Bab 24: Chapter 24: War Pt 3
Finn stood at the center of the battlefield, his figure illuminated by the flickering glow of crackling lightning bolts that danced across his body as he drew in deep and measured breaths.
He had been wrong.
This was not how he imagined this war would turn out.
'Perhaps Aiden was right.' He thought. Perhaps he should have put more thoughts into growing stronger.
Shooting a glance to his side, he was met with the sight of Jaxon barreling through swarms of Parademons with his Earth magic, swatting, crushing and dismembering them as soon as they reached his range of attack.
Around him, charred remains of Parademons laid, a testament to the number he had dealt with since the battle commenced, but wildly enough, their numbers were miniscule in comparison to those or Aiden.
'It is a good thing Mira isn't here.' Finn thought as he was reminded of the familiar Mages he has watched die from enemy attacks.
Some were lucky enough to still have a barely recognizable set of remains, while others weren't. They were either disintegrated or devoured in their entirety.
He could only remain thankful that he had a friend like Aiden who always made them feel small and weak in his presence, pushing them to strive for more strength.
Were it not for his influence, Finn dared not imagine what his current predicament would be.
Stretching his right hand, a majestic spear made entirely of lightning quickly formed and without so much as a breath wasted, he threw it into the swarm of Parademons making their way down from their Ship.
And just as it made contact with the first Parademons, Finn clenched his hand into a fist, causing the lightning spear to crackle and explode, consuming the surrounding air in a brilliant surge of electric fury.
The explosion rippled outward, engulfing the Parademons in a cascading storm of light and raw energy.
Screeches filled the battlefield as their metallic wings disintegrated, and their bodies convulsed before being obliterated into ash.
The sheer force of the blast sent shockwaves across the ground, forcing nearby fighters to shield their eyes from the dazzling display.
Breathing heavily, he allowed himself a moment to survey the devastation before his steely gaze fixed on the next wave. The fight was far from over, and he had no intention of letting up.
He had no idea when this battle would come to an end, but he wasn't about to die before finding out.
He recalled the last conversation he had with Mira. "What is the point if Aiden survives and we don't?" She had asked, and although they hadn't provided an answer, Finn could already imagine Aiden looking all Stoic in front of their graves as though he wasn't affected when he was hurting immensely.
Thinking to this point, Finn's gaze steeled as he resolved himself. "I'll Survive." He whispered softly but with a resolute tone. "No matter what."
…
Jaxon stood in the middle of the chaotic battlefield, the ground trembled beneath his feet as his earth magic pulsed outward in waves. Boulders erupted from the battlefield, crushing Parademons like insects underfoot.
His gauntlets, fashioned from compacted rock, gleamed faintly with mana as he swung them with ruthless precision, sending shards of earth flying into the swarming hordes and halting their charge.
He panted heavily, his muscles screaming in protest, but he pushed the pain aside. There was no room for weakness, not here, not now. Every swing, every summoned wall, every fissure he split into the earth was driven by a singular thought: Survival.
For a moment, Jaxon's mind flashed back to the last night before the battle began.
Finn had joked about how they'd come out of this alive, stronger than ever.
Aiden, as always, had remained silent but resolute, that calm confidence radiating from him like an unshakable fortress.
And Mira, though she wasn't here, had given him a look he couldn't quite place; was it worry? Hope? Maybe both.
The memory fueled him now as he smashed through another wave of enemies.
The Parademons were relentless. It was as though they did not understand the concept of Fear or that of Death, their grotesque forms clawing and biting as they descended from the sky in endless numbers.
Jaxon felt the weight of his comrades' absence keenly; Aiden was elsewhere, undoubtedly holding the line as only he could. Finn was near, his lightning illuminating the battlefield in bright, furious bursts.
But Mira… Mira wasn't here.
Jaxon slammed his fists into the ground, a massive quake splitting the earth apart and swallowing dozens of Parademons. He let out a guttural roar, channeling his frustration and fear into the earth as the split earth closed up, crushing the swallowed Parademons to a pulp.
"Mira would've hated this," he muttered under his breath. She had always been the practical one, the one who cautioned them against taking unnecessary risks. But then again, maybe she would've been proud too.
He stole a glance toward Finn, watching the lightning-wielding warrior obliterate wave after wave of enemies with precision and fury. Finn's determination was palpable, almost contagious.
Jaxon clenched his fists, his voice a low growl. "I'm not letting you two show me up."
He drew on his mana reserves, summoning a towering golem from the shattered earth. The colossal figure loomed over the battlefield, its rocky fists smashing down into the Parademons like a hammer of judgment.
Standing atop the Golem with his hands clasped together, Jaxon felt the strain on his body, his mana reserves dwindling faster than he liked. But he didn't stop. Couldn't stop. His friends were out here, giving everything they had, and he refused to be the weak link.
The golem let out a guttural roar, mimicking its creator, as it tore through the Parademons with unrelenting force.
Jaxon's gaze hardened as he locked eyes with the next wave of incoming enemies. "Bring it on," he growled, his voice dripping with defiance. "I'll grind you all to dust."
He might've been exhausted, battered, and pushed to his limits, but he wasn't broken. Not yet. Not as long as Finn and Aiden fought alongside him.
…
The battlefield was a maelstrom of chaos and destruction, a grim stage where courage and despair clashed. The defenders of Earth, though outnumbered and outmatched, fought with an unyielding resolve.
From atop a battered hill, a group of archers cheered as Jaxon's golem smashed another swarm of Parademons into the ground. "Look at that thing!" one of them exclaimed, nocking an arrow. "If they can fight like that, we can too!"
The rallying cry spread like wildfire, emboldening the human soldiers who had begun to falter under the relentless assault.
Lines of infantry closed ranks, shields locking together as they formed defensive walls against the incoming hordes.
Spears jabbed outward in unison, impaling Parademons as they landed.
Behind them, rows of mages unleashed torrents of fire, ice, and wind, their incantations rising above the cacophony of battle.
On the far left flank, a fire mage named Lira stood with her staff blazing. Inspired by Finn's electrifying display, she pushed her limits, summoning a wall of flames that incinerated dozens of Parademons attempting to breach the line.
"Hold steady!" she yelled, her voice hoarse but determined. "If they can keep going, so can we!"
The flames roared like a living beast, their heat pushing back the encroaching darkness.
For a brief moment, the battlefield seemed to pause, the oppressive weight of the enemy's presence suffocating even the fiercest defenders.
Lira's fire flickered against the swirling chaos, a fragile light in an ocean of despair, as both sides braced for the next clash.
Meanwhile, Aiden sat on the blood-soaked earth, his chest heaving and his vision flickering in and out of blurriness.
Around him, the sounds of war raged on, distant yet all-consuming, a cacophony of screams, clashing steel, and guttural roars from the Apokoliptian forces.
Above, the skies churned with dark clouds, streaked by the red glow of Apokoliptian ships raining destruction upon the ground.
Aiden's gaze drifted upward, searching for a sign—any sign—that the battle would soon be coming to a close, yet…None came.
Just then, a towering New God, a hulking mass of muscle, turned its gaze to the weakened mage. Its lips curled into a cruel grin, and it began to march toward him, each step shaking the earth.
Aiden caught sight of him and tried to rise, but his legs refused to obey. His arms trembled as he gripped his sword. He couldn't face this monster, not like this. Yet, the thought of retreat was unthinkable.
Farther down the battlefield, Finn and Jaxon caught sight of Aiden's plight.
"That's not good," Finn muttered, dodging a heavy swing from the giant insectoid he was still battling.
Jaxon, standing atop his golem, barked an order. "Cover him! I'll draw the big guy's attention!" Without waiting for Finn's response, he sent his golem charging forward, its massive frame smashing through Parademons in its path and crushing them underneath its massive frame.
Aiden's mind raced. He couldn't rely on others to save him. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.
He closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. Deep within, he felt the faintest flicker of his remaining mana. It was like a dying ember, fragile but persistent.
'The Domain… I don't have enough left to deploy it. But if I use it now...' The thought lingered, heavy with risk. The toll could be devastating, but it was a choice between that or certain death.
As the New God loomed over him, raising its axe for a killing blow, Aiden released a ragged breath. "Fine," he whispered. "Let's see if this works."
The ground beneath him trembled as his domain erupted outward, a surge of energy that warped the air and bent the light around him.
The Apokoliptian warrior hesitated, its instincts warning it of the sudden shift.
Within the domain, everything slowed. Aiden could feel the weight of the space he controlled, the threads of reality bending to his will.
The energy coursing through him burned like fire, threatening to tear him apart from the inside, but he pushed the pain aside.
The hulking warrior took a cautious step forward, then another. Its movements were sluggish, as if wading through thick water. Aiden forced himself to his feet, his body trembling with effort.
"You want me?" Aiden rasped, raising his blade. "Come and get me."
The warrior roared and charged, its axe swinging in a deadly arc. Aiden didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his free hand and clenched his fist. The space around the warrior twisted violently, compressing and contorting its massive form. The axe faltered mid-swing, the warrior's body crumpling under the immense pressure.
With a final, desperate push of his mana, Aiden directed the compressed energy outward. The warrior exploded in a burst of dark energy, its remains scattering across the battlefield.
Aiden staggered, the world spinning around him. His domain collapsed, the strain too much to bear. He fell to his knees, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to look up.
The defenders around him, emboldened by his display, rallied.
Cries of defiance echoed across the battlefield as they pushed back against the Apokoliptian forces.
But Aiden's moment of triumph was short-lived.
From the shadows of the enemy lines, another figure emerged, a New God, cloaked in dark armor and radiating an aura of pure malice. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Aiden, a predator sizing up its prey.
Aiden's strength was gone. He had nothing left to give. Yet, as the New God began its approach, he found himself smiling faintly.
"Where are those gods when you need them?" he muttered under his breath as his vision dimmed, his body finally succumbing to exhaustion.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone