The Ashen Dragon Bellrallion
“Then I’ll head out first.”
Leon kicked off the ground and leaped forward. True to his dark elf nature, his movements were swift. He closed in on the skeleton in an instant, swinging his twin swords. The mere Lv.30 skeleton couldn’t withstand more than a few strikes before its form crumbled away.
Watching Leon dispatch the skeleton, Yoahim grabbed his own weapon and charged. This time, it wasn’t a sword but the mace he’d used in the early game. The Fairy Sword had superior stats, but against bony skeletons, the mace was far more effective.
Crack! The skeleton struck by the mace staggered, its bones shattering and fragments flying everywhere. Before the sluggish skeleton could counterattack, Yoahim bashed its skull, toppling it.
As the level-up notification chimed in his ear, Yoahim turned—only to spot the last remaining skeleton sneaking up behind Leon. It was too far to rush over and smash it.
He thrust out the hand wearing his ring and uttered, “Magic Missile.”
Whoosh! A translucent mana orb shot forth, pulverizing the skeleton’s ribcage. Hearing the sound, Leon whipped around and finished it off.
He glanced at the fallen skeleton, then at Yoahim. “You can use magic too?”
Dark Knights could wield black magic, of course. This one was just the ring’s power, though—no need to brag.
“Simple stuff, yeah.”
“Impressive!”
It wasn’t the reaction Yoahim expected. Leon nodded at him with genuine awe. “You’ve got some serious skills. Looks like the gods really are watching over us—sending us someone this capable.”
“Uh… yeah.”
Yoahim was an apostle of the evil god, so in a way, this meeting was Kakali’s arrangement. Of course, that was hindsight; Yoahim had only taken the job for the money.
“Sorry, Yoahim. Undead like that don’t go down easy to my attacks. I ended up making you do all the work.”
Sasha had a bow and quiver slung over her back. Zombies or ghouls might be one thing, but piercing skeletons with arrows was tough.
Yoahim shrugged it off. “No big deal. That’s my role anyway.”
Sasha nodded lightly. Leon scanned the surroundings, then pointed at the ruins’ entrance. “No more enemies around. Let’s head inside.”
Yoahim and Sasha nodded and followed him.
The entrance led underground, sealed by weathered wooden doors that screamed “keep out.” A small keyhole sat on the left side—standard procedure: insert key, door opens.
Yoahim eyed Leon. “Got the key?”
“Nope.”
“What?”
Bam! With a thunderous crash, the door splintered. Leon pulled his leg free from the wreckage. “Just smash it open. Why bother with a key?”
“……”
If Kakali’s relic was inside, wasn’t this an evil god’s temple? Was barging in like this okay? Yoahim felt a wave of unease.
“Let’s go.”
After a few more kicks pulverized the door completely, Leon descended the slope first. The gently inclining path led to an earthen tunnel. At first, the ceiling was so low they had to stoop, but it widened as they went deeper. Daylight faded, plunging them into gloom.
Leon and Sasha had lanterns at their waists. Yoahim lacked one, but their light sufficed.
“Be extra careful from here.” Leon stroked his chin, swiveling his head. Searching for something. “Yoahim, you know undead don’t spawn naturally. Rare cases exist where intense resentment turns someone undead on their own, but they don’t form packs.”
Leon had said undead infested the ruins. That meant someone’s necromancy was at work here—a necromancer, demon, or black mage obsessed with undeath. No guarantee they’d be friendly. “There’s a necromancer inside. Watch your backs; we don’t need another enemy.”
Yoahim nodded. He had no intention of dying here.
The trio proceeded cautiously. The tunnel stretched onward, swelling from burrow to full cave.
“Underground ruins seemed odd, but this scale makes sense,” Yoahim muttered.
Sasha replied, “Kakali’s followers were persecuted as cultists, so hiding underground was natural. First time in ruins like this?”
“Yeah, first.”
“Really? How’d you maintain your faith without a priest’s teachings?”
Woke up as the evil god’s apostle one day. Yoahim swallowed the truth and bullshitted. “Nah, just had a sudden revelation one day. Like, ‘ah, this is my path.’”
Pure nonsense. But Sasha clasped her hands, eyes sparkling. “I see! You’re a prophet, Yoahim! I felt something familiar about you—it’s not just from following Kakali. Only self-enlightened ones have that aura.”
Sasha leaned in close, almost bumping him. Overwhelmed, Yoahim cleared his throat and stepped back. “Prophet or not, we’re in a hurry. Let’s move.”
Leon nodded and pressed on. They advanced unhindered.
“Hold up.”
Sasha grabbed Leon and Yoahim’s clothes. She’d already nocked an arrow on her bow.
“Enemies.”
Thwip! The arrow pierced the dark with a thunk.
Silence fell, then a chilling screech echoed.
Krrraaawrk! No living thing could make that noise.
Yoahim and Leon gripped their weapons, faces tense, staring ahead. Lantern light revealed hordes of foes surging in.
“Ghouls!”
Leon shouted, slashing. Decaying flesh, exposed bones, razor teeth, bald heads, sharp claws. Yoahim clocked them at Lv.40. Numerous, but manageable.
Krrraaawrk! Over ten ghouls with glowing red eyes charged.
“Leon! I’ll tank up front and draw aggro! Take ‘em out! Sasha, cover fire!”
Yoahim naturally took point, pulling the ghouls’ focus. Tap! Leon vanished in a blur, darting through shadows to sever necks.
Yoahim blocked ghouls from flanking Leon. Sasha calmly arrowed their heads. Ghouls rose undead-style, but Leon’s blades finished them.
The fight ended swiftly, thanks to perfect role execution.
Facing higher-level foes boosted him two levels. Yoahim allocated stats as usual and scanned around. No loot from undead.
“Judging by these undead, the necromancer inside isn’t that strong.”
Yoahim agreed. Lv.30 skeletons, Lv.40 ghouls? Necromancer probably around Lv.50. Doable for three.
“Let’s go.”
Leon nudged a ghoul’s head—now truly dead—and moved on. Yoahim followed absently, then felt a chill crawl up his spine. Instinctual warning, his alone.
“Leon!”
Yoahim yanked Leon’s collar hard. Leon stumbled awkwardly to the ground. Both he and Sasha stared, baffled. But Yoahim fixed on ahead.
Chaos hit simultaneously.
A deafening roar filled the cave with searing heat. From the darkness, a massive fireball hurtled toward them.
Blocking was impossible. Dodging too late. Yoahim gritted his teeth. One option: smash it head-on.
“Everyone, fall back!”
Yoahim yanked the oak staff from his inventory and hurled a fireball of his own. Flame clashed with flame, magic against magic.
BOOM!
Ears rang, mouth parched from heat. Blinding fire forced eyes shut. The blast hurled Yoahim into the wall. Even through armor, his skin burned.
“Fuck, necromancer ambush? Sneaky bastard.”
Yoahim grumbled, rising. A desperate spell, but it saved their lives.
“You two okay?”
He checked Leon and Sasha—their faces were pale. Sasha covered her mouth; Leon’s was rigid.
Why? As Yoahim frowned, Leon spoke cautiously. “Follower of Kakali… self-enlightened prophet… wields magic, commands subspace freely… ash-gray hair, black eyes…”
Leon gasped, realization dawning. He dropped to one knee, bowing. “I failed to recognize your eminence. This lowly one greets you—the lord of the Shadow Mountains, rightful master of the Twilight Citadel, first disciple of Kakali, the Ashen Dragon Bellrallion.”
What the hell? I’m Yoahim!