Ch. 53 - The Apocalypse

Lex turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Magician Saruman, you are finally here!"

A man with white hair and purple robes emerged from the shadows. The elderly man was holding a high-level staff with glowing runes. He walked past Lex and looked at the nervous Brandt with a wise and calm expression on his face.

"Old man, where are your Two-headed Dragon Knights? Are they out there busy partying? Why didn't they come with you?"

Brandt's complexion became extremely bad. With great displeasure, he said, Saruman, you are the court mages' leader. There was a coup d'état and the king was killed. Why didn't you do anything?"

Saruman casually shook the staff in his hand, shaking the runes around it as well:, "Although I am a court mage, I am also a Hellitt, a magic guide from the Forest of Towers. I can't and don't want to get involved in the battles between kingdoms."

"Hmph!" Brandt grunted lightly, but his hand that was holding the sword was sweating. A proof of how nervous this old man was.

Saruman stared at him with narrowed eyes before he suddenly smiled and said, "Old man, since you are poisoned, don't hold it back. It's bad for your body."

"What?! He was poisoned?!"

Lex was ecstatic. He looked at Brandt, whose forehead was beginning to break out in a cold sweat. He raised his long sword, eager to try to fight Brandt. Who knew that Saruman would make Lex lower the longsword with a flick of his staff.

Looking at Lex’s angry face, Saruman sneered, "Even if he is poisoned, a ten-star magic swordsman is not someone you can face."

Saruman laughed sinisterly, but Brandt only shrugged and wiped off his cold sweat. Suddenly, his lips formed a barely discernible smile.

"Saruman, you didn’t dare to come here earlier. Is it because you are afraid of me? You sure are aware of the limits of your own capabilities. In such a small hall, even if I am poisoned, once I become desperate, you will at least lose an arm, if not die! You are waiting. Waiting for me to be poisoned to death."

Saruman's face was expressionless, but his hand never stopped moving. When the staff slammed into the floor, three layers of azure glowing shield shielded Saruman's body.

"Humph, cowards. This is why I hate you magicians." Brandt laughed contemptuously. Casually throwing away his sword, he then sat down on the ground. Brandt leaned against the wall, his breath became labored.

"Blame it on my greed. I downed two jugs in one sitting. I wonder, will the nosy Ju De’an nag me again?"

Lex was finally able to confirm that Brandt had been poisoned when he watched Brandt sweating profusely. Raising the longsword in his hand, he laughed.

"I can't believe I’d have the honor to kill the Sky Knight. Haha, to think I’d kill this old man my father often praised with my own hands!"

"Stop it."

Saruman remained calm as he stepped forward and blocked Lex's path. Although his face was calm, there was a flash of anger in his eyes.

"He is a Sky Knight, he cannot die in your hands. He should die in a more grand and heroic manner!"

Lex, however, disagreed. His eyes were full of blazing anger. "Saruman! I am the one who is going to be the king of Aixinzhe! You dare to speak to me like that?!"

"What's so daring about it? Honorable King of Aixinzhe, if you want to taste Hellitt of the Forest of Towers’ hostility, feel free to come and kill me!"

After hearing the words Saruman had said, Lex completely froze. With all of his might, he held back his anger. Hellitt from the Forest of Towers. It was one of the three mage associations in the continent. Unlike the other two that were mysterious and distanced themselves from the matters concerning the continent, the Forest of Towers was very keen in the intersection of forces in the continent. As a result, the Forest of Towers had a much higher status than the continent's other two mage associations. So high that even a kingdom had to think twice before opposing them. Their degree of hostility couldn’t be taken lightly.

"Old buddy, we've known each other for decades. Although all of them are unpleasant memories, at the very least, I can give you a better end."

Saruman approached Brandt slowly. At the tip of his staff, an ice sword formed, accompanied by a gust of icy wind. Brandt only laughed weakly. His eyes had lost their luster and his face had already turned very pale.

"Thank you so much. Please be fast, I already can't see anything now."

Saruman stood in front of Brandt. He stared at the dying old man, recalling the many fights and competitions the two of them had over the decades. From childhood fights and bullying, to the antagonism in their old age. Surprisingly, the good memories served no purpose. He couldn't help but sigh. Raising the staff in his hand, he aimed it at Brandt's forehead

"Any last words?"

"Hahaha..." Suddenly, tears fell from Brandt’s unseeing eyes. With a choked tone, he said, "Do me a favor. Don't kill Ju De’an's only daughter."

"I give you my word."

Lex frowned, his anger rose exponentially. He wanted to speak out and refuse it, but then he thought, what could a mere woman do? Sooner or later, would she not eventually return to his side and become queen? With that in mind, he restrained his anger.

Brandt closed his eyes, peacefully waiting for his end. When Saruman was about to take his life, suddenly an incomparably powerful force came from the left. Saruman was astounded to discover that the ice sword on his staff had been crushed and vanished!

After that, a huge force pushed Saruman away. Sending him flying into the wall on the right and sliding down to the floor.

"Who is it?! Come out!" Saruman quickly stood up. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, just like Brandt's, as he glared vigilantly at the culprit.

Step step step. Only a faint sound of footsteps could be heard as an elegant man with black hair entered the room. His handsome face looked indifferent at the situation. He turned out to be the one who had appeared in the Freemasons’ Association not long ago. The one who was referred to as the mysterious warrior by the dragon Odovic!

Seeing the person coming closer, Saruman let out an angry roar. Six fireballs the size of washbasins condensed quickly atop the staff. The fireballs brightened up the entire palace. But just as he was about to attack the man, the man nonchalantly waved his hand. The repulsive force that appeared just now came towards him again.

Saruman was taken aback by what happened next. The six fireballs on top of his staff disappeared as if they were blown out!

"What the hell is going on here?!"

Saruman was a little terrified and couldn't get a grip of himself. He decided to use magic again, so he started building a magic structure. However, he was even more shocked to find that he couldn't mobilize any of the magic elements at all. It was as if his bridge of communication with the magic elements had been severed.

Lex, on the other hand, was quietly trying to get away. He didn't have any guts to fight an opponent that even Saruman was no match for.

Brandt was gasping for air so heavily that he seemed to have lost his sharp hearing. He was about to return to God’s embrace. The man stood in front of Brandt and squatted down slowly. After waving his hand in front of Brandt, he smiled and said gently, "I have already gotten rid of your poison. Whether you can survive or not depends on your own enlightenment and ability to see it with your own eyes."

Brandt miraculously awoke, as if in a haze. The moment he opened his eyes, there seemed to be countless streams of stars flashing across his eyes. His eyes were no longer blind, his ears were no longer deaf. Brandt looked at the smiling man in front of him. In a trembling tone as if he had discovered a new world, he said, "This… is all real! It really exists!"

Hearing that, the man smiled very warmly. Slowly, he helped Brandt up. Then, he said, "Congratulations, you have become one of us. Our responsibility and power. Our sorrow and joy. Welcome, my brothers and sisters."

Thump! The staff in Saruman's hand fell to the ground. With a frightened but joyful expression, he said, "I remember, I remember you! The legendary warrior! The power that shouldn't exist!"

The man smiled and looked away from Saruman. "We have many names: the Legendary Warriors, the Knights of the Apocalypse, the Apocalypse, and the Destroyers."

Saruman stepped forward, his face full of excitement. He knelt on one knee and said with tears in his eyes, "The Mages’ nemesis, the Silencer of The Magic Elements. The Blade of The World. Oh my God! I met the legendary hero in my old age."

The man smiled faintly. Without uttering any words, he looked at Brandt and nodded. Brandt understood what he meant, so he turned his back to Saruman and said, "Goodbye, Saruman. Brandt has just died. I hope you can arrange a funeral for me, thank you."

Still smiling, the two gradually vanished into thin air. There was no trace of their existence that was left.

The originally dazed Lex came out of his daze. He then indifferently glanced at Saruman, who was kneeling on the ground with a complicated face. The two closed their mouths at the same time. They both had a tacit understanding. This was a secret, a secret that could never be known.

Comments