CESAGA

Simalaun seized the opportunity, attacking Suria with renewed ferocity. Despite her skill and agility, she was at a disadvantage without her kris. She fought desperately, keeping Simalaun at bay with a flurry of ranged attacks.

Enraged by her resistance, Simalaun unleashed a surge of dark energy, transforming into a colossal, shadowy crocodile. With renewed speed and strength, he closed the distance between them, ready to strike.

"Suria! Be careful!" Palademes warned, but it was too late.

Simalaun had already reached Suria, slamming her to the ground and stomping on her repeatedly. Palademes rushed to Suria's aid, slashing at the shadowy crocodile.

The creature wavered and dissipated. Palademes helped Suria to her feet.

"Are you alright, Suria?" he asked, concerned.

From above, a colossal, shadowy crocodile lunged towards Palademes. Sensing the imminent danger, Palademes unleashed a powerful spirit attack.

The attack pierced through the shadowy crocodile, striking the real Simalaun, who was phasing through the shadows. Forced to materialize to avoid further harm, Simalaun became vulnerable to Palademes' assault.

Palademes lifted the injured Suria and leaned her against a nearby wall. Then, raising his sword, a golden aura flickered around him, illuminating his eyes through the helmet's visor.

"All that hatred towards me? That's more to my liking! See, we are no different after all. Hahaha!!" Simalaun hurled his spear towards Palademes.

With a swift, effortless motion, Palademes caught the spear and thrust it back towards Simalaun, aiming for his chest. However, crocodile scales materialized around Simalaun, deflecting the attack.

Simalaun, his eyes burning with malevolent intent, hissed, 'You think you've stolen my secret? A foolish endeavor. Your life will end first.' With a monstrous roar, he unleashed a blast of destructive energy, leveling the surrounding structures.

Transformed into a shadowy crocodile, Simalaun flicked his tail, sending Palademes crashing to the ground, cracking the very floor beneath him.

Rising from the debris, Palademes counterattacked, slashing his sword repeatedly at the swirling dark aura that pulsed within Simalaun.

"Persistent fool," Simalaun growled, "I'll end you now!"

The heart of Avalon trembled as Gema and the knights clashed with three monstrous golems.

A deafening roar, Simalaun's battle cry, echoed through the shattered ruins. Fear and determination warred within them as they turned towards the distant chaos.

The golems, colossal behemoths, unleashed a storm of destruction, each strike a cataclysmic event that shook the very foundations of Avalon. The once pristine floor was shattered, and the knights were scattered, isolated in their desperate struggle.

Arthur's loyal knights fought with unwavering courage. Their elemental auras, blades of light and shadow, danced across the golem's hide, but the creature's resilient skin absorbed their attacks.

Rather than wasting precious energy, they retreated into a defensive stance, buying time for Arthur or Gema to break through the enemy lines.

Despite its gargantuan size, the golem was surprisingly nimble, its heavy blows delivered with surprising speed and precision. Its thick, impervious hide was its shield, deflecting the knights' attacks while its own strikes threatened to crush them.

The golem, sensing the surge of Arthur's power, began hurling chunks of buildings at him in a furious barrage. Arthur, with graceful agility, raised Excalibur, slicing through the debris effortlessly. Advancing toward the golem, he dodged and cut through the barrage of stones and iron gears.

As he closed in, Arthur leaped, aiming for the golem's head. The golem tried to block, but Arthur severed its right hand in a clean stroke.

In retaliation, the golem struck him with its left hand, slamming him through a building, and Excalibur became lodged in its hand.

The golem stomped down to pin Arthur further into the ground, but he caught its foot, letting out a mighty roar as he gathered his energy. With a surge of strength, he threw the golem off balance.

Suddenly, a powerful bolt of lightning struck the golem from above, coursing through its body. The force shattered it into an explosion of rock fragments, scattering violently in all directions.

Behind the cloud of dust and smoke from the explosion, Gema emerged, carrying Excalibur as he walked toward Arthur to help him.

" …Gema? H-Have you fled your battle to aid me?" Arthur asked, his voice strained from exhaustion.

"I felled that stone beast already; I just lost my way until I heard the wail of some knight," Gema teased, offering Excalibur back to him.

"Hmph... ever the loyal servant, my friend," Arthur muttered, taking the blade.

"Let us join the others… Since you've bested the golems, Bota's true form should near completion. Follow where the fragments are drawn."

He gestured to the stones, which were moving in the same direction.

"Leave me, Gema. You'll arrive too late if you drag me along. Should Bota's form complete before you reach them, my knights may not stand a chance, and that is a fate I do not intend."

"Hey, Arthur," Gema said sternly, "don't you dare die or vanish before handing that sword to me." He leaned Arthur against the wall and then rushed off to follow the trail of fragments.

Back at the Eastern Avalon, Simalaun retreated to a safe distance, his dark aura swirling around him. The fallen orbs of his underlings were drawn into a coalescing black sphere.

Seizing the moment, Palademes charged, his swords ablaze with golden energy. He swung, aiming to cleave the sphere, but the attack was ineffective. Undeterred, he struck again, only to meet the same result.

As the sphere absorbed the last orb, it erupted in a shockwave, sending Palademes flying.

Simalaun's form transformed, his body covered in white scales, his head resembling a crocodile, and his size tripled. His red eyes locked onto Palademes.

With a burst of speed, Simalaun charged, hurling Palademes into the air. A powerful black aura erupted from his scaled wrist, slamming Palademes to the ground. Simalaun continued his assault, unleashing a barrage of dark elemental power.

Once Palademes crashed to the ground, Simalaun, now floating in the air, gathered a dark breath and unleashed it towards his fallen opponent. The black blast, a destructive force, tore through everything in its path.

A wave of blinding light intercepted the dark beam, causing a violent explosion that shattered half of the eastern Avalon area.