Chapter 579: The Plague
Chapter 579: The Plague
The excitement to explore a new land coursed through his veins. However, Vishriyan dosed cold water upon his excitement by taking out a pale blue face mask from his space ring.
"Put this on before you step aside,"
Michael creased his brows,
"I don't get it,"
"There is a plague ravishing Kingdom Thera, believer Ghost. The sinners are reaping what they sow," Vishriyan said so calmly like it was a simple matter.
"Plague?" Gaya was in a state of shock. The last time a plague hit Awor, millions of people including Naga's died.
"You don't have to worry about the plague. The Great One and Two protect those who believe in them,"
These words showed the extent of Vishriyan's idiocy. Although the Holy Church believers were good to him, Michael felt he was dealing with a bunch of fanatics. Given a chance, the Holy Church would do more harm than good. They just didn't have the resources and power to rival the Great Eight Clans. But with the recent fall of Guardians, the Holy Church was getting more popular among the people.
Michael may have given a torch to lunatics in disguise.
"So are we even allowed to go to Thera? Normally when a plague hit, they close the borders right?" Michael asked, standing before the golden door.
"They will close the borders soon. So I hope you will get what you're looking for, believer Ghost. May the Great One and Two be with you and guide you," Vishriyan calmly said, opening the door and revealing nothing but soft squashy clouds.
There was no building or rods in front of him. Except, Michael saw an endless blue sky with puffy clouds stretched as far as he could see. Only then did he realize he was in the sky. When he took a step outside and turned around, he saw the gothic-style building that was much grander, just like the one in Royal land.
The church was built on a floating mountain like some buildings in Akilan Realm.
"We will meet again soon, believer Vishriyan," Michael quickly bowed towards Vishriyan. He wanted to check on Eve. For some reason, he immediately worried about her. It almost felt like the two of them have some kind of strong bond.
He didn't know before the Dark Lord used the time travel rune, that Eve was his best friend. She sacrificed herself to save him. If it wasn't for her, Michael wouldn't be here. Although The Dark Lord reset the time, the deep friendship bond remained strong.
Michael shot out from the mountain like a rocket, leaving a shock wave behind. In his haste, he failed to ask where the Voldigard compound was. Hopefully, Gaya knew where it was.
"Those are crazy bastards, Michael. A plague hit them? What the fuck? He was so calm. These morons are lunatics," Gaya cursed them, diving towards the city on the land.
"They seem just as bad as the guardians," Nightmare said,
"It doesn't matter now. Let's go meet Eve. There is an opportunity here,"
"No shit," Gaya rolled her eyes,
"I did some sick shit, but it feels wrong to see the plague as an opportunity," Gaya knew the obvious golden opportunity presented itself in the name of the plague. She knew Michael could pull some miracle and cure the plague. However, it felt wrong to get rich from a plague.
"I don't feel like that. We are not responsible for the plague. If someone else finds the cure, so be it. Otherwise, we may as well find the cure and sell it for millions,"
"What about the poor?" Nightmare asked Michael,
"There is no poverty in Awor. That's why it's called the most powerful and rich continent in the world. A farmer in Awor earns ten times more than one in Elon or Ozer," Gaya's words didn't only surprise Nightmare but also Michael.
It seemed like the rulers of other races were far better than the humans in ruling a kingdom.
The closer they got to the city, the better Michael could see the majestic view of Yaserius. The city itself looked like a hybrid between fantasy and style. However, despite the majestic tall buildings, the streets looked empty and the gray mist around the city gave a gloomy look to it.
"The Voldigard compound is that way. Follow me," Gaya pointed at the northern side of the city where Michael saw a mountain resembling Mount Fuji in the distance. Michael and Nightmare flew behind Gaya while noticing the eerie city beneath them.
"So many sick," Nightmare's superior hearing sense enabled him to hear the countless coughing and vomiting coming from the city.
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At the moment, inside the Voldigard compound, several dead bodies in plate armor riddled the front yard. Some of the soldiers had their helmets removed so one could see the grayish skin and the dark green webs of veins underneath the gray skin. The broken fountain in the center was still pumping out water from the lion's head. The dead bodies formed a line surrounding the majestic castle of House Voldigard. A regular gate with great wooden doors, a draw bridge, and hot oil pots guarded the inhabitants of the castle. It was the only easy way in. Like any place in Awor, neatly pruned trees decorated the land along with colorful flower beds.
The round towers dwarfed everything below them and were connected by fortified, thick walls made of gray stone. The decorated windows added an extra charm to the castle as the walls had overhanging crenelations for archers and artillery. But at the moment, there were no archers or anyone to man the giant crossbows.
The gate which guarded the castle for hundreds of years fell for the first time as the compound of Voldigard's became a battlefield. Michael was not the only one who viewed the plague as an opportunity. House Rottgard sieged House Voldigard when the latter was at its weakest.
When the plague hit Yaserius, House Voldigard ensured the citizens got the best treatment possible instead of quarantining themselves like many noble families. As a result, many of the Voldigards were infected by the plague and lost their ability to use arch energy. The plague killed almost half of the Voldigards, including three Fusion Stage protectors.
Since they lost the protectors, House Rottgard, which ran away as soon as the plague hit the city, returned to decimate Voldiagrds for once and for all. But one protector of Voldigard stood between the House Rottgard soldiers and the castle; Eve Voldigard.
Like a lioness facing hyenas, she stood tall with her hammer in her hands. The red armored House Rottgard soldiers cowered after she killed most of their fellow soldiers. When they started the siege, they had a hundred soldiers but now, the number was reduced to thirty.
Despite Eve's Core Strengthening cultivation stage, she even managed to kill a Soul Refining stage warrior.
"I can do this all day," Eve wiped off the blood running from her mouth's corner and taunted the surrounded soldiers. Especially, her cold gaze was on the man who led the siege; Igor Rottgard.
Igor was a tall youngster with long red hair. He covered his mouth and nose with a red dragon mask. He wore a simple robe that revealed his hairy chest as well as the tattoo of a fire-breathing red dragon. Since all the Fusion stage protectors had succumbed to the plague, House Rottgard only sent the Core strengthening stage warriors along with a couple of Soul Refiners. Fortunately, the Soul Refiners from Voldigards killed House Rottgard's Soul Refiners before dying due to the wounds.
Eve killed the last Soul Refiner and many Core Strengthening stage warriors and remained the last woman standing from House Voldigard.
"But you don't have all day. Look at you. You're tired, breathing heavily, and bleeding from your ears. You and I both know you won't stand much longer. So do yourself a favor and step aside. I'll promise to give you a proper burial," Igor said, slowly stepping towards Eve.
He was right, and Eve knew it. She could feel the arch energy in her body slowly dating away. Soon, she would lose the sense of Arch energy as well as strength in her body. Even lifting her hammer wasn't as easy as before. Every cell in her body screamed at her to drop the hammer and close her eyes. She had been fighting for days without any rest.
If it wasn't for House Rottgard's resolution to use minimal force to wipe out House Voldigard, House Rottgard would have destroyed House Voldigard by now. But, for some reason, every time Eve blinked, he saw Ghost and his smiling face. It felt like yesterday, she fought together with him.
Her sister was fighting for her life in the castle, but all she could think was how good it would be to fight together with Ghost one last time.
"Step closer, and I'll give you a proper burial," Eve snickered.
"Well, I tried to be nice, just like my healer said. I think it's time to do things my way," by his way, Igor obviously meant killing Eve. Instead of sending soldiers one by one to her, Igor signaled all thirty soldiers to flank her simultaneously from all directions.
Whoosh!
Eve began to spin the hammer as fast as she could to the point Igor only saw a blur and heard the whistling sound of the wind. Although he was here to kill Eve and her family, he couldn't help admiring her. He almost felt pity for the Voldigards.
"Whoa, come on," when Igor noticed his soldiers stepping towards Eve like mindless fools.
"She will beat the crap out of you if you get too close, idiots. Use your spells for god sake!" The soldiers quickly halted their steps, preparing to cast spells.
"I swear to gods, one of these days, I am gonna lose my mind and start killing you incompetent fools,"