They spent a single night in the reward room, before finding themselves back in the desert. From there, it was a simple journey continuing on from where they had left off. Over yellow dunes and past red sunsets, until the next milestone of their journey came into sight.
“Remember, we do not venture any further southward than we need to,” Aclysia told all of them on the morning of the final stretch.
“We know, we are not suicidal,” Reysha responded, tugging at her collar. She had cut away half of her bodysuit, having deemed it unsalvageable, and wore her regular adventuring clothes underneath what remained. Because of the potential dangers of this final stretch, they had all decided to wear their combat garb just out of caution.
Stallious, the city they were heading for, sat on the border between the desert and the level 50 Influence Zone of the Necro Lord’s Crypt. North of that border, the party was a force that could fight its way through handily. South of it was death. It was a line that best went untouched.
“It bears repeating,” Aclysia insisted.
Mobile Estate stashed away, they set out. They had to make it from one side of a land bridge to the other. It was narrow enough that it was doable in a day and flat enough that they could already see Stallious in the distance.
It was a massive fortification. Giant stone walls were overshadowed only by the towers that marked the corners and the keep that sat within. It was massive to the point of excess, Apexus felt, but perhaps that was what was needed to ward off that which dwelt south of them.
Travel was, as ever, a mundane affair. One step before the next, taking them ever closer towards that castle in the distance.
Apexus was the first one to see that break in mundanity.
“We are being approached,” he stated.
It was a lone shadow in the distance. Someone clad in dark armour, glinting in the light of the early day. Distance made it too difficult to make more than that. There were still kilometres between them.
A sinking feeling in their stomachs, the party continued eastwards as fast as they could walk without exhausting themselves. There was a very good chance that it was just a lone adventurer travelling for whatever personal reason. That they continued to head stubbornly towards the party made matters progressively more worrisome.
Kilometres turned into a singular one. One kilometre turned into hundreds of metres. Then, Apexus’ sharp eyes finally managed to make out more details of the figure. Broad shoulders, armour marred with the signs of a thousand battles and a skeletal hand that drew a grey sword.
“Run!” Apexus declared.
The entire party began to sprint towards the distant city. Their pursuer immediately adjusted his own pace. The Death Knight left behind himself a trail of disturbed sand. Each time his feet made contact with the ground, he caused a small explosion from the propulsive force of his legs.
Rapidly, the distance between them shrunk. Kilometres were still between them and the city. Half a day’s worth of marching. ‘This is bad, this is so bad!’ Korith thought. ‘We’re not going to make it! There is no way we will! It’s just too-‘
Her panicked mind quieted in an instant. Warrior instincts moved her between the enemy and her party at the last moment. What had been a few dozen metres still was bridged in a lightning-quick charge.
Monsters at that level came with their own Martial Arts.
Ironscales reinforced her arms. It wasn’t enough. The swung blade dug into Korith’s raised arms, halfway cutting through the bones of both. Before she could react, the sword was drawn back. A foot crashed into her side a moment later, sending her flying into a nearby dune.
Apexus saw no other choice but to fight. He and Reysha were upon the creature instantly. Quiet as the grave, the Death Knight dodged their attacks. His black armour did not rattle, neither did the bones within. There was only the sound of their breathing and of sand scattering.
Sword arm lowered, the Death Knight wove left to right. His superior speed was evident with every reprimanding swat that he met Apexus’ attacks with. Reysha’s Runeblade was the only thing he appeared to respect, using his armour rather than his skeletal hands to block it.
A lance of radiant energy flew between the two melee combatants. Priestly spells were famously effective against the undead, especially those of Spring and Summer. Common wisdom for a common situation – which this was not. The Death Knight caught the Solar Lance in his hand and crushed it.
Like the adventurers it was designed to fight, this level 50 Monster had a Common Art: Spellbeaker. It was an Art that many melee classes strived for, allowing them to physically interact with and shatter spell works. An intensely useful tool against mages of all stripes.
To the Inevitable party, it was a nail in the coffin.
The eyes of the Death Knight flared, green orbs in the empty sockets barely visible behind the lowered visor. Reysha jumped back, pure fear suddenly filling her system. ‘Shit, it got me!’ she realized after the spell’s effect flowed from her system.
Left isolated in the frontline, Apexus prepared for what had to come next. The Death Knight raised its blade overhead so quickly that the Monk did not find the time to punish the motion. He just barely managed to assume a crouching stance and channel his Ki into his hands.
The telegraphed strike came down in one clean motion. Apexus greeted it with Flow Manipulation. Not since Turlesh had he attempted to redirect a blow nearly as powerful. Compared to a Tharnatos class demon, the Death Knight was weak. The sword was directed to the side. It still took off a slice of Apexus’ shoulder and several toes. However, the strike that could have split him instead sank into the ground.
One of Apexus’ hands ended up in position just by sheer luck. The shrimp claw embedded in his right wrist lashed out, slamming against the superior enemy’s arm. It was the same amount of force a fully wound up punch would have had, yet it did nothing more than yank the arm of the Death Knight slightly to the side.
Every minor delay counted.
Korith leapt out of her confinement in the dunes. The wounds in her arms gleamed around the edges, as if stuffed with glowing coals. Phoenix fire mended bones and muscles fast and well enough that she could grasp her hammer. She swung at the incapacitated foe with all that she had. The Hoard-granted weapon struck the centre mass of the undead.
He budged.
He remained on his feet.
He caught her by the horns before she could land.
The Death Knight let go of his weapon, then whirled around and launched Korith into the chest of Reysha. Stealth broken, alongside with a couple of ribs, the Ragressian went to the ground. Apexus tried to exploit the opening. His enemy was too fast to have such things.
Apexus found himself toppled over. Instinctively, he rolled. He was back on his feet swiftly. The Death Knight had his sword back in that second, glanced at Apexus, and froze him in place with magical fear. Immediately the undead charged. Not at him, but at Aclysia.
Grinding his teeth, Apexus pushed through the emotion forced on his mind. He could be afraid for his own life. He refused to be made a viewer when his beloved was getting attacked. Aclysia had altitude. The Death Knight had the strength of his legs. He leapt with such speed and accuracy that the metal fairy had her foot grabbed before she knew it. Yanked down by the Death Knight’s weight, she was then slammed into the ground.
Wide-eyed, she stared up at the Death Knight. He held his sword with both hands. Apexus, Korith and Reysha were all charging, all moving as fast as their feet would take them. All of them were too slow, the sword plunged down with thrice the force required to penetrate Aclysia’s skull.
Only to harmlessly sink into the sand.
“You have promise.”
The Death Knight spoke in a deep, reverberating voice. He blocked a final strike from Apexus, simply catching his fist in his own. The Monk backed off when the monster moved without hostility. Once he was two steps away from Aclysia and sheathed his weapon, they actually felt like relaxing.
“Uhm… aren’t you a monster?” Korith asked, beyond confused.
“I am a Death Knight in service of the Necro Lord,” he responded and removed his helmet. Underneath was a white skull, its bleached surface covered in menacing, bright green runes. “By designation of the gods, I am indeed a monster. As the divines have ordained, I have tested you in combat. Such is my purpose.”
“Just not… you know…”
“Used to monsters talking or knowing mercy.” The Death Knight tucked his helmet under his arm. “As you should not be. Were we any deeper in the Necro Lord’s territory, I would give you no quarter. Had you been weaker, I would have cut down at least one of you.” He raised a hand before another one of them could ask a question. “I anticipate your questions. I am sapient, but I am not like you. I’m immortal as long as my dungeon exists and I’m not a truly independent entity, nor am I capable of regretting that fact. That is all you need to know.” He put his helmet back on. “If you are headed to Stallious, you are welcome to accompany me.”
They walked in the same direction either way.
_______________________________________________________________________
The Death Knight made for a poor conversationalist. He answered every question with simple answers and stayed away from any banter. Still, through him, the party learned a few things about high-level dungeons.
Combat was not all that was tested. There were only so many ways that combat could be made challenging that went beyond stronger abilities and more complicated enemies. At their level, the dungeons were already getting considerably more varied in what was inside them. By level 50, dungeons were more than just dens of enemies, they were dens of obstacles. Not every obstacle was a matter that had to be approached with violence.
That being said, violence was always an option. The Death Knight made it repeatedly clear that he saw nothing wrong in killing the four of them. Empathy for adventurers was something he did not possess. All he had was a sense of who it was reasonable to spare and who it was not. Because he had caught them this far away from where he was supposed to be, the monster had not been too punitive.
“I have killed individuals in parties like yours before,” the Death Knight told them flatly. “Weak links or strongest links, to make the party stronger or to test the survivors.”
“I confess that I find it abominable to hear you speak,” Apexus said at that point. “That the gods make the dungeons to give us trials to overcome, I understand. Monsters are easier understood when they are animals. You being capable of reason… complicates matters.” Sёarᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“That is a weakness you should overcome.” The Death Knight did not elaborate further.
They finally arrived at the gate of Stallious. The walls were not manned. Wandering up to the great wooden gate, the Death Knight simply pulled it open and let himself in. The party followed, somewhat confused.
Behind the gate was a long street of cobblestone, framed by structures three stories tall. The available living space greatly exceeded the number of people living in it. What was designed as the first destination for travellers and merchants had less than 10 shops around, each of them advertised by a hanging sign.
Everything was in perfect condition. The people about were happy, walking the big gaps between their chosen homes. Stallious had a population of a few thousands inside a fortress that could have housed tens of thousands.
The Death Knight continued his march inside the city.
Just because they were interested at what the monster was doing here, the party continued to follow along. No one even batted an eye at the Death Knight advancing deeper and deeper, moving from the city to the inner keep. Even the guards there had no intent of stopping the Death Knight. They eyed the party with some interest, but let them pass simply because they were in company of the Death Knight.
Apexus was equally interested in where it would take them.