Transcendence Volume 2: Awakening

Chapter 8: Empyrean Trials (Part 1)

[Ridan 14, 0100 A.R., Aquea]

[Streania, Lyrkish Kingdom of Phirames]

[Luxenheim]

Two riders mounted a pair of Warmbloods, a breed of horse that roamed the Luxenheimic Countryside, it's two riders were Juno and Shinn who found and managed to befriend the two horses en route to Streania.

"We're almost there!" Juno shouted at Shinn who trailed behind her. Shinn himself wondered whether or not they are there or not but his questions were answered immediately as the massive Fortress City appeared from the distance, as he rode closer and closer he saw the city's true beauty reveal itself.

Upon closer look the City was positioned at the centre of a massive lake with the only way in and out of the city was through a massive bridge complex known as the Lucian Bridge that itself would have become a Fortress in it of itself and going further lies the city itself.

The walls of the city rose to sixty feet high while fifty feet wide made of gleaming white stone and that each corner of it flew the banners containing the same symbol of the Dawnguard all the while soldiers would patrol along the walls all the while a series of what appeared to be Arcane Ballista were mounted along the walls.

"Holy shit..." Shinn muttered in amazement as him and his mount slowed down and stopped as he admired the bridge complex as Juno rode on ahead of him, for brief moment Shinn paused and stared for a moment.

It was over two thousand feet long and two hundred and fifty feet wide bridge, it's material appeared to be made of the same White Stone material that the Castle ahead was made of along the way anyone passing by would be greeted with five sets of gatehouses that operated as a defence system that should Streania were to be invaded they would have to go through five sets of Gatehouses all the while being repeatedly bombarded by the 'Arcane Ballista' from the main city itself.

Eventually, Juno rode back to him with an amused chuckle.

"It's a beautiful sight isn't it," Juno told him.

"Beautiful and terrifying," Shinn commented in a low voice, he then pointed at the Ballista at the distance. "Are those--"

"Ballistas?" Juno finished his sentence. "Not quite, they're a design made by a soon-to-be Cardinal with the idea that instead of arrows we'd instead used a form of condensed Mana bullets by--"

"Breaking down a certain element leaving them nothing but into a bullet of Mana right?" Shinn answered.

"How did you know?" Juno said in a surprised tone.

"Hana—A friend of mine managed to try it once, I didn't see it directly but I heard it was a powerful spell that left her drained," Shinn explained recalling the events of the Caligian Shallows once as the ammo used was somewhat similar to it.

"That...kind of impressive..." Juno commented. "I'd like to know her in the future, to be honest."

"Who knows," Shinn shrugged with a smile as they talked for a bit as they rode making their way past the bridge. "Do you have a good library here on the same Level as Archileo?"

"Not yet," Juno said shaking her head riding past the fifth gatehouse. "So far in this region, everything is a bit tense cause the Aegiot Empire has been breathing on our necks for a while."

Shinn has heard about that case, the Aegiot Empire which held control of a large portion of Noxamir and some parts of Heavensgard. Had begun to show hints of them attempting to invade the remaining parts of Heavensgard and an invasion into Luxenheim.