Chapter 237

Chapter 237

Arthur blinked when he heard the Elder Dragon greet him as the First Lich King. That had surprised the bartender. It was not something he expected. After all, he had never met Grat-ra’zun as... Arthur.

As Ar’elith the Lich King, he had crossed paths with the Elder Dragon a handful of times. They had only clashed once, and it ended quickly with the Lich King’s hasty retreat. But beyond that, they were not antagonistic towards each other, nor were they on friendly terms. They had barely even known each other.

So they were barely acquainted as Ar’elith the Lich King, and as Arthur the bartender, they didn’t even know each other. And yet, somehow, Grat-ra’zun knew who Arthur was in his past life.

“...we could not convince Amelia to intervene to put a halt to the [Hero King]. That is why—” Jax explained as the Elder Dragon listened.

And Arthur spoke up, voicing out his confusion. “Wait, how do you know who I am?”

Blinking, Grat-ra’zun broke his gaze away from the elf to face the former Lich King. “It is simple, really. I can see the essence of your soul, and I recognize it. It has been a while. Even if your form has changed substantially since I last saw you.”

The dragon paused, tilting his head back.

“Or perhaps your form has reverted? Nevertheless, the outcome remains the same. I have known who you are since I saw you working at Amelia’s inn.”

“R-right.” Arthur hesitated, shifting his feet uncomfortably. “And you didn’t stop to question why I was there?”

Grat-ra’zun scoffed. “And why would I be surprised? It is Amelia we’re talking about.”

“He’s got a point,” Jax added from the side.

“That’s fair enough.” Arthur took a step back as he nodded.

“Anyway, I believe we should get back to the point as to why we’re here,” the elf said, looking towards the Elder Dragon, then back at Arthur.

“Right, sorry, I got distracted.” The former Lich King nodded. “The reason we’re here is because Kallistus Kal has launched his siege of Astral. And soon, the Astrad Kingdom will fall. We cannot let that happen, so we have come to you to ask for your help to put a stop to this.”

“Well, honestly, I don’t really care about all of that,” Jax said with a shrug. “I do want to see how I fare against the [Hero King] though.”

Arthur shook his head. “Even still, we know we need your help— after all, you have faced the [Hero King] before.”

The former Lich King spoke as he held the Elder Dragon’s gaze. Grat-ra’zun considered what the two men had to say, his face being shadowed over. There was a long moment of silence as he did not respond.

Opening his mouth, Arthur stepped forward. “Please, the fate of the world is at stake—”

But before he could finish what he was saying, the Elder Dragon’s voice rumbled, shaking the cavern.

“Unfortunately, if the siege of Astral has begun, we’re already too late,” Grat-ra’zun said simply.

Arthur blinked a few times, before narrowing his eyes. He exchanged a glance with Jax who frowned.

“What does that mean?” the elf asked curiously.

Kallistus Kal the [Hero King] himself.

He had his broadsword raised and aimed at the Astra Palace as his army poured into the roads of Astral all around him.

And the realization settled in as to what was happening as Jalen’s eyes went wide.

“No...” he whispered. “It is over.”

Because in only a single strike, the [Hero King] had broken through the greatest barrier of the Astrad Kingdom that had protected the Capital City of Astral for over a thousand years.

—--

Kallistus Kal stormed the Capital City of Astral, determined to put an end to this war once and for all. Even as he heard the screams of terror resounding all around him. Even as his men went to cut down the fleeing civilians of the city.

None of it mattered to the [Hero King]. All he cared about was exacting his revenge. To this world that had wronged him— that had taken him from his life.

From his family.

And his hatred was fueled from afar.

The flames of revenge were fanned by the words that were spoken to his true body that was waiting beneath his palace. Of course, that was not his true self that was storming the Capital City of the Astrad Kingdom. Instead, his real self was molding a rift in space, under the instructions and the guidance of the Fal-Deus.

A pathway to the Void.

“That is right...”

The voice that had brought Kallistus Kal this far goaded him. It praised him and it told him what to do.

“Destroy.”

As it spoke, the [Hero King] continued to reshape the rift, peering further into the Void. Beyond where even the Guardian Angel had been trapped.

“Burn it all down.”

The voice rumbled, shaking the room— affecting the world of Vacuos in ways it had never done so before. Kallistus Kal’s eyes shimmered as his body moved mechanically. Almost like he was acting against his own volition.

And as the voice spoke, the [Hero King]’s clone continued to tear his way through Astral, the words of the Fal-Deus driving him forward.

“Fulfill my will and bring destruction to this wretched world!”

“Your will shall be done,” Kallistus whispered softly as he moved.