Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 184: Anteris Burns

The Emperor flew down, toward his retreating soldiers. Now that there was no chance of wearing down the invading forces, and with a seemingly recovered Anteris who could join the fight, it would be certain death to continue fighting Tam.

"Make for the Inner City! The wall will hold!" The Emperor called out to the retreating Imperial forces, as he glided over them, slashing out toward the Ursten forces that followed, securing his men's retreat. 

Flying slashes of pure light slammed into the ground in front of the Ursten forces, carving deep into the road in front of them, completely incinerating a few soldiers who were hot on the tails of the Imperial forces.

The Ursten soldiers, seeing that the Emperor was escorting his retreating soldiers himself, immediately came to a halt, as eager as they were, none of them wanted to run into the glowing slashes that fell from the sky.

"Let them run! They'll be rats in a hole anyway!: Anteris yelled, calling back the few soldiers that were brave to the point of being stupid, that were still determined to chase down the Imperials. 

And so, the crushed and beaten Imperials were able to safely retreat, coming to the great shining wall of white stone that still stood strong, their final hope in enduring the invasion long enough for their army to return.

"Close that gate!" The Emperor called out, he had landed and now strode amongst the few palace guards that remained, those that remained were all clearly battle worn, with massive scorch marks on their armor, or great dents and slashes cut through the enchanted metal. 

Even the strongest armor could only take so much punishment.

As the last of the Imperials passed through, the great gates of Aznur's wall slowly swung shut, moving completely silently, without even the slightest hint of a creak.

The gates themselves were of a deep walnut colored wood, with a soft glow about them, the wood held together tightly with a Magemetal alloy, a massive steel bar holding them shut, enchantments densely packed across every possible surface of the gates.

It seemed that the gates were the most well defended portion of the wall, the enchantments so densely packed that from certain angles it was hard to even make out the surface of the wood.

"Enter the harbor, we sent those damned Imperial packing!" Aniteris laughed as he spoke into the brass device, his voice echoing out aboard each of the ships that were waiting at sea, their decks still thick with the bulk of the Ursten forces.

As those that had initially attacked to clear the harbor of the Imperials regrouped at the docks, the black ships of Anteris fleet slowly drifted into the massive harbor.

The people of Aznur, watched terrified, peeking out from their windows, hidden behind curtains, at the enormous fleet that was floating into their harbor.

Aznur was the beating pulse of the trade in the southern half of the Isle, but even so, they had never seen so many ships in the harbor at once, ship after ship drifted into the harbor, each ship unloading more serious faced Ursten soldiers, Tribes people with colorful armor and savagely grinning sailors that looked more pirate than anything.

Tam had flown down to the docks, dispelling the glowing Hawk Aura, the massive throng of soldiers cheering for him.

Each and every one of them had seen his battle in the skies, and even the dullest of them had been able to recognize that Tam had completely outclassed the Emperor.

"What now? The Emperor's gone and locked himself in that famous wall of theirs" Anteris asked Tam, his mind elsewhere, as he glanced toward the ships, craning his neck for any sought of Graffius, who had been taken on a rowboat to the healers.

"Now, you test their defenses. I could slice through a pillar or two, but my attacks don't have the wide impact that yours do." Tam pat Anteris on the shoulder.. He had seen that Anteris' son was injured, but Anteirs was the most powerful combatant they had right now, after Tam himself, and he needed to stay focused on the battle.

"Don't worry, Anteris, your son is in the best hands he could be in." Tam reassured Anteris, who slowly nodded, and then trudged off toward the Inner City.

A few soldiers trailed after Anteris, the Nighthawks included. They had no orders to do so, but they needed no orders to know that they should follow one of the commanders of the army, alone in an enemy city, and make sure he was well protected from any would be assassins.

As he walked, sparks began to fly around Anteris, right now, Anteris wasn't thinking at all, the rage that he had been holding in for years was slowly bubbling to the surface.

And as his rage rose, his mana surged, the sparks grew more and more numerous, turning to flames that danced around him.

His visor glowed from within, as the flames in his eyes were reignited, burning bright, and flames grew higher and higher rising up toward the sky.

Anteris swung the massive halberd from his back into his right hand, slamming the haft into the ground, sending flames burning all along the halberd.

Those few Imperial soldiers that remained on the wall watched as the burning figure stride toward the wall, a burning halberd in his hand. They knew his might, they had seen him in the skies above, and even the bravest of them found that a lump of fear formed in their throat, as the unrestrained pressure from Anteris spread out toward them.

"Do you truly think that a wall will save you from my wrath! You think that a few paltry enchantments will protect you! I will say this once, and once only! People of Aznur, flee this city, for I will burn it to the ground!" Anteris roared, his voice impossibly loud, all those around him covering their ears, but still heard the voice booming inside their heads.

The flames around Anteris burned brighter and hotter as he yelled, his fury unrestrained.