chsdbacks Chapter 96 Archmage Quest
Chapter 96 Archmage Quest
As they ventured deeper, the corridor opened into a vast chamber. At its center stood a skeletal figure draped in tattered robes, its eyes glowing with an eerie blue light. The Archmage.
As Leon and Roselia entered, the Lich's eyes flickered, its head moving slightly to look at them. "Humans... are not welcome in my domain," it said, its voice a haunting echo.
Leon raised his brow in surprise. "You can talk?" he asked.
The Lich nodded slowly. "I have fleeting moments of clarity—remnants of the wisdom I once held. And then... it vanishes," it said, its gaze lowering. "How pathetic I have become..."
Leon frowned. This was unexpected. There had been no mention of such behavior in the information they had gathered about the Archmage.
"Human," the Lich continued, "would you like to hear my story?"
A notification flashed before Leon.
{New Quest}
{Listen to the Archmage's Story}
{Reward: Continuation of the Quest}
"Alright, what is it?" Leon said, nodding as he accepted the quest.
The Lich inclined its head slightly, but its glowing eyes suddenly flared red. Its demeanor shifted, and it hissed with malice, "You dare disturb my domain?"
Leon and Roselia exchanged a quick glance, wondering what was going on.
Another notification appeared in front of Leon.
{New Quest}
{Stall time until the Archmage regains its wisdom}
{Time Limit: 1 minute}
{Reward: Continuation of the Quest}
{29...}
{21...}
Leon continued to attack the Lich, carefully interrupting its spellcasting to prevent it from conjuring anything too powerful. He understood the stakes—if the Lich succeeded in unleashing a devastating spell, Leon would be forced to counter with equally powerful magic, which could have catastrophic consequences. A clash of high-tier spells might kill the Lich outright, failing the quest.
The Lich's mana reserves were immense, seemingly infinite, making it a nightmare opponent for most adventurers. However, Leon's own massive mana pool and his exceptional mana regeneration allowed him to keep stalling without breaking a sweat.
{2...}
{1...}
As the timer hit zero, the Lich's glowing red eyes faded, replaced by a calm, ethereal blue. It stopped attacking, lowering its skeletal hands as it looked at Leon with clarity.
"It seems I lost myself once again," the Lich said in a voice that carried both wisdom and sorrow.
Leon resisted the urge to correct it—the "moment" of clarity had lasted far longer than a second. He let it slide.
"My name is, or was, Valtheris von Raon," the Lich began. "I was a powerful Archduke of this once-beautiful kingdom... until we made a fatal mistake."
As Valtheris waved his hand, Leon and Roselia found themselves surrounded by a vivid illusion. They stood in the middle of a breathtakingly majestic kingdom. The streets were lined with grand architecture, and the air carried a sense of pride and prosperity.
"This was our kingdom," Valtheris continued.
Leon and Roselia marveled at the splendor but quickly noticed something unsettling. The kingdom seemed populated exclusively by the wealthy.
"Why are there only nobles and rich people here?" Leon asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Valtheris sighed deeply, the glow in his eyes dimming slightly. "That was our mistake. This beautiful kingdom was built on the backs of the common folk. We confined the peasantry and lower-class citizens to the outskirts, far from the city walls, while only nobles lived within."
He gestured again, and the illusion shifted. The once-beautiful kingdom became a stark contrast—dilapidated slums outside the city walls and vast, empty fields.
"We grew drunk on power," Valtheris said. "We dismissed the commoners, thinking we didn't need them. Slowly, our kingdom began to decline. The nobles didn't know how to farm, nor how to cook. Without the backbone of the commoners, our society fell apart."
The vision darkened further, showing the kingdom in ruins. Its grandeur reduced to a crumbling wasteland, the once-thriving civilization left in shambles.