I never thought that I would live to see a day when a Fortress was made in just a few seconds. It was like a mountain had suddenly arise and it shaped itself walls and towers.

Also, I realized some of our Soul Weapons are not really a weapon in nature like My [Pandora] or Vefal [Rhelya]. We should reconsider naming these manifestations other than ‘Soul Weapon’.

Anyway, Krolve’s [Sanctuary] was a rare Soul Weapon which that upon being activated would absorbed everything around him or rather assimilate them and then shaped the absorbed materials to make buildings with him at the centre of it.

In short and also in a layman term, he became a living, mobile fortress.

It was a solid rectangle shaped bastion that was about half of the size of a football field made from iron and processed woods. Surrounding the fortress were walls with rampart and adjacent on all corner were towers. Inside the wall, there were three hill-like step pyramids in front of me while everyone here stood on top of a higher step pyramid that the other three. As I stood on at edge of the higher step pyramid, behind me was a throne made from stones.

It was not only that but this was also a mobile fortress that has quadruple foots as thick as a stone pillar made from the earth and the fortress was towering above from the ground around few metres. From the outside, it looked like a War Elephant and the fortress was the saddle.

(I had fully absorbed all the material and strengthened the fortress. Please take a seat on the throne.)

Krolve booming voice that came from within or the centre of the fortress was clear enough for everyone on the fortress to hear.

“Eh is the throne needed?”

(You are our leader, so it is only appropriate that such a seat would let you oversee all the surrounding and give orders. Also, I made it as comfortable as I can.)

I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. I took the seat on the throne.

I find it weird that the highest chain of command here was the most senior of the captains as no native high ranking officers had wanted to be stationed at the western part of Athryshiayl. In Athryshiayl, It was a tradition that a summoned would naturally ranked higher than most native officers regardless whether they are experienced or not. So even for this battle, I was made the de facto commander.

“Good, let’s begin, everyone, just like we practiced, take your position!!”

“Aye!!”

After I had barked that order, everyone on top of the fortress shouted in unison and quickly took up their position. We had practiced this for a few days on the evening before, so everyone had wasted no time and everything went efficiently.

The four small groups of soldiers occupied all four towers while the three groups of Eomancers took up all the three step pyramids and the group of healer was stationed at the area just behind the throne.

Katarinova stood on a standby beside me. Now that I think about it, it might had been a good decision as initially, the four groups of soldiers would handle the flying Mal’eurs that approached the fortress but there might be high-class flying Mal’eurs that is beyond what they can handle. That’s where Katarinova would come in.

Now, the purpose of this fortress is quite simple: there are four present objectives in hand. First, with the three groups of Eomancers, we would cast an advance offensive Eomancy spell at where there is a concentration of Mal’eurs just like artillery barrages. I also play a role in here.

Second, it’s a command centre where we can relay orders and oversee the movement of our enemies. At least one of the soldiers on all four towers was specialized scouts that can communicate via Light Grey Eomancy ‘Distance Message’ Spells. Rucrik was one of the specialized scouts and he was on the left frontal tower.

Third, it was to destroy or rather chase away the Cloud of Disharmony. There is a theory that I thought of while experimenting with the sample but either way, what is important is that the leeches has to be stopped and we got a whole lake worth of salt to do that.

Fourth, as I mentioned before, to engage the aerial mal’eurs with the group of soldiers here. Initially, I was to handle the high-level ones but since Katarinova is here, I can fully focused in commanding the battle.`

“Commander, unit 1 is ready.”

“Commander, unit 2 is ready.”

Then unit 3 and 4 representatives reported the same thing as they shouted. The flocks of flying Mal’eurs were near. From a particular distance, there was a large scaled dragon-like creature the size of a pick-up van, roaring its way to here.

“Commander, All the Eomancers are ready.”

A man wearing blue feathered robe respectfully bowed as he reported.

I nodded and stood up. I turned towards Katarinova.

“Katarinova, you see that huge flying Mal’eur over there? Can you beat it to death?”

“Is that an order or a request?”

“Whichever you like but can you beat it to death?”

“I can beat it back to life after it dies from being beaten death.”

I smiled slightly at our brief, playful banter. She had the face of a professional soldier as she spoke. She then softened her expression.

“I will handle it after it got close enough.”

“No way, think of the children- I mean Krolve. We don’t want that thing messing about the interior of his [Sanctuary].”

(I don’t mind.)

Krolve echoed his selfless thought. Roll with me here!

“No, you do, so here let me give you something.”

I approached her and-

(‘Eo, Luxaer, Ollus, Olatus’)

A circle appeared beneath Katarinova. This was a spell that enables the casted to float and move in the air. The rough theory was the air around the body solidified thus suspending the body in the air. A sufficient motion or movement would ease the solidification and enabled the casted to move about in the air. Thankfully, this and ‘Far Sight’ were the few exceptional spells even at a beginner level that can last for minutes or even an hour.

“Stay safe.”

“… Same to you.”

She was a little bit annoyed but nonetheless, she moved up and went to the direction of that Mal’eur dragon.

It was the same for all the four groups at the towers. Half of them would be casted by the ‘Wind Guidance’ and would engaged with the flying Mal’eurs in an aerial combat just outside the wall. It was also for the mobility of being able to defend all parts of the fortress.

Now then, it’s time to do my part.

(‘Eo, Luxalbu, Vider, Antum’)

I casted ‘Far Sight’ to enhanced my vision and scoured the surrounding.

The first thing I saw was some swamp looking monsters lumbering slowly towards fields of Maleur corpses. They seem to be just standing there, lollygagging. Oh wait, those are Plague-Lusters.

I turned away my sight as quick as I can.

Even though the Mal’eurs had intially hesitated and was demoralized, it didn’t last long and the momentum surged again as at every bunker with fervour.

From here, I can see that the engagement had started. From the bunkers, Eomancers casted spells and Warrior proficient at ranged weapon started shooting arrows and throwing javelins.

Outside the bunkers, each soldier was engaged with a mal’eur and some of them were assaulted by multiple of them. Clearly in terms of number, they have that advantage.

As I looked on the scene, suddenly, a soldier had teleported behind the throne where it was the spot what would be in front Krolve where he had been positioned and encased.

He was wounded with a huge gash across his waist.

Oh, I forgot. Another objective or the fifth objective was to create an effective system of recovering and treating the injured. Basically, every unit that are in the frontline have at least one soldier that had Krolve’s [Bond]. If someone in their unit was seriously injured, that person would be pulled out and the soldier with [Bond] would imprint on them and then he or she would be teleported here to be healed by the Healers via Krolve checking the status of the injured. Aside from that, there is also one healer assigned on each frontline unit, but it was only for giving respite and healing soldiers that has superficial wounds. There is a limit to how many people that can be imprinted with [Bond] but Krolve can cancel them after they had be teleported here.

Then another soldier had teleported beside the first one.

Thankfully, even though Healers were scarce, we still have enough to form this sort of system. In this way, casualties are manageable and the risk of death is lowered.

Also, give or take, we have about two lines of reserve to rotate with the frontline after an hour or if the order to abandon a line of bunkers was given.

After the initial objectives are achieved, we have one final objective that can be considered to achieve victory: to eliminate all the Mal’eurs that had entered after we dealt with the Cloud and restored the Leyline.

I turned my eyes again at the battlefield.

From Kiefy side, it was still manageable as just behind him lain on the ground was the corpse of the White Lion, split open from its belly. Kiefy was currently engaging with another high-class Mal’eur of a humanoid giant that was about three times than Kiefy height and the width was almost like the size a great tree. In fact, it looked like the archetype troll found on earth.

He was handling it quite well and from the fighting style he was currently implementing, it was a style where he prioritizes on conservation of energy so he can last longer.

I turned towards where Vassil or rather Vassil’s was.

In terms of combat skill, Vassil wouldn’t measure up with Katarinova or Kiefy but it doesn’t mean he fall short against them. With about four clones, he or rather they were at the prime of a man’s age. They were currently engaging with a huge snake-like Mal’eur and from the look of it, they were about to kill it.

Regarding about the other High-class Mal’eurs, aside from the summoned, I had issued that each of them will be handled only by groups of elites and veteran soldiers in stalling them or if possible to kill them.

After looking at the area where Kiefy and Vassil was doing well, I looked at where the area with no summoned and a section where I had aggregated enough experienced soldiers. Initially, that area was supposed to be covered by Katarinova.

They were being overwhelmed.

I don’t know if it was because the Mal’eurs was smart enough to avoid the summoned but the concentration of Mal’eurs was more at that side.

It’s a good place to rain barrages of Eomancy over there.

“Start the circles and aim on that side, Vastil.”

I pointed at the concentrated amount of Mal’eurs. Vastil the blue robed Eomancer looked at where I pointed and nodded. I trust they can coordinate the angle of trajectory of the spells.

With that, all three group chant in unison.

For advanced spell, you need to chant repeatedly depending on how proficient you are in Eomancy. That was why advanced spell are advance because there is a pressure of words unable to come out during the chant resulting in failure.

(‘Eo, Altruer, Trigint, Du, Ormento, Actus’)

Group 1 was chanting repeatedly of a high tier advance Eomancy of Deep Red spell.

(‘Eo, Altalbu, Trigint, Du, Empestas, Erfuro’)

Group 2 was chanting repeatedly of a high tier advance Eomancy of Deep White spell.

(‘Eo, Altravus, Trigint, Du, Tera, Esta’)

Group 3 was chanting repeatedly of a high tier advance Eomancy of Deep grey spell.

After nearly a minute, all of the spells were ready to cast.

The groups aren’t gonna cast themselves because even in groups, casting a high tier advance spell is quite tiring after a few casting but with [Synikorvus], it bypass the effect of Overuse so no one is fatigued by them.

I activated [Synikorvus] to ‘steal’ those spells.

Although it will take some times to steal them as they are advanced spells. It seems for [Synikorvus], the higher the level, the longer it takes to steal spells from others.

After another nearly another minute, I successfully take control all three Circles. It was time to rain doom from above.