Chapter 65 Lichen Lich
Purple mushrooms cover the entire cave. These mushrooms grow as tall as humans and have sticky roots.
Mycelium floats down from the dome of the cave, gently flashing a lavender light.
The golden elf Severil and the goblin copper block moved forward together in the slightly flickering purple shadow.
He saw a human and an orc suspended in mid-air ten feet above the cave floor.
Their flesh was tightly intertwined with oozing hyphae, like a disgusting mixture of two molds.
"Good-hearted adventurer, show mercy, please save us."
The intermittent painful pleas echoed in Severil's mind, making him unable to help but wonder. He glanced at the two prisoners above his head.
The two people hanging were not making sounds with their mouths, but were similar to the telepathy of the myconids, which made him vaguely aware of something.
"Don't be surprised." Copper Block didn't bother to look at the two people hanging in the air. He said to himself in a familiar high-pitched voice:
"This human is called Conrad, and the half-orc is called Luga. They have completely merged with the fungus and turned into another kind of creature."
"Please, please have mercy. , Save us from the pain." The pleading sound echoed in the minds of the two people again as the hyphae swayed from side to side.
"Let me tell you, killing you is the greatest mercy."
Bronze Block shrugged his small shoulders helplessly and raised his head to face the two hanging people. Said, "However, since you don't want this kind of mercy, there is nothing I can do about it, Taimora."
After saying that, he raised his head and winked at the golden elf beside him, and immediately looked towards Walk deeper into the cave.
Severil glanced at the two of them thoughtfully.
He was surprised to find that the entangled mycelium actually grew from their own bodies, and then took root on the stone wall at the top of the cave, forming a hanging appearance.
He finally understood why the little goblin who led him didn't want to save them.
Because if you want to save them, you must cut off the hyphae, but the role of the hyphae to these two people is more like the relationship between a plant and its roots.
So, for these two creatures that have completely turned into fungi, if their hyphae are cut off, it means death.
This made him wonder what kind of evil lich he was that could conduct such a cruel experiment.
Led by the goblin, the two came to the center of this oval cave.
The first thing that caught Severil's eyes was a circle of brightly colored mushrooms, ranging in height from three to eight feet, with a strong musty smell in the air.
The stone walls of the cave are densely covered with poisonous white vines, dotted with sparkling purple flowers.
This reminded him of the Wisteria Garden in the High Forest, which was his mother's family residence and where he grew up.
Unfortunately, he has not been back to the elf manor in fifty years, and he does not know what has become of his mother's family residence.
He did not dare to have too high hopes, because the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Severil sighed softly, put away his thoughts, and continued to follow the goblin's footsteps.
The moment the two came into contact with a circle of brightly colored mushrooms.
The grapevines clinging to the wall began to tremble slightly, and the purple flowers bloomed at a speed visible to the naked eye and emitted a sweet fragrance.
"These are sleeping spores."
Copper Nugget sniffed the fragrance in the air and said nonchalantly, "But don't worry, we have the magic potion given by the Myconid King, they can't do anything to us at all."
Severil nodded with deep understanding.
As the priest of the Great Fungus Lord, no one knows how to guard against the spores of the fungi better than Bastia.
At this moment, two fungus-covered skeletons suddenly stood up from the dense bush. Their bodies were covered with armor made of calcified moss, and they were all covered with fungi.
"What are you still doing? Kill them!"
Seeing the two skeletons covered with mold, Copper ran away and hid behind Severil far away, giving him instructions: "The two skeletons guarding the door are very strong. Only by killing them can we pass through the entrance of the tunnel."
Severil was too lazy to talk nonsense to this little goblin. He took a serious look at his two skeletons. After deciding how to deal with the enemy, he quickly drew out the thin-edged elf sword and poured it into it with powerful mana.
——"Thunder Vortex!"
A vortex composed of arcane energy was formed between Severil's sword swings.
The whirlpool jumped and flashed with lightning, forming a powerful tugging force that forcibly wrapped the two skeletons tightly, making it impossible for them to break free.
The skeleton swung its weapons and shields in panic, but to no avail. It was as if a huge hand had grabbed them and dragged them mercilessly in front of the golden elf.
——"Frost Blade Sweep!"
The sword mage Severil locked his lavender cold eyes on the two skeletons, and the elf thin-edged sword held in his right hand shook slightly. A layer of frost crystals instantly condensed on the surface of the sword body.
He gripped the sword tightly and slashed it out, releasing a cold winter aura straight ahead.
The two skeletons that were swept up by the whirlpool suddenly turned into two crystal clear ice sculptures when they encountered the cold air of the sword light.
"Bang! Bang!"
Then, the two ice sculptures fell to the ground and fell apart.
“Nice job!”
Copper Nugget ran to the side of the sword mage, stared at the dead fungus skeleton, and marveled, “I can see that you are better than the followers around Brian. The little girl is much stronger.”
Severil retracted his thin-edged sword and hummed softly, without any words from the gnome.
Of course he knew who the girl the goblin was referring to.
Although both belong to the knowledge recorded in the fragmentary pages of ancient eladrin, sword mages became employed through induction of the fairy wilderness.
But he knew very well that the sword mage named Hesayah advanced to be the Messenger of Chaos, and he was the royal guard of the Elf clan.
In his opinion, the barbaric style of Chaos Messenger, which only harnesses the power of elemental chaos, has no beauty at all, just like a barbarian among warriors.
He believes that perfect control and perfect understanding of oneself is the key to gaining true power. This is the sword mage's most elegant and reserved elven fighting method.
Whether it is the Chaos Messengers of the Kingdom of Cormyr or the Shadow Guard Assassins of the City of Shadows, none of them are on the stage. Only the Crown Prince's personal guards of the Elf clan are the most orthodox inheritance of the Sword Mage. Besides, his strength was a level higher than that of the human sword mage, so how could she be on par with him.
The two continued to move forward. In this cave with steps, the air was heavy and rotten.
The upper terrace is dotted with patches of brightly colored mushrooms, and in the middle is a narrow stone staircase leading to a nearly hemispherical tunnel below.
The walls of the lower chamber are covered with murals carved from fungus, depicting many animals and fey creatures.
Severil looked at the murals in the cave as he walked.
Whether it was the color, texture, or pattern of the mural, it made him feel inexplicably nauseated.
At the same time, he also saw in a bundle of parchment scrolls he accidentally picked up, which described in detail the research on Sindakhara, the 222nd layer of the Abyss.
A fetid wasteland filled with fungus and ooze, this is where Zurgmoi rules.
This made him realize that the appearance of the Fungus Queen was definitely related to the lich hiding here.
Under the guidance of the goblins, they entered a dark tunnel like a maze.
Through the winding tunnel, the two came to the end of the road.
Severil had to admit that the little goblin who led the way was more skillful than the elf ranger in the High Forest, which made him have to put away his contemptuous eyes.
They almost appeared in a dead end of a cave supported by natural rock pillars. There were a large number of fungi and tree-sized mushrooms growing inside, as well as more ooze.
In this dark cave, the stench permeated the air, and the severed remains of various animals hung on the walls and ceiling.
A rotting corpse that looks like a shifter, but it has more tentacles and limbs.
A miniature keel with two heads, the flesh has rotted, its body is curled up in an extremely unnatural way, its wings are strangely open, as if it is suffering some unknown pain.
Severil found out in disbelief that this was the remains of a fairy dragon.
Because the skeleton retains the bright elf appearance, but the clothes are in tatters, and the translucent wings seem to wither and shatter at the slightest touch.
He didn't even let go of such a cute fairy dragon. He suppressed the anger in his heart, immediately withdrew his gaze and forcibly moved it towards the owner of the room.
He saw that under the largest mushroom in the cave, on a table covered with moss, there was another dissected yellow fairy dragon. It was full of strange red liquid and covered with There is a layer of strange mist.
A figure in a robe is concentrating on doing crazy experiments.
Not far away, the drow elf Curze was locked in an iron cage.
The strange thing is that he jumped up and down excitedly, shaking the cage, as if he wanted to take a good look at what the man in the robe was doing, and was not at all afraid of his situation.
"Poor guy," the little goblin whispered as he looked at the drow in the cage.
"Ah! You are finally here, and you are actually a pure-blood elf. My test subject is here. I have been waiting for a long time, and I can finally carry out the long-suspended experiment."
The figure noticed the presence of him and the goblin, turned around stiffly, picked up the staff, tapped it on the ground, and said excitedly.
The moment Severil looked up and stared at the past, cold hatred flashed across his lavender eyes.
This is an elven lich wearing the holy symbol of Silvanus, the god of nature.
But what is different from ordinary lichs is that he looks like a skeleton covered with fungi and bark-like lichen. The vines on his chest twist crazily, exuding thick black liquid.
He showed a twisted smile, and a sticky khaki liquid could not stop flowing from his mouth.
"Who are you?"
Severil stared coldly at the lich in front of him, his eyes showing the purest disgust and anger, "You have simply disgraced all the elves. The face of this family is not worthy of being the children of Avandor!” The Lich screamed:
"I used to be a golden elf living in the Supreme Forest, a druid who believed in the God of Nature, but my forest home was destroyed by the abyss demons of Hell Gate Castle, and even our 'city of peace' Illanthe You are all tortured by the war, what are you noble people doing? You will only huddle on Yongju Island.
You only know how to drink and have fun, and you will never keep your tragic history forever. In my memory.
In order to save my homeland, I can only study fungi and lichens to make weapons against the demons of the abyss, and protect our forest from the influence of the demons. Do you even want to stop it? Me? "
"You are wrong, we have never been indifferent, nor will we ignore it, let alone abandon our abandoned homeland during the retreat." Severil shook his head helplessly. , glanced at the mad lich with pity, and patiently told him:
"In fact, I am the pioneer officer of the Elven Expeditionary Force from Yongju Island. Our tribe who moved to Yongju Island have already In response to His Excellency the Crown King's call to regain the High Forest and Cormanthor, we call it the 'Holy War' of the Elven Revival."
"Why are you talking to him? Can't you see it? This guy has long been corrupted by the Fungus Queen."
Looking at Severil indifferently, the Goblin Copper Block had already been hiding at the door. Er was anxious and shouted quickly: "Kill him quickly, otherwise it will be dangerous for him to teleport to Brian."
"Although your experience and misfortune make me sympathize with you, I deeply express my feelings. Sympathy, but this does not mean that your evil deeds are worthy of praise." Severil stopped talking nonsense and drew out the thin-edged elf sword. The cold light flashed from the ancient blade and focused on the elf runes carved on the edge of the sword. superior.
The ultimate goal of the Fungus Queen Zugmoy is the Fungus Forest located beneath the High Forest.
If the expansion of Zurgmoi cannot be stopped in the Aphotic Woods, then one day in the future, the fungal forests in the Underdark and even the Supreme Forest on the surface will be infected and ravaged by the fungal saprophytic plague.
Brian told him this personally before leaving.
Although he didn't know how this mysterious half-elf war mage knew these things, he believed in his words.
Severil looked at the crazy Lichen Lich, his former tribesman. His eyes were soft, but his words were as cold as ice:
"You must answer for your evil. Pay the price for your actions, and let me personally send you to the kingdom of Arvando to face the judgment of our Lord Corellon Larethian, a fallen tribesman corrupted by the devil."
"No one can do it? Stop me!”
The lichen lich screamed like a maniac and screamed like his skull was being ripped apart.
He glanced at Severil with disdain and waved his big, mold-covered hand. Curze, the drow elf in the cage, was jumping happily. His body suddenly stiffened and quickly withered into a shriveled body. 's body.
"Hahaha, you can't kill me. My phylactery has long been fused with the great Lady Fungi. Let me personally send you to embrace the great Lady Fungus, my pathetic people."< br>
As Lichen Lich showed a horrifying and twisted smile, the life force he stole was immediately transformed into a scarlet protective shield.
The Goblin Copper Block exclaimed, jumped into the shadows and disappeared without even saying hello.
…………
(End of this chapter)