Emery's sudden appearance just outside the Citadel's protective barrier sent waves of surprise to both sides. But the moment his group's identity was confirmed, the defenders allowed them to pass through the layered defenses and into the sanctuary of the inner wall.
Once inside, the chaos outside felt like a distant storm. The Citadel had three powerful barriers—immense domes of protective energy that shielded the city from the relentless onslaught. Currently, the two innermost barriers held strong, though they bore the scars of constant assault.
At times, the monstrous twin-headed ogres would breach the second barrier or the elven magus would combine their spells to carve a hole in the defenses. When this happened, the call to arms resounded through the Citadel, and dozens of stationed magus along with hundreds of saint warriors rushed to contain the breach, holding off the advancing orcs until the barrier was restored.
