Crashing through any obstacle in its path, the Blighted Colossus slowly, but steadily gained ground. Marcus spotted several foolish people try their chances at attacking it, causing little to no harm – so much so they were simply ignored. Upon closer inspection, blood covered the monster – almost certainly from poor sods who had been on patrol. Mentally reaching out to his summons Marcus could’ve danced with joy when both responded and immediately started making their way towards the walking disaster.

Greg and Adrian finally made their appearance shortly after the colossus broke through one final gatehouse, crushing it without any apparent effort. “Adrian have you gained any new skills from your level ups from on our way here?” he asked.

“Yes actually, its an active ability that enhances shields that I hold. To what degree, I’m not sure, but I’d rather not test it on this thing,” Adrian replied.

Marcus realized now that he’d never inspected Greg, having no idea what to expect.

Greg – Level. 7 | Class: Paramedic

Well that could be useful – maybe that’s how so many people survived around him.

“Greg, I know this may not be the best time to ask, but what does your class do?”

“Basic healing spell, I just mentally select it and the effect appears – nothing like how your spells work,” Greg curtly answered.

“Alright good, Adrian you’re on tank duty... if you see an opportunity to distract this thing, do it. I’ll make simple javelins that you can throw, they won’t do much versus its armor, but each might draw its attention. Greg, it goes without saying, but try to keep people alive, and remove them from our combat area. I’m not much of a strategist, for now it’ll have to do.”

Hastily forming a dozen rough javelins only took fifteen seconds, while in that time their quarry had closed to within two-hundred meters. His summons remained another two minutes out, for now he’d start chipping away.

Experimentally, Marcus threw several Stone Throw’s towards its face, not expecting much of an effect. Each projectile exploded on contact - spreading shrapnel had a minor effect but caused no serious wounds. Next came Scorching Ray, here he found some success. Fire arced across the creature, destroying several silently screaming faces – ending their eternal torment. In their ‘deaths’ their relief was apparent - even when they’d be brutally scorched.

The Colossus finally reacted, roaring, searching for the source of its pain – something it’d never felt before. Crazed eyes scanned each individual, finally finding Marcus after several seconds. With a second below, it changed direction barreling towards a new target.

Marcus turned around, running while activating Capacitor Discharge and Overchanneling into Tendrils of Earth. Thick ribbons of stone burst from beneath the creature, entangling its legs. Cracks rapidly formed, but were repaired as added mana flooded into the spell – additional stone obtrusions pilled onto the creature, forcing it to hunker down. Five seconds later, a crack sounded out, their toppling foe slamming hard into the ground.

He breathed deeply, drained after using nearly a quarter of his mana in one go – overchannel much more expensive than he’d realized. From his peripherals Marcus noticed Greg dragging one final survivor out of range, unlocking his ability to bring in the big guns.

Activating all his applicable skills, Marcus deeply poured mana into Unstable Earthen Spines – hoping for a swift end to this fight. Nearing completion of his constructs, the Colossus swelled, corded muscles rippling over its entire form. Mana Sight revealed torrents of mana being shunted into the creature from an unknown external source – empowering and healing it in the process.

Wounds rapidly closed over its massive frame, undoing every effort thus far contributed. With a final heave, gigantic limbs freed themselves from earthen restraints – roaring angrily at being deprived easy food. Concentrating on maintaining spell integrity, Marcus didn’t see, nor react to a massive fist hurtling towards his chest.

Adrian cursed, interposing himself between the creature and his ally. Golden mana coalesced around his shield creating a ghostly image that overlapped and expanded its physical presence. If Marcus had been paying attention, he’d have noticed snippets of magical text solidifying upon Adrians ability.

What had once been a small kite shield, had expanded into what could only be described as an oversized tower shield. Fully manifesting in the nick of time, Adrian leaned into his block, praying that it’d be enough; compared to the colossal fist incoming he was still much too small.

Shock waves blasted radiated off an oversized fist as it rocked down and made contact - spider webbing the ground all around instantaneously. Shouting, Adrian poured his entire accumulated strength into this one moment. His shield responded - glowing blindingly bright before flashing one last time, releasing its final blow. Shattered bone elicited shocking echoes, revealing a monster rebuffed, and once again grounded, albeit missing one hand – one second later Marcus’s spell completed.

Marcus had clustered his entire set of constructs together, focusing their energy on a further concentrated area. Thick spines ruptured asphalt, spearing into and penetrating the Colossus, who immediate started to scream in agony. Marcus emptied his mana pool rapidly, spamming a stream of Scorching Rays, digging progressively deeper into armored tissue. Molten stone filled gaps in flesh before solidifying, further impeding his foes ability to move. Overchannel roradiously ate at his mana as wounds formed over the entirety of the colossal threat. Bottoming out on mana moments later, Marcus paled – it wasn’t dead yet, and his summons needed another minute to arrive.

Seeing their moment, groups of soldiers burst from surrounding doorways dragging long steel chains. Several stepped into the molten wasteland, severely burning themselves, but accomplishing their mission – sinking hooks into its body. Over a dozen links wrapped around extremities pinning them firmly down. Teams held each chain while additional men and woman frantically hammered pitons into the ground.

The Blighted Colossus wasn’t done resisting. Steel moaned, soldiers hanging on desperately while many of them were thrown tens of meters away when a limb gained temporary freedom. Marcus snapped out of his daze when Adrian, sporting a broken arm, yelled, “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU IDIOT, PIN IT!”

Fortunately, his spells had broken up what was once an asphalt road letting him pull deeply on the natural materials underneath. Vambraces of stone immobilized limbs first, before he slowly added supplementary matter covering what remained of the Colossus - progressing faster as his mana recovered partially. For added insurance, Marcus reshaped sections of steel chain, integrating it into his impromptu prison – forming a steel mesh covering its entire body.

Deep rumbling intermittently shook him, he could only hope these things needed to breath. Many soldiers panicked when Marcus’s summons showed up, but once they didn’t show any aggression most mellowed out. Fifteen minutes later the beast still hadn’t quieted, they’d need to finish this another way.

Looking towards his salamander he received an idea. Marcus created a small access shaft leading towards the back of his target, provided clear line of sight for ranged attacks. Moreover, he loosened his hold around its body yielding a small amount of space. Preparations complete, Marcus told everyone to step away, then ordered his summon to use its breath weapon.

Sticky napalm-like flames unceasingly jetted into the gap, fed by Marcus supplying extra mana. His prisoner howled while its flesh blackened and turned to cinders, deep cracks formed as the creature expended all its energy - desperately attempting an escape. Fearing its success, Marcus repaired his creation, providing material to repair any damage created by what he hoped were the creature’s death throes.

After thirty seconds of channeling the conflagration, his salamander reached its limits – ceasing and collapsing heavily. It required an additional half hour before all signs of life finally ceased, marking an end to what had been a walking nightmare. Marcus glanced over, watching Greg set, and heal Adrian’s broken arm – a useful trick; waiting for regeneration wasn’t pleasant. Marcus felt lightheaded after using an excess of mana, and exhausted from his exertions, passed out where he stood.

She struggled rationalizing what she’d just witnessed. Angelica had seen many incredible acts of destruction in her long career, weapons of war decimating hundreds at the press of a button - eliminating national threats from half a world away. What a single man could accomplish neared those levels already – in less than a week at that.

How am I supposed to contain someone like that? Even his friends are using magic to heal wounds, or block blows that’d flatten tanks! Goodwill eventually runs out, they’re helping out of some sense of justice now, but when that desire fades, what then? Governance as we’ve known it is over, might truly does make right now.

Glancing over at his unconscious form, Angelica signed. She’d need Marcus’s help training those in doing whatever it was that he did. Conventional arms didn’t function whatsoever and even if they did, she doubted their effectiveness versus threats they were already facing. After looking one last time, she stood, leaving the room.

Marcus awoke surrounded by defunct medical equipment. Lying in what was once a hospital wing, after looking around he found Adrian reading a book.

“Did I miss anything important, my body decided that it needed a nap and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Placing his book down Adrian spoke, “Nothing that couldn’t wait. They buried a dozen people, but Greg saved many more. Crazy bastards burned themselves to the bone killing that thing. All I can say is that we can’t handle too many more of those before its going to be time for a full retreat.”

“Agreed, thanks for saving my bacon back there, I’m sure I’d be a fine paste right about now otherwise,“ Marcus said, chuckling.

“Sure, sure. I’m just glad I’m finally able to do something useful – even if I can only pull that move once, maybe twice a fight before my mana is spent.”

“Damn, I was hoping I could just hide behind you like a mobile wall. Enough prattle, we’ve got Blighed to kill,“ Marcus tried to stand, immediately regretting the action when his brain discharged pure anguish,“ or maybe, I need more rest. Apparently, regeneration only goes so far before fatigue just overpowers even its miraculous powers.”

Adrian nodded and stood, and began walking out, but stopped in the doorway, “Not that it matters much, you know as well as I do that going out a night is a death sentence. You may be able to see in the dark, but Greg and I aren’t so lucky. Relax for the night - I at least brought you your books even though I'm not sure how you read something so dry.”

Adrian passed the book he’d been reading, looking at its cover it was his book over Enchanting. Finding a comfortable position, Marcus cracked open the text, and began studying.