As the command sounded, Multiple spears fired into the sky at once, all aimed at the approaching spire messengers.
Merlin up in the sky immediately felt his danger sense activate, warning him of the incoming spears, as his position was directly between the spears and their targets.
'Well sometimes we cowardly pathway folks are prone to suicide every now and then'
He ordered his echo to speed up his approach to the other spire messengers, in his hand was the clawed gauntlet style formless, and with the gauntlet he held the stone sword, he put his other hand into his pocket and brought out a piece of paper.
Merlin used his ability to throw it straight at the horde and he put his hands inside again and this time brought out a stack of papers, then he dismissed his echo and snapped his fingers.
He flame jumped to the position of the paper he had thrown earlier, now he was with the horde of fallen monsters, then he released the stack of papers in his hand, the papers flew in different wild directions, scattered by the breeze produced by the flaps of the wings of the spire messengers.
The fallen monsters that noticed his presence were already on the move to devour him, but Merlin immediately flame jumped, the unlucky monster that appeared where he was earlier was immediately impaled by the flying spears, Merlin reappeared in the direct path of the spears, another spire messenger caught him within its beak but Merlin immediately turned into a paper figurine and another monster was impaled.
Down below the bet had already been put in place, as Merlin relied on his premonition and abilities to serve as bait, he could easily flame jump through the sky with the remnant prices of paper he threw earlier.
The archers then began their attacks, Merlin in the sky switched to phase two of his plan, he immediately snapped his fingers and appeared near a spire messenger, he stabbed the creature and flame jumped to another stabbing it too, he continued provoking a few monsters then he immediately stopped using flame jump and began falling.
Merlin fell towards the incoming countless arrows that were approaching, the fallen monsters enraged by his earlier stunts dove after him, a few seconds later the monsters met the arrow, and Merlin they had been following was stabbed with multiple arrows and transformed into a paper figurine.
He continued his strategy for a while, but the spire messengers didn't seem to be reducing in number.
"This is going to be a long fight"
…
On the ground, Kai fired endless arrows at the messengers in the sky, the dead ones fell on the net they had deployed earlier and therefore the path for their arrows were reduced.
Despite that, the sleeper noticed something, when they fired the arrows they expected the messengers to at least try to avoid their attacks based on their survival instincts, but the fallen monsters charged mindlessly at the incoming attacks, almost like they were overcome by something else.
Others may not have noticed it, but Kai did, up above he saw what Merlin was doing, something so risky that Changing Star herself would never attempt, but he was doing it, and he was doing it well.
Deep down Kai felt a deep respect for his teammate who was prepared to sacrifice everything for the sleepers he barely even knew.
'I have to do better'
Kai clenched his bow tighter and flew into the sky, staying dangerously close to the net. If Merlin, his friend, could give everything up, then he would be prepared to do the same.
He flew to an area not covered by the dead nightmare creatures, and he began to fire rapidly, there he could get a clear view of Merlin, his friend was pulling the fallen monsters into the path of their arrows and disappearing just before the arrows landed.
Kai, as if having a tactical understanding or trust in his friend, he immediately directed his attacks at Merlin.
…
"Who the fuck is trying to kill me?"
Merlin noticed the change in the sky, first the arrows had reduced to a considerable degree, and there seemed to be someone intent on shooting him.
Merlin flame jumped to the sky and scattered another stack of paper as the earlier ones had almost finished, as he descended he saw his supposed killer, it was Kai.
'Kai, I didn't think he would want me dead, could it be that he found out about my plans for his mom?... But still tho, that's not reason enough…'
Merlin's thoughts ran wild until he finally realized Kai's strategy, then he adapted to it, but the arrows of a single sleeper wasn't enough to kill the fallen beasts in time.
'Guess it's time to change tactics again'
Merlin then summoned his echo, and dismissed the stone sword to summon the sunlight shard.
"Gravity and inertia baby!!, I'm about to einstein these mfs…" unknown to Merlin, he had escaped his previous state caused by his flaw.
Merlin and hi6 echo weaved through similar beasts, as one dove to attack them, his echo engaged it in a ferocious attack, then Merlin joined the fray, he raised the sunlight shard to the sky and brought it down with the strength of a terror, the rank he had been promoted to after clearing out half the battlefield field earlier.
The sunlight shard empo8 by the dawn shard Nephis wielded fell down and smashed the head of the messenger, the fallen monster's head caved in as it fell dead.
Seeing it worked, Merlin immediately flame jumped to another one, with the gravity working in his favour, he swung the hammer at the nearest messenger, the hammer smashed into the creature's chest, and the disoriented nightmare creature fell, although it was not an instant kill, the attack was dangerous enough to immobilize the nightmare creature that fell and was met with the arrows of the sleepers below.
Merlin wasn't there to witness any of this as he had already moved on to the next messenger, then another and another, Merlin was slowly dominating the sky, his echo fought with him as they killed and disabled the spire messengers, during this short period, he had used more paper figurine substitute than he had since coming to the forgotten shore, the battle was just that dangerous.
…
"Three down, four to go…" Sunny said as he stood on top of the slayer statue, the shield the slayer wielded had been one of the difficulties he faced on the battlefield, and now that was gone.
On the side, Saint faced off with two other golems, but unlike before, this time the golems were being pushed back by Saint, she was an awakened devil after all, and to top it off she was also a battle master, two awakened beasts stood no chance.
Sunny swung his sword to deflect the sword of the golem, with the corner of his eye, he used Cuthul's Gloves to steal the thoughts of one of the golems fighting Saint and with the small chance, the taciturn knight drove her sword right into the chest of the golem.
'That's another one down'
Sunny jumped back to avoid the hand of the priestess, then he felt cold, but this wasn't just regular cold, it was cold coupled with fear from deep within.
He gave himself distance from the opponents and stared at the sky, the sun was being covered by dark clouds, it seemed the forgotten shore would rather drown them than let them leave.
'Damnation' Sunny cursed as he went on the offensive, he had to finish quickly.
…
On the other side of the battlefield, Cassie stood looking up at the sky with a pale face, she felt the cold air earlier, and coupled by her senses, she could tell.
"A storm is coming"
Cassie regained herself and turned to Aiko, the sleeper who stood with the artificers, Aiko's abilities weren't meant for fighting, so she stood with support.
"Aiko… tell everyone to leave immediately, everyone should head for the crimson spire!" Cassie said to Aiko.
"I understand Lady Cassia, I'll relay the message" Aiko nodded and ran towards the other artificers.
Cassie walked to Kai and called to him.
"Kai, tell the archers to head for the crimson spire, we don't have time anymore, a storm is coming.
Kai immediately understood and flew to the archers ordering them to move out, then he flew to inform other sleepers on the battlefield, his abilities made delivering the message convenient.
The sleepers wasted no time as they marched forward with full speed, no one was eager to witness the horrors of the dark sea.
However unlike the other sleepers, Cassie did not move, she stood still on the hill as the sea approached.
"Cassie… What are you doing?Come let's leave" Kai, who noticed her from the air, flew to her to help.
"No need Kai, you go and help the sleepers who can't make it in time, as for me… Merlin will come" Cassie said as she shook her head, her voice filled with certainty.
"Alright" Kai replied and flew into the battlefield.
Cassie stood still for a few seconds, then brought out a single piece of paper, then she left it as it fell to the ground.
Immediately the paper hit the ground, it was replaced with swirling flames that revealed Merlin, his body already riddled with wounds and stained with blood.
"You're really putting my 'trusting others advice' to practice huh…" Merlin said as he approached Cassie and summoned his echo.
"Get on" Merlin lifted Cassie into a princess carry, then placed her on the echo and they flew over the battlefield.
From above, Merlin could see the remnant sleepers pushing forward as the dark sea rose slowly.
"I just hope Sunny's done by now"
…
"Huu… huu… that's the last one" Sunny sighed as he removed his sword from the heart of the last golem.
He turned to the door with seven locks and dashed to it, splashing through the rising waters, then he summoned the keys, and placed them in the key holes.
As the seventh key entered, the energy of the battlefield changed, the rising waters stopped rising entirely.
Then the next moment the bright sun tore through the dark clouds, and the sealed doors swung open, the dark sea began retreating into the opened doors.
Sunny stood with utter bafflement as the fearsome dark sea disappeared within those doors, but he was snapped out of his reverie by Merlin's voice that echoed throughout the battlefield.
"Everyone!!, Avoid the sunlight!!, Run into the citadel!!"
Sunny turned to see Merlin approaching on his echo with Cassie in his arms.
"Run Quickly!!" Nephis commanded immediately after she heard his warning.
The sleepers stopped staring and began to move towards the ancient citadel.
Sunny braised himself and ran in, as he arrived in the dimly lit citadel, he stared at the door, about a minute later and the sleepers came pouring in.
…
Merlin flew through the radiant sunlight, the soul attack did no damage to him, but Cassie in his arms was not immune to it.
His echo landed in front of the door, he was the last to enter with Cassie, as he entered he spotted the cohort together and sighed.
Then he jerked up remembering something and shouted.
"Hide in the shadows!!, Avoid the light!!" The sleepers who were still on guard moved quickly finding dark corners to hide in.
Immediately a bright light erupted in the ancient citadel, Merlin lunged forward into the light, his destination was one sleeper whose location was about to be exposed, Seishan.
He arrived in the nick of time and used the black screen ability to partially conceal Seishan as he moved her into the shadows, after confirming that she was safe, he walked towards the cohort, he didn't avoid the light as it was harmless to him.
As he arrived, Sunny spoke up.
"So, what now?"
"Someone will have to distract the crimson terror while the sleepers leave through the gate way" Nephis answered.
"Well that's all there is to it, I'll need the memories I borrowed you guys for this one" Merlin said as he retrieved the memories he gave Sunny and Effie.
"I'll be on my way then" he smiled.
"Merlin, where are you going?" Sunny asked.
"To go kill the crimson terror…"
"Are you crazy? That's a fallen terror we're talking about!" Sunny's eyes at his answer.
Merlin ignored Sunny's outburst and asked.
"Sunny, are you a monster now?"
Sunny seemed shocked by his question but eventually replied.
"Yes I am"
Merlin nodded and turned to Nephis.
"What about you?"
"I'm already a demon" Nephis replied.
Merlin nodded then smiled.
"That's great, both of you, but I'm currently a terror… now it's a terror against a terror, plus I'm basically immune to soul attacks, so I'm the best match up with the crimson terror… you guys focus on getting everyone out of here, I'll join up when I'm done"
With that he turned and dashed towards the top of the crimson spire, his opponent awaited…