Chapter 437 (2/2)

Rather than the strange, flat areas with cloth walls, this was a large egg-shaped room with a spiral staircase at the center. At the base of the staircase, about 40 Death Cultists were standing, whispering to each other.

Or at least they had been before Randidly had punched up through the floor. His eyes sharpened as they all turned to face him, looking at the two figures in the center. There were two Death Cultists standing there. One was a deep, rich grey, and the other… was a much lighter grey, but still obviously grey.

Randidly tsk’d audibly. Not yet, huh?

Upon seeing Randidly, the lighter bat turned and began climbing the spiral stairs with its long arms, choosing to just reach up and pull himself to the next level rather than walking around in a circle. Randidly didn’t blame it; he would likely do something similar when he ascended the stairs.

The other 39 Death Cultists, 10 normal foot soldiers, 28 Red Death Cultists, and the Grey Death Cultist began rushing towards him. Their arms were raised, and these even had a strange metal shoulder pads on, that stretched the length of their arms. Eyeing it, Randidly realized that this was likely their version of weapons. Luckily, he hadn’t seen any of those who had flown out of the Eyrie already with them, or else his companions might be in trouble…

Watching the Grey Death Cultist climbing up towards an upper chamber, he growled, “Out of my way,” and activated Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil and Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil. It was… a dangerous combination at the best of times, but when there was such a structure underneath him…

The spatial distortions rippled around him, curving the way light moved towards him. Although he hadn’t gained very many Skill Levels in the Skill since he had learned it, his usage had sharpened to a large degree. Not in a useful sense, not in a way that would actually improve the Skill. But his familiarity made it increasingly fatal for those around him to be near him.

His head throbbed with a mirrored pain, but his eyes gleamed with a verdant mania. There were few foes that had the Willpower to go toe to toe with him-

From the back, he saw the Grey Death Cultist make a gesture, and Randidly suddenly felt… weighed down immensely. Blinking, he very easily felt how he was… slowed. The Death Cultists seemed to speed up in equal measure to the slow, which made sense because it was only his perspective that was shifted.

Roaring, Randidly stepped forward, and he sensed the strange limiter on his speed shudder under his raw, physical strength. The pain and the slow together merged and spiraled upwards, driving Randidly’s rage to new heights, but as he opened his mouth to end the dozen or so Death Cultists that had arrived in front of him, the Grey Death Cultist’s second spell arrived, and nothing came out of his mouth.

A chill went through Randidly as he realized his Yggdrasil actives had disappeared. A silence.

The passive side of Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil, Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil, and Golden Roots of Yggdrasil combined for an explosion of physical force that easily ripped apart the remnants of the slow that had stayed after the Grey Death Cultist had shifted his focus. The world’s speed snapped back to normal, and Randidly could see through the press of bodies that the Grey Death Cultist was manipulating a rune, standing very still in a circle of energy.

Randidly’s eyes glowed as he smashed his Willpower against the prohibition against using active Skills, feeling it shake. But the Grey Death Cultist had set the base for this Skill much more carefully, and it resisted him.

By that time, the Death Cultists had arrived, and Randidly’s fury was palpable as his spear swept sideways, bisecting 10 of them at the waist, their bodies falling to the ground with a clatter. The other two continued onward, heedless of their comrades’ death, their hands stabbing towards Randidly’s torso.

Snorting, Randidly’s spear came back, a glinting messenger of death, destroying both of their skulls, annihilating their brains in flashes of solar power. By that time, the Red Death Cultists had positioned themselves around Randidly, and rushed him all at once.

Randidly narrowed his eyes. Although he didn’t like to admit it, this would be much more challenging. The Red Death Cultists’ skin was thick enough that it wasn’t an easy thing to cut through multiple at once. And in their eyes, Randidly saw that they would not stop from fear or persuasion. Only death would still their wild hatred.

Grinning at their guttural cries, Randidly raised his spear and prepared to receive them.