Chapter 677
Erika clutched her chest.
It felt as if her heart was shattering—not just breaking into pieces, but completely crushed. Every nerve ending in her body was sending warning signals. The will she was trying to reach now, if she followed it through, would lead only to absolute death.
“E-Erika!”
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Are you okay?”
“Hey, bring the stretcher—”
“No!”
When her officers tried to support her, Erika pushed them away fiercely. She didn’t want anyone touching her. She was struggling just to focus on herself; any distraction was unacceptable.
Then, once again, a command echoed in her ear, making her flinch.
—Go back.
A clear, pure voice, like white light. Erika knew well that if she obeyed, the pounding in her chest would stop, and the deep-seated anxiety would fade away. It would be a cheap peace granted only to those who surrender.
—Erika.
Tears streamed down her face. The clearer her memories became, the more vivid the death of that day grew.
‘Shatima…’
Her blood-soaked clothes, disheveled hair, and eyes waiting for death… She had lived for Hwan and had been the one to hold her hand.
And now, with her own hands…
“Ughhh! Ughhh!”
Shaking with guilt, Erika convulsed violently, causing the officers around her to step back in alarm.
She lay on the ground, clutching her pounding chest. If she followed the whispering command, she would surely be fine, but… did she really need to live that badly?
—No.
She barely turned her head to look up at the officers. They had no idea what was happening and looked down at her with fearful eyes.
“Immediately—immediately retreat and relay the message to the mages.”
“Erika!”
“Hwan’s path is not this. If I were to break the very words I just spoke—”
Erika drew a dagger and cut her palm. The brief sting sharpened her mind. Then, the voice in her ear grew louder.
—No, you can’t!
“…You can kill me if you want.”
Beep!
Suddenly, she felt something snap inside her body. She had expected her heart to break, but instead, she felt relief.
Erika’s eyes widened slightly, then she muttered as if reaffirming a vow.
“Even if I die, Hwan’s path will continue.”
Beep!
The white voice shouted something, but it was drowned out in a buzzing, distorted haze—like a thread snapping.
Then, Erika’s eyes began to sparkle brightly. Something had finally awakened. It felt like a dream, or perhaps a transparent veil lifting. Whatever it was, the important thing was that Erika’s world was fully coming back to life.
“E-Erika.”
“Ah.”
Erika whipped her head around. After watching the retreating soldiers, she quickly got to her feet.
“I’m fine. Continue the retreat. But don’t send signals toward the Hielo or Mereloff territories—wait in the Great Desert.”
“Understood.”
“You all do the same—cross the border first. I need to meet Ian Hielo.”
“What? What do you mean, Erika!”
Clack!
Ignoring her officers’ protests, Erika mounted her horse and urged it forward. She had to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible—why Hwan had sided with Luswena and attacked them, and what the current situation was.
For Shatima’s will to be fulfilled, Hwan must not turn against Bariel. And as a former head of Bariel’s imperial investigation team, she couldn’t just stand by.
Clatter, clatter!
Whoosh!
Cutting through the retreating soldiers toward the border, Erika rode alone into the heart of the battlefield. She waved Hwan’s banner high, calling to the mages, but the distance and noise made it hard for her voice to reach them. It would have been easier if they had pursued Hwan.
“Ian Hielo! Mages, listen!”
“Waaah!”
“Please, look this way!”
“Retreat! Retreat!”
Boom! Bang!
Erika’s shouts were easily drowned out. She gritted her teeth, leaned forward on her horse, and kicked its side hard to speed up.
Clatter, clatter!
Then, she sensed an unfamiliar presence behind her. One of her officers was following her. At first glance, it seemed like concern, but Erika was certain.
‘Another puppet.’
One of those who had lost their reason like her, hidden within Hwan’s ranks. Before she could spread the method to break free from the puppet’s control, they wanted to kill her.
Swallowing dryly, Erika shouted.
“Everyone, listen! Don’t fear death—push forward! This is a trick!”
“Waaah!”
“If you give in to fear, you’ll never escape! Just once, just once, hold onto your own will—!”
The soldiers didn’t even register what she was shouting as they retreated with battle cries.
The officer chasing her quickened his pace. Erika drew her sword, ready to defend, and kept racing toward the mages.
“Breaking is just an illusion!”
Clatter, clatter!
Swish! Clang!
The officer caught up and swung his sword fiercely at her.
Erika blocked with all her might but couldn’t fully shake him off. The clash continued for a few more strikes.
“Hey, are you listening? Don’t be afraid to disobey orders! If you do—”
“…”
“You can wake up!”
“Shut up!”
“You idiot! Damn it!”
Swish!
Erika’s sword sliced off the officer’s left arm, but his blade tore into her back.
The soldiers glanced over, bewildered, but the momentum of the retreat was unstoppable. They could only steal quick looks.
Erika staggered but gripped the reins tightly to steady herself.
“Hyah!”
Clatter, clatter!
Whoosh!
Just a little further, and she could reach the mages.
As Erika raced toward the Luswena barrier, the mages darted through the chaotic battlefield, managing the situation. Their first targets were the dragons, the black-armored knights, and the archers firing Idgal arrows.
While the mages’ World Tree spun wildly, dealing with them, Beric was the first to climb the broken barrier.
“Ha ha! I’m first!”
“Beric, stop fooling around and push through to the next barrier! From here, it looks like at least two more stand before the palace.”
“What? That many? But we don’t have soldiers. Do we really need to push?”
“Reinforcements are coming from the center. We need to prepare! Besides, maybe that’s why they smashed Hielo so badly?”
“True.”
“Tommy, Jean! Follow me behind Elderet.”
“Yes, Captain Hale!”
“Everyone else, finish clearing the area!”
Hale gave orders to the mages and flew over the second barrier. Idgal arrows rained down mercilessly, but they couldn’t stop them.
Beric, climbing the wall with effort, grabbed a soldier about to shoot an arrow and threw him down.
“Ugh! Aah!”
“If you want to live, jump down yourself!”
“A magic swordsman! East second barrier, a magic swordsman’s up!”
“H-How did he do that?”
“Kill him! Magic swordsmen use magic too, so Idgal weapons will work! Everyone, attack!”
“Waaah!”
Though brave, the reality was brutal. Beric moved lightly like a cat playing with mice, tossing soldiers off the wall. Then he signaled the mages, looking toward the heavily locked gate.
“I’m going down to break the door!”
“Be careful! We can’t see you from here!”
“Okay! Don’t worry about me!”
The tide of battle was clearly turning. Luswena’s soldiers seemed less like they were fighting the mages and more like they were struggling to survive.
Ian, following the mages over the barrier, suddenly sensed something and hesitated.
“Is something wrong, Ian?”
“…Nothing.”
Hwan’s army was safely crossing the border and leaving the battlefield. It would be best to quickly finish Luswena and pursue them. Ian soared higher and spotted the Luswena palace in the distance.
“There’s the palace!”
“Good.”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Flying in a straight line toward the palace, Ian gathered his magic power in both hands and without hesitation unleashed a beam of white light at the palace gates.
Shraaak!
But the attack was blocked near the last barrier, deflected by an invisible transparent shield.
It didn’t seem to be the work of Luswena’s mages, but rather a shield maintained by magic stones, like the border defenses. Ian judged quickly.
“There must be something similar at the palace. It’ll be easier to destroy the magic stones beneath the shield than to break the shield itself.”
“Yes, Ian!”
“Beric, finish up and follow me.”
“Okay! See you at the palace, Ian!”
Without replying, Ian shot upward and headed toward the last barrier.
Meanwhile, Eldert, who had taken refuge inside the final barrier, suddenly glanced back. A massive beam of light came crashing down as if about to strike, but it was blocked by the protective shield and dissipated. It felt like staring death right in the face.
“Hurry, let’s get to the palace!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Below the barrier, the heart of Luswena’s capital was visible. The citizens were running out into the streets in panic. The fact that the main army, which they had believed would bring victory, hadn’t even crossed the border was a devastating blow.
Eldert clenched his lips tightly and fixed his gaze ahead.
Whoosh!
As the dragon landed in the palace courtyard, Eldert dashed inside without hesitation.
“Your Highness, this way!”
In Elbasa, the capital of Luswena, there was a magical stone portal on the western outskirts. The best option was to escape through it first and plan for the future—whether the mage taken by that cursed Toorun would return, or how Hwan would come to their aid.
Eldert descended into the palace’s underground chambers with the leadership, venturing deep into the storage vaults.
“I’ll check it first, Your Highness.”
A court official reached out into the portal to see if the other side was safe.
Boom! Bang!
Suddenly, the entire palace shook violently. It was clear the enemy mages had broken through the outer barrier and were storming in. Growing anxious, Eldert stared intently at the official.
“Why aren’t they coming through?”
“I-I don’t know. Maybe something’s wrong…”
“From the western outskirts—what’s going on—!”
“Your Highness!”
Just then, the official who had gone in first stumbled out of the portal, pale and clearly troubled.
“I don’t think it’s going to work.”
“What do you mean it’s not going to work?”
“It’s… it’s the Klipford army. They seem to have invaded from the western outskirts. It’s too chaotic—if we go in now…”
“What?”
Eldert’s head went numb.
Of course. How could he have forgotten about Klipford? From the start, Bariel’s true allies had been bordering the west. Just as Hwan had pushed down, Klipford could also pressure Luswena.
“T-this—”
Damn it! Eldert clutched his head, frozen in place. The more Bariel’s mages continued their attacks to break the shield, the more his mind felt like it was turning white.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, the final assault was underway.
Whoosh!
“Captain Hail! This is the last one!”
“Break it!”
Ziiing! Bang!
As Hail and Tommy unleashed their magic together, the transparent barrier shattered with a crash. The ancient palace was now exposed, its bare walls vulnerable.
Hail, signaling they were almost there, pulled out a cigarette and nodded.
“Search inside and outside the palace. Eldert, find them.”