Valend, the frost giant that Frost encountered several days ago at the entrance to his dungeon. A massive figure that oozed power, power far greater than what Frost could compete with.
Back then even if he fought alongside the newly evolved Findlay, Kiba, Khuno and his contingent of ronsos the possibility of winning was slim to none. This monster was at the very least mid-stage B-rank and of the giant archetype, a species that rivalled the fabled dragons in strength.
Simply with him sitting there on top of his mighty steed Dulan an invisible pressure filled their air and that was before he even activated his aura. A powerful enemy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The horde of mammoths repeatedly smashed their tusks and trunks against the barrier, gradually weakening it, causing the minute cracks to spread and widen. A few more rounds and the massive green barrier would shatter like glass, but it had served its purpose. The devasting charge of the mammoths was brought to a swift halt, greatly lessening the damage they could cause.
The many ballistae, trebuchets and even the stronger ranger corps had already taken aim at the mammoths' weak points, prepared to bring down the hammer the moment the barrier collapsed.
"I'll head off first Frostine." Valend's lips turned upwards forming into a wild and excited smile. He then raised his massive hammer onto his shoulders and squeezed his legs around Dulan, ordering him to move forward.
"Don't hide back here too long old man otherwise there'll be nothing left hahahahaha!" After provoking Frostine, Valend and Dulan charged ahead, causing the very ground to groan and crack from their steps.
"Haaaaaaa reckless and impatient...damn giants." Frostine clenched his fists, irritated by Valend's comment. He wished to smack the young giant across the face, so he'd respect his elders but held back in the end. Strength wise Valend was equal to him perhaps even slightly stronger given his species and Frostine for one didn't want to risk finding the truth just because of an impulsive taunt.
"Chaylen ready our soldiers and have them follow after a wave of chaff." Frostine gave an order to his highest ranked subordinate before prepping himself for battle. Valend was right if he sat back in the rear like before there'd be no enjoyment and Valend would get all the credit.
"I'll leave the boring enemies to you and the rest." Frostine placed a hand on Chaylen's shoulder, symbolising the passing of some command.
"By your will my Lord." Chaylen bowed deeply while showing a strong fanaticism in his eyes. Finally his lord would be taking the centre stage.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The barrier continued to crack and weaken from the mammoths' blows and in response the grounded Majors lifted the spirits of the surrounding soldiers with their voices and auras. They stood at the forefront with their weapons drawn and their feet firmly planted in the ground. They would act like giant sea boulders, enduring the devastation of the mighty ocean waves.
Frost, Maggie and Vaccos were closely situated together, in the centre of the battlefield where the attacks would be most devasting.
"Maggie 12 o'clock!" Suddenly Hamon roared out in desperation despite the barrier still being up.
"Huuuuuuuuu not bad, not bad at all." Valend let out a breath as he recalled his hammer, placing it once again upon his mighty shoulders. His gaze drifted temporarily over Maggie and Vaccos since they were to be his prime opponents, but his attention was grabbed by a sense of familiarity the moment he witnessed Frost.
He frowned and struggled to recollect where he had saw him before it finally clicked.
"Hoh! The interesting specimen from that monster lair. I guess you got too impatient waiting for me to return and devour you hehehehehe well ain't lucky." Valend licked his lips, his mouth salivating and stomach grumbling as his eyes focused upon Frost and Kiba. He could sense that Frost was special in some way and that devouring him would be most delectable and strength boosting.
Frost's skin grew goosebumps, and a sharp fury filled him as he was once again looked upon as mere prey, a very uncomfortable feeling. Kiba who was carrying Frost started trembling at the sight of Valend's famished expression, his instincts warning him no screaming at him to run from this overpowered monster who he'd be nothing but a snack for.
Frost let out a breath, calming his anger. He stroked Kiba's fur in a soothing manner before drawing out his royal aura, easing Kiba's distress and intensifying his own image that was initially a minor shadow in front of Valend.
He was joined by Vaccos and Maggie who both emitted their auras in full force, their stances at the ready, prepared to once again challenge Valend despite their earlier loss.
"....Hahahahahahaha most interesting, I do love it when my prey struggles!" Valend laughed so loud that the air quaked. He raised his hammer upwards before pointing it forwards.
"Crush them!" In response to his call the dozens of mammoths who were previously crashing against the green barrier blew their trunks like trumpets before charging forward.
"Hold your ground!" Hamon roared out, his heavy upper B-rank aura suffused into his voice, solidifying the legs of the tiny soldiers barring the mammoths' path.
The majority of the frontline troops were equipped with spears, lances and other polearms well suited for fending off larger attackers but even so a mammoth was a bit much. The sight was almost comical from an observers standpoint yet despite that the soldiers though filled with fear stood their ground, their polearms firmly held and braced against the ground.
They would stop their charge or die trying. If the first line failed then the second would succeed or perhaps the third. The mindset being that eventually after enough stabs the beasts would fall. Facing off against a man or woman that is prepared to die and bring you down with them is not a foe you want to be pitted against, regardless of your species.
Of course the ground forces were not alone. The moment the barrier completely collapsed, and the mammoths began their charge the ballistae let loose their bolts. Large and heavy bolts roughly 2 metres long fashioned out of high quality duram alloy flew through the air at breakneck speeds. The marksman aimed for the weak points of the mammoths, the eyes, neck and underbelly if exposed.
Along with that were the high ranking archers such as Artemis who let loose their highest quality arrows, drowning a couple mammoths in arrow fire.
Multiple mammoths let out high pitched squeals as the thick ballistae bolts pierced through their eyes, neck or underbelly, or when dozens of arrows landed on their backs and heads, individually slightly painful but together created a serious wound.
Many more however crashed into the frontline soldiers with intense ferocity. Swaths of soldiers founds themselves crushed under their feet, gored by their tusks or swatted away by their muscular trunks like pesky flies.
A bloodbath thus ensued the second the barrier was down or rather on Valend's order.