As soon as the battalion commander's command rang out, not a second was wasted.
All at once, the air trembled as the battalions moved, stomping forward in perfect unison with a thunderous crash.
The large airships halted their advancement mid-air due to the force, and then all hell broke loose.
The Fire battalion erupted first. With a deafening roar, searing flames shot from their figures, merging and coalescing into a colossal dragon that towered over the combined size of the Ravenstein airships.
The fiery beast surged toward the opposition airships, melting metal and shattering defenses as it blazed through the sky.
The Water battalion followed, their arms raised high. A massive tidal wave formed behind them, twisting into a gigantic serpent made of liquid, equally as enormous as the fiery dragon. It surged through the air, smashing into one of the airships, drowning its crew in a merciless flood before sending the vessel crashing down.
The Earth battalion reached into their space rings and slammed their fists into the ground, the earth joining together to form a massive armored golem made of rock and soil that rose like a colossal giant.
The towering giant smashed into an airship like a battering ram.
The Air battalion summoned an intense cyclone, fierce winds spiraling into a massive tornado. Its sheer force ripped airships apart, sending broken fragments spiraling to the ground like paper in a storm.
Next, the Ice battalion moved. They conjured jagged shards of frozen spikes, combining them into a massive ice spear. The spear shot forward, impaling ships and freezing metal and crew alike before they shattered under the pressure.
The Lightning battalion raised their hands to the sky. Clouds formed, and lightning crackled down, joining into a single devastating bolt. The energy exploded across the airships, frying circuits and turning entire vessels into balls of fire that crashed to the earth.
The Light battalion gathered their energy, summoning an enormous beam of pure radiance. It sliced through the air like a sword, cleaving airships in two with deadly precision, leaving nothing but burning wrecks in its path.
The Darkness battalion was last. Shadows swirled around them, forming into a monstrous black serpent that consumed the airships whole, pulling them into the void where they simply disappeared.
Finally, the mixed battalion unleashed a storm of elements, combining all eight forces into a massive, chaotic orb of destruction. It shot forward, crashing through the remaining ships, ripping metal apart and obliterating everything in its path.
Each of the large airships of the Alverian family represented different divisions in their military force. One was filled with pyroclastic alchemists focused solely on creating and utilizing explosives.
The Transmutation Division focused on creating various items that could assist during battles, while the Toxic Division specialized in utilizing poisonous gases and toxins to fight.
However, despite having these divisions, in the face of overwhelming power, none of it mattered.
One by one, the massive airships fell from the sky, blazing and broken, leaving only destruction in their wake.
At this point, Councilor Ferro had already lost his composure. His bloodshot eyes cut through the metal of the airship, locking onto Lyanna, who sat calmly on her throne.
The hatred he felt was indescribable—so intense he thought he might explode at any moment.
"YOU WITCH!!!!"
Ferro screamed at the top of his lungs before his aura suddenly shifted, his gaze turning even more intense.
He had had enough.
"Domain," he growled.
…
"Remind me never to get on her bad side," Avalon gulped slightly as he watched the scene unfold on the display in front of him.
"But you two are always bickering. I'm sure you'd be fine,"
A warm voice responded to Avalon, followed by soft chuckling.
"Aren't I right, Arya?" Anastasia asked, turning towards a woman clad in a tight bodysuit who stood respectfully at her side.
"Yes, my lady, you are," Arya responded, her tone composed.
Anastasia gave Arya a knowing look before shaking her head, amused. Her Ravenblade still couldn't act freely, especially in Avalon's presence.
The trio was currently inside the Ravenstein control center, located at the heart of the Ravenstein estate. This was where the entire sector could be monitored.
However, they weren't alone. Boman, Avalon's butler and Ravenblade, stood at Avalon's left, while several Ravenstein elders were also present.
They had all been watching Lyanna's battle with Ferro, and it went without saying that they had all experienced a whirlwind of emotions before settling on discomfort.
It was cruel to watch, even for them. Lyanna always went several steps further when it came to crushing her opponents. While the exact scene varied, they had seen similar events unfold more times than they could count.
Many were uncomfortable, yet they couldn't help but feel secretly relieved that Lyanna was on their side, born into their family, and their ally.
A worrying thought crept into Anastasia's mind. "Honey, are you sure he's fine at sector 6?"
Arya's ears perked up, not wanting to miss Avalon's response.
It had been years since she had last seen her young master, and she missed him dearly.
Atticus was the most peculiar child she had ever met, and her heart warmed at the thought of seeing him again.
"I've told you countless times, Ana, he's fine. That boy avoids trouble, so I doubt anything will happen," Avalon replied with a straight face. He was still keeping Atticus's battle with Alvis and Ronad a secret from his wife.
Although he had boasted about it to a few, he had made everyone swear to keep it a secret.
Only he and Atticus knew the chaos that would ensue if Anastasia found out.
"But isn't it about time he visits? He's been out of the academy for a year now…" Anastasia trailed off, her concern evident.
Avalon didn't respond, instead wrapping his arm around her. His attention was suddenly drawn to another unfolding scene on one of the multiple screens.
"Looks like it's about to begin, Master Avalon," Boman commented.
"Yes," Avalon responded, his gaze growing cold.
There was one thing the Ravensteins despised more than any external threat:
A traitor.