A bolt of lightning snaked through the violet-black sky, the clouds boiling like porridge. Suddenly, a red dot appeared at the center, like a falling stone striking water, creating a ripple that spread outward with a half-mile diameter.
A soft 'buzz' sounded.
"Brand, this is..." Otarais' voice was cautious.
"I know." Brand watched the scene unfold with an expressionless face.
The soldiers on the Princess's side in the forest finally noticed the anomaly above. Their movements stiffened as they raised their heads to see a giant phantom gradually emerging beneath the red circle.
It was a battleship—
A colossal ship with four decks of cannons and a towering stern slowly transformed from phantom to reality. Beside it, three smaller red circles unfolded in sequence, revealing three smaller escort ships amidst the storm.
Next, twelve red dots flashed in the sky, gold-red armored knights wielding flame-shaped longswords formed a ring outside the fleet.
"It's the Flame Temple!"
