The trenchcoats weren’t the most unpleasant kids at Decorous, which probably wasn’t saying all that much since Reia had met quite a lot of terribly terrible kids in her day.

Still, standing in a room full of thirty-some-odd knights, all with the clear desire of specifically ripping your head off certainly changed one’s perspective and could in fact make you question why or how every single choice in your life led you to that specific moment.

To think, her first challenge against the trenchcoats was a prideful staring eye contest with its leader. Talk about bullshit—but Reia had to admit that her pride kept her adamant on staring right back at Asher.

“Right, bring the serpent and begin making the concoction, Lexi.” Asher waved and a trenchcoat-wearing blond girl, about just as small as Maila, equipped with square-framed glasses and all—yes Lexi, went darting off and opening up a wooden door in the back of the old lab room leading her to a walk-in closet, only to be met by Blanket crouched down and feeding some dull navy blue liquid to this golden retriever sized jet black serpent, with a sprinkle of yellow across its back.

So when the door opened and the blondie spotted this scene she screeched like a terrified kitten.

Well okay, but when the hell did Blanket get over there?!

Everyone was looking over at that moment, Asher slapped his forehead and began walking over, finally breaking their eye contact. With her squad gathering around her, Reia waved over her teammate, who hugged his summon goodbye, reluctantly handed him over to Lexi, and dashed away so fast back to Reia, she thought he was going to ram into them. And yet again the trenchcoats were surrounding them, their voices and chants overwhelming one another.

Ugh.

The room was tense again like all the air had been suddenly vacuumed out tense.

Did that just screw their plans? Were they about to get jumped by thirty weirdos from the trenchcoat club?

She couldn’t see a worse outcome.

There were multiple furious distinct voices that Reia couldn’t place a name on:

“…who the hell said you can go wherever you want, huh, Blanket, Huuuuh?!”

“…a bunch of angry dames and two lameo knights?”

“…they don’t look so tough, we already know Blanket’s wack-sauce at everything.”

“…isn’t she with the Unicorn benders?”

“…oh, Bah! They’re making their own club?! They wanna be us, so bad!”

“…why’re we even wasting time with them?!”

Turner kept weirdly playing with his dagger-like he was imagining himself stabbing someone…it was…yeah, unearthly. Anyway, she assumed that meant Turner was pissed.

Bummer…

“President Asher, look! They don’t plan on playing fair, he’s trying to take the serpent!” Kate said.

Reia still had her sword out and, say someone made a mistake and got too close, she was ready.

“Let’s just toss them out already!”

“Hack them all up first, of course! Maybe we can buy a gremlin and feed it all of their mana!” Graham kept swinging his axe, his face frustrated yet at the same time excited.

“Let them ride the pain train!” Said…some voice.

“No, we’re not riding any type of pain train, WhatTheHellIsEvenThat?!” Purah shook her head and waved her palms, then turned to her friends and said “Get close and listen, if this all goes to hell, then stay right next to me and I’ll protect us…even you Blanket.”

Right, if things got back, Purah could put up an almost transparent purple force field that could protect and tank moderate attacks.

Purah could also teleport, but you know teleporting five—no, six people including Melvin, would be impossible for Purah at her current skill level.

“Dude! If you guys keep getting closer, I’ll really fucking blast you with air bullets! I’m not joking, don’t smile at me! We definitely came in peace!,” Caroline was certainly charging up, and Reia came to notice the shifts in the airflow whenever this happened. Good, Reia was just as ready, she could expel a ball of photons, but maintained her nonchalant demeanor, Reia would only react to aggression.

Then finally, “Who the hell told you to go through our shit?”Asher demanded an answer, pointing at the white curly-haired Starlight boy, only for Blanket to pick his summon gently up by its head and then wipe the blue liquid from his mouth off with a handkerchief.

Blanket didn’t so much as acknowledge Asher, instead, he backed up next to Reia, possibly hoping that someone she’d get them out of the situation, but still Blanket spoke “You know? You should be thanking me! Sebi’s a magma-tail, you all would find yourselves in quite the oven-styled predicament another 2-hours walk by.”

Magma-tail? Huh—oh, Sebi’s species, that’s right!

She had heard of that before, they’re only tame creatures because of that potion which eases their more aggressive tendencies.

Did the Trenchcoats know this? Did Blanket just spare the Trenchcoats?

It made her smile on the inside, to Reia it meant that Blanket was showing mercy, even to those who’d slighted him. What a responsible knight.

“What the hell does that even mean?” Graham rolled his eyes, looking over at Kate and Asher afterward “President Asher, this is nonsense. Let’s just beat them the traditional style, you know I like a fight—a real fight! Castle’s a waste when we can just lacerate skins!”, Yup, Graham looked about done with the Starlights, and not only that Reia was sure he may have been moderately insane, Graham looked at them like they were a glob of tiny insects, his face red shaky and for some reason, he started performing…intense, angry-moan filled squats all the while eyeing the horribly concerned looking Starlights.

Reia could only pretend he wasn’t acting like a fool.

But on the off end, the crowd of Trenchcoats saw nothing wrong with Graham’s behavior and they all agreed, bustling and seeming ready to burst like swollen balloons.

“No you idiots, do you know how hard it is to find knights interested in dance choreography let alone joining my own? How much does it cost to put up fliers all around town? I had to get certified to advertise around Amrald! Do you know how much that cost me?”

“…no...”, Some random trenchcoat voice answered.

“Super-hard and Fifty-five iron-ingots! So, that’s it we’re playing castle! If the serpent starts tweaking or morphing, put it down like a choking Adlet, I hope there are no tricks! And may dishonor hail like damn simmering brimstone on Reia Welsh if she proves to be the shitty fiend we’ve heard about” Asher said, Blanket narrowed his eyes and Maila didn’t seem too pleased with this sentiment either, but Reia was concentrated “Lexi will be finished momentarily. Mh, what do you say?”

“We’re still intent on playing a fair game of castle!” Reia calmly answered.

“Good! Then Trenchcoats, get yourselves together! Prepare the Serpent and the cooking cauldron! We’ve got a game to win!”! Asher’s glasses reflected the light from above, Blanket twitched when they dragged Sebi back out.

The cauldron and some metal spokes were next and some water-manipulator was pressing a cold ice spear into the serpent's temple, it was some short auburn-haired, copper pigmented knight who did this, and it certainly prompted the small black serpent to ignite its own lips and heat the giant pot, burning the cauldron’s base red, then white-hot.

And when Reia hadn’t been paying attention, Lexi, who Reia had assumed was normal at first, suddenly surfaced next to Reia, no indications or notice, yup, Lexi kind of just ended up there.

Okay.

“You must pick your roles, so I can code it into the concoction,” Lexi said, the potion just then began to boil, as Sebi was again poked with the ice spear, leaving Blanket to quietly swell his fists.

Then Reia was sure she heard Purah whisper to Blanket, “Calm down, anything stupid you do will ruin all of our chances.”

“This is how this game of Castle will work….” Asher began, minutes later and having all of the Starlights line up at each of the long lab tables, and waiting as the potion was in its final production stage “Of the five roles you can only play one, whatever role you choose will inhibit you—the player— with a special ability only privy to that particular role. Simple, yeah? You guys know castle.”

Then on queue, Lexi stepped up, fixed her glasses, and blandly spoke “With that said, I need your roles chosen off these pieces of paper” on her palms she held out six golden index cards and a pencil. “Your name in print, right under your desired role all in legislative-ink.”

“Do we have to go over the basics? I’m sure we’ve all played plenty of castle over the years!” An annoyed Kate said to Asher.

“Just give them the cards and explain the custom rules of this game.” Asher barked.

The Lined up Starlights patiently waited and Lexi tossed out a single golden paper each to the five of them like, they were playing cards or some stupid shit, Reia got hers and looked to her sides to see her friends also examining theirs and that’s when they were handed pencils and told to sign their full names right below the role of their choosing.

The paper listed the roles in mouse print. Along with the game abilities, they’d be able to use their own.

The roles for this particular game of Castle were as follows:

—

(Warrior) [Living_fortress - the warrior of the team, equipped with more physical resistance and chain body armor that’ll keep them on the front long enough to fight multiple people at the same time, they’re the players who can go out on the frontlines tank multiple hits from the enemy and dish a good amount back. This player’s job is to initiate team fights and be the center of the battle. Ability to self-heal for 15% of all damage inflicted by the enemy team]

(Assassin) [Glass_Tiger - the team's very own assassin, equipped with a 6% speed buff and 1.5x harder critical hits than other players. This player is equipped with a black scythe and their sole purpose is to eliminate the enemy team. Ability to one-shot, execute and eliminate anyone who’s below 5% of their max health.]

(Support) [Breathing_Draughnaught - the Team’s Support, also equipped with full-body armor, and extra health that allows them to eat damage all the while protecting their team. Responsible for protecting everyone and helping everyone win. Ability to give everyone a 2% movement speed buff while healing moderate wounds for ten seconds every 45 seconds..]

(Attack-Damage) [Laser_Shooting_Bunny - This is one of the teams’ main sources of damage, equipped with a giant laser assault rifle, and clad in a ranger’s cloak which provides 1% movement speed, this character ignores 10% of all protections at all times, but has less than twice the amount of health as everyone else. This player’s sole purpose is to eliminate single targets while outputting optimal damage. Ability to charge the laser into one single concentrated blast for an accumulated 3xs damage increase every 6 seconds.]

(Far_Attack-Damage) [Flying_Ordinance - One of the teams’ main sources of damage. This player can get a bird’s eye view and fly for 8.5 seconds and carries around a metal box cannon and can shoot five projectile rockets every 7 seconds, clad in a robe that gives this absolutely no bonus. This player’s purpose is to eliminate and damage multiple players at once. The ability to increase the attack speed of all allied players within ten feet, by 5% for 4 seconds. Takes 2% extra damage from all sources]

—

“These positions…”, Blanket broke the calm silence that grasped the Starlights, he gripped the paper card in his hand and looked directly at Reia “Shit, I was never good at Castle—none of the roles compliment me.”

And with the Trenchcoats surrounding them around this table, they had no privacy.

“What? So why can’t you just play Support?” Caroline didn’t seem to like Blanket’s attitude, and she said this across Maila who was sitting between Blanket and Caroline.

“My abilities fit Support way better, that’s why.” Purah said beside Reia.

“I’m a terrible Support, anyway…” Blanket confessed.

“What?! Playing support’s east, what do you mean?” Caroline scolded, then looked at Purah, who was pouting, and replied “No offense...”

Prompting Maila to say to Caroline “Not everyone is as gifted at Castle as you are.”

See, there Reia agreed.

“Plus, if he’s not comfortable in that role, we won’t force him there,” Reia said.

“I’m not comfortable anywhere.”

And like a disappointed howler monkey Caroline frowned so hard Reia thought she was gonna burst, Purah looked at Blanket then Reia, and shook her head, while Maila patted his shoulder and said “What do you typically run when you play castle?”

“Support…but I haven’t played castle since primary...and I was never very good.”, answered Blanket.

And that understandably concerned the Starlights.

“But you can fight…you’re a knight! That’s all I need you to do! Fight!” Reia blurted out, catching a quick few glances from the trenchcoats, before she awkwardly sighed.

They couldn’t mind their own business?

When Blanket dropped his head, she felt his self-disappointment. “Yeah, I can fight, but I’m not outrageously skilled like you guys—I’m not clubless by choice, I’m just weak.”

No…he wasn’t weak, most didn’t see him as weak.

“Well stop being weak and get your ass together and defend your dignity and honor!” Caroline barked at him and then sat back with a calming sigh.

“Don’t be mean, we’re supposed to be helping him. You know? Uplifting…” Maila had to remind Caroline, before looking at Reia “We’ll figure out where to put Blanket last. Reia, what role do you want to play?”

Really, Reia would have loved to play warrior, but—warriors typically didn’t have enough damage to change the course of the game from her experience. And so, the choice seemed very clear to her.

“I’ll be our assassin, keep them constantly looking over their shoulders,” said Reia, knowing exactly how she would want to play. If Blanket’s a newbie, she would have to work that much harder.

“Attack-damage sounds like what we need, and inflicting pain is right up my alley!” Caroline said this while staring up at the ceiling, and Reia was willing to bet there was a beautiful daydream being played in that noggin of hers.

“That’s fine, she seems giddy enough…” Purah said, getting a silent agreement from the group “…and you already know I’m running support. And I don’t need anyone getting stomped on this game.” Purah signed, then printed her name and signature, before leaning back and looking over to Maila.

“Maila?” Reia said.

This of course took Maila time to think, but then with her small stature, which only made the moment just that much more whimsical, Maila grinned and pointed to herself “Ooh! I’ll be the warrior! Managing teamfights is my thing… plus…I’ve always wanted to start problems with the Trenchcoats and now I have an excuse to just run at them with my fists high!”

Now, Reia was sure Maila was just doing this to mess with them because she knew they were listening, and it certainly worked seeing as Asher and his surrounding clubmates didn’t look too pleased.

“Five minutes.” Warned Asher, standing next to the table with his arms crossed and looking over at Lexi who was nodding her head in agreement, this prompted Caroline to finally sign her name.

“It won’t be a long game.” Kate jestered, leaving the five Starlights to just lour.

Pain was coming for those idiots, not only because of what they did to Blanket and Sebi, but all the other kids who’d been harmed too but this club too.

“Blanket, that leaves you as our damage, the bunny with the laser or whatever, meaning you better bring your best shoes and play to win!” Caroline informed him, reading over her card before signing it and just haphazardly tossing it onto the table.

And at that Blanket didn’t look very comfortable. But he signed his name, right under Laser_Shooting_Bunny, and that’s when all the Starlights signed their names under their respective chosen roles. Meaning Caroline had no other choice but to be

“When we’re in, stay behind me at all times,” Purah told Blanket, and she didn’t really offer him a gaze, but it did seem to alleviate some of Blanket’s anxiety.

“Yeah just don’t be in the front, I see too many kids, frolicking in the frontline when that’s not their role! That’s a one-way ticket to making sure we lose and you going back to spawn.” Caroline whispered.

“If you’re in front of myself or Maila, you’re out of position, and that might cost you a life!” Purah said to Blanket and that’s when Purah signed her name.

“Just shoot and always stay moving. I’ll pressure their damage providers and try to make an opening for the team.” Reia said.

With that Purah declared “It's settled then.”

Reia nodded and called towards Asher, and pointed to all her team members “Hey, we’re ready!”

And just like that, Lexi came over, took the paper cards from all the Starlights and walked back to her brewing cauldron and tossed all five of the papers into the cauldron, and watched as it dissolved like cotton candy in acid.

Lexi then brought out another, much larger index card, it read:

Name your your team:

“Name your team.” Lexi vocalized the writing, handed Reia a pen and Reia immediately wrote…you guessed it… ‘Starlight Disciples.

Lexi took it and then threw it into the cauldron, then she the golden papers from Asher, Graham, Kate, Turner, and some dude holding a mop…he was definitely dressed in a Trenchcoat and had a small brown goatee on top of tan skin, couldn’t have been any taller than Reia herself, but nothing more noticeable about him other than the mop.

Asher then began to write on similar paper, Lexi walked over to one of the old chalkboards, and with her finger she summoned a blue flame to her finger and with it, she burned a blue flaming X right into the board. Immediately that X morphed and rolled into letters all seeming to be engraved into the board though the fire never spread out and consumed anything else.

The board read:

Trenchcoat Imperium [0-0] Starlight Disciples

Adjusting her glasses with a waste no time attitude, Lexi pointed to the board “This is us and this is you. First team to destroy the other team’s castle wins. One singular round, infinite respawns, but the longer the game goes, the longer you’ll be kept in the waiting area to respawn, simple. When this pot of hubble is complete, we’ll commence consumption.”

Typical Castle rules, the differences weren’t typically all that huge, though there were always small insignificant changes for each game of castle.

With a groan, Caroline tapped her foot “…when’s that?”

And some random timer made a DING noise, answering Caroline’s question, and immediately like five Trenchcoats broke out of their crowds, walking over to assist Lexi each with their own drinking gourd handy, they dumped their drinking gourds, dipping them in the pink solution as another set of five trenchcoat members presented them with two pairs of five grails, which the kids with the gourds quickly filled before Asher snapped a finger and the club members began walking up and over to Reia and her Starlights and handing them each a filled grail.

The liquid fizzed and danced within the confines of the cup, pink liquid glowing and slightly moving as if it had its tidal system, or whatever.

“We’ll all finish the entire solution in one shot.” Asher received his grail, his eyes closed and calm.

“Then let’s not waste any more time, president Asher, I’m waiting, it's all on your go,” Reia said.

The Starlights all replied in kind, except Blanket who shied away, covering his forehead with his hand and a defeated grimace.

The grails were out, everyone was set, Caroline especially couldn’t keep herself still

“Trenchcoats and Starlights, it is just about time for us to drink this solution of Hubble and get our little game of Castle going! Starlights, I don’t want you all to take any of this personally, as after this game you’ll no longer be clubless, but instead, you will be Trenchcoats, Trenchcoats and you will be the pioneers of the Funk Knee Breakers! But despite that—” Asher raised his cup even higher “I wanna toast…and a toast…. to our future members!

None of the Starlights raised their grails.

“Hooraaaaaahh!” The entire establishment exploded with kids yelling and being unnecessarily hyper, as Asher down the Hubble potion, so did Kate, Graham Turner, and the dude carrying that freaking mop…

Which only left Reia one more thing to do, she looked at the grail, a grail so clean it had ita on reflection, and then after counting down from three in her head, she swallowed the entire hubble potion, thick like a fruit smoothie it went down in chunks, though unlike a fruit smoothie tasted a lot like what she assumed liquid hot plastic would taste like and it made her gag when she finished it with a triumphant gasp.

….and at first, there was nothing but an aftertaste.

Purah had finished it and Reia watched her shaking off the disgusting aftertaste.

Caroline also finished and let out a satisfied sigh before happily saying “We’ll destroy those dudes! We got this, let’s do this!

Which Reia agreed with, but couldn’t voice her opinion as the world around her grew fuzzy like someone had placed a blurry transparent paper over her eyes.

Blanket had drunk the cup, but his gaze looked like someone who’d just entered a marathon but knew they had no reason trying to run in any which way.

So she was at a loss of words, and there was this familiar feeling of a buzz, as the ten contestants around her all seemed to be caught by this universal drowsiness—the effects were intense, and the world around her began to swirl and spin like her vision were just some artist stroke his brush. Everything rotated and churned before all she could recognize was the colors and outlines that admittedly all began to merge into one unique color that Reia had never actually seen before

Then as if someone just turned off a television set with a flick of the power button, there was static…then only darkness…nothing.

*>X<*

Reia blinked awake with a jolt, like someone had gone right through her physical body, and punched her insides with the hardest punch they could muster. No, this was never a pleasant experience, not even in primary school.

Yet she was still on her feet and already holding a long black scythe by its handle. The item promised on the info card for the game.

She wasn’t so much in pain, no there was just some discomfort in her nose, but besides that, after Reia got a look at her hands and could process that they were in fact within the simulated hallucination, she looked up to her squad to find the group completely clad in some attire they had not had equipped in the real world.

The interior of this particular castle was a bright sky blue, there were four pillars all placed at the corner of the room, while at the center sat a throne, which Reia just figured every game of Castle used for aesthetic, for it really didn’t serve a purpose, it would all be destroyed if they lost.

Caroline looked over herself, pleased with the gray robe that hugged her closely and the box cannon that totally was half her size she looked over to Blanket, who was inspecting his rifle, its black body slick and pointed almost like a pencil, underneath the rifle where normally you would see a magazine, was instead a circular globe that swirled with red energy.

“You’re ready?” Caroline addressed the only male among them, more so trying to make sure he wasn’t pulling any sort of bullshit.

And Blanket, with a determined breath “Yeah, of course! This–this is for Sebi!”

Yes, for Sebi and Blanket!

Reia conjured a photon ball and held it up “For Sebi and yourself, Blanket. I won’t let you down. All of you, I swear I won’t!”

“And we won’t let you down.” Purah, in an equally gray full plate body, with round shoulders that surely would restrict movement, retorted, earning nods from all the other Starlights and a vibrant shout from Caroline.

“I’m just glad we’ll get out of this unscathed. I mean Imagine if they wanted to capture the flag?” Maila said, shuddering at whatever past memories she had.

And Reia was certainly grateful they didn’t choose to capture the flag.

The castle wasn’t particularly large, it was just this throne room, which had this enormous throne made for a giant, that when destroyed would eradicate the entire building and signify the opposite team's win. And right outside that door was the replicated outside world, a hallucination the hubble potion allowed their brains to connect to simultaneously.

It all was vibrant, the entire interior illuminated by torches with rainbow-like flames that danced and if she remembered from her other games of Castle, was impossible to extinguish.

And who could forget about the tiny elves, yes, the tiny golden-skinned, cinnamon smelling elves who would spawn and respawn in the castle in a single file line of ten eleves, they were all clad in gray protective chains bodies and plate legs and their armor rang like a bell with each step. But the elves didn’t speak, they were basically mindless; they typically didn’t do anything other than lining up and charging headfirst down the single lane and either running into the other team’s army of elves or just mindlessly running to the enemy’s tower just to be killed.

“I don’t think I’m liking this map…” Maila said before the door as it opened, and the moistureless air from the outside hit them, revealing the baren yellow expanse of sand and desert, that went all the way down this single lane which held a tower on both opposite sides of the respective teams—the entire lane was hugged and isolated from whatever was beyond by enormous sand yellow mountains that acted as the walls of the single lane.

“Desert?” Caroline held her hand out to block the sunlight.

“Desert.” Purah nodded, fanning herself “And I’m already drenched.” Of course, she was exaggerating, but the arid air hit Reia hard too.

“Freaking great.” Caroline crossed her arms.

Maila looked at Caroline, and with her positive attitude gave her signature grin “A knight should be able to handle any environment, at any location, at any time! Be it real or illusionary, Chin up guys!”

“Yeah, but why of all places did Lexi choose a hot-ass desert? Why not a forest or the base of a volcano if she really wanted to mess with us?”

Reia didn’t like the map either, and thinking about it, she was damn sure the Trenchcoats did that on purpose. But their only mistake was that they’d too be exposed to harsh conditions.

“They want to put as much strain on us as possible. I for one don’t think I’ll let this measly heat take us away from our goal. Remember Sebi…” Reia of course walked to the open door, the heat hitting her like a wall as she attempted to get a better vision of the lane.

With a hollow silence, Blanket was still standing in the same spot with his rifle neatly held and clamped in his palms, his mouth shut and his mind seemed to be running through every single event and moment that led him here “Remember, for Sebi.” was all he repeated.

PING!

Like a fast high pitched noise from a timer that burrowed into Reia’s eardrum, at that noise a loud warlike howl was sounded off by the elves, the tiny warriors running right out the door and charging down the lane.

Immediately the Starlights were on their toes, Reia held her scythe in one hand and channeled a cloud of light into her other.

“Follow the elves, c’mon!” Reia said.

And all the Starlights ran, their feet planting into the sand as they exited, the castle a golden beauty, standing like a pyramid constructed completely of sandstone, a large automatic gun laid at the structure’s tip.

Their last line of defense.

They had just started running and already the heat from the sun was flaring down on their heads as they followed the Elves down the lane in a rush, Reia’s head was foggy, thinking over every scenario that could pop into her head, she made sure to stay behind her frontline—both Maila and Purah.

Now what Reia knew was that as soon as the wave of Elves met the other team's wave, combat would ensue and that’s when both teams were supposed to be the ever-living shit out of one another.

Nonetheless…when the Starlights reached the center, all that she found was the other team’s wave of elves in the most brutal combat Reia had ever seen, but there was no sign of the representing Trenchcoats.

“That’s strange…” Reia said, stopping in her tracks as she looked around, her surrounding friends just as confused “They’re gonna be late?”

“Maybe they forgot?” Maila suggested innocently.

However, Caroline shook her head “It's probably a gank, they’re coming around!”

But that couldn’t be possible, there was realistically only one single-lane—there was nowhere to gank from, nowhere they could pull anything of the sort.

But when the Starlight’s elves broke through the other team’s line of elves and ran directly into the tower line—where immediately the tower began firing in and killing them, sending those elves to respawn one by one. That’s when Reia noticed the figures down the lane who she clearly identified as the other team, and they were lined up as if they were going through some sort of pep rally.

Reia was concerned because that was just stupid, didn’t they know that’s how you lost a tower?

But then again—

The five of the Trenchcoats lined up, the Starlights watching weapons prepared and ready for whatever nonsense they were about to witness. That’s when Reia caught on a little too late.

By the time she realized that Asher was using his telekinesis to launch Graham right to their position like they had a freaking invisible catapult, Graham was already in their faces.

“Look out!” Purah shouted moving her hand out to produce a forcefield but being much too late when the brute Graham slammed his axe into the sand right in front of Blanket.

Unfortunately, Blanket hit the dust in the mists of the shockwave and began firing off laser rounds rapidly, only for Graham to spin his axe blocking each shot like some sort of amazing flag twirler—hell, someone his size had no business moving as fast as he did for sure! His black chain body signified his role as the team’s warrior and it absorbed any hit that was lucky enough to make contact with it, unfortunately, he was seconds from hacking his axe into Blanket’s chest, but Maila replied much fast, her heavy fist covered with physical mana surging like blue electricity collided with Graham’s axe, like her fists themselves were some sort of reinforced metal, she kept swinging the fury of an angry nephilim, his weapon meeting hers as his anger fizzled out and overflowed onto his face. Each of their attacks sounded like thunder.

Kate arrived next, her hand stretched as all five fingers parted, scythe in her palms just like Reia, and fingernails leaking a sticky white substance and with no remorse tried to shove it right into Caroline’s face, and of course, Caroline was distraught at Kate’s attack, she instantly activated her ability as the team's long_ranged_attack-damage and took to the sky for a limited amount of time, box cannon in hand and already firing hellfire down at Kate.

Purah outstretched her hand for Blanket immediately healing him, while Reia dashed like the wind, her scythe neatly in her left hand and ball of light in the other, before she could reach come down on Kate with her scythe, A mop head slung forward intercepting her attack and the kid with the mop made himself present.

Suddenly after, Asher and Turner arrived, Asher levitating off the ground, a line of what had to be more than a dozen long construction nails gently hovered out of Asher’s Ranger cloak pocket and the nails began orbiting him, before he literally began flying, with the metal box cannon in both huge arms he simultaneously fired the canon and the construction nails, raining them from above as they rocketed towards Earth-like bullets.

It was chaos!

She huffed, her breathing heavy, as she needed every muscle in her body to move at superhuman speeds, pushing her body to the limit. And Reia found herself moving faster than she ever thought she could, moving and grooving to dodge as many projectiles and attacks from the sky as possible, shards of rock though ripping right through her right shoulder.

And as the next elve wave came, Reia realized she needed to get her team organized back together, back into correct Castle formation.

Reia then said “Let the frontline do their job, nobody move past Maila unless I say! Let her mess with them! Keep them pressed, Maila!”

At Reia’s words, the Starlights moved to follow her directions.

Maila looked up, her eyes hidden by her hair for a single moment before she understood her duty, and forced Graham back with a heavy punch into his chest, this wooshed him away, sliding Graham backwards all the way into his own tower, just as a newly spawned wave of Elves collided in a burst of swords, axes, shields, and arrows.

That’s it, Maila smiled, taunting.

Then Caroline descended, gliding to the ground when her cooldown-timer was over and using the air to soften her fall like one of those new lift-crafts “That’s not fair! Asher can use his telekinesis to stay airborne longer than the designated time!” she told Reia.

And Reia frowned—and could only stare in heated irritation, Asher continued hovering above them and tossing projectiles a small smirk on his face, the Starlights were forced back, slowly moving back to their tower as the trenchcoats gained pressure and killed their wave of elves immediately, though the Trenchcoats didn’t dare pass the tower line, not yet at least.

And from the heavens, Asher yelled down with the arrogance of a wolf who’d cornered a helpless hamster. “Easy, I could’ve told you this would be a steamroll, you’ve chosen the wrong game, scrub!”

Bang!

Rockets flew into their tower, and they ran about, dirt and sand getting everywhere, into her mouth an explosion sent Maila flying and backtracking despite her attempts at making the rest of the trenchcoats stop their onslaught with heavy punches that parted the layers of sand we.

She would be fine.

And their attacks only stopped when Purah with a furious shouter of irritated desperation slammed her open hand into the ground and a purple transparent barrier of pure energy surrounded them, absorbing the impacts as Asher’s aerial attacks continued to rain and everything wobbled.

“Oh my gosh, that’s great, Purah! What’d I do without you” Reia said.

But Purah just frowned “Don’t thank me now it's not gonna stay up for long. We need w plan…”

“I can probably knock him out of the sky,” Maila said, pounding her fists together.

“That’s our plan?” Both of Purah’s eyebrows hit the highest point of her forehead.

Graham, Kate, and Turner all formed a triangle with Graham being at the forefront standing at their tower line taunting them, his single enormous arm slamming the hilt of his axe into the sand...“That’s it? That's all, all you’ve got? Starlights?! And you want to compete with the big dogs!? Bah!”

All elves who fearlessly ran past their tower line were slaughtered and sent back to spawn with a single swipe of Graham’s axe.

Okay, cool….Graham might’ve been on steroids.

The mop dude was in the back, his full body armor notifying her that he was their support. His black spiked hair like a porcupine… the supports wore no helmets.

Reia then shook her head and jammed her thumb into herself “I’ll get him, I can reach him faster than you.”

Swiftly overwhelm and kill. That was what Reia was good at.

And if Maila’s look meant anything, she didn’t so much agree with Reia, but nonetheless didn’t argue.

“I think that’s perfect, Reia, if you can at least get him on the ground, Or close enough to where I can hit him with an air-blast, or I can spray him with cannon fire, hell it doesn’t matter. We’ll move on from there.” Caroline said.

“If the rest of the team just sits back and lets us.” Blanket said.

Projectiles were still falling and exploding all around and Purah seemed to be strained, now standing but still seeming to strain against his attacks.

“If we can send Asher back to spawn, the rest of the team will fall!” Reia said confidently.

It was obvious that he was a huge source of leadership and morale! But getting past graham or even this unmemorable dude with the mop.

“Can we hurry up, we’ll all be sent back to spawn if you don’t move your asses!” Purah reminded as the energy shield began to crack like a thin yet strong glacier of ice.

Reia summoned light to her hand, now holding both a scythe and her sword constructed of photons.

Turner chuckled a small amount and Graham kept walking back and forth, pacing against their tower line… waiting. Trying to hit them with everything they had in an effort to press their assault further.

“All of you! I want you all to cover my ass, Blanket that means keep using that laser and for the love of God, don’t get hit and sent back to spawn. I say we play classic Castle!!” When her squad all seemed ready, how they would go about this—was a mystery, but still, she nodded her head “Okay, take down the shield now, Purah!”

The shield, which was on the border of collapse, came down and Reia leaped out of the perimeter of their tower, as a force of wind from Caroline pushed her giving a leopard-like lift, aiding how far she went, Graham and Kate looked on with giant Os in their mouths.

Now, getting a few feet in front of graham for knocking Kate in the head with her scythe's handle, she then took her sword and dove it aimed at turner’s chest, with a quick side move he dodged but was hit by multiple red lasers that came via Blanket multiple times before Turner slammed into the sand, went completely

motionless like a goblin who’d just foolishly taken a bite if wild death fruit. And Turner faded into thin air—effectively with his death being sent to his team’s spawn area.

From there Reia then took her scythe and then chucked it at Asher, who simply stopped it with the raise of his hand and reflected it back. Reia rolled on the ground and then recovered, but was gasping when she found Graham behind her at the flip of a coin, his axe just ready to hack her into pieces, which would have happened, but Maila had managed to grab him from behind and with all her might flipped him over and then lifted him again and dunked him into the sand.

Reia rolled away and found herself being swiped at by Kate, whose hands were increasing with the consistency of her poison as it dripped into the sand below. Reia barely evaded the attack before blasting impaling her shoulder with the blade of her photon sword, pinning Kate right into the mountain wall of the lane. Kate couldn’t help but cry like a horrified phantom or a baby rabbit that’d been snatched by a hawk. Just as Maila’s fist was about to implode Graham’s skull, Asher shot Maila with his cannon at least six times, and well..she was sent back to their respawn area like that.

This of course prompted both Caroline and Purah to charge in, while Blanket stayed backfiring his weapon. Caroline started off by dodging projectiles after she came outside of the Starlight’s tower line and then raising a hand as if out of nowhere a tornado took shape, blowing and sucking up sand from all directions.

This seemed to surprise even Asher, who in what Reia thought was unlimited flight, dropped to the ground and held his hand out, the ground below them shook and roared violently, the tornado Caroline had summoned all but vanished.

Shit.

Then another click of the canon.

BANG!

Sand jumped, then rained.

Caroline was the first Starlight hit, a shield appearing around her via Purah as per her role as support, but that same shield was shattered like it were a simple plate of purple glass, immediately the pure brute force of the box cannon eviscerated Caroline, and sent her back to spawn.

Back, they had to go back! “Behind the tower!” Reia shouted, Purah and Maila both agreed hastily running, as blasts and cannon fire came their way, all the while Graham kept demanding that the Starlights just get on their knees and surrender.

“Just get on your knees and surrender!” Yeah, he literally said that verbatim.

Boop! Purah sent another dome-shaped forcefield, sheltering against the pounding of laser bullets, and bombardment of cannon attacks.

Her team needed to get their targeting right!

“We’ll be dumped in the dust if we don’t kill Asher!” Reia shouted.

Maila looked right in Graham’s direction, he was pacing and yelling, completely irate, “Graham’s been running at us bull-headed, I can’t get close enough, or else I’d have already caved in Asher’s head!”

“I’m not trying to bear bad news, but shield’s cracking, and… we’re out of here!” Purah said, her shield indeed violently shattering into thousands of pieces, Reia dropped to the deck as the explosion was nearly right beside her, her eardrums popped and bled at the same time and before she even knew it, a laser Reia couldn’t have possibly dodged hit her right in the chest.

It wasn't supposed to go so horribly.

Everything went numb.

“You guys are out of your league!” Asher said, Twirling the bulky box cannon like a kid’s playball.

For a lonely second, she felt a sudden and excruciating burning sensation that overtook her entire body like a hot bar of iron had been shoved into her lungs, before all the pain went away and along with it her breathing suddenly ceased, Reia was met with darkness then like a flash of abrupt lightning her body basically rebooted itself and she found herself right back in her team’s very own castle.

Shit… they needed a plan.

TBC

*>X<*