The clash between Atlas and the Chaos Dwarf Overseer atop his fearsome Lammasu sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The Lammasu, with its massive bulk and powerful mace-tipped tail, unleashed a barrage of devastating blows, each strike sending tremors through the earth.
Atlas, mounted upon his undead Giant Arachnid, met the onslaught head-on, his movements swift and agile as he danced around the Lammasu's attacks. With each swing of its hammer, the Lammasu sought to crush the undead monstrosity beneath its weight, but Atlas was always one step ahead, his spider-like reflexes allowing him to evade the deadly strikes with ease.
The battlefield became a whirlwind of chaos and destruction as the two titans clashed, their weapons flashing in the dim light of the Darklands. The Lammasu bellowed in fury, its eyes burning with unholy fire as it sought to bring down its undead foe, but Atlas remained unfazed, his gaze locked upon his enemy with steely determination.
As the battle raged on, Atlas saw his opportunity. With lightning speed, he darted forward, his claws poised to strike. With a swift and precise movement, he aimed for a small opening in the joint of the Chaos Dwarf's armour, created when the Overseer lifted his hammer over his head for another strike.
With a powerful thrust, Atlas drove his sword into the vulnerable spot, his undead strength piercing through the weaker armour there like butter. The Chaos Dwarf roared in agony as Atlas's blade found its mark, the force of the blow sending him reeling backwards, his grip on his hammer faltering.
Seizing the opportunity, Atlas pressed his advantage, unleashing a flurry of blows upon his wounded foe. With each strike, he felt the Overseer weakening as its lifeblood puddled on the Lammasu's saddle. Its once-fierce attacks growing sluggish and uncoordinated making it easy for Atlas to finish it off.
In a final, desperate act, the mount powered by the very winds of magic screeched at the outrage of the slaughter of its rider. It charged wildly at Atlas, its magic-resistant skin shrugging off the blasts from Strickler.
As the Lammasu charged wildly at Atlas, fuelled by the rage of its fallen rider, the air crackled with the power of magic. Strickler unleashed blasts of dark energy at the creature, but its magic-resistant skin shrugged off the attacks as it barrelled forward with unstoppable fury.
Atlas danced nimbly out of the Lammasu's path, his spider-like reflexes allowing him to evade its thunderous charge. The beast's massive mace-tipped tail swung dangerously close, but Atlas twisted and turned with uncanny agility, narrowly avoiding the deadly blows.
Closing in on his foe, Atlas faced the smoky threads of sorcery that enshrouded the Lammasu, dampening the power of his magic weapons. But he refused to be deterred, his determination unwavering as he pressed forward in the face of adversity.
Summoning the bones of fallen warriors to his aid, Atlas formed a huge skeletal spear in his hands, its jagged edges gleaming with dark energy. With a fierce battle cry, he launched himself at the Lammasu, his spear aimed at the beast's heart.
As the Lammasu opened its mouth to unleash its magical breath upon him, Atlas seized the opportunity. With a swift and decisive motion, he hurled the skeletal spear with all his might, the weapon soaring through the air with deadly precision.
The spear found its mark, piercing the Lammasu's skull with unstoppable force. With a deafening roar, the beast staggered backwards, its eyes burning with hatred as it collapsed to the ground in a heap of twisted flesh and bone.
As the echoes of battle faded away, Atlas stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion as he surveyed the fallen form of his formidable foe. With a sense of grim satisfaction, he knew that the battle was won, but that the war against the Chaos Dwarfs was far from over.
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Strickler hobbled over to his lord, one leg still bleeding, his armour dented and marked, his skin and clothes soaked with blood. The battlefield, once a din of noise and metal on metal, now was strangely silent like a graveyard – only the dead remained.
"Victory my lord." After a moment, Strickler continued, "However the cost was high. Our forces have taken a considerable loss."
Atlas surveys the battlefield with a sombre expression, the echoes of battle still ringing in his ears. He nods at Strickler's observation, acknowledging the heavy losses they had suffered. "Indeed, the cost of victory was high," he concedes, his voice tinged with regret.
"But it's not as bad as it may seem," Atlas continues, his gaze shifting to the fallen dwarfs and Greenskins scattered across the ground. "We may have lost some 2000 skeletons, but they are easily replaceable," he adds, a hint of determination in his tone.
Looking down at the corpse of the dead overseer, Atlas wondered to himself about the next occupant of his sarcophagus – he needed more higher undead. The problem was that the dwarf didn't meet his standard. It was strong and dangerous but lacked the real skill of a master.
Liches were interesting beings, capable of influencing even the lesser undead they commanded to borrow a fraction of their skill. Konak, a vaulted Dwarf lord, had many such skills that would benefit his underlings. This overseer didn't.
As Strickler turns to him, his expression questioning, Atlas meets his gaze with a steely resolve. "What's next?" Strickler asks, his voice filled with anticipation.
Atlas's eyes gleam with fierce determination as he looks out across the desolate landscape. "The next stage of the plan. We take the Black Fortress. A secure base to crush the forces of the Chaos Dwarfs and claim these lands as our own."
Strickler, not being partied to all of Atlas's machinations still was confused. "But my lord, the fortress boasts greater strength than this host, not to mention the War machines that line the wall. How do we overcome all that?"
Atlas looked at Strickler like a parent might a child. "We are not blunt instruments to compete with the likes of these cursed folks in a battle of strength. We must neutralise their advantages while securing our own." Still seeing confusion, Atlas continued patiently. "What is their greatest advantage?"
Thinking for a moment to be sure of his answer, it would not do to displease his creator. "Their defences. Hellcanons, Deadquake Mortars and Iron Daemon War Engines all protect their great stone walls."
"Exactly. If we can take that from them. Eliminate that advantage, we will be victorious."
As Atlas walked away, hands clasped behind his back like a sage through the fields of blood and gore, Strickler couldn't help but mutter to himself. "How do you get rid of a fortress wall?"