The war drums still rumbled through the air as Lucifer led his squad at the front line. Arthur stood beside him, watching the elite troops now merge with the main royal army. A dry wind blew, carrying the scent of iron and blood even before swords were drawn from their scabbards.
"Squad One, focus on Fenrir!" Lucifer shouted, his voice thundering. "If we fall, Emerald will fall!"
His squad — hardened Hunters with eyes of steel — nodded as one. They advanced with the first wave of the royal army. Thousands of feet pounded the ground, kicking up thick dust that swallowed the battlefield.
On the other side, Azog was already mounted on Fenrir — a giant wolf as tall as the fortress tower, its grayish fur matted with blood, its jaws glinting with white foam, its red eyes burning like fire. Azog stood on Fenrir's back, planting his massive axe into the beast's hide, like a king upon a throne of terror.
"CRUSH THEM!" Azog roared, his voice booming so loudly it made the royal army's hearts quake.
Fenrir roared and lunged — a single leap crashed through dozens of royal soldiers, knocking down shields and spears, crushing humans like toys. Blood sprayed everywhere, screams tore through the air.
Lucifer gritted his teeth, refusing to let fear consume him. "FORWARD!" he roared again, slashing down an orc that tried to intercept him. Arthur covered his left side, swinging his sword swiftly and precisely even though his one remaining arm still throbbed with pain.
Fenrir swept its claws, tearing apart an entire Hunter squad beside Lucifer. Their dying screams filled the air, their blood soaking the ground. Their bodies scattered like broken dolls.
"DON'T BREAK RANKS!" Arthur bellowed, kicking back an approaching orc.
The royal soldiers tried to hold the line, but Fenrir shredded through them with ease. Azog atop Fenrir swung his massive axe into the crowd of soldiers, cleaving through dozens in a single blow. Blood spouted high, bodies flew headless.
"EMERALD WILL FALL AT MY FEET!" Azog shouted, laughing at the human cries below.
Other elite squads tried to strike at Fenrir's legs, stabbing with long spears, firing magical arrows — but the monster barely flinched. Its skin was as hard as steel, and any wound that formed closed up within seconds.
Meanwhile, the royal cavalry — hundreds of steel-clad horsemen — charged into the left flank of the orc army. The commanders' cries rang out, their lances impaling orcs and throwing them to the ground.
"CHARGEEEE!"
The clash of the two forces shook the earth. Many orcs fell, but the cavalry also fell one by one under the orcs' organized spears, led by Skull.
Skull himself stood on a small hill behind Azog, raising his necromancer's staff and summoning fresh undead soldiers from beneath the earth, adding to the chaos.
---
Atop the fortress tower, King Drako watched the increasingly desperate situation. His golden eyes burned, his jaw tensed. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
"Gareth!" he called firmly.
Gareth turned quickly. "Your Majesty?"
"I will not wait here. They need a leader down there!"
Gareth was startled. "But, Your Majesty—"
Drako had already leapt from the tower, golden aura blazing around him. His sword shone, slicing through the wind, slamming into the midst of the orc horde with a single swing, unleashing a wave of energy that toppled dozens of enemies at once.
"I AM HERE!" Drako roared, shaking the hearts of the human soldiers whose spirits had begun to crack.
Lucifer turned for a moment, seeing King Drako himself join the fight, and felt his own courage surge again. He looked at Fenrir, who continued tearing through humans, and shouted to his squad:
"WE CAN'T DIE HERE!"
They surged forward again, striking Fenrir's legs with spears and spells, trying to slow its advance. Arthur stabbed over and over at the giant wolf's joints, fighting to hinder the beast's movement.
---
On the mage tower, Kaela stood straight, breathing heavily. A massive blue magic circle was nearly complete. Dozens of mages around her chanted spells in rotation.
"Kaela!" one of the mages cried out in panic. "If this meteor falls, our troops could get hit too!"
Kaela stared at the battlefield with her trembling silver eyes. "There is no other way," she answered grimly.
Then a loud voice rose from below the tower — King Drako shouting even as he fought:
"FIRE IT, KAELA! DESTROY THEM ALL!"
Kaela closed her eyes for a moment, then raised her hand high. The meteor spell activated. In the sky, the clouds split, and an orange light cut across the horizon.