[center][@Zool][@Loksfjoer][@Saiyan][@Teyao][@Zapdos][@Jay009][@Dark Cloud][@AvaP][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jOu8TpY.jpeg[/img][/center] The first crack materialized in the wood of the North Gate. “Commander Thorn, sir.” The Strategos lowered her spyglass and turned to Thorn. “The gate is almost breached.” Thorn nodded grimly. He had hoped that they could hold the walls for longer than this but luck was not on their side. [center][@Zapdos][/center] “Hello Zigmund.” “Hm?” Zacharius grunted in confusion, surprised to hear the name. It caught him off-guard enough to distract him from the threat and he couldn’t get out of the way of the Natural Energy Beam that fired his way. The steel-clad Demi-Jinn did his best to brace and took the magical blast dead in his chest. “Grrr…” His boots scraped the pavestones as the beam of Source pushed him backwards, before Zacharius’ strength gave in and he was sent tumbling across the street. “Raaahh!” Zacharius was more angry than hurt, though it was clear that the Drinker of Dive Blood could indeed feel pain. As he got to one knee, he slammed the butt of his battleaxe on the ground angrily and then stood up properly. Smoke rose from his chest plate, but the enchanted armour was barely scratched. Back before Zacharius had given up his humanity, he was a Paladin Class adventurer with a heavy emphasis on defense over offense. This emphasis characterized the pact he’d made with the Djinn he’d Soul-Fused with. His weightless armour was almost completely impervious to most of the typical types of physical damage and had strong magical resistances too. This is what made fighting Zacharius such a deadly puzzle, especially when combined with the powerful and relentless attack style that he now took advantage of. Then it hit him. Zigmund? Why would this adventurer know the name? Those who met Zigmund rarely lived to tell about it. And now Zigmund was missing in action. Failed to return after being sent to deal with the heroes from another world. “You…” Zacharius said to the Druid. “You are one of them, aren’t you?” He didn’t need an answer. It became clear when assessing Adam’s strange clothes. Zacharius growled and then roared before charging at Adam. He swung at the injured man, missed and his battleaxe smashed a hole in the brick wall of the building. He pulled his weapon free, creating more damage and launched into another attack at Adam, every swing with all of his might intending to finish the fight in one landed attack. When Adam managed to create some distance, Zacharius summoned a spell that charged his axe and he slammed it onto the ground, causing the street to crack open with a series of explosion that created a straight line of destruction heading right for Adam. [center][@AvaP][/center] A Data Analyst? There was no time to even begin understanding Alison’s answer as the rogue exploded into an attack. She closed half of the gap before Hrond’s wolfmen could react and when they did, their weapons hit nothing but air as Alison ducked under them while seamlessly attacking the Wolf Captain’s leg. Hrond’s speed and reflexes had been compromised by his injuries and he barely avoided the attack, but in avoiding it, he was off balance and on one leg, feeling like everything was in slow motion as his eyes followed her sweep around his other side until they could follow no more. “Argh!” She sunk her dagger just above one of his kidneys. He stumbled toward his wolfmen who dashed past him to engage her and Hrond span about to watch. Seeing her occupied for a moment, he took this time to charge up and trigger one of his Racial Abilities: Light of the Luna. Hrond was framed by a glow of white light. His strength and speed increased by half. And now he knew how she moved, how she fought. It was time to show this woman the true power of the Luna Clan. He flew back into the combat, knocking one of his own out of the way to interrupt. A quick jab hit Alison in the mouth, before he slashed her weapon-hand, forcing her to drop the dagger. His combo continued to grab her slashed hand, swung her into the wall, then follow it up with a stab before throwing her to the floor. He picked up her dagger and tossed it to her. “You’ll be needing this…” He snarled smugly, feeling quite in control now. “...Data Analyst.” [center][@Zool][@Loksfjoer][@Saiyan][@Teyao][/center] Source shimmered in Commander Thorn’s eyes as scanned the flags of the various blocks of infantry on the wall and began booming orders. [h2]“INITIATE THE FIRST WAVE OF RETREAT! LEFT WING! DOGS, BULLS, WOLVES! CENTER LINE! SCARABS, PITS, WASPS! RIGHT WING! MOLES, HORNETS, SCYTHES!”[/h2] The aforementioned blocks began to fall back off the wall, while everyone else fought to defend their retreat. Soldiers were pouring down the steps and into the streets to fall back the closest choke points to the North Gate, one of which was a 100m stretch away from where The Bats had formed up. The idea would be to secure the nearby choke points so a full retreat to The Bazaar could be executed without all the defenders being cut down as they ran. The Bazaar was a strong defensible island in the middle of the city, protected by water and bridges, capable stopping the enemy forces for a small amount of time. [h2]“TUSKS, FOXES, TIGERS, RETREAT! RIGHT WING! COLLAPSE INTO THE CENTRE LINE POSITION! MAGE SUPPORT! FOCUS THE GATE! ATTACK MAGES RETREAT!”[/h2] The Right Wing had to be given up as the defenders on the wall thinned their numbers. The Left Wing had to stay the strongest. They could not lose that gate yet. [center][@Jay009][/center] Another smash from the battering ram saw the gate almost buckle completely. There were enough holes in the splintered wood that The Bats could now see through to the outside. And then a final smash saw the gates fly open. The trolls slowly wheeled the battering ram away and off to one side. Then horns sounded. An open lane between the river and assaulting army was now being filled with a charging column of Lizard Cavalry. Clouds of dust kicked up into the air as the clawed feet of half a hundred beasts thundered towards the North Gate. Hisses, warcries and horns sounded off. Up on the mage platforms, the Clerics and Spirit Mages threw all their power into layers of protection enchantments, resistance blessings and magical barriers for The Bats. Then they fled to The Bazaar for further orders.