The Invasion of Tonovia

The beast's ribs glistened with a solid layer of spreading ice, capturing Goeh's attention. A sense of dread clawed its way up from deep within him as he observed the creature's motionless form. Though it appeared alive, it possessed an uncanny resemblance to an inanimate object.

Without hesitation, Goeh's movements quickened, surpassing his previous speed, until he stood directly in front of the beast, launching a relentless assault. Three strikes found their mark on the beast's left leg before he swiftly retreated, narrowly evading a devastating kick.

"My frost is working, albeit slowly. I don't believe it has realized the truth yet. I just need to wait for my frost to connect," Goeh' thought quietly, displaying patience as he maintained a safe distance from the fifteen-foot creature.

Four formidable Great Iron Tonovians appeared, ready to support Goeh'. Astonishingly, the beast paid no attention to the newcomers, focusing solely on lunging at Goeh' once more.

However, just before it reached him, the convergence of two layers of frost created a cataclysmic blast of ice, halting the wild beast a few feet away. Its left side became imprisoned in a deep blue ice, slowly expanding.

Goeh' cautiously approached the frozen side, placing his hand upon it, and made a sweeping gesture toward his high post, causing both himself and the captive creature to vanish.

As Goeh' disappeared, the other four Great Irons began conversing among themselves.

"Our Great Father said it would be an army one-tenth our size, yet with the power to annihilate us," one of the four Great Iron Tonovians spoke up.His hair stood out as the whitest, indicating his youth. "Something is amiss. I witnessed one of those creatures effortlessly slaughter six Great Bronze Tonovians. It's as if he desired to be captured," another Tonovian, his hair streaked with gray, voiced his concerns.

While they discussed their suspicions, a sudden burst of bright blue light illuminated the dim cave, momentarily blinding the quartet. Tragically, their sight would never return, as their heads thudded against the ground, expressions of confusion etched on their faces.

Meanwhile, the seventh high post where Goeh had taken the beast prisoner was strewn with the charred bodies of fallen Tonovians. The survivors, their injuries and burns so grave and debilitating, they wished for death.

The magnificent crystal-shaped stone, towering over ten feet in height, was now absent, its remnants visible amidst the scattered rubble. Adjacent to the wreckage stood a dome-like structure made of ice, its surface marred with cracks. As the dome collapsed, a Tonovian emerged, wearing a bewildered expression.

His amber eyes, once resembling those of his brethren, had transformed into an icy blue. Clutching an empty pouch, he whispered, "Please, Father, grant your son Goeh'Tahleow the strength to atone for his sins."

After dropping the empty pouch, his gaze fixed upon the now liberated beast, which regarded him with a scornful mockery in its eyes. Emitting an eerie sound from the rows of etched on teeth where its mouth should have been, akin to someone hyperventilating, the creature conveyed a mocking amusement. Although limited in its capacity to display emotions, Goeh could discern the laughter directed at him. "So, you can laugh? Excellent. That means you can experience pain as well!" The Great Iron of the seventh high post bellowed defiantly as he charged forward.

(A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE)

In a swift motion, one of Goeh's subordinates teleported him and the beast back to the high post. A group of six bald Tonovians armed with stone spears swiftly apprehended the creature.

As it surveyed its surroundings, the beast's attention fixated on the ten-foot stone with a gem adorning its forehead—a detail that Goeh' had previously overlooked. Suddenly, the gem emitted a low, escalating pitch, followed by sparks emanating from its surface. Gradually, electric arcs enveloped the beast, causing the ice encasing it to crack and shatter.

"Quickly, kill it now! No matter what, do not allow it near the Relic stone!" Goeh' urgently shouted, his men promptly thrusting their spears into the creature's body. Six spears penetrated the colossal fifteen-foot behemoth. However, their efforts failed to impede its progress.

All eyes were fixed in horror as the creature advanced toward a paralyzed Tonovian, his bald head stricken with fear. With a deliberate, metallic-like arm, the beast extended a single finger, pointing it directly at the defenseless man. Upon contact, a gruesome spectacle unfolded, blood and brain matter hit the ground.

The sight of their comrade's horrifying demise ignited a rage within the remaining men, who disregarded caution and charged at the creature. However, their assault proved futile, for the beast moved with such blinding speed that all they could perceive was a blur.

In a matter of seconds, a mound of charred and mutilated corpses formed, filling the air with the sickening stench of burnt flesh. Great Iron Goeh', witnessing the savage and swift annihilation of his men, whispered in despair, "Oh Father, what have I done?" Meanwhile, the beast shook off the spears that had pierced. It then made it's way directly in front of the Relic stone, gradually raising its hand as more than ten Tononovian soldiers encircled it.

"No! Get away from the Relic stone! Run and seek shelter!" Goeh' shouted desperately to the approaching men. But his warning came too late, as the beast placed its hand upon the source stone.

In a desperate act, Goeh' emptied his pouch of crystal stones into his mouth. What followed was an explosion of such intensity that the ensuing light momentarily blinded the four Great Iron Tonovians by the mother lake. The handful of Tonovian soldiers surrounding the beast were instantly incinerated, and even those who had heeded Goeh's plea and sought cover suffered horrific injuries.

Amidst the devastation, Great Iron Goeh' stood unscathed, the sole Tonovian in the seventh high post untouched by harm. A colossal dome of blue ice slowly collapsed around him. Charging towards Goeh' at full speed.

Goeh', now faster than ever, charged the beast, its metallic structure vibrating intensely. The creature evaded any direct hits by leaping back, creating distance between them.

Undeterred, Goeh' remained composed as he raised his hand, causing the frosted dome behind him to condense rapidly into a magnificent azure spear. Summoning all his strength, he hurled the spear towards the gigantic beast.

A brilliant flash of blue light struck the creature's chest with such force that fragments of its metallic-like flesh scattered across the ground. An injury of such magnitude would have instantly claimed the life of most Tonovian's, but the fifteen-foot beast, though visibly damaged, appeared unfazed by the colossal ice spear impaling its chest.

Without hesitation, the beast charged at Goeh once more, who, unfaltering, had turned his back to the approaching menace. As the beast's came within inches of him, Goeh extended his right hand and made a fist, and in an instant, the entire lethal entity transformed into an ice sculpture.

Opening his right hand, the sculpture exploded, dispersing into a frosty mist that swiftly reformed into the majestic ice spear. Not a trace of the beast remained, except for the remnants of flesh that now littered the ground.

Gradually, more bald Tonovian soldiers emerged from the reserves of the seventh high post, their eyes reflecting a mixture of grief and an ignited passion to fight. Meanwhile, in the mother lake, ten beasts similar to the one Great Iron Goeh' had slain emerged, poised to unleash carnage upon anything in their path.

The beast that had nearly decimated the entire seventh high post was teleported there by Goeh', while the rest of its kin were not as fortunate. They were met with a relentless barrage of beams, possessing enough power to obliterate even their near-indestructible bodies. Notably, these beasts lacked the jewel adorning their foreheads.

Nevertheless, the twelve high posts unleashed the might of their individual relic stones without relent, except for the seventh high post, which lay in ruins. Within a minute, wave after wave of beasts was eradicated, leaving behind an expanse of scattered metal flesh and causing the water to take on a silver-like hue.

Just as the situation seemed to settle down, back in the seventh high post, shortly after Goeh' had departed in an attempt to communicate with the Great Father, an eight-foot, slender, bald Tonovian wielding a broadsword engaged in conversation with another bald Tonovian. "Did you see the eyes of Great Iron Goeh? It is said that when a Tonovian's body becomes overwhelmed with ancestral essence, the first sign is a certain glow in their eyes. If Great Iron Goeh has reached such a stage, then that means..." His words were abruptly cut off by a horrifying shriek that pierced the air, shattering the momentary tranquility.

Suddenly, another bald Tonovian collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably. A concerned friend rushed to his side, lifting his head and attempting to calm him. "Taiyou', what's happening? Just relax, focus on your breathing," his friend reassured him. But to their dismay, the foam at Taiyou's mouth quickly turned to blood, and the convulsions ceased. Realizing that Taiyou' had passed away, his friend sorrowfully lifted his lifeless body and began to walk away.

As the bereaved Tonovian carried his fallen comrade, a sudden surge of deep pain emanated from his stomach, causing his entire body to weaken and grow cold. Looking down, he discovered a pale blue hand protruding from his abdomen, clutching a heap of intestines that could only belong to him.

Stricken with terror, he was rendered voiceless as he locked eyes with the person who had just taken his life—his own friend, Taiyou'. In a matter of seconds, the reserves of the seventh high post found themselves engaged in a harrowing battle against their own deceased brethren.

"Don't touch the silver areas on the ground!" one of the reservists shouted, only to have his plea cut short as his head was mercilessly cleaved with a single hand. In Goeh's absence, a young Tonovian had assumed command of the seventh high post reserves.

Unlike the other bald Tonovians of the seventh high post, he possessed medium-length hair and bore a slightly darker shade of blue. Urgently he implored, "High Iron, Aiyal', those who have turned possess even greater strength than before their demise. Our forces are being decimated. Please grant the bronze Legions permission to employ our Ancestral Essence to eliminate those who have turned, before the situation spirals out of control." Another Tonovian, with short hair, pleaded with High Iron Aiyal'.

"No! Those capable of harnessing Ancestral Essence must conserve it," Aiyal' responded firmly. "Furthermore, observe our surroundings—we have an abundance of raw essence." With those words, Aiyal' picked up a fragment of the shattered stone stele and consumed it, tapping into the raw power it contained.

The royal palace of Tonovia, which stretched across the cliffs, had emerged unscathed from the first attack it had faced in millennia. Within the highest room of the palace, the Great Father of Fathers observed the relentless onslaught as wave after wave of beasts were mercilessly slain by the remaining eleven high posts.

Beside him stood a female Tonovian with a firm yet composed voice, addressing him as an equal. "These creatures are different. They lack the jewel on their foreheads and appear to be about a foot smaller. As you've surely noticed, our mother lake has been tainted by their blood. It seems our enemy has meticulously planned their assault. We must gather all the children and women; our homeland is no longer safe."

The Great Father of Fathers sighed wearily, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. He turned to the man standing at his right side and issued a command. "They have only dispatched a single true Rak-ahtan warrior, the one captured by the 7th high post."

However, before the woman could finish her statement, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "Enter!" Usto' Tinneius, the Great Father of Fathers, called out. A Tonovian adorned in royal armor swiftly entered, bowing respectfully before addressing the woman and Usto'. "Your greatness, the 7th high post has been obliterated. Great Iron Goeh' is standing outside and requests an audience with you. Furthermore, your greatness, Great Iron Goeh' has exceeded his limits, flooding his vessel with ancestral essence."

Usto' found it difficult to believe that, as Geova' Murellus had reported, a single Rakh-ahtan must have been the one to bring it down. However, his immediate concern was the condition of Goeh' and his men. "Bring Great Iron Goeh' to me at once. I must see him!"

Great Iron Goeh', in a pitiful state, entered the room, his pale blue skin contrasting with the dimming light in his eyes. Usto, recognizing his beloved nephew, felt a pang of sadness. He remembered the young boy with bright white hair, inseparable from his own son. Now, Goeh' was a man on death's door, a victim of his own failed leadership.

Goeh' managed to convey his message before losing consciousness. He spoke of his failure, the enemy's cunning, and the need to focus their defenses around the relic stones. Usto' listened intently, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Geova looked at Goeh' with sympathy before walking over to him. "Sadly your leadership has failed you my poor chil. If only you knew what we're really fighting." She said loud enough for Usoto' to hear her. She reached into a pouch to pull a handful of fine sand with streaks of silver. Geova' lifted Goeh's head and poured the sand into his mouth. "This is something I have been working on." She said as the light in Goeh's eyes began to dissipate.

Geova' left but only after telling Usoto that there was no winning the war, only a small chance of survival.

Usto called for a royal guard to take Goeh to the infirmary, hoping for his recovery. Meanwhile, he decided to awaken the sleeping warriors of Tonovia, rallying their defense. However, he made it clear that Great Diamond, Deiusus', should be left undisturbed, reserving the task of waking him for himself.

As Usto continued to observe the ongoing war from afar, he pondered the uncertain future and placed his hope in Goeh, recognizing that their only chance of survival rested in his hands.