As Valicar made their way through the school, they couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected events that led to the Pillars' attack. They had no doubt been on the way to assault the school already but Sophia's probability magic had inadvertently played a role, tipping the scales in favor of the Pillars' timely assault on Helm Town. Whether it was a gust of wind that pushed their ships faster or a sailor becoming too drunk to perform their duties, these small factors had set the stage for the Pillars' devastating massacre to take place at this very moment.
The Archmage, a formidable and dangerous figure on par with any Pillar, would undoubtedly put up a fierce fight if confronted. But facing two Pillars at once would challenge even his power and skill. With the remaining city guard and any willing mages by his side, he might be able to hold his own for a while. However, decades had passed since Helm Hold faced such an assault, and the Pillars' attack could very well garner attention from the anti-empire alliance.
The assault on Helm Town might become the catalyst the alliance needed to launch a multi-pronged invasion of the empire. With the presence of powerful Pillars, it was easy for the empire to maintain its dominance over the central continent. The northern Pillar alone was nigh unbeatable, which deterred the alliance from launching large-scale attacks, as he could wipe out armies by himself. It was believed that he was on par, if not stronger, than Ignial the northern dragon, who had slumbered for centuries. However, with carefully planned offensives from different fronts, and with the combined forces from around the world, the alliance stood a chance of breaking the stalemate by exploiting the Pillars' inability to be everywhere at once.
However, uniting the various nations of the republic and the factions in the east and south proved difficult. Internal conflicts and rivalries made committing forces to a united front challenging. Only when the empire went on the offensive did the alliance temporarily unite to defend itself against the onslaught? The balance of power between the empire and the alliance kept borders unchanged for generations.
As the Pillars battled fiercely over Helm Town, lightning and meteors rained from the sky, only to be met with massive golden shields, protecting the templars' ships and troops. The Pillars' regeneration was instant, their wounds healing as quickly as they were inflicted. "God damn, and that monster is Easton's sister," Mike said, catching a glimpse of the Pillar of the South fighting Archmage Alaric Spellweaver.
"Apparently so. She looks so much younger than Easton; it must have something to do with their regeneration," Sophia contemplated as the woman launched a massive attack of golden light, killing dozens of wizards in a flash.
Shaking off the distraction, Valicar continued their mission, making their way into the Archmage's tower, heading for his office in search of the necromancy books. With the Pillars wreaking havoc outside, the school was in chaos, providing a perfect cover for their infiltration.
They navigated through the corridors, avoiding any potential encounters with Pillars or the Archmage's loyal guards. The atmosphere was tense, and the air was thick with magic. The twins used their abilities to remain undetected, slipping through hidden passages and secret doors to avoid notice.
Finally, they reached the Archmage's office. The door was protected by powerful wards, but Sophia was confident she could breach them. Concentrating her magic, she carefully dismantled the enchantments, allowing them entry.
As they made their way into the Archmage's office, nothing related to necromancy was obvious at first. The shelves were filled with numerous ancient tomes, artifacts, and scrolls. Sophia carefully scanned the collection with divination magic, searching for any sign of the forbidden knowledge they sought. After some scrutiny, she finally located the book they were after. A powerful enchantment had hidden the true nature of the tome, but Sophia's keen magical senses allowed her to see through the concealment. Among the vast collection, there was only one tome related to necromancy, along with other books hinting at powerful magic they had yet to learn. These books were a treasure trove of knowledge, but their urgency to leave the school outweighed their curiosity for now. They had no master to guide them, so they had to rely on these texts for their advancement.
Running down the corridors and evading templars and wizards alike, they made their way to the back of the school. The secrets of the necromancy book would have to wait for another day. Their priority was to escape the chaos of the Pillars' assault and find a safe place where they could study the tomes without risking exposure.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Finally, outside, they witnessed the epic battle unfolding down the mountain in Helm Town. Pillars clashed with the Archmage's forces, unleashing devastating magic upon each other. Golden beams of light sliced through the air, and powerful shields protected the templars from incoming attacks. The city was in turmoil, and the devastation was terrifying.
"Alaric Spellweaver is putting up a hell of a fight," Mike remarked, watching the Archmage unleash his formidable magic against the Pillars, every element under his command.
"His mana reserves must be insane. He's a fucking powerful mage," Sophia said jaw open, her eyes fixed on the battle. "But it seems like the Pillars have the upper hand. We should get as far away from here as possible before they spot us."
Nodding in agreement, Sophia and Mike decided to leave the school grounds and head towards the outskirts of Helm Hold. But a voice cracked through the air before them. "You led them here, imp! Now here you are skulking away like a rat, with the school's treasures in hand and our home burned to the ground." It was Orion, the elf they had defeated in the magical games, back for revenge and what he saw as justice. Although they had to admit he was somewhat right – they were the reason the attack had come sooner due to Sophia's magic – they had no time to deal with him now.
"Fuck off, pointy! We don't have time for you!" Mike shouted, swiftly performing a hand sign to summon his sword. With practiced coordination, they danced around Orion's air blades, and before he could even get off the ground, Mike cut him in half, not holding back. As Orion's two halves hit the ground, a look of utter disbelief had taken over his face. The twins had grown stronger in the few months, and after a night of slaughter, they were a perfect killing machine with Sophia's magic and Mike's martial skills. They could hold their own against formidable foes, but the Pillars were still out of their league for now.
As they made their way through the outskirts of Helm Hold, the sounds of battle still echoed in the distance. Sophia and Mike were relieved to find Altheack alive, their loyal friend, engaged in her own skirmish against some templars. She was a formidable sight, using her shapeshifting abilities to gracefully evade their attacks and retaliate with claw and tooth her fur covered in blood and gore.
"Altheack!" Sophia called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. Altheack turned her head, a mix of surprise and relief evident in her owl bear eyes as she saw the twins approaching, she quickly dispatched the last templar by taking his head with a massive paw.
"What the hell is going on?" Altheack said with a confused look on her face as she had been worried about the Old Bloods, only for the Human Church to show up and raid the school.
"I'll explain later, but we need to get out of here now," Mike urged, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings as the sounds of battle drew closer.
Altheack looked annoyed but replied. "I know a small hideout in the forest, a place where I go to find some peace away from the bustling city. We'll be safe there; the forest will be near impossible for the templars to track us."
As Valicar and Altheack ran toward the edge of the woods, they were met with a stunning sight. Before they could escape Helm Hold completely, a massive magical shield enveloped the school. Golden beams rained down on it, but it held firm, protecting the school from the Pillars' onslaught. The intricate runes of spatial magic underlined the shield, and they were strangely familiar to Sophia. They reminded her of the magical runes she had encountered at the Red Wolf Inn.
"Wait, these runes!" Sophia exclaimed, her eyes widening in realization. "I've seen them before at the Red Wolf Inn. This is a teleportation circle! Oh my god, the Archmage is teleporting the entire school!" Sophia shouted, at the show of power. Using a scrying spell, she could see what was happening. The Archmage, visibly injured, missing several limbs, and flying high in the sky, channeling both the powerful shield and teleportation spell simultaneously – a true display of his magical prowess.
The Pillars threw every attack they could at the magical barrier, but it remained steadfast where every other ward had been destroyed with ease. Then, the Archmage managed to conjure a third spell, summoning a massive meteor ten times larger than anything they had seen before. The impending disaster was unavoidable.
With a flash of brilliance, the school was whisked away right before the meteor made impact, sending them and the entire school elsewhere. At that moment, the Pillars and Templars were left to deal with the colossal rock hurtling toward them, their attacks futile against the force of nature descending upon them.
As the school vanished from Helm Hold, Valicar, and Altheack found themselves in an unknown location. The forest surrounding them was unfamiliar, but they were safe, for now. They could only marvel at the Archmage's incredible power, which had saved the school if sacrificing Helm Town.
"I can't believe what just happened," Sophia said, still in awe of the incredible magic they had witnessed. "The Archmage is on a whole different level."
"We will be that strong one day, Soph," Mike said with determination as they planned their next move.
"Explain what the hell you did last night!" Altheack demanded, snapping them out of their internal conversation.