As the Queen and her company cleared the gates, Auron grabbed the bridge of his nose to quell the pain roiling around his head. Zander's emotions flashed back and forth between fear and rage at a level that Auron could barely comprehend. The veritable windstorm of passionate response was on the verge of overwhelming him entirely. The emotions washed over his own consciousness, disoriented him, and froze him in place temporarily.

Halted completely by this unexpected assault on his conscious, Auron could not even activate his own magic. All he could do was watch the events and hope Zander would quell his own fervor.

The Queen marched on, undaunted by the bloody fighting all around her. Flanking her were three other individuals that Auron assumed had great wealth or importance. Two of them were dressed in a dark purple armor that seemed to produce a light of its own, and the other was a short man wearing armor that looked as if it was made of pure gold. Auron's eyes activated as he watched them rip through the monsters standing in their path as if they were paper.

Reagent King Thune Brighton Enhancer lvl ??

This man stood around Auron's height, but his bulk put even Gregory to shame. His muscles swelled, and he did not even pull the large man-sized blades strapped in an X on his back. He just pushed through the monsters tossing them far from his path with backhands and punches.

Regent Queen Yu Yan Mind mage lvl ??

As the Queen walked out, she smiled and waved to the Guards on the wall, eliciting several joyful cheers. Even the Guild members locked in battle cheered. With the celebration happening all around them, Auron became excited as well. They were saved.

Pulling a purple mist interspaced with specks of grey energy, she raised her hands up toward the sky, her movements swayed gracefully, as if dancing. The regal woman then brought her body down lightly, pressing both palms into the ground.

At this, A line of humanoid creatures made of dirt rose out of the earth.

The summoned earth beings, walking mindlessly, created two lines, linking their arms to make an uncrossable divide. Holding the path open to the gates for the Royals, the mud creations kept monsters from entering the hallway formed by their lines. Their muddy bodies lined with rocks withstood all biting and slashing thrown at them.

Princess: Ying Yue Enchantress lvl 15

Auron could not make out the princess's face from this distance, but he could see she had long black hair tied in a ponytail that reached her lower back. His eyes did not linger on her hair for long because she was carrying a spiked great-hammer so large it looked as if no one he had ever seen could possibly lift it.

Running forward ahead of the group, she swung the hammer through a Cyclop's body as if it was hollow. The cracking sounds coming from the bones of both it and the unfortunate monsters to its sides were evidence to the contrary. These monsters were built sturdily, the attack held so much force; it made them look as if they were crafted from kindling. Another yellow flash and a sicking squelch ripped Auron's attention away from the Warhammer wielding woman.

Walter Plutus Assassin knight lvl ??

Auron felt something was off in the mannerisms of this man. He seemed to vibrate in place as he ran up and down the paths that the Royals took. Twin blades he held flashed so quickly Auron could only make out a blur as he made sure no blood or monster would touch the king and Queen.

Shortly after they reached the cyclops line, a man dressed in black plate armor appeared in front of the princess. As if jumping through the warp gates, he manifested out of thin air. As soon as he arrived, he began to block any incoming attacks with a shield as tall as his body.

Longwei Lui Warp paladin lvl ??

Auron's view of this man was blocked by the horde of monsters between them, but he could hear his battle shouts as he stopped an explosion thrown at the princess. In retaliation, the man raised a hand slowly. Sufficed with power, his arm gave off a black glow with steaks of yellow sparks. Closing his hand tightly, the offending monster's head was crushed as if it was inside the black-armored hand.

Auron's heart soared at the royals' arrival, even though Zander seemed to fear them; maybe he was mistaken. He watched as they tore a hole through the line of fish like monsters and obliterated all of the Ballistic Cyclops Auron could understand the fear at their tremendous power. The fighting and elimination of the wicked creatures did not even seem like it excited the Royals and their companions.

When the last Cyclops fell to the princess's hammer, they simply turned back toward the kingdom gates and began marching back. The princess clearly wanted to continue fighting, but the man in black armor placed a hand on her arm and said something in her ear. With what looked like reluctance from Auron's perspective, she turned and followed her parents' way.

With their path maintained by the golems, they had no trouble quickly making it back to the gate. As they left, the men on the walls and the Guild members cheered. The positive response to being abandoned was in direct contrast to the horror wrapping its way around Auron's gut. Monsters began ripping their way into the foolishly cheering men and women.

The Guild members were still under attack, leaving Auron even more baffled at the scene. As they were referred to, the "Royals" only seemed to care about the damage done to the kingdom. The Queen turned and gave a dainty wave at her brother Gregory as the monsters turned the battle's tide.

The remaining 30 angler monsters continued their assault with enthusiasm at the powerful people's disappearance, and Auron felt nausea as he finally regained control of his body. So much blood, there did not seem to be many more casualties, but limbs and flesh were torn asunder. They were all going to die out here. Calling on Zander again, Auron felt no response. After a delay, his familiar finally replied to his plea.

[They can not know I am with you.] Zander sent simply, his voice gruff with emotion, and stopped replying to Auron.

Cursing the cowardice of his familiar, Auron decided he would do everything he could to save who he could. A moment later, Gregory let out a battle cry and sheered two monstrosities in half with a swing. The man seemed to triple his effort in the battle, and the individuals fighting around him fought harder because of it.

The Guild members began rallying around their valiant leader, and it began to look as if all was not lost. The larger group of guild members took this momentum, and the tide started to turn. Survivalists were rushing around in a flurry, drowning their allies in black fluid to boost their health.

Split into two groups, Auron cast his eyes over at the smaller group. Worried that without someone like Gregory one their side, they would be in trouble. He frantically tried to see around the moving bodies of monsters and men. His fears looked to be true because the two five-member groups were slowly being surrounded, blood covered on every inch of them. Their backs to the wall on the far side of the gate, they used their dwindling energy to keep the anglers' teeth away.

Auron heard what sounded like a cracking noise snapping through the air and looked back toward where all of the Cyclops were killed.

Horrified his mouth dropped open. The Fiend from his vision was back in all of her deadly glory. She was not alone.

Shifting mantis poachers x 60

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lvl 4 danger level mid colors Blue/Grey, Blue/Black. These monsters shift their appendages at will. Generally, they lack intelligence and only seek to fill their stomachs with the flesh of anything unfortunate enough to enter their attack range, even their own ilk. Given time, they propagate new members from torn off chunks of their brethren. Their low level is misleading. These creatures wrap their weapons in mana that increases slicing ability. This, paired with their ability to replicate makes them even more deadly.

Without thinking, Auron dismissed the message and brought green mana to his palm. He knew the devastation a boss monster was capable of. Zanders's warnings about fiends served to exacerbate that worry.

Leaving his assigned group's relatively safe area, he used a wind blast to launch himself in an arc toward the two groups of members currently being overrun by the monsters.

As Auron soared upward, he noticed three figures charging from the wall's side that held the institute. Auron recognized these three, though he had never truly met them.

Moving like an arrow through the air Auron collided with one of the fish-like creatures dagger first.

Slicing hard into its flesh, the creature only seemed to be enraged by the blow. The Amphibious Angler turned to face its attacker and was about to start savaging Auron when an arrow fired directly into its eye finished it.

Looking back, Auron spotted a man with a red bandage covering his eyes. The archer was standing on top of one of the Guard towers, and he frantically waved at Auron while a menacing smile gripped his face. Weirded out by the display, Auron barely dived away from the approaching maw of an angler.

The man atop the wall turned his attention to the approaching scythe armed mantis men, he and several others on the wall commenced firing. Thanking the man silently to himself, Auron turned toward the group he was trying to save.

Ripping through most of the anglers and subsequently, all of the wounded guild members guarding her, Silvia was left surrounded and alone. She punched one of the beasts and dived under its blades. With the movement, the young warrior touched its shoulder, infusing it with mana. With a kick, she slammed it backward, and it stuck into another that it hit. Throwing her metal ring upward, her hands glowed with silver energy. The circle expanded and fell down toward a group of beings. As she clapped her hands together, the band tightened and ripped them apart.

As her hands were together, one of the bladed beasts cut deep into her wrists. A soft grunt of pain is all she let out at the wound. Auron ran toward her, but he knew it would be too late. Using another wind blast, he launched himself toward her. Closing half the distance, he could only watch as another creature ripped its weapon down Silvia's back.

As she reeled from that attack, another ripped into her neck. Auron screamed as he slammed into the ground as he landed. Rolling forward, he threw himself up, a small part of him knew it was too late. The distance was still too far. He had no close enough to support him. His leg muscles screamed at the effort moving required. The battle had been too long.

Rage. Rage and helpless ruled Auron's world. He stopped running and watched his friend drop to the fatal wound. No dungeon madness could have matched the mind-numbing waves of turmoil that currently flowed through him. A wall of creatures stood the final few yards between where his friend now lay dying. Auron felt as if he was in a nightmare. He ripped his blade into the neck of an approaching mantis.

Mechanically he slew everything in his path. He had to reach her. With his healing mana, he could do something. Anything.

For what felt like an eternity, he hacked and slashed at the bug-like monstrosities. When he reached Sylvia, her lifeless eyes stared at the sky, her hair framed her pale face. Even in death, her beauty made Auron lose his breath.

Why. Why was he not able to save her. He had magic, and he was getting stronger. It was not enough.

Auron felt everything around him still to silence as he stared at her. No longer aware of the sound of metal slicing through flesh, arrows thunking from bows or the screams of the monsters, and men fighting. Auron cast healing gale on her as his tears begged to fall. The wind rushed out of him and washed over her.

Warning, you can not heal a corpse.

Corpse. The term felt so impersonal and cruel. The word burned through him. He had hated his weakness ever since he was ravaged by that rat in the dungeon. He hated it for himself. Now his pathetic lack of strength had cost the life of a friend.

She was alive just moments ago. She was more than the lifeless husk that laid before him. "You can not heal a corpse" Auron's insides were a storm. Rage at the indifference of the Royals and the monsters that now laid dead at his sides.

Hearing more screams brought him back to reality. There was a reason he was not being swarmed by attackers.

Whipping his head back to see there were still survivers on this side of the battle.

Leon sent small explosive rocks out as his group bravely fought. His explosions simultaneously delayed the monsters and attracted their attention. A line of the insectoids stayed back from the magical blasts, but as more came, they were pushed forward.

It took every ounce of his willpower to pull away from Sylvia, but Leon was still alive. He could do something. Auron went to activate his last wind blast when a blue and red flash worked its way through the air and into his body. His magic fizzled out.

Debuff: Magical abilities will not activate for 30 seconds. Connection to abilities will cost twice the mana and will have half of the power output for the remainder of the battle.

Ripping open the creature attacking him and pushed off of it with a kick. Cursing its ability and his lack of battle awareness.

The three from the institute had halved the distance, but Auron knew they would not make it in time. As he pumped his legs crossing the space, a battle cry from the larger group of guild members signaled they had defeated their Anglers group.

Their cheers turning to shouts of rage as they became able to see the decimated smaller group of guild members. As they ran to flank, the Fiend and bug monsters, a glint on his wrist, caught Auron's eye. Even though he had not used it before, Auron willed his pack summoning bracelet to activate. Even with his mana lessened, he still could use the item. Runescript of varying letters written in black ink began to bleed out of the magical item.

Bracelet activated. Creatures in the amount of one half of your level can be summoned. At this time that will be 4 creatures of these one will be assigned as a permanent commander. Their mana colors will be random. To accept, slam the script into a surface to activate the summon.

Auron momentarily stopped his dash forward and slammed his palm down on the ground. The runes bled out from his palm, forming three identical circles, and one larger one. Four creatures leaped out, but Around was already running again. Sprinting to his sides, baboons started to run with him. They were different from the wild animals that he had fought previously. Their eyes contained a level of intelligence different from that of a beast. Each of them was also wearing dark leather vests with a matching insignia Auron could not make out. Putting an arm over their chests as they ran, they then dipped their heads slightly as if awaiting an order. Their fur held what Auron believed to be an indication of their mana. Two yellow, one blue, and a slightly larger one that had a black coat of hair.

"Help them!" Auron shouted. In response, three of the apes leaped forward and began smashing their firsts into the enemy. Auron heard a voice in his head as the fourth one hit an enemy approaching from the side, its blades swiping wildly as the ape crushed it down into the ground with its glowing back fists.

[They can enhance their own bodies with mana at your command, but in the future, they will be more useful if you can provide a rock or other sufficient mana for them to pour their powers into.] The larger monkey spoke the message into Auron's mind.

Auron had no time to be surprised by the intelligence and power that this creature's voice radiated. He knew it was speaking the truth as the blue ape was quickly taken down by a group of the scythe-wielding insectoids its form dissipating into a mist and heading back into Auron's bracelet.

The two other apes seemed much more physically competent, their yellow mana increasing their speed and consequently their survive-ability. They lessened the pressure on the group, but he knew the results would only be temporary.

Auron watched as he ran toward the group. They were now boxed in completely their backs against the Kingdom walls. The archers above, unable to aid them as easily at such a close distance.

Teeth and bladed arms ripped into Leon's group's tank, his shield partially destroyed from the earlier explosions.

Auron had almost reached them when another monkey suffered a fatal hit and disappeared into a mist.

He wouldn't make it in time. His friend was going to die, just like Sylvia.

No.

Auron's entire existence seemed to reject the idea of his own failure as he felt his core light up with energy.

While he took breath, he would not allow any more death today. Exploding out of him, a mist of multicolored mana spread out into an orb at his front.

Instinctively he gripped it with both hands. The power melded with his intention and wrapped around his shoulders, the magical material flowed as if made of real fabric.

A timer indicating his debuff reached zero as he launched himself up and over the wall of monsters. Using his final wind blast, he opened up a hole along the border. Auron had more left in him. The usual pull strain on his mana bar and the feeling of the magic being limited were gone. Breathing deeply, he felt a connection to the ambient mana in the air. He also felt each and every one of the men and women currently engaged in battle around him.

Charging up both of his hands with wind blasts, he decimated the monsters to either side of him.

Now in sight of the team and a path to escape, he turned to them.

"Run!" He shouted the command to the awestruck team of guild members. Their awe turned Quickly into the blank stare Auron associated with blood magic taking over as they stood as still as statues. "I SAID RUN!" Auron Roared as his cape flared brilliantly to life, scattering every color imaginable. The light coming off of him seemed to shred through whatever had taken their minds, and they quickly obliged.

Auron now stood between the six guild members and twenty monsters. His only thoughts focused on not letting any more of his people die.

As they swiftly retreated following Auron's command, the remaining yellow monkey appeared at his side in a flash, and the two rained fists and dagger strikes together, holding the overwhelming line.

From the rear, Auron could hear his commander monkey smashing its way through the monsters its sounds full of primal rage.

The commander apes fists thrown up to the sky only to smash back down, creating monster pancakes. A bladed arm ripped through the monkey on Auron's side and continued through the summoned animal cutting deep into Auron's left shoulder. Tracing his blade down the attacker's arm in retaliation, he ripped himself free from the weapon.

A good deal of blood and twenty percent of his health bar came out with it. He could not face this tide alone. His class was not built to be a front line fighter.