Now within 30 meters of the fortress, Lamorak raised his axe once more.
"Shattering Crescent!"
Swinging his weapon in a devastating arc, he released a crescent-shaped energy wave that surged forward with incredible force. Though the attack weakened at longer distances, at his current proximity, the damage was catastrophic. The very ground trembled as the wave tore through the battlefield, shaking the stronghold's foundations.
"Hold the barrier!" Erenesto commanded, his voice firm.
Tessa, Lina, Mara, Julls, Valentia, and May focused all their energy, reinforcing the magical defenses around the fortress.
"Gravity Bind!" Mitchel shouted, casting a powerful gravitational field to slow Lamorak's advance.
Yet, he continued forward, seemingly unfazed.
"Fire the cannons and ballistae!" Mitchel ordered.
"Giga Fireball!" Liva roared, hurling a massive sphere of flames straight at Lamorak.
A chilling laugh echoed through the battlefield.
"You still think you can defeat me?" Lamorak's tone darkened, the air itself growing heavier with his presence. "I am Lamorak—the DREAD KNIGHT."
Beneath his helmet, he grinned.
Raising his axe once more, he unleashed another devastating long-range attack.
"Dread Impact!"
A concentrated shockwave exploded from his weapon, surging in a straight line, annihilating everything in its path within 50 meters.
The final moments of the trial had begun.
BOOM!
The Dread Impact struck the stronghold's barrier with terrifying force, the shockwave crashing against the protective magic like a tidal wave of destruction. The sheer power of the attack sent violent tremors through the structure, the sky flashing red as the energy ripped through the air.
"Hold it—!" Erenesto's voice was cut off as the barrier shattered, exploding outward in a storm of energy shards.
The participants were thrown back by the shockwave, some slamming against the ground, others barely managing to stay on their feet. The once-mighty magical defenses had been obliterated. Smoke and debris filled the battlefield as the remnants of the stronghold trembled under the sheer force of the impact.
Lamorak's red-glowing eyes pierced through the dust, his malevolent aura still suffocating the air. He took slow, deliberate steps forward, his battle axe gleaming ominously.
"The barrier is down! The stronghold is vulnerable!" Mitchel gasped, pushing herself up despite the searing pain in her body.
She turned toward the remaining defenses—though the main walls had taken heavy damage, some sections of the fortress still stood, along with a few reinforced towers and barricades. If those remained intact by the end of the trial, the participants could still claim victory.
"We're not done yet!" Liva gritted her teeth, her hands already glowing with renewed magic.
"No, but you soon will be." Lamorak's deep, resonant voice sent chills down their spines.
He raised his axe once more—the battlefield grew still for a moment, an eerie silence settling over the war-torn ground. Then, without warning—
"Crimson Ruin!"
A massive explosion of energy erupted from his weapon, sending burning shockwaves in every direction. The remaining walls trembled, cracks splintering through the structure as another devastating impact threatened to bring the entire stronghold to ruin.
"Focus all defenses on the last remaining walls!" Erenesto shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
"Tessa! Lina! Reinforce what's left! We just need to hold out for—"
Before he could finish, Lamorak vanished.
A blur of red and black streaked across the battlefield, and in an instant, he reappeared within the stronghold itself.
"Too slow."
With a single, earth-shaking swing, he struck one of the remaining towers. The structure cracked—groaned—and began to collapse.
The tension in the colosseum was palpable as the giant magical screen displayed the brutal battle unfolding at the stronghold. Alyssia, unable to bear the sight of Mixarnt getting hurt, buried her face in her sister Elyssia's embrace, her tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mixarnt... sniff... sniff..." she cried, her voice trembling with fear and sorrow.
Elyssia, though equally worried, tried to comfort her younger sister. "Aly..." she said softly, though she herself was unsure if Mixarnt would make it through. The sight of Mixarnt's side being brutally cut and him bleeding heavily was too much to bear.
Mika, sitting beside them, was in a full-blown panic. "Elyssia, what do we do!? Mixarnt is dead! AHHH!" she shouted, her voice filled with hysteria.
Elyssia, annoyed by Mika's outburst, bonked her on the head. "Hey, that hurt! I'm older than you by seven years—you shouldn't bonk the head of someone older than you!" Mika protested, rubbing her head.
"Can you please shut up? Or I'll turn you into an ice receptionist," Elyssia said with a sweet smile, though her tone was icy. Mika's brow twitched, and she quickly sat back down, realizing Elyssia was serious. "Y-yeah, s-sorry," Mika muttered, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
In the grand hall, the nobles and generals watched the battle with a mix of awe and concern. The brutality of General Lamorak's attacks was on full display, and even the most seasoned warriors couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.
"He isn't called the Merciless Dread Knight for nothing," Kalavan said with a sigh, his arms crossed as he watched the screen.
Gawain, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow. "Hey, aren't you too relaxed? Your daughter just took a critical slash and is barely alive," he said, his tone filled with disbelief.
Kalavan chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips. "Heh. Such is the Aether Knight Trials," he said, his voice calm but tinged with pride.
Gawain, Sunshine, Halik, Borris, and Gerald exchanged glances, dumbfounded by Kalavan's nonchalance. Just moments ago, he had been overprotective of Razen when it came to Mixarnt, but now, with his daughter on the brink of death, he seemed to have accepted it as part of the trial.
Percival, standing nearby, muttered under his breath, "Come on, stand up, Rise." His eyes were fixed on the screen, hoping his son would recover and continue fighting.
Sunshine, however, didn't take her eyes off the screen. She knew Mixarnt well enough to believe he would do something extraordinary. Her faith in him was unwavering even in the face of such overwhelming odds. "Show me that miracle again, Mixarnt!" she murmured with excitement and grin.