Scambre is renowned worldwide for its vastness, encircling the city for dozens of miles and bustling with merchants. Throughout the continent, it is widely acknowledged that as long as one has money, there is nothing that cannot be bought in Scambre. This reputation was further solidified by the inevitable stories between the famous Red Stone Emperor and Earl Chi Hanfeng.
The city of Snowfield is famous for its strategic defensibility, earning the nickname "The Undefeatable City."
One of the reasons West Forest Island is well-known is due to a classic small-scale battle that took place there over just ten days in the fourth year of the magical calendar. Both commanders displayed exceptional military tactics in this battle: one side was a small mercenary group of 600, while the other was a formidable armored force of 10,000. The former leveraged natural barriers, while the latter used tactics of deception, enticement, ambush, and surprise, leaving future generations in awe.
Subsequently, numerous large-scale military exercises have been conducted on West Forest Island. In several instances, a formidable force of 600 was deliberately stationed there, while the opposing force ranged from 5,000 to 10,000. In each of these exercises, the defending side invariably ended in defeat.
This only heightened the admiration for military geniuses like Amy and others.
— History of the Continent: West Forest Island
Chapter 10: The Realm of Ice and Snow
Amy, known for her magical prowess, immediately thought of the abilities of an Ice Magister. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she rushed out of the house without a word, instructing Qu Chang, who was on duty outside, to double the vigilance. Inside, Reg provided a lesson on magic to the three young people who knew little about it.
At the pinnacle of the magic system are the Magisters, distinguished from Grand Mages by their ability to possess their own domains. A Fire Magister, upon forming a domain, can easily summon boundless flames, while an Ice Magister can summon overwhelming snow once their domain is activated. Among the 12 Magisters that appeared, at least five have no clear allegiance. If they were to be utilized by the Fascist army, a single Ice Magister could freeze the waterways on both sides of West Forest Island to become as flat and solid as a continental highway. In such a case, the Lion River, the natural barrier for the small mercenary group, would lose its advantage, and with nearly ten thousand troops stationed by the Fascists near the Lion River, each soldier throwing a stone onto West Forest Island would be enough to annihilate the small mercenary group.
"Master, how did you get onto the island? Can other mages use the same method to reach the island?" Although not Reg's direct disciple, Da Qingshan, who had shared meals under the same roof for three years, always called Reg "Master" just like Amy did.
A faint smile crossed Reg's deep-set eyes. "They shouldn't be able to, so don't worry unnecessarily. The last time I visited, I left a temporal-spatial mark, which allowed me to draw myself here directly this time using some magic power."
"Wow, Master, I admire you so much! Can you teach me how to do that later?" Amy, who heard this from the doorway, immediately clamored to learn.
"Alright, when your abilities reach the necessary level, we'll talk about it," Reg replied with a smile and a shake of his head.
Most mages can master a kind of spatial magic known as the Localization Spell. By using large amounts of magic power, the caster leaves a part of their "essence" in a chosen location. As long as the essence remains, the caster can trace their consciousness back to that location at any time.
The Localization Spell has its limitations; it can only bring you back to the last marked place and cannot traverse great distances.
Neutral mages who maintain a balanced mindset after reaching advanced levels may fully master the ancient magics left by past mages. Compared to higher-level Holy and Dark magics, these spells may have limited use in warfare. However, a mage who deciphers the ancient incantations will achieve remarkable progress. The enhancement of wisdom and magic power enables them to discern good from evil as clearly as light from shadow. Through the study of ancient wisdom, they rediscover archaic spell systems, gaining the most from the secret arts that reveal the flow of time. If used wisely, these temporal secrets can become the most formidable of weapons.
In ancient magic, there exists a more effective localization spell. It is said that as the practitioner's abilities grow, they can leave their temporal-spatial mark in more than two locations, using powerful magic energy to traverse time and space to reach these marks.
Night fell, and Amy and Da Qingshan helped Reg tidy up the guest rooms for the small mercenary group, arranging accommodations for their teacher.
At dawn the next day, with the eastern sky just lightening, Chi Hanfeng led the Vulture Swordmen Battalion into the sky. Like all diurnal birds, vultures are blind at night, making night marches with them a burden. Thus, Amy arranged for them to fly covertly to the enemy's rear at dawn, when most enemies would still be asleep, set the vultures in place, and prepare to support the main force of the small mercenary group.
Standing on a high platform, Amy watched the Vulture Swordmen depart. Reg slowly approached and said, "Amy, before I came here, the Emperor asked if you would join the military. He feels that leading a small mercenary group is beneath your talents. If you agree, you can become the captain of the Imperial Capital's forces. Regardless of your decision, he deeply appreciates your defense of this place for ten days and is willing to seal a dragon at Mesis Peak as a reward."
The offer to seal a dragon brought a wry smile to Amy's face. It seemed the Emperor was serious, yet she wondered if she was truly worth it. Most countries offer dragons a territory where human entry is strictly forbidden. The dragons within Amy Empire's territory are unmatched in both number and quality, with five current Dragon Knights and 11 additional dragons residing at the Mesis Peak dragon territory. Rumor has it that the founding Emperor Amy I signed a Dragon Seal Covenant with these 16 dragons. If the empire faced a great war and was on the brink of destruction, descendants could use the Dragon Seal Ceremony to allow warriors to become Dragon Knights. Once the nation stabilized, these dragons could choose whether to continue the alliance. Evidently, those rumors were true.
"Master," Amy gently massaged her temples, "I don't want to. If it weren't for survival, I wouldn't have formed a mercenary group with Da Qingshan. If it weren't to help the widows and orphans of my father's comrades, I wouldn't have expanded the mercenary group. Now, Master, I just want to train hard to become a Grand Mage, then go to the Ice Tower of Wishes to rescue my father. After that, I want to return to Haike Village with Ying. I don't care about establishing a legacy. I'm just an ordinary person, fortunate to have met Uncle Chi and you. I still want to live a simple life."
The old mage gently patted Amy on the shoulder and left without a word.
The news of tonight's breakout had already reached every soldier in the mercenary group. At this moment, most soldiers were unaware that they faced an armored force of over 10,000, and the prospect of leaving this besieged island had them elated.
In the early morning, Magic Swordsmen tried to communicate with magical spirits, continuously sealing various spells into their swords. Those with greater magical power even created small magical scrolls to give to friends in other battalions—most notably, to young female mercenaries. Several pretty girls managed to collect all first and second-level offensive and defensive spells from all five magic series.
The Great Swordsmen Battalion assigned 100 mercenaries to care for young eaglets in place of the Vulture Swordmen, feeding them with shredded meat and rainwater to fill their seemingly insatiable stomachs. Horns assigned these mercenaries a special task: during the breakout, they had to tie these eaglets to their backs and ensure they escaped. The eaglets and eggs were manageable, but a few newly flying young eagles, weighing over 60 pounds each, with yellow beaks nearly shed, and powerful talons and beaks posed a real challenge. Anyone carrying them might be in for quite a struggle.
Ying, dressed in white like snow, crouched outside the vulture's dwelling, unfazed by the peculiar scent emanating from within. She gently stroked a young eagle's feathers, and it cooed, nestling its head against her. Elves are a race intimately connected with nature, unwilling to harm any creatures other than necessary prey. Most neutral races and animals maintain harmonious relations with elves.
"Wind, you've just recovered. Would you like to go inside?" Amy crouched down beside her.
"No," the little elf said, holding Amy's hand. "I'm just playing with it for a bit, just a little while, okay?"
Inside, a few Great Swordsmen made faces at each other, silently gesturing, clearly amused by seeing their commander being 'bullied' by the little elf—though what Amy thought of this remained unknown.
Once again, night enveloped West Forest Island.
Magister Reg, accompanied by his apprentices, Da Qingshan and Luer, arrived at the island's northern shore. As the old mage's lips moved, a long incantation grew from a murmur to a clear chant. Amy immediately cast a silence spell to prevent any special creatures across the river from hearing.
The larger the magic, the longer the incantation required. It is said that in ancient times, the greatest spells required hundreds of Grand Mages and Magisters chanting uninterruptedly for days, unleashing destruction so vast it could cross a thousand miles to unleash a city's worth of power upon an army.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the tides of history have washed these magics away, leaving only vague notes in some ancient mages' journals. Magic associations in various countries invest significant resources in studying these precious records. The Dark Dragon Landa was reborn through the continuous study of ancient dark magic by such associations.
Reg was now chanting the highest known ice magic—The Realm of Ice and Snow. This spell is said to transform everything within its domain into a world of ice.
As the long incantation reached a stage, Luer joined in with the language of ancient holy dragons. Reg estimated that freezing the Lion River completely with his own power would take at least a day, by which time the enemy would surely notice. Thus, he hoped the Ice Holy Dragon emissary could assist. Luer, always obliging towards Reg and Chi Hanfeng, readily agreed. The silence barrier was soon pierced by the penetrating dragon's chant.
Reg deliberately directed the magical energy underground. Soon, Amy and Da Qingshan felt a chill beneath their feet as if they were back on the Ice Continent. Then, they saw the riverbank's surface begin to freeze, thin ice forming and gradually spreading outwards.
The ice grew thicker, and the area near the banks turned pure white, obscuring the flowing water beneath. The reeds along the shore were covered with glimmering frost.
As the red moon approached its zenith, all mercenaries gathered by the riverbank, mouths agape at the strange spectacle, finally understanding why they had been ordered to wear extra clothing and tie anti-slip cloths to their shoes during the day.
It was time. Reg unleashed the long-incanted magical power in an instant, and everyone felt the magical spirits rushing in from all directions, waves of magic surging among them. Centered around Reg and Luer, large snowflakes began to fall, and the river's center creaked ominously—a sound familiar to any mercenary from the Ice Continent, indicating the river was completely frozen.
"Horns, lead two battalions of Great Swordsmen to break the path. Da Qingshan, stay behind with a battalion to protect the teacher and Luer once they finish chanting. Barbas and I will lead the main force. Mercenaries, especially those from the Ice Continent, our enemies are from a land that has never seen snow. In this snowstorm, we will be invincible. We have completed our mission; breaking through, the Red Stone Emperor will honor us in the capital." Amy swung her sword, and in the ice and snow, the blade sang with joy.