Крепость Аламут, построенная на пересечении древних троп и окруженная естественными преградами отвесных скал, теперь стала ареной величайшего сражения в истории Вирсала. Ее массивные стены, способные выдержать осаду сотен солдат, теперь видели приближение двух непримиримых армий. Эти стены, вырезанные из темного камня и украшенные символами былых побед, были молчаливыми свидетелями конфликта, который определит будущее всего мира.
С одной стороны, силы «честных игроков» собрались в огромном лагере, расположенном в плодородной долине Ашар. Здесь можно было увидеть флаги гильдий, гордо развевающиеся на ветру. Лидеры во главе своих отрядов обсуждали стратегии, размышляя, как сломить силы донаторов, чья мощь казалась непреодолимой.
«Азером, ты уверен, что они не попытаются обойти нас?» — спросил Айзен, один из лидеров доминирующей гильдии Белых Воронов, его голос был напряженным, но решительным. Он стоял рядом с огромной картой, обдумывая каждый возможный ход.
«Им незачем ходить вокруг да около», — ответил Азером, немолодой, высокий, хладнокровный профессиональный игрок, лидер всей армии «честных» игроков и глава сильнейшей гильдии на японском сервере, основатель гильдии Claws, его взгляд был устремлен на горизонт. — Они хотят показать свою силу. Они не просто нападают, они идут на нас с открытым забралом, чтобы доказать, что их «система» — это будущее.
Алиссия, глава одной из сильнейших гильдий Китая, «Тигры Востока», оперлась на длинный лук с изящной резьбой и добавила:
«Они забыли, что даже самая лучшая броня не спасет от выстрела в глаз. Я уже насчитал восемь слабых мест в их броне.
Гильдия за гильдией подтягивались к передовой. Среди них выделялся воин в тяжелых доспехах с символом гильдии — золотым фениксом — Драгофир, лидер Крыльев Рассвета.
«Я здесь не ради славы, — его голос прозвучал как раскат грома. — Они отняли у нас наш мир. Мы вернем его сегодня».
С другой стороны, армия Донатеров во главе с Титаносом, ужасающим топ-3 мирового рейтинга, собиралась у восточного подножия крепости. Его доспехи Зова Бездны источали мерцающее сияние, каждая пластина была покрыта рунами, которые увеличивали силу его союзников. Рядом с ним стоял Вальдегрин, мастер боя двуручным клинком, чьи атаки были известны своей разрушительной силой.
«Слишком долго нас унижали», — сказал Титанос, оглядывая своих людей. Его голос, глубокий и властный, разнесся по долине. — Сегодня мы докажем, что сила — это все. Они хотят сопротивляться? Пусть попробуют. Мы сотрем их с лица земли.
"Don't forget that they are cunning," said Linteros, a master strategist. His eyes shone coldly as he pointed at the map. "They must have set traps. But we have advantages. We are a united force. Their alliance will fall apart when the chaos begins.
Behind them, the shouts of soldiers preparing for battle rang out. The troops stood in perfectly even rows, their armor reflecting the rays of the setting sun, creating the illusion of a shining sea of steel. Each warrior has been enhanced to the limit: buffs, amulets, legendary weapons.
The beginning of the battle
When the first rays of the sun illuminated the Ashar Valley, both armies lined up on the battlefield. Azerom raised his hand and signaled.
"They'll go straight ahead. No surprises, just power. We have to keep the lines! His voice was firm despite the tension.
The voices of the other leaders rang out in response.:
— Get ready, this is our chance to show that we are stronger! Dragofir shouted.
— For honor and freedom! Aizen added, his hands already starting to glow with magical energy.
Titanos, seeing the enemy's preparations, raised his sword into the sky, and his army launched an offensive. Their footsteps shook the ground like an approaching storm. In front were tanks completely covered in legendary armor, followed by archers, mages, and in the very center — the elite, shining with magical auras.
— Show them that their time has passed! Titanos shouted.
The first blow fell on the front lines of the "honest players". Shields met the blows, and the ground shook from the explosions of spells. The archers shot arrows with such speed that it seemed as if a dark cloud was gathering over the battlefield.
— Hold your positions! Azerom shouted, fending off a blow from an enemy warrior. His sword moved like an extension of his arm. "We'll break them!"
Alyssia, standing on the hill, shot arrows one after another, each of which found its target. Her voice carried across the field.:
"Left flank, they're losing ranks!" Move forward!
However, with every passing moment, it became clear that the strength of the donors was too great. Their buffs boosted attack and defense to absurd levels, and the losses of "honest players" became more significant.
- damn it! Aizen barely managed to block Valdegrin's lightning strike. "They're using us as training targets!"
Titanos, watching the battlefield, smiled.
"They're weak. Let them run. This is just the beginning.
But Silent, who also actively participated in the battle, despite the losses, was not going to retreat. He knew that this battle would be decisive not only for their alliance, but for the entire game.
"We will not give them this world. Follow me! Azerom's shout echoed across the field.
The battlefield trembled from the many-headed roar of the combatants, shaking from the sound of clashing blades, explosions of magic and the onslaught of two irreconcilable armies. The sky above the Ashar Valley, tinged with smoke and the glare of spells, served as a silent reminder that this battle would change everything.
Silent, leading the upgraded Alpha squad, cut through the enemy lines with frightening speed and precision. His swords, enchanted for speed and damage, flashed so fast that it was impossible to keep track of them. The faded Alpha symbol was still visible on his cloak, a reminder of past victories and downfalls.
"Don't lose your position! Keep buffers in your sights, at all costs!" Silent shouted loudly, cutting down another opponent. His voice echoed through the ranks.
He was followed by the new Alpha team — Liren, a well-aimed archer whose arrows with magical tips tore through the armor of donaters; Cayenne, a fire destroyer mage whose spells literally melted the ground under the feet of enemies; and Darrin, a two-handed swordsman who holds the most dangerous points on the field.
- "Silent, the left ranks are breaking through! We're losing shooters!" Cayenne shouted, waving her staff, her eyes glowing as another wave of fire engulfed the nearest group of enemies.
From the right flank, amidst the smoking ruins, a new pillar of light rose—the result of Aizen's strike. The magical explosion he produced blew up an entire enemy company. Aizen, known for his lightning spells, used every drop of his energy to maintain the pressure. However, even he began to notice how the donors easily activated their protective barriers.
"Damn it! These barriers negate our entire attack! We need to find their sources!" He roared, clenching his fists, which were emitting blue lightning.
Alyssia, a long-range trucker and a master tactician, led her squad of archers on the other flank. She gave commands with cold but confident clarity. Her Lexi, a crossbow hero, was known for his precision and destructive power.
- "Focus your fire on the mages and buffers! If we knock out their support, they will crumble!" Alyssia's voice rose above the screams and noise of the battle.
Her crossbow flashed with silver light, and one arrow, enchanted for penetration, took down three enemy mages standing on top of the hill at once. The loss of their support instantly reduced the effectiveness of the donating units in this area.
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But the triumph was short-lived. A new enemy appeared among their ranks, a warrior in golden armor that dazzled with brilliance. His sword, enchanted by fire, left a red-hot trail behind it, burning everything it touched.
"They're being too arrogant! Show these pathetic idealists what true strength is!" The enemy roared. It was Klaytos, one of the elite Donater commanders, known for his ruthless fighting style.
On the central flank, Titanos, the leader of the Donaters, personally led the elite. His legendary "Call of the Abyss" armor shone with darkness, and every blow of his sword knocked down dozens of opponents.
"Is that all they're capable of? Senseless attempts to resist fate. They just don't understand that it's useless to resist," Titanos said coldly, his voice carrying through the noise of the battle.
In response to his words, Azerom launched an attack. His sword met the blade of Titanos, and the collision caused a bright flash.
"Do you think gold makes you stronger? It's an illusion! The real power is in our hands!" Azerom growled, pushing off and delivering another series of punches.
Titanos just grinned, taking blow after blow.
"You're good. But your naivety... She'll ruin you."
At the other end of the field, Alyssia, covered by her squad, was barely holding her ground.
- "Azerom! They're crushing us from the right flank! If we lose this line, we'll be surrounded!" she shouted, looking for the next target.
"Hold on! We're breaking through their center, a little more time!" Azerom shouted back, deflecting another blow.
The battle was in full swing, but the outcome was still unclear. The war of ideals has reached its peak, turning the fertile lands of Ashar into a burning field of death.
The third hour of battle turned the Ashar Valley into a chaotic whirlpool of fire, steel, and magic. The roar of the clashing armies subsided only for a moment to give way to more explosions and screams. But even in the midst of this meat grinder, it became obvious that the army of "honest players" was beginning to lose ground. Their ranks were thinning, and fatigue hampered their movements.
On the front line, Azerom, bloodied but still determined, moved through the enemy lines like lightning. His swords, covered with dents and cuts, left behind the corpses of donaters. But his gaze was fixed on the front, where Titanos towered in the very center of the enemy formation, whose legendary armor, shining with gloomy darkness, inspired terror even to the most seasoned warriors.
"This is not the time to give up! We're holding our positions until they make their way to the artifacts!" Azerom shouted, deflecting a blow from a massive warrior in studded armor.
Gard, a new but proven member of the Talons, jumped up to him. His heavy shield sparkled from the collisions, and his breath came out of his chest with a rasp.
- "Azerom! Our ranks on the left flank are falling apart! They'll break through us if we don't do something!" he shouted, peering into the chaos around him.
Azerom quickly assessed the situation. The enemy was really close to encircling them. He knew that a risky attack to the rear was the only chance to turn the situation around.
- "Guard! Take your squad and go to the hill! Try hitting them on the flank! If you succeed, push to the end!" — he ordered, nodding towards a small hill where there were still remnants of fortifications.
- "Accepted! But you need a cover too! Titanos has already sent his men straight to you!" replied Gard, nodding to his men, who began to retreat behind their shields.
Meanwhile, a new player appeared in the midst of the donater ranks, whose presence was felt like a cold wind before a storm. A warrior in dark armor, wearing a black mask, with the nickname Sato. Sato, silent and inconspicuous, dressed in perfectly fitted armor of the latest generation, moved like a predator. He didn't shout orders or stand out with loud actions, but there were only corpses where he passed.
"Who the hell is this guy?! Aizen roared, watching as Sato tore through the left line of the "honest players" like a hot knife through butter.
They tried to stop his lightning attack twice, but each time he dodged with cold precision, as if anticipating every move of Aizen.
"I don't know, but he's damn good! You better stay away from him, he's not like the rest of the donaters!" replied Silent, parrying the attack of two enemies who attacked him from two sides.
On the other flank, Alyssia and her squad of archers continued to hold their positions, but their forces were clearly running out. Her Lexi crossbow had already lost count of how many times it had hit the mark, but each shot now felt heavier.
"Hold your formation until the Guard occupies the hill! If they surround us, we're dead!" she shouted, hammering another arrow into the enchanted crossbow.
Her subordinate, a young archer named Nair, looked at her with a tremor in his voice:
"Alyssia, what are we going to do if the reinforcements don't arrive?"
"We're going to die. But we will die so that they will remember," she replied coldly, releasing an arrow that pierced two enemies at once.
Amidst the chaos, Titanos watched the battle from a hill. His gaze was as cold as ice. Other donor leaders stood next to him.:
— Arkond, a master of tactical magic whose ice spells could stop entire units; — Laetos, a necromancer who resurrects fallen enemies to fight on his side; — Veridian, a spearman with legendary weapons, whose single blow could pierce an entire wall.
"They're desperate. It's good. Desperation makes their mistakes predictable," Titanos said, cutting off another request from the allies for support.
—Fate is as inevitable as death," Laetos sneered, his eyes glowing with a dead light. "And if someone doesn't accept it, I'll remind them."
Silent could feel the battle getting more desperate. His strength was falling, but he couldn't afford to stop. All their efforts were now focused on one thing: to hold out until the last.
When the battle reached its climax, the battlefield turned into hell. The screams of the wounded, the clash of steel, the furious spells flashing in the sky — all this mixed into a chaotic symphony of horror. Silent, covered in blood, both his own and someone else's, made his way to the magicians who were preparing the final blow. Their faces were contorted with tension, and their hands were shaking with fatigue, but they didn't stop.
"Just a little more! Hold on!" Magister Alter, who was directing the spell, shouted. His robe, once dazzling white, was now covered with dirt and burns.
A pillar of fire, born from the power of dozens of magicians, began to gather into a giant ball, the brightness of which blinded even the enemies. It seemed that nature itself was shaking from this display of power.
On the other side of the field, Titanos, standing on a hill, watched the action with cold mockery. His legendary "Wrath of the Abyss" armor was flickering with an ominous black light, and his team behind him was preparing for a counterattack.
"Do they think they can turn the tide of battle with this pathetic trick?" Titanos said, his voice filled with icy contempt. "Activate the artifact."
Next to him, Laetos, a necromancer with deathly pale skin, grinned.
"It will be nice to see their hopes burn out in the flames of their own spell."
Silent, being in the midst of his army, saw how the enemies were preparing for something.
"Aizen, do you see this? They're going to do something!" "Stop it!" he shouted, making his way to his colleague.
Aizen, who was standing on the other side of the bastion, was busy creating his defensive magic.
"I see, but we can't do anything anymore! If the mages don't make it, we're all dead!" he replied, waving his staff to fend off the approaching squad of donaters.
Finally, a pillar of fire shot into the sky, splitting the darkness with its fiery flashes. The magical flame, gathered by the efforts of the best magicians, fell on the center of the donater army. The ground shook, the trees were charred, and a fierce stream of heat covered everything around.
"This is our chance! Hold your positions!" shouted Alyssia, leading her archers forward to cover the mages.
But the Titanos did not flinch. With the artifact from his legendary set activated, he raised his hand. A black sphere appeared around him, which swallowed the flame as if it had never existed.
"Is that all you can do?! His voice, amplified by the magic effect, reverberated throughout the field.
The magicians, seeing their greatest spell crumble to dust, froze in horror.
—Impossible... we put everything into this..." whispered Eltar before he was pierced by an enemy crossbow bolt.
Silent gritted his teeth, feeling despair pressing down on his chest.
"Damn it, they're too strong!" he shouted, trying to hold back the avalanche of enemies.
Gard, leading his squad on the other flank, heard Azerom's order over the chat.
"We must hold this bastion! If they break through, it will be over!" His voice was hoarse from exhaustion, but he still sounded like a commander.
However, despite the efforts, the donors were relentless. Titanos not only withstood the blow, but also led his army into a counterattack. New donator leaders have appeared on the field:
— Kalaen, a paladin in shining armor whose auras made his allies virtually invulnerable. — Sinistrus, the magician of illusions, whose spells confused and destroyed the ranks of opponents. — Virtos, a beastman whose speed and strength have been enhanced to the point of absurdity.
The leaders of the "honest players" gathered at the last bastion. Aizen, covered in wounds, was barely able to stand on his feet, leaning on his staff. Alyssia fired until the last, even when her crossbow began to heat up from the constant shots.
"We have to hold out! If they capture the fortress, we will lose everything!" she shouted, looking around at her men.
"We've probably already lost everything," Aizen replied gloomily, fighting off the attackers.
The Titanos, approaching the bastion, stopped for a moment to look at Azerom.
"You fought well, but your efforts are in vain. We have revived this game. She belongs to us now."
Azerom raised his sword, breathing heavily.
"Your victory is today, but the war is not over. We'll be back."
Titanos just grinned.
- "Will you come back? To be defeated again? It's time for you to accept it, old man."
With these words, the last bastion fell, leaving the "honest players" in ruins.
The battle at Ashar Valley lasted almost five hours. The losses on both sides were huge, but the donors prevailed. Silent, a survivor of the battle, looked at the ruins of the valley. His sword was broken, his armor was riddled, but most importantly, his hope was destroyed. Silent was kneeling in the middle of a field littered with bodies. Thousands of dead players lay in a chaotic mess, some with a sword still clutched in their numb fingers, some with their eyes wide open in final surprise. The air was thick with the smell of ash, metal, and death.
His hands were shaking, clutching a fragment of a former weapon—a sword that he could no longer hold as before. The silence was deafening, as if the world itself was holding its breath in the face of this tragedy.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this,— he whispered, feeling a hollow emptiness grow inside.
Every death is not just a lost ally, but a stab in the heart. He saw their names flashing on the screen, heard their voices until they went out. But now all that's left of them are the numbers that the game has been methodically removing from the list of participants.
Молчаливый стиснул зубы, чувствуя, как боль и вина разрывают его изнутри. Он посмотрел на небо, которое было темным и мрачным, как будто даже оно отвернулось от этого мира.
«Почему я все еще здесь?» — раздался надтреснутый голос, почти крик, обращенный к тому, кто никогда не ответит.
«Мы не проиграли... мы просто отступили», — прошептал он себе под нос, но слова прозвучали пусто.