Chapter 57: Crown of blood
The Rootsite plaza in the Forgotten Atlanta Expanse was a crucible of chaos, Verdant Bastion’s thorned turrets and venom-sap pits pulsing under Mycoglyphs’ sickly glow.
Clayton stood bloodied but unbowed, Regalia of the Verdant Warden in spear form, Heartseed Core at 99% Genesis Threshold, Aspect Strain catastrophic yet fueled by spite.
Sheer willpower kept him going.
His 22 Initiate Ember Behemorph minions; 9 Thorn hounds, 7 Howl Shriekers, 5 Ash Sprites, 1 Spore Drifter flanked him via Aphid Network.
At his side loomed the Spore Plague Lord, a Luminous Seed Spore Crown Behemorph, its fungal mass radiating Toxic Spore Shroud, Mycotic Tendrils quivering like ghostly apparitions.
The Verdant Apostates; four corrupted trial survivors filled with a fiery desire to see him dead attacked, expecting a weakened Clayton, unaware his outlier gamble had turned their ambush into a trap.
As soon as they came, Clayton reacted.
"Wrong move, freaks," he growled, blood staining his smirk, dark humor a blade. "Meet my new pet".
The Apostates struck, Aspects igniting.
There was no hesitation in their movements.
The Echoes of Ruin Apostate led, spectral tendrils lashing, psychic whispers surging forward and tearing at Clayton’s mind, forcefully reminding him of his worst memories: Scorchpath’s ash, Echoterra’s dead, his sister’s fading face.