"Hey little queen, Can Abu come out and play?" A loud voice was heard across the battlefield, causing a commotion to the chaotic battlefield. From the ships up top to the men fighting down below, everyone heard that callous challenge as vividly as if it was addressed to them.
The next moment, a column of darkness emerged from the direction of the city. The darkness seemed to dissipate, revealing a human floating in the air. The man was dressed all in black, even had a black mask over his face and a hood, leaving only his eyes exposed.
"Fire!" Commander Greer shouted. Now that he had something to shoot at, a valuable target, why wouldn't he attack? There was no such thing as honor in war, just winners.
The next moment, thousands of machine guns unleashed their destructive power. The crosshairs were firmly aimed at that insolent fool that dared issue such a challenge to their queen.
It had to be understood, one gun could fire 12000 rounds per minute. One ship had at least 3, and there were more than 300 ships within range. Not to mention, the chariots on the ground that was still in the fight, they too had their aim firmly fixed on the mage.
On his part, Lord Choi seemed to yawn. This destructive attack did not threaten him at all. On second thought, the bullets were working in his favor.
When the bullets came at him, there seemed to be an invisible wall that prevented the bullets from going any further, causing the bullets to ricochet.
While the vast majority were deflected off course, some were deflected back, causing damage to the army. The magical barrier around the army did not protect against bullets, so when they ricocheted, they would end up coming dangerously close to hurting, or even hurting their own.
"Cease Fire!" The commander did not want to continue this onslaught for fear of shooting at his men. Already, the ship he was in had taken a few rounds. If the mage wised up to the situation, he could end up using their ammunition against them.
"My Queen, allow me to go and face that insolent oaf!" Lord Abu was seething. Not only was this man mocking him, but also mocking the newly created kingdom.
Truth be told, Lord Abu was not particularly loyal to Tristan. He didn't believe in the idea of a kingdom before, and nothing much had changed since then.
Despite that, he saw the need for unification, and under Barda, he saw a chance that this could be done right. There was also that looming threat.
Unlike many who didn't have to worry about what would happen generations from then, he had achieved immortality. Immortality, in this case, did not mean that he would not die, but he had an infinite lifespan. Part of the perks of transcending being an Arch-Mage.
He didn't know how much of a threat Barda had alluded to, but based on the intel, it all seemed to line up. However, before he could meet enemies up there, he had to deal with enemies down here.
"You have my permission and my best wishes. Show him what Tristan is made of," The Queen said to the Arch-Mage.
"Are you sure sir, he is quite proficient with shadow magic," Lord Althalos asked. He wasn't challenging his master, but he knew his weakness. Lord Abu did not even answer him as he took off in the air.
Watching his target appear, Lord Choi gave a signal. 30 mages emerged from the treeline as well. 10 were levitating in the air, able to achieve flight. 14 had wings, either conjured or part of their body. The rest were on various flying beasts.
"I thought it was going to be you and me?" Lord Abu challenged.
"What fun is that? I want to go all out, which includes my people as well. Call out your own, let us have a proper fight!" Lord Choi did not back down in the least.
Seeing this, Lord Abu did not back down. He started giving orders, and 5 mages levitated around him. A whole unit of pegasi riders, consisting of 50 mages, flew around him as well. Krib could only watch on, he was not qualified to be in this company.
To achieve flight without any weapons, tools, or additions such as wings, one had to be at least a grand mage level. That showed that on the battlefield, there were no less than 20 individuals that could be considered a true powerhouse in the world.
"Is this enough?"
"It'll do!" The man answered as he was suddenly enshrouded in a cloud of darkness. A frightening amount of mana was concentrated in that small space as the ultimate powerhouses in magic met each other in combat.
***
"Seems like Lord Choi did his job," Lady Gwendolynn said with amusement.
"Never doubted him," Lord Falk said. "Now, send the signal."
"Not yet, we need then as beaten as they can be. Its time to show your men's competence. Send out your people. They will be the first wave!" The prince answered.
"But my prince, what need is there to waste lives so ..." The king did not speak further. His face transformed into that of horror as he watched what was unfolding at the frontlines.
***
Minutes ago.
"Seems like the d*mn b*st*rds have the army under a lot of strain, My Lady," The scout reported to Commander Catalina, who at the moment was caressing Trudy, her sniper rifle, fondly.
"What about the battle of the mages, how is it going?"
"Only a mage can answer that, and our guy cannot decide who is winning at the moment." As the man was giving the report, another half-run in excitedly.
"My lady, the Guminates, they are rolling over our trap!" The scout was extremely excited when he got to the commander. Gumina had thought they were the only ones that could set a trap. Time to pay them back in kind.
Just as Tristan was on the march, so was Gumina. Commander Catalina, with her new stripes, and battalion, had been dispatched to go ahead and meet the enemy. When they got to them, they were going to have a nice surprise waiting.
It had been dreadful, waiting as they watched the heavy siege engines roll over the trap, but before they could do anything, they had to ensure they maximized the damage.
Siege towers could be rebuilt, but the real threat was the enemy soldiers. Without someone to fire the towers, they would inflict no damage.
Patiently, the men waited as the enemy inched closer, and when they did.
Kaboom!
Massive explosions engulfed the entire frontlines of Gumina. The ensuing mushroom of fire reported to the superiors that their plans were not going as well as they had hoped.
"Move!" Following the explosion, Catalina knew this was the best time to attack. With such a commotion, the crossbow wielders could easily take out the siege towers if they got close enough. The towers may not be the biggest threat, but their AOE damage was still dangerous.
Suddenly, a team of 25,000 gun wielders shot out of hiding, going to meet the enemy with their weapons raised. This was the first engagement between Tristan and Gumina.
The quiet march turned chaotic as mines, grenade, crossbow bolts, and gunfire erupted in a cacophony of chaos. Tristan forces may have been fewer than the enemy, but they were extremely powerful and extremely overbearing.
Ordinary soldiers from Gumina and her allies were powerless as they got shredded. Barda did not go for cheap designs. Every model he made, every bullet and gun design was top of the line.
The enemy armor was good against bows, arrows, swords, and shields, but against the attack of fully automatic assault rifles and other assorted contemporary weaponry, these people were nothing more than moving paper targets.
As the war raged on, a weapon was raised. No one noticed it, but the one holding it was extremely skilled with it. She had been waiting for this moment.
Her trainer had been very clear about the things to do and look out for once she got in this position. The inner huntress came out as she steeled her nerves.
The target was just within range, which made her shot particularly difficult. However, she had had a good trainer, and her scope was custom-designed. After making the adjustments, she took in 2 deep breathes, and let out a long exhale.
Then she applied just a bit of pressure on the trigger, just enough. Trudy performed excellently under her hands, never once failing her. Time to put that to a real test, where it mattered the most.