Lumi watched as Valeria put herself between the Elite Guard and the others, and Lumi realized what she was doing with a mixture of admiration and horror.
She’s going to try to tank it. She’s going to put herself between that thing and the rest of us, knowing full well what it ans.
Eclipse Knights at their core, were reckless all-in fighters, to fight effectively even when outnumbered and outmatched. Their training emphasized adaptability, endurance, and the willingness to sacrifice everything for the mission and their comrades.
But this was beyond dire. This was suicide with extra steps.
The Elite Guard regarded Valeria with what might have been amusent, though it was hard to tell with their expressionless void of a face. When it spoke, its voice ca from everywhere and nowhere, bypassing the ears and speaking directly to the soul.
"Mortals. How... tedious."
Then it moved.
The speed was incomprehensible. One mont it was floating twenty feet away, the next it was directly in front of Valeria, a blade of pure shadow materializing in its grasp.
"HAH!" Valeria’s sword t the shadow blade in a collision that sent shockwaves rippling through the ice beneath their feet.
Though she struck forward with a blow that severed a vision of a sun, capable of blocking the initial strike...
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
The Elite Guard had already found ti to send so extra attacks to the others, casually swinging his blade to attempt to finish off the ants.
"FIGHT !" Valeria charged further in, forcing the enemy to focus on her.
Valeria engaged the Elite Guard directly in a blur of desperate precision. But even Lumi could see she was completely outmatched. Every exchange forced her to endure injury, and every parry cost her ti and ground.
"Marcus, stay down!" Susie had torn strips from her coat, desperately trying to stem the bleeding. "The tourniquet needs to-"
"AHHHHH!" Marcus let out another scream, completely uncomprehending the world around him.
"Behind you!" Elara’s warning ca with a gust of wind that knocked Susie aside just as a projectile of dark energy struck where she’d been kneeling.
"Jin, left! Zara, right!" Valeria’s voice cut through the chaos. "Don’t engage directly or you will die!"
The two Knights moved instantly, Jin’s body crackled with electricity as he circled left. He was a lee fighter, but he had an answer. "SUSIE!" He yelled out desperately, as he began punching the air. "Lightning Sweep!" From afar, he sent a wave of electrified water to the Elite Guard that he didn’t even bother dodging.
Susie took the opportunity. "Freeze!" She commanded her magic to freeze all the water as it soaked on the enemy. Whether it managed to stall for even a fraction of a second was up for debate, as the Elite Guard imdiately broke free.
"Dark Stars!" Zara had no reason to hide. Stealth or not, she would be found. More importantly, she had tears in her eyes as she desperately attacked, attempting to be registered as a threat. Anything to distract the enemy for Valeria to get a blow in, even if it cost her her life!
Lumi raised his wand just as he’s fought in thousands of battles, but ca to a realization.
I literally can’t damage this guy. But I can’t do nothing!
"Light Shower!" Lumi cast his spell, the spray of light magic streaking toward the Elite Guard as it struck Valeria, causing her to spit out blood. His magic struck dead center, and did absolutely nothing. The enemy didn’t even acknowledge the attack.
"Marcus!" Lumi grabbed onto any idea he could. He force fed him another potion just as Jin did, and held him tight in case the blessing of Narinder on him would do anything to wake up Marcus, though he doubted it. "Wake up!"
By sheer miracle, his eyes faintly recalled his luster. "Orbital... Fla..." Through sheer instinct, he began chain casting-flas which rushed directly towards the Elite Guard. Whether or not he missed Valeria by chance or purpose was a question that would never be answered.
Seeing the fire, the Elite Guard lightly backed off. Whatever reason it had to do so, it certainly wasn’t fear. It disengaged from Valeria for a mont, floating backward just far enough to give itself room to work. Its free hand began to glow with an energy that made Lumi’s mind scream warnings.
Gazing upon the energy being gathered into the figure’s hand, Lumi recognized what was happening.
"Star magic!" he yelled out in warning.
"HIT IT NOW!" Valeria shouted.
The response was imdiate.
Marcus unleashed a pillar of fla that engulfed the creature. Susie and Jin had worked together, Susie using her ice magic to create a direct stream of conductivity from Jin to the enemy, where she had wrapped his leg with ice. Jin’s lightning crackled across the ice, attempting to electrocute him.
Zara had exhausted herself throwing out the most complicated empowered rush of throwing knives in her life. Elara’s wind magic amplified and directed every other attack, creating a storm of destruction focused on a single point.
And Lumi added his own contribution, Light Shower, though he knew in his heart it was aningless.
BOOM!
The attacks struck ho simultaneously.
"Hah..." A deep voice rang out.
The Elite Guard erged from the inferno of attacks, looking completely unhard, though with a hand up from having to guard himself. His cloak was tattered and his armor had tears. He brushed off the damage. His spell hadn’t even been interrupted, yet he still found the ti to cast a second minor spell.
A shockwave rang out, sending a pressure through the air that sent the group flying back. Lumi protected his head and curled into a ball as his body ramd into a wall.
[-211 HP]
"UGH!" The pain was sharp but entirely aningless. Lumi’s thoughts raced wildly, still thinking back to his useless spell. Both tis it had done nothing.
I’m not even a nuisance to this thing. I’m nothing.
But being nothing had advantages.
His mind raced through their options. Direct combat was futile. Escape was impossible with the logout function disabled. But he still had resources.
If I can’t hurt it directly...
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