Chapter 154: Benevolent Domain

Chapter 155: Benevolent Domain

The second wave of crimson spheres rained from the broken sky.

Each one carried enough force to carve a crater through the earth. Some soldiers froze where they stood. Others hauled the wounded toward shallow trenches while exhausted cultivators tried to scrape together whatever dregs remained in their dantians.

A deep baritone cut through the noise.

"General, I am here!"

A broad-shouldered man in deep-blue military robes dropped from the air, boots hitting the cracked stone with a soft, controlled thud.

General Vaelric Ashford turned his head.

"Illamar San."

Illamar snapped his fist to his chest in a rigid salute.

"Reporting, General. By order of Grand Marshal Ashford, the capital is locked down. Protocol LIFE is active."

Vaelric’s jaw tightened, then eased.

"The Grand Marshal joined forces with the elders of the other Great Families to secure the inner districts," Illamar continued, eyes flicking toward the red sky. "His orders: do not look back at the capital. Stop the bleed here and keep as many breathing as you can."

Vaelric let out a long breath. The cold knot between his ribs loosened. Having his father holding the capital changed the board entirely.

"Understood," Vaelric said, pointing toward the descending fire. "The lines are scattered. We need a roof over them before the next volley lands."

Illamar’s jaw set hard.

"Leave the sky to me."

He stepped forward, bent his knees, and shot upward.

His blue mantle snapped against the wind as he climbed above the valley. Midair, he brought his palms together, fingers shifting through a rapid sequence of seals. His spiritual energy flared outward in heavy, rolling pulses.

"Saint’s Sanctuary— Second Form: Benevolent Domain"

BOOOOOOM!

A massive, translucent blue dome erupted across the sky, curving outward until it formed a wide canopy over the remaining soldiers and refugees.

A second later, the bombardment struck.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The crimson spheres slammed into the surface, sending violent shockwaves rippling through the blue light. The entire structure groaned. Below, soldiers flinched, arms coming up over their heads.

The dome didn’t break.

Instead, bright blue runes lit up across the curvature, drinking the kinetic shock and the foreign energy.

Illamar narrowed his eyes, sweat beading along his hairline.

His awakened gift was rare: not just a hard wall, but an absorption engine. It took impact, shaved off the violent edge, converted a fraction of the raw force into usable Qi, and vented it downward.

Yet the volume falling from the sky was absurd. Thin hairline fractures of light began spiderwebbing across the runes.

Just hold, Illamar thought, grinding his molars. Buy time till they come up with something.

He forced another surge of core Qi into the dome. The runes steadied.

Then the converted energy began to fall.

It descended like a light, glowing blue rain, settling over the trenches and the wounded. Flesh stitched together over shallow cuts. Blackened bruises lightened. The spiritual chill clinging to exhausted men began to thaw.

"My... my hand," a young conscript muttered, staring at the split flesh across his knuckles as it knit shut.

"My Core," another said, pressing a hand to his stomach. "It’s circulating again."

Across the line, men who had been dragging their feet found purchase in the mud. Nyren and Oren felt their depleted reserves steadying. It wasn’t a miracle—shattered ribs stayed broken, and those bleeding out still needed hands on them—but it bought them breath.

And right now, breath was survival.

——————————

"Mother!"

Three figures pushed through the dust-choked perimeter.

The Argon sisters reached the rear command line, robes shredded, faces caked in dried mud and soot.

Estelle’s cold posture broke for half a second. She pulled Ambiel, Annelle, and Arvessa against her chest, hands running over their shoulders to check for missing limbs before letting out a slow, trembling breath.

"You’re okay," she whispered.

Arvessa pulled back first, looking up at the burning clouds. "Mother, we have to organize the rear."

Estelle’s face hardened back into the mask of a Matriarch.

"Ambiel, take the wind cultivators and clear the debris along the western ditch. Annelle, mark the evacuation lane. Arvessa, get behind the medical line and stabilize whoever is still breathing."

"Yes, Mother!"

All three broke into a run.

Not far away, Patriarch Roan Blackwood stood over his two sons, sharp eyes measuring every tear in their armor.

"You’ve broken through," Roan said to Asher. Not a question.

"Core Formation Realm," Asher answered, voice level. "Level six."

Roan’s brows lifted slightly. A rare flash of pride crossed his weathered face before he turned on Adrian. "And you? Still dragging your feet?"

Adrian gave a strained, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Almost there, Dad. Almost."

Roan snorted. "Almost doesn’t keep you alive out here."

"A lot went wrong in there, Father," Adrian said, the humor dropping from his voice.

Roan’s eyes sharpened. "We will settle the tally later. Look up."

——————————

Across the clearing, Lemo Drackar caught Justin by the shoulder.

"Where is Jules?"

Justin’s expression went dark. "We split up at the inner gates. I haven’t seen him since the tremor."

"He should have been with you," Lemo snapped.

"He isn’t with anyone," Asher’s voice cut in.

"Jules is gone" Asher said flatly. Lemo and Justin whipped their heads around.

Arcs of silver lightning crackled across Lemo’s clenched fists. "What did you say?!" Lemo barked. "Did he die, or did you people murder him over some treasure he found first?!"

"Oh please, Lemo," Estelle called out as she approached, eyes freezing. "Don’t act as if your lineage is so special. Watch your tongue."

Lemo’s gaze swung toward her. "What are you saying, Estelle?"

"Young Master Asher," Estelle asked, turning to him. "What actually happened inside?"

"Jules was possessed by the ancient entity sealed within the palace," Asher explained clearly. "He gave up his body, turned on everyone, and tried to harvest us." And so he went on to reveal what happened.

"Impossible!" Lemo shouted.

"Hmph. What is impossible about it?" Estelle sneered. "Given his behavior, it isn’t surprising at all. My daughter almost died because of his cowardice."

"What are you implying, Estelle?!" Lemo’s voice turned lethal.

"You know exactly what I mean," Estelle replied, standing her ground without flinching.

"Enough!"

Roan stepped between them, the unadorned, sheathed form of the Aegis of the Unbroken floating level with his shoulder, pulsing with steady golden authority.

"Save your family feud for later," Roan said. "If that shield collapses, there won’t be enough left of any of us to bury."

Lemo held Roan’s stare for three agonizing seconds before killing the lightning on his hands.

"Justin. On me," Lemo muttered, turning toward the defensive line. "We’ll talk when the sky clears."​