After spending some time getting familiar with the update, the group moved on to their plans. Luckily, they had already prepared for most of it. While they all wanted to go and investigate the dungeons, they knew it better to first save the East.
"Are you sure you want to come with us?" Eldrian asked.
Because of the nature of the mission, they had asked for volunteers. After all, Kynigo needed as many hands as possible to repair and recover. Not to mention they couldn't weaken their defenses. Another attack can come.
"Of course!" Adriana replied, three of her fellow escapees with her. After escaping from the undead, they had been sheltered.
When the request came for volunteers, she had jumped at the chance to repair her dept. Not to mention, she dearly wished to make the undead pay who had killed her friends. The dullahan commanding the forces in the east was her target, even if he was far above her and she could never even lay a scratch on him.
"Alright then." Those here with Eldrian now were all above Tier 5 and they came up to sixteen in total. "When we arrive, we're going to be a short distance from Trigora. The area should still be safe, considering only a day has passed since we scouted it."
With that, Eldrian actived Return. Teleporting everyone in his party, NPCs included, with him. A white light filled their vision, and when they opened their eyes, they found themselves no longer in the city.
As soon as they arrived, the group formed a circle with Eldrian in the middle. "We're in the clear." He said. "We are between Navedan and Tripeak at the moment. For now, we should stick together and move to Tripeak."
It would have been simple enough for Eldrian to teleport them directly to the city. However, he wanted to get a feel for how infested the surroundings were with the undead. While this was a non-issue for them, it was an issue for reinforcements.
Moving quickly, the groups slayed any undead they happened upon. Even larger groups outnumbering them ten to one did not stand a chance. Unwilling were killed just as easily, with only the higher undead occasionally commanding small hordes proving difficult. Even they, however, quickly fell to Eldrian, Ceph, or Vivian.
And so, as night fell, they arrived at the outer walls. In disrepair and filled with holes, undead sauntering about as they wandered aimlessly. The group found themselves a place to hide and plan.
"With this many undead, it will be hard to break through." Adriana stated.
"We can kill our way through," Craine, her second hand, added. "But... that will draw more attention. If we find ourselves facing something we can't defeat, we will be in trouble."
"What if we form a distraction to lure them away?" Elizabeth proffered. The idea was greeted warmly by the NPCs. After all, it was well known that the Chosen could resurrect after dying. Them being the bait was the safest bet.
As a result, talks quickly spiraled into the best form of a distraction. And while Eldrian felt these were all valid, they were all also so conservative. After five minutes, he had enough.
"If we want a distraction, it has to be me." Eldrian said, yet Elizabeth, Ceph, and Vivian quickly shot him down. The injuries he had gained from the last time he had acted as the distraction still clear in their minds.
"Relax. I still have the Tier 9 protection medallion on me. It should buy me time if I find myself facing something I can't handle." Unlike normal items, it was a onetime use.
Eldrian wasn't sure how it worked, but it would block one attack that would kill or severely injure him. Somehow, it was capable of determining when an attack was beyond its wearer's abilities. After blocking an attack, it would block any follow up for one second.
While not much, it was enough for Eldrian to think of something. If Ceph was near enough, he could even contact him to teleport away easily enough."
Explaining this all to everyone, the three reluctantly agreed. On the condition that Eldrian didn't break his mental link with Ceph. If it broke, they would assume he was in danger and Ceph would send him the teleportation offer from their ability, Call on each other.
With that settled, Eldrian sneaked away from the group. A thin smile playing on his lips as he did. It was about time he tested his and Solvi's new inventions.
"You're first." Eldrian mumbled, taking out a long sword. It was without ornaments and appeared like a strange blade. Its blue sheen betrayed its make from Mithril.
The sword was stupidly thick; the alloy used to thicken it, increasing its weight, as did the enchantments they had applied to it. When mana poured through it, it could weigh up to twenty kilograms. Ten times more than a normal sword.
Other than that, it was also enchanted to form its own ether connection. Throwing it from his hand, Eldrian formed a tethered connection with the blade as he sent it crashing into the nearest horde of undead. Its weight allowing it to crush through bone, flesh, and metal alike.
It was not like a knife through butter. The sword did not effortlessly slice through its targets. Instead, it crushed them. While its edge was inhumanly sharp, that alone was not enough to sever bone.
The carnage quickly caused the nearby undead to grow restless as they searched for the source of the destruction. Alas, all that they found was the floating blade. Tearing through them with gusto.
In a short few seconds, dozens had been crushed and killed.
'This is quite effective. While the sword is lacking for a Tier 5 creation, its focused design is certainly useful.' Eldrian thought, waiting until the sentient undead stirred.
What arrived a few minutes later on the scene, along with nearly a thousand minions, was a flaming skeleton. Unlike the Flaming Reanimates, this one seemed far stronger. Its flaming eyes seemed to shine with intelligence.
'They were always tricky to kill,' Eldrian recalled, some time having passed since he last faced one of these. Since they were immune to flames, normally the undead's weakness, it was harder to finish them off.
However, Eldrian saw the flickering flame in its chest and skull. The source of its undead life. What remained of the soul of who the flaming skeleton used to be.
'Your turn.' Eldrian mumbled, taking out another of his and Solvi's creations. Pumping mana into the blade, an icy mist flowed from the blade. Crystalizing as it surrounded the blade.
"Humph!" With a grunt, Eldrian threw the dagger. Guiding it with ether it flew, he envisioned its path while sending the larger bulky weapon flying at the undead.
Seeing the thing that killed its fellow undead, the flaming skeleton turned it attention to the sword. Bringing its halbert, aflame just like it, to block. The creaking of its bone echoed in the air as it blocked, skidding a few meters back.
Just as it was about to send the sword flying back, a dagger rushed into its chest. Exploding out of its skull. And with its strength gone, the overly large sword crashed through its defenses and continued to crush those behind it.
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