At the heart of Avalon, the air crackled with a chaotic energy. The once-serene city, now a battleground, was a symphony of clashing steel on rocky surfaces, guttural roars, and the eerie glow of magic.
The ground trembled beneath the relentless assault, dust swirling like a shroud. The knights fought with desperate ferocity; their glowing eyes narrowed in concentration.
These grotesque monstrosities, their bodies as hard as granite, crumbled under the onslaught. Yet, their demise proved fleeting. Shattered limbs reconfigured, reforming into larger, more menacing golems.
Gema's Shakti surged through the knights' weapons, turning their swords into a beacon of light, cleaving through the ranks of golems with effortless grace. Each fallen enemy rose again, stronger and more resilient, a grotesque parody of life.
Some residents have been safe and escorted by Percival to safer ground, others not so fortunate; injured, and even lost life during the intense battle.
With each fallen golem, a chilling premonition grew within Gema. Bota, the architect of this chaos, remained unseen, a silent observer, savoring the spectacle of their struggle.
"Arthur, where is Bota?" Gema called down from the steam factory's roof as he watched Arthur, who had just taken down a golem with his help.
Steam hissed from around Arthur's armor as he turned to look at him.
"Your very eyes rest upon him now," Arthur replied.
"W-what?! You're Bota?!" Gema stammered in shock. "I should have known! Maybe that's why you're hiding inside that giant rock!"
Arthur picked up one of the severed golem fragments and hurled it toward Gema. The stone stopped just before striking Gema, drawn away as if by a powerful magnet, and flew in a set direction.
"Forsooth, not I, you dolt! That accursed abomination!"
"What?? Why is Bota so weak? I thought you said he was a towering brute."
Arthur sheathed his sword, pointing at the stones as they drifted together.
"It is not yet he, but his essence," Arthur replied.
"Why ever did I ally myself with that impetuous little Celestrias?" Arthur muttered, examining the stone fragment he'd cleaved from a golem.
By now, he ought to comprehend that the mere destruction of these artifacts is insufficient. We must obliterate them utterly, reducing them to naught but dust. Yet, no, he persists in his incessant queries during battle.
With a frustrated sigh, Arthur dashed forward, following the trail of the regenerating golem.
Gema leaped from rooftop to rooftop, aiding the knights below with his lightning Shakti. His movements were fluid and graceful, a blur of motion against the backdrop of the chaotic battle. He unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, each striking a golem with pinpoint accuracy and crumbling to the ground.
In the meantime...
Purnama, a strategic mind, sought to gain intelligence before the situation spiraled further out of control.
As he navigated the panicked crowd, he encountered an enigmatic figure: a tiny, wizened woman barely four feet tall. Her weathered face, etched with countless age lines, held a spark of ancient wisdom. Her eyes, though ancient, had a chilling intensity, a predatory glint that belied her frail appearance. Her only companion was a simple wooden cane, worn smooth by years of use.
An inexplicable pull, a primal urge, compelled Purnama to draw his kris. But before he could react, the woman vanished, leaving a lingering sense of unease. Intrigued and unsettled, Purnama pressed on toward the tower, his mind racing with unanswered questions.
The chaos engulfing the west wing of western Avalon had diverted the Kelembai minion's attention, presenting an opportunity to infiltrate their tower and uncover the Darkseed's sinister plans for Suria's kris.
Zirko's ice shield protected the knights, allowing them to hold their ground against the relentless onslaught of the reanimated statues.
These once soulless forms, statues of ancient creatures, now corrupted by dark energy, had been transformed into fearsome foes. The knights had already decimated most of the surrounding Kelembai army.
Having arrived at the tower's base, Purnama was interfered with by a young boy, riding a hulking, green-furred werewolf the size of a cow, wielding a glowing wooden staff etched with ancient symbols.
He commanded the beast to unleash a powerful charge, sending Purnama flying far away from the tower's base and crashing through several houses.
The boy raised his staff, and the werewolf again charged toward Purnama and magically transformed into a colossal mammoth, stomping down on the fallen warrior. The decisive blow sent Purnama deep into the ground.
As the boy jumped off the mammoth, the creature vanished instantaneously, and his form changed to the elderly woman Purnama had encountered earlier.
Dust and debris rained down as Purnama emerged from the crater, his clothes torn and his body bruised. Despite the brutal assault, Purnama rose from the rubble. His sharp and determined gaze locked onto the enigmatic old woman.
"So... you're Kelembai, aren't you?" Purnama taunted, his stance low and ready. "Don't expect special treatment just because you look like an old woman." He flexed his muscles, a silent promise of a brutal fight.
Kelembai tilted her head to the right, a knowing glint in her eyes as she regarded Purnama.
Back at the eastern Avalon...
Simalaun seized the opportunity, attacking Suria with renewed ferocity. Despite her skill and agility, she was disadvantaged without her kris. She fought desperately, keeping Simalaun at bay with ranged attacks.
Enraged by her resistance, Simalaun unleashed a surge of dark energy, transforming into a colossal, shadowy crocodile. He closed the distance between them with renewed speed and strength, ready to strike.
"Suria! Be careful!" Palademes warned, but it was too late.
Simalaun had already reached Suria, slamming her to the ground and stomping on her repeatedly.
The ground shook with the impact, but Suria, despite the searing pain that shot through her body, refused to yield. She rolled with the impact, minimizing the damage, and quickly sprang back to her feet, a fierce glint in her eyes.
"You think that's enough to stop me?" She snarled, her voice filled with defiance. "You underestimate me, beast!"
With a powerful surge of her energy, Suria ignited her body with a light Shakti, her skin shimmering with an ethereal glow. She lunged at Simalaun, her movements a blur of motion, a whirlwind of fiery fury.
The battle raged on, a clash of titans, a testament to Suria's indomitable spirit.