Chapter 24: Zombie Tide (2)

The momt Anna started chanting, the tire battlefield turned icy cold. The Tier 3 monster that had be tearing through everything froze in its tracks.

Boom!

Anna's staff struck the monster, shattering it into countless chunks of ice. As the mist cleared, an ethereal beauty emerged, causing gasps of surprise from almost everyone.

"Big Sister Anna!" some of the ladies and ev a few of the young m shouted, relief washing over them as they saw her. With her arrival, a glimmer of hope sparked among the fighters.

"Everyone, focus! The monsters ar't our real emies!" Anna's voice rang out across the battlefield, her words clear and commanding despite her gtle tone.

"What?" Everyone, except for Lily and Kilian, was shocked by this revelation. Lily, however, smiled faintly. She glanced at Kilian before speaking up.

"It's true. The monsters are running from something. Big Sister Anna, what should we do?" Lily asked, making sure to show respect. Anna was a Level 6 Ascded, while Lily was Level 4. Though Lily was strong, she had no interest in challging Anna for leadership.

Anna was surprised. The young lady who addressed her was just like her—an Ascded, but from the Felin Family. Lily was also considered a Fairy in their city, but for her to defer to Anna so easily was unexpected.

"Sister Lily, how about we work together to create an oping for the monsters? If we can push them in one direction, we might gain the upper hand and maybe ev find a way to escape," Anna suggested, swinging her staff as she spoke. Ice shards flew across the battlefield, turning monsters into statues and chunks of ice.

"That's a good idea, but the monsters are coming from all four trances, and the fifth one still has some Tier 3 monsters. How are we going to drive them back?" Lily asked, her mind already working on a solution.

Anna paused, thinking quickly. "We'll need to conctrate our forces on one trance. If we can break through there, we can lure the monsters away from the other side. It'll give us a chance to regroup and plan our next move."

Lily nodded, considering the plan. "I can take a group to handle the Tier 3 monsters at the fifth trance. If we can clear that area, we can create a safe path for the rest to escape."

Anna agreed quickly. "Alright, the rest of us will cover the other trances and keep the monsters distracted. Let's move fast before more show up."

She raised her voice, calling out to everyone. "Let's work together to hold the four trances while Sister Lily and the others break through the fifth!"

Anna's voice carried a command that made everyone stop in their tracks. Whether they were fighting or running, they turned to follow her lead. Ev though hundreds had already died, there were still thousands left, each one determined to keep fighting.

Lily, Kilian, and a group of Master Stage experts headed straight for the Tier 3 monsters, cutting them down with precision. With everyone now following orders, it didn't take long for them to gain the upper hand.

"Everyone, lead the monsters to the fifth trance!" Anna's voice rang out again. In less than twty minutes, Lily and her team had cleared the fifth path. Anna's orders wt into effect immediately as those with wide-area attacks started controlling the battle's flow.

The mindless monsters, struck down or killed before they could react, were funneled toward the fifth path. Slowly but surely, their numbers began to dwindle.

"Now's the time! Kill more monsters and level up quickly—the real battle is just beginning!" Anna's command seemed to ignite a fire in everyone. Like they were possessed, they surged forward, slaying monsters with rewed ergy.

A young man to her right screamed as a zombie latched onto his arm, its teeth sinking into his flesh. He managed to pull away, but the damage was done. Blood poured from the wound, and his face wt pale with fear. He knew what was coming.

"Keep moving!" someone shouted, pulling him forward. There was no time for hesitation. No time for second thoughts. It was fight or die.

The zombies pressed closer, their bone swords slicing through the air. One of them lunged at Anna, but she sidestepped, driving her staff into its skull. It crumbled to the g, but there was no time to celebrate. Another was already coming.

Lily gritted her teeth, using every ounce of strgth to keep her blade swinging. Sweat dripped down her face, her muscles burning with exhaustion. But she couldn't stop. Not now. Not wh they were so close.

Kilian's flames flickered, threating to go out. He was running low on ergy, but he forced himself to keep going. If he stopped, they were all dead.

"Just a little further!" Anna urged, her voice trembling with strain. They could see the fifth trance now, just beyond the wall of zombies. Freedom was within reach, but the path was still blocked.

The zombies were reltless, their eyes glowing with that terrible hunger. A group of them charged forward, knocking a few fighters to the g. Panic surged through the ranks as they struggled to get back up.

"Don't give up!" Anna shouted, pushing her way forward. "We can make it!"

Lily and Kilian fought their way to her side, their faces grim but determined. Together, they unleashed a final, powerful attack, cutting down the zombies blocking their path.

For a brief momt, the way was clear.

"Now!" Anna screamed. "Run!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The survivors surged forward, racing toward the fifth trance. Zombies snapped at their heels, but they didn't look back. All that mattered was getting through.

"Where do you insects think you're going?" Just as the surviving members were about to charge through the trance, a sneering voice echoed from one of the mountains. The trance was wedged betwe two towering peaks. They froze in their tracks as soon as they heard it.

"Everyone, get back!" Anna shouted, but before she could finish, a blood-red bone sword swung in a wide arc, sding a deadly wave of blood ergy toward those at the front.

"Ice Que's Blessing, Ice Wall!" Anna commanded, quickly raising walls of ice to shield them. The blood arc slammed into the ice, shattering it instantly. Those nearest to the wall were struck down, killed on the spot. The luckier ones were thrown back by the shockwave, coughing up blood as they tumbled through the air.

"A Zombie Captain," Anna muttered, her grip tighting on her staff. "I'll hold him off. Everyone else, get ready to run."

"Sister Anna, that's a Tier 3 zombie about to break through! You can't face it alone!" Lily protested, stepping up beside Anna. Kilian followed, his sword ablaze with flames. Mark and Kay joined them, ready to fight.

They all knew the stakes. If they didn't kill the zombie within the next two minutes, the others from the four trances would close in on them, and th it would be over.

"Th we attack together," Anna declared, preparing to strike wh, out of nowhere, a sword pierced through the chest of the Zombie Captain, killing it instantly.

"Looks like I made it to the party just in time," a voice called out from behind the Zombie Captain. Anna immediately recognize the voice.