In the face of the looming apocalypse, Ashe and Tryndamere understood exactly what Sejuani was referring to. They, too, were mobilizing their forces, preparing for the eventuality of an ultimate battle. Even if Li Lin didn't require the majority of the Avarosan Tribe's warriors, readiness was essential.
Shamans and Spirit Walkers, whose powers were derived primarily from demigods, were particularly sensitive to their presence. The return of Anivia, the goddess of Winter and True Ice, was no trivial matter. Among the three primeval demigod siblings, Anivia was the second-born and considered the most benevolent toward humanity, often engaging with mortals the most.
From what Li Lin understood, she had once chosen to shatter the polar ice cap and perish alongside the corrupted Voidborn qilins that roamed its desolation, an act immortalized in Freljordian legend. That had happened over a millennium ago. Anivia's return was usually seen as a harbinger of good fortune, but each resurrection was accompanied by a series of monumental events, often interpreted as warnings of impending crises.
Coupled with Sejuani's remarks from the shamans and Spirit Walkers, the Void's invasion seemed imminent. Establishing communication with Anivia became a priority. If successful, it might be possible to rally the demigod to join the resistance against the Void. This could potentially lead to the emergence of Ornn, who had withdrawn from mortal affairs for millennia.
After much deliberation, Li Lin finally broached the topic:
"Have you encountered any monster attacks in your territory?"
"Monsters? Do you mean the Void?" Ashe's expression turned grave. "I've heard of the Void attacks on the continent of Valoran, but here in Rakenstake, we haven't faced such creatures. However…"
She hesitated briefly. "Some of the Avarosan people from the northeast recently sought refuge, claiming they were attacked by magical entities. They couldn't clearly describe what these creatures looked like."
Due to the vague accounts of the refugees, Ashe couldn't confirm whether the attacks were from Void creatures. In the wild lands of Freljord, where primal magic still flowed abundantly—unlike the stabilized magical currents of Valoran—it was not uncommon for strange magical entities and creatures to arise.
The Avarosan tribe itself raised an array of fantastical beasts, such as Thunderhorns, Cloudwings capable of flight, and massive pack animals rivaling Shuriman sand crawlers in size.
"Do you have the exact location?" Li Lin asked.
Ashe raised her hand, and a shared data interface projected a holographic map before him, highlighting the specific area.
It was close to Frostguard Fortress, just south of that bastion. Oddly enough, there had been no reports from Lissandra's faction, and the AI reported stable energy readings from the icebound Watchers in the Hall of Nine. Where, then, was this Void incursion spreading from?
After exchanging a few more words with Ashe, Li Lin teleported directly outside Frostguard Fortress. Ignoring the sudden hostility of Frostguard sentries—who quickly relaxed upon recognizing him—he made his way into the fortress.
The scene was familiar: the grand hall where he had first met Lissandra. However, it was still early, and Lissandra wasn't present. Instead, the highest-ranking priest under her command, Drakron Blizzardstorm, stood waiting.
"The Matron is in the Hall of Nine. She instructed me to direct you there should you arrive," Drakron said, pausing momentarily before adding, "She has spent all her time there in recent days."
Li Lin furrowed his brow, his gaze lingering on the robed figure wearing a headdress identical to Lissandra's inverted triangle. "What's happening in the Hall of Nine?"
Drakron merely lowered his head in silence, steadfast in his fanatical devotion to Lissandra. No amount of questioning would elicit a response.
Shaking his head, Li Lin decided not to waste time. He teleported to the Howling Abyss above and descended into the blackened chasm.
Before long, he reached the Hall of Nine and immediately noticed Lissandra. Her luxurious robe lay sprawled across the icy floor, her cascade of white hair like a waterfall, draping over her pale blue form. Lissandra was deep in slumber, her spirit clearly having left her body.
She lay face down, her skin pressed against the darkened ice, trembling uncontrollably. For someone with the purest bloodline of the Firstborn Frost—one who had long grown immune to the agony of True Ice piercing her soul—this trembling was not from the cold.
Drip.
Before Li Lin could approach her, an unusually sharp sound pierced the howling winds. His acute senses immediately picked up on it.
"A water droplet…"
His heart clenched as he whipped his head toward the source. A massive, pitch-black ice pillar wrapped in iron chains had a faint sheen of moisture on its surface.
True Ice, a magical creation of Anivia, was impervious to heat. Even a thousand-degree furnace couldn't melt it and would instead extinguish its flames. Yet here, in this boundless sea of True Ice, moisture was forming on its surface?!
Overwhelmed with unease, Li Lin glanced upward at the patrolling drones stationed thousands of meters above. He briefly considered reprimanding the AI for failing to report such a critical anomaly but quickly discarded the thought.
By agreement, Lissandra had prohibited drones from entering the Hall of Nine for close-range analysis, and Li Lin had respected her wishes. The drones hovered above the chasm's depths, at the edge of what the Frostguard called the "Bridge of the Lost."
The AI monitored the Watchers' activity through energy readings alone. The interference from these ancient entities' dormant energy made even the most advanced equipment ineffective at detecting anything through the layers of darkness.
As Li Lin's gaze returned to Lissandra, he noticed her body abruptly move. Her soul reentered her body, and with a startling motion, she rose and shot out of the Hall of Nine, heading deeper into the abyss.
Alarmed, Li Lin reached out mentally to the AI.
"Has Lissandra been corrupted by the Void?"
The AI hesitated briefly, a delay that only deepened Li Lin's sense of dread.
[She just left the Hall of Nine and descended further into the chasm. According to drone tracking, she leapt into the depths.]
As he processed this, a wave of nausea and vertigo hit him. Li Lin barely had time to react as a mental assault—emanating from the darkness beneath the True Ice—seized his mind. Despite the anti-demonic protections of his armor, his mental defenses felt overwhelmed.
Realizing the severity of the situation, the AI took control, sealing off external sensory inputs to mitigate the attack. As the pressure subsided slightly, Li Lin staggered back, a searing pain still lingering in his head.
"Damn it!"
Without hesitation, the AI initiated a Level One Combat Readiness Warning to all world leaders, mobilizing the mechanical army and Void-response weaponry. The Titan Battle Mecha was already in position above the Howling Abyss.
Activating the "Banshee's Veil" feature of his armor, Li Lin conjured a robust magical shield—a pale silver glow enveloping the suit like cascading moonlight.
"Has Lissandra fallen to the Void's corruption?"
The AI's delay in responding sent a chill down his spine.
[She just leapt into the deeper chasm.]
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(End of Chapter)