"LIGHTING! ROAR!"
The solitary mage chanted and the air around him trambled from the outrageous air quake that made the entire border look as if it was submerged underwater.
*%$#@#$%^%$#@@%$#@#$%^%$#@#$%%$#@#$%$#@#$#*
What followed was a burst of a white, blue, and yellow beam that launched from the magician's hands – in a mere second it swallowed and disintegrated the third and fourth company in its wake while the while discharges struck the ground any unfortunate straggler who didn't move far enough – but...
*haaaaa* *CRUSH*
The fifth company had the milky-white crystals on the four staff light up - its power began to disperse the spell back into mana but it wasn't fast enough. The crystals broke apart and the soldiers got turned into charred corpses...
*haaaaaaaaaaa*
...then, the weakened spell encountered the sixth company that had their barrier fully activated and the devastating lighting spell was released, leaving only the distinct smell of ozone lingering in the air...
The sixth company was yet to cross the border, and despite being the ones to deal with the monstrous spell, they didn't seem keen to start moving.
Perhaps... the barrier that the four cornerstones were not firmly placed into the ground but held up by humans instead was not as reliable...
"Wh-what is going on...?! Why am I...?!"
"...!"
The destruction of the mysterious artifacts and the distance between the next working one seemed to bring forth a much-desired effect – the commoners were able to regain their free will one by one – although that could be also caused by the very barrier the Atreterve forces used to block off the spells.
It would be quite ironic if the best defense they could use ended up deactivating their cunning trap.
Still, the panicked looks on the faces of the commoners as they lowered their weapons was a much-welcomed sight without knowing the exact reason that caused it.
"All available earth magicians make sure to knock the soldier with the scepters off balance, their formation must look like this for a reason. The moment it will be broken – fire magicians, rain hell upon them. Water magicians in case things go bad help the earth magicians create barriers with water and earth from the surroundings. If it wasn't made out of mana, they can't dispel it. Actually, earth magicians begin harassing them with some nice big boulders and sharp stalactites dropped from the sky to test it out."
The lighting magician breathed out and started giving orders while still keeping eye on the enemy forces.
"Wind magicians – get the commoners as far away from here as possible and while doing some report our situation to the royal castle. It seems that after teaming up, the enchanters, witches, and warlocks have created a magic device that is able to take control of manaless people..."
The man declared and his forces began to move at once – still, the lighting magician ended up furrowing his brows as if something was bothering him.
"General Victureo, it would be best if you go to the capital too. You deciding to show up here for a secret inspection was a blessing in disguise, but now it would be best for you to move... and return with reinforcements."
One of the commanders, a red-eyed fire magician, walked up to the lightning magician and said after bowing his head.
"I am hanging on the verge of consciousness because of the training and you still have the guts to say that? Get one of the wind magicians to contact the royal castle to send over a light magician capable of traveling such a long distance. None of the ones we have here have enough mana for that."
The man scoffed in a hushed voice.
"Calling them over is good enough! The vice-commander is capable enough to bring all of them over here. I'll stay in case those jokers have more tricks up their sleeves."
The lightning magician said out loud for everyone else to hear.
"General..."
"Don't you dare try to support me when the enemy has visuals on us!"
The fire magician by his side tried to help him out as he walked but got scolded by an ice-cold voice.
"...please forgive me..."
The man lowered his head and moved to the side while general Victureo breathed out and looked over the reorganizing forces.
"...sir Tencelion, were the magicians from the Espines' side recalled before I arrived...?"
His expression darkened as he could not find any magician who wasn't a part of his own army.
"No... general... that's odd... but, I guess that they were the closest ones to the commoners when they lost their minds so..."
Lord Tencelion breathed out and looked meaningfully toward the bodies of their fallen allies that were mostly blocked by the moving troops.
"I told Doregon that bringing commoners to the frontline was a stupid idea."
Lord Victureo scoffed, having his inner thoughts leak out because of the mana depletion, and both he and lord Tencelion began walking toward the watchtower in the back.
An interesting fact that not many people knew about was that those types of towers were built all along the borders of Bellcephora kingdom and other nations – with the exception of the natural mountain border with Barbariacca nation where a handful of highlanders' tribes lived – and the exact distance between the fortification and the exact line where one territory ended and another began was the same as the distance from a student to the super-long-range target during their magic examination in the Aspaekony Academy.
"You really knocked the wind out of their sails, general. Those bastards don't know what to do now~!"
Lord Tencelion looked over his shoulder and breathed out in relief as the sound of first earth spells and destructive fire spells raining down over to the Atreterve side filled the air with no viable countermeasure from the enemy forces.
"...they are taking their time with escorting commoners out of there though... In the beginning, they were taken over the moment the Atreterve army was just outside of the effective range of average fire spells. If we are not fast, we will get cornered again."
General Victureo scoffed in annoyance watching the group of commoners that the wind magicians rounded up to escort away.
"It looks like our troops want to take away the enchanted swords and shields that the commoners are equipped with... and I am not surprised. That corrosion attribute is abhorrent."
"Hmmm..."
The fire magician pointed out with a light nod which made the lighting magician frown slightly but it did not make him say his thoughts out loud.
"In situations like that, I really do believe we should enlist the help of martial artists. Like my brother-in-law. You know, the husband of my youngest sister. I bet he wouldn't have a problem with that damn pink acid."
Lord Tencelion said boastfully before shuddering. Quite a few magicians lost their lives despite being careful. All because they didn't want to go overboard with their magic and not harm the mind-controlled commoners.
"I will consider it after today."
"Thank you, general! Allow me..."
Lord Victureo hummed approvingly and when the two were by the tower's door, lord Tencelion rushed over first to open it for his superior.
"Now you are overdoing it, I don't like my ass being ki..."
*rustle*
"...?"
The lighting magician chuckled waving his hand dismissively when a sudden noise from above made the fire magician look up...
"GENERAL!"
"?!?!"
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom In an instant, the body of lord Tencelion shone with the red light of fire enchantments and he threw himself at general Victureo, pushing him away.
*SPLASH* *KSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*
Before lord Victureo even managed to hit the ground dozens of feet away from the tower, an enormous blob of neon-pink liquid swallowed lord Tencelion whole...
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