While Erend and Eccar stood watch atop the battlements, the night finally come and remained unnervingly silent for the moments. The stars twinkled overhead but their light seemed dimmed as if the sky was holding its breath. The calm that had settled over the battlefield felt heavy because they knew that with something ominous is brewing just beyond the horizon. Discover secrets at m-vlem|p-yr
Erend and Eccar's draconic senses were on high alert, screaming that something was amiss. Eccar exchanged another glance with Erend who was equally tense. Erend's hand never straying far from the hilt of his sword.
But the danger they were waiting for was not here—not in the lands of the Elves.
Far across the land, deep within the borders of the human kingdom of Astoria, the unnatural event was unfolding. In the heart of a forest a disturbance began to ripple through the air. The animals scattered, fleeing as the very earth beneath them trembled.
Suddenly, a jagged tear appeared in the fabric of reality itself—a portal, dark and menacing, emerged with a rumbling sound. The aura it emitted was thick with force that pressed down on everything around it. The trees nearest to the portal began to wither instantly, their leaves shriveling and falling to the ground like dead insects.
And this was only the beginning.
Nine more portals opened in the forest around the kingdom's wall, each one identical to the first. The once-peaceful forests, plains, and even the outskirts of villages suddenly found themselves in the middle of these dark anomalies.
From each portal monstrous beasts began to emerge. The first to step through were the smaller ones, with twisted forms that barely resembled anything natural. Their eyes glowed with yellow light and their skin was a mottled mix of black and crimson.
But these were only the vanguard.
Larger beasts followed behind them. Their sizes varied—some were as large as horses, while others towered over trees, their massive frames shaking the ground with each step.
One of the largest among them, a towering beast with a body covered in jagged bone-like protrusions let out a roar that shook the air. Its mouth was filled with rows of sharp teeth and its eyes glowed the same yellow.
The portals continued to pulse with dark energy, feeding the beasts as they spread out from their points of origin and moving towards the nearest human settlements.
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Lysander paced the halls of their study. At he moment moonlight filtering through the tall windows casting shadows that seemed to dance with a life of their own.
"Your Majesty," Lysander gasped, struggling to catch his breath. "The kingdom is under attack... portals—monsters—heading this way. We have little time!"
King Aethor's eyes widened but his expression quickly hardened again.
"Gather the council," the king commanded to his advisors who presents in the room. "We must prepare to defend the kingdom."
Meanwhile, Adrius wasted no time after Lysander's departure. He swiftly crossed his chamber, his eyes locked his golden Starsteel staff adorned with intricate runes that glowed faintly.
With a firm grip he lifted the staff from its stand.
Stepping out onto the balcony of his tower Adrius gazed up at the night sky that now tinged with an crimson glow from the distant portals. He raised the staff high above his head. The runes along its length flared to life, casting a golden light that illuminated the surrounding area.
"Māgius Ventis Tempora," Adrius whispered, invoking the ancient spell that would slow the advancing hordes.
The words of power resonated through the air and the staff responded, its glow intensifying until it was almost blinding.
In an instant, Adrius was airborne, lifted by a surge of Magic that propelled him high into the sky.
The world below seemed to shrink as he ascended, the winds whipping around him. From this vantage point, he could see the dark forces moving across the land like a plague.
With his staff, Adrius pointed it toward the advancing beasts. The golden light that emanated from the staff coalesced into a massive wave of energy, spreading out across the horizon. As it swept over the monsters, the spell took hold—time itself seemed to warp and stretch, causing the creatures to slow to a crawl.
The once-rapid movements of the beasts became sluggish, as if they were wading through thick mud. Their roars of fury were drawn out into low, distorted growls, and their relentless charge was halted, giving the kingdom precious moments to prepare.
However, Adrius knew that this spell would not last forever.
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