Golden mana enveloped Arthur's fingertips, flickering like eternal flas as he observed the falling arrows. Amidst the mixture of fear and anticipation within his small scout team, Arthur raised his palm toward the sky, as if it alone could shield them from the imminent danger.
These fiery arrows seek our demise, but instead, they shall rain flas upon those who launched them," Arthur muttered as his mana exuded an otherworldly aura. A formidable barrier materialized around the group, cocooning them within its protective embrace.
Boom!
The first arrow struck the barrier with trendous force, but it didn't yield an inch. The ensuing shockwaves were effortlessly absorbed, failing to disrupt the tranquility within the barrier. No wind or sound penetrated its defenses, creating a safe haven for the group.
However, that first arrow was just one among many. As more fiery projectiles rained down upon the barrier, countless explosions rocked the heavens. The barrier remained resolute, and Arthur didn't even attempt to infuse it with additional mana. Instead, he reclined, lying on his back, patiently waiting for the barrage to cease.
"Are you certain this will hold?" the sa soldier inquired, his eyes fixed on the flas that surrounded them. Outside, the scene resembled a vision of hell, with nothing but flas and smoke.
"Have you ever seen Arthur lose his footing?" Koby responded with a frown as he, too, settled down, allowing the arrows to rain around them. "As long as this barrier stands, we are invulnerable. And as long as our teacher cast it, it will endure."
"You lot are insane!" the soldier exclaid, shock evident on his face as he turned toward the others. "We should prepare for the worst in case this barrier fails!"
"They seem pretty confident, hahaha!" one of the scouts chuckled as he joined them, sitting down as well. "The more pressing question is... how did they discover us? I'm certain my light-bending was flawless."
"Uncovering their thods won't help us right now," Arthur remarked, closing his eyes. "Even if they had spies among us, which would be detrintal, trying to identify them would consu valuable ti."
"Weeding out spies during such a critical situation would only hinder us," Joey added with a frown as he noticed the soldiers growing anxious, so reaching for their weapons. "Alexie is correct; we cannot afford division at this mont."
"Our best course of action is to break through their defenses once we locate their artifact," Arthur continued as he sat up. "However, it appears they don't require a vantage point to utilize the artifact. Our assumption that they targeted Lieutenant Hawkins for that reason is now invalid."
"But what other reason could there be?" the tanned scout wondered, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "If we can't lure them out, then what was the purpose of sending our lieutenants into danger?"
"Even though the three are still alive," Arthur replied, glancing downward, "we cannot expect them to continue causing chaos indefinitely. Many bandits are gathering below."
At that mont, the explosions ceased. Their vision gradually cleared, revealing that the remaining arrows had fallen to the ground below, striking the runic array surrounding the mountain.
"These bandits have a protective array?" one of the soldiers questioned in astonishnt.
"I've changed my assessnt. These bandits have already secured the support of a powerful ally," Arthur stated as he gazed below. "Given the circumstances, I believe the first clash against Crestview City is imminent."
"Crestview?" another soldier queried.
"It's the most logical possibility for their ally," Arthur explained as he took a deep breath. "We need to warn the entire army of this ambush. We've fallen into their trap."
Arthur's certainty was growing stronger. These bandits were too organized to be acting alone. None of them had considered the possibility of another army because their scouts had found no trace of one. However, there was one place where most scouts would overlook.
"This is a ssage to the entire Xelorian Army," Arthur muttered in a low voice, but his words resonated in the minds of everyone present. His team looked at him in bewildernt as they followed his gaze upward toward the sky. "We have been ambushed by another army. The bandits are not acting alone in this conflict. Our enemy has proven cunning enough to avoid detection, which leads to believe that they may currently be surrounding us."
His words reverberated throughout the area, broadcasting his warning while also revealing their knowledge of the enemy's presence. Arthur hoped to induce panic among their adversaries, potentially coaxing them into revealing themselves, and it seed to be working.
The ssage about the ambush reached the entire Xelorian Army, putting them on high alert. Even Sir Jonathan, who was leading the ground operation, received this critical information.
As Arthur concluded his speech, the sky darkened, and a massive shadow lood over the mountain range. Instead of surprise, Arthur wore a confident grin, as he had foreseen this developnt. His plan had been to initiate an aerial attack, a strategy that would likely be chosen by any capable military force.
A colossal tallic vessel broke through the clouds, its surface gleaming with a tallic sheen. Arthur and his team appeared minuscule in comparison, like re specks of dust before a storm. The flying vessel descended from the heavens, causing the sky to rumble as it parted the clouds. The emblem of Crestview was emblazoned on the vessel, confirming its affiliation.
Dorian, still in shock and awe, muttered in disbelief, "How did you guess their identity and plan just from seeing the array the bandits had?"
Arthur explained, "I had my suspicions when our location was revealed. It didn't make sense for the bandits to detect us ascending into the sky. However, the mont we gained altitude, they sohow pinpointed our exact location and launched an attack."
Joey chid in, "Their timing is indeed suspicious. This enormous vessel is the one that spotted us and initiated the attack. But it doesn't explain how they managed to bomb Lieutenant Hawkins' carriage."
Arthur continued, "We initially thought the artifact was related to explosions, but what if it's tied to perception? What if there's an artifact capable of concealing one's presence? A 'concealer' artifact!"
The tanned scout, his eyes shining with excitent, exclaid, "Exactly! The enemy possesses an artifact that hides their presence! Everything suddenly falls into place!"
"Bravo," Arthur praised them with a nod and a grin. "The enemy has been close by all this ti; we just couldn't see them. Any soldier could have infiltrated our ranks and assassinated our leaders."
"But if they possessed such power, why didn't they attack us again?" Koby raised a valid question with a furrowed brow.
"I've considered that," Arthur replied. "I believe their hesitation stemd from the fact that their initial attack failed. Seeing foresee the explosion may have shocked them, causing them to wait before making another move, fearing that their artifact would prove useless against ."
Dorian, stepping to the edge of their ethereal boat, said with a grin, "Fleeing isn't my style. I excel in all-out battles!"
The soldier, however, was pragmatic, saying, "Our real enemy is in the sky! We must escape before they rain down more attacks on us!"
Dorian responded, "You can flee if you wish, but this is precisely what I wanted: an all-out fight!"
Arthur, his earlier confidence waning, remarked, "The enemy holds the high ground advantage. If they start bombarding us, our losses will be imasurable. We need to stall for ti."
As he spoke, Arthur began levitating on his own. The rest of the team watched in bewildernt as he ascended toward the flying vessel. As if anticipating his arrival, a woman appeared on the ship's edge, clad in imposing armor.
"You've finally revealed yourself," the woman said upon seeing Arthur approaching. "I didn't expect there would be a scout with the ability to see through our tower's strongest artifact. State your na, Xelorian!"
"My na is rather ordinary," Arthur replied as he hovered beneath the ship, his confident smile causing the woman to frown. "But I'm more interested in yours. You've outmaneuvered us at every turn so far."
"I am Skyline, a General of the Crestview army," the woman proclaid proudly, her ashen hair billowing in the wind. "Rember the na of the warrior who will defeat you, scout."
Arthur, undeterred, responded with a grin, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. I'm not just a scout, and I won't be defeated here. I only wanted to know the na of those I'm about to defeat."
"Arrogance is typical of Xeloria," Skyline remarked as she raised her hand to signal. Countless arrays appeared on the vessel's surface, preparing to bombard the entire area. "I know what you're planning, and I won't give your army enough ti to prepare."
"What if I revealed that… I have one of the ten artifacts?" said Arthur as he retrieved a tallic eyeball from his bag. The brilliant lights coming from the orb made Skyline pause, because everyone could see that this was no ordinary item. "I present you Celestial Eye, the artifact capable of seeing everything! While you attack my army, I will take this back to Xeloria!"
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