Nothing could be heard but the sound of a desolate wind sweeping across the vast plain. This was no ordinary field. It was an ancient battlefield where the sky-tearing swords of the gods and the earth-shattering fists of the Titans had once clashed. Even now, scars of earth, melted by powerful magic and turned to glass, testified to the brutal battle of that day.
Now, a large-scale army had established a camp on that legendary land. Though forces from several kingdoms had gathered to stand against the threat of the Noktus, only small units were in attendance due to each kingdom's own circumstances. The size of the force was disappointing, but considering the situation in each nation, even this number of troops showed a great deal of sacrifice and resolve.
The Kingdom of Altechna was bustling with preparations for battle. They were moving large amounts of food and supplies, and feeding an army was no easy task. However, Altechna accomplished this difficult mission through cooperation with other kingdoms. Supply convoys were continuously crossing the plain, carrying necessary goods to the soldiers.
King Alexander stood in the middle of the plain, surveying his army. Beside the heavy plate armor of the Iron Mountain Dwarves were the leaf-colored camouflage uniforms of the Forest Elves. The fur cloaks of the northern nomads fluttered in the wind, and the commands shouted in different languages and the clashing of weapons mixed to create a strange concerto. Lucas stood by Alexander's side, watching them.
"Brother, so many have gathered. Though they may be small in number, the courage they possess will be a great strength."
Alexander nodded and looked at Lucas. "You're right, Lucas. The very fact that they have come here shows that we are united. Considering the situation each nation is facing, it's a remarkable feat to have gathered even this many."
Edward, general of Altechna and Alexander's right hand, approached as he inspected the camp. He bowed his head and reported to Alexander. "Your Majesty, all units have completed their preparations. The front-line trenches have been reinforced with Lady Eris's spirit magic, and Brunok's reconnaissance team is reporting on the enemy's movements in real-time. We are only awaiting your command."
Alexander, feeling Edward's trustworthiness, nodded. "Edward, I am glad you are here. I am reassured that our soldiers are under your command. We can never retreat. Let us show our resolve here, where the Titans sleep."
Edward, his resolve hardened, replied, "As you command. My soldiers and I will never retreat. Just as the legend of the Titans protects this land, we too will do our best."
Rian and Ria were preparing for a strategy meeting with the commanders of each nation. Brunok was proposing a strategy based on his battlefield experience, and Eris was discussing a way to build defensive lines using the power of nature. Marielle was preparing to quickly heal the wounded during the battle and was reinforcing their defensive magic.
In the conference room, the commanders of each nation were explaining their respective units and raising their voices in a heated debate to find the optimal strategy. A Dwarven commander insisted on a shield wall, while an Elven commander argued for a surprise attack, their opinions clashing. King Alexander watched all of this, not letting his guard down for a moment.
Just then, Serena entered the conference room as the envoy of Elysium. She was a woman of much battle experience and was counted among the best in Elysium for her skill in strategy and combat. She looked at the commanders of each nation with a serious expression and said, "The soldiers of Elysium will be responsible for the left flank of the battle line. We plan to concentrate our attack on the Noktus's side. Our main mission is to disrupt the enemy's advance."
Rian nodded to Serena and said, "Serena, your experience will be a great help. Our cooperation in this battle will decide the victory."
Serena replied with confidence, "Of course. We will not retreat from this place. We will fight with all our strength and strategy."
After the meeting, the commanders of each nation finished their final preparations and returned to their soldiers. Rian stood at the very front with his greatsword, and Ria stood beside him, gathering her magical power to prepare the battlefield. Eris was calling forth the spirits of nature to strengthen the defensive lines, and Marielle was preparing her healing magic at the rear of the troops. Brunok was servicing his gun, keeping a close watch on the Noktus army.
As the sun set and twilight fell, a faint vibration began to be felt from a distance. Soon, that vibration became the sound of giant footsteps shaking the earth. The Noktus army, with hundreds of golems with glowing red eyes at their vanguard, had begun its advance.
"We do not retreat from this land!" Rian shouted to the soldiers. His voice echoed across the wide plain, and all the soldiers looked at him with resolute expressions.
The battle began. The Noktus army surged forward with powerful firepower, but the soldiers of each nation resisted tenaciously, meeting them head-on. Rian took the lead, swinging his greatsword to tear away the golems' outer shells, and Ria broke the enemy's formation with her powerful magic. Brunok's bullets accurately targeted the enemy's key commanders, and Eris's spirits slowed the enemy's advance, strengthening their defenses.
In the midst of the battlefield, King Alexander was fighting alongside his own soldiers. He led his kingdom and his allies, engaging in a fierce battle with the Noktus army. Alexander raised his sword high and shouted, "This is the battlefield for the freedom and peace of our continent! We have nowhere to retreat!"
The soldiers responded to the king's cry and fought even more bravely. Their shouts shook the land where the Titans slept, and the battle on the legendary ground continued. The soldiers of each nation, as if borrowing the power of the legendary Titans, were proving their resolve.
***
Episode : From Dusk Till Dawn
The Noktus had been closely watching the movements of the allied forces gathered in Altechna for several days. After thoroughly analyzing the deployment and defensive lines of the Altechnan army, they launched a surprise attack just as dusk began to fall. Fast and powerful golems took the lead, and the sound of their heavy footsteps heightened the tension on the battlefield.
The golems' steel fists crumpled the shield wall like paper, and soldiers were sent flying with screams. The shouts of commanders, the groans of the wounded, and the clang of steel mixed together, instantly creating a scene of pandemonium. But the allied forces quickly reformed their lines. Under the command of King Alexander and General Edward, the soldiers rapidly regrouped and strengthened their defenses. In the midst of the battlefield, Rian raised his greatsword high, encouraging the soldiers.
"Hold our defensive line! Don't let the golems break through!"
Ria, with a gesture of her hand, cast a powerful defensive spell to restrain the golems' movements, while Eris, drawing on the power of nature, shook the earth to bind their feet. Brunok aimed for the enemy's weak points, firing with precision, and Marielle quickly healed the wounded, relieving their battle fatigue. Serena moved stealthily in the darkness, seeking a chance to strike at the enemy commanders between the golems and mages.
Torches were lit in the distance, and Altechna's mace-wielding cavalry, prepared for a night assault, joined the battle. They used their powerful mobility to block the golems' advance and charged forward to break the enemy's defensive line. Striking the golems' tough outer shells with their maces to create cracks, the allied forces gradually began to regain control of the battlefield.
The Noktus, based on their experience from the last battle, had prepared golems specialized in defense and had positioned a mage unit in the rear to defend against the allied forces' attacks. They cast a powerful magic barrier to protect the golems and block the allies' assault. The mages' powerful spells lit up the night sky as they tried to dominate the battlefield, but the combined magic of Ria and Eris canceled them out.
Serena moved stealthily in the darkness, leading her unit of rogues. She gave a small signal, ordering her unit, "The opportunity will come soon. Everyone, be ready." Her rogue unit aimed for the gaps between the golems and mages, waiting for the moment to deliver a fatal blow. Her gaze shone fiercely, and her eyes, focused on the battlefield, were sharper than anyone's.
Edward led the Magic Swordsman unit and charged into the fray. They combined magic and swordsmanship, cutting through the golems' outer shells as they advanced. Edward swung his sharp sword, imbued with a powerful magical energy, and attacked the golem's core. His unit, cloaked in a magical barrier, blocked the golem's attacks while looking for an opening to land a powerful blow.
"Magic Swordsman unit, advance!" At Edward's shout, his unit members swung their swords in unison, attacking the golems' weak points. Their attacks cut through the outer shells, and through the cracks, Ria's ice magic seeped in, freezing the golems.
However, the golems did not fall easily even after being destroyed. The metal fragments scattered on the ground began to squirm as if they were living insects. With a chilling 'kigigik' sound, the pieces crawled toward each other, forcibly reassembling themselves into a form even more grotesque and massive than before.
"This is unexpected!" Rian said, stunned, as he watched the golems reassemble. "Everyone, be careful! They're getting stronger!"
The golem threatened the allied forces with its larger body, and their defensive line began to waver. Eris once again tried to use the power of nature, using roots and stones to block the golem's movements, but the reassembled golem, with its enhanced strength, broke through all her defenses.
Just then, King Alexander decided to play Altechna's final card. He immediately ordered the deployment of the siege engine unit. Altechna's siege engines were giant war machines modified for battle, equipped with steel hammers that could penetrate the golems' tough outer shells.
As soon as the siege engines arrived on the battlefield, they charged toward the golems. The giant hammers dealt a powerful blow to the golems' outer shells, bringing down their reassembled bodies. Rian, not missing the moment, swung his greatsword and attacked the golem's core.
"Now! Everyone, focus your fire!" At Rian's shout, Ria, Edward, Serena, and the other companions all delivered a powerful blow to the golem in unison. Brunok's shot accurately hit the golem's core, and Marielle's light magic drained its last bit of life force.
But it was a Noktus trap. The moment the allied forces thought they had seized victory, the core of the fallen golem exploded with a flash of light. Sharp fragments flew in all directions, covering the nearby soldiers and the siege engines that had just achieved their feat. The Altechnan soldiers could only watch in a daze as their precious siege engines, of which they had no spares due to the hasty preparations, were damaged.
As the battle raged on, Rian searched for Sadril. He thought it was impossible for him not to be seen in a large-scale battle like this and searched for him on the battlefield. Just then, Elahar appeared and said it was time to end their duel.
Elahar attacked with all his might from the start. He used his high speed and then Blink to close the distance, and his sword cut at Rian's torso. Or so he thought. Rian, by a hair's breadth, stepped back and dodged his sword, and his greatsword had already transformed into twin blades. He imbued them with the power of lightning and clashed with Elahar's sword.
A large spark flew, and a look of surprise crossed Elahar's eyes. He seemed to be taken aback by Rian's improved skill and retreated. "Impressive, Rian. To think your skill could improve so much in such a short time... Even I, known as the Strongest Swordsman of the Elves, am moved."
Rian smiled at Elahar and said, "If you can't stop me, this war will be ours. If you're ready, come at me again."
Elahar, with an even stronger will, raised his sword and charged. Rian, too, met his charge, crossing his twin blades to block his attack. The two swords crossed dozens of times in mid-air. Elahar's sword strikes drew elegant yet fatal trajectories, while Rian's twin blades raged like a storm, piercing through the gaps. 'Fast... but now I can read it!' Rian dodged Elahar's attack and attempted a counter, and Elahar moved even faster to keep up with his speed.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the allied forces were struggling against the reassembling golems. Eris strengthened the power of the roots to delay the golems' movements as much as possible, and Ria tried to interfere with their reassembly with her powerful ice magic. Marielle continuously used her healing magic to support the battle-weary soldiers, helping the wounded to rise and fight again.
Edward advanced toward the golem's core with his Magic Swordsman unit. The magical energy from his sword chipped away at the golem's outer shell, and Ria's ice spear accurately targeted its core. The golem shook violently once more and broke into pieces, but it still showed signs of trying to reassemble.
King Alexander was commanding the siege engine unit from the center of the battlefield. "All engines, charge toward the golem's core!" At his command, the siege engines advanced in unison. The giant steel hammers struck the golem's outer shell, bringing down its reassembled body. This time, the powerful blow of the siege engines prevented the golem's reassembly, destroying it completely.
In his duel with Elahar, Rian did not miss an opening and delivered a final blow. Rian's twin blades broke through Elahar's defense and left a deep wound in his chest. Elahar retreated with a pained expression, and after looking at Rian for a moment, he turned and disappeared.
Rian caught his breath for a moment and surveyed the battlefield. The battle was tipping in the allied forces' favor. The golems could no longer reassemble, and the Altechnan soldiers, their morale boosted, continued to advance.
However, on one side of the battlefield, Sadril was draining life force, preparing his final measure. His eyes were filled with madness, and he infused even his own life force into the Crystal Core, reviving a giant golem. As Sadril spread his arms and let out a crazed scream, his body became light and was sucked into the Crystal Core. All the surrounding golem fragments were drawn to it like magnets, and using his sacrifice as nourishment, they began to form a single giant body. The earth rumbled and the sky seemed to scream. What finally revealed itself was not a simple golem, but a catastrophe born of rage and madness.
The newly born giant golem began to raze the surroundings, breathing a massive flame. Its size was more than twice that of the previous golems, and its intimidating presence seemed to engulf the battlefield. It was Sadril's last desperate act, and the Noktus's final gambit.
Ria encouraged her nearby companions and tried to combine the broken siege engines with magic to attack the giant golem, but the golem easily grabbed and crushed the engines, showing off its overwhelming power.
"What... is that... Is that a Titan Guardian?" Rian stared at the giant golem with a bewildered expression. This massive being was completely dominating the battlefield, easily blocking all their attacks.
Rian and his companions, with their weary bodies, stood up again. They had to face this great threat without a single step back. Rian gripped his greatsword tightly and said, "We can't stop here. We will fight to the end."
Serena moved stealthily with her rogue unit to find the giant golem's weak point. Edward gave a regrouping order to his Magic Swordsman unit and prepared to attack the golem's core once more. Ria combined her magic with her companions to prepare a powerful blow, pondering a way to stop this threat.
Dawn was approaching. In the darkness, the lights flickered, and the battlefield grew hot once more. The allied forces would not give up. Their will had grown stronger, and everyone knew this battle was not over.
Rian shouted to his companions one last time. "We fight together. We do not retreat from here!"
They were prepared to continue the fight that had begun at dusk until the light of dawn arrived. To defeat the giant golem and to protect the future of Altechna and all the kingdoms, Rian and his companions steeled their resolve. Their fight was not yet over. It was just the beginning.