Chapter 1280  Eldoria Kingdom

Away from the fight in Mount Ehler, and almost at the same time, a different event was taking place. The monsters-infested ocean slammed its high waves to the sh.o.r.es of Levan Island, bringing forth both isolation and monsters.

On the island stood an imposing kingdom, or what has remained of its capital. The merge was not merciful enough to transport kingdoms as whole, after all. And many lost their armies, and had no strength to fend for themselves.

The monsters, looking like humanoid fishmen with muscles and large fins, strolled the beaches of the island. They marched toward the human settlement on the island, eager to devour.

As the group of monsters was near, however, they were stopped by something invisible. A great barrier surrounded the island, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

The monsters howled, attacked, and threw themselves at the barrier. However, it did not even budge. Behind the monsters and into the horizon, countless ships appeared on both sides of the island.

As for the city sheltered inside the barrier, it remained unharmed, although tension was bubbling beneath the surface. Atop the high walls that oversaw the ocean stood a group of people surveying the escalating situation.

"Answer me, Ronin," began a woman wearing a luxurious dress while gazing at the battleships surrounding her from both sides. "Is my kingdom destined to fall?"

"Just misfortune," said Master Ronin standing beside her. "But there is none to happen today. I can a.s.sure you of that," said the old man as he gazed at the ships. "Your city will stand."

"And how can I believe you, exactly?" asked the woman again before turning to the third man standing beside them. "Our savior is almost exhausted, and he is not to blame."

"I will protect this place until the end," said the savior in question with a grin. "I came as soon as I received your summoning, but never considered the situation to be this dire."

"You are our greatest hope, after all, and our debt to you can never be repaid," said the woman with a sigh. "If not for your shield, Mirani, then my kingdom would have fallen several times by now."

"It was never your fault, June," said Master Ronin with a frown. "Those d.a.m.n calamities have cornered you from every side, each leeching to grow stronger. Now that the world has merged, they abandon you without a second thought."

"When did you start to comfort me?" June laughed at his attempts. "I know very well the unfortunate fate my kingdom has, but how can I abandon it?"

"And that"s why you will always see me here." Mirani Tate spread his arms wider, infusing more mana into his shield. "I need more mana crystals, June."

"We have just that box over there," said the queen with a pitiful glance. "Today might be the end of our history."

"Don"t be..." Master Ronin was about to console her again, but June raised her hand.

"Do you remember what we did to Kera?" asked June the two men, who were silent in response. "We might have been threatened by a calamity into invading it and terrorizing its citizens, but we are still the culprits behind that tragedy. Now, we face the same."

Master Ronin and Tate could no longer comfort the woman. She knew the blood on her hands, and the lives she sacrificed to protect her citizens. As they saw the ships inch closer to their sh.o.r.es, a young man descended atop a cloud.

"I surveyed the surrounding, but nothing. No mana vein, no allies we can seek, and no portal we can exploit," explained the young man with disappoint. "We... have nothing."

"Good job, Jono," said June with a smile. "You can take your sister and leave this place using the clouds. If we die here, then we might as well save a few to carry on our blood."

"Melania is working to calm the citizens down," said Jono while looking down. "And there is no meaning in surviving with nothing to survive for. I want to die with our kingdom."

"The Eldoria Kingdom no longer exists, foolish child," said June as she stared into the ocean. "We were never meant to exist."

The four stood atop the walls of the palace, each lost in their thoughts as the inevitable drew near. Below, the ocean waves crashed violently against the rocky sh.o.r.e, a fitting backdrop for the chaos about to unfold. The ships from both West and East Sourna, enemies in their own right, sailed closer, their intentions clear. They sought to capitalize on Eldoria"s strategic location, turning it into a military base for their ongoing war.

June broke the silence first. "Our options are running out," she said, her voice tinged with despair. "We have no army, no allies, and our resources are almost depleted."

Master Ronin, her husband, nodded solemnly. "Our only defense is the shield that Mirani has constructed. But even that won"t hold forever."

Mirani Tate, the savior and protector of Eldoria, infused more mana into the shield, his face etched with exhaustion. "I will keep this barrier up as long as I can, but we need a miracle."

June turned to Ronin, her eyes filled with regret. "I"m sorry, Ronin, for everything. For abandoning you when you needed me the most."

Ronin looked at her, his expression softening. "I understand, June. Your kingdom was in the midst of a civil war. You had no choice but to return."

She sighed, recalling the day a messenger from her original world, Alka, had sought her out. "I left you with Melania because she was too weak to be transported. And then, when she was older, I took her, believing she belonged with her mother and people. I"m sorry for that too."

Ronin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I don"t blame you, June. When I arrived here, I saw the monsters plaguing your kingdom from every corner. I couldn"t leave you to face that alone."

June then turned to Mirani. "And to you, Mr. Tate, I owe an even greater apology. For attacking your city, for the destruction and pain I caused."

Mirani shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "I understand your reasons. The Calamity of Greed threatened your kingdom. You had no choice but to help him invade Earth. I"ve been to Alka, I"ve seen the devastation. I can"t hold that against you."

The bleakness of their situation settled over them like a shroud. The ships had reached the sh.o.r.es, and armies began to disembark, their intent to breach the shield and conquer Eldoria clear. Mirani"s shield held strong, but it was only a matter of time.

As the soldiers attacked the shield, the city within remained eerily quiet, tension palpable in the air. After bombarding the shield with runes and elemental attacks, it gave in and shattered.

The gates were breached, and chaos erupted. Citizens screamed, running for their lives as the enemy armies, armed with force fields—a power they had never seen before—slaughtered their way toward the palace.

June closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of her kingdom dying. The walls shook with the bombardment, and the cries of her people echoed in her ears. She breathed deeply, steeling herself for what she had to do.

"Enough," she whispered, opening her eyes. "I will not let this continue."

She turned to the others, her resolve clear. "I will surrender myself. Perhaps they will spare our citizens."

Ronin"s eyes widened in alarm. "No, June. You can"t. We can find another way."

But June"s gaze was firm. "There is no other way. This is the end."

Mirani and Ronin exchanged a glance, both knowing they couldn"t change her mind. Mirani"s shield finally gave out, and the enemy soldiers stormed the gates, breaking through the last line of defense.

June stepped forward, her head held high. "I will go to them. Stay here and protect as many as you can." Master Ronin wanted to stop her, but June"s glance silenced him. "This is my choice, Ronin. Let me do this.

As the old man felt helpless, wishing that he was no seer, but a fighter that could save them, he suddenly felt dizzy and staggered backward.

June hurried to catch him, supporting him as his eyes rolled back and he began muttering incomprehensible things. The group was confused, but a few moments later, Master Ronin snapped his eyes open.

"He is here!" shouted the old man with a low voice, surprising them. "We will survive!"

"What are you saying?" asked June with confusion as he held her arm tight, looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"My disciple... has come to save us."

Before the group could understand what he meant, the sky suddenly turned dark. Lightning thundered through the sky, stopping the invasion and the armies in their track.

Everyone raised their eyes toward the sky, watching the storm that appeared out of nowhere, following by a flash of lightning that blinded their eyes. The moment they could see again, they saw a figure standing in the sky.

His black robes were lined with golden engravings, suiting his golden eyes and black hair. As he raised his hands, black lightning danced around them. Then, his voice boomed through the city, low and threatening.

"My name is Arthur Netherborne," he began. "And if Sourna does not retreat this instant... it will no longer exist."