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I TURNED AND RAISED MY HEAD. The observers seated on the very lowest floor of the main treehouse were silent. The necromancers must have decided to storm the city in one place, rather than spread their forces too thin. As an aside, now I see how they were able to get past all the magic traps on the way to the city. Somehow, they could deactivate the alarm threads, then their method was simple, crude but effective. They sent a horde of low-level undead out in front to drain the mana from the traps by dying in them. On top of all that, using a very powerful spell, they were able to conceal this whole army from us.
And now they were going to try the same trick. Low-level undead were hobbling toward our walls, barely moving their feet. In their path was one final small circle of traps. The hardest to get past.
“Save your fury scrolls!” Gus shouted loudly to the archers. He must have also realized what our foe was up to. I must give our garrison commander his due. He got a handle on his shock very quickly and was already hard at work giving out commands to the headmen. “Fire when ready with regular arrows! Those rotten freaks are very weak!”
“Totally lethargic,” the ever-present Wheeze commented on the shambling march of the dead. “They must have scavenged up all these bodies on the steppe. They’re trying to overwhelm us with numbers.”
The herd of zombies really was a mixed bag starting with half-decomposed orc bodies and ending with all kinds of little animals like steppe jackals. The half-decomposed living corpses swayed from side to side as they walked. One that was missing several limbs just crawled along stubbornly, carrying out the will of its masters.
Gradually, the area between the forest and the city wall started to fill up with undead. Gus and I traded glances.
“They want us to use the traps,” I said.
“Our archers are doing just fine for now,” the troop commander nodded.
The archers were indeed doing just fine. Arrows were raining down on the corpses, cutting wide swaths into their ranks. For the most part, the weak zombies only needed one or two hits to go down, their average level being approximately twelve.
“What is their scheme?” Wheeze asked directly.
“They want us to stick to their plan,” I responded while watching the zombies fall. “They want to wear us down. They’re trying to get us to waste magic energy. And all this time, they’re barely spending any of their mana.”
“So, what should we do?”
“Wait for them to make a mistake and try not to make one ourselves.”
Meanwhile, the situation on the battlefield had changed a bit. Some of the undead were now clearly different, faster than their lumbering counterparts. The fast ones were also higher level.
“Those ones are carrying bags, too,” came Wheeze, staring closely into the jumble of dead bodies and limbs. “Just like our... umm... well the ones that basically... that used to be our guys...”
The last words Wheeze sputtered out as if embarrassed by his weakness. Whatever happened to the quarrelsome foxman who was always ready to argue until he’s hoarse? The things the necromancers had done to his fallen comrades wounded even such a thick-skinned skeptic as Wheeze to the depths of his soul. At the very least, now I know this foxman can experience compassion.
Gus also noticed the faster ones.
“Archers, target the quick ones first!” he barked. “They cannot get close to the wall!”
Using magic vision, the things the runners were carrying looked like balls of pure blackness. The Great System did not identify them. Otherworldly sorcery, no two ways about it.
And then finally the first quick one, in a past life a stocky broad-shouldered orc, took an arrow straight to the face. Its head jerked back but its body and legs kept moving forward out of inertia. After taking two steps, the dead body fell on its back and the bag slipped out of its hands right at the feet of the zombie walking behind him. An instant later, the corpse that touched the black substance transformed into a cloud of gray dust.
“Abyss!” exclaimed Wheeze, a man who had seen everything. Then he shouted out full-throated:
“Shoot the fast brutes with the bags!”
The archers were loosing arrows like wind-up dolls, first targeting the quick ones with their dangerous cargo. But with every minute, there were more and more of them. And before being laid to rest, they were making it further and further. When one of the bag-carriers just about reached the walls, falling to several arrows just five paces from the ditch, I realized it was time to thin the attackers’ ranks.
One after the next, I activated a few fire traps turning hundreds of the undead to ash. It was obviously not enough though. I was getting the impression the necromancers were just getting into the swing of things. After the fire magic, ice and water magic came crashing down on the attackers as well.
The archers were drinking down potions for the second time already to restore their energy. If things kept going at this pace, the daily limit would not be far off. But the dead just kept coming and coming in a nonstop flow. They seemed to all be holding balls of darkness in their hands.
“Foolish little hunter!” the mocking voice in my head made me shudder a bit. “Have you really not yet realized who you’re tangling with, little Gunnar-spawn? You think you’ll be able to run away to one of the lost worlds like the founder of your good-for-nothing order? Ha-ha! Naive! Surrender if you know what’s good for you! Let Egbert have his toy! And I promise you will become my closest slave! Believe me, those close to me live very well! You won’t regret it!”
Strange as it may have been, the hideous voice brought me to my senses. I shook my head, ran a hand over my eyes and looked out into the darkened forest.
“Who are you?!” I barked.
“Oh!” the voice lit up. “Finally, the kid speaks up. I am a man who was once celebrated as a hero! Conqueror of Darkness and Death! Ha-ha! I’m sure you’ve read of my deeds in your history books.”
I frowned. Conqueror of Death? Hold up! So this is...? Impossible! But it’s been so many years! I think I know who the goddess Fortuna has brought into my path on the field of battle. Okay then, let’s see...
“Conqueror of Darkness and Death?” I asked, adding a dubious edge to my voice. “I know only one hero that goes by that name. But he died many centuries ago.”
“Hundreds of years. Thousands... It makes no difference! Plus, who better than you should know that Primordials can be brought back to life? Ha-ha!”
I chuckled. Let’s see how immovable you really are.
“And whose heart and blood were you given?” I asked with mockery in my voice. “Your older brother King Nidas’? The one you betrayed? Huh? Cat got your tongue, eh, Udun?”
The creep proved quite difficult to get riled up.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” the voice exclaimed with admiration. “You’ve caught me by surprise yet again, little hunter. You know of my brother, too? But how? I’m simply bursting with impatience and curiosity!”
I wish you would burst, freak!
“Actually, wait!” the voice exclaimed. “The Labyrinth of Fright! Right? What year did you visit?”
“I saw the attack on the palace with my own eyes,” I answered in spite of myself.
“Oh! I assume that’s where you also saw the demons being summoned from the portal? After that, all you had to do was put two and two together ― and then you know about the Steel Crown! I can only imagine Egbert’s face when he hears this story. Ha-ha! After all, he was just racking his brains over how you managed to do all this with the foxfolk and the ancient tomb! The crown is there, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”
I laughed. I’m the one who told you that.
The strange conversation didn’t stop me from using the walkways to go from one side of the wall to the other. My ice arrows, rams and lightning were flying at the walking corpses. But despite all our efforts, the enemy onslaught was only growing in intensity. I would have to use one of my powerful spells very soon. But that’s exactly what this bastard is trying to achieve.
Casting yet another ice arrow, I looked around the battlefield. Something had seemingly changed... First of all, Udun, when he saw I was ignoring him, finally shut his trap, and second...
“What’s second?” I muttered, staring feverishly at the oncoming wave of zombies. “Hey, Eric! You just noticed something! Well, look again! Come on!”
What if...? Deactivating magic vision, I looked at the world through normal eyes. A moment to adapt... And ― there it is!
Through the crowd of low-level zombies, two wraiths were inexorably approaching the wall. The beasts were not large. They easily blended in with the rest of the crowd. Narrow shoulders, dry skin, wiry bodies, little heads. Looks like I’m the only one who’s noticed. Though they were trying to camouflage themselves, they were betrayed by their sharp and quick movements. I looked closer. Abyss! Level one hundred twenty!
When I switched back to magic vision, I felt a chill run down my spine. Nearer the far end of the wall, a shadow made up of lots of balls of darkness was coming in quick bounding leaps toward the wall. The wraiths were staring at the uncanny shadow.
“Take cover!” I shouted with all my might, pointing out the oncoming danger to the wall defenders.
I was too late to activate a trap or spell. The eerie shadow flew over the ditch and jumped up on the wall. The guard vines started reaching for the trespasser but fell straight to ash. The Shadow swatted them off like bothersome flies.
Copying its master’s jump, the wraith, which I no longer doubted was being controlled by a necromancer, started to climb up the wall, windmilling its arms and legs. All the while, they were very nimbly dodging the arrows, darts and spears flying at them.
I ran along the walkways, bellowing with impotence. I was too late.
Meanwhile, the Shadow climbed up and made it over the parapet, destroying a few guard vines in the process. And a moment later, I saw the bodies of my warriors begin to fall into black ash.
“Mare!” Udun spoke up again. “Terrible little thing! Just couldn’t wait. Got ahead of herself. Her lack of restraint is always causing trouble!”
Mare... Mare... Sounds very familiar. As I ran, I was trying feverishly to remember where I might have heard that name before.
“Little hunter, just where do you think you’re going?” Udun’s voice asked warily in my head. “You weren’t really trying to fight the Demon of the Night, were you? Stop, you fool! You cannot even imagine how much effort it cost me to convince her not to hurt you! Stop, I’m telling you! You belong to me!”
I raced forward with no regard for where I was stepping. My heart seemed about to jump out of my chest. Mare is a Demon of the Night! I remembered who Udun was talking about. Another scary story from old fairy tales. An emissary of Death itself. And that brute was about to kill my brethren.
“You will not get the better of her, you mutton head!” Udun tried to exhort me. “Stop! Your warriors are already beyond saving!”
“Now we’ll just have to see about that!” I barked, taking out the Black Widow’s mask as I went.
Just in the nick of time. Both of the wraiths had just made it over the parapet and were preparing to fight back the attacking foxfolk.
I focused my attention on the brutes, and the system immediately asked if I wanted to take them under my control.
“Yes!” I barked, and when the pair of monsters froze in place, I waved a hand at their master. “Kill!”
“Curious,” Udun commented straight away. I heard surprise in his voice. “You’ve caught me by surprise again, little hunter. Now you simply must become my slave!”
The wraiths shot off like a pair of arrows loosed by a capable archer. I then activated avatar of chaos and followed them with a fearsome growl. All that time, it was like I could feel Gorgie’s impatient gaze on the back of my head. The harn was with Mee and had been given clear instructions not to leave the gremlin’s side. I didn’t blame him one bit, though. Gorgie was raring for a fight. Good thing I recalled the whipsnakes. It’s easier to hold back one beggar than three.
The fact that they lost control over their beasties did not go unnoticed. The Shadow, which was crushing my warriors before, froze and turned in my direction. Right then, the wraiths went racing at their former master. She didn’t stay in one place either. A bounding leap and she landed in the internal courtyard. Battle ready. Only then did I notice that I had just one wraith left at my command. Mare had somehow managed during her jump to slay the high-level creature in one blow.
The second monster didn’t live long, either. From the Demon of the Night’s hands came a small ball of darkness which plunged into the wraith’s body. Nothing but ash landed on the ground.
The Shadow froze. I instantly sensed a look of anger on me. A bounding leap and I was twenty paces from the beast.
“Mare!” Udun exclaimed. “Don’t you dare kill him! Remember our agreement! He’s mine!”
The Shadow twitched. And I heard a rasping woman’s voice full of all-consuming hatred.
“Our agreement is no longer in force, Udun! He came to me on his own. Beyond that, I’m just furious! He just made me kill my best pets!”
“He knows a lot!” Udun tried to convince her. “Egbert needs him alive!”
“Ha!” the Shadow laughed. “Do I have to teach you how to extract information from the dead?!”
“His blood, Mare! His blood is valuable!”
“Egbert can find another ancient! Since when did we start doing everything that pitiable descendent of the Ironskin says?”
“Watch your tongue, Mare!” I heard tension in Udun’s voice.
“I don’t give a damn!” the Shadow waved it off. “And if you’re worried the old man will tell Egbert what I said... Well... Then I’ll kill the old man, too. I’m sure we can summon a powerful spirit by feeding him to the portal. By the way, I still can’t understand how this nonentity managed to kill the guide we summoned.”
They were talking about me. Okay then. Go on. I’m listening.
“Mare!” Udun exclaimed. I wonder what spell he’s using. He is after all somewhere in the forest, but somehow can see everything going on inside our walls. I had a hard time stopping myself from looking around. “Mare! I’m begging you!”
“I must punish him!” the Shadow jerked and came floating smoothly my way.
That’s all. Conversation time is over. Udun shut up as well. He must be mad at his friend.
I activated chaos shield and went up closer to the Shadow. Mare was amused by that. I heard scornful laughter.
“Stupid, puny human! Do you think that can protect you from my rage?”
“How about this?” I barked with a smirk and activated shield of light.
I followed that up with Weakness, Fracture, and Ice Golem’s Breath. I realized my chances weren’t great in close combat with such a nimble opponent, so I was attacking the Shadow from afar.
“Oh, you are a little weasel!” Mare hissed, easily brushing off my ice arrows. And alas, ram and lightning did nothing to her, either. But the golem’s icy breath did slow her down noticeably. She was no longer moving quite as fast as before. “Udun! Where’d he get your brother’s spell from?!”
Was it just me, or did I just hear notes of panic in Mare’s voice? Udun didn’t respond.
“We’re so touchy!” Mare shouted out angrily. “Now I’m definitely gonna kill him!”
Realizing she could not reach me, Mare cast a few balls of darkness my way. One of them turned into a wraith in midair. I dodged the spirit and another two hit me in the chest and leg. And nothing happened. The shield of light had no trouble absorbing the dark missiles and barely even dipped.
“Is that all the legendary Demon of the Night can do?!” I roared out, casting an ice spear of chaos as I did. And just then, guessing where the Shadow would jump to, I activated stone spikes.
That was greeted by a roar from hundreds of throats. I quickly looked around. The foxfolk were watching our duel closely though keeping a respectful distance. So, they can see her without magic vision now. That’s good. The beast was starting to expend lots of energy. And as everyone knows, necromancers cannot use normal mana.
As expected, Mare easily dodged the spear and nearly avoided making contact with the spikes. She was not so lucky. One spike hit her. But it didn’t stop her. I realized something. The shadow around her body is not only camouflage, but a shield as well.
“Mites!” I shouted loudly.
And an instant later, dozens of spheres went flying toward the brute from all sides. The Shadow raced to and fro, trying to dodge the mites flying her way, but there were too many of them. A few seconds later, its energy no longer refilling, Mare’s shield began to dissolve. Arrows went flying, reinforced by scrolls of fury.
“Udun!” Mare wailed. “I need help! Udun!”
Her voice no longer contained any superiority or haughtiness. All that remained was the animal fear of a dying beast.
Finally, the Shadow that once covered Mare’s body disappeared to reveal a short woman with a pale face and animal eyes like a feral cat’s. Arrows were sticking out of her chest, stomach and back. Her right arm was hanging limp while the second, shivering, was holding tight to a long, curved blade.
“Udun!” she rasped. Black blood was spilling out of her mouth, running down her chin and cheeks. “Traitor! You turned your back on me!”
But Udun didn’t let out a single word.
I walked up to the Primordial in silence. She gave a clumsy lurch forward. She tried to stab me with her blade, but I easily dodged and landed a counter. Dragonfly easily pierced her left temple, and the system told me I had won. I stared unblinking at the dead body of the legendary monster and gradually came to my senses. And then, I saw the loot message.
— Attention! The Higher Powers smile upon you! You have replicated the legendary feat of Tenazeer the Illustrious for a second time! You have defeated a Primordial being!
— Congratulations! You receive:
— Drop of Primordial blood (7).
— Primordial Heart (1).
— Attention! The heavens bless you! You have replicated the legendary feat of Togrem Thunder! You have defeated a Supreme Follower of Darkness!
— Congratulations! You receive:
— Experience essence (100000).
― Diamond tablet (20)
— Gold tablet (50).
— Silver tablet (200).
— Monster Hunter Token (1000).
― Large Orb of Darkness (200).
— Iridescent tablet “Footstep of the Light.”
— Attention! The heavens bless you! You have accomplished a legendary deed! You have defeated Mare Demon of the Night!
— Congratulations! You receive:
— Demon of the Night’s Sword (1).