The Slayer moved. The passage exploded into deadly light as dozens of bolts of lightning and flame surged toward him. The screams of the weak urged him forward, each stride brought him dozens of feet toward his next kill.
The Slayer ignored the pitiful flames as they washed over him resulting in nothing but warming his flesh. Each bolt of lightning was guided by long threads of mana and his superior mind had no issue simply severing the threads as they approached. Screams of anguish and pain exploded from the ranks of the enemy as the threads detonated into cascading waves of pearlescent light.
The mages staggered and the ranks maneuvered to allow the other ranged fighters to fire a volley between a gap in the melee warriors. Flesh of Iron activated before the first arrows arrived. Seven arrows shattered on the meat of his forearm and another glanced off his head. Blood sprayed from his scalp but it didn’t penetrate his skull.
Two more powerful arrows bent around his arm managed to penetrate his skin, enough to remain in his body but barely. The Slayer ignored the irrelevant injuries, his stride not slowing in the least and then he was amongst them. Wrath Incarnate’s dominating strength coursed through him in instantaneous bursts.
His fist slammed into the shield of the first warrior, wood and metal flew in all directions with crack and his fist continued through and into the man’s skulls. Bloody pulp was all that remained as The Slayer moved into his next step, his offhand taking another warrior’s sword mid-swing and deflecting back into his own face before the indomitable strength of his arm tore him from the ground. The warrior’s body crumbled, his plate mail dented and cracked inwards piercing his heart as he smashed into his fellow warriors.
You have slain [Iladwen Forn | Shield Warrior 78 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Sedrak Al | Shield Elite 82 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
As the fighters reeled in the wake of his overwhelming strength a dozen more bolts of flame crashed into him while another volley of arrows peppered his flesh. Even though some managed to penetrate his skin it was all beneath his notice. The flames simply blinded his enemy, and as the arrows were slowly pushed from his healing skin, the enemy was scrambling like the pathetic things they were.
Health:
4923/5140
Stamina:
432/8380
Wrath:
7421
The hundreds of weaklings around him made Wrath Incarnate’s wrath cost virtually zero and his body’s fatigue though unfelt, began to fade as his fists of iron shattered the shells of his enemy.
A swift kick to shatter the legs of the axe-wielder before pivoting to tear the arm from another as crimson flames surged across the ground to travel up the legs of an archer.
You have slain [Ledal Voss | Marauder 64 | Human]
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Alik Van | Greatsword Expert 71 | Human]
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Iladwen Forn | Shield Warrior 78 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Sedrak Al | Shield Elite 82 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Edwick Lanaster | Hunter 76 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Lillian West | Archer 81 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Health:
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4923/5140
Stamina:
806/8380
Wrath:
10219
The remaining shield-bearers attempted to surround him but he weaved through them easily his speed belying his huge frame, each swing of his fist shattered spines, skulls, or chests. Each step brought him deeper among the terrified fools.
The mages changed tactics as their fire and lightning spells failed utterly and moved closer passed the corpses with Exterminator’s Regards buried in its chest. They chanted a series of complicated passages and array runes were thrown in a circle around The Slayer and the desperate dying warriors.
But as The Slayer’s wrath grew a sneer deepened on his face and a flicker of will tore his blade free of its last kill. It carved its way through the enemy mages four died instantly bisected or as the skill they were attempting to cast backfired detonating as the viscera of their allies splattered over them.
You have slain [Danie Weaver | Fire Adept 76 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Adger Intune | Weather Sage 71 | Human]
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Briggs Jesshope| Conjure of the Spark 73 | Human]
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
You have slain [Zaos Maywaters | Elementalist 75 | Human] bonus experience awarded due to slaying a higher level entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Mutilation bonus added to total!
Whatever combined skill the mages were attempting died as they did and Exterminator’s Regards fell into The Slayer’s hand and flashed in wide sweeping arcs of death. The remaining corpses corrupted by the fatebinder fell as they should, their screams only invigorating The Slayer’s soul.
As the last of the corrupted fell to his blade his soul flared as more entered the range of his fear aura and as his wrath continued to climb as the dozens of mutilation bonuses were granted his sneer began to twist into a smile.
‘Yes… They would all die.”
----------------------------------------
Leo’s blade of fire hacked through the skull of a Shadow Fiend as its blade of shadows failed under the heat of his mana. All around him, The Order’s forces fought in a desperate retreat. The instant the tear opened hundreds of demons began to pour through the opening as it slowly but surely expanded to allow an almost constant flow of demons.
None were below level seventy and they moved with far more precision and tactics than any demon he had faced before. Elder Hedrick and Jak fought by Leo's side as they moved between flanks to assist the desperate fighters on each side.
Green flame arced overhead dominating the night sky to crash down against their ranks. Their mages barely managed to counter or deflect it each time but it became very clear that they could only manage it for so long.
“Damn that fucking mage!” Leo grunted under his breath as he took lance of shadow to his side from a flanking fiend. Jak’s hammed crushed the demon into a dark mist a moment later but in turn, left himself open to a flying horror swooping from above that carved a deep gash across the elder’s back making him stumble.
The Order’s forces fought well and they killed far more of the enemy as their defensive tactics and illusions drastically reduced casualties but the demons just kept coming. It was endless and every wound they took strained the few healers they had available and soon there would be no healing left to share around.
They were in trouble.
“Keep moving!” Jak shouted over the chaos as he leaped into the air to come down hammer first, sending a shock wave of destruction through the enemy legion.
Leo swung his sword in wide arcs sending waves of his fire over the rushing legion while a volley of fireballs and lighting arced overhead with great effect. They were lucky in that other than felflame conjures and scions the demons weren’t resistant to fire.
Their retreat continued and their ability to prevent casualties began to wane as the illusionists began to bottom out their mana. Mana potions were distributed but even the smallest pause in momentum was deadly every time they were forced to pause to recover a scion’s felflame lance annihilated dozens.
Leo cursed the demon legion’s unity of action. None of their elite fighters left their ranks long enough to strike out against them. The scions were the worst. Every chance they were given a sphere of destruction appeared among The Order’s shield bearers. The explosion of the skill rarely killed their men but every time it spread their front-line thinner, making it more difficult for their mages to counter offensive skills.
“We need to deal with the scions!” Leo grunted to Hedrik as he deflected a strike from a shadow fiend’s greatsword and sent a gout of flame to make some space.
Hedrik waved his hand over his head as another sphere of felflame appeared above them and a sphere of his own flashed in existence around the first, with a groan of effort his arm fell and the two spheres shot back toward the demons before detonating killing at least a dozen in a single strike. Hedrik staggered slightly but sent a dozen smaller bolts of fire weaving through the enemy ranks as he replied, “I’d love to know how you plan on doing that!”
“Damn it!” Leo grunted, he needed a plan. If they could take out even just one of them their chance of survival would be a whole lot better than it was now. Leo was strong. Stronger than most. There was a reason why he could stand in battle beside two elders of The Order but even together and The Order’s combined fighting force they were on the back foot.
If they would have any chance at getting out of here they would need to take risks. Leo frowned as he turned to Jak, “I’m going to keep one of the scions busy. Keep them moving.”
Jak shook his head, “No I will come with you. Laryk will lead them in my stead.”
Hedrik was breathing hard and shook his head, “I’ll be no good in there now. I’ll clear a path for you,” He quickly downed a mana potion and conjured a sphere of white-hot fire between his hands, “I’ll focus on damage control until you make it back.”
Leo nodded and began activating what skills he could. He started with Touch of the Holy Phoenix to begin the healing of his wound before activating Shield of the Brightwing, the semi-translucent barrier of flame appearing around him. When he was ready he nodded to Hedrik who raised his hands above his head.
A sphere of white-hot flame burst to life in between the Hedrik’s palms, condensing into a near-blinding light. Hedrik groaned as he planted his feet and swung his arms down as if he throwing down a great weight. A lance white flame speared the air and carved through the shadow fiend ranks as if they weren’t even there before the pillar of fire reached the first scion in the legion.
The scion’s armored fist caught the lance of flame and its light became the green of felflame as it spewed over the demon's form. Several demons all around it burst into flame from the radiant heat and fell to the ground in agony but the scion didn’t seem to care in the least as he weaved the new flame into another orb sending back toward them.
Hedrik grunted but he must have been expecting the counter as he was already in the middle of conjuring another containment sphere, “Go! Now!”
Leo and Jack darted through the still-burning path of Hedrik’s skill before the shadow fiends could reform their front line. Jak’s hammer smashed through demons as they tried to intercept them while Leo focused his gaze on the scion standing before them.