Laston's smirk vanished. He had expected that attack to deal a crippling blow, yet King Gulben still stood with his blade raised in defiance after blocking his attack.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, Laston shook his head. This wasn't going as planned.
He had intended to kill Gulben swiftly, clearing the way to deal with the Dragonborn before claiming the palace without resistance. But this battle was dragging on far too long. If he kept wasting energy , it would complicate everything.
No. He needed to end this now.
Without hesitation, he raised his wrist and pressed something on the sleek screen embedded into his cybernetic gauntlet.
King Gulben's sharp eyes caught the movement immediately. His instincts screamed at him. Whatever Laston was doing, it couldn't be good.
Ignoring the trembling in his arms from blocking that last devastating attack, he forced himself forward, silver aura flaring as he charged.
He didn't know what Laston was activating, but he wasn't about to let him do it.
King Gulben's silver aura flared wildly, his determination burning hotter than ever. He gritted his teeth and swung his sword with furious speed, unleashing a storm of crescent-shaped silver slashes.
Each swing sent out ten razor-sharp arcs of energy, cutting through the air like a relentless barrage. Within moments, hundreds of these slashes filled the sky, converging on Laston from every direction.
Laston's crimson cybernetic eyes widened for a split second before he quickly made his decision.
He couldn't counter with his sword because his hands were still occupied, rapidly typing commands into the screen on his wrist. He needed to dodge, and fast.
With an abrupt burst of speed, he twisted his body, maneuvering through the storm of slashes with impressive agility.
His movements were precise, weaving between the deadly arcs of light. But even with his enhanced reflexes, he couldn't escape them all.
A silver crescent cut across his left shoulder, sending a spray of blood into the air. Another slashed through his side, searing through armor and flesh alike.
Pain flared through his body, but he clenched his jaw and pressed on, his fingers never stopping their work on the screen.
King Gulben narrowed his eyes. He saw what Laston was doing, he was prioritizing something over defense. That meant whatever he was activating was dangerous.
The Elf King wasn't about to let that happen.
But king Gulben suddenly caught sight of the smirk spreading across his enemy's face. A sinking realization struck him. Laston had finished whatever he was doing. He was too late.
Before he could react, five portals burst open around Laston, crackling with dark energy.
From within them emerged five identical figures, each one a perfect robotic clone of Laston, their eyes glowing crimson, their energy source inside their bodies humming with power.
Their movements were eerily synchronized, yet each held an individual presence, as if they weren't mere machines but extensions of Laston himself.
King Gulben's sharp gaze scanned them. He could sense that these weren't mindless puppets. They carried a part of Laston's consciousness.
What he thinking was true, their artificial intelligence infused with his strategic mind. They would plan and react just as the real Laston would.
"You now have to play with another version of me," Laston said, his voice dripping with amusement.
King Gulben clenched his jaw, his grip tightening around his sword. "This is cowardly! You have no dignity!" he spat, fury lacing his words. "Hiding behind machines instead of fighting me yourself? Where is your honor?"
Laston threw his head back and laughed. "Honor? Dignity? What do those matter if I can't take back what's mine?" His crimson eyes gleamed. "You can keep clinging to your ideals, Gulben. But ideals won't protect your palace."
With a single motion he pressed a button on his wrist.
Instantly, the five clones sprang into action. They surrounded King Gulben in the air, and launched their assault all at once.
Their jagged black swords crackling with the same black lightning streaked with crimson as Laston's sword. They attack from every angle, slashing through the air, forcing King Gulben onto the defensive.
Each attack erupted into bursts of raw energy, igniting the stormy sky with violent explosions of black and crimson lightning. The king's silver aura dimming.
The dark clouds above roared in response, casting an ominous glow over the battlefield. Every strike illuminated the sky like a hellish beacon, visible from miles away.
From the throne room's balcony, king Gulben's advisors stood frozen, their faces pale as they watched the chaotic spectacle unfolding above.
They had never seen such an overwhelming force bearing down on their king. The sheer scale of destruction made their stomachs twist with unease.
"He's completely surrounded," one advisor whispered, gripping the stone railing so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"We must send reinforcements—" another said.
But the eldest of them shook his head gravely. "No one else can interfere in a battle . It is beyond us."
Meanwhile, King Gulben gritted his teeth as he parried blow after blow, his silver sword clashing against the clones' relentless strikes. His body screamed in pain, his arms still trembling from the previous attacks, but he refused to falter.
With every swing, he sent out arcs of silver light, trying to break free from the encirclement.
But the clones adapted instantly, dodging and countering, their coordinated assault leaving him no room to breathe.
Then, in a flash, two of the clones raised their swords high, their energy flaring.
A moment later, twin spears of black lightning shot down toward Gulben from above, while the others lunged at him from below, aiming to cut off any escape.
Another silver light shot up from below, striking one of the clones from behind. The clone hissed and released a cloud of smoke as the attack landed.
Laston narrowed his eyes at the unexpected interference. "Another one getting in my way, huh?" he muttered.
King Gulben was equally surprised by the sudden aid, but he quickly recognized the familiar Magic in the attack.
A moment later, Aerchon appeared beside him, sword already in hand.
"Father, are you all right?" Aerchon asked, concern evident in his voice.
King Gulben gave a faint smile. "Yes. But we don't have time for conversation, Aerchon."
Aerchon nodded grimly. "You're right."
Without another word, the two of them launched into battle, striking at the remaining clones together.