The sun blazed overhead, casting long shadows as Lorne and Kaela patrolled the perimeter of the quarry. They rode on horseback, the animals trotting briskly along the dirt trail that wound around the rugged terrain. The air was warm, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the surrounding trees.
Lorne leaned back in his saddle, his fingers loosely gripping the reins as he surveyed his surroundings. The Silverguard Company had been tasked with overseeing the security of the quarry, ensuring that there were no intrusions or disruptions to the mining operations. It wasn't the most exciting job, but he preferred to keep things simple rather than go charging after bandits or raiding parties.
The crunch of hooves on gravel brought his attention to the two riders approaching from the opposite direction. Urien and Deneve rode alongside each other, chatting quietly as they stopped beside Lorne.
"Nothing to report, sir," Urien said, saluting respectfully. "All's quiet on our end."
Lorne nodded, returning the gesture. "Good work. Continue your rounds and keep me apprised of any changes."
"Yes, sir!" Urien spurred his mount, turning away to continue his patrol, with Deneve following closely behind.
"Enjoy your date, you two!" Deneve teased as they rode past, flashing the two a playful wink.
Kaela shot her a dirty look. "Mind your own business, Deneve."
Lorne rolled his eyes. The pair never seemed to miss a chance to get under each other's skin, which he found mildly amusing. If anyone else dared to speak in such a manner to his vice-captain, Kaela would've taken their head off, literally or figuratively, depending on her mood. With Deneve, however, Kaela let such antics slide, even tolerating Deneve's occasional flirtations.
Once the other riders had vanished from sight, he urged his mount onward, continuing the circuitous path. The quiet, tranquil atmosphere allowed his mind to wander, drifting toward his comrades, both old and new.
Kaela rode beside him, her posture rigid and alert, always ready for a fight. Despite her cool, aloof demeanor, he knew that she cared deeply for those in the company, especially for Lorne himself.
Ever since joining the Silverguard Company, she had been at his side, guarding his back, and covering for him in combat. Over time, their bond had grown from friendship to something deeper, a mutual affection that they both acknowledged but kept unspoken.
He glanced in her direction, admiring the profile of her face, highlighted by the soft light filtering through the canopy of trees. She met his gaze briefly, offering him a smile before turning her attention back to the trail.
"What?" Kaela asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Is there something on my face?"
"Nope," he replied. "Just checking to make sure you're not daydreaming. I don't want to have to carry you back to camp because you fell off your horse."
"Not likely, but I appreciate your concern, Commander," Kaela shot back, her tone dry, but her expression playful. She nudged her horse to the side, closing the gap between them to bump Lorne's shoulder with her own. "Although, I would accept a piggy-back ride if I did happen to take a tumble."
"I'd rather carry you bridal style, if we're being honest," Lorne quipped. "Or throw you over my shoulder."
"Tempting," Kaela said, leaning in closer. "But I prefer the former."
Their horses slowed, their hooves churning the soil as they came to a stop. For a few moments, they stood there, basking in each other's presence, relishing in the comfort that they found in one another's company.
Suddenly, the earth beneath them heaved and groaned, causing both of them to stiffen in surprise, drawing their weapons instinctively as they searched for the source of the disturbance.
Down at the quarry, the ground exploded violently, releasing a shower of debris into the air, as a massive stone monster emerged from the rubble. The creature bellowed, unleashing a roar that shook the air.
Another explosion followed, this time coming from another location, as a second earthen creature burst forth, roaring in response to its sibling.
The horses whinnied loudly, their bodies tensing in panic.
At the other side of the quarry, yet another one erupted from the cliff face, its lumbering form dwarfing the others.
Lorne and Kaela exchanged shocked glances, realizing that their peaceful afternoon was coming to an abrupt end.
"We need to evacuate the workers!" Kaela yelled, snapping into action.
"Go!" Lorne barked, turning his mount towards the chaos, his blade drawn and his senses primed for battle.
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The three giant rock creatures clambered out of the quarry, their rocky, crystalline eyes roaming for prey.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Deneve blurted, her voice laced with incredulity.
"Yep," Urien drawled. "Three living rocks just popped outta nowhere. Think one of the Artificers down there did something?"
"Can't say for sure, but I doubt they would do something so reckless and stupid, especially without permission—Ah, looks like the commander is charging in alone."
"Damn it! That means we gotta go too!" Urien cursed, kicking his horse into motion. "Let's move!"
Urien and Deneve hurried back to the quarry to aid Lorne and Kaela.
"What's the plan?" Deneve called out. "You realize we usually only fight things that are flesh and blood. I don't think our equipment would do much against chunks of rock. Well...maybe your hammer, but not so much my crossbow or scimitars."
"I ain't too sure myself!" Urien yelled back. "That's something for the commander to decide. Right now, let's focus on getting everyone outta harm's way first!"
The thundering footsteps of the giant rock monsters drew their attention back to the present. The two companions rushed forward, their mounts galloping at full speed as they closed in on the quarry entrance.
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Viviane's heart raced, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she watched the earth elementals march forward, their stony limbs grinding against one another as they moved. They growled with unintelligible voices, their primitive minds focused solely on destruction. The earth beneath their feet cracked and shattered with every step they took, creating fissures that stretched outwards like spider webs.
With the Aetherframe's enhanced hearing, Viviane could make out the frantic cries and shouts of the laborers scattered across the quarry. Some tried to escape, scrambling up the steep walls of the pit or using ropes and harnesses to ascend the sheer cliff face. Others attempted to flee to the mine tunnels, seeking refuge underground.
But many remained paralyzed in fear, watching helplessly as the monstrous elementals drew near.
Viviane steadied herself, feeling the Aetherframe responding to her very thoughts, mirroring her stance. The crystalline core thrummed louder, sensing the danger. The semi-aware consciousness of the Aetherframe seemed to whisper a silent warning, ancient memories merging with the present.
She only had her pickaxe and a couple of other tools attached to the Aetherframe's body, none of which she assumed would prove particularly useful in a fight against a trio of elementals.
Forcing her doubts aside, she turned towards Dimitri, who loaded a heavy crossbow with a mana-charged bolt. The metallic tip was etched with runes, crackling with energy as it connected with the shaft. He aimed the weapon and fired, sending the projectile hurtling towards one of the smaller elementals.
The bolt struck the creature in the shoulder, splintering upon impact. The elemental stumbled but quickly recovered, seemingly unfazed by the attack. Dimitri cursed, loading another bolt into the crossbow as he prepared to fire once more.
"They're resistant to physical attacks, and these bolts aren't powerful enough to cause significant damage. But we have no choice but to try anyway!" Dimitri yelled to Viviane as he released the second shot, this time aiming for one of the elemental's legs.
Viviane raised her pickaxe high above her head, pointing the sharpened tip downward, and leapt forward, using the Aetherframe's enhancements to propel herself into the air. The tool slammed into the nearest elemental's chest, sinking deep into the rocky surface before wedging firmly within its body. The elemental let out a garbled growl, clawing at the tool as it struggled to dislodge it.
The sudden attack momentarily distracted the elemental, buying the miners and Artificers precious seconds to regain their composure. Dimitri shouted a command to the remaining workers, urging them to seek shelter. Many followed suit, rushing for safety as fast as their feet could carry them.
She pulled out her pickaxe from the elemental's chest with a grunt, pivoting in place to deliver a roundhouse kick to its midsection, using the Aetherframe's increased strength to send the creature sprawling. The elemental flew several meters, crashing into the wall of the quarry.
Viviane continued her assault, swinging the pickaxe repeatedly at the elemental. The tool bounced off its hard exterior with each strike, leaving behind only slight scratches and nicks on the rocky surface. However, the barrage seemed to be doing more than enough to distract the creature.
Meanwhile, Dimitri continued to launch bolt after bolt at the other smaller elemental, though the effort did little beyond slowing its approach.
In the distance, the larger elemental's fist pummeled the ground, sending a wave of dirt and stone flying. Boulders and pieces of granite filled the air, raining down upon the fleeing miners below. Some managed to evade the debris, while others were not so fortunate. Their screams rang out as they fell, crushed beneath the weight of the rubble.
Viviane's stomach twisted, a knot forming in the pit of her gut. They needed to distract the larger elemental and give the miners a chance to escape.
"Dimitri! I'm going to distract that big one, and you need to go help the workers get to safety!" Viviane ordered.
She threw her pickaxe directly at the closest small elemental's head before charging toward the large elemental.
Her Aetherframe-powered fist slammed into its leg, fracturing the stone-hard surface. But the elemental barely reacted, merely turning to stare down at her before swinging its massive arm at her.
Viviane ducked low, narrowly avoiding the blow, which grazed her right shoulder. Her armor took most of the impact, but the force still sent her reeling, knocking her to the ground.
Before she could recover, a second strike smashed into her side, crushing the side panel of the Aetherframe. Metal groaned and snapped, punctuated by the muffled gasp of pain that escaped Viviane's lips.
The impact threw Viviane into the air, but her armored hand managed to grab a hold of the elemental's arm, keeping her tethered to its bulk.
Using her grip as leverage, Viviane swung herself around, delivering a vicious kick to the creature's midsection. It reeled back, releasing a deafening roar, as she landed on her feet.
Undeterred, she charged again, driving her fist into the elemental's torso. Each blow broke off more fragments of its rocky exterior, sending shards of granite and crystal scattering across the ground. But still, the elemental persisted, unfazed by the barrage.
"This isn't working," Viviane muttered, stepping back to catch her breath. The elemental advanced, its footfalls causing the earth beneath her to shake.
No point in trying to punch a boulder with your fists...
The only way to win was to destroy the elemental's crystalline core, but she didn't have the armaments necessary to get the job done. For now, she just had to keep drawing its attention and stay on the defensive.
As she dodged another wild swing from the elemental's massive fist, she noticed the four riders from the Silverguard Company enter the quarry, charging straight for them.
Viviane felt a mixture of relief and apprehension at the sight of Lorne and his soldiers. While their assistance would certainly be helpful, they also didn't have the appropriate gear to deal with these types of foes.
"The Silverguards are here," Dimitri confirmed, speaking through the mana communication relay in the Aetherframe's helm. He sounded just as worried as she was.
"We can use all the help we can get. Even if they don't have the right gear, at least they can buy us some time to regroup," she replied, parrying another blow with her Aetherframe's forearm.
As the riders neared the center of the quarry, they leaped off their mounts, landing deftly on their feet. They wasted no time, immediately rushing to engage the nearest elemental.
Lorne led the charge, brandishing his blade as he clashed with the smaller elemental, cleaving a shallow gash in its rocky hide. Meanwhile, Deneve and Urien coordinated their efforts, focusing on distracting the larger elemental long enough for Vivian to disengage.
Finally, Kaela weaved among the various combatants, using her agility to harry the smaller elemental. She slashed at the creature, nimbly evading its clumsy swings before darting out of reach.
Viviane stepped back, letting the Silverguards take over the assault as she took the opportunity to survey the battlefield.
The majority of the workers had been able to escape thanks to her and Dimitri's diversions. But despite the Silverguards' bravery, she doubted their odds at felling the hulking brutes, and they clearly weren't making much progress either.
Even with the enhanced strength and speed afforded to her by the Aetherframe, she hadn't been able to land any meaningful blows against the elementals, nor could Dimitri's crossbow bolts cause significant damage.
She sensed that only a few of the Silverguards' weapons were properly enchanted to inflict lasting harm to the elementals, but even those weren't capable of destroying the core.
Dimitri arrived at her side, his crossbow clutched tightly in his grasp. "Ideas?"
"I'm thinking," Viviane responded, taking a deep breath as she studied the battle raging before them.
Kaela gracefully danced between the flailing arms of the largest elemental, using the momentum of her strikes to build up speed before striking at the creature's joints. With each glancing blow, sparks flew, the sound echoing across the quarry.
At the same time, Urien and Deneve worked together, attacking the other elemental in tandem. With well-coordinated movements, they switched between supporting each other and distracting their opponent, ensuring that it had a difficult time predicting their next course of action.
Lorne fought the other elemental single-handedly, engaging the beast in a deadly dance. His sword flashed, deflecting an incoming blow before carving a line across its torso. He weaved between the creature's outstretched hands, moving with fluid grace as he delivered hit after hit.
Despite their obvious skill and experience, Viviane couldn't help but feel that they were fighting a losing battle. Even if they continued to wear the elementals down, they wouldn't last long in the open.
There must be another way... There has to be...