Jeanne blinked her eyes, her body still weak as the effects of Abner's charm magic gradually faded. She glanced around, trying to make sense of what had happened. Before her, Abner's corpse lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling around it. Her sword trembled in her hand as she stared at the lifeless body.
Pharnaces moved slowly, wincing from the pain coursing through his body. His face was filled with confusion as he took in the blood-streaked scene. "Thomas," he said, his tone flat but laden with suspicion. "Did you do this?"
Thomas stood a few paces from Abner's body. His gaze was cold, though his eyes betrayed an underlying exhaustion. He looked at Pharnaces with a detached expression. "No," he said, his voice low but firm. "This was Navigator's decision. Abner used charm magic, and both of you were affected. I had no other choice."
Jeanne shifted her gaze from Abner's body to Thomas. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty and questions. "Why weren't you affected by the charm magic, Thomas?" she asked softly, though there was urgency in her voice.
Thomas exhaled deeply, attempting to push back the guilt gnawing at him. "I have a passive skill," he said matter-of-factly. "It makes me immune to mind-altering magic like charm. That's why I stayed conscious while you didn't."
Pharnaces let out a quiet scoff, then turned his gaze back to Abner's corpse. "So, you made this decision on behalf of all of us?" he asked, though it sounded more like an accusation than a question.
Thomas didn't reply. He simply stared at the lifeless body, haunted by Abner's final words echoing in his mind: "This is what I wanted."
Before the tension in the room could ease, the air around Abner's body suddenly shifted. Jeanne gasped, gripping her sword tightly. Pharnaces stepped back, his eyes wary. From the corpse, something began to form—a dense black mist rising slowly into the air. An ominous aura engulfed the room, radiating a power that was beyond comprehension.
"What is this?" Jeanne's voice wavered despite her attempts to remain composed. The holy light that usually surrounded her seemed insufficient against this overwhelming presence.
Thomas locked his jaw, staring at the swirling darkness. He knew whatever it was, it couldn't be ignored. "Navigator," he said in his mind, his tone icy. "Is this part of your plan?"
Navigator's voice returned, calm but tinged with unease. "This was no one's plan. That mist... it's the manifestation of something far greater. Prepare yourself."
Pharnaces raised his sword with both hands, ignoring the pain in his body. "This aura... it feels like pure destruction," he said softly, though fear was evident in his tone. He turned to Thomas. "Is this because you killed Abner?"
Thomas didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the dark mass, which was slowly taking a clearer form. A shadowy, massive figure began to emerge, its shape still indistinct. Faint screams, as if from tormented souls, echoed faintly in the air, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere.
Jeanne tightened her grip on her sword. Despite the fear coursing through her, she stepped forward. "Whatever this is, we have to stop it," she said firmly, her voice regaining its usual resolve. "We can't let it escape."
Thomas looked at Jeanne and then at Pharnaces. Both of them seemed ready, though fear lingered on their faces. "Navigator," he asked again in his mind, "what do we do?"
Navigator's response was curt but unyielding. "Destroy it. Whatever it is, do not let it live."
From the dark mass, a grotesque entity emerged—a skeletal figure cloaked in tattered robes, with glowing red eyes that exuded an aura of death. Thomas had seen something like this before in Lilac Town—a Lich, a high-level undead. But before he could steel himself, Navigator's cold voice cut through his thoughts.
"Thomas, listen carefully. That's no ordinary Lich. That's an Archlich."
Thomas's throat tightened, and his heart sank. An Archlich? The memory of battling a Lich in Lilac Town came flooding back. If this was an Archlich, it was far deadlier than anything they had faced.
"Its level... 90," Navigator said, his voice unusually strained—a rare sign of fear.
The words made Thomas's breath hitch. Level 90? This wasn't just a challenge; it was a death sentence.
He turned to Jeanne and Pharnaces, his face pale. "That thing... it's an Archlich. Navigator says its level is 90!"
Jeanne, who had been trying to summon her courage, seemed shaken. She closed her eyes, desperately reaching out to her own Navigator, Bambi. "Bambi... can you hear me?" she called out, her voice tinged with desperation. But there was no response.
Pharnaces shrugged nonchalantly, though his worry was evident. "Maybe she's taking a nap."
Before Thomas could reply, Navigator's voice sounded again in his mind, now frantic. "Run, Thomas. Run now. You have no chance against it. No strategy, no escape—just leave before it's too late!"
Thomas felt his temples throb. "Navigator says we have to run," he said, his voice trembling.
Jeanne and Pharnaces turned to him, confusion and fear etched on their faces. But before anyone could react, the Archlich spoke. Its voice was deep and cold, reverberating through the room like the whisper of death.
"You killed Abner," it said mockingly. "Do you understand what you've done? I controlled every knight in this kingdom through Abner. He was the lynchpin. And now, thanks to your foolishness, you've undone everything."
Jeanne gripped her sword tighter, though her hands shook. The radiant light surrounding her dimmed. "What... what do you mean?" she asked, barely able to speak.
The Archlich chuckled, a hollow, raspy sound that echoed off the walls. "Every knight in Esverita, every blade, every spear—they were all under my influence through Abner. And now, without him, chaos will spread. You've destroyed the balance I created. You don't even comprehend what you've unleashed."
Pharnaces took a step back, his face drained of color. "So... this was all part of your plan?"
"More than just a plan, little knight," the Archlich replied calmly, raising a black staff adorned with a small skull at its tip. "This was a step toward absolute power. Did you really think you could oppose me?"
Thomas clenched his fists. He knew they stood no chance. A level 90 Archlich was an insurmountable threat. Even Jeanne and Pharnaces, usually brimming with confidence, now seemed utterly defeated.
Jeanne glanced at Thomas, her voice barely a whisper. "Thomas... what do we do?"
Navigator's voice screamed in his mind, louder and more urgent than ever. "RUN, NOW! YOU CAN'T WIN!"
But Thomas's feet felt rooted to the ground. He knew Navigator was right, yet guilt tore at him. If they fled, what would happen to Esverita? To the innocent people? Yet standing their ground meant certain death.
Thomas, Jeanne, and Pharnaces stood frozen as the Archlich fell silent, its gaze sharp and calculating.
"Navigator?" the Archlich murmured, its tone filled with interest, though its voice remained cold. It fixed its glowing red eyes on Thomas, as if trying to pierce his mental defenses. "So, you're a combat unit from Astral Point. How fascinating."
Thomas flinched. The Archlich's words hit him like a hammer. If this creature knew about Astral Point, it was far more dangerous than they had imagined. "Navigator," he whispered in his mind, seeking guidance.
"I hear you. Don't let it provoke you," the Navigator responded firmly, though a hint of worry edged its tone.
The Archlich tilted its head upward, its eyes glowing brighter. "If the combat unit is here," it said softly, almost to itself, "then the flying castle of Astral Point must be somewhere near Esverita."
Before Thomas could process its words, the Archlich raised its black staff. Dark magic flowed from the tip, forming an intricate circle in the air. In an instant, the underground cathedral's ceiling collapsed. Massive debris rained down, but the Archlich deflected them effortlessly with a barrier of dark energy.
"No!" Thomas shouted, shielding himself from the flying debris. He looked up and saw the Archlich ascend through the broken ceiling, vanishing into the sky.
"Navigator! What's it doing?!" he yelled in panic.
The Navigator's voice came urgently. "It's heading for the flying castle!"
Jeanne turned to him in confusion. "What does it mean? Our flying castle isn't here, right?"
"If it truly knows about Astral Point…" Thomas muttered, his panic deepening. "Then it knows exactly where the castle is."
Above the darkened sky, the Archlich hovered gracefully, its gaze sweeping the horizon. Not far away, it spotted something that brought a faint smile to its lips. Two flying castles drifted side by side, their shimmering energy shields glowing faintly under the moonlight.
"It's been so long since I've seen this," the Archlich murmured, its tone laced with nostalgia and menace. "Flying castles of Astral Point… and two of them in this kingdom."
With a delicate motion of its hand, a glowing screen appeared before it, filled with strange text and flickering symbols. Its eyes narrowed as it read a name on the screen: Mephis—though the rest was obscured by unusual errors. The Archlich grinned.
"So, two players of Astral Point are here in this kingdom…" It murmured again, its voice barely a whisper. "What should I do with them?"
A second voice resonated from the glowing screen—low and urgent, echoing as if from the depths of a void. "Do not touch them. Return now. Do not involve yourself with the players of Astral Point or their combat units."
The Archlich turned slightly, its expression shifting to one of calm detachment. It nodded slowly, as though accepting the command without resistance. "Very well," it said softly, its tone betraying a faint but unmistakable mockery. "As you wish."
With a single gesture, the screen vanished, and without a sound, the Archlich's form dissolved into the night. Only the cold wind lingered in its place.
Thomas, Jeanne, and Pharnaces stared upward, holding their breath. The sky was dark once more, but the tension remained suffocating.
"What… just happened?" Jeanne asked, her voice hoarse. She glanced at Thomas, her eyes filled with unspoken questions.
Thomas took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "It knows about us," he replied quietly. "And it knows about Astral Point."
***