Chapter 30.6: The Final Battle - Resumed Hostilities
Personal System Calendar: Year 0009, Days 1-28 Month XII: The Imperium
Imperial Calendar: Year 6854, 12th month, 1st to 28th Day
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Under Pressure
Deep within the Forest of Shadowfen, far from the contested borders, a meeting had been called by the guardian beasts who had committed to the assault before. They gathered in Pico's domain, a space where darkness and light existed in uneasy balance, to voice their grievances about why their commander was hesitating when they could supposedly crush their enemies if attacks simply continued.
From Pico's perspective, watching these powerful creatures posture and complain, it seemed her generals had conveniently forgotten about the wounds they had been whining about just days ago, insisting they needed time to heal before returning to battle. She almost laughed at their transparent attempt to hide embarrassment behind false bravado.
But she also had to acknowledge her own responsibility. She had ordered these attacks. Time and time again, it seemed their enemies were winning major engagements despite Shadowfen's overwhelming numerical advantage. Yes, they had managed to capture approximately 15% of Lonelywoods' northern territories, but it wasn't nearly as much as she had projected in her strategic calculations.
She had now lost countless common and soldier beasts, dozens of boss-ranked creatures, and even two of her twenty behemoths. The casualties were mounting to unsustainable levels, and worse, her reputation was suffering. Other great forests were watching this campaign closely. Prolonged failure here would embolden challenges to her authority elsewhere.
Pico was under tremendous pressure to demonstrate decisive action. So she made her decision: full commitment. No more probing attacks or measured escalation. It was time to throw everything at the problem and resolve it through overwhelming force.
Telepathically, she transmitted orders to her assembled generals. They were to prepare for total war. And critically, she would personally join the fight. Her presence on the battlefield would inspire her forces and demonstrate that she took this campaign seriously enough to risk herself.
The remaining guardian beasts not committed to the Lonelywoods campaign were ordered to watch Shadowfen's northern, western and eastern borders vigilantly. Their neighbors, especially in the northern direction, had historically been opportunistic, and they would certainly attempt bold territorial expansion if they sensed Pico was distracted and vulnerable elsewhere.
As for that powerful being residing in the human settlement, the one whose presence had deterred their attacks for weeks, Pico decided she would simply avoid that section of the battlefield. She would focus on defeating Ozythalos directly. With the Equilibrium of the Depths eliminated, Lonelywoods' defense would collapse regardless of what one human duke could accomplish.
This would prove to be a major miscalculation, though Pico wouldn't recognize it until far too late.
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The Drums of War
Over the following days, the drums of war reached the newly established borders with thunderous intensity. The assault resumed with far greater ferocity than previous engagements. Even with the Guardian Beasts of Lonelywoods holding their defensive lines with desperate courage, victory seemed to be slipping away from the defenders.
Ozythalos had moved to the frontlines personally, his massive serpentine form creating tidal waves and water barriers that disrupted enemy formations. Aetherwing, having finally healed from his previous wounds, and he joined the aerial combat along with his sons and daughters. His wife and young offsprings along with his daughters-in-law and sons-in-law remained behind to guard Maya Village directly, serving as the last aerial defense should beasts manage to slip past the main battle lines.
Maya Village was as prepared as it could be. Just days ago, the Dragonguard detachment led by Grand Captain Commander Lex Draconis had arrived, adding 100 elite warriors to the defenders' strength. They now technically operated under Duke Maximilian's overall command structure, though as the Emperor's personal warriors, they maintained significant operational independence. By seniority of rank, however, they would coordinate with strategies developed by the duke.
August had fully recovered from his own injuries during the extended truce. The respite, however short, had been spent wisely on recovery, not just from wounds but from the psychological exhaustion of constant combat.
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The Border Clash
The border fighting intensified dramatically. Defenders found themselves being pushed back inch by inch before human reinforcements could arrive to support the forest denizens.
The combat was primal and devastating in equal measure. Claws tore through the beast's hide and armor. Their beaks crushed bones. The fangs found throats. Teeth ground together in death grips. Punches from creatures the size of houses created craters. Kicks sent bodies flying hundreds of meters. Tail whips moved with supersonic speed, creating sonic booms. Body slams registered on seismic instruments in distant human settlements. Magic of every conceivable element filled the air with lethal energy.
It was an environmental catastrophe that significantly damaged portions of the ancient forest. Entire mountains were leveled by the clash of titans. Trees that had stood for millennia were obliterated in seconds. Explosions from magical detonations created new valleys. The scent of blood became so thick it was almost tangible. The echoes of screams and roars created a constant wall of sound. Ear-piercing screeches from dying creatures could be heard for dozens of kilometers.
Even though Pico had arrived personally, she didn't immediately engage in the general battle. Instead, she flew high to confront her counterpart, though at the back of her mind, a nagging feeling persisted that the humans who had not yet appeared on the battlefield were positioning for an ambush.
She spotted Ozythalos in the distance, his massive form coiled around a series of interconnected lakes, using the water as both shield and weapon.
"It's been a while, Ozythalos," Pico transmitted telepathically, her mental voice carrying sarcastic amusement. "It seems your garden here has taken some damage. If only you had surrendered earlier, we could have worked out a mutually beneficial arrangement. You could have been my left wing, my second-in-command. Together, we could have dominated this entire region."
There was sarcasm laced through her words, but also genuine truth. She would have accepted Ozythalos as a subordinate if he had shown proper deference. His strategic mind would have been useful, his power valuable.
Ozythalos recognized both the sarcasm and the underlying offer. But as an Arbiter Guardian Beast, he had been assigned by forces beyond either of them to maintain balance in this forest. That was what he would do. He would never bow or pledge allegiance to any of his peers, regardless of their power or promises.
"Enough with your nonsense, Pico," Ozythalos replied telepathically, his mental voice carrying the weight of the deep waters and with ancient purpose. "I will never bow, nor will any of the beasts here who value freedom over servitude."
"Ha! I expected as much," Pico responded, and her mental laughter was harsh on the mind. "Let us see what you are truly capable of, and whether your title as the Equilibrium of the Depths holds any actual weight, or if it's merely an inflated reputation!"
All of this communication occurred telepathically in the span of seconds while the two massive creatures stared at each other across the battlefield. If anyone could have intercepted their mental exchange, they would have been surprised to learn it entailed discussion of the lives and fates of all the beasts that lived in both forests.
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Mythical Duel Between the Two Arbiters
Their battle was truly catastrophic. The shockwaves from their initial clash could be felt hundreds of to thousands of kilometers away, causing minor earthquakes in distant human settlements. Windows shattered in villages that had no idea a war was even occurring.
Unfortunately for Pico, this was Ozythalos' home territory. He had the fundamental advantage of fighting on ground, or rather in waters, he had shaped and defended for centuries. He knew every lake, every underground river, every hidden aquifer. The very water responded to his will with perfect synchronization.
But Pico wasn't being one-sidedly beaten despite this disadvantage. She possessed wings, and anything that could fly held inherent advantages when hunting creatures bound to earth or water. As an owl, Pico was a natural aerial predator with instincts honed over countless generations specifically for hunting serpentine creatures like Ozythalos.
This created an almost balanced confrontation despite the home territory advantage. Pico would soar so high that she became virtually invisible from the ground, aided by her mastery of darkness and wind elements. She could attack from angles Ozythalos couldn't easily defend, striking with talons enhanced by shadow magic before disappearing back into the clouds.
But Ozythalos possessed tricks of his own. He used water as both shield and sensory medium, detecting Pico's approach through disturbances in atmospheric moisture. His natural water element allowed him to create barriers and projectile attacks. More surprisingly, he also commanded light magic, one of perhaps ten creatures in the entire forest capable of such an element. The light magic specifically countered Pico's shadow abilities, negating much of her stealth advantage.
Their battle became a deadly dance of technique versus technique, advantage versus counter-advantage. Pico's shadow-enhanced dive attacks were met with brilliant light barriers that dispelled darkness. Ozythalos' water spears were evaded through aerial maneuvers no ground-bound creature could match. Neither could gain decisive advantage, locked in combat that threatened to last for days.
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Darkness Descending
Elsewhere across the forest, a huge darkness loomed over the battlefield like physical weight. This was the environmental effect brought by the combined forces of Shadowfen, their shadow magic literally blotting out sunlight and creating artificial twilight that favored their corrupted nature.
Aetherwing now fought only two aerial behemoths rather than the previous four, a testament to his skill and determination in previous engagements. But his ground-based counterparts still faced four opponents each, and this time the Shadowfen forces were far better prepared. Their attacks were more coordinated, more intense, leaving the Lonelywoods defenders wounded and desperately backpedaling.
The four Guardian Beasts of Lonelywoods were being systematically overwhelmed despite their courage and skill. Osteo Tyranus Rex bled from dozens of wounds. Quincunx Maru's magnificent coat was matted with blood. The Arbor Hydra Weaver had lost two of its eight legs. Drake the Iron-Horn Bulwark's legendary armor showed cracks that shouldn't have been possible.
When all hope seemed lost, their unlikely saviors arrived.
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The Light in the Darkness
From the direction of Maya Village, a light began to shine through the oppressive darkness. If you looked from above, it appeared as though stars were breaking through clouds, points of brilliant radiance piercing the shadow.
The Solar Guard had arrived, their golden armor literally glowing with internal light enhanced by their solar magic. Behind them marched the Dragonguards, each warrior burning with determination and battle-ready power. And at their head walked Duke Maximilian Solmane himself, his very presence seeming to push back the darkness through sheer force of will.
Duke Maximilian immediately assessed the battlefield with the experienced eye of someone who had commanded armies for centuries. He identified the most critical threat points and began issuing rapid orders through both verbal commands and telepathic coordination with his officers.
He personally moved to assist the Guardian Beasts who were on the brink of death, his power so overwhelming that his mere arrival shifted the tactical situation. The other imperial soldiers engaged the weaker beasts, their professional discipline and superior equipment creating immediate impact. The Solar Guard deployed in formations specifically designed to counter shadow magic, their cleansing sun-fire pushing back the corrupted darkness.
Meanwhile, August and Master Ben flew on Kirpy toward where Aetherwing battled two aerial behemoths. They had reasoned that if they could help finish these guardian beasts quickly, they could then assist elsewhere on the battlefield.
The Dragonguards engaged the beast lords from the enemy camp, finally giving the exhausted Lonelywoods beast lord defenders relief from fighting multiple superior opponents simultaneously.
Their arrival sent a wave of renewed hope through the defensive forces. This was now a combined force of humanity and beasts versus the denizens of Shadowfen, a true alliance rather than humans merely supporting beast defenders.
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Cleansing Fire
Using the Solar Guard's specialty of cleansing sun-fire, the defenders began slowly pushing back the tide of corruption and darkness that had been enshrouding the battlefield like toxic fog. The golden flames didn't merely burn; they purified, destroying shadow magic at its fundamental level and restoring natural light to the forest.
Duke Maximilian, after stabilizing the situation around one group of Guardian Beasts, moved with incredible speed to assist others fighting different behemoths. His power was such that even these ancient creatures recognized him as a threat on par or superior with Arbiter-class opponents. Where he appeared, a lot of Shadowfen forces retreated or died.
The Dragonguards demonstrated why they were the Emperor's chosen elite. Each warrior fought with skill that made boss-ranked beasts struggle. Working in coordinated units, they systematically eliminated beast lords who had terrorized Lonelywoods for weeks.
This was a completely different scale and magnitude of combat than what August and Talon One had experienced during the siege at Fort Aurelexus. That had been brutal conventional warfare. This was something approaching mythological battle, a clash that would be remembered in legends if anyone survived to tell the tale.
It felt like fighting against gods themselves. Magical skills of devastating power were thrown around with casual frequency. The very air crackled with so much released mana that it created visible distortions. Reality itself seemed to bend around the most powerful combatants.
August, approaching the aerial battle, gripped Dorgon's Fang tightly and felt his personal system responding to the overwhelming combat, analyzing threats and suggesting tactical options at speeds his conscious mind couldn't match.
Master Ben's eyes glowed with inner fire as he prepared to unleash power he had kept carefully restricted for fear of causing collateral damage. But this battlefield was already devastated beyond repair. There was no longer any reason to hold back.
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No End in Sight
The battle had just entered its truly catastrophic phase, with no end in sight. The fighting would rage on for hours, perhaps days. The climax of this war was finally at hand, and the casualties would be devastating to both sides.
But for the first time since this war began, the defenders of Lonelywoods Forest had genuine hope of victory. The tide had turned, though the cost of that turning would be measured in blood and broken bodies on a scale that would haunt the survivors for the rest of their lives.
The final battle had truly begun.