Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra-Chapter 558: It’s Started

The air in the underground chamber was thick with tension. Sia stood at the center of a hastily assembled war room, her chainblade resting against the table. The flickering light from enchanted lanterns cast shadows across the faces of her gathered forces.

Maps of the three cities—Blue Star, Red Star, and Black Star—were spread across the table, marked with lines and symbols denoting troop movements and defensive positions.

"Three days..." Sia’s voice broke the silence, firm yet edged with frustration. "In three days, we completely lost Blue and Red Star City bases. And for three days, the Black Star Lord’s forces have been at our gates. The barriers won’t hold much longer."

The murmurs from the group ceased. Everyone knew what was at stake. The fall of the Black Star City meant the end of their resistance.

She slammed her hand on the table. "But this isn’t over. We may have lost two cities, but we’ve kept what matters most—our people and our resources. The Black Star Lord gained empty ruins, and his forces are scattered thin across the region. They think they have us cornered... but they’ll regret underestimating us."

Sia’s decision to abandon the Blue and Red Star City bases had not come lightly. She had overseen the evacuation personally, ordering all the remaining resources to be moved through secret tunnels carved deep beneath the cities.

In Blue Star, her people had worked tirelessly to strip the base of anything left valuable—armor, weapons, enchanted scrolls, even food stores. When the enemy breached the base, they found nothing but hollow tunnels and silent halls.

The evacuation of Red Star City base had been more perilous. Sia had given the order to collapse the tunnels leading into the main base, leaving behind rubble and destruction. The Black Star Lord’s forces had claimed the base, but they gained no strategic advantage.

"Today is the day," she began. "The Black Star Lord’s forces are focused on breaking through the barriers. They think we’ll fight them here, cornered and desperate. But we’re not staying. Instead, we’ll teleport straight to the heart of fake lord’s power—the Black Star Castle."

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One of the commanders from the Red Star Base, a grizzled man named Garrick, spoke up. "The castle is heavily guarded. Not to mention, the fake lord himself is in there. Even with the element of surprise, it’s a suicide mission."

Sia gave him a hard look. "It’s not suicide. It’s strategy. The fake lord’s forces are overextended, and his strongest warriors are here, at our gates. That leaves his castle vulnerable. If we can destroy the seat of his power, we have a chance to end this war."

"But the teleport circle," another voice chimed in. "It’s risky. What if ’he’ senses it before we activate it?"

"That’s why we’ve kept its construction hidden," Sia replied. "The circle is complete, and we’ve placed wards to conceal its energy signature. ’He’ won’t know until it’s too late."

"And..."

"If our plan fails..."

"We will immediately switch to the End Plan without waiting."

"For the revival of the White Star City!"

She ended her speech.

"For the revival of the White Star City!"

Others repeated the line.

"For our White Star Lord, Madam Sia."

"For our White Star Lord, Madam Sia."

_____ ___ __

The wind was cold atop the castle walls, brushing against Alex’s face as he stood outside the main building, his hand resting on the hilt of his black sword.

The towering spires of Black Star Castle loomed above him, shrouded in darkness. Despite the quiet, he knew better than to trust the stillness. It was the kind of silence that felt heavy, brimming with the tension of something inevitable.

Behind him, inside one of the buildings, the Black Star Lord’s daughters were under heavy guard.

Princess Bella (Isabella), the youngest, had been left in his charge, an order issued directly by the Black Star Lord himself. It was a promotion—a recognition of his abilities as a hunter—but one Alex accepted cautiously.

"Stay sharp," Alex murmured to the hunters stationed nearby. His black armor blended seamlessly with the darkness, and his brown eyes scanned the courtyard. He could feel them.

Multiple presences.

Faint, distant, but unmistakable.

He tightened his grip on the sword hilt.

’They’re finally here,’ he thought, his gaze flicking across the expanse of the castle grounds.

It had to be the Avengers. Their strategy was as bold as it was predictable—strike at the heart of Black Star’s power. Alex knew they were coming, yet he kept his demeanor calm. He couldn’t risk revealing anything after all.

"BANG-!"

Suddenly, a loud noise broke through the stillness, coming from the eastern wing of the castle. The sound of explosions echoed through the air, accompanied by the distant clash of steel and shouting.

Alex turned sharply, his instincts screaming. The hunters around him straightened, their weapons drawn as the noise spread, rolling through the castle like a wave.

"Stay alert!" Alex ordered, his voice firm. He unsheathed his black sword, its blade catching the dim light.

Before anyone could respond, shadows moved at the edge of the courtyard. Figures emerged from the darkness, clad in black robes streaked with white lines that cut through the fabric like jagged cracks in obsidian.

Alex’s eyes narrowed.

"It’s the killers," he spoke and then shouted out loud.

"Protect the Lord’s daughters!"

The hunters around him formed a defensive line, their weapons drawn. The intruders closed in, their numbers growing with each passing second.

"Hunter Lucien! Quickly evacuate the princesses into the main castle. We will hold them off."

The other guard hunters addressed him. He was now using a fake persona as Hunter Lucien.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, gripping his black sword tightly before turning toward the building. Find more to read at novelbuddy

"Hunter Lucien!" one of the guards shouted again, urgency thick in his tone. "We believe in you!"

With a reluctant nod, Alex sheathed his sword and broke into a run, heading for the entrance of the building. His boots pounded against the stone steps, the muffled sounds of combat growing distant behind him. As he crossed the threshold, the heavy wooden doors slammed shut behind him with a reverberating thud.