Chapter 171: Back from Death

’’Corvo, make it stay still for a second.’’ Rowena shouted through the rock and debris, rushing forward as she started to chant.

The ground was already completely scorched. There wasn’t even a single intact tree left around, as everything had burned to ashes. She wasn’t even sure anymore how many times she had cast her spell to hit the skeleton lizard.

Still, she cast her fire pillar spell one last time before her mana reserve hit rock bottom.

’’...Incarnate the soul of the crimson column, shape the embers, weave the roar.’

While a tornado-like pillar of fire formed on the ground, the Shadow instantly moved to block the path of the giant monster, not to dodge the attack.

He had already lost 1 arm. His armor had shattered in many places, and even half of his helmet had shattered, leaving the other half of his face exposed. But with all the willpower still burning inside him, he jumped on top of the monster’s head.

He raised his dagger as it started to gather unbelievable heat, shining like flowing magma, and landed it on the head of the massive skeleton skull.

BOOM!

The attack landed clearly, sending a hot shockwave throughout the area.

There wasn’t even a crack on the hard skull after such a strong attack, but it was still enough to make the monster falter as it collapsed to the ground from the impact.

Just then, the fire pillar started to rise into the sky, reaching its center as it lifted the giant skeleton body upward, scorching everything in its path, including the air.

The heat was so intense that even Corvo felt like he was about to burn, so he jumped back instantly, escaping the area of effect of the spell.

He landed a little farther away, next to Rowena.

’’If this isn’t enough either, we are escaping.’’ Rowena said, her face pale and her body trembling nonstop.

She was so tired that even her bloodline trait, which strengthened her body, had lost its activation some time ago, as she could no longer find enough anger to keep fueling it.

Through the fight they could have run away many times already. No matter how strong the enemy was, it was only one opponent. But so far, they had chosen to stay just to stall the monster.

But now, looking toward the place where Celeste and Titus were, with their surroundings completely surrounded by the skeleton army, she had to accept that their end had come, so there was no more reason to stay.

If they stayed, she was sure it would only be a meaningless death that would benefit the enemy.

The fire pillar that had illuminated the entire sky slowly started to lose its light and fade.

Corvo looked focused as he waited to see the state of the monster slowly becoming visible.

And when he saw that the beast was still intact and moving, he immediately turned to his Lady.

He was ready to hold her body with his remaining arm and start running, as their job was already done and they had already done everything they could.

But before he could even take a step, his body suddenly froze in place.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t move his body. There was just a sudden fear rising inside him that made him unable to dare move.

Rowena was the same. Already trembling from exhaustion, she suddenly started shaking even more, an indescribable chilling sensation covering her from head to toe.

’’What is this...’’ Her voice came out like a whisper as her eyes slowly turned toward the place where this feeling was coming from.

Her eyes swept over the skeleton army not far from them. She saw that all of them had also stopped moving, trembling in place as their bones made clinking and clattering sounds from the intense shaking.

Then she looked at the place where Narcissa was standing.

Her face, which had looked arrogant and smiling until now, was now as pale as it could be, while her eyes were wide open, staring at the dark gate she had opened earlier with fear written all over her face.

The skeletons that had been rushing out of the gate had now stopped appearing, with nothing but endless darkness visible inside it.

Whatever this feeling, whatever this presence was, it was definitely coming from that gate.

Whatever was there, their eyes were unable to see it, but everyone was sure they were being watched.

Celeste, who had accepted her death a while ago, also raised her head at this feeling, as even her Serene State was unable to remain active. With an expression of incredible shock on her face, she stared at the gate.

She was terrified of seeing what was there, but at the same time, an inexplicable curiosity and anticipation filled her, making her want to see the being inside the gate.

At last, the seemingly endless darkness twisted slightly, and soon a glimmer of silver light came out of it.

Celeste could only catch a glimpse of what this silver light was. She only saw it resembling a man’s figure before it passed rapidly through all the surrounding skeletons and crashed into Titus’s lifeless body, disappearing inside him.

Still unable to understand what was happening, Celeste reached out toward her husband’s battered body.

When she put her hand on his back, she felt the sticky and warm blood on her hand.

But she also felt a slight movement as she called out. ’’Titus?’’

The next instant, the man who had been dead until then suddenly raised his head, seemingly coming back to life, and took a deep breath as though he had been holding it all this time, filling his lungs with air.

’’Wha...?’’ He immediately started looking around anxiously.

Everywhere he looked was filled with skeletons until he turned around and finally saw the familiar face looking back at him. ’’Celeste?’’

He felt so confused. His memory was clouded as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

Though one thing was clear in his mind. They were in danger, facing a 12th Trial Witch.

He instantly got up and raised his shield again.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t feeling any pain in his body, as even the open wounds on his body were rapidly healing.

’’Celeste, I will make an opening for you.’’ He was ready to fight to the death, but soon realized something strange.

No skeleton around them was moving even slightly. They were all just standing there, trembling strangely.

Even the 12th Trial Witch, Narcissa, and her Shadow were there, only standing in place with their gazes fixed on the dark gate as if they were frozen.

’What’s going on here?’ Titus, who wasn’t feeling the fear or presence they were feeling, became even more confused.

He turned to Celeste again. At least she might be able to make him understand a little.

But she was as lost as him. ’’You were dead...’’ She could only say that in a trembling voice as her tears started to fall.

’’Dead?’’ Titus was left completely bewildered, though this wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

No matter how strange and incomprehensible their situation was, they were still surrounded by the enemy.

’’I don’t know what’s happening, but get up. We need to run.’’ He said urgently, reaching out and grabbing Celeste by the shoulder to help her stand.

It looked like the perfect time for them to escape while everyone remained frozen.

That opportunity quickly disappeared when he also froze in place, not from fear or any presence he sensed, but from sheer disbelief.

The ground suddenly started to tremble beneath their feet as strange voices began to fill his ears.

When he turned his head to look toward the direction of the sound, where the countless voices of male, female and monster mixed together like a choir, he saw the gate and countless silver lights starting to pour outside.