Chapter 1609 (2/2)

While originally fighting and then discussing, the speed of the Lancers had vastly slowed. The troops they accompanied had slowed down at first, but they soon left the Lancers behind. After forming themselves once more into tight columns, the Lancers accelerated after their allies, intent to complete the Lord Ghosthound’s mission.

Other concerns could wait until after.

They were still charging across the plains when a wave of Nether spread across the sky; the forces ahead of them had triggered the release of the Nether Gatekeeper defenders at the Nether Pinion. After exchanging glances with each other, the Lancers accelerated and began to build up momentum.

The Baleful Crusade would soon descend upon its first unsuspecting victim.

*****

ROAAAAAARRRRRRR!

The Nether Herald waiting at the core of this Nether Pinion was a five-meter tall stone gargoyle. When the efforts of Charlotte Wick, Vizzeret Clamman, Jieu Ronault, and Commander Shilling to destroy the Nether Gatekeepers reached a certain point, the grey-green gargoyle made an appearance.

Without the reassuring backing of Randidly Ghosthound behind them, that primal roar from the Nether Herald shook Charlotte Wick to her very bones. But after gritting her teeth, she forced herself to release a powerful pulse of energy. Her Primal Force image raised its antlered head and cried out a challenge in response.

The Nether Herald became the core of the entire, seething force of Nether bodies. The Nether in the surrounding air thickened and suppressed images. The gathered elites could shake it off due to the Ghosthound’s training, but the Commander’s forces weakened significantly. Unwilling to back down, Charlotte mobilized her image to release another pulse of life.

The Nether Herald’s eyes glowed red as they steadily pivoted to settle upon Charlotte. The gargoyle’s wings spread out and beat experimentally, throwing out dense blades of Nether that cut into the assembled Aether forces. Soldiers had their legs severed above their knees and fell to the ground screaming.

Yet even as the Nether Herald shook off the rust from its liberation from the Nether Pinion, the powerful Aether images in the area made their move. Vizzeret and Jieu spread out to surround the Nether herald, releasing their Obsidian Wolf and Azure-Black Starfire images, respectively. These images cut through the dense Nether and once more strengthened the soldiers' spirits.

But their images took a backseat to Commander Shilling and his aide, who stepped forward and released a strange and powerful electromagnetic field. To Charlotte’s surprise, the Commander seemed capable of even borrowing some of the discharge from the conflict happening above them. Soon, some strange, negative energy black lightning crackled around the slug.

It seems no matter who it is, Commanders who have fought on the frontlines shouldn’t be underestimated, Charlotte Wick reminded herself.

With all of that potent energy discharge, Commander Shilling wiggled its body and shot itself forward to strike the still motionless Nether Herald. Very quickly, the most powerful Nether foe turned its attention and roared again. Once more, its scream possessed enough force to rattle all of the surroundings.

Then, as one, all five of the powerful Aether fighters shot forward, converging on the gargoyle. The Nether Herald stood up on its hind legs and spread its arms wide, releasing a series of increasingly dense pulses of Nether. Without the Ghosthound at their back, they had no choice but to meet the superior foe and tear it down with the sheer weight of numbers.

The black lightning of Commander Shilling went first, smashing directly into the stone body of the Nether Herald. But the monstrous creature of Nether didn’t even seem to notice. It simply opened its mouth even wider and slashed out with its claws.

The attack tore harmlessly through the edges of Commander Shilling and flung it backward. Which opened up an opportunity for Vizzeret to howl and pounce toward the Nether Herald’s back with its Obsidian Wolf ascending to be the dominant image in the area. At the same time, Commander Shilling’s aide stepped forward and mumbled something.

Unfortunately for Vizzeret, the Nether Herald was too quick; it dodged his attack and smashed a claw toward Vizzeret’s waist. The enormous dog hurriedly twisted away and was only able to dodge because Jieu unleashed a blast of star fire positively humming with piercing emotions. Even the dense Nether around the Nether Herald was briefly suppressed by the force of that attack.

Just as Commander Shilling came crashing back toward right where the slug creature had started, its aide finished its preparations. It raised its insectoid arms and struck the Commander, sending it shooting back toward the Nether Herald with even more black static discharge coming off of its body.

Yet when the Nether Herald opened its mouth and unleashed a beam of Nether that smashed apart the Commander’s image and tore the slug in half, Charlotte could only grit her teeth and target the Commander with a concentrated blast of light energy. Very soon its body had knit back together, but they were definitely at a disadvantage.

It was just as Charlotte was wracking her brain for ideas that she heard the rumbling.