Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1222: Chapter 1013: The Fall of Black Staff Kelben

Perhaps it was Nasray’s deep resentment, or maybe Marko was indeed swayed by that minuscule abyssal energy, or perhaps… even though the moon in Icewind Valley was large and round, bright and radiant, it could not illuminate the cold heart of the last direct descendant of the Haber family beneath the Great Glacier.

Marko Haber fell directly into darkness at midnight that day.

Those who discovered this were not surprised at all.

Marko made himself guard the Abyssal Gate because he needed a reason to make the final decision.

If not, a kind-aligned archmage like him would take hundreds of years to fall even if he stood at the open Abyssal Gate… let alone the currently tightly sealed Abyssal Gate.

The abyssal energy sent into Toril couldn’t even corrupt a mid-level mage.

Marko needed only a reason to convince himself; one whose family was wiped out had long stopped suppressing that bit of grievance.

But he was also well aware that if he had not been uninvolved, as a member of the kind alignment, he would have been executed by the Righteous Knights long ago.

The Righteous Knights had actually sent a message to Hill… Marko had tried to use the fact that the Teraxil Elves were from another world and that Long Saddle Town needed locals to mix in as a reason to request leniency for some members of the Haber family who, although belonging to the evil faction, hadn’t participated in these affairs.

Unfortunately, even those truly innocent children had to change their names and be sent far away by ship, so how could they spare those who had done evil deeds?

Humans are not a race born evil.

Marko, who wanted to save even those family members, when he found out his family had no hope and he himself could only be a Marko, whatever he would do was normal.

Kelben quietly stared at the sudden rise of gray-black light under the Great Glacier, with a cold smile at the corner of his mouth.

Nasray wanted to stall for time, and so did he.

He could not tolerate this Marko, who had deceived him, gained his truest friendship, yet stepped into the mud without hesitation, an archmage from the Haber family that left him completely without a family, continuing to exist in this world.

Especially when he himself might die at any time and might not even have the chance for resurrection?

Kelben turned to look at Laila, the silver-haired archmage was throwing those 1-ton gravity magic spheres at him, taking advantage of Nasray’s distraction.

As long as Laila was there, his two children would always have a good ending.

City of Hope and City of Radiance… as long as the Northern Seven Sisters remain so united, no one could usurp the lordship of his children!

Unaware that Deepwater City had already been razed, with even the once wide-reaching underground passages completely blocked, Kelben’s expression was grave, yet his gaze was resolute.

He touched his Black Staff, then thought of the other ‘Black Staff’ placed in the study of his queen student; although he did not want to live the days trapped in the Black Staff Tower, only appearing through the soul, at least with these two magic wands, he could learn more about the outside world.

Kelben glanced over at Laila, knowing there was one more thing he might have failed at.

Laila truly enjoyed life in Luskan and had no intention of betraying the Lord of Agleya, so she likely wouldn’t return with the Black Staff housing his soul.

Haha… it’s the Lord of Agleya again.

Kelben knew he was being a bit extreme, but he truly felt… that this Lord of Agleya, who had never appeared in any prophecy, was the main reason his plan failed.

Back when he was giving a speech at Silvermoon City University, the moment he first saw that half-elf standing in the courtyard with a cold demeanor staring at him, he inexplicably felt uneasy.

It was a kind of intuition from deep within the soul… he was trouble.

And indeed, this Hill actually moved next to Deepwater City and even turned the Undead Swamp into a Holy Domain!

Baal’s resurrection had been a significant part of his plan, but it turned into a farce!

He needed a chaotic Sword Bay; many pirates thrived only because he indulged them, allowing them to prosper between Deepwater City and Luskan.

Back then, the captain from Deepwater City who tried to tame the Luskan pirates was someone he sent to incite hostility and covetousness among the great pirates toward Deepwater City… only a pirate invasion could inflict enough fatal damage on Deepwater City’s noble merchants without harming the city itself.

But then Hill brought in an incarnation of a Sea God from another world, and even attracted so many bizarre elves!

And then… Santalin.

Enduring his disgust to cooperate, even being expelled by the Harpists because of it, Santalin didn’t last even ten years before collapsing.

The Black Staff gritted its teeth thinking of Santalin Meeting’s demise.

As for Laila… Kelben couldn’t help but glance at his beloved wife, unable to blame her departure on that lord… once the matter of the Descendants of Azuth surfaced, he knew Laila would inevitably choose to leave the Black Staff Tower for her sister.

But in Kelben’s heart, it was temporary… as long as he achieved final victory, and their children’s future was perfect, Laila would eventually forgive him and return to his side.

But now, Kelben felt that perhaps this separation would be for eternity.

He silently clenched the black scepter; as long as Agleya stood there, it was the greatest injury to him, Kelben!

Kelben absolutely did not regret his murderous intent towards that Lord of Agleya, only regretted underestimating the opponent and not being more discreet.

But he clearly tampered with that book, so that whoever opened it would inevitably turn to the Tarot Card of Caprice!

Unless that card flipped itself mysteriously!

Was that guy’s luck really that good?

Kelben stared at the giant undead dragon rising from the ground, a sinister smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, his body instantly crackling with lightning.

The black gemstone ring on his finger shimmered with ominous light.

Laila turned her head to look at Kelben, who was prepared to fight desperately, her eyes instantly reddened… even wearing a Soul Binding Ring, Kelben intended to enter the Weave with Marko, and then smash his soul into dust.

Leaving the last reliance of the Haber family unable to reincarnate forever, unable to even hope to use the Abyss or Hell to escape with a sliver of soul!

But if that were the case, his own soul would at least take a hundred years to reconvene, if not several hundred if the luck was bad… if Kelben were lucky, he wouldn’t have reached this point today.

Laila’s hand holding the magic wand trembled slightly; this husband, though having many faults, was indeed very, very good to her and their child.

Alas, everything is fate, not subject to human will… she no longer cared about his uncontrollable fate!

Why must one fight?

Even a deity as powerful as Mystra couldn’t struggle free, her soul shattered into dust.

Actually, which strong one in Toril didn’t know, Black Eye insisted on stepping onto that gate before AO sent all the Saints back to the Divine Kingdom, just testing AO’s tolerance limit for her.

If AO had loosened even a bit, Heim would not have had the confidence to cut off her head with one strike.

Though Heim’s position of trust with AO slipped as a result, yet… he didn’t really bear any punishment!

A strong divine power, a Goddess of Magic whose death would heavily wound, even potentially vanish the world of Toril, died so pitifully and ridiculously.

Kelben, what’s the point?

To struggle to the very end yields results more tragic than prophecy.

Kelben didn’t dare to look at Laila’s tearful eyes… you bet and lost, you must admit it.

Only, he looked up at the sky; Azuth should have received his message by now, right?

That so-called God of Prophecy… wasn’t he just trying to use him as a tool to doom Azuth’s and Black Eye’s own child, forcing him to offend the Deity of Mages even before becoming a god?

Forcing him to collaborate due to offending colleagues before ascending… the affairs of the Magic Divine Realm are notoriously complex, and a newcomer might very well tread wrongly if knowing nothing.

Though Visaron became Azuth’s subordinate, despite much care from the Deity of Mages, he still made many mistakes, didn’t he?

Otherwise, why would he seek to consort with Talos?

Kelben used to not know, but for his future, he chose to cooperate with Safras… of course, he kept plenty of evidence, intending to expose it and push the God of Prophecy forward later.

But now, facing death, the divine position is surely beyond hope, Safras can’t run either.

Just a bit of a pity… Kelben turned to look south, thinking of the castle’s owner… couldn’t drag that guy to die together.

Rushing skyward, just as Marko began to laugh heartily, he flew toward his head.

In the air was left just, “Haha! Kelben! I’m going to… no! What are you doing!” before blasting into a grand display of blue, white, and purple fireworks.

When Kelben ascended, Nasray attempted interception… but Elaströ and Laila simultaneously used Ninth Ring Spells… dazzling radiance rendered the darkness within thirty meters as bright as sunlight, and all of the Evil Faction were simultaneously blinded.

Typically less decisive, Nasray hesitated while restrained, finally choosing to erect sufficient defense around himself… worried that Laila, having lost her partner, might go mad.

The Red Robe Mage standing farther back made the same choice, naturally.

Arcane School’s Lich Chief, without hesitation, fled under the blazing sun… he came to join the fun, but never thought Kelben would die so easily!

His rapport with Laila was good; he didn’t want this affair to utterly sever it.

Dammit!

If I’d known Kelben would self-destruct over a dug ancestral grave, I wouldn’t have come to watch!