The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 567: First Strike

Chapter 567: First Strike

As the seven supporting magic circles of Mana Storm winked out of existence, the air above the valley rippled and distorted, giving way to a titanic magic circle that snapped into being directly above the keep. It dominated the sky, casting an eerie golden hue across the snow-dusted mountains.

Grand as it was, the circle’s true magnificence lay in its sheer scale. Its outermost runes stretched far beyond the confines of the city, encompassing the fortress and the valley walls.

It was the largest spell I had ever cast, coming close to the circle that had heralded the Starfall in High Valley. They differed drastically in power, of course, but my lips twitched in a small smile all the same.

Golden light crackled like lightning between the spinning runes, rapidly absorbing the mana I poured into the spell. The magic circle didn’t merely condense this power; it imbued it with discordance and chaos, transforming it into a force of pure destruction.

As the circle neared completion, a distortion appeared in fate. I looked to see a ripple in the air far above the valley open up and a familiar presence leak from within.

Suddenly, the ripple winked out and reappeared beside me. I stepped back in surprise, my tail twitching, as Verity’s aura rolled over me. She felt more real than before, her soul more real. Beyond that, though, I’d never seen her shift perspectives in a vision before. It was an inevitable discovery and didn’t actually change anything, but every time she made progress, my advantages waned.

My fingers twitched, instinctively reaching for the mana needed to banish her, but the well was empty. The Mana Storm had drained me dry, leaving only a faint trickle to replenish the void. Frustration tightened my jaw, and I shot her a glare before a weary sigh escaped my lips. What did it matter now, anyway? A sudden pressure, like a hand squeezing my chest, drew my attention toward the city. Seven circles of blinding light erupted above the fortress walls, a defensive formation I couldn’t fail to recognize. Runes, intricate and pulsing with raw power, blazed across the sky, leaving trails of fire in their wake. The Grand Aegis snapped into existence just as the Mana Storm broke upon it. Similar to the spell I’d used against Brithlite, the mage had crafted a golden dome that sprawled across the entire fortress in a shimmering canopy. A small smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. Grand Aegis was a powerful defensive spell, but the mage clearly didn’t understand the nature of fate magic. It wasn’t a brute force attack to be deflected or absorbed, but a raw form of mana that attacked the fabric of a spell, not its actual defenses. It was like using a knitted coat to keep out the wind. And even if it were a suitable defense, their execution was flawed. They had lacked the time to properly craft a defense for the entire city and only managed to shield the fortress itself. Furthermore, even from this distance, I could already spot the cracks in their spell-casting. Subtle tremors coursed across the surface of the golden dome like ripples on a still pond, a sign the weave wasn’t perfectly sound. That kind of thing was normal in casting high-level spells without the appropriate affinity, but against my mastery of fate magic, it looked more like Sari’s first attempt at casting Aegis.

I flicked my staff down, and the energy writhing in my magic circle erupted, cascading down upon the entire valley in an avalanche of stars. It struck the upper curve of the Grand Aegis first and began to eat through the mana. In just a few moments, the chaotic wave of magic had completely enveloped the dome. It held, if barely, but the rest of the city wasn’t so lucky.

As the Mana Storm crashed into the valley, another flaw in their defenses was exposed. Shards of omniscience were impervious to the powers of a Mana Storm. In the past, I had to physically reach it in order to dismantle the crystals sustaining the Heart Crest. It had left me exposed and vulnerable, something I’d learned through bitter experiences my enemies were willing to take advantage of.

But here, where there was no shard, they had somehow found a method to propagate the curse regardless. While that made it easier and much more flexible, it also left their magic without protection.

I folded my arms, glancing at Verity’s soul, as the dark tendrils of curses blanketing the city evaporated under the onslaught of chaotic mana. My mana had recovered enough that I could dismiss her, but I hesitated to do so. Was there really any point in hiding this? It might be better to save my mana in case something unexpected happened.

The swirls of chaotic mana reached the top of the walls, enveloping the mana cannons and soldiers. The cannons hummed ominously, brightening with every passing second. The mages had just enough time to scramble away before their crystal batteries exploded, reducing everything in a large sphere around them to rubble.

The lucky soldiers who escaped the blasts didn’t remain unscathed. The Mana Storm tore the mana from their souls, shredding them in the process and leaving many unconscious. Most would survive the backlash, but given the absurd power of my spell, things would play out similarly to what happened at Western University. The weaker would be crippled, while the stronger would take years to recover their strength.

This outcome, however grim, offered a silver lining. The inhabitants of the city, stripped of their magic, were no longer a threat to the demons. Luke had only promised me he would spare the weak, whose souls had no appeal to any but the lowest scions. Now, everyone in the city met that condition.

A chilling realization washed over me. I’d left them completely vulnerable. The demon horde, poised to strike, would find the fortress stripped bare, its defenders like lambs to the slaughter. Had I truly placed so much faith in Luke, in his ability to protect them? I forced the doubt aside, focusing on the shimmering dome that still held against the storm. There was no damage or cracks spiderwebbing across the surface, but even as I watched, the golden light flickered like a dying flame. The chaotic tendrils of mana wormed into the very fabric of the spell, destabilizing the runes that gave it form. The dome vanished with a soft sigh, the intricate runes dissolving like wisps of smoke. A wave of raw mana washed over the keep, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. I imagined the chaos within, the panicked cries of those suddenly stripped of their power, their souls reeling from the impact. ’Did it work?’ R’lissea’s voice was barely a whisper, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension. I nodded, unable to meet her gaze. This mana storm dwarfed the others I had cast, coming close to the version the Demon Lord had used on Western University. A seventh-circle spell with the power of an eighth. Was this the power of Celestial Grace? Luke’s stare burned into me, a silent question hanging in the air. The others, too, seemed frozen, their faces pale with shock. Even as the golden glow of the Mana Storm receded, allowing the sun to reclaim its dominance in the sky, the tension lingered. Desperate to break the silence, I dismissed my staff with a flick of my wrist. "We should go," I said, turning to Fable. "We have to help them. They’re going to be scared and confused. If the demons-" Jessia snorted, her arms crossed. "Scared? You just unleashed a magical catastrophe, and you’re worried about their feelings?" She shook her head, her eyes narrowed. "That was... insane. Even for you." "What was that spell?" Luke asked. I cringed, hugging myself tighter. "It was... um..." His expression softened. "It’s alright, we can talk later. But right now, there’s no need for you to move. The curse is lifted, but their fear remains. It’s the only thing driving them now."

Wary of Jessia’s lingering gaze, I moved to stand beside Luke, following his pointed finger. The once-imposing army before the city had dissolved into a panicked rout. Many of the soldiers had collapsed, their souls torn apart by the Mana Storm, but the now free common folk came to their aid. They supported and carried them as they could, never giving in to the fear that must have clutched at their hearts.

As the soldiers rejoined their families, the city’s peaceful facade shattered, and cries and screams rose from the distant streets. Panic spread like wildfire, and soon, people scattered in all directions, fleeing anywhere but toward the demons or the fortress that was their target.

"Will they really be okay?" I asked, looking up at Luke.

He kept his gaze on the city, and the dark streams of people flooding out its gates. "Whether they survive or not is up to them. Offering them this chance to escape is the best I can do."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off, his hand gently cupping my cheek. His dark eyes glowed with intensity, leaving me breathless, my heart a fluttering mess in my chest. I wanted to recoil, to pull away, but my mind was blank, my body stiff. "Xiviyah,’ he said, his voice low and serious, "You lit a beacon with that spell just now, and if anyone is watching, they’ll know exactly where you are. I can’t risk you wandering around a battlefield where I can’t protect you. Not now. Not ever."