The Guardian gods
Chapter 314

Chapter 314: 314

The head mage’s regal eyes glowed as she silently relayed the news to the Emperor through a magical link. Meanwhile, Vellok’s brow furrowed in thought before he spoke again.

"Where did the creatures that emerged from these... placentas... go?"

Gurnak’s expression turned grim. "The guards collapsed and died shortly after complaining of stomach pains. They were in the bathroom when it happened."

"Which means..." Vellok’s voice trailed off, realization hitting him like a hammer. "The creatures are now in the underground network—with the Ratmen. Gurnak, what have you done?"

The chamber fell into an uneasy silence, the weight of Vellok’s words pressing down on Gurnak. The goblin tower master stood frozen, his mind racing. He had been so focused on studying the guards’ bodies that he hadn’t fully considered the consequences of what might have already emerged from them.

Vellok, still holding his head, let out a deep sigh. "You let them go to the sewers... where the ratmen nest. If those abominations have found their way down there, it won’t be long before they begin to grow unchecked. The ratmen are... adaptable. And if these creatures can exploit that, they will multiply at an alarming rate."

The regal head mage’s voice echoed through the chamber, her connection with the Emperor still active as she relayed every word. Her glowing eyes narrowed as she spoke, "The Emperor is displeased. We were already dealing with the demon suppression, and now we may have a new enemy growing beneath our feet."

Gurnak clenched his fists, his green skin paling. "We didn’t know... I didn’t know. We thought the guards were just... infected by the mist’s control. No one expected this."

"The Emperor expects competence," the head mage said coldly. "This mistake will not be forgotten, but we must focus on rectifying it. Vellok, we need a plan. The Emperor commands it."

Vellok stopped pacing and met her glowing eyes, his mind racing. "The underground network is vast. If these creatures are already down there, they’ll be difficult to track, especially if they’ve taken refuge with the ratmen. We can’t afford to send a full battalion—there’s too much risk of causing a city-wide panic."

"What we need to do now is ensure none of those abominations manage to sneak into other cities through the underground network."

Looking over to the regal mage, Vellok said, "I would like for the Emperor to order a group of mages to seal off all underground passages connecting with the ones in this city."

"That way, we can be sure we have our target in one place," Vellok added as the regal mage’s eyes glowed, relaying the plan.

The regal head mage’s eyes glowed brighter as she conveyed Vellok’s plan to the Emperor. The room remained tense, every second feeling like a lifetime as they awaited a response. Vellok stood firm, his mind already racing ahead, planning the next steps to ensure the containment of the creatures. Gurnak, still pale, shifted uneasily, hoping this drastic measure would prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.

After what felt like an eternity, the head mage’s eyes dimmed, signaling the Emperor’s response. Her lips tightened into a grim line before she spoke. "The Emperor approves of the plan. A contingent of elite sealing mages will be dispatched immediately. They will begin sealing off the underground passages leading to other cities. The Emperor also commands that no expense be spared in ensuring this operation succeeds. We cannot afford a widespread outbreak."

Vellok gave a sharp nod. "Good. That will buy us time. We need to contain this mess before it spreads any further."

Gurnak, sensing the gravity of the situation, hesitated before speaking. "What about the ratmen? If they sense danger, they might try to flee through any unsealed routes."

Vellok’s gaze turned sharp. "That’s why we need to act fast. Once we isolate the creatures to this city’s underground network, we’ll root them out before they have a chance to adapt. As for the ratmen..." He paused, considering the challenge. "This will be a good time to carry out the Emperor’s order of conscripting the ratmen."

"Having them leave the underground network will help corner our target even more, forcing them to the surface where they’ll expose themselves."

The regal head mage’s eyes flickered with renewed intensity as she processed Vellok’s additional suggestion. The room seemed to tighten with the weight of his words. "The Emperor conscripting the ratmen... That will certainly cause an upheaval," she said, her voice steady but wary. "It could force them into open rebellion. However, given the circumstances, it may be a necessary risk."

"I doubt they’ll cause any commotion once they realize there’s an abomination among them, ready to devour their kind. The Emperor’s orders will be seen as a saving grace for them."

Gurnak and the regal mage nodded as the image in the calling room flickered off. Now alone, Gurnak teleported to the core of the mage tower.

The core reacted to his thoughts as an image began mapping itself mid-air in front of it. Once the image was complete, Gurnak took hold of the drawn map and teleported out of the tower.

High in the clouds, the city below appeared as nothing more than a small dot. Gurnak didn’t wait long as the mana around him began to fluctuate.

Soon, a huge portal opened, and a massive ship floated out. The portal closed behind the ship as it drifted in the sky.

The air above the sky crackled with energy as portal closed while Gurnak descended onto the deck of the massive airship, the Emperor’s floating fortress of magic. High Mage Serephine, her robes fluttering in the arcane winds, stood at the helm. Around her, a contingent of mages was gathered, their faces a mix of focus and tension. Gurnak landed softly, the magical barrier around the ship parting seamlessly to allow him through.

Serephine caught sight of him and nodded, her demeanor all business. She turned back to the assembled mages, her voice ringing out with authority. "The Emperor’s orders are clear," she began, her voice cutting through the ambient hum of the ship’s engines. "We are to seal every passage connecting this city’s underground network to the others. We cannot allow the abominations to escape or spread. This is a containment mission."

Gurnak stepped forward and with a flick of his wrist, a detailed map of the city’s subterranean network materialized, glowing faintly as it hovered midair. The mages gathered closer, eyes fixed on the intricate web of tunnels, passageways, and conduits snaking beneath the city. Gurnak spoke, his voice low and measured. "Our priority is sealing the primary conduits that connect this city to the others."

Serephine waved her hand, and the glowing map expanded, highlighting key points of interest. "We will work in teams. Each of you will be responsible for stationing the sealing rod at each junction"

The airship buzzed with focused activity. The mages, each gripping the dark rods covered in intricate runes, stepped through the shimmering portals that opened across the deck. One by one, they vanished into the labyrinth beneath the city, tasked with stationing the sealing rods at crucial junctions within the underground network.

Gurnak, assured that everything was proceeding smoothly, gave a final nod to Serephine before departing on his own mission. He had to calm the citizens and negotiate with the ratmen tribes who lived beneath the city. The abominations threatening the city were only part of the problem; managing the political and social landscape was equally critical.

Serephine, however, remained utterly focused on the task at hand. She paid no attention to Gurnak’s departure, her mind entirely absorbed in the sealing ritual. Standing tall at the ship’s helm, she waved her hand once more, and the shimmering map of the underground network floated before her, the lines of tunnels now overlaid with dark runes. Two phantom hands, summoned from her magic, extended from her shoulders, working in tandem with her real ones as she rapidly sketched the intricate runes needed for the sealing array. Her hands moved with practiced ease, drawing glowing symbols into the air, each pulse of magic adding power to the spell.

After several moments, the mages returned from the portals, their work complete. They moved silently to form a circle around Serephine, each murmuring in unison as they began the final incantation. Their voices blended, a rhythmic cadence of arcane syllables, and the air around them thrummed with power.

Serephine dispelled the phantom arms and took hold of the glowing map. It was now marked with dark runes at each key junction, a network of sealing points ready to be activated. With a final gesture, the array she had drawn in the air coalesced into a single, brilliant magic circle. She pressed it into the map, her fingers glowing as the circle sank into the paper, merging with the runes and amplifying their power.

The moment she completed the spell, a colossal beam of light shot down from the airship, piercing the sky as it descended toward the city. The beam cut through the clouds like a blade of pure energy, illuminating the city below in a radiant, ethereal glow.

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