Chapter 92 - Ambush

Alisa concealed her aura.

She focused exceptionally hard, making sure not one wisp escaped from her hold into the outside world. Hundreds of active wisps strengthened her body, each one attempting to ooze out to create a large aura.

Inside her core sat a grouping of black ether, created by reversing the effect of active wisps. Black ether didn’t push ether outward. Rather, the wisps ate power from the outside world similarly to nothing runes. The black wisps ate the excess power that attempted to escape from Alisa’s active wisps. Instead of oozing out into an aura that anyone could sense, the black wisps hid her presence.

It was a solid technique to hide her presence, taught to her by someone that was deemed a witch today. In some ways, the technique could be considered cheating. Alisa didn’t hold her wisps perfectly like true masters of ether. Without the black wisps, some would have leaked out. But the technique did work.

The black wisps were also dangerous. If Alisa’s control over them slipped, the hungry wisps could have bitten off her core instead. Unpredictable damages could happen when black wisps were released into the world.

Rohan’s battle cries sounded from the room next over. Uundref attacked him, as was planned. Or rather, Rohan attacked Uundref. Now Rohan just had to run back a few rooms, where Alisa was ready to initiate the ambush. Ven was trailing behind, ready to squeeze Uundref into a tight spot.

Alisa had led Uundref to the trap an hour and a half ahead of schedule. The opportunity had been too perfect to pass up. Aang’s team still required more time to clear the dungeon. But for this particular plan, capturing Uundref early was better than late.

Rohan continued shouting. The scary type of shouts; the ones he let out when he got a little too into a battle. Alisa grew nervous. Did that idiot plan on fighting to the death? He wasn’t getting tangled in defending Zelle again, was he? Just run back, Rohan! Remember the plan!

An explosion went off. Suddenly, Rohan flew across the room, crashing into the back wall. Rohan’s armor cracked into bits. He coughed blood, then collapsed weakly on the ground.

Uundref’s bony footsteps approached. A wave of panic flowed within Alisa. The pressurized ether attempted to escape from her body. She focused on the black wisps, making sure they absolutely concealed her aura. Really, the plan she was supposed to follow was the simplest they'd performed in a long time.

There were no tripwires or other nonsensical traps. Alisa and Ven simply planned to hit Uundref from both sides, killing or immobilizing him in an unfair battle. Further traps would only make the fight needlessly complicated.

You did well, Rohan, she thought. Now, let’s do this!

Uundref stepped into the room, and the ambush was sprung.

Alisa activated her skill, throwing Pink Bunny at the Steward. Ven attacked from behind with the nix sword’s shockwave. Their timing was perfect. Two attacks from both sides.

Uundref's eyes glowed. He deflected Alisa's dagger. The nix sword's shockwave came as a ranged slash projectile; Uundref ducked, dodging it.

The Steward immediately attacked Alisa with his two daggers. Alisa gritted her teeth. This wasn't good. Their initial attack was their best chance at defeating him. Now it would get difficult.

But Alisa wasn't outclassed. She defended the onslaught of Uundref's daggers with Jam Muffin. While barely defending, she slowly took the fight toward the wall, where her other dagger had crashed. She retrieved the blade, fighting with two again.

Uundref's attacks were fast. Impossibly so. Alisa couldn't even think of an opportunity to counter-attack. She was struggling just to hold onto her life. Blades were exchanged tens of times within the few seconds the fight took place.

Ven! Alisa thought. What's taking so long! Hit him from behind?

Alisa caught a glimpse past Uundref's figure. There, she saw Ven head high in the air. Was Ven always so tall?

Her eyes shot wide open. A blade pierced Ven from the shoulder, holding him up. A purple venerium blade. The paralysis venom from the metal immobilized Ven, turning his eyes purple.

Seeing him, Alisa hesitated for a tiny moment. A moment, which was enough for Uundref's hand to grab her from the throat, holding her up. Her daggers fell to the ground. She squirmed and struggled, losing air.

“Ooh,” Uundref said. “An ambush, just as was promised.”

Ven… Alisa tried to say. The words didn’t come out. What happened?

Behind Uundref, two pairs of footsteps calmly stepped forward. Alisa spotted Beligar and a guardsman. Beligar, the tall Steward wearing a leather jacket, retreated his venerium blade from Ven's shoulder, letting Ven fall limply on the ground, unconscious, if alive at all.

More footsteps approached from the opposite side. Wheryn and two more Stewards stepped in, totally surrounding the scene. One of them checked on Rohan, seeing whether he was knocked out.

Alisa watched in disbelief. Where had all these Stewards come from? Had she alerted the others?

No, she’d lured Uundref alone just as she was supposed to. The Stewards knew what was happening beforehand. The plan had gotten out!

“Members of Aang’s Union…” Wheryn said with his arms crossed, frowning.

Uundref was grinning. He let out a cackle. “Interesting indeed. This one attacked me with a skill.”

“How much ether does she have?” Beligar asked.

“She’s maxed out,” Uundref said. He continued squeezing her throat. Alisa stopped struggling and focused on listening. For what good listening could provide. “They had a clever plan. Simple but effective. Unfortunately, they’re still far too weak to match my strength.”

“They’ve stolen from us for years,” Wheryn said. “We’ve been shamed. This is no laughing matter.”

“Oh, this is a victory indeed,” Uundref said. “We’ve finally fixed the dungeon’s slow respawn rates. Ingfried will be ecstatic once he hears our scientists have found the issue to bring Zand’s dungeon back to its full operation.”

“You plan on manipulating the reports again,” Wheryn said.

“Naturally,” Uundref said. “I believe you have no objections. Tie the others down. We will bring them for questioning later.”

His disgusting bone-faced grin faced Alisa again. “My dear nimrod. I am impressed by your ingenuity. Tell me, where is your boss?”

“Die… in the abyss…” Alisa said.

Uundref stared at her for a moment.

Then he slammed her against the wall at full force. The wind was knocked out of Alisa’s lungs. “Where is your boss?” he asked.

Torture, Alisa thought. This cursed sack of bones planned on torturing everything out of her.

Ven and Rohan were already passed out. There was still time for Aang to finish the job without the Stewards knowing.

Uundref was too strong… Even if he’d come alone, he would have defeated Alisa and Ven. Negating his teleportation ability and his skills didn’t matter if Uundref could overpower them even without any skills active. The plan was a total failure.

In a reckless decision, Alisa released the hold on the black wisps of ether within her. A reaction went off within her core, pressurized ether ripping at her insides. Immediately, Alisa lost consciousness.

***

“Vivi… Help.”

Lucius’s voice was faint and afraid, coming from behind the Skeleton King. Vivi squinted in hopes of seeing him. She couldn't see any doors leading further from the throne room. Somehow, Lucius’s voice seemed to come from behind the walls, underground.

The ground shook as the Skeleton King’s greatsword smashed into the stone, leaving cracks. The middle of the throne room was in total chaos. Aang was pushed to the defensive. He no longer killed skeletons. Rather, he weaved between skeletons in a desperate attempt to keep up and stay alive.

The Skeleton King carried thousands upon thousands of ether, but it wasn't particularly dangerous. Its heavy attacks were easily avoidable. Its presence, however, seemed to enhance its army. With each swing the king made, the lesser soldiers grew more rampant, strong enough to cause Aang trouble.

“We need to help,” Vivi said.

Lydi didn’t respond, staring at the scene in awe. Realistically, they had nothing to add to the fight. Lydi’s discharges couldn’t harm the rigor enhanced skeletons, and Vivi barely had any ether without Lucius.

She needed to sneak past and save him. “Come with me,” Vivi said, pulling Lydi’s arm.

Vivi walked the right, underneath the indoor balcony, sneaking past the onslaught in the middle. With Vivi’s ether aura so weak, the skeletons didn’t feel her presence. She walked calmly past, heading toward the back of the room.

Lucius? Vivi called. Are you there? Can you hear me?

“Inside the throne, Vivi…” Lucius said.

Inside the throne? What do you mean?

No response came. Vivi gritted her teeth. She sped up the pace, almost running to the throne. The skeletons were all focused on Aang. Nobody saw her in the shadows underneath the balcony. Vivi and Lydi made it to the throne without issues.

“What are we doing?” Lydi asked, while Vivi examined the throne in a hurry. She didn’t see anything wrong with it. The throne was lit with a clear beam of light from the windows above. Vivi was clearly visible now. She had to be fast.

The throne was empty. Vivi couldn’t see anything wrong with it. No secret passages or levers she could pull. Looking around herself, she couldn’t see anything else either.

But Lucius had said inside the throne. Vivi could feel his presence underground.

Vivi focused on the remaining wisps on her body, concentrating them on the sword and into her legs. She swung her crystal mithril runesword at the throne. The rest of her ether was exhausted into one last attack.

Her sword cut through the throne, revealing a path below.

The mages on the balconies turned their attention to her. They redirected their attacks, and balls of concentrated ether shot at Vivi’s etherless body.