The First Pope - Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Although nourishing the Tree of Life with her life force had left Olivia weakened, Cynthia's healing spells had restored her strength to about seventy percent. She wouldn't fear even a Second Generation Vampire at their peak, let alone a few Third Generation ones.
When Olivia was young, she had fought alongside the Elf Queen of that time against the Vampires. She had never feared anything, not even death.
A roaring wall of fire dispelled the encroaching blood-red mist, while dense volleys of arrows drove back wave after wave of Vampires trying to sneak through under its cover.
Holding her staff, Olivia floated in the air. Her pale green eyes, filled with indifference, gazed at the thickest part of the bloody fog. Her lips parted slightly, and her ethereal, cool voice was exceptionally clear amidst the chaotic surroundings.
A sudden gale blew away the blood-red mist entirely, exposing the figures hidden within one after another to Olivia's sight. The eyesight of the Elves was far superior, so she immediately spotted Iman and the other Third Generation Vampires.
An elf's arrow was comparable to a werewolf's claw, and their magic was incredibly troublesome to deal with. Thus, Iman and the other Vampires didn't get too close to the Elves, instead harassing them from a distance with the Power of Darkness.
After all, their objective this time wasn't to assassinate Olivia.
Even the Second Generation Elders of their clan found Olivia to be a handful; they certainly weren't going to risk their own lives to test her strength.
However, according to the Lasombra Vampires, the Elf Queen was in a weakened state, possessing less than half of her peak strength. But judging by the intensity of this hurricane, Iman didn't think the Elf Queen seemed weak at all.
She wasn't the only one who thought so. A Third Generation Vampire, whose Blood Domain had been forcefully shattered by the hurricane, clutched their chest and staggered back two steps, a look of horror on their face. "So strong. Weren't they saying she was injured?"
Iman glanced at the vampire and mused, "Ignore her. Tie up her guards first."
Both Elves and werewolves were races that valued their kin immensely. As the Elf Queen, Olivia would never stand by and watch her guards die before her eyes.
In any case, they only needed to stall for time. Once Andre emerged from the Ice Lake, they could retreat.
After discovering the location of Iman and the others, Olivia put away her staff and drew her longbow. But before an arrow could form on the string, the fierce sounds of battle erupted behind her. She frowned and glanced back, seeing that Fourth Generation Vampires had broken through the wall of fire and entered.
Olivia lowered her longbow, took out her staff again, and began to chant a spell.
The Vampires fought as they retreated, and group after group of Fourth Generation Vampires fell. Polly wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and moved to Olivia's side. Looking at the increasingly unfamiliar surroundings, she said in a low voice, "It seems like they're trying to lure us away."
Olivia had noticed this long ago. The Vampires currently charging them were all Fourth Generation, while the few Third Generation ones had remained in a safe location, never confronting them directly.
Olivia turned to look behind her and suddenly asked, "Has Cynthia arrived?"
Polly froze for a moment, then shook her head. "No, didn't she leave first with Sarah and the others?"
Olivia frowned. A long time had passed, enough for Cynthia to settle Sarah's group and hurry back. But she still hadn't returned. Could she have run into some danger on the way?
Her grip on the staff in her hand tightened unconsciously. Olivia glanced at Iman and the other Vampires, who were a great distance away, and said coldly, "We're going back."
With that, she lowered her staff and turned to leave.
Polly was stunned for a second, then hastily turned to guard her side.
Seeing them turn to leave, the Third Generation Vampires who had been keeping their distance raised their Blood Domain once more, continuing to harass them with the Power of Darkness.
The moment the blood-red mist appeared, Olivia stopped as if she had anticipated it. She raised her longbow, and a pale green arrow shot out like an afterimage, piercing through space toward the master of the Blood Domain.
The Third Generation Vampire who had raised the Blood Domain was pierced through the chest before they could react. Iman was stunned. Just as she was about to signal the other Vampires to retreat, a second arrow and Olivia's figure arrived before them simultaneously.
Olivia held her longbow, her eyes cold as she stared at Iman. "Why aren't you running?"
Iman glanced at her companion, whose heart had been pierced by the long arrow, then at the longbow in Olivia's hand. Her red lips slowly curled into a smile as she shook her head and sighed, "No wonder the Second Generation Elders look so wary when they mention Her Majesty Queen Olivia."
She clapped her hands, the crisp sound exceptionally piercing in the darkness. "Seeing you today, you're so powerful it frightens me."
She spoke of fear, but her nonchalant expression showed no trace of it.
The longbow slowly lowered an inch, the arrow shimmering with green light aimed at Iman's chest. Olivia said flatly, "Afraid of dying at my hands?"
As she spoke, she suddenly released her fingers, and the pale green long arrow shot out with a whoosh.
Iman's expression changed slightly. She instantly raised her hands and gripped the long arrow that had already reached her, its tip only a fist's distance from her chest. The powerful impact sent her flying back several hundred meters.
The moment the arrow flew out, the two Third Generation Vampires beside Iman flashed behind Olivia, their pale hands gathering chilling dark power as they clawed for Olivia's slender neck.
Olivia dodged. The longbow in her hand vanished, replaced by a pale green longsword. She raised the sword to block while chanting a spell.
A Third Generation Vampire came to Iman's side to help her restrain the arrow. Iman's palms had already been corroded by nature power, revealing stark white bone. She let out a muffled cough, her scarlet eyes lifting to stare fixedly at the pale green figure who, despite being surrounded, was still fighting with ease.
The previous Elf Queen had been clever and wise, knowing when to advance and retreat, a master of strategy. How had she raised a successor with such a headstrong personality, one who never knew the meaning of retreat?
This personality is so troublesome… Iman lowered her slowly healing hands, her expression dark as she averted her gaze and said coldly, "We're retreating."
They had already stalled for a considerable amount of time. If Andre still hadn't gotten the Blood Coffin inside, then he was simply too useless.
Vampires had no concept of loyalty. After giving the order to retreat, Iman and the others abandoned the two Third Generation Vampires who were tying up Olivia and left directly.
When the two Third Generation Vampires realized Iman and the others had retreated, they too looked for an opportunity to break away from Olivia and escape.
The Vampires' ability to flee was considered among the best of all races on the Sitatul Continent. In the end, Olivia only managed to seriously injure one of them; they still successfully escaped.
The Third Generation Vampire who had been pierced through the heart by Olivia's first arrow was no longer breathing. When Polly hurried over, she first glanced down at the Third Generation Vampire's corpse, then looked at Olivia with concern. "Her Majesty the Queen, how are you feeling?"
Arrows of that power consumed a great deal of nature power and energy. Polly was worried that Olivia's recently stabilized condition would worsen again.
After all, consuming one's life force required a long period of rest to slowly recover. The reason the previous Elf Queen had tragically died was that she had been in a perpetually weakened state from nourishing the Tree of Life, with no time to recuperate.
Olivia shook her head slightly and said flatly, "I'm fine." She hid her slightly trembling hand in her sleeve and turned to gaze at the whitening sky. "Let's go find Cynthia."
The other elf guards also rushed over. Polly followed by Olivia's side. Seeing her pale face, she was about to suggest they rest for a while when she suddenly heard a wolf's howl.
Olivia's steps faltered. She turned to look in a certain direction. Wolf howls rose and fell, coming from all directions. Gray and white figures could be seen in the forest, dashing swiftly toward them.
"It's the werewolves." Polly heard the howls and looked around, pouting as she complained, "They only show up after the Vampires have run off."
But it was good that they had come. Their people were with Cynthia, so they could have them find her.
Deep beneath the Ice Lake, the shockwave from the collision of the Power of Light and the Power of Darkness had destroyed nearly a thousand meters of the surrounding tunnels. Yet, the stone ceiling above showed no signs of cracking. Rubble blocked all the exits, and the enclosed space, along with the inextinguishable darkness, cast a shadow over their hearts.
Cynthia's arrival had given Chloe, Darcy, and the other God Race members a moment of respite. But they didn't rest for long before they all picked up their Divine Stones to help Cynthia shake off the chain that had been tracking her.
Golden light exploded beside her one after another. Cynthia glanced back, then quickly chanted a spell. A golden barrier blocked the blood-red chain, and she used the opportunity to quickly move to the side of Chloe and the others.
Cynthia's gaze swept over the God Race ranks, but she didn't see Sarah or the others. She frowned and asked, "Where are the people from here?"
Darcy was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized Cynthia was asking about Sarah's group. She replied, "They were led out by other God Race members."
The golden light was once again devoured by darkness, and a powerful, oppressive force followed. Darcy's expression grew grave. She tightened her grip on the Divine Stone in her hand, used its sharp edge to cut her wrist, and stained the stone with her blood. The Divine Stone began to emit a dazzling golden light.
Cynthia, who was chanting a spell, caught Darcy's action out of the corner of her eye. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this?"
Explaining it with words would be too complicated. Darcy threw the now-unsealed Divine Stone and then grabbed Cynthia's left hand with her own scar-covered one.
A flood of information poured into Cynthia's mind. She quickly sorted through it, somewhat surprised by the Divine Stone's function. "Let me see one."
Darcy glanced at her, took one out from her Space Gem, and handed it to her.
Chloe watched Cynthia studying the Divine Stone at a time like this and frowned. "What are you studying that for now? We can't hold on much longer."
Seeing no reaction from Cynthia, her face darkened, and she gritted her teeth. "Did you come here to die?"
"Of course not." Cynthia looked up slightly at the furious Chloe and, for some reason, suddenly thought of Olivia. She let out a soft laugh and said, "I can't die. Someone would be sad if I died."
Chloe snorted. "You don't want to die, yet you came here."
Cynthia's lips curved into a smile, but she said nothing. Although she didn't want to die, she couldn't just abandon Sarah and the others and run away.
Besides, there were so many God Race members here now.
Olivia is nearby. As long as we can hold out until she arrives… Cynthia stared at the darkness behind the golden light, but her mood was not as relaxed as she appeared.
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