"Poor mortals, give your flesh and blood for the re-come of my Lord."

The lich's hoarse voice hit everyone's heart like a death talisman.

"Break through!! We must not die here." Sur commanded his mercenaries to barely break through the slow-moving undead.

"Run!!" Wick was responsible for protecting the merchants from the escape route.

Of course, the orcs with blood-colored thorns were not idle either, and they joined the battle early on.

"I have passed, and your struggle is in vain." As the lich spell was chanted, a scarlet magic circle began to emerge on the ground of Saquin Camp.

"What's this?!"

The merchant found that the horse stopped and was frightened and wandered around in circles. No matter how it was driven, he no longer wanted to take steps. Even if he dismounted, he could not break through the gradually rising red light wall.

The mages accompanying the mercenary group began to cast spells, but the fireball and ice arrows were blocked back by the seemingly fragile but actually extremely strong magic wall.

"I can't get out!!" The merchants were hammering the magic wall that imprisoned them in the camp in despair, and could only allow the undead who were not gathering cages to squeeze them together.

"Wake up, the messenger of death, the believers of the God of Nothingness and the priests, for the return of our Lord God, wake up. Priestes, it is time for the cleansing of this world and turn all living things into fellow citizens, wake up, the sacrifice of the God of Death, wake up from the thousand-year sleep. The seal of the church can no longer restrain you, blood and soul will become sacrifices, breaking your sleep. Priestes of Morala, wake up..." With the spell of the lich, a huge sarcophagus rose from the ground, and people's despair reached its peak.

Mercenaries and merchants all squeezed together, staring at the humanoid skeletons crawling out of the coffin with fear.

"We... are finished like this?" The blood-colored orcs looked at their leader unwillingly.

"Why didn't the high priest come to save us?!"

High Priest...Moya, don't give up on us. Even if it's just chess pieces, please don't break the hopes of these guys who can live in a new home that can be found on the Eastern Continent so quickly.

Sius had a pale face and he could not answer the questions from the members.

As a mercenary who turned to the light and vassal of darkness, he knew that death would come at any time.

But... the high priest promised to treat these people equally.

Two years later, whether you are willing to continue to be employed or not, you can become a resident of Merri and live a normal life there.

"You promised...Moya, you promised us...You promised us..." The unwilling sigh echoed in Saquin Camp for a long time.

************************************************

"No...live..."

When Moya arrived at Saquin Camp, all she saw was blood all over the ground and the corpses that were no longer angry.

There was no life on the charred land, and there was still a look of fear on the faces of mercenaries and merchants. The terrible scenes that life saw in the last time remained on their faces forever.

"This... is too cruel." Lucia, the priest who followed the Knights, couldn't help but cover her mouth. The smell of blood left on the scene made her feel disgusted.

Moya found Sius among the pile of mummies. The man she released with a special pardon every thirty years still held the blood-stained flag until her death.

"Xuus..." He stretched out his trembling hand, and from his torso, which had been pulled away from his essence and blood, Moya felt his obsession before his death.

What you promised...You promised us...

The silent shouts hit Moya's conscience heavily.

"Moya..." Feeling Moya's whole body trembling, Sistale caught up with her and held her body before falling down.

"It's my fault... it's me, it's me who killed Sius and the others." Looking at the blood-colored thorny mercenaries lying around, Moya's strong regret made her delicate facial features distorted.

"This is not your fault, it is the lich that is too cunning, he..." Sistaer originally wanted to persuade him, but when he mentioned the lich, Moya's emotions became even more out of control.

"This is my fault!! I didn't see his conspiracy!! This should be a seal, which bans the sacrifices serving the god of death. In order to release them, the lichs did not hesitate to let tens of thousands of lizard men be bait. In order to awaken the slaves of the god of death who were sleeping under the church seal, Laxis treated the entire camp as a sacrifice. If I had seen through his conspiracy earlier, Xius and the others would not have to die! It was my fault!!" Kneeling on the bloody ground, Moya could only hammer the ground to vent her anger.

"Before becoming a high priest, before entering the temple of curses, I promised them... two years later, no matter what the situation develops, they will make their home as residents. These people... these mixed-race elves and orcs need not war, not rights, but a place to live. I gave them promises but did not do it. Isn't this my fault, Sistale?!"

"For the death of a group of subordinates whom you regard as pawns, you are so out of control? High Priest. Don't forget that we have to clean up the scene and check whether there are traces of the undead nearby. It is not the time to mourn, and we should rush to Domiar. Maybe there is an attack from the undead there. Since you have agreed to form an alliance, I want to ask you to help deal with the lich. This is not an exaggeration, right?" Duke Haken stepped forward and wanted to persuade the Dark Night High Priest to be more rational. Maybe the lich has not gone far, and now is not the time to be sad for his subordinates.

"I feel funny about my words, right? Duke Haken. In the eyes of you humans and churchmen, the Dark clan is a despicable and shameless evil. I do not want to debate with you the nature of light and darkness. I just want to say that half of these people are human beings, abandoned, hated and hunted by their fellow men because of that other half of their blood. I have promised them that after the hiring for me, they will give them the identity of the resident of Merri and give them the normal treatment they deserve as human beings, but have not enjoyed.

This is my promise, not a right, nor a wealth. Do you understand that what they need is just a home where you can live a peaceful life, and what I, the evil priests in your church, need is just a peaceful life. I don’t like war or fight. My hope is like them, and I can have a safe place to live in this troubled world. Now, becoming the highest priest of a clan and holding divine power, I can’t even realize such a small wish... I once thought that even if my destiny cannot be as I hoped, then, at least,

At least let these people realize that dream on my behalf. Although I am walking a path of blood and thorns, do you know why I embarked on such a bumpy and hopeless path? No, you will never know, just like you will never understand the dark clan, you will never know..." Realizing his disobedience, Moya adjusted his emotions a little; "Haha, I'm rude, I've said so much. Duke Haken, you should take your Knights of Holy Light back to Domiar first. I must free the bodies and souls of these poor people from the control of the lich."

"But..." Haken wanted to say something, but Lucia grabbed his sleeve and shook her head. The tragic atmosphere at the scene even though the Holy Light Knights, who had always looked down on the Dark Clan, felt sad.

"You go first. The Lich Laxis is not a stupid fool. Since he has targeted the temple, he will definitely choose to attack Domiar when there are no church knights in the city. I will rush there later, and I will ask him to pay back what he owes me." Holding the flag with blood soaked in his hand, Moya did not turn around, but staring at the thorns on the flag that looked like a crown.

"Oh... get on the horse and go back to the city!" After a glance at the Dark Night High Priest who was still kneeling on the ground, the Duke sighed and rode his horse away from this land without any vitality.

The Knights of the Holy Light followed the Duke and soon disappeared at the end of the road.

"Moya, why do you blame yourself? Since Seus and the others have accepted your employment, they have already prepared to die sooner or later. This is also the enlightenment that a mercenary must have." Seeing that lonely side face, Sistaer couldn't help but enlighten Moya.

"Sis... Everyone thinks that you betray the Church of Light to become the Elf King. They all think that I became the priest of the Night Elf for the supreme right. But who knows the real reason in our hearts... In order to pursue the last dream, I can only hold authority and move forward in blood. I can't even fulfill the promises that promised Sius and the others. I can't fulfill... What can I give to those who follow me not for rights and wealth? Even this small wish cannot be realized..." Looking at the blood in my hands, Moya's regret in her heart expanded infinitely.

"Do you think they will care? Rights? Wealth? Me, Bilfit and the Chief of the Scholars, who will care about those things? Although status was one of my goals, those are no longer important now. Moya, you must have confidence in yourself. Just as you said to Duke Haken just now, we are all walking on a path full of blood and thorns. There is no turning back. All we can do is to move forward. You are a kind person, although sometimes impulsive, sometimes sometimes

It will put emotions over reason, but as a dark clan, you can be sad and sad for these people who should be your pawns and regret for the inability to fulfill your promises, and Nasius and the others should be content. You have not abandoned them, you have not forgotten what you promised, this is enough." On the demon dragon, Sistaer stretched out his hand; "Let's go, go to Domiar. If you want to mourn, it is indeed not suitable here. Only by using the death of the lich Laxis as a memorial can you comfort these mercenaries who died because of him."

"As a matter of fact, I'm not mature enough. I was so shaken. Although I didn't give up my life, revenge, and everything I had in the past, I was indeed shaken by the death of Shius and the others. I always have to say something about firm beliefs like this. It's ridiculous... Sistale, I'm not too arrogant."

"No, it is because you have emotions that you are different from other dark tribes. That is the most attractive thing about you. Although it is your shortcomings, it is also your strengths. The road ahead is still long, let us support each other and continue. When you are shaken, I will remind you that when you are desperate, I will help you. When you lose confidence, I will give you the courage to overcome all difficulties and live together. Then, realize the long-cherished wish that you must fulfill even when you embark on a path full of blood and thorns."

"Thank you, Sith..." Holding the palms that were rough due to sword practice, Moya looked at the corpse on the ground again, and once again strengthened the idea of ​​achieving the wish in his heart.

Yes, I have to keep going. For me, for my fellow countrymen, for those who live in the darkness.

"Burn, flawless flames. Cleanse this land and burn everything." Moya, who was chanting the flame spell, threw a purified flame on the earth and flew towards Domiar in the raging fire.

Seus, and all the blood-colored thorns, what I promised to you will not change.

One day, I will make Meili, the East Continent and this world a happy place for mixed races and dark tribes, without being discriminated against by humans, and no longer wandering around in order to obtain a peaceful life.
Chapter completed!