novelraw Chapter 255 - 254 - Final Assault
Chapter 255 - 254 - Final Assault
Athena was covered in sweat and dust. Her dark hair was sticking to her neck and back as her torn robes had to be replaced. The ground falling away had nearly caught her but one of her men tossed her back at the last moment.
How many had she lost in that trap?!
"Report, how many units do we have left?" When Athena had been chosen as leader, there had been challenges but she demonstrated her skill immediately to silence opposition. It helped that on one could attack each other.
Since the loss of her original strategy, she had adapted as best she could but their enemy was terrifying. Whoever created those weapons was a monster and more terrifying was there was only 1 person she knew of in the tournament that could do it.
Master Frey was a legend to her sect. He had turned the cultivation world on its head with his elemental theories and elixirs. He then revealed himself as a peak grade 2 Forger in Cimmeria from what the rumors said.
"We lost over half of our starting numbers according to reports. This side was worse because of that last wall attack, but only by a little." A young man with dark eyes and crimson hair responded to her question. Blood flowed from a cut on his head, but his eyes were clear.
"The shadow puppeteers are out of commission I assume?" His nod showed they had already anticipated her next question. The blaze of light had damaged some eyes as well which seemed to count as incapacitation to the battle.
Athena cursed whoever matched her against this terror of a person.
"Use the earth to make bridges and defenses against attacks. We have to bring down that wall and find their leader. It is our only chance!" Before the battle began, the new condition had been handed to them.
[Due to conditions unlocked in Violet Hold, the leader of Crimson Hold must be on the front line of battle or the group will be disqualified.]
The shocking announcement had not really changed anything for Athena as she already planned to be assaulting any enemy she could. Her scythe twirled in her hands as the dark metal glowed in the light of the chasm.
She was a fierce combat master of the scythe. She was an executioner in training at the Shadow Sect, but was there under the Black Lotus Sect. They were one of several sects out in the open to gather resources and trade for the Shadow Sect.
Now, she was being beaten by a man she technically had only heard stories about from her elders and knew there was more to him than was publicly acknowledged. Even so, nothing like what she was facing right then.
The rumble of earth was starting as Arts began to fly from the walls as well as flames flashing on her own to deflect or destroy the attacks. Their reduced numbers were starting to show but she would not stop just because of some losses.
It was a fact that there would be death in battle, to stop and give up would simply make any such sacrifice meaningless. She also had no time for those that were dead to hold her back. Grief or anger can come after victory.
"The bridges are complete!" Athena nodded and pulled her hood up. Her face was a give away and the ones that had been made as decoys had been defeated in the last trap. She did not want to become the focus.
"Unleash all your power! We will make them pay for all our loss to this point!" She raised her scythe and the roar went up as they charged across. She felt good that despite all the setbacks, these people still could follow her into battle.
A couple of crimson flashes told her of more loss but the power of her fellow sect members was not small. They were normally restrained but after the clear slaughter thus far, they stopped holding back. Secret skills, Arts, and some bloodline attacks were now flying freely.
Athena shook her head but she felt the same. Lind Frey had pulled out their potential and brought a pressure none of them ever dreamed was possible.
They had originally hoped to lure their enemies onto their territory but half their landscape had been transformed into stone by 1 attack. They knew waiting was pointless and began the hunt.
The expected defeat of much weaker cultivators they were used to meeting, was smashed apart once more as the traps and devastating attacks nearly wiped out the day's attacks. The fall of night turned to their favor but that was quickly destroyed as well.
The sudden appearance of a light flare that revealed both their puppet art and weakened it, left her frustrated. Athena had warned against raiding the buildings but not all listened. They forgot it was not a natural city due to the anger of battle.
The loss of her best attackers was the direct result of that trap.
She finally crossed the chasm and saw the glowing wall in front of her. After the last dangerous wall, she did not treat it as a simple assault. Her scythe began to glow with fire and air to make lightning.
She flung her attacks and was gratified to see a large chunk of the wall go flying.
She was about to continue when the wall began to heal right in front of her! Exasperation filled her heart but she changed her target. Attacks were flying and any attempt at coordination was impossible in the chaos, but she saw a few violet flares that made her smile spread on her face.
"Assault the gate with a ram!" Her words carried on the wind by her control. She had a very interesting bloodline skill of air and fire control but only as separate elements. If she could awaken the next level, she would be a horrifying cultivator to deal with.
Still, she could use the very air to have her words reach her companions without warning her enemies. She had used it often on her missions to guide her forces without giving a single thing away like jade stones could.
A group of earth and darkness cultivators changed the gravity near the gate and caused the ground to wear away so the wooden structure could not support its own weight. It was not a normal way to break a door and she saw it had not been anticipated.
A creak was followed by the shattering of the wooden gate into splinters. The gravity compressed the wood into a bridge for the hollow created and they began to charge. Athena was moving when the nightmare began.
The walls of the gate lit up in beams of fire and water. Scalding steam filled it and screams came out as people were boiled instantly. A tremor of fear filled her heart seeing more crimson glows coming from within the steam.
How many people were left? How were the other sides going?
She could not concern herself as earth Qi blazed on her scythe.
"Cleave the Grave!" She shouted the name of the Art in frustration as a massive chunk of stone sliced the air to the steam filled gateway. Once it reached the steam the earth scythe attack shattered with the force of finality.
The Art was meant to use earth with a weapon to make an attack that would flatten, or rip apart depending on the intent behind its use. Athena had made it to attack the walls of the gateway.
It worked!
The fire and water was blocked off and cheers went up. They stormed through to find the enemy at last. Athena's forces were battered, soiled, and bleeding but she saw none of that in her foes.
Her dantian was almost completely drained so she summoned a Qi replenishment pill to do what she could. The end was coming but she would not go down without a fight.
"You have lost, give up!" A haughty man with golden eyes seemed to think he was a god but Athena simply sliced the air and he lost his arm. A Shadow Slice was the most dangerous attack but she had barely enough Qi to use it.
The man was then enveloped in violet light as her side roared in defiance.
They charged when suddenly they were all encased in light. They were frozen in place and Athena felt a giggle rise in her chest.
It was one more.
They had been 1 away from the end and she had sent that fool out!
"The battle is over. 100 members remain. Your assessment will begin once all battles have resolved. Both leaders have survived. Final score awarded to Violet Hold for more members alive." The booming voice reverberated across the fortress as they all vanished from the field until only 2 remained.
Athena finally saw him. Dirty blonde hair, dark green eyes, and slightly tanned skin. His crimson robes were very bright with black and gold decorations on them. What shocked her were his badges.
One was platinum as expected, but the other was gold! He had truly made it to grade 3 Forging!
"Greetings, Master Frey. You are far more frightening than in rumor." Athena bowed with deep respect to her counterpart. The fact he was the leader made sense out of the madness she faced. She saw surprise pass across his face before a small smile appeared.
Athena felt her heart skip a beat at how handsome that made him!
"I am afraid I do not know your name, but your tenacity and tactics were excellent. I am an amateur in defending from an army so I have much yet to learn. Your lessons will be employed well." There was no arrogance but her spine felt chills.
That was an amateur?! She had entered buildings of the 2 major sects and other major powers that seemed like open doors compared to what he laid out! If he thought he made mistakes, what would he consider flawless?!
Suddenly, a floating image appeared above them.
[Final tally: Violet Hold - 72 Members/ Crimson Hold - 28 Members]
Athena felt the life leave her soul. She started with 99 people and had ended with only 28! She glanced at Lind Frey and noticed his grim face.
"You fought well. Your victory is deserved." She gave honest praise but he waved it off.
"This was not a victory. This was purely survival. We have both advanced and now those that were once allies may now become enemies. I pray for your success to continue." Lind bowed to her before he vanished from her sight.
Athena found him just like her elders described. He was fair to strangers, soft to his loved ones, but ruthless to his foes. Such a person made for a dangerous enemy. If you crossed them by attacking their allies, they would come at you vindictively.
She made a note to never, ever, take any assignment that involved allies of Lind Frey. Light enshrouded her at last and took her to the next round.