Chrysalis

Fifty thousand Legionaries and a hundred thousand auxiliaries made up the army under the Grand Marshal's command. A mighty force that any in the Dungeon would fear to confront.

This level of commitment wouldn't normally be needed, even to annihilate a powerful Mythic grade monster. But when a powerful Mythic grade monster began to populate the Dungeon with its own race of offspring? Such a thing could not be allowed to stand.

The Consul had spoken, and so the Legion had moved. Supported from behind by the alliance of Old Races, they had made a stand. The spawn of the Dungeon could not be allowed to proliferate out of control, lest the world fall into ruin.

Hundreds of 'monger bolts arced through the air every moment, the distant explosions ringing out in a constant patter. The heat from the combined fireballs of the mages could be felt even in the command tent, and after just ten minutes of the barrage, large sections of the tree roots had already caught flame.

Rianus stood on the front line, watching the conflagration grow as the combined ordnance of the Legion flew over his head. His left hand bore his heavy assault shield, locked into position with the soldiers on his left and right, presenting an unbreakable wall to the enemy. He kept his right hand near the hilt of his gladius. The time would soon come when he would need it.

"Advance!" came the order from the centurion behind him, repeated down the line.

As one, the legionaries stepped forward, off the island and onto the great ramp that had been formed of mana only moments ago. In that moment, he felt invincible. His full suit of Abyssal armour flooded his limbs with strength, and the thousands of brothers and sisters at his back assured him.

Only victory was possible this day. The Legion's might was on the march, nothing could stand in their way.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

a drum beat, their

high!" roared

the front ranks hoisted their shields higher, till

over their heads. A rain of fire and death the

Rianus, the great tree loomed. Kilometres high, as thick as a castle, it was a monstrous thing to behold. Fitting, seeing as it was a monster. A living creature, born from mana to enact the Dungeon's

the centurions shouted

the march, dug in

a moment too

of them, vicious ropes of plant matter as strong as steel whipped at them, trying to curl

"ATTACK!" came the order.

right hand and snatched his gladius from its sheath. With reflexes beyond those of a mortal, he slashed out five times in under a second, the enchanted and hardened Abyssal steel of his blade slicing through the roots like butter. With a shout, he dashed, hundreds of kilograms of legionary killing machine launching forward, shield high and

the line, hundreds of legionaries engaged with the plants, cutting them down as they appeared, but

the ramp, a vast presence rising from the depths. A vast amount of water bulged upwards as enormous pods breached

emerged and swept over the legionaries in an instant, but that didn't sway them. With their modified physiology and the protections of their armour, they were near immune to poison. What took Rianus' focus

"SHIELDS HIGH!"