DRAGON: First Link

37.0: Defend

"One-hundred sixty-three enemies confirmed, about fifty-seven percent are high-levelled." Sanders reported from his perch. "Twenty percent of the overall number are long-ranged, rest are melee; Seventy-four percent look like magic-types, twenty-three are physical, and less than three percent are hybrids. The only force-type user, I think, is the leader."

"How can he know so much?" Calm asked me.

"I taught him some general observation skills." I replied. "You'll know who's what and what's who by looking at their outwards appearance; their armor, the weapons they're using, the aura they emit, and the other people's reaction in their immediate vicinity. For example, you'll know that a shielder is a Magic-type user because he wears light armor; that can be enhanced with magic. His shield is thin and bare, which helps him with mobility, and he can expand it easily with elemental techniques. And he would be walking in front or near the front, a position for players specializing in defense."

"Eh. 'mazing."

"Aside from that, you're brother has a keen sense for observing, and gets lessons on the first try."

"It's not surprising." Calm sat straight up from the recliner. "He's your everyday nerd in the real life. He's also an anti-social, which probably made him wary of people around him. Thus he observes. Overall, if you know him fully, you'll understand that he's creepy in his own ways."

The ceiling door opened up and Sander's head poked from the opening. "Can you at least close the comm if you want to talk about me?"

"Wait." Calm stood and pressed the off button in the wall's comm. He smirked and looked at his brother. "Better?"

"Very funny, Calm. Very funny." The twin's voice was dry, before he shut the ceiling door. But a few seconds later he stumbled out of the ceiling again. "Fcking mayday, gents, getting into formation is a very good thing to do right now."

We scrambled to ready our weapons, Sanders and I getting to high ground while our melee fighters are out front, ready to roll out. Pagdating ko sa taas, my eyes bulged out. "What the...?"

The enemies are running towards us.

"Get to formation!!! Team Alpha, you better not miss the incoming chance, ETA 20 seconds."

Two triangle formation at each flank, all-heads-no-bard at mid.

"Mercy me Cuishel, get your ass to left."

"Yosh."

Left flank has less physical resistance than the right.

"Ryd, bring the Wheeler at right."

"Aye, sir."

Need more magic at right flank.

"Calm, Sir Gwynne, I need a flood of flames at ETA 10 sec."

"Le try."

Mid has no bards.

"Sanders, focus in targeting supports."

Backline has no shield.

At Sander's nod I pulled all my scopes to view. Tsk, these guys sure have guts, paired with a very good sense of battle, courtesy of Zhang. I grinned as I spotted him in the front of the formation. This ain't enough, old man.

3...

2...

1...

"MID!!"

From under the sand erupted Sea of Daemon Fire, a combination skill by Sir Gwynne and Calm. This swirling mass of heat is corrosive, and could decimate enemies in a fraction of a second. I know that putting this skill in front is useless because of the all-front in the middle, but damage isn't the reason here. I looked at the flanks, where the formation visibly slowed down, enough to...

"You mechs better spring up now."

Sumunod na nagsilabasan ang Boulder na minamaneho ni Cuish, at ang Wheeler na mina-man ni Ryd. Ang kaninang confused na mga flankers ay nag-disengage from their positions, and finally, the formation broke.

"Sanders, yer turn."

"Triad Burst." He chanted. Three random explosions went off at the backline. At the sight of the enemies not budging, he harrumphed. "Quad Burst."

Binaling ko naman ang aking atensyon at shooting free bards at enchanters. But to my own frustrations, kahit nasira na ang main formation, nagkumpol-kumpol ang mga ito into basic balanced parties. Which means, the bards are well-shielded. "Shit."

Tumunog ang beeper ko. "Sky here. They broke the shield. Once they get within the vicinity of this tree, we're nothing but decors."

"Okay Sky, Cr1ng, support mid. I'll be putting back-up for the shield system."

"Yokai-desu."

I looked at mid. Sir Gwen was having a hard time against a well-seasoned spearman, while Calm is having a head-to-head combat with a pugilist. "They really need some help no---"

"Deca Burst!!" Sanders shouted, beads of sweat dripping on his forehead. He look at me, mischief visible in his sad eyes. "I gotta warn you, hime, my Burst Series is accumulative. And the higher it gets, the more mana it consumes."

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

He laughed. "Because, I know you'd make a plan B." Sanders stood on his perch, the irises beginning to fade as he looked down at the oncoming horde. "Sky, Cr1ng, you know what to do."

"Yeah, whatever." Was the immediate reply.

"Wha—" Di na ko nakahuma nang bigla akong nagkaroon ng Force-Coat status effect.

"Millennium BURST!!

The whole of the battlefield was engulfed in explosions of black, the sands rising up due to the destruction of the desert.

"Well, what do you know about—Sanders?"

He was not there anymore.

"Oi, hime, na-forced log-out yun." Calm said through the wires. "Don't worry 'bout him."

"Hey, I'm the goddarn guild-master here, why am I not informed of this attack pattern?"

"Because, just as Mika said, 'You suck at perfecting plans.'"

"That mochi." I grimaced. A beep on my HUD startled me though. "Of all the stupid shit I've been into, this here is gonna get in my top ten things I don't wanna remember."

"What? You still going on with Mika's rant?" Joichiro's voice finally perked up from the comm. "Peter's siege is ready though."

"Well, have to create a minor tertiary shield for that." I sighed and looked at the oncoming enemies. For a second I thought I saw Zhang grinning at me. "They already broke the second shield."

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A/N: Yo, I'm baaaaaaaaaack!!! Za ef or not, I'm back!! whoohoo!!

Anyways, i'm trying some romance-induced one-page stories. Visit my profile if you don't mind... xD