The ground rumbled violently. Akiol's focus turned towards the ground and frowned for a moment.
He couldn't "see" what was coming. Regardless he knew it was too late to warn Raven Thread.
The ground broke beneath their feet and caved inwards. A cry broke free, sounding low and alien. Through the broken earth arose a massive worm. Equipped with a body that was tearing at its seams.
<<Death 627 Eater LVL:>>
The initial force served as a distraction. It was essentially the same tactic they were using against the undead. The Death Eater was going to swallow Raven Thread whole.
Yet Akiol did not act.
Rather, he didn't have to.
A light shone in the Death Eater's mouth. An Elite from Raven Thread utilized a powerful spell, granting their members wings. Raising higher above the Death Eater roughly 84% of Raven Thread escaped the clutches of the Death Eater.
Not everyone made it out. Some couldn't react fast enough to fly out, others lacked the control needed. The Death Eater curved and returned to the ground and dug effortlessly as it buried itself deep.
The Death Eater was not Third Stage. Regardless of it's Second Stage prominence, it still one shot many Raven Thread members. This was simply because it was a Land Guardian. Much like the one the party fought at the Plains of Plague, the Death Eater was a unique BOSS. This information was unknown to the entirety of the raid party, excluding those who noticed it just now.
"Then their next step. . .", Akiol began calculating a few steps forward.
~ ~ ~
Cr-boom-!
Ground rumbled and cracked as Opportunity's axe slammed into the bottom. Lyllia made a face upon seeing this. Opportunity's raw strength was something she hadn't anticipated.
Her nails swiped forward and scratched Opportunity's cheek. She then made a palm and stabbed Opportunity's stomach with her nails. To her surprise and dismay, the depth of this attack barely went past Opportunity's armor.
Snatching Lyllia's wrist Opportunity lifted her and slammed the succubus into the ground. Raising an axe she swung down with ruthless intent. Before the axe could make contact Lyllia exploded into a pink mist.
Another scratch, this time on her forearm. Opportunity's body froze and became helpless to the next attack. Nails dangled at her throat and sliced. Beast-like claw marks forming at her neck and dealt a deadly amount of damage.
Opportunity stumbled back, her body leaning dangerously close to falling. Yet she paused and turned to look at Lyllia. Twisting in an unnatural fashion Opportunity swung her axe.
Lyllia stepped back to dodge, but a golden arm manifested and extended Opportunity's range! Holding a golden axe it slammed into Lyllia causing her to yelp from the pain.
"The hells are you?!", Lyllia demanded to know.
Opportunity's face twisted in a sick smile, "You know don't you?"
<War Driven Sadist says it's only starting.>
Raising her leg Opportunity stomped the ground, a golden glow flashing momentarily as she made contact. The small realm began to shake violently from the blow. Lyllia's nails flashed forward leaving another faint scratch. Opportunity's body froze and was forced to take another powerful blow. Lyllia spun and kicked towards Opportunity's head. Her neck jerked as she slid from the strike.
Cracking her neck Opportunity took a step towards Lyllia. As the sound of the footstep echoed Lyllia found her spine reflexively shiver. This kind of fight was not suitable to her strengths. As a succubus she was essentially unparalleled in leading the tempo. Slowly making them lower their guard by utilizing their inner desires. Once she was entirely in control she would then strike, ending the battle before her victim realized what was happening.
However she picked one wrong person! This sadistic fiend's only inner desire was battle. The feeling of putting your life on the line in a glorious fight! There was nothing to latch onto, nothing to lower Opportunity's guard!
"I shouldn't have let him redeem that favor, this is too costly.", Lyllia's face turned from confident to a twisted pain.
She was a succubus after all, not an undead creature. Her presence was only due to a favor called by the Undead King!
"Losing your will? We haven't even started. Surely you can keep this up.", Opportunity asked in a mocking tone.
Lyllia did not make a remark.
~ ~ ~
Kan'na rose a finger causing several magic circles to pop into existence. A rectangle of mana manifested and began to show Akiol's point of view.
Watching the massive Death Eater return to the ground she frowned. Her palm touched the ground and a Formation sprouted into existence. Rising a mana form of a hologram it showed the Death Eater's current position relative to herself.
This spell was nothing more than a radar, and she purposefully kept it simple to let the mana usage fly low to prevent detection. Any unusual spikes could be detected by the undead.
Yielya appeared next to hear, the sound of a bell ringing could be heard yet was faint. Studying the hologram she then frowned, "The speed is troublesome."
The Death Eater was moving at insane pace for its size. Akin to a fish in the water. Kan'na watched it and spoke an intriguing thought, "The property of Stages is more different than our form of power scaling. As if each Stage you surpass the less the laws apply to you."
"It's favoritism, that's all it is.", Yielya said with a confidence that Kan'na could not understand.
Placing her hand to her ear Kan'na warned, "It's rapidly approaching!"
"Someone take care of it! It'll eat us all before we can arrive at the manor!", Yelled Seven Vows.
"Move full speed towards it. I'll stand back a moment to make sure it doesn't follow.", Akiol replied.
Yielya immediately rejected the idea, "We cannot stretch our Third Stage forces too thin. If something comes up you need to handle we'll be forced to reveal there's more than this force!"
"Okay, I'll think of something, continue moving.", Akiol did not argue and instead began to utilize a different method.
Kan'na watched the screen as Akiol pointed Stars towards the sky. Space ripped apart at the sky.
There was a question Akiol never bothered to speak, in fear of angering Stars. That question was: why was it that the as an Upper Four sword did Breaker of Stars not provide more than a handful of Skills and better scaling?
There was Legend Creating weapons with significantly more helpful and powerful abilities, their Skills outnumbering that of Stars'.
It was only recently that Akiol fully understood why. The power granted by these swords could not be properly utilized. Without a significant amount of strength and Prominence, the abilities of the weapons would tear you apart.
At Third Stage, the wielders of the Twelve Swords will find the weapons undergo a massive change in utility. No longer just lending power in forms of Berserk Skills, but opening an entirely new set of abilities. This Skill wasn't new, but it evolved into an entirely different monster.
[Falling Sky]!
A meteor descended from beyond the clouds. Flaming as its massive size came closer to the ground.
Raven Thread watched in unison. Stunned by the sheer size of the falling rock. Seven Vows felt his lip twitch as he struggled to suppress a wry smile, "You dare claim you can't do this yourself?"
The Death Eater broke through the surface and rose to the air. Instead of eating any players, it instead was met directly with the massive meteor that trumped its size tenfold.
The two crashed into the ground, release a shockwave so powerful it knocked several Raven Thread members out of the sky. Akiol watched the impact with a still expression, merely waiting.
A few moments passed before he adjusted his gaze. The meteor either killed the Death Eater, or pinned it in place. Either option sufficed to him.
With this Raven Thread's march continued!