Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

The battlefield descended into confusion.

”Why... why can’t I activate my Skill?!” one Thunder Roar warrior shouted after realizing that his lightning aura had faded out like a dying flame.

Master Ren’s face also darkened as he swung his blade again, only to feel the emptiness where his Water Sword Style should have flowed. ”Our Survivor Skills... they’re gone,” he muttered, disbelief could be felt through his tone.

Lord Khan frowned, confirming that his blade effect was still working, but he couldn’t activate his Survivor Skills.

”Damn it! They’ve sealed our powers somehow. Fight with what you have... guns, swords, mystical items! They’re still working fine!”

The Alliance warriors obeyed, but the difference was simply too huge.

Without their Skills, their strikes lacked the devastating force they were accustomed to. Rifles were used more often, but they didn’t have enough penetration power.

Still, their blades were sharp, so they fought in close combat instead...

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Unfortunately, it was not easy. The defenders of Eclipse Domain were also prepared!

Although their side was also affected by the cancellation of the Survivor Skills, the Warden Units didn’t need them in the first place!

Soon, their continued using guns and other projectiles!

”Block!”

The Crimson Shield warriors took the brunt of the assault, but they also raised their tower shields to stop the incoming Combat Exosuit fighters... Although their Barrier Generator could still absorb the turret fire, their coverage had reduced.

On the other hand, the River Flow fighters swung their curved blades and relied on their mystical rings and talismans granting them bursts of speed or hardened defense.

Survivor Skills may be an issue, but they had many other tools!

In the meantime, the Thunder Roar troops unleashed the stored charges from their lightning-infused weapons, each strike still powerful, but nowhere near the overwhelming force of their Skills.

”Keep fighting!” Commander Cross shouted. Soon, his shield was glowing as he blocked a hail of bullets.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

”Our items still work, just use them!”

The battle continued. Mystical amulets were activated, enchanted blades were triggered, and rifles were used. Yet it was not enough.

The Warden Units reformed their phalanx, their rifles then fired in perfect coordination, while the Combat Exosuit Brigade pressed forward like a wall of steel.

After a few more minutes, Casualties mounted. The Alliance’s warriors fought bravely, but without their Skills, they were being pushed back step by step.

Lord Khan knew that this was not good.

”We can’t hold like this. If we don’t break them now, we’ll be slaughtered.”

Master Ren’s eyes narrowed. ”Then we use it. The trump card.”

Commander Cross hesitated. ”The golems? They were meant for the Mech Frames...”

”We have no choice,” Ren said coldly. ”If we don’t summon them now, they will crush us.”

Khan frowned, but he had no other choice. Soon, raised his blade high, ”Clear the area!”

This was a signal for the Allied forces. Immediately, they realized that the leaders were planning to bring out the golems.

Thankfully, summoning them didn’t require Survivor Skill Activation. As a matter of fact, everyone could still use these Spirit Points, but they could not use them to activate their Skills or Talent for some reason.

Because of that, they managed to trigger the core!

From the rear lines, ten cores were raised. It didn’t take that long before the ground trembled as the stones cracked open, releasing waves of energy.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ten colossal golems emerged, towering over the battlefield.

Their bodies were forged of stone and iron, and they had one red stone on their head acting as their eye. Each step shook the earth and their presence immediately boosted the Allied Clan’s morale.

”Golems... they’ve brought out the golems!” a defender shouted in alarm.

The massive constructs surged forward, smashing into the walls of Eclipse Domain.

Their fists shattered the barriers, and their stomps easily broke defensive lines! Even their swings crushed turrets into rubble.

Everything happened so quickly!

Crash!

The wall cracked under their assault, and chunks of stone collapsed as the barrier failed to protect the shelter!

In just a few moments, all the turrets in front exploded one after another...

”The Eclipse Domain has been breached!” Khan roared triumphantly.

Alliance warriors cheered, their morale was raised as the golems tore through the defenses. The defenders had to retreat as their lines were broken!

However, this didn’t mean that the Eclipse Domain was finished. The Combat Exosuit and the Silence Field were just a part of their massive defense plan.

From deep within the shelter, a rumble echoed. The ground beneath the golems shook violently.

Then, without warning, massive tree roots burst from the earth!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The roots coiled around the golems’ legs, their arms, their torsos.

This happened so quickly!

The roots were thick as towers and they wrapped around the constructs, binding them tightly!

”What is this?!” Commander Cross shouted, his eyes wide.

The golems struggled, their fists pounding against the roots, but more and more sprouted from the ground.

The battlefield became a forest of writhing tree roots and each one constricting the colossal golems!

Although they were late, they had clearly done their part!

Master Ren’s blade trembled in his hand. ”This... This is something else. What’s going on? Some kind of nature-based defense? Do they have something stronger than the Druids of Green Haven Clan?”

Lord Khan couldn’t believe what was going on. ”They didn’t even summon their Aegis Mech Frames... and yet they’re holding us back with this?!”

The Alliance warriors watched in disbelief as their trump card was restrained. Ten mighty golems, summoned to break Eclipse Domain, were now bound by living roots, unable to move.

The defenders of Eclipse Domain rallied as they knew about its existence.

Just like that, the battlefield had shifted once again.

The Alliance had breached the walls, but Eclipse Domain had unleashed a power none of them had expected.

And now, the war was far from decided.

***

In the meantime, deep within the heart of Eclipse Domain, far from the battlefield, a quiet sanctuary filled with mana suddenly stirred.

This was the inner chamber where Shane had planted the sapling of the World Tree. At the moment, it was a fragile, three-meter-tall miracle that had taken root in the shelter’s soil.

Though small compared to the legendary World Tree of the Fairy Realm, its presence radiated a gentle aura of mana, filling the chamber with calmness that could not be felt outside.

Guarding it was Axis, Shane’s palm‑sized fairy companion.

Barely the size of a human hand, her wings glowed like fragments of moonlight... As she moved, she scattered faint motes of energy around.

Soon, she hovered near the tree... Around them were dozens of Mana Crystals embedded into the walls and floor or just scattered on the ground. Their light refracted across the chamber, bathing Axis in a rainbow of mana streams.

Axis pressed her hands together, as she spoke in the ancient tongue of the Fairy Realm.

”Little one... awaken. The enemies have breached our walls. The defenders are fighting out there... Lend them your strength.”

The World Tree trembled, its leaves rustling though no wind touched them.

Soon, a faint hum filled the chamber. It was the sound of mana gathering.

Axis closed her eyes, channeling the power of the crystals around them into the tree in order to guide the spirit of the tree to the enemies...

Just like that, she was able to help the Defenders even from afar.

Of course, it didn’t last for long... Their mission was only to destroy those Golems attacking them.

On the battlefield, the roots that had crushed the golems began to retreat.

”Eh? We have some people who sneaked in?” Axis was surprised as she didn’t expect that after the barrier was destroyed, some sneaky Survivors had actually managed to enter the Eclipse Domain without the defenders’ notice!

It seemed that they were using a special item to hide their movements, since they couldn’t use their Skills and Talent.

”Ahem... Let’s work again...” Axis muttered. After all, she was ordered by Shane to help the shelter fight against enemies that the Super Soldiers and Warden Units couldn’t handle.

The World Tree had answered.

From beneath the soil of Eclipse Domain, new roots surged forth... They were thinner, but stronger, and far more numerous than before.

This time, they were targeting individuals...

A total of 12 people had actually sneaked in during the chaos!

”Let’s just use them as fertilizers! No need to capture or report them to Shane.” Axis said with confidence.

Just like that, they did not simply bind the targets. They lashed out like whips, or pierced their hearts without any hesitation...

”What is this?!”

”Someone can see us?”

”Help! Aacckk--”

”I can’t cut these roots! We need to retreat!”

”AhhH!”

Even with their armor, speed, and weapons, they failed to fight back against the young World Tree! They all perished in less than a minute!

Soon, Axis hovered near the trunk and celebrated with a song...

Well, it was not a melody meant for human ears, but a chant of resonance, binding her spirit to the tree’s will.

After a few moments, the World Tree sucked in all its energy and empowered itself!

Once it was done, the tree’s roots began to withdraw, retreating back into the earth.

There were only some traces on the ground that the World Tree had acted within the walls of the shelter, but there was no other evidence, as the corpses, including their items, were taken underground.