The convoy of Blue Oaks people continued to follow the road. Ten minutes of careful travel resulted in just more road. No traps were sprung nor were there any more ambushes. Mathew idly wondered if those that broke off to attack the archers were okay, but knew he couldn’t focus on them.
It wasn’t long before the tops of some buildings were spotted over the trees. Just two buildings were tall enough to be seen. Mathew didn’t know what the city used to be called, nor did he really care. Once he acquired it, it would fall under Blue Oak’s ownership. Just like New Watago did.
There was a sudden change in the area around them. Signs of combat were apparent along the road and in vehicles. Chunks of concrete were missing or cracked. Scorch marks covered the ground and bordered abandoned cars. Some cars were missing doors or were torn in half.
It was obvious what this place was. This was where the elves would typically fight off any unwanted visitors. “Just how many people died here seeking shelter? Seeking help. Sure, I imagine some people were looking to take without giving anything in return, but everyone? That’s hard to doubt.”
There was a bend in the road ahead. The tension in the air was thick with anticipation of what could happen at any given moment. Even Mathew wondered if they were about to be attacked. Looking around, he realized it was a great place to perform an ambush.
You could only see maybe a few hundred feet in either direction of the road. The cars and trees blocked any view in all other directions. It was the perfect kill chamber.
Yet, they were not attacked. Not here. They pressed forward. Once they made the turn in the road, Mathew saw something shocking that they were not told about.
A giant wall made of intertwining trees stood across the street. The wood was woven together like a blanket. Mathew couldn’t see anything through all the crisscrossing branches. The wall itself stood nearly forty, maybe fifty feet tall.
The most surprising fact was it seemed to spread in either direction into the wilderness. No gate or way through the wall was apparent. Luckily it didn’t seem to have any guards by the wall.
Henderson beat Mathew to what he was about to say, “Someone go scout around, see if you can figure out where this wall ends if at all.”
A dozen people broke off and ran in opposite directions. Mathew looked over at Agnox and nodded toward the wall. “Go look over the wall, but don’t get close. I don’t want you getting shot out of the air.”
The imp gave a two-finger salute and leaped into the air and started to flap his wings. Mathew looked around to be sure there was no lingering danger anywhere around. Once he was sure, he sunk his vision into his familiars using his [Attentiveness] ability’s primary feature. He didn’t bother using the senses of his summons since they were typically with him.
In cases like this, it was a great use. Mathew saw the city behind the wall. It was about the same size as New Watago, but without a river cutting it in half. It was less gridlike in structure with more open space between sections of the city. In the distance toward the center of the city, Mathew could see another wall.
This one was made of metal and other materials. In the outer ring, Mathew could see deconstruction was being done to buildings. Harvesting them for materials. Stacks of stone, metal, wood and other miscellaneous materials were seen occasionally.
To anyone else, it would look like a normal city with extra construction. However, it was missing one important thing. People. More specifically Humans and Elves.
Mathew didn’t see a single living creature anywhere. From what Henderson told him, the Elven Dungeon was near the city on the other side of where they were now. Mathew guessed the entrance was within this wall, but outside the center wall.
“I bet that center area has everyone else there. That is unless the elves killed them all. No, they would enslave them not kill them. The Feather Halo clan wasn’t like that according to some of the others that were questioned. Up until they attacked the Volkar Dungeon, the Elves were stoic assholes, but not evil or abusive. That doesn’t mean things hadn’t changed in the past few days.”
Mathew withdrew his vision back to his own body. He looked over at Henderson, “There is a center wall. I don’t see anybody, nor anyway around this wall. It goes all the way around I think.”
“Great, so we need to bash our way through it.”
Mathew pursed his lips in thought, “I bet I could get through it with [Fracture] but that would be a waste of mana. Would it only work on a single tree, or since they were grouped it would work on them all?”
Several people took steps toward the wall. Mathew noticed all of them had some sort of magical casting focus. Staves, wands, and orbs. They all stood in a line and various sprays of magical attacks hit the wall all at once. A mix of fire, green gas, and purple energy splashed against the wooden wall.
“Woah!” Mathew half shouted. It was powerful. The stream of energy from those individuals outmatched him except for his ice spear that he has never been able to replicate.
The attack lasted for only ten seconds before it started to peter off. Once the smoke cleared only a small hole was seen before it was quickly covered by fast-growing trees.
Curses and shocked disappointment were carried across the convoy.
“That’s cheating!”
“How the hell do we get through something like that?”
“That was my most powerful spell!”
Mathew agreed but knew they had one group of people who had yet to try anything. He looked around for a small ten-man team that was standing off to the side on their own. He spotted the familiar face of Tarnic Hugh Musslof.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The said man was wearing a drastically different outfit than the normal clothes he first met the man wearing. He was wearing a knee long leather duster and a cowboy hat. Held across his chest was a weapon straight out of a science fiction movie. Next to him was the small six-legged turret.
Hugh was grinning like he won something as he watched the wall repair itself. The Technomancer looked over at Mathew and gave him a wink before motioning for Mathew to come over to him.
The Summoner obliged and walked over. Cherry followed him. The Dryad was in awe of the wall, wondering just how exactly it worked.
“Well, Mr. Mathew. It seems your magical casters can’t get through that there magical wall.”
“Yes, it does. You wouldn’t happen to have a way through, would you? I was told by Captain Henderson that you did.” Mathew was hoping this wasn’t going to turn into some pissing contest. “Hugh better pull through or so help me I am not giving him any extra building space.”
The man gave a toothy smile, “I might. I built a weapon for breaking down walls. Pesky things walls are. They get in the way. But, if you want me to help get everyone through here, all you need to do is ask.”
“Hugh, can you please help us get through this wall? If you do it, and the wall doesn’t close back in on us, you get first priority on your own personal workshop. It won’t be like The Workshop, but I’ll be sure to get a public one without taxes needed to be paid on it.”
Mathew wasn’t in the mood to play games. So he hung a carrot out to the Technomancer.
Hugh’s eyes lit up, “You didn’t need to bribe me, showing that classic machinery can get the job done better and gloating rights was all I ever wanted. No take backs though!”
With a sharp whistle, the robot next to him shuddered and started to unfold itself until it grew larger. It went from dog size to the size of a car in a few moments. It looked like it had empty slots on top of it for five people.
Mathew didn’t know what he was looking at. It wasn’t exactly a weapon, more like a moving platform.
Hugh climbed on top of it with four others. He inserted his gun into one of the stands followed by four more weapons being inserted in the other slots. Hugh started to turn knobs and move small slides.
The robot stood up and walked over to the wall, as it did Hugh and the four other Technomancers pulled out visors one would use if they were welding.
Mathew blinked once and took several steps back.
A high-pitched whine slowly grew coming from the machine. “I suggest you all step back and look away. I’m not liable for any damage to your retinas!” Hugh shouted followed by a maniac laugh.
The robot’s body folded more and a giant barrel was formed. A white glow started to form at the end pointing at the wall. The whine grew into a roar as the energy at the end of the barrel grew in size and power.
“Oh my god, he is going to blow the wall up!” Mathew realized. He grabbed Cherry and created his double [Mana Shield] layer in front of the both of them just as the weapon was fired.
The air pressure caused a moment of silence that was instantly replaced by an explosive *thwoom*. The bright flash of light momentarily blinded anyone that looked in its direction. Mathew’s robes fluttered as the pressure pushed against him and his shields.
He was smart to grab Cherry. He barely could withstand the blowback of the explosion. Several others were thrown backward several feet. There was no smoke once Mathew blinked away the lights in his eyes. Instead was a giant hole in the wall.
The hole was just slightly smaller than the width of the double-lane highway they were walking across. Everyone was in shock at the sheer destructive power that was shown. “I’m starting to think I am underestimating people. If five Technomancers could overdo what almost ten mages could do, then there has to be some sort of drawback.”
Mathew walked over to where Hugh was standing with a childlike glee on his face. “Well, there is your opening Mr. Mathew. If the trees grow back after that, I will be surprised.”
“I have to ask, what’s the downside to something that destructive?”
“Downside?” Hugh scratched at his face, “Oh, you mean how I could do something those mages couldn’t? That’s because I gave it my all! 100% power was used to get rid of the wall.” He said with a big grin.
“Wait, you mean you have nothing left to fight with?” Mathew asked with slight worry.
“Nope!”
“Hugh! What if you need to help us with more fights?”
He waved a dismissive hand, “You asked for the wall to be gone. Now it’s gone. You didn’t ask if I could help you after the wall was taken down. Honestly, we did a bit more than you ask.”
“All you did was get rid of this wall, what more did you do?” Mathew wanted to strangle him for being so careless and not thinking ahead. Cherry-picking his words was not going to keep him on Mathew’s good side.
Hugh pointed forward, “I cleared the way to the city center.”
Mathew followed his finger and saw the destruction did not stop at the wall. Houses, trees, fences, and anything else that was in the path of the laser were destroyed. His mouth closed from what he was about to say to Hugh.
Instead, he looked up at the Tarnic, “Hugh, I’ll have the building by next week. Do me a favor and see if you can help where you can with any injuries that appear during the upcoming fights.”