Combat raged with escalating intensity. Raziel unleashed Cinderstorm Reign at full power—ash and molten rain cascading across chamber as temperatures spiked to volcanic levels that should have melted stone for kilometers.
The chamber walls didn't even crack.
Malvorn activated Cataclysm Stride as each step released gravity pulses that fractured floor beneath him—shockwaves that previously reshaped mountains during the Azurnath battle.
The dimensional reinforcement absorbed everything. Cracks sealed instantly while structure held perfectly.
Naelvorn's Tiderend Surge carved pressure-beams through air—attacks capable of splitting continental shelves underwater.
The walls shimmered while redirecting force harmlessly through dimensional folding.
Frostina's Permafrost Veil generated absolute-zero cold across half the chamber—freezing that would turn forests to ice-sculptures.
The merger-era architecture regulated temperature automatically while maintaining structural integrity despite impossible stresses.
Four Overlords fighting at full power.
The chamber contained everything effortlessly.
Through Genesis Codex, Draven processed the implications while dodging Bearer-killer strikes.
Months ago, when Malvorn and Raziel had fought Azurnath—the corrupted pseudo-Overlord—their battle had devastated hundreds of kilometers. Mountains collapsed. Forests burned. Rivers boiled. The entire continent felt tremors.
Three Overlords fighting at partial restraint had nearly broken Theia's crust.
Now, four Overlords—plus Draven, plus four Lord-tier beasts—fought at maximum intensity inside this chamber.
Outside the ruins, birds probably sang peacefully. Grass swayed in breeze. Trees stood undisturbed.
Zero damage bleeding through.
"The Architects contained Overlord combat perfectly," Adhivar stated through Codex as awe was evident. "Dimensional isolation. Energy redirection. Structural reinforcement operating millions of years later."
Luminestra's presence carried reverence. *They built to last eternally. And to protect.*
The cosmic-golem pressed Draven relentlessly. He parried with Stormfang as longsword crackled with stored lightning charges—blade meeting crystalline construct-weapon in shower of sparks.
Warden's Aegis activated automatically as magical barrier deflected strike that would've crushed ribs. Sixty-second cooldown began.
Draven countered with Thunder Strike—releasing stored charge through blade. Magnitude 3 shockwave erupted while stunning golem briefly.
Two charges remaining.
He used the opening to retreat while gasping. Muscles screamed. The Bearer-killer was faster, stronger, tireless.
"Need breakthrough," Draven muttered while analyzing through Genesis Codex desperately.
There had to be weakness.
Constructs weren't invincible.
***
Feyra's analytical mind caught it first. Her dimensional-golem fought perfectly—mirroring every technique, countering every portal, adapting constantly.
But adaptation required processing time.
Milliseconds only—but measurable.
"They're not precognitive!" Feyra called out as Gleamstep allowed dodging through light-speed movement. "They analyze and respond! Create unpredictable combinations—they struggle adapting!"
Velnar immediately understood. His Everthorn Arsenal generated thorns while simultaneously using Soilshaper Pulse—combining earth and plant manipulation chaotically.
The earth-golem hesitated—brief, fractional second—trying to counter both elements simultaneously.
Velnar's thorns pierced through that hesitation while cracking crystalline armor.
"Combine abilities!" Velnar roared. "Mix elements! Overwhelm processing!"
Sylvara responded instantly. Verdant Bind plus Groveheart Blessing—attacking while healing, offense and support merged.
Her nature-golem struggled as vines landed solid hits.
The pack had found the edge.
Draven heard Feyra's insight and adapted instantly.
The Bearer-killer expected sword combat—programmed for Stormfang patterns, countering lightning strikes efficiently.
Draven feinted with Stormfang—drawing golem's defense high. Then dropped low while pulling Thornblade from hip sheath in fluid motion.
The dagger plunged into golem's leg-joint—between crystalline armor plates where structure met mobility.
Thorn Growth activated. Vines erupted from wound while spreading through construct's internal mechanisms, grappling and restricting movement.
The golem adapted while trying to purge vines—but Draven was already moving.
Thunder Strike through Stormfang—second charge released point-blank into torso.
Shockwave plus thorn-grapple equals devastating combination.
The Bearer-killer staggered as crystalline armor cracked visibly.
First real damage inflicted.
"Multi-weapon!" Draven shouted. "They adapt to single patterns! Switch constantly!"
The Overlords heard and responded with terrifying creativity.
Malvorn combined Graviton Core pulling with Stone Legion constructs—gravity attracting golem while stone-titans attacked from behind simultaneously.
Draconic-golem couldn't counter both—pulled forward into stone-fists as armor shattered.
Raziel merged Infernal Dominion and Scorchpulse Roar—controlling magma while simultaneously sonic-blasting. Volcanic-golem overheated trying to counter sound while magma exploited distraction.
Frostina layered Absolute Frost Dominion with Cryo Reversal—freezing while absorbing. Ice-golem's attacks became her fuel, reversed against it.
Naelvorn laughed while combining Abyssal Dominion with Pressure Core—currents from one direction, crushing density from another.
"They're just smart rocks, bro!" Naelvorn called cheerfully as serpentine form constricted water-golem through multi-vector pressure.
Living creativity defeating programmed perfection.
***
Zor's aerial battle concluded first. Storm Crown plus Sovereign Strike plus Tempest Shroud—triple-combination overwhelming aerial-golem's processing.
Lightning halo blinded sensors. Dive-strike from unexpected angle. Storm-wrapping obscured approach vector.
The construct couldn't adapt fast enough.
Zor's talons pierced crystalline head as Voice of Thunder shrieked directly into construct's core.
The aerial-golem shattered while falling in crystalline fragments.
"First down!" Zor called triumphantly as golden form blazed with lightning.
The alliance felt morale surge. One golem defeated—eight remaining, but momentum shifting.
"Keep pressure!" Draven commanded as Warden's Aegis recharged. "Systematic elimination!"
The pack moved as unified force—years of coordination manifesting perfectly.
Feyra's Dawnflare Beam blinded dimensional-golem. Velnar's Root Dominion beasts attacked while blinded. Sylvara's Nature's Command redirected beasts mid-strike while creating chaos.
Dimensional-golem fell as core shattered by triple-coordinated assault.
Sylvara and Feyra immediately combined against nature-golem. Groveheart Blessing plus Lifelight Surge—healing energy corrupting construct's nature-mimicry. Living life-force versus artificial.
Nature-golem collapsed as vines withered.
Velnar solo-finished earth-golem—Everthorn Arsenal plus Soilshaper Pulse plus Verdant Regeneration sustaining him. Thorn-vines pierced every joint simultaneously as crystalline structure fragmented.
Three pack-golems defeated within minutes.
Five down. Four remaining—all Overlord-tier plus Bearer-killer.
The hardest battles continuing.
"Overlords, finish yours!" Draven shouted. "Pack, support me!"
Malvorn crushed draconic-golem with Graviton Lock—gravity trap compressing until crystalline structure imploded.
Raziel melted volcanic-golem with sustained Cinderstorm Reign—overwhelming heat finally exceeding construct's thermal limit.
Frostina froze ice-golem solid with Hibernal Pulse, then shattered it with precise strike—absolute stillness followed by total destruction.
Naelvorn drowned water-golem with Abyssal Dominion—ocean pressure collapsing internal mechanisms.
Four Overlord-golems destroyed nearly simultaneously.
Eight down.
One remaining: Bearer-killer.
Every ally turned toward Draven's battle.
The cosmic-construct stood alone—still dangerous, still adaptive, but now outnumbered catastrophically.
The alliance converged.
Draven feinted with Thornblade—dagger drawing attention low. Malvorn's Cataclysm Stride from behind—gravity pulse staggering construct. Feyra's Dawnflare Beam from left. Zor's Sovereign Strike from above.
Bearer-killer tried adapting to all vectors—failed.
Draven's Stormfang plunged through cracked torso-armor—final Thunder Strike released point-blank into core.
The cosmic-golem exploded in dimensional fragments.
Silence.
Nine golems defeated. Chamber secured.
The alliance collapsed—wounded, exhausted, barely standing.
But victorious.
"Anchor... accessible," Draven gasped while leaning on Stormfang.
Tomorrow. They'd retrieve it tomorrow.
Tonight, they'd earned rest.
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