Chapter 1709 Final Hour
[00: 40:12]
It was 40 minutes until the window time for the spaceship to launch. A sense of urgency hung in the air as the last preparations were made. Magus Kenzo, a full moon shadow magus, approached Emery with a stern expression on his face.
"We must go straight to the launching room right away," he commanded, his eyes reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
Emery, however, was unwilling to follow the order. His mind was preoccupied with one urgent matter, and his eyes were filled with determination. "No, not yet," he replied, clenching his fists. "I have something I need to make sure of before I go."
With that, he left both pouches filled with precious spirit souls with the Shadow Magus. Emery then turned away, his mind set on his task, and headed back to the yard.
Emery's footsteps were heavy with anticipation as he approached the yard. He had high hopes, but as he reached the battlefield, his heart sank. What lay before his eyes was nothing short of total chaos.
The once-strong walls of the citadel had been breached. All the magus were already engaged in desperate fighting at the central yards, their faces etched with fatigue and determination. Spells were flying left and right, colliding with ferocious power, while some magus were positioned above the citadels, shooting spells down at the invading forces.
As soon as he arrived, Emery wasted no time. Still, in his wolf form, he swiftly joined the battle. His sharp claws and feral strength made him a fearsome opponent. He slashed and tore at the orcs, killing them left and right, his eyes always searching for the next dark elf he could lay his hands on.
But even as he fought with relentless fury, his heart was aching. The battle was taking its toll, and the numbers were dwindling. He carefully counted the magus still holding on:
40....
60...
72
The realization hit him hard; 20 more of his comrades had died while he was inside. The battlefield was a scene of despair and heroism intertwined, and Emery felt the weight of every loss.
Among the survivors, Emery only found two full moon magus left, Magus Blane, and Magus Zephyr. They were fighting valiantly, becoming the last two pillars that hold the orc's advances.
Emery summons his [mineralized soldier], 200 of them, creating a short break window, he quickly finds someone to ask about the situation
"Where is the other captain?! Where is Commander Sheperd!!?"
The tired Magus Cass explains that Captain Ignis just died five minutes ago, blowing himself up in flames and killing a few dark elves and thousands of orcs along with him. She was silent for a second before adding that the commander has been missing since he cast the unique spell that kills the elf's bomb squad.
"Hold the line!! Hold the line!" Magus Blane shouted as he now became an acting commander, such action made Magus Cas was smiling and joined his side in battle.
Emery sensed around 20 dark elves still lurking in the shadow and among them was their Khan. As for the orcs, their number seems uncountable, there must still be a hundred thousand of them.
Seeing the current situation his heart ached knowing that the battle was lost and there was only one task he could do.
To take as many spirit souls as he can before the ship was leaving.
5? spirit souls...
8 spirit souls...
The number was in parallel with the death of human magus, they were about to be run down by the orc hordes but they all persevered killing as many orcs and elves as they could find.
[00: 26:12]
The situation was dire, with only 52 magus remaining, and Emery had managed to collect just 12 spirit souls. The battle raged on, a cacophony of spells, shouts, and clashing weapons. The air was thick with tension and desperation.
Magus Zephyr, known for his mastery over wind magic, began to chant. His voice rose above the din of battle, strong and clear. The wind around him began to swirl, picking up speed and power. A mighty cyclone formed at his command, a vortex of destruction that swept across the battlefield, ripping orcs off their feet and tearing them apart.
The effect was immediate. Thousands of orcs were killed in an instant, their bodies flung through the air like leaves in a storm. The surviving magus found themselves with a brief respite, a moment to catch their breath and regroup.
But victory was short-lived. From the shadows, multiple dark elves launched a sudden and coordinated attack. Magus Zephyr was their target, and before he could react, they struck him down. His life was extinguished, and his soul was lost.
[00: 17:32]
With only 40 magus remaining and 19 spirit souls collected, the situation grew more desperate by the minute. News reached Emery that the space knight Renvil had died while retreating to the citadel. This forced Atlas, to take his place back as the pilot of the ship.
With no room to reject,? Emery and Atlas found themselves standing guard at the entrance to the citadel, a choke point that they had to defend at all costs. The whole force was being pushed back, the line bending but not yet breaking. Sweat, blood, and determination were all that held them together.
[00: 8: 58]
The countdown was relentless, and the numbers continued to dwindle. Only 27 magus were left, and Emery had managed to collect 30 spirit souls. It was the end of the line.
Magus Cass, her voice filled with resolve, made the call. "That's it, no other time!! Go Now!!" she shouted, standing tall beside Magus Blane and the remaining two dozen magus. They formed a wall of magic, valiantly guarding the last defensive line, making their last stand.
"Fight!! Fight!!!"
Emery's heart was heavy, and his teeth gritted in frustration and sorrow. He knew he couldn't collect any more spirit souls; the time for that had passed. With a heavy heart and a feeling of helplessness, he and Atlas rushed into the citadel, the sound of a loud explosion echoing behind them.
They had done all they could, and now it was time to leave.
As Emery and Atlas rushed into the citadel, they were met with a frantic scene. The ship was already activated, humming with energy and ready for launch. Master Borin, Magus Kenzo, and the elderly Magus Yarik were all on the platform, preparing for boarding.
"Let's leave now!" shouted Magus Kenzo, his eyes wide with impatience, fully aware of the desperate situation outside.
"Not yet!" retorted Master Borin, his hands still working on a small device he was holding. His voice was tense but controlled. "We need five more minutes!"
Five minutes might as well have been an eternity. He could sense the enemy advancing through the citadel tunnels, their footsteps growing closer with every passing second.
"Get inside!" commanded Master Borin, cutting through Emery's thoughts. Atlas quickly took the pilot's seat, and Emery settled next to him. Borin and Magus Kenzo found places in the larger space at the back, leaving only one sit for the elderly magus.
"Hurry up, old man!" shouted Kenzo, his voice rising in panic.
Then came the sound of a loud bang on the secret door. It was a noise that spoke of imminent danger, of barriers about to be breached.
Magus Yarik, already weakened by his wounds, stepped back, his eyes filled with determination. "Go! I will hold them for you!" he declared, summoning his powerful earth spell. Walls of hard, solid rock sprang up around the door, sealing it shut and buying them precious time.
The countdown continued, each second weight on their hearts:
[00: 00: 30]
[00: 00: 19]
[00: 00: 15]
"Go now!" The command came from Magus Yarik, his voice ringing with finality.
With a roar, the ship soared into the sky, trembling as though it might break apart at any moment. But Master Borin's assurance that it would hold was proven true as they broke through the atmosphere and away from gravity's pull.
A minute later, they were free, out in the vast, pitch-dark space. Master Borin laughed, a sound of pure relief and joy. But his laughter died in his throat as he felt the cold steel of a blade at his neck.
"Captain Kenzo! What are you doing?!!" he gasped, his eyes wide with shock.
Everyone turned in alarm, staring at the shadow magus who dared to commit such an act.
"What the hell do you want?!" demanded Emery, his voice tight with anger and confusion.
Kenzo was trembling, his eyes wild as he uttered a command that sent a chill down their spines: "We are changing course! Head toward the dark elf spaceship!"
The words hung in the air, heavy with dread and betrayal. The battle had ended, but a new, unexpected conflict had just begun.
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