The dark fog enshrouded the castle that seemed to have been built in the ancient Magic Empire. Intimidating roars of beasts were echoing from inside, as well as miserable cries.
If it were anywhere else, such a situation would've made all kinds of horror stories. Children would've been too scared to cry at night, clerics of the Church or the Department of Battle Sorcerers of the Congress of Magic would've cleaned it up, and adventurers would've been attracted to explore it. However, in the Dark Mountain Range, such situations were everywhere. Chances were that there were ancient castles that were even more terrifying than this one.
In a glamorously decorated room, a thick carpet from the desert in the south of the Gusta Empire was spread out. Pieces of historical art were placed in the room, and the floor-to-ceiling windows outside of the mountain range were installed. Everything was brimming with the air of nobility. However, what was rather out of place was that a man and a woman were lying on the carpet. They were wearing chainmail that was convenient for movement, and they were holding longswords that were flowing with blue 'waves' and crimson 'flames'.
In front of them stood a man in his thirties who was wearing a classic robe. His body and face were both extremely thin, but his head was twice as big as that of ordinary people.
There was a faint smile on his lips, which looked extremely sinister against the dark fog outside. His eyes were faintly burning as he greedily looked back and forth at the man and woman, as if he was unable to restrain his inner desire.
"No matter if it's the soul or the body, they're all so delicious. The harvest this time really surprised me …" The man squatted down and stretched out his skinny right hand, stroking the woman's beautiful face and the man's hard face as if he was admiring two works of art that made him unable to hold back his excitement.
Such a touch immediately made the two sleeping people react. Their eyeballs rolled below their eyelids, as if they would wake up at any moment. However, the big-headed man was not alarmed at all. He was still touching every inch of their skin and exclaiming.
Half asleep and half awake, Sharon felt that something cold and slippery was slithering on her face and body like a long wriggling snake. She, who hated such creatures very much, was immediately woken up. She opened her eyes abruptly.
In her eyes, she saw the golden ceiling where a crystal chandelier was installed and a familiar face that was so close to her.
"Brother Finn, you … My power!" Sharon subconsciously called out the man's name, but halfway through, she suddenly discovered that she could not summon her blood power. The blood power that she had raised to the level of a Great Knight was gone!
"Finn, what are you doing?" The man next to her woke up a few seconds earlier than Sharon and noticed Finn's anomaly.
Finn laughed. "Constante, what do you think I'm trying to do?"
"Finn, you." "Why?" Sharon was also an experienced Grand Knight. She quickly suppressed her panic and realized that the reason why she couldn't use her bloodline power was that her hands and feet were shackled with shackles.
However, there was still intense shock in her question. She and Constante had known Finn since they were little. They went on adventures and grew up together. They were not strangers to the Dark Mountain Range and often came to the edge to search for rare materials. This time, Finn claimed that he had found a relic on a solo adventure that should contain a lot of good stuff. So, they came together.
Little did they know that the castle was not as simple as Finn claimed. The three of them were attacked by a lot of powerful dark creatures. After a bloody battle, they encountered a weird mist and passed out. After they woke up, they found that Finn had become a stranger to them.
"Finn has been my slave since a long time ago." "Finn" laughed crazily. Suddenly, his eyes bulged as if they would explode at any moment. Then, tentacles that looked like an octopus grew out of his nostrils, mouth, and ears one after another. His skin also turned crimson.
"Mind Stealer!" Constante shouted in desperation. Such monsters were good at mind control and many related spells. If he fell into his hands, he would definitely suffer a fate worse than death. Chances were that he would be the enemy's slave wholeheartedly while keeping most of his memories and personality.
"Finn" shook his head, "I'm not a Mind Flayer. I'm just a radiant knight who has the bloodline of the Mind Flayer. I was seriously wounded and couldn't recover. However, the news about the relics that I deliberately spread out attracted so many adventurers. Their brains became the source of my recovery, including Finn. Hehe. Greed is indeed the beginning of misfortune. Groups of adventurers came to my castle one after another for the invisible treasures."
"After I suck your brains and transform you into my slaves, my wounds will basically be healed."
Together with such words, Finn looked indescribably hideous under the contrast of the dark mist. Sharon couldn't help but shiver despite her determination as a Great Knight. It was even more dreadful than death.
The raging tentacles next to "Finn"'s head spread toward Sharon and Constante, aiming at their heads.
Unable to use the power of their blood power, Sharon and Constante could only back off with their hands. As they backed off, their backs hit the cold wall.
"It's useless. I didn't make you obedient with mind control because I wanted to appreciate your fear." "Finn" laughed gloatingly.
A dark Knight was actually no different from a common Knight, except that their bloodline was often related to demons, devils, or Mind Stealers, which would affect their personality and mental state. If their willpower was not strong enough, it was possible that they would not be able to control their bloodline and turn into real "demons".
Sensing that the cold, slippery tentacles had touched her face, Sharon could not stop herself from shouting in desperation and fear however determined she was.
"No!"
"It's useless. This is my castle deep inside the Dark Mountain Range. There are no lives around except for my slaves. Nobody can hear you no matter how loudly you shout. Hahahaha." "Finn" apparently enjoyed Sharon's fear very much. So, he stopped the tentacles and added more desperation to them.
Dum, dum, dum.
The rhythmic knocks on the door suddenly echoed. The three of them in the room were frozen as if someone had pressed the pause button.
Who was it? Why would anybody knock on the door at this moment in this place? Of the three of them, Finn was the most panicked. Nobody knew the situation around better than he did. It was unlikely that an intelligent creature would pass by in a year or two. Also, this was his castle, and the "dark mist" that he had asked the Mind Stealers to set up!
For a moment, he felt that he was back to his childhood when he pestered his parents to tell him horrible stories. He was too scared to sleep at night. Occasionally, when he heard noises, his hair would stand on end, and his body would tremble. A chill would rise from his heart. Dum, dum.
Dum, dum, dum.
The knocks on the door were neither loud nor soft. They seemed to be very polite.
"Who is it?" Finn retracted his tentacles and asked warily. As a heavenly Knight, he had basic qualities and did not act rashly.
Sharon and Constantine were both surprised, panicked, and expectant. They were not relieved even though they had escaped their miserable fate. Whoever came to "Finn's" castle at this moment couldn't be here to save them. It was very likely that the enemy of "Finn" was here, and the experts of the Dark Mountain Range wouldn't treat them any better than "Finn" would.
"It's me." A gentle male voice came from outside. "Since someone is here, I'm coming in."
Who knew who "I" was? Not knowing how strong the stranger was, "Finn" cursed in his heart and stayed where he was without opening the door. This was the core of the castle that was surrounded by multiple defense circles. It wouldn't be easy to break in!
At this moment, he saw that the doorknob was turned, and the door was slowly opened.
No! "Finn's" eyes bulged even more. Where are my extraordinary circles? Where are my layers of defense? This room is the core of the castle that I control. It's the most heavily guarded place, but why does it look like a regular hotel room right now? Why are all the defenses gone?
"Finn" stood where he was like a stone statue, watching the door open completely and a handsome man in a double-breasted black suit walk in slowly.
"I … I surrender. Don't kill me!" "Finn" could easily guess the gap between him and the stranger. So, he begged without any hesitation, not caring about his dignity at all.
Then, he added, "I'm very close to the Mind Stealers nearby. I've visited the 'Elder Mind' before. Whatever you need my help, I can do it for you."
He was trying to intimidate the stranger with his backer.
Lucien was amused. "I'm only here to ask for directions. There's no need to be so serious."
If he couldn't find anything else, he would have to go to the King of Nightmare.
"Ask for directions …" "Finn" felt that he was about to vomit blood.
Suddenly, clinking noises echoed. Sharon's and Constantine's bracelets and fetters fell off one after another, but there were no unusual waves in the room at all.
It was even more unbelievable than the elimination of bloodlines … "Finn" had seen a lot of bloodlines, but he had never seen such a situation. He did not know what kind of power it was.
When Sharon and Constantine were about to express their gratitude in excitement, Lucien said with a smile, "Here's the thing. I want to know why the Observer's Castle nearby has been moved away."
… …
Ten minutes later, Lucien left the castle in satisfaction.
According to "Finn"'s description, the Observer's Castle was still where it was yesterday, but the headquarters of the Dark Congress sent a message to summon all the legendary members.
It seemed to be the move of Danisos, the primordial dragon of time, and Dracula, Prince of Vampires. They were trying to really unite the Dark Congress. After all, the Congress of Magic, the Church, the Elven Court, and the Boundless Ocean were getting more and more powerful. The Dark Congress couldn't be so dispersed anymore.
That was what "Finn" learned from the Elder Mind. He couldn't help but feel uneasy about the sudden disappearance of the Observer's Castle.
Since "Finn"'s intelligence was satisfactory, Lucien did not kill him but simply put the restraining bracelets and fetters on him (they only worked on those below the senior rank, but "Finn" hadn't fully recovered yet). As for what would happen later, it was not within his consideration.
"It's very difficult to change the dispersion and internal strife of the Dark Congress. Is Dracula willing to hold back his feelings and live in peace with the werewolves?" Lucien shook his head with a smile and was about to visit Mr. Rhein. "I hope their brains won't be all over the floor …"
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