Chapter 980 The Tavern in the Graveyard <TOC> Chapter 982 Prepare an Escape Route
Translator: SumTLMan
“Human?”
A voice so chilling that it could make any listener’s skin crawl resonated around them.
It was smooth as silk, cold yet enchanting, as if it flowed from the finest of instruments, weaving a captivating melody.
Most importantly, Sineva had been using Abyssian, while the “person” in the tavern was using the common tongue. Could the being inside really be a human?
Sineva promptly switched languages, “Yes, we are humans. Moreover, we are allies of the Immortal Brigade.”
The individuals mounted on Duchess Bel exchanged glances, their expressions becoming grave. They knew quite well that Sineva’s respectful tone placed her in a weaker position.
This implied that Sineva believed the entity’s strength could possibly surpass hers.
If that were indeed the case, they would need to regard the situation more seriously. It was clear that this graveyard beneath the moonlight was the domain of this formidable entity. They had intruded, and it was hard to anticipate the creature’s intentions.
“If anything goes awry, I will forcibly open the planar passage. When that happens, you must follow me,” Madeline communicated to Angel through a spell of whispering winds.
Angel nodded solemnly. Madeline’s plan to forcefully open an planar passage within the unstable energies of the Abyss showed she was preparing for the worst-case scenario.
On the other hand, after Sineva introduced herself, a low chuckle that could send a jolt through the veins of most men echoed from the tavern.
“It’s been nearly a thousand years since the last Tomb Knight passed away. When did the Immortal Brigade acquire human allies?”
The nonchalant voice, coupled with the perfect common tongue, left Sineva uncertain of the speaker’s identity and allegiance.
“Although the Immortal Brigade went on an expedition, the kinsfolk of the Tomb Knights did not accompany them. They stayed on the surface, awaiting their return. After countless years of lineage, new settlements were born. We share a friendly alliance with one of these settlements.”
Given that there was a specific inscription outside stating that this was a resting place for the Immortal Brigade, Sineva could only assume that the person speaking from the tavern was likely on friendly terms with the Immortal Brigade.
“I see.” The voice from the tavern responded, still devoid of any discernible emotion. “However, what does that have to do with the Immortal Brigade, if it’s just something created by their descendants?”
Sineva replied, “We wish to return the bones of the Immortal Brigade to our allies for closure.”
“Closure?” The voice laughed, devoid of any sentiment. “If you want their bones, why not speak directly to them?”
As the last word echoed, a sudden and palpable shift seized the cemetery’s atmosphere.
What was once a serene energy began to curdle into something eerie. Duchess Bel started buzzing, “There appears to be some activity underground, like something shifting and stirring.”
“It’s not ‘something’, it’s skeletons… they’re already crawling out,” Bruen asserted, his countenance stern as he surveyed the scene.
Beneath the cemetery’s earth, countless tattered skeletons clambered their way out. In a blink, the entire graveyard was encircled by a sea of skeletal remains, a sight resembling an undulating ocean of bleached bones.
But the grim spectacle didn’t end with the emergence of the bones.
Coffins were forced open one by one. The armor-clad knights sleeping within were awakened, their eyes gleaming with a sinister crimson light as they slowly stood.
“Are these skeletons part of the Immortal Brigade? And these knights, could they be the elite Tomb Knights from the same brigade?” Bruen questioned in disbelief.
“Why spend time deciphering their identities when we could be figuring out how to deal with them?” Madeline countered coolly.
The Immortal Brigade, missing for a millennium, had been roused from their deep slumber within the earth. The first thing they did upon waking was to turn their malevolent gaze upon every human present.
A confrontation, it seemed, was inevitable.
“Your eminence, what is the meaning of this?” Sineva raised her voice, addressing the crowd in the tavern.
“You wanted to take their bones away, didn’t you? Wouldn’t it be polite to ask them first?” As soon as the words fell, a humming sound radiated from within the tavern.
The humming that had once been melancholic and enticing was now filled with a chilling murderous intent.
The ominous hum swept across the army of skeletons, filling the eyes of all members of the “Immortal Brigade” with boundless hatred for the living.
Within the hidden recesses of the tavern, a sultry woman with crimson lips stood behind the counter. After her humming ceased, she whispered in an almost inaudible voice, “It’s a shame… humans are the creatures I detest the most.”
“You led them to their resting place just to kill them?” asked an armored knight, sitting at the tavern and draining his cup of amber liquid.
“I didn’t lead them here; they found their way on their own,” the woman with the crimson lips retorted, her lips parting faintly, “The power of the resting place has started to leak. I thought the Demon Monastery would arrive first, but to my surprise, it was the humans.”
A hushed interlude hung over the imbibing knight: “They might not be peddling falsehoods; our lineage may indeed have aligned themselves with humans.”
“Even if that’s the case, when did half-demons start feeling an unearned sense of responsibility towards their offspring, akin to humans? Besides, I have no progeny of my own.”
…
The scent of war hung heavy in the air, on the brink of exploding.
Countless skeletal figures surged forth like a tidal wave. Each carried a weapon, charging towards Duchess Bel and Sineva.
“Their strength isn’t extraordinary, but their sheer numbers! Could it be that all of these were summoned by the individual in the tavern?” Madeleine was quick to deduce the situation: “We might be safe, but a slight lapse of attention could… could be disastrous for the apprentices.”
“I shall safeguard the Frost Cathedral. If the situation becomes truly desperate, I’ll usher the apprentices into my alchemy workshop,” Bruen stepped forward.
Madeleine and Velite nodded, taking flight to form a triad barrier with Sineva, launching attacks towards the skeletal army from different directions.
“Conserve your strength,” Sineva gave a meaningful glance to the group. It was evident – these rank-and-file soldiers weren’t their main adversary, it was the stranger from the tavern.
These skeletons posed little threat to wizards.
However, their vast numbers, combined with their unique resurrection properties, made them difficult to annihilate completely, prompting the group to focus their efforts on containment. Still, amidst the chaos, some managed to slip through the triad’s defensive line.
The skeletons that broke through were initially kicked aside by Duchess Bel.
Eventually, Angel deployed an illusion, guiding the skeletons to run in circles within this illusory realm.
Bruen had thought he might need to get involved, but it seemed that Angel’s illusion was far more effective. Instead of attempting to annihilate the undead — an unlikely outcome — it made more sense to confine them.
However, Angel’s illusion could only hold a limited number of skeletal warriors. Each swing within the illusion was accompanied by an energy fluctuation, and even with constant reinforcement of the illusion nodes, they could not withstand the frequency of the consumption once the number of skeletons became too vast.
This inexplicable battle seemed to be heading towards a stalemate.
It was at this moment that the armored knight finally entered the fray.
As the armored knight made his entrance, like in his past life, the skeletal soldiers naturally fell back, leaving the battleground open for combat.
Indeed, these knights were half-demons in life, with considerable strength. Although their abilities diminished posthumously, the majority retained the power of wizards. To combat the might of at least fifteen wizard-level warriors would demand their utmost effort.
Engaging these departed knights with all their might in this place was an utterly unfavorable bargain.
“Retreat and seek an exit first!” Sineva had remained here only to gauge the demeanor of the individual in the tavern. She wished to continue the dialogue over an extended period, but the adversary left no room for negotiation.
There was no need to waste any more time here.
They fought a retreating battle, having refrained from destructive attacks on these skeletons for the sake of observation. Now that they had no retreat, they didn’t hold back.
However, as they swiftly disengaged and prepared to leave the cemetery, they were confronted with a wall of light.
This barrier was an exact replica of the one outside the tavern!
No matter what methods they employed, they couldn’t shatter the light barrier; instead, they were the ones who suffered injuries.
Sineva’s expression darkened. She had initially harbored a sliver of hope, wondering if the individual who had erected the light barrier might not be inside the tavern. Otherwise, given their formidable strength, they wouldn’t need to resort to such tricks to annihilate them.
Seeing the light barrier behind her now, Sineva could confirm that the powerful being far exceeding her abilities was indeed inside the tavern, and most likely the woman who had spoken to her earlier!
“It seems she’s resolved not to let us leave,” Madeline turned to Sineva, “What do we do now? Do we open an planar passage?”
Sineva’s face was shadowed, opening an planar passage was the last resort.
In the Abyss, no one could guarantee a successful exit from the planar passage. While the planar passage could be an opportunity, any danger encountered could even jeopardize the survival of a full-fledged wizard.
In response to Madeline’s inquiry, Sineva didn’t answer directly, but rather expressed her conjecture.
“A supreme entity dwells within?” After a moment of shock, Bruen voiced, “If she desired our demise, wouldn’t she have done so without such complication?”
“Perhaps, she merely seeks to toy with us.”
A heavy silence fell among them. Ahead, the relentless Tomb Knights were closing in. Behind them, an impenetrable barrier of light and looming above, a supreme being watched them condescendingly.
It seemed there was only one path of escape left.
“Shall we risk opening the planar passage then?”
Sineva let out a sigh. “As it stands, there seem to be no other options. We can only…”
Before she could finish her sentence — ‘We have no other choice’ — she heard a voice, “Wait.”
The speaker was Angel, who stood behind Madeline, lifting his head, a peculiar look etched across his face.
Surprise was written on everyone’s faces, yet no one voiced their criticism, a privilege due to Angel’s status as an alchemist.
Chapter 980 The Tavern in the Graveyard <TOC> Chapter 982 Prepare an Escape Route