Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 72: Buff I

"Sir Prime Guardian!" Triss called out to the elven mage standing beside Princess Aurelia. His vigilant gaze remained protective of her.

Friederich turned halfway to Triss, his towering height casting a shadow. "Oh, Triss, how are you holding up?" Aurelia also turned her attention to Triss, offering a subtle smile.

Triss bit her lip hesitantly. "The enemies are closing in soon, umm..." She stammered, blushing as she glanced back at her peers. The mages of Virgo nodded, offering quiet support.

"What's wrong?" Friederich tilted his head, confused.

"May we offer you both our protection spell?"

Raising an eyebrow, Friederich responded, "The Adamas?!" His voice carried bewilderment.

"I didn't mean to offend you!" She blurted out, waving her hands. "I know your arc barrier is incredibly durable, but with the prolonged battle ahead, it might drain your mana further..." She trailed off, unable to meet his striking blue eyes.

In certain mage traditions, offering the spell of Adamas to another could be seen as an insult, questioning a mage's ability to defend themselves.

Friederich pondered briefly before straightening. "I don't mind at all. Right now, our safety takes priority," He said with conviction.

Triss's eyes glittered with joy as she clasped her hands to her chest. "Thank you for your kind understanding, Sir Prime Guardian." She turned, motioning her mages forward.

The Novitcius mages of Virgo raised their hands, their movements resembling gentle waves. Amber glyphs materialised from their palms, spiralling up their arms.

"Wow..." Aurelia gasped, mesmerised.

The glyphs soon returned to their hands, condensing into golden scarabs.

"We bring forth Adamas!" They chanted in voices that echoed through the air.

"Please accept this divine protection," The mages in black intoned, their palms raised.

Aurelia and Friederich exchanged a nod and accepted the spell.

Golden light flashed, engulfing their bodies. Unlike the arc barrier, this was a faint golden armour cladding them from neck to toe.

"Thank you, Virgo mages!" Aurelia said excitedly, admiring her armoured arms with her crimson eyes.

Suddenly, Triss clasped Friederich's hand, causing his face to flush crimson. "Please stay safe..." She said with a faint smile and a caring gaze.

Friederich's mind blanked.

Aurelia nudged the elven mage with her elbow. "Hey! Say something back, would you? We don't have all day," She quipped, grinning.

He snapped back to reality, glancing back at Triss, "Oh! Th-thank you, Triss, and Novitcius of Virgo."

As the Virgo mages retreated into the pine forest, Aurelia's eyes flickered to the flying Armatus suits in the distance. Half of them began blindly bombarding the eastern forest, where the Hoffmann mages were stationed.

"They're here, right on time," She said, stretching her arms.

Unfazed, Aurelia stepped forward.

A short distance away, Friederich knocked lightly on a small bot. "Let's dance, Uncle Jack!" He exclaimed as the bot hummed to life.

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The battle raged on, with Friederich riding atop the flying bot, Jack. His masterful control was a testament to his remarkable experience as a DebrisX pilot.

Jack's eyes darted, his fingers flicking over the controls to dodge enemy fire.

Over a dozen bronzes pursued them. "Hang on tight!" He yelled as he executed a sharp maneuver to evade plasma rounds.

Friederich gritted his teeth, gripping a metal seam tightly. "Uncle! I'm going to do it!" He yelled through the comms, his voice cutting through the howling wind.

"But we haven't~." Jack's words were cut short as the white guardian leapt from the craft.

Friederich's eyes glowed with excitement. "Lampos-spatha!" He chanted.

Glowing blades formed in his hands. The nearest bronze ascended, ready to strike down the reckless mage.

The bronze raised an ionised blade, its surface glowing hot, and swept at the incoming figure.

Friederich conjured another blade mid-air, using it as a pivot, and repositioning himself.

Whoosh!

The bronze's attack struck empty air.

Again, Friederich ricocheted off his hoisted blade, closing in on the enemy. The blade of Lampos glowed menacingly in his grip.

Slash!

A shriek of metal being severed rang through the battlefield. The lifeless halves of the bronze suit tumbled into the forest below.

"Lampos!" Friederich yelled, conjuring two blades beneath his boots. His knees bent as he landed, absorbing the shock of impact.

From the corner of his vision, a colossal figure lunged, blade tip extended.

"Hmm!" The elven mage grunted, leaping over the Armatus. His boots landed on its shoulder before he bounced off.

He spun mid-air, moving with elegance. "Lampos!" A glowing blade materialised at his fingertip. "Pierce!" He commanded, flicking his finger at the pommel.

The blade ripped through the air, entered the Armatus's back thruster, and exited through the front.

"Ahhhhh!" The pilot's scream was cut short as the unstable arcanite engine exploded.

For a brief moment, Friederich fought masterfully, taking down three more bronze knights before landing on solid ground.

Thud!

His boots clapped against the grass, his legs coiling to absorb the impact.

"Nice landing this time," He murmured, amused at his improvement before bracing for the next attack.

Jack watched with pure amazement before turning to his silver Armatus, readying for battle.

Meanwhile, his piloting suit was still 10 kilometres from the battlefield. Chaos filled the air.

Two bronze suits flanked his Armatus, preparing for close combat.

With full boosters, one lunged forward, aiming for Jack's head.

"Not that easy!" Jack mumbled as his thrusters snapped upward, yanking his Armatus in the opposite direction.

The strike missed.

In his peripheral vision, another enemy closed in, swinging its blade.

Jack twisted mid-air, dodging the attack and ramming into the enemy. They grappled, both struggling for the upper hand.

The first enemy recovered, charging with its blade poised.

With quick reflexes, Jack spun with his thrusters, using the second enemy as a shield.

Clang!

The blade pierced its ally, killing the pilot instantly.

Jack pulled back before the arcanite engine exploded, sweat forming on his brow.

The surviving bronze's eyes burned with rage. "You son of a bitch!" He roared, lunging again.

He swung the blade down, and Jack swiftly raised his guard. The clash rang out, echoing through the air.

For a long while, they traded blows and parries, each strike pushing Jack further into exhaustion until his mind grew hazy.

"This bronze is skilled in close combat. I can't take him down like this," He thought, his gaze flickering to his second silver Armatus arriving on the scene.

As the crazed bronze launched another wild swing, Jack deflected it with his blade the impact shocked his hall, "Ahhhh! Damn it!" Jack grunted.

"Begone!" Jack screamed in exasperation. He signaled the second Armatus to strike the bronze from behind, ripping its flight system off.

A piercing scream tore through the battlefield as the bronze collapsed, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Jack loomed in mid-air with his Armatus.

"Phew... that was intense. I nearly lost," Jack thought, his heart pounding in his chest. He took a brief moment to steady his breath, his eyes fixed on the fallen bronze as it erupted into a fiery explosion.

"It might not look it, but... there was a man in that machine," He lamented, the weight of the battlefield sinking in. "It's kill or be killed..." He clenched his fists, pushing aside hesitation.

There was no time to dwell on it. His gaze swept across the battlefield, locking onto two major clashes. To the left, Friederich was engaged in combat against towering enemy giants.

The boy was far stronger than the bronzes, tearing through his foes with ease. Jack watched in awe as Friederich's magic swords carved through one opponent after another, his movements a blur of raw power and precision.