[WESTERN CONTINENT]
"Here they come…"
The stench of an unstoppable army tingled the noses of all the Elves who stood, prepared to engage with their opponents.
They had determined faces, depicting how willing they were to die for their nation—even with no hopes of a revival.
The Elven army stood right outside their city gate, and they filled the plains that made up the distance between their outskirts and the capital. All the Elf civilians were safely tucked into the Capital, so the soldiers knew full well that the only thing that stood between their enemy and them… was them.
The Elf Queen led the army at the forefront—her daughter and the head of army both bravely standing beside her. Aurora was comforted to have both Freya and Clara with her, but she also wondered what the intensity of the battle would do to them.
Would this be the last time she would see them? Aurora couldn't help but wonder.
Important, yet powerful fighters—like Maya, Claudius, Derius, and all of the Royal Elves—remained behind the queen, ready to support and fight to the best of their abilities. They led various units of the Elf Army, taking the lead as commanders.
However, two people stood out from all of this chaos.
They didn't have pointy ears like the rest of the Elves. One had red hair, and the other had auburn hair. They were both boys—appearing to be the same age. While the redhead had a rough and wild demeanour, his partner had a calmer, more cautious expression.
These two—Ivan and Jerry—were also prepared for the battle to come. Unlike the others, they stood at the forefront of the battle, and beside the Elf General, Clara, herself.
The formation of the Elves was impeccable, but they knew something as technical as that wasn't the most important element in the war they were about to engage in. Their opponents were incredibly powerful, they could sense the dread as they drew closer.
Nether Beasts; creatures made up of a grimy black substance, appearing to be the embodiment of evil itself. They looked incredibly monstrous and savage, some walked on land, while others floated in the air, but these weren't the only opponents.
They also had to fight the 'Corrupted.'
The Corrupted were sentient entities who were granted the ability to use Nether. Thanks to their intelligent disposition, they were leading the Nether Beasts into battle. They all had dark cloaks, and each had obsidian staffs and necklaces—while some had rings—that they seemed to be channelling their powers from.
With the Corrupted leading the group of monsters, and the Elves preparing for a clash, it almost seemed like a massive disadvantage for the latter. Which was why…
"I will protect you all with my life."
… The Elves had backup in the sky.
Gawain, as well as several thousand constructs, floated above the Elves. Their major goal was to reduce the number of casualties the enemies would cause by contributing to the defence, healing, and general support.
This legion of metal, coupled with the Elves and the two human Mages, stood united. Thus, they now had a much better chance of defeating their opponent.
All they now waited for was the order of the Elf Queen. She would lead the charge, and they would all follow—for better, or for worse.
Aurora Vindiel realized this, causing her to sigh. She remembered the faces of her sister and her dear niece. Something about this moment felt sullen, so she closed her eyes. Surprisingly, she felt tears form there, and an unknown sadness assailed her.
She looked to her right and saw her dear daughter. To her left, she saw her most trusted friend, Clara—as well as the humans Jared sent to support them.
'Lewis… it seems like this is it.' Aurora smiled sadly, finally opening her eyes.
Her gaze instantly became hardened, and she raised her staff in resolve. A fine energy shrouded her, and she steadied her first attack which would signal the entirety of her forces.
"May the Spirits watch over us."
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>BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!<
It didn't come as a surprise, but the first strike still packed a punch.
The surroundings were devastated by an immensely concentrated ball of Nether, as it destroyed everything around it.
The Elves had already put up a barrier as a contingency, but as expected of the properties of Nether, the blast ate right through it.
Debris flew around, and the devastation stopped only a few inches away from the elves—thus serving as something of a warning shot.
However, this was the error of the enemy.
"RAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!"
They should have done their best to eliminate as many Elves as possible in their first strike. However, it was now too late.
"Here we go!"
>WHOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHH!!!<
The army advanced swiftly, closing in on each other.
Jerry and Ivan were especially fast—both shrouded in dense Mana.
For the Auburn-haired boy, he was in Elemental Chamber: White Armament, now shrouded with the white flames of Aether he received as a gift. His body was completely covered with the powerful flame, and his eyes were lit with passion—prepared to win.
As for Ivan, he was completely covered in white wax, with balls of flames flying around him like wisps. He was encased in his Guardian Form, completely protected by his extra-dense layer of Wax, but that was only the beginning.
After training for so long, these two had finally developed what made them worthy enough to stand on the battlefield… Mage Mode!
Both Ivan and Jerry now donned Mage Mode, alongside their Fusion Mode, ready to rush their enemies with full power.
The Elves followed behind them, and the Automatons hovered in the air, intercepting the Nether Beasts. Some remained behind, though—like the Elf Queen herself. Someone like her was best suited to attack from behind—with her long-range Magic Abilities.
Especially her infamous Spell: Harbinger Of Rupture. One she had gotten even better at.
Thus, the army charged forward with conviction. They clashed with the Nether Beasts while the Corrupted watched from behind.
The first few seconds usually decided how a battle would progress, but this was too big a mess to understand. Both sides were simply locked in a brutal fight, and only a few outstanding people could be seen amid the carnage and destruction being wrecked around.
However, after the first few seconds, the direction of the battle suddenly shifted… and it was in favour of the Elves.
The Nether Beasts were suddenly getting pushed back, much to the shock of the Corrupted. Their faces morphed into surprise, and disbelief was displayed all over their faces.
They were led to believe that their power was ultimate—unrivalled! Yet… what was this?!
Why were the Nether Beasts getting pushed back?
How were they able to fight against Nether?!
It made no sense! Certainly, this was ridiculous.
The pale expressions of the Corrupted depicted this quite well.
"How are they doing this?!"
"This shouldn't be happening!!!"
"Curses!"
Elves were rich in Mana, and not much else. Yet... the Corrupted were sensing the only power that served as their very antithesis.
And that power... was Aether!
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[A/N]
New book release announcement!!!
Please look up "Chuunibyou Challenge!!" on Webnovel, or simply use the link below. I promise, you'll love it.
https://www.webnovel.com/book/chuunibyou-challenge!!_25760893305800205
