In a radius of two hundred meters from the library, all the land was filled with towering iron thorns. Iron thorns were massive, sharp and menacing structures that tower high into the sky.
They were made of dark, metallic material and were covered in jagged, razor-sharp edges that reflected the light in a menacing way creating a dense forest of metal spikes.
At first glance, they might have seemed like ordinary thorns, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that these structures were far from natural. They were perfectly symmetrical and seemed to have been crafted with great precision, as if by an intelligent designer.
They were also incredibly durable and almost impossible to destroy, as many knights who had tried to do so with their sword couldn't even scratch it.
It was hard to fathom how Famir could have spawned such a thing with his skill. It was more like Famir had borrowed the power of a god.
The sight of iron thorns was horrifying, as they dominated the landscape and created an oppressive atmosphere of fear and dread.
The thorns seemed to exude a malevolent energy that filled the air with a feeling of unease, and the sound of their scraping against each other in the wind was like a constant reminder of the threat they posed. When they struck, the damage they inflicted was devastating, tearing apart anything in their path and leaving destruction and death in their wake.
In the distance, it appeared that the knights had prepared themselves. Defender knights had created protective shields beneath their feet, and other knights had climbed onto their shields for cover. Some flying knights, like dragon knights, had tried to carry some of their fellow knights to the sky. They hugged, held hands, and did everything they could to fly together with the dragon knight. But unfortunately, some knights couldn't flee from the iron thorns. They instantly died as their bodies were pierced by the gigantic thorns. Some of them were still alive, and the guardian knights immediately cast their purification spells to save their lives.
Then slowly, the iron thorns retreated back into the ground, leaving a horrifying sight that pierced the eyes. Houses were torn apart, dozens of people were impaled and died instantly.
Fortunately, The knights who were there had tried to evacuate the civilian before. if not, the death toll could have reached hundreds.
But amidst it all, the building that Nico and Arfin were in, which was an apartment complex, still had many people sleeping there and were not evacuated.
Nico could see many who were killed there and could not escape from the iron thorn attack. Their bodies were torn apart amongst their beds, dying while still dreaming sweet dreams.
Some who woke up during the chaos still died while trying to escape. Nico and Arfin were considered lucky to be on the top floor. At that moment, only the edge of the building where they stood was the only place that the sharp and terrifying iron thorns could not reach.
"Famir...," Arfin muttered. "He didn't care whether friend or foe," he added. Nico could see that all the other nightcrawlers had become victims. They did not have enough intelligence to successfully escape the iron thorn attack. All the remaining nightcrawlers were killed, impaled by the iron thorns. Their bodies were full of holes and they emitted green liquid like grasshoppers.
In the distance, the knights cursed and some rushed into the library, trying to find Famir before the iron thorn attack happened again. Fergus was seen in the distance, looking relieved to see that Nico and Arfin were safe at the top of the apartment building.
Nico didn't know what had happened inside the library. All knights seem to have desperately entered the library to end the war. After waiting for a few minutes, the knights going out of the library and cheered happily. It seemed they had successfully defeated Famir.
Feeling safe, Nico and Arfin slowly tried to descend from the building, attempting to jump over the various ruins that lay beneath them. The building was almost unrecognizable, with holes in the floors and walls. It was a miracle that the apartment building was still standing, compared to the other houses that were now destroyed and flattened to the ground.
From behind the ruins, Nico could see unlucky Edinburgh residents. Their bodies were torn apart amongst the rubble, with holes impaled by the sharp iron thorns. A foul unpleasant smell wafted through the air. There was even a car on the top of the roof, carried by iron thorns.
As Nico and Arfin entered the library, they found Sir William weeping and mourning beside Sir Arman's body. Nico and Arfin stood in stunned silence as they saw the lifeless body of Sir Arman lying on the ground. The realization that he was gone hit them like a ton of bricks, and their grief was overwhelming.
Just moments ago, Arman had been speaking with them, laughing and fighting alongside them. But now, he was no more. They had lived alongside Sir Arman and had come to rely on his cared and calm presence. Now he was gone and it was difficult to comprehend.
Nico walked over to Sir Arman's body and knelt down beside him, his heart heavy with sorrow. He could see the deep wounds on Sir Arman's neck, and the sight made his stomach turn.
Arfin who had always been stupidly cheerful was also visibly shaken by the loss. He stood beside Nico, his head bowed, lost in thought.
For a few minutes, they stood there in silence, lost in their grief. Then Nico stood up and looked at Arfin. Arfin eyes filled with tears.
"We have to honor his memory," Arfin said quietly. "He was a good man and he deserved better than this."
Nico had nodded silently, his expression grim.
"We will make sure that his sacrifice was not in vain," said Nico, his voice rough with emotion.
Together, they had gathered Sir Arman's body and brought it to a safe place. Later, he would be buried in Eteria soil.
They were unable to shake the feeling of loss that hung over them like a dark cloud. The loss of Sir Arman had shaken them to their core, but they knew that they had to continue on, to honor his memory and fight on.
Then Nico and Arfin went further in, the main hall of the library had been completely destroyed. Piles of nightcrawler corpses and human bodies had been scattered around.
Once a bustling market, it was now a horrifying graveyard. In the middle of the hall, Nico had seen Sir Valhein sitting there, his armor torn in many places, his skin covered in scars. He had been covered in green liquid and blood. His face looked tired. He stood on a sea of nightcrawler corpses that he had killed alone.
Nico and Arfin had been super impressed and wondered how he alone could have survived in the midst of this destruction.
Fergus approached from behind and greeted them. "What are you doing here? This is not a place for children to wander," he muttered sarcastically. "We need to go soon. It seems the military is on the way here. we need to wipe all of this clean. Take all you need. there are many artifact scattered on this night market."
"How could Sir Valhein survive? I thought he was done for," said Nico in wonder.
"That's the Golden Knight for you," replied Fergus. "There's a reason why they're called the Golden Knights."
"So, you're still a Silver Knight, right?" Arfin asked.
"Of course. Do you think it's easy to become a Golden Knight?"
"It means your rank is the same as ours," said Arfin with grin.
Fergus murmured, "No, I'm not just any Silver Knight. I'm a top Silver Knight." But they knew he was lying because there was no such thing as a top or bottom Silver Knight rank.
"But wait, wasn't Arman also a Golden Knight?" Nico asked.
"Yes." Fergus nodded.
"How did he become one?" Nico asked.
"Don't you know Arman's ability?" said Fergus.
"Arman was a special Guardian Knight. He had the ability to bestow incredible power on the person he protected when he died," Fergus explained.
"I suppose his ability was passed on to you, Nico. He was your guardian knight after all," he added.
"What?" said Nico. "Why don't I feel anything different now?"
"Maybe it takes time?" Fergus suggested. Then he remembered something. "Wait, I remember. You need to call the skill in a loud voice to activate it for the first time. It's called Guardian Blessing. Try shouting it."
"Guardian blessing!" Nico screamed.
"1% synchronization complete," a voice announced.
"What! There are voices speaking in my head." Nico shocked.
"Told you. You are the lucky ones. His guardian blessing is top notch," said Fergus. "It's a shame it will be wasted on you."