Forty-five golems charging.
Corrupted crystal constructs converged as elemental veins blazed while four-meter bodies pounded toward surrounded pack.
Draven's mind raced as peaceful entry was attempted, weapons stored inside Genesis Codex to show no harmful intention since ruins' golems normally ignored unarmed visitors, protocol respected.
But corruption changed everything.
Attacking anyway.
"PEACEFUL APPROACH FAILED! CODEX—FULL COMBAT AUTHORIZATION! DEPLOY EQUIPMENT!"
No more restraint.
Time to fight properly.
Genesis Codex pulsed brilliantly.
Green-gold light exploded from cosmic artifact as internal storage opened while pocket dimension released equipment stored for peaceful approach.
Stormfang manifested as Elite-tier longsword materialized in Draven's right hand with silver-blue blade crackling with Lightning Edge, storm-element weapon activating immediately while thunder crystal pommel charged.
Thornblade appeared as Rare-tier dagger slid into hip-sheath with nature-element backup ready.
Warden's Mantle deployed as Lord-tier armor wrapped around bearer instantly while dark green leather plates manifested, enchantments activated as Warden's Aegis came online, Pack Bond Resonance connected, Vitality Weave pulsed.
Earthstone Ring glowed as Velnar's gift activated with tremor sense extending.
Wolf-Fur Cloak billowed as pack-blessed warmth comforted despite chaos.
Fully armed.
Fully armored.
Bearer ready.
Pack surrounded bearer protectively.
Zor shrieked from above as Storm Crown blazed while ten-meter wingspan dominated airspace.
Velnar roared as massive Everthorn Scorpion bristled with thorned carapace ready.
Sylvara's druid form glowed as vine armor shifted.
Feyra's golden eyes blazed as life-light radiated.
Draven raised Stormfang as blade crackled while Lightning Edge intensified.
"FORTY-FIVE GOLEMS! CORES CENTER-MASS! SYNERGIES AUTHORIZED! ZOR—SKY DOMINION! FEYRA—LIFE'S CHORUS! VELNAR—ROOT DOMINION! SYLVARA—NATURE'S COMMAND! OVERWHELM THEM WITH NUMBERS!"
Tactical coordination.
Alliance responded instantly.
Summoning begins.
***
Zor's Sky Dominion activated.
Voice of Thunder shrieked command across atmosphere, calling all sky-aligned beasts, summoning storm-born creatures, commanding aerial domain.
Sky darkened.
Hundreds of ravens descended as storm ravens, thunder hawks, lightning swallows, minor storm birds answered Overlord-tier call while black wings filled chamber, crackling with electrical energy.
Flock swarmed golems.
Coordinated attacks came as ravens pecked crystal eyes, hawks dived at elemental cores, storm birds harassed constructs, disrupting golem coordination, blinding vision, creating chaos.
Not individually powerful but three hundred storm birds versus forty-five golems meant overwhelming distraction.
Thunder golems fired lightning, killing dozens of ravens, but more kept coming as Zor's Sky Dominion proved inexhaustible while Storm Crown stayed active.
Aerial superiority absolute.
Golems disrupted.
Velnar's Root Dominion erupted.
Soilshaper Pulse detonated as ground opened while root serpents emerged from sudden forest floor, bramble wolves manifested, rock beetles crawled as hundreds of earth and plant aligned creatures swarmed.
Sylvara's Nature's Command joined.
Vine wolves, treants, forest sprites emerged from instant woodland as woodland beasts obeyed druid, attacking golems coordinately.
Six hundred beasts total as minor creatures individually weak but overwhelming through sheer numbers.
Golems surrounded as crystal constructs were swamped by beast tide while earth golems tangled in root serpents, fire golems harassed by bramble wolves, water golems engaged by vine creatures.
Beast swarm bought time as pack focused on core destruction while minions distracted golems.
Numerical advantage reversed.
Feyra's Life's Chorus resonated.
Golden Fennec released life-element call, commanding life-aligned beasts, summoning gentle creatures as healing spirits answered.
Forest deer appeared with glowing antlers as life magic radiated while healing auras supported allied beasts.
Gentle sprites manifested as small glowing entities mended wounded storm birds, restored damaged bramble wolves, sustained beast army.
Small healing creatures swarmed as dozens of life-element entities worked not as combatants but support, keeping beast army functional despite golem attacks killing hundreds.
Feyra conducted symphony as Life's Chorus maintained massive summoned force, regenerating fallen creatures, overwhelming golems through sustained numerical superiority.
Golems killed beasts constantly but replacements and healing kept swarm persistent.
Attrition war.
Pack winning.
***
Draven charged.
Stormfang blazed as Lightning Edge crackled along silver-blue blade while Chainbreaker's Bond surged with Zor's thunder, bearer speed enhanced, strength amplified.
Fire golem engaged as orange-red veins pulsed while crystal fist swung.
Warden's Aegis blocked as Lord-tier armor's auto-shield deployed while magical barrier absorbed burning strike, sixty-second cooldown starting.
Counterattack.
Stormfang's Thunder Strike released.
First stored charge discharged as blade erupted magnitude three shockwave with twenty-meter radius electrical detonation while six golems within range stunned, crystal bodies spasmed, cores exposed.
Draven capitalized as Lightning Edge slashed through stunned fire golem's chest while blade carved toward crystalline heart, shattering core.
Fire golem collapsed as orange-red veins died while construct fragmented, first kill this wave.
Two Thunder Strike charges remaining.
Stormfang proved worth as Elite-tier weapon devastated crystal constructs.
Zor shrieked to Feyra. "LIGHT PLUS LIGHTNING! SYNERGY NOW!"
Feyra understood immediately.
Zor's Tempest Shroud intensified as spiraling storm wrapped Thunder Raven while lightning crackled through tempest.
Feyra's Dawnflare Beam fired as concentrated living light shot from golden eyes while beam merged with Zor's storm.
Lightning plus light synergy.
Blinding Thunderstorm erupted as Zor's electrical tempest infused with Feyra's radiant life-light, creating brilliant white-gold maelstrom while chamber flooded with blinding radiance and crackling thunder.
Thirty golems blinded.
Crystal eyes overloaded as visual sensors burned out temporarily while constructs staggered, coordination shattered, attacking randomly.
Zor's Sovereign Strikes rained down as lightning-charged dives destroyed five blinded golems consecutively, cores shattered while constructs couldn't defend as Thunder Raven dominated aerial combat.
Feyra's Gleamstep activated as horse-sized Fennec blurred at light-speed with afterimages trailing, moving between blinded golems while Dawnflare Beams fired at point-blank, life-element cleansing corruption, shattering three more cores.
Eight golems down.
Thirty-seven remaining.
Velnar roared. "STORM PLUS EARTH! ELECTRIFIED BATTLEFIELD!"
Soilshaper Pulse detonated as terrain reshaped while ground became conductive, metallic minerals surfaced as stone floor transformed into electrical conductor.
Zor's Storm Crown intensified.
Continuous lightning arcs cascaded from permanent storm halo, striking conductive ground as electricity spread across entire chamber floor like spiderweb.
Lightning-charged terrain.
Every golem touching ground shocked as constant electrical current flowed through crystal feet, disrupting elemental control, weakening cores while constructs spasmed.
Fire and water golems suffered most as fire element disrupted by electricity while water conducted brilliantly, aqua-cyan veins overloading.
Velnar's Thornburst Barrage launched as explosive thorns targeted shocked golems while vines wrapped weakened constructs, Verdant Bind immobilizing six golems simultaneously.
Sylvara's Wildshift Armor activated as druid form's bark armor adapted, becoming insulated against electrical feedback, resistant to lightning-charged terrain while moving freely as golems suffered.
Twelve more golems immobilized or weakened.
Twenty-five remaining active.
***
Twenty-five golems remaining.
Pack coordinated flawlessly.
Zor's storm flock harassed from above as ravens blinded while hawks dived.
Velnar's beast army swarmed ground as root serpents tangled while bramble wolves bit.
Feyra's Gleamstep blurred between enemies as Dawnflare Beams fired repeatedly while life-light cleansed corruption, cores shattered.
Sylvara's Verdant Bind immobilized as vine-chains wrapped while constructs restrained.
Draven's Thunder Strikes came as second charge released while six more golems stunned, Stormfang carved through exposed cores.
Methodical elimination, not frantic but controlled as pack worked as unified force while centuries of coordinated experience showed, Overlord-tier beasts displayed true power.
Ten golems destroyed this push.
Fifteen remaining.
Velnar staggered as earth golem's crystal fist cracked thorned carapace while wound opened, green ichor leaked.
Not serious but painful as mobility reduced.
Feyra's Soulthread Mend activated.
Life-threads wove as golden energy flowed from Fennec to scorpion, repairing deep vitality wound while carapace regenerated, ichor flow stopped as damage mended in seconds.
Near-fatal wounds? No, but showcasing deep healing capability as Feyra's most powerful restoration ability stayed ready for true emergencies.
Velnar recovered, resuming combat as Thornburst Barrage launched while three more golems immobilized.
Pack maintaining health.
Fifteen golems.
Ten.
Five.
Draven's third Thunder Strike came as final charge released while last five golems stunned simultaneously.
Pack converged.
Zor's Sovereign Strike.
Velnar's Thornburst.
Sylvara's Verdant Bind.
Feyra's Dawnflare.
Draven's Stormfang Lightning Edge.
Five cores shattered simultaneously.
Final golems collapsed.
Crystal bodies fragmented.
Elemental veins died.
Silence.
Forty-five golems defeated.
Beast army dissipated as summoned creatures returned, storm flock dispersed, root serpents burrowed, forest sprites faded.
Chamber littered with crystal shards.
Pack victorious.
***
Pack breathed heavily.
Zor landed as Storm Crown dimmed while ten-meter wings folded.
Velnar's thorns retracted as carapace wound healed.
Sylvara's Wildshift Armor relaxed as bark layer softened.
Feyra's golden glow stayed steady as Blessing of Dawn maintained gentle healing aura.
Draven leaned on Stormfang as blade planted in ground while bearer was exhausted, Warden's Mantle absorbed minor cuts via Vitality Weave as stamina drained but alive.
"Forty-five crystal golems. Corrupted. Attacking despite peaceful approach. Why?"
Question unanswered.
Victory achieved.
But mystery remaining.
Ruins silent.
Investigation next.
Tomorrow.
Tonight, rest.
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