Chapter 809: The Emperor's Responce

Chapter 809: The Emperor's Responce

A pillar of water erupted as the beam struck the ocean. Still too weak to do anything, Dallion could only watch as the spell took effect. The magic threads of that spot of the world twisted, forming the jagged lines of an opening.

Nymph magic, Dallion whispered.

The spell reminded him of the one Harp had taught him. The execution was completely different, but the effects were eerily similar.

More waves formed, bursting up from the ocean surface, but instead of splashing back down, they changed form. The peaks formed towers hundreds of feet high, solidifying into place. More followed, each one creating dozens of buildings at a time. Layer by layer, an entire city formed before Dallions eyes. And it wasnt empty. Even from this distance, Dallion was able to see dozens of inhabitants moving about the hardened water. However, they werent humans or any other of the free races; all of them were nymphs.

Harp? Dallion asked.

The healing spells had won the battle, healing twice as much as the new surge of magic was burning up, but it would be minutes before he was in a state fit for battle.Gét latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

Retreat, Vihrogon said. Youve got no chance against them.

They have magic, Dallion said. All of them.

It wasnt anywhere near his level. In Academy terms, most of the nymphs ranged from top novices to adequate apprentices. The issue was that as much as he tried, he couldnt see a single one without magic.

Was that what Tisaku meant when he said that Dallion was one step behind all along? The Azures entire plan had been to return the nymphs from banishment all along. Thats why they needed the Moonstones, thats the real reason they siphoned off magic from the vortexes. The wyverns and golems probably were their attempt to build up an army fast, but the real goal had been the spell that the battle mage had sacrificed himself to cast.

Harp?

Listen to him, the nymph guardian said. I cannot protect you.

Harp couldnt protect him? This was the first time shed ever said that. There had been cases in which she had chosen not to, cases in which she intervened even when she shouldnt have, but hed never felt the fear that was resonating throughout her entire being just now.

Lux, get ready to take me away, he ordered. Gleam, what do you make of that?

Trouble, the shardfly replied. Lots of trouble.

You saw them in the banished realm?

The banished realm isnt like that Its Gleam stopped. Some restrictions remained, not to mention she wasnt a noble.

Dallion moved the fingers of his left hand, casting a spell to summon the aura blade. The weapon swiftly flew up into his grasp. Even it wasnt enough to win him a fight against an entire nymph city. The few members of the race Dallion had fought in his realm, or while improving items, were anywhere from tough to impossible to defeat. Magic alone wasnt enough to defeat them, regardless of whether Vihrogon and all other inhabitants of Dallions realm helped him or not. No doubt the majority of the reappeared nymphs were weaker, but there would be more than a few who werent.

As the waves came to a standstill, the magnificence of the city of water couldnt be contested. Only the imperial palace was superior.

Determined to see what he was facing, Dallion split into instances. In a hundred of them, he gave Lux the order to propel him forward to the enemy, while the remaining fifty spread out, ready to retreat at any moment.

It took a second for the instances to reach the outer wall. The moment they did, massive spikes emerged from the watery surface, aimed at any intruder.

So, thats your defense mechanism, Dallion thought. It would have been impressive if he hadnt already seen something similar within the tower vortexes.

Eager to make the most of it, Dallions instances waved the aura sword, casting a variety of combat spells to see the enemies reaction. Surprisingly, all of them were successful. The water material that the city was made of quickly shrugged off any damage, but a few nymphs were wounded.

Theyre not used to human magic, Dallion thought. That was an unexpected advantage that only made his decision more difficult. Leaving would ensure his survival, but I would also provide the nymphs enough time to get used to the present era.

Harp, are you sure you cant stop them? Dallion asked.

Nymph items, nymph tactics, nymph magic, now nymph warriors. Of course, the federation would be so confident. Come to think of it, it was likely that the archdukes and Emperor Tamin had suspected something of the sort. For all the snobbish talk, the number of forces that had been sent was quite conservative and never accompanied by a noble of substantial importance.

You used us to tip their hand, Dallion said beneath his breath. The emperor didnt need someone to win his war, just someone with the ability to poke the Federation enough to see what would happen. Euryales superiors, whoever they were, probably had the same idea when they had sent her with Dark.

What pledge is that? Dallion asked, casting a series of aether bubbles around him.

Ah, an enemy. The nymph smiled. I was itching for a warm up after all this time. I hope you prove more resourceful than you have so far. It would make things boring.

Thats why I told you to run away, Vihrogon said with a sigh. Everyone underestimates nymphs. Even the copyettes didnt manage to wipe them out during their attempt to take over the world.

Every fiber in Dallions body told him to order Lux to fly him out of here. He had no chance against hundreds of thousands he wasnt even sure he had a chance against the single nymph mage that had challenged him. The opponent had seen through Gleams illusion with ease and didnt seem in the least impressed by Dallions battle spell.

Standing his ground, Dallion reached out to any item guardian in the vicinity, but all of the nymphs clothes and gear were made entirely out of water.

I think I can take him, the otherworlder said. The level of his magic trait let him see a few minuscule flaws in the flow of the nymphs magic. It wasnt a lot, but with a bit of luck and a lot of effort, there was a chance that he could exploit them. Then, after the mage was down, maybe the rest would

A large purple sphere appeared in the sky. Made entirely of crystal, it gleamed for several seconds, before thousands of minuscule magic threads emerged from its surface.

Without hesitation, both Dallion and the nymph mage flew back.

Hundreds of magic symbols formed, flashing all over the sphere, like a disco ball. Then, a giant image of the Tamin emperor emerged above it.

Hologram projection? Dallion uttered the first thing that came to mind.

Subjects of the Tamin Empire, the emperors voice boomed. Inhabitants of the world. You have heard rumors of our war with the Azure Federation. Some of you might have been affected, some of you might even have whispered that the empire has reached its final days. To all that have, you are forgiven.

Wow. Thats generous, Gleam said, although Dallion could sense that even she was impressed with the display.

Our armies were successful in pushing our enemies back, which is when the Federation resorted to the most vile of practices, the projection continued. In their desperation, they broke the most significant law of the Moons, bringing back a race that has been banished for millennia. It thus falls on us as your emperor, to prove to them, you, and all that such actions will not be tolerated!

MASS COMBAT INITIATED

A red rectangle appeared in front of Dallion. It wasnt the only one. Thousands more were visible throughout the nymph city, as if everyone had been pulled back into an awakening realm.

The empire has ruled for centuries and the empire will rule for centuries more!

Purple lines formed in the eastern part of the sky, quickly moving west. Spotting them with one of his instances, Dallion focused. The moment he did, his very being was shaken to its core.

Rockets, he thought, incapable of uttering the world.

Ages ago, back when Dallion had faced his first chainling, Cleric had mentioned that only the imperial family and the Order knew the secret of rockets. At the time, Dallion thought that the man was referencing some kind of advanced firecrackers. How wrong he could be.

Hundreds of missiles, hundreds of feet long, were splitting the air, aimed at what seemed to be the entire seacoast. If they were as powerful as Dallion feared, they would be enough not only to wipe the water cities off the map, but several Azure kingdoms along with them.

Our power is great, the projection proclaimed. Our justice is swift, and our enemies shall feel the wrath of a thousand suns upon them.

Lux, get us out of here! Dallin ordered.

Less than half a minute later, purple dawn became visible on the west horizon.