Seraphina dismounted in haste, throwing herself into Chris’s arms.
“Mr. Shelby, I’ve missed you so much!”
It had been a long time since Chris and Seraphina last saw each other. Their previous meeting in Pinkshire was brief, leaving no time for conversation. Now, seeing Chris again, Seraphina couldn’t hold back her tears.
Chris felt awkward, offering a sheepish smile. “Seraphina, what’s wrong?”
Looking up, her face streaked with tears, Seraphina tried to compose herself. Though she was now the Princess of Monroe in Amerosia and the daughter of Archer Wintersong, she had no other family in Aethelgard aside from her father.
To Seraphina, Chris was more than her father’s apprentice-he was the closest thing she had to family in this foreign land.
Chris, too, was overwhelmed. Meeting Seraphina here, in the unfamiliar land of Aethelgard, felt like fate. After all, one of life’s greatest joys was reuniting with a friend in a distant place. And Seraphina wasn’t just a friend-she was his mentor’s daughter.
Realizing her emotional outburst, Seraphina wiped her tears and spoke quickly. “Mr. Shelby, we’re in Great Lyria’s territory. We must leave immediately. If their army returns, we’ll be in grave danger.”
Chris nodded, and the two of them, along with thousands of soldiers, set off.
As Chris rode, he found himself marveling at the Emberwood Guards surrounding them. He recalled the Emberwood Guards that had been left to him on Earth at the Middleton Emberwood Estate in Amerosia. Those guards had been a gift from his mentor before departing.
What he hadn’t expected was to find another unit of Emberwood Guards here in Aethelgard. And compared to the ones on Earth, this group was far more powerful.
Noticing his curiosity, Seraphina explained, “Mr. Shelby, my father trained two units of Emberwood Guards. One was left on Earth, and the other remained here. When I led this campaign, my father entrusted these guards to me to ensure my safety.”
Chris nodded in understanding. It all made sense now-these formidable warriors were a product of his mentor’s training.
As he surveyed the guards, he noticed they were all at the Pinnacle level of Aetherbinding mastery. Most were at the peak of Pinnacle, with only a few at the late Pinnacle stage. This was no ordinary unit of soldiers. A force comprised of Pinnacle-level Aetherbinders could easily overwhelm armies far larger in number.
It was no wonder that even ten thousand Great Lyria cavalry couldn’t stand against a mere thousand Emberwood Guards.
Curious, Chris turned to Seraphina. “I heard the Jefferson family is also helping out?”
Seraphina nodded. “Yes. The Jefferson family was once the foremost family in Amerosia on Earth. Decades ago, they shifted their main power base to Aethelgard’s Amerosia. So, with Great Lyria invading, they’ve sent some Aetherbinders to assist.”
“Did they send someone named Lindsay Windson?” Chris asked.
Seraphina chuckled softly. “Mr. Shelby, I knew you’d ask about her. Yes, Lindsay Windson is among the Jefferson family’s forces.”
Hearing that Lindsay Windson was safe, Chris breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever their relationship, she was a friend, and he couldn’t help but care about her well-being in this chaotic war.
The conflict between Great Lyria and Amerosia was intense, with countless bodies from both sides piling up outside Shoreline Gate.
The Great Lyria soldiers were fierce and unyielding in battle. The Amerosia troops, in turn, fought with fearless determination. The war had reached a stalemate, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
Seeing the battle dragging on, Seraphina raised her voice, calling out, “All Great Lyria troops, listen! Your Prince Thorne is in my hands!”
The battlefield fell silent as the Great Lyria soldiers turned to see Thorne Steelhart captured and held by Seraphina.
The sight struck fear into their hearts. Seraphina sneered. “Retreat now, or I will kill your Prince Thorne!”
A horn sounded, and moments later, the Great Lyria army began to retreat like a receding tide.
As their enemies withdrew, the Amerosia troops erupted in cheers.
“Long live the Princess of Monroe!”
“Long live the Princess of Monroe!”
“Long live the Princess of Monroe!”
To them, Seraphina’s capture of Thorne Steelhart had turned the tide of battle. Without her, victory would have been impossible.
The soldiers gazed at her with unbridled admiration and reverence.
With Thorne Steelhart in captivity, Great Lyria’s morale plummeted. Winter was only days away, and soon the northern lands would be blanketed in snow. Roads would become impassable, making it impossible for Great Lyria to launch another offensive.
Meanwhile, in Great Lyria’s war camp, within the golden tent, High Sovereign Morrison Steelhart sat on his throne, his expression dark. News of his son’s capture had enraged him.
A Great Lyria general stepped forward. “High Sovereign, the snow will arrive in a few days. We must retreat now and regroup for an attack in the spring.”
Another general added, “Retreating is a minor issue. The real question is how to rescue Prince Thorne. We cannot stand idly by while he remains in Amerosia’s hands.”
Morrison Steelhart’s face was grim. “I refuse to believe Amerosia would dare kill my son. If they do, they will face the full wrath of Great Lyria.”
The tent fell silent as everyone turned their eyes to him.
Under Morrison Steelhart’s reign, Great Lyria had grown stronger than ever. The northern grassland tribes had been unified, and the kingdom now stood on the cusp of dominating the entire continent.
He sighed heavily. “However, you’re right. The coming winter will make it difficult for us to continue the campaign. We must withdraw for now.”
Hearing this, the generals exchanged disheartened looks. Time was running out, and soon the snowfall would force them to abandon their momentum.
“High Sovereign, how do we rescue Prince Thorne?” one general asked.
Morrison Steelhart thought for a moment before replying, “Tomorrow, we will launch one final, all-out attack on Amerosia.”
The generals exchanged confused glances, unsure of his plan. Rescuing Thorne Steelhart was the priority, yet Morrison seemed intent on one last assault.