Judge
This was a lich! They had reached the pinnacle of necromancy, abandoning their bodies and splitting their souls to obtain some degree of immortality. Some extremely powerful liches were even strong enough to face gods!
The skeleton lich Ilyo was someone Leylin had heard of before. Rumour had it that an accidental leakage from one of his soul experiments had contaminated and killed half a kingdom. The paladins had put him on their wanted list, and he was an extremely vile existence that had to be wiped out at all costs.
‘Not all legendary necromancers are liches, but all liches are legendary necromancers... His actions mark him as a high-ranked legendary, above rank 25...’ Leylin immediately decided that the lich as the biggest threat to his operation.
Evida looked around, suddenly asking, “The Dead Sea scrolls passed down by our church indicate that the floating city will appear deep within Frostfall Valley. Do you have any more information?”
The group sunk into silence. Even if they had possessed the information, it wouldn’t be revealed so easily. Rogero was the one who spoke in the end, “We have information from the esteemed diviner Frederic, but the location is even more vague...”
“Then things are going to get troublesome... Ilyo has a partial inheritance from ancient arcanists, and probably knows more about the floating city than we do. He might even have entered the dimensional fortress already...” Evida bit at her lips.
‘Hm?’ Upon seeing this, Leylin shook his head inside, ‘Seems like they don’t have accurate information either. Looks like I’m the one that knows more...’
He couldn’t help but recall the time and location he’d decoded. It would be when the black crows cried out to the bloodmoon, within the Frostfall Valleys slanting to the east of Cygnus.
“It’s about time...” Leylin looked up, gazing into the horizon. The sun descended slowly, the light dimming. The temperature of the region dropped, as was the norm in the western desert. The daytime sun could roast people alive here, and the night could freeze them to death. Few could survive besides some like the sand tribes.
‘It’s the right month and time. The location is slanting to the east of Cygnus? Based on astrology, that should be...’ Leylin’s eyes twinkled as he immediately calculated the precise location of the floating city. ‘If the skeleton lich obtained an arcanist inheritance as well, he should be lying in wait there...’
“Since we know that it’s deep within the Frostfall Valleys in general, how about we split up in our search?” Evida suggested at that exact moment.
“Mm, sure.” Rogero and his group of powerful elites from the good faction naturally didn’t want to mix with an evil person like Leylin. They immediately agreed.
The legendary monk showed his intent with action as well. Numerous figures scattered as they cast many detection spells, everything dazzling Leylin.
Just as Leylin planned to head in a certain direction, an aroma travelled over as Evida followed close behind Leylin, “What is it? Do you wish to head that way, my lord?”
“Mm, I’ll take a look. The floating city will create a huge ruckus when it appears anyway, anyone will be able to find it within the valleys...”
Leylin would always decline invitations from this woman who might have been connected to the gods.
“But the people who enter first will still have better chances. Or am I wrong?” Evida’s beautiful eyes were trained on Leylin as she spoke, hinting at something.
“Do you intend to go this way? I can leave it to you...” Leylin rolled his shoulders back nonchalantly.
This attitude caused Evida to feel doubtful.
“Hehe... How could I steal your path? I was just joking...” She twisted her beautiful hips after she spoke, leading her powerful group away. It caused Leylin to blink. ‘Has this woman discovered something?’
*Rumble!* Something happened all of a sudden. Brilliant holy light rose from one direction, filling the skies with holiness and righteousness.
“Skeleton Lich Ilyo, face your punishment!” A thick voice resounded in the area, laced with a steely determination.
‘It’s a legendary paladin!’ Leylin and the rest of the evil faction showed fear in their eyes, as if they’d met their natural enemy. They stared at the silver light in the sky.
“It’s the Judge!” “Quick, go there! He’s discovered the lich!” The other paladins cheered, brandishing the blades of light in their hands.
They glanced over a few times at Leylin, as if trying to threaten him. It was like they were children whose parents had arrived. Once their legendary took care of Ilyo, they evidently wouldn’t mind wiping out this evil that was Leylin.
“Keke... Felbard, I see that you haven’t died yet...” A cold snicker sounded out, and a dense wave of deathly soul clouds covered the skies. Even the holy light couldn’t penetrate this shroud. A draconic roar sounded as a tremendous two-headed bone dragon rose from the clouds.
“Die!” the legendary paladin exclaimed, his body burning with holy flames as the sword in his hands turned into a pillar of light that broke the dark clouds apart.
The dead spirits separated, revealing a crystal skeleton wearing a black robe. The lich now stood on the head of the ancient dragon, and a wave of his hands caused countless bones to collapse into a decorated shield, withstanding the paladin’s sudden attack.
“It’s him! Ilyo! That must be the place where the floating city is about to appear... Go!” The immense energy undulations alarmed all of those powerful existences, and they darted towards the battlezone.
‘Damn it... he’s so unprofessional at hiding. I was planning to lead a few away...’ Leylin sighed inside and headed in Ilyo’s direction. It was the exact opposite of where he’d intended to go.
Leylin had chosen the wrong path on purpose, hoping to cheat a few of the strong beings. Unfortunately, the appearance of this legendary paladin had spoiled his plans.
“Nobody can obstruct me today” Ilyo announced, and the fire in his eyes blazed brighter as he extended his palm to caress the dragon’s head. the bone dragon.
Legendary Skeletal Strengthening! Boost Legendary Minion! Berserk spell rays launched forth towards the bone dragon. It burst out into an earth-shattering angered snarl, launching a terrifying Dragon Breath that corroded everything in it’s way.
‘Legendary Dragon Breath?’ Seeing the attack, the paladin immediately turned grim. He covered himself in a milky-white armour.
Holy Light Protection! Holy Light Cross Slash! A cross of pillars of light rose in the air, colliding violently with the bone dragon’s breath. The two consumed each other rapidly.
The terrifying storm formed from a battle between two high-ranked legendaries finally caused some fear in the surrounding powerful beings. It was only then that they remembered the reputations of the skeletal lich and the paladin.
Of course, there were some who still proceeded fearlessly, and among them were obviously those with similar strength.
‘Even his pet is legendary. As expected of a high-ranked legendary lich.’ Leylin moved forward unhurriedly, getting closer and closer to the centre of the battle. Terrifying shockwaves swept through the area, but they didn’t even crease his clothing.
Evida now looked extremely grim. The black-robed people behind her all took turns to block the stray ripples from the battle. Seeing Leylin deal with the situation easily, she drew closer to him with a charming smile. “You are indeed powerful! I’m sorry, but I think I might need your help later!”
“My goal is also the floating city, so there’s no way we can work together. The spoils won’t be easy to split...” Leylin apathetically shook his head to reject her.
“You never know. My target isn’t the entire floating city. Besides, we need to work with each other to cope with the people over there...” Evida’s serpent-head whip pointed at the paladins and monk ahead, and she looked relaxed.
“Hm? Crap!” However, at this moment, Leylin’s expression suddenly changed as he retreated a great distance.
“What’s going on?” Evida looked puzzled, and soon felt a surge of spatial force crashing into her body, sending her flying. She coughed up fresh blood, and it trickled down her face. The few black-clothed beings in front of her had been burnt to ashes under the immense force, and nothing was left behind.
*Rumble!* The lich and paladin who were battling in mid-air simultaneously froze, thrown back by a powerful force. An immense spatial storm formed a tornado that wreaked havoc on the area.
Leylin took a look at the moon in the sky. It now looked crimson.
“When the black crows cry out to the blood moon... It’s time! The floating city will teleport here soon. I never expected the storm formed before its appearance would be so violent...”