Chapter 789

Chapter 789: The Great Collapse [3]

Broken, desolate, and a tinge warmth from the dead fire. A faint veil of smoke rose above Glenda’s southwestern area, a place frequent to officials and guards, here boasted the alchemic tower Igna used to rest at times. The long and rigid overlook fell on its side, crashing outside the castle walls and taking part of the walls with it. Unlucky were those who’d made stands in the general area. Medical help in form of adventures and medical potions were distributed, makeshift first aid area erected at town-square, the market stalls turned into medical tents.

“Help my son, please,” cried a wounded mother, half of her visage and arm were viciously slit by the falling rubble. Glenda town guards, in lieu of helping the victims, had their hands full trying to halt unknown attacks from the northwest.

“I’ll help,” said a worried mage, “-don’t worry,” he hailed to a crowd of distraught adventurers, “-new quest from the guild; track survivors and heal the wounded.” A bain of green sparkles healed wounds left right and center, the mage, young in appearance and wise in age, ran to and fro. The courage to watch another be hurt was taught, rather, it was experienced. The inexperience from many held an air of hesitation about the adventurers, they knew not how to help or aid. The efforts from the young mage riled their weak hearts. The peerless smile carried from the town street and into the marketplace; having healed so many grievously wounded, a patch of sweat gleamed on and under his nose. Breaths were heavy and uncoordinated, he crossed to the greater picture, ‘-impossible,’ he gasped, the air choked, ‘-so many dead...’ a line of mangled, maimed, and cut-off limbs, laid some beside their masters and some, without masters. The horrid sight basked in pure dark-red and hallowed stares. Relatives knelt lifelessly before their fallen family, the jovial atmosphere once exclusive to Glenda, bordered the precipice of agony.

*Incoming Call – éclair,*

“Sorry to bother, master.”

“What is it,” he replied monotonously.

“The Federation members have arrived at the castle. Lady Gallienne wishes to start the council and requests thy presence.”

.....

“Have her wait for a little, I must attend to my people. She’ll understand the plight once’s I’ve arrived. Make sure they broadcast what I see to them. Paint them a narrative of upmost helplessness.”

“Say no more, sire, I understand,” he took a breathing break, “-I must impose on another matter.”

“Julius’s Apexi debacle?”

“Yes, it seems the trouble has extended onto Phantom, we’re facing a lot of attacks from rival companies. If Phantom had been a public company, we’d be facing a lot of woes.”

“Business’s bad, I take it?”

“Yes, pretty bad. The Cobalt Unit’s responsible for the Glenda attack, they’ve flaunted the images over the Arcanum – the title reads, Intercontinental missiles operational and for sale.”

“Right...” he exhaled, “-what of my aunt, what’s she got to say on the matter?”

“We’ve lost connection to them,” he said in a deep apologetic voice, “-I was in process of asking Kul to mobilize a search party.”

“No need. They’re most likely in hiding from the sudden arrival of the Empire’s forces. Let them be, I’m sure Alphia can handle their woe – my big sister is there, and I’ll be damned if any of those small fries can ever lay a hand on her or the people she calls family. Trust me, the moment they cross the line, she’ll display the reason why she’s named the Ice-Empress.”

“Then I shall continue to fight against the Arcanum attacks.”

“Understood,” *Call ended,* the interface eased on the volley of information. Igna had his head against the jet’s window, scenery changed tremendously upon entering Arda from Dorchester.

“We’re reaching jumping location,” said an attendant, “-young master Igna, tis as predicted,” he gulped fearful of his life, “-a fleet of vessels are to the north.”

“No need to worry,” he said and dawned a parachute, “-long as we don’t get in their line of sight, we should be fine,” they crossed valleys, passed Noctis’s hallow, and were on route to Glenda, *beep, beep, beep* [Warning: Projectile Detected. Crew members are advised to relinquish control to the AFR. Repeat, Projectile Detected]

“Young master, please jump,” said the flight crew.

“Understood,” he grabbed onto Kion’s arms and leaped, a trail of white followed the jet, *Spatial-Arts: Worm Hole,* a hole opened, swallowed the missiles, and exploded far into the distance, the very air shook at the shock.

“Hard ground,” panted Kion weak on his knees, “-tell me, Igna, don’t you feel fear?”

“Fear only holds me back,” he tracked the jet which soon turned southward, “-hope they arrive at base safely.” Their landing area was a patch of land shy of the meadows nearing the trade routes. Refugees fled on foot and via carriages bolted due East.

“Kion,” returned a straight-faced frown, “-are you willing to fight if the time arises?”

“I will.”

Nod, ‘-he understands the situation,’ Igna took charge and crossed the meadows, skipping over large boulders and dips in the ground, ‘-Glenda is badly damaged, so says the reports. From what éclair showed, it was a missile. They’ve developed the technology to rival our Phantom’s air supremacy, I can’t afford to waste time. Why are the people retreating,’ they hurried against the incoming horde.

“Pardon me,”

“What is it, mister?” said a very hastily dressed trader, “-I’m in a hurry.”

“Why are the people fleeing from Glenda?”

“They were orders from the town hall. Glenda ordered a full-scale evacuation; the neighboring villages are preparing for the worse.”

“Why?”

“Honey,” said a lass in the crowd, “-are you coming?”

“Sorry, I must leave,” the fellow tipped his head and left.

‘Why would he?’ question piled on end, the closer Glenda grew, the stronger was an aura of desperation. Kion felt it, his tight grip onto the sheathed sword was a clear giveaway.

Soon, the trade route curved upon an elevated slope and headed for separation of Glenda and the newer extension beyond the arch-bridge. Whereby memories showed a cheerful gathering of traders and inhabitants, reality had a macabre twist on the situation, the well-catered path was destroyed by the rush of people and animals. Smoke rose above the castle walls. Barrels were scattered, some broken, other thrown – remnants of a struggle read per the sight of clothes and garbage. Empty potion flasks and supplies, ‘-a scene of hundreds fleeing the area of impact – the panic, the terror, it reads across the tiles,’ he dropped on one knee and examined, ‘-my town suffered at the hands of the unsightly bastards... I’ll have my revenge, don’t you worry.’

“Kion, go check for survivors,” he pointed at the extension.

“Understood,” he hopped onto the bridge just as *Ring, Ring, Ring,* the sound of an enemy invasion rattled the town. The remainder of the battered town’s guard official stormed the gates, their armor rang against each piece, “-shut the gates, leave a quarter of our men inside, we’ll take the rest and meet the invaders,” said a headless horseman, Kion spared no instant to hurry for the extension, the will to save and protect overthrew reservations.

“Dulah?”

“Now isn’t the time to interject citizen, please flee to the villages, we of Glenda shall mount an offensive.”

“Dulah...” he climbed the sloped hill toward the gateway, “-must I retreat also?”

“Count Glenda,” he instantly dropped on his knees, “-forgive my words, I was blinded by the thrill of facing an army.”

“Right,” he scanned the troops, ‘-morale’s bad, many are tired and some wounded, I feel for them.’

“Pardon me, we must take to the forest and wait for the enemy,” he said, “-I ask for us to be excused.”

“By all means,” he side-stepped, the guards marched in unison to Dulah, ‘-headed into battle without a sliver of chance...’

“Master, before I leave,” the march halted, “-tis lady Alta, the stewardess was gravely injured. Time is of the essence, health care in Arda isn’t advanced enough to aid...”

‘Alta?’ he turned for the inside and entered, ‘-I should be in a hurry but I don’t seem to care,’ the breathing eased, ‘-magic and potions should undermine the effects of lesser advancement in medical practices,’ there, the reason waved under a deserted tavern, ‘-we’re out of supplies, hence the troop’s physical state.’

*Come forth, Vengeance,* “-how may I serve, master?” knelt a devastatingly strong aura.

“Assist Dulah in the march against the enemy. I want periodical reports on the enemy and their allegiance.”

“Will do, sire,” he fazed through reality and left the lonely tavern. Topples chairs and broken tables, ‘-the town square,’ in one and out the other, the building serves a shortcut through the labyrinth-style layout of roads. ‘The survivors are still here,’ he arrived, the stalls were heavy and the roads jammed. Where once merchants would fight for clientele and shout their wares aloud, the daunting remains of lifeless family members were presided by the shouts of the grieving. Screams of prices swapped by the scream of the deathly injured, the more he walked, the closer grew the area of attack, the major part of the wall was destroyed, the ground opened and the walls fell in on themselves. Layers upon layers of bricks above which held a thin line of smoke and a circle of crying townsfolk, Glenda was in dire straits.

“Someone, help us, please.”

“I don’t want to die.”

“Adventurer, help my daughter,” a broken man had wrapped himself around the foot of a helpless mage, the latter looked physically exhausted, “-I will do anything you wish, I’ll put myself through slavery, I don’t care, save my daughter, she’s only three and yet to experience life, please, help me,” the sunken expression cried tears of red. He wasn’t the only desperate one, many others pleaded with life and body at stakes, the adventurers, genuinely concerned for the people, were out of mana and drained to the point of passing out.

“I understand, sire, there’s no way I can help,” returned the young mage, “-I’ve used the last of my supplies and have no mana to spare.”

“I’LL DO ANYTHING!” cried the man.

*Clop, clop, clop,* an outline of a strong man grazed the beaten path to the town square, climbed the small edifice marking the marketplace then threw longing regards at the abled of body survivors. Shy northeast of him laid the broken mess of a wall and debris-filled crater, “-People of Glenda,” he thundered, “-I, the Devil of Glenda, have arrived at a sorry sight. I’m troubled to see my people readily beg for the life of another. The catastrophe was unseen, the vile acts of the Empire shan’t go unharmed. I won’t ask for much save the will to accept our situation, Arda is on the verge of a full-out war. My trusted aid, Stewardess Alta’s gone missing, I heard she was grievously wounded and yet, I haven’t seen her nor her team. Instead, I see courageous adventurers risking their lives in favor of another, to that, I say, thank you,” he bowed respectfully, “-the blunder is mine to bear, the sufferance caused won’t be forgotten, I vow to take responsibility,” he spun on himself, “-here is my resolve.” *Watchers, spectators, names ring high and low, us, unknown to the world’s reality, unknown to the world’s knowledge, have lived in utter solemness for millennia to come and go. Watcher of the Shadow Realm, beckons my might to be fully materialized without prejudice, reality is but my playground, neither god nor demon shall overcome my authority, face me in stride, face me in fear, reality’s what I wish it to be for knowledge is the true strength: Realm Expansion Shadow Realm Variant – Rantiam,* Howls of true power and terror gathered around his body and shot in a hemisphere around the town, *-Knowledge known to only the watcher, I, master and inheritor of Origin, beckon thee; Mantia, Library of the all-knowing. Reality or fantasy, rules of the mortal realm, laws governing the all-encompassing universe, cower before he who holds the key to the truth, he who’s able to unwind the very fabric of reality, what I summon is my to rule, and what is rule by I shall obey, god, demons, spirits, angels, thou art helpless. Aronot; World Breaker.*