Chapter 590: Magic Turtle (1/2)
Chapter 590 Magic Turtle
Ilea prepared herself to hold back the masses when the distant walls lit up in a sea of blue light. “Are those?” she murmured, her eyes opening wide when the lights vanished.
A wave of air rushed out from Isalthar, thousands of invisible arcane arrows exploding upon impact with the force.
Yeah I think this isn’t exactly a fair fight, she thought, the first arrows flying past, displaced as they reached her.
Isalthar conjured a hundred blades of wind when the first row of enemies reached them, two dozen Executioners running through the air with increasing speed. Shields cracked and shattered as they were hit by the blades, a wave of air pushing them back a little.
“Perhaps, it may be best,” Isalthar said and dodged the silver blade of one Executioner before blowing it away with a concentrated blast of wind. “If you went and prepared your spell now.”
“Short lived battle,” Ilea said with a smile, flying through a barrage of arcane arrows, most of them displaced, others exploding on her with little effect. Their sheer number however shaved away both her armor and health, her teleportation bringing both her and Feyrair down into the houses below.
The elf hissed in frustration but didn’t offer any words of complaint, knowing how terribly outmatched they were here. Explosions resounded above and behind, the two teleporting as quickly as they could, reaching their little hideout about ten seconds later.
Ilea appeared in the room and immediately started casting her third tier blink. “Stay somewhat close to me and prepare any barrier and defensive spell you can form.”
Her gaze was focused on the broad windows ahead and what lay beyond. The cavern had lit up, blue and green lights flaring up as spells exploded and clashed with the wind mage flying at the center of it all.
His form was visible through occasional glimpses into the storm swirling around him. Machines flew in the air, ripped apart and sent out into the city as spells exploded in the strong winds. Stone was ripped from buildings, Centurions and even Praetorians lifted up into the growing whirlwind conjured and controlled by Isalthar.
And yet the enemy did not relent, thousands of bright beams and magical arrows entering the elf’s domain, exploding nearby or hitting him directly where he failed to disrupt or deflect a projectile. One mage stood against an army, his control of the air unmatched as he sliced through even Executioners, leaving them to fall and reform lost limbs before they could advance once more.
Not all machines were focused only on the elf, many flowing past like waves split apart by a rocky isle. A carpet of dull green steel that moved over houses and through the streets, all in pursuit of the rest. Easier pray for the weaker machines.
“Little point in hiding with your spell charging,” Elfie said, setting up meticulous sets of barriers, layering the white runed shields above each other with deliberate care and hurry.
Purple runes appeared farther out, Asay adding to their defenses as ice and roots joined in on the mix.
Two minutes was a very long time in this situation, Ilea adding walls of ash in a hope to support her allies, her third tier spell slowly taking form as the explosive battle between Isalthar and the endless hordes was covered up by the growing magical bunker.
“How long did you say?” Feyrair asked.
“Barely started. Two minutes total. Keep adding to the defenses,” Ilea said.
The elf nodded, his form expanding as he curled up in the small space, using his dragon self to create another barrier in case everything else came crashing down.
“I’ll let you know when a few seconds are left. Transform back so I can move you,” Ilea said.
Every second felt like an eternity as the explosions outside moved closer, Ilea soon seeing the first machines crawling up the walls and through the staircase in the carpenter’s facility.
Impacts resounded on their defenses as the Taleen started to sink their blades and magic into them. Ashen lances, freezing cold, and white flame burned through the attackers’ health but for every one destroyed, ten more took its place.
“Don’t destroy the Praetorians!” Elfie shouted, the core explosions likely to do more damage than the normal attacks could ever manage.
Layer by layer, their barriers were stripped away, reforming as quickly as they could conjure them up. The distant Hunters had taken aim as well, arcane explosions cracking onto their magical cocoon from above, quickly breaking through each layer. Their sheer power coupled with their high number was simply too much to handle for the comparatively low leveled group.
Ilea spread her ash and already started healing. “Steady,” she said, watching Elfie float above her to block three incoming arcane arrows with a set of bright barriers. They shattered on the second, Neiphato blocking some of the third with a set of roots.
The elf spat blood but was healed again quickly, the hole patched up by several arcane barriers, a field of void magic appearing above.
Feyrair slowly turned in the cramped space, welcoming an Executioner who squeezed itself through the defenses with his fiery breath, continuing the assault until the creature was pushed back again, ice forming immediately where the hole had been.
The flying Destroyers had reached them by then, beams of pure arcane power and death magic continuously burning into the shields as arrows kept on raining in from above.
Ilea caught a glimpse of the ongoing storm outside, Isalthar no longer floating at the center, instead forced to avoid the many projectiles and pursuing Praetorians. Core explosions echoed through the massive city before wood filled the open space she could see through once more, impaling an advancing Centurion with it.
“Can’t hold any longer,” Asay said, both arms outstretched as the arcane field above wavered, cracks forming.
Ilea checked her mana. “Fey, burn me,” she said and activated her third tier Displacement in a large field above their position, the roof long turned to rubble. She manifested the other end towards the largest groups of Destroyers. Both arrows and beams went through the distorted space, arcane magic impacting on the flying Taleen with heavy explosions while the beams harmlessly shot towards the distant cavern ceiling.
“I like that spell,” Asay said while giggling, the group rebuilding their barriers as their magic pushed back against the machines in melee range.
Feyrair’s fire managed to keep the Executioners at bay, for now only two of them nearby but more were coming.
Ilea watched her resources dwindle, the flame clinging to her returning some in the form of absorbed mana but it wouldn’t last long. She had to let go of her portal, the impacts immediately hitting onto the barriers once more.
A few of the Destroyers had gone down from the dozens of arcane arrows impacting them, plumes of smoke trailing them before they crashed into the city below. Apparently the arrows weren’t quite as good at avoiding allies as they were at seeking enemies.
“Fey, now!” Ilea called out, the seconds ticking by as her spell started to manifest. Where are you?
The dragonling returned to his Elven form, the Executioners immediately pushing forward, digging their void blades into the many layered cocoon.
Ilea would go through with the spell either way. If anybody could flee this place, it was Isalthar. Her worry didn’t come to pass however.
The elf appeared within their space a moment later, missing an arm that was already regrowing, his robe splattered with blood. He closed his eyes before the storm he had conjured earlier manifested around their position, flinging away Centurions and Executioners alike.
Ilea saw the army of machines flowing towards them, rushing over the devastated part of the city the elf had fought them in. She couldn’t tell if there were any fewer than before.
Each of the Elves was present and she focused on them with Displacement, attaching them to her own blink as she watched a thousand spells crash against a nearly impenetrable barrier of air itself. Executioners pushed through the winds, slammed away by the combined efforts of their group before Ilea’s blink finally activated.
Magic flared up as the fabrics of space were shifted and they appeared in a living room somewhere near the human plains.
The oppressing magic had vanished, and with it the explosions and constant sounds of machines, gears, and steam. The air felt cool, sounds of water coming from the window front looking out onto the ocean. The suns had just started to rise.
“Where are we?” Feyrair asked, looking around.
“Don’t touch anything,” Ilea said. “This is my house.”
“Oh, wonderful,” Feyrair said and started walking towards the stairs leading up.
Ilea displaced him down the cliffs and towards the ocean, glancing at the group with a questioning look. “I think we could all use a bath to be honest.”
It is what I usually do when I arrive.
“May we sit down?” Elfie asked, gesturing to the sofas.
“Sure, make yourself at home. On this floor that is,” she said.
Asay looked around with sparkling eyes, literally. “Interesting. So very… unhuman. Well, I shall take a bath. Rare to be near the eastern coast,” he said and stepped out onto the balcony before he jumped down.
Ilea rolled her eyes at the roaring dragon flying by, the great beast diving after Asay.
“Well done,” Isalthar said as he stepped up to her, his bloodied robe already replaced with a clean one, his arm back to normal. He bowed lightly and smiled. “I thank you, for saving us.”
“Not like we could’ve done it without your help,” Ilea said and winked. “Oh by the way, I’d like for this place to remain somewhat private. So don’t tell everyone about it.”
Ben had found the stairs down. “Ilea, is that a kitchen? May I?”
She smiled. “Sure. Just clean up after yourself.”
Farthorn sat down on the sofa opposite Elfie, sighing before he started to take off his armor pieces. “That was humiliating,” he murmured with a hiss.
Neiphato smiled as he walked by. “So this is the ocean of the east,” he said and stepped out onto the balcony, Ilea following behind him.
Seithir joined them, silently looking at the sunrise.