Flying Dragons and Winged Misbegottens scouted the surroundings, ensuring the path was clear to escort the main army. Their vision provided the best possible early warning, supplemented by numerous light cavalry dispersed to maintain vigilance.
A march often reveals a military's discipline, organization, and other underlying issues.
But the allied army's performance was solid; they executed orders without fail and with perfect coordination.
Their formations were neat, yet their speed was not the least bit slow. They maintained a forced march for the entire duration, quickly crossing the iconic great bridge.
Of course, there was another reason:
Everyone could feel the faint but constant sense of being watched, a symbol of immense spiritual power. Its source was the monarch at the very vanguard of the column, ceaselessly emitting a powerful signal.
Riding atop Torrent, Frieren stretched languidly, then slightly reined in her perception.
She would periodically perform an ultra-large-scale sweep to prevent ambushes.
"You should still rest more."
Melina advised as she handed over a cup of water. Frieren took it and drank it down in one gulp, replying, "It's fine. This also helps me stay sharp."
"Besides, the battle has already begun. We are all making our preparations."
For instance, Florisaxx had maintained her human form to conserve energy, meditating and refining her magic since the journey began. Furthermore, there were clear traces of a specialized enhancement blessing on her. It was Frieren's reinforcement, which, combined with the racial advantages of an Ancient Dragon, would be a crucial part of the siege.
At least the high priestess had already entered her battle state.
"I'm going to confirm our strategy against the Mother of Fingers with my brother. You and Ranni should be careful as well."
After speaking, Melina spurred her mount forward to catch up with Messmer, who was further ahead in the column.
On the other side, the soul's reaction within the blue puppet body dimmed slightly, as most of its energy was injected into a doll held in its hand, which was then passed to Ranni.
"What is this?"
"My performance won't be affected if I briefly possess something else. When the time comes to fight the King of Promise and Miquella, take this doll with you. I will use the power of the Order of the Stars to help you counteract their enchantment. Remember, I am with you."
Frieren then quickened her pace as if to pull away, but Ranni immediately rode up beside her.
The two swift horses galloped side by side.
"...Are you a little nervous?"
Her thoughts exposed, Ranni sighed and slowed her pace, lamenting, "I never expected that after parting with my brother in Caelid, our next meeting would be like this. I had held onto a sliver of hope, thinking his soul could at least be saved."
She looked with envy at Messmer and Melina, the siblings discussing things up ahead.
In contrast, while the Carian Royal Family was seemingly reunited with Aunt Rellana, who was left of Ranni's generation? Brothers are like limbs. And now, she had to eliminate Radahn. It was truly unbearable.
It wasn't that she lacked resolve, but that a glimmer of hope had appeared back then, only to be snuffed out by Miquella's vile actions.
Unforgivable!
She could never have imagined that Radahn's soul was drawn away back then for the purpose of creating the King of Promise.
"Then what do you think of this so-called king of Miquella's?"
"At the very least, he is not the brother I knew," Ranni said with regret. "He cannot even find peace in death. This cannot continue. I must fight with all my strength, even if only to give him this final send-off."
Gazing towards the Spiral Tower, the blue-haired puppet clenched her fists, her eyes flickering, yet an unavoidable, faint, nervous heartbeat remained...
Suddenly, Frieren took her hand.
"When there's something I can't figure out alone, I usually share it with others. You should too, Ranni. Stop thinking by yourself. Since we've decided to fight as a god and a king, then come up. I will perform a soul blessing for you."
A gentle force lifted her, as if a soft breeze had placed her on Torrent's back.
So fast!
In the blink of an eye, Ranni came to her senses, experiencing the spectral steed's speed and stability. However, a sudden undulation in the hillside still made her instinctively wrap her arms around Frieren's waist.
This was her king, yet only now did she realize that this invincible champion merely gave an impression of being tall. In her embrace, she was slender, her petite frame only slightly taller than this puppet's body.
Soul Blessing!
Frieren held up a point of light, one specifically for the soul. Within that energy, a warm fire seemed to burn, reaching deep into the soul to nourish the heart, bringing an unconscious sense of peace and comfort.
"Feeling better? This is also to ensure your safety when you possess other bodies."
"Thank you, I feel much better. Please, don't worry."
"Regrettably, although I excel at soul magic, Radahn is beyond saving after being altered so many times. The most I can do is ensure his return to the Erdtree."
"That is more than enough. You shouldn't be distracted by thinking too much."
"What are you talking about? Achieving an outcome that most people can accept is part of the victory."
"That's just like you."
Ranni had never heard her mention the word 'difficulty'; she even engaged in actions that others would see as deliberately making things harder. Salvation was her pursuit, much like her habit of collecting things as she passed by. It was a personal code that transcended good and evil, yet it always managed to inspire others.
The Moon Princess let out a long breath, and then the puppet's body suddenly drooped its head, falling silent as if possessed.
Immediately after, the small Ranni doll lifted its head, its face now overlaid with the visage of a spiritual phantom.
"To conserve magic, I've possessed it ahead of time."
She proactively sat on Frieren's shoulder, a hint of a smile in her eyes. It gave her a great sense of security. As the consort to the Empyrean of the Stars, she was indeed powerful enough, possessing an aura that could hold up the heavens.
The silver-haired girl turned back and patted the little doll's pointed witch hat.
"Are you okay?"
"No problem. I've left the original puppet body with Blaidd for safekeeping. I will maintain this form and fight alongside you."
"However, unless Miquella also makes a move, you should remain on standby for now."
"I understand. You want to fight the King of Promise with everything you have."
Who in the Lands Between didn't know that the Soul of Cinder King was, in essence, a battle maniac? She collected magic while seeking new enemies to test it on, always at the forefront of magical warfare. This time was no exception.
Frieren nodded in frank admission.
"I am glad, Your Majesty. It is a shame I could not fight alongside you against Astel, Stars of Darkness, and missed a grand epic. Now, I can fight as a consort, as a god with my king, to defeat another pair of god and king." Ranni added, "It is an honor to fight by my king's side."
"You're not very good at compliments."
"Do you remember? At your rise, when we formally met, you stopped pretending to be Renna and told me you were the Moon Princess, the mastermind behind the Night of the Black Knives. I told you that killing Godwyn was the second greatest moment of your life."
"I will always remember what you said the first greatest moment was."
"That is why I have a fortune others cannot match: I met you."
"If not for your help, we would never have connected. You seized the opportunity, and together we arrived here."
At this moment, the Army of the Lord of Cinder stood upon the hill. Their view grew clearer, taking in the entirety of the Tower Town and the magnificent structure of the Spiral Tower.
A divine miracle!
Anyone witnessing its full splendor for the first time would be shocked by its grandeur, unable to help but think of divine power. Only strength on that level could forge such a spectacular complex of buildings.
Unfortunately, the added outer wall ruined the overall aesthetic.
Even more jarring were the disgusting creatures wandering atop it, such as Fingercreepers and Horned Warriors.
"All units, halt!"
Messmer, at the head of the column, gave a hand signal. A command flag fluttered, rapidly relaying the order, and the army of seventy thousand strong quickly fell into formation where they stood.
At the same time, Frieren, carrying the small Ranni doll, rode her horse forward. A single glance told her why the order was given.
From this hill, any further down would be within the Spiral Tower's archer coverage. They would have to advance through a veritable storm for some distance. It was unavoidable, so now was the only chance to form up and assess the situation.
Everyone's heartbeat slowed a fraction. Both sides were tense.
It was coming.
They were about to personally create the largest-scale war since the Shattering. It would represent the fading of the old era and ring the bell for the new. Would they live to see the end? How would the age judge them? How would history remember them?
Before coming here, many had thought, "I can only worry about my own survival; I can't think about anything else!" But they were wrong.
Standing on this battlefield, it was hard not to feel one's blood stir.
Who didn't want to set foot on the Spiral Tower and see the view from the top? Who didn't want to fight to their heart's content and uphold their honor? Who didn't want to leave their mark on the epic of the future?
The tide of the era swept everyone along, yet they eagerly rushed towards it.
Messmer said seriously, "Your Majesty, the first wave will be a charge. We will do our utmost to get our forces to the base of the city wall. Otherwise, even if we breach it, failing to rush in immediately will just give the enemy time to seal the gap... This first step will be difficult."
"Do as you must."
He already knew Frieren's answer but wanted to confirm the commander-in-chief's resolve. After all, a general does not command from afar.
"Gaius, I will command until the wall is breached. Once it is broken, Rellana and I will lead the most elite vanguard into the gap to create an opening for you. You must seize the moment."
"You must be like a flood, chasing after the very first wave as the dam breaks."
"—As you command, Lord Messmer."
As he gave the order, the faces of the high command turned grim. There would be few chances for communication left; everything would depend on split-second judgment.
The battlefield was a sea of people where one could easily get lost. Spread out, the seventy thousand soldiers stretched nearly to the horizon; communication would certainly be hindered. Could they maintain command and control in a war of this scale and intensity? No one was certain.
This historical experience would either be a gift to the enemy or the foundation for conquering Leyndell, Royal Capital.
"Your Majesty, you should say something."
Messmer looked directly into Frieren's eyes. It was not a suggestion but a demand, a duty befitting a monarch. The entire army's heart was with the Soul of Cinder King alone.
The silver-haired girl turned her spectral steed to face all her soldiers.
Honestly, even she could feel the oppressive, murderous aura. As expected of a front-line regular army where every man was a veteran.
"All of you—"
"Many of you must feel this summons was very rushed, correct? Compared to an enemy who has schemed for millennia, we seem to have been thrown together at the last minute, suddenly told to face a god and a king. Never in history has a challenger faced such a complete champion. Are you nervous?"
Frieren's words hit upon everyone's true feelings; hidden behind the morale was anxiety.
Ranni's previous arguments for surrender were, in fact, quite sound. When the Dragonlord and Dragon God, the First Lord and the Eternal Queen—these two complete pairs—existed, no resistance force was their match, often being wiped out in an instant.
"But have we not been preparing since the Shattering? The entire Lands Between has been tempered for this, waiting only for the day it is destined to end."
"Look at the comrades by your side. They too are the elite who have emerged from this war."
"We will be the ones to decide how this war ends."
"We will be the ones to decide the law that is enacted."
"The fate of the living in the Lands Between should not be decided by an inhuman god who abandoned his other half. And the evil Horned Folk, and the Mother of Fingers who has plagued the Lands Between—they will all be held to account in this war. This is our era."
Frieren raised her right hand, and three Great Runes overlapped, forming the shape of half an Elden Ring.
Vwoom!
The light of Grace spread across the land, enveloping the entire army without reservation.
Not a single trace was kept for its wielder. The accumulated power of the Runes was used entirely for the blessing, distributed among all, turning the glow of boon into droplets like the bounty of the Erdtree.
"The Grace has returned!"
"I can't believe it. This is the sight I saw in ancient times."
The scale of the Grace Frieren mobilized this time was unprecedented, almost to the point of complete exhaustion; the power of the Great Runes would be unusable for a time. But it didn't matter. This moment was the most important.
The entire army's morale soared. Tangible power flowed through their bodies. Nothing could be more inspiring than the return of Grace.
"Do you want to see an age of plenty where the dew returns to the earth?"
"Do you want to see a time when people are no longer plagued by disasters like Living Corpses and Those Who Live in Death?"
"Do you want to see the stars move once more, where we can choose our own destiny, undisturbed by evil Outer Gods like the Fingers or Rot?"
"—YES!!!"
The resounding answer shook the mountains and rivers.
"You are a battle-hardened army, protected by fate. Your convictions will be realized, your era is about to begin. Here, in the Land of Shadow, the echo of the ancient past, we will prove that gods and kings are not invincible. 'Certain victory' is a term that belongs only to us."
However, the Spiral Tower would show no courtesy.
The next moment, light shimmered within the towering complex of buildings. The barrier that already shrouded its outer layer grew even more solid, strengthening and reinforcing at a visible rate.
A lineup boasting top-tier sorcerers like the Lothric Princes, the Mother of Fingers, and Miquella was not lacking in barrier capabilities.
In this regard, it was the Army of the Lord of Cinder that was numerically inferior.
People couldn't help but feel their hearts tighten. The tough nut had become even harder to crack, as if deliberately displayed for them at this very moment.
Hiss.
Yet Frieren remained unfazed, pointing at the super-fortress and announcing loudly, "I said we are protected by fate. This is a fact. If I can shatter that barrier in a single blow, it will prove that our victory is certain."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire field fell silent. People couldn't believe what they had heard.
Such a massive barrier obviously had outrageous defensive power. It was a line of defense constructed by several demigod sorcerers. It had to be ground down bit by bit, yet Her Majesty wanted to shatter it alone, in one hit?
How is that possible?
Even Messmer's gaze turned cold, thinking that perhaps the gamble was too great. If it failed, wouldn't it be a devastating blow to morale?
Under countless gazes of disbelief, Frieren's hand became wreathed in a strand of golden light.
Using an ultimate so early?
Those familiar with Frieren recognized the opening stance of the Sunlight Spear. Could it be another powerful technique, or a different trump card? Whatever it was, the pressure now rising was terrifying.
Winds and clouds gathered in the heavens, lightning coiled within the clouds, and brilliant golden serpents swam between heaven and earth, converging towards the silver-haired girl.
She pushed out her right hand, allowing the lightning in her palm to connect with the dome of the sky.
Rather than summoning lightning, it was as if she was cleaving a section of thunder from the sky, taming the force of nature in her hand. And that wasn't all. Amidst the flashing lightning, a power of space and time seemed to coalesce. It was not merely a physical attack; the Sunlight Spear represented a moment of captured time.
CRACK!
With a forceful tug, Frieren completely tore the lightning from the sky and clenched it in her fist. The simple action set off a peal of thunder, and the sky grew darker.
Then, she assumed a throwing posture.
The static moment, filled with a sense of power, was like a mythological mural. Before the spear was even thrown, the entire Spiral Tower was already trembling within the thunderstorm. The earth cried out, and dark clouds hung low, like a colossal beast about to swallow the city.
Finally, Frieren threw the Sunlight Spear she had been charging for so long.
The dark clouds parted with light. A clear sky spread along the spear's trajectory, and the brushstroke it drew landed on the barrier.
BOOM!
An ear-splitting tremor echoed as the barrier shattered into fragments like broken glass, unable to resist for even an instant.
And that wasn't all. After blasting through the barrier, the Sunlight Spear even pierced through the first high tower.
It rained down lightning along its path, electrocuting the defending soldiers to cinders. In a flash, the first defensive tower had a massive hole in it. The lightning even vanished in the direction of the Erdtree. It was an unbelievably terrifying display of magic.
"See? Fate favors us."
Frieren stretched to limber up, then turned to look around. Only then did the crowd snap out of their shock.
"It is Your Majesty who favors us!"
Messmer immediately ordered, "Now is the time! Charge according to the plan!"
As the command flags waved, warhorses galloped forth. The rumbling sound was no less than an earthquake, kicking up a sandstorm as they charged at full speed towards the Spiral Tower below with the force of an avalanche. In an instant, they had crossed a hundred meters, their momentum striking fear into the defenders even from behind the walls.
Only upon Leda command did they finally begin to redeploy to their positions, but a considerable number were still stunned by the blast, especially the numerous Horned Folk, who were shrieking incessantly.
"What a bunch of unreliable trash."
The proud Golden Needle Knight's teammates were all elites; she had rarely led such an easily broken squad.
Of course, it wasn't entirely the fault of these weaklings. Frieren's attack had emanated a spiritual pressure, and outsiders sensitive to it were bound to be afraid.
Thwip, thwip!
The archers on the walls fired with all their might.
The high-ground advantage allowed their attack to instantly cover the charging army. Some fell, some were struck with arrows, but most charged forward without hesitation. In this situation, maximizing speed was the only sensible course of action; any superfluous movement was a waste of time.
At the same time, countless glintstones streaked across the sky above the Army of the Lord of Cinder—support from their sorcerers.
Arrows and magic mixed, exploding into a rain of shrapnel. It pattered against armor with a clatter, forcing soldiers to concentrate fully to prevent their mounts from losing balance.
The Spiral Tower was not to be outdone.
The Horned Folk mages unleashed a torrent of spirit incantations, a downpour of multi-elemental attacks!
The two sides fought fiercely over the small plain before the city, vying for control. Soon, dozens of bodies were left behind.
The defenders' rain of arrows fell ceaselessly but failed to slow the charge of the Army of the Lord of Cinder in the slightest. Some, after being shot from their horses, climbed back up and continued to charge, surging unstoppably towards the foot of the city walls.
As the vanguard secured its position, the other units could advance.
Whoosh!
A large number of Flying Dragons swarmed out, reaching the airspace above the walls in an instant. They didn't even breathe fire, as that would force them to clear the area, leaving an opening for anti-dragon arrows. Simply sweeping past and beating their wings was enough.
Their harassment made it difficult for the archers on the wall to aim, buying a crucial moment of respite.
At the same time, numerous giant fire pots rained down.
On another slope, a large number of trolls picked up projectiles and unleashed a volley. Although their movements were slow and their rate of fire low, they made up for it in power.
Amidst the deafening rumbles, several archers were even killed by the explosions.
Once the Army of the Lord of Cinder began its suppressive assault on the walls, it did inflict losses, but the overall situation remained unchanged. The defending side was still as solid as a fortress, always finding opportunities to attack the forces below.
"Keep firing!"
"Use fire! Cover the area before the wall! We can't let anyone climb up!"
"Just hold on a little longer, and the first wave of reinforcements from the Haligtree Army will arrive!"
Under the relentless suppression of the Horned Folk army, even the portion of the Lord of Cinder's army that reached the base of the wall struggled to maintain their footing, let alone use cumbersome siege rams.
Relying on catapults was even less efficient; it was too slow.
Their morale was high, and their actions grew swifter. At this rate, they could turn the ground below into a mountain of corpses and a river of blood for the enemy.
"ROAR!"
Suddenly, a resounding Ancient Dragon's roar echoed across the battlefield. It was Florisaxx, taking flight in her prime form, wings beating. In a flash, she was circling above the Spiral Tower, and now it was her turn to look down from above.
"Speed up your firing! Stop her!"
Although Ranni didn't know what was about to happen, she had a bad feeling.
Faster than her command was the magical beam from the Lothric Prince, a golden wave cutting through the sky—
The shimmering light of Thops's Barrier easily blocked the Lord of Cinder's attack, along with the attacks from other Horned Folk and Finger mages. Only then did everyone realize that the enemy's commander-in-chief was on the Ancient Dragon's back.
"How's this, Your Majesty? It's a spell I recently learned in the Lands Between."
"Ashen One..."
Frieren's magical defense was impenetrable. It not only protected herself but also the massive Ancient Dragon, which remained completely unharmed despite being bathed in countless spells from the sky.
Only she, among all present, could protect an Ancient Dragon under such heavy fire without affecting its output.
With her mind completely focused, Florisaxx opened her great maw.
Roiling energy was refined from her chest, flowing up her long neck in a crimson hue. Steam billowed from the gaps between the scales all over her body, as if she were about to sweat lava.
The air distorted with heat, and all creation melted. Was this the kind of output an Ancient Dragon was capable of? It was Frieren's enhancement!
Incantation: Dragonfire!
The torrent of flame that erupted sliced through the outer wall. With a flick of Florisaxx's head, the fortifications along its path were peeled away layer by layer. Like a hot knife through tofu, the sturdy walls of the Spiral Tower were instantly torn open, and the collapsing earth and stone buried countless defenders.
The Ancient Dragon flew along, cutting through the wall. This magnificent scene stunned the tens of thousands of soldiers.
Mere minutes after the battle began, the fortress's outer layer had already collapsed.
At this very moment, Frieren and Florisaxx completely embodied what a true Ancient Dragon Knight should be, and just how powerful they could be.
They had created the breakthrough.
____
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