Their plan had been their attempt to think outside the box, but, as Antonia got the tanks to space out, so they can cover both the mages and the archers, the healers had to be covered by berserkers. And, in retrospect, she should have known that would spell disaster.

The entire temple was one big swarm, and the catacombs were, with bones lining their walls. Now, more than ever, as they tried to fight off the smaller spiders, they needed fire. But, to start one with the adventurers so close together and with no way to go back up the stairs, meant that a lot of them would die.

Ludwig was leading the charge. Simply walking around and crushing spiders. Occasionally, bringing his fist down on the swarm. But, they could all sense that this was not doing much.

Antonia closed her eyes and looked at the fighting adventurers around her. She was the leader. The only one that could make the call. With a heavy heart, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Ludwig, begin burning them. But, don't aim at us," she added the last one because she knew that the golem might let out jets of fire in all directions.

The stone golem opened his maul, and let loose a stream of fire. That seemed to be the most effective way to fight these spiders that they have tried. Because, the spiders tried to run.

"Healers, barriers!" Antonia commanded. She saw the glow of a barrier separating them from the stone golem and the flames he was creating.

"Archers, fireball barrages. Be careful not to hit Ludwig," no one argued with her. It was ingrained in every adventurer not to question their leader in the thick of battle. 

The fires licked at the barriers, and Antonia gave the command for the batch of healers who had not put up the original barrier to come forward and do so.

With two layers worth of protection, the tank could look over the fighters now. Their clothes were torn in places. Some looked faint. Antonia herself had not been bitten. But, could it be, poison?

"I need some healers to look at the wounded," Antonia shouted. She was met with silence.

"Leader, if we do, then the flames," a panicked voice tried to question her. Antonia marched to the rebellious healer and picked him by the collar.

"Go and take care of the wounded. I need twenty healers on the task," Antonia snarled. The healer nodded, and she placed him back on the ground. The inner layer of the barrier dimmed, somewhat, but twenty healers began to weave around the adventurers. Getting the poison out of their system.

"Fire mages, help the archers. Wind mages, fan the flames. Earth mages, make sure to combine earth missiles with the flames of the fire mages. Light mages, what are you doing? Sleeping? Get those wisps to burn brighter. I can't see shit!"

That kicked the mages back into gear. A berserker made to step out of the barrier, but Antonia hit her over the head.

"What? Do you want to burn alive? Only the long ranged one are going to push now. Them and Ludwig," the berserker nodded and moved back to her spot. But she was clutching her two battle-axes close, ready to spring into the fire at any minute.

"Tanks, be ready to hold the line again. Berserkers, protect the healers," Antonia gave her last command, and she went to the front. Greg was behind her, shooting fireball barrages at the ceiling. She blinked. Why the ceiling?

Then, she saw it. A barrier hidden by the bones that were glued even to the ceiling.

"Greg, why didn't you say anything? Archers, shoot over there, mages, continue to help Ludwig," Antonia barked, and the archers changed their aim.

More bones fell from the ceiling, and the barrier beneath them became a spider web of cracks. The spiders became even more ferocious. One managed to make a hole big enough to get one leg inside, and a tank dutifully cut the appendage off.

"Healers, give the darn barrier more mana," Antonia called, her eyes on the ceiling.

"If we do, it will become brittle," a healer called, Antonia, scoffed.

"Do as you are ordered," Antonia called. The hole in the barrier closed, just as the barrier on the ceiling broke. What fell from the ceiling made Antonia's blood freeze in her veins.

The wendigo was tall, almost four meters tall, and was looking at the flames in confusion. Then, it opened its maul, and adopted something like a hungry grin.

"Hold the line," Antonia called as the wendigo slammed into the front most barrier, crushing it. "Ludwig!"

The stone golem turned to the creature, and charged at it. Ludwig slammed it into a wall, forcing it to be pressed against the bones.

"Help! Help! The Father of Monsters comes!" The wendigo spoke in a childish voice. Then, it cackled.

"Oh, no," Antonia whispered. Was this the Father of Monsters? They needed Alklair down here. Leander, too, for they needed to swarm this thing.

"Retreat," she heard a panicked yell.

"Hold the darn line," Antonia yelled. There was no way that they were going to let a wendigo rampage in the lower ranks. The death toll would be too high. "Tanks, berserkers, change of plan. Move out and help Ludwig."

Antonia was the first to leap into the flames, but not the last. Arrows flew around her, but she had a shield and was not worried. It was the berserkers who could fall to friendly fire. But they were adventurers. They knew the risks.

Antonia's sword cut into the wendigo's rib cage, the creature being held in place by Ludwig, and caught between the ribs. The white-haired tank left it there and raised her shield high, wanting to use the sword like tongs.

The wendigo's arm shot up and grabbed her by the neck. For one second, the creature's golden eyes met her terrified blue ones, and then, a sickening snap was heard, and she fell down, lifeless.