Holding the Line

Hana could feel the weight of the flag in her hand, a tangible reminder of the mission she had to complete. Every second felt like an eternity as she dodged and weaved through the relentless barrage of spells from the mages. Her legs burned from exertion, and her breaths were quick and shallow, but she knew she couldn't afford to stop. The fate of her team's success depended on her ability to hold out until her teammates arrived to support her.

She crouched behind another rocky outcrop, momentarily shielded from the onslaught. The mages' spells continued to explode around her, sending shards of rock and debris flying in all directions. Hana peeked around the edge, her eyes scanning the terrain for any sign of Kang-dae and Soo-jin. The smoke from her earlier distraction was starting to clear, revealing the advancing forms of Mage 1 and Mage 2.

"Where are you guys?" Hana whispered into her comms, hoping for a quick response. She couldn't hold out much longer on her own.

"We're almost there, Hana," Soo-jin's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Just hang on a little longer!"

Hana nodded to herself, even though her teammates couldn't see her. She had to keep fighting, to hold her ground until help arrived. The mages were getting closer, their spells growing more intense. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the next wave of attacks.

Mage 1 and Mage 2 exchanged a glance and began to chant in unison. Their hands glowed with a bright, ominous energy as they combined their powers. The air crackled with electricity as their spell grew larger and more potent, a swirling mass of fire and earth that radiated sheer destructive force. Together, they aimed their devastating spell at the rock Hana was using as cover.

Hana's instincts screamed at her to move, and she dove to the side just as the spell hit. The rock behind her didn't explode—it shattered into countless tiny fragments as if it had been made of delicate glass. The sheer power of the spell left Hana momentarily stunned. She lay on the ground, exposed and vulnerable, while the mages seized the opportunity to strike.

"Now!" Mage 1 shouted, and both mages hurled a volley of spells in Hana's direction. Fireballs and shards of ice streaked through the air, converging on her position with deadly precision.

Hana's eyes widened in horror. There was no time to react, no cover to shield her from the oncoming barrage. Just as she braced herself for impact, a solid shield appeared in front of her, absorbing the brunt of the spells. The ground shook from the force, but Hana remained unharmed.

"Kang-dae!" she gasped, looking up to see her teammate standing protectively before her. His shield glowed with the energy of the absorbed spells, cracks spider-webbing across its surface but holding firm.

"Move, Hana!" Kang-dae commanded, his voice steady and reassuring. "Get back to the base. I'll cover you."

Hana scrambled to her feet, her heart racing with adrenaline. She glanced back at Kang-dae, her eyes filled with gratitude and relief.

"What happened to the Fighter with you?" she asked, even as she began to retreat.

"Soo-jin's handling him. Now go!" Kang-dae's lips twitched into a brief, grim smile.

As if on cue, Hana spotted the Simple Devils' Fighter engaged in a fierce duel with Soo-jin nearby. Soo-jin's movements were a blur of speed and power, her strikes precise and relentless. It was clear that she had taken over the fight, allowing Kang-dae to return to his role as support.

With renewed determination, Hana sprinted towards their base, clutching the flag tightly. The mages, seeing their chance slipping away, intensified their efforts to stop her. Spells rained down around her, but Kang-dae was always there, his shield a steadfast barrier against the onslaught.

"We can't let her escape! Focus all your power on breaking through!" Mage 1, frustrated by their lack of progress, growled in anger.

Mage 2 nodded, their resolve hardening. They combined their spells again, aiming for Kang-dae this time. The air shimmered with heat and energy as a massive fireball, laced with shards of ice, barreled towards him.

Kang-dae braced himself, raising his shield to meet the attack. The impact was tremendous, a deafening explosion that sent shockwaves through the ground. Kang-dae gritted his teeth, feeling the strain on his shield. The cracks widened, threatening to shatter, but he held firm.

"Hana, keep going!" Kang-dae shouted, his voice strained but unwavering. "I've got this!"

Hana didn't need to be told twice. She pushed herself harder, her legs burning with effort as she raced towards safety. The base was in sight, the end was almost within reach. She could hear her teammates' encouraging shouts, urging her on.

Mage 1 and Mage 2, desperate to stop her, unleashed one final, combined spell. It was a towering wave of elemental fury, fire, ice, and earth all swirling together in a cataclysmic force. It barreled towards Hana with unstoppable momentum.

Kang-dae saw the spell coming and knew his shield wouldn't withstand it. He made a split-second decision, lowering his shield and charging towards the mages. His body glowed with a protective aura as he used himself as a human barrier.

"Get to the base, Hana!" Kang-dae roared, taking the full force of the spell head-on. The impact was devastating, but his sacrifice bought Hana the precious seconds she needed.

[Simple Devils: Enemy Slain!]

The system announced the elimination of Kang-dae, who knew, that he was unable to tank the entire damage. But if it would let Hana survive and be unharmed, it is but a small price to pay.

Using Kang-dae's elimination to her advantage, Hana managed to get away, sprinting through the rough terrain with the flag clutched tightly in her hand. She put as much distance as possible between herself and the enemy mages, feeling a glimmer of hope as she neared the relative safety of her team's territory.

However, just as she thought she was safe, a sharp pain shot through her hand. A bullet flew through the air and struck her right hand, the one holding the flag. Hana stumbled to the ground, clutching her injured hand with her other. Instead of blood, the game displayed black pixels, indicating the damage. Though not eliminated, her right hand was now useless, unable to grip the flag.

"Damn it!" she hissed, scrambling to retrieve the flag from the ground. But her right hand wouldn't respond, and she struggled to lift the flag with her left. Hana shouted into her comms, her voice strained with urgency. "Guys, I'm hit! The flag is down somewhere around me. I need help, now!"

"Hang on, Hana!" Jin-kyong's voice crackled through. "We're on our way. Just stay hidden if you can!"

Hana glanced around, looking for cover. The terrain offered little protection, and the enemy marksman, recently revived, had the advantage with his long-range attacks. She ducked behind a boulder, breathing heavily. The mages would be upon her soon, and she couldn't fend them off alone.

From her position, she saw the marksman lining up another shot. The distance and his accuracy made him a formidable opponent. She had to keep moving, to avoid becoming an easy target.

"Hana, do you see the flag?" Sang-hee asked through the comms, her voice tight with concern.

"Yeah, it's just out of my reach," Hana replied, her frustration evident. "I can't grab it with my right hand down."

"Hold tight, we're almost there," Jin-kyong reassured her.

Hana took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She knew she had to buy more time. The marksman fired again, but she rolled to the side, the bullet hitting the boulder with a sharp crack. She couldn't keep dodging forever.

The ground around her erupted as the enemy mages caught up, their spells hitting the terrain with explosive force. Hana darted out from behind the boulder, narrowly avoiding the blasts. She needed a new plan, fast.

Hana's eyes darted around, spotting another rock formation a few meters away. She sprinted towards it, zigzagging to avoid the marksman's shots. The terrain was rough, and her injured hand throbbed painfully, but she pushed through the pain.

Hana's eyes locked onto the flag lying on the ground just a few meters ahead. Suspended above it, hanging in the air, was a glowing timer counting down. The implications were clear: if she didn't reclaim the flag before the timer reached zero, it would be teleported back to the enemy base, undoing all their efforts.

"Dammit," Hana muttered under her breath, her mind racing. The constant barrage of spells from the enemy mages and the relentless firing of the Simple Devils' marksman kept her pinned down. Each second felt like an eternity, the timer ticking away like a bomb.

From her hiding spot behind a large rock, Hana assessed the situation. The enemy mages were converging on her position, their combined spells creating a deadly barrier she couldn't easily break through. The marksman's bullets whizzed past her, forcing her to stay low and limiting her mobility.

"Soo-jin, Jin-kyong, Sang-hee, where are you?" Hana called into her comms, urgency lacing her voice.

"Almost there, Hana!" Jin-kyong's voice came through, strained but determined. "Just hold on a bit longer!"

Hana knew she didn't have much time. The timer above the flag was already halfway down. She peeked out from behind the rock, calculating her next move. If she could just reach the flag and hold onto it, they'd have a fighting chance.

The ground erupted near her as another spell hit, sending shards of rock flying. Hana ducked back, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to act now.