Kael rode atop Boney, its skeletal frame beneath him offering an eerie comfort. His eyes scanned the outside of his square, the walls now a distant memory. Around him, his army marched in perfect formation.

  This is it, Kael thought, taking a breath of outside air. The Golden Legion will learn what happens when you push too far.

  But his thoughts drifted back, moments earlier when he saw Myke held down by soldiers.

  Kael had known it was coming. He had given Myke the warning. They would betray him. The deal that was struck had been undone. They had the egg and they had the gold.

  He sighed, watching from the edge of the square. The Outside Races always made it complicated. And he needed to get his gold himself.

  He placed his clawed hand on his orb and the world blurred in an instant. Then, with a soft thud, he landed in his conclave hall. He had to work quickly.

  Wallbreaker Crystal (1 Hour)

  For a hefty cost of 25,000 gold, the crystal would break through the walls for just one hour. A steep price, but it was necessary to secure the rest of the gold. 700,000 gold was still owed to him.

  It’ll pay off tenfold when the gold is secured.

  Kael returned to his square, the Wallbreaker Crystal in his hands. The Conclave Expedition had cost him. The companions he had sent out, the ones who had fought by his side, had fallen. He needed to bring them back to fend off the golden invaders.

  His hand moved instinctively to his orb, his fingers brushing over its smooth surface. The glow from within intensified, crackling with the energy of life and death.

  From the swirling energy, figures began to materialize. Xal, the small Skara took shape with familiar red scales. Grymos, the massive Skara, its eyes proud to stand alongside Kael once more. The slimes began to take shape as well, each one wobbly yet resilient.

  With a slight shake in his hand, Kael grabbed the Wallbreaker Crystal. He felt the flow of power moving through him, his connection to the crystal deepening. The crystal hummed faintly at first, then pulsed brighter as Kael’s mana flooded into it, the energy sparking with each passing moment.

  Kael’s thoughts snapped back to the present as Boney’s heavy feet thudded against the earth.

  The Golden Legion rushed to formation, their movements sharp and practiced. Spears raised, Thunderhammers crackling with energy. A few soldiers sprinted toward the griffins, mounting the beasts and lifting off the ground.

  The remaining soldiers formed a circle, their shields raised high, a solid, unbroken wall of gold and resolve. The soldiers were few in number, about a dozen, but Kael had learned not to underestimate anyone, not after his failed expedition. The power of the Golden Legion was not to be dismissed.

  With a flick of his wrist, Kael directed his fastest companion forward. Three Arms, the golem with three limbs, dashed across the battlefield with surprising speed, propelled forward by a boost from one of his wisps.

  But as Three Arms closed the distance, the sound of a griffin rider in the air reached Kael’s ears. The rider lifted his Thunderhammer high, charged with lightning. A lightning strike could destroy Three Arms in an instant, and Kael had no intention of allowing that.

  Without hesitation, Kael lifted his hand. Three green streaks of Deathbolts shot from his palm, streaking across the battlefield toward the rider.

  But the rider was fast, his griffin already twisting in the air as it dodged the incoming bolts. Kael’s attacks missed by inches, but the mere threat of them was enough to make the rider falter.

  The rider hesitated for a split second. Enough time for Three Arms to make his move.

  Three Arms hurled two daggers into the air. One dagger embedded itself deep into the griffin's wing, the creature squawking in pain as blood spilled from the wound. The griffin’s rider pushed the beast higher, retreating to avoid the next attack.

  Down on the ground, the golden soldiers held their circular shield wall. Their spears were pointed outward in a disciplined, unyielding formation.

  Strong, he thought. But Kael had learned one thing from Vor’s battle: chaos was the key to breaking a formation like that. If he could shatter their precision, if he could inject confusion, their unity would crumble.

  “Give them hell,” Kael said, patting Boney, the massive bone creature beneath him.

  The bone monster roared in agreement and without another sound, it charged. Boney charged into the heart of the soldier’s circle, shaking the ground beneath it. The Golden Legionnaires braced themselves, their shields raised high, their spears thrust outward to intercept the bone beast.

  The impact was a violent crash of gold against bone. Boney’s sheer size and strength pushed against them, forcing the soldiers back, but they held strong. Not just holding, but pushing back.

  And then, the attack came.

  One of the griffin riders in the air lifted his Thunderhammer, the weapon crackling with electrical energy. The sky darkened as the rider hurled the deadly bolt of lightning straight at Boney.

  The Thunderhammer's bolt struck with the force of a thunderclap, slamming into Boney’s side. The impact was so great that Kael was thrown off Boney, landing on the ground. Sparks flew in every direction, and for a moment, Kael thought the creature might falter, might fall.

  But Boney was no ordinary companion. The bone monster roared in defiance. It wasn’t enough to stop him yet.

  The Golden Legion soldiers held their ground, busy with Boney’s charge. The Griffins were another matter entirely. The aerial advantage they had was formidable. The riders were ready to strike from above with the force of a storm and even the griffins without riders were following commands to harass Kael’s army.

  If left unchecked, Kael knew they could obliterate his forces, bringing down his golems, his slimes, even his larger companions with their speed and power. He needed to neutralize them before they could break the tide of the battle in the enemy's favor.

  "Grymos," Kael called sharply. "Get the greatbow!"

  The Skara didn’t hesitate. With a grunt, Grymos dropped the massive greataxe. The greatbow was slung over his broad shoulder, and Kael could see the massive weapon being readied with ease. He notched a giant arrow, the shaft so large it looked like it could pierce a griffin in one shot.

  Grymos aimed high as he locked onto one of the griffins circling overhead. But the griffins weren’t foolish. They moved fast, faster than Kael had anticipated.

  But Kael wasn’t worried.

  He had known this would happen. The point wasn’t to land the hit. It was to make the griffins think they were at risk. The threat was enough to make them cautious, slow their assault. The riders would hesitate before diving in again, and that was all Kael needed.

  "Keep at it, Grymos!" Kael shouted. "Keep them on the defensive!"

  Grymos didn’t respond. Instead, the large Skara kept the tension of his bow raised, aimed at the skies.

  “Three Arms, throw those daggers when the griffins come down!" Kael ordered.

  The three-armed golem grinned or as close as one could, its mechanical jaws clicking in anticipation.

  "Yes, yes, yes!" Three Arms screeched.

  Kael continued to organize his forces, his voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding.

  "Gerry!" he shouted. "Gerry, get Myke!"

  Gerry, the massive golem, lumbered forward, his metal frame moving with terrifying speed for something of its size. The golem swung its sword but it did little to the chain that bound Myke.

  The golem stepped back, confusion flickering in its dull, unblinking eyes. "Kael, the chains are too strong."

  Kael’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his scimitar. The solution came to him quickly.

  "Use the fire," Kael said.

  In an instant, fire roared to life around the sword Gerry was holding. The golem’s piston hissed with effort, swinging the fiery blade down once more.

  Myke’s face was grim, but there was a flicker of hope in his eyes. The heat was biting into his skin and though it was taking time, the chains were weakening.

  Kael's attention shifted, his eyes snapping toward the golden wall and Boney. The spears from the Legionnaires stabbed at Boney with precision, their points striking deep into the bone creature’s body.

  Bone against gold, Kael thought.

  The impact wasn’t enough to stop the monster, but it was enough to cause damage. Their once sharp spears began to blunt and bludgeoning damage would be disastrous for Boney’s bone armor.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  He couldn’t afford to lose Boney—not now, not with everything on the line. He needed to turn the tide quickly. He needed to finish what he had started before the soldiers adapted to the onslaught.

  "Xal, Jello, get up!"

  Xal, the small Skara, leapt from Grymos and landed on Boney’s head. Jello and the other slimes squelched and wobbled their way from Boney’s back, ready to join the fray.

  Xal never wavered. Kael watched as Xal, with his spine-shaped blade held tightly in both hands, leaped from Boney’s head. Like a predator striking from above, he landed in the heart of the Legion’s circular shield wall.

  The legionnaires recoiled, surprised by the sudden appearance of the Skara in their midst. Their shields, once locked in perfect formation, broke for a moment. Only a moment.

  But the Golden Legionnaires were not so easily shaken. Their training was too deep, too ingrained. They held firm. They regained their formation.

  With the ferocity of the Skara, Xal drove his spine sword through one soldier’s neck. Blood spurted from the wound, painting the soldier’s shield crimson. Despite that, the soldier did not collapse. He remained standing, his shield held firm, keeping the wall that had been pushing against Boney unbroken.

  The legionnaires are tougher than I thought. This was no ordinary line of soldiers. These men were forged in the fires of battle, tempered by years of service and discipline. Kael could see the determination in their eyes, the way they fought as one, each man relying on the other to hold the line.

  Kael looked at the man that must be this group’s leader. With a sharp motion, the leader shouted orders to his men, his voice carrying through the din of the battle.

  "Hold, men! Hold!" A rallying cry for the fight.

  Kael could see the man’s hands grasping the Thunderhammer, the weapon that had become famous through the Golden Legion’s might. The leader swung his Thunderhammer upwards, glowing with the power of lightning.

  The impact was catastrophic.

  Xal was hit with the force of a raging bull. The Skara’s body was sent flying through the air, his form soaring upward like a ragdoll tossed by the storm. He flew a good ten feet in the air when a griffin swooped down from the heavens. The griffin’s talons, sharp as daggers, grasped Xal midair.

  Kael could see the moment it happened.

  Xal, still shocked from the hammer strike, was unable to react fast enough. The griffin’s talons tore into his chest, slicing through bone and sinew with horrifying ease. Blood sprayed in all directions, staining the earth beneath him. Within an instant, the griffin’s talons ripped Xal into two.

  Xal was gone.

  Kael shook his head, pushing the emotion down. There was no time to waste on grief. Not now. He needed to act, to strike faster, harder.

  Jello and the other green slimes followed Xal’s lead, leaping off Boney’s back and into the fray. Their gelatinous bodies squelched as they collided with the soldiers, the sheer weight of them pressing against the Golden Legion’s shield wall.

  But the soldiers did not break. Not yet. The slimes were a distraction, a nuisance, but the circle held firm.

  The griffins in the air were an even greater threat. Kael could see them circling high up, their sharp eyes scanning the ground, their riders poised to strike. Even those without riders were responding to commands, preparing to swoop down on Kael’s slimes.

  Kael’s eyes flashed. He needed to disrupt them, turn the tide before it was too late.

  A fire whip appeared in his hand, its flames snapping and crackling in the air. Kael swung the whip experimentally, watching the flames twist and coil in response to his will.

  Their formation was unbreakable. But Kael saw an opening. Between their shields, there was a gap, just a small one. He swung the whip, sending it streaking toward the gap between the golden shields and the ground.

  The Golden Legionnaires flinched, startled by the sudden presence of fire in their midst. The heat radiated off the whip, the flames licking at their feet, and their formation faltered.

  The soldiers rolled out of formation, the perfect circular shield wall fracturing. It was all Kael needed.

  The Golden Legion’s formation was in disarray. Boney surged forward, crashing into soldiers. With a sickening crunch, Boney slammed his foot down onto one of them. The man's screams were cut short as the sheer weight of the beast crushed him into the earth. The soldier’s bones shattered like brittle twigs underfoot. A brief flicker of blood splattered across the stone ground.

  "Stand your ground!" Kael heard the voice of the Golden Legion’s leader.

  Jello bounced forward with purpose. He had seen the leader. Its instinct had kicked in, and the slime made a beeline for the Thunderhammer wielding captain. The leader raised the hammer high, his body tightening as he watched the slime close in.

  Before Jello could reach him, the captain swung the Thunderhammer, a crackling bolt of lightning lancing out toward Jello. The lightning slammed into Jello's body, the crackling energy rippling across its form.

  Lightning had never truly been effective against slimes. But the sheer force of the attack knocked Jello back several paces, sending it skittering across the ground.

  The Golden Legionnaires abandoned their spears, drawing swords instead. Their movements were swift, precise, honed by years of training.

  Kael’s eyes shifted to Goober, the level 3 defender slime that was given the Glowing trait. With a sudden flash of bright green light, Goober launched itself forward, slamming into a soldier. The soldier staggered, clearly shaken, but he wasn’t down.

  Before Goober even moved, the soldier swung his sword. The strike cleaved through Goober’s form, leaving a hole in its wake. Goober's form pulsed, reforming and wobbling, but the damage was done. The slime was weakened, and Kael could feel the sting of it.

  Swords, Kael thought grimly. Always a weakness for slimes.

  “Mush, Ice slimes, help the battle!” Kael’s voice rang out.

  Kael had kept his Ice slimes at the back, knowing they weren’t as effective in close combat. But now, the battle had shifted.

  His green slimes, Jello, Goober, and Flubs, were faltering. Level 1 slimes—small, quick, but not built for these kinds of clashes—had already been sliced in half by the swords of the Legionnaires.

  The Thunderhammer wielding leader had been relentless, his lightning strikes forcing Kael’s creatures back, and now even the Ice slimes’ icicles were flying through the air, shattering harmlessly against the golden armor of the soldiers.

  The Thunderhammer soldier swung his hammer once more, the arc of the lightning crackling through the air like a deadly storm, striking the ground near Jello. The slime squealed as the bolt of energy surged into its form, but, as always, the slimes’ resilience held firm. Jello bounced back, but the damage was done. Each strike was weakening them, tiring them out.

  “Three Arms, Gerry, help them!” Kael shouted, his voice desperate. Three Arms had been busy with the griffins, trying to hold off their aerial assault, but Kael knew the time had come for the golem to step in.

  The legionnaires were trying to reform their wall when Three Arms dove into the fray. Its three arms were flailing wildly, daggers flashing in the light.

  Meanwhile, Gerry was focused on the task of breaking the chains around Myke. The Sword of Fire still glowed with intense heat as Gerry wielded it, swinging the flaming blade down to melt through the remaining links in Myke’s golden chains.

  With a crack, the final chain gave way, the metallic links burning and snapping under the pressure of the fire, and Myke stood free.

  “Gerry! To the battle!” Kael shouted once more. Gerry turned quickly and moved to battle, his flaming sword an instrument of destruction.

  The Golden Legion had proven to be a tough foe, but Kael was determined, guiding his army with precise, ruthless focus.

  Kael was so focused he didn’t notice the Griffin Rider above him.

  He dove toward Kael with lightning crackling in the air, the Thunderhammer raised high, ready to unleash its destructive fury. The griffin's wings beat faster, the rider aiming to strike Kael down before he could react.

  There was no time to dodge, no time to think.

  But just as the Thunderhammer began to crackle with energy, Kael felt it. A sudden whoosh, a rush of wind.

  A giant arrow flew through the air.

  The arrow connected with the griffin’s chest with a sickening thud, tearing through feathers and flesh. The beast screamed as it tumbled out of the air, its wings flailing helplessly before it crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust and broken bones.

  The rider was thrown from the griffin’s back, his body tumbling across the ground in a ragged roll before coming to a halt several feet away.

  The griffin was destroyed, the rider dead.

  But Kael was wrong.

  The rider’s head jerked up, his eyes wild with fury. He stood, bloodied but unbroken. He was not done. The Thunderhammer was still clutched tightly in his hand, the weapon still crackling with remnants of energy, waiting to be swung once more.

  The rider charged. Kael’s instincts were in overdrive.

  The Scimitar of Fire was in his right hand, the blade gleaming with heat. His left hand gripped the Hammer of Ice, its cold aura flickering as it radiated frost.

  Kael’s feet dug into the ground, his stance solid. The griffin rider was closing in, weapon raised. He would not hesitate. He would meet the strike head-on.

  The rider swung his Thunderhammer, the lightning crackling with a blinding intensity. Kael swung his scimitar to intercept the strike, the clash of fire and lightning ringing out across the battlefield.

  Sparks flew as the two weapons met, the sheer power of the impact sending a tremor through Kael’s arm. He grimaced, feeling the shock of it deep in his muscles but Kael stood firm.

  Kael took a deep breath. The Scimitar Of Fire and Hammer Of Ice were extensions of his will and body. He swung them both with sharp, controlled fury. Six times, his weapons came down with devastating speed, flames licking at the air, the ice crackling in the cold space between each swing.

  Flurry of Strikes, Dual Wielding.

  But to Kael's surprise, the soldier didn’t buckle. Despite the earlier injuries, the soldier moved with surprising agility, blocking and dodging with ease.

  The Legionnaire wasn’t finished yet. With a grunt of effort, the soldier swung his Thunderhammer in a brutal overhead arc. Kael reacted instinctively, crossing his weapons in front of him to intercept the blow, the sound of fire and ice against lightning.

  Kael gritted his teeth, his body straining against the soldier’s strength. Kael’s legs slid backward, his balance faltering. His mind flashed with the brutal reality of the situation.

  This was a fight Kael was going to lose.

  But just as Kael felt himself being driven to his knees, he saw a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye.

  Myke.

  The merchant, the gold feather on his hat bent in an awkward angle, rushed forward, a wild, almost desperate look in his eyes. He hurled himself at the Golden Legionnaire with surprising force, slamming into the soldier’s side. The soldier shouted in shock as Myke tackled him to the ground, the two men tumbling together in a blur of limbs and clattering armor.

  "What are you doing, merchant?!" the soldier shouted.

  Myke didn’t answer. Instead, he grappled with the soldier, his hands scrambling for leverage, his body weight shifting as they rolled in the dirt.

  Kael seized the moment. The soldier was distracted, his focus now on Myke, struggling to push him off. This was the opening Kael had been waiting for.

  Kael swung his hammer of ice high, the weapon glowing faintly with the chill with frost. Without hesitation, he brought it down, aiming for the soldier’s head.

  The blow landed with a sickening crack, the ice and metal connecting with the soldier’s skull in a brutal strike. The soldier’s head was caved in, sending a spray of frozen gore flying in all directions.

  The blood, still thick and red but mixed with the ice from Kael’s hammer, splattered across the dirt and stone, some of it landing on Myke and Kael. The smell of copper and iron filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of battle.

  The soldier's body twitched violently before going limp, his Thunderhammer falling from his hands, the lightning now extinguished.

  Myke was still on the ground, his ostentatious clothes covered in dirt and blood. Kael instinctively offered a hand. Myke took it, his grip strong despite the exhaustion in his eyes.

  Kael’s gaze flicked back to the battle ahead. Every strike of Gerry's flaming sword, every blow from Boney’s massive limbs, every shot from Grymos' greatbow, brought them closer to the victory Kael craved, but there was no denying that the Golden Legion still had their teeth.

  Kael nodded to himself slightly. This was not the first battle he had fought, nor would it be the last. But today, Kael was determined to win.

  No matter the cost.

  ******