Loh' Polieus and Asoto' Tinneus
Seeing that its attempt to kill the target had failed, the fire Rakh-ahtan warrior succumbed to a berserk rage, launching a relentless assault. Despite his agility, the hell spawn unleashed a barrage of blazing infernos at Guttenson'.
Curiously, the weight of his metal arm caused his movements to become erratic, narrowly evading death with each close encounter. Unable to find an opening, Guttenson' hastily retreated, gathering the remaining Great Irons around him.
Positioned on his right, the imposing figure of the Great Iron from the eleven high post stood, an ally in this dire moment. He addressed Guttenson', recognizing their shared fate, "So they got you to. Looks like we'll need a good rest after this ordeal." He assumed an unusual fighting stance, positioning his wooden left arm directly in front of him. The image of the 11th Great Iron revealed ancestral flooding, yet Guttenson's eyes remained devoid of any such signs.
"Great Iron Tormelli' and I will take the lead," Guttenson' declared, his voice resonating with determination. "The four of you shall split into two teams: team 1 will flank its left, and team 2 will flank its right. We put an end to this now!" With those words, he and Tormelli' charged forward, disregarding the scorching heat that engulfed the once tranquil landscape of the 9th high post. Whenever they encountered flames, Tormelli' summoned roots from the ground, swiftly uprooting acres of soil and snatching the fire from its source.
Guttenson', driven by the urgency of the situation, assumed the lead while the flame-engulfed Rakh-ahtan remained motionless. The entire exchange unfolded within a matter of seconds, and Guttenson' soon found himself face-to-face with the creature responsible for severing his arm.
As he closed in, a chilling realization crept over him—the Rakh-ahtan was fixated on his fallen comrade. Just as Guttenson' was about to divert his gaze, the flame Rakh-ahtan twitched, forcing him to keep his focus ahead.
"Watch out! The other one is still alive!" Guntteson's voice pierced through the chaos, alerting the four Great Irons who had embarked on their flanking maneuver. However, when Guttenson finally managed to steal a glance backward, he was dismayed by their lack of awareness.
The wind Rakh-ahtan had impaled Great Iron Tormelli' through the chest with its metal pole, leaving behind a gaping hole resembling the one Guttenson' had inflicted on the proud wind Rakh-ahtan's own torso.
Miraculously, Great Iron Tormelli' clung to life, subtly allowing his wooden arm to make contact with the ground, an act of stealth and determination.
As soon as Tormelli's hand made contact with the ground, a vibrant green light flashed in his eyes, triggering a swift and explosive transformation. The wooden arm instantaneously erupted, growing into a massive tree that enveloped and trapped the wind Rakh-ahtan, rendering it immobile.
Tormelli', despite his injuries, managed to stagger a few steps forward before collapsing to his knees. The extensive wound in his chest prevented him from drawing breath or uttering a word, yet a smile adorned his face. With one final upward gaze, his vision faded into darkness, accompanied by a resounding snap that reverberated in his ears.
The wind Rakh-ahtan had somehow managed to break free from the wooden cage, the snap Tormelli' had heard being the sound of its liberation.
The darkness that engulfed Tormelli' was due to the demon's staff striking him with such brutal force that his upper torso, including his arms, was obliterated. The remaining Great Irons could only bear witness to the ruthless cruelty that had claimed one of their own.
The wind Rakh-ahtan, standing triumphantly upon Tormelli's lifeless body, inhaled sharply, relishing in the satisfaction of its kill.
However, in a moment of unexpected audacity, Sayelle' materialized out of thin air, wielding a small, razor-sharp blade. Swiftly, he sliced into the beast's heels before vanishing once more. Although the Rakh-ahtan possessed an astonishing capacity for regeneration, the wound forced the wind Rakh-ahtan to take a knee.
Seizing the opportunity, the remaining Great Irons acted without hesitation, closing in on the injured beast.
Guttenson couldn't afford to divert his attention from the imminent threat. The fiery projectile launched by the Rakh-ahtan engulfed him, unleashing torrents of flames that licked at his heels with every twist and turn.
Mid-air, Gutensson executed a swift aerial maneuver, narrowly avoiding the lethal embrace of certain demise. Only a short distance away, the opening crafted by Great Iron Sayelle' was obliterated, obliterated in an instant by the mighty gusts conjured by the Rakh-ahtan. The swirling winds transformed into a ferocious typhoon, mercilessly hurtling the 4 Great Irons s through the air.
Though narrowly evading death Guttenson' couldn't shake the realization that their enemy had once again eluded their grasp. "At this rate," Gutensson pondered, "they'll systematically eliminate us, picking us off one by one."
Without a moment's hesitation, the white jeweled Rakh-ahtan hurled its staff with the force of a cannon towards the airborne Great Iron of the second High post. Caught in the tempestuous winds, the unfortunate soul was sent hurtling through the air. The staff pierced his body with ruthless precision, causing an instantaneous explosion that shattered his body, showering the surroundings with a gruesome rain of dismembered fragments and casting a mist of blood. The ranks of the Great Irons had now diminished from twelve to a mere five.
The beast shifted its attention and swiftly leapt towards the Great Iron of the third High post, who, in the throes of imminent impact with the ground, found himself defenseless against the impending swinging staff of the wind Rakh-ahtan.
However, just as the doomed warrior was on the brink of certain doom, the winds abruptly ceased. The sudden disappearance of the creature occurred so swiftly that no one could discern its cause. The Great Iron crashed onto the ground face-first, saved from certain death.
The fiery Rakh-ahtan also seemed to vanish into thin air. The vanishing act unfolded in a mere blink of an eye, accompanied by a resounding sonic boom that temporarily deafened not only Guttenson' but all the remaining Great Irons as well.
The remaining Great Irons found themselves confronted by a group of seven elderly Tonovians with flowing gray hair, adorned in intricately jeweled armor. "Fear not, Great Irons," reassured the regal Tonovian Diamond. "The Tonovian Greater Diamonds have arrived, and we have brought an end to this invasion."
As the royal Tonovian spoke, a figure approached. It was a towering Tonovian standing at eleven feet tall, boasting snow-white hair and a beautiful azure blue skin. His imposing physique surpassed that of his fellow kin, signifying him as the pinnacle of the Tonovian genetic lineage.
In his right hand, he wielded two menacing heads that elicited gasps of awe from the Great Irons.
"That is Great Diamond Deiousus," whispered a Great Iron, "and he will undoubtedly bring an end to this invasion." Shortly after his proclamation, the mother lake, now transformed into a glistening silver expanse, trembled with a resounding roar. It folded in on itself, forming a colossal Rakh-ahtan warrior standing at a towering height of fifty meters.
The behemoth lacked a gem upon its forehead, it began its relentless march towards the Tonovian Empire. From its gaping maw, waves of gemless Rakh-ahtan warriors spilled forth, ready to wreak havoc.
"Even with our ancestral essence, we failed to vanquish a single one of their jeweled warriors," Great Iron Guntesson' voiced his frustration. "Unless an army of Great Diamonds is present, our fate remains sealed in death. Where is Great Father? I must speak with him."
The Royal Diamond Tonovian frowned at Guntesson' but dared not refuse his request. Thus, he escorted Great Iron Guntesson' to the esteemed Great Father of Fathers, where important matters would be addressed.
Miles above, deep within Kentucky's forest, two Tonovians made their way, their footsteps leaving deep imprints in the woods. "I'm telling you, Loh', that massive crystal above us is an ancestral Relic stone," Asoto' exclaimed. "And I'm telling you, you fool, it's called the moon, and that vast expanse above us is the sky," retorted Loh', sounding increasingly irritated.
Undeterred, Asoto' persisted, "Well, no matter what you call it, whoever left behind a crystal of that magnitude must have been as colossal as the world itself."
Emerging into the clear Kentucky night, with no sense of direction except for the mission entrusted to them by the Father of Fathers, Asoto's actual father, "Usto Tinneus".
The two Tonovians found themselves enveloped by an eerie silence. Suddenly, Asoto' grasped Loh' and instinctively sought refuge behind a towering tree. "Hush, I hear something," Asoto' whispered, alerting his companion. Two human figures appeared in the distance, engaging in a conversation.
"I'm telling you, Buck, I heard some strange noises, like aliens conversing," declared a short, stout man to his taller companion, who held a hunting rifle. "It's probably just some critter you heard. You know aliens aren't real, Rick. Those critters can startle easily," replied the tall man named Buck, attempting to dismiss the notion.
Buck, however, paid no heed to Rick's reassurances as he scanned the surroundings with his flashlight, searching for what he believed were extraterrestrial beings. Just as Rick was about to interject once more, Buck's flashlight illuminated four massive arms protruding from a tree.
Realizing they had been noticed, Loh' swiftly adjusted his approach, opting for a diplomatic stance as he cautiously approached the two humans. The towering Tonovian, standing at eight feet tall, sought to ease their fears. However, as Loh' drew nearer, the two men remained paralyzed with terror.
In a panicked outburst, Rick screamed, "It's a bigfoot, Buck! Quick, shoot it! It's charging right at us! Buck, shoot it in the head!"
Rick's piercing scream echoed through the forest, carrying a mixture of fear and desperation. Reacting swiftly, Buck raised his rifle, taking aim at Loh' and fired, the bullet striking the Tonovian squarely in the chest. Yet, Loh's robust Tonovian physiology, even in its relatively, possessed formidable resilience. The bullet barely made a dent, barely penetrated his toughened skin.
A few minutes later, Loh' and Asoto' found themselves clad in tattered human clothing, with Loh' examining Rick's phone while Asoto' inspected the rifle. "Man, that innocent-looking contraption packed quite a punch," Loh' remarked, rubbing his chest. "Haha, I know, right? These shrimps sure have some entertaining toys," Asoto' chuckled. With that, the two Tonovians departed, leaving Rick and Buck unconscious in nothing but their underwear.
They strolled through the unfamiliar landscape, thoroughly amused by the novelty of this new world they found themselves in. As the skies gradually brightened with the approaching sunrise, and the moon lost its luster, Asoto' couldn't help but ponder the changing scene. "It's getting brighter, and the 'moon' is fading. What do you think is happening, Loh'?"
Loh', drawing from his knowledge, offered an explanation. "The outer world's Sun is about to rise, its intense light capable of scorching our Tonovian skin. My teacher warned me about this and advised me to avoid it, if I ever encountered it. Fortunate for us, the humans have adorned everything with images and symbols since I am unable to comprehend their written language. The Great Father mentioned seeking assistance from a particular group of humans situated up north, where two vast lakes rest beneath towering frozen mountains. However, this map does not indicate the existence of such a place. Therefore, our best course of action is to continue our journey northward." Loh explained as he took the lead.
A thousand miles away, several states to the west, Al, Cesar, Ellie, and Jin darted across the landscape at a speed surpassing that of any vehicle on the nearby Route 80 highway. Each of them clutched paper talismans adorned with fading, glowing yellow runes. Frustration laced Jin's voice as he remarked, "I told you we should have brought more talismans for this journey."
Maintaining a calm demeanor, Al reassured his companions, "Don't worry. If we happen to run out towards the end, it will serve as an opportunity to train our endurance."