The four strike teams launched their assault in unison. Henry, Jacobs, Nathan, and Harold, each astride their valiant warhorses, spearheaded their formations, charging headlong into the fray.
The Necromancer, anticipating their attack, had laid a treacherous three-tiered defense.
The outermost layer consisted of weak Skeletons and Zombies, their primary function to delay, buy time, and hinder the less formidable.
The second line of defense was held by Rank 2 Undead such as Tainted Zombies, Skeleton Champions, and cunning Wraiths, interspersed with deadly traps: concealed spike pits beneath the barren earth, and razor-sharp metal wires strung at the height of a charging steed. Here, they were positioned to slow the advance of stronger warriors and present significant challenges to those of Rank 2.
The third and deepest layer, surrounding the heart of the graveyard, was guarded by the Necromancer's most powerful Undead, true engines of war. Alongside them were meticulously placed dark magic spells, potent enough to grievously wound or instantly kill any who dared to approach.
The Strike Teams hit this first line like armored fists shattering dry leaves. Jacobs, leading the southern thrust, barely slowed. His greatsword, a blur of whistling steel, scythed through the fodder, sending bone fragments and chunks of putrid flesh flying. Beside him, the formidable Larm swung his twin battleaxes in devastating arcs, each blow cleaving through multiple undead, while Lumos, roaring with exertion, brought his massive warhammer down, pulverizing skulls and shattering ribcages. They carved a brutal path through the initial wave.
On the northern flank, Henry rode low, his sword a silver flicker. He didn't waste energy on wide sweeps but focused on lethal precision, guided by the constant input of his Mystic Sense. A swift horizontal cut decapitated a lurching Zombie; an immediate follow-up thrust found the vulnerable join in a Skeleton warrior's spine. Behind him, Sophia's hands glowed, weaving protective wards around their advance, while Daniel unleashed bolts of arcane force, clearing obstacles and staggering approaching threats. Egran, moving with fluid agility even on horseback, dispatched flanking undead with his short sword, guarding their spearhead's integrity.
To the east, Harold the Paladin was a beacon of holy radiance. His warhammer, wreathed in divine light, smashed through the undead ranks, each impact accompanied by searing flashes that caused the unholy creatures to recoil and burn. Arrows whistled past him - Mia, positioned slightly behind, finding targets with uncanny accuracy, supported by Torsan's covering fire.
And from the west, Nathan's team advanced like an unbreakable shield wall, even on horseback initially. The Shield Captain himself deflected blows with contemptuous ease, while the younger soldiers, Doug and Mark, held their formation tight, their spears finding gaps in the undead line.
They breached the flimsy outer layer with contemptuous ease, the momentum of their charge carrying them deeper into the graveyard's shadowed expanse, littered now with shattered bone and dissolving ichor. But the Necromancer's true defenses lay ahead.
As they plunged into the middle defensive zone, chaos erupted. The ground beneath their charging horses suddenly gave way in multiple locations - concealed spike pits, cleverly disguised beneath thin layers of earth and dead leaves. Horrified whinnies tore through the air as steeds stumbled, legs impaling on sharpened stakes hidden below. Simultaneously, nigh-invisible razor wires, strung taut between leaning tombstones and gnarled, dead trees at precisely neck-height for a mounted warrior, snagged riders, threatening gruesome decapitation.
"Dismount! Fight on foot!" Jacobs roared, vaulting clear as his own horse went down, its leg hideously snapped in a pit. Similar cries echoed from the other commanders. The advantage of the cavalry charge was instantly negated, forcing the elite Strike Teams onto the treacherous, uneven ground, surrounded by the newly revealed threats of the second layer.
And the undead were waiting. Larger, more menacing forms lurched from behind mausoleums and broken monuments - hulking Tainted Zombies radiating palpable malice, heavily armed Skeleton Champions wielding rusted but deadly weaponry, and worse, the shimmering, incorporeal forms of Wraiths drifting silently through the morning mist, their chilling whispers promising oblivion.
Jacobs landed heavily but came up swinging, his greatsword clearing a space around him. "Larm! Lumos! With me! Form wedge!" The three heavy hitters became an anchor, a bulwark against the tide. Jacobs slammed the tip of his greatsword into the parched earth - "Rupture Breaker!" - the resulting tremor staggering a wave of charging Zombies, allowing Larm and Lumos to smash into their disordered ranks.
Henry moved like a phantom through the swirling dust and mist, his lighter blade a deadly contrast to Jacobs' brute force. He flowed around a Skeleton Champion's clumsy swing, his sword flashing upwards to sever its spinal column. A Tainted Zombie lunged, claws outstretched; Henry spun, his blade whistling horizontally, taking its head clean off. "Daniel, suppress left flank! Sophia, light ward, now!" he called out, his Mystic Sense tracking multiple threats simultaneously. Behind him, bolts of fire erupted from Daniel's position, driving back encroaching undead, while Sophia's chanted blessing formed a shimmering dome of protective light around their immediate vicinity, weakening the Wraiths that drifted near its edge. Egran moved like a shadow at Henry's flank, his short sword and gauntleted fists a blur, intercepting threats Henry couldn't immediately engage.
On the far flank, Harold's holy light burned fiercely against the gloom. "By the Light's Purity!" he bellowed, his warhammer descending in a cascade of divine energy, incinerating a cluster of Wraiths attempting to phase through his accompanying soldiers. Mia and Torsan, now positioned on higher ground atop a crumbling mausoleum, rained down arrows and bolts, their shots finding vulnerable joints and eye sockets with deadly precision.
Nathan's team formed a disciplined shield circle, spears bristling outwards, methodically clearing undead, their advance slower but inexorable. "Hold formation! Shield brace! Thrust, sector three!" Nathan's commands were calm, steady, a point of order amidst the chaos, Doug and Mark anchoring the line beside seasoned garrison troops.
The clang of steel on bone, the hiss of holy magic, the guttural roars of the undead, and the sharp commands of the officers created a brutal symphony across the blighted land. But the Necromancer's traps were not yet exhausted.
However, the Necromancer's second line of defense was not so easily breached. Suddenly, from the dense bushes and undulating mounds of earth, fire traps and clouds of purple toxic gas began to appear, inflicting significant casualties on the Zephyros soldiers. Some unlucky soldiers stumbled into the traps, falling in agony.
"Stay away from the purple smoke! It's poison!" Harold yelled, simultaneously summoning holy light to heal his injured comrades, the burning wounds and toxin-induced injuries gradually mending under the ethereal glow.
Sophia, always at Henry's side, began to chant. Gentle streams of light magic emanated from her hands, purifying the toxic fumes. Then she used another spell to imbue the weapons of her surrounding comrades with light energy, causing each blade and spear tip to gleam with a pure ivory light, granting them power against the darkness.
As Group One fought deep into the second line of defense, Group Two also launched their assault in unison. They quickly utilized holy water and purifying powder to suppress the undead in the outermost layer. This action was crucial, significantly reducing the pressure on Group One, because as the stamina of the outer defense line was depleted, they would no longer be able to encircle and hinder the advancing strike team.
Normally, when the strike team penetrated deep into the enemy ranks, the outer defense line would tend to press inwards, forming a dangerous encirclement around the strike team. To continue their advance, they would often have to detach a small group in the rear to hold back the Undead, which significantly reduced their attack speed.
Furthermore, the strength of the strike team would gradually dwindle after each breached defense line, sometimes leaving only a few individuals by the time they reached the Necromancer's position.
Now, thanks to Group Two's attack from the inside, forcing the Undead to turn back and defend, Group One no longer had to endure the pressure of being encircled from behind, allowing them to fully concentrate on advancing forward.
In less than thirty minutes of fierce fighting, the three strike teams had penetrated deep into the final line of defense. Flames raged from destroyed traps, and undead corpses littered the ground, creating a chaotic and deadly scene. Nathan's team was still steadily sweeping through the middle layer, their combat efficiency stable and effective.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the base, within the encompassing darkness of a large tomb, the Necromancer stood silently, his bloodshot eyes following the unfolding battle, incomprehensible words murmuring from his lips:
"Not bad… truly powerful. This must be why you were confident enough to charge straight in."
He raised his gaunt hands, an eerie greyish-blue light gathering beneath his feet, drawing a complex summoning circle that pulsed with dark energy.
From the cold earth, a series of new, mid-level undead emerged. They were larger, faster, and shrouded in a dense, bone-chilling killing intent.
"Damn it…!" Henry gritted his teeth, sensing the sudden surge of danger.
The Undead roared in unison with chilling sounds, the death knell echoing through the silent forest, heralding a new threat. These new undead were far more numerous and powerful than the previous defensive layers. Meanwhile, more than half of the holy water and purifying powder they carried had already been used.
Just as the situation became critical, a pure, divine light flooded the battlefield, partially dispelling the darkness.
Harold raised his radiant holy sword high above his head. A vast halo of light spread outwards, encompassing all three strike teams - "Holy Armor." An invisible layer of light armor enveloped their bodies, enhancing their defenses and granting them power against the darkness.
Sophia and the other Mystics in the team acted simultaneously. Streams of light aura flowed through each comrade's sword and spear, bestowing upon them divine power. Henry felt a gentle yet potent energy coursing through the hilt of his blade.
"Can't let these things block our path any longer!"
Henry tightened his grip on his sword, charging forward like a black lightning bolt, piercing through the onrushing undead, heading straight for the center of the graveyard… where the Necromancer awaited him.
The mid-level undead surged forth like a dark tidal wave, sharp claws screeching, cold white bones flashing amidst the swirling dust. Yet, the three strike teams held their battle formations, step by step, pushing deeper into the core, where the Necromancer was hiding.
Jacobs was the leading spearhead. His greatsword was a storm of steel sweeping across the battlefield, no undead able to impede his advance.
"Get out of my way!" he roared like a lion, unleashing a powerful horizontal slash.
"CRASH!" - An entire line of mid-level undead was sent flying, their bodies shattering, skulls rolling across the ground.
A colossal Rank 3 Bone Keeper appeared, jet-black armor covering its entire frame, the large sword in its hand moving silently as it stepped forward, blocking Jacobs' path. Jacobs narrowed his eyes at the monster, then charged into the attack without hesitation.
The clang of metal echoed deafeningly, sparks flying in mid-air. Jacobs' heavy blade crashed down with terrifying force, creating shockwaves that churned up the earth. They exchanged nearly a dozen blows in just a few short seconds - but with a sudden, unexpected reverse strike, Jacobs deflected his opponent's hand, then immediately brought his blade down in a direct strike at the Bone Keeper's head.
"CRACK!" - The thick black helmet shattered, the Undead Knight's head split in two, the eerie green light within extinguished.
"Get out of my way, vermin!" Jacobs roared, continuing to lead the formation, nothing able to stop him from breaking through the enemy lines.
On the other side of the battlefield, Harold was like an angel descended. His white cloak billowed with each powerful stride, his radiant warhammer mercilessly slaughtering the undead. A swarm of cunning Wraiths flew towards them, trying to latch onto the soldiers' souls, but the holy light emanating from Harold incinerated them in mid-air, leaving behind agonizing shrieks. He raised his hand, chanting an ancient incantation - "Holy Wave!"
A blinding wave of light washed away dozens of Undead charging towards Harold, turning them into inert piles of ash.
Henry moved through the chaotic melee like a black shadow. He constantly shifted, weaving through the enemy's attacks with skillful agility, counterattacking with astonishing precision. Every time an undead seemed to have caught him, a cold blade would suddenly appear from below, piercing their throats or splitting their skulls from the back of their necks.
"The target is at the center! Eliminate the Necromancer!" Henry yelled, his voice echoing amidst the undead roars, his eyes as sharp as daggers.
Sophia ran close beside him, continuously casting support spells. Brilliant arrows of light shot from her hands, piercing the high-level undead, causing them to falter for precious moments, allowing Henry to deliver the finishing blows.
"We're close!" he shouted, his eyes having found their target. Ahead of them were only a few remaining layers of weak undead.
Beside him, with a powerful "Rupture Breaker" strike, Jacobs shattered the last of the Undead blocking his path. Behind them stood the Necromancer, positioned in the center of a massive summoning circle that glowed eerily. His body was withered and pale, as if life was slowly abandoning him.
But the bloodshot eyes still gleamed with a sinister and malevolent light.
"Unexpected… you truly managed to break through. But… it's too late."