Another Worldly Summons

Chapter 69: The Shadow of Ancient Era

So yeah, got free time and thus, the hiatus status was removed for the time being. I intended to put this to April 1, but it sounded like ass because of level of bullshit I put, last chapter for the Grameus arc followed by two actual abridged chapters, that act as opening for the next arc. Vol. 5: New World War
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It was a dark day in the kingdom of Esperanto. A great tragedy had just struck, leaving the city-state in chaos and despair. Moments earlier, the defensive systems below the kingdom had fired unreservedly, causing immense destruction and casualties without warning. This was followed by eight warheads from the MIRV system of Annonrial, which slammed directly into the energy shielding cauldron covering the entire city-state. The resulting immense pressure crushed almost everyone and flattened more than half of the standing structures in the medieval city.

As the dust began to settle and the thick energy covering the entire place dissipated, the SEADF soldiers who had survived the onslaught groaned as they began to recover from the shock. Some were totally paralyzed, unable to move or speak. However, some of the Esperantian knights who had also survived the attack rushed to aid the injured and the paralyzed, helping them stand and assessing their injuries.

In the midst of the chaos, Jamal shouted out, "Roll call! Everyone!" The survivors who were able to move quickly gathered together to confirm if anyone was missing.

"Alive and breathing."

"Barely."

"As of yet, not qualified go to hell."

"That's cringy line dude."

"Shaddup."

The first to shout and confirm was Hussain, followed by Nam and Dave. Then, everyone who followed was silent as they waited for the confirmation of the roll call.

"Where's lieutenant?."

"Where's saffine?."

"First aid here!."

The atmosphere was somber and tense as the survivors took stock of the damage that had been done. The once rather unique and bustling medieval city was now reduced to rubble and ruins.

As they stood there in the aftermath of the tragedy, amidst the rubble and destruction, survivors began to shout out in pain and agony. Those with free hands immediately rushed to help them. The destruction was so extensive that many people had lost their homes, and the cold winter of Grameus began to seep into their skin.

The dead lay everywhere, crushed, burned, or buried under the debris. The knights and foot soldiers of the kingdom ran left and right to rescue and tend to their fellow soldiers and civilians. People were screaming in pain, calling for help, and crying out for their loved ones.

As the dark energy dissipated, the people looked up to the sky and were left in disbelief at the unbelievable sight that greeted them. Even the SEADF personnel were left with their mouths hanging open in shock and amazement. The sight was truly surreal.

The hovering pillars seemed to resemble drones, so it's understandable that it should have with some sort of engines keeping them afloat. But what really caught everyone's attention was the rocks, pebbles, and debris from the ruined city that were floating around in the sky as if they were thrown into outer space, devoid of gravity. It was a strange and unsettling sight that left everyone feeling uneasy and disoriented.

Questions began to flood everyone's minds. How was this even possible? Was it some kind of advanced technology that they were not aware of? And most importantly, what would happen next?

As the Southeast Asians continued to stare in awe and confusion, the ground trembled once more, reminding them that the danger was not over yet.

And then, without warning, the ground began to tremble once more. At first, it was just a slight vibration, barely noticeable. But soon, the tremors grew stronger, until they were shaking the ground beneath the feet of the people of Esperanto. Dozens of new unknown pillars suddenly rose up into the sky, and the survivors' bodies shook with fear and trauma, their minds flashing back to the horrific events that had just occurred. People scattered and shouted hysterically, as if the end of the world was upon them.