Thump, thump, thump...
One after another, people collapsed without warning. From their bodies seeped a black vapor, thick and oily like tar, surging outward toward the bystanders like a predator seeking prey.
At the same time, shadowy, half-transparent figures rose slowly from those fallen residents, each one grotesquely unique: some twisted into multi-headed serpents, others warped into demonic warriors, hulking wyverns, and abominations that defied human understanding.
"What in the world...?"
Mr. Crownguard, who until now had maintained a calm facade, finally lost his composure. His eyes grew grave as he scanned the square, while beside him, Lady Crownguard instinctively seized Lux's hand.
"This is why I asked you to call off this trial."
Duke sighed helplessly. As his arms spread open, golden streaks flashed through the air. Every nightmare shade was pierced in succession, scattering back into whirling black dust.
All that the survivors could see was a streak of gold darting again and again through the void.
"Fosbayro has drawn the attention of a demon," Duke explained flatly. "Everything that's happened is his trick. But saying so now is pointless."
"He has already dragged the nightmares into the mortal world. To him, the people of this city are nothing but food."
"A demon?"
Lady Crownguard gasped, tightening her grip on Lux. "How could such a creature exist here?"
"That question," Duke said with a shrug, "you'll have to take up with your grandfather, Fosien." All the while, he continued guiding Ming-Chan to carve apart nightmare shades across the square.
Yet these horrors, crawled from the deepest, blackest corners of people's minds, seemed inexhaustible. Even though Ming-Chan had destroyed hundreds in the blink of an eye, more and more kept pouring forth without end.
"Could it be..." Mr. Crownguard's eyes widened as the realization struck him.
Duke rolled his eyes. "Don't waste time chasing the truth right now. Focus on surviving this mess in front of you!"
"These creatures are nothing but the crystallized nightmares of Fosbayro's residents, the darkest shadows in their hearts, given form."
"If you don't want to die, then fight back, Sir Crownguard!"
No matter how many times Duke directed Ming-Chan to strike, the shadows multiplied endlessly.
Nightmares unending, terrors undying.
"I understand." Lux's father drew a long, steady breath, pulling his sword free from his belt. Whatever the cause of this disaster, there was no time to seek answers now. The first priority was to confront the nightmare shades and protect those under his care.
"Everyone!" he raised his blade high, voice ringing out across the square, "Form up!"
The Crownguard soldiers who had been shielding them snapped instantly into formation, weapons and shields at the ready.
"For Demacia!"
"For Demacia!"
With their commander leading the charge, the soldiers hurled themselves against the nightmares.
Duke, watching, couldn't help but roll his eyes. So many enemies... and they still thought to win through brute force and close combat?
"Lux, stay close to me!"
Her mother gripped her daughter's hand tightly. "Mother will protect you. Don't be afraid, no matter what happens."
Lux nodded, catching her meaning. Her mother was warning her not to use magic.
"I understand, Mother."
"Ahem. Lady Crownguard, aren't you forgetting someone?"
Duke cleared his throat twice. Lady Crownguard looked at him, her gaze complicated.
"Sir Duke, I must apologize for my earlier attitude. But now, in this situation, "
"Save it," Duke interrupted. "Just watch."
"Tonight, I'll show you the power of science."
As he spoke, he donned Idis. "Idis, how many armed drones do we have in storage?"
"Three hundred, boss!"
"Good. Deploy them all. Prepare to assume control."
"Yes, boss!"
Duke opened his storage space, and a swarm of drones poured out, rising one after another into the air. Under Idis' command, they formed ranks overhead and opened fire, blasting the nightmare shades with synchronized volleys.
Lux and her mother stood frozen, wide-eyed, watching hundreds of drones ascend into the night sky and unleash coordinated fire. Their expressions were blank with disbelief.
"Sir Duke... you carry all these machines with you?"
Lady Crownguard's face shifted, reassessing him with a new, wary respect.
"Don't worry," Duke reassured. "This isn't magic. Pure technology."
"These are my own designs, stored in a spatial device. True science."
"And, I think you'll need this."
He produced a sonic screwdriver and placed it in her hand. "This little gadget should help you protect yourself."
"This is...?"
Lady Crownguard examined the tool with curiosity. She'd seen Piltover's inventions before, but nothing like this.
"Mother, I know how to use it, I'll show you!"
Lux pulled out her own screwdriver, demonstrating each step.
When Lady Crownguard pressed the trigger, a sharp sonic pulse burst forth, shattering a nightmare shade rushing toward her. She stared at the tool, utterly at a loss.
"This is incredible! Truly incredible! Are you certain this isn't magic?"
"One hundred percent science," Duke replied, exasperated at her doubt.
"Mother, Big Brother Duke made this himself! He has tons of amazing little gadgets!"
Lux proudly showed off her web-shooter. With a flick, a strand of silk bound a nightmare shade in place, and with the screwdriver she shattered it into dust.
"Unbelievable... To achieve this without magic... perhaps we need to rethink our stance toward Piltover."
Lady Crownguard's eyes gleamed. Whether Duke had revealed everything or only the tip of the iceberg, the implications were immense. Her family would be wise to win his loyalty.
"And here, take these as well."
Duke handed each of them a miniature shield generator.
"Press the switch, and it'll deploy a barrier to protect you."
They obeyed, and at once shimmering blue shields enclosed them. Both women's eyes lit up with awe.
"Incredible. Absolutely incredible!"
Within the shield, Lady Crownguard pressed the sonic screwdriver again and again, each wave dispersing another nightmare shade.
"As long as it helps," Duke said with a smile.
From his storage, he drew out a set of strange spheres, ten in total.
"Idis, activate the Viper Cannons."
"Yes, boss!"
The spheres unfolded into heavy turrets, locking into place in a defensive ring around Lux and her mother.
The Viper Cannons roared, energy beams lancing outward, drowning out the screeches of the nightmares. The air was filled with bursts of black dust.
"I'll check on Sir Crownguard."
With a smile, Duke strode toward Lux's father.
Around them, packs of demonic hounds charged, jaws lined with venomous fangs. The Crownguard soldiers braced their shields and swords, forming an iron wall.
One step forward, Lux's father thrust his blade into a hound's waist. A mortal beast's spine would have snapped, but the creature dissolved into black dust with a wailing scream.
"Sir Crownguard, I think you could use some help."
Unhurried, Duke strolled through the chaos, nightmare shades scattering around him, and stopped before the embattled formation.
Lux's father glanced at his wife and daughter, safe behind the barrier, then nodded deeply to Duke.
"You have my thanks, Sir Duke. Without you, we might already be lost."
"Save your words for later. Let's deal with what's in front of us first."
From his storage, Duke kept producing gear.
"Your swords can hold the line, but you'll never break through with just that."
"Do you have a solution?"
"The times have changed, Sir Crownguard."
Duke tossed out the latest exoskeleton armor, attaching locator beacons to Lux's father and five of his men.
"What's this?"
"Prototype exosuits. Not yet released. You'll be the first to wear them."
"Gentlemen, prepare yourselves!"
With a snap of his fingers, six armored cubes flew to their targets, unfolding and fusing seamlessly onto their bodies. In moments, the men stood clad in gleaming exoskeletons, weapons humming with power.
Though these suits were made as side projects, mere diversions while Duke worked on true magitek armor, their defense and enhancement surpassed the first generation by dozens of times.
Empowered, Lux's father grabbed a frost troll bare-handed and tore it apart into black smoke.
"This is your newest design? The strength is incredible! Has the High Command gone mad, ignoring weapons like these?"
His indignation was plain. "Why are these not deployed in Demacia? Must more soldiers die before they see reason?"
Duke didn't bother answering. Instead, he looked at them and said, "Clear some space, I have two more big fellows to bring out."
"Big fellows?"
Lux's father blinked.
In the next instant, Duke summoned Pride and Gluttony from his storage.
"ROAR!"
Pride's bellow shook all of Fosbayro as Idis' voice chimed in his ear:
"Boss, we've located the target!"
End of chapter....
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
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