I went to the top of the Airship Port. “The situation?” I asked Clarissa and General Smith.

“No issues with other people and their dreams, but we are keeping a lookout for any issues,” General Smith replied. I nodded at that.

“General!” A soldier ran up and saluted. “Alert across all gates. Hybrids are pushing into the city from all directions.

“Confirmed?!” He quickly asked back.

“Yes sir. Multiple reports are coming in now, but have a fully city invasion happening right now,” the soldier said. I considered the situation and let out another long sigh. I had been doing that a lot recently.

“What are you thinking Michael?” Clarissa asked me. I noted the General turn towards me as well.

“The Ritualist must think he has a way to counter the city shield. That is the only explanation for such a move. After last night, I suspect he will implant orders to his hybrids to hide within the city once we activate the City Shield. Hunting them all down will be troublesome,” I replied.

“What is the total count of the invasion?” General Smith asked.

“Only 200 from each gate,” the soldier replied. The Ritualist wasn’t fully committing. Just forcing enough of his troops into to force us to use the City Shield to wipe out a bit less than half of his remaining army. He would have about 1,000 to 1,200 hybrids left, the super worm, and himself.

“Can we hold?” I asked Clarissa.

“Not easily. After the beating we took yesterday, our losses would be critical. We have to use the City Shield to preserve our strength, but the timing is the question,” Clarissa said.

“If we activate it now, then the monsters will be on the outskirts, less likely to cause an issue at the plaza, but harder to get to,” General Smith said.

“Or we wait and lure them in close and then defeat them at much greater risk,” Clarissa offered an alternative. They were clearly leaving the decision in my hands. Both options had their good and bad points. Whatever I decided it could easily decide the flow and eventual outcome of this war.

“We lure them in. Travel time is no joke, and we need to create separation between the Ritualist’s forces to defeat them in detail. Any movement from the Ritualist himself?” I asked.

“No movement reported Champion,” the soldier quickly said.

“Very well, we will hold. Ring the bells. I need to make arrangements to our defenses and squads to hunt down the monsters,” General Smith said, giving me a quick salute, a nod to Clarissa and then leaving.

“Holding up?” I asked her.

“I should be asking you that. I am not suited for this kind of thing,” Clarissa said and went over to a chair and took a seat. I joined her as I sat on another chair.

“Well, things seem to be going reasonably well,” I said.

“If you don’t think about how much we are hemorrhaging each day. No incoming crystals, spending like there is no tomorrow. I know it is all necessary, but there are no winners in war,” Clarissa said.

“Well, the Ritualist appears to be committing and not running,” I said.

“And if he does run and this happens again? Can you stop him?” Clarissa asked me.

“Depends on how much of his army he retreats with. That super worm he has is trouble, I know it. With his dream attacks, and everything else, well…” I trailed off and looked around. We had space but I spoke quietly. “The Ritualist has two lives, or a second phase.”

“What?” Clarissa asked, confusion all over her normally stoic face.

“He has implanted level 4 crystals into his body. If he takes a enough damage, we are most likely looking at him turning into a combination level 4 hybrid,” I said.

“I…see. That is disturbing. So don’t let up once we get him down?” Clarissa asked.

“Yes. I am more worried about all the esoteric attacks he will have. Whatever trump cards I know you are hiding and have told me about, that will be the time to use them,” I said.

“I will, don’t worry. I already have several things planned if the situation turns desperate in order to turn it around,” Clarissa replied, and I nodded at that. “Not going to pry?”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“It isn’t hard to make some educated guesses. I have seen the accounting books after all and numbers don’t lie,” I replied.

“So, you know. I thought you would be upset.” I smiled at her and shook my head.

“A small amount for a person, but in the grand scheme, can turn the tide at a crucial moment. Smart to keep it a secret until the last moment. While unlikely for the Ritualist to find out, I would never have thought Ruth would have betrayed us as well to the man,” I said and clenched my hands into fists.

“Anyone talking about defecting has been executed. And we have eyes in the sky to watch for that thing. Still no one has actually made a run for it yet,” Clarissa said.

“Surprising. But fear is quite a powerful thing. Fear will keep the people in line,” I said.

“Fear of you or fear of the Ritualist?” Clarissa asked me.

“Yes,” I said with a grin, and she rolled her eyes at my non-answer. The bells were ringing I saw people moving about in the plaza down below. “It looks like the moment is fast approaching,” I said.

“It is. I am not looking forward to this. So many monsters left to kill. The sheer numbers are appalling. Perhaps…well, are you considering something similar?” I asked Clarissa.

“And who would we trust? There are mental effects from summons and hybrids. That many, will unbalance any person. And if what you said about embedding level 4 crystals inside of him, that is a weapon we could easily lose control of. I didn’t forget your commandment, to not create another Ritualist,” Clarissa replied.

“Fair, fair. Just brainstorming over here,” I said and held my hands off in defeat.

“Brainstorming you say. Well, I don’t want to go through this again. Ever,” Clarissa said.

“No arguments from me. I go for the head now and melt it just to be sure,” I replied.

“Anyways, your plan?” Clarissa asked me.

“To wait. Maybe go out and hunt hybrids. But I need to know what the Ritualist does before acting. He clearly has some plan related to the City Shield. Once I know what it is, then I can act,” I answered.

“Fair enough. Hopefully Naran is okay, that idiot,” Clarissa said.

“Is that affection I hear?” I asked her.

“No, just the desire for another high level combatant to put between me and a horrible death,” Clarissa answered without hesitation. I just grinned at her, and she shook her head at my antics.

General Smith came back over. “Only ten minutes before the leading hybrids reach the plaza, no movement from the Ritualist. The City Shield?” He asked and Clarissa looked at me and I nodded.

“Blue flag with white circle,” Clarissa said to one of her guards. He nodded and draped the flag off the side of the tower. I went over to the side of the tower and looked at the North street. I could see the small horde of hybrids coming.

“Cut all summons! Cut all summons!” The cry went up across the tower and then the city. I saw summons dusting in the sky as their tethers were cut.

Right after that a hum sounded out from everywhere, all at once. I could feel in my very bones began to rise up across the city. Like we were in the middle of a car engine that was revving. A great pressure hit my chest as the air was forced out of my lungs as the city lost color. Everything moved into grayscale and the hum disappeared.

A glowing white dome snapped over the city Purgatory. I kept my eyes on the hybrids the Ritualist was sending to see how they reacted. They stumbled slightly and then kept rushing forward. “Full spread North!” the General called out and I moved out of the way as soldiers rushed forward.

“RADIANT BEAM!” Twelve cries went up as a wave of heat, light, and fire exploded from the top of the Airship Port, striking the North street beyond the inner wall. They had clearly discussed their targeting before, since the beams struck from the front to the back of the horde past on the soldier’s position left to right. It was the little things like that, that really made a difference.

Around half of the 200 hybrids were either seriously injured or dead. “I will go to the East, if there is no aerial or surprise attack,” I said to General Smith. He nodded at that and then quickly departed on the elevator to see to the defenses. I scanned the skies and the ground, nothing. Time to repel this attack. I leapt off the Airship Port, kicking off the side once again, aiming for the East street where the buildings were wrecked.

“Air Burst.” I quickly landed at the plaza and then made my way over to the East portion of the inner wall. It was all rubble. A cheer went up from the soldiers which was quickly taken up by the people who were here.

“Champion Michael, how do you wish us to deploy?” A Captain of the RMPF ran up to and asked me with a quick salute.

“I will take point. I can probably take out around 20 to 30 on my own. Use that time period to flank and take out as many possible while I draw their attention,” I replied.

“Yes sir,” he saluted me again and ran off. I turned towards the horde that was approaching and drew my sword. I hated using it. I much preferred my skills, but I wasn’t past the point of melee just yet. There was some color with the monsters, here and there, most often from wounds or blood or their eyes. Everything else was black and white like the rest of the city while the City Shield was active.

Acid Shot x10. Acid Shot x10. A frontal charge like this was a bad idea. I aimed the second wave of acid high to strike behind the front line. The hybrids crumpled to the ground. Some of the metal men pushed forward, but even they were struggling as they slowly melted.

Arrows rained down into the horde of hybrids. “Spears! Push!” People came up the mound of rubble with spears in a line and pushed around me and forward. The charge of the hybrids had been broken. More arrows flew overhead. I kicked off the ground, soaring over people’s heads. I landed on top of one of the hybrids and kicked downwards.

Their head deformed and partially ruptured as I darted forward. Acid Shot x2. I aimed for tight clumps that were forming, taking out multiple hybrids. An arrow hit me but just bounced off my armor. I leapt onto another head, crushing it downwards.

I cleared the horde and landed at the rear. I swung out with my sword. A metal man blocked the attack with its arm. Acid Shot. I leapt backwards and tossed away my bent weapon. “Forward! FORWARD!” The cry went up as the people holding spears pushed forward into the hybrids and down the hill of melted rubble.

Acid Shot. Acid Shot. I took my time to aim and wiped out some more hybrids. There was a breakthrough by the forces of Purgatory. The remaining hybrids were quickly pinned down and killed. I kicked off the ground and made my way towards the South inner wall while cheers went up in my wake.