Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 1310: Chapter 1309: The Setting Sun in the West

At the border of the banded flatlands on the south side of the Dark Mountain Range, before the massive breach formed by the destruction of Sentinel Tower No. 98 at the Cecil Clan’s majestic wall position, a new barrier has risen from the ground, not as tall as the majestic wall, but still breathtaking.

It is a living forest, transformed from a massive quantity of vine roots piercing up from underground.

Now, tall and resilient, predatory giant trees form a solid barrier at the edge of the wasteland, staving off the most fierce wave of assaults amid the impact of monstrous creatures and various mutated monstrosities, its coverage extending from the Cecil Clan’s defense line to the breach in the barrier faced by the Typhon Empire, with some of the ”predator zones” even reaching the Typhon positions. Those terrifying giant vines and ground fissures instill terror in the soldiers on the defense line, causing varying degrees of disorder in some areas, but no matter, these ”combat plants” emerging from the earth have saved the faltering defense line.

The barrier breach fully opened by the destruction of Sentinel Tower No. 98 has been sealed, with a substantial portion of the impending monster tide becoming food for the living forest. The remaining monsters panic and scatter in face of this sudden onslaught; the limited ”discipline” they previously displayed has now returned to chaos. Andresha did not know if this was because the monsters feel fear at all, or if the command node behind them had perished or fled the battlefield; she knew only one thing—

Lacking disciplinary restraint and chaotic fleeing, aberrations have once again reverted to ’monsters’ status, and monsters... are only fit to be hunted down and slaughtered by the army.

On an unnamed ridge slanting into the wasteland, the Typhon Mage Corps’ hastily arranged legion-level casting grounds began to operate. Magic hummed through the air, and massive power lit up the entire mountain. In the dim and chaotic heavenly light, layers of magic halos and complex runic structures ascended and linked above one staging ground after another, enabling Typhon Mages’ expertise in group spell-casting techniques to shine in full.

An overwhelming fire rain descended, interspersed with lightning or ice cones leaping upon the earth, alongside thick arcs of Ao energy rays continually burst from mountaintops, precisely sniping those giant aberration creatures prominently standing out among monster groups (the Cecil Clan called these as ”Giant Variants,” while some soldiers referred them straightforwardly as ”monsters”), as the magic impact incessantly erupted, vibrating the entire mountain range, with unique aromas of air disintegrated by magic permeating everywhere.

Without leadership, those monsters no longer knew how to collaborate, neither covering their firepower units nor understanding how to seek shelter or scatter; bombing such ”enemy” with magic from vantage points... for Typhon’s Mage Corps, was as simple as burning ants on the ground.

Andresha Wendell gently exhaled, yet relaxing did not allow herself losing sight.

The favorable turn was localized; the battlefield’s overall situation remained dire. Although monsters of the first wave are about to be annihilated, the damage they had wreaked already tore a massive gash in Typhon positions; many valiant and precious Knights lost lives protecting the casting grounds during prior engagements; communication lines on the battlefield also suffered severe disruption; more importantly... the majestic wall’s inherent ”failure” still hasn’t resumed.

Illuminated under the soaring magical brilliance rising from the ridge, Andresha reluctantly cast her gaze to Sentinel Tower No. 99 on the ridge’s opposite side and farther Sentinel Tower No. 100—not being targeted by aberrations like Tower No. 98 didn’t lead them to destruction, yet their situation is far from optimistic as a low rumbling perpetually traveled from between the tower bases and bodies, it was distressed sobbing issued by overloaded shielding projection apparatus after an energy system failure; the dim streams had vanished substantially from the tower’s surface locator, while its circumference barely thin shields became as fragile as paper.

The main force of the aberration army had started retreating from the entire defense line, but massive uncontrollable chaotic monsters continued instinctively towards the dwindling majestic wall. Those chaotic monsters, more sluggish and blind than aberrations, lacking shallow intellect even to ”fear” and ”survival” notions, yet their destructive power remained formidable and terrifying. Now everywhere upon majestic wall held breaches, yet existing Winterwolf Legion forces could not possibly fend off all the non-human monsters breaching through.

Worse still, the entirety of Typhon Empire’s boundary neighboring Gondor wasteland comprised more than just this northern defense line. Towards southwestern border... there stationed troops were far weaker than this ”Advancing Fortress,” defending forces over there couldn’t even imagine majestic wall’s imminent collapse before them.

Andresha believed, regardless of at which Typhon Empire’s border section, local stationed soldiers would bravely defend the people and homeland behind them, those aberrant creatures surging from wasteland would encounter fierce resistance across all borders, and Aldernon upon receiving front-line reports, would react promptly, sending National Knights, Royal Magician Corps or Obsidian Imperial Guard forward lines halting enemy. But ahead of all that, prior to severing out of control monsters’ advance... how much Typhon Empire’s blood would be drained and how many cities and villages be utterly ravaged?

Andresha tightened grip upon the knights’ sword, dared not imagining horrific scenes in her homeland that shall unfold in full as majestic wall extinguished irrevocably. She merely held eyes wide open, fixating far away upon faintly glowing sentinel towers, then suddenly discovered... chaotic streams on those tower surfaces are gradually restoring to routine order, thinning energy barriers encircling towers ceased extinguishing trend abruptly, commencing solidifying anew.

”General! General!” came a voice from nearby, a dark-skinned young subordinate stumbled up the stone-littered mountain path, shouting while darting towards Andresha, ”General! The sentinel towers have rebooted! Our southern barriers are slowly repairing! Monsters... monsters are blocked!”

”I can see that,” Andresha immediately steadied the breathless young officer and herself, casting sight afar sentinel towers while speaking in a deep tone, ”Looks like the silver elves finally stabilized their situation... what happened in the southern continent exactly? Could the Allied Army from Silver Empire and Highmountain Kingdom now be contacted?”

”Not yet, General,” the young officer startled briefly, immediately shook head, ”Majestic wall hasn’t fully recovered, communications still highly disrupted, we remain unable to receive signals from southern continent...”

”Then continue calling,” Andresha swiftly emplaced, ”Also, keep liaison with Cecil Camp, I have a bad feeling... the sentinel tower’s reboot, cannot solve the problem wholly, this ancient barrier encountered irrevocable damage, Sentinel Tower No. 98 fallen, similarly other regions’ sentinel towers possibly already irrevocably destroyed, even if silver elves restart the barrier, those completely devastated nodes can never resurrect ex nihilo... this war has just begun.”

...

As blood-drenched sunset spilled upon smoke-laden forest edges, thick plumes perpetually ascended from distant jungles and valleys, enormous smoke columns penetrating heavens beneath the sunset, pungent odors scattered across high skies, as if entire world ignited slowly, as if the forces of destruction subtly gnawing entire land.

In the Sacred Stars Temple, distant ground’s battle cries could not be heard, yet roaring from ancient magic array fires continued rending sky, shaking earth, towering ancient Sacred Stars Temple gliding gently across skies like a flying mountain, on one side of Sacred Stars Temple, ornate and exquisite palace walls had fully unfurled; decorative cladding discarded, hidden casting apparatus within began pouring forth catastrophic flames and lightning upon earth ceaselessly.

However, whilst dispensing these high-voltage attacks, these ancient facilities simultaneously disassembled, being destroyed one after another; successive explosions sharply erupting throughout Sacred Stars Temple; some magic matrices collapsed destructively prior even firing, surging smoke arising both from earth and throughout this airborne anti-gravity fortress.

Several gigantic electric arcs streaked skyward abruptly from war-torn land, shredding pervasive smoke across heavens, hitting Sacred Stars Temple bottom’s anti-gravity engine solidly; originally should light shielded timely, yet no response occurred; among tremendous explosion, ancient engine extinguished instantly, entire aerial fortress thus shook violently.

”Empress!” A royal temple Tutor rushed before Sovereignty Chair, ”Third main engine ceased, we cannot last longer! Immediate battlefield retreat is crucial!”

Belsetia sat on the pale golden throne, nodding slightly, and even without reports from below, she could sense the current state of this temple.

Painful, dying, overwhelmed, scorching and precarious.

This overly ancient anti-gravity fortress is bearing a burden far beyond its current limits, whether it’s providing fire support to the ground or enduring aerial attacks from the aberration army, rapidly consuming the remaining lifespan of the Sacred Stars Temple.

Once, this powerful fortress had its days of full glory, it ruled the skies, threatened the earth, it could endlessly unleash destructive power, withstand any enemy’s formidable blow, and in those ancient times, it surely wouldn’t fear those creeping, ugly and shallow monsters on the land.

But now... the Sacred Stars Temple is too old, it’s so old that even maintaining flight requires all its effort, so old that no matter how much repair, it’s just struggling to survive.

Scorching agony burned in the nerves, Belsetia endured the pain transmitted by the Sacred Stars Temple and listened to this ancient fortress’s sound—it’s sighing, filled with sorrow.

”The sentinel towers have rebooted,” Master Vilanya approached the Silver Empress, this powerful court mage’s face was dripping with sweat, clearly she had been using her magic to help Belsetia maintain control over the temple until just now, ”The barrier is gradually rebuilding.”

”Only seventy percent of the towers responded correctly—Master Vilanya, the barrier is only ’partially rebuilt’,” Belsetia stared at Vilanya and said, ”A fatal breach has occurred, I suspect... some towers have been completely destroyed by the enemy with no resistance, I can’t sense them.”

”At least we can block most of the monsters—giving the civilized world a chance to fend off complete collapse,” Vilanya’s eyes changed slightly, but she quickly calmed down, ”Total barrier disappearance would be an unstoppable disaster, but if it’s just a breach... breaches can still be mended.”

Another violent tremor suddenly came, a tower on the side of the Sacred Stars Temple was directly hit by ground attack, the shield failed to completely block this direct hit, amidst the piercing sound of metal fracturing, that building which had stood on the temple’s deck for thousands of years began to snap in the middle, irresistibly falling to the earth.

Soldiers and magicians engulfed in flames rushed out from the ruins, some landed on the deck, while others fell with the smoke-laden debris, down into the burning forest border of the Highmountain Kingdom’s northern part.

”Your Majesty, our barrier is about to extinguish!”

A royal temple Tutor shouted loudly.

Belsetia sighed gently, knowing this sky fortress had reached its limit, continuing to linger here held little purpose.

Nerve signals injected into the Sovereignty Chair with her next thought, transformed into instructions the mechanical soul of the temple could understand, the deep parts of this massive ancient sky fortress emitted a series of rumbling sounds and low wails, remaining engine units began adjusting output, the Sacred Stars Temple slowly turned in the air, heading toward the Silver Empire.

Meanwhile, in the depths of Belsetia’s mind, a heavy, mournful sigh echoed—sitting here for hundreds of years, it was the first time she heard such a distinct ”voice” from the temple.

”I know... you’re not willing,” she whispered in her heart, ”but there’s nothing more we can do here...”

Belsetia’s thoughts were cut short halfway, as a terrifying howl and a series of crackling explosions suddenly came from afar, interrupting all sounds and movements in the temple control hall.

The external monitor’s image quickly connected, the sight of the distant battlefield became clear in everyone’s eyes, and a horrifying scene unfolded before everyone.

In front of the Highmountain Kingdom’s defensive line, at the forefront of the forest defense line, the surface of a sentinel tower that sheltered this southern human realm for over seven centuries suddenly erupted into a series of flashes and explosions, and accompanied by a clear internal energy detonation, the entire high tower began violently shaking, wobbling, and eventually slowly descending towards the base...

With a deafening crash, the tower struck the base, a giant fireball rose from the location, instantly burning everything on the defense line.

A legion stationed at the forefront of the Highmountain Kingdom’s defense line vanished into ashes instantly, along with thousands of elf soldiers stationed there fighting alongside humans.

At the same time, the energy barriers that had just re-lit on both sides of that sentinel tower also extinguished abruptly after intense flickering.

The countless aberration army in the wasteland paused briefly, then surged forward like a black tide, rushing towards the Highmountain Kingdom’s border defense line, already riddled and on the verge of collapse.