Chapter 281: Chapter 281 - Fireworks for Vienne
"Ma... ma... ma... ma... ma... kha... kha..."
A woman with long black hair and glowing crimson eyes stepped forward slowly. Across her chest was a wrap, holding a baby with fiery red hair. The child tilted her head upward, eyes wide as a bright light streaked through the sky toward them.
"Stal..." the baby murmured.
"I thought they could handle this without me," the woman said softly. A weapon began to form in her right hand—its dark shaft extending and curving at the end into a long, gleaming blade. A scythe.
Her left hand gently supported the baby’s head. "Now, Vienne... do you want to see the stars?"
"Stal..." the baby echoed again.
Morganna smiled faintly, and a dark crimson aura coiled around her body, pulsing like living fire. In the next instant, a pair of wings unfurled from her back, black and red energy trailing behind them. With one powerful motion, she kicked off the ground, shooting into the sky in a blur of color and light.
Against the backdrop of the massive full moon, her silhouette shone clearly, a mother and child floating beneath the heavens.
"Mama... stal," the baby whispered.
"Yes, stars," Morganna corrected gently, just as the colossal energy sphere streaked toward them.
From afar, Atlas rose abruptly from his throne, his armor crackling with golden lightning as he prepared to dash forward.
"Not Vienne!!" he shouted.
But he stopped himself. Because in that very moment, Morganna swung her scythe. Once, twice, again and again. Each strike tracing a red arc through the air.
The massive energy sphere split apart like fruit under a blade, sliced into countless fragments that floated weightlessly, glowing in the dark sky.
"What in the—" Atlas muttered, unable to believe what he saw.
Morganna descended gracefully, the shards of energy lingering above. Their light reflected on the baby’s small face, making Vienne giggle with delight.
Then, without warning
KA-KA-BOOOOOM!!! BA-BA-BRAAAM!!! KRAA-THOOOOOM!!!
The fragments detonated one after another, bursting into brilliant streaks of crimson and gold across the night sky like a storm of fireworks.
Vienne clapped her tiny hands, laughing, her eyes sparkling as she pointed upward. "Stal... Mama... stal!"
Morganna looked down again, her expression softening. Above her, the burning remnants rained down like glowing petals, painting the world beneath them in shimmering light.
Atlas let out a long, weary sigh, rubbing his temple as he felt a sudden wave of migraine setting in. Watching what had just happened made him feel as though he might actually have to kidnap that child just to keep her from her mother.
But the chaos wasn’t over yet.
One more of the massive energy spheres streaked across the sky, this one heading straight for the fortress. The light from it reflected off the towers as it closed in, roaring like a falling star.
Then, in an instant, a shimmering blue barrier appeared, its surface made up of countless interlocking octagonal fragments, glowing brilliantly as it expanded to cover the fortress.
[Defensive Structure Activated: Stormbreak Aegis]
BA-THOOOOOM!
The impact hit. Yet no explosion followed. The massive sphere stopped midair, frozen against the barrier like it had been caught in time.
[Status: Energy Conversion in Progress...]
[Mana Charge Progress: +3%]
And just like that, the attack was nullified, its energy fully absorbed by the shield.
"Wow... three percent?" Atlas muttered, leaning forward slightly. "That’s surprisingly efficient."
But it wasn’t over yet.
Atlas turned sharply toward another part of the island, just as Edrik did. The ground there shook violently from another impact.
"Are you sure there’s no one in that area, Edrik?" Atlas asked.
"Yes, my lord," Edrik replied calmly.
An explosion echoed across the night, flames briefly lighting up the horizon. The damage was obvious.
"Good. As long as no one’s there," Atlas said.
Edrik hesitated. "I... wouldn’t be so sure about that."
Atlas glanced at him, brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"
Edrik exhaled slowly. "That’s Mira’s carrot field." His face remained composed, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed something else.
Atlas’s expression darkened. "You deliberately made sure no one was guarding that area, didn’t you?"
Edrik stayed silent, wisely choosing not to answer.
Atlas sighed deeply, already knowing what was coming. "I’m certain someone has just angered the wrong person tonight."
Atlas spoke quietly, his tone heavy with realization, as his eyes shifted toward the far side of the island, where he could already feel a violent surge of mana rising in the distance.
"Someone," he said, "is about to spill a lot of blood. I doubt anyone will be able to stop her now."
And it seemed the enemy’s beasts weren’t few in number. Two more emerged from the portals. Larger, more grotesque than the ones before. Then, from their gaping maws, they fired something. Condensed orbs of plasma-like that fragmented midair, scattering across the island like falling stars.
"What’s that?" Atlas muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"They’re deploying their forces straight into the heart of the island," Edrik replied quickly. "It looks like they’re avoiding direct combat, and aiming to destroy our core structures instead. If they manage that, they’ll win through the damage percentage system before we can retaliate."
"So that’s their plan?" Atlas said, his voice turning cold. He immediately issued the countercommand.
[Atlas: "Eclipse Team, Mira, and Veylor. Do it as usual."]
Among a gathering of Team Veylor, Veylor stood tall, his gaze turning toward someone. The air around him shimmered with heat and tension. A few meters away, Mira stood perfectly still, gripping her hoe in one hand, her eyes glowing a deep, furious red.
Everyone turned his head toward Mira, only to flinch when her small, innocent voice echoed through the charged air.
"Let’s... kill lots of them, okay?" she said sweetly, her tone soft but carrying a chilling resonance that made even hardened warriors shudder.
Every soldier around them froze, trembling slightly, before hastily readying their weapons.
Then, without warning, a violent burst of energy erupted from beneath Mira’s feet. An explosion of pure force that cracked the ground and sent waves of pressure rippling outward.
In the next heartbeat, she shot upward, soaring through the air like a crimson comet.
Veylor clenched his jaw. "Kill them fast!" he roared, charging forward.
All around him, armored beastkin activated their Soulbinding Armors in unison, their bodies glowing as they followed her lead, rushing toward the landing zone where Mira’s devastating strike was about to fall.
**
The slimy, splotchy orbs that had slammed into the ground split open like ruptured pods, and people stumbled out. Ten armed enemy soldiers, weapons at the ready. They spread into a loose formation and advanced, swords and spears glinting beneath the moonlight.
Across from them, the Gacha Haven workers froze where they stood. Pots, trays, hoes and pans still clutched in trembling hands. Fear painted every face.
[Bento: "They’re attacking, ten of them. Please... please help us, Lady Mira!"]
Silence answered for a breath. Then Karian, piped up without thinking.
[Karian: "Are you sure they’re not sending any attacks this way too? It’s getting boring over here... we could go fishing again."]
[Ronan: "Wait for orders, Karian."]
[Karian: "Looks like the fight’ll be over before we even get to stab anything. Should we move to Dullorak’s post instead?"]
[Edrik: "No. Stay on your post!"]