Arcane Lock is a 2nd-level abjuration spell that can be placed on doors, windows, or containers, but it cannot prevent an enemy from simply smashing them apart.
If an Arcane Lock is broken, the caster can usually sense it.
'Bandits? Assassins? Or did fighting break out nearby?' Anser frowned slightly, his mood darkening.
The Teleportation Circle in Rock of Bral was far too important. If it were occupied or destroyed, the Union's commercial network would lose its most critical link.
He took out his pocket watch. It was just past midnight. The banquet in Rock of Bral should not have ended yet.
'What timing...'
Osborn wasn't there, and the stone building had been left unattended.
Anser hesitated for a few seconds, only to feel another Arcane Lock being destroyed.
The entire stone building was covered with them—doors, windows, cabinets, drawers, the basement. Many had been placed by Maeve, but since the two of them were essentially one entity, he could sense them clearly as well.
"Anser?" Iris noticed the change in his expression and thought he was still upset with Stoll.
"The outpost in Rock of Bral has been damaged. There may be an emergency." Anser waved a hand and took out his adamantine shortsword. After drawing it, he planted the tip upright against the ground.
At the same time, he emptied his mind and silently repeated: 'Will there be danger if I go to Rock of Bral...?'
A strange magical fluctuation spread outward like an echo, yet also like a prayer, quietly reaching into the unknown void.
At a certain moment, a realization struck him. He released the hilt.
The adamantine shortsword remained standing upright, its tip trembling slightly before it suddenly toppled to one side.
The balance remained undecided. Fortune and misfortune coexisted.
Brunhilde let out a laugh. "Your divination methods are... pretty crude."
"No matter how elegant it looks, what's the point if the results aren't accurate?" Anser shot back evenly. "I'm going."
He stood and walked to an open area before beginning to cast Teleportation Circle.
Waves of magical radiance surged outward as layer upon layer of intricate arcane sigils formed beneath his feet.
Brunhilde stared at him in astonishment.
She had studied Teleportation Circle before. It normally required rare inks and had to be drawn on-site with absolute precision. A beginner might need dozens of minutes to complete it, while even an expert would struggle to finish in under a minute.
This method of inscribing the circle directly through spellcasting was something she had never seen before.
"I'm coming with you." Iris stepped forward to stand beside him.
Anser stopped her with a look and shook his head slightly.
The situation over there was unknown. If enemies were lying in ambush, Iris lacked the tools to deal with them.
He, on the other hand, was tough, versatile, and still had Fate as a safety net.
A few dozen seconds later, the Teleportation Circle was complete.
Stoll understood what was happening. Rising to his feet, he walked over with his greatsword in hand, his battered armor clanking loudly.
"Count me in. It's too dangerous for a spellcaster to go alone."
"You're not fit for combat right now. I can handle it myself."
As he spoke, Anser had already drawn his weapons.
Euryale's Aegis in his left hand.
The Dragon Gold Slashing Swords in his right.
The Elemental Orb, Maeve, and Rex hovered beside him.
Then, without warning, he spread his dragon wings.
Layer after layer of magical radiance ignited across his body in a dazzling display that left onlookers dizzy.
Transcendent Form, Fly, Fire Shield, Shield of Faith, Mage Armor, False Life, Longstrider, Detect Evil and Good...
Stoll and Brunhilde stood frozen, their hearts churning with shock.
Was this... normal?
Anser paid them no attention. Many of these buff spells lasted only two minutes. He had to move quickly.
He activated the Teleportation Circle, and a glowing portal quietly appeared.
'It hasn't been destroyed.'
He let out a sigh of relief.
Folding his dragon wings, he stepped forward and vanished in a flash.
At the same moment, a violet holy symbol lit up on Brunhilde's forehead.
Her expression changed dramatically.
Without hesitation, she rushed after him and slipped through the portal moments before it dissipated.
Stoll and Iris exchanged uneasy looks.
A trace of anxiety appeared on both their faces.
"Iris, what happened?" Stoll asked, pointing at his own forehead.
"She's a Godsworn..."
...
The moment Anser entered the basement, a deafening boom erupted overhead.
The entire structure shook violently.
"Thunder!"
Brunhilde gripped her wand. A faint magical radiance shimmered around her, while the holy symbol on her forehead stood out conspicuously.
"You've got a lot of nerve." Anser shot her a flat look.
Shouldn't a Godsworn avoid other Godsworn? At the very least, she should have investigated first.
"Isn't that what you're here for? You'll protect me, won't you?" Brunhilde swept her gaze around the room. Only after confirming that the entire basement was made of solid stone, with no risk of collapse, did she relax slightly.
"Life is unpredictable."
Anser quickened his pace, pushed open the basement door, and found the small hall outside completely intact.
Following the stairs, he entered the stone building.
The main structure was still standing, but most of the windows had shattered. Through them, he could see that the surrounding buildings had also suffered varying degrees of damage.
Fires flickered along the streets, and the air was filled with shouting voices.
Just as Anser was about to head upstairs to investigate, Brunhilde suddenly grabbed him.
"He's above us!" she said, staring at the ceiling with a grave expression.
Anser was startled. The building's structure blocked his senses, and he hadn't detected the presence of any other creature.
But he trusted Brunhilde. The resonance between divine sparks was usually quite reliable.
"Another one!" Brunhilde cried urgently before darting behind Anser.
Before he could figure out where the enemy was, footsteps sounded from outside the window.
A figure wrapped in black radiance abruptly appeared beyond the shattered frame. His head was concealed within a helmet, revealing only a pair of eyes.
Their gazes met.
Both looked equally surprised.
After a brief moment of confrontation, the figure suddenly lunged forward.
With a thunderous crash, he smashed through the window and pounced toward them.
'So fast!'
Anser turned sideways and raised his shield.
Just as he tried to lock onto the enemy, the target suddenly vanished.
The man transformed into a gust of wind, flashing around the two of them in rapid assaults. His chilling blade became streaks of flowing light, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.
Clang! Clang!
Anser's Shield spell was shattered the instant it appeared.
The enchanted blade struck the softer scales on his forehead and neck. Genie's Splendor flashed repeatedly, while Fire Shield retaliated with bursts of frost, yet none of it seemed to injure the enemy.
Ignoring the stinging pain across his skin, Anser used both his shield and his body to block Brunhilde behind him.
A solid wall stood directly behind them, greatly restricting the enemy's attack angles.
He had absolute confidence in his defenses.
With all his magical enhancements active, his Armor Class was conservatively above thirty. Ordinary attacks would have little chance of breaking through.
[Bane's Godsworn casts Steel Wind Strike on you, but fails to penetrate the protection of your dragon scales and Genie's Splendor. You take no damage...]
'Bane... the resurrected God of Tyranny?'
Anser's heart shook.
The whirlwind assault finally ended.
The figure solidified once more.
Standing by the shattered window was a man clad in full black armor, ghostly light flickering within his eyes.
A muffled cry of pain came from behind him.
Anser turned his head and saw Brunhilde grimacing. Blood had already soaked through the area around her left collarbone.
Immediately, he used their physical contact to channel the energy of Lay on Hands into her body.
At the same time, he split his focus, activating his innate spellcasting and concentrating his magic.
Innate Spellcasting + Metamagic: Quickened Spell, Heightened Spell, Subtle Spell + Hold Monster!
The Elemental Orb flashed with rainbow light.
An invisible wave instantly descended upon the man in black armor.
The man grunted.
His body stiffened for a brief instant before quickly returning to normal.
Anser's eyes narrowed.
Locking onto the black-armored man with his mind, he manipulated the flow of time around him as though turning the hands of a clock, disturbing it as much as possible.
Chronal Shift!
For a split second, emptiness flashed through the black-armored man's eyes.
His movement reversed.
A look of surprise appeared on his face, yet his actions never stopped. Sword in hand, he continued charging forward.
[You cast Hold Monster and Chronal Shift on Bane's Godsworn. Bane's Godsworn succeeds on his Wisdom saving throw.]
'So this is... a Godsworn!'