The battlefield churned with a maelstrom of steel, magic and raw power. True to his title, the strategist's calm voice cut through the noise, issuing crisp commands that orchestrated their brutal dance as he made the best use of everyone's skills well learning and seeing them for the first time. He directed the stone statues to form an iron-hard perimeter around the weapon master, intercepting every potentially fatal blow and absorbing the brunt of the Marauders' desperate and panicked assaults. Beside them the clockworks moved with an inhuman precision, their metallic limbs a blur of motion as they tanked crushing blows before retaliating with devastating force, absorbing blows of magic and seemingly reflecting or redirecting them.
The Marauders, initially confidence in their numbers soon began to crumble. Their attention shifting as a wave of desperate realization washing over them as they witnessed the weapon master, a whirlwind of blades, carving a bloody and unstoppable path through their ranks, flanked by the statues and the relentless clockworks. They soon turned all there focus onto the weapons master, leaving the groups they were originally focused on alone to deal with the bigger threat, hoping to overwhelm him as they had so many before only to be met with a swift, brutal wake up call. Their ranged attackers, attempting to rain arrows and various forms of magic onto him from a distance were instantly neutralized by Ivy's phoenix as it swung around and began to let loose a fresh wave of flames. The fiery avian seemed to possess a will of its own, its form shimmering and adapting when they tried to use magic against it, shifting from searing fire to biting ice then crackling thunder before becoming raw, ethereal energy. Some Marauders were flash-frozen mid-spell, others incinerated where they stood well others where left convulsing as electricity coursed through them. Those truly unfortunate found their very essence displaced and disoriented by the ether's chaotic touch causing their bodies to warp and deform well others seemed to swell and blow up from an influx of energy their bodies couldn't handle. Amidst this whirlwind of destruction, any harm that managed to graze the weapon master was instantly sealed away by Hope, her focus on her support role was remarkable, eliciting a silent nod of impressed approval from John who, well having read that she was skilled hadn't expected it to be at such a level.
A brief lull in the main conflict provided a dangerous opportunity. A few cunning survivors, recognizing John's group as distinct from the main assault broke away from the Goliath before trying to exploit what they perceived as a vulnerable flank. Uncaring that John and the others where helping them or just not caring they moved with predatory intent to strike at them to remove what they saw as more competition for the Goliath kill. Their attempt was short-lived though. Saya, having kept a watchful eye on everything drew her blade with a whisper of steel before cutting them down, her movements a blur of lethal Hope as she dispatched anyone foolish enough to approach. With each flash of her sword, each swift strike a threat would meet their end before they could even hope to try anything. John himself had even gripped the scythe at his back, its cold weight grounding him, ready to unleash his own fury should any of them somehow slip past her or go for any of the others yet clearly more focused on protecting Hope.
Suddenly, a guttural roar, deep and resonant, ripped through the battlefield, drowning out the lesser sounds of combat. All eyes, including John's, snapped to the source: the Goliath. Though battered and scarred, seemingly on the verge of defeat had begun to slowly heave itself back onto its feet. It swung massive, stone-hard fists at the human-sized figures swarming its legs as they redoubled their desperate efforts to bring it down. The ground trembled with its renewed, terrifying presence as bodies, blood and meat were sent flying with each of its movements as it seemed to begin to rampage with growing speed and roars.
"Noisy," Angel stated, her voice devoid of emotion as her gaze fixed on the reawakened behemoth. With an almost imperceptible raise of her hand, a spear of crystalline ice began to coalesce, shimmering ominously above her. Beside her, Aria, her face contorted in a mask of intense concentration, began to weave a complex magic circle in the air in front of her. Purple flames, dark and hungry, slowly materialized within its intricate patterns, growing in intensity before erupting outwards. Both devastating forces were unleashed simultaneously. The ice spear struck first, burrowing deep into the Goliath's stony hide where its chilling magic slowly began to rapidly spread. Jagged tendrils of ice crawled across its massive form, freezing the very air around it. The combatants clinging to its hide where caught completely off guard, scrambled back in terror well those too slow found themselves encased in an instant, their forms frozen solid mid-scream. The icy effect slowly seemed to expand beyond the Goliath, causing sharp, crystalline spikes to erupt from the slowly freezing ground. But before the ice could fully consume everything it was met by a surging, blackish-purple inferno.
Aria's dark flames, released immediately after the spear, slammed into the ice-encased Goliath with an audible hiss as they made contact with the ice. The inferno quickly expanded outwards, following the path of the encroaching ice, consuming and melting it in a violent, hissing steam as if using it as a track. The sheer heat emanating from the magical flames was immense, causing sparks to dance in the air causing a wave of heat to wash over John and his group, even at a distance.
Hope and Ivy, sensing the immediate danger of such uncontrolled magic, acted with practiced synergy. Hope, with an elegant sweep of her hand, conjured a shimmering, protective shield of energy that enveloping their group well the weapon master, outside of its protective range seemed to predict the flames and ice's movements as he avoided them expertly well continuing his own battles. Simultaneously, Ivy had begun channeling her power, unleashing a powerful wave of water that burst forth over the dome and towards the encroaching flames, hissing loudly as it made contact with Aria's roaring flames. The resulting explosion of steam was instantaneous and overwhelming, filling the entire area in a thick, sight-obscuring cloud that made the world shrink to muffled sounds and the lingering scent of ozone and damp rock.
"What the hell was that!" John all but roared as he rounded on the pair, his frustration evident even through the muffled air. Their vision was completely obscured by the billowing steam, yet he could still make out the distant sounds of the weapon master's continued fighting. The strategist remained unnervingly calm and having closed his eyes before clasping his hands in front of himself, his fingers twitched almost imperceptibly as he continued to issue commands to the various clockworks and statues, seemingly unaffected by the sudden chaos.
"Sorry, Master. This one did not realize that their magic would be that potent. This one is unsure the reason it behaved in such a way, the thin energy in the air should have greatly limited what should have been possible resulting in that being nothing but a piercing ice, not a creeping tundra. This one will accept any punishment you see fit for their mistake…" Angel replied, her usual monotone voice carrying a rare, almost imperceptible hint of sadness as she lowered her gaze.
Aria looked equally distressed, avoiding eye contact. "I believe it's the same for Angel as it is for me, but your world, while perhaps not as abundant in energies, is somehow more pure? Or perhaps something is actively messing with this realm resulting in our magic not working how we are used to. It could even be a side effect of what you explained to us about your prior activities master, but all that is merely excuses. We should have been more careful. I am truly sorry, Master," she confessed, her pointed ears pressed flat against her head in a gesture of deep contrition.
With a heavy sigh, John surveyed the two powerful but apologetic figures before turning to the other two girls who's quick thinking helped protect his group. "Hope, Ivy, well done. Ivy, do you perhaps have a way to clear this steam? I need to know what's happening out there. I don't want us surrounded or ambushed because of the steaming mist," he instructed, his voice firm, faint traces of anger still present but clearly not directed at her. His priority was situational awareness, discipline or punishment could come later when they weren't in danger.
With a professional nod, Ivy raised her staff. A series of ancient, almost melodic words flowed from her lips, soon followed by a light green gust of wind that swirled around her before rapidly expanding outwards. The thick steam slowly began to thin and dissipate bit by bit, revealing the battlefield once more. They were greeted by a startling sight: the weapon master, now wielding a pair of gleaming axes, was locked in combat with four hulking figures. His wild laughter though was a clear indication that he was enjoying himself though rather than being in trouble. Each of his new adversaries were distinct, seemingly drawn from different, terrifying factions. One glowed with an ethereal white light, a pair of malformed white wings and a strip of white cloth over there eyes, another was an obsidian black titan of stone seemingly having his skin chip whenever hit. The final two, however, were less like humans and more like grotesque creatures, their forms constantly shifting, joining together when striking and spitting off to avoid blows. Their arms appeared decayed and their faces featureless voids. These four formidable beings all focused their might on the weapon master, while the clockworks and statues, now mostly defrosted efficiently picked off the remaining remnants of the Chaos Marauders and other survivors who tried to join the fray, thankfully ignoring those who tried to flee. The four new figures radiated a strong, oppressive aura, their sheer might giving John the distinct impression of confronting truly formidable adversaries and making him realize the extent of the gap between him and those who had two years to master there classes. He gripped his scythe tighter, his chains at the ready, preparing to launch himself into the fray to offer aid if needed not wanting to have a repeat of what had happened before but before he could jump in the strategist's hand rested gently on his arm.
"My Lord," the strategist began, his voice calm and reassuring, "rather, direct your attention to the large stone construct. There should be a small, faintly visible gem and an orb nestled within its chest. While these individuals may seem formidable, in the face of your warrior, they are naught but cannon fodder. I can assure you that not just I, but each of us whom you have acquired have faced far worse and stronger beings than them. So, I implore you, my Lord to not diminish his enjoyment by interfering, a warrior like him thrives and lives for the fight." He finished, stroking his well-groomed beard with a knowing look.
John turned, scanning the faces of his companions. Ash and Saya showed a flicker of uncertainty in their eyes as they kept looking around, seemingly expecting a surprise attack but the rest of his purchased allies—Angel, Aria, Hope and Ivy—all nodded in quiet agreement, seemingly sharing the strategist's confidence and confirming his words along with an almost relaxed confidence. With a deep breath he chose to trust the strategist, he had chosen him to assess situations so doubting him would just be counterproductive. He redirected his gaze to the fallen, half frozen and charred form of the Goliath. Its once rock-like appearance was now a crumbling, various parts flaking off and falling heavily to the ground with dull thuds. The surviving combatants, their fight momentarily paused, had turned their focus onto his group and the weapon master, those that hadn't fled already were filled with a mix of expressions from trepidation and caution to curiosity but even so there was clearly a few with hints of greed clearly visible. John, sensing the shift in dynamics, quickly issued new orders. "Angel, Aria, protect everyone but do so carefully and avoid unnecessary collateral damage this time. Ivy, provide cover fire if needed and Hope, keep up the excellent work. Saya, Ash, I want you two to listen to our strategist and act as needed if you're needed."
Before they could ask for further clarification, John launched himself forward, utilizing his chains to throw himself as they extended forward, latching onto a jagged outcropping to reach the crumbling form of the Goliath, landing with a heavy thud and a controlled roll right infront of the colossal beast before, with what he made seem like a practiced flourish, he wielded his chains like a demented Doc Ock, using them to launch himself upwards before expertly scaling the immense, crumbling structure towards the area the strategist had pointed out.
Surprised by his own speed and agility, he quickly reached the Goliath's broken chest. There, amidst the fractured stone, he found the supposedly "small" gem, which in reality was roughly the size of his own head. Beside it rested a strange gyroball, its many crystal-like rings spinning slowly around a central sun-looking stone that pulsed with a soft, almost hypnotic blue light that brought bad far too many angering memories. With a low growl he followed a deep sense of intuition that seemed to whisper to him what to do. With a gentle touch, he carefully retrieved the gem before turning to the gyroball, ripping it less gently from its place with surprising ease placing them securely into his storage sack. The moment they were removed however, the disintegrating that seemed to be taking place began to speed. Loose rocks and debris began to rain down as the beast began to crumble, its entire form letting out a deep groan It was only through sheer luck and a desperate, roll down its decaying form and excessive use of his chains to catching himself at the last moment that allowed him to avoid serious injuries.
Unfortunately, his dramatic retrieval and narrow escape drew everyone's focus onto him. Standing up and dusting himself off he gripped his scythe tightly, preparing for what he felt would inevitably be coming next. A sudden, profound warmth spread through him, a powerful surge of energy that made him feel stronger, more alive and incredibly energized – as if he could take on the entire world brought a smile to his face, realizing Hope had buffed him. His smile seemed to make many of them reconsider attacking him if the wary gazes now fixed upon him was any indication, but he was still prepared to fight, he wouldn't hesitate this time. What followed next, however, would test that newfound conviction beyond anything he could have imagined.