Warhammer Divine Throne

In the eyes of the tree spirits, any act of forest destruction is unforgivable.

”I am Desha, whom the elves also call the Branch Shadow Soul, the Fairy Witch of Brittania,” said the female tree spirit. ”Elder of the Tree-man Council, I have sought you out this time to discuss an alliance.”

”I know, which is why I came here,” Mogiana knew who the female tree spirit before her was.

”Branch Shadow Soul” Desha, an unbelievably long-lived female tree spirit, whose existence predates even the arrival of the wood elves in Aisloron. It is said that she remembers the days before the elves came to the forest, and even the Forest King Olein and Queen of the Forest Airel show her respect.

”We cannot tolerate the destruction of our forest, nor can we tolerate our realm being disturbed by other creatures, so I have proposed this alliance,” the female tree spirit opened her mouth, her voice rasped like rubbing wood, filled with sorrow and anger in her eyes.

”Then why do you wish to ally with us?” Mogiana dismounted the unicorn respectfully, remaining wary, and with her longsword raised, she questioned the female tree spirit.

”Because we have... a common enemy,” Branch Shadow Soul Desha spoke in a grating human tongue, gesturing for Mogiana to look behind her.

The Lake God Witch turned around abruptly, her emerald eyes widening in shock.

From the shadows of the forest emerged a tall and gloomy vampire, clad in black cursed armor, bald-headed with not a hair on his scalp. With one hand, he held a cursed longsword, and with the other a hooked scythe, his pale skin under the tree shade almost became a thick wind of the undead.

The most devious and treacherous vampire of the Castain family! Manfred von Castain.

”Manfred von Castain?” The tree spirits immediately shielded Mogiana and female tree spirit Desha in their midst.

”Heh heh, a tree spirit and a Lake God Witch attempting to ally under my nose? That’s not a good idea.” Manfred approached laughing, the Vampire Count raising his hand to unleash a scarlet energy beam directly at Mogiana.

The Stare of Nagash!

Powerful magic began to gather in Mogiana’s hands, and a layer of mist surrounded the Lake God Witch as the Potion Chalice turned white, and Mogiana immediately cast a protective spell.

Sixth Ring Divine Skill, Goddess Mist.

The scarlet energy beam hit the white mist, producing a thunderous sound.

”Prepare to die!” Manfred immediately drew his sword, the cursed sharp longsword emitting a grayish-white undead aura, aimed straight at Mogiana’s chest, the Lake God Witch countered by drawing her sword as well.

As blades clashed, not adept in close combat, Mogiana immediately took two steps back, her golden waistband flashed, forming a gold circular shield that defended her, forcing Manfred back. Then Mogiana quickly chanted a spell, and the energy within the Potion Chalice turned purple, gathering into a giant dragon of mana, poised to strike at the enemy.

As Mogiana chanted and cast spells, she could hear the Lake Fairy urgently trying to tell her something, but the Lady’s words were like waves crashing against rocks, indistinct.

There was no room for distraction in battle, and Mogiana couldn’t afford to care anymore. The purple mana dragon shot out under her chant, striking Manfred and sending him crashing into the trunk of a giant tree.

The energy in the Potion Chalice turned blue, as Mogiana planned to summon lightning for a lethal strike at the Vampire Count.

”Ugh!” Only halfway through the casting, a sudden sharp pain came from Mogiana’s waist.

”Wha... what?” Mogiana struggled to turn her attention and found the female tree spirit had stuck a thin branch into her waist, a green unknown liquid was slowly being injected into her body.

”Uh! What... is this...?” Mogiana wanted to question the female tree spirit when a strong paralysis began to spread over her body. She struggled to open her lips but could make no sound, a glimmer of saliva trickled from the corner of her mouth, ”You...”

The Potion Chalice fell to the ground.

”How impressive, Fairy Witch of Brittania,” the female tree spirit’s malicious laughter rang out, ”This Ancient Tree Spirit Liquid can even deal with a Forest Dragon, and for a mere human, just a little would turn them into a puppet, hmm?”

”You are...” Mogiana’s legs weakened and she could hardly stand, her arms were immediately tightly bound by the tree spirit’s tendrils.

”It’s not good to attract other humans here... Well, Vampire Lord, this is the gift of our alliance, do you see our sincerity?”

Manfred rose from the ground, mouth wide open in a laugh, ”I see it, tree spirits, I feel your sincerity. I agree to your proposal, once we vampires rule this land, as per our covenant, we’ll drive those elves from the forest and eradicate them.”

”Very good, then the Fairy Witch of Brittania is our token of the meeting,” the female tree spirit screeched with vicious laughter.

Mogiana’s eyes widened, she desperately tried to reach for something on her body, the Lake God Witch exhausting her remaining strength in an attempt to break free.

Manfred reached out and snapped a gemstone from the waistband of the Lake God Witch’s gown, whispering in her ear, ”Oh dear, we wouldn’t want to attract other Holy Grail Knights now, would we?”

”Traitor... Desha, you broke... our pact.” The gemstone shattered into pieces on the ground, the Lake God Witch’s hand drooped down despairingly while more branches tightly bound her, her wrists and ankles completely tied. The female tree spirit stripped her of her golden waistband and longsword, disarming her.

Another surge of Ancient Wood Spirit Liquid was injected into Mogiana’s body, rendering her completely immobile, only able to breathe shallowly, ”Save... Lady... save...”

”Your Lady will not come to save you, dear Lake God Witch, come! Take her away! Another sacrifice dealt with.”

”Yes!”