Most of you are going to die, and I only expect Smash to have a chance at living, depending on how thick his skin is. Without a shield against wave after wave of peasants, Lucas knew that they wouldn’t last long. What he really needed them to do was stall long enough for him to launch as many spells as possible. Having Smash, every single guard in the place, and the bosses in the same room was going to make this an incredibly difficult encounter for the rebellion, likely much harder than anyone was expecting.

“As for you,” Lucas said as he turned and looked at Rowland, “I’m going to need you to do much more than just heal your woman. If you see anyone about to die, make sure they stay alive. And whatever you do, don’t let him fall.” Lucas pointed at Smash. “He’s going to be the key to our survival.”

Dennings looked over at Lucas. “What are you going to—”

CRACK! The door to the throne room shook. Lucas had been so busy constructing his plan that he had completely forgotten to be on the lookout for the enemy. Luckily enough, while he had been addressing Rowland, the guards and Smash had gotten into position.

CRACK! The doors snapped open to reveal dozens of people. Each of the villagers was wearing the same poor-looking outfits for the most part, but five or six were equipped with professional-looking equipment. Lucas didn’t think it was too unreasonable to assume they were players.

As the flood started pouring through, the guards’ halberds descended. It only took a second before the first half-dozen people were cut down, but the halberds were a slow weapon that couldn’t be retracted and used again quickly. The villagers poured in, and the guards pulled back a little, leaving Smash on the front line. The six guards on the sides came forward as planned, descending on the flanks of the advancing mob with their weapons.

Lucas noticed several players in the back, smirking as they watched expendable NPCs die to the guards’ continuous, well-disciplined strikes. Inch by inch, Lucas’s team was forced to give up ground, and he instantly realized exactly what he should be doing: controlling one of those players. He targeted the nearest and toughest-looking player, someone holding a large two-handed hammer and began casting Meddling Minds.

Dennings started mumbling something to herself, and Lucas turned to look at her just in time to see her start spinning around in circles. She started rotating so quickly that she created a sort of spinning-top-like effect, and her blade became a blur. “Spin, spin, spin, spin—win!” she shouted, having reached an incredible twirling speed. Her body lit up with a bright neon-green light as she hurled herself through the air, over the guards, and into the little “kill box” right in front of the entrance. She was a tiny, little, twirling top of doom, cutting in all directions, and her sword turned a bright neon green as she butchered everything that got close to her. Within seconds, she had cut down well over thirty people.