Chapter 032Greater PowersElementals were annoying to fight. Much like other spirits, they weren’t actually here on the material plane, and thus didn’t die when their form was destroyed. However, unlike spirits from the outer planes, who favored vessels made out of pure magic, elementals favored vessels at least partially made out of real materials. This typically made them slower and clumsier than other spirits, but more resilient and harder to banish. Their forms were anchored to the material plane in a unique way, and could be repeatedly damaged without disrupting the underlying magic that animated them.The earth elementals surrounding them were not weak either. They were all vaguely humanoid in shape, and as tall as Beortan. Although not an absolute rule, elementals tended to take on more humanoid appearance the more powerful they became. These elementals had crude forms, more resembling roughly-hewn statues than a man of stone, but it still suggested they were far beyond something like Chompy.The barrel-shaped device on top of the dwarven war machine opened fire on them without warning, seeking to surprise them while they were distracted by Voyager’s departure. A bright beam of blue energy swept across the terrain, trying to slice them in half in one fell swoop. This close to the war machine, the firing of the beam was much louder than he remembered, and the glow more blinding.Even so, all three of them dodged the beam. They were scattered, but unharmed.The elementals attacked immediately afterwards.Four of the earth elementals catapulted themselves into the air in an attempt to slam down on them. Others simply charged at speeds one would not expect from such a heavy, clumsy-looking being. Two of them sank into the soil, seeking to surprise them from below. One of them transformed into a boulder and rolled towards them at high speeds.In response, (...)