Kingdom's Bloodline, page 271
'What?'
He felt a chill in his heart.
"The carriage!" Putray's voice rang anxiously from behind.
Once he finished speaking, another carriage drove by Kohen's side and knocked over a Black Sand Region axemen blocking the road.
In the next moment, Kohen let out an angry yell. Thales felt his eyes blur. His body leaped into the air as he was tossed by the police officer!
*Bang!*
Thales was thrown through the vehicle's window. He fell into the coach and rolled a good few rounds until he hit the wall.
When he eventually climbed up in a daze, the first thing he saw was Little Rascal, whose face was full of bewilderment and terror.
"What's going on outside?" The girl's dark green eyes were wide as she helped him up.
The panting Thales had no time to reply as the traveling carriage took an immediate sharp turn!
Both of them stumbled, simultaneously crying out in fear as they were caught unprepared, and fell in the vehicle.
The rustling sound of arrows was heard.
*Thud! Thud!*
Arrows successively struck the coach.
Thales raised his head just then and felt his skin crawl.
An arrow had pierced through the thin coach, revealing a sinister arrowhead several feet from their heads.
"Beautiful driving skills!" Amid the chaos outside the vehicle, Putray still somehow found the energy to praise the White Blade Guard's driving skills.
"Restring your bows!" Vlad's calm voice rang once again, overlapping Count Levan's howling.
"The others, march forth from the side where there are no enemies! Catch up first, form a defense line and block them!"
Thales was hugging Little Rascal. He laid on his stomach on the floor without attempting to do anything else. He did not dare get up.
"Did something go wrong?" Little Rascal asked in fear. "Where are we going now?"
"Heroic Spirit Palace." Thales gritted his teeth as he felt the pain on his thigh. "If I'm not mistaken."
Outside the coach, a White Blade Guard knocked over an enemy. However, the back of his leg was immediately pierced through by a soldier behind him. He was howling in anger as he fell from the countless blades behind him.
But the rest of the White Blade Guards had charged out of the thin encirclement. Only eight of them were left protecting the carriage as they charged towards the ten pillars in the corridor of Heroic Spirit Palace.
They were brought from the fortress, and now, four veterans among those from Constellation had fallen.
At the same time, Nicholas was already at the back instead of his initial position in the front as a vanguard.
Rays of fury flashed in the Star Killer's eyes. The Power of Eradication surged in his body.
He was seen abruptly stopping during his sprint. A back elbow attack followed immediately after!
It slammed right into the face of an unprepared pursuer.
*Thud!*
A terrifying dull sound rose, followed by the sound of bones cracking.
The pursuer fell like a whirling rudder. Upon impact, he was knocked over in a flash with his waist acting as the axis. From standing and running, he fell into a position where he had the back of his head crash against the ground. He spat out a mouthful of teeth, and finally stopped moving altogether.
"F*ck! And we thought of deceiving our way through the gatehouse?
"I knew it," Nicholas roared and cursed. He delivered a strike with his blade, and it grazed the shield that his second enemy used to block his attack before drawing blood from his enemy's neck. "The Northlanders' method is still more effective!"
While in battle, he turned his head around and watched his comrades follow the carriage. They had already gone through the archway. He was the only person left behind.
The Star Killer saw more and more Black Sand Region soldiers come down into the archway from the steps. They formed lines of pursuit, and went forth to chase after the carriages.
Nicholas frowned.
Someone suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Why are you still daydreaming?!" Putray had a firm grip on the Star Killer's arm. He looked unhappy. "Are you actually thinking of acting as a rearguard alone?"
Nicholas shook off Putray's hand, not accepting Putray's act of kindness to him. He then turned around and ran.
"Keep running!" the Star Killer said discontentedly. "Make sure they are ten meters away from you!"
Nicholas followed Putray. They were the final two people of the team, and they ran forward a little before Putray shouted back anxiously.
"Widen the distance between us? What happens next? They will catch up eventually. We're too heavily outnumbered!"
"Less nonsense, more running!" Nicholas' complexion was ferocious as he angrily yelled, "I'll cover you!"
The running Putray was momentarily stunned.
Nicholas pressed his palm on the small of Putray's back and pushed him one step forward.
At the next second, Nicholas spun on his foot. With his right leg as an axis and the left anchored to the ground, he turned around in an instant to face the aggressive pursuers behind him.
"Watch carefully." The Star Killer gnashed his teeth while he said, "This is how Northlanders solve our problems!"
Putray frowned. However, he only hesitated for a fraction of a second before he resolutely continued to sprint forward.
Nicholas watched the gradually approaching pursuers and let out a deep breath—right in front, two of the pursuers were only five meters away from him.
From up above, the Black Sand Region pursuers were like an endless swarm of ants. They formed lines on the horizon and pressed towards the lonely small dot that was Nicholas.
Behind this small dot was a carriage.
'Damn it.
'These sloppy citizens of the Empire.
'Serves you right to be unlucky,' he silently cursed.
"Archers!"
Vlad's orders rang again amid the pursuers, "Fire the second round!"
The sound of bowstrings being drawn rang from the crowd.
The Black Sand Region pursuers grew ever nearer. Nicholas could even clearly see the pores on their faces at this point.
But the Star Killer still did not move a single step back.
Alone, he faced these people. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.
He did not intend to turn back.
The next second, this man with his resolute expression and fierce eyes gently raised the Severing Souls Blade in his hands.
The Star Killer's hand stroked the edge of the blade.
*Clink!*
The sharp sound of clashing metal was heard.
Without suffering from any form of obstruction, Nicholas broke off a piece of the blade from his weapon. He then flung it forward indifferently.
Nicholas heaved a sigh and muttered, "The border ends here."
With a chilling gaze, he watched his pursuers draw closer. A sneer appeared on his pale face.
The charging carriage finally gained a stable speed.
Having just recovered from his shock, Thales got up in the carriage, stood on a seat and pushed the window open.
Little Rascal huddled up to his side. In a panic, the two small heads watched what was transpiring behind the carriage.
Nicholas stood behind them all, serving as a wall before the hundreds of pursuers.
Only the sight of his back could be seen.
The sounds of bowstrings being released rose from the enemy camp.
Arrows darted straight towards Nicholas, leaving their ghostly shadows in the air.
Thales widened his eyes as panic struck his heart for a moment.
Yet, the Star Killer just lightly brandished his blade in the air with a feeling of indifference.
In the next second, a dazzling yellow ray suddenly shone from Nicholas' blade!
The light was incredibly eye-catching even though the sun was still out.
*Clank! Clank!*
The crisp sound of clashing metal rang.
Thales widened his eyes. Right before his line of sight, dozens of arrows froze high in the air before Nicholas.
It was as if they were all being blocked by an invisible hand.
A bizarre, yellow ray radiated from the point of the arrowheads. It was identical to that of the Severing Souls Blade.
A few seconds later, the arrows fell in succession.
Thales' mouth hung wide open.
But the arrow situation was not the only strange thing that happened.
The rows of Black Sand Region soldiers roared viciously and surged forth at Nicholas like black waves.
They charged until they got into the area three meters away from Nicholas.
At the next second, yellow rays suddenly flashed in the air.
The first row of Black Sand soldiers all stopped at once!
It was as if they had knocked into a transparent wall and crashed 'face-first' into the air in a very pathetic manner!
*Bang!*
The second row of soldiers knocked into the first row as yellow rays flashed in the air again.
But the Black Sand Region soldiers remained suspended, staring at each other in astonishment.
The invisible protective screen was still in effect.
The third row, forth row… More and more soldiers knocked into the row in front of them.
The sounds of cursing, rebukes and groaning rang non-stop.
Some soldiers held weapons, ruthlessly stabbing the air; some cooperated and used their shields to slam against the air; there were even some archers who drew their bowstrings to the limit and shot arrows.
But apart from the yellow ray shining brightly over and over again, their attacks practically had no effect.
Some soldiers also tried to bypass the mysterious barrier from the side. However, even when they had their backs against the palace walls, they realized in astonishment that the strange protective screen still existed.
They remained firmly locked in the area before Nicholas—just three meters away from him, and unable to move an inch forward.
They looked on helplessly as the carriage went farther and farther away.
The Star Killer coldly observed all of it and snorted lightly.
Count Levan and Vlad's figures appeared among the crowd. They were both astonished by the sight of the mysterious barrier before them.
"What's going on?" Vlad furrowed his brows, surprised and bewildered.
Count Levan even reached out to touch the barrier.
The next moment, Count Levan looked at the blade in Nicholas' hand. He recalled something and his complexion paled. "This is..."
While wielding the Severing Souls Blade, Nicholas sneered and stuck his thumb out at them. Then, he slowly flipped his hand down with his thumb pointed to the ground.
Thales' carriage had already stopped without anyone noticing.
Apart from the indifferent-looking White Blade Guards, almost everyone from Kohen, Miranda, Putray to Raphael watched the sight behind them in surprise.
"It can't be." Putray was extremely surprised. He was dumbstruck. "Could it be that…"
Just like that, they stared at Nicholas in surprise, shock and confusion.
They stared at him as he, all by himself, blocked off the countless Black Sand Region soldiers behind him.
"That is…" Thales watched Nicholas' impressive feat of single-handedly turning the tables. He widened his eyes. "What is that?"
'Is it Asda's air wall?'
Little Rascal answered him.
"The Severing Souls Blade," Little Rascal lay flat next to him and muttered. Her face was full of astonishment. "So the legends are true…"
Thales was stunned.
'Legends?'
Little Rascal turned her head around, the hues of excitement on her face could not be concealed. "Three hundred years ago, with a force no one could stand against, the Night Wing King conquered Dragon Clouds City in one go. However, he encountered Army Destroyer Moust, who defended the city before Heroic Spirit Palace and the first gatehouse. The latter was supposed to have exhausted all troops and food. He was supposed to have no power to reverse the perilous situation. Yet, he miraculously ensured that the palace gate and gatehouse were not lost, protecting the final Walton bloodline!"
Little Rascal took a deep breath. "So, the Army Destroyer defended the city with just one blade. The legends of him solely fighting back against ten thousand soldiers… is real!"
Thales felt his heart tremble.
He raised one of his brows. "Defended the city with just one… what?"
Little Rascal looked at Nicholas' back. Gradually, her expression turned from one of entrancement to one of reminiscence. She then exclaimed in admiration, "Legend has it that in the most dangerous moment, the Army Destroyer awakened the legendary anti-mystic equipment—the Severing Souls Blade, a weapon used for war strategies!"
Thales was stunned for a moment. "War strategies?"
"Severing Souls." Little Rascal nodded excitedly. In that moment, terror was nowhere to be found on her face, as if she had found the most beautiful dessert. "It can lock down everything in accordance to its user's intent!"
Thales blinked.
'Lock down everything?'
Little Rascal's excited words continued, "It is said that as long as the Severing Souls Blade and its user can form a powerful resonance…
"As long as the user of the Severing Souls Blade doesn't hesitate at the price he has to pay and acts regardless of the cost…
"As long as he is resilient enough, his willpower is firm enough, and his powers are strong enough…
"As long as these things can be done…"
The girl turned around. She was so worked up that her eyes lit up. "Then even if it's the long and endless border between Eckstedt and Constellation, the Severing Souls Blade will still be able to seal off the whole thing without missing an inch!
"Not a drop of water and a feather can go through it!"
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
In surprise, Thales hung his mouth wide open. His gaze transitioned back and forth between Little Rascal's small face and Nicholas' back.
'What?
'Lock down… the border between Eckstedt and Constellation?'
While Thales was dumbstruck, Little Rascal lowered her head.
"So that's it, that's how it is…"
She took a deep breath and softly recited a few ancient Northlandic poems.
"The Night King spreads his wings, the dead knocks on the door.
The Wrath King has died, the Dragon's vein runs cold.
Hope completely broken, hot blood non-existent."
After reciting the tragic verse, the girl looked at the pursuers who were blocked off in front of Nicholas. She recited the final line absent-mindedly.
"The Army Destroyer… severs souls with a slash!"
Chapter 246: A Game of Chess |
Heroic Spirit Palace, entrance of the Hall of Heroes.
In the tense atmosphere, the standoff between the combatants of Black Sand Region and those of the other archdukes persisted.
The positions of those people were apparent. The door of the stone hall served as the dividing line. The archduke's subordinates and palace guards occupied the space in the hall, the Black Sand Region soldiers blocked the outside.
Both parties glared at one another. Many of them had their palms pressed against their weapons in readiness. With their shields held upright, they were ready to fight at any moment.
It all depended on the crucial conversation between the five archdukes in the stone hall.
Even in this kind of predicament, the Viscount of Halting Light City in Black Sand Region, Lazaar Kentvida, was one of the few people who managed to stay calm. At least, compared to Kroesch the swordswoman whose eyes gleamed with bloodlust and fingers itched to move, Viscount Kentvida appeared relaxed and unruffled… until a scout delivered the latest intel to him which made him frown.
The viscount thought for a moment, then waved at Kroesch as he walked to a corner with a somber expression. He also asked someone to get Tolja the Fire Knight here.
The trio gathered. Kentvida took a deep breath and carefully revealed what he heard. Viscount Kentvida lowered his voice and said with a deep voice,
"The sentinel at the palace gate sent a message: Someone infiltrated the gatehouse. They have most likely snuck into Heroic Spirit Palace."
Whens she heard this, Kroesch's facial expression changed somewhat and her gaze flickered. Meanwhile, Tolja appeared to be in deep thought.
"Infiltrated the gatehouse?" the swordswoman asked, concerned. "What went wrong with our defense line?"
Kentvida shook his head. "I don't know. But the gatehouse is still ours."
"Interesting." Tolja looked up. His voice was laced with a hint of anger. "Count Levan could indeed have been too overconfident, but Vlad should be able to make up for that."
Kentivida sighed and said. "This is what I was worried about. A count of high status and a disciplinary officer of commoner and slave? prisoner descent—they could not possibly get along to well."
Kroesch's gaze flickered. "How many intruders were there?"
Kentvida's wore a strange expression, seemingly uncertain. "Not many. Reportedly not more than a dozen, perhaps even fewer."
The other two were startled.
"So few?" Kroesch frowned. "What were they up to?"
Kentvida shook his head, implying that he did not know.
The Fire Knight snorted coldly. "We have a large troop in the palace, nearly five hundred men. Most of them are heavy infantrymen and heavy-armored axemen. Don't worry.
The nobleman then narrowed his eyes. "What are the identities of the intruders? Their positions?"
At this question, Viscount Kentvida sucked in a deep breath, formed the politest smile he could manage, and answered cautiously—he apparently felt awkward about this question.
"Based on the sentinels' description, they could be the remaining White Blade Guards outside the palace—maybe that includes the Star Killer, and even the Constellatiates."
The viscount shrugged and said impassively, "I guess they came back after snatching the prince."
As he expected, once he mentioned 'White Blade Guards' and 'Star Killer', Tolja's facial expression turned grim, as though he heard a horribly humiliating insult.
He felt a chill in his heart.
"The carriage!" Putray's voice rang anxiously from behind.
Once he finished speaking, another carriage drove by Kohen's side and knocked over a Black Sand Region axemen blocking the road.
In the next moment, Kohen let out an angry yell. Thales felt his eyes blur. His body leaped into the air as he was tossed by the police officer!
*Bang!*
Thales was thrown through the vehicle's window. He fell into the coach and rolled a good few rounds until he hit the wall.
When he eventually climbed up in a daze, the first thing he saw was Little Rascal, whose face was full of bewilderment and terror.
"What's going on outside?" The girl's dark green eyes were wide as she helped him up.
The panting Thales had no time to reply as the traveling carriage took an immediate sharp turn!
Both of them stumbled, simultaneously crying out in fear as they were caught unprepared, and fell in the vehicle.
The rustling sound of arrows was heard.
*Thud! Thud!*
Arrows successively struck the coach.
Thales raised his head just then and felt his skin crawl.
An arrow had pierced through the thin coach, revealing a sinister arrowhead several feet from their heads.
"Beautiful driving skills!" Amid the chaos outside the vehicle, Putray still somehow found the energy to praise the White Blade Guard's driving skills.
"Restring your bows!" Vlad's calm voice rang once again, overlapping Count Levan's howling.
"The others, march forth from the side where there are no enemies! Catch up first, form a defense line and block them!"
Thales was hugging Little Rascal. He laid on his stomach on the floor without attempting to do anything else. He did not dare get up.
"Did something go wrong?" Little Rascal asked in fear. "Where are we going now?"
"Heroic Spirit Palace." Thales gritted his teeth as he felt the pain on his thigh. "If I'm not mistaken."
Outside the coach, a White Blade Guard knocked over an enemy. However, the back of his leg was immediately pierced through by a soldier behind him. He was howling in anger as he fell from the countless blades behind him.
But the rest of the White Blade Guards had charged out of the thin encirclement. Only eight of them were left protecting the carriage as they charged towards the ten pillars in the corridor of Heroic Spirit Palace.
They were brought from the fortress, and now, four veterans among those from Constellation had fallen.
At the same time, Nicholas was already at the back instead of his initial position in the front as a vanguard.
Rays of fury flashed in the Star Killer's eyes. The Power of Eradication surged in his body.
He was seen abruptly stopping during his sprint. A back elbow attack followed immediately after!
It slammed right into the face of an unprepared pursuer.
*Thud!*
A terrifying dull sound rose, followed by the sound of bones cracking.
The pursuer fell like a whirling rudder. Upon impact, he was knocked over in a flash with his waist acting as the axis. From standing and running, he fell into a position where he had the back of his head crash against the ground. He spat out a mouthful of teeth, and finally stopped moving altogether.
"F*ck! And we thought of deceiving our way through the gatehouse?
"I knew it," Nicholas roared and cursed. He delivered a strike with his blade, and it grazed the shield that his second enemy used to block his attack before drawing blood from his enemy's neck. "The Northlanders' method is still more effective!"
While in battle, he turned his head around and watched his comrades follow the carriage. They had already gone through the archway. He was the only person left behind.
The Star Killer saw more and more Black Sand Region soldiers come down into the archway from the steps. They formed lines of pursuit, and went forth to chase after the carriages.
Nicholas frowned.
Someone suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Why are you still daydreaming?!" Putray had a firm grip on the Star Killer's arm. He looked unhappy. "Are you actually thinking of acting as a rearguard alone?"
Nicholas shook off Putray's hand, not accepting Putray's act of kindness to him. He then turned around and ran.
"Keep running!" the Star Killer said discontentedly. "Make sure they are ten meters away from you!"
Nicholas followed Putray. They were the final two people of the team, and they ran forward a little before Putray shouted back anxiously.
"Widen the distance between us? What happens next? They will catch up eventually. We're too heavily outnumbered!"
"Less nonsense, more running!" Nicholas' complexion was ferocious as he angrily yelled, "I'll cover you!"
The running Putray was momentarily stunned.
Nicholas pressed his palm on the small of Putray's back and pushed him one step forward.
At the next second, Nicholas spun on his foot. With his right leg as an axis and the left anchored to the ground, he turned around in an instant to face the aggressive pursuers behind him.
"Watch carefully." The Star Killer gnashed his teeth while he said, "This is how Northlanders solve our problems!"
Putray frowned. However, he only hesitated for a fraction of a second before he resolutely continued to sprint forward.
Nicholas watched the gradually approaching pursuers and let out a deep breath—right in front, two of the pursuers were only five meters away from him.
From up above, the Black Sand Region pursuers were like an endless swarm of ants. They formed lines on the horizon and pressed towards the lonely small dot that was Nicholas.
Behind this small dot was a carriage.
'Damn it.
'These sloppy citizens of the Empire.
'Serves you right to be unlucky,' he silently cursed.
"Archers!"
Vlad's orders rang again amid the pursuers, "Fire the second round!"
The sound of bowstrings being drawn rang from the crowd.
The Black Sand Region pursuers grew ever nearer. Nicholas could even clearly see the pores on their faces at this point.
But the Star Killer still did not move a single step back.
Alone, he faced these people. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.
He did not intend to turn back.
The next second, this man with his resolute expression and fierce eyes gently raised the Severing Souls Blade in his hands.
The Star Killer's hand stroked the edge of the blade.
*Clink!*
The sharp sound of clashing metal was heard.
Without suffering from any form of obstruction, Nicholas broke off a piece of the blade from his weapon. He then flung it forward indifferently.
Nicholas heaved a sigh and muttered, "The border ends here."
With a chilling gaze, he watched his pursuers draw closer. A sneer appeared on his pale face.
The charging carriage finally gained a stable speed.
Having just recovered from his shock, Thales got up in the carriage, stood on a seat and pushed the window open.
Little Rascal huddled up to his side. In a panic, the two small heads watched what was transpiring behind the carriage.
Nicholas stood behind them all, serving as a wall before the hundreds of pursuers.
Only the sight of his back could be seen.
The sounds of bowstrings being released rose from the enemy camp.
Arrows darted straight towards Nicholas, leaving their ghostly shadows in the air.
Thales widened his eyes as panic struck his heart for a moment.
Yet, the Star Killer just lightly brandished his blade in the air with a feeling of indifference.
In the next second, a dazzling yellow ray suddenly shone from Nicholas' blade!
The light was incredibly eye-catching even though the sun was still out.
*Clank! Clank!*
The crisp sound of clashing metal rang.
Thales widened his eyes. Right before his line of sight, dozens of arrows froze high in the air before Nicholas.
It was as if they were all being blocked by an invisible hand.
A bizarre, yellow ray radiated from the point of the arrowheads. It was identical to that of the Severing Souls Blade.
A few seconds later, the arrows fell in succession.
Thales' mouth hung wide open.
But the arrow situation was not the only strange thing that happened.
The rows of Black Sand Region soldiers roared viciously and surged forth at Nicholas like black waves.
They charged until they got into the area three meters away from Nicholas.
At the next second, yellow rays suddenly flashed in the air.
The first row of Black Sand soldiers all stopped at once!
It was as if they had knocked into a transparent wall and crashed 'face-first' into the air in a very pathetic manner!
*Bang!*
The second row of soldiers knocked into the first row as yellow rays flashed in the air again.
But the Black Sand Region soldiers remained suspended, staring at each other in astonishment.
The invisible protective screen was still in effect.
The third row, forth row… More and more soldiers knocked into the row in front of them.
The sounds of cursing, rebukes and groaning rang non-stop.
Some soldiers held weapons, ruthlessly stabbing the air; some cooperated and used their shields to slam against the air; there were even some archers who drew their bowstrings to the limit and shot arrows.
But apart from the yellow ray shining brightly over and over again, their attacks practically had no effect.
Some soldiers also tried to bypass the mysterious barrier from the side. However, even when they had their backs against the palace walls, they realized in astonishment that the strange protective screen still existed.
They remained firmly locked in the area before Nicholas—just three meters away from him, and unable to move an inch forward.
They looked on helplessly as the carriage went farther and farther away.
The Star Killer coldly observed all of it and snorted lightly.
Count Levan and Vlad's figures appeared among the crowd. They were both astonished by the sight of the mysterious barrier before them.
"What's going on?" Vlad furrowed his brows, surprised and bewildered.
Count Levan even reached out to touch the barrier.
The next moment, Count Levan looked at the blade in Nicholas' hand. He recalled something and his complexion paled. "This is..."
While wielding the Severing Souls Blade, Nicholas sneered and stuck his thumb out at them. Then, he slowly flipped his hand down with his thumb pointed to the ground.
Thales' carriage had already stopped without anyone noticing.
Apart from the indifferent-looking White Blade Guards, almost everyone from Kohen, Miranda, Putray to Raphael watched the sight behind them in surprise.
"It can't be." Putray was extremely surprised. He was dumbstruck. "Could it be that…"
Just like that, they stared at Nicholas in surprise, shock and confusion.
They stared at him as he, all by himself, blocked off the countless Black Sand Region soldiers behind him.
"That is…" Thales watched Nicholas' impressive feat of single-handedly turning the tables. He widened his eyes. "What is that?"
'Is it Asda's air wall?'
Little Rascal answered him.
"The Severing Souls Blade," Little Rascal lay flat next to him and muttered. Her face was full of astonishment. "So the legends are true…"
Thales was stunned.
'Legends?'
Little Rascal turned her head around, the hues of excitement on her face could not be concealed. "Three hundred years ago, with a force no one could stand against, the Night Wing King conquered Dragon Clouds City in one go. However, he encountered Army Destroyer Moust, who defended the city before Heroic Spirit Palace and the first gatehouse. The latter was supposed to have exhausted all troops and food. He was supposed to have no power to reverse the perilous situation. Yet, he miraculously ensured that the palace gate and gatehouse were not lost, protecting the final Walton bloodline!"
Little Rascal took a deep breath. "So, the Army Destroyer defended the city with just one blade. The legends of him solely fighting back against ten thousand soldiers… is real!"
Thales felt his heart tremble.
He raised one of his brows. "Defended the city with just one… what?"
Little Rascal looked at Nicholas' back. Gradually, her expression turned from one of entrancement to one of reminiscence. She then exclaimed in admiration, "Legend has it that in the most dangerous moment, the Army Destroyer awakened the legendary anti-mystic equipment—the Severing Souls Blade, a weapon used for war strategies!"
Thales was stunned for a moment. "War strategies?"
"Severing Souls." Little Rascal nodded excitedly. In that moment, terror was nowhere to be found on her face, as if she had found the most beautiful dessert. "It can lock down everything in accordance to its user's intent!"
Thales blinked.
'Lock down everything?'
Little Rascal's excited words continued, "It is said that as long as the Severing Souls Blade and its user can form a powerful resonance…
"As long as the user of the Severing Souls Blade doesn't hesitate at the price he has to pay and acts regardless of the cost…
"As long as he is resilient enough, his willpower is firm enough, and his powers are strong enough…
"As long as these things can be done…"
The girl turned around. She was so worked up that her eyes lit up. "Then even if it's the long and endless border between Eckstedt and Constellation, the Severing Souls Blade will still be able to seal off the whole thing without missing an inch!
"Not a drop of water and a feather can go through it!"
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
In surprise, Thales hung his mouth wide open. His gaze transitioned back and forth between Little Rascal's small face and Nicholas' back.
'What?
'Lock down… the border between Eckstedt and Constellation?'
While Thales was dumbstruck, Little Rascal lowered her head.
"So that's it, that's how it is…"
She took a deep breath and softly recited a few ancient Northlandic poems.
"The Night King spreads his wings, the dead knocks on the door.
The Wrath King has died, the Dragon's vein runs cold.
Hope completely broken, hot blood non-existent."
After reciting the tragic verse, the girl looked at the pursuers who were blocked off in front of Nicholas. She recited the final line absent-mindedly.
"The Army Destroyer… severs souls with a slash!"
Chapter 246: A Game of Chess |
Heroic Spirit Palace, entrance of the Hall of Heroes.
In the tense atmosphere, the standoff between the combatants of Black Sand Region and those of the other archdukes persisted.
The positions of those people were apparent. The door of the stone hall served as the dividing line. The archduke's subordinates and palace guards occupied the space in the hall, the Black Sand Region soldiers blocked the outside.
Both parties glared at one another. Many of them had their palms pressed against their weapons in readiness. With their shields held upright, they were ready to fight at any moment.
It all depended on the crucial conversation between the five archdukes in the stone hall.
Even in this kind of predicament, the Viscount of Halting Light City in Black Sand Region, Lazaar Kentvida, was one of the few people who managed to stay calm. At least, compared to Kroesch the swordswoman whose eyes gleamed with bloodlust and fingers itched to move, Viscount Kentvida appeared relaxed and unruffled… until a scout delivered the latest intel to him which made him frown.
The viscount thought for a moment, then waved at Kroesch as he walked to a corner with a somber expression. He also asked someone to get Tolja the Fire Knight here.
The trio gathered. Kentvida took a deep breath and carefully revealed what he heard. Viscount Kentvida lowered his voice and said with a deep voice,
"The sentinel at the palace gate sent a message: Someone infiltrated the gatehouse. They have most likely snuck into Heroic Spirit Palace."
Whens she heard this, Kroesch's facial expression changed somewhat and her gaze flickered. Meanwhile, Tolja appeared to be in deep thought.
"Infiltrated the gatehouse?" the swordswoman asked, concerned. "What went wrong with our defense line?"
Kentvida shook his head. "I don't know. But the gatehouse is still ours."
"Interesting." Tolja looked up. His voice was laced with a hint of anger. "Count Levan could indeed have been too overconfident, but Vlad should be able to make up for that."
Kentivida sighed and said. "This is what I was worried about. A count of high status and a disciplinary officer of commoner and slave? prisoner descent—they could not possibly get along to well."
Kroesch's gaze flickered. "How many intruders were there?"
Kentvida's wore a strange expression, seemingly uncertain. "Not many. Reportedly not more than a dozen, perhaps even fewer."
The other two were startled.
"So few?" Kroesch frowned. "What were they up to?"
Kentvida shook his head, implying that he did not know.
The Fire Knight snorted coldly. "We have a large troop in the palace, nearly five hundred men. Most of them are heavy infantrymen and heavy-armored axemen. Don't worry.
The nobleman then narrowed his eyes. "What are the identities of the intruders? Their positions?"
At this question, Viscount Kentvida sucked in a deep breath, formed the politest smile he could manage, and answered cautiously—he apparently felt awkward about this question.
"Based on the sentinels' description, they could be the remaining White Blade Guards outside the palace—maybe that includes the Star Killer, and even the Constellatiates."
The viscount shrugged and said impassively, "I guess they came back after snatching the prince."
As he expected, once he mentioned 'White Blade Guards' and 'Star Killer', Tolja's facial expression turned grim, as though he heard a horribly humiliating insult.
