Chapter 292 - Prelude to Divine War (1/2)
”I CAN'T believe this,” Luna said in a shaking voice while looking at the magic circle around the Royal Capital. ”That's an ancient spell.”
Right now, she stood on top of the abandoned tower of the ”Fire Wielders.” Of course, it was empty now. Still, since the tower was still standing proud and tall, she and Lord Denver decided to use it to check on the Royal Capital.
After getting on the top of the tower, she created a common bird that shared its vision with her. She made it fly around the Royal Capital to check on it since she had been having an ominous feeling ever since they returned there.
She wasn't prepared for what greeted her.
”An ancient spell around the Royal Capital?” Lord Denver, who stood beside her, asked. ”What kind of spell is it?”
She gulped before she gave him an answer. ”A spell to awaken ancient monsters.”
”Ancient monsters?!”
She nodded before she turned to him. ”To be precise, it's a spell to awaken the ancient Crades that have been into sleep in the last divine war.”
Crades were human-eating monsters that have been terrorizing the empire since time immemorial. But since the older and stronger Crades had been into sleep, the ones that remained until now were weak and can easily be handled even by average Mana-users. That was why the Crades of today hid in the forests or deserted islands. It was their way of protecting themselves against humans.
But of course, the ancient Crades would be different.
”Someone has begun a ritual to awaken the ancient Crades,” she said worriedly. Even though her mind wanted to deny it, she already had an idea as to who created the ancient spell. ”It's going to be dangerous if the ancient Crades awakened, Lord Denver.”
The former captain nodded in agreement. ”They have been asleep for centuries. They will definitely wake up starving. And hunger makes them stronger.”
”That's true, but that's not the only problem, Lord Denver,” she said. ”The Nystroms wouldn't be able to protect the Royal Capital. Even Lord Wixx, Lord Ainsworth, and Lord Forrester aren't here. If the ancient Crades awaken, they would be too much for us. Even with the help of the other Fire Mages, I don't think we can contain them.”
”But if the empire is attacked, won't His Majesty deploy his royal knights to protect the citizens?” he asked, confused.
”During the previous war where Auro Moonchester made the Black Serpent and the Supreme fight, he sacrificed his people,” she said, remembering the memories that she had as the Moon Priestess in the past. ”He lured the ancient Crades to the Royal Capital back then using the blood and flesh of his own citizens.”
”But why would a king do that?”
”Because he wanted to distract the Supreme when he realized that the Fire Mages are winning the war,” she explained. ”He knew that the Supreme wouldn't be able to resist helping the innocent people get caught up in a cruel war. Unfortunately, I died after that so I don't know how the war ended. And how the Fire Mages were accused of betraying the empire.”
”Oh,” he said. ”If Auro Nystrom did that in the past, then he can do it again.”
She nodded firmly. ”We have to stay here and gather allies. I don't trust Lord Noel Sherwood but he's one of the people that can help us protect the empire from the Crades. But he seems to be missing these days.”
”I'll go and find him,” Lord Denver offered. ”I think I have an idea as to where he might be.”
”Really?”
He nodded before he explained. ”The last time we talked, he told me that he's looking for Lord Ainsworth's descendants. When the Golden Tiger betrayed His Majesty a few years ago, the members of the House Ainsworth was locked up somewhere. I believe Lord Denver is looking for them.”
”Then, how will you find him?”
”We were both former captains of the Four Orders,” he explained. ”We have a unique way of locating one another.”
”Then, I'll leave it to you.”
He nodded firmly. ”How about you, Miss Luna? Do you really intend to stay here? I thought you were going with Lord Forrester's group after we determined that Miss Stella, your sister, is going to the Plane.”
”I can't leave now that we have a problem that we have to deal with here,” she said. ”Moreover, this is a mess that my own sister made. I need to clean it up myself.”
The former captain looked confused, then his eyes widened in shock. ”Are you saying that Miss Stella is the one who created the spell that would awaken the ancient Crades?”
”Stella is a strong witch like me,” she explained even though it hurt to admit that her sister had done something that she shouldn't have. ”And I felt the aura of a Moonchester in that magic circle surrounding the Royal Capital. Stella is the only person here who has the power of a witch and the aura of a Moonchester.” She turned to the direction where the ”eye” that she created could see the White Tower where the Royal Archmage resided. ”I need to take that bitch down first.”
”Who?”
”The Royal Archmage.”
Lord Denver gasped at what she said. ”Miss Luna, are you saying that you're going to take the White Tower down?”
”They're not as powerful as you think they are, Lord Denver,” Luna said, then she turned to the former captain. Before she regained her past memories, she used to think that the White Tower was a scary place filled with strong mages. But after retrieving her memories and training in the Solarium for the past five years, she was confident that she could take down the tower. After all, only the Royal Archmage was the real problem and she just knew how to deal with her. ”Don't worry, I will win.”
***
”LUNA won't be going with us to the Plane,” Asher Forrester announced to Julian and Solenn. Right now, they were in an empty room in Nystrom Mansion. He needed an empty room because of the transportation spell that he created to follow Stella aka Elaine Moonchester. ”She and Lord Denver have encountered a problem in the Royal Capital.”
Solenn looked surprised by his declaration. ”What kind of problem?”
”Apparently, Stella aka Elaine Moonchester created a spell that will awaken the sleeping ancient Crades.”