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C1703

"Where the hell are you! Cthulhu!!" Emery's voice echoed in his mind, a desperate cry to the Mythical Beast that had hidden deep in the veil of space within him for thirty days.

Now, with the battle at the citadel nearing its climax, the urgency of the situation was all-consuming. Emery couldn't help but keep checking for signs of the Mythical Beast's awakening, his mind churning with hope and dread.

"Damn, you better wake up soon!!" he muttered to himself, his voice trembling as he channeled his energy into the complex spell before him. His hands moved with practiced grace, weaving a combination of earth and plant magic to reform the destroyed Northern Gate.

"It's done!" he announced triumphantly, his voice breaking with exhaustion and relief. He added, "It won't be as strong as the original gate, but it should hold for a while!" His words were directed at his squad leader, a figure who stood watch nearby.

"Very good, Emery, now we are heading to the south gate!" The response came from a blond-haired Magus, his voice filled with authority and confidence. He was Magus Urix, the former instructor of Magus Academy.

The squad Emery had been placed into was the support squad, a group of ten magus specialized in healing and other supportive tasks, like fixing or reinforcing broken gates and walls. Their role was vital, providing essential support to the defenders and ensuring that the citadel's defenses remained intact.

The battle raged on, a relentless storm of violence and chaos that threatened to consume everything in its path. As the Commander decided to use the energy shield and turret once again, a newfound hope spread among the defenders.

Emery's squad, along with the entire Magus contingent, was included in a new rotation. They were tasked with different responsibilities, all aimed at holding back the seemingly unstoppable horde of Orcs.

And it worked wonders.

For hours, the energy shield and turrets lay waste to the Orcs, cutting them down in droves, and shredding their flesh and bone with merciless efficiency. The numbers were staggering, more than 50,000 Orcs fell, their bodies piling up in a grim testament to the power of human ingenuity and magic.

Until the sixth hour.

The fateful moment came with a sudden, sickening realization: the energy supply was fully consumed.

[05: 10: 22]

The countdown continued, halfway through the 12 hours of Drought, and only 5 hours away from the scheduled launch of the ship, the battle shifted once more.

Without the barrier and the turrets, the defenses were laid bare. The Orcs surged forward with renewed vigor. They were finally able to climb the walls, their gnarled hands grasping the stone, their twisted faces filled with savage glee.

Hundreds of them at times. Although they mostly died as soon as they put a step on the walls, the sight was horrifying, a nightmarish spectacle to the magus at the walls.

"Keep them away!!" cry out Commander Shepered still leading the battle in confidence.

As the Orcs were finally able to reach close to the Magus, it became clear that the battle had entered a new and deadly phase. More and more Magus started to get wounded, their bodies torn and bloodied by the relentless onslaught.

"Healer!! Healer!!" The pleas for help started to sound in the four corners of the citadels, cries of pain and desperation, forcing the healer squad to break apart, splitting into four corners to respond to the urgent calls for aid.

Now that the squad separated, Emery's instincts screaming at him to join the offensive group, to take up arms and kill the Orcs that threatened the walls. However, his plan was quickly stopped by Magus Urix.

"No!, Master Flemming insists that you stay in the backline!! You stay close to me!!" Urix's face was serious, his eyes filled with a protective fire.

Emery's protests died in his throat, the weight of Urix's authority and the undeniable truth of his words silencing him. The Magus was being overly protective of him, not leaving him space to argue, and on the other hand there were indeed a lot of healing tasks to be done, lives to be saved.

The intensity of the battle grew by the minute, each moment fraught with peril and danger, each second a struggle for survival. Emery's mind raced, his hands a blur as he worked alongside Magus Urix to heal and support their comrades. The pressure was relentless, a crushing weight that seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment.

An hour felt like an eternity.

Then, a message came from the scouts, a chilling warning that sent a shockwave through the ranks. It was relayed straight to the commander, and the words were like a cold blade:

"The Elves are on the move, be prepared!!"

The dark elves had finally made their move, emerging from the shadows to join the fray.

Even the orcs have troubled them enough, the addition of the dark elves would certainly spell disaster.

Magus Urix's face paled at the news, and he quickly turned towards Emery.

"I know about your secret mission," he said, his voice low and urgent. He didn't give Emery a chance to answer, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I really hope you make it out of here Emery, when you do, please take this to my father."

He handed Emery a letter, a simple piece of parchment sealed with wax. But Emery didn't need to see the writing to know what it contained. It was a farewell note, a final message to a loved one, a goodbye that may never be spoken in person.

"No, Senior… you will not die here, I will come back with help!" Emery protested, his voice breaking with emotion.

A slight smile crossed Urix's face, a sad and gentle expression that seemed to carry the weight of the world. "You are a good kid… I really should have fought harder to make you join my Wellenstaine faction," he said, his voice filled with regret and pride.

Emery was lost for words, and the magus didn't expect any reply.

Their moment was quickly interrupted by a desperate plea for help from the corner of the gate where they found a fellow magus struck down by a poisonous arrow.

With no time to spare, Magus Urix immediately employed his [Sacred Pulse] spell, dispelling the venom from their comrade's body. Emery followed suit, invoking [Nature's Blessing] to heal the wounded magus. Their efforts bore fruit, and their ally was swiftly brought back from the brink.

"Good Job, Emery," Urix praised, but his words were cut short by a chilling realization.

Emery's senses tingled with an ominous shift in the surrounding space, and he cried out in warning. "They're here!!!"

From both the sea of orcs and the lurking shadows, multiple dark and elusive figures emerged. The dark elves had made their move, and the battle was about to escalate to an unprecedented level.

To be continued