Chapter 736

Chapter 736: All Mine

The bottom level had been cleared. The fallen crossbowmen and warlocks, along with the Gnoll that survived Jesse’s Dark Protection explosion, were quickly finished off by the soldiers behind.

Jesse pierced the skull of a Gnoll writhing in shadow torment with the Azuresong Mageblade, then looked up at the three levels left in the tower.

He and the soldiers rushed up the stairs after the Felhound when a high-pitched Gnoll scream came from above, followed by a burst of flames crashing down onto the wooden staircase and exploding. The Felhound dodged the fire magic easily and kept going, but the flames spread to the bottom, forcing the soldiers to avoid the center.

Jesse watched the staircase catch fire and suddenly realized—he would have to fix all this later!

He raised the Azuresong Mageblade and cast a water spell, smothering the flames with ice while the soldiers aimed their crossbows at the Gnoll crossbowmen and warlocks looking down from above. Some bolts hit the walls, others smashed through the windows…

Every clang and crash sounded like a blow to his heart…

Dazhalm leaped higher, roared, and pounced on a warlock trying to escape upward. It drained the warlock’s magic, grabbed the weak body, and flung it down to the ground.

The unlucky Gnoll warlock fell, smashing through part of the wooden stairs and landing in a twisted heap. Jesse stared at the hole it made, the broken window, and the splintered wood… His back teeth ground in frustration.

But he couldn’t say anything to slow the soldiers down—many Gnolls still lurked above, and they had to fight hard without holding back. The tower could be repaired, but lost lives were gone forever.

“The Gnolls outside are surrounding us, Commander!”

A soldier shouted from below, meaning the Darkpaw Clan had figured out this tower was the main target for the Stonewatch Keep soldiers. They needed to hurry.

Troteman seemed worried. He lifted his shield and shoved a Gnoll warrior chasing the Felhound down the stairs, where soldiers below stabbed it to death.

Jesse felt even more anxious; the longer the fight lasted, the worse the tower got.

By now, gaps had opened up on the stairs, and many windows were broken by fire magic and arrows. The already battered Tower of Ilgalar, which had seen many fights, clearly could take a lot more damage.

The soldiers pushed close to the top, and Jesse sensed the tower’s energy fading fast—the dark glow at the peak had vanished.

Had the fierce battle used up all the shadow magic from the defending Gnoll warlocks?

He followed the Felhound up another level, where Gnolls blocked its path, hacking at it. Jesse quickly chanted a Scorch Curse, blasting the Gnoll warriors away. One tumbled down, shattering wood as it fell.

A Gnoll rose from the Scorch Curse explosion, covered in flames, and charged at Jesse with a club. Jesse swung the Azuresong Mageblade, slicing through the Gnoll, its armor, and the club, sending it crashing down.

As he turned to fight another Gnoll, a wave of sharp fear gripped him… Out of nowhere, Jesse thought of Vereesa, imagining endless zombies and bones trapping the lone Elf Ranger… The image flashed in his mind, and he knew a warlock was using Fear on him.

And this Fear spell was strong.

In that moment, the charging Gnoll warrior’s club slammed into his face. Jesse felt dizzy, staggered back, and spat out bloody spit, but the Gnoll looked shocked.

It never expected its full-power swing to hit the human’s face and only make him step back.

Jesse didn’t let it swing again. He reached out, used Life Drain to turn the Gnoll into a shriveled husk, and kicked it aside. The gash on his face healed at a sickening speed.

A soldier behind gaped at the horror. Jesse caught his breath; the Life Drain had eased some of his anger.

Hordes of Gnolls attacked the tower door. Soldiers outside retreated inside, setting up a defense under Troteman’s command. Now the attackers were defenders.

Jesse knew it was time for him, as court advisor, to hold the line.

He looked up and found the source of the Fear spell—an old Gnoll in tattered black robes at the very top, staring at him. It held a decayed magic wand wrapped in shadow energy, muttering another spell.

Dazhalm was hurt and missing limbs but kept climbing the steps as Jesse ordered.

Here, he didn’t dare use Shadowstep to chase enemies—he couldn’t control the shadow-jump distance well. If he missed and fell, it was over.

So he chanted a Shadow Bolt at the old Gnoll high up, but a shadow appeared on the stairs, sucked in the flying Shadow Bolt, and swallowed it whole.

It was a Netherwalker… a Netherwalker in dark, ghostly armor!

Jesse understood why the tower had suddenly lost its energy. To block him, the old Gnoll Warlock had unleashed the tower’s power source, intending to make this demon confront him directly.

“Face the void’s harbinger, Hakugash, human!” the old Gnoll rasped. “This tower is mine!” The Netherwalker emitted a sharp shriek, utterly unlike any sound from a flesh-and-blood creature.

“I… must consume, I must prey… upon the mortal blessed by shadows… void… release… my…”

Its speech dissolved into a guttural chant neither Demonic nor Common. As it chanted, waves of shadowy power surged down the stairs and swallowed the Felhound. Even with its strong magic resistance, the Felhound collapsed under the shadowy onslaught and lay motionless.

Meanwhile, the old Gnoll chanted the Fear spell again to crush Jesse’s will. Jesse retaliated with a swift Fear spell of his own, startling the old Gnoll into sitting hard on the floor, nearly tumbling over.

Dazhalm finally succumbed to the warlock’s magic and the Netherwalker’s torment. Jesse felt his connection to his servant snap.

The Netherwalker swayed its flame-like eyes toward Jesse, extending shadow-thickened arms. Jesse swung his sword, severing the shadowy tendrils. The Azuresong Mageblade’s magic made the Netherwalker’s shadowy form waver.

*This tower would soon no longer be yours. Neither would this Netherwalker.*

Jesse thought silently, chanting the demon spell. Though the Netherwalker clawed wildly, trying to unleash more shadows to engulf him, its power was forced back by a stronger will. The gathered shadows lost cohesion, dissolving into the air.

As the enslavement spell completed, a shadow rune materialized and hovered between the Netherwalker’s eyes. Its swelling form abruptly shrank under the oppressive force.

High above, the old Gnoll Warlock seemed to sense his severed link to the demon. Frantically, he ordered the Netherwalker to attack. But the chaotic demon merely circled in place, muttering in Demonic: “Struggle… torment… confusion…”

Realizing he’d lost control, the old warlock turned and fled. Jesse dashed past the Netherwalker, racing up the stairs to the topmost hall—just as the Gnoll scrambled toward the window!

This warlock was remarkably strong to summon such a powerful Netherwalker. Enslaving it strained even Jesse, who wore the Chain of Will! Letting him escape into the Gnoll forests could spell disaster for Stonewatch Keep.

The Gnoll vanished through the window. Claws scraped frantically against stone outside. Though aged, the Gnoll remained far nimbler than any elderly human.

Jesse shut his eyes, seizing the warlock’s energy trail while drawing power from the enslaved Netherwalker behind him.

“Korial, Feralas, Pakumil!”

With a piercing howl, the Netherwalker transformed into a streaking dark spirit. Armor and binding rings clattered to the floor as the spirit shot through the window in pursuit. Jesse rushed to the ledge and looked down—the demonic specter had seized the Gnoll clinging to the wall!

Already frail, the old Gnoll withered further under the dark spirit’s assault. Weak cries faded as it shriveled into a dried-out husk, plummeting to the tower base. It landed curled and trembling… then fell still.

Seeing their master slain and a human head at the tower’s peak, the encircling Gnolls scattered like frightened birds.

Soldiers’ cheers rose below: “For the Alliance!” and “Seso!”

Jesse returned to the stairwell, scanning the lower levels. Relief washed over him—no Stonewatch Keep soldiers lay dead.

Yet seeing the gaps torn by spells and arrows, the cracked stone and shattered stairs… pained him more than any wound.

The only mercy was that Greed hadn’t come.

Had he charged in swinging his warhammer, repairs would have been more troublesome than reconstruction.