The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

The entire city was gripped by a mix of astonishment, difference, strangeness, and shock.

High above, within the city's cunning and beyond its walls, tens of thousands gazed up at the mighty dragon and titans, and at the pillar of blinding light that pierced the sky.

Alavin's voice rang out, crisp and resonant, carrying a heavy authority that echoed across the heavens and earth for a long time.

Jarad, Banneth, and all the Archmages momentarily disregarded the chaos of the conflict, their brows creased in intense focus. They watched in awe as the colossal stone dragon soared into the sky, their gaze also taking in the imposing titan statues, their faces etched with somber and perplexing expressions

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The deep rumble emanating from the depths of the Cloudveil Woods grew louder and closer with alarming speed. The succession of thunderous sounds was dense and chaotic, yet heavy, resembling the collapse of mountains or the stampede of some colossal beast. Startled birds flocked into the sky, their numbers dark against the red glow of evening.

The ragged wilderness soon felt the impact, trembling violently with each muffled roar.

"What is that...?"

Many turned their eyes towards the Cloudveil Woods, their expressions growing more exaggerated. At the edge of their sight, titans were seen sprinting, their towering forms rising fifty meters above the dense forest canopy.

Boom...

One titan emerged first from the woods, shattering trees and leaving deep craters in its wake. Its hundred-meter-tall figure was unmistakably visible to all.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Like mountains, the titans were majestic and imposing, their presence twisting the very air above.

The statues! Had they come to life?

In a furious sprint, a titan leaped hundreds of meters into the air, covering a kilometer in a single bound. It landed with a thunderous crash, creating a vast pit and shaking the wilderness. In its hands, it swung a colossal hammer, sixty meters in length, its weight seeming to crush the very space around it.

A regal female titan soared through the air, gliding over the forest and descending upon the wilderness. Her stony robe fluttered as if alive, casting a shower of white radiance. The tinkling of her jewelry rang clear, echoing between heaven and earth. The female titan was slender and magnificent, with an imposing grace. Though she was a statue, her breathtaking beauty and the aloof coldness of her majesty were palpable.

Another titan stepped out from the forest, shrouded in dark energy that boiled around its towering form. Half of its face was human, the other half a skull, sinister and malevolent. Its eyes were ablaze with black fire. It moved slowly, each step accompanied by a heavy boom, yet its movement was elusive and strange. It left behind eerie afterimages as it crossed thousands of meters in an instant, appearing before Stormcast.

The entire city was astir. Everyone was taken aback by what they saw.

One by one, seventeen giant statues emerged from the dense forest, each making a dramatic appearance. Under the stunned and motionless gaze of tens of thousands of citizens, the titans descended upon the crumbling walls of Stormcast, standing in different positions. Like an iron bastion, they cried out in unison, their voices shaking the sky and rippling the twilight. "Any who dare cross us shall be met with no mercy!"

Alavin had passed the test; they would honor their covenant. From this day forth, their new kingdom would be Stormcast.

A new kingdom, new guardians, a fresh start.

"Those who offend our new nation, shall be shown no mercy!"

"Those who defy us, shall be shown no mercy!"

The majestic cries resonated with a powerful force, thundering across the wilderness. The eighteen royal effigies blazed with radiant light like a surging torrent piercing the wilderness and the heavens, scattering the heavy clouds and shattering the thunder and rain, revealing the astonishing energy within the dazzling radiance and surging with an unmatched holy might.

It was a sight to shake the soul!

Inside Stormcast, over two hundred thousand citizens rose tremblingly. Their vacant eyes were fixed on the eighteen colossal statues, on the overwhelming light that filled their vision. Their minds went blank, with only the bold and majestic cries echoing in their ears-"Those who defy us, shall be shown no mercy!"

In the city's stronghold, Lucan and the others were momentarily stunned. Were these... the statues of the Ancient Kings? Was this the reinforcement the young master had spoken of?

Four mighty birds of prey descended from the sky, carrying Eyla, the three Bloodlore Elders, and the battered Godfred.

Godfred was weak, stumbling a few steps before collapsing into Grima's arms. "I'm sorry... We came back late..."

Hamund also returned to the stronghold with Celesse and her companions, unable to hide his shock as he looked up into the sky.

The Kings were not dead! Were their valiant souls still present? Alavin had brought the Kings back from the Watchful Shore!