Ember Dragon

Chapter 703 Blazing Sun Barrier
Isengard, northern Thrace.

The red dragon was perched on the steel fortress, its huge body almost occupying the entire fortress. The steel that came into contact with the red scales became red hot, and bursts of white smoke came out.

The Dragon Vein Hobgoblin, Imperial Marshal Doro knelt in front of the fortress, lowered his head, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the Western Army's Third Mixed Division was attacked by the Holy Guards and was completely wiped out. We have brought shame upon you."

The hobgoblin observed the red dragon's expression, and after seeing that the dragon was not furious, he continued to report: "In addition, the situation on the eastern front is not optimistic.

In St. Michael City, we encountered the ancient weapon of Holy Fadlan, the Blazing Sun Barrier. The Eastern Front Army has been unable to break through it for several days. Duke Misha and Marquis Anthony have already rushed to support us. "

Cassius spread his wings, looked down at Doro, and said calmly: "War is a game where there are winners and losers, but the empire rarely encounters opponents of the same level of strength - so it has been blinded by successive victories.

The officers of the Empire underestimated the enemy and actually thought that the Thracian Kingdom was as weak as the northern lands. They dared to easily split up their troops when they were deep in the enemy's camp. "

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will urge them to correct it as soon as possible and make this incident an example in the army," Dolo immediately promised solemnly.

The current Burning Empire can still afford the loss of more than 15,000 people and hundreds of thousands of gold coins, and Cassius will not be furious about it. He just needs to spend some effort to appease the people of the empire.

In his eyes, if the imperial army could be made to change its aggressive and reckless style a little, it would be worth it even if it cost a little more and taught a little more lesson.

Cassius exhaled a puff of sulfur-smelling white smoke, turned around, and asked the tiefling who was also kneeling on the ground next to him: "Medrolash, have you found out the origins of those so-called 'Holy Guards'?

With the Sun God dormant for many years, they were able to train such an army that could devour my entire division. "

Medorash replied solemnly: “Your Majesty, I have sent Nocturne and the Imperial Intelligence Agency to conduct a detailed investigation.

As far as I know, these crusaders first appeared three years ago, and the source of their power is not the sleeping sun god, but Baator Hell. "

"Oh? Hell?"

Cassius raised his eyebrows, and a light flickered in his golden pupils, and he finally became interested.

Medorash took out a box of charred material and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, we took samples at Hill 103 where the mixed division was ambushed and found ashes from the burning of Hellfire.

That army is more like a Hell Army in angel's clothing than a Holy Guard. I guess this is probably the work of Zariel."

Cassius continued to ask, "But as far as I know, Hell has always advocated equal exchange. In order to obtain such an army, what did Wilham pay?"

"soul."

Medorash said without hesitation, and then took out a data file that had been prepared long ago.

According to statistics from the Empire's intelligence department, the number of missing people in the Thracian Kingdom has increased year by year over the past three years. Even the homeless people on the streets have disappeared. The country has reached a point where everyone is in danger. "

Medoras took out a magical stone, and magical images appeared in the air. It was a scene of Thracian soldiers throwing the unconscious poor people into the underground tunnel.

The walls of the tunnel were covered with strange, twisted magic arrays that looked like hideous faces.

Medorash continued, "We have reason to suspect that in order to consolidate his rule, the king has sacrificed more than 100,000 souls to hell - or even more."

As a tiefling with devil blood, Medoraash had no good feelings towards these distant relatives and even wanted to slaughter them all.

After all, it was the existence of these demons that caused their people to suffer hundreds of years of pain and humiliation.

Cassius tutted and sneered: "It is ridiculous that you claim to be a descendant of the sun god and a bright and beautiful angel, but you sacrifice the souls of the people to the devil.

It seems that we are right to say that the Empire liberated the Thracian people. At least we will not feed them to the devil."

"Of course, Your Majesty, under your great blueprint, all things in the world can obtain true fairness and freedom. This is the truest and most powerful justice."

"Is it really that Wilham? He is the second son of Aragon I and was once honored as the 'King of Angels'. How could it be..."

Olivia, who was standing beside him, frowned slightly, her eyes flickered, and her fair face was full of surprise.

Over the past few years, this silver dragon has traveled between the Melvold clan and the empire, dedicated to maintaining relations between the Burning Empire and the metallic dragon clan.

But Olivia also felt extremely helpless about the empire's conquest. She could understand Cassius's "grand blueprint", but she still felt pity for those who died in the war.

She was even more strongly opposed to the Empire's declaration of war on the Kingdom of Thrace, and even wanted to draft an opposing motion in the Imperial Parliament.

Unfortunately, the war was already a foregone conclusion, and Olivia's cries were drowned out by the Empire's angry roars of "Down with Thrace!" and "Capture Augustus!"

But now, when she saw with her own eyes the evidence of the Thracian Kingdom's collusion with Hell, she still found it a little unbelievable.

That's the Kingdom of Thrace! As one of the successors of the Holy Fadran, it holds a special place in the hearts of many lawful good creatures.

Cassius sneered and explained, "That's just what they want you to see. Just like those so-called Holy Guards, they may seem glamorous, but once you tear off that hypocritical skin, their dirty true colors will be revealed."

Olivia stared at the magic image and said seriously: "The Empire should reveal their true colors to the whole world. Only in this way."

"Do you really think those sanctimonious guys can't see it?" Cassius sneered.

"In that case, why?" Olivia looked up at the red dragon with a puzzled look on her face.

"They are just pretending to be ignorant. In their eyes, the life and death of the Thracian people are unimportant and not as important as their own interests.

They would rather exhaust everything to oppose the Burning Empire, which resisted the invasion of the Abyss, than to deal with the Thracian Kingdom, which colluded with Hell and killed people. "

Finally, the Red Dragon leaned over and said word by word: "Don't you see clearly? In the final analysis, there is no such thing as ideals and beliefs. It is just a conflict of interests."

"."

Olivia had a complicated expression and stood there silently.

Trump applauded repeatedly and praised: "The master said it well. He hit the nail on the head. Only under the great blueprint of the empire can the world truly achieve peace and development."

Cassius turned his head and told the ogre not far away: "Rump, continue to issue missions, increase the rewards, and send the Starfallers from all over the Empire to Thrace."

"Yes, Master."

Trump readily agreed.

"Angels, Crusaders, ancient weapons. It seems that the Thracian Kingdom has really used every possible means.

The final decision of the outcome of this war is still the city of sunrise - August. "The red dragon raised its head and looked to the south, with fire surging in its pale golden pupils, and the rigid fortress under it made a dull roar.

Kingdom of Thrace, City of Saint Michael.

The city is named after the archangel, so it is called the "City of Angels". The city has a long history and there are many relics of ancient sun god sects.

The geographical location of St. Michael is also extremely important. It is a military fortress in eastern Thrace, a pass in the Glorious Mountains, and the only way to Augustus.

At this moment, the city has been surrounded by the army of the Burning Empire. The sky is filled with huge clusters of airships and groups of wyverns and fire dragons as dense as dark clouds.

The ground was filled with mountains of steam tanks, armored vehicles, and countless raised heavy artillery. Together with an army of nearly 100,000, the Imperial Army formed a mottled wave to the north of St. Michael City.

Outside the city of St. Michael, both the sky and the land were occupied by the empire's army, like a tsunami. If ordinary mortals encountered such a situation, they would probably surrender early.

But the city had withstood days of Imperial assault and still stood.

The imperial herald waved the battle flag and shouted loudly: "All troops, listen to the order, fire the cannon--"

"boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

The roar shook the sky, and dazzling flames burst out from the muzzles of thousands of heavy artillery pieces.

The main guns of hundreds of tanks were also aimed at the walls of St. Michael, and armor-piercing shells were fired one after another.

The whistling sound of the air being torn apart resounded through the sky, and the arcs of the shells intertwined in the sky, forming a dense burning network that was about to completely destroy the city of St. Michael.

But the hemispherical light film enveloped the entire city, and even armor-piercing bullets could not penetrate it, leaving only traces of energy ripples on it - this was why Saint Michael was able to resist for several days.

In front of the white city wall covered with angel reliefs, there stood a majestic fortress that soared into the sky. It was the city defense weapon left by the Holy Fadlan - the Blazing Sun Fortress.

It is said that this device was forged by the ancient Sun God Cult by smelting the fragments of fallen sun, and it once evaporated an entire army of vampires in the ancient Blood Moon War.

The defenders must pass the "Trial of Light" sun sacrifice to serve as operators - their pupils will be permanently branded with the mark of the sun, and they may even gain the ability to temporarily transform into light elements.

Its main body is a giant arc-shaped shield made of gold and white crystal. The surface is carved with a relief of the sun god driving a chariot to patrol the sky. A suspended "Eye of the Sun Core" is embedded in the center of the shield, and below it is the Sun Holy Urn made of pure gold.

Twelve foldable curved light prisms extend from both sides of the shield, forming fan-shaped light wings when unfolded, just like the spread wings of an angel.

Its twelve light prisms can freely adjust their angles through the suspension array to form a light prism coordination array, which can refract the core energy into different forms:
When in focus mode, it is gathered into a beam of light that penetrates the city wall; when in scattering mode, it releases a rain of fire that covers the battlefield; when in reflection mode, it creates a light film that envelops the city.

At this time, the Blazing Sun Barrier was in a reflective state, with twelve light prisms aimed at the outside world, projecting a hemispherical light film with a diameter of 300 meters above the city wall, which could block both magical and physical damage.

In addition, the undead will self-immolate upon contact with demonic creatures, and ordinary enemy troops will be blinded by the continuous light, their bodies will be burned and dehydrated, and they will suffer unbearable pain.

"For Thrace!"

"Long live the Holy Fadlan! The City of Saint Michael will never fall!!"

Inside the Blazing Sun Barrier, several angel gods flapped their wings, suspended in mid-air, raised the flaming swords in their hands high, and continuously infused the solar power in their bodies into the Eye of the Sun Core.

The officer of the Burning Empire roared: "Attack! Crush their shells! For the Empire!"

"boom--"

In an instant, the ground shook violently, and the tracks rolled over the ground, leaving deep marks.

Dozens of steam tanks were seen speeding along, their main guns firing continuously. They were like a herd of raging beasts, roaring and charging towards the city of St. Michael.

"Those evil dragon minions are coming! Quick, prepare for the Sunfire Judgment!"

"Om-"

The horn sounded, and six sun priests were sprinkling gold powder containing divine power into the Sun Holy Urn in the center.

The liquid sunlight energy in the jar boiled violently, and a sun disc totem cast by ancient divine script emerged on the mirror surface.

When the horn sounded for the third time, the twelve prisms began to rotate, and the incandescent white light gushing out of the jar was refracted through layers of mirrors and focused into a flare at an altitude of one hundred meters that was powerful enough to melt gold and split rock.

"For the Empire!"

Under the cover of artillery fire and bullets, the Dragon Vein Goblins pushed the joystick hard and drove the steam tank into the fortress. The huge metal ram was like a battering ram.

Behind him, the Empire's army was also marching rapidly, coordinating with the steam tanks charging ahead and launching a coordinated attack.

But at this moment, the stationed paladins suddenly took off their helmets and squatted down - this was not surrender, but to avoid being blinded by the sudden burst of strong light.

"Praise the sun! Praise the God of golden light, the Lord of eternal glory!"

The chief sun priest cut his wrist and poured the golden-red blood into the holy urn. The next moment, the sunlight turned into roaring dragons of light that penetrated the battlefield.

"boom--"

The steam tank thirty steps away from the city gate was attacked first and exploded directly, turning into a huge fireball. The steel armor melted into red liquid and seeped into the scorched earth.

"Casius is above!"

"That kind of magic again! Quick, spell protection team!"

The anti-magic shields raised by the ogres made a crisp sound like shattering glass when the light swept through them, and even the bones of the shield holders glowed with a strange red light.

When the light column finally dissipated, only countless vitrified gullies extending radiatingly remained outside the city wall, and even the drifting black smoke evaporated into golden mist in the residual high temperature.

"Damned Thracians!"

On the imperial position in the distance, Dror looked through the telescope at the barrier that seemed like it would never collapse. He pounded the table hard and let out an angry roar.

The imperial army, which had always been invincible and unstoppable, encountered a truly evenly matched opponent for the first time.

(End of this chapter)