Taste of Magic: Ambassador's Voice

As it turned out for Elowen, the toughest part of this whole battle was convincing Leliana to remain with her sister in the bunker underneath the town hall. When they were woken up by the scouts who announced the arrival of the Church, Leliana had been ready to rush into the battlefield with him, pitchfork in hand.

It was only through great effort that Elowen and Leliana's mother were able to convince the girl to go with other non-combatants.

"You are only going to get in my way," Elowen snapped at her.

This made Leliana flinch back and stare at him with wide eyes. Although he held no pleasure speaking with her in such a rough manner, with her life at stake, Elowen decided to be honest.

"How am I supposed to fight, knowing that you're out there? Unprotected? My only thought would be to protect you. These aren't regular people who are coming to Sunglow. They are System users with powerful combat skills. A girl like you won't be able to distract them for longer than a few seconds," Elowen said.

"I…" Leliana looked shocked at first, then her eyes dropped to the floor. "I… I just didn't want you fighting alone…"

"I won't be alone. I'll be fighting alongside all of Sunglow. But I can't fight at my full strength unless I know you are safe. Please, head to the bunker together with your family," Elowen pleaded.

Leliana nodded, albeit reluctantly. "I understand… I shall go…"

He exhaled with relief as the women hurriedly took the bag with necessities, some food, water, blankets, and hurried away to the Town Hall.

"Please, stay safe!" Leliana pulled him into a deep hug.

"You too," he muttered, holding her close for a moment.

Once they pulled apart, Elowen ran straight to the harbor. He couldn't bear to look at Leliana anymore. If he wanted her to remain safe, then he would have to do his best on the battlefield.

It was still dark when he arrived, but he could see the five clusters of Church forces creeping over the ice, not at all bothered by the traps Alistair had laid for them. They were likely walking over a magical construct bridge rather than the ice itself. Not surprising since expecting half-melted spring ice to hold up more than a single person would be madness.

"We're switching to Plan B?" Elowen asked Alistair quietly.

"Yes. Signal the archers to take aim. Is Leon here?" Alistair asked.

Elowen threw a quick glance around and saw the mage hurrying towards them, still pulling his mage robes on.

"He's here," Elowen confirmed.

Leon ran up to them, breathing heavily. "I'm here. What's the situation?"

"Plan B," Alistair said curtly.

Leon nodded in understanding. Elowen hurried up to the rooftop, where other archers, mostly elves, sat in wait, arrows in hand. These, however, weren't regular arrows. Their ends were covered with a small ball of fabric that had been dipped in oil.

"Take aim," came a silent command from Alistair.

It was passed from person to person, creating a small wave of whispers no louder than the sea wind. They wanted to retain the element of surprise for as long as possible. Elowen, too, took aim. Not at the approaching System users. They were still too far for that. He was aiming at the ice marked with blue paint near the harbor.

Obviously, not everyone would hit the target, but they didn't need everyone to hit. If just a few of them hit it, then it would be enough.

"Fire," Alistair said, the command to Leon.

The mage raised his hand and, with pinpoint precision, began lighting everyone's arrows on fire. The moment Elowen's arrow was light, he released it, making it whizz towards the ice.

He saw the figures on ice hesitate for a moment as they saw the sudden barrage of fire arrows hit the ice. It must have confused them immensely because initially, nothing happened. The arrows flew silently and fell onto the ice, burning for a little while and then going out.

Seeing nothing happened, the Church figures resumed their march at a much faster pace. Elowen could also see lights appear among the Church members as they began preparing their own magic for an attack. They now knew that Sunglow was awake, so there was no need to be sneaky anymore.

Unfortunately for them, the ice began to crack. Just a few cracks at first.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Explosives that had been hidden under snow went off, creating a slurry of ice and water as it shot into the sky. The ice at the shore was destroyed and subsequently created a chain reaction, breaking the ice. After all, many weak spots had been created in it, so it was eager to break, shift, and swim free out into the sea.

The wind was on their side, creating waves of ice that carried them up and down and quickly turned the previously smooth field of ice into a death trap eager to pull anyone above beneath the waves. Many System users previously walking on impossible platforms right above the ice layer were flung off their safe barriers by the roiling ice and waves.

"Fire at will! Don't let any approach the shore!" Alistair bellowed, all semblance of stealth abandoned.

It didn't take long for the Church to regroup and create safe magical barriers higher above the sea level. However, getting five such large groups across on nothing but a magical barrier would be costly on the mage's mana levels. Which would effectively take those mages out of the fight.

Elowen could see that the System users had sprung into action. The fastest System users jumped nimbly on the largest ice blocks, avoiding the waves and making their way to the shore at frightening speed. Elowen and others aimed to intercept them.

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While some of the arrows did find their target, none of their blows were lethal. It would take more than a few arrows to deal with System users. However, the first of the speedsters made their way to shore, ready to drive their dagger into the first person they saw, they were met with an unpleasant surprise.

Their attack was repelled by a shield. One of the many shield spells that Melina had provided the town with. Elowen took advantage of the moment of confusion and leapt towards the attacks, speeding himself up with his <Wind Step> skill.

Within a few seconds, he was right next to the enemy, his sword buried in his chest.

"We will not let you take Sunglow," Elowen snarled, pulling his weapon free.

"Squad 12 is out of shields!" One of the adventurers bellows.

"Pull them back! Send in squad 32," Arianna called, and a moment later stepped out from behind a building to smash her mace into the shield of huge System users.

"Not today, lady!" The System user, a paladin by the looks of it, revealed a nasty grin and was about to bring an axe down on Arianne's head.

But Alistair rushed to him using his < Lightning Dash> and slashed his sword, decapitating the man. He honestly wished that he wouldn't have to do such horrid things anymore. Melina would hate this so much. But there was no place for dialogue here.

The Church hadn't come here to make peace. They came to Sunglow with everything they got, throwing spells, skills of massive destructive potential, all while trying to keep their own forces healed using the healers.

Alistair would have loved not to harm the healers. After all, they weren't the ones killing people. But letting the System users recover from their injuries was out of the question. They were already a horrifying enemy even without the ability to recover.

So he had ordered the healers to be the first and main target. Where possible, they were incapacitated. But sadly, this wasn't the sort of fight where Alistair could allow his fighters to be merciful. They were at a vast disadvantage. The ice destruction tactic had managed to scatter the Church forces and disrupt many mages who had to focus on keeping the barrier constructs going for their comrades.

But once the fighters got to the shore, all hell broke loose. Alistair wasn't sure what they would have done if Melina hadn't given them her pastry spells. Not only were they able to keep the fighters at bay using well-timed fire, lightning, or wind spells, but they could also protect themselves from attacks.

Nonetheless, there were losses… Not many. Nowhere near as many as the losses the Church was suffering, but each life lost felt like a stab in Alistair's heart. It was a person from Sunglow who had died. A family had lost a father or a mother or an older brother, because these… these barbarians had decided that the way these people were living was not right.

"We need to put an end to this…" Alistair snarled, slashing at another approaching enemy.

"Where's that damned snake? If we could get her, then this whole battle would end," Arianne growled.

But that was the problem. Nobody had been able to locate Heiliger or that mage from Su Xien. That was what worried Alistair the most. Where were they?

Melina got woken up by Sienna nudging her nuzzle against her face.

"Just a bit more, Sienna…" Melina said in her sleepy stupor. When the wyvern nudged her again, with a worried sort of whine, Melina's eyes snapped open.

Heiliger. Attack.

She jumped up to her feet at once, startling Sienna and making the wyvern jump back a step. A knock resounded on the door.

"Miss Melina! Are you awake?" Daisy called.

"I'm up!" Melina said resolutely and, without hesitation, put on the robes that Etrian had prepared for her. She had requested them some while ago in anticipation of this day.

It felt bittersweet looking at the garb, clearly meant for mages. It wasn't a mantle she wanted to put on again. But this would be the last time she put it on. The last time she was a mage.

Etrian had made it from special fabric from the Monster Realm that provided resistance to magical attacks. This would provide her with protection against magical attacks from the mage from Su Xien. Melina did not doubt that he would make his appearance sooner or later. This time, she would be ready to face him.

With her robe on, Melina rushed out of the room, coming face to face with a rather nervous-looking Daisy.

"What's the situation?" Melina asked nervously, realizing that it was already light outside. How could she have slept so soundly when everyone else was fighting? Melina was disgusted with herself.

"Church forces have reached the shore, and they are currently fighting along the pier. Lord Sinclair is trying to hold them back as long as possible, but there have been losses and…" the maid trailed off.

Melina grit her teeth. People had died. People from Sunglow had died while she was sleeping like a lazy slouch. No, she had to get in and help everyone.

Suddenly, Henry burst in through the front door, his breath ragged. "They have abandoned the first line of defense. We have to retreat to the bunker."

The first defensive line was lost. Melina wasn't even sure how many lines Alistair had prepared. She had been so lost in making pastries yesterday that she had no clue as to the preparations he had made. She didn't want to disrupt his plans, but sitting in place wasn't an option either.

"Retreat to the bunkers. I'm going to help Alistair. Sienna, you come with me. Mango, you go with Daisy and Henry," Melina commanded her familiars.

The little fox yipped in protest, but Melina glared at her. "No, Mango! This isn't playtime. While your ice magic is strong, you have never actually used it in a fight. You are not a fighter. You will go to the bunker, and that's an order!"

Sienna, to drive Melina's point home, let out a menacing growl at the fox. Mango's ears dropped, but she allowed Daisy to pick her up.

"I'll take care of her," the maid said and hurried away together with Henry.

"Okay, Sienna. Let's go and assess the situation," Melina said, stepping out of the house.

Sounds of battle could be heard from the harbor, making Melina's stomach churn. She had hoped never to hear these sounds again. To think that it would be happening in Sunglow. In her home. Was everyone safe? Where was Grandfather? And Erina? Remi? And her other friends?

All of a sudden, another noise came from the opposite side, from beyond the wall. Melina looked there for a moment, listening carefully. Had the Church launched a pincer attack from beyond the wall? But no, it sounded different. Like flapping of wings.

Then she saw it. A small group of wyverns was flying in the sky with elves riding atop them. They flew towards the harbor, roaring loudly and ready to attack their enemy. Behind them ran a group of wyvern with elves riding on their back. They ran past Melina at lightning speed and headed to the harbor, also ready to assist Sunglow in this battle.

"Reinforcements from Euroa!" Melina smiled. Although she hadn't expected the elves to send wyverns and wyrms with them, it was certainly a welcome sight. With this, they would have a chance.

But then Melina felt something else. A familiar and a deeply unsettling presence. She whirled around, conjuring a shield as she did. Sienna was already ahead of her, having taken her large form and hurled a fireball at the enemy.

"Oh, it seems like you have brought the stronger pet with you this time, Archmage," the mage from Su Xien stood atop her home, a disgusting sneer on his face as he conjured a shield that protected him from Sienna's fireball.

The fact that he dared to sully hers and Alistair's home filled Melina with rage. How dare he come here to destroy her home, her town, and the town of all these innocent people? Melina wouldn't stand for it.

If there was something good about her sleeping in, it was the fact that Melina was now fully charged and ready to go. The mage from Su Xien, while looking confident, had deep bags underneath his eyes.

"Oh yes. And she rather dislikes those who sully her home!" Melina said.

Sienna let out an angry roar and charged at the mage.