The small explosion from the first began a domino effect, causing the other Horrors to blow up one by one, until they were no more than a yellow stain on the roof of the building. The liquid continued to eat through the tiled bricks, as the Inquisitors engaged the Amalgams.
An Inquisitor brought his massive war axe down on the ground, smashing the earth, and knocking the Amalgams off balance. One of them— composed of three bodies, held together by the blue bulbs— tried to swing back at the Inquisitor. He easily blocked the strike and cleaved the Amalgam in half.
The other Amalgams picked themselves up and surrounded the axe Inquisitor. They attacked him from all sides, as he blocked their onslaught. He was being pushed back by the group of them. He took a step back, then tapped the mana crystal.
The Inquisitor’s axe shone, and its tip flashed blue. He spun around, swinging his war axe all in a single 360 degrees sweep. While previously, it took him all his strength to even cut through a single Amalgam. Now, he tore through them like they were nothing. The Amalgams fell, and the group continued.
They were ripping through the Abominations. Edith was not sure how long they had been fighting, but they were halfway to the center of Bys now. Lilith still spearheaded their assault, although she ignored any Abomination that was not directly in front of her. She was not using her miracles anymore— or at least, she was not using any miracles that Edith could see.
And yet, as she ran through the streets of Bys into the hordes of Abominations ahead of her, she never once slowed. It was almost as if she were running unimpeded. She struck down any Abomination that attacked her without any effort. Even the larger ones like the Amalgams were no nuisance to her.
We’re almost there.
Edith knew that. He could see the Oligopolis of Bys right there in front of them. But now— this close to the Amalgamation— it finally sensed them too.
The colossal mass of bodies trembled. Tens of thousands of heads jerked. All of their eyes opening at once, turning to face the threat. Edith saw this, and for a moment, he felt a shiver go down his spine. The sight of a hundred thousand eyes looking at straight at him was bad enough— it would have terrified even the bravest of individuals. But more than that— more than just that fact— they all shone red.
So Edith paused for a moment. And so did the other Inquisitors. Even amidst their constant battle, they found the time to fear this creature. This Amalgamation. But a voice broke them out of their stupor.
It was Saintess Lilith.
"I’ll take that thing out. But I can’t do it if it gets help from those Atrocities over there. Take care of them for me, will you?"
Her voice was as carefree as ever. She glanced back at the team of Inquisitors, giving them a wink as she did. Then she leapt up one of the buildings next to her. Not the regular three story houses that made up the outer city of Bys, but one of the proper buildings that made up the center of the former Free City of Slaves.
Dozens of tendrils stretching a hundred feet each came whipping out of the Amalgamation, striking at the Saintess. She blocked the first with her spear. Then she danced between the subsequent attacks, twirling away from a tendril that pierced through a concrete building and collapsing it.
The Saintess shone. Her entire body once again covered in the glowing patterns, and she thrusted her spear forward at the Amalgamation. There was a terrible shriek, as a red explosion knocked the Amalgamation back. But it still clung onto the ziggurat. Saintess Lilith continued dodging the whipping tendrils of the Amalgamation, sending a torrent of flames at the mass of bodies.
Edith only took a second to take this in. Not just because it happened so quickly, but also because the Abominations around him all reacted as its leader was attacked. All at once, thousands of Abominations abandoned what they were doing, and began running for the Amalgamation to protect it.
The Inquisitors saw this, and tried to stop them from doing so, but there were too many for even them to handle. Edith shouted past all the chitterring and explosions in the background. "Don’t focus on the regular Abominations. Get the Atrocities before it reaches Lilith!"
Edith ran for the nearest Atrocity. The lumbering creature, which was probably once a Horned Ursa, was running amongst the regular Abominations, trying to help the Amalgamation. The squad leader felt himself activating the effects of his sword, and despite still being a distance away, slashed at the group of creatures.
His sword flickered, and a horizontal line appeared where he swung. All the Abominations around the Atrocity fell, sliced in half by some invisible blade. Even the wall behind them fell apart, having been in reach of the attack. And yet, the Atrocity only stumbled back from the hit. It’s abdomen was torn open, but it still seemed mostly fine.
It turned to face its new enemy. At the Inquisitor charging at it. And it struck at him with its claws. Edith managed to dodge the first one, counter with his only swing at where he had injured it. But he lodged his sword inside the wound. He managed to yank it out just in time to block a second strike—
And Edith found himself flying through the air. The Inquisitor landed on the ground with a crack. His armor— the protective mana crystals on it— took the brunt
