Chapter 72: Attack of the Illusionist
“Halt!” Santos, hearing the commotion, turned around and, seeing the fallen guard, shouted his command.
The guards, though surprised by their comrade’s sudden collapse, quickly regained their composure. Their weapons were drawn, shields raised, as they formed a protective circle around Givia’s carriage.
The caravan came to a stop. Santos, a seasoned commander, efficiently organized his men, anticipating an attack.
“Abyss? Are we under attack again?” Givia asked, her voice filled with concern, as she peeked out the carriage window. “One of our men just collapsed. Is it enemy magic?”
“I don’t sense any enemy presence yet… Leona, I’ll leave this to you. I’ll provide support from the rear,” Abyss replied, his voice serious.
Leona, eager for action, jumped out of the carriage. As a powerful Dou Warrior and a high-ranking undead enhanced by Abyss’s necromancy, she had no fear.
“Leona, just search the area quickly. I’ll assist you with my magic,” Abyss’s voice echoed in her mind.
“Understood,” Leona said, sprinting away without hesitation.
Another guard collapsed, falling from his horse. Fortunately, his comrades caught him before he hit the ground.
Leona increased her speed, circling the caravan, Abyss’s magic radiating outwards, using her as a conduit.
Hum…
A faint vibration resonated in Leona’s mind, followed by Abyss’s voice. “There! Follow the magical fluctuations! The enemy is there! An illusionist. He’s no match for you, but don’t get too close!”
A smile spread across Leona’s lips. She propelled herself forward, her body like an arrow loosed from a bow, towards the source of the magical energy.
Hum…
She entered the dense forest flanking the road, the magical fluctuations growing stronger. She followed the sound, quickly spotting a lone figure. The mage resembled the one-eyed Shadowling mage they had encountered earlier, although their robes were different. He seemed oblivious to her approach, his lips moving as he chanted a spell.
“Using illusions to incapacitate our men? You would have succeeded if it weren’t for Abyss,” Leona thought, scoffing at the enemy’s cowardly tactics. She conjured a longbow with her Dou Qi, nocking an arrow as she approached the mage. The orange arrow, a streak of light, pierced his chest!
Leona, having learned her lesson from their previous encounter with the strange sleep-inducing smoke, wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.
Boom!
The Dou Qi arrow pinned the mage to the ground, then exploded, obliterating his body, sending a spray of foul-smelling black mud into the air. Leona dodged it effortlessly.
“Abyss, mission accomplished! It was an illusionist. I took care of him. I wonder what their next move will be,” she reported.
“Search the area thoroughly! I’ll maintain vigilance over the caravan,” Abyss’s voice replied.
Leona nodded, sprinting away.
After a thorough search, she found another Shadowling mage, repeating her previous tactic, tearing him apart with her Dou Qi before he could react.
“That’s it? That’s all they got?” Leona asked, returning to the caravan, satisfied, smoothing her silver twintails, which had become disheveled during her high-speed maneuvers. “Your Highness, Abyss, the surrounding area is clear. Now we can tend to those affected by the illusions!”
Using illusions to shut down an opponent’s mind, rendering them unconscious, was a common tactic employed by Illusionist mages. Their attacks were silent and often undetectable, which was why they had managed to incapacitate two guards, even with Abyss nearby. (Of course, the Shadowlings’ ability to diminish their presence was also a factor.) Abyss, a master mage himself, jumped out of the carriage and examined the unconscious guards.
“How are they?” Santos asked, his voice filled with concern. “The enemy’s attacks are difficult to defend against.”
“They used a classic ‘Mind Lock’ spell. Their minds are shut down, preventing them from controlling their bodies—it’s like surgically removing their brains without causing any physical damage,” Abyss explained, carefully examining the two unconscious guards. “If we had been any slower, they might have become brain-dead. Fortunately, we acted quickly, and the caster is eliminated. I can dispel the spell, but they’ll need to rest, allowing their minds to reconnect with their bodies naturally.”
“I’m glad they’ll be alright,” Santos said, relieved. Abyss glanced at him, his expression softening. Santos, despite his high rank, genuinely cared for his men. Abyss appreciated that.
He effortlessly dispelled the Mind Lock spell. Based on his assessment, the two Shadowling mages were around sixth or seventh-tier, not particularly powerful. The other guards carried the unconscious men into a cargo wagon. The caravan, having confirmed there were no further threats, resumed its journey.
…
Half an hour later, inside the darkened cargo wagon, two pairs of eyes silently opened.
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