Swirling Astral Portals were opening above the clouds, colossal ships that resembled mythical monsters slowly crawling out of them. The closest one had a giant demonic skull installed on the stem, and Weldy knew its fanged smile and curved horns. She remembered that ship and its crew — they haunted her nightmares.
Pandorum had returned.
Chapter 3
THE PILLAR OF FIRE that Ananizarte had transformed into was comparable in size to gigantic monsters such as the Guardian from the Hole or the Ancient Colossus. I sincerely hoped that our raid leaders had a way to counter such behemoths.
Evil Mook: Scatter! Everyone, run, quick!
The tornado bloomed with dozens of fiery tendrils, voraciously devouring careless players. One of the tentacles the size of an astral ship flew straight at us. An escalating wave of heat hit my face, and icons of fire-based DOTs flashed in the tray. Cursing under his breath, Nico sent the rook into a nose-dive. Only his reaction saved us from certain death. The giant bird screeched, indignant, and darted downward, its smoldering tailfeathers leaving a trail of smoke.
The flaming whips erratically slashed the air around them, bringing devastation upon the players. Our raid lost more than a hundred members. The fragments of fallen ships littered the plain, burning and fuming, while the surviving vessels rapidly retreated, their sails up. The battle below wasn’t about to stop, but it was more akin to a chaotic skirmish with everyone crowded together. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the phalanges leave Fairs and move to us. Fools, what were they hoping to achieve?
Evil Mook: Don’t panic. Regroup in Fairs. Survivors, gather around me. Those who died, respawn and wait at the starting point.
Komtur: No big deal, one wipe is normal. Let’s try again.
But nobody was going to give us another chance.
* * *
The Double Spirit Spiral was a surprise to the players. The only correct decision for them was to retreat, run, and wait. But in their arrogance, they decided to bring down all their might upon her. It was a mistake, and thanks to it, Ananizarte was playing with them like a cat with a mouse it caught. Sometimes, she allowed them to harm her — enemies had to believe that victory was possible. The incredible damage they dealt passed through the Spiral, transforming into power, strength, vigor. The players fed the goddess with infinite energy while trying to destroy her. Each hit, each spell made her stronger. Spirit Spiral, the pinnacle of mind magic, made the caster almost invulnerable. Yes, it was temporary, and the price was your own spirit attribute, but it was worth it!
The time had come. Ananizarte spent some of her power to transform once again, quickly scattering her enemies like a cloud of gnats. She froze for a second, focusing before casting her next spell. The energy she had absorbed from the players should be enough...
Long ago, in the time before reckoning when the world was different and the gods young, Mesmer, who wasn’t yet called the Lord of Darkness, asked her as he contemplated the night sky, “Ani, do you like the stars?”
“I don’t know. They’re so far away...”
“In truth, they’re close. The celestial dynamics follow the laws of this world. I think you can snatch a star from the sky, as long as you have enough power...”
* * *
We returned to the Fairs. Ramparts and battlements flickered below, full of hundreds of players and NPCs. Astral ships regrouped in the sky above, and new vessels teeming with fresh soldiers came out of portals. Reinforcements? I was surprised to see the emblems of Hird and NAVY, a bear standing on its hind legs. The raid landed at the old spot, joining with the players who had died.
Olaf: Check! Attention! She reset all of her mana! She’s casting something!
Evil Mook: What exactly?
Olaf: No data, but she spent thirteen million mana points at once!
Evil Mook: Some nasty trick, most likely. All right, fine. Everyone, use Spectral Shield! Maximum defense! Buffs, elixirs, resistance stones!
Komtur: Have you heard the scouts? Ananizarte’s troops are in full retreat from the Fairs!
“What’s going on? Can you see it? What’s that?”
The players started moving, pointing somewhere, their voices buzzing all around me. I elbowed my way forward and looked in that direction, putting my hand against my forehead to protect my eyes from the blinding light.
A shining dot appeared in the sky, its size increasing every second. A few moments later, it turned bright enough to rival the sun. Suddenly, it started getting dark, and a sharp gust of wind blew in my face, tousling my hair and flapping my cloak. It grew stronger, howling between the towers and making the banners and airship sails creak. The clouds fled across the darkened sky as if afraid.
“What the hell’s happening?” someone asked angrily.
I didn’t know. Nobody did. None of us had ever seen anything like that. The bright dot transformed into a dazzling fiery sphere that closed in on us. It left behind a white vapor trail that stretched to the highest layers of the atmosphere in a fuzzy curve. We heard a long, dangerously deep rumble. It felt as if that missile was aimed at the city and was about to hit us. Raid leaders nervously talked on Courier.
Olaf: Looks like a real comet!
Evil Mook: We need to go under the Fairian dome!
Olaf: It’s not an option. Half of our players don’t have faction rep. The Phoenix are activating protective artifacts, but...
Evil Mook: What are they proposing? We have to decide quickly! This thing’s going to kill all of us!
Komtur: I think we need...
While they argued, the time to retreat ran out. The glow became overpowering, and we looked back, unable to withstand its intensity. The
