Others Summon Dragons, I Summon Legendary Knights

Chapter 280: Crimson Emperor – An Imperial Existence

Godfrey sat on the head of the blue dragon, an Echo of Lysander’s axe resting on his shoulder while he gazed at Dirge who now had more shadow taotie footmen in a ruined courtyard.

It was a great battle, the sky was already darkening. While Isolde and Solstice faced more ghosts, he and his army had finally cleared the second gate but the dragon wasn’t dead.

Not yet.

Dirge approached and sucked its life force. Watching her rise from 22.0 to 22.4 made his lips curl up a little. With this increase, she began to raise more taotie footmen as her shadow wraiths.

If they kept at this pace, Dirge would soon be able to solidly defend her title as a general. Although he was on the verge of releasing his first core.

The next gate led to the palace.

Godfrey walked through the gate after dissolving the axe but even he was stunned at the sight of twenty thousand cavalry and thirty thousand footmen. This courtyard was also insanely large, large enough to contain a large-scale battle.

Such an array of soldiers was a sight to behold. Yet, beyond that there were a few hundred manning defensive siege weapons like ballistas, about fifty of them on the wall.

The Crimson Taotie Cavalry was made up of twenty thousand Saint Tiers and twenty Divine Tier commanders.

This was a terrifying force. His eyes went to Lament and narrowed.

’How come I see it now? It’s been there this whole time. Lament is fused with a Dark Lich, a powerful undead being capable of creating great armies of the undead and yet all Lament can do is summon three thousand heavy cavalry. They’re not weak, I’ve not even seen the full might of all of them together but...’

His eyes went to Dirge. The entire taotie army was still, like statues, which gave him this breathing space.

’Dirge’s sisterhood was killed by one of the Dark Lich’s generals. She’s angry which fuels her drive to enslave the souls of others and make their bodies her wraiths, like the unfortunate people of pathan but Lament...’

’He hates what he’s fused with. That’s why he laments, he never grew over the loss of his brotherhood and so used all his abilities to resurrect and preserve their bodies and minds but he can do much more. His dislike over the state of his brother restrains him. He can lead an army of the dead but has rejected the cold to embrace the heat.’

’You weren’t supposed to have flames, Lament. Sun Annihilation and your Inferno state weaken who you truly are but you know this. I might have not been given captains, chiefs and commanders but generals. The Golden Order is so large these few couldn’t be all the leaders they had. They’re all generals, including Mountain and Ballista. Either with unrealized potentials or rejected potentials.’

Godfrey’s eyes flickered. ’They’re just broken. Dirge will truly have a unit of mages with powerful telekinetic abilities if she can raise her sisters as wraiths, but she refused to. Ballista carries the scar of losing the spot amongst the esteemed Royal Apostles despite being one of the best squires. Tempest has been fractured ever since losing his other half.’

He remembered now. Most of them said they’ve been waiting for him, the unknown king who might be able to make them whole again.

Could he?

Godfrey wasn’t sure. He could take one step at a time at least.

”We’ll grow. We’ll all grow.” The moment he muttered that, a deep voice echoed.

”You’re mistaken.”

Everything around Godfrey changed as if the courtyard was a painting that was ripped off and he found himself standing in the palace. It was huge with massive round pillars bearing carvings of dragons, seas and other mythical creatures that signified might and authority of a ruler.

His eyes landed on the being leaning on his massive throne with a nonchalant poise. This emperor was covered in an intimidating crimson armour. The helmet fully enclosed the emperor’s head. It resembled a visored great helm merged with a knight’s sallet but more angular.

The faceplate was slightly pointed toward the chin, with a narrow eye slit. Although the surface wasn’t polished as it had subtle ridges, almost like overlapping bone plates.

The helm also carried a metal crest ridge running from the forehead over the crown to the back. Over it was a red plume.

Thick chainmail from the helmet connected to the angular pauldrons made of three heavy plates stacked outward from the shoulder and the chest plate curved inward at the waist.

It had raised ridges running diagonally, almost like ribs. The upper chest slightly protruded outward while the waist narrowed.

The emperor wore lamellar waist plates, long layered metal plates descending from the waist. Hanging from them were tassets.

These plates made from layered metal segments with dark torn material that seemed to be a drape.covered the emperor’s upper thighs. It was meant to conceal his leg movement while providing enhanced defense.

Even with the excellence of the Golden Order armour, Godfrey felt awed by the incredible design of this hybrid armour.

It seemed like a living relic, relishing in the status of its wearer.

When their eyes met, the emperor’s voice rang. ”The dead cannot grow.” He rose to his feet, his height rivaling Godfrey’s. The moment he stood up, two huge eyes appeared behind him.

They were crimson with golden irises.

Before Godfrey stood a 28.0 paragon. A being at the apex of his tier and for some reason he felt even amongst apexes, this emperor stood at the peak.

On the other hand, Godfrey was a 27.0 paragon, 28.0 now that he was in Black-Out State but something told him he might have met his match.

A being beyond his goal to become true royalty. This was an imperial being. It got Godfrey wondering... could there be a throne for an emperor in that castle.

Because... he wanted one.

”I agree with that. The dead cannot grow. When I say that, I mean you.” He locked eyes with the emperor as two of his ghosts walked out from behind two pillars. They were paragons.

Both of them just brandished their weapons when Godfrey pulled them towards him with telekinesis. He moved, sliced off the head of the first one, spun and sliced the head of the other who had flown past where he stood.

”I... Immaculate.” The emperor’s eyes brightened.