Chapter 294: The Highlord’s Younger Brother
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“How can I do that… ” Lin Li said half-heartedly as he had already proceeded to dip his finger into the blood. Not once did he stop to think if this could be a trap, as there was no need to do so. There were countless Undead creatures in this great hall, and with a high-ranking Vampire at least at level-18, why would they risk the Vampire’s freedom with a blood oath when they could destroy him so easily.
As Lin Li felt the boiling blood on his fingertip, he confirmed his suspicions. This had to be a blood oath. The reason was simple. As an Undead creature, a Vampire’s blood was unbearably cold. Only when they made a blood oath did their blood boil with their soul fire, just as the blood on his fingertip did…
The boiling blood felt like a blazing ball of fire on his forehead; before Lin Li could react, millions of fragmented memories formed a wave and flooded his mind. Voices and scenes, old and new, came together in a flurry, fighting a war in his mind. Amidst the chaos, the fog shrouding one particular voice and scene slowly disappeared, just like dust-sealed scrolls being revealed to him. Lin Li knew that this was the soul fire of the Vampire, encompassing all his memories from the day he became an Undead creature to this day as he offered his soul fire to seal the blood oath. The boiling drop of blood was brimming with all of these memories…
“Whooo…” Countless memory fragments pieced themselves together. At long last, Lin Li let out a long breath of relief. Scanning the many Undead creatures in the great hall, he saw that not a trace of violence and murder resided in their eyes, only compliance and respect. Lin Li could even tell that they would comply with any of his orders. At last, he let his gaze fall upon the high-ranking Vampire.
“Norfeller, could you tell me about the origins of this mausoleum? ”
“Norfeller” was the name of the high-ranking Vampire. Not only did Lin Li come to know of the Vampire’s origins from the fragments of memory, he also knew that this Vampire was half human and half High Elf. Born in the legendary Dark Ages, Norfeller had even once served as the personal guard of a High Elf aristocrat.
“As you wish, Master…” replied Norfeller. He remained on a single knee, compliance and respect evident in his voice.
His deep and raspy voice brought them back to 1200 years ago, when the High Elves still ruled the world and Osric reigned over the Felan Kingdom. This reign and dictatorship, however, came with stir of a brewing storm. The human army had destroyed six Sky Castles, and the High Elves were about to lose their last weapon. Naturally, the High Elves aristocrats started to panic, and the aristocrat Norfeller served was no exception.
According to Norfeller, the aristocrat was named Giovanni—he ruled over the lands south of the Breezy Plains. He lost everything he had in the war, and had no choice but to escape to Felan, where he begged his half-brother Osric to offer him protection. Sadly, the once decorated Highlord was now utterly devoted to building a mausoleum in his old age.
Perhaps it was an understanding of his plight, or maybe he had been inspired by Osric, but after a night of pondering, the distraught Giovanni approached Osric and asked for the piece of land by the Demon Fall Valley.
Osric did not refuse him, and recalled the Magic Legion that resided at the Demon Fall Valley that very evening.
From then on, Giovanni lived in the Demon Fall Valley, building himself a mage tower and sending countless slaves to dig the grounds to build him a true underground palace.
Following that, he began his research on Necromagic.
Necromagic was a taboo amongst the life-loving High Elves, who thought it a belittlement of life. In those times, any High Elf who practiced Necromagic was treated like a heretic and burnt to death.
Hence, Giovanni’s research on Necromagic remained a secret to everybody but his personal guard Norfeller. Not even his half-brother Osric knew about it.
Giovanni’s research lasted 10 years. As time went by, the human army had already taken over vast areas. The sound of horns came ringing from the borders of the Felan Kingdom, and as the ruler Osric grew frailer each day, the people knew that the Highlord’s time was nearly up…
The human army finally invaded the Breezy Plains that autumn. In that same autumn, Highlord Osric also came to the end of his time. The raging fires of war reached Alanna from the Breezy Plains as Osric’s two sons battled each other for the throne each day even as they lived in fear of the human army. At that time, Giovanni did the unthinkable: he turned himself into an Undead creature.
Or, more accurately, a Lich.
Giovanni buried the brand of his soul into his life case, hence obtaining immortality through an unorthodox method.
After turning himself into a Lich, Giovanni did not attempt to resist the human army. Instead, he quickly moved all that he had into the underground palace. The day he was done, he killed all the slaves with Necromagic, and turned them all into his most loyal servants.
Due to his loyalty, Norfeller was turned into a high-ranking Vampire who retained his memory and intelligence, and served as the right-hand man of Giovanni who commanded the army of Undead creatures.
“What about now? Where is Giovanni?” Lin Li could not help his suspicion upon hearing this.
“Lord Giovanni has already died, the brand of his soul had already disappeared 1200 years ago when he moved into the underground palace…” While Norfeller’s voice was still filled with the same air of compliance and respect, a trace of his complicated feelings slipped through at the mention of his previous master.
“Dead?” Lin Li could not control his shock at this. Wasn’t that too fast? Didn’t he just turn into an immortal Lich? Lin Li clearly remembered Andoine telling him that every Lich lived almost eternally, and even if they were killed, they could revive themselves with the brand of their soul that remained in the life case. Even if Giovanni was a freshly created Lich, surely he was better than that?
“Yes…”
Norfeller nodded as he remained kneeling. As Giovanni retreated into the underground palace with his army of the Undead, he found an altar situated right at the center of it. This altar had been already present as the slaves built the underground palace, but as they had mostly been peasants from various tribes, none of them knew what the altar represented.
Giovanni was the only one who knew…
Just as he set foot into the underground palace, Giovanni felt a great force of Divine Power coming from the center of the altar. This was undoubtedly a cruel joke for the newly born Lich—such Divine Power was hidden in an underground palace made for Undead creatures? It felt like being in a tank with a ball of fire.
Perhaps he had been too sure of himself, or maybe he did not want future troubles knocking at his door… no matter what it had been, Giovanni made a decision to check out the interior of altar upon seeing it for the first time. Norfeller recalled that Giovanni had gone in alone—not a single underling followed, not even the most trusted Norfeller.
The accident happened then…
Norfeller heard a cry an hour after Giovanni went into the altar before he saw Giovanni rush out covered in flames. Till this day, Norfeller could recall the terror of the flames, just like that of the legendary Judgement Day. Even a spark of that fire could destroy an Undead creature, and numerous Undead turned into ashes just as Giovanni emerged from the altar. If not for his quick thinking and flying away after turning into a bat, Norfeller would not be speaking to Lin Li today…
Just like Lin Li, Norfeller had initially thought that Giovanni would survive the Divine Fire as he had already turned into a Lich. Soon, however, he could clearly feel that the Divine Fire was not just burning Giovanni’s body, but also his soul—even the brand of his soul locked in the life case was not spared.
Sadly, as Norfeller realized that, the last bit of the brand of Giovanni’s soul had already been destroyed…
Thus, nobody knew what Giovanni saw inside the altar, and nobody knew what was the fire that could parallel the flames of Judgement Day. Norfeller only knew that Giovanni’s dying words were: “1200 years later, the Immortal King will open this sealed door. Norfeller, you must follow him and serve him…”
Hence, Norfeller waited 1200 years in this underground palace until Lin Li came through the mausoleum’s door…
“… ” Lin Li brushed his nose without a word, thinking to himself, F*ck, how can there be such a coincidence?