The battlefield was in chaos.
The Gate Guardian's roar had left devastation in its wake—awakeners lay scattered, some unconscious, others barely clinging to their weapons as they tried to recover. Amidst the ruin, dust and debris swirled like an unholy storm, shrouding the massive entity that loomed at the heart of it all.
Yet, not everyone had succumbed to fear.
A group of awakeners, clad in ornate, rune-etched robes, advanced through the battlefield with unwavering resolve.
They were known as the Arcane Vanguard, an elite unit of magic-wielders specialized in high-level spellcasting. Unlike traditional warriors who relied on brute force and weapons, these awakeners wielded the raw power of mana itself, capable of reshaping the battlefield with devastating spells.
At the forefront of the group was their leader—Cedric Valhem, a high-ranking Mage Captain with a reputation for tactical brilliance. His dark blue cloak billowed behind him as he strode forward, his sharp golden eyes assessing the situation with cold calculation.
Behind him, ten other elite mages followed in formation, their hands already glowing with arcane sigils as they gathered mana. The energy around them crackled violently, the sheer density of their combined power warping the air itself.
Their target was clear.
The Gate Guardian, standing like an immovable monolith, its molten veins pulsing ominously beneath its jagged obsidian-like armor.
But before they engaged—
Cedric's gaze shifted toward a lone figure struggling to remain upright.
Seraphine.
Her breaths were heavy, her body trembling from the sheer exertion of battle. Sweat dripped down her pale face, mixing with the blood on her lips as she gritted her teeth, trying to suppress the burning ache in her limbs.
Cedric narrowed his eyes.
He had seen this before—mana depletion.
Without hesitation, he approached her, his deep voice calm yet firm.
"Seraphine," he called out, his presence alone enough to draw her weary gaze.
She glanced up, her ocean-blue eyes sharp despite her exhaustion.
"You've done enough," he continued, stepping closer. "If you push any further, you'll collapse."
Seraphine opened her mouth to protest, but Cedric raised a hand.
"You need time to recover. Let us handle this."
For a moment, she hesitated, her pride clashing with her exhaustion. But she knew Cedric wasn't wrong—her mana reserves were nearly empty. If she forced herself to fight now, she'd be nothing more than a liability.
She clenched her fists but reluctantly nodded. "Fine," she muttered, stepping back.
Cedric smirked slightly before turning to his squad.
"Formation!"
At his command, the Arcane Vanguard moved into position.
They spread out in a wide semicircle, surrounding the Gate Guardian from multiple angles. Their bodies hummed with power, their hands moving in practiced synchrony as they began their chanting sequence.
The very air vibrated.
Glowing runes appeared beneath their feet, complex magical circuits spinning as mana surged in violent torrents. The ground cracked under the sheer intensity of their gathered energy.
Cedric lifted his hand, his eyes glowing with arcane brilliance.
"Let's see how you handle this, monster."
Then, with a sharp gesture—
They unleashed hell.
A blinding surge of magic erupted as ten synchronized spells were cast simultaneously.
A tidal wave of elemental destruction tore through the battlefield.
Flames hotter than the core of a dying star surged forward in a spiraling inferno.
Spears of lightning crackled through the air, their blinding arcs illuminating the battlefield like miniature suns.
Blades of wind, sharper than the finest steel, howled as they tore through the atmosphere.
Gravity wells collapsed space itself, distorting reality as they pulled inward with terrifying force.
Shards of pure ice, colder than the void, launched like homing missiles toward the behemoth.
Each spell was calibrated to target a different vulnerability—each designed to overwhelm the creature through sheer relentless firepower.
The Guardian stood at the center of it all.
And then—
Impact.
A blinding detonation erupted as the spells converged, colliding into the colossal entity with devastating force.
The battlefield shook violently, the very ground fracturing under the sheer weight of magical destruction. A thunderous shockwave blasted outward, kicking up an apocalyptic storm of debris and dust that swallowed everything in sight.
The roar of the explosion was deafening, an earth-rending cacophony that drowned out all else.
For a moment, the awakeners could see nothing but blinding light and swirling chaos.
As the dust began to settle, Cedric's breath was steady but his mind sharp.
"Did we—" one of the mages started.
And then—
The air shifted.
A sudden, suffocating pressure filled the battlefield.
As the dust cleared, their eyes widened in horror.
The Gate Guardian still stood.
Untouched.
Its massive shields, carved from some unknown otherworldly metal, were raised before it—completely unscathed.
The magic attacks that should have vaporized mountains had been neutralized effortlessly.
There was not a single scratch on its body.
And then—
It lowered its shields, revealing its four primary eyes glowing with cold, terrifying amusement.
The center eye, the fifth eye, flickered with abyssal energy—mocking them.
As if to say—
"That was all?"
A shudder ran through the mages.
For the first time in their careers—
They felt fear.