The Kaine party moved deeper into the cavern, boots whispering against damp stone. The air grew colder, heavier, daylight filtering through gaps in jagged walls.
Caelis walked beside the Sealbearer. Suddenly, the Watcher's steps slowed. He tilted his head, listening.
"Archer," Caelis murmured, voice barely above a breath.
"I know." Replied the Sealbearer. "So much for surprise attack."
He glanced back at Brimmah. "Enough. Set the box down."
Brimmah obeyed, lowering the heavy wooden crate to the ground with a dull thud. The moment it touched ground, everyone drew their weapons. Caelis flicked his fingers. The crate's lid burst open. A swirling cloud of blades erupted from within — swords, axes, spears, arrows and daggers rising into the air like a storm of steel. They orbited the party in a deadly, protective ring, humming with controlled power.
The party fell into formation in instantaneous, practiced motion.
Drunn and Vey shifted into position back-to-back.
Eldric rolled his shoulders, grip tightening on his dual swords.
Benii, Soren and Torin huddled around Caelis thw Watcher.
Then the enemy poured out. From alcoves, side tunnels, and behind rocky outcrops, the first wave surged forward — a ragged horde of fighters with faces painted black in crude, swirling patterns.
"Engage!" the Sealbearer shouted.
The fight erupted.
Drunn and Vey moved like one creature.
Vey's claymore flashed as she carved through the first attackers.
Drunn sent two enemies flying with a sweeping arc of his polearm.
Between blows, Vey still found time to shoot a tease at Drunn. "Oh look who's serious about kill counts today." She taunted.
"Shut up and fight," Drunn shot back, but there was a grin in his voice.
The Kaine party were outnumbered 5 to 1. Yet they remained the ones overwhelming the enemy as the orbiting swarm of blades commanded by Watcher engaged the Black Batch.
More enemies poured forth from behind.
Archer waved an arm. His runes activated. A tide of shadow surged, swallowing that wave of enemy whole, erasing them whole from existence.
The Sealbearer turned to the party reserves afterwards and ordered urgently, "Engage the reinforcements. Benii, take claymore!"
Moments later, those second wave of Black Batch vanished by his Shadow Conjuration — reappeared exactly as they were just before their sudden disappearance.
Benii, Soren and Torin engaged them.
Brimmah stood ready, sword raised, but before he could engage, the orbiting blades from Watcher's cloud struck down the nearest threats with surgical precision. He watched the Kaine party fight as a single, flawless machine — each class complementing the others in perfect sync.
The Claymores — grounded and rooted in one position — baited enemies to flock them. Yet the many enemy blades couldn't overwhelm them as Watcher's flying blades fended off attacks.
Rangers never stopped moving. They raced through enemy lines. Hacking and thrusting — prioritizing speed that whenever a ranger stabbed an enemy, they simply abandoned the weapon and another from Watcher's cloud flew into their grip quicker than they could've withdrew their earlier weapon.
Archer's eyes tracked all the Rangers. He shot bolt after bolt of his Shadow Conjuration to assist.
Brimmah marveled at their deadly harmony — but shifted uncomfortably realising he had no place in it. despite being so outnumbered, he was still left wielding an unused sword.
Watcher narrowed his eyes, scanning the chaos through the swirling blades. "Something isn't right," he urged to the Sealbearer.
A flying arrow streaked toward Watcher. The Sealbearer reacted instantly, snapping his fingers. A glint of light froze the arrow mid-flight, left it stagnant midair.
Watcher shifted aside as the arrow resumed its path and glanced harmlessly off a wall.
With only a glance, Watcher sent a spear toward the hidden Black Batch archer.
Archer glanced at him. "What isn't right?"
Before Watcher could answer, an enemy lunged for a sneak attack from the side. The Sealbearer shot a bolt of shadow that swallowed the man whole — vanishing him from existence.
Drunn spotted that. "Easy kill!" he shouted competitively to Vey, hurling his axe that struck down an approaching enemy.
He charged forward.
A fresh weapon flew into his hand from Watcher's cloud.
The moment that vanished enemy reappeared, he met the tip of Drunn's spear.
Suddenly — Brimmah spun, weapon raised, and lunged straight at Caelis the Watcher.
"BRIMMAH!" Drunn roared, shock and fury twisting his face.
Caelis froze in shock.
Archer reacted faster than thought, snapping his fingers. Runestrings flared, freezing Brimmah mid-lunge.
Caelis stumbled backward, eyes wide with disbelief.
The orbiting blades slowed. The party turned as one toward the immobilized Brimmah.