Equipment Printing School Mage
Page 239
Metatron replied, "I've said this before—it's just that you refused to believe it and only came here today to verify it. If you wish, I can cast a prophecy spell right here and now to prove it."
The Oracle Cult's slow response was an incurable disease, and Stutin could only smile awkwardly. "Then please allow me a moment to confirm. Everyone, do not drop your guard."
As he spoke, he took a few quick steps forward and couldn't help sighing.
Only a few days after Metatron's investigation, a lot of dust appeared at the location of Milim's coffin.
Stutin hesitated for a moment, cast a dispel magic towards the original location of the coffin, and then boldly approached it, trying to observe whether the person who moved the coffin had left any traces.
However, he was soon disappointed - they found nothing.
Even Milim didn’t show up.
"...Well, at least we weren't attacked right away, so let's stick to our original plan. This crypt is incredibly large; we can't stay down there for half a month." Stutin took off a map, one for each person, and unfolded it. "We'll split into three groups and try to find the area with the highest abundance of negative energy. If we're attacked or discover an error in the map, immediately contact the others through the telepathic link. If we encounter any unexpected danger, return to Mantra and retreat."
The so-called three groups actually did not have equal numbers of people - in short, Apodel and Metatron chose to form a group of two, thereby making the other two groups more powerful.
Although it might be a bit rude to say this, in Apodel's opinion, even with the huge difference in numbers, their two-person team might still be the strongest one.
No matter what, the record of capturing Zariel alive was too bizarre - his intuition told him that there must be a reason behind Metatron's strange behavior.
"Please follow me." After confirming that the other groups had safely left his sight, Apodale chose to get straight to the point. "Although this cave is huge, there is only one direct entrance to the outside world. If we check there, we can roughly determine how the enemy invaded here."
If the enemy still needs to rely on physical means to enter this crypt, it means that the abnormality of Candlekeep is more likely to come from some rare secret technique.
...On the contrary, the so-called rise of negative energy may be just the simplest appearance.
****************
“…The traces of Milim’s frost breath.”
The team led by Stutin might as well be called the Reader Team - most of its members are great readers of Candlekeep. They are the most keen on knowledge and quickly realized the unfriendly environment here.
It was obvious that Milim's life in the underground cave was not very comfortable on a daily basis. She often sprayed frost recklessly, making it difficult for them to move forward.
But they are closer to the answer.
"That direction," Stutin said. "I can sense a higher concentration of negative energy there. Be prepared—dispel the magic, clear the way, and be ready to retreat at any moment."
At this moment, countless shadows slowly emerged from the rocks.
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Milim’s voice slowly rang out. “The magic on me is something you can’t remove—isn’t that the result you’ve tried countless times?”
**************
The third team was a coalition of various churches. They were more focused on church affairs and lacked much experience. Therefore, Toss joined this team to fill its most scarce gaps in manpower and resources.
However, in their opinion, their progress may be the fastest - when it comes to sensitivity to the abundance of negative energy, who can compare to the real dead?
Toss's pace was incredibly fast, and even as a mage, he forced the holy warriors and priests behind him to keep speeding up. At first, they could still devote some energy to scouting the surroundings. But as Toss's movements became faster and faster, they began to focus their energy on getting on with their journey.
Fortunately, the great wizard seemed quite friendly. After they complained a few words, Toss turned around and cast the acceleration spell on them.
——This spell can indeed speed up the march, but once it is interrupted, the cost will be unbearable.
The sudden change in the flow of time will instantly disrupt the functioning of the human body, forcing even the strongest creatures to take several seconds to adjust their bodies.
But their voice was obviously not comparable to Toss's, so they could only look at each other in bewilderment.
Soon, Toth's target arrived.
A dim, narrow, and smooth cave. Their group was the largest, and as soon as they turned a corner, they were almost huddled together. Only Toss still stood lightly at the front of the group.
Then, at the exit of the narrow cave, Toth said, "We're here."
This made the others overjoyed. As they slowly squeezed out of the cave, they asked, "Did you find the node?"
"No." Tos turned around calmly, "This is your burial place. Here we are."
Toss snapped his fingers, and the acceleration spell on the others disappeared instantly. The huge discomfort made their bodies stiffen.
At the same time, in front of the long dragon, a hidden rune suddenly lit up, and a roaring protective aura swept through the narrow cave, tearing apart all the protective spells on the group.
Just before the panic and anger spread throughout the team, Toth recited his first spell.
"Time stops."
Invisible waves instantly enveloped the entire cave. Not only did they not move, but even the fear, confusion, and anger were frozen on their faces.
And in this stagnation, Toss floated leisurely into the middle of the crowd.
Then, she let out a banshee-like howl.
That is the cry of death that can take away life just by listening to it.
Then, time begins to flow.
************************************
"We've been attacked by Milim!" Stutin immediately warned in his heart, "We have some seriously injured soldiers. We'll stop to rest."
Stutin's warning immediately reached Apodel and the others. They both stopped and turned to rush towards Stutin, calling out to the third team: "Apodel, the Forsaken will go to support the Chief Reader."
The place they were at at the moment was closest to Stutin - and they would also pass through a rare large cavity in the cave. It was open and interconnected, and even had a huge height difference, making it the center of the entire underground cave.
Soon, Apodel and Metatron slowed down their pace at the same time and stopped in front of the big hole.
Because, no one in the third team responded at all.
There is no need to even confirm - even if one has lost the ability to move, there is still time for telepathic communication.
Either all the spells on them have been lifted. Or...
"They're dead."
As if it could predict their thoughts, a clear voice sounded from the large hole in front of them.
A graceful figure slowly descended from above the vast void, a surging torrent of negative energy flowing through his body, making one wonder how he managed to maintain his flesh and blood form.
However, his figure was so dazzling in this dark underground.
Because, there was a silver-white flame dancing in his eyes.
That is the symbol of the Chosen Ones of the Magic Goddess.
Larloch landed on the ground like a feather and said leisurely, "Apodel Adrian, I didn't expect that we would meet again so soon..."
Before he could finish his words, his gaze was drawn to her almost instantly.
The nearly two thousand year old wizard no longer cared about Apodel Adrian and began to breathe almost frantically.
Whether he wanted to show off his power or simply persuade the enemy to surrender, the case has been abandoned.
Larloch's eyeballs trembled constantly, as if they would fall out in the next second. He lifted his fingers with great difficulty, as if the flesh and blood on them would rot away in the next second. "...You...it's actually you..."
"I should have guessed it... Metatron... Zariel is not a creature that can be captured alive by mortals! Even if all of Eltoril were combined, even if they could repel her, capturing her alive would be wishful thinking!"
"It's really you! It's really you!"
Apodale was a little stunned.
Metatron, it sounds like a celestial name.
……who is it?
Metatron was silent for a moment, tilted his head slightly, and his lips trembled.
Finally, all the hesitation turned into a long sigh.
She walked around the paladin and came in front of him.
Although it was only a few steps, she seemed to be reborn.
Her previous movements were actually stiff and slow, as if she was dancing in three-meter-high shoes, full of discomfort.
But in a flash, her steps became extremely light and agile.
It was as if a warrior had finally taken off his robe that dragged two meters on the ground and put on familiar armor.
——As if it had wings on its back.
"It's been nearly two thousand years since we last saw each other, Larloch, since you became a lich." Metatron stood in front of Apodel and said coldly.
The pinnacle of the twenty-four angels
"Emia of Lunya—Lunya, that's the name of the first of the seven peaks of goodness and order, the Silver Heaven! There are actually mages in this world who have descended from the Celestial Mountains to the mortal realm, journeying from the end of life to its beginning! When I heard that name, I should have been alert..."
After sighing, Larloch nodded: "Yes. Almost two thousand years."
Larok looked like a middle-aged man, no more than fifty years old, but he readily admitted his age.
——Even the most famous wizard of the time, Elminster, is not that old.
And at this moment, Larloch looked even younger than Elminster.
Larloch didn’t try to get closer, nor did he try to get away. Instead, he strolled in the dark space at ease, as if it were really a reunion of old friends: “And you, you haven’t changed at all since then - what a joke of Tyke, how come we only met now?
"Tell me, Metatron—why did you leave the Sea of Chaos, leave the Outer Planes, and come to the Material Plane?"
"Are we familiar with each other?" Metatron replied coldly, "All our interactions ended the day you turned into a lich."
At this time, Apodale finally discovered the most serious problem.
Larloch is a lich, and this is something that the world has known for a long time.
Even just a month ago, Baldur's Gate had almost mobilized the entire city to confront Larloch, and everyone had seen the nightmare scene of liches all over the mountains - at that time, Larloch did appear in the form of a lich.
But now, Larroque has a youthful look, a tall and strong figure, and his hair is slightly gray.
Silver fire burned brightly in his eyes, reflecting the throbbing blood vessels beneath his skin.
This is not an illusion.
Larloch does possess a physical body.
However, the most critical issue at the moment is another one.
——Who is Metatron?
Metatron's voice threatened to freeze the wet rocks into icebergs. "But I was wrong. You're a hundred times more despicable than I thought... I thought you'd have some basic respect for her, yet you'd actually desecrate the Silver Flame like this! Using the Silver Flame to restore your body and reverse the undead—"
Before she could finish, Larroc interrupted her with the same cold voice.
"Then, Ms. Metatron, who has the greatest respect for the Silver Flame, please tell me the answer to a question I have been wanting to know for over a thousand years!"
For the first time, Larloch's voice burned. "A hundred years after we parted ways, on that day, in the year 339 B.C. of the Vale, in the year of the Web-Severing, in the twenty-four hours that Karthus committed his folly—what were you doing?!"
"I knew long ago that Mystril would not stop Karsus from completing his incarnation! But I realized it too late. In just a few hours, I simply could not mobilize enough forces to break through Karsus's defenses. What about you?! Tell me!!"
Larloch roared and pounded his chest. "Tell me, angel among angels, sole servant of the goddess Mystril, the Seraphic Servant Metatron who is almost inseparable from Mystril, what were you doing for those 24 fucking hours? Where is your angelic power, where is your divine magic, where is your dancing sword, where is your killing bow!?"
"Why didn't you stop her from going crazy? Don't you know she'll die from this? What does your tens of thousands of years with her mean?"
Click.
Metatron's knuckles made a slight crack as she clenched them.
It was as if a dam that had been accumulating water for nearly two thousand years finally broke through with a small breach.
"Stop her? Do I have the qualifications?" Her eyes instantly turned red, as if she was venting all the dissatisfaction and grievances she had accumulated over the years.
"I immediately realized what Karsus was doing and the consequences it would cause!"
"However, she immediately saw through my plan and locked me in the Kingdom of God, forbidding me to leave! After twelve hours, I could no longer endure it and tried to break through, but she broke my sword. Twenty hours later, I tried to make a final effort, but she simply immobilized me and threw me into the Chaos Sea! For a full four hours, until she finally chose to commit suicide to undo Karsus's folly, I was trapped in the Chaos Sea, unable to move!"
"From beginning to end, not only did she not manipulate the silver fire in my body, she didn't even use divine power or magic. She used only arcane magic to destroy all my resistance! I tried to stop her?!"
"She is one of the most powerful gods in Toril. In front of her, I am just a maid! She doesn't need me to do anything. She asked me to serve her, not because she needs me to decorate her kingdom, she doesn't need my wisdom, she doesn't need me to run around - she just thought about it and did it, that's all!"
Apodale felt a constant buzzing in his head.
He had long guessed that the Forsaken's identity must be extremely unusual - his unusual behavior habits and unfathomable strength could not have appeared without reason.
However, when he really knew the answer, he couldn't help but doubt his ears and brain.
The paladin used his last bit of willpower to maintain vigilance against Larloch, and asked with difficulty, "...Miss Metatron... You are... a Seraph."
Metatron was silent for a moment, then replied, "Yes."
"So, that question you once answered for me..."
"I'm sorry, but I was serious that time. AO doesn't have any Seraphim servants, and certainly won't act over the life and death of a mere god. You must have been deceived."
Larok naturally didn't care about the internal affairs of the two people, but instead fell into a brief thought.
Then he raised his staff: "-Tell me, Metatron, you have disappeared for thousands of years. Now, why are you here?"
You'll Also Like
-
An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest
Chapter 860 49 minute ago -
Equipment Printing School Mage
Chapter 478 49 minute ago -
1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll
Chapter 711 49 minute ago -
Ikari Shinji's Harem Comedy Daily Life
Chapter 122 49 minute ago -
Connect to Yuan Tiejue's chat group
Chapter 69 49 minute ago -
As a commander, I will never meet a heavy female ship girl
Chapter 290 49 minute ago -
Why wasn't I the one who got the male lead's script?
Chapter 189 49 minute ago -
This second dimension is too immortal
Chapter 580 49 minute ago -
Terra Succubus Development System, but calm office workers
Chapter 101 49 minute ago -
I'm collecting in the Pokémon world
Chapter 377 49 minute ago