The End of the Disaster
Having learned how the Icathia opened the void, I returned to the Ascended army, where they arrived at the foot of a mountain range.
Icathia is a peninsula in the southeastern corner of the Shurima Continent, separated from the inland by a towering mountain range. Before they even crossed it, the Ascended sensed something was wrong.
On the other side of the mountain range, a pure evil aura was stirring, and it was growing stronger.
What kind of monster is this? Why does it possess such intense malice? All one can feel is its ferocity, destruction, hatred, and restless urges.
Shetaka finally understood that even if he didn't bring anyone with him, these monsters would eventually devour the Icathia Peninsula and then conquer the entire Shurima.
Stopping them here now is the right choice!
Just as Shetaka gave the order to advance, several monsters glowing with purple light suddenly flew in from the sky and pounced directly on the army!
Several winged Ascended rushed over to stop them and engaged in fierce combat. Golden Light and purple light mingled in the sky as the Ascended encountered a formidable foe!
Sensing the approach of other monsters, the remaining people no longer hesitated and quickened their pace to cross the mountain range, but some monsters still ran out and charged at the ordinary soldiers.
Of these monsters, I'm more familiar with two types: Kha'Zix and Rek'Sai. The ones that fly and those that burrow are the most troublesome.
Seeing the enemy's situation, Shetaka did not hesitate to order his soldiers to retreat; this was not a war they could participate in!
Even so, heavy losses were inevitable.
Dozens of Ascended began fighting the Void Creatures from the mountain. After a hard-fought battle, they slowly forced the monsters back, doing their best to prevent them from spreading inland.
Shetaka led the Ascended down the mountain, while I stood atop the mountain watching this war as if I were experiencing it firsthand.
In the ruins at the foot of the mountain, there is a fissure that glows with a purple light, as shocking as a wound on the earth.
This rift is the same one I saw in the Howling Abyss. Fortunately, it was sealed by True Ice, otherwise it's hard to imagine what kind of terrible consequences would have occurred if monsters poured out of it.
Without a doubt, it must have been far more brutal than this place, because dozens of Ascended fought a bloody battle here, while in the far north, I didn't see any other powerful figures besides Lissandra.
Powerful energy waves and countless Void Creatures surged out of the rift, and the Ascended fought desperately to kill them.
The seasoned Celestial Warrior encountered difficulties this time. Against humans, they could cut off heads, pierce hearts, and even crush them, but against these exceptionally ferocious monsters, they were simply helpless!
In the battle between the Ascended and the Void Creatures, the golden light on their bodies was covered by a purple liquid, making them appear somewhat dim.
The pieces of flesh and blood on the weapons lingered, as if they were rusted, and countless tendrils like vines bound them tightly, making every step forward a hundred times more difficult!
Finally, Shetaka ordered everyone to evacuate the battlefield and launch a magical attack!
The melee combat turned into an energy clash, and golden light gradually enveloped the battlefield, finally bringing the Void Creatures to a standstill.
Shetaka knew that she and these Ascended could not control this brutal battle for long; as long as the rift remained, monsters would continue to pour out!
She found an Ascended resembled an eagle and sent him back to request Aatrox's support. Only by gathering all the Ascended of the Empire could they possibly defeat them!
The Ascended tried to maintain control of the situation while awaiting reinforcements, while the Void Creatures violently struggled outwards, their powerful energy ravaging the land and turning everything in its path to ashes.
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This tug-of-war, unimaginable to mortals, lasted for several days and nights. The golden light was gradually replaced by purple, and finally, on a snowy day when the sun disappeared, the situation spiraled out of control.
The ground was shattered like a broken mirror, riddled with terrifying cracks. An Ascended being pulled into the abyss by tentacles caused the entire formation to tremble.
Left with no other choice, Shetaka could no longer wait for Aatrox's arrival and had to take action first.
She soared into the sky like an angel, her Khopesh flying everywhere, slicing any monsters she touched into pieces.
The Ascended around them charged forward again, resuming their melee combat. This time, however, their target was the interior of the abyss; only by destroying its core could they end the catastrophe.
They were the bravest and most fearless Celestial Warrior, charging into the abyss one after another without hesitation or escape.
Chaos erupted within the void rift; the monsters stopped pouring out and retreated to their lair.
Golden Light beams of light pierced down like lightning, and I heard cries of agony. I couldn't tell if the monsters had perished, the Ascended had fallen, or they had merged into one.
To get a better look, I came to the edge of the crevice, only to be met with a scene straight out of hell.
Inside the rift was a purple fleshy ball, and the monsters emerged from the hole in the center of this ball.
More than ten Ascended guarded the cave entrance, continuously slashing downwards with their weapons, pouring in flames, and projecting Golden Light.
Their red blood mingled with the monster's purple fluid, creating an eerie color. Some had their arms torn off, while others had spikes protruding from their chests, yet they remained standing tall!
Celestial Warrior, dead but not fallen!
The rest of the people covered for them. Whenever someone was devoured, someone else would take their place. They didn't utter a sound; the screams were all made by the monsters!
Finally, after more than half of the Ascended warriors had perished, Aatrox arrived with his men.
He charged ahead of everyone else, wielding a greatsword as he plunged into the crevice, illuminating the purple gloom with his own strength.
Shetaka was overjoyed to see Aatrox; the two hadn't fought side-by-side for a long time since the founding of Sun City!
As Aatrox's Celestial Warrior joined the battle, the purple fleshy orb in the Void Rift was finally destroyed, shattering into fragments.
The powerful explosion shook the earth, and purple liquid gushed out like a fountain, scaring me so much that I quickly moved away.
Although they wouldn't be affected, they would still instinctively dodge in the face of a sudden attack.
The surviving Ascended gradually withdrew, their bodies stained with the monster's blood, their limbs trembling from the excessive killing.
Since becoming Ascended, they had never experienced such a difficult war, especially with so many people fighting together.
Just when everyone thought the battle was over, the Void Creatures launched a counterattack!
The exploding fleshy fragments suddenly enveloped the two Ascended hadn't had time to retreat, then connected with the severed tentacles that had fallen to the ground, strangling the Ascended's necks.
Shetaka, who had already risen into the air, quickly fell back down upon seeing this situation, using his Khopesh to cut through the tentacles and fleshy fragments.
Then an unexpected event occurred: several black thorns suddenly pierced out from the depths of the rift, impaling Shetaka and the two Ascended!