Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 893 - 830: Moving Forward
The toe bones sank into the black mud, indifferent to the clinging muck that climbed upward. The swaying figure continued forward, stepping into the empty ground vacated by the previous step. Its rigid body creaked and groaned, its gaze barely piercing through the rib gaps of the figure ahead, discerning the layer upon layer of bones below it, trampled over the Evil God’s Divine Realm. Even with a broken leg bone or a suspended pelvis, it wouldn’t fall. Both front and back were surrounded by equally rigid companions, dark red flesh entwined around their torsos, binding their frames together, like a moving heap of straw.
When this hundred-member squad was completely crushed and smashed, new skeletons stepped over their bodies, forging a fresh path once again. Layer after layer, they paved a boneyard amidst the black tide, covering the muddy land in white bone.
Behind the skeletal materials stood an unusual Frost Bone with a skull burning with spectral blue flames. It sprayed frost from its wrists and mouth to freeze the ground beneath it, particularly stabilizing those weakening, blackened spots. The Frost Bone was imbued with some intelligence, enabling it to wield magic and judge the battlefield environment.
"Aishalara katagali!"
The shambling corpse heard the command. The nearest one turned its head, lifted its drooping arm, and plucked out the blood clump from its chest cavity. Breaking free from the rigid crowd, it walked toward the senior skeletal figure emanating cold air.
The pale blue arm unhesitatingly crushed its spine, applying slight pressure to shatter its bones. Frost enveloped the fragments, which were thrust into an obvious gap. The Frost Bone released icy air, completely freezing the area. After a brief glance at the frozen ground, it continued to radiate frost along its path. Fifty Frost Bones advanced side by side, with those at the farthest edges halting at intervals to preserve the frozen terrain, ensuring the central forces navigated deeper into the heart of the black tide.
Behind one skull engraved with the number [23], another Frost Corpse continued stabilizing the ground. It calmly surveyed the surroundings, missing nothing. Two more teams of shambling corpses had just sunken into the mud, prompting it to follow orders and move forward to create new frozen soil. As the frost was released, the shattered skeleton beneath it suddenly exploded. Gigantic, bucket-thick tendrils burst through the fissures, scattering black mud as they waved. Number 23 shot frost at the tendrils, advancing directly to intensify the freezing effect. The five-meter-long tendrils swung downward, and Number 23 became one of its fragmented kind. Before the soul flame extinguished, the remaining half of its skull caught sight of a pale meteor plummeting down toward it.
A flash of light streaked by, white mist engulfing the area. Withered arms lifted the glowing skull, as an isolated skeleton cradled it and approached the icy zone. At the center, the once-rampant tendril had solidified into a frigid sculpture. The skeleton, following guidance, placed its palm on the ice carving. The [23] mark on the skull began to shine, transforming into a stream of magical energy that drilled into the skeleton’s head, naturally absorbing the condensed, bitter cold of the area. Once the sculpture shattered, a newly reborn Frost Bone with the designation [23] resumed its task of stabilizing the ground.
A thousand meters ahead, atop the slowly-moving Flesh Behemoth, two Liches were reloading Frost Bombs. They glanced at the control room beneath them, halting their efforts only when the ammunition chamber resealed itself.
"Unit 23 functioning normally, obstacles cleared." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
"Nice job!" A Loader gleefully tossed a Frost Bomb developed by the Magic Research Society into a nearby shambling corpse crowd. With a loud explosion, several newly created Frost Bones stood at the epicenter of a bone pile, their icy gazes fixed on the careless Lich.
"What are you staring at! Get to the frontlines and assist!"
"Ankaul!" The Frost Bones departed.
"If you’re that bored, then let me take over controlling the Puller. You’ve all graduated basic Spirit Summoning Studies, haven’t you?" A Lich inside the cockpit shouted. The Flesh Behemoth known as the Puller barked loudly in response, the deafening roar causing the nearby Liches to jolt in fear. Thick iron chains embedded with fleshy sprouts hung behind the Puller, stretched taut and slanted skyward, as if one end were piercing the clouds.
Similar howls echoed in succession, accompanied by the rattling of dragging chains. After traveling a short distance, a tremor would strike, cracking the frozen surface of the icy terrain—the constant reason for the Frost Bones’ unabating labor. Every chain connected to a singular target. The object being pulled was a moving mountain with three massive legs. Its summit breached the clouds, stirring black clouds as it advanced. The three thick legs were purple-black, crafted from Gravestone material stained with skulls resembling Resentful Spirits. Around the mountain’s exterior was a ring of towering black crosses, tilted precariously, as if crushed together. Occasionally, crimson living creatures nested on its surface. The Blood Nest Great Tree spun like a diligent spider within a web sprawled across the mountain. Its forbidden creations periodically adhered newly developed bio-tissues onto the moving graveyard’s exterior, preserving the ritual site’s activity and preventing its collapse.
Bones ceaselessly fell from the edges of the Cursed Burial Ground. These materials, processed through rituals to harness magic power, quickly acquired the traits of [Remains], standing once more amidst the haunted land, becoming troops for Lich command. The moving ritual site was crowded with most Liches from the Andrey Academy. They cherished this place just as mages favored nodes of magical energy. At the forefront stood the academy’s dean, delivering his final address to the institute. The response from the Liches below was sparse; some played melancholic tunes on instruments, others whispered among themselves, while others indulged in consuming food.
"I should have realized earlier; even pork chops are subject to the resurrection effects of the Cursed Burial Ground." One Lich remarked as part of an undead livestock exacted vengeance upon him.
Another Lich retrieved an apple from storage space, observing with delight as it withered visibly. He bit into it, only to spit out apple grit. "I still think rotting apples taste better than ones merely dead."
In one corner, entirely unaffected by the ritual, Lyle was conversing with Helena’s stone carving.
"We’re among the Resentful Spirits and spectral ranks; don’t worry about us, Lyle," the stone carving blinked. "Also, don’t worry about home. The alchemy array in Naslan will function as long as there are resources. Beatrice left ghostly maid guards and built some gargoyles to watch over the place."
"Alright, things are fine on my end too," Lyle glanced at the rampaging Necro-Gundam not far away. Nia was assisting members of Andrey Handicraft Association in repairing it. The Cursed Graveyard had activated the Necro-Gundam’s self-operating mechanism, granting it more sentience. They had to intervene before it executed the self-destruction protocols outlined in its manual. Watching several missiles soar into crowds and evoke chaos, Lyle had the foreboding sense his demise might come early. "Oh, the academy dean is calling for me; I suspect he has something important to convey. After all, I’m the pivotal figure. We’ll talk later, my dear Helena. Give everyone my regards."
As the stone carving was stored away, the Necro-Gundam finally stopped in front of Lyle. Its Broad Blade Bone Cleaver hovered menacingly above his forehead, and Lyle would never admit his heart was racing wildly.
[A weapon daring enough to slay its creator—now that sounds truly cool.] An Omen murmured.
[Understanding freedom but knowing nothing of reverence—I find that concept deeply troubling.] Another Omen remarked.
[If creations are understood as another form of offspring, what’s your take, Lyle?]
"I hope that’s purely hypothetical. Otherwise, Demonic prayers would have to include my name."
