This sturdy fortress, which was probably built in the age of Netheril or even earlier in the age of giants, was constructed from top to bottom using an unknown black rock. Even after thousands of years, it still shows no signs of erosion by wind and sand. It is an important stronghold of the Zhentarim.
It is located in the Sunset Mountains, roughly at the border of the Kingdom of Cormyr, the Great Desert of Anauroch, and the Western Heartlands.
It controls the important road traffic from Zhentil Keep to Cormanthor, then to the Dale, Cormyr, and across the green plains to Baldur's Gate on the west coast of Faerun.
If you look at the map, the Dark Castle is like a nail, firmly embedded in a very sensitive position, ensuring that the Zhentarim can expand their sphere of influence to further places.
Especially those relatively independent and easily conquered small and medium-sized towns and villages in the West Heartland region.
Since 1312 DR, a minimum of eight hundred troops have been stationed here to ensure that action can be taken when necessary.
Don't ever think that eight hundred people are a small number.
Just the opposite!
This is a decisive force capable of dominating the entire region.
Since the West Heartland region has not formed a unified country, and the most powerful Baldur's Gate does not have the ability to reach into the far inland, most towns may only have dozens or even two or three hundred militiamen.
When faced with the "huge" number of well-trained professional soldiers in Zhentil Keep, they often surrendered before the battle even started.
It was precisely because of the deterrent power of the Darkhold that the Zhentarim directly or indirectly controlled a number of towns and villages, and launched a protracted battle with the Harper Alliance in this area.
But now, the army stationed here has been completely killed or injured by the poison and plague, leaving only a very small number of corpses that have been transformed into undead, still guarding the towering gates and walls.
As the lord of the Dark Castle, Ximanmeng was sitting in his own seat, with his hands crossed and his chin supported, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
Sudden!
A portal suddenly opened out of nowhere, and a man with long golden hair and beard, wearing black armor and holding a scepter walked out from the other side.
moment!
Ximanmeng, who was sitting motionless in the previous second, stood up from the chair in the next second, and couldn't help but reveal a sense of nervousness.
After more than ten seconds, he couldn't help but say, "You are late, Qian Berry."
"Sorry, I had a little trouble to deal with, so I'm inevitably a little late." The man called Qian Berry answered casually.
Needless to say, he is the second-in-command of the Zhentarim, the elect of Bane, the god of tyranny and the supreme leader of the church, the tyrant of the Moon Sea, and the one who scares countless people, Fuzor Chamberlain.
"Damn it! Do you know how big a risk I took? If the instructor knew that we were in contact privately, he would definitely kill me first without hesitation." Ximanmeng cursed in a low voice with gritted teeth.
I'm afraid Mansong would never have thought that these two seemingly conflicting enemies would actually communicate in private.
But Fuzor Chamberlain didn't care and sat down to pour himself a glass of wine, then asked without looking up: "How is Mansong's reaction when he learned that I was planning to seize control of the Zhentarim?"
"He is furious. To be exact, this failure dealt a severe blow to his self-confidence and even caused him to doubt himself. This is the most vulnerable moment." Ximanmeng made his judgment without hesitation.
"Oh? Is that young man named Soth really so powerful?" Fu Zol Chamberlain suddenly became interested.
As the chosen one of Bane, the god of tyranny, he has been collecting intelligence and information about the chosen ones of other gods across the entire continent of Faerun.
Among them, Zuo Si, as the only chosen one of the goddess of poison and disease Talona, is naturally the top priority.
What's more, it was later reported that he had also become the chosen one of the Magic Goddess.
"It's more than amazing! If you were there at the time, you would also be shocked by the power displayed by Soth.
Remember the Silver Fire Burst mode that Elminster used? In his hands, he could even go a step further, piercing through the magical protection on the mentor with just one strike and killing him.
Furthermore, this guy is immune to time stopping, and holds a powerful artifact of unknown power and ability.
Most importantly, he is an army all by himself.
Please note that this is not an exaggeration, but a very appropriate description.
I don't know what method he used, but he could summon and control several giant dragons and powerful monster armies such as beholders in a short period of time.
Even though the teacher teamed up with the chief of those red-robed wizards, he was ultimately unable to gain an advantage and was instead at a disadvantage from the very beginning.
As Soth said, we didn't surround him, he surrounded us."
While saying this, Ximanmeng's hands were shaking slightly uncontrollably.
In order to calm himself down, he quickly took a cup of dark red liquid with a pungent fishy smell from the container next to him, then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.
The moment the mouth opened, the sharp canine teeth hidden in the mouth were finally exposed.
There is no doubt that at this moment, Ximanmeng is no longer a human being, but a vampire who has just completed the transformation.
Because just a few days ago, he was accidentally infected with both poison and plague at the same time, and he was almost killed like those soldiers.
Although he managed to survive with the help of magic potions, he suffered psychological trauma from it. He was afraid that this kind of revenge would be continuous, so he secretly transformed himself into a vampire to become completely immune to diseases and toxins.
Fuzor Qianbury undoubtedly sensed the fear and dread in Ximanmeng's eyes, and continued to ask: "Then what are his arcane spellcasting levels and divine spellcasting levels?"
"Don't ask me how I know. Many of the spells he used were ones I had never seen before, and they looked very likely to be legendary magic. As for the Nine Rings Splitting spell, he threw five or six at once during the battle, and four of them were super magic skills without any chanting or casting movements - instant spells. Do you know what this means?"
Xi Manmeng told him everything he had seen at that time.
Instant spells require memorization of a spell slot four levels higher than the current magic level.
If it is a ninth-level spell, then a spell slot memory of at least thirteen levels is required.
All spell slots starting from the tenth ring require the legendary feat [Improve Spell Slots], and you have to make the same choice at least four times to get a thirteenth-ring spell slot.
Four instant Great Disintegrations mean that you have to go one step further on this basis and get three more, consuming a total of seven legendary feats.
If one feat is gained for every three levels, that is about twenty-one levels of legendary arcane spellcasting. Adding the previous twenty-one levels of ordinary arcane spellcasting, the total is as high as forty-two.
When Xi Manmeng saw his teacher being killed, he immediately ran away. Most of him collapsed in fear due to this inference.
You have to know that even the great archmages of the Netherese civilization can rarely reach this level of spellcasting.
Manshoon also realized this after his resurrection, so the more he thought about it, the more scared he became, and he even began to doubt himself.
Fuzor Chamberlain's face became a little solemn, and he questioned in a shocked tone: "How is this possible! He still looks so young, even like a child. Even if he came from another material plane and even destroyed a world with the power of plague, he could never reach such a height."
"Then I don't know. Maybe Soth has mastered some unknown technique that can instantly cast high-level magic, or maybe he has received additional gifts from the Goddess of Poison and Disease or the Goddess of Magic. But one thing is certain, that is, as an enemy, he is definitely the most terrifying one, and he will definitely not be as merciful as the other voters of the Goddess of Magic."
After saying that, Ximanmeng stuck out his tongue and licked the dark red blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, his eyes flashing with deep fear.
"I have no doubt about this. Because not long ago, he massacred the entire Luskan. Not only did he uproot the pirates, the Thieves Guild and illegal merchants, he also forced the entire population of Mingtan Island to move to Luskan. This kind of behavior does not seem like something the good camp would do." Fu Zol Chamberlain analyzed, touching his chin.
Ximanmeng nodded in agreement: "Only pursuing results without caring about the process and means, this is the most distinctive feature of Soth.
In addition, he also used a large number of low-level undead creatures as laborers, completely ignoring the protests of the churches of good and neutral gods.
It is said that a priest of the Morninglord Lathander merely demanded that the practice stop, and the entire church was banished from the Nelanther Isles.
That's why I advised teachers before that they should try not to provoke South and instead maintain a good cooperative relationship with him.
Unfortunately, the teacher was seduced by the power of the Silver Fire and eventually made an unforgivable and fatal mistake, which resulted in a devastating blow to the Zhentarim's intelligence network in the North.
This is also the premise why I choose to cooperate with you."
"Humph! Manshun would never have thought that his most trusted apprentice would betray him at such a critical moment. So tell me, how do you think we should get through this difficult time?"
There was a light of ambition flashing in Fuzzol Chamberlain's eyes.
After all, as early as the beginning of the Zhentarim, when he was still an insignificant low-level priest of the Church of Bane, he was extremely eager to overthrow Manshoon, who had been suppressing him.
But unfortunately, Mansong was too cautious and never found any opportunity after so many years.
But now, the opportunity has finally come.
With the failure of Operation Luskan, the entire inner circle of the Zhentarim began to feel dissatisfied with Manshoon and believed that he was no longer qualified to continue leading this huge dark intelligence network.
Similarly, many voices of opposition emerged in Zhentil Keep.
Although most of these voices were quickly suppressed, the surging undercurrent did not stop. Instead, it was secretly connected in a more covert way.
Ximanmeng lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then quickly said, "The solution to the current dilemma is simple. First, we must reach a settlement with Thors, at least to ensure that Zhentil Castle will not be poisoned again for no reason. Otherwise, this state of panic will not last long and will completely collapse. Of course, with Thors's character, he will definitely ask for a lot, and we must be prepared to pay a heavy price."
"Do you think he will accept our settlement proposal after what happened?" Fu Zuoer Chamberlain raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Why not?" Ximanmeng asked meaningfully. "He is a thorough realist. Although he has an unusually strong desire for revenge, he is also very calm and rational. Especially when dealing with the expansion of the Xirik Church, our positions are the same. In addition, the teacher and his treasures can also be used as bargaining chips on the negotiation table."
"You mean... if necessary, we can even sell Mansong as a bargaining chip?"
Fu Zuoer Chamberlain instantly understood the other party's thoughts, and a very surprised expression appeared on his face.
At this moment, he finally realized why Mansong was willing to entrust the Dark Intelligence Network to Ximamon to maintain its daily operations.
Although this sinister and cunning man always appears to be very close to Mansong, he is actually a calculating and extremely cold-blooded guy at heart.
In Ximanmeng's eyes, everyone around him is a tool that can be manipulated, used and betrayed, even his own teacher is no exception.
It's just that what Manson could give in the past was much more than what Fuzzol Chamberlain could give, so he was loyal to the former and worked for him.
“Everyone in this world has a price.
I have it, you have it, and my teacher has it too.
It’s just that some people’s prices are higher and some people’s prices are lower.
Since the teacher has become an obstacle to the continued development of the entire organization, why not trade him away before his price drops to gain a strong ally? After all, we all know that the Xirik Church will definitely make a comeback. "
When saying this, Ximanmeng's tone was so calm and composed, without any trace of guilt or compulsion.
Since abandoning the personal cult of Manshon, he has obviously become more terrifying, and has the potential to become a powerful man.
Fuzzol Chamberlain pursed his lips and smiled in agreement: "You are right. But Mansoon is not easy to deal with. We must be careful."
"Don't worry, I have a detailed plan. By then, we can work together inside and outside to solve the problem once and for all. The most important thing is how to convince Soth of our sincerity and ensure that we will not be killed by him directly after we show up."
When Xi Manmeng thought about facing Zuo Si again, he was obviously a little unsure.
Because the gap in strength between the two sides is so huge, it is so huge that the opponent may not even have a chance to open his mouth before being killed instantly by high-level spells such as [Time Stop] and [Big Disintegration].
"Don't be afraid. I will be with you this time." Fu Zol Chamberlain promised without hesitation.
"You?" Ximanmeng was stunned for a moment.
In his impression, the chosen ones of Bane, the god of tyranny, have always been as cautious as Manshoon, and almost never expose themselves to powerful enemies.
Fuzor Chamberlain explained with a half-smile, "Because I suddenly realized that this young man named Soth seems to have the potential to become a tyrant. If we can win him over from the Goddess of Magic, then the entire Northland and the west coast of Faerun will become our allies. Maybe we can also take this opportunity to forcibly promote the faith of Bane and revive the god we serve."
There is no doubt that finding tyrants, cultivating tyrants, and becoming the tyrant's most trusted right-hand man have always been the highest principles followed by the Church of Bane.
Every pastor and believer will do their best to find those around them who have the potential to become tyrants and train them.
Back then, Sammaster, the Chosen One of the Goddess of Magic, was discovered by a priest of Bane to have the potential to become a tyrant, so she followed him around and bewitched him until he went completely crazy and founded the Cult of the Dragon.
Although the priest criticized Fuzor Chamberlain for his superficial conversion to the Son of Bane, both of them were equally unwavering in their belief in the God of Tyranny.
"What? Are you crazy!" Ximanmeng was stunned.
"No, I'm not crazy. I'm more sober than ever before. Believe me, if this plan succeeds, we will cultivate an unprecedentedly powerful tyrant, powerful enough to make the whole world tremble. Just imagine how powerful and invincible Bane will become after his resurrection? By then, we will all receive unimaginable rewards for this."
Fuzzol Chamberlain described the bright future with an excited voice.
Perhaps in front of other Bane's believers, this method can make them willing to pay the price of their lives for it.
But instead of being moved, Ximanmeng became extremely alert.
Because every time Fuzzel Chamberlain started to make big promises, it meant that he was secretly planning another ulterior motive.
In the end, the two reluctantly reached a cooperation agreement.
Mansong, who was busy consolidating his position, had no idea that the previous turmoil within the top leadership of the Zhentarim was just a smokescreen deliberately thrown to attract his attention, and the real fatal thing was still to come.
…
At the same time, as the situation in Luskan was back on track, Zuo Si finally left the city and returned to Askatra, the capital of Amn.
Since he had a thorough grasp of the waters that most of the trade routes on the west coast had to pass through, the six-member council immediately held a two- to three-hour long negotiation with him and finalized a series of cooperation in military, political, trade, transportation and commerce.
As a typical commercial empire, Amn's top leaders have always attached great importance to ensuring the smooth flow of their trade routes.
Otherwise, they would not spend a lot of money to maintain a large but rarely used navy.
However, when they saw that the last large-scale pirate group had been completely wiped out and there was no longer any significant threat on the entire ocean, they came up with the idea of selling the fleet to save costs.
Anyway, as long as they pay a protection fee of 10% of the value of the goods, merchant ships can travel freely between important ports and trade hubs such as Luskan, Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate, Waterdeep, Mulan, Zazespore, Mylatma, Mannon, and Calimport. There is no need to maintain a navy.
Wouldn't it be nice to sell them all and exchange them for merchant ships to make money?
If there is a military need, we can just spend money to hire the fleet of the Nelanther Islands.
The short-sightedness of capital and businessmen is perfectly reflected in these guys.
And as a gift for this deal, Amn will also package two shipyards used to build large warships and their craftsmen as gifts.
Zuo Si certainly would not refuse such a good thing that came to his doorstep.
After all, after the annexation of Luskan, his sphere of influence expanded to the Far North, and the area of sea that needed to be maintained safe increased by almost one-fold, which was when more warships were needed.
So after paying some sugar, both parties reached a happy deal.
The six-member council thought they had gotten a great deal, not only getting rid of a heavy burden, but also getting in return the most profitable luxury item at the time - sugar.
Zuo Si used sugar, which had no cost, to exchange for the warships that his forces most urgently needed.
You have to know that Amn's warships are standard sailing ships, which are very similar to caravels suitable for ocean voyages in structure and appearance. Otherwise, they would not be qualified to develop the Maztec continent far away on the other side of the ocean.
In this way, the Council of Six of Am completely handed over the power to decide its own trade and merchant ship safety to Zuo Si.
The astonishing profits brought by the specialties of the Maztec continent drove them completely crazy, and they urgently needed to build more merchant ships to ensure that they could seize as much market as possible before other countries and forces discovered the route to the New World.
As for the warships that are not only unable to generate profits but also require continuous spending of money, they should be rolled away as far away as possible.
So after comprehensive consideration, the six-member council made an extremely bold decision.
In their view, Zuo Si has long been deeply tied to Am's interests and is 100% "one of ours", so the risks are completely within controllable range.
When Vanessa, a lich, walked out of the municipal building with the agreement, she couldn't help but sighed: "I can't believe that the six-member council is so short-sighted that they would give a push at such a critical moment.
My Lord, now all the sea trade routes in the west of the entire Faerun continent are in our hands.
It not only means huge wealth, but also means control over channels and expansion of political influence.
In fact, we are now an important cornerstone for the stability of cities and countries on the West Coast.
If you encounter any trouble, they will definitely do their best to provide help.
Because by helping us, we are helping themselves.
You know, I originally thought that it would take at least ten to twenty years to achieve the strategy we had formulated.
But who would have thought that it would be accomplished in less than two years.”
Zuo Si responded nonchalantly: “That’s why I keep reminding you, never let too many businessmen interfere in politics.
Because as long as they can get more profits, this group has no bottom line.
Once the profits they gain cannot satisfy the appetites of these nobles and wealthy businessmen, they will start fighting among themselves.
Therefore, it can be predicted that Amn will inevitably decline in the near future, and even fall into endless civil strife.
By the way, I asked you to send people to take over the concessions and strongholds left behind by the red robe mages. How is it going now?"
“I have given full authority to Habaser Delin to handle it.
You know, he has always been resentful about the Red Robe Wizard setting up a concession in Baldur's Gate and stealing business, so he volunteered to take on this task.
If nothing unexpected happens, the magic scrolls, potions and other items produced by the organization have now replaced the Red Robe Wizards and become the main magic supplier in various places.
At the same time, you can also use these channels to acquire a lot of interesting things and materials.
I think Habaser Delin is very suitable for this job, so let him run it."
When this matter was mentioned, Vanessa immediately showed a playful expression.
To some extent, the reason why Habaser Delin made up his mind to join the organization was really thanks to the Red Robe Mage and the Silver Shield Duke who brought the Red Robe Mage in.
"Put the right people in the right jobs. It seems you have mastered the essence of management. Let's go. It's time to see what's brewing in Badi's belly."
After saying that, Zuo Si took the lead and walked towards the cemetery area.
As it was completely dark at this moment, the entire Athkatla cemetery was silent.
Apart from a few people on night patrol, there were basically no living people to be seen.
As with most burial sites in Faerun, these night watches and patrols are mainly to prevent people from stealing the burial objects in the tombs, or simply stealing the corpses and transforming them into undead creatures.
According to historical records, several terrorist attacks launched by necromancers generally started near cemeteries.
Because only here are there enough corpses for resurrection.
Therefore, the most important duty of the night watchmen and patrol personnel is to provide early warning, to ensure that no matter what happens, the defenders and major temples in the city will be aware of it at the first possible moment.
But the situation in the Athkatla cemetery is more complicated.
As early as the Shane Dynasty, this was where the nobles buried themselves and their loved ones. There were many floors built from top to bottom, and there were also mechanisms and magic traps to prevent tomb robbery.
It is said that the deepest levels have long been occupied by resurrected undead spirits.
In addition, there was a tradition of burying slaves with the dead at that time, so skeletons, zombies, mummies, ghouls, demons and other undead spirits were often encountered.
Regarding this point, the guys in the Shadow Thieves Guild who specialize in tomb robbing should have the most say.
Every month, a few unlucky thieves are accidentally surrounded by the undead and never come back alive.
Of course, Zuo Si didn't care about the life or death of these thieves.
He didn't even pay attention to the men in black who were trying to pry open the door of a tomb not far away, but stood there quietly waiting.
After a while, a woman with short black hair and pale skin walked out from the shadows.
She placed one hand on her chest and bowed deeply, then took the initiative to say, "Please follow me. The hostess has been waiting for a long time."
"A vampire spawn?" Vanessa looked at the other person with interest.
As a great wizard specializing in necromancy, his favorite thing is to study, create and transform various undead creatures. Naturally, he cannot help but be curious about vampires, high-level undead creatures with independent consciousness.
"My name is Weilan, and I'm the master's servant." The female vampire derivative carefully and proactively gave her name.
Because she had been warned when she came here, she knew that neither the man nor the lich in front of her could afford to offend.
"Interesting. Can you tell me what changes have taken place in your thinking, consciousness, and living habits before and after you were transformed into a derivative?" Vanessa continued to ask.
Weilan obviously hesitated for a moment, and then answered in a tone that even he himself could not be sure of: "I... I don't know. But serving the mistress and obeying every order she gave did make me feel extremely satisfied.
It feels like a moth longing for light that will die in the sea of fire without hesitation.
I once longed for freedom, but later found that it was nothing but a heavy burden.
Because thinking makes me confused, but when I obey orders, I don't have to have any doubts or concerns.
I crave the fight, the kill, the blood, but when it's over I feel so empty."
After hearing this, Vanessa nodded with satisfaction: "Very good answer. Thank you, now I have a deeper understanding of vampires. Now lead the way, don't let your mistress wait anxiously."
"As you wish."
Without saying a word, Weilan led the way and walked into a very hidden tomb gate.
Passing through stairs and tunnels covered with cobwebs and a thick layer of dust, the three of them soon arrived at a hall that was hundreds of meters underground and looked very ancient.
Judging from the reliefs and patterns on the stone pillars and walls, this is most likely the tomb of a governor from the Shayne dynasty.
But now it has been completely transformed by the vampires into their paradise.
As soon as he entered the door, the first thing Zuo Si smelled was the pungent smell of blood.
If you walk a little further, you will see groups of vampires sitting next to a huge blood fountain, bathing in blood, drinking plasma and doing some unspeakable debauchery.
Since becoming undead creatures, these guys seem to have completely freed themselves from the last shackles, revealing their inner desires and dark sides without any blind spots.
However, when they saw Zuo Si, especially the Daytime Star hanging around Zuo Si's waist, they immediately showed panic-stricken expressions, and some were so frightened that they fell directly into the pool of blood.
"I really want to do a Sunburst here."
Zuo Si gently placed his hand on the hilt of the Day Star, and his whole body exuded an aura that made the vampires feel uneasy and fearful.
"Forget it. This place is too small and there is no space to dodge. I don't want to be killed by you." Vanessa advised in a half-joking tone.
You must know that the Day Star does not distinguish between friend and foe. Any undead creature within the attack range will be instantly burned by the sunlight and strong positive energy.
"That's true. It's more important to do the right thing."
Zuo Si loosened his grip on the hilt of the Day Star Sword, walked straight through the room and disappeared at the end of the stairs leading to the secret room belonging to the vampire queen Badi on the lower level.
As soon as he left, the vampires present breathed a sigh of relief.
One of the men who had just been transformed couldn't help but ask, "Who was that young man just now? Why did I feel my whole body stiffen and I couldn't move at all when he looked at me?"
"His name is Soth, the chosen one of both the goddess of poison and disease and the goddess of magic. Not long ago, he defeated and sealed a lesser demon lord, and then defeated Manshoon of the Zhentarim and several chief red wizards in Luskan. That sword in particular once killed more than forty descendants of the queen in a single battle. If he had attacked us just now, we would have had no chance of surviving. So don't provoke him, it would be no different from seeking death."
Another older female vampire gave the answer with lingering fear.
"Damn! That sounds terrible. I don't understand why Her Majesty the Queen would cooperate with such a dangerous person."
A vampire who looked to be in his twenties couldn't help but complain in a low voice.
But he was soon warned by other vampires.
Because Badi is the supreme queen here, no one can disobey or question her decision.
On the other side, when Zuo Si and Vanessa came to the underground secret room, they immediately saw Badi lying on the bed, unable to move.
The reason why she couldn't move was that her lower abdomen had bulged into an extremely huge ball of flesh, with a diameter of more than two meters.
Not to mention moving, even turning over became impossible.
And if the vampire's body was not completely supported by negative energy, its physical strength would be countless levels higher than that of humans, otherwise it would have exploded long ago.
"Thank God! You are finally here!" Badi turned his head with a look of relief in his eyes.
Obviously, this huge lump of flesh growing on her body brought her unimaginable pain and inconvenience.
If there wasn't any better solution, she would even want to just cut it off.
"How did it become like this?" Zuo Si asked with a slightly curious tone.
He remembered it clearly. The last time they met, her belly was only slightly bulging.
Badi sighed helplessly: "I don't know. This situation started suddenly after I had a terrible nightmare three days ago. It almost sucked away all my strength, and it is still constantly drawing energy from the surrounding shadow magic net to strengthen itself."
"Shadow Magic Web?"
Hearing this word, Zuo Si's heart suddenly started to alarm.
As we all know, there was originally only one magic network in the continent of Faerun. It was the first generation magic goddess born in the battle between the twin goddesses of light and darkness, Shar and Sulen.
In other words, the Goddess of Magic and the Magic Net were formed by tearing off a part of the power of the two goddesses of creation.
As the representative of light and kindness, the moon goddess Suren was obviously very happy about the birth of her daughter and quickly established a good alliance with her.
The first generation magic goddess also tends to help this kind mother to fight against another evil mother who always wants to kill herself and let everything return to darkness and chaos.
In order to take back the power that originally belonged to her, Shar secretly built a very secret shadow magic network behind the back of the gods, which was completely under her control.
It is an incomplete replica of the authentic magic network. Since the main body is filled with negative energy, it greatly enhances the power of enchantment, necromancy and illusion magic, but reduces the power of transmutation, transformation and some positive energy spells.
Moreover, in some dead magic areas and chaotic magic areas where the genuine magic net cannot be used, the shadow magic net can operate normally.
By allowing more spellcasters to use the Shadow Magic Web, the Goddess of Night hopes to weaken the number and influence of the Magic Goddess's followers, and eventually reduce her to a medium or even weak level of divine power like her mortal enemy Sulun.
In this way, she can easily force the opponent to surrender, or even kill him once and for all, and serve as the goddess of magic herself.
When a mage begins to come into contact with the Shadow Weave, he will gradually drift away from the real Weave.
However, the Shadow Weave has a fatal flaw: it is not neutral, but is 100% controlled by Shar.
If you access the network without the guidance of the goddess, it will not only cause permanent damage to your brain, but you may also be "disconnected" at any critical moment.
Therefore, all conspiracies related to the Shadow Web always have Shar's shadow behind them.
"Yes, it's the Shadow Weave. I can feel that this thing is becoming more and more powerful. When it breaks out of its cocoon, I might die. So if you still want to make progress on Erinikas' research, you'd better act quickly. Otherwise, if I die, you will get nothing."
While saying this, Badi's face was full of tension and anxiety.
She didn't want to die, especially not as a victim of some vast conspiracy.
"Vanessa, what do you think?"
Zuo Si ignored the vampire queen's mild threat and turned to look at his men.
After thinking for a moment, the latter immediately responded: "I think we should first confirm what this thing is, and then decide how to deal with it. If it really involves that goddess, I think it is better to be cautious."
“That makes sense.”
With an irrepressible curiosity, Zuo Si stepped closer and observed through multiple magical visions such as [True Seeing], [Eye of Knowledge], and [Eye of Mysticism], and quickly discovered that in the center of the meat ball, there was a life form about 30 centimeters long.
All around it was negative energy drawn from the Shadow Magic Web, which was almost so dense that it existed in the form of liquid.
"Have you ever tried to cut open your own stomach?" Zuo Si asked bluntly.
Badi nodded vigorously. "Of course! I have tried to take it out a long time ago. But the problem is that even magic weapons and adamantium weapons will be corrupted in a very short time when they are close to it, and eventually turn into a pile of residue of unknown origin."
As he spoke, Badi winked at Weilan.
The latter immediately understood what he meant and took out a tray from the cabinet next to him and handed it to the other two.
Vanessa picked up one of the pieces and cast a detection spell, and immediately exclaimed, "How is this possible! These metals have been decomposed and corroded by negative energy and turned into another substance that has never been seen before."
"It's a trace of divine power!"
Zuo Si gave the answer with a serious expression.
As a planeswalker and a chosen one of the gods, his perception of divine power can be said to far exceed that of everyone else.
Although the divine power on these residues was very rare, it escaped his keen perception.
"Divine power?" Badi opened his mouth in shock.
Zuo Si nodded vigorously. "Yes, it is divine power, and it is the kind of corrupted divine power. It seems that Amaunator's disappearance is not that simple. Your blasphemous behavior may just be an inducement. Tell me, have you dreamed of that black sun again recently?"
"Yes. I often dream about that black sun, and it becomes more and more real. I can even feel its amazing heat. Look, this is the burn I got the last time I touched that thing in a hallucination."
Realizing how bad his situation was, Badi didn't bother to hide it and quickly revealed the black burned part of his arm.
You have to know that she is the vampire queen, and she has powerful recovery abilities that even the trolls can't match.
If a wound could remain on her body for so long without disappearing, it was enough to explain something.
(End of this chapter)
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