It was useless to oppose Louise when she used that threatening attitude. Saito reluctantly approached the large warship.
The grapeshot flew towards them. Going around to the left side would probably have the same result. The ship also had cannons sticking out from the bottom as well. The Lexington was like a porcupine with cannons.
“What are you doing?!”
“It’s impossible! I can’t get near it!”
As if suddenly thinking of something, Derflinger opened its mouth.
“Partner, go straight above the ship.”
“Eh?”
“There’s a blind spot there. It’s where the cannons can’t reach.”
Saito rose above the Lexington like he was told.
Louise straddled Saito’s shoulders. She opened the canopy. A strong wind blew across her face.
“Hey what are you doing?! Close it!”
“Until I give you the signal, keep circling around here.”
Louise took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Then, as if she were flaring up, she opened her eyes and started to read the runes written in the Founder’s Prayer Book.
She read the spell amongst the roar of the engine. Saito was circling above the Lexington in the Zero fighter like he was told.
It was at that moment.
“Partner, behind you!”
Quickly looking behind, a dragoon could be seen flying towards them like a gale.
It was Wardes.
Mounted on top of the wind dragon, Wardes grinned. He had been hidden amongst the clouds above the Lexington, waiting for his chance to strike. So this was the mysterious dragoon who had crushed all the fire dragons. Wardes didn’t have much chance of winning if he faced him front on. Which is why he had to aim for a weak spot.
His plan hinged on the warship. The enemy’s aim would definitely be this warship. And if he was a skilled enemy, he would be able to find its blind spot. Thus, hiding nearby and waiting was the best option. Wardes' prediction was right.
His target started to dive.
I see… he avoided the fire dragons like that.
But, my wind dragon’s speed is greater than that of the fire dragons.
Wardes steadily shortened the distance separating them.
With deep interest, he looked at the Zero fighter.
It’s not a dragon. That’s… not something made from Halkeginia’s logic… the “Holy Lands”?
He saw a familiar face, with pinkish blond hair, inside the cockpit. The grin on Wardes' face grew larger.
So you’re alive.
Then the one controlling the psuedo-dragon would be…
The left arm he had once lost throbbed.
His wind dragon’s breath wasn’t of any use, but he had his powerful spells. Gripping the reins with his artificial left hand, Wardes cast a spell. 'Air Spear'. The air solidified to form a spear to skewer them.
Saito couldn’t lose the dragon that was following them. With Louise riding his shoulders, Saito was beginning to feel frustrated. But… if I die here, I won’t be able to protect Louise or Siesta. The runes on Saito’s left hand shone brightly.
He set the throttle to minimum and opened all the flaps. As if something had grabbed the Zero fighter, its speed dropped.
He pushed the control stick to the bottom left. At the same time, he stepped on the foot bar. The vivid earth and sky rotated before them.
The Zero fighter had disappeared from Wardes' sight, who had just finished casting his spell. He looked around him restlessly. They weren't anywhere to be seen. However, sensing a tinge of a murderous intent from behind , Wardes' turned around. The Zero fighter was smoothly spiraling down as if tracing a path inside a bottle. It quickly got behind Wardes’ wind dragon. Followed by a bright light, the machine gun bullets tore through the wind dragon, which had thinner scales than the fire dragons. Wardes was hit in the shoulder and back and his face distorted in pain. The wind dragon gave out a shriek. As if slowly gliding down, the dragon Wardes rode crashed to the ground.
Saito ascended the Zero fighter once more. Even while he did those maneuvers Louise straddled onto Saito’s shoulders firmly. Then again, Louise was very skilled at horse riding. Louise continued her incantation in a low voice. What the heck is she doing, Saito thought.
“Eoruu Suunu Firu Yarunsakusa”
A rhythm had started pulsating through Louise. She felt as though knew the rhythm from somewhere. With every word of the incantation, the rhythm grew stronger. It sharpened her senses, while not a single noise around reached her ears. It was as if something within her body was born, and was searching for a destination… Louise remembered what she was told once. When you recite an incantation of your own branch, a feeling similar to what she was feeling would be felt. Is it really what I’m feeling? Me, who has always been despised for being a zero. Me, who was said to have no talent in magic by teachers, parents, sisters and students. Is this the real me?
“Osu Suunu Uryu Ru Rado”
She could feel a wave being born inside of her, slowly swelling.
“Beoozusu Yuru Suvyueru Kano Oshera”
The wave inside her, searching for a destination, went berserk. Louise gave Saito a signal with her leg. Saito nodded and pushed the control stick down. The Zero fighter began to swoop down at the Lexington below them. Opening her eyes, she timed her incantation.
“Void”
The legendary branch of magic.
I wonder how powerful it is?
No one knows.
Of course, there’d be no reason I’d know.
This was supposedly beyond legendary.
“Jera Isa Unjyuu Hagaru Beookun Iru…”
After the long incantation, the spell was complete. At that moment, Louise understood the power of the spell. It would swallow everyone. Every person in her vision, would be swallowed by her spell. There were two options. Kill, or don’t kill. What was she meant to destroy? With the winds blowing against her face, she looked down. A large warship appeared before her eyes. The Lexington. Following her impulse, she aimed at a single point and swung her wand down.
An unbelievable scene unfolded before Henrietta’s eyes. The warship that had been bombarding them… A ball of light had appeared in the sky. It was like a smaller version of the sun, and it expanded. And… it swallowed it. It had swallowed the warship in the sky. The light continued to expand until it was all she could see. There was complete silence. Henrietta suddenly closed her eyes. The light of the sphere was so intense that anyone would think that their eyes would burn from staring at it. And then… after the light had faded, the whole fleet was on fire. The fleet led by the Lexington had all their sails and decks burning. As if it were a lie, the head of the fleet that had been tormenting the Tristain troops sank to the ground.
A tremor in the earth could be felt. The fleet had come crashing down. Henrietta was dumbfounded. Complete silence overcame them. Everyone stared at the unbelievable scene.
The first one to come to his senses was Cardinal Mazarini. He was looking at the silvery wings, shining under the sun in the sky. It was Saito’s zero fighter.
Mazarini cried out, “People! Look! The enemy fleet has been destroyed by the legendary Phoenix!”
“Phoenix? The immortal bird?”
A commotion spread through the troops.
“Look at that bird flying in the sky! That’s the legendary bird that’s said to come at Tristain’s hour of need! The Phoenix! The Founder have blessed us!”
Shouts of joy could be heard everywhere.
“Long live Tristain! Long live the Phoenix!”
Henrietta asked Mazarini quietly, “Cardinal, the Phoenix… was it the truth? I haven’t heard of anything called the legendary Phoenix…”