Chapter 41: CONCRETE WATERFALL
A wall made of black intertwined branches now completely sealed the space before the steps. Stretching from one side of the massive underground warehouse to the other.
Unfortunately, two of the disasters that had managed to crawl into the underground level were still on their side of the wall with a couple more abominations.
Most meanwhile were on the other side of the wooden wall, scratching ferociously at the wooden surface.
This was an advantageous play, something Julian appreciated.
However, the knights up ahead, couldn't help but exchange weary glances at the peculiarity of their situation. To them, they had been trapped from both sides, completely surrounded by abominations.
The truth was, they were trapped, but only for the moment. The wall might have sealed them off from most of the abominations, but there was still a reasonable number of them– accompanied by Disaster, on this side of the wall.
Ahead of them meanwhile, we're more mindless horrors, descending the steps to satiate their endless hunger.
Julian had discussed with Sir Bellahm, and the noble knight had agreed to accompany a couple of other knights in ascending the steps ahead of them in other to make contact with the clumsy abominations that attempted to descend the steps.
Julian and Vlad– the Iron Man, would remain at the rear, in other to engage the Disasters and lead to charge against their Terrors.
What made the knights so uneasy weren't exactly the abominations that surrounded them.
Although they did have a part in it, what really made them uneasy was the small space they now occupied.
The steps and the landing before it weren't small by any means, but were still confined enough to make casting spells unadvisable.
In other to avoid ricocheting spells, Julian had ordered his men to refrain from casting any.
So the problem was much more mental than it was any other thing. The fact that they were now advised against casting spells, made them shrink. Most of them had been led to believe that the more powerful the spell the more powerful its wielder, unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Often times it was the wielder of the spell that made a spell seem so frightening, not the other way around.
Most of these men were too dependent on their spells, so they panicked at the thought of not being able to use them.
The thing was, it wasn't like most of them could even cast any proper spell at the moment. Every single one of them was currently running low on Will. Even their bodies were on the edges of fatigue.
The abominations, however, seemed to have an insatiable hunger that preceded exhaustion.
So, they lunged forward.
The two Disasters towered over the terrors that flashed through the darkness like vile generals.
The knights focused on the terrors, whilst Julian and Vlad– the iron knight, rushed at the Disasters.
Despite how weakened the men were Minor terrors were still meant to be no match for them.
But when you underestimate your foe– especially ones as dreadful as abominations. Even skill won't be able to save you.
The knights were on their toes, fighting with minimal visibility. Sir Julian and Vlad on the other hand had turned into torrents of death as not only the Disasters but the terrors around them shared in the devastation they reeked.
Just then a loud boom reverberated through the ground and walls with enough force to shake the entire mountainside, following it were terrifying tremors like the earth was planning to stand on her feet.
Thick cracks had begun to appear on the walls and steps up ahead, raising worry in the hearts of the men present.
"What's happening!?"
Vlad yelled as the sound of falling stones began to overshadow the growls of the abominations around them.
The knights– even as they fought couldn't help but exchange troubled glances.
The only calm one was the prisoner who stood right beside Sebas completely unfazed.
Julian also shared in their worry.
They were currently several meters below ground. If the mountain was to shake this much they would all end up buried in stone.
There was also the fact that the tremors didn't seem to be coming to a stop either. Rattling his stance and that of his knights as well.
'Your stance is everything.'
His father's voice repeated in his head.
'Damn you not now!'
The disaster he was currently trading blows with turned out to be far more threatening than he had anticipated. He couldn't afford to lose focus now.
Its skin had a tough outer shell that made it difficult to deal a lethal blow. It also fought with a level of cunning using the bone-like appendages that shot out of its wrist, as crude blades.
Arcs of lightning danced around Julian's body subtly augmenting his attacks. This was all he could manage with his dwindling reserves of Will.
His bronze spear struck the Disaster like pistons, leaving dent after dent.
Thankfully the Disaster was also unable to land a single shot with its makeshift blade.
While they clashed another tremor, this one much more violent than the last, vigorously shook the underground level.
It was only for a second but the sudden shift had caused Julian to lose his step. In any other situation, it could've been overlooked, but Julian was in a battle against a demented monster.
The vile thing capitalized on the moment leaving its blade right behind Julian for him to fall on.
It happened so fast. One moment he had been fighting a gargoyle and the next he was lying in a pool of his own blood.
"Shit."
He heard before his vision went dark.
***
"Shit."
Sebastian cursed as he leapt into action, soon wooden hands erupted out of his forearm rushing towards Julian.
After securing the young knight, Sebas tried to restrict the movement of the disaster in hopes that reinforcements would make it in time.
He was exhausted, there was no way he was going to survive a fight with this thing.
Even then Julian still lay beneath him, bleeding profusely from his side. He hadn't the luxury to wait until the man bled to death.
But what could he do?
He was just as spent as the knights who fought behind him. And just like Julian, some had faltered due to the tremors stumbling to their deaths and injuries.
Unfortunately mistakes– even one as simple as a misstep were all it took to get killed.
The knights might have grown weary due to the tremors but abominations cared little for those.
The moment the knights stumbled the fiends cashed in, wildly rushing in to finish them off.
Some of the knights fell prey but surprisingly most escaped with only scrapes.
Sebastian's surprise might have come off as cruel, but it truly was surprising.
After all these men were already spent after fighting on their last legs for so long. It wouldn't have been seen as clumsy if they succumbed to such graceless deaths.
But alas man prevailed. So all Sebas had to do was hold on until reinforcements arrived.
Some men might have already exhausted all their Will though. But fortunately, they had men like Vlad.
Will was a very essential tool in the battle art of modern knights.
But it wasn't the only one.
That was what made the Oni and their clan so frightening.
Sebas being his curious self had watched all the men he was currently fighting side by side with– some more than others.
He had never seen Bellahm fight in person but already had a clear scope of his battle proficiency and the spells he could cast, even before they had met.
The nobleman was a Cardinal so he could cast low to mid-tier spells, based on the element he shared the most affinity with– which in his case was air and fire. The combination of both natures led to a unique nature that had become Bellahm's signature spell– combustion.
Vlad– who belonged to the Oni clan, however never cast a single spell. He overwhelmed his foes with only his physique and battle IQ.
Certainly, he had a Blood gift, one tied down to the family he belonged to, but apparently, he hadn't felt the need to unleash it… yet.
Instead, he relied on his physique and the blood-red staff in his hands.
The Oni was born with their insane physiques and as such are much more attuned to combat without spells, instead they rely on their techniques and blood gifts to substitute for spells.
Sebastian had been looking forward to witnessing at least one of the Blood gifts passed down by his clan.
After all the Oni weren't just inhuman, but also incredibly secretive. Even now Vlad had a red demon mask over his face, shrouding his identity.
The Iron Man soon made quick work of the Disaster before him, ruthlessly beheading it to conclude their fight.
Then with a growl, the tank of a man barreled towards Sebas. His heavy plate amour clamouring in his wake. Like a siege engine, Vlad rammed right into the Disaster, shattering the wooden limbs Sebas had bound it with.
The Disaster was sent flying a couple of steps back, the sight of it leaving Sebas a bit stunned by the force of the Iron Man's charge.
Still, he was relieved.
"Thank you."
Sebas muttered.
"Fuck you. You know if I keep doing this wife's gonna kill me."
The iron man whined from within his armour.
'Damned coward.'
Sebas thought with a glare.
Julian was still bleeding beneath him so Sebastian immediately sprung into action.
With his strength still waning, Sebas grabbed the handsome knight and headed for the steps.
Most of the fighting behind was already done, and with Vlad at the rear, the win was practically theirs.
He didn't even need to ask before a young woman with black hair tied in a bun ran up to him offering to heal Julian.
She led him to one of the steps where strangely, the prisoner also sat.
Sebastian laid his injured comrade leaving the lady to attend to him. He stared at her for a bit…
She wasn't a Medi– a knight who was often adept in all sorts of spells that could heal and soothe pain. But she did claim to know a couple of spells that could preserve Julian, albeit unable to restore him to full health.
It was still better than nothing though.
Just then Bellahm and his men descended the steps ahead.
"…We couldn't find anymore."
He said with tired eyes. His moustache hid his deep frown.
Wasn't that meant to be good news?
"What happened?"
Something was wrong and it was written all over the nobleman's face.
"Come. You need to see this…"
Bellahm said as he turned towards the steps. The men that had accompanied him stayed behind, there was nothing they could do if they followed.
Sebas followed the noble knight up the stairs, it was dark and slick with blood. Now and again dust would fall from above which didn't make sense… at least until he saw it.
A massive slab of stone with rebar winding out of it. It was massive with smaller boulders filling up the remaining spaces, completely sealing off their only exit.
"Damn it."
Sebastian cursed.
"Can't you–"
"No. Not only is my Will not enough but, a single explosion here could kill every single one of us in here."
Bellahm answered before Sebas could even fully ask.
When they returned to their makeshift camp, it seemed word had already spread.
They were knights so many of them were still able to maintain composure, but for how long?
Even now the news was slowly growing distress as the story got bent from one mouth to another.
Not too long after the murmuring rose even more and then…
Boom!
Another part of the stairwell ahead of them collapsed confining them even more.
This was where the real heat began.
The men had begun to panic. They were blocked from both exit points with no proper ventilation. It easily got to them as the heat began to rise. It was several times worse since most of them had to endure the oven that was their armour.
The tremors also grew even more violent further raising the distress amongst them. They couldn't go back because of the wall Sebas had raised and the abominations waiting hungrily behind it.
Even if he wished to release his spell, his reserves of Will weren't going to be enough anyway.
Sebas had his eyes on Vlad. Maybe his blood gift could get them out of here. But the fact he hadn't used it yet…
Just then the manor shook again, this time it was obvious something was wrong. Something was approaching them tons of stone, the building was about to collapse and bury them with it.
"Damn it everyone get close."
The knights were stunned but most of them were quick to heed Sebastian's words, running at him the next moment.
They weren't that much in the first place only about a dozen and a half– remaining. So soon they occupied the space around Sebastian.
Bellahm and Vlad stood beside him with Julian, the prisoner and the Medi sitting on the steps.
"What now?"
Sebas ignored the voices of worry. He had his palms clasped together trying to pull all his Will for one last play.
He needed absolute focus so he pulled away from every distraction, including the voice of his Captain.
The crashing sounds were only growing closer and closer. The scent of sweat and tears filled the air as they waited in dreaded anticipation.
The next moment it was right above them, tons of stone and earth cascading down like a waterfall made of concrete.
The world went dark right after.
"Kid! I know you can fucking hear me!"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone