The Paladin in the Abyss
Chapter 807 - 818: Lift Your Head

"So, what we need to do next is find that thigh bone, bring it back here, and then defeat Peyton Derrick, and the quest will be complete, right?" Bruto clapped his hands, "Sounds simple enough. When do we leave?"

"Have you forgotten the most important part..." Alamir shook his head with a wry smile, "How are we supposed to defeat that Lich? Especially now that it’s at its full strength?"

"Uh..." The Dwarf turned to the Human Knight, "Big brother, you must have a plan, right?"

"I don’t." Lancelot shook his head decisively, "I was hoping we could find something like that here."

"Doesn’t the information about the thigh bone count?" the Princess asked hopefully.

"Well, that information is indeed very useful." Lancelot nodded in agreement, "But it might not be enough..."

"How about this, you take me with you. I might have a way to anger him, at least distract him, wouldn’t that be helpful?"

"Take you?" Lancelot looked at her in surprise, "I’m afraid that’s not feasible, Princess Fran. We likely won’t be able to protect you in the heat of battle..."

"Protect me? Oh no no no, you misunderstood..." The corpse supported her chin with both hands and pushed it upward with force. With a sound like a wine cork being pulled out, she raised her head from her neck. Her head floated in the air and stared at Lancelot with a wistful look, then continued, "I don’t need any protection, and you don’t need to take all of me... Please, I’ve been confined in a dark space of less than five feet for over a century. Take me outside for a spin. If I really die from this, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing..."

Lancelot cast a pleading glance at his companions, but the others either nodded or gave him a thumbs-up, as if to say: ’That’s a great idea.’

"Uh... taking you is fine, but..." Lancelot forced a stiff smile, "Can you put your head back on?"

"Sure, do you need me to put it back?"

"Yes, your current appearance is still too... special."

"How about now?"

"...Thank you."

At that moment, Cranvo raised an arm and waved, causing a golden candelabrum in the corner to fly towards Him, melting in mid-air and turning into five shimmering amulets that fell into the Lord of the Dead’s hands.

"Although I can’t leave this tomb, I can still offer some help." Cranvo threw the amulets, which flew to Lancelot’s companions, "As long as you carry my amulets, any evil Undead entities that attack you will be affected. They will find it hard to aim at you, increasing their chances of missing. However, be aware that this won’t reduce the power of their attacks. If you have bad luck, you could still suffer fatal damage. Though I can revive you here, lost equipment cannot be retrieved..."

"Thank you, great Lord of the Dead, this is extremely useful." Lancelot said gratefully, but his expression suddenly turned a bit odd, "Uh… why didn’t I get one…"

"There must always be a target for the enemy." Although His face was concealed by a mask, Lancelot knew the Lord of the Dead must be smiling, "I know your strength, you’ll be fine. Also, don’t you have an Anti-Magic Stone? Why are you reluctant to use it?"

"Ah, you even know about that..." Lancelot pouted, "Frankly, every time I use the Anti-Magic Stone, its effective range shrinks. I’m worried that if I use it too often, it will completely lose its power..."

"Anti-Magic Stones were created from the fall of the Goddess of Magic, inherently unnatural artifacts. Now that Midnight has become the new Goddess of Magic, all Anti-Magic Stones are losing their power. Only those that have never been used and have always been sealed with special methods maintain their original potency..."

"So it’s actually a one-time-use item?" Lancelot bitterly rubbed a special part on his breastplate, "This is... bad news."

"You should use it when necessary, just be mindful of the timing. Aim for a single decisive strike. If a Lich knows you have an Anti-Magic Stone, you won’t get within a hundred feet of it, making things even harder." Cranvo shook His head gently, "Moreover, there’s something else I need to ask of you..."

"Please, give your command." The Human Knight straightened up immediately and assumed a respectful posture. Despite the Lord of the Dead’s amiable attitude, He was still a deity. No matter how politely He phrased His requests, Lancelot never forgot that fact.

"I hope you can investigate those hags for me." Cranvo paced slowly in place, "What is their relationship with Shrek, and what is their purpose for coming to this Demon’s Domain? These two questions nag at me. Considering the Prince of Lies doesn’t know I’ve taken notice of this place, he may not have had time to cover his tracks or destroy evidence. This could be a golden opportunity to understand his true plans. Of course, I won’t let you work for nothing—regardless of what you find, once you return to the Crystal Tower, I will give each of you a magical item called the Mask of Death, including you, Sir Lancelot."

"The Mask of Death? What’s that?"

"Something I created myself, similar to this." Cranvo tapped the mask on His own face, "Once worn, no one except those who truly love you and those you intend to kill will recognize you. To others, you appear as just an ordinary person, and they forget your appearance as soon as they turn away. Perfect for adventurers like you who frequent the lower planes."

"That sounds great; You are truly generous." Lancelot remained serious, "We will give it our all!"

"Thank you. Shrek’s mad schemes have repeatedly threatened the entire Multiverse; someone must act to stop him."

"We will set out at once..."

"No need to rush." Cranvo chuckled softly, "I have a feeling a tough battle awaits you, better to rest first. In my domain, your sleep will be as sweet as death itself. In just a few dozen minutes, you will be fully refreshed as if you had slept an entire night."

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