The night grew deeper, and the snow fell heavier.
High above, a colossal figure descended, tearing through the endless clouds and plunging into the storm.
The flurry of snow could not conceal its immense form.
It was the Herland School's signature creation, the Skywhale Fortress.
Shaped like a whale, yet longer and sleeker, its massive body carried rows of dark portholes along its flanks.
No longer hiding, knowing it had already been spotted by the Hossens School, the Skywhale Fortress shed its veil of silence.
The portholes lit one by one with a faint, ocean-blue glow.
But what drew the eye most was the enormous horn jutting from its brow.
That horn, too, began to glow this time with pale golden light.
The golden radiance spread rapidly, running from the horn across its entire body, weaving into a dense network across the fortress's surface.
The Skywhale Fortress had activated its defense shield.
And it pressed on toward the Hossens Dominion.
Its movement seemed slow, yet in truth, its speed was terrifying.
...
"I'm telling you, this isn't real liquor. Back in the School, I had something stronger, just one cup of it could knock out even a full-fledged wizard!"
On the second floor of the Red Oriole Tavern, Martin tipped back his glass and laughed boisterously to the woman at his side.
The woman, new and not yet tired of his tales, asked curiously:
"Is there really such a drink?"
"Of course there is…" Martin grinned, slipping an arm around her shoulders, then suddenly froze, staring out the window.
Through the darkness of the sky, a golden flame seemed to blaze, carried on the back of a colossal whale, slowly flying closer.
The woman saw it too. Struck stiff by its oppressive presence, she whispered in terror:
"...What is that?"
Clatter!
The table before her overturned. She gasped as Martin staggered to his feet and crashed through the window.
Glass shattered with a roar. Through the shards, she heard his trembling mutter:
"Skywhale Fortress… The Herland School is here!
"I have to warn the School I have to…
"I need… to see it with my own eyes…"
Martin ran unsteadily through the snow. Crossing a ditch, he stumbled and struck the wall hard.
Not a body-refinement wizard, nor with a defense spell active, the blow left his vision swimming, blood streaming from his forehead.
"Damn it!" he cursed hoarsely, dragging himself upright, cursing the wine and women that had hollowed his strength.
"Hey."
The voice from his left was familiar.
Turning, Martin saw his old friend Lucas.
Normally stern, Lucas wore a rare smile.
"Looking a bit worse for wear, Martin."
Lucas extended his hand. Martin hesitated, then clasped it.
"Come on," Lucas said. "Let's go back one more look."
Martin turned toward the hillside where the wards of the School shone brightly, and suddenly burst out laughing.
"Let's go, Lucas! Let's see if our names are still carved into the silver aspen!"
Shhhht!
Without warning.
No declaration of war.
A lance of brilliant yellow light erupted from the Skywhale Fortress's horn, burning the snowflakes to vapor, carving a vacuum tunnel through the night.
Boom!!
In an instant, it struck the Hossens School stronghold.
The once faint, half-hidden shield flared fully to life, a pale dome blazing against the storm.
The thunderclap of impact followed, shockwaves scattering the snowfall like blades of glass.
Martin and Lucas raised their arms against the gale.
And in the next breath, they pressed forward not in fear, but in haste.
...
The thunderous blast was like a drop of water into boiling oil, instantly awakening all of Emeraldwood City.
"My god, someone is attacking the Hossens School!"
"It's the Herland School's Skywhale Fortress!"
"The war has begun!"
…
Emeraldwood City erupted into chaos.
Beneath the Golden Shadow Society, Lyman watched the outside world through his warding array.
He had already sealed the entire underground compound. Now, he only needed the right moment to make his escape.
Meanwhile, in the Bloodmark Society.
Bloodmark Wizard Rowich stood atop a roof, gazing toward the distant battlefield. He made no move to flee.
War was dangerous, yes.
But it might also be the only chance of his entire life.
The wizard's path was paved with thorns, and he refused to stop here. He would seize this opportunity.
...
At that same moment, Elena returned to Lynn's residence.
She stood in the front yard, staring toward the School's direction, her face pale.
The Herland School had come even faster than she'd feared.
Giggs, hearing the commotion, climbed up from the basement.
He lifted his gaze to the place where he had lived for nine long years, his expression distant, lost.
Elena drew her eyes back and strode quickly down into the cellar.
Inside, Lynn had just finished his insight. He now stood before the half-finished Lambiel Skiff, working rapidly.
"The Herland School has arrived?" he asked without turning.
"Yes," Elena answered.
"And the Golden Shadow Society?"
"Their base is completely sealed by wards; no one can get in."
Lynn's hands paused for an instant, relief flooding through him that he had prepared a second plan well in advance.
"How much longer do you need?" Elena pressed.
"I don't know. But it shouldn't take too long."
He had just finished insight into the design.
With that, his mastery of the Rambiel Skiff had reached Perfection. Modifying a power module was now no problem.
And if all went smoothly, the revised system would reach ninety percent efficiency, practically indistinguishable from the original.
"Not too long…" Elena finally exhaled in relief.
"Bring me some white crystals, the best ones," Lynn ordered.
Without hesitation, Elena hurried to fetch them.
"And this holds it steady for me…"
Adeline rushed forward to help.
"And the diamond-edged graver, can you hand it to me?"
"Got it!" Giggs answered quickly.
The three of them worked in silence, nerves taut, following Lynn's every direction.
...
Outside.
The Skywhale Fortress's assault continued.
Blinding light turned night into day.
Snow burst into shrapnel, rocks shattered under the tremors, trees toppled, and screams filled the air as people fled in panic.
But the vast, suffocating Emeraldshadow Forest penned them in on all sides.
At last, after several volleys of saturation fire, the Skywhale Fortress, sustaining twenty percent damage, broke the Hossens School's outer ward.
Yet only moments later, at the very heart of the School's grounds, another shield rose a smaller dome of protective light.
Just as the Herland wizards prepared to strike again
A deafening explosion erupted from beneath the Golden Shadow Society's headquarters.
The Golden Shadow Wizard Tower burst through the soil, soared into the air, and shot off into the distance.
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