Canute could no longer maintain his composure. Panic clawed at him.
For weeks, they had anticipated Dabbah would traverse the treacherous northern rocks—a path known for deterring even the fiercest of beasts. But now, the creature had shifted direction. It was heading toward the southwestern barrier, the fragile veil separating Amanécer from the outer realms.
That barrier, already weakened by the beasts that had poured through the portal Rudolph opened, now faced its final blow. One last assault could shatter it completely—obliterating Amanécer's last line of defense.
And worse still, Olympus lay directly in the path.
Without delay, Canute dispatched messengers to the western front, where Octavius and Erebus battled two monstrous entities.
---
Western Range, Amanécer
Erebus and his forces were entrenched in a brutal standoff with the Wyvern. The beast's relentless flames gave the men no room to breathe, let alone retaliate.
Thirty soldiers had perished—incinerated before they could so much as raise their shields.
Its hide was impenetrable, like a living fortress of steel. Blades and arrows shattered or glanced harmlessly off its obsidian scales.
Each strike they attempted was met with fire and fury.
"Commander!" Lu Yin called out over the chaos. "We've tried every method to find a weakness—but the beast remains untouchable!"
Just then, Alessio rode up through the smoke and flame. "Messengers from central command," he reported.
Erebus turned sharply. "What news?"
"Dabbah is headed for Amanécer. Southwest quadrant. Five o'clock."
A cold wave of dread swept over Erebus. Olympus… Luciana was there. He recalled the map he'd studied briefly with Helios before their redeployment. Olympus was nestled far to the west—dangerously close to the border with the human realm.
His fists clenched instinctively, dark tendrils of mist curling from his skin as rage and fear converged.
Alessio instinctively stepped back. The others fell silent.
"We need a new approach," Lu Yin said cautiously, breaking the tension.
Alessio glanced at him. "You have an idea?"
Lu Yin, ever the strategist, had earned Erebus' trust through countless battles. If anyone could offer a viable path forward, it was him.
"What did you observe?" Erebus asked, the dark mist thinning as his focus returned.
"It's not my insight directly," Lu Yin replied, "but something Zeraf muttered during the earlier skirmish. He was watching the wyvern's duel with the three-headed birdlike creature."
"And?" Alessio asked, leaning in.
"He said the creature kept targeting two areas—its eyes and its mouth."
Alessio raised a brow. "The eyes make sense. But the mouth? That's suicidal. The thing breathes fire hot enough to melt stone."
"Which is exactly why we need a new strategy," Erebus said, rising to his full height.
The command tent erupted in a flurry of protest.
"You can't be serious, Commander!" Alessio barked. "A frontal assault? On that thing? It's madness!"
Some of the men nodded in agreement; others simply stared, caught between awe and disbelief.
"If anyone has a better idea," Erebus said coolly, folding his arms, "now would be the time to speak."
Alessio gritted his teeth—his usual response when cornered by logic he couldn't refute.
Lu Yin stepped forward. "The general's plan might not be as reckless as it seems."
Erebus smirked faintly. Lu Yin had understood.
"Explain," one of the senior retainers demanded—a grizzled veteran from the Northern Zhonguo Republic, who had lost two fingers and an arm in the opening hours of the Armageddon.
"We'll act as bait," Lu Yin said.
The silence that followed was deafening. Then, a collective growl of disbelief:
"What?!"
"Calm down, you meatheads," Lu Yin groaned. "Let me explain the full strategy."
Reluctantly, the room quieted as he detailed the tactical maneuver.
"It's complicated," one soldier muttered under his breath.
"Complicated or not, we're out of time," Erebus interrupted. He gripped the hilt of his sword. "We move. Now."
"Understood!" the retainers chorused, rallying to his command.
Outside, a messenger awaited. Erebus took a moment to observe the eastern ridge, where Zeraf was still holding his own against the Wyvern.
"Tough bastard," Erebus murmured, almost admiringly.
He turned to the messenger. "Return to the main camp. Inform them: we'll pursue Dabbah at first light."
The messenger gave a quick bow and vanished into the night.
Erebus drew his sword. A pair of ethereal wings unfurled from his back, their dark feathers rippling with suppressed power.
His retainers hesitated. There was something haunting about him in this state—part man, part abyss.
"What are you waiting for?" Lu Yin barked. "The General's already airborne!"
They mounted their pegasi and followed Erebus into the darkening sky.
Within moments, Erebus spotted the frontline—his men dodging the Wyvern's inferno, struggling to keep formation.
Alessio fired a signal flare into the sky. A brilliant blue.
"Blue signal," Zeraf muttered. "They've changed tactics."
He barked an order for a tactical retreat, giving the frontline a moment's reprieve.
The Wyvern turned its attention to the sky as Erebus approached, sensing the arrival of a more dangerous foe.
Dark energy pulsed from Erebus' body—less chaotic now, refined and wielded with intent. Since his battle with Draco, he had learned to tame the abyss within, wielding its power without losing his soul.
"The General's here!" someone cried.
"He was a demon all along," Zeraf chuckled grimly.
Then—an orange flare.
Zeraf laughed. "Assist signal. Looks like we're all in."
He drew his blade, eyes gleaming. "Let's end this."