The Elven Generals and the Goliaths fought with everything they had, but they could not afford even a moment's lapse in focus.
The Shadowborne were like a tide of darkness, and if they faltered, even for a second, that tide would consume them whole.
Every blow had to count, every spell had to land, and every step had to be calculated. It was a battle of attrition, and the Shadowborne had all the time in the world.
Rain had watching from afar, and could feel the tension in the air. The battlefield was a cacophony of sound — clashing steel, crackling magic, and the unholy roars of the Shadowborne.
The sight of the Generals and the Goliaths fighting with such ferocity was awe-inspiring, but it was also a grim reminder of the stakes.
This was no ordinary battle; it was a war of survival against an enemy that knew no fear, no pain, and no mercy.
The Elves and Goliaths fought valiantly, but the Shadowborne Legionnaires were like shadows themselves — impossible to fully grasp, always slipping through the cracks in their defenses.
The dark creatures moved with an eerie coordination, their attacks synchronized as if guided by a single, malevolent will. They struck with precision, exploiting any momentary lapse, any opening in their troops' defenses.
The strain was palpable. Elora's movements, once fluid and effortless, began to slow as fatigue set in. Rylan's illusions flickered and faded, his magic stretched to its limits. Kaelen's connection to the earth wavered as the sheer scale of the battle overwhelmed him.
Thorgar's hammer strikes became heavier, less frequent, and even Valara's storm showed signs of dissipating, the lightning no longer as sharp, the winds no longer as fierce.
Despite their best efforts, it was clear that the Shadowborne were not just a force to be defeated —they were a force of nature, an embodiment of darkness that could not be so easily vanquished. The Generals and the Goliaths were powerful, but they were mortal, and mortals could only hold out for so long against an immortal enemy.
Rain clenched his fists, frustration and helplessness gnawing at him. He had to do something, but from his vantage point, all he could do was watch.
They were the reinforcements, the crucial backup for when the gate finally opened. They needed to stay in peak condition, ready to unleash their full strength when the moment called for it.
"So, there are such things?" Rain's excitement surged.
Golly nodded again. "Indeed. But right now, all of them are locked inside the city."
Rain's hope plummeted like a stone.
"Ah, don't worry," Golly added, noticing Rain's disappointment. "I've got a few critters here that I've made. They're not as grand as the robots inside the city, but they're quite helpful in their own way."
Rain glanced over at the small, robot-like contraptions scattered around the workshop. They were cobbled together from scraps, tiny and worn. They looked like they could be squashed before even reaching the enemy.
They seemed more like Golly's loyal servants, fetching tools and tidying up his workshop, rather than anything built for battle.
Rain frowned, trying to hide his dismay. "These . . . critters — are they really going to help us? Looks like they would break at the slightest touch."
"My designs are flawless, I tell you — absolutely perfect!" Golly insisted, his voice brimming with pride. "I've combined the precision of gnomish clockwork with arcane magic to create inventions that move, react, and think in ways no ordinary golem ever could."
Despite his stubbornness, Golly was a good person at heart. Though not always the most pleasant, he detested evil and, even at his most self-serving, never wished harm upon others. Yet, his fierce pride in his creations made him nearly impossible to reason with, even now.
"Uhmm . . . , I'm not saying they're flawed, but maybe you could create something . . .
bigger and more powerful?" Rain suggested.
"With this cramped space and the few tools and materials I have? Do you really think I can whip up a giant robot on a whim?" Golly shot back, half-amused, half-exasperated. "I'm an inventor and artificer, not some miracle-working magician!"
Rain groaned inwardly, starting to think that coming here had been a mistake.
"Although . . ." Golly paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He took a deep breath before continuing, "There is a powerful clockwork dragon inside the city . . ."