New Horizons (Emerilia Book 4)

by Michael Chatfield

  “I want the same thing.” Induca smiled.

  “Why is this place so darned complicated?” Suzy stood up.

  “Makes things more fun.” Induca squeezed Suzy’s hand; she gave a reassuring squeeze back as they walked to the door.

  It opened before them, showing Dave flipping his conjuring rods.

  “Let’s go clear out that final housing complex!” he declared, turning and heading for the lifts.

  ***

  “Going on a raid, we’re going on a raid.” Dave hummed along his tune as he met up with the rest of the party. Already, the teleport pad was working, linking the city with the housing complex.

  Dave smiled, seeing everyone ready.

  “Shall we?” Deia asked.

  “After you, milady.” Dave bowed and waved for her to go ahead.

  “Why, aren’t you the most chivalrous of men?”

  “Only the best for my girl.” Dave walked beside her. The rest of the party followed, combining with the other parties heading through the door.

  As soon as they were through the teleport pad, the atmosphere seemed to change, going from joking and playful to serious as everyone moved into their different groups, broken down by class.

  “Look after yourself and remember to work on your two handed and one handed,” Deia said as they moved apart for their different groups.

  “I’ll do my best,” Dave said, being pulled in for a quick kiss.

  They just looked into each other’s eyes for a few moments, no words needed to express what they were feeling.

  “Let’s go burn some spiders.” Dave smiled.

  “Look after him,” she said to Anna and Steve, who waited for Dave off to the side.

  “Ah, he’ll be fine. His head is harder than mine!” Steve grinned.

  “I’ll do my best—you know how he is,” Anna said.

  “Indeed, I do. Don’t make things harder for Anna!”

  “Thanks for the faith,” he said sarcastically, walking over to the others.

  They grouped up and headed to join the front lines. While Dave wasn’t the best fighter with his weapons, but with his passive skills and his conjuring ability, he was as deadly as three others. The other Stone Raiders, Anna, and Deia, were looking to turn his decent fighting skills into something that could be truly terrifying.

  It’s good to have friends like these.

  Anna was their best fighter by far. It never seemed difficult for her in a fight. Steve had all of the gadgets Dave had given him and was so big and armored that he was a moving tank.

  The three of them would make the tip of the formation, with Dwayne and Esa beside them.

  It wasn’t long until the teleport pad to the city closed; the housing complex became darker and more foreboding.

  “Let’s move out!” Josh called. The Stone Raiders moved forward. Dave conjured a shield and a sword, as he looked for anything that might try to kill him. Dwayne and Esa did the same. Anna held her great sword over her shoulder while Steve deployed his left forearm shield, his axe also resting on his shoulder.

  “Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go,” Steve said.

  “That is just offensive to Dwarves everywhere,” Dave said in an offended tone.

  Silence reigned for perhaps two seconds before the two of them chuckled, breaking the ominous mood of their advance somewhat.

  Chapter 9: Fire and Lightning

  “I’m mel-l-l-ting!” Steve said as the Fire mages blasted through the webs. Flames flew down the webs, making them shrink as they lit the housing complex. The webs closest to the Fire mages had been burned away.

  They were advancing from the lowest level of the housing complex, where several teleport pads were located. They worked their way up a large hallway that had different working and living areas off to either side before they entered the housing complex proper that split off to the left and right into different living areas identical to the wing that the Stone Raiders were advancing up. The other wing’s teleport pads were covered in webs already.

  The center of the spider’s web was located in the middle of the housing complex.

  “Smartass,” Dwayne coughed. “Move forward!”

  “You’re a massive metal man, not the freaking Abominable Snowman,” Dave said.

  “You say something, Dwayne?” Steve said, ignoring Dave’s “facts.”

  “Move forward? You getting deaf in your old age, Steve?”

  “Jackass,” Steve coughed.

  “Say something, Steve?”

  “No, just an itch in my throat.”

  “Dude, you’re a fourteen-foot-tall metal man. You don’t have a throat. I know,” Dave said.

  “Ah, c’mon, Dwayne was about to believe me!” Steve complained, swinging his axe lazily as he cut through a bunch of web strands that had melted together.

  The Fire mages were in the lead, Induca and Deia out front. Elementals ranged far ahead, spreading out and spraying fire everywhere. They marched through what had been webs. At first, the spiders had charged the Fire mages, being burned down in the dozens. The survivors had retreated back up their webs and hadn’t shown themselves for some time.

  Dave shifted the sword in his grip. The hairs on the back of his neck were straight up, as if he was being stalked by a hungry wolf.

  The melee fighters walked on either side of the Fire mages, everyone watching for more of the red eyes.

  Dave extended out his Touch of the Land. He could pick up a lot of the housing complex but the place was massive. The webs, heat, and all of the Stone Raiders made it hard to see where the spiders were hiding. Instead, he limited himself to focusing on the hundred meters ahead of the mages, looking for any signs of the spider horde’s return.

  Flames had reached the center of the web. With elementals burning everything they could, about half of the web had been set on fire. More started to burn every second. Elementals were set upon by spiders here and there.

  “What you seeing?” Dwayne kept his voice low as he stood at Dave’s side.

  “Got a shit ton of spiders but they’re…” Just then, Dave sensed something that he had thought was just a thick part of the web shifting. “I think the queen just woke up.”

  “Why does that not sound good at all?”

  Dave didn’t say anything, but continued to walk as he watched the queen and her minions.

  Hundreds of spiders turned from the queen and headed for the Stone Raiders.

  “They’re coming,” Dave said.

  “Ready yourselves! Fire mages, as soon as it looks like the spiders have a resistance to your fire, pull back and start using Fire elementals if you have them! Fighters! You better be ready!” Dwayne bellowed.

  “Archers, get those arrows out. Mages, remember—only use spells if you must. We don’t want them building up resistances before we even get to the center!” Kim yelled.

  “Protect the mages, boys and girls,” Josh followed with after.

  “You know your jobs. Jules, you’re in charge of medical. Get those buffs ready. Dave, tell us when they’re within a hundred meters!” Lucy called out.

  “Woohoo, Human radar.” Dave licked his dry lips, his words half-hearted.

  “You’re half Dwarf,” Anna said.

  “Only on my good days.” Dave moved his shoulders and arms, loosening them up as he checked to make sure his hood was up.

  “They’re within a hundred meters!” Dave yelled out. He couldn’t count all of the spiders that rushed them. His Dwarven eyes could make out their glowing red ones in the darkness.

  It was enough for him to get his analyze skill working.

  Mana Permeated Spider Hatchling Level 78

  Mana Permeated Spider Worker Level 103

  Dave was close enough to Deia and Induca that he could influence their spells. He used his Touch of the Land on their spells, using his spell formation skill to alter their attacks, making them more powerful as they focused on not only clearing out the webs but also the spiders that were no
w charging them from all sides. Dave didn’t see it but his wrists where his tattoos lay glowed while his gray eyes lit up like twin searchlights.

  The spiders announced their presence with their angry chittering to one another. The spiders were a furry and chitin covered wave as they were slowed, the living crawling over the dead. More of them learned how to resist the Fire attacks as they climbed over their fallen brothers and sisters. The spiders screamed and squealed, collapsing in on themselves like ants under a magnifying glass.

  The Fire mages slowed their advance.

  “Fighters, pick up the pace—cover the Fire mages!” Dwayne yelled.

  Dave and the others moved out around the Fire mages.

  Spiders rushed toward them as the Fire mages focused on the spiders coming in from above. Spiders started to sprout arrows as the archers took aim over their heads. Others gained bolts, using the bolt throwers that Josh had bought from the Aleph and armed anyone who didn’t have the skills for archery.

  Dave created a spear in his right hand, expanding his shield out to cover his entire body. Shields came together to cover one another’s weak spots. Buffs started strengthening the fighters, different auras covering them as the support mages went to work.

  “Brace!” Dwayne’s voice cut through the spiders’ screams.

  The spiders slammed into their shields. Their legs pulled at the shields, trying to get to those who were hiding behind them.

  Dave stabbed forward with his spear; it came back with orange ichor.

  “Hold!” Dwayne’s voice carried over the battlefield. Fire, arrows, and bolts continued to fly overhead.

  Dave grunted, holding his ground. The fighters’ weapons flashed forward, stabbing into the spiders’ ranks.

  Finally the spiders and the Stone Raider fighters came to a standstill.

  “Come on, Stone Raiders! Forward!” Dwayne called out.

  Dave changed his spear for a sword and slammed his shield forward. With his newfound Strength, he turned two spiders into mush, cutting through two more with a swing.

  His shield turned into a halberd, catching a spider trying to jump over him and tearing through them. Dave dodged to the side; his sword lashed out and caught a spider hatchling in the face, cutting it in two. His sword and halberd changed into a greatsword as he swung, cutting three spiders back.

  Slowly the Stone Raiders moved forward. Here and there, spiders got through the fighters’ lines, only to be dealt by those behind them.

  “Send out elementals. The spider’s Fire resistance is too high!” Kim’s voice came over the guild chat.

  The Fire attacks reduced and mages changed to their bolt throwers or bows. Those with a high enough level and the Mana left spawned Fire elementals. They sped away from the Stone Raiders, looking for any web that had not been melted into the conductive strands that the Stone Raiders’ plans depended on.

  “We’ve got bigger spiders coming!” Dave called out as he saw another wave of the spiders coming in behind the rear of the first.

  “Prepare to brace!” Dwayne called out.

  The fighters adjusted their stances, but kept on moving forward, cutting down anything in their path. The spiders weren’t hard to kill, but their sheer numbers meant that the Stone Raiders had to work together or be overrun by them.

  Dave altered his greatsword, mimicking Anna’s blade. Weaker Air blades stretched from its edge, cutting into the spiders and making the floor slick with their ichor.

  A Mana bolt hit Steve’s shield.

  “Spider mages and fighters. All over 150,” Lucy called out.

  “Well, this just got more interesting.” Dave talked to himself as spiders started throwing mana bolts. Blue lines of mana surged across the spiders as they hit the Stone Raider’s guild members at the front.

  New buffs fell on the melee fighters, increasing their magical resistance.

  “The Spiders have a poison in their fangs! It reduces Mana pool size and regeneration,” Kim warned.

  “Fighters coming in,” Dave said to Dwayne.

  The bigger spiders walked over their smaller brethren. These ones didn’t have the simple legs of the workers and hatchlings. These ones had twin scythe legs as big as a short sword and fangs as large as daggers.

  Along their weapon-like legs there were lines of Mana tracing through them and along their edges.

  “Brace!” Dwayne called out. Shields slammed down; Stone Raiders looked to protect one another as their weapons continued to lash out at their eight-limbed enemies.

  The Dwarves’ work ethic and training paid off as the Stone Raiders worked tirelessly, cutting down the spiders’ numbers, and then the fighters got in range.

  Their forward momentum was being stopped, the two forces stuck in tight fighting.

  The spiders spat Mana ichor and bolts, the fighter’s weapons highly effective against magical barrier and enchanted weapons, draining them of power.

  “They’re breaking through our barriers!” Dwayne yelled.

  “We’re giving you everything we’ve got!” Kim said through clenched teeth.

  Dave felt it more than saw it as the Stone Raiders started to lose their momentum. Mana barriers failed armor and weapons dissolving as the venom made it through, reducing its durability and armor value.

  “Clean the shields!” Lucy ordered. Her support people moved to do what they could to help those whose shields had been affected.

  “Support the Mana barriers!” Kim yelled.

  Spells were called out, coming together in a large barrier that allowed living creatures through but only attacks outward. Buffs and supporting spells were forgotten in the face of defense.

  The venom hit the barrier, falling to the floor and dissolving it.

  “Uhh, guys, the spiders are on the roof,” Steve said.

  “Ranged, get those bastards!” Dwayne yelled out. Spiders that couldn’t make it to the front were scuttling up the walls and moving to the ceiling, firing their Mana bolts, trying to get close enough to use their powerful venom.

  Spider fighters rushed through the Mana barrier, climbing over or crushing their brethren to engage the Stone Raiders. Now they weren’t spitting that much, but they were at point-blank range and could use their fangs and forward cutting legs.

  “Acid and venom resistance buffs!” Lucy called out.

  The Stone Raiders’ armor started to bubble and melt. A few panicked, but most took the pain on instead of screwing over their friends.

  “We’re three-quarters of the way there!” Josh yelled.

  The Stone Raiders took heart in this as the support mages buffed and healed like no tomorrow. The stealth types and scouts worked to kill the ever growing amount of spiders that leapt from the walls, and ceiling, or climbed over one another and the Stone Raider front lines. Kim’s mages were openly using their attacks to make sure they wouldn’t be overrun.

  Dave felt the battle changing. They were no longer moving forward; they were at a standstill. They had the skill and the organization, though the numbers that the spiders had and their skill set made it near impossible.

  “Josh, we need to go with Plan B and soon,” Dwayne said.

  Hearing those words, Dave conjured a bow with his rods, drawing and releasing arrow after arrow. It was hard to miss the spiders that seemed to crawl over every surface, charging forward without a care for their livelihood. They only cared to destroy those that had entered their territory.

  “All right, Shard—your people ready?”

  “Ready to go,” Shard’s voice said from overhead.

  “Tell me when you need us to move,” Dwayne said.

  “Starting the charge,” Shard said.

  “Artillery spells ready!” Kim yelled.

  Mages moved into groups, working together as everyone else worked to cover them and their work. Balls and runes of energy started to make the very air in the large hall they were in shimmer.

  “Fighters, be ready to split!” Dwayne called out.

  The
Stone Raiders fighters used any buffs they had remaining, wasting their Stamina in order to keep the spiders back for just a few more seconds.

  Dave felt the floor vibrate beneath his feet, as if he stood in front of heavy cavalry.

  “Coming through!” Shard called out.

  “Split!” Dwayne yelled.

  The Stone Raiders’ front line pulled back to opposite sides. The spiders that had been so tightly packed before spilled out into the now open corridor, right through into the Stone Raiders’ group.

  They turned, ready to rip them apart from the inside.

  “Fire!” At Kim’s command, artillery spells that the spiders hadn’t been able to build up resistances to yet drove through the opened area one after another, cleaving a path through the spiders and down the hallway.

  As the last spell hit, flashes of silver and steel rushed past the Stone Raiders’ front line.

  Fourteen behemoths charged through the spiders with abandon. The spiders fell into the opened corridor, closing in behind the charging automatons.

  “Reform!” Dwayne yelled.

  Dave and Steve stepped up next to each other again. Dave watched as the behemoths used their mass and speed to crash through the spiders.

  The spiders fell on the behemoths, covering them as they spat venom on the directly and used their limbs to tear apart the heavily armored Automatons.

  Dave winced as the first went down.

  Another fell and then another. Spiders that Dave felt through his Touch of the Land spell left the center of the web, charging forwards. They were almost three times the size of the spider fighters.

  The massive spiders slammed into behemoths, tackling them to the ground as their limbs tore into them.

  Shit, our behemoths aren’t going to be able to get to the center of the web. Dave thought to himself. There was nothing he or anyone else could do. There were too many spiders, they were low on Mana and Stamina. Their confidence with their other battles had made them confident and now Emerilia was showing them once again to never underestimate their enemies.