The Dragon’s Sleeping Mountain Range
It happened then.
“───. ───. ───.”
“───. ───. ───.”
A low murmur began to ripple through the crowd of specters standing in the clearing. Though the words were mostly unintelligible, they unmistakably felt like an incantation.
A deep, resonant hum followed, and my suspicions were confirmed. Two intricate magic circles unfurled across the clearing, rising into the air and glowing with ominous red and blue hues. They pulsed with a terrifying energy, like a volcano on the brink of eruption.
I snapped back to my senses, quickly scanning the clearing. The specters remained motionless, but when their glowing red eyes narrowed with a sinister glint, I shouted without hesitation.
“Priest!”
“Angellus, protect us!”
Had she been prepared all along? Ansol responded to my call with impressive speed.
And then it happened.
A sharp, tearing sound cut through the air, and a dome-shaped barrier rose from the ground, enveloping us in its protective embrace.
The fierce wind that followed crashed against the barrier, dissipating with a ripple. It was a close call.
“Ansol! Perfect timing!” Yu-jeong exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. But I shook my head, signaling that it was too soon to celebrate. The summoning of a magic circle wasn’t just for a single attack. Its true purpose was to amplify the power of spells and reduce the time needed for subsequent incantations.
I glanced skyward, confirming my fears. The sky was filled with countless spells, each one powerful enough to be a threat. They rained down like a relentless waterfall, battering the barrier. Ansol bit her lip, her eyes fierce with determination.
The clash between the barrage of spells and the Angellus barrier began.
Boom, boom, boom!
The attackers sought to break through, while we fought to hold them back. Ansol’s barrier was formidable, absorbing each impact with only minor ripples. The spells were neutralized upon contact, unable to penetrate the shield. Amidst the onslaught of fire and ice, Ansol stood firm, single-handedly defending us.
“Ugh…!”
But she couldn’t hold out forever. Ansol grimaced, her grip on her staff trembling, and the barrier’s light began to wane.
We weren’t idle, though.
The first to act was Hanbyeol, the ‘Gem Mage.’
“Targeting Angellus divine spell. Using azurite white.”
A small gem floated from Hanbyeol’s hand, casting a bright light as it merged with the barrier.
“Gem Amplification!”
Her unique ability, ‘Gem Amplification,’ took effect immediately. The gem dissolved into the barrier, restoring its original brilliance and even expanding its reach.
“Ansol! Leave the barrier to me…!”
“Okay, sis. I’m counting on you.”
Ansol stepped back, exhaling deeply, relief washing over her face.
But it wasn’t over. She inhaled deeply, her cheeks puffing out, and gripped her staff tightly, aiming at the clearing. With a determined shout, she unleashed her power.
“Bring down divine retribution!”
A blinding flash followed, and several bolts of lightning struck the clearing, their white light matching the barrier. It was Ansol’s secret class ability, ‘Divine Retribution.’
Boom!
The last blue orb collided with the barrier, and the ripples began to subside. Soon, the barrage ceased. Ansol’s ‘Divine Retribution’ must have struck the specter controlling the magic circle.
“Phew….”
Exhausted, Hanbyeol dispelled the Angellus barrier once the magic circle vanished.
The battle paused, a temporary lull settling over the field.
“Huff… huff…”
Ansol panted heavily, her head bowed. She looked like a priest who had been running frantically through a battlefield. But it was just a matter of mismanaging her breath. I turned my gaze back to the clearing, but the lingering mist and the aftermath of ‘Divine Retribution’ obscured my view.
“Whew. That was tough.”
Ansol wiped her forehead, finally catching her breath.
“How is it, brother?”
She approached me, standing tall and straight as she asked.
A blood-curdling scream echoed from the clearing, presumably from the specters. Ansol stared blankly at the clearing, and I shrugged.
“They’re still alive, it seems.”
“But how…? I was sure I hit them…”
She stammered, clearly shaken. Ansol’s ‘Divine Retribution’ had been effective, though. The screams were fewer than the number of specters we initially faced.
The screams continued, and Heo Jun-young tapped Ansol’s shoulder, stepping beside me.
“Some must have dodged… Kim Soo-hyun, the sounds are closer now.”
“I heard it too. Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Heo Jun-young echoed my thoughts, and I turned to address the clan members.
Perhaps it was the fear of the earlier magic attack, or the fact that this was our first battle in the notorious Dragon’s Sleeping Mountain Range. Though they aimed their weapons with calm precision, their tension was palpable.
“Do specters bleed cold or hot? Black or red? Hehehe!”
…Except for one.
I clicked my tongue at Yu-jeong’s manic demeanor, but it was a familiar sight by now.
Switching my weapon to the Moonlight Sword, I issued detailed instructions.
“Switch from a defensive to an offensive formation. Nam Da-eun, Cha So-rim, and Heo Jun-young, you’re with me at the front. Priests and mages, stay at the rear, archers, provide support from a distance. Woo Jeong-min, you’re on defense, and Yu-jeong, support as needed.”
The named members moved forward, and I calculated the incoming direction, angling the Moonlight Sword. Its blade gleamed with a chilling blue light.
The screams grew louder, the specters approaching faster than expected. Some must have narrowly escaped ‘Divine Retribution,’ as I could hear the dragging of feet.
“About two meters away…”
“They’re right in front of us. More than one,” Cha So-rim noted. Just then, a rusted greatsword sliced through the mist, revealing itself.
Weapons, dark limbs, and glowing red eyes emerged one by one. Their skin was cracked, revealing raw flesh beneath, and their faces were half-decayed, half-skeletal. They were barely recognizable as human.
“A simultaneous charge… In that case.”
Heo Jun-young murmured, stepping forward. He seemed to measure the distance with his towering sword.
But Heo Jun-young remained unfazed. He nodded slightly, took a few steps forward, and swung his sword down with force.
Boom!
The ground split with a resounding crack, and as Cha So-rim had noted, half a dozen specters burst through the mist.
Just as they leaped towards us—
Thud!
A multitude of magical swords erupted from the fractured earth, targeting the specters with precision. It was one of Heo Jun-young’s abilities, though I couldn’t recall its exact name. Regardless, it was perfectly timed to counter the specters’ charge.
Swish, swish, swish!
Groan! Groooan!
In an instant, dozens of sword wounds appeared on the bodies of the undead. Dark crimson blood gushed from the newly formed holes. Instead of advancing, they stumbled and rolled on the ground, letting out wails of agony. But this time, their cries were filled with a different kind of pain—one of despair.
Whoosh!
At that moment, Cha Sorim thrust her spear forward with a swift motion. A sharp battle cry followed, and a silvery arc sliced through the air, leaving a shimmering trail. She charged straight at the disoriented undead, her movements precise and unyielding.
Clad in the Arctus Valkyrie set, Cha Sorim was both fierce and graceful. Her long hair whipped in the wind as she moved with such force.
Thud!
The sound of flesh being pierced reached even the farthest corners of the battlefield.
Cha Sorim drove her spear into the foremost undead, pushing it back relentlessly. The creature instinctively raised its rusty sword, but she maintained her distance, shaking her spear to keep it at bay. Without breaking her stride, she forced the undead to stagger backward, its arms flailing helplessly. While Heo Junyoung had disrupted their formation, Cha Sorim shattered it completely.
As the undead dropped its rusty sword, Cha Sorim swung her spear in a wide arc, sending the creature flying through the air before it crashed to the ground.
Thud! Crash!
The undead that struggled to rise were struck down again, screaming as they fell where the spear had passed.
Rooooar!
But then, new figures emerged from the mist, stepping into the space that Heo Junyoung and Cha Sorim had cleared. The six undead were not the only ones; they had merely been the vanguard. More were coming.
As the reinforcements spread out to encircle Cha Sorim, arrows whistled through the air.
Thwack, thwack!
Two arrows flew with uncanny precision, striking the undead closest to Cha Sorim. One pierced a chest with a flash of light, while the other cleanly skewered a face.
“Duck!”
In the brief moment the archers had bought them, Heo Junyoung shouted sharply and charged forward. Cha Sorim, about to assume a defensive stance, quickly ducked. The remaining undead hesitated, realizing their encirclement had failed, and pulled their weapons back.
Heo Junyoung slammed his foot into the ground with a resounding thud, leaning forward as he extended his right arm toward the newly arrived undead.
His sword, reflecting the moonlight, traced a brilliant arc. Though the distance was still considerable, the length of Heo Junyoung’s sword, combined with his outstretched arm and leaning body, was more than enough to reach. The long blade sliced past Cha Sorim’s back, tearing through the undead with ruthless efficiency. Dark crimson blood sprayed forth.
Then it happened.
Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle!
Boom! Crash! Boom! Crash!
The sound of more undead approaching reached their ears, this time from the sides rather than the front.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Stay tuned for the next chapter!