Chapter 718

Chapter 718: Chapter 718 The Problems of OverReach

Green and Sandy were down, as well as Blue on the other side. As useful as Green was though, Kat couldn’t help but feel like they got the better end of the deal. Even if Sandy hadn’t wasted a bunch of mana and time on a sand tornado that probably caused more issues for his team, Kat just didn’t fear the dwarves on the enemy team at all, and Blue was a big chunk of their effective firepower.

Sure Kat didn’t know exactly what Blue could do, because from her perspective magic was a bit wishy washy. Like, why did overloading that spell work? Why was it even a thing you could do? Is that always what happens when you overload water spells? Blue seemed to know, so maybe? It just wasn’t clear. That being said though, Blue had gotten a good hit on her and Kat couldn’t help but respect that.

If she’d had the patience to wait till Kat was closer it could have caused major problems. If she tanked a hit that cut right through her and into Kevin that probably would have caused them both to be sent off. Kat was pretty sure the only reason Blue’s teammate wasn’t also sent off was because Blue did the incapacitating all by herself.

The problem with the team, was that Kat just didn’t think of the dwarves as threats, not to her, but nobody really was. The problem was, at least for Blue’s team’s chances of winning, was that Kat didn’t think the dwarves could get any of her friends either. They just didn’t have anything Kat considered threatening.

It was a problem of reach really. The crossbows were already proven to be a mild inconvenience at best and likely wouldn’t be fired into a melee once things got started. The jars hadn’t done anything so far, and could maybe do something, but Kat suspected most were healing, or general restoratives. More for extended adventures then quick fights.

In a one on one battle, Kat wasn’t sure Nixilei would even lose to them and she used a dagger to fight. The primary issue though, was that they were all tied to someone else. Someone much taller, and with a drastic difference in reach. Nixilei and Fir managed because Fir shot fireballs at people and his height wasn’t really a factor in that. Nell was tied to, One, it looked like, and even though Nell used her fists, she still had the range advantage on him.

That also didn’t factor into the issue of stride lengths, moving around and dodging. Kevin was pretty close to her height, but she actually had longer legs, *Something Lily is no doubt very pleased about,* so her stride was larger, and if it was anyone other than her, it might have been impossible to sync up well. Kat was frankly quite surprised Irwin and Gareth managed. They were both large sure, but if Gareth was ‘big’ Irwin was ‘huge’. Perhaps the fact they were carefully stepping forward helped. Gareth taking something closer to a normal stride while Irwin shuffled forward.

.....

Still, with those three down, Kat was pretty sure it was time to act. *Focus the lone dwarf, just chuck him off the side if I can then go for Nell maybe? I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to be scared of this encounter now that Green is gone. I mean, everyone else just has conventionally weapons really and I’m starting to think they aren’t much of a threat. Maybe one is enchanted? For their sake I hope it’s not set to light on fire.*

Kat glanced across at Kevin, and he really wasn’t doing well. “One last time, walk forward and I’ll follow, our I’ll pick you up and go straight for the dwarf. Oh, and we should deal with that lone dwarf first,”

“I resent that!” said 5 “Thinkin I’m an easy target!”

“I resent the fact you managed to answer before my partner did. Though I resent him for it not you,” shouted Kat in return.

Kevin turned back to face Kat as if he’d been slapped, leaning heavily on his spear still so Kat spoke up. “What? We have maybe thirty seconds before the edge catches up to us, the fact we haven’t been shot with something again is a surprise and you’re standing their leg a dead fish, or maybe like someone slapped you with one,”

“How are you ok?” asked Kevin, again.

“We went over this Kevin. I healed up, now get moving,” said Kat broking no room for argument.

Kevin finally started into movement when he saw her tail moving into position out of the corner of his eye, a deliberate play on her part as she had plenty of space to get it up to speed to slap him without the wind up. Still, it worked. Kat let her mind slow again so that she could match Kevin’s stride as he... Kat wanted to sigh... walked forward.

It was still faster then the rest, but only because they were all weigh down somehow. Nixilei and Fir were limited by Gareth and Irwin, Kress was just getting off the floating rock, just in time for another two crossbow bolts to go for them, it didn’t do much damage to the wall, though the one from 4 actually stuck in this time.

The approach was slower then Kat would like, but faster then she’d hoped for honestly. The team was moving though. Nell was heading over to protect and work with 5, Green’s partner, which... Kat was glad for them all being in the same place, but was arguable when it came to effectiveness. The other three seemed to want to head over there was well but Nell shook her head, signalling a dismissal.

*I wonder what’s going on there? Does she want to fight me? Does she think she can? Is this just a way to keep me contained? I mean it’s clear where we are going, and that’s nowhere fast. This stage is plenty large, for now. So I suppose she can play for time. Is that the play though? Keep me busy and hope the stage gets me?*

Kat however, was underestimating the strength of Nell. As a bear beastkin she was all muscle, similar in strength to Irwin. She might not have been as fast mentally as Kat, but she was certainly stronger with the limiter in play. She also had much more training and a pair of enchanted weapons on her hands.

Eventually, Kat and Kevin got into the pace of things, or more accurately, Kevin was willing to pick up the speed a bit now. Keeping up was easy and soon, Kat was in range. 5 loaded up one more crossbow shot, and even if the arrow was too fast to react to, Kat saw it being loaded and was waiting for it at this point. The impact was heaving against her fan, and she heard her wrist groan in protest from the impact but that was more because she took the full impact to the joint.

Kat used the slight flinch 5 had from the sound to dash forward and go for a kick, yet suddenly Nell was there, massive gauntlet bearing hands reaching out for her leg and suddenly Kat found she didn’t want to get caught by them. Kat yanked her foot backwards out of range and thanked whatever diety was appropriate she had her tail, knowing it was the only reason she was uninjured and standing.

Nell moved in at that point though, trying to get up in Kat’s space, right in her face. Kevin was ready, spear in hand but his footwork was barely acceptable after the practice he’s had. It was what they were working with though, and Nell took a step and swing, going straight for Kat’s face. Kat was ready to meet Nell, blow for blow and pulled her own fist back to slam into Nell’s.

Skin hit metal, skin lost and blood leaked from the shattered epidermis layer. The real shock was that it wasn’t just the skin that lost, it was KAT. She felt herself being pushed backwards, and even the extra leverage from her tail wasn’t enough. Kat didn’t know if Nell was using any enchantments to enhance her punch, but whatever was happening, it was effective.

In the end, Kat could only take the blow. It had already been met and she had been found wanting. Kat pushed off the ground, pulling Kevin with her as best she could letting the impact send her backwards rather then causing any more issues. A broken arm wasn’t much of an issue to heal, but in that time... well Kat trusted Nell to push the advantage. To make things a real problem. She was clearly a brawler and Kat was realising, perhaps for the very first time, that for all her demonic strength, she wasn’t. She was a succubus. She was part of a race of demons known for skill and grace, and a few other things. Winning a fistfight with a bear wasn’t something that should normally happen. Now that she was abnormal... well she didn’t really think on it too hard, so when the normal routine happened, it was certainly a shock.