Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 340: Assassins in Grafen (2) The Futile Attempt

Chapter 340: Assassins in Grafen (2) The Futile Attempt

The golem stopped in front of the assassins, its glowing eyes fixed on them. For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of the assassins’ ragged breathing.

Then, the golem raised its arm and brought it down with a thunderous crash. The ground shook, and the assassins were thrown off their feet, their weapons clattering to the ground.

Before the assassins could recover from the golem’s sudden appearance, the ground trembled beneath them once more. The rock golem’s eyes blazed with a bright, ethereal light as it slowly raised its massive arm, its stone fingers curling into a fist. The air around them seemed to hum with a strange energy, and the assassins, still reeling from their encounter with the acid ants, could only watch in a mix of terror and awe.

Shade, the leader of the trio, scrambled to his feet, his instincts screaming at him to run. But before he could make a move, the golem’s fist came crashing down with the force of a small earthquake. The impact sent shockwaves through the tunnel, knocking the assassins off their feet once more. The walls shook, dust and debris raining down from the ceiling as the tunnel threatened to collapse under the sheer power of the golem’s strike.

The assassins barely had time to react as the golem advanced, its movements slow but deliberate. Shade could feel the cold, unyielding stone beneath his hands as he tried to push himself up, but his body felt heavy, sluggish. The air was thick with dust, making it hard to breathe, and the distant sound of the tunnel creaking under the strain only added to the growing sense of dread that filled his chest.

"Move!" Shade shouted, his voice hoarse as he tried to rally his companions. But the golem was already upon them, its massive form looming over them like a mountain. Viper and Wraith struggled to their feet, their eyes wide with fear as they stared up at the towering figure.

The golem’s eyes flared once more, and it swung its arm in a wide arc, aiming to crush the intruders with a single blow. But just as the golem’s fist began its descent, a loud, guttural roar echoed through the tunnel, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Out of the shadows, a massive figure leaped into the fray—Magria, Josephine’s Magma Bear. The bear’s body blazed with an intense heat, the lava-like substance that made up its form bubbling and crackling as it charged forward. The air around it shimmered with heat, and the golem seemed to hesitate, its arm pausing mid-swing as it registered the new threat.

Magria let out another roar, its voice reverberating through the tunnel as it lunged at the golem, slamming into the stone creature with the force of a runaway train. The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel, and the golem staggered backward, its massive body teetering dangerously as it tried to regain its balance.

The assassins, momentarily forgotten in the chaos, took the opportunity to scramble to their feet and retreat. But the tunnel was a maze of narrow passages and dead ends, and every turn seemed to lead them deeper into the labyrinthine network beneath Grafen.

"Keep moving!" Shade barked, his voice strained as he led the way through the twisting tunnels. The sound of the golem and Magria’s battle echoed behind them, the thunderous crashes and roars creating an almost deafening cacophony that seemed to chase them through the darkness.

But no matter how far they ran, they couldn’t escape the relentless pursuit of Grafen’s defenders. Every time they thought they had found a safe path, another threat would emerge—a pack of winter wolves stalking them through the shadows, a swarm of acid ants blocking their way, or the eerie blue glow of the living statues that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Exhausted and battered, the assassins found themselves in a small, circular chamber, the walls lined with intricate carvings that seemed to glow faintly in the dim light. The chamber was eerily quiet, the sounds of the battle above having faded into the distance. But the silence was far from comforting—it was oppressive, almost suffocating, as if the very air in the chamber was charged with a malevolent energy.

Shade leaned against the wall, his breathing ragged as he tried to catch his breath. Wraith and Viper were in similar states, their bodies trembling with exhaustion and fear. "What... what the hell is this place?" Viper gasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Wraith shook her head, her eyes wide as she scanned the room. "I don’t know, but... something’s not right here."

Shade nodded, his instincts screaming at him to leave, to get as far away from this place as possible. But before he could voice his concerns, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble once more. The carvings on the walls flared to life, the glowing lines spreading like wildfire until the entire chamber was bathed in an eerie, otherworldly light.

The assassins could only watch in horror as the carvings began to move, the lines twisting and writhing like living things. The air grew thick with a strange energy, and the temperature in the chamber began to rise rapidly, the heat pressing down on them like a physical weight.

Then, without warning, the carvings began to rise from the walls, the stone shifting and melting as it formed into new shapes. The assassins stumbled back, their eyes wide with terror as they watched the walls come to life, the carvings taking on the form of twisted, monstrous creatures.

The stone beasts snarled and snapped their jaws, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light as they advanced on the intruders. The assassins had nowhere to run, the chamber offering no escape routes, no hiding places. They were trapped, surrounded by the very walls that had once been their sanctuary.

Shade raised his blade, his hands trembling as he faced the advancing creatures. "Fight... we have to fight!" he shouted, though his voice was filled with desperation. He knew, deep down, that there was no escape from this nightmare. They had ventured too far into the heart of Grafen’s defenses, and now they were paying the price.

The creatures lunged, their stone bodies moving with a fluidity that defied their solid forms. The assassins fought back with all the strength they had left, their weapons clashing against the stone beasts with a resounding clang. But for every creature they struck down, two more seemed to rise in its place, the walls constantly shifting and reshaping themselves into new horrors.

It was a losing battle, the assassins’ strength waning with each passing moment. Wraith was the first to fall, her body crushed beneath the weight of a stone beast that had pounced on her from above. Viper followed soon after, his throat torn out by a creature with razor-sharp teeth.

Shade fought on, his vision blurred by sweat and blood as he swung his blade wildly. But it was no use—the creatures were relentless, their numbers overwhelming. He could feel his strength leaving him, his limbs growing heavy as exhaustion took hold.

In his final moments, Shade could only think of the mission that had brought them here, the orders given by Lord Hektor. They had failed, and Grafen’s secrets would remain hidden. As the stone creatures closed in around him, the last thing Shade saw was the faint glow of the carvings, the intricate patterns twisting and writhing as they consumed him whole.

___

Far above, in the grand hall of Grafen’s castle, Lyan Arkanium Evocatore stood before a large, intricately carved map of his territory, his expression thoughtful as he traced the lines with his fingers. The room was bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, the golden rays casting long shadows across the floor.

He had sensed the disturbance in the tunnels beneath Grafen, the faint tremors and shifts in the earth that had signaled the presence of intruders. But there was no alarm in his eyes, no fear. He had known this day would come—the day when the surrounding nobles would grow jealous of his success and seek to uncover the secrets of his power.

But Lyan had been prepared. He had fortified Grafen with the best defenses imaginable, a combination of his summoned creatures and the natural defenses of the land. And now, those defenses had proven their worth.

As he turned away from the map, a small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "So, they finally made their move," he muttered to himself, his voice carrying a note of amusement. "I was wondering how long it would take."

He glanced out the window, his eyes narrowing as he watched the sun dip below the horizon. The night was coming, and with it, the promise of new challenges. But Lyan was not worried—he thrived on challenges, on the thrill of outmaneuvering his enemies.

And as he stood there, his mind already working on his next move, he knew one thing for certain: Grafen was his, and he would defend it with everything he had.

The nobles who sought to undermine him would soon learn that Lyan Evocatore was not a man to be trifled with. He was a warrior, a summoner, and a man with a vision. And anyone who dared to stand in his way would face the full force of his wrath.

The game had only just begun, and Lyan was determined to win. No matter the cost.