Unfortunately, the surprise attack did not work. The earthen spears were blocked by the lich's barrier.
"Damnit!" Terrano cussed as he joined his young master. "If only we can catch him off guard. Sorry for failing, young lord."
Since Terrano had joined him, it would mean that they were able to dispose of the cannibus.
Aliester get a glimpse of the map and saw only a couple of red dots. There are a handful left but the rest of the knights can take care of them. So Aliester refocused on his own battle.
"Don't worry about it. Long range attack, do not usually work on casters." Aliester said. "It is either we use Holy magic to purify it or use close-range attack to destroy its phylactery."
"I should have tried to be a paladin." Terrano said as he aided the young lord when the lich launched several icicle attacks towards them. "It should have come in handy with dealing with these things."
"It is no use fretting anymore. We will just have to make do with what we have." Aliester said as he teamed up with the knight.
They were getting tired and he knew that the both of them were already running out of mana.
"We have to finish this or we'll end up losing our lives." Aliester said while taking note that Terrano was already slightly weakening from using his earth spears.
"This is the last time, I may use my affinity." Terrano panted while preparing for his last attack. "I will make a path for you so go forward, young lord."
Terrano held up his hand and several stone spears formed. He then unleashed it towards the lich.
"Doing the same thing won't work." The lich had its barrier up. So, it rendered the attack pointless.
But due to the crumbling of the rocks when they hit the barrier, clouds of dust had spread in the air.
When the lich tore its barrier down and just in time the dust settled, Aliester appeared near him and slashed at his neck.
The robe's collar was torn and the necklace which held the gem that Aliester saw was also broken.
"No!" the lich shouted in rage. A mixture of mana and darkness whipped around the undead caster.
But instead of despairing, the lich suddenly laughed.
"You think you can take me down by destroying my necklace. That thing is only used for communication." The lich motioned with his hand and the gem floated towards him.
Then with another wave, it crumbled to dust. "I stored my phylactery somewhere else. I am not idiot."
Aliester gritted his teeth. He had a feeling that the necklace was not the actual phylactery.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Terrano losing consciousness. He could no longer count on him for any back up.
"He just fainted. He's still breathing." He sighed in relief and hastily slung Terrano on his shoulders.
As the lich unleashed several icicles towards them, Aliester hastily hid behind a tree while trying to keep himself and his companion safe.
He then tried to assess their situation, the rest of the knights are still dealing with the remaining undead canines.
"I have to take that damn lich down. Even if we ran away, he will still track us since I am its target." He muttered while preparing the claymore.
'Zarame, how much mana do I have left?' he asked.
[Answer: Barely enough to launch a mana bullet.] was her reply.
'I don't think it will be enough, but I will try. Did you find its phylactery?' Aliester asked while keeping an eye on his opponent.
[Answer: I could not find the exact spot, but for sure he had it in his person.]
'Then I have no choice but to take a gamble.' He muttered and went out of his hiding place.
He knew he was fighting a losing battle. But he refused to give up. Aliester struggled fighting the lich.
Not only was he exhausted from the previous fight, his mana level was depleted. He could not shorten the distance between himself and the lich since the undead caster would barrage him with long range attacks.
"Darn it! I could not even get close." He muttered as he evaded several shards coming his way.
"I think it is about time to stop this futile struggle future Duke of Alcove." The lich declared while holding his skeletal arms up. A huge pentagram appeared.
Aliester could feel that the temperature had drastically fallen. Clouds of breath formed as he exhaled.
Aliester's hand shook due to the cold, but instinctively he knew that this might be his only chance.
He had been observing his opponent as they fought and he already had a rough guess where its power source was coming from.
'Mana bullet won't work… especially this distance. I need something thinner, something sharper that can cut through.' He thought.
[Information: If you want that, then why don't you try…]
Zarame was a bit cut off when the lich unleased its attack. The ground had frozen, but Aliester was able to jump quickly and avoid being turned into an ice sculpture.
And with all his might, he gathered his mana and swung the claymore. "Cut through!" a very thin like blade mana up of mana was sent towards the lich.
Since the undead caster was caught off guard, he was not able to erect its barrier.
Unfortunately, that attack did not bring it down. A good part of its robe was torn and a skeletal body was revealed.
"What have you done?!" the lich screeched. This time a fist sized gem which served as its heart was exposed.
"There it is!" Aliester said as he aimed for the heart but since the lich was enraged, the amount of mana and power skyrocket and did not allow the young man to close in.
Dark whip-like shadows tried to assault him but Aliester cut them down. However, he knew that he could not continue to be on defense. He was already reaching his limit.
"Absolute zero." The lich shouted and a huge icy blue pentagram formed on the ground. Due to exhaustion, Aliester was not able to avoid the attack which encased his legs in ice.
"I commend you for getting this far. But it is time to end this game." The lich stalked towards him.
The whipping shadows had turned into sharp ribbons that were ready to cut Aliester down.
Since the other knights were also frozen, Aliester knew that no help will come. He closed his eyes waiting for the attack to strike when the lightning veined through the heavens and thunder clapped.
The bolt hit the area between the undead and the young man and a sonic boom followed which had sent the undead caster a few meters away.
"To think that a guardian will join this battle." The lich muttered. "Absolutely, unthinkable."
"I also do not want to join and meddle in the affairs of the mortals and not-so-mortals." Raiha said. "But I have business with that young man. I would appreciate it if you will not kill him."
The lich simply laughed. "As if, I have to do what my mistress's orders and a whatever obstacle must be taken down, even a guardian like you."
"Fool." Raiha said and held out his hand. A huge pentagram formed. "A creature of darkness like you has no place in this realm, be gone accursed one."
A combination of white light and lightning emitted from the circle and it hit the lich's core. The gem shattered to pieces.
"This can't be happening!" the lich wailed as its body crumpled to dust.