Chapter 179: Human Flying Fortress
Chapter 179: Human Flying Fortress
Telus and Valeria stood in the midst of the battlefield, dwarven bodies scattered all around them. The air was filled with the smell of death, and the once-proud dwarven battalion had been reduced to a desperate few. The two Demon King Generals were unstoppable, tearing through the remaining defenders with ease.
Telus, the bloodmancer, moved through the field, his power draining the life from fallen dwarves. He didn't rush. Each step was deliberate, and with a wave of his hand, he pulled the blood from the bodies around him, using it to fuel his dark magic. He watched as the dwarves tried to retreat, only for his magic to drag them back into his deadly grasp.
"Easy work, as always," Telus said, his voice calm as if he was discussing something mundane. "They don't stand a chance against us."
Valeria, barely breaking a sweat, blasted a group of dwarves with dark energy. They fell without even realizing what hit them. She barely spared them a glance before turning to the next wave. "They're nothing," she said flatly, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any remaining threats.
But then, something shifted. Valeria suddenly stopped, her eyes narrowing. "Telus, something's off."
Telus paused and reached out with his senses. The faint presence of Morgath, which he had been aware of since the battle started, was gone. He frowned, turning to Valeria. "I don't sense Morgath anymore."
Valeria's expression tightened, but she remained composed. "That's strange," she said. "He was supposed to be dealing with the southern flank."
Telus nodded, his brow furrowing. "He's not weak, but... he's always been the least powerful among us. Still, to be taken down so soon?"
"Morgath was never a fighter," Valeria said, shaking her head. "His strength was in controlling the dead. But if he's fallen, that means someone took him down. It's surprising, but not impossible."
"But who? Is there someone here in the Dwarven Kingdom that is as strong to kill Morgath?"
Valeria clicked her tongue, recalling a bitter memory where she was almost killed by humans. She knew that they were here in this Kingdom, though they never encountered their forces somehow but there was a reminiscent sound booming from the sky.
"They're here," she muttered.
Telus glanced at her, confused. "Who's here?"
"The humans," Valeria answered coldly. "Their technology is unlike anything we've seen before. They nearly killed me once, and I can sense it again—the power in the skies."
Telus raised an eyebrow. "Humans? With what kind of weapons?"
Valeria's eyes darkened. "They have weapons that can destroy from above, without ever stepping foot on the battlefield. They don't fight like us. They strike from the clouds, and by the time you hear them, it's too late."
Telus clenched his fists. "So, Morgath was likely taken out by them."
Valeria nodded slowly, still scanning the sky. "It makes sense. Morgath wasn't strong enough
to survive a coordinated attack from them. Especially with that flying fortress they've deployed."
Telus' expression shifted to one of concern. "And yet, they haven't targeted us."
Valeria smirked slightly. "Not yet. But they will."
Valeria's sharp ears picked up the familiar low hum, the same sound that haunted her memories—the flying fortress circling high above. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced upward, her dark energy flaring in response to the danger. The gunship was out of sight, concealed by the clouds, but the deep rumble of its engines betrayed its position.
"They're coming for us," she said flatly.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Telus's expression twisted into a sneer. "Let them try," he growled. "I'll tear them down like the rest of these insects."
Valeria didn't share his confidence. She had faced this weapon before, barely escaping with her life. Telus, for all his power, didn't understand what they were up against. The AC-130 wasn't like the dwarves or any other foe they had encountered. It was a silent executioner from the skies.
"They'll rain death from above, Telus," Valeria warned. "We need to keep moving. Standing here in the open is suicide."
Telus waved a hand dismissively, the blood from the fallen dwarves swirling around him in a protective barrier. "I don't fear their toys. Let them come. I'll rip their weapons apart."
Valeria shook her head, frustrated by his arrogance. "You haven't faced them before. They'll hit us before we can react. If Morgath was taken down by them, then we have to be smarter than him."
Just as the words left her mouth, a faint whistle in the air caught her attention. She tensed. "Move!" Valeria shouted, darting to the side.
An instant later, the ground where they had stood erupted in a massive explosion. The AC- 130's 105mm shell slammed into the earth, sending chunks of rock and debris flying in all directions.
Telus stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden strike. His blood shield absorbed most of the shrapnel, but the sheer force of the explosion sent him reeling. "What in the-"
Before he could finish, another explosion rocked the battlefield, closer this time. Valeria had already taken cover behind a large stone formation, her instincts honed from her previous encounter with the human's flying fortress.
"They're not giving us time to breathe," Valeria muttered to herself, her eyes flickering with dark energy. She peeked around the corner, searching for a way out of their current predicament.
Telus, still regaining his balance, snarled in frustration. "Where are they?! I'll tear them apart!" He extended his hand, drawing more blood from the fallen dwarves to fuel his magic. Valeria wasn't listening. Her focus was on survival. The AC-130 was circling, methodically locking onto their position. She knew they only had moments before the next barrage. "Telus, stop wasting time!" she barked. "We need to get out of their range. Now!"
Telus's pride, however, wouldn't allow him to retreat so easily. He clenched his fists, glaring up at the sky with rage. "Let them try!" He raised his arms, summoning a massive wave of blood magic. The crimson tide swirled around him, forming into tendrils that shot upward, reaching toward the invisible enemy in the clouds.
Valeria cursed under her breath. "Fool." She knew Telus's attack wouldn't reach the human flying fortress. It was too high, and their conventional magic wasn't built to counter aerial strikes from that altitude. The humans had learned how to fight without ever stepping onto the battlefield, and it was proving to be their greatest strength.
Another whistle pierced the air, and Valeria instinctively leaped back. The next explosion tore through the ground just feet away from where Telus stood. He barely managed to form another shield of blood, but the impact knocked him off balance once again.