*Ba-Dum*

“Everyone has their share of health regen potions and [Vitum Leaves], correct?”

*Ba-Dum*

“Yup!”

“I’ve received my allotment.”

“I’m all set.”

*Ba-Dum*

“We’re ready, Lady Fera.”

Fera remained silent for a moment, adjusting her coat’s collar and the handles of a few throwing knives protruding from her bandolier. “Follow me,” she said, once satisfied with her own preparations.

*Ba-Dum*

The deep, rumbling bass of the war drums perched atop the mountain ridge sent shivers through the city. Sirius felt the vibrations traveling up through the soles of his boots as he ran, exciting the hot blood flowing through his veins.

His heart pumped along with the steady rhythmic beating, and so too did his breathing. The entirety of Blackhill seemed to have transformed into a single entity — a massive beast that blanketed the island in a starved, bloodthirsty atmosphere as it breathed down upon the invaders.

This assault lacked all the subtlety of its predecessor. Neat rows of Blackguards marched down Twilight Sorrel Road in front of them, their dark spears and shields bobbing up and down in unison. Intermingled in their ranks were the chaotic groups of players. Ranging mostly from levels 1 to 4. Any and all could participate today. The Toth were leaving nothing on the table.

Fera abruptly took a sharp left down a westward winding alley after they passed by the central market. As they veered off from the main force, Sirius focused some effort on lightening his footsteps. Their isolation made him all the more conscious of every breath he took and the noise he produced.

The streets were completely void of all life. Though, he could see some curious eyes peeking out from the corners of windows and the shadows of partially opened doors. Fear and expectation churned within those gazes, forcing Sirius to concentrate elsewhere lest he desired to hasten the nervous sweat forming beneath his armor.

His sight drifted to the horizon as they descended a short flight of stairs and the view of the island gulf in which the port was built opened up. It was a beautiful day — as it always was in Blackhill Garden. The crystalline blue water shimmered under the scattered rays of the sun; and the proud masts, wrapped in red and gold cloth, poked above the fortifications surrounding the docks…

“Sirius—!”

He felt himself being yanked to the side as Shadowfire called out his name. They stumbled to a halt as Sirius realized he’d very nearly ran straight into a lingering food cart on the side of the path.

“Oh... Thanks,” he smiled awkwardly, picking at the heavy wool that was clinging to his skin.

Fera had stopped as well and sighed, “We’re not in any rush, but do leave your daydreaming until after we’ve cleared the blockade.” Everything from the way she placed a hand on her hip to her furrowed brows — screamed irritation.

“Of course. I apologize, Ma’am.” Sirius felt like he’d been dunked in a cold bucket of water as they resumed their steady gait toward the northern shore.

The sea soon disappeared from sight and the palisade loomed overhead — somehow feeling taller and more imposing than it had during the previous night.

“Now we wait,” Fera remarked. “Stay down here.”

Sirius and Talia stood side by side, watching with disbelief as the Blackguard leaped to the top of the nearest building in a single bound. There were plenty of indentations and wood trimmings along the clay wall with which to find purchase, but she simply ignored them all.

They were left standing idly in the shadows of the alley as the first sounds of engagement erupted through the surrounding area.

‘Was that… pure stats?’ Sirius wondered. Trying to occupy his mind with anything other than his worries of the battle to come. ‘I didn’t see any Skill Indicator like the glow that surrounds my legs when I use [Reckless Charge].’

“You ready?” Shadowfire meandered over and asked as Talia and Roan whispered with each other nearby.

“Yeah…” Sirius inhaled a deep breath, trying to psych himself up. “In fact, I really hope we run into that same squire that we encountered in the caves. I think with our new gear and skills we stand a chance of taking him down — or at least opponents of a similar level.” Regardless of whether the plan blew up in their face, he hoped to satisfy his desire for revenge. The experience of being beaten so handily was still eating away at his confidence.

“Well, I don’t,” Shadowfire scoffed. His hood was up but it couldn’t conceal his teasing smile. “I’m hoping for a nice and easy ride to Uscuur to collect our rewards.”

Sirius laughed. “I think we both know that’ll never happen.”

“A man can dream—”

Fera suddenly landed beside them, “Berek has engaged the Golden Blade. Time to go.”

“That sure was fast,” Sirius muttered under his breath as they dashed toward the wall.

***

“Lord Rhime. Your orders?”

The knight stared at his commander, his youthful eyes sparkling with admiration. Heiros Rhime was one of the longest standing Marshals of the Dawn Heralds. And if it weren’t for his victory over the lightning wielding titan, their forces may have very well been overrun during the previous assault.

It was unclear from where exactly the new horde of savages had sprung from, but they fought with impressive zeal and weren’t afraid to throw their lives away for their cause. Still, as long as Lord Rhime was around — none could stand against them.

“Take your unit and reinforce the eastern front, Sergeant Ruck.”

“By your will, Commander.” The knight nodded respectfully, lowering the visor of his helmet as he departed from the watchtower.

“...Your Lordship?” The other armored man standing vigil at Heiros’ side spoke up, hesitantly.

“Hmm?” he replied, his piercing blue eyes continuing to scan the battlefield. Roaring flames and smoke obscured much of the scene as the natives set fire to the palisade, but nothing could escape his grasp.

“Was it… Was it really wise to send the prisoners back to Fort Wardour? Sir Pollock and his units may have been able to—”

Heiros cut the man off with a wave of his hand. “We lost this fight as soon as we allowed them to destroy our galleons, Sir Rolf. Their numbers are overwhelming and we no longer have the firepower with which to dissuade their Anointed from taking action. We needed to send something back to show for our efforts here.”

“Lord Rhime… I know we suffered heavy casualties, but their losses were even greater…”

“You’ve heard the tales of those so-called ‘Heralds’ who have come over to our side…” The wrinkles on Heiros’ face deepened as he frowned.

Rolf startled upon hearing the heavy tone with which the commander spoke. “Y-You don’t truly believe them, do you…? Thousands of immortal beings suddenly appearing in these lands...”

“None in this realm can ever truly be immortal. That is for certain. Yet... I recognize many familiar faces among those who now throw themselves upon the swords of our men once again.”

“Undead? It could be that they have a necromancer of sorts among their ranks...”

“That should not be the case. The blood of their fallen continues to soak the earth. I-I…" Heiros' head sunk in contemplation. "I am not sure what forces are at play here.”

Rolf blanched. The Marshal had spent over a century fighting for one of the most prestigious orders of the Aeredale Kingdoms. He may not have attained the highest rank, but he was certainly one of the most experienced men in all the Interiorem. “...Shall we issue the retreat?”

Heiros nodded. “Gather the remaining templars and their squires first and head to the docks. The Toth will be aiming for our ships again — attempting to cut off our retreat. Our only goal now is to maintain the encirclement until the reinforcements arrive at the nearest Root Outpost.”

“Understood. May the light guide you, Lord.” Rolf saluted and turned to leave, however, Heiros addressed him once more.

“Tread with caution. I originally sensed five Anointed when we first arrived, but only four have shown themselves thus far.” The implied meaning of his words was not lost on Rolf. “And keep Rhis close to your side. His Soul Vessel was damaged by the plunge into the natural spirit waters and he is now at risk of experiencing a true death.”

Heiros exhaled a deep breath once he was alone. His gaze shifted as a crude and bestial aura suddenly spiked near the southern gate. “The {Ravager} this time, is it?” he murmured, feathery golden wings unfolding from his back. “Very well. I shall entertain you.”

***

Sirius followed carefully behind Fera and the others. After passing through the breach, they stuck as close to the burning palisade as possible while skirting around the fierce clashes of Blackguards and Men-at-Arms occurring all around the wharf.

Thanks to their lack of experience and levels, the melee-focused players on their side were basically just fodder to wear down the invader’s infantry before the Blackguards could swoop in and finish them off. Even the Shaman were hardly of any use. It was nearly impossible to fire off a [Spark] into the turbulent melee without risking friendly fire. As a result, Priests were the only ones actually able to spam their Spells off cooldown, but the players who had chosen that class in Blackhill were few and far between.

However, what shocked Sirius the most was that he actually saw a few Toth fighting on the side of the invaders. He could vaguely make out their nameplates from afar and quickly realized that they were players.

‘Are those guys idiots? Or were they left with no other choice?’ Well, it was probably a mix of both, he concluded as they ducked behind some crates. The invaders clearly looked down upon the Khilaite, so he couldn’t imagine working for them would be pleasant even in the most favorable circumstances. But there were always plenty of masochists out there or those who thought themselves clever.

“Poor fools…” he heard Shadowfire mumble.

Sirius turned toward the direction the man was looking and saw a group of 5 infantrymen rushing towards their position with swords drawn. He moved to stand up and charge into their midst, but he didn't make it far before they suddenly collapsed in unison, clutching at their throats.

‘There she goes again,’ Sirius lamented. The journey had been rather uneventful thus far as Fera instantly silenced anyone who drew near them with her knives. At first — it had been cool to watch, but now, he was itching for some action of his own.

“That’s our mark.” Fera suddenly pointed to a ship docked down at the western end of the pier.

Sirius had done some research on early seafaring vessels after learning about the setting of AoA and therefore knew that the ship should be classified as a small caravel after seeing its rounded shape and the three pole masts. It was certainly suitable for their use.

Not only were caravels relatively fast but they also only required a small crew to operate. Additionally, there were a few rugged men dressed in rags were already loading the ship with supplies and preparing it to set off — which was likely the primary reason why she had designated it as their target.

However, before they had left their cover, Fera whispered an incantation and Sirius felt himself being surrounded by a gentle breeze. His body immediately lightened, almost becoming completely weightlessness as he unconsciously drifted forward.

You have been granted [Advanced Air Walk]!

-Your footsteps are cushioned by the wind, dulling the noise and allowing you to more easily traverse hazardous terrain.

Duration: 29m 56s

You have been affected by [Favorable Draft]!

-Movement speed increased by 12%.

-Jump height & length significantly increased.

Duration: None Specified

Without another word, Fera tensed her muscles and lept from their hiding spot towards the water below.

Talia, and subsequently Roan, didn’t hesitate to follow after seeing her land cleanly on the ocean’s surface with nary a ripple of displacement.

Shadowfire groaned with displeasure but followed anyway with Sirius quickly bringing up the rear. Toth soldiers and invaders alike were too engrossed in their life and death struggles to spare them more than a glance as they arced overhead.

Sirius felt his stomach drop as the breeze wrapped around his body continued to push him up and outwards from behind. It was an exhilarating ride, albeit one that was short-lived. He choked back a yell as he almost landed directly on top of Talia, but fortunately, she ducked out of the way in time.

‘Oh, fuck—!’ Sirius' knees buckled on impact. He’d been expecting contact and nearly fell as he passed through the empty space. The cushion of air below him carved a concave divet in the sea as he wobbled unsteadily. By chance, Shadowfire managed to grab him by the collar and pull him upright.

“Thanks, man,” Sirius exhaled, breathing heavily.

“No problem.”

Fera glanced back one last time to make sure everyone had landed safely, then ran forward with her usual long and graceful stride — seeming as comfortable atop the water as she was on land as they followed hesitantly at her back.

The feeling of [Air Walk] was exceedingly strange. Despite the slowly rolling waves beneath his feet, Sirius still felt like he was making solid contact with each step. It took him and the others a few moments to adjust to the sensation before they were able to maintain a confident pace.

Soon, their group moved swiftly beneath the raised wooden wharf. Viscous blood leaked through the gaps between the wooden planks, dripping all around them and filling the air with a metallic smell. Corpses occasionally joined the crimson rain as well, toppling from the pier to make way for the newly deceased.

Sirius furrowed his nose into the collar of his gambeson as they moved, wincing every time a pained shout or cry for help sounded above. Unlike their time in the caves — there was no barrier that separated them from the noise of the battle. He heard clearly every grunt, clash, and desperate gasp for air.

“Halt.” Fera held up a hand, listening carefully before beckoning for them to approach. They traced a path around the side of the ship nearby — the very one she had pointed out earlier. “We wait until it they raise the anchor to strike,” she elaborated.

Each of them struggled to find purchase on the slick wood as they pressed themselves against the hull, clinging to it in the same manner as the shadows they hid within. Sirius watched the duration of [Air Walk] slowly tick down as the voices on the deck above progressively grew in volume and number.

There were still 20 minutes remaining on the Spell when the caravel finally showed signs of movement. The lines secured to the capstans onshore were unraveled and the anchor was drawn up from the depths.

Fera made her move as soon as the crew pushed away from the pier and unfurled the triangular sails.

“Now!” she hissed as she bounced from the water like it was a trampoline, springing directly up onto the main deck. Sirius and the others followed — but with much less success.

“Shit!” he cursed under his breath as he nearly lost his grip on the plank that was holding him aloft. His leap had only carried him halfway up the hull. Sirius could already hear the muffled thud of bodies hitting the floor as he clambered the remainder of the way up.

Surprisingly, he was the first to make it onto the deck with Fera. But he barely had a chance to glance around before she bombarded him with instructions.

“You! Finish clearing out the men here. I’m heading to the stern to take care of a knight. Assist me as soon as you are able!”

Sirius nodded and instinctively dodged the overhead slash of the Man-at-Arms right beside him. He retaliated with a brutal punch into the man’s sizeable gut as his sword caught in the rail behind them. While the soldier doubled over in pain, Sirius continued his combo with a right hook to the jaw.

The heavy blow connected with a resounding crack as the enemy’s helmet caved in and his health bar plummeted to zero in an instant.

“Don’t waste time going for kills — just get them off the ship!” Shadowfire hollered as straightened himself up after tumbling over the railing.

‘It barely took a few seconds…’ Sirius wanted to retort. But he knew Shadowfire was right. The men-at-arms offered them practically zero Exp and he wouldn’t always be able to dispatch them so easily.

Sirius’ eyes darted around as unleashed his [Aura of Might] and looked for his next target. There were plenty of options to choose from, but he didn’t take long to decide. Talia had just rolled onto the deck right next to two invaders who wasted no time pouncing towards her.

The floorboards beneath Sirius cracked and splintered as he sent himself rocketing through the air with a [Reckless Charge].

“Ah—!” Talia yelped as a dark blur shot past her. It was gone before her eyes could even register who or what it was, but so too were the men-at-arms. She quickly shook her head and brushed it off as another mysterious skill of Fera’s and retrieved her staff from her inventory.

Roan had appeared beside her and began chanting with a totem in hand as her mouth opened wide. Her jaw continued to stretch beyond normal limits — appearing like a bottomless pit as all the surrounding moisture in the air was drawn inside.

The three enemies charging her direction hesitated, and that was all the time she needed to unleash a fully charged [Frigid Breath] upon them.

A gale of faint blue wind swept past the men, leaving only lifeless ice sculptures in its wake.

Talia startled and glanced down at the pulsing blue gem upon her staff. The description of the item had only said it would empower her water element Spells, but based on the damage numbers she saw — it had nearly doubled their potency!

She released a happy squeal and hugged the staff into her bosom.

“Talia! Send a [Wind Barrier] across the deck on my mark!” The ever-grumpy Shadowfire called out over the noise of Sirius pummeling a group guards with his flashy gauntlets.

‘Hmph! My new weapon is better!’ Talia lifted her chin proudly, but still focused on the task at hand. Her staff moved smoothly through the designated spell pattern as she prepared for the right timing to set it loose.

That moment didn’t take long to arrive. Strange glowing patterns appeared on the floor, condensing into a circle around Shadowfire’s feet as he raised an arm. A particularly potent [Spark] shot forth from his fingertips, striking a nearby invader and leaving him stunned before it leaped to a new target.

Five men in total were paralyzed by the chain lighting, and not even a breath later — they were all sent soaring over the rail by a fierce gale.

Talia turned to check on Roan and saw that he had taken care of another two enemies by himself, leaving them with only a handful left to clean up before they could assist Fera.

Sirius laughed uproariously as he barreled into the last remaining man-at-arms, completely out of control. He’d learned previously that using [Reckless Charge] under the effects of [Air Walk] seemed to enhance the Skill by giving him a pressurized burst of air to push off of. His speed reached incredible heights as a result, but he lost all control of his momentum.

‘Not that it matters,’ he thought with a smile as his shoulder impacted the man’s sternum and launched him through the air like a cannonball. His body was simply moving too fast for the invaders to react. Sirius skidded to a halt shortly after and glanced around the area.

A few corpses and some large chunks of ice were scattered around the deck, but it was otherwise quiet and clear of enemies.

Fera had finished up her fight as well, gazing down at them from the stern. “Good work. Help me clean up this mess… The rest is out of our hands for now.”

Sirius moved diligently alongside his party members, dumping the bodies into the water as Roan went below deck to check out what had been stored.

Behind them, the invaders remaining vessels were leaving the wharf in a hurry. They called out to the caravel after noticing the signs of battle aboard, but their shouts and the occasional arrow were only lost in the wind —completely missing their mark.

Their ship was cutting swiftly through the waters as Fera focused her [Favorable Draft] into the sails, steadily increasing the gap between them and their pursuers.

However, Sirius was unable to ease the knot of tension in his chest. He had yet to see a change in the blockade as they drew ever closer to the mouth of the gulf.

To distract himself, he turned his attention back to the battle onshore. It had died down for the most part as the invaders retreated, though the fight between Berek and Golden Blade raged on.

He didn’t have a chance to see much of it previously, but now, he could capture the whole scene in his eyes.

Berek’s body was engorged, stretching his carapace armor to its limits as he dragged his massive club behind him, creating a trench in the blood-soaked water. The captain stared up at Heiros with a vicious grin. Yet, the old knight appeared completely at ease as he hovered in the air above the dock with a casual flap of his wings. Both men seemed content to continue sizing each other up.

‘It seems like Skills that allow you to fight in any conditions are vital…’ Sirius observed. Fera had [Air Walk], and Berek was clearly using something similar — whereas Heiros had his flight.

A sudden flash of light interrupted his musings as Heiros struck without warning.

Numerous golden blades descended upon Berek, but he only swiped his club lazily across his body in response. The ethereal swords that collided with the weapon dissipated harmlessly while the remainder drew shallow cuts wherever they met a gap in his armor.

As more blood continued to flow from his wounds, Berek’s body grew in size.

Heiros seemed unfazed by the result as he sent wave after wave of blades down upon his opponent with a flick of his hand.

Sirius estimated Berek had nearly surpassed 4 meters in height when he finally struck back.

With a mighty roar and a leap — The Blackguard Captain skyrocketed upwards and swept his club at Heiros like he was trying to swat a fly.

The knight ducked nimbly out of harm's way, moving gracefully through the air with practiced ease.

Their game of cat and mouse continued with Berek receiving a flurry of attacks every time he landed. Each consecutive jump and fall sent massive waves rolling into the wharf due to the berserker’s ever-increasing size.

Sirius was enraptured despite the lack of tension, so much so that he failed to notice the ships suddenly catching fire in the opposite direction.

“Finally…” Shadowfire breathed out beside him.

“Wha—” Sirius spun around, his words immediately catching in his throat.

Tortured, discordant screams echoed across the gulf as the ships at each edge of the blockade burned silently. Vibrant green flames reached their arms out greedily as they swiftly charged towards the next vessel in line.

“...W-What kind of fire is that,” Sirius finally managed to utter.

Roan smiled as he returned to the deck. “Chrennoil. It burns without sound and is extremely difficult to put out. The only downside is its terrible smell.’ He brought a cloth up to his nose as he finished.

“I grow tired of these games...” Heiros’ displeasure rippled through the cove as his presence descended. Sirius and the others were nearly forced to their knees under the immense weight.

“...Fuck is this?” Shadowfire cursed. The man tried to move but he was locked in place.

“Just some Soul Pressure,” Fera remarked casually as she appeared behind them. The woman seemed at ease, but Sirius’ could see some traces of sweat darkening the hair around her scalp.

Berek growled in the distance, baring his teeth defiantly. But despite his best efforts, his body began sinking down into the sea.

Heiros materialised another wave of blades. However, he didn’t send them down immediately and rather waited patiently as they coalesced into a single, massive sword — one more fitting for the immense size of his opponent.

Sirius narrowed his eyes and held his breath as he watched the blade shudder briefly before tearing through the air towards Berek. The Blackguard Captain had managed to lift his club in some form of defense, but it looked doubtful that he would be able to fend off the blow.

“...As do I.” An indistinct figure suddenly stepped out of a shimmering, mirror-like portal on the beach. And time itself seemed to freeze as her cold voice sounded in the ears of everyone on the island.

“Necrah…” Sirius whispered breathlessly.

The sword that was about to cleave Berek’s head from his shoulders shattered.

“I cannot allow you to interfere, Golden Blade.”

“Ah, the mysterious mistress of the island — we finally have the chance to meet…” The feathery wings sprouting from Heiros’ back enlarged as the man tensed up and finally drew his real sword.

Necrah would spare the knight no further words as a ghostly silhouette emerged from her body. She waved an arm and the pale maiden obediently swam through the sky towards Heiros.

By all appearances — it looked harmless, but Sirius felt an unprecedented sense of fear and danger as he watched the phantom’s flight. As it drew closer, he could see that it bore a striking resemblance to the high priestess.

Clearly, Heiros was wary of the Spell as well. A transparent golden barrier formed in front of him to meet the ghost’s charge.

Sirius groaned internally as he watched this play out. He knew that these knights had the means to negate magic. But much to his surprise, the maiden simply passed through the barrier like it didn’t exist — diving straight in Heiros’ body afterward.

Nothing happened for a few moments, but then, Sirius saw it.

A feather, much darker than its companions, slowly drifting down through the air. Soon, another followed. And before long — they rained down in great numbers.

Heiros’ graying hair was dyed a stark white as his body shriveled up. He held his hands out in front of him, turning them over repeatedly as he gazed upon himself with disbelief.

Sirius felt a twinge of pain in his heart as he watched the valiant knight wither away.

With no strength to hold himself upright, the man tumbled from this lofty position in the sky. His body spiraled downward amidst the shower of rotting feathers and landed in the cool waters with a muted splash.

By the time Sirius refocused his attention on Necrah, he realized that she too had collapsed in a lifeless heap in the sand.

Complete and utter silence shrouded the island...

“Close your mouths, would you? I need help rigging up the other sails.”

Sirius finally released his white-knuckled grip on the rail as Fera’s command shattered the spell that had frozen him in place. His head swiveled around and he realized that they had already slipped past the blockade and were out on the open sea.