Chapter 1218: Doomsday (II)
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
This monster... could speak human language!
The earl was reddened to temples when the guard helped him up. He had intended to exhibit his authority and valor in front of the demon to impress the other nobles. He had not expected, however, that the demon would uncover his carefully disguised gallantry with just one single word. What was more mortifying was that the demon was alone.
"Damn it. I must kill this monster!"
Marwayne raised his hand while gritting his teeth. He was about to order the soldiers to shoot when the old scholar suddenly stopped him and blinked. His lips took shape of a silent "stay put".
It took the earl a few seconds to realize that he should not lose his composure at the moment. Since the demon could talk, there was a possibility of negotiation and communication. Considering the situation was uncertain at this point, it was unwise to resort to force. The earl realized that the rumor circulated by the Graycastle men did cloud his judgement, for he had also, for a split second, viewed the demon as his enemy.
Perhaps, the demon came here alone as an ambassador.
Why did he take no action in the first place but stood upon the city wall while doing nothing?
If the demon was ferocious like what Graycastle men had said, it should have raided the surrounding villages unprotected by the city wall a long time ago.
The more Marwayne contemplated the matter, the more convinced he was. Had he killed the ambassador, he would have bred enmity with the demon, which was exactly what the Graycastle men wanted.
However, the earl found it hard to change his hostile attitude so quickly and sit down to talk in an amicable manner, for just a moment ago, he had commanded the demon to kneel down.
Fortunately, the old scholar understood the earl's dilemma. He stepped forward and said, "Impertinent! If you can speak our language, why didn't you tell us the purpose of your trip? Our lord kindly gives you another chance to speak. What's your intention of coming here?"
Marwayne praised the old scholar internally. He had paid 10 gold royals for the service of this former butler at the king's city.
"Before I answer you, I have a question for you," the demon said placidly. "What's your relationship... with the human beings on the Fertile Plains."
The Fertile Plains? Where was it? They exchanged confused looks, utterly bemused.
But Marwayne was now very sure that this monster was an ambassador.
"I don't know where the Fertile Plains is," the old scholar replied again. "One place may have different names in different parts of the kingdom. We are of different races, and we may have very different ways to call a city. Bring a map, and I may tell you where it is."
"No, you humans came up with this name, and I'm just borrowing it." The demon then shook his head and said, "I see... I can't believe you're still like hundreds of years ago where each lord circled out their own territories without knowing anything about this world. I was expecting to see you yield to your fate in disbelief, terror and despair, but it seems that I was wrong."
What did it mean? What monstrous absurdity it was talking about. The earl frowned. For a moment, he seemed to capture a faint hint of disappointment in its horrific countenance.
"Are you referring to... the Graycastle men?" the Chief Knight suddenly asked.
"Yes?" the demon said while looking toward him.
"They've been saying that demons will creep out of hell when the Bloody Moon appears. They're gone now," the knight said contemptuously. "If you go after them now, you may be able to catch a glimpse of them at the port in the east."
"Really?" the demon said as it gazed upon the east, and then turned around again. "I'll go, but not now. Since you know nothing about the Fertile Plains, then I'll cut the crap."
"I'm the Sky Lord, the commander of the Western Front Army. Thousands of years ago, your race and my race made an agreement to fight against the witches and their underlings. Your ancestors agreed to serve us. I granted them land, power and wealth. This contract has yet been terminated. It won't terminate until the war ends. You, as the descendants of your ancestors, should continue to serve us," the demon proclaimed in a booming voice. "Now, I command you to offer this city in accordance with the terms set out in this contract and serve me!"
Earl Marwayne gaped. This demon was crazy! Who cared about a contract signed 1,000 years ago? He would not even take a contract after a lapse of two years seriously. What kind of stupid commander of the Western Front Army was! What kind of commander would come in person alone? This monster was out of its mind!
"What if I disagree?" the earl said defiantly. His patience was exhausted.
"Death will let you yield," the demon who called himself the Sky Lord said. "Look, this is your fate."
The earl looked up and saw the distant mountains had been enveloped by a thin mist. It was not the mist he normally saw in the Impassable Mountain Range but a horrendous, crimson one. The earl was not sure if it was because of the Bloody Moon or it was the color of the mist itself.
Another peculiar phenomenon he noticed was that the red mist did not float in the air but slowly flowed down the mountains, forming a hazy "waterfall".
Was the demon waiting for this moment?
Marwayne felt a jolt of uneasiness at the pit of his stomach. He cast a glance at his equally disturbed knights and squires and knew he must take action now.
"With you alone?" the earl said through clenched teeth and gestured his soldiers. "I've given you a chance. Kill it!"
The knights and guards finally pulled themselves together. They immediately released the arrows, which whistled in the air and streaked toward the demon.
However, not a single arrow hit it.
Everyone goggled incredulously. The demon dived into a black hole and vanished from their sight.
"Damn it. It has magic power," the Chief Knight said in a low voice. "Then how's it different from the witches?"
"No worries. We're all wearing a God's Stone of Retaliation. Magic power won't hurt us!" Marwayne yelled as he clutched the pendant in front of his chest. "Find and kill it!"
"The d-demon is there!" a guard shouted.
Within a second, the demon had flown over the abyss and landed silently on the street behind the city wall.
The earl was alarmed when he saw that the demon could instantly pass the precipes. Now, he was more certain that this dangerous monster, whether it was an ambassador or not, must be exterminated. After all, it was alone. "Shoot the God Stone arrows. Treat it as a witch! 100 Gold Royals for anyone who could kill it!"
As all the knights and guards charged at the demon, the demon slowly raised its arms.
The next moment, a "black screen" around hundreds of meters wide appeared abruptly behind the demon and blocked the street and houses like a wall.
What was it playing at? Was it planning to hide?
However, the earl soon found the answer.
Thick Red Mist suddenly flooded all over the black screen! Then a group of monster he had never beheld rushed out of the screen and clashed with the knights who dashed forward. The God's Stone did not help at all. The knights were thrown into the air by the howling monsters before they landed heavily a few meters away. The knights coughed out blood, their chests sinking. Apparently, there was no chance for them to survive.
Nevertheless, this was just the beginning of the nightmare.
More monsters came out of the black screen, bowed to the Sky Lord, and joined the battle. Every monster was far stronger and larger than an ordinary man. Soon, they gained the top of the city of wall and began to slaughter the soldiers. The soldiers were torn into pieces, their blood and broken limbs flying in all directions.
Within seven or eight minutes, the city had been filled with painful groans. Many people were heading to the city gate, in an attempt to escape but they were stopped by the icy abyss.
Marwayne felt his legs give away. He staggered and fell to the ground. This time, nobody came to help him up.
His guard had been ripped apart by the demons.
His precious Snow Reflection Castle, the land passed down by generations that he took pride in, fell.
The air was heavy with pungent Red Mist, and this city had completely become a living hell.
Through the Mist, the Bloody Moon appeared to be even more gruesome.
The earl now understood what a doomsday looked like.
The end of Volume II: The Battle of Doomsday