Chapter 47: When Enemies Become Allies

Chapter 47: When Enemies Become Allies

"The evil races are starting to return from their raids on the surrounding villages and fortresses. We don't have much time," the Mayor said, taking a sip of his tea.

Douglas was forced to agree. The attack had resulted in significant casualties for both groups, the wall had fallen, and there was no telling when or from where a new enemy might appear. The defenders had limited access to ammunition, and every minute was precious.

"Sss... Human... I can agree that our time is short. What do you propose?"

"First, we will repair and expand the fortification tonight. Then, tomorrow, we will jointly attack the defensive formation in the ruins. We made good progress before you arrived, managing to destroy two of the formation's 'eyes' and locate the rest."

"Sss - impressive... Very well, let the System bear witness to our pact. Until we find a way to destroy the ruins, we shall be allies."

Both leaders possessed special skills that allowed them to officially document such alliances. Once the contract was concluded, copies would reach the local Lord and the central office in the capital. The System preserved free will, and the contract could easily be violated, but the Skills and backups made it official enough.

That evening, there was a terrible amount of work. Emilia helped with the wounded and drew talismans, while the soldiers and hunters collected the bodies and burned them, chopped wood, and repaired and expanded the fortification. Fjorn drew simple glyphs onto the chopped logs and connected them into a formation. Earlier, Emilia had seen him collecting blood from the corpses of the dead.

"Fjorn, why do you need that blood?"

"That..."

I shouldn’t have asked that, Emilia realized. All mages hold numerous secrets.

"Emilia, you know how incredibly expensive your talisman ink is. But that is not the only way to make talismans. Before talisman paper, special inks, and brushes were invented, masters of talismans and formations often used the blood of magical creatures. Working with blood is much cruder, and the success rate decreases. It requires fresh blood, drawn directly from the opponent's heart. Once drained, this blood quickly begins to lose its properties, and unless special techniques or items are used, it lasts between three and five days. Besides... you know very well how everyone hates the blood mages. In most places, they are outlawed and are mercilessly hunted down and executed."

Emilia had read extensively about the treacheries of blood mages throughout the centuries. Entire cities had been sacrificed to one power-crazed, blood mage or another. Yet, there were whispers that the most powerful nobles and even the royal family secretly experimented with blood magic and owed their longevity to secret, forbidden rituals. The current King was 800 years old, and no one knew how much longer his mandate would last.

Emilia was extremely tired. Everything in her body ached, her mana was starting to become unstable, but she persisted in continuing her work.

"You shouldn't overdo it. You are still young, and you could damage your energy channels. Go and rest for a while; the talismans won't run away."

"Just a moment, I have enough mana for two more talismans, and then I'll rest."

Fjorn's gaze lingered on Emilia, and his skills scanned her. He nodded slightly.

"Alright, but if you feel any significant instability, stop immediately. Don't risk injuring yourself for the sake of one talisman."

"Yes, Uncle Fjorn, I'll be careful."

Fjorn relaxed for a moment. His old wounds had worsened, and his mana continued to be unstable. But unlike Emilia, he had been fighting this condition for years, and when he meditated, he often sent his mana to further reinforce his energy channels.

He was responsible for the formations of the entire village, which allowed him to afford many earthy treasures from the hunters. He used these to strengthen his energy channels even more and had even managed to create a system for dealing with unstable mana. If any other mage tried to work with their mana in his condition, they would instantly suffer a 'mana deviation' and explode from the backlash.

The Mayor and his son were the most active people in the fortification. They stopped to speak with the wounded, supervised the collection of timber, and the construction of the fortifications. They sent scouts into the forests and prepared contingency plans in case of a larger attack. No one thanked them for their labor, and everyone wanted something from them. They asked for more people to be allocated for logging or more scouts, spoke of more breaks, and often there were doubts about whether the expedition was worth it and not infrequently, doubts about the alliance with the Echidrids.

Is all this extra work really worth it? the Mayor often questioned. But looking at the fallen hunters, remembering the attack on the village, he gritted his teeth and devoted himself to his task. Who would replace me if I stepped down? Wouldn’t the next attack be even harder? They were already here—right in front of the ruins.

Imperceptibly, night fell over the forest, and the allies retreated into the fortification. The moon rose in the sky, partially hidden by puffy clouds—beautiful, luminous, and lending a mysterious grace to a busy world.

There would be a double watch tonight, but Fjorn and Emilia were exempted. Instead, they were meant to rest and prepare for the action against the formations the following day.

In the morning, Emilia slept late. No one wanted to wake the little girl. Fjorn, along with Douglas and two of the Echidrids, discussed how the attack on the formation would proceed. The Mayor sent out twice as many scouts, and the hunters set traps all around.

When the sun was high in the sky, the attack on the formation began.

Those who possessed mana started assaulting the formation with their energy, while Douglas, Fjorn, Emilia, and two other Echidrids activated the breakthrough formation and attacked the eyes of the defensive formation one by one.

Energies swirled above the ruins. A sea of magical power and a cacophony of strange, ethereal lights rose over the collapsed buildings. Fjorn continuously channeled the potent energies, searching for weak points in the formation's defense. He watched the surrounding chaos vigilantly, frozen like a statue of some ancient hero. His eyes stared into eternity, his chin slightly raised. His wild beard and hair gave him a savage and exotic appearance.

Emilia recalled the ancient shamans—those who had unveiled the secrets of the Celestial Language and tamed the inscrutable energies of the elements. They had studied nature and its harmony, and in doing so, had laid the foundations of modern civilization. How great they must have been... Her heart filled with admiration and gratitude. A small tear fell from her eye—a tribute to the immortal spirit of the ancestors.

The siege lasted for nearly two hours, but at last, the final eye fell. Fjorn had used most of his materials, and his wounds had worsened. Emilia was breathing heavily, lying on the ground. Time and again, she had depleted her mana in critical situations. Her body was not accustomed to such actions, and she suffered quietly, resting on the grass. Nevertheless, all those sacrifices had been crowned with success; they had prevailed—the gates to the ruins were broken!

A new wave of negotiations with the Echidrids followed. In the end, half of the allies remained to guard the entrance and continue fortifying, while the other half headed through the gates.