Warhammer Divine Throne

”Of course! Why did I come to the Old World? Why do I display miracles here? Because I need an army loyal to me, I need my own power.” The Lake Fairy whispered, ”Among the High Elves, the most elite units, the Hos Sword Saint belongs to Hos, the Phoenix Guard belongs to Asuyan, the Eternal Queen’s Maid belongs to Isa, and the Dragon Princes of Calado only believe in themselves. What I have is the Holy Grail Knight Order.”

”Go ahead, Laine, strive for greater territories and higher titles by yourself. I have paved the way for you, and I will support you until you achieve your goals.” The Lake Fairy whispered softly in Laine’s ear, ”In the future, you will be the father of New Asuyan... this is the pact between you and me.”

”I don’t think I ever agreed...”

”You must agree! Because you are my champion!” The Lake Fairy suddenly flipped and straddled Laine, grabbing his collar, with dangerous intent in her jade-colored eyes. The vast divine power within her was unleashed: ”I have already abandoned my plans because of your arrival. What more do you want from me?”

As both the Lake Fairy and the dream of Elves and the Goddess of Fortune, Lilith’s divine power reserves rival those of the Elf Main God, even slightly stronger than many human deities. The divine might within her is enough to shatter ancient giant beasts.

Yet it had no effect on Laine.

”That’s because your plan was flawed from the beginning! Lilith, I merely pointed out your problem.” Laine held the Lake Fairy’s soft little hands and said helplessly, ”Whether or not I appeared, your plan was doomed to fail.”

”I don’t care, I chose you, and you chose me. This is fate’s choice, Laine, this is our covenant.” The Lake Fairy pressed her finger against Laine’s chest, and the Holy Grail Engraving began to glow. The Divine Fire that belonged to the Lake Fairy burned, illuminating her icy skin and jade-like features: ”I have foreseen that fate binds us together, inseparable, that separation means only destruction.”

”...Can I trust you, my Lady?” Laine finally turned serious.

Indeed, as the Lake Fairy said, his alliance with her was currently the most advantageous option. The Lake Fairy had shown her utmost sincerity by revealing her Divine Fire, representing the essence of the deities. If Laine were truly a vile person, given the Lake Fairy’s less adept melee skills, he could have seized Lilith’s Divine Fire.

Moreover, Laine knew he could not wait any longer.

It had been twenty-three years since he arrived in this world, rising from the foster son of a lord to a baron. From this world’s perspective, his advancement speed was like a rocket, but he no longer had another twenty-three years to spare!

.....

This year, Brittania’s winter was particularly cold, especially in the Duchy of Connaught. The land, ravaged by floods, had now begun a lengthy and tedious reconstruction process, with the powers of the Vampire Count significantly weakened from the recent battle.

This thwarted the Blood Red Duke’s plans. The great former Duke of Aquitaine, now the leader of the vampires, had originally planned to seize the Knight King throne, with an all-out attack during the Knight Kingdom’s war with the Beastmen.

The Red Duke’s plan was halted by a mysterious visitor who told him, ”Just like your previous wars, this time you will also suffer a crushing defeat.”

”You know who I am, Blood Red Duke.”

Yes, the Blood Red Duke knew who he was. He was the most loyal servant of Nagash, the Master of the Undead, the Witch Demon King ”Black” Akhan.

Relying on powerful Undead Magic, Akhan awakened and enslaved the undead of twelve Holy Grail Knights. They were bound by Akhan’s undead magic; except for one Holy Grail Knight’s undead that barely escaped the binding, the remaining eleven had been incorporated into the Undead Army, earning a new title — the Black Chalice Knight Order.

With his power, Akhan had already gained the Red Duke’s trust. On the tower of Musillon Castle during midwinter, the vampires and the undead were plotting their next move.

Akhan, wearing a massive crown and holding a gigantic undead staff burning with blue Undead Fire, exuded an aura of a benevolent elder. His manner as the Witch Demon King was courteous; even as an undead and a skeleton, he adorned himself with elegant elf velvet robes and exquisite rune armor.

In contrast, the Blood Red Duke, clad in full cursed plate armor of black and red, held the ancestral sword passed down through successive Duke generations. His sunken eye sockets, pale face, decayed nose, and protruding cheekbones all testified to his Vampiric nature.

A golden goblet filled with delicious maiden blood was lifted by the Blood Red Duke, who quaffed it. He could feel the delightful sensation of blood washing down his throat.

That was called joy.

Vaguely, the Blood Red Duke stared at the golden goblet in his hand, lost in thought. He seemed to remember how countless years ago, when he was still human, when he was a duke, he pursued something similar. Back then, he did not live on human blood; he was once the epitome of the Knightly Path, he once...

”Boom!” The gem-filled gold goblet was hurled at the steps of the castle tower. The joy he had struggled to obtain was overwhelmed by jealousy and rage. During his time sealed and entombed by the Lake God Witch, the Blood Red Duke spent centuries in impotent fury. Now, he seeks revenge against this country.

The goblet thrown down the steps caught the attention of Akhan, who was whispering to his adoptive son Mathew Bade. The Witch Demon King, full of courtesy, said, ”Our most respected and trusted friend, my Duke, what has caused your displeasure? May I know?”

”Who shall we kill now?” The Blood Red Duke, consumed by rage, stood up to summon his army, ”Tell me whom to kill, and we will kill!”

A flock of bats flapping their wings flew past the nearby tower, their sharp, unpleasant cries echoing inside. After assuming control of Musillon, the Blood Red Duke had tried to build this castle with the luxury and grandeur akin to his previous one. But as time passed, he had lost interest in maintaining this facade; the areas were now overrun by faded tapestries, rusty armor, and dense cobwebs.

”Please be patient, my friend.” Akhan gently shook his head, casting a small spell to pacify the Blood Red Duke, ”It’s not time yet. Patience is a virtue and an essential strategy for victory.”

”When can we act?” The Blood Red Duke demanded impatiently, ”I’ve waited long enough.”

”Very soon, my Duke.” Akhan descended the steps, gazing at Musillon’s decadent underbelly, ”We must wait for spring, for the ice and snow to melt, as we cannot succeed alone. The Lake Jade Pool’s rule over this country is deeply rooted. The presence of the Holy Grail Knights deters all enemies lurking in the shadows, including us.”

”Even when spring comes, that won’t change!” The Blood Red Duke insisted.

”It will... and we’ll require a collaborator,” Akhan continued, looking up to the sky.

In the cloudy sky, a colossal Zombie Dragon soared in.

Riding on the dragon’s back was a bald man, his arms bare, gripping an ancient cursed longsword in one hand and a hooked scythe in the other. His smooth head lacked a single hair, adorned only with a trembling scalp, pale complexion, and a pair of silver eyes.

Akhan nodded slightly, acknowledging that all vampires were Nagash’s subjects, unable to resist him, just as the Holy Grail Knights wouldn’t resist the Lake Fairy.

”Finally, you have arrived... Manfred von Castain.”

”The master requires your power.”