The Magic barrier had shattered. Sparkling Magical energy fell like dying fireflies from the sky, descending to the ground. The sight captured the attention of everyone in the palace.
The Magic barrier had been their hope, the one thing keeping them safe ever since the attack began. They had seen it struck and weakened several tis before, but those guarding the core of the barrier had always managed to restore it.
However, this ti, the barrier faced its greatest challenge since the mont it was created.
The attacks from the strange tal constructs had already proven powerful, yet they were not even the strongest weapons in the enemy's arsenal. But now, the defenders truly understood what it ant to face a devastating assault.
The barrier had just shattered in a few strikes.
The inhabitants of the palace, who had been watching from within their shelters, stared at the glowing fragnts falling above them. Their faces and eyes reflected sheer despair.
The advisors observing from the throne room were just as stunned, unable to utter a single word as they watched the sparkling remnants of their last defense disappear.
Aurdis, Saeldir, Eccar, and the Mages within the orb chamber had witnessed the core itself crack and crumble in re seconds.
It had all happened too fast. None of them could process it.
"W… what?! It just shattered like that?" Eccar exclaid in disbelief. Even after pouring all the Magical energy he could into it, the orb and the barrier had still been broken so easily?
"I didn't expect them to be hiding sothing like this," Saeldir muttered, his voice laced with anger and shock.
Aurdis remained frozen, eyes wide with horror. Without the barrier, nothing was protecting the palace anymore. The warriors fighting outside were now exposed, facing an overwhelming enemy.
Rushing out of the chamber and looking through the window, Aurdis could see that the warriors, archers, and Mages at the front lines barely even had ti to process what had happened.
Because before them, the Ogres and Daemons had already begun their rciless charge after the barrier is gone.
Aurdis took a deep breath, steadying herself before turning to face everyone in the chamber.
"We don't have ti to just dwell on this," she said firmly. "The barrier is gone, but standing here in shock won't bring it back. We need to act imdiately! There are more pressing matters at hand."
Saeldir clenched his fists, cursing himself under his breath for being caught in his own disbelief.
He was the Archmage, he should have anticipated sothing like this. But dwelling on mistakes would only waste ti.
He exhaled sharply, nodding at Aurdis' words. "You're right," he admitted. "We need another plan now."
"What needs to be done?" Eccar asked, his voice tense.
Saeldir fell silent for a mont, his mind racing through every possible strategy. But the answer was painfully clear.
He tightened his jaw before finally speaking. "I see only one option. We must fight. Directly, at the frontlines. We need to protect the people of this palace ourselves."
A heavy silence filled the chamber. Aurdis and the Mages stiffened at his words, their unease was clear. They were powerful spellcasters but none of they were not used as frontline warriors.
Fighting to maintain the Magical defense was one thing, but stepping into the chaos of battle was another.
"We don't have a choice, do we?" One of the Mages murmured, gripping their staff tightly.
"No," Aurdis admitted, her voice quieter now. "We can't repair the orb and we can't restore the barrier now. The only thing we can do is fight… just like the warriors outside."
She turned back to the window, scanning the battlefield below.
Chaos engulfed the palace grounds. Ogres and Daemons stord through the shattered defenses, clashing against the remaining warriors who fought with everything they had.
Then, her gaze lifted toward the sky.
Two distinct points of light burned in the storm-filled darkness — two battles raging above, separate from the slaughter below.
One of them was the fierce clash between King Gulben, Aerchon, versus Laston. The other, a swirling inferno of fire and black flashing light, where the unmistakable energy of a Dragonborn surged through the storm. That was where Erend fought.
Aurdis' grip tightened on the window fra.
"Whatever we do," she said, her voice unwavering, "we must do it now!"
Saeldir wasted no more ti. He turned to the Mages in the chamber, his voice cutting through the lingering tension like a blade.
"All of you, move! Restore your Magic energy with potions and head straight to the frontlines. We're fighting to protect this Palace. There's no room for hesitation now!"
The Mages even though they still shaken by the destruction of the barrier, snapped out of their daze.
With hurried nods, they scrambled out of the chamber, so already pulling vials of shimring liquid from their belts, gulping them down as they rushed toward the exits.
The once-calm orb chamber beca a flurry of movent, the air thick with the scent of potent Magical elixirs.
Aurdis, Saeldir, and Eccar remained behind just a mont longer. They each pulled out their own potions then imdiately downing them in a single motion.
The energy coursed through their veins almost imdiately, the exhaustion from their earlier efforts dulling as fresh power surged within them.
Eccar exhaled, rolling his shoulders as the familiar rush of Magic filled his body again.
Then, despite the grim situation, a grin tugged at his lips.
He would never say it out loud, but there was sothing about this mont — the tension, the thrill of battle that finally looming just beyond the door after he just stayed idle for so ti — that he secretly enjoyed.
"I hope the king doesn't mind," he muttered, though his smirk suggested he wasn't particularly concerned.
And without another word, he turned, sprinted toward the window, and leaped shattering the glass.
Aurdis barely had ti to react before Eccar disappeared into the night, plumting toward the battlefield below.
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