The thunderous echo of the impact rolled across the rooftops of Einjaar, fading into a suffocating, heavy silence. The massive cloud of pulverized stone and dirt hung in the air like a gray fog, choking out the afternoon sun.
Slowly, the wind began to pull the veil of dust apart, revealing the newly rewritten topography of the estate.
The courtyard no longer existed. In its place was a massive, concussive crater of fractured bedrock and molten earth. The sheer kinetic displacement had ripped the cobblestones from the ground, burying the ruined remains of the mansion's outer walls.
Captain Reh let out a ragged, choking breath. His arms trembled violently as he lowered his warped, cracked shield. The reinforced steel had buckled under the shockwave, and the armor plating on his shoulders was completely stripped of its ornate gold trim.
He peered over the jagged rim of his shield into the depression.
