As they gathered on the walls, the tension was palpable.
Knight Darian eyed the strange apparatus before him with scepticism. Beside him, Malden and Gorak stood silently, their expressions unreadable. A few mercenaries and other Blackwood men had also joined them, their eyes moving between Kai and the cannons with doubt.
More than the cannon, many men from Blackwood were wary of the minotaur hovering over the artefact. Some gave looks of questioning, almost as if asking 'Are you in your right mind by letting that big beastman run around?' But others diligently ignored his presence.
Knight Darian finally broke the silence. "What does this artefact even do?"
Kai's lips curled into a confident smile as he gestured toward the massive, sleek devices lined up along the wall. "This," he began, his voice steady, "is what I call a mana cannon. These beauties shootout condensed mana in the form of a beam, powerful enough to rival a fourth-circle offensive spell."
The knight's eyes widened, the hard lines of his face softening with surprise. For the first time since arriving, he showed a hint of genuine emotion. His gaze shifted back to the mana cannons, now with a renewed interest, though a shadow of doubt still lingered.
"If they can actually do that," Darian murmured. "They would be our greatest weapons against the beasts. No, they would be the greatest weapons in the kingdom."
Kai nodded to that. "Yes, they would be. But before we can count on them, we must test them first."
Darian's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but the determination in Kai's voice left them all muted and awaiting what was about to come. This was no ordinary weapon, and if it worked as he promised, it could turn the tide of the coming battle.
All that was left was to see it in action.
But as they both conversed, they drew the attention of everyone on the wall. The Blackwood men who stood in stoic silence, let their gazes fix on the mana cannons. But the mercenaries were less reserved. They exchanged glances, some smirking, others openly sceptical.
Kai looked at them and immediately realised that they didn't trust Kai or the mana cannon.
Therefore, he waited. Soon enough, one man stood out.
His fiery red hair was wild and unruly, matching an odd glint in his eyes. He was a burly figure, his broad shoulders and muscular frame barely contained by the worn leather armour he wore. Scars crisscrossed his arms like tattoos. A wicked grin spread across his face as he let out a loud, mocking laugh.
"What need is there for mercenaries if your fancy cannon can do that?" he jeered, his voice probably reaching even the men behind. "You're exaggerating, Lord Arzan. I've seen artefacts and worked with Mages. Something that could fire off a fourth-circle spell is as precious as a princess' virginity!"
The mercenary's crude remark drew a few chuckles from his comrades, but not everyone was amused.
Killian's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword as he shot a glare at the red-haired man. Gorak and his team, standing nearby, exchanged dark looks before one of them stepped forward, his voice low and menacing.
"Watch your tongue, Kellen," Finn growled at Kellen. "You're going out of bounds when you haven't even seen the cannon's power."
Kellen, undeterred, smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing Finn with a mix of amusement and disdain.
Then his eyes moved towards Gorak. "What's this, Gorak? You lot, lapdogs of the nobles now? I'm just here for the coin. Don't care about buttering up some noble with delusions, even if he's a Mage."
The tension on the wall escalated, more frowns appearing among the crowd as hands edged toward weapons. A fight seemed just moments away from breaking out, Kellen walking forward with his axe. But before things could spiral out of control, Kai stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding.
"No need to fight. In fact, everything will be cleared up soon. We're about to start the demonstration."
All eyes turned to him as he shifted his attention to Kellen, the red-haired mercenary still wearing that cocky grin. "Kellen," Kai began, a smile creeping onto his face. "How about we make a bet?"
Kellen's eyebrows shot up in surprise, the challenge piquing his interest. "What kind of bet?"
Kai's smile widened. "If the cannon has the power I claim, you and your group fight for the city for free. If it doesn't, I'll pay you ten thousand gold."
Kellen's eyes widened at the hefty sum. It was probably several times the sum he could earn doing odd quests throughout the year. He glanced at the mana cannons, his confidence wavering as he seemed to consider the possibility. But then, that familiar bravado returned, and he shrugged.
"Sure, why not?" Kellen replied with a chuckle. "I'm more interested in staying to watch the demonstration now." He agreed so quickly that he didn't even consult his party members.
Kai saw two mercenaries behind Kellen frowning, but the terms of the bet were already decided. With so many people on the wall, there was no going back.
He nodded and turned back to the crowd. "Alright, everyone, take a step back. The cannons are untested, and anything can happen."
As the crowd moved away from the cannons, Kai noticed the worried expressions on many of their faces. He quickly added, "Don't worry, they won't blow up. I've got that under control."
A few nervous chuckles rippled through the group, easing some of the tension. But as they positioned themselves at a safe distance, all eyes were on the mana cannons, and the anticipation of what was about to unfold hung heavy in the air.
Just as Kai was about to begin the demonstration, Darian raised a hand and asked, "But how are we even going to do this demonstration? Who are you firing at? Rocks?"
Kai opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden, raspy snarl echoed across the battlements, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present. The unmistakable cry of a beast, lethal and hungry, reverberated through the air. All heads snapped toward the source of the sound.
Kai's eyes gleamed as he turned back to the knight, a confident smile spreading across his face. "Looks like our target just arrived," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
In the distance, emerging from the edge of the forest, a massive beast lumbered into view. The mercenaries, knights, and onlookers alike tensed, their gazes shifting between the monster and the untested mana cannons.
"Well then," Kai continued. "Let's see what these cannons can really do."
***
Roran's breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the dense forest, the world around him a blur of green and brown.
Just a month ago, he had thought his life was difficult— enduring the harsh regimen of the Archine Tower, preparing for the Ascension Exam, and enduring the constant sneers and bullying from noble-born Mages who treated him like a servant because of his commoner status. But now, as he fled for his life, he realised that compared to this nightmare, those days had been a luxury. A life of relative peace, where his biggest concern was impressing a master or dodging a spell.
The wind whipped around his legs, his wind spells boosting him to speeds he never thought possible, his feet barely touching the ground as he darted between trees and leapt over roots and rocks.
Every fibre of his being was focused on maintaining the spell, keeping the wind at his back, propelling him forward with desperate speed.
Beside him, a man named Gareth, one of the special guards ran with him, matching his pace with an ease that made Roran question if the man was even human.
Gareth wasn't a Mage, yet somehow, he kept up without breaking a sweat, his breath steady as they bolted through the wilderness. They were part of a guerrilla unit, a team with a singular, suicidal goal: lure a Grade 3 raptor beast back to the city.
A creature that walked on two legs like a man but was as tall as eight feet and far faster than any creature had a right to be. Its scales glistened in the dappled sunlight, its teeth bared in a snarl as it pursued them with relentless hunger. Its scales are a mottled green and brown, blended with the forest freely. The creature's long, sinewy tail whipped behind it as it ran, aiding in its incredible balance.
What on—
Roran could hear the beast's footsteps pounding behind them, each thud of its clawed feet sending a shockwave of fear through his body.
They had already dealt with its lesser kin, smaller raptors that had been dispatched with a combination of Gareth's questionable strength and Roran's [Wind Blades]. But this one was different, larger, and far more dangerous.
It was faster than anything Roran had ever faced, and despite their best efforts, it was closing the distance.
"Trust in Lord Arzan!" Gareth shouted, his voice cutting through the wind. "Just keep running, Mage Roran!"
"Easy for you to say," Roran shouted back. "You run like you have the raptor's blood mixed into your body!"
Roran's throat burned, and his legs ached, but he pushed on, knowing that slowing down meant certain death.
He didn't have the luxury to cast another spell to harm the beast— not with all his focus on the one keeping him alive. As a wind Mage, speed was his greatest asset, and his physical conditioning made him an ideal candidate for this insane task.
Lord Arzan had seen something in him, had trusted him with this mission, and that thought alone kept him moving.
The trees thinned, and Roran could see the edge of the forest ahead. Just a little farther, he told himself, just a little more, and they would reach the open ground where the city's defences might come into play. But the raptor was nearly upon them, its hot breath on the back of his neck, its growl vibrating through the air.
Roran felt his soul leave his body for a mere second when Gareth's voice came loud like a knife, cutting through the fog.
"Run, damn it!"
Roran gritted his teeth and pushed harder, the wind roaring in his ears as he and Gareth broke through the tree line, the city walls looming in the distance. But so did the shadow of the beast, closing in with every step.
"The city is close! Just a bit more!"
With a surge of desperate energy, Roran pushed his legs harder, his wind spell straining to its limit. He broke through the thick foliage, leaping from the shadows of the forest and landing hard on the ground.
The sight of the city walls in the distance brought a flicker of hope, but there was no time to celebrate. They bolted forward, the raptor's shriek echoing behind them, filled with hunger and fury.
The beast was out to gobble him right then and there.
Ahead, Roran saw Lord Arzan standing on the walls, surrounded by a group of people and a line of carriages at the gates. But there was no time to take in the details; survival was the only thing on his mind. His hand shot up, waving frantically as they closed in on the city.
"Fire! Now, damn it!" Roran shouted.
But Lord Arzan didn't move, not immediately. He waited, his eyes locked on the approaching beast, calm as if he were watching a sparring match.
Roran's heart nearly stopped— what was he doing? I can't die. I can't die like this. Is this kar—
But just as panic began to take hold, he saw it. The mana cannon, perched on the wall, began to glow, its core heating up as it gathered energy.
Then, in an instant, a beam of condensed mana shot forward.
The surroundings turned white, the light so intense it erased everything from sight. The force of the blast was overwhelming, and Roran felt himself lifted off the ground, jettisoned like dead weight. He hit the earth hard, rolling to a stop with a groan as the world settled back into focus.
A scream of pure agony filled the air, and then… silence.
Roran pushed himself up, his body aching, and looked back. He couldn't feel his limbs, but he somehow moved.
The raptor, the beast that had been moments away from ripping them apart, was gone. In its place were charred remnants, scattered across a blackened patch of earth. The ground was scorched.
Next to him, Gareth laughed, a sound filled with relief and awe. "I told you to trust Lord Arzan! I told you!!"
Roran could only stare at the destruction, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. All he knew was that he was alive.
Though as he looked at the scorched ground, he wasn't sure how long would that hold.
-
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