Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 723 - 667 Vaul
Perhaps it was the wind and snow, pulled by the Wanderer, too intense, that amidst the ceaseless winter snow, Lyle watched the distant mountains recede like waves. Frost flowers bloomed, and time slowed down. On the third dawn, lit by the light of silvery frost, Lyle knew they had arrived in Posuwa.
It felt like a dull thud upon the heart; something eerie and bone-chilling, formless through the spotty soil, climbed the racing frost carriage’s frame and crept onto Lyle’s body. Nia extended her tentacles, flailing aimlessly in the air, shadows of bad omens spread beneath Lyle’s feet, and in an instant, the semi-transparent floor of the carriage was covered in darkness.
The world outside the window began to jolt, four specter horses neighed uncontrollably, fortunately, the reins held them in check. As calm returned, Ivan turned his head with a complaining tone, "My master, please contain your influence; Posuwa’s curse and your corruption are proving quite the snow on snow for us."
"Sorry, Ivan." Writhing tentacles withdrew back into the robes, Lyle soothed the little tentacles peeking from his sleeve and shifted his focus to the ebbing shadows beneath his feet. Pure darkness like a mirror, Lyle saw the cowering reflection of the omen, and he grasped the so-called "Curse Skill" of Posuwa, that invisible clump of energy, struggling, assimilating, decomposing under the clench of the omen’s embodiment.
Ivan’s carriage returned to normal, and the omen whispered in Lyle’s ear the flavor of this power.
[The same source of power, fragments of the Sleeper.]
The bizarre curse buried beneath Posuwa’s land was another part of the god of sleep. The war against gods led by the Dragon Priests during the age of dragons dismembered the Lord of the Ancient Days into pieces, burying them across regions to be guarded and sealed.
Lyle gazed at the ground, slightly stirred his fingertips, and a gloom of dark mist slowly rose. Stopping his perilous gestures, Lyle muttered softly, "Although it’s not the first time I’ve encountered the power of the Sleeper, such severe erosion is new to me. It has only caused madness of the mind. It seems the sealed part is not that significant."
The frost ceased, and Lyle stepped down from the carriage, looking at the snaking plume of dust rising in the distance, like a dancing earth dragon.
"Weak fragment, unguarded by Dragon Priests, poisoning a stretch of land..." Lyle’s eyes moved, the dimness of the omen flickered past, "I do wish to devour the power of the Sleeper, but I’m not qualified yet."
I need to reach that coordinate quickly; perhaps the mystery hidden there will allow me to advance further. Only an ascended me might have the power to lift Posuwa’s curse.
Crack, snap.
Frost flowers at his feet appeared with fine cracks, bursting one after another, withering like real flowers. Ivan and his carriage showed faint distortions, like signal loss, while the Wanderer placed a hand over his chest, bowing coldly.
"My master, I cannot be of assistance to you in the journey ahead. This time, Posuwa’s curse has had a greater effect on me; if I go deeper, I will likely lose my way, my apologies."
Lyle waved his hand in understanding; perhaps the Wanderer’s poor condition this time was mainly due to himself. Feeling the invasion of the evil god’s power from Posuwa, his body responded with resistance automatically. Ivan suffered two profound spiritual corruptions; had he shown no weakening, Lyle would be surprised; as a Resentful Spirit without material possession, he was most susceptible to influences.
"It’s good that you made it this far, Ivan. Don’t worry; I will establish a connecting Skeleton Portal as soon as I find the place; if you feel unwell in spirit, leave at once. I can proceed on my own."
Ivan bowed even more respectfully and humbly, his body gradually settling down.
"Naslan’s power is not as weak as mine, my master. Should you encounter trouble when you delve into Posuwa, know that War Seeker Vaul, a servant who has signed a contract with Naslan, wanders this land. Seek him at the heart of the tumult, and he will obey your commands just as I do." Ivan lifted his head, snowflakes falling from the corner of his mouth, "He once was Naslan’s Infantry Captain, and even in death, he continues the work of battle. He has lingered in Posuwa for over a decade and now is likely mad. But do not worry, even a madman will heed the orders of their master."
Naslan’s servant, Vaul, a spirit gone mad with slaughter on the battlefield. It did not sound like a good option, and Lyle offered up a forced yet polite smile.
"I suppose that gentleman does not know me. Will I need something to prove my identity, like the seal given to me by Alianna? Or this pocket watch presented by Beatrice?"
The Wanderer shook his head and, taking the reins, directed the carriage towards a new direction.
"All of Naslan’s specters can smell the fragrance on you, the mark of one intimate with Naslan’s daughter. Do not try it yourself, dear master, for your nose is not so keen. It is the fragrance of the Soul Reaver, the strange scent of the soul."
Ivan left, depositing Lyle on the border of Posuwa, a location not chosen at random. Lyle found himself very close to the center of unrest, the visible line of smoke rising straight into the sky. If he was not mistaken, Naslan’s coachman, despite being unwell, had attentively handed Lyle over to his colleague. Lyle needed only to walk a few steps to encounter the mad Vaul himself.
Why not? It did not seem far and would not take much time. After passing a knoll with its topsoil turned over and a crooked dead tree struck down at its center, Lyle arrived at the edge of the high ground and saw a swath of earth-yellow ruins and, amidst them, an abnormal creature which could be War Seeker Vaul.
The colossal iron sword trailed behind would further crumble the already collapsing earthen walls upon turning. The body slanted, like a dead convict performing grueling labor, dark red matted hair reaching down to the waist, almost completely covering the swollen body, with a spirit’s body hovering half a foot off the ground in lieu of legs. The dark red upper body resembled a floating tumor, the most materialized spirit he had seen, as if it had just escaped from the Andrei Laboratory. A hazy cloak of blood-red mist swirled around, while meaningless low growls echoed through the ruins.
The abnormal spirit occasionally paused, like a blood-drenched statue staring into the distance before continuing its wanderings.
Lyle had thought its speed slow until he stepped into the spirit’s line of sight. Like triggering an explosive rune, flipping a switch, the evil spirit abruptly looked up, its head rotating one hundred and eighty degrees to face Lyle directly with murky blood-red eyes. It became a storm tinged with the stench of blood, lifting dust and charging towards Lyle.
"Yi yi yi! Yi yi yi yi!" Emitting panicked shrieks, it moved its twisting body and dragged the great sword, which, within seconds, filled Lyle’s vision. The damaged iron sword, carrying the scent of carnage, was raised above its head and smashed down viciously towards Lyle’s crown.
Lyle sidestepped and bone-spur tendrils shot from his side, piercing the evil spirit’s body first, splitting apart to rend the spirit asunder. An even more alarming scream erupted from the spirit as disjoint figments of wailing human faces appeared on its lumpy chest and abdomen, twisting and writhing in agony, as if trapped within the outer garment of the spirit.
Physical strikes were nearly ineffectual while curse skills provoked a response akin to soul-piercing screams. Lyle’s head tilted to the left and the foul wind from the iron sword struck the ground less than ten centimeters away, throwing up sand and stones onto his face, cutting him. The blackness in his pupils spread, and an ominous foreboding began to set in for a second round.
The evil spirit halted, its head lurching forward as it sniffed up and down, its clouded gaze settling on Lyle’s face without focus.
"...Master? Vaul’s master?"
Lyle spat out a wad of saliva, the shadows in his eyes dissipating.
"What a damn smart aleck, surrendering after taking advantage."
