The massive fireball fell from the dark sky like a burning meteor. In the next moment it slammed against the Gates of Noctis.

The explosion shook the entire fortress. The gates burst open, throwing iron fragments and burning wood everywhere. Soldiers were flung through the air like broken dolls.

The Dark Priest stretched out his hand and laughed, his voice echoing through the battlefield.

"Gates are open... Go... Go and wreak havoc."

The zombies and undead surged forward like a tidal wave. Their bodies dragged across the ground with sickening crunches and cracks.

Some had no legs yet they crawled with twisted arms, pulling themselves over the broken stones. Others had their ribs exposed and their jaws hanging loose. Their eyes burned with strange energy as they rushed into the city.

Roen coughed as smoke and dust filled his chest.

Cough cough.

He stumbled back and leaned against a broken wall, struggling to breathe. When he stood again, all he saw was destruction. The gate area, once a strong defense, now looked like a graveyard. Bodies, broken weapons, and burning wood lay everywhere.

He grabbed the nearest soldier by the shoulder, his voice trembling with urgency.

"Quickly... All of you, evacuate."

"Evacuate the children..."

A knight stepped forward."My Lord, you also need to escape. We will hold it."

Roen stared at him with disbelief.

"How can I?"

"My Lord please escape. Your life is worth more than the City. You need to leave. Go."

Roen clenched his jaw. His eyes shook with anger and helplessness. But he knew what the knight said was not a lie.

...…..

In the Duchy of Salvos

After Duke Phillips had marched to war, the duty of managing the entire estate fell onto Emma's shoulders. Roen was not given control of everything, not because he was incompetent, but because he lacked experience, so he was only assigned a portion of the fiefdoms.

Emma was reviewing papers when she noticed a message from Baron Blanks marked as urgent.

"Huh... This is the first time I see him sending an urgent message."

She tore open the envelope and started reading it. As she did,her eyes widened and her heart dropped.

"What..." a soft whimper came from her mouth as she read the warning.

[A hidden force has risen on the Western-Eastern border. My guards who went with merchants have lost their lives. So I ask the Duchess to investigate carefully.]

[Also there is a chance that the Abyssal Sect Might attack.]

Emma immediately called for the officers and also sent a message to Roen.

However, only a few days later...

Warning bells rang over the entire Duchy. Emma jumped to her feet as fear shot through her heart.

"What is going on?" she demanded.

A guard and the old butler rushed to her room.

"Ma'am... trouble. A very big problem."

"We have lost Noctis..."

Emma froze."What did you say?" Her voice cracked. Her mind turned blank for a moment.

"Repeat again?"

"Ma'am, we lost Noctis and other cities. "

"Nooo!"Emma shouted and almost jumped over.

"Roen…How is he?Tell me, is he okay or injured?"Her heart was torn apart by worry and she lost her composure.

"Lord Roen tried his best to defend but mages attacked with high rank spells and flattened the city.Thankfully Lord Roen managed to escape with the remaining survivor."

Emma's hands trembled."How the hell did the enemy raise such a huge force without us knowing?" she shouted.

"It's not a normal army."

"A huge number of undead monsters and zombies attacked, causing massive destruction. Sir Roen is asking for reinforcement."

Emma took the written report from Roen and went through it carefully. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed slowly. She could feel her heartbeat pounding.

"No... this is not an ordinary attack. And with most of the elite forces gone to war, we are in a vulnerable situation."

At that moment, her daughter Julia entered with clear panic on her face.

"Mother, what is going on?"

She had heard the terrifying news of the sudden fall of cities. She looked at Emma with trembling eyes.

Emma explained everything. Julia's face turned pale like she had seen a ghost.

"Oh my god..." Julia whispered."This is a nightmare."

"Yes, it is," Emma said in a low, cold voice. "Quick Julia, we need to strike."

She stood up immediately."Gather the remaining soldiers. Ask the forces of the Church for help and quickly march to the City of Vancouver."

"We need to resist. If we lose another major city, they will be flooding the Duchy."

"But mother, is that enough?" Julia asked, her voice shaking.

""I know it's not." Emma gripped the table so hard her knuckles turned white. "I will send a message to the King and request help from the remaining noble estates. We must unite. If not, it will not end with the fall of Salvos."

Julia nodded and bit her lips. She looked down for a moment and a name flashed in her mind.

Ethan.

For a moment her heart beat wildly.

'He might be of help. Years ago he had broken the Advanced stage. At present he might be a late stage Advanced Knight. I am sure his presence can turn the tide.'

She felt a strange hope rise in her chest.

Then she shook her head quickly.

"No Julia... focus," she whispered to herself.

There was no time for distraction. The Duchy was at the edge of collapse, and if they failed here, the entire Western lands would drown under the shadow of death.

And somewhere in the distance, the undead army marched forward—toward their next target.

.....

The Dark Priest walked through the ruins of the conquered city with slow steps. His shadow stretched across the broken stone road. Nortis, once a proud fortress city, was now nothing more than a grave filled with silence and smoke. Buildings that once held life were reduced to shattered walls. Blood mixed with mud and covered the ground. The faint cries of the dying drifted in the air like ghosts refusing to leave.

The zombies and undead stood still now. They waited, as if listening for something only they could hear. Their bodies twitched. Some crushed skulls under their feet without even noticing. The Dark Priest lifted his head and looked at the sky, his lips curling into a cold smile.

"KekekkekekNx

"The season of harvest has begun."

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