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WHOOO–OOMPH!
"SIEGE BEASTS!"
VHHHRRRMMM!
KRRAA–THAUM!
Boulders of stone slammed into the earth, erupting dirt and shards of mud skyward.
BHRUUMPH!—GRAA–CHHHK!
They struck and bounced, cannonballs of mountain-stone smashing through the Dawnish lines, shattering shields and bodies alike.
Dust fell like rain. Screams cut short as the next volley came—stone raining like death upon the formations.
From the enemy's eastern rise, the Boulder-Haulers emerged — hulking giants clad in scrap metal and rusted plating scavenged from fallen armour.
Each hauled dozens of carts brimming with boulders, hurling the stone by hand like a living catapult.
Every throw landed like thunder—each impact a small apocalypse of stone and blood.
Dawn Lancers and Drake Riders immediately changed their target before they could do too much damage.
"INCOMING!"
Boulders crashed among the Dawn Lancers, tearing through their lines like living artillery. Some broke formation in time; others were not as fortunate.
Above, the Drake Riders struggled in their flight.
Stones arced upward, chasing them through the haze.
One caught a rider mid-ascent—a single, brutal hit that sent mount and master spiralling into the ground.
They struck hard, wings folding under the weight; Gorgurs swarmed and tore them apart before they could rise again.
…
Heat exploded as the Light-Engine's beam shredded the enemy's positions. Its mechanisms screamed out with steam with each shot taken.
Its crew scrambled to cool down its capacitors, Magei on standby to empower it with light once again.
Knights held formation surrounding the Light-Engine, they adorned gleaming silver-white armour, with flowing star-etched motifs, wearing crested helms with veils of starlight-thread.
Sword Sisters.
Commanded by Myra, a chosen of Auriel.
Reinforced by Sunveil infantry, tasked to hold the eastern cliffs, a firing angle overlooking the battlefield.
Protecting their Light-Engine artillery at all costs.
As the battle raged on, a distant shockwave suddenly shook the cliff side.
"General Myra! To the north-east!" A Sword Sister shouted.
Myra turned to the direction of sudden thunder, and new shadows began to rise. Her composure shattered.
"His Radiance, save us…" She muttered.
Gargantuan shapes appeared on the distant hill tops.
Shard-Tusk Tyrants.
Eight of the fattest and most vicious Maw-Fangs, wielding oversized polearms scavenged from shattered ballista frames, shard-lances taller than houses, and colossal cleavers reforged from broken drawbridges.
They swung such weapons with a single hand while the other kept brutal hooks dug into their beast.
They sat upon shard-mutated behemoths, their height the size of large town walls, whose hides crusted with crystal plates like natural armour. Metal-bound tusks jutted forward, wrapped in rusted scraps and shard spikes. Each step of those beasts made the earth shudder, vibrations felt from miles on their charge.
They were also flanked by more cavalry, Shardfang Riders.
Sixteen large shard-mutated beasts, their hides riddled with sharp shard outgrowths. They crush men underfoot with their weight and shred armour with their tusks reinforced with scrap-metal. Gorgurs mounted them with spiked harnesses, scavenged knight helms, and oversized heavy two-handed cleavers.
Commanding the ambush was a Shard General, a large Gorgur attaining the Rank of general through gorging on the most shards, his body a living representation of his authority.
Climbing on the hill top was his mount, a Chain-Wyvern. Alongside him were two Tyrant Champions, Chosen of the Shardlord, riding their own mutant beast mounts.
The earthquake came, a wave of force rolling up from the east.
A thunderous charge shook the entire field.
Shardfang Riders broke off and rode towards Dawn's eastern flank whilst the main stampede came straight for the Light-Engines position.
The Shard General and its Wyvern took the skies leading the Shard-Tusk Tyrants.
"FORMATIONS!"
Myra shouted orders as regiments of Sunveil lined up. Formations gleamed with shades of green as soldiers manifested their pikes.
Blocks of pike walls formed, hedges of units blocked the cavalry's approach.
Dust from quakes caught by the breeze blew along the formations, shockwaves from the incoming enemy shook the earth and formations.
Men and their metal shook, ragged breathing rolled over formations. Bravery and morale hung on by threads. Only their training kept them standing.
They could only do so much to deter an unstoppable stampede of brutal destruction.
"BOW SISTERS!"
With an order, units of Sword Sisters activated their own shards producing huge bows that reached eight to nine feet tall, firing thick penetrating arrows. Artillery in their own right.
"LIGHT LANCES!"
FWSHZZZ.
Lances of brilliant light formed in the hands of every Sword Sister.
"ON MY CALL!" Myra's hand stood high, shaking with the quakes.
The cliff's face cracked and split as a town worth of wild fury stormed towards them.
A drop of sweat dripped off her face, hitting the earth beneath.
Eryndor… get here quick.
Beacon Flare.
"FIRE!" Myra shouted as a flare shot from her hand.
A flare shot to the sky, air pressure blasted outwards as a volley of light and metal exploded out from behind Sunveil formations. The sky rained down as if the stars themselves were falling.
The Wyvern flew above the hail of light as it arced down towards the Shard-Tusked Tyrants. As the volley met them, the light detonated, fur and hide screamed with brilliant fire.
Yet they never slowed down, even with the Sword Sister's powerful bow artillery, only some managed to penetrate their defences, with minimal damage, it only enraged them further.
"SISTERS, SPEARS! DON'T LET THEM—"
SHREEEEEWWWWW—
The sky split with an ear piercing scream.
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Sound vanished.
Earth shook.
Dust rose.
Heat expanded.
VRRRMMM–
It only returned when the Light-Engine fired once more. Light engulfed the area for a heartbeat.
PZZSSSSH!
"MYRA!"
"THE WYVERN!" Myra's command was cut short by a Sword Sister.
SHRAAK-THAUM-GGRANCK!
The Shard General dived from her left, straight into Myra, she managed to raise her shield in time, taking the full brunt. They collided, sending her flying dozens of metres back.
The Wyvern took pursuit.
But before the Sword Sisters could act, the earthquake approached.
Earth, men and metal split. Formations broke. Men's courage crumbled.
Brutal carnage unfolded as the Shard-Tusks Tyrants collided, smashing through the pike walls like they were made of paper.
The Sword Sisters held their own, spears penetrating and slicing the behemoth's legs, managing to bring one down, only after leaving death in its wake.
But before they had the chance to get to the Light-Engine, a horn blared from the south.
The Suncloaks charged with their radiant cloaks fluttering in the breeze.
Their mounts, the Radan, were huge, elephantine shouldered, broad chested creatures carrying themselves with muscular driven legs.
Led by their General sitting on his personal mount, rode into battle.
Monstrous cavalry smashed into each other. Earth cracked, unable to support the weight of the destruction brought on by the two powerful creatures.
The Radan was not as big as the Shard-Tusk Behemoth, but they had the agility to match.
As they ripped each other apart, the two Tyrant Champions bore through the carnage, riding towards their target.
…
Metal tore through dirt, Wyvern's fangs closing on its prey but the reach was an inch off. Myra skidded back, reacting, she lunged her spear in the Wyvern's face, cutting deep.
Radiant Armour
Myra's armour radiated as Luminary Essence bent light around it, reinforcing her defences.
She had gotten desperate.
The Wyvern's dive fractured her right leg. Ribs cracked. Her shield shoulder was dislocated after taking the brunt of the impact.
Even as a powerful Unbound, she knew she was at a disadvantage.
"Grogo! Zshes' not prey. We takes' hur shardz' first!" A voice gurgled, laughter following, booming from a top of the Wyvern.
Dawn Burst
Blazing light exploded at the Wyvern, blinding with burning white flame. The creature shrieked, shook uncontrollably, out of rage it swung its tail at the one that had put it in so much pain.
Myra jumped. Spun. Spear up. Light gathered enveloping the spear—
Luminary Art.
"Sun Piercer"
Her spear sliced into the thicker part of its tail, cutting its tough meat and muscle, just enough for the rest of it to peel off, unable to stand its own weight.
She landed, spear and shield at the ready.
THAUM–KRRAAANG!
Metal exploded. Myra screamed as she was thrown back, a giant axe caving in both shield and arm.
"GAHHHH!–"
She slammed into the ground
Her head hit rock, dizziness set in. The chaos of war surrounded her, she tasted iron whilst the smell of burnt flesh overwhelmed senses.
She saw monstrous creatures smashing into groups of half fighting, half fleeing men, one being dragged down by other Monstrous creatures. Her Sisters' bodies lay still on the floor, guilt of failure set in.
The Gorgur General walked up to her, lifted his foot and proceeded to stomp on the axe, caving it through her arm and into her body, violent screams could be heard coming from the puny human's throat.
Finally he grabbed the handle and pried the axe out of her. Bleeding, she groaned with ragged breath, barely holding on, she looked up at the grotesque figure looking above her.
The noise dulled to a hollow ringing.
The battlefield went still; even the fire held its flicker.
Then, the sky broke open.
FZSHHH!
Pillars of light burst from the sky, smashing into the enemy General and hurling him backward.
A calm voice spoke out of it.
"Sunlight's Cradle."
Warm light washed over her, mending flesh and sealing blood. She wasn't whole—but she would live.
From the fading radiance stepped a knight. Light bent around him, calm and sharp, motes dancing like sparks of dawn.
Myra's eyes widened. She didn't need to see his face to know.
Her Commander had arrived.
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Light Lance
Tier 3 — School of Light
Description:
A focused Vitalis discharge that condenses Luminary Essence into a radiant beam. The lance pierces through targets in a straight line, searing corruption and matter alike with condensed brilliance. Used by Dawn knights and field mages for precision assaults and suppression fire.
Essence Principle:
Luminary Essence seeks directness — the shortest path between two points. When aligned with disciplined Vitalis, that drive manifests as a coherent beam. Intensity equals stability; hesitation scatters the light into harmless glare.
Practitioner's Note:
Aim not with the hand, but with the flow. Vitalis should narrow, not rush. Compress until resistance hums, then release in one motion. The purer the intent, the sharper the beam.
Maxim:
"Light never wavers; only the hand that guides it does."