The Arcane Guardians Chapter 59: Chapter 54: Against The World

Read chapter 59 of The Arcane Guardians by Mercynarie on NovelPedia.

Fun Fact: Treated Arcani, in the form of potions and antidotes, are normally used to heal sickness and injuries. Unfortunately, some illnesses or curses are so severe that the patient requires continual Arcani from another living human. However, there are risks in doing so, as the giver of the Arcani must not have been cursed himself. ~ ~ ~ A plethora of computer screens placed on the walls flashed busily. People rapidly prodded the tiny keys on their keyboards while others scrolled the crystal balls, shifting their gaze back and forth between different monitors. Parchments were sprawled sloppily while pens lay unnoticed on the ground. “Sir, an unknown object just breached our field!” a robed man exclaimed, pointing at the screen in front of him. “Shields?” a general asked. “Negative, sir. Target deployed a shield nullifier. Comms contact is non-responsive as well. Should we ID it?” “No need. There’s only one type of airship capable of doing all that. It’s an unmanned bomber.” The general looked at the President, who had closed his eyes and folded his arms. “Mister President?” “Fire.” The general slammed his hand on a red button on his desk. Vulcan watched the small dot on the main computer screen catch up to the moving red object. They collided, and both objects vanished anticlimactically. Cheers erupted around him, but his attention quickly turned back to another screen. C’mon, guys, I already bought you some time. We need to end this quickly. “Druid Pluto, any changes?” he asked, but the researcher shook his head grimly. Warlock Vulcan clenched his fists. What was he doing in this comfortable control room when he should be fighting alongside his Guardians? His face creased with worry. What if they didn’t make it? What if the Abominations were too much for them to handle? Oh gods, not again… What if Kleo and Cybele were killed in— He shook his head as if trying to fling those thoughts out. His daughters had proved themselves more than capable of handling themselves time and time again. The Guardian Council was the best elite force Sirius City had to offer. He had to have faith in them; they were still relying on him to hold the fort. “Warlock Vulcan!” Pluto’s voice called him back to the present. “The… The fog is clearing out! By the gods… we’re clean.” Vulcan flicked his head at the screen, watching the black spiral rapidly disperse and give way to the familiar purple colour. The entire control room held their breath, almost not daring to believe their eyes. And then the President raised a finger to the air. “Prestidigitation.” The murmuring in the room quickly turned into shouts of joy as the scent of freshly cut grass wafted through the air. Sparks burst from the Mages’ fingers, flowers bloomed around the room as the Druids released their power, and healing waves rippled through the air from the Clerics’ staves. Vulcan released a short chuckle of relief. They did it. They actually managed to pull it off— A klaxon blared without warning, filling the room with a flashing red light. The control room operators ceased their celebration and turned back to their screens immediately. Vulcan’s eyes widened in realisation as he watched a larger object enter the far south of the country. That bomber was just a decoy. This was the real payload. He pulled out his UWA phone while the people around him scrambled into action, desperately searching for the nearest ground-to-air missile. “Ceasefire! Ceasefire immediately!” The King of Hydrus City was already yelling in the line when Vulcan entered the call, but there was no response. His eyes shifted to the rapidly approaching missile on the screen as his phone slipped from his grasp, crashing onto the ground. It was too late. “Lord Vulcan, help us all.” ~ ~ ~ “Well done, Guardians. Let’s get out of this freezing place.” Exhaustion coated Cybele’s voice as she materialised her staff, conjuring her familiar. “Dappie. Call Dad for me, will you?” The arcane chicken clucked a few times in resp