Hence, Elijah’s words lacked credibility. Elijah chuckled, treating them like jesters. “Even in such dire straits, the two of you refuse to give up?”
He continued, “Fine, since you insist on seeing the evidence, I’ll show you.” He raised his hand and flicked his fingers.
A golden streak shot into the sky, exploding with a resounding bang. It transformed into a myriad of golden specks, gently descending like confetti.
After a moment, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the distant end of the street. Growing louder as they approached, Atticus and Ignatius could feel the ground beneath their feet subtly vibrating.
As the footsteps advanced, the ground tremors intensified. Upon sensing this, Atticus and Ignatius felt an unsettling premonition.
Before they could comprehend what was happening, a multitude of silhouettes appeared on the horizon. The sheer number covered the entire street, extending beyond their line of sight.
“How … how is this possible?”
Staring at the densely packed soldiers ahead, Atticus and Ignatius were dumbfounded. They had harbored a glimmer of hope, thinking Elijah’s words were just an attempt to sow fear. Now, any remaining defiance was drained from their faces.
Their 100 thousand-strong army guarded the city gates. External forces could not have breached them. The sudden appearance of this formidable new force meant only one thing-their own troops had indeed surrendered.
Elijah had spoken the truth. Ultimately, it was Atticus and Ignatius who had been deceiving themselves.
“Atticus, Ignatius, what you see now is only a fraction of it,” Elijah said. “Our alliance has three more armies, led by the Three Sovereigns, advancing rapidly from three directions toward the castle.”
He went on, “If I’m not mistaken, their forces should already be near the castle, perhaps even clashing with your people. Your forces are now trapped.”
“Unless you surrender, complete annihilation is only a matter of time. I say your situation is hopeless, with no chance of turning the tide.”
Elijah spoke with conviction, rendering the two men pale and drenched in sweat. Overwhelmed by a fragile mental state, Atticus sank to the ground in defeat.
“We’re done for, completely done for. The army outside the city is captured, and the army inside is surrounded. We’re defeated on all fronts!” Atticus lamented, his face drained of color.
“No! We haven’t lost yet!” Ignatius swallowed hard, feigning composure.
He added, “Though our army may have faltered, as long as Grand General Rhys remains undefeated, we still have hope to turn the tables!”
“Exactly! As long as Grand General Rhys is alive, we still have hope.”
Atticus nodded. He had found a new hope.
Julius commanded a significant share of West Lucozia’s military might. With credible justification, he held the ability to activate the military insignia and deploy the formidable Black Dragon Army, totaling 200 thousand soldiers.
The military strength of the Four Sovereigns in the south paled in comparison to the might of the Black Dragon Army.
Atticus and Ignatius just needed Julius to lead the charge, and the tables would turn completely.
