"Arthur!" Aldryth exclaimed after seeing her rescuer.
Arthur left the wall when Jeanny led a team to stop Master's advance. But instead of following Jeanny, he rushed to the palace instead. He had very few friends. Princess Aldryth was one of the few he had. Hence, his primary concern was to make sure the princess was all right.
"Powerful swordplay," Long praised. He could judge from the exchange just now that Arthur was not any typical opponent.
"You are no less impressive. I never thought a young man such as you to have mastered the iron hand technique," Arthur returned.
The Iron Hand Technique was a martial art that focused the mana into the arms, turning them as hard as steel. A master of this technique could use his arms to block swords or blades without suffering harm. Battle Monk class gave the ability to parry using arms, but a parry would still result in diminished damage. With this technique, Long could parry without suffering any damage as long as the attack was not too powerful.
The wall shone after Frorryntiar activated the secret exit. A rectangular light portal appeared on the wall.
"Everyone, go through the exit!" The queen ordered. She didn't want to enter the portal before Aldryth.
"Come, princess!" Arthur pulled Aldryth's arm, leading her to the portal. Bowler followed.
Long chased after them but an illusory fence appeared between him and his quarries. It was an obstacle spell cast by Queen Frorryntiar.
"You people are testing my patience!" Master exclaimed.
While Long and Abasi engaged Frorryntiar's group. Master cast the combination spell, Flame Whip, to incapacitate Grombi, one of the draconian officers who had been sent away from the wall by Long. He then cast Telekinesis to the other draconian officer, Guzrim, holding him down.
"All of you will stay in this place!"
Pillar of earth erupted around Master. These pillars then merged into a large earth wyrm. This earth wyrm headed toward Frorryntiar.
Frorryntiar cast a spell that conjured a giant illusory sphere that encased the earth wyrm.
However, the earth wyrm proved to be much stronger than Frorryntiar thought. Her sphere ballooned as the earth wyrm inside stretched itself to pop the cage. Frorryntiar had to focus her willpower to keep the earth wyrm trapped.
After using the Earth Prison Wyrm, Master was already casting another spell. A mega spell.
His one hand that cast Telekinesis was still keeping Guzrim down. The telekinesis was a protracted spell that needed constant concentration as the spell lasted. As long as this spell was ongoing, the user couldn't cast another spell. But since Master could dual-cast with two staff. He kept the telekinesis active with one hand, while the other was casting the mega spell. The flame whip, which was cast with this other hand, was considered complete after the spell was cast. The flame whip would disappear by itself once its duration ran out.
Master's mega spell was completed. The tri-elemental dragons burst out of the spell formation and rushed to Frorryntiar who was still holding the earth wyrm with her illusory sphere.
"Mother, I'll help you!" Aldryth yelled.
Frorryntiar made a quick look around her. All her officers were killed except for Guzrim and Grombi who were currently incapacitated. The orc had beaten the lesser angel and was now running toward them. The draconian battle monk had moved around her illusory fence and was also coming at them. At the same time, three menacing eastern dragons made of fire, ice, and lightning were headed her way.
To top it off, she knew she couldn't let go of her sphere that was holding the earth wyrm. The second she did, that earth wyrm would imprison them all.
She made a split decision in that second.
She turned back at Aldryth and uttered, "I love you."
Her free hand formed a six-runes spell formation with incredible speed. The sphere she was using to encase the earth wyrm was also a protracted spell like telekinesis, but she was like Duke Alfredo. A native with an inherent talent for dual-casting.
Aldryth was confused by her mother's words at this critical time. She then felt her body getting pushed away when her mother's spell formation was completed.
Not only her. Arthur and Bowler who were readying themselves to engage Long and Abasi also felt their bodies getting pushed. Meanwhile, Long and Abasi who were advancing felt their body becoming heavy.
Aldryth, Arthur, and Bowler were pushed by an invisible force and their bodies flew to the portal at their back. They entered the shining portal and vanished.
The spell Frorryntiar cast was Telekinesis. A level 1 telekinesis only affected one target. Every five-levels-increase, the caster can affect an additional target. Frorryntiar's telekinesis was at max level, allowing her to affect five targets. The five targets she used her telekinesis on were Aldryth, Arthur, Bowler, Wong, and Abasi.
Once Aldryth and her two outworlder companions vanished into the portal. Frorryntiar heaved a relief. As she did, the three dragons struck her body. Her hold on the sphere was disrupted then. The earth wyrm was free and wrapped itself around her while she was still being assailed by three destructive elements.
Long and Abasi arrived at the wall and tried to go through the portal, but the portal rejected them. It only allowed access to those considered an ally to the palace ruler.
Frorryntiar, who was imprisoned by the earth wyrm, fell helplessly on the ground. Her HP bar had gone down quite a large chunk from Master's mega spell.
She looked defiantly as Master walked to her side. She hissed, "You won't get complete control over this country."
Master snickered and said, "You sacrifice yourself to let your daughter go. Although I can't understand it, I must be thankful for your sentimental act. You would have troubled me more if you leave your daughter behind and flee into the portal when you have the chance."
"Someone like you who cannot understand a connection with others will live a pitiful life," Frorryntiar said.
Master pointed her magic staff at the queen. While a spell formation was forming, he said, "A God needs no such connection."
