Ascension of the Nephilim

At the outskirts of the mountain...

A massive army stood by.

Commander Komodo Dragon was still slightly wounded for nearly a day ago. He had suffered from the cruel Alchemy Weapons and was still recovering.

The marshaling of the forces took some time as half of the army that was guarding the garrisons set to defend and guard the lands against the nearby kingdoms were called out.

His edict called out not just the lizardmen but marshaled all lizard kins.

It had lizard kind of all forms: the Salamanders, the Newts, the Serpentine. And leading them was the leader, the most intelligent lizard kin of all who had power, magic, and resources, the Lizardman race.

The first to be sent was the Char Vermillion race, who desired to avenge their fallen prince. While the Char Vermillion lizards in the cave were the weakest and the outcast, the massacre's taint and stigma implied weakness for this race. And so, the Champion King of the Char Vermilion race declared to be the vanguard of the attack.

The attack went in, and the Discarded Army was also sent to support.

But then the reports arrived.

"The Char Vermilion Lizard King has been slain?!" Komodo Dragon exclaimed.

​ The amount of Char Vermilion Lizards would have broken through the front lines with their number and power. Even if there had been Champion mages, the army would have pushed through.

In such a situation, Komodo believed that the fall of the front lines would allow the elite Vermilion Lizards to kill several Champions with their high resistance to flames, the most common element that mages use.

And he knew that the Char Vermilion Lizard King would retreat if wounded. But the reports that he received revealed his death and that the Char Vermilion Lizard race was not only kingless, but none of the stronger elites who could have taken the throne remained.

"Commander... What do we do? What about the Discarded Army?" A Champion asked.

"Tell me more..." Komodo Dragon spoke to a Lizardman scout who observed the battle.

The scout began to recount what he had seen.

Several other scouts confirmed the same thing.

"A small team of powerful soldiers including Gojirrah, Reptilia, and a man who looked like the Alchemist that the found and who was possessed by the evil spirit was there. They stood near the entrance. They had power similar to the Paladins of the Human Kingdoms and created a massive Force Wall that blocked the charge. It was able to halt the advance of the Vermilion Lizard King and his forces!"

"That is a power of a Commander!"

"Yes, Commander. But after the battle, this group had retreated back. From what we can tell, they were not united. Some members stood on the way as this team moved back and a human mage shot and attacked the Champion, severely wounding him!"

"...Then this is good. It's a joint attack. Let's hope that the next army won't be as strong. Send in the Discarded Army."

"Yes, Lord Commander!" The Champion nodded to the side.

And so, the Discarded Army began their attack.

Seeing the power of the enemy and how it killed the Vermilion King, the lizardman was more organized and brought along lizardkin as shield bearers and defensive walls to protect against the shield. Various races that could also burrow and dig through the ground were called.

At the back of the human army, Gojirrah began to explain the army he was part of.

"So, we of the Discarded Army would always be at the front lines. We aren't exactly cannon fodder, but we are the first expected to die. My position among the Discarded Army was quite high. But even then, it was a lawless land. Almost everyone there, save for a few, are criminals in their world. Those who weren't mostly succumbed to the wicked ways and cultures of this land. They are weaker than the standard army. But it seems our little show of power invoked fear in them and that they have been granted the use of war machines and defenses." Gojirrah explained.

"That'll do. This Discarded Army could also be a place where you can recruit more forces to build a kingdom. Originally, we intended to lay low and gather information. Still, with our powers revealed, it forced the Lizard Kingdoms to send stronger forces forcing the human kingdoms to send more defenses here. And as the two will be throwing things at each other, this should lead to a long, drawn-out war."

"What's the plan after this, son? I thought we were to go after the Celestial Code?" Diana asked.

"We will join the battle tomorrow, and I plan to use the chaos to disappear and move inside. I'll go ahead and create an energy conversion circle to create a teleportation pad in some cave inside Middle. Gojirrah's retreat sounds like a perfect place."

"You have a secret home?" Reptilia asked.

"I am someone with many enemy Champions. So I have prepared a secret retreat in case of sudden attempts to kill me." Gojirrah answered.

"I'll use that place as the location where the teleportation will happen. This way, the three of you can move inside. I've already made a teleportation pad right in where the Temple originally stood in the secret chamber. This will help us move in and out of Middle. Grandfather, you remain with the human Champions. This will be the most dangerous place, but you have the most experience in this. But now, you have to do more than just survive the plots of all enemies around you. But you also have to send resources inside the Temple. I'm sure that the cities outside of Airom will improve."

"I understand. Hunter has his mission inside to keep improving the Temple. I will be from outside sending more people in." Mezal nodded.

"Yes. When you think it's enough, prepare for the disappearance of the Steele family and move everything in the Temple. Remember, Fate is after us. I'm sure that your stay with Ordeus and these Champions will be cut short. You have to keep surprising and outsmarting Fate otherwise, and you'd be in trouble!"

"That's worrisome. Fate is a trainer, but she feels more terrifying than Destiny. I believe that we will suffer in this." Mezal frowned.

"Oh, we definitely will. Unless we outsmart her, we will probably face deaths." Kyros nodded.

BOOM!

The battle began as more shields appeared, and the Mage Captains and human ranged experts began to launch their attacks.

Many lizardkin began to crawl out and break through the ground as they rushed towards the human kingdom.

The great battle had begun, and Kyros and the group began to observe.

Meanwhile... just on the outskirts of the Golem City.

Commander Relik was stunned as he saw the true forms of Demerus, Ressi, and Triona.

"So... this is your true face and source of power? And you are showing me your real face... because?" Relik asked.

"Because we mean it when we say we treat you as our father. You have taken this burden, Commander Relik. And you at least deserve to know the truth."

"...Your spell worked and gave you this?" Relik was amazed.

"The world we were in was amazing." Faye smiled. She then began to speak of a prepared speech that contained half-truths of their adventure.

"And that's what happened. We fell into a strange portal in a strange world. We got stronger and arrived back. And while it had been weeks in that world, only a few hours passed by hearing." Demerus summarized. Demerus didn't speak of Fate and Destiny or the truth but gave a vague report into falling into a strange world that Calaminus insisted on calling the world a certain term.

"So... where is the door to this... zone?"

"It disappeared. But trust me, Commander. Unless the Steele family is by your side, do not seek this door. If you see this portal or door, turn away. You unlock this door with the key that is your imagination. Beyond this portal is another dimension! A world of the new sound, sight, and a world of mind-boggling enemies and creatures. You will enter into a land of both shadow and death, and of life and power. But don't ever do it, Commander. Don't ever cross over into the Twilight Zone." Demerus gave the exact cryptic warning Calaminus told him to give.

"The Twilight Zone... Amazing..." Relik sighed. He could not imagine what powers and horrors they faced that allowed the Emberdon to live as a Forsaker of Flesh.

"Commander. Join us. I have asked permission from our Lord Kyros to bring you. See for yourself the powers that tie this Twilight Zone to that world." Demerus tempted.