Legacy of the Dark Sage

BOOM!

A loud explosion erupted from the sky of the Ylfaen Empire, creating powerful ripples above. It was soon followed by a shockwave that spread in every direction, with the location of the hole in the sky as the starting point.

Those people who persisted in investigating what was happening under the hole in the sky were the first ones to receive the brunt of the shockwave. Although no one died, all of them were blown away several hundreds of meters along with the trees and dirt, and sustained quite a number of internal and external injuries.

Myst and Raya were no exception. They were also blown away by the shockwave. However, they managed to escape unscathed after using the transmission scroll they kept with them for emergencies. They were then transported outside the Regis Estate's Inner Wall.

"W-What the hell was that just now?" Raya cried out in alarm as soon as he appeared. He directed his attention toward the direction of the hole at once.

Myst appeared a few feet from his left just in time to hear him. He too was looking toward the hole's direction.

"No matter what that was, it doesn't look good!" He said with furrowed brows.

He was not being an alarmist. The reason he said it was because even after they were transported hundreds of kilometers away from the heart of the explosion, the ground before they still shook and the shockwave seemed to be approaching at an alarming speed.

"Young master... escaped from there, right?" Raya could not help but voiced his concern.

"I don't know," Myst replied. "But we have a more pressing matter."

He looked at their surroundings in concern and added, "If the strength of that shockwave is not reduced before coming here, it will likely destroy the Regis Outer Wall."

Raya gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. As much as he was worried about Kyran's welfare, Myst was right. They could not allow that explosion to destroy the Outer Wall. It was not because they were attached to the land itself but because they were given strict orders to keep the Outer Wall safe.

They did not know the full details but there was something in the Outer Wall that they had to protect.

Honestly, when the Regis Clan decided to retreat inside the Inner Wall, Patriarch Aron had done something to ensure that whatever it was they needed to protect in the Outer Wall would still be 'safe.' He also gambled on the fact that outsiders would not be able to recognize what it was and would likely ignore it.

"We have to let the Patriarch know," Raya agreed and immediately looked at the camp near the Inner Wall's gate.

"Crap, they already left."

As if realizing his words seemed off, Raya's expression turned odd as he rephrased, "I mean, it's good that everyone has left but—."

"Keep your rantings to yourself," Myst interrupted him. "Have you been to Ravenpass?"

"Just close to its border."

"Then go. I'll stay and keep watch. Inform Patriarch about the situation here—."

"There is no need."

A voice cut him midsentence from behind.

The two turned and saw Mannick appear before them.

"You are...."

Myst and Raya obviously knew who Mannick was, but they only knew him as the Royal Army's Deputy Marshal.

"There is no time," Mannick told them. "I'll protect this place. You two go to the Ravenpass and prepare."

Myst and Raya's expressions turned solemn.

There were a number of interpretations of Mannick's usage of the word 'prepare.' However, Myst and Raya knew the correct one. Given the situation, there was only one reason they had to prepare.

War is coming.

"Will you be fine?" Raya could not help but ask.

As far as he was concerned, Mannick was only an Exalted. No matter how perverse his magic seemed to be, or how powerful his greatsword skills were, it was not something that could counter the approaching shockwave.

"You need not concern about my welfare," Mannick told him with a slight smile. "What's coming is just a form of unrestrained magic energy. I can handle that."

Raya did not understand what Mannick meant, but he did not dwell on it and said while lowering his head, "We have the responsibility to protect this place. However, we also have a responsibility to our people. If you can protect this place, we will be forever grateful."

Myst also lowered his head. fre𝙚𝓌𝒆𝚋noѵel.c𝚘m

"Go," Mannick told them. He did not mean to sound dismissive, but time was of the essence.

The two nodded, not taking to heart Mannick's dismissive attitude.

Raya took out a transmission scroll and used it, taking Myst along with him to the Ravenpass's border.

Mannick faced the approaching shockwave, his expression turning cold.

Unlike Myst and Raya, Mannick knew why it was important to protect the Regis Outer Wall. Few knew it was because the Regis Grand Array was there.

The array was too precious and could not be easily fixed if the Outer Wall was destroyed. Frankly, it was not wrong to say that the Outer Wall was part of the array itself.

Mannick roused his magic and the magic energies around him stirred. His eyes turned to gold as he levitated in the air while still facing the direction of the shockwave— which was now only a few hundred meters away.

With how things had turned out, Mannick no longer cared about overstepping the boundary at which he could meddle in the Human plane.

Besides, the explosion clearly was a form of threat directed at him as the Sovereign of the Human plane. There was no way he would let it slide. He might not be able to fix the hole or prevent those Sovereigns outside from descending, but he could at least reduce the damage they would inflict.

'Now.'

Mannick's body emitted a blinding light and the magic energies around him became visible to the naked eye. After that, they circled him and expanded outward.

As it did, he noticed an array formation nearby and immediately recognized that it was created by Kyran.

With a wave of his hand, Mannick manipulated the magic energies to ensure they would not disrupt the flow of magic energy around the formation. If the formation received a surge of magic energies, there was a possibility it would explode.

Soon, the magic energies covered the whole Regis Estate.

*

The shockwave also arrived at the Boyd Family's Villa.

Osric and the rest of the Boyd family leaders were already outside, reinforcing the villa's barrier to endure the shockwave.

However, even before the shockwave touched the villa's border, a light golden sheen-like veil suddenly appeared, covering the whole land. 𝐟𝓇ℯ𝐞𝚠𝚎𝒃𝑛𝒐ѵe𝚕.co𝚖

Actually, it was not only the Boyd Family's Villa that had been covered by the light golden veil but the whole of Meliora City.

Osric and the Boyd family leaders were both in awe and confused as to who summoned such a huge barrier. However, their doubts were soon answered as they saw a floating figure above.

"Y-Your Highness!" Osric shouted in fear.

Only a couple of hours had passed since the time Haylee broke down and suddenly she was right before them and they did not even notice it until now.

Haylee turned and lowered her gaze to look at Osric, she smiled slightly and said, "Osric, you have done well in protecting my body."

Osric's eyes immediately widened as he realized the voice that came out of Haylee's lips was a little different. However, it did not sound foreign to him. It even sounded familiar, which brought tears to his eyes.

"Milady... Layla."

Haylee— or rather, Layla smiled, "It took a while. But I'm back now."

"L-Lady Layla!" The Boyd family leaders prostrated on the ground and with zealous expressions looked at Layla. "We have long awaited your return!"

"I know," Layla said and slowly descended to the ground. "My successor has a very strong will and it took me some time to take over. But that is unimportant now."

She looked at Osric, who had already genuflected.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, milady," Osric answered at once. "We only await your orders."

Layla nodded and wandered her eyes among the Boyd family leaders. With a slight frown, she said, "I don't see little Ingrid."

"She is currently in the Lumley residence, taking over their family."

"Is that so?" Layla waved her hand and a light golden sphere appeared before her. Her sapphire blue eyes glowed and small white lights came out of the sphere. They gathered above it, seemingly trying to form into a shape. However, they stopped midway and scattered.

Layla's beautiful face instantly distorted in anger.

"I can't find her."

Osric and the others looked at her in shock.

"Someone took her," Layla said through gritted teeth. She crushed the sphere and said, "Dispatch our people near the Lumley residence. I want to know what happened there."

"Yes, milady."

"Gather the rest here. We are going to the Regis Estate."

*

Meanwhile, inside the Regis Terram, Kyran was oblivious to what was happening outside.