The Imperial Scepter of Glory

Chapter 14 The Undead (Part 2)

The zombies came to a halt at the mouth of a canyon. They formed a loose, disorganized line, blocking the entrance. More zombies continued to join from behind, and their numbers now seemed to rival those that had attacked the camp earlier...

The Flag Mercenaries stopped about forty yards away from the zombie horde. At this distance, it would only take three or four seconds to charge, yet no one dared to make a move. The mercenaries looked up at Lintan, even Galaberon casting a questioning glance his way.

Lintan didn’t respond. He strained his eyes to peer into the darkness beyond, where shadowy figures lay scattered across the ground. These were the bodies of the mountain villagers, yet to rise as zombies. Standing amidst the corpses was a gaunt figure.

"A necromancer?" Galaberon gritted his teeth. Necromancers, due to the nature of their magic, were far less tolerated than practitioners of other schools of magic. In the Holy Light Empire, they were outright branded as heretics. The situation in the Holy Cross Alliance was slightly better—necromancers weren’t actively hunted as long as they didn’t violate the laws governing mages, though they were still despised by the populace. But this one was different. The m******e of an entire mountain village, over a hundred lives, was a crime that could not be forgiven.

"Charge! Break through the zombie line now! We can’t let that necromancer raise any more of the dead!" Lintan shouted the moment he saw the necromancer’s movements. He led the charge himself, his holy aura blazing without restraint. The radiant energy surged through his body, enveloping not only his sword but also his entire form in a faint, white glow.

Lintan quickly plunged into the zombie ranks. The undead swarmed him, but he moved like a wolf among sheep. The purifying power of his holy aura was pushed to its limits. The sacred flames clung to the zombies like oil to a spark, igniting instantly. Even if the flames didn’t immediately destroy them, a follow-up strike from Lintan’s blazing sword was often enough to finish the job.

The Flag Mercenaries, following closely behind, joined the fray. Even the spear-wielding soldiers, who were less skilled in close combat, fought with desperate determination.

With the mercenaries’ support, the pressure on Lintan eased significantly. He unleashed another burst of aura, swinging his sword in rapid succession to cut down two zombies blocking his path. Truth be told, Lintan’s swordsmanship wasn’t exceptional, but the rigorous training he had undergone had honed his skills to a level far beyond that of an ordinary fighter.

After dispatching the two enemies, Lintan realized he had broken through the disorganized zombie line. Now, he was no more than seventy yards away from the necromancer.

"Spit!" Lintan spat on the ground and charged forward, determined to eliminate the necromancer in one decisive strike. Without the necromancer’s control, the zombies would quickly return to the embrace of death.

The necromancer raised three more zombies before ceasing his spellcasting. One zombie remained by his side, while the other two lunged at Lintan.

The bloated corpse hurled itself at Lintan, its grotesque face revealing rows of yellow, foul-smelling teeth. Lintan swung his sword at the zombie’s head, but the other zombie was already upon him, its fist slamming toward him with brutal force.

Lintan had to abort his attack, sidestepping to avoid both the lunge and the punch. He kicked the first zombie to the ground and raised his sword to deliver a finishing blow. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark beam of energy shoot from the necromancer’s hand, streaking toward him like an arrow. Unable to dodge, Lintan raised his sword to block. The black energy struck the blade, and the holy aura flared in response, sizzling as it resisted the dark magic.

However, the act of blocking the spell left Lintan vulnerable. The second zombie seized the opportunity, closing the distance and wrapping its arms tightly around him. Its gaping maw lunged for his neck. Lintan jerked his head to the side, then slammed his forehead into the zombie’s face. The impact caused the zombie to miss his neck, its teeth sinking into his shoulder instead.

"Ugh..." Lintan hissed in pain. The zombie’s bite nearly crushed his collarbone. To make matters worse, the first zombie he had kicked down was already struggling to its feet, and the necromancer was preparing another spell. Lintan was in grave danger.

In this critical moment, Lintan had no choice but to push his limits. He channeled every ounce of his remaining aura, igniting his body in sacred flames. The zombie holding him burst into holy fire, its grip loosening as it writhed on the ground, howling in agony. The purifying flames would soon reduce it to ash.

Lintan didn’t have time to finish off the burning zombie. He turned to the other one, which was now rising to its feet, and delivered two swift strikes with his sword, severing its head.

But even as he dealt with these two threats, danger still loomed. A sharp sense of foreboding shot through him. He turned just in time to see two glowing, blue-purple arcane missiles streaking toward him from the necromancer’s outstretched hand.

"Thud! Thud!" The missiles struck Lintan squarely in the chest, denting his armor and knocking the wind out of him. The force of the impact left him gasping for air, but he couldn’t afford to dwell on the pain. Swallowing the blood that rose in his throat, he forced himself to charge once more toward the necromancer.

The necromancer’s pale, gaunt face twisted in panic. Two powerful zombies and his own magic had failed to stop this relentless warrior. He stumbled backward, abandoning any attempt to cast another spell, and instead focused on maneuvering to keep distance between himself and Lintan. He directed his last remaining zombie to intercept Lintan while he searched for an opening to strike.

Lintan clenched his teeth. His aura was nearly depleted. If he didn’t kill the necromancer soon—or if the necromancer managed to cast another spell—it would only take one more zombie or a single arcane missile to end him.

He swung his sword again, but the radiant glow of his aura had faded.

The necromancer’s eyes lit up with triumph. "He’s out of aura!"

Indeed, without the enhancement of his holy energy, Lintan’s strike only tore a chunk of rotting flesh from the zombie. The undead creature retaliated with a powerful punch, sending Lintan staggering backward. He fell to the ground, rolling twice before coming to a stop. The necromancer, seeing Lintan finally brought down, allowed himself a moment of relief. He stopped retreating and stood firm, preparing to cast a final, lethal spell. He was confident he could finish off the exhausted knight before Lintan could rise to his feet.

But the necromancer had overlooked one crucial detail. When Lintan fell, he had rolled closer to the necromancer. Now, the distance between them was less than five meters.

The next moment, the necromancer’s eyes widened in disbelief as a sword wreathed in holy flames pierced through his chest...