She raised fire.
The fireplace was illuminated by a blue light. With its miserable color and strange shape, this thing is probably a will-o'-the-wisp. As the flames rise, it is easy to feel the rapid loss of heat around you. Lametta stared at the firewood with disgust, even though the cold comforted her more than the warmth.
"I'd rather it be red," she said to herself, "or gold."
To be honest, the colors made her unhappy. Once upon a time she was in limbo and longed to see the blue sky and green trees all day long, but now that she was back in Knox, she began to miss the coldness of Gavash again. Hum, the dead are not afraid of the cold, right?
She stared into the flames and let her thoughts wander. Anyway, there is no living person, not even a living mouse, around here. Ever since Whitehead and Ziegler's little trick was discovered, they have been hiding like mice, for fear of being found by astrologers.
They hide and let the dead go to war.
Lametta never expected this day. When she was originally a creature of order, she was full of yearning for demons—or, in other words, the group of nameless ones. The Truth sect and the Durdu sect even collect the larvae of demons and guide them to light fires. They never preach nonsense like hell and evil dragons like the Theological sect, because wizards have no taboos in their pursuit of truth.
Then I met Dmitri. Lametta thought of her mentor. From the beginning, they were not ordinary masters and apprentices, but they kept secrets from others. He wants me to swear, she thought, an oath of allegiance to the king, and then take me to Byrne. This unforgettable time between lovers until Evangeline kills one of them.
I should forget this stuff. Lametta continued to add more firewood, and the flames began to flare again. Burn it all. All that holds memories now are ashes, and ashes are worthless. At this point, she has even lost her identity as Pacinis, but she still lights the fire here like an old woman. I should also throw away Lametta. She was moved by this possibility, changed her appearance, and gained a new life. Why not?
Yes, why listen to the black knight? Lametta thought happily. It's just a corpse that only creates more corpses. Relying on Gavash's Night People to defend Byrne is a pure lie! When the time comes, it will abandon us and walk away. It would be better to leave early.
Even its men didn't believe it. Lametta opened the newspaper in the morning and read the news that the demon princess Uilosnis was captured and surrendered. It doesn't sound real. My warden became a prisoner? Still surrendering before the war? If the corpse lord was right in front of her, she would have to drop everything to see its face! How could you miss the opportunity? In fact, she doubled over laughing.
...It's a pity that no one heard it. It's just me here. Those crazy corpses guarantee that.
She added another handful of firewood and watched the blue will-o'-the-wisp devour the wood.
Ogrethal is finished, Lametta deduced from the message. The Demon Princess has been here before and knows its location. The legions of the Seven Pillar Points will knock on the city gate soon. If I had escaped before Whitehead left, I would now be in Bures, Lucia's country of faith.
Lametta thought of Compass Heights and the city that stood upon it, and had stopped here when she was forced to flee Byrne. To be honest, she doesn't hate the locals, they are indeed greedy, stupid and stingy, but they can be partners. The herbs grown by these people can refine soul oil, and except for them, no one in the entire Burles dares to take the business of the demon association. Why not choose here? Occupying the Black City, she will heal her wounds, rely on countless wealth to become the uncrowned king of the southern part of the Bures Empire, and only need to lie down and accept offerings from mortals every day. I can give myself a new name and never be nameless again.
The blue fire shrank in the wind.
Her imagination was extinguished as well. Lametta stood up and walked to the edge of the altar. The empty hall was divided into two parts, the circle at her feet and the gray and white stone tiles outside the circle. A corpse lay in the center, with magic patterns flashing in sequence. The memory was extracted from its body and injected into a mirror.
Lametta restored the ritual formation diagram based on this and frowned greatly. Even if the old injury has not healed, according to her level of occultism, the arrangement of the rectangular ladder only takes a little time, but this damn ritual is completely incomprehensible. If it weren't for the memory of the dead man in front of her, she would have suspected that the Black Knight was taking advantage of her for fun. By now, she had run out of patience.
This thing doesn't feel like a ritual at all. Lametta concluded. The girl just got lucky and drew a random drawing on the floor to attract the ghost by unknown means. It was probably due to the location. When she was in the Black City, she sensed something unusual about the haunted mansion.
What's even more unfortunate is that the Holy Knights also came to the Black City at that time, and the dilapidated mansion naturally became the target of their purification. She was surprised that the arsonists didn't burn down the house. It seems that in the eyes of these order guardians, ghosts are more decent than demons.
As the last log begins to burn, the flame becomes shallower, while the mirror still plays out fragments of memories of the psychic summoning ghosts. Lametta considered throwing her body into the fire, perhaps this would increase the probability of success - the night watchman mentioned the abnormality in the body when they brought the body here.
With just one glance, she could see the state of the dead: the Black Knight used his "Primary Source" to draw away the soul, and then threw back the empty shell. As for the way she died, Lametta recognized traces of "soul oil". Perhaps the Night Watch tried to turn her into the same kind, but failed miserably.
It's a pity that the body contains too little memory, otherwise Lametta could find the contract she had with the Black Knight during her lifetime. It didn't sound like much, but she wanted to know why psychics came into contact with the Order. Today is no better than it was back then, Lametta thought. The demon hunting movement is in full swing. Profits no longer attract outsiders. People are fleeing from secret societies like a sinking ship. Why did you take the initiative to find this body before it was alive?
She was thinking of another person's reasons.
The hatred in her heart burned her day and night like a flame. If she could extinguish the flame, even her life would be worth it. Lametta thought she would escape as soon as possible and stay away from the sunken ship of the Association. Unexpectedly, the "Lord of the Pit" closed Oaklethal, allowing her to hear the news brought by the Night Watch.
"The Alliance wants to bring back the Queen of Light." the messenger said. "The Holy Radiance Council is secretly supporting it. They provide the materials needed for the ceremony and send people to escort the ceremony team. Manager Yolizab thinks you will be interested in this news. interest."
She was very surprised to learn who the messenger was. Yolizab was once her supporter and Lord Mercury's "one of his own" who stayed in Byrne, but Lametta knew very well that all this was brought about by status. When she made a big mistake and was deprived of her power as a lord by the Black Knight, her supporters dispersed. This damn wallflower can still stay in the position of general manager. It is not difficult to guess that he has found a new backer. Is this the last friendship of an old subordinate, or another trap by the Black Knight?
However, another incident happened just as Lametta expected, and the Night Watch responded. On the one hand, the Black Knight threw the Demon Princess to the Sky Island to bear the positive pressure brought by Croita and the Prophet, and on the other hand, he asked the Night Watchman to lead the local association to destroy the ceremony. His Majesty the King will like his approach, but the Night People of Garvash will do the opposite.
But Uillosnis must have regretted it. she thought happily. The Black Knight actually appeared on the Sky Island instead of Buress. If she knew what her boss was really thinking, she would probably be more loyal.
As of now, the Sky Island War has ended. In the eyes of the Fulcrum of Order, this is undoubtedly another victory for them. Lametta knew that the lords only regarded the undead of Gavash as consumables, but she was not sure what the Byrnes were thinking...
Forget it, what can these captive fools think about themselves? Only if the Night Watchmen are warriors of the association, their movements are worthy of concern. In fact, they did not live up to expectations. The messenger told her that the plans of the Oath Keepers Alliance and the Radiant Council failed completely, and Queen Evangelin of Theta did not come to Knox in advance.
"We won," she said to the flames. "The allies thought you were being cautious, but you were just afraid." The hearth dimmed. "Your Nightingale's whereabouts are unknown, which makes you afraid to return to Knox easily."
Unlike you, Evangeline, you took away my fear with your own hands.
Lametta will not run away. After the fall of Byrne, the Order was destined to lose everything, and Lord Quicksilver would not show up then. Until then the tide of order rose and the Glittering Pool bordered Nox. Queen Sita is no better than a prophet, unable to predict people's fate... When the time comes, she will have ten thousand ways to take revenge.
The last brilliance of the fire bloomed, and they burned in her pupils. "You will also have such a day." Lametta swore to the flames, "I want you to watch the flickering pool being destroyed in mourning, Evangeline. I will wait for your arrival in hell."
As the flames died down, the ritual runes suddenly became brighter and a gust of wind filled the room. Lametta's fire swayed in the air currents, almost throwing it towards the stove.
The night watchman had warned her before the ceremony. "When there is no firewood to burn." He put down his hand on the fireplace, "It will find fuel on its own. But compared to living people, the soul that has left the body is more to its appetite. This is why we use it. You are safe, Lord."
Lametta never felt safe. She is not obeying the Black Knight's orders, but it is rare for both parties to have common interests. The latter can lead the undead of Gavash to harass the Seven Fulcrums in order to buy time for the association's mobilization arrangements. Since he asked Lametta to recall the soul of the corpse, she would do it.
She sat down and waited for the results.
…
Durandal whined and was almost cut into two pieces. Its black and silver blade was full of cracks and its entire body was dim. Lemmons had to cover it with magic, allowing the aftermath of the magic sword to push their exhausted team into the distance.
"I can't stop him." It's hard to admit that you can't do anything about it, but the Paladin Commander has said it many times recently, at least this time. "There's something wrong with that sword."
Jessera looked at it carefully after the magic surgery, "The school believes it is a fragment of truth."
"I think it's bones."
"Bone is not as strong as steel, my lord. The Council has no thirst for truth. We cannot say that we understand it, but judging from the performance, perhaps we should put it on the agenda."
schedule? Do we really have this? Everything happened suddenly from the moment Queen Sita refused to come to Knox. Lemons dodged the magic sword thrown by the enemy. It roared across the sky and fell into the ruins of bricks and tiles. Strings of runes lit up on the ground.
Then, he heard Jesela groan. The bishop opened his palm, revealing a cracked rune array. "Well, it's hard to beat even the magical arts."
Durandal was also protected by divine magic, and the results were clear at a glance. Could it be that he doubts my faith? Lemons frowned: "You just saw it, right?"
"Please allow me to explain." The archbishop said, "After staying in this position for so many years, I have some understanding of people's beliefs. Whether they are light believers, devout believers, or even priests, we will first be loyal to Lucia. Myself. This is driven by instinct, and it is inevitable for mortals. So." He gestured, "I have to try it myself."
"What's the result, Your Excellency?"
"I'm afraid we can't do anything with him." Archbishop Jesela confessed, "Not at all. That sword can cut off divine magic, and there is a big gap between you and me in mystique. Maybe the agent will take action himself."
"No." Lemmons flatly refused. "It's too risky."
At this moment, he could probably understand the considerations of the Queen of Light, Evangeline. The agent is the pillar of the Holy City and leads the entire Glorious Parliament. Once something goes wrong, the advantages established by the Parliament after the White Prophecy will be in vain. This is something people cannot bear.
"No wonder he didn't survive the Battle of Sky Island. I understand what this undead knight is capable of." The archbishop didn't even step forward and only used divine magic to support him throughout the process. This stems from Lemons' personal experience: Although the paladin captain is superb, his opponents often force him to cross swords, pretending to break the holy sword Durandal.
Upon seeing this, Jesela flew far away, trying to avoid a direct confrontation with the enemy. Presumably his magic and flesh and blood are not as strong as the holy sword, but he is quite loyal to the safety of these two.
"This star really wants to retire"
Lemons snorted, "I'm afraid astrology is the same, not as strong as bones."
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible, sir. Your information is out of date."
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Could it be that Bai Zhizhi is not his opponent? is it possible? Lemmons fought against the former at Motoug, nearly losing his second in command, followed by Washmouth and Eastman's Northland. Look, these are some wonderful experiences...
At this moment, the undead knight once again chopped up the storm created by the magic and rushed forward like a shadow. Lemmons only had time to cross his sword, and then he was drowned by the terrifying tearing sound of airflow.
Suddenly, he abandoned all distracting thoughts of communication and only stared at the enemy's sword. It doesn't flicker like a ghost, but its angle and speed are hard to guard against, and you can watch the sharp edge cut into you. Sword after sword, there was a kind of rhythm, methodically forcing Lemons out of the protection of layers of divine magic, like a chef scraping off fish scales with a knife. He was clumsy left and right, his armor was shattered, his arms were dripping with blood, and the bone sword was dyed red.
Bishop Jesela came to the rescue in time, and the magical flames fell like meteors, covering two blocks in front and behind. Dust was flying in the low altitude, and the undead knight climbed up and escaped from the smoke and fog.
Lemons took the opportunity to descend and use holy water potion to treat his wounds. The sun shines brightly at noon, speeding up his recovery, but noon will soon pass.
"He is familiar with your sword." Archbishop Burris warned, "He has seen through your intentions."
"It seems necessary to give him a taste of something new." Lemmons no longer attached to the magic, he took out a potion and opened the stopper with his thumb. The fragrant and transparent liquid slipped out of the bottle and was smeared on Durandal.
Jesela frowned: "With the material of the holy sword, it can't last ten minutes. This thing is highly corrosive."
"The baptistery will restore her."
"The water in the pool is just a carrier, what really works is the pure faith contained in it..."
"Too late?"
The Archbishop shook his head. They all knew that the current situation was critical and they could not hesitate. "There are no other priests here, and I'm afraid I'll have to recite the hymn thousands of times by myself. Thousands of times! I'll bite my tongue off."
"My ability is limited, sir."
"No matter what, we didn't lose much, and that's enough."
Lemons had something else on his mind. Count Cagat would probably not think that he had not lost much, and the Alliance caravan would not agree. The School of Silence prevented the arrival of Evangelion, and they may be the only winners.
There are also demon societies. The Black Knight is the only demon lord who haunts the Land of Order. It is unknown whether he is the Bible or has other conspiracies. Lemmons has been away from the Holy Knights for a long time, and now he is just a polished commander. The situation in Knox is so unpredictable that no one thought of informing him.
"Is there any other help? Where is Shania Ravenas?" This woman is not a helper, but unfortunately she has no choice now. he asked as he created more smoke.
"The sorcerer nun? He ran away. After the Battle of Anthoros, these people became as cowardly as mice."
Terrible. Lemons thought. My companions didn't think so at all. As long as he doesn't see my body, the Council doesn't have much to lose. Where is Evangeline? Where's the aid from the Glitter Pool? Compared with them, I was swept off the chessboard like a fallen chess piece, and in the end I still expected to make achievements. After the holy sword Durandal is damaged, the priest will probably mark me down again.
"What on earth are we going to do?"
The Archbishop glanced at him and said, "Just block it. The other party is more anxious than us. The longer he stays in the Black City, the more dangerous Gavash will be. The astrologer can deduce the location of the Sunken Plane based on his movements."
"Is it possible that the Prophet has not been found yet?"
"Such opportunities don't come often. We need to use the mysterious environment." A wooden building collapsed, mortals fled in all directions, and wandering mercenaries and adventurers gathered in groups to watch on the edge of the battlefield.
Jessela sighed. "I planned to take down this guy with you, but it's a pity that our allies are really useless! The tower took back the sky island, but no one can teach this undead a lesson. The Oath Keepers Alliance is too loose and doesn't even have a complete plan. We can’t discuss it, of course, I don’t think they have the ability. As for the Silent School, it’s Lucia’s blessing that the wizard won’t hold back.”
"Why ask for help? None of us can come?" Lemmons wondered about the situation in the Assembly. No matter what, killing a demon lord in the Black City is a great achievement. But the reality was far from what he expected.
"You informed us too late, Lord Paladin." The archbishop seemed to feel sorry for him, "This is Burles, not Sodria. We were not fully prepared."
lie. Lemons thought. The Glorious Council is by no means an ordinary mortal kingdom, and distance is no obstacle to them. It didn't even take the "Theologian" a week to come to Compass Heights from Moniantoros. He began to realize that there was no corresponding response to his request within the Council.
And Jessela confessed this before leaving. "No one has a reason to come except me." He told Lemmons. "Bres is my homeland and a place of faith for the goddess. Demons are not allowed to come and go freely. But the main battlefield is still in the country of the tower. , that’s good, we don’t have to bear the consequences of the war... In short, the Parliament is busy dealing with the decisive battle between order and association. Lemons, we must distinguish the priorities."
For the king. Lemmons understood that the purpose of the Seven Pivots was to be the leader of "Starless Night." In Knox, there are unknown people acting secretly at all times, transporting supplies, companions, and information to the secret society like a blood vessel. What they do cannot escape the eyes of hunters. The Paladin Captain knew the power structure of the association and the existence of an evil leader who commanded seven demon lords, but none of the information they obtained could be confirmed about this person.
For the king. He couldn't help but think, is this person really more valuable than the Black Knight in front of him, and is he worthy of being allowed to wreak havoc in the Black City? In any case, the locals would not praise Lucia for her fairness.
"Don't do unnecessary things," Jessela warned. "Don't take unnecessary risks, Lemons."
Durandal whined. The Paladin Captain could almost feel its pain. At this moment, he realized for the first time his own insignificance. I also laughed at the apprentice, but he single-handedly changed the Church of Gaia, and we had no choice but to go with the flow.
Lemons rushed out of the fog like a fool and clashed with the Black Knight's sword. The magic radiance collided, shattered, and collided with each other. The undead knocked him back with slashes and added scars to him. He ignored them and only swung his sword to fight back. The holy sword bit the enemy's chest tightly, and Bishop Jessera chanted a spell, leaving holes of light arrows in the demon lord's armor, causing the steel to melt in the high temperature.
Durandal tore the breastplate, and Lemons saw darkness. There was no blood, no flesh, traces of black mist seeped out of the cracks, and magic disturbed the atmosphere. The undead lowered his head silently, blue light dancing in his eyes.
"It's meaningless." The demon leader's light pattern spread across his chest, and the fire reflected the black armor into orange-red.
Lemmons tried to deliver a fatal blow, but the undead lurched forward. Durandal's body was covered with cracks and could only barely maintain its shape. The terrifying bone sword wrapped around the holy sword and pulled it out of Lemons' hand with a slight pry. It's a textbook style.
"That's enough." Jesela used magic to block the black knight's horizontal slash. The runes shattered and blood suddenly flashed on his shoulder. Lemons quickly retreated, and Durandal spun several times in the air before finally falling back into his hands.
However, when he looked at the enemy again, the remaining hope in his heart was shattered. The undead knight seemed unscathed, with only the cracks in his breastplate showing his previous efforts.
I've tried my best, Lemmons thought. Could it be that magical magic has no effect on this dead man? He couldn't believe that there were undead that could ignore the punishment of Lucia's magic.
The archbishop also saw this scene, and his expression was as heavy as Lemons's. "It seems that you were a big shot during your lifetime. What is your last wish that forces you to reappear?"
"No last wish will do." The Black Knight's voice was low and hoarse, undoubtedly the voice of a dead person. "Do you think I want to go back to this living hell?"
"The king sent you to raid the Bures Empire? What is the purpose of collecting Bibles?"
Lemons glanced at his companion, knowing that he didn't expect an answer. It's just that the whereabouts of the undead lord are a mystery, and it's rare to speak when he takes action. Now that I have the opportunity to communicate with it, I naturally ask first. After all, it costs nothing to ask questions.
"Welcome to Evangeline with you." The Black Knight didn't look at the castle, "It's a pity that she doesn't appreciate it."
"You should be grateful for that, devil."
"Kill you to celebrate? I'd be happy to."
After taunting them, the undead lord swung his sword at them for the last time, then turned and left. As he swept through the streets, mortals screamed and scrambled back indoors. Lemons really wanted to catch up, even if it meant wasting his life in vain, it would be better than watching the enemy swagger away in the territory of the vassal state.
Don’t I know the consequences? He asked himself, what's wrong with using a broken sword and his life to defend order? But Lemmons has no choice. He has no decision-making power and cannot take responsibility...
By the time they returned to Count Cagat's dining table, the caravan had already set off, and Archbishop Jesela also rested here, waiting for the ladder to restart. The count had not yet recovered from his fear, and followed the two of them almost step by step.
"I'm not saying that they are not welcome," the earl said, "but Black City has suffered serious losses. The value of the caravan alone is far from being able to offset the harm caused by the aliens' continued stay. Yes. This is a helpless move, Your Excellency."
"You did the right thing." Jessera comforted the Earl of Black City. "It would be an injustice to the locals if the Alliance caravan stayed for one second longer. Lucia will also agree with you, Lord Talanitas."
"The Oath Keepers are allies of the Congress." Lemons couldn't help but remind him.
The count tilted his head and gave him a rude sideways glance, thinking Lemmons wouldn't notice. "Yes, Your Excellency. However, having said that, it does not mean that we do not need to compensate."
"Of course. His Majesty the Emperor will make demands to our allies." Jessela said, "This is a reasonable request. Even if the Alliance is busy with the demon hunting campaign, your benevolent Majesty will not ignore the loss of your territory."
"Ah, that couldn't be better." Count Cagat still didn't leave the vicinity.
Lemons didn't realize that the council owed Black City. When the itinerary was originally planned, Count Cagat welcomed it very much and even put various illegal transactions in Black City on the table to compete with the rival princes.
The last time I came to see the Highland Witch, her attitude was even more lukewarm. The accompanying priest told Lemons that the Talanitus family occupies a wealthier fiefdom, and that Compass Heights and Black City are just export destinations for illegal goods. The lords charge heavy taxes to exploit merchants and provide them with nominal protection.
I also know your plan. The paladin captain thought. After unsuccessfully searching for the Highland Witch, Count Cagat proposed to let the Holy Knights guarantee his business. Lemmons was shocked when he heard this and told the other party directly that he would never let the Holy Knights guarantee his business unless the sun never rises. This group of businessmen ruined the reputation of the Holy Knights.
"You are too strict, Lemons." Archbishop Jesela told him privately, "This is not how mortals deal with it, not to mention that Count Cagat is still a lord."
"The last lord who appeared before me ordered Order to use its weapons, my lord."
Jessela didn't respond. "A vassal country is different from a holy city. People don't seek merit but seek no fault. I'm afraid you won't like it."
"I treat the vassal country and the holy city equally." Even if he didn't think so in his heart. However, the Archbishop's words were more aimed at himself than Count Cagat, and Lemons was unwilling to argue with his colleagues over this.
"You are absolutely pious, my lord. I can see this clearly. The Holy Sword did not choose the wrong person."
Durandal is almost broken. "What about the apprentice?"
"What apprentice?"
"Tower Messenger." After so long, Uriel has probably left his apprenticeship. But in Lemons' eyes, this man will always be the apprentice of the White Envoy, and his every move bears the mark left by his mentor. I don't know how many people hated him for this.
"I asked him to leave as soon as possible with the aliens from the Oath Keepers Alliance." Archbishop Jesela's tone was very calm, "Since the Black Knight is here for the Bible in his hand, it is most convenient to drive him away."
The maid filled the wine glasses. "Change it to tea." The Paladin Captain told her, "I don't drink."
"In my opinion, this kid does have talent, but he doesn't deserve such attention."
"I'm not paying attention." Lemmons pointed out. "The Undead Lord appears beside him frequently, but he didn't take away the mysterious item. There must be a reason for this."
"What other reason is there? He wants him to wander around Knox with the Bible to find other holders. The demon lord does not dare to expose his whereabouts easily, but the tower messenger is just the opposite."
“What the hell is the Bible?”
"Anyway, I don't understand. I heard that the agent once invited him to the Holy City as a guest. Have you found the results of your research?" Jesela snorted, "No matter what it is, it can't change the situation. Demonic Association Imminent destruction! Unless the 'victor' is resurrected and still stands on the other side of hell." He took a sip of wine.
"Some mysterious items have extraordinary effects." Lemons thought, but he had to admit that no item could make the association overturn. There are three saints in the order, but the leader of the association is still struggling in hell, and will never make a comeback. These remaining demons are just rats in the house. "The Misty Star Society relies on mysterious places to hide, and many mysterious items have similar abilities."
"There is no end to the demons, Lemons. Destroy their lair, and the remnants will no longer be a threat."
"Then what is Evangeline afraid of?"
The Archbishop drained his glass. His knuckles scraped against the tablecloth, leaving stains on the silk.
"One of our own," he answered.
"As if it were real." Lemons was unmoved. "Who is this damn Nightingale? Anlini? Or someone else? She lost her men, and she blamed us."
"It must be a general." Yesera said with a light smile, "Similar to you or Jizuk, if he dies, even the Mysterious Fulcrum will be very distressed. Yes, sir. I have a few candidates here. "
Lemmons was not smiling.
Archbishop Bulles straightened up and met his eyes. "Take this as a friendly reminder, Lemons Theodore. Regardless of merit or demerit, please remember your identity...and the responsibilities this identity bears. Even if you feel like a loser, in the eyes of the Parliament, You are also far more capable than 'Tattooed' Jizuk. Yes. Dead men are powerless."
He picked up the cup again. "If you look like the Black Knight, that's another story. But we can't wait for hundreds of years."
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
eight thousand
