A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

"As long as the lich and other Tier 6 undead don't move, we should be fine." Theas said. He was confident in protecting himself, but that was not his mission. To ensure that none of the others got hurt, he couldn't allow himself to be kept occupied by any of the undead. Tier 5's unwilling and higher undead, he could juggle. Tier 6's higher undead, not so much. A lich, certainly not.

"Myropsis, did you have enough time?" Eldrian asked. His confidence confusing Vivian and Theas, who turned to the centaurette (in her human form) with questions written all over their faces.

Myropsis wasn't sure what Eldrian was expecting from her, but she smiled with confidence, regardless. Honestly, their planning was lacking. They had rushed too much ever since Eldrian suddenly changed his tune. But that didn't mean Myropsis's own preparations were lacking.

She was keenly aware of that she was always the weakest or most lacking in the group. Before it was because of her focus on the theoretical, and after because she had decided to learn Eldrian's way of using magic—dynamic magic and runic casting. Her efforts had borne fruit, and she could finally showcase it here.

She activated the runic array she had carved into the dirt. As an array it was primitive, as runes it covered too large an area. And together it summoned a barrier constructed of ether -blocking all physical objects- and a second barrier powered by a blessed citrine crystal, blocking the undead and their magic.

After activating the runic array, she then activated the traps she had engraved throughout the area between it and the miasma. Explosion after explosion filled the air as the lower undead were sent flying aflame. Sadly, this only lasted for a few seconds, as she had had little time after finishing the barrier array.

"Not bad." Eldrian commented as he watched the explosions, focusing on the unwilling and higher undead who were behind the horde of skeletons of all forms and sizes.

"Not bad?" Theas questioned. He considered what Myropsis had done as magnificent. Especially given the time she had had to prepare all this. Had he known she was this capable, Theas would have proposed they first prepared this fallback point. However, what Vivian had seen would have made it hard for her to calm down.

"What type of barrier did you construct?" Eldrian asked. His knowledge of barriers was still limited, but he understood the basics, at least. So Myropsis quickly explained the most important points.

"Oh, so it will block my spell if I summon them inside and try to send them out. But I can just summon them outside the barrier, right?"

"Yes, that is why I opted for the ether barrier combined with a blessed citrine powered cleansing barrier. There might be some difficulty controlling your mageia through it and so far away..." Myropsis stopped talking, realizing who she was talking to.

Eldrian wouldn't find any difficulties in this and indeed, he proved just that by using [Thora] on a few undead who had hammered their bones or weapons against the barrier. He needed a few casts to kill them since the surviving skeletons were all Tier 4, but they turned to ash only a few seconds after reaching the barrier.

Eldrian however, did not continue to use [Thora]. While the spell was cheap, he would drain too much mana by killing all the remaining lower undead, and they still had the actual threats to deal with.

"What now?" Vivian asked, staring at the lich in particular. Her eyes narrowed with the flame or rage burning in them. She had finally contained her blue flames, but they still raged, only contained to dance around her sword.

Watching the lich carefully, Eldrian tried to figure out its plan. So far, it was the only Tier 6 undead to have moved. Strangely, the Tier 5 higher undead were ghouls and this would normally be terrible, but in this case, it was actually a relief. A ghoul's greatest strengths are its speed and venom, and the former Eldrian had bested by a great deal after reaching Tier 5.

A revenant would have been far more difficult to deal with since its aura would weaken everyone with time and killing it would be a mission, even for Theas. That the revenants and other lich had not moved did not sit well with Eldrian. As far as he could tell, they were still with Old Sword and the other humans.

'They either can't leave them, or they consider us no threat. Considering the damage we have done, I doubt it is the latter.'

'But we can't just have a staring contest. Besides, the barrier being assaulted is draining the mana crystal supporting it frighteningly fast.' Two commented.

"Theas, can you handle the lich and a ghoul or two?"

"If they attack me, I can endure. But I can't guarantee keeping their focus."

"Vivian, do you think you'll be able to handle a ghoul?" Eldrian asked, comparing her stats to that of the ghouls. Vivian had the edge, but their poison was too deadly to risk something without discussion. Eldrian had the resurrection potions, but he would rather not rely on them. Besides, a ghoul's venom was not so easy to deal with. Eldrian knew this well.

"Yes." Vivian replied with a firm nod, shifting her focus from the lich to one of the ghouls. Rather begrudgingly. However, she understood she couldn't face the lich as she was. No matter how much she wished to enact her revenge upon it. The ghoul would suffice as an alternative target.

"Alright, then I guess it will be quite straightforward. I'll stay back to protect Myropsis. Theas, you rush the lich. Vivian, take one of the ghouls and don't move too far away."

"That still leaves the ten plus flaming reanimates and two ghouls." Theas looked at Eldrian. He expected one ghoul to aim for him. But even so, to deal with the reanimates and two ghouls would be no simple task.

"I'll manage." Eldrian replied, turning to Myropsis, "Lower the barrier."

She smiled in reply, "I can do you one better." Instead of completely lowering the barrier, she opened a pocket for them to exit from. Vivian rushed out first, letting her flames expand as she did. The lower undead turning to ash upon contact, much like it would happen with Eldrian's flames of wrath.

'Just what are those flames?' Eldrian questioned as he rushed after Theas. His first focus on the lower undead, whose attacks were wasting the mana crystal's mana with their insistent attacks.

Vivian darted towards the leftmost ghoul while Theas' attack aimed for the lich was blocked by one of the ghouls. He was then sent flying by some unknown source, but Eldrian had no time to investigate that as the last two ghouls charged him along with the reanimates.

'No, you don't!' Eldrian threw out the dagger of water and white, letting Two control them. His job was to stop the reanimates from ganging up on Vivian while she fought her ghoul.

The ghouls' attacks arrived just as Eldrian had thrown the daggers. He nimbly jumped back while sending a yet of water at one of the reanimates who had tried to block his escape.

Of the eight reanimates who had charged him, three had rushed past to aim for Myropsis. However, their attacks were safely blocked by her barrier, and she was calmly forming a spell strong enough to kill one of them.

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