CHAPTER 72 #5
Umalingawngaw ang sigaw ng mga kawal sa buong paligid. Rassia smiled as she watched them, her eyes slowly scanning the thousands of knights standing before her.
There are 12,000 knights here with me. The other 5,000 are already in Sartores...
The total number of Mysarea Knights is 17,500. While based on Agarus's report, my secret forces, the Engkantari and Badidos that I called the Red Blades, have 10,500...
That gives me a total of 28,000 knights.
It's still lacking...
Hmm... even if I'm lacking in numbers... I have Razareth and Dragoroth...
The Quentin Knights have 40,000 knights... I guess their numbers have increased over the past years. It's been six years, after all. Galsarius must have expanded the forces during that time...
Galsarius... I don't care about him anymore. After everything he's done, I still don't understand why he did it. Bakit niya ginawa iyon? ano bang pinag-usapan nila ng aking ama na hindi ko alam?
There is something I'm missing. Something they never told me. And when I finally return... I will find out what it was.
"Erenhals, open the portals," utos ni Rassia.
Tumango ang mga Erenhal at inilabas ang kani-kanilang susi ng lagusan.
"Zeravon Noktaynar," sabay-sabay nilang sambit.
Mabilis na nabuo ang isang napakalaking lagusan sa likuran ng mga kawal. Umikot ang liwanag sa loob nito, creating a swirling vortex that slowly grew larger.
Agad namang umayos ang tindig ng mga Mysarea Knights at sabay-sabay na humarap dito. Their movements were precise and disciplined, as if they had already practiced the formation countless times.
The bright light continued to swirl inside the portal, illuminating the massive stone walls of Mysarea.
Tila namangha si Raquim habang pinagmamasdan ang napakalaking lagusan. Iniangat niya ang kaniyang tingin kay Lapileon, tila sinusubukan niyang intindihin kung paano nila ito ginagawa.
His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he watched the swirling light inside the portal.
Woah... can I play with that?
Nagsimulang maglakad ang mga kawal patungo sa napakalaking lagusan. Isa-isa silang pumasok habang nananatiling maayos ang kanilang formation.
Iba't ibang lugar ang maaari nilang puntahan gamit ang lagusan, depende sa kautusan ni Rassia kung saan sila dapat dalhin. Each portal was connected to a specific destination, allowing the knights to move across different parts of Vermeleyon without having to travel the long distance by foot.
Every knight knew exactly where they were supposed to go.
Tahimik lamang na pinagmamasdan ni Rassia ang lahat habang isa-isang nawawala sa loob ng umiikot na liwanag ang mga kawal.
She made sure everyone was following the assigned route.
Lumingon si Rassia kay Raquim at tinanguan ito bago ngumiti. Raquim waved at her, saying goodbye. Rassia waved back at her son.
Napakurap si Raquim nang bigla niyang maramdaman ang init ng yakap ng kaniyang ina kahit malayo ito. Para bang sandali siyang niyakap ni Rassia kahit ilang dipa na ang layo nila sa isa't isa.
He slowly looked at his mother. Then realized that it was her power.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he felt the warmth surrounding him.
Rassia also gave the Erenhals a small nod.
Yumuko si Anastacio at marahang hinawakan ang lupa, habang sina Agarus, Katarina, Stain, Lazlo, at Raja ay agad na pumwesto sa tabi ni Rassia at Lucy Pearl.
Then a massive red light suddenly appeared above the sky and slowly descended toward them, illuminating the entire area with its red glow. The Eternal Phoenix did not need a portal to travel, unlike the others. Its power allowed Rassia to travel across vast distances without opening a single portal.
Mabilis na bumalot ang pulang liwanag sa kanilang mga katawan habang unti-unting lumalakas ang enerhiya. Napatingala ang lahat maging ang mga mamamayan sa loob ng Mysarea sa napakalaking liwanag.
Then Rassia and the others disappeared, leaving only a fading red glow in the sky.
The red light slowly faded until nothing remained.
"The power of the Eternal Phoenix is really something else..." ani Vladimir.
In the Capital City of Sartores
Vermeleyon
Two days had passed since the people of Sartores gathered outside the Imperial Palace.
Hindi lamang sa labas ng palasyo nagtipon ang mga tao, dahil mayroon ding malaking grupo na nagtipon sa harapan ng Holy Cathedral.
Ngunit hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin sila sinisipot ng mga opisyal, which only made their anger grow stronger.
Dalawang araw na rin naroon ang lahat at hindi umaalis sa kanilang puwesto. Some of them had barely rested, while others continued to stand among the crowd, waiting for someone from the Imperial Palace to finally come out and speak to them.
Samantala, ang Mysarea Knights, still wearing their black coats, continued to watch over the people.
Hindi lamang sila nakatayo roon bilang mga tagapag-bantay.
They also offered food and water to the people who had been waiting outside for two days.
May ilan sa mga kawal ang nagdala ng mga pagkain sa mga matatanda at mga bata, habang ang iba naman ay patuloy na nagbabantay sa paligid upang maiwasan ang anumang gulo.
At habang lumilipas ang bawat oras, lalo lamang lumalakas ang sigaw ng mga mamamayan na humihingi ng sagot mula sa Imperial Palace at sa Holy Cathedral.
Maraming Holy Knights ang nakapalibot sa labas ng Holy Cathedral, preventing the people from entering the sacred grounds. They stood in formation in front of the massive doors, their weapons ready while keeping the growing crowd at a distance.
Same thing was happening outside the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Knights were also stationed around the palace gates, forming a defensive line to prevent the people from forcing their way inside.
Habang patuloy na naghihintay ang mga mamamayan, lalo lamang tumitindi ang tensyon sa pagitan nila at ng mga kawal. The longer the officials refused to appear, the more frustrated the people became.
"Dalawang araw na kaming naghihintay dito! kailan ba ninyo kami haharapin at bibigyan ng sagot?! hindi kami aalis hangga't hindi ninyo kami hinaharap!"
"Ilabas ninyo ang mga opisyal! may karapatan kaming malaman kung bakit patuloy kayong nagtatago sa loob ng palasyo habang kami ang naghihintay sa labas! hindi ninyo maaaring balewalain ang mga mamamayan na ilang araw nang nakatayo rito!"
"Buksan ninyo ang mga pintuan at kausapin ninyo kami nang harapan! pagod na kaming maghintay at paulit-ulit na humingi ng kasagutan!"
After waiting for two days without receiving any answers, some of them finally lost their patience. Ilang mages ang nagsimulang gumamit ng kanilang mga kapangyarihan, sending different spells toward the Holy Knights and Imperial Knights who were guarding the entrances.
Ngunit mabilis na kumilos ang mga kawal.
The Holy Knights raised their weapons as several priests behind them activated powerful defensive magic.
Mabilis na sumulpot ang mga magic circles sa kanilang harapan, blocking and dispersing the incoming spells before they could reach the guards.
Sa kabilang panig naman, agad ding kumilos ang Imperial Knights upang kontrahin ang mga pag-atake ng mga mamamayan.
Both the Holy Cathedral and the Imperial Palace were protected by enormous magical barriers. Kumalat ang mga ito sa paligid, glowing faintly whenever a spell struck their surface. Every attack that reached the barriers was immediately neutralized, leaving the massive buildings completely untouched.
Mas lalo lamang nagalit ang mga tao nang makita nilang kahit ang kanilang mga mahika ay hindi kayang makalusot.
"Paano natin haharapin ito? mas lalo lamang nagalit ang mga iyon sa kautosan mo, Your Majesty!" singhal ni Pope Roque habang nakatingin kay Megan.
Megan simply rolled her eyes. Tahimik niyang sinimsim ang kaniyang kape mula sa R Atelier Café bago muling nagsalita.
"You also agreed with me, Pope Roque. Don't act as though this was entirely my decision."
Ang ilan sa mga high priest ay sumisilip sa labas mula sa mga bintana ng Imperial Office. Mula roon, kitang-kita nila ang libo-libong mamamayan na patuloy na nagtitipon sa labas, occupying the streets and surrounding areas.
Samantala, si Lurtheron ay tahimik na nakaupo sa harapan ng isang marangyang mesa.
He was wearing his usual white suit, paired with a white sash and a gold brooch pinned neatly on his chest.
He was also wearing his silver glasses, which rested neatly on the bridge of his nose.
But despite his elegant appearance, the dark circles beneath his eyes had become even more prominent, making him look increasingly exhausted.
Nakadekwatro siya habang nakadiin ang kaniyang hintuturo sa kaniyang sentido. Nakasandal siya sa kaniyang upuan, with his left arm rest on the armrest.
I knew it. I should reconsider Mother's order...
What is Mother thinking?
Things are only getting worse...
What should I do, Great Goddess? Lend me your guidance...
"Reports say there were mysterious figures wearing black cloaks with a phoenix embroidered on them, giving food and water to the people outside. Pinaimbestiga ko rin kung saan at paano nagsimula ang lahat ng ito. I ordered my men to trace every movement, every connection, and every person involved,
and it all leads back to them." Lurtheron finally spoke.
"That means someone is behind this. Kung dati pa nagsimula ang lahat ng ito, matagal na sana nilang ginawa. But they waited. They waited until the empire was vulnerable enough for their presence to matter." sang-ayon ni Solomon.
Lurtheron slowly nodded.
"Those people aren't feeding the crowd simply because they care about them. They're buying their loyalty. Every meal they provide, every drop of water, every moment they spend standing beside those people is another reason for the crowd to trust them instead of us."