Rumble!

The ruined chamber of the Rendil Temple trembled as two colossal figures burst forth from swirling mass of Aether Steam. With his emerald eyes burning with rage, Kahless, now embodying the might of the Eden Ryuu Dragon, towered over the battlefield. Reborn as the two-headed Cerberus Titan, Poahf growled and snapped her jaws as she radiated an aura of barely controlled chaos.

Daichi cowered behind Avatar Soru Gurahs as he gazed up at the monstrous entities. "Master Sorah... or Rice Guru... what are we going to do?" he inquired above the cacophony of growls and roars.

"Do not fear, young one," An harmonious blend of Sorah's and the Rice Guru's voice, resonated with an unexpected calmness. "We shall let no harm come to you." He raised his staff and shouted, "Breeze Plume, come!"

Rumble!

The ground beneath their feet trembled, and with a burst of dust and dirt, Woodworm emerged from its burrow. Its shook its segmented body and in a flash of light, it transformed into the elegant Cloud Butterfly.

“Kyuu! Kyu?”

"Take Daichi to safety," Soru Gurahs instructed, gesturing towards the boy.

Without hesitation, Breeze Plume swooped down, scooping up Daichi in its silken threads and soaring upwards.

“Wait, come back! I can still fight!” Daichi yelled as Breeze Plume carried him away from the battle. “Hey, do you hear me?” he was beating his cuffed hands against the butterfly’s hide.

“Kyuuu!” Breeze Plume ignored his pleas and continued its ascent as it carried Daichi towards the freedom of the open sky.

The guards and soldiers, still reeling from the shock of the transformations, watched in astonishment as the butterfly soared away with the young prisoner.

"They're getting away!" one of the soldiers cried out. "Should we pursue them?"

"Yes! Mount your Sand Krayt Dragons and give chase!" Warden Poahf ordered.

The soldiers scrambled to obey, rushing towards their tethered mounts. But as they attempted to mount the dragons, something unexpected happened.

"Boqumu #29 - Anima Bestia," Soru Gurahs intoned, extending his hand towards the Sand Krayt Dragons.

The dragons froze mid-stride, their bodies trembling as if gripped by an unseen force. They lowered their heads and refused to move, their eyes became glazed over and their powerful wings drooped to the ground.

"What the..." a soldier muttered, tugging at the reins of his mount. "What's wrong with you, you overgrown lizard?"

"Mine won't move either!" another soldier cried out, pulling on the reins of his Sand Krayt Dragon, but the beast remained rooted to the spot.

"It's... it's the old man!" a guard yelled, pointing towards Soru Gurahs. "He's... he's controlling the dragons!"

A murmur of fear and confusion rippled through the ranks. They had never witnessed such a display of power before, a human who possessed the ability to control the minds of beasts.

“This is…”

"Kuhahahaha!"

Suddenly, a thunderous laughter echoed from above, drawing everyone's attention. It was Kahless’s amplified and distorted draconic voice.

He glared down at Soru Gurahs with a cruel smirk. "So, you think you can control the beasts of the earth, old man? Let's see how you fare against the true power of the Terravolt Kingdom!"

"Wood Armament – Ten Fold Arms!" Kahless bellowed as ten additional arms materialized on the dragon's torso, five on each side.

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Whoosh!

With a sweeping gesture of his ten arms, the dragon conjured a series of swirling vortexes of sand and earth. The vortexes condensed and solidified, forming into massive spheres that of destructive energy – Sand Sphere Bombs.

"Take this!" Kahless hurled the Sand Sphere Bombs downwards towards Soru Gurahs and the scattered remnants of the temple.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The bombs rained down like meteors, their explosive force shaking the very foundations of the mountain.

"Kyaaaah!"

The soldiers and guards who were still present in the courtyard screamed in terror and tried to flee, but it was too late. The bombs' impact was devastating. It ripped apart the ground with a series of deafening explosions that sent shockwaves rippling outwards.

"No!" Poahf cried out as she watched the bombs obliterate her troops. She was safe in her Titan Avatar but they weren’t. She had allowed them to be caught in the crossfire of this epic battle.

Everything was obscured in a shroud of turmoil and ruin by a dense cloud of smoke and dust that surrounded the mountain.

When the dust settled, the soldiers and guards were lying on the ground, dazed and disoriented. Their bodies ached and their ears rang from the explosions as they gasped and sputtered. In addition to being remarkably alive, their weapons and armour were scattered amidst the wreckage.

“How… how are we still alive?”

“I don’t know.”

Just then, a soft, soothing voice whispered in their ears, "Do not fear. You are safe."

"Huh?"

The soldiers looked around in confusion, searching for the source of the voice. And then they saw it - a shimmering, transparent sphere of energy that enveloped them, protecting them from the devastation that surrounded them.

"Boqumu #10 – Barriersphere."

It was Soru Gurahs, standing amidst the ruins with his staff held high. He had used his Boqumu powers to create a protective barrier around the soldiers and the Sand Krayt Dragons, effectively shielding them from Kahless's attack.

"Why...?" a soldier stammered, staring at Soru Gurahs in disbelief. "Why are you protecting us? We are your enemies."

Soru Gurahs smiled faintly. "We are all children of the elements. And even in times of war, even amidst the chaos and destruction, there is still room for compassion."

The soldiers and guards exchanged bewildered glances. They had never encountered an enemy like this before, a being who possessed such power yet chose to show mercy. A surge of shame and gratitude washed over them, and they lowered their heads in deference.

"Thank you," one soldier whispered.

"Thank you for saving our lives," another added.

“He’s the real deal, unlike Kahless and Poahf.”

“Grrrr!” Warden Poahf was frustrated as she watched this annoying exchange. Her fury was directed towards Soru Gurahs as she clenched her fists. How dare he protect her subordinates? How dare he act so arrogantly?

“It’s my turn! You will not get away with this!" Poahf shrieked as the two-headed Cerberus lunged towards Soru Gurahs. It raised its claws, aiming to rip him to shreds.

Slash!!

The Cerberus's claws sliced through the air, sending out pink scratches of energy at her opponent, additionally she leapt in the air and spat out two Kana Beast Bombs.

But even so, Soru Gurahs stood his ground with his staff held firmly in his hand. At the very last moment, just as the energy claw marks and Kana Bombs were about to connect, he reacted.

"Zephyr Phantom!"

His body blazed with ZenFlow Kana before becoming one with the wind as he dashed forward.

Whoosh!

He passed directly through the Cerberus Titan's body as if it were a mere illusion. And then, seconds later, he emerged on the other side with Warden Poahf clutched tightly in his grasp.

“Huh? This is…” Poahf gasped in surprise as she felt the air around her solidify, trapping her in an invisible prison. She struggled against Soru Gurahs's grip, but it was futile. His strength was overwhelming.

“I can’t… I can’t move my… arms… my… legs…”

The Cerberus Titan, having lost its host, dissolved into a cloud of Aether Steam.

The soldiers and guards stared in astonishment. They had never witnessed anything like it before, a human who possessed the ability to extract a summoner from within their own Titan Avatar just by snatching them up like that?

Soru Gurahs glanced down at the struggling Poahf with a look of disappointment. "You have abused your power, Warden. You have inflicted pain and suffering on countless innocent people. You deserve to be punished."

He raised his hand, preparing to strike her down, but then he hesitated. 'No,' he thought. 'She is not worth it. She is but a pawn in a much larger game.'

With a sigh, he tossed Poahf aside like a piece of rubbish. She landed in a heap on the ground, groaning in pain and humiliation.

“Damn you! Why didn’t you finish me? Is it because I’m a woman? Is that it?” Her screams fell on deaf ears.

“Hmm.” Soru Gurahs turned his attention to the remaining threat - Kahless and his Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar looming above.

"It seems we are the only ones left," he said calmly.

“Kuahahaha!” Kahless’s laughter echoed throughout the mountainside as he responded, "You continue to impress me, old man! It's the first time for me seeing someone dragged out of their Titan Avatar. You are indeed a formidable opponent. But I'm going to enjoy reducing you and your arrogance to dust!"

Soru Gurahs's eyes narrowed. He could sense the power emanating from Kahless, the raw, untamed energy of the earth element that threatened to consume everything in its path.

‘This is going to be a difficult battle,' he thought, gripping his staff tightly. 'But I will not falter. I will protect those under my care.'