Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 266. Shadow Surges

266. Shadow Surges

Beneath the rustling canopy of leaves, the evening moonlight filtered through, illuminating the circular ring laid on top of the stone platform, its weight supported by ancient arching pillars. The structure spanned half a hundred metres in diameter.

The space warped, harmonising with a deep, resonant hum.

In the centre, a crystal the size of a small child floated upward in a frantic motion. It vibrated with raw energy until the doorframe fully formed, its purple light spilling out to paint the clearing whole.

Multiple figures emerged from the gateway.

Behind them, the anchor stone shattered into millions of pieces, the door dissipating into mere specks of fading light.

Ziyue’s keen eyes swept the area instantly, scanning for any sign of anomaly — a habit she always performed when entering a new zone. Hostile or not, she’d be the judge of that.

A titanic mountain range embraced them on almost all sides, serving as the backdrop for a quiet town nestled below. Amber lights dimmed and flickered from the windows, giving the settlement a deceptively cosy feel.

The cold breeze brushed the skin of her face. She tilted her head upward, letting the pricking numbness kiss her cheeks. It was somewhat pleasant.

"I said it’d still work," Ziyue said, eyeing her uncle, her tone dripping with triumph.

"Once… now the old anchor stone is destroyed," Jovian sighed, shaking his head.

"We’d only come here one time anyway," Ziyue sneered, crossing her arms. She was clearly discontent. "Gaia, I hate rural places!" Her whine was lost to the wind.

"It’s such a quiet place though…" Jovian joined her side, keeping his tone even. Mist hissed from his breath as he exhaled. His mind was already working out their direction; he traced the constellations in the sky, locating the North Star.

"Are you okay?" Lupus whispered to Frain; the two were just closely behind the Celestius and his prime disciple.

The Wildren adjusted her cloak to cover her exposed neck. "Mm!" Frain nodded. "I’ll get used to it!" Her voice was filled with energy, though Lupus could hear her teeth chattering.

Jovian strode off the platform and into the clearing that bordered the forest's edge. Towering pines surrounded them, their dark green needles bowing under thick blankets of white snow. Leading the way, he assembled the group atop a small ridge, where the elevation granted them a commanding view of the valley below.

"So, the closest town over there is Flanne," Jovian pointed out.

Lupus held her hood steady and nodded. Frain reluctantly followed.

Jovian moved his hand to the north, his finger pointing toward the distant peaks. "And another fifty kilometres out is Valsorda. We should be able to walk—"

"WALK?" Ziyue shrieked, her eyes glaring daggers.

"Or would you prefer to jog?" Jovian shrugged; a light smile never left his lips.

"Isn’t there a vehicle or something?" Ziyue groaned, her lips curling downward. She couldn’t find any proper street in sight. "Ugh! That’s why I freaking hate small towns like this!" Hopeless.

"Come on…" Jovian reached out to clasp her shoulder, but she snapped his hand away.

Quietly, Frain poked Lupus. "Do they usually argue like this often?" she whispered as the banter continued. She deepened her frown. "Is he really a Celestius?"

Lupus shook her head, scratching her cheek. "I honestly don’t know."

Suddenly, an extraneous vibration ran up through the soles of their boots.

They all froze, looking at one another.

An earthquake. There was no mistaking it.

"It’s begun! We’re late!" Jovian muttered through gritted teeth. He snapped his head in the direction of the vibration.

"We really have to run for it," Ziyue groaned, though stomping her boots in anticipation. "You, Lioness, can you keep up with us?"

Frain startled slightly before her resolve solidified. "I will!"

"It’s just past that town, just follow the light!" Jovian said firmly.

No time to waste, they all sprinted, dashing through the woods at full speed.

***

A maelstrom of frantic shouts and screams echoed from every corner of the Valsorda’s roads.

The town exuded total chaos. People rushed through the dirt paths, the stampede pushing a young Wildren into the mud. She slid, her clothes tainted dark brown.

A towering female in full armour loomed over her, pulling her upward effortlessly.

"Head South-East! To the Eranthis field!" her deep voice boomed, relaying the information from Zetius.

The Wildren dipped her head and moved along with the flow of people.

"This way!" Astrid waved her arms, directing the crowd to move through the alley.

The rumble intensified, sending shocks to her knees. People gasped and screamed. She jerked her head in the direction of the seismic source — massive waves of white snow and rock were unravelling down the couloir.

"Hurry up!" she barked.

Above her, Friederich summoned a ladder of Lampos as he climbed up to the tower. With a final heave and swing, he gained enough momentum to hurl himself onto the edge of the ledge.

The brass bell, the size of a full-grown elf, stood in front of him.

Nimbly, he pushed himself up, his belly scratching the coarse bricks. He swept his eyes around the dark structure, spotting the heavy mallet hanging near the wall.

He snatched it, flicking the mallet so it spun in the air before its handle landed squarely in his palm.

Then, he swung at it.

CLANG!

The resounding chime echoed continuously, loud enough to be heard across the entire town.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Well done!" Astrid roared in satisfaction before heading north against the rushing stream of crowds.

The Armatus Celer arched through the sky, just above the roofs. The evacuation announcement, alternating with the emergency siren, filled the streets.

"Keep to the east side of the town," Zetius’s voice crackled through the comm. "If you see anyone moving in the wrong direction, let them know!"

He went from door to door, slamming his fist against the doors and windows, hoping the ruckus would stir any heavy sleepers.

"Roger that!" Cubie clipped, her voice clear.

From her vantage point, she could see black masses moving along the small alleys, heading toward the collection of lamp lights that shone over the golden field of Eranthis.

Then she spotted a group of villagers went astray, their herd of sheep were running west. She motioned the Celer toward their location, her thrusters blasting a blue streak across the night sky.

The dark war machine, with its menacing red visor, swooped down near the patch of grass, blocking the villagers's path.

They stood stunned, anxious, pale faces looking at one another. The sheep bleated, unfriendly toward the giant Celer.

"You’re in the path of the avalanche. There’s a muster point to the south from here—the flower field," the external speaker boomed.

"What?" The older man shouted, his brow furrowed. He shifted his goat ears to the side, listening intently.

"I said, the Eranthis field! Marty told you to muster there!" Cubie stressed.

This time, they returned a reluctant nod before steering their herd away.

Content, Cubie manoeuvred the Armatus back into the air, climbing for altitude.

There was an amber light coming from the edge of the northern side, where the massive wall of snow would roll over first. She did a mental calculation; she might have fifteen minutes or less. Frustrated as she was, she couldn't leave them unchecked. With that determination, she surged through the tempest.

On top of the Alps, a tall spire peaked out, reaching its zenith. Its sleek and smooth surface shimmered like dark steel, reflecting the split moonlight. Two symmetric prongs curled exponentially from the base to a sharp tip.

The air thrummed like a heartbeat. The mega-structure of the ring hovered a few metres above the spike.

Its surface was edged with Hellenic runes and glyphs. Light flowed like liquid, causing the etched symbols to glow.

A deep, mumbling voice reverberated from the base. It was not as loud as the cascading snow or the thrumming air; the eerie, artificial sound was almost lost in the cacophony.

Before long, the circular ring completed its rotation with the resounding chime like an ancient instrument. A gigantic surge of red light beamed from the base of the structure toward the tip, blasting through the circular ring.

The Light of Redemption shook the air, cleaving through the clouds. Massive shockwaves erupted in rapid succession.

As if something had jerked his entire head, Zetius witnessed the red beam.

Mighty and destructive. The crimson glow illuminated his deathly pale face.

A second later, the series of shockwaves reached him, sending him to his knees.

"IGNIUS!" he screamed in anger and anguish.

This light was nothing like the Light of Punishment. It was a single beam of sophisticated energy manipulation. No slivers, no loss in payload — it was aimed directly toward the split moon.

Zetius flicked his ring. "Cubie, with me now!"

"What are you planning to do?" Astrid’s perturbed voice interjected through the comm, shuffling noises audible in her background.

"I must stop Ignius!" Zetius took off, tracking the Armatus Celer in the sky.

“Now?” Lunarius Astrid carried two kids, dashing across the roofs before landing near the edge of the field. Her boots thudded against the ground. People rushed to take the children from her.

“There’s no time, he’s unleashing Cronos from his prison as we speak,” Zetius replied. Words urgent.

Astrid glanced back. Friederich carried one child in each arm and an actual goat on his back, unloading them to safety.

"Zetius’s right. We must shift our focus to stop Ignius," Willhelm’s tone was calm and committed over the line. "Our time is running out. We did what we could for the town."

"What?" Astrid exclaimed, not believing the words. "But—" A lump struck her throat. A young lady came out of the crowd, begging her about a missing mother. Despairing, Astrid could only shake her head.

As much as she hated it, it was a fact. She couldn’t save everyone, and that beam of light would mark the end of mortals as she knew it.

We must make a hard choice sometimes. She bit her lip.

"Let’s work together," came Aurelia’s turn to add. "Astrid, Friederich, we’ll pick you up in a minute!"

"Acknowledged!" Astrid confirmed sharply. Friederich gave a firm nod.

“We’ll be closely behind you, Zetius,” Aurelia added, her voice reassuring.

"Got it!" Zetius grunted as he scaled the steel giant with vigour.

Simultaneously, the torso of the Celer opened toward him. He yanked himself up and rolled over the horizontal hatch. The blue light emitted from the HUD screen lit up the cockpit. He hurled himself into the seat, his eyes snapping to the minimap.

"Ten minutes!" Zetius hissed. "Let’s hope it takes much, much longer to destroy the moon."

The soaring tower in the distance was still channelling the red energy. Zetius watched the moon turning bloody red. His stomach sank as he remembered Triss mentioning the red moon in one of her Proleptis visions.

"Climbing now!" Cubie notified him as they accelerated upward.

Her voice faded into white noise as Zetius felt his knee trembling. He clutched his leg tightly, forcing it to calm down. This was not the time for fright; it was the time to face the devil in red himself.

***

Shockwaves rang out in the forest, causing the riddle of wind to snap branches and shake leaves into the undergrowth below. The Light of Redemption unleashed its fury into the sky.

Ziyue moved through the woods, hopping from one tree to another. At this speed, everything became a hazy blur of darkness. Her arc boots played the major role in achieving this manoeuvre.

In this highly urgent situation, her old uncle appeared to have outpaced her, dried leaves and sharp branches snapping as he angled through the terrain. Worse, the new companions were just as swift. They were Wildren — intrinsically rich in agility and well-trained.

"There!" she shouted as she spotted the lamp lights clustered in the clearing of the forest.

There was a field behind the ridge line; the dark rock stood as a natural shield against the impending avalanche.

"We’re too late?" Jovian led the party out of the edge of the woods. His arc boots left no footsteps on the thin layer of snow.

"It appears as if they’ve already evacuated?" he uttered through his ragged breath. The Celestius showed signs of exertion after all. He wiped his sweaty forehead and glanced over his shoulder at his party.

"Must be Zetius… or his company," Ziyue grinned, eyeing the Wildren.

Just as she thought, Lupus’s eyes darted away while Frain’s eyes bulged, lips parted in excitement.

Lupus cleared her throat. "Let’s talk to them, see what we can learn?" She shrugged, looking at the wheezing man.

Jovian nodded. A fifty-kilometre sprint, even with assisted boots, was not something he’d expected. And there would be another fifty uphill to reach the tower.

"Great suggestion." Ziyue rolled her lips, partly taunting.

Lupus ignored her, trailing behind, her pace matching Frain’s.

Their hurried steps took less than a few minutes to reach the perimeter. A goat Wildren in a brown gown — later revealing himself to be Magistrate Marty — came out to explain the situation. His story was concise despite the terror in his eyes.

"We’ll help…" Jovian responded softly.

"Celestius!" Frain’s voice boomed, urgent as she tugged on Jovian's cloak.

He spun around. The red moon illuminated his otherwise pale face. Jovian drew his lips into a thin line.

He strode off, waving for his party to follow. "Team," he called, leading them just a dozen paces away from the villagers.

"We’ll help rescue the people first," Jovian said, biting the nail of his thumb, nervous.

"What did you just say?" Lupus questioned, impatience clear in her voice. She frowned, her lips curling downward. Clearly, she wanted to reach the tower by now.

"You said… Zetius went to the tower, right?" Jovian mumbled to Ziyue. The girl nodded sombrely.

"That’s good." He pointed his index finger in a frantic gesture, his mind contemplative. "We’ll save these people first, then we’ll strike Ignius when he’s weakened."

"What?!" Lupus pushed past Ziyue aggressively, her expression darkening. "You—"

She yanked his cloak. Ziyue stiffened, her hands reaching for her hidden blade.

"Don’t." Frain kept her voice low, fixating her gaze on her fingers. Ziyue smirked, showing her palm. Compromising.

Jovian raised both hands, showing his palms. "Answer me this, Lupus." His tone had an eerie levity, yet it was cold.

"What are you getting at?" She took a step closer, her hand clenching his fabric taut.

"Do you want to fight the man… or do you want to kill him?" Jovian asked, his amethyst gaze fixated on her.

It was such a simple question. One that Lupus already knew the answer to.