Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 447 - 446- Arrival of something ancient

Back in the battlefield, Abraham’s smile slowly twisted into a snarl.

The sky above the academy roared as the dragons descended, their wings beating violently, fire and wind tearing through the air. Yet before they could press their advantage, the ground beneath the forest shuddered.

A deep, ancient tremor rolled outward, snapping trees apart and cracking the earth like fragile glass.

From within the ground, something massive began to rise. Soil, roots, and frozen stone were flung aside as a colossal shape emerged, its body smooth and curved, resembling a monstrous dolphin carved by the hands of time itself.

Its eyes burned crimson.

The moment it appeared, the entire battlefield fell into a suffocating silence.

Even the dragons hesitated midair, their instincts screaming danger. An overwhelming presence flooded the forest, cold and absolute, pressing down on every living thing like an unseen ocean.

The creature released a low, echoing cry.

Ice answered.

Crystals erupted from the air around it, forming in an instant, sharp and radiant. They shot upward like spears of frozen light, piercing the sky. One dragon was struck through the chest, its roar cut short as ice spread across its body, freezing wings and flame alike before it shattered midair.

Another tried to evade, but the ground beneath it bloomed with frost. Ice surged upward, binding its limbs before crushing it under sheer pressure.

One by one, the dragons fell, their massive forms crashing into the forest, reduced to frozen ruins.

Abraham clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms.

"This... wasn’t part of the design," he muttered, fury seeping into his voice as he stared at the ancient beast hovering above the broken earth, reigning over the battlefield like a forgotten god awakened from slumber.

With a loud howl, Abraham summoned several glowing circles that unfolded behind him, spreading across the sky like burning sigils.

The ancient creature finally shifted its attention toward him. Its crimson eyes locked onto Abraham, and the pressure in the air deepened.

The inhumane man thrust his hand forward and growled, "Let’s see how durable you are."

Above him, a massive maw took shape. It belonged to a colossal hound, its form forged from raw mana and flame. The moment it appeared, the air grew heavy, as if the sky itself was being dragged down.

The hound opened its jaws. Fire gathered within, churning like a raging storm. But the target was not the ancient beast.

It was the academy.

Ariana grit her teeth, tightening her grip on the flail. Mana surged through her body as she prepared to channel everything she had, ready to stop the attack even if it cost her dearly.

Before she could take a single step forward,

*KRIUUUUU*

A sharp, piercing cry echoed across the battlefield. It was loud, yet strangely soothing, a sound that settled the heart instead of shaking it. The ancient creature lifted its head toward the sky, and before its maw, a sphere of ice began to form.

Elana, standing near a window and witnessing the entire spectacle, felt her heart race. The control, the purity, the absolute mastery of the same ice magic she had practiced all her life left her breathless.

The silver sphere continued to grow, expanding steadily, freezing the very air around it. Frost spread outward in ripples, turning moisture into glittering crystals, locking the wind itself in place.

Abraham scoffed and gave the final command.

The hound unleashed its attack.

A massive flame serpent burst forth, lunging toward the academy. Its burning body illuminated the hill and the town settled at its base, painting the world in violent shades of orange and red.

For a brief moment, terror gripped everyone who witnessed it. Many believed this was the end of Runebound.

But as the serpent crossed a certain distance, drawing closer to the academy, its charge began to slow. The flames wavered, trembling as if struck by an unseen force. Its blazing form faltered, the fire dimming, struggling against the creeping cold that now ruled the battlefield.

Confusion flickered across Abraham’s face, quickly twisting into rage.

"That thing...," he muttered, before barking out another command.

The glowing circles behind him flared violently as streams of mana poured forth. Bolts of lightning, arcs of flame, and distorted waves of dark energy surged toward the academy from every direction. The Acolytes followed his lead, chanting in unison, desperation bleeding into their voices as they unleashed everything they had.

The sky screamed under the weight of their combined spells.

And then, the cold answered.

The silver orb before the ancient creature pulsed once.

In that instant, the world seemed to hold its breath. Every spell that entered the orb’s domain slowed, as if pushing through deep water. Flames dulled to a faint glow, lightning cracked and splintered, and dark energy stiffened, losing its shape.

One by one, the attacks froze.

Fire turned brittle, encased in clear ice that cracked and fell apart midair. Lightning halted, jagged lines locked in place like frozen scars across the sky. Even formless curses solidified, trapped inside translucent shells before shattering into harmless fragments that rained down like glass.

The Acolytes faltered. Some stumbled back in disbelief, others screamed as their mana circulation collapsed under the sudden backlash. The overwhelming cold was not just freezing their spells, it was suppressing their very intent.

Abraham gritted his teeth, veins bulging along his neck as he forced more power into the circles. "Move," he growled. "Move!"

The orb responded with quiet dominance.

A deeper frost spread outward, blanketing the battlefield. The ground cracked under the sudden chill, trees turned pale and rigid, and the air grew so cold that breathing became painful.

No matter how many spells were cast, none could pass through. Everything that tried was seized, frozen, and erased.

For the first time since his arrival, Abraham felt it.

Helplessness.

Just then, the air crackled beside Abraham, making the old sorcerer flinch in alarm.

"What’s it doing here?" a voice resonated from the left as space twisted and folded in on itself. From that distortion, a being stepped out of thin air.

Ariana frowned at the sight of the figure now standing beside Abraham. The reaction was immediate. The sorcerer dropped to one knee without hesitation, his head bowed in submission.

But that was not what unsettled her the most.

Her gaze shifted to the ancient creature.

The colossal beast, which moments ago had ruled the battlefield with absolute dominance, pulled back. Its massive body lowered toward the ground, its presence shrinking, restrained.

Anyone could tell from its movement alone.

It was nervous.

The fact that something so ancient and overwhelming reacted that way made the air feel heavier than ever.

Ariana felt a deep unease as she watched the ancient creature snarl and fidget beneath the gaze of the man whose golden eyes bored into it.

She could tell the beast was trying to defy that authority, struggling against an unseen pressure. But as the shade of its eyes began to shift, darkening and warping, it became clear that it could not fight back.

Without hesitation, Ariana charged forward and shouted at the top of her lungs, "ESCAPE IF YOU CAN’T FIGHT IT!"

The creature turned. For a brief moment, their gazes met.

Somehow, Ariana could feel its emotions. Sadness. Frustration. A helpless fury restrained by something far older and crueler.

In the end, the ancient creature chose survival.

It plunged back into the ground, its massive form vanishing beneath the surface. Moments later, its overwhelming presence faded completely, until no one could sense it anywhere in the battlefield.

The golden-eyed man shook his head in open disappointment. "You feared such a cowardly insect?"

Abraham, his head still bowed, replied at once, "I have shamed you, my Lord."

Nytharos scoffed. "Then don’t stand there like a burden. Resume the attack."

Abraham rose to his feet and turned toward the academy.

Ariana’s body tensed, every instinct screaming in warning. Yet she knew it then. None of them could stop what was about to unfold.

"Attack."

The command echoed like a death sentence.

Every Acolyte moved at once. Beasts that had been lying still rose to their feet, eyes burning, bodies radiating killing intent. The air grew heavy, saturated with malice and mana so dense it felt suffocating.

From every direction, presences surged forward. Thousands of them.

The ground trembled under their charge, trees snapped, and the sky itself seemed to recoil. A tide of darkness rolled toward the academy, endless and merciless, carrying with it the promise of blood and ruin.

As the horde closed in, dread settled deep in the hearts of those who stood to defend Runebound.

Just then,

**RUMBLE**

The sky crackled.

Lightning surged even though there was no sign of rain until a moment ago.

Everyone looked around as they felt something arriving.

For many, it was another sign of danger approaching.

However, for Ariana...it was a sign of relief.

A smile formed on her lips as she muttered, "You finally decided to show up."