Chapter 61: One Sided Slaughter
Swish!
Brox’s massive iron club whistled through the air like a battering ram. Several kobold warriors instinctively rushed together, overlapping their battered wooden shields in a desperate attempt to receive the blow.
The instant metal met wood, a deafening crack echoed across the battlefield. Their shields exploded into splinters as though struck by a falling tree and the force hurled three kobolds backwards through the air.
They crashed into the ground, tumbling violently before coming to a stop several meters away, their arms hanging limply from shattered bones while blood seeped from their mouths.
"Retreat behind the ditch!"
The order spread through the ranks immediately. Panic replaced discipline as the kobolds turned and sprinted toward the defensive trench they had spent nearly a year digging around the colony to redirect seasonal floods.
Warriors vaulted over the four meter wide ditch one after another, while others, blinded by fear, stumbled at the edge and tumbled into the muddy bottom with frightened cries. Behind the trench stood four foot tall wooden watchtowers where archers and slingers had already taken their positions.
Jagged stone barricades and sharpened log obstacles had been arranged between them, forcing anyone advancing forward to abandon mounted combat and approach on foot.
For an ordinary army, it would have been an excellent defensive position. Unfortunately, they weren’t facing an ordinary army.
Grash reached the edge of the trench and calmly swung himself off the striped boar without slowing down. His heavy boots landed firmly upon the earth as he rested the enormous black battle axe across one shoulder. The runes engraved into its blade suddenly awakened one after another, glowing with an intense azure radiance while violent arcs of electricity danced around the weapon.
"Zehr Mael."
Lightning Magic: Chain Lightning!
He brought the axe crashing into the earth.
Bam!
The ground exploded beneath the impact as a thick bolt of lightning burst forward like a living serpent. It struck the nearest kobold squarely in the chest before instantly leaping toward the next target. Another flash erupted. Then another and another. Five kobolds were struck in the span of a heartbeat.
Their bodies froze where they stood.
Electricity crackled across their scales as every muscle seized uncontrollably. The smell of burnt flesh filled the battlefield while thin trails of smoke rose from their motionless bodies.
A fierce gust swept across the trench and Grash was no longer standing where he had been.
He now crouched several meters behind the five kobolds with one knee touching the ground, his battle axe resting casually behind him as though he had merely taken a stroll.
Silence followed for a moment then five heads slowly slid from five necks. Blood erupted skyward in violent crimson fountains before the bodies collapsed one after another with sickening thuds.
The entire defensive line stood frozen.
Several kobolds instinctively took a step backward while someone’s spear slipped from trembling fingers.
"Get him! Shoot him!"
The terrified scream finally shattered everyone’s paralysis.
But how could they not be paralyzed in fear when one man was ripping through them like paper, giving them no chance to respond.
If anyone told these kobolds that this was possible an hour, they would never have believed it because not even Tud’or is this powerful!
Archers atop the towers immediately loosed their bowstrings while slingers released volleys of sharpened stones. Dozens of projectiles filled the sky, descending upon Grash from every direction.
Grash merely smiled.
"Vael Mael."
Wind Magic: Wind Storm!
He twisted his body once and the axe carved a perfect circle through the air.
A violent shockwave erupted outward, smashing into the incoming arrows and stones. Shafts splintered apart before ever reaching him while the heavier projectiles were violently hurled back toward the kobold lines. Dust and loose soil exploded upward as the surrounding trees bent under the sudden pressure.
Yet Grash never stopped moving, he continued spinning and Each rotation accelerated the current surrounding him as streams of wind intertwined into a towering cyclone nearly six feet tall. Leaves, broken weapons, stones and shattered wood were drawn into the swirling mass before becoming deadly projectiles themselves.
The hurricane surged forward.
Watchtowers splintered apart the instant it touched them. Thick support beams snapped like dry branches while kobold archers were ripped from their platforms and hurled screaming through the air. Stone barricades crumbled beneath the overwhelming pressure as debris disappeared into the spinning wall of destruction.
Nothing remained standing before it.
The kobold defenders stared at the approaching tempest with utter despair. No one issued another order or attempted another attack.
They simply turned and ran. Every instinct screamed the same conclusion.
This monster could not be defeated.
Back at the edge of the trench, the remaining goblins remained comfortably seated atop their striped boars, watching the massacre unfold with little more than mild amusement.
Brox scratched beneath his beard and let out an exaggerated sigh. This wasn’t the first time they add getting in a fight where Grash completely handles everything alone.
"Chief’s doing it again. Looks like we’ve been reduced to spectators."
Lucy immediately shot him a glare sharp enough to cut flesh.
"Blame yourself for being too weak to fight beside Chief."
Brox frowned.
"Ouch. That was unnecessary."
"Truth hurts."
Tal burst into laughter, nearly slipping off his mount.
"Easy there, Lucy. You’re defending him harder than Chief defends himself."
Poh guided his boar beside them, lazily resting both hands behind his head.
"At this rate the war ends tonight."
Unlike the others, Rudor remained completely silent.
Hidden beneath his crimson cloak, only the pair of blood red eyes beneath the hood slowly shifted upward toward the sky.
"I don’t think so."
His raspy voice immediately drew everyone’s attention.
The others instinctively followed the direction of his finger.
Far above the battlefield a massive sphere of blazing fire tore through the clouds like a falling star.
Its incandescent glow swallowed the afternoon sunlight, bathing the forest below in deep amber as it descended directly toward Grash’s advancing hurricane.
" Bastards.... Bastards!!!!" Ka’z voice boomed.