Chapter 430: The Mighty Flood [Part 2]
On the far side of the city, the massive stone wall that barricaded the sea port groaned under the pressure.
The ancient structure, long considered impenetrable, began to crack as the floodwater pushed against it with an unyielding force.
As the cracks spread, the wall buckled and, with a thunderous crash, gave way, unleashing another wave of destruction.
The crash of the stone wall reverberated like a colossal hammer striking the earth, sending tremors far and wide.
For a moment, there was silence-an eerie stillness that lingered before the chaos.
Then, with a deafening roar, the floodwaters surged forward, freed from their ancient confines.
The water, dark and swollen with debris, moved with terrifying speed.
It slammed into the first row of houses near the sea port, wooden structures splintering instantly under the sheer force.
The buildings crumbled like matchsticks, their foundations ripped from the earth as the flood swept them away.
On another side of the city, the floodwater surged further into the narrow streets, channeling its ferocity, turning alleys into deadly torrents.
Stones that had paved the roads for centuries were torn free and carried along, becoming deadly projectiles that added to the destruction.
Windows shattered from the mere force of the flood, walls buckled, and roofs caved in, all drowned in the relentless tide.
The panic was instantaneous, people, caught unaware by the sudden invasion of the flood, scrambled to find higher ground or any kind of shelter.
Mothers clutched their children tightly, their faces twisted with terror as they ran,
desperately searching for safety amidst the chaos.
Some fathers tried to shield their families with their own bodies, only to be swept away by the relentless torrent, their last cries drowned by the raging waters.
The flood did not discriminate; it claimed everyone in its path.
The elderly, too frail to run, were quickly overtaken, their feeble attempts to find refuge ending in futility.
Children screamed for their parents, only to be torn away by the sheer force of the flood.
Entire families were separated in an instant, with no chance of reunion in the maelstrom that followed.
Simultaneously, as the flood terrorized the city flowing towards the palace, it terrorized the port. Ships docked in the harbor, some moored and others floating free, were almost mo match for the wave's might.
Smaller vessels capsized almost immediately, their crews thrown into the turbulent waters, some medium sized ships were torn from their anchors and flung against the piers.
While the larger ones could withstand the force of the crowd however, waters rushed into them, carrying people and smashing them against things.
The crashing of timber and metal rang out as ships were dashed to pieces, their remains strewn across the water like toys abandoned by a careless child.
The harbor itself, a proud symbol of Luinngard empire's wealth and power, was soon swallowed by the flood.
Warehouses filled with goods from across the seas were inundated, their contents-spices, silks, weapons-swept into the streets and scattered like so much flotsam.
The docks, once bustling with activity, were now a wasteland of wreckage, the few survivors clinging to whatever they could find as they were carried along by the current.
As the waters continued to rise, those who had sought refuge in the tallest buildings watched in horror as their last hopes for safety were drowned beneath the relentless tide.
Many clung to whatever they could-rooftops, treetops, even floating debris-hoping against hope that they might somehow survive the onslaught.
But the flood was merciless. The torrent tore people from their grips, dragged them under, and carried them away into the dark, churning sea it had formed in their city.
In the distance, the empire's colossal wall, a marvel of engineering that had stood as a sentinel against the outside world for centuries, began to tremble.
The flood, having carved its way through the city, now pressed against the wall with all its might. The wall was more than just a barrier; it was a symbol of the empire's invincibility, a reminder to all who saw it that nothing could breach its defenses.
But now, under the relentless assault of the flood, that invincibility was being tested. The water pounded against the wall, its force magnified by a strange pressure and force, it was as if this flood has a might of it own that transcended common sense.
Cracks, barely visible at first, began to appear along the base of the wall, spreading upward like veins of a diseased tree.
The smooth stone, once thought unbreakable, began to crumble as the cracks widened, chunks of masonry tumbling into the flood below.
With each passing moment, the pressure increased.
The floodwaters, unable to find an easy escape, began to climb, rising up the wall and spilling over its edge.
The once-dry sands on the other side of the wall were now drenched, the water pouring in like a waterfall from the heavens.
Inside the city, panic had reached a fever pitch. People who had taken refuge in what they thought were safe places now found themselves trapped as the water surged higher and
higher.
Some sought shelter in the upper floors of buildings, but even there, the flood pursued them, rising with a terrifying inevitability.
The empire's knights, once proud and disciplined, had all rushed out to grant refuge and save the city somehow but in matter of minutes, they were now scattered and disorganized.
Those stationed around wall and by the gate had the most terrifying experiences, the water threw itself against them and smashed them against the wall and gate with terrifying viciousness and anger.
Others shouted orders, trying to maintain control, but it was clear to all that the wall would not hold for long.
The first breach came with a shuddering crack that echoed across the city.
A section of the wall, weakened by the relentless pressure, gave way, and water poured
through the gap with the fury of a tidal wave.
The breach widened rapidly, the stones crumbling as the water forced its way through, and soon the wall began to collapse in earnest.
Massive stones, some as large as a man, tumbled from their place, crashing down into the city
below.
Some tall and sturdy buildings that had managed to withstand the flood were flattened in an instant, crushed under the weight of the falling debris.
The floodwaters, now unhindered, surged through the gap, tearing out of the city like a vengeful beast unleashed from its chains.
One would think the water levels were supposed to go down, but no, it continued to rise, becoming even more ferocious.
One one side as the wall continued to collapse, and sections of the city were consumed.
The noble district-which was closer to the Imperial palace began to face the same amount of terror. It was as if the water's ego was boasted After destroying the wall.
However, the nobles' district was not just another part of the empire. It was home to the
empire's most powerful families.
Several drifters began to fly outside, stretching forth their hands and ejecting a barrier to put
a stop to the raging Water, all screaming, in intense fear.
"Where did the flood suddenly come from?"
"How Is this possible?!"
"Eldech Save our heads!!"
"Protect the Palace!!!"
The barriers held for a while, but it couldn't hold for long, each person with their own Barrier
kind power could feel it.
They could feel the overwhelming force of the flood how it intends to destroy everything in
its path.
The barriers shimmered in the twilight, arcs of light pulsating from the outstretched hands of the Drifters, as they fought against the relentless force of the flood.
The sheer power of the water seemed almost supernatural, as though it was driven by a malevolent will, intent on breaking through every defense the nobles could muster.
The noble district, once a sanctuary of luxury and privilege, was now a battlefield against
nature's wrath.
The grand manors with their ornate facades and carefully tended gardens were now besieged, their foundations trembling as the floodwaters battered against them with unyielding
ferocity.
"Hold the line!" one of the Drifters, a high-ranking noble with a crest of silver wings on his chest, shouted above the roar of the flood.
His face was etched with determination, but there was a flicker of desperation in his eyes as he poured more soul essence into the barrier he erected, reinforcing it with every ounce of
strength he had.
But the water was relentless. It surged forward with a roar, slamming against the barriers with a force that sent shockwaves through the air.
Cracks began to appear in the shimmering walls of light, spider-webbing out from the points
of impact.
The Drifters gritted their teeth, their arms shaking as they struggled to maintain the barriers.
Inside the houses, families huddled together, their faces pale with fear. Children clung to their parents, their small bodies trembling as they listened to the thunderous crash of water
against stone.
The noblewomen, usually so composed and graceful, were now frantic, their eyes darting toward the windows where the flood raged just beyond the thin veil of the barriers.
From the rooftop of a certain building in the palace, a white haired boy watched with a dark
frown as this disaster unfurled, fully terrorizing the entire nation.
He muttered with anger, "Damned Raven."