"BOOM!" A red beam swept past the gate, and a fireball exploded outside!
The guard stared in shock, instinctively raising his wand toward Lupin. But just then, the screams that erupted with the flames behind him made the guard pause, then suddenly realise what was happening!
He shouted: "Ambush! Everyone scatter!"
Massive impact force broke through the smoke and dust, sending several hidden figures flying with loud crashes.
"Damn! We've been discovered!" The goblins were shocked and furious. They didn't know how their perfect concealment had been exposed at the last moment!
The goblins glared at the women and children fleeing into the camp, their eyes darkening with malice. Just a little more, and they could have split open those human children's tender skulls with their axes, listening to their delightful screams...
"Discovered or not, brothers, charge!" one goblin yelled.
"Kill all these humans—Ahh!" A scream rang out. The shouting goblin was sent flying!
Lupin held his wand, breathing heavily, his heart pounding with adrenaline. He felt his blood stirring after so long, recalling his experiences fighting dark wizards alongside his companions in the Order of the Phoenix.
Lupin had thought he'd lost his former fighting spirit and passion, lost in the mud of poverty and hardship. After Voldemort's fall, Order members had died or gone mad. The Ministry discarded them like worn crutches, ignoring them completely. For profit, they grovelled to pure-blood families.
And there were betrayers... Lupin's brow furrowed imperceptibly, pain flashing across his face.
Steadying himself, he focused on the current battle. Wielding his wand skilfully, his lips moved as he rapidly cast spells: "Protego! Wingardium Leviosa! Descendo!"
"Bang!" The goblins were lifted by an invisible giant hand, then slammed heavily to the ground. Their bodies bounced twice before collapsing in painful groans.
"Quickly get the others to safety!" Lupin said grimly. "You should have underground shelters here!"
The guard looked at Lupin in amazement, suddenly feeling they'd brought back a war god. Are rich families' servants all this impressive?
"Quick! To the cellar!"
With enemies ambushing the rear gate and unknown numbers in the forest, though staying in camp meant certain death if it fell, at least there was a chance of survival.
"Thanks, brother." The bearded guard gratefully patted Lupin's shoulder.
Lupin was moved. I'm only in my thirties...
"Uncle!" Red-haired little Amy was being pulled away but kept looking back at Lupin with worry and concern.
Lupin gave her a reassuring smile and waved casually.
But then a tremendous roar came from the camp's front!
"BOOM!" Then black smoke and fire erupted! Goblin siege cannons!
Lupin looked at the rolling black smoke, his brow furrowing tightly. In 1612, goblin alchemical innovations were even more advanced than modern times. Without restrictions and focused entirely on warfare, alchemical bombs, siege cannons, enchanted weapons... various lethal weapons emerged endlessly.
Not to mention, to seize ancient magic, the goblins had brought everything they had! The fiercest battle wasn't at the rear—it was at the main gate!
"I hope Ethan has the power and will to turn the tide..." Lupin murmured, praying silently.
Turning back, he raised his wand against the shrieking goblins as they charged from the forest.
At the camp's main gate, under alchemical cannon bombardment, the gate was finally blown open. Stones shattered, smoke rolled. Wizards lay sprawled on the ground. Eve Black clutched her bleeding arm, her pale face covered in ash.
She glared furiously at the destroyed gate, breathing hard.
"Bang!" After the guard statue crumbled under the barrage, it revealed the goblins' smugly vicious faces.
Goblin leader Cook kicked away the statue's round head, staring at Eve with a cruel grin: "Stop struggling. My soldiers outnumber you several times over, equipped with the most advanced goblin alchemical devices and plenty of bombs."
"You weak wizards can only be slaughtered by us! Hahaha!"
"Dream on," Eve said coldly.
Just need to delay as much as possible, let the non-combatants escape...
Suddenly, the goblin spoke: "You're not thinking of delaying to let others escape, are you?"
Eve's pupils contracted.
The next second, her ominous premonition came true.
"Ha ha ha!" The goblins suddenly burst into laughter, collapsing in mirth!
Seeing Eve's rigid expression, squad leader Cook grinned widely with malicious delight: "My subordinates have long been ambushing the rear gate. By now, they've probably annihilated all your people!"
Like being struck by lightning, Eve's face went instantly pale!
"I'll kill you all!" She roared in grief and fury, forcefully waving her wand. Stones rose into the air, transforming into sharp spikes that shot toward the goblins!
However, overwhelmed by emotion, she didn't see the sharp axe flying from her blind spot! When the flying axe entered her vision, it was too late to dodge.
That enchanted axe could break through magical barriers; its sharp blade could split human skulls in one blow. In that instant, Eve could only adjust her position to avoid vital areas and prevent instant death.
In her vision, the axe spun larger, stained with human blood, and the blade turned brown.
Is this where it ends? Eve thought. She felt no fear of death, only hatred for the invaders and grief for fallen comrades! Those children—goblins never took prisoners. Even if they escaped the camp, survival in wartime would be difficult.
Her green eyes became bloodshot with fury and desperation.
"Portal". A voice gentle as spring wind, clear and completely at odds with this bloody battlefield, rang by Eve's ear.
The next second—
"Whoosh!" A pitch-black door suddenly opened before her! The flying axe disappeared into it, then emerged from another door, embedding in the wall with a thunk.
The air suddenly fell silent. Squad leader Cook's smug smile froze. He squinted, looking darkly at this sudden interloper.
When he saw who it was, he burst into laughter again: "Are you wizards out of people? Even bringing half-grown brats to fight!"
Eve also looked in surprise at this suddenly appearing figure—her newly acquired destitute young lord, "Light"!
"What are you doing out here?! Why didn't you hide!" she said urgently.
She reached out to push "Light" away, wanting him to flee quickly. Though she didn't know what that magic was, it seemed only able to redirect objects without any killing power. For a pure, harmless young wizard like "Light" to come out was suicide!
"Don't grab if you're not eating," Ethan brushed off Miss Black's hand.
Then, under her suddenly speechless gaze, he looked over the opposing goblins with great interest.
Ten... twenty... thirty... Great! More than enough people!
Ethan clapped his hands and cried out happily. That brilliant smile seemed more like he was on a picnic than on a battlefield where lives could be lost at any moment!
Eve was stunned. Does this kid have mental problems?! Why isn't he afraid at all— instead excited like he's seen sweets?
Seeing Miss Black's expression, Ethan reassured her: "It's fine. With me here, it'll be very safe."
Saying this, he flipped his wrist and pulled out a card emanating frigid air.
The goblins burst into even louder laughter!
"Still saying 'with me here'?" Leader Cook taunted. "Kid, have you not woken up from your hero dream? No matter, today you'll learn what reality is— "
His words suddenly stopped. His pupils contracted as he and his subordinates looked up, up, up.
They saw an immensely massive, pure white bone structure like the earth's backbone continuously rising. Curved like an inverted dome, it suspended above all creatures, covering the entire camp.
All species naturally fear giant objects. When this bone structure appeared in the goblins' vision, they trembled involuntarily, feeling oppressive force from above!
"What—what is this—?" Leader Cook asked hoarsely, frozen in place.
Suddenly shivering, he realised how cold the surroundings had become. Cold air rose slowly from the ground like morning mist, flowing like a gentle river.
Crack Crack Crack . White frost spread rapidly. In just moments, the earth and ruined walls were covered in a layer of white.
"Huff—" Eve exhaled white breath. Blinking, ice crystals scattered from her long black lashes.
What happened—? What is this?
This was what every creature present wanted to ask— both humans and goblins. Because this scene completely exceeded both species' understanding.
In the fearful silence, like a hatching chick, limbs stretched from both sides of the spine like a giant spider's legs, swaying in mid-air. Then the spine turned, revealing the countless pale skulls clustered atop it.
Like throwing a bomb into water, the goblins' eyes suddenly widened, their terror reaching its peak!
What— what kind of monster is that?!
Each massive head was house-sized, with hollow black eye sockets looking down at the goblin warriors on the ground, mindlessly opening and closing their jaws. Like a projection from another world, because such things couldn't exist in the mortal realm.
"Clatter." A battle axe fell to the ground.
The goblins trembled as they looked up at that unimaginable monster, all fighting spirit gone.
One goblin said tearfully: "I didn't know we'd be fighting a god... If I'd known about this thing, I wouldn't have joined— would've gone home to farm...!"
In the tangible fear, only Ethan smiled, looking admiringly and lovingly at the countless skulls in the sky, saying joyfully: "Behold the sacred guardian divine beast— 'Trojan Horse'!"
Inspired by mythological legends, all sheltering within some creature's body. Created using Mr Black's sacred spinal bones plus "Frigid Aura". Using that broad spine to protect the living beings enclosed within.
Seeing it, anyone would naturally feel a sense of security, Ethan thought confidently.
Turning to see Miss Black gaping and rigid in place, he nodded with satisfaction. See, the child is so reassured she's not even crying out.