Chapter 315 - 310 — Legos
Several northern cadets stood around the bastion core, all of them now staring at him coldly. Malach must have stationed them here permanently after his previous attempt.
’Of fucking course he did.’
Kaiden could feel his entire body trembling from the repeated impacts. The fortress walls were anything but light, and smashing through several of them had left every bone in his body screaming. Still, covered in dust and breathing heavily, Kaiden straightened to his full height and glared at the cadets before him.
"I’m getting to that bastion core. So either get the fuck out of my way, or I’m going through you too."
The northern cadets blinked. Then, almost at once, they burst into laughter.
"Pfft—did you hear that? He’s going through us too!" one of them said, clutching his stomach.
"Oh no! Please, mighty southerner, have mercy! I’m too young to die!"
That only made the others laugh harder.
Kaiden’s expression remained dark as their laughter gradually tapered off. The amusement slowly disappeared from their faces too, replaced by cold, mocking looks.
"Oi, where the hell do you think you are? Some fairy tale? You think you’re the fucking hero who breaks out of prison, beats everyone up, and saves the day?" One of them snorted.
"Wake up. You’re about to get your ass beaten."
Another cadet glanced at his rune tab, then clicked his tongue impatiently.
"Oi, hurry up and deal with him. It’s almost noon, and I’m not missing the look on that Lightning Prince’s face when he fails to take the fortress." He chuckled. "Seriously, what kind of idiot promises something like that?"
Kaiden’s eyes narrowed.
’Zephyrion promised to take the fortress by noon? Then they’re okay. That bastard actually saved everyone.’
A wave of relief immediately washed over him. For the first time since waking up in that cell, the crushing weight in his chest loosened slightly.
’Good. Then all I have to do is my fucking job.’
Kaiden clenched his fists and drew on what remained of his power, preparing to move. But before he could, something suddenly pushed hard against his shoulder.
"The hell—?"
Kaiden turned just in time to see the stickman launch itself into the air. It shot past the northern cadets so quickly that even they barely reacted before it landed on the bastion core and latched firmly onto its surface.
Kaiden’s eyes immediately lit up. Zephyrion must have programmed it to react once it got close enough to the bastion core.
’Oh. Well, shit. Guess my job’s done.’
The northern cadets’ expressions darkened as they turned towards the strange little figure. Several seconds passed, but nothing happened.
Kaiden’s confidence slowly began to crack.
"Oi..." His eye twitched. "What the fuck are you waiting for? Explode
The northern cadets stared at him for a moment, then the mocking jeers started.
"Pfft! What the hell is that supposed to be? A stickman?"
"Fuck, you actually had me worried for a second." Another cadet snorted.
"It’s a fucking toy."
Their laughter filled the room, but Kaiden kept his eyes fixed on the stickman.
’No. No fucking way.’
He refused to believe Zephyrion had made a mistake this stupid. Not after everything else.
’Come on... think. That bastard doesn’t do anything for no reason. What the hell am I missing?’
Kaiden’s brows furrowed as his mind raced. Then he remembered what the cadet had said moments ago.
’Zephyrion would take the fortress by noon.’
Kaiden’s eyes widened.
’Yes... noon!’
"Hey! What time is it!?"
The question was so sudden that the laughter died down slightly.
"Huh? Time?"
One of the cadets stared at him strangely.
"Did you scramble your brain smashing through all those walls?"
"Just fucking humor me, dude!"
Several of them frowned.
However, perhaps because they were confident they could deal with Kaiden whenever they wanted, one of the cadets actually humored him and glanced at his rune tab.
"Alright, hotcake. It’s 11:59..." He paused, watching the time change. "Oh. Look at that. Noon."
"Oh, fuck."
Without another word, Kaiden whirled around and bolted through the hole he’d come from. The northern cadets stared after him for a moment before their expressions changed.
"Oi! The bastard’s running!"
"Get him!"
Kaiden heard their furious shouts behind him and glanced back. But his eyes weren’t on them. Instead, they were fixed on the stickman.
The little figure was now glowing brightly atop the bastion core, several runes emerging from its body and sinking into the core beneath it.
Kaiden’s eyes widened.
’Yep. Fucking knew it.’
Then he immediately faced forward and ran even faster.
"Wait! Something’s happening to that stickman!"
"Why the fuck is it glowing?!"
"Those are runes—"
Kaiden barely heard the panic creep into their voices before a violent explosion swallowed everything behind him.
The blast lifted him clean off his feet and hurled him through the fortress.
Kaiden had no idea how many walls he crashed through or how the hell he ended up outside, sprawled on his back beneath the blinding sun.
Smoke and fire choked the air around him, his entire body screaming in pain. But none of that held his attention. His eyes were fixed on the golden barrier surrounding the northern fortress.
It had begun to flicker. Slowly at first, then, more violently. Until, with one final pulse, the entire barrier shattered into countless motes of golden light.
Lying battered on the ground, Kaiden stared at the sight for several seconds before laughter suddenly burst out of him.
"That fucking bastard..." Kaiden laughed even harder, immediately wincing from the pain.
"Zephyrion, you’re not fucking normal. Who the hell plans shit like this?"
If anyone ever tried to convince Kaiden that Zephyrion was a normal human being after this, he was ready to fight them on the spot.
...
Now, Malach’s face had drained of all color. He stared at the shattered barrier with trembling eyes, seemingly unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
"No... what the fuck...?"
The northern barrier was gone. Just like that, the entire northern fortress had been left exposed.
The only thing standing between the southern army and the fortress now was the imposing outer wall. But without the bastion core powering its defensive runes, against a force of Ascendants, the damn thing might as well have been made of Legos.
"Attack."