Chapter 562: Flags
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Thousands of fireballs appeared in the air, emitting a bright light. Other than the fireballs, hundreds of lightning bolts crackled through the air, striking the ground with loud thuds. In the distance, a tornado was forming, moving closer to the city at a slow but steady speed. The ground rumbled under the effects of so many magic spells at the same time.
Diamond City was a beautiful city, but with so much magic ready to attack it, it was as if the gods had delivered all the possible plagues onto the city.
When Diamond City was first built, there were only three mage towers. As the city expanded, the number of towers expanded to more than two dozen. Then, those towers were taken down and replaced by giant mage towers. Now, the city was protected by more than a dozen giant mage towers. As long as the towers still stood, and the supply of magic crystals remained ample, the city would not fall.
Steger began his chanting. As his voice grew louder, a red swirl began to form in the sky above the city. He raised his voice, and the swirl became larger and started to glow, outshining even the lights in the sky. As the swirl grew blinding, hundreds of meteorites fell from the swirl and onto the city.
The meteorites clashed into the protective shield that had been placed over the city by the giant mage towers. The mage towers were very powerful, enough to block the effects of any spell, including forbidden spells. Soldiers in Diamond City cheered as the meteorites exploded on the shield.
However, Steger's attack was meant to be blocked by the shields. He was not as experienced as Saul, and did not know this city like Douminge. He was only stalling so that the mages in the city could have a chance to damage the towers.
Anfey stood in front of the swordsmen, observing the city. He was staring at the city calmly. His emotions were no longer something that bothered him.
The rumbling ground did not move him. Behind him were the elites of the Roaring Death Legion, the suicide attackers squad. When Baery first started this squad, he told his soldiers that being in the squad requires determination, and that they must be prepared to be the firsts to die. These soldiers would follow every order, and were always ready to fight. The rumbling of the ground did not affect them, either.
Normally, Baery was the only person the suicide attackers squad followed. However, Baery no longer cared about accomplishments and glory. He knew why Anfey had asked him to lead the charge, and he trusted Anfey.
A strange wave of magic surge radiated out from the city. The shield that protected the city began to shrink quickly. Lights on the giant mage towers that were standing by the south gates were alright dimming. In a building close to the south gates, Little John finished off the last mage who was guarding the towers and breathed a sigh of relief. He was in charge of the southern part of the city, and he had to make sure this part of the city lost its magical protection.
Sensing the surge, Anfey suddenly rose into the air. Elements pulled themselves around him, creating a storm of elements as he shot toward the city. The soldiers guarding the south gate were shocked. Anfey was in the air, but it was impossible to set up magic arrays in this short amount of time. The mages were not present, either. The commanders were intimidated, but they still jumped into the air, trying to block Anfey. However, there were not nearly enough of them to stop him. He landed on the city wall, leaving three bodies behind him.
The soldiers around him scattered. Once their commanders were gone, there was nothing holding the soldiers there. They could tell the difference in strengths, and they were not looking to get killed.
Anfey ignored those fleeing soldiers. He turned and swung his axe, cutting down the flag bearing Shansa Empire's symbol. Seeing him cutting down the flag, Suzanna swooped down from the sky and grabbed the flag staff from his hands. She tossed the flag to Christian, who gripped it in his hands tightly, then beginning to wave it, then stopping. Suzanna was circling above Christian, protecting him.
Seeing the flag, the soldiers in the Roaring Death Legion were the first to react. They knew that this was the signal, and began charging toward the city. A moment later, more soldiers began charging at the city. The soldiers of the Roaring Death Legion were joined by the elites of Sacred City's city guard, sent by Yolanthe.
Mages' magic allowed them to bypass the magic arrays on the ground, but the soldiers would set it off. Soldiers began dying, as they stepped into the magic arrays, but nothing could stop them. With Christian ahead of them, waving the broken flag, the soldiers charged without stopping. The glory of taking the flag was reserved for Christian, and it did not matter who actually cut it down. To the soldiers, it was Christian that took the flag and started the battle.
The southern gate was already open, and members of the suicide attacker squad and the Sacred City city guards charged into the city. The nobles that were still in the city were terrified by this turn of events. Some were pacing in the room, trying to find a way out of the city. Others had already given up, resigned to their fates. Some nobles dressed their daughters and wives up, hoping that would be enough for the conquering armies to spare their lives.
Some nobles began hanging banners on their doors, welcoming Alice's return to the city. For these nobles, in moments like this, staying alive was much more important than being loyal to their country.
More soldiers streamed into the city. The ones that couldn't reach the gates began to scale the city wall. Christian kept waving the flag, despite his arms growing tired and sore. After all, he was a mage, and did not have as much stamina.
He wasn't a competitive person, and he did not want to fight with his brothers. However, he knew that if he didn't fight for the throne, his friends would be in trouble as well, once his father died.
The flags bearing Shansa Empire's symbols were all broken, but Christian did not stop waving the flag. He knew that he could not turn back anymore.