Chapter 497: Spreading Fires
The Judgment spell, a seventh-circle spell with the destructive power of a miniature sun, was upon us in an instant. The air crackled and warped under the pressure of its approach, and the very stones beneath us groaned and fractured before the magic even struck. I squeezed my eyes shut against the blinding white light as it engulfed us. My wards flared and groaned, straining against the overwhelming force of the attack. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I poured more and more mana into them, each second feeling weaker and weaker. Hairline cracks spiderwebbed across the surface of my spells, widening ominously as the searing light seeped through. I screamed as it washed over me, burning my skin and tracing lines of agony across the sunpurge.
After what felt like an eternity, the light faded, my wards barely holding. It was a miracle they hadn’t shattered completely, a miracle I was still alive, considering they were only sixth-level, and this was a seventh-circle assault.
As I recovered, a brilliant orange glow spread across the sky. I looked up to see a magnificent dragon rear its head, a fearsome serpent of red and yellow flame. It wasn’t a summoned creature but a manifestation of a powerful magical art. Which could only mean—
"Ah, there you are," Gayron’s voice called, cutting through the chaos of the battlefield. "Returned to settle our score?"
The dragon struck, darting upwards through the hole in the clouds that Judgment had left behind. A second later, the gray expanse of the sky turned crimson as it exploded within the veil of fire, releasing a shockwave that blasted the storm back for a mile in all directions, momentarily revealing the clear blue sky.
As the explosion’s flames died down, they revealed a protective green sphere the size of the palace. Within the verdant shield, the flying ship hovered, its mana cannons glowing ominously. Victor and R’lissea stood at the prow, gazing down at the city. The Justice Hero’s remaining hand was outstretched, seven lingering whispers of mana marking where the circles of his spell had been moments before. On seeing that we’d survived, his face twisted into a scowl.
R’lissea clutched her staff tightly, a bright green glow emanating from the emerald set atop the twisted wood.
"Damn it, haven’t they given up?" Luxxa exclaimed, scowling up at the airship. "Can’t they tell when they’re beaten?"