Chapter 93: 91
The crystal hall, illuminated by the rays of the sun, twisted columns going high up, giant frescoes on which, alas, nothing can be made out, as well as a giant throne on which the owner of this place was currently sitting. Thin, with sunken eyes, deathly pale skin - much whiter than usual, a palisade of teeth exposed through an animal grin, as well as an aura, wild, devouring everything, but no less insane.
In the shadow of the throne, right behind its "back" stood your humble servant, pretending to be weak-willed. A stooped figure, limp arms hanging down like ropes, a lowered head with "dead" eyes, covered with overgrown hair of a "chestnut" color (it's been so long since I washed it...). In a word - a weak-willed slave, resigned to his fate.
So new, but also so old. Who would have thought that I would be here not as a guest, but as a "slave" of the owner? I - no, a vampire - perhaps. During the time that I was not here (I wonder how long I was in captivity of pain?) he did not change at all, he only acquired a chain extending from one of the walls on which Al was planted in animal form. At the moment, the giant wolf was sleeping, twitching his left ear every now and then. Has he been completely brainwashed, or are the chains holding him as a prisoner, like me before? I think I'll find out soon.
Standing behind the back of the throne, I looked at the situation next to me and the vampire, expecting something, not understanding "what" exactly. About three minutes later something happened.
First, the giant doors creaked (how can ice creak?), and then with a roar they fell off their hinges and "entered" the wall next to the throne, about half its length. Impressive. Incredible strength.
As soon as the fog formed from the ice had settled down, the figure who committed this atrocity appeared to us, or rather two figures, both, by the way, not alive.
The first figure was a giant golom, resembling a mixture of a gorilla and a lizard. The giant body, made of dark metal, was "blazing" with runes that were inscribed all over its body. In magical vision, they absorbed an incredible amount of mana, so large that it was scary. What can this thing do with such power consumption? What if she jerks?
The second figure was also a golem, only this time consisting directly of the bodies of the dead. His whole body resembled an interweaving of vines, only the vines replaced corpses. Each body was "stitched" with the next one. From different parts of the body, arms stuck out here and there. Once living intelligent. The gigantic pile of flesh simply "blazed" with necrotic energy.
Both golems were awe-inspiring simply by existing. It costs a lot to create them and then subjugate them. This also requires considerable skill. Someday I will achieve the same. It's only a matter of time.
Quite quickly for their size, the giants "ran" into the throne room, blocking any possible oncoming fire. After standing in one place for a few seconds, they went in different directions.
Following them, our comrades emerged from the doorway in battle formation. Everyone was here: Flitwick, Sol, Fox, Croco, Ogrim, and also Susan. All of them were in full combat readiness, hung with all possible charms, and also with serious faces. I wonder how they got here? If everything works out, I'll try to find out more.
As soon as the necromancer appeared, my "master" naturally "blown away" the roof. I didn't even need to listen to feel the whole range of feelings that possessed him at the moment. What was there: love, almost turning into mania, rage, hatred, tenderness, and also pain. Look how it squashes, even the hand that had previously been calmly lying on the armrest squeezed it with a crunch.
Slowly, examining every meter of space, our comrades moved forward, of course the golems walked ahead of them.
As soon as they crossed some invisible line, the hall was deafened by the voice of its "owner":
"I see you were in no hurry," Ed began slowly, drawing out each word. "I already thought you got lost on the way, I'm so tired of waiting," he was sure at that moment he rolled his eyes, thereby expressing his disdain for the actions. - Well, what did you come with, "comrades"?
His words died down and the hall was filled with silence, only the sounds of breathing echoed throughout the "crystal" room. Everyone looked at the vampire in shock, as if they couldn't believe their eyes. Only two were different: Croco, who was collected even in such a situation, and Sol, whose once wary gaze was swallowed up by relief and love. She was ready to fall to the ground right there and start crying with happiness. It's a pity for her, the others won't feel sorry for Ed if he starts acting weird. And he will start, he's in such a fighting mood.
- Well? You'll be silent for a long time, I still have things to do, you know," Ed said, as if he were a king, and everyone else was a bastard who came to see him.
The first, as expected, was the half goblin to come to his senses. Having looked around the space next to the vampire (you never know there are enemies nearby), he tenaciously stared at the "Dark Lord", tracking the smallest facial expressions on his face.
- Ed, can you explain what's going on here? - he said slowly, choosing his words. - Also, what did you do with Al and where is Calder? - He nodded his head (in emotions, wariness was intertwined with combat readiness) at the figure of the wolf, which was so successfully hidden behind the column, which is why his figure was not visible to the rest of the detachment.
Moving slightly, all members of the squad were able to see the werewolf. Disbelief and shock, this is what took possession of them, well, except for Sol. She was still devouring the vampire's figure with her eyes. Eh, there will be problems with her.
- How do you understand this, fanged one? — the combat gnome was the first to break down, turning his angry eyes to Ed. - What have you done here? Well answer! — in response only a contemptuous smile, which inflamed Og even more. - If you don't answer yourself, I'll force you!
Taking a step forward, the gnome thereby gave a signal to the golem to act. In an instant, a mountain of metal fell towards the vampire. The runes began to fall even more.
"Stupid," Ed said mockingly and waved his hand imposingly.
The castle trembled, ice crumbs fell, and a shadow swallowed it. Raising my head up, I just caught the moment when the dragon's bone paw broke through the ceiling and attacked the golem.
He was defeated in an instant and flew in the opposite direction like a bullet. Another trembling in the castle, but no one paid attention to it. Everyone's attention was directed to the dragon.
The Lich himself, like a faithful fighting dog, settled down behind the vampire, right on the ruins of the wall and looked expectantly at the squad with his lights instead of eyes. Hmm, blue flame...
- So what do you think? Impressed? Ed said arrogantly. — Meet my pet Lich Pestilence.
Fear, that's exactly what I felt at the moment. The entire squad froze, momentarily forgetting how to breathe. The dragon inspired, but what is even more impressive is that the vampire was able to subdue him in some unprecedented way.
"Ed, answer one question," Flitwick said calmly, as best he could. "It was you from the very beginning, wasn't it?" All this: the dead that appeared after your reconnaissance, Al's wound, the attack on our camp, and after that your abduction? Although it's a stupid question, of course, you," the half-goblin himself answered his own question to the light laughter of the vampire. Quietly, slowly... - Why Ed? What motivates you?
The hall fell into silence. The "rescue" squad stood waiting for an answer, and the vampire began to boil. The fangs of the branch were even larger, claws instead of nails pierced the ice throne, and the eyes began to naturally glow with mana.
- For what? For what? How dare you ask me these questions! — the vampire answered, turning to shouting. - It's your fault! All! Og with his jokes, Croco with his instructions, you," he pointed with his finger. "They put in their place not me, but a pathetic dog," a wave of the hand and paws of the calmly lying werewolf pierce the ice spears that grew from the floor.
Al woke up instantly and whined pitifully. At the same moment, the necrogoal rushed to his rescue.
A swing of the bone tail and the figure of the werewolf along with the golem fly away from the hall.
- Al! - Susan shouted and was about to rush in his direction, but at the last moment she pulled herself together and turned her gaze to the vampire. - Why Ed? What happened to you? I do not recognize you…
- Don't recognize me? You? YOU? - Oh, it looks like he's completely gone. - SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU FUCKING WHORE! What, as soon as the mongrel became a squad leader, you immediately jumped into his bed? Yes of course. And Ed is no longer needed!
- What you…
- Shut up. Shut up! BE SILENT! - Ed yelled, grabbing his head with his hands and squeezing it forcefully. - ALL OF YOU, SHUT UP!
With his last scream, a dome of mana hit him. Necromancers. It looks like he finally and without turning decided to become a dead man.
The sound of a whistle cut through the air. With a clang, something collided with the dragon's paw, becoming an obstacle between the "something" and the vampire. Having turned over a couple of times in the air, this "something" fell at my feet. The blade of the "Mage Killer" flashed in a ray of sun.
Lowering the hand with which he had thrown the dagger, Flitwick clutched the shelf tighter.
- Enough talk. It's time to end this," obeying his words, the squad was about to attack, but...
- Ed! — Sol jumped out of the squad and rushed towards the vampire. At the last moment Croco wanted to catch her, but did not have time. A dragon blocked his way.
The elf ran up to the vampire and squeezed him in her arms.
"Ed, it's me, Sol," she whispered to him. - Calm down, that's enough. Let's finish all this and go far, far away, as we dreamed of. Let's?
The tense vampire fell, hugging Sol.
"Yes, you're right," he whispered. I feel sorry for her...
"Then..." she said hopefully.
"It's time to finish," madness flared up with incredible force.
The right hand pierced the elf's chest. Raising her body in front of him, Ed looked dispassionately at her face, filled with disbelief, and then, like an ordinary piece of meat, threw it aside.
A curtain. Shock, awe, disbelief. Perhaps I could have saved her, but then I would have died myself. Madness finally seized the vampire; he could no longer adequately perceive this reality. I feel this very well, as well as the pain of one elf...
- Sol! - Lis exclaimed, and then turned her gaze to Ed. - You bastard! Die!
Hundreds of air blades flew towards the vampire. Killing intent permeated the air, creating ominous illusions. Alas, they did not achieve their goal. Once again, the vampire was saved by a tame dragon, offering his paw.
This Lich feels somehow strange. He's having a lot of fun. Joy overwhelms him. How did you subdue the vampire? After all, somehow he achieved such a result.
"I think you've had enough," Ed said with a wave of his hand. Then he turned in the direction where I was standing and added: "Calder, let's go."
Slowly, like a dead man, I came out of my "niche" and followed him. It was at that moment that the others noticed me; before that, only Flitwick saw me.
- Hurry up, Slave! - the vampire shouted impatiently. You'll have to speed up a little.
- Little one! - Og shouted and rushed towards us. Along the way, I took out several steel figures and threw them in front of me. In a couple of moments, they grow to the same dimensions as the memorial golem.
- How tired of you! Drop by like flies! - Once again the vampire could not stand it. - Pestilence! Kill them all! Leave no trace of them!
- R-R-A-A! - The bone dragon roared, raising its mouth to the sky. As if this was a trigger, the dead crawled out of all the cracks. Barely dragging their feet, they headed towards the detachment.
After looking for a couple of seconds at the unfolding picture, the vampire moved on. I followed. Walking next to Sol, I pretended to trip and fall next to her, placing one of my hands on her.
- Hurry up! Stop lying around! - Ed shouted without turning around.
Slowly standing up, he trudged after him. I hope this will help her survive.
We slowly moved towards the exit from the hall, and a fierce battle was taking place behind us. Mana flowed like a river, the dead roared, golems broke heads. The fury of the fight gripped everyone.
I hope we'll see each other again.
Slowly the door closed behind me, cutting us off from the throne room. There is no turning back anymore.
- "How fun it is. Don't you think this situation is funny? Young Devourer ," an unfamiliar voice rumbled in my head.
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