bookbashuk Chapter 34 When the Fire Descends
Chapter 34 When the Fire Descends
The third day, at dusk.
On the southern edge of Silverdew Woods, at the edge of a sparsely populated woodland, Elune stood beneath an ancient tree.
Behind her were twelve elven elders, two hundred druids, and three hundred fully armed rangers.
Elder Xihai's face darkened: "It's been three days already, Elune."
"The heavenly fire that Lynn spoke of does not seem to have appeared."
His voice was exceptionally clear in the silent forest.
Although the surrounding elves remained vigilant, their eyes betrayed their suspicion.
Lynn's prophecy forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 residents from the entire settlement.
Elune did not answer.
She simply gazed up at the sky, her emerald green eyes reflecting the fading sunset.
Suddenly, her pupils contracted.
A point of light appeared in the distant sky.
At first it was as small as a star, but it was moving—falling toward the earth at an unsettling speed.
"That's... Heavenly Fire," the King-level Ranger, Sheena, also noticed and exclaimed softly.
Even high in the sky, everyone could feel the scorching heat.
The creatures in the forest instinctively stirred—birds took flight, insects fell silent, beasts galloped, and even the glowing mushrooms began to flicker uneasily.
"All hands on alert!" Elune shouted sharply, her staff glowing with a dazzling green light.
But her heart was ice-cold.
As a King-level Druid, she could sense how terrifying that energy descending from the sky was.
It wasn't magic, but it possessed pure, destructive physical power.
As the fire drew closer, with the aid of her far-seeing eyes, Sheena could make out its outline: a giant rock with a surface ablaze with flames, estimated to be over 60 meters in diameter, its tail flames, generated by friction against the sky, stretched for several kilometers.
It fell in the direction of the south side of the Silver Dew Woodland.
"This...this isn't fire magic, there's no magical fluctuation at all, this is...a natural disaster!" Elder Xihai's voice trembled.
A true natural disaster.
A cataclysmic event powerful enough to destroy the entire Silverdew Forest.
"Hold on! Assemble according to the plan!"
Elune's voice, amplified by nature magic, carried throughout the group, barely managing to quell the commotion.
She stood in the line, her silver hair dancing wildly in the raging wind, twisted by the intense heat.
Her emerald green eyes were fixed on the meteorite, her fingers gripping the staff tightly, her fingertips turning white from the force.
The sheer purity of quality and speed, coupled with the terrifying heat generated by friction—enough to melt a human body into dust.
If it cannot be stopped, the elite of the Silver Dew settlement will be wiped out.
The entire outer perimeter of the Magic Forest will be destroyed in the explosion, resulting in ecological ruin.
If they don't confront them head-on, Elune and the other kings will surely survive this catastrophe.
But they won't run away.
Protecting nature is the duty of the wood elves, and it is also the mission they have always upheld.
Elune swept her gaze across the crowd.
They were afraid, but their gazes were resolute.
For our homeland.
No one chose to run away.
"Clan leader! The protective barrier might not be able to withstand this impact!" Elder Xihai reported, his face pale.
The Emerald Barrier he and many druids erected, powerful enough to withstand days of bombardment by king-level magic, was powerless to stop this catastrophe.
"Is the evacuation complete?" Elune forced herself to calm down, but fine beads of sweat had already appeared on her forehead.
"The evacuation is complete, but the impact area... may be far greater than expected!" said Hina, a King-level ranger, her voice hoarse.
Sheena seemed to have already foreseen the destruction of the homeland she had always protected in this catastrophe.
But Sheena will not give up any opportunity.
She spoke slowly, but with unwavering resolve: "Let's give it a try!"
Sheena looked behind her
"Forest rangers, for the sake of the home we leave behind."
"We will fight to the death!!"
"Don't retreat!!" The three hundred rangers shouted, their power beginning to converge on Sheena.
A rich wind element began to swirl around her slender body.
She nocked a specially made demon-slaying arrow, drew the bowstring taut, and aimed it at the celestial fire meteor in the sky.
"call out--!"
The arrow left the bowstring, its tail trailing a beautiful blue streak, and shot straight away against the trajectory of the falling meteorite!
This was a powerful strike brought together by the collective efforts of many forest rangers.
Its speed is incredibly fast; it can chase stars and the sun.
Its power is immense, enough to pierce through mountains and tear apart the earth.
The arrow hit the tip of the meteorite precisely.
Then--
Obliteration.
The azure light, like fine steel striking divine iron, instantly twisted, shattered, and turned to dust.
The dark red meteorite, which was fifty meters in diameter, did not even have a scratch on its surface; it only slowed down its descent slightly.
"Impossible..." Sheena staggered and slumped to the ground, her face drained of color.
Heavenly fire pierced the sky.
The point of light rapidly expanded, transforming into a blinding line of fire that tore through the twilight sky.
The air began to tremble, emitting a deep roar like the awakening of an ancient behemoth.
It was only a few dozen seconds before the fire struck the earth.
Despair began to spread.
But the druids continued to wave their staffs, and the elements began to converge.
Even if it meant certain death, they still chose to fight to the bitter end.
Because they are the guardians of the forest.
Elune also began to wave her staff.
She knew that no one could stop the arrival of the heavenly fire.
She knew she would die here.
She calmly accepted her death.
But, but.
She recalled that passionate and lingering kiss from that drunken night.
in fact.
When they were halfway through the kiss.
The rich elemental power had already neutralized the alcohol in his body.
It's just that I'm afraid to face it.
I can't face the fact that I kissed a human.
She might even find herself liking his scent.
I loved that kiss with him.
So much so that when the contract ended.
I could only pretend to be fast asleep.
She felt his blushing and heart pounding as he carried her back to bed and tidied her clothes.
She dared not tell anyone about it.
After all, humans and elves cannot fall in love, much less marry.
but.
But I still couldn't help myself.
I want to get closer to him.
When the insights from Lynn came to mind.
Elune had an idea.
Let him be my teacher.
A newly promoted Druid becomes the teacher of a Grand Druid of the King rank.
It's even a human being.
A wonderful idea.
But it seems good too, as it gives me an excuse to have prolonged contact with him.
This idea is riddled with flaws.
This may attract criticism.
But she still did it.
She waited early by the tree that Lynn often passed by.
He asked nature for information about his whereabouts.
Then came an unexpected, chance encounter.
...
just.
It seems I've kept my promise to you.
It's probably impossible.
teacher.
Elune looked up at the skyfire that trailed a long, fiery tail.
She looked at the elves who showed no sign of retreat, and a sadness welled up in Elune's heart.
do not know.
When the fire descends.
Whom will they think of next?