The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 394 - 408: Terrifying Prospects

Chapter 394: Chapter 408: Terrifying Prospects

“I have a way!”

Another voice rang out from the crowd. Lancelot turned his head and saw a female elf in a long robe, holding a heavy book with a bark cover, who appeared to be a spellcaster.

“Honorable Great Elder, it is indeed a great honor to meet you. I am Leah Gemflower, an apprentice of your colleague, Elder Diboaoni. I was still an apprentice when you…sacrificed yourself.” The elf mage, clearly excited, bowed deeply to the old elf. When she straightened up, she realized that everyone’s eyes were on her and she became somewhat stuttered, “I…I have…”

“Don’t be nervous, child,” the old elf Quirion spoke with a calm voice. “Do you have a way to help us?”

“Teleportation Array.” The female elf swallowed, unfolding her spellbook. “I have prepared a Fifth Circle spell—Teleportation Array. It was originally planned for a retreat with my companions after completing the mission. But I do not know how long I have been asleep, nor whether the combination of runes in Pascaler has changed…”

“What’s this spell?” Lancelot whispered to Kalalin, who although only had the Third Circle of spell-casting ability, was actually very knowledgeable about magic.

...

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

“This spell is similar to a portal to another world—it establishes a teleportation array that connects two places. Any creature entering the teleportation array during the active period of the spell will be teleported,” Kalalin quickly explained. “Compared to the Ninth Circle’s portal to another world, this spell has many limitations: first, the target destination must already possess an existing teleportation array, and the spellcaster must know the rune combination of the destination’s array, otherwise the teleportation will not work…”

“I know the latest rune sequence for Pascaler,” said Acheron, who stood nearby. “Friends, I am the current General of the Elf Guard and am familiar with all the major teleportation rune combinations in Androlina. Pascaler’s is…”

“Another limitation is that the spell’s effective time is extremely short, only about 6 seconds. However, if preparations are made in advance, it might just suffice for the two hundred of us…” the Scholar continued to explain to Lancelot as the Elf Prince spoke. “But the most critical difference is that this spell cannot teleport across planes. Moreover, since the Abyssal Lords normally impose ceremonial defensive magic on their controlled planes, inter-planar teleportation within the Abyss must reach the strength of crossing planes, otherwise the risk of failure is very high.”

“Is it that difficult?” Lancelot raised one eyebrow. “But the amulet that Tijana gave…”

“That’s Tijana for you,” Kalalin rolled his eyes. “Don’t think she’s just an ordinary Demon Lord of the Plains of the Abyss. We scholars from the Dark Cult are interested in her for a reason. With the strength she has shown and her past records, many believe she could become the next Abyssal Lord.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Lancelot smirked, but his mind began to ponder other matters. After Kalalin’s remark, the title of Lord of Withering in Mogrondale just wasn’t enough…

He shook his head, reminding himself that now was not the time to be distracted. After Acheron finished speaking, other spellcasters also gathered to discuss what seemed like a risky direct teleportation attempt.

“I know a path to the Throne Hall of this castle. There is a portal there, and the other end should be at the peak of Mother Mountain,” Lancelot quickly said. “I just came that way, and there were almost no enemies. There are some seduction demon guards in the Throne Hall…”

“Harbingers won’t stand a chance against us,” declared a Radiant Cloud Angel confidently, “Wonderful! Let’s set off right now!”

“But can we really turn the tide by going back? The demons have three full legions…”

A despondent voice suddenly arose, dousing the others’ excitement like a bucket of cold water. Lancelot turned his head to see the speaker, who had an exceptional appearance – possessing an elven look but with a much smaller frame, dressed entirely in blue and white, exuding an icy aura as if covered in snow and ice.

Although Lancelot had never met this individual before, he felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Upon reflecting briefly, he realized the source of this familiarity came from an encounter in Melanthan with Aira, who was swathed in fiery red, resembling the scorching heat of summer.

“Approximately how many are there in a full demon legion?” Lancelot asked Kalalin again, whose research area included the Abyss and demons, and should have some clear answers on these matters.

“Typically, a demon legion comprises one Legion Commander, under whom are three lieutenants, each leading a squadron; a squadron can command up to thirteen squads, and each squad can have up to thirteen demon soldiers,” Kalalin explained eagerly to Lancelot. “However, depending on the composition of the squad, their combat effectiveness can vary drastically. A squad comprised solely of Coward Devils and Prime Demons merely serves as fodder, depleting the enemy’s ammunition and stamina, while a squad made up entirely of Berserk Demons is undoubtedly the elite of the elite, serving as a spearhead on the battlefield…”

“So, a fully staffed demon legion would number over two thousand,” Lancelot’s expression darkened. With his military knowledge, it wasn’t hard for him to realize that the defenders of Pascaler wouldn’t exceed five hundred, not even one-tenth of the enemy forces.

“General Mingyan, how large is Androlina’s army now?” someone in the crowd asked Acheron, their eyes filled with hope.

“Pascaler’s defenders consist of fifty Human Knights, three hundred Long Spear soldiers, and a hundred Elf Archers. Half a day’s journey away in the Gift of Edington, there are three hundred reserves from Aira and Fairies, and Melanthan also adds up to five hundred,”

“What about the guardians of the Bedivere-Gian Forest?” asked a Radiant Cloud Angel, “Is it still being guarded as a Holy Land?”

“Less than a hundred Radiant Aira,” answered Acheron with a very grave expression, “What’s worse, we didn’t know until recently that the enemy was going to attack so soon, nor from which direction. Even if the defenders of Pascaler call for reinforcements now, they’ll hardly hold until help arrives. But even if every Protector of Androlina were to assemble, I’m afraid…”

The room fell into an oppressive silence, the grim outlook leaving everyone breathless.

“I have a question,” Lancelot spoke up amidst the silence, “About the King Consort Finier mentioned earlier, how did he come to Androlina? How did you all arrive initially? The Bedivere-Gian Forest, forbidden to outsiders… what exactly is inside it?”