Shroud Arcanum

Chapter 30: - Titan of Yore(4)

As Liam is fighting his way to the Titan. Looking at the chaotic battlefield, Ensign Caelum knew that a more organized strategy was vital to overcome the pressing threat of the golems. His voice, carrying both authority and desperation, pierced through the chaotic battle. "Soldiers, regroup around me!"

He drew his own runic blade, its symbols glowing a fierce blue. "Soldiers! Activate the linking rune!" he ordered. Around him, a multitude of weapons began to glow in a similar hue, forming a radiant web of interconnected energy between them. The ground underneath them pulsated with raw energy as the magic of the runes combined and amplified.

Each soldier then drove their weapons into the ground. The earth responded as lines of luminescent energy spread outward, forming protective barriers around clusters of soldiers.

The golems lured into this intricate trap found their advances stunted. Each time a golem struck at the barrier, a rebounding force struck it back. The barriers weren't just defensive; they could return kinetic energy.

"Shoot! Now!" Caelum roared.

Part of the barrier then opened, and a barrage of energy bullets surged forth from the soldiers' runic rifles. These projectiles weakened the golems with each hit. While a single shot didn't obliterate them, the sustained barrage degraded their structural integrity until they were left vulnerable.

Seizing this opportunity, other soldiers surged forward, their blades radiating energy and extended by the same potent force, slicing effortlessly through the now-compromised golems. The battlefield was soon littered with the remnants of the shattered golem.

All Soldiers turned their gaze towards the titan as it began to crouch once more. The gleaming spikes were once more firmly held by the titan. The titan launched the spikes with a deafening roar followed by an explosive burst. They cut through the air with terrifying speed,

Zalya, Alric, and Liora exchanged worried glances, recognizing the impending danger. Alric asked Zalya, "Any bright ideas, Saint?"

Zalya shot him an annoyed glance, "Quiet, I'm thinking."

Moments stretched out, making seconds seem like torturous hours. Zalya's heart raced, the weight of her decision pressing down on her chest. The stakes were sky-high, and the cost of her action was not cheap.

Still knowing no other option, Zalya swiftly thrust her hand forward, launching metal cubes into the launched spike. As the cubes ascended, she used her ability to manipulate metal. She bent and molded the metal cubes with precision, transforming them into interlocking spheres, each designed meticulously to entrap the volatile exploding spikes.

Just as the menacing spikes were on the brink of detonation, the metal sphere enveloped all of it and started to condense, becoming smaller. The spheres glittered menacingly in the sunlight, looking almost as if they held miniature suns within.

Not missing a beat, Liora whipped out her vines from the ground. Like dancers, they gracefully twirled and weaved around the metallic spheres, lending additional strength and reinforcement to the already robust encasement.

To the side, Alric moved into action. Drawing from his innate connection with water, the ground beneath Zalya and Liora shimmered as it became slick with a protective water barrier. The liquid shimmered and glistened, acting as a formidable line of defense against any external threats.

Turning his gaze to an advancing golem, Alric, with a powerful thrust of his hand, shot out a powerful jet of water as he made the ground slippery, slamming into the stone monster and knocking it down.

Zalya gritted her teeth, feeling the strain as she focused her energy on maintaining the sphere's integrity. Liora's brow was furrowed with concentration as she manipulated her vines, ensuring they patched any weak spots that appeared on the sphere instantaneously.

But despite their best efforts, the sheer volume and intensity of the bombardment were overwhelming. A particularly large spike shattered through the defense, stabbing Alric's shoulder and sending him tumbling backward. Zalya shouted in concern "Alric!" but there was no time for respite.

In a swift move, Liora summoned a dense thicket of vines beneath Alric, cushioning his fall and pulling him to a safer distance. With Alric momentarily incapacitated, Zalya and Liora redoubled their efforts.

Zalya started, patching up breaches in the shield, while Liora sent tendrils of vines outward, trying to enhance its defense more.

Looking at the situation, Liam felt a surge of urgency rising within him. He glanced at Irys. "Throw me,". Springing forward, Liam used Irys's massive Warhammer as a launching step. Irys, understanding his intention, swung her Warhammer with all her might, catapulting Liam toward the Titan.

As Liam soared through the air, he became a whirling inferno. His body was encased in fierce flames. His trajectory tore through the jagged earth walls that shielded the Titan.

Channeling his fiery energy, Liam tore through another of the titan's legs, making a gaping hole in it. As gravity began to claim him and his momentum waned, Liam deftly used his sword, plunging it into the ground to decelerate.

Once he landed, Liam felt the clock ticking as his augmented strength was on the verge of depletion. Steeling himself, he muttered, "It's now or never." Flames swirled more intensely around him, condensing to form an immense blade of pure fire enveloping his sword. With a determined grit, he lunged to deliver a cataclysmic slash aimed at the Titan's head.

However, the Titan lifted its damaged leg to block the fierce attack. Liam's fiery slash started to sear through the Titan's already scorched skin, making headway until it met the formidable resistance with the Titan's dense bone.

Liam tried to channel any remaining energy to break through, but he felt the drain weighing him down. He is almost running out of energy. Recognizing the need for retreat, he attempts to distance himself from the colossal adversary.

But with a swift move, the Titan struck at him. Liam quickly raises his Talonstrike, springs his body, and slashes at the incoming strike, trying to deflect it. As the strike met, a sheer force behind the Titan's blow sent him hurtling backward into a formation of jagged stones.

Thankfully, his armor absorbed the brunt of the impact, preventing the rocks from piercing through. Still, the violent collision inflicted severe internal injuries, cracking his ribs and dislocating his shoulder.

The pain hit Liam hard. He felt a sharp, hot, stinging sensation in his ribs. Every breath is a torment, like a shard of glass inside his chest. His injured arm hung limply by his side, unresponsive and numb, while the other was ablaze with pain, every twitch sending shockwaves of agony.

Every fiber of his being screamed in protest; even the slightest shift or adjustment felt like a dagger twisting deeper into his chest.

Liam staggered, each step a testament to his willpower as he fought off waves of agony. He bit down hard on his lip, the metallic taste of blood mingling, preventing a scream from escaping his mouth.

Grasping his weapon, the Talonstrike, even tighter, his knuckles whitened against the weapon's hilt, drawing strength from its familiar weight. He locked eyes with the Titan despite all the pain, his gaze unwavering, burning with a mix of revenge and defiance.

The Titan is not stopping. Its massive claw began to emit an ominous glow. With a thunderous crash, it slammed the claw into the earth, releasing a barrage of jagged earth spikes, all hurtling toward Liam with lethal intent.

The shadow of doom loomed over Liam as the spikes closed in. Desperation filled his eyes, he willed his body to move, to dodge. But no matter how he tried, his battered limbs refused to obey, paralyzed by pain and exhaustion. The world seemed to slow down as he faced the oncoming storm of spikes, trapped in a moment of sheer helplessness.

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