Four of the Celestial Wardens against four Halochassis. The very thought sent a ripple through the battlefield. This was no ordinary clash between soldiers and bandits—it was a collision between living legends and terrifying new powers. The air itself seemed charged with anticipation as thousands of eyes focused on the eight figures who possessed the strength to decide the battle's outcome.
Around them, ordinary soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons while bandits exchanged nervous glances. Excitement and fear mixed together in their chests, creating a suffocating tension that hung over the battlefield like a storm cloud waiting to burst.
“Do not be afraid, soldiers of Empyrea!” the fortress guard captain shouted, raising his sword high into the air. His voice boomed across the battlefield, carrying over the distant rumble of marching boots and clanking armor. “The Celestial Wardens are here as our reinforcements! We shall crush the Iron Bandits and Halochassis with ease! Charge!”
A thunderous roar answered him. The soldiers' morale surged as they looked upon the mighty champions standing among them. Courage replaced hesitation. Spears lowered. Shields locked together. With battle cries shaking the air, the guards charged forward, their boots pounding against the dirt in a synchronized rhythm.
Meanwhile, the Iron Bandit lieutenants refused to be intimidated. They raised their weapons and bellowed at the top of their lungs.
“We have four of the mystic power armors! Victory is on our side! Attack!”
The bandits erupted into savage cheers. Axes, swords, and crude firearms were lifted skyward as they rushed to meet the advancing soldiers. Dust exploded beneath hundreds of charging feet. The smell of sweat, steel, and churned earth filled the air.
Then the two forces collided.
The impact echoed like a crashing wave. Shields slammed against shields. Swords screeched as metal scraped against metal. Men shouted, screamed, and cursed as the front lines descended into chaos. Sparks flew from clashing blades while blood splattered onto the dirt. The battlefield instantly became a maelstrom of violence.
Yet amidst all that chaos, the Halochassis remained perfectly still.
Samael, Armaros, and Mastema stood like silent titans among the carnage. Their glowing eyes remained fixed on the four Celestial Wardens before them. Through their armored visors, their pilots studied the legendary defenders of Empyrea.
The Untouchable Windwalker.
The Queen of Shadows.
The Silent Warlock.
And the Chosen One.
High above the battlefield floated Alexander Goldheart, the Chosen One himself. Golden light radiated from his body, illuminating the clouds around him with a divine glow. His white cloak fluttered in the wind as he gazed down upon the Halochassis with cold, unwavering eyes. The brilliant aura surrounding him made him appear less like a man and more like a heavenly judge preparing to pass sentence upon sinners.
Inside the Armaros armor, Adzeel stared upward and grinned.
“Look at the shimmering motherfucker,” he mocked. “All stare and smirk.”
“Leader, your orders?” Risha asked from within the Mastema armor. The crackle of magical energy hummed throughout her cockpit as she tightened her grip on her controls.
Inside Samael, Aether remained silent, waiting for the command. His attention never left the Celestial Wardens.
“Isn't it obvious?” Adzeel replied. His grin widened beneath his helmet. “Kill them all.”
The moment those words left his mouth, the Silent Warlock reacted.
The twelve-year-old prodigy calmly raised his wand. His expression remained emotionless, but immense magical power surged from his body. Four brilliant magical circles materialized behind his back, each one etched with countless glowing runes. Their blue-violet light illuminated the battlefield as mana gathered within them.
A second later, they opened fire.
Dozens of magic missiles erupted from the circles in rapid succession. Streaks of blue light screamed through the air like shooting stars, leaving glowing trails behind them. The barrage illuminated the battlefield with flashes of arcane energy as explosions erupted wherever the missiles struck.
Samael, Armaros, and Mastema immediately scattered.
The Halochassis moved with startling speed, leaping and dashing across the battlefield to avoid the relentless bombardment. Magic missiles detonated around them, throwing dirt, rocks, and shattered weapons into the air.
Only Azazel remained unmoving.
The black-and-gold Halochassis planted its feet firmly into the ground and spread its radiant energy wings. Brilliant golden barriers formed from the wings, intercepting the incoming missiles. Each impact erupted into dazzling explosions of light, yet Azazel stood firm like an unshakable fortress amid the storm.
Through the chaos, Risha spotted an opening.
The Silent Warlock's attention was focused on maintaining his barrage.
A perfect target.
“Magnum Boost.”
Green lightning erupted around Mastema.
Crackling arcs of energy danced across the Halochassis' armor as its engines roared to life. The ground shattered beneath its feet from the sudden acceleration. In an instant, Mastema became a green blur, its speed increasing tenfold. Shockwaves rippled outward as it blasted across the battlefield.
At the same time, Risha deployed her weapon.
The shield attached to Mastema's arm unfolded with a series of mechanical clicks. Hidden compartments opened, revealing a razor-sharp blade and an integrated pistol. It resembled a massive armored swiss knife designed solely for war.
The distance between Mastema and the Silent Warlock vanished in the blink of an eye.
Risha swung her blade.
Then steel met steel.
CLANG!
A sharp metallic ring echoed through the battlefield.
A katana had intercepted her attack.
Standing before the Silent Warlock was Zerova, the Queen of Shadows.
Her golden eyes glowed beneath her black hair as she held her katana steady. Despite the force behind Mastema's strike, she had stopped it completely. Shadows swirled around her feet like living creatures while her shinobi uniform fluttered in the wind generated by the collision.
The two warriors locked eyes.
“You're my enemy,” Zerova muttered.
Though her voice was soft, it carried a chilling certainty that cut deeper than any blade.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield, Adzeel launched his own assault.
The crimson wings of Armaros spread wide, casting a blood-red shadow across the ground. Magical energy surged through the Halochassis as its metallic body twisted and reshaped itself. Armor plates shifted and folded with thunderous mechanical sounds. Within seconds, Armaros transformed into a massive jet-like dragon whose crimson scales gleamed beneath the sunlight.
The dragon unleashed a deafening roar.
Then it opened its jaws.
Several blazing fireballs shot toward Alexander Goldheart.
The projectiles streaked through the sky like miniature suns, radiating scorching heat that distorted the air around them. Soldiers and bandits alike looked upward as the fiery barrage raced toward the Chosen One.
Yet Alexander did not move.
He simply watched.
The instant the fireballs entered his vicinity, a golden barrier shimmered into existence around him. Divine runes flashed across its surface as the incoming fireballs slammed into it one after another.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rocked the heavens.
Blinding flashes of orange and gold illuminated the battlefield below. Waves of heat washed over the combatants, and the resulting shockwaves rattled armor and shook the ground.
When the smoke finally cleared, Alexander remained exactly where he had been.
Untouched.
His cold golden eyes continued staring down at Armaros as if the attack had been nothing more than a mild inconvenience. The divine barrier shimmered around him for a brief moment before fading away, leaving the Chosen One floating alone in the sky, bathed in heavenly light and completely unharmed. The sight caused even seasoned warriors to hesitate, for it was a stark reminder of why Alexander Goldheart was considered one of the strongest Celestial Wardens alive.
“Fight me, you motherfucker!” Adzeel shouted.
His voice thundered across the battlefield, amplified by Armaros' draconic form. Crimson flames leaked from the dragon's metallic jaws as its wings beat against the sky, scattering embers and shockwaves through the smoke-filled air. Soldiers and bandits alike glanced upward, expecting the Chosen One to answer the challenge.
Alexander Goldheart did not even spare him a glance.
The golden warrior remained suspended high above the battlefield, bathed in divine radiance. His cloak fluttered gently despite the violent winds generated by the battle below. To him, Adzeel's challenge seemed no more significant than the buzzing of an insect.
The dismissal only made Adzeel's fury burn hotter.
Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, Samael finally joined the fray.
The white, black-and-blue Halochassis unfurled its mechanical wings. Segments of metal detached from the frame with a series of sharp metallic clicks. One by one, the feathers transformed into floating sword-like familiars, each blade glowing with azure energy. The weapons hovered around Samael like a flock of predatory birds awaiting their master's command.
Aether pointed toward the Silent Warlock.
The swords immediately responded.
Dozens of blue lasers erupted from the floating blades. The beams sliced through the battlefield with terrifying speed, leaving glowing trails in the air and scorching lines across the ground. Soldiers screamed and scattered as the barrage raced toward the young prodigy.
Before the lasers could reach him, another stream of light intercepted them.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Lireina's twin pistols flashed repeatedly.
Golden laser bullets shot from her weapons with perfect precision. Every pull of the trigger produced a sharp crack that echoed through the battlefield. Her shots collided with the incoming beams, creating brilliant explosions of blue and gold light in midair. The resulting shockwaves rippled outward, stirring dust and loose debris around her boots.
The Silent Warlock remained untouched behind her.
“God damn it!” Aether snarled. “If you want to die first, then so be it!”
His patience finally snapped.
"Strike Mode!"
Two of the floating swords flew toward each other and locked together with a metallic clang, forming a massive double-bladed weapon. Energy surged through the weapon's edges, causing blue sparks to dance across the blades.
Then Samael accelerated.
“RAAAAAAAAH!”
The Halochassis charged forward like a missile.
The ground exploded beneath its feet. Cracks spread across the stone as Aether propelled himself toward Lireina with overwhelming force. The roar of his engines mixed with his furious battle cry, creating a deafening sound that drowned out much of the fighting nearby.
The double-bladed sword descended toward Lireina's head.
Yet she moved with elegant grace.
Rather than retreating, Lireina stepped into the attack.
Her body spun as though she were dancing to music only she could hear. Her blonde hair flowed through the air while her cloak twirled around her like silk caught in a gentle breeze. The massive blade passed mere inches from her body, missing completely.
Using the momentum of her spin, she pivoted on one foot and unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick.
The impact struck Samael's throat.
BOOM!
The sound resembled a cannon blast.
Aether's eyes widened inside the cockpit as the force lifted the Halochassis off its feet. The armored giant flew backward through the air before crashing into one of the fortress buildings. Stone walls shattered instantly. Bricks, timber, and dust erupted outward as Samael disappeared into the structure.
The building collapsed moments later.
A cloud of debris rose into the sky.
Lireina landed softly upon the ground.
Unlike the violence surrounding her, her landing was almost gentle. Dust swirled around her boots as she lowered her pistols. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to survey the battlefield.
Then her attention settled upon Azazel.
The Halochassis had barely moved.
While the others fought desperately, Azazel simply stood there. Its energy wings continued intercepting the occasional magic missile from the Silent Warlock, but otherwise it remained motionless amidst the chaos.
No aggression.
No hostility.
No killing intent.
Lireina could no longer sense any malice from the armor.
She released a quiet sigh.
Slowly, the winds surrounding her began to fade. The green aura that marked her transformation diminished until it disappeared completely. Returning to her base form, she winced slightly and held her wounded shoulder. Pain still lingered there, but she ignored it.
Step by step, she approached Azazel.
Around them, soldiers screamed and weapons clashed. Fire consumed parts of the fortress. Smoke darkened the sky. Yet somehow, a strange pocket of calm seemed to exist between them.
“You do not wish to fight anymore, don't you?” Lireina asked softly.
A warm smile appeared on her face.
There was no hatred in her eyes.
Only pity.
Inside Azazel, Shin stared at her through the cockpit display.
His heart tightened.
In the middle of a battlefield soaked with blood and filled with death, Lireina seemed completely out of place. She was like a ray of sunlight piercing through storm clouds.
Beautiful.
Kind.
Merciful.
She wasn't doing this because he had begged for mercy. She wasn't doing it because it was strategically beneficial.
She simply believed it was the right thing to do.
For a moment, the sounds of battle seemed distant to Shin. The screams, explosions, and clashes of steel faded into the background. All he could see was Lireina standing before him with genuine compassion in her eyes.
The rest of the world disappeared.
Only the two of them remained.
Lireina placed a hand over her chest.
Then she slowly extended her other hand toward him.
“Please,” she said gently. “Lay down your arms and surrender. I promise you will never get hurt.”
The sincerity in her voice struck Shin harder than any weapon.
Inside the cockpit, his hands trembled.
Azazel slowly began to move.
The giant armor raised its arm with deliberate caution. Metal joints whirred softly as its hand reached toward Lireina's outstretched fingers.
Closer.
Closer.
Just a little more.
Then—
A streak of gold split the air.
SHING!
A golden sword descended from the heavens and slammed into the ground between their hands.
The impact was so violent that the earth erupted beneath it. Cracks spread across the battlefield like spiderwebs. A shockwave blasted outward, forcing nearby soldiers and bandits off their feet.
Azazel's hand jerked backward.
The edge of the sword had grazed the armor. Warning alarms immediately screamed throughout Shin's cockpit. Fragments of armor plating fell away.
Had he reacted even a fraction of a second later, the blade would have severed the hand completely.
“Huh?”
Lireina gasped. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Then she followed the sword's trajectory upward. Her expression instantly hardened.
“Alexander!”
Far above them, Alexander Goldheart slowly lowered his arm. His face remained cold and unwavering.
“We do not negotiate with evil,” he declared.
The words carried across the battlefield like divine judgment.
Then he raised his golden sword.
The heavens trembled.
The clouds above split apart as brilliant golden energy erupted from the blade. Countless rays of light burst across the sky, illuminating the battlefield brighter than the midday sun. The sheer pressure of the gathering power forced everyone below to stop fighting and look upward.
Even the air itself seemed to scream.
The energy continued growing.
And growing.
And growing.
A colossal sword of golden light manifested above Alexander's weapon.
It stretched across the heavens. Its size dwarfed mountains. Its brilliance eclipsed the moon.
To the soldiers below, it looked as though an entire celestial kingdom had forged a weapon and aimed it at the world.
At that moment, Shin finally understood.
The blood drained from his face. His body froze. His breathing became shallow.
He stared at the impossible sword hanging above them, and a single realization echoed through his mind louder than any explosion.
We will all die at this rate.