Chapter 600

Chapter 600: Loyal Servants of the Legion

“Saenor, can you sense the location of that source of magic? The magic tower!”

“Saenor!”

“Master… Master, why summon me now?!”

“Because I need you… This is an order!”

“An order!” Saenor stammered. “Speak, Master.”

“Find that magic tower!” Jesse commanded. “Then destroy it, cut off this demon’s power source… Damn it, how could *you* destroy that tower?”

“I’ll do it,” Mosa appeared suddenly beside Jesse. “Demon leads, I break the tower.”

“Don’t hesitate. I run fast—faster than anyone, Jesse Seso.”

Jesse knew hesitation wasn’t an option.

He drew the Azuresong Mageblade. “Take this sword. Watch for Arcane aberrations—this blade can harm them.”

“Aberrations?” Mosa asked.

“Arcane monsters,” Jesse said. “Like walking elements.”

Mosa nodded, understanding. She took the sword, strapped it to her waist, then crouched and transformed into a great cat. Saenor pointed to a distant passage: “That way! Go, quick!” Mosa shot forward like an arrow. With no healer left, they relied only on themselves now.

Jesse pulled Living Ice Crystals from his pack, tucking them into his chest pouch for emergencies. Gripping his magic wand, he stepped from cover. Ahead, Greed and Molofeel were locked in combat with the Shivarra. Vereesa sought openings to shoot, but the demon’s Arcane shield shattered only to reform again and again.

The Felhunter’s head had been snapped off by the demon; it thrashed in agony on the ground. Witnessing this after just moments fighting together twisted Jesse’s gut.

He realized he’d never be like Gakin, seeing demons as mere tools.

Mosa and Saenor faced unknown perils. The demon before them radiated boundless power. Greed, Vereesa, and Molofeel fought desperately, stirring dread and bitterness in Jesse’s chest.

Yet that bitterness—that hint of despair—was exactly what he needed.

Channeling the turbulent emotion, he summoned shadow energy and chanted the Curse of Weakness. The demon wrestling Greed suddenly faltered, her arms going slack. Greed seized the advantage, driving her down as her black hooves skidded.

The dwarf roared, swinging his warhammer. Lightning erupted from the blow, hurling nearby rubble backward as it crashed into the demon’s shield. Jesse felt the hall’s demonic aura and Arcane energies shudder violently from the impact.

But the demon’s ferocity remained unbroken. Greed’s dominance lasted mere seconds before she spewed blue fire, forcing him back. She lunged, seizing his shoulders.

As the dwarf strained under her grip, Molofeel sprang onto the demon’s back. While she grappled Greed, the succubus plunged her dagger into the Shivarra’s skull. The demon shrieked, releasing Greed—only to snatch Molofeel as she tried to leap away, hurling her to the ground.

*Even Greed’s avatar form barely restrains this magic-fueled monstrosity. How can Molofeel match her strength?!*

“Molofeel! Damn it!” Vereesa loosed a blazing Arcane shot. It hammered the demon’s shield, blasting her sideways and freeing the succubus.

Jesse saw Molofeel’s arm bent unnaturally from the impact. His heart sank. That sudden pang fueled a Curse of Agony flung at Ered’ruin. The demon coughed violently mid-stride toward Vereesa, stumbling forward. Wheeling, she fired a Shadow Bolt straight at Jesse.

Her incantation came too fast to counter. Jesse had no time for Dark Protection—only his Mage Armor and robes shielded him as he took the blow head-on…

The Mage Armor nearly disintegrated. The Shadow Bolt slammed him to the floor, dark energy seeping into flesh and mind alike…

His body refused to obey, but his will fought on. Jesse forced himself upright. At least this assault had eased pressure on Greed.

After the brutal clash, the dwarf’s avatar flickered unstably, his stone skin fading. The demon’s power was overwhelming—not just fel energy, Jesse now sensed, but endless reinforcement from some Arcane wellspring.

Greed had been battered aside. Molofeel lay crumpled behind a pillar, mending her wounds with fading magic. Jesse, still shaky from the Shadow Bolt, saw the demon blink behind Vereesa. Razor claws swept out—

Vereesa vaulted backward, evading the strike. Before landing, she nocked three glowing arrows midair and released them. They struck the demon’s shield consecutively, dissolving to ash but visibly weakening its glow.

Vereesa’s lips were bloodless, yet she fought on. Jesse’s mana neared depletion—no Mana Potions remained. Still, he hurled another Shadow Bolt at the buckling shield.

Greed had just caught his breath, hoping to rest—but seeing the shield falter under combined Arcane and shadow assaults, he hefted his hammer and charged anew!

The dwarf swung his hammer, and the demon sensed this blow might shatter her shield. She raised her arm to meet the warhammer in a direct clash. The demon’s arm instantly shattered, splattering green blood everywhere. Greed was thrown aside, watching his Earthen avatar rapidly fade…

“Don’t think I’m just a useless dwarf without my divine form!” Greed spat and rose, hefting his warhammer to charge.

Jesse suddenly realized: if the demon relied on arcane energy, draining her vitality would mean… He stepped forward, raised his wand, and chanted the Life Drain Spell.

As the demon prepared to raise her shield against the dwarf, she felt her body weaken. The magic sustaining her was fading fast!

Her magic shield failed from the sudden energy loss. In that moment of hesitation, Greed closed in. His hammer struck her face, knocking out several fangs. But the demon seized Greed’s neck with both arms, trying to rip his head off. Greed strained against her, teeth gritted, but was clearly losing…

Then the demon’s arms fully regenerated, shimmering with Arcane light! She’d been healing herself with magic…

“Greed!” Vereesa yelled, seeing him pinned. She drew her blade and charged at the newly healed arms, but the demon’s tail effortlessly caught her and flung her through the air!

After absorbing enough arcane energy, Jesse threw three Centaur Soulstones to the ground and chanted…

Shadowy corruption swirling through the hall gathered above. The demon glanced sideways at the coalescing dark meteor, momentarily stunned.

Jesse effortlessly cast The Hand of Gul’dan, directing the meteor toward the demon’s chest. Panicked, she released Greed, who recalled his hammer to smash her grip and break free.

The demon hastily conjured an Arcane shield across her skin. The meteor struck Lehaiden’s chest, shattering her protection.

Purple flames erupted from the shadowy explosion. Yet the dark figure slowly rose again.

Lehaiden steadied herself. Arcane energy mended her cracks and wounds as she laughed at the battered group: “You’re strong, but I’m unstoppable! So long as—”

The hall quaked without warning. Walls cracked; rubble fell. The demon stood bewildered as Jesse felt the abundant arcane energy fracture into drifting particles, vanishing at blinding speed…

Had they succeeded? Had Mosa and Saenor destroyed the magic tower?

“Damn you!” Lehaiden shrieked hoarsely. “My power… my magic!”

An arrow without enchantment pierced her lips and throat. Enraged, she ripped out the shafts, blocking Vereesa’s follow-up shots with her wings while chanting Shadow Bolt Volley beneath the cover.

Vereesa leaped from her pillar to dodge, movements growing clumsy.

Exhausted, Greed tried to rise but stumbled. Jesse cast Dark Protection, stepping forward to intercept the Shadow Bolts. His Mage Armor shattered; his collar tore from shadowy force. Yet he held his ground.

Lehaiden’s Shadow Bolts were now far weaker.

The demon pointed a trembling hand at Jesse, chanting the familiar Life Drain.

Amidst a nightmare swirl of green and purple light, Jesse felt his body crumbling. The demon cackled, advancing as she chanted.

“Such delicious power… No wonder that Sayaad—”

Before she finished, the Living Ice Crystals on Jesse’s chest blazed with golden light. An ethereal boom echoed. The demon staggered back; her spell broke.

“What?!”

As she reeled, Greed lunged sideways, his axe smashing her skull. When her massive form steadied, one horn had been cleaved off.

Greed, vision blurred, shook his head while searching for the demon. He tried to attack but she seized him by the throat, hoisting him aloft.

“I’ll tear you all to—”

Her scream cut short as she whirled around. Molofeel was draining her mana! “A mere succubus dares—”

Lehaiden’s voice faltered. She turned, pointing at the succubus and muttering. Jesse mustered his last strength, rising to chant Life Drain at the wobbling demon, pulling with all his might…

The Ered’ruin chant became a helpless wail. Dual magic tore her from within. Unable to resist, she clawed her chest and waist in agony, her powerful frame withering before their eyes.

Deprived of the tower’s energy and battered from battle, she collapsed to her knees. Her half-healed arms shattered anew; patches of her mane shed as she whimpered weakly.

She turned, speaking Demonic: “Do it. Send my soul to the Twisting Nether. Lord Archimonde will honor my sacrifice.”

“Your soul belongs to me,” Jesse declared.

“What?”

Horror twisted the demon’s face. Molofeel understood, beginning to siphon her soul. Lehaiden roared: “Eldre’Thalas’s fall means nothing! Lord Archimonde will come! You’ll all burn in his magic!”

A brilliant Soul Shard formed in the succubus’s grasp. The demon’s eyes dimmed as she crashed down, leaving an empty gray husk.

Greed clutched his stomach, stumbling to Jesse. He discarded his claw-marked armor, eyeing the husk. “So… we won?”

“Seems so.”

Jesse’s trembling hand took the Soulstone from Molofeel. He placed it in his pack beside Vyletongue’s faintly glowing stone.

“The Reliquary won’t get this for under two hundred gold,” Greed grumbled. “Two hundred gold,” Jesse echoed softly.

Vereesa crouched beside them. “Did she plan to use Eldre’Thalas’s power to summon… Archimonde?”

“Uncertain,” Jesse said. “It might’ve worked millennia ago. Now? The city lacks sufficient energy.”

“What monster is Archimonde?” Greed gasped. “Even this whole city’s power couldn’t summon him?”

Jesse swallowed. How to explain? The World Tree still stood. Dalaran hadn’t been obliterated by a flick of his wrist. Alliance and Horde armies hadn’t been crushed beneath his heel on Mount Hyjal…

“Tauren!” Saenor’s shout echoed as he raced over, trailing magical flames. “The Tauren’s dying! Hurry!” Jesse’s mind buzzed. Greed, moments before near collapse, sprang up. Vereesa sprinted after Saenor.

Mosa… Mosa…