Chapter 394 From Another Era
The soldiers, now towering figures with bulging muscles and fiery red complexions, emitted an aura of raw power. Their once-stoic expressions twisted into fierce grimaces, their eyes glowing with an intense determination. The transformation had turned them into formidable adversaries fueled by an otherworldly strength.
The ground beneath their feet quivered with each step they took, echoing the rumble of their newfound power. The once-imposing armored soldiers now stood as towering giants, their presence both awe-inspiring and intimidating.
The group, surrounded by this formidable force, could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Uncertainty mingled with a growing sense of unease. The soldiers' transformation had altered the dynamics of the encounter, posing a greater challenge and raising questions about what just happened.
Vaeral clapped his hands together, and then a powerful gust of wind hit the soldiers and pushed them backward for several meters. The wave of wind passed through the whole building until it reached the third floor, where Vaeral found its target.
"It is on the third floor," Vaeral declared.
Before Vaeral could even finish his sentence, Ailen fired several arrows that found their marks on the throats of several soldiers. Malon was a bit surprised by his friend's lack of hesitation… he only flinched for a moment while the targets agonized while gushing blood from their throats.
Still, Malon noticed Ailen's friends trembling a bit… he didn't like what he was doing, but it had to be done. If the enemies were going as far as transforming somehow, then they had to show an equal level of determination.
Malon charged toward the enemies without hesitation, and when they moved their spears and thrust at him, a thin layer of mana covered his whole body. In the next moment, he began a blur. All of a sudden, he appeared in the air, and then five of the enemies began to gush a lot of blood from their throats… no one saw his strike.
The other soldiers weren't fazed by that and kept attacking Malon. Still, he dealt with the ones in front of them in the same way while Ailen covered for him and put arrows on the necks of the ones approaching from the side.
A blast of wind knocked down the enemies around him, and then the group began to climb the stairs. Ailen recovered his arrows and quickly followed them. Before the enemies could chase them, Vaeral made a cascade appear and go down the stairs, knocking the enemies once again.
As the group reached the second floor of the castle, they were greeted by a chilling sight. A battalion of armed archers, their bows drawn and ready, stood in perfect formation. The air became heavy with tension as the archers locked their sights on the group, their fingers tightening on the bowstrings.
With a thunderous command, the battalion released a flurry of arrows, creating a deadly storm hurtling toward the group. But before the arrows could find their mark, Malon, harnessing the power of time magic, tapped into his extraordinary abilities.
Time seemed to bend around Malon as he moved with unparalleled speed and grace. His body blurred with motion, and then repelled the attacks with his sword strikes.
The enemies tried to nock more arrows, but several earth bullets flew from the walls and hit their faces. It seemed that Vaeral was holding back a bit as well… who could have thought that he would be that serious in such a situation, serious enough to think that he might regret later taking the lives of every single enemy.
The group climbed to the third floor, and then they found a wall of shields blocking their path. It was weird to see a phalanx formation indoors, but it was exactly what they were seeing right at the moment.
Malon didn't hesitate in charging at that… even with his power. He wouldn't leave unscathed. Moreover, he couldn't use Timeless Aura indefinitely, so it might cause more problems than help.
Vaeral took a deep breath and then made up his mind… he summoned a tornado between Malon and the soldiers, and that pushed them away from each other. After that, he made the tornado burst into flames before moving toward the soldiers.
The soldiers began to scream in pain and agony while their flesh was burning and their armor and weapons were melting. It wasn't a good sight for anyone to see… Still, they had to do so until the final soldier fell, and the path was clear.
A gloomy atmosphere was among the group while they dashed toward the thorne room, and just like before, Malon kicked it with all his might. As the group cautiously entered the throne room at midnight, they were greeted by an atmosphere of dread and intrigue. The chamber was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of moonlight seeping through stained glass windows. The air was heavy, carrying a sense of anticipation and danger.
At the center of the room, upon a towering dais, sat an imposing throne made of ebony and adorned with twisted, menacing designs. It seemed to exude an aura of malevolence, symbolizing the power that resided within the walls of the castle.
Seated upon the throne, the figure of the king emerged from the shadows. Clad in regal attire, his presence commanded attention and respect. His eyes, though filled with authority, carried a hint of weariness as if burdened by the weight of his rule.
Beside the king, standing with an air of mystery, was a figure draped in crimson armor from head to toe. The gleaming armor seemed to absorb the limited light, casting an eerie red glow that accentuated the figure's ominous aura. The face behind the helmet remained obscured, leaving only speculation as to the identity of this enigmatic character.
"Both of them have the aura of time magic on them.. but the second one is a lot denser," Vaeral said, warned while showing a difficult expression.
"He came from another era… probably because there are no stronger warriors than him in this period," Ervan said.