On the planet Rosen, one of the Prime Material worlds.
This world, rich with intelligent species, harbored strong faith in the gods. Among these species, dragons and giants were the most powerful on Rosen.
Since the outbreak of the dragon-giant war, this already war-torn world had descended into greater chaos.
In just a year, the dragons and giants on Rosen had yet to determine a victor.
However, with the Dragonweave of the Eternal and Time Dragon present, amplifying the dragons' power and enabling the use of crude but functional high magic and resonant spellcasting, the previously balanced situation began to tilt. Over the past year, the dragons gradually established an upper hand.
Through continuous clashes, the giants' living space was systematically reduced.
Eventually, driven by the dragon leaders, the remaining giant forces were herded onto a desolate, vast plain called the Dark Plain, the most barren area on Rosen.
The dragon army encircled the Dark Plain, tightening the noose.
Whenever the giants attempted to break out, they met with fierce resistance, making it clear the dragon army intended to trap the giants in the Dark Plain.
This situation had persisted for over a month.
Resources for the giant army in the Dark Plain were running critically low. Ordinary giant soldiers, hungry and desperate, began to clash among themselves. If this continued, internal collapse was imminent, even without the dragons' intervention.
This was the dragon army's goal: to eliminate the giant army with minimal losses.
However, today brought an unexpected turn for the dragons on Rosen.
In the giant camp on the Dark Plain.
In a clearing, giants of various species gathered, holding torches, their faces grim and solemn.
In the center of the circle formed by giant bodies lay the last of the giant army's resources.
The leading giant warrior, a hulking hill giant with skin like rough stone, raised a horn to his lips, took a deep breath, and blew.
A deep, resonant sound echoed across the Dark Plain.
Simultaneously, the giants began to chant and pray.
"King of the Realm of Yeenoghu, the evil wolf of the giant pantheon."
"Your humble worshippers call upon you, great Yeenoghu!"
"Mighty Yeenoghu, hear our plea. We offer the fallen giants and dragons as sacrifices. We beseech your legion to descend."
"Descend upon this world and show your ruthless, bloodthirsty power!"
Crack!
Suddenly, the offerings prepared by the giant warriors, along with several meters of earth and stone, vanished, as if gnawed away, leaving jagged tooth marks.
Seeing this, the downtrodden giants were revitalized.
This meant the gods had responded to their prayers.
"Brave warriors, the gods have heard our plea."
"Now, cast aside your fear and weakness. Under the gaze of the gods, fight with me and bathe in dragon blood!"
The hill giant leader roared.
Immediately, the dragon army noticed the giants' movement. Giants, each at least six meters tall, stomped the ground, forming a menacing wave that surged toward the dragon encirclement.
Whoosh!
Dragons, previously resting, spread their wings. The collective sound of wings slicing through the air created a storm-like roar.
The dense dragon aura surged like an ocean wave towards the giant army.
However, giants, long-time enemies of dragons, resisted the dragon aura far better than other species. Though momentarily dazed, they quickly regained their composure and charged on.
There were no demigods among the local inhabitants of this planet, but many legends.
The dragon army had nearly a hundred legendary dragons, mostly Dragon Court members. The besieged giants had over sixty legendary fighters, weaker than the dragons.
Facing the charging giants, a legendary red dragon grinned viciously.
Boom!
Flames engulfed the dragon's wings, propelling it across the sky.
As the giants entered the red dragon's range, it lifted its neck, inhaled deeply, and opened its jaws, revealing rows of sharp teeth around a rolling inferno.
Then, the legendary red dragon spewed a torrent of flame towards the ground.
The fan-shaped breath, bright and searing, illuminated the sky, akin to liquid magma, sweeping over the giants with terrifying heat.
Other dragons in the sky followed suit, unleashing their breath attacks.
Lightning, frost, poison, fire, steam, acid, and wind descended from above, the combined elemental onslaught painting the sky in a dazzling array of colors.
The giants, familiar with dragon breath, responded adeptly.
Hill giants crouched, pressing their hands to the ground, pulling up rocks and soil to form a sturdy armor.
Storm giants transformed into bolts of lightning, weaving through the breath attacks.
Fire giants conjured flame shields to resist the red dragon's breath, almost completely immune unless the dragon was significantly stronger.
However, those who successfully defended against the dragon breath were few.
The dragon army was well-rested and in peak condition, while the giants, weakened by hunger and fatigue, were in poor shape.
The dragons' breath attacks were swift and lethal. In a single wave, countless giants were incinerated, frozen, poisoned, or turned to ash.
During the brief pause in dragon breath, the giants launched their counterattack.
A hill giant leader, a level 35 being among the stronger legends, roared and stomped the ground.
Boom!
The ground quaked violently.
Sharp earth spikes shot skyward, targeting the dragons in the air. Meanwhile, massive waves of soil surged, crashing down on the advancing dragon kin armies.
Several adult dragons were impaled by the spikes, falling to the ground.
Many dragon kin were buried alive under the deluge of earth, their fate uncertain.
However, the hill giant leader's rampage drew the attention of three legendary dragons of similar strength.
Amidst the intense dragon aura, the three dragons swooped down, engaging the hill giant leader in a fierce battle.
Other legendary giants faced similar fates.
In the chaotic battlefield, dragons inevitably fell, but each dragon death was accompanied by the deaths of multiple giants, consumed by dragon breath, claws, or magic.
The situation was clear.
Despite their resistance, the giant army was outmatched from the start.
What puzzled the dragons was the giants' apparent resolve. Despite the heavy losses and impossible odds, they continued their desperate struggle, unwilling to retreat.
As time passed, dragon and giant blood mingled, soaking into the ground, staining it crimson.
More and more bodies fell into the blood-soaked earth.
Most of the dragon kin, giant warriors, and a few dragon corpses.
By now, the dragons were enraged.
With the giants refusing to remain besieged and breaking out desperately, the dragons abandoned any hope of forcing a retreat, opting to expend their magic and strength to annihilate the giants.
After a while.
The hill giant leader, heavily wounded and missing an arm, was covered in blood.
If not for its formidable defense, it would have been torn apart by the three legendary dragons long ago.
Surveying the battlefield, seeing the fallen giants and rampaging dragons, the hill giant leader grew desperate, praying fervently.
"Great Yeenoghu, why have you not yet descended?"
"The sacrifices of our fallen warriors and dragons await your claim."
No response.
Rip!
A legendary gold dragon's wings slashed through the sky, tearing open the hill giant leader's chest, spilling blood.
Simultaneously, a legendary black dragon spewed acid, covering the giant's chest wound, releasing a hissing steam.
The acid corroded flesh, exposing bone.
The hill giant leader's face twisted in pain, but its weakened body could no longer fight back.
Finally, a rare legendary iron dragon lunged, biting through the giant's neck, then spat out the blood with disdain.
With a thud, the hill giant leader's body fell, lifeless.
Most of the other legendary giants also fell to the dragons' claws and magic, with fewer than a thousand giant warriors remaining. The situation had stabilized.
A short while later, the last giant fell to the dragons' claws.
The victorious dragon army prepared to clean up the battlefield.
They began to collect desired spoils and bury their dead kin.
However, before they could start, the sky above the Dark Plain darkened, almost pressing down to the ground, the atmosphere growing heavy.
A low, oppressive wind, like the howling of wolves, filled the plain.
The dragon kin were confused and unreactive.
But the dragons, sensing the change, grew serious and solemn.
"Be on guard! Demonic energy is emerging!"
Crack!
The already ravaged ground split further, black-purple abyssal energy spreading, forming web-like cracks.
Amidst bloodthirsty howls, the first grotesque creature emerged from an abyssal rift.
This creature, about three meters tall, hunched and skeletal, with pale skin clinging to its bones like paper. Its exaggerated claws and toothy grin were unmistakable.
A ghoul, a rare evil entity in the Prime Material Plane.
As the first ghoul stepped into the world, more followed, flooding out of the rift like a surge, descending on the Dark Plain.
Their numbers were countless.
Some of the ghouls were massive, towering like buildings, armored in unbreakable bone.
However, the legendary dragons were not intimidated by the ghouls.
Ghouls, despite their numbers, posed little threat to flying dragons, who could choose to fight or flee at will.
What truly concerned the legendary dragons was the overwhelming, malevolent aura emanating from the largest abyssal rift.
Crack!
The ground heaved, and a white figure emerged.
As the dust settled, the figure was revealed.
A small, frail-looking ghoul stood upright, its eyes glowing a fierce green. Its feet were beast-like hooves, and its claws were not as exaggerated as those of other ghouls.
In stark contrast to its filthy appearance, it wore a luxurious white robe made of flesh, with an inner layer of pale armor studded with tiny skulls.
This was the Ghoul King, Doresain.
"A former demon lord, the Ghoul King."
Recognizing Doresain, a well-informed dragon spoke in a low voice.
The Ghoul King scanned the surrounding corpses, his nostrils flaring with a hungry, greedy look, but he restrained his appetite and barked orders to the ghoul army: "Slaughter the dragons here and take the corpses of both giants and dragons back to the domain of Yeenoghu."
At his command, the ghouls surged with frenzied energy, charging at the dragon and kin armies.
Most ghouls couldn't fly and swarmed the ground forces like a pale tidal wave.
Some more powerful ghouls unfurled wings and took to the skies, howling hungrily as they attacked the dragons.
The Ghoul King fixated on a robust legendary red dragon, drooling foul saliva, muttering, "Existence is meant for consumption. Life's true joy lies in the crushing and tearing of flesh between teeth and jaws."
"In my culinary experiences, dragon flesh ranks high. Few dragons exist in the Abyss, making them rare delicacies."
"But today, I shall feast to my heart's content!"
The targeted red dragon felt a chill.
In an instant, it lost sight of the Ghoul King.
When it regained focus, pain shot through its claws.
Looking down, it saw the Ghoul King tearing into its scales, gnawing on its flesh at an incredible speed.
The red dragon prepared to unleash its breath.
But to its horror, it found itself paralyzed, unable to move, plummeting to the ground.
With a thud, the red dragon's body crushed several ghouls.
More ghouls swarmed in, but the Ghoul King drove them back with a snarl.
In seconds, the Ghoul King devoured the red dragon's claw, its white robe now stained red.
"Heh, dragon meat is indeed delicious. Even the bones are captivating."
The Ghoul King, savoring the taste, continued gnawing upward.
For the dragon being eaten alive, it was pure torture.
Meanwhile, the legendary red dragon, a member of the Dragon Court, sent a desperate plea for help to its lord, Garon. The agony and torment transmitted immediately into Garon's mind.
"If it's so delicious, would you like to taste my flesh?"
The river of time rippled as the silver dragon's form solidified from a phantom, looking down coldly at the Ghoul King.
With eyes deep as the night sky, a majestic form, and a crown-like set of three pairs of horns, Garon's presence caused a brief but profound silence among the dragons, who then roared in excitement and renewed vigor.
With Garon's arrival, the dragons' fear of the Ghoul King vanished instantly.
Garon's eyes narrowed, his wings spread, and a surge of draconic power rolled forth, instantly killing countless ghouls. Those in the air fell like rain, their bodies covering the ground.
For Garon, dealing with numerous but weak foes was child's play.
He then cast a time blast aimed at the Ghoul King.
Sensing danger, the Ghoul King attempted to dodge, leaving the red dragon's body behind, but lost an arm to the explosion.
"Garon Aurelian."
"Heh, I've heard of you, the legendary time dragon."
"Let me taste your flesh, and I'll lead my legion away. How about it?"
The silver dragon tilted his head, sneering, "You're just a dog. Can you make decisions for your master?"
The Ghoul King, Doresain, once served the Lich King Orcus as a demon lord.
Orcus, a demon prince, was rumored to have created the first undead in the multiverse and was an enemy of the Shadow Lord, with countless wars between them.
However, Doresain was no longer Orcus's servant.
The Gnoll God, Yeenoghu, had descended into the Abyss, defeated Doresain, and took his place, forcing him into servitude.
The 422nd layer of the Abyss, named after Yeenoghu, was now his domain.
Doresain, now Yeenoghu's servant, had not been challenged by Orcus, possibly due to previous arrangements or fear of the giant pantheon.
Yes, Yeenoghu was a gnoll god but also part of the giant pantheon.
The giant pantheon, a loose collection of deities, included gnolls, ogres, and minotaurs among its worshippers, recognizing them to strengthen their ranks.
Thus, Yeenoghu, the gnoll god and demon lord, belonged to the giant pantheon.
So did Vaprak, the ogre god, and Baphomet, the minotaur-worshipped demon lord, all with followers among evil giants.
Yeenoghu's greediness meant he awaited the giants' demise before dispatching his legion.
"I'll tear off your scales and devour you alive."
Angered by Garon's taunt, the Ghoul King snarled.
In a flash, he lunged at Garon, his jaws open.
Garon activated his time-stop field but ignored the visible Ghoul King, turning to strike behind him.
"How did you detect me so quickly?"
In the time-stop field, the Ghoul King, revealed behind Garon, stammered, seeing the approaching claw.
Garon did not answer, swatting him like an insect, crushing the Ghoul King in his claw.
Surprised, Garon opened his claw, finding the Ghoul King gone.
"You're good at escaping."
Garon muttered, casting a powerful spell to seal demons, amplifying it with iterative spellcasting.
A 13th-level spell: Demon Binding.
Turning, he saw the Ghoul King leaping towards an abyssal rift, clearly seeking escape.
But under Garon's will, the spell sealed the rift.
Crash!
The Ghoul King crashed into solid ground where the rift had been.
"Why the hurry? Didn't you want to eat me?"
Garon laughed, then coldly commanded, "Now, call your master in desperation and fear."
"If Yeenoghu doesn't respond, prepare to become my trophy. Consider it an honor."
Honor my foot!
Under the dragon's pressure, the Ghoul King, humiliated, frantically called out to Yeenoghu, unwilling to fall in the Prime Material Plane.
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