Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 769: 360: Terms and Upheaval

Chapter 769: Chapter 360: Terms and Upheaval

About an hour passed when the cry of the Stormhawk beside him interrupted Leon’s wandering thoughts.

Seeing Aro calling him, Leon turned his mount and flew back into the clouds, knowing that Azeryan’s position must have moved.

Urging Death Claw to follow the Stormhawk, front and back, the two beasts soared over the vast sea of clouds, descending rapidly.

Penetrating through layers of thick clouds, they overlooked the southern plain of Scorpion Valley, and the sharp eyes of the Griffin and Stormhawk soon discovered the two riders who had left the Undead Army’s gathering area.

One of them was indeed Azeryan.

Seeing his close friend unharmed, Leon felt relieved.

Observing Azeryan waving towards him, Leon immediately rode Death Claw to descend onto the grassland ahead with a thunderous landing.

It was then they saw that beside Azeryan stood a Vampire Knight mounted on a Corpse Ghost Warhorse.

He wore an armor in the Seryan style, twisted by some force, an armor Leon had seen on those Rolannar Undead.

This pale-faced Vampire Undead was clearly not one of Count Eriv’s subordinates.

“…Who is he?” Leon asked immediately.

“This is Sir Angelter, my father’s former vassal, and he was my riding instructor when alive,” Azeryan introduced the old acquaintance with a slightly sorrowful voice.

The Bloodline Knight named Angelter didn’t mind the matters of life and death. Nodding slightly towards Leon, his pale lips parted slightly, revealing his fangs as his voice came out deep and hoarse:

“…On behalf of my master, I express gratitude for your heroic deeds in saving the young master of the Flarrell Family. I apologize on behalf of my master for not being able to thank you personally.”

Leon shook his head: “If not for Azeryan, I would have hardly survived the escape back then, no thanks are needed.”

Seeing the friendly attitude of the other, he felt a trace of anticipation rising in his heart, turning to Azeryan: “Did your discussions with your father go smoothly?”

“…” The thought of his close kin now shrouded in darkness, driven to madness and gloom, brought painful expression to Azeryan’s handsome face.

He shook his head: “I don’t know if it counts as smooth, or if I can really tell if I was actually talking to my father.”

“?” Leon, hearing him, was puzzled.

Then Angelter turned to Azeryan with comforting words: “He is still your father, young master. The Baron’s mind is tormented by that cursed Demon Sword. He cannot, like us, disperse that overwhelming power by creating kinship bonds and oftentimes what he says and does is not of his own volition, but rather the concentrated resentment of countless resentful spirits of the fallen Holy Land City.”

Leon was surprised: “Demon Sword?”

The Blood Knight turned his head: “It was bestowed upon our master by the twisted Demons, a blade of misfortune that houses countless wandering souls, and my master must constantly battle its madness.”

With that, Angelter closed his mouth, speaking no more.

Azeryan sighed, urging his horse forward, explaining to his companion the hard-won results of this journey:

“I couldn’t convince my father to abandon his endless anger. Lord Eriv was right; his madness is indeed more severe than any Bloodline might experience. Unless we can help him eliminate all the Undead of the Eastern Invasion Army, he will never let go of his obsession to kill the Kantadar people.”

He reluctantly collected his despair with a deep breath and continued: “However, Sir Angelter managed to help me secure one condition – if we can meet it, my father agreed at least to release Count Eriv and the Thorny Flower vassals.”

Upon hearing this, Leon was immediately uplifted.

Even though they can’t ally with the Blood Baron, freeing Eriv from bondage is already a significant achievement.

“What condition?”

Before Azeryan could answer, Angelter spoke: “Let me explain.”

He looked up towards the Griffin Lord perched on the high saddle of the beast, saying: “The Undead under Aviout can move rapidly through areas where the Soul Bell Tower once stood, allowing them to strike my master’s army.”

Aviout’s Corpse Ghost numbers are already far greater than ours, making offensives increasingly difficult in recent months of battle.”

Azeryan also looked over: “Leon, remember what the surviving soldiers of the Mamor Battle said of a gate that unexpectedly appeared in front of the King’s army, unleashing masses of Undead? This is identical to the Magic Gate Sir Angelter has seen described.”

The Blood Knight nodded solemnly: “I also vaguely remember, upon being awakened from death, seeing in Rolannar memories of that desecrated Great Temple where the evil being with tentacled lower limbs bathed in blood used spells to open such a Gate of Darkness, which we used to return to humanity from the cursed Holy Land City…”

Leon, hearing this, likely guessed the condition Azeryan referred to.

“Sir Charlemagne wants us to help counter this Magic Gate?”

“Correct, but not just counter it. I’ve heard from the young master that you are a powerful mage who once broke the Demon’s spell freeing Holy Land City. If possible, I hope you could help us learn how to open that Gate of Darkness to retaliate against Aviout and Kazak, our common great foes.

We have been twisted into vampire monsters by the Blood Demon and are far stronger than usual Corpse Ghosts, but among us, no mages exist. Thus, dealing with the magic allowing army traversals is beyond our grasp.”

Angelter’s voice paused, followed by a bitter smile: “This problem is one we’d seek help from the priests and Cleansing Monks if encountered in war. Yet now, the monks’ souls may have protection from the great Holy Sun. Those sacrificed after Rolannar’s fall were not transformed into Undead.”

Leon stroked his chin, understanding the difficulties faced by the Vampires. Compared to Rolannar Undead’s camp, presumably Aviout and Kazak have many Corpse Ghost mages.

Reflecting back to his companion riding the Stormhawk, Kovis.

The one who deciphered the Undead Cloud Magic principles was his own Magic Consultant, not himself.

“Aro, do you understand this magic that sounds akin to a ‘Teleportation Gate’?”

“What I know isn’t much, to be honest.” Kovis was also pondering in thought. His knowledge of spatial theory began after Leon encountered Ancient Palace magic.

The Young Knight showed contemplation: “However, my lord, remember when we led the Alliance to the Great Temple front and the Blood Demon manipulated the Blood Pool Altar? The Dark Door seen there could be similar?”

Leon suddenly recalled that during the Battle of Rolandena, the magical phenomena behind the Blood Pool Altar seemed identical to the “Gate of Darkness” described by Orland’s soldiers and Sir Angelter.

“So, do we need to return to Seryan to investigate Rolannar City?”

Saying so, Leon shook his head in frustration: “Though after the battle, King Kamoz and Steel Furnace Castle’s angry Forbidden Guard have shattered the Blood Pool Altar to fragments, and so much time has passed, presumably, the Holy Sun Church has long since burned the twisted altar remnants clean.”

Angelter suddenly suggested: “…Perhaps, you all could first check regular Witchcraft Altars. Though stripped of past evil power, the Undead Altars bearing desecration pendulums are observed with Gates of Darkness appearing nearby.”

…..Only near the Soul Bell Altars? Leon frowned; was it still some residual influence from the Great Magic forming the Eternal Night Cloud?

Exchanging a glance with Kovis, Leon pondered, addressing the Blood Knight of Baron Charlemagne: “Seems currently, there’s no better starting point. Are there Undead Altar ruins nearby?”