Pillar of Yita

An arrow flew over Tianlan’s head.

Normally, this little girl would at least scream with a ’gulp’ sound and curl up with her hands over her head. But now, her throat was hoarse, utterly exhausted, merely watching as the arrow soared over her head, flew afar, and hit the city wall in that direction, snapping into two pieces.

Reflected in her eyes was the blazing firelight that soared into the sky, the flickering light and shadow seemed to project the scenes of Hell onto Earth. Below the fire field were several charred bodies, swaying, probably having lost their starlight. Streets enflamed with fierce flames illuminated the scene of sand thieves swarming the city in another direction. In that peaceful world, she had never seen a real war, nor so many people losing their minds.

The sand thieves climbed the city wall, battling the few imperial guards. Utilizing the terrain advantage and the convenience of having the Androma Sanctuary right behind, the royal guards repeatedly pushed the sand thieves down the city wall. But soon, they faced enemies outnumbering them several times, the tug-of-war battle lasting at least half an hour, and the sand thieves had seized a bastion.

They were advancing toward the inner defenses which, if fallen, would leave Quistack’s garrison with only one final insurance.

Tianlan watched the dark mass advancing along the city wall, and among them, the towering, fierce man surrounded by several adept sand thieves. The man glanced briefly in this direction; despite the great distance, she seemed to feel his cold gaze, weighing heavily on her chest.

Was that the legendary King of the Sand Thief, Mahazar?

This name used to be just a tale to her, an infamous sand thief with no connection to her, an Earthling, an Invoker. But now, Tianlan couldn’t utter that thought; she’d had several confrontations with sand thieves, nearly dying on the battlefield.

Though she knew it wasn’t true death, the thought still terrified her to tears, she’d never expected herself to be so weak.

A hand reached forward.

It appeared slender and soft on the surface, the skin a healthy wheat color, and the hand shape was perfect, giving the first impression that its owner was a graceful person. Tianlan’s face was smoke-stained, raising her dirty little face, her hair in a disarray resembling a bird’s nest, she immediately saw the Grand Princess standing before her.

Rupert had donned brand new armor, the dreadful wound on her chest vanished without a trace, her body clean of a single speck of ash, only carrying a youthful spirit within her brows. Tianlan looked in the direction where the Princess came from, understanding the Princess had just walked out of the Androma Sanctuary—even the Grand Princess ’died in battle’ once in the previous combat.

”Are you alright?” The Grand Princess wiped the little girl’s cheek gently, asking softly.

Tianlan’s tears rolled down immediately, reminding her of the scene where the Princess blocked the enemies’ onslaught, pushing her from beneath the parapet.

”Princess, you cannot go up there again...”

Rupert smiled: ”I still have three revival chances, have you gotten in touch with Captain Ade?”

Tianlan shook her head tearfully.

”Then continue, Tianlan, I promised Captain Ade I would protect you all. Rest assured, before we are completely defeated, sand thieves won’t breach the inner city one step.”

But that was exactly the situation Tianlan feared the most right at this moment.

She was speechless, only feeling an overwhelming sense of helplessness engulfing her—in the Seven Seas Travel Group, Brother Ade and others protected her, yet here, she relied on the Grand Princess’s protection once more. She thought she could assist others, but in truth, she could help no one.

She suddenly felt her own safety was negligible compared to the wish she harbored for everyone here, to survive well.

But holding the magic guided piano with a broken corner, she felt utterly powerless.

After saying those words, Princess Rupert turned and led a group of knights, who had just revived, across the city path towards the battlefield. Tianlan watched those silent knights of Androma or Marlan, feeling indescribably sad, unable to see on the not-so-distant city wall, the silent corpse lying unclaimed.

He was wearing armor adorned with the Marlan Holy Emblem, perhaps once a noble Paladin—the armor reminded Tianlan of the Big Cat People, yet she wished to close her eyes, fearing to see the Big Cat person lying there too—she actually knew that knight, having spoken with him in the previous combat, he thanked her for playing music during battle.

But Tianlan actually understood that she was just an incompetent amateur poet, that the morale-boosting magic guided song had no real effect in such a level of combat.

The opponent’s words were most likely meant to comfort her.

Yet, the one who uttered those comforting words in the previous battle lost his final starlight too, and lay silently at that place. Perhaps only after the battle ends would someone notice that now cold body, resting eternally with his proud armor at this place.