Chương 719: 682. Noble Problems V

"We must retreat!" the baron shouted, finally able to shrug off the fear, though his entire back was slick with a cold sweat. This darkness was not just any darkness, but a darkness which utterly consumed. He had sworn it was a myth, for it was perhaps one of the greatest disasters known to man. It wasn't a monster, it wasn't even a Night Lord, it was more like the Night King, no, the Night God.

Though the shout for retreat had been given, the commoners remained still, clutched by a dark fear, even as it began to swallow the mercenaries towards the edge.

"Just a sec." The Baron turned, his eyes staring at the Half Elf and his three companions. The Half Elf's armour was eerily quiet as he stepped forward, while his companion, the red skinned woman, jangled to his left, her blade clutched tightly in hand.

"Great Moon," Jaygak called, willing the blade to glow faintly, before she focused, and the blade grew even brighter, pushing back the edges of the darkness. She raised her shield to cover most of her torso, hiding behind it like a turtle. Jurot's entire body filled with red hot rage, his neck pulsing as he marched forward towards the encroaching darkness. He gripped the shield's handle tighter with one hand, and pressed the handle of Phantom harder against his palm, his index finger loosening slightly.

Kitool wielded Tigerstaff as though it were a walking stick, gently pressing it against the earth with every other step. She inhaled deeply, calming her heart from the initial fear which had frozen her body. She remained on the right flank, which soothed her.

'Katool will enjoy this tale.' Battle Order D20 + 1 = 17 (16) Jurot leapt into the fray, swinging his axe wildly as he always did, and he met the darkness as though it were but a beast. Phantom tore through the blackness, and though Jurot swore he would have mortally wounded an Expert, the darkness seemed as ever present as it had been before his wild blows. The darkness seeped within his body as he tried to prepare himself. Kitool's staff swam through the creature, also flowing through it near harmlessly.

She was certain she would have mortally wounded an Expert, yet the darkness seemed to encompass her, sapping her strength. The blackness began to swallow the pair whole, threatening to slip them into Baktu's embrace. Yet, a light flashed beside the pair of Iyrmen. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 27 (17) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 30 (4, 5)(1, 1)(2, 4, 4) Damage resisted! Damage vulnerability! 39 damage!

Health: 78 -> 75 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Miss! Wraith flashed white hot with holy magics, cutting through the creature's darkness, illuminating Adam's companions. Adam swung once more, though the darkness slipped around his head, stealing his warmth. The back of Adam's head grew cold as he realised what had happened. This creature had certainly taken enough damage to deal with pretty much any Grandmaster, and yet it was still threatening to consume the entire outpost.

Adam realised why the baron was so terrified of this creature, and why the Iyr had warned him. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 19 -> 18 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 24 (14) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 0 Mana: 18 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 8D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 107 (4, 5, 6, 6)(1, 3, 4, 5)(1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6)(3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) Damage resisted! Damage vulnerability! 139 damage!

Health: 75 -> 71 The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 19 (9) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 15 -> 12 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 55 (1, 2, 4, 4)(2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) Damage vulnerability! 90 damage! Health: 71 -> 69"You need to be cut down to size!" Adam shouted, his voice full of magical fervour, Wraith vibrating within his hand as it crashed against the darkness.

Wraith exploded the darkness, the light flashing against the darkness, which pulled away for a moment, and yet Adam stepped forward, wincing from the darkness which lashed out against him. Adam's brow began to sweat heavily as he realised that the creature, whatever it was, still blanketed the sky around them.

'God! Damn!' Yet, he marched forward, for behind him were his companions, who were readying themselves to strike again. Wraith flashed white hot with holy magic again, and though much of the darkness had thinned out, it still covered the group, blotting out the stars.

'What the hell?' Adam grit his teeth and braced for the darkness to swallow him while he prepared to swing Wraith once more, calling forth more holy magic. Jurot and Kitool both understood. They understood that Adam, with his Wraith charges, with his Divine Smite, with his Thunderous Smite, and striking true within the creature, had done the most damage he had ever done within the span of moments. Yet, somehow, whatever this creature was, it still threatened to swallow them.

They had dealt more than enough damage to kill Dragons between the three of them, even the likes of Forgryn, no doubt, and yet this force of nature, that was utter blackness, continued to encroach around them. A light shone across the trio, illuminating their backs, before it flashed past them, the young Iyrman throwing her entire body into the darkness as her blade cut through it. Jaygak, who had stepped down from the tournament before even placing within it, charged face first into the blackness.

Great Moon's light diminished within the darkness as it engulfed the four, rapidly consuming the four insignificant gnats within. Health: 69 -> 47 The baron stared, mouth agape towards the four fools. Even watching the mercenaries being swallowed whole hadn't deterred them from stepping forward to meet the challenge of the nightmare. He felt a hand at his shoulder, the knight beside him trying to pull his lord away, though his own legs trembled from the sight.

"We must-," the knight began, only to stop as his eyes darted towards the darkness. A single beam of light peeked through from the inside of the still darkness, before several more beams of light pierced through the mass of black, until the darkness exploded with radiance. The figures trapped within the darkness, the mercenaries which the baron had paid good coin for, lay on the ground dead.

Four stood tall, weapons midway through striking at the phantom threat which had disappeared, as though it were truly only a nightmare. One grey, another purple, a third red, and the last, pale white. Adam panted, his heart pounding within his chest. A deep chill seeped through into the core of his being, but the light radiating from Great Moon warmed his heart. His eyes darted around, trying to find the rest of the darkness, but the torches grew brighter and flickered with joy. Victory!

XP Gained: +2000 XP: 11 900 -> 13 900'Crazy,' Adam thought, before inhaling deeply, clenching his fists tight as his muscles flexed before they relaxed. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 6 = 12 (1, 5) Health: 47 -> 59"Adam," Jaygak said, waving Great Moon to illuminate the area around them, but its light couldn't pierce the stone nearby. No, it wasn't a stone. It moved too much to be a stone, pulsing every few moments.

"How ominous," Adam stated, staring at it, watching as it sucked in the light.

"I hope that no one has any issues with us taking the spoils?" He glanced around, noting the terrified faces, the dozens of unconscious bodies, as well as the handful which lay forever still. His eye's then caught the baron's, who seemed to still be gripped by a heinous terror. The entire area was still nearly ice cold, the flames barely beginning to beat back the chill which had taken the land. The baron remained shuddering, not just from the cold, but from the sheer terror which had gripped him.

His eyes remained focused on Adam, though his vision had grown blurry, his eyes twitching. Baron Kegan clenched his fists tight, letting out a long exhale as he tried to calm himself, his breath visible in the air before it dissipated. He could still feel the hand against his shoulder, his knights ready to assist him still, even though they had most certainly been overwhelmed by the creature and the sight.

"I do not believe anyone would disagree such a request by our saviour," Baron Kegan Rockcastle stated, his face still pale, his smile cold, lips shuddering.

"What do you think?" Adam asked, staring down at the pulsing heart.

"We should probably contain it somehow.

"Yes," Jurot replied, also thinking about how to take the heart.

"We need a silver box."

"A silver box?"

"A silver box will keep the magic contained."

"That's going to cost a lot of money."

"Yes."

"Well, I hope the lord is feeling grateful, because I don't think we can afford that." Jurot nodded.

"The matter will be dealt with," the baron said, letting out another exhale as his heart continued to pound wildly within his chest.

"Oh, brilliant. Thank you, my lord." Adam gently bowed his head, smiling at the baron.

'A heart made of some kind of shadow thing? That's so cool!'

'He knows magic,' the baron thought.

'So he's… he's not a Volar? He's no mortal, like us?' The baron swallowed.

'Is that why I am so pleasant with him? Has he charmed me with his wicked magics?' The baron's heart was still weak from the encounter with it, so he stumbled his way back to his tent, thinking deeply on such a terrifying matter.

'A Night Lord! A Night Lord who can walk in the light?'