Thwack!
"OW!"
Waking up with a large bump on his head, Duncan rubbed in confusion, wondering where on Earadun he was. The last thing I remember was being in some sort of bondage-esque situation, along with being on very compro– Shit, the barrier!
Waking up with a jolt, he rubbed his head with his left arm, only to reel back in pain. Oww! What the fuck was that- Oh right, I broke my arm in the fight... Speaking of fighting, where on Earadun is Cuptamo...
Eyes wandering throughout the broken room, he searched for the traitor, only to see a tall green figure fiddling with the barrier controls, as well as light grey dust floating through the air. "Hey old man, where on Earadun is the cunt?" Without looking back, Titus answered, "Dead. Killed him while you were down for the count..."
Duncan did not know why, but he felt something was off about his statement. Huh... I believe I'm forgetting something important here... I swear, I thought I saw-
"Hey kid, wake up and get back here! The barrier won't reactivate by itself, y'know!"
Interrupting his monologue, Titus reminded Duncan to come to the central command center to reinstate the barrier, to force out the bandits once and for all, saving Folicia and its inhabitants. Chugging a bottle of Helpful Healing Potion, Duncan got up from the ground, wincing as he felt his broken bones realigning themselves, shards ejecting from his body as new bone began growing from the broken regions. Despite taking only a minute, it felt like an eternity to him. "Goddess damn it! Can't the people create something that takes effect instantaneously!?" "Yes - that's called Magic... Now stop grumbling and help me start the damn device!"
With a loud, painful grunt, Duncan heaved to the other end of the device, tapping away furiously to restart the great barrier. "After this battle, we'll have to tally the total number of people either dead or MIA. I just hope that they're only buried in rubble, and not taken away by the- Hey, what's that ticking noise I'm hearing!?"
Titus paused, for he now also began hearing the ticks...
Tick, tick, tick...
His eyes shrank in horror, for he knew what it symbolised. "Shit, look down! Is there anything there!?" Not knowing why, Duncan followed his orders, kneeling his wrecked body underneath the table. "I don't understand why you're so scared- Holy shit, is that what I think it is!?"
3, 2, 1...
"Shit, move!"
Just before the bomb went off, Titus managed to cover Duncan, making sure that the already battered Elf was not killed by the shrapnel that flew by them. Once the shaking had calmed down, Dunca poked his head out, only to be met with carnage and an extinguished hope.
"Oh no, the Celestrium is no more... Shit, we need to go and-"
Roooaaaaarrrrr!
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Fighting in the air, Celestine threw her Ice creations at Sedrum, trying her best to disrupt her opponent's tempo. She could not allow the whore of a Succubus in enchanting Smock to her wiles.
She needed anything that would tilt the battle to their favour...
Meanwhile, Smock and the Alraune, Roselia, battled against the Balrog, Varafyr, intending to at least incapacitate him so that at least one of them could enter the city for further reinforcement. "Oh no you don't! We have a deal with the one inside. As long as we help take over the city, we'll get to pick 20% of the total population as part of our bounty. Can't have you lot go back there..."
Chuckling at the pathetic attempts of the duo in the air, Varafyr taunted them at their pitiful attempt to subdue him. "Don't you pipsqueaks know that we Balrogs are the strongest physical Demons in combat? Ahahahah! Watch as how your pitiful country perishes in the dust of history!"
Grinding his teeth, Smock concentrated even further on his attacks, throwing superheated fire lances after fire lances at Varafyr. "I know that fire ain't effective on you lot, but years of training have allowed me to create flames that can pierce through your thick skin! Don't mess around with a Pixie who has nothing to lose! Now die!"
Although still amused, Varafyr began dodging his attacks, realising that the mad drunk of a Pixie was not lying. By Zarthax, can't you lot do it faster- Wait, they've succeeded!
"Ahahahah! Sedrum, look, they've succeeded!"
The air began crackling, as the trio, with despair in their eyes, saw as the great barrier began dissolving once and for all. "Now witness the damnation of your nation! Sedrum, release our...
Gift..."
Rooaaaaarrr!
From the tall trees behind them, lumbered forth an unholy being. A being so terrible, that the plain sight of it made the Alraune pale with fright and the Pixie retch in disgust.
A sight that made Celestine cover her mouth in dread...
"Oh my Illumia, what have you done..."