The towers of Aurik blazed with overwhelming force, erupting with scorching fire?beams that tore through the dark knights, vaporizing them where they stood.
Dais, irritated, snarled:
"Damn you... annoying pests.
It's not as if you'll succeed in anything.
You're only delaying your fate — nothing more."
---
THE OLD GUARD STANDS
Mahand:
"Silence, you arrogant wretch...
You've tried to conquer Aurik since ancient times —
and you failed again and again.
And you will fail once more!"
Dais's expression shifted, his spear rising.
Mahand's voice sharpened:
"From Caesar... to Prince Sami, who uncovered your tricks.
That's why you eliminated him, isn't it?
Did you think we didn't know?"
Dais smiled — a cold, wicked smile.
Dais:
"And that's why I removed you?
Tell me — what have you failures accomplished?"
Mahand's anger flared, but he smiled back, lifting his flaming sword toward him.
Mahand:
"We taught the prince the weight of ruling — the hard way...you just make the flame brighter and more terrifying.
And now... Prince Asser himself is in Leona.
We will not allow you to do anything here."
---
Dais hurled his spear as violets spreading.
Mahand leapt high, slashing downward with his blazing sword —
The two weapons collided in a violent shockwave.
Mahand scramming: Rika!!!
His flaming sword intensified as it challenging the void.
Jalmoud charged from behind, swinging his massive weapon.
Dais blocked it with one hand —
Jalmoud pushed with all his strength.
Mahand's shield began to crack under the pressure.
Then —
the old royal guards intervened, striking Dais with their ancient weapons.
Dais was thrown back, sliding across the snow.
He looked down at his cracked garments and smirked.
"Impressive..."
---
THE WOUND OF THE RED KNIGHT
Dais raised his hand — the spear pulsed with greater power.
A blast of dark force struck Mahand mid?air, piercing through his armor and shoulder.
He crashed into the ground.
Jalmoud:
"Mahand!"
The guards froze in shock.
Mahand rose again, bleeding heavily —
and smiled.
"I'm fine!"
---
THE BATTLE TURNS SAVAGE
Dais lunged, spear first, toward the old guards.
They blocked the strike with tremendous force, sliding backward.
Jalmoud slammed his weapon toward Dais —
The old guards held him in place.
Dais was thrown back again, glaring at Jalmoud with fury.
But the old guards were bleeding —
some barely standing.
Mahand stepped forward, shielding them, as the battle grew more brutal.
---
THE TOWERS OF AURIK ROAR
The towers of Aurik ignited with overwhelming fire, unleashing burning beams that tore through the Black Order's ranks.
Mahand shouted over the chaos:
"The mages are giving everything they have to support us...
Forward, men!!"
THE HIDDEN SCRIPTURES — KASRA'S DISCOVERY
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Kasra studied the ancient book while Gami read the incantation aloud beside her.
Kasra:
"These are defensive spells... written in my grandmother's hand.
I can't believe we never knew something this important existed..."
Gami:
"I suspect Dais had something to do with that.
He's been trying to destroy the guild for years...
Perhaps he knew what was hidden inside it."
Kasra gathered more books — tomes on combat arts, the discipline of flame, and the secrets of the Crimson Blaze.
Kasra:
"If only I had found these before all of this happened...
They could have helped my brother so much..."
As she walked, her balance faltered.
The books slipped from her hands — Gami caught them quickly.
Gami:
"Your Majesty! Are you alright?!
You haven't rested in three days!"
Kasra pressed a hand to her head.
Kasra:
"There's something strange...
I don't think this is about rest.
I've stayed awake many nights before without issue..."
She looked at her trembling hands.
Kasra:
"There's something wrong..."
A small slip of paper fell from one of the books.
Kasra picked it up.
Kasra:
"What is this?"
She turned to Gami.
Kasra:
"Go upstairs. Begin the incantation."
Gami:
"At once!"
Kasra examined the paper.
"The stronger I become, the more people love me.
The more they love me, the stronger I become.
They hate me.
My power hates me."
Kasra:
"What...?
This isn't my father's handwriting.
Nor my mother's.
Not even Laika's.
It's far older..."
She flipped the paper — strange symbols marked the back, pointing toward one of the shelves.
Kasra began searching.
---
THE SPELL IGNITES
Above, Gami handed the scroll to the mages.
Gami:
"This is it!"
The mages took it, beginning the ritual slowly and with meticulous precision.
Gami leaned over the railing.
Gami:
"Your Majesty?! Are you alright?!"
Kasra:
"Yes! I'm fine!
Continue the spell!"
THE BATTLE OUTSIDE — THE SKY BURNS
In the city, the fighting was brutal.
A guard shouted as he watched Jalmoud and Mahand clash with Dais:
Guard:
"He's unbelievably strong...
He's been deceiving us this whole time —
he never even used his full power!"
Estela hurled lightning bolts at the dark knights, scattering them.
Aurik's towers unleashed blazing beams from the mages' guild, striking the Black Order one after another.
Dais slammed his hand forward —
A massive wave of darkness erupted, obliterating one of the towers and striking Estela mid?air.
Mahand rushed in, sword blazing, clashing with Dais.
Jalmoud struck from behind.
Dais blocked both weapons and shoved them back with monstrous force.
---
THE COMET'S SHADOW
Mahand steadied himself, whispering under his breath:
Mahand (to himself):
"Something's wrong...
I feel a strange weakness...
As if something is pulling at my strength..."
He glanced upward.
The violet comet, burning with gray fire, streaked across the sky.
Mahand:
"Impossible...
Is that bastard Dais using it to his advantage?"
---
THE SPEARS OF THE VOID
Dais raised his spear.
Dark portals tore open in the sky —
Hundreds of spears rained down upon the battlefield.
Mahand blocked with his shield.
Dais:
"What's wrong, old rotting guard?
Have you realized your fate?"
Mahand braced himself, his armor cracking under the relentless barrage.
Mahand:
"No...
I've realized that our fall is no less important than the prince's."
Dais:
"Hm?"
Mahand surged forward, a fiery aura erupting around him.
Dais grinned and met him head?on.
Their weapons clashed in a storm of sparks.
Dais thrust his spear with brutal force.
Mahand dodged, countering with a devastating slash toward Dais's chest.
Dais staggered back, gripping his chest.
Dais:
"Hm?
You managed to tear my cloak again..."
Mahand:
"Your cloak?
Don't make me laugh!
Look at the black blood pouring from you!"
THE GOLDEN AGE — THE LAST ADVANCE
Mahand and the old royal guards surged forward—
when suddenly, Dais vanished.
Jalmoud:
"Mahand! Watch out!"
Mahand lunged toward the spot where Dais had stood—
Dais materialized high above them, his voice booming:
Dais:
"Behold the majesty of the Black Order, you vermin!
Bow before it!"
---
THE WALL SPELL IGNITES
Inside the mage guild, the sorcerers completed the Wall Incantation.
Aurik's outer walls began to glow—
ancient runes igniting in fiery patterns.
Above Mahand, a dark portal opened.
A circle of shadow formed beneath him.
Suddenly—
waves of shadow spears rained down from above, disappearing into the circle below.
Jalmoud:
"Mahand!!"
Mahand:
"Stay back!"
The old royal guards—
the Golden Age—
threw themselves forward, shoving guards and mages out of the spell's deadly radius.
The spears tore into them in a horrific storm—
yet they remained standing, blood splattering across the snow.
Dais laughed, loud and cruel, as their ancient armor cracked and shattered.
The guards and mages stared in horror—
unable to look away from the brutal sight.
Mahand, bleeding heavily, smiled through the pain.
Mahand:
"Look at us...
We are the Golden Age."
He raised his sword, voice breaking through the chaos:
Mahand:
"Keep going!
Attack!!"
---
THE BATTLE SURGES
The guards charged, clashing with the colossal dark knights.
Mages unleashed fire behind them.
Dais watched their advance with disdain.
Dais:
"Fools..."
He raised his other hand—
A bolt of lightning shot toward him, which he deflected effortlessly.
He turned—
Estela stood there, lightning crackling in both palms.
Dais:
"So?"
Estela:
"I won't let you erase what little hope remains...
You monsters!"
Dais:
"Awaken your strength if you wish...
You still stand against the impossible.
But don't worry—
I'm not chaotic and reckless like MacFreden.
I won't drown this place in oceans."
Estela hurled another bolt—
Dais deflected it again, blasting the old guards with his other hand.
Jalmoud blocked the strikes, pushing forward despite the blood pouring from him.
Aurik's towers burned bright, firing roaring beams of flame at the Black Order.
---
Inside the guild, the mages gathered around a circular table, staffs raised.
One mage murmured:
Mage:
"That girl is clever...
She saved us so much time.
She's skilled."
Another nodded.
Mage:
"Yes...
These symbols... this style...
It reminds me of very old memories..."
Outside, Aurik's walls glowed brighter and brighter.
Gami and the mages continued the defensive spell Kasra had discovered.
Meanwhile, Princess Kasra remained below in the ancient library—
walking between shelves, searching for a different book.
---
In the palace's main chamber, Laika floated mid?air, still casting her massive regional spell—
holding back the cold, stopping the snowfall, warming the land.
She did it for Aurik's army marching toward Leona—
led by General Sylvanas,
with King Asser following behind in a separate battalion.
