The miasma surged, twisting and spreading through the capital like a dark, sinister tide. Despite the valiant efforts of the Four Sages, it was clear that holding back the relentless force had become a losing battle.
"Damn it! Even after all these years and with our hope, why couldn't we push it back?"
Each surge pressed closer to the towering glowstone wall that lined the edge of the old capital—an ancient barrier reinforced with scarlet ore, a mineral known for its rare ability to absorb and amplify sunlight.
'Wait, that's totally fucking Minecraft right? and that ore is definitely from that demon slayer series...'
Is this even allowed?
"Arise, my mechanical pantheon!"
Sage Mechanus took charge, summoning his mechanical army crafted from the same glowstone-scarlet materials as the wall, each automaton enhanced by intricate magic seals.
At his command, the giant fortress itself shifted and groaned as it awakened from its stone slumber.
"Awaken, my masterpiece, the last line of defense of the capital, Construct!"
The castle gates—huge enough to hold back entire armies—broke apart, reshaping and reassembling as a colossal war machine Mechanus called "Colossus Prime."
It was a towering behemoth, a mobile fortress with polished, enchanted armor that glinted with an otherworldly light, brimming with defensive enchantments and raw power.
Mechanus had designed it as the ultimate weapon, fortified against any conceivable threat with layers of magical plating for both defense and mobility.
The ground trembled as Colossus Prime moved, the ancient war machine lumbering into the fray with a precision that belied its massive size.
It unleashed torrents of golems from within, small armies of enchanted stone and metal soldiers primed to protect the capital at all costs.
With ease, it flattened the dark spawns beneath its massive feet, each step a calculated, destructive dance.
The golems, tiny but fierce, deployed on land and took to the skies on hidden jet boosters, dispersing scatter grenades that detonated upon impact, sending shockwaves through the horde. The grenades were especially effective, disintegrating clusters of dark spawns in bursts of holy light.
And yet, as powerful as Colossus Prime was, even it couldn't keep up with the endless tide of miasma.
Mechanus watched grimly as more creatures began to manifest from the dark fog, their claws raking against the walls, slowly but surely breaching the sacred barrier of glowstone. His eyes narrowed. Despite Colossus Prime's relentless onslaught, it was clear they would need another layer of protection to hold back this chaotic surge.
Nearby, Sage Angelus raised his voice, "Josephine, I need your help! We're going to reinforce the barrier itself. Only a strong holy enchantment will buy us the time we need."
Josephine stepped up beside him, her brows furrowed. "I already cast [Sanctuary] earlier, but it barely made a dent against the miasma. What did I do wrong?"
Angelus offered her a calm smile. "It's not about strength alone. The power of [Sanctuary] relies on intention. Your magic must resonate with purpose, or it won't reach its full potential."
He extended his hand, and after a brief moment's hesitation, Josephine took it. Angelus's grip was warm, and as their hands clasped together, she felt a familiar surge of holy energy begin to flow between them. His presence was steady, focused—a stark contrast to her raw and sometimes explosive power. "Focus on what you want to protect," he instructed, his voice low and grounding. "Picture the capital safe, every soul shielded by this barrier. Your magic must be woven with a sense of guardianship."
Josephine nodded, closing her eyes as she tried to center herself. She thought of the people of the capital, the innocents who had nothing but the sages and the walls standing between them and the darkness. With Angelus guiding her, she released her power, a golden light forming between their joined hands, shimmering and bright.
"[Sanctuary]!"
Their combined energy expanded into a vast magic circle, its glow cutting through the dark tendrils of miasma and spreading outward, enveloping the entire city.
The effect was immediate. The miasma seemed to shrink back, like it was recoiling from the sanctified light. The dark spawns faltered, their forms flickering and weakening as they struggled against the holy barrier.
But even this wasn't enough.
Amorak, who had been reinforcing the walls with layers of defensive runes, called out, "It's holding them back, but not for long! The rift has expanded, and it's going to tear the city apart if we don't act soon!"
The rift had grown so large that it was now visible to the naked eye, a jagged, gaping wound in the fabric of reality that cast a dark pillar into the sky, like a beacon summoning creatures from realms beyond. The miasma surged with renewed fury, pouring from the rift in even greater numbers, an endless tide that was beginning to overwhelm the defenses. The mechanical golems, though sturdy and determined, were starting to falter under the constant assault.
Mechanus's mechanical army was being pushed to its limits. Colossus Prime, though tireless, couldn't stop every creature emerging from the rift, as the sheer volume of dark spawns began to push through. The titan lashed out with massive fists, slamming them into the horde with earth-shaking force, but even its powerful strikes couldn't keep the monsters at bay forever.
Angelus, his face drawn and weary, turned to Josephine once more. "Josephine… there's one last thing I need from you. I'm nearly spent, but if we can channel a blessing through Colossus Prime, it will fortify the defenses further."
She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You want me to bless a bunch of machines?"
"It's not about the machines—it's about the people they're protecting," Angelus explained, his gaze earnest. "By granting them divine power, we can give them the strength to hold the line."
Josephine didn't hesitate this time. She placed a hand on one of the larger constructs near her, feeling its solid, cold metal beneath her fingers. Closing her eyes, she summoned a fresh wave of holy energy, pouring it into the mechanical soldiers. They began to glow, their metal bodies shimmering with a faint golden light as her blessing took effect.
One by one, the golems were infused with divine energy. The effect was astonishing; their movements became sharper, faster, and they seemed almost… alive. The constructs took on a new, determined intensity, their attacks imbued with holy fire that seared through the dark spawns, each strike dispelling the creatures in bursts of golden light. They pushed back the hordes with newfound fervor, holding the line with a strength that was nearly indomitable.
But the rift's ominous dark pillar remained, and the miasma continued to pour forth, unyielding.
The tear itself had widened further, casting an oppressive darkness over the capital. Its chaotic energy was reaching a crescendo, twisting reality itself and summoning ever more powerful creatures that dwarfed the earlier spawns. Josephine could feel the immense power radiating from the rift, its pull like a gaping maw threatening to consume everything in its path.
"Angelus… even with the blessing, we can't hold this forever. That thing is beyond anything we've faced so far."
Angelus's gaze was somber. "Then we'll have to find a way to close it—or at least stabilize it. But we've bought ourselves some time. We must stay strong, no matter what."
Josephine's grip tightened around the hilt of her weapon, her resolve hardening as she stared into the heart of the darkness. The odds were overwhelming, but she could feel the resolve of the Four Sages and the people they fought for. This wasn't a battle they could afford to lose.
For a damn mask.