A New World, an immersive game experience

"So, they've attacked on all sides now. Trying to see where we will give?" Elizabeth mumbled upon receiving the reports from various players. Their enemy sure was organized. Launching their attacks at the same time to prevent the city from shifting manpower.

"Where's the Tier 7 now?" Ceph asked, itching to get moving. Any further dawdling would be a waste of time.

"Don't you think that is a bit much?" Elizabeth questioned, knowing full well that Ceph was only Tier 4. To fight someone, or something, three Tiers above was you was not normal and in no way safe.

"Not at all. Besides, you're coming with me."

"What?!" Stunned, Elizabeth turned to Ceph in disbelief. "I can't, I need to—"

"At this point, you can leave things to others."

"Maybe... but Nikki isn't here yet." Elizabeth didn't feel comfortable leaving the organizing to anyone but her trusty second in command. While the other guild leaders were competent, she didn't trust to leave things to them.

Leaving the players of her own guild to their commands just did not feel right. And sadly, everyone else was already assigned to a mission. Plus, many had by now also died and were waiting to revive in the temples.

"What do you think will make a bigger difference?" Ceph asked, giving Elizabeth some time to consider it on her own.

"Killing the biggest threat inside the city, or continuing to aid the information channel when movement is already at the limit and there are others doing the same task? When the problem now isn't information but manpower."

Elizabeth sighed. "You're right. We need to go make a difference. But how can I even help?"

If it was before, when she was alone in managing things, she would have continued to fight. But it was true that she couldn't offer much in that regard now. Not with Eldrian still MIA and not updating her on the enemy movements.

She was currently like all the other guild leaders. And her absence would not be problematic. After all, it wasn't like the other leaders were idiots. Informing them that she was moving to the front was the only thing she had to do.

Turning back into his natural form, Ceph swung his head, indicating for her to hop on. 'Get on already.'

"Huh?! How did you—" Not wanting to waste more time, Ceph pushed Elizabeth onto his back with a windblast. Taking off before she could argue. Hanging on for dear life, Elizabeth screamed as they soared into the air.

"Ho-Hold UP!" she shouted, digging her hands into Ceph's mane as she held on for dear life.

Aligning after reaching around a few hundred meters in the air, Ceph snorted. She had really pulled on his mane, and it had hurt. Irritated, he asked, "Where is the Night Terror?"

"In the north, where the fighting is the thickest. But—" The rest of her words were forever lost to the wind as Ceph whizzed over the city.

Of course, he kept a barrier around them so Elizabeth would not be thrown from his back by the winds as they reached the speed of sound. Even keeping her in place with some ether manipulation.

When they paused above the fighting, Elizabeth groaned. Lying down on Ceph's back, her face pale. It took her a while to force out even a simple grumble. "G-force?"

"What's that?"

'Ugh, Eldrian, why didn't you at least teach Ceph the basics?' Elizabeth groaned again, casting a healing spell on herself as she spat out some blood to the distant city below. She felt confident she only survived because her avatar was stronger than a normal human body.

"Seems you're finally ready to act." Ceph commented, noticing only now that he had nearly killed Elizabeth during his flight.

'Is this something to do with momentum?' Ceph pondered. He had little reference to why she was hurt. With Eldrian, he always only focused on keeping the winds at bay. And at this point, he only did that when they performed a dive attack at supersonic speeds.

"How do you want to attack it?" Elizabeth asked, accepting things as they were and turning her attention to the task at hand. Below them, an entire city block was a mass of darkness, with multiple smaller darkness spots around the area.

From these dark spots, shadowy limbs in the form of various dangerous items struck. Keeping the soldiers from reinforcing the gate, where the enemy was attacking from both inside and out.

The soldiers launched attacks at these shadows, but it was clear at a glance that they achieved little. At best, they were preventing the shadows from attacking the gate.

"Cast the strongest light spell you know. Focus it on the big one."

"Is that all?" Elizabeth asked. It sounded too simple.

"You don't have enough mana to do more." Ceph commented rather harshly.

'Sorry not everyone is a freak like you or Eldrian,' Elizabeth mumbled. However, she did not let her thoughts distract her. Though she decided to do more than she was told. After all, she wasn't weak by any standard. She just couldn't measure up to them.

Focusing on the spell module, she envisioned her target and slowly spoke the chant for her unique spell.

"Oh god of us Chosen. You who have no other designation. Bring forth your judgement on these creatures of darkness. Holy Sanctum!"

Light burst from Elizabeth, as bright as the morning sun. Encircling the massive blob of darkness and constricting it. Fighting against the light, it tried, but could not push back. It's massive frame contained within the light.

Elizabeth smiled, pumping out her chest with pride. Until she suddenly felt fatigued. "What the — how the heck?!"

Ceph did not give Elizabeth any time to work through what was happening with her spell and mana. Because, the next second, she was free-falling.

"Ceph! What the fuuuu—"

—

'She had to try to be fancy. But this is a good chance.' Diving towards the Night Terror, Ceph had thrown Elizabeth from his back since she would die if he did not. He had already established an air funnel to catch her near the ground. It would be a rough landing, but she should survive. Probably.

Focusing on his target, Ceph charged all his mana through his body. Focusing the majority in his horn and wings as he increased his speed to the absolute max.

Like a blazing black and green comet, he dived from on high. And with a boom, he disappeared into the darkness.

—

Screaming for her life, Elizabeth tumbled in the air as she was suddenly pelted with an upward surge of wind. By luck, she managed to not land on her neck. "The nerve!" Furious, she turned to their target, finding her spell near breaking.

And that was when Ceph suddenly dived into the darkness. The sight making Elizabeth gasp and rush forward, not knowing what she would do if he died.

However, the next second, she was blown away. Rolling through the streets, she just barely managed to see the crater that was left where Ceph had landed. The mass of darkness shredded and scattered by the wild winds.

Ceph was already attacking the shattered remains. The soldiers, after recovering, did the same. After some time, they started to move. Trying to gather back together.

'What just happened?' Trying to make sense of things, Elizabeth mindlessly also attacked the slithering remains. Finding that it was a slimy substance that appeared to absorb all light. It's appearance the perfect example of something devoid of light.

Throwing a few into her inventory, surprisingly, it went in just fine. Elizabeth thought Eldrian and Ilmadia would be interested in it. Though her indignation at Ceph just throwing her from his back kept burning as she moved.

'He's not getting away with it! No way!'

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:)