Everyone was already consumed by sadness and despair. They had been surrounded by the army of the Black Shadows, ready to be sent back to the mines under brutal conditions. The harsh labor awaiting them was a cruel fate no one wished to face.
However, just when it seemed there was no escape, the ground began to shake violently. Suddenly, the mine collapsed, unleashing a massive surge of lava that erupted furiously from the depths. Amid the debris emerged a titanic creature engulfed in flames. It was an enormous Kaiju, with a long and majestic neck, a dragon-like head, massive wings that shimmered like burning embers, and four powerful legs—two of which ended in gigantic clawed hands.
The creature let out a deafening roar that froze the blood of everyone present. Its presence was imposing, almost divine, as if it had risen directly from the bowels of hell.
"What is that, sir?" some of the soldiers asked Blaget, visibly terrified.
"I don't know, but fire at it!" Blaget ordered, trying to maintain his composure in front of his men. Though he was just as frightened as they were, he knew any sign of weakness would cause him to lose control of the situation.
Quickly, the mechanical bulls launched balls of purple fire at the creature's chest. Each projectile struck with tremendous force, but not a single one managed to penetrate its scaly skin. The beast responded with an enraged shriek, its gaze filled with fury as it surveyed everyone present. Then, the lava flowing from its body began pooling in its massive maw. With a swift motion, it unleashed a stream of liquid fire toward Blaget's army, melting the mechanical bulls and reducing their operators to ashes.
Panic seized everyone. The soldiers, instead of continuing to restrain the Reedalians, fled in terror at the threat posed by the creature. The Kaiju began charging energy in its mouth once more, preparing to unleash another devastating attack.
"Where are you going, cowards? Come back!" Blaget shouted, attempting to assert authority. However, his voice trembled slightly, betraying the fear gnawing at him inside.
In the interim, at the castle…
"My lord, my lord Blajon!" a voice called urgently.
"What is it, soldier? Why do you sound so afraid?" Blajon asked, looking up from the documents he was reviewing.
"Lord Blaget has already captured the rebel army," the soldier reported, though his tone remained nervous.
"Good, that's progress. But why do I sense panic in your voice?" Blajon asked, frowning.
"It's just… a massive creature has emerged from the depths of the inferno where the mine was. It's causing destruction and chaos. Blaget's army is there, but it's being annihilated by that thing."
"What?! That can't be. That's a quarter of my forces," Blajon exclaimed, clearly alarmed.
"Oh, speaking of that…" another voice interrupted. "Ah, it's you, Ribras. What are you doing here? Weren't you conducting your experiments?"
"Yes, my lord. But I see that this creature is extraordinarily strong. You'd better abandon this place. It's no longer safe, and soon it will be destroyed by that thing," Ribras advised seriously.
"I can't afford to lose this location. Tejod would see it as a disgrace and strip me of my power," Blajon replied, refusing to accept the suggestion.
"As for that… you'd better forget about it and return to Tehtra immediately," Ribras insisted.
"I can't go back with my tail between my legs. Not when I was so close," Blajon retorted, clenching his fists in frustration.
Suddenly, one of the castle walls collapsed violently, melted by a torrent of lava that began seeping into the area. The atmosphere grew suffocating, thick with heat and smoke.
"If you're right… Let the Reedalians burn," Blajon muttered dismissively as he turned to one of his soldiers. "Quickly, go gather whatever forces are left. We're leaving." Then, under his breath, he added to himself: "Besides, I've already hidden the crystal in an extremely secret location."
Blajon was visibly shaken at the thought of facing whatever had destroyed part of the castle. With trembling hands, he asked, "That thing… It must be powerful?"
"Yes, sir. And it's enormous," Ribras replied, handing him a pair of special binoculars so he could get a better look.
Blajon broke into a cold sweat as he focused the device on the outside. What he saw left him paralyzed: a colossal monster engulfed in fire and lava, radiating an intimidating aura that seemed to defy any form of resistance. This reaffirmed his decision to flee without looking back.
"What are you waiting for? An invitation? Let's get out of this hell!" Blajon shouted, completely losing his composure. "Everyone get to the vehicles! Now! We're heading home! That's an order!"
Ribras, observing the scene from a distance, murmured to himself: "Well, well… This faction is full of lunatics, but I see they value their lives too. What a waste of time." After a brief pause, he continued, thinking aloud: "I'd like to examine that thing… Maybe it can help us complete the ultimate weapon. But it's far too strong. I'd better return to my lab and check on our guest."
In the meantime, all the Black Shadows were on high alert, beginning to evacuate the kingdom as quickly as possible.
On the Battlefield…
"Lord Blaget! Leader Blajon is abandoning the kingdom with his forces! What do we do?" a soldier reported, panting heavily as he ran up to the scene.
"Well, if Lord Blajon is leaving, we'd better get out of this infernal place too," Blaget replied with disdain. "It's not worth staying here. We should retreat before that thing wipes us all out."
"Yes, sir," the soldier responded, quickly rising to his feet. However, before he could take another step, a stream of liquid fire launched by the beast struck him, melting him instantly before Blaget's eyes.
"I'd better leave this place carefully," Blaget muttered as he fled in terror, no longer caring about the soldiers left behind on the field. These were exterminated one by one by the Kaiju, whose fury seemed endless.
In the meantime, with Ariafilis's Team…
"Careful!" Rodelos shouted as he helped the others find safety. "You need to get out of here. Ariafilis, you must evacuate the citizens."
"But what about the Black Shadows?" Jock asked, pointing to the enemies who were still nearby.
"I don't think they'll be a problem. They're fleeing because of that thing," Rodelos responded, his voice a mix of relief and concern.
"It's best if you leave with the kingdom's survivors," Rodelos added, looking at Ariafilis with determination. His voice was firm, but his eyes reflected his concern for everyone's fate.
"Yes, it's the best option," Ariafilis replied after a brief moment of reflection. Her tone was calm, though her expression revealed the gravity of the decision.
"But, my lady?" Jock said, alarmed, rushing closer. His voice trembled slightly as he tried to process the situation. "We can't just abandon the kingdom like this. This is everything we've fought to protect."
"There's no time for doubts, Jock," Ariafilis replied calmly, though her gaze hardened for a moment. "The kingdom can be rebuilt, but if we lose our people, there will be nothing left to save. Our priority now is to ensure their lives."
"My lady, how you've grown…" Jock commented, surprised by the maturity and wisdom Ariafilis displayed at that moment.
"Very well, I'll begin the evacuation," Jock responded, resolute in fulfilling his duty.
The soldiers of Reedalia began escorting the citizens away from the devastated area, though they were uncertain where to go. The Kaiju's breath was devastating, spreading across vast areas and leaving little safe ground for refuge.
"Paltio, Golden… Are you there?" Mok asked through the mental connection.
"Yes, we're inside this beast," Golden replied urgently. "How's everything outside?"
"Well, we're all out of the mine, but the creature managed to escape and is destroying the kingdom," Mok explained, his voice heavy with concern.
"I see," Paltio murmured as he analyzed the situation. "But what about the enemy?"
"It seems they're retreating. The Black Shadows are leaving the kingdom," Mok responded.
"Could we get out of this thing like you did with Oroboros, Golden?" Paltio asked, desperately seeking a solution. His tone reflected urgency, but also a glimmer of hope.
"We could… But unlike that monster, this creature's body is covered in lava both inside and out. Things don't happen the same way twice," Golden explained seriously, his voice firm yet filled with concern as he assessed the situation.
After a brief silence, Paltio communicated to Mok: "Golden is using his power to block the lava from reaching me, but he's running out of energy quickly."
"Perhaps with the protective sphere, I can shield myself, but I won't be able to attack or move inside it, and that's a big problem," Paltio added, thinking aloud.
"And if you use one hundred percent of Golden's power, maybe you can get out quickly," Mok suggested.
"I might be able to do it," Paltio reflected, "but if I do, I'll be so exhausted that I'll sleep for two days—or maybe more."
"That is a problem, Master," Mok said, worried. "But perhaps we can carve an opening in this thing for you to escape. As you said earlier, Golden can guide you to the exact spot."
"With the sword Geki gave me," Mok continued, his tone resolute. "It's very effective at slicing through tough things."
"Then what we can do is strike the same spot repeatedly," Paltio proposed. "Golden, you'll guide us to where we need to attack."
Without wasting another second, they agreed to try and get Paltio out of that fiery inferno.
Meanwhile, the beast continued unleashing its devastating attacks, advancing relentlessly through the kingdom. Its roar thundered like a storm, sowing chaos in its wake.
"It's not going to work, Paltio. I'm still sore and can barely move," Mok said, frustration evident in his voice. "Besides, the beast has already started moving."
"I'll handle that," Alita interrupted with determination, joining the plan alongside Nakia.
"And me too," Ron added resolutely, committing to the plan without hesitation.
"And me," Rodelos said, his voice firm and filled with resolve. "After all, he's my grandson."
"We'll help," Lume, Geki, and Chiki said in unison, ready to give it their all.
"And me too, Daddy!" Rykaru exclaimed excitedly, eager to participate.
Everyone was ready to execute this last-ditch effort, knowing it was their only chance to save Paltio and stand a better chance of confronting the creature.