From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 489 The Actions of Velakis

The Shield Knight's hiding place was cleverly designed. After using fire to eliminate all the rats in the wine cellar, the adventurers quickly found the hidden button in a half-collapsed wall.

Through the secret passage behind the giant wine barrel, the members of the Evil Mind Squad quickly discovered that they were in a circular underground space.

But there was no stale air here; it was even more spacious and brighter than the underground wine cellar of Elf Song.

The crystal chandelier casts a soft glow, illuminating the underground space along with the torches on the walls.

Long before the evil thoughts squad, someone had already arrived here!

“Leezel, you’ve decided to show yourself after all.” Standing in the rotunda was a Githyanki Inquisitor, her subordinates maintaining the portals to the Astral Plane on high platforms on either side of the room.

The female judge's armor gleamed, its numerous battle scars telling tales of her achievements. For the Githyanki living in the Astral Plane, judging a person's strength is not based on their appearance, but on their scars.

"It is said that you are carrying an extremely precious relic? A relic that our noble queen will reclaim at all costs?" The judge's silver greatsword hovered beside her, silently flying up and down.

This was a technique for using psionic energy to wield weapons, which Lyezal had originally believed she could easily master after becoming a Red Dragon Knight. But all of that was now history for her; she would never bow down to Vyrakis again.

“…That relic holds the key to freedom for all the Sons of Gith! We must not let the Lich Queen get her!” Lyezal began to recall his teammates who were adept at using words to subdue enemies. “We are the noble Sons of Gith, not the personal slaves of Vairakis!”

“I know perfectly well what’s inside the Prism. A traitorous prince who will hand us over to the Ghaik (Gishyanki: brain-eating bastard)!” There is no concept of time in the Astral Plane. The Inquisitor has long since lost track of how long he has fought for Vairakis. How could his loyalty be swayed by a mere recruit?
"The head of the imposter heir will become my spoils to offer to Vairakis. And you—" The silver greatsword floating beside the Inquisitor sliced ​​through the air with a heavy hum, "I will leave you nothing but flesh and bone fragments."

"Orpheus is the one who can resist the Mind Flayers! He will become the master of the Empire!" Seeing that a battle was about to break out, Lyezel was not giving up and still tried to persuade the Inquisitor to join him.

But the words that came out of her mouth were interpreted by the judge as a provocation: "Tsk'va! (Giseyanki: Damn it!) You treacherous viper! Geese's bastard son is leading the Geeseyankis to their doom! Only Vlaakith is our future! Ch'mar, zal'a Vlaakith! (Giseyanki: Vlaakith above all else!)"

The Githyanki's psychic power helped the Inquisitor leap high into the air, and the greatsword beside him let out a sharp whistle as it aimed straight for the head of Lyezel.

As a race enslaved by mind flayers for countless years, the Geese also gained psionic potential in their fight against the mind flayers.

This power can help them adjust their posture in the astral plane, and can also be attached to a warrior's weapon to damage enemies.

Some Fiery Specters who specialize in this art can use psychic powers to open portals to communicate with the astral plane.

The female Inquisitor, actually named Harak, was accompanied by several psionic users capable of opening portals. They were known as the Gatekeepers and were the high-ranking combatants responsible for deploying troops for the Githyanki.

Along with the Inquisitor, skilled warriors guarding the portal also launched the attack, using powerful crossbows to fire from their elevated position.

The number of enemies pouring out of the astral portal was more than twice that of the evil squad.

War cries and the clanging of blades roared together, while arrows and magical missiles streaked through the air.

The adventurers had a tacit understanding, and the Githyanki who fought side by side in the starry sea were not a rabble.

"Destroy their portal!" Will summoned a swarm of dark tentacles, trapping the enemies charging from the flank, while simultaneously calling for Gale's magical support, "Archmage! Think of something!"

"I'm trying!" Gale muttered to himself, the resonance with the magic network causing his fingers and eyes to glow with a dangerous magical light.

The Gisyanki, who were attempting to strike the armored professionals in the back row from a high vantage point, were unaware that Gael was also targeting them. Before they could even pull the trigger and fire their crossbow bolts...

The skilled warrior wielding the crossbow felt a shiver run through his very soul.

The instincts honed in battle made the skilled warrior turn around, only to see a terrifying black shadow wielding a scythe.

With a horrifying howl, a shadow of death swept over the heads of the Gis people.

The skilled warrior felt no pain, only a constant chill spreading upwards from his limbs.

When the skilled soldier collapsed to the ground, his body ashen, his comrades still didn't understand how he had died.

In their eyes, the skilled warrior merely glanced back before stiffening and collapsing to the ground.

That was Gale's signature spell as an archmage, Shadow Slayer, which used illusion magic to evoke the deepest fears in the enemy. If the enemy failed the check, they would suffer psychological damage and fall into a state of fear.

For the Gith Yankees, who are experts in psionic power, obtaining this exemption is not difficult, but for ordinary warriors, it is a little troublesome.

Therefore, apart from the Gith Yankee gatekeeper who was maintaining the portal, even the other warriors who had just emerged from the portal became obstacles running around everywhere.

The vampire's dagger gleamed from the shadows and plunged into the body of a Gisyanki man who ran past.

Although Gale's spell controlled one of the portals in the arena, the portal on the other high platform was still continuously sending out Geese reinforcements.

“We need reinforcements!” Karak shouted, grabbing a Githyanki man by the ankle and throwing him toward Judge Harak, who had already subdued Leezer.

The flying greatsword automatically met the enemy, mercilessly cleaving its comrade in two, and then engaged in a fierce battle with Leezel.

The young Star Bay Girls' College student, barely an adult, already bore several wounds, from which bright red blood gushed. Yet, as if tireless, Leizer continued to wield her weapon with unwavering resolve.

"Another portal has been opened!" Will unleashed three bursts of magical energy, knocking away the enemies in front of him one by one, and pointed his Hellrapier at the astral portal in the rotunda.

Karak's hellfire burned even more fiercely as he stood at the door, wielding a giant axe.

However, this time, the ones who came out of the door were not enemies, but allies.

Minsara, clad in heavy armor, and Shadowheart, wielding a heavy shield, were both left behind by a bald, burly man. Upon hearing of the evil enemy, Minsk immediately brandished his greatsword and charged into battle. Seeing that familiar figure, Karak's anger transformed into excitement: "Oh! It's Minsk! Our reinforcements have arrived!"

"Minsk and Bush will kick those greenpigs in the ass!" Minsk's brute force was as impressive as his loud voice.

A Githyanki man fleeing Gael's terrifying phantom was cleaved in two by the greatsword, while another warrior attempting a melee attack was lifted by Leatherman's strongman with one hand and slammed to the ground, whereupon multicolored goo gushed from his head, staining a large patch of ground.

“So—our cozy little team has gained another bald, muscular wall?” Asdellen critically drew his dagger. “I think he’ll definitely come in handy, at least as a doorstop.”

If we take Asderen's words as a welcome, then naturally there are others in the team who don't welcome Minsk's joining.

As the daughter of Baal, even though Evil Thoughts had never seen the Father God's great enemy with her own eyes, the filthy blood of murder within her reacted to Minsk's arrival.

That roaring evil thought surged within her once more; every organ in her body was screaming for the same desire—to end that bald, burly man.

Fortunately, there are still many enemies in the Shield Knight's hideout, allowing Evil to vent his bloodlust.

In the process of fighting against instinct, evil thoughts have become very familiar with the feeling of occasionally seeking a substitute for food.

With the addition of fresh troops from the Astral Prism, the battle quickly became one-sided.

When Ivy floated out of the portal, there was no suspense left.

A high-level dispel spell dispersed the astral portal, cutting off the Gith Yankees' reinforcements.

The long-dormant Beastbite Sword flew up and down, further demoralizing the Astral Orks.

Ivy even had the leisure to use a human immobilization spell to capture a Gieseyanke goalkeeper who had failed to open the gate.

Ivy was very interested in the psychic power of the Gisyanki. By studying this experimental subject, he might also be able to master this power that could be activated simply through willpower.

“This is a great victory…” Leezel pulled a potion from his pocket, took a sip, and said, “But I feel no glory or joy… only anger… My people have lived from birth in the lies of Vairakis… For that liar, they turned their swords against me, offering everything to a demonic lich… Tsk'va! (Giseyanki: Damn it!) Vairakis!”

"A disrespectful traitor is calling upon my name?"

A magical wind surged again in the hall, which was filled with blood and corpses. A pale blue mist obscured the light of the chandeliers and condensed into a huge human figure.

Viraqis, the Lich Queen of the Githyanki.

This is just a phantom, and a phantom at that, devoid of any power, only filled with dazzling light effects.

Velakis hoped to enhance his prestige and demoralize his opponents through this method.

But in Ivy's eyes, this was the most serious bluff.

“You are a traitor, Leezel.” Vellakis once again labeled Star Bay Women’s College.

"You're the traitor!" Leezel was no longer the naive Gith warrior she once was. This short month-long journey had given her a growth far beyond what she had received in the nursery.

“You have deceived us, enslaved us, adorned your rule with lies, and whitewashed the truth with brainwashing! Orpheus is the rightful heir to the empire! You are nothing but a usurper who covets power!” Leezel raised his head, showing no fear of Verakis’s aura.

A mere Star Bay warrior, a Gith Yankee who could be easily crushed with two fingers, dared to question the Queen's authority to her face. The lichization that granted Vairakis a long lifespan did not increase her magnanimity or cunning.

Faced with Leizer's defiance, she could only shout: "Lies! Traitor Voss is lying!"

“Even if you have committed heinous crimes, I am still prepared to give you a chance! Traitor!” As the echoes of the phantom’s voice subsided in the Shield Knights’ hall, the phantom of Vyrakis continued, “We are the Githyanki, we move mountains, we extinguish stars, we shake planes! Voss has deceived you; his so-called Prince of the Comet is nothing but a heretic. He can tear our empire to shreds in an instant. Our vast interstellar territory will shrink to the size of a pinhead!”

“Return to the Astral Prism and slay the Heretic Prince!” Vyrakis’s eyes gleamed. “Serve me, and I will promote you. Not just a warrior, not just a Kith’rak. You will become my personal guard, the Red Dragon Commander, my one and only, my chosen one!”

"Ha—" Ivy finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Vellakis's empty promises were interrupted by laughter, and all eyes were on Ivy.

The Gith Yankees master, frozen in place by Ivy, the Lich Queen Vairakis appearing as a phantom, and Leezel, who is choking on a pancake.

“You defied my will out of ignorance, mage.” Vairakis could no longer pretend Ivy didn’t exist. “But I warn you, Vairakis’ patience has its limits, and you do not wish to witness my wrath!”

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty.” Ivy apologized insincerely, but Vellakis seemed pleased. “All empty promises without any substance, I think that’s why Voss betrayed you.”

"Veracis is never stingy with its rewards!" the Lich Queen raised her voice again. "Even if you eliminate Orpheus, you will still become one of my chosen ones!"

“It’s the same old trick again.” Ivy shook her head regretfully. “You haven’t learned even the slightest lesson.”

Verakis was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What do you want? A mage?"

Ivy glanced at the Gith Yankees leader, who was glaring at her angrily: "I've been researching psionic energy lately, and I just happened to capture a prisoner. Perhaps you could get her to cooperate a little?"

"Sect Leader Elaine." To Ivy's surprise, Vyracis directly ordered the prisoner, "Cooperate with the mage; he lacks the aptitude to obtain psionic power, then seize the opportunity to kill the heretical prince! If you succeed, you will also become one of my chosen ones!"

"Remember, mortals. My gaze is always on you. With each day the heretical prince lives, my rage grows stronger! If my patience runs out, I will personally tear flesh from your bones and devour your brains as you beg for death! I will devour you and return you to nothingness!" With these harsh words, Vairakis vanished without a trace.

Ivy didn't even understand her reasoning for doing this. It was as if her brain wasn't fully developed, her cerebellum was completely underdeveloped, and her brainstem had been lost during the lichization process.

(End of this chapter)