Caelum and Zarco remained still in front of the stairs, silent and motionless, until they realize that the source of the sound was not approaching.

Realizing this, both of them exchanged glances in silence and sneak up the steps, when they got close enough to see the source of the noise they were surprised to see a bunch of civilians.

Zarco stared at Caelum completely confused, waiting for her to somehow explain what was happening.

Caelum stared back at him while slightly shaking her head, trying to demonstrate that she too had no idea of what was going on.

Even though the desperate civilians were extremely noisy, when they focused, both of them could hear even more noise coming from upstairs.

<--------------// ~ // ------------->

Outside of the prison, on the battleground, human soldiers ran around trying to hold back the angel's forces while guiding the civilians into the prison, all of them following Potentia's orders that echoed throughout the city.

Potentia

-Fast! Regroup in the dungeon! Civilians and the wounded seek shelter inside!

Potentia thought to herself while looking around.

-Damn, where are you Morietur! Going alone like this is suicide!

The human forces regrouped around the stone prison, guarding the position while the crowd of peasants continued to go into the building.

Potentia notices that the angels weren't advancing at full force and then yells to her soldiers.

-Everyone! Something is wrong! Back off! Stand your ground!

Potentia sees some soldiers leaving the dungeon after having finished guiding a group of people into the prison.

Potentia yells to them.

-You! Go to my father's mansion and help his personal guard to escort him here!

Soldiers

-Y-yes, ma'am!

Potentia

-Archers! Go up the prison's roof and defend this position!

Basilius stare emotionless at the battlefield below, the city of his enemies burning, their soldiers running around, all of them flowing towards the dungeon.

Luscinia, who flew by his side, worrying a little about his inaction decided to point the obvious to see if it would drive him into action.

-They're regrouping.

Basilius gives her a calm look and then says.

-I see, I thought they would go directly on a frontal attack against us, like the fools they are.

Back to observing the war, Basilius notices an unpleasant sight, Morietur, still alive, being carried on the back of his pegasus flying while a group of angels knights chased him on theirs own pegasus.

Basilius says with a displeased look on his face.

-They are still on it...

After turning his face to Luscinia, Basilius continues

-Carry out the gunpowder attack now.

Luscinia

-Yes, your majesty.

Luscinia raises her halberd thus signaling Leo to start the attack, he then commands one of the archers to shoot a specific arrow with a powder bag attached to it, after lighting a wick, the arrow flies and explodes like a firework in the middle of the sky.

Shortly after, trios of pegasus fly from above carrying with them powder kegs tied by ropes in their cells, mounted on the pegasus are angels duos, one armed with a torch and a shield while the other wields a spear.

Potentia, seeing the pegasus in the distance, speaks to herself

-Oh no…

In an almost desperate roar, Potentia orders her forces.

-Fast! To prison! All in positions! Takedown those pegasus! Don't let them get close to here!

Quickly the mounted angels fly over the village, lighting the pavis of the barrels and then cutting the ropes, they then fall, exploding into buildings and huddles of people, including both civilians and soldiers, those who flew into the prison's direction were quickly shot down by archers, but even so, they ended up falling close, killing those who ran towards the dungeon.

At the end of the attack, the only building standing in good condition was the prison, the wooden huts and houses were reduced to pieces and ash mixed with the earth while the manor where their leader lived was reduced to a simple pile of rubble.

Morietur stares in shock at the massive destruction with teary eyes.

Potentia, seeing her home in pieces in the distance, gasps in shock.

Basilius, without showing any emotion, speaks without an iota of contentment.

-Luscinia, let's advance now.

Basilius then flies forward, directly into the prison, accompanied by Luscinia right behind the angel infantry that flew by Apis, and even further in the background Leo leading archers and cavalry alongside Salus who led a small fleet with some medics into battle.

Potentia sees them approaching and forces herself to mentally prepare for the confrontation, she quickly looked around to better analyze her force's condition, all her remaining troops were either inside the prison preparing and defending the civilians or were outside defending the building. They were clearly outmatched.

But before she could yell any more orders, before her archers could fire anymore arrow, before their soldiers could counterattack, before any of them could properly react. Basilius lifted his hand with a clenched fist, while the crystal on his ring glowed brightly, in the next instant, Zarco, Caelum, Potentia, and all those in prison and its surroundings felt something was very wrong, it was like everything that descended in their bodies reversed and began to rise, and a moment later they found themselves in middle of the air, as if they were falling upwards.

All of the angels watched in awe at a huge area of land rising into the sky, raising both the prison and its underground dungeon. A few moments later, a flying island was formed and finished, calmly floating above the ruins of the city.

Basilius faces the island he had created as he slowly opens his fist, the crystal stops glowing and he watches his creation fall, and quickly shatter against the ground.

Clouds of dust cover the remains of the collapsed building, barely standing on the uneven terrain of loose stone and earth that formed in the collision.

Basilius then raises his scythe upwards and then points it towards the prison as he shouts.

-Forward!

His army flies by him in a rush, yelling and roaring full of determination while Basilius himself remained still, his only movement was the flaps of his four wings to remain in the air.

Basilius stayed that way for a while, watching his army flying above the ruins while the humans were fallen on the ground, upon seeing this scene he let a relaxed smile escape, as if an immense weight had just been taken off his back. Calmly, Basilius whispered to himself.

-It's over.

END OF THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER