Aiden blinked across the battlefield in rapid, disjointed steps, the world around him blurring into streaks of motion and chaos with each jump. As he did, he was greeted by a system notification for each activation of his Sonic Blink:
Talisman of Echoes has gained a charge.
Current Charges: 1
The clang of steel and roar of spells exploded into his ears every time he reappeared, only to be swallowed by silence as he blinked again. The Talisman of Echoes throbbed against his chest, each dimensional step feeding it with energy, its core pulsing brighter and brighter with every charge. Aiden barely noticed the system notifications informing him of charges gradually accumulating on his talisman, his focus locked onto a singular, desperate thought that echoed in his mind with every blink: Where are Skal and Winterhell?
Aiden blinked between clusters of players locked in brutal skirmishes with the Nyxborn Lurkers. Each time he appeared, he stayed just long enough to scan the area before vanishing again.
He reappeared beside a trio of players, swinging axes and swords in wide arcs as they held a defensive line against the nightmare creatures. “Skal? Winterhell?” Aiden called out, voice straining over the din.
One of the players, a Beastkin who Aiden had briefly mistaken for his Leonid friend, shook his head without breaking stride. “Haven’t heard of them! Either fight or move on!”
“Working on it,” Aiden muttered, blinking away just as a jagged Lurker limb slashed the space he’d occupied a heartbeat before.
He landed amidst another group of players, this time, a Kobold spellcaster tossing lightning bolts under the protection of her team, who were holding off a Lurker twice the size of the other ones. They barely noticed Aiden’s arrival and departure, their focus entirely on the beast.
The talisman pulsed warmly, its glow now a steady, vibrant blue. Aiden glanced at it as he moved. How many charges now? Ten? Twelve? He’d lost count. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t ready to use it yet, and wouldn’t do him any good until he’d found his companions.
The battlefield was chaos incarnate, but as Aiden blinked around, he could not help but notice the ties of the battle shifting in favour of the players. There were more and more makeshift squads forming, spells flying in semi-coordinated volleys, and players were shouting orders that others actually followed. The Lurkers were being pushed back, slowly, but unmistakably.
Aiden felt a flicker of hope ignite in his chest. The players were rallying. We might actually pull this off, he thought.
But hope wasn’t enough. Not yet.
Aiden blinked again, his vision blurring as his mana bar began to dip dangerously low. He dismissed his lute, which vanished in a puff of shimmering smoke, only to instantly summon it again. The small mana recovery icon was a welcome sight as he took a moment to consider his surroundings.
“Come on,” he muttered, scanning the area frantically. “Where are you guys?”
After what he’d told AeriKnight about making bad calls, and there being consequences to one’s actions, he couldn’t handle the thought of something bad happening to his newfound friends. “Friends,” he thought to himself, “I actually have friends for once, and I’ll be damned before I let them turn into nightmare-spider food because of my recklessness.”
Aiden froze mid-step as a familiar voice rang through the battlefield, clear and sharp above the chaos, interrupting his nervous internal spiraling.
"By the light of creation, let fire be born!"
Winterhell.
Aiden spun toward the sound, blinking without hesitation in the voice’s direction. The moment he reappeared, a brilliant explosion of flame erupted ahead of him, engulfing a group of Lurkers in fire and smoke. Their twisted forms writhed and screeched as her Celestial Ember set them ablaze.
Through the smoke, he spotted her, a silhouette of defiance standing surrounded by a small group of players who were forming a defensive circle around her . Winterhell’s hands sparked with energy as the last wisps of fire trailed from her fingertips. Her glossy black hair was matted with sweat and dirt, but her eyes shone with a fierce determination that sent relief flooding through Aiden.
“There you are!” he shouted, a grin breaking across his face as he blinked closer to her.
Winterhell turned, her expression shifting from focused intensity to pure exasperation the moment she saw him. “Aiden! You absolute maniac! Where have you been? Skal and I charged into our certain doom only for you to blink away like a total sociopath!”
“Nice to see you too,” Aiden quipped, tipping an imaginary hat. “Where’s Skal?” he asked, not seeing him in Winterhell’s defensive line.
Before Winterhell could answer, a booming voice reverberated through the battlefield, cutting through the cacophony of clashing steel and shrieking monsters.
“Come at me, villains! You can not escape my justice! Come forward so that I might smite you with my mighty blade!”
Aiden and Winterhell exchanged a glance, both recognizing the source of the voice instantly.
“That’ll be Skal,” Winterhell muttered, rolling her eyes.”He’s gone full paladin.”
The voice grew louder as Aiden and Winterhell turned towards the front line to see Skal’s figure, standing atop a slain Nyxborn Lurker, his golden mane catching the flickering light of spellfire. His summoned blade, glowing with divine energy, carved arcs of brilliance through the air as he bellowed:
“The truth shall descend upon your wickedness like an angel of righteous fury!”
With a leap, Skal descended into the fray, landing amidst a cluster of Nyxborn Lurkers. His sword struck one of the nightmarish creatures, unleashing a shockwave of radiant energy that sent the creatures sprawling. His booming voice continued unabated:
“You shall die a thousand deaths, shadowspawn! I shall mete out my justice upon your lonesome brow!” The struck lurker tried to escape the Leonid, unsuccessfully doing its best to put as much distance between the angry Paladin and itself.
Skal turned towards the line of players that was gradually pushing the horde of Nyxborn Lurkers back towards Lockhaven. His eyes were burning with intensity and what Aiden could only describe as righteous anger. With a flourish, he aimed his glowing blade towards the diminishing horde of lurkers, the grim promise of a swift end extended to each of the monstrosities. After taking a deep breath he shouted out for all around him to hear, his roar, long and loud, a testament to his passion, “Onward!!!”
Many nearby players, who had been locked in fierce combat, turned toward Skal, their faces lighting up with vigor. His defiant shout echoed over the battlefield like a warhorn, rallying those around him. Cheers and roars of encouragement erupted from the players as they pushed back against the Lurkers with ferocity, their strikes landing harder, their magic blazing brighter.
The tide of players surged forward, their shouts echoing Skal’s own call, driving the Nyxborn Lurkers back from Skal’s position. What had been a chaotic melee was now an inspired advance, with Skal falling behind the line of advancing players, catching his breath all while dismissing his sword. The battlefield was quickly shifting, and for the first time since the battle had begun, there was an island of relative safety where he stood.
Aiden blinked to a spot closer to Skal, unable to resist a grin. “You know, for a guy who only just became a paladin, you’re really nailing the role-playing. Was that a new ability there?”
Skal glanced over his shoulder, his leonine face lighting up with a triumphant grin. “Aiden! You’re alive! And here I thought I’d have to once again rescue you from your own incompetence!” Then after looking Aiden up and down, ensuring that he was safe and sound he continued his tone filled with pride, “and no, that was all pure Skal goodness.”
“Whatever it was, it was remarkable,” Aiden said, then, after a failed attempt to mimic Skal’s toothy grin in order to mask his relief at seeing his two friends alive and relatively safe, he continued, ”I was just about to drop by to save the day you know,”
Winterhell joined them, stepping carefully over the remains of a fallen Lurker, her expression a mix of annoyance and relief. “Now that we’re all together, how about we skip the banter and focus on not dying?”
Skal laughed, “Oh, come now, Winterhell. Where’s your sense of adventure? This is a glorious battle!”
Winterhell raised an eyebrow, hurling a bolt of ice that briefly froze a Lurker that was trying to break through the front line in place. “My sense of adventure is currently trying to avoid becoming a snack for nightmare spiders. Now, Aiden, what’s your plan?”
“Why do you keep asking him that,” Skal said, “it’s like you want to set him up for failure.”
“Actually,” Aiden interjected, “I do have a plan this time.”
Skal and Winterhell looked at each other, a look of surprised bewilderment etched on their faces.
“You, have a plan?” Skal said.
“Yes,” Aiden answered.
“That thing that involves coming up with good ideas that result in us being ‘not dead’?” Winterhell continued.
“Yes,” Aiden answered, his ears turning a shade of dark pink. “Look, I don’t have a lot of time to explain, but I think this could help turn the tide of this fight.”
Winterhell crossed her arms. “Alright, genius, lay it on us.”
“Skal,” Aiden turned to his leonine friend, his voice firm, “remember that roar ability of yours? Not one that got everyone around you all riled up and heroic, but the actual one you used against the Umbral Sentinel?”
Skal nodded. “Yes Aiden, I remember my own abilities.”
“Good,” Aiden said, ignoring Skal’s obvious sarcasm. “I need you to use it now. Pull as many of the Nyxborn Lurkers as you can to this spot.”
Winterhell’s eyes narrowed. “You want to bait them all here? Are you trying to get us killed?”
“I haven’t used that ability here for a very good and very obvious reason, Aiden,” Skal said.
Aiden shook his head, holding up the Talisman of Echoes, which now pulsed with an intense, almost blinding blue light. “I know it sounds risky, but with this, I think I can blow a good portion of them to kingdom come.”
Skal’s gaze flickered to the glowing talisman. “What is that? And how is it supposed to help?”
“It’s my Talisman of Echoes,” Aiden said, sharing the item information with his party with a mental command, “and it’s about as charged as it’s going to get. If you can pull enough of them in, I can use its power to hit them all at once. Hard.”
Winterhell’s expression softened slightly as understanding dawned. “You’re going to release all the charges in one big blast.”
“Exactly,” Aiden said, determination hardening his voice. “But I need you to make them come to us. Otherwise, this won’t work.”
Skal’s grin returned, his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation. “You do realise that your plan is utterly insane right? It’s very important for me, that you understand, that it’s bordering on the edge of absolute madness.”
Aiden’s face sank as he took in Skal’s words, “you don’t like the idea?” he asked the big man.
“Oh I never said that.” Skal answered with a chuckle, “It has that blend of bold hero complex and reckless negligence of your own mortality that comes hand in hand with your plans. It has that quality that regardless of the actual outcome could end up making us famous for a variety of reasons.”
He paused and gave Aiden a wide toothy grin, “You want a taunt? You’ll get the best taunt this battlefield has ever seen.”
“Alright, we’re going with the plan of total madness then. What do you need me to do?” Winterhell said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
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“We're going to need all these players to fall back,” Aiden said, gesturing towards the front line. “Otherwise they'll be overrun and possibly trampled to death once the Lurkers hear the roar.”
“And how exactly would you expect me to do that?” Winterhell said.
“So we don't have all the details figured out,” Aiden said with an apologetic smile, his ears turning a darker shade of red.
“Well as per usual, we've got you covered,” Skal interjected, “as luck would have it, there's a player here who got the Strategist class, and he has an ability that allows him to communicate with any number of allies within a certain area.”
“Really? Aiden said, “That seems like a really specific class and ability for somebody to have right about now.”
“And he's conveniently close by as well,” Skal said brightly. “Winterhell, why don't you go tell Roderick about our plan? Have him and his people join us here urgently.”
“Roderick?” Aiden said, his voice filled with amusement. “From all the names he could have chosen he chose one as ordinary as Roderick?”
As Winterhell ran off to convey their plan to Roderick the Strategist, Skal gave Aiden a surprised look. “Yes, everyone needs a name, and Roderick is a perfectly acceptable one for that matter. Also with a mundane name like Aiden, I don't know if you should be going around casting stones like that.”
“Yeah I suppose that’s fair,” Aiden said with an apologetic grin.
After a brief moment, there was a commotion coming from their left, as Winterhell returned accompanied by a small cluster of players. Walking next to hear, leading the rest of the players, was the tall figure of stone and shadow. His rough-hewn, granite-like skin gave him an imposing presence, with cracks that softly glowed with faint, ember-like light. Jagged wings stretched from his back, framing his broad shoulders. His sharp, angular features and glowing eyes exude a cold, unyielding determination.
“That’s a Gargoyle right?” Aiden said, his voice filled with surprise.
“Yup,” Skal replied, “You don’t see many of those outside of Gothic Horror and Grimdark Dystopian Realms.”
As the contingent of players arrived to where Aiden and Skal were waiting, Winterhell and the player who presumably was Roderick broke off from the main group to meet them.
“Aiden, please meet Roderick,” Winterhell said, “He’s one of the main reasons our lines have fended the Lurkers off so successfully.”
The Gargoyle stretched out a hand in greeting, which Aiden shook, taken aback by Roderick’s friendly smile, despite his impressive stature.
“Greetings Aiden, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I hear you have some sort of big idea to help us win this fight? Your friend here has already let me in on the details, and we’re willing to give it a try.”
As he spoke, his name and level became visible above his head for Aiden to see.
Roderick - Level 4
“Really?” Aiden said, “I was expecting more pushback if I’m completely honest.”
“Well,” Roderick said, “from the looks of it, I’d say that unless something entirely unexpected shows up to take us all by surprise, we’re going to win this fight by no small margin. So if players want to get creative, I’m all for it.”
“No small margin?” Aiden said, his voice filled with surprise, "so this isn’t a desperate struggle for survival?”
As he spoke, he noticed that not all players were locked in desperate combat, as he had initially assumed they were. There were in fact many players standing in large groups, a good distance away from the front line. There was a steady stream of players leaving the front line and joining the large groups, and vice versa. While the players joining the front line were doing so energetically, there wasn’t any panicked hast to be seen anywhere.
“Those are recovery areas,” Winterhell said following Aiden’s gaze. “We’re all still at such a low level, that none of us can fight for a very long time before running out of both mana and stamina.
“Huh,” Aiden mused, “well I’m glad this is going so well. I would have hated to come in in the nick of time with a desperate plan in a win or lose it all situation, telling my fellow players that they need to trust me, and that it’s the only way.”
Roderick gave Aiden a knowing smile, “we all want to be heroes, Aiden, but in a battle like this, no singular action will turn the tides towards victory. While it was definitely messy at first, the levels of the creatures were all surprisingly low. Plus it’s not like all players here are rookies. Based on how I’ve seen many players perform, including your friend Skal over there, I’d say we have a good number of highly skilled players in this part of the battle.”
“How about we do the post-battle analysis after we’ve won it?” Skal added with a toothy grin.
“From where I stand, there are still plenty of nightmare spider-demons to slay, so let’s get going. Roderick can you order a full tactical retreat onto our position for all the players in the area?”
“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem. Most players have been responding surprisingly well to my, well orders isn’t quite the right word, so let’s say strategic recommendations?”
Before Aiden was able to respond any further, Roderick gave a polite nod. “Best get going then,” he said with a polite smile, which looked strange coming from a figure usually found looming menacingly from the top of cathedrals. “You will be receiving the retreat order in a few moments with the rest of the players,” he added, rejoining his entourage.
“Who are all those players standing around him?” Aiden asked curiously.
“Oh that’s his advisory staff,” Winterhell said casually, as if that explained everything.
“Of course it is,” Aiden said, then leaving a pause for an actual explanation to follow.
“It’s a bunch of players who have some form of the Strategist class with their main characters outside of this event,” Skal added. “Many of them come from competitive RTS realms and this battle is a dream come true for them.”
Skal turned toward the front line, where players were steadily pushing the Lurkers back. He conjured his radiant blade, raising it high, unleashed a deafening roar. It rippled outward in a golden wave, crashing into the horde of Lurkers like a wall of light. There was an immediate response in the form of furious screeching coming from within the ranks of the Lurkers, as Aiden received a system notification:
Player Skal has affected you with Valor’s Call.
Valor’s Call has taken effect.
All debuffs have been removed.
“Come forth, wretched spawns of darkness! Face the light of reckoning and feel justice carve its name upon you!” he shouted pointing at the vile creatures with his blade.
The effect was immediate. Every Nyxborn Lurker within sight practically froze mid-attack, their hollow, glowing faces snapping toward Skal. As one, they abandoned their skirmishes and began to converge on him, their jagged limbs slicing through the air as they surged forward.
A moment later, Aiden received another system notification:
Player Roderick has affected you with Field Marshal's Orders.
Field Marshal’s Orders has taken effect.
Following the notification, Aiden could hear Rodericks voice in his right ear, as if he were wearing headphones.
“All players who receive this notification, gather at the designated location without delay! There is an active AoE Taunt effect and the enemy will swarm!”
To Aiden’s surprise, the front line pulled back, almost instantly, yielding ground to the Lurkers, as they rushed towards the rallying point designated by Roderick. Above his head, Aiden could see a large golden flag floating in the air above his position, indicating where players were supposed to gather.
“That’s so cool,” he thought, as he watched more and more Lurkers turning their attention to Skal. His pulse quickened. “It’s working.”
Winterhell nodded grimly. “I hope you’re ready, wonder boy.”
As the wave of Lurkers closed in, Aiden stepped back, clutching the talisman. He could feel its energy building to a crescendo, the charges thrumming with raw power. His heart raced, but he forced himself to stay focused.
“Hold on to your buts,” he said, his voice steady despite the chaos. “This is going to get messy.”
Winterhell unleashed a series of spells, ice and fire towards the advancing horde. Skal next to Aiden, his blade gleaming brightly, his entire body trembling with righteous anticipation.
The front line, once a roaring tide of defiance and steel, now pulled back like a receding wave. Players quickly yielded ground, their expressions a mix of curious excitement and grim determination. Among them, a towering Trollkin wielded a massive warhammer, his ragged visible in the air as he fell back beside a Beastkin archer and a Kobold spellcaster her hands crackling with residual lightning, while a Drakkin swordswoman, her armor dented and smeared with ichor, tightened her grip on her weapon as she joined the regrouping force.
Behind Aiden, Skal, and Winterhell, these warriors formed a living barrier, their ranks tightened and ready to retaliate if needed. The retreat wasn’t one of fear but of chaotic obedience, their faith placed in whatever plan or strategy they assumed Roderick and his entourage had come up with.
The Nyxborn horde surged forward like a single living entity. Their twisted, chitinous forms writhed and snapped with an eerie, unnatural cadence. Jagged limbs scraped and clicked against the ground, while their hollow, faceless gazes pulsed with a malevolent light. Some larger Blade-Tailed Lurkers led the charge, their metallic appendages whistling through the air as they slashed the earth in anticipation of carnage. Behind them, smaller Lurkers skittered and leaped, their movements erratic and frenzied, as though the promise of fresh prey drove them into a bloodthirsty frenzy.
The ground itself seemed to shudder beneath the weight of their advance, a storm of claws, shrieks, and shadow converging on Aiden and his friends with unstoppable force.
The “Now, Aiden!” Winterhell shouted, her voice cutting through the din.
Aiden stepped forward, the horde now practically upon them, gripping the talisman tightly. He could feel its energy resonating with him, responding to his intent. He took a deep breath and shouted, “Unleash!”
A pulse of blinding light erupted from the talisman, spreading outward in a shockwave. The battlefield fell silent for a fraction of a second before an ear splitting boom tore through the air. The Lurkers,closest to the blast, many of which were already displaying numerous wounds and injuries received from other players, were obliterated instantly, their twisted forms disintegrating into ash. Those further out were thrown back, their limbs flailing as they were struck by the resonating force.
When the light faded, the battlefield was eerily still. The few remaining Lurkers staggered, their once-coordinated assault now shattered. There were gasps coming from the ranks of the players standing behind the trio. They all knew that something impressive was going to happen, but even this display had surpassed their expectations.
Skal turned to Aiden, his grin as wide as ever. “Holy crap Aiden!”
Before Aiden could say anything in response, he received another system notification:
Player Roderick has affected you with Field Marshal's Orders.
Field Marshal’s Orders has taken effect.
Following the notification, Rodericks’s voice followed again:
“All players! Full and final assault now!”
As Roderick’s voice rang out, it carried an undeniable authority that seemed to ignite the battlefield. Players surged forward as one, their collective roar shaking the air. The players moved with unified ferocity, what had begun as a desperate struggle to not die had been transformed into a single, relentless assault. Spells and arrows filled the air, finding targets still limping from Aiden’s talisman. The few surviving Lurkers hesitated, their twisted limbs faltering under the weight of the onslaught. This was no longer a desperate defense, it was a final, victorious push to reclaim the battlefield.
Aiden swayed slightly, still taking in what had just happened. “Yeah,” he said, his voice faint but triumphant. “I am pretty awesome.”
Winterhell smirked, helping steady him. “Don’t get cocky, bard. This fight isn’t over yet.”
Aiden nodded, summoning his trusty lute, joining his friends in their advance towards the remains of their enemy. With a bright smile, he gave Skal and Winterhell a bright smile, then before charging he simply spoke: “Let’s finish this.”