Chef in the Apocalypse

Jayce stood on the city walls of Bastion, his gaze unwavering as he watched the approaching Beast Tide. The moon, tainted with a reddish hue, cast an eerie glow over the plains. The winds had picked up, causing an unsettling whistle as they brushed against the nearby mountains. It was a sinister prelude to the night’s grim proceedings.

As the vanguard of the Beast Tide drew closer, Jayce raised his hand, signaling for the next salvo of ranged attacks. Archers, mages, and spellcasters prepared themselves, drawing their bows, and conjuring destructive spells, their faces etched with determination.

"RELEASE!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Unaware of the murder that had taken place on the edge of the battlefield, Jayce sent his torch down signaling the release of the next salvo to be fired towards the incoming Beast Tide.

Then, the sky erupted in a symphony of destruction. Arrows, bolts, and spells rained down like a torrential downpour upon the monstrous horde. The sound was deafening, a chaotic cacophony of death that echoed across the plains.

Amber’s meteor, a colossal ball of fire and fury, crashed into the heart of the approaching monsters. It rampaged through their ranks, incinerating and crushing everything in its path. The night was illuminated by the blazing inferno, casting grotesque shadows of charred and crumbling creatures.

The devastation was overwhelming. Monsters were torn asunder, their grotesque forms reduced to smoldering ashes. Limbs, shells, and fangs were scattered across the plains. The ground quaked under the relentless assault, but the monsters pressed on, driven by their insatiable hunger.

As Jayce dictated the ranged attacks, Kane came up beside him after making his way up the rampart. He had opted to cross from within the walls, rather than risk getting in the way of the ranged units.

He leaned his head into Jayce’s ear, pointing towards the yellow flags that had been placed around 200 meters out. Jayce’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise for a moment, only to nod his head a moment later in understanding.

"And the Ballistae?"

"We only have a limited number of bolts. We’ll try to save them for the boss monsters." Kane replied, looking a little pale.

"So be it. Do you have enough men to aim and load them?" The weapons would be useless if there weren’t anyone strong enough to man them effectively.

"Dion will operate one, but we need another. Can you spare Colin?"

Jayce shook his head instantly, he could not afford to send anyone from his faction away, let alone Colin who would be the lynchpin of the city wall’s defense. After thinking for a moment, he replied "Take Heath, he’s just as strong and capable as Colin."

More importantly, Heath was not yet a part of Hell’s Kitchen, meaning that Jayce did not require him to be close by while they continued to kill monsters. His main priority was to kill as many monsters as possible and increase his faction level in order to complete his class upgrade quest.

Not only would it increase his strength, it would also allow him to bring more people into Hell’s Kitchen in order for them to benefit from his Executive Chef skill. Which would in some cases, double a person’s overall strength.

Lord knows that they needed all of the help they could get in this fight. After sending Kane in the direction of Heath, Jayce once again lifted his torch high in the air.

"RELEASE!"

The next wave of ranged attacks flew out, causing the air to distort from the pressure. Once more the vanguard received heavy damages, creating havoc within the front lines and sending dust and debris shooting into the sky.

However it seemed like nothing could stop the ensuing Army. Once more they charged forward, monsters that had been impaled by arrows or crushed by spells were replaced, becoming no more than footholds for the remaining army to climb over.

150 meters...

100 meters...

50 meters...

"FIRE MAGES! AIM AT THE YELLOW FLAGS!" Jayce yelled out in a hoarse voice. All of this yelling had taken a toll on his vocal chords, however he paid it no mind.

Once more Jayce threw the torch down in one fluid motion, this time however, only fire spells were let loose from the city walls enroute to the yellow flags that were placed on the plains.

With the words of power and a flourish of their hands and staffs, the fire mages unleashed their spells. Arcane flames danced through the air, casting an eerie glow across the battlefield. The spells struck the ground around the yellow flags, igniting the earth with furious intensity.

For a few tense moments, nothing seemed to happen. Jayce’s heart raced, fear gnawing at his resolve. Had they missed their mark? Did the fuel trap malfunction?

But then, an almighty boom shattered the night’s silence. An explosion of cataclysmic proportions erupted from the targeted area. It was as if the very earth had been torn asunder, and the heavens themselves trembled at the display of raw power.

The explosion was a maelstrom of fire and force, a tempest that consumed everything in its path. It moved like a chain reaction, a relentless wave of destruction that radiated outward, decimating the monsters within a range of two to five hundred meters.

Monsters were torn apart, their wails of agony drowned out by the deafening roar of the explosion. Limbs, shells, and mangled forms were launched into the night sky, silhouetted against the inferno. The ground itself quaked, and the shockwave rippled through the Beast Tide, sending even those at its fringes tumbling like leaves in a tempest.

When the explosion finally settled, a vast void had been carved into the heart of the Beast Army. Only a few smoking remains and shattered remnants of monsters remained, a stark testament to the devastation that had unfolded. The once-advancing horde was now a fractured and disoriented mass, the fear of the unknown weapon sending shockwaves through their ranks.

[Congratulations, your faction level has increased!]

Faction: Hell’s Kitchen

Leader: Let Me Cook

Vice Leader: Divine Shield

Faction Level: 2

Members: 50/150

Average level: 25