“Lord Livelywood… no!” Anna shrieked in horror as the pixels of Livelywood’s body began to flicker, gradually fading until he was completely gone.
Anna screamed in rage, grabbing her greatsword once more and immediately launching into a brutal attack.
“What have you done to Lord Livelywood?! He died saving me! I won’t let you hurt us again! I will kill every single one of you!”
Her attacks were fierce and relentless, a clear sign that anger had taken control of her, unlike the usually positive demeanor she showed.
“Anna, control yourself! We can’t waste Livelywood’s sacrifice. Stay focused-don’t let your anger take over!” Starfall shouted from the rear.
Anna took a deep breath, tightening her grip on her greatsword. With renewed focus, she swung her weapon and quickly dispatched the two monsters in front of her.
Though they managed to fend off the two monsters that had breached the barrier, the battle that followed grew even worse. Losing Maylock, who had been directing the battle, and Livelywood, who provided the greatest damage output and flexibility, was clearly taking its toll on the overall performance of the team.
More and more creatures were finding their way past the protective barrier, and the group’s defenses were beginning to crumble.
“Anna, please make sure you’re alright first. I can hold them off!” Ivana yelled with determination. She slammed her shield against an incoming monster. “I will recast the barrier! I’m sorry for letting them get through.”
“I’m okay.” Anna picked up her greatsword again, taking her stance and immediately launching into another attack.
“We must keep holding on. We have to stay focused until help arrives!” Starfall shouted in frustration.
She was on the verge of exhaustion, her concentration slipping after the prolonged battle, her Mana and Stamina nearly depleted.
Shadows danced in and out of sight as more monstrous creatures descended into the cave. Some of them resembled humanoid forms, while others were twisted and grotesque, with glowing red eyes, sharp teeth, and wicked claws.
Their sheer numbers overwhelmed the group’s defenses, and the barrier was starting to collapse under the pressure.
Ivana’s voice rang out with urgency, “Everyone, come and take cover near me!”
Without hesitation, everyone moved closer to her. She stood, raising her shield to provide as much protection as she could for those gathered around her. The walls of the cave echoed with the roars and snarls of the advancing monsters, and it seemed like only a matter of time before their defense was entirely overrun. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
“Everyone, keep steady,” Starfall called out, her voice both a plea and a command. “No matter what happens, we can’t let them break us completely. Hold on for just a little longer!”
Ivana shouted loudly, thrusting her shield forward. A brilliant burst of light illuminated the cavern, and multiple barriers of radiant energy formed like a dome around the group, spreading outward in a web of shimmering power. The barriers glowed so brightly that, for a moment, they appeared impenetrable, a protective shield between them and the advancing monsters.
“Anna, are you okay?” Starfall said. “Let me heal your wound. It’s the least I can do.”
“No, Lady Starfall,” Anna protested. “Your Mana is far too valuable to waste on me. We need it to bring down those monsters.”
Dozens of monsters poured into the cave, their snarls echoing ominously as they snapped their razor-sharp claws and teeth. The defenders found themselves encircled by an ever- shifting, relentless sea of monsters. The entire cave was filled with an overwhelming cacophony-roars, the sound of claws scraping against the stone, and the terrified screams of those desperate to hold their ground.
They continued their struggle, striking out with whatever force they could muster against anything that came within range. But under such conditions, they were completely surrounded, hemmed in on all sides, as if their survival depended solely on Ivana’s protective barrier.
“Stay together! Don’t let them separate us!” Ivana shouted.
“I am so sorry, everyone. I wish I could have done more for you,” Starfall said, her voice trembling as the last of her Mana drained away. As a mage, she was left powerless without her magic, unable to contribute anything more.
“We can do it. I am confident we can do it,” Ivana said. “I will hold off their attacks until help arrives.”
Starfall was in a full-blown panic; the thought of Ivana and the other Knights dying hit her harder than anything else. She knew she herself would likely fall to these monsters, but unlike the others, she could revive afterward. The NPCs, however, would not get that second chance.
“What can I do? What can I do?” she muttered, desperation sinking in.
They were truly in dire straits now. They could barely fight anymore. Karl was visibly exhausted, and he was severely injured, though he still tried to fight. Yann had completely run out of stamina, struggling even to hold his bow. As for Anna, while she still swung her greatsword, it was clear that she had no strength left to deal any meaningful damage.
And Ivana? She had been holding off the monsters from the very beginning, using her skills to protect them all. Starfall could only imagine how close she was to collapsing. Right now, the entire group depended solely on Ivana’s protective shield barrier, which seemed on the verge of breaking-no one knew how much longer it could hold.
They were trapped, with no way out, surrounded by monsters that pounded against the barrier. The light from Ivana’s shield flickered, signaling that its strength was waning. Starfall clenched her staff, her heart pounding as she realized they were out of time. They had given it everything they had, and it still wasn’t enough.
“This is my greatest failure… forgive me…” Starfall whispered, tears streaming down her face as she realized they had reached their limit. They were cornered. They were going to die!
But then-
A tremendous bang reverberated throughout the cave, causing the group to recoil in shock. The ground beneath them quaked from the force, and a powerful wave of fear surged through
everyone.
“What was that?!” Starfall asked.
Before anyone could answer, a brilliant flash of light filled the cave, temporarily blinding them. It was followed by a deafening roar as the entrance to the cave was blasted apart. Chunks of rock flew in every direction, a thick cloud of dust enveloping the group and making it nearly impossible to see.
“Another powerful monster?” Starfall exclaimed in disbelief.
But before they could react, a fierce wind rushed through the cave, tearing through the walls as though they were made of paper. The gust was powerful and chaotic, sweeping through the cave and erasing entire sections of the stone as if they had never existed.
Debris and dust swirled violently, and pieces of rock shattered and scattered through the air. The intense gust knocked Starfall and the others off balance, forcing them to brace against the ground to avoid being swept away.
Through the chaos, Starfall squinted, trying to see past the dust-filled air. The sudden,
overwhelming force seemed like a miracle—and then, amid the turmoil, a faint but
unmistakable figure began to emerge.
From afar, they could see massive tentacles rising from the ground in the moonlight,
slithering through the battlefield.
“Could it be…?” Starfall whispered.
Ivana, still holding her shield firmly, caught sight of the figure as well. She shouted, “Broken!
It’s Broken!”