Whisk of embers flew from Slea’s serpent trail. Motes of red flame still danced across the distance to where the Second faction’s Thiefmaster had turned into ashes.

  Suna's throat tightened, and words struggled to come out. Did they plan this? James had planned to kill the fourth and fifth faction leaders and disarm the first and second. At close range, James would be able to do that–he was going to unleash the third faction, which had been discreetly positioned along the chamber edge, to start shooting at the fourth and fifth while he charged in and kept them busy.

  That was why the humans had been positioned at the back, as a reserve force if the fourth or fifth made it to the archers, but James was confident that wouldn’t happen.

  Until now.

  Shrill cries rumbled through the chamber like a grating echo; the Tieflings roared in tears and anger at their leader's death. Suna winced as his ears felt like the voices were bludgeoning them. The golden chain broke apart, and he could finally move.

  Without a pause, Suna whipped out his bow and smashed Reki's legs with a sweep. The [Paladin] let out a cry, and his head crashed first into the floor.

  “Wait—”

  Pito grappled with Reki with all of his armored body. Chain clinked against their breastplate, and they tumbled around in a grating clash of steel.

  “Let him go!” Slea shouted. She was about to point her wand, but stopped herself just like Suna did earlier. At least, she wasn’t willing to murder them.

  The Obsidian bow was cool in his hand, he had nocked an arrow—but where would he even…

  “Your left!” Suna shouted.

  Slea moved, and flame burst forth from her wand, incinerating five Tieflings at once. Their bodies fell as ashes clung to the sewer.

  From the ashes, however, they turned into another two Tieflings—both with daggers ready to kill Slea.

  Suna released his arrow, and another one followed just behind him. Both Tieflings fall at Slea's feet.

  Noa ran forward as more Tieflings of the second charge at Slea with their eyes intent on murder. The [Warrior] picked up a shield, Reki’s shield, and slammed it into a Tiefling. Even if Noa did not fight much lately, he was still stronger compared to the Tiefling.

  The funeral had been positioned with the first faction through five lines against each other. Most of the third had been hidden; they should appear anytime soon…

  But this would mean the line of the third faction, beside him, was thin. To Suna’s right, a battle happened, and he watched as red bodies stabbed each other, with only a couple able to use magic.

  The combination of the fourth, fifth, and second was now upon them. Suna had noticed that the second faction didn't have many forces rushing at them; most of their number were already screaming and dying to the first faction and their Thiefmaster--the Tiefling who somehow held some kind of [Mage] class. Five spears of flame streaked across, lancing through the line of Tieflings. Suna stepped back as their heat almost seared him.

  He looked back. The third line was about to break apart.

  “Pito, release him!” Suna shouted. They needed to rearrange their lines.

  Reki stood grumbling and glaring at Suna. “Eyebag, I can understand what you did under these circumstances. So I shall—”

  Five Tieflings broke ahead.

  Suna's hand moved, and his eyes tracked each of them. He drew and released; each process did not take more than a second. Five arrows flew forth and each landed across throats and heads of the Tieflings.

  [You Have Slain Tiefling. Lvl 3]

  [You Have Slain Tiefling. Lvl 3]

  [You Have Slain Tiefling. Lvl 3]

  [You Have Slain Tiefling. Lvl 3]

  [You Have Slain Tiefling. Lvl 3]

  Reki's mouth gaped open.

  “We’re backing up,” Pito shouted to the rest of the humans.

  Slea and Noa fought back to back, with Slea popping her head up and down behind Noa to release her magic, and she kept drinking Mana Potions, going through them like a thirsty camel.

  The line of the third was backing up; most had carried a small shield that fit across their wrist, warding off dagger jabs.

  Suna had to keep an eye on the First faction now, who were still in combat, and handily handle the second faction.

  When the third had backed up enough, they held their ground. Suna and Min kept firing while Reki and Pito were ready to fight stragglers.

  Suna's eyes flitted to the end of the line, and he silently begged under his breath.

  James ran, crashing straight into the fourth and the fifth line. The Thiefmaster had drawn the ire of the fourth and fifth forces, and he had drawn the surrounding focus. His sword flowed, wind blasted through, cutting countless Tieflings in two. James kept diving deeper and deeper, each slash of his sword carving blood and life with it.

  Now that the Tieflings had surrounded James, it was time for the plan to start. Etched into the chamber stone was a gallery that had been dug just enough to lend footing. Tieflings showed themselves, and in their hands were crossbows.

  A hail of bolts zipped into the meat of the two factions, drawing sharp cries and confusion. And now for the final part. From the water, figures rose up. The Runebearer, led by Desha, charged following their Master's wake. Five of them blitzed into the Fourth and Fifth faction with their own wind magic, scything forward.

  They were meant to hold the First and Second’s Thiefmaster hostage, to ensure their faction wouldn’t interfere. So perhaps, overall, this was a blessing in disguise. Suna thought so as he glanced at Slea and, by extension, Seki too.

  He watched as the fourth and fifth started to rout. Some of them began escaping, into the slope that led straight to the underworld—the Depth, where a gate was waiting, guarded by an undead gatekeeper. The third faction, along with the Runebearer, moved forward, funneling the fourth and fifth further.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Suna moved along; he did not want to be surrounded by the first faction. But instead, the first faction followed them, and now the third was sandwiched…

  “We’re allies!” James shouted. The one-horned Tiefling was covered with blood from head to toe along with his Runebearers. “We will push them in! Straight to the dozen gatekeepers!”

  His order was met by a silent murmur that spread with a tint of heaviness.

  Suna crossed the field of death, and blood marred the floor. He drew a sharp breath; he had played a part in his.

  When Slea walked near him with Noa in tow, he met her gaze. They kept walking together side by side, silently. Until Suna spoke.

  “So? What happened to you?”

  “Tragedy, Suna, tragedy,” Slea said. She opened her palm and motioned toward him. “You have it, don’t you? The runes. I heard James purposely kept you and Pito to not take any Runes, so both of you could train while your bodies were weak. My master said that a bunch of crap.” She muttered. “Well, would you prefer me or Reki to crack it?”

  Suna eyed her hand, and he couldn’t help but think she would run away with it or something.

  He reached into his pocket and put the yellow runes into Slea’s hand.

  “Equipment,” Slea murmured, her eyes bored with dead gaze on it, “You got lucky then.” She cracked the runes, and light of red filled her hand before it moved away into a long shape and started to unfurl into of a hat… identical to the one Slea wore.

  [Brimhat of the Fire Witch][Rare] – A Mage’s creativity and Arcanery rooted in the brain. It's no understatement to say it’s the source of magic. The Ole Witch has awakened, and she danced across, with every move of her hand, and every shake of her hips—She strode across the blazing Inferno of Ygradt, where most would have burned alive. The witch made it out alive, pushing flame as if it were her brethren. Grant bearer a focused control of flame, arcenery shall be the limit of the bearer's creativity. + 75 Arcenary.

  The red-brimmed hat covered Slea’s hand wholly, exactly the same as her own, even on the design with the red tail of fabric flapping like a banner.

  “It’s the same one,” Slea muttered her thought. She looked at Suna and her eyes bored like this was his fault.

  “What?”

  “I hate it when it gives the same item. It kills the excitement,” She sighed. Slea reached up and donned the hat on Suna’s head. It fitted him surprisingly, and gave just enough room so it would not block his sight to impede his archery.

  And also with his new skill… The flint draw, this is quite convenient.

  “I’m not apologizing, Suna, you should know this might happen.” She said absentmindedly, checking her nails.

  “No, this’s convenient actually, I just got fire-based skill too,” Suna said, adjusting the head around, trying to see the best position for it.

  “You do? Tell me if you’re aiming for [Flame Archer] class or something… Not that I know if it exists. I can lend you this cloak, too.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Why wouldn't I?” She tilted her head in genuine confusion.

  He could name several reasons.

  “We’re still together, right, Slea? And you,” Suna stared at Reki through his new brimhat.

  “Call me by my name, have some respect.” Reki scowled, still messaging his leg where Suna had hit him.

  Min and Noa walked beside Reki, with Pito keeping close to the [Paladin] just in case he tried anything.

  “Of course we are. The Tiefling not coming with us when we found the gateway,” Slea said. She kept her voice low so the Tiefling around them could only catch a whisper.

  “Then, you should brief us! Both of you.” Min glared pointedly at Slea and Reki.

  “I want to!” Reki did not bother to keep his voice low. “But, Floundea is adamant to keep information from leaking out.”

  Floundea was the name of the First faction’s Thiefmaster. Suna glanced at the female Tiefling with her bulky robe; she looked like she was wearing a mix between a grand noblewoman dress and a combat dress. Around her is a protective circle of spear-wielding Tieflings. Those must be the Rune-bearers, some of them had upgraded class, called [Spear Bearer].

  “I’m more impressed that James told both of you,” Slea eyes both Suna and Pito.

  “We’re trustworthy,” the [Monk] who’ve been silent said. It was strange not to be able to see Pito, who had been so cheerful. Now he was covered by that armor and golden helmet, and sludged with blood.

  “Oh?” Slea's eyes glinted. “And we’re not? Surely I don’t need to point out the obvious here.”

  “This plan,” Suna cut in, before the tension between them exploded. “Was it for the second faction only?”

  “Yes, but when you told us about James' plan… Floundea made a decision to push her plan forward and work with James.”

  That almost made him stop. Suna pressed his lip thin, smiling at Slea.

  So she did leak the information.

  Granted, their job became easier and overall less bloody thanks to that. Maybe she did so knowing it would benefit both the First and Third, too.

  But, in his own hypocritical way, Suna wished she had told him about it.

  “This can’t go on,” Min said, walking up to Slea and Suna. She eyed both of the youngsters and let out a sigh.

  “It's just for this extraordinary situation only, Min. If I had the choice, I would tell everyone.”

  But you did have the choice, the eyeroll behind Min's eyes might as well have screamed it out.

  “Or maybe, the world is already changing,” Pito said under his helmet. That earned a pointed look from Slea and Reki.

  “You just thought so?” Reki asked, and he chuckled. “Then you’re awfully slow on adapting, Monk.”

  They crossed the downward slope into a parting of a massive opening that leads into open ground. At the end of the new cavern was a huge twin gate, almost the size of the entire tower he had raided. The gate protected by those golems, the one that the Drow Matriarch had faced with the help of so many Drow Rangers and Warriors.

  Undead gatekeepers stood stout with their overgrown hands and fatty bodies. A total of a dozen of them. They began to run, fat flapping, and with their great, strange hands, they swept across part of the Fifth and Fourth, who were desperate enough to challenge them. A corpse crashed near the humans, and a flattened Tiefling's body fell near Reki's legs.

  Pito looked down, and his armor clinked. “Maybe I am, and thanks god for it.”

  Suna nocked an arrow, and he began walking forward. James and Desha were there, on the front line. It was a relief to leave the humans; he stood by them.

  “Are we fighting?” Suna asked. He observed the slaughter of the Fourth and Fifth. And part of him died.

  “Master, I would like to echo Suna’s question,” Desha said, looking at James. The protégé pursed her lips in a wry distaste, and she proceeded to quickly hide it under her scarf.

  “Yes, we will. Prepare to charge. The time of cowardice ends. Isn’t it so, Floundea?” James turned at the approaching first faction’s Thiefmaster. Her Runebearer pushed Tiefling aside to make way for their witch.

  “Dear James, we still haven’t finalized the alliance. But yes… I’ve grown tired of waiting. Take this as our first…cooperation. A proof of concept, it will work. The last fight was necessary to ward off a…coup. Isn’t it so, James?” Floundea smiled.

  “Yes, a coup. It was necessary.” James nodded and turned. “Suna! Pito! Here, as promised, are the Skill and Attribute Runes for each of you. Your training is over, now fight with us.”

  James handed him a pouch, and it was the size of Suna's entire head.

  It clinked as he laid it on the ground, drawing a sharp, jealous breath from the Tieflings crowd.

  “Such wealth, and you’re giving it to them…” Floundea scrunched her red, smooth face. “Even my Slea did not get spoiled that much.”

  Slea's mouth worked as she stood by the Thiefmaster. She stared at Suna especially, and he caught her frown. Her lips drew in a jealous frown.

  Pito walked forward and took his own share of the pouch; his movements stiff, but he still bowed to James.

  “With me, Suna,” Desha tapped his shoulder. “We will take care of one of them.”

  He got the feeling that Desha wanted to avoid James, but he would not refuse if she wanted to fight together with him.

  “Let's do it,” Suna said, excitement rising–despite their current situation. He spun the pouch, and beyond him, Tieflings of the Third and First started to move into position.

  Suna slammed down the pouch—echoing sound of glass breaking. At once, his vision blared with the system.