The stonelands were right in front of us. A midair turn, showed that the Ritualist was still keeping pace with us, about half a mile or kilometer behind. Stopping to think was just asking the Ritualist to catch up with us, but it would cut down on the monsters after us and his forces.

“I will take the lead, and clear a path,” Naran said and leapt away before I could respond. I let out a sigh of relief. That was the true power of teamwork. He stepped up exactly when he needed to, to save my behind. I knew I kept him around for a reason, I thought with a smile.

Naran smashed the metal spheres in our path, clearing the way, so I could focus on running as quickly as possible. I did another midair turn and saw that the Ritualist had not slowed down in the slightest. The great worms just formed a line and ran right over the boulders, crushing them down with their massive bulk.

It was probably a very unpleasant ride, but the Ritualist didn’t care nor his minions. The super worm that he was probably on would have a smooth ride over the road the Ritualist was making. I took a few minutes while running to consider slowing down and attempting to attack the monsters while we running away to try and thin the horde.

The problem with that strategy were the flying monsters. Clear type meant null, reducing stats, and suppressing skills. The Ritualist had created an army to counter my capabilities. I would have more success by gaining distance and getting to Purgatory before he arrived.

We would have to run through the night. Probably two, as I thought about the distance. We would show up the morning of day 534 if pushed non-stop. That would give Purgatory about a day’s warning. Enough to recall everyone they could. Which would be the hunting camps around Purgatory at best.

I also knew that Clarissa had prioritized refilling the City Shield with one million points before the store repair. If there was another attack without me, they would need the City Shield. As least we had that and could hold out for a day.

Danger! I did a midair turn and looked up as well. Those clear hawks. Acid Shot x4. “Air Burst!” They would take damage over time. Clear type was not immunity like these metal monsters. I dodged their dive attacks. They weren’t hybrids, and were only meant to annoy me.

I did another midair turn and gave two big middle fingers to the Ritualist. I had no doubt he would understand the sentiment I was trying to convey. Regardless, we were outpacing him through the stonelands. Level 3 zones were just as annoying to him as they were for me, small victories.

Soon we came to the teleporting swords. Naran kept pace with me here and we kept our speed to outpace the monsters’ attack. At least they didn’t teleport in front of us. This would be annoying for the Ritualist to deal with. Damage to his hybrids was the key factor now. It was a war of attrition.

“What do you think of the frostlands?” I asked Naran.

“Won’t work. Level 3 hybrids should resist the cold. Also, those worms look like they emit heat. He clearly can travel through the stonelands and will have done something for the frostlands. He needs to get those level 3 crystals from somewhere,” Naran said. My brain power was going to running or leaping with style.

“Lure a level 4 monster? He didn’t show a level 4 monster to intercept us,” I suggested.

“The trick is getting it to target him and not us. The golems would be perfect, but they are far away. And we don’t really understand the targeting mechanics of the Skittering Bladed Horror. If it chased after us and not the summons, we would be in trouble,” Naran said.

“We also can’t outrun it. Or at least I can’t,” I said with a sigh.

“I would consider it if it were the golems. But just pulling random level 4 monsters is asking for a heap of trouble,” Naran replied.

“Run across the foul river. All that smell compounded across his army would hurt him and be a huge distraction,” I said.

“Then we have to face chunk covered monsters controlled by the Ritualist. That is like adding wings to a tiger. Just making it even more deadly,” Naran countered. Hey, it was an idea, even if it wasn’t a good one.

“There is the issue of what direction we take, once we get far enough West. Do we turn South towards Fethee and Heba, or push onwards, directly for Purgatory?” I asked. This was a loaded question and the decision rested with Naran, since I would choose for both of us to keep running.

Stolen story; please report.

If we went towards them, the Ritualist could gain ground towards Purgatory by moving in a straight line. Their pace would be too slow for us to move at the full speed we needed to. If we didn’t go towards them, they could try returning to Purgatory and get up in the war, being killed by the Ritualist’s scouts.

If Naran went towards them on his own. He wouldn’t be able to support me in the upcoming battle. That was his choice. To save two teammates against protecting the entire city of Purgatory. Also, the Ritualist could swing South and possibly catch them, if he went towards Heaven first to replenish his supplies and numbers.

There was no clear-cut option on which one was best. That was why the decision ultimately rested with Naran. I was headed towards Purgatory regardless.

“I am going to them. We aren’t leaving teammates behind,” Naran said, and my heart sank.

“I understand. I suspect the Ritualist will attack from the East across the grassy field and then seek to envelope Purgatory. I don’t see how you will be able to easily get back. My advice would have Fethee and Heba set up camp at a far distance and you attempt to attack the Ritualist from behind, once he commits to sieging Purgatory,” I replied.

“I thought you would ask for me to go to Truth and get Governor General Gerold,” Naran said.

“His people would do nothing. Even if he has been guzzling crystals down non-stop, it would be a distraction at best, and more fuel for the Ritualist at worst. If…if Purgatory falls, we will regroup at our grinding spot East of Neo Brasilia.” The last sentence had been hard to say. But there was a chance I was going to lose. Planning our fallback point was key.

“You want to use the golems,” Naran said, knowing what I had planned as a last resort.

“Yes. Pull the Ritualist right into the tower. It will be chaos. If there are ten golems from each door. That is forty level 4 monsters, all at once. And who knows what else will come out with the horde he has. Just watch the tower empties out of all the golems,” I said.

“That is an option of last resort. A final plan. Alright. I will set up base to the Southeast of Purgatory in that case. Towards the wolf ruin dungeon, but probably beyond that a bit, in the next zone,” Naran replied.

“You will need to swing through Heaven for supplies if the Ritualist doesn’t follow you. Stock up. Since you won’t be able to reach Purgatory once we split,” I said.

“Sorry Michael. I-“

“It is fine Naran. I am not your boss. You need to do what you think is right. Don’t apologize,” I said.

“Well, when you win, it will be epic at least,” Naran said.

“It will. There will be songs of the Great Ritualist War,” I replied.

“Naming it after him?” Naran asked.

“Put all the blame on him as well. And he is a genius. I mean a consumption factory. I guess the saying insanity and genius are two sides of the same coin aren’t wrong,” I answered. We traveled in silence after that as the light source set in front of us.

Soon we reached the frostlands just as the last of the light left. Naran turned to the South. The mistlands nearby cutting off line of sight from the Ritualist’s army that was behind us. It was about three miles or two kilometers. I kept heading Southwest in a straight line for Purgatory.

The Ritualist chose to keep following me. I knew that would be the case. There really was no other option. We hated each other enough, that I could understand his choices from that perspective. He was going to kill me no matter what and let nothing stand in his way.

I noticed a pit ahead in the frozen landscape. A dungeon. I considered it for a moment and ran right by it. Naran was right. Poking level 4 monsters we didn’t know the targeting priorities for was incredibly dangerous and I couldn’t outrun them.

It was morning of day 533 when I ran past the giant dead tree of cats’ dungeon, the dungeon with Imbue Reform. At least the Ritualist wasn’t focused on skills. That would be really annoying if that was the case. I doubt he found the dungeon with how soon he left for the East Bastion. I shuddered to think what he could accomplish with such a multipurpose skill like that.

The Ritualist had fallen far behind during the night. My guess was that the frostlands slowed his army down or he chose to rest somewhere. But he had followed me not Naran. I wasn’t about to slow down and take a look. I needed to get back as quickly as possible.

I angled my run to follow the deadlands’ border with the shadowlands. I didn’t want to run into the striped meerkats. They would slow me down teleporting behind me and biting me. The red crystals were completely missed me with their fire beams. The black snakes were too slow to keep up and bite me.

I saw a hunting camp ahead. I quickly rushed into it. “Who is in charge?” I demanded of the first person I saw. They pointed me at a tent. I quickly entered and saw a man in a green uniform.

“You can’t just-Champion Michael!” The man quickly stood up.

“Recall everyone and evacuate to Purgatory. As quickly as possible. The Ritualist is approaching with a massive army. If you aren’t gone in half a day, you will be dead. Any nearby camps send runners to. Alert everyone in your path to return immediately. Do you understand?” I asked.

“Um, but people are in the field! It is only afternoon!” The man began to panic. I reached out and grabbed his shoulders.

“Then hurry. There is little time. The Ritualist is right on my tail. Understand!”

“Yes Champion Michael!”

“Good, I am returning to Purgatory. Hurry quickly,” I said and left. That was all I could do to deny the Ritualist resources in his war path. It was night when hit the grasslands, and I was tired, both physically and mentally for running for so long, but I couldn’t stop.

I kept running for Purgatory. Hopefully I would have at least a day. Then the real battle would begin.