As Shard stepped into the clearing amidst the whirlwind of red butterflies and swirling snow, firelight exploded in the sky behind him. Then, dozens of High Ring Sorcerers simultaneously ascended into the air, led by the Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers, launching an attack on the guarded clearing.
The black sludge on the ground soared like a dragon, and the gigantic earthen avatars silently advanced towards the living beings of flesh and blood. Those fossilized creatures hidden nearby finally revealed their forms amidst the firelight and shadows.
The pre-arranged Divine Ritual, marked by Ancient Runes symbolizing the power of five Deities, evaporated the black sludge gurgling on the ground. The Circle Sorcerers, bearing various Relics, began to encircle the clearing from afar in the forest.
