Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1178: Endless
Previously on Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle...
The clearing echoed with the piercing screams emanating from the demons.
Hundreds of imps swarmed in every direction… As their wings beat in unison, it felt like a tempest raging.
Their eyes burned red in the darkness, a vast expanse of scarlet specks making the very forest seem alive with malevolence.
Shane’s team immediately consolidated their formation.
Shields were raised, sharp blades were drawn, and a variety of Skills from their diverse arsenals were readied.
Without delay, Tundra began launching stones with Graviton Imploder!
[ Graviton Imploder: Generates a sudden gravitational pull that draws nearby enemies inward before collapsing with a heavy implosion. ]
[ Cost: 50 Spirit Points ]
Whom~ Whom~
Multiple waves of Imps were annihilated swiftly!
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
...
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
Just like that, Tundra was inundated with system notifications.
"Whoa… That’s incredibly potent, Tundra," Travis remarked, observing Tundra’s barrage of Graviton Imploders. It was quite a daunting spectacle up close.
After all, there was an unsettling sensation that they too might be ensnared by the peculiar phenomenon.
Yet, for every imp that fell, more surged forth from the shadows, crawling from fissures in the ground, descending from the branches above, or clawing their way out of crumbling walls.
"They’re appearing out of nowhere. What in the world is going on?" Layla exclaimed, flinging debris with her telekinesis to crush clusters of imps.
Shinja too swung his Stormblade in wide, sweeping arcs, severing wings and horns, but the relentless swarm pressed even harder.
Tundra, meanwhile, hurled more bombs that erupted with fiery explosions! Each detonation scattered demon bodies, yet the vacated spaces were immediately filled.
"Could this be some kind of illusion? But no… They’re granting experience points. What is this truly? Perhaps there’s a portal somewhere from which they originate?"
Elsa and Lily unleashed torrential streams of water and sharp gusts of wind…
Their elements coalesced into a maelstrom that tore apart dozens of Imps.
Then, Travis’s Clone acted as the vanguard, its aura slicing through the horde, while Chaloem’s steady strikes maintained the integrity of their defensive line.
But the imps persisted in their advance…
Spirit Points depleted with every offensive maneuver, every activated Skill, and every defensive action.
Naturally, the team's robust defense held firm, but Shane recognized that their resistance would eventually falter. And should they attempt a retreat, the swarm would pursue them back to the ships, jeopardizing Mystra and its defenders…
Shane’s brow furrowed…
"We absolutely cannot let them reach the dockyard. If they pursue us, the ships will be utterly destroyed."
Tundra cursed, retrieving another bomb from his utility belt. "Then we ignite everything here. Let’s unleash our ultimate trump cards, every single one."
Travis’s Clone nodded with grim determination. "Agreed. It's far better to expend everything now than to risk the safety of the others."
Shane raised his hand, and instantly, crackling lightning sparked across his fingertips. He was poised to discharge his most powerful surge, irrespective of the personal cost.
But before he could act, Natalie stepped forward. Her eyes gleamed with an unshakeable resolve…
"Hold on. This is my moment to intervene."
The others turned, their expressions a mixture of surprise.
Natalie’s smile was serene, yet carried an air of authority.
She raised a staff… It was long and silver, intricately engraved with enigmatic markings that emitted a faint luminescence in the gloom.
This was no mundane piece of equipment.
It was one of the sacred artifacts belonging to the New Haven Clan, meticulously forged under the Archbishop’s solemn benediction!
Although Natalie herself was neither a priest nor a bishop, as the Clan Leader, she possessed access to her people’s formidable resources.
She had acquired a multitude of relics, ancient scrolls, and potent items that empowered her to wield divine magic. And now, she held one of the most formidable among them.
The staff throbbed with ethereal light as she elevated it high above her head.
"Holy Smite!"
A blinding eruption of radiant energy exploded outwards, incinerating scores of imps in a singular, brilliant flash!
Their agonized shrieks pierced the clearing as their forms dissolved into dust almost instantaneously!
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
...
[ You have eliminated an Imp. ]
"Whoa!"
"Holy smite?"
"Is that you, Priestess Natalie?"
"Hoho! That's incredibly awesome! Wait a moment…"
The team erupted in cheers, but their elation was fleeting. Lysandra and the others perceived it once more!
More imps continued to pour in relentlessly, their wings beating, claws slashing, their numbers seemingly inexhaustible.
Layla clenched her jaw tightly. "Even that wasn’t enough. They’re infinite!"
Natalie’s expression grew stern. "I am aware. Which is precisely why I brought this artifact."
From her inventory, she produced a chalice… It was golden, exquisitely ornate, and radiated a divine glow.
Shane watched, impressed. As anticipated, this Clan Leader also possessed a Mythic Grade Artifact!
Furthermore, it was an artifact perfectly suited for combating Demons!
Distinct from his own Mythic Grade Weapons, which excelled against Zombies and other spectral entities, Natalie’s artifact was ideally matched for their current predicament!
The instant it materialized, the imps shrieked with even greater intensity!
Their frenzy intensified abruptly, as if they recognized the artifact. Tundra’s eyes widened in surprise. "Is that some kind of Holy Grail?" Natalie nodded in affirmation. "It is one of the Archbishop’s greatest treasures. It possesses the ability to channel every blessing, every prayer, and every ounce of holy power the New Haven Clan has ever stored. With this, I can eradicate them all." Indeed, perhaps the key to defeating the imps lay in eliminating them all simultaneously! Just like that, the imps erupted into a frenzy, their shrieks escalating to a deafening crescendo. They swarmed with increased ferocity, their claws tearing at the humans’ defenses, desperately trying to reach Natalie before she could enact her plan. "Protect her!" Shane commanded, realizing the dire nature of the situation. The team swiftly solidified their formation around Natalie. Shield Talismans, defensive Skills, bomb suppression tactics, and various other abilities were deployed to halt their relentless advance! Shane also unleashed his Lightning Surge, Aura Suppression, Telekinetic Storm, and finally, activated his Warden’s Talisman! [ Warden’s Talisman ( Mythic ): An ancient talisman forged by the Centaur Warlords during the Great Wars. This talisman enhances physical resilience, reducing incoming damage by up to 50%, and grants temporary invulnerability when the wearer’s health falls below a critical threshold. Furthermore, it summons spectral centaurs to aid the wearer in battle during moments of extreme peril, contingent on the infused Spirit Energy. ] This Talisman, possessing limited durability, was usually kept unused, reserved only for critical situations like the present one! "Spectral Centaurs... Appear!" Shane uttered, expending over 20,000 Spirit Points in the process! Swiftly, a battalion of Spectral Centaurs materialized before them! "What?" "Shane? You possess that skill?" "Why is this the first time I'm witnessing this?" "Ha! He utilized it before at New Genesis Shelter..." "Seriously? This is far too potent!" "No! They have a limited duration! Maintain your focus!" Shane instructed. Thanks to the precious time bought by these abilities, Natalie finally raised the Grail aloft. A sacred light emanated from it, bathing the clearing in brilliance, akin to the breaking of dawn dispelling the night. The imps recoiled, their agonizing shrieks filling the air, yet they did not retreat. Instead, they hurled themselves forward, a desperate surge to extinguish the light. "Hold them back!" Natalie commanded, her voice resonating with undeniable authority. "We are almost there! Just a few more seconds!" "Do not worry... My Spectral Centaurs can still hold the line." Shane assured, simultaneously unleashing his Lightning Surge once more... Tundra also hurled bomb after bomb, the resulting explosions powerfully shaking the very ground beneath them. However, the hundreds of imps swelled into thousands, emerging from every shadow, every crevice, and every branch. The forest itself appeared animated by their malevolent intent. Natalie closed her eyes, concentrating her will. The Grail pulsed with increasing luminescence, its light spilling across the entire battlefield. At long last, she commenced her prayer... "By the blessings of the Sacred Power... by the prayers of the Archbishop... by the faith of every survivor who has stood against the darkness... I invoke the light!" Shane was uncertain whether her words were genuine supplication or a mere formality, but nonetheless, they recognized the gravity of the moment. The Grail flared brilliantly, a searing beam of holy radiance ascending towards the heavens. Whom~ Suddenly, the imps shrieked in unison as their wings began to ignite and their horns started to crack! The light expanded outwards! It was a powerful wave of divine energy sweeping across the entire clearing. Dozens perished. Then hundreds... then thousands. Their forms disintegrated into ash, and with astonishing speed, no more Imps could be detected in the vicinity! However, a few began to manifest once more. This time, their appearance was slow, and the overwhelming pressure was gone. Shane and the others resolutely held their ground, cutting down the remaining stragglers. Soon, Natalie’s eyes fluttered open... "I believe I have identified the source. It explains why they continued to spawn." Subsequently, she raised the staff once more, channeling the Grail’s potent energy through it. "I shall handle them now... Holy Judgment!" A second wave of radiance erupted outwards, annihilating the remaining imps in a blinding flash. The clearing trembled, the ruins around them quivered, and as the light subsided, a profound silence descended. The ground was carpeted with ash, and the menacing swarm had vanished. Natalie lowered the Grail, her gaze meeting Shane’s. "The gate has been sealed... They will not be returning, I can assure you." Shane exhaled slowly, finally lowering his hand. "You saved us. And the ships." Tundra concurred, observing Natalie with a measure of caution. "I must remember never to underestimate the New Haven Clan again." Layla offered a faint smirk. "Or Natalie herself." Shane couldn’t help but smile upon hearing their words... Still, he recalled Natalie’s earlier statement. "Gates?! Wait... There are gate stones here?" Shane’s eyes lit up instantly as this realization dawned upon him. However, upon surveying his surroundings, he found only rubble. "Natalie... Can you pinpoint the location of the Gate Stones you mentioned? It’s alright even if they are heavily damaged."