Chapter 99: The lava and the Horn
Max slammed his palm against the surface of his wristwatch.
"Deploy Max Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot. Fire on the Tier 6s. Now."
A sharp beep answered him. Overhead, the shadow of the Ironhold flagship split open. Four massive figures dropped through the smoke—armored machines, each as large as Alpha and Beta. Their chests bore names in white: CHARLIE, DELTA, ECHO, FOXTROT.
The machines landed hard. Earth cracked beneath their weight.
Without pause, they split—two veering toward the minotaur, the other two sprinting at the salamander.
High above, the ship’s cannons lit up. A barrage of crimson lances rained down on the battlefield. The minotaur raised its arms as the beams struck, its black hide sizzling but refusing to tear. It didn’t stop. It didn’t even stagger.
Then Charlie and Delta collided with it, metal slamming into muscle.
The minotaur crashed into the dirt, snarling as the bots pinned it. One climbed onto its chest, driving a reinforced knee down. The other grappled its arms.
A sound split the sky—a distant whistle.
Then the diamond pole fell, a spear of judgment. It struck the minotaur square in the chest, digging deep.
But the beast roared.
Its arm surged upward, swatting Charlie away like scrap. Delta reached for the pole—too late. The minotaur gripped its head, lifted it clean off the ground, and slammed it into the earth.