The wind howled, and the skies shattered beneath the heavens.
"Enemy squadron spotted! Requesting backup from Border A and C, rendezvous at the tactical position for our initial plan, over!"
One of the messengers had brought the news from the ally parties through telepathy regarding the enemy's arrival. They clenched their weapons and prepared on guard, ready to defend their home and kingdom.
At the start of the timer above, a clash of the blood-crazed players had erupted, projecting a counterattack of sword and spells, clenching their magical shield and bow and charging head-on under their enchanted armor and gears.
The majestic crowns of the ethereal trees have been set ablaze, and the path around the forest has been rigged with lethal traps, preventing the defending kingdom from gaining the geographic advantage.
Amid the raging war that had turned the enthralling outskirt forests into a living hell, knights and warriors alike ran ahead of their opponents, mages and spellcasters began chanting their enchanted spells, assassins and tricksters hid under the cloak of invisibility, attempting to find the perfect opportunity and position to deal the finishing blow on their target.
Two opposing troops had been locked in an unpleasant stalemate, unable to control the kingdom's frontiers. Few had already died, and the opposing rivals stayed resolute, ravaging everything in their path to a sea of complete devastation.
The defending kingdom is at their wit's end, believing that their predicament was the worst that could ever happen under their regime, only to discover that their border being seized is only the beginning of their approaching downfall.
"It can't be...! That man is here?" gritted one of the telepathic messengers as he looked above the skies.
The darkening heavens were engulfed in a blazing cosmic fire, and a comet smashed down on the woodland edge, causing a great explosion when it made contact with the ground.
Even comrades and adversaries were blown to smithereens by the powerful burst of fire and mayhem, leaving nothing but burned rocks and broken tree trunks over the formerly green boundaries of the defending kingdom.
And from the crater left by the comet, in the sea of flames that turned the battlefield into a literal burning inferno, a remarkable figure in black robes emerged from the ashes, his presence carrying a gathering storm amidst the turmoil and obliteration.
The guy opened his eyes and flicked his fingers, and on his back sprang a pair of wings encrusted in a bright-red fire, as if the eternal phoenix had been resurrected.
"As I expected, the defending kingdom for today is as feeble as ever," he mumbled to himself, stroking his sideburns in dismay.
"In any case, everyone here should know who I am. Surrender this checkpoint right away, and I humbly pledge I'll spare you all from the consequence of loss. That is how gracious I am, so be glad!" He declared, well aware that one of the defending kingdom's messengers was hidden nearby.
Unbelieving that a prominent player had been sent to capture the least promising checkpoint, the messenger standing nearby chanted his words, performing a high-level magic spell that discloses a player's position and name to assess whether the man pressing them to submit is the real deal.
»»————- ★ ————-««
Name: Sariel
Race: Human
Class: Flame Executioner
Level: 1268
Buffs/Ailments: Molten Armor Augmentation(Buff)
Status Rank: Sovereign
- Strength: 30%
- Intelligence: 120%
- Wisdom: 150%
- Dexterity: 10%
- Defense: 10%
- Health: 30%
»»————- ★ ————-««
The beholder's sight would not dare to lie, and Sariel's character sheet etched straight on the messenger's retinas, containing the same truth as their impending doom.
"Inconceivable! The Overlord of Flames, Sariel, from the Holy Church of Farasia Empire is here in the bastion of west borders! Prepare an all-out attack at my coordinates!" yelled the messenger immediately into the minds of his allies.
He flipped his fingers, and a flare of red light soared into the sky, warning his companions that they may be eliminated and giving them the option to leave or fight back.
Even among the Farasia Empire's finest players, Sariel, the Overlord of Flames, remained the empire's second strongest who had shown himself time and time again.
With his Class as Flame Executioner, Sariel harnesses the wrath of conflagration. During earlier seasons of Arkmeria Conquer Online (ACO), Sariel devastated several cities and kingdoms, annihilating hundreds of players and NPCs all at once, all by himself.
Aside from his highly cultivated art of flames, Sariel's true role is a strategist; he devises plans beyond his adversary's comprehension, capturing vital objectives at the heart of his adversary's kingdom and splitting hostile troops from within until his opponents can no longer operate; a true conqueror born to subjugate anyone who dared stand in his way.
To that aim, Sariel had targeted the defending kingdom's outermost boundary, knowing that the primary forces were stationed at the battlefront of the city. The capital city is northeast of Sariel's present positions on the outskirt's border, thus he intends to capture checkpoints in regions where enemy forces are least likely to anticipate them.
Sariel's strategy is to create a diversion. His team attacking the capital is also part of his cover, because his prime goal at the moment isn't to capture the defending kingdom; he seeks to put them in disarray by repeatedly seizing checkpoints, straining opponent players' mental and physical condition.
His one and only advantage except for his rank is his squad's number. He's being careful since a player who formerly topped the defending kingdom's leaderboard is now involved in a conflict he's fighting in.
Of course, Sariel is unconcerned. He will never doubt his immaculate scheme-making abilities, which have resulted in several wins for the Farasia Empire.
But Sariel is astute. He recognizes that knowledge is more valuable than a well-thought-out plan, yet he knows nothing about the top player, so he picked a passive approach, one that would allow him to avoid any potential danger he had forecast before the battle ever began.
As the survivors of Sariel's comet of fire swarm around him, players ranked Master and lower believe they can subjugate the Overlord of Flame; nevertheless, they are mistaken.
Again, Sariel shook his head in disappointment. He took a step forward, his left hand behind him. And as he lifts his right palm in the air, the northern hemisphere beyond ignites, unleashing a surge of fire far more terrifying than a dragon's breath on the day of judgment.
If Sariel unleashed his flames on the surface, he might potentially raze half of the defending kingdom's borders. But he opted not to since he is committed to his mission of achieving perfection, even if it means conquering little nations.
"What in the actual hell... What's Sariel doing here?!!" one of the guys crouched, his palms plastered to his horrified face.
"If only our Top Support Player was here... I guess I had to face the death penalty again?" A female assassin emerged from the shadows. After witnessing what Sariel is capable of first-hand, she was certain that she would not escape the predicament at that moment.
Sariel mocks the weak defenders gathering around him. He kept his guard low, and no one dared to approach him; after all, if a player comes within 2 meters of him, his passive buff, Molten Armor Augmentation, will trigger, causing a burn effect that cannot be removed until the affected person dies.
"All right, the fun is over; I can't spend any more time; from now on, this checkpoint is ours, so I can–"
Out of nowhere, Sariel sprawled over and took a big step backward before taking flight with the help of his flame wings. He was taken aback when he sensed a very strong ambiance among the other players around him.
Sariel felt the icy touch of death sifting across his neck, a freezing cold coiled down his spine for the first time in his life. He smacked his forehead to clear his mind. He scans the area, locating the foe he was compelled to encounter.
As Sariel's sweat streamed down his sideburns, a brave guy among the mob had returned one of his five silver rings to his pinky finger, which gleamed in the reflection of the burning forest.
He moves ahead, clothed in a lush verdant mage robe; his identity is concealed by a cloak made from a high-quality fabric material found in Sovereign-level dungeons.
However, as the valiant man's visage enlighten the darkness of his cloak, Sariel's eyes widened; he prepared his guard and heightened his senses a thousandfold, recognizing the shade of ashen blond hair of the top player of the defending kingdom's forces.
He was shown on the highlights of the last war he watched a week ago in an attempt to find his weakness beforehand.
All of Sariel's hard work and planning fell like snow on the mountain of pride he had built. There was no option for him but to put his adversary to the test, despite the fact that the Farasia Empire's best player had warned him not to meet him head-on under any circumstances.
That is the amount of pride Sariel placed in his work and himself; he would sooner suffer defeat than escape with his tail between his legs.
"The Top Support Player of Alfahim Kingdom, Fargil! You're only feeble support like the rest; I, a magnificent fire magister, will demolish your ego and stature!" Sariel shouted, and his opponent visibly shook his head.
Fargil's five silver rings gleamed brilliantly. He pierced Sariel's eyes and soul with his gaze. Fargil even signaled his comrades to retreat to a safer location, because true hell was yet to begin.
"How does it feel to reach an outcome outside your wits? Maybe my role is no more than to help others... But tell me; how must you feel to be outsmarted by a support player like me?" Fargil threw out his cloak along with his declaration, the five fingers on his hand gleaming in all their glory and splendor.
A fight had broken out between a Sovereign of Flames and a support player. Those present on the battlefield would soon tell the tale of the strongest support player who conquered the Overlord of Flames.