Seero was conducting some calculations regarding a solution to beyond-visual-range combat when she noticed two units on approach. She turned to face Ateia and Taog as they walked up to her.

“Acknowledgement: Hello friend Ateia, friend Taog, do you have an update, query, or request for this unit?”

The two looked at each other and nodded. Then they both hugged Seero.

“Confused Query: This unit is not experiencing emotional distress at this time, why have friendly units engaged emotional distress termination protocols?”

Ateia smiled.

“Right now…we’re just doing it to show affection and gratitude. Thanks to you, I got to meet my father again, Seero. And more than that…I got the family I always wanted.”

Taog smiled as well.

“Thanks to you, I found the courage to face my problems, and realized how I truly felt. Not to mention how many times you’ve saved our lives. We can never thank you enough, Seero.”

Seero’s robotic eye flickered. She wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to this situation as affection wasn’t as well-defined for her as emotional distress.

But…it didn’t cause any negative physiological or emotional reactions, and did not interfere with her current task. And if she analyzed their words…she had helped the friends achieve primary directives and improve their overall efficiency. That was a positive outcome.

“Acknowledgement: This unit is pleased to assist.”

A bit further away, Amulius watched the two embrace the demon lord…and hero, apparently, called Seero. He hung his head and drooped his shoulders.

“You aren’t worrying about shiny girl again, aren't you?”

He shook his head as Agedia approached from behind.

“No…well, yes, but…it’s just, I really messed this up, didn’t I? I don’t know what else I could have done…but what I did do wasn’t enough. I’m…glad they found someone to help who you say is trustworthy…but that should have been me, or Taog’s parents, or…”

Agedia made a small sigh.

“Or Aedinia?”

Amulius remained silent for a bit.

“And…I don’t even know if it was worth it. I spent years taking down corrupted dungeons and cult agents, but they never stopped appearing, and we never found the cult’s leadership. And we only had the cooperation of one or two Archons, so we didn’t even reach most of the Empire of the Sun. I can't say if what we did had any impact at all. Maybe…maybe I shouldn’t have gone.”

But Agedia shook her head.

“No…everyone knows corrupted dungeons are bad news for any nation they appear in. Even the Empire of the Sun wouldn’t permit them to exist under normal circumstances. It’s self-destructive to do so, which makes no sense when they’ve been locked in a centuries-long stalemate with a powerful enemy. So I think you were right to respond. And I have a feeling we’ll be learning why sooner rather than later…”

Far to the east, the sky was black. Fortress cities and military outposts burned all across the deserts and plains that extended eastward, the smoke joining in the sky above to form black clouds overhead. A tide of monsters streamed across the plains, rushing towards the hills that started rising towards the mountains in the distance.

And there, they stopped.

Enchanted stone rose from the hills. Glowing arrows, enchanted ballistae bolts, massive stones lobbed by catapults, and all other manner of projectile rained from the tops of the walls. Long pikes stabbed down from above, while halberds and swords met any monster who made it to the top. Spells and siege weapon fire concentrated on any monster capable of breaking the fortifications, while assassins leapt out of hidden tunnel entrances to take down mages and ranged attackers in secret.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Horns sounded, magic artifacts flashed, and banners raised, and each time the soldiers moved calmly and quickly to redirect their efforts to the critical point. No matter how the monsters approached, no matter what feints or diversions they used, the defenders always arrived to meet them.

The auxiliaries and allies went to work as well. Centaur archers harassed the flanks, winged humanoids scouted from above, aquatic species ambushed the horde from nearby rivers. Monster tamers unleashed monsters of their own, while the Imperial Necrotorum turned the enemy’s casualties against them. Giants and treekin towered over the walls, lobbing boulders with their bare hands. In the tunnels beneath the ground, there was even a colony of Formicans battling subterranean foes, the ant-kin meeting the horde with a swarm of their own alongside dwarven warriors and the Legio Subterraneus.

In the skies, the occasional battle-airship unleashed ballistae fire and built-in spells on flocks of bird monsters, while griffin knights confronted wyverns and other large fliers. The flying species of the Auxiliary Caelum flew as escorts, intercepting any monsters that made it past the knights and airships.

Battle-airships were not the only artifacts of war present. Legions of golems held the line, taking the blows on behalf of their squishy masters. Enchanted ballistae fired into the enemy without any crews at all, staves planted into the ground cast spells at anything that approached.

And when the monsters managed to break a section of the wall, something like the battle-airships rose up right from under the ground, planting itself in front of the breach while the Imperial Architecti repaired the wall. More such landships rose from the ground and then thundered across the field in a mighty counterattack, trampling over the hordes as they pushed the monsters away from the breach. Mounted knights and fast-moving auxiliaries followed behind them, mopping up the stragglers as the landships rampaged through the enemy.

The Eastern Empire had long learned that battle-airships were much cheaper to build if they didn’t have to fly.

Every once and a while, a dark-skinned elf wearing black and gold armor would step forward and unleash terrible spells that shook both ground and sky. And every time, massive joint barriers from anti-Archon formations would rise to meet them, while long-range snipers harassed the elves with poisoned bolts and ritual-casted strategic spells responded in kind. The proud Archons were forced to step back, and those that tried to force the issue did not escape unscathed.

These were scenes that continued on for hundreds of miles, all across the entire border of the Eastern Elteni Empire and the Empire of the Sun, as hundreds of thousands of legionnaires held the lines.

In his command tent, High-Archon Vommik Nigaeren gnashed his teeth.

“Do you understand now, Archon Nolnyth, what it is you have done? Because you so foolishly cleared out the dungeons from which we would acquire our second wave, we were unable to exploit the initial breakthrough and failed to destroy our enemy once and for all. And now, once again, we are trapped in a war of attrition. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Nolnyth scoffed.

“Nothing, for there is nothing to be said. There was a threat to my realm, and I dealt with it. The Council had years to inform me there was a plan for those corrupted dungeons, and did not. It was not my failure that led to this outcome.”

High-Archon Vommik narrowed his eyes.

“So be it. You will atone for your error by creating a new breakthrough. Report to the frontlines and assault the fortifications. Do not return until they are broken.”

Nolynth scoffed again.

“If you want to kill me, you should do it yourself. But fine, I shall let the humans claim my life on your behalf. The death of an Archon on foolish orders will surely reflect well upon your leadership.”

And with that, she turned and left. High-Archon Vommik grit his teeth as he reapplied the barrier protecting his tent. He then activated a communication artifact.

“What is the meaning of this, Mrannd'ssinss d’Quarth?”

Mrannd'ssinss d’Quarth, also known as the Herald of the New Dawn, spoke through the artifact.

“I warned you that the Eastern Empire’s defenses were deeper than you thought. Even the situation with the Aesdes would not cause them to simply collapse.”

High-Archon Vommik snarled.

“That wouldn’t have been a problem if one of my Archons hadn’t let some slave of the Aesdes run around for years! I thought you were tracking those ‘heroes!’ ”

“And it is still not a problem. You now have the endless tides of a corrupted horde, do you not? The Legion cannot hold forever.”

High-Archon Vommik narrowed his eyes.

“You fail to understand, Mrannd'ssinss d’Quarth, Lord of Order. Defeating mere humans is not my concern. It is betrayal from the rear that has ever haunted the Empire of the Sun. The longer my assault fails to produce tangible results, the more likely such a betrayal becomes.”

“Well, you’ll be glad to learn then that I do have something planned. Just be ready, the Empire of the Sun will not be unaffected.”

Off in an isolated location, the Herald of the New Dawn knelt on the floor of a large and open room. The entire floor, walls, and even roof were covered in engraved geometric patterns, while various artifacts and magic materials were spread out at specific points. The Herald of the New Dawn nodded to himself after his final check, then walked to the middle of the room, where a chair was waiting. He sat in the chair, and pulled an object out of his personal magic box.

A magic core lit up the room. The Herald of the New Dawn smirked.

The core of the Great Demon Lord had long gone inert, separated from both Aelea and the Source when the continent of Letoris was cast from the Material Plane.

But well…he had learned that such connections could be reforged. And if a simple machine could do it…then so could he.

The formation around the room began to light up…