Although he was already close to the gate, the moment the commander turned around, his eyes flew wide in disbelief.
From the shadowed treeline, hundreds of titans erupted, towering monstrosities clad in obsidian-black armor and flowing white cloaks, like wrathful guardians forged by the hands of a forgotten god. Their eyes glowed faintly behind their helms, and their sheer size made the giant tree smaller in comparison.
Some hurled massive axes and shields with terrifying force, so great the very air screamed as it split. When those weapons struck, soldiers didn't fall, they exploded into red mist, limbs flung like broken dolls.
The crushing weight of their presence alone pressed against the chest like a boulder. The commander had heard of giants before, tales whispered over firelight, but nothing in those stories had prepared him for this. These were not mere giants. These were something more.
