On the Moonwatch Platform, only the blurred figure of Issera remained, confined within a silent, twisted space, and the Moon Well of the Moontrace Clan, behind it, suddenly lost its strongest guide, its brilliance becoming somewhat chaotic.

The pressure on the outer defensive line instantly increased, and the positions that initially could barely hold began to collapse at a faster rate.

Inside the castle, the priest responsible for monitoring the state of the Moon Well was horrified to discover the interruption in communication with Lord Issera, and the energy flow of the Moonwatch Platform became abnormal.

"Something has happened to Lord Issera!" This news poured like the coldest ice water over the heads of the Moontrace Clan’s command core.

A Level 3 priest’s face changed dramatically, shouting sharply: "At all costs, immediately reinforce the Moonwatch Platform! Find out the situation!"

She had to immediately figure out what terrifying method could momentarily restrain the powerful Issera.

Lilandra was even more shocked upon hearing this news, instinctively wanting to rush to the Moonwatch Platform, only to be firmly stopped by her guards: "Miss! The situation is unclear, it’s too dangerous!"

The entire defensive system of the Moontrace Clan began to experience irreversible chaos and cracks due to the sudden silence of the core node and the inexplicable disconnection of one of its highest combat powers.

Without Issera’s precise guidance and strong support to the Moontrace Clan’s Moon Well, the defensive system was like having its backbone pulled out.

The outer Elf warriors, who previously could rely on the amplification of the Moon Well’s energy, familiar terrain, and resilient will to resist, now felt the moonlight shield bestowed upon them becoming unstable, the arrows they shot lost the sharpness to pierce through rocks, and even the land under their feet seemed to lose the sturdy support from the earth’s veins.

The Empire’s wizard army keenly seized this fleeting opportunity, and their attacks became more savage and precise.

"Spellbreaker array, concentrate firepower, bombard the remnants of the moonlight totem at three o’clock direction!" The cold voice of the ground commander echoed through the front lines via magic communication.

Several formations of wizards, clad in heavy armor inscribed with anti-magic runes, immediately adjusted their angles and joined forces to cast spells.

A thick beam of chaotic light, mixed with disintegration energy, shot out, instantly evaporating the totem pole that served as a local defense node along with the surrounding dozen Elf defenders, tearing a huge breach in the defense line.

"War Golem Corps, charge into the breach! Shadow airships, suppress the arrow towers on both sides!"

A flood of metal poured into the breach, the War Golems ignoring the desperate slashes and stabs from the Elves’ blades and spears, paving the way with brute force collisions and energy bursts.

The airships lowered their heights, from the shooting apertures opened at the bottom poured down lethal rain of bullets and pinpoint spells, relentlessly suppressing the Elf reinforcements attempting to seal the breach.

The collapse of one section of the line triggered a chain reaction.

The flanks were exposed, command and coordination further fell into chaos, and morale inevitably slid downward.

Although the Elf warriors continued to fight bravely, even launching reckless counter-charges occasionally, under the wizard army’s planned fire coverage, elite assaults, and steady advance of war golems, their positions were being slowly consumed, fragmented, and surrounded.

Inside Moonwatch Castle, the magic water mirror showed the disconnected and fallen areas expanding swiftly like spreading ink.

The piercing alarms already mixed with urgent notifications of the complete collapse of the outer defensive circle and enemy vanguard troops nearing the castle’s outer fortifications filled the air with despair and anxiety.

A Level 3 Moonlight Priest stood at the center of the command hall, face ashen but eyes still as sharp as a blade.

She looked at the rapidly deteriorating situation on the water mirror, listened to the reports of bad news from everywhere, and glanced at the still abnormal image on the Moonwatch Platform where the rescue teams were blocked, understanding in her heart that the core territory of the Moontrace Clan could not be defended.

Sacrifice must be worthwhile, and the future of the clan cannot be cut off here.

She took a deep breath, that voice mixed with iron and determination once again spread through magic across the castle’s core region, but this time, it was targeted only at a few specific personnel: "Commander Moran of the personal guards, Ying Ye, and Hui Ye, immediately proceed to the Sinking Moon Hall! Repeat, immediately proceed to the Sinking Moon Hall! Highest priority!"

This command was directly transmitted into the minds of Duke and others, causing them to be momentarily stunned.

Sinking Moon Hall? That’s a secret chamber deep beneath the castle, close to the core energy flow of the Moon Well, usually known only to the clan leader and a few core elders.

"Go!" Instructor Priest Moran’s voice carried undeniable urgency, as he appeared nearby Duke and them, carrying the scent of gunpowder and a faint smell of blood, evidently just withdrawn from some intense battle line. "Quick! No time to explain!"

Duke’s heart trembled, vaguely guessing something.

He immediately reacted like the other personal guards, suppressing anxiety and confusion about the situation, and without hesitation, followed Instructor Moran, disengaging from their defensive positions, and sprinted towards the interior of the castle.

Passing through chaotic corridors, avoiding panicked crowds and transported wounded, they headed downwards, through several hidden doors that required specific moonlight runes or tokens to open, eventually arriving at the Sinking Moon Hall located deep within the castle’s foundations.

The hall wasn’t large, crafted from ancient moonlight stones, its walls inscribed with the reliefs of Prophets of the Moontrace Clan from generations past and ancient star and moon symbols.

In the center, a small, seemingly naturally formed crescent-shaped spring was emanating a soft and pure silver light, which was an important outlet for a secondary energy flow of the Moontrace Clan’s Moon Well.

At this moment, several people were already standing by the spring.