"He's preparing something!"
Duchess Lireya's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. From atop the snowy ridge, Velkran reared its colossal form, skeletal and scaled, runes glowing across its night-black body. A vortex of magic gathered in its ribcage—fire, lightning, rot, and ancient rage coiling into a single devastating force.
"Raise barriers! Knights—defensive formation! Mages, to the shield line!"
But the warning came a moment too late.
Velkran unleashed its fury.
A torrent of corrupted energy tore through the air—flames dark as despair, arcs of violet lightning, and a concussive roar of raw destruction. Snow melted in its path. The sky dimmed.
Lireya stepped forward.
She closed her eyes and raised one arm skyward. "Ancestral rite… heed my voice."
Her aura exploded—blue and silver light radiated from her like the heartbeat of the land. Water drew from the snow, the air, the breath of her people—swirling and twisting into patterns ancient and divine.
Feathers formed. Wings stretched. A massive spirit-bird of glimmering light took shape above the army, its body sculpted from water and aura.
"Wings of the Celestial Bird-God," she whispered.
The divine bird unfolded its wings wide, encasing the soldiers in shimmering protection.
The corrupted blast met the wings—and vanished.
No explosion. No impact.
Just peace. The destructive energy was absorbed, unraveled, and dismissed like shadow before dawn.
Feathers rained gently across the battlefield.
The entire army stood frozen.
Jorin sank to his knees. "That was…"
"Beautiful," Lira whispered, eyes wide with awe.
"It felt warm… like being safe," Alaric murmured.
Lireya turned, voice calm and resolute. "There is no need to fear. As long as I stand, you are safe."
"You heard her!" shouted Knight Commander Tharyn, raising his blade. "She is the Shield of the North—one of the strongest in the kingdom!"
The troops roared in response.
"FOR THE DUCHESS!"
The Fangs of Velkran
Velkran hissed. Its molten eyes narrowed in amusement.
It lifted its head and let out a deep, haunting call.
From the forested ridges and shattered cliffs, five monstrous figures emerged, cloaked in dark aura, bodies warped by ancient corruption.
Velkran's Five Fangs:
Karron the Clawed Wraith – Towering beast with swordlike bone arms, armored in fused iron and flesh. Acid hissed from its mouth. Aura: Rank 7
Velsha of the Searing Eye – Flame-wrapped woman with six burning eyes, wielding molten whips. Aura: Rank 6 (Fire)
Nulgrim the Ironhowl – Wolf-shaped brute in blackened armor, with a rusted cleaver and glowing runes. Aura: Rank 7
Orrik the Plaguebrand – Skeletal mage cloaked in green mist, bearing a plague staff made of spirit bone. Aura: Rank 6 (Dark)
Treshna the Stormmaw – Four-armed crystal giantess with a thunder-charged warhammer. Aura: Rank 7 (Lightning)
Velkran's voice echoed:
"Break them."
Clash of Commanders
Knight Commander Tharyn, garbed in steel-gray armor adorned with the northern crest, stepped into their path. His greatsword Stormbind pulsed with golden light, runes etched into its length.
"I'll take two."
Karron lunged, blade-arms flashing. Treshna followed with a lightning-charged hammer.
Tharyn countered Karron's first strike with a crushing parry, spinning into a second slash that sent sparks and acid flying. He sidestepped a bolt of lightning, then drove Stormbind into the ground, summoning a golden shockwave that knocked them back.
Karron roared and came again—a spinning dance of blade-arms and acidic thrusts. Tharyn dodged, blocked, and retaliated with precision. His aura flared brighter, forming glyphs mid-air that exploded on contact with Treshna's hammer.
Treshna surged forward, swinging with all four arms. Tharyn met the assault head-on. Sparks flew, earth cracked, and lightning split the sky.
"You think two of you are enough?" he growled. "I am the storm that shields the North!"
Captain Virel vs. Velsha of the Searing Eye
Virel sprinted into the fray, twin axes drawn, aura flaring blue around her.
Velsha's whips hissed through the air, carving burning trails. Virel ducked, twisted, and rolled beneath them. She hurled one axe—Velsha screamed as it embedded into her side.
Virel dashed forward, caught the axe mid-spin, and struck again.
"Pretty fire," she taunted, "Let's see if it burns through ice-blood."
Her water aura flared, mist forming around her arms. She channeled it into a slashing arc that extinguished part of Velsha's flames.
Velsha shrieked, but Virel pressed the assault—flames and steam clashed violently between them.
Captain Edran vs. Nulgrim the Ironhowl
Edran's glaive spun like a windmill of fire. His flame-aura danced with every movement.
Nulgrim swung his cleaver, shaking the ground with each blow. Edran dodged low, sliced across the brute's thigh, then leapt high and slammed his glaive into Nulgrim's chest—exploding in a burst of searing heat.
"You're strong," Edran said, panting. "But I'm fire-born."
Nulgrim roared and came at him, blind with rage.
But Edran was faster, flames trailing in his wake as he launched a fiery lance wave, catching the beast off-guard.
Their battle set the snow alight.
Mage-Captain Alithra vs. Orrik the Plaguebrand
Alithra walked forward, calm, eyes glowing with holy runes.
Orrik spat plagues and hexes. Poison fog rolled toward her.
Alithra drew a circle in the air. A holy ward formed. The mist disintegrated.
She raised her staff, summoning water infused with light and launched it as piercing bolts. They struck Orrik's arms and shoulders, tearing rotted cloth and corrupt flesh.
"You defile life," she said. "I bring its justice."
Orrik snarled and summoned dark crows.
Alithra banished them with a radiant glyph, then cast Rain of Purity—a shower of shimmering light that burned like acid on evil.
He screamed as she walked forward, unflinching.
All across the battlefield, steel rang, spells blazed, and aura clashed like thunder and lightning.
And at the center of it all, Duchess Lireya stepped forward—her silver blade gleaming.
Eyes locked on Velkran.