Goblins were selfish creatures.
Their desires were unsatiable as long as they existed. Whether humans, elves, dwarves, or other races had in their hands, goblins were envious of everything: the nicest clothes, the comfiest homes, the delicious food, and the beautiful women.
And yet, it was unattainable.
Those foul creatures were hunted and looked down upon by Adventurers. Why can't goblins have whatever their heart's content? But that was about to change now that they found some interesting tools they learned after murdering and feasting on the humans with weird clothes. They didn't look like Adventurers, but they carried numerous wooden crates full of strange spears that left clouds of smoke after killing their kind from a distance. Goblins observed how they worked, and they seemed neat to get the upper hand on humans. Those vile creatures couldn't understand how such things could work, but they couldn't care any less if that meant knowing how to use them for their benefit.
After eating those humans hiding in that nest, more showed up two days later. The goblins thought the humans were Adventurers to spoil their fun, but they looked different. They took the lives of their kin days ago, and only three got away. One of them was too skinny that his bones wouldn't help them clean their teeth, and the tallest human seemed that his meat would be too tough to chew. That didn't matter for the goblins as long as they had something to eat and could retrieve those strange weapons.
The goblins marched back to their nest, and only a few went to the front lines to spot the humans. If they find them first, they could feast and appropriate everything they had before the rest that stood behind would watch. Better for them. They could smell the humans as they approached the heart of their nest. That smell, mixed with the strange scent from the weapons, gave them such ecstasy that even they caught the scent of female humans along with it. They would have so much fun before multiplying their numbers and eating them.
The goblins' pace increased until reaching the altar. They kicked down the doors and, much to their joy, found the cache of weapons they looked for at the center of the room. It was all they waited for.
"GORBOGORRB!" the Champion shouted, probably ordering the rest of the group to bring them. Three of those squalid creatures advanced toward the pile of weapons with crooked grins. Who needed old spears and withered swords? The future was at the goblin's grasp now!
That was what they thought before they smelled mixed scents. They noticed some weird liquid poured on everything. That wasn't part of the cache from before. Not only that, they also remembered the smell of humans within the same room, but they didn't see any around.
The realization. The goblins were short-sighted to understand that they were lured by the humans!
Before those three goblins could step away from the weapons and the Goblin Champion would order them to fall back, they heard a BANG coming from the statue. A brief spark across the room showed the image of a girl wearing a red hood using one of the strange weapons. She had that severe look as half of her face was barely visible, but her silver eyes were prominent as she stared at the goblins with killing intent.
It was too late to run, and the cache of weapons was covered in sparks and flames all around that could look like a bonfire. In the blink of an eye, the center of the room exploded with an enormous impact that burned and tore the three credulous goblins within range.
The fire illuminated almost everything in the room, including the humans standing behind the pillars and the statue with fierce glares and weapons at hand. Chaos manifested in the temple.
"Three..." the human with an iron helmet and grim leather armor spoke as he pointed his sword at the rest of the goblins.
"I hope you liked that, you little shits!" Wall Buster boasted. He made the first swing single-handedly at the Champion with his massive club. The formidable opponent deflected the attacks with its shield. They locked in, and that was enough to keep it busy because the first wave showed up.
Four goblins (two hobgoblins and two spear-wielding ones) charged with mighty confidence toward the rest of the group. Dagger Scout and Grimm Slayer jumped into action without delay. The fire in the altar left no shadows to hide on either side; any sneaky approach was out of the table now that the enemy became aware of their presence. But, of course, it wouldn't be much of a problem.
Desert Marksman and Priestess remained behind the statue. He used one of the muskets instead of his personal rifle to shoot at the enemy. At the same time, she handed him the next loaded gun after shooting. The young clergy had to learn how to reload quickly, but they would only use three for this fight after destroying most of the supplies as bait. Long-range support was already covered.
Goblin Slayer and Duelist observed everyone doing their part of the battle. The man with the black coat tried to readjust his artificial limb before grabbing his hatchet from his left hip.
"You should stay behind," the armored guy said with his dull yet concerning tone. "You haven't fully recovered."
"Hmph, sorry to disappoint you, but what kind of party leader am I if I stay on the back lines?" Duelist turned his head a couple of times before looking straight at battle. "Besides, you wouldn't mind if I break your record of most killed goblins, right?"
"No," Goblin Slayer said.
"This 'Medea's oil' or gasoline, whatever you call it, was quite a handy idea. I should get some before coming to this quest."
"You can get it as a special request."
"Is that so? Well, if we survive after this, no doubt I will ask for some."
Goblin Slayer nodded as he got into his fighting stance while Duelist did the same. Both fighters braced themselves for a gruesome fight when they saw the two spear goblins killed by gunshots in a few seconds.
"Five," Goblin Slayer muttered before bashing his shield at one hobgoblin from behind. He tackled the brute towards Dagger Scout, who did two stabs in its gut. The length of his weapons wasn't enough for an instant kill, but that made that brute fall on its knees and allowed Goblin Slayer to slash its throat. "Six."
Meanwhile, Duelist assisted Grimm Slayer with the other hobgoblin that used a maze. It was slow, but one strike was all needed to turn someone into a bloody pulp. The hooded girl held off on her own since she was nimble. She left a trace of rose petals all around, and her scythe danced elegantly around her. She couldn't hit her opponent if it wasn't for the man with the black coat sliding across the floor. He went unnoticed with such an attack when aiming for the brute's leg.
That infuriated the hobgoblin enough to swing overhead at him. Due to the close distance, there wasn't enough time to dodge.
"Watch out!" Grimm Slayer warned, but none of their companions were worried about Duelist.
He stood his ground for the incoming attack. The hobgoblin smirked, but the Huntsman didn't flinch as he extended his right arm and stopped the strike with his artificial palm. The hooded girl and the Adventurers looked in awe when they saw Duelist holding himself with tremendous strength to something heavy like nothing. That was the strength of someone with a Phantom Limb, and magic from the Kingdom of Atlas wasn't something to sneeze about.
"Bad move," Duelist clicked his tongue before snatching the maze away from the hobgoblin and hitting it back with full force on the head. A broken nose, shattered teeth, and popped eyes were all left to the now-deceased hobgoblin. Even when Duelist looked tired, he wasn't much of a hindrance in a fight.
Sadly, not everyone could finish one's opponent in a short time.
"Goddamn Champion! This hardass refuses to die!" Wall Buster barked while he continued on the defensive against the muscular goblin. It used a shield and a heavy sword to continuously pressure the big guy. He was much faster than the last Champion he fought.
Desert Marksman shook his head and aimed for the goblin's head while the rest of the group rushed to fight. He had to wait for an opportunity to shoot at the vicious enemy, but someone else shot before his eye was locked on the target. A different pellet flew across the room, and the man with glasses took cover before it hit him in the eye.
Everyone except the big guy hid behind the pillars as the second wave of goblins appeared. Three regular imps with numerous pistols strapped to their bodies like a walking arsenal shot indiscriminately when they stepped into the altar and hid behind the benches and nearby pillars.
"Dude, these guys are packing heat!" Dagger Scout shouted to his companions amid a barrage of pellets. Those goblins focused more on them than the big guy fighting the Champion.
"They should be the last ones!" Priestess responded, handing another rifle to her ally. "Should I use one of my miracles!?"
"You know when to use them!" Duelist said, pulling out his strange gun from his holster and shooting at one of the goblins. The enemy ducked and quickly retaliated with more projectiles.
"Only five goblins are left!" Grimm Slayer reloaded her weapon and waited for the opponents to stop shooting at her.
"Five? Big deal! Just squash them, and let's go home!" Wall Buster urged everyone, still locking weapons with the Goblin Champion.
There was so much to wrap up because when they thought they had everyone under control, there was a roar down the hall.
A loud, fearsome roar that the most courageous warriors could tremble upon hearing it nearby. Four goblins were at the altar; naturally, their leader was the last to show up.
"That doesn't like a goblin..." Dagger Scout commented, gulping his own saliva.
"It is not," Goblin Slayer said with a severe tone. He put away his sword and started looking for something from his satchel. He knew something wasn't right, especially after forgetting one crucial thing that should been obvious to him for the past few days.
Stomps became louder as everyone heard approaching like a thunderstorm. It was something they wished it was real, and yet, they couldn't refuse of that probability. An oversized silhouette slowly took shape the closer it got to the light. It wasn't their minds playing games as the leader of those fiends showed up as if it was the end of times.
A goblin, taller than a regular one but less than a hobgoblin, wore a regalian cloak, an iron chest plate, a makeshift crown, and a strange black hat with a folded brim under it. It carried a flailing spike ball in one hand and a shield on the other. And worst of all, he was riding a bear-like monster with dark fur, spiky bone armor, and a white mask. A creature that any Huntsman was too familiar with, but seeing it acting as a pet for something as despicable as a goblin was baffling.
The air in the room was unsettling, especially for Goblin Slayer and Priestess since they knew what goblin it was.
"I-It can be...it's that!"
"A Goblin Lord... No, a Goblin Warlord!" the armored man exclaimed after seeing the vile leader mounting an Ursa Grimm.
Naturally, the rest of the Huntsmen weren't too impressed by the surprise. They couldn't do much but raise eyebrows and gawk. It was insanity, and what followed only got worse for everyone.
"Unbelievebable..." Desert Marksman muttered, quickly wiping off his glasses before looking again at the Goblin Warlord.
"This is nuts, dudes!" Dagger Scout wasn't better. He couldn't think of better jokes with so much happening right now.
Grimm Slayer wanted to say something, but she looked at Duelist with furious eyes, constantly staring at the goblin leader with absolute contempt. "What's the matter?" she asked.
"That son of a bitch...he has my hat!" he snapped. Duelist seemed ready to leave his cover and fight head-on against the Goblin Warlord, but with the endless shooting from the gunners, he couldn't do much. He turned to Grimm Slayer and said, "We need to flank them, otherwise, things ain't on our favor."
"But we can't do that without some distraction."
Duelist looked at Dagger Scout and gave unspoken signals that he instantly understood. The skinny guy smiled and gave the thumbs up. The man in the black coat turned his sight at Goblin Slayer and pointed himself in the eyes before giving another signal. The armored guy nodded and looked at Priestess. She knew what to do.
The plan was simple, but it was a matter of execution.
Dagger Scout left his cover and began shouting while waving his hands. "Yo, smelly goblins! Right here! Don't you want to eat my meat and use my bones for some rustic art?" His obnoxiousness was something that could turn into his advantage. The Goblin Gunners and the Warlord focused their attention on him.
The Goblin Warlord and its Ursa charged at him like a bull, chasing him while avoiding the pellets. He had sharp reflexes that nothing could hit him as long he kept moving. For a sneaky guy, no one else was the perfect bait as him.
Priestess held her sounding staff firmly, closed her eyes, and started praying:
"O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, grant your sacred light to we who are lost in darkness... Holy Light!"
The room got engulfed in a flash of light that made all the creatures blind for a moment. The goblins with guns tried to cover their eyes, but it was late, and they only shot wildly. Goblin Slayer and Duelist rushed after them without a second thought, while Grimm Slayer went after the Warlord.
Duelist grabbed one of the empty potion bottles underneath his coat rather than pulling out his hatchet or strange gun. He used the empty bottle with his right hand to smash the nearest goblin in the face. He incrusted glass shards on the eyes and mouth before killing it with a hack from his hatchet.
Goblin Slayer did a sword thrust at the other goblin's throat. It was an agonizing death, but that went easy compared to the third. The last Goblin Gunner regained some of its sight to aim at the armored guy. The goblin tried to shoot at the point blank. Still, Goblin Slayer quickly blocked it before he and Duelist cornered the defenseless creature.
A pincer attack that combined a shield bash and a straight right punch from both fronts crushed the goblin's spine and ribs. The sound of crashing metal echoed in the room, and blood splattered. That was it for the pests with guns, but they now had to deal with the worst part of this fight.
"Why aren't you shooting? Four-Eyes!?"
"I can't with so much movement!"
Desert Marksman and Priestess remained behind the statue, away from the enemy's line of sight. But they couldn't do much. The young clergy wondered if she should also do something alongside the rest of her allies. She waited for Goblin Slayer's instructions since he didn't want her to take the risk without a plan.
"I'll leave cover," Desert Marksman said to Priestess. He attached a knife to the end of his rifle's barrel before stepping out and going after the Goblin Champion. He lunged his weapon like a spear, but his form wasn't great, only to stab the opponent while still distracted by Wall Buster.
As expected, the large enemy only swatted the man with glasses away with its shield, knocking him down before redirecting his focus on the big guy again.
"Thanks for the help, idiot!" he groaned before swinging his club at the Champion. He was exhausted from the constant fighting, but not so much was the same for the goblin. After the next overhead swing, the Goblin Champion knocked Wall Buster's weapons off from his hands. It tried to stab him in the chest, but the big guy grabbed the blade and did the same.
They both were unarmed, but neither threw punches as the Champion began strangling Wall Buster instead. A firm chokehold that he never imagined something could have the same kind of strength as him. He tried to shout for help but only gagged, and the Goblin Warlord wouldn't let anyone get through to rescue the big guy. His vision became blurry, and he fell on his knees after losing his breath. There was nobody to help him.
Or at least nobody who was an actual fighter.
"Protection!"
Upon hearing those words, a magical barrier appeared between the Goblin Champion and Wall Buster. The big guy got blood on his face and shoulders, but it wasn't his.
"GROOOGOROOBOO!" The Goblin Champion wailed in pain as both arms were sliced off with clean cuts from the barrier. The big guy was catching his breath after freeing himself from the chokehold. That was a close one in his book.
"Are you alright!?" Priestess was behind, panicking.
"Dammit... I'm going to get that asshole for that!" Wall Buster was enraged, as one could see fuming through his nose.
The Champion tried to escape the fight, but as it turned around, Desert Marksman impaled the goblin on the stomach and pushed its back against the magic wall. He might not be the strongest in physical prowess, but he did his best to help Wall Buster retaliate. As the magical barrier can be passed through by allies (either humans or other races), the big guy could grab the Champion's head from behind, pressing its ugly head.
"How do you like it? Not so tough without arms, huh!?"
It was inescapable. Wall Buster put his foot against the massive goblin's back while pulling the head toward him with both hands. The pressure between the fingers and the magical barrier made the Champion bleed from every orifice until its skull crushed like a watermelon. All the blood and flesh splattered over the magic barrier until it disappeared.
It was a slight relief for Priestess, Wall Buster, and Desert Marksman. Unfortunately, it wasn't the end of their troubles, as the only thing left was dealing with the Goblin Warlord and the Ursa Grimm. They knew stepping into the fight wouldn't make much good, primarily after exhaustion. The sniper and young clergy returned to their positions by hiding behind the statue and reloading their weapons. Wall Buster decided to guard them in case the Warlord approached them. He was the last line of defense.
The rest of the group continued fencing off the last foes. The Ursa swept with its claws while the Warlord swung the spiked flail if anyone dared to get near them. Goblin Slayer blocked with his shield before dodging the Grimm. The dark creature stood on its two legs and tried to slam everyone with its body.
Duelist dashed toward the Grimm Ursa and stopped it from falling with his right hand. With his other hand, he drew his strange gun and shot twice at the monster's belly. The Grimm roared in pain before trying to slash the man in the black coat. Duelist backed off and let Grimm Slayer do a follow-up attack.
Dagger Scout stood beside his leader and said, "Bro, that guy won't get off his high horse! Or bear..." He looked at the statue and his allies behind it.
Duelist grimaced. He took a deep breath and grabbed his hatchet with determination. "Go with the others and tell them to prepare that thing while we keep 'em busy!"
"Okey-doke!"
Dagger Scout left the fight and called for his companions. He went behind the statue while Wall Buster remained guarding it. Duelist looked at the hooded girl and the armored guy, avoiding the attacks while trying to find any blind spots and weaknesses. It was difficult when the Grimm wore bone-like armor on its back, shoulders, and face. Even exposed parts like the belly wouldn't be affected much as it had a thick hide that would need larger weapons to deeply wound it. Goblin Slayer thought of a plan, but it was left as a last resort. With only two enemies left, now it should be an overkill.
It was egregious. As the group could see, the Warlord wouldn't fall off the Grimm, no matter how much the mount agitated around the room. The spike bones probably helped the goblin remain on the makeshift saddle. It wasn't the case; the spikes protected from certain angles when Grimm Slayer shot with her weapon. The best assumption was that the Warlord was attached to the saddle itself.
"We killed either one first, or both at the same time." Those were Goblin Slayer's words when blocking bear swipes with his round shield. The Grimm's overwhelming strength would let him keep up playing on the defensive for so long, so that was when the hooded girl stepped in between and slashed with her scythe at one of its claws. It wasn't the whole arm, but the Ursa could finally slow down.
The Goblin Warlord pulled a gun from underneath its regalian cloak and shot at Grimm Slayer within range. She quickly noticed it and rushed away, leaving more rose petals in the air. Unsurprisingly, the opponent kept some guns concealed in case anyone would get too close.
At this point, their only chance to defeat the enemy was to separate them.
"Goblin Slayer, get your sword ready!" Duelist shouted when rushing toward the enemy. The armored guy drew his weapon and got into position while Duelist didn't stop running.
"What are you doing?" Grimm Slayer said concerningly. She couldn't know what the man in the black coat was thinking when taking the frontal assault.
Right when he was near the Warlord, the enemy pulled another gun and, with a crooked grin, pulled the trigger with confidence of killing Duelist the moment he was close. There should be horrified faces at the moment, but there weren't. Goblin Slayer and Grimm Slayer witnessed a person disappearing in thin air while leaving a trace of ashes before reappearing behind the enemy. Now that he was next to the goblin, he had his hatchet ready to hack.
The Goblin Warlord wouldn't go down that easily. The enemy blocked the attack with its shield, getting stuck, and both fighters struggled on top of the Grimm as if they were trying to throw the other off the mount.
"Attack the Ursa, now!" the man in the black coat shouted to his allies. He allowed them to counter-attack by splitting up and continuously striking at both sides. Grimm Slayer twirled her scythe and slashed at the Ursa, but that creature was still unfazed by anything. They needed something more potent.
"Yo!"
They heard Dagger Scout's voice back at the statue. Moments later, when they weren't focused on fighting, they saw him and the rest of the group finishing putting a bunch of leather bags full of gunpowder. Wall Buster was meticulous when making one on the fly. He had his
"We're ready to throw bombs at the goblin!"
"Aim for the Ursa!" Duelist responded, still trying to punch the Warlord while it kept blocking.
"That's too risky!" Priestess said across the room.
"Don't worry about us! We can avoid it!" Goblin Slayer insisted with a more wary tone. The young clergy knew better to trust the armored guy's judgment when she told her allies to quickly go into the basement.
Once everything was clear, it was time to go all out.
Duelist pulled his gun and aimed at the saddle. With a simple pull of the trigger, the attachments that held the goblin to the creature broke off, and both he and the Warlord flew off and fell to the ground.
The man in the black coat lost his weapon after falling; he tried to shoot twice at the Warlord, but the enemy had better reflexes to use its shield.
"GOAGAOBORO!" The Goblin Warlord yelled. The Ursa stopped attacking Goblin Slayer and went after Duelist. He quickly stood up and used his artificial arm to stop the creature from biting. The goblins' leader sought the chance to attack its opponent, who was in a bind.
As it swung the spiked ball flail, Grimm Slayer blocked and retaliated, saving his back.
"I'm out of ammo! Need a weapon!"
Goblin Slayer was the first to react as he kicked and slid his sword toward Duelist. He picked up with his left hand and stabbed the Grimm in the shoulder. The creature released his bite and roared, giving the man in the black coat time to pull the sword out of the creature and distance himself while leaving another trace of ashes. With a hand signal, he told his allies to start throwing bombs at the creature. Wall Buster ignited the first one with a piece of flint. The cord emitted tiny sparkles that quickly consumed in seconds. He launched to the Grimm, and the bomb exploded on the creature's back, breaking some bone spikes. It was the most significant damage they did to the Ursa until now.
"Second bomb incoming!" Wall Buster warned before throwing another one at the Grimm. Goblin Slayer and Duelist kept their distance until the bombe went off, and the blast destroyed most of the Grimm's armor. The big guy prepared for another bomb.
The Goblin Warlord backed away from Grimm Slayer to draw another pistol and aim at Wall Buster's hand before he could throw the bomb. The projectile grazed his hand, making him accidentally drop the bomb at his feet. "Shit! Take cover!" he said to the people behind him, but it was too late. They couldn't escape the blast and meet their end.
Much to their fortune, someone was always quick to their rescue.
"Protection!"
The young clergy didn't waste time casting the magical barrier a few steps away from them. Priestess successfully saved everyone from the explosion, but one of the statue's legs got caught in the blast and crumbled. The statue leaned forward, and the hilt of its sword got stuck on the chandelier, slowly pulling it down with its weight. They had a few minutes before the ceiling fell apart and crushed everyone at the altar.
"To the basement!" Desert Marksman said to his companions.
"What about the others?" Priestess asked, worried.
"Don't sweat it! They'll be fine!" Dagger Scout tried to dissipate the girl's fears. He seemed reassured of his allies fighting the goblin and Grimm. She complied and followed the other two to the secret room.
Wall Buster shouted, "Kill those bastards for us!" before going last and closing the trap door.
Grimm Slayer, Duelist, and Goblin Slayer were left with the enemy with few minutes to escape.
The hooded girl continued swinging her scythe at the vile opponent, but the Warlord blocked and grabbed her weapon. It kicked her away and tried to slash Grimm Slayer with her weapon.
Unarmed, she needed something in her hands, and the closest thing she found was Duelist's hatchet behind her. She grabbed it and quickly swung it at the opponent to parry. Her scythe flew from its hand, and Grimm Slayer tried using her speed to retrieve it.
The Goblin Warlord was also fast. It grabbed the cape and yanked her, tripping. Grimm Slayer tried to maintain her distance from the Warlord, but it was too strong for the hood girl as it kept pulling while flailing its weapons at her. She tried to remove her cape, but the gap between her and the Warlord was already close enough to get hit by the spiked ball. The goblin laughed confidently while licking its lips.
However, ashes appeared in between them. Duelist emerged from thin air and used Goblin Slayer's sword to cut the hooded girl's cape, escaping from the goblin's grasp.
"That was close..." he muttered. "We don't have much time left. Better hurry up and kill it before leaving this place!"
"Got it!" she responded. Huntsman and Huntress were ready to take that fearsome foe together.
Goblin Slayer still had his own share of problems. He used one of his torches and lit it with the bonfire. The armored guy still had some leftover gasoline but wondered if burning the Grimm's insides would work again. He looked at his surroundings before making a move, and aside from his allies dealing with the goblin and the monster ahead of him, he saw something useful. In his mind, he thought of something risky, but it was a guaranteed victory. Goblin Slayer tapped his helmet with his knuckles twice before focusing his sight on the Ursa.
He charged at the Grimm. The creature swiped with its remaining claw at him, but he dodged and smalled the bottle of gasoline on its face before hitting it with the torch. The Ursa was in flames and enraged enough to try to bite Goblin Slayer's head off. Its fangs were incrusted on his helmet but wouldn't pierce the metal.
"You took the bait," he said with the same passion when killing goblins. He took off his helmet and left it inside the Grimm's mouth. He quickly went for Grimm Slayer's weapon and slashed at Ursa's neck.
It went down, gurgling while letting the fire burn away its dark hide. The temple's ceiling reached its limit as some small pebbles and dust fell. Duelist knew everyone had less time than anticipated. He rushed and phased through the Warlord to attack from behind, but it countered with its shield. Grimm Slayer tried to do the same when swinging with the hatchet. They continuously attacked their blind spots, using their powers to overwhelm the Warlord's reflexes. Soon, the goblin was surrounded by ashes and petals until its vision was obscured.
The Goblin Warlord lost sight of its opponents. The goblin looked straight ahead and saw Goblin Slayer, without his helmet, aiming his pistol at the Warlord. He pulled the trigger and accurately blew off the goblin's left eye. The goblin wailed in anger while bleeding. Disoriented and desperate, it could never guessed that the hooded girl chopped its leg with the hatchet in the next second.
The goblin went down like a small tree, and more blood scattered on the floor. It was agonizing, and it could only see the blocks of stone crumbling above the goblin as the chandelier was loosing up alongside the statue. The Warlord tried to crawl, but Duelist began impaling the fiend in the chest with Goblin Slayer's sword. The goblin stopped him by grabbing the blade with its bare hands and resisted with its remaining strength. It was futile.
Duelist viciously punched the sword's hilt like a hammer and nail with his artificial arm. The weapon finally penetrated the chest plate, and the goblin vomited and drowned in its own blood.
With the Goblin Warlord out and the Ursa Grimm fading away, it was time to make their exit.
"Take my hands!" Grimm Slayer said to her allies before rushing through the falling debris and reaching the exit. There were more petals, as if the world was about to end and needed a send-off. A farewell to cruelty.
The altar finally collapsed. The chandelier shattered in pieces after landing on the floor, and the rest went down. The Supreme God's statue delivered swift, divine justice in the enemy's final moments as it crumbled and crushed it.
In the end, nothing but dust and blood remained.