Chapter 106 - Golden Threads

[Sam]

Sam pushed through the city towards the main gate, Sarah and a group of U.F.E. elites in tow. If he had to guess, their group was facing the most resistance. Crowen soldiers dive bombed out of the air en masse or cut them off at every crossing. Luckily, Sam’s group happened to be the biggest. Their mission was the most important - opening the city gates and bringing down the barrier so their awaiting army could get a foothold inside the city.

They arrived at the gate with minimal difficulty, obliterating any crowen that impeded their path. Sam wasn’t expecting a group of other adventurers to be waiting for him when he arrived, though. A surprising number of adventurers had sided with the Crowen empire. Why, Sam had no idea, but they did. It looked like whatever remained from Rodeo’s insane raiding parties had gathered up to defend the gates.

Sam grit his teeth in frustration. Fighting Crowen soldiers could be considered easy when compared to facing against other adventurers. The Crowen soldiers were predictable, had the same move sets and abilities, and he had become quite familiar in countering them. Aside from the occasional elite, there wasn’t too much to worry about when fighting against them, aside from their numbers.

Staring down a hundred or so adventurers was a different story entirely. While there was likely some overlap, the varied amounts of abilities and powers they would have would be too many to account for. That alone would make the fight ten times more dangerous. He’d seen it on the battlefields a dozen times over at this point, a strong U.F.E. soldier falling dead to some completely random, wildly unpredictable trump card ability that some opposing adventurer had. He knew that the opposing adventurers wouldn’t win, but they might be able to slow them down enough, cause enough damage, maybe bring a stop to them entirely.

Devin, commander of the U.F.E. took a step forward to speak to the defending army.

“Everyone,” he started, almost pleading, “we’ve managed to infiltrate your walls, and right now we are running rampant through your city. It’s only a matter of time before the kings falls. The Red Cross has already switched sides. You’ll notice that none of your healers are here.”

That drew some murmurs from the crowd of adventurers.

“I beg of you,” Devin continued, “Surrender your arms. Let us open the gates without bloodshed. You have nothing to gain fighting a losing war. Should you surrender now and let my army inside, I guarantee you safety.” He finished with a nod towards the city gate. The U.F.E. army was all but camped outside, waiting to storm the city.

“You’re lying,” one of the opposing adventurers shouted from across the battlefield. “Healers just haven’t arrived yet. Temple district is halfway across the city. They’ll be here. Don’t let ‘em trick ya everyone.”

More murmurs from the crowd, this time in agreement.

Sam drew his sword. He had seen this same conversation play out a dozen times over. Why they never surrendered, he didn’t know. He honestly wasn’t sure he cared anymore.

Sarah’s rains came down first, signaling the start of the battle.

“The gentle storm is here! We don’t stand a chance!” he heard someone scream from the other side.

That was all the U.F.E. needed to begin their charge. The tanks went in first, several using a shield charge ability or some equivalent to tear across the grounds and throw themselves into enemy lines like a cannonball. Shouts and roars rang out as they let loose debuffs meant to taunt, distract, or weaken the enemies and strengthen the resolve of their allies.

Volleys of spells came next, raining down from every possible direction. Fireballs soared down from the skies. Spears of ice ripped through the air and impaled anyone in its path. Lightning struck, and the earth ripped itself asunder as deadly spells clashed against each other.

The opposing adventurers easily outnumber the U.F.E., but every soldier they had was worth at least ten of them. It wouldn’t be long before they cleaned up this mess.

Sam threw himself into the chaos of battle. Casting a haste spell on himself, and flying in with his sword held high. He crossed blades, dodged spells, and pushed his way deeper into the fray. He spared a glance behind him at a pale blue string that only he could see.

His timeline.

As he improved his mastery over his [Chrono-Warp] ability, its powers manifested in interesting ways. He had pushed the ability all the way to [Adept-High], and with that came the ability to see his past timeline. At first, he had been concerned that other people could see it as well. That there was literally a blue strand following him around that people could trace. Gideon assured him he could see no such thing.

Sam followed the faint blue line that grew a deeper blue the further back it went. Light blue meant the mana cost would be next to nothing if he warped back to that particular spot in the line. The darker the strand got, the further back in time, and the higher the mana cost.

He cast [Chrono-Warp], appearing like a phantom behind enemies he had long since passed by, and swung down hard with his sword. He activated the ability again and again, jumping back and forth whenever he spotted an opening and bringing down an enemy with each cast of his ability.

If Sam was being honest with himself, he was starting to resent his ability a little. He had always imagined himself the hero, but his fights these days felt like tricks. He would exchange blows just long enough for an opening to appear, then he would cast chrono-warp and stab them in the back. He knew logically his complaints made no sense, but the feeling that he wasn’t the hero he wanted to be was hard to escape. He had expected war to be different, to feel more honorable. But instead, every fight left him feeling sick to his stomach. He wondered how long it would take to get over this feeling. How long before he could confidently step foot onto any battlefield? Jack and Gideon always made it look so easy. They looked so comfortable when they were in combat. He wanted to be like them.

A hammer slammed into Sam’s back and knocked him halfway across the battlefield. His sword slipped out of his hand as he tumbled across the ground. The adventurer brought his menacing mace up towards the sky and swung down hard.

“Slow!” Sam screamed, holding out his hand and hitting him square in the chest. The spell didn’t work. They had some sort of barrier that hummed to life and then shattered like glass when Sam’s spell hit it. Some sort of spell ward item or ability absorbing the blow.

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Sam grimaced and braced himself for the blow. It never came. He opened one eye to find Hank towering over him. He deflected the blow with ease and sent his sword ripping straight through the adventurer’s head.

“I told you to stay focused, Samuel.” He heard Hank’s deep voice from under his helmet. “Don’t forget all your training. Now get your sword and get up.” He barked.

Sam felt his body move at the order, grabbing his sword and hoisting it up onto his shoulder. He took several deep breaths and cleared his mind as Hank created some room for him by slamming into the ground with his foot and sending out a rippling shockwave that sent people to their knees. Sarah’s rains came down on Sam’s head and he breathed in the cool refreshing mist, feeling invigorated.

“Go!” Hank ordered from behind.

Sam traced his timeline across the battlefield, following the deep blue strand, and jumped to a point along it. From there, he began his assault again, clearing his mind of all his problems and concerns and only focusing on the fight. With Sarah here alongside several other healers, he didn’t have to worry about his health very much. Instead, he could drink mana potion as needed.

He quickly cast five [Chrono-Missiles] which he held over his shoulder. They still weren’t as strong as he liked, and he mostly used them like a boxer might use a quick jab. They were good for creating distance, or distractions and openings.

Sam warped again into a small group of adventurers. He let his missiles fly into the faces of the two of them while he brought his sword down on the third. By the time the others had recovered from the surprise missiles to the face, he was already on top of them, running his sword through one adventurer and disappearing in another warp before the third could bury his axe in Sam’s back.

Sam took a deep breath, glancing at the gate they were supposed to be opening. They weren’t losing the fight per se, but they also weren’t winning it. Their objective was to open the gate and bring down the barrier protecting the city. Luckily, both objectives could be completed by simply getting into the gatehouse and opening up the gate. The barrier worked like a circuit of sorts. If all the gates are closed, the barrier activates. Where it gets its power from, Sam had no clue, but if they wanted to get the army inside the city, it was as simple as getting a gate open.

Sam threw another nervous glance up at the sky. Birds were circling above the fight in mass. They began to rain down on the field like hail, hitting the ground in an explosion of black feathers and purple energy as the Crowen reinforcements arrived. Sam launched himself back into the fight and tried to help break through a defensive line that was constantly reinforced from the skies above.

Mages and archers turned to launching spells at the Crowen reinforcements coming from above, but that only lessened their support on the ground, causing the U.F.E. to get pushed back even further. For every soldier Sam took down, two more appeared in its place, and it very likely seemed the case for every member of the U.F.E. present. It seemed like the Crowen army had diverted every available soldier in the city to defending the gate. They hadn’t been fast enough; they were getting pushed back.

Sam turned around to see Crowen flooding from the city streets, and he cast another [Haste] on himself as he launched himself back towards the healers and a group of Crowen soldiers bearing down on them.

Three giant orbs of water shot into the air and started firing jets of water at the approaching soldiers, cutting and ripping through them with ease.

“I got this, Sammy.” Sarah said, leaning against her staff and panting heavily. She was likely doing more work than everyone here. Maintaining constant AOE buffs, healing anyone who needed it, and defending the back lines by herself.

“Go!” she shouted when Sam didn’t move. He warped back to the front lines in an instant, but now his timeline traced back to the healers so he could warp back anytime he needed to, so long as he maintained the thread leading there.

The situation was bad. They were quickly surrounded on all sides. If they could hold out until Hannah got to the healers, or Jack killed the king, they might all survive, but it seemed like the Crowen had put all their eggs in this particular basket.

Just got to survive Sam… He told himself over and over again as he jumped through the battlefield, bringing his sword down again and again against a never-ending opponent. With each soldier or adventurer he killed, he felt a little worse. He was surviving, but it felt like pointless bloodshed. He knew Jack would kill the king; he knew Hannah would bring the healers over from the temple district. He knew everyone else was going to achieve their mission and be the hero, yet here he was just stuck, killing and surviving, not doing anything.

The mission… Sam thought to himself. They weren’t here for some final stand, or even a distraction. Their goal, their mission, was to open the gate. Sam was so focused on survival that he completely forgot about the mission. In fact, it seemed like everyone had.

I just need to open the gates. That’s it. Then I’ll be the hero who saved the day.

Sam clung to that thought as Crowen soldiers and opposing adventures tightened their grip around the U.F.E. Fighting had gotten even more frantic as the battle went out, people lashing out with spells and abilities without a care for who or what they hit. Sam spotted the heavily guarded gatehouse that had the lever to open the enormous gate inside.

A gold line began to form in front of him, weaving through the countless enemies and straight into the guardhouse. Sam waved his hand through the line. It was just like his blue timeline that trailed behind him. This one was different, though, because it went to a place he had clearly never been.

Sam focused hard on the golden line and cast [Chrono-Warp] again, hoping against hope it did what he thought it did.

He felt himself pulled through the opposing army, appearing in a split-second standing next to a giant lever. He let out a gasp and fell to one knee. Warping through the golden line drained his mana core completely, and then some.

Mastery Upgrade:

Chrono-Warp

Adept-High -> Journeyman-Low

Sam felt exhausted, weak, like he could curl up and sleep for the next ten days straight. He had no idea why he was so tired all the sudden. He also couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he placed two weak, shaky hands on the lever and pushed. He had just grown stronger.

It took every ounce of strength he had, and even some he didn’t have, but he dug deep into himself and pushed hard against the lever. He had a mission. He had to save everyone. He had to get the gate open.

Several guards realized someone had somehow gotten past them and turned on Sam in a second. He paid them no mind. They could do whatever they wanted to him so long as they let him get the gate open. He pushed harder and harder on the enormous lever and tuned out the screaming and drawing of swords around him.

He felt his heart stop as the lever clicked into place. The ground rumbled as the enormous iron gate sprung to life. He felt the vibrations of chains spinning and contraptions whirling and whirring as the gate opened up. The world shook and screams of war drowned out the rest of the world as Sam heard the sound of the U.F.E. army charging through the gates. He dropped to his knees, a smile on his face. The soldiers bearing down on him quickly turned to face the bigger threat, only to be overrun in seconds.

Sam sat there, panting heavily. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he forced himself up off the ground and out of the small gatehouse. He glanced around to see U.F.E. soldiers surrounding the building. Hank, Devin, and Sarah standing there smiling at him. Then their eyes went wide in panic.

Sam looked down, watching as the blue ethereal energy that matched his mana began to imprint on his body. He dropped his sword, staring at his body in confusion.

As the mana landed on his body, cuts appeared. A gash across his arm. He winced in pain. Then a cut on his leg, he dropped to one knee. Then a hole ripped through his stomach, and he coughed up blood as he tried and failed to let loose a pained cry. The attacks didn’t stop. The wounds kept appearing, riddling his body with deep cuts and stabs as he dropped to the ground, screaming in pain. He felt Sarah’s healing waters splash over his body. It began to heal what wounds he accrued, but it didn’t stop more from coming.

His vision went black around the edges, and Sam gave himself mercifully over to the darkness.