While William was recuperating from his injuries, the battle at Ravenlord Citadel had come to a complete halt. While the students and the young knights were busy trying to understand what had just transpired, the red-robed man, who was watching this scene, frowned.
The Pseudo-Eleventh-Circle Spell that they executed should have put everyone above the age of twenty into deep sleep. Their plan was to kill all the important and strong people in the Southern Continent, while they were in this helpless state.
However, the spell that they cast using millions of souls didn’t work the way they had envisioned it to.
“That golden light,” the red-robed man muttered. “Just where did that golden light come from?”
When the spell was about to activate, a golden light had shot out from the West and collided with the red beam in the sky. The leader of The Organization that managed the Southern Continent knew that the golden light was responsible for changing the properties of the spell that they had worked on for years.
The red-robed man had already received reports from his subordinates that the important figures that they had planned to assassinate couldn’t be killed because the crystal statues were impregnable.
No forms of weapons, nor magic, could break it, rendering the assassins helpless in accomplishing their missions.
The red-robed-man pondered for a while before giving out his order.
“Secure the crystal statue of the Hellan King, along with the Archmages, and the High-Ranking Nobles,” the red-robed man ordered. “Also, capture the Princess of Freesia. The Crown Prince wants her.”
“”Yes, My Lord!””
——
Est looked at the King’s Crystal statue with a distraught expression on his face. The Fourth Year students of the Magic and Spirit Divisions had already tried to undo the spell that had turned the King into a statue, but none of their spells worked.
In the end, the Head Prefects of both Divisions concluded that this was a spell that far exceeded their level of expertise.
Right now, the whole fort was in a state of chaos and no one knew what to do next. It was at this time when Lionel, the Crown Prince of the Hellan Kingdom, made his presence known and raised his voice.
“Everyone calm down!” Prince Lionel ordered. “Do not panic. For now, take care of the injured and those that are in critical conditions. They are our priorities! There’s nothing we can do for the people that have turned into statues. For now, focus on the living!”
Est felt his blood boil when he heard the words “focus on the living”. It was as if Prince Lionel had declared that those that had transformed into statues were already dead and beyond saving. Isaac hurriedly grabbed Est’s shoulder and shook his head.
“Calm down, Young Master,” Isaac said. “Now is not the time for internal conflict. The King is safe, at least for now. There’s no need to have an argument with the Crown Prince.”
Est closed his eyes and forcefully took hold of his emotions. He took a few deep breaths in order to calm his nerves.
“You’re right, Isaac,” Est replied after his anger had dissipated. “Let’s help the others first.”
“Yes, Young Master.” Isaac nodded.
The two were about to help the injured students and knights of the kingdom when they saw the Third Princess walk towards them with her maidservants trailing behind her.
“How is the King?” Princess Sidonie asked.
Est shook his head and looked at the Princess apologetically. “The King is under some kind of curse. Right now, none of the students here have the ability to undo his curse.”
“I see.” Princess Sidonie nodded her head. She was about to ask a few more questions when a familiar voice called out to her from behind.
“Princess, I’m glad that you are safe,” Prince Lionel said with a smile. “It would be best if you stayed beside me for now. Your loyal knights have turned into crystal statues and we are currently understaffed. I will be more than happy to ensure your safety, while we try to find a way to dispel the curses that fell upon our people.”
Princess Sidonie looked at the handsome young man, but she didn’t move towards the Crown Prince. Instead, she walked towards Priscilla who was ordering the members of the Angorian War Sovereign to regroup.
“Vice-Commander, will it be fine if I place my safety in your hands?” Princess Sidonie asked with a light bow. She didn’t like the Crown Prince of the Hellan Kingdom because she didn’t trust him. The mere thought of staying by his side made her skin crawl.
Priscilla nodded and gave the Princess a sweet smile. “Of course, Your Highness. The Angorian Knights will ensure your safety.”
“Thank you, Vice-Commander,” Princess Sidonie curtsied. “I will be in your care from now on.”
Prince Lionel watched this exchange with a smile, but he didn’t think much of it. Now that Princess Sidonie’s guards were out of the picture, there was no one in the Kingdom that could save her from him. The Angorian Knights were the knights of the Hellan Kingdom. Since that was the case, they would take orders from him.
‘You can struggle all you want, my beloved Princess, but it won’t change the fact that you can’t escape my grasp,’ Prince Lionel thought.
The organization had promised him that they would secure the Princess for him no matter what. This alone gave Prince Lionel the confidence that Princess Sidonie wouldn’t be able to leave the Hellan Kingdom under their watchful eye.
——
Meanwhile in the Sea of the Southern Continent…
“Forward!” Elandorr, the commander of the Elven Regiment, ordered. “The time has come to conquer! Set forth to the lands of the Southern Continent!”
The Elves cheered as they carried out their Commander’s order. The Eleven Princess, who had joined this expedition, sat on her makeshift throne and observed the land that they were about to conquer.
A flash of anticipation appeared on her light-green eyes as she envisioned the flags of their homelands being raised on foreign soil. She was sent by her father to oversee the mission, but the King didn’t order her to take part in the invasion of the Southern Continent.
The Elven Princess was only there as a spectator. She didn’t have any authority to command the Elven Army that was composed of the prodigies of the various clans of the Silvermoon Continent.
Even so, she was still a Princess and the elves still held her in high regard. Even Elandorr, who secretly wished to become her life partner, was very courteous to her everytime the two of them were to exchange words with each other.
Almost at the same time that the Elven fleet moved forward, the Kraetorian Naval Armada also set forth towards the Southern Lands.
Jason, the commander of the Kraetorian Fleet, smirked as he gave the Elven Fleet a side-long glance. He was very tempted to test the mettle of the Elves, but he knew that his mission was more important.
The Kraetor Armada and the Elven Fleet parted ways. They were not going to the same destination, however, Elandorr and Jason knew that this was just a prelude for the battle that was about to take place.
They had an unwritten agreement that they would settle their differences once they had occupied the lands of the Southern Continent. Only after they had secured their respective territories, would they face off against each other to see who was more capable between the two of them.
For Elandorr and Jason, no one in the Southern Continent was their match. Not even the organization who had unknowingly prepared this wonderful scenario for the unwanted guests that came from distant lands.
