Qunara sent the possible sequences of the events uttered by Beledon in the human brains, so they could picture and estimate the extent of the transfer.

  As the revelations settled within them, their spirits surged with newfound hope. The truths unveiled about the wizards’ abilities shattered the feeble constructs of their mediocre imaginings, revealing powers far greater, more awe-inspiring, than they had ever dared to dream.

  “To our sons and daughters! To the kingdom!” All of them shouted, including Vaelros. Even King Thalorin could be heard.

  After Beledon saw their responses, he determined it was time to go back.

  “Now, everyone! To Faliamber! With the power of my fellow wizards assembled there, we could put the dead in Time Vials, preserved, ready when resurrection comes. Leap of the Sun-Glethoron!” Beledon chanted as his golden hairs shone, as the warmth of the sun also coursed through these and his eyes were consumed by it.

  The people here who were broken a while back now followed his commands. They believed in the loyalty, determination, and the powers of these creatures, which they considered as gifts from the gods.

  As the teleportation magic was activated, Sergeant Demoir, who punched Zoho with all his strength recently, was a bit embarrassed and hid at the back where the wizard could not easily spot him.

  The grieving parents who did not want to accept what was in front of them, the corpses and the rotting, were also mortified by their actions.

  They were consumed by wrath upon being told the obvious truth about the fate of their slain children.

  Now they murmured, seeking a way to humble themselves before the wizards who they once scorned, when they tried to open their minds to reality.

  As they were distracted by their thoughts, the whole surroundings and the Den of Irons shook, like the whole world was being altered and twisted from the depths. Huge magical circle appeared on the ground encasing the castle.

  They clung to each other and grabbed onto anything which could keep them from falling, or being tossed in all directions. There were tremors under the castle, and sounds of colliding rocks and soil did not pass through their ears unnoticed.

  Beledon carried with him more than 20,000 dead soldiers, the trainees, the ground itself with the castle, and activated teleportation.

  With immense magical aura and with the powers of the other wizards amplifying the teleportation, they were able to arrive at the central capital, Faliamber, in the blink of an eye.

  Ripples in reality and immense lights could be seen by those in Faliamber before the castle of the general gradually materialized in midair.

  The Den of Irons ascended gracefully from the earth, its massive structure defied gravity as it hovered overlooking the structures below.

  It was suspended in the air, aligned with the exalted White Starlight Palace, standing as an equal beside the celestial heights of the palace's gleaming spires.

  Upon arrival, the parents and soldiers were immediately instructed by Uther, “Everyone! Please ensure the parts and pieces of all the dead were at least attached to their bodies or close to each part. After that, leave the Den of Irons and stay in the White Starlight palace!”

  They were now so busy preparing the corpses and aligning them, reattaching parts that were still there, to be ready for the said Time Vials.

  Then, Uther remembered something.

  {Are we doing what is right? We have not discovered yet if the S…}

  Uther asked in the Wavesron, but did not continue to the end as he wobbled for a bit and lost his balance.

  Jenna and Dunesther caught the Divine Archmage so he did not fall to the hard floor.

  He had wielded his powers but twice within the Auroras, and only once had his voice thundered through the crowd.

  Yet, it seemed his frame could no longer bear the strain.

  The reserves of his formidable magical energy, once boundless, had been depleted, worn thin by the relentless battles waged against their foes beyond the Auroras. Dark energies also continued sapping all their might.

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  Beledon walked nearer to them when he saw Uther’s condition. He was alarmed, his fellow Divine Archmage must be kept alive until he was able to teleport at least a few survivors and the seal out of this kingdom.

  There might be no more magical energy left within him after that.

  Dunesther and Jenna watched as Beledon came closer.

  “Beledon?!” They both exclaimed and blinked again. They scrutinized the details of his body.

  Beledon’s form was glitching.

  As Beledon’s strength waned, his very form began to falter. His silhouette flickered, like a candle's flame caught in a storm, and arcs of chaotic energy rippled across his body.

  One moment his limbs were solid, the next, they fractured into shimmering shards of light, only to reassemble into his form again.

  The air around him warped. It was as though reality itself was rejecting his presence, glitching out of phase with the world.

  Even though Beledon was supported by the other wizards, that teleportation had used too much magical power because of all the dead and the dark energies.

  He saw the reaction of the two Rune Masters and smirked. Beledon instead bent his knees so he could look at Uther’s face on the same level. His whole-body armor lined with ancient golden texts scraped each other, the joints creaked softly, accompanied by the faint clink of interlocking chainmail beneath.

  Beledon then answered his question in a weak, brittle voice.

  “If it’s for even a few of them to live… I have done my part Uther, I fulfilled my duty. Now, stay strong and leave the capital immediately. Es…cape.” Beledon could hardly communicate and stuttered, his tone had a quivering timbre. It was a fragile and uneven cadence that spoke of exhaustion and frailty.

  While Beledon talked to Uther…

  “Are we abandoning them?” Dunesther and Jenna interrupted.

  Before Beledon could even look at the two and answer, Zoho walked beside them and secretly handed the two with small amulets and did not answer their question.

  He wanted to burn them with his flames until smoldering embers remained with gray ashes, but there was not enough time to do that so he abandoned the thought.

  “It’s good that I recently developed these, wear them. Sightseekers can prolong your powers, you could at least live and guide them a little in the outside world. Uther has one. Leave before all the magical powers are drained.” Zoho handed the small thin bracelets with inscriptions, trusting the two would live and guide the survivors, then rebuild Livingrings in the future.

  Zoho realized that with Uther’s present condition, even the Sightseeker he wore was just a decoration, he would surely not make it after his last activation of teleportation. To make sure the two Rune Masters retained confidence, he did not tell the truth about Uther.

  As he said these, they became more translucent now than ever, especially Beledon.

  When he saw that Thalorin was coming, “Beledon, Uther, get up. A Sealbearer is on his way.”

  Beledon stood up, while Dunesther and Jenna supported Uther on both sides.

  The citizens who were watching in the far corners were uneasy when they witnessed the state of the three Divine Archmages.

  The king had now come to their side after he checked on the bodies of the dead soldiers and the trainees. Many of the families of the dead watched in faraway places.

  Some who lived in Faliamber were able to see the corpses of their families and helped in organizing the dismembered parts.

  King Thalorin moved among them and offered what solace he could to their ravaged spirits, before entrusting the rest of the obligation to General Vaelros.

  “We owe you endless gratitude, Your Eminence. Your deeds and commitment have brought us salvation beyond measure. Yet, I can see that the harrowing battles and the immense burdens you have carried have drained the very essence of your magical energies. I beseech you to restore your strength within the sanctity of the Floating Orb." King Thalorin Sealbearer declared, lowering himself into a deep, reverent bow before the wizards.

  All the citizens followed when they saw what their king had done and kneeled before them. Even those who were watching from the far corners of the kingdom showed their respects.

  Beledon came forward and faced Thalorin and the people, "Rise, for it is but our sacred duty. Yet, take heed, for even our powers have their bounds, and there is little more we can offer you at this moment. Our time is limited so please prepare yourselves."

  They all rose up and gazed at them. When they looked up, all the wizards were hovering above.

  With this reply to the king and the people, Beledon looked at Zoho and twisted his staff around as if ready for war, wizards could be seen at the skies circling around, became steady, and held their staffs up high.

  “King Thalorin Sealbearer, General Vaelros, all of you, protect the Seal of Gaxinar.

  Our magical powers were secretly being drained days ago.

  We had just found out when we saw unseen magical artifacts and Timeholes around the kingdom, hidden with horrifying spells from the depths of hell itself.

  But then, it was too late.

  With barely 5% of our magical strength remaining, we pooled what little power we had left, we used those to amplify the powers of teleportation.

  We will preserve the dead as we told you using the Time Vials. This spell would cover the full Kingdom of Livingrings. Hopefully, the souls of the dead were not fully taken over by the devils and demons of Pyramortiss. Live on everyone.” Beledon explained and smiled. Then his form glitched even more.

  *Leap of the Sun, Glethoron - power of Beledon

  *Sightseekers - amulets made by Zoho