Shadow Trails in Azeroth

Among the mountains northeast of Maldraxxus, in the mysterious valley separated only by a mountain from the headquarters of the Sharp-Eye Secret Courtyard, the usually quiet Ceremonial Secret Courtyard suddenly became lively when tonight came.

The ritual envoys who were sent to various parts of the country to conduct various research and observations were recalled to this extremely cold valley in advance, and the noble lich mentors also made preparations for the bones of their lich bodies in advance. In order to clean and decorate, some of the more particular ones even sprayed their skeletal bodies with the perfume of the dead produced by the Withering Secret Courtyard.

A large number of lich apprentices have changed into apprentice robes without holes or stains. They wear the uniform beak masks of the psychic apprentices in the war country, and under the leadership of their respective mentors, they emerge from their ziggurat towers. They walked out and gathered around the large platform of the Sacrifice Abyss under the Death Frost Mountains of the Ritual Secret Courtyard.

The shadow of the war floating city Zorramus, which had just been completed by the Ritual Secret Academy, emerged bit by bit from the reflection of the Dead Frost Mountains. As the lich, guards and apprentices raised their heads to gaze, the emanating The war fortress covered with endless frost soon floated above the valley.

According to tradition, the next step is to wait for the powerful and eternal Marquis Sindani to come forward and announce that this time the lich examination has begun.

The apprentices were whispering among themselves, spreading gossip that they had heard from nowhere.

Some people are saying that this brand new floating city was nominally created by the Marquis to serve as an assessment venue for this Lich assessment, but in fact this floating city was made to deal with possible civil strife in Maldraxxus.

While other secret houses are sharpening their knives against each other, the seemingly peaceful ritual secret house is actually making preparations secretly. The lichs who master the true meaning of death magic are not afraid of war. The destructive magic they master is Their biggest trump card.

This is a common understanding among most Lich apprentices.

They believe that their secret court is invincible, and some even secretly look forward to the coming of war.

That meant that they, the new recruits, would also go to the battlefield and steal the various materials they needed from the losers of other secret chambers and the merits they lacked in peacetime.

In the Ritual Chamber, without meritorious deeds, it would be difficult for them to survive until the day when they pass the transformation ceremony. If they cannot go to the official lich library to search for knowledge to strengthen themselves, then they can only rely on their words. The possibility of Hot Blood passing the transformation ceremony is not that optimistic either.

But there are also some well-informed guys who sneer at this stupid "lich triumphalism".

They whispered that the allies secretly selected by Marquis Sindani for the Ritual Chamber had suffered a shameful defeat not long ago. If the war really broke out, then the lichs would probably have to face the threats from the other four major chambers alone.

It is said that the Marquis is doing his best to send people through the dangerous ooze spore forest, trying to get in touch with the Withered Secret Courtyard and establish a deeper cooperation.

But so far no good news has come back.

The apprentices were chattering and discussing. The apprentices who usually complete the academic tasks assigned by the Lich Mentors in their respective ziggurats rarely have such a relaxing moment. They don't have to worry about the pressure of schoolwork and experiments. Once in five years, On the assessment day, you can unleash your gossipy nature.

The official lichs present have all come from the stage of apprentices. These skeletons with powerful magic do not care about the presumptuousness of the apprentices.

In fact, every official lich present was not in the mood to pay attention to their apprentices.

This internal assessment within the secret academy is not for apprentices who can be replaced at any time, but for them.

After all, the Ritual Academy is a place controlled by the knowledge holders. Compared with the war fortress model of other chambers, it is actually more similar to a teaching institution. This is very similar to the Withering Academy.

But the difference between the two is that the internal competition in the Ritual Secret Academy is obviously more intense.

Each convent in Maldraxxus has a marquis and two barons as the top management. The names of the marquis rarely change drastically in a short period of time, but it is difficult for the barons to sit still for a long time. s position.

None of the guys who can become lichs are good babies who can make people worry-free. They are ambitious and eager to advance to high positions and control power. Therefore, Lich Baron will almost always be squeezed out of every internal assessment of the Ritual Chamber. Get down high.

As the controller of the lich, Marquis Sindani did not interfere with this process.

She even encourages this kind of internal competition, which is very consistent with the general environment of Maldraxxus, where the weak need to be eliminated so that the strong can have everything.

However, Marquis Sindani seemed to be in a bad mood today.

She just drove her luxuriously decorated lich body to briefly appear on the platform of the floating city.

He didn't even say any more nonsense. He announced the start of the secret academy examination very directly. He didn't even want to say more punctuation marks and returned to the command hall of the Floating City.

This scene made the discerning lichs realize that something was wrong, but there was no more time left for them to think.

The two Lich Barons "Frostbinder" Zollnar and "End Breath" Bamidar under the command of Marquis Sindani are using magic from the new and powerful floating city to fall into the assessment below where they are bound by the cold bones. place.

No one knows what the two barons are thinking, but at least on the surface they seem confident.

There are currently almost 170 official lichs in the entire secret courtyard. Apart from most of the legendary rookies, the remaining nearly 40 or so are all senior lichs at the semi-god level.

Among them are many powerful people who once served as Lich Barons but fell apart midway.

This means that if the two current Lich Barons want to defend their power and reputation, they must accept repeated challenges from these eager guys in a three-day assessment.

Fortunately, according to the rules, each lich can only choose one opponent.

This means that the two Lich Barons can share the pressure with each other. They must unite during these three days, otherwise both guys are likely to lose everything they have.

However, the Marquis of Sindani, who used to be very interested in lich assessments, really lacked interest today.

She didn't even appear on the dome tower of the floating city to watch the exciting internal competition. She watched the lich adults, who usually had five to six people, beat each other's brains out for the two bones she threw. .

Madam Marquis is really annoyed now

She was staying alone in the command hall of the floating city, playing with a very unique white bone psychic scepter in her hand, and she was thinking deeply in the eyes of the lich's body that shone with soul fire.

Regarding the internal disputes in Maldraxxus, Marquis Sindani also has her own considerations. It is not that she does not desire to seize power, but she knows the importance of timing.

She had chosen a reliable collaborator for the Ritual Chamber a long time ago, and just waiting for the world to fall into chaos, she commanded the lichs and her collaborators to cooperate internally and externally, and unexpectedly came out in one fell swoop. Rule the throne of Maldraxxus to establish the great rule of the lich.

Unlike other people on this land, Marquis Sindani has always believed that violent power should be commanded by cold wisdom, just like the War Lord leads the entire Maldraxxus with his eternal war wisdom, bringing great benefits to the entire Shadow Kingdom. Just like the peace that lasted countless epochs.

From this point of view, no one is more suitable to become the new ruler of Maldraxxus than her who controls the Ritual Chamber. After all, you cannot expect a group of warriors and constructs to compete with the lich on an intellectual level. .

But plans can't keep up with changes.

Who would have thought that her loyal collaborator, the Marquis of Creation Gamal, who was about to be completely controlled by her wisdom, would be hacked to death by a guy who appeared out of nowhere!

The entire incident took place in one night from start to finish. It happened so quickly that Marquis Sindani could not react at all. By the time she learned the inside story, the news of the alliance between the Secret Academy of Creation and the Secret Academy of Soul Selection had already been revealed to her. on the desk.

Marquis Sindani suddenly felt keenly that a malicious force was approaching her and her secret court.

She must react immediately, otherwise

"boom"

A loud noise interrupted the Lich Marquis' thoughts, causing her to wave the ancient and strange psychic scepter in her hand with great dissatisfaction, and shouted to the two bone knights who were guarding her:

"What happened outside? Why is there so much noise? Have my barons been defeated?"

"No, Lord Marquis, he is an outsider!"

A legendary lich came in a hurry and reported to his powerful and eternal Marquis:

“The Soul Selection Secret Academy sent an honor guard composed of death knights.

Those barbarians broke into our ritual area regardless of the obstruction. They claimed that the Soul Selection Academy has always worshiped knowledge, so they invited several wandering lichs from other countries to be the knowledge spokespersons of the Soul Selection Academy.

They asked us to allow their lich to participate in the assessment of the secret court. "

"What? The death knights of the Soul Chosen Academy declare that they worship knowledge in front of a group of lichs? What kind of crazy performance art is this?"

Marquis Sindani was a little confused by these shameless words, and then the lich woman let out a sharp and weird laugh. She said in a sarcastic tone:

"It's really a poor excuse that only warriors can come up with. They talk about advocating knowledge, but they just find a few wild mages who were lucky enough to be promoted to try to break into my secret courtyard.

This sounds like a good idea.

But when will those pitiful warriors understand that the gap between knowledge and wisdom cannot be filled by ridiculous plots. Even if I put my plan in front of them, they would never understand it

never mind.

The barbarians of the Soul Selection Secret Academy could have rushed in to fight openly and openly, but they still chose to use conspiracy in a sneaky way. I have seen their 'sincerity'.

Let's take this as a reward for progress.

In my name, the wandering lichs from the Soul Selection Secret Academy are allowed to participate in the assessment! "

Marquis Sindani raised her left hand and admired the simple and precious military scepter in her hand. She stroked the giant spirit bone inlaid on the scepter and said with interest:

"I also really want to see what kind of third-rate people those barbarians invited to challenge my carefully selected Lich Baron. This boring day is finally starting to be a little fun."

With such happy thoughts, Marquis Sindani rocked his luxurious and unique lich body.

Amidst the swaying hair composed of huge soul energy flying like long hair on the back of her skull, she finally appeared on the dome tower of the floating city. Glancing down, the expectation in Marquis Sindani's soul became A flash of surprise.

Then after careful observation, the astonishment turned into solemnity. She turned her head and scolded the messenger lich next to her:

"Are you blind? Are you telling me that those demigod lichs are wandering lichs that the Soul Selection Academy found from other countries? Do you think I am a fool?

Look at the energy fluctuations in them! Look at their spiritual configurations that are still changing and adapting to the unique death magic environment of Maldraxxus!

This is not a wandering lich from other countries at all!

These are mortal lichs who 'smuggled' over from the material world!

Damn it! besides.

And what is that strange thing? "

There was also surprise in Marquis Sindani's voice, and it was obvious that she had seen something she had not seen before.

At this moment, in the already boiling assessment venue below, the Lich Baron Frostbinder Zollner was holding the Ice Staff, looking with a suspicious look at the triumphant steps in front of him amid the boos in the sky. The great warlock Thaqir came into view.

"You! You are not a lich, you are not qualified to set foot on this assessment place!"

The Frostbinder raised his left paw, letting the cold torrent of ice fly around his hand bones. He scolded the madman skeleton opposite him who was covered in evil fire and most of his body was still alive. :

"Don't tarnish the glory and tradition of the Ritual Chamber. Outsiders, leave here before I freeze your unstable soul in anger!"

"Who says I'm not a lich?"

Old Man Sachiel was very dissatisfied and raised his middle finger to the Lich Baron in front of him and shouted:

"I have an immortal body, just like you!

I have an eternal soul. I have been dead for 30,000 years, and before I died, I lived for almost 10,000 years. In the world view of most lives, this is no different from eternal life.

I still have a body of bones.

Look at my head.

If you want to talk academically to me, then I will answer you academically.

The power of death and the force of evil overlap in the Shadow Realm. As far as I know, in addition to the lich who specializes in Death Winter, you also have the lich inheritance of the Shadow Master here.

My understanding of the shadow magic of warlocks has reached the master level. In terms of power system and professional theory, I, a master warlock, can change my profession to a shadow lich at any time.

As long as I want.

Look, I am obviously a powerful eredar lich, and a new type of lich.

But it's not our fault that they look different than you. You can't judge whether a soul is qualified to pursue the dream of becoming a lich based on appearance.

If you are really so narrow-minded, it only means that your ceremonial concubine is too traditional and does not know how to adapt. Look at you bastard, how dare you assume my profession? "

"Well, sharp-tongued Sir, I have no intention of discussing racial issues with you."

Frostbinder Lich snorted, carefully avoiding this damn language trap, and then scolded coldly:

"But you didn't even pass the transformation ceremony. Crazy soul. Even if I admit that you are a lich, you are just an apprentice. Apprentices are not qualified to enter this assessment."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

Old man Saqil provocatively said:

"Doesn't that mean that you, a dignified Lich Baron, don't even dare to face the challenge of a Lich Apprentice? Shut up! Unreasonable guys!

Don't you see we're discussing the truth about magic? "

As he spoke, the crazy warlock turned around and threw a Shadow Cataclysm towards the crowd of boos.

The Trace of Annihilation that erupted with a loud roar directly shattered nearly one-sixth of the crowd outside the assessment site, and also silenced the entire assessment area.

If it weren't for the undead people here, this attack would probably turn into a large-scale casualty event.

"Good, you pissed me off, outsider."

Frostbinder Zollnar raised his head and saw the gesture made by Marquis Sindani to him above the floating city. The Lich Baron let out a cold laugh and raised the cold wind blade in his hand to Old Man Sachiel.

it says:

"Congratulations, your scorching soul will become the research object of the Ritual Academy in the next quarter. I assure you, Your Excellency, it will be a very painful and painful process."

"pain?"

Thal'kiel pointed to his burning skull.

He showed a weird smile to the confident Lich Baron, reached out and grabbed his head, picked it off with a click, and weighed it up and down in his hand as a weapon.

It imitated the sinister tone of a bastard when threatening others, and said in a long voice:

"Dear Bone Stick, with all due respect, you know nothing about 'pain'!"