xenon

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zapdos

George was contrite and extremely nervous as he faced Adam. It was maybe that he simply took Adam's awkwardness for some kind of disdain. Or maybe he was just projecting his own self-hatred onto the righteous man who stood strong in front of him. He played with one end of his mustache and kept his gaze lowered for the most part.

“I believe this is yours. You had it when we, uh, met earlier.”

"Ah, uh, yes," he bumbled, then thought of a better idea. "Why don't you keep it, Druid," he said instead. "A gift from me. For freeing us of this nightmare we've been trapped in. For dispelling the darkness that plagued our homes."

He reached out with both hands. One closed Adam's fist around the wand, then the other placed itself on Adam's fist. He bowed his head with gratitude. "The wand is tied to the Air Domain, so it would be best with one of your companions who have an affinity to it. But even if none of you do, I'm sure you can get some use out of it. Or perhaps even sell it for a good price in the city."

George bid Adam farewell and started the journey back to the town of Chelis, a couple of miles north of Temple Hill. Facing Adam was hard enough, but facing his hometown after the things he'd done... the crimes he'd committed... would be the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life.

The wand was expensive and advanced in magical production. Unfortauntely there were none in Second Chance that could explore the various spells that it's maximum potential could produce. However:

Anyone using the wand could at least cast a high-powered Wind Blast which would fire a narrow cone high pressure to knock opponents off their feet. In combination with environments such as spikes or cliff edges, it would yield even better results in combat.

With a small amount of study under a competent teacher, or excessive training, even someone without a Source Crystal might be able to charge the air and create some kind of electrical spell.

Again, without affinity in the Source Domain of Air, the amount of spell charges a person could hope to get out of the wand before it needed recharging would be maybe 10-15. After that, a specialist would be needed to be sought out to 'refill' the wand.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Each of them would feel the hum of their Source Crystal - The Gift - as it called out to the very fabric of existence. The lifeforce of their enemies faded. George's ambush squad outside. The fight in the library. The battle with Drath'tuthan. Lifeforces aplenty and two so powerful.

Once again, their crystals overflowed, reaching the limit of their current level, and shone purple to signify:

Ascension - With the exception of Barracker, the adventurers had ascended to a new level of strength. Their class-specific attacks would be innately, significantly more powerful. Their bodies could handle more damage, and their resistance to slashing, peircing, crushing or elemental injuries was considerabley higher too. Their current abilities would grow, new capabilities would be born, and a higher capacity to learn more powerful things was apparent.

Ascension - The true power and realisation of The Gift of the Source Crystals.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Drath'tuthan

In Capitol City's Colosseum, where many duelists take part in one-on-one combat for fame and fortune, there is a well-known saying:

"An opponent is most vulnerable right before they are delivering the winning blow."

-The first adventurer to say this is up for debate

No saying in all of Mytherian history was perhaps more apt than this one, at this time, in the ritual chamber of the Temple of Hades. Seconds before the powerful spell BoneWracker was cast, a hail of weaponry bathed in the light of holy fire was launched upward. Drath'tuthan could not move or do anything to stop the attacks. Perhaps it thought that it had the constitution and toughness to take a few hits, in this moment. It would be logical. It only needed a few more seconds to deliver a table-turning irrecoverable blow to the adventurers. Surely a moment of vulnerablity was worth it? However, the burst-damage of so many heavy-duty primary weapons powered up with Holy Fire, the ultimate weakness of Hellish entities... the Greater Wraith did not anticipate such a wave of power.

First came the Enchanted Spear from another world. Connected to the soul of the wielder, it's power both in level and consistency was a reflection of the woman's background, her personality and her inner strength. When it struck Drath'tuthan, the wraith flinched and balked. The holy fire burned.

Second was the sword possessed by a core aspect of The Devil, Baphomet. This power was very familiar to Drath'tuthan. It tasted of Oblivion Plane. And Devils were of the highest rank and status in that dimension. The sword landed and Drath'tuthan twisted in agony.

Third came a simple dagger, thrown with such accuracy that it bullseye'd right into the open wound that the first two weapons created. Coated with magic, it was enough to add to the pain and damage.

Fourth and Fifth landed at the same time. The Claymore launched last but due to distance and power, hit in sync with the Anchor. Frost and Fire, blessed by divine power. Undaya, Hades and Iris forming a trinity of power growing beyond the sum of it's parts. This final blow was simply too much for Drath'tuthan. The Greater Wraith would not get to see it's powerful spell realised.

The screech of the Greater Wraith as it died was not like the Lesser ones. The noise was deeper, louder and so distorted, that the thin cosmic fabric that seperated dimensions was twisted, enough that the world around Second Chance briefly flickered between a ritual chamber in Mytheria to a barren wasteland in Hell. It did not last long though. The final moment of the Greater Wraith's life ended with an explosion of non-destructive energy that rippled out past the walls of the ritual chamber and covered the summit of Temple Hill. The sphere of influence was destroyed along with Drath'tuthan.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

There was a small silence after the explosion, but that silence was quickly filled as cultists in the corridor became not cultists but regular people. Village folk and townsfolk from all around Northern Central Mytheria.

"It can't be!"

"What have I done!?"

Screams, shouts of denial, crying and horror as so many innocent people were hit by the unbrainwashed realisation of everything they'd done.

"I'm a monster!"

And more.

It was terrible. Deeply saddening. So much death, destruction. And so many former cultists who would have to live with the trauma of their actions. Generations of the populace tormented. Some villages crippled. Such was the destruction that just one single entity from the Oblivion Plane could unleash. Just one single, regular, weakling from Hell where walked titans of pure evil.

Jon Gringot, The Listener

Burned by light beams from the Cleric that had outsmarted him. Hammered by the robust oak trunks of the Druid that stood in the distance. Jon Gringot was defeated before his master, but the nature of his zombie-like body gave him enough time alive to see the mess he'd made. Just his head and part of his spine being in tact was enough for his consciousness to remain and be unbrainwashed.

His life flashed before his eyes.

A life of dedication. Philanthropic and charitable deeds. A life given to the service of the people. What a reputation he'd built. Loved and respected by all. Trusted by all. There was not a single household that wouldn't leave their door unlocked for Jon Gringot. He'd been there for so many of them. Worked tirelessly to keep the fabric and threads of communities strong. Kept ties to the big cities in the region, maintaining a flow of govermental infrastructure and amenities to the lesser known parts of the continent. Roads, schools, hospitals, law enforcement... Jon Gringot made sure every life in towns and villages was as comfortable as a life in the city. On top of that he still found time to serve Hades and give sermons to the people.

And he'd ruined it all with a single moment of weakness. After having his will ground to dust, he gave in to whispers from the dark.

Tears fell from his eyes as he lost consciousness and passed away. What afterlife awaited was anybody's guess.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

All threats were diminshed. Master and Listener were dead. The cult was no more. Second Chance had completed their task.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Jon Gringot, The Listener

Jon could not help but be furious.

His esteemed Lord Drath'tuthan would have launched the BoneWracker spell by now had it not been for that blasted Cleric at the back, delaying the process with a puny Counterspell. James must have known that he couldn't have hoped to interupt The Master's charging but he was smart enough to buy extra time, and what little of it was bought was threatening everything the cult had worked for.

And speaking of; that very blasted Cleric would be easily out of the picture right now if it wasn't for that meddling Druid. No Druid should have been so powerful, cut off from the very earth and green that fuelled them. But this oddly dressed one had managed to smuggle entire trees into the temple with him.

Where was everyone? Could they not hear the alarm? Why had only the sentries answered the call? The reason had become clear far too late. The entrance was barricaded. The tall one. With the smart mouth. Damn him. Now Lord Drath'tuthan and The Listener would have to concede that they were vulnerable.

The Listener held his head once more as Drath'tuthan screeched in pain. One of the pests had broken through! The one with the spear. But Jon was sure he'd seen her go down. Why were these wraiths not doing their jobs? She should be dead. And they should all be dead to BoneWracker now. How was this happening!?

Drath'tuthan

The Greater Wraith's body had a dimensional tear through it, where Fenna's spear tip had risen with burning, peircing and slashing damage. In retaliation, Drath'tuthan drew a sword from invisibility, pulling it out of thin air. A massive laser-blue, smoking greatsword. Then it swung a wide and low blow at the woman, aiming to cut her in half for her insolence.

Then he lifted the sword in the air and used it like a wizard's staff to summon 6 more wraiths all around him for protection. Each ghost moved quickly and aggressively, matching the anger (and maybe the fear?) of their master.

When all of Second Chance's weapons erupted with holy fire, there was no question that both Lord and Listener felt fear. Drath'tuthan was so close to finishing BoneWracker, which would most certainly turn the tide back in their favour. So distracted by the holy fire was he, that he barely acknowledged MacKensie flying overhead. In a bid to gain more time, the Greater Wraith levitated high, up to the ceiling, where he could hopefully be out of reach for long enough to have his revenge.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

When MacKensie destroyed the phylactery, Jon Gringot clutched his chest where his heart had once been. A picture of agony, he writhed and then fell to the floor, convulsing and coughing black blood. He did not die, but he had weakened considerably. He struggled to his hands and knees.

"Arrgh!" Jon was struck by James' first light beam, in the arm, causing him to fall flat once again. The necromancer managed to turn onto his side and cast a ward to block the remaining light beams.

The expert swordsman and the spearman were not doing exceptionally well against Zell and Sil, but were at least handling themselves well enough to survive, now reinforced by the 6 Wraiths.

At the entrance to the ritual chamber, the barricade started shaking as cultists tried to ram their way in. A piece of door was blasted off, leaving a hole near the top of the entrance, letting in the shouts of cultists and showing their moving shadows in the corridor. They would not be held off for long.

And at the ceiling, the loud magical buzz and crackle of the charging Bonewracker began to grow even louder than the temple alarm as the spell became less than thirty seconds away from activating............................

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Jon Gringot, The Listener

The quick reactions of James to protect himself from the Blinding Ray made Jon Gringot shake his fist angrily, growling in frustration. He moved tentatively a few steps to the side as he thought about his next move. His alarm continued to ring out throughout the temple. The skeletons were going down fast, as were the wraiths. This party was prepared. But the summoned undead were merely a method to slow the intruders down until help arrived. The cult of Drath'tuthan was a large group and those who were not adept in combat had blind loyalty and fervour in place of skills.

"Search the cabinets at the back of the room and destroy its phylactery!"

"No!" Jon blurted out, unable to contain himself. That blasted mage was too smart for his own good. Refusing to take risks, he chanted a spell, moving his hands and fingers to complete the conjuration, then turned about and cast Magic Barrier onto the pair of joined cabinets at the back of the room.

The Magic Barrier covered the cabinets completely and would deny anyone access, aswell as be impenetrable to physical attacks. But consecutive elemental damage, or a strong enough elemental attack would destroy the Magic Barrier. At least Second Chance wouldn't have to search out the phylactery - the highlighting barrier left no mystery as to where it was.

Jon began to cast again, about to summon 16 skeletons this time, but a crossbow bolt came seemingly out of nowhere and hit him dead in the chest. "Argh!"

It almost floored him, knocking him backward, but he managed to stay on his feet. He was powerful and quick with his magic, but all he saw was fighting ahead. He still had no idea who had shot him. Being an immortal lich, an effectively ageless zombie who had kept his mental faculties and intelligence, did not stop him from feeling pain and he held the bolt in his pectoral muscle as if to soothe his pain.

What he did see though was the oak trees grow in the background. A druid was with them. He watched the massive logs carefully, delaying his spell so he could be ready to-

"Aha!" His suspicions confirmed, he saw a great oak come flying towards him and he threw up a firewall with one hand, his other hand casting a powerful Drain Life Ray at the flying oak that drew all essence from the oak, petrifying it in real time. The oak was nothing more than a fossil as it hit the Fire Wall and disintegrated into dust and ash. The Fire Wall disappeared and Jon had marked the Druid of the party. "You!"

Drath'tuthan

Drath'tuthan had barely moved throughout the beginning of battle, the majority of it's concentration reserved for the powerful attack that was being charged. But it did watch the battle dispassionately, seeing it's wraiths falling to Barracker and Fenna. They must have came prepared to do battle with spectres. But were all of the adventurers so well equipped?

When The Listener marked the Druid, angry and clearly wanting something done about the man who wielded trees as weapons, Drath'tuthan was about ready to summon more wraiths and now had his target.

Four more Lesser Wraiths materialized into the Mytherian Plane of mortals. And they appeared behind the back line of Second Chance, ready to strike at Adam and James.

@Loksfjoer

Sil the Falcon's beak and talons would be useless against the wraith and Fenna would feel the pain of the ghost blade strike her back, passing through her cloak and armour as if it wasn't there, a single slash cutting flesh, barely missing her spine.

The Lesser Wraith raised it's sword high once more for a second attack that Fenna would be unable to dodge. The blade charged with white light and if no one intervened, Fenna would be hit with critical necrotic damage, putting her out of the fight. However, if the attack was blocked with weapon or magic, whoever blocked it would somehow recieve half the damage Fenna avoided.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Reinforcements began to arrive, barging through the main double doors that connected the corridor and ritual chamber. The first wave to arrive were the guards of the puzzle-locked doors in the corridor. 4 of them. 3 were armed with long spears but 1 of them was armed with a sword and spinning it around herself expertly.

The Listener heard Drath-tuthan's harsh commands inside his head, then angrily delegated the orders to the 4 cultists. "You two! Join the attack!" he shouted, then pointed at the others. "You two! Protect Lord Drath-tuthan! Do not let any of them reach him!"

Jon suddenly held his head in pain as Drath'tuthan roared. James had used a Lesser Counterspell that had interrupted Drath-tuthan's charging magic. It would only delay the inevitable, but James had bought Second Chance more time.

MacKensie and Adam had done enough to keep Jon from summoning more skeletons, but now he was moving his focus to kill the Druid and the Cleric. With the cabinets protected by the barrier, and cultists beginning to show up, it would only be a matter of time before Second Chance was overwhelmed by sheer numbers. But the magic users were the real threat. Particularly the Cleric.

@Teyao

Jon casted a Dark Beam and fired it directly at James. Dark Domain opposed Light, so a direct hit would do double damage and put the already-injured James out of the fight. With the Cleric hopefully distracted by the new Lesser Wraiths, he might catch James off guard.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

Jon Gringot, The Listener

Drath'tuthan

The main ritual chamber was a huge room with high ceilings. The pues which had been moved to the walls gave the hint that this room was once used for congregation. Now the massive floor was covered in the Black Speech of the Dark Domain and the devilish symbols of the Oblivion Plane. Bones littered the floor. Blood stained it too. Robes of the sacrified - those who gave their souls to the power of Drath'tuthan, each of them making the Greater Wraith stronger, tethering his presence to the Mortal Plane more permanently.

Jon Gringot was stood in the center of a massive six-pointed star, each point marked with candles. He held the hair of his willing victim in one hand, his staff in the other, using his necromancer power to aid the process of Drath'tuthan draining the full life essence from yet another cultist. The victim's hair went white before his skin shriveled up and he died, his body turning skeletal before Jon let it fall to the side.

Jon Gringot, The Listener. He was once a mage of mediocre power and priest of the temple, specialising in the legal aspects of the Dark Domain and guiding the surrounding villagers in worship of Hades. Now he was more powerful than he ever could have imagined. He was the first to give in to a year of whispers from Drath'tuthan. His will and conscience was ground down little by little, until he finally allowed the spectre entry into the Mortal Plane and became The Listener, the head of the cult of Drath'tuthan, spreading the wraith's lies about eternal bliss in Hell, using brainwashing and mind domination magic to grow the cult's numbers and influence in the region.

Jon did not notice the entrance of Second Chance, at first. When he saw them, he recognized them for what they were. It was only a matter of time before adventurers were sent by The Guild. He did not waste time with words, and casted his prepared spell, Sonic Emission to sound a loud alarm throughout the temple. The Greater Wraith turned from transparent to very visible.

"You never should have come here!" he shouted at them.

Jon summoned 12 skeletons from the bones on the floor. Drath'tuthan summoned 4 Lesser Wraiths. Now there was a small army standing in the way of Second Chance and advancing on them. The alarm was loud and soon cultist would be swarming in from the two doors.

Drath'tuthan began charging powerful magic, and each adventurer would feel the energy swell in the room and know that whatever the greater wraith was doing had to be interupted if they were to survive this battle. Jon would identify James as the dedicated caster of the group and fire a blinding ray at him. The rest of the enemies would do their best kill everyone.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

@Teyao@Zapdos

Behind the safety of the barrier, having dealt with the homing bolts, James and Adam were no longer harrassed by the dwindling numbers of the enemy. James was able to use his knowledge and understanding of first aid, human anatomy and medicine, imparted to him by his older cousin, to apply proper dressing, antiseptic and styptic to his critical wound. Fast healing would do the rest of the work. As for the healing he'd used on Adam - Lesser Restore, something that could only be cast on those gifted with the Source Crystal - no first aid was necessary for it to completely heal the Druid.

Adam's clever use of his ability to control even long-dead wood was a complete success. Not only were the haunted suits of armour destroyed, but the cultist had been so focused on avoiding anymore intimate moments with Sil's talons while casting that he was caught in the bookcase attack. He too was killed in action.

@Zool@Jay009@Loksfjoer

When MacKensie emerged from the flames, flying through the air towards them, the Fire Specialist was taken by surprise. Had MacKensie aimed her Deadly Flurry at him first, he would not have been able to react in time. But because she used the first half of her attack to kill the cultist with the sword, he had just enough time to save himself with a protective ward. He did not escape without being wounded first though. Two bolts hit the cultist in the hip before the magical shield was up.

Barracker's heavy tower shield was thrown with such power that no one could have dodged it on purpose. And it would have gruesomely killed anyone it hit. Ironically it was MacKensie who saved the Fire Specialist by hitting him in the hip with two bolts, causing the mage to recoil and bend just low enough to duck the flying shield that went overhead.

But no one could save the magic user from a Fire-infused Fenna Postma. The easy-going, kind mother of two from the Netherlands stepped up to give the cultist a taste of his own medicine. Her skull-cracking attack landed cleanly, not only with power but with an explosion of fire magic, killing her opponent.

@Saiyan

Zell's relaxed victory pose was well timed. The battle was over, giving him all the time he needed to bask in the glory of his stylish method of dealing with the dark bolts and the wraith who ambushed him.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

The library was a catastrophic mess. Upturned furniture, collapsed bookcases, a table currently on fire. Chunks taken out of the stone walls, paintings slanted or fallen completely. The only sign of the wraiths was small piles of emerald spectre dust, where they had died. The bodies of the four cultists were strewn about about the place.

Within view was a single door that led to the main corridor. Anyone with a good sense of direction and bearings would understand that this door would put them much further down the corridor and thus, past one of the guarded, puzzle-locked doors.

And then at the end of the room, in the corner, was the in-tact bookshelf against the wall where the book, Shattered Dreams would be.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

@Teyao@Jay009@Zapdos

The late Arthur Baker, the Deep-One Reaver. Favored by his patron God, Undaya, ruler of the Sea, son of Iris. Arthur was the first Anchor Bearer, but now it seemed there was a new one with that name. And this one was also favored by the Sea God.

The wraith's sword came down on James, but just before it made contact, James' anchor glimmered. Ice and hoarfrost materialized on the surface of the anchor, enchanted with Source magic, it stopped the ghost blade as if steel met steel.

After James had saved himself from certain death, Barracker completed the rescue, almost cutting the wraith in half. The increasingly familiar screeching sound of wraith pain filled the room. One arm was fully severed and burned up into nothingness. The rest of the wraith was completely deformed, torso cut right though the chest, it's top half horizontal and hanging on by a thread. It did not stop screeching.

Adam's wraith was similarly screeching in pain, after the beam of natural energy, imbued the Source of the Earth Domain, went straight through the entity and blasted rock from the wall on the other side of the room. The resulting visual was a wraith with a massive hole in it's body, one big enough to stick one's head in, should they be weird enough to try it.

Both ravaged entities fled across room, away from the three men of Second Chance, past the Rangers and to the end of the room where Sil the falcon and Zell the swordsman were fighting the mage. The wraiths each entered a statue suit of plate armour, once simply decorations, now animated allies of the enemy.

@Loksfjoer@Saiyan

Sil managed to draw blood with her talon attacks, aswell as enough of the mage's attention to prevent him avoiding the thrown knife that buried into his leg, causing him to cry out in pain. But the competent mage did not drop his wand and managed to conjure a Lesser Ward - a magical shield - that would block Zell's killing strike. The force of the blow would knock the mage flying to the floor, rolling to a stop at the foot the pair of plate armour statues that were about to become animated by the injured wraiths.

The armoured suits vibrated as they were possessed, then stepped forward to flank the mage that was getting back on his feet, blood on his face and trickling down his bald head from the vicious falcon attacks. The suits pressed forward and the mage started conjuring once again. He would manage to charge and fire a multi missile attack of a dozen Dark bolts that swirled around eachother as they rose into the air then parted ways as they blasted off in all directions.

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

12 bolts of Dark Domain Source. Fast flying and wide turning. 2 for each party member, homing in on their position. Unless dealt with, they would not give up on seeking out their target and doing a significant amount of damage to the ascended adventurers.

@Zool@Loksfjoer

In addition to her two opponents, MacKensie was unfortunate enough to attract the attention of another. Fenna would also be attacked whilst dealing with her wraith. The cultist that Fenna had knocked out, was quick to regain consciousness. He groaned and slowly, unsteadily got to his feet, rubbing the side of his head. When he realised what was going on around him, he drew his wand and blasted a firebolt at Fenna, then chanted a second immediate spell and sent a stream of fire at MacKensie.

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

That feeling that disconcerted James' senses was the corruption of the Obivion Plane slowly but surely winning out over the power of Hades. Not that these other-dimensional entities were more powerful than The Quinity. No. Especially not an entity like a Greater Wraith, that was not even dominant in it's own demonic world. But the connection that Drath'tuthan had established with the followers of this temple, had given him an open door to impact the mortal realm more directly. And the longer he could keep his claws sunk in the minds of these mortals, the more powerful his presence would become.

The Temple of Hades had become a stronghold of darkness and despair. Lesser Wraiths roamed. Watched. And these beings were starting to zone in on the presence of the outsiders, Second Chance. Willpowers that had not yet been broken by the weight of corruption. The library would be as far as the Heroes from the Sky would get without being contested. On the mortal plane of Mytheria, it would appear as if the Lesser Wraiths came out of nowhere...

@Teyao

He might have been nervous, but James was truly gifted to be able to already understand in detail the feelings he was getting from this place. He was smart to prepare his spells in advance. And furthermore, he was incredibly talented to be able to direct those spells to successfully defend two of his allies in the two tenth's of a second that the Lesser Wraiths were even detectable on this plane.

He'd chosen to prioritize the protection of Fenna and MacKensie, which meant he'd left himself open to attack. The wraith appeared with it's ghostly weapon already held high and brought it down to strike the cleric. James would take the full brunt of the blow. Slashing damage that would bypass cloth, leather and steel to strike flesh, resulting in a lot of pain and a grievious purpling wound down his torso. It was not a killing blow, but second one might well be the end of him.

And a second strike is what the floating corporeal being was hunting for as it swam through the air like a shark through water and went for a repeat attack...

@Loksfjoer@Zool

Like James' ambusher, the Lesser Wraith that lunged at Fenna was already upon her and bringing it's ghost-blade down on the ranger when it became visible. There was no way to avoid it. Luckily she wouldn't have to, as James' magic barrier materialized as a transparent disc, just an inch above her head, only glowing as the wraith's weapon hit it with a spark and a clang. Fenna would have no time to change her course, but her own attack wouldn't be interrupted either, and so the shaft of her weapon smashed across the head of her enemy, sending the cultist to the floor in a daze.

The wraith frustratedly banged its weapon against the barrier a couple of times before floating off to one side and finding away around magical barrier. The time it took gave Fenna a chance prepare herself for whatever it would do next.

As for MacKensie, the wraith that phased into reality to attack her, screeched in anger and pain as it's self-summoning was dispelled and it was banished back to the Oblivion Plane by James' Counter Spell. And so the cultist unfortunate enough to be her target was defenceless to the quick and ruthless ranger. He choked and gurgled for a few seconds before he was dead.

@Saiyan@Zapdos@Jay009

The other three men in Second Chance were not fast enough to avoid the wraith's attacking them and they were not fast enough to get their own attacks off either.

Barracker's cultist would feel the strong grip of the vampire on his ankle, but Barracker would not get a chance to do anything as a ghostly slash would bypass his armour and cut him deeply. His injury was not as bad as any of others due his higher ascension level and vampire toughness, but he still took damage.

"What in the world!?" the man yelled as he looked behind him and realised they were under attack. The cultist brandished the wand on his belt and backed off to a safe distance to start casting, meanwhile the wraith would continue to assault Barracker.

Zell would manage to steal the wand but that was all, as the wraith ambushing him would save yet another cultist. The full brunt of ghostly blade would strike the swordsman and hurt him very badly. The woman who was spared would run down the aisle and out the other side, head to one of the statues of plate armour and steal a sword, then come back into the battle. Zell's wraith would press it's advantage and follow up with another attack.

Adam would not get a chance to move the bookcase any further as a sixth wraith would appear in the midst of a vicious swing that, again, would connected cleanly and wound the druid. Like James, due to the druid's non-combat class, he was extra vulnerable to the damage and would probably not live through another blow like that. Adam would barely have a chance to blink or feel his pain as the wraith would sweep toward him, changing speeds and winding like a falling piece of paper in the wind, then thrust his ghostly weapon forward in an attempt to end the druid's life..........

THE WAR FOR MYTHERIA - Isekai Adventure

@Zool@Loksfjoer@Saiyan@Teyao@Zapdos@Jay009

And so, Second Chance had secured the outside perimeter of the Temple of Hades, leaving nothing left to do but head inside and complete their mission. Adam's dutiful decision to give their hostages a proper search and pat down was not a wasted one. The Druid recovered the man's spare wand, aswell as a hidden knife in George's wristband - one that could have been used to attempt an escape even while bound in the tree. The interrogation had unvieled some new information too. The temple layout was much like Barracker had guessed from his experience as a Paladin devoted to Hades, but there was also new information in the form of a secret passage.

Would it be a trap? Was it worth finding out? Much like Second Chance's decision to take on the Gold Contract instead of the easier Silver ones, the risk was high but the reward would be higher-still should the party come out on top.

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The entrance hall was large but quite simple in it's decor, much like artist's impressions of Hades in the large painting above the closed double-doors straight across from the front entrance. The smoothed stone floor had only a wide stripe of carpet that went straight from the front entrance up to and presumably under the double-doors into the main corridor. Lamp light illuminated the area from the sconces on the walls.

To both the left and right of the entrants were regular wooden doors, the left leading to the shrine rooms and, deeper into the temple, the scullery and canteen. The right side door did lead to a short corridor that took a sharp left turn and led to another door, which would lead to the library. The library itself was a large and long room, segmented into sections of mazey shelves, sections of open floor area and sections of seating area too. Decorating the place were beautiful, statue-like suits of plate armour, and paintings on the wall depicting The Hollow Fields, Hades and notable legends connected to him.

As for the rogue inhabitants of the temple, most had retired downstairs to the sleeping and living quarters, after spending another long and tiring day in ritual, offering up their mental energy and a small portion of their life essence to their lord Drath'tuthan, the being who would grant their souls eternal pleasures in the void of the Oblivion Plane. Many of the cultists were not so drained that they couldn't go and get something to eat, and so there were a dozen or so in the canteen. Guard duties were taken up in the main corridor, and the guards who would go to the temple entrance decided to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to their posts, thinking that George's band of raiders would be outside the temple, making it safe to dally half an hour in the canteen to fill their bellies.

And then there were the few bookworms who couldn't resist a few hours spent in the library, perusing the bookshelves of educational materials that might be useful to their worship, or simply looking to lose themselves in the pages of some interesting tales of the Mythic Age and before...................