Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Guardian Angel Z357 had disobeyed the directives of the World System once again.

[In Progress: (0/1) Ritual Halted!]

A blue box flashed before him— an objective given to him to complete. He stared at it, then he looked towards the unfurling ritual before him. A giant spell circle spanned over a thousand feet in radius, extending to the sky to form a translucent dome. At the very center of the dome was a dark nebula.

Clouds of the Void’s essence shrouded a skeletal figure within. Its bones were frail and thin. The eye sockets were empty, lacking life. But with each passing moment, the skeleton grew in stature. The sparks of a flickering flame began to form in its eyes. And soon, Ar’elith the First Lich King would live again.

But the angel didn’t care about that. He was more powerful than any being in Planet 16B, so the return of a mere walking skeleton didn’t matter to him. No— he was far more concerned about what else the revival of Ar’elith would entail.

I will always return. As long as I have a vessel...

The voice of the Fal-Deus echoed in Guardian Angel Z357’s mind. It was a brief confrontation— he had dispelled the rifts quickly enough. But still, the words still burned in his mind. Because of what was implied.

The Fal-Deus could be stopped if he was given a vessel.

And the perfect vessel for its powers was being built right before Guardian Angel Z357

That was why he rejected his directives. That was why he watched. That was why he stopped the three vacians from interrupting the ritual.

So that the Fal-Deus would claim a vessel in the First Lich King.

And so that he could put a halt to the Void’s incursion with Planet 16B once and for all.

—--

Noele didn’t understand it. She didn’t get it. Angels were supposed to be the protectors of Vacuos— the sentinels of the World System. They were the ones who had exiled the Great Evil into the Void long ago.

And yet, here was an angel, fighting to protect the Void. But it wasn’t just any angel— it was Guardian Angel Z357 himself.

He was a temporary waiter. A part-time bartender. However, more importantly, he was the one who had said he was here to save the world. And yet, after ferrying the three adventurers to Arelioth’s Pass, he had vanished.

He had requested to follow after them so he could purge the Void. But after returning, he was... protecting the Void?

It didn’t make sense to the Noble Spellsword. And it wasn’t just her. Her companions were just as taken aback as she was. Saros and Garron stared high at the sky— at Guardian Angel Z357 as he hovered above the dome.

Eleven of his twelve eyes were fixed on the three adventurers, with a single eye looking away from them, staring at the eddying purple mist. His lance was raised, aiming directly at Noele as he transmitted his thoughts.

Do not interfere, he repeated himself. The ritual must be seen to completion.

Noele blinked as she registered his words, before snapping out of her stupor. She took a step back and glanced towards the broken Antimagic Bomb. That was their only hope in stopping the ritual. And Guardian Angel Z357 destroyed it.

“What are you doing?” she called out as she looked back up towards the flying figure. “Why did you do that? Why are you protecting the ritual?”

That is none of your concern, he replied simply. Now begone.

“You’re supposed to be helping us!” Saros exclaimed, pointing accusingly. “Don’t you know how hard it was for me to get those artifacts? You better do something about—”

But Guardian Angel Z357 cut the gnome off with a simple glance. Saros paled and backed up, lowering his hand.

I said: do not interfere, the angel warned.

“I...” Saros hesitated, but couldn’t muster up a response.

Noele glanced between the gnome and the angel. She gritted her teeth, before shaking her head.

“No— we’ll stop this ritual,” she said as she raised her two blades at Guardian Angel Z357. “I don’t know what happened to you while you were gone, but you’re not thinking clearly right now. We cannot allow Ar’elith to return.”

His twelve eyes flickered, focusing on the blonde girl. But she didn’t flinch, even with his gaze bearing down on her. She wasn’t afraid. Not when she had seen Amelia in a fight before.

So Noele turned to her two companions. Both Garron and Saros were warily backing away from the angel. But while the latter didn’t even notice her glance, the former paused. The Steel Tank steadied himself and held her gaze.

“Is there any other way to stop this ritual?” she asked as she gestured at their surroundings.

Garron swept his gaze past her, looking down at Tristan Devon at his feet. The [Necromancer] was still unconscious. But even still, without his magic, the spell circle continued to unfold around the Ruins of Fihla’s Castle.

There was a crackle of thunder overhead. A blast of purple lightning fell from the sky, crashing into the nearby cliffside. But Guardian Angel Z357 didn’t even look back. His gaze bore into Noele as he aimed his weapon at her.

This is your final warning, he said. Throw down your arms, or face the consequences.

Noele hesitated. She looked past him towards both Saros and Garron. They hesitated, but she spoke simply as she took on a defensive stance.

“Destroy the phylactery— I’ll hold off the angel.”

The two adventurers exchanged a glance. Garron immediately nodded and took off. But it took the Gnome Inventor a moment longer to mull over his decision— he chewed his lower lip exasperatedly before finally acquiescing.

“Fine!” Saros said as he reached into his Bag of Holding. “We’re all going to die anyway. Might as well die fighting.”

Even though he was terrified of the angel, he still started to toss his Blooming Grenades around the Ruins of Fihla’s Castle. Noele nodded to herself as she saw this, before focusing on her opponent.

Guardian Angel Z357 didn’t even look back at them. He took in the Noble Spellsword’s posture, before nodding.

Very well, he said as he lowered his lance. You have zero warnings left.

“I know,” Noele replied. “But I don’t care.”

He could likely cut her down with a single swing of his lance. And yet, she opposed him. Because she had to— because she had no other choice. He took a step forward as she braced herself.

Then I shall be forced to— Guardian Angel Z357 started.

And was interrupted as there was another crackle of thunder overhead once more. But this time, a lightning bolt didn’t fall from the sky. Instead, the ritual circle shone brightly as the dome began to recede into the purple mist.

“That’s...?” Noele blinked.

And a pulse of purple energy shot out, dispelling the mist and the ritual circle. The blonde girl was nearly knocked off her feet from the shockwave. She raised her head and stared at the skeletal figure floating overhead.

Her eyes went wide when she saw space itself ripple for just a moment. But the distortion vanished in an instant, and the skeletal figure began to descend, its bones turning white. A veil of purple mist cloaked its body as its hollow eyes were filled with light.

A pair of wisping flame-like eyes.

At first, they burned crimson. But they were slowly infected with a blue light. And then, they burned with a purple fire.

The markings of the Void’s touch— the Void’s blessing. Or maybe even something else.

“Tremble. Kneel. Beg,” an ethereal voice echoed as Noele could only stare in shock. “But there will be no mercy. There will be no lives spared.”

The skeletal figure continued to slowly descend from the sky, voice booming. The words drew the attention of everyone present. It even stirred Tristan Devon awake, and he laughed weakly.

“P-praise be...” the [Necromancer] mustered up.

Garron came to a halt right before a half-collapsed wall. He clenched a fist tightly as he stared at the falling figure.

Saros dropped to his knees, whispering weakly. “No... we failed...”

Noele felt her hands grow numb in the face of this overwhelming power. She could sense it— she had fought enough beings who had succumbed to the Void, she could now vaguely discern its essence. And she could tell that this was unlike anything she had ever faced before.

It... terrified her.

Even Guardian Angel Z357 seemed to hesitate for a moment, warily turning to face the skeleton.

“All shall suffer. All shall know death.”

Ar’elith the First Lich King spoke as his bony feet finally touched the ground. A flash of purple lightning crashed behind him as he addressed the small crowd watching him in awe and terror.

“For I have...”

He started, then paused. For a moment, his burning purple eyes flickered. He slowly raised his head, spreading his arms wide, before he continued in a distorted voice.

“—reTuRNed.”

And it was clear he had become something even more.