Kael steadied himself, drawing his sword with a swift motion.
"C'mon, everyone! If we defeat this beast, we're going home!" he shouted, flash-stepping toward the creature. His men followed, blades drawn and ready.
Just as Kael prepared to strike, the beast vanished only to reappear behind the rear soldiers. Then began the carnage.
Blood sprayed through the air like an artist flinging paint across canvas. The beast's tail pierced through forty men at once, skewering their chests and stringing them up like laundry on a clothesline.
Kael turned, stunned at the horror. Half of the remaining men trembled in fear.
This was no ordinary enemy. This was a Calamity Beast—a high-ranked monster, rivaling the strength of the Four Great War Beasts themselves.
The Four Great War Beasts were chosen by the Beast Gods for their unmatched power and devastating combat ability. Kaena is one of them,though her full potential remains dormant. Her title: War Beast of Destruction, Inorak.
Terror overtook half the warriors. They turned and ran, but doing so only gave the beast an advantage. It lunged after them, slicing down the cowards with ruthless efficiency.
Kael clenched his fists, struggling to form a strategy. His mind raced.
A hand fell on his shoulder. "Stressing out won't help. We need you, sir," said a voice from behind.
Kael turned to see some of his men still standing, still ready to fight. "Thank you... Darneth," he said, gripping the man's shoulder.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Listen up, everyone!" he barked.
"Archers!" — he said in the Tharnak tongue — "Form a line and support from the rear!"
"Frontline fighters, pair with defenders! If one pair fails, form squads of three! Rescue the injured as we push forward!
NOW... ATTACK!!"
His words echoed in the clearing. The remaining troops roared in response and charged.
The beast reacted quickly. It swung its massive tail at the first wave. A defender stepped forward, raising his shield just in time. The collision sent the shield and defender sliding backward, but it bought a moment—an opening.
Two frontliners leapt in, one striking at the tail, the other slashing at a leg.
But the beast wasn't so easily caught. It jumped vanishing mid-air then reappeared floating above them.
"Archers, now!!" Kael commanded.
"Right!" they shouted in unison, bows raised.
Sweeow!
Arrows soared through the air like a deadly rainstorm.
But the beast spun its tail like a blade-fan, deflecting most of the projectiles mid-air. The coordination was unlike any wild beast. They were fighting something that understood battle.
Watching from a distance, two cloaked figures observed from the trees.
"What do you think will happen?" one asked.
"The beast is powerful… but I think they might make it."
"And the others who are just standing there?"
"They'll fight. But for now, let's watch."
Kael narrowed his eyes, reading the beast's movements. It attacked with purpose, defended with strategy, countered with precision.
Then, in a blur, the beast dove down. The impact kicked up a massive dust cloud, blinding the warriors.
Screams filled the air.
When the dust began to clear, more bodies littered the ground. The beast had targeted only those who lacked the will to fight.
Fear tightened its grip on every surviving soldier. Eyes darted around, searching the trees, the shadows anywhere the monster might reappear.
Kael closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. A glow of blue light began to radiate from his body. A single horn, thick and rugged like a rhinoceros', began forming on his forehead. His skin hardened—scales formed around his arms and torso—his entire frame growing larger, rivaling the beast itself.
"True Form: Rynogar, the Stonehide Champion!" Kael roared. His voice alone cleared the dust and sent shockwaves through the air.
One of the cloaked watchers let out a low whistle.
"Well damn... no one told me he could do that."
"You never asked," the second replied. "Besides, I didn't know either."
"Well then... let's see what the Stonehide Champion is capable of.
To be continued...