Pandora Unchained - B1C80: The Tide Comes In

The bell tolled a total of six times before letting out, sending a loud and clear message that this was not a drill, and that the demon tide was heading into its final stages. Soldiers and cultivators scrambled to their stations, some of them carrying large bundles of arrows and alchemical supplies, as well as entire crates full of mana, health, and stamina potions.

"This is our assigned section," said Stephan as he led them up a set of wooden stairs. "Remember: we're here to assist. We'll be conserving our energy for hotspots if possible. Most one-star demons won't be a threat to us or the defenders, but given the numbers involved, there may be complications. Stay sharp. If you spot opportunities, let me, or preferably Gareth know."

The walls were thirty feet high and built using shaved bloodwood tree trunks. These were further refined and enchanted by the many mages in the city to toughen them up and have them serve as conduits for spells.

Despite their relatively low number, mortal soldiers were the bread and butter of the outpost's defense. It was they who activated the wall spells using mana crystals and shot arrows by the hundreds using mechanical contraptions.

The mortal-guided spells were powerful and cleared one-star demons by the thousands. But they were not omnipotent and required charging up using bucketloads of mana crystals. While they recharged, the mortal soldiers killed any demons attempting to crawl up the walls with arrows or knocked them down with long spears. And when the demons managed to close the gap, it was then that the cultivating soldiers came in to bolster their defenses.

Corpses piled up by the thousands. Compared to the earlier waves, there were hundreds of times more demons. Accompanying them were dozens of two-star demons, all of them wary and calculating as they coldly watched their brethren perish.

"It seems we were assigned a particularly difficult stretch of wall," said Gareth, peering into the distance.

"Especially if you consider who's guarding the wall with us," chimed in Lawrence.

Sorin let out a groan as he noticed a team of five adventurers, led by none other than Orpheus, support a group of soldiers being overwhelmed. "Didn't they pull him off duty because he tried to sabotage us?"

"Alas, no punishment is forever, and the severity of a punishment often depends on the value of the individual," said Stephan. "According to what you described, there's a high chance that Marcus succeeded and that his value went through the roof."

Sorin cast Ophidian Eye and inspected Orpheus and his companions to be sure. "Eighteen unlocked meridians," he confirmed. "As for his companions, they've unlocked 16, 14, 13, and 13 meridians. Twelve of those are primary meridians, obviously. The rest are extraordinary meridians."

Stephan's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying he's unlocked everything but the Hero Meridian?"

"Even that one's halfway unsealed," said Sorin. "Further proving that character does not a hero make. How about I sick Lorimer on him mid-battle? He wouldn't even feel much pain before he's done."

Stephan shook his head. "As much as I want to deal with him, we can't do anything directly." He shot Gareth a meaningful look, and the archer, fully focused on the ongoing battle, only spared him a glance to confirm he was listening.

The weakest of the demons were the first to attack, both to waste the wall's energy and to consume ammunition. Their corpses eventually piled up high enough to serve as a corpse ladder that demons began climbing up the deadly palisade.

Mid-tier demons arrived once most of the lower-tier demons were expended. There were wolves, deer, and badgers. Birds divebombed the defenders overhead with the help of three two-star demons that required Vice Guild Master Victor to keep them at bay."

There was one more aspect of the defense that impressed Sorin: the alchemical cannons blasting clusters of stronger demons. They utilized explosive alchemical reagents and spell runes to propel large balls of iron at the approaching demons. These balls, in turn, were enchanted with one-time glyphs that either detonated on impact or flooded the surrounding area in a sea of fire.

"Why don't I see any bone-forging cultivators?" asked Sorin as the battle grew increasingly fierce.

"You don't see them because they're not here," said Gareth. "You think this is bad? The southern wall is getting hit far worse. We've only got Vice Guild Master Victor, Haley, and one of the city's Nighthawks to help us out.

"Wait, are you saying it's up to us to take care of those huge demons?" Lawrence pointed with a gulp.

"That's proper hero duty, isn't it?" teased Stephan. "Don't tell me you're scared."

"Could I trouble the two of you to protect me from those annoying birds instead of bantering with one another?" asked Daphne. The mage had been silently chanting and tracing sigils all this time. In her hands were two dozen glowing sigils that were showing signs of instability.

"Are those traps?" asked Gareth. Daphne nodded. "Remotely detonated or proximity traps?"

"Remotely detonated," said Daphne. "Though I have to be within range. Do you have any thoughts as to where to best place them?"

"I've got a few ideas," said Gareth. "Does our dear leader have any preferences?"

"You're the tactician," said Stephan. "I'm just a front-line general. Hardly important. Say what you need, and I'll make it happen."

"Then for starters, lets place a healthy barrier between us and Orpheus," said Gareth. Their team jogged to halfway between their two groups and screened Daphne as she placed a small cluster of sigils onto the stones lining the wooden wall.

"Out of curiosity, is the wall fireproof?" asked Sorin. "It is made of wood."

"Relax, an expert enchanted the wall," said Daphne as she poured her mana into the glyph to complete a spell circle. "Now stop distracting me. One mistake, and they go boom."

Surprisingly, Orpheus did not come over to engage them, and instead placed all his focus on the battle outside. The two-star demons were creeping in, and judging by his expression, he was clearly planning on fighting said demons. Just because heroes are contractually prevented from sharing their experiences, it doesn't mean political families won't have access to this information, thought Sorin. According to Percival, Orpheus's Valmer family was formerly an influential one. They would have no shortage of restricted information and above-average cultivation techniques and would, therefore, know a thing or two about how heroes were made.

"That's enough for up here," said Stephan once Daphne finished placing the fifth trap glyph. "How are your mana stores?"

"More than good enough to activate all the traps I prepared, " said Daphne. "As for detonating them, it doesn't require much. Just a thought on my part."

"Then how do you feel about going on patrol?" asked Gareth. "Out there, obviously. We can't well wait for the two-star demons to come to us."

"Is this about your cousin again?" asked Lawrence. "Because I swear, it was completely consensual."

"Are you sure about this?" Stephan asked Gareth.

"Positive," said Gareth. "Otherwise, who's to say those two-star demons will really attack. The way I see it, they're just looking for an opportunity, and will only push towards the wall during the final wave. Besides—how else will we get to see brave Orpheus in action?"

"You're the commander," said Stephan with a shrug. White hair burst out of his skin as he transformed into an arctic rune bear. "Everyone, hop on!"

Gareth and Lawrence activated their movement techniques and landed on the rune bear's back. As for Sorin, he used Adder Rush to pick up Daphne before joining them atop the beast's shoulder blades.

Stephan launched himself down the thirty-foot wall, releasing a shockwave of frosty and violent energy in all directions. One-star demons that had survived their encounter with the wall were pulverized, giving Sorin and Lawrence sufficient time to hope off the bear and protect its flanks.

Ever since receiving his heroic empowerment, Stephan had been a monster on the battlefield. Every swipe of his bear paws slew several lesser one-star demons. Only the strongest of one-star demons could survive a blow, and even then, they were either too damaged to fight properly or bled out a few seconds later.

Sorin and Lawrence were also monsters in their own right. Sorin was far faster and stronger than he'd ever been and dispatching one-star demons consisted of thrusting out with Viper Strike, injecting maximal poison into his prey, and withdrawing said poison back into his body with the aid of Toxic Metabolism. The entire process took less than half a second and could be repeated in near perpetuity.

Lawrence, on the other hand, was a different type of nightmare. He didn't have Sorin's strength or his ability to take blows, but he had speed, awareness, and reflexes in spades. His signature movement technique could now be utilized to its fullest. It was to the point that Triple Stab Execution, a single-target skill, could be used on three separate targets. His ability to take advantage of critical weaknesses was even greater than Sorin's, which made it so that he was able to take out all enemies he attacked in one hit despite his lacking offense.

With Stephan taking point, Lawrence and Sorin guarding his flanks, and Gareth spamming his latest skill, Power Shot, on key targets, their group had no issue pushing a hundred feet away from the wall. Once they crossed that invisible boundary, Daphne twisted a ring on her finger and turned invisible. The only indication of her presence was the faint glow of fire affinity mana that appeared whenever she set a trap rune.

"Put the next one down ten feet to the south," said Gareth once she'd installed the first.

"Is that much planning really necessary?" asked Daphne.

"I thought we had an understanding," said Gareth. "I tell you who to burn and where, and you watch the fireworks."

"I like this understanding," said Daphne. "Please instruct me, exalted commander."

"Everyone, pull back slightly," shouted Gareth. "Daphne, use that opening to lay down your next trap." He used his archery and footwork to cover their retreat and proceeded to trace a squiggly pattern with seemingly no rhyme or reason, all the while drawing closer to the two-star demons.

A few of the two-star demons in the distance seemed to edge closer upon detecting their presence. Unfortunately, things were as Gareth said: they had no intention of participating in this battle."

"We need someone to volunteer to piss them off," said Gareth when Daphne finished installing the last of her traps.

"I won't do it," said Lawrence immediately. "I refuse. I might be a hero, but I'm not going to randomly stab a two-star demon in the back and hope to get away with it."

"No need to worry, everyone," said Sorin with a light chuckle. "I already enlisted a volunteer. All he asks is for a full share of the demon cores."

"What could a rat possibly do to—" Stephan's voice cut off as an unearthly shriek filled the air. The curly-horned demonic bull nearest to them suddenly fell to the ground, writhing. Shortly after, a tiger-pawed musk deer joined him, as did a shadow-pawed demonic badger.

Gareth hopped onto Stephan, who was still mid-combat, and peered in the distance. "I'd ask what you instructed your rat to do, but given that they're all male and bleeding between the legs…"

Sorin grinned as he stabbed one of the few demons brave enough to approach their group in the neck.  "Lorimer is an expert at provoking such creatures. Have faith in Lord Lorimer and gain eternal life."

"Aren't three two-star demons a few too much?" muttered Daphne.

"I'm sure Gareth has a plan," said Stephan. "What's the plan, Gareth?"

"What plan?" asked Gareth. "The traps are all random. They just happened to be set up in clusters where we're most likely to lure the beasts."

"You son of a —" Lawrence shouted suddenly. He raised his dagger as a small blur broke past him, avoiding his attack. Demons parted to reveal three ferocious creatures. Their eyes were red, and they were focused on a single individual: Lawrence, whose body was now spattered with blood and whose belt pouch now contained three bloody… appendages, courtesy of Lord Lorimer.

"They don't look so happy to see you Lawrence," said Stephan.

"I've been framed!" said Lawrence. "Your bloody rat framed me! By the way, I think I see Orpheus heading our way."

"Nice," said Gareth, a rarely seen wild gleam appearing in his eyes. "Now let's see how badly he overextends."