On the snowy southwestern border, a fierce battle raged. Ray's father, Ivan, found himself locked in combat with a colossal being. Alongside the city's forces and his own men from the estate, Ivan fought tirelessly to divert the creature's attention away from the city.
Ivan, a revered leader among the high humans and a general in charge of defending the city, stood alongside Rannuk, the leader of the Champions Order. Together, they sprinted with all their might, their voices muffled by the howling wind because of their speed.
"Ivan! We head south, toward the frozen angles lake. We cannot allow it to draw near the city. Our priority is not to engage in battle, especially not in such close proximity to the city," Rannuk bellowed, his voice carrying over the fierce winds. Ivan understood the urgency of the situation and nodded in agreement. Rannuk had already assessed the perilous circumstances and formulated a straightforward plan before Ivan's reinforcements arrived. Together, they devised a strategy to lure the colossal being away from the city's borders.
"All forces, heed my command! Do not engage in combat. Lead the war titan away from the city, following closely behind us for support. Do not get close to distract it" Ivan commanded, his voice resonating with authority. The soldiers listened attentively, understanding the gravity of their mission, as they moved forward, steadily leading the monstrous being while keeping a safe distance.
The war titan, a massive entity, trailed behind them, emitting eerie screeches that reverberated through the air. Its towering size eclipsed everything in its vicinity, possessing a grotesque and unnatural physique. Its limbs were a mishmash of various materials; some appeared to be made of solid stone, while others seemed to have been sculpted by the very force of the wind, rotating and shaping themselves with ethereal elegance. The creature's elemental appendages perplexed all who beheld it. Strangely, it had no legs to support its massive form but instead floated effortlessly in the air, electric currents crackling beneath its lower section, somehow producing an audible sound akin to footsteps—a mystery that baffled all who witnessed it.
The war titan's belly emitted an intense heat, resembling a smoldering furnace contained within a delicate, translucent membrane that seemed on the verge of bursting. Its cylindrical head housed a rotating eye socket, granting it a full 360-degree field of vision. Ivan stole occasional glances at the titan, noticing its heavily bruised and lethargic appearance.
"This one looks so beaten up and slow. It's like it's already halfway to its demise. Thankfully, it seems that's the case; otherwise, we'd be six feet under by now" Ivan thought to himself, his gaze fixed upon the formidable titan. Towering above the trees in Ivan's estate, the war titan reached a staggering height of approximately 400 feet.
Ivan and Rannuk exchanged glances as they sprinted, marveling at how the titan managed to keep pace with them. This served as a stark reminder of the need for utmost caution in their dealings with it.
After a few minutes of relentless running, their breath visible in the frigid air of the tundra, they caught a momentary reprieve. The Frozen Angles Lake came into view as they hastened towards it, pursued closely by both their comrades and the titan. Each step they took now was measured and deliberate as the terrain transformed into a frozen layer of ice.
Ivan and Rannuk veered off in opposite directions as they approached the lake's center, wary of the possibility of being trailed, knowing they were the primary targets of the war titan. With their weapons at the ready, they prepared for any eventuality. It was Rannuk who drew the titan's attention, and it followed him.
"NOW!" Ivan's voice resonated, carrying the weight of command across the expansive battleground. Everyone hastened to assume their designated positions as ordered by the general. All forces had purposefully distanced themselves from the immediate battlefield, a decision unanimously made by Ivan and Rannuk.
The Frozen Angles Lake, nearly circular in shape, now became the focal point of the impending confrontation as warriors positioned themselves strategically around its periphery, forming a formidable encirclement that aimed to unleash a pincer attack upon the war titan. With the exception of a select few responsible for guarding the ranged weapon users, the majority wielded crossbows, Irregular bows (grade 2), and some even had a few weapons that looks like guns.
"Everyone, listen up! We need to divert the war titan's attention. Aim for its eyes! Our main priority is to restrict its movements at all costs!" Rannuk's voice boomed like thunder, his words both a battle cry and a strategic command. His aura of force (a manifestation of raw, tangible energy, akin to a form of magic) erupted like a volcano gripping his massive, gleaming axes with a malevolent grin adorning his face, his muscles swelled with power, causing the very ice beneath him to fracture. The war bull, driven by heavy breaths, readied itself to strike, its gaze fixated on the source of the surging power. The war titan instantly took note of the surging power and approached to attack Rannuk.
Ivan mirrored Rannuk's display of dominance, summoning his own inner strength. "We need to end this quickly otherwise everyone dies here. Even a half-dead war titan can wipe us all out. I'm using Ro Shah. STAY SHARP" He said as he let out a war cry. With a fierce determination etched upon his face, he unleashed his full power, unleashing a battle cry that reverberated through the ranks. The high humans, blessed with heightened senses, caught wind of his words, their countenances transforming into a grave visage.
"AAHH!" Ivan's body underwent a metamorphosis as his muscles swelled, pushed to their utmost limit by the use of force at maximum capacity. The intensity of the moment gripped everyone, knowing that the key to survival lay in swiftly bringing an end to this encounter. Even in its weakened state, a half-dead war titan possessed the capability to annihilate them all. Ivan invoked his last resort technique, the Ro Shah, a testament to the urgency of the situation.
As Ivan's eyes blazed a vivid crimson, his irises and pupils faded into obscurity, his visage distorted with both agony and determination. The transformation exacted a toll on his body, but he relied on Rannuk's diversion to safely unleash his true power. He braced himself, knowing that his strongest attack awaited.
Meanwhile, Rannuk sprinted toward the colossal war titan, utilizing a cliff jutting from the ground as a makeshift catapult, propelling himself skyward with a bound. Gripping his dual axes, their hues a striking blend of crimson and green, suffused with maximum force (a manifestation of raw, tangible energy, akin to a form of magic) the air itself crackled with anticipation. As he began his descent, the surrounding atmosphere warped under the sheer intensity of his axes, threatening to melt or distort in response to the overwhelming energy emanating from them. With a deafening roar, he hurtled toward his target, his intent clear.
"AHAHAA! Let's see what it feels like to trash a titan!" Rannuk exclaimed, a sinister grin accompanying his laughter, moments before he unleashed his attack.
Several of the war titan's colossal appendages lunged at Rannuk, but he countered with a powerful strike of his own. The clash between his weapons and the titan's limbs generated a resounding shockwave that reverberated throughout the battlefield. They didn't even touch each other in a head-on Collison because it was stopped by the raging energy that enveloped both their attacks. The impact was so tremendous that even archers stationed nearly 500 feet away felt its force, momentarily stunned by the sheer magnitude of the clash.
In an attempt to distract the titan, a group of archers unleashed a volley of arrows, their tips crafted from grade 3 hardstone carvings. However, their efforts seemed feeble and inconsequential. The titan appeared impervious to the assault, its ever-shifting eyes making it a daunting task to land a precise strike. Regardless, the archers persisted, their arrows soaring through the air, attempting to divert the titan's attention. Yet, the colossal creature remained focused on Rannuk, relentlessly pressing its assault.
Caught in the collision, Rannuk held his ground for a brief moment before additional hands emerged from his blind spots. Reacting swiftly, he adjusted his power, allowing the momentum to hurl him in the opposite direction as he dodged the oncoming assault. The titan's appendages, resembling the tentacles of a squid, attacked in perfect unison. Rannuk found himself evading their strikes, but one elemental hand managed to land a powerful blow, launching him forcefully into the ground.
Skidding across the icy surface, he nearly cracked the dense ice, using his left hand to anchor himself and halt his momentum. Despite the evident injury to his right hand, which appeared broken, he clutched his axe tightly, refusing to release it. With a bloody nose and face gazing at the war titan with a defiant grin, Rannuk took a deep breath and charged forward once more, fully aware of his singular purpose—to distract the colossal behemoth.
"Do something now, you fucking high human! I'm on the verge of death here!" Rannuk shouted, his voice laced with urgency, as he continued his relentless assault. The titan's hands launched toward him like missiles, attempting to ensnare him, but Rannuk narrowly evaded them, maneuvering with expert precision. The hands burrowed deep into the thick layers of ice, seeking to crush him, yet he managed to maintain distance, skillfully dodging their onslaught. From every direction, the titan's hands swarmed around Rannuk.
Drawing upon his vast experience, he weaved left and right, narrowly evading each incoming strike. However, the titan caught him off-guard as it opened a frontal section of its belly, a move that momentarily distracted Rannuk. Seizing the opportunity, Ivan, who had leaped into the air with tremendous agility, aimed to strike at the titan's vulnerable blind spot. The vibrations resonating through his sword signaled the impending attack.
The air itself crackled with anticipation, charged with an electric energy as Ivan's sword gleamed with an intense brightness. His stance solidified, his gaze locked onto the war titan. In response, all of the titan's hands converged, determined to halt Ivan's assault.
"Let's see how you survive this one."
"Echoes of Severance," Ivan declared, his hands vibrating with power, his nerves pulsating as if they were swollen muscles. "Form 5!"
With a resounding war cry, Ivan unleashed a mighty strike with his sword, channeling his entire being into the attack. The force behind his strike was immense, aimed at delivering a devastating blow to the war titan.