Chapter 1910 Rivergate

Rivergate, the Citadel of Clan Dagonet, was built on a wide river. It cut across it like a great wall — or rather, a series of walls, descending from tall cliffs like steps meant for a giant.

It was both a dam and a lock. The highest wall held back the powerful current. Each step below it was separated by a vast chamber with towering gates, which could be filled with or drained of water with the help of ancient enchantments. A ship traveling to or from the Stormsea could descend from the cliffs or scale them due to the ancient system of locks, never leaving the river. At the same time, nothing could swim further upstream without destroying the Citadel — and even then, the assailant would have to crawl out of the water and travel by land with the locks destroyed.

There was almost a kilometer of vertical distance between the highest point of Rivergate and its lowest point. Each descending wall was incredibly tall and thick, built of monolithic stone, with battlements constructed on top of it. Fearsome siege weapons stood on the battlements — some of them enchanted with ancient sorcery, some built by the forgemasters of Clan Valor.

Hundreds of Awakened crowded the walls, led by a dozen Masters.

Seven Saints were standing on the highest of the fortress walls, looking down with somber expressions.

They were Morgan, the Princess of War, and six champions whose help she had enlisted... or coerced.

At this point, there was little difference.

Three of the six Saints had belonged to the House of Night once — Saint Naeve, Saint Bloodwave, and Saint Aether.

The other three were with the government — Nightsinger, War Beast, and Soul Reaper Jet.

At that moment, Naeve was talking to War Beast — Saint Athena, Raised by Wolves.

"...So you encountered that fiend before?"

She gave him a long look, then smiled wryly.

"We even killed him before."

Naeve turned to a startlingly beautiful man with auburn hair and mesmerizing green eyes, a stunned expression on his face.

"Saint Nightingale, is this true?"

Saint Kai shifted uncomfortably.

"Not exactly. What we killed was not that fiend — rather, it was a Corrupted version of his Transcendent self conjured by the Nightmare. Even then, none of us three dare claim any credit. He was eradicated by Lady Changing Star."

He sighed.

So, by donning the amulets, her champions were rejecting the only method of defeating the enemy.

But little could be done about that. Leaving them defenseless was too great of a risk — she absolutely could not allow her brother to take more Saints, because he would be able to conquer more Citadels by wearing their bodies.

And losing more Citadels to the Song Domain was not an option.

She sighed.

"How long before he comes?"

It was Saint Bloodwave, with his deep voice, who had asked the question. Morgan lingered for a moment.

"He had already come. He's just hiding and observing us, for the time being." Her words seemed to unsettle the six Saints — or rather, five of them. Soul Reaper remained relaxed and aloof, leaning on her ghostly war scythe as she lazily studied the ancient walls of Rivergate.

Raised by Wolves shifted from one leg to another, and then looked at Morgan with a smile.

"You know what they usually do in such situations in heroic novels, don't you?" Morgan couldn't help but admit... that she was continuously perplexed by that woman.

She blinked a couple of times, trying to remember if she had even read a heroic novel in her life.

Surely not.

"Can't say that I do, Saint Athena."

The tall woman — beautiful as a statue of the goddess of war that had come alive — grinned.

"Well, the resourceful type of hero always blows up a dam and drowns an army of ten thousand men, achieving an impossible victory and proving their strategic genius. You're the strategist, so... we aren't going to blow up Rivergate, are we? Oh, and call me Effie."

Morgan stared at her for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.

"No, we are not going to blow up Rivergate. Why would I try drowning an enemy whose vessels are all Saints from the House of Night? That doesn't make any sense."

Raised by Wolves... Effie... nodded knowingly.

"A good decision. You really are a genius!"