Date: February 12, 542 years since the Fall of Zanra the Dishonored.
The loss of the serpent-tail transformed the methodical guardian into a living embodiment of chaos. The Stone Chimera threw its head back, and from its feline maw emerged not a sound, but a visible wave of distorted space. It was pure, raw power the creature had accumulated for centuries.
"Take cover!" Iskon roared, making an unnaturally long leap behind the nearest column.
The wave of force struck the amphitheater. The obsidian slabs it passed over instantly became covered in a network of cracks, and the air heated to such an extent that breathing became painful. Kaedan didn't manage to find safe shelter. He pressed himself to the ground, thrusting his arms in their massive vambraces forward and densifying his Spirit to the maximum.
The blow was like colliding with a speeding train. Kaedan was dragged across the floor a good five meters. His cuirass grew hot, and his inner essence within his Vessel vibrated anxiously, trying to contain the external pressure. Bert and Olaf, sheltering behind debris, barely held their shields—the vibration was so strong the steel began to "sing," threatening to crack.
The Chimera didn't stop. It began to spew waves of energy one after another, turning its head and literally burning the space around it. The group had to maneuver at the edge of their capabilities. Each movement cost colossal energy; sweat stung Kaedan's eyes, and his regeneration worked in constant mode, fueling his scorched lungs.
"We can't run forever!" Olaf shouted, as another blast turned the column beside him into a pile of rubble. "It'll just crush us with this power!"
Kaedan, through the haze of heat, looked at the raging creature. He saw that the Chimera, despite its fury, had become less stable. The lack of a tail hampered its balance, but its huge wings still allowed it to make sharp lunges and rise above the floor, evading attacks.
"Wings," flashed through Kaedan's mind. "We need to deprive it of the sky."
"Distract it!" Kaedan commanded, rising to his full height. "Bert, Olaf, strike at the legs! Iskon, I need a three-second window!"
The Order's knights, understanding their comrade's plan, took a risk. Bert and Olaf leaped from cover, sending short but bright pulses of their power towards the Chimera's face. The monster was distracted, readying a decisive blow against the insolent ones. At that moment, Iskon, using his Spirit, hurled a handful of small stones at the creature's eyes, which in flight suddenly grew to the size of boulders.
The Chimera jerked its head, shielding itself with its wing from the incoming projectiles. That was the moment.
Kaedan lunged forward. He didn't conserve his strength. The young man poured almost all the remainder of his energy into his Unbreakable Armor. The stone plates on his arms and shoulders began to glow crimson, and their density increased so much that each of Kaedan's steps left deep impressions in the floor. He became a living battering ram.
A leap. Kaedan soared onto the monster's back, dodging its furiously writhing legs. He grabbed the base of the left wing, where the obsidian feathers attached to the powerful joint.
"Break!" Kaedan growled, feeling his own muscles ready to tear from the strain.
He planted his feet on the Chimera's carapace, using the "Rooting" technique in reverse—he was trying to tear the wing from the body, using his own weight as a lever. Kaedan's inner energy surged into his arms, strengthening his bones to diamond hardness.
An ear-splitting screech sounded. The Chimera's stone joint began to give way. The monster convulsed in agony, trying to throw off the knight, but Kaedan held on with a death grip. With each second, he poured more power into this hold. Finally, a dry, heavy crunch was heard. The huge wing twisted unnaturally, and the obsidian veins connecting it to the back began to tear with a vile ringing.
Kaedan couldn't tear it off completely—a man's strength, even a Warrior's, had its limits. But the joint was shattered, and the left wing hung uselessly, dragging along the floor.
The Chimera emitted a cry in which fury was replaced by primal pain. It jerked sharply, and Kaedan was flung aside. The young man slammed into the wall, feeling his cuirass crack and something shift unpleasantly in his chest.
He slid down the wall, gasping for air heavily. His Armor flickered, on the verge of disappearing from exhaustion. But the goal was achieved—the Chimera was pinned to the ground. Now it was a wounded, but still deadly, beast locked in a cage with its hunters.
"Your turn, Iskon..." Kaedan whispered, seeing the leader of the assault unit already preparing for the final move.
The air smelled of ozone and burnt stone. The end of the battle in the Pyramid of Scales was already decided, but the final note of this symphony of destruction had not yet sounded.