Twelve hundred undead marched across the black sands of the Underworld and into the third Raid Zone area. They had slain many basilisks on the way, earning EXP and collecting the loot.
Dave paused at the top of a dune to survey the desert around him. Without warning, ten dunlords erupted from the black sand in front of him, on their backs were the newly appointed Elite Undead led by a Zombie captain.
'The seventh unit has found carcasses of basilisk and other creatures. They died days ago. but we didn't find the culprit.
'We also spotted a group of basilisks traveling our way,' an undead Zombie Captain reported.
Dave nodded, 'Good, all units regroup, we continue heading east.'
Dave inspected the loot from the last basilisk slain.
Basilisk Eyes [Expendable]
When thrown at a target or a location it explodes in a flash of light that affects a 10 meter radius.
Any mortal creature within the area-of-effect will slowly petrify, turning into a brittle statue.
Targeted creatures 50 levels or more below level 400 will be executed if their status is shattered.
Targeted creatures above the thrower's level will receive 25% of their HP in flat damage if attacked when petrified.
Does not work twice on the same target.
Does not work on Boss Class monsters.
Petrified status effect can be removed by debuff Skills.
He had collected 40 of them so far.
He chuckled happily, 'The Eyes are nice party favors.' He'd also collected so many basilisk hides and fangs that he ended up with an 'Overburdened' status effect. He'd transferred the bulky loot to the bags that were attached to Stinger's new saddle. The pair of leather saddlebags on the saddle were a great added feature, like having an overflow for his inventory.
Seeing movement in the distance, Dave raised a clenched fist to signal the regiment to stop. Motionless, he could feel tremors from the ground.
'Danger comes,' Bud advised in his improved, but still gravelly, voice.
Suddenly tens of basilisks appeared over the next rise of black sand rampaging toward the party.
'All units, ready!'
Bud contributed more advice, 'More coming..not stink-lizards.'
Dave realized that the basilisks weren't attacking. Instead the charging beasts avoided them entirely, splitting apart and flowing around the regiment's position. They were in a state of rolling-eyed panic, afraid of something.
A herd of basilisks running away from something in terror? He had a bad feeling about this.
Behind the fleeing lizards came a flood of monsters, leaping over the top of the dunes and running down the sides in sprays of black sand. The wavefront of monsters stretched as far as Dave could see, from one side of the horizon to the other.
'TOO MANY!'
The regiment was going to be swamped in monsters, and running away was not an option. The monsters were easily faster than even the dunlords, let alone his Undead units.
They were ugly dog-like creatures with patchy torn fur, as if they had fought thousands of battles. Instead of one, each monster had three Doberman-type heads. Slavering in savage madness, the heads snapped their jaws viciously at anything that came within reach, including each other.
Wonderful. They were just out farming basilisks for EXP and loot, and all of a sudden they were about to be engulfed by a wave of rabid Cerberus-wolf monsters.
After the basilisks fled past the regiment, the horde of rabid dog-like creatures turned their immediate attention to the Undead. Apparently the tri-dogs were fine with Undead as their appetizer.
'SQUARE FORMATION!' Dave screamed.
The regiment shifted rapidly to face outward in all four directions, standing in double-lines of melee, Undead intermixed with dunlords. Positioned within the square were the archers and casters, the healers, and a quick reaction force to bolster the melee lines when needed.
Dave, Dog, and Bud stood shoulder to shoulder in the center of the line squarely facing the oncoming monsters. Dog's basilisk was jumpy and skittish, but Dog held his head next to where, presumably, the beast's ear was and mumbled some incomprehensible words, calming it.
As soon as one came in range Dave inspected the canine horrors.
Underworld Painted Dog
Level 250
Danger level: Normal
HP 50,000
DN 5,000
MA: 0
Skills [None]
Wild and savage, these creatures are the most feared pack hunters that roam the underworld.
They can gather in enormous numbers to surround much larger and stronger prey. They slowly exhaust the prey's stamina and power until it is vulnerable.
hunting stronger prey usually results in heavy losses for the Painted Dogs, but their high rate of reproduction easily compensate for that.
BRING IT ON DOGS!' Dave .
Dog the dullahan turned his head, now on his neck for battle, and gave him a hurt look.
'Not you, the bad dogs!' Dave pointed while casting multiple Spectral Skulls as fast as he could. Dog nodded, satisfied
Dave raised an arm, 'Dunlords, prepare to volley fire!'
The moment the wave of wild dogs were in range of the ballistae Dave dropped his arm down.
'FIRE!'
The ballista arrows shot forward piercing through the wild dogs like they were made of paper.
The first tri-dogs hit were insta-killed, the bolts penetrated through to strike the dogs following them. The first line of dogs stumbled over the corpses of their kin falling and disrupting the charge.
'Reload, ballistae! FIRE!'
The dunlords shot at the incoming tri-dogs again.
'Ranged units! FIRE AT WILL!'
Dave used [Sword Lunge] and shot out a sword, creating a huge opening in the lines of the attackers, but it quickly closed, filled in by the endless supply of tri-dogs.
Flights of arrows and effects from skills flew at the tri-dogs, decreasing their ranks.
The flood of tri-dogs impacted against the front line of Undead pushing them back a few steps.
The dunlords on the front were like meat grinders as they eviscerated and crushed the wolves charging them. Stinger was cutting through dogs with each snip of his pincers.
The tide of canines converged around the sides of the formation and surrounded it.
The undead wall was holding, for the moment.
'Keep it up boyz!, FOR THE LEGION!'