The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 851 - 828: The Reason

"No...impossible..." Bruto fell to his knees, looking as if he had been hit with a heavy blow, "Big Brother...how could Big Brother lose...he never has..."

"We have to leave now." Soveris repeated once more, "If we wait any longer, it will be too late."

As if to confirm the elf’s warning, the undead creatures around them started moving again. They were initially sluggish, swaying like a group of drunkards, easily taken down by the raven warriors, but it was clear that the power controlling their bodies was rapidly recovering. Moreover, they were in an open field, without the cover of city walls, facing enemies nearly a hundred times their number. Even without a lich present, they had no chance of winning.

With every second that passed, the situation grew more dangerous.

A rusty battle axe swung down towards Bruto’s hanging head. He seemed to have no reaction, but Barrend, who had stayed by his son’s side, raised his shield in time. The not-so-sharp axe blade got stuck on the shield, and the collision finally woke the dazed dwarf. Bruto let out a hoarse roar, violently pushing the skeleton trying to draw its weapon, then swung his hammer-like fist, smashing the skeleton’s skull with one punch.

Although the first hit thoroughly silenced the undead creature, it was clearly not enough to quell the young dwarf’s rage. He, like a furious blacksmith, vented all his grief, anger, and confusion on the poor skeleton in front of him.

"Bruto, enough!" Barrend harshly scolded his son, "Do you want everyone to stay here with you?"

His father’s reprimand made Bruto shudder. He discreetly wiped his face, then jumped up from the ground, quickly scanning his surroundings.

"I’m sorry, I..."

"It’s okay." Soveris waved, "You go first, fly westward; there will be ravens to meet you..."

"How can that be?" Bruto picked up the warhammer by his feet, "Dwarves are always the last to leave the battlefield..."

"That’s my boy!"

"Admirable, but we can turn into birds and fly away during fierce battles, so we..." Soveris’s words were cut short by an incoming spear. He dodged the spearhead, then decapitated the zombie wielding the spear before continuing, "…are better suited to stay behind. Listen, the sooner you leave safely, the sooner we can retreat..."

"Alright." Bruto shrugged dejectedly, "Then we’ll..."

"Wait!" Tanya suddenly shouted with a near-screaming voice, "Look over there!"

Everyone looked in the direction the half-elf pointed, and from the still swirling dust ahead, burst forth a tall warhorse with flames blazing on all four hooves. The horse seemed full of life, charging through the sea of undead, but its rider was not faring well—a frail female figure was clutching a seemingly unconscious human male. The man’s upper body was nearly naked, only his right arm’s armor intact, still clutching a beautiful treasured sword.

"Lancelot?!"

Bruto shouted in surprise, immediately rushing towards the warhorse, and the other companions followed suit, attacking the enemies blocking their path.

"Guys, change of plans." Soveris, who had not immediately followed, turned to his kin, "Let’s get that guy out first..."

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Eight hours later.

A robust raven emerged from the dark clouds above, only to find the once familiar dense forest below had become unrecognizable. It could only circle in the air, emitting harsh caws. About half a minute later, a pale green flash lit up from a corner of the forest below, guiding this lost bird.

The raven descended and successfully located the cave it had left not long ago. The cave, at the foot of a small hill, had small bones scattered around the entrance, remnants of the cave’s original occupant—a purple-red feathered bear owl—but it had turned into another skeleton decades ago. Hunters would occasionally light a campfire inside, waiting out sudden rains or nights, leaving so much human scent that other forest beasts avoided the place, partly due to the hunters’ left-behind traps.

"Ah, old blackbird, you’re back." Bruto, guarding the entrance, watched Soveris transform back into human form and asked lightly, "Any new news?"

"Yes. The lich has appeared again, at Derrick Fort, acting as if nothing happened." Soveris sighed, "What about Sir Lancelot? Has he woken up?"

"Just five minutes before you showed up." Bruto revealed the reason for his good mood, "Go in, but be careful not to upset him. Not everyone handles failure as well as us dwarves, haha!"

"I can hear you!"

"Hehe." Bruto chuckled, winking at the brown-haired elf, "See? Super sensitive."

"I can still hear you..."

"Good evening, Sir Lancelot." Soveris entered the roughly fifteen-foot-square cave, greeting the human knight leaning on a mass of hay, "You look much better than when I left."

"As long as I’m not a corpse, I must be better than before." Lancelot smiled and waved, sitting up with little Isa’s support, "I heard you say Peyton Derrick showed up again?"

"Yes." Soveris displayed a regretful look, "I thought you had killed him..."

"I didn’t." Lancelot shook his head, "And Kalalin is explaining to me why this happened."

"Why?"

"Lancelot mentioned that his weapon pierced the lich’s body, but the latter, without casting any spells, released three consecutive spells, escaping death." The goddess of magic’s devotee rubbed his chin, stubbled with a bit of beard, "There are several possible reasons. At first, I thought it was Time Stop..."

"Time Stop? Is that a thing? I didn’t feel anything at the time..."

"It’s the spellcaster whose time stops, of course you wouldn’t feel it." Kalalin shrugged, "But considering the lich made no casting movements and Lancelot’s longsword did hit it, I am certain of the actual reason..."

"What is it?" freёnovelkiss.com

"The truth is singular...Chain Contingency."