[Book II Chapter 147] REAGAN: Nightmares
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The shadows slithered together and shot into the sky. They coalesced into a grim figure who lifted his hand and fired a cannon ball of darkness towards Yuria Raven. Reagan intervened, jumping in its path and solidifying his aura into an impenetrable armor.
The impact send him crashing through a building, knocking him momentarily senseless. When he pulled himself out of the rubble, a spiral of orange and black was weaving erratically across the battlefield. Suddenly, Kara went flying out of it, smashing into the ground. The Nightmare King brandied its great sword triumphantly, spreading its wings. He’s too much even for her to handle alone.
The supreme primal was every bit the monster he was reported to be, capable of shifting between three forms: armored black knight, a feral brawler covered in darkness, and cloaked mage wielding fearsome magics. Worse, he’d periodically separate into two of these forms and fight simultaneously.
Reagan leap onto the nearest building, and a gust of snow assaulted him. They were fighting in the slums outside Neon, on the Evermist’s edge. Astra Skyfell had frozen a wide area into an ice sheet. Now the fog pushing towards them was transformed into tiny flakes of ice, coating everything in a layer of white.
Reagan grimaced. Despite the chill, he could smell it in the air, the stench of blood. Although a warning had been issued, not everyone had made it out in time. This is a miserable place to make a stand. Even though Neon boasted first rate wards, they couldn’t make use them. A constant flow of refugees had created a vast populated region outside the city proper, and it was over the makeshifts structures along its border that a row of shielders hovered.
Arland’s fleet was doing its best to shoot down bat-winged creatures in the sky, while security forces and adventurers held back at the ground-bound moonlit denizens. Despite these efforts, some were getting through whenever the Nightmare Kings tore a hole in their overstretched defenses. Spider-like monsters were also burying underground to reach their prey.
Reagan shook his head at the legions of deformed figures emerging from the mist. Sorry, but we have our hands full with their leader. He leaped and delivered a tremendous blow to the Nightmare King, pushing him back.
Shouts rang out below, and he risked a glance to see the macabre army assaulting them being decimated. On one side, the heroic spirits of Garreth Black were sweeping the battlefield, laying waste to everything in their path. On the other, some unseen whirlwind of death was sending body parts flying in all directions.
The Nightmare King hung back, taking stalk of these developments. He then shot back as a series of blinding white explosion chased after him. Stopping to glare with hate towards the gunman responsible for the attack, he dove back into the fog from which he’d emerged.
Immediately the area around them brightened. The moonlit denizens, basking in the unsuppressed light from the bloom above, shrieked in pain and confusion before fleeing wildly. It’s over for now.
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Reagan joined the other immortals on the highest building in the slums. Astra stood at the center to address them. “I’d like to express my gratitude to all those who rushed to Neon’s defense, especially the last three arrivals.”
She nodded her head. “Garreth Black, Clay Donnaster… Good to see you both.” She then turned to a tall masked man in their midst. “I don’t believe I’ve made your acquaintance, which is somewhat odd…”
“The name is Darius.” The man replied. “I was with your daughter Free when Adam Bishop sacrificed himself to summon the Nightmare King.”
Astra’s eyes narrowed. “Please recount what you witnessed.”
They listened to a brief summary of the events in the Undermist. “This is far from over.” Darius finished. “What we faced this time were only the monsters which could easily climb or fly up the well from Nolfis. The Nightmare King will return after gathering the slower ones and rallying the sovereigns busy hunting the Evermist. We have an hour or two before the next onslaught.”
“Understood.” Astra sighed and faced Reagan. “I arrived mid battle. Tell me what transpired in the Evermist.”
“A completely preventable tragedy.” Reagan growled, his anger raw. “Even after my lobbying about the danger——”
“Give me the specifics.” Astra cut in.
He calmed himself. “In response to my warnings, Viacore choose to construct a barrier over the well to Nolfis while continuing the collection of dark crystals. This magic defense was meant to last at least an hour, giving Grimvale the time to evacuate, but it only took three minutes for the Nightmare King to break through. A single train load of people escaped, and this, in great part, was due to the swift actions of your son and daughter, Wise and Dawn Skyfell. The fate of other settlements is unknown.”
The roof shook as a large armored man landed. “Apologies for my tardiness.” Said Samuel Horn, Arland’s earth-affinity paragon. “I was overseeing the refugee problem.”
“And what is being done about it?” Astra asked.
“We’ve tripled the personnel at checkpoints.” Samuel answered. “However, our stricter screening process is slowing admittances to a crawl.”
“Then drop your screening process.” Reagan gestures to crowds filling the streets near Neon’s shields. “There are millions in need of shelter. If those Nightmares break through, it’ll be a slaughter.”
“Impossible.” Samuel said firmly. “We are already fending off an all-out invasion from the Moonlit Lands. If Kaygren were to launch one of his own at the same time, it’s be catastrophic. We can’t afford more fang ninja infiltrators, not to mention the likes of Amare Vitiose. Our vetting stays.”
His voice softened. “There is a better solution. We’ve cordoned off a large sections of the docks and set pathways for people to enter without restrictions. This way they can pile in as fast as we can load them onto airships. It would allow hundreds of thousands to reach safety.”
“Unfortunately, Oliver Brack still isn’t cooperating, even at this juncture. We have dozens of ships ready to go, but he refuses to increase the numbers allowed to dock there.”
“What?!” Yuria exclaimed, livid. She pointed at Samuel. “Sends the ships you have ready to go. I’m heading to Novgard to beat some sense into that bastard.”
They watched her angrily jump away. “That’s one issue dealt with.” Samuel declared. “Astra, marshaling further reinforcements is in your hands. I’m going to build us some proper fortifications for the next wave of monsters.” He too departed.
“On this topic…” Garreth Black stepped forwards. “I am not able to participate further in Neon’s defense.”
Astra frowned. “Why?”
“It was Sarah Godspeed who brought me to the Twin Cities.” Garreth explained. “According to her, there is a second threat brewing, no less dire than the one from the Moonlit Lands. Once they are done investigating the details, my help will be needed to thwart it.”
“As bad as the Nightmare King?” Astra asked incredulously.
“The Laughing Man is involved.” Garreth replied simply.
Astra grimaced. “Lily better get here soon.”