Chapter 76: The Breath of the Plague! Second Update
2015-10-05
Author: Floating Tower
Withering spread like a disease.
In the forest north of Icewind Valley, vitality had vanished in the blink of an eye.
Accompanied by a glimmer of magical light, a portal appeared near the Lizardman marsh. This was a temporarily stabilized portal, and as the space-crossing passage gradually stabilized, figures clad in gray-black robes emerged. Among the newcomers were humans, Lizardmen, even elves, and some creatures composed of twisted roots. Their professions varied greatly, with the foremost being an elven druid, but unlike other druids, this druid exuded a foul aura.
Witherer!
The most depraved advanced profession of druids, spreading plague and withering in nature, an embodiment of evil.
Standing second was a human assassin, his pale face and the dark sheen of the dagger at his waist signified that it had been smeared with a dreadful poison.
The corrupting aura spread.
From the withered forest, an emaciated old woman appeared, her face etched with various religious tattoos. The soil she passed through appeared to be infected by the plague, taking on a bizarre dark blue hue. She was the “Lady of Vengeance,” also known as “Mistress of Plagues” and “Goddess of Toxins and Diseases.” Due to her connection to divine professions and certain reasons, she was trapped in a body that had once been very beautiful but was now ravaged by disease and aging.
She was a deity of chaotic evil.
Her greatest pleasure was spreading diseases and plagues, instilling fear of her divine name. Her followers included fallen druids, assassins, and doctors.
“Master!”
A group of followers knelt down.
The Lady of Vengeance coldly glanced at them, then turned her gaze northward and said slowly, “Leave here at once. I sense something unpleasant is approaching.”
The group quickly departed.
Not long after their departure, the loud call of an eagle rang out. It swooped down from the sky and, in the moment of landing, transformed into a druid clad in feathers.
“Poison, disease, plague.”
“This is a disaster of nature! It must be reported immediately to Lord Earthwalker!”
The druid transformed back into an eagle and soared away, and not long after his departure, a tall female elf rapidly approached. She glanced at them with a pale countenance and hurried toward the Elven Forest.
On this day,
in the racial gathering places near this area, whether humans, elves, or the werewolves from across the mountain, people suddenly began to fall ill.
This illness was not very severe.
But the speed of infection was alarmingly fast, with nearly one-third of the nearby villages infected, half of whom were running fevers.
The doctors were somewhat at a loss and could only seek assistance from the priests of the temple.
In the withered forest.
A murky river flowed through it, with many animal corpses nearby, and corrupt roots emerged from the shadows like ghosts; the pile of animal corpses had grown significantly, and there were hardly any living creatures left in the entire forest.
…………
Arendelle. Royal Palace.
When Soren took out the gifts he had prepared for the Princess and Princess Anna, even the usually composed elder princess could not help but show surprise. She gazed at the clear liquid before her, full of rich life energy, murmuring, “Water of Life? Fountain of Youth?”
The knowledge of the legendary spellcaster was profound.
The elder princess recognized what it was at a glance. Thus, she was so astonished.
“Yes.”
Soren nodded slightly and said slowly, “One is for Anna, and the other is for you.”
The elder princess momentarily stunned, then slowly said, “You are quite thoughtful.”
It was rare.
She showed Soren a faint smile, and the initial sense of rejection had diminished considerably.
As a powerful blessed sorceress, the elder princess naturally did not have a pressing need for the Water of Life. However, for Anna, who did not possess her talent, the effect of the Water of Life was incredibly significant.
Princess Anna could use its power to maintain her youth while enjoying a lifespan far surpassing that of elves.
“Soren!?”
A delighted yet surprised call resonated as Princess Anna appeared in the hall, dressed in a pure white nightgown. She trotted towards Soren, directly leaping into his embrace, hanging on him. At this moment, her expression was a mix of joy and lingering sorrow, as if she wanted to say something but was startled into silence by a suppressed cough from nearby. Immediately, she bounced off Soren like a frightened little rabbit, obediently standing behind the elder princess.
The elder princess’s expression turned somewhat cold again.
Her gaze at Soren was as if he had stolen something essential from her. Although it could not be called hostility, it certainly wasn’t friendly. She glanced at Princess Anna beside her and said sternly, “I have very important matters to discuss with Lord Soren.”
“You should go back to your room and sleep.”
After a brief hesitation, the elder princess handed over the Water of Life to Princess Anna beside her, gently saying, “This is his gift to you—the legendary Fountain of Youth.”
Fountain of Youth?
Princess Anna looked surprised, and when she glanced up at Soren, her eyes were filled with affection.
No woman could resist the temptation of eternal youth.
Let alone this being a gift from Soren; even an idiot would know how rare this thing was. All along, her greatest worry had been that she was merely an ordinary human who would gradually age with time, but now her biggest concern had vanished. If it weren’t for the elder princess being present, the girl might have even leapt into Soren’s arms to bestow a passionate kiss upon him. But in reality, that was impossible; the elder princess would be very angry, and it was also not appropriate.
Princess Anna reluctantly left, glancing back three times; in her heart, she was still somewhat fearful of angering her sister.
The elder princess’s authority was not to be trifled with!
In Arendelle, the elder princess held an absolutely exalted position, and in Princess Anna’s heart, the elder princess was like both a sister and a mother. So even though she was very reluctant at that moment, she obediently returned.
However!
She had already made up her mind to have her personal maid keep watch outside, and when her sister and Soren finished their important discussion, she would sneak out immediately.
There are always strategies against policies; she would not be that obedient!
…………
(To be continued ~^~)
