Malsour nodded. They stood in the middle of the outpost. Many had gathered around as Lucy pulled out steel plates. She and Malsour placed them together, creating a drop pad. Lucy stepped back and sent a private message to Josh.
Around them, walls now protected the ono as well as defended against anything that might come through it. Even though it was only connected to Terra, being paranoid had helped out the Stone Raiders in the past.
A light flashed into existence. Lucy shielded her eyes. As fast as the light had appeared, it disappeared.
There was now a larger pad where the drop pad had been. There was also a terminal off to the side. This was a counter that would accept soul gems and open a connection up with Terra.
The ono’s runes lit up as it powered up. Through the ono’s event horizon, there was one of the many teleport control rooms in Terra visible.
“Well damn, you are a sorry lot to look at.” Josh walked through, appearing in the outpost.
Those around the ono laughed and cheered. They now had a connection to Terra and wouldn’t have to travel through the Ashal wilderness with their loot.
“Now who has my gear!” Josh demanded. He’d lost his armor as well as some of his enchanted rings and jewelry.
Behind him, other Players who had died walked out of Terra and into the outpost; with them came people from the trader’s guild as well as the Exdar’s.
“Hey, Florence, we’ve got quite the haul for you.” Lucy waved to the wagons that were filled with chests and bags of holding, ready to return to Terra with their goods.
“Bring them on through!” Florence said with a happy smile.
The wagons went in through the opposite side that people were arriving.
Wagons and their teams came through the teleport pad. Including Aleph automaton carts carrying multiple vault soul gems. Dave talked to the one commanding them as the Aleph carts moved away from the ono and toward the soul gem constructs.
People headed into Terra to relax. Today they would relax; tomorrow they’d venture into the dome to see the Six Affinity Temple for themselves.
The soul gem constructs that had slowed their progress were now growing up toward the skies once again.
Engineers as well as sightseers came through the teleport pad. The area around the ono got rather crowded really fast.
Lucy and the Stone Raiders’ leadership moved away from the ono. They had plans to make. The Fellox and Portal Purge also followed.
Efri and Vrexu were seeing to their forces as well as coordinating with their people back in Devil’s Crater.
***
“Okay, so Vrexu and Efri will be moving their forces through Terra and back to Devil’s Crater. Kala and Malkur will be bringing ten thousand of their people here. Their aim is to work on practical skills, scouting the area around the outpost as well as hunting down creatures in the area to build up experience,” Anna said as she and Deia stood atop one of the walls, overlooking the DCA forces. There were so many of them that they’d filled half of the towers, most of the ground and the walls when sleeping. There just wasn’t enough room for one hundred thousand soldiers.
“Makes sense. Where are we needed?” Deia asked.
“Well, we can either stay here training those who come through. Alkao wants to rotate people through on a weekly schedule. We’ve got four weeks until the Dwarven tournament ends. Then, anytime from a week to four after that, the event is going to start. The other option is we go back and train people back in Devil’s Crater. If we leave here, then they’re going to bring their strongest people to watch over them. We’re basically here to watch over and protect,” Anna said.
“What about the trainers in Devil’s Crater?” Deia asked.
“They’re going to continue training anyone and everyone who comes to them,” Anna said.
Deia tapped her lip in thought. “I’m fine with staying here. There’s not much I can teach that the other trainers can’t. Also, I’d like to see what happens within the temple.” Deia smiled.
“I thought you might say something like that.” Anna grinned. “I agree. We’ll stay here for this rotation. Then, for next week, we can decide to stay here or return to train the others in Devil’s Crater.”
Chapter 28: Six Affinity Temple
Josh looked to Gimel, the Fellox guildmaster and Portal Purge’s guildmaster, Kim Soon-Ok. For the last day, they had been gathering their strength, readying their guilds for the raid ahead. The Stone Raiders had brought seven hundred guild members, Fellox four hundred and Portal Purge brought five hundred.
It was the largest group ever pulled together to raid a portal location.
“Well, let’s get started, shall we?” Josh asked.
Gimel and Soon-Ok smiled in agreement.
A great gate made from cut down trees and banded with metal swung open ahead of them, revealing the crack in the earthen dome. It seemed as if the crack led to another dimension in the afternoon sun; it was hard to see anything in the darkness beyond.
The three guildmasters stepped forward. All of the guilds had been organized according to their abilities under the combined command of the guild leaders.
In the first area, they would fight in their parties but as they moved farther up the different levels of the temple, they would start to group together, allowing for things like chain heals, buffs, and to bounce mobs between multiple tanks instead of just relying on one. These formations were best for fighting creatures much more powerful than the guild members.
They moved through the crack. Josh had to blink, his eyes adjusting to the low light conditions. Magical lights illuminated the Six Affinity Temple. Some of the rocks in the dome’s walls lit with magical light. With Josh’s high night vision skill, it was easy to see within the dome.
Shades randomly wandered around, moaning as they moved.
They didn’t show any interest toward those who had walked into their domain. Lucy had pulled up information and videos on shades; as soon as something alive made it within range of the shade’s senses, they’d attack.
“Time to get started,” Josh said. Even though he’d lost fifteen levels, he was eager to get started. The best way to gain levels was from defeating hard enemies. It wasn’t his first time losing levels and he doubted it would be his last. He wasn’t going to let his death stop him from having fun!
“Shades are Level 200 to 400,” a scout reported. With the scout skills, everyone was able to see the levels of the shades.
Parties spread out along the edge of the area. Everyone moved quietly, as if talking too loud would alert the shades.
The first shade let out a pained howl. Its random meanderings turned into a full-on charge as someone came too close to it. It raced toward a party.
“I’ve got it!” The tank of the group stomped his feet and made noise. The shade altered its course and raced for the tank.
He held his war hammer with his two hands across his chest. The shade’s ethereal hand turned into a claw as it struck. There was a screech of metal on metal as the shade let out a pained yell.
The fight had started. Those who were outside of the crack quickly moved inside the dome.
More shades sensed or were tripped by the nearby members of the raid party. Howls filled the air as people pressed forward, getting into the fight.
Josh and the guildmasters spread out through the raiding party. They would lead them forward, but if one of them went down then the others would take up command. If they stopped in the middle of the fight and there was confusion, then they could lose their momentum and fall back. Here they couldn’t slow until they cleared each level of creatures completely.
Worries of the upcoming event and thoughts of the future were put to the side; here there was nothing more but working with your guild mates and the raiding party to move forward.
People talked into their party chats as Health bars fell.
Buffs, curses, spells, and special attacks brought new light to the earthern dome. To a gamer, it wa
s a sight that raised their fighting spirit. This is what they lived for.
There were tense moments as people were heavily wounded by getting mobbed with shades. Other moments where people moved through the shades as if they were nothing. People showed off their skills, all of them enjoying themselves, tense with the knowledge that they could fail, but excited to push past their limits.
Shades were looted and people moved forward; parties would break it all down at the end of the battle. For now, they advanced.
As they pushed away from the walls on either side of the crack, more and more shades ran toward them. Parties grouped together to deal with the shades’ larger numbers.
They celebrated their kills and would defend one another so that they could get done with their cooldowns and heal up.
There was a sense of belonging and trust that came with the gamers. They might talk to one another with just a few words, and have never met before, but for five minutes they would work together as if they had known one another for years. All focused on defeating their enemy and keeping their other teammates alive.
Josh was in the midst of it, talking to his different parties as they moved forward. Spells crashed through shades as weapons shaved Health points from the shades’ Health bars.
Like this, they were able to kill off the shades around the Six Affinity Temple.
“All right, everyone get yourself back up to one hundred percent. We’ve got the Affinity spirits next,” Josh said to the raid party. Healing spells were cast as people drank Stamina and Health potions, restoring their various bars. Others changed out weapons.
People broke down into six groups, one for each Affinity. Going forward, they would be split into these groups to deal with the different Affinity mobs that they ran into.
If someone was a Light party and ran into a Fire Affinity, they would call over a Water party to deal with them.
“These Affinity creatures are going to be a pain,” Kim said, next to Josh.
“We’ve got to make sure that they don’t fight same Affinity type parties,” Lucy said.
“I’ve never heard of a creature that can actually get stronger by getting hit with a weapon or attack with the same Affinity.” Josh shook his head and snorted. “Going to test how coordinated we are.”
Lucy and Kim made noises of agreement.
“Everyone is ready to continue,” Dwayne said over the leadership party chat.
“Dave and Malsour have found something in their search,” Lucy said.
“Let’s go and see what they’ve got!” Josh said.
***
Party Zero were a Fire Affinity party, so they were going to be focused on fighting the Water spirits.
Dave and Malsour could make their weapons have Fire-attributed magical coding on them. They had also modified Steve, Gurren, and Lox’s weapons and armor with conjured and created metal sheets. Suzy’s Air creations would provide support to Induca, and Lu Lu was perched on her shoulder, eager to meet their next foe.
The little lightning phoenix was now as big as a dog. As she gained more experience through her bond with Suzy and her own attacks, she grew not only in power but stature. However, she didn’t weigh that much with her hollow bones and Suzy was strong enough to hold the still young phoenix.
Dave and Malsour had been using their senses to try to see whether there were more mysteries to be found with the Six Affinity Temple. With all of the Mana within the earthen dome, it created a sort of fog for their magical senses. It was only after some time of searching that they were able to pick up on the magical coding that ran under the first level of the temple.
They advanced up to the last set of steps before the Affinity pools. Now that they were much closer, they could clearly sense and understand where the coding was. They still couldn’t understand what the magical coding was, but knowing where it was was a great help.
Malsour and Dave created metal and items within the coding.
The pools flared to life. The Fire one actually exploded before its flames were cut off.
The energy that had been fueled into the different pools was cut off. Affinity spirits that had been moving through the different focused energies of the pool were now out in the open.
People excitedly talked to one another about the various rare resources that they now saw where the pools had been. Over the years, different attributed plants had grown in these pools, becoming rare treasures.
The Affinity spirits, now without their Affinity pools, seemed to lock onto the raiding party. They didn’t scream or make any noises—they unleashed spells.
Shields and Mana barriers blocked the attacks.
“Take them out!” Josh yelled.
The raiding party didn’t need to be told twice. Excited from their recent wins and seeing all of the materials strewn throughout the pools, in their minds, there was no way that they could lose.
Although they had been able to turn off the Magical Circuits built into the pools, the Water pool was actually a pool. So although it had lost the magical coding that gathered pure Water Mana into one place, the Water Affinity spirits were still able to stay in their water.
The entire mass of water seemed to be like the back end of an octopus. The spirits freely used the water like multiple limbs, striking at anyone nearby.
Suzy’s Air creations cut off the limbs that tried to come down and hit Steve, Lox, and Gurren from above.
The trio blunted the impact of the other limbs.
Malsour unleashed coded spears that exploded when they hit the water, throwing it everywhere, giving the spirits less to work with.
Induca poured her power into the pools, heating them up and making them boil.
Dave pulled out pre-made grenades. These ones were a bit more advanced than the ones he had used when fighting Lord Esamael. These ones could switch between different Affinities.
He picked Fire, and tossed them into the water. They went off like thermite grenades, increasing the water’s temperature. The water frothed with the spirits’ actions and all of the heat being put into it.
The first Water spirit charged outward, rushing Steve, Lox, and Gurren. It clawed at their shields and a sword appeared in its hand. The sword was made of incredibly fast-moving water.
With each hit, it left behind deep cuts in the surface of Party Zero’s defenses.
Suzy attacked it with her Air creations, trying to wound it.
“Isolate them and get them to use their magic. Their magic is their life-force. If they lose it all, they’ll die!” Lox yelled.
In a second, a metal casing appeared around the spirit.
More and more stone and metal appeared around the original casing as it started to show cracks, with water rushing through.
Malsour lost the race as the Water spirit broke through the casings.
It was at half of its previous Health. Its reactions were slower as the three tanks swung their weapons at once.
The Water spirit was able to avoid Steve’s hit by turning into a liquid and dodging.
Lox and Gurren’s blades sunk into the creature.
Dave channeled power into the blades, increasing the potency of the magical coding on their weapons. It was like listening to rain falling on an active volcano.
The spirit launched its two hands forward, turning into twin water cannons that had the force to cut through a steel plate, aimed right at Lox and Gurren.
Steve threw himself forward awkwardly, taking the twin streams on his body. He took one hit on his right leg, the other directly in the face.
Lu Lu let out a shriek as Steve rolled away. Light turned into a stream as lightning poured out from Lu Lu’s beak. The Fire spirit’s Health dropped by the second as Malsour launched several coded spears.
Sections started dropping from the Water spirit, not returning as it didn’t have the strength anymore to restore its body.
Dave conjured a crossbow and let loose the bolt at the spirit.
It rolled with the attacks.
Lox and Gurren roared with as Steve took wounds intended for them, their swords flashing in the light as they attacked.
The Water spirit fell to the ground. Its water-created body disappeared, leaving behind a Mana core.
“Attack the pool—there’s two more of them hiding in there!” Lox said.
“I’ve got Steve.” Dave moved to the big man, who was having trouble getting up. “Your right leg is messed up—stability control got shot to hell.” Dave looked at Steve’s face. His head looked as if someone had fired a high-powered rifle into it at point-blank range.
“Do I leruk purdee?” Steve said. The gears and coding in his head were clearly visible as his grin turned into something out of a horror movie.
“You really are an airhead.” Dave shook his head as Steve pulled a replacement leg out of his ring of holding. With his core in his chest, there was no worry that his busted head was going to do anything other than give Dave nightmares.
Malsour kept hurling spears into the water pool. Lox and Gurren were on the lookout to make sure nothing crept up on them. Induca turned the pool into a steam bath, with water evaporating every second.
Suzy supported her with her Air creations spinning around so fast as to make a whirlpool that pulled water and steam and threw it out of the pool.
The weaker spirits escaped the pool, but all of the Fire parties around the pool had dealt with the first three spirits. Their attacks destroyed the Water spirits after only landing one hit.
Steve checked his leg movement, putting the broken one into his ring of holding before he got to his feet. He didn’t need to replace his face to be able to fight again, and left that for later.
Dave went back to tossing in thermite grenades into the pool.
Finally, the last spirit surfaced from the pool.
Its power was on another level from the first couple of spirits. It was close to being able to sustain itself and be a Free Affinity spirit. It rose on a plume of water.
Fire prisons overlapped one another. The spirit that had meant to scare them with its power was now being cooked. It unleashed its power, cracking through the fire prisons.
Time of Change (Emerilia Book 7) Page 30
