The fight between the company commanders of the Lightborn House and the leaders of this cultist attack was in full swing.
Serena was covering Ericka, as she used her body as a weapon, flicking from one cultist to the next, with an expression on her face that only a meat headed, battle junkie, could muster. Flames danced around her gauntlets, smashing through shields formed by her enemy, dodging what seems to be a sinister energy, that is merged with the enemies elemental attacks.
Serena, in the back shouts exasperatedly "Careful! Don't take any chances, you heard how dangerous this weird energy is!"
Ericka shouted back, as she blocked an attack with both gauntlets crossed, "Stop being such a kill joy! You are bringing down my buzz!"
Meanwhile, the others in the group were working together with equal prowess, Connak, the rugged, mercenary-like elf, looking graceful just from his inherent traits of his race, painting a contradictory image, was swinging a massive great sword around as wind helped him whirl around in a circle and carry his sword to his target.
Asura the demon, also a fire user, but surprisingly with a very mild temperament, yet another contradiction, was a long range mage, supporting Connak, as he swung his sword from one enemy to another. Asura was ensuring his blind spots were covered and shielded him with fire whenever he needed.
Zero, standing next to Asura, said with a smirk on his face "How the heck does that elf swing that sword? I thought all their bodies were like twigs? I still don't get it, even after all this time."
As he was twirling his daggers, which seemed to be a habit for him, Asura replied while concentrating on the battlefield "Zero! Is this really the time for this? Go and make yourself useful."
Zero stepped back with a mocking sorry expression, at the mild reproachment, before he sneaked into the battle, like the cunning fox he is to try and sneak attack.
Being a wind user himself, he also used body reinforcement, however, his way of fighting was a lot different from Connak, he didn't fight head-on, he snuck into battlefields and used his wind, lean physique and daggers to strike quick and clean from behind.
While stalking the battlefield, using any obstacle to obscure his figure, as he used wind minimally to reduce his aura, he waited, bided his time, and when he saw one of the cultists, the mage who had been hit first by Ericka, rushing back into the fray with a murderous glare fixed on her, he knew this was the perfect opportunity to strike.
Like a snake slithering through the grass, slowly approaching it prey, Zero got within metres of the cultist and then pushed wind into his legs and launched himself forwards like a catapult, as the air around him whistled against his ears.
SCHLICK!
Both daggers stuck true right into the cultists back, the cultist screamed in agony, then, before the cultist had to time to react, considering he was already injured by Ericka, Zero pulled back one dagger while the other held him in place and using wind to empower his dagger and arm, smashed it into the cultists head, as blood sprayed all over him.
Then the body simply slumped on the ground, standing there he shouted over to Asura "Is this useful enough!?"
Before Asura or anyone else could react, one of the cultists, a long range mage, supporting his comrade in facing Connak in close quarters, seeing their comrade killed, launched a massive earthen fist as large as a small house, imbued with that same corrupt power - blessing of the abyss, slamming into Zero, blood flew everywhere as his mangled body went flying.
"No!" shouted Asura.
"Fucking hell!" Exclaimed Ericka.
Connak grunted, as he pushed himself to the limits against this cultist he was facing.
Serena's usual gracefulness slipped "You are going to regret that!"
Then as both sides, not giving each other a single second to rest, as the surroundings outside the city went from green grassland, to mud, dirt and craters as large as some villages, the company commanders were being pushed back slightly, as the advantage of the corruptive power these cultists wielded, seemed to enhance their strength and the corruptive power is deadly if you let it touch you, meaning they had to be extra careful not to be hit, even with the armour.
When it comes to the power of the blessing and how it enhances mages, it all depends on their talent. Just like when one mage is stronger than another in the same level, because of talent, this works essentially the same. Most of these cultists, except a few, all got to these levels through being pumped with resources by the cult, to increase their power, ready for the day they were ready to enact their plan.
The thing with with resources within the world of Magedom, is that they are used as more of a shortcut, or a supplement for those with lower talents. This in turn, makes those who relied on resources in a way to supplement themselves or quicken their journey within cultivation, to have terrible foundations, and therefore be generally weaker.
Resources in this world are seen as a net negative rather than positive, to those who are talented. To those who hit a wall because of talent, which is most mages, they see them as a lifeline, and why most mages joined the Thrall of the Abyss.
So, compared to those that got their naturally like the Commanders of the Abyss, these mages blessing wasn't as astonishing, however, it was still troublesome to deal with.
As they were being pushed back, out of nowhere, the figure of Aurelius appeared standing in the hand of a colossal ice golem, with a focused expression, while exuding a chilling aura of ice, as he started creating ice golems of differing shape and sizes, some humanoid, some in the form of magic beasts.
Showing off his mastery of ice.
He looked down at the tired company commanders and said stoically "Need a hand?"