Thankfully, the wizards had successfully secured the cube containing the prince and princess. What they needed now was how to free them from it.

  However, the attackers, – a kind of two-headed humanoid monsters that began attacking them every now and then years ago, were still around.

  The Ravenhailers’ faces were not visible due to the black robes draped all over their bodies, completely covering their forms, but they were emitting clear hostility towards them.

  General Vaelros and the Silver Legion needed to swoop in now.

  The wizard apprentices nodded at Vaelros and activated barrier spells to protect the prince and princess and the other areas from harm.

  Vaelros then glanced at his comrades. Their task was to eliminate the Ravenhailers.

  “Soldiers of the Silver Legion, our mission is to strike the enemy fortifications from the skies. Remember your training.

  Trust in your mounts, and let the light of the divine guide you!" General Vaelros reassured his soldiers.

  He flew ahead of them and signaled the first attack.

  “Targets marked! Prepare for Radiant Slash!” Vaelros shouted and started the activation of the magical release.

  “By the light of the heavens, let our power be unleashed!”

  The Silver Legion responded in unison and their eyes shimmered with a similar glow of the moon’s graceful light.

  Dazzling display of light and magical energy were launched at the Ravenhailers.

  It flashed so fast and turned the four targets into ash.

  But, something did not feel right.

  They were defeated so easily.

  Likewise, Ravenhailers could let their bodies dissipate into black birds and could later reform again.

  Vaelros and the Divine Army have fought eight of these before. It was time consuming since Ravenhailers could disperse and escape in a faraway place then reform again.

  Back then, the Divine army even had to send several generals to lead their divisions in different parts of the kingdom just for the eight Ravenhailers they encountered.

  Ravenhailers could not easily be defeated by normal means since they could not get hit immediately.

  The eighth they fought in the past had managed to escape many times and randomly killed citizens as they fled from one place to another.

  Thus, Vaelros was suspicious as to why the Ravenhailers they just attacked now were defeated effortlessly.

  "We have fought far stronger members of these destruction operators every week as they’ve started rallies, burned farms, and stolen from resource boxes.

  They would not have weakened this easily or even proceeded with this threat if they could not fight properly,” General Vaelros pointed out.

  “Indeed…”

  The Silver Legion soldiers were also confused at what just happened.

  However, for now, what was important was that the prince and princess were safe.

  Right on time, they spotted the King on his way with General Hovereth and his men who escorted him.

  “Let’s get the prince and princess to safety,” General Vaelros commanded his squadron to protect the prince and princess from further harm.

  Something still felt amiss though so Vaelros was still not at ease.

  There could be a threat they did not know yet.

  Or perhaps, there was some information not yet given to him.

  “What’s wrong with this cage and these tentacles? Shouldn’t we break them?” General Vaelros wondered as he closed in, planning to remove the squirming green walls of liquid to free the two.

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  He felt bad for the Prince and Princess that had to suffer because of this. They were even younger than his own kids and yet, they were exposed to this kind of danger.

  Upon looking closer, he could see they were injured.

  Nymeria and Orion looked relieved to see them, but were still scared since they were still inside the cage and could not speak with them.

  Vaelros was about to touch the cage tentacles when he was interrupted.

  “Sire, please don’t touch those.

  They serve as defense mechanisms and turn into iron-like green swords upon contact.

  That’s how these two were full of wounds since we used magic and weapons.”

  One of the wizard apprentices explained quickly, knowing the generals’ preference for immediate response – using his muscles and weapons.

  ‘Magic? There really is something weird here. Even if these are apprentice wizards, they could easily undo simple spells like barriers and runes,’ Vaelros thought to himself while going around the cage, examining every angle.

  “His Majesty has arrived,” one of the apprentices announced.

  Vaelros and the others moved to make a path and bowed in greeting.

  The king acknowledged them and went to his kids without delay.

  Recognizing the wizards who followed, it was clear the king was able to get the aid of two higher-ranked wizards – Rune Masters, who were about to go to the outer area of the Auroras due to some urgent news.

  Rune Masters were wizards who made rune stones, decipher ancient text, forge legendary artifacts, control or summon beasts, and could go outside the protective barrier (Auroras) of Livingrings. Their other powers were not fully known.

  “Heavens! Your Majesty, these are Ellysian Chains,” the two Rune Masters exclaimed in alarm upon getting a closer look at the water-like cage with tentacles.

  “What?! How can some ordinary raiders and small-time hypocrites create these spells?” King Thalorin Sealbearer puzzledly said and looked at the two wizards, wanting to get more explanation.

  “These are experimental chains made from harvested unique materials from the northern kingdoms of Urus,” Jenna, one of the Rune Masters answered respectfully.

  The Kingdom of Urus was blessed with both dangerous and beneficial minerals and resources.

  However, those who try to harvest must be able to fend off stronger enemies, or else even the little they got would be taken away.

  “They layered these with defensive spells and curses. We have to send the Highnesses to the Divine Archmages. However…” Dunesther, the other Rune Master, glanced at the sky.

  The Auroras had visible holes in it which was also another state of emergency the wizards were busy with. The holes were known because the entire magical barrier had dark violet spots, a sign of the barrier's weakening, as if an unseen darkness seeped in Livingrings unobserved.

  The barrier shimmered and flickered; the dark violet spots gradually widened as if resisting the very powers that kept the Auroras intact for centuries.

  Dunesther wanted to tell King Thalorin that the Divine Archmages were preoccupied at the moment due to the magical holes appearing in their kingdom’s defense fields, and thus, there could be delays.

  The Archmages might not be able to respond and heal the prince and princess immediately.

  After all, due to the holes in the Auroras, the waters around the Livingrings Kingdom were rising at an alarming rate.

  This was the last news reported to the humans, which was received from the wizards outside the Auroras a few hours ago.

  One of the side-effects of the Auroras having multiple holes was the seawater levels rising so quickly around Livingrings.

  Even if these rarely happened, because of their multilayered barrier that even covers the base of the kingdom under the waters, it was better to be prepared, than getting a massive flood and having casualties.

  The Auroras were defense mechanisms from thousands of years ago, built by powerful Eternal Maggis – the most ancient of all wizards.

  There were no records of how these wizards died, only their accomplishments were recorded in history.

  Yet, the magical defense fields they built had protected the Kingdom of Livingrings from many attackers, like thousands of armies from neighboring kingdoms.

  Jenna took over and checked the vital signs of the Prince and Princess first.

  While the attention was on the results Jenna was reporting, Vaelros tugged at Dunesther and said in a low voice, “May I have a word?”

  “Yes, of course. General Vaelros,” Dunesther nodded.

  Vaelros then said in a low voice, “Magical holes are rare for the Auroras. And, these are about the fifth this year, which I had seen myself. You know this more than me. Do I need to know something you’re not sharing with us?”

  Dunesther had a troubled expression and looked away instead of replying.

  After all, Vaelros was implying that they could be facing a bigger threat. And with Dunesther’s reaction, there is a high probability Dunesther already knew about it, but was not sharing the information.

  The Auroras could detect many threats. For instance, once the Auroras sensed so much evil, they changed into a shield that even if it looked thin and composed of different changing spiraling colors, would make it impossible for those outside the shield to see what was inside and would prevent any attacks.

  The only drawback was, even those people inside would no longer be able to see what was going on outside the Auroras.

  *Ravenhailers - two-headed humanoid monsters

  *General Hovereth - another General of the Divine Army

  *Thalorin Sealbearer - King of Livingrings

  *Jenna - a Rune Master

  *Dunesther - a Rune Master

  *Rune Master - a kind of wizard making rune stones, deciphering ancient text, and forging legendary artifacts that can control elements and summon some beasts

  *Kingdom of Urus - where the materials for the Ellysian Chains was harvested