Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

-- Keväti Kuinen--

"Fall Damage. And we already bought enough time." he cued the finale.

The next moment Tatzel's mom broke through the surface of the earth. Seth could not help but falter every time he saw its status. Especially since he couldn't see all of it because of his level, despite being the creator.

<Python the Blessed [Imitation/Seed] lv.--

Trait: Blessing of Gaia, Erath travel, Unlimited Stamina, Draconic Complexion

Race: Deity-Golem

Age: 0

Affiliation: Minas Mar

Durability: 1000/1000

The result of Craftsman Smith's dedication. A recreation of the perished Python, a Deity on the verge of becoming a myth. Acknowledged and blessed by Goddess Gaia, Mother of Python.

>

Huge cracks spread from the hole Python emerged from and ran along under the feet of the undead army, covering the whole cliffside. As the whole battlefield started shifting breaking apart, Seth and Ellie collected what was left of their forces.

"Get in, Guys! Hurry!"

...

With widened eyes, Natina could only watch the battlefield break apart. Sudden gorges swallowed her soldiers and parts of the cliff broke away, falling onto the shore below.

Feeling the ground below her shake, her concentration wavered. She was still in the middle of casting the Bone Dragon Ritual. Unless she finished it, she would suffer a rebound. Natina could only try to finish the ritual in a hurry, as taking too long and stopping would both be unfavorable.

She couldn't even command her army back, as her hands were tied. Watching the world around her fall apart she tried to hurry, but not rush the ritual. The more intelligent undead like Hell Knights and Liches didn't need her direct command to retreat into the portal, saving them and part of the lower ranks they controlled.

However, the sluggish abomination, amalgamations, and similar giant but dumb beasts were lost.

Her heart umped up her throat when she finally felt the ground under her feet sink. The whole cliff was tilting in slow motion before her eyes.

"...Arise, Obbhog!" she managed to complete it just in time.

The piece of the cliff she was standing on had already tilted. Finally able to move again she rushed up the sliding piece of land on all fours. With a lunge, she grabbed the tail of the bone dragon.

"Go! Obbhog, fly!" she commanded in panic. The bony wings with ghostly membranes started flapping as the ground below their feet broke away. They had been almost drawn into the huge landslide that was now forming below.

The roars and rumble of breaking stone and falling rock drowned out everything else. She couldn't' even hear her own curses when she watched most of her army being literally crushed and buried. A massive part of the cliff was turning into a scree slope, with stones and bolder flowing into the sea.

Everything fell apart and collapsed in itself. The debris crushed and buried the ruins below. Even the mighty dragon tower was swallowed in the avalanche of rock and land. The landslide caused a huge wave that traveled off into the ocean.

"Kalzemir!" Natina shrieked angrily, there was no answer.

Looking to the sea, the two fighting giants had traveled a long distance and could still be seen wrestling with each other. What made her anxious was that it actually looked like the dragon was at a disadvantage.

A dragon's advantage was their ability to fly, their mighty defense, and their natural affinity with magic. They bore the status of legend from birth. Even her skills as a champion of Kali were not enough to resurrect the dragon as more than a huge mindless zombie.

It couldn't use magic. Its flesh had mostly rotted away, lowering its legendary defense. Still, its physical prowess and breath were enough to destroy anything below a legend.

Everything except the Worm.

The mighty Koor Worm hat lured the zombie dragon open water. From the start, the two beasts had been locked in melee combat and the deep water was its territory. The dragon had a hard time resisting the long serpentine body wrapping around it.

What was she supposed to do? Her thoughts raced trying to come up with a plan. She was constantly distracted by the creeping panic and fear because of her failure. The oppressive feeling of having failed the expectations that were put on her.

Her Grandfather had relied on her, her father had paid a huge price to make those weapons. They had even gone as far as to mess up the empire's plans with Chrona. She had lost everything if she also lost... She had to retrieve at least Kalzemir and return.

With at least that much, her family had a chance to survive. They might even have a chance to rise again. Natina spurred Obbhog and they flew in the direction of the fight between titans. helping the bone dragon win was her only option. Even just helping it escape would be enough.

Coming closer she found that the Koor Worm had significantly changed from before. Its large crocodile-like head was covered in extensive burns. The ugly, bulbous cluster of eyes was gone. There were only two intelligent and piercing eyes of a calculative predator.

This was not a mindless beast that just instinctively fought and hunted, or lost its mind to the sun, as Seth and the others had guessed. The massive body restrained the struggling zombie dragon in the water and hindered it from lifting off in the air.

The weakened defense was only a little hindrance for the worm, which was proficient in crushing huge prey like a constrictor. Even when the dragon tried to bite and claw and burn his way out, its attacks were blocked by a membrane of magic, close to the worm's skin. It was even using magic or skills!

Getting closer she suddenly heard a mighty laugh that shook the sea.

"Hahaha, are you the pest that turned Kalzemir into this shadow?"

Natina's body turned cold. What was with this situation? Just an hour ago she had been at the top of the world. She had milked this place, assembled a huge army, talented undead, and even a zombie dragon.

Her Sparks were killed, and her army was mostly decimated. She had gained many skills, but it would take time to use them effectively. Time, she didn't have, because her zombie dragon was actually struggling against this beast, unable to help.

"Hmph, if this was any other time, I would have punished you. But I got rid of some pesky parasites thanks to this fight. I will spare your life, but Kalzemir will stay with me. It's bad enough that someone like you has desecrated his tomb. Dispel your magic on him and you can leave." the booming voice said calmly.

Natina hesitated.

"I-I can't! Without the dragon... I -my family- Kyaaa!" she suddenly screamed. A highly condensed jet of water shot at them, and the bone dragon had to quickly evade, almost throwing off his summoner in the process.

"I believe the sun has gotten to you. You only have two choices. Release Kalzemir and leave and deal with your problems or face certain death." he concluded the conversation.

It was clear that she was dead if she spoke up again. Would it really end like this? Just releasing the spell that had cost her so much and leaving with empty hands? No! A fire burned in her eyes. She was a champion! She wouldn't follow the commands of some worm.

Lifting her hand, she brandished a spear of lightning and shot it at the Koor Worm to initiate the fight. She just had to distract the beast enough to free the Zombie Dragon! She would return with it and take revenge on that cocky bard and his weird snake.

A deity? So, what! Even that thing would not be able to fight her dragon.

"In the end, you chose death..." the worm mumbled condescending.

The next moment a ring of purple mist with black embellishments framing it appeared above their head and a group of levitating Liches descended from it. The worm was quickly man to swallow his word as a rain of high-level magic descended on him.

Natina was giving her all, burning the souls of the undead that were destroyed in the landslide.

The sea dragon bombarded them with jets of water, but they were easily blocked by powerful shields. Natina was not pulling her punches and did her best to utilize everything and free Kalzemir. Under her protection, the Liches began to summon grand magic together.

Unable to maneuver flexibly because of the giant hunk of a dragon that was still fighting against his embrace, the worm was forced to face the magic head-on.

"Urgh, you little!" the Koor Worm cursed as the liches hit him with strategic-grade magic that could wipe out a small town.

While the Liches dealt damage, Natina did her best to utilize her own and her new skills. Several auras strengthened the undead dragon and formations were erected around the Koor worm. Despite the amount of power she used, it became a drawn-out battle and night soon fell.

Finally, bombarded from all sides and influenced by several layers of negative statuses, the beast finally loosened his grasp on the dragon!

Using the chance, the zombie shrunk its size and struggled free, following the command of its necromancer. Surrounded by cover fire it returned to the air, leaving the range of the Koor Worm who could be heard cursing in the waters below.

"Hahaha!" she laughed triumphantly as the dragon returned to the skies with her. The huge weight of her worries had fallen away, leaving her in euphoria. As long as she had Kalzemir nobody could stop her.

Accompanied by her mountainous dragon, Natina Durnham returned to take revenge.