The gorgeous lady was covered in full white armored garments, and had an immense ethereal aura of coldness as if she was winter itself in humanoid form.
She looked at the two Rune Masters and at King Thalorin with her white colored iris, which buried those who dared look inside it for too long into eternal slumber.
“Why are all of you here?”
A cold yet gentle voice inquired. The soldiers were not sure if they heard her through their ears or inside their head.
Yet, they did not dare respond or look since they felt that this being was so much more powerful than any of them here.
Even all of them acting together would not be enough to stop her if she was an enemy.
Thus, they had to thread carefully and act based on the reactions of those who seemed to know her, the two Rune Masters and King Thalorin.
“My children, they are in need of your assistance, Your Eminence,” King Thalorin bowed deeply to the Divine Archmage, making the others bow and kneel on their knees.
They needed to honor and humble themselves before someone who gets a respectful deep bow from their very king.
They dared not question why their king must bow to anyone since they felt it without a word — this being was someone who held even more authority than their king.
Still, they were immensely relieved that this being was at least not an enemy. After all, if she was, all of them here might die here today.
“Ah, a Sealbearer.
You sure have grown to be a good king.
It’s like just yesterday when you're just a toddler, being carried and anointed by these very hands.”
Cera, the Divine Archmage replied in a tone and voice that bypassed the ears and spoke directly to the soul.
“I am honored by your praise, Your Eminence,” King Thalorin responded.
General Vaelros and the others were astounded at what they heard.
She spoke of King Thalorin as if she was very much older than he was, even when Thalorin and most of the soldiers here looked older than her.
But, King Thalorin’s response just confirmed her words.
Vaelros figured, if it was someone addressed as Her Eminence, the person in front of them was a Divine Archmage – among the most powerful of high-ranking wizards.
A very powerful entity indeed.
Even Vaelros and Hovereth who had served Livingrings longer than the others had never met her before. They had only heard that the most powerful wizards had their own ranks and far outlived the humans.
It meant this place had a different time, or the highest-ranking wizards do not age at all.
“You are in the presence of a Divine Archmage, Her Eminence, Cera the Frozen,” Dunesther said in a low voice for the soldiers to understand.
Some were surprised to learn that the highest-ranking wizards had more authority than their king himself.
After all, the organization of the wizards was a mystery to most people.
Vaelros was silently observing when he suddenly had a random thought, ‘If they live for so long, then… Are the new ones the results of their experiments?’
They could change the north and south of buildings, and do all sorts of magic, so the possibility of what they could do was varied.
Who knew what was possible and impossible for these beings?
Vaelros watched as the Divine Archmage Cera lay her hand gently on the head of King Thalorin as if anointing him again.
If anyone else had done this, they could be beheaded for it.
“Stand Thalorin. You have lived to fulfill your mission to protect the seal and maintain its purity,” Cera said gazing at the old king who was once so young when she first saw him many years ago.
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Cera the Frozen looked just like a woman in her twenties. Her title befitted her.
The soldiers were still puzzled since no one fully knew the capabilities of the Divine Archmages, except those mostly used by them in front of many people.
“Thank you,” King Thalorin said in a heartfelt voice as if her praise had greatly eased the burdens, he bore in all his years as king.
With how King thalorin looked, it was clear the Divine Archmage’s recognition was among the highest praise and assurance he could ever get as proof he had done his best.
The Divine Archmage finally glanced at the Rune Masters and commanded in a gentle yet glacier-like voice, “Restore them to their original size.”
The two immediately obeyed without delay.
“Voice of Zar, listen to the songs of our hearts, release the bound. Arath-thereim-Halizar!”
Dunesther and Jenna lifted their staffs and purple lights with tints of blue swirled around with strong gusts of winds.
As the Ellysian Chains had been restored to their original size with Nymeria and Orion, Cera saw the need for immediate healing.
“Ragnoth, Eclipsing Froze!” Cera chanted in a loud voice as she laid her hands on the prison-like cube, quakes and coldness spread even more.
Her spell shook the core of the Ellysian Chains.
Even her thick white hair that flowed to the floor flew out above.
As they looked around, about four meters of their surroundings were covered in thick ice.
Accompanied by unknown hums and whispers, the magic enveloped them and contained the crackling and quaking of her magic.
‘It seems the wizards were not human at all.
I didn’t fully believe it since they had flesh and blood.
But, the freeze started from within.
As she chanted her spell, her eyes started to become even more like white ice, her veins too.
And, all I felt was chilling reverberations of energy.
Though many of us were born with magic, we borrow it from the environment.
But her, she seemed to get everything from within,’ Vaelros thought while observing the wizard.
It was incredibly rare to see and get near high-ranking wizards daily, especially during peaceful times. And especially, one of her caliber casting a spell.
Some of the soldiers became unable to move while the spell was ongoing.
Vaelros also started to feel weakened and dizzy.
“General Vaelros!” Jenna exclaimed
Vaelros heard it, but he was too sleepy and unable to move even when he wanted to respond.
His eyes closed before he knew it until…
Jenna carried Nymeria, lifting her with magic; then casted a spell and awakened the General and the soldiers who were starting to turn into ice statues.
“Let’s get out of here fast!” Dunesther added while also lifting Orion with magic, the young prince now fully recovered.
The humans lost themselves in the residues of the magic and were not able to move quickly.
Their eyes were turning pale white for every second that passed, without them noticing.
“But, she’s not done yet!” General Vaelros replied, not knowing he stood there unable to wake up for a few seconds like he was frozen in time.
“No, the Ellysian Chains had cracked and the spells and curses were broken.
You will die here if we stay longer!” Dunesther explained to the general who was confused.
As King Thalorin and the soldiers stabilized, they all rushed to leave with their Celestial Drakes away from the tower.
Cera never moved an inch, but the magic was slowly getting weaker.
It was as if she was trying to contain it.
“Can you tell me what happened there?” King Thalorin asked after they successfully flew away in a frenzy.
“King Thalorin, the powers of the highest-ranking wizards can easily kill humans upon exposure, especially if unleashed inside the Floating Orb.
It’s where we came from and it amplifies our magical powers and abilities.
Staying there would have killed everyone,” Jenna explained while keeping some information to herself.
There were things they were better off not divulging.
“What!? Are there no-” King Thalorin wanted to ask more, but stopped in shock by what he saw below.
‘What is going on?!’ was the question everyone had in their minds when they saw the sight below.
After they rushed out of the Floating Orb, they saw numerous villages burning around the kingdom.
There were also purple twisters mixed with black magic slowly enveloping the buildings and residents.
This meant only one thing — there was more destruction in the Auroras, or the enemies inside had spread more terror.
“But we still have the Auroras!”
The soldiers cried out while looking around and checking if their multi-layer defense field was broken.
“General Vaelros, let’s make this fast and see what’s happening. I want my children to be safe, but I want our kingdom to be rid of these insurgents and destroyers.
Our people, the Celestial Drakes, and all our vegetation will be greatly affected by these.” King Thalorin urged the General, since it appeared the situation got worse.
“Yes my king!” General Vaelros replied, also curious why the usually small incidents turned into this wide scale problem.
*Cera the Frozen - a Divine Archmage with higher authority than King Thalorin
*Ragnoth, Eclipsing Froze - Power of Cera
