>>5502301“Yes, I agree. Let’s make haste and offer them some assistance.”
You and your party follow Yellow-Hawk’s lead as he takes you through the volcanic caverns, corpses littering every nook and cranny. The stream of kill notification doesn’t cease while you hurry to the Steelport group’s aid. It’s clear, from Yellow-Hawk’s analysis of the player deaths, that they’re on the losing side. Whoever the enemy is, they must not be pushovers.
After about a minute of pure running, made faster by some of your movement speed buffs, you arrive at the sight of battle - a magnificent chamber unlike anything you’ve seen in the raid thus far. Pillars of cinnabar-red stone, spread out near the perimeter of the room in a circular fashion, reach up high into the chasmal ceiling, as if supporting its unfathomable earthly weight. At the centre rests a single round platform of irregular edge, surrounded by oceans of golden magma. And upon it, lies the carcass of a large wolf. Its fur is as dark as charcoal, and the skin beneath is lined with cracks from which some powerful, but quickly fading, orange aura spews forth. This is Huyan the Loyal Guardian, and around his corpse currently plays out a scene of absolute carnage, cultivators dressed in proud blue uniforms struggling against others clad in golden robes - the Golden Hand Sect. At a glance, about half of the Steelport forces remain, and for their adversaries, around two-thirds.
“We’ll proceed as such.” Skyfrost speaks up, battle plans already drawn in his head. “Observe their backline- Uh, actually, we don’t have time so just jump in first. With me!”
Skyfrost charges into the fray, his sword leaving his hands before he reaches the site of battle. It flies deftly, nimbly strafing through the air before striking an enemy player.
[NMSL has been slain by Skyfrost!]
“Straight through! Yellow-Hawk, cast [Geyser] over there. I’ll keep them still.”
Blitzing through enemy lines, Skyfrost’s blade takes on a shade of icy blue that has since become all too familiar to you. With a single swing of his blade, walls of ice erupt from the ground, blocking off the most efficient path of retreat for the Golden Hand’s spellcasters and healers. Yellow-Hawk takes this chance and dashes into the mob with [Flash Step]. As the shaft of his spear strikes the ground, a complex magic circle appears underfoot. A brief moment later, a raging column of water shoots up, kicking up both Yellow-Hawk and the Golden Hand players.
“Distant-Cloud, [Wave of Force]. Into the lava!”
You fly to about the same altitude as the falling players and execute [Wave of Force] as instructed. Before the ability lands, Yellow-Hawk performs some complex movements in the air to avoid your attack. Like leaves of a tree in autumn, the Golden Hand players fall in droves to their demise, swept away by a vicious gale. What remains of them, that is to say, their frontline and tanks, quickly crumble under the shock of losing their rear support.
