The Extra Wants Control

Chapter 186: " I wonder how much force is needed to really shake this world."

The plains had transformed into a battlefield, a canvas painted with hues of blood and destruction. At the heart of the conflict stood two formidable forces: several dwarven made golems, towering behemoths of stone and metal, and the enemy army, that was a harmonious blend of magic and martial prowess.

The golems were now struggling to hold their ground. The elven knights, their movements fluid and graceful, targeted the golems' cores with deadly precision. So did the skilled archers who had heir arrows, imbued with elemental magic and pierced the stone, disabling the massive constructs one by one.

The elven archers, positioned at a safe distance, rained down a barrage of arrows, their projectiles finding their mark with uncanny accuracy. The collosal golems, were easy targets that one could hardly miss.

Astrid watched the unfolding battle with a growing sense of dread. Not because her golems, once a source of pride, were being decimated or how Strong the enemies seemed but because of something she couldn't understand.

The elves, with their superior coordination and magical abilities, were proving to be a formidable opponent.

She knew she had to act fast. The golems were a valuable asset, but they were not invincible. If she lost them, the dwarven fortress would be vulnerable. She ordered for more golems to be released..

As Astrid watched the chaotic scene of explosion of mana below instead of feeling triumphant,she felt something else, a nagging sense of unease that wouldn't leave her.

The enemy's tactics, while effective, seemed almost too rigid, too calculated. The knights, despite their initial success, had not pressed their advantage.

They had halted and sometimes were delaying their advance, content to maintain a defensive posture. As if they were waiting for something. Cause why not siege the fortress before them or atleast try?

A cold shiver ran down her spine. Something was amiss. The enemy was playing a game, and she was being drawn into their trap. With a sharp command, she ordered her scouts to expand their surveillance with their installed systems.

The dwarven engineers though initially confused because the enemy was right infront of them, but were quick to modify the surveillance equipment, to give them a wider range, a higher resolution checking different angles.

The dwarven fortress, focus diverged from the battle before them and now became a fortress of observation, they knew they could never be too cautious cause there was a lot on stake in this tournament, the whole world was watching and they were there not just to represent their faction leader or their faction but to showcase the might of the dwarves or atleast hint at it.

So sensors were deployed, cameras were activated, all with the aim of penetrating any sort of enemy deception, they were also enchanted with anti illusion runes that saw through weak illusion but that was better than nothing.

Astrid needed to see beyond the surface, to uncover the hidden truth. She looked at each and every screen in silence her thoughts unknown. Her faction members wondering what she was thinking and why she requested for an increase in range and increase in alertness as if they weren't already alerted enough by the presence of a literal enemy army before them.

As the explosions in the battlefield casted long shadows over the battlefield, Astrid stood at there at her fortress, her mind racing. To be honest even she wasn't sure exactly what she was looking for, she just knew that something wasn't right. An intuition of sorts, that there was something bigger at play and all this was just a distraction.

The enemy was playing a dangerous game, and she would not be their victim. She would uncover their deception, and when the time was right, she would strike back with force.

She stood at the precipice of the battle, her gaze fixed on the enemy army. They were a formidable force, their ranks disciplined and their movements synchronized all normal for a standard army but there was something off, an undercurrent of unease that gnawed at her.

" Why? What's wrong... Why do I feel like this?" She thought with a frown not figuring out what was happening. She looked at the screen again analyzing everything?

The archers, with their uncanny accuracy, were a force to be reckoned with. But it was the knights that truly puzzled her. They were covered from head to toe, their identities hidden beneath layers of armor.

It was an unusual tactic, one that suggested a level of paranoia or perhaps a desire to conceal something and they found out it was to conceal the useless marching puppet army to bluff their numbers.

The mages, too, were shrouded in mystery. Their faces obscured by hoods, their magic cloaked in an aura of secrecy. They seemed to be hiding themselves so that no one could identify which faction they were from but now she had already deduced they were the Elven faction.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. Something was amiss. The enemy was not what they seemed. Cause every move was with a purpose.

Astrid made a decision. She could not afford to wait. She needed to see the enemy up close, to study their tactics, to understand their strengths and weaknesses. With a determined look, she stepped out of the fortress but at the opposite side of the battlefield, she still chose to jump up to the top of the ball fortress.

The dwarven warriors, loyal to their leader wanted to follow her, their faces etched with determination but she ordered them to standby. They knew the risks, but they also knew that their queen would not lead them into a hopeless battle.

As she stepped out of the fortress, the weight of the world seemingly resting on her shoulders, she smelt the smoke and ash around. A cold dread washed over her, a premonition of impending doom. It was a sensation she had experienced only a few times in her life, a warning from her instincts that something was terribly wrong.

As she turned around and scanned the battlefield, her gaze fell upon the enemy formation. The elves, once a force of nature, now seemed to be a different breed entirely. Their movements were synchronized, their formations perfect. And unbeknownst to her, at the edge inof it all stood a figure, a woman of ethereal beauty, her presence dominating the battlefield.

It was Lara, the elven queen, and she was preparing to strike. In her hands, she held a bow, unlike any weapon ever seen.

It was colossal one, its size dwarfing even the largest her golems. The arrow, nocked and drawn, was equally impressive, a weapon of mass destruction.

Astrid's heart pounded in her chest. She knew what was coming. With a swift movement, Lara released the bowstring. The arrow, a fusion of wind, water, ice, and plant magic, tore through the air, its path marked by a trail of destruction.

The dwarven fortress, the culmination of countless hours of labor, stood in the path of the oncoming projectile.

Astrid could do nothing but watch as the arrow approached, its power growing with each passing second.

Astrid felt the impending doom she knew that attack was strong, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow. The arrow, a weapon of unimaginable power, was hurtling towards her, its trajectory unyielding. She had no option to react or to escape cause of she did her fortress would take considerable damage even if the shield was erecteyand she wasn't sure how that would affect the points they would get.

The only option was to confront the threat head-on. She was also a damn blessed.

With a surge of resolve, she drew her warhammer. But this was no ordinary weapon.

" Giant's Grace." With a muttered incantation, the hammer began to grow, expanding in size until it dwarfed its wielder by several times. The dwarven craftsmanship, combined with Astrid's magic, had created a weapon capable of withstanding the most powerful attacks.

As the arrow drew closer, Astrid leaped into the air, her body a blur of motion. The collision between the hammer and the arrow was cataclysmic. The air was filled with a blinding light, a deafening roar as the two forces clashed. The ground trembled, the earth itself seemed to shudder under the impact.

The battle between the weapon and the warrior was a spectacle of raw power. The arrow, imbued with the magic of the elements, fought with a relentless fury. But Astrid, with her strength and unyielding spirit, matched it blow for blow. The hammer, a living extension of her will, defended her from the onslaught, absorbing the impact of the arrow's power.

The clash between the two forces was a stalemate, a battle of attrition. The arrow, while powerful, was not losing in momentum. Astrid, on the other hand, was finding her footing, her strength growing with each passing moment.

It was a power struggle.

While at different locations, they both had the same thought, " I wonder how much force is needed to really shake this world." Neveah/ Lara thought.

Currently Neveah's body was sorrounded by red lightning as he looked at Axl who was below him looking up at him.