Evil Mook used the proven tactics of precise strikes. Leaving the castle under the protection of a thousand players and a thousand pawns, who successfully fended off the attacks, he split the remaining thousand into several dozen groups, each acting independently. These units attacked the enemy armada, each aiming at a different target, forcing them to defend themselves, disperse, and stop firing at the castle ramparts. The biggest threat was posed by galleons, formidable flying fortresses that, on top of heavy armaments, were rigged with spelljumpers. Those ships were used to open Astral Portals, allowing the Pandorum fleet to teleport anywhere in the world. The only vessels other than galleons that could accommodate spelljumpers were juggernauts and astral naves.
Galleons became our number one priority. Heavy Thunderstrikes focused fire on them from the castle walls, and ballistae tried shooting their harpoons. However, like any big ship, each galleon was equipped with a dome — not as powerful as those installed on outposts and juggernauts but still impressive enough. To destroy a ship, you first needed to remove the dome.
At first, luck was on our side. The Blood Hawks, Lot’s gift, wreaked havoc on Pandas’ ranks. They sowed terror, diving into the unprotected ships, breaking their masts, crushing the hulls with their powerful beaks, and pushing the players off the deck with their claws. Both sides’ ordnance fired non-stop — linking the castle and the ships with dozens of multi-colored beams — and hundreds of AOE spells burst in exuberant fireworks. Defense was always easier than offense: protected by the castle’s aura and the ramparts, we attacked the sectors within range. It was harder for the Pandas and their allies; they started losing vessels.
At last, the dome of one of the galleons burst, and we immediately made it our primary target, transforming it into a blazing fireball in less than a minute. Another soon followed, crashing into the castle walls and crumbling into a thousand pieces of debris. Cries of joy on the voice channel became a roaring thunder. The third and the fourth galleons got caught by several heavy harpoons and were slowly pulled closer. Nobody tried to count the lesser ships — skiffs, corvettes, and even frigates crashed and burned, and the decks of many others were swept up in the melee. The enemy started losing their numerical advantage, and the scales of war began to waver.
Yes, we were outmatched three to one, but as they died, the Northerners respawned right in the castle and returned to action. The soldiers of Pandorum’s coalition, however, could only resurrect on the mainland almost twenty leagues away. It was a thirty minutes’ journey and might take even longer, considering that we mainly targeted their flying mounts, poisoning them with dragon venom. Thus, the ranks of attackers slowly dwindled, while the number of defenders remained the same. Watching this, I started to realize how hard it was to take a well-placed, well-fortified, and well-defended castle, even while having an overwhelming advantage.
Seeing the enemy lessen their onslaught, Evil Mook revealed the final aces up his sleeves: five hundred fresh players with pawns came out of an Astral Portal, accompanied by a small squadron of fifteen warships: a galleon, five frigates, corvettes, and skiffs. I recognized our banners: those vessels belonged to the Watchers, Varangians, and Brethren; I had bought those hulls and rigging myself. Their attack was sudden and unstoppable. Several enemy ships burst into flames, and Pandorum’s flank staggered in a chaotic clash.
It was a true dogfight, an uncontrollable bloodbath where both sides mixed together. The situation played into our hands. Pandorum’s main advantage, their fleet’s firepower, was lost, as their artillery couldn’t shoot without damaging their own troops. In close quarters, the Northerners were almost equal to the Pandas and their allies, and we also had the castle ordnance, the defenders’ bonus, and a powerful divine buff.
“CAT!” Evil Mook’s hoarse voice almost deafened me as the raid leader opened a direct communication channel with me.
“You’re up! I’ve moved you to the third group; they’ll cover you. Destroy the Enterprise, then go for the Alpha!”
Until that moment, I had remained in a protected cell, never joining the battle. As Evil Mook had put it during the war meeting, “We’ll save this choice piece for supper.” I was strictly forbidden from going out without an order or using the flaming sword. It was disheartening to watch the action through the arrow holes and Shadow Eyes and covet my clanmates’ non-stop kills.
The third group was the elite of Enemy: players clad in epic magic armor who rode rikhars and protodragons. Their only difference from the Pandas was their clan tag and the status of our allies. They swooped me up, putting me in a free spot on the back of a scaled birdie, and covered me from the sides and above. We sped up, heading into the thick of the battle, the hellish nightmare full of lightning bolts, burning ships, and swarms of flying mounts grappling with each other.
Evil Mook: Groups three, seven, eight! Primary target is the Enterprise! I repeat, primary target is the Enterprise! Don’t let it get away!
I saw the enemy marked with the red frame of the primary target. It was a clunky triple-decker galleon that had already lost half of its protective dome. Several heavy harpoons with torn chains were stuck in its broadside while some of its gunholes kept firing.
Evil Mook: HotCat, your mission is to remove the shield! The guys will do the rest!
HotCat: Got it.
Thunderballs flew toward us, but the group easily dodged them in a coordinated maneuver. The glowing blue bubble of the dome
