Chess Piece

The flying Magic Beasts clearly hadn't expected such an attack. After charging into the icy mist, their speed noticeably decreased, and ice began to form on their feathers. Several Magic Beasts even lost their balance, tumbling down erratically.

"Now!" the commander shouted. The archers on the city walls seized the opportunity, concentrating their fire on the affected flying Magic Beasts. This time, their arrows finally pierced the beasts' defenses, inflicting considerable damage.

However, before Jialan could even relax, he heard a deafening roar. He turned his head and saw a leader-class Magic Beast, far larger than the other flying Magic Beasts, diving straight at him. The beast's eyes glinted with intelligence; it was clearly no ordinary wild animal.

"Careful!" two apprentices exclaimed.

Jialan reacted swiftly. He retreated while rapidly forming hand seals. However, the leader-class Magic Beast was too fast, reaching him in the blink of an eye.

Just as Jialan was preparing to use a Scroll, a dazzling beam of light suddenly shot from the side, striking the beast directly. The Magic Beast let out a pained shriek and was forced to change its trajectory.

Jialan turned to see Anna standing not far away, holding a scepter radiating holy light. She nodded at Jialan.

With Anna's support, Jialan's pressure immediately lessened. The two official Mages cooperated seamlessly, and soon, the flying Magic Beasts on the city walls were mostly cleared out. The rest, sensing danger, fled.

The battle raged for a full three hours. When the last Magic Beast retreated with a low growl from the depths of the forest, everyone on the city walls breathed a sigh of relief. Jialan leaned against the wall, feeling as though all his strength had been drained.

The two apprentice Mages had long since run out of Mana, collapsing on the ground, gasping for breath. Their Mage robes were soaked with sweat, and their faces were etched with exhaustion.

"We... we held them..." the Fire Mage apprentice said with difficulty, his voice filled with disbelief.

The Earth Mage apprentice nodded, too exhausted even to speak.

Jialan and Anna were not faring much better. As the main combatants, their Mental Power had been severely depleted. Jialan felt his Mana Pool was completely dry, unable to cast even the simplest spell. Anna's face was as pale as paper, and she could barely hold her Staff steady.

"Well done, everyone," Albert's voice suddenly rang out. The old Mage had appeared on the city walls at some point, and although he looked a bit tired, his condition was clearly much better than theirs.

"Lord Mage Albert..." Jialan tried to stand, but the old Mage placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Rest now, you've done very well," Albert said, taking out several Mana recovery potions from his bag and distributing them to the group.

Jialan took a potion and drank it in one gulp. The warm liquid flowed into his body, and he felt his dry Mana Pool slowly begin to recover.

"What about those official Mages?" Anna suddenly asked. "Why weren't they here during the most intense part of the battle?"

Albert's expression turned serious. "They were handling more important matters. But now is not the time to discuss it; you need to rest."

Just then, a group of soldiers approached. Their eyes were filled with awe and gratitude.

"Lord Mages," the leading soldier said respectfully, "please allow us to escort you back to rest."

Jialan nodded and stood up with the soldiers' help. He glanced back at the city wall. Under the moonlight, traces of the battle were everywhere: bloodstains, frost, scorch marks... everything spoke of the fierce fight that had just occurred.

"Let's go," Anna said softly. "There will be more to deal with tomorrow."

The sight within the fortress left him with mixed feelings. Wounded soldiers were everywhere, some groaning in pain as Physicians treated them; others had closed their eyes forever, becoming casualties of the battle.

A young soldier lay on a stretcher, his right arm almost torn off by a Magic Beast, yet he was still smiling at his companion, saying, "At least we held the wall, right?"

Hearing this, Jialan felt a pang of unease. He knew this was no ordinary Magic Beast siege. These soldiers believed they were fighting to defend their homes, unaware that they were merely pawns on a chessboard for the powerful. Their sacrifices, their glory, might simply be the necessary cost for those in high positions to achieve their goals.

He looked down at his own tattered and messy Mage robe and let out a self-deprecating laugh. Wasn't he also a pawn? Just a slightly larger one than these soldiers.

Back in his quarters, Jialan didn't rest immediately. He sat by the bed, recalling his experiences during this period: discovering the White Dragon Horse, the military's involvement, and this mysterious fortress... Everything pointed to a massive conspiracy. He remembered Albert's evasive attitude, the official Mages who had never shown themselves, and the heavily guarded areas within the fortress...

Suddenly, a soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Jialan stood up warily and asked softly, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Anna," came the gentle voice of the Priestess from outside.

Jialan opened the door and saw Anna standing there. Her face was still a little pale, but she looked much better.

"I noticed your light was still on," Anna said. "So I came to check on you. Are you alright?"

Jialan hesitated, then stepped aside to let Anna in. "I was thinking about some things."

Anna entered the room, looked around, and then sat down in a chair. "About the battle?"

Jialan nodded, then shook his head. "Not just the battle. I'm wondering what we're fighting for. These soldiers think they're defending their homes, but we know things aren't that simple."

Anna was silent for a moment, then said softly, "I've been thinking about that too. While treating the wounded today, I heard some... strange rumors."

"What rumors?" Jialan asked immediately.

Anna lowered her voice. "Some soldiers said they saw strange lights flashing from the depths of the fortress during the most intense part of the battle. Others said they heard low rumbling sounds coming from underground..."

Jialan's brow furrowed. These rumors confirmed his suspicions—certain secret activities were indeed taking place within the fortress, unknown to most.

"What do you think those official Mages are doing?" Anna asked.

Jialan shook his head. "I don't know, but it's definitely not anything simple. Lord Mage Albert clearly knows something, but he's unwilling to tell us."

They fell silent for a moment, each lost in thought.

Finally, Anna stood up. "Regardless, all we can do now is fulfill our duties. Protect these soldiers, guard this fortress. As for everything else... when the time is right, the truth will be revealed."

Jialan stood at the doorway, watching Anna's retreating figure disappear down the corridor. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows on the floor, and lengthening the melancholy in Jialan's heart.

He suddenly felt a deep weariness, not physical, but spiritual. This weariness stemmed from his longing for the truth and his powerlessness, from his confusion and unease about the future.

"Perhaps... it would be better to leave here? Become a wandering Mage..." Jialan muttered to himself. He returned to his room and took out the mysterious Little Green Bottle from his Spatial Bag. The liquid inside glowed strangely in the moonlight, as if hinting at some unknown possibility.