The atmosphere grew tense and charged with a mix of uncertainty and resolve as Jett, without hesitation, stepped up to take command. His voice cut through the air, firm and decisive, leaving no room for doubt.
The others, though seasoned in battle, couldn't help but exchange glances, slightly taken aback by the unexpected arrangement. It wasn't that they doubted Jett's capabilities, but the abrupt shift in leadership, coupled with his unusual plan, left a lingering sense of confusion.
"We'll split into four groups with four or three people each," Jett began, his tone brokering no argument. "One person stays as bait to attract the monsters, while the others either keep them in check or contribute to the attack. Those baits will me Rey, Matthew, Finn and myself."
As he laid out the teams, assigning Elora and Cedric to Rey, Morrigan and Seraphina to Matthew, and Finn, Marcella, Aiden, and Rosa to one group, there was a palpable hesitation. When Jett paired himself with Asher and Evelina, eyebrows raised slightly, the uncertainty simmering beneath the surface.
"But you and Finn can't attract their aggro. It's not going to work. And what about Freya?" Rey's voice broke the silence, his tone edged with concern.
"In normal circumstances, yes, but right now, you'll just have to trust me," Jett replied, his eyes locking onto Rey's, trying to convey the urgency of his plan. "As for Freya..."
"We need to keep her as far away from this as possible," Asher cut in, his voice firm. "I'm still pretty much in charge of her safety, so I can't let anything happen to her."
Jett remained unfazed by Asher's interruption. "Hold your horses. She's the most important part of this whole plan. But yeah, she'll be the safest person here," Jett assured, his tone resolute. "Just listen to what I say. No one should use healing skills unless it's a passive skill, and the same goes for spells.
Take some healing potions from Marcella."
The group's confusion lingered, but beneath it was a growing resolve. Jett's confidence, though unexpected, began to settle into the others, pushing them to trust in his plan despite their reservations.
The weight of the battle ahead pressed down on them, but under Jett's command, they felt a flicker of hope, even if it was tinged with uncertainty.
Marcella moved quickly, her hands a blur as she distributed the pills among the group. The tension was thick, yet she remained focused, her calm efficiency a sharp contrast to the uncertainty that lingered in the air.
As the pills were passed from hand to hand, a shared understanding began to form: a quiet acceptance of the roles they were about to play.
While Marcella worked, Jett's voice filled the space, clear and commanding. "Go all out on your attacks, I don't have to be the one to tell you to bring out your pets for this one. But if you know your attacks aren't strong enough, then just try to restrict their movements. Don't waste your MP unnecessarily."
His gaze shifted to Freya, his expression softening slightly. "You'll be alternating between Finn and me," he instructed, his tone carrying a hint of reassurance meant just for her.
Freya hesitated, her uncertainty evident as she glanced at him. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice tinged with doubt. She had never faced an undead before, and the thought of it unnerved her.
Jett met her gaze, his eyes steady. "Just trust me. I'd never put you in unnecessary danger," he replied with a boldness that caused Freya to blush faintly, a warmth spreading across her cheeks.
Evelina, always quick to catch onto such moments, grinned playfully. "Was that a confession?" she teased, her voice light in an attempt to ease the tension.
Jett sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Please pay attention," he said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. Internally, he admitted to himself, 'I wasn't planning on taking a commanding role, but it can't be helped.'
Despite the gravity of the situation, there was an odd sense of calm: at least from a few members of the group.
Unlike the others who still felt the weight of the looming battle, Evelina's playful banter and Jett's composed demeanor created a momentary lapse in the tension, as if the storm of battle hadn't yet fully settled over them.
However, Asher wasn't swayed by the momentary lightness. His voice cut through, serious and firm. "Freya can't contribute to the attack, so are you planning on using her as bait? I just told you that's not happening."
Freya's gaze dropped slightly, a flicker of guilt passing through her. She hadn't yet told the others about her abilities, that she wasn't as helpless as they might think.
She could wield attack spells against beings with dark or demonic attributes, but she had kept that to herself, unsure of how to reveal it.
"And I just told you to shut up and listen," Jett snapped, his voice sharp and commanding. The unexpected edge in his tone caught everyone off guard.
He wasn't his usual nonchalant self instead, there was a fierce intensity in his gaze that made the others unconsciously straighten up. "You don't have to be logical about everything. You're not allowed to speak till when I say I'm done."
The group exchanged quick, uneasy glances. Jett's sudden shift in demeanor was surprising; the easygoing air he usually carried had been replaced by an almost intimidating presence.
It wasn't just his words, but the way he said them: there was a newfound authority in his voice that left little room for argument.
"We'll most likely be sent somewhere else since this trial requires a large number of participants. When that happens, every team will run in a different direction, except Finn's," Jett continued, his tone returning to a more measured calm, though the underlying authority remained.
"This is nuts! Why are only the undead coming our way?" Aiden asked, his voice tight with urgency as the wave of decaying horrors drew closer.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Finn sighed, his expression grim. He knew all too well why the undead were after them. The dread that filled him wasn't just from the sight of the undead: they were relentless foes, not easily felled by normal means.
"Hey! Stop spacing out. What do we do now?" Rosa's voice snapped him back to the present, her tone carrying the edge of someone ready to fight or flee.
Jett's voice cut through the chaos, clear and commanding. "Create a path or an encampment," he ordered, and the response was immediate. Members from each team moved quickly, working to restrict the enemies' movements and fortify their positions.
[Construct]
[Flora Hall]
[Earth Wall]
[Tactical Mirage]
Despite their efforts, the overwhelming numbers of monsters began to surround the teams, their sheer force threatening to overrun the hastily constructed defenses.
Jett's group, in particular, was in a dire situation as the undead pressed in from all sides, their eyes empty yet filled with a cold hunger.
"This is still more than they can handle, and unfortunately for them, the undead don't die through natural means. The one person who might have a chance can't use attack spells or skills," Rey muttered as he struck down a wild beast, his frustration clear.
"I think Jett finally bit off more than he can chew," Seraphina murmured, a note of worry in her voice as she fought alongside Matthew.
"And he dragged us into it! We're going to die!" Finn's scream was tinged with fear as they continued to hack away at the seemingly endless horde of undead.
Just as it seemed like they were about to be overwhelmed, Jett's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the chaos. "Freya! Do it now!"
Everyone paused, breath held, wondering what would happen next. There was a moment of stillness, the battle frozen in anticipation.
[Purge]
From the sky where Freya hovered with Lumina, chains of pure light descended, shimmering as they sliced through the air.
They struck the ground with a force that sent shockwaves through the battlefield, completely decimating the undead.
The chains wrapped around the decaying bodies, and in an instant, they were turned to dust, disintegrating before Finn's team, who watched in stunned silence as the once-encroaching horde was obliterated.
"Hold up..." Asher's voice was filled with disbelief.
"Did Freya just..." Elora added, her tone equally stunned.
"Use an..." Cedric was next, his voice trailing off in shock.
"Attack skill?" Rosa finished, wide-eyed as she looked at Freya.
"What the hell!" they all chorused, their voices a mix of shock and awe as they realized the full extent of what had just happened. Freya, who had always been considered the support, had just wiped out an entire wave of undead with a single attack, turning the tide of battle in an instant.
*
*
*
It's Freya's time to shine.
Thanks for making it this fa