New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Chapter 562 Strange Boy

After shrieking out horribly, the Lich started retreating behind its troops, where it could cast spells safely. But Luna kept blocking its way, making it increasingly angry.

"I will make you into the most subservient undead I ever did, you foolish animal!" it shrieked out.

But Luna was unimpressed. Opening her mouth slightly, she conjured another Moonbeam, smaller but more concentrated, firing it at the Lich.

The Lich brought up another barrier, blocking the spell almost entirely, as only residual energy washed over him, slightly singeing his robe. The undead already knew that the giant stag's magic was of the opposite element to his, which meant it could badly hurt him.

But the same went for him, as well.

Small orbs of darkness appeared around Luna, suddenly spiking outward towards her. Luna dodged out of the area of effect but still received slight scratches to her hide. Looking at the minor cuts, she could see the seething black mana oozing out of the wounds.

At this amount, it was harmless, but she knew she shouldn't take too many of the Lich's attacks in the long run.

Luna charged at the Lich again, intent on running him through. Although she had no success on her previous attack runs, she wasn't out of tricks yet.

The Lich floated up, reaching the height of her head, as he conjured the barrier in front of him once more.

"Such an animalistic way of fighting. I would expect nothing better from a simple-minded beast!"

But as Luna was about to collide with his conjured shield, she shimmered brightly before shrinking in an instant. This had for effect of her sliding under the conjured barrier, suddenly ending up right under the Lich.

Luna kicked off the ground with a grin, lighting one of her fists with lunar Aether, and slamming it in an uppercut under the Lich's chin.

The Lich's vision blurred momentarily as its teeth smashed into each other, rattling his brain. He immediately took another blow, this time a spinning kick to the abdomen, before he could react.

His body bent around the leg before launching away like a meteor, smacking into a nearby stone wall. As he crashed into it, the undead momentarily stopped attacking, their bodies suddenly twitching strangely.

This allowed every player to unleash a bit of pain on them, trying to reduce the monster count they had to deal with.

But the twitching was fleeting, and they resumed their attack, as the Lich came out of the wall it had smashed into.

It was giving off a death glare at Luna, who was still in her humanoid form, grinning at it cockily.

Looking around the arena grounds, the Lich noticed there were few of its servants left standing. Although it was constantly bringing back up the ones that it could, the additional threats were overcoming his army rapidly.

"I will not fall!" it screeched.

Raising its hands, a burst of dark mana blasted out of its body, exploding out of the building.

Feeling the surge of mana, Astaroth raised his hands across in front of him, resisting the pressure. But he knew the mana wasn't to push them back the moment it passed through him.

It had a different flavour to it. One of death and command.

In that slight moment, the barriers around the building weakened, just enough for his senses to extend past it. And his face paled.

Astaroth turned to his party, shouting.

"He's calling the ones outside! We need to kill him! Now!"

Of course, it wouldn't be so simple as to just hit him. Even with the hits Luna landed on him, his health bar barely wavered.

The Lich still had over ninety-five percent of its health and was not looking like it would fall soon.

Astaroth wished he had reached the Lich while he still had his mysterious boost from earlier. He had a feeling this would have dealt massive pain on an undead boss like it.

But wishful thinking wouldn't help their cause.

Shifting his attention to the boss was his only way now. But as he lunged forward, everything around him changed.

The dark arena ground made way to a white granite-looking floor, spotless of any dirt or grime. There didn't seem to be walls in this place, or a ceiling, for that matter.

But a few feet in front of him, a little boy stood. In the little boy's arms, a small toy resembling a wooden doll of a deer.

The little boy looked at Astaroth, his eyes filled with curiosity. His iris' shone golden, as his ashen skin and pointy ears looked like an Ash Elf.

But on the kid's back, a pair of bright white wings, which were folded around him slightly, almost protectively. Astaroth tilted his head curiously at the kid, the kid mimicking his movement.

It was like Astaroth was looking in a trick mirror, showing him a distorted version of himself, copying his every move.

Astaroth looked around, trying to see if they were alone, but when he looked forward again, the kid was suddenly right before him.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, taking a step back.

The child's wings flapped nervously, closing a bit more around him.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. You startled me," Astaroth said, trying to reassure the child.

The kid stayed mum, his eyes still trailing Astaroth's every movement.

"Do you know where we are?" Astaroth asked.

The kid nodded his head, lips still tightly shut.

"Can you tell me?" Astaroth asked.

The kid shook his head slowly no. This made Astaroth frown a bit.

"Can you help me go back to where I was? My friends need my help."

The kid stared at Astaroth, not responding this time.

Astaroth blinked in confusion. But as he opened his eyes, the kid was right before him once more.

Astaroth's heart skipped a beat again.

'How is he moving so fast, without making a sound?'

But he wouldn't get his answer, as the child slammed his hand against his chest. Astaroth felt the hand burn into him like a searing red metal rod got jammed into his ribs.

Everything around him went completely white.