Chapter 608 – Not A Suggestion.

A small storm of explosions engulfed the courtyard outside the main palace. Roland’s spider golems unleashed another volley, arcs of azure fire streaking across the night before bursting into waves of concussive light. Each impact tore apart ghouls in droves, scattering limbs and abyssal blood across the stone. For every creature annihilated, two more clawed their way up from the earth, and their writhing heads twisted unnaturally toward the lone defender.

The armored runic knight commander stood tall amid the chaos, his fortress of stone under siege. The spider golem cannons thundered without pause while his rock golems slammed fists and spears into the swarm, each strike cratering the ground and causing further wreckage in the courtyard where the battle raged.

Roland focused on the higher-tier cultists who were tearing through the golems he summoned from his spatial armor pocket. His mana drained constantly, but for now, he had enough. The main foe, the abyssal witch, watched from the edge of the battlefield, likely waiting for him to tire. That gave him time to think.

‘How had they gathered so many cultists here? This place was supposed to be well-protected. Nothing is making much sense.’

It became clear that things did not add up. The number of hidden enemies was enormous, and the weakness of the Duke and his guards suggested he had walked into a different kind of predicament. A few theories ran through his head, but none of them helped his immediate situation.

For now, the only way out was to destroy the relics hidden inside the watchtowers, and for that, he needed help. One of his golems hovered in the grand hall, focusing on an old mage who sat lost in thought.

“Hmm…”

Anzeneus raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the hovering construct. It was peculiar and unlike any runic device he had seen. He seemed fascinated by its shape, but a loud noise from outside snapped everyone back to the gravity of the situation.

The battle still raged around them. Most of the cultists who had been fighting in the grand hall had been drawn away. That left this small group wearing shining runic bracelets. It was now up to them to deal with the occult relics scattered around the castle grounds.

“You know what I desire?”

The old man asked while stroking his long beard.

“Indeed. If you promise to aid me, I will help you gain priceless knowledge from the famed inner library of Yavenna Arvandus of Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry.”

“You know the lady Archmagus?”

The old man stammered in surprise and his eyes bulged for a moment.

“I do.”

Roland replied while commanding his golems to press the attack. He knew that for mages such as Anzeneus, magical knowledge was the ultimate currency. He could not ask Yavenna directly for permission, but he had access to the library and could put in a good word for the mage. Regretfully, he could not prove the claim, and he knew the old man would be skeptical.

“Preposterous. Why would senior Arvandus be involved with you? How can I believe such a claim? Come, young lord, we should depart!”

The old mage snapped at Roland’s golem before looking to Tybalt Valerian, who already seemed eager to leave. The others watched the exchange with equal distrust. Roland had woken them from a dream and told them to perform a mission. He could not expect a pompous old mage or a sheltered noble to obey without resisting, but he would not let them refuse.

“I am afraid that is not an option. You will have to excuse my rudeness, Lord Tybalt.”

“What do you…?”

Tybalt opened his mouth to protest, but the glow in his bracelet wavered. The runes etched into the device rippled like dying embers, then the light faded. His eyes widened in horror as he realized the bracelet’s true purpose. He tried to force mana into it and failed. Then, out of desperation, he began to shout, but it was already too late.

“No, wait, you cannot do this to me, I’m…”

The lordling tried to shout but his body froze. His expression was now locked as his consciousness was pushed back into the cult’s illusion. The young lord twitched once and went utterly limp. Luckily, Arthur was there to catch him and eased him to the ground.

“You would do such a thing to a young lord? Are you mad?”

The old mage was furious and ready to cast a spell on the hovering golem. The only thing that held him back was the fear he was now feeling, a fear from the man who controlled his fate.

“My apologies, but the situation requires your aid. Either you help me, or I have no use for any of you.”

Roland said in a cold, harsh tone. He meant every word. If he let them go, they would likely hide or reach a barrier and become trapped anyway. In this dire situation, blackmailing a noble was a risk he accepted, better than dying here.

“Without this bracelet.”

The old mage murmured as the truth sank in.

“Yes. Without my help, you will be pushed back into the cult’s illusion. Now decide, will you help me or not? There is no time left.”

This time it was not a request but a statement. Silence fell in the grand hall. For a heartbeat, only the distant thunder of the courtyard battle echoed and grew louder. Anzeneus’ jaw moved. The old mage’s eyes shifted between Roland’s hovering construct and the dormant runic bracelets on the wrists of the noble he served. He had lived long enough to recognize the words of coercion, and he understood that nothing he did could stand against it.

“Very well. I hope you will keep your promise, but first release the young lord.”

“I knew you would see reason.”

“Not as if you gave me much of a choice, young one.”

Once the bargain was struck, the bracelet lit up again. Tybalt rose from his slumber, still confused, and needed a few moments to realize that his mage had accepted the deal.

“Master Anzeneus, you cannot!”

“It is fine, young lord. We have no choice, and it seems this person carries some kind of plan, so it may be wiser to listen to him. Now speak. What do you wish us to do?”

“Simply follow Lord Arthur. He will lead you both to the cult relics. You will face resistance, but the three of you should be enough.”

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As soon as he said it, everyone in the chamber who was still awake turned to Arthur. Tybalt and Julius did not look pleased that their youngest brother would be the one to lead.

“The rest of you, take the Duke into the inner palace. The defenses there should be strong enough to withstand the cultist assault.”