Chapter 727: Another One

Led by Paleo, several Battle Knights join the fight.

The statue knight is ferocious, but it remains an inanimate construct. The fighters soon learn to read its attack patterns.

Unfortunately, it is far too durable. None of them has a heavy weapon capable of destroying it.

It also seems to possess inexhaustible energy. Half an hour passes, yet it shows no sign of shutting down.

Paleo changes tactics. He will drive the statue knight back, let Solomon and the others escape, and then withdraw with the remaining fighters.

But one disaster follows another.

Perhaps the statue's awakening triggers it. Perhaps their estimate of the interval between disturbances was wrong from the start.

Whatever the cause, the bizarre creatures outside suddenly run rampant again.

Before Solomon's group can withdraw, their exit is blocked.

Another bone-armored lizard is waiting outside. A creature that large cannot be dealt with quickly.

Paleo orders the Knights present to charge out and clear a path.

Several of Solomon's men go first. Minutes pass. The only answer is screaming, and not one man returns.

The attempt has clearly failed.

Paleo next selects several Knights from Henwell's group and the Lady of Calamity's retinue and orders them outside.

Again, there is no response, only those bloodcurdling screams.

Only four Knights remain in the hall, one of them Danny's subordinate.

When Paleo looks his way, the Knight takes a step back. "No! We can't fight those monsters. Going out there means certain death!"

Paleo replies coldly, "Either I kill you now, or you go out and fight for a slim chance of survival."

When Danny's subordinate realizes Paleo means it, panic enters his voice. "You want me dead? Then everyone can die together!"

With that, the man reaches down and pulls another sword from the floor.

He rolls aside at once and takes cover beside one of the Lady of Calamity's men.

Before the man can react, his body explodes into chunks of flesh.

The second statue knight crushes its victim, draws the greatsword into its hand, and cuts another of the Lady of Calamity's Knights in half at the waist.

It swings the greatsword and wades into the crowd, slaughtering anyone within reach.

When Paleo sees the two statue knights about to converge, he knows the situation is beyond control. He abandons the fight, grabs Solomon by the collar, and charges into the passage.

Without Paleo's strength as a Grand Knight holding the line, the remaining Battle Knights immediately begin to buckle.

Once Paleo and Solomon flee, no one else is willing to stay and fight.

The retreat turns into a rout.

Miller guards Henwell and seizes an opportunity to run into the passage.

Three Battle Knights from the Lady of Calamity's side escort her out as well.

A brutal massacre follows in the hall. Battle Knights from all three groups fall.

On Henwell's side, Danny, a Battle Knight, is slain. Yet Danny's subordinate, the man responsible for the entire disaster, somehow survives.

A sword tears open Philir's back. Had he dodged a fraction slower, it would have cut him in half.

The Lady of Calamity also loses a Battle Knight, while the final Battle Knight to die is one of Solomon's men.

As the survivors rush out of the passage, they see the body of a bone-armored lizard lying near the entrance.

Ignoring the drain on his fighting spirit, Paleo carries Solomon and drives forward at full speed.

The others follow the path he opens and flee toward the city gate.

They expect the statue knights to remain inside. Then two towering figures appear in the doorway behind them, and everyone runs even faster.

Miller glances back at the bone-armored lizard's corpse and realizes a terrifying possibility.

Before he can warn the others, the two statue knights plunge straight into the creature's body.

The enormous corpse visibly shrivels as they drain it.

Cold sweat pours down Miller's face. He hoists Henwell onto his shoulder and runs for his life.

Fortunately, the two statue knights do not follow. Instead, the surrounding creatures sense their presence and swarm toward them in a frenzy.

The creatures here clearly loathe the statue knights.

It is the first good news they have had in some time.

Fighting for every step, the survivors finally reach the city gate. They shove past one another and pour into the passage.

Only when they reach the platform outside do they finally breathe again.

Solomon orders everyone to pile stones into the gap in the gate passage.

Paleo, meanwhile, spots the Knight from Henwell's group whose reckless act sent the situation spiraling out of control.

When Paleo approaches with his sword, the man retreats a step. "Wait. Let me explain. Right now..."

Before he can finish, he turns into a heap of mangled flesh.

A towering figure now stands where he did: the statue knight that leaped down from the city wall in pursuit.

After absorbing so much flesh and blood, the statue knight has changed considerably.

Its eyes are now crimson orbs rather than stone.

Its armor and body have also developed a texture like petrified wood.

Wood is gradually replacing the stone.

If the constructs continue killing and feeding, they may eventually leave their statue forms behind entirely.

Paleo roars, "Run!"

No one needs to be told twice. The terrified survivors race toward the suspension bridge.

The bridge was never built to hold this many people at once.

Solomon's men on the far side are about to step onto the bridge and drive the excess people back.

Then disaster strikes again. Several spider bulls suddenly descend from above.

They snatch random people from the bridge and climb back into the darkness along their silk.

Worse still, the distinctive shrieks of bat owls sound nearby.

Paleo desperately holds off the statue knight.

By now, however, he is clearly no match for the strengthened construct and can only struggle to defend himself.

Several of Solomon's Battle Knights zip across the cargo line one after another and take position at the bridgehead.

They block everyone else from the bridge, forming a barricade while as many of their own people as possible evacuate.

Philir and the others are furious, but the platform is crawling with monsters, and they dare not attack the men blocking the bridge.

Once most of Solomon's people are safely across, Paleo receives the signal, forces the statue knight back, and turns toward the suspension bridge.

At the last possible moment, he leaps onto the bridge.

The statue knight charges after him, but its tremendous weight pushes the bridge past its limit.

Paleo is prepared. He gathers his fighting spirit and cuts through the bridge behind him with a single stroke.

The severed bridge swings Paleo toward the far side while the statue knight plunges into the chasm.

With the suspension bridge destroyed, Philir and the others are left stranded, roaring curses after them.

At that moment, another statue knight appears atop the city wall, fighting the monsters there.

Soon the construct will break through and descend to slaughter everyone stranded on the platform.