"Oh, so that's the ley line." He mumbled.
Looking through the pyramid was a lot of fun. He would have to make an improved version for himself later. Perhaps with more sides so he could view more layers, and it would have to be capable of switching between layers.
Pointing the pyramid at the ceiling he watched as the clouds changed shape and saw purple colors start gathering together before streaking off into the distance. Lightning and rain, the storm was going to become worse soon, again.
Then he faced it towards the wasteland and froze.
In the distance he could see a wave of gray and blood red coming towards them.
He couldn't see what it was made of yet, but it didn't give him a good feeling. Whatever it was, it was moving fast.
"Old Tobias is Magnus around?"
Looking in his direction, Old Tobias said, "No, he's up on the surface, why?"
"Come take a look at this." Chronos waved him over.
Holding up the pyramid for him, Old Tobias looked through it and frowned.
"What am I looking at?"
"I don't know. The blue is water, the greens are plants, and most of the others are animals but this gray and blood red mixture isn't natural. I can't tell what it is or where it's coming from but it's coming in our direction." Chronos reported.
Old Tobias looked at it for a minute confirming what he said then shouted down the hallway.
"Get Magnus down here! We've got an emergency report!"
Chronos heard one of the guards start running for the surface before Old Tobias turned back to him.
"Keep an eye on them and report any changes you see."
"Yes, sir."
Looking back at the image Chronos observed how more groups joined the wave and little by little it became larger. If it kept growing at this rate, then there would be thousands of individuals by the time it reached the plateau.
A short time later Magnus came running into the core room.
"What's the emergency?" He demanded with a regal demeanor.
He was clearly in his commander mode now.
"Over here commander. Take a look at this." Chronos showed him the pyramid and explained what he was seeing.
"And you're certain that these figures aren't natural?" Magnus asked.
"Yes, this mixture of colors is wrong. Like someone tried to imitate something that exists but it's not recognized by the nature sub-layer."
Chronos had observed the nature sub-layer long enough to understand what should exist and what shouldn't.
"How long until first contact?"
"Maybe three hours, four at the most. About the same time the storm will hit us." Chronos replied.
Magnus was about to leave but froze at the last words. "Storm?"
Chronos pointed the pyramid at the sky and showed him the movement of the clouds and lightning.
"According to what I'm seeing here there will be a powerful storm in four hours. Lightning, wind, rain, the works. It'll be a horrible storm, and we'll need to tie down most of the stuff on the surface."
"That's... really helpful. I don't suppose you could make more of those pyramids. Having a few of them on the aerial warships would save so much power during travels."
"I can make more but it'll be difficult to use them or understand what you're seeing without a spatial element. If we had the right materials, it would be easy." Chronos said.
Nodding Magnus walked towards the entrance. "Finish all of your work within two hours. I want everyone on duty for what's coming." He shouted
"Yes, sir." All of the enchanters replied.
Work in the power core room picked up as everyone tried to reach a stopping point before the deadline.
Chronos had already finished the work he needed to do so he set the pyramid next to the bore hole and followed Magnus outside.
Once outside Magnus started shouting orders at his men.
By the time the enemy was in sight they had already finished reinforcing the plateau and set up arbalests on its edge. They hadn't built the inner walls yet but being on a plateau would give them an advantage in range and defense at the start.
Unfortunately, most beasts could climb walls if you gave them even a small reprieve in combat making the height of the plateau more of a delaying tactic rather than an absolute defense.
In the distance they could see a black tide charging in their direction. It was made up of black figures of all kinds of beasts and animals, all of them native to the wastelands.
"Black beasts! It's a tide of black beasts! They're all fairly weak but number in the thousands!" Shouted a watchman from the deck of one of the aerial warships.
2000 of the crucible knights were standing on the plateau waiting for the enemy to come close enough to attack while 250 were aboard each of the smaller aerial ships manning the ballistae and arcane crossbows above them.
The Skyward Vanguard being a larger ship had 500 men aboard it, but it hadn't taken off yet. If they were forced to retreat the Skyward Vanguard could carry all 2000 men back into Dracon Fen and the rooms underground had already been rigged to blow up if they lost the plateau.
Chronos turned to Magnus, "These beasts are from the wasteland. They all have something special that gives them the power to fight or kill above their rank."
"Got it. Prepare for cross rank combat! Don't drop your guard!" Magnus shouted. "How hard do you think this is going to be?"
"Not hard but if we're not careful, we'll lose a large number of troops. I'm more concerned with why they are attacking at the same time as a storm, black beasts aren't that intelligent."
"So, there's a potential follow up attack? Then I'll hold Skyward Vanguard in reserve."
While they were talking Gregory, Sariah, and Lyla had joined them.
"Hey, welcome to the front lines. Will the grove be safe without you?" Chronos asked.
"Yep, Gorvak and the matron are guarding it and the swamp hag showed up when we were leaving. These creatures won't be able to get in no matter how many of them attack." Lyla replied.
Sariah sat down and began preparing multiple curses while Gregory checked the edge of the plateau for points to grab onto. Seeing what he was doing Magnus called out to him.
"We won't be going down until the latter half of the battle. During the first half we'll be using long range attacks to thin their numbers."
"Then I'll need a crossbow. I don't usually use long range attacks." Gregory responded.
"Sure thing. Here this crossbow will form arrows from lightning. It's the easiest element to handle in this environment."
Chronos was starting to understand more about how the Leybound Crucible Knights fought.
The crucible castles drew power from the ley lines to handle elements in nature and looking at the runes on the knight's armor Chronos realized that their armor and weapons did the same thing.
Thinking of it like that, the rumors about them being skilled with every element made more sense. It wasn't that they were skilled with every element but that they used the elements in the environments around them while in combat.
If they were in an unfamiliar environment that could pose some problems, but Chronos assumed that the knights had found some way around those problems.
Krsh-Crash! Boom!
Lightning flashed through the sky as thunder resounded over the wasteland. A sheet of rain swept across the plains as the storm broke above them.
"Sigh, this sucks. Fighting in the rain will make me smell like wet dog again." Chronos complained.
"We know. We've gotten used to the smell after travelling through Dracon Fen." Lyla said with a stiff smile.
"I feel like you're mocking me, but I can't tell where." Chronos stared at her, but she just showed him that same stiff smile.
Unable to make her confess he took out his aura bow and aimed it at the coming tide. Even though they were still several kilometers away he could pick out individual figures now, but he couldn't see any form of leadership amongst them.
"Hold!" Magnus's voice echoed over the plateau as he waited for the black beasts to get closer.
The rain pelted the knights as they waited for the black beasts to enter an effective kill range and circles appeared in front of the plateau as the mages cast magic to increase the weapons maximum range.
The beasts were still 9 kilometers away.
"Hold!"
7 kilometers now. They were moving very fast and Chronos wouldn't be surprised if they climbed the plateau's wall in a matter of seconds. In the air above them were bird type monsters attracted to the commotion and promise of fresh meat.
Then the order was given.
"Fire!"
The moment the beasts reached the 5-kilometer range a hail of lightning arrows rushed across the sky at the beasts.