Chapter 315: 315:Fight
Every breath the fox released formed mist that hung heavily in the air, causing frost to spread across the polished stone beneath its paws.
The entire royal garden seemed to pause for a heartbeat. Many of the nobles stared in disbelief, even experienced beast masters who had witnessed powerful contracted beasts before found themselves momentarily speechless.
Atheline could feel the familiar bond between them pulsing through his soul. It was stronger than before, as though the fox had instinctively torn away a seal that had restrained her true nature ever since it hatched.
The fox lowered her head slightly. Her brilliant blue eyes briefly met his. There was only one thought flowing through their bond.
Protect.
Atheline smiled faintly.
"I was planning to do the same."
The moment ended as another wave of cultists charged through the gardens. Without waiting for an order, the fox moved.
Its massive body blurred across the battlefield with astonishing speed. Before the nearest attacker could react, one enormous paw crashed into his chest.
The impact echoed throughout the courtyard as the cultist was launched dozens of metres backward, smashing through a marble pillar before disappearing beneath the rubble.
Another attacker raised both hands, gathering dense grey Aether into a spear.
The fox opened its mouth; instead of a roar, a stream of freezing wind erupted outward. Everything in its path froze instantly.
The spear shattered into glittering fragments before it could even leave its creator’s hands. The cultist himself became trapped within a pillar of solid ice, his horrified expression forever frozen inside.
The surrounding Royal Knights hesitated only briefly.
"Now!"
Their captain’s command rang across the battlefield. The knights surged forward together. Blades flashed as the fight continued.
The frozen cultist fell into dozens of icy fragments, not one survived. Atheline wasted no time admiring the display. He drew another arrow.
Wind gathered around the shaft while streaks of lightning danced across its surface. Fire wrapped around the arrowhead, creating a spiralling vortex of crimson and gold.
He released.
The arrow wheezed through the air.
Three charging cultists attempted to evade, but the wind altered its course mid-flight. It struck the first directly in the shoulder before exploding into a violent storm of fire and lightning. The resulting blast hurled the remaining attackers backward.
Before they could regain their footing, Helther was already among them. Unlike Atheline, he relied upon no elaborate elemental combinations only his sword and skills. Every movement was clean, efficient, and perfectly refined.
His blade swept horizontally.
One cultist fell.
He pivoted smoothly. A second slash severed another attacker’s weapon before the follow-up thrust pierced his chest.
A third enemy tried to attack from behind. Without even turning, Helther stepped sideways and drove his elbow into the man’s jaw before finishing him with a single precise strike.
Atheline couldn’t help smiling.
"Who’s showing off now?"
Helther parried another blade before answering.
"You’ve gotten louder."
A burst of laughter escaped Atheline despite everything happening around them. It reminded him of their training, only now the stakes were real.
Several more cultists rushed toward them together.
"I’ll take the left."
"I’ve got the right."
Years of fighting together returned naturally. Atheline fired arrows one after another, forcing their enemies to scatter, while his brother exploited every opening created by the relentless barrage.
Fire forced opponents into narrow paths, ice stole their footing, walls of earth interrupted charges and powerful gusts of wind redirected incoming attacks.
Whenever someone managed to survive the arrows, Helther was already waiting. The coordination was seamless.
Nearby, Lilith had become the centre of another battlefield entirely. She stood alone in the middle of a broken courtyard, surrounded by nearly a dozen cultists who didn’t dare approach recklessly.
Darkness flowed around her feet, every shadow cast by shattered pillars answered her command.
One cultist lunged first.
She disappeared. His blade struck nothing but empty air. A heartbeat later, black tendrils erupted from his own shadow, wrapping around both arms before violently pulling him downward.
The stone beneath him opened and he vanished into darkness. Another attacker unleashed dozens of grey Aether blades.
Lilith calmly raised one hand. The shadows surrounding her twisted together into an enormous wall. Every projectile disappeared into it as though swallowed by an endless abyss.
She stepped forward. Her dagger traced a single graceful arc and three cultists collapsed almost simultaneously.
Watching from nearby, one of the Beastkin generals quietly muttered,
"...No wonder they also call her the Shadow Queen."
Prince Lucifer laughed loudly as black flames erupted around his massive hammer.
"So this is their best?"
He swung the enormous weapon with terrifying force and the ground exploded. Dark fire surged outward in every direction, consuming several charging enemies at once.
A cultist attempted to leap over the flames. The prince simply caught him mid-air with one hand.
"I admire your courage." His grip tightened. "...Not your judgement."
The man’s ribs shattered before he was thrown directly into another group of attackers.
Elsewhere, Wood Elf archers had taken positions atop the surrounding terraces. Their arrows rained down with remarkable precision, supporting the Royal Knights whenever formations began to falter.
Dwarven warriors formed living walls with their heavy shields, protecting wounded civilians while palace healers worked desperately behind them.
Beastkin fighters moved constantly between battlefields, their speed allowing them to reinforce any area under pressure.
For a brief moment, the defenders found their rhythm. Every race fought beside the others without hesitation and no one cared who came from which kingdom. Only that the enemy standing before them had to be stopped.
The High King observed the battlefield from the central platform. His expression remained calm despite the chaos surrounding him.
"Excellent."
One of the Royal Commanders looked surprised.
"Your Majesty?"
"They trained."
The High King watched Beastkin protecting Human nobles while Dark Elf guards fought beside High Elf knights.
"And remembered."
He slashed his sword.. A cultist attempting to reach the ceremonial platform lost his head before taking another step.
"This..." The High King continued quietly. "...is exactly why our alliance must survive."
His words had barely left his mouth when another explosion echoed from the eastern palace wing. Everyone looked instinctively toward the smoke. It came from inside the palace itself.
Lilith’s eyes narrowed.
"They’ve reached the inner halls."
Atheline followed the rising smoke.
"No..." His expression slowly hardened. "They wanted us to stay here."
Helther nodded in understanding.
"So a diversion, they’re drawing every elite fighter into one place."
Atheline toward the palace. His grip tightened around his bow.
"If this is only the beginning..." He whispered. "...then where is their real target?"
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