When the flow of time returned to normal, Bryant had reached the first basement.
There was a tearing sound. It came from the divine time seal in his hand. In an instant, it crumbled into a pile of ash which scattered into the air.
He was taken aback. “How is this possible? Only a tenth of a second has passed!”
His targets had resisted the seal’s effect. This was to be expected. But he had hoped that the seal’s effect would last for at least eight-tenths of a second. Though its duration was not as long as he would have liked, Merna had already planned out his route for him. Eight-tenths of a second was enough time for Bryant to enter the place, rescue Katyusha and immediately teleport out of there.
Only one-tenth of a second had passed. As soon as the thought flashed across his mind, he felt an intense magic reverberation surrounding him. A magical barrier was taking shape around him.
He turned around and saw that magical runes had appeared on the walls around him. Level-11 magical barriers surfaced one after another, completely trapping him within and preventing him from destroying the Mage Tower.
A chill ran down Bryant’s spine as he saw the barriers forming one after another.
He had thought about destroying the Mage Tower as his last resort. But there was no chance of that happening with this thing around him. The magical barriers were all Level-11. Though he could still bring the whole place down, he would need time, which was not what he had plenty of at the moment. As soon as Link reached him, he would be done for.
He knew that right now, his only option was to flee. He could not afford to waste another second, or else he would definitely be killed in this Mage Tower. He was the one who had cast the Blazing Sun spell in the outskirts of Scorched City. There was no way he would be able to hide his tracks from his enemy. Knowing Link, if given the chance, he would certainly execute Bryant on the spot.
He needed to escape from this place immediately!
Turning around, he saw a tiny shape running out of the entrance to the Mage Tower’s second basement. A shrill voice cried out, “Wait for me, take me with you!”
It was Merna. She had realized something had gone wrong. If they did not flee now, they would both be dead. She did not really know the Naga anyway, and she had no intention of throwing away her life for a complete stranger. Now that their plan had failed, Merna’s first reaction was to flee as well.
She also knew that she would not be able to get out of there alive on her own. She was up against four Legendary masters of Ferde and the Mage Tower itself. She needed Bryant’s help in this.
Bryant glanced at her, then at the enclosing magical barriers around him. Without any hesitation, he turned around and began to run.
It was every High Elf for himself. It would be a miracle if he managed to escape from the Mage Tower with his body still intact. He could not care any less about a puny little demon like Merna.
His body dissolved into a faint green light. Like lightning, he was able to pass through a crack under the magic door that was materializing in its door frame and reach the great hall on the first floor.
Layers of magical barriers were taking shape in the great hall. They were all Level-11. The scale of magic being used here was huge. At that moment, two layers of barriers had already materialized in the hall.
There were even more magical barriers forming near the Mage Tower’s great door. His opponent apparently had no intention of letting him leave the place. But thanks to his lightning reaction time, Bryant had chosen to retreat as soon as things went awry. At that moment, there were only two layers of magical barriers around the Mage Tower’s great door. He could still break through them.
In his desperation, Nature Power boiled in his body as he raced through the air with lightning speed. He had also channeled his magical energy within his wand. A silver leaf shot out, clearing a path in front of him.
The silver leaf then broke through the barriers. It immediately lost all its momentum and returned to Bryant’s wand. Taking the opportunity, Bryant burst through the great door.
Once outside the tower, Bryant’s magical energy again rushed into his wand. There were three leaves on it . At that moment, a blinding light shone out from them in unison. One of the leaves expanded into an emerald shield. The other two danced around him, ready to intercept any incoming attack from any direction.
When he finished casting his spell, there was a sudden palpitation Bryant’s heart. The Mage Tower has locked onto me. It’s even able to affect time. Damn it, its attack is above Level-15. There’s no way I can block it!
He turned around swiftly and began doing an erratic dance in the air, trying to dodge the incoming attack.
However, just as he began moving, a streak of dazzling light shot down from the sky. It hit squarely against the emerald shield that was spinning around him.
The emerald shield’s magic was Level-12. Bryant was unharmed, but he could feel the impact of the attack.
While he was still shaken by the impact, the Mage Tower launched a second attack. It was the same unblockable laser as before. He was still slightly dazed. There was no way he could dodge the attack in time.
Is this the end? No, I still have a chance! Substitution spell!
In an instant, one of the leaves flew forward with blinding speed. In mid-air, the air dissolved into a faint green mist, out of which appeared Bryant. The green mist he had left behind solidified into another leaf with the same shape as the one before.
The newly formed leaf was shot down by the laser. The World Tree’s leaf was Level-17, but it was disintegrated immediately by the Mage Tower’s attack.
Bryant did not have time to look at what happened behind him. He had just cast a Substitution spell to propel himself 1000 feet forward. He was now outside Scorched ridge, flying in the air above the outer city.
Just as he was about to let out a sigh, there was the same palpitation in his heart again. The Mage Tower was still targeting him. It seemed as if there was no end to its attacks.
Thank god I’ve put some distance behind me. I can still dodge its attack. Bryant was about to dodge to the side. But before he could even move, another laser shot down from the sky. This time, the attack blocked off his trajectory.
Bryant was stunned for a moment. Under such circumstances, his reaction speed was slowed down. Before he could even react, there was a tearing sound in the air. A transparent laser had pierced through his green light form.
Before the laser’s energy exploded within Bryant’s body, a searing pain bore through his head. Bryant immediately reacted to this by activating his wand’s special effect.
Death Substitute!
Death Substitute
The World Tree’s divine spell
Description: After activation, the World Tree wand will absorb all the damage its user has sustained and die in his or her place.
(Note: Try not to get yourself killed, as you can only use this once.)
When Bryant activated the spell, the World Tree wand in his hand began to splinter. Before long, it was completely shattered into pieces.
The wand had been by Bryant’s side for 300 hundred years, and now, it was shattered beyond repair. Still, there was no time for him to mourn as the danger had not yet passed.
Without the World Tree wand’s protection, he had lost his ability to disturb the flow of time. On the other hand, Link’s Mage Tower seemed capable of freezing time itself, and Celine never missed her mark with that magic rifle of hers. At that moment, Bryant had no chance of dodging either one of their attacks. He would be dead for sure when the next wave of attacks reached him.
Bryant felt a growing dread in him as he realized that he was doomed. He returned to his physical form and amplified his voice magically as he shouted at the Mage Tower behind him, “I surrender! I surrender! Don’t kill me!”
He was floating motionlessly in the air.
Surrendering himself was his only way out of this alive.
Celine was about to take her next shot at him but soon stopped as she saw Bryant giving himself up. At the magic core area, Link was also stunned. The Mage Tower’s offensive magic formation was already charged up and poised to fire another shot at Bryant.
Around Link, Eliard and the three High Elves looked at Bryant. None of them said a word as they waited for Link to make a decision.
Fearing that Link had no intention of sparing his life, Bryant shouted again, “I know all of the High Elves’ secrets, including the World Tree. I knew the High Elf Queen herself, as well as all of the core members of the Royal High Elf family. If you promise to spare me, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. I’ll even defect to Ferde and devote all my talents to you.”
Bryant had said all this in earnest. His voice amplification spell was one-directional. Only Link and the rest of the core Magicians heard what he said, while everyone else in the city could not hear him. This way, he would not spark outrage among the people of Ferde, and Link would not have Bryant answer for the resulting chaos in the city.
One’s crime usually tended to fade away from people’s memory if hidden away from scrutiny for a long enough time.
Hearing this, Evelina said, “My lord, we should subdue him immediately. He’s more useful to us alive.”
Eliard knew that the Blazing Sun spell that exploded in the south of the city was Bryant’s doing. Seeing him surrendering himself in order to live a little bit longer, Eliard’s contempt for Bryant intensified even more. But from a logical point of view, it was indeed better to keep Bryant alive. Eliard did not say a word, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Evelina.
Though the other two High Elves were Legendary masters, they were not exactly core Magicians of the Mage Tower. As such, they were not in any position to voice their opinions. Milose’s mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something, but Elovan pulled his arm back, stopping Milose immediately.
Link thought about this for half a minute. Then, he said to Celine, “Shoot him down from the sky. Nullify his powers, but don’t kill him.”
Though Bryant’s life was spared, his actions could not be pardoned so easily. The High Elf’s extensive knowledge of the Isle of Dawn was the only thing Link needed from him. His powers, on the other hand, was of no use to Ferde. It might even bring more harm than good, and so there was no need for him to keep them. He might even decide to turn on Ferde again in the future.
Celine knew what Link had in mind. Without any hesitation, she fired her rifle.
Bang! A streak of light raced out across the sky and tore through Bryant’s legs.
There was another bang. Another streak of light took out one of Bryant’s arms. Bryant could not keep himself afloat in the air any longer after taking those two hits. Like a bird whose wings had been injured, he began to fall from the sky
A third streak of light arched across the sky and hit Bryant’s other arm, slowing his descent through the air.
A moment later, there was a dull thud. Bryant had landed on the road, breaking god knew how many bones in his body. Due to the last bullet that slowed his fall, he managed to survive the impact.
Bryant lay on the ground, pain paralyzing his arms and legs. Due to his indomitable spirit, he was still conscious enough to feel the indescribable pain gripping his body after his fall.
He sighed. Who would have thought this glorious life I have led until now would all come crashing down?