Ascension of the Nephilim

The massive force field extended for more than two kilometers. It was a massive trap that was set and ensured that the group would pass through it.

Mezal had used his powers to create a Force Wall, not only using the basic techniques that Knights have to sound-proof his immediate surroundings but even employed small parts of Push.

"The good news is that this force field cannot be manipulated and shrunk. The army of the wraiths is coming as we speak. Yet, the force field has not shrunk. Destiny has trapped us, and the Commander has spared no grace for us to move. It wants to kill us immediately at whatever expense. The fact that she didn't shrink the force field proves that she can't do it!" Mezal explained.

"What if that's what she wants us to think?" Demerus asked.

"No. Look. The wraiths have been hiding and only appeared when she was sure that we fell into this trap. And it's already forming a formation to attack us on all sides. The logical thing to do is decrease the size of the force field to stop our movements. But no actions have been taken. We can use the space to our advantage. Those wraiths are undead creatures and are only commanded mentally. But that means that the Shaman cannot make specific commands on those wraiths. She should have Champions among the wraiths who are sentient and are alive, commanding some numbers of those wraiths."

"What's the plan?"

"The enemy doesn't know our abilities. We have to outsmart them! We will fight a battle of attrition and stay on the defensive. If things get dicey, we all have to fly our separate ways. I trust you all are skilled in aerial combat."

"Of course," Demerus answered.

"Good. We have to maintain a formation, and since you have a lot of magic potions, go ahead and keep shooting. The force field that traps us can only be held for so long. So we wait until that time, and then we split up and escape."

"Split up? But that will put us into more harm than good!"

"I need you to pull away a massive amount of enemy to help me look for the body of the Shaman. Don't worry. I can fly."

"You can actually fly?!"

"Yes. But I need to use more energy as I will be creating a Force Foothold in the air. As I'm running in the air in that form, I can quickly run out of Force Energy. But luckily, I have this!" Mezal revealed a large sword with three handles. This was the Champion weapon of the Steele family that Mezal carried and used against Kyros when he challenged him. Kyros gave it to him for his mission as an extra set of weapons."

"This is Trinity. Three swords in one. As you know, this sword has been blessed by a Shaman and can absorb Force Energy on my kills."

It was then that the Emberdon Champions realized something from Mezal's words. They did their best to hide their expressions.

"This will help me maintain my flight. During our defensive battle, I will try to make sneak attacks and dive into the army as if I am trying to clear open a path for us. But my real purpose is to seek where the body of the Shaman is. Once we find that Shaman, and once the force field loses power, we begin our counterattack. For now, focus everything on defense!" Mezal ordered.

"Yes!" The Champions shouted.

"Let's begin!" Mezal undid the power of the wall, and the Emberdon Champions began to channel their power.

"Impressive ability to push me away. But no matter what plans you make, it's all futile against my wraith horde! Kill them!" The alluring voice ordered.

The loud, screeching, high-pitched shrieks could be heard as the wraiths approached fast.

The Shaman stood at the other end of the battlefield. It was a tall woman with dark blue skin color. She had strange markings and tattoos all over her body that was glowing.

Suddenly, the eyes of the woman opened.

"What a futile plan. Such foolishness." She smiled. She had heard everything that Mezal talked about.

"Send in the weaker wraiths first. Have a bulk of the wraiths attack their back so that they would be forced to retreat slowly from the Soul Wall. They plan to beat us in a fight of attrition and escape once the Soul Wall fails."

"The fools..." A Grim laughed at the plans.

"Let's humor them! We keep attacking them with the weak wraiths for about five or so minutes. Position yourself nearby so that you can command your wraiths to fight. And when they are weary and tired, I want you all to join the battle and declare, or shout at each other to make haste as the force field will give way. They will separate and flee. I wish to see their foolish bodies strike the walls of the force field. But, with a massive army of wraiths around them releasing the cold energy, I'm sure those Champion mages won't be able to sense the magic of the Soul Wall wall as they once did." The Shaman Commander laughed.

"As you wish, madam!" Several dark floating Grim chorused and laughed at the sinister plot of their madam.

Each of the wraith-like creatures was like a floating dark cloak with bones as bodies and feet. Each of them held a strange weapon that was also made of bones.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The series of eruptions marked the beginning of the battle.

The Champion began to send out a series of attacks.

"They have nice artifacts. Those scepters that those mages wield... It's enough to make me envious... And soon, we will have all four of them." The Shaman Commander laughed.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The approaching wraiths created powerful cold energy, and all the Champions had to summon a strange fire to cover them.

"[Flame Heart]!" Triona channeled a great fire that created a warming sensation all over their body to fight the cold. 

"It's still too cold...!" Triona cursed as she could feel the cold hinder their abilities.

"Grid your loins and

With the fire that glowed, the team managed to resist the coldness and continued to attack.

"Drink your potions! Don't spare any! This could be our last battle!" Mezal shouted.

The group began to attack with explosive flames and lightning attacks as the other elements did not work well against the wraiths.

Mezal kept creating [Force Wall] around them to prevent the wraiths from moving in closer.

The Shaman Commander watched and smiled.

"If it's a battle of attrition you want, then it's a battle of attrition that you get." The Commander smiled.

The Emberdon Champions kept drinking potions and shooting while Mezal had a pained expression from maintaining the [Force Wall].

A minute passed. Two minutes. Three minutes.

The Shaman Commander waited as the group continued their harassment.

More and more wraiths were dying as it was trying to claw their way into the large sphere that protected the Champions.

Three more minutes passed, and the nearby Grim Champions began to frown. Even the Shaman Commander was watching intently.

"Are they not yet out of mana yet?" She frowned. The Emberdon Champions and Mezal had constantly been releasing Magic and Force energy, yet she could sense that they were not yet any close to running out.

The Shaman Commander was about to issue an order to change tactics when...

"I... can't hold on! Shoot more explosive attacks to buy me some time while I drink Force Restoring Potion!"

"But we are also nearly out of magic!" The Champions cursed.

"Use your Elemental Conflux Bomb!" Mezal ordered.

"No! It will kill us as well!" Faye ordered.

"I'll handle it! But I'll be drained of magic energy!" Demerus volunteered to take out his scepter and held it with the scepter he got from the Temple. A great amount of fire and lightning energy was coursing through both.

The Shaman Commander observed and smiled.

"Do it." She commanded her Champions.

The Grim received the mental orders and began to perform their facade.

"Not good! The Soul Wall is about to collapse!" A Grim ordered.

"Stop them and cover their retreat!" Another Grim ordered.

"You heard that?! We have to make our retreat! We need more attacks that can stop the enemy's advances!" Mezal warned.

"I'll deal with that!" Faye shouted as she harnessed powerful wind energy on her Scepter of Element and her scepter.

Demerus aimed his two scepters to the sides, and Faye also did the same in another direction.

The Grims were preparing for the powerful attack. They knew that the group would split up after this attack and act as distractions while Mezal would look for their Commander.

"Hmph. Foolish wish. After Commander Shellcross's defeat, we now than to be caught off guard." One of the Grim Champions secretly sneered at the futile plans of Mezal. He then announced the next part of the Commander's scheme, and that was to fake the collapse of the Soul Wall.

At his command, a strange light flickered in the distance where the wall stood.

"The Soul Wall has collapsed! Send more wraiths to cover their escape!" A Grim shouted.

"Now!" Mezal ordered.

BOOM! BOOM! VOOOSH!

A fire and lightning attack erupted to the side, and a mighty gale erupted was not sent on the surrounding sides. But both Demerus and Faye focused their attack on one spot.

All Grim Champions were at the ready, waiting for them to split up. They planned to focus the wraiths and make a quick chase at each Champion mage who would try to flee into the Soul Wall and smash into it.

But as everyone ordered their wraiths to brace and set up a defensive magic shield, they became easy targets for the overpowering magic of Demerus, and Faye burned and banished the wraiths in front of them.

ZOOM!

The magic carpet zoomed with all its speed towards the direction.

"Keep attacking this point! leave the defenses to me!" Mezal shouted.

The figure of the flying carpet flew out of the smoke and flew to a place without any Grim Champions standing guard.

The massive differences between expectation and reality caused the waiting Champions to blank out and waste another precious second watching Mezal and the Champions flee.