Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 191
With two dark wizarding factions joining forces, the wizards of the "Hand of Judgment" are in dire straits.

Before dying, a wizard used his last bit of magic to send out a distress signal.

Red magical fireworks bloomed in the night sky, illuminating the entire battlefield.

Mora watched her companions fall one after another, her heart filled with resentment: "We can't let them succeed, someone has to get the message back!"

He chose the youngest wizard, Leia: "Take this intelligence and return to the council immediately! Inform the Speaker that the Fallen Angels and the Whispers of the Dead have joined forces." Leia nodded tearfully, cast an invisibility spell, and carefully moved towards the edge of the battlefield.

On the battlefield, the black wizards' offensive grew increasingly fierce.

Kane and Falken joined forces to cast a forbidden spell, and a huge black sphere condensed in the center of the battlefield. Once it exploded, everything within a ten-mile radius would be reduced to ruins.

Mora knew he couldn't just sit and wait to die, so he gathered the remaining wizards and prepared to launch a final counterattack.

"For the Wizarding Council! For the Westerlands!" Mora raised his wand and led the crowd toward the black sphere.

Their magic clashed violently with the power of the dark wizard, and the entire forest trembled.

Leia seized the opportunity to break through the encirclement and ran desperately toward the council.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced the dark clouds, the twilight forest had already become a ruin.

The ground was littered with the corpses of wizards, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of blood and the lingering scent of magic.

Kane looked at the mess and smiled with satisfaction: "The Wizarding Council is nothing special. However, that little girl who escaped must be brought back to me!"

Falken's translucent fingertips pierced the chest of a wizard's corpse, a ghostly blue soul flame flickering between his fingers: "Don't worry, she can't escape. She's been a rat hiding in the sewers for twenty years." The lich markings on his neck writhed like living snakes. "Now that the Stargate is about to open, it's time for those self-proclaimed orthodox fools to pay the price."

Kane slammed his bone staff heavily against the charred ancient tree, the bark instantly turning to ash: "As long as the continent of Bavel is connected to this place, we can break free from the shackles of the Council." A blood-red star map mark appeared in his palm, echoing the waning moon in the sky, "Those high and mighty Wizard Councils will soon kneel at our feet."

Three days later, in the underground council chamber of the Knights' Guild, the magic candlestick cast Odom's shadow as long as possible.

As two dark figures, reeking of decay, emerged from the teleportation array, the knight's sword at his waist emitted a clear, resonant sound.

“I never imagined we’d join forces one day.” Odom’s gaze swept over Kane’s throbbing heart scepter, then fell on Falken’s translucent skull face. “A dark wizard’s promise is less reliable than dragon dung.”

“But you need our support.” Falken raised his hand, and a throne of bones rose from the ground. He slowly sat down. “I heard that the Wilke family’s son obtained the Dragon Slayer Spear? That thing is a powerful weapon to restrain the Gatekeeper.” He paused deliberately, looking at Odom’s suddenly tense jaw. “Even the entire Knights Guild cannot stop the Awakened Gatekeeper.”

Odom's knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned white, and the gilded gauntlets reflected distorted patterns in the candlelight.

Falken's translucent skeletal fingers tapped the bone throne, producing hollow echoes that seemed to strike the very nerves of everyone present. The knight's emblem on the dome of the council chamber glowed faintly, and twelve phantom figures appeared and disappeared in the shadows, yet they could not suppress the pervasive stench of decay.

“What we need are reliable allies, not venomous snakes that could turn on us at any moment.” Odom’s longsword was drawn three inches from its sheath, the cold light reflecting the bloodlust flickering in Kane’s eyes. “The promises of you dark wizards are less trustworthy than the swamp gas.”

Falken suddenly let out a shrill laugh, his vocal cords rubbing together in the lich's body with a grating sound: "But you need the 'Dragon-Eating Gu'—without it, the Gatekeeper alone can crush the Western Frontier into dust." With a wave of his hand, the Gatekeeper's phantom appeared in the air, and the giant draped in stars crushed the virtual castle with a single stomp. "When that thing opens its eyes, the glory of the Knights' Guild will be nothing but a candle flickering in the wind."

Kane's Heart Scepter burst forth with crimson light, pinning Odom's shadow to the wall: "Stop putting on airs, you legendary peak brat." He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, "When the Stargate opened, the powerful beings that flooded into the continent of Bavel, you lawless fools couldn't even protect yourselves."

The air suddenly froze, with only the sound of the magic candle wick popping.

Just as Odom was about to retort, the ground suddenly trembled violently, and a dazzling silver light shot down from the dome.

Leo's figure descended slowly, enveloped in the power of order. With each step this true knight of order took, golden rose patterns bloomed on the ground.

"Enough." Leo's voice was like the tolling of a bronze bell, making Kane's heart groan. "You want to use the Stargate to escape to the continent of Pavel, and we need to guard the western border. It's just a matter of each getting what they need."

With a wave of his hand, twelve phantoms materialized, the knights' lances pointing at the black wizard. "But before the Star Gate closes, any act of betrayal will be met with the full force of the Knights Guild."

Falken's skeletal face rippled with twisting energy as the power of the lich and the power of order collided in mid-air, creating visible ripples.

"You, Leo," he finally let out a hoarse chuckle. "But don't forget, the forbidden spells we possess are enough to turn the Western Regions into ruins."

“Then let’s try.” Leo’s silver armor gleamed with a divine light. “Let’s see if your forbidden spells are faster, or if my spear of judgment will pierce your hearts first.” His spear was pointed at Kane, whose heart suddenly pounded wildly in his chest, as if it would burst through his flesh at any moment.

Finally, Kane tossed his blood-red robes and spread a crimson pact on the ground: "Once the Stargate opens, the Dark Wizard must leave immediately. But before that," his gaze swept over Odom, "you must provide enough sacrifices to feed the Dragon-Eating Gu."

Leo's spear touched the contract, and golden runes instantly covered the blood-red text: "Deal. But remember—" His gaze pierced through the two dark wizards like a tangible object, "The price of betrayal is falling into the abyss of eternal damnation."

Falken slowly disappeared into the teleportation array, tossing out a ball of ghostly blue soul fire before leaving: "Looking forward to the 'grand occasion' of fighting alongside the Order Knights."

As the black mist dissipated, the council hall returned to silence, with only the remaining bones and bloodstains on the ground testifying to the harrowing events of this secret alliance.

Odom sheathed his sword and looked at Leo: "President, do you really believe them?"

“No.” Leo stared at the runes flowing across the contract. “But before the gatekeeper awakens, we need all the blades, even the ones that will cut us.” His voice was weary, yet resolute. “Prepare yourselves. The real storm is coming.”

(End of this chapter)