Kaelin's muscles tensed as the horde of creatures rushed toward him, their crystalline weapons glinting like shards of a broken star. The sound of their guttural roars and clattering claws filled the canyon, reverberating in his chest like a drumbeat of doom. He tightened his grip on his sword, its faint glow intensifying as if answering the challenge. Whatever these things were, they were coming for him—and the shard of the Forge he carried.
The first creature lunged, its jagged blade slashing through the air with unnatural speed. Kaelin stepped to the side, the movement instinctive, and brought his sword up in a sweeping arc. The glowing blade met the creature's weapon with a sharp clang, sparks flying as the two forces collided. Kaelin twisted his wrist, sliding his blade along the edge of the creature's weapon before plunging it into its chest.
Light erupted from the wound, and the creature let out a guttural scream as its body dissolved into ash. But there was no time to rest. Another was already upon him, its claws swiping at his head. Kaelin ducked, feeling the wind of its strike ruffle his hair, and pivoted on his heel to bring his sword down in a brutal slash. The blade cleaved through the creature's torso, splitting it in two before it disintegrated.
The ground trembled beneath his boots as more creatures swarmed over the canyon's edge, their eyeless faces fixed on him. Kaelin's breath came in short, ragged gasps, his arms burning from the constant motion. He had fought battles before—wars that stretched for days, sieges that tested the limits of endurance—but this was different. These things didn't fight like men. They didn't bleed. They didn't falter. They were unrelenting, a tide of destruction that seemed to multiply with every strike.
Another creature lunged at him, this one wielding a long spear made of the same crystalline material. Kaelin sidestepped the thrust, his sword slicing through the shaft of the weapon before arcing upward to sever the creature's arm. It screeched, its glowing veins pulsing violently before it crumbled into ash. But before Kaelin could catch his breath, two more closed in from opposite sides.
His instincts screamed a warning, and Kaelin dropped to one knee, his sword sweeping out in a wide arc. The blade connected with both creatures, cutting through their legs and sending them collapsing to the ground. He didn't hesitate, driving his blade into the nearest one before spinning to finish the other. Ash filled the air, carried on the faint wind, but the horde showed no signs of stopping.
Kaelin backed toward the canyon wall, his sword raised defensively. His muscles screamed in protest, exhaustion threatening to overtake him, but he refused to give in. He couldn't die here—not again. Not before he understood the truth of what was happening.
Another roar echoed through the canyon, deeper and more guttural than the rest. Kaelin's heart sank as a massive figure emerged from the shadows, its form towering over the others. Its body was covered in jagged crystalline armor, and its eyes glowed with an intense, malevolent light. It carried a massive blade, its edges serrated and glinting like shattered glass. The creature's presence alone seemed to sap the air of warmth, leaving Kaelin's skin prickling with cold.
The smaller creatures parted to let the giant through, their movements synchronized like soldiers obeying a commander. The massive figure stomped forward, each step shaking the ground, and raised its weapon in a challenge.
Kaelin's jaw tightened. He had faced giants on the battlefield before, beasts of flesh and bone that could crush a man with a single swing of their weapons. But this thing… this was something else entirely. It radiated an unnatural power, an oppressive weight that pressed down on him like a physical force.
The creature roared and charged, its massive blade slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Kaelin barely had time to react, diving to the side as the weapon smashed into the ground where he had been standing. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the canyon, chunks of stone flying in all directions.
Kaelin rolled to his feet, his sword flashing as he struck at the creature's exposed flank. The blade connected, carving a deep gash in the crystalline armor, but the creature barely flinched. Instead, it turned with surprising speed, its massive hand swiping at Kaelin like a hammer. He raised his sword just in time, the blow sending him skidding across the ground.
Pain shot through his body as he struggled to stand. The creature loomed over him, its glowing eyes burning with malice. Kaelin gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He couldn't overpower this thing through brute strength alone. He needed to be smarter, faster.
The sword at his side pulsed, its resonance vibrating through his hand. Kaelin glanced down at the blade, its glow brighter than before, and a thought struck him. The Elder had said the sword was a fragment of the Forge, a weapon tied to the multiverse itself. Perhaps it held more power than he realized—power he had yet to tap into.
The creature roared and swung its blade again, the massive weapon carving through the air like a scythe. Kaelin planted his feet and raised his sword, the glow intensifying as he channeled his focus into the blade. When the weapons collided, the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the canyon, but this time, Kaelin held his ground. The crystalline blade cracked, a spiderweb of fractures spreading across its surface.
The giant recoiled, its roar filled with rage and pain. Kaelin seized the moment, surging forward with a burst of speed. His sword glowed brighter with each step, the resonance building into a deafening hum. He leapt into the air, his blade arcing downward with all the strength he could muster. The strike connected with the creature's chest, the light of the blade piercing through its armor and into its core.
The giant let out a final, deafening roar as its body began to fracture, glowing cracks spreading across its form. Light erupted from within, blinding and intense, and Kaelin was thrown backward by the force of the explosion. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs.
When the light faded, the canyon was silent. The giant was gone, its remains reduced to ash that scattered on the wind. The smaller creatures, still lingering at the canyon's edge, let out mournful wails before retreating into the shadows.
Kaelin lay on the ground, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His sword rested beside him, its glow dim but steady, as though satisfied with its victory. He stared up at the swirling sky, his mind a haze of exhaustion and relief.
But even as the danger faded, Kaelin knew this was only the beginning. The Forge, the multiverse, the curse of the Eternal—all of it was far bigger than he could comprehend. And if the creatures in this shattered world were any indication, his journey would only grow more perilous.
For now, though, he allowed himself a moment of rest. The battle was won, but the war had just begun.