Chapter 655 (1/2)

“Shit.” Skarch muttered. Her support squad shifted around her uncomfortably with their eyes on the ground. She could feel the tension in their shoulders, and see how the tips of their spears quivered as they gripped the shafts too tightly. “This is a trap.”

Immediately, Skarch brought up the Party chat with her three allies. Although Silo hadn’t responded since the attack on South point Beach four weeks ago, his continued presence meant he was alive somewhere. So Skarch didn’t mind including him, in case he came to their aid.

Bit off more than I can chew, Skarch put into chat. Then she did her best to approximate her location by triangulating the surrounding terrain and putting that out there.

How many? Azriel responded almost immediately. She always was the first to speak. Skarch knew that it was because the young woman was driven to be the best, and she was constantly next to the monster that was Randidly Ghosthound. Undoubtedly Azriel had improved the most, and the fastest out of all of them when it came to spear use and images due to the pressure she felt.

But Skarch didn’t doubt she would get herself in over her head at some point, in an effort to surpass the Legend of Randidly Ghosthound.

Stroking her spear, Skarch sighed. Which was why it was so aggravating for her squad to be the one that was about to be crushed between two Wight forces.

Four thousand. But all of them are Zeitgard.

The forces that had been defending the Southern countryside of the Central Domain had made repeated requests to Hastam, the Central Domain capital, that additional aid sent. More and more of the landscape they were forced to concede in the face of larger and larger numbers. Other troops were shifted to assist Captain Platton and his ilk, but not on the scale that they needed to stop the advance.

The Zeitgard were a relatively new addition to the landscape of battlefields. And Skarch believed that they were a direct response to the presence of herself, Azriel, and Randidly. So far, they had run wild on the enemy. But more and more often the elite units were deployed to corral them. It was truly a matter of speed; the lower level of Wights could not even throw an attack that had a hope of landing on the three of them unless they were immobilized.

The Zeitgard still could, and their bodies were tough enough to slow them down.

I’ll be there in thirty-seven minutes. Solo, my squad won’t be able to keep up.

Skarch frowned at Azriel’s reply. Alone, Azriel would be useful, but…

Skarch’s squad of forty were crouching at the side of the river that marked the dividing line between the poverty-ridden South of the Central Domain and the truly affluent. On the South Bank, where Skarch was standing, it was farmland as far South as the eye could see. Or at least, it had been.

Now there was smoke, fire, and the ichor of dead Wights everywhere.

Skarch’s squad had received word that a large army had finally worked up the balls to cross the Hallat River and strike North. Although the assault unnerved many, Captain Platton and his peers were at least pleased that such an assault would finally affect Hastam’s bottom line and provoke a response. Thinking quickly, Skarch had moved West and South to the southern bank of the Hallat. When the Wights were pressed backward, Skarch would be waiting.

But the Wights never attacked inland. There had been no pushback by the Styles of the Central Domain. Therefore, Skarch had waited on the Southern Bank for two days and nothing to show for it. Except now another army, primarily of Zeitgard, was marching up from the deep South. Therefore, Skarch could not flee across the river, and running along it would just lead them to hit one of the main columns.

They were stuck.

After a tense three minutes, another message popped up in the chat.

I’ll need an hour. Should arrive with full Mana.