Tales of Revenants

Chapter 93 – The Same With Him

Surrounded by countless mobs of Nightbeast Worms, these monsters that came straight from hell have the length of thirty feet long, girth bigger than a wooden log, chasing caravans and carriage if they happen to cross their underground territory.

Colored through the hues of death itself, the fangs of these wild monsters were all over their mouth in a random direction, sharp than Nightbeast Vulture's pouncing claws, there's no escape once a single of these monster hunted its victim down to the pits of hell.

However, the Nightbeast Worms that appeared before Laken's team were countless. They even encompassed and thwarted their path in all four directions. These kinds of Nightbeast aren't usually seen pursuing their prey as a group, but if they were, it would be terrible because even veteran adventurers are having trouble exterminating these monsters.

While looking warily upon their position, it seems the way they aren't moving and only preventing the carriage from advancing means Eirisse's guess is correct that Demon Lord Balakiel was controlling Nightbeast to do his dirty work.

"Iser! Please I beg you, never let Luciella out of the carriage. Alisa and I shall take care of this situation." Laken dropped the whip while wielding the Lance of the Returner, getting off the coachman's seat prepared to face the impossible.

"I will." Iser gripped his swords, stood in front of the passenger's door doing what he must.

"No!" Luciella couldn't accept it and tried to bypass Iser and of course, he wouldn't let her be exposed in jeopardy.

Before she'll do anything reckless with her stubborn demeanor again, Laken grabbed the collar of her garments and said, "Listen Luciella, never use the shards or any kind of magic for today. We don't know what would happen to you since you're unstable."

"But..." Luciella returned to her seat, legs trembling from Laken's serious expression. Had not Laken reprimanded her, then she'll charge at the enemy without thinking what would happen to her physical and mental condition.

There's no way Alisa wouldn't notice the unusual air between them, and she's right on the point that Luciella has something she would never talk about between others. She has no time to ponder when they were already surrounded by Nightbeasts.

Not long before they heard a clapping sound from a distance, Laken's team shifted their attention to a lady who had her body almost become one with the shadows. Half of her left face is the only thing about her that isn't corrupted, and everything else only paints the darkness of the oblivion she fell upon.

Most of all, just like the balakhian officer they faced in the Eagleborn Town's plaza, the lady that intruded their path had her third and fourth eye, sharp claws ready to gash out innards, and a deadly smile who lost all hope and reasoning; she's undoubtedly one of the four Dark Entities under Balakiel's command.

"Who are you?!" Laken asserted, "Move once more and I shall end you right here."

The lady shook her head and said, "A mere tool... a mere wish... I am but a beast who's nobody, and you shall not pass through me!"

She revealed her deadly fangs and blood-red eyes striking fear upon Alisa, a rogue vampire who became a Dark Entity is the adversary they were facing right now.

"This is bad...!" Alisa invoked necromantic runes and glyphs surrounding the carriage and themselves before she chanted her magic spell, "Death won't hinder justice, from protection to stronghold, arise my faithful servant! Summon Undead: Skeletal Paladin!"

Twenty towering golden-armored undead paladin arose from the soil carrying their sword and shield to protect not just their summoner, but Iser and Luciella as well. Their calcium rate has a higher volume since Alisa used an enormous amount of her mana and this undead summons cannot be defeated easily.

"Devour them alive, leeches of the underworld!" The vampire lady shouts the cry of her will, the stagnant Nightbeast Worms who are waiting before have gone out of control approaching Laken's team faster than slithering snakes in the water.

Luciella struggles and kept pushing away Iser who's hindering her from joining the battle, though he would never falter because it's his noble duty to protect her.

"Alisa! Fight off the Nightbeast Worms and prevent them from destroying the carriage, I shall take care of the Dark Entity!" Laken commanded her while running towards the bloodthirsty vampire.

"Alright! One of you paladin undead, carry the carriage above the ground!" Alisa commanded one of her loyal servants. The nearest undead paladin dropped his golden sword and shield, carefully holding the carriage above its head balanced. Iser was there beside Luciella so she wouldn't fall beneath, and he's also simultaneously protecting his summoner's main body.

Alisa understands Nightbeasts Worms' domain is the terrain itself as more of these monsters appeared below the gigantic undead paladin who's defending the carriage, swarming its leg and arms, pulling the summon into the pits of hell. Before it falls down, other undead paladins oppose these pesky worms with their sword and shield.

The burning fervor imprinted on Laken's eyes isn't enough for him to fear the rogue vampire before him. Unlike the balakhian officer who became a Dark Entity after resisting her curse, the adversary he's approaching right now doesn't have the slightest regret over her decisions.

Those who aren't ready to shed blood when facing Laken have no tomorrow, even if he's a swordsman, he can use the Lance of the Returner by directly piercing the heart of the sinned vampire.

A strike meant to impale its target, before the point of his lance hits any parts of her body, she bent over and sweeps the shaft before slashing ahead of time. Laken almost dropped his guard and eluded the vampire's greeting s***h, he's thoroughly defending himself of her assault using the spear he had.

If only Laken's sword had not been destroyed by Balakiel, then maybe he can counter the Dark Entity before him now. Though it's no use regretting over the past since he will eliminate her and get the black pearl material.

"I don't know who you are or what happened to you, but I know! I know you never chose to fall into the deepest depths of darkness." Laken won't let himself be pushed back and performed a plunging spear technique severing the vampire's left arm. Despite losing a limb, she will never allow herself to back down and recommenced her assault.

Alisa's undead paladins are roughly staying on their feet, pushing back hordes of Nightbeast Worms at once isn't an easy feat, while Iser is stuck holding Luciella from her place because if he did not, she'll likely jump from at the height of at least twenty feet without caring what would happen to her just so he could help Laken and Alisa.

"Princess Luciella, please stay still! I'm sure milady and Laken can take care of it." Iser pleaded and solely focused on convincing her that they'd be fine, but that isn't enough as she tries to get out of his protection. She inclined by driving Iser out of the corner, but he remained unfazed while holding her shoulders down, his cold armor touches her knees.

The Dark Entity's limb grows with a new arm explicating a vampire's regeneration empowered by darkness. Claws were sharper than before, she assaulted Laken with a barrage of gashing sweep meant to rip his armor and torso. He already saw this technique from Eirisse and compared to her, this foe lacks force and intensity.

"I am nobody... but even so, I shall kill you all... for the sake of his wish...!" The vampire lady kept her vigorously neverending slashes.

In his line of sight, it was the moment Laken saw at an angle, her tears roll from the part of cheeks that haven't corrupted yet; dimness of its shade casts away her choice declaring she never regretted following Balakiel to the pits of the underworld.

The usual stance of a swordsman who defeated hundreds and thousands is unmatched, and this time, Laken takes the stance of someone who's ready to accept everything.

While he's deflecting her constant and fast slashes, he would make sure he'll give the respect she deserved. The vampire lady before him denied her fate, and in the end, she believed the fate she denied all along was only for her alone, just like Laken who received the Curse of Domination, burning everything with his azure flames.

"You determination... your goal... it was all for Balakiel, right?" Laken never did this before, but he showed his genuine smile towards a stranger.

A heartfelt shocked her movement with widened eyes, and before she could even blink, Laken's Lance of the Returned has pierced her heart, blood spewed from her mouth while dribbling from her chin down to her chest. His right hand absorbs her everything, including her life, further fueling his azure flames.

"You're... the same as him..." That was her last words before her material form corrodes into glittering specks of shattered obsidian, without even knowing each other's name, the fight ended just how it started.

Unknowingly perhaps, the swarming Nightbeast Worms scattered all over places, going back to the pits where they came from. They learned a Dark Entity that has consciousness can somehow attract Nightbeasts and control them as they please.

Alisa's undead paladin lay the carriage on the ground. Luciella finally quieted down seeing they have won the battle, and they still needed black pearls to finish the quest they started.