The Ultimate Bastion (3)
The training grounds were lined with every knight and officer of the Jin Gang Regiment, standing in perfect formation.
Assembled by the sudden full muster order, they were Cheongam Fortress's pride and the core of its forces.
The grandeur and tension radiating from them crushed the morning air.
The Jin Gang Regiment consisted of three main knight orders.
Elite units, each with distinct roles and characteristics.
At the forefront stood the Crimson Knights, led by Scarlet.
Armored head to toe in red plate, they exuded a fierce, aggressive aura like roaring flames.
Charging enemy lines with spears and swords to annihilate them—that was the Crimson Knights' reason for being, their specialty.
The vanguard of Jin Gang, knights sharp as the finest blades.
Beside them, Rynel's Rock Knights stood firm like massive boulders.
Clad in heavy brown armor, they projected an unyielding defensive intimidation just by their presence.
The unbreakable shield of Jin Gang. Specialized in wielding giant shields and bludgeons to repel enemy onslaughts.
Unlike the other officers, Cervantes commanded no knight order.
He ruled over assassins, not knights—and since they weren't mobilized this time, he simply stood silently.
Next to the Rock Knights stood the Black Knights, an elite force that obeyed no officer but their regiment leader alone, arrayed in majestic formation.
Whispers rippled through the ranks of knights.
"What do you think the new regiment leader's like?"
"Must be incredible. Maybe a hero straight out of legend."
"First order's a full knight deployment... Is there a war we don't know about?"
The officers made no effort to silence the knights' murmurs.
Curiosity and anticipation for the new leader were perfectly natural reactions.
Moments later, Elbern entered the training grounds, and hundreds of knights instantly held their breath, straightening their postures.
"Lord Astra is entering."
The steward's appearance was proof he was coming.
Thud. Thud.
Dignified footsteps sliced through the silence of the grounds.
As Astra appeared, thunderous voices erupted from the officers one by one.
"Combat Captain Scarlet and the Crimson Knights salute Lord Astra!"
"Defense Captain Rynel and the Rock Knights salute Lord Astra!"
"Intelligence Chief Cervantes salutes Lord Astra!"
"Black Knights Captain Krutz salutes the great Lord Astra!"
Hundreds of knights knelt as one.
The clanging of armor against the ground filled the training grounds.
All eyes fixed on one man—their new lord.
In the silence, Astra's voice rang out.
"Rise."
A low whisper, yet it reached every knight's ear clearly, like magic.
As the knights slowly raised their heads, Astra spoke.
"You're wondering why I've mobilized every knight order and officer. Today, we purge the lich hiding near the territory."
The entire training ground erupted in murmurs.
Not out of fear of the lich, but self-reproach crushed them.
The danger they, the territory's guardians, had missed—Astra, newly arrived, had already uncovered it.
Cervantes stepped forward, bowing deeply.
"Lord Astra, forgive us. I should have detected it first and reported... My incompetence..."
Astra's voice gently cut him off.
"The lich hid in a way only I could sense. It's understandable. I don't call it incompetence when it's beyond your capacity."
Cervantes's eyes shone with emotion.
"An honor."
Astra's consideration and trust etched deep into every knight's heart.
Thus, his next words carried even greater weight.
"But now we know. So I'll give you a trial."
Astra's eyes sharpened.
"I'll reveal its location. Slay the lich before me and prove your worth."
Hundreds of knights roared in unison.
"We obey!"
Their thunderous reply shook the grounds.
Cheongam Fortress's massive gates swung open, and Jin Gang's full forces poured out in perfect order.
Crimson Knights at the lead, Rock Knights following.
Officers commanded from their positions as they entered the forest.
At the rear trailed a single carriage, moving slowly.
While other officers and knights pressed far ahead, the Black Knights shadowed the carriage like ghosts.
Deep in the forest, the carriage rattled over uneven paths.
I closed my eyes, lost in thought.
'Even with this massive force, it won't be easy... I need to find the lich's phylactery fast.'
The lich's phylactery, randomly placed in every game playthrough.
Only I knew its traits.
"Cervantes."
At my quiet whisper, the intelligence chief appeared as if he'd been there all along.
"Yes, Lord Astra."
No sly grin this time—only loyalty and gravity in his voice.
Eyes still shut, I traced the game map I'd seen thousands of times.
"Follow this path to a lake. Head west from there to odd-shaped statues and a massive boulder. Smash the boulder to reveal the path. Take the lead and guide them."
"As you command, Lord Astra."
Cervantes bowed deeply and vanished.
How much farther did we go? Then Krutz, Black Knights captain, spoke politely.
"Lord Astra, we've arrived."
Stepping from the carriage, I surveyed the scene. The boulder lay in shattered fragments.
In its place gaped a massive staircase descending into an abyss.
"Actual stairs here...?"
"How'd the leader know without ever coming?"
"Heard he's only been in the fortress and slums..."
"Don't doubt the leader. He's our Jin Gang's guide."
Amid the knights' whispers, I issued the final order.
"Advance. The lich will reveal itself."
Clashing armor echoed.
Escorted by the Black Knights, I descended the final stairs.
Footsteps toward deep darkness echoed hollowly.
Thousands of years ago, the great archmage Ascaros shook the world with his mere existence.
Sealed in this deep, dark abyss for delving into forbidden magic.
A forgotten space untouched by the living.
But for Ascaros, forced exile was a blessing in disguise.
A perfect hideaway to pursue forbidden magic without earthly interference.
'A seal like this? Once I perfect forbidden magic, I'll shatter it and return anytime.'
So he thought.
But as research deepened, he realized.
Human life's frailty and brevity couldn't master the vast forbidden arts.
Hundreds, thousands of years were needed.
Ultimately, Ascaros challenged a greater taboo.
The immortality ritual: sealing his soul in a special vessel, a phylactery.
It succeeded.
His flesh rotted away, but his soul sealed firm in the phylactery. He became a lich, undead lord of the dead.
Immortal life. Endless time for research. The chance to master forbidden magic fully.
After 500 years of solitary study, he completed it.
Unraveled every worldly taboo, claimed their power wholly.
Time to break the seal.
Show fools who imprisoned him the true might of perfected forbidden magic. Bring calamity to the world.
He unleashed every ounce of mastered forbidden power.
But...
Unlike expected, the seal held.
No matter the force, no matter the struggle, he couldn't escape the cramped dark chamber.
'This... impossible...!'
Ascaros despaired.
Infinite power. Immortality. All he'd craved—meaningless triumphs in this tiny prison.
Revenge?
Now a luxurious delusion.
Unable to escape eternal jail, what use was vengeance?
Thus...
Thousands more years passed.
After the first millennium, unbearable loneliness drove him to summon skeleton soldiers with magic.
He talked to them, played games, sought companionship.
"Hahaha! Yeah, back then... I..."
But they were soulless puppets.
No reactions, no replies.
His voice echoed coldly, gutting his hollow chest.
The next millennium, he researched infusing souls into skeletons.
Granting intelligence and emotion for true conversation. Desperate efforts. But it wasn't easy.
By the third millennium, realization dawned.
Here, souls could only be fully commanded from slain humans.
His power alone couldn't create them.
'Humans... need humans...!'
Craving human souls became the lich's sole goal amid millennia of solitude.
But the seal wouldn't release him.
No way to fetch humans.
Four millennia passed... five... more thousands.
Ascaros abandoned all hope.
'Ha... futile.'
Escape impossible. No true companions.
Couldn't even die.
Despair. Resignation. Endless ennui.
'Like this... forever... rotting... in the seal...'
Meaningless mutterings leaked from his bony maw.
Voice unused so long, bones creaked.
'Now... meaningless...'
As he surrendered to endless solitude.
'Huh...?'
For the first time in millennia, human life stirred in the abyss.
Faint, but unmistakable 'living' energy.
Ascaros's red eyes flashed.
Forgotten passion and anticipation rippled through his skeletal frame like shivers.
'Humans...! Living souls...!'
His heart would have burst if it existed.
Bony fingers trembled uncontrollably in excitement.
After millennia of isolation, opportunity arrived. True companionship... no, pure souls within reach.
"Kekeke... Kuhahaha...!"
Clack. Clack. Clack.
But... something was off.
Human presence... far more than expected.
'Wait... hundreds? No, more coming?!'
Shock made his jaw rattle—then it clattered to the floor.
'St-stop coming!!!'