NOVGO.NET Chapter 1132: Rynne’s Grim Outlook
Chapter 1132: Rynne’s Grim Outlook
“Ladies…”
“Let the hunt begin.”
Kitsara’s body shimmered, and she reshaped herself into something built for stealth and speed: a large-bodied, long, lithe hawk with silver-black feathers and three trailing tails that split into smaller winglets. The transformation kept some of her fox-sly charm, but every line of her new form was made for the purpose of achieving her purpose.
Black Fang, however, did not climb onto her back. Instead, she reached out with a single, elegant motion and looped an arm around Kitsara’s offered ankle. Even in midair, even in a pose that to most would look precarious, she held herself with the poise of a queen on a throne. Her robes fluttered; the katana at her hip hardly moved.
For a long second, Quinlan found himself watching before forcing his eyes away. The sight of that cold, lethal woman dangling from the leg of a strange-looking bird his wife cooked up in her unique mind was both absurd and hypnotic at once.
Kitsara gave him a playful goodbye kiss using her beak and angled her body up.
They pierced the cloud line and vanished into the white. Once hidden, Kitsara relaxed into the sky and split two of her extra tails into bird-forms again. The smaller forms peeled away and streaked below the cloud line to act as scouts.
Through Kitsara’s borrowed vision, they became distant blips moving to follow any and all movements of Kaede.
Seeing just how capable and set his foxkin lover was, Quinlan collected himself. He understood exactly what they were about to do and exactly what they were about to risk. This was not a place to drop in and swing blades and spells with abandon and expect a lucky win.
Kaede had more than muscle on her back. Her lines were stocked with trained veterans, elite mages, and siege crews. There were many men and women here in the 60s and even 70s.
Vex agreed. As she watched the soldiers in the far depths below, she grimaced. “That’s the sudden reinforcements taken care of. If I know one thing about master, it’s that she’ll not let Kaede open a dimensional gate.”
Serika understood what she meant. As a leader with nearly two centuries of experience, she understood warfare. “But the potential reinforcements are not all of our problems… It’ll be hard to have a big impact on this battle due to the number of enemies and their high levels.”
“We’ll have to make use of our allies and third-party the Fujimori lines,” Quinlan agreed. But then, a sly glint shone in his eyes as he added, “That, however, doesn’t mean that we’ll have to remain idle for now.”
…
Captain Rynne, a Vesper Consortium member with the Veil Walker rank, stood at the battlements with her fists tight as another tremor rippled through the stronghold. Even in the illustrious Veil Walker rank, she was a renowned person with many centuries of experience. She was once Maelstrom’s Vesper Phenom, whom he sponsored, and the woman had never left the army department since.
She had climbed to being one of his most trusted and capable subordinates, being akin to what Vex was to Black Fang—just with a little less trust between the two compared to the lunatic duo.
Rynne watched as the barrier above her shuddered. The pale blue dome splintered with each blow from the Fujimori siege engines.
Cracks laced across its surface. She muttered a curse under her breath. “Fucking slit-eyed slut…”
That first cut Kaede made had been strange, harboring unique qualities with it. Whatever technique it was, it had carved into the barrier’s core and slowed its natural healing. Instead of snapping back together, as it should when so many of Rynne’s mages and architects were working in tandem toward its restoration, the barrier lingered half-closed, leaving it weaker with every strike of enemy artillery.
She touched a small crystal at her ear and spoke. “General Maelstrom, please report on your status.”
The line carried static for a moment before the familiar deep voice rumbled back. “The Consortium has been alerted, rest assured. I am departing with twenty thousand soldiers, counting fifty Veil Walkers among them. Expect us within an hour.”
Rynne’s lips thinned. “Understood. I will hold as long as I can.” Her eyes flicked to the growing cracks. “But once the barrier gives, I cannot promise this place will stand long enough for reinforcements.”
“Do what you can,” Maelstrom replied, and the crystal dimmed.
Rynne tightened her grip on the stone railing. Time was her enemy now. The barrier would not last, not against this constant fire. She was about to shout for her officers to prepare for a rally when a soldier beside her pointed outward with a trembling hand.
“Captain! Something strange is happening!”
She turned. Behind the Fujimori ranks, the ground itself bulged. Earth swelled, heaved, and then rose, shaping itself into a hill where no hill had been before. Her breath caught as pale silver gleamed across its surface. One after another, constructs took form along the ridge. Ballistae with crescent-shaped arms, trebuchets carved from moonlight, towers bristling with ethereal cannons.
The first volley came like rain. Silver bolts and luminous shells fell, but not on the Fujimori front lines where their sturdy melee units stood. Their target was the vulnerable rear. Supply carts shattered. Trebuchets burned as destructive moonlight spread across their frames. Barracks tents were torn apart under the barrage. Chaos rippled down the Fujimori ranks as officers screamed and tried to push their soldiers back into order.
The army of Silverwind were not fools, however. Protective wards rose in some parts, making the projectiles miss. Even though the strange moon-mage emerged unexpectedly, the Fujimori did not keel over and admit defeat just like that.
Their reaction was quick.
Mages threw up barriers. Shield walls shifted. Orders rang out, and units peeled away from the front to strike at the hill. Farther back, siege mages began unleashing their bombardments toward the new position.
Rynne squinted to try seeing the one responsible, doing her best to identify whoever it was.
But before she could do that, from the center of the moonlit ridge, a man walked forward.