Hundreds of scrapers burst out of the mounds; chitering and screeching rang out through the air, grey-furred and scaled scrapers viscously crawling over one another. A whistling flash of silver flickered through the oncoming swarm of scraper, piercing body after body. From Alfred deft hand at controlling the silver-fish. Lukteia’s summons surrounded us, their pole-arms shining with a gold light. Creating a circular formation, keeping the scrapers from overwhelming us. With Clyde and Samson darting in and out of our protective cover, picking off scrapers one by one. Where the duo were graceful in their attack, Lukteia was like an unstoppable force tearing through scrapers like they were paper.

As Madison flung well-controlled fireballs left and right, causing bursts of flame to explode a few feet from our group. I felt useless, not only was the ambient mana sparse and chaotic, but i couldn't guarantee that I could control the outcome of unstructured casting. Only having two spell matrixes at my disposal, that I didn't want to use so early in the battle. I didn’t really see a choice in the matter, I couldn't just stand around doing nothing. Pulling out the dark marsh orb from my spatial focus, rolling it in my palm. I began to reach inside myself with my perception, touching the mass-illusion spell matrix.

As my awareness riding on the wave of mana released from my spell matrix. Passed from my body rolling out across the south crux. It was easy to tell the difference between the Variety in the human presence in my perception, and that of the scrapers that felt like one organism. Blanketing the swarm of scrapers, trying to influence their minds with my spell matrix. I felt something try and push back at my illusion, but I could still tell that my spell matrix was working because the scrapers had started to slow down.

With the sound of blades against scale and blood hitting stone. Sweating, as he stepped back into the Summons formation. Alfred said, “We can’t keep going like this, they are able to come at us from all sides. I don’t know how long your summons can keep up this formation? We should fall back to the street and use the walls for cover.”

Stepping into the formation, breathing heavily. Lukteia said, “With as many vermin that are surrounding us I'm not sure how long it can hold.

Injecting mana into the orb in my hands, working on keeping the swarm around us slowed down. I said, “I can stall them, but im stretched a little thin between my spell matrix and using the orb. I don’t think ill be able to move, I’ll need someone to drag me.”

Reaching for my sides, Clyde and Samson said, “Do your thing, we’ve got you.”

This is embarrassing getting lugged around like a sack of potatoes. Trying to keep the embarrassment from my face, I said, “Thanks.” Focusing back on my task, I activate the dark marsh orb, sending a thick sticky web of marsh water across the scrapers nearest us.

Pulling a flask from his spatial focus, slamming it on the ground causing a cloud of black smoke to rise into the air blocking us from view. Alfred said, it was worth it to get one of these potions for myself too. Lets go.

Falling back to the street we took a minute to regroup, handing out Mana potions, Madison said, “Here take these we can’t have one of us running out of mana.

Still lost in my head, paying attention to how the swarm of scrapers and my spell matrix were interacting. But something about the way my awareness interacted with my spell matrix caused my perception to be amplified. I noticed that whatever was causing the pushing sensation I felt was coming from deep underground, way outside the range I could effect with my spell matrix.