Malik plunged into the swirling dust vortex. His Wathib vaulted effortlessly over the mangled remains of five fallen soldiers. Through the haze, a Sand Soldier lunged, thrusting a jagged spear directly at his chest. Malik yanked the Wathib's horn to the left. The beast banked sharply, narrowly dodging the lethal tip. In the same fluid motion, Malik swung his azure blade, cleaving the construct through its torso. The sand armor lost its cohesion, crumbling into a heap of inert dust that refused to reform.
Yasmin followed close behind. The Vizier spurred his own mount, desperately pushing to ride abreast with Malik, refusing to let the returning Hero outshine him.
Pressing the advance, Malik surveyed the chaotic melee. His men were locked in brutal combat on both flanks. He signaled to a nearby squad, ordering ten men to follow him. They rallied around his golden mount, cutting a path forward as Malik wove through the enemy ranks, his blade flashing to dismantle the Sand Soldiers one by one. His escort thrust their spears, widening the breach Kaser had already carved through the enemy vanguard, ensuring Malik and his strike team could push deeper into the heart of the army.
Momentum built. Twenty more soldiers merged into their formation, a wedge of humanity plunging into the sea of sand. The air grew thick, choking with the grit kicked up by the Wathibs' stamping hooves and the disintegrating constructs.
Then, the dust parted, revealing a nightmare.
A colossal Sand Soldier loomed in their path. It held a tower shield the size of a fortress door and gripped a double-headed axe that matched its towering height. One swing could reap their entire formation.
The behemoth drew the massive axe back, preparing for a devastating horizontal sweep.
Malik's eyes widened. "Scatter! Left and right!" he roared.
The formation splintered, soldiers peeling away into the chaotic fray to avoid the sweeping blade. But Kaser didn't retreat. The giant warrior charged headlong toward the colossal construct, his twin silver axes a blur of motion as he swatted lesser Sand Soldiers aside like flies.
The giant construct brought its massive axe down. Kaser met the blow. He spun his axes, crossing them in a brutal clash of metal against condensed stone.
The impact sent a shockwave across the battlefield. Kaser felt the violent tremor rattle his bones, the sheer pressure threatening to snap his arms. He gritted his teeth, veins bulging like thick cords beneath his skin. With a guttural roar, Kaser shoved the behemoth's axe to the right.
The colossal construct staggered back a step, struggling to maintain its footing. Kaser gave it no quarter. He pounced.
In response, the giant lifted its massive tower shield and slammed it into the earth, sending a blinding tsunami of dust rushing outward. Kaser didn't flinch. He raised his crossed axes to shield his eyes from the abrasive wave and pushed through the storm. Pivoting sharply to the right, he slipped past the edge of the tower shield, exposing the behemoth's unguarded back. Kaser vaulted into the air, raining down a flurry of rapid, brutal strikes against the construct's spine.
Landing gracefully, he spun, bringing both axes together. The silver metal flared with a blinding, violent crimson light. He unleashed his ultimate strike.
A deafening explosion of red energy tore through the air, detonating against the colossal construct and blowing the sand giant into oblivion.
Malik allowed himself a grim smile as he watched Kaser's display of raw power. He remembered the giant from a century ago. Like grandfather, like grandson, he thought. The lion bred a fierce cub.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Malik gave way. His Wathib stepped into a sinkhole of loose, deep sand. The abrupt halt launched Malik from the saddle. He tumbled through the air, crashing hard into the dirt in the middle of the chaotic battlefield.
He scrambled to his feet, quickly dusting the sand from his clothes, and reached down to snatch his fallen azure sword from the ground. But the moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt and he looked up, his blood ran cold.
The Vizier was charging directly at him. His sword was drawn, glowing with a lethal brown light, the point aimed squarely at Malik's chest to run him through.
Betrayal!