took off immediately, sprinting down the main corridor that led straight to the Lizardmen base. It was the same path Tris would be coming down at any moment. A sharp yell rang out from the far end of the ruins, loud and unmistakable. He had engaged the enemy.
Peter wasn't worried. Nes was a deadly fighter, and more importantly, he wasn't reckless. He knew how to hold his own.
"I'm almost ready!" Reia called out, her voice tight with focus. "It shouldn't be much longer!"
She was still pulling in magical power, gathering it carefully as she prepared the chant. Then Peter caught sight of Tris in the distance. She sprinted toward them, but suddenly turned, planted her feet, and loosed an arrow at the cluster of Lizardmen chasing her. It wouldn't do much damage, but it was enough to disrupt their momentum and slow them down.
Nes was already nearby, tangled up in battle. His spear danced through the air, deflecting blades and striking with deadly precision. His movements were fast and fluid, his body weaving between enemies with a kind of focused grace. Watching him fight felt like watching a deadly performance. His lean build gave him speed, and that speed made him almost impossible to pin down.
"Now, Nes!" Peter shouted as loud as he could.
Nes turned and sprinted back toward them, pulling away just as a tight group of Lizardmen came into full view. They weren't charging blindly. They were maintaining formation, shields up, moving in step like trained infantry.
Reia finished her chant just in time. The Fireball shot from her hands like a flaming meteor, screaming down the path. Nes threw himself to the ground at the last second, the spell flying just above his head. A heartbeat later, it struck the center of the advancing column.
The blast sent earth, limbs, and pieces of shattered armor flying in all directions. The shockwave hit with a dull thud, making the ground tremble beneath them. The middle of the formation was blown apart. The rear ranks were tossed aside, dazed and disoriented.
"Move! Hit them now before they can regroup!"
Weapons drawn, Reia, Tris, Allein, and Peter sprinted forward together. Most of the surviving Lizardmen were down or stunned, and the few who had managed to stay upright had no time to react. As Peter passed Nes, still on the ground, he reached down and offered his hand. Nes grabbed it, and Peter hauled him up as he kicked off the ground to land beside him.
Those with magic unleashed another volley. Peter launched several bolts of Void Flame into the scattered survivors, the black fire punching through armor and bursting from their backs. Reia's flame spells and Allein's wind magic carved through others, tearing their bodies apart with clean, focused blasts.
The few Lizardmen who had managed to get up were quickly cut down. In less than a minute, the rest were dead or dying. They didn't stop to rest. More monsters were coming. They could hear them now, the sound of claws and feet pounding through the ruins.
"We can't hold this spot. Get to the stairs. We'll take our stand at the top!"
All five of them bolted up the stairwell, heading toward the fourth floor. The stairs were narrow and curved tightly near the top. At most, two Lizardmen would be able to climb side by side, and they wouldn't be able to use their archers from below.
They reached the top and took position, weapons and spells at the ready.
The next wave charged up the stairs. They filled the corridor in a rush, trying to overwhelm with numbers. Peter raised his hand and fired another burst of Void Flame. Reia and Allein followed with fire and wind, the combined magic slamming into the first wave and sending bodies tumbling backward.
The dead piled up quickly, blocking the path for those behind. The few who managed to make it past the growing heap of corpses were met by Tris and Nes, who stood at the sides and cut them down with precise strikes.
It became a slaughter. The stairwell had become a choke point. Every attempt the Lizardmen made to push through just added to the pile of bodies. Peter kept firing spell after spell, his VP pool high enough that he didn't need to worry yet. He could still keep going.
Then came a sound that made all of them freeze.
A deep, bone rattling roar tore through the corridor, so loud it felt like the air had cracked. Peter dropped to one knee, hands pressed to his ears, and saw the others collapse as well. It wasn't just noise. It was something else, some kind of pressure that hit like a wall.
A skill. It had to be some kind of magical roar, maybe even a command-type ability. It hit hard and fast, knocking the breath out of their lungs and scattering their focus. None of them could move.
The Lizardmen stopped too. Their advance paused completely.
Peter couldn't see the base of the stairs anymore. Too many bodies blocked the view. But he could feel something nearby, something massive. Whatever it was, it had to be the boss. Its presence radiated menace, heavy and suffocating, as if the air itself was thick with warning.
He was the first to shake it off. His limbs still trembled, but he forced himself upright and stumbled over to the others. Reia blinked up at him, dazed but recovering. The others were stirring too. The paralysis had only lasted for a moment, but it was enough to make one thing clear.
The real fight hadn't even started yet.
After the loud roar, there was a momentary silence as Peter helped the others get to their feet. The silence was broken by the sound of something clanging against metal and the sound of heavy feet on stone coming from the stairs leading to the fifth floor. They quickly got into position again, expecting to meet the enemy in the same way. They could hear shuffling as well coming from the entryway. It sounded like bodies were being moved to make way for something. Most of the corpses were either littering the ground around the entryway or had fallen back down the stairs. The clanging continued without fail, and Peter had an eerie feeling that sent chills down his spine.
The enemy was now fast approaching, and when the Lizardmen came back into view, they were completely unlike the ones they had been fighting previously. These Lizardmen wore heavy armor and carried large metal shields and sabers. Their magic attacks had little effect against the approaching heavy infantry due to their Blacksteel armor. These were clearly more powerful monsters than the ones they had fought and were most likely an elite guard.
Peter and Nes tried to stop them from breaking through the entryway, but they were forced back. They were having a difficult time hurting them because of the armor they wore. It didn't cover every part of their body, but with their shields and the narrow corridor, they couldn't land a hit on any exposed flesh. They were forced to let them come up the stairs.
The five of them backed up, knowing they would have to fight them in a wider area in order to kill them. Thankfully, only ten of them came through the entryway. What worried Peter more than their presence, however, was the fact that the monster that had roared earlier didn't seem to be among them. He didn't think any of these Lizardmen, despite their fierce appearance, could make a sound that powerful.
"They are stronger than the monsters we fought earlier. We need to be careful, but they aren't invincible. Magically enhanced weapons are effective, even if direct magic attacks are not. Time for us to get into our formation, quickly now!" Peter yelled encouragement to the rest of his companions, and they quickly got into a loose arrow formation.
At his advice, Reia enhanced her blade with Wind element, and he enhanced his with Void. Allein used her sharp claws for close combat and could even enhance them with magic, just like a blade. Nes had his own techniques, which also seemed to involve magical enhancement, but since he never discussed his abilities with Peter, he had no idea exactly what Nes was capable of. All he knew was that Nes had his own means of dealing with situations like this. Only Tris didn't have a proper counter to heavily armored enemies.
"Allein, provide support magic, especially speed enhancement. Tris, do your best to distract the enemy if you can, but don't get careless. Nes and Reia, you know what to do!" Peter quickly gave his orders, and they began their attack.
The heavy infantry were equipped with sabers and not spears, so thankfully they wouldn't be able to make much use of a phalanx-type formation. Instead, they would have to rely on individual prowess. Even though they were elites, they could not compete with the group's teamwork, which had been honed through much practice. Their formation allowed for greater mobility and could shift as needed, depending on how the enemy moved.
The enemy was trying to surround them, but they could move much faster than the Lizardmen could thanks to their heavy armor and slower natural speed. If the monsters tried to close in from multiple directions, they would just retreat further back, outpacing them with ease. While it might have looked like a stalemate, they were intentionally drawing them in. Peter remembered a spot not far from here, a tight section of ruins flanked by stone walls, where they wouldn't be able to use their numbers effectively. If they could reach that place, they could hold them off.