As Deveralna instructed both lamias and dragons, Olivia gave her orders to her maids.

While the dragons' arrival shocked the entire faction, it took only a few minutes for the lamias to warm up to the giant creatures.

With the dragons being calmer than expected, everything went smoothly until the entire defense line was built.

As the two Agathions were dealing with the last instructions, the air became heavier.

A low pulse traveled across the region as the white spot grew and ripped open the fabric of space and time.

"It's opening."

Olivia walked next to Deveralna with a frown. The lamia Queen slowly nodded, her eyes fixed on the forest blocking the view to the rift.

"Deveralna, are you ready?"

The air around Olivia was different from usual. Maybe it was caused by her demonic appearance, but her words and gaze were sharper.

"I am."

A static field formed around Deveralna as a response to her intense will to defend her city and citizens.

"We've got our plan. You and the dragons will attack the largest and most dangerous beasts coming out of the portal, while my maids and your people will defend against the slower force."

"I heard from Florian that a lot of basic corrupt beasts, and even a few Lords, appeared during the attack on Albriar, so we'll be careful."

Giving a nod to her friends as she glanced toward her, Deveralna was about to say something.

But Olivia was faster.

"Don't worry about us. Believe in your people."

"Believe in me."

Slamming her hand on her chest, Olivia smiled. The dangerous aura vanished for a second while she waited for a reaction from Deveralna.

"Let's do this, Olivia."

Stretching her right hand toward her, she made a fist. Olivia replicated the same movement and fist bumped her.

'I'm not alone.'

Compared to the battle she went through during the war, this time she had Olivia with her.

Her mood was beyond its limit, giving her a strength she had no idea existed.

"We'll put our training into action. Show me what fighting against Elliott did to you."

With a faint smile, Deveralna leaned forward, stretching her wings widely. With a sharp nod, she flew off the ground at incredible speed and overtook the dragons waiting near the front of the defense line.

Olivia's smile vanished, replaced by a heavy gaze.

'My city, your city. Both are the same. We have the same responsibilities, and that's why I decided to support you.'

'Because we're all in the same boat. We'll help each other and make it through these difficult times.'

Her demonic black ink wings flapped behind her back as she left the area, joining with her maids.

...

*CRACK*

In the distance, the low pulse turned into a violent glass-shattering noise.

The small white spot rapidly opened into a gigantic white rift, letting thousands of creatures rush out of its core.

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They trampled everything on their path, burned the vegetation, drowned the land, and ravaged the earth.

As if the natural beauty of the world meant nothing to them, only desolation and destruction were left behind.

Most of the forces that left the rift were basic beasts: boars, bears, wolves, etc...

Yet, a new element was brought forth. This time around, moles appeared to be part of the corrupt army. Giant diggers that tunneled the beasts directly into the enemies' lines of defense.

But, the most dangerous enemies of the invading force only came after the lower-grade corrupt came out.

Dragons. Corrupted dragons.

But not any kind of dragons, like those residing in Triazils.

Monolavir's eyes squinted abruptly when the first dragon flew out of the rift.

"I don't recognize this dragon."

He growled wildly. In his head, he had registered every single dragon in his faction.

Each of them was known to Monolavir, as he led the entire nest.

Not recognizing the dragon that appeared before him stunned him and angered him.

"It's not a normal dragon, Mono."

Ruminona also glared at the enemy as more of the same dragon came out of the rift.

Thin, smaller, and more violent dragons flew in circles above the rift as more of them joined the circle.

Deveralna flew between the two dragons and stopped. She observed the incoming stampede of beasts under her and then at the flying beasts.

"Shadow dragons?"

She was instinctively reminded of Nylon's art of merging with shadows. These creatures looked more inorganic than any other creature, with only red eyes and sharp appendages to actually show their physical form.

"Those aren't dragons."

Releasing a powerful growl, Monolavir sounded furious.

"Not only did that monster transform my brother into a corrupt dragon, but he also played with our genes! How much disrespect are we going to suffer before Miasma is satisfied?"

Icy crystals formed behind his four wings, which reflected the light of the sun before melting.

"Mono, don't let your rage consume you once again."

Hearing Ruminona's worried tone, Monolavir glanced toward her. He leaned his long neck toward her and looked at his companion.

A flashing image of Ruminona caring for their eggs appeared in his mind.

"I'll be careful."

His head turned to Deveralna. Again, he was reminded why he was here.

'Becoming a threat to the other faction will not help us in the long term. I have to put my wrath to the side and manage it calmly.'

Clearing his head of his anger, Monolavir closed his eyes while talking to Deveralna.

"Those aren't dragons. I have no idea what to call these abominations, but do not mix us."

With a nod, Deveralna glanced at him over her shoulder.

"There's no way I would mistake a dragon for these frail things. I know how broad and powerful a dragon's physique is."

Satisfied by her answer, Monolavir glared forward, waiting for her order to attack.

Deveralna looked down. The invading stampede was about to enter the area designated by Olivia to fire at them.

She took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"My people! Do not fear!"

Lamias and humans looked up at the echoing voice.

"The time you had to perfect your newly obtained power may have been short, but do not act foolishly!"

"Defend this city with everything you have, but do not sacrifice yourself. This place needs you!"

"Luckily, you have allies to depend on! Act according to your abilities! My trust in each of you is unwavering!"

The lamias looked at their Queen with various emotions. She was a Queen like no other before.

Deveralna responded to their shouts and cheers with a smile, though they were unable to see her as she was incredibly high in the sky.

"Monolavir."

The dragon opened his eyes and looked at the Remnant, his progenitor.

"We'll differentiate these beasts. You are powerful dragons, and these are lesser dragons."

"Call these drakes."

In her eyes, as she obtained the power to create her own faction and modify the existing one if she so desired, she could see the close relationship between the dragons and the drakes.

'They are lesser dragons. There is no mistake about it. This is neither a new branch of evolution nor a new faction.'

'They are a product of transforming a powerful base into an agile type. They appear less powerful than our dragons, but they compensate with their swiftness.'

The sigil in her pupils flashed as she analyzed her enemies.

'I don't like this. This is similar to creating a new faction. At least, that's what the knowledge in my head tells me.'

With a frown, she leaned forward.

"ATTACK!"

She heard Olivia scream the order to attack, followed by the sounds of explosions below.

Only a second later, she gave her own order.

"Dragons! Destroys those copies!"

Electricity wrapped around her wings, and Deveralna left her spot, leaving a shockwave behind.

*ROAR*

The dragons heard Monolavir and Ruminona's roars and gave one of their own as they separated into two groups.

Monolavir's group followed Deveralna. Those were dragons familiar with battles.

The other group, led by Ruminona, descended on the stampede to help the lamias. This group was composed of only ten dragons, which were those who had entered adulthood recently.

Complete destruction happened below, as even those young dragons were strong enough to destroy a city if they wanted to.

...

On the ground, Olivia's battlefield.

"Maid squad! Defend the lamia from any beast!"

Standing in a line in front of the long walls of defense where the lamia aimed their magic, the twenty-seven maids relaxed their shoulders.

Threads of metal dropped from the rings around their fingers, ready to slice at the beasts coming at them.

"Your job is to eliminate the beasts that were not killed by the lamias' magic! Don't advance into the enemy line!"

Extending her hand forward, she shouted her orders clearly.

"Lamias! As your Queen spoke, do not exhaust yourself! We're here to support you!"

The lamias looked at the women standing below them and felt complex emotions.

Until Marie leaped forward and sliced a mole that jumped out of the ground into thousands of disgusting pieces of meat.

At that instant, the women of the lamia faction understood what they had to do.

One by one, they began to use their newly acquired magic.

Boulders and flames mixed into meteors that destroyed the enemies. Tornadoes picked up broken-down trees and pierced the hearts and brains of the beasts, and lightning and water fused to electrocute everything.

Anything that wasn't wiped out by these combinations was killed by the maids, who stayed focused the entire time.

The main problem rapidly became the moles. Their massive tunnels created a path for the other beasts, which caused quite a few headaches for the maids.

*WUSH*

A violent wind suddenly fell down on the battlefield as massive shadows were cast upon the enemies.

Each time a mole appeared, a dragon dropped with its entire weight on the tunnel, creating a cave in inside.

These dragons were unable to use their magic yet, but they were nonetheless a power to be reckoned with.

As smaller beasts tried to bite their scales, they opened their mouths and ripped the corrupt beasts to shreds, crushing them with their claws and swiping them with their tail.

The lamias were forced to adapt and avoid attacking their allies, but even if they did, the dragons were naturally resistant to magic.

*BOOM*

Olivia's gaze turned to the back of the battlefield.

'Here they come.'

As expected, an army of 'Corrupted Lords' appeared. Their sheer presence terrified the lamias, who stopped firing their magic.

Some lamias had exhausted their magic and were forced to retreat to safety, while the others stared in disbelief as monsters with elemental features walked toward them.

At that moment, Olivia lifted her hand forward.

"Fire! Do not hesitate!"

A dark veil covered the entire battlefield, ignoring allies and affecting enemies.

'This sea of darkness. Can you escape it?'

Her eyes darkened as the Lords began to rip each other's throats violently.

Alarmed but focused, the lamias shook away their doubts and continued to attack the enemies.

'How are you doing, Deveralna?'