Sorah blinked against the furious sandstorm winds kicked up by Elder Liu's dramatic arrival alongside the mysterious Avalanche Oracle herself! Surely the ancestors blessed their besieged Cloud Hamlet this hour, he thought while covering his face. Local lore whispered outrageous tales of High Priestess Kaiya single-handedly decimating an entire Ignis Navy war squadron when they drifted too close attempting to hunt sacred Whale Dragons near her frozen ancestral harbours.
The regal ice witch now hovered gracefully atop her mighty Antarctic Swan steed alongside Elder Liu and his elegant Cloud Dragon. Kaiya aimed her rod towards the Red Sand Titan still struggling to crush Yanluo nearby, then proclaimed loudly with authority:
"Your trespass ends by my Winter Willow Staff! Now bear witness to why the permafrost shelters no Terravolt Kingdom traitors!"
Elder Yanluo had collapsed under the crushing strength of Dravenik's Red Sand Titan Avatar. But he stubbornly held onto his glowing Lightning Staff keeping lethal claws barely at bay overhead. Hearing their staunchest defender nearing defeat, Daichi and the students yelled encouragement from behind Breeze Plume's tattered frame struggling valiantly to shield them all.
"Don't give in Elder Yanluo!!" hollered Daichi, waving defiantly towards the callous Sand Colonel and his wicked masters. "We believe in you!"
Taking advantage of ongoing distractions, Dravenik's three Ignis General escorts now attempted to steal behind enemy lines by quietly dismissing their Titan Avatars into shimmering clouds then slithering stealthily towards the vulnerable students like hungry . No more exhausting long-range battles - they would conquer by cunning ambush!
But the decorated Generals had scarcely moved twenty feet before twin streams of frost burst forth unexpectedly from Kaiya's outstretched palms. Her Winter Willow Staff channelled formidable energies that instantly froze solid the Generals and the terrain itself. Jagged glacial spikes now pinned terrified soldiers helplessly frozen mid-step!
Were they witnessing accurately? Sorah rubbed swollen eyelids watching Kaiya single-handedly manipulate ambient moisture into weaponized sleet storms - a legendary hydromancy feat requiring absolute water affinity mastery and flawless breath control. This unique talent shaped liquid states for combat, architecture or artisanship without additional Titan augmentation. Truly the ancestors sent this gifted Oracle to preserve their Cloud Hamlet within her benevolent winter mists!
"Ah-ha, impressive Lady Kaiya!' cackled Elder Liu bolstering the morale spectacle while effortlessly dispelling his twister. "Your fellow Ignis and Terravolts scums make such lovely ice sculptures to decorate our burning sanctuary !"
Fuming at the reversal of fortunes, Colonel Dravenik locked outraged eyes towards his immobilized squad leaders. Never before suffered such utter humiliation this entire campaign! He then glared venomously at the two seniors boldly facing him down now. A punishing example must rectify this incompetence immediately, lest Viz Durak himself deem Dravenik unfit for losing key prisoners so often to fragile leaves and snowflakes!
Salvation or further tragedy balanced upon razor strands this hour depending on fates' fleeting whims.
"Huh?" Sorah noticed Dravenik's expression morph suddenly from anger into a jagged smirk dripping malice. Why demonstrate pleasure in witnessing top Generals incapacitated helplessly? Something sinister lurked within this Sand Devil's twitching eyes and scarred grin.
Indeed, vile Colonel Dravenik merely clapped mockingly at Kaiya's victory over his frozen officers, not a shred of concern else a better plan already formulated in anticipation of encountering the Aerithra Kingdom's elite Elementalist champions.
"Shrewd ambush Lady Kaiya. You weave formidable ice shards like my niece from the northern glacial fjords. But your efforts prove ultimately futile!" Dravenik unravelled a 10-foot-long sand scroll from his mech suit, kneeled in the centre reverently then aimed both crackling Vad'aaki Blades skyward.
"Huh?" Sorah's heart sank realizing what theatrical summoning was forthcoming.
"Oh Ancient Ones beyond the shattered abyss... receive now my exalted oaths unto oblivion's victory!"
Fwoosh!
The sand scroll flared and began releasing arcane energies above. Moreover, Dravenik's invocation echoed across their precious Cloud Hamlet like damnation's bells.
Sorah desperately prayed additional reinforcements arrived in time before total devastation from this malefic Colonel's true wicked powers manifested. With three decorated Generals now neutralized, who else lurked beyond those smoky ridges continuing efforts that was isolating them from the homeland's central protection? What further sadistic preparations did revenge-obsessed Dravenik arrange for this climactic checkmate?
Bellowing loudly, Colonel Dravenik proclaimed with frightening zeal glinting wildly from his twitching eyes: "By sovereign right of conquest, I summon thee Varzik - Crucible Colossus Titan Avatar!!"
All spectating forces stood hypnotized instantly by the frightening double helix inferno erupting suddenly high above the furthest burning tree lines into angry thunderclouds.
"What in the realm of Floating Leaves...?" Sorah almost choked on the scorching heat blast carrying faint screams from what bystanders assumed were over a dozen sacrificial prisoners tossed brutally into the towering flames supporting this unprecedented summoning.
What emerged next from the hellscape portal seared horrifying imagery akin to sacred mythology into all witnessing minds this day. Shrieking war chants heralded twin molten fists clenched murderously overhead as the mammoth 110-meter Crucible Colossus Titan Avatar stomped annihilating everything underneath feet wrought from jagged volcanic stone and churning magma currents.
Each apocalyptic footstep vaporized acres of forest into burning cinders under the influence of its notorious Burning Mantle Aura passive effect attributed only unto unholy champion Avatars exceeding a hundred meters in height! Massive pauldrons resembling demonic faces and a serpentine helm with frozen lava dripping from savage horns completed the nightmarish visage glaring contemptuously down towards Kaiya and Liu as insignificant worms destined for agonizing fates.
"No... this shouldn't be possible!" Yanluo whispered with what little strength remained housing the Red Sand Titan's crushing assault. Only supreme Dual Avatara Casters themselves could summon such gargantuan-scale Titan Avatar! How then did a dishonourable war criminal spawn this seismic horror?!
"Hahaha! Tremble and weep doomed Cloud Dancers before our Emperor's ultimate enforcer!" boasted the smug Sand Colonel from his saddle watching their terrified expressions. "Allow me to properly introduce Lord Viz Durak's personal Titan Avatar, Varzik - the Infernal Fel Goliath who once decimated the entire Avalanche outpost guarding Treacherous Pass decades ago... along with everyone who foolishly took up arms that day!"
Priestess Kaiya clearly recognized this monstrosity's accursed origins yet maintained a righteous composure atop her regal mount. Clasping the crystalline pommel containing Winter Willow her ancestor's very essence and strength, stoic Kaiya began to silently analyse her foe. She could not act rashly and further endanger so many helpless lives already burning underfoot this gruesome Fel Goliath.
Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!!
Villagers screamed as they fled from the hated abomination now casually swatting aside Avatar Guard flyers with sheer enormity. Gravity and hellfire scorched uncontrolled by the hour.
Young Akara tugging Mari's sleeve spotted one desperate Cloud Dragon rider knocked towards their unprotected group and knocked over Breeze Plume's exhausted frame! Mari and Daichi immediately shielded injured Sorah with their bodies against the falling rubble as everyone braced for impact.
Whhoosshhh!!!!!! ️
Yet cruel fate spared nought this hour. Their silken threads were merely postponing the inevitable. Sorah watched helplessly as his beloved students, the village hope incarnate, vanished suddenly behind smoky curtains that even mighty Yanluo's howling lightning and Elder Yu's cyclones couldn't pierce.
"Har-har! I win again despite your witchcraft!" Colonel Dravenik exclaimed triumphantly by some swirling sand portal his wicked troops had summoned nearby to secure fresh captives. Additional vessels of captivity could be heard launching with elemental apprentices or younglings to be forcibly impressed into service across their sprawling war academies.
"MARI! NO!" Sorah screamed hoarsely seeing her panicked eyes meet his own just as brutish sand snakes coiled tightly with crushing finality. Vanished alongside their innocent dreams into whatever nightmares hell had devised. Meili's pleading wail for Sorah was the last memory lingering painfully as the portal slowly receded with so many unspoken tomorrows.
Choking bitterness overwhelmed his senses... Yanosuke's youthful arrogance allowed points of weakness exploited... months denied reinforcing village security out of pride by the councils... now his remaining children were whisked away under swirling ashes.
Dear ancestors whose fading murals adorned their oldest stones... had everyone only imagined insulating such gentle beauty atop the mountain clouds? Sorah's entire sensibility combusted more intensely than the ravaging flames.
"MY LIFE FOR THEIRS!" Sorah bellowed towards the darkening skies, his anguished cry echoed across the valleys. He slammed both fists repeatedly into unforgiving rubble until knuckles leaked crimson tears. So many failures were cascading atop one another this nightmare eve, threatening to bury frail hopes not yet prepared to weather such viciousness from wicked realms beyond their once-peaceful borders.
Colonel Dravenik was clearly delighted witnessing the elderly master come emotionally unglued from having his beloved students ripped away so suddenly. He casually rested both sizzling blades atop his Titan Avatar's shoulder while addressing Sorah's dramatic outburst.
"What's this then? Does the toothless lion find his claws too late?" mocked the battle-scarred Sand Devil. "Pity the elders chained down their fangs in dispatching our initial scouts. Arrogance always breeds weakness!"
Dravenik next addressed his towering molten juggernaut still smashing efforts to regroup nearby Sky Patrol squadrons. Though bonded temporarily to the Colonel's ruthless will, Varzik exhibited personality traits from assimilating so many twisted souls into its broiling mantle over countless campaigns laying waste. Fearsome bellows promised to exterminate everything cherished by the feeble Air or Water conjurers.
"Overlord Varzik, cremate Yanluo first then bring me that whimpering dojo master! Any other heroes yearning for spectacular demise may petition an audience soon enough once Emperor Durak formally lands." His vicious cackle promised entertaining new gladiatorial spectacles awaited back in Terravolt underground for unruly captives or slaves.
"Elder Liu, we must accelerate our offensive despite the risks!" Sorah spoke hastily while gripping his friend's shoulder as the Cloud Dragon landed nearby. "I shall rescue our children from bondage or wrathful gods themselves may damn me into their hells!"
Venerable Liu studied his comrade's expression for a brief moment...