Chapter 60

'Lady Pendragon, I've taken down a guy named Yamza. He said he was a middle finger or something while we fought. I don't know why he would describe himself that way, but I just wanted to tell you.'

I got a thought communication from Shion while making my way towards Clayman and it sounded like she wanted me to praise her. I think she should focus on other things but she took down Yamza fast. Yamza was supposed to be the commander of Clayman's army so with him down, things are even easier than before.

'Good job, Shion. Keep doing your thing.'. I sent her the thought communication and cut it off before she would go on a tangent. I don't want to be mean, but there's a time and a place for that. After finishing the thought communication, I continued making my way to Clayman's Castle.

"Artoria, do you feel that? This area is filled with a lot of death. I can sense a lot of undead monsters nearby.". Shuna, who was riding with me told me. This means we're close. That skeleton guy, the future Adalmann, is in this area. He should be serving as a sort of last-line type of thing. I think he can't even move from this area. That ability of Clayman is shackling him to this place.

"I can, Shuna. We're going to have to get through this before getting to Clayman's castle. Those undead will just come back to 'life' after 'killing' them. I think you know what to do here, Shuna." It was obvious what was going to happen. Shuna has to be the best counter to this whole place. She can solo all these undead with one ability. Anything more than that is overkill. 

As we made our way further inside, A dark and cloudy miasma filled the area. The land already had a creepy and barren feel to fit, with all the dead trees and life around, but this sort of took it up a notch. Multiple undead started to appear in front of us. Zombies, skeletons, and undead versions of many species were coming out of the miasma. Some were equipped with armor and weapons, while others had nothing. The strongest undead here was a dragon, but it wouldn't be too much of an issue. Undead are weak to holy magic and me and Shuna have a lot of that. 

I stopped Dun Stallion and we were in the middle of an encirclement of undead. At face value, it seemed overwhelming, but neither I nor Shuna showed any fear or stress at this. 

"You won't go any further than this.". 

A voice spoke to us. It was Adalmann. Hearing his voice, it was clear that he sounded "tired" and filled with regret. Serving Clayman would do that to you. 

"Let's be honest here, priest, you know you can't stop us with only these undead at your disposal, and that includes the dragon.". I know he couldn't stop his attack cause he's under Clayman's control, but I just have to nudge him in the right direction.

"I'm not a priest anymore. I've become subservient to another and no longer have the holy magic I had.".

"So why do you still wear those robes? You say you're no longer a priest, but you still wear those robes. It would suggest you still have a sort of connection to your former self and haven't completely cast that identity away. It would seem to me that you just need to put your faith in someone else to rekindle the passion and devotion you once had.".

As I finished talking I summoned Excalibur, but I didn't attack with it. I only used to give him a glimpse of some holy energy or magic.

Shuna, who was behind me got off Dun Stallion and approached Adalmann. She looked back at me and told me to go ahead of her. I would be against it, but firstly, nothing would happen to her and secondly, she would mop the floor with Adalmann.

I just nodded at her and went ahead.

/\\//\\//\

As Artoria commanded Dun Stallion to move forward, many undead tried getting in her way, but before they could get any closer, Excalibur started emitting a yellow-white glow that deterred the undead and flat-out killed some of them, not being able to withstand being near it. With ease, she was able to get out of the area and make her way to Clayman's castle.

Adalmann, who saw this, was completely astounded at the holy energy her sword was emitting. He had hardly seen anything like it before. It made him remember his past self and the holy magic he could use before. 

"You should take her advice.".

Adalmann had been so focused and mesmerized by the sword that he forgot about the kijin that stayed behind.

"Do you know the reason behind the holy energy emitted by that sword? I've hardly seen anything like that before from what I can remember.".

"I do.".

Adalmann, almost forgetting about being under the control of Clayman, was felling happy. He wanted to know more about how a sword could emit such holy energy.

"How is it possible?".

"It's very simple. Faith.".

"I see.". Adalmann was dejected at that statement. He no longer had the faith he once had. "That is unfortunate. I can no longer wield holy magic like I used to. Even more so after I've been made subservient to Clayman. Wait a moment.". In the midst of his conversation, he realized something, the pink-haired kijin in front of him talked about faith. She was talking as if she could use holy magic. A monster using holy magic was something that normally shouldn't be possible. "Are you saying that you can use holy magic?".

Shuna didn't say anything. She put her arms out and cast an alignment field. A large pink circle spread out from her and all the undead that were caught in it were disintegrated. Not a single monster was left on the field. 

Adalmann was in shock seeing this scene. Here was a monster using holy magic, something that he didn't think was possible. Who was the god that she putting faith in to use holy magic to this degree? His eyes were filled with some hope, but it was crushed when he remembered his circumstances. 

"You're not a bad person, just someone who encountered an unfortunate series of events. I can see it all over your face even if you are a skeleton. But I can help with that.".

Adalmann looked at the pink-haired kijin and noticed she had a dagger in her hand. It looked very unpractical to be used as a weapon and instead looked more suited for something more ceremonial or decorative. It certainly didn't look like something a mage would use for a melee weapon, not that a mage would deal in hand-to-hand combat in the first place, but it seems this girl was an exception.

Shuna, who was still in the alignment field was one on one against Adalmann. Since they were both mages, it was a better match-up for her. Not that she could even get hurt after what Artoria gave her before this invasion started. She had learned some hand-to-hand combat from Hakurou before, and it was time to put it to use.

Shuna, enhancing herself with magic, rushed toward Adalmann. She had learned this from seeing Artoria use a technique like this. She's tried to replicate it to the best of her ability. 

Adalmann, surprised at seeing her speed, which wasn't standard for a mage, couldn't react in time. He could only see as the dagger was getting closer to him. He thought that this would be the end of his life, but as the dagger was stabbed into him, he felt something different. He wasn't dying, but he felt different, he felt…free.

Adalmann realized that he was no longer under the effect of Clayman's magic. Whatever she did to her, it set him free and gave him another chance to live his life. He was on his knees in joy, before he looked up at Shuna. "Please tell me. Who have you put your faith in? Who is the god that you worship?".

"You just saw her. She was the one whole went ahead.".

"A goddess then. Please…teach me about her and her religion.".

/\\//\\//\

Clayman was trapped under the rubble of his castle. He couldn't escape in time before the castle collapsed on him. The one silver lining was that his important treasures and items were safe in a secure place that under his castle. He moved various pieces of rubble and rocks that was above him, before finally climbing out.

He remembered Laplace's words. "A storm", he said. It made a little sense since the beam of light that struck his castle came from above and the speed was terrifying since it seemed to come from very far away. He didn't know the exact details of what was happening, but he did know one thing. Yamza and Adalmann were dead. He could tell a few things from this immediately. His territory was being attacked by some kind of force and they advanced very quickly. 

'Wait, Adalmann is dead. That means they've already reached near to my castle. It's only been a couple of hours, how have they reached so far already? A storm? This speed would be more like lighting.'. Clayman thought to himself while trying to put together what was happening based on the two people who died. Unfortunately, his thinking was interrupted.

"It's a shame the rest of the circus isn't around, but that's ok, it ain't nothing but a bump in the road. They just would've been a little bonus, like drinking some ice-cold sweet tea on a hot day." 

Clayman, his white suit dirty and in tatters, his gray-white hair disheveled, looked around and saw the source of the voice. There he saw a figure in silver-blue armor with yellow fur. A helmet that resembled a lion along with fur that made up the mane. Though she appeared unarmed, every instinct Clayman had was warning him of the danger of this person in front of him. 

"You." Clayman pointed his finger at the figure.

"Me, and since we're going to be pointing fingers, let me show you a little trick.". The armored figure pointed her finger at Clayman before a yellow spark ignited and a yellow beam shot out, crashing into Clayman, sending him flying through the air where he crashed into another pile of rubble.

"Alright, let's get this over with quickly."