Test
“This is your current location!” The fairy showed Leylin a map, indicating his current position within the floating city.
“You must compete with the other qualified person. The first to reach the power room will obtain the authority over the Mise energy core. That will allow you to take control of the floating city and get control over the core…”
The fairy’s bright eyes were trained on Leylin, voice robotic, “Please take note. Master has set up various hindrances along the way, and… Because I do not have enough power, a few invaders have entered the floating city…”
Scenes flashed and separated into smaller squares, allowing Leylin to see the skeleton lich, legendary paladin, monks and other people.
“Have a few worms snuck in as well? With the floating city’s own defensive strength, there should be a few specific methods or gods acting in the shadows that allowed them to break through the outer defences of the city.”
Leylin grinned, thinking back to Rogero who had also been chosen.
“I never expected this… a legendary with a reputation for his combat skills also has the strength of an arcanist! Rogero, you’ve cheated a whole continent… Pretty good… but unfortunately, you met me!”
Even if it was just a conjecture, Leylin knew what the floating city’s master had planned. It was definitely something to do with testing the power of arcanists.
He was now a legendary arcanist. Even in the Netheril era, he had about the same strength as the master of the city, which made him qualified to enter the arcanist elder union and obtain his own floating city. He was obviously unafraid.
On the other hand, Rogero too had become a legendary based on his combat skills. However, even with training hard in private, his arcanist ranking wouldn’t be that high.
In this area, Leylin could overlook his opponent.
“The most important thing right now is to get control over the city before the gods react!” Leylin took a look at the map that the fairy projected, and the A.I. Chip recorded everything before choosing the most suitable route.
“You who are qualified, I hope you can succeed in becoming my master!” The fairy glanced at Leylin’s back, and then gradually disappeared…
After walking through a path styled in a futuristic, sci-fi way, Leylin entered a drawing room.
*Chi chi!* Two magic golems that looked like monkeys stood in wait, large robotic eyes shooting out red lights.
“Gatekeepers? Even with the A.I. Chip choosing the most optimal route, I need to pass through at least 20 stages. I need to quicken my speed…”
Leylin did not stop walking and walked in between the two puppets, figure disappearing into the path.
After he left, the two magic golems exploded into pieces… At the other side, Rogero was advancing quickly, his lance emitting terrifying qi as he ripped a steel door apart.
“An opportunity! The best opportunity!”
Rogero’s eyes blazed, “I’ve hidden my arcanist inheritance for so long, and I finally have this chance! The floating city will definitely be mine…”
At this thought, the image of his competitor showed up in his mind as his emitted a bloodthirsty air.
“I must get the floating city. All who get in my way must die!”
……
Compared to the test that the two of them got, the other invaders were treated poorly.
*Boom! Boom!*
“There’s so much wealth from ancient civilisation, and every single item is priceless. The price of one would be enough to purchase half of a large city. Why do you still keep chasing after me?”
Ilyo turned and yelled, sounding distressed.
“Destroying evil is the role the heavens have given to me. Did you think mere greed over wealth can confuse me?” The paladin looked resolute as he followed behind relentlessly, causing the skeleton lich to have to run tirelessly and feel annoyed.
Usually, he could just turn back and fight three hundred rounds with the paladin. With the floating city and remains of historical civilisation for him to explore here, having to waste his energy on fighting caused Ilyo to feel his heart bleeding.
“Just you wait…” He knew that paladins had brains like concrete, and could only come up with ways to eliminate him.
“Beep! Detected invader. Automatically activating defence mode. Activating metal golems!” Once the two entered a plaza, a robotic voice sounded out. A large gate suddenly opened as a puppet with armour walked out. Many energy fields surrounded it, causing the skeleton lich and paladin to sense immense danger. They could not help but stop in their tracks.
“It’s the metal golem! The legendary golem!” The lich sounded as if he was sighing in awe, “Such a high-ranked golem is the top secret of the Netheril arcanists. Wizards now can’t create imitations of it…”
*Boom!*
After this, however, the skeleton lich could no longer laugh. The golem instantly vanished in an instant, and the next time it reappeared, it was behind Ilyo, large steel fist aimed at his head.
“So fast! It’s almost like instant shifting. Is this really a golem?”
Spells flashed continuously at Ilyo’s body as he quickly set up several bone walls, the bone spurs and bone lances shooting towards the key areas of the golem and bringing with them great gusts of wind.
*Crackle!* The many attacks reached the defensive surface layer of the metal golem and created sounds like rainfall, and then scattered.
*Rumble!* *Ka-cha!* The golem cared not for these attacks and raised its huge fist, preparing to strike at the bone wall.
There was a huge whistling sound in the air, and the bones flew everywhere. A defence that a lich had formed with all his strength actually was completely destroyed under this attack!
*Boom!*
By the time the legendary paladin arrived, all he saw was the lich embedded into the wall. He was perfectly ‘printed’ onto the wall, neck twisted at a very odd angle. If he was alive, he would long since have died.
Even if he was a lich, the fire in his eyes had dimmed quite a bit, and he was evidently gravely injured.
“You monster full of evil! Prepare to be judged by justice!”
Upon seeing this, the paladin heaved a deep sigh of relief, both hands raising the large sword that signified light and judgement.
‘Beep! Enemy discovered!’
However, before the paladin’s sword could fall, a metal golem had already arrived behind him, electronic eyes emitting dangerous red rays.
For legendary metal golems, there could be liches or paladins, but all were invaders and needed to be exterminated.
If Leylin had been here, he would have exclaimed ‘Such high technology’! Or ‘Transformers’, but unfortunately, the paladin with an inflexible mind did not have so many stray thoughts.
In his eyes, metal golems like these were not much better than demons of the abyss or devils of hell.
‘Beep! Enemy scanned to be model of ‘paladin’. Activating extermination plan number 2. Activating extreme gravity engine. Activating nuclear furnace!’
The steel golem made sounds that the paladin could not understand then spread its arms.
*Boom!* The gravity around suddenly increased, and the ground caved in, now seeming extremely solid.
The chest area of the golem opened up to reveal a red hot furnace that rotated in a turbine, producing a frightening whirr.
“What- what monster is this!”
Noticing that his attack at full power had been easily blocked, his exemplary sword that was almost legendary grade melted in the furnace at the golem’s chest. No matter how strong his mind was, the paladin now held hints of despair…
A similar scene could be witnessed at various parts of the city. The outsiders who had entered without permission were now under terrifying attacks, and there already were casualties.
After all, the floating city was a nest of the Great Arcanists of ancient times, so how could they just allow enemies to barge in?
At this moment, other ‘guests’ had also arrived outside the city.
“I never thought even with the consumption from dimensional leaping, the defences of the floating city is still so terrifying. The divine force that the body I’m possessing can amass is nearly depleted…”
‘Evida’ opened her eyes, gazing at the large floating city while looking expectant.
However, this relaxed look only maintained for a moment. Evida quickly turned to the other side, “Her Highness, Mystra, and others…”
“We meet again…”
A young girl dressed in black walked out from the shadows, having the dignity and coldness that only gods possessed.
She gazed at the empty area next to her, looking hostile.
Golden lights flashed, and numerous orc gods also appeared. They were all avatars, causing fear to appear in Evida’s eyes.
For true gods to descend into the prime material plane, there was the most dangerous truebody saintly form, as well as an avatar and possessing a body.
An avatar was a clone formed of divine force and godhood, while possessing a body would require taking the body of a follower.
In comparison, possessing the body might be safe, but the power could not compare to an avatar.
“After the hall meeting of the gods, there have been few gatherings between many gods…”
An elderly being wearing white, scholarly attire had a wise look in his eyes. This was Oghma, the god of knowledge and a powerful greater god.
“After all, this has to do with arcanists and the floating city…”
The other gods all went quiet, focusing on the Weave Goddess, Mystra.