—
From the side, a faint scraping noise echoed through the hall…
Throne groaned as he pulled himself from the wreckage, his hand brushing against his head, the pain sharp but manageable. His deep, steady voice broke through the haze, "Ahh, what the hell happened?"
"Throne! Throne!" Astrid's voice rang out. Emerging through the swirling dust, he moved into Throne's line of sight. "We need to find the others. I'll go left. You check right."
Throne nodded, his expression grim, and the two split up, the room still heavy with lingering debris and smoke. Each step crunched against rubble as Throne called out, "Astrid, you need to see this."
Astrid quickly made his way to Throne's position. His eyes widened as they landed on a massive hole in the floor, its jagged edges stretching deep into the earth, far below the castle's foundations.
"What could have caused this?" Throne muttered, his tone laced with unease.
Astrid shook his head. "It couldn't have been the blast. The depth... something must have dragged them down. We need to get to the ground floor. Fast."
Before either could move, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently, the vibrations sharp and growing. A heavy shockwave reverberated through the castle. "Let's go!" Astrid shouted, leaping into the yawning abyss.
Throne grinned despite himself. "Right behind you!" With a powerful jump, he plunged into the darkness.
They landed with thunderous force, dust and debris exploding outward as Astrid's armor shimmered faintly, dissipating the impact. Throne adjusted to the chaos around them, his gaze drawn to the sounds of battle booming just outside the castle courtyard. The rest of Unit 6 was engaged in combat with a towering, grotesque creature—a shadowy mass of writhing tentacles emanating malevolent power. Smoke, fire, and the cacophony of destruction filled the air.
"Astrid!" Throne bellowed, his skin darkening and solidifying into a metallic sheen. His battle axe, nearly as tall as him, gleamed as he unslung it from his back. With a booming voice, he declared, "Feel the might of Throne Ironheart!" and charged, leaping with a ferocity that carried him across the battlefield. His axe crashed into the creature, piercing its grotesque form with devastating force, releasing shockwaves that rippled outward.
"About time you showed up!" Elysia, the archer of Unit 6, called out, loosing arrows with deadly precision. One after another, her shafts embedded themselves in the monster's hide, small explosions of shadow and light erupting on impact.
"Astrid!" Elysia yelled as she notched another arrow. "The king! He went with Malachi and Seraphina to find the prince."
Astrid's jaw tightened, his glowing eyes burning with determination. "You handle this and protect the queen," he said sharply, turning toward the distant sounds of destruction. "I'll get to the king." In an instant, he vanished, a blur of yellow light streaking through the air.
As he vaulted through the castle, leaping from building to building, his vantage point grew. The kingdom stretched out before him, its streets filled with carnage. Corpses littered the ground, smoke choked the air, and monstrous shadows moved through the chaos. His heart sank at the sight of a woman cradling a child, both impaled by shadowy spears, their lifeless forms frozen in anguish. Astrid's fists clenched, his rage simmering.
A thunderous boom snapped his attention forward. There, in a distant courtyard, stood the king, his hand glowing with black energy, flanked by Malachi and Seraphina. The prince stood behind them, fear etched across his face.
Astrid surged forward, his sword radiating a golden brilliance like a divine beacon, every swing carving arcs of light through the air. He aimed a decisive strike at the monstrous figure before him, but just as his blade neared the region of his target, it was repelled with a resonating clang around the area. An invisible barrier pulsed, halting his momentum mid-air. He stumbled back, his eyes narrowing at the shimmering veil now visible around them.
"What is this?" Astrid growled, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and urgency. Landing firmly, he spun around to face the king, whose figure stood resolute beyond the barrier.
"Astrid!" the king called, his voice strained but commanding. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, my king! What about you?" Astrid shouted back, worry flashing across his face.
"I'll manage," the king replied, his tone betraying his exhaustion. "This creature... its power is beyond anything I've faced. We cannot let it roam free. Use your light magic to break this barrier. It's the only way!"
Astrid nodded sharply, sheathing his sword momentarily as he extended his palms forward. A radiant glow began to form around him, the light coalescing into streams of energy. "Hold on, my king. This might take time, but I'll get you out of there."
The monster's grotesque form shuddered, its warped limbs writhing unnaturally as it let out a guttural roar that shook the ground beneath them. Its distorted voice echoed, chilling and mocking. "This is the end of your kingdom! Watch as we reduce it all to ash!"
With a wave of its twisted hand, countless spectral swords materialized in the air, their dark, gleaming edges reflecting a sinister crimson light. Three million projectiles hung suspended, a menacing storm of death. Then, with a malicious grin, the monster unleashed them all in a devastating wave toward the king and Unit 6.
The air turned into a whirlwind of chaos. The king, his royal cloak tattered and his breath uneven, stepped forward, his hands crackling with a black energy that pulsed with raw power. He moved in a blur, his figure a streak of defiance as he intercepted the projectiles. His strikes were swift and relentless, each movement a testament to his unyielding will. Spectral blades shattered upon impact, yet a few pierced through, grazing his armor and drawing blood. Still, he pressed on, enduring with unwavering resolve.
Behind him, Seraphina raised a shimmering barrier, her delicate features etched with focus as she shielded Malachai and the prince from the deadly assault. Her hands glowed with a soft light as she split her concentration between maintaining the protective field and channeling healing energy into Malachai, whose previous injuries had left him weakened.
Amidst the chaos, the king broke through the barrage, moving like a phantom. In an instant, he appeared behind the monster, his fist radiating with power as he aimed a devastating blow at its back. But before his strike could connect, a dark blade materialized out of nowhere, spearing through his thigh. He grunted in pain, staggering, and the creature seized the opportunity, gripping him by the neck with a clawed hand and hurling him violently to the ground.
The impact was cataclysmic, sending tremors rippling outward. "My king!" Astrid's cry echoed as the dust settled. Malachai acted swiftly, teleporting the king to safety within Seraphina's barrier.
"You think this feeble shield can save you?" the monster sneered, its voice dripping with malice. "I will crush your resistance and your hope alike."
Sweat glistened on its grotesque form as it raised its appendages again, conjuring another storm of deathly projectiles. "You cannot win," it hissed. "Your kingdom will fall, and so will you!"
The air grew heavy as it prepared to release the full force of its power. Astrid, still conjuring his light magic, gritted his teeth. "Just a little longer," he muttered, his energy gathering into a focused, blinding aura. "Almost there…"
Suddenly, a brilliant streak of golden light slashed through the battlefield like a comet, cutting cleanly through the barrier. Astrid's light-infused strike hit the monster's abdomen, leaving a searing gash that emitted wisps of smoke and ash. The creature reeled back in shock, letting out an ear-splitting screech that shook the very foundation of the castle.
"You dare wound me?!" It howled, its body twisting and pulsating as it entered a state of frenzied rage. Dark energy swirled around it, manifesting into a thousand new projectiles. They hung ominously in the air, blotting out what little light remained. "There will be no escape this time!" it roared.
The king then clutched his aching thigh and clenched his teeth. He turned to Malachai, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "You must get everyone out of here. Now. Use what's left of your teleportation magic."
Astrid stepped forward, defiance blazing in his eyes. "My king, we can't leave you behind. There has to be another way!"
The king's gaze hardened, yet his tone carried a rare softness. "Astrid, listen to me. If I go with you, it will track us down. You must protect the queen and the prince at all costs. Take Unit 6 and evacuate to the research chamber. Use the teleportation mechanism and seek refuge in Avalor. The kingdom… it's lost."
The prince, trembling, shouted, "No! Dad, I'm not leaving without you!"
The king knelt before his son, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Jack, you must survive. For your mother, for our people. I'll find a way back to you. Trust me." He forced a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed a deep sadness. "You're stronger than you know, my boy."
Before the prince could protest further, Malachai raised his hand, his teleportation magic flickering to life in a swirl of shimmering energy. Sweat dripped down his temples, and his fingers trembled slightly as he concentrated. "Forgive me, my king," Malachai murmured, voice heavy with sorrow. The faint strain in his tone betrayed his waning strength. In an instant, the prince, Astrid, and Seraphina vanished in a burst of light.
The king stood tall as silence briefly settled over the battlefield. His body began to ripple with black energy, tendrils of power coiling around him like a living storm. The ground cracked beneath his feet as the energy burst outward, obliterating everything in a 50-meter radius. The monstrous projectiles disintegrated mid-air, and the surrounding earth trembled under his power. He turned his burning gaze toward the grotesque creature. "Now," he growled, his voice resonating with unyielding resolve, "let us begin."
---
Meanwhile, in the Courtyard
The teleportation spell delivered the group into the castle's courtyard. The once-vibrant area was now a scene of devastation, littered with debris and the remnants of earlier battles.
Astrid wasted no time. "Unit 6, regroup!" he barked. The team assembled swiftly, their expressions grim but resolute.
"We have orders from the king," Malachai announced. "The kingdom is compromised. Our priority is to evacuate the queen and the prince to the research chamber. Everyone, stay sharp."
The queen, holding her son close, whispered, "We must hurry."
The group moved as one, their steps quick and purposeful. But as they neared the research chamber, a bone-chilling howl echoed through the air. From the shadows emerged a monstrous figure—nine feet tall, its crimson eyes glinting with malice. Its grotesque, bloodstained body twisted unnaturally as it unleashed a guttural scream. The sound reverberated like a warning, and soon, dozens of shadowy creatures emerged from the darkness, surrounding the team.
"Unit 6, take form!" Astrid commanded. The group moved with practiced precision, forming a protective circle around the queen and prince. Astrid's voice rang out with determination. "Protect them at all costs. We need to clear the path to the chamber!"
The battle began in a whirlwind of chaos. Seraphina raised a radiant force field, shielding the queen and prince while sending bolts of energy to cover her teammates' blind spots. Throne, wielding his massive axe, charged into the fray, cleaving through shadowy beasts with raw strength. Elysia darted to higher ground, her arrows flying with deadly accuracy, each shot finding its mark. Lyra, moving like a blur, danced through the chaos with twin blades, her strikes precise and lethal. Malachai wielded his enchanted staff, his spells ripping through the creatures with bursts of power, while Astrid used his light magic to unleash a flurry of light-infused strikes, carving a path toward the research chamber.
"They just keep coming!" Elysia shouted, losing another volley of arrows.
"Focus on clearing the entrance!" Astrid yelled back, his light-infused blade slicing through a cluster of advancing creatures.
As the battle raged, Seraphina's eyes began to glow with an otherworldly brilliance. "Everyone, get clear!" she cried. The team obeyed, retreating to safer positions as she raised her arms. A powerful shockwave of radiant energy erupted from her, blasting the creatures backward and creating a brief reprieve.
"Move! Into the chamber, now!" Malachai urged.
The team rushed inside, finding the research chamber in ruins. Amid the wreckage, the queen pressed a concealed switch on the wall, revealing a hidden passageway. "This way!" she said, leading them into the dimly lit tunnel.
At the end of the passage stood a glowing magical circle etched into the ground. It pulsed faintly, ready to activate. The group gathered within, but the sound of screeches and growls grew louder. The creatures had breached the passage.
Throne turned to face the incoming horde. "I'll buy you time. Get them out of here!"
"Throne, no!" Lyra shouted.
He looked back with a grim smile. "Protect the future." With that, he charged out, his axe blazing with enchanted energy.
The circle began to glow brighter as the teleportation mechanism activated. Just as the light enveloped the group, Throne staggered back, his armor dented and bloodied. A monstrous shadow lunged at him, knocking him down.
"Throne, get in here!" Astrid shouted.
With a roar of defiance, Throne kicked the beast off and crushed its skull against the wall. He stumbled toward the circle, more creatures swarming behind him. In a desperate final push, he leapt into the circle, mere seconds before it fully activated.
As the light consumed them, the ground beneath the kingdom began to tremble violently. Elysia, the last to vanish, caught a fleeting glimpse of what lay beyond. Beams of molten fire erupted from the earth, consuming everything in its wake. The kingdom was engulfed in an inferno, the flames washing over it like an unstoppable wave of destruction. Her eyes widened in horror as the scene burned itself into her memory. Then, in an instant, the teleportation spell completed, and they were gone—leaving behind a kingdom consumed by doom.
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