Chapter 314: 314:Attack.
The High King’s voice still echoed across the royal gardens as the applause gradually faded. The engagement ceremony continued exactly as planned.
The High Elven Princess stood beside her fiancé beneath the canopy of the World Tree, while nobles from every major race watched with smiles that had become increasingly rare over the past few years.
For a brief moment, the races seemed peaceful, as they were. Atheline leaned slightly toward Lilith
"I think this is the second gathering we’ve attended where no one has argued, ours is the first."
She looked at him from the corner of her eye.
"The ceremony isn’t over yet."
"You’ve become surprisingly pessimistic."
"I’ve become realistic."
He smiled quietly.
"Fair enough."
The white fox lay peacefully beside their seats, its tail lazily swaying as it watched butterflies drifting between the flowering branches overhead.
Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing... Until every manipulator inside the palace suddenly looked upward.
A deep vibration rolled through the air. It wasn’t loud or even visible to most of the guests but every powerful manipulator present felt it immediately.
Lilith’s expression changed. The High King’s smile disappeared. Solaris instinctively placed a hand upon the hilt of his sword.
"What was that?" Atheline asked.
Before anyone could answer, a second vibration struck. This time the translucent barrier surrounding the palace shimmered violently.
The beautiful dome of pure Aether rippled like disturbed water. Every rune woven into its surface flashed brilliantly before dimming again.
The High King’s voice thundered across the gardens.
"Everyone remain calm!"
His order had barely finished when one of the palace manipulators shouted from the western tower.
"The barrier has been compromised!"
Silence filled the venue at that, it was an impossible sentence.
Compromised? That barrier had protected the palace for centuries.
Another pulse surged through it, then... A spiderweb of glowing fractures spread across a section of the barrier high above the western walls. Gasps erupted throughout the gathering.
"It... broke?"
"It shouldn’t be possible!"
"What happened?"
Lilith rose instantly.
"Something forced an opening."
Atheline followed her gaze. The fracture was opening, a hole barely large enough for several people, only for a moment.
Outside the palace.
Dozens of figures dressed in grey robes stood silently before the fractured barrier. Each held a fragment of black crystal connected by threads of grey Aether. The moment the opening stabilized, one voice spoke.
"Advance."
The crystals shattered and the opening widened, for exactly three minutes. Every robed figure moved simultaneously. Some leapt through the breach while others vanished using prepared teleportation scrolls the instant they entered the barrier. Toward predetermined positions throughout the palace.
Months of preparation unfolded within seconds. Inside the royal gardens, several guests suddenly stood. The movement seemed innocent at first until one noble calmly removed the jeweled brooch fastened to his cloak.
Grey Aether exploded from beneath it. His elegant clothing dissolved into dark robes, another guest did the same then another, then five more.
The nearest Royal Knight reacted immediately.
"Enemies!"
His sword had barely left its sheath before a blade of grey Aether wave pierced his chest. Blood sprayed across the white stone.
For one heartbeat, nobody moved then chaos erupted. Screams echoed throughout the gardens. Guests rushed toward every exit and children cried.
Servants desperately attempted to shield members of their royal families. The peaceful celebration disappeared in an instant.
Atheline stepped forward.
"Protect the civilians!"
His storage ring flashed then a longbow appeared in his hand. Almost simultaneously, Lilith’s shadows erupted beneath her feet.
Black tendrils surged across the ground like living creatures. The nearest cultist lunged toward a group of terrified nobles. A shadow spear burst upward through his chest before he had crossed three steps.
She didn’t even look at him. Another attacker appeared behind her. She vanished and only darkness remained where she had stood.
A heartbeat later, she emerged behind him. Her dagger flashed once and the cultist collapsed.
The High King drew his sword, and Aether flooded the royal gardens.
"Royal Guards!" His voice shook the entire palace. "Protect the guests!"
Hundreds of elite knights moved instantly. Shield walls formed around the civilians, archers climbed surrounding balconies and manipulators began constructing defensive formations.
Every soldier moved exactly as trained. The palace had prepared for attacks, but, never one like this.
Prince Lucifer laughed as black flames exploded around his enormous hammer.
"So they finally showed themselves!"
He slammed the weapon into the ground and dark fire erupted outward. Three cultists attempting to flank nearby civilians disappeared beneath the explosion.
Nearby, Beastkin warriors transformed. One tiger beastkin threw himself directly between an elderly dwarf ambassador and an incoming blade, the impact sent both sliding backwards.
The Wood Elf delegation reacted almost as quickly. Dozens of bows appeared and their arrows filled the sky. Every shot found a target. For several seconds, the defenders regained momentum.
Atheline drew three arrows simultaneously. Wind gathered around the bowstring.
"Go."
The arrows vanished. Three cultists attempting to climb onto the ceremonial platform fell before anyone even heard the impacts.
He immediately switched positions. Water gathered beneath his feet followed by ice spreading across the stone. Several attackers lost their footing.
Royal Knights seized the opportunity and went for the kill. The cultists fell.
Helther landed beside him.
"Still showing off?"
"I prefer calling it surviving."
His fingers tightened around his sword. The two fought naturally together, years of shared training needed no discussion. One covered while the other attacked.
A deafening explosion echoed from another section of the palace. Smoke rose beyond the gardens.
"They’re attacking multiple locations!" someone shouted.
Lilith looked toward the smoke.
"They planned this thoroughly."
Atheline nodded grimly.
"They’re dividing us."
Another cultist appeared above them. Earth magic launched him high into the air. The attacker descended with both blades raised.
Atheline released one arrow combined with a few elements; fire, wind, and lightning. The arrow pierced the cultist’s shoulder. Instead of stopping, the attacker smiled, even while falling.
Lilith noticed first.
"They’re not trying to survive."
The realization made her frown, things were getting more annoying since they were basically fighting suicide attackers.
More robed figures poured through the fractured barrier. Although the opening had already begun shrinking, enough had entered.
The palace remained in control but the enemy wasn’t slowing. They fought without fear and every fallen cultist bought time for another.
Atheline suddenly heard a frightened cry. He turned. A little girl had become separated from her parents.
A cultist sprinted toward her. He immediately changed direction but it was too far, he wouldn’t be able to reach her in time.
Lilith saw it too, her shadows lunged towards the kid but another attacker intercepted them. They were one heartbeat, too late.
Then, a white blur crossed the gardens.
The fox.
It moved faster than anyone expected and threw itself directly between the child and the descending blade.
The cultist laughed.
"Move aside."
His sword descended but instead of striking flesh, it collided against solid ice. The fox stood completely still, its blue eyes glowing brilliantly.
The air temperature plummeted as frost spread rapidly beneath its paws. Cracks of brilliant blue Aetger covered its tiny body.
Atheline froze.
"...No."
The fox lifted its head and let out a howl that echoed across the entire palace. The sound felt almost ancient and as expected power answered.
Aether from every direction rushed toward the little creature. Its body began growing, its tail became larger and its legs lengthened. Snow-white fur billowed like drifting clouds.
Within seconds, the tiny fox had transformed into a magnificent beast nearly the size of a horse. Ice crystals floated around its body. The child stared upward in speechless wonder.
The transformed fox growled. Every nearby cultist instinctively stepped backwards.
Atheline smiled despite the chaos.
"So..."
He quietly raised his bow once more.
"...you’ve finally decided to fight and stop freeloading"
The great fox lowered its body protectively before him and Lilith, then it bared its fangs toward the advancing enemies.
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