Sanctuary: Safe Haven-Chapter 329: Light Elves

A moment later, in the heart of the sanctuary, Canna stood surrounded by the mage shock troops and Lumivyre, the Celestial Serpent, hovering majestically above them. Her immense, shimmering form cast a long shadow over the gathered warriors. Canna could sense the tension in the air—this mission had taken a complicated turn. What was supposed to be a simple scouting and recruitment had turned into something much more chaotic.

According to the reports from Tiberius, the original intent had been to recruit the people from the region because of their expertise in farming and growing crops—valuable skills that would benefit the sanctuary immensely. However, the humans in the area declined the offer. Despite their refusal, it was during this mission that Tiberius’s squad had stumbled upon evidence of slavery and deeper conflicts involving the dark and light elves. Now that his shock troops were in the middle of it all, they couldn’t just abandon the mission. Canna had decided he would see this through to the end.

Meanwhile, at the light elf settlement:

Inside the grand chambers of the light elf council, a gathering of elders was in session. The room was filled with an air of tension as the five elders, each with the characteristic white hair of their kind, sat around a polished stone table. In contrast to the serene beauty of their ethereal city, where glowing trees and shimmering waters surrounded them, the atmosphere inside the chamber was anything but peaceful. At the center of their concerns was the most recent and bold act by the dark elves—an attack on a neutral town to abduct a child. It was a grievous offense, one that could not go unanswered.

Elder Selene, the eldest among them, spoke first, her voice filled with controlled fury. "The dark elves have gone too far this time. To attack a neutral town and steal one of our children? This is an open declaration of war!"

Elder Orwyn, seated to her right, nodded gravely. "Their actions are reckless. If we do not respond with strength, they will believe we are weak. We must prepare a full-scale assault on their settlement."

"But at what cost, Orwyn?" asked Elder Aranis, a slender elf known for his keen strategic mind. "Our forces are still recovering from the last skirmish. The dark elves may lack our magical prowess, but their physical strength is undeniable. Our warriors may not be ready for another battle on that scale."

Elder Eirena, with her sharp eyes, interjected, "We may not have a choice. If we wait, they will only grow bolder. We must prepare our troops, activate the armories, and brew more mana potions. War is at our doorstep, and if we hesitate, it will crush us."

The council murmured in agreement. Plans for war were already taking shape—troop formations, strategies, and the use of their hidden wards to protect their village from outside invaders.

Just then, the chamber doors burst open. A scout, breathless and wide-eyed, rushed in. "Elders! There’s an intruder! A man with white hair and robes is approaching the village at an alarming speed. He’s bypassing our defensive formations and destroying our wards!"

The council fell silent, their faces paling as they processed the gravity of the situation. Your next journey awaits at novelbuddy

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"Impossible!" Elder Orwyn stood, his hands shaking slightly. "No one should be able to penetrate our wards. We’ve concealed ourselves for generations."

Elder Selene clenched her fist. "We have no time to waste. Engage the intruder before he reaches the heart of the village! Ready our troops, deploy the mages. We must stop him before he brings destruction upon us!"

The other elders quickly began shouting commands to their subordinates, preparing for a swift engagement. The light elves made haste, rallying their warriors, each mage readying their wands and staffs and focusing their mana. As the troops assembled in perfect formation, they prepared to unleash their might on whatever was coming for them.

The light elves took their final stand at the last line of defense, their wands glowing with magical energy as they prepared to strike. Their forces were arranged in a flawless formation, layers of spells and shields ready to fire at a moment’s notice. They were not used to direct combat on this scale, but they knew their magic was their greatest strength. They waited with bated breath, watching the skies for any sign of the enemy.

Then, a massive shadow fell over them. Lumivyre, the Celestial Serpent, came crashing down from above, her enormous white-scaled body hitting the last formation of defense like a force of nature. She roared—a deafening sound that shook the very ground beneath the elves’ feet.

Without hesitation, the light elves unleashed a barrage of spells at her. Fireballs, lightning bolts, and shards of ice streaked through the air, slamming into Lumivyre’s scales. But their attacks seemed to do little. The serpent’s scales gleamed, absorbing and reflecting much of the damage. Lumivyre, unfazed by the magical barrage, retaliated with a furious roar, sending shockwaves through the air.

For five long minutes, the light elves poured everything they had into their attacks, desperate to bring down the colossal serpent. But their magic was barely scratching the surface of Lumivyre’s defenses. Finally, she reared back, gathering her power. With another ear-shattering roar, the gravity in the area intensified. The light elves, unable to resist the immense pressure, began to collapse to the ground, pinned down by an invisible force as if their bodies were weighed down by mountains of stone.

With the elves incapacitated, the shock troops of the sanctuary moved in, their weapons drawn. They surrounded the fallen light elves, pointing their blades and staffs at the helpless mages’ necks. The once-formidable defenders were now powerless, their greatest magic undone by the sheer force of Lumivyre’s might.

And then, like a bolt of lightning from the heavens, Canna landed in the center of the battlefield, his eyes glowing with authority. He surveyed the fallen light elves, his gaze sharp and calculating.

"Who’s the boss here?" Canna asked, his voice echoing across the field.

The light elves were too stunned to respond at first. They had never faced anything like this—a single man, flanked by a monstrous serpent, casually overpowering their entire defensive formation.

One of the younger light elves, trembling under the weight of Lumivyre’s gravity magic, managed to speak. "Y-you… What do you want with us?"

Canna tilted his head, casually resting his scythe on his shoulder. "Well, I came here to talk. But you all decided to greet me with spells. Not exactly the warm welcome I was expecting."

Elder Selene, still struggling against the gravity, glared up at Canna with defiance in her eyes. "You are an outsider! You have no right to meddle in our affairs."

Canna raised an eyebrow. "Meddle? You guys are out here kidnapping children, and you think I’m the one meddling? I’ve got half a mind to burn this whole place down, but lucky for you, I’m a reasonable guy."

The elder’s eyes widened in shock at Canna’s nonchalant threat.

"You want to kill each other, fine by me," Canna continued, his voice now cold and serious. "But leave the kids out of it. Now, I want to know why you’re fighting the dark elves, and if there’s a way to stop this nonsense. I don’t care about your grudges, but I’ve got people in my sanctuary who don’t like seeing innocent lives destroyed."

The remaining elders, still pinned under Lumivyre’s gravity, exchanged uncertain glances. This stranger had not only bested their forces but was now dictating terms. They had no choice but to listen.

"Speak quickly," Canna said, his eyes glowing with impatience. "Or else my serpent here might decide she’s hungry." Lumivyre responded by a loud roar as if affirming his master’s thoughts.