The Runesmith

A few moments before the automated defenses were triggered, Roland navigated his way through the underground workshop. Utilizing his mapping device, he pinpointed the exact locations where each of the guests had fallen unconscious. As he expected, they had all been affected by the relic, rendering them unconscious.

To rouse them from this dreamlike state, he needed to approach them and place his helmet over their heads. Only by aligning the wake-up signal to their mana wavelength could the device effectively work. While his runic sensors could do a lot of things, he needed to get closer for them to analyze their mana patterns.

'I don't have much time. I need to choose wisely...'

There wasn't sufficient time to awaken every individual who had fallen unconscious. Among those affected were non-combatants like Solana and the other girls from the adventurer guild who had been invited by Elodia. Even if he roused them, they wouldn't be able to assist in the impending battle. His initial targets had to be individuals capable of confronting the cultists and stalling for time, allowing him to wake up more people.

‘There aren’t many that I can choose from but the first one should be…’

After taking into account everyone’s usefulness and also how fast he could wake them up, Roland made a quick decision to go for his most trusted ally, Agni with the one after him being the guild master. His trusted canine companion could be easily controlled and wouldn’t ask any pesky questions. Agni’s mana pattern was also something that he knew by heart and even without the helmet’s aid, it wouldn’t be hard to rouse him from the sleep.

“So now it starts…”

He stood at the entrance to the main elevator, which had been occupied by runic golems that were on their way up. Meanwhile, the defenses at the walls were activated. Roland used his helmet to display what the exterior turrets were observing. They had been enhanced with superior golemic eyes, providing him with a clearer view of the situation. The first thing that caught his attention was a peculiar pale elf, whose visage reminded him of someone he had encountered many years ago.

‘It is really the abyssal cultists… but why would that woman be here?’

The woman boldly charged into the enhanced mana blasts, effortlessly deflecting them with the aid of a pair of dark blades. As he gazed at the design of those blades, Roland felt a stirring in his shoulder, a reminder of the spot where one of those daggers had struck him in the past. Behind the woman was another individual he remembered, an entity that appeared to be more abomination than man.

He had first encountered these two in Edelgard, and now, for some reason, they stood before his doorstep. Roland couldn't help but wonder if it was just a coincidence or if the two had tracked him all the way here. However, considering that this discovery had only unfolded after the incident with the large obelisk, he began to suspect that there was more to the situation.

One thing was certain: if those two managed to remember his face, they would likely connect him to the previous encounter. They could deduce that he was responsible for the failure of their relics and might attempt to extract his secrets. They could resort to serious torture or potentially infect him with abyssal leeches to coax the truth from him in a different manner. To prevent becoming a thrall of the abyssal cult, he had to eliminate every single one of them now.

If they managed to return to their cult with this information, they would never stop coming, his life as he knew it now would be over. He did his research on the cultists and knew some of the stories. They would never relent, they would not leave anyone that he was related to alone. Elodia his wife would be in danger, and even his old noble family that he wished to leave would probably be targeted. While he didn’t like them too much, having Robert and the rest be hunted down like dogs was not one of his plans.

‘I was young back then and they also can’t see my face, it should be fine…’

Fortunately, he was now clad in a bulky suit of armor that concealed his entire body. His voice had also deepened with age, and he had abandoned his former name, adopting the identity of Knight Commander Wayland. The only potential giveaway of his true identity was his mana pattern, which these individuals likely didn't recall. In theory, he should be safe, but it was still best to eliminate the threat that had arrived at his doorstep. He had no intention of letting anyone walk out of here alive.

The plan began to unfold. While the cultists were preoccupied battling the enhanced runic turrets and the swarm of golemic spiders, he stealthily made his way above ground. Ignoring the blue magical explosions in the vicinity, the scene seemed strangely tranquil. People were lying on the ground, sleeping peacefully. Without making a sound, he headed toward Agni, who was housed in the large stable near his own home. Inside, he found his wolf slobbering all over the floor, with his face buried in a monster steak.

“Common, wake up…’

His wolf was quickly roused to sleep after a few jolts to his head. Even without putting on the helmet, Roland had analyzed the schematics long enough to produce this effect. Agni’s eyes started to slowly open up but he was still in a daze. Only after a few proper smacks to the face did he realize that something was not right here.

“You were in an illusion Agni, I don’t have much time to explain but our home is being attacked and I need you to help me protect it, can you do that for me?”

“Awoo?”

Agni, the large ruby wolf, shook his head in response to Roland's words. He was a highly intelligent creature and quickly grasped the situation. The echoing of explosions and shouts from the cultists, along with the appearance of undead creatures, was also a clear indication that something was amiss. In an instant, Agni was on his feet, ready to confront the threat, his growling confirming his readiness for action.

“Good, don’t hold back, use your true form but keep your distance, make them focus on you while I wake up the others, do you understand?”

“Woof!”

“I knew that I could count on you.”

Agni, the ruby wolf, wasted no time, and his appearance began to shift. The red gems that made up his mane were gradually replaced by fiery flames. While his body size remained the same, the radiant transformation was impossible to miss. As the fiery wolf emerged from his doghouse, he soared into the sky, ready to heed his master's commands. The blazing aura surrounding him would surely catch the attention of the undead creatures and their controller.

‘Good, next up, the Guild Master.’

While Agni was his most trusted companion here, Aurdhan was still the most powerful adventurer around. Without his strength, they would be at a significant disadvantage. Roland moved with haste, leaving the stable behind and making his way toward the main gathering area where the unconscious adventurers had fallen.

The magical explosions and clashes of power were growing more intense as he moved closer to the sleeping adventurers. He spotted Aurdhan, the Guild Master, among them. Next to him was a sleeping Grisalde who had collapsed into the man’s lap. All of them were in the middle of getting drunk before being affected by the abyssal magic.

Focusing on the man's large, bald head, Roland realized it would take some effort to fit his extra helmet over it. He pushed the helmet onto Aurdhan's head, causing it to bend out of shape. Only after dousing it with some nearby oil was he finally able to push it into place.

Aurdhan was not only an influential figure in the guild but also in the whole city. His status prompted Roland to analyze his mana pattern earlier and made the treatment go by rather fast.

“Huh? What? Where did they go… and what is wrong with my head?”

“Guild Master, are you awake?”

Roland had managed to break the spell and as the Guild Master was waking up he quickly removed the helmet. Aurdhan blinked a few times, disoriented, and then his eyes sharpened as he recognized Roland, albeit with some difficulty due to just leaving a world of illusions

"Wayland? What's happening? Why are you wearing your armor?”

"There's no time to explain right now, Guild Master."

Roland spoke urgently as he handed Aurdhan a large runic axe made from mithril. Knowing that Aurdhan hadn't come prepared for battle, Roland offered one of his own private possessions as a substitute.

"We're under attack by the abyssal cultists. My golems and turrets won’t be able to hinder them for long, I need you to help me stop them, I’m sure you’re already aware of how they operate, you have been stuck in an illusion but this is the real world now.”

Aurdhan, still groggy from the effects of the abyssal illusion, took the runic axe and surveyed the situation. The sounds of battle, the shouts of cultists, and the howls of the flaming wolf pierced the air. He quickly pieced together the urgency of the situation.

"Shit, so that was all a damn illusion? I knew it was too good to be real…"

Aurdhan replied, his fingers tightly gripping the runic axe as he directed his gaze toward the source of the battle. He was a seasoned warrior, well aware of the gravity of the situation. Despite the option to flee and save himself, it was evident that he had reasons to stay and fight.

"I guess that I owe you one Wayland…”

Roland nodded as he observed the Guild Master heading toward the ongoing battle. With Aurdhan joining the fight, Roland turned his attention back to three other unconscious individuals: Armand, Lobelia, and Mary. These three held the highest potential to make a significant impact in the current dire situation. While other adventurers were present, such as Grisalde, their combat capabilities were significantly lower.

The closest were the two siblings, the two were passed out near some guild receptionists. For some reason, Arman was half naked in the middle of the pile, as if the group of ladies were watching him perform some act before falling under the relic’s spell. Lobelia wasn’t far off either and luckily, their weapons were nearby, suggesting they had brought them to the wedding, perhaps fearing potential theft or loss while they were out drunk.

“Common wake up…”

Roland initiated the process with Armand, and fortunately, both of them were on his mana pattern list, just like the others. However, as his foolish brother-in-law began to wake up, one of the cultists managed to break through. It was the pale elven woman, she was leaping through the air and closing in on Agni's position. Her figure was concealed by pitch-black leather armor, most likely crafted from high-quality monster materials.

The axe that he lent to the guild master came flying to intercept her in the middle of her strange movement. Time was quickly running out and he needed to hurry as he wasn’t sure if Agni would be able to stand up to the cultists if more of them appeared. To confirm his question he quickly activated his analyzing skill. A fake status screen appeared at first but soon after he pushed through the concealment device to reveal the true one.

‘She is stronger than Emmerson but she is not on the Guild Master’s level…’

The woman was on the brink of achieving her second-tier 3 class, but Aurdhan had already attained that level. Additionally, she possessed an assassination class, which typically lost its advantage in direct confrontations. Their strength lay in delivering covert strikes and catching opponents off guard. In a fair contest, she shouldn't be able to compete with someone of the Guild Master's caliber. However, she wasn't alone, and soon the protective barrier he had constructed began to show cracks. The forces on the other side were about to break through.

“Huh? What are you doing here Wayland? Where did all the women go?”

Roland quickly delivered a smack to Armand’s cheek to help him come to terms with the new reality. Lobelia who was next to him was next in line and already wearing his helmet which at this point was the worst part of this plan.

“Lobelia, snap out of it!”

Roland's urgent command jolted Lobelia from her confused state as she donned the helmet. The rapid change in her surroundings left her bewildered, but the presence of her brother and Roland helped anchor her back to reality.

“What the heck is happening, Wayland? Why are you in that armor?”

Lobelia asked with a furrowed brow as she took in the chaos that had erupted around her. The radiant wolf above them along with the shroud of darkness and the Guild Master chasing an elven assassin was hard to miss.

"We're under attack by the abyssal cultists"

Roland quickly explained while quickly moving in the direction where Mary and Arthur had passed out.

"My golems and turrets won’t hold them for much longer. I need you and Armand to protect the guests that are still passed out.”

Lobelia processed the situation, and her features hardened with determination. She was a skilled archer, and she knew the danger the cultists posed. She quickly grabbed her new bow along with the arrows that were nearby and notched them into it.

"Armand, get your ass moving. We have a battle to fight!”

Lobelia said, her tone resolute as she started her half-dressed brother down. Armand was still groggy from the lingering effects of the abyssal illusion, but thanks to her words he made a full recovery. Luckily he didn’t require any armor to begin with, so after grabbing his harness and gauntlets he was ready to engage anyone.

"Alright! Let's show these cultists what real adventurers are made of!"

As the two charged towards the source of the commotion, he focused on Arthur and Mary. They were also on his list, but he wasn't certain if they would offer any assistance. Mary, the maid, would be a formidable ally, but her primary duty was to protect Arthur, the lord to whom she had pledged her loyalty. Nevertheless, it was still preferable if they managed to escape, as if this incident resulted in the death of a Valerian noble, his position as Knight Commander would be in jeopardy. It wasn't uncommon for Knights to be held accountable for the demise of their lords, a transgression that could even carry the penalty of death.

Time was running out, and he could see the dots representing his golems vanishing. One of his multiple minds was devoted to directing his small army of golems to hold back his adversaries, but the limit was nearly reached. With urgency, he activated hastening buffs on his armor, enabling him to appear beside Mary and Arthur. Luck was also in his favor as Bernir was nearby. Soon, the trio began to awake their vision blurry and their minds tired.

His luck had finally run out. With the awakening of these three, the floodgates burst open, and one of the walls crumbled. Through the breach, a sizable horde of undead monsters began to pour in, with an enraged-looking Necromancer leading them. His status screen was swiftly revealed and showed that he was a formidable foe that couldn’t be ignored.

Nonetheless, Roland's attention fixated on someone who was gradually advancing from behind the Necromancer. The figure was distorted, and the enormous eyeball jutting from the man's shoulder was impossible to overlook. It was the shapeshifting Warlock he had encountered long ago, and now he could even discern the information on his status screen, which the Warlock didn't appear to be concealing.

‘I guess that guy is the strongest of them, his level is higher than the Guild Master’s, this doesn’t look good…’

Finally, the fight had been taken into his home. The undead monsters were pushing forward with rage in their eyes but this was his home and it would not be easily taken by the likes of them…