Wings of Oblivion

The cockpit pulsed with energy, the emerald glow of the Wings of Oblivion casting shadows on the forest. Galen felt the power rising the Abyssal Warden, its sluggish movements replaced with something sharp. He focused, fixating his concentration on the Warden.

[Wings of Oblivion: Active (2:59 remaining)]

[Feathers of Oblivion: 1 charge available.]

"Feathers of Oblivion?" Galen muttered, as the text appeared in his vision. "That sounds... ominous."

Morrigan's voice cut through the hum of the Warden's systems. "A weapon of devastation. Use it wisely, you can only use it once."

"Of course," Galen said under his breath. "Wouldn't want this to feel too easy."

Ahead, the predatory Effigy with jagged blades for hands stalked the Warden. It moved low and fast, darting between the blackened trees like a wolf circling its prey. Behind it, the other Effigy stood motionless, its massive cannon filling with energy as it tracked the Warden's every move.

"Fantastic," Galen muttered, his fingers tightening on the controls. "Cavalry and artillery. Just my luck."

The Predator lunged, its blades slicing through the air. But this time, the Warden was faster. The Abyssal Warden pivoted with fluid precision, the emerald wings trailing light as it sidestepped the attack, and rose to the air. The Predator's blades struck empty air, and Galen spun the Warden to counter, its claws slashing across the scavenger's side.

Sparks erupted as the Predator staggered, its mismatched legs struggling to regain balance. Galen pressed the advantage, maneuvering the Warden in a tight arc to flank the scavenger. The emerald wings flared up as he closed the distance, the Warden's claws tearing through the Predator's exposed plating.

"Not so fast now, are you?" Galen muttered with a tone of satisfaction.

The Predator twisted, its blades lashing out in desperation. Galen pulled the Warden back just in time, the blades missing by centimeters. The scavenger stumbled, its jagged limbs twitching as it tried to recover.

"Finish it," Morrigan commanded, her voice resonating with cold authority.

"Working on it," Galen snapped, his focus unshaken. He pushed the Warden forward, its claws raised for the final strike. With a crunch, the claws drove deep into the Predator's frame. The scavenger shuddered violently, its lights flickering and fading as its frame collapsed into the mud.

[Wings of Oblivion: Active (2:10 remaining)]

[Arcyn Reserve: 12%^]

Galen exhaled sharply as the Warden turned to face the remaining threat. The other Effigy stood at the edge of the clearing, its cannon glowing red as it charged. The air around the weapon shimmered with heat.

"Time to see what these Feathers can do," he said. His mind reminded of fact that he had only one shot.

The Effigy fired. The crimson energy blast soared through the clearing, tearing through trees. The Warden darted to the side, the emerald wings leaving a shimmering trail in its wake. The blast missed by centimeters, but only the shockwave was enough to push the Warden farther.

"That was too close," Morrigan hissed, her frustration palpable. "The Feathers must strike true."

"Yeah, yeah," Galen muttered, steadying the Warden as another blast tore through the air. He darted forward, closing the distance as the scavenger's cannon began to recharge.

[Feathers of Oblivion]

The Warden's wings flared, the emerald light intensifying as Galen activated the ability. A sudden surge of energy rippled through it, and the wings spread, releasing a storm of glowing shards. The Feathers of Oblivion streaked toward the scavenger Effigy, each shard leaving a trail of emerald light as it soared through the air.

The impact was devastating. The shards pierced the scavenger's armor, shattering its unstable frame. Its energy core must have exploded, as a blast engulfed it in fire and smoke. When the dust settled, the scavenger was laying on the ground motionless, its frame riddled with glowing holes, its lights extinguished.

[Wings of Oblivion: Active (1:00 remaining)]

[Arcyn Reserve: 7%^]

Galen slumped back in his seat, his chest heaving. "Okay," he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Are we done?"

The ground trembled, a low rumble that sent ripples through the forest. Galen straightened as the tremors grew stronger. From the shadows of the forest, a new figure emerged.

It was massive, its armor gleaming like obsidian. In its hands, it carried a massive halberd, glowing red running on the weapon's blade. The Effigy moved with purpose, each step shaking the ground beneath it.

Morrigan's voice was quieter now. "A Champion Tier. Low rank, but it will be enough to destroy us in this state. How did they get such a thing?"

Galen swallowed hard, his gaze locked on the approaching Effigy. The wings behind the Warden flickered, their emerald glow beginning to fade. "Well, let's hope I can defeat it in a minute then."

The Champion Effigy's halberd came down with the force of an avalanche, tearing into the earth as the Abyssal Warden darted back, its wings leaving faint emerald trails. The Warden circled, but the Champion pressed forward without hesitation. Another swing came, this time faster, the blade slashing horizontally. The Warden dropped low slipping beneath the arc of the strike.

[Wings of Oblivion: Active (0:46 remaining)]

"You move well," the Champion said, its voice heavy with distorted tones. "But you are no threat to the crusade."

Galen frowned, barely registering the words as he forced the Warden to sidestep a thrust. The Champion's halberd speared forward, slicing past the Warden's torso and carving a deep gash into the tree behind it.

The Champion continued, its voice unrelenting. "It won't matter. She cannot outrun him."

The Warden surged forward, claws raking against the Champion's armored arm. Sparks flew, but the armor held firm. The Champion retaliated with a brutal backhand, catching the Warden in the side.

Morrigan's presence flickered sharply in Galen's mind. "This is not a mere scavenger."

The Champion raised its halberd high, the blade glowing red. "She clings to the past. A dead queen grasping for relevance. The crusade will see her erased."

The Warden ducked under the blade, the emerald wings flaring as it dashed to the Champion's flank. Its claws struck true this time, ripping into the Champion's side. The blow staggered it, the halberd dipping slightly, but the Champion didn't falter for long. It twisted its torso, swinging the shaft of the weapon with a ferocity that caught the Warden mid-strike, knocking it back several meters.

"She cannot stand against him," the Champion said.

Morrigan's voice faltered. "This... crusade it speaks of. It is Richard's crusade."

"The same guy whose minions we've killed earlier?" Galen asked, the Warden's claws digging into the mud as it steadied itself.

The Champion's glowing eyes narrowed, its stance lowering as it readied another strike. The Warden staggered back, wings flickering weakly.

[Wings of Oblivion: Active (0:15 remaining)]

Galen gritted his teeth as the Champion advanced, halberd raised high. The emerald wings flared one last time as it narrowly avoided the blade's crushing descent, the ground splitting beneath the force of the attack.

"You cannot stand against him," the Champion growled. "Richard's crusade cannot be stopped."

Morrigan's presence surged in Galen's mind, heavy with tension. "Richard the Lionheart," she murmured. "He conquered more it seems."

"Mind explaining what that actually means?"

Morrigan's voice sharpened. "Richard is an avatar of conquest. His scouts have recently arrived at my land. The Iron Crusade's scouts."

"An Avatar?" Galen was ready to test his understanding of this world. "Does that mean he also has a god at his back?"

"Yes," Morrigan answered quietly. "I do not know who."

The Warden twisted to avoid a sudden thrust. The halberd grazed its side, sparks erupting as the blade sliced shallowly through its plating.

[Wings of Oblivion: Deactivated.]

The emerald wings vanished, their glow extinguished in an instant. The Warden shuddered, its movements slowing, its battered frame struggling to keep up with the Champion's relentless advance.

The halberd swung again. The Warden stumbled back, claws scraping the mud for balance. The Champion loomed over it, weapon poised for a killing blow.

Morrigan's voice was sharp and urgent. "Galen, retreat! There is nothing left."

But Galen's eyes had already locked onto the wreckage behind the Champion. The scavenger Effigy's broken cannon lay half-buried in the mud, its jagged edges sparking faintly. "No way I'm leaving this fight unfinished," he muttered. The Warden lurched forward, claws outstretched.

The Warden's claws clamped onto the weapon, wrenching it free with a screech of twisting metal. The cannon sparked weakly, unstable energy coiling along its fractured surface. Galen didn't pause. The Warden turned sharply, raising the weapon as the Champion charged.

Galen instinctively began channeling the Abyssal Warden's remaining Arcyn into the cannon.

The Champion charged at the Warden, its heavy footsteps trampling everything in its path.

Morrigan's presence tightened. "Galen, that weapon cannot handle this energy"

He barked back. "Let's just hope this thing has one good shot in it left."

The Champion closed the gap, its blade ready to strike again. The cannon fired.

A burst of unstable energy ripped through the battlefield, the shot slamming into the Champion's chest with the force of an explosion. The impact tore through its core, molten metal spraying outward as the Champion staggered, its halberd slipping from its grip. Sparks spread across its frame, the red light in its eyes dimming as it fell to its knees.

Its head tilted downward, and the massive frame collapsed into the mud with a final, deafening crash.

The Warden straightened, its frame trembling, the cannon falling from its claws with a dull thud. Galen exhaled sharply, leaning back, his chest heaving as silence settled over the battlefield.

"Richard is advancing," Morrigan said after a long moment, her voice cold. "He knows I am here. He will be going after Moonnight Castle soon."

Galen let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his damp hair. "What have I gotten into?"

"He will not stop, Galen," Morrigan continued, her tone hardening. "The iron crusade consumes all in its path. He has weapons, Effigies... And a powerful god supporting him."

"Well," Galen muttered, forcing the Warden forward with a labored step. "Guess we'll deal with that when the time comes."

The Warden trudged forward, battered but moving. Moonnight Castle was just a few hours away.