Had all their efforts been in vain?
Under Buck's gaze, the scattered sparks soon fell across the battlefield.
"[Divine Word - Shield]"
Breaking free from the effects of the [Soul Scream], Aaron immediately cast a protective spell.
A pristine, semicircular light shield manifested in the air, but as the sparks touched it, tiny holes corroded through the radiant barrier.
Could the remnants of the spell, diluted a hundredfold, still wield such power?
If that enormous fireball had struck him directly, Aaron was certain he wouldn't have survived.
As he stood in shock, the castle echoed with agonizing screams. Aaron turned his head, and what he saw left him paralyzed with horror.
Unlike the priests trained in divine arts, the soldiers had barely recovered from the shock of the [Soul Scream] when the sparks adhered to their armor, shields, crossbows, and the exposed parts of their bodies and faces.
The terrifying nature of white phosphorus fire revealed itself in the next moment. The faint flames, upon contact with material, began to spread rapidly. Leather shoulder guards and gloves were burned through, and the yellow-white flames seemed to be drawn to flesh, seeping straight into the skin beneath.
"Ah!" A shield-bearer frantically slapped at his chest, attempting to extinguish the flames that were slowly spreading, but his efforts only resulted in his arm catching fire as well. Within seconds, half his body was ablaze, turning him into a living torch.
His comrade beside him fared even worse. The flames had dropped into the gaps in his armor. Unable to withstand the searing heat, he let out a blood-curdling scream, tearing off his armor and then his own skin, revealing a burning, bloody mass of flesh beneath.
Blood and mangled corpses served as the perfect fuel for the white phosphorus fire, which spread rapidly.
A sea of fire, billowing white smoke, and soldiers dying in twisted agony—it was as if hell itself had descended upon the world.
"Demons! This must be the work of demons, fire from the very depths of hell!"
The elite Nordland soldiers, witnessing such a horrific scene, finally broke. The [Dispel Fear] spell was rendered completely useless. A priest who had narrowly escaped the fire's wrath screamed hysterically, throwing away his staff and fleeing without a backward glance.
The same scene left Jonny and the others stunned, nearly forgetting that Lynn had instructed them to hold their breath and use magic to draw oxygen from the air.
"What kind of magic is this?" Buck shivered deeply; even standing close, he could feel the searing pain that seemed to burn into his very bones.
"This is merely a fireball spell. You can all use it as well, right? I just modified it a bit," Lynn explained casually, noticing the astonished looks from his companions.
Modified a bit?
Buck's expression turned peculiar. He suspected that Lynn's understanding of that phrase might differ vastly from his own.
Jonny, on the other hand, began to wonder if Lynn had already surpassed that barrier and become a true sorcerer.
But it had only been half a year since Lynn first started practicing magic—such progress seemed too outrageous... Besides, their teacher, Kolu, was perpetually poor. How could he afford the necessary resources for magical advancement?
While Jonny and Buck were lost in complex thoughts, Barton's were much simpler: So, when their combined efforts as wizard apprentices were unleashed, they could be this powerful!
Barton even began to believe that if they worked together, perhaps facing the Church's pursuers wouldn't be as insurmountable as he once thought.
But just as that thought crossed his mind, a blinding white light pierced through the flames, hurtling toward the group of wizard apprentices.
Distracted, Barton could only see his brother Buck's anxious face shouting something at him. The next moment, he felt an overwhelming force hit him, his frail body torn apart in midair. He spun several times before crashing to the ground, lifeless.
The sudden change froze the expressions on Jonny and the others' faces. Buck's features twisted in despair as he screamed, "No, Barton!"
The moment the white light appeared, Lynn responded. Twelve [Magic Missiles] orbited around him, tracing eerie arcs as they shot toward the end of the corridor.
But the missiles were stopped by an invisible barrier, leaving only ripples where they collided…
Lynn's heart sank. His eyes fixed on the other side of the flames. He knew that the one he had been waiting for had finally arrived, and their power was far more terrifying than he had anticipated!
Suddenly, a soothing hymn echoed through the castle, an unseen force gradually enveloping the space. Inside the sealed room, rain began to fall!
This was the third-circle divine spell—[Hymn of Life]!
The green raindrops, imbued with immense divine power, began to suppress the hellish flames.
The relentless, all-consuming white phosphorus fire was quickly fading, and through the mist of the retreating flames stepped Anciuke, clad in white and gold robes.
"Bishop!"
Aaron, who had narrowly escaped the flames, reacted first, shouting with a mix of excitement and hidden resentment.
The timing of Anciuke's appearance was too perfect, making it clear to Aaron that the bishop had been observing the situation all along.
It was evident that Aaron, along with the elite forces of Nordland, had merely been pawns to test the enemy's strength and hidden cards.
Aaron's heart sank. He knew that after this was over, as the commander, he would face severe punishment.
Anciuke paid no attention to Aaron. He surveyed the battlefield, where nearly half the soldiers lay dead or dying, their spirits completely shattered. His eyes narrowed when he noticed that the flames, once extinguished by the [Hymn of Life], had begun to rekindle!
Such was the nature of white phosphorus fire—so long as there was oxygen in the air and something to burn, it would never cease!
"Don't linger—retreat!"
After the failed feint with the [Magic Missiles], Lynn wasted no time in making his decision.
The earlier, drawn-out casting of the enormous fireball had nearly depleted his supply of white phosphorus. The remnants wouldn't be enough to defeat the powerful bishop who had now revealed his divine might.
Jonny and Pigeon, understanding the terror of Anciuke, knew that despite their grief over Barton's death, their only chance for survival was to flee.
But Buck, having lost his brother, had lost his mind. With a roar of fury, he grabbed a relatively intact soldier's corpse from the ground, using it as a shield, and charged straight at Anciuke.