Earth's Greatest Magus
Earth's Greatest Magus - Chapter 1652: Defend

The forest, once a tranquil sanctuary alive with the whispering of ancient trees and bustling fauna, now pulsed with dread under the invasion of abyss creatures. They rolled and rampaged, a mass of destructive chaos, their individual paths converging into a purposeful advance towards an imposing structure - the pyramid. Every crackling leaf, every splintered branch under their onslaught echoed the ruthless determination driving these creatures forward.

The sky, a vast, ethereal dome of blue, served as a battleground for a second wave of assailants. A battalion of winged stone creatures swarmed overhead, their rough-hewn, stony bodies blotting out the sun, casting a somber shade over the forest below. Their stone wings flapped relentlessly against the air currents, creating a disquieting rhythm, a war drum in the sky.

There was also the gigantic one-eyed monster that shook the ground shook. It towered over the trees, its colossal size dwarfing even the tallest of the ancient forest giants. A spectacle of terror and power, it took joy in the chaos it instigated, its single eye gleaming with savage glee.

"Get inside!!" Julian's command cut through the pandemonium, ringing clear as a bell.

The protective shield offered by the pyramid stood as their only hope of refuge amidst the chaos. But as they rushed, hearts pounding and hopes high, towards its resolute gate, an invisible barrier rebuffed their efforts.

Thrax, his steely determination reflected in his eyes, stepped forward. His hands tightened around his weapon, a formidable tier 6 spear. With a battle cry, he smashed it against the barrier.

BAMMM!!!

The collision echoed in the form of a powerful smash. The barrier wavered momentarily, ripples of disrupted energy spreading outward. Yet, it soon rebounded the force, throwing Thrax back with relentless ferocity.

"It's not a normal energy barrier!!"

Klea the astute observer, watched the interaction closely. Her eyes traced the cryptic runes etching the surface of the barrier.

"This place... It's not a normal place at all… This… this is the king's tomb!" she announced, a sense of awe lacing her voice. The pyramid, a colossal structure standing tall amidst chaos and destruction, was the final resting place of the First King of Man, King Uranus, a familial ancestor of Izta the Gilgamesh.

The revelation of the pyramid's identity added weight to the atmosphere, imbuing it with a sense of profound respect and historical significance. Now, tantalizingly close to their goal, they found themselves stranded at a perilous crossroads - prevented from entering the tomb by an invisible barrier and under imminent threat from a growing horde of abyss creatures.

Thrax, the voice of pragmatism, suggested a retreat, "We should leave this place, we can come back later!"

Julian, however, begged to differ. "Wait, The way to leave this palace is beyond those hordes. We should hold them here, then slip past them when we have the chance." His strategy, although dangerous, seemed to be their only hope in the face of certain doom.

With their plan carved out, Julian and Klea sprung into action. Julian, with the steady hands of a seasoned warrior, opened a special wooden box, releasing 300 metallic puppets. They buzzed to life, reflecting the spectral glow of Julian's spirit force. One by one, Julian started the painstaking task of infusing his spirit force into each puppet, turning them into a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile, Klea turned her attention to her own preparations. With a swift movement, she tossed a dozen bronze coins into the air. Obedient to her command, the coins whizzed across the battlefield, positioning themselves strategically along the staircase, adding a magical edge to their defenses.

Thrax, ever the brave, strode down the staircase. His spear swung rhythmically at his side, emanating a lethal aura that promised destruction to any who dared approach.

"Let's go Gae Bolg!"

The earth beneath him trembled, the footfall of thousands of abyss creatures sending ripples of fear throughout the forest. But Thrax stood tall, casting a spell [Burning fields] infusing his spear with an incandescent glow that turned each swing into a wave of fiery annihilation.

Thousands of little abyss creatures spewed from the forest, a relentless tide of teeth and malice that surged towards the staircase, towards Thrax. With every breath of fire that his spear exhaled, dozens of creatures met their end, their bodies incinerated instantly.

"None shall pass!!"

Yet they were a sea of abyss-born horrors, and each creature felled was quickly replaced by another, hungry for the fight.

Meanwhile, the pyramid's stone walls bore silent witness to the chaos. Cold and ancient, they stood as immovable sentinels amidst the turmoil.

Back on the front line, Thrax was slowly being backed into a corner. Despite his relentless offensive, the creatures managed to find their way up the walls and onto him. Their fangs gnashed futilely against his high-tier dark metal armor, yet their numbers were enough to hinder his movements, slowing down his fiery onslaught.

"Die you little ugly creature!! Die!!"

Just as he was on the brink of being overwhelmed, Thrax felt the air around him start to shiver with cold. Klea's frost formation had activated, creating a barrier of ice.

The frozen barrier turned the approaching creatures into statues of ice, hindering their movements to the point where Thrax could easily break them apart into little icicles with a simple swing of his weapon.

However, the creatures kept storming out of the forest in greater numbers. The frost barrier only succeeded in slowing them down, and hundreds managed to slip through. A few even managed to leap onto Thrax, their jaws clamping down onto his gladiator armor. These creatures boasted terrifyingly strong fangs, and while they could not pierce through the high-tier dark metal of his armor, their relentless attacks were enough to hinder Thrax's movements.

"Get back!!" Julian's voice boomed over the battlefield, a clear note of command. Just as Thrax turned to respond, the space around him came alive with Julian's summoned Praetorian guards. The guards, moving as one, quickly assumed a Testudo formation - six layers of close, tight lines that covered the full length of the stairs. A shield wall against the oncoming tide of creatures.

These were not ordinary summons. Each Praetorian guard was imbued with the strength of a sky realm warrior, their powers magnified under Julian's expert control. The guards stood fast against the onslaught, their shields held high, their resolve unshaken.

Just when they thought the battle could not get any more challenging, Klea's warning reached their ears, "Watch out! Incoming from the sky!"

The stone-winged creatures descended upon them, their stone bodies impervious to Klea's spells. Before Thrax could spring into action, Julian's summoned soldiers stepped up once again, launching a volley of javelins that pierced through the thin wings of the descending creatures.

The battlefield was a scene of chaos. The air was heavy with the sounds of clashing weapons, the shrieks of falling creatures, and the crackling fire from Thrax's spear.

Amidst it all, Julian continued to command his soldiers with firm decisiveness. "Praetorian! Rotate!!" he commanded, and with a swift motion, the guards switched places, allowing for the frontline to rest and replenish their strength.

Their moment of respite was short-lived as another wave of stone-winged creatures dived down upon them. "Attack now!!" Julian's voice cut through the disarray, prompting his soldiers to launch another volley of javelins into the misty air,

At the same time, Julian gave Klea a signal and the Egyptian queen cast the second formation, turning the area into a cloud mist.

This was their chance. Their escape route lay before them, shrouded in the mist and guarded by the formidable Praetorian guards.

"Tivali!!" Called Klea calling the Bestet tiger to pick them four up, ready to slip away from the chaotic battle, dashing down the stairs.

However, their path was suddenly blocked by the gigantic one-eyed monster. It let out a deafening roar, its eye searing a beam of destructive energy that decimated the forest before them. The shockwave from the blast threw them back, bodies tumbling against the cold stone of the pyramid.

Thrax, quickly recovered from the shock, his gaze fixed on the monstrosity blocking their path. "Let me handle this thing!!" He readied his spear for another round, a challenge in his voice. As he was about to lunge forward, a majestic figure descended from the sky.

It was the legendary creature, the Sphinx. It charged at the one-eyed monster, claws extended.

Amidst the chaos, Julian's shout rang out, "It's our chance! Let's go!" His words pulled Klea back to the present. They had a window of opportunity, a chance to escape the chaotic battleground. But as she mounted the Bestet tiger, her eyes were locked onto the distant figures of the Sphinx and the giant, her mind filled with worry and determination. They had to survive, to return and aid their brave defender, for their journey was far from over.

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