The place where Sophe was in the memory lay farther below than where I was in reality.
A hall a little deeper inside the sanctuary.
In the middle of a vast cavern, there was a magical monster.
Normally, a magical monster meant a humanoid creature attached to the body of a black spider, but the monster before them was different.
The spider body below was the same as the other magical monsters, but on top of its torso, not one figure but several were attached.
Moreover, what was attached to it was not a monster modeled after the human form.
They were real people.
They were dead bodies, corpses wrapped all over in bandages, but in any case, that monster had attached people to its own body.
That monster was currently fighting Sophe’s party.
Countless spells poured from the hands of the corpses, the mummies, and tentacles stretched out from the spider body to attack Sophe’s party.
Though it was a large cavern, it was narrower than outside, and the monster’s magic and tentacles were far stronger than those of the other monsters, but Sophe’s party was holding off its attacks well.
Whenever the shields were shattered by magic, Shamara put them up again, and the martial artist blocked the tentacles from the front.
The mages fired spells at the monster.
Sophe was preparing a large spell and could not join the attack, but his companions alone were fighting on equal footing.
The situation was not bad, but the party’s expressions were not bright.
Shamara’s expression, in particular, was grim.
I had not seen much of her, but Guardian Shamara had always worn a smile. This time, however, was different.
Right now, she was glaring at the monster with tears in her eyes and fury in her gaze.
“Your desecration of our ancestors ends here! As long as I am here, your prophecy will not work!”
Shamara shouted at the monster as she raised the shield shattered by magic once more.
Even seeing her so unlike herself, her companions did not find it strange.
Just then, a voice rang inside my head.
[I found and attached several prophet corpses, and yet we are merely equal. Even among prophets, it seems the difference between the living and dead corpses is great.]
The voice I had heard before entering the memory.
Back then, I had heard it from the mage mummy, and the voice was identical.
No, since it was a voice created by magic, the mage who had sent the voice was the same.
‘Then does that mean that mage mummy was being controlled by that monster too?’
That meant the monster from ten thousand years ago was still alive now.
And it was the monster that had fought Sophe’s party.
Was this monster the “Lord of Prophecy” Sophe had spoken of?
Judging from Shamara’s words and the monster’s, that seemed to be right.
The monster I had heard about from the giant lord monster in the ruined city, the monster capable of prophecy.
The monster before my eyes was that very monster.
‘Did it revive corpses with corrupted energy and become able to use the prophets’ abilities?’
The Demon King’s corrupted energy had also revived Sophe’s companions as undead and allowed them to use the magic they had wielded while alive.
It was absurd, but the scene before my eyes told me that was the truth.
I could understand Shamara’s rage as well.
The corpses on top of the monster’s body were her predecessor prophets. Having seen that, it was only natural that she would be angry.
No sooner had the monster’s voice ended than magic flew from behind Sophe.
Shwaaaak!
Dozens, hundreds of ice spikes covered the air.
It looked like the spirit magic from the ice planet enlarged several times over.
The magic battered the shield around the monster’s body, and then a young voice rang out.
“It isn’t because they’re corpses that they’re different! It’s because Lady Shamara’s ability is outstanding! Lady Shamara is the greatest Guardian in history!”
Sophe, busy controlling the growing energy, did not turn around.
Even without turning around, I felt I knew who had spoken. It was the young mage, Esh.
However, the monster’s shield blocked all the ice spikes that covered the air.
[What is that great prophet doing now, then? Even now, the Demon King is corrupting the sanctuary below.]
Amid the exploding shards of ice, the monster sneered again.
At that moment, the martial artist who had been guarding the front of the party shot forward.
“That’s what we came here to stop!”
He brought down his gauntleted hand on the shield.
The place he struck was the center, weakened the most after taking the impact of countless spells.
Boom!
The monster’s body, which had been mocking the party, flinched.
The shield burst apart under the martial artist’s fist.
At the same time, Sophe’s spell was ready.
“Get back!”
At Sophe’s shout, the martial artist retreated, and Shamara clasped both hands together and cast a spell.
Shwaaaak!
A powerful shield spread around the party.
Sophe chanted.
[Explode. O light of judgment!]
Flash!
It was the moment a mighty light swept through the cavern.
Fwoosh!
The ground split open, and stone dust surged up.
With the sound of bone grinding, a thick tentacle burst out from underground.
The place where the tentacle emerged was in front of Shamara.
But before her stood the martial artist, already returned.
The martial artist blocked the shooting tentacle with his arm.
Thud!
With that sight as the last thing visible, a blinding white light swallowed the darkness of the cavern.
Kwaaaang!
The shadows of corpses and tentacles twisted, screaming soundlessly.
After that colossal light and sound passed, what remained before the party was a monster torn to pieces.
The tentacles had been shredded, and most of the spider body had vanished.
Few of the corpses that had been attached to its body remained.
Even in that state, the monster writhed.
The arms of the prophets tried to raise the body again.
Perhaps because it was a lord, it was still alive even after taking Sophe’s ultimate attack.
Though the monster was not dead, the others checked on the martial artist first.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
The martial artist waved one hand at the young mage shouting from behind.
“What do you mean? You’re hurt!”
“Don’t tell me, that arm is……!”
But that show of ease did not work on his companions.
The future master of the Magic Tower ran over and poured a potion into his mouth, and Shamara stood behind him with tears in her eyes.
It was only natural.
One of his arms was nowhere to be seen.
The martial artist had sacrificed one arm to block the monster’s tentacle.
If it had simply been cut off or crushed, they might have restored it somehow, but the arm that had been torn away by the tentacle had been caught in Sophe’s magic and left no trace behind.
No matter how extraordinary healing magic was, in a case like this, it could not be recovered.
Even with his arm torn away, the martial artist wore a bright expression.
“It’s fine. I stopped a lord-class monster with one arm, so I’d call this a good trade. So please don’t worry too much. It isn’t over yet.”
Even at his joke, Shamara and the mages’ expressions did not brighten.
Sophe, who had been watching the scene, headed toward the dying monster.
As if it knew Sophe had come, the mummy that was still relatively intact lifted its head.
[So, the Great Mage has come.]
The voice in my head trembled wildly.
The monster was truly dying. It was struggling even to send its voice by magic.
Before the mummy that had raised its head, Sophe spoke.
“Looks like you failed to see your own defeat.”
[When prophets fight one another, the, the result cannot be known.]
The monster calmly acknowledged the outcome.
And yet the monster’s voice sounded strangely bright.
Even though it possessed emotions and senses different from humans, I could tell that the monster was satisfied right now.
“Do you not understand that this is the end for you?”
It was enough to make Sophe ask that question.
At Sophe’s question, the monster answered.
[Th-that does not matter. Whether I win or lose, what the Demon King is doing will be accomplished.]
“We will stop that Demon King as well.”
At Sophe’s words, the monster grinned.
[Heh heh, perhaps you will, but that is not so bad either. It will merely take more time. The result will not change.]
Having said that much, the mummy looked behind Sophe.
[Is that not so? Guardian who entrusted the future to humans from another star.]
Behind Sophe stood Shamara.
In her hand, still marked by tear tracks, she held a gauntlet.
The gauntlet of the martial artist, left behind in place of the arm that had evaporated.
She put the gauntlet on her hand.
“This time, I will end it.”
At her firm words, Sophe stepped aside.
When Shamara stood before it, the monster opened its mouth again.
[You do not think that saving a mere handful of people means you have done your duty, do you? Even if you stop the Demon King, in the end, you are nothing but the prophet who will bring this planet to ruin.]
“That’s right. I am the last Guardian of this planet, one who failed to protect humanity. But Shamara the prophet intends to do what must be done until the very end.”
She raised her arm, then brought it down.
Boom!
The power of the magical relic burst the monster’s body apart.
The part where the mummy and the monster’s remains were connected exploded, revealing the black stone within.
A black stone covered in countless cracks. It looked as though it would break at any moment.
Looking at the black stone, Shamara declared,
“On behalf of my ancestors, and on behalf of the injured Gibor, I will end this life of yours.”
With those words, Shamara drove her fist out again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The crumbling black stone could not withstand the shock of the gauntlet.
Fragments flew, and the cracks widened.
Crack!
In the end, the black stone shattered.
Kiiiiik!
A tearing shriek echoed throughout the entire hall.
The monster’s final voice rang in my head.
[Wait! I… will return!]
The last scream shook my mind, and the monster’s body collapsed.
“What nonsense. How is a bastard whose black stone was shattered supposed to come back?”
Gibor, who had approached, sneered as he looked at the monster’s corpse.
With a sorrowful face, Shamara handed him the gauntlet, and he clicked his tongue as he looked at it before putting it into a box inside his pack.
And so, the battle with the Lord of Prophecy ended.
Now that the battle was over, I should have left the memory.
But the memory continued.
After wiping away her tears, Shamara said to Sophe,
“Could you place your hand for a moment on the floor where the monster died?”
It was a truly out-of-the-blue request.
At her words, Sophe looked bewildered, but without saying anything, he placed his hand on the spot she indicated.
The floor right beside the monster’s corpse.
It was an ordinary stone floor, no different from anywhere else.
Sophe must have felt nothing as well, because he only tilted his head and looked at Shamara.
Shamara looked at Sophe with a smile.
No, what she was looking at was not Sophe.
She was looking at me now.
‘Don’t tell me this is…?’
Sophe could feel nothing, but I was different.
Shwaaaak!
I could tell.
Deep beneath this floor, there was a hidden magic circle.
The reason I could tell was because of my super-senses.
My senses were spreading through Sophe’s memory.
This was not being done by borrowing Sophe’s body or magic, either.
Without a doubt, I was the one unfolding it.
‘Impossible!’
I was inside Sophe’s memory right now, yet I was using my ability within that memory.
And that was not the end of the astonishing part.
Of course, as only half a mage, I could not understand the principles behind the hidden magic circle.
However, I immediately understood how that magic circle activated, and how I could interfere with it.
And I knew.
This did not end with merely knowing.
I could even interfere.
So I planted magic into the magic circle.
A back door of my own, one I could access when the magic activated.
Even inside Sophe’s memory, my magic was taking effect.
‘This… isn’t a memory.’
My magic had worked, so there was no way this could be a memory.
A chill ran down my spine.
Lord of Prophecy (2)