Chapter 159 9. Malus and his good friend
Malus Black Blade, after the end of Hanil Hala last time, brought Ferlan, the son of the Black Ark Nagol Admiral Barnes Bale. Baler captured him and had a friendly exchange. He learned from Furlan's mouth that Maranur of the Hell Calamity Family of Krakalond was also involved. The man who watched him being ambushed on the city wall that day was also involved. Several Druchi dignitaries are probably from the Hell Calamity family. That Maranur because his brother Darkus also brought back a group of Assur slaves, Maranur did not want his brother and a black blade to be talked about and compared at the same time by Druchi of Krakalond , that ambush took place, how ridiculous this is!
Malus also learned from his fourth half-sister Nagalia that it was his fifth half-brother Ulay who planned this incident and knew in advance that he was going to Krakaronde through magical transmission. Afterwards, Nagalia told him that Ulay held the key to a treasure house. In a secret meeting shrouded in darkness, an agreement was reached, and then he and his sister had a wonderful relationship. He led his followers to raid Ulay's treasure house hidden under the family, and led his followers to escape from Hagrid Grave, heading towards the Chaos Wasteland in the north.
Now that treasure house is within easy reach! However, Malus' team was also attacked by a group of beastmen.
Malus's cold lizard "Vicious" pounced on one of the beastmen, and at the same time he hit the other beastman hard on the back of the head. Malice tore his target to pieces with his claws, and he sliced open the back of his target's neck. The beastmen started screaming in shock and panic. His retinue Vansil cut off the right arm of the third beastman, almost Within minutes, the surviving beastmen retreated.
"Prepare your repeating crossbows and line up in front of the gate!" Malus noticed the uneven howls and roars of the beastmen echoing in the dense and gloomy woods on their way here, and he thought about it. After a while, he began to shout orders.
"I won't blame you, you stupid coward." Malus rode Malus onto the road leading to the gate. Malus refused to take another step after arriving ten meters away from the gate. He muttered something to himself and slid off the saddle.
Lunara, Vansil, and Darvar, as well as the followers who set off from Hagrid Grave with Malus, reined in their cold lizards beside the Malice, and took out their repeating crossbows to rely on the cold lizards. Get into a formation.
Wild noises echoed in the woods, and it sounded like the beastmen wandering in the darkness were chasing the group of druchi.
Malus reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a strange skull. The dark skull seemed to be glaring at him with obvious disgust. This feeling might have made him uneasy in the past, but now he has mastered how to resist that feeling.
Malus turned around and stared at the surging energy outside the gate. The air seemed to freeze at times and greedily suck the energy at other times. Purple and pink lightning flashes amidst billowing red and purple clouds above the treasure house. As time changes, the scenery outside the gate keeps distorting and flashing with strange light. One second, he saw the vast desert as red as blood, and the next second, he seemed to see the vast starry sky composed of hundreds of ancient planets. With a flash, he saw a flat and boundless plain, baking under the merciless scorching sun, and a mighty army sweeping across the blood-stained plain. There was another flash, and he saw a moonless land. Under the lonely starry sky, a ruined city composed of one-eyed towers was waiting for the sleeping gods to awaken and engulf the world with blood.
As Malus looked at the maddening, dizzying confusion of images, he knew that what he was seeing was not of this world. He saw a world where even the gods dared not step, and he knew that if he stepped into it, he would be lost forever, like a handful of sand thrown into a stormy sea.
"What can you create, damn soul, what can you destroy!" Malus thought arrogantly. He held the strange skull tightly. He could feel the energy of the skull lingering in his hands. After calming down, he began to slowly approach the scary door.
"You once spoke through my body. At that time, you were worried that you would be lost in the land of death! But that danger is nothing compared to what you are facing now, right? Open the door! Otherwise, we will die here together. In the whirlpool!" Malus thought as he stepped on the platform with one foot.
As Malus stepped onto the platform, he could feel a new energy washing through him. Despite the rough appearance of the door, he could feel that there was some mysterious mechanical device embedded in the stone wall of the door, waiting for the right person to open it again. He held the strange skull in front of him and slowly approached the raging vortex energy.
"You think I'm weak, huh? You think I won't step into the fire? Then you're a fool. I'll burn, but you'll stay with me! Druch will seek death in the face of failure. Open the door! Or else Let's die together!"
There was a buzzing sound in the air, and Malus could feel the skull beginning to tremble violently in his hands. So close to the vortex, he could feel the skull twisting and pulling at his skin, as if the skull was reaching out to him. The vortex energy was constantly changing, and a cruel and twisted face emerged, staring hungrily at him outside the gate. Whether these faces yearned more for his soul or this strange skull, he couldn't tell.
"Strange skull! Are you ready to face those who are waiting for you?" The blue flame of the vortex energy began to lick the surface of the skull, blowing violently across the arc of the skull, as if the skull was forcibly thrown into the furnace. In the high temperature, Malus could even feel his skull beginning to heat up in his hands.
The strange skull touched the surging vortex energy, and the dark and empty eye sockets seemed to be burning with violent life. The skull pierced the flame spikes into Malus's brain like spearheads, and continued to be angry in Malus's mind. The ground was thrashing.
Malus's body tensed, his head thrown back, and his mouth opened in a cold scream before beginning to utter harsh curses.
"No! You want to control this body? You can't control me! I am Malus of Hagrid Grave! I will not surrender to anyone! Follow my orders! Otherwise you will suffer doom!" Malu Si felt the soul in the strange skull clenching like a fist in his mind, and manipulated his body to start moving backwards, away from the vortex energy. he roared in rage, fighting the spirit of the strange skull in a battle of wills.
Screams of agony filled the air as swirling energy lashed out at the strange skull and extended into Malus' body. The soul of the strange skull turned into incoherent wailing under the touch of the vortex energy. Malus saw an incredible sight in his mind, and a strange eye was watching him!
The liquid pink-blue flame was boiling wantonly, and the terrifying and cold eyes were always staring at Malus, piercing through the layers of curtains into his soul.
Blood began to pour out of Malus's mouth, and the strange skull shook violently in his hand. He felt that cracks began to appear in the skull, and the vortex energy began to change direction and pounce on him, splashing and hissing on his breastplate. Hissing sound.
A terrifying shudder passed through his soul, and the terrifying vortex energy began to expand. He seemed to realize that there seemed to be some immortal existence pushing the raging vortex energy away. The cry of the strange skull reached a frightening climax. Blood mixed with foam spurted out from his throat, and he could feel the deep fear in the soul inside the skull. In his fleeting lucidity, Malus seemed to see the fate of the strange skull, and even his hard soul trembled.
The gate began to shake, falling apart into molten chunks of rock, its mechanisms failing in bursts of thunder.
A terrifying light flashed, and a huge eagle claw condensed from the vortex energy gripped the hot surface of the skull. The bones turned into dust under the touch of the untouchable eagle claw, and the vortex energy disappeared, as if it had never existed. When it disappeared, it also took away the soul in the strange skull.
Malus knelt there, hot steam emerging from the seams of his armor. He heard his heartbeat again. This moment was so terrifying before his numb mind tried hard to concentrate on thinking!
When Malus focused again, he saw a white path made of skulls stretching before him, leading to a massive stone building made of marble. There are no windows and no relief murals. This is not a treasure trove! This is a temple that embodies power! It was not built here to worship invisible gods, but to serve worldly ambitions!
This temple ignited the fire of desire in Malus's breast!
Malus stood up and used ruthless will to suppress the waves of pain that came from his body. This is an incredible victory! He could feel his desire calling to him. Perhaps with the power hidden in the temple, he can make the entire world surrender to his will!
At this moment, Druchi was calling Malus's name loudly. Malus turned around and tried to focus on the sound.
"My lord! Those beastmen are ready to attack!" Lunala turned her head and shouted to Malus.
Malus saw the beastmen preparing to attack a hundred meters away, and a trembling roar spread throughout the huge team of beastmen. The harsh sound seemed to challenge the Druchi. The beastmen let out bloodthirsty howls again and immediately launched an attack.
"Enter the temple and block the door!"
The Druchs led the cold lizards into the temple and began to take defensive measures.
"This won't stop these beastmen forever! What do we do when they break through the gate?" Vanhir asked, looking at Malus after getting ready.
"Then stop them!" Malus simply said something perfunctory before disappearing into the temple.
The sound of Malus' footsteps echoed hollowly in the narrow passage leading to the center of the temple. There were no torches on the walls, and no ironwork holding green fireballs. Instead, the black marble walls seemed to radiate an eerie power that somehow diluted the darkness, like ink with water added to it. He could see clearly in any direction, but the invisible force still pressed on his shoulders.
The temple was as silent as a tomb, but Malus could vaguely feel a weak power filling the air. This force is not as raging, violent and uncontrollable as the outside. Instead, it seems to be ruthlessly suppressed and patiently waiting to be summoned again.
The passage led to a large, equally undecorated room, with rows of raised shapes lining the floor on either side of the passage, and it took Malus a moment to realize that they might have been the shapes of servants. In life, these servants wore some kind of metallic coats and cloaks, but those ceremonial garments still remain, bending toward the narrow aisle in a supplicating posture. He wanted to know what kind of power could drive more than a hundred servants to lay their heads on the floor and stay there forever, waiting in vain for the return of their terrible master, until they finally died there. The same could be said for the two massive suits of armor that still stood on either side of the doorway at the far end of the room, their occupants long since reduced to dust.
Malus walked through the door and entered a room that seemed to be a place for prayer and sacrifice to the four gods of chaos. Huge statues stood in four different locations in the room, each with its own altar. The darkness here was palpable, like hundreds of bloody hands pressing on his shoulders. The great statue glared at him with merciless hatred, demanding his obedience and adoration. After whispering a prayer, he quickly walked through the room. The stench of distant heat and sulfur rushed towards Malus. He stepped on the stone slab and saw a huge winged demon statue squatting on the edge of the cliff. The statue's forehead was bent towards the stone slab in a supplicating posture. Frowning, he walked over and walked around the statue, staring down into the abyss below, which contained nothing but boiling fire and lava. He stepped back and stared at the statue again. He noticed that the back of the statue appeared to be a set of intricately carved steps. He carefully placed a boot on top of the demon's head and took a step upwards, the statue easily supporting his weight.
Malus climbed a short flight of steps along the back of the statue until there was nothing before him but the fetid air of sulphur. He looked down and saw a floating boulder, perfectly aligned with the back of the statue, he tried a few things but nothing happened.
"In the name of Tz'arkan! Rise up!" The molten lava in the abyss began to gush. By the firelight, Malus saw the words on the floating boulder, and a roar spewed out of his mouth.
The next second, Malus felt the energy in the air vibrate like a plucked chord, and the rows of floating boulders in front of him suddenly moved, and then began to rise.
"Zarkhan? Huh? I wonder what that name is?" Malus smiled proudly.
After a few minutes, Malus climbed onto the floating boulder and ascended the stairs. Every time he walked over each floating boulder, it would fall back to its original position. When he reached the winding staircase, he felt like a god!
"This is a place built for conquerors!" The stair steps seemed to be carved from a strange stone, each step artfully carved with dozens of small, unclothed figures writhing in agony. The villain raised his face, pleading for mercy. The villain's shoulders and back supported the weight of each step. Malus looked at the relief and thought.
Malus's smug smile suddenly disappeared as he walked up the stairs and discovered the body, dressed in finely tailored robes and a jeweled cloak, mummified almost perfectly by the dry heat. He froze in fear. There were corpses everywhere in front of him, all well preserved by the high temperature. The corpses all died violently, some were killed by each other, and some died of suicide.
The second floor of the temple has rows of huge and wide marble pillars carved into terrifying demonic images, supporting the vaulted ceiling. Cold braziers made of bronze and black iron are erected at intervals along the wide corridors. Dark sandstone is embedded between the black marbles of the walls, each of which contains a bas-relief of a corpse-covered field or a ruined city burning under twin moons.
The doorways of each room are also carved with magical runes, but these runes have long been destroyed. Malus discovered the charred body of a man who had once tested the power of magic. The room was torn apart by out-of-control runes. Malus stumbled into a room that had been turned into a slaughterhouse. An oak table was pulled to the center of the sparsely furnished room, with an assortment of carving knives and saws beside it. A mummified corpse remains strapped to the table, its right leg and arm having been sawed off. Ancient bloodstains left deep red marks on the thick tapestries on the walls. Some rooms were filled with treasures. Urns filled with gold and silver coins were placed among tattered bookshelves and piles of ancient books. Sets of armor and fine weapons Scattered on the ground, they had evidently been neglected in the frenzy of carnage.
"What price would Nagalia or Ulay be willing to pay to be alone in these rooms for an hour?" Malus thought viciously as he looked at the magical wisdom contained in those pages.
There is a ramp at one end of this level, surrounded by five rooms, that leads upwards to the third level of the temple. The ramps are carved with hundreds of skulls and inscribed with hundreds of runes, while the door to the third level is made of solid gold.
"Ten years of looting can't get so much gold. I can get the gold!" Malus's eyes showed greed, and he thought curiously.
Malus opened the door, and there was a large room in the distance. The door of the room was flanked by statues of terrifying demons with wings. The floor was also made of slabs of polished black marble, blacker than deep darkness, and the marble was inlaid with an intricate series of interlocking magical wards made of gold, silver, and precious stones. But the largest barrier was only one-third of a larger circle that apparently extended under the far wall and enclosed part of the room outside. At the foot of the gate lay a pile of mummified corpses, one of whom still had his arm stretched out over the gate. Crimson stains of dried blood formed five perfect lines on the door, stretching from the door's golden handle to the mummy's tattered fingertips.
The air here vibrated with energy, and it tasted like copper and ash on Malus' tongue. As he stepped across the threshold, he caused ripples in the air, like he was wading into a sea of invisible energy. Energy surrounded him, pulling at his hair and rolling with his breath. The feeling made him dizzy with greed, but part of him was troubled. He moved forward cautiously. When he crossed the first barrier inlaid with runes, he felt a new energy envelope him, like an iron fist on his chest. The energy was so powerful that For a moment he felt like he couldn't breathe, and then he suddenly realized that his heart had stopped beating. He just stood in this mysterious space, the energy intertwined with incredible complexity, effectively preventing his heart from jumping from one to the next. He felt like he could stand here for thousands of years without dying. .
"The energy here is so great, why don't these poor people succumb to the will of energy?"
Malus tried to walk towards the door. He could feel the energy flowing through him like an ebbing tide. Before he could push it, Open, the door opened on its own with a faint click.
This room looks more like a huge treasure room, with piles of gold, silver, jewelry and ornaments everywhere. Surrounding the center of the room is a huge multi-faceted crystal. Different from the green crystal that the beastmen regard as a holy object, this crystal emits a flickering pink-blue light. Energy condenses around the crystal, and pink-blue electric arcs flash on the surface of the crystal.
"I think I will get a taste of this power in a short time, enough to handle my family and make me Night Governor of Hagrid Grave! That's enough! Sister, you are so sure I will Failure! But you don’t know who you are dealing with!” Malus approached the crystal, his eyes flashing with greed, and his ambitions began to expand wantonly.
"A blood ring fit for a conqueror, this is my glory! My trophy!" Malus smiled proudly, staring at the huge wealth surrounding him. Enough gold to buy Hagrid Grave, and this might just be the beginning! His eyes fell on a gold ring set with a rectangular ruby almost as long as his finger. The sparkling light of the pink-blue crystal shines against the smooth surface of the ruby, taking on a blood-dark color. He took the ring from the pile of treasures and held it up to admire the weight of the ring and the color of the ruby.
Malus put the ring on his finger, and the moment it was on, the energy surrounding the crystal hit his chest. Fire, ice, and black corruption burned across his body, a feeling of horror greater than pain, fear, and madness combined.
The energy that swamped Malus was cold, as merciless as the freezing winds of Naggaroth. Not only was his soul shattered, it was swept away, as if his soul had never existed.
The terrible energy hollowed out Malus's soul in one horrific moment, and he screamed in agony and numbing fear. He fell to his knees and twisted, only to realize that the thunderous laughter echoed in his mind.
"Praise my lord! You are such a fool, Malus Blackblade. For such a small thing, you willingly became my slave!" A voice echoed in Malus' mind, with the intimacy of a lover. Whisper.
Malus rolled over reluctantly, mist rising from his body as he fought against the presence forcing its way into him. The existence attached to him seemed to seep into his flesh and blood, coiling around his heart like a poisonous snake, making his former soul disappear without a trace. He was furious at the cold touch of his soul, and concentrated all his willpower to force this being out of his body, but that being was not affected at all, and the deep laughter echoed wantonly in his mind.
"Let me go!" Malus groaned.
"Let you go? But I just got you. Do you know how long I have been waiting for a servant like you?" Zakhan made a joking voice in Malus's mind.
Malus roared and lunged at the crystal. He drew his sword from its scabbard and struck it against the glittering surface. The sound of the collision between steel and crystal was like the sound of bells. He exhausted all his strength and began to stagger back, but there was no trace on the surface of the crystal.
"This is a terrible way to treat such a beautiful sword, Malus. I won't mind if you continue to do this!" "
What on earth are you?" Malus shouted, mad with rage.
"Me? Compared with you, I am simply a god." Zakan's cold laughter echoed in the room, "You creatures, with the most primitive knowledge, would call me a devil. Even if you have a thousand years to Try, you can't pronounce my name correctly. For our common purpose, you can call me Zakhan, that's enough." "
Devil? In my body? No, I won't allow it!" Maru Si was stunned when he heard this. He fell to his knees and pulled out the serrated dagger from the sheath. He pressed the tip of the serrated dagger to his throat, "I! Malus! I am not anyone's slave! No matter they are demons Or a god!"
"Mortal, if you stab me with a dagger, you will not only die as a slave, but you will always be my slave!" Zakhan said flatly.
"No! You're lying!"
(End of Chapter)