24 The Power Of A Demon
Inside a tent located several kilometers away from the last bastion of the Xaratos Empire within the Vale, the leaders of the army gathered around an improvised map of the surrounding area.
Nur directed a smile at Zakera. "Your tactics were effective, Miss Zakera. They replenished our army without losing a single troop."
Zakera returned the compliment with a smile. "Your words are appreciated. If you suffered any losses, I can assist in regenerating your army."
Lucas interjected with a firm voice, "It will not be necessary." He turned his gaze to Zakera. "I thought you were a daughter of the Griffin, but now I see that you are but a monster."
Zakera and her followers frowned at the king's comment. "This is a war, Your Majesty," she replied with a frosty tone. George seemed to tremble behind Lucas.
"You—" George began, but Lucas halted him with a gesture.
"I understand that this is war, Miss Zakera, but war does not justify the use of such tactics," Lucas responded. "While I acknowledge their military effectiveness, I question their ethical implications."
"There are no ethics in war, King Aldaric," replied Nur with a frosty tone, casting a frown toward the king.
"I can only concur with what Lady Nur said," added the Necromancer. "We are facing a threat that we cannot underestimate, and the use of plague is a god-sent gift for us."
"You are only parading your own desires, Zakera," interjected Malarion with venom in his voice. "You want us to believe that you are righteous in what you did, but in fact, you just tested your new invention against our enemies."
"And what is the problem with that?!" Zakera retorted with a snarl. "I ensured us victory without any losses. Why are you attacking me while the Demons are pillaging and destroying an entire countryside?"
Lucas sighed, looking at the young woman with a frown. "I will not press the issue any further, but know that everyone will be made aware of what you just did, Miss Zakera."
Zakera met the king's gaze with a frown. "I can't see why Lord Belkiel took you as his disciple. You are weak and naive," she said, her voice dripping with venom.
George huffed at the comment, drawing his sword. "You will not insult the king in my presence, abomination," the Duke declared, his sword radiating light.
"Stop!" cried out Lucas, directing a disapproving gaze at George. The Duke, acknowledging the king's command, nodded and sheathed his sword.
"Perhaps I am what you just said, Miss Zakera, but I still remain human in mind and body, unlike you. Perhaps you are still the little girl that Anastasya took under her wing, but what I see is someone desperately trying to impress a mother who isn't even here to acknowledge any of her deeds."
"I am no little girl! I never was, especially since Sandro killed my family!" Zakera cried out, dark energy starting to dance around her.
"Then you should rethink this matter," replied the king, his voice carrying understanding. "Perhaps one day you will atone for the sins you just committed."
Zakera emitted a sinister chuckle upon hearing Lucas's words, a perilous grin dancing on her lips. "You Elrathi fanatics are all cut from the same cloth, prattling on about purity and purging sin. You're as detached from reality as Sandro and his minions," she retorted, causing members of the delegation to perspire as the king's mana seemed to surge in response.
"Zealot, you say? I'm unsure where I exhibit zealotry. But praying and adhering to Elrath's teachings are far superior to venerating a monstrosity like Namtaru," Lucas replied with a chuckle, reigning in his mana.
"Recant your words immediately!" cried out one of the Necromancers behind Zakera. "How dare you insult Mother Namtaru!"
"I merely spoke the truth. She's nothing more than Asha's nightmare, not some divine entity," replied the king. A gloved fist materialized out of thin air, slamming onto the table inside the tent, flames erupting around it as the newcomer retracted his hand.
"What's the meaning of this futile bickering?" Vagran, the demon lord, surveyed the tent as tendrils of fire emanated from his nostrils. "Are we here to discuss strategy or continue this ceaseless chatter?"
Lucas and Zakera exchanged a peculiar glance before snorting in unison and redirecting their attention to the table.
"Thank you," said the demon lord with a smile. "I came here to inform you that the empire has responded to our attacks. My forces are harrying them as they advance toward the mountain pass."
"How many of them?" asked Nur, gritting her teeth as she observed the formidable figure of the demon.
"Approximately 20,000 troops and some siege engines I've never encountered before. Some kind of artillery mounted on top of dinosaurs," replied the demon, scrutinizing the faces around him.
"So, we need to seize this city swiftly if we want our armies to regroup at the mountain pass and defend it," said Lucas, studying the map. "Vagran, I have an idea for dismantling their defensive matrix."
"We should await Lord Belketh to complete his analysis of the matrix," argued Zakera, surveying the tent to find everyone nodding in agreement.
"We don't have the time," insisted Vagran. "The enemy army will be here in less than a week, and we need to fortify the mountain pass to halt them here. We can't confront them on open ground."
"Vagran and I will employ a conjoint spell to dismantle the matrix," declared Lucas, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Once it's down, our forces will storm in and seize the city."
All eyes fixed upon the king with a perplexed expression; the notion of Elrath and Urgash collaborating was akin to witnessing Sheogh itself freezing over.
"Come, Vagran, we should commence immediately," declared the king as he exited. "George, Thaum, and Jeanne, remain here to coordinate the group assault."
The trio nodded in unison as their king made his exit, leaving George, Thaum, and Jeanne behind to coordinate the impending group assault.
As the king and Vagran moved toward the city, the demon lord shot Lucas a questioning gaze. "Hey! Silver man, this wasn't part of our training!"
—
In an instant, the two leaders materialized about three kilometers away from the city, surrounded by a burst of magical energy.
"Hey, you never answered my question before teleporting us here!" Vagran exclaimed, dropping his sword to the ground, causing the surroundings to lose vitality.
"Quit whining in my ears. You were all serious not even ten minutes ago, and now you're acting like a child!" retorted the king, eying the demon lord.
"We're not so different, just individuals putting up a facade for everyone," Vagran replied, narrowing his eyes at the king, who responded with a chuckle.
"Indeed," Lucas concurred, beginning to draw a circle on the ground.
"This is...?" Vagran widened his eyes as he observed the circle being drawn on the ground. "Why are you sketching our blessings on the ground?"
"Because this is how we're going to dismantle their matrix," Lucas explained, locking eyes with the demon.
"In what way?" inquired Vagran.
"Chaos magic is the negation of all that exists, right? So, we simply negate their entire matrix," the king elucidated.
"And do you even know how Chaos Magic works?" questioned the demon, his gaze filled with skepticism.
"Not in the slightest," Lucas admitted, grinning at the demon. "That's why we're going to attempt using our blessings to guide us."
"You're a madman, you know that?" Vagran remarked with a smile.
"Thank you for the compliment, my friend," replied Lucas, and they commenced their experimental endeavor.
–
Belketh gazed upon the last city of the Empire in the archipelago, witnessing the surge of undead overwhelming the frightened defenders like an unstoppable tide. The hooded angel of Death smiled as he observed the unfolding chaos, everything aligning with the whispers of Asha. However, amidst the Lizard men's ranks, Belketh sensed a formidable presence, a unique entity fixing its gaze upon him from below the city.
–
Pointing the tip of his staff toward the ground, Belketh unleashed a torrent of necromantic magic, converting all living beings in its path into undead minions. However, the torrent halted abruptly, encountering an unforeseen resistance. Intrigued, the angel mused, sensing the presence vanish, only to reappear behind him. Turning, Belketh confronted a black monstrosity with two piercing eyes.
"What are you, abomination?" he inquired, swiftly drawing upon Prime Magic to dodge the monster's incoming claw swipe. The creature's raspy voice sounded unpleasant as it responded.
"You draw upon a power that doesn't belong to you!" the armored creature cried out, two wings sprouting from its back. "Death belongs to US!"
"I know not of you or the power you serve, but you dare claim that death belongs to you, presumptuous!" Belketh retorted. Hundreds of pure green orbs of necromantic mana materialized and were hurled toward the armored angel.
Attempting to evade, the armored angel found himself slowed by Belketh's manipulation of Prime Magic. Grunting as numerous orbs struck him, dissolving a significant portion of his armor, the armored angel defiantly proclaimed, "You cannot kill me. I will rise again in the Shadowlands!"
Belketh, unfazed, created a spear that impaled the armored angel, effortlessly stopping the spear thrown at him. "Shadowlands?" he murmured in confusion, studying the dissolving enemy before him.
Belketh's attention abruptly shifted toward a distant mountain range. "These kids, what are they doing?" he questioned, making swift movements with his hands that resulted in a building crashing down upon a dozen lizard men.
"This war is turning out to be more complicated than I anticipated," the angel remarked, gazing at the horizon. An enormous Coatl, ridden by a female purple Lizard man, approached him.
Raising his staff, Belketh manipulated the sea below the Coatl to rise, but the serpent-like creature unleashed a powerful thunderous blast from its mouth, shattering the water around it. Undeterred, Belketh's staff emitted a new glow. Droplets of water surrounding the Coatl froze instantly, forming a colossal pillar of ice that encased both the rider and her mount.
"That will do for now," the angel declared with a satisfied smile, his gaze returning to the city below.
—
"No, this is not the way!" Lucas exclaimed to the demon. "Use your mana mor-"
"Shut up! I can't concentrate," the irritated voice interrupted, cutting off Lucas's attempt to advise.
An explosion sent the demon flying while Lucas cast a shield of light around him, Vagran grunted as he stood up
"Can you please stop speaking when I try to use magic, I am not a magi !!" cried out the demon as he came back near Lucas.
"Not my fault if you are so bad that I took four hours just to teach you how to use your blessing !" cried out Lucas back at Vagran "How were you fighting until now ?!"
"Hey, I just swing my sword and if something survives, I just swing it a second time !!" exclaimed the demon
"What a dumbass" sighed the king as he looked at the failed attempt on the ground "Well, let's start again ! "
Vagran grumbled once again as he commenced channeling the power of his blessing within the enchanted circle. The circle emitted a crimson glow, and the runes surrounding it induced the ground to shake. "This is it!" Lucas scowled, observing something above the city seemingly bent on ripping reality apart. The city's populace fled like frightened animals escaping a predator.
Then, in an instant, everything ceased. A diminutive black speck materialized above the city, erupting and engulfing it. The matrix faded away as the obsidian sphere disappeared, leaving nothing in its aftermath.
Lucas retrieved his stone slip and reached out to Malarion. "Malarion, commence the attack now. Their matrix has been neutralized," he conveyed the message to the army.
"Well, looks like we did it," the king turned to find Vagran on the ground, buried headfirst in the soil. "Are you imitating a worm?"
"Shut up, your magic drained me," the demon retorted, turning his head to gaze at the king.
"Well, not my fault if your mana is so meager," said the king with a grin as he settled on a nearby rock.
"I have more mana than you; you're just exploiting your overpowered gear. I will call a moderator to nerf it," the demon chuckled.
The young king chuckled back. "Skill issue," he replied, earning a grunt from Vagran.
"Shut up," grunted the demon lord as he slouched back into the dirt.
The two chuckled as they observed the commencement of the attack, their mana depleted by the spell.
Dozens of fiery boulders were hurled from the catapult and trebuchet concealed by an invisible spell crafted by Lianna and her sisters. The boulders struck the wall encircling the city, demolishing a substantial portion of it; evidently, these walls proved insufficient to withstand the impact of magically enhanced projectiles.
Hundreds of airborne troops were dispatched to ensure air support for the Alliance's army, while spellcasters unleashed magic upon the unsuspecting garrison.
"This is a massacre," remarked Vagran, rising to observe the onslaught.
"Do not be too hasty, Vagran; we are only just beginning," replied Lucas as he absorbed mana from his staff to replenish his reserves. "I will be heading toward the frontlines. Will you accompany me?"
Vagran grunted in approval, and the two teleported near the entire legion of ghouls and golems advancing toward the city under the relentless fire of the defenders. Despite the surprise attack, the Lizardmen were not caught entirely off guard; they maintained a robust defense to counter the initial offensive. Lucas surveyed the scene and noticed some glows within the tower of the wall. Instantly, he conjured a shield to protect the platoon near him.
A prudent move, as several colossal beams of fire magic were unleashed from the citadel toward the attackers, obliterating dozens in an instant.
"Fuck, what was that!" Vagran exclaimed as he skillfully parried a beam with his sword, cleaving it in two.
"I don't know, but those artillery pieces need to be taken out," replied Lucas. It appeared that other spellcasters in the army shared the same sentiment, as dozens of spells were launched from the airforce and behind the lines to target the menacing towers.
Two turrets crumbled under the magical onslaught, but within seconds, the remaining ten unleashed another salvo of destruction, decimating a significant portion of the ghouls and golem army.
Vagran grunted, slashing his sword at a turret and creating a fiery projectile that bisected the tower. Lucas pointed his hand upward, unleashing a beam of light that engulfed another turret, obliterating it.
"What?!" Lucas saw a fire beam hurtling towards him and lacked the time to parry it. The explosion sent him flying before he collided violently with the ground.
Shortly after, Vagran, too, succumbed to the assault. The distant sounds echoed in Lucas's ears as he lost consciousness.
"Damn that silver man!" Vagran exclaimed, deflecting another incoming beam aimed at Lucas. "Not so mighty now, huh?" The demon continued to fend off the assault before a lightning bolt struck from the sky, annihilating the troublesome turret.
"Thank the blue bitch," chuckled Vagran as he swiftly picked up Lucas's unconscious body and sprinted toward the rear lines of the army.
–
Nur cast a look of hatred at Vagran. "This demon dares to call me a bitch," she grunted through gritted teeth as she unleashed another lightning spell, directing it toward a turret. "But these pieces of artillery are incredible," she silently acknowledged as two beams were launched in her direction. She managed to dodge, but the unfortunate Griffin Riders beside her were dissolved without even catching sight of the deadly beams.
"It seems that I need to show my full power," she thought, initiating the conjuring of her most potent spell. A massive amount of lightning mana gathered in her hands, her eyes glowing blue with sparks emanating from them.
[Chain Lightning]
The spell proved devastating. The lightning bolt struck a turret and swiftly spread among all the defenders, vaporizing them and the turret itself, ensuring a swift advance for the remaining troops of the alliance.
Nur panted in the sky, sensing that her mana was depleted. Suddenly, a magical beam struck her, sending her spiraling toward the ground. As she braced for impact, a strong hand took hold of her body, saving her from a fatal fall. Looking up, she saw George, clad in his armor, gazing back at her.
"That was a perfect spell, Lady Nur. Leave the rest to us," he assured her. As Nur heard his words, she drifted into unconsciousness.
–
Vagran hurried back to the battlefield after entrusting Lucas into the care of Jeanne, a blond woman whose scent intrigued him, but he had yet to find the time to investigate further.
He tore through the battlefield, leapt forward, and delivered a powerful punch to the massive door obstructing the army's progress. The door crumbled, sending dozens of splinters into the city. Witnessing the surprise on the faces of the defending Lizardmen, he tightly grasped his sword and executed a swift turn, slashing through everything in his vicinity.
"Come, let's dance !" he cried out as he rushed like a madman in the melee with some golems.
–
"What a monster," noted George as he charged in with the Red Praetorian Legion through the demolished door. The path of destruction left in Vagran's wake was evident, with hundreds of bodies scattered along the road, a river of blood flowing from the fallen towards the breached entrance.
"Kill every foe that you come across, don't let even one of them live!" George commanded, dismounting from his mount and drawing his sword. He rushed towards a group of lizardmen advancing their way.
"With me, For Elrath's Eternal Grace!" George shouted as he plunged into the melee, leading the charge against the lizardmen.
–
Vagran continued his relentless charge, heading straight towards the main building in the city. Through his experiences, he had learned that the grandeur of a building often correlated with its importance. Those who dared to oppose his advance were swiftly and easily dispatched. After all, these lizardmen were not adversaries he took seriously compared to the demons of the Twisting Nether. His sword swung with lethal precision, claiming dozens of lives with each powerful stroke. A welcome benefit of Urgash's blessing and his new demonic nature was his inexhaustible stamina. He could swing his sword tirelessly for hours on end, ensuring a relentless onslaught that only death could halt.
The garrison learned this the hard way as Vagran stormed through their ranks with a malevolent smile. Suddenly, Vagran diverted his attention to his right, spotting a lizardman mage preparing a spell. In a swift and deadly move, Vagran hurled his sword like a javelin, impaling the unfortunate mage to the ground just as his spell was unleashed into the sky.
Unarmed but undeterred, Vagran used his fists to cave in and pulverize the heads of the city's defenders. His fists began to glow with a fiery red as he slammed them onto the ground, creating a blazing inferno that engulfed the surrounding area, incinerating dozens of defenders in its searing flames.
Silence enveloped Vagran as he surveyed his surroundings, realizing that nobody dared to challenge him anymore. The only sound that echoed was the eerie silence of death, and he couldn't help but snicker at the aftermath of his relentless onslaught. He acknowledged the growing sense of heartlessness within himself, a transformation that unfolded gradually over time. Initially, he attempted to let his human emotions dominate his demonic nature, but with each passing moment, his demonic instincts claimed a greater share of his heart, leaving only indifference in its wake.
"We all wear a mask to hide who we are becoming," he mused, reflecting on the conversation he had with Lucas. He recognized the parallel between them, both succumbing to a process of becoming more 'inhuman.' It was a melancholic realization, and he couldn't shake the thought that perhaps Lyza, the only one seemingly untouched by this transformation, would be the last semblance of normalcy in centuries to come.
"Poor girl," Vagran thought, recalling the young girl's enthusiasm during their talks at the meeting. He remembered how excited she was to encounter fellow reincarnates, completely unaware of the grim reality that surrounded them. The stark contrast between her innocence and the truth about Malarion, Lucas, and himself was disheartening.
Malarion, once more vocal, now seemed to limit his words. Lucas, on the other hand, gradually transformed into a fervent zealot for Elrath, and Vagran found himself descending into greater chaos with each passing moment. The realization of their collective transformation weighed heavily on Vagran's mind, contemplating how they all became more and more heartless in their methods, leaving behind the shades of their former selves.
'We are but slaves to the gods, the poor girl doesn't know it yet, after all Urgash changed my name from Vatran to Vagran I still don't know why' he thought as something seemed to stir inside of him, a burning rage and an inconceivable abyss.
Vagran sighed, his gaze fixed on the colossal Aztec Pyramid standing before him. A palpable sense of a formidable opponent emanated from within, a kindred spirit with bloodlust and might akin to his own. Resigned, he stepped into the pyramid, ready to face the challenge that awaited him.
–
Vagran took note of the interior of the pyramid, resembling a temple from the Zandalari Empire on Azeroth, as he cautiously navigated the singular passageway. A distinct feeling lingered in the air – the presence of a formidable opponent, akin to the strength he had encountered in his fellow reincarnates. Perhaps not in Lyza, the exception among them, often referred to as the "cinnamon roll" for her innocence and purity.
Vagran pressed forward down the corridor, the resounding echoes of his armored footsteps disrupting the otherwise holy silence of the temple. "Are you going to hide?!" he bellowed, his sword ablaze with a fiery glow that illuminated the dimly lit surroundings. With a powerful strike to the ground, he unleashed a vortex of fire, dispelling the shadows and exposing a peculiar Lizard Man armed with two scimitars.
"Here you are, bastard!" Vagran roared as his sword swung fiercely towards the white-armored lizard man. The clash between the two formidable opponents created a gust of wind.
Vagran's eyes widened in disbelief as his sword clashed against the lizard man's scimitars but couldn't make them budge even a millimeter, as if he had encountered an immovable force.
"You're tough, I'll give you that," grunted Vagran, surrounded by dancing flames. However, in an instant, he dropped to his knees, panting heavily, his mana depleted. The lizard man smiled and swiftly attacked. One scimitar clashed against Vagran's torso, leaving a clean cut, while the second aimed to cleave his head in half. Vagran managed to dodge the latter, but the scimitar still sliced through his right eye.
"ARRRGH!" Vagran roared in pain, swiftly rising to his feet due to the surge of adrenaline. He jumped back, attempting to create distance, but the lizard man was relentless, following him with inhuman speed and precision.
Vagran attempted to overpower the lizard man with a descending slash, but this time the opponent skillfully blocked his sword with one scimitar. The second scimitar found its mark on Vagran's waist, drawing more blood from him. Vagran grunted once more, the sensation of pain still an unfamiliar and unwelcome presence.
Vagran swiftly retreated, creating distance between himself and the lizard man once again. His mind raced to find a solution, but the realization struck him: magic proved ineffective, and he was physically weaker than his opponent.
Undeterred, he dashed toward the lizard man, his sword drawing an arc in an attempt to bisect his foe. The lizard man adeptly parried the attack with his dual scimitars, but Vagran released his sword, opting for close-quarter combat. The lizard man widened his eyes as Vagran's fists closed in on him. Though he managed to dodge the first hit, the second found its mark on the lizard man's breastplate, sending him hurtling into one of the temple walls with a resounding crack.
"ARGGH!" Vagran cried out as he examined his crushed fist, only to realize that an unseen force was responsible. Glancing around, he identified a woman lizard man pointing at him with a clasped hand.
"Shit, telekinesis!" Vagran thought with a bead of sweat, swiftly evading the invisible attacks as the woman lizard man cried out something. Meanwhile, the scimitar-wielding lizard man charged towards Vagran with impressive speed.
Vagran reclaimed his sword from the ground, slashing violently toward the woman. The sheer power behind the swing cleaved the ground, the wind pressure palpable. Vagran, fueled by everything in his arsenal, felt the blessings burn within him, manifesting as an aura around him.
The woman utilized her telekinesis to deflect Vagran's strike, clasping her hands together as two enormous hands attempted to crush him. "AAAAARGH!" Vagran roared, an inferno exploding from him and sending the scimitar-wielding lizard man flying.
"No magic can be used inside the temple, how is this possible?" the woman wondered aloud. As she continued to clasp her hands, her entire body combusted, reduced to ash in an instant by the flames of Urgash, a deadly reminder of the consequences of touching even the indirect flames of Urgash.
"Priestess Lorianna!" cried out her guard, but an enormous hand of fire crushed and pulverized him. What remained in the temple was Vagran, standing amidst the ashes of the two lizard men, panting from the exertion and nursing his injuries with his hands
"Thank you dad" smiled Vagran as he fell to the ground sensing a familiar presence entering the temple.
"You are in a pretty bad shape " remarqued Lucas as he tapped his staff on the ground generating a green hue around Vagran
"Fuck you, you would have died here" remarked the panting Vagran on the ground
"Who knows?" Lucas replied with a smile behind his helmet.
"Try to play the strong man, Mr. 0 Might," retorted the demon.
"Oh, perhaps Baby Magus has something to say in his defense?" replied the young king with a mocking tone. "Jokes aside, good job. The city is secured, and you just unknowingly destroyed a dark ritual."
"Yeah, dark ritual my armored ass," replied the demon with a grunt as a sea of Praetorians and assassins entered the temple.
"Everyone, secure every artifact and book in this temple!" Lucas cried out as he looked at Vagran with a smile.
"You truly are a lucky demon" said the king as he ordered some golems to transport Vagran back to the camp.
–
The first battle of this war could be described as a significant victory for the alliance. The archipelago and the vale were secured. However, the surprise element was now nonexistent, and each faction leader was keenly aware of it. For instance, the majority of the alliance forces were now occupied with reinforcing the now-renamed Falcon's Gate, the only passageway to the Vale. A loss here would signify the defeat of the alliance on this front and force them to relocate their troops and defenses in Lumen or Falcon's Reach. The captured cities were now used as outposts for the alliance army, serving as crucial channels all around the Vale and enabling the Alliance to quickly redirect their troops and supplies to Falcon's Gate.
The reverse engineering of the captured artillery was practically finished just two days after the last battle. The combined knowledge of Nur and her wizards, along with Lucas, allowed them to swiftly progress and create a way to replicate these fearsome engines.
The dwarfs and wood elves had already begun reinforcing Falcon's Gate. Dwarfs were notorious for their incredible artillery in Ashan, and while their cannons were less effective than the lizard men's, it still amounted to an impressive firepower that could be dispatched by them. However, the only problem was that these cannons required a strong rune master to craft them, and there were limited rune masters in the ranks of the dwarfs for now. In one week, the dwarfs managed to create fifty [Hellcannon], an artillery that fired seven shots at a time, powered by fire gemstones crafted by Lucas and his disciples.
The idea of creating a Gargoyle Factory was something that everyone envisioned and was accomplished in less than three days. Gargoyles were cheap and extremely effective in combat. Nur didn't share the plans for these factories or the Gargoyles with anyone, but the factory was established inside the Vale nonetheless.
The dark elves, aided by every spellcaster in the army, devised a protective covering for Falcon's Gate, shielding it against all types of harm. With the collaboration of dwarfs and Lucas, Falcon's Gate underwent a complete transformation. Now, more than five kilometers of walls adorned with towers and artillery replaced the decrepit gate that had cost the dwarfs and elves so many lives to capture.
The defensive matrix was meticulously crafted by Belketh, Nur, and Lucas. It functioned akin to celestial armor but served to safeguard the entire gate, preventing any damage that the gate might otherwise endure in the ensuing months of war.
For now, their primary objective was clear: to halt any advancement of the Xarianos Empire within the Vale. It was no small feat, but a necessary one, as an empire of such magnitude could not effectively defend itself on multiple fronts while simultaneously coordinating an assault on Falcon's Gate.
The demon's role in this intricate strategy was to harass the borders of the empire, dismantling towns and disrupting supply lines to undermine their assault and cause it to falter.
–
Lucas gazed at the horizon, accompanied by Jenova, the beautiful elf who wore a permanent frown on her face.
"Are you worried?" asked the young king to the not-so-young elven maiden.
"Yes, the loss of life is always a pitiful endeavor," she replied curtly, her voice akin to a bird's melodic chant.
"We are at war," said the king as he turned back, spotting a wave of black dots on the horizon.
Jenova looked at the king with a frown as he disappeared in a flash of light. She surveyed her surroundings, observing the diverse races present, each showing fear as they stared at the enormous army approaching them.
Fear was palpable on the faces of everyone. If the defensive matrix and protective spells didn't work, they wouldn't be able to hold the gate for more than a day.
The king appeared in another place on the wall as he gazed at the horizon.
"Prepare to fire," he said to the nearby humans, this cannon was a prototype, just one had been created yet, it was still untested but inside of it was a gemstone like the one adorning the crown of the king or his staff.
The hue of energy could be heard as the cannon was getting charged with an enormous amount of energy, the target was more than fifteen kilometers away, but this cannon does not fire a projectile, it fires ultra-condensed light magic.
The cannon needed runes to allow the metal to support the strong energy, with the runes the cannon was enchanted by a lot of different enchantments.
The charging continued for around thirty seconds as the cannon's tube glowed golden.
"We are ready to fire!" cried out the cannoneer.
"Then fire in their army," ordained Lucas as the cannon let loose the beam of light. In an instant, the beam made its way into the Xanatos Army and exploded, creating an explosion akin to a missile, the sound could be heard by everyone.
"Around four hundred dead," said Zakera as she sensed the loss of life.
Lucas looked in front of him looking at the damage orchestrated by the cannon.
"Your Majesty, fifteen minutes before another strike," said the cannoneer.
"Then we'll wait for their response," said Lucas as he looked at the army that seemed lost about the attack.
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I hope that you liked this far longer chapter
I fucking love writing about Vagran, there is some charm writing about a bulldozer.
I was surprised that nobody saw the name change of Vatran into Vagran.
Vagran is by far the strongest reincarnated person, he was around level 15 when the system disconnected compared to the others that were between 4 and 6. He is strong for now but will he stay as strong through the story mmh I don't know
And Btw I added Runeterra in the tags because I think that it could go well with the story as the Void is present even in Runeterra and as I said in another site, the void will be one of the major 'antagonists' in this story along with some others.
