Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 799 - 740: Dawn

Susanna extricated herself from the thorns, and the Thorn Spire formed from her transforming armor was battling with the Nightmare for control of the dream. Without the hard, enclosed disguise, her delicate and youthful face was strikingly fierce. The Elves around her, witnessing the Governor’s true appearance for the first time, suppressed their admiration and surprise back into their stomachs.

"The permafrost region is melting, all eroded by the Nightmare." The Berserker Instructor, a clone of the Chieftain of the Ancient Human Clans, had a solemn expression, his original animal skin coat discarded due to the acid of battle, with fresh scabs over the sinister wounds on his red-streaked chest and back.

"The plains are collapsing, my Queen’s statue sank into that damned marshland." The Defender Instructor, a clone of Knight Benjamin, was visibly upset, slicing the air with his sword to vent his inner restlessness.

"Same with the forest zone, evacuating everyone from the jungle was already my limit." Liveser’s Hunter Instructor and the Shadow Assassin Instructor stepped forward together, and behind them, the dispersed Assassin Squad was settling the frightened apprentices. All Susanna heard was bad news, and despite being prepared, the Governor’s face still unavoidably turned more sullen.

"The sky zone can temporarily suppress with magic network energy, and for now, we needn’t worry about aerial attacks. But the collapse of the Mana Seal is only a matter of time." Amid glowing pale blue lines, a large group of players fell from one meter up, and Old Mage, a clone of Mr. Scholar, dusted off his robe, glancing towards Susanna briefly, his magical glow rendering this profound old man even more enigmatic.

Total collapse, Susanna used administrator privileges to open the world map, and with a heavy heart, saw the safe zone shrinking like a wilting flower, barely a tenth remaining. The City of Origin was turning into an isolated dream island, with the land eroded by Nightmare undergoing transformation, and it wouldn’t be long before it sank into the chaotic subconscious ocean.

"NPC instructors lead players who are still able to fight to build defenses and concentrate all strengths to protect the last city; we still have hope. Don’t let the Nightmare erode us internally, as long as..." as long as the four administrators agree, Susanna could use the final protocol employed during the creation of the dream realm. Wipe the dream realm entirely, draining all the power from this land, turning the dream into a barren wasteland. Making the Nightmare that parasitizes the dream realm lose its foothold, Susanna believed she and Lyle could handle this matured kind. This means the Elves would lose a dream realm, but everyone could save themselves. If only the four administrators could gather... but precisely at this critical moment, Irason and Lyle were nowhere to be found.

Thunder rent the magic web in the sky, and columns of light solidified into an angel clad in armor, the Gatekeeper’s arrival bringing light. His tall and majestic figure reassured everyone.

"I sealed the instance areas, but I couldn’t find Lyle," said the Gatekeeper, overseeing the instance area where various administrators had collected partially converted Nightmare power, which Lyle used to create powerful monsters in the instances as a main activity of the dream game. These materials are dangerous, thus they needed the Gatekeeper’s oversight. Now, with the holy light’s seal, the invading Nightmares in the secluded dream realm only have their inherent power.

Susanna nodded, "At least now we have no worries about the back, and powerful NPCs like you still retain power. We can try to break the blockade, establish a route, and transfer the Elves completely untouched by the Nightmare..."

The Old Mage tapped his staff, bluntly highlighting the key to the plan. "The large teleportation portal needs people to maintain it, we dream replicas don’t mind individual loss, but we are just vulnerable attachments..." Replicas needed administrators to sustain, they are programs, requiring input commands.

"I will stay," Susanna naturally interjected, with Elves busy securing the city going silent behind her. The Governor’s voice was as cold and resolute as ever, "Born from the Nightmare, I have the strongest resistance to corruption. I will persist until everyone is escorted out, and who knows, maybe Irason will return."

Everyone could easily see through her lie, but a fragile truth would only add to the sadness. As she donned her weapons and her expression darkened, the Elves bowed and retreated, their bodies crossing the makeshift tents, their eyes glancing through the gaps at the lonely figure standing in the shadows. The first Elf Queen Irason, in her war against the Evil God, had plunged into madness, and the mental torment led her to establish a dream realm within the god’s ocean of consciousness, and now she was rendered without fighting spirit, becoming indolent and useless. The Dream Elf Clans were established under the charm of the natural lady, and the loss of Elf Light made the Elves see the gods as mortal enemies. However... history seemed poised to repeat itself. Given any other path, they would not choose such a humiliating exit, but they were subjects and would not defy the leader’s resolve.

Susanna lifted her head, tucked her hair behind her ear, and moved close to the towering Gatekeeper, the holy light making her figure seem especially tiny. She spoke softly, in a voice only audible to the two of them.

"In the end... help me, let me die as Susanna, as the Elf Governor." Susanna knew what she would face; she would be assimilated, returning to chaos as part of the mother. Her memories, her feelings, would become fodder shared by the Nightmare. The selfish Governor did not wish to share her treasures with anyone.

The angelic Gatekeeper loosened his grip on his sword, his glowing hand gently patted the Governor’s shoulder, responding to her request in an equally soft voice.

"You wish." While Susanna was in a daze, the gatekeeper gave her a head shake, and taking advantage of the manager covering her head, the uncontrollable AI seized control of the meeting.

"I have a better plan." The Destroyer’s greatsword pierced into the map, the burning flames lighting up everyone’s faces, "We gather everyone, find that invading mongrel, and beat the hell out of him."

"For Queen Drea!"

"In the name of Alcalon, Wings of Annihilation."

"Death, baptize my blade."

"This proposal is indeed more appealing, escaping now would render all previous arrangements valueless."

The dream replicants were high in battle spirit, they’re all replicants and didn’t care about personal losses. Their originals are among the best of people, unafraid of death, and the replicants’ personalities are also extremely combative.

"No! Blind combat will result in massive losses for my clans!" Susanna punched the table into pieces, a failure meant sinking all; Susanna dared not gamble the future of the Elf Clans.

"So you decide to sacrifice yourself? Do you think too highly of yourself or do you think, the Elf Clans do not deserve to die fighting for you?" The gatekeeper’s words were cutting to the core, the earlier commotion had attracted the elves outside the tent back again, they heard the conversation, gathered in groups blocking the entrance, their bright eyes firmly fixed on Susanna.

Susanna couldn’t stand such scrutiny and quickly changed the subject.

"I cannot accept meaningless casualties; the children of Irason hold greater value, they should not be expended in a doomed war."

The gatekeeper laughed heartily.

"So you mean, if we are certain to win, you would accept the fight."

Susanna glared at him, isn’t that obvious? If we are certain to win why would I hide, who wouldn’t want to win battles, wait... the Governor pondered deep inside, despite deep contemplation, she still saw no glimpse of victory, not even a slight possibility. Yet now, she held hope for the Holy Light.

"Do you have a way?"

"Lyle."