《Twin Sons of the Devil and the Dragonblood - Progression Fantasy》 Chapter 0.1: Arcane Awakening - Part 1 Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter. Raindrops fell in torrents from the sky filled with thick dark clouds. ¡°Nnngh! P-Please, stop¡­¡± Eleven-year-old Azrahel whimpered in pain as his captor roughly pressed at his wounds with his foot. Azrahel was soaked in blood and could barely move. A rope with spikes was used to tie him. As if his bounds were not enough to immobilize him, he was stomped upon by a soldier of the Nexxus Alliance. These terrifying soldiers suddenly came to ruin their peaceful lives. Despite the stormy weather, the one stepping on Azrahel grinned wickedly. The soldier¡¯s eyes shined with mirth at the sight of Azrahel¡¯s suffering. Having the power to torment them was getting into his head. Disgusted, Azrahel gritted his teeth and held back a scream as the soldier pressed at his wound with more pressure. ¡°Nnnngh!!!¡± Azrahel would rather hold it in, than let his captor revel more. But the pain was too much. Azrahel could not stop more tears from escaping his golden eyes and dropping from his muddied face. He stretched his hand, trying to reach out to his father Vaelros who was wrapped in thick thorny chains and was being dragged away by more soldiers of the Nexxus Alliance. Lightning flashed briefly showing the gruesome scenery, blood had dripped down the muddy puddles of water Vaelros body was dragged through. Their father was heavily beaten up by the soldiers as they insisted on crimes he did not commit. ¡®Can¡¯t we do something?¡¯ Azrahel thought. If things simply continued like this, what if they never see their father again? They could not possibly let their father be taken away from them. Azrahel gulped and called out to his twin, ¡°E-Etheron!¡± But when Azrahel glanced at his brother, they were in the same plight. Etheron clearly wanted to do something as well but they were too weak against these people. ¡°Please, don¡¯t take our dad!¡± Azrahel begged. What else could they do against all these people? Etheron understood without a word and joined Azrahel in trying to plead with the soldiers again. ¡°We¡¯re farmers. I¡¯ve never even seen my father fight against an army. Please stop¡­¡± ¡°Farmer? So that¡¯s what he''s playing at now?¡± one of the soldiers said mockingly. ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve heard,¡± another soldier commented. The soldiers glanced at the twin and laughed as well. ¡°Hahaha¡­..These sinners are trying to make themselves look innocent,¡± the soldiers'' laughter resounded eerily. Azrahel and Etheron glanced at each other and tried begging again while the soldiers seemed to be in a good mood. However, the young twins'' pleas fell on deaf ears and were further drowned by the whistling wind and rain, and whatever madness was engulfing these soldiers. Or, they were mad from the start. ¡°Just shut it and do as you¡¯re told. Sinners must accept their punishment,¡± the soldiers glared. Azrahel¡¯s head drooped gloomily as he realized there was no talking or begging that would work on these people. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. It was clear the soldiers did not care one bit about whatever the twins had to say. Was this the end? Hopelessness washed over Azrahel. But, Etheron gritted his teeth and looked up defiantly to the soldier watching him. ¡°Nnnngh!!!¡± Erethon mustered all the strength he could on a useless attempt to break free. ¡°You! Free me and fight me fair and square if you¡¯re so strong!¡± Erethon dared to challenge the soldier as he desperately tried to break free despite the pain piercing his body. The more he wriggled, the more cuts he got as the thorns of the rope dug into his skin. ¡°Whoa! Take a look at this kid! Hahaha¡­¡± The Supreme Jailer who was with the soldiers mocked Etheron¡¯s effort. ¡°These sinners must be punished accordingly. Soldier, take the whip and beat some sense to him again,¡± the Supreme Jailer instructed. Azrahel and Etheron froze as the soldier assigned to the latter once again brought out his whip. ¡°Just be obedient and na?ve like your weak brother there and you¡¯ll live! Want to play a hero?¡± The Supreme Jailer sneered at Etheron, his eyes looking down as if pondering how many of the latter¡¯s bones should be broken into pieces. ¡°Whip him!¡± The soldier immediately obeyed. Whoosh! ¡°Argh!¡± Etheron screamed in pain, but his eyes remained determined. ¡°P-Please, stop! We¡¯ll behave,¡± Azrahel pleaded on his twin¡¯s behalf. But the Supreme Jailer disliked the look in Etheron¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Again!¡± ¡°Arghh!!!!¡± Etheron gritted his teeth as the pain from the whip came even stronger. ¡°Again, until he learns his lesson,¡± the Supreme Jailer sneered. ¡°P-please, stop! Please¡­¡± Azrahel cried but to no avail. They whipped Etheron again and again until he screamed and shrieked, all the while, they ignored Azrahel¡¯s pleas for them to stop. The thunderclaps and the whistling wind could not even hide Etheron¡¯s shrieks and screams of pain. Vaelros, who had been unconscious, woke up from the sound of his son¡¯s voices. His whole body was screaming in pain, but he mustered the strength to sit up. ¡°!!!¡± Vaelros was petrified at the sight that greeted him. Azrahel¡¯s body was bloody and filled with cuts as he desperately tried to reach out to Etheron but was always pulled back by the soldier assigned to him. Etheron looked like he was barely alive and conscious from all the beating inflicted on him. ¡®NO!!!¡¯ Vaelros could not possibly lose his kids. Not again. ¡°STOP!! Leave them alone! They¡¯re just children. Come at me instead!¡± Vaelros screamed at the soldiers. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally awake? Unfortunately, the weak have no rights,¡± the Supreme Jailer sneered at Vaelros and once again gave the signal for Etheron to be whipped. As the jailer turned to Etheron to watch him get whipped once more¡­ Pweh! Everyone froze. Etheron spat out at the Supreme Jailer, who was known for hanging kids dry out in the scorching sun. ¡°DAMN KID!!! You filthy worm! Spitting on a high ranking official like me!¡± The Supreme Jailer¡¯s eyes almost turned red in fury as he gave a death glare at Etheron. ¡°Give me that!¡± Enraged at the insult, the Jailer grabbed the whip from the soldier and repeatedly beat up Etheron. Whoosh! Chuck. Shuuksh. The sound of the whip hitting Etheron¡¯s bloodied skin resounded along with the ignored screams of Vaelros and Azrahel for the Supreme Jailer to stop. ¡°Aaargh!! Ackhhh!!¡± Etheron repeatedly spewed blood, but the jailer couldn''t care less. His wounds dripped with blood as they beat him up, but the Supreme Jailer was drunk on the pleasure of showing who was stronger and in control here. And, the Nexxus¡¯ soldiers here did not really care about the weak. Because in this realm, only the strong had the right to survive. This was what they believed in. Azrahel gritted his teeth as he felt the suffering of his twin. In this world, only their father Vaelros and a few people truly cared for them. Yes, just them. Meanwhile, these soldiers and their people only saw them as nothing less than animals. It was like they were pests that needed to be crushed. It was clear in everyone¡¯s eyes here. ¡°STOP!!! That¡¯s enough!!! Stop! He¡¯s going to die!¡± Seeing Etheron¡¯s suffering, Vaelros screamed as he mustered all his strength to free himself from his restraints, but to no avail. ¡°???¡± Everyone glanced at Vaelros. A sense of relief washed over him when the whipping stopped. However, the soldiers and the Supreme Jailer grinned at Vaelros with maniacal eyes. He realized it was exactly what they wanted. They wanted Etheron dead. Vaelros¡¯ blood turned cold. He discarded all his pride and pleaded, ¡°No, please¡­Don¡¯t! I beg of you! Please don¡¯t kill him! He¡¯s just a kid. Let them be and take me wherever you want.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Their laughter roared. They visibly liked hearing Vaelros beg. But, all his pleas fell on deaf ears. ¡°Watch, Vaelros,¡± the Supreme Jailer commanded. Shing. With eyes set on doing something despicable, the Supreme Jailer took his meter-long sword called Forsaken Blade. Sensing the imminent danger, Vaelros and Azrahel desperately tried to free themselves to go to Etheron as they both screamed, ¡°STOP!! DON¡¯T!!!¡± Slash! Etheron¡¯s body was slashed from the left shoulder to his right leg. And, as if it was not enough, the Supreme Jailer slit his mouth as well. ¡°ETHERON!!!!¡± Azrahel shrieked and fell to his knees. Azrahel gripped on his chest, feeling immense pain and immeasurable sense of loss as he felt his twin¡¯s pain. ¡°NOOO!!!! Damn you all!!!¡± Vaelros¡¯ roar resounded. Fury and grief overwhelmed him and his voice broke as he said, ¡°He¡¯s just a kid¡­ Why??! How could you?! Why?!!¡± Vaelros felt like a part of his soul just died at the sight of his son¡¯s body bathing in blood. Though he was injured and bleeding, Etheron was moving about and whole earlier. But now, Vaelros just witnessed Etheron stop moving. ¡°No¡­ Etheron¡­¡± Vaelros froze. ¡®I¡¯m such a useless father¡­ I was not able to protect him,¡¯ he thought as he was petrified in grief. ¡°D-Dad!¡± Azrahel screamed and his voice woke up Vaelros from a trance. ¡°Azrahel!¡± Vaelros gasped when he realized he still had Azrahel. He must protect him! Chapter 0.2. Arcane Awakening - Part 2 The Supreme Jailer was walking towards Azrahel. Vaelros realized what they planned next. ¡°NO!!¡± Vaelros screamed. ¡°See? What can you people do?¡± The Supreme Jailer chuckled at their helplessness. ¡°Nnggh!¡± Vaelros tried to break free from his bounds. But, to no avail. ¡°Stay away from me! Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Azrahel cried as the Supreme Jailer approached him with the sword he used on Etheron still dripping with blood. ¡°Your time is up kid,¡± the soldier in charge of Azrahel said and gave way for the Supreme Jailer. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, but your father and brother are rotten maggots trying to climb their way up. They ought to know their place,¡± the Supreme Jailer said as he shook his head in mockery. Filled with dread as the soldiers held him in place, Vaelros kneeled on all fours with his head lowered close to the ground. His bloody face was splashed with mud non-stop with every drop of rain. Some mud droplets entered his ears. Vaelros could tell the Supreme Jailer was someone who flaunted his power. Thus, trying to appease the jailer by humbling himself might help. Vaelros would do everything to save his remaining son! ¡°Please¡­ Please, I beg you! Please, I¡¯ll do anything you say. Please¡­ Let him live!¡± Vaelros begged. ¡°Wahaha! Hahaha!¡± The Supreme Jailer laughed happily at Vaelros actions. ¡°So, the once mighty Vaelros Dreadstelth of the Livingrings knew how to humble himself! Yes, I will spare him!¡± the Supreme Jailer said. Vaelros found hope as they agreed to his plea. But the next instant¡­ Shing! Chuck. Screech. The sound of the sword trying to cut into Azrahel¡¯s thin neckline was heard clashing with the thick armored necklace Vaelros had given him. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Azrahel screamed as he tried to distance himself, but was punched in the gut and fell to the ground. The Supreme Jailer grinned as Azrahel lay on the ground, vulnerable to be cut. ¡°STOP!!! You bastards!!!!¡± Vaelros roared in desperation, using all his strength left, he tried to run to Azrahel, but the soldiers pulled him back using the chains they had bound him with. Ensuring Vaelros could do nothing but watch helplessly, the Supreme Jailer swung Forsaken Blade and swiftly thrusted it ten times into Azrahel¡¯s body. ¡°His body is much weaker than his twin. Only his eyes seem to be alive now. But not for long,¡± said the Supreme Jailer and grinned. At this moment, Etheron with his last spark of life, still felt the pain and agony as he saw his twin brother stabbed many more times. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Azrahel had his hands outstretched to his father as he lay there stabbed by the Supreme Jailer, reaching out as his life neared its end. Tears escaped Etheron¡¯s eyes as he tried to scream, but he could no longer talk after they slit his mouth. Still, he was able to make some sounds and was heard. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re still alive, boy?!¡± The Supreme Jailer and the soldiers noticed Etheron again. ¡°You really don¡¯t know when to give up, huh? You should have just stayed silent. Or was the pain too much? You wanted the last blow? Fine, I¡¯ll grant it.¡± The Supreme Jailer chuckled as he looked down at the barely alive Etheron. Shing! Thud. Etheron¡¯s bloody head fell to the filthy ground and was covered in blood and dirt as it rolled over. His eyes with tears were now all covered in mud as it blankly looked at his father¡¯s direction. Plop. Much to the Supreme Jailer¡¯s mirth, it stopped in a puddle of water as if to further the pain Etheron suffered. His head was separated more than a meter away from his body that was not in the least bit in a better situation. His abdomen was torn open and his internal organs spilled out. Etheron and Azrahel¡¯s blood flowed everywhere and had stained the ground into a dark red hue. ¡°...¡± Vaelros fell to his knees. His mouth was agape. He was at a loss for words at what just happened right in front him. ¡®This must be a nightmare. Yes, I must still be unconscious.¡¯ He refused to accept the reality in front him. It was only after a few seconds of glitch and denial in his mind did Vaelros finally processed everything. It was real. His two adorable sons were dead. They were killed right in front of him. ¡°Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Etheron!!!...Azrahel!!!!¡± Vaelros screamed and wailed in despair. His battered body, limping from all the torture he got, became numb of all the pain as the worst heartache a parent could ever have, visited him again. And this time, much worse than the first. The twins were gone. So cruelly at that. And Vaelros was not able to do anything to save them. All hope was lost. Until suddenly¡­ The air trembled. The winds became still, and the torrential rain stopped falling. An eerie silence filled everything. A prelude to something¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on?!!¡± The Supreme Jailer and the soldiers looked around in alarm. A terrifying aura filled the surroundings and the air vibrated as if fighting with gravity itself. Then, a blinding light flashed. Amidst all this, Azrahel¡¯s body began healing and regenerating so quickly that his wounds were closing as they watched. He stood while all his wounds mended instantly. His eyes opened with a burning glare while his whole body was still bathed with all the light swirling around him as his body was restored to health. Only gasps were heard as they witnessed something so shocking and supposedly impossible. The next instant, only a few words were heard. And it wasn¡¯t theirs. ¡°Soul Taker-Bloodbath!¡± The body of the Supreme Jailer suddenly started to wither, holes appeared on his skin, and his blood started gushing out like little fountains. ¡°Arrgh!!!!¡± The Supreme Jailer screamed in fear and pain. It resounded to the whole area and all the soldiers heard it. The soldiers were petrified where they stood and could not move even when they wanted to. They felt by instinct that whoever moved would be the next. Thus, the Supreme Jailer¡¯s wail boomed in silence. It continued until only a pool of blood, some bones, and the Forsaken Blade were left where the jailer was last seen standing. There was silence, fear, and grief¡­ Inside the minds of some of the troops of the Nexxus¡¯ Crimson Legion, ¡®At least the other one is dead. But, how should we kill this creature? Does he even die?!¡¯ Some of the strongest soldiers present started to move their bodies for defense formation. But¡­ ¡°Lumina Nova - Regeneration.¡± As if time stood still, they witnessed how Etheron¡¯s body parts reassembled and healed. In the face of the immense power they had witnessed, some soldiers sensed immediate death if they did not flee. Thus, those who could move tried to run as far as possible even with their feet heavy with fear. They ran as fast as they could, away from the carnage they just witnessed. Thunder rumbled and the rains continued to drop, as a blinding flash of lightning tore through the sky, the bolt struck one of the ancient trees. It ignited its gnarled branches in a searing blaze and illuminated the vicinity. As for those who remained frozen with fear, it was as if time itself was not moving, and they could only wait for their demise. These soldiers were then the next target, until in that accursed place, nothing remained but a pool of blood. The soldiers who captured the three ¡°sinners¡± and were supposed to punish them, were the ones who got punished instead, when they were faced with an immense unknown power. *** After some time, in a village in the Obsidian Cradle Kingdom¡­ ¡°This event was recorded by those who survived. Forsaken Blade was taken by the Warden Supreme of Nimraelth Kingdom and dedicated to their king, King Halrun. No one knows where those demons now dwell, but they will be pursued by the Nexxus for the sake of all humanity. The twin sons of Vaelros Dreadstelth, known in the legends as the Twin Sons of the Devil...¡± ¡°What a story! Let¡¯s borrow the next part of this book,¡± a ten-year-old boy exclaimed. ¡°Crethon! Didn¡¯t you hear what the adults were talking about? It¡¯s not a book for us kids to hold! I will tell my father!¡± Fedenor, the son of a retired soldier , scolded Crethon. Crethon was a scribe¡¯s son. His father was their neighbor who had been sick for a long-time. Their father¡¯s were good friends, so Fedenor¡¯s father was supporting Crethon¡¯s family. They got hold of a book Crethon¡¯s father was working on. They heard it could help him earn more silver coins or a few gold coins if approved by the king. "Silence, Fedenor! We''ll sneak again tomorrow," Crethon insisted with unyielding stubbornness. He wanted to know what else happened after that. ¡°You never learn, do you?¡± Fedenor sighed in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m just curious,¡± Crethon defended himself. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just sleep for today.¡± Fedenor answered with crossed arms. Crethon hid the book in a worn down drawer and headed to bed. Fedenor followed suit. It was already late into the night. ¡°Huh! Oh man! Are these rags all we can use?¡± Fedenor complained as he pulled at their blankets. ¡°Shut up and sleep! Geez,¡± Crethon hushed. Due to his family¡¯s situation, everything in their house was old. The kids turned off the lamp and fell asleep soundly. . . . Meanwhile, in a far away place. . . ¡°Soul Reaper Arcana ¨C Bloodbath!¡± Several bodies of soldiers simultaneously erupted into pools of blood, while they were still preparing to charge. They could not even do anything to stop it. ¡°Azrahel, how many times have I told you to hold back!¡± Etheron scolded his twin. ¡°And what are those small squirming bats at your back Etheron?¡± Azrahel calmly replied, as if feeling nothing that many were killed by him instantly. ¡°Shut up! They alerted us of the attack, remember!¡± Etheron loved these creatures. ¡°Oh, those small squirming ugly bats?¡± Azrahel said teasingly. ¡°Enough you two. Etheron, don¡¯t bully or use too much force when fighting. Where are the trees in front of us? And Azrahel, no need for so much blood¡­ Hayss¡­ How many times have I told you? Life is not to be taken lightly¡­¡± Vaelros scolded. He will never get used to the powers of these two even after witnessing it several times already. Chapter 1. Kingdom of the Obsidian Cradle The Obsidian Cradle The strong never cry, never fall on their knees weeping like helpless weaklings. This was a theme strongly believed in this realm full of chaos, wars, dark sorcery, and slavery. The strong lead while the weak merely follow and obey. Are you one of them? ¡°Bend your knees and kneel before the king!¡± The Royal Herald proclaimed loudly to the faces of many people who had lined up. They were visibly stricken with terror and poverty. The citizens murmuring and glancing at each other, slowly bent their knees, crumpling their rag-like, untidy, and faded clothes. Their clothes had been worn countless times and washed in murky waters. Thick layers of oily residue clung to their skin, capturing every speck of dirt and debris which were carved with their sunken cheeks and eyes that seemed too large for their skeletal frames. A rotten stench mixed with the odor of the haze that surrounded the land as the people here rarely bathed. ¡°I, Rubeer Marbather, the 86th king of this Obsidian Cradle will grant your wish of riches and freedom!¡± The king¡¯s bold declaration made everyone gasp in awe. Who would not want riches and freedom? King Rubeer Marbather, leader of the Nexxus Alliance, had perfectly caught the people¡¯s attention. As far as the common people knew, the Nexxus was an alliance of thirteen kingdoms who had agreed to work together to vanquish evil and protect humanity at all cost. Today, representatives of the said kingdoms were gathered here in the capital of Marbather for a great cause they must uphold. ¡°Listen! People of the Obsidian Cradle, I will offer you treasures beyond your wildest dreams. Mountains of gold, the finest garments from the farthest corners of the world, jewels that could blind the gods itself!¡± The King paused, letting them absorb his words. ¡°Whoah!!¡± The people cheered at this glimpse at a better life. In this poverty-stricken realm, of course, they would love to accept such things. ¡°My people, raise your eyes to the leaders of the Nexxus¡­ We are now on a new path to gaining one of the strongest powers of this world. The Seal of Gaxinar, Keeper of the Sons of the Devil. We only ask you to help us slay a kingdom full of sinners, The Kingdom of Livingrings. A kingdom that had eaten babies, massacred villagers, and made ancient pacts with the devils. Are you ready?¡± King Rubeer shouted gloriously to the multitude. ¡°Whoaaa!!!! Yes!!! Hail the mighty leaders of the Nexxus!!!!!¡± Everyone yelled their support to King Rubeer and the Nexxus Alliance. Even many children who did not know what they were lifting their feeble hands and voices for, followed suit. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The sound of ignorance trumpeted in the kingdom, filled with jumping and clapping of the hands, as the flags of the 13 kingdoms waved in the winds of uncertainty. The 13 leaders of the Nexxus stood proudly as the people rejoiced, hoping that more will be given to them when the Nexxus becomes even more powerful after taking the legendary great seal. They were also glad to know that the kingdom, being gossiped about as a place full of evil people ¡ª able to transform into unsightly monsters and demons and eat people, would finally be put to its end. The Sons of the Devil, known only in history as hideous creatures created by their father from its grotesque burning form ¡ª untouchable even to the other gods since everything that got near it perished. It was rumored that there were light-bearers (worshippers) of the Twin Sons of the Devil who onced lived before Livingrings even existed. They worshipped the twin demons who wished to be brought above ground. The light-bearers were said to have summoned the devils themselves and all of them got killed. Their fates now only reside in what history people decided to write about them. The ¡®supreme human warriors¡¯ of the past had made the Seal of Gaxinar by releasing all their powers and turning these into one form, all to protect the following generations. The Seal of Gaxinar ultimately bound the two sons of the devil to never live again. Many people did not believe in their existence, but they loved the idea of humans killing the devils themselves. This had been retold countless times, that many people believed it to be the truth. Hence, it was the fate of humanity, of the powerful, to take the seal back, like the Nexxus Alliance and their elite soldiers to harness its power back for all humanity to benefit. After all, many researchers and wizards from other kingdoms, especially the Nexxus, had published it officially that the Kingdom of Livingrings wanted to use the Seal of Gaxinar only for themselves. It was said that the Kingdom of Livingrings wanted to conquer the surrounding kingdoms, and they had prepared all these centuries. Then, unleash their true forms in other lands and make the people sacrifices to their gods. Due to this, people believed the Kingdom of Livingrings was a place of evil. Even the children believed that everyone in Livingrings were like ordinary beasts. Thus, they deserved being hunted by the soldiers like the huntsmen do in the wild. Hatred of Livingrings spread so much that a mention of its name boiled the blood of everyone who heard it. Many would not even dare go near its waters or see it for themselves, afraid of their curses, and the belief that the demons may consume them and their children. After his public speech was well received, King Rubeer smiled at the representatives of the Nexxus Alliance, who smiled back at him. He glanced back at the crowd of people. ¡®You, miserable filthy creatures! Do you think you seek freedom? Do you think your hearts long for liberation? Foolish!¡¯ King Rubeer had darker thoughts while smiling towards the crowd. Rubeer did not even want to get near these peasants, for fear their foulness would give him diseases. The old men struggling to walk, the blind, the deaf, the poor, the weak, he secretly abhorred them. But for now, he needed their support and approval to move for the sake of his grand plans for the future. He needed them to work at the mines, at the armory, all kinds of labor for the kingdom for all their years of existence. This tactic had been practiced by these leaders to let the soldiers trample on anyone who was against them. For all their citizens to even give up their riches, their children, their all, for one cause, provide everything for the wars the Nexxus supported and created. ¡°My king, preparations are ready,¡± Commander Onarath approached King Rubeer once they had moved into the palace, out of sight from the commoners. Commander Onarath was the leader of the Obsidian Vipers, the Obsidian Cradle¡¯s elite squad. ¡°Make sure most of your squad returns safely. I don¡¯t want the Obsidian Vipers to lose against their forces.¡± King Rubeer slightly gestured at the side with his eyes, where the other leaders were talking with their elite squads. As the leader of the alliance, Rubeer must ensure their forces remain the strongest and most enduring. After all, their plans were set and ready to be implemented. There were already many spies in the Kingdom of Livingrings who provided valuable information. The said spies were highly trained combatants and had magical powers granted by sorcery to be used for their safety. They were people from different kingdoms of the Nexxus who gave their loyalty in exchange for safety and benefits. They served as the spear and shield of the Nexxus and were valuable assets. On the Livingrings part, they had great wizards and the mysterious Auroras, a transparent sphere-shaped multi-layered barrier of magic that protected them for centuries. The wizards often assisted the people of Livingrings during trade and peace negotiations. Even with their few numbers, the wizards were able to hold back many attacks from different enemies who were there to conquer, or simply curious how to enter the great Auroras to hunt the said devils inside. After much effort and careful observation, the spies of the Nexxus had learned when the wizards of Livingrings would be going out or when they would return. Even if they were not able to calculate exactly, their estimates were near the actual periods. These were nuisance and the greatest hindrance to their plans, they needed them to die. But, their plans for these creatures took centuries to bear fruit. They had also used many sorcery rituals done under the guidance of a strong wizard in the Nexxus. King Rubeer looked around the hall while a trusted servant wiped black liquids at a sacred altar, which was at the farther end with an unwiped halberd, still blood-drenched with the number of sacrifices it chopped today. Authors Note: *Rubeer Marbather - King of The Obsidian Cradle *Nexxus - an alliance of 13 kingdoms *Seal of Gaxinar - a mysterious power said to have sealed the twin sons of the devil *Light-bearers - worshippers of the sons of the devil *Kingdom of Livingrings - ¡°a land filled with ¡®sinners¡¯ who could transform into monsters and demons¡± *Commander Onarath - leader of the Obsidian Vipers *Obsidian Vipers - Obsidian Cradle¡¯s elite squad Chapter 2. The Kingdom of Livingrings & the Beginning of Chaos It had skulls piled beside it with relics of the weapons his ancestors used to chop off the heads of the kings of enemy kingdoms, who dared not to bow before their might. It had been a long time since all the leaders of the Nexxus stood in the Obsidian Cradle¡­ Every kingdom was cooperating for their shared goal. Meanwhile, in the Livingrings Kingdom, there were many infightings. To make things worse and divide Livingrings further, the Nexxus had assigned people to gather in different locations, spreading bad gossip about the kingdom¡¯s leaders and wizards. It was all for their noble cause, of course. Faliamber - Capital City of Livingrings Kingdom ¡°General Vaelros! There is a disturbance again at the western side of the city. It¡¯s much worse than the previous incidents in the past months,¡± Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw stormed into the General¡¯s office. ¡°Are those outsiders spreading lies about our kingdom again?¡± General Vaelros Dreadstelth said with a furrowed brow while holding his waist. Why must outsiders always meddle with their kingdom like this? Was it because of what they have here? Livingrings was a kingdom filled with lush nature and various animals which were not seen in other lands. They roamed here freely. The animals were peaceful as if knowing they should not destroy houses or step on people. They only eat plants. What they have in Livingrings were only seen in picture books studied by the privileged in other kingdoms; who were not able to see their magnificence in person, since these were said to have gone extinct long ago, or only created in the fantasies of their ancestors¡¯ imagination. There were clean water fountains where everyone drank from. Many fruits hang from trees all around the pathways and cities; all free for the people to eat, except those intended for selling. These had circular magical marks. The sun always shone brightly too, and further illuminated the timeless beauty of the kingdom due to its castles and buildings towering in pure white marble. But, as if not wanting this place to live in peace, there were many disturbances that had risen recently. The cases had greatly increased these past three years. Like this time, when the children of the king were away on vacation and an upcoming festival was approaching to celebrate another year of keeping the seal pure. Occasions like these usually had more incidents, but the cases this time had become more often. General Vaelros sighed deeply. They must be more vigilant than ever. ¡°Yes, Sir! But, they¡¯re stronger than before and our foot soldiers can¡¯t fight them on their own. About fifty of our soldiers are down. There are 10 magical apprentices trying to aid, and one told me something is amiss.¡± Gol Furbuw reported loudly, earnestly waiting for the general to respond immediately. ¡°It was that bad?!¡± Vaelros frowned, doubting that the apprentice wizards were unable to handle those weak insurgents. After all, the wizards were so powerful. The wizards of Livingrings were not human. They originated from the Floating Orb ¡ª a mysterious place floating right above the skies of Livingrings. It was invisible to all, except for the wizards who dwell and were born there. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Aside from the highest-ranking wizards, people of Livingrings call all other wizards as apprentices no matter how different their ranks were. ¡°Yes, Sir. We need more hands. We must head there at once since¡­,¡± Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw added the rest in a much lower voice. ¡°The prince and princess are also there.¡± ¡°What?! Are you sure?!¡± Vaelros was alarmed. ¡°Yes, I am sure. I saw them myself,¡± Furbuw confirmed. ¡°Then, we will head there immediately,¡± Vaelros rose from his seat and quickly gave orders to his men. ¡°Gather the Silver Legion and prepare for departure. We will support the apprentices¡­¡± The general gathered some of his troops, the Silver Legion in particular, since they could act more quickly with their flying mounts called Celestial Drakes. Vaelros also summoned his Celestial Drake ¨C Leviathan. These Celestial Drakes were large, wise, and graceful draconic beasts who were said to be anointed pets of the gods. They usually come from the ¡®source¡¯ before the wizards gave these to the humans. They were only used by high-ranking officers and important citizens of Livingrings. Celestial Drakes were usually silver-scaled in color with vast, ethereal wings that sparkle like starlight, allowing them to soar effortlessly through the skies. Celestial Drakes could make huge magical barriers to protect their riders during battles. They could also disappear when they were no longer used by the riders. The Celestial Drake and the rider had magical links built over time with trust. These made the drakes know if they should disappear. The humans here in Livingrings knew it was the innate ability of the Celestial Drakes given by the gods. Leviathan was gifted to Vaelros by one of the Divine Archmages named Beledon, one of the highest-ranking wizards in Livingrings. Leviathan is a radiant white-colored drake, strong in physique and could create his own armor with magic. High-born Celestial Drakes like Leviathan were white in color, and usually blessed by the wizards that gifted them with different abilities. These could be harnessed only if they got stronger and if their riders were able to withstand their powers. Leviathan could sometimes communicate telepathically to General Vaelros when necessary, or allowed by the wizards in extreme situations. The communication gradually lasts longer as they grow stronger with the battles they fought or the magical powers they faced. Leviathan had been Vaelros¡¯ strong and reliable partner for years now. Receiving the Summons, members of the Silver Legion arrived quickly one after another. Some came from the training grounds, some from their assigned patrol areas nearby, and some from the palace. With enough members of the Silver Legion gathered, they were ready to depart. ¡°As we don our armor, let us remember the sacred oath we took to protect this kingdom and uphold justice. In honor of those who sacrificed their lives for our cause, let us raise our swords for Livingrings!¡± Vaelros Dreadstelth proudly lifted his gigantic sword ¡ª shimmering with a white and bluish hue that seemed to capture the very essence of the sky. Its blade, forged from an enchanted blue steel, was as wide and as long as his arm. The general was tall, more than seven feet and packed with muscles from rigorous training. Intricate runes and sigils etched along the blade''s surface, glowed faintly. It hinted at the ancient magic imbued within the metal, and the value it wanted to communicate to all who saw the one bearing it. The hilt was wrapped in black leather, providing a firm grip for the general''s powerful hands, and was adorned with a sapphire pommel. ¡°To Livingrings!¡± The Silver Legion shouted in unison while lifting their weapons. They prepared to take off with their Celestial Drakes. With Vaelros¡¯ leading, they took off and headed to the west side of the city. People from all places they passed by watched and cheered as the Silver Legion flew in the sky, their blue capes regally moving with the winds. After all, they were their symbol of hope, strength, and divine favor. The citizens and any young talents looked up to them and had already begun their training. There were even people waging gold to see who could be brigadier, major, or lieutenant generals first among the promising talents. General Vaelros¡¯ sons, Calek and Donvar, watched proudly at a distance, smiling and waving to their father. Calek and Donvar were among the talents highly regarded by the citizens due to their father¡¯s reputation. If Calek and Donvar ever want to follow in Vaelros¡¯ footsteps, he would be able to train them well and share what he learned while he was in the position. Calek, 14 years old, was under body endurance training, while Donvar, 9 years old was still starting to grasp magic. Vaelros waved back at his children and continued heading for the location Lieutenant Furbuw had informed him. Upon approaching the west side of the city, they focused on their mission. Vaelros frowned when they arrived at the location and from above, spotted the kings¡¯ children. Princess Nymeria and Prince Orion were amidst the incident itself even though they were supposed to be on vacation at Mistwalker Palace. ¡°What happened to them!¡± Vaelros inquired. The children were trapped in a cube formed by a greenish moving water-like cage that had tentacles wiggling and circling around it consistently. It looked like some kind of living organism with some dangerous binding abilities. ¡°Those are like shields and prison bars at the same time, General. The apprentice wizards are unable to break them,¡± Gol Furbuw replied, his eyes darted anxiously, his lips getting tight after seeing the situation had gotten worse. Author¡¯s Note: *Vaelros Dreadstelth - General of the Divine Army of Livingrings * Gol Furbuw - Lieutenant General in the Divine Army *Floating Orb - birthplace of the wizards in Livingrings and dwelling of the highest-ranking wizards *Celestial Drakes - draconic mounts of the Divine Army *Leviathan - Vaelros¡¯ Celestial Drake *Beledon - a Divine Archmage who gifted Leviathan to Vaelros *Calek and Donvar - Vaelros¡¯ children *Nymeria and Orion - young prince and princess of Livingrings *Mistwalker Palace - a vacation place of the royal family outside the city Chapter 3. Ellysian Chains of Urus Thankfully, the wizards had successfully secured the cube containing the prince and princess. What they needed now was how to free them from it. However, the attackers, ¨C a kind of two-headed humanoid monsters that began attacking them every now and then years ago, were still around. The Ravenhailers¡¯ faces were not visible due to the black robes draped all over their bodies, completely covering their forms, but they were emitting clear hostility towards them. General Vaelros and the Silver Legion needed to swoop in now. The wizard apprentices nodded at Vaelros and activated barrier spells to protect the prince and princess and the other areas from harm. Vaelros then glanced at his comrades. Their task was to eliminate the Ravenhailers. ¡°Soldiers of the Silver Legion, our mission is to strike the enemy fortifications from the skies. Remember your training. Trust in your mounts, and let the light of the divine guide you!" General Vaelros reassured his soldiers. He flew ahead of them and signaled the first attack. ¡°Targets marked! Prepare for Radiant Slash!¡± Vaelros shouted and started the activation of the magical release. ¡°By the light of the heavens, let our power be unleashed!¡± The Silver Legion responded in unison and their eyes shimmered with a similar glow of the moon¡¯s graceful light. Dazzling display of light and magical energy were launched at the Ravenhailers. It flashed so fast and turned the four targets into ash. But, something did not feel right. They were defeated so easily. Likewise, Ravenhailers could let their bodies dissipate into black birds and could later reform again. Vaelros and the Divine Army have fought eight of these before. It was time consuming since Ravenhailers could disperse and escape in a faraway place then reform again. Back then, the Divine army even had to send several generals to lead their divisions in different parts of the kingdom just for the eight Ravenhailers they encountered. Ravenhailers could not easily be defeated by normal means since they could not get hit immediately. The eighth they fought in the past had managed to escape many times and randomly killed citizens as they fled from one place to another. Thus, Vaelros was suspicious as to why the Ravenhailers they just attacked now were defeated effortlessly. "We have fought far stronger members of these destruction operators every week as they¡¯ve started rallies, burned farms, and stolen from resource boxes. They would not have weakened this easily or even proceeded with this threat if they could not fight properly,¡± General Vaelros pointed out. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± The Silver Legion soldiers were also confused at what just happened. However, for now, what was important was that the prince and princess were safe. Right on time, they spotted the King on his way with General Hovereth and his men who escorted him. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Let¡¯s get the prince and princess to safety,¡± General Vaelros commanded his squadron to protect the prince and princess from further harm. Something still felt amiss though so Vaelros was still not at ease. There could be a threat they did not know yet. Or perhaps, there was some information not yet given to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this cage and these tentacles? Shouldn¡¯t we break them?¡± General Vaelros wondered as he closed in, planning to remove the squirming green walls of liquid to free the two. He felt bad for the Prince and Princess that had to suffer because of this. They were even younger than his own kids and yet, they were exposed to this kind of danger. Upon looking closer, he could see they were injured. Nymeria and Orion looked relieved to see them, but were still scared since they were still inside the cage and could not speak with them. Vaelros was about to touch the cage tentacles when he was interrupted. ¡°Sire, please don¡¯t touch those. They serve as defense mechanisms and turn into iron-like green swords upon contact. That¡¯s how these two were full of wounds since we used magic and weapons.¡± One of the wizard apprentices explained quickly, knowing the generals¡¯ preference for immediate response ¨C using his muscles and weapons. ¡®Magic? There really is something weird here. Even if these are apprentice wizards, they could easily undo simple spells like barriers and runes,¡¯ Vaelros thought to himself while going around the cage, examining every angle. ¡°His Majesty has arrived,¡± one of the apprentices announced. Vaelros and the others moved to make a path and bowed in greeting. The king acknowledged them and went to his kids without delay. Recognizing the wizards who followed, it was clear the king was able to get the aid of two higher-ranked wizards ¨C Rune Masters, who were about to go to the outer area of the Auroras due to some urgent news. Rune Masters were wizards who made rune stones, decipher ancient text, forge legendary artifacts, control or summon beasts, and could go outside the protective barrier (Auroras) of Livingrings. Their other powers were not fully known. ¡°Heavens! Your Majesty, these are Ellysian Chains,¡± the two Rune Masters exclaimed in alarm upon getting a closer look at the water-like cage with tentacles. ¡°What?! How can some ordinary raiders and small-time hypocrites create these spells?¡± King Thalorin Sealbearer puzzledly said and looked at the two wizards, wanting to get more explanation. ¡°These are experimental chains made from harvested unique materials from the northern kingdoms of Urus,¡± Jenna, one of the Rune Masters answered respectfully. The Kingdom of Urus was blessed with both dangerous and beneficial minerals and resources. However, those who try to harvest must be able to fend off stronger enemies, or else even the little they got would be taken away. ¡°They layered these with defensive spells and curses. We have to send the Highnesses to the Divine Archmages. However¡­¡± Dunesther, the other Rune Master, glanced at the sky. The Auroras had visible holes in it which was also another state of emergency the wizards were busy with. The holes were known because the entire magical barrier had dark violet spots, a sign of the barrier''s weakening, as if an unseen darkness seeped in Livingrings unobserved. The barrier shimmered and flickered; the dark violet spots gradually widened as if resisting the very powers that kept the Auroras intact for centuries. Dunesther wanted to tell King Thalorin that the Divine Archmages were preoccupied at the moment due to the magical holes appearing in their kingdom¡¯s defense fields, and thus, there could be delays. The Archmages might not be able to respond and heal the prince and princess immediately. After all, due to the holes in the Auroras, the waters around the Livingrings Kingdom were rising at an alarming rate. This was the last news reported to the humans, which was received from the wizards outside the Auroras a few hours ago. One of the side-effects of the Auroras having multiple holes was the seawater levels rising so quickly around Livingrings. Even if these rarely happened, because of their multilayered barrier that even covers the base of the kingdom under the waters, it was better to be prepared, than getting a massive flood and having casualties. The Auroras were defense mechanisms from thousands of years ago, built by powerful Eternal Maggis ¨C the most ancient of all wizards. There were no records of how these wizards died, only their accomplishments were recorded in history. Yet, the magical defense fields they built had protected the Kingdom of Livingrings from many attackers, like thousands of armies from neighboring kingdoms. Jenna took over and checked the vital signs of the Prince and Princess first. While the attention was on the results Jenna was reporting, Vaelros tugged at Dunesther and said in a low voice, ¡°May I have a word?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. General Vaelros,¡± Dunesther nodded. Vaelros then said in a low voice, ¡°Magical holes are rare for the Auroras. And, these are about the fifth this year, which I had seen myself. You know this more than me. Do I need to know something you¡¯re not sharing with us?¡± Dunesther had a troubled expression and looked away instead of replying. After all, Vaelros was implying that they could be facing a bigger threat. And with Dunesther¡¯s reaction, there is a high probability Dunesther already knew about it, but was not sharing the information. The Auroras could detect many threats. For instance, once the Auroras sensed so much evil, they changed into a shield that even if it looked thin and composed of different changing spiraling colors, would make it impossible for those outside the shield to see what was inside and would prevent any attacks. The only drawback was, even those people inside would no longer be able to see what was going on outside the Auroras. Author¡¯s Note: *Ravenhailers - two-headed humanoid monsters *General Hovereth - another General of the Divine Army *Thalorin Sealbearer - King of Livingrings *Jenna - a Rune Master *Dunesther - a Rune Master *Rune Master - a kind of wizard making rune stones, deciphering ancient text, and forging legendary artifacts that can control elements and summon some beasts *Kingdom of Urus - where the materials for the Ellysian Chains was harvested Chapter 4. Auroras and the Floating Orb Thus, they could end up going on with their lives like usual, not knowing there were battles around them. Such instances had already occurred countless times, like right now. The king, the generals, and the Divine Army knew some information; but not to the same extent as those who went outside it when such battles were raging. The outermost layer of the Auroras glimmered with a soft, silvery light which acted as a veil testing the intent of those who go inside. However, it often allowed individuals to enter even if they had bad intentions, unless they entered in groups or hordes. As a protection, the said layer also twisted the memories of visitors once they step outside Livingrings. These were turned into dreams, nightmares, and mirages ¨C making it hard for outsiders to recall what exactly happened. Beyond the silvery veil, the second layer of the Auroras radiated a deep, azure blue ¨C anyone with evil intent thrown into this would be in a very perilous situation. This second layer was infused with protective spells, capable of repelling dark magic and harmful intentions. Its surface rippled like water upon first contact, but had formidable defenses in its cryptic dimensions. For instance, it had labyrinth-like dimensions and seemingly unending oceans. Once outsiders die inside the second layer, they would automatically be casted out of the Auroras. The Divine Army often fought in the secondary layers (all layers aside from the first) in the unknown labyrinth-like or maze-like dimensions. These mazes and labyrinths had monsters in them and sometimes, there were also treasures. Most trainees for the Divine Army will go inside these at the age of 17. They fought with different levels of monsters until they got used to how things worked here. Some of those who ventured inside the second layer had also encountered some humans living inside, who never seemed to die even if the enemies tried to kill them. In some areas, it was like unending caves while in others, there seemed to be unending floors with twisting patterns. Most of those not used to these will be defeated immediately. Among the things inside it which would be grave if the intruders entered were those allotted for the guardians, like the Eliccan Tree Watcher which sapped the life of humans to nourish its young, the 10 Sin Confessing Chambers that had their own systems and purgatories, Seas of the Fallen, the Mind Extraction King, and more. As for the soldiers of Livingrings, they received the blessings of the guardians if they defeated the themselves. Vaelros and General Hovereth reached one of the deepest floors by working together and bringing lots of magic potions with them. It was a popular rumor that they took bags of potions with them and were heavily laughed at by their fellow trainees back in the day. ¡®With how complex the Aurora¡¯s mechanisms are, it should have been able to stop intruders from coming in. But why have Raivenhailers'' attacks become more often?¡¯ General Vaelros thought. The people gathered around due to the commotion and were curious about what was happening, chattered and whispered to each other. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Raivenhailers were already vanquished but there seems to be some problem still¡­¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°How come the Prince and Princess were trapped?!¡± ¡°Why are they not freed yet?¡± ¡°Are the wizards not able to undo the spell?¡± The crowd was getting more anxious by the second. The other soldiers around managed the crowd and ensured there were no more attackers left. Meanwhile, Vaelros had been glancing back and forth and looking for any clues in the residues of the Ravenhailers. ¡®What if these wizards are truly hiding something from us? With their few numbers, it is better for the Divine Army to handle some of the fighting. We will be able to measure our enemies'' strengths too.¡¯ Once again, Vaelros looked directly into Dunesther¡¯s eyes, and asked again, ¡°Is there something we should know?¡± But Dunesther shook his head and said, ¡°None yet, General.¡± ¡®Yet?¡¯ Vaelros blinked twice at the hint at those words. ¡®Does this mean¡­ They are trying to get things under control and would only inform us if they failed and finally needed our help?¡¯ Vaelros wanted to ask more, but it was clear the wizard had no intention of sharing more information at the moment. Likewise, King Thalorin gestured that he wanted a conversation with Dunesther since Jenna was busy examining the Ellysian Chains. Thus, Vaelros backed off respectfully. ¡°Dunesther? Can we save my children now? I want to make sure they are out of danger,¡± King Thalorin Sealbearer said. ¡°Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I believe we must hurry and bring the Prince and Princess to the Flying Orb or it may be too late. There are magical anomalies and we are investigating.¡± Dunesther responded calmly, but he glanced at the skies for a few seconds, before calling his Celestial Drake. King Thalorin Sealbearer noticed and looked at Dunesther grimly. The King knew there must be something else going on. His eyes casted some shadows and he was about to say something, but turned around and mounted his drake instead. General Vaelros also noticed and glanced at the sky as well before looking at the Ellysian Chains once more. He understood the decision of the King. For now, the life of Nymeria and Orion was the priority. After the King mounted his Celestial Drake, Vaelros then turned around and got back to his soldiers. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± General Vaelros commanded in haste. ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The soldiers responded in unison and prepared to fly again. The sound of their armors weighed heavily on the ground as they walked, making it shake a bit. As they mounted their Celestial Drakes, Dunesther and Jenna exchanged knowing glances, but remained silent. They realized that King Thalorin and General Vaelros had some doubts in their minds. General Hovereth and his troops on the other hand simply followed behind King Thalorin ready to respond to any ambush attacks. With everyone ready, Dunesther and Jenna did their role. ¡°Oh, spell caster of the gods, grant us your mercy and carry the mark of the cursed with us!¡± With their fingers outstretched as if cradling an invisible sphere, the two Rune Masters chanted in unison while their hands were close to the cage. Magical energies swirled and slowly wrapped the Ellysian Chains with Nymeria and Orion inside. Then, the cage gradually grew smaller until it was like a cube the size of a child¡¯s fingertip. The wizards made it small to make it easier to protect and transport while flying. The immense curses and spells were still inside, surrounding them. Thus, Princess Nymeria and Prince Orion still cannot be heard, moved freely, or given healing. The prince and princess inside were in a weakened state, and with their fragile health, the Ellysian Chains were easily seizing control over their bodies. They then took off to the Floating Orb. The Floating Orb was where high-ranking wizards dwell and had their research laboratories. Since the Floating Orb was the abode of wizards, only a select few humans were permitted to enter and only on special circumstances like today. After all, the Floating Orb was filled with unknown passageways since the Divine Archmages and wizards carry the secrets passed down for thousands of years on how to keep the magic in Livingrings intact. The Floating Orb was magically connected to the Magical Isles ¨C a gargantuan building here in Faliamber, Livingrings¡¯ capital. The Floating Orb gave sustenance to it; and let the wizards stay in the human world for a longer time. The Magical Isles was where most Rune Masters and apprentice wizards stay, plan negotiations, and study the kingdoms outside of Livingrings. Only those ranking from advanced to supreme wizards knew how to get inside without using the doors that accept or reject those that enter. Advance or supreme wizards were those who had expertise and had served the kingdom for at least 200 years, and had seen empires rise and fall around the human realm. As they flew to the Floating Orb, Dunesther whispered in a very low voice, afraid the king could hear them, ¡°Jenna, I hope someone is there.¡± ¡°At least we could bring the Prince and Princess there, so the spells¡¯ effects could be minimized,¡± Jenna whispered back and glanced up at the Floating Orb. ¡°But their lives are being sapped by these Ellysian Chains. If no one¡¯s there¡­¡± Dunesther trailed in horror in his thoughts, as he saw the two children had begun to lose their muscle mass. Thankfully, they had temporarily lessened the size of the cube so King Thalorin and the others could not see what the children looked like now. ¡°It¡¯s best not to tell them at the moment. We can find a solution once there,¡± Jenna insisted, also getting nervous. Author¡¯s Note: *Second Layer of Aurora¡¯s - vast and has formidable defenses and seemingly limitless dimensions *Floating Orb - where wizards were born and get their life to exist in the human world * Magical Isles - a huge building in Faliamber where wizards stay among humans. Chapter 5. A Strange and Unique Place ¡°Should we let the soldiers in?¡± Dunesther asked this, since humans had different ways of thinking, and they knew a lot were mostly fueled with greed. They might see something more than they ever perceived, and try to do something uncalled for. ¡°Well, the doors decide. We could just erase their memories if needed,¡± Jenna pointed out. For safety and security, on the doors of the Floating Orb, the high-ranking wizards had used spells akin to the power of the first layer of the Auroras. Jenna knew they had to resort to these security measures to prevent the humans from planning to fight against themselves. She knew the outside kingdoms had been in the craze to gain more magical powers. This was exactly why the Auroras was made to protect the kingdom of Livingrings even if the citizens did not fully understand how these worked. Sadly, the power of the first layer did not always work if the intruders were in great numbers or of intense magical powers. And, could not fully alter everyone¡¯s memories once they step out of the barriers. Still, it worked on most intruders. It made them think that what they thought they saw and experienced were nothing, but impossible dreams or illusions due to being lost in the wilderness or eaten some poisonous food in their travels. This resulted in different books and stories that had evolved for many centuries created by those who had strong memories and magical powers. For instance, the Nexxus Alliance had thousands of arcane records of magical experiments, appearances of certain castles, kingdoms, animals, or faces that many humans had encountered for centuries, but never changed. The most powerful human wizards, knowledgeable historians, and scribes had been working on these nonstop for many years since the Nexxus¡¯ creation. It came to a point when they made conclusions and stated that Livingrings could be powered by some magic that lets those who stayed there lived for a long time. And they presumed that it was a power beyond their current understanding, since everyone who went there only had bits of their memories and dreams about it. Some had recorded that the place they saw had gold everywhere used in buildings or ordinary ornaments. Some said it had ancient animals and plants that could increase the magical abilities of humans and wizards, if harvested or used as potions, amulets, or attached in weapons and bodies. Some of the intruders had gold with them when they came out and this served as a proof that what they remembered as dreams were real. This changed the lives of those who had visited Livingrings. Some who were town scribes became Royal Court scribes if they had the ability and information those at the top required. One such example was wandering scribes who were those struggling to make ends meet, but were so curious that they often visited everywhere and tried to get work. Many wandering scribes landed in Livingrings for centuries, only to forget what they learned when they stepped outside the Auroras. However, they were the ones who had the most detailed and vivid ¡°dreams¡±, causing high ranking officers to seek them under their king¡¯s command. They were offered riches and safety in exchange for the value of their information. Further, those who had pacts with ancient sorcery and dark rituals gained more valuable information, and learned that the Seal of Gaxinar was in Livingrings. They then spread stories about the seal, making fake records and plots as the belief of the people in the seal grew over time. This continued for centuries. The real and fake merged, which made up the history and legends of the humans and wizards in the outside kingdoms. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. People could be fooled and some loved it that way, because of the advantage this gave them. *** After flying for a few minutes, the troops and the wizards finally arrived outside the Floating Orb. The two Rune Masters could see where the door was and stopped their companions in midair before their Celestial Drakes could fly past it. Dunesther and Jenna were pale since they knew Nymeria and Orion were on the brink of death. For some unknown reason, all of them were allowed inside. Most were in shock to see that inside the Floating Orb were different types of infrastructures that had different orientations of what was up or down, west or east, north or south. These made the newcomers dizzy and had a difficult time moving around. It was not like the labyrinth and maze-like dimensions in the second layers of the Auroras. The direction everything was facing was not unified. It was somewhat like a mess and dizzying for them to look at since they were not used to it. There was a city above the skies but pointing towards them as their north. Meanwhile another city protruded on the western side pointing to another direction as their north. These cities also had different designs, like the builders were trying out things. ¡®What the hell is this place?¡¯ Vaelros thought to himself. He got a throbbing headache just from looking at everything. It was as if his head had moving beats that gave him pain wherever his eyes glanced. In all his years as a citizen and as a General in Livingrings, this is the first time he entered the Floating Orb. He glanced at all his comrades and they were clearly feeling the same as he was. Some were even reeling as if they were getting nausea, but were trying to hold on. A lot had their mouths agape in awe and shocked at this mysterious structure and arrangement of things. It was as if everything here was unreal, except they were truly here. Compared to these, the second layers of the Auroras were more organized. Here, some seas were floating and merging constantly while their own inhabitants inside lived in peace. There was also a river of magma under these, flowing to some ruined cities. There were mountains lined up with what looked like different minerals of some kind. It was hard to look around and not get confused. There were also unusual living plants and creatures inside, mixed with experimental objects and infrastructures that rotated and twisted everywhere or flew around causing explosions. ¡°Are these the products of your experiments?¡± King Thalorin asked the two Rune Masters, surprised by the extent of ¡®disorder¡¯ in this place. It was a kingdom on its own ¡ª vast, teeming with life, and unique. Just as King Thalorin spoke, huge animals passed by in another direction and huge birds they had never seen before flew by them. Some animals even had ancient plants growing on their backs. The waters near them also flowed in twisting forms ¨C some were floating and went inside circular twisting castles or towers with translucent forms. In another area, fruits flowed like rivers and juices filled the lakes. There were also flying objects they had never seen before aside from the birds. The visitors looked around and could not grasp why this place was like this as their drakes followed the two Rune Masters to a nearby tower where they would land. Perhaps, they would never understand even if they tried to do so their whole lives. This place was not something they could explain and understand with normal logic and reasoning. They could only conclude everything was due to magic. ¡°My king, these have existed here for thousands of years, though some were created recently.¡± Dunesther replied hastily, while looking for any signs of a Divine Archmage when they landed on a wide-open space in a tower. The tower that reflected everything around it had two gigantic rainbow-colored phoenix guardians as tall as itself, holding it from both sides. The king and the others looked around again, puzzled about what was inside all these creations and their purposes. King Thalorin and these people were the few ones who had seen it aside from the wizards. Vaelros was silent in thought while looking around. ¡®So this is it. We didn¡¯t even know something like this actually existed in our skies. If not because of this, I may have died someday, not even knowing these existed. But, damn! How messy!¡¯ And Vaelros was not the only one who thought this. After all, the Floating Orb was not visible to them outside. It was as if it was never here. Who would have thought it was a space this vast and filled with all sorts of things just above them? ¡°We patrol around the skies almost fifty times a day, but we¡¯re never obstructed by anything. Since when we-,¡± a soldier said excitedly, but suddenly stopped talking and took a battle-ready stance when they felt something. Everyone felt a sudden chill. It was like winter welcomed itself while not yet in season and creeped into their blood vessels and internal organs. Winter was only experienced in Livingrings when big holes appeared in the Auroras. It was quite rare. One time, after sky high-waves challenged their walls, thick snow dropped furiously and covered the whole kingdom. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Everyone asked in their minds except for the two Rune Masters who knew who it was. Dunesther and Jenna were the only ones celebrating and relieved since they knew ¡ª a Divine Archmage just arrived. Every newcomer was stunned as a peerless tall beauty with a terrifyingly strong presence appeared out of nowhere. All the soldiers could not help, but be on edge and gripped at their weapons in case this person was a threat to King Thalorin and everyone else. They only relaxed when they noticed King Thalorin and the Rune Masters were not on edge. Author¡¯s Note: *Town Scribes - serve their local towns or cities *Court Scribes - serve the nobility or royalty, the Nexxus mostly take from wandering scribes who still ¡®bear the secrets¡¯ *Wandering Scribes - mostly go to the famous Livingrings due to curiosity Chapter 6. Cera the Frozen The gorgeous lady was covered in full white armored garments, and had an immense ethereal aura of coldness as if she was winter itself in humanoid form. She looked at the two Rune Masters and at King Thalorin with her white colored iris which buried those who dared look inside it for too long into eternal slumber. ¡°Why are all of you here?¡± A cold yet gentle voice inquired. The soldiers were not sure if they heard her through their ears or inside their head. Yet, they did not dare respond or look since they felt that this being was so much more powerful than any of them here. Even all of them acting together would not be enough to stop her if she was an enemy. Thus, they had to thread carefully and act based on the reactions of those who seemed to know her, the two Rune Masters and King Thalorin. ¡°My children, they are in need of your assistance, Your Eminence,¡± King Thalorin bowed deeply to the Divine Archmage, making the others bow and kneel on their . They needed to honor and humble themselves before someone who gets a respectful deep bow from their very king. They dared not question why their king must bow to anyone since they felt it without a word ¡ª this being was someone who held even more authority than their king. Still, they were immensely relieved that this being was at least not an enemy. After all, if she was, all of them here might die here today. ¡°Ah, a Sealbearer. You sure have grown to be a good king. It¡¯s like just yesterday when you''re just a toddler, being carried and anointed by these very hands.¡± Cera, the Divine Archmage replied in a tone and voice that bypassed the ears and spoke directly to the soul ¡°I am honored by your praise, Your Eminence,¡± King Thalorin responded. General Vaelros and the others were astounded at what they heard. She spoke of King Thalorin as if she was very much older than he was, even when Thalorin and most of the soldiers here looked older than her. But, King Thalorin¡¯s response just confirmed her words. Vaelros figured, if it was someone addressed as Her Eminence, the person in front of them was a Divine Archmage ¨C among the most powerful of high-ranking wizards. A very powerful entity indeed. Even Vaelros and Hovereth who had served Livingrings longer than the others had never met her before. They had only heard that the most powerful wizards had their own ranks and far outlived the humans. It meant this place had a different time or the highest-ranking wizards do not age at all. ¡°You are in the presence of a Divine Archmage, Her Eminence, Cera the Frozen,¡± Dunesther said in a low voice for the soldiers to understand. Some were surprised to learn that the highest-ranking wizards had more authority than their king himself. After all, the organization of the wizards was a mystery to most people. Vaelros was silently observing when he suddenly had a random thought, ¡®If they live for so long, then¡­ Are the new ones the results of their experiments?¡¯ This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. They could change the north and south of buildings and do all sorts of magic so the possibility of what they could do was varied. Who knew what was possible and impossible for these beings? Vaelros watched as the Divine Archmage Cera lay her hand gently on the head of King Thalorin as if anointing him again. If anyone else had done this, they could be beheaded for it. ¡°Stand Thalorin. You have lived to fulfill your mission to protect the seal and maintain its purity,¡± Cera said gazing at the old king who was once so young when she first saw him many years ago. Cera the Frozen looked just like a woman in her twenties. Her title befitted her. The soldiers were still puzzled since no one fully knew the capabilities of the Divine Archmages, e ¡°Thank you,¡± King Thalorin said in a heartfelt voice as if her praise had greatly eased the burdens, he bore in all his years as king. With how King thalorin looked, it was clear the Divine Archmage¡¯s recognition was among the highest praise and assurance he could ever get as proof he had done his best. The Divine Archmage finally glanced at the Rune Masters and commanded in a gentle yet glacier-like voice, ¡°Restore them to their original size.¡± The two immediately obeyed without delay. ¡°Voice of Zar, listen to the songs of our hearts, release the bound. Arath-thereim-Halizar!¡± Dunesther and Jenna lifted their staffs and purple lights with tints of blue swirled around with strong gusts of winds. As the Ellysian Chains had been restored to their original size with Nymeria and Orion, Cera saw the need for immediate healing. ¡°Ragnoth, Eclipsing Froze!¡± Cera chanted in a loud voice as she laid her hands on the prison-like cube, quakes and coldness spread even more. Her spell shook the core of the Ellysian Chains. Even her thick white hair that flowed to the floor flew out above. As they looked around, about four meters of their surroundings were covered in thick ice. Accompanied by unknown hums and whispers, the magic enveloped them and contained the crackling and quaking of her magic. ¡®It seems the wizards were not human at all. I didn¡¯t fully believe it since they had flesh and blood. But, the freeze started from within. As she chanted her spell, her eyes started to become even more like white ice, her veins too. And, all I felt was chilling reverberations of energy. Though many of us were born with magic, we borrow it from the environment. But her, she seemed to get everything from within,¡¯ Vaelros thought while observing the wizard. It was incredibly rare to see and get near high-ranking wizards daily, especially during peaceful times. And especially, one of her caliber casting a spell. Some of the soldiers became unable to move while the spell was ongoing. Vaelros also started to feel weakened and dizzy. ¡°General Vaelros!¡± Jenna exclaimed. Vaelros heard it, but he was too sleepy and unable to move even when he wanted to respond. His eyes closed before he knew it until¡­ Jenna carried Nymeria, lifting her with magic; then casted a spell and awakened the General and the soldiers who were starting to turn into ice statues. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here fast!¡± Dunesther added while also lifting Orion with magic, the young prince now fully recovered. The humans lost themselves in the residues of the magic and were not able to move quickly. Their eyes were turning pale white for every second that passed, without them noticing. ¡°But, she¡¯s not done yet!¡± General Vaelros replied, not knowing he stood there unable to wake up for a few seconds like he was frozen in time. ¡°No, the Ellysian Chains had cracked and the spells and curses were broken. You will die here if we stay longer!¡± Dunesther explained to the general who was confused. As King Thalorin and the soldiers stabilized, they all rushed to leave with their Celestial Drakes away from the tower. Cera never moved an inch, but the magic was slowly getting weaker. It was as if she was trying to contain it. ¡°Can you tell me what happened there?¡± King Thalorin asked after they successfully flew away in a frenzy. ¡°King Thalorin, the powers of the highest-ranking wizards can easily kill humans upon exposure, especially if unleashed inside the Floating Orb. It¡¯s where we came from and it amplifies our magical powers and abilities. Staying there would have killed everyone,¡± Jenna explained while keeping some information to herself. There were things they were better off not divulging. ¡°What!? Are there no-¡± King Thalorin wanted to ask more, but stopped in shock by what he saw below. ¡®What is going on?!¡¯ was the question everyone had in their minds when they saw the sight below. After they rushed out of the Floating Orb, they saw numerous villages burning around the kingdom. There were also purple twisters mixed with black magic slowly enveloping the buildings and residents. This meant only one thing ¡ª there was more destruction in the Auroras, or the enemies inside had spread more terror. ¡°But we still have the Auroras!¡± The soldiers cried out while looking around and checking if their multi-layer defense field was broken. ¡°General Vaelros, let¡¯s make this fast and see what¡¯s happening. I want my children to be safe, but I want our kingdom to be rid of these insurgents and destroyers. Our people, the Celestial Drakes, and all our vegetation will be greatly affected by these.¡± King Thalorin urged the General, since it appeared the situation got worse. ¡°Yes my king!¡± General Vaelros replied, also curious why the usually small incidents turned into this wide scale problem. Author¡¯s Note: *Cera the Frozen - a Divine Archmage with higher authority than King Thalorin *Ragnoth, Eclipsing Froze - Power of Cera Chapter 7. Return to the Palace, General Hovereth and Faliamber City They even had the help of the Divine Archmages, who were currently outside the Auroras fighting some enemies he was not aware of. The General stared at the children being carried by the Rune Masters¡¯ drakes. Their complexions had returned to normal, and their flesh which started to rot with wriggling worms a while ago were restored. It was a huge relief that the prince and princess were safe. However, they did not even had time to celebrate for a bit since they were now faced with another problem. Thus, they must escort the royal family to safety then return to the city to help the other soldiers control the situation. After all, the air in Livingrings had now become thick with the stench of burning. Tendrils of smoke rose high, darkening the clouds, and making the atmosphere heavy. The smoke swirled and churned in twisters. It felt as though the air itself was alive, whispering dark secrets and curses, spreading its taint with every gust of wind. As they arrived in Halek Plaza, where they had passed by earlier, Vaelros could no longer see his sons. The crowd cheered upon seeing them. However, Vaelros was more worried about his kids not being there. He looked around, but he could not see them. He hoped they had gone somewhere safe. Maybe, they already went home. At least they would not be alone since their fellow trainees were there. Vaelros could only imagine their faces when he saw them again, fully sweating and impatient for not being able to get strong so fast. As their father and trainer, Vaelros always explained to them the importance of mastering the basics. Joining the Divine Army was not just based on talent, it considered many factors. If they pursue it, they would enter the second layers of the Auroras soon. It was all the more reason to ingrain in them that the foundation was the key to getting stronger. It was not always based on inner talent, status in life, or connections, but more on skills, discipline, and the will to go on. Vaelros just hoped they instilled these lessons in their minds, and not become complacent since he was their father. He could not even begin to imagine how far his two sons could go if they remained eager to learn and train hard like the others. Vaelros was willing to guide them as long as they allowed him to or need to be. Just at the thought of his kids, Valeros could not help but smile even if they were in this situation. He was still excited to tell his kids what he saw in the Floating Orb. The two may not be able to go there, but they could tell their children someday or to others who would believe it. However, Vaelros'' thoughts were ruined when they got nearer the palace. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. They saw enemies in the surrounding areas. The troops of General Hovereth who returned to the palace before they departed to the Floating Orb, were fighting eight three-headed monsters in black robes with greenish black hues coming out of them. Looking at them, they could be the Monster Wraiths that had continuously killed random citizens near Faliamber and sucked their bloods or bitten them to pieces. It was a good thing the king had ordered General Hovereth to return to the palace. Vaelros and Hovereth were the most trusted Divine Army generals of the king. They were almost equal in magical power, but had different fighting styles. The king decided that General Hovereth and his divisions would defend against any threat that could harm the city and the palace. There were also wizards fighting around and providing potions of healing for free. The potions in Livingrings were generally being sold at different prices depending on their speed, and the wounds or injuries they were capable of healing. But, the magical potions of the wizards were more powerful. These were being sold at high prices or often given as rewards during training completion for soldiers, for different events for ordinary citizens, or some memorable achievements. Even a person on the brink of death could be fully healed with the strongest potions of the wizards. If they were still alive. ¡°This escalated too quickly. We were gone for a just a short while,¡± some of the soldiers said as all of them curiously looked around. They were tight since it had only been a few minutes, but how come the situation turned into this so quickly? Vaelros glanced at the two Rune Masters who were silent. He could tell they had a clue about what was happening. He did not pressure them to say it since they may have had a greater reason for keeping silent. Upon entering the palace, the Queen hurried to her children even when her pregnancy seemed to have weakened her. Queen Aerathis wrapped her arms around her children tightly and tenderly stroked their foreheads. After she let the servants bring the children to their rooms so they could rest and recover, she turned to King Thalorin. ¡°My dearest king, thank you," she whispered. ¡°They are also my children,¡± King Thalorin smiled warmly in response and nodded. After expressing her gratitude to King Thalorin, Queen Aerathis turned her attention to the assembled Rune Masters, General Vaelros, Gol Furbuw, and the soldiers who had played a crucial role in rescuing her children. ¡°Noble wizards, and valiant soldiers, words cannot convey the depth of my gratitude for your courage and dedication. You have my heartfelt thanks and everlasting gratitude,¡± Queen Aerathis proclaimed. The wizards and soldiers were moved by the queen''s heartfelt gratitude, they exchanged humbled glances and stood a little taller, pride and relief evident in their expressions. They stepped forward and bowed to express their response. "Your Majesty, it has been our honor to serve and protect the realm. We are humbled by your words and vow to stand vigilant against any darkness that threatens our land," the soldiers voiced out simultaneously. The kings of Livingrings were known to seek wives from the healing clans, but they were not able to heal others during pregnancy. Thus, the Queen was immensely relieved that her children were healed while she could not perform any healing. Worst of all, healers could not even heal themselves. Perhaps, this was the difference between humans and wizards. Wizards who had healing powers could heal themselves, but human healers could not even if they were not pregnant. It was as if they had this kind of limitation so as not to abuse it. After all, healing abilities could change the tides of war when used wisely. Thus, any form of healing powers was important in this world that had been growing to be filled with uncertainties and wars. Any kingdom outside Livingrings would spend lots of gold just to take in or buy people with healing abilities. Some also go to various lengths to acquire and own it; by marriage for instance so it could be passed down to the following generations. This was so widely practiced outside, especially since normal wizards outside Livingrings did not have healing powers; except, if they had dark rituals and pacts with those from the underworld. This could grant their bodies regenerating capabilities even in the slowest form. Meanwhile in Livingrings, even the cheapest potion could already heal a lot of injuries. Unfortunately, Livingrings was separate from the outside world and they could not go out of the Auroras as they pleased. Only a select few people were permitted, and the wizards could go out. Perhaps, it was why Livingrings remained as just one kingdom and did not get divided. After all, in the Livingrings, citizens were not allowed to wage war. They were only to defend themselves when there were attackers; which had become quite frequent lately. Thankfully, there were healing clans that could really save lives. Without the Auroras to make the memories of the visitors who come inside turn into a mirage or a dream, their healers could have been stolen from the kingdom long ago, and bartered for pieces of gold or sold for hundreds to thousands of silver coins. When intruders come to Livingrings, the magical potions of the wizards would be often looted and sold in the black markets in the human world; or sold to the noble families and kings for immense prices, which could immediately change the life of the seller from poverty to affluence. This was how valuable healing potions and healers were. So even in Livingrings, the royal family usually wed someone from the healing clans. Queen Aerathis was a perfect example of this. And it was clear on her face, how helpless she felt that she could not heal her own children when they were the ones who needed healing. (Thank you for reading this far. Chapters 8-13 are available free on Patreon. Just click the link below on author''s bio or at the note above.) Author¡¯s Note: * Halek Plaza - main plaza where people usually gather in Faliamber *Faliamber - capital city of the Kingdom of Livingrings *Queen Aerathis - Queen of Livingrings, Wife of Thalorin and mother of Nymeria and Orion Chapter 8. To Callona After General Vaelros and his Silver Legion escorted King Thalorin, Princess Nymeria, and Prince Orion to safety, they prepared for their next duty, to protect Livingrings and the citizens. Because of the magic casted by Divine Archmage Cera, General Vaelros was worried that some of his men might still be disoriented. Thus, he checked that everyone in the Silver Legion who just returned with him in front of the Floating Orb were truly all right and could join them in their next mission. General Vaelros had just finished inspecting his soldiers when he noticed General Hovereth was headed his way. He was familiar with each footfall that echoed through the path trudged by his old friend. His ears tuned into the familiar, rhythmic clinking of his armor plates, a symphony of steel that was only made by Hovereth''s worn and resolute gear. ¡°You did great escorting everyone back safely,¡± General Hovereth praised after checking General Vaelros and the Silver Legion who had no wounds or injuries. ¡®Is this some form of congratulatory speech or an insult? It¡¯s just as if something seems a bit off¡­¡¯ General Vaelros thought as Hovereth forced a smile. Vaelros understood why when he realized Hovereth had wounds all over his body. His full body armor was stained with blood and bruised by metals. It was clear he came from one of the areas attacked by whatever was causing all the burning in the city. ¡°Thanks. Everyone did their best. Thankfully a Divine Archmage was able to undo the Ellysian Chains and heal the Prince and Princess. They are safe now and are just resting,¡± Vaelros informed. ¡°I see. That¡¯s a relief then. Did it take long to undo the spell since it took you 24 hours to return?¡± General Hovereth said and Vaelros and the Silver Legion gawked. ¡°24 hours?! What are you talking about? We had just been away for a few minutes,¡± Vaelros corrected. The Silver Legion nodded in agreement. General Hovereth frowned and said, ¡°No, 24 hours had passed since then. Attacks around the city had been going on since you departed.¡± General Hovereth explained that he had been fighting with his soldiers for a while, and ensured the safety of the queen. However, there were simultaneous attacks around the city. And so, the soldiers had been running here and there to protect the citizens and give aid where necessary. Even all the smaller cities which were far from the capital and far-flung villages at the corners of the Livingrings Kingdom were attacked. ¡°So this is why the situation is already this bad?¡± Vaelros and the Silver Legion nodded in understanding after General Hovereth¡¯s explanation. General Vaelros also understood why Hovereth¡¯s son who often followed the latter around was not with his father now. He must be stationed somewhere helping to protect the citizens. Vaelros hoped the kid was safe since he was still young. He recently got out from the second layer of the Auroras under the Divine Army training, and was not as powerful as his father. In Livingrings, generals were given special privileges to allow their sons or daughters to follow them around, and offer their support and loyalty if they had ranks in the Divine Army. Thus, once their children were trained enough and passed the requirements, they could join the Divine Army and be with them. Vaelros looked at Hovereth who was waiting for an update from their side since he was done with his. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°It appears time flowed there differently. We thought only a few minutes had passed since it was what we experienced there. Which was why we were shocked to see various parts of the city in flames when we got out. We hurried to the palace so we could help after we escorted His Majesty and the kids,¡± General Vaelros clarified. He looked around once again and saw some of Hovereths troops who had just arrived. Hovereth¡¯s troops had their armors dented and caked with mud and blood. Their movements were heavy, as if the weight of the world bore down upon their shoulders. And, they had a lot of injured soldiers among them. ¡°I see. No wonder you were all shocked by my words earlier. For 24 hours, we have been battling ceaselessly to repel the onslaught and stave off death as much as we can," General Hovereth explained. His eyes had darkened with exhaustion and his voice was stuck in his throat for a bit, he gasped for air to breathe further. His wounds seemed to give him some trouble. The arteries in his body also protruded and the lines of old age became more evident. "The struggle was relentless, for we cannot afford to leave Faliamber and the queen undefended. The enemies were cunning though. They knew precisely how to strike once they breached our walls," General Hovereth said and wiped the blood that trickled down his cheek. ¡°I see¡­ Thank you for all your efforts. You and your troops did very well, General. It seems we need to investigate later how this came to be. But for now, we¡¯ll do our best at the next location they are targeting. We have a lot of strength to spare. Please take some rest and get healed,¡± General Vaelros replied with utmost sincerity to his fellow general who looked so tired and worn out. General Hovereth smiled genuinely this time and said, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll leave the rest to you until we can join the battle again.¡± ¡°Yes, leave the rest to us while you recover,¡± General Vaelros nodded and placed a reassuring hand on General Hovereth¡¯s shoulder. With a shared smile of camaraderie and resolve, General Vaelros and General Hovereth nodded at each other ¡ª one donned his helmet ready to face the coming battles, while the other walked to his wounded soldiers to ensure they were treated. Right on time, King Thalorin arrived. His conversation with the Queen and his scribes were over and it was clear he was already informed about what happened and knew now that more time had passed than they thought. ¡°General Vaelros, I see you have received updates as well. You and the Silver Legion are to be stationed near your palace in Callona,¡± King Thalorin commanded Vaelros. Vaelros gulped since the King just gave him the chance to watch over his kids and the trainees who were gathered in Callona. There were skilled and strong lieutenants and generals who also stayed there, and were stationed in various locations. Due to this, the wizards do not monitor Callona often since they knew any enemies who managed to pass the Auroras could be dealt with by the Divine Army and brave citizens. ¡°Yes my king. Your kindness is boundless," General Vaelros replied. Vaelros'' eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to reunite with Calek and Donvar and see how they fared. Since the two were no longer in Faliamber, Vaelros knew they must have gone home to Callona. ¡°It seems there were strong magicians who attacked there. There were Monster Riders that killed many civilians in other major cities like here in Faliamber. Make haste, with all the commotion, it could take some time for you to arrive there,¡± King Thalorin said, hoping nothing grave happened in Callona like in Faliamber, where there were many attacks. ¡°Yes my King!¡± General Vaelros replied. He and the Silver Legion bowed to the king before they climbed up their drakes and took off. With the King¡¯s request, Jenna and Dunesther joined since their aid may be needed there too. Vaelros was a known general, so their enemies may try to attack his hometown if no wizards were seen flying around. The king knew that Rune Masters were capable fighters for a long-time, especially if they had been to what some wizards called ¡®the source¡¯, which he now knew was the Floating Orb. Due to the reports, they had also received, Dunesther and Jenna wanted to check Callona to see the condition of the city themselves. After all, Callona was the second largest city in Livingrings after Faliamber. If Callona does not need their help, it would be better. It meant they could go outside the Auroras to serve as backups for the Divine Archmages. Dunesther and Jenna knew the DIvine Archmages must be fighting much stronger enemies since even the situation inside the Auroras had already turned like this. Vaelros, the Rune Masters, Gol Furbuw, and the Silver Legion all flew towards Callona. But even with all their Celestial Drakes, it would take some time. They flew in silence, prepared for battle in case of surprise attacks or ambush, until something disturbed the wizards¡­ A message was telepathically sent by Qunara, the communication Divine Archmage who was also fighting in the frontlines outside the Auroras. Rune Masters were under the command of the Divine Archmages, known to humans in Livingrings as the highest rank of wizards. Once Qunara¡¯s telepathic communications were opened, she could listen to the thoughts of those she was connected with and share it if necessary. These types of wizards want to live free and not under iron hands so this was only done during extreme emergencies like now. Author¡¯s Note: *Callona - second biggest city in Livingrings *Qunara - a Divine Archmage specialized in communication *Monster Riders - knights from the outside kingdoms who had monstrous appearances and could transform into several beasts covered with black fire. Magicians, sorcerers, or wizards always supported them. Chapter 9. The Parade of the Seven Planets and the Hunger for Magic Wizards from the Floating Orb were unlike the ones in the human lands outside who were always under some monarch and had to serve them to death. In the outer kingdoms, those with magic were divided into magicians, sorcerers, and wizards. According to their books, sorcerers were men and women who had bound themselves to dark forces, their very souls tethered to shadows in exchange for power that could make the heavens shudder. Magicians, by contrast, danced across the pages with a playful, fleeting presence, their names were in curling script as though even the parchment itself mocked their so-called "magic." Tricksters, it called them¡ªclever, yes, but their illusions paled like candlelight against the blazing aura of the true human wizards and the dreadful might of the sorcerers. You could differentiate them if you hear the hushed laughter of the magicians, their deceptions sliding off them as easily as silk, while the sharp, commanding cries of the wizards and sorcerers rang out like thunder over a battlefield. The strongest in combat and magic were mostly chosen by the whole kingdom as elite guards of the king or queen, or sold to them. Due to their insatiable thirst for power, the humans outside Livingrings had continuous wars to expand their dominion, and show their might to others at the darkest moon or the brightest sun. Human wizards and sorcerers who lived in such a manner mostly died in wars protecting their kings or the elite. Yet, once they die, the leaders would look around their domains for new young sprouts to replace them. Or, they would train new ones and have them grow under their command, only to suffer the same fate as their predecessors. Further, even if wizards rarely appeared there and have weaker powers compared to those inside Livingrings, they gain more abilities by joining dark rituals. The royalty, nobility, and army would always call those with magic with them as ¡®wizards¡¯ due to the unfavorable image of sorcerers to the public. Even with these, the wizards inside Livingrings and the outer kingdoms had a bit of similarity; their strength grew with the passage of time. As the years unfolded, their wisdom deepened, and with it, the breadth of their arcane prowess expanded, encompassing realms of magic previously unknown to others who died young. The longest recorded wizard outside had lived to the age of at least 111, and this wizard was under the protection of the whole Nexxus Alliance. Some gossip from different scribes told of him being possessed by a devil Infernal Duke or a Demon Lord. The said wizard was Valthazar. Valthazar¡¯s presence made the other leaders of the kingdoms recognize the Obsidian Cradle¡¯s king as the leader of the Nexxus. In the Nexxus Alliance, the one with the strongest soldiers and magical powers among the 13 leaders, usually won the votes of the others to become their leader. They also evaluated other important factors which were not revealed to the public. Valthazar¡¯s last accomplishment was ¡®creating¡¯ the last spell called the ¡®Parade of the Seven Planets.¡¯ It was revealed to the public that he made the spell, but he did not. This powerful spell managed to discover the Seal of Ganixar¡¯s location, deep inside of Livingrings. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Valthazar was able to show the immense magical aura of the seal, reaching to the far ends of the Kingdom of Livingrings until the Auroras multi-layer defense fields. It was like a living magical power that had its own breath and pulse, swirling the whole kingdom and everything inside it. It was shown to all the leaders of the Nexxus and their elite guards in a semi-translucent display, which appeared above the Obsidian Cradle while the whole magical circles shining in dark violet coated the grounds and air of the thirteen lands. But, before being able to detect the exact location of the seal within Livingrings, Valthazar¡¯s life was snuffed instantly in the midst of the spell he had casted. All of the people of the 13 kingdoms of the Nexxus Alliance lost consciousness at the same time, since Valthazar borrowed at least two years of each person¡¯s life from their whole lifespan. Even their energies were sapped out. Many got sick for weeks. Those outside these 13 kingdoms under the Nexxus saw the violet hue, the immense aura which silenced the citizens of the Nexxus Alliance, but at the same time, protected their kingdom from any entry while it lasted. Thus, this had saved the Nexxus from enemies who could have taken the chance of obliterating them fully during the Parade of the Seven Planets. However, this was a borrowed spell, the original user was one of the Twin Sons of the Devil, and was not meant to be used by others. The 13 leaders of the Nexxus, due to the long research of their wizards and ancestors, had come to this point. They dared use a dangerous ancient spell from the dead just to acquire more power, gambling their very souls for a fleeting glimpse of supremacy. However, before he perished, Valthazar did not see any signs that the Seal of Gaxinar was indeed sealing the Twin Sons of the Devil. The spell should have shown the twins¡¯ dead bodies, or the left-over residues of their powers usually in dark energy form like the residues made with pacts from the underworld. But the 13 leaders have not seen him project these, leading them to believe the seal had extinguished them completely over the years, or the powerful wizards had been manipulating the memories of historians for them to use the seal just for themselves. Due to this, since then, the Nexxus¡¯ historians, researchers, scribes, and all related to magic and ancient records were closely monitored by their elite squads daily. Driven by an all-consuming hunger for unparalleled power, the Nexxus had reached this fateful juncture. Their followers were fervent and unyielding. They even offered their very lives as fuel for the cause, their sacrifices paving the way for the audacious conquest of the fabled Seal of Gaxinar¡ªa relic steeped in legend and drenched in peril. *** The telepathic message was repeated by Qunara. ¡°Did you¡­¡± Dunesther eyed Jenna upon receiving the message. ¡°Yes, but, Dunesther this is too sudden. I think we can repair later what¡¯s destroyed in the Magical Isles. And we are summoned to the Floating Orb instead of the Isles. Perhaps, the situation worsened¡­¡± Jenna could hardly believe what they were informed through the summoning. There were explosive attacks at the Magical Isles and many of its invisible connections to the Floating Orb were cut off. They could not live in the Magical Isles without those since these were used by the Floating Orb to give sustenance to the wizards living here with the humans. Thankfully, even if that was the case, they could still live with the humans for some time. This puzzled the two, there may be something they did not know happening outside. ¡°What are you two talking about? I thought you would be helping us in Callona? Or did something happen?¡± General Vaelros glanced at the two wizards when he noticed they suddenly stopped moving, their drakes just remained on a specific spot. Their expressions did not look well. Thus, Vaelros supposed something must be up. The two had been secretive since the beginning after all. ¡°General, we are being summoned to the Floating Orb. Parts of the Magical Isles were destroyed as well. Since we were originally created inside the Orb, we can¡¯t live long here without all the powers inside the Magical Isles. And, for some reason the Divine Archmages want us there,¡± Dunesther explained. Vaelros and the Silver Legion noticed the two wizards constantly glancing at the Auroras and the direction of the Floating Orb, with worry on their faces. It was rare for this many holes to appear within a year in the Auroras. The multi-layer defense barriers had holes as wide as castles, some were a bit smaller than Faliamber. Everyone in Livingrings were alarmed to see these huge dark violet spots drenched in ominous energy across the shield of the kingdom. Even the isolated towns could see above them these marred blotches. ¡°I see. Do what you must do. We will handle this on our own,¡± Vaelros replied. ¡°But, General, aren¡¯t there magic attacks in Callona? What if they are needed there?¡± One of the soldiers said. Vaelros remained silent since he had also considered that. However, he knew the wizards had their own higher ups as well. ¡°Indeed. General Hovereth and his troops had a lot of injuries. Healing might be needed in Callona,¡± another soldier said. ¡°We also want to head to Callona. However, something dire must be up for all of us to be summoned back to the Orb,¡± Jenna explained. ¡°All wizards? Does that mean all wizards are currently here in all Livingrings?¡± one of the soldiers inquired. Author¡¯s Note: *Valthazar - was one of strongest wizard of the Nexxus alliance *Parade of the Seven Planets - last spell casted by Valthazar that led to his death Chapter 10. Wizards and Humans ¡°Yes. I think so,¡± Dunesther replied in a low voice but it was crystal clear in the silence. The Silver Legion was frazzled at what they heard. It was during times like this when there were attacks around the kingdom that they needed wizards the most. This could be one of the worst. And yet, all of them were being summoned back? Then, what of all the people who were possibly injured right now? Who would heal them? Many of the potion shops were burned to the ground by the attackers. Those unbought were wasted. Only those which were in extremely secured areas were saved. Even stockpiled resources and food reserves were damaged or looted these recent weeks. Just judging from the extent of destruction in Faliamber, the healing clans would not be enough. They needed the wizards right now. So why were they being summoned back to the orb? The Divine Archmages were there. And just from Cera alone, they could tell she was immensely powerful and did not need help at all. If the other high-ranking wizards were already there, why would they summon all the wizards now? Couldn¡¯t they schedule it another time? A lot of people in the kingdom need the wizards the most right now. The Silver Legion was fine with doing the fighting, but they needed the wizards to undo spells, curses, or give healing. Without them, what would happen if they encountered such? Especially now that they heard Callona was attacked with magic. The people there needed the wizards. One of the high-ranking soldiers in the Silver Legion could no longer hold back his frustration since his whole family was in Callona. He had kids and his wife was pregnant. He was already worried a lot even with the wizards present and yet, now everyone was being summoned. What would he do if his wife or kids were injured? What about the people of Callona? Are they just going to be abandoned? After all, with their experience in the battlefield, the Silver Legion had figured by now, something was amiss. They had a nagging feeling that something was not right. That they must hurry as fast as they could to Callona. This was exactly why they had been silent this whole time and had been heading straight to Callona in haste. And now, the wizards the king had asked to join them were suddenly backing out. The Silver Legion felt by instinct that they needed these two in Callona. The King must have felt the same which was why he asked these two to accompany them. Further, the wizards had more magical powers and could detect dark energy usually emitted by the attackers who came to their kingdom. Another soldier added, ¡°Indeed. Shouldn¡¯t you go with us to Callona where people are likely waiting for your help? Are you just going to abandon them and run away to safety? Isn¡¯t that too selfish and-¡± The soldier was interrupted while speaking. ¡°WE. ARE. NOT. RUNNING. AWAY! We were summoned because something even more urgent had happened,¡± Dunesther gave a death glare to the soldier, his magical powers dangerously rising. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Jenna was irked as well and said, ¡°Mind your words! You know not even a fraction of our efforts! We, wizards have always been the vanguard of this kingdom since ancient times. We always deal with the strongest enemies before they even step to the inner Auroras, where you Divine Armies guard! It is because of us that you Divine Armies, Silver Legion, usually do not even return with injuries. Why? Well, we¡¯ve handled the strongest foes! Have you seen the faces of the knights outside this kingdom? Have you even fought with their best sorcerers and elite squads? I have been recently born, but I have already fought and learned a lot these past 210 years. And what of you who had been alive for merely a few years?!¡± The two wizards knew they were in a very alarming situation, because the Divine Archmages have summoned the apprentice wizards, especially the weaker ones inside the Floating Orb to be kept safe inside it. This was the place where their powers were the strongest. Likewise, they knew there was another reason. The holes in the Auroras had gotten worse. They needed more hands to deal with it. The troops became defensive against the wizards, upon seeing them radiating with hostile magic power and pointed their weapons at them, until General Vaelros signaled them to stand down. ¡°Let¡¯s all calm down. This is not the time to fight among ourselves. The intruders are our enemies,¡± Vaelros said. ¡°But General, she just said we are-¡± the high-ranking soldier was about to say something more, but froze and prepared for a fight when he saw Jenna about to cast a spell. ¡°Stop! Jenna, don¡¯t bother, they would never understand since they rarely go outside to witness the creepiness of their fellow humans,¡± Dunesther reminded her. He uttered this since the humans of Livingrings could not mingle with the humans outside who were already tainted with so much greed and lust for control. There were times when few were allowed, but for learning or trade purposes. Those who visited outside were so dismayed when they returned. The outer kingdoms were not what they expected. The kingdoms lay shrouded in despair, their lands plagued by crushing poverty and unspeakable acts of darkness. The deeds so vile and unnatural had taken root, and weaved their shadows where even the boldest dreams of Livingrings could not fathom such horrors. The very atmosphere in the kingdoms seemed to tremble with the weight of a corruption that defied mortal comprehension. It was like the wicked abominations and abuses they had seen were only those for horrifying fantasy manuscripts about unknown lands imagined by their elder storytellers. The soul-crushing destitution and transgressions in these kingdoms were published in their tales and were turned into lessons and short tales to be taught early to the children. After all, the Seal of Gaxinar was a living seal, able to detect the souls and hearts of those around it. Goodness was a virtue everyone in Livingrings were told to practice. With these, even the beasts in Livingrings¡¯ seas were peaceful. It was maintained as is by the wizards since time immemorial. Thus, it was unlike the others filled with thousands of monsters taking over the villages near the seas; making those kingdoms afraid to venture even to their own seas. ¡°I just hate it when these ignorant humans badmouth us and act as if they¡¯re so strong and mighty to deserve all the praise being showered unto them. Why don¡¯t we just abandon them to fend for themselves?! The truth is¡­¡± With a sharp glint in her eyes, Jenna uttered the incantation for Silent Steps. The spell wove through the air like an unseen serpent, binding the offending soldiers in place. They faltered, unable to move or even draw breath. Their defiance was reduced to stillness by the Rune Masters¡¯ spell. Jenna¡¯s lips curled with faint satisfaction. She intended to prolong their torment, but the distant echo of an approaching Celestial Drake interrupted her thoughts. Someone was coming¡­ ¡°General Vaelros!¡± Sergeant Demoir called out; his voice carried a mixture of urgency. ¡°I wish to accompany you. After we deal with these petty intruders, I¡¯ll resume training Calek, Donvar, and the others.¡± Sergeant Demoir added. He was 22 years old at this time. Demoir was the son of General Hovereth. He had undergone a grueling upbringing under the stern guidance of his father, and the seasoned warriors under him, who had forged Demoir through exclusive grounding and relentless discipline. Though he lacked the hardened scars of battlefield generals, Demoir had proven himself time and time again. His cunning and resilience had earned him the respect of his peers. Now, he took pride in passing on his knowledge, preparing young trainees like Calek and Donvar for the trials that awaited them in the Auroras. His mission was clear: to shape them into warriors strong enough to endure the challenges of that unforgiving realm. Though he bore the title of Sergeant, Demoir carried a gentler spirit than his father. General Hovereth had a stern demeanor and was seldom seen smiling. Where General Hovereth inspired discipline through unyielding authority, Demoir earned loyalty through compassion and understanding. Many saw the contrasts and often whispered of his soft-hearted nature, contrasting him with his iron-willed father. They did not doubt Demoir''s resolve, because he was up to the tasks when the moment called for strength. Author¡¯s Note: *Sergeant Demoir - son of General Hovereth *Silent Steps - power of Jenna Chapter 11. Sergeant Demoir’s Report But he was also training with them under Lieutenant Gol Furbuw who oversaw the progress, evaluated performance, and stepped in during critical moments to impart wisdom, or establish authority. General Vaelros often gave them only the hellish regimen he prepared per rank or per team. He prepared these due to his commitment to forging the strongest army possible, and his no-nonsense approach to preparing his troops for the hardships of war. There were different regimens and levels they had to finish. Some were intended for shared drills, field exercises, discipline through example, mentorship and rivalry. Once done, they had final tests, if they were ready to move up even farther in the ranks. ¡°Sergeant Demoir. And your father?¡± General Vaelros asked, his piercing gaze narrowed. "I thought you¡¯d be by his side, guarding the queen and the children. Securing the White Starlight Palace and Faliamber is no trivial matter." General Vaelros added. Vaelros'' voice carried both curiosity and a hint of reproach. He was concerned about the mission. Demoir shifted uneasily, his shoulders tensed under the general''s scrutiny. "Ah... ahm, he..." Demoir hesitated, his voice faltered for a moment before he steeled himself. "Actually, I¡¯ve observed something urgent, and I must bring it to your attention immediately!" Demoir finally uttered. ¡°What would that be?¡± General Vaelros asked. ¡°General, we¡¯ve been at this for hours. The wizards are also continuously helping at the skies and giving us protection at the ground, but some of them disappeared suddenly like wisp of smoke.¡± Demoir revealed the truth. He had also seen the wizards were in shock of what happened to them due to their facial expressions. Some even resisted and used their powers, but nothing stopped them from disappearing. ¡°Sergeant Demoir, they were summoned to the Floating Orb. They were commanded by the Divine Archmages.¡± General Vaelros replied shortly, still puzzled of what was happening.

¡°The legendary home of the wizards!¡± Sergeant Demoir replied while his eyes sparkled, his voice was raised to a higher tone. He wanted to go there; it was often referred to as the ¡®source.¡¯ These were information given to them during their studies and training as they got themselves familiar with the powerful wizards which protected them for centuries, and the magical powers that existed in Livingrings. The Rune Masters looked at each other worried after hearing the report of the sergeant. Dunesther then got closer near the sergeant and gestured to the general that he wanted to talk to the young sergeant. ¡°Sergeant Demoir, did you just say they vanished?¡± Dunesther demanded, his tone sharp with disbelief. ¡°Yes, Sire! They¡¯re nowhere to be found,¡± Demoir replied earnestly. ¡°What troubles me most is that they were either engaged in conversation or locked in combat¡ªand then, without warning, they simply vanished. Most of the apprentices were among them.¡± Sergeant Demoir answered honestly, while his eyes were locked sparkling towards the Rune Master. ¡°I am grateful for your keen observation, Sergeant Demoir,¡± Dunesther said, his voice steady yet laced with immediacy. He inclined his head in thanks before striding back to his position beside his fellow Rune Master. The weight of the news pressed down heavily upon him. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Jenna, we are truly in a precarious situation. Ready yourself.¡± Dunesther said to her with a sharpened tone of foreboding. Nearby, General Vaelros watched like a sentinel. Though silent, he seemed to weigh the gravity of their words, calculating the scale of the threat unfolding before them. They had to obey the Divine Archmages order. Their reasons could be extreme and it could affect the whole Livingrings. It was rare for them all to be summoned to the Floating Orb. The wizards of Livingrings were a tireless order, ever engaged in their work. They proceed from one task or mission. Then after it was finished, they started to the next one. They do their businesses with things around the Livingrings Kingdom without the need for the people to witness all that they were doing for it, whether for safety or prosperity. It was not easy to meet high ranking wizards, if a person was not of the highest standing like his father, General Hovereth, or General Vaelros. They were primarily called if there were enemy forces or other problems in the kingdom, where their expertise would be of further use. These wizards were good at fighting with their immense magical powers, so they were often seen meeting with the generals, Queen Aerathis, and King Thalorin Sealbearer. Jenna and Dunesther who were Rune Masters were not so far from the highest-ranking wizards, and often oversee the works of those in lower ranks. ¡°General Vaelros, we shall see you safely to Callona.¡± Dunesther assured, his voice firm but with an undercurrent of concern. ¡°And then, we shall depart to¡ª¡± Dunesther faltered, unable to complete his sentence. A trembling wind passed and something so hot engulfed them, causing them to shield their faces instinctively. In a burst of blinding light, two Divine Archmages appeared, their arrival was announced by the acrid scent of ozone and the searing heat of flames in flickering shades of orange and red. The whole surrounding felt floating and disoriented with the intensity of their powers. The humans were also bathed in their sweat due to the physical and mental strain of the two powers used at the same time. One Divine Archmage, cloaked in robes of fiery crimson, had his hands held out, and flames danced from his fingertips. The second Divine Archmage was wrapped in robes of midnight blue. He moved with a fluid grace and with a flick of his wrist or staff, the fabric of reality itself seemed to ripple and tear, revealing glimpses of distant landscapes. The two who arrived were beside the Celestial Drakes of Dunesther and Jenna. The magical flames of the fire wizard was where they stood together as it moved with the Celestial Drakes in midair. The lights were still blinding and the fiery flames were still engulfing the area. ¡°We have no time for that. It would take you hours to arrive in Callona even with the Celestial Drakes. Let¡¯s use my teleportation magic to go there, take what¡¯s needed, then we depart immediately to the castle in Faliamber.¡± Uther said to the two while his eyes were menacingly focused on something. Dunesther and Jenna worried more with Uther¡¯s instructions. They could hear him while they were still covered with lights and did not fully materialize. Uther the Divine Archmage of Teleportation had eyes with layers of circular rune-like things, moving inside when his powers were activated. It was not known if these were the calculations for his teleportation distance or the weight his powers could carry to another place. These were extremely visible while he closely turned to the two. As the light faded, the figures of Uther and Zoho, the Teleportation and Fire Divine Archmages, materialized completely in midair and could be seen clearly by the humans. Their presence commanded immediate attention. ¡°By the heavens! Uther and Zoho, the Divine Archmages!¡± Sergeant Demoir exclaimed, his voice was filled with awe and reverence. He could not believe his eyes¡ªUther and Zoho, stood before him. Eager to seize the moment, he urged his celestial drake closer, clutching a scroll. The thought of obtaining their signatures to proudly display at his home, and boast about to the other trainees filled him with giddy anticipation. But as he drew nearer, blinded by his enthusiasm, he failed to heed the gravity of their sudden appearance. These wizards did not manifest without grave purpose or dire tidings to share with the humans. General Vaelros perceived the sergeant''s overzealous mistake and quickly intervened. ¡°How about an¡ª¡± Demoir was not able to finish what he had to say. ¡°Sergeant!¡± General Vaelros'' voice cut through the air with a stern voice and halted Demoir¡¯s advance. The General¡¯s eyes were fixed on the Divine Archmages, his expression was of respect and concern. ¡°These wizards do not appear without grave purpose. Show them the honor they are due.¡± General Vaelros commanded. The drakes then circled gracefully. Demoir swallowed hard and his cheeks burnt red from embarrassment as the gravity of the situation sank in. He raised his hand to his chest in a gesture of respect, bowing his head deeply. The other soldiers followed suit knowing the gravity of the general¡¯s command. The wizards sighed with understanding. They, too, were not exempt from the fallibility that plagued all beings. They knew Demoir through all the visuals from the secondary layers of the Auroras in the labyrinthine and maze-like dimensions during his training periods. As General Vaelros got near them. ¡°General Vaelros we bear urgent tidings that demand your immediate attention.¡± Uther spoke heavily, but with a resonant voice filled with authority.¡± As the archmages began to speak, the soldiers listened intently. ¡°General Vaelros! Take your children and the kings¡¯ family with you. Leave this place at once. We had informed King Thalorin and General Hovereth of the reasons. Uther will take you out of the kingdom. The Kingdom of Livingrings is in grave danger.¡± Zoho, the fire wizard, directly ordered and looked at him. Author¡¯s Note: *Zoho - a Divine Archmage of Fires *Uther - a Divine Archmage of Teleportation Chapter 12. Divine Archmages and the Countdown Zoho explained without hesitation while his body and surroundings were still burning. His eyes darted to the Auroras for a bit and Vaelros observed this. ¡°I understand your concern Zoho the great Divine Archmage of Fires. This was surely due to the attacks outside and the massive holes appearing in our Auroras.¡± General Vaelros answered, but expected further explanation since they could no longer see the outside. The Auroras had long activated the thin luminescent shield again which would disable outsiders from seeing and directly attacking what was inside Livingrings. But, the people inside were not able to see the enemies, too. The general''s mind raced. He could not simply obey this command without understanding the full scope of the threat, but he had a duty to protect his king and his family, his sons, and to the whole people in this kingdom. The wizards of this authority wielded an authority that transcended even the throne, the authority of King Thalorin. Their command was absolute during calamitous events, and not even the king himself nor him as a general, possessed the right to refuse them. ¡°General, I don¡¯t have to repeat myself. The forces outside were too great and had used the powers of the demon world itself to bring this kingdom down. We had to act with haste as we may no longer be able to hold out, we are running out of time. Uther may look like a young boy to you, but his teleportation magic is unmatched. We need his powers, if we are to have any chance of survival.¡± Zoho explained further and his voice was now louder, sterner, and direct. General Vaelros¡¯ heart pounded and sweat flowed from his face as he processed the dire warning. This had never happened before in all histories written in the Kingdom of Livingrings for many centuries. This was just so sudden, what they only knew before was they were dealing with small groups of intruders. General Vaelros clenched his fists, the leather of his gloves creaked under the strain. He felt the heat of Zoho''s powers against his skin. It was a physical reminder of the immense power they were facing right now. Zoho was a very powerful Divine Archmage who could manipulate the different kinds and colors of fires, except the Blackfire. When the other wizards returned to the ¡®source¡¯ during long battles with enemies, it was often recorded he would always stay behind covering for the others. This was how strong he was since his body could turn into various fires. It was said in the legends of Livingrings that Zoho could battle a legion for days, or maybe the leaders of said legion. It was not known how much of those stories were true. This was because even the so-called left-over enemies who entered the second layers of the Auroras, were able to overwhelm the Divine Army. Without the guardians and the hard living conditions in the labyrinthine and maze-like dimensions in the second layers, which the Divine Army was used to, the soldiers would have been decimated, especially during rare cases. There was once a time like this when the wizards did not intervene because many were not home, or were preoccupied with their work. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Valthazar was still alive then, and was able to bring the strongest warriors with him inside the second layers. That was a story told long ago accompanied with tears and celebration. But it seemed, the power of their wizards and the Auroras could no longer protect them now. This meant they had to face the enemies themselves and not run away. But, a Divine Archmage¡¯s command must be obeyed. They had seen the rise and fall of thrones and empires; they surely knew better. Zoho was a wizard and a fighter who had seen many battlefields and survived. But now, this Zoho was in front of General Vaelros telling him to hurry, take his children with him and the kings¡¯ family and flee the kingdom. ¡®These wizards were undefeated by vast numbers of enemies for hundreds of years. Why now? What could cause this to happen?¡¯ Vaelros thought to himself as he listened to Zoho. The air around them seemed to hum with urgency, as the sky of Livingrings was darkening with all the smoke which rose all over the burnt villages accompanied with other magical residues. ¡°Very well. We shall trust in the wisdom and power of the Divine Archmages. Our kingdom''s survival depends on it.¡± General Vaelros nodded with a deep, steadying breath. ¡°General Vaelros, we¡¯ll do what we can for the best of this kingdom and its citizens. I thank you for your faith in us.¡± Zoho sincerely thanked the general before gesturing to Uther to ready the teleportation. General Vaelros turned to his soldiers. He could both see fear and resolve in their eyes. ¡°Prepare yourselves! We move with the guidance of our Divine Archmages. Let us defend our kingdom with every ounce of strength we possess if necessary.¡± Vaelros commanded and the soldiers positioned themselves into formation. They got to be ready when Uther teleported them. There could be enemies in the location ready to attack. As the soldiers of the Silver Legion rallied, the sense of urgency transformed into a focused determination. General Vaelros, though hesitant, was guided by duty and the wisdom of the Divine Archmages, since they had not failed them all these years. He knew this and readied himself for the battle that lay ahead. The general had assumptions on what the wizards meant, but not all. As General Vaelros got into position and his muscles tightened, Uther prepared himself to cast the spell. ¡°Everyone, get ready! Astral Leap - Gate of the Moon God!¡± Uther activated one of his gates. A bluish light encircled them all and their reality shook with the uncountable speed of light. Their eyes could only see fast moving dots of bright things. Magic and space twisted reality itself and their bodies started to disappear in midair. They were actually transported by Uther above the Den of Irons. It was the castle of General Vaelros Dreadstelth, mostly chosen as a place to train future soldiers of the Divine Army. *** For outsiders, wizards were lower than their kings, and were frequently sold in the black markets as children, or served as slaves for nobilities. It was common in the kingdoms outside of Livingrings for kings to hold higher magic than their wizards, mostly taken from the darker sources of power. ¡®Wizards¡¯ were the term used for those who could wield magic or be born with it in the outer kingdoms. On the other hand, the wizards here in Livingrings were so powerful. They were able to guard this kingdom for centuries, from all conquerors who would use any means to force others into full submission. For these, General Vaelros and the citizens of Livingrings respect them deeply, and consider their wizards here as gifts from the gods for protecting them all this time. And, were given many mementos when seen wandering around checking the health of the kingdoms¡¯ forests, rivers, and air quality. All would bow and kneel to the high-ranking wizards, especially the Divine Archmages who were rarely seen. For all the legends passed down in human history, these types of wizards just kept protecting this kingdom ever since it was made. No one knew why. The memory altering of the Auroras worked for those who go inside, but not to those who remained at the exterior. Zoho was well-known to many commanders and knights beyond Livingrings, because of the destructive nature of his powers. He had burnt many ships, legions, and squadrons, even those with many firing beasts. No one knew his name, but the tales of battles he won were too many to count and continued to fill the pages of Magus Chronicles for many centuries. He did these without staining his hands with the blood of the people of Livingrings despite his power. This was true to all the other wizards here. Many of the attackers who took the available dreams and memories of those who visited here, had long wondered why the wizards were not the owners of this kingdom, but instead the Sealbearers¡¯ and the people. The enemies long figured out that all who got out from the Auroras had their memories altered into dreams or illusions. Many years ago, written scrolls and books were secretly passed down from generations of wizards and the leaders of the Nexxus. These contained details which many of the crowd did not know about Livingrings. It made the Nexxus publish whatever they wanted to the public. Though the Kingdom of Livingrings participated in trade negotiations when times were peaceful, these were often conducted outside the kingdom. Author¡¯s Note: *Astra Leap: Gate of the Moon God - power of Uther *Den of Irons - castle of General Vaelros Dreadstelth in the city of Callona *Magus Chronicles - records of powerful spell casters being kept by the Nexxus alliance Chapter 13. Den of Irons, Beyond Salvation Goods and products were also delivered to the exterior of their multi-layer defense fields while being guarded by the Divine Army. This was to prevent many people from figuring out the secret of the Auroras, but their Celestial Drakes also caught the attention of the outsiders. Moreover, the wizards also warned them of many beast hunters looking out for citizens to butcher. These made them only go out when the Divine Army and the wizards were with them to give protection. However, the curiosity of humanity from the exterior only deepened, especially when a strong power was said to lie inside it. They could not also deny the noticeable wealth of the kingdom. The desire got stronger when passages of the long-lived wizards were also discovered. All the ancient texts were searched and merged by the people working under the Nexxus describing the wizards here. They dug buried libraries and preserved writings in caves just for these. Wizards with certain powers and appearances who could still be seen even during the trade negotiations in recent years. They were illustrated and described in ancient texts and books of long dead visitors or scribes who had written about them more than 500 years ago. These enticed many wizards, strong men, and brave women who all came from different lands to work under the Nexxus. *** In the castle of General Vaelros in Callona, there were 25 young trainees. These were mostly sons and daughters of high-ranking officials and the special few who had no facilities or notable pedigrees, but achieved high marks in the written and practical examinations. The basic examinations were mostly based on their skills, abilities, and knowledge. Now, over this castle called the Den of Irons, a bluish blinding circular light appeared. The space was distorted, then Celestial Drakes, soldiers, and wizards began to materialize. Once all of them appeared, their eyes and bodies took time to recover from the effects of the teleportation spell, except for Uther and the other wizards. As they descended from the heavens, everyone could see crimson stains all over the surroundings of the castle. This meant only one thing. The city of Callona was not spared from the attacks, especially the castle of the distinguished general. ¡°No! No! This can¡¯t be!¡± Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw yelled looking below. The castle was engulfed in flames. And, most of what could be seen were pools of blood and piles of bodies scattered everywhere. Many of the soldiers were speechless and had their eyes scanning the area. A bigger attack took place, larger than the one carried out in the White Starlight Palace of Faliamber where the royal family resided. ¡°This can¡¯t be! How come there were so many bodies here?¡± General Vaelros exclaimed. He also noticed the stillness. There were no sounds of weapons or people. It was only the strong winds that continued to blow with the smell of the flames which could be heard together with the flapping of the Celestial Drakes¡¯ wings. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The reported attacks were usually on a small scale in different places. But, for what appeared from the skies, there was a large-scale attack in the Den of Irons. Thousands of soldiers were dead outside and there were no signs of current fighting. They could be too late. ¡°There were three lieutenant generals with all their 20,000 troops in Callona. Who would be able to kill this many when those enemies are not even strong enough?¡± Sergeant Demoir uttered and held his sword tightly, ready to battle below. The wizards were also dumbfounded to see that they were not able to fully protect Livingrings. The two Divine Archmages saw that there was no more fighting outside, which was why they decided to go where the enemies were likely located right now. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside using Uther¡¯s teleportation now!¡± Zoho shouted. Everyone heard it, but they had no time to answer him since Uther activated one of his gates instantly. ¡°Astral Leap ¨C Gate of the Rivers!¡± Uther immediately transported them inside the castle to ensure they could save anyone who was still there. "Ugh!" "N-no¡­!" "Ahhh¡ª!" They all sounded as they were dropped to the entrance of the castle and their drakes disappeared. Their mouths remained open, their eyes enlarged too much and were ready to pop out, their voices were lost for a bit as it trailed in silence. They gazed around, but were anchored to the spot and were not able to disperse and seek for anyone still living. ¡°Oh no!!!¡± Some soldiers in the Divine Army yelled. ¡°Damn them!¡± Lieutenant Gol Furbuw shouted again and looked around, not knowing what to do. Thousands would not die without fighting a mighty foe. Sweat dropped unceasingly while his heart chilled, as if it needed more space to pump his blood. His calloused wide hands were clenched tight while his knuckles were white against the harshness of his grip. General Vaelros¡¯ eyes darted around restlessly in the interior checking for every shadow and movement. The scene before him churned his stomach, and he fought back the urge to retch. General Vaelros and Lieutenant Gol Furbuw had worked in the Divine Army for a long time, but they had not seen a scene like this before since their kingdom was generally peaceful. Limbs, flesh, fingers, ears, internal organs, and fluids of the body were all ripped to pieces and strewn all over the place, as if a beast was in full blast with this butchery. ¡°They got us! Those small raids and attacks were diversions! Their ranks were filled with frail, unskilled warriors, little more than pawns on a battlefield. Seeing them stumble and falter, a sense of ease washed over us¡ªwhat danger could such feeble foes pose? They even used weak fighters, so we felt safe!¡± Gol Furbuw shouted as he stepped back from the flowing blood of Lieutenant General Jacobs. He was hanged upside down from the ceiling, above the entrance before the main room. It was like he had been attacked by a beast. Most of his body parts were missing and his eyeballs were still staring wildly in the void, as if he had seen a demonic monster. As they looked around, not even some of the trainees were spared. They were slammed everywhere, with broken bodies and bones. Mangled remains bore grotesque bite marks, as if savage beasts had feasted upon them, leaving gaping wounds too severe for any chance of survival. Many clutched weapons in their lifeless hands, perhaps a futile attempt to fend off the monstrous assault. Their bodies were brutally torn apart, limbs scattered, and flesh savaged by feral teeth and claws. Some who may have fought together were frozen in their last moments of terror. Their eyes were wide and their faces were marked with a mix of defiance and despair, still bearing the expressions they wore in their final stand. The wizards tried to detect any enemies, but all the dark energy being released was from all the dead. ¡°Aaahhh! How brutal can they be?!¡± Gol Furbuw continued to shout looking for any survivors among the trainees. He was mostly with these trainees since he also lived here with General Vaelros and the others. He worked hard with them together many days and nights honing their skills, their magical powers, hoping for the day when they could fight together in the second layers of the Auroras and fend off attackers. He had seen their laughter, struggles, and weaknesses. Gol Furbuw often chuckled with their diverse quirky ways of escape, when some of the hellish sessions they expected were harder in reality. At first, many of those born with higher standing looked down often on the less privileged, especially during the basic examinations. However, they were proven wrong when results came. But those said less privileged struggled so hard, just to gain enough knowledge to pass the tests. The tears which flowed from their eyes dropped to the bloody ground as they looked around for survivors. Their hearts sank with sorrow as they mourned the dreams and futures that had been brutally and mercilessly cut short. The air was thick with the weight of grief, and the echoes of lost hopes kept whispering in the wind. The true toll of the massacre remained shrouded in uncertainty. Some may have succumbed to their grievous injuries later, even after miraculously surviving the initial onslaught. The fragile line between life and death was truly cruel. They continued in the search. The general also kept himself together and looked for any slight sign of an enemy inside the castle while the others were rattled by all this slaughter. Thummmm¡­. hummnmn¡­ The sound of a throbbing heart due to the probability of something harrowing did not stop. He may have appeared to remain composed, but something troubled the general. As if a hollow void rotated inside General Vaelros, making him unable to move easily; as if an unseen force sapped the very essence of his being. Vaelros¡¯ movements grew sluggish with each step, which turned into a monumental effort as his strength waned. Author¡¯s Note: *Lieutenant General Eva Thunderoar - fought and died in the Den of Irons *Lieutenant General Ford Asderon - fought and died in the Den of Irons Chapter 14. Brutality and Madness The once firm grip on his sword weakened, his hands trembled involuntarily, betraying his struggle to maintain control and fight for any sneak attack. He knew that if he entered this entrance showered in Lieutenant General Jacob¡¯s blood, after this, he would go to the central room where most gather. It was the place where his sons usually welcomed their guests in his absence, and where meetings were often held. General Vaelros¡¯ heartbeats were like sprinting frogs running from a snake. He mustered his remaining energy and held his sword as tightly as possible. ¡°Calek! Donvar!¡± General Vaelros yelled as his eyes were wet waiting for a response. There was haunting stillness¡­. ¡°Calek! Donvar!!!!¡± General Vaelros called out to his sons again, maybe they had hidden somewhere. They knew the secret underground rooms would have at least saved them, if they were able to run and hide on time. But, from the looks of what had been here, the scene told of a chilling tale of sudden brutality. From the scattered remains and broken defenses, it was evident they had been ambushed inside without warning. There were still plates of food all over the place. Some fruits were squashed by the bodies as they fell, or were pounded by the weapons. The trainees were eating and had a break when the attack came. Two trainees were seen near the alarm bells who obviously tried to warn the others, but were not able to. They were ripped into pieces before they could hammer the bells into frenzy. General Vaelros did not completely lose hope, and slowly walked towards the main room, while his discerning sight and sharp ears were ready for any hint of malice. While the general walked towards the main room, Uther looked at Sergeant Demoir who was crying. The wizards looked at each other with sorrow, their magical powers could no longer sense anyone still having the spark of life in this room and the next one nearby. What can they do? They did not make it in time. These trainees were Demoir¡¯s training companions under Gol Furbuw and General Vaelros. They were all excited to go to the second layers of the Auroras. A training which would take them years to partially complete, and would continue once they were already in the Divine Army. Most had the same dream of rising to become the generals, who would lead thousands of troops into battles someday. If attackers arrived, which happened almost daily in the recent years. The wizards looked in gloomy silence. Zoho also glanced at Vaelros¡¯ sword which had a slight red hue at the tip. He knew then, that the general¡¯s two sons were dead. It was a sword he gave him with drops of his sons¡¯ blood. He refrained from mentioning the subtle, haunting cue embedded within the weapon¡¯s magic¡ªa truth too delicate for mortal hearts to bear. For when the blood congealed in the bodies where the blood droplets were taken, the steel would blaze faintly with the scarlet hue of their passing. He did not utter a word and just watched as the general nervously entered the room. Around Sergeant Demoir were all the bodies, and the soldiers hoping for a chance of miracle that someone made it out alive. The others accompanied General Vaelros as he entered the main room. ¡°Oh no!!!!¡± One of the soldiers shouted as he crumbled to the ground upon witnessing what was inside. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The others who were expecting for someone to have survived looked in dismay to the direction of the main room. Lieutenant General Gol Furbuw ran towards it, and saw the general stiff where his feet stood. Vaelros¡¯ sword dropped with a loud thud to the bloody floor. Everyone followed to the room. All could already see that yearning for some to have survived was their fantasy. Boundless tears came streaming down. No one survived. They saw a huge hole which started from the underground. It was concluded that, since the doors of the subterranean rooms were brought to the surface. There were spiraling black things like veins which also came from the hole. There were still black mists emanating from these. Even though made of steel, these doors shattered and crumbled with the impact against the hard flooring and rocks, while these were lifted to the surface. Beside these were Eva Thunderoar and Ford Asderon, the two lieutenant generals known for surviving in long battles, had only their heads remaining, even bitten off by something. Their body parts were everywhere and some were trampled to small pieces on the ground. The faces of those gathered reflected the weight of it all. Their eyes were glazed with despair and hot tears spilled from their eyes, blurring the world around, and their lips pressed into pale, trembling lines. Some used their clothes to wipe all the bitterness that flowed down their cheeks. Few others who were not so close to the people who died remained vigilant and observed the bodies, and pictured how it probably happened. As their minds cleared a bit from the horrific slaughter, they could see worms already wriggling all over the place, which meant there was sorcery or demonic magic involved. The dead here were killed recently, but upon closer monitoring when some of them returned to the entrance, most of the dead they checked already had worms moving in and out all over their bodies. In fact, some were even wriggling on their boots, clothes, and hands which they used to touch the dead. Even the walls seemed to weep, through the haze of smoke and the flickering inferno, rivulets of blood streaked the scorched stone walls, as if the castle itself could feel the echo of their hearts, shrinking with anchors pulling their spirits down. The wizards, Uther, Zoho, Jenna, and Dunesther could see how the enemies were able to outwit them. Their shoulders dropped, but their eyes filled with unshed tears, were kept calm. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Argh! I will slaughter them all, I will¡­¡± General Vaelros roared in anger and then fell to his knees, while he tried to reach his sons. The treasures he promised his late wife to protect forever until his death¡­ They passed on before him, he did not even see how it all happened. What meaning did the title of a celebrated general hold, if he could not even shield his own flesh and blood? The glory of countless battles, the songs sung in his name¡ªwhat were they, now that his sons lay beyond his reach, taken by the very violence he had sworn to master? He had not witnessed the courage that burned like a beacon in his two sons, or the others as they stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the enemy with every ounce of strength they could muster. Nor had he seen the unyielding bond between them, a fierce determination as they fought not only for their own lives, but for each other¡¯s. Their last moments spent in defiance of fate. This room was filled with black mineral-like jagged protrusion, big enough to cut a body into two. Calek appeared to be protecting Donvar from something, but the gigantic mineral-like spikes passed through the body of the child, and reached his younger brother at the back. The passionate eyes of his son Calek, who liked to someday take the place of his dad, could never be compared to these bloodshot eyes, full of emptiness and coldness. As if his life ended when he was still thinking of a way to fight the enemy, when there was no way. At the same time, he tried to protect his brother behind. Donvar still had his eyes on his brother in front when he died, he held the ends of his brothers¡¯ cloth. They were tethered in their positions by the spikes, like many others in the room who were not broken or squashed into bits. Their warm pulses, the sweat of training, the everyday yelling and cheers of these future soldiers, all dissipated with the agony of death. "Waaah!" "Snrrk" "Gulp" ¡°Healing, healing!¡± There was wailing, loud sobs, sharp sniffing, heavy crying, and swallowing sounds. Their faces contorted in different angles, their eyes¡¯ veins enlarged, causing red-colored blurry eyes. They cried and looked for any kind of bottled potions to pour on the bodies of the dead. They knew there were plenty in the Den of Irons. The worms which twisted and slithered, even going out from the eyes of the dead, were ignored. ¡°Potions! More potions!¡± Gol Furbuw loudly shouted while pouring lots to his nephews, reattaching the halved body of Calek. ¡°Demoir! To the others! These are powerful potions; it could take time!¡± Gol Furbuw even commanded Demoir to share the potions they got. They had the strongest potions of the wizards since they were the Silver Legion. ¡°Help me! We need to make it fast, so they can heal!¡± Demoir yelled to the others while he moved and trembled at the same time. The soldiers accompanied Demoir putting potions on the bodies, reconnecting their arms, legs, heads, and everything which could still be connected. Those who already came to their senses could only bow their heads and close their eyes for a silent prayer to their gods. (Click Follow for more updates or check Patreon for advance chapters. Thank you.) Chapter 15. Pyramortiss and the Discord among the Living General Vaelros who was never seen crying, as if lost his very soul. He was motionless and only held the bodies of his sons while on his knees, his eyes stared blankly as tears kept falling from his eyes. It was like he could not even hear or see what was going on around him. They rushed to put every drop of magical potions to the bodies. Some of these soldiers under the Silver Legion had seen these boys and girls when they were still babies, blessed in the Faliamber plaza when they were a-year-old. For inside, not only the generals¡¯ sons Donvar and Calek, or Lieutenant Generals¡¯ Eva and Ford were dead, but, the top ten of the class when it came to combat and magic. They were all there, in a place of carnage not yet known to them, torn apart, before even seeing war and losing their lives defending the citizens. What would they say to these children¡¯s parents, to the king, to the citizens? All who trusted them. ¡°It will be okay. These are powerful potions. Calek, Donah, Gidon, Kalevar, Parramea, Athylis, Zon, Wellenor, Kalbeth. We¡­..ll will all march victoriously in Faliamber, while the king would bestow you the honor of being part of the Divine Army. We¡­¡± Sergeant Demoir talked to his comrades while he poured some potions. Demoir wanted to control the sorrow, but he continued to sob. And, as if he remembered something, glanced at the wizards who did not cry at all. They looked serene even though their eyes were wet. Only they could not voice what they wanted to say, in this madness, in this chaos, as if the humans they cared for already went insane. ¡°Aid us! Heal them please! My comrades are dying please!¡± Demoir begged, his eyes pleading the powerful wizards to work some miracles. Zoho, who bowed his head a while ago, patted him and clutched his shoulders firmly, looked him in the eyes and said, ¡°They¡¯re already dead, they¡¯re even rotting. We don¡¯t know what curses they casted or what beasts attacked but¡­¡± Zoho wanted the humans to come to their senses, comfort them, and tell them not to give up on living, but he was interfered while talking. Wham! Thwack! "Hah!" Demoir did not think twice, as his eyes narrowed into slits, looked spitefully, and punched Zoho. The wizard¡¯s chin was forcefully pushed upward. ¡°How dare you! They will live! We just need to hasten the healing. You¡¯re powerful right?!¡± Sergeant Demoir shouted as his eyes burned in anger. Zoho moved his chin down to its normal position and looked at Demoir again, he just straightly gazed at him while he calmed the flames which started to spread around his body. Demoir¡¯s fists were still clenched, as if insulted by the wizards¡¯ seemingly lack of empathy, and was willing to punch him more. Dunesther and Jenna looked down troubled and dismayed at the young human¡¯s actions, but understood that his mental state was unstable. They would let Zoho put the punishment in place if it was the right option. Uther did not care to mediate, but silently studied the humans¡¯ actions as they reconnected the body parts of the fallen, which obviously had no chance of breathing again. The worms had also started jumping, wriggling, and got over their clothes. {There were many losses here. It would be difficult.} Uther sent the telepathic message. They could do something for those who were still ¡®ALIVE,¡¯ but this¡­ Then, a warped space and immense light with magical circles appeared in the room. Uther looked. It was Beledon, another Divine Archmage of Teleportation who could only use it twice a day. However, he could send people and himself to farther distances with more objects or inanimate things. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The Divine Archmages and the wizards were now under the telepathic connections of Qunara. {We have no time, we got your message.} Beledon shortly responded in a rush. {No, you shouldn¡¯t¡­} Uther tried to prevent Beledon from doing something that could make things much worse. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Dunesther murmured as the parents of the trainees arrived. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± The parents reacted in unison, shocked by what they saw upon arrival. ¡°Who the hell did this!?¡± Fatima asked. ¡°They will pay, we will make them pay!¡± Shouted another while looking at the dead. The room was further filled with chaos, agony and mourning. ¡°We put healing potions onto them.¡± Demoir told them while his eyes were still red. He planned to punch Zoho once more, but he turned his attention to the grieving parents. They looked at him and smiled a bit to show their gratitude, even if they were not sure if it worked. But, as if not wanting to further torture the young, they did not articulate anything about his father. Those with more sound judgement at the moment could already perceive, the dead had no chance of being revived again in their present condition. There were no ethereal lights or tints of warm yellow or green coming out of the bodies after the potions were applied. It was common to see these during the application of the wizards¡¯ potions. They realized that the wizards were not able to do anything. If they could, all the strewn, mangled, and splattered body parts and blood should not be here by now. While the humans were disturbed, the wizards talked using telepathy. {You knew we would come to the worst situation because of this.} Uther looked at Beledon and breathed hard. Beledon just passed over and inspected the area, then sent a message back. {Listen, the Futureweaver said, there will be no Livingrings for them.} {What?! We have to save what we can.} Uther replied. He still believed there could be some solutions, not yet explored. {That¡¯s why we¡¯re here because¡­} Beledon was about to say something, but did not continue. Uther looked at Beledon properly, he was vanishing, a bit translucent. This was bad, the problems only got worse since they departed from the frontlines outside of the Auroras. Defeat slightly lingered at the back of Uther¡¯s thoughts. {What does this mean?} Uther tried to ask him. All the other wizards also heard this conversation. {They told me to at least help these people and the kings¡¯ family out of the kingdom now. Somebody has to tell the story of the Livingrings Kingdom truthfully afterwards. Let¡¯s use my Leap of the Sun and take them all, even the thousands dead, near the king¡¯s castle. This place would float there for a while as long as we could endure. That is as far as I could go in our current state. Then you teleport them far away where no armies are gathered. Travel to the most remote parts where the Nexxus would not find any traces of you. More legions, fleets, and squadrons had surrounded Livingrings since your departure, we won¡¯t make it Uther. We won¡¯t. Take as few as you can so your power lasts and travel far.} Beledon explained while his eyes blurred. He was out of time. All of them knew this since they were informed of their magical powers being drained. The Floating Orb was a great solution since it was where they were born and could possibly retain their magical powers. They had to act fast since the Divine Archmages could feel that their connections to the Floating Orb were perishing. This had never happened before, so even Uther was not sure of this. They always knew they could get healed of whatever was happening to them in the Floating Orb. As long as they could go, they could return with more magical powers restored inside them. {What?! Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening here? And more armies?} Uther replied, not completely believing that his kind would not be able to handle what was out there. But honestly, he felt it. He only opened about three gates transporting him and Zoho, the Silver Legion to Callona, then third inside the Den of Irons, but he could feel as if there was nothing left inside him. He knew they needed time, but he did not know all the details after he left the frontlines. Uther looked at Beledon who held his forehead down with his right hand as if in mourning, but was actually speaking to him telepathically. {Just heed my warning, we must save them, so some will be able to tell the tales of the Kingdom of Livingrings someday.} Beledon wanted to beat some sense to his fellow wizard, too affected by what was happening to these humans, and forgot the reason they coexisted with them in the first place. He thought Uther and the others became so short-sighted with all the crying. They no longer realized that if no one survived, all of these would be left as drama which the enemies with devilish pacts would laugh at. The souls of the dead here would all go to the underworld, Pyramortiss, since they died consumed by the wrath and powers of higher ranked devils. The wizards of Livingrings often embarked on perilous journeys into this hellish domain, to save the souls of the soldiers and citizens who were killed with these devilish techniques. (Follow for more. *40 Advance Chapters are on Patreon. Thanks.) Author¡¯s Note: *Calek, Donah, Gidon, Kalevar, Parramea, Athylis, Zon, Wellenor, Kalbeth - some of the top trainees who died in the Den of Irons *Pyramortiss - the hell or underworld in this realm where demons and devils¡¯ dwell Chapter 16. Beledon Their souls would be tortured forever in Pyramortiss if the Floating Orb was not able to protect the wizards¡¯ magical powers, since no one else could travel that accursed dominion aside from the wizards of Livingrings. What of the crying? Who will remember the dead? Would they prefer if everyone¡¯s soul here were tormented forever never to break free? ¡®So, this is the end? You will just watch them as they act like crazy who have lost their senses of reality. We¡¯ve suffered so much fighting all these centuries, while they¡¯re just dealing with this! Haven¡¯t we lost so much actually? Can¡¯t Uther even sense the threat? He should have acted more proper than these two.¡¯ Beledon thought deep inside him. ¡°Huff¡­ Beledon, we may not know, but can¡¯t you look at these people? This was why Uther could not tell them to rush back to the castle in Faliamber even if we¡¯re told that we are out of time.¡± Jenna spoke loudly to Beledon. She sighed and expressed these, like the Divine Archmage was missing something very important in this situation. Jenna interfered so the Divine Archmage just looked more. The humans were grieving. She focused so much on their pain and loss that she did not notice Beledon was becoming weaker by the second, he was losing his form. Since Jenna did not exert much power yet, she thought her magical status changed only a little. Beledon looked at her, his lips narrowed, his hands clenched more on his gigantic golden staff, some of his terrifying aura manifested around him, but he held it back. Jenna stepped back in fear. The Divine Archmage was angry, she forgot that he had been tired fighting enemies outside and had exhausted his magical energy so much. She and Dunesther had reserved energy since they only accompanied the humans in the Floating Orb before coming here. They did not fight outside the Auroras, no, they did not even get to experience it when the troops multiplied. Beledon knew more of the current situation than Uther and Zoho who joined them earlier. She just talked to him like he was ignorant of the situation, when he was more informed and had seen what could be ahead. Beledon, known for his calm demeanor, reached a moment when he wanted to release his powers, and punish the younger wizards near him. They had sympathized, but lost their own, and forgot their missions. They were gifted with immense powers and lifespans for a reason. Beledon just showed them how ignorant and weak they were with a menacing aura, which he only focused on the three of them. At least Uther, Dunesther, and Jenna felt that they should no longer intervene and backed off from him for a few inches. {If you only knew, you should have listened to Beledon earlier.} Qunara said in a calming voice that comforted the hearts of the three, who had just stepped back a little farther away from Beledon. Zoho did not, and looked straight into Beledon''s eyes, ready to fight when asked. If it was only him, maybe he had already left and finished the mission. Let the humans cry all they wanted here, die with the dead if they preferred. They did not even bother to consider what the wizards were also going through all these years, just to keep them safe and their souls away from Pyramortiss. Even one soul from Livingrings taken to the underworld had caused Zoho, Uther, and Beledon to enter the realm to save it. Dunesther and Jenna were only allowed at the entrance of the realm, since they were too weak to get inside the last time they went there. The wizards were not allowed to let even one soul of someone from Livingrings to fall in the realm of demons and devils, the Seal of Gaxinar could detect that. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Zoho was a true wizard known to do his duty with a blast, only that this time, it did not solely rely on his powers. The action Demoir did out of his emotions was a great insult to all the wizards who protected them this long. Even if they lived for so long, they held their promise for a very long time despite the evil that dwelt in the hearts of humanity. Humans who always wanted to lift themselves and their asses on big chairs, and big crowns; spill blood, then proclaim their actions as if they were heroes. It was really tiresome dealing with humans. But at least, those who live in Livingrings were not as tainted as those outside and were also honest when it came to upholding goodness in their lives. This made the wizards continue with their promise for centuries. These were the results of pacts which had long been written in time itself. Zoho had decided to just take General Vaelros if this scene continued forever. At least he could protect the others when he came back to his senses. Then, drag his fellow wizards with him, and force Uther to teleport to save the few, this would increase the chances of their survival. For Zoho, this was better than weeping here forever and dying with nothing. He would let these humans join their children so that they may have peace rather than prolong their suffering. But, since they were undoubtedly taken out by higher ranked devils and demons, this meant they had more souls to rescue again from Pyramortiss later on. Just the Greater Demons and Infernal Dukes and Duchesses were already a bother, if there were at least more than fifty human souls to be rescued. What more if in thousands? Zoho considered this when they arrived and just kept silent. For Beledon, he understood what the humans were going through, but it was hard because he knew they would not live long if this continued. Just at the far-left corner where he stood, he could already see that there was profound grief. They lived long, but that did not mean that their lives should be taken for granted, lesser in value than the lives of humans. They too had will, but chose to live peacefully and coexisted with the beings in this kingdom. Most of their struggles and pain were often overlooked just because they were powerful, and lasted more than the brief lives of humans. He turned more towards the far-left corner and listened to the pleas of the humans. A mother hugged an almost unrecognizable corpse. ¡°Donah, my daughter, you will celebrate your birthday tomorrow. Remember? We prepared a banquet for all of you to attend and show your skills to the crowd.¡± The woman said as she tried to keep the body from separating into pieces again. ¡°Kalevar, many young boys and girls are looking forward to becoming one of the Divine Army. You showed them that anyone could aim higher. To be someone who could protect the kingdom. Wake up my son.¡± An old man with muscular hands who could be a blacksmith whispered to one hollow mortal remains in front of him. Gigantic claws emptied the body. ¡°Potions? Who has more healing potions?¡± One parent from a high-standing family inquired. ¡°Here my lord, please use this.¡± A soldier gave the last small bottle of potion he had. But, slightly glanced at the hopeless condition of the child near the parent. ¡°Wait, other survivors? They may use the other three potions. I had already put on my son and Eva.¡± Asked Fatima, a former sergeant and mother of Tarebin. What survivors? All the 20,000 troops around the Den of Irons and those inside died, even the lieutenant generals known for their magical prowess and combat experience were gone after this carnage and bloodlust. Beledon listened and watched the humans for a bit longer. They even forgot they were near them; their attention was all focused on the ¡®survivors.¡¯ Then, there was a bit of silence, his fellow wizards detected his powers were activated again. This one was a power he was not usually using. "Everyone, I understand the weight in your hearts¡­ but you must know the truth. All of them¡ªthose who fought valiantly on these grounds, the stationed troops, and even the reinforcements, were already lost to us. They were dead long before we arrived. The more we postpone acting on this matter, the further the powers of the underworld, Pyramortiss, will take over everyone¡¯s soul here. This meant we would have to deal with the Archdevils and Demon Lords, if we would want their souls to be free. If we are weak, there will be no chance of them ever considering listening to us. They never deal with creatures who don¡¯t have power, they only oppress them." Beledon said in a powerful voice, a bit disorienting. There was something to it that these humans would not recognize in this situation. Beledon was met with terrifying glares, but images of torment and eternal punishments in the Pyramortiss gradually entered their minds. As the information traversed in their brains, they remained motionless for a few seconds, so their brains would not explode due to information and magical overload. Author¡¯s Note: (Thanks for reading. Wish you well!) *Beledon - a Divine Archmage who gave Leviathan to General Vaelros and often journeyed to the Pyramortiss with Zoho and Uther to save human souls (only for the citizens of Livingrings) *Tarebin - one of the trainees who died *Fatima - mother of Tarebin *Kalemith of the Sun - Beledon¡¯s staff Chapter 17. Wishes and Hope But, for General Vaelros, as if his soul already joined his departed sons. He had no reactions or responses. He had been holding them and staring blankly like the statues all this time. But like a sudden influx of water which flowed in a desert, the information made his muscles move. The general may have thought it was an attack since his hands tried to reach for his sword, but he soon remained stationary like the others. Some of the parents started to unsheathe their weapons, still confused about what just happened, their senses had not fully recovered yet. The soldiers assisted in assembling the bodies of the dead, but they already woke up and realized that these people had really no chance of breathing again. Even if that was the case, they kept silent since they did not want to offend the parents. They could see, even a tough general would be broken if he lost his children. If these were their own, there was a high probability they would act in a similar manner. The slaughter was even done in a gruesome way which added to the misery. While the humans took time to recover from the power of Beledon, Uther hurried to send him a message. {As if you¡¯re not listening, it¡¯s just hopeless you know. These are humans, unlike us.} Uther tried to remind Beledon telepathically, that these were humans with short lifespans, and who mostly relied on their children to carry their wishes to the next generations. For some, especially outside this kingdom, many children who were born were just seen as tools by their parents. The children served to continue the lineage, to work for food, to help with the chores, to take care of the riches, to take the throne so no others could take it from them. Many were also sold by their parents to slave labor, for their magical abilities, or for a sack of wheat. Uther did not receive an answer, Beledon was in a hurry. Beledon did not mind the humans unsheathing their weapons. Instead, his focus remained unwavering as he twisted Kalemith of the Sun, his gilded staff of radiant power. With a commanding thrust, he drove the golden staff into the blood-soaked ground. Kalemith of the Sun loomed above Beledon, its golden frame towered far beyond his own height. It was crafted from celestial gold and imbued with the radiance of the sun itself. The staff exuded a weight not only physical but spiritual, as though the very heavens pressed upon its wielder. Its considerable bulk demanded strength and resolve; for only those of unwavering will could bear such a burden of power. Despite its heaviness, the staff seemed alive in his hands, an unspoken challenge to those unworthy of its might. Even though above them were all the dark violet spots and the sinister energy from the underworld corrupting the Auroras, the veins of sunlight coursed and pulsed faintly through its core and began to shift, glowing with an incandescent brilliance. Ancient inscriptions spiraled to life, their symbols ignited one by one in a slow, deliberate dance of light and fire. The air grew thick with the hum of awakening power, as the staff''s activation, though formidable, required time. Hymns of angelic voices started to be heard all over the Den of Irons, soft lights slowly embraced thousands of the dead bodies. Everyone who was affected by the activation process now had their senses stabilized, including General Vaelros. But, most of them were trembling with fear of what they just learned about the Pyramortiss. For one who had been fighting for a long-time, this demonic and devilic realm fueled his resolve. He had to fight, or his sons¡¯ souls would also be tormented in that place forever. It was better for them to support the efforts of their wizards, than stay here in denial of the harsh reality. General Vaelros immediately took his sword from the ground after carefully leaving his sons¡¯ corpses, and monitored the main room. The eyes of the parents near him followed his every movement. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Vaelros recognized the Divine Archmages and all the people here, especially Beledon who was so proud of him when he became a general. The ethereal power flowed around, and he could feel the burden and sorrow he felt, faded away as the lights touched his skin. He observed that many of the soldiers of the Silver Legion looked outside in amazement, so he quickly darted to one of the windows and saw the magical light covering all the dead bodies outside the castle. Little by little, they rose in midair, as if the warm lights were taking them to their source in the heavens. A sense of relief washed over General Vaelros, the wizards were really amazing. Strong winds of freedom swirled and started blowing all over the place. Beledon had a stronger power which borrowed the warmth of the sun. The wizards would never disclose this, afraid someone taken over by the Archdevils from other kingdoms would try to control Beledon to use in their wars. As the humans stood in awe and their minds recovered from their pains, a powerful voice was heard. ¡°Listen! Thousands are dead? Yes. Your children included? Yes. But, why do we have to rise? As I speak, millions of soldiers are surrounding the Kingdom of Livingrings. The 13 leaders of the Nexxus assembled their forces, and even made pacts with the underworld to attack this kingdom! Why, you ask? We are the bearers of the fabled Seal of Gaxinar, a relic whispered of in shadowed legends. Some call it the living seal of the Twin Sons of the Devil, a token forged in the fires of ancient darkness and bound to the wills of gods and monsters alike. No matter the myths or legends you may have heard, this seal holds a power beyond mortal comprehension. It is a force so immense it could call the dead back to the realm of the living, IF WIELDED WITH THE MOST PRECISION AND CARE. Why would they covet it so fiercely, when they have already razed kingdoms, plundered treasures beyond reckoning, and turned fertile lands into desolate wastelands? Are their towering hoards of gold and their countless legions of enslaved souls not enough to sate their greed? What drives them to muster such a vast army for a single, humble seal, safeguarded by one kingdom for centuries? If you stand with me. If you cherish the memory of our people, of our children cruelly taken from us. Then rise! Muster your courage and steel your hearts! Rally to the frontlines, if that is what it takes! We stand to protect not just a seal, but the hope it holds¡ªthe power to return what we have lost, to undo the destruction wrought upon us! Will you fight with me? Will you stand for our future?!¡± Beledon roared in some enchanting voice that these humans with him would not be able to see through, because of their current circumstances. Who does not want the dead back, if they were their loved ones? Who does not? They were slowly losing themselves a while ago, but for some reason, they rose up, with enough strength to stand again for what was ahead. A seal which could return the loss. Everyone would desire it. ¡°Ohhhh! Aaahahah! Yessssss!!!! We will! To our kingdom of Livingrings!!!!!¡± Hundreds of thousands of citizens of the kingdom cheered and roared, hearing and feeling all that he said. There was something that surged inside them. There was hope that could be felt. As wide rectangular displays appeared around the main room of the Den of Irons, the madness calmed down, affected also by the cheering of all the citizens in the kingdom. The parents and the Silver Legion here could see and hear the reactions of the people, even the king himself. Everything that happened here was actually sent forth across the land and shown to all the citizens in ethereal displays, with a rectangular shape surrounded by white bluish lights. This was a power of Qunara which accompanied the Wavesron telepathic connections. She used the minds and senses of the four wizards who landed with the humans here. With them in the same place, she gained access to the thoughts, emotions, and sensations of the people in the castle. Qunara could do this as long as she was near the Floating Orb. These were then sent all over Livingrings via invisible connections that flowed through all the brains of the citizens. The images and scenes sent to their minds about the torments in the Pyramortiss were also received in the displays. Beledon knew this. With the help of the broadcast, his power, even though weakened, was able to reach the entire kingdom. He had been losing power greatly, but was able to do this since his fellow wizards all retreated inside the Auroras near the Floating Orb and supported him. He made it on time. ¡°All who dwell near the palace, I beg you, flee with haste, as far and as swiftly as your feet can carry you. I will bring the dead and the Den of Irons there!¡± Beledon also added. Author¡¯s Note: (Kindly click Follow, if you like, it helps.) *Wavesron - telepathic connections of the wizards under Qunara¡¯s guidance Chapter 18. Power Loss Qunara sent the possible sequences of the events uttered by Beledon in the human brains, so they could picture and estimate the extent of the transfer. As the revelations settled within them, their spirits surged with newfound hope. The truths unveiled about the wizards¡¯ abilities shattered the feeble constructs of their mediocre imaginings, revealing powers far greater, more awe-inspiring, than they had ever dared to dream. ¡°To our sons and daughters! To the kingdom!¡± All of them shouted, including Vaelros. Even King Thalorin could be heard. After Beledon saw their responses, he determined it was time to go back. ¡°Now, everyone! To Faliamber! With the power of my fellow wizards assembled there, we could put the dead in Time Vials, preserved, ready when resurrection comes. Leap of the Sun-Glethoron!¡± Beledon chanted as his golden hairs shone, as the warmth of the sun also coursed through these and his eyes were consumed by it. The people here who were broken a while back now followed his commands. They believed in the loyalty, determination, and the powers of these creatures, which they considered as gifts from the gods. As the teleportation magic was activated, Sergeant Demoir, who punched Zoho with all his strength recently, was a bit embarrassed and hid at the back where the wizard could not easily spot him. The grieving parents who did not want to accept what was in front of them, the corpses and the rotting, were also mortified by their actions. They were consumed by wrath upon being told the obvious truth about the fate of their slain children. Now they murmured, seeking a way to humble themselves before the wizards who they once scorned, when they tried to open their minds to reality. As they were distracted by their thoughts, the whole surroundings and the Den of Irons shook, like the whole world was being altered and twisted from the depths. Huge magical circle appeared on the ground encasing the castle. They clung to each other and grabbed onto anything which could keep them from falling, or being tossed in all directions. There were tremors under the castle, and sounds of colliding rocks and soil did not pass through their ears unnoticed. Beledon carried with him more than 20,000 dead soldiers, the trainees, the ground itself with the castle, and activated teleportation. With immense magical aura and with the powers of the other wizards amplifying the teleportation, they were able to arrive at the central capital, Faliamber, in the blink of an eye. Ripples in reality and immense lights could be seen by those in Faliamber before the castle of the general gradually materialized in midair. The Den of Irons ascended gracefully from the earth, its massive structure defied gravity as it hovered overlooking the structures below. It was suspended in the air, aligned with the exalted White Starlight Palace, standing as an equal beside the celestial heights of the palace''s gleaming spires. Upon arrival, the parents and soldiers were immediately instructed by Uther, ¡°Everyone! Please ensure the parts and pieces of all the dead were at least attached to their bodies or close to each part. After that, leave the Den of Irons and stay in the White Starlight palace!¡± They were now so busy preparing the corpses and aligning them, reattaching parts that were still there, to be ready for the said Time Vials. Then, Uther remembered something. {Are we doing what is right? We have not discovered yet if the S¡­} Uther asked in the Wavesron, but did not continue to the end as he wobbled for a bit and lost his balance. Jenna and Dunesther caught the Divine Archmage so he did not fall to the hard floor. He had wielded his powers but twice within the Auroras, and only once had his voice thundered through the crowd. Yet, it seemed his frame could no longer bear the strain. The reserves of his formidable magical energy, once boundless, had been depleted, worn thin by the relentless battles waged against their foes beyond the Auroras. Dark energies also continued sapping all their might. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Beledon walked nearer to them when he saw Uther¡¯s condition. He was alarmed, his fellow Divine Archmage must be kept alive until he was able to teleport at least a few survivors and the seal out of this kingdom. There might be no more magical energy left within him after that. Dunesther and Jenna watched as Beledon came closer. ¡°Beledon?!¡± They both exclaimed and blinked again. They scrutinized the details of his body. Beledon¡¯s form was glitching. As Beledon¡¯s strength waned, his very form began to falter. His silhouette flickered, like a candle''s flame caught in a storm, and arcs of chaotic energy rippled across his body. One moment his limbs were solid, the next, they fractured into shimmering shards of light, only to reassemble into his form again. The air around him warped. It was as though reality itself was rejecting his presence, glitching out of phase with the world. Even though Beledon was supported by the other wizards, that teleportation had used too much magical power because of all the dead and the dark energies. He saw the reaction of the two Rune Masters and smirked. Beledon instead bent his knees so he could look at Uther¡¯s face on the same level. His whole-body armor lined with ancient golden texts scraped each other, the joints creaked softly, accompanied by the faint clink of interlocking chainmail beneath. Beledon then answered his question in a weak, brittle voice. ¡°If it¡¯s for even a few of them to live¡­ I have done my part Uther, I fulfilled my duty. Now, stay strong and leave the capital immediately. Es¡­cape.¡± Beledon could hardly communicate and stuttered, his tone had a quivering timbre. It was a fragile and uneven cadence that spoke of exhaustion and frailty. While Beledon talked to Uther¡­ ¡°Are we abandoning them?¡± Dunesther and Jenna interrupted. Before Beledon could even look at the two and answer, Zoho walked beside them and secretly handed the two with small amulets and did not answer their question. He wanted to burn them with his flames until smoldering embers remained with gray ashes, but there was not enough time to do that so he abandoned the thought. ¡°It¡¯s good that I recently developed these, wear them. Sightseekers can prolong your powers, you could at least live and guide them a little in the outside world. Uther has one. Leave before all the magical powers are drained.¡± Zoho handed the small thin bracelets with inscriptions, trusting the two would live and guide the survivors, then rebuild Livingrings in the future. Zoho realized that with Uther¡¯s present condition, even the Sightseeker he wore was just a decoration, he would surely not make it after his last activation of teleportation. To make sure the two Rune Masters retained confidence, he did not tell the truth about Uther. As he said these, they became more translucent now than ever, especially Beledon. When he saw that Thalorin was coming, ¡°Beledon, Uther, get up. A Sealbearer is on his way.¡± Beledon stood up, while Dunesther and Jenna supported Uther on both sides. The citizens who were watching in the far corners were uneasy when they witnessed the state of the three Divine Archmages. The king had now come to their side after he checked on the bodies of the dead soldiers and the trainees. Many of the families of the dead watched in faraway places. Some who lived in Faliamber were able to see the corpses of their families and helped in organizing the dismembered parts. King Thalorin moved among them and offered what solace he could to their ravaged spirits, before entrusting the rest of the obligation to General Vaelros. ¡°We owe you endless gratitude, Your Eminence. Your deeds and commitment have brought us salvation beyond measure. Yet, I can see that the harrowing battles and the immense burdens you have carried have drained the very essence of your magical energies. I beseech you to restore your strength within the sanctity of the Floating Orb." King Thalorin Sealbearer declared, lowering himself into a deep, reverent bow before the wizards. All the citizens followed when they saw what their king had done and kneeled before them. Even those who were watching from the far corners of the kingdom showed their respects. Beledon came forward and faced Thalorin and the people, "Rise, for it is but our sacred duty. Yet, take heed, for even our powers have their bounds, and there is little more we can offer you at this moment. Our time is limited so please prepare yourselves." They all rose up and gazed at them. When they looked up, all the wizards were hovering above. With this reply to the king and the people, Beledon looked at Zoho and twisted his staff around as if ready for war, wizards could be seen at the skies circling around, became steady, and held their staffs up high. ¡°King Thalorin Sealbearer, General Vaelros, all of you, protect the Seal of Gaxinar. Our magical powers were secretly being drained days ago. We had just found out when we saw unseen magical artifacts and Timeholes around the kingdom, hidden with horrifying spells from the depths of hell itself. But then, it was too late. With barely 5% of our magical strength remaining, we pooled what little power we had left, we used those to amplify the powers of teleportation. We will preserve the dead as we told you using the Time Vials. This spell would cover the full Kingdom of Livingrings. Hopefully, the souls of the dead were not fully taken over by the devils and demons of Pyramortiss. Live on everyone.¡± Beledon explained and smiled. Then his form glitched even more. Author¡¯s Note: (Click follow for more updates, thanks.) *Leap of the Sun, Glethoron - power of Beledon *Sightseekers - amulets made by Zoho Chapter 19. Uther and Desperation ¡°Ha-ha-ha!¡± Zoho bade farewell by bursting with bits of warm flames and then showed his teeth proudly to the crowd as he grinned. Parts of his face and body flickered and shifted when he used his power. Then everyone could almost see through his body as only the form of Dunesther, who was behind him could be clearly seen. ¡°...¡± Silence hung in the air, stretching endlessly as the realization slowly dawned upon them. The wizards, their forms weary and their light dimming, were not merely bidding farewell to go to the Floating Orb, they were succumbing to the final toll of their sacrifice, surrendering to the embrace of death. Even King Thalorin and General Vaelros took time to process it. No one ever imagined this would happen. Even the Eternal Maggis who were the most ancient had no records of how they died. The Floating Orb, the wizards, were fully made of magical energies. This was written in the books which were taught to them early, but many mysteries dwelt in those pages. Due to their amazement after witnessing the wizards'' powers, their brains ignored Beledon¡¯s warning. He said that their magical energies were already depleted and millions of soldiers surrounded the kingdom outside the Auroras, which were now colored in dark violet. Since the Auroras were said to be made of the magical energies of the wizards, these multilayer barriers would also be gone together with them. Zoho and Beledon were only glad right now because they succeeded in returning to Faliamber. It was so Uther could teleport the living in a bit farther place, reducing the distance needed to be traveled, and the magical energy this teleportation would consume. Beledon and Zoho glanced around to see the humans they protected for the last time, then patted Uther¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Time Vials!¡± All the wizards chanted while they lifted their staffs to the heavens, except for Uther and the Two Rune Masters. As the people saw this and the wizards of Livingrings casted their final, earthshaking spell, a shimmer of ancient power enveloped the land, marking the end of an era. The people, bearing witness to this ultimate act of sacrifice, knelt as one, their heads bowed in solemn reverence. For generations, these protectors had safeguarded their kingdom. And now, with the fading light of their magic, the Livingrings bid them farewell. With every ounce of magic left within them, the wizards unleashed their final spell. Swirling ethereal lights with various colors coated the Livingrings Kingdom, but these did not go outside the Auroras. There were echoing words and sounds which could be heard from all the 37 wizards around, until they completed the Time Vials¡¯ spell. Songs of light dispersed everywhere and the dead vanished. These wizards who helped guard the Seal of Gaxinar, lived for so long, but they were also too few. With the three who did not join the last spell, they were 40 in total. Humans did not fully know how the Time Vials worked, but they trusted, as their hopes resided in them. ¡°Oh no! The Divine Archmages! Beledon! Zoho! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Sergeant Demoir exclaimed and ran towards them as fast as he could, but was only able to reach their translucent forms diffusing. King Thalorin and General Vaelros in front of them were not even able to say anything, but gave their last respects. At the same time, the wizards turned to particles and slowly scattered around with the lights; before completely vanishing. Something inside the people and the remaining wizards here broke apart¡­ All of them were static, connecting the dots. The enemies outside were able to kill the wizards who were considered to be the strongest kind in this whole realm. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. What would happen next? What? Even with grief, the realization of horrifying troops ready to crush their kingdom, made their hearts throb. Deep within, they weighed how formidable were those who made pacts with the devils and demons of Pyramortiss. As the people glanced above them after the final spell of the wizards, the Auroras were already colored in black and dark violet hues. Dark energies were quickly consuming the barriers. ¡°Uther, the seal can really turn the dead back, right?¡± Dunesther asked, hoping it could really revive the dead humans and their fellow wizards. ¡°Ask me after we¡¯re safe.¡± Uther replied shortly, and hurried to cast his spell by touching the grounds with his hands, aiming to take anyone his remaining power could teleport. They did not have the luxury to mourn or discuss things. King Thalorin saw this and did not interfere. As General Vaelros waited beside the king for the teleportation, his gaze flitted back and forth, darting like a startled bird. There was unease inside him until sweat poured to his brows. ¡°Leap of the Moon ¨C Timetr¡­!¡± Uther stopped. ¡°We would take them all, right?¡± Dunesther voiced his concern again to the Divine Archmage. ¡°Uther?! How about all the people!¡± Jenna asked too. She smiled when Uther did not continue the spell, she thought Uther stopped when he considered their worries about all the citizens. The Divine Archmage did not glance at them or talk about the matter. Uther was too focused now to start his spell, he had to save what he could. ¡°Leap of the Moon ¨C Timetransit!¡± Nothing happened¡­ ¡°Leap of the Moon ¨C Timetransit!¡± He waited, but no magical circles formed¡­ ¡°No!!! The mission!!!¡± Uther exclaimed in dismay, while he kept looking down, thinking for another way if he could find one. At this point, Jenna and Dunesther also felt it. They no longer had any magical powers. As if their home, the Floating Orb was gone, too. All wizards born in it bear a link that was never cut off forever, as long as they live. Jenna and Dunesther were dumbfounded. They felt lacking in insight, they did not notice what the Divine Archmages were doing. They knew they lacked time, their powers were drained, and it seemed Livingrings had no way of winning this war. Even the humans here could see the ethereal lights from their weapons and bodies disperse, since their magic were borrowed from the wizards¡¯ magical energies that bathed the whole Livingrings Kingdom for thousands of years. Even the healing clans would all lose their abilities to heal. Dunesther and Jenna remained oblivious to the real threat the Divine Archmages fought beyond the Auroras. The Divine Archmages determined that the only way to save the future of Livingrings was to take a few living souls to a faraway place with the remaining power of Uther, as far as possible with the Seal of Gaxinar. They would live like the humans in the outer realms, bearing no magic at all except for the rare few whom they called their wizards. The Nexxus owned vast lands, including those they conquered, so a few miles far from Livingrings were not enough. Their troops were also everywhere Uther needed to teleport them outside the domain of the 13 kingdoms of the Nexxus, and away from the wastelands they had left empty with bones and the shrieking hatred of the slain. ¡°What just happened?¡± asked King Thalorin to the wizards, while he clutched the Wheelspires in his palms. He knew in his mind, but as if he wanted to confirm it. The Wheelspires he clutched were small mementos of his dead children, which he grasped tightly as they waited for the teleportation to activate. ¡®Wheelspires? Princess Nymeria and Prince Orion didn¡¯t make it?¡¯ General Vaelros confusedly stared at the king while he talked to Uther. He did not notice this before. As if he lost himself, he did not bother about his magic gone, he casted a frantic gaze around the palace. Vaelros searched for General Hovereth, hoping he stood vigilant beside Queen Aerathis, Nymeria, and Orion. Yet it was Lieutenant Gol Furbuw who guarded the queen, his posture steadfast but grim. There was no trace of General Hovereth, nor of the prince and princess, only an unsettling absence that gnawed at his resolve. The chaos of recent events weighed heavily on his mind. It first scattered his thoughts like leaves in a storm. So much had slipped through his grasp amidst the turmoil. Witnessing the death of many innocents, General Vaelros turned his focus to the task that demanded his help when they arrived here: the Time Vials¡¯ spell success and the protection of King Thalorin. The spell was their fragile hope, and countless lives rested on its completion. Even in the haze of his duty a while back, he paused, and tended to his sons¡¯ lifeless forms and hoped for their revival someday. An unspeakable pain bore inside him, but even the wizards were in a hurry. They had to follow their commands or everything would be in peril. It was just so bad and sad that the wizards gave their last magical energies for this final spell. He was also remorseful since they recently saved Nymeria and Orion from death in the Floating Orb. The people were even glad when they succeeded. And now they are dead? What were their enemies scheming? Author¡¯s Note: (Follow story or author for updates. Thanks. All the best!) *Leap of the Moon: TimeTransit - power of Uther *Time Vials - power of wizards that preserves the dead *Wheelspires - small mementos of the dead Chapter 20. Discouragement It was as if their efforts were wasted. Queen Aerathis sat in her chair, her posture frail as servants attended to her trembling hands. Vaelros'' gaze lingered on her eyes, now rimmed with sorrow. Red veined lines were chiseled across their surface. He had experienced that too just a while ago, so he understood. Vaelros¡¯ negative emotions started to take over his mind again, as his thoughts were filled with the evil humanity could do. There were many things which happened while General Vaelros and the Silver Legion were not in Faliamber. King Thalorin and the other soldiers did not even inform them completely about these due to all their predicaments. ¡®Are our enemies so heartless? Will they willingly kill their children with their own hands to gain more power? Were they so selfish and cowardly that they would not even face us directly? And instead kill our children first. If that¡¯s what was done to them, what would they do?¡¯ General Vaelros was lost in thought, thinking of the reminders the wizards always told them. They often repeated that the outside kingdoms would do anything to gain power, to show their dominance, to brag, and to gain riches As they all coped with what happened, the mighty Den of Irons began to unravel without Beledon¡¯s power which suspended it in midair. Vaelros'' thoughts were cut off as he heard the sound of metals and weapons which fell from the castle. Great jagged rocks split and tumbled. The earth trembled beneath the weight of its collapse. Soil erupted and spread like a dark wave, choking the air with dust. With a deafening roar, the once imposing stronghold crumbled utterly, crashing into the ground in a cataclysmic force that obliterated everything beneath its shadow. Some held their hands to their head and closed their eyes as if to calm themselves. Many looked in silence and sadness as General Vaelros¡¯ mighty stronghold shattered like a delicate glass. The general remained composed. Yet within, his soul churned in turmoil. That castle, now but a memory crumbling before his eyes, held countless echoes of his past: glorious triumphs, whispered promises, and the fleeting warmth of days long gone. Each stone falling felt like a fracture in his very spirit, yet he was unwilling to let the storm within show. ¡°King Thalorin, look at the Auroras¡­¡± Uther stood up and pointed to the defense shields while the dusts from the Den of Irons were still floating in the air. King Thalorin looked up and breathed heavily. When the people gathered in the palace heard the voice of the Divine Archmage, those in the shade scrambled to look outside and above. All the Auroras were crumbling, too. The magical defense fields, forged by the wizards of old, stood as an enduring testament to their unmatched power. The Kingdom of Livingrings remained shielded, its walls of arcane energy unwavering, as long as the wizards from the legendary eras drew breath. For countless generations, the barriers had never faltered. It was a constant sight that the people of the past had known no world without their ethereal glow. Yet now, those alive bore the weight of a grim reality, they would witness the final days of these multilayered shields, the last vestiges of a bygone age. Uther, Dunesther, and Jenna, the last of their kind, stood as the sole surviving wizards to behold this fading glory. They knew the kingdom¡¯s survival had hinged on this magic, for without it, the Livingrings would have long succumbed to the relentless might of the Nexxus. The barriers¡¯ collapse was not merely the end of an era, it was the heralding of an uncertain and perilous future. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Within the sanctuary of the kingdom, life thrived as if under the watchful gaze of the heavens. The citizens moved freely beneath the protective embrace of the multilayered shields. Their lives were untouched by the chaos beyond. These Auroras, shimmered with ancient magic and not only thwarted all forms of large-scale attacks, but also extended their vigilance to the skies. The Auroras sensed the movements of enemy hordes across the air, land, and sea. No army or fleet could breach their luminous defense. Yet, the shields were not impervious. Continuous magical attacks and dark energies sought cracks in their luminous weave, seeping through even the smallest of breaches. So, to safeguard the kingdom, the wizards often ventured beyond the barriers, waged relentless battles and defended these to mend the magical fractures; while the Divine Army fought in the second layers and inside the Auroras to protect the citizens. Their efforts kept the tides of darkness at bay and ensured the shields remained steadfast, guarding the kingdom as they had for countless generations. ¡°Does this mean...?¡± King Thalorin was terrified to see the Auroras and the wizards disappear during his reign. Throughout the ages, many Sealbearers had been chosen by the wizards, each anointed from the bloodlines of diverse and storied families. Thalorin was the first of his lineage to bear this honor. He vowed to uphold the dignity of his ancestors, but the legacy he inherited was carved by glory and tragedy. Countless kings before him had met untimely deaths, murdered alongside their kin. The invaders had surely planned their sinister invasion in advance, taking the advice and information of their evil predecessors. Thalorin carried this heavy burden as he prepared to face the trials that awaited, knowing his name would either ascend into legend, or fade into the annals of the fallen. He was frightened by the sequences of events, as if he could no longer see the Livingrings existing in the future. He could not even wield the powers he once had just like General Vaelros. But, at least, they did not perish if magic departed their mortal bodies. What would they do without magic, the Auroras, and the wizards? All the kingdoms outside had already nurtured strong and powerful armies using sorcerers, wizards, and the forces of the underworld. He had seen many wastelands and slaves crushed to nothingness by those who had power when he ventured to these lands. If they became prisoners, his people would face the same fate, and the Livingrings would just turn into a dark, polluted land thrown with metallic wastes and carcasses. King Thalorin hoped the Divine Archmage could still help them, but it was as if Uther already knew there was nothing they could do, unless they could bring the Seal of Gaxinar to a safe location ¡°Yes, for the first time, you¡¯ll see what we¡¯d been seeing and dealing with all these years, King Thalorin, only on a far larger scale. Look closely, those were what our fellow wizards had been fighting all these hours, when you all thought that you were fighting small numbers of intruders. They could not see us yet, but they will soon be able to even launch their attacks directly. If it¡¯s me, I would not look longer and should have taken us to safety, but my powers were gone. Only the Sightseekers which Zoho gave us are keeping us here alive for a while.¡± Uther said, facing the weary face of the king. Then examined his hands and staff, without any signs of spells or magical energies coursing through these ever again. ¡°Uther, you must not say that to them, they had lost lives, too. It was better to not harm each other¡¯s feelings now.¡± Dunesther interrupted. ¡°What do you want to tell me, Dunesther? Those are in Time Vials.¡± Uther emphasized that the dead humans were preserved, while their kind vanished. The wizards did not lie about that. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that only a few were allowed to leave this kingdom. Only we can freely roam around.¡± Dunesther replied to Uther. All the humans in the area were also listening. ¡°And us?¡± Uther inquired; his eyes got colder as they went on with this conversation. ¡°I know. But¡­ now¡­ How can we even activate the Seal of Gaxinar without powers? How can we save the living?¡± Dunesther repeated these again, knowing that in only a few minutes the enemies would all be here. What should they do? ¡°We don¡¯t really have the means now, but we could follow what has been told to us all for a long time. And maybe, maybe, figure it out,¡± Jenna interfered, believing there was always a solution. Uther gazed at Dunesther and Jenna with pity, he could not blame them though. They had assisted the humans to prevent more chaos inside the kingdom. If this situation was like in ordinary days, he would have congratulated them for a good work done. General Vaelros amassed his courage, and got near Uther while the wizards argued. He already asked King Thalorin¡¯s permission to ask the wizard. They both understood that it was critical to know what was out there, and the Time Vials they relied on. ¡°Uther, great Divine Archmage, could you please enlighten me more of what we are facing now and of the Time Vials. My King also wanted to be prepared and evaluate what to do.¡± General Vaelros asked and politely knelt before the small frame of Uther. You can join free on Patreon and also chat. Thanks. (link is above or below)