Archers were meant to stay behind, meant to hide for the right moment to strike the enemy. Aloy had learned to climb the trees of the forest and wait in the branches for hours in complete focus. It was the style of fighting she had used throughout most of her life. And now? Now she was asked to do the complete opposite.
“Move it,” she commanded the guards nearby. One of their own had died in the early morning but that was no reason to ignore the schedule. The [Warden] had left them with a task and she would be making sure it was fulfilled.
A small bridge had been further down the river to allow for easy access to the new [Dungeon]. With the limited space on the side, the cave rested on, the camp set-up was entirely focused on the opposite side. It wasn’t a problem at the current moment, but there were talks about creating something more permanent for crossing the river. While the current, wooden bridge was fine for the needs at the moment, Aloy had no love for how much it creaked while the force walked across it.
“Are the fronts in formation?” Aloy questioned the next-in-command. The Hunter normally looked to the larger man as her superior but she had been designated leader due to her prior experience with the area and monsters within, however, limited it might have been.
“The [Shield-Carriers] are aligned as requested,” the [Guard] explained. The man stood with his warhammer casually, Aloy eyeing to make sure it was never too close to her. It was moved with ease but it easily had a weight twice her own. “The [Fire Mage] is preparing their assault as planned.”
Aloy nodded at the report, overlooking the group ahead. She would join them soon but the entrance had to be cleared first. The [Miners] needed access without any chance of death before they could move closer, after all.
And somebody needed to make sure they didn’t try and run while the path was being cleared for them. Aloy had to look back at the ones sitting on the grass looking bored, each having been issued a standard-quality Mining-Pickaxe. They had all been procured through a few local vendors making them slightly different for each. There weren't a lot of opportunities to use them locally, making the number of available gear limited.
Ignoring the group of ten bored prisoners, for now, the [Hunter] went back to look upon the advancing group. The shields in front had been raised, making it hard for anything to attack from that side. The left and right sides of the group were being watched by warriors equipped with a mix of axes, swords, and a few more hammers. Right in the middle of the group, however, was the most important asset that could be used. A certain fire-mage by the name of Ronda.
The day-to-day guards had entered the Dungeon’s Domain, the only tree worth keeping attention to starting its movement instantly. The branches on it swayed more than the wind should have allowed and they were being affected by gravity a bit too much. The low-hanging branches were closer to the dirt than anything should have done naturally. Aloy didn’t have to guess that it would perhaps try and trip any of those close by.
There were other trees in the area, some larger than others, but only two trees were important to the current operation. The dangerous one and the one that needed to be protected no matter what. Each was mere meters away from the other and could very likely cause the other much damage. This also meant that any attempt at attacking either could have the unintended effect of hurting the one meant to be protected.
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“They are ready to fire,” the [Commander] relayed. With the distance, the group would have normally been without a leader but a certain communication-based skill worked wonders in closing that distance.
“Then let the fire flow,” Aloy commanded, the one beside her quick to send out the order. With no hesitation, a glowing red flame spouted out an opening in the middle of the front shields. It was thin but spread out perfectly when impacting the tree not too far away.
Because of the danger to the nearby tree, it had been heavily debated if the use of the [Fire Mage] had been a good idea. A few suggested trying to get the guards to fight the larger creature themselves. And while this was not heavily rejected at first, the mage had most certainly been included during the last-minute changes. Too many of the guards had been nervous about the possible dangers. And the reported ease of which those branches could kill wasn’t exactly something enticing for many.
The tree did fight with all its might, swinging wildly just about everywhere it could. A few hits came upon the fruit-bearing one next to it but no extensive damage was made. Only the rising smoke and the parts thrown towards the guards’ group were of note.
Turning the bark into ash was a quick process only strengthened by the ongoing flames towards it. The longer [Casting-Time] showed its benefits as the [Fire Mage] was able to uphold the flame for more than thirty seconds straight. By the end, the tree had stopped all movement, a chunk of its middle seen. It was all burnt. The tree was dead, singed beyond survivability.
“Lure out the otters and kill them before we proceed,” Aloy ordered, not wanting to take chances with them. They had no attacks listed other than their use of water, making the Hunter wary of what they were capable of. Having not wanted the miners to get damaged or incapacitated from those smaller creatures alone, it was imperative that they were disposed of.
The water-based creatures were quick to attack when the shield carriers stepped close, jumping at the shields like death was behind them. Little did they know it was in front of them as well. The monsters tried their best to attack the men behind the wooden boards yet they were cut from the top before they had any chance of digging through the enchanted oak.
A spear and sword through their heads made quick work of them, allowing the group to progress once again. Another wall of shields was established in front of the cave entrance. They stayed their ground, for now, ready to intercept any surprise-horde.
“Move the miners forward,” Aloy ordered. The three guards that had stayed behind made the group rise, much to the complaint of the prisoners who had grown lazy. Not being forced to do menial labour within brick walls were having negative effects on their discipline. Shouting was needed if that continued inside the Dungeon.
Gathering towards the entrance in full, Aloy counted twenty-five heads in total. With the miners taken out, it was only fifteen of which fourteen could fight at their full power. The mage they had brought along would only be good after either a few hours or an [Mana Potion]. The first couldn’t be waited for and the latter wouldn’t be done without a very good reason for it. Aloy hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“The men are ready to move,” the [Commander] let her know. With a silent nod, the go-ahead was given and the group headed inside, ready to meet whatever foes the Dungeon had set before them.
Drawing her bow, Aloy prepared herself to use whatever was necessary to make sure the operation went well. The prison was counting on this working out without a hassle and she would not let those dreams become ruined.
A [Skill] has been improved!
You have understood [Leadership] more deeply
Wasn’t that something? The woman had gotten the skill earlier that morning so she supposed a rank-up should have been quick to follow. Not that she let it distract her. The darkness ahead would be able to hide too many threats.
Activating her talisman, the cave around her lit up in bright colours, the horde coming ever closer showing themself from a distance. Nocking an arrow, the ranged fight began in earnest.