Chapter 17: Tyrannicide.
The two monsters clashed, their melee echoed throughout the ground pronouncing the epic struggle between them.
Each sweep of the Void crab's claw drew rubble from the Titan, but every wound sewed itself back together from the immense earthen energy pouring into the Golem.
Like hell would the Void crab be able to actually kill this thing.
It would only be a matter of time for the Void crab to dematerialize back to void space or for the Golem to land multiple hits on the crustacean. The Golem was slow and lumbering, but the Crab would eventually tire out from dodging the hulk's attacks. The sheer mass from one of its fists would crumple the crab's chitin with no effort.
Come on Xerath, I need you to find some way to stop this thing. And we need it now.
Xerath had destroyed all designated targets. The only threat now was the Titan class Golem that was now in combat with that monstrous alien crab that Malzahar had conjured from a plane Xerath wished he had not known of.
Yet the crab was losing its agility, so any chance of it winning were slim with even the best of luck.
I need to stop that thing.
A massive ward dome prevented his prying eyes from having a glimpse into the sustaining ritual that was fueling the Titan.
It might work better if he focused on using the Titan as a spying glass into the ritual. If the ritual was constantly pouring energy into the Golem, then working back through the power flow might be possible. From there, it would be a matter of finding out how the ritual worked and halting it. It may backfire, but what choice did he have when the warding was so strong. He did not have full grasp of his power. Uncontrolled power was a dangerous thing.
And he full well knew what it could lead to.
The Void crab's assault continued on his body. His body was constantly regenerating itself though, completely nullifying its efforts at even making a scratch in his colossal form. His body knew no pain now, only senses of loss of matter existed for him. Raising his right arm above him, he swung it at the annoyance.
It managed to dodge his strike again.
Once more it clawed at his skin, with massive chunks of stone blasting off of the wound. And once more, his body regenerated itself, uncaring of the wound it had sustained mere moments ago.
This thing was absolutely pathetic, thinking it could actually defeat him.
It was time to stop toying around.
A strange buzzing sound.
Could well be something to do with the ritual, nothing to be concerned about.
Xerath had managed to break down the safeguard wards, allowing him sight into the very heart of the ritual.
By the Fates, what sick creature would even think of doing this?
He felt human vitality everywhere. It saturated the entirety of the magic conduit to the Titan. It was absolutely suffocating how much energy was in here.
That meant one thing.
Human blood.
But there was something even worse.
There were additives to it.
The blood had been completely saturated in raw magical energy.
He sensed the blood even breaking decomposing from the immense concentration.
This was absolutely unforgiveable.
Enriched blood circuits had been outlawed in his time because of the immense cost of human life to dilute and transfer large amounts of arcane energy through otherwise difficult conduits. Human blood could sustain significantly higher concentrations of magic better than most other common animals, and its relative abundance would make most people jump at the chance to use it. The real problem arose when significant energies broke down the blood cells, releasing the absorbed magic and causing an incredibly powerful chain reaction.
It also explained the massive ward strength. These circuits caused massive arcane disruption, thereby disrupting spell parameters and weakening them.
It sounded like the best option was to detonate the circuit. The explosion would effectively wipe out the central infantry column as well as the falling debris from the Titan would halt any assault long enough for the reinforcements of neighboring cities to arrive and the Horde would be stopped once and for all.
Even still, he would be eliminating several thousand lives. Does the price out way the benefit? Surely there must be a better way. Then why can I find none? Why must those thousands die?
But had he not already killed thousands? Countless numbers had died from his Ascension. What did a few thousand souls matter to him?
No.
I will not think of myself as a simple murderer.
Those were unfortunate casualties, incredibly unfortunate souls who were caught up in my destiny. They will not die without my consideration of what happened to them.
But what of the now? If he had not contributed to the defense, then Uebel would have fallen by now. Ezreal and Sivir would be taken hostage, perhaps even executed. Malzahar would definitely be killed, his body strung up on the highest parapet as a message to all that opposed Belhorashur. And then Azel…
Azel would be killed as a traitorous witch, put on display as a reminder of what happened to deserters and traitors.
I will not allow that to happen.
If thousands should die for the security of my assets, then it matters not.
They must fall, for my promise to Nrazin. They brought their own doom upon themselves. This is their retribution. There is no other way now.
He began to weave the Titan's doom, to sever its power flow and to annihilate the conjurers of this twisted machination. He delved into the control mechanisms, finding the strands to weave its doom with every glance inside of the circuit.
The Void crab was getting slower. It was only a matter of minutes before the Titan could land a direct hit and claim its life. Xerath needs to be ready now or else this day will be theirs.
Malzahar was panting heavily, the summoning costing him significant amounts of mana to sustain the crab in real space. Even if the Titan was brought low, he doubted that he could go on for much longer after that. The fact that the Horde's Infantry was advancing was only making the situation worse. The Guard would make a valiant last stand, but Uebel would fall if the Titan was not eliminated in the next few minutes.
Damn it Xerath. Take this b*stard out already!
The sand gave way beneath the two dueling behemoths. The Titan's bulk allowed it to stabilize quickly, but the weakened Crab was slow.
Too slow.
A massive stone fist came plummeting down upon its chitin carapace, cracking the steel hard carapace like glass plate. Fumes of violet-crimson smoke evaporated from the beast as its time in real space started to come to an end.
It cried out in its alien tongue in agony as its legs squirmed, trying to gain grip and return to its fight.
Once more, the Titan's fist slammed into its carapace. A sharp chittering cry echoed across the desert. More fumes arose from the Crab's shattered innards.
A third and final blow silenced the Crab once and for all. Its carapace slowly started to decay into the ether, the fumes like the smoke of a burning city.
A triumphant cry came from the Titan as it reared to the heavens, exclaiming its joy in killing the alien beast.
"Azel." Xerath returned to the material plane.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Brace yourself."
An intense and blinding lance of pure lightning pierced its way across the battlefield, the recoil almost knocking down Azel and the Colonel's men.
The deafening super sonic blast echoed throughout Uebel like the tolling of bells.
It struck the Titan's torso, the immense force of the strike staggering its form and almost toppling it. The blazing light penetrated its stone hide, the intense heat reducing the rock and earth to slag and molten sand. The light then ripped through its torso and out the other side in a majestic spray of magnetized sand and stone.
YOUR TERROR ENDS HERE AND NOW, MONSTROSITY!
Xerath detonated the circuit.
A low boom and white burst of light came from the ritual location.
Within a mere second, crimson light flooded the horizon and the echoing supersonic blast caused sand to dance from the monstrous detonation.
The shockwave scattered men like leaves in a hurricane, their innards pulped and their bones crushed.
The Titan's eye flickered briefly before the aura dissipated once and for all. Its conscience no longer there, its body began to fall apart. Right onto the Horde's advancing infantry.
Boulders crushed entire companies as the Titan fragmented, the impacts of them causing the Earth to quake in outrage for its dying lord.
"You son of a b*tch, you did it! XERATH DID IT! HAHA! WE'VE WON! WE'VE WON!" Malzahar roared out, raising his fists into the air triumphantly. His face was full of joy. Behind him, the Uebel Guard roared the same, their city saved against nigh-impossible odds.
Himos had been Hell. This was just a mere battle after all. It was all going to be fine.
Until those annoying bureaucrats in the Institute know what happened here.
They were going to find out.
And he had done a whole lot of cr*p that would have sent anyone else to an eternity in prison.
He was going to be talked at into the ground itself by the High Summoners.
Sh*t.
Xerath hushed the pyre beneath him, his body returning to its normal parameters.
The Chains tightened themselves, his power weakening slightly.
He felt weaker, yet, at ease.
The Horde had been stopped at last. Although it lasted mere hours, the destruction both sides had wrought on each other was significant.
The initial artillery barrages had annihilated entire blocks of the city before he had removed them from this world. Uebel would never be able to recover fully from the arcane ordnance that had irradiated its lands.
At least it was done, the horizon still stained crimson from the blood circuit's detonation. He glanced over to Azel, her eyes transfixed on the two sunsets. She had never known that such a destructive force could even exist. She had heard of Xerath's power from stories, but to witness it herself was another thing entirely.
"Y-You did that?" She asked, her voice trembling in fear of such power.
"They had the oil. I had the match. I need not use just my own power to bring down my enemies. That is what separates good Magi from the great ones."
"So the beam you fired was the match."
"Well, yes and no. I used the beam to get the Titan-"
"Titan?"
"The big Golem rock thing."
"Ah."
"As I was saying, I used the force from the beam to stagger the Titan and get it in a position to fall over onto the Horde. I then proceeded to detonate the ritual blood circuit, a type of magic conduit notorious for its instability, causing the second sun you see. As the magic stopped flowing to Titan, it stopped working and it fell apart. Killing two birds with one stone, if you will."
"Lord Xerath, your intelligence is truly incredible."
"I appreciate the compliment, but we have other matters to attend to, such as how to remove the arcane radiation from the Horde's ordnance."
'Mage Xerath, you do not need to worry," Pasol spoke out "we can handle this from here."
"But this sort of thing takes an immense amount of time to remove. With my intellect, I should be able to find out ways to rid the radiation."
"The Institute of War has probably seen the second sun by now. They will be sending forces to find out what the damn hell has been going on here. They have tools to remove the radiation. Should be here in a day or so. Besides, you were supposed to be enrolled at the League of Legends. Better not keep them waiting for too long." Pasol's small smile seemed larger from the crimson fireball flame beaming out from the desert.
Xerath regained his composure. "I guess I have gotten caught up in local politics a bit too much. It was a pleasure working with you, Pasol."
"Don't worry sir, my staff and I will be cheering for you when you're on the Rift, won't we lads?"
Cheers came from the men behind Pasol.
"I thank you Colonel. But what is this 'Rift' you speak of?"
"The League's most popular battlefield. Full of bloodthirsty monsters, some really psycho guys and beautiful girls. The whole place is full of women I could only dream of."
"I know you love that Ashe, Colonel!" Cried one man in the background.
"You know I damn well love her, Eliphis! Anyway, Xerath, you best get going with Ezreal and that drunkard Sivir."
That was not very descriptive. These men only really cared for the League's entertainment value of the cool battles and the anatomy of its females. But at least there was one thing that he knew about the League of Legends.
It was waiting for him.