Michael hovered in the air, his gaze fixed upon Noah, waiting for the opportune moment when he would unleash the devastating power of the god-killing arrows. Deep within his system storage, Michael held two of these lethal weapons, while Noah possessed the remaining five. The Dark Lord yearned for the day when he could claim all seven arrows, an outcome that would seal Noah's fate once and for all.
Yet, Noah refrained from reaching for the arrows. He recognized that he struggled to gain the upper hand in his relentless battle against Michael. The skies above were dominated by their fierce clash, while on the ground below, a grim spectacle unfolded.
The once vibrant river town now resembled a desolate battlefield, scarred by the ravages of war. Broken buildings lay in ruins, their skeletal structures testament to the power of Michael's meteor spell that had crashed upon the earth. Lava oozed through the cracks, intertwining with smoldering rocks, casting an eerie glow upon the surroundings. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and the haunting stench of death.
Amidst the chaos, the undead army clashed with Noah's valiant beastmen and angels. Limbs of the undead littered the scorched landscape, while the fallen bodies of brave soldiers bore witness to the brutality of the conflict. Blood stained the once pristine streets, painting a grim tableau of sacrifice and suffering.
As the intensity of the battle escalated, a glimmer of hope emerged amidst the chaos. Norvin, with his towering ape-like form, began to turn the tide in his skirmish against Eve and Gaya.
With each swing of his powerful limbs, Norvin unleashed a barrage of blows upon his adversaries. His sheer size and strength granted him an advantage, allowing him to withstand the onslaught of the two formidable opponents. The ground trembled beneath Norvin's weight as he matched their every move.
Eve, with her lightning-infused hammer, clashed against Norvin's unyielding defense. Bolts of electricity crackled in the air, illuminating the fierce exchange. However, Norvin's resilience proved to be a formidable shield, deflecting the onslaught of attacks with a golden barrier that enveloped him, repelling the lightning strikes.
Gaya on the other hand unleashed a flurry of arrows, aiming to pierce Norvin's defenses and weaken his resolve. But to her surprise, her projectiles met an impenetrable barrier, shimmering with a radiant golden glow.
As Norvin's fist collided with Gaya, the clash drew Michael's attention. With a swift determination, he closed the distance between himself and Norvin, disregarding Noah's presence.
Norvin, standing tall at fifteen feet, taunted Michael, "Fight me head-on instead of sending your women to do a man's job."
Ignoring the taunts, Michael landed before Norvin, summoning his bone-chilling war hammer, the Doomsbringer. The frigid aura radiating from the hammer caused the temperature to drop significantly. Michael declared with cold determination, "I should finish what Nightmare started," Michael said coldly, his voice carrying an air of determination. With synchronized movements, both Michael and Norvin leaped into the air, their bodies poised for battle. Norvin swung his massive ape-like fist towards Michael, meeting the cold, unyielding metal head of the Doomsbringer.
Norvin's hand instantly went numb upon impact, but he didn't falter. In response, Michael's eyes ignited with dark flames, and he unleashed a barrage of dark beams from his gaze. A golden shield appeared around Norvin, attempting to defend against the relentless assault. However, the shield began to crack under the overwhelming power of the dark beams, and within moments, it shattered completely.
Undeterred, Norvin mustered his strength and seized the war hammer as Michael attempted another strike. In a desperate effort, Norvin delivered a powerful headbutt towards Michael. But to his astonishment, the Dark Lord remained unyielding, displaying his formidable resilience. Michael retaliated with a forceful jump, headbutting Norvin with equal intensity, causing the ground to tremble beneath them.
The impact sent Norvin hurtling through the ground, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Noah lay unconscious, buried beneath the rubble of shattered buildings. Meanwhile, Michael remained completely focused on Norvin, his anger burning within him. The death of his pet dragon, Nightmare, had ignited a fiery rage within Michael. The news of Nightmare's demise had stirred the emotions of those around him—Gaya wreaked havoc upon her own kingdom, Vedora nearly destroyed the dark castle in a fit of anger, and Claire and others wept openly.
But Michael, devoid of tears, channeled his anger into a fierce determination. It fueled his every move as he dashed towards Norvin. With intense purpose, Michael landed before Norvin, gripping him tightly by his fur before hurling him towards Noah's army, locked in battle against the relentless undead. Above them, one of the intense light orbs shattered, causing the brightness to diminish. Michael glanced upwards, recognizing that Eve had successfully disabled one of the light orbs hidden beneath the dome.
As Norvin crashed into a building, reducing it to rubble, Gaya unleashed a relentless barrage of explosive arrows from the sky, further injuring him. Undeterred, Michael, wielding the Doomsbringer, swiftly closed the distance and planted himself firmly upon Norvin's chest.
"Now, look into my eyes and taunt me," Michael coldly demanded of Norvin.
Rather than responding with words, Norvin emitted a thunderous roar, the sheer force of it causing Michael's hair to be blown back. Yet, Michael stood resolute upon Norvin's chest.
Raising his Doomsbringer with intent to strike a final blow, Michael's actions were suddenly interrupted by the distant firing of a powerful cannonball. The resounding boom of the cannon drowned out even the fiercest thunderclap, as the fiery projectile soared through the air.
The dwarves stood together, their eyes fixed on the unfolding battle between the Dark Lord and their comrades. Their hands trembled slightly as they prepared the powerful cannonball once again, their minds filled with a mix of determination and uncertainty.
"Fire the cannon! Let's blast that Dark Lord to oblivion!" one dwarf exclaimed, his voice filled with both hope and anxiety.
Another dwarf, however, expressed doubts, "Are we making a terrible mistake? The Dark Lord is no ordinary foe. We may have just drawn his attention towards us."
A third dwarf chimed in, "It's true. What can we possibly do against a being at the Half Celestial stage? Our cannon is mighty, but it may not be enough to stop him."
Yet, amidst their wavering thoughts, one dwarf raised his voice, his eyes fixed on Noah, still lying motionless amidst the chaos. "Noah, wake up! This is your chance to fight back against the Dark Lord! Rise and show him the strength of your resolve!"
The dwarves exchanged concerned glances, their hearts heavy with worry. They understood the immense challenge that lay before them, but they refused to give in to despair.
To their utter disbelief, Michael effortlessly caught the fiery cannonball, reducing it to a mere pile of ash with a tight grip. The dwarves watched in stunned silence as their mighty weapon was rendered useless. The weight of their defeat settled upon their shoulders.
Michael's gaze shifted upwards, locking onto Gaya, and with a chilling nonchalance, he commanded, "Kill them all." His voice reverberated through the battlefield, sending shivers down the spines of the dwarves. They turned their gaze towards the distant sky, where lightning flashed behind the Dark Queen, revealing the ominous shadow of a colossal cobra, a testament to her true Naga form.
Meanwhile, Norvin, with all his might, tried to dislodge Michael from his chest. However, his efforts were in vain as Michael remained steadfast and immovable. Norvin clenched his fists, summoning ethereal manifestations that pummeled Michael relentlessly from both sides. Yet, Michael showed no sign of yielding, his unwavering stance challenging Norvin's futile attempts.
With the Doomsbringer raised high, Michael taunted Norvin, "I will bring Nightmare back from the depths of hell, but Noah won't be able to bring you back" Norvin's roars filled the air as his ethereal fists continued to assault Michael without effect. But Michael remained unperturbed.
As the realization of his impending defeat dawned upon him, Norvin slowly turned his gaze towards the rubble where Noah lay buried. Tears welled in his eyes as he faced Michael once more, his voice filled with sorrow. "You were able to defeat Noah because, deep down, he still sees you as his brother," Norvin revealed. Gaya, relentless in her slaughter of the dwarves, prevented any futile resistance while Eve continued her destructive mission to dismantle the remaining light orbs. As a result, darkness encroached upon the battlefield, slowly consuming all in its path.
"My death will break that bone and bring back the Noah who went around killing his enemies left and right," Norvin snickered, embracing his impending demise without a trace of fear.
Michael parted his lips as if poised to utter something but then closed them again. In the next moment, a shocking and heart-wrenching event unfolded before their eyes. Without hesitation, Michael brought down the Doomsbringer upon Norvin's head, caving in his mighty ape skull. Blood and fragments of bone sprayed across the battlefield, painting a gruesome scene. Norvin's body convulsed while Michael stood amidst the carnage, drenched in Norvin's crimson lifeblood. The sight of Norvin's cruel demise struck Noah's army with a paralyzing shock, freezing them in disbelief and despair.
As if the shocking events weren't enough, Michael activated his Soul Eating skill, his eyes glowing with a sinister light. A wispy, white smoke began to emanate from Norvin's lifeless body, slowly snaking its way toward Michael's open mouth. This ethereal smoke carried Norvin's soul and life energy, a macabre feast for the Dark Lord.
With each passing moment, Norvin's once mighty form began to shrink and wither, like a wilting flower drained of its essence. In a matter of mere moments, Norvin's body transformed into a desiccated mummy, a hollow shell devoid of life.
The sight sent a chill through the hearts of Noah's army as they witnessed the terrifying display of Michael's power, his ability to consume the very essence of a fallen warrior. It was a chilling reminder of the depths of darkness that Michael was capable of descending into.
"Now this is a feast befitting the Dark Lord," Michael's voice resonated, his once-human tone now twisted and steeped in darkness. His words echoed through the battlefield, spreading an ominous aura that chilled the very air. The sinister quality of his voice alone was enough to send shivers down the spines of the remaining beastmen and dwarves. Gripped by a paralyzing fear, some dropped their weapons and fled from the scene in a state of sheer panic. Their desperate cries filled the air as they ran, their only thought to escape the encroaching darkness that surrounded them.
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