Chapter 24: The Sect Lair


    "Let''s go," ordered Mike as we entered the domain. I could feel the tension throughout the team, silencing the atmosphere, and leaving the lingering sound of scuttling deep within the cavern.


    Droplets of water echoed all around us as they trickled from the moist ceiling, Katherine tensing up in reaction at each sound. Mike was rtively calm up ahead, this not being his first domain or his hardest.


    Rom, even though he was in the middle of our convoy, was extremely paranoid. Sweat trickled down his face as he swerved his head every two seconds, checking for enemies. He was trying to hide the tant fear on his face, but it was a pretty miserable attempt.


    I slowed my breathing, focusing on my surroundings rather than analyzing my allies'' behaviors.


    A sudden murderous intent originated to my left, my body instantly reacting. I drew my sword, my arm shing in the direction of the source before my head could even turn to identify the threat.


    A sharp cry echoed from my left as a sect crumbled to pieces, the entire party standing there in shock.


    "Stay alert," I warned, further enhancing my radar. The rest of the party nodded as we tracked onwards. The pace had slowed due to the uncertainty of another attack, and I couldn''t help but wonder, what would''ve happened if I wasn''t the target?


    If a sect suddenly leaped at Rom, would he react in time? Would he defend himself?


    I believed that these adventurers were good people, and even if I still had trouble trusting them, I didn''t want to see them die. They would all survive, that was my priority.


    ying the boss was a secondary goal, and under no circumstances would I sacrifice one of my own for the kill.


    I nced at Hugo, the boy masking his anxiety better than most. Even so, his breaths were rapid, his irises shivering ever so slightly at the rocks all around him, his hands resting on the grip of his sword thaty at his side.


    I squinted under my mask as we entered an open area, small dents in the walls immediately attracting my attention. We kept moving forward, the tank not calling out anything unusual.


    The uneasiness of our position slowly set on me, my instincts telling me this was wrong.


    A sudden jab of pain in my mind struck me as my eyes flew open at the realization.


    "Defensive positions!" I yelled immediately, the party reacting slower than usual due to the source of the order. I clenched my weapon, this was no time to hesitate, no time to doubt.


    We were surrounded.


    Katherine approached me, our backs touching as we pivoted around each other, awaiting the enemy. Katherine was the only one who had reacted instantly, trusting my order without a second of doubt.


    A sudden shriek echoed around us as the walls caved in, sects crawling out from the newly-created holes.


    "Attack!" roared Mike as he charged the enemy, instantly vaporizing a handful of insects.


    Our tactic for this domain was simple. As long as the tank and the attackers (position attributed to those who were tasked with killing enemies) encircled the healer, we would be able to receive constant support and medical aid from Rom. With this, we would be able to fight hundred of sects without sumbing to their numbers.


    However, this relied heavily on the strength of each member. If one faltered, the healer would be attacked, and the entire party would slowly be overwhelmed.


    Katherine and I immediately separated, engaging the enemies that were approaching Rom. I nced back as my sword cut into a scorpion. Even if he had previously been terrified, Rom was now collected and doing his job beautifully. Bursts of warm wind encircled me as my cuts vanished instantly, boosts of power entering my veins as Rom buffed my own power.


    The Fei was multi-tasking all four members at once, making sure none of them was at anything less than 120% of their fighting power.


    A group of sects leaped at me, hissing as venom dripped from their stingers. I released my bind, mes erupting around them, burning them within seconds. My eyes shifted to Katherine as I realized she was slowly being overwhelmed.


    I ignited my palm, sending a small ball of fire in her direction before turning back to my own front. The projectile pierced a dozen sects before dissipating, the pressure of their constant attacks instantly vanishing and allowing Katherine to regain her footing.


    I could feel necessarily high levels of heat radiating behind me, my head turning amidst the action to verify my guess. I could see Hugo sting sects all around him, but there was no logic behind his attacks.


    He shed through dozens of sects, instantly erupting the already cut up corpses and smiling as they vaporized. He appeared to be enjoying the killing, almost like he had lost control of himself.


    My eyes were brought back to a sect roaring as it jumped at me. I evaded the blow, driving my sword into the insect as itnded behind me.


    Hugo lit his sword on fire, swinging it in a wide arc and obliterating everything as the mes shot out from the de. I immediately noticed theck of control in the attack and traced what the line of fire would hit.


    Katherine was going to get hit.


    My mind raced as I measured the probability of me making it in time, realizing that I had less than a second before Katherine was wiped off the face of Auroria. The girl had realized what was happening, but her body refused to move as the searing mes neared her. Enhancing my body with neutral bind wouldn''t be fast enough.


    I had to use lightning.


    My eyes shot open, a bright blue glow emanating from the small eye hole on the left side of my mask as lightning crackled around me. My perception of the world around me slowed as I dropped my weapon, dashing towards Katherine as fast as I could.


    KATHERINE HEARTH''S POV:


    I ripped another arrow from a corpse beside me, panting as I took aim and pierced another sect''s skull. I realized I''d probably have to resort to closebat now that I was out of arrows, unsheathing the two daggers I held behind my waist.


    Before I was able to even use the twin steel daggers, I sensed a massive surge of bind heading towards me. I turned towards the source, my eyes widening at what covered my vision.


    Massive mes were approaching me, the heat already singeing my cheeks from the proximity. I rolled to the side, evading the attack.


    Wait. Why wasn''t my body moving? The order was clear... move to the side and avoid the attack.


    I stood there in terror, not at the oing attack, but at the fact that I was frozen right in its trajectory. I felt my daggers drop to the floor, my entire body shaking uncontrobly. I was going to die at such a young age? Not having experienced almost anything in life, having dreamt of bing an adventurer, and my journey was about to end after the first domain?


    I didn''t want to die. I don''t want to die.


    Please... someone help me!