<h4>Book 2, Chapter 87 – The War for Hell’s Valley</h4>


    Five wastnd airships tore through the clouds, revealing their grim outlines to the forest valley below. With the valley’s mysterious veil pierced it stretched out below the airships,id bare before their payload.


    ‘Hell’ was a poor name for this valley, for it was rife with underground rivers that nourished its foliage. Great trees bursting with life lives there, a sight rarely seen in the stedndscape outside the elysian borders.


    Several buildings in the elysian style rose from the valley’s canopy, rising majestically toward the skies. Grasping towers stood vigil over the mainpound, a grand construction peppered with borate sculptures. A semi-transparent shell hung over it, protecting the building from outside damage.


    A small docking port hovered a hundred meters above, whereupon ten or so warships were stationed. A dangling spire at the center was the source of thepound’s protective aura.


    Most airships constructed in the elysiannds didn’t function outside of the domain’s borders. There were those warships that were specially blessed to allow them to work in the wastnds, however their energy was not limitless like the others. The tower at the center of the docks was a source of such energy, and through it the ships were able to maintain flight.


    This was, of course, a treasure bestowed upon them from the gods. No human was capable of creating such a wondrous thing.


    Wolfde, wrapped in hisrge cloak and hidden beneath theyers of bandages, was a mysterious and unsettling character. Strange as he appeared, no one here dared question his orders or act in opposition. This operation was the Dark Atom’s first direct assault on the elysiannds, and Wolfde was here to see to it personally. He was the one who’d put the n in motion, and he would see it through. It was the only way to ensure sess.


    “The valley’s forces should return in about ten minutes. We have five minutes to get through their defenses. Commence the attack.”


    “Yes, sir!”


    The Dark Atom’s five ships quickly reached the valley. Once over thepound it immediately began unloading scores of disc-shaped objects from their holds. They fell like rain to the buildings below and stuck to the shield of light protecting them. Each metallic disc had a shing light attached which pulsed with increasing frequency until atst-


    Boom!


    All at once, the Dark Atom’s enormous shaped charges detonated.


    Fractures instantly raced across the translucent shell as thousands of pounds of explosive force assailed it. An unending series of bombings followed, with the crackling roar of machine guns spitting a tempest of bullets. The fractures increased.


    Then, one of the ships released a concussive burst of blue light from a pulse cannon. The valley’s defenses could take no more and were destroyed.


    It’d taken less than ten seconds from start to finish – a fine disy of Wolfde’s tactical abilities. Skycloud domain’s advanced outpost was ovee without any wasted effort, as though Wolfde knew their defensive capabilities like the back of his hand.


    Hell’s Valley and its garrison was blindsided by the sudden, dreadful assault.


    When the rms began to sound, the docks – and in fact the whole valley – descended into turmoil. One of the docked ships on standby reacted first and managed to disembark.


    The jade-like ships of the elysians were gorgeous, standing in sharp contrast to the motley assortment of scrap that constituted wastnd airships. A spindle rose from the top of the warship around which coiled tens of thousands of sapphire bolts. Like a host of electric eels they slithered to the spindle’s tip, then exploded out in a burst of electrical energy.


    Boom!


    A hole appeared in the center of one of the enemy airships, molten edges dripping g metal.


    Elysian warships were powerful weapons of war, but the sneak attack had taken them by surprise. They were withoutmand and caught unprepared. While it managed to get a shot off, this lone vessel quickly became the focus of the Dark Atom’s remaining airships, which pummeled it with cannon fire. Its once beautiful exterior crumbled and burned.


    “Now!”


    At Wolfde’smand, the stranger in ck leapt out of the airship. He tumbled from over three hundred meters in the air without rope or harness. Even the valley’s instructors, strong as they were, would have faced fatal injury falling from such a height. Yet the ck-robed stranger did not hesitate. He fell faster and faster, nearly breaking the sound barrier, closing in on the beleaguered elysian warship.


    “Stop him!”


    There weren’t many left in the outpost, but those had stayed behind were seasoned warriors. The ck-robed man’s descent took only moment, but still the soldiers moved to react and intercept. They fired crossbows at the encroaching invader, bolts that were not only thicker than normal but alsoplex in their construction. A crystal set in the center of each shift shone with brilliant light, and they exploded fantastically when they hit their target.


    The shadowy visitor ignored these terrifying explosive bolts. A series of sts engulfed him, but he kept on perfect indifference. Hisrge frame pierced the clouds of acrid smoke and crashed into the ship’s highest point fist first.


    Its mask cracked loudly, shattering into a storm of splinters from top to bottom. In less time than it took to gasp, the cracks spread to the deck and then the hull. Finally, with an earth-shuddering st, the elysian warship snapped in half and erupted in me.


    It wasn’t Skycloud’s biggest warship, but it was still a mighty vessel several dozen meters long! Elysian equipment was known for its quality and durability, yet Wolfde’s henchmen cracked it apart with a single punch.


    Hundreds of Dark Atom invaders began the full assault.


    They jumped ship a couple hundred meters off the ground, but in contrast to the ck-robed man from before, they each had gliders strapped to their backs. From below, it looked like a gue of bats descending on the valley.


    Wolfde pulled the first of his three swords free from its sheath. This one was unique constructed, with three des arranged around a hollow center. It was an exquisite piece, but different from the weapons of the elysians. Theirs were typically created from jade-like material that was beautiful to behold, etched with artistically crafted designs.


    Wolfde’s weapon was not a work of art, but highly functional. It was certainly no product of the elysiannds, but nor was it a weapon you could find in the wastnds.


    Thatst one possibility. It had to be a weapon of the ancients, found in the ruins of their long-dead civilization.


    Wolfde pressed some level or switch, and the des began to rotate. They spun so quickly it became impossible to differentiate one de from the other, appearing only as a shimmering cylinder. A dazzling light radiated from the hollow center, bright as the wastnd sun. It stretched out fifteen meters toward the sky.


    With both hands on the hilt of the sword, Wolfde heaved it down onto the floating tower. Like a knife through paper, the light cut it right down the center.


    With the tower destroyed, the docks were done for.


    They’d only remained suspended over the valley thanks to the tower’s mysterious energy. Robbed of this power, the docks – and indeed all the airships attached it – began to fail. Gravity regained its dominance and started to drag them toward the ground.


    Dark Atom’s leader did not pause to enjoy the view. A glider with a pair of portable jetsunched Wolfde forward. He swung his magnificent de again, this time carving out a one hundred meter fissure in the fortress below.


    With two swings of his sword Wolfde had performed staggering feats!


    Most important to understand was the fact that Wolfde was no demonhunter. All of the power at hismand did note from any relic. In other words, all of incredible aplishments were due to the might of his weapons, the technology he carried. With them he could outperform any number of demonhunters.


    His assault was more than the elysians could fathom. How could a mere heathenmand such incredible power?


    The column of destructive light in Wolfde’s hand dissipated and the des stopped rotating. As is true with many powerful tools, it required tremendous energy to use and a long time to recharge. It was best used to destroy fortified positions, not protracted engagements.


    The Dark Atom had already achieved their goal. In destroying their ivory tower, the elysian dogs no longer had their warships to protect them. A second blow prated the valley’s mighty defenses, giving them a way in.


    Wolfde returned the sword to its sheath. He then drew the second.


    This one, like the first, was a product of ancient technology. It wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the first, merely a high-frequency de, but not to be underestimated. It vibrated at such a frequency that most average relics would be damaged or destroyed with a single blow.


    “Advance. Seven minutes twenty seconds remaining.”


    “Heheh, plenty of time.”


    Buzzard let a contingent of soldiers through the fissure Wolfde created. They were fast, too fast for the defenders to repel. By the time veterans gathered at the breach there were several dozen infiltrators already inside. Wolfde, the ck-robed man and the others began to battle the valley’s few guardians.


    Hell’s Army was formidable, far superior to any rag-tag wastnd outfit. Yet despite the name, they were not a standardbat outfit, with only a thousand or soldiers ready to take up arms. Its three instructors had left with six hundred of those men, with the remainder being all that stood between the Dark Atom and control of the valley.


    “Elysian dogs! Die!”


    One of the invaders was arge man, protected beneath a heavy iron vest. A cigar smoked behind his scruffy beard, and the minigun in his grip screamed as it mowed through the defenders. Heughed maniacally as he swept the gun back and forth. The fires that belched from its barrels shone off his bronze, sweat-drenched skin and made his burly frame shudder with each shot. Though he seemed out of his mind, this half-mad soldier was an expert in the field of control. Round after round was spat from the massive gun, and each one found its mark in a soldier’s head.


    An elite marksman like him could single-handedly fight off a whole battalion if he had suitable cover. Not far away from him an old man faced another group of soldiers. They were closing in while hezily pulled a vial ofe chemicalpound from his pockets. He flung it toward his foes with a slingshot.


    As the small sk hit the ground, it belched a ball of fire several meters into the air. An area ten meters in diameter was engulfed in mes, melting anyone unfortunate enough to be caught inside.


    In addition, the invaders were popted with several strong mutant soldiers. Halfway transformed between man and beast, they tore the elysians apart with tooth and w.


    So it went, with countless corpses marking each little victory.


    The Dark Atom boasted many capable warriors, before even counting the likes of Wolfde or his strange ck-robedpanion. There were all manner of fighters, all with different styles. However, the elysians did not sit idly b and wee death. After all, they were veteran warriors themselves. Each darted around the battlefield, quick as lightning, piercing through the mutants’ armor with their crossbows. Their weapons fired dozens of bolts in seconds and could punch through armor that would stop a de, urate as any rifle.


    Intensebat followed.


    Suddenly, Wolfde’s voice rang out through thepound. “The situation has changed! They’ll be back earlier than expected, prepare to defend!”