Chapter 23: Chapter 23 War Pt 2
The air hummed with a dark, oppressive energy as Apokolips's forces descended like a black storm, their presence distorting the very air.
From the shattered remains of a watchtower, Archmage Lorian scanned the battlefield. Below him, Earth's defenders fought tooth and nail; blades flashing, magic igniting against the endless swarm of Parademons.
"Hold the line!" Lorian's voice thundered, his staff blazing with light as he drew upon the Earth's ancient magic. Power coursed through him, flowing like a river from the ground beneath his feet. "For every living being on this planet—we stand!"
Around him, sorcerers stood ready, their eyes burning with focus. A young mage clenched his trembling fists, whispering incantations to steady himself, while a battle-worn elder murmured one final prayer.
Determination, fear, and fury mingled in the ranks; they knew this fight was all that stood between life and annihilation.
Deeper into the fray, Grand Magus Thalor fought side by side with the Old Gods, his presence unyielding as he faced a New God; an imposing Highborn whose very presence radiated with power.
The earth trembled as Thalor unleashed a torrent of fire and lightning, streaks of searing light striking with pinpoint precision.
"Your strength means nothing, mortal!" the Highborn bellowed, its voice a cacophony that shook the very air.
Raising a hand wreathed in darkness, it retaliated, unleashing a blast of pure entropy that devoured Thalor's attack and roared toward him like a living storm.
Thalor's expression hardened, eyes narrowing as his fingers traced intricate runes causing layers of shimmering shields to spring forth, one after another, absorbing the destructive force with crackling energy.
With a final sweep of his hand, Thalor redirected the attack, twisting it into a spiraling vortex that exploded harmlessly into the battlefield behind him.
The Highborn halted, its imposing form still as it regarded the sorcerer. For the first time, it hesitated.
This... lower being had withstood an assault from one of the New Gods.
Thalor felt the surge of power invigorating him from the Vortex behind him; he was a match for this New God.
"Press the attack!" Thalor commanded, rallying the nearby Old Gods. "We need to turn the tide before their numbers overwhelm us!"
Thalor could see that quite a few New Gods were present for this battle. Right now, Thalor was locked in combat with a Highborn; an entity whose power rivaled those of the Old Gods. That alone spoke volumes.
While Thalor battled the Highborn in a clash that shook the earth, Archmage Lorian took command of the sorcerers, his focus set on holding the line.
"We need to protect our flank!" he called out. "Channel your magic together!"
He knew he needed to keep this battle as contained as possible.
They unleashed a barrage of spells, aimed at the oncoming tide of Parademons. Bolts of arcane energy crackled through the air, exploding into the charging Parademons with blinding flashes of red, blue, and gold.
The ground shook with each impact, momentarily halting their advance.
Even as the first wave fell, Lorian's heart sank with a chilling realization settled over him. The New Gods were relentless, unyielding, their presence pressing ever closer, like an unstoppable storm.
With each spell cast, they surged forward, drawing closer to the heart of the defenders.
It was clear now; their spells tore through the Parademons, but the New Gods barely flinched, their power a stark contrast to the cannon fodder they commanded.
A shadow loomed over the battlefield, and before anyone could react, a piercing cry rang out. "Look out!" shouted Zephyr, a young mage, still unsteady in his grasp of magic.
But his warning came too late as a Highborn descended from the sky.
Lorian turned just in time to see the Highborn unleash a blast of energy. It struck Zephyr before the boy could react, obliterating him in an instant.
Anguish gripped Lorian as he watched the young mage's fate, his heart sinking like a stone.
"No!" Lorian gasped, grief threatening to overwhelm him. "We can't keep losing our people like this!"
"Focus!" Thalor's voice cut through the chaos like a whip. "We cannot lose Focus! Rally together!"
(A/N: Don't forget that with a certain level of control over magic, one can make his voice louder. Like using Air to carry the vibrations you're generating with your voice towards a single person or over a certain area.)
Gripping his staff tightly, Lorian pushed back the weight of loss. "We fight for them!" he yelled, his resolve strengthening. "For Zephyr! For everyone we've lost!"
Zephyr was someone he had hoped to introduce to Aiden. A genius in his own right, but now that very genius didn't even have any remains as proof of having once existed.
Lorian's chest tightened; Zephyr's brilliance, snuffed out without a trace. There wasn't even dust to mourn.
As the sorcerers rallied under Lorian's command, they unleashed their combined magic, sending a wave of energy cascading toward the advancing New Gods.
A torrent of energy surged forward, ripping through ranks of Parademons. Limbs disintegrated, shrieks of agony filled the air, and still, the Highborn stood untouched, a shadow amidst the chaos.
The Highborn let out a guttural roar that rippled through the battlefield, the sound pressure alone pressing down like an invisible hand. Around it, dark energy spiraled, the very air vibrating with the power it summoned.
Lorian's breath caught. This one strike could end them all.
"Archmages! Together!" Lorian shouted, directing the sorcerers to channel their magic into a protective barrier, and just in time, the Archmages raised their staffs as one, light erupting to form a shimmering barrier.
The dark energy struck like a sledgehammer against glass. Cracks spiderwebbed through the shield as the force sent Lorian and the others reeling.
Blood trickled from someone's nose. The shield held—barely.
"Great work!" Lorian called out, forcing strength into his voice. Inside, his thoughts churned. 'How much longer can we hold this line?' Their ranks were thinning, and the New Gods continued to press forward, seemingly unyielding.
"Lorian!" Archmage Selene called, her voice sharp, yet controlled. Known for her unparalleled illusions, even she sounded strained. "This defense won't hold forever!"
"We need a plan," Lorian responded quickly, eyes scanning the chaos. "If we can take down one Highborn, we shift the momentum."
"The Grand Magus is engaged with one," Selene pointed out, glancing toward the Grand Magus, who was locked in combat with a powerful foe. "But we'll need a distraction to give him the opening he needs."
With renewed determination, Lorian gathered the sorcerers around him. "We'll create a diversion. On my mark, unleash everything you have on that Highborn!"
Before they could move, the battlefield darkened as another massive figure descended; another Highborn, larger than the first. Its glowing eyes burned like twin suns of malice, and the air warped around its form, thick with suffocating pressure.
It let out a bone-chilling laugh that rattled shields and sent shivers down Lorian's spine.
"Fools! Your resistance is pointless!" it roared, its voice booming across the battlefield. "You will all fall before the might of Apokolips!"
Dread rippled through Lorian, heavy as iron. For a heartbeat, he faltered. Then, gripping his staff tighter, he roared, "Now! For Earth!" The defiance in his voice cut through the suffocating fear like a blade.
The sorcerers unleashed a torrent of spells—blazing fire, crackling lightning, swirling air, torrents of water, and jagged shards of earth—all converging into a massive, roaring wave of energy.
It struck the first Highborn like a storm given form, forcing it to stagger beneath the relentless assault, yet the second Highborn stood tall and unmoved, its eyes glowing with malevolent purpose as it fixed its gaze upon Lorian and the other sorcerers.
"Foolish mortals!" it thundered, its voice booming like a drum of war. The sheer force of its words sent tremors through the ground.
It raised one colossal hand, energy crackling ominously between its fingers. "Remember this day, for it was Zyphor the Colossus who brought death upon you!"
From the corner of his eye, Thalor recognized the danger. "Lorian! Behind you!" he yelled, his voice filled with urgency.
Lorian turned just in time to see the second Highborn shot a beam of energy that tore through the air toward them.
Lorian spun around, his heart pounding as he glimpsed the beam of dark energy hurtling toward them. The very air seemed to warp and crack under its power.
With no time to think, he instinctively raised his staff to create a shield, but the blast was too overwhelming.
The shield fractured, then shattered, as the shockwave tore through it. The impact hurled Lorian backward, his world spinning as he hit the ground hard, his vision a blur of light and shadows, ears ringing from the explosion
Groaning, Lorian pushed himself upright, the weight of exhaustion and panic pressing on his chest. His gaze darted across the battlefield, chaos blurring before his eyes.
"Lorian!" Selene's voice cut through the haze, sharp and desperate. She staggered, her footing unsteady as her magic wavered under the relentless onslaught.
Selene's illusions, though formidable, could do little against enemies of this magnitude. But as an Archmage, she gritted her teeth, channeling energy into other branches of magic, her focus unwavering.
"We need to retreat!" Lorian shouted, urgency surging through him. "Regroup at the eastern flank now!"
Before Selene could respond, a bloodcurdling scream split the air. Lorian's heart froze as he recognised the voice.
His head whipped toward the sound, dread pooling in his gut.
Archmage Darius lay crumpled on the scorched ground, his body motionless, a smoking wound through his chest marking where the Highborn's strike had landed.
"No! Not Darius!" Lorian's voice cracked as grief crashed over him like a tidal wave.
Another life lost. Another irreplaceable ally gone. The stakes had never been higher, and their numbers were dwindling far too quickly.
"Hold on!" Thalor's voice called from the front, where he still fought fiercely. "We can't let them take us down!"
…
"You really do look down on us, don't you?" Kalgor sneered, his molten gold eyes blazing with malice. He loomed over Thalor like a living mountain, his voice a low growl. "You think your magic can shield you from the wrath of Apokolips?"
Thalor met his gaze with unwavering calm, a sharp contrast to the chaos around them. "I don't underestimate you, Kalgor. That's why you're still breathing."
The air around Thalor shimmered as he raised his hands, arcs of crackling magic spiraling through his fingers, shimmering like a storm barely contained.
Kalgor's sneer widened, sensing the shift. With a snarl, he lunged forward, the ground trembling under his weight as he swung a massive fist at Thalor, the force of the blow tearing through the air as it bore down on him.
Thalor moved with lethal precision, pivoting just as Kalgor's strike thundered into the earth. The ground split open beneath the impact, shockwaves rippling outward in devastating waves. Parademons and Sorcerers alike were thrown off their feet, tumbling like leaves caught in a violent storm, but Thalor stood tall amidst the chaos.
Dust and debris filled the air, yet his figure remained unyielding, a beacon of power against the overwhelming force of Apokolips. His voice carried through the battlefield, calm and resolute.
"Is that all your strength amounts to, Kalgor?"
The Highborn's molten eyes flared, anger searing through his already volcanic aura. "You dare mock me?" Kalgor snarled, his immense frame surging forward once again. The earth trembled beneath his steps.
But Thalor was ready. He thrust his staff into the ground, and arcs of crackling light erupted from the impact, spiraling outward in controlled devastation. The radiant energy collided with Kalgor's charge, stopping the behemoth dead in his tracks. For the first time, Kalgor faltered.
"You are mistaken if you believe I stand as any common mage," Thalor said, his voice reverberating with power.
His eyes burned with light as he raised both hands, magic gathering like a vortex around him. The air itself quivered beneath the force of his will.
"Celestial Invocation: Spear of Aetheris!"
Above them, the darkened sky split open as a blinding shaft of energy formed—a colossal spear of pure magic forged from the heavens. It hummed with such overwhelming power that the battlefield itself seemed to recoil, Parademons screaming and scattering in fear.
Kalgor's molten gaze widened. "What is this—?!"
Thalor pointed, and the Spear of Aetheris descended.
Kalgor roared and raised his arms to block it, dark energy pooling in his hands to retaliate.
The moment their magics clashed, the ground ruptured beneath them, sending shockwaves in all directions.
The spear tore through Kalgor's defense like parchment, slamming into his chest and erupting in a blinding explosion of light.
The force of it sent Parademons flying and shook the very skies above. When the light faded, Kalgor knelt in a crater, molten cracks spiderwebbing across his armor, steam rising from his broken form.
Thalor approached, his steps deliberate, his presence unshakable. He leveled his glowing staff at Kalgor's bowed head. "Tell your masters: Earth's will cannot be broken. Not while I still stand."
Kalgor coughed, spitting molten ichor. "This… is not over."
"Then come," Thalor said, his voice like a thunderclap. "And fall again."
This world's magic is nothing compared to the might of Apokolips!" Kalgor shouted, his voice booming as he followed up with a flurry of brutal punches, each one accompanied by tendrils of dark energy that sought to bind Thalor in place.
With deft movements, Thalor ducked and weaved, countering Kalgor's strikes with precise bursts of magic before he unleashed a wave of force that sent Kalgor stumbling back.
"Strength alone will not win this fight!" Thalor declared, summoning tendrils of light to lash out at Kalgor.
He may have said that, but he knew that Energy attacks weren't the New Gods best suit, but rather their physical strength.
With this train of thought, he had used magic to reinforce his physical body by as much as he could.
The tendrils struck Kalgor, but he absorbed their energy, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "You think you can outmatch me with tricks? Show me what you really have!" He charged again, this time using his momentum to drive forward like a battering ram.
Thalor recognizee the threat and concentrated hard as he wove a powerful spell that drew energy from the very air around him.
As Kalgor closed the distance, a massive magic circle materializer as Thalor unleashed a blinding flash of light that temporarily blinded the Highborn. "You fell for it, fool."
In that split second, Thalor's hands moved deftly, gathering the energy accumulated in the magic circle for a counterattack.
"Now!" Thalor shouted, sending forth a massive pulse of magic that collided with Kalgor, lifting him off his feet and slamming him into the distance with tremendous force.
The impact reverberated through the battlefield, and for a moment, Thalor allowed himself a breath of relief.
But Kalgor was not finished. Rising from the debris, he shook off the attack, dark energy crackling around his fists. "Impressive, but you'll need to do better!" he roared, charging at Thalor with renewed ferocity.
As Kalgor approached, Thalor fortified his stance, preparing to meet the next onslaught, and upon reaching, Kalgor swung a heavy fist, but Thalor anticipated the move, sidestepping and delivering a powerful kick to Kalgor's midsection.
The impact echoed like thunder, and Kalgor staggered back, but he quickly recovered, his eyes blazing with fury. "You dare strike me?" Kalgor growled, lunging again, this time with both fists raised to deliver a crushing blow on the ant-like life form in front of him.
Thalor conjured a barrier of shimmering energy just in time.
The force of Kalgor's attack rattled the barrier, but it held firm. Thalor countered with a thrust of his hands, sending a concentrated beam of light toward Kalgor which the Highborn absorbed, but grit his teeth against the searing heat.
"Is that all you have?" Kalgor taunted, stepping forward, his aura darkening as he drew strength from his surroundings.
Thalor, feeling the tide turn, focused his energy into a swirling vortex, preparing to unleash it in one final strike. "You underestimate the magic of this world, Kalgor. We draw from the very essence of life itself!"
With a fierce cry, he released the vortex, sending it hurtling toward Kalgor.
The impact was cataclysmic.
The vortex engulfed Kalgor in a brilliant explosion of light and energy erupting across the battlefield.
Dust and debris filled the air as the energy crackled, illuminating the chaotic scene.
As the dust began to settle, Kalgor emerged from the explosion, his form battered but his resolve unbroken. "You fight well, human," he grunted, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "But you can not stop me."
Thalor let out a loud breath as felt the weight of exhaustion creeping in. "Then we'll see who stands in the end, Kalgor."
With a final roar, Kalgor charged again, muscles coiling like springs as he launched himself at Thalor. The Grand Magus braced himself for the next round of their fierce clash, knowing that this battle was far from over
...
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