Throne of Magical Arcana

The voice which sounded like cold wind chuckled. “Is there any point in recognizing me? You will eventually die here. I was going to kill you to eliminate all the leads, but you went to the frozen land on a mission and could not be localized. That’s why it has been postponed to this moment.”

Before Yakov replied, he burst into laughter. “You should hate your Boss Yakov instead of me. If he hadn’t got involved in this, you would be enjoying your life, but right now, even if you don’t know anything, I will not let you go. Cry, tremble, and be devastated while you enjoy the last episode of your life!”

After the cocky laughter, the prison cell fell into utter silence again. Yakov’s curses, mockery and begging had no replies at all.

“…I will escape out of this place. I will tear your heads off and feed them to bears!” Yakov did not stutter at all at this moment, but gradually, his was the only voice in the whole prison cell. The mercenaries who cursed with him became quiet.

Under their weird eyes, Yakov stopped ‘taunting’ and looked around at the mercenaries, only to see their indifferent if not hateful faces.

Chilled, his voice became low. “Do you hate me for involving you in Duke Duda’s matter?”

“We didn’t do anything, but we’ve been caught and may be killed any moment. Boss Yakov, do you not think we should be angry? You should at least let us know what it’s about?” Hack, Yakov’s right-hand man, asked bitterly.

“Why didn’t you mention that you pissed off Duke Duda? I wouldn’t have stayed if you said that!”

“Ass*ole, you should answer for what you did alone!”

“Enough! That’s enough!” Anna suddenly shrieked in fury. “What did you say when Boss Yakov became knight? Boss Yakov never wanted to get us involved. It’s only because Duda is too vicious a villain!”

In tears of anger, she could not accept that the peaceful and happy team became this!

“Is Sister Katrina right that one’s real personalities will never be revealed until the most dangerous and desperate moment?” She somehow recalled something that Katrina said to her earlier.

Anna’s shriek and accusation silenced the prison cell. Then, Yakov’s dull voice echoed again. “It’s alright if you resent me, but are you going to abandon the hope of survival by fighting amongst ourselves?”

“But there’s a grand knight…”

“Duke Duda hasn’t taken action yet. He must be even more horrifying!”

“It’s hopeless!”

Yakov said calmly but firmly, “Only after you try will you know if there’s a chance of escape. Duke Duda said that obviously to stoke discord. As far as I know, he revels in the pain and desperation of other people. So, I wouldn’t let him get what he wants even if I die. What about you? Are you going to die being mocked?”

“Well said!” Somebody applauded outside. Duke Duda said with a smile, “Yakov, I remember that there was a very beautiful lady in your team. She was more gorgeous than most noble ladies, and you seem to like her very much, don’t you?”

“What do you want?” Yakov clutched the bars.

Anna shouted in anger and fear, “It has nothing to do with Sister Katrina! She joined us halfway and doesn’t know anything!”

“I love destroying what people like bit by bit in front of them while I enjoy their countenance and reactions. That reason is good enough.” Duda laughed even more crazily. “Two adult werewolves have been sent to capture her. They are both very strong. Maybe, she wouldn’t be able to bear them. Hahaha.”

“Ass*ole!” Yakov shook the iron cage hard, his eyes bloodshot.

Anna shook her head in horror. “You are a demon! A real demon!”

In tales, demons loved slaughter and destruction most.

“That’s the greatest compliment for me.” Duda was not infuriated at all but laughed in satisfaction. “Right, I’m in a good mood, but I’ve decided to advance your time of death to right now. In such a way, you will never have the chance to escape.”

Hearing that, the mercenaries all lost their momentum. The morale that was just boosted by Yakov turned into desperation.

…

Thanks to the sparse population of the Schachran Empire, the manors here were much larger than Rentato’s, and the quiet manor before them was even more so.

“This is Duke Duda’s manor.” On an evergreen, Viscount Carendia stood on the end of a branch as if he were weightless, his black cape shivering with the twigs.

Katrina floated next to him without saying a word. She summoned her spiritual power, and a black-and-white eye appeared before her. It looked mysterious and creepy.

She followed the sorcerers’ code of conduct and tried to avoid unprepared battles.

“Secret Eye?” Viscount raised his head and looked at it. A few illusionary bats flew out of his body and snuck into the manor with the Secret Eye.

A moment later, most of the view in the manor was unfolded in their ‘eyes’. The open and secret sentries, the traps, the number of enemies, their distribution, and their average ability were all manifested.

“Several places are protected by mysterious powers. We have to approach them for reconnaissance.” Katrina had always been concise in battles. Then, her body turned transparent, and she disappeared into the night sky.

“The patrols and guards outside cannot discover us at all…” Viscount Carendia said lazily and casually, his body melting into the darkness. “Right, take care of the savage werewolves’ senses.”

The defenders and traps in the manor were knights and reverends at most, nothing worth mentioning for the two experts. It was actually the few wandering werewolves that called for wariness.

They soon entered the manor. As if they were walking among a bunch of puppets, they reached the main hall of the manor!

Feeble waves flashed, and Katrina performed the Secret Eye again, letting it enter the main house through the gap.

…

An altar made of unknown materials appeared before the mercenaries, while swords, daggers and other weapons were placed randomly on the ground.

The altar was completely black, engraved with hideous faces in all directions. They had horns on their head and twisted faces. From their protruding teeth, red blood was dripping nonstop.

After the blood reached the complicated runes at the bottom of the altar, a vague bloody mist was raised, spreading a stinky but sweet smile.

At the center of the altar, a fuzzy human-shaped statue was placed, but it had two pointy demon horns on the forehead.

Its crimson eyes were extremely creepy in the darkness. One glimpse at it was enough to fill a person with the desire to destroy everything in disgust.

Yakov, Anna and the other mercenaries were shoved to the empty ground before the altar. They were more or less agitated after seeing the statue and smelling the scent.

Duda, who appeared gloomy and arrogant even with his beard, put on a cruel smile. “Those are your weapons, and your partners are your foes. Whoever survives in the end will be set free.”

“Who will believe you? You are a demon-worshiping lunatic!” Anna sniffed, but she did step on a short sword. After all, they needed weapons to escape.

Duda patted his hands, and werewolves and knights walked out of the corner.

He chuckled. “You are free to not believe me, but as a result, your opponents will be them, twelve knight-level experts. Right, one of them is a grand knight. Do you think it is more hopeful to beat them?”

Looking at the strong man who had a giant sword in both hands, Yakov felt that his heart was heavy. That was the grand knight who captured him alive. They both had the blood power of frost giants, but he was completely overpowered.

Was it possible to defeat them? Now that even Yakov and Anna were somewhat desperate, the other mercenaries were even worse. Somebody shouted, “Duke Duda, Yakov is a knight. We can’t defeat him even if we are combined!”

“Hank!” Anna stared at the deputy of the mercenary team angrily.

Yakov looked pale. Was one of his brothers going to kill him for a chance of survival?

“Rest assured. Yakov’s blood power has been confined.” Duda smiled.

The vague mist became more and more intense, and many mercenaries’ eyes were bloodshot. Yes, Yakov was the one who got them into this. They would be freed as soon as he was killed!

“Yakov, this is all your fault. If you feel guilty, don’t resist, and give the hope of survival to us.” Breathing heavily, Hank took up a long sword.

with clinks, the other mercenaries picked up their weapons.

“No!” Anna shrieked desperately at their ugliness.

Looking at the mercenaries who stood on their opposite side, Yakov fell into awkward silence.

“Yakov, don’t try to be a good guy. If you are killed, I’ll give your Ms. Katrina to my werewolf friends. They like pretty girls best.” Said Duda.

His noise making obscure noises, Yakov struggled to pick up a longsword.

Duda smiled in satisfaction, and the statue on the altar seemed clearer.

…

“As a matter of fact, I don’t think the brainless werewolves really appreciate beauty. For them, females are the same.” Viscount Carendia refuted Duda’s words casually.

Katrina cast Mechanized Mind upon herself to hold back her fury. Indifferently, she said, “It seems that Duda is the host of the demon worship ritual. We’ll have leads after we capture him.”

“Yes. There are no other experts around except two grand knights.” Viscount Carendia sorted his bow tie as if he were going to a dinner.

…

In tears of pain of desperation, Anna held her short sword and intended to fight until death.

Her head was dizzy because of the stink of blood, and she seemed unable to control her hate. She hoped to kill all the hideous fellows.

Duda stepped back and stopped before a gate that had weird patterns. Then, he raised his hands and announced, “Let the feast of slaughter and betrayal begin!”

Bloody light arose, and the mercenaries’ lost strength was back.

Raising her short sword, Anna slashed it at Hank painfully.

No. We cannot brutalize each other!

Kill him! He is a wicked traitor!

No, no!

While she struggled in desperation, she heard a deafening explosion and sensed the scorching heat. The gate of the hall was broken by an enormous fireball!

“Lucien’s Fireball?” Everyone’s eyes were frozen.

Due to the explosion, the mercenaries stopped the battle that hadn’t started yet. They saw a handsome man walking into the hall from the dark night outside, followed by a gorgeous lady who had blond hair and green eyes. They roamed so casually as if they were joining a ball.

“Sister Katrina?” Thought Anna in her dizziness.

Yakov and the other mercenaries could not believe their eyes, either.

At this moment, dark shadows of wolves charged at the two intruders. The werewolves were the first to be back to themselves and performed ‘Unholy Blight’, because they smelled the disgusting scent of vampires!

The ‘Unholy Blight’ hit Viscount Carendia and Katrina, but they broke like mirrors.

“Hehe.” A chuckle echoed, and the broken shadows turned into illusionary black bats that carried the intense air of sleep!

“Crap!”

“It’s a trap!”

Their eyelids turning heavy, the werewolves collapsed one after another.