Chapter 1129: Double Happiness

Orion watched them, his mind racing. Why were the Scourge Wardens here? What was their story? But with his limited knowledge of the Abyss’s deepest lore, he couldn’t begin to fathom the truth.

Eparus and his Scourge Wardens were in no hurry. They stood silently at the foot of Starglow Peak, awaiting Orion’s decision.

So, do I take the bait? Orion asked himself. It was a juicy steak, delivered right to his doorstep, and it smelled delicious. But he wasn’t a fool. Accepting the Scourge Wardens would undoubtedly bring some kind of trouble he couldn’t yet foresee. If it didn’t surface now, it would be waiting for him in the higher dimensions of the Abyss, or sometime in the future.

Heh… but it would be a waste not to take it, he thought with a grim chuckle. I’m curious to see what kind of trouble they bring. As a Survivor with the backing of the Champions Alliance and the commander himself, he wasn’t without resources.

With his mind made up, Orion looked down at Eparus and the giants. “If you have come to follow me,” he said, his voice a calm mask, “are you willing to offer a sliver of your soul to the banner?” It was a non-negotiable condition. Only then could he control them through the banner and be assured of their loyalty.

“We are willing,” Eparus replied, meeting Orion’s gaze. He couldn’t sense the depths of Orion’s power, a fact that only increased his respect for his future My lord. An unfathomable patron was exactly what the Scourge Wardens needed. It was clear Eparus’s gamble was paying off; Orion knew nothing of their history, nor of the faction that would become his enemy.

Eparus dropped to one knee. After bowing his head to Orion, he sent a mote of his soul flying towards the banner on the summit. Behind him, every one of the Scourge Wardens mirrored his action, offering up their own essence.

On the peak, as the souls of the Scourge Wardens merged with the banner, the flames erupted as if doused in gasoline. The conflagration grew so immense that it physically ejected the bloodfiend Vex. He landed on his feet, his hands gripping the flagpole for dear life as the supercharged flames engulfed his entire body.

ROAR!

It was a scream of both agony and ecstasy. In that moment, Vex’s aura exploded, rocketing from early Alpha all the way to Legendary level peak. It wasn’t his own power, but the banner’s. As its Standard-bearer, he was now channeling the combined might of its souls. As long as he held the banner, he was a peak Legendary. If he let go, he would revert to his true power level.

Even so, the feeling was intoxicating. The temporary strength was a drug, a torrent of endless power that left him mesmerized. He could also feel his own rate of cultivation accelerating dramatically.

Orion glanced at Vex. This transformation was the direct result of the Scourge Wardens’ pledge.

“Since you have sworn your fealty, ascend the mountain and take your place,” Orion said. His tone had shifted from detached to placid, a subtle sign of acceptance.

“As you command, My lord!”

The hundred or so Scourge Wardens began their ascent, their massive forms trampling and destroying the mountainside vegetation. The unluckiest victims were the Wraith Knight armies in the cavern below. If Commander Ashreign hadn’t thrown up a defensive barrier at the last second, they would have been buried alive.

“Commander… those are Scourge Wardens, from the higher dimensions of the Abyss! What are they doing here?” As a Wraith Knight army with a long history, Ashreign and his deputy knew of the ancient legends. In that moment, watching the giants pledge their loyalty, Ashreign finally understood what kind of entity was on the peak above him.

He was a power they could not afford to defy. Simply put, they had no reason to refuse Orion’s recruitment.

“Ozyrel,” Ashreign said, his voice heavy with resolution. “We will submit.” His words were not just for his Deputy Commander, but for all the Wraith Knight brothers listening.

“We obey the Commander’s command! We swear on our lives to uphold our oath and defend the honor of the Wraith Knights!”

As if rehearsed, every Wraith Knight chanted the same words in perfect unison.

“Then with me, brothers. We shall ascend and greet our My lord.”

Commander Ashreign rose to his feet. A summoning circle of spectral fire spread out at his feet, and within moments, a great Nightmare, wreathed in green soulfire, materialized from the formation. Ashreign mounted the beast, his longsword at his hip and lance in hand, and broke the seal of their subterranean refuge, riding out into the open.

One by one, the members of his army summoned their own Nightmare mounts, forming neat columns, five abreast, and marched out of the cavern in perfect order.

Atop the summit, a faint smile touched Orion’s lips. Double happiness. The Scourge Wardens’ pledge had accelerated the surrender of the Wraith Knights. An army of over ten thousand Wraith Knights… it was a delightful surprise.

“Ashreign, leading the Wraith Knight armies, wishes to pledge fealty to My lord!”

Only when all his knights were out of the cave and in perfect formation did Ashreign look up, his gaze meeting Orion’s in the rift. He could feel the eyes of the Scourge Wardens on him, their immense pressure a silent challenge.

Ashreign raised his lance. Behind him, ten thousand lances rose as one.

“In the name of the Wraith Knights, I swear to protect you and your authority forever,” Ashreign declared, his voice ringing with power. “In times of peril, I will offer my life for you. I will be your loyal servant. Wherever your blade points, there we shall charge! I beseech you, My lord, take us in!”

The sight was breathtaking. An army of ten thousand knights, all swearing their allegiance in unison, their voices thundering for miles.

“Come,” Orion’s voice was still calm, but the pressure that had been weighing on the Wraith Knights vanished without a trace.

His primary objective was complete. And he had gained an elite force of Scourge Wardens as a bonus. His recruitment drive was already a resounding success. But he had no intention of stopping now. He had promised three months, and there could be more surprises to come.

Besides, with the news of the Scourge Wardens and Wraith Knights joining him, the clans of the surrounding regions would surely flock to his banner. He now had his elite troops; what he still needed was cannon fodder.

The Wraith Knight armies began their orderly ascent, their souls adding another furious inferno to Orion’s banner.