Chapter 329 - Winner Of The Opening Match
The death of the Necromancer meant the collapse of the army of Destiny. They were resurrected through the power of the Necromancer, and without that source, they would die.
While Kyros charged and fought Heralcus, everyone was also busy with their battles and fought against the Champion skeletons. Branze led the battle with Diana to block the army. His might as a Templar and Diana's Paladin powers used the shield to strike and the shield to defend in a wide range.
The army of Heralcus was bursting out of the rubble of the mountain.
The Wings of the Nephilim couldn't take flight as everyone expected a gigantic battle of Cardinal proportions on the skies above. And so, all the mages joined the ranks of the ground army. Only the Emberdons dared to take the skies and accompanied Mezal on his fight against Neteri.
The Paladin's shield was a shield to defend. But the Templar's shield was one that was used to crash into the enemy and charge forward. It was an offensive shield, and the two created two kinds of Force Wall used against the enemy. Diana created a massive defensive shield, and Branze created one for the offense.
The numerous Champions could not break the shields and only managed to push Branze back.
The Coven made their assault, each challenging a Champion alone.
Reptilia and Gojirrah slew the most Champions of killing over twelve Champions each. The rest of the Coven worked together to kill these raised Champions.
Midgard and the rest of those near or at the Champion level also fought and combined their efforts to slay the Champions.
The rest of the army charged forward to fight the numerous Champions that survived the mountain crash. Some groups of captains among the forces of Kyros tore through the enemy ranks and fought against the resurrected Champions.
But the rest of the army was not useless. On the contrary, they used tactics and strategies of all sorts to bring down the Champions.
The most impressive ones that managed to challenge the Champions' might belonged to three squads formed during the games of Kyros. This was one of Kyros's intentions as he wanted groups and factions to rise with their specialty.
The first group was the Sword of Steele. It is a team composed of some original knights and servants of the Steele family with a few Skeletons who joined in their group. These two's Shield and Magic combo made them the strongest of the three groups. Hunter led this team, and while Hunter was busy fighting alongside the Coven, this team managed to eliminate three Champions and resisted the assault of seven more.
The next group was originally called Reptilia's Shield but had reformed to be 'Hunter Haters.' Originally led by Grugnyr, this random group of Scalies composed of mages, archers, and strong fighters made them the squad who performed the most unpredictable tactics and used unusual strategies.
The last was an all-girl group assault team that was formed. The Sisterhood of the Order of the Nephilim was composed of archers, mages, Feather-folk, and other high-dexterity jobs. Although they had the lowest defenses and lowest damage outputs, their ability to harass, poke, and stagger enemies became of great value, allowing the former two groups to perform their jobs marvelously.
With Branze and Diana shielding and charging, the Coven bringing down the toughest champions, and the three squads leading the assault, no one among the army of the Nephilim or on the numerous allies they recruited died in the battle.
Up in the skies, Mezal and the Emberdon's overpowered the immense soul power of Neteri by wilting it down.
Mezal's Soul and Force Hybrid power managed to contend against the attacks of Neteri. The soul of Steel was hard and strong. It had the ability to withstand attacks and had the sharpness to sever. And since Mezal's soul was that of a god, Neteri felt great inferiority as she sent out the thousands of souls to attack.
Her thousands were afraid of the soul of a god.
Mezal became the main defender at first as the Emberdons showered their magics that depleted the souls of Neteri. Then, at the last second, Mezal used his sword that draw out his powerful soul. And when the battles above them reached a critical juncture, both Neteri and Mezal went for the kill.
The Ancient Source was harnessed, and unlike the massive body of Neteri, Mezal created a soul avatar that only covered another layer beyond him. But the figure that appeared horrified Neteri. The figure of Hyperion Steel stood like an armor around Mezal.
Mezal used the pinnacle of his knowledge of the soul, fused it to his Force energy, and created the startling image of Hyperion being reborn.
"My Sword has severed creation! What is a ghost to me?" Mezal uttered domineering Words of Power that brought a shocking change to his sword.
The aura of Mezal itself was making it hard for the souls of Neteri to be united as one. They weren't one soul but were already severed, and the power and aura of Mezal itself demanded severance.
Neteri was severely weakened because of that. And without her soul form, she was but an easy target that Mezal only had to cut.
Qara fought Martha and Puff. But their battle was quickly hidden from view as Martha retreated into the Separated Realm, but Qara recklessly followed as the bones of his husband were shown to her.
The battle ended at the death of Heralcus.
Mezal watched as he held on the severed head of Neteri.
"They grow up so fast..." Mezal laughed as he threw the head down. The Emberdons were all in critical condition, but they managed to win the fight.
Martha had emerged from the Separated Realm, and the dead body of Qara was in her hands.
"It's over, huh? And it seems that Kyros is looking more his age now." Martha smiled.
Kyros suddenly lost power and began to plummet down. The massive soul that he had to sacrifice was staggering, and his power dropped from a Commander's base strength all the way back to a captain.
Mechiel appeared and caught Kyros. But a split second later, Scarlet appeared beside her.
Everyone was shocked to see the beauty and form of Scarlet. She had grown five years older as a result of taking in the attack of Heralcus.
"Scarlet. Good job taking those attacks." Kyros smiled.
"Really, Lord Kyros? You won't even praise my beauty?" Scarlet gave a charming smile.
Mechiel glared at her.
Kyros sighed but did not answer her.
"Calaminus. Reflect my voice so that everyone can hear me." Kyros ordered.
"In the case of the great battle, the forces of Fate led by the Nephilim against the armies of Destiny cultivated by Heralcus... In the first conquest between those who stand at the Beginning and the Rulers of the End... In the gruesome trials where the weak and the beaten are forced to fight the mighty conquerors of the future... In the war that pitted the pitifully insignificant members and servants of Steele Family, along with the surviving tribes that were dirt and food of Destiny, to fight the conquerors of Middle who had an army that would threaten even the Midlands of the Planesword... In this battle, we have won!" Kyros shouted with all of his remaining might.
Everyone erupted in cheers, and there was much rejoicing.
Faye was lying on the ground, exhausted and drained. But her tears and weeps remained loud, for they had won.
Those who lived in Middle wept the loudest. For their oppressors were finished.
In the realms where time and space acted differently...
Destiny felt it. He lost all powers.
He froze and couldn't believe what had happened.
Two figures appeared next to him. One was a man's figure with a grey shade, and the other was a woman with very long hair. The woman kept her eyes closed, but she had a very angry expression on her face. Her hair had already increased in length.
"You lost Middle." The woman sighed.
The space around them trembled as an ancient man of such unimaginable size appeared. He had a very long beard and had planets and stars as freckles and moles. His eyes were dark, and he gazed at the small form of the three.
"Lord End." The group bowed.
"You lost, Destiny. I sense Beginning reaching out to us. Thora. Open your eyes. Let's hear what that braggart has to say." End spoke.
Thora opened her eyes, and her hair began to glow.
The four saw the vision of a woman laughing and laughing.
"Greetings, Gods and Fallen of the End! It looks like we are the winner of the opening battle!" Fate laughed.