Chapter 609 – Brothers.

Rows of siege engines stretched across the hills below Isgard’s inner palace walls, their frames bristling with runic plates. Each ballista was a fusion of steel and runic magic, designed to fire bolts that could pierce through reinforced castle walls. Behind them, hundreds of armored men stood in disciplined lines, banners snapping in the winds that swirled around the castle.

And yet, for all their preparation, the shimmering dome above the main Valerian palace refused to break.

“Again!”

The Grand Knight Commander roared, his crimson cloak thrashing as another storm of fire and steel tore through the air. Bolts tipped with concentrated runemagic shrieked across the night sky, each one carrying a spell meant to enhance their piercing power. They converged on a single section of the dome, striking the patch directly before the entrance gate.

The air warped and split with a deafening crack. The impact was thunderous, as if a hundred bolts of lightning had struck the same tree. For a heartbeat, the barrier rippled like a mirror on the verge of breaking. Then the light smoothed over once more, seamless and whole.

A groan spread through the ranks. Some soldiers clutched their ears, others muttered in disappointment. The seasoned knights only tightened their grips on their weapons, though unease gnawed at them as well.

“Report!”

The grand knight commander’s shout cut through the night air. His form was covered by shiny platemail, and a figure in robes hurried forward. It was a gaunt woman with silver-threaded braids, gasping for breath before she spoke.

“My lord, the spell will take time to prepare.”

She panted as she answered, and behind her, a circle of mages chanted in unison, their voices weaving together in preparation for the siege-class spell that might topple the barrier.

“How long?”

“Another hour.”

The commander’s expression hardened. His gaze swept the shimmering dome that mocked every effort of their siege. One more hour. Far too long. Inside those walls, chaos raged, and every passing moment meant more lives slipping away. He gripped the hilt of his greatsword until his knuckles whitened.

“Then hold your focus. We cannot fail here. The Valerian line will not fall while I yet draw breath.”

His voice rang out over the gathered host like iron striking an anvil. The troops straightened, their unease lessened, and they returned to their positions with renewed vigor.

Yet even as discipline returned, the commander knew the truth. If the barrier held, their army would be nothing more than spectators to the massacre inside. Even if the Valerian Duke himself poured all his strength into the assault, the ancient ward would not break. Only relentless attacks could eventually wear it down, and even then he doubted the mages’ spell would be enough.

With a heavy heart, he stood watching, uncertain of what horrors might already be unfolding beyond the dome.

*****

Within the confines of the massive barrier, a desperate battle raged. Four figures stood against a tide of abyssal abominations, each monstrosity rushing forward to protect the relic that was their prize.

“We need to hurry. More of them are coming!”

Arthur’s voice rang out as he leapt back, his rapier flashing in the dim light. The blade intercepted a scythe-like appendage from a mantis-shaped horror, sparks flying from the clash.

“Do not order me around.”

Julius snarled from the front, irritation plain in his voice. The elder brother clearly disliked being commanded by his younger brother, but he could not fully dismiss him. Julius’s longsword blazed with radiant light as he drove it through the mantis-thing’s thorax. The creature screeched, its body splitting apart under the force of divine mana, but even as it fell, more surged forward.

Arthur grimaced, his rapier tracing crimson lines of aura through the air as he parried and countered. He lacked the raw strength that Julius commanded, and his reserves of mana were far smaller. Yet with every foe that fell before him, he grew stronger. His levels climbed higher, and with them came sharpened instincts and battle experience earned through hard work. Minute by minute, his skill deepened, but the swarm pressing in on them could not be ignored.

“Azure Fire Storm!”

Behind the brothers, an old man raised his hand and unleashed a torrent of blue flames. His spell roared toward the towering abomination that guarded the relic, its flames melting through the stone as they surged forth.

The azure flames consumed the abomination’s upper body, stripping away layers of abyssal flesh like molten wax. The relic it guarded pulsed with furious light, only to be swallowed by the haze of fire as well. Everyone recoiled, shielding themselves from the searing heat. Julius raised a golden shield, forming a barrier that wrapped around them.

The creature’s shrieks echoed for several heartbeats before finally dying out. When silence fell, only ash remained, and the relic’s power flickered and went dark.

“That is the third. Three more remain.”

Arthur said as the shield around him dissolved. No one answered. Their gazes had already turned to the tower’s entrance, where a golden aura burned like a beacon. Lady Bernadette was not among them in the chamber. She stood at the battlement instead, holding back the tide of monstrosities that clawed to devour them all. Her greatsword blazed with radiant fire, each swing cleaving through twisted flesh. Yet for every abomination that fell, another surged forward, an endless wave of writhing bodies that seemed without end.

Bernadette’s blade carved another blazing arc, severing a hulking brute in two. The thing fell thrashing, black puss hissing against the stone battlement, only for two smaller horrors to leap over its corpse and slash at her with sharp limbs. She pivoted, boots skidding across the bloody rampart, and met both blows head-on. Her greatsword flared, radiant flame cascading in a wide burst that turned the creatures into ash.

But even she could feel her strength waning. Sweat gathered on her forehead and dampened her strawlike hair. For every dozen abominations she struck down, new ones appeared to take their place. Her aura was tied to her stamina, and the more her light burned her enemies, the faster exhaustion crept in.

“Lady Bernadette, fall back inside the tower! We’ve disabled the relic, there’s no need to fight alone!”

Julius called from within as the group prepared to withdraw. Fortunately, the six towers were linked by battlements, and the creatures were too simpleminded to block their escape. Instead, they simply pursued from behind.

Bernadette gave no reply. She clicked her heels and vanished in a sudden blur of speed. From the sides, more ghoulish monsters appeared, scrambling up the walls to chase her.

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“Let’s go.”

“Indeed, young lord.”

Julius stood ready to receive her, while Arthur remained silent. The four of them leapt through the tower window. The mage drifted down behind the three fighters, and once he landed, Julius turned to him.

“Master Anzeneus.”

“I know. Do not rush me.”

The old mage’s brows drew together. He disliked being commanded by the young lords but could do little about it. When they reached the far side of the tower, he began his spell. At his level, the chant was incomprehensible, a torrent of heavy mumbling.