Deric managed to withstand the attack, but his feet dragged backward for ten meters, leaving a trench in the ground. His breath was ragged. His armor was cracked in several places, and blood flowed from his temple.
He looked around him. The view was horrifying. Half his troops were incapacitated. Bodies lay scattered, the smell of burnt flesh from Desfine's lightning mixing with the metallic scent of blood.
The Delfilian family was too strong. The combination of Carger and Desfine's area magic, added to Mossard's close combat ability and Astelia's traps, created a perfect defense.
"You think you can catch us?!" Carger's laughter boomed, seeing the kingdom's prideful General kneeling on one knee. "Here, water is my ally! Wind is my protector! You and your king are the fools!"
Deric gripped the hilt of his trembling sword. Despair began to creep into his heart. He was a General, but he was helpless watching his men being slaughtered.
Is this the end? Deric thought. Will I die here and let them win?
The sky above the Delfilian Mansion was covered in black smoke and steam. General Deric Verga, with his remaining strength, tried to stand up even though his whole body felt crushed. In front of him, Marquis Carger and his family stood tall without significant scratches, looking down at the royal forces with condescending gazes.
"Finish him, my husband!" said Desfine coldly, her hands sparking blue fire. "Make his head a warning for King Nalvon."
Carger grinned. He raised his hand, compressing a giant water sphere spinning rapidly, ready to crush Deric's body into pulp.
"Goodbye, General."
Deric closed his eyes, preparing to receive the blow.
However, the blow never came.
Ziiiing!
A high-pitched buzzing sound pierced the noise of war. A beam of deep purple light shot down from the sky, striking right in the center of Carger's water sphere.
Shatter!
The giant water sphere broke apart as if slashed by an invisible sword. Carger was pushed back a few steps due to the sudden mana explosion.
"What?!" exclaimed Carger in shock.
Everyone looked up. From behind the clouds of smoke, a figure in a pure white robe with a magic staff tipped with a purple crystal floated down slowly. His gold-rimmed glasses glistened, reflecting the fires of war below.
It was Mardiva Orphenius, one of the strongest royal mages besides Orlando. A figure known as the 'Purple Eye of the Kingdom', an expert in magic strategy and counter-spells.
Mardiva landed gracefully right in front of the panting General Deric.
"Sorry I'm late, General. Cleaning up the pests on the balcony took a little while." said Mardiva calmly, as if he had just finished sweeping the yard, not slaughtering dozens of enemy mages on the balcony.
Deric looked up, a grin of relief appearing on his bloodied face. "You finally came, Sir Mardiva! That man and his family are so troublesome! They are monsters!"
Mardiva adjusted his glasses, his sharp eyes assessing the four core members of the Delfilian family.
"Is that so? No wonder you were overwhelmed, General Deric." muttered Mardiva. "Carger has dual affinities, Desfine is an area type, Mossard is a melee-magic type, and Astelia is a crowd control type. A troublesome combination if fought with muscles alone."
Mardiva looked at Deric. "We change strategy. I will handle the wife and the two children. General Deric, save your remaining strength for one decisive strike against Carger when his defense opens. Can you do it?"
Deric spat blood onto the ground, then gripped his sword tightly. "As long as you can hold those pests, I can split even a hill!"
"Good!" exclaimed Mardiva as he stepped forward.
Desfine, feeling underestimated, immediately attacked.
"Die, Mage!" Desfine fired ThunderstormInferno once again. Lightning and fire struck toward Mardiva.
However, Mardiva only raised one finger.
"Nullification Barrier."
A transparent purple dome appeared. Desfine's lightning and fire vanished the moment they touched the dome, absorbed without a trace.
"My turn!" said Mardiva flatly.
He slammed his staff onto the ground. The earth beneath the feet of Desfine, Mossard, and Astelia suddenly glowed purple.
"Gravity Crush!"
Thud!
Instantly, the gravity at the point where they stood increased fifty-fold. Desfine screamed as her body was forced to kiss the ground. Her bones creaked. Her fire and lightning extinguished instantly because she couldn't concentrate against the pain.
Mossard, who tried to run to slash Mardiva with his water sword, immediately collapsed face-first. His water sword dispersed into a puddle because he wasn't strong enough to lift his own hand.
"Ughhh... s-so heavy..." moaned Astelia. Her water bubbles burst. She couldn't even move her little finger.
In one spell, Mardiva had incapacitated the three biggest threats.
Seeing his wife and children helpless on the ground, Carger's face turned pale. His concentration shattered completely.
"Desfine! Mossard! Astelia!" shouted Carger in panic. He turned to help them.
"Where are your eyes looking, Carger?!"
Deric's voice boomed. Seizing that fatal opening, General Deric concentrated all his remaining life aura into his greatsword until it shone blindingly like the sun.
"Mountain Cleaver!"
Deric shot forward like lightning, slashing through Carger's weakened wind defense wall.
Slash!
The sound of tearing air was piercing. Carger's wind defense split in two easily. The Marquis had no time to cast an additional protective spell.
Thud!
Deric twisted his sword at the last second, slamming the blunt side of the giant blade into Carger's stomach with full force.
"AAAKKKHHH...!"
Carger's eyes rolled back. Fresh blood sprayed from his mouth. His body was thrown backward like a broken kite, hitting the main pillar of the mansion until the marble pillar shattered into pieces. The Marquis fell sprawled among the ruins, unconscious.
Silence returned to the mansion courtyard, but this time it was the silence of victory for the royal side.
Mardiva lowered the intensity of his gravity, ensuring the targets were merely unconscious and not dead. Then, he approached Deric who had incapacitated Carger.
"Good work, General. A perfect execution."
Deric dropped himself to the ground, breathing heavily. He wiped the blood from his face while laughing weakly. "Hah... hah... if you hadn't come, my troops and I might have become fertilizer in this flower garden."
Mardiva smiled with relief at him. They had successfully completed the mission given by the King, although the number of soldier casualties was not small.
The remaining conscious royal soldiers cheered in joy. They moved swiftly, attaching magic-sealing cuffs to the hands and feet of the helpless Carger, Desfine, Mossard, and Astelia.
Their other relatives were also herded out of the mansion in bindings. The magnificent mansion was now nothing more than debris, a silent witness to the fall of a great family.
That evening, under the reddening twilight sky, the arrogance of the Delfilian family collapsed completely. The Marquis who was feared in the western region was now dragged like a common criminal, witnessed by his own people, toward the iron-barred carriage that would take him to the capital to face the final judgment for their sins.