novelslam Chapter 707 Inferiority
Chapter 707 Inferiority
707 Inferiority
Merlin walked onto the battlefield, staff in hand, as sacred light shone through the clouds above. The white-golden light mingled with white feathers falling onto the battlefield, invigorating the knights with renewed strength and vigor.
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Card: Sacred Light of Renewal
Picture: A holy white light shines from the heavens, piercing through the clouds and bestowing divine power upon the army below.
Rarity: Rare @@@@
Type: Enchantment
Mana Cost: 3 Light, 2 Non-Element
Description: Non-undead creatures you control get +2/+2.
Flavor Text: As the righteous army's vigor began to wane under the weight of mortality, the heavens granted a miracle, restoring the strength and resolve of those who fought for a just cause.
—
The light stunned all the undead, their bodies beginning to burn slightly from exposure to the sacred radiance.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhoo!!" "Lord Merlin!" "It's Lord Merlin!" The knights' voices and roars filled with awe and respect. It reverberated across the battlefield.
As for Morgan le Fay, the beautiful smile adorned her face the moment she saw him. The smile captivated the nearby knights. However, they remembered that this goddess-like woman was the fiancée of Merlin the Great Wizard, and they immediately dismissed any thoughts of courting her. Their ugly feelings disperse and only left with awe and respect for the wizard.
"Merlin!" "Merlin!" "Merlin!" The knights chanted his name, their morale surging as they cut down the undead, now significantly weakened by the heavens' sacred light.
But amidst the knights' praises and chants honoring Merlin, a pair of envious eyes watched him intently. These eyes belonged to Arthur, whose gaze was filled with envy. He was a king, and these knights had sworn to serve him, so why did Merlin seem to hold more privilege and respect in their eyes than he did?
Wasn't the king supposed to hold the greatest privilege and command the utmost respect of his subjects? But Arthur quickly regained his composure and dismissed such ugly thoughts.
He reminded himself that he had once been an orphan, fortunate enough to be adopted by Morgan. He had even served as a servant to Morgan le Fay, and everything he had today was thanks to the grooming and support of Merlin and Morgan.
This was... bad. What should he do? Should he return to his crypt and wait for Merlin to die of old age? This was what Thalassar was thinking at that moment. He didn't believe that he could counter or defend against such power for a second.
"Let's... retreat for now. Since Merlin is a powerful mage, he might live for a thousand years. I'll seal myself in my ziggurat for at least a millennium, maybe even a bit longer, to ensure Merlin dies of old age. I have an eternity! Merlin is just a mortal, no matter how powerful he is. He will eventually die one day!" With this thought in mind, Thalassar immediately teleported away and returned to his ziggurat.
Back on the battlefield, the undead knight, Vortigern, grunted slightly and looked around. According to the plan, Thalassar was supposed to join him in facing Arthur and Merlin. Vortigern would handle Arthur, while Thalassar would deal with Merlin.
{Where is that lich!? Has he abandoned me already? Just because he witnessed that power? Coward!} Vortigern cursed the lich in his mind.
As for Arthur, seeing that Vortigern didn't attack him immediately, he brandished Excalibur, preparing to face the undead knight in a one-on-one duel. As a king, he couldn't simply let his subjects gain all the credit and earn the respect of the knights. He also needed to show the knights that he, as their king, was not inferior to Merlin, the powerful wizard.
The undead knight didn't recklessly charge at Arthur. He looked around and saw that the battlefield had begun to calm down, as most of the undead had been killed or cleansed. The sounds of battle were fading, and the battlefield was settling. Only he remained standing amidst the carnage.
There was no sign of Thalassar... Vortigern finally realized he had been abandoned. He glanced at Merlin, who was watching from afar. He had an inkling why Thalassar had abandoned him. Battling such a powerful wizard, whose magic could obliterate him in an instant, was a death sentence.
"I am Vortigern! I challenge you to a fair duel, Arthur of Camelot!" Vortigern declared with a determined tone.
Vortigern? Wasn't that the old king who had invited the barbarians to England? Vortigern, the traitor? To the Britons, Vortigern's name was synonymous with betrayal, as he had invited foreign invaders. But to the Saxons, Vortigern was merely the name of an ambitious king who had died before achieving his goals.
However, many knights in Arthur's army were Saxons, and Arthur couldn't openly fault Vortigern for his past actions. Arthur himself didn't even know who his parents were. To him, the name Vortigern meant nothing... he was simply an enemy to overcome.
"Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot," Arthur declared.
With that, the two began their battle. Vortigern rushed at Arthur, hoping to end the fight quickly, as the battlefield was still saturated with sacred power. If he lingered too long, he would grow weaker and weaker. For now, he could still resist its effects.
Arthur understood Vortigern's intentions and wasn't naive enough to ask Merlin to dispel the sacred power weakening the undead. Even though he felt indignant and inferior compared to Merlin, he didn't deny Merlin's power... especially when it benefited him.
The clash of swords and the flash of blades sparked flames as the battle intensified. Arthur managed to decapitate Vortigern's left arm, throwing the undead knight off balance. Seizing the advantage, Arthur pressed on. As time passed, the sacred power began to affect Vortigern more and more. At this moment, Arthur's eyes displayed a determination often seen in those who had something to prove.
Seeing this... a malicious smile spread across Vortigern's rotted face.
"Boy... are you trying to prove something?" Vortigern whispered, his voice audible only to Arthur.
Hearing this, Arthur was startled. The sense of inferiority in his heart was something he had never shared with anyone... not with Morgan le Fay, not with Lancelot, and especially not with Merlin.