Tank, Ian, and Reaper focused their efforts on the two behemoths before them. While slightly smaller than the ones Calvin, Amy, and Freya fought, these creatures were much faster and seemed to work together in a coordinated pair.
Tank unleashed a barrage from his autocannon, the high-caliber rounds tearing into the thick hide of the first behemoth. The creature roared in pain and anger, charging towards Tank with surprising speed. Reaper quickly fired a volley of armor-piercing rounds from his sniper rifle, aiming for the behemoth's eyes and joints to slow its advance.
Ian summoned a massive fireball, hurling it at the second behemoth. The creature dodged the attack with uncanny agility, leaping to the side and retaliating with a blast of dark energy from its maw. Ian barely managed to raise a shield of swirling wind in time to deflect the attack.
The battle raged on, with Tank, Ian, and Reaper working together to keep the behemoths at bay. Tank switched to a plasma rifle, the searing bolts of energy leaving smoking craters in the behemoths' flesh. Reaper continued to target the creatures' weak points, his precision shots hampering their movement and coordination.
Ian called upon the power of lightning, directing a crackling bolt towards the first behemoth. The creature convulsed as the electricity coursed through its body, momentarily stunning it. Tank seized the opportunity, charging forward and leaping onto the behemoth's back. He manifested a massive energy blade, plunging it deep into the creature's neck.
The behemoth thrashed and bucked, trying to dislodge Tank from its back. Reaper and Ian focused their fire on the second behemoth, keeping it occupied while Tank grappled with the first. With a final, desperate roar, the first behemoth collapsed to the ground, Tank's energy blade having severed its spinal cord.
The second behemoth, enraged by the fall of its companion, redoubled its efforts. It charged towards Reaper, its massive claws tearing up the earth as it closed the distance. Reaper rolled to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding being crushed. Ian conjured a wall of swirling wind and flames, temporarily halting the behemoth's advance.
Tank, having recovered from his battle with the first behemoth, joined Ian and Reaper in their assault on the second. He manifested a pair of plasma cannons, the weapons thrumming with energy. Together, the three heroes poured everything they had into the behemoth, their combined attacks slowly wearing down its defenses.
The behemoth fought back with savage determination, its roars echoing across the battlefield. It lashed out with its claws and tail, forcing Tank, Ian, and Reaper to maintain a constant state of motion to avoid being struck. Despite the creature's best efforts, however, it could not withstand the relentless onslaught of the heroes' attacks.
With a final, devastating blast from Tank's plasma cannons, the second behemoth fell, its lifeless body crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Tank, Ian, and Reaper stood over the fallen behemoths, their armor battered and scorched.
As they surveyed the battlefield, it became clear that the fight was far from over. The Olympian army and their allies were locked in a pitched battle with the monstrous horde, neither side gaining a clear advantage. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and the cries of the wounded and dying.
Amidst the chaos, Tank noticed two human figures standing apart from the main battle. They seemed to be creating an orb of energy between them, the pulsing sphere growing larger and more intense with each passing moment. Tank's instincts told him that these individuals were no ordinary humans, and that the orb they were creating was something of great significance.
He motioned for Ian and Reaper to follow him as he made his way towards the two humans. As they drew closer, the air around them began to crackle with energy, the hair on the back of their necks standing on end. The humans seemed oblivious to their approach, their attention focused entirely on the growing orb of energy between them.
Tank raised his plasma rifle, aiming it at the humans. "Stand down!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the din of battle. "Whatever you're doing, it ends now!"
The humans looked up, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. They smiled, a cruel and twisted expression that sent a chill down Tank's spine. "You have no idea what you're dealing with," one of them said, his voice echoing with a strange, ethereal quality. "This is only the beginning."
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Calvin saw Tank approach the humans and point his plasma rifle at them. They said something in response and raised their hands into the sky. The orb shot into the air and detonated high into the sky. Strange tendrils of energy snaked out and began tracing runic script into the sky.
"Olympians!" Called one of the humans. "Kyrak thanks you for making yourselves available."
Calvin's heart sank as he realized they may have just taken the bait. The runic script in the sky pulsed with an ominous red glow. Calvin gripped his bladestaff tighter, eyes darting around for any sign of an impending attack.
"What have you done?" Tank demanded, jabbing his plasma rifle at the two humans.
They merely laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Calvin's spine. "We've completed our task. Soon, Kyrak will ascend and all of your pitiful resistance will be for naught."
Calvin moved to stand beside Tank, Freya and Amy flanking him. Ian and Reaper took up positions on Tank's other side, weapons at the ready. The rest of the Olympian forces fanned out behind them, tense and prepared for battle.
"You're wrong," Calvin declared, his voice ringing out across the valley. "We will never stop fighting. Olympus will never fall to Kyrak's corruption."
The two humans sneered at him. "You know nothing of Kyrak's true power. But you will learn, in time. For now, enjoy the gifts we leave you."
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
With those parting words, the humans vanished in a flash of sickly green light. At the same moment, the ground began to tremble beneath their feet. Cracks split the earth, widening rapidly as something massive forced its way up from the depths.
"Scatter!" Calvin shouted as a gargantuan form burst from the ground in a shower of dirt and rock.
The Olympians barely had time to dive out of the way before a colossal serpentine creature erupted into the open air. Its scales gleamed obsidian, each one larger than a shield. Baleful red eyes glowered down at them as it opened its maw to reveal rows of jagged fangs dripping with venom.
Calvin rolled to his feet, brandishing his bladestaff. "Olympians, with me! Archers, find high ground! Mages, shields up! Tanks, keep it focused on you!"
The Olympians sprang into action at his command. A hail of arrows and spells rained down on the massive serpent as the melee fighters charged forward. Tank opened fire with his plasma rifle, scorching its hide. Ian unleashed gouts of flame while Reaper peppered it with incendiary rounds.
Undeterred, the serpent lunged at them, its speed belying its immense size. Calvin barely managed to dodge out of the way of its snapping jaws. He slashed at its face with his bladestaff, the crackling lightning leaving a smoldering gash across its snout.
The creature reared back with an enraged hiss. Its tail lashed out, catching a group of soldiers and sending them flying. Amy appeared in a blur of shadow, her daggers finding the gaps between its scales. Glowing green ichor welled up from the wounds as she darted away again.
Seth's scyther bots swarmed the battlefield, their gleaming blades slicing through the hordes of smaller monsters that threatened to overwhelm the Olympian forces. The machines moved with deadly precision, keeping the creatures at bay while the soldiers repositioned to face the monstrous serpent.
Artillery drones continued their relentless barrage, raining down plasma bolts and explosive shells on the behemoths that lumbered towards the Olympian lines. The ground shook with each titanic footfall, but the drones held their ground, pouring fire into the massive creatures.
Calvin shouted orders over the din of battle, directing his troops to fall back in a fighting retreat. They couldn't afford to be pinned down or surrounded, not with the sheer number of enemies bearing down on them. The Olympians moved as one, constantly shifting across the battlefield to avoid being swarmed.
The colossal serpent rose to its full height, towering over the battlefield. Its crimson eyes pulsed with an otherworldly glow, the very air around it crackling with dark power as it gathered energy for a cataclysmic attack. Deep within their beings, Amy and Freya sensed an inexplicable connection to the monstrous creature, their spark cores resonating in an eerie harmony that seemed to draw them forward like moths to a flame.
Driven by instinct and unwavering resolve, the two Olympians surged towards the serpent without a moment's hesitation. As she closed the distance, Amy tapped into the shadowy depths of her abilities, invoking the power of Death's Door. In an instant, her form dissolved into an ethereal mist, only to coalesce a heartbeat later upon the serpent's massive back. With feline grace, she sprinted along its obsidian-scaled spine, her enchanted daggers held at the ready as she sought out any chink in the creature's formidable armor.
Freya bounded alongside her companion, her sleek form a blur of motion. The Tempest Warden's innate connection to the primal forces of nature surged through her being, amplifying her strength and speed to unbelievable levels. Electricity crackled along her fur as she gathered the power of the storm within herself, ready to unleash it upon their foe at a moment's notice.
Together, Amy and Freya moved in perfect synchronicity, their bond forged through countless battles and trials. They were a force to be reckoned with, a living embodiment of the unyielding spirit that defined the Olympians. As they danced across the serpent's back, seeking out its weaknesses with deadly precision, the rest of their allies rallied around them, their hearts filled with renewed determination in the face of this titanic adversary.
Freya used Lightning Fang to close the gap to the creature's head, her body wreathed in crackling electricity as she summoned the full might of her spark. She leaped at the serpent's neck just as it unleashed its skill, a torrent of raw power that would have annihilated anything in its path.
But Freya was faster. Her jaws clamped down on the serpent's throat, her fangs sinking deep into its flesh. The creature's skill surged into her, the energy flowing through her body like molten fire. Instead of harming her, however, Freya absorbed the skill, claiming it for herself.
NOXIOUS BREATH OF THE OBSIDIAN COILBINDER. DO YOU WISH TO LEARN THIS SKILL OR CONVERT IT TO PRIMAL ESSENCE?
As Freya grappled with the serpent she opted to convert the skill to essence, a powerful surge of energy channeled through her filling her primal essence bar completely. There wasn't time to examine the effects of that though.
Amy danced across the serpent's back, her daggers leaving trails of toxic energy in their wake. The venom swirled around the serpent's maw, drawn inexorably towards the assassin. A notification flashed across Amy's vision, informing her that she had reached 12% mastery of her first toxin.
Calvin watched in awe as his companions battled the monstrosity, their newfound powers on full display. Tank and Reaper provided covering fire, their weapons hammering at the serpent's flanks to keep it distracted. Ian wove intricate patterns in the air, his mastery over the elements allowing him to shape the very fabric of reality.
Despite their valiant efforts, the serpent refused to fall. It thrashed and writhed, its massive bulk crashing through the Olympian ranks like a battering ram. Soldiers scattered before it, desperately trying to avoid being crushed or devoured.
Seth's scyther bots continued their deadly dance, weaving between the behemoths' legs and carving deep gashes into their flesh. The artillery drones rained down a ceaseless barrage, their weapons glowing white-hot from the sustained fire.
Amidst the chaos, Calvin rallied his troops, his voice rising above the clamor of battle. "Stand firm, Olympians!" he cried, his bladestaff crackling with barely contained energy. "We will not falter, not here, not now! Fight on, for Olympus!"
A resounding cheer went up from the soldiers, their spirits bolstered by their leader's words. They surged forward, meeting the enemy head-on with renewed determination.
Amy leaped from the serpent's back, somersaulting through the air before landing beside Calvin. "We need to end this quickly," she said, her voice tight with urgency. "That thing is too strong, even for us."
Calvin nodded grimly. "Agreed. We'll hit it with everything we've got. Freya, Ian, Tank, Reaper - on my mark!"
The Olympians readied themselves, their weapons thrumming with barely contained power. Freya disengaged from the serpent, bounding back to join her companions. Ian's hands glowed with eldritch energy, while Tank and Reaper took aim with their most devastating armaments.
"Now!" Calvin shouted, thrusting his bladestaff forward.
As one, the Olympians unleashed their assault. A maelstrom of lightning, fire, and pure destructive force engulfed the serpent, the sheer intensity of the attack causing the very air to shudder. The creature's scales cracked and shattered under the onslaught, its flesh sizzling and burning away.
For a moment, it seemed as though the serpent would weather the storm, its regenerative abilities allowing it to endure the devastating barrage. But then, with a final, ear-splitting screech, the creature collapsed, its massive form crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust and debris.
The Olympians cheered in triumph, their voices rising above the fading echoes of battle. Calvin sagged with relief, his armor battered and scorched but his spirit unbroken.
"Well done, everyone," he said, his words heavy with exhaustion but filled with pride.