Utopian System

Lucien looked at Diana, his words interrupted by the howling alarm.

A pang of guilt shot through him as he saw hope fading from his niece's eyes.

"Come with me," he said impulsively, taking Diana's hand. "I'll take you to the wall."

Diana blinked in surprise but didn't protest as Lucien quickly guided her through the corridors of the central building towards the wall.

The sound of the alarm intensified as they approached the wall, reverberating in their chests. Lucien led her to a robust dark wood door, his office.

"Wait for me here," he said, opening the door and gesturing for her to enter. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Without waiting for a response, Lucien closed the door and hurried towards the wall.

Diana was left alone in the office, surrounded by shelves full of books and detailed maps of the city and its defenses.

Meanwhile, Lucien quickly climbed the remaining stairs leading to the top of the wall.

The organized chaos of the parapet greeted him: soldiers running to their posts, summons firing magic or launching themselves against the monsters, the roar of the Locus pressing against the barrier.

"Report," Lucien demanded from the first officer he saw.

"Sir," the officer responded, his voice tense but controlled. "The alarm is like the last few days. We expect the first breaches at any moment."

Lucien nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. As if his thoughts were a signal, small flashes began to appear in the barrier.

The soldiers on duty responded with speed and efficiency, their summons launching coordinated attacks that eliminated the few Locus that managed to get through.

"Good," Lucien murmured. "Maintain formation. We know how this goes."

The minutes passed, and as Lucien knew would happen, the alarms increased in intensity. With them, the gaps in the barrier became more frequent and larger. The soldiers redoubled their efforts, their movements precise and well-rehearsed.

Lucien observed carefully, noting the subtle changes in the defense. There were more women than before, almost equaling the number of men.

A swift approached flying, bringing a small message in its talons. Lucien took it, quickly reading the report from another section of the wall.

Everything seemed to be under control, for now.

As the soldiers continued their defense, Lucien couldn't help but think of Diana, waiting in his office. He wondered if he had done the right thing by bringing her.

Perhaps he should have left her, away from the danger and temptation of battle. His frog croaked softly, as if sensing his inner conflict.

Although either way, if the wall soldiers failed, everyone would die...

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden increase in the intensity of the alarm. Lucien tensed, knowing what was coming. His frog crouched low, ready for action.

"Prepare for total failure!" he shouted, his voice resonating over the chaos.

The soldiers got into position, their summons glowing with contained energy. And then, it happened. The barrier flickered and disappeared completely.

Lucien held his breath, counting the seconds. One... one and a half...

The barrier reappeared, but the damage was done. A massive wave of Locus rushed towards the soldiers, larger than any Lucien had seen before.

"Now!" Lucien roared, and the soldiers responded.

Ren's initiative to teach the explosive combo was paying off: he could see many soldiers using it to save mana. Their summons worked in perfect synchronization with them, amplifying the effects of the ice combo.

The three front lines moved as one entity, their attacks forming a wall of energy that disintegrated the Locus. The explosive combo proved its effectiveness, creating small explosions that eliminated several monsters at once.

Lucien watched with both pride and concern. The soldiers were fighting well, but the failure had lasted longer than usual. A second and a half might not seem like much, but it kept increasing; they couldn't resist much more increase.

He was about to join the defense with his own combo when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He turned, surprised, to see Diana standing a few meters away, her eyes wide open at the spectacle of the battle.

Diana held her breath.

Before her stretched a view she had never imagined: the vast parapet 50 meters thick, filled with soldiers in formation. Beyond, the endless sea of Locus monsters, crashing against the transparent barrier that protected the city.

"Diana!" Lucien exclaimed, torn between concern and exasperation. His frog jumped, startled by his sudden outcry. "What are you doing here? I told you to wait in the office."

Diana stood perplexed for a moment, as if she had just realized where she was. "I... I had never been on the wall," she responded, her voice barely audible over the chaos of the battle. "I had only heard of it..."

"I... I'm sorry, Uncle Lucien. I couldn't stay there knowing what was happening here."

Lucien wanted to scold her, send her back to the safety of the office, but the battle required his attention. With a frustrated sigh, he turned back to the fight, deciding he would deal with Diana later.

♢♢♢♢

Finally, the last wave of Locus was exterminated.

A clamor of victory rose among the soldiers, their shouts of joy mixing with the howl of the alarms that were beginning to fade. The summons joined in the celebration, their various cries and calls adding to the cacophony.

Lucien allowed himself a moment of relief before turning to Diana. His niece was standing still, her face a mask of amazement and... was that resolve?

Lucien observed Diana's reaction, remembering the first time he himself had witnessed this view.

"Diana," Lucien began, his voice grave. His frog hopped back onto his shoulder, its large eyes fixed on Diana. "You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

"There are more women than before," Diana commented.

Lucien nodded. "The situation requires it. We need all the soldiers we can get."

Diana nodded, absorbing all the information. She noticed that many soldiers had rabbits as summons. "Are they all level 3?"

Lucien shook his head. "No. Most are level 4. Elio wanted to be selective, but with the situation as it is, we've had to be more permissive. Now, anyone who accepts the 15 years of service can get the rabbit but must rise to level 4. To be able to use their area magic with the combo."

"Uncle Lucien," Diana responded, her voice surprisingly firm. "I had never seen anything like this. The wall, the soldiers, the summons... It's incredible."

Lucien stared at her, recognizing the spark in her eyes. It was the same he had seen in Selene's eyes so many years ago, when she defied expectations and became one of the most powerful summoners.

"Diana," Lucien said, carefully choosing his words. "What you've seen here today... This is what we do every day. We risk ourselves, we fight, we defend the city with our lives. It's not a game, it's not an exciting adventure. It's hard, dangerous, and often terrifying."

Diana nodded, her expression serious.

"I understand, uncle. And that's why I want to be part of this. I want to be a summoner, I want to defend the city like you do. Please."

"Diana," he finally said, "being a summoner is not just about power or glory. It's about responsibility, sacrifice. Would you be willing to risk your life every day? To face these monsters, knowing that a single mistake could mean your death or that of your comrades?"

Diana looked once more towards the wall, towards the soldiers still celebrating their victory, towards the endless sea of Locus that continued to press against the restored barrier.

Then she looked back at her uncle, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"Yes," she responded without a trace of doubt in her voice. "I'm willing."

Lucien looked at her silently for a long moment, evaluating the sincerity of her words. His frog seemed to study Diana as well, its head tilted slightly as if in consideration.

Finally, Lucien nodded slowly.