Chereads / My Amazing System / Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 - Smash and Crash

Chapter 25 - Chapter 25 - Smash and Crash

With a final, thunderous blow, the massive club of the troll juggernaut shattered the once-protective barrier. The silver force field, now feeble and fractured, gave way under the sheer force of the impact. The sound was a sickening combination of splintering magic and rending metal, a cacophony that sent shockwaves through the air.

As the barrier crumbled, the carriage stood vulnerable, caught in the path of the juggernaut's destructive might. The colossal club crashed down with devastating force, meeting the carriage with an unforgiving brutality. Wood splintered, metal shrieked, and the once-grand vehicle was reduced to a chaotic maelstrom of debris.

The horrible crashing sound intensified, a symphony of destruction that echoed the demise of the once-protected carriage. Knocking Garret to the ground, the impact sent fragments of wood and metal scattering in all directions, a chaotic ballet of destruction that marked the culmination of the troll juggernaut's assault.

Though weary, the king activated his boots created from the cores and leather from several blackbucks. These boots allowed him to run and jump with great speed and agility. Moving ahead to get the attention of the smaller trolls, he activated the medallion worn around his neck a golden aura surrounded his form. He shouted for his escort to flee as quickly as possible. While several baulked at the idea of leaving their sovereign behind, others had seen the abilities of the items worn by their king and knew he would do his best to allow them time to escape before the abilities of the items faded.

For the next minute or so, King Garrett placed himself repeatedly in harm's way while staying out of range of the juggernaut's club. Once he felt his troops and the children had been given enough time, he fled in the direction the trolls had come from leading them away from the others making sure to throw rocks or other things at those trolls who didn't follow initially to anger them.

Finally, after three additional minutes of leading the hunting trolls into the woods, Garret paused and glanced around. Spying a large shrub, he moved a dial on his medallion. Making certain he was seen by several of the trolls, he jumped into the large bush and activated a second function of the medallion taking him back to the location of the carriage.

Grabbing a few belongings, he began running in the direction the had come from until he located the knights who had fled. Soon thereafter, the magic faded from the boots. Knowing the master healer should be along soon, he continued to walk with the troops while pulling out yellow gem and using it to contact his grand marshal. Quickly explaining about the ambush and letting her know in which direction the children had fled, he told her he would meet her there soon. He then pulled a second gem from a pouch giving word to the closest mage's tower in order to have magical backup before returning to face the juggernaut.

Once his men met up with the healer's wagon and received restoratives, they raced back to the location of the attack. Upon their arrival, Maude stood with her great sword flaming in front of her. Her armor had several dents and took another blow as two trolls did their best to put her between them to gain an advantage over her. On the ground within a few yards of her were five beheaded trolls as well as the three slain earlier.

Closing range with the battle, several of the horsemen let loose with crossbow bolts impaling the nearer troll but only doing scant damage as what little damage it did was being regenerated even as they watched. Luckily, these injuries were enough distraction for their leader to use her flaming sword to remove the arms of its companion before finally beheading it. Since the woman with the flaming sword was occupied by the other troll, the second troll began moving toward the riders, no longer paying attention to the woman with the fiery sword and its head was removed from behind by her great flaming blade before it knew it.

Maude and King Garret stood at the edge of the tree line; their faces etched with worry. King Garrett turned to Maude with furrowed brows. "We must act swiftly. The children could be anywhere in these woods, and as the sun droops, the darkness will only make the search more difficult." Noting the swath of cut brush, he pointed, "Most of them followed Sir Abel around here." Monica was pushing Von somewhere to the left."

Maude, still covered with bits of troll and worried for her son, nodded solemnly. "Indeed, we cannot afford to waste any time. We must find them swiftly, who knows what dangers lurk in those darkened trees. Let us trace their steps and consider where they fled."

The king's expression darkened, a mix of concern and regret. "As we have seen, these woods can be treacherous, especially at night. We need to act quickly. Guards, gather torches, and let's search the forest. We cannot rest until we bring the children back safely."

The royal guards, still worn from the battle, assembled swiftly. Torches were lit, casting flickering shadows that danced across the worried faces of the search party. King Garret and Maude led the way, stepping cautiously into the dense foliage that swallowed the sounds around them.

As they delved deeper into the forest, the air became thick with tension. After an hour, Maude shared her concern with the king, "The cut brush ends here, your Majesty. The paths are many, and the woods are vast. The children could have taken any number of routes. We must decide which path to follow."

King Garret, his brow furrowed, contemplated their options. "I told Sir Abel to head toward the east, but there are multiple trails leading in that direction. We risk splitting our efforts if we're not careful."

Their attempts to find the children proved challenging, with the sounds of the forest seemingly conspiring against them. The rustling leaves, the distant hoots of owls, and the occasional cracking of branches created an eerie backdrop to their search.

Several hours passed and darkness settled making their search even more difficult. Fatigue began to set in. Despite their best efforts, the children remained elusive in the labyrinthine woods. The king and Maude, their faces etched with frustration, knew they had to regroup and strategize.

"We cannot give up, Your Majesty," Maude urged. "Perhaps we should gather more information or get aid from a diviner. The mage's tower should have sent a squad or two by now. If we are lucky, it will contain a diviner to help them locate the remaining trolls and the juggernaut."

King Garret nodded, a steely determination showing within his eyes. "You're right, Maude. We won't rest until we find them. Let us return to the road and gather whatever information we can. The children's safety is our top priority."

Thus, with heavy hearts and a renewed sense of purpose, they retraced their steps out of the forest, leaving the mysterious shadows to guard the secrets hidden within.

Returning to the remnants of the royal carriage. A group of people wearing a wide variety of different colored robes designating their affinity, was surveying the debris which lay scattered along the road. Maude and King Garret noted the mixed group of variously skilled mages from the tower all of whom were surveying the damage with a mixture of sorrow and determination. The forest seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the next move of those seeking to unravel the mysteries hidden within its depths.

One mage wearing grey robes Una, stepped forward. Her robes shimmered with an otherworldly glow, and her eyes bore the wisdom of one who communed with unseen forces. "Your Majesty," she spoke with a calm and resonant voice. "I have been able to discern the location of the cavern containing trolls and a pair of juggernauts. We are awaiting a second group to ensure we can remove the threat with minimal injuries."

Nodding knowingly, the kind responded, "I am glad to hear this, however, we have been unable to locate the children or Sir Abel. I was hoping you can assist with this as well."

"I believe I may be able to assist in locating the children. My abilities in divination allow me to peer into the currents of fate and find what is lost, and a group of children should be an easy task, provided they are not too far away."

King Garret nodded appreciatively, a glimmer of hope in his weary eyes. "Please, Una, do everything in your power to find them. We cannot afford to lose any more time."

Una knelt by the entrance to the forest, closing her eyes in deep concentration. Her hands hovered over the sliced plants, fingers tracing unseen patterns. The other mages watched from behind her, keeping a vigilant watch to ensure nothing distracted her from her important task.

As Una delved into the mystical currents, images and impressions began to surface in her mind. She saw flashes of the children, frightened but alive, moving through the dense woods. The echo of their whispers playing like a distant melody in the tapestry of fate.

"The children are still alive," Una announced, her voice resonating with assurance. "They have taken refuge in a hidden glade deep within the woods. I see a shimmering pool and ancient standing stones. It's a place untouched by the chaos of the troll attack."

King Garret's eyes widened with relief. "Can you guide us to this glade, Una? We must bring them back safely."

Una nodded; her gaze still fixed on the unseen threads of destiny. "I can guide you, Your Majesty. Follow my lead, and we shall navigate this forest with purpose."

The group, now energized by the prospect of finding the children, followed Una as she led them through the labyrinth of trees and underbrush. The night air seemed charged with a newfound determination, as the mages' light globes lit the path ahead.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the hidden glade revealed itself, just as Una had foreseen. Moonlight bathed the scene—a serene pool, ancient stones, and the silhouette of the children huddled together while Sir Abel kept watch for anything which might prove a danger to the children. Relief washed over King Garret as he rushed forward to check on their wellbeing, their frightened faces now mirroring the joy of being found.

Looking around, Maude immediately noticed there was no sign of Von or Monica. "Your Majesty, my son is not here."

Scanning the area, and noticing the lack of the two children, the king looked at his knight. "Sir Abel, where is the young man in the wheelchair and the young lady who was pushing him?"

"They entered the woods not far behind us, but due to the roots and brush, the young lady took him via an animal path further to the west from where we entered. Everyone was told to head east once they were away from the sounds of the trolls until they found the road, or farmlands."

Looking towards the diviner, Garret inquired, "could you please attempt to locate two more children, one skinny boy seven years old, about three and a half feet tall weighing maybe forty pounds in a wooden wheelchair, the second is a skinny girl with long blonde-hair, about not quite four feet high, likely pushing the wheelchair and wearing a dress."

Una closed her eyes and knelt again, her fingers tracing strange patterns. After only a minute, she opened them and looked up. "Something is blocking my divination abilities. I am uncertain if it is this particular location, or the location where the children are, but even though I am unable to see them clearly, I distinctly got the feeling they are alive and in decent health."

A second mage, this one wearing a purple robe, looked deep in thought, then finally declared, "It must be something about this place. I am unable to transform into anything. It felt like something was preventing my mana from taking shape at all."

After a chorus of affirmations from the remaining wizards, they hastily made their way back to the road, where Una again attempted to locate the remaining children from the entrance to the footpath. "It is no good. Something is blocking my connection, but I cannot tell what."

Looking at Maude, Garret said, "Lady Zupan, we shall not let this go. We shall begin anew at first light. We will find the two missing youths.