Chapter 804 (2/2)

The mountain rumbled once more. The runes began to extend even further from the base of the mountain, stretching off toward the horizon so far that Io could no longer detect the edges of them. Unsure of what to do, Io ascended toward the summit where Sir Ghosthound sat. The stone path there was deserted.

The only company she had was the eerie light from the runes.

Right when she was going to approach where he had sent up shop, she found Platton and Yonna already there. Io nodded stiffly to Platton and was inwardly furious that Yonna had made it up here more quickly than she had.

“We are all here,” Platton said tentatively. “Now what?”

“We wait,” Sir Ghosthound’s response came. Io studied the area beneath him; the whole area was thick with glowing runes. And these were much more dense and varied than the runes they had been inscribing. It looked like the scroll ravings of a mad man, scrawled over every stone. The Ghosthound himself was sitting on a platform of vines above the runes, holding a ball of roots that was also covered in a dense network of runes.

Runes everywhere.

The light from the runes was so bright and the distance between them so small that Io couldn't’ even detect the individual symbols on the vine ball. The thing simply seemed to glow.

After a pause, Sir Ghosthound continued. “The Propagator is much better than I am at gathering energy. So I subdued it and used the formation you created to amplify its power. Anything within the rune’s area will be affected. And each wave, we use the energy stolen in the previous wave to spread the amplification area. I don’t think any other Propagator has noticed it yet, so we should be peaceful for a while.”

“What… ah… is the point?” Io asked. Her mouth was dry, looking at these strange energies. Someday, if she learned the images provided by Sir Ghosthound, would she be able to manage such things…? The short-lived daydream set her heart pounding.

“Taking the Wight’s energy. All of it.” Sir Ghosthound’s voice was strangely harsh.

Io had nothing to say to that. She glanced at Platton. He seemed similarly confused.

To Io’s immense distaste, it was Yonna’s face that was warped with shock. “But… But…” She couldn’t even ask the question that had occurred to her.

Sitting above the glowing runes, the corner of Sir Ghosthound’s mouth curved upward. “Return to your posts. Soon, you will understand.”

So they returned to their posts. By that time, more Wight patrols had arrived. They were massing, this time in the tens of thousands, but there seemed to be some confusion amongst them. The Wights had discovered their compatriots fallen lifeless on the ground, and couldn't seem to decide whether to attack with such an obvious warning.

Not that it mattered. About ten minutes later, there was another rumbling from the mountain; all those tens of thousands of Wights toppled over. Or at least Io assumed so. She was blinded for a good thirty seconds by the light this time.

This wave Io didn't’ see the expansion effects of, but when she turned to look toward the summit, there was now a small blue-green ball hovering above the mountain.

It was the same sickly color of the Wight’s Psychic Venom.

This time, there was a response. It took a while, but there was a dull rumbling as a Wight army marched directly toward their position. Her subordinates paled with fear and cursed Sir Ghosthound for bringing them to this death trap. Like a canary, the man that Io had saved earlier cried and begged for mercy.

Even while she struggled with her own fear, Io reprimanded them and stood tall at the front. Because she had been chosen. Because she was first among them. Although she chided herself for it, Io turned and peaked at the mountain. It was beginning to glow. Io turned back around with renewed confidence.

She would be the first to meet the oncoming horde-

There was another rumbling. All the approaching Wights collapsed. The ball above the summit had grown even larger. It was now like a small lake hovering above the Ghosthound.

Still, the runes shifted and snaked outward, extending.

“How far does it stretch…” Io whispered.

Like he was right next to her, the Ghosthound replied. “Across the entire Death School and a lot of the sea. This will be the tough one. They realize what’s happening, and they are sending only their quick forces. Be on your guard. This will hit hard. Delay as best you can.”

Sir Ghosthound was right. Almost a hundred Witch Kings appeared about eight minutes later, all screeching their fury. Even if they were staggered into groups of about a dozen, it was still more Witch Kings that Io’s mind could gather. Spells whizzed half-heartedly out, but even Io trembled with fear seeing so many together. All these Witch Kings? There was only supposed to be a half-dozen at most!

A howling, shrieking Witch King rushed directly toward Io, where she stood at the head of the battlements. With trembling hands, she conjured the emerald essence in her hands. Then Io once more peaked at the mountain. The brightness was growing, but-

The Witch King’s blow smashed into her hastily thrown emerald essence. To Io’s surprise, it was enough to deflect the first attack.

I survived a Witch King attack, Io’s numb brain managed.

Almost mechanically, Io thrust her spear into the Witch King’s side. The blade skittered off the bones of its ribs, only serving to infuriate it further. As it was raising its claw to cut Io in half, the idiot man who had been sobbing a second later smashed into the Witch King from the side.

It staggered, then smashed him into the battlements with the sound of shattering bones.

More Witch Kings arrived, ripping apart the battlements, and-

Right as they were about to be ripped to shreds, the mountain rumbled once more. Io had never been so thankful for blindness in her life. The Witch Kings twitched and became limp. But such was their speed that the momentum of their approaching bodies still crashed into the defensive fortifications. Several towers made of plants toppled over.

Io winced and picked up the wounded man.

There was a humming in the air, and Io turned and looked at the huge mass of blue-green energy in the sky.

“Huh, they realize the limitations. They are marshaling forces right outside the edges of the formation. Clever. Sending Propagators toward our position. Foolish, but understandable.” Sir Ghosthound’s thoughts boomed over the mountain. “Well, this is just what I’ve waited for.”

The sea of energy descended from the sky, rushing into the runes. With renewed vigor, the formation extended outward. Or at least Io imagined it so. After all, the runes were now stretched far beyond her ability to see.

When the Propagators appeared, they didn’t even come close to the mountain. The Ghosthound himself used his Skills to slow and capture them. The mountain rumbled. Light descended. The mountain rumbled. The sun itself was below Io. The mountain rumbled. Io didn’t know if she would ever see again.

By dusk, Io was trembling. A wall of energy that was as large as the sky hummed with its contained fury. The only thing louder was Sir Ghosthound’s laughter.

“Your move, Autarch. Everyone, defensive perimeter, but at ease. There are no Wights left on Tellus to threaten us. All that remains… is the spear users.”