Midsummer, midnight, a tranquil town in the southern part of the Celtic continent.
A huge red moon shines upon the earth, casting everything into eerie colors.
Winding cobblestone paths, walls covered in creeping vines, rows upon rows of houses huddled together, stacked on top of each other.
The intermittent howling of male cats in heat echoes through the night.
An old horse in the stable leisurely chomps on grass, while the workers responsible for cleaning up the trash laboriously shovel up blackened horse manure with a shovel, tossing it onto a wooden cart, and raising white smoke.
The crowded streets of the day are now only filled with drunken bums passed out in corners. In their drunken slumber, the gentle breeze blows, causing the empty bottles beside them to roll softly.
The entire world is quiet, so quiet that even the scurrying of mice can be heard clearly.
Amidst this peaceful silence, a shadow sneaks into the town.
Soon, a commotion can be heard in the distance. More precisely, the sound of galloping horses mixed with clanging armor.
Residents who haven't gone to bed yet open their balcony doors and look from afar.
Soon, a group of knights holding torches surge into this remote town, waking up all the town's residents with the sound of their horses' hooves. They light their lamps, open their windows, and secretly peek outside from their rooms, while those braver ones simply push open their doors and walk out.
Soon, both sides of the street are crowded with people.
The old town mayor, leaning on a cane, walks out unsteadily and bows respectfully. "Do you have any business with us?"
"We are chasing after a lich! Someone saw him run in here!" The leader, clad in silver armor and looking like a tin can, casually speaks a few words to the old mayor before turning around and raising his long sword to shout at his subordinates. "Listen up, we must take down the lich before anyone else gets here! Glory is waiting for us!"
"Yeah!" All the knights wave their weapons and cheer as if they have already won the battle, quickly scattering to search in all directions.
"A lich? No way! The lich came here?"
"Is it the one from the mountain?"
"Oh my god..."
The residents of the small town are extremely uneasy.
Under the cover of night, the whole town is in turmoil.
The lich, awakened from the corpse.
From its appearance, it is actually just a skeleton, very similar to the lowest level skeleton soldier of the undead race.
The difference is that the skeleton soldier wears crude armor, uses broken shields and swords, and often has no autonomous consciousness. The lich, on the other hand, likes to wear a cloak, hold a magic wand, not only has autonomous consciousness, but can also summon and manipulate other undead creatures. It is the top of the undead race pyramid, and countless humans and theatergoers regard it as cunning, evil, and powerful enough to rival angels and demons...
However, the lich being chased by a group of knights at the moment is slightly different from what people imagine...
In a corner about twenty meters behind the silver-armored knights, a piece of burlap was trembling.
"What happened? If this land already has an owner, they should have sent me a letter first to explain, they don't need to resort to violence..." The lich Gray felt very aggrieved.
The fat black cat that was just howling on the balcony leaped down and lazily crawled into the burlap, licking its fur. "You must be the new lich on the east mountain?"
The fat gourd-shaped body, small face, and jet black fur of the black cat were quite ugly, but there were two white spots on its lips for some unknown reason, and they were slightly crooked. From an appearance perspective, this black cat was really ugly.
"It's me! I just moved to the mountain on the east side. Are you... a ghost attached to a cat? My goodness! If I had known there was a ghost neighbor here, I would have come to visit!" Gray was excited to see a ghost attached to a black cat, which was rare in the underworld. However, after a moment of silence, Gray suddenly became disappointed. "But it looks like I'm going to move out soon..."
"I know, the market was discussing it today." The black cat licked its paw and said, "You dug up the ancestral grave of the Grugru family, and they notified the church and are planning to tie you up and burn you."
"The ancestral grave of the Grugru family? Oh, I remember. At that time, I was looking for some bones to assemble skeleton soldiers. You know, a lich's castle must have a few guards, otherwise, it's too unreasonable. Speaking of which, those bones are really good. Some of them haven't even cracked. I really don't understand why they buried such good things underground. Wait... you mean they want to burn me just because of this?"
"Isn't this reason enough to burn you?"
"But I'm already dead."
Three seconds of silence.
"What I mean is, they want to grind you into powder! That's what they mean!"
"Okay, I didn't make sure if those bones had owners before I dug them up. I was wrong, and if necessary, I can return them." The two dark red soul fires in the lich's eye sockets weakened slightly, indicating that his mood was even lower.
"That's not the point. Don't you know what blasphemy of the dead means?"
"Blasphemy of the dead?"
"Even if you didn't dig up the ancestral grave, they would still burn you because you're a lich!" The black cat said fiercely.
However, the lich Gray was not scared. Instead, his two dark red flames curved into question marks.
The black cat sighed helplessly and rubbed its forehead.
...
On the other side, the enraged knights had already begun knocking on doors one by one, poking two knives into almost every corner.
"Have you seen a lich? he's about this tall, wearing a black cloak."
"No."
"Have you seen a lich? he's about this tall." The residents of the town shook their heads one by one, while more leaned over the windowsills on the second floor, watching the excitement.
"Search everywhere! Quickly! Don't leave any corner unturned!"
...
In a dark corner in the distance, a black cat quietly pulled its head back into the burlap.
"Where did you come from?"
"The underworld."
"Then I advise you to go back underworld quickly. That's where the undead belong. You'll be burned alive on the surface world. Those knights are distressed because they have no opponents to show their bravery, and you came just in time. It would be even better if you could kidnap one or two princesses."
"Kidnap princesses? What are princesses?" Witch Gray continued to have question marks all over his mind.
"Princesses are the daughters of kings... well, I guess you don't know what kings are either. Kings are the big lords. And daughters, damn it! A freak like you, a witch, certainly doesn't know what daughters are... talking to you makes me want to die! "
"You're already dead."
"I, I meant that talking to you is... is uncomfortable! Oh my god, I'm really unlucky, how could I run into such a lich!" The black cat's fur stood up.
"Why is it uncomfortable for you to talk to me?"
"Stop, stop! We're getting off topic! I just told you to go back underworld quickly."
"No." Lich Gray answered decisively.
"Why?" The black cat had never heard of a witch who didn't want to go underground. It was a paradise for Liches, and even the church couldn't do anything about them.
"Because the great Lich Brutu is searching for me everywhere, ready to capture me and take me back to make bone soup for his hellhound." Witch Gray said helplessly.
"Searching for you? Why? Did you also dig up his ancestors' graves? Oh, sorry, I forgot that Lich's ancestors' graves are dug up by themselves. If he still remembers where his ancestors' graves are after becoming a Lich."
"I hid in his laboratory to learn magic. You know, I just awakened as a lich not long ago. It's too unreasonable if I don't learn some spells."
"So, you are stealing his skills... How long have you been hiding? Does it require him to seek revenge in the entire underworld?"
"Uh... about 150 years. I took the skeletons he used as decorations and hung myself in front of his bookshelf." Gray pointed to the ring hanging above his head.
The black cat burst into laughter: "150 years... can you still describe it as 'just awakened'? I have learned something new today. You are really smart. Didn't he detect your undead aura?"
"In the underworld, even cockroaches emit undead auras. How can he distinguish who is who? Besides, my aura was weak at the beginning, and I learned to control it when it became stronger."
"Why did he discover you later?"
"Because he was going to turn me into a skeleton soldier, but he found out I was a lich after casting the spell." It was an unforgettable experience. Gray still remembered the wrathful expression on the face of the great lich Bruto after discovering it. Everything in the room was shaking. Fortunately, Bruto was a relatively civilized lich. He just had a few hell knights beat up Gray and threw him out of the window of the underworld castle.
However, that was just the beginning. When he discovered some other things, he became less "friendly" to Gray.
"It seems that you really have no way out." The black cat quietly backed away and turned to leave.
"Where do you want to go?" Gray's bony finger ignited with blue flames, grabbing the back of the black cat's neck, controlling its fate.
"Damn it, do I have to be with you? There is a saying that goes, when you meet an unlucky person, either kick them or quietly leave. Misfortune is contagious!" The black cat struggled hard, but ghosts could not resist liches.
"I need a guide now."
"That's your business!" The black cat decisively refused.
"Okay, I also need a fresh soul to make my new wand."
"Well, being a guide is not a bad job. I have liked being a guide since I was young." The black cat quickly changed its mind. "Tell me, where do you plan to go now?"
...
Another sound of horseshoes came from afar. The other team of cavalry had entered the city.
"Damn it! They found us so quickly. How did they know there was a lich here? Who leaked the news?" The leader of the silver-armored knights looked furious.
His men were all dumbfounded.
In peacetime, knights who were full of food and drink needed something to brag about to win the hearts of noble ladies. Burning a lich to death was enough for them to brag about for a lifetime. However, knights from all over the continent were rushing here. It was uncertain who would end up bragging about it.
The new cavalry walked slowly along the main road until they got closer. The residents and silver-armored knights who watched were stunned.
Leading the group was a petite noble girl. Her silver hair was tied into a ponytail, and she had a delicate and pretty face. She rode a tall horse and wore a simple suit of armor, with a sword at her waist.
When she approached within about five meters of the silver-armored knight, the girl glanced around and raised her hand, gesturing for her attendants to stop.
She turned her head and said something to a knight riding alongside her, and he rode his horse to the front of the group, lifting his visor to reveal a full beard.
======================================================
At the front was a petite noble girl with silver hair tied in a ponytail. She rode a tall horse and wore simple armor with a sword at her waist. She scanned the surroundings and gestured for her attendants to stop about five meters away from the silver armored knight.
She turned her head and whispered to a knight riding beside her. The knight then rode up to the group, removed his face mask, revealing a bearded face.
"What are you doing?" asked the bearded knight.
"Nothing, we... are looking for something," the silver armored knight quickly replied.
"Looking for something?" the bearded knight laughed sarcastically at the group of armed knights, their attendants, and the bystanders holding torches. "So many people looking for something this late at night?"
"Yes, it's easier to find things with more people," the silver armored knight replied awkwardly.
The old town mayor, who couldn't bear to watch any longer, walked over with a cane and respectfully greeted the bearded knight. "Respected knight, we are pursuing a witch."
"Nonsense! There are no witches here!" The silver armored knight was so frightened that he pointed his sword at the old mayor.
The bearded knight lifted the silver armored knight's sword away from the old mayor with his long spear. "Is there a lich here?"
"Yes," the old mayor replied.
"No, there are no lich here!" The silver armored knight quickly retracted his sword.
A slim, middle-aged man with two mustaches and curly hair, dressed in fancy clothing, whispered to the girl beside him, "Miss Eileen, whatever happens, it's best for us not to get involved."
Immediately, the girl named Eilin led her entourage forward and passed by the bearded knight. She whispered, "It doesn't matter if there are witches or not. As long as it doesn't concern us, let's find an inn to rest."
"Yes!" her attendants replied.
Throughout the whole encounter, there was not a trace of emotion on Eileen's face.
The silver armored knight breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't understand why anyone in this world would not be interested in witches, it was good news that they were not going to interfere.
Turning his head, he shouted to his men, "Keep searching! Quickly!"
"Yes!" The group continued their search...
===============================================================
Gray quietly adjusted to a more comfortable position, oblivious to what was happening outside, and said to the black cat solemnly, "I plan to stay in the mortal world. The great lich Bruttu has imprinted my soul. He'll find out once I return to the underworld."
"You plan to stay in the mortal world? Don't be ridiculous. Do you think the Church is stupid? They won't let any lich go," the black cat said.
"Then...is there any way to hide from people?" Gray asked seriously.
"Hide from people? Hmm...pretend to be one of those knights who are searching for you? They're like walking tin cans, and if necessary, they won't let anyone see their faces."
"Okay, then I decided to be a knight!" Gray declared solemnly.
"Are you stupid? Knights need to cast divine spells! And you're a lich!" the black cat exclaimed.
"You mean this?" Gray stretched out his finger, and a silver light flickered at his fingertips.
The black cat was dumbfounded.
Two knights on horseback passed by and looked around.
Gray hurriedly extinguished the light at his fingertips.
When they walked away, the black cat exclaimed excitedly, "My God, I saw a lich who can use divine spells! Did you learn it from the great lich Bruttu? The Church would go crazy if they knew about it!"
"It's not that strange. Many liches can do it," Gray said, showing him a bone ring engraved with spells. "I accidentally took it from Bruttu's study. This kind of energy is most effective for smashing undead."
Liches don't know divine spells? That's a complete misconception. What can be certain is that they won't use divine spells in battles with humans, just as they won't cast curses at each other during lich civil wars.
"I found out you're not just learning from others, but also stealing things. You're a complete thief. Hahaha, now I understand why the great lich Bruttu was so angry. You must have stolen more than just this."
Gray laughed awkwardly, "Okay, what should we do now? Maybe I should find a suit of armor to wear. Oh, and what do knights usually do?"
"How should I know? I'm not a knight. Hahaha, maybe you can go to the bookstore ahead and buy a book like 'Guide to Becoming a Knight.' I saw them promoting it today. You're crazy!"
"There's a book like that? That's great! I need it now!" Gray cheered. Becoming a knight doesn't seem so difficult for a lich after all.
The black cat felt his eyes go black.
What day is it today? There are still many knights searching outside, but here he is discussing with a lich how to become a knight?
Not far away, two fully armed knights were pulling on their reins and looking back here.
"I just heard cheering, did you see that piece of burlap moving?"
"I saw it." The other knight drew his long sword with a "clang" sound.