As they gathered on the walls, the tension was palpable.
Knight Darian eyed the strange apparatus before him with scepticism. Beside him, Malden and Gorak stood silently, their expressions unreadable. A few mercenaries and other Blackwood men had also joined them, their eyes moving between Kai and the cannons with doubt.
More than the cannon, many men from Blackwood were wary of the minotaur hovering over the artefact. Some gave looks of questioning, almost as if asking ’Are you in your right mind by letting that big beastman run around?’ But others diligently ignored his presence.
Knight Darian finally broke the silence. "What does this artefact even do?"
Kai’s lips curled into a confident smile as he gestured toward the massive, sleek devices lined up along the wall. "This," he began, his voice steady, "is what I call a mana cannon. These beauties shootout condensed mana in the form of a beam, powerful enough to rival a fourth-circle offensive spell."
The knight’s eyes widened, the hard lines of his face softening with surprise. For the first time since arriving, he showed a hint of genuine emotion. His gaze shifted back to the mana cannons, now with a renewed interest, though a shadow of doubt still lingered.
"If they can actually do that," Darian murmured. "They would be our greatest weapons against the beasts. No, they would be the greatest weapons in the kingdom."
Kai nodded to that. "Yes, they would be. But before we can count on them, we must test them first."
Darian’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but the determination in Kai’s voice left them all muted and awaiting what was about to come. This was no ordinary weapon, and if it worked as he promised, it could turn the tide of the coming battle.
All that was left was to see it in action.
But as they both conversed, they drew the attention of everyone on the wall. The Blackwood men who stood in stoic silence, let their gazes fix on the mana cannons. But the mercenaries were less reserved. They exchanged glances, some smirking, others openly sceptical.
Kai looked at them and immediately realised that they didn’t trust Kai or the mana cannon.
Therefore, he waited. Soon enough, one man stood out.
His fiery red hair was wild and unruly, matching an odd glint in his eyes. He was a burly figure, his broad shoulders and muscular frame barely contained by the worn leather armour he wore. Scars crisscrossed his arms like tattoos. A wicked grin spread across his face as he let out a loud, mocking laugh.
"What need is there for mercenaries if your fancy cannon can do that?" he jeered, his voice probably reaching even the men behind. "You’re exaggerating, Lord Arzan. I’ve seen artefacts and worked with Mages. Something that could fire off a fourth-circle spell is as precious as a princess’ virginity!"
The mercenary’s crude remark drew a few chuckles from his comrades, but not everyone was amused.
Killian’s eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword as he shot a glare at the red-haired man. Gorak and his team, standing nearby, exchanged dark looks before one of them stepped forward, his voice low and menacing.
"Watch your tongue, Kellen," Finn growled at Kellen. "You’re going out of bounds when you haven’t even seen the cannon’s power."
Kellen, undeterred, smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing Finn with a mix of amusement and disdain.
Then his eyes moved towards Gorak. "What’s this, Gorak? You lot, lapdogs of the nobles now? I’m just here for the coin. Don’t care about buttering up some noble with delusions, even if he’s a Mage."
The tension on the wall escalated, more frowns appearing among the crowd as hands edged toward weapons. A fight seemed just moments away from breaking out, Kellen walking forward with his axe. But before things could spiral out of control, Kai stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding.
"No need to fight. In fact, everything will be cleared up soon. We’re about to start the demonstration."
All eyes turned to him as he shifted his attention to Kellen, the red-haired mercenary still wearing that cocky grin. "Kellen," Kai began, a smile creeping onto his face. "How about we make a bet?"
Kellen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, the challenge piquing his interest. "What kind of bet?"
"Easy for you to say," Roran shouted back. "You run like you have the raptor’s blood mixed into your body!"
Roran’s throat burned, and his legs ached, but he pushed on, knowing that slowing down meant certain death.
He didn’t have the luxury to cast another spell to harm the beast— not with all his focus on the one keeping him alive. As a wind Mage, speed was his greatest asset, and his physical conditioning made him an ideal candidate for this insane task.
Lord Arzan had seen something in him, had trusted him with this mission, and that thought alone kept him moving.
The trees thinned, and Roran could see the edge of the forest ahead. Just a little farther, he told himself, just a little more, and they would reach the open ground where the city’s defences might come into play. But the raptor was nearly upon them, its hot breath on the back of his neck, its growl vibrating through the air.
Roran felt his soul leave his body for a mere second when Gareth’s voice came loud like a knife, cutting through the fog.
"Run, damn it!"
Roran gritted his teeth and pushed harder, the wind roaring in his ears as he and Gareth broke through the tree line, the city walls looming in the distance. But so did the shadow of the beast, closing in with every step.
"The city is close! Just a bit more!"
With a surge of desperate energy, Roran pushed his legs harder, his wind spell straining to its limit. He broke through the thick foliage, leaping from the shadows of the forest and landing hard on the ground.
The sight of the city walls in the distance brought a flicker of hope, but there was no time to celebrate. They bolted forward, the raptor’s shriek echoing behind them, filled with hunger and fury.
The beast was out to gobble him right then and there.
Ahead, Roran saw Lord Arzan standing on the walls, surrounded by a group of people and a line of carriages at the gates. But there was no time to take in the details; survival was the only thing on his mind. His hand shot up, waving frantically as they closed in on the city.
"Fire! Now, damn it!" Roran shouted.
But Lord Arzan didn’t move, not immediately. He waited, his eyes locked on the approaching beast, calm as if he were watching a sparring match.
Roran’s heart nearly stopped— what was he doing? I can’t die. I can’t die like this. Is this kar—
But just as panic began to take hold, he saw it. The mana cannon, perched on the wall, began to glow, its core heating up as it gathered energy.
Then, in an instant, a beam of condensed mana shot forward.
The surroundings turned white, the light so intense it erased everything from sight. The force of the blast was overwhelming, and Roran felt himself lifted off the ground, jettisoned like dead weight. He hit the earth hard, rolling to a stop with a groan as the world settled back into focus.
A scream of pure agony filled the air, and then... silence.
Roran pushed himself up, his body aching, and looked back. He couldn’t feel his limbs, but he somehow moved.
The raptor, the beast that had been moments away from ripping them apart, was gone. In its place were charred remnants, scattered across a blackened patch of earth. The ground was scorched.
Next to him, Gareth laughed, a sound filled with relief and awe. "I told you to trust Lord Arzan! I told you!!"
Roran could only stare at the destruction, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. All he knew was that he was alive.
Though as he looked at the scorched ground, he wasn’t sure how long would that hold.