Chapter 554 - Alfi At the Gates
A full-on and massive tactical retreat began ensuing in conquest. Players, NPCs, and even hordes of animals have been guided and were marching in long lines toward the Dark threading dungeon. The masses of NPCs only grew to army size when they gathered together from every city, village, and excluded area. Players have been told to inform the NPCs that a great change was coming to this world, and staying here would mean their doom.
The majority followed, but a great deal still couldn't move out of their homes and houses, they decided that they would stay. The players couldn't change their minds, and they were strictly ordered not to use force on NPCs.
In less than one game-day, all the major cities of conquest of all the four corners were empty of all life. Bar the few birds and small wild animals that were scurrying away, there was nothing left but old people of which the pilgrim to the Dark Treading was too far away from them and would exhaust them.
The teleportation gates were used to their maximum capacity. Yet the way from the nearest city which became packed full of NPCs and players waiting their turn to march to the dungeon was stuck. There needed to be an organized march, and if everyone were to go at the same time, the dungeon would be too packed to let them enter.
White ghost was responsible for the logistics of the march, while Wan Yi, Warlord, and Valentien were responsible for order. NPCs were the first to have access to the dungeon, they were led down, and were welcomed by the undead on the bottom floor. Ramsha didn't bother with any of the newcomers, humans, or none humans, his job was to stop the demons from exiting the Underworld, and it was a job that was completed a long time ago.
"What do you guys think Skelly is doing right now?" Wan Yi asked.
"I have no idea, but give me a moment, Blaster, where is skelly?" Valentine asked through voice call.
Ralph's voice came back in a hasty reply. "We're holding off Alfred's army, shit is really annoying man. He broke through Rodinan and is headed toward Yurlanda."
"Shit, that's one city away from Icathia, the capital."
"Hey, we're doing all we can, and remember, the whole overworld is done for. How is the migration going?
"At this rate, we'll need at least a couple of days to get everyone in."
"Crap, that's a lot we can't hold Alfi for all that long."
"We'll do what we can to hasten up the process, keep up the good work, we'll join you when the time is right."
"No need, we're doing guerrilla tactics, doing a head-on battle will only get players killed and accounts banned. Man, the f.u.c.k is happening with the game that it became like this. Alright, got to go, another calamity wave is coming; Skelly! Hold up, wait for me." Ralph's voice was cut off.
"Man, honestly, it feels like shit, having to do this while Skelly is hogging all the fame." Wan Yi said.
"Skelly's undead army has a great advantage, they can die, and revive, they're our best chance at stopping the incoming threat. If we're to fight, we'll do something probably kill a few hundred, but if we die, that's a huge blow to our forces, forces that we'll desperately need to defend the Dark Threading or the Undead Frontier." Warlord's reply came to rebuke Wan Yi's reckless comment.
"Shit, you're right, but still, this is taking a lot of time. Icathia will fall fast without proper guards to defend it, and from then on, only a few towns and the city of Rindal that stands in the army's way before they get here."
"Some players, good men, decided to stay back in the capital and hold off the army, they will help skelly as much as they can. It's all the help we could afford for now." Warlord said.
"Also, some of our own players decided to head forward and lay traps all over the way to this dungeon. This is all the help we can afford." White Ghost said.
"Damn it, Zhang Shi's legacy would have been a great help here." Warlord said.
"With him giving up his legacy for that of the Demon King, and now having lost it he already quit the game. It's no use crying over spilled milk," Valentine's reply came instant. "Let's focus on things we have instead of things we don't. For now, let's see if we can accelerate this pilgrimage, there are still hundreds of thousands if not millions of NPCs waiting in line."
"Right, I'll head out and see what I can do, guys, take care." Warlord said and headed down the dungeon to see what was stalling the march.
Back in Icathia; Dave stationed forces all over the walls of the capital city. Mages, archers, and shield bearers. And on the base of the towering walls, where hundreds of thousands of Dunelords that were burying themselves in the dirt. Dave didn't want to be outdone the same way as Warlord had been. The mole calamities were a dangerous creatures, not because of their power, but the ability to go beyond walls.
And the Dunelords were the best deterrent.
"Jeffery," Dave called.
"Yeah, at your service." Jeffery saluted.
"Stop with the military bullshit, now tell me, how long for your guns to be in operating conditions?"
"I'll need a couple of hours," Jeffery said.
"Alfred will be here in less, stay by my side, until then then," Dave said and turned to wittiness Dagla in full display of his massive powers.
Dagla had volunteered to assist Dave in the defense of the overworld, mainly because of the few hints that Nick had given him, Dagla managed to upgrade the majority of his spells and now his destructive power, which was already magnificent became much more frightening or as he said.
Dagla had brought along with him his own team of liches and casters, they were all facing each other in a great circle in the middle of Icathia. They began chanting in an old foregone language, casting a spell that shines bright enough that it made a beacon of light that ascended to the skies.
Soon the beacon spread and created a barrier that covered the entirety of Icathia. Dave frowned and jumped down from the wall, and headed toward Dagla.
Once the Arch Lich saw Dave he rejoiced and said, "What do you think of this great protective barrier?"
"Euh, not gonna lie, I think it's very dumb," Dave said.
"Uh, not the words I was expecting, Lord Prince, do you see fault with the magic?" Dagla questioned.
"No, I'm not skilled enough to judge or criticize your magic, but the use of it, I can do. Why did you create a barrier Dagla?" Dave asked.
"To protect us from the incoming horde, I mean, it will stop a great deal of enemies, and it has the ability to defend itself, and our allies can shoot from within it."
"Right, in a normal siege battle, this barrier would have been the best defense ever, but did you forget that Alfred has an Arch God slaying weapon?" Dave said.
"I actually took that in consideration when building the barrier. It should stop a few blows from the spear,"
Dave was taken aback, he had underestimated Dagla a lot then; "Well, I guess I was wrong, I mean, if it could stop only one blow, that would have been more than perfect."
"Why I would like to ask."
"I noticed something with his Spear, it cannot consecutively attack. Remember in the battle of the Ash King, he could only use one skill at a time; and never the same skill again, also the remains of the battle on mt glory, we saw the destruction of Ashkar's black magic and the blows of the bald monk's staff, but only the levitation effect of the Gae Bolg, and not its destructive effects. And finally, at Veinheim, Alfred didn't blow through the walls made by Briarvig but rather used the moles to dig it down. Alfred is saving the spear's energy, and if your barrier can stop a couple of his blows, that will definitely stop his advance. You did a great job man, sorry for doubting you."
"'It is cool', as you youngsters say,"
"How many of these barriers could you make? I mean if we have one at the Dark Threading…"
Dave's sentence was cut abruptly, by Dagla's had shakes, "I cannot use it again, I had to sacrifice a Dark repelling Sphere, and since the day I was borne, I was only able to obtain two, and here I used the last one. The first I had to use when I battled alongside Deadra in the first battelled the demons in the underworld, long before your birth."
"Right, otherwise this would have been too easy," Dave said.
"Enemy forces up ahead!" Jeffery's voice sounded.
"I guess it's time to warm up," Dave said
"Yes, it is, now let's see how many Calamities we can kill before the city is broken into," Dagla replied.
"We'll have to make them regret targeting this city then."
"Wanna have a contest? Whoever slays the least will buy the other a bottle of Undead Rum from his lord Nick."
"Damn, that's a million-gold bottle. And you're a lich, you have mass destructive abilities."
"Ah, the young Undead is afraid of little competition."
Dave drew Durandal and said "Ah, never mind, bring it on then!"
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