Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 329: Back to the mountain range

Chapter 329: Back to the mountain range

Viserin and the remaining Turkin soldiers, witnessing the fierce aerial battle above, quickly adapted to the shifting tides of combat. "Retrieve the spears!" the Turkin King commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. The melee fighters sheathed their swords and grabbed long, finely crafted spears designed for throwing.

Forming a line, the soldiers synchronized their movements. "Aim for the wings and joints!" Viserin shouted, his eyes tracking the erratic flight patterns of the drones. Muscles tensed as they drew back their arms, each soldier locking onto a target.

"Release!" At Viserin’s signal, a volley of spears soared into the sky. The weapons sliced through the air with deadly precision, their sharpened tips piercing the drones’ exoskeletons. Metallic screeches filled the air as several drones plummeted to the ground, wings torn or bodies impaled.

"Keep them coming!" a soldier yelled. The Turkin warriors swiftly grabbed more spears from their space rings, launching them upward in continuous waves. Each throw was executed with practiced skill, honed from years of disciplined training.

Above, Freya continued her relentless assault. Channeling energy into her legs, she propelled herself high into the air. With a mighty swing of her mace, the viking princess unleashed arcs of energy that sliced through multiple drones at once. "Press the attack!" she urged, landing briefly before leaping skyward again.

The Depravita of Greed followed suit. Ouroboros’ form blurred as he ascended, and upon reaching the peak, he unleashed a barrage of strikes. His claws moved faster than the eye could follow, each swipe emitting a sharp sonic boom. The drones around him shattered under the onslaught, fragments scattering in all directions.

Mirena and Frank combined their powers to attack the drones devastatingly. Frank summoned massive spheres of molten magma, hurling them into clusters of drones. The heat warped the air, making it difficult for the drones to navigate. Seizing the opportunity, Mirena directed metallic spears charged with lightning into the disoriented swarm, each strike causing drones to explode in a shower of sparks and metal.

"Don’t let up!" Clasius shouted from below. His flaming sword sent waves of searing heat upwards, creating thermal currents that disrupted the drones’ flight paths. Turkin archers took advantage of the chaos, their arrows finding marks with unerring accuracy.

Amara moved swiftly among the rocky terrain, her daggers glinting as she threw them with lethal precision. Each blade found a target, bringing down drones attempting to flank the main group.

The combined efforts of ground and air assaults began to turn the tide. The drones’ numbers dwindled as they were systematically dismantled by the coordinated attacks. For ten grueling minutes, the battle raged on until finally, the last drone was destroyed, its metallic carcass crashing to the earth.

A heavy silence enveloped the battlefield, broken only by the labored breathing of the warriors. Streams of Origin Force flowed into their bodies, a reward from the Plane Will. Yet no smiles adorned their faces.

The weight of the Turkin soldiers’ casualties pressed heavily upon them all, including the Xaos forces. Though they hadn’t known each other long, fighting side by side had forged a strong bond. The loss of their comrades was a bitter sting.

But deeper than their grief was the unsettling reality of their enemy. The insect-humanoid hybrids had been a harrowing revelation. Not only were they formidable in strength, but their relentless disregard for their own lives, driven solely by an instinct to kill, was profoundly disturbing.

"The beetle-crab and ant-crab hybrids were challenging enough," Freya murmured, wiping grime from her forehead. "But these new ones..."

"They’re the true warriors of the hive," Viserin interjected grimly. "And we have no idea how many more there might be."

Jormungandr’s voice sliced through the heavy atmosphere. "Collect the corpses. Do not let any iota of biomass remain for them." His commanding tone left no room for hesitation.

Despite their exhaustion, the group sprang into action. They understood that time was against them. Viserin solemnly gathered the bodies of his fallen men, knowing they couldn’t be left behind. If given the chance, the hive would surely desecrate them.

The others utilized their space rings to store the thousands of drone carcasses, filling the storage artifacts to near capacity. Every fragment collected meant denying the hive additional resources.

With their grim task completed, all eyes turned to Jormungandr. The small yellow cat stood silently, his gaze distant yet intense. After a moment of contemplation, determination flared in his eyes.

"We are heading back to the Asani Continent," he announced.

Surprise flickered across the faces of Freya, Ouroboros, the Royal Guards, Viserin, and the Turkin soldiers. Their mission had been to draw the hive’s attention, easing the pressure on Vlad as he ventured deeper into the Monsoon Continent. Was it time to retreat already?

Anticipating their unspoken questions, Jormungandr continued, "We’ve been clashing with these creatures for over a month. By now, Vlad must be deep within the continent. Our actions here will have little to no effect where he is. We lack the strength to push further; our space rings are nearly full, and we’re beginning to suffer casualties. We must return."

There was a finality in his words, a clear decision made after careful deliberation. The group exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. The logic was sound.

"Jormungandr is right," Viserin said softly. "Continuing on would be reckless."

"Then we should move quickly," Freya added, adjusting her grip on her mace.

Despite their fatigue, they wasted no time. Resting near the battlefield was too dangerous; it was only a matter of time before a larger, more formidable hive force arrived. Jormungandr led the way, his senses keen for any sign of danger. Ouroboros took up the rear, ensuring no threats approached from behind.

They kept their A.I. Chip forcefields active, a necessary precaution since even their honed senses couldn’t reliably detect the hive’s warriors. The journey was tense but uneventful. It seemed the hive’s presence had yet to fully solidify in Karman Country, which was very good news.