As soon as Nikka shot Skorch's hand, the archers began firing arrows at the Wither in the sky. It rose higher and out of the archer's range.
"Keep alert, archers!" Yujuki cried over the commotion below. "It has to come back down to control the skeletons!" Sure enough, the black skeletons on the ground all froze with their jaws wide open. The Wither, seeing this, huddled its three heads together. After a moment of brief discussion, the heads on the sides pointed outwards as it slowly lowered itself.
"Fire at will!" But the Wither was prepared. The two heads bombarded the trees, aiming directly at where the arrows came from. The archers jumped between the branches, barely avoiding the black skulls.
"Ah-euh!" One of the men screamed as one shot hit him right on the head. He fell out of the tree and onto the ground. "No!" Yujuki yelled as a second archer dropped down unconscious, having knocked his head on a branch. One by one, the archers either died or were disarmed. The Wither continue to descend, and the skeletons came back to life. They drew their swords and marched towards the crowd.
Yujuki closed her eyes and held her spear before her. "Bless my spear," she murmured, "may it strike true." She opened her eyes and drew back her weapon. Lancing it towards the Wither, Yujuki shattered its body as it dropped out of the sky. But the skeletons around them did not stop. The Wither, now lying on the ground, still turned its heads left and right.
Yujuki charged forth. The heads saw her and launched black skulls at her. She dodged, dashing left and right in her path. Leaping into the air and arching her back like a gymnast, she let one pass under her back. "Ah!" Yujuki stumbled backwards as one skull hit her in the chest, but it was not what she imagined. The Wither was weak. Pulling her spear from the Wither's body, she stabbed the heads one by one. The skeletons' eyes went dark and some of the skeletons froze again.
"Wait, why aren't the rest freezing?" Yujuki turned around as one skeleton climbed up and charged towards her, sword raised.
An empty bottle flew out from the crowd as Eddy rushed to her side. "These don't obey the Wither!" He yelled. Pulling out another fresh bottle of his green beverage, he pulled out the cork with his teeth and spat it at another skeleton. It winced slightly and roared.
"Take this!" Eddy swung out with his sword, teetering on his feet. He took a swig and blocked the skeleton's jab. "Never…underestimate…the power… of ALCOHOL!" Eddy yelled. He threw the bottle into the air, ripped open the skeleton's skull with his bare hands, and caught the bottle as it fell. Taking another short drink, he beat down the next skeleton.
Before the scattering crowds, zombies dropped out of the trees, shielding the civilians from the platform. Xaria emerged, holding his Necrostaff high. Its eyes shone a blinding white as Xaria himself strained all his energy. Spider-riding skeletons descended from the canopy as the Undead army engaged the Wither skeletons in combat.
The zombies spearheaded the force, serving as beefy meatshields. The jockeys followed, firing arrow after arrow. Then, a small group of cute and deadly creepers marched in. Lodging themselves between the black skeletons, they flashed a mischievous smile on their face and flashed once, then twice, then BOOM!" They blasted the wither skeletons sky high and left craters in the ground. As the black bones fell back to the ground, the black skeletons fought over humors, ribs, fingers and heads. Xaria brought his staff down and the zombies trampled the skeletons to ash.
Skorch fell to the ground, dead. "Where's Nitsuke?" Lucan asked as soon as he reached Xaria, relying on Nikka for support.
"She's being taken to my farm." Xaria replied. "Escorted by two zombies and some jockeys. They say she is so weak from hunger they have to carry her."
Yujuki and Eddy joined the huddle. "We did it, everyone!" Eddy raised his green bottle high. "It's time for a celebration! Erm… I seem to have drunk everything. Sorry, guys, I don't have enough for everyone."
"This battle is not over yet." Yujuki said, standing her spear by her side. "There still are a lot of people Skorch imprisoned. I say we split up. Marcus and Xaria will go free the prisoners, his power is stronger with his army. Eddy and I will go to the house he occupied. We will rescue Skorch's pet there."
"Pet?"
"Back in Hyperia, the Netheran there kept me as one. He put a collar oni me, among other disgusting things. He has leaked so much that Skorch has one too, and that she is some random girl he found."
"Then perhaps it's best if two girls went." Lucan proposed. "I think the girl's name was Lira, and she might be awkwardly dressed. So Yujuki and Nikka will go to the house, while Eddy, Marcus, and Xaria can storm the prisons."
"What about you?" Nikka asked.
"Xaria, can you give me one of your spiders?" Lucan grinned. "Never ridden one, gonna be a rough ride. I'll see you at your farm."
"Take care of Nitsuke." Xaria nodded.