Sanctuary: Safe Haven

The air crackled with energy as Canna hovered above the weary shock troops, his wings stretching out behind him like a storm on the horizon. The previous battle against his undead army and the ferocious might of Stormtusk and Stormrend had pushed them to their limits. They were gasping for air, their faces slick with sweat, their muscles twitching from exertion.

But their eyes—sharp and determined—were locked onto Canna, knowing full well this was far from over.

"Let's begin," Canna's voice echoed through the barrier, his tone calm but dripping with the promise of more chaos.

With a snap of his fingers, the undead vanished, and Stormtusk and Stormrend were teleported out of the battlefield. The eerie silence that followed was short-lived, as the sanctuary crowd erupted into cheers, watching in awe and anticipation.

Now it was just Canna versus his elite shock troops.

Hovering above them like a god of battle, Canna observed the exhausted warriors below. The shock troops, though trained to fight calamities, knew this was something far greater. Their leader—a dragonkin with the power of a harbringer—was coming at them with his full strength. They had barely survived the onslaught of his summons and undead. Now, they had to face the storm himself.

The crowd's cheers faded into a tense silence as everyone waited for Canna's next move. The shock troops shifted their stances, weapons drawn, magic ready to be unleashed. Each one was poised and on edge, their breathing steadying, eyes wide as they scanned the sky for Canna's next move.

It happened in the blink of an eye.

A flash of light streaked across the battlefield, and a deafening thunderbolt exploded in the middle of the area, blinding everyone for a split second. That moment of distraction was all Canna needed. He transformed into lightning, his body becoming pure energy, and darted forward like a bolt from the heavens. His speed was beyond anything they could comprehend.

Before they could even react, five of the shock troops were sent flying out of the barrier, knocked unconscious by Canna's swift, devastating punches. The crowd roared in excitement, but the healers moved quickly, tending to the fallen troops. They were down for the count, knocked out cold by their leader's overwhelming strength.

The remaining shock troops froze for a moment, their eyes wide with disbelief. Canna had taken out five of them in a single second. With nothing but raw speed and power.

"He's fast," one of the troops muttered, gripping their sword tightly, trying to stay calm. "We can't let our guard down for even a second!"

The shock troops readied themselves again, but this time, they were more cautious. They couldn't afford to be caught off guard again. Every muscle in their bodies was tensed, prepared for whatever Canna would throw at them next.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Canna hovered above them, his glowing eyes observing their every move. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Good, they're adapting. But they still weren't prepared for what was coming.

Without warning, Canna dove from the sky, and the battle erupted into chaos once again.

The shock troops, now fully alert, moved into formation, a carefully practiced maneuver they had trained for months. Their battle formation was tight, designed to deal with powerful opponents like Canna. They split into teams, some charging in for close combat while others hung back, firing spells and arrows from a distance.

Tiberius, the barbarian, led the vanguard, his newly crafted greatsword gleaming in the dim light of the area. He charged at Canna with a roar, his blade coming down with the force of a mountain. But Canna was faster. In a blur of motion, Canna sidestepped the strike and landed a swift punch to Tiberius's side, sending him skidding across the ground.

Kaida, the poison-wielding beastkin, darted in from the side, her claws dripping with venom. She slashed at Canna's exposed flank, but he twisted his body just in time, her claws barely grazing him. Canna retaliated with a sharp kick, sending her flying back into the dirt.

At the same time, Maggi, the mohawked fire mage, stood back, launching blasts of fire toward Canna, each one hotter and more intense than the last. But Canna waved his hand, summoning a barrier of wind that deflected the flames, scattering them harmlessly into the air.

The troops circled around him, attacking from all angles. Swords clashed against Canna's skin, but his dragonkin scales deflected most of the blows. Arrows flew through the air, their tips glowing with enchantments meant to pierce his defenses, but Canna effortlessly dodged them with movements faster than the eye could follow.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the shock troops had gained the upper hand. Their coordination and tactics were perfect, their formations tight, their attacks relentless.

But then Canna roared.

The roar wasn't just any sound. It was the roar of a dragon, and it reverberated through the very souls of the shock troops. They felt it deep in their bones, shaking their resolve. A wave of fear washed over them, their bodies trembling as the power of Canna's Dragon Fear took hold. A visible wave of energy radiated from him, causing the ground to tremble and the air to crackle with lightning.

Every single member of the shock troops felt it—a 30% debuff, a heavy weight that slowed their movements and weakened their strikes. Enjoy exclusive content from empire

Some faltered, momentarily paralyzed by the overwhelming presence of their leader. Others fought through the fear, pushing their bodies to the limit just to stay in the fight.

But Canna wasn't done.

Lightning crackled along his body, his dragonkin form surging with raw energy. He blurred from one side of the battlefield to the other, a living storm, attacking faster than they could react. His fists and feet moved like blurs of destruction, knocking weapons from hands, smashing through shields, and sending warriors sprawling to the ground.

Every punch, every kick, every movement was precise and devastating.

But even in the face of this overwhelming power, the shock troops did not give up. They had trained for this, they had prepared for this, and they weren't going to let Canna defeat them so easily.

"Hold the line!" Tiberius shouted, picking himself up from the dirt, his body bruised but his spirit unbroken. "We can still do this!"

The shock troops rallied together, forming a tight circle around Canna. Their eyes were filled with determination, their bodies battered but unbowed. They knew they couldn't defeat Canna through brute force, but they could outlast him. They just needed to find an opening, a moment of weakness.

But how do you defeat someone who seems to have none?

Canna, hovering just above them, surveyed the battlefield. He was impressed. Despite the overwhelming odds, his shock troops were still standing, still fighting. They had taken everything he'd thrown at them and hadn't broken. Not yet.

But their time was running out.

With a burst of speed, Canna descended once more, diving into the heart of their formation. His fists flew like lightning, knocking aside swords and shields, disrupting their formation. Every strike was accompanied by a burst of wind or lightning, disorienting the troops further.

The shock troops fought back valiantly, but it was clear they were being pushed to their limits. Canna's speed, power, and tactical brilliance were too much for them to handle. But still, they pressed on, refusing to give in.

And then, in the middle of the chaos, a plan began to form.

Tiberius glanced at Kaida, who was struggling to keep up with Canna's movements. "We need to trap him," he shouted, barely dodging a lightning-charged punch. "Kaida, you and Maggi—disrupt his movement! We'll pin him down Thalion!"

Kaida, Maggi and Thalion nodded, understanding immediately. She unleashed a cloud of poison, aiming not for Canna directly but for the air around him. The toxic mist spread quickly, cutting off Canna's line of sight. At the same time, Maggi conjured pillars of fire, forcing Canna to dodge left and right.

Tiberius and the rest of the shock troops moved in, closing the gap, ready to spring the trap.

Canna grinned, sensing the shift in their tactics. Good, they're finally thinking.

But thinking wouldn't be enough.

With a flick of his wrist, Canna sent a bolt of lightning through the poison cloud, dispersing it instantly. He emerged from the smoke, his body crackling with power, and with a roar, he charged toward the shock troops once more.

The battle was far from over.