The voice of Ainz caused a shudder in the heart of all three members that were still standing. They felt as if their darkest secret had been exposed by their worst enemy which was not far from the truth.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you lower lifeforms perhaps under the impression that I did not know the item's properties and restrictions? The reason I leisurely came out and greeted you personally is because I have already seen the extent of your power and have deemed it insufficient to threaten me."
Sylvan could almost feel the ground beneath him splitting open and wanting to suck him in.
If Ainz was telling the truth then that meant…
Sylvan and Cedran remained alert as they prepared to stop any magic or physical attack directed at them and especially Kaire.
"You fiend, I won't let you touch Kaire-sama. Activate [Crystal Dome]!"
Cedran roared as he activated the ability that he had been saving until the last moment to ensure that Kaire could activate her power.
Immediately the mirror like shield that he used glowed in a bright light that formed a veil of energy quickly shrouding both him and Kaire which stood behind him. Even Sylvan would find it impossible to break through it in the time they had left.
Ten seconds remaining.
Sylvan rejoiced inside his heart. With this barrier in place, even if Ainz fired a spell it would only rebound back at him. This was the final ace that they had been saving to buy time and now it would be their salvation.
"Crystal Dome is an ability which shields against arcane magic. A pity it won't protect you from me."
Five seconds left…
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
…..
Against everything that he had learned as a warrior, Sylvan had turned his head around away from his enemy and Ainz and looked towards Kaire and Cedran.
He had an ominous feeling that he would see them both dead. Even though it should be impossible to break through the barrier in such a short time.
"Huh?"
Fine?
Sylvan peered at them and examined every detail of what he saw but could not find a single thing wrong with them. The two were still standing in the same spot that they had been in and were alive and well from what he saw.
"Oya? Did my magic fail? Well no matter, you bugs will still die soon enough."
Ainz's his remark alighted a spark in Sylvan's heart. The arrogant sorcerer king had finally overestimated his power. He had probably silent cast a spell that failed to break through the crystal dome. Of course, he hadn't realized this until the time was up and it was already too late.
"Hahaha, looks like luck is on our side! Now Kaire-sama use your power so we can end this."
Cedran roared with laughter as he relaxed. With him still alive he could protect Kaire until she had finished casting her mind control. This he was certain of as he was her bodyguard and had given his life once already to protect her.
Kaire responded by raising her hands and preparing to activate the power of [Downfall of Castle and Country], any second now a dazzling light would shine from her dress as her power would take over the mind of any foe that was in its range.
Cedran and Sylvan focused their attention on the enemy as they knew that this was the moment that Ainz and his subordinates would attack most fiercely.
No matter what I have to stop his advance for as long as I can.
Sylvan steeled himself to use the last of his strength as he would not allow Cocytus to step even one foot closer.
"Come at me you monster!"
Sylvan had activated the last skill of his armor which temporarily increased his defensive powers trifold. Even if a hammer were to hit him in the face at full swing it would do little more than leave a bruise.
For the sake of protecting Kaire for as long as he could, even if he could only use this power once a day now was the perfect time.
Just as he prepared to once again exchange blows with Cocytus he noticed something odd.
There was no light. The pulse of magical energy that normally occurs when Kaire uses the item did not appear. The great dragon that wipes the minds of all it attacked clean was nowhere to be found.
Sylvan again felt the undeniable urge to turn around and see what was going on but now that his foe was so close to him he could no longer afford to do so.
"Wondering what happened behind you? Go ahead and have a look for yourself, young knight of the Theocracy. Cocytus, don't attack him until I say so!"
Sylvan was suspicious at first but the strange silence behind him together with the fact that his minions seemed to listen to Ainz's command caused him to give in to his unrest and turn around anyway.
He immediately wished he hadn't. He wished that what he saw was just an evil illusion of the Sorcerer king.
Kaire-sama was still alive and well but she hadn't begun to start her item's power. The reason why was clear as day.
Her left hand held the still dripping head of Cedran. It had been decapitated just moments ago. The reason why he had not heard was because the barrier that Cedran had put up still filtered the sound.
The bloodied body was lying around next to her as she herself just kept looking at Sylvan with eyes devoid of compassion, guilt or anger.
Sylvan felt like dropping his weapon and falling on his knees. Everything that he had was destroyed.
His comrades beaten or dead and his hope of victory taken in the most brutal way. He had truly nothing left.
"How?"
Despite all this the strongest emotion inside him was not grief but anger.
"How?!"
Ainz appeared to ignore the heartfelt cries of his opponent as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Although I said I'll capture them all alive, Ghouls are still troublesome to control properly. Well, seeing as it was probably her that brainwashed Shalltear it would be unbefitting of me not to kill her myself, no? And the other one we can probably still revive right?"
Demiurge nodded as he realized the question was probably directed at him.
"It is as you say, Ainz-sama. No one but you could have the right to execute her. I'm sure that Shalltear will not mind the one toy being broken and the other one broken but repaired."
Sylvan kept listening to the casual conversation and felt like lunging at Ainz directly, regardless of whether or not he'd stand a chance.
"No need to show such a face, young knight of the Theocracy. Though I don't enjoy having a conversation with corpses I'll tell you. Before that man with the shield had even put up the barrier, I had already cast a silent [Creeping Death] spell on your comrade."
In YGGDRASIL this tenth tier spell was very controversial as it allowed one to kill an enemy and turn it into an undead without the enemy team noticing. It was, however, a spell with many faults that could be seen through easily in YGGDRASIL. But in this world it could be said to be one of the most dangerous spells in existence. Only special types of people who had the ability to see through illusions could distinguish between a human who was and who was not affected by this spell at first glance.
Once affected the victim would be instantly turned into a Ghoul without the enemy noticing the difference and would be able to launch surprise attacks at its former allies from the back.
This was exactly what Ainz had done and Cedran had never even understood what it was that killed him.
"You were so fixated on that item's power that you forgot that its user is still human. Well, I suppose it's a fitting ending considering that it's [Downfall of castle and Country]."
Ainz thought back of the lore behind the item. It wasn't a particularly well-written background but it sufficed.
The legend behind it told of a warlord who wanted to claim a nation as his own but could not do so because of its capital being an impregnable fortress. Even after months of sieging, it would not fall, so he decided to try a different approach. He sent out his sister dressed as a beautiful escort. Wearing a marvelous white dress with dragon etchings he had her sneak into the city. At a feast hosted by the king who was mocking the warlord she danced for him and he instantly fell in love with her. With her seductive charms and him being sated and drunk it was easy to convince him to do anything. In a drunken trance he was persuaded to have the guards open the gates to the invaders to sue for peace which against knowing better they did. In the end the city was burned to the ground long before the king could awaken from his drunken slumber.