Joining Forces

Astaroth gritted his teeth. "This power can rival the elite among demons. What kind of monster is this?"

"Careful," Lister warned in a low voice. At the same time, he flung out two Arcane Missiles. The astonishing chill carried by Ebony Chill coated even the surrounding stones in frost, while the children scrambled to flee. This was no longer a battle they could interfere in.

Terrifying dark green flames spewed from the monster's torn maw. The corrosive fire filled the air with a pungent stench of sulfur. Its previous flames had already been nothing to scoff at; now, they were even more dreadful.

The two Arcane Missiles exploded the instant they touched the flames, halting them for a few seconds. That was enough time for Astaroth to cast an extraordinarily powerful spell. His lips moved swiftly, his fingers flashed through several hand signs, and surging magic poured from his body, forming a thick wall of ice before everyone.

Fel flames swept over the ice wall. In an instant, countless cracks appeared across it. Great sheets of ice melted beneath the scorching fire, flowing onto the ground as black, polluted water. This land would be unable to grow any crops for decades.

Yet in the end, the fel flames failed to break through the defense. The thin remaining layer of ice held its post firmly. Once the flames dispersed, a furious fist smashed through the ice, and the enormous body charged forward.

Uther raised his warhammer and roared, "Don't panic!"

Holy Light appeared once more, enveloping the two high elf warriors at the front. Their armor immediately shone with a different kind of radiance. Their confidence soared, and they raised their shields high.

Then a massive fist wrapped in wicked flames came up from below like a black tiger snatching the heart, slamming into one warrior's abdomen. The terrible force sent him flying. He rolled for dozens of meters before stopping. If not for his heavy armor and the protection of the Holy Light, he would either have been beaten to death or burned alive by fel flames. Even so, he had lost the ability to fight.

The other warrior was far luckier. His greatshield happened to block the heavy blow. Astonishing magical ripples flashed across the shield, and with the warrior's immense strength behind it, he even forced the fist back. He then drove his sword into the gnoll's thigh with a backhand strike. With a pained howl, the gnoll's massive body swayed. Clearly, one of its legs had been broken.

But the high elf warrior was not having an easy time either. The filthy blood spurting from the wound contained a great amount of fel energy. When it splashed onto the back of his exposed hand, it gave off soft sizzling sounds. The tough warrior paid it no mind. He drew out his longsword gleaming with magical light and was just about to continue attacking...

The abyssal maw opened slightly, and violent fel flames erupted again. Lister, Astaroth, and Uther struck at the same time, three kinds of light descending upon the monster together.

If Arcane Missiles and Fireball merely caused it pain, then the blazing Holy Light was agony that pierced its very heart. Holy Light splashed over its head like boiling oil, thoroughly setting its fur ablaze. The monster let out shrill squeals and repeatedly swatted at the golden flames atop its head. The warrior immediately tried to flee its attack range.

But the monster vented all its fury on this unkillable cockroach. Several fleshy tumors on its body trembled slightly before exploding at once. Large amounts of burning yellow-green blood splashed over him, easily burning through the Holy Light shield Uther had bestowed and setting his armor on fire.

The warrior shed his heavy armor with the agility of a cicada escaping its shell. In the span of a breath, he sprang free with sword and shield in hand. The flames quickly consumed the armor on the ground.

"Lor'themar? It's actually you?" Astaroth was greatly surprised, but his hands did not slow. "Weren't you serving with General Alleria in the ranger corps?"

"The prince transferred me here." Lor'themar calmly watched the enraged monster before him. "I just didn't expect to encounter such a creature."

An immense chill gathered in the air. Countless swirling frosts rushed toward the gnoll. It spat flames, yet could not destroy the ever-approaching frost. From an outsider's view, it looked like a gigantic cocoon. The knuckles of Lister's hand gripping Ebony Chill had turned white from the cold. Icy frost had turned even Lister's lips blackish purple. He still could not completely master Ebony Chill's power and could only draw upon it; because of that, he had to bear the damage this magic inflicted on himself.

But its power was tremendous. Once the first layer of frost pressed against the gnoll's scorching body, the second quickly followed, then the third... Frost slowly yet resolutely wrapped the short-legged kobold layer by layer, trapping it within. When the mist dispersed, a twisted black shadow could vaguely be seen inside the white ice.

"Did we succeed?" Uther asked after casting a healing spell on Lor'themar. He ran toward the severely wounded elf warrior and began healing him.

"No." Lister pressed his lips together. His face was bloodless, and blood seeped from his cracked lips. "I'm too weak."

As soon as the words left his mouth, cracking sounds came from the ice. Several fissures split across the once-intact surface, and green flames spewed from the gaps. The entire block of ice let out a pained shriek like a pressure cooker about to explode, while more and more cracks spread across it.

Two black claws tore open the ice, and the gnoll struggled free from the frozen cocoon. It had squandered all the fel energy in its body. Fel energy was not Holy Light; overusing it drained one's life force. It was now emaciated beyond measure, with only a huge skeleton left. Its fur clung tightly to its bones. The half-dead skeleton had barely emerged before it began gulping fresh air like a dehydrated fish.

"Oh, don't be like this." Astaroth raised his hand, and a crimson sphere nearly a meter wide slowly flew out. "You'd be better off sleeping forever."

The Pyroblast struck the gnoll's head without suspense. Everyone hurriedly ducked away. The terrifying explosion shook every living creature within a thousand meters. Even snakes awoke from hibernation, impatiently burrowing out of the warm earth and slithering into the distance through the bitter cold.

When Lor'themar raised his head, the monster was already completely dead. Its head had been blown in two by the Pyroblast, yet still stubbornly clung to its spine. The flesh of its upper body had fully evaporated, leaving its charred bones posed in a ridiculous backward lean.

"I have to say, Astaroth, you definitely failed your art class." Lor'themar waved away the foul air as he spoke. "This sculpture is too ridiculous."

"Forget it." Astaroth was so exhausted he could not even lift his arms. Sitting on Lor'themar's shield, he took out some bread and cured meat. "Want some?"

With tacit understanding, everyone gathered together and began eating their rations. The hunger and thirst after the great battle were thoroughly satisfied. After Uther healed the severely wounded man, they carried him over and laid him flat on the ground. Astaroth immediately held a waterskin to his lips. He gulped down the water so eagerly that he even choked and began coughing violently.

Uther suddenly burst out laughing. Pointing at Lister's face blackened by smoke, he laughed so hard he could not straighten his back.

"Haha." Lister felt the joy of surviving a catastrophe and could not help laughing aloud. After all, Uther looked like a beggar right now, his clothes tattered and ragged, nothing like a priest.

Everyone laughed as they ate. They were all beggars—that was Astaroth's verdict. He laughed like a thousand-year-old child.

A crow rose into the air and flew toward the distance.