NOVEL WEB Chapter 449: Wake the army
In a grand castle deep within the heart of a powerful kingdom, the tall ceilings were lined with golden chandeliers, and the soft glow of candlelight danced across the marble floor where nobles in rich garments were gathered for a special occasion.
The hall echoed with polite laughter, the gentle clinking of wine goblets, and the refined voices of men and women speaking in noble tones.
Long tables filled with roasted meats, fruits, and shining silverware lined the edges of the hall, and musicians in fine clothes played soft tunes that filled the air with celebration.
At the highest table, above all the others, an elderly man with white hair, dressed in regal robes of deep crimson and gold, stood slowly and lifted a shining goblet in one hand.
The chatter slowly faded as the attention of the crowd turned to him.
"My dearest lords, ladies, and guests from afar—tonight, we celebrate not only the passing of another year but the honor of sharing my seventy-fifth birthday with those who uphold this great kingdom's strength and grace."
A polite round of claps and raised glasses followed, some nobles nodding with practiced smiles.
"May our lands remain ever bountiful, and our enemies stay distant."
As he lowered the goblet and took a small sip, the warm glow of the evening seemed perfect.
"ALL HAIL THE EMPEROR!" ALL HAIL THE EMPEROR!"
But suddenly, the large wooden doors of the great hall creaked open with urgency.
Two guards entered, walking fast. Their faces were pale, and their armor clinked with each hurried step.
Behind them, a young man with sharp features and a clean navy-blue uniform followed quickly—he was the emperor's son, Crown Prince Callan.
The guests began murmuring as the mood shifted.
Prince Callan approached the emperor and leaned forward to whisper something into his ear.
The emperor's expression darkened.
"Are you certain?" he asked in a low voice.
The prince nodded. "Yes, father."
The emperor gritted his teeth, then slowly stepped away from the high tablE. He made his way to the terrace, a wide stone balcony overlooking the outer walls of the kingdom.
As he stepped outside, the warm air of the feast was replaced by a chilling wind.
Guards moved aside to let him through.
A servant, sensing the urgency, quickly handed the emperor a long brass spyglass—the kind used by commanders during old battles.
The emperor raised the spyglass and looked through it, focusing far beyond the mountains that wrapped around the city.
His breath caught.
There, falling from the sky in the distance, were humanoid figures glowing faintly in the light of the setting sun—like stars crashing to the earth.
He lowered the spyglass sharply.
"Callan. Sound the bells. Send riders. Wake the army. We are under invasion. Prepare the Skyward Cannons. Alert the Holy Order. Seal the inner gates."
"Yes, father!" Callan shouted, already running.
The emperor turned to the guards nearby.
"This is no ordinary event… these are not people from our world. I want every knight and every archer ready. We defend the kingdom at all costs."
The servants ran in all directions.
The music inside the hall had stopped.
The nobles peeked outside, confused and whispering as the bells began to ring loudly across the capital.
The emperor, still standing on the terrace, looked back up at the sky as more light flashed.
"So… the ancient prophecy was true. The sky will open… and with it, war will follow."
The bells continued to ring across the stone walls of the capital, and soon after, a loud war horn echoed through the kingdom—its deep, powerful sound rolled like thunder across rooftops, through narrow alleys, and into every home.
The sound of armored boots began to fill the streets as soldiers started marching in lines, their polished chestplates gleaming under the fading sunlight.
The emperor, walking with hurried steps back inside the castle halls, spoke firmly to the nearest servant.
"Call the Council of Lords. The nobles must be informed. If they are to keep their lands and titles, they will offer their knights and resources immediately."
The servant bowed deeply and ran off.
In the great hall, nobles in decorated coats and long gowns were already standing in confusion, their hands holding half-filled goblets, their smiles from earlier now gone.
One baron with a curled mustache stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this commotion? Is the capital under siege? Who dares?"
The emperor did not slow down.
"All nobles must prepare their men. You will receive orders from the Crown prince directly. Follow them. No complaints."
He continued to walk fast, his long cape flowing behind him, boots echoing through the hallway.
Once outside again, he returned to the balcony, raised the brass spyglass, and looked once more into the sky.
What he saw made his chest tighten.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of lights were now falling slowly toward his lands, some far, some frighteningly near.
Each of them shaped like a human… or almost human.
And still, behind those falling figures, the barrier of glowing water stood like a wall in the air, rippling and majestic.
The emperor lowered the spyglass slowly, whispering to himself.
"Even with twenty thousand soldiers… we may not be enough."
A strong wind began to blow as the horns called again, and now drums echoed from the barracks, beating in a steady rhythm that signaled the formation of the central army.
The emperor marched down from the castle steps, followed by knights in gold-trimmed armor.
As he reached the training ground at the center of the town, thousands of soldiers stood ready in rows, their banners raised and their weapons gleaming.
General Tharos, an older man with a long gray beard and a blade longer than his arm, stepped forward and saluted.
"Your Majesty. The Skyguard Cavalry, the First Wall Archers, and the Royal Pike Legion are ready. What are your orders?"
The emperor did not hesitate.
"March to the northern gate. Set up outside the kingdom walls. Prepare the sky defenses—deploy the Skyward Cannons along the edge. We are facing a rain of enemies. I want barriers and ballistas in place within the hour."
General Tharos nodded and barked commands.
Drums beat louder now, and the sound of marching boots shook the ground.
The emperor mounted his horse, a large black steed with silver-plated armor, and turned to his soldiers.
"I do not know who or what is falling upon us—but if they come with power, we will show them strength. If they come in peace, we will not raise our swords—but if they raise theirs first, we will strike back with the fury of this kingdom's heart!"
The army let out a unified roar, pounding shields to chestplates.
With banners flying and dust rising beneath their boots, the emperor led the charge through the great stone gates as horns continued to sound, echoing across every tower.