novelraw Chapter 634 - 633 - Lili's Redemption
Chapter 634 - 633 - Lili's Redemption
The ground forces breached Perot's capital, Durese, after Lind brought down the barriers. No one but they had faith in their Emperor to pull off a miracle.
The enemy was stunned as the wall broke and the ships began to tear their forces apart! The soldiers were panicking before even ten breaths had passed! Lili was at the forefront with her massive blade carving a path.
She knew she could not get their in time but she was now the one guiding the ground forces while Gravis followed her lead.
"There are barracks in 4 main spots! We will find them on Gold Way!" Her words spurred them on and Gravis relayed the locations. The blood was already covering the streets but that was not the worst of it.
She saw black robes ripping souls from children and running families right in front of her. All her discomfort in her life had been brought to the fore over her captivity and later working for Emperor Lind.
She realized her heart had been in pain all those centuries but only after seeing the horror of Orwellia and the Fiends did she truly grasp it.
She hated the world. She hated the reaping of souls and the way the justice system worked in the 6 empires. It wronged her soul.
She now worked to undo all she had wrought.
"Save those innocents! Go my Blood Sworn!" Her force was made of the red robes that chose to fight and shared her view. They still wore crimson robes but a bright emerald dragon was on all their backs.
They were the personal force of Emperor Lind Frey. The Emerald Souls were from the Soulless but the Blood Sworn were all red robe Soulmancers.
All the sins of the 6 empires were being brought to light under Lind Frey's threat!
His ability to empathize and give hope to those that had lost it all was a gift none could match. He let them find a path forward when all they saw was guilt and self destruction.
Many of her former comrades had chosen suicide rather than continue to live.
The rest joined her or accepted being crippled. The crippled were now long dead.
She cut down black robes like they were wheat as children wailed over their dead parents. They were too slow! They had to move faster!
The day became a haze of screams, blood, and nearly endless swings of her massive sword. She became a Goddess of Death to the Soulmancers while enemy soldiers ran in terror from her force.
Suddenly, a new wall reared its existence and she felt Sun Tiers preparing to attack. Lili summoned a dark cylinder with a sigil engraved on one end. She infused her Qi before tossing it at the wall.
The other Blood Sworn did the same before the dimming day lit up like multiple suns had descended.
Lili had protected her eyes but never stopped as her sword glowed with sigils! The blade became a void as it sliced through the new barrier created by the enemy within!
Lind had been very busy but for those personally serving him, they got the best he could give. Her massive blade could not slice through projections or conjured attacks like a hot knife through butter.
Her massive form jumped up as if she had wings before coming face to face with a wailing soldier. His eyes were burnt out and his ears were bleeding.
The shock grenades were terrifying weapons. Most barriers defended against attacks, not simply light and sound. Each grenade had a 7 breath timer and would enhance each other if in close proximity.
She began the slaughter as more joined her. With each death, her spirit felt liberated. She was under no illusion that she would ever be forgiven by others, but Lind had forgiven her.
He had taught them that while black robes were reviled, almost all the liberated people spoke well of red robes. It showed how they had been able to be true justice in a broken world.
Lind gave them hope in the wasteland of their lives the truth had shown them to be.
"Break the gate open!" She kept going while a few ran to the gate control. It slowly opened to let Gravis' forces finally pour in. She smiled as the sky ships crossed the inner wall to begin the assault on the towers.
Perot would be theirs within the day!
She charged forward only to find a group of children chained together as 2 black robe Soulmancers sneered at her.
"We had heard some traitors had fallen in with the intruder but to think the legendary Blade of Justice would do so?" She narrowed her eyes at the left Soulmancer to see it was a woman with silver hair.
Her skin was not as sickly as the man, but Lili knew her.
"Let the children go, Delin. They are innocent!" Lili felt rage bubble as both Soulmancers laughed in her face.
"That was always your problem, Lili. You lived in a fantasy and now you are being enabled by the intruder. What do you think will happen to all of you once the war is over? I will personally take your soul!" Lili wanted to slice the hateful woman in half but the children flinched as a weaving appeared.
Lili paled as she recognized it!
"HOW DARE YOU?!" The children were set up to implode. Even at the Sand Tier, they would die before she could even take 2 steps. She saw other Blood Sworn stop on the roofs nearby but waved them off.
"You will guide us out of here and then let us go. The children die in any other scenario." Lili shook with rage but then calmed down. She looked at the weeping kids. The oldest was maybe 10 but she smiled wide suddenly.
"None of you die today. Believe in Emperor Frey." Lili then vanished! The sound of thunder was the only thing people heard but then she reappeared bleeding from every orifice.
The male Soulmancer was cut in half before Delin could even breathe. The massive blade then pierced her heart but she sneered at Lili.
"T–too late." The weaving flared but then Lili did something suicidal. She let her fingers glow before she cut off the flow of Qi into herself! The once endangered children were freed!
"TAKE THEM AWAY NOW!" Three Blood Sworn appeared and swiftly took Lili away while others took the children away. "GET AWAY! DO–"
The pain began to skyrocket as she tried to contain her exploding dantian for as long as she could.
"With respect, your power is far greater. We need to get past the walls." Lili stopped fighting and felt the wind rush past her ears. She saw the fleet crack open a tower as well as many soldiers rushing to continue the fight.
Tears formed as she realized she would never see him again. He had shown the truth of the world to her and given her a chance to live when many would have killed her outright.
She remembered her righteous stance and trying to die of starvation when she was first caught. A smile spread as she recalled his patience and solid aura.
"Emperor Lind is a great man we do not deserve." She suddenly spoke as the 3 slowly nodded. She looked at each face and smiled at them. They began to smile back.
"Hei, Joran, and Kelvan. I am honored to end my days with you but use your jade stones for a moment." All 3 nodded as they touched their stones. Lili began to bleed more but she kept fighting for each moment.
"Gravis, I am sorry but I am going far away. Please tell Emperor Lind I am forever grateful." She did not give that man a chance to speak before a stern tone came from her. "My Blood Sworn, please continue to serve Emperor Lind Frey! He is a good man and what we need to break the cycle of darkness we live under."
She felt a pinch in her navel area.
"I cannot see that day anymore, but you all will. Thank you for fighting by my side all this time. Feng, you are now in charge. Lead them well." A cry came from her as tears fell from the three men as Qi began to leak from her.
"Leader! Where are you?! We can save–" A panicked voice came through but Lili only laughed as they finally reached the outer wall.
"Feng, you are ready. I can't stay anymore. Also, Joran, Kelvan, and Hei are with me. Gravis, please mention their honor–" Her voice cracked as they left the flow of soldiers before she noticed a change.
The rush had stopped as all turned to watch.
It did not take much for their senses to realize what was happening. Lili could not speak anymore but she could still see as she smiled at the friends she was leaving behind.
"Commander Lili, it has been an honor. May you know peace in the next life." Gravis' voice came through as he heard some wailing as well.
"The commander thanks you, General Gravis. We are nearly at a safe distance." Joran spoke as he broke but he did not stop running as QI began to glow from Lili.
"Please know her last act was to save children! She saved the innocent!" Hei shouted as his arms began to burn.
"Goodbye, Feng. I loved you." Kelvan spoke which made all surprised but he simply looked at them firmly as their skin began to melt away.
"No–" Lili tried to say something but then the Qi exploded outward into a giant bloom!
Gravis was observing via a ship he reallocated to it. The battle was not over but he bowed low in the direction as did the whole command tent.
Weeping was heard in the tent but none called them out. In the century since the Alliance was founded, Lili had become a staunch ally and friend to many.
The laws the Alliance lived by were parsed by her often and made better.
"Your watch is over, my friend." Gravis spoke softly before resuming the battle. "I want this battle over, today!"
The soldiers saluted and seemed to find a new swell of strength. The Blood Sworn became the bane of all black robed Soulmancers as if they were a personal affront! Perot fell before midnight.
None cheered as there were many dead, but a group of 4 were in all their hearts. A group of Sand Tier children were openly weeping when they were told. Their mothers and fathers were alive but could not be consoled by them.
Lili had sought redemption for so long but did not realize she was well past needing it. The Two Rivers Alliance held a vigil for her and all the rest. They were honored dead and now the next steps had to be done.
The war was far from over.