Saeldir's arrival was like a breath of fresh air for Aurdis and the Mages, who were struggling in their dire situation.
He looked much healthier than when he had first returned to the palace, but as Aurdis observed him closely, she was certain he still carried lingering wounds and pain. Yet, he had forced himself to come here and fulfill his duty.
Even so, Aurdis couldn't help but feel concerned when she looked at him. She asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"
Saeldir gave her a quick nod. "Yes." Even though he wasn't as well as he wanted to be, what else could he do? Return to bed while knowing the palace was in this state? That wasn't an option.
Aurdis didn't protest any further when Saeldir stretched out his hands toward the orb and channeled his magic into it. The orb glowed brighter as his energy flowed into it, as if delighted to feel and welcome its master once again.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Aurdis slumped to the floor, her face pale.
"Princess…" One of the Mages approached her, clear concern on his face.
"I'm fine," Aurdis replied weakly. But her condition wasn't too severe. "Assist the Archmage. Get back to work."
The Mage nodded and immediately returned to focusing on the formation, following her command.
"How far along are you?" Saeldir asked.
"We're halfway there, my lord," one of the Mages responded.
"Good." Saeldir nodded, then gritted his teeth. "This new attack… It's stronger."
The deafening blasts of cannons echoed in front of the palace walls. The magic barrier shone even brighter as it absorbed the relentless attacks, struggling to maintain its form.
The light from the barrier was blinding to the Elves stationed at the palace's front, while in the darkness beyond, the Hexa Cannoneers continued their relentless bombardment without mercy.
"Will the barrier hold?" a young warrior asked pessimistically.
The others remained silent. They felt the same doubt. There was no point in voicing the same concerns, and none of them were confident enough to offer reassuring words.
They felt as if they were walking on a thin line, watching the barrier take hit after hit, seeing the enemy's overwhelming numbers, and realizing that Laston might not have even deployed his entire army yet.
So what if the magic barrier held for now? How long could it last?
At that moment, King Gulben suddenly descended from the tower of the throne room. He hovered a few meters above the magic barrier, which was being bombarded with relentless fire, its surface glowing with intense orange and red light.
The Elves below lifted their gazes toward him, uncertainty clear in their eyes.
King Gulben took a deep breath before his voice rang out, cutting through the chaos.
"Warriors of the palace, hear me!" His voice carried across the battlefield. "I know the enemy we face today is unlike any before. I know you feel the weight of exhaustion and fear creeping into your hearts. But look around you! your comrades stand strong, just as you do! You are not alone in this fight!"
He gestured toward the shimmering barrier, cracks of golden light rippling as it endured the enemy's assault.
"This barrier still stands because of our strength! It is proof of our resilience! And as long as we stand, this palace, our home, will not fall!"
He narrowed his eyes toward the place beyond the shining barrier, where the Hexa Cannoneers continued their merciless barrage.
"The enemy believes they can break us with their machines, and shatter our spirit! But they do not know the will of the Elves!" He pointed his hand toward the battlefield. "We will not yield! We will fight, we will endure, and we will triumph! Believe in me, and yourselves!"
A wave of energy pulsed from him, and the warriors around him straightened, their eyes burning with renewed determination.
"Hold your ground! We are the protectors of this land, and as long as we draw breath, we shall never fall!"
The warriors roared in response, their voices shaking the air, their doubt replaced with a burning resolve.
King Gulben heard the cheers of his army. At least for now, their confidence had returned, though he had no idea how long it would last.
He narrowed his eyes, filled with hatred toward Laston, but beneath that loathing, there was also concern. The magic barrier was growing weaker—he could see it. Cracks had already begun forming, thin but undeniable.
"Send a squad of archers and mages outside the barrier. We must begin our counterattack and destroy those abominations!" King Gulben ordered. The elves immediately started planning, deciding who would be sent out.
After giving his command, King Gulben floated back to his balcony, watching the battlefield from above.
What he didn't know was that his worst fears would soon come true.
Erend and Eccar watched from their room, the glass window glowing as it reflected the light from the magic barrier, which continued to take the brunt of the bombardment.
"They can't win against that," Eccar remarked, his arms crossed over his chest.
Erend said nothing in response. He shared Eccar's opinion but didn't feel like voicing it.
"If that barrier collapses, I'll act immediately. I won't wait for the king's approval," Eccar added.
Erend turned to him and said, "I didn't know you cared so much about the elves that you'd be so eager to help them."
Eccar shrugged, his expression troubled as if struggling to put his thoughts into words. Then, he finally said, "Well, ever since we escaped that realm and fought against the Six Dominion—or whoever they were—and got consumed by the Rage, I told myself I had to focus on protecting rather than destroying."
Erend stared at him in silence for a few moments. He never knew Eccar had come to such a realization. He had never asked, and with Eccar's laidback and carefree attitude, he always assumed Eccar wasn't someone who thought so deeply about things.
Oh, how wrong he was.
"What are you looking at?" Eccar asked sharply, narrowing his eyes.
Erend chuckled. "Nothing. I just think you might act faster than you expect."
"You think the king will allow us?"
Erend let out a sigh. "I don't think so. What I mean is, we'll have to act, whether the king allows it or not."
"That might affect your relationship with Aurdis, you know? Since you'd be going against her father's orders," Eccar pointed out.
Erend sighed again. "Let's hope it doesn't."
Saeldir continued to maintain the orb, but he was beginning to feel the burden growing heavier on him. This was bad.
"How is it?" Saeldir asked the mage without taking his eyes off the orb.
"It's ready now, my lord!"
Then, the diagram on the floor lit up with a bright blue glow. Magic energy surged toward the orb, making its surface shine even brighter.
A few seconds later, the weight pressing on him was gone. Saeldir let out a relieved sigh and lowered his trembling hands from their outstretched position over the orb.
He then sank into a chair, his face still pale, his fingers still shaking slightly.
"Are you alright?" Aurdis asked, offering him a bright green potion that looked incredibly refreshing.
Saeldir nodded, taking the potion and drinking it in a single gulp. "This is better. My wounds still haven't fully healed."
"How did you know the barrier was in this condition?" Aurdis asked.
"I created this orb. Naturally, I can sense when something is wrong with it."
Aurdis nodded. They fell into silence for a moment, both staring at the orb, waiting to see what other surprises would come next.
Outside, the archers and Mages start to emerge from the protective barrier, their figures silhouetted against the shimmering glow of the Magical dome. The air around them shimmered with Magic energy as the Mages chanted in unison, weaving a powerful levitation spell. The archers were lifted off the wall, their robes and cloaks billowing in the wind as they ascended into the sky.
There were twenty Mages and thirty archers, all soaring above the battlefield, positioning themselves high above the advancing Hexa Cannoneers.
The night air was thick with smell of the explosion, but none of them hesitated. They had a single objective — strike from above and cripple the enemy before the barrier fell.
The archers nocked their arrows, each shaft glowing faintly as the mages imbued them with destructive enchantments.
With precise coordination, the archers let loose their first volley. A storm of arrows rained down, their enchanted tips flaring with golden light as they struck the mechanical beasts below.
The first wave of projectiles found their mark. Several arrows pierced the armor of a Hexa Cannoneer, and the enchantments ignited upon impact, creating explosions that sent molten shards flying in all directions.
Some of the war machines staggered and stop shooting, their movements faltering as sparks and flames erupted from their damaged limbs and cannons.
Below, the remaining Hexa Cannoneers adjusted their cannons upward, their mechanical eyes locking onto the airborne threat.
The moment they recalibrated, a second wave of arrows rained down, striking more weak points on their armored bodies.
But the enemy was not idle. The Hexa Cannoneers fired back, their cannons unleashing a barrage of energy blasts toward the airborne Elves.
The sky lit up with violent explosions, forcing the Mages to weave defensive spells while the archers adjusted their flight patterns, dodging incoming fire.