AQW: Dark Night of the Soul (Chapter 3)
It was all up to both Sera and Vahin to end the massacre. Jase, Gio, and Asth were left fatally injured, collapsing, and struggling to breathe.
To continue their clash in Tercessuinotlim, Sera grabbed Vahin's armor.
"I'll give you time to realize, Vahin. Remember me. You'll be given choices in your life, and when you decide, come back here and face me. I'll ask you again. What is your purpose in Lore?"
"Don't mind me, Sera. I'm not done with you." Vahin countered, forcing Sera to release him.
Vahin suffered a fatal blow and felt his horned helm invisibly stained with flowing blood.
"Get up." Sera demanded, as the Evolved Shadow struggled to get up in place. She slowly walked closer to him.
When it was time for Vahin to rise, Sera unleashed the power of her sword, thus crippling him in the process.
"Vahin, I'll leave you and your ally here. Gio, Jase, let's get out of here."
Not expecting that Gio and Jase were also injured, Sera used a divine spell of healing and led them out of Tercessuinotlim.
However, the battle between the ShadowScythe and the Lightguard councils just began.
In Judgement, Alice, a member of the ShadowScythe council and a loyal apprentice for the Undead Legion, disguised as a lady in dark blue dress slew the Ravens, Underworld Imps, and Male and Female Mourners. However, the last Female Mourner spoke to her.
"Stop right there!!" said the Female Mourner, who was constantly crying.
"I'm Alice, and I'm here to spare your life, only if you'll tell me where the Queen of Envy is." replied Alice.
"Follow me. I know where she is. Her lair... my sister was her disciple... The Queen of Envy has Dage's fragment..."
"I need to get all of Dage's fragments!! After I got them all, the Undead Legion will hail me as their Queen!!! Hahahahahaha!!!"
"Please don't kill me, Alice!!! Please!!!"
"Like I said, I'm not here to kill you ONLY IF you'll tell me where the Queen of Envy is. Now which one first?"
"In the Dark Fortress, Alice... You cannot... You cannot go to the Queen of Envy without... without completing the quests there..."
"Lead me to your sister, NOW!!!"
Meanwhile in the Dark Fortress, a Moon Priestess already slew the Dark Elementals, Cloaked Fiends, and Ninja Spies that came into her way.
It was until Wilhelm Vorkrieg intervened.
"Who dared to cross my way? This is not for mortals who dared to..." said Wilhelm, but was paused by Alice.
"YOU?"
"If you really aim to serve Dage the Evil, then you have to pass this test."
"If this is for the Queen of Envy's downfall, I'll do it."
"Hey, I would've done the same thing as well." the priestess interrupted.
"Why are you here?" Alice reacted.
"I, Blighty, a member of the Lightguard council, have to inform you that I killed the Disciples of Envy before you aim for their Queen. Now, I command you to release the Female Mourner right now. She has nothing to do with your intentions."
"Blighty? This cannot be!!"
The Moon Priestess, who was Blighty, saw the Female Mourner crying in front of Alice. Alice, in return, decided to release the beast.
"I'll teach you a lesson right now!! Wilhelm, it looks like the priestess must be my key to pass your test."
"You cannot be serious, Alice. What lies in your soul, anyway?" Wilhelm joined.
"Becoming the Queen of the Legions is my desire. Since you ARE a childhood friend of Dage, after I will let Blighty pay the price, I command you to hail me and the Undead Legion as the successor to the Queen of Envy."
"You chose to serve Dage for your own personal gain? How can a Legion apprentice have this arrogant desire?"
"I am loyal to Dage the Evil and his Undead Legion, Wilhelm, just like you as his friend. I repeat, very loyal. Every quest the Legionnaires give me, I am committed to do so."
"Good. Now, my test for you is to eliminate the demons tasked by Nulgath the ArchFiend to guard the Dark Fortress. Dage is not yet pleased by your words yet, Alice."
"Battle on!!" Blighty interrupted, searching for Nulgath's minions.
"HEY!! THE QUEST IS MINE!!" Alice chased Blighty down.
Instead of Nulgath's demons to be slain, Blighty was Alice's first target.
"What's wrong with Alice?" Wilhelm doubted, seeing Alice delivering the first dark blow.
"Ask Blighty, Wilhelm!! She's against both of us, and even the ShadowScythe council!!"
"Fool..."
"I'm aware of what the ShadowScythe council's intentions are, Alice, pure evil. All I have to do is to change the way the Lore inhabitants think!!" Blighty addressed while in a clash with Alice.
"Alice, what's the meaning of this? I'm so messed up!!" Wilhelm interrupted.
"StarStorm of Lunaris!!"
Wilhelm and Alice were affected by the impending star storms Blighty invoked.
"The Lightguard council..."
Blighty unleashed her scythe and delivered a sacred blow to Wilhelm.
"You're getting in my way, Wilhelm!! Can't you see? Alice is my opponent, not you!! And by the way, life is sacred on Lore. The Legion actually took innocent souls just for power!!"
"Gaahhh!! This is why Dage chose to betray me!! For power through SOULS!! Alice, this is ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"
"How could you tell to Wilhelm my devious intent, Blighty?" Alice was disappointed.
"Surprise Test: Truth Revealed!!" Blighty renounced the test.
"Wilhelm, you chose to side with that Moon Priestess instead of your childhood friend's apprentice? You're an imbecile!!"
"Alice, ever since Dage and I met, with you as his neophyte, I know your true intention in the ShadowScythe council!! You really acted like Dage and his Legionnaires!! You bring death and destruction to all those who care for you. Your future is dark and cold and lonely. And now... your spirit will NEVER escape the Underworld. I only regret that my death could not bind your body, as well as your soul. Until I disappear into the eternal darkness, I will NEVER forgive you for what you did!!" Wilhelm was enraged.
"So be it!!"
Instead of pursuing against the Moon Priestess, Alice decided to begin a clash against Wilhelm.
"I'd rather go for the Queen of Envy, Alice!! Meet me there!!" Blighty taunted.
"You're not going anywhere!!"
Alice summoned Legion Runes behind Blighty. With these runes, Skull Warriors appeared, chasing the Moon Priestess.
"Hehehehehehehe..." grinned one Skull Warrior.
Blighty cast a Lunar Fireball at the Skull Warriors and made a strong explosive impact on them, thus having their undead blood forced to flow out.
Her scythe reappeared at her will, allowing the Moon Priestess to parry each of their swords.
"Souls... souls... souls... souls..." demanded the Skull Warriors in a raspy voice.
"My god..." Blighty was slightly perplexed.
Meanwhile, Wilhelm brutally hammered Alice down, forcing her to get up in place as blood spilled on her arms.
The Skull Warriors, upon hearing the brutal hammering, charged at the Dark Paladin of Order.
"What's happening, Alice?" Blighty was shocked and confused at the same time.
"None of your business. This is for the Legion!! Long unlive the ShadowScythe!!"
The Skull Warriors impaled Wilhelm, piercing his armor and eventually forcing his undead blood to be released, with Alice still in a bloody struggle getting up in place.
Wilhelm countered them with numerous hammers, as Blighty ventured further to the Dark Fortress.
Alice, trying to chase the Moon Priestess, stepped at a large circular red rune. As the rune glowed, a red lightning bolt threatened her and summoned a female Shadowed Dark Caster.
"You're not going anywhere, Alice!!" the Dark Caster warned, invoking Legion Flames at Alice.
"Traitor!! The ShadowScythe council and the Undead Legion will NEVER tolerate betrayal and failure!!" Alice replied, also attacking the caster.
"If you pursue for the Undead Legion, mortal, then face yourself and prove that what you said is the truth!!"
"I will embrace the darkness within you!!"
The Dark Caster summoned Spiritual Swords at Alice, impaling her in the process. As Alice struggled again to get up, her blood flowed out from her stomach.
Blighty successfully flew away from the Dark Fortress, but she has something to search for.
"I'm not yet done with you Blighty!! I will find you, and I will KILL you!!" Alice desperately warned her.
But the Dark Caster kept invoking Legion Flames at the supposed Queen of the Legions.
"You still don't stop dreaming about Envy's downfall!! Give up now, mortal. The Queen of Envy is more trusted by Dage than you!!" said the Dark Caster.
"NEVER!! Someday, Dage will consider me as Envy's successor!! You won't get away with it!! Hahahahaha!!" Alice replied.
As their clash continued from Alice's betrayal from Wilhelm, the Dark Caster summoned Legion Runes under Alice, invoking an array of Spiritual Swords from above.
In response, Alice cast Legion Flames at her.
Meanwhile, the Skull Warriors teamed up and battered Wilhelm, who was alone and defenseless even with his shield on.
Wilhelm created a shock wave from his shield to deliver a severe blow towards the Skull Warriors, but the last two successfully stabbed him at the back.
One of the Skull Warriors collected Wilhelm's soul. The others rushed to Alice, who was still summoning Legion Runes and now casting Ascended Chains to the Dark Caster.