Evil Red Dragon

Chapter 85 Relics

Ah, what a perfect plan!

Alecto happily led his retinue to the back of the knights' ranks to slack off, letting the church take the lead. They only needed to clear out any stragglers on the flanks, and the pressure eased dramatically.

Linus couldn't very well tell Alecto to leave; after all, Alecto had just shown him loyalty, and it would be too unfair for him to turn his back on him the next second—it also went against the principles of the Church of Light.

Forget it, as long as we find that necromancer, we can quickly deal with it. Let this red dragon go wherever it wants, as long as it stays peaceful and doesn't cause any trouble.

With that in mind, Linus turned a blind eye to Alecto's actions.

The battle continues.

Holy spells are still too powerful against the undead. A paladin can easily cast a spell-level Holy Light Baptism, causing thick black smoke to rise from the charging skeleton warriors and slowing them down.

The effect was comparable to that of a regular level three spell, which greatly relieved their pressure.

In the ranks of adventurers behind him, Marcus casually smashed the still-crackling skull, then looked at a tall, large iron lump in front of him.

I have a feeling that this aura is so familiar, as if I encountered it not long ago.

Marcus looked at it more and more, and it seemed increasingly familiar. That height, that build, that spiked club—WTF! Isn't that the Dragonborn?!

He was wearing a whole set of thick, large iron armor, and I almost didn't recognize him.

Not long ago they were fighting to the death, but now they're all in cahoots again.

Fate is truly an unfathomable thing.

Marcus felt a surge of resentment, but since he couldn't defy Linus's actions, he could only vent his anger on the dead.

The battles were like an endless tide, one wave after another.

Holy light and the black mist of the dead clashed repeatedly in the dark underground cave, blurring the concept of time, leaving only exhaustion, panting, and the crisp sound of swords shattering bones.

Thirteen hours later, the two makeshift teams were still struggling to advance through the passage filled with corpses.

The golden flames on Alekto's body no longer burned as fiercely as they had at the beginning, but in fact, he recovered extremely quickly, with very little actual consumption.

Cyril, on the other hand, is working very hard. His magic power is almost depleted, and he is relying entirely on the powerful physique of the dragon race to keep going.

The situation for the Holy Knights is slightly better, but only by a small margin.

A hundred knights took turns advancing, maintaining a tight formation, but their bodies beneath heavy armor were already soaked in sweat, and their arms trembled from wielding their weapons for so long.

While holy light can purify the dead, it cannot dispel physical fatigue.

Andrei was like a reef, always at the forefront. Every time his sword struck, it still carried an overwhelming holy light, but the sword's momentum was no longer as smooth and fluid as it had been at the beginning, and occasionally a slight stagnation would appear.

The worst off were the adventurers and mercenaries led by Marcus.

Their strengths varied greatly, and their equipment was far inferior to that of the paladins.

After thirteen hours of fierce fighting, the original team had been reduced by nearly 30%, and most of the remaining members were injured, with morale at its lowest point.

If they hadn't been surrounded by powerful figures and hadn't had no way to escape, they probably would have collapsed long ago.

"The quantity—finally, has begun to decrease."

Linus's voice was hoarse and dry; the large-scale divine spells he continuously cast placed a tremendous burden on his magic and mental strength.

The scepter in his hand had also become much dimmer.

"The undead density has dropped significantly; we are getting closer to the source."

This news cheered everyone up.

Alecto shook his head, kicked the half-skull on the ground away, and the golden flames flickered slightly: "Finally—if this had continued, my treasure would have started complaining to me in my dreams."

His followers suffered minimal losses. Under the command of Gru and Gronn, the trolls and orcs took turns resting, relying on their strong physique and defense to hold on, but exhaustion was etched on every face.

"Stay vigilant."

Andrei suppressed the burning sensation in his chest and gave the order in a deep voice.

"The necromancer may be ahead. Knights, tighten your formation and prepare the Divine Protection Barrier."

The group moved forward slowly again.

The passageway widened, and the rock walls on both sides gradually became smoother, with faint reliefs remaining on them. The content had long been eroded by time and was difficult to decipher, and the stale atmosphere of death grew stronger.

After rounding another huge bend, the view suddenly opened up before us.

An unimaginably vast underground space was revealed to everyone.

It's like a plaza forgotten underground, with towering domes shrouded in deep darkness.

The ground was paved with huge stone slabs, and the cracks were filled with pale moss that emitted a faint glow.

At the end of the square stands a majestic pyramid made of some kind of black rock, yet with the colonnade structure of a classical temple, its style bizarre and strange.

The most eye-catching part is the center of the square.

There stand three giant stone pillars, each tens of meters high, arranged in a triangle, their surfaces covered with complex and dizzying magical runes.

At this moment, these runes were flashing with an ominous dark red light, forming a huge hemispherical barrier that enveloped the entire pyramid entrance.

The barrier's light membrane flowed, with runes flashing across its surface from time to time, fiercely clashing with the dark red light and constantly emitting a buzzing sound.

Outside the barrier, on the plaza, a glance at the view was enough to send chills down one's spine.

Tens of thousands of spirits stood silently, like the most loyal guards, facing inward, protecting the barrier and the three stone pillars in the center.

These undead were not lowly ghouls and skeletons; they were all death knights clad in full runic armor, skeletal mages with soul fire burning in their eye sockets, and vengeful banshees floating in mid-air, dragging their pale, ghostly forms.

They remained silent, radiating a suffocating pressure.

In the center of the triangular area formed by the three stone pillars, outside the barrier's light membrane, a figure stood with his back to the crowd.

He wore a worn-out but still recognizable black robe, with faded gold thread embroidered on the hem.

He was tall and thin, with lifeless gray hair cascading over his shoulders, and held a bone-white staff in his hand.

At this moment, he was tilting his head slightly, staring intently at the constantly flickering barrier, seemingly unaware of the large group of guests that were rushing in behind him.

A terrifying aura of death, like a tangible tide, spread outwards from him.

Andrei's pupils contracted sharply, and Linus gripped the scepter tightly.

Level 8 Necromancer.

"Finally—I've found you."

Linus's voice was as soft as a sigh, yet it carried an undisguised gravity.

Ancient ruins, a protective barrier still in operation, and an eighth-level necromancer attempting to break through it —

This far exceeded their initial estimates.

Andrei slowly raised his longsword, the tip pointing at the figure in the distance. Holy light rose again, but it was not as intense as before, and it was more subdued.

"In the name of light, evil shall stand still!"

The sound echoed in the empty square.

The figure finally moved.

He slowly turned around, his movements stiff yet strangely fluid.

Beneath the hood was a pale, thin, handsome but bloodless face, with two slowly rotating flames of the soul in its eye sockets.

His gaze swept over the Holy Knights, who were on high alert, then over the pale-faced Linus, lingering for a moment on Alexoth, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes, before finally settling back on Andrei.

"bright?"

The necromancer spoke, his voice dry and hoarse, like two bones rubbing against each other.

"A nauseating stench—and a—red dragon? What a rare guest."

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"I have been studying the mysteries of the Triangle Gate here for nearly 10 years, and it is rare to have so many offerings come to me willingly."

As he spoke, the thousands of undead in the square turned their heads at the same time and looked at the intruder.

The silent pressure was like ice water poured over their heads, making Marcus and the others' legs go weak.

"10?"

Alecto stared intently at the necromancer: "So, the ghoul horde above, and our perfectly timed encounter, were all orchestrated by you? To lure us, your sacrifices, here to help you break through this turtle shell?"

He instantly grasped the situation.

The mine collapse was not accidental. It was caused by the old monster deliberately collapsing the rock strata after sensing the mining, and manipulating the ghouls in some way, both to capture kobolds as materials and to fish for them.

When the church was clearing out the ghouls, he may have sensed the aura of holy light, so he deliberately guided it and created this coincidental encounter, all to use the power of both sides to break through the defensive barrier of this ruin!

"clever."

The necromancer, or perhaps more accurately, the lich, though he still retains a humanoid appearance.

He nodded approvingly: "The Soul Devouring Barrier requires fresh life and soul energy, especially powerful souls, to accelerate its decay. Your arrival has saved me a lot of trouble in collecting them."

He raised his bone staff and gently tapped the ground.

hum!

The dark red light on the three stone pillars suddenly became dazzling, and countless twisted blood-red patterns appeared on the ground of the entire square, forming a huge magic circle covering the entire square.

A powerful suction force came, and everyone felt a sudden jolt of energy and disorientation, as if something was being drawn out of their bodies.

"Sacrifice Array!"

Linus cried out in alarm, slamming his scepter down: "Hold fast to your will! Protect me with the light!"

The holy light spread out instantly from him, barely resisting the suction force targeting his soul.

The paladins prayed in unison, and the holy light united into one.

The golden flames on Alecto's body intensified; the dragon's soul was naturally powerful, and he was the least affected.

But the adventurers weren't so lucky. The weaker ones immediately clutched their heads, groaning in pain, their faces quickly turning ashen.

"Attack! Interrupt him! Attack those three stone pillars!"

Andrei roared, knowing he could not allow the magic circle to continue operating.

"roar!"

Alecto was faster than his command; he took a deep breath, and golden flames shot out, blasting directly at the nearest stone pillar.

However, the golden flames were suddenly blocked by a layer of dark red light membrane the moment they approached the stone pillar.

The golden flames exploded on the light membrane, creating violent ripples, but failed to break it.

Instead, some of the energy is absorbed by the light film, making the dark red color on it even more intense.

"it's useless."

The lich said calmly, his eyes devoid of any emotion: "The Soul Devouring Barrier and the Ancient Guardian are intertwined. External attacks will only be transformed, accelerating the erosion of the Guardian Barrier."

"The more you attack, the more you help me."

As if to confirm his words, the light of the barrier enveloping the entrance to the pyramid dimmed slightly, and the runes flowing on its surface became momentarily disordered.

Andrei's heart sank.

Attacking doesn't work, but not attacking means the sacrificial array continues to drain soul power.

This is a desperate situation.

"Then I'll attack you!"

Gru roared, his muscles bulging and dragon scales gleaming, as he dragged his heavy steps and charged toward the lich like a chariot.

Gronn followed closely behind, his warhammer igniting with dark red flames.

The lich didn't even raise his staff.

He merely glanced at the two dragonborn rushing towards him.

Gru and Goron's charging figures suddenly froze, as if they had crashed into an invisible wall.

Immediately afterwards, the stone slab beneath their feet suddenly cracked open, and two giant hands made entirely of white bone reached out, grabbing the two of them and holding them tightly!

The bone hand possessed immense strength; when Gru's spiked club and Gronn's warhammer struck it, only a few bone fragments shattered, and it was completely unable to break free.

"Good materials."

The lich commented, as if examining two pieces of alchemy material awaiting processing.

"Let them go!"

As the Alecto dragon spread its wings, it was about to pounce.

"Red Dragon, I suggest you calm down."

The lich pointed his bone staff at Alecto: "Your soul and dragon bones are more valuable to me—"

"Perhaps we can talk? I'm determined to get my hands on this ruin, and if you cooperate with me to open it, the gold inside is yours, and the rest is mine."

"As for these believers in the Light—they are the perfect final key to open the door, aren't they?"

He even tried to divide and win over others.

Linus and Andrei tensed up instantly and looked at Alecto.

Collaborate with a necromancer?

This sounds absurd, but given Red Dragon's consistent egoism—

Alekto glanced at the trapped Gru and Gronn, then at the double barrier, and finally at the lich's calm soul fire.

Silence pervaded the air, broken only by the low hum of the sacrificial array and the buzzing of the barrier's resistance.

A few seconds later, Alecto grinned maliciously and said, "Cooperate? With you, an old zombie who's been dead for who knows how many years and whose brain is rotten with negative energy?"

He scoffed, "Do you think I'm stupid? If you open the ruins, I'll be the first one turned into a bone dragon!"

"The dragon race's inherited memories are filled with stories of treachery and betrayal by liches like you!"

Before he finished speaking, he slammed his hands hard on the ground.

Boom!

His all-out attack sent shivers down the spine of the entire plaza.

The stone slabs on the ground shattered, the soil underneath was lifted up, and a small section of the intricate magic array patterns was instantly destroyed.

Although it was insignificant compared to the entire massive magic array, the soul-attracting force was noticeably weakened.

"Destroy the structure of the magic circle!"

Alecto roared, and at the same time slammed his fist on another spot.

His choice surprised everyone.

Instead of accepting seemingly advantageous proposals or blindly attacking the barrier or lich, they chose the most foolish, but perhaps most effective, method: directly and violently destroying the foundation of the sacrificial array!

A glint flashed in Andrei's eyes, and he instantly understood Alecto's intention.

The lich is powerful, protected by a barrier and an army of undead, making a direct confrontation unlikely to succeed. However, the sacrificial array is the key to the lich's plan and the most direct threat at this moment.

Destroying the magic circle can not only undo the soul extraction, but may also disrupt the energy between the Soul Devouring Barrier and the Ancient Guardian.

"Holy Knights! Holy Shock, centered on me, target the ground!"

Andrei raised his greatsword high, and an unprecedentedly brilliant holy light erupted, which, together with the holy power gathered by a hundred knights, transformed into a thick pillar of light that slammed into the magic circle node on the other side of the square!

Linus acted immediately, waving his scepter and sending purifying halos down on the damaged magic circle area.

The holy power of light clashed fiercely with the crimson patterns, emitting a hissing sound and further eroding the magic array.

"madness!"

The lich said angrily.

This magic array was the culmination of 10 years of his hard work. It is extremely difficult to destroy, but not impossible, especially when the attack carries a strong purifying light attribute.

He waved his bone staff, and the undead army standing silently in the square surged towards the Paladin Order and Alecto like a black tide.

At the same time, he chanted a rapid and difficult incantation, and a ghastly light burst forth from the tip of his bone staff, sending several dark rays of death toward Alecto.

The battle truly began at this moment.