Death.

Gwen Shifar has spent his life preparing to face it. She knew that as Princess of Avalon, her only hope in the afterlife was to serve God or fight for honor; In an ideal situation. Although she had served Tyre as a paladin, it was only a trade arrangement, a way to finance her modernization ambitions. Gwen doesn't believe in Tyr; She believed in the justice and fair order that Esier represented.

When her bastard uncle Medlot comes back from the dead and cuts off her head after an inglorious defeat, Gwen is ready to face Hale's torment. Her hopes were dashed, and she failed to defend Avalon in a critical moment. How could the chief forgive such a failure?

Instead, she finds herself floating in the boundless sky, her body as light as a feather; The pain of the eye she had lost was gone, and so was the pain of her last moments. As she floated aimlessly, unable to see Valkyrie and Helheim's messengers, Gwen Hayfar heard a voice echoing through the void.

"Gwenhifa of Avalon."

An ancient wizard appeared in front of her, teleported out of nowhere; Her magical mentor, advisor to the royal family.

"Lord Calvert?" Gwen Shifar recognized him and frowned in bewilderment. "What does that mean?"

Is he dead? Was it Lancelot, no, it was Medlot, who also killed him?

"That's the name of this avatar." The Archmage replied. "But it's just a disguise, a flesh, that keeps me in not violating Yggd

ASIL rules the case to interact with your world. I have had many names in my long life, but the one you respect the most is the one. ”

Like a chrysalis, the entity in front of her shed his skin and shone brightly from an inanimate person. The soul grows and swells back to its original form, a bearded giant made of pure gold. His giant spear emits divine lightning and his helmet has the horns of a dragon. One of his eyes was hidden behind a black blindfold, and the other was like a shining star.

Then, Gwenhifa understood.

She recognized who she was up against. Lord of Asgard, God of Slayers, God of Runes; The One-Eyed Lord, who rules over the Nine Kingdoms and is the patron saint of Avalon.

"I am Odin," said the god of war, his voice as loud as thunder, "I am here for you, son. ”

For another person, they might fall to their knees, but the princess's heart wandered. She remembered seeing the archmage whisper in her father's ear or pretend to receive a revelation from the gods. She thinks back to her history books, recalling the many mysterious advisors and wizards who served the Avalon royal family until it was established. A puppeteer has a thousand faces.

"All the while," Gwen Shifal connects the dots. "You've been manipulating my family."

"Guide it." Odin corrected. "So that humanity can thrive in the savage land of Midgard."

"I ......understand," Gwen Haifa replied politely, smart enough not to challenge the gods who ruled her afterlife. But she couldn't lighten the burden in her heart, nor could she lighten the bitterness in her mouth.

"My child, you wouldn't have been born without me."

Gwen Haifa's eyes widened on her own, as she remembered that her father had married her mother, the Queen, at Calvert's suggestion.

Her presence was planned from the beginning.

No, not hers.

Arthur's.

"I want your brother to grow up to be the powerful king prophesied by Igdrasi." Odin replied, apparently reading her thoughts. "But you've had amazing success, Gwen Shifal. Despite your lack of the talent I gave your brother, you grew up to be a wise and courageous leader. Although it is regrettable that you died young...... But thanks to your bravery and skill, you have earned a place in my territory. ”

"Can I enter Valhalla?" The princess asked in surprise. After all the sacrifices she's given for her ambitions, it feels like a consolation prize. Not bad, but not the best.

"For centuries to come, you will have a place in my halls until you are called to defend the Nine Kingdoms in our final battle." Odin smiled gloomily. "If the earthlings can't defeat the Calamity, you will have a chance to avenge your losses during Ragnarok. Maybe you're the one to defeat Nihogg and make sure he doesn't poison the next world. ”

"I don't care about revenge, Your Majesty." Gwen Hafar replied. "How's Avalon?" What about Arthur? Is my brother still alive?"

"Your brother died at the hands of Mederot, and your kingdom is in chaos," Odin shook his head. "Midgard will go through dark and terrible times under the tyranny of Nihogg, but I hope my followers and earthlings will bring down the serpent......"

God froze, his lonely eyes glaring suspiciously.

"Your Majesty?" Gwen asked uneasily.

"Something's wrong." Duke Esier said suddenly. "One of my Valkyries should have brought me your brother's soul."

Then, the sky darkened.

The blue horizon turned purple, and the air was filled with the smell of decay and death. The clouds become poisonous and the air becomes oppressive. Odin tensed up and assumed a fighting stance, using his body to protect Gwen's wayward soul.

"I'm afraid your Valkyrie won't collect a soul today."

The voice echoes through the chamber of the afterlife, its owner appears to Odin, and Gwen's soul is trapped between two giants.

This is the most beautiful woman the princess has ever seen, but her beauty is terrifying. She was a dark-skinned, gray-skinned queen with long flowing white hair and pale eyes, and sat on a throne made of bones and crow feathers. She carried an air of menace, a stench of inevitable death.

"Hey," Odin said cautiously.

"Odin," the goddess replied very calmly, her gaze falling on Gwen. "You've got my stuff."

Gwen froze, Odin's spear protecting her. When the existential horrors that plagued humanity played out before her eyes, she had never been so grateful to the gods.

"She's mine," Odin said. "You've died enough today, Haier. If you hadn't deteriorated, aggregation wouldn't have killed so many innocent people. ”

"I think you should remember the respect you owe me, because of my ......" he paused for a long time. Neutral".

"Princess Gwen Haifa fought valiantly, died honorably, and defended Avalon with her last breath." Odin replied. "Our agreement protects her."

"I'm going to revise the terms of our agreement." He laughed and thought it was funny. Her face reminded Gwen of a cat playing with mice, enjoying the tension before pounced on its prey.

The lord of Asgard let lightning shoot out of his spear, mighty [Gunny]. Electricity spread through the clouds, but the goddess remained cold and unmoved. "You forgot about yourself." Odin warned. "I won't support it."

"Do you want to duel me, Odin?" He pondered, unmoved. "You're not going to win."

Gwen Haifa wanted to call this arrogance...... Until she noticed that Odin was furious.

"Will you fight?" This reaction seemed to surprise the Asgardian Lord, who did not anticipate this. "What about fate?"

"It's not always about duty, mortal," the goddess replied, some strange emotion penetrating her cold voice. She corrected herself and leaned her back against the throne. "Things are private now."

The lords of Asgard, the god-kings of Esir, are motionless like ice sculptures. There was a long silence between them, God's one-eyed gaze down on Gwen, his thoughts blurred.

Don't ...... "Lord Odin......"

"What are you going to do with her?" Odin ignores the royal princess and focuses entirely on the goddess of death.

"I'm learning a page from your book to create my own hero," he replied with a smirk. "Her two siblings are already part of it, and I love the whole set."

"Against whose heroes?" Nidhogg ?” God Odin frowned. "Your failure to keep his fallen soul in your kingdom is the cause of all this chaos"

"You know, I'll always take care of Walter," Hale replied coldly. "But I will not tolerate any interference from you, nor will I tolerate any of your followers. Of course, this allows you to focus your efforts on protecting Asgard from Suter, Tham, and their ilk. After all, they are amassing troops near your borders...... Wait for their chosen warrior to end life itself. ”

"What about Meadero and his army?"

"I will also claim his disobedient soul. They will not destroy your roots, and your house will live a little longer. All you have to do, Odin," she looked up haughtily, "is to turn your eyes in the other direction. ”

Odin did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked down at Gwen Haifa with an incomprehensible expression on his face. At this moment, the princess is willing to do anything, pay any price, just to know what is happening behind his expressionless mask.

As the silence continued, Gwen suddenly realized that she had misunderstood the entire afterlife system. It is not an arrangement between opposing gods, nor is it a delicate balance on which the stability of the universe depends.

It was a tribute to the gods, to ward off greater powers.

"Lord Odin," Gwen said. "Please ......"

"I'm sorry, Gwen Shifal." Odin said he seemed to be serious...... Not too seriously, though. "I really regret it, but it's for the big picture."

"You ask us to live honorably and die honorably!" Gwen snapped. "But when it happened, you didn't live by your own principles!"

To his credit, the Lord of Asgard did not try to hide his hypocrisy. "You lost your sister and brother," he replied. "I lost a son."

He lowered his head until his one-eyed gaze met Gwen's eyes.

"To protect my family," Odin said, "I would do anything." ”

He withdrew his spear, leaving the princess unprotected.

"If you die after this, Your Majesty," Gwen Hilfar asked the King of the Gods, her tone stern, "will you go to Valhalla?"

Her words froze Odin as if he had been hit by an arrow. His face contorted into an angry snarl and then a shadow of remorse...... And then nothing.

With that, he vanished like lightning, leaving Gwen to fend for herself.

Despair overwhelmed the princess's heart, and the pain was even worse than what she had experienced in Lyons' dungeon. She was really lonely and abandoned by everyone.

"Now." Gwen froze as she felt Hale's cold hand on her shoulder. "You need not worry so much about your immortal soul, my dear princess. I have mercy and understanding; If you serve me well, you will be rewarded handsomely. ”

Gwen trembled, but was still strong. "I refuse."

That hand seemed to be a lot heavier. "Why?"

"Because being a less evil person," Gwen replied dismissively, "won't make you any better." ”

His hands had turned into purulent flesh and were full of maggots.

"We will test your mettle, slave."

Walter Tye finished reading the princess's mind, and his memory flashed with terrible torture and soul experiments. The godlike necromancer stood there, stunned, and then did what he could do wisely.

"Hmm......" a voice came from his dead lungs. Well...... Hmmm......"

He smiled.

Tay was ashamed of this childishness and couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, right?" Loki joins in, his gurgling echoing through the cavern as Gwen Halaw glares at the two calamities. "Ironic!"

"Gwen!" Ignoring the fallen god in the room, Anne immediately rushed to help her locked friend. Mrs. Selt didn't, she stared warily at the locked Loki; The depraved Esier replied with a charming smile.

"Annie......" Gwen gasped, her lungs hurt. Walter took the opportunity to check the essence of the princess with magic, and the more he learned, the more worried he became.

There was no meat under her armor, and her entrails were replaced by magic. Gwen Haifa is no longer human, but a unique monster. A soul bound by her will, driven by her divine essence; Not completely immortal, but not completely dead either.

Genre: Dead Hero (Humanoid/God).

"No matter how hard my daughter tries to bring her to her knees, her will will not crumble," Loki replied thoughtfully to Tay's inner question. "So he sent her to me, hoping that my whispers would drive her crazy."

"(Bloody feud) Pe

k?” Ask.

Loki laughs and says, "It's hard to kill a shackled catastrophe when your allies are killing each other." "You should be thankful that I didn't let you demonstrate."

"What do you want?" Tay asked cautiously. "How did you fit into the team?"

"I would be grateful if you could untie my chains and set me free. After all, we're all a happy family, aren't we?"

"It won't happen," replied Ty, much to Mrs. Selter's relief.

"Did my joke you?" I only show people what they love the most. Tay snickered suspiciously, and Loki smirked at him. Because he looks like Hull to the necromancer, the effect is disturbing. "But when I peeked into Walter's body, I didn't see anything, so I improvised a bit. I fear you will be deceived by your feelings, my dear Annie. He can't love you as much as you do. ”

The young witch was clever and did not believe in the god of lies and did not notice him when she tried to break Gwen Haifa's chains, but to no avail. They were forged by gods and cannot be broken by mortal hands.

"It's nice to know that I have high self-esteem," Hagen mused, and Durahan saw himself in Loki.

"Hagen, I'm disappointed that you never prayed for me! Disaster pretended to be sad and said. "I'll spoil you like God!"

"Lord Loki, if I'm interested in destroying the world, I'll see you more than anything else." Durahan replied, and Madame Searle looked at her in disgust. "Alas, I have only one master now."

Tai looked at Loki with a cold gaze and found that he was surprisingly laid-back and friendly as a monster bent on destroying all living things. But then again, so does Laufey. As he gazed into the eyes of Calamity, the necromancer saw the ugliness behind the mask.

In Loki's eyes, he doesn't see the anger and despair that fueled Madero's madness, nor the Gwen Shefa who fuels Avalon's false ambitions.

Loki is the most evil.

Unmotivated evil. Cruelty for their own benefit.

Tai then glanced at the snake crawling on the head of the Calamity. The beast looked back without saying a word, both frightened and obedient.

"Your child." Loki told Tay. "Or rather, the previous one that Asclepius worshipped. My eldest daughter always had a dark sense of humor; I think she must have gotten something from me. ”

"Asclepius......" Tye said in a low voice, a little annoyed to hear the dastardly creature say the name of his mentor.

"Didn't Medlot tell you about our arrangement?" Disaster replied. "I have given him strength, and he has resurrected you by spreading the spirits of the dead to the Nine Kingdoms. I can't stay here forever, you know? One day, you have to throw the universe into chaos and set me free. ”

"Lies." Tay replied, still unwilling to believe that his mentor would help the Calamity.

If you still have questions, you can ask him directly. My dear Haile locked him and the other necromancers in the room below to practice target shooting. ”

That's all Tai wants to know. When he notices that Anne and Mrs. Selt are reluctant to follow him, he prepares to turn away and leave Loki alone in prison.

"Yes," said Anne, who had failed to free Gwen Hifar. "We're not done yet."

"We can't leave the princess here, Walter." Mrs. Sail nodded in agreement.

"We can, and we will," Thai replied coldly, not wanting to release the notorious pest. Even if Haile fails to tame her, she still poses a threat to his plans for humanity, and she's too cunning to control.

"I'm not going to leave Gwen behind!" Anne stubbornly insisted, and the princess looked up at her friend with grateful eyes. "I swore I'd bring her back!"

"Oh my God, you've got a great Spitfire." Loki laughed at them, noticing the hateful glances Madame Thorr casting at him. "Nihogg, you seem to like your iron-hearted friend. Although iron does not bend, it can also break easily. ”

"Where's Lord Bald?" Lady Searle asked the fallen god, in a vicious tone.

Loki paused for a long time, his gaze becoming arrogant and condescending. "You still don't understand."

"Oh, it can't be," Hagen chuckled to himself, and he understood something that Madame Selt didn't understand. "It's going to be good."

"Where is my God?" Mrs. Selt almost ordered the catastrophe. "You threw him into this horrible place, so tell me where-"

"Lord Bald."

The sound coming out of Loki's mouth was not Hale's, but Mrs. Selt's.

"'Bald man, please...... Why are you torturing me like this? What on earth did I do to be punished like this? What did I do?'" Loki imitated Mrs. Sirte's prayer and then changed her voice to that of a man; People with lyrical, melodious tones "My dear child, because life is finite, it is beautiful." ”

Mrs. Selt shook in place, her face bloodless. "Impossible......"

"He can read minds," Tay noted, finding the display of cruelty pointless. "Don't trust him."

"Maybe she needs better proof?" Loki's smile widened. "Listen to your god, Vesta."

Tai through his [Godslayer] Pe

K felt this. Although he ruled out Madame Selt's influence, he could feel her connection to her divinity and spy on divine communion.

Where there was once silence, this connection is reactivated; Re-establish the sacred connection.

"......No," whispered Mrs. Soult, trembling involuntarily. Not ......"

"Do you really think that the dead will only pray, not mourn?" Loki laughed at her coldly and mercilessly. "I give my followers the power to steal the faces of their victims...... Me too. ”

"How? The priestess panicked, while the others watched in silence. Anne, in particular, seemed as shocked as Selt herself. Her entire knowledge of theology was overturned before her eyes.

"Have you ever wondered why the Ersir are so adamant in their belief that the earthlings can defeat the Disaster Team even after centuries of defeat?" Loki asked.

"The Earthlings dropped Fenrir's HP to less than half in a raid," Anne said with a final frown, remembering her class at the Academy. "A feat that was considered impossible."

"But that happened after they put so many resources into this project and gathered a whole army." Loki happily replied. "Why did the weak army be called up in the first place, equipped, trained and there was no guarantee of success?" Unless ......"

"Unless they already have proof of success?" Anne whispered, pale. Like Walter, she understood what Loki meant.

"Do you think Odin, the stubborn, inflexible, 'respectable' Odin, would think of asking outsiders for help?" The fallen god pondered. "The one who summoned the first earthlings to the Nine Kingdoms was me, dear child. I directed the hand that had killed my own brother Bald; His actions were so thorough that his soul was completely extinguished. ”

"Why?" Mrs. Selt whispered in horror.

"Frankly? Because I already knew the fate that Igdrasi had in store for me, I thought that if I had to play a role, I should give it a unique twist. Loki shrugged. Moreover, Balder is a nasty kid who can't even laugh at jokes. Madame, believe me, he's going to annoy you to death. ”

"You remember." Tae's eyes widened. He remembered the cycle.

"No," Loki replied, his happy gaze meeting the necromancer's. "But my eldest daughter was born old."

The underworld. Having survived Ragnarok, she remembered reincarnation in her incarnation.

"Why......" said Mrs. Sirte, her voice a little choked. Why?"

"I'm sure you've misunderstood the question," Hagen said to Loki, clearly amused by the scene. Tay glared at Durahan to silence him, but he didn't interrupt him; This incident piqued his curiosity.

"Ah, why is Esir hiding the truth?" God, if mortals knew that with the right tools, they could kill their gods, it would have caused an uproar. Loki chuckled. As Odin struggled to find a lie, something cruel came to mind. I began to answer his prayers for Badr, concocting an elaborate lie. ”

"Forcing Odin to either cooperate or expose the truth," Tychai.

"It's such a joke that forces Odin to pretend that his dear son is still alive. Loki said, very proud of himself. I've never spoiled a character, at least at Walte

and Med

aut in Midga

d" before it made it pointless to continue. It was one of my best performances. ”

"It doesn't make sense," Tay said. "Why not take advantage of this situation?" Why not use Bald's church to advance your plans?"

"Walter, Walter, you don't understand." Loki shook his head in disappointment. "What's the point of opening a small store with no real purpose?" Life is not about winning or losing, but about joy. I am a playwright, and the Nine Realms is my stage. ”

All these lies and killings, just because he thinks it's funny?

No one was sadder than Mrs. Sirte, who could scarcely hold back her tears. "Could it be...... Is it all a lie?" She asked. "Every piece of advice, every warm word...... It's all a lie?"

"My dear Sirte, from your point of view, your life is a tragedy...... But what about from my point of view?"

Loki giggled.

"It's a comedy."

Mrs. Selt fell to her knees, and the laughter of the false gods resounded throughout the cavern.

Tai immediately activated the [Necromancer's Stone].

The effect is brutal and immediate. The illusion that hid Loki's appearance collapsed, and his magic was disrupted. Instead of a replica of a demon, the necromancer is now facing a naked giant with demonic features, hooves, and horns. His eyes shone with flames, and his tongue cracked like a snake. Some of his flesh was torn into scars, and blood dripped into the stones.

"Before you can move, your prostitute is dead, Nihog!" Loki roared, his bound hands growing claws, his body radiating magic.

"I can bring them back to life," said the necromancer, unmoved, though it made Anne cringe.

"Some fates are far worse than death." The fallen god replied menacingly, the flames of hell burning in his eyes.

"But you're going to die like your daughter."

Loki's expression turned to resentment, but he didn't seem to care that much. Laufey is just a tool, nothing more; Fallen gods value their eternal life even more.

"As she stares into my face," said the bound Calamity, a dagger made of words, "she sees you, Walter." ”

These words sent shivers down the necromancer's spine, but he didn't show any uneasiness. The liar god giggled, clearly pleased with his upset.

"Let him suffer, Walter."

Tai looked down at Mrs. Selt who was standing up again. Her sunken eyes turned to steel. glares of pure pain and hatred; The necromancer saw the same light in Medello's gaze.

"If he would rather destroy the world than stay there forever," said Madame Searle, her hands clenched in anger. "Let him stay in this pit, Walter. Leave him in the gentle care of his daughter. ”

Tay pondered whether he should consume the Calamity directly, but he decided to focus on the mission. He may intervene to stop Loki's demise, and the necromancer is here to save his undead brothers, not to do Esir's work for them. "As you wish."

"Leave me so soon, miss?" Loki taunted Mrs. Selt, who refused to answer. "Well, then, I will pray for you. Pray for a speedy recovery from your cancer. ”

The priestess maintained a graceful posture and let the cruel words of the gods wash over her like waves crashing against rocks. This annoys Loki, and Tay realizes that he will only find pleasure in belittling others. Selt refused to let him drag her down, keeping her pride alive, and rejecting his victory.

"Good," Anne insisted, a hand on Gwenshefa's shoulder.

"No," Tay replied one last time. "Let's go, Annie."

"Please ......"

The necromancer paused, and the princess reluctantly gargled.

"Please......" she said, her throat hurt from Haier's torture to the point where she couldn't speak a full sentence. Please. ”

"No," Tai replied. "I've given you too many chances to leave."

"I wouldn't have gone without her, Thai," said Anne. "I learned witchcraft and brought her back."

"I'm not going to stop you from raising this pest when you become strong enough." The necromancer replied. But she wouldn't take me by the hand. He has turned her primordial soul into the monster you see. ”

"Then I'll raise her myself," Anne said stubbornly. "I have (animated death) Pe

k, her soul is there. You proved that it can be done. ”

Tay regretted telling her that part. "The thing you see is her soul, just half-twisted into something else. You'll need to go through another level 20 to clear her Hel's effects and turn her into A

kou。 ”

Anne was silent, trying to find a solution.

"Chief," Kushine said aloud. "I agree that this child is causing more trouble than she is worth, but if we keep her there, he may turn her against us. I suggest that we let her die mercifully, trapping her soul in the portrait. ”

Unfortunately, he has a point.

Tay carefully observed his former nemesis for a long time. The princess is too difficult to control, and he is unwilling to raise her...... But it might be more useful for her to leave Heim than to be in Haim. "You still have Paladin levels? He asked suddenly.

The princess's gaze froze. She must have guessed.

"Curse Tyr," said Tye, "swear allegiance to me." ”

"Aspects!" Anne protested, while Mrs. Selt remained eerily silent. Loki watched the scene backstage, like a theatergoer.

"Turn your [Paladin] rank into [Dark Knight]," Tye continued, ignoring the apprentice's protests. "Open your soul to my power and get on your knees."

"Never......" Gwen said angrily.

"If you swear to obey, I'll bring you back to life at once." Tay attacks the princess's sore spot. "You will be able to rule Avalon. Change it according to your ideals...... As long as they match my ideals. ”

Gwen Haifa's face turned into a stone wall.

"Princess."

Mrs. Selt spoke, much to Ty's surprise.

"If you choose us, you choose life. If you choose them......" The priestess glared at Loki. "You chose death."

We.

Although it came at the cost of tears, Tay couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction.

"Are you...... Threat to Avalon......" Gwen Haifa roared at the necromancer, but her resolve was waning. The few escapes she had been abandoned by the gods and humans alike. "You kill...... No hesitation......"

"For one purpose," he replied.

"Yes... You ...... yourself"

"I may not be so evil to you." Tye said, bending down on his knees and walking towards the princess. "But there is no greater good in your choice."

His cold eyes stared at her.

"What do you want, Gwenhifa of Avalon?"

He spied on her superficial thoughts, sensing her hesitation, her mind scrutinizing every angle. Until she came to a conclusion that allowed her to remain her true self.

"No," Gwen said. "I won't...... Succumb. Not to Haier...... It's not ...... for you."

This amazes Tay, who realizes that he has finally found a true martyr. Asclepius hadn't seen anyone like that since then.

"I admire your dedication to ideals," the necromancer admitted. "I really like it, even if it's misplaced-"

"That's it!" Anne spoke immediately. "There's a soul in the portrait!" I don't have to raise her now!" I just need to bring the soul back to Midgard now!"

"If you find a [soul container] to hold her soul," Tay replied, not intending to provide one.

Annie searched in the pocket of one of her spell components and pulled out a black gem.

The necromancer was speechless, and his apprentice grinned.

"How do you think I got the first [NEC

oma

ce

Levels? She asked proudly, and Hakine erupted into a wild laugh behind her.

Tay didn't know whether to congratulate his apprentice on his success or roar in frustration.