In the dead of night, the Fourth Ring was illuminated by the bright and pale moonlight. Fervias's knights lined the wall, armed with long bows. Fire and Wind Mages, stood in pairs, with barrels of oil stationed along with them. They kept themselves hidden, waiting for the assault. Earth Mages patrolled the ground floor, and caverns with Lyn's knights. Yssac, Axilas, and Vexgar's knights stood at the ready. Gwyneth and Miranda stood atop a station point. The moonlight bounced off their armour. "They can't be this dumb. There's no way, they fall for this." Miranda said. "One of them is going to get greedy." She said, scanning the open field. "We've been up here for hours." "You're going to lose the bet." Gwyneth said with a smug smile. "They won't attack-" Miranda froze, angrily clenching her fists and teeth. "Those dumb fuckers!" She snapped.
From over the horizon, thousand of Elven, Tuskdran and Artaraxian soldiers marched into formation. "They want to end it." Gwyneth said, before strapping on her helmet. Miranda sucked on her teeth, before doing the same. "You owe me-" "I know what I owe you!" Miranda snapped. "Stupid army. Attacking us. Stupid." She angrily muttered, jumping down to the meet the other knights. Gwyneth snickered and shook her head. Fervias and Yssac peeked their heads out from underneath. "What happens if they use that other horn?" Yssac asked. "If they could use it multiple times, they would have done so from the beginning. They want to break us first." Fervias scoffed, strapping on his helmet. "They can try."
Three Elven warriors, knelt down in front of Thanatos. With his War bow strapped across their backs. He planted his foot into the back of one, and drew back the string. A gate of light and fire opened, encircling the ballista bolt. The arrow head became a raging fire ball. "Catch this Butcher!" With a brilliant flash of light, the bolt soared through the night sky. Gwyneth stood steadfast, drawing her great cleaver. With a single slash, she split the bolt in half. She slammed her cleaver into the ground, resting both hands onto her pommel. Her cape flowing in the wind, she invoked the image of a silver guardian. "Poser." Miranda scoffed. Gwyneth kept her pose, but shot her a glare. "Why aren't they charging?" A knight asked.
"Are they ready yet?" Thanatos asked. A Tuskdran commander, nodded to him. He was stocky and sweating profusely, refusing to strip his heavy layers off. "FIRST WAVE!" Thantaos ordered, raising his arm. "CHARGE!" The Elven warriors lit their weapon ablaze, charging in without fear. "What the fuck are they doing?" Miranda asked, scrunching her face. In the darkness, only the Elves could be see, brandishing their flaming weapons. They stopped short of the wall, holding their weapons to the sky. "Stay alert." Gwyneth ordered, readying herself. "SECOND WAVE!" In an instant, over a thousand Wind gates opened. A destructive gale force swept over the Elves. "GET DOWN!" She shouted.
The gale force lit ablaze, lighting up the night sky. The fiery force dissipated on contact against the wall. As they recovered to peek over the edge, another fiery gale force struck the ring. Gwyneth stood up, seeing another barrage of gale forces heading their way. "WE NEED TO COUTNER!" Fervias shouted. "NOT YET!" Gwyneth ordered. A relentless barrage of fiery gale blades, clashed against the wall. "THIRD WAVE!" The Artaraxian squadron stepped forward, each one opening a Earth gate. "HOW ABOUT NOW!?" Fervias yelled. Gwyneth took a step forward, raising her arm to block the plumes of fire. She glanced over the edge, seeing the dying flames, and fluctuating gates Wind gates. 'They're stalling for something.' Boulders begun to soar through the air bombarding the ring.
Each one that crashed into the wall, shattered and shook the foundation. "FOR FUCK'S SAKE! ENOUGH OF-" "HOLD!" She shouted. "They're waiting for something. So don't fucking move!" One of the Commander's sucked on his teeth. "Why aren't any of them leaving? Not even Fervias?" "Should we mobilize the fourth wave?" A Elven commander asked. "Send the Tuskdran beasts. We need at least one of them to leave that damn ring." Another growled. "Children. We just need them to be distracted." Thanatos said with a cocky smile. The assault on the Fourth Ring continued, with the few remaining Earth mages, repairing the damage. Roars echoed out as the Tuskdran beasts charged in. "Gwyneth!" Fervias shouted grabbing his axes. "Jump off this ring, and you can forget about earning my forgiveness!" He froze, snarling not at her, but himself. She felt a wave of guilt flood her. Gwyneth had earned their hatred, and she knew it. However she couldn't afford him ruining the defence.
"WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR!?" A terrified mage screamed out. The fire beneath them faded out, and one by one, the Wind gates closed. Gwyneth smirked, as the frequency of the boulders slowed to crawl. "Pour the oil!" She ordered. "DO NOT LEAVE THIS WALL!" Gwyneth stepped off the platform. She leapt down to meet Lyn. "I need your knights to accompany me." "I don't take-" Gwyneth held out her cleaver, offering the handle to Lyn. "Kill me now. Or help me save the Citadel. I don't have time for your pettiness." Lyn spat, and strapped her helmet on. "FORM UP!" She ordered. The two of them marched side by side into the Caverns. "Why ask me?" Lyn asked, sword and shield at the ready. "Your knights are better equipped to fight in this area."
"You can't possibly believe that they found a way into our-" Gwyneth leapt in front Lyn, blocking a ballista bolt. The force sent her crashing into the knights behind them. A throng of Elven warriors charged at her. Lyn greeted the first charging Elf, with a thrust kick. Her foot gored through the Elf's abdomen, his lower spine and entrails flew out behind him. She parried and deflected each strike, cutting her way towards the Commander, loading a new bolt. Gwyneth clutched her left arm. Broken and mangled. She let out a grunt, and rose to her feet. Lyn's knights formed up, and followed after her. "I GOT THIS! GO!" Lyn ordered. She continued to hack her way towards the Commander. He loosed another bolt. It ripped apart several knights lined up. Lyn gnashed her teeth together, before letting out a roar. "HOLD!" she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the caverns.
Her knights formed a shield wall, and froze. Lyn tossed her shield and sword away, stripping off her helmet. The Elven commander cocked an eyebrow at her. He held his hand up to stop the assault. "Have you gone mad, Grand one?" He asked aiming his bow at her. "Crazy? No. Pissed off? Yes." Lyn drew a dagger at her hip, grabbing her pony tail and severed it. She tossed her pony tail aside, and ripped off her cuirass. She bowed her head, letting out a long breath. The Commander loosed his bolt, wearing a cocky smile. He had killed a Grand Knight. Or so he thought. Lyn caught bolt millimetres from her head, without looking up. A shockwave washed over her, fluttering her hair. The Elves all took a step back in sync. Despair washed over them. She snapped the bolt in her hand, tossing it aside. "First I take orders from her. Then she saves my life. And worst of all. You kill my knights." She growled.
The Elven commander frantically nocked the next bolt. Lyn let her arms droop, unfurling her fists into claws. Her head snapped up, shooting them a feral glare. She charged in, drawing her nails through the face of an Elf. She reeled back screaming, clutching her face. Lyn tore her way through the throng. Releasing a burst of arcane energy, with each swipe and slash. Eviscerated their flesh. She continued to charge onwards as a feral beast, mauling each Elf with precision. The Commander threw his bow aside, drawing out his large maul. He swung at Lyn with reckless abandon. Striking the air or his fellow soldiers, as he chased her down. She gave him a cocky smile, dodging his strikes. Her hands were drenched in blood, but not all of her targets were dead. They flailed about, groaning in anguish, and clutching their wounds. The Commander trampled over them, as Lyn hopped over them.
Nimbly and gracefully she stepped over them, allowing the Commander's rage to finish the job. Skulls and ribs shattered under his heavy sabatons. Those unlucky to be caught in the radius of his swing, met their ends by greeting the end of his maul. "You're getting closer to hitting me." She mocked. Telling him to come hither with her finger. He snarled at her, and raised his maul over his shoulder. Lyn planted her and quickly lunged at him. She drove her fingers through his Adamantine breast plate. Her finger nails blew off, spraying blood, but drove her hand into his heart. The Commander dropped his maul, gasping for air, as Lyn wrapped her hand around his heart. He slumped over her body, desperately clinging to his life. "I wonder, if you'll still turn." She whispered, before ripping out his heart.
Lyn held his beating up for display, letting the thick crimson blood run down her arm. "Who's next?" She asked with a sinister smile. The Elven throng quickly retreated. She spun around. "Burn the bodies, make sure none of them turn." Her knights nodded and quickly followed her orders. Lyn proceeded to drag the Commander's corpse to the surface, holding his heart in the other. One persistent thought crossed her mind. What would they gain from entering the caverns? She found Gwyneth, having her arm reset by a Blessed. "Caverns are clear." She said tossing the corpse aside. "It's quiet. Did they retreat?" Gwyneth shook her head, grunting as her humerus cracked back into place. "Fervias and Yssac are still defending from the Tuskdran beasts." "Vexgar and Axilas are?" "On standby, for when they use the horn." She said standing up, eyeing her hair, unable to keep her shock hidden.
"He didn't have a horn on him." Lyn said quickly changing the subject, to their now matching hairstyle. "I guess they aren't that stupid." She said taking a seat. "Rest up, and remember to keep that one alive." Gwyneth said eyeing the heart in her hand. Lyn watched Gwyneth sprint off into the night. "Why are you helping her again? You're only going to get hurt." She muttered to herself. Gwyneth made her to the Fourth ring, hearing the screams of battle. However Axilas and Vexgar's squad couldn't be seen anywhere. She scanned the area frantically, trying to find them. Making her way to the top, she found them engaging down below. "WHY ARE THEY OUTSIDE!?" Gwyneth shouted.
Axilas and Vexgar's squadrons pushed far into the enemy territory. Nearly three hundred metres away from the wall. They revelled in the carnage and destruction. An Elven Commander offered Thanatos the large horn. "We do not have any more of these. Are you sure it's wise to use it now?" He wasted no time, blowing through the horn. The throaty roar echoed out. "COVER YOUR EARS!" Gwyneth ordered. She watched on in horror, as the dead and living surrounding Vexgar and Axilas begun to transform. Axilas and Vexgar stood back to back, panting and wheezing. The thrill of battle replaced by exhaustion. For a fleeting moment, they were surrounded by allies. Now by rabid Drakens. Vexgar swung his poleaxe in a wide sweeping motion, becoming a black whirlwind. Axilas threw his hammers aside and fell to his knees, entering his Draken state.
A roar behind the Third Ring, caught their attention. It converted from that far away? "FERVIAS THIRD RING! NOW!" Gwyneth ordered. "Yssac, clear the skies. Miranda, secure our exit." Lyn found herself staring down a Dragon. Nearly the forty metres tall and sixty long. It rampaged through the civilian homes. Lyn drove her nails under its scales, only to severe her hands open. She stumbled back with blood gushing out of her palms. "CALL CIN! We'll keep it busy!" Or at least piss it off. She thought.
Vexgar's poleaxe lodged itself into the ankle of a Drake. He rushed to lodge it free, before being swatted away by a claw. Axilas's armour ripped off in a explosion of arcane energy. He stretched his arms out, growing rapidly in size. From under his arms leathery wings grew. With his transformation into a Wyvern complete. He let out a roar Axilas swept his tail, rushing over to Vexgar. He hissed and roared, snapping his fangs at the swarm. Vexgar attempted to stand, only realise his right leg was backwards. He couldn't feel the pain, only the odd numbing sensation. The armour had blown off, his bone jutted out. Vexgar accepted his fate, and fell flat onto his back. Axilas was overrun, with Drakens clawing and slashing open his flesh. His wings were torn apart, too weak to fly him or Vexgar to safety.
A booming roar silenced them all. The Drakens froze pulling back. Axilas and Cin looked up to the sky, still only illuminated by the moon and stars. That roar did not belong to Cin. From the sky Gwyneth swooped down as a Dragon. "TURN BACK!" She roared. Axilas reverted back and the two of them were scooped up by Gwyneth. She graced the night sky with her elegance and beauty. Her silver scales gleamed in the night sky. Gwyneth flew towards the Keep at full speed, evading swooping Wyverns and Amphitheres. She found Fervias and Lyn, struggling to fend off the Dragon running amok. Gwyneth crashed down into it, digging her claws into its spine. The beast roared out in anguish, exposing its throat. She sank her fangs through razor sharp scales, tearing it's throat out. Everyone watched on stunned, as Gwyneth spat out the beast's throat.
She handed Axilas and Vexgar to Lyn and Fervias. "Get them to a Blessed. Strip its scales." She hissed. Gwyneth quickly took off, soaring through the skies. Everyone was frozen in complete awe. "YOU HEARD THE LADY! LET'S MOVE!" Fervias bellowed. She perched herself atop the Forth ring, letting out a ferocious roar. "Pull our soldiers back. Let the Drakens, finish the assault." Thanatos ordered. At the base of the ring, Drakens swarmed and thrashed, destroying the wall. The Earth mages held their arms up, desperately repairing the ring faster than the destruction. Fire and Wind mages created intense streams of fire, helping the Lightning mages to incinerate the Wyverns and Amphitheres. "GWYNETH TURN BACK! WE WILL HANDLE THIS!" Miranda shouted, loosing an arrow. She complied and reverted back. The exhaustion struck harder than a mountain. Her eyes glazed over, and she fell unconscious.
Encara was pruned, his hair black and mop shaped. Each breath was a laborious task, and he was keeled over Soel. Skora sat beside her, holding her hand. The sound of battle raged outside. "Why haven't you called in Cin? You still have him." "He's....busy..." Encara said weakly. She sucked on her teeth. "Having his nightmares at this time?" Encara took a deep breath. "Why won't you help us?" "I told you before. I can't." She growled, clutching Soel's hand tightly. "Is Annorak still running that cult?" Skora's eyes went wide with shock. How did he know that name? Encara let out a weak chuckle. "I'll take that as a yes." He said crawling over to Skora. "How do you know that name? What are you doing?" She asked flushed. "You want to keep her as a friend? Save this kingdom." "I told you, I can't help!" She snapped standing up. Encara placed a curse gate onto her. "If I still remember that asshole. This is going to hurt."
The Cursed gate on her chest, stretched across her body. "Purge." A searing agonizing pain shot throughout her body. She fell to her knees, clutching her chest. Feeling her blood, organs and muscles boil. Skora gnashed her teeth, tackling Encara to the ground. She raised her fist up, ready to crush his skull. When suddenly she lurched to the side, vomiting out a torrent of boiling green blood. She fell back clutching her stomach, watching the blood melt through the stone floor. "What did you do to me?" She asked, wiping her mouth. "I purged the poison, he left your bloodstream. Those scorpions aren't real." "How do you-" She stopped seeing Encara faint.
"Annorak?" She called out, cautiously looking for the scorpion to appear. After a long minute, with no appearance of the scorpion. She wasted no time, making her way to the Fourth Ring. Knights and Mages passed Skora, surfing the earth. The Drakens had breached the ring, through large destroyed arch and flooded through. Skora took a deep breath. She let out a roar, arching backwards, her shirt flying off. Her skin turned into blackened arrowhead scales. Miranda and Yssac turned back, covered in blood with ragged breathing. "FOR FUCK'S SAKE ANOTHER ONE!?" She shouted. Skora continued her transformation, taking the form of an obsidian Drake, with golden slit eyes. With a singular roar, overflowing with arcane energy. The Drakens came to a halt. "Hold that one off!" Yssac yelled. "It's just one Drake, we need to focus on the de-"
A ear piercing screech rung out, and everyone winced, falling to their knees. The Drakens roared out in anguish, writhing as the sound continued to echo out. Miranda quickly shoved the bloodstain dirt into her ears. She froze with wide eyes, seeing the source of the deafening screech. An Obsidian Dragon, with two giant black wings, made from a fusion of great swords, acting as feathers. "What the fuck." Skora leapt high into the air, beating her screeching wings. She scanned the area, before letting out a primal roar. With a singular beat of her wings, she rained down Deiridium blades with perfect precision.
Clouds of dirt shot up, as the blades shredded the swarm of Drakens below, crashing into the ground. Those near the hailstorm of blades, curled into a ball, praying for their lives. And those who witnessed the sight from afar, slumped down with a mixture of exhaustion and awe. After a few minutes, Skora crashed back down to the ground, letting out a roar into the quiet night. A declaration to the citizens of the Citadel. The Bladed Dragon was their ally. Miranda and Yssac fell onto their backs exhausted, watching the night sky fade into a new hopeful dawn.