Chapter 482: Puppets Of Ages Past

Without any further preamble, Morgana extended both hands to her sides.

Suddenly, something began moving beneath her black robe.

Although the others could not see what was happening behind the fabric, the unnatural movements were impossible to miss.

Then, black fleshy bubbles began spewing out from underneath her robes in enormous quantities.

The sight was disgusting and disturbing, but what truly caught their attention was the sheer amount of magic emanating from the black mass. The pressure was so enormous that several of them instinctively took a few steps back.

Ethan narrowed his eyes as he watched, his body immediately going on alert.

His senses were warning him of the danger, but he deliberately held himself back from acting preemptively.

He needed to be certain of what was actually happening. He could not risk bringing the agreement between his wife and the Demon Queen to ruin.

The black fleshy mass continued pouring out from beneath Morgana's robe.

Then, slowly, it began taking shape.

From three different sections of the mass, figures began rising. Hands formed, followed by arms and legs as the black flesh continued molding itself into humanoid bodies.

Within seconds, their bodies began taking different shapes and sizes. One stood considerably taller than the others, while the remaining two were of similar average height.

The black mass continued molding itself around them, gradually becoming more defined.

Their facial features began to emerge, followed by their hair, skin, and clothing. Everything—from their bodies to their weapons and armor—had been formed from the same unnatural substance.

Eventually, the black mass fell away from them, leaving behind three fully formed figures.

Standing before Ethan and the rest of the team were three individuals.

The first was dressed like a knight, with dark-brown hair and eyes glowing with a yellow-orange light. A halo of flames floated behind his back, while the sword in his hand was engulfed in brilliant solar flames.

There was so much radiating from his body that even from several meters away, it felt as though the courtyard itself was slowly being submerged beneath an ocean of molten lava.

This was Aggravain, one of the Knights of the Round Table.

The second figure standing beside him appeared to be a mage.

He was dark-skinned, dressed in a green robe, and held a staff in one hand. This was Lucius, a High Mage from the old era.

Then there was the third figure.

This one was easily the most hideous of the three.

His face was nothing more than a skull, while his body was covered in dark armor that seemed perfectly suited to the monstrosity beneath it. The helmet fit around his horns, and skulls had been imbedded on the armor's shoulder guards.

The creature looked like death itself. However, he was not merely some undead monster.

This used to be an ancient demon from the era before the recreation of the world.

The three figures shared one vital similarity; they had dark veins spread across their faces and around their eyes, carrying a subtle greenish glow in them.

Those veins were the sign that they were under Morgana's control.

Morgana's magic of devouring allowed her to consume almost anything she could overpower, whether it was magical abilities or the bodies of her targets, living or dead. Once something had been absorbed into her, she could later bring it back out again.

But whatever she brought forth would no longer be the same.

Anything Morgana expelled from within herself would be completely under her control. The same way she could command and utilize abilities she had devoured, she could also command the bodies she had consumed in the past, turning them into servants under her control.

And these three figures were proof of that.

Each one possessed an immense amount of magical power. In fact, the pressure radiating from them was so overwhelming that the majority of Ethan's team were left uncertain of what they should do next.

For the moment, none of them made a move.

Morgana wore a pleased smile. She seemed to enjoy the tension her three servants had created among the people standing before her.

"Each of these puppets of mine possesses a level of strength, corresponding to the strength of various dragons."

Their eyes widened.

Percival whispered to himself, "Did she just say dragons?"

Wilson, who had heard him, murmured back, "Mhm-hmm."

"And you all," Morgana continued, "are going to fight them."

The entire team stared at her in surprise.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Morgana said. "I'm sure you all want to see the results of your not-so-little efforts, right? I mean, I certainly do. If you can survive against these puppets, then perhaps I may gain some confidence that you aren't all completely worthless when it comes to facing dragons."

Ethan immediately cut in. "There's no need for this, Morgana. We are fully aware of the dangers we're facing against dragons. There's no need to fight these… these puppets of yours just to prove that."

Morgana's expression changed as she stared at Ethan with a much more serious gaze. "You do not get to make that decision, boy."

She then turned toward the rest of the group.

"You all think you understand the level of danger you're entering, but you fucking don't. I can tell that most of you are simply blinded by the desire to remain loyal, or perhaps you have some confidence in the strength of Izzgur and his son."

Her gaze swept across them.

"But you need to understand this. When you face dragons, you aren't facing ordinary creatures. You are facing monsters that can be a hundred times your size, with several times more magical power than you could ever hope to compare with. Any one of you could be crushed in the blink of an eye."

Her expression hardened. "And I will not risk incurring their enmity if the people I'm expected to face them alongside are frail, weak, or lacking in cunning. I won't do that."

She paused briefly. "Moreover, this is not a debate."

Morgana looked over the group once more.

"Perhaps the Mistress didn't inform you all. For the moment, you have agreed to stay in my castle and that means you are all subject to my methods."

Her smile returned faintly.

"So this will happen."

She gestured toward the three puppets. "And it will happen now."

Ethan was just about to speak when Hayley took him by the hand.

He glanced at her, and she gave him a determined nod before turning back toward Morgana.

"We will. Don't think we're scared of this. They're nothing. ..We will fight these puppets of yours."

Hayley added, "And after we win, you don't get to ever look or speak down on us ever again."