《Wholly Undead》 Chapter 1: Unbelievable Jack''s vision slowly came into view, with the feeling of lying down; he stared straight into an inky abyss of darkness, in the absence of light and the feeling of claustrophobia closing in, made him feel crushing despair. [OH GOD. I''M DEAD-I''M DEAD-I''M DEAD... I''m dead.....] Jack''s thoughts roared in his mind, as they soon came to a shortstop. Jack''s last memory had him eating at home alone, as always. He was eating his simple microwaved box meal. He thought to be adventurous in his monotonous life, and try the chicken pasta flavor. Little did he know that this slight discourse caused his death, choked to death by a piece of hardened microwaved noodle, a truly pathetic way to die. Jack lived his life alone. No family, as he outlived his parents. No siblings, No spouse, and no children to save him from his moment of mortality, and likely no one to check for his death, until his absences from work could no longer be explained. Jack laid in the darkness, still alone. As jacks thoughts shifted from his pathetic death and to his use to be miserable life, peace came to him. [At least I don''t have to deal with life anymore... No more work or bills, no more anything.] Jack thought happily, as his thoughts soon turned to the deafening silence of his own thoughts. [They say we come into this world alone, and we leave this world alone.] Jack became philosophical. [But I had a mother... Is that really alone?] This uneasy peace and philosophical pondering went on for countless time before it occurred to Jack to come to an understanding of his current situation. Jack felt he was lying down, but, if he was dead, how would he perceive this? He could still feel. Jack tried to feel his body. He had the sensation that he was moving and that he was surrounded in a box, but no sense of touch was connecting to his mind. He could feel the pressure he used to press inside his container, but not the feeling of what he was touching, a most disconcerting feeling. It kind of had that feeling when your hand is asleep from being pressed. [So I was recovered and laid to rest in a coffin??? Who the hell puts someone in an unpadded coffin??? I mean it''s nice... but....] While Jack could not feel if he was touching wood, stone or metal, he could feel with pressure, it was solid. No padding. He didn''t even have a pillow for his head. Jack always knew, when he would die, he would be cremated due to being without anyone to care for his death. Why was he in a coffin? Even a coffin as odd and unadorned as this was still a gift by humanity to him, at his time of death. At least he died with an intact body, and not in a car crash, he always feared. While pondering the odd state he was in, and the feeling of the box, he thought to touch his face. A hard feeling returned to his hands... He touched his eyes, but the feeling that this returned horrified him. There was no squishy feeling. No sensation of a spongy feeling skin would have; even if he could not tell by his lacking sense of touch, he could still feel if it was springy like flesh. However, the most terrifying was his eyes. Where the sensation of a squishy feeling of an eye should be.... was a hole. Using both hands, Jack groped both his eye sockets. That''s right. These were eye sockets, and no eyes were there. Was this Purgatory? Hell? After the passing of an unknown time of dread and horror, Jack calmed down to wonder how he could see. He saw endless darkness but felt he was "seeing" this and not just the absence of sight. He pondered still that he had never been blind before, so how would he know. Soon he heard muffled voices that slowly came into a sense of vague chanting. This lasted for a while. He could hear! This made Jack, who had been completely deprived of his senses for a long time to be joyed, just by the feeling of some kind of stimulation. These voices sounded like a choir for a church, but also like a ritual he would find in the games he liked to play. Jack tried to urge his voice to make contact but found no sound was made. He tried speaking different languages he could think of but to no avail. Soon the chanting voices died down, and for a long time, silence once again reigned. Jack had no clue of the passage of time, but since he could hear, time felt to length from the want of more stimulation in a deprived environment. After this period of time finally passed, the sound of voices returned. This time it was not choir-like, but conversation, much closer this time. While muffled, a sweet feminine sounding voice drifted into Jack''s domain. "Did it work?" "Of course... it worked." a rather hesitant, but astute sounding gentleman replied in a short way. "Then why isn''t the Holy Witch King awaking?" the troubled sounding sweet voice responded, in a hurried manner. "He''s been asleep for a little over a thousand years. I have trouble waking up after a few years, let alone a thousand." A gruff sounding voice responded, followed by laughter! "Yeah, and you didn''t single-handedly vanquish a full five armies using the Holy light, did you?!" The female voice sounded annoyed and anxious. "No, I make currency!" with a gruff retort, soon followed another bout of laughter. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Jack now had no idea what this conversation was about, or about whom. All he knew was that he wanted to make contact, so he began to hit the inside of his, assumed, coffin. "Hush, Business Head John!! ...Do you hear that?" The feminine voice shrieked in excitement. "Countess Leslie, what are you yelling at me for?" The gruff voice scoffed. "No, no... I hear it too." sounded the Gentlemen''s voice. "Now that you say it... I think so too... Do you think some vermin got into the Holy Witch Kings tomb?" Business Head John asked jokingly. "What are you saying, you stupid tycoon... Get the priest to come exhume the tomb... Something went wrong." Countess Leslie commanded. Jack heard all kinds of noises soon after, and soon a crack of light flooded his abyssal state. As soon as he could he lifted himself out of his confinement to look around... Horror beyond what he had already felt previously at the knowledge of his assumed death... caused his mind to break down, unable to process what was going on in his field of view. The room he observed was something from his novels and games he read and played. A medieval room made of, what Jack assumed were, bones filled with light courtesy of the jewels on the walls. He looked down from his rest to see that his container was a black stone tomb, adorned with golden, holy images and runes. He glanced up to see who the voices belonged to, and this is where the terror arose. Surrounding him where ghastly figures. [I died and went to Hell... What did I do exactly to deserve this....] Jack''s mind broke further, but in this madness, he found himself surprisingly calm. There were skeletons wearing white robes, a number of seven of them. Behind them were three figures, a slim skeleton wearing noble vestments and a silver monocle over his right hollowed eye, a large fat Zombie with a bloated barbarian build, but in the clothes of a merchant, and lastly, a zombie woman. Her face was colored a gray undeath, otherwise with a human look, but with the beauty to cause the collapse of nations. The most interesting thing besides her beauty was her hands. This female undead had pure white skeletal hands. She also looked to be a well-endowed lady. Who knew about the rest of her? Some dark part of Jack''s brain wondered about the parts that made her female... Were they intact? Jack was losing it. He lay back down in his Tomb, not knowing what to do or say. Even if he could say anything at all, what would he say? A hurried voice came from afar and made its way into the tomb. "I should have come here, to begin with, undead be damn the instructions, only I can awake the Holy Witch King properly!" A harsh and uptight voice called out. "We did exactly as his Grace left for us. Who are you to question his Grace?" "I am SECOND ONLY to his Grace, here! I have kept this kingdom running for his Grace for over a thousand years!" The voice came fast. A snort was heard. "If by second, you mean, second place." Laughter filled the room and echoed from Business Head John, leaving no face for the undead that just entered in large strides. "YOU?!" "Calm down, Grand Minister Lucius." The Skeletal gentlemen replied. With a huff, Grand Minister Lucius walked to the side of the tomb of the Holy Witch King. "Your Grace, What is wrong? What can I do for you?" Grand Minister Lucius bowed down in front of the raised tomb that was at the center of the room surrounded by a pious undead priest. "Your grace???" Jack thought... He rose back up and looked down on the kneeling figure of Grand Minister Lucius. Grand Minster Lucius appeared with a white robe with gold inlays with red trim. Upon his head was a pious pope''s hat, in the same design as his robe. The hat had an emblem on it. An emblem that looked oddly familiar to Jack. A crest. This crest was of a Skull with no lower jaw, with a half sun above the skull and upside down angel wings on the left and right respectively. Jacks mind buzzed with a thought, a fragment of memory, long forgotten, and so he spoke unconsciously, as a sharp pain stabbed into his mind. Not with a voice, but with his mind aloud. "May Holy undeath reign within the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth." A heroic and virtuous voice sounded and filled the room and halls surrounding the tomb. This was Jack''s voice! All within the room knelled quickly, and responded in the same! """"""""""May the Undeath of his Grace last forever!"""""""""" Jack was frightened by not only this response... But his own! How did he know this, whose voice was this? This wasn''t his voice! What language was he speaking!? How could he understand them? Himself? In Jack''s joy of hearing voices, he didn''t stop to ask why he could understand this arcane language that was being spoken. Jack had no idea of any of these questions. He kind of just wanted to lie back down and not think about it. This was always Jack''s way of solving things. Was this the right way? Not even close, but this was Jack''s way. Jack''s head was busting, and before Jack started to lie back down for the second time, Countess Leslie raised her head and spoke. "My Grace, My love. Please let me bathe you and ready your throne, for the worst has come to pass!" Jack looked over at this decayed beauty. Still amazed by how a dead face could look so good. Jack felt a stirring in his soul... Oddly not his body. Jack lifted his hands and seen they too were skeletal. Yes. He was undead. Jack thought and spoke trying to formulate the feeling he had earlier, and what information he gathered from listening earlier. If nothing else about Jack, he was quick-witted. He could pick up information like a computer, and a perfect memory... When he wanted too... "Yes... Countess Leslie... I would like that...." His voice, while still heroic... paused a bit too long between his sentences, sounding like an elder who could not articulate a full sentence. Overcome with joy as never seen before, Leslie moved quickly to a side hall and called in her handmaidens. They came in, and pushed the priest aside, much to the dislike and distaste of Grand Minister Lucius, who at this point had been completely disregarded. These handmaidens wore plain white dresses on their skeletal frames, with gold trim. A few of them still had some fleshy parts. An Upper arm here, A chest, with what could be considered breasts, and a leg here. Jack looking over to the figure of Grand Minister Lucius who was still kneeling, unlike many in the room who have already started to stand up, could tell that he was not pleased. Jack had no clue what was going on but knew that he was spoken to as his Grace. He could only think that he must be important. Why? Jack couldn''t be bothered to wonder at this point. Nothing made sense, but Jack didn''t want to leave Lucius in a position where he was left without face. Everyone in this world needed their face and some reputation to live... Or be dead with... Jack couldn''t be made to deal with the phrasing of this. "Grand... Minister... Lucius... We will talk... Later... Thank you..." Jack concentrated as much as he could... Still feeling out the way to communicate. "Yes! Yes, your Grace!" Grand Minister Lucius was like a man in a desert who just was handed a gourd of water, grateful to save face, and to be commanded by his grace. The Skeletal Gentleman, known as Marquis Mark, and Business Head John walked out together, leaving the Holy Palace. Lead away by these undead handmaidens, Jack quickly and carefully learned to walk. The feeling of his skeletal feet on the floor wasn''t so much of a problem, but the way to balance when you don''t have flesh on your feet was odd. Helped by the maidens, he was lead out of his tomb, and into the hall. Out of the hall, and up to a long spiral of steps and lastly into what could only be assumed was his private quarters. Chapter 2:Cleanliness is next to Godliness Jack entered into his chambers, still assisted by the court of undead handmaidens of Countess Leslie. He was led to a table and chair made entirely of bones. The whole room was decorated in bones. Pure. White. Ivory. Bones. [Bones... Bones everywhere... Isn''t this like sitting on myself or on the bodies of other people???] Jack retorted in his mind. [This has got to be the most edge lord place I have ever seen.] Jack continued to meme it up in his mind. "My Grace, please allow me to assist with your bath." Countess Leslie bowed deeply, while the handmaidens had drawn a large tub of clear water and many stacks of white linen towels. "I... would... like that...." Jack struggled to string words together for Countess Leslie. Speaking in his undead body was like trying to do crossword with only his imagination. Very difficult. Countess Leslie was startled and excited. She had for ages and ages tried to get closer to her Grace, usually failing, but she always tried. The furthest she ever got was being honored to call The Holy Witch King "My Grace," to the envy of many of the female folk of the kingdom. Everyone in the kingdom knew of the favor that The Holy Witch King bestowed on Countess Leslie; however, everyone wondered why they never married. She almost tripped over herself to shoo away her own handmaidens. Countess Leslie was going to personally bathe The Holy Witch King! This was a manor only nameless servant would do... Mindlessly. What honor is there in this? But to let a lady of background commit such a task... A GRAND HONOR! SUCH TRUST! and to Countess Leslie... A hope of love... Jack stared at Leslie, as her beautiful gray face bloomed into an enchanting smile, as they were finally alone. Jack was committing to memory her face. She looked to be of Asian heritage if undead had such a thing as race. Flawless. How was she so well preserved? Jack wondered. She waltzed over to where Jack was now sitting beside his table. The room decorated in bones. A large basin of water in front of him. Pure and clean. Jack looking around the room and seen a large tomb at the corner of the room. Likely his daily bed, he thought. Not sure why he thought this. On the walls, large yellow pearls lite the room with light a hue in a soft golden glow that made the room brighter as the light cascaded on the ivory bones, and tapestries lined the walls, depicting undead in battle and church. The Center ceiling hung a great chandelier adorned with ivory skulls and femurs with etched black writings on them. Gold pearls embedded in the eye sockets of all the skulls that hung upside down from the light source shining down. A grand display, in a macabre taste. Countess Leslie approached and knelt down beside the basin of water. "Please disrobe My Grace, and allow this one to cleanse you." Countess Leslie said softly; her mind racing. [If I had a beating heart, I bet it would jump out and run away!] she thought. Perhaps it was a good thing, her heart no longer beat. Awkwardness struck Jack. He was going to become nude in front of such a good looking woman... Even if she was dead, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life... Errr Undeath, he thought. After a few moments passed, and time was about to become awkward, Jack decided to not think about it. Jack was a bonafide nihilist. If he couldn''t be made to think about it, he would try to think it doesn''t matter. Honestly, this was just Jacks wishful thinking. Even if he acted like he didn''t care, deep down... He cared... a lot! He rose, awkwardly, and dropped his robes. He stepped out and revealed his form. Jack looked down. Just as he grimly suspected. He was all bone. No flesh on his body at all. He didn''t even have a part to call himself male. Jack felt like crying but had no tears. Thankfully with the absences of a flesh and blood face, Jack''s expressions were hard to read. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Countess Leslie was struck with pure adulation. One has to remember, this was the first time, that she had seen her Grace''s Body. She thought it was so pure. Pure, pristine, and Ivory. Every bone was etched with Holy writings with gold inlay. Her grace''s body would put even the Undead Emperor to shame! One has to remember that Countess Leslie had served Her Grace for around two thousand years; granted a thousand or so of those years Her Grace was asleep. This was the first time she had seen Her Grace''s body! She snapped back to attention and half knelt to guide Jack into the basin of water. Honestly, this basin of water was more like a pool of water, than a basin. As jack''s foot made it into the water, it began to boil. Jack started to feel a searing pain in his foot. He retracted his foot quickly and looked to Leslie. He would look shocked, but thankfully, unthankfully, Jack did not have a face to make such an expression. "What''s wrong my Grace?" Countess Leslie puzzled, as her Grace stood there with one wet bony foot. Slight steam rose from where the foot was dipped. "Why does... It burns...?" Jack asked, while his mind was jumping around, [I FELT PAIN!!! I THOUGHT BEING DEAD MEANT I WAS PAINLESS! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!] Jack seldom cursed, but when he did, he meant every ugly word. Countess Leslie looked confused at her Grace. "My Grace, We only use the finest Holy water for your bath. Of course, it would burn, We are undead!" [Holy water!?] Jack jumped in fright in his mind. [WHY HOLY WATER!!!] jack kept thinking! "I don''t... Understand...?" Jack asked. "My Grace has always used Holy water for his baths and all His linens." Countess Leslie started thinking as fast as she could. This was her first time bathing her Grace. She couldn''t mess this up. She felt she had this one chance! For some strange reason, Her Grace granted her this boon! Jack stood there dazed for a moment. He looked down at the face of Leslie. It was so much easier to tell what she was thinking. She had expression on her face; not pure bone like most of the people he had seen... If people they could be considered. Jack saw her anguish. This pained him for some reason. Thinking he didn''t want to see this look on her, he steeled himself and entered the Holy water. He sat down in the water basin, up to his mid rib-cage. The water came to a rolling boil. Jack almost passed out from the terrible pain. It felt like his bones were being boiled for soup, but looking at the face of Leslie made this a lot more bearable. [What is this strange feeling?] Jack thought. One must know this is the most contact Jack had in years, let alone the fact he was entombed for who knows how long, just his previous life was almost devoid of human interaction. The life of a programmer was not the easiest, in this aspect, at least he could work from home most of the time. Countess Leslie took each part of Jack into her bony white hands and used a white linen towel wet with Holy water to wipe down each bone of Jack''s starting from his feet up. She took great care in wiping his joints, as she bore a pained expression. Jack could see that the Holy water was burning her as well, but she made no complaint. Even in her pained face, her lips curled at the edges into a slight smile. Jack pondered while grimacing in pain. [What holds my bones together? I mean, I don''t see any tissues... Magic? Is there such a thing as magic?!] Jack was startled to the point he almost forgot he was being boiled. This was a stupid revelation. Jack was now residing in an undead body, being boiled in Holy water, and attended to by a dead beauty. In what world could this happen if not by magic? Leslie was now nearing the completion of her task. With love and care, she was cleaning the dust from Her Grace''s rib cage and clavicles. Yes, the Holy water burned, but she was used to it. Every month she would come to Her Grace''s Chambers and clean his linen''s in Holy water by hand. Countess Leslie''s flesh on her hands had long been burned away by the Holy water, but for the love of her life, she would endure. Leslie never wore gloves on her hands, like so many of the female folk in the kingdom that were vain, but used Holy water for cleaning. She would look at her ivory bone hands with affection. A constant reminder of her work and devotion to Her Grace. Lastly, Jack felt the new, clearly painful, experience of feeling his hollowed eye sockets being cleansed by what felt like acid. That''s what this was, an acid bath! "What... Am I....?" Jack asked Countess Leslie, just as Leslie had finished and was putting away the used towels. Jack stepped out of his acid bath, a warm feeling spread over him, now freed from his previous torment. "....What, My Grace?" Leslie turned around and looked blankly at Her Grace, The Holy Witch King. "I''m... Not sure.... what... Is going on..." Jack stammered out. Leslie walked over and helped Jack get redressed and guided him over to his evening tomb. All undead had their evening tomb, though some never used it. This was more akin to a bed to the living than anything. Jack laid down in his evening tomb and looked over to Leslie. She pulled a chair over to the side of this evening tomb, as the dull sound of bones thumping from the dragging of the chair on the floor. Leslie sat down, and continue to look at Her Grace. [Does My Grace, have amnesia?!] Leslie thought... Chapter 3: A Recollection of a Battle past Jack laid his bony skull to rest upon his pillow and turned to look at Countess Leslie, while the latter showed a mixed expression of fear and sorrow. "My Grace... My love... What do you remember?" Leslie tentatively asked, with a soft voice. Jack looked away from Leslie''s face, and stared at the ceiling, tracing the bone-worked patterns with this sight. He sighed in his mind. "I don''t... know anything..." Jack spoke aloud, still with his heroic voice, though it sounded a bit better than his earlier attempts. Countess Leslie edged to the front of her seat. "Do you remember me?" she asked, while her eyes looked away from her love. Jack looked back over to Leslie, at the time she looked away. He may not have had much contact with people in his last life, but he had played, read, and watched enough to know what this voice and expression meant. Jack wanted to tell the truth, but he just didn''t want to see this beauty hurt. He knew the truth would hurt her. At this point, Jack wondered if they were a couple... Married? "How could I... Forget your most beautiful face..." Jack spoke while looking at the expression of Leslie, looking to see how it would change. Jack always wanted a female companion. He didn''t care if he married or even had a girlfriend, but at least a female friend would be nice... Leslie let out a sigh from her vestigial lungs. She was happy. The happiest she had been for a long time, but then she was thinking what Her Grace forgot... "What does My Grace remember?" Leslie asked probingly. Jack felt pressured. He had no idea how to comment. He was unsure if these people would accept that he wasn''t who they thought he was. What if when they found out, they burned his bones and scattered his ashes... Would he become a ghost? Die again... Re-die... Alive??? Jack had no idea but didn''t want to find out. "I remember, only you," Jack said firmly! This was the best sentence jack had said on his own since that weird episode when he saw the Grand Minister''s hat. Leslie bloomed into a gorgeous smile. She didn''t know why Her Grace was showering her with affection today, but she wasn''t willing to bring herself to question this. The more pressing matter was that the kingdom was in trouble... And The Holy Witch King had amnesia! How was he going to solve the impending wars! "Leslie... What are We?" Jack asked. Leslie would have blushed if blood was still a thing in her veins. Her Grace had never called her only by name! Only the most intimate of partners would call each other by their first name only! To date, she didn''t even know Her Grace''s name! No one did! He was only His Grace or The Holy Witch King... Anyone that did, either received a true death or never spoke of it! "We are nobles... My dear..." Leslie once again probed with her sentiment. Hoping that it would gain silent approval. She felt very bold today! Maybe if he only remembered her, then she could gain a piece of his heart before it sealed itself away... Again... "No... I mean... I know We are noble, but We are... Undead? dead? something else?" Jack searched for a way to ask this question, without sounding stupider than he already did... What kind of joke was this? The Holy Witch King asking what are Undead! Any undead that heard this wouldn''t believe it and the one that told them would more than likely have their soul pulled from their body and kept in a glass jar like a firefly to light the Zombie latrines! Leslie sighed for the second time, today. Only Her Grace could do this to her. "Yes. We are undead, but We of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth are more than just undead. We are Holy Undead." Leslie proudly stated. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. [Holy Undead... Hints Holy water, but why, seriously... Tell me why Holy. All the games I played showed undead died from Holy power and were dark and evil creatures???] Jack puzzled along, not really understanding. Leslie watched Her Grace, who showed no emotion. After a few minutes, she proceeded to further explain. "Unlike Our other undead Kin, We Holy Undead are granted the power of the Holy Light. Our faith, so strong in the Light, that We may wield its awesome power in undeath!" "But doesn''t the Holy Light hurt Us, as well?" Jack articulated a perfect question. "Well yes... It is the price We pay, because of what We are... Undead, but with the power it grants Us and the faith that fuels Us, We are mighty." Leslie patiently continued. [Ah... I see. So We are no different than the nations of my previous life.] Jack thought, as he remembered that nuclear weapons could hurt everyone, but it was the price nations paid to have the biggest stick. "Leslie... I think... I have lost my connection to the Holy Light." Jack cautiously said, monitoring Leslie''s next expression. Leslie''s vision went slightly dark! It had been a long time since she had felt so many different emotions in one day! [By Our Holy Undead! HOW!?!] Leslie inner monologue began. [AH! When My Grace channeled the Holy Light that year and destroyed Our enemies, it must of broke something! Did it damage his Undead Soul?!] "My Grace... Do you remember your last battle? The battle of Femur''s Reach?" Countess Leslie asked bitterly. "No... Tell me what happened." Jack''s voice became stronger. "It was the year 787 of Our Underworld, and to the southeast of Our Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, the armies of both The Kingdom of Jakahn and The Grand Tomb of Neolith were marching upon Us, like the other Countries... Casting their greedy and envious gaze upon Our Skull of the Sun god." Leslie began her narration. Jack quietly listened while looking back at the ceiling, trying to figure out how to close his eyes... or turn off his vision, honestly. "With Our mighty forces keeping both the Nation of Borda and The Republic of Stonedge at bay, it was then that the combined strength of both Jakahn and Neolith decided to sneak Us to Our final graves." Leslie started to build up the excitement. Jack continued to tinker with his mind and body about eyesight while listening. "Little did Jakahn and Neolith know that My Grace had seen through their passive stance, and secret negotiations! My Grace stood with a modest army of 1400 Holy Dead Templars, to face the 5 Armies of their alliance." At this point, Jack finally figured out how to stop seeing. The trick was simply to stop trying to see. He laid, to what he assumed, comfortably listening to this dark fairy tale, with so many made up names. "With My Grace''s most Holy of hymns, you called down the Angel of Death!" Leslie actually stood up while making a power stance! [The Angel of Death?! The grim reaper? That''s a thing???] Jack continued to question this story. "With My Grace''s last Holy word, from the twilight of the sky ripped open a blinding light, and emerged from within the Light was the Angel of Death! Glorious and Holy! Skeletal like My Grace with a Golden halo wreathed upon his brow. In one swipe The Angel''s scythe reaped all the enemies of Our Holy Kingdom in that battle!" Leslie''s face had the same look as those AV Models that Jack use to watch! [...She getting off on this?] Jack''s mind was clearly not Holy... "As the scythe descended and the flames of Holy wrath enveloped the battlefield, the Hymns of the Holy dead were heard, and it has been reported that as far away as The abyssal''s People seen The Angel of Death Descend." Leslie looked down at Her Grace and continued. "My Dear doesn''t know... But Femur''s Reach has been renamed, since that battle... To Angel''s Decent!" [So this guy used an ultimate move! What a crazed spell! OP! HACKS! I don''t know how big 5 armies is, but having a modest army is only 1400... I need to call a GM] Jack couldn''t help himself from memeing it up. He spent so much time on 7chan in his last life, perhaps this is why he became undead... You can not kill which has no life, right? "My Dear, You commanded us to place you into your Eternal Tomb and left detail instructions to raise you from your long sleep, if the worst came to pass. So it has come to pass, and We called forth to you again!" "These instructions... What were they?" Jack asked opening his vision again and looking at Leslie. "You asked Us to use a specific ritual to awake you, and then take you to your Study, and once you had your personal affairs in order to open your Throne to Court." Leslie gave a point by point as if memorized. She knew the Hymn they sang to awaking Her Grace, but she had no idea what it really did. Blind loyalty, perhaps blind love. "My study," Jack spoke aloud. "Let me rest a bit, then I wish to visit my study," Jack said resolutely. "Yes, My Dear!" Leslie was about to faint, Her Grace never stopped her from calling him, dear! She had once tried this many many years ago. So long ago, he stopped her but never said why. This left Leslie at the time very heartbroken, but she picked herself up and kept trying her best. "Can I keep you company, while you rest?" "Of course," Jack spoke unconsciously. Leslie sat down and stared dumbly at Her Grace. Jack would feel uncomfortable at this, but he simply looked back at the ceiling and turned off his vision. [Did the last guy plan all this?] Jack had a scary thought come to mind. Chapter 4: Shenanigans Are Afoot Jack pondered still [So the last guy set me up... He saved his kingdom, then dipped out. What a slacker.] Jack was envious, errr... He was regretful to the people of this kingdom. Jack laid in his Evening Tomb sorting through this new information, and coming to terms about his new situation. In truth, Jack just didn''t want to deal with this. ******* "Say, Marquis Mark, what''s your plan now?" A bloated zombie spoke and walked over to a large table and sat down. The room was brightly lite, with a large table that laid out showing a feast of otherworldly delights. The bloated zombie started in on this food like he had never eaten, speaking through spittle, as it flew. On the walls of the room were maps, and information. At the left side of the long table, stood Marquis Mark, looking out of his window that was high above the city''s more common folk. "Why so silent?" The zombie looked up from a goblet of Ichorous Wine. Marquis Mark turned to look at the zombie. Marquis Mark would have frowned, but with the absence of a face... Reading this expression would be difficult. "Don''t give me that. I''ve known you too long to know what that stance means." The zombie put down his goblet; looking up at Marquis Mark. "Business Head John... Honestly. This is the worst case possible." Marquis Mark said while letting out an intentional sigh. How pretentious, Marquis Mark had no lungs but made a sigh anyway to let his dissatisfaction be heard. He turned to look back out the window, and down on top of the Holy City of Saigunrai. The seat of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. Business Head John didn''t speak and returned to his feast. He really enjoyed coming by and being a guest of Marquis Mark. He always rolled out the carpet for him and spared nothing for him to eat. While Business Head John might have controlled one of the biggest independent Merchant groups in the Underworld, eating such delights could only be found here. Marquis Mark always had the best connections to get the best food. One has to remember that Marquis Mark was a skeleton undead, and didn''t have a need to eat like zombies. Never the less, he tracked down and retained the best undead cooks in the Country just to court the favor of Business Head John, and his rival, Business Head George. This feast to a zombie was divine! Deep fried marsh drake skewers, Dark abyss dumplings, and Meat bread just to name a few. Of course, Business Head John''s favorite was the Stonedge Meatshrooms! Imported from The Republic of Stonedge! Meatshrooms were one of the staples of undead zombie cuisine! Easy to grow, but hard to make tasty! Stonedge''s mushroom farms were simply... the best! Their local hunters would go out and track the most dangerous of Underworld prey, to drag back and leave in the mushroom fields. The Stonedge Meatshrooms would spew out spores to paralyze their prey, and soon become fodder for more Meatshrooms! The Meatshrooms where large mushrooms with a meaty texture, even containing bones! No living being could eat these, as they contained vile toxins. Zombie''s usually said the more toxic the Meatshroom the tastier it was! Business Head John finished his meal and stood up to walk over to Marquis Mark holding onto the remaining Ichorous Wine, still in the bottle. He lifted it to chug it down. "John, I swear. Were you a Hungry ghost that possessed a zombie?" Marquis Mark looked over to Business Head John, as he completed his grand course. "I don''t recall Us being so close, as you can use my first name, Marquis Mark." Business Head John put down his finished bottle and stared at Marquis Mark. Out of embarrassment and habit, Marquis Mark took his silver monocle down and wiped it clean with a white cloth, before putting it back over his empty eye socket. This was a habit he developed while still alive. Marquis Mark didn''t try further to close the distance with Business Head John. He had been trying to curry favor with him for at least 500 years. [Eating my food, and not even thanking me... I swear... Zombies....] Marquis Mark remarked in his mind, displeased with the way Business Head John acted, but showed no displeasure to his behavior. "Nothing changed. Borda still wants a supply from the Northern Boneyards, and rights to half of the Holy Bone Mills." Business Head John walked to stand next to Marquis Mark as the other looked over the City, from Marquis Mark''s Stately manor. The famed light of the Skull of the Sun God cascaded over the black rooftops that glimmered in the light like black pearls in the ocean. "That would have been possible to pass legislation like that, I finally have enough nobles in my pocket... IF THAT STUPID BITCH DIDN''T INSIST ON WAKING THE HOLY WITCH KING, AND HE ACTUALLY WOKE UP!" Marquis Mark grabbed an ancient vase of black roses next to him and threw it across the room; shattering upon impact scattering black rose petals near the entrance of the room. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Sigh..." Business Head John looked down at such outbursts. Marquis Mark was one of the most scheming undead he knew, but by the Dead Lady was he Bi-Polar. Sometimes, he didn''t know how Mark made it this far. While Marquis Mark was prone to bouts of rage, this was always kept in the comfort of his home; never would he let others have the satisfaction that they pissed him off outside his manor. Yes. Leslie''s action of rousing the Court to raise The Holy Witch King really got under his bones, throwing all his plans out of the window. "You lose the most antiques this way." Business Head John looked over at the shattered vase, disinterestedly. Marquis Mark rasped his fingers against the window seal, letting out a rhythm of tap-tap-tap... tap-tap-tap, as he thought. Silence descended for a few minutes. Business Head John cleared his sticky throat. "Marquis Mark, my visit today is to offer benefits from Jakahn. They are most displeased with the news that The Holy Witch King will return, and wishes for you to smuggle in a new batch of spies for them, preferably placed into key positions." The rhythm on the window seal paused. "What... Benefits?" Marquis Mark spoke grimly. ******* Countess Leslie wanted to reach out and caress the hand of Her Grace but dared not too. She had already gained too much today. It was best not to push too much too fast, but by the Light how much she wanted. [So... I died and woke up at this Holy Witch King. What is a Holy Witch King? Why not Warlock, but how is that Holy, and why not a LICH KING!] Jack was coming to terms with various subjects he had recently encountered while joking to himself along the way. He was quite use to entertaining himself while being alone, though Jack was clearly not alone, as the enraptured beauty to his side longingly and lovingly watched over him. [Now I have to solve an impending war... Didn''t that Angel of Death spell scare these people into not messing with this kingdom anymore? Why are they coming now?] Jack couldn''t make sense of what he was supposed to do or how to do it. [One thing is for sure. I need to learn more... Now I wonder was being entombed such a bad thing.] Jack turned his head, as his vision came back, and looked deep into the undead but spirited eyes of Leslie. Leslie stiffened. This awkward staring match lasted for a good count of 30 seconds. Leslie stood back up from her position where she was leaned over looking into the hollowed eyes of Her Grace and walked to the door. With her back facing Her Grace, "Are you ready to attend to your study now?" In her embarrassment, she forgot to add an endearment. "Yes. I am ready." Jack said, as he sat up, and got out of his Evening Tomb. Leslie opened the door and walked into the hall. Just as Jack was about to leave with her, she gawked at him as he took one step into the hall. She knelt quickly, "My Grace, your shoes!" "Huh?" Jack let out a huh sound. This sounded very odd with such an imposing and heroic voice. In fact, this was the first time a huh had ever been heard from The Holy Witch King. [Oh Holy undead ancestors, My dear has even forgotten to wear shoes!] Leslie felt like crying. Jack retracted his foot and stepped back into his chambers. He looked around and saw some gold slippers, to the left of the chamber exit... [I walked her bare boned... seriously why shoes... Undead with shoes? Undead care about shoes?] Jack didn''t know that as the ruler and supreme pontiff of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, he never walked barefoot on the open ground. Only in his chamber would he, this style became the custom of all Noble Holy Undead in the Kingdom. Jack was about to bend down to pick them up but was stopped by Leslie. [Honestly, My Dear can put on his shoes without bending his waist... But I''ll take this chance!] She knelt down and picked up his right shoe. "My Dear, brace your hand on my shoulder so I can help," Leslie spoke softly, with a bit of mischief found in her voice. No one had heard this tone from Leslie for at least a thousand years. Jack didn''t think about it, he placed his hand on her left shoulder and lifted his right foot. In delight she paused, savoring the feeling of being touched. She then placed the shoe on his foot, and Jack proceeded to his second foot. Now done, Leslie stood and quickly walked away from Her Grace, with her back to him he could not see her expression. [When was it last I was touched! How many years!] Leslie was actually counting the years since she was accidentally brushed against by Her Grace. Jack thought this was the weirdest thing that happened since he got here, and he became undead and washed in an acid bath! Jack followed Leslie down the winding corridors with halls lite brightly with glowstones. The whole castle seemed to be made from bones and was super bright, not the kind of place one thinks of when they think of an undead king. continuing down a flight of stairs and into a landing. Leslie turned, her face looked a bit pale... errrr paler than usual. With fluttered eyes, she looked at Her Grace, "My Dear, this is your study. Only you can enter into it, I will wait in my Study down the hall. I will listen for you when you return." Leslie turned and walked away with hurried steps. Jack looked at the solid bone door and went to push on the door. As he pushed the door, Jack''s arm slipped through the door as if nothing was there and fell into the room. Jack laid face down on the floor for a few minutes. [I really hope I don''t learn I''m the chosen one or a messiah, because I may just be the most embarrassing joke ever made.] Jack got to his feet and looked around, clearly impressed by his surroundings, his lower jaw hung open. A room about the size of half a football field and tall as it was wide filled with golden books, with numerous tables and chairs, all made of bone, of course, were returned to his vision. [What a LIBRARY!] Jack stared at all the shelves. Row after row of bookcases, with books packed on each shelf. Each book was GOLD PLATED! [Is gold like dirt here?] Jack took a few more steps into the Study, at this point he saw a flash of light, and a Skeleton in grand robes walked to him. He was white and gold like him. In fact, he looked exactly like Jack, currently! Chapter 5: Hello Me. Its Me again "Uhh, Hey," Jack called out, waving to the ivory gold skeleton. This new guy approached and spoke in the same heroic voice as jack, "Hello me, It''s me again." [Megadeath? How ironic.] "So I take it Neolith and Jakahn have been beaten, and you just woke up?" The skeleton asked tentatively. "Well yeah, that''s what I was told. Who are you?" "Oh. So We lost Our memory. This is going to be a problem." The Skeleton brought his hand to his chin and looked thoughtfully. "We lost Our memory?" Jack was confused and on the border of walking away. "When did We become so dumb? Just how much memory did We lose???" The skeleton continued to look thoughtfully, but now with his head slightly hung. "Hey now, I don''t know what is going on, I don''t know who you are; I don''t even know who I am." Jack was pissed. He just got called stupid by a bonehead. "Alright, calm down. Listen Our name is Jack Bonereaper, and We are known as The Holy Witch King. The ruler and supreme pontiff of Our Kingdom, The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth." Jack was shocked! [The same first name? I mean the last name is different, but what are the odds of the same first name!] "We don''t have much time before I dissipate so listen quickly." The avatar of The Holy Witch King spoke. "We weren''t sure what would happen when We called down Our strongest Hymn, but We figured memory loss might be one of them, so We have sat up a table to Our right with a few key Holy Books to help in just such a situation. Each table here has pre-planned books for each step We will need." The avatar started to drone. [So, he thinks I am him, ha... Wait... Am I him?] Jack paused. [Am I, actually, The Holy Witch King????] "What is your current reverence level?" The avatar spoke hopefully. "My what?" Jack returned from his thoughts. "Oh. That''s also not good. Can you feel your connection to the Holy Light?" [There is such a thing as a connection to the Holy Light! I just made that up!] Jack mentally retorted. "No," Jack answered. "Oh. Well, two tables down on the left have all the cultivation books to increase Our power again, and there is further reading, as each table has been clearly listed." The avatar pointed to each table "Ok... Soooooo, how do I read them?" Jack questioned after looking at the table in front of him with words he had no idea how to read or write. "Oh. That is..." The avatar shook his head. "Say Oh, one more time... I dare you... I dare you, just one more time..." Jack said angrily. The avatar looked at Jack oddly... "Step to this table here, and place your hand on this book. Concentrate on the light. There should be just enough Holy power left in Our old bones to have this work." The avatar guided jack. Jack did as the Avatar told him. His bony hands placed on this golden arcane book with a black spine. After a few minutes of waiting, nothing happened. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "We have to feel the Holy power in Us and channel it into the book since you can''t draw it into you from the outside." The avatar coaxed. Jack looked up at the Skeletal Avatar. "Explain this to me, like I was a child." "We never had children, ummmmm. Oh... Julia..." The avatar said sadly, shaking his head ever so slightly. "Hey! Focus! You said you didn''t have long." Jack berated. "Oh. Draw the power from Our bones. It has a warm feeling, then channel it into the Holy Book here. The warm feeling can spout anywhere in you, you just have to get this feeling and move it to your hand to the book with your mind." The avatar spoke slowly and clearly. Jack complied, and for a few seconds felt nothing, but then on the left side of his rib cage, he felt a warm feeling in one of his ribs. He urged this feeling along the rib to his back, into his spine, up his spine, into his shoulder bone, down his arm, and into his hand on the book. Once Jack completed this, the book lit up brightly and glowed, as it did knowledge poured into Jack''s mind, with a pounding headache! [LIKE THE MATRIX!!!] Even as his mind was busting from the feeling of getting a large amount of information, he did not fail to make such an internal comment. "Our time was too short, and We didn''t expect things to fall to such an extent. We wish We had more time to explain, but I guess I have failed to account for how much a burden Our Hymn of the Reaper would be." The avatar looked at Jack, who had just regained a sense of his surroundings, as Jack had been absorbing the information for an overly extended period of time. "This is the last of Our power, and should kick start Our cultivation." As the avatar said this, he approached Jack and placed his hand on his rib cage. In a burst of gold light, he was gone; absorbed into Jack. [That was... Interesting. Was my past life a dream? or did I reincarnate into his body and world?] Jack stood there pondering this question; mulling it over and over. Soon, he shoved it to the back of his mind, as he couldn''t figure it out. [Does it matter? I might as well make the best of this. My last life sucked. I always wanted to be a rich guy surrounded by beauties] Jack thought wonderfully, soon, however, he looked down to see his rib cage sticking out of his robes. [What the hell is the point of having money or women... I can''t eat, I can''t drink; I can''t even have sex!] Jack started to break down again. This was the third time since he woke up. First was when he realized he was dead, then when he saw all the undead, and now when he realized what it really meant to not have a flesh and blood body! Jack slumped over and crumbled to the black carpeted floor. So much for making the best of things! Jack was REALLY into erotic fiction, in his last life. He lived alone, and could only entertain himself! Needless to say, Jack no longer wanted to live, re-live... whatever he was currently doing. Jack thoughts ran along these lines for some time, until a new thought occurred. [Wait! why is Leslie so into me, errrr The Holy Witch King. I mean, I''m a Skeleton who can''t even bone for CRYING OUT LOUD!] As Jack thought this, he kept rolling back and forth on the ground. Childish. Jack had no shame when he was alone, he was used to acting stupidly by himself; nothing changed now. Jack finally stopped his tirade, stood up, and pulled a chair out to sit down. [Ok, let''s try this again.] Jack started organizing his thoughts. His mind still had a slight buzz, from where he absorbed that Holy book''s knowledge. It kind of felt like drinking too much caffeine, but he didn''t have that out of body experience. Maybe because he didn''t have a flesh and blood body? Jack compiled his new found information, cultivation levels, known here as reverence levels of power, the noble ranking system, the names of the Countries and Independent Groups, most importantly how to read and write, but most shockingly the layout of the world! [OH WOW! So this world is called The Nine Realms. I think I''ve heard of a story named that... Or was it a game? So I am currently in the Underworld, and above me is the Overworld. Where are the other seven realms?] Jack pondered. As Jack was studying, the Holy power left by The Holy Witch King had finally completely merged with Jack, unknowingly. Soon, in Jack''s eye sockets, two gold lights appeared. In the dark of his hollows, these glowing lights shone with a Holy Wrath. The last gift The Holy Witch King left to himself. [I think I get it, heh. I am going to completely bullshit my way out of this. I am going to roleplay a badass. Let''s see if I can put my RP skills to the test here, HAHAHA] Jack rose and walked out of his study. As Jack walked into the Hall, Leslie was already waiting for him. Countess Leslie looked at Her Grace; she could tell that he was very different from before, a lot like himself! She walked over, "My Dear, are you ready for your Court to begin?" Without turning his head Jack''s gold glowing pupils looked down at Leslie, "Yes. The world has grown arrogant in my absence. It is time I humble them." Jack''s heroic voice echoed. Chapter 6: Full Regalia Countess Leslie was on the verge of becoming fanatical! When was the last time Her Grace was this imposing! AH! Such demeanor! Even a thousand years ago, he was not this grand! "Yes! Follow me, We will wrap you in your Divine garbs and proceed to your Throne!" As Leslie quickly walked through the maze-like halls, Jack recalled the expression of Leslie. [Was Countess Leslie an AV Actress in her past life?] This was the second time Jack questioned this; her expression had the appearance of pure ecstasy. It was rather improper. Finally, Leslie stopped and stood to the side of a large double door room, as usual, made of Ivory bones, but this time it was embellished with basketball sized gold censers actually embedded into the doors. These censers were approximately chest high to Jack and were spewing a thick white smoke that gave off a mysterious feel. With the doors opening at his approach, Jack walked tall into the room, where waited the handmaidens of Countess Leslie. [How long have they been waiting here?] Jack wondered. Jack walked to the middle of the room. This was a large dress room line with glow stones on all the walls, with a large mirror wall to the left, and to the right was the exit. This exit looked grander than the door he just entered. Jack assumed this lead to the Throne room. Jack called to Leslie behind him, without looking. "Have your servants been waiting here the entire time?" Jack asked. "No, I only called them a few minutes ago." Leslie softly replied as she stood by the side. Her handmaidens were preparing Jack''s mighty vestments. The handmaidens'' stripped jack of his current robes. He stood in the center of the room in just his slippers and held out both arms straight from his body forming a "T" Shape. Oddly enough, Jack didn''t feel uncomfortable being nude in front of not just Leslie, but all her servants. The handmaidens scurried back and forth carrying various items to be placed on The Holy Witch King. On his neck was placed a heavy gold chain with a gold crest of Deagoth, a half skull with a golden halo. With fingers stretched out, rings were placed one by one on each finger, each with a different meaning and different purpose. In a practiced method, the handmaidens placed Jack''s hooded vestments upon him, followed by his sash that cinched his robes above his hip bones. Lastly, four maidens carried over his massive shoulder pauldrons with a slowed pace, and gently placed them on Jack, as Jack''s knees bent ever so slightly at the increased weight. Jack dropped his arms, as he turned to look into the mirrored wall on his left; this was the first time Jack had clearly seen his own reflection. Standing a full two heads taller than Leslie, he gazed at his own reflection. Out of the black hood, he stared back at himself with a pair of golden wisp-like eyes. They stood out in the inky darkness of his hooded vestment, like the eyes of a monster. On each shoulder held large gold half skulls chained to his pauldrons etch with black runes that glowed, from their upper jaws came purity seals, written with holy words of power. Jack''s robes showed white over black, with gold trim. from his hood flowed down two long remnants on each side, like his robes they were white, but trimmed in black with gold runes, at the end of these remnants were the crests of Deagoth. As Jack admired his appearance, that definitely fitted a final game boss, four other handmaidens carried over an ark. They opened it, and Jack marveled at the finely crafted staff that laid within it. This was the Femur Ferula, the rod of the Holy Witch King. It had the appearance of femurs attached end to end, to provide the length of 7 feet. The top of the staff ended with a half skull, and, like Jack''s shoulder pauldrons, its mouth issued along ancient scrollwork purity seal down a quarter way of the rod, a gold halo adorned the top of the skull, and upside down angel wings on the left and right of the skull. This was a 3D version of the crest of Deagoth. [They say clothes make the man... Today I''ve seen vestments make the undead.] Jack couldn''t help himself. At last, two handmaidens brought his formal shoes. Jack stepped out of the ones he wore, as he stepped into these new ones, truly like slippers. These shoes were white with black soles. Jack happened to notice, that these shoes felt like they corrected his feet. They were padded in the arch and heel, to provide a better walk, and stance. [Undead footwear account for not having flesh... That''s actually impressive.] Jack took another look in the mirror, [I make this look good.] This might have been the first time Jack felt vain. He looked to Leslie. Countess Leslie, who was standing quietly by the side, marveled at Her Grace. It had been a long time since she had seen Her Grace in full regalia. "I think it''s time; I pay a visit to my Throne." Jack walked imposingly to Leslie and looked down on top of her. Leslie looked up and felt this was actually the first time since Her Grace''s reawakening, that he actually looked at her. Leslie gave a nod, "Yes. I have already called for court to be held. Everyone should be there by now." When The Holy Witch King called for court, who would dare to be late! Every Undead official would drop what they were doing and haul themselves at the fastest possible speed. Some of the Undead officials were in the middle of pleasurable encounters with their spouses or harems but ripped themselves away at the first mention of court. Some of them didn''t even have time to bathe, before arriving in droves. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. One has to remember that court was a huge deal. Besides the Grand Minister of the clergy, and his seven archbishops, there were seven State officials, seven war officials, and 14 noble officials. Then surrounding the throne room''s court were the open stands. Any low ranking official could attend the open stands. The stands could hold up to a thousand low-rank officials. The last court was held over a thousand years ago, when the Holy Witch King called to session, as only He could do this, not even the Grand Minister could call court or session. Since then, they, the Undead Officials, only held conferences to discuss worldly affairs. The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth had an interesting government, unlike any other undead kingdom. Unique in the fact that it could be ruled by either the Holy Witch King or by representatives. When the Holy Witch King was among the undead, he would rule over the Country and State, but when the Holy Witch King was asleep or could not be disturbed, the houses of officials ruled. There were two houses of officials. The first house was comprised of the 7 archbishops, and seven State officials, with the Grand Minister presiding, known as the House of Unlife. Its Officials, consequently, known as Officials of Unlife. The second house was comprised of the 14 noble officials, made from the 7 major clans and the 7 minor clans of the Kingdom, with 1 elected Marquis presiding; picked from the 14 noble officials. Interestingly enough, they were known as the Officials of Undeath. Day to day affairs and general governance were completed by these two houses. The Officials of Unlife would propose laws, and plans. It was the Officials of Undeath, that would either approve or veto the proposals. "Has everyone made it to my court, yet?" Jack watched as Leslie''s handmaidens left quietly. Leslie took a few steps forward and looked into the mirror at herself, and spoke softly, "Not yet. Please forgive them, it has been a full seven days since you awoke. They waited but became impatient, so they went home." [Seven days?!? How long was I in the study???] What Jack didn''t know is that time is relative. Time to him is short, but to others very long. For example, Jack mulled over his situation, while laying in his evening tomb for 2 days, and spent 5 days in his study. This didn''t mean he was slow, just his concept of time. This was like when you''re at school or work, and you feel like an hour has passed. In reality, it was only 15 minutes. Jack didn''t want to walk to his throne and wait for these try-hards to file in one by one. He walked behind Leslie and placed his hands on both her shoulders, slowly. Much in the manor, a villain does with a proposal. Leslie became stiff. She looked back up at the mirror and saw Her Grace loom behind her. This was the second time Her Grace ever touched her, and this time, he initiated it! She was beyond shocked! [Even without his Memory, I''ve never known My dear to be so... touchy.] but a small voice in her heart spoke out. [I want more...] before quietly disappearing. "Leslie," Jack said. Leslie shuddered at her name being called. "Yes, My dear." "What is your position in the court?" Leslie thought for a moment and concluded that Jack must have forgotten a lot of things, and this was a normal question. "While I am a Countess of Our City of Saigunrai, I am unofficially your direct handmaiden." Leslie searched for the right words to say, about how she had direct contact with him. Considering the fact that, no other Count or Countess could speak to the Holy Witch King first without permission, even a duke would have to send a request for an audience. "You hold no Official Title, besides a Countess?" Jack spoke, while thinking [So she isn''t my wife, concubine, or girlfriend... huh...] "No," Leslie spoke with a bitter smile. Jack saw this bitter smile in the mirror. Jack thought he could wait to see how being the Holy Witch King played out before picking an adviser, but he really needed someone that knew what was what. Most importantly, he needed someone loyal. He could wait to find a better partner, but, considering he couldn''t bone, what difference did it make? Besides, as far as looks go, Leslie was beautiful, even for being undead. "I will fix that," Jack spoke aloud. Leslie didn''t reply. She just stood there looking at the mirror. Her mind was completely blank; a dull expression on her face. Jack was never really good at interacting with anyone, let alone women. He was totally counting on Leslie being into The Holy Witch King for this to work. So he role-played the part of a king kidnapping a woman for his harem. Jack really read to much fiction, in his last life. It was also a good thing that this was exactly what Leslie wanted. A while passed, Jack''s hands still resting upon Leslie''s shoulders. "...How?" Leslie finally mustered the mental ability to speak. "Leslie, can you be completely loyal to me?" "I always have, and always will..." "Even when the world is my enemy, and my people turn on me. Can I count on you?" "If the world is your enemy, it is my enemy, if your people turn on you, they turn on me." Jack was surprised at this response. This sounded exactly like something from one of his novels he read. "Good, good.... good," Jack spoke three goods. Leslie took notice of this! [What, exactly, is My dear going to do?] Leslie''s mind had finally come back from its holiday; she had answered all of Jack''s questions unconsciously. Jack didn''t know this, of course. Jack took his hands off her shoulders and turned to walk to the rooms side door. This door was even grander than the one he entered. Covered in gold-trimmed bones, with seven censers. "I believe everyone should be there now. Anyone that is late... Grant them a true death." Jack spoke decisively. Leslie quickly turned to look at Her Grace''s back. She was speechless. This was the first time Her Grace said something like this. The Holy Witch King was known to be very merciful to his people almost pacifistic, but ruthless to his enemies! [What does My Grace know, that I don''t?] Leslie thought inwardly. [That sounded so freaking awesome!] Jack just handed down a cruel edict without thought. It is very thankful that all the Officials had indeed made it. Jack would have been surprised to find that just a casual word from his would change or end someone''s unlife. "It''s time Leslie. Let me sit on my throne, once again." Jack spoke. Thankfully in the Holy Book, Jack absorbed was basic knowledge on the workings of the Court. He felt confident he could roleplay his way through. Leslie stood behind him, with her eyes closed. Jack thought she was mentally preparing. Leslie was actually sending telepathic instructions to the palace servants, to light the censers, and announce The Holy Witch King. Soon, dense white smoke started to pour from the censers, and the doors slowly opened. Jack strode forward with his Femur Ferula in hand, marching into the blinding smoke. His massive form disappearing within, followed by Leslie close in toe. Chapter 7: Lets Play the King The Throne room was abuzz with talk by all the Officials. Some talked business, others about the surrounding Countries'' aggressive behavior as of recent, and others still about their personal affairs. The Throne room was made of bones, per the usual; save the floor of the entire Throne room was made of black obsidian stone. A large white carpet divided the Throne room in half, starting at the Seat of the Throne and ending at the Official''s entrance. At the head of the Throne room, was, of course, the Throne of The Holy Witch King. Massive in size, it was built up and had 7 steps before the seat. It was made of black bones, with gold Holy words inlaid on each bone. At the top of the chair was a large crest of Deagoth. Each chair arm was lined with a spine and ended in a skull with no lower jaw. Down below the Seat of the Throne was the Court, divided into two sides. On the left side stood the Officials of Undeath, and on the Right, the Officials of Unlife. Surrounding everything were the open stands. Soon a pair of heralds walked before the Holy entrance, the door in which The Holy Witch King entered; followed by 14 undead of the Choir. Holy Hymns rang out from the Choir. ""Let it be known, that The Holy Witch King will grace us with his presence!"" They soon turned to walk away, as the Large double doors of the Holy entrance were pulled open by large gold chains pulled by 14 undead clergymen, 7 per chain pulled. Soon the doors started to open. The Choir finished their hymns, and silence descended upon the court. A roll of thick white smoke billowed from the pull doorway and issued into the Throne room. All Officials turned to face the Holy entrance, each struggling to make out the form of The Holy Witch King. Clink... Clink... Clink... Soon the sound of metal on stone was heard, in a steady rhythmic pace. From the White smoke, a form was barely made out, but clearly, one thing stood out in the white mass that issued forth. Two gold wisps were moving forward. At last the massive form of The Holy Witch King slowly made itself into view, still with the sound... Clink... Clink... Clink... Now, the murmurs that were heard earlier became deadly silent, among the Officials in the stands. The Officials on the Throne floor long ago became silent. As the smoke started to rest on the floor, Countess Leslie was seen walking seven paces behind The Holy Witch King. Many Officials thought about Leslie and The Holy Witch King but dared not speak aloud, especially now. As The Holy Witch King made his way to his Throne from the Holy Entrance from the right of the Seat of the Throne, He found that Grand Minister Lucius was already kneeling before him, as he approached. Jack didn''t say anything but used his left to make a lifting motion to Lucius, indicating for him to rise. Grand Minister Lucius obeyed, saying nothing. Jack turned to walk up his seven steps to make it to his Throne. [Gez... This throne. This would make a great anime! No, no... A great game! If I could make this back in my last life. I would have made a fortune...] Jack inwardly sighed. As Jack ascended his Throne, Countess Leslie made her way to the foot of the left side of his Throne. Many female Officials in the stands inwardly clicked their tongues at Countess Leslie. They all had a similar thought; she had no status, but still positioned herself at the feet of His Grace''s Throne. Out of Sight; out of mind. This wasn''t the first time Countess Leslie had done this, but this was over a thousand years ago. These Officials were jealous then... They were jealous now. Jack took his seat. Holding his Femur Ferula, and sitting with his back ramrod straight in his seat. His left arm rested the spine of the chair arm, with his hand resting on the ending skull of said chair. Jack totally role played the villain. He should have been roleplaying a pope... But Jack had never done that. In his games, He always role played the bad guy. Jack figured it couldn''t be that far off, it had always been said that kings were heartless. All the court Officials looked to His Grace, once again, seated at his Throne, in the darkness of his hood, stood out his two golden wisp-like eyes. It was said that being gazed at by these golden wisps would lay bare any undead. As the saying goes, while the cats away, the Mice will play. These Officials had not been the most pious and had grown in their comfort, especially with helping hands behind the scenes. As The Holy Witch King surveyed his court, he tapped his Femur Ferula on the stone base of his Bony Throne. Clink... Clink... Clink... Without turning his head, Jack''s golden wisp eyes looked over the Officials. Each Official his eyes passed over felt a wave of fear... Some with guilt... shuddered until his eyes left them. [...This isn''t like his Grace...] Marquis Mark kneeling in the Officials of Undeath section, like all the rest. [Why is he like this...? Did he find out something???] His mind was aloud with alarm bells! Grand Minister Lucius surveyed the Throne room that was under the gaze of His Grace. [HA! All of you upstarts are going to get yours! I can already tell his Grace knows, as expected of his Grace!!!] Lucius was a solid supporter of The Holy Witch King, but he was extremely proficient in running the affairs of the Kingdom. Unfortunately, he had a hard time reprimanding the other Officials. This was the only short come the Kingdom of Deagoth''s command structure when The Holy Witch King was away. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The sound of rattling bones was thick in the Throne room. [These guys are scared crapless by me... What have they been doing since the King was last here????] Jack was inwardly thinking while trying to memorize the faces of everyone he saw. Usually, this would not be an issue for Jack; He had a fantastic memory... But he was having a tough time with most of the Officials being all skeletal faces. It was hard to remember someone''s face when they didn''t have one. [These guys are guilty as hell. I need to establish my dominance, but how???] Jack knew being The Holy Witch King, these Officials would listen to him, but if he gave them a bit of stick then a bit of carrot, he could gain their devotion. [I''ll figure out something after court. It''s not like I can''t call for a break and come back. Let''s start with my announcement.] Clink... Clink... The last clink stopped before issuing its metallic sound. Jack finally broke the silence. "I know... That while I have been away, that SOME of you Officials have been... playing the fool." Jack''s voice echoed in the Throne room. If not for Jack role-playing, he would have jumped. His voice that issued was 10 times that of how he usually spoke. [This Throne must have some kind of sound amplifier!] Jack was really amazed; magic was great! The Officials that were truly guilty felt that they were just dropped into a cold hell, that icy feeling crawling in their soul. This feeling even more so when his Grace''s eyes passed back over them the second time. [I knew these bastards were up to no good. I''m going to have to clean this place up, before dealing with whatever crap they are going to lie at my feet!] Jack angrily thought. "Before I... cleanse Our court... I wish to make an Announcement!" Jack said, as his voice boomed within the Throne room... This was a bombshell dropped on the Officials! Cleansed... OUR! OH, NO! These Officials were old foxes! Who among them didn''t know what this meant... But this was The Holy Witch King! The Holy Witch King was known for tolerance! In his five thousand years of reign, he had only executed no more than the fingers of one of his hands. What had The Holy Witch King found out! He even used "Our!" Jack spoke Our, as in my and your court, but what this meant to the Officials were Myself and My Title as The Holy Witch King. This was an imperial decree! "Many of you know of Countess Leslie." Jack rang out again. This time the reaction was very different. The male Officials had thought it was about time, while the female Officials thought why now? Leslie had been overlooking the court from the base of her Grace''s Throne, couldn''t help but looked back up to her Grace. [Is this related to what my Grace was asking me earlier???] Leslie had always had a strong mind, but when it came to her love... She was a total basket case, at this moment her mind was tossing in her mind''s sea. Jack looked down at this base and called down to Leslie. "Leslie, come up to me." Another bomb was dropped; today was going to be a day of history! All the female Officials noticed something, which failed most of the male Officials... His Grace just called Countess Leslie, without her Title. When had they become this close? They weren''t this close a thousand years ago. What changed? [It''s about time. Countess Leslie has pined for your sorry bones for four thousand years...] Grand Minister Lucius inwardly sighed. He was the only one that would criticize his Grace in his presence privately. It could even be said that he was good friends with The Holy Witch King. He, also, knew what calling her by her first name meant. Grand Minister Lucius would have never waited as long as Countess Leslie did for his lover. He had no idea why The Holy Witch King took this long. There were no laws or rules in the Holy Dead Orthodoxy that the clergymen couldn''t get married. [Crap! This isn''t turning out like it was supposed to be.] Marquis Mark had made countless plans, but never ever in all his wildest dreams did he expect that The Holy Witch King was going to grant Leslie a Title. If Leslie gained more power, she would be able to thwart half of his schemes. Never did Marquis Mark expect the next sentence The Holy Witch King spoke. Leslie had daintily made her way up the Throne and made it to Jack''s Throne. Jack held out his left hand to Leslie, and she had taken it. "Let it be known that Leslie is now my consort. She shall now be known as Consort Leslie." Countess Leslie''s, no Consort Leslie''s mind melted. The shock, confusion, and pleasure of this announcement were too much for her. Earlier she wondered when was the last time she felt so many feelings in one day, now this was an understatement. Had Leslie been in control of her mental capacity, she would have spoken some words to accept, but at this point, that was beyond her control. A period of time passed and soon became awkward. [She isn''t saying anything! WHY IS SHE JUST BLANKLY STARING AT ME!?] Jack was in full panic mode. He thought she would accept, and he could go on with his plan. Had he made a mistake? The female Officials were startled. He didn''t ask Countess Leslie if this was something she wanted... Had they discussed this beforehand? If so, why didn''t his Grace leave her some face to refuse, even in name only? The male Officials were actually of a different opinion. He said that she was his consort, so she was. This is how a true king works. He sees something he wants; he takes it, truly an inspiration. [WHAT?!?!] Marquis Mark was one of the many Officials of Undeath that inwardly exclaimed. It had to be known that The Holy Witch King had been single all his life. Why now? Marquis Mark might as well smash his soul with a rock. He had just accepted a proposal with Jakahn. How was he going to move these "New Officials" into place with a second pair of eyes watching? Grand Minister Lucius was made a joke by the Officials of Undeath, but all of them knew that if he ever got solid evidence on them, he would have the Justice Department place their souls in jars for all eternity, without a chance of reincarnation! Jack was beginning to become angry out of embarrassment. [Screw it. Whether Leslie accepts or not doesn''t matter now, I need to save face.] Jack pulled Leslie to the side of his Throne and patted the arm of the chair. Leslie blankly stumbled forward and then proceeded to half sit on the arm of the Throne. She was now, once again, facing the court. This was Jack''s emergency plan; however, this wasn''t the most proper situation. Even if she was the first consort, she wasn''t supposed to sit on the Throne, not even on its arm. Many Officials felt this disrespectful to The Holy Witch King, but since his Grace didn''t say anything, they dare not make any sounds. Especially as his Grace was planning to start a massacre in the court. Well, if nothing else, Jack had fulfilled one of his life, errr. unlife''s goals. He got himself a girlfriend. What Jack didn''t know was that a consort was a wife, not a girlfriend. She would, also, need a wedding, a Title, an estate, a regiment of guards, and a betrothal gift. This usually didn''t come up in his games, thus he had no clue on royal expectations or undead culture, but, honestly speaking, this wasn''t a game. Chapter 8: Clink.... Jack turned his focus back on the court. He looked back down on the Officials he noticed earlier that rattled as he looked over them. "Grand Minister Lucius." Lucius placed his right hand over his left rib cage, where a heart should be, in acknowledgment. "Bring the court in order, and list Our issues of the Kingdom." [Ah, so it begins.] Grand Minister Lucius thought. He turned and spoke to the Officials, and so began The Holy Witch King''s court session. Grand Minister Lucius'' voice rang out "Let Court come to session, his Grace, The Holy Witch King presides! The floor is open. You may state your business." For a short time, only the sound of bones and a few sticky coughs from the zombies were heard. The Officials were comprised of Skeleton undead and Zombie undead, male and female, The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth wasn''t known to be racist, or gender biased on the whole. The way it was put by The Holy Witch King previously, "We all have a Skeleton within us." The Kingdom of Deagoth''s crest was a symbol of Holy Undeath. The skull on the crest wasn''t so much to show they were undead, but that by being dead, they were brought closer to each other in the embrace of death. Jack looked down to his right, casting his gaze on the first Official seated in the Unlife section. Looking at his Grace, the Official stood up. "Unlife Official Thompson requesting permission to speak." [Using their names to request permission to speak is so convenient. I have no idea who any of these Officials are.] Jack inwardly praised. Jack tapped his Femur Ferula. Clink... Many Officials shuddered, why was The Holy Witch King so cold today? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the tomb? Unlife Official Thompson was a zombie. Thin and tall, His skin a shade of gray, wearing merchant vestments, he spoke. "Southern Boneyard workers are on strike. They are demanding more compensation for the work they provide. We can all understand wanting more money, but we pay the same for all Boneyard workers. If we increase the wages of the southern Boneyard workers, then we will need to increase the wages of all the Boneyard workers, lest they form a union!" It had to be known that the Officials were fearful of a union forming among the workers. If all the workers banded together and forced a shutdown, this would cripple the supply of Building material and other useful products. This would have a rippling effect on the whole economy. The worst part about this issue is that the two houses couldn''t come to an agreement on this issue. Every time the House of Unlife sent a proposal for increased pay to the House of Undeath, it was immediately rejected! The House of Undeath always stating that they couldn''t bend to the threats of the workers. [What''s a Boneyard? I mean, I know it''s a place full of bones, but what are they using them for exactly?] Jack was full of questions. The Book he absorbed didn''t contain a list of resources used by the undead or the kingdom. All eyes were on Jack now, while Leslie was still absent absentmindedly sitting on his chair arm. She had started to lean against The Holy Witch King, coming into contact with his shoulder pauldrons. She looked very delicate compared to their massive size. "I will answer all issues, one by one, once I have heard everyone." Clink... Jack was using his rod as a gavel. If the Officials knew this they would surely cough their souls out! They assumed this was done out of impatience, and displeasure. Startled, Unlife Official Thompson quickly spoke, "Of course, you''re Grace." He quickly sat back down and began to wipe the black sweat that beaded up on his brow. Jack glanced back down at Lucius, signaling with his eyes. Lucius picked up on this. "Next issue." Grand Minister Lucius''s voice rang out. This time War Marshal Verruca Spoke up, as a War Marshall she sat with the Officials of Unlife. "War Marshal Verruca requesting permission to speak!" War Marshal Verruca was a large female zombie. Dressed in heavy plate armor, she looked like a gold plated tank! She was a head shorter than Jack but just as wide. She didn''t, however, have her helm on, and her face could be seen. She had a childish face with red irises and long teal color hair that had green highlights, which bore a stark contrast to her hulking build. The Holy Witch King in full regalia was massive, but War Marshal Verruca was close to this size without her armor. With it though, she was an army of one. Clink... Jack''s rod rang out, again. "I have been held here in the City of Saigunrai for a year now! Me and My army should have been sent to the Northern border..." Dissatisfaction oozed from her voice. Jack''s eyes slowly descended to see Verruca, when he heard her sing-song voice. [Wow! This is a female undead hulk that has such a feminine voice. Her voice is more girly than Leslie''s...!] The War Marshal stood fearlessly under the gaze of The Holy Witch King. [This one seems to be very bold and righteous... Noted] Jack thought. "To the North is the Republic of Stonedge, what have they been doing to warrant Our War Marshal Verruca to pay them a visit?" "They have been raiding the small towns and villages for the last year and a half. We have taken quite a bit of loss, and We are quickly losing the trust of the people in that region. In addition, the Republic of Stonedge has been showing designs on taking the Glowstone mines to the northwest. I can take my forces, and rout them in three months'' time!" War Marshal Verruca said with a firm tone, but with her sweet sing-song voice, felt out of place. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "Interesting... And, who may I ask, is stopping you. I presume the houses have a good reason." Jack''s tone sounded slightly icy. This was something the Officials hadn''t expected. The Holy Witch King had always kept the same tone, no matter the situation. It was always warm, and refreshing. This felt more like... The Angel of Death... While the Officials were silent in shock, even War Marshal Verruca and her fellow War Marshals were dazed. Cliiiink... This time the Femur Ferula heavily hit the Throne floor. This brought back a lot of the Officials from their internal thoughts, and surprise. Some of the Officials with lesser mental ability started coughing, others... rattling. [With all the noise made by these undead, the phrase "Silent as the grave" is a lie...] Jack was greatly displeased. Something was weird going on, and it wasn''t the undead. "Grand Minister Lucius. Who held War Marshal Verruca from her friendly visit to the Northern border?" A friendly visit? Many Officials caught a nervous tick from this question... Who here didn''t know of the "Idol of Slaughter!?" This was the nickname given by the people to War Marshal Verruca. If she wasn''t tied up by The Nation of Borda a thousand years ago, The Holy Witch King wouldn''t have had to call down his Holy Hymn and be forced into entombment. Only one other War Marshal was known this well, War Marshal Ken! He was known as the "Whisper of Death." Unlike Verruca, who was a Holy Templar Knight, War Marshal Ken was the opposite as a Holy Assassin Grand Master. He was short, lanky, and agile. His Holy quick blade had quietly slain countless enemy generals, in a shine of light from the dark. He was currently deployed; defending the Southeast Border, against the Great Tomb of Neolith. It was also widely known, that War Marshal Ken was head over heels for War Marshal Verruca. The only problem was that War Marshal Verruca didn''t care in the slightest. The Holy Witch King and War Marshal Verruca were the two most well-known bachelor and bachelorette of the kingdom, respectively. "The House of Unlife has proposed sending War Marshal Verruca and her army many times. However, it is the House of Undeath that has denied the proposal to vector forces." "Oh..." Jack responded. A hiss of breath was heard from the zombie Officials in the court. It had long been known that "Oh" was used by The Holy Witch King to show his understanding, but also his dissatisfaction. His Grace''s tone was low when he spoke this "Oh." This had many Officials worried, for their unlife. This was never a concern, before, but now with the impending "cleansing," it was needless to say more. "War Marshal Verruca. We will have a meeting, soon. Stand by for the moment, and keep your dissatisfaction for Our enemies." Jack calmly spoke. He felt like he was playing his part extremely well. With the clanking of armored plates, War Marshal Verruca gave a Deagoth Military Salute. "I look forward to meeting in his Grace''s presence." A smile curled at the edges of her lips. It was only now that Consort Leslie roused from her daydreams. She just so happened to be mindlessly looking at War Marshal Verruca when she smiled. Consort Leslie knew this type of smile women folk made... Leslie had yet to realize that she was propped up on the arm of the Throne, leaning against The Holy Witch King. War Marshal Verruca sat back down. Clink... "Again, next issue," Lucius called out. Murmurs had finally started to circulate among the Officials. Jack waited patiently on his Throne while overlooking the Officials. [So now they start to murmur it up, these sorry Officials. How much have they lined their pockets? It seems that it''s the House of Undeath that is causing problems. If I recall correctly, the Holy tome I absorbed said they are made of the clans of the Kingdom... One representative per clan... Undead clans, huh? Did entire clans become undead to form them? Do they adapt to keep the clans going?" Jack was pondering how the clans worked. Suddenly, Marquis Mark stood up and calmly spoke, "Undeath Official Marquis Mark requesting permission to speak." Jack''s gaze shifted to what he considered was a new complainer. [Wasn''t he present at my re-awaking? An Undeath Official? All the crap I''m going to have to deal with is most likely his House''s fault...] Jack was pondering what he was going to bring up. Clink... Marquis Mark inwardly frowned, but nothing could be told from his skeletal face. "The People and the Kingdom face a great crisis. The two biggest trading companies have merged to form the "South Eastern Undead Trading Company, and are currently running a monopoly on surrounding resources and trade." Marquis Mark let this soak for a moment, then continued, "With this monopoly, the new trading company has crushed most of the resisting merchants, and have raised the prices of most common goods. Our countermeasures can only last so long, as we release surplus from the kingdom to bring down the market prices, so they stay in affordable reach of the people." This had been the single most important issue to the Undeath Officials. While this was definitely an issue for the House of Unlife, they were more concerned with the encroaching enemy forces surrounding the kingdom. Many Officials, not just those of the House of Unlife, felt that their kingdom had become a big piece of juicy meat that was being eyed by all the other countries. Jack pondered for a moment, "What are the surrounding countries doing to combat this?" Jack''s question exploded in Marquis Mark''s mind... This wasn''t The Holy Witch King he knew. The Holy Witch King he knew would make an "Oh.," and then resolved the issue or moved on to the next issue. Why was it like this? "Ah... Your servant is ashamed to say, he doesn''t know." Marquis Mark spoke, if he had a face it would be completely red. Luckily his skeletal face provided a great poker face, much like Jack''s face. "Really? I find that hard to believe...." Jack paused and leaned forward on his Throne looking down at him, "...Marquis Mark." Many Officials pondered the meaning of this statement; however, the House of Undeath Officials didn''t look so good. Most of them were rattling, and one zombie Official who didn''t have enough mental fortitude started sweating large amounts of black sweat. He was dabbing his brow continuously... failing to remain low key. Jack had confirmed by this reaction that the House of Undeath did not have the best interest of the kingdom in mind, seems they were in cahoots with this new Trading Company. Jack sat back in his seat. "The price of goods weighs heavily on the kingdom and its people if they remain too high. With the people unable to purchase goods for day-to-day requirements, then it is the same as if the Trading Company isn''t selling at all." Jack''s heroic speech echoed among the Officials. It could be seen that the Officials of Unlife were nodding their heads, while the Officials of Undeath tried to remain passive. Jack once again rested his back into his chair; no longer leaning forward. Clink... Chapter 9: Somethings Different "Next issue." Lucius found this method to motion for the next case was actually quite convenient. Murmurs increased in volume, again, and soon a new voice sounded out from the House of Unlife. This voice sounded quite like a whisper but was still clearly heard. "General Kevin, representing War Marshal Ken, requesting permission to speak..." Clink... "War Marshal Ken''s last report this month asks to be returned from the Southeast Border. The Great tomb of Neolith has been very quiet, as of recent, and show signs of demilitarization. He believes that some restructuring of their Government is in place. He requests to come back to the Capital for rest." Everyone knew "rest" was actually him wanting to come back to court War Marshal Verruca. While the request wasn''t actually uncalled for, the most unnerving thing about this report is the way The Great Tomb of Neolith was acting. Neolith had always been very aggressive, and warlike. They and Jakahn had been at war for ages and only put their differences aside once... The time they tried to sneak attack the kingdom, but now they are being quite... Strange. "Request denied." After a few seconds of thought, responded flatly. The Officials had become numb at this point. This would have been something normally shocking to them, as The Holy Witch King hadn''t denied a request for holiday to date. He had shown that he trusted the decisions of his War Marshals, and if a War Marshal believed everything was peaceful, then it was. "Let War Marshal Ken know that The Great Tomb of Neolith is up to something. If it is what I''m thinking, they will soon send an ambassador. When the ambassador approaches him, he is to escort their assembly to the capital under military orders, ensuring their safety within Our kingdom... He may take his leave when he returns at the time." Jack let out some thoughts about Neolith. These words lingered in the minds of the Officials. In the minds of the Officials, they praised the far-farsightedness The Holy Witch King had shown. [I''ve seen this situation in an anime, once. The enemy nation had a Coup d''¨¦tat, restructured, and wanted to ally with its former enemy because they were weakened from the coup. I remember they sent over a princess to tie the countries together in marriage... I hope that isn''t the case this time... I just took Leslie as my consort, today...] Jack''s far sight was based on a cartoon he had once seen, while the Officials didn''t know what was a cartoon, they did know what was a show or a play, and if the Officials knew this, they would have died a true death on the spot from sheer anger! Clink... "Any remaining issues? Concerns? Requests?" Lucius asked the court. Leslie had finally realized that she was propped up on the Throne, next to her love. She froze up and didn''t dare to move. She knew that it was her love that placed her there, but this was somewhat improper. What would the Officials of the kingdom think? Leslie looked back over to Verruca, who was talking to one of the other War Marshals still stationed in the Capital. Honed from years of military service, Verruca felt a gaze, other than The Holy Witch King. She looked up to where the gaze came from and seen Leslie staring at her. Verruca knew why, and simply and sweetly smiled to Leslie. Warnings were sounding off in Leslie''s mind. [Why hadn''t Verruca ever shown interest in my Grace before?] She knew that Verruca had been single for her entire unlife, and was known as the number one bachelorette in the kingdom. The only reason why Leslie didn''t have this title was because of her interest in The Holy Witch King. [Is it because my Grace has made me his Consort?] Leslie just stumbled onto the reason for Verruca''s intentions. As the murmurs continued, Jack became impatience. He had a lot of things to do, and a lot of information to go over. Clink... Grand Minister Lucius looked to his Grace, and Jack looked down, "Have the court adjourned for..." Jack was going to say tomorrow, but remembered how long it took him to absorb his last Holy tome. "a month." A month?! Lucius was surprised! [Why so soon?] Lucius thought, normally court would be adjourned for three months. [These issues are more serious than, even, I thought!] Jack thought a month was going to be a long time, but undead''s sense of time was greatly distorted. The biggest disadvantage undead had was this time distortion. Other short-lived races reacted to them much faster and could outmaneuver their armies and rebuild their forces faster. While they were slower in time, the undead races tend to be stronger individuals on the whole. Grand Minister Lucius voice rang out, and silenced the Officials, "Court will be adjourned for one months time. The Holy Witch King finds these issues pressing and must be solved quickly! May his Grace have mercy on your undead souls...." As these last words issued forth, the Officials were so numb. It wasn''t until later when they had already arrived home did strength leave their bodies, and the collapsed on the floor. Many had their families or servants to move them to their evening tombs. Many of which had never been used before this day. Most were hoping that these evening tombs weren''t going to be promoted to eternal tombs in one months time. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Jack stood up, followed by Leslie. Jack held out his left hand to Leslie, who grabbed his in turn. He led her down the 7 steps and back to the Holy Entrance. Lucius was thinking of following, as he had some questions, but felt that the new couple needed time alone, started issuing other commands. After crossing the threshold of the Holy entrance, the 14 undead priests slowly closed the door behind them. ******* Many officials had finally made it home, including Marquis Mark. He went to his study on the top floor of his manor. His manor was equipped with a fireplace. He placed some course mushroom stems to the fireplace, and with a firestarter, lit them. Wood in the underworld was very rare and was a terrible material to build with as it would rot easily with the underworld conditions. Marquis Mark took his place by the fire in his old chair and sat down at last. Time passed while Mark was listening to the fire, the firelight caused flickering shadows to appear on his face. Mark was deeply going over today''s court. After several hours later, a servant announced the coming of Business Head John to the manor. shortly thereafter, a burly zombie dressed in merchant vestments hobbled into the room. "Say, Marquis Mark... Must have been a hard day, today?" With John''s odd gate, he made his way to the chair left open beside the fire and sat down. The silence lasted for about an hour. soon with a cough, Marquis Mark spoke, at last. "Yes. Very hard." "What makes it so hard, it''s not like this is the first time you''ve been to court." "The Holy Witch King is... different from before a thousand years ago. It''s almost like he''s a completely different person." Unknowingly, Marquis Mark had hit the mark but didn''t trust this feeling. If The Holy Witch King was a different person, how did he have the same holy aura? The Femur Ferula would have rejected him, and he wouldn''t have been able to hold it. Leslie and Lucius would have never bowed to an imposter. More importantly, he was there at the time The Holy Witch King was reawakened and knew the tomb had never been opened before now. "Different, how?" John looked over to see Mark''s head propped up on his right arm, his face away from John. "He is more... Terrifying." "When has he not been? How can one undead have all that power?" "No, that isn''t what I mean. He''s become... Very sharp. He has always been a genius with cultivation and the works of the Holy light, but..." "Don''t keep me in suspense, Marquis Mark." Marquis Mark sat back up and looked over to Business Head John. "Today, he leaned forward on his through and flat out told me he didn''t believe me, and directly said my name." "Huh?!" John thought he mishear, so he dug his left ear for wax. "Quite that... And you didn''t mishear! He literally told me I was lying, in front of every Official in the Capital!" "If he knows, then how are you sitting here peacefully, now?" "That''s not all, that was just a personal note." "What else?" "He told all of Us, he plans to cleanse the court." "WHAT?!" "That''s right, he plans to slaughter corrupt, and useless Officials." John was very puzzled, "This is indeed not like The Holy Witch King, but this is a great chance for Us!" [For Us? When did this become about Us?] Marquis Mark mentally sneered. "Think about it, you wish to move the "Officials" from Jakahn into the court! With so many Official posts become available, then We just pop them in, and no one is the wiser." Marquis Mark stood up and walked over to his window that overlooked the City. It was nearing Twilight when the Skull of the Sun God dimmed. "And you think this is a good idea, then you''re a fool, John." Marquis Mark spoke blandly. Being insulted so blindly and unexpectedly, Business Head John immediately stood up, and berated "I am neither a fool nor someone that you can refer by first name, Marquis." "If you think that after The Holy Witch King slaughters the court, he is going to just let any regular scholar or official to just fill the gaps, then you have lost it!" While John was still angry, he finally understood what Mark was getting at... Marquis Mark turned to look at John, with his hands behind his back. "He knows his Officials have become corrupted, and might even know who did it. He also knows that this has some connection to the Trading Company. Furthermore, I bet he already knows what countries are involved. Dare I say that he already has his entire kingdom in his palm, and is only waiting to make a fist!" At this point, Marquis Mark was faintly rattling... but not from fear, but from anger! "He is an UNDEAD DAMNED GENIUS! How? HOW?! I ask does he know! He only woke up a week ago, Count... Oh, right... IT''S CONSORT LESLIE NOW!" Even Business Head John became more sober at this point, "Consort... Consort Leslie. He took her as his wife?" Marquis Mark stopped his shouting, and replied, "Yes... Before doing anything else, he made it a point to show everyone that she is not his consort. The dumb bitch just stood there for like ten minutes just blankly staring at him, no thanks or anything!" "She didn''t thank him? They talked about doing this before going public, obviously." "Of course! But it leaves a bad impression to not go through the motions! Then let me tell you what''s even more funny. This is the highlight of this shit show." John needed a good laugh at this moment, "I''m listening." "After she stood there like a knot on a bone, The Holy Witch King became impatient and pulled her to his side... ON THE THRONE! She was literally sitting on his left arm chair leaning upon him!" John was stunned for a good count of 5, but then started his gruff laughter! "HAHAHAHA... She was laying up on the Witch King like he was a barbarian king!" John was holding one of his sides, afraid his laughter would literally bust one of his stitchings. "While funny, it''s not funny that she now has more power. With the coming cleansing, her and that old pile of bones, Lucius are going to be a pain in the hip bones." John''s laughter slowly eased up, and he nodded in agreement. "Things are turning for the worst, and I only have a short time to remain low key. I need you to take a message to Stonedge." Marquis Mark took a few steps and from his pocket of his vest, he handed John an Ivory bone, that was etched with black writing. This writing looked like some kind of code. John took the bone, [Is Marquis Mark from Stonedge, then?] John wondered. "Alright, but what''s in it for me?" "You have already hiked the prices of all the goods in the kingdom, even mine! What else do you want?.... Leave me be, and get on!" Laughingly pointed to the door. "I''ll see you in about two months then," John replied, before walking about. "No, you won''t," muttered Marquis Mark. Chapter 10: Responsibilities Jack had just walked into the dressing room, as the Holy entrance doors closed behind him; Leslie still hand in hand with him. Leslie''s handmaidens began to strip Jack''s Regalia from his form. One should know that his Regalia was only for Official business. How cumbersome would it be to walk around in full armor all the time? By now, Leslie had actually shaken Jack''s hand off, and walked to one side, her back facing him. [What''s wrong with her...? Is she upset with my announcement?] Jack thought while observing Leslie. After the Hand Maidens had stripped Jack, they brought him a clean set of robes and a new pair of shoes. Jack was dressed and walked behind Leslie. The Hand Maidens took note and made themselves scarce. None of them wished to be present while these two were talking. They were Hand Maidens, how did they not know what happened in the Court. Their eyes were big, and their ears even bigger! Jack placed his hands on Leslie''s shoulders, in the same way, he had done before he had gone to court. Leslie made no reaction... "Leslie, dear... What''s wrong. Is this not what you wanted?" Jack tried to soothe his, now, consort. "Why didn''t you consult me..." Leslie asked emotionlessly, ignoring the fact that The Holy Witch King just called her dear. "I asked you before We went out," Jack replied, baffled by why she was acting like this. "No... You asked if I would be loyal. I''ve always been. You asked if I would be on your side if the world is against you. I''ve always been. You didn''t ask me to be your consort or even your maid. You just decided that on your own, and now look what you have done." Leslie berated Jack! This was the first time she had ever questioned The Holy Witch King! "You''ve been with me for this long, and you never had a proper Title. I fixed that, today." Jack helpless replied, failing to understand what he did wrong. Leslie had turned now and was staring into those gold wisps that Jack had for eyes. "Fixed? You had me sit by your side on your Throne like I was a trophy! Do I not have a place in your heart? If I did, then why didn''t you leave even a shred of my respect... You didn''t even ask me if I wanted to be your consort. You just TOLD EVERYONE I was... What face do I have left in this kingdom" She said as she was hitting jack''s rib cage. While Jack didn''t feel any pain from this, he was floored by it. He had made a mistake... He really made a mistake. He was totally counting on Leslie to fangirl out and her to be happily ever after; he really had no clue this would be her reaction. Jack had just been standing there letting her hit him, soon though he brought his arms to wrap around Leslie, pulling her into his embrace, as she struggled. His lower jaw resting on top of her head. "Leslie... I''m sorry." Jack said. Leslie stopped struggling. She was slightly moved. The Holy Witch King never said sorry, mostly it was because he never made a mistake, but even if he had, he would fix it. While fixed, he wouldn''t apologize for it. "I thought this is what you wanted. You wanted a place in my heart, you have it. You needed a proper Title, I gave it." Jack said from his heart. Leslie could hear his heartfelt words, but another thought crossed her mind, as she struggled free of his embrace. She looked back up at him fiercely! "Before anything, I want to know about War Marshall Verruca!" Leslie shrieked. "War Marshal Verruca? What about her?" Jack asked bewildered. "You take me for a fool? I saw that look on her face! I know what that look means. How long have you and her been a thing?!" Leslie started in. Jack backed up a few paces. "I... Wha... I don..." Jack''s mind was thrown into chaos. "How did you keep this a secret from the kingdom, Grand Minister Lucius....., Me?" Thinking quickly, Jack decided to throw his "get out of jail free" pass. "I don''t remember her. I''ve only seen her again today. If I had something going with War Marshal Verruca, then I didn''t know either." Jack said resolutely thankfully, this was the truth. Leslie was dumbfounded. That''s right, he had amnesia. Jack watch Leslie''s blank expression, and pressed on, "I only remember you, Leslie. Only you." Jack again walked to her and pulled her back into his embrace. This time she didn''t struggle. Jack cuddled her into his hard bony body. Jack enjoyed the sensation of the springiness of her flesh and lamented he couldn''t do... that... with Leslie. [Am I necrophile?] Jack''s mind had a disturbing thought. What Jack didn''t know was his corporal container influenced his desires just as much as his soul did. While being a human male and lusting after an undead female was exactly necrophilia, but being undead and lusting after one of the same race... This was normal. While Jack''s aesthetic sense was still strongly related to humans from his time being alive, it was distorted by his new situation. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. They stood cuddling each other for a long time. After this period, Leslie spoke up in a mosquito-like voice, "I accept." If not for Jack''s impressive hearing, he wouldn''t have been able to detect this acceptance. Jack internally sighed. [I can take it that she is now officially my consort.] "Leslie..." "Mmmm?" "What am I going to do about War Marshal Verruca...?" "What are you asking me for?" Leslie asked slightly irritated... Her love had no concept of time and place in love, totally ruining the good mood she had just got, after much trial. "Leslie, please know I trust you the most. I would have never made you my consort if I didn''t. I don''t know how to face War Marshal Verruca if I really did have something going on with her." Jack said with slight helplessness in his voice. "The mighty Holy Witch King, doesn''t know how to solve a problem? If someone heard this, it would become a laughing stock, dear." Leslie joked. Jack let go of Leslie and took her hand. He started walking out into the hall and was making his way to his room by memory. Jack walked these halls once and remembered the passages. Most undead in the palace would have to have a guide for at least a year to learn where they were in the maze-like corridors. Leslie simply thought that her love remembered the way, to his chambers. Jack made it to his chamber, and opened the door, pulling in Leslie. [I would''ve came in, why is my love so forceful today? could it be he wants to do.... that?] Leslie had an interesting thought. Jack took off his robes and placed them to the side of his evening tomb. He turned to Leslie, as he spoke, "I''m tired, and I want a nap. Lay down with me." Jack extended his right hand to, once again, hold Leslie''s. [OH MY, OH MY, OH MY! So quick! My love doesn''t want to wait for Our wedding?!] Leslie was in full panic mode, she wasn''t prepared for this. She still needed to cleanse her body, refresh her mind, and refocus her soul! If Leslie could blush, she would have long been a radiant red. Jack was observing Leslie''s reaction as it was continuously changing from shock to joy to fear to concern to contemplation. [Why is she having such reactions... I just want to snuggle while taking a nap...] Jack bitterly sighed inwardly. If Jack could do more, he would have already tasted those AV actress expressions Leslie had earlier! "...I don''t mind... Just... I need a shower and to meditate, first..." Leslie''s tiny voice had finally escaped from between her lips. [Why does this sound a lot like preparations to bone?] Jack was confused... He just wanted to take a nap, while holding on to a beauty. There had to be some sort of pleasure he could gain from having one! "Ummm... Go ahead, I''ll wait for you here?" Jack said, questioningly. Jack let go of Leslie''s hand, as she turned and darted out of the room, quick as a mouse. He then sat on the side of his evening tomb and looked at the door she just left... [I don''t get this...] Jack pondered over Leslie''s reaction. Finally, he shook his head and tossed his thoughts to the side. Laying down in his evening tomb. He shut his eyesight off. The gold wisps dissipated, leaving behind the dark hollows of his eye sockets. ******* War Marshall Verruca walked the palace unhindered. It had always been that way, as the most decorated War Marshall, she had permissions unlimited in comparison to her follow War Marshals. Verruca had now dressed down to her Templar fatigues. Light gray colored vestment tucked into a long dress skirt that had slits on both sides from Hip to foot, much like a qipao dress. She followed the winding corridors, and soon she could no longer feel the eyes of the servants. Two more twists later, and she opened a door and walked into the room. Within the lightly adorned room, held an evening tomb where an ivory skeleton with golden holy words inlaid on every bone laid quietly. Verruca walked over and with her huge frame sat on the side of the tomb. She placed her large hand over the skeleton''s right hand. Her hand clearly dwarfed the skeleton''s right hand. Jack felt something press on his hand. His vision came back to him, in his eye sockets flickered into existence two gold wisps, as he looked up into the girly face of Verruca. Without her heavy Templar plate armor, she looked very much like the she-hulk, that Jack remembered from his past life. "..." Jack was speechless. "..." Verruca stared back into Jack''s eyes with a slight smile. After a long, and what felt awkward to Jack, pause, Verruca spoke, "How badly are you hurt?" [What does this mean? Does she mean from where I was entombed... That must be it.] Jack was quickly processing. "I''ve lost most of my cultivation, and almost all of my memories," Jack spoke, slightly bitter. This bitterness was not insincere. He really wished he would''ve known all that the previous Witch King knew. This would make his unlife so much easier. "Sigh....." Verruca let out a depressing sigh. "Do you remember me? about Us? about the future?" she asked. This time jack couldn''t lie as he did with Leslie. This pained him greatly, for some odd reason, unknown to him... "No... I don''t remember." Verruca smiled and patted Jack''s hand. "Verruca?" "Yes?" "Were We....? A thing?" "What kind of thing?" she asked. "A couple?" "No. We were never a couple." "Why did you just lie to me?" Jack asked. Verruca was shocked, but soon her expression changed back to a smile, "Even with amnesia, you''re still the Holy Witch King, huh?" Jack sat up, and slide back to look clearly into Verruca''s eyes while taking in her massive form. Even with how big and bulky she was, she was still a very feminine form, like an Amazon. Jack wasn''t really into muscular women, but he had a fine appreciation for them. Jack thought over the conversations he had for the last few days, and a name surfaced in his mind, and couldn''t help but speak it. "Julia." Jack watched for Verruca''s reaction. As predicted her smile froze on her face, and a gold tear at the corner of her eye started to form. She thought with his memory loss, she could bury her feelings, and let him move on with Leslie. His new consort. Jack paused, and said "Julia Verruca." Verruca leaned forward and her head hung down, weeping large gold tears. [Ack! Don''t cry-Don''t cry-Don''t cry!] Jack was chanting in his mind. He really hated to see a woman cry. It could be said that this was an irrational weakness he possessed. Jack leaned forward, and caressed Verruca''s face, as she turned her head not allowing Jack to do so. With a quivering voice, "You lied. You said you didn''t know!" "I only remembered the name... I''m sorry." Jack scooted forward while being cross-legged on his tomb, and again attempted to caress Verruca''s face. This time she didn''t resist him, as she turned to look back at him. "Verruca. I''m sorry. I am so very sorry." Jack hung his head. He might not have failed this woman, but the last Holy Witch King did, and Jack finally realized that if he was going to assume responsibility for his kingdom, he would do so for all of The Holy Witch King''s unlife and mistakes. Verruca continued to cry. She placed her hand over Jack''s as he continued to caress her face. She was moved. She knew that The Holy Witch King did not say sorry, but he was saying it to her. "Verruca, I have.... taken responsibility for Leslie, and... I need to take responsibility for you as well." Jack said as he felt the pressure on his hand. "Responsibility... You said something like that all those years ago. You told me that the kingdom was your responsibility, and you could not take on the burden of a wife. What changed?" Chapter 11: Have Faith Jack turned his hand to hold on to Verruca''s and pulled it down into his lap. He held this large feminine hand with both of his, then turned his vision to look at Verruca. Unknown to either Jack or Verruca, Leslie walked into the room. She was only wearing her white bath towel. At this moment, the door of Jack''s quarters opened, with Leslie walking-in. Normally Verruca would have noticed this is her sharp senses but was completely enthralled by Jack. Leslie was shocked to see War Marshal. She was going to clear the floor, as it was clearly time to have a fit! However, the words she heard next caused her to pause in her tracks... "I am sure I said a lot of things in the past, and now I can''t remember them..." Jack said dully. "...But what I do remember, most of all, is that I died." Jack nonchalantly just told of his mortality, like it happened to someone else. A long pause came, with Verruca''s gold tears still at the corner of her face, but now no longer spilling. Leslie squatted down and began to silently cry while listening to her love. This was what Leslie feared the most that day. They would exhume The Holy Witch King to find he died in his entombment. "you... you died?... A true death?" Verruca sing-song voice was laced with traces of fear and shock. "Yes. I died. I can''t be sure if it was a true death, but it was death, none the less. You would think that as we are death, it would be a revolving door..." Verruca''s hand turned over and held both of Jack''s, where she brought over her second hand to cover them both. "As I died, it made me realize a lot of things. While I was no longer stressed from my work and I no longer cared for the world, I was laced with regret." Verruca''s tears started to stream again. "What regrets?!" Verruca asked a bit higher pitched than her usual voice. "I had no women. I had never felt the love of a woman..." Jack calmly spoke but stopped before finishing his sentence. At this moment, both Jack and Verruca noticed they were not alone. They both, at the same, looked over to Leslie who was squatted down sobbing. Jack and Verruca gently let go of each other''s hands. "Leslie." Jack with an even tone called to his consort. Leslie still sobbing, shuddered. She stood, and walked over, with her head hung low. Her jet black hair covered her face, making it so he was unable to see her expression. Jack scooched over on his evening tomb making room for Leslie to sit. He patted his padded stone bed, conveying his intent for her to sit down. Leslie followed and sat down. Jack was now sitting cross-legged with Leslie to his left and lower on the evening tomb was Verruca. "Leslie, I''m not sure how much you heard, but I''ll say it again." "No. I heard. I heard you died like died died. Did you truly die?" Leslie asked in a low voice, again the same question asked by Verruca. "Yes. I was truly gone. I am sure this is why a great deal of things have been forgotten, but what I remember is being alone. Truly alone." Jack said sadly. He reached out to both Leslie''s and Verruca''s hands. Neither Leslie or Verruca resisted him from holding their hands. "I made Leslie my consort because I no longer want to be alone. I am very selfish. I don''t know a lot of things, and even my cultivation is gone, so I no longer have strength. I still wish to make you both happy, and in turn to make me happy." Jack squeezed Leslie''s hand. "Mmmm." Leslie made a confirming sound. "Verruca," Jack spoke. Verruca''s tears had long dried, when she noticed Leslie. She would only allow herself to show her emotions in front of Jack, no one else. She looked back to Jack from Leslie. "I didn''t know... But I know, now... I''m not going to cast you aside. I am very selfish. I wish to make you my consort, as well. Jack wasn''t into muscle chicks, but he really liked Verruca''s upstanding personality; he even felt unnaturally close to her, as well. In Jack''s opinion, it wasn''t like he could do anything with her. He just wanted some companionship, and now, he had to try and salvage this situation. There was no world in which a woman wasn''t going to be jealous. So he was trying his very best to have his cake and eat it too. Verruca wiped her eyes, and stood up, leaving behind the hand of Jack. She walked to the door and didn''t turn back, as she spoke. "...This is a lot to take in, for me. I feel that you, wanting to take me as your consort, is just out of pity... If you want me to be your consort or even concubine... You''re going to have to work for it." She opened the door and walked out. Leaving Jack shocked, and Leslie contemplating Verruca''s words. For a while neither Leslie or Jack said anything. Finally, Jack broke the silence. "Leslie," Jack called. Leslie looked over to Jack, taking in those golden wisp eyes. "I want to tell you something. I don''t think anyone knows about..." Jack said softly. "What is it?" Leslie wondered what she was about to be told, many things came to mind. "I want to tell you my name. My name is Jack." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Leslie''s mouth actually hung open, looking at Jack. She knew that The Holy Witch King had to of had a name, but she never thought she would find out. It never, even, occurred to her when she accepted becoming his consort. She wasn''t sure what to think. She was happy, and a little confused. "Why tell me this?" She asked with a gentle tone. "Because you''re my consort, how could you not know your dead man''s name?" Jack was quickly picking up the undead jargon they used. Leslie reached out and pulled Jack to her; pressing her head to his. They looked into each other''s eyes. Jack took in the amazing eyes of Leslie. He was amazed that while she was undead, her eyes looked so lively. How ironic. [The eyes are, said to be, windows to the soul. Maybe this is what the saying means.] Leslie was similarly lost, in the gold wisps Jack had for eyes. It was like staring into a warm fireplace, an illusionary feeling for an undead. The wisps were flaming and crackling, showing how much spirit they possessed. "Are you mad at me?" Jack tentatively asked Leslie; again, Jack didn''t have the best timing. "Yes... No..." Leslie responded, while still starting at Jacks gold wisps. After a short pause, "I want to be your consort. Your only consort. I want to possess your entire heart. I always have, but today I learned that not only now, but before, you had something with Verruca... And you kept this a secret from me. I''m not so much angry with you for having something with Verruca, as that you kept it a secret... from me." Jack''s couldn''t make sense of this, he could understand if she was jealous, but keeping a secret? Why did that matter, when at the time they weren''t an item? "Ummm... Jack...., My love." Leslie wasn''t used to using her love''s name, "I don''t want any more secrets between us. Even if it is the most horrible thing to say, even if you want to tell me you no longer want me, even if you want to take a hundred wives... Please share it with me. I''m not saying I am going to be happy with your telling me. I''m not saying I will agree to everything you say, but it will make me happy." Jack didn''t know if he could always tell the truth. He was never a liar, to begin with..., But everyone had a few secrets. Jack thought for a few moments and figured that if he had a secret he would never breathe it, anything else he would tell Leslie. "Leslie... There are some things that I have to keep to myself. No one can know about them. These secrets concern my life and the kingdom, and I am unsure how much I have forgotten. I will apologize for this, in advance." Jack spoke to her. "Mmmmmm." Leslie let out a soft coo. "Let''s take a nap. I am so, very tired." Jack said wearily. Leslie wasn''t sure she was still in the mood for... that, but she noticed that Jack laid down in his evening tomb. He extending his right arm. It was very bony, to prop ones head upon... Lost for a moment, Leslie laid down beside Jack and took one of his many pillows. She laid it over his arm and rested her head looking to Jack. "Today has been very hard, but I''m glad your here with me," Jack spoke to Leslie, as his vision went dark again. Undead had a difficult time feeling temperature. Unless it was part of the two extremes, blazing heat or frigid cold, they didn''t really feel it. However, undead were giving some solace, as emotions influenced the feelings of the soul, and it was this feeling that brought warmth to Leslie. Soon, she too drifted off. Undead did not sleep, as much as become dormant. They had the quirky ability to go into a suspended state. This is what Undead did for the sanity. Undead could go years without sleep, and never be bothered by the lack. It depended mostly on the Undead, in question. ******* Within the Holy Palace resided The Holy Witch King, his throne, his court, and his priests. It now, too, contained his consort. Deep within the Faithful''s Sanctum, the private meeting chamber for The Holy Witch King and his priests. While this chamber was named for and after The Holy Witch King, it was used mostly by the Grand Minister. "Do we have any more information on the Merge for the South Eastern Undead Trading Company?" Grand Minister Lucius asked his counsel. In this lightly lit domed room, this room contained a modest throne at the head of the room, and below, with plenty of room, contained a long table. This long table had 8 seats facing the throne, while the exit of the room was to the chair''s backs. "Yes. We all strongly agree that this was orchestrated by Marquis Mark." Archbishop Edward replied. Everyone in attendance to this meeting, besides Grand Minister Lucius, were Archbishops, but also Official''s of Unlife. If Officials had multiple Titles, they would take the Title with the highest honor as their name. Archbishop Edward was a short and rotund zombie, however like many of the Archbishops his skull and bony hands were stripped of any flesh and were pure ivory. The Archbishops during their services used Holy water, and so their hands became skeletal. This was exactly like Leslie''s hands. Interestingly, the Archbishops also formed a habit of washing their faces with the Holy water, which also caused them to become skulls. "Marquis Mark, again..." Archbishop Ava spoke through gritted teeth. Archbishop Ava was one of two female Archbishops. While many of the living loathed the thought of female priest, the undead wouldn''t discriminate. The first Holy Witch King appointed the first female priest, and later the first female Archbishop. At that time, the saying "We are all made of bone" became popular in the Faith. Archbishop Ava was a tall and slim skeleton. She wore a gold crest of Deagoth around her neck. "Don''t We have enough information to throw that silly sack of bones in the abyss?" Archbishop Ava was one of the more aggressive members of the council. "We have to have hard evidence if We wish to deal with Marquis Mark, and that Heathen knows it." Archbishop Lukas lazily said. Archbishop Lukas was a normal skeleton with a normal hue of bone white. Archbishop Lukas was odd for an Archbishop. He had strong faith but was known to be one of the more laid back clergymen. "We all know Marquis Mark is the mastermind, but getting anything hard on him is a problem." Archbishop Edward explained the obvious. The remaining Archbishops inwardly groaned. This had to be the 200th time this discussion came up. "This time is different. We don''t need hard evidence with his Grace''s return." Grand Minister Lucius said piously. "Everyone knows how his Grace address Marquis Mark, previously in court." A rattling of noggins resounded from the Archbishops. They all seen clearly that The Holy Witch King was not in a good mood. Even when he announced his Consort, he was not happy. This could only mean he knew! "While Marquis Mark is the mastermind, what are We to do with the rest of the House of Undeath...? It''s not like We can just get rid of all those corrupt clansmen." Archbishop Murphy spoke up. Archbishop Murphy was a funny undead. He was as normal, as a normal undead skeleton could be. This was what was so funny! Almost every undead had something that made them easy to recognize. In this case, it was how normal Archbishop Murphy was. He had an average height, average bone color, average voice, and he had a level attitude. The only outstanding aspect of Murphy was how Rigid his morals were and his outstanding cultivation. "Why not... I say The Holy Witch King disposes of all of them, and appoint better clansmen to their Offices!" Archbishop Ava argued for the cleansing of the whole House of Undeath! "I am sure with his Grace''s foul disposition since his re-awakening; he already has a plan. We must wait for it to fall into place. He will let us know what he needs when the time comes. Have faith." Grand Minister Lucius calmly said and quailed the remaining members, before they railed into righteous anger. "On other news, Archbishop Ava how is the spread of the faith among the populace surrounding your City, Salily?" Grand Minister Lucius changed the topic. While changed, this was their biggest priority! The spread of their faith, Faith of Holy Deagoth. Chapter 12: A Long Nap "The whole city of Salily has converted over to our faith, and the surrounding towns are starting to follow. I have sent more than one band of missionaries into the Great Tomb of Neolith; in fact, I''ve sent five bands. None of them have returned, I fear they may have joined the Holy light." "It is a noble sacrifice they have made. Did they have families?" Grand Minister Lucius asked bitterly. Everyone knew missionary quests were the riskiest for the Faith. "No. All orphans to the Faith, but they will, never the less, be missed." Archbishop Ava spoke sadly. "Well the Great Tomb of Neolith seems to be difficult; however, what does everyone think of what his Grace announced regard the Great Tomb?" Grand Minister queried the council. "Well, it only goes without saying that the Great Tomb is up to something, being so quiet and all." Archbishop Murphy spoke. Murphy was the Archbishop of the city closest to The Nation of Borda, but below it laid the City of Salily, closest to The Great Tomb of Neolith. "While I wonder, if that may be true, this has me all the more worried. Were did my Missionaries go? Is the Great Tomb holding them, then?" Archbishop proposed. "If We are to follow his Grace''s Logic, then it really depends on which faction or factions got a hold of the missionaries first. If the current rulers of the Great Tomb acquired them, then it goes without saying that if they want us as allies, they remain alive." The usually quite Archbishop Melinda spoke up. Melinda was rare among the Archbishops as still being an almost full Zombie. Her hands, however like Consort Leslie''s, were pure ivory bones. This should that she carried out her faithful duties. Melinda could be considered a looker among undead. She still had a head of blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a roman face. Grand Minister Lucius spoke up at this point, "Alright, time is running a little long, even for us. Let us get an update from Archbishop Murphy and Archbishop Lukas." A pause, and then with a forced cough, Archbishop Murphy gave his report. "I don''t mean to be a braggart, but Borda''s faithful are surely in our hands." A sound of clattering bones resounded! A macabre version of clapping. "Yes, yes... We have pushed the Temple of Three Gods to the breaking point in Borda. Our membership is at an all-time high there, as well, and it is likely the first recruits for Templar there will be ready to study here in Saigunrai by years end." Archbishop Murphy recounted, with a proud voice. "Fantastic, Archbishop Murphy. His Grace will know of this in my next report. I am sure he will be greatly pleased." Grand Minister Lucius spoke. This filled Archbishop Murphy with even more zeal. "We will have those heretics in the lands of Borda converted or destroyed before the end of the next year." Archbishop Murphy performed the Deagoth''s pious hand seal. A movement used for salute by the clergymen of the Faith. "Alright. Lastly, Archbishop Lukas. How goes our endeavors in the Republic of Stonedge." Grand Minister Lucius inquired. "It''s alright... Stonedge believes in money more than anything else, so I am finding it hard to make headway." Archbishop Lukas said bitterly. "Money?" Archbishop Edward asked in confusion. "Is that a religion now?" "I''m afraid, so." "Yeah, let Money bring you power, or glory....pfft." "I''m sure it will keep those grubbers warm at night." "Enough." Grand Minister spoke solemnly. "Never underestimate the power of Money. Greed can bring down gods, and force devils to push the mills." Silence took hold of the chamber. Soon, after a long pause, a question broke this thought-provoking atmosphere. "How long before The Holy Witch King is going to hold court again. I simply can''t wait for him to start fixing up the Officials." Asked Archbishop Ava, tilting her head to the side cutely. Lucius took out his timepiece and measured the time. After a few moments, "We should be holding court in about two weeks. In fact, let''s go ahead an call it for this meeting. Everyone gatherer your most devoted followers and have them take their places in the stands of the court. We will get to witness his Grace''s plan and action." All the Archbishops made the hand seal of Deagoth, and slowly departed the Faithful''s sanctum. ******* "Dear..." "Uhhh." "Wake up, Dear." A gentle pressure was felt on Jack''s skull. Jack''s vision came back just in time to see Leslie pull her face back from his. "Ah, how long did We sleep?" Jack asked much more relaxed than he was previously. "Oh, about a week or so." Leslie guessed at the time, though she was right. [A week?! I just laid down, and a week disappeared!!] Jack was shocked at the passage of time. Leslie was sitting next to a large basin of water, by the table and chairs. Just like Jack''s last bath. As she was getting the towels ready, she looked up to Jack, "Come now. I''ve drawn your bath." Jack remembered last time, so this was not going to be a pleasant experience. Leslie, however, was counting off everything she was doing as "Ah, my first time waking up my Dear, as his Consort. My first time drawing bath water as my Dear''s Consort...." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "I''m up, I''m up." Jack got up and stepped directly into the basin, as the water started to come to a rolling boil... "Holy water, again... sigh." Leslie cleaned Jack, per the course; however, this time there seemed to be a bit more love with her care. Jack was immersed in thought, as he tried not to think about how he now knew what it felt like to be a lobster from his last life. [I need to visit my study, today. I really need to get some information, and I need to get stronger. While some of those Officials are okay people... I have a strong feeling those Officials of Undeath, are eyeing my throne... And you know what, I''m going to change my Title to Lich King. The Holy Lich King... Sounds so much better!] Jack inwardly thought. "Alright, my Dear. Stand up for me." Leslie lovingly spoke. Jack rose, while Leslie wiped him down. "I''m thinking of visiting my study today. What''s on your agenda, for today?" Leslie paused, and blinked at Jack, still holding the towel where she was wiping down his rib cage. Leslie''s eyes teared up, at the corners. Startled Jack asked, "What''s wrong?" as he reached out to hold onto the shoulders of Leslie. Jack really couldn''t take a woman crying. Leslie sighed, and placed her left hand over Jack''s right hand on her shoulder, she was still holding his towel in her right hand. "This... I know I am your consort now, it just feels surreal." Jack spoke caringly, "I know how you feel. Ever since my re-awakening, everything feels like a dream. It scares me, honestly." Leaving Leslie''s caress he made his way to his side table and donned his robes. Leslie approached Jack with her hands folded in prayer to her chest, and looked up into his gold wisp eyes, wondering what could make her Grace be afraid. Jack turned and asked jokingly, "Can you guess my fear?" Leslie stood there puzzling over what could bother The Holy Witch King. Replaying everything they had ever said or talked about, and the last few conversations over in her mind, in perfect memory. Soon she shook her head and looked back to Jack. "That I will actually wake up, and everything, including you, is just a dream." "Oh, Jack." Leslie dived into Jack''s robes and cuddled up to his bones like a cat. Jack found that she was really light to pick up, much to his surprise. Leslie''s mind was a full color of pink, and a feeling of warmth enveloped her body. She had been cold for a long, very long time. Only when she accepted her Grace''s offer to be his consort did she start to feel a bit warm, but now it felt like she was residing by a warm fireplace. Jack stood there while holding up Leslie who was cuddled up in his robes like a cat. He was wondering if she was, indeed, part cat? Now with her like this, he didn''t want to put her down. He too felt very warm. The first time he felt warm since he re-awoke, even then nap he had was not this warm. He felt too lazy to put Leslie down. So he walked back over to his evening tomb and laid Leslie down. Leslie, "MMMmmm." Jack crawled over to his side of the tomb, with a rattle of his bones. He then proceeded to be the big spoon, while Leslie was the small spoon. Again, sleep took them both. This was not hibernation or a suspended state. This was true sleep; sleep for the soul. Something only reserved for undead who had love for each other. Commonly between Lovers, but not limited to them, as well. This could be family love, love from friendship, or romantic love. ******* Fresh out of the Faith''s Sanctum, Grand Minister Lucius was approaching his own study within the palace. He had been contemplating how to break the Marquis Mark situation to his Grace. He was sure he already knew, but he may need additional details to fill in the blanks. Upon his approach, Lucius had seen his Hand Servant Shane. "Good day, Shane." Grand Minister Lucius greeted Shane as he came closer. Shane had been Lucius'' hand servant for the last fifteen hundred years and had grown quite close. "Morning, sir." Hand Servant Shane opened Lucius'' door to his study. As Lucius made his way to his desk, he asked Shane to bring him a censer of Holy dust. "Right away, sir." Shane walked to the side of the room and opened the cabinet to fetch the wares. Censers to undead where a type of recreational smoking. They would set up the Censers to slowly burn whatever herb or incense. Much of the Undead nations had different products for different undead, such as Stonedge''s Doom Dust. Made from Doomshrooms of the finest grade, undead in the area of the smoke would absorb the smoke into their bones and soul. Yes, these were soul drugs. Doom Dust would cause its users to have hallucinations, a loss of self, and a feeling of one with existence. Doom Dust was one of the hardest, and most abused incense to burn. Holy dust though was of a different nature, but similar purpose. Holy dust was created by drawing Holy power into a type of made crystal. These crystals were able to hold the Holy power. After an aging period, the Holy power would integrate into the crystal, and then could be ground down into a powdered dust. It could then be burned and produce a soul drug. The effects of this soul drug were to focus the mind and slow down the concept of time. It also produced a slight buzz, as well. Very enjoyable, to those that did work. Shane brought over the censer and lit the burner. Soon after, white wispy smoke started to drift out of the censer. As it was drifting out, it drifted straight to Lucius. It should be known that those that were infused with Holy power attracted Holy dust, otherwise Holy dust would just diffuse out into the room. "Ah, that helps so much Shane. Thank you." Lucius looked from his desk to Shane, who stood by tentatively. Lucius worked on a stack of paperwork on his desk, signing, and stamping his wax seal on various documents. Before long Lucius stretched his bones, a cracking of spine joints echoed in the small study. "Oh, yes. Has his Grace retired to his chambers, yet?" Grand Minister Lucius asked Shane. "Ah... According to the palace handmaidens, he retired to his chamber soon as court was over." "Ah, so he took a rest before going to his study. That''s just as well, I will go await his exit then." Lucius stood up preparing to visit the waiting area outside The Holy Witch King''s study. "No sir, I mean... He retired to his chamber, and hasn''t come out, as of yet." Shane said awkwardly. The gossip mill had been in full swing. These maidens saw the new consort pulled into The Holy Witch Kings chambers. Since then, none of the handmaidens had seen them leave the room. A king with his new consort. It didn''t take imagination to guess what these two were up too. Lucius looked to the wall and found the chronometer. SHOCKED! This could be the only emotion that Lucius could feel at the moment, it had been two and a half weeks since court adjourned! "His Grace has been favoring his consort for over two weeks!?" If Lucius had lungs, he would have hyperventilated! Quickly, Lucius left behind his study, making a path to The Holy Witch King''s chamber. This was located on the other side of the palace from his chambers. Twists and turns, he kept thinking, "I know his Grace has been celibate his whole life, but I never thought he would fall into this kind of quagmire! If I don''t pull him out, his Grace may fall into debauchery!" Grand Minister Lucius, finally, made it to his Grace''s chambers. After several unanswered knocks on the door, Lucius couldn''t take it any longer! At seeing Grand Minister Lucius next action, the palace servants took a safe distance away from the front of the chamber to watch the action. They had to take care of when to leave, for there was a difference between gossip and things one shouldn''t know. Lucius took out his Holy tome of Deagoth into his left hand, and with Holy light infusing into its pages drew it into his right hand. "HA!" Lucius stroke out with his right palm into a skill known as Hand of Smite. A low-level Holy palm technique. The Door to The Holy Witch King''s Chamber burst into pieces, and the pieces that had some size flew into the interior of the room. Grand Minister Lucius quickly stepped over broken pieces in the room, as he walked inside the chamber. Chapter 13: Predictable Grand Minister Lucius looked to his Grace''s evening tomb and found that he and Leslie were sleeping together. Obviously, they must have been tired from their soul union. Lucius spread out his awareness and discovered several palace servants... Observing. Lucius turned to walk into the hall, and then let out a booming voice. "Clear the Holy quarters of the Palace. Do not return until the word has been received from Consort Leslie!" Before Lucius had completed his first sentence, the hallways and corridors were cleared. These servants knew what could be overheard, and what could not. He stood there for a few more moments, feeling the servants left. When Lucius confirmed the last servant had vacated, he turned and reentered into The Holy Witch King''s chamber. "Ahem. Your Grace isn''t it time to stir, and set out to your study?" Lucius spoke to the sleeping duo. "...." "Your Grace, it is time to wake and oversee the kingdom." "...." Lucius was at the end of his temper. He was trying to keep up pretenses in front of Leslie. Leslie didn''t know how close The Holy Witch King and him were, and he didn''t want to throw his Grace''s face... After waiting for a period of time longer than Lucius'' patience, he walked over to his Grace''s evening tomb and rapped the Holy Witch King''s skull. "WAKE UP, YOU BONE HEAD!" Grand Minister Lucius'' voice rang out. If any of the servants heard this, they would of experience true death from shock alone. No one in the kingdom would believe the Grand Minister would yell or call his Grace a bonehead, being called a bonehead for the undead was a slur of grave consequence. Usually, only close friends could call each other a bonehead, without coming to blows. "Ugh?" Jack''s vision slowly came into view, as the golden wisps in his eyes slowly flickered into existence. He felt like he had the best sleep he had ever gotten this unlife or his last life. "Mmmm?" Leslie stirred from her slumber, as well. "Mmmmmm?!" She looked up to see Grand Minister Lucius hovering over her dear''s evening tomb. "Grand Minister Lucius, what are you doing here?! Why are you in my Dear''s private chamber?! Did you just call The Holy Witch King a bonehead?!" Leslie rapid fired questions at Lucius. Leslie was still questioning Lucius, as she was getting up. Lucius started to backstep, he didn''t know that Leslie could be this fierce. He had been working with her for countless years, but this was the first time she showed such a protective side. She was like a mother protecting her child! "Leslie... Dearest... Please calm down. I am sure the Grand Minister has something important." Jack spoke while being lazy in his evening tomb. The gold wisps of his eyes were slowly and softly dancing. He kind of didn''t want to get up. This was some great sleep! Leslie stopped mid-question. Dearest? She looked back over to Jack, who was still laying down. Warmth spread throughout her soul again. Jack sluggishly spoke, "Grand Minister Lucius, honestly... What''s wrong... Did the House of Undeath stage a coup?" Lucius was still dizzy from the flurry of questions Leslie threw at him, but now it was also her turn to be stunned. ""What?! The House of Undeath plans to rebel!?"" Lucius and Leslie spoke at the same time! "I wouldn''t be surprised, honestly." Jack sat up, slightly slumping in his evening tomb. Both Lucius and Leslie were on alert, they knew The Holy Witch King wouldn''t say things without cause... This was worse than they thought. After a pause, Lucius spoke up, "Your Grace, I know that you have just got a consort, but it''s not good to overexert yourself..." Lucius intentionally left his words ambiguous. He didn''t really want to talk about this kind of thing in front of Consort Leslie. [Why did this sound exactly like boning?] Jack thought... "Grand Minister! We have not!" Leslie was already on edge when Lucius woke them up but now was thoroughly incited. It was one thing to do it, and another to be accused when innocent. "Ah?" Lucius looked blankly at the two of them, "Then what have you two been doing?" "That is none of your b..." "Sleeping..." Jack interrupted Leslie. At this point, Jack had gotten up and walked over to put on his robes, and shoes. "I really need to get to my study," Jack said as he walked back to Leslie. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Ahem. Your Grace the only reason I came is because it''s been two and a half weeks since court! There are only another week and a half left!" Lucius said somewhat hurriedly. "What?" Jack exclaimed! [I took a nap for a week, and then slept for another week and a half!] Jack''s mind was tumbling. "Yes! Do you already have plans on how to take care of the kingdom?" Grand Minister Lucius asked hopefully. "First, I need to get to my study, but, yes, I do have a plan, so be rest assured," Jack said heroically. Let it be known that Jack, in fact, had no plan, but wanted to calm Lucius down. He figured he could come up with something. Inwardly releasing a sigh of relief, "That''s great to hear, your grace." [As expected, of my Dear!] Leslie praised her love inwardly. "Sweetheart, I might have asked you earlier, but what are your plans today.?" Jack asked Leslie. Leslie was so happy by being called sweetheart... It almost made up for his botched proposal. Almost. "I''m going to wash the linens here first, maybe repair the chamber door, then I will gatherer my handmaidens... Wait, I should transfer my handmaidens to the palace. ...I also need to contact... My clan." Leslie started off strong, but her voice started to trail near the end. Jack wondered what was her clan. He was still puzzled over the whole undead clan being a thing. "My Grace, Leslie may need your help with her clan." Grand Minister Lucius spoke after a moment of thinking. "Why would Leslie need help?" Jack asked feeling odd. "You must have forgotten..." Leslie said bitterly, "I was... exiled from my clan before I gained my Title of Countess..." [Why would Leslie get exiled... There is a story behind this.] Jack hatefully thought. "I''m just worried Count... Consort Leslie will be wronged by her clan." "What?! Who would dare bully MY consort!" Jack said furiously, as the gold wisps in his eyes flared up, and gold flames burned in his eyes! Jack was thoroughly incited! All the years he lived in his past life, and he never had a loved one. Now he had one, and all the years of love he saved had been transferred to Leslie, for right or wrong. He was not about to let anyone hurt or mistreat Leslie, even if her parents raised from the grave and came to discipline her, they would have to go through him! Lucius and Leslie took a step back, clearly shocked by The Holy Witch King. In all the years of being by his side, he had never grown this angry! It was almost like he was a different person... [Ah... Is this why his Grace never took a consort previously... He is truly overprotective... A weakness.] Lucius thought about this new development might not have been the best idea. Just why did his Grace wait until now to acquire a consort. Leslie ran up to Jack and placed her hands on his rib cage. Shaking her head, "No one would bully me. Please have mercy on my clan!" Jack''s golden wisps settled back down but were fervently dancing in his sockets. "Who is your clan? Which representative are they in the House of Undeath?" Leslie didn''t want to speak, but did so anyway, "My clan is the Grimnight Clan, and the Undeath representative is Undeath Official Jordan." "Undeath Official Jordan... He doesn''t have another Title?" Jack asked the Golden flames dimmed Leslie shook her head, "No, Dearest." "What is the highest Title in your clan?" Jack asked to confirm. "I was the highest Title, but if you don''t count me, then the Grimnight Clan has two Barons." Leslie was finding this line of questions to be odd but answered them anyway. Lucius wasn''t quite following, as well. "Ah ha... So that''s it." Jack spoke cryptically. "What''s it," Lucius asked. "Leslie was a marital asset; so if she could marry higher, it would bring a boon to the clan. They thought Leslie didn''t have any prospect with me, so they must have wanted her to marry into another Clan. One with a higher Title, and gain benefits through marriage. She refused to serve the clan, and thus was exiled, as she wasn''t of benefit to the Clan. So they mistreated Leslie based on her willfulness." Jack finished his monologue. Lucius wasn''t sure on Leslie''s Clan''s circumstances and thus looked to her, but was caught off-guard by her expression. Leslie''s delicate mouth gaped so large one could fit an apple into it. "No one knows this... How do you know this?" Leslie was so shocked she didn''t even add her endearment. Jack shrugged his shoulders, "It only makes sense." Jack had seen scenarios like this too many times in the games and novels he played and read. "Grimnight is a minor Clan, correct?" Jack asked, knowingly. "Ah, yes. That''s right, Dear." Leslie nodded, coming back to her senses. "So they have mistreated you... I need the Grimnight clan for the kingdom, but I might not need everyone from the Grimnight clan." Jack said eerily. "NO! Dearest, please no. My parents are held by the Clan. They will execute them if we do anything to them!" [Her parents!] Jack wasn''t in the mood, but he did feel like laughing. Her parents did come back from the grave... How Ironic! Jack paused, then turned his head to Lucius. At this point, Lucius felt like he had become a third wheel, and he was starting to feel nauseated in his soul from all the endearments being thrown left and right. He would be glad when the honeymoon phase was over... "Grand Minister Lucius," Jack said harshly. Lucius shuddered, "Yes. Your Grace." "I want every piece of news about Undeath Office Jordan; so much so, at what time he bathes and who washes his linens." Lucius knew what his Grace wanted... Dirt! "As you command, your Grace." "I also have one last request. This too must be completed before court. I want another throne constructed for my consort. It shall be made in the image of mine and placed to my left. I want it close, enough that if I want to touch my consort I can reach out my hand..." Jack spoke these last words angrily. "Ah, This... This shall be done!" Lucius said, at first unsure, but finished his words resolutely. Never in the history of the kingdom had a consort had a throne beside The Holy Witch King! Leslie stood there, dumbfounded. She wanted to protest but found she couldn''t. A throne with The Holy Witch King? What did this mean exactly? What would this do? She didn''t know, but could only worry for her love, the kingdom, and her parents, that she hadn''t seen in over a thousand years. "Good, good... Good." The Holy Witch King spoke three goods! He then turned to walk out of his chamber leaving these words behind, "I shall be in my study, should you need me. I look forward to meeting Undeath Official Jordan." Laughter soon broke out as his form turned and disappeared into the hall. His golden flame-like eyes leaving behind two light gold streaks in the air. Leslie and Lucius shuddered and looked to each other, unsure what his Grace was going to do. Chapter 14: The Holy Light and How to Swing it: Undead Edition Jack made his way down the bony corridors, and by memory, he made it to the door to his study. He paused for a moment and walked straight into the door. This time he was prepared, so he didn''t fall flat on his skull this time. As he crossed the threshold, he felt like he was pushing through a wall of pudding, a sort of thick resistance. Walking back into the room, it was much dimmer than the last time he had been here. Jack could still make out the tables, that were set up by the former Holy Witch King. He could even make out the large bookshelves behind the tables that contained so many unknown tomes. [Where to start... hmmmmmm?] Jack stood there and mulled over what he wanted to do. [Let us see... I need to get stronger, I need to find some information on what a Boneyard is used for, and information on the Countries.] Jack was organizing his thoughts. [Let''s get the learning out of the way.] Jack walked around each table, reading the labels. Cultivation, The History of the Undead, The History of the Holy Deagoth Kingdom, The last Lich King, the... What? The last Lich King? Jack walked over to the table labeled "The last Lich King," and found that only a single golden tome was on top of the table. He picked up the Tome and thought about absorbing it. After a few failed attempts, he had an empty feeling each time he tried. Jack could only figure that he didn''t have enough power to absorb it. He shook his head and flipped open the book to skim the pages. The last Lich King was the supreme ruler of all the Undead Races. At the time of the writing of this tome, he existed over ten thousand years ago. [Why is everything that''s old is in increments of ten thousands?] Jack retorted in his mind, as he continued to skim. The last Lich King, after consolidating his power base, declared war on the Overworld. No one was sure how long it lasted but at the end of the war the last Lich King and the supposed Heroes of the Overworld slew each other in a climactic battle. [Really... How clich¨¦... Let''s keep going...] Jack wanted to know what the Lich King''s power was that made him become the overlord of the undead. He scanned over the tome. [Various battles, Ruling policy, Union of the Underworld, etc... etc... Ah! Here it is.] The Last Lich King had the ability to command undead against their will, even to the point they would sacrifice themselves for the cause of the Lich King. The last Lich King also had the ability to raise undead on the battlefield, in the mists of battle, usually overrunning their living counterparts. [So a game boss... Ok... I was expecting... A bit more...] Jack sighed inwardly. He knew this was an awesome power, but he felt it was a scary power. He wouldn''t want a Lich King to suddenly rise and subjugate him, striping him of his free will. Jack shuddered. [Hmmmm... Says here that he cultivated Ice type magics... Wait... The Lich King!] Jack just hung his head... He didn''t understand, how The Lich King made it to this world... [Wait... Was the Lich King here, and someone reincarnated to take his story back to make a game?!] This idea struck Jack, just right. It wasn''t impossible. After thinking about this for a while, Jack threw this idea to the back of his mind, along with The Lich King. He couldn''t be The Lich King, no matter how much he liked him. Jack had his own path. Let along, he didn''t want to force someone''s free will. In Jack''s opinion, it was better to kill your enemy than to force them against their will, then again it wasn''t out of the question to humiliate or intimidate his enemy either, to make an example out of them. Jack tossed the book back on top of the Table, and just as he was about to walk away from the table, he found a note. He picked it up and read, "We must never be like The Last Lich King." Jack held the note for a moment, thinking. [Maybe becoming The NEW Lich King wasn''t such a bad idea.] After all, Jack didn''t know how to roleplay a good guy. [An iron fist is it?] Jack tossed the note aside, completely disregarding the warning. He then proceeded to the table labeled "History of the Ruined Continent." [Well isn''t this a swell name...] Based on this name, Jack had zero expectations about the place he lived. Reading through the tome, Jack found that the Continent had been stripped by the armies of the last Lich King during the end of his reign, and this was the reason it was named the Ruined Continent. Still, it spoke of the kingdoms that rose and fell since the fall of the Lich King. Time passed, and finally, Jack completed the tome. [That was the most boring book I have ever read... If I wasn''t dead, I would die of boredom.] Jack chuckled at his own dark humor. He was a dimwit, too used to entertaining himself. After looking over many of the tables, Jack settled on a table labeled "Imports and Exports of The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth." He figured this would have information on Boneyards, and why these were so important. Jack picked up the tome and skimmed it. The tome detailed many key resources of the undead. Flax crops for linen, Glowstone for light and money, various plants and exotic animals for vegetables and meat for zombie undead, and Holy Bone building material were all key exports of the kingdom. Glowstone? Jack remembered the pearl-like stones embedded on the walls and light fixtures. A type of metal that emitted light. Money? [Light is literally of monetary value in Underworld!] Jack was struck dumb by this fact... because it made too much sense! Holy Bone building Material? Boneyards weren''t super common on the Ruined Continent, but the biggest were located in the lands of The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. Boneyards were made by two types of phenomenon. Battle where countless living and undead died true deaths, thus forming a large pit of bones. This was how many Boneyards started, and lastly, the best Boneyards were made by a type of Underworld creature called a Bone Imps. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. These creatures were a small mindless humanoid demon that collected bones to dam up Underworld rivers. The Underworld did indeed have rivers; three types of rivers at that! Rivers of lava, ice flows, and ichor. Ichor was a type of blood of the world, full of decayed matter from the Overworld and a hint of water. These were the most common rivers and made for the best Boneyards when dammed up by Bone Imps. Bone Imps would collect bones from all over, going so far as to crawl to the ceiling of the Underworld to pillage the bones from the dead and graves from the Overworld! If the races of the Overworld did not entomb their dead, most likely their bones were in a Boneyard. Finally, the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth had a special import. Holy Bone building material. The Boneyard workers would dredge up these bones, test them for toughness and use, and finally sort them by size. These bones would then be transported to, what was called, the Holy Bone Mills. This is were Holy Bones were made. They would take these Bones and through an alchemical process involving a Holy Bone Smith, to forge these building Materials. Holy Bones could be used to build anything normal bones could, but the benefit of Holy Bones were how strong they were compared to regular Bone building material. The best use of Holy Bones were building structures and making weapons. [Ah! So we have better concrete, than the other Countries.] Jack thought for a few minutes, with his new found knowledge, still holding the tome, and pacing back and forth through the study aimlessly. [So someone has incited the Boneyard workers to make a fuss... Then tied up legislation to clam them down, so they form a union. With the union, they would sell themselves, and if the kingdom can''t pay them off then they would take the highest bidder... OR The union causes chaos, and this gives one of the Countries the excuse to invade and snatch it up... clever, but clich¨¦.] Jack had started using the word clich¨¦, a lot after his re-awaking. [So the House of Undeath, again...] Jack had concluded that with legislation being manipulated, it was the House of Undeath that orchestrated this fiasco. [Either all the Officials of Undeath are planning a coup, or there is one guy that''s being a jackass... If this was a story which would it be?] Jack was trying to think his way through this one; after a while of thinking, shelved the problem, for now. [Finally, what I have been waiting for! Let''s study... Cultivation! As the saying goes, before absolute power, schemes are nothing!] Jack actually laughed out loud as he walked over to the clearly marked table. Jack picked up the tome labeled, "Understanding Cultivation," with a stack of other Cultivation books, and walked to the only desk in the study. Sitting down in the black bony chair, by the desk, the only thought Jack had about the tome he was about to read was [How convenient!] Cultivation had different power ranks, per the usual. These ranks were universally named by all races in the world, though this tome was obviously written from an undead point of view. This made the verbiage easier to understand for Jack. Starting from normal undead with no power, it went level by level. Disciple, Master, Grand Master, Knight, King, Emperor, Ancestor, Venerable, Saint, and God. The tome even listed some examples. The last Lich King was of a Venerable rank, The Heroes that fought The last Lich King were Ancestor ranks. Most monarchs are at King rank, like The Holy Witch King, and was the reason why the rank was called king. [So for example, The Holy Witch King was King rank, Verruca is Knight rank, most of the War Marshalls are Grand Masters, and all the other Officials are basically Master rank. I wonder what my current rank is... I sure hope it''s not Disciple.] Cultivation was the simple act of drawing power or magic, as both words were interchangeable, from the outside world into the soul. Any creature that was sentient and had a soul could cultivate. Cultivation was nothing more than increasing the power of the soul, through the soul the power could be unleashed in techniques or magics. Techniques being physical moves, while magics are just that, power released in a manner to accomplish a task. There were seven main schools of Cultivation. Holy, Unholy, Arcane, Fire, Ice, Nature, and Blood. Each with their own advantages and disadvantages, except Blood. Blood had neither advantage or disadvantage. This, in its own way, was Blood''s advantage. Jack put down the tome, and picked up the next labeled, "The Holy Light, and How to Swing it: Undead Edition." Jack dully stared at the tome''s name. [You have got to be kidding me.] Shaking his head for the umpteenth time today, he cracked it open and began to read. This tome detailed how an undead could cultivate the Holy Light, a school of Cultivation that was poisonous to Undead. The theory behind it was similar to poisonous Cultivation techniques of living beings. For example, living beings could cultivate the Unholy Dark and Various poison Cultivation. All Cultivation types at their extremes were dangerous to the soul and body of any being, living or undead. Wouldn''t fire burn the soul? Wouldn''t Ice freeze it? [So I have to first become immune to the poisonous effects of Holy magic. I guess that hints the Holy water baths.] Jack thought about his Cultivation, as another thought struck him. Looking down at his right arm, he couldn''t help but take another look at the golden runes etched into his bones. [So I''ve had Holy runes etched into all of my Bones to make it easier for me to draw in Holy magic... Genius!] Jack already had the hardest part for an undead to start Cultivating Holy magic completed, by the previous Holy Witch King. [So Holy, Unholy, and Arcane magics are part of the world, and are the easiest to absorb, but the Holy Light is special in that it only takes believing in it to absorb it...] Holy magic was special in this regard, while Unholy magic could be absorbed by committing foul deeds and channeling the negative energies released, or Arcane magics by severing the emotions of the Cultivator and becoming one with existence, allowing the Arcane magics to enter into oneself as another part of the world. Jack put down the tome, and decided before he learned any spells, he needed magic to fuel them. He looked up from his desk to look for a good spot to Cultivate. How could Jack who was big into games and role play not look for a visually impactful place to Cultivate. Jack was disappointed in finding that there was no place in such a huge library study that would satisfy his vanity while Cultivating. He decided that, when he had time, he would make a fantastic Cultivation place. Unknown to Jack, the previous Holy Witch King would just cultivate while sitting at his desk. He didn''t care about where he did it, it didn''t matter to him. Jack could only do the best he could. He looked up at the undead Chronometer and read out the date and time. Thankfully, the tome Jack had absorbed last time taught him how to read these crazy contraptions. undead Chronometers were powered by mindless undead vermin. They would run on mice wheels to turn the gears of the clock like mechanism, truly genius, however macabre it was. He had a week left. Jack had long become numb to how quickly time passed. Only now, he just felt it was a little ridiculous. He then walked to a large Glowstone pearl embedded into one of the walls and sat under it. The feeling of Light cascading down him did help him feel like he was about to absorb the Light. Jack closed his vision, and the now soothed golden wisps in his eyes vanished. Chapter 15: Times are Changing Jack sat there trying to Cultivate. He only had about half a weeks time to absorb this power, and then learn how to use it. He recalled what the tome said about Cultivation. It was all about believing in the Grace, Kindness, Love, and Warmth of the Holy Light. Believing it was a part of you, and you are a part of it. Accepting the Holy Light and having faith that the Holy Light will protect you and yours, and take comfort that it will always be there for you. Honestly, Jack felt a little sick in his soul from reading about how to believe in the Holy Light. In games, he always tended to wield darker powers or neutral powers. However, he kept at it, trying to feel the warmth of the Holy Light, remembering how he felt the day he used its magic to absorb the knowledge held in that Holy tome. A long time passed, Jack had hummed like he was meditating, fantasied about being a paladin from a game, believed that he was an angel... At one point he had considered getting holy water and laying in it but quickly tossed that idea. He opened his vision to see the time... It had been three days since he started trying this, and clearly, he was falling short. How funny would it be, if people of the kingdom found out that The Holy Witch King couldn''t cultivate Holy magic? Actually, if the kingdom found out about this, it was highly likely that it would cause widespread panic. Jack inwardly sighed, [This isn''t working.] He got up and paced the floor of his study, occasionally looking at the Titles of various manuals and Holy tomes throughout the Library. He was stressing out, he really needed to get stronger for his plan to work. He had already figured out how he was going to handle the House of Undeath and Leslie''s problem, but to do so he needed power, at least enough to scare the old bones out of the clans! As he was pacing, Jack happened to see a dusty tome at the very back of the Library on the bottom shelf, as the very last book. [...If this was a novel, then that book is the one that''s going to make this easier.] Jack walked over, picked up the book, and read the Title, "The Light''s Heretical side." [This looks tempting.] Jack took the tome and walked over to where he was last sitting, and opened the tome. How peculiar! This tome spoke that the Light was indifferent! It didn''t care about being kind, or helping others, that the light was more of a force of nature than anything else, and that Holy, Unholy, and Arcane magic was based on willpower. As long, as one willed it, it was. Committing Unholy acts was only the act of imposing your will on others, Arcane''s emotion severance was the willing act of letting go, and Holy was the act of willing the Light to yourself. It even said the Light was a selfish magic, and could not exist with other magics! [So the reason this isn''t working for me, is because I don''t subscribe to the "Live, Laugh, Love" routine that all the Cultivation books are preaching!] Jack made a solid observation. [I bet whoever penned this book died in a fire.] Jack thought jokingly. Actually, he was right. This book was penned by an undead Excommunicated Archbishop named Ex-Archbishop Julius, disillusioned by the hypocrites of his faith, he penned the tome as a means to get back at the clergy of the times. He was one of the few Holy magic Cultivators that knew the truth behind the workings of the magic forces of the world, thus he was found and burned to true death! One of the previous Holy Witch King''s War Marshall''s had found this book on the body of a slain enemy commander. Unsure of what to make of it, they had brought the book before him. At that time, he considered it to be nonsense, but being a bibliophile, he kept the book. Jack laid the book to the side and took back up his seated posture he had under the Glowstone pearl. He then used his imagination to think of the Holy Light as a mist that surrounded him. In his imagination, he conjured a vortex and willed this mist to be sucked into it and into his soul! Unknown to Jack, His body gave a golden glow, and a beam of Holy Light struck down from above down on top of him. It lit up the entire study, blindingly so reflecting off all the golden tomes! Outside the palace, from the dome to the roof of the Underworld Light poured down like a physical waterfall. The clergymen of the kingdom all felt a surge of Holy power in the air. They dropped what they were doing, and quickly made way outside their chambers, rooms, and homes. They all looked to the sky and seen a beacon of Light. In the City of Saigunrai, they could see the beam above The Holy Witch King''s Palace. All the clergy of all the cities and towns of The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth seen this, now swirling, downpour of Holy Light. It was astonishing, even the priests in the Nation of Borda seen a beacon of light from the direction of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth! The Light was so bright it shamed the Skull of the Sun God! In the Overworld, a beacon of Light was seen almost all around the world! Many Clergymen of the Holy Light by various empires were in awe of his miracle. The Overworld priest would later call this event, the Days of Light, as even at night the sky was bright like the day, and many celebrations would be held for years to come, knowing that this marked the day that the, then Holy Witch King came into power. ******* Grand Minister Lucius was overseeing the construction of the new Throne for Leslie when he felt the flood of Holy power. He left the courtroom and walked out into the palace courtyard. Above the palace was a waterfall of Holy Light gushing down. Being so close, Lucius could see various golden light constructs of skeletons with angel wings circling the beam of light, and flowing into the palace. Left gawking the event, Lucius even saw an angelic skeleton come close to him, stare, and left back into the palace. It almost seemed like these illusions had... intelligence. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "The Holy Witch King... He has recovered? broken through?" Lucius muttered. After a while of seeing the downpour, he started to become unnerved by the angelic skeletons. They kept coming to him, and staring him down, almost like they were trying to see if he was an enemy or an ally. This feeling kept growing, until he walked back into the courtroom, to oversee the work being completed. He didn''t want to see these things again... they were... scaring him. Lucius had always been righteous with the Holy Light, but those things made him feel scared. He didn''t know why. As he entered the courtroom, the Archbishops made way to Lucius. "Grand Minister Lucius! What''s going on?" Archbishop Edward exclaimed and questioned as soon as he was in hearing distance, flanked by the other Archbishops. "Most likely, his Grace has renewed his faith," Lucius said tentatively. "What we really want to know is what are those Skeleton angels doing outside!? Archbishop Lukas asked hurriedly. It had to be admitted, that this was the quickest he had been in hundreds of years. "That... I am not sure." Grand Minister Lucius hated not being able to answer this question and was set on getting an answer form his Grace, as soon as he could. Soon the courtroom door burst open, as Verruca came in with large strides. As she saw Lucius with the Archbishops she made her way to them. "Grand Minister, What in the name of his Grace is going on?!" Verruca called to Lucius, she was very hurried. Lucius shook his head. He had already been trying to answer this question, and even he didn''t know. "Grand Minister, I don''t think you know this, but we don''t have to have a judgment this month," Verruca said mysteriously. Not to mention Lucius, the other Archbishops stopped talking and looked to Verruca. "What do you mean?" "One of my servants, just reported that several of those Skeleton angels came close to the Jail Quarters... they slipped into and reaped all the prisoners, save for seven left. That''s 30 inmates granted true death. Nothing, but charred black bones left." The Jail Quarters was next to the palace. The Holy Witch King kept them close to show that he was gracious to even the charged and convicted. Sometimes he would even preside over the judgment. Security was tight for the palace, let alone the Jail Quarters, even if the convicts wanted to do something, they couldn''t, being restrained by soul shackles. "This must be the Judgment of his Grace, The Holy Witch King," Lucius spoke as he looked up to the ceiling. Silence overtook the group. Those angel things can kill? Why the jail quarters? Do they target the guilty? Was this the doing of The Holy Witch King? The usually quite Archbishop Javon spoke up at this time, "I think his Grace is displeased with the world..., and the times are going to change because of it." ******* "There''s the sign, as foretold by our prophet!" A slightly deranged undead cackled while looking into the distance, witnessing the beacon of light in the sky that illuminated the entire Underworld. "Yes. Let us depart." a cute sounding little skeleton lolita spoke. She daintily walked from out of an underground tomb into the opening, heading to a large caravan. This unusual caravan was pulled by spiders, large spindly legs spiders. They were completely black, except for a large white rectangle on the back of the spider''s abdomen. She boarded the largest caravan. "Princess Emily, be safe on your journey, and remember your task! The Great Tomb depends on you, as does the Spider Goddess!" The deranged undead said lovingly, but sternly. "MMmmmm. I know." Princess Emily nodded her little skull. The Caravan took off, and the deranged undead was waving his arm in goodbye, just as crazily, as he was. "May the Spider Goddess protect you!" He shouted. [Uncle spider is just as crazy as ever... I wonder what kind of person The Holy Witch King is?] Princess Emily thought, as she looked into the distance observing the beacon of light, that had now become a guide for her caravan. ******* Marquis Mark looked back to the City of Saigunrai long in the distance, as he was traveling with his servants. He had left Saigunrai a full week ago, no longer willing to overstay his welcome. "Husband, what is that?" Mark''s wife asked Marquis Mark when the sky lit up above the kingdom. "A problem." "Oh, smartest most dearest Husband, what could be a problem for you?" Mark''s wife was laying on a soft evening tomb, built onto a carriage house in a nice dark covered tent. Her Husband, Marquis Mark, was sitting at the helm, next to a servant that was guiding a team of four undead oxen. This carriage was one of four that left Saigunrai, undercover. It was remarkable that he was able to sneak out of the City with no one the wiser, even Business Head John who had yet to leave didn''t know of his departure. It was clear that Marquis Mark was... relocating. "I know sarcasm when I hear it, dear." "Oh, whatever do you mean? I just thought when I married you, you promised my father The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth on a Glowstone platter." she purred as she turned upside down on her evening tomb looking at the back of Marquis Mark, through the slit in the cover of the carriage. "That''s still going to happen. When was the last time you seen your Father-King, anyway? Just treat this as a vacation." Marquis Mark humorously said. Marquis Mark''s wife was an unparalleled zombie beauty. Everyone in the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth knew Marquis Mark was married but had never seen his wife. He was also one of the few Officials that kept only one wife, no second wives, or concubines. She was laying there in a seductive manor giggling over how her husband had tried to change the topic. She had a heart-shaped face, with black color eyes, and long straight dirty blond hair. Her skin was a pale blue tone, and was flawless. She looked like a beautiful model, who tragically stopped breathing. If anyone in the kingdom had seen her, they would have known who she was immediately, and it was a testament to Marquis Mark to keep her out of sight of so many eyes while she lived there. She was the eldest daughter of the Nation of Dragon''s Jaw. "Still Husband... How much longer before we make it to Jakahn. I''m tired of being in a carriage, and I want something to eat... And We haven''t done... that... since We left." Princess Janet complained. She was insatiable, much to the delight of her husband. "They pronounce it ''Jakahn.''" "I can''t be bothered about a nation of stupid little people like Jakahn... Come back here to me; let the servants do their job." Princess Janet reached out her hand and tugged on the helm of Marquis Mark''s vestment. "You sure your not a reanimated succubus?" Marquis Mark got up from his position and slipped into the tent. His servant at the helm sighed. He was hoping this long trip wasn''t going to be like this the whole way, even servants had needs, and this servant didn''t have a wife. He could only hope he could find a brothel when he got to Jakahn. Chapter 16: Soul and Bones Jack opened his vision, as the gold wisps in his eye sockets had once again danced into gold flames. The Holy downpour had ended a few minutes earlier. Jack was still unaware of the phenomenon he caused, but at this moment he felt... Powerful. He could feel the Holy power surging in him all along his bones. It was painful, but delightful at the same time, like getting a deep tissue massage. It hurt so good! He continued to sit where he was for a moment while feeling the changes in his soul and bones. After his readings, he then set out to find what rank he had achieved. When he had first sat down to start Cultivating, he wasn''t at the Disciple rank like he hoped he wasn''t, but it turned out to be worse than he expected. It was as if he had no Cultivation at all. Using his mind to feel the changes, he came to a startling conclusion. He wasn''t king rank like he wanted... But he was in fact at Knight rank! One rank away from King! This was absolutely better than what he had to work with previously. This made Jack ecstatic with joy, half his plan was complete. He now only needed to learn a few spells and be ready to take on the court. Jack got up from his cross-legged position on the floor, below the Glowstone pearl he had previously made his Cultivation spot, and made his way back to his desk. He looked up at the Chronometer... He had three days before court. Jack inwardly sighed, it was a fleeting joy. Sitting down he took out a new tome from the stack he had brought earlier labeled, "Slinging Magic and You." [Who names these tomes?] Jack questioned slightly annoyed. He was about to crack open the tome, but wondered, if now that he was a Knight rank, could he just absorb it, would be pretty nice if he could. Jack placed his hand on the front of the cover and waited for that feeling he had last time. This time, however, his entire rib cage felt warm. He directed that power through his shoulder down his arm and into his hand that held the tome. The tome lit up brightly, and the contents flowed into Jack''s mind. This time, his head didn''t pound as hard as the first time he had done this. Jack sat there satisfied with the effect of absorbing the knowledge of the tome. [Wow! I really like this ability. It''s like downloading the tome into your brain... So matrix!] Jack then proceeded to go over what he had just obtained. [What?!] Jack was astonished, once again more than anything, after mulling over his new found information. Spells had different verbiage based on the school of magic. For example, Holy magic spells were called Hymns, Unholy magic spells were called Curses, and Arcane magic spells were called Sorceries. Performing a spell was a three-part process. The process of forming magic into a manifestation started by drawing the magic from the soul, then chanting the formula, and lastly, releasing, or also known as evoking the magic. Chanting or Humming the Hymn, Curse, or any type of spell would evoke the spell. What was shocking Jack the most was the formula for spells? Forming a spell was exactly like programming, but here they called it formulating. To produce a new spell, a Cultivator would write or mentally formulate the spell, which would produce the chant to evoke said spell. The Cultivator would utter this chant, and this would evoke the spell. Jack was precisely a programmer in his last life! While the syntax for writing spells was certainly different from C++ or Java, it was still a programming language. Now, Jack had absorbed this tome and knew the programming language of spells in this world. [I can''t believe this is a thing...! I just can''t! Actually, programming magic!] Jack was extremely excited and was ready to try some spells, immediately. Jack picked up the next tome in his stack titled, "Holy Hymns Vol. 1." [Simple!] Jack assimilated this tome and settled on the most basic Holy Hymn within the book, the Hymn of Bright Light. A Holy Hymn that would produce a ball of light to illuminate the dark, very useful in the Underworld, if you were without Glowstones. For this Holy Hymn, the Light would last for a fifteen-minute duration. Jack held out his right palm face up, and hummed the alien sounds, "Zaniwohugliwohug." This would be a mouthful... If Jack used his month to talk; he would wonder later how flesh and blood beings spoke or hummed these words. A bright ball of light the size of a golf ball was emitted from his palm and gently floated a few centimeters above it. Jack''s first spell! Finally, he produced magic, and best of all, he didn''t even feel anything casting this spell! Well, it was the most basic of all Holy Hymns, so this was to be expected for a Knight ranked Cultivator. After coming down from his high of evoking his first Holy Hymn, he thought over the formulation, the programming of the spell. After reviewing it in his mind, he came to a surprising conclusion. [The programming of this spell is utter garbage. It''s literally spaghetti code! So many redundancies, there''s no reason for some of this code to even be here.] He then went through several Holy Hymn formulas... They were all the same, sloppily written! [Who made these? I would have gotten fired the first day on the job if I submitted programming work like this in my last life....] Jack was rendered speechless, as the ball of light, dimmed and dissipated. [Hmmmm. Let''s see.] Jack went back over the Hymn of bright Light, in his mind. After cleaning up the formula, he hummed the new chant. "Zaaa," and a new ball of light was produced, just the same as the last one. Jack watched it while thinking, until it, too like the last one, dissipated. He, once again, hummed a new chant. "Zaaaaa," and a new ball of light was produced, still the same size as the last one. Jack also watched this one until it dissipated, but this time it endured for over an hour. His last experiment was hummed, "ZaaaaaNii." A ball of light was produced this time, but it was the size of a desk! Jack was able to reduce the chant to evoke his Holy Hymns, but also increase the duration, and size of the effect. His experiments lasted for a full day. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Soon, his thoughts turned to if he could make new Holy Hymns. Keeping this in mind, he spent the next two days wiping up new Holy Hymns; with each, he was more pleased with than the last. Jack finally looked back up at the time and decided it was time to leave. He had a few hours before it was time for court, and he needed to get with Lucius for information on Undeath Official Jordan. Jack returned all the tomes back to where he picked them up and walked out of his study. He was greeted by Leslie and Lucius, who had been waiting for him, who knows how long. Before Jack could say hello, Lucius barraged Jack with multiple questions. "Your Grace, did you break through? What was that beacon of Holy Light? Why did you call down the angels of death? Are you dissatisfied with the world? Is that why you called down them down...? Blah, Blah, Blah?" Jack started to become dizzy from the flurry of questions, and near the end, he couldn''t even understand what Lucius was asking. "Grand Minister, slow down. Ask me one question at a time, so I can answer..." Jack finally interrupted Lucius. Leslie just impatiently waited to the side. She had found that she had become this way, now that she knew she had a place in Jack''s heart. She was able to wait for a thousand years to see her love before, but now it was agonizing to wait for just a week and a half! "I am sorry, your Grace." After composing his thoughts, he asked the question he felt most pressing, "Ahem. What exactly was that beacon of Holy Light?" "What beacon of Holy Light?" Jack asked while being puzzled. "You don''t know?" Lucius was so shocked; he forgot to add The Holy Witch King''s honors to his question. Jack didn''t pay attention, as he wasn''t use to this; However, Leslie noticed this. Jack speculated over what the beacon of Holy Light might have been, and after a few minutes, he figured it had to be when he was cultivating the Heretic''s Logic. "Ah. I know what you''re asking now. I was Cultivating the Holy Light. I had lost some Cultivation from my long entombment." Jack casually lied... errrr... Bluffed. "Thank the Holy Light. This is good news! However, your Grace... What were the Angels of Death doing?" Lucius finally asked the question that bothered him the most. He still had a lingering fear of those things he saw, especially after hearing the report given by Verruca. "That was just a byproduct of my Cultivation; nothing to worry about." Jack still in full bluff mode. Honestly, he had no clue. He would have to find out what happened in his absence. Jack just wasn''t sure who to ask... Leslie? "A by... product, your Grace?" Lucius was unsure how this was a byproduct... This was clearly an evoked Holy Hymn. "Yes." "Your Grace, your byproduct broke into the Jail Quarters and reaped 30 charged, awaiting Judgment..." Lucius spoke what he found the most troubling. [Errrrrrrrrrrrr... What?] Jack finally was stumped. He wasn''t exactly sure what to say to this... He assumed he caused this beacon of Holy Light, but wasn''t sure on what the angels of death were that Lucius was talking about, let alone them reaping lives... [Wait... Jail Quarters? The guilty? Was this magic outburst related to my intentions of cleansing the court?] Jack had accidentally figured out the reason the angels of death spawned from his Cultivation and the reason why they were reaping the charged held in the Jail Quarters. After a period of time, Jack finally responded, "These manifestations are an extension of my will. With these lives reaped, We have saved time for other issues in the court." Jack said coldly, as the golden flames in his eyes were energetically dancing, as he spoke. "I... Understand, your Grace." Grand Minister Lucius'' mind returned to the words spoken by Archbishop Javon, [...The Holy Witch King is displeased with the world..., and the times are going to change because of it.] Jack finally got a word in edgewise, "Leslie, my dearest, how have you been." Leslie''s, who had been quite up to this point, face bloomed into a beautiful smile. "I''ve... missed you." Hearing this, Jack walked over to Leslie and pulled her into his embrace. He propped his lower jaw on top of her head, "Yes. I as well, but I will always return." Jack said softly. Leslie felt spoiled by Jack''s words. [These two...] Lucius inwardly sighed, again. He then interrupted the two, "We have completed Consort Leslie''s Throne." Jack let out a laugh, still holding Leslie. "Excellent. I look forward to seeing it, but more importantly, Grand Minister. What information do you have for me about the Undeath Official Jordan?" Jack asked eagerly. This is what he needed for his plan to fall into place. "Let us take this to your Office..." Lucius spoke, in a low voice. [I have an Office? What don''t I have?] Jack didn''t know just how important The Holy Witch King was to the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. Lucius looked over to Leslie, and then back to Jack while gesturing to her. Lucius was indicating if The Holy Witch King wanted Leslie to accompany them, and Jack did catch the insinuation. "Anything I can hear, Leslie can hear, but I do want to warn you, dearest," Jack said as he turned to Leslie. "I will be dealing with your family, and it will not be pleasant. I will not wipe them from existence, but it will not be easy for them." Leslie shuddered. She was struggling, even while she had been exiled and shunned by her family, they were still her family. Most of all, she was worried about her parents. She tucked Jack''s right arm against her chest, "...I understand, and I will stand behind any decision you make, as long as you don''t wipe my family out." "Alright then, lead the way, Grand Minister," Jack commanded casually. Lucius noticed that his Grace didn''t speak his name, and figured he wanted to keep some distance between them in the presence of Leslie. This confused him with the previous statement that she could know what he knew... Perhaps it was only with regard to her family. As always, with twists and turns, the group made it to the Office of The Holy Witch King. A grandiose d¨¦cor greeted his vision, a medium sized room, in the same style as The Holy Witch King''s private chamber. White bone walls and ceiling, with an obsidian stone floor. On all the walls, hung tapestries depicting various scenes of undead in battle and worship, a white carpet split the room in two, were at the back of the wall where the carpet ended, sat a large desk with an accompanying chair, both made of black bone. These were made in the same style as his desk and chair from his study. In front of his desk sat two white bone chairs. Against the left wall, sat a large black bone couch padded with white silk cushions, fine silk imported from the Great Tomb of Neolith, one of their key exports. Jack swaggered in with a royal decorum and made way to his chair. He sat down looking very proper, with his posture ramrod straight in his seat. Jack indicated to the two white chairs for Leslie and Lucius to sit. He then folded his fingers and propped his hands on the desk in front of him. Leslie walked over the couch and lounged upon it, facing the direction of Jack. Lucius took his seat in front of Jack. With everyone settled, Lucius began to report to Jack the information requested on Undeath Official Jordan. Chapter 17: Anger before the Storm "I''m not sure you may want to know everything about Undeath official Jordan," Lucius spoke while leaning forward in his chair. His tone indicated some unpleasant deeds committed by Jordan. "For my future plans, I need to know." Jack unfolded his hands. He laid his left hand in his lap but kept his right hand on the table. Lucius looked over to his left, and seen Leslie half laying lazily on the couch. He wasn''t sure what her reaction was going to be hearing his report. He was sure it wasn''t going to be a good one... "If you must know, your Grace, it was truly a brilliant idea to investigate Jordan Grimnight." Lucius praised, and even spoke Jordan''s real name, showing his lack of respect for him. Jack remained silent, as his bony fingers started to tap the desk in a rhythmic pattern. If Lucius could sweat, he would have a brow full. Lucius inwardly signed as he couldn''t put this off any longer. He desperately tried. "We have found some... troubling evidence. We are pretty confident that the Grimnight clan knows what Jordan Grimnight is doing... and is profiting off his... endeavors." Jack could clearly feel that Lucius was still beating around the bush, as the saying went in his last life. "Lucius... What are We talking here... Embezzlement? Fraud? Treason?" While Jack was hoping for treason, he also hoped it wasn''t treason. He would have to deal with a much more difficult situation if it was. Lucius and Leslie noticed Jack didn''t use Lucius'' title... While Leslie noticed this, Lucius was trying to figure if Jack wanted to keep their friendship from Leslie or not, as it wasn''t really acceptable for The Holy Witch King to be friends with a court member, let alone the Grand Minister. This was a conflict of interest. "Yes. Everything, but treason." Lucius left these words hanging in the air... Leslie, who up to this point, knew her clan was up to misdoings by rumors that she would sometimes overhear, but gravely underestimated the offenses her clan had and was still committing. She had always looked the other way, while not knowing what they were doing for fear of her parents. She felt sick in her soul hearing Lucius'' statement. Jack thought for a moment before looking over to Leslie. he could clearly see the discomfort on her face. "Leslie are you sure you want to hear the rest of this." Leslie bit her lower lip, then spoke, "Yes. As your consort, I must know of these matters, as well." If one listened closely to her, they could hear the helplessness in her voice. Even Lucius didn''t detect this type of tone, but Jack did! He paid careful attention to his consort, Leslie. "Alright, then." turning back to Lucius, "If you don''t want to speak about these crimes easily, Lucius, then it must be bad, let me think then. Grimnight is a small Clan, and they are based in the City of Sosuhalf." "That''s right, your Grace," Lucius said. "And what is their primary trade?" "They are in control of one large, and one small Glowstone mine, with a bunch of local markets." Placing his hand on his chin, Jack started thinking aloud, "Alright, so they are a small Clan, and they want more power. They were willing to sacrifice a fine woman of their clan for more status." Jack looked over to Leslie. "So, they are about benefits before honor. This means with Glowstone mines, they are keeping more than what they are to turn over to kingdom. Tell me, Lucius, how much is Our Tax on the Glowstone mines." Jack was sure the kingdom took a cut but didn''t know how much it was. If it was a ridiculously high tax, then he could understand tax evasion. Slightly surprised, Lucius resounded, "We take 10% of all Glowstone mined, and only Glowstone mined. If the Grimnight Clan, or any Clan in control of Glowstone mines, mine other ore, jewels, or artifacts, they can keep it for profit." "Now, What trade does Undeath Official Jordan keep?" Jack asked. "Ah, this..." This was what Lucius didn''t want to talk about... "He keeps a franchise of brothels and gambling halls." [Mafia...] This thought hit Jack like a light in a flash pan. "As expected. Leslie, when was the last time you actually saw your parents?" Jack asked while carefully looking at Leslie''s expression. "Over a thousand years ago, right before your entombment. That was when I was given the ultimatum to marry into the Doomcry Clan... Ah." Leslie stopped right after speaking. She figured it best, if Jack didn''t find out her previous Clan betrothal, even if she did settle it, and get exiled. He had already deducted what they had intended for her to do, what else could he figure out. If this had been a thousand years ago, she wouldn''t of minded telling Jack, but now it seemed his temper wasn''t as good as before. "Doomcry Clan... Tell me, do they also own brothels and gambling halls?" Jack asked the room. "No...?" Lucius spoke, questioningly. "But We do know that the Grimnight Clan and the Doomcry Clan were or still are in communication? In addition, their members are often seen at these brothels and gambling halls of the Grimnight Clan?" "Yes," Leslie spoke. She wasn''t sure where this was going, and neither did Lucius. "If I recall correctly, the Doomcry Clan is a very old Clan and has high authority to the north. They even have Clan branches in the Republic of Stonedge, a major aristocratic Clan." This time Lucius answered, "That is correct." Jack got up from his desk and paced behind it. While pacing, he started his monologue, "The Grimnight clan is using Undeath Official Jordan as a scapegoat, by placing the brothels and gambling halls in his name. The profits from these places are split by them and the Doomcry Clan, as the Doomcry Clan serves as protection for the Grimnight Clan. This is really a ploy by Doomcry, but is willing executed by Grimnight." Jack came to a stop and looked over to Leslie... If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Your parents... Your mother is in charge of a brothel, and your father is working in a Glowstone mine, bets are on the minor mine Grimnight controls. Using you as a deterrent, they had the Grimnight Clan agree to send your father to the mines. The Grimnight Clan, in turn, used your father in the mines to threaten your mother, to send her to work as a matron in the brothels." Jack finished his hypothesis, and again... He was one hundred percent accurate! The fact that Jack actually figured out what was going on behind the scenes, that no one else openly knew, was... Unbelievable! [Seems like this was used in a novel I read once... If what I read was right, its time to beat the bush to scare out the snake...] Jack then laughed inwardly. Lucius was scared stiff! Half of what Jack said, was exactly what he found out, the latter half about Leslie parents... He wasn''t sure if it was true, but it made too much sense to not be! He always knew his Grace was deductive, but this was absurd. Ever since he woke up, it was like he knew everything; he just needed to be reminded! A freak among undead! Leslie was first to overcome her shock. She had heard some things over the years and could be said to be more knowledgeable about Clan workings than Lucius. She knew that the Major Clans used the Minor Clans for dirty work, but her parents... She refused to believe this, even if it was the truth. Especially since she had turned a blind eye for so many years, not willing to find out. "Dearest. I am sure my parents are still living in their courtyard, in the countryside." Leslie spoke up. Jack was feeling good with his deduction, but when he saw Leslie''s face, cloud nine was a distant feeling. "I hope that''s true, and I hope I am wrong, very wrong," Jack spoke, while his golden flame eyes paused on Leslie. He then sat back down in his seat, behind his black desk. "Remind me, Lucius. Brothels and gambling halls are illegal in Our kingdom?" "Yes. At most, they are tolerated at the border Cities, but never within the kingdom." "So out of everything spoken, What is it that Undeath Official Jordan has done personally? I''ve already saved a lot of talking for you, Lucius, and my patience is running thin. We will need to greet the Court, soon." Lucius had already given up, as the last wall he had crumbled, "We found that Undeath Official Jordan has been kidnapping young undead and sending them to his brothels for work. The ones he likes the most, he keeps for himself." Jack didn''t say anything, but the golden flames were dancing angrily, and brightly. If one listened closely enough, they would hear the crackling of fire. Leslie turned to stare at Lucius; her expression turned exceedingly grim and disgusted. "You can''t force yourself on undead women," Leslie spoke, harshly. "Yes, no... Not just women... men, too where kidnapped. Some patrons of their establishments have... unique tastes, to say the least." Lucius deliberated his next words, "It seems that the kidnapped undead are "trained," before they are sent to the brothels. The most trusted are sent to the gambling halls. In short, they are tortured to do this kind of job, and the ones that don''t are sent to the Glowstone mines." In Jack''s last life, he rarely had any moods. He went to work, he came home; he enjoyed his hobbies. The most he felt was being lonely, but now in this new type of life, if life it could be called, he felt emotions much more strongly. Jack slammed his fist on the black desk! BAM! The sound of metal striking bone issued forth. Golden lightning arced off his fist, and on to the table and into the air. A small display of fireworks, unknowingly released in Jack''s anger. "IN MY KINGDOM!" Jack snarled. Both Lucius and Leslie jumped in fright! They had never seen The Holy Witch King display this type of behavior. He had always been calm and collected. They were both angry but never expected his Grace to show it, as well. Jack sat there silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He lifted his hand to reveal a small crater in his Black bone desk, smashed by the impacted and charred by his magics, unwittingly released. He was ashamed by causing such a spectacle, even among his most trusted. [My dear...] Leslie was at a loss of how to help, even as she was angry. "This is why I didn''t want to speak about such... Criminally immoral topics." Lucius spoke bitterly. "No. Again, I must know these things, and this is EXACTLY what I wanted to know." Jack said decisively. Leslie thought for a moment, then spoke, "It''s almost time for court, dear... Let''s go get you ready." "Yes." Jack nodded and rose from his seat. "I will see you soon Lucius, and one more thing..." Jack said to Lucius, as Lucius was preparing to stand. "Inform your Archbishops that We will need some... extra crowd control," Jack spoke, mysteriously. [For What?!] Lucius thought, but spoke aloud, "Yes. Your Grace." Leslie walked to the door, and Jack soon followed. Leaving Lucius behind in his thoughts. [I thought I understood his Grace''s disposition, but with his memory loss, it feels like I don''t know him at all.] He just shook his head. [His Grace is still his Grace. How did he figure the Doomcry Clan was behind all this...] He rose and soon exited The Holy Witch King''s Office, and went to inform the Archbishops to assist in security with the Holy Sentinels. The Holy Sentinels were the silent guards of the palace. The personal guards to The Holy Witch King. They were always out of sight, but always close. Even while The Holy Witch King was asleep, or in his study, they were guarding. They were all of the knight level, and only fell short of the number one War Marshall of the kingdom. War Marshall Verruca! However, they outnumbered her by hundred, against. The Holy Sentinels were also known as the Silent Templars, by the faithful. Jack followed Leslie until he once again saw the familiar double doors to the dressing room. The censers were still spilling the wispy white smoke, as they opened Leslie and Jack walked in, as the doors closed behind him. The same hand maidens greeted him again, this time, their attire had changed. They now wore long white qipao dresses, also with gold trim. These qipao dresses were much more grand in design than the plain white dresses they wore previously. Jack took a guest, "You have already committed your servants to the palace?" "Of course, as your consort, I had to give them status, as well," Leslie said with a forced smile. It was obvious that she was still unhappy about the recent revelation about Undeath Official Jordan, and her Clan. Jack followed the same routine he did last. The handmaidens busily worked to dress Jack in his regalia. Soon, Jack''s last article was brought before him. The ark was placed in front of him. He, once again, picked up his Femur Ferula. He turned to admire himself in the mirror, as the handmaidens backed away exiting the room. Leslie walked to the side of Jack, now that both of them were alone. "You want to remove my Clan from the kingdom, don''t you?" she spoke softly. "It has crossed my mind, but because you asked me not too, I have another solution. However, it isn''t far from enslaving your Clan to the kingdom. Are you fine with that?" "....Yes." Jack walked to the entrance to the Court, the massive double doors that were the exit to the dressing room to the Court, the Holy Entrance. A moment of silence from Leslie and the white smoke started to bellow forth from the massive censers embedded in the door. Jack turned to Leslie and held out his left hand to her. She was prepared to walk behind her love to the Throne. She looked at his hand, and then to him. Did he want to hold hands to enter the court? This might bring his status down, but it would differently bring Leslie''s up! "Why?" Leslie asked, still as soft as she spoke earlier. "Because I want everyone to know. I want the kingdom to know, but most of all... I want your Clan to know." Leslie didn''t say anything but placed her delicate hand in Jack''s. The double doors opened; as they started walking into the white smoke, disappearing within. Chapter 18: Last Chance The Court''s session had long been decided by the Grand Minister. As such, all the Officials were in their places, and the open stands were full beyond the max capacity. The open stands now held fifteen hundred officials, instead of the usual one thousand. It could be seen that many bishops were keeping the peace in the stands, as per orders handed down by their Archbishops. Many Officials were talking and debating how The Holy Witch King would solve the current court agenda, some brave Officials even questioned if he COULD solve them. One topic above all others was that the courtroom had a new addition. A new Throne appeared to the left side of The Holy Witch King''s. What did this mean? It could be seen that the House of Undeath Officials were deathly quiet, as they were missing a seat. Marquis Mark was absent from the court. All the Officials of Undeath knew what this meant, and it did not bode well for them. Soon the Choir could be heard, as Hymns sounded, and the announcement rang out! ""Let it be known, that The Holy Witch King will grace us with his presence!"" The court went silent, and all the Officials turned their collective gazes to the Holy Entrance. Clink... Clink... Clink... Again, like last time, The Holy Witch King emerged out of the white smoke. The solemn sound of metal on stone echoed in the large courtroom, heralding his arrival. Not only did The Holy Witch King emerge... but his Consort Leslie, hand in hand with The Holy Witch King, emerge, as well.! She was wearing a long white dress, with long sleeves that draped wide at her wrists, only exposing her pure ivory skeletal hands. Her white dress was embroidered with elaborate gold Holy runes, with gold trim. The dress''s pattern looked very much like The Holy Witch King''s Bones. She wore a long white ribbon belt around her thin waist, that was tied into a large white bow behind her back. This apparel was truly befitting of her status, the newly appointed consort. The female Officials were happy for Consort Leslie. Her love for The Holy Witch King had become legendary in the kingdom, and now they could see that it had been successful. They also thought that the Holy Witch King must have been smooth to soothe his consort, after that... proposal. In addition, her attire was amazing, many of the female Officials that were close with Consort Leslie planned on meeting with her after court to exchange ideas on fashion. The male Officials had no opinion one way or the other concerning The Holy Witch King walking out with his Consort, as this was to be expected, with the exception of the House of Undeath. The Holy Witch King walked with Consort Leslie, from the Holy Entrance to the front of the two Thrones. He led Leslie to her Throne, and at the end of their walk, he lifted her hand to her Throne. She paused her step, but only for a moment, it almost seemed she didn''t pause at all, with only Jack noticing this hesitation. She ascended her Throne. Jack, in turn, nodded to Lucius, who was standing to the right of Jack''s Throne just like last time and ascended his own Throne. Leslie did not sit until Jack had. Jack sat down, upon his black bone Throne. Left hand propped, and right hand holding the Femur Ferula. He surveyed his court, and couldn''t help but notice the absence of Marquis Mark. He remembered him, specifically because not only was he one of the Officials that showed up at his re-awaking, but also that he asked such a stupid question, in Jack''s opinion, last time. [The guilty one skipped town... This will be interesting. He was either a rat or a mastermind... There can be no in-between.] Jack had seen too many shows for this to not make sense. It was just a matter of having it revealed. Leslie took her seat, just as Jack''s vision swayed to hers. He hated that he couldn''t smile to reassure Leslie... However, Leslie had looked into Jack''s eyes and seen the dancing flames that seemed very gentle to her, causing her to be more at ease. Ever since his return, Leslie didn''t question the dancing wisps in his eyes, as High-level cultivators would sometimes have body changes due to their Cultivation, but she had come to rely on them, to understand Jack''s feelings. Clink... Clink... Clink... Jack once again rapped his staff rhythmically, on his Throne. When the House of Undeath seen those bright flaming golden eyes from within the darkness of The Holy Witch King''s hood, they all felt they had slipped into a cold hell. Some of the Undeath Officials, who were in fact reanimated undead, felt that they were getting that feeling as when the had first died... A truly horrible feeling of dread, it was. Jack stopped his rapping. "Like last time, let me remind all the Officials that the court will be scrutinized. Any corruption found will be met with judgment. In most cases the Officials will be dismissed, in the most server of cases, I, personally, will preside as judge, and a True Death is not out of the question. When I said cleansed... Well, you know what that means." Many of the Officials that had dismissed the thought that The Holy Witch King was going to create a killing spree started to rattle and others to sweat. They now believed, his Grace! He really meant to purge the corrupted. Many of the Officials that had questionable governance practices these last thousand years thought it might be a good time to leave, immediately after court. Almost on queue, "I know many of the Officials that have played the fool in my absence are planning to make like Marquis Mark, and leave the kingdom. Let it be known now, that all exits to Our Holy City of Saigunrai are closed. Any that want to leave without my seal of approval shall be granted a true death without mercy. No exceptions!" CLANK! Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Jack stroke his staff on his Throne with force! This served to cause a few of the Officials that had little forbearance to faint while sitting, thankfully undead where already a stiff people. These Officials were fated while kneeling, and no one noticed. Either due to watching The Holy Witch King or from this announcement, these Officials would later be thankful to not lose face from this event. Leslie sat upon her new Throne. At least she dressed for the occasion, this made her feel more at ease, as she felt very out of place even with her beloved''s reassuring gaze, as she had always stood at the base of The Holy Witch King''s Throne. She had been helping her Dear for at least five hundred years prior to his entombment, and then another thousand years after. Though, because of the ridiculously long unlife of undead, five hundred years was considered to be a short period of time. "Before We start court, We have some business that needs to be addressed. As part of Our first moves to cleanse the court of... corruption, I would like to call upon an Official to come before my Throne." Lucius heard this and knew what it meant. The last time he heard this he was extremely happy as those Officials that had been abusing their power and getting away with it were going to meet judgment, but now, he felt a slight fear. The changes in The Holy Witch King had worried him. He wasn''t the same after his re-awakening. Just how far was he going to go, and to a lesser point... Who could stop him? Leslie failed to straighten up in her seat, as she was already sitting straight as an arrow. She also knew what this meant. She was very concerned; even if she tried to hide her expressions, she couldn''t help but furrow her brows. "Undeath Official Jordan, please come before the Throne," Jack spoke coldly. In unison, all the Officials in the court turned to look at Undeath Official Jordan, at one time. Undeath Official Jordan was an average size zombie undead, wearing a nice English suit. He even had a chain on his vest attached to a small watch, that was tucked into his pocket. The most distinctive feature he possessed, that under his eyes there were large black bags. How odd this was, as undead didn''t have a need for rest. He paused sitting in his seat, as He knew he wasn''t without sin. For many years, he had been indulging himself in pleasures and excess. His forehead had already beaded up with black sweat. Thankfully for him, Jordan had already talked to the Clan head of the Grimnight Clan. He was assured that The Holy Witch King wouldn''t do anything without evidence, even if he could execute him without said evidence. "Undeath Official Jordan, need I call you again..." Jack was already impatient. [Jordan... Just a bit more, give me a reason...] Jack thought darkly. Jordan rose from his seat and walked to the front of the Throne where Jack and Leslie sat, at a snail''s pace. He wanted to believe in his Clan head, but his Clan head didn''t see The Holy Witch King in the last session... Jordan left a trail of black droplets of sweat on the white carpet that separated the court, many Officials inwardly frowned at the stains left behind. Finally, Jordan had approached, he looked up into the darkness of The Holy Witch King''s hood... What he saw left him shuddering. The golden flame eyes of The Holy Witch King looked onto him with cold indifference! "Undeath Official Jordan, I''m going to be more than fair with you... You have the chance to confess to your crimes against the kingdom, and against undeadkind." Jack pressed down on Jordan. It was sink or swim now, and Jordan needed to save face. He wasn''t going to confess to anything. Why tell on himself or his clan? That would be stupid to open his mouth. Now, like his Clan head told him, Jordan just hoped he could make it through this trail. It had to be said that Jordan had better constitution than many other Officials. He was able to stand before The Holy Witch King, and not break down. His inner thoughts and brow of sweat might betray him, but his expression neither showed him as arrogant or fearful. Jordan stood there silent. "Undeath Official Jordan, I am giving you face by asking. You have one last chance to confess, least I remove your ability to resist." Jack spoke apathetically. Many Officials sat up straight when they heard this blatant threat. That was what this was.. a threat, just what did the ability to resist mean? Jordan continued to stand, silently. [I sure hope this works...] Jack thought to himself. "Undeath Official Jordan, I gave you a chance, but you didn''t take it. I commend your ability to resist, but I will now take this privilege, away. Jordan was unsure, what The Holy Witch King was going to do. He figured he was about to be carted off to the Jail Quarters. His Clan head had already figured this and had a way to bail him out, by process until judgment. Everything was going just like his Clan head said; however, the ring of black sweat that fell to the white carpet betrayed Jordan''s stoic statue. Jack hummed his newest Holy Hymn. He had developed this Holy Hymn just for this situation. He wasn''t sure how strong Jordan was, but he was counting on Jordan being weaker than himself. Jack extended his left hand toward Jordan, and before he could react, Jack hummed "Solxeees" Shock! Utter shock! The Holy Witch King just cast a spell against one of the subjects of the kingdom. This wasn''t an enemy; this was a subject! A beam of light descended down upon Jordan, enveloping his form until he was washed out by the luminous effect. Many of the Official''s shielded their eyes, but the ones that could still see were horrified, including Grand Minister Lucius. They witnessed as Undeath Official Jordan fell to his knees, appearing to be in severe pain, as he was shaking all over. He soon curled up into the shape of a prawn, still on his knees. They watched as his body was invaded by many tendrils of Holy Light. As the last of the Holy Hymn took effect, the tendrils appeared to pull out something from within Undeath Official Jordan''s back, as he crouched on the white carpet. As the light subsided, all the Officials finally had a clear view of the aftermath. A dark smokey wisp was tugged out of Undeath Official Jordan wrapped in golden light. Jack''s left hand was still outreached, as the light warped dark wisp flew to his hand. This wisp floated a few centimeters above his hand. Many Officials were familiar with this dark wisp... This was a soul! More importantly, this was Undeath Official Jordan''s soul! Chapter 19: Soul Discordance Leslie was finally able to see, from where she had shielded her eyes from the light show earlier, but she had never imagined the spell her beloved cast was this cruel! She looked to her right to see that the soul of her clansman Jordan was hovering above Jack''s left hand, wrapped in gold light. [To take his soul, Can the Holy Light even do that? Should he?] Leslie was thinking and filled with mixed feelings. She knew this was all part of her beloved''s plan, but this felt very unlike him. One of the things she liked most about Jack was his gentle side, it seems that was slowly disappearing after he came out of his entombment. Grand Minister Lucius had seen the entire process. He was speechless and didn''t know that the Holy Light was capable of extracting someone''s soul. This was more of an Unholy Curse than a Holy Hymn! [Just how powerful has his Grace become. It''s one thing to annihilate armies... most king ranks can eliminate at least one army, but this... Forcibly taking someone''s soul... This is dark.] All the Officials had recovered and were staring unerringly at the soul that hovered in the hand of The Holy Witch King. All they could think of was that they might be next! [Oh, Wow Jack..! When did he become so... domineering!] War Marshal Verruca was in awe! She had been more than friends, but less than lovers with The Holy Witch King for about two thousand years. She even knew his real name, and It was The Holy Witch King who improved her Clan''s Cultivation technique, that allowed her to increase her strength so quickly. The only quality that Jack lacked in her opinion was ruthlessness! If he had been more ruthless a thousand years ago, he would of never of waited for the kingdom to be blindsided by Jakahn and Neolith. [Holy crap, it worked!] Jack inwardly sighed in relief. He may look like he had everything under control, but he actually had no clue, if this would work. The Officials in the stands grew restless. For some of them, this was their first time attending court, so they didn''t know if this was normal of The Holy Witch King or not. With Jack''s first stage of his plan completed, he began his second set of plans. "Undeath Official Jordan, Can you hear me?" "...yes..." The glowing orb issued a voice, not only that, but this voice was that of Undeath Official Jordan! "Tell me Undeath Official Jordan, do you have anything to confess to me?" "...yes..." "Go ahead, Undeath Official Jordan." All the Officials stared at the smoky soul orb in wide disbelief! Not only was this soul speaking, but it was answering questions. If this soul confessed, what did it mean for the rest of the Officials... They shuddered at the thought. "...yes..." Jack turned his vision to the soul currently hovering above his hand, [OH NO! Is yes all this f*cker can say?! No no no no no] Jack was chanting in his head. Everything was going great! Jack was checking all the books he had absorbed on souls in his memory, desperately trying to find the reason why he wasn''t spilling his sins. [Ah, he is completely sealed, and can only answer yes and no questions... f*ck] Jack cursed for the second time today, a rare event. Without missing a beat, Jack spoke up, "Undeath Official Jordan, I will make this easier for you and the court. I will ask you questions, and you will answer yes, or no." "...yes..." [This stupid soul...] Several Officials of Undeath looked at this action oddly. They all had one thought, does he already know what Jordan has done? If he did, then The Holy Witch King was more frightening by knowing their secrets, than his Cultivation! "Have you committed sins to confess to me and the court?" Jack asked, again. "...yes..." "Are you sorry for committing these sins?" "...no..." "Did your Clan head forbid you from confessing to me and the court?" "...yes..." "Interesting, Undeath Official Jordan. Do tell, do you own any sinful businesses?" "...yes..." "Are they Brothels and Gambling Halls?" "...yes..." "Any of them located, here in the capital?" "...no..." The Undeath Officials were growing nervous... The Holy Witch King was asking questions... That he already knew! It was clear he was leading Undeath Official Jordan in answering these questions. While yes and no questions were hard to pin a sin, but if The Holy Witch King already knew... "How many Brothels do you have? More than a hundred?" "...yes..." "Are some of them located outside of the kingdom?" "...yes..." "Do you capture innocent undead of the kingdom to send to your brothels?" "...yes..." Clamor rose in the court! This was worse than demons...! but how did he force these women to perform these acts? It was widely known that soul unions required consent from both partners to perform the act. "Did you capture male and female undead to send to the Brothels?" Stolen novel; please report. "...yes..." What?! Many Officials were under the impression that only female undead were sent to Jordan''s brothels... but men as well? Were they themselves safe? This still didn''t answer how they would force them to work there. No self-respecting Undead would... unless... "Did you use trainers who would perform torturing acts on these captured undead to force them to work in the brothels?" "...yes..." As expected, the Officials thought knowingly; however, many were beyond outrage. How many Officials didn''t have wives, husbands, sons, and daughters? Were they going to go home today, and find that one of them have been snatched up, not knowing where they were? At this point, many Officials wanted nothing more than to burn Undeath Official Jordan''s bones and scatter his ashes into the abyss. "Last question, Undeath Official Jordan. As the representative of the Grimnight Clan, does your Clan know and condone these businesses?" "...yes..." A collective "what" resounded through the minds of all the Officials in the court, even the Undeath Officials didn''t know that these weren''t just Jordan''s businesses but also ordained by the Grimnight Clan. Marquis Richard, as the Undeath Official of the Doomcry Clan, was furious. This confession was slowly creeping into his Clan''s business... [Maybe the Grimnight Clan''s usefulness ran its course] he thought. Marquis Richard was a grim, and robust zombie undead. He was as tall as Jack and very muscular. He was, however, smaller in muscle size than War Marshal Verruca. Undeath Official Holly, representative of the Achnida Clan, was very happy. Her Clan hailed from Salily, and honestly, was an extension of the Grand Tomb of Neolith stationed in the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. She was a slim skeleton with great fashion sense. She wore an elaborate black dress, on the shoulder of the dress there was a small white rectangle. [Even if his Grace has taken a consort, My Lady could use this as a chance to get closer to his Grace... Maybe his Grace will take a second consort.] Holly laughed inwardly. Leslie grimaced. Her Clan''s name was just smeared in the mud, how could she be happy? She knew this had to happen, but she hated the process. She just couldn''t think of a better plan and left everything to Jack. Jack looked into the smoky orb wrapped in gold light. He lifted his left hand, and the ball of light danced around his fingers as if he were flipping a coin between them. Jack turned his gaze back over to Leslie. Leslie smiled bitterly to Jack. [Now that this tool has served his purpose... Should I release him, or should I destroy him?] Jack was leisurely deciding the fate of Undeath Official Jordan. He was going over in his head the pros and cons of either option. At first, when he saw Jordan, he was still angry from earlier. This was Jack''s kingdom for better or for worse, it was the kingdom that housed Leslie. After seeing Jordan walk up to his Throne, Jack knew he was just a pawn used by his Clan, and no longer cared about his life. He only cared how it was going to impact his kingdom to let this guy go or be burned. [Ah. I''ll let the court decide.] Jack thought this was a good plan. If they were hateful, it wasn''t all Jacks doing. Having everyone get a lick in made everyone guilty, depending on the choice! "Before I pass judgment, let me ask the court how it wishes to deal with Undeath Official Jordan?" Jack asked with a stoic voice, as he was playing with the soul of Jordan in his fingers. He was literally playing with Jordan''s life. The court was silent. The Holy Witch King had never asked them before what they thought, before passing judgment... Maybe this was a test? If it was, no one wanted to say the wrong answer. A period of time passed, and Jack felt slightly aggravated. [Come on! I can''t just sit up here all day and play with this fool." Jack rapped his staff on his Throne. Clink... Clink... Clink... This got all the Official''s attention. Marquis Richard, finally, stood up. "Marquis Richard requesting permission to speak." Clink... "We should execute this demon''s spit! We all have family! Who knows if he took some of them for his nasty businesses, With the support of the Grimnight Clan! We should exterminate them all right down to the last one of them. We shouldn''t even leave pets or livestock to enjoy undeath!" Richard declared. Jack stopped playing with Jordan''s soul, and stared down at this Marquis Richard... [Everyone of them... Then wouldn''t I have to bring true death to Leslie... THIS FOOL!] Jack was enraged but didn''t show it on the outside, one of the many perks of not having a face. Thankfully, Jack may not have had a great poker face in his last life, but he had one now! He was also in full RP mode... "Marquis... Richard. You believe that the entire Grimnight Clan should be eliminated down to the last man, woman, and child?" Jack asked, but his voice now had a spooky vibe. Leslie''s brows were already furrowed, but now she slightly squinched her nose. Soon after this question, Richard received a telepathic message... [OH SH*T!] The Consort was an exile of the Grimnight Clan! Why wasn''t this widely known? "I..." Richard spoke but was cut off. "Undeath Official Holly requesting permission to speak." Jack looked over to the new speaker. Jack normally would have mentally noted her nice apparel but wasn''t currently in the mood. He just wanted to hear what she wanted to say. Clink... "I believe Marquis Richard was just enraged by the upsetting sins of Undeath Official Jordan. I''m sure he didn''t really mean full extermination, but your Grace already knows this." Undeath Official Holly said gracefully. "Yes. I think so, too." Jack''s vision looked over Richard, before turning back to Holly. Richard shot an appreciated glance to Holly. [Is she into me?] Richard thought; however, he was very far from the truth. Holly wanted to keep the kingdom together. What good was a broken kingdom to her Lady Emily? "I believe that Undeath Official Jordan should be stripped of his position, and an investigation on the Grimnight Clan to root out what corruption exists in the Clan. With the corruption routed, appoint a new representative." Without missing a beat, "This lines up with my judgment, perfectly. I expect great things from you, Undeath Official Holly." "Thank you, your Grace." Holly sat back down. If her skeletal face could show her face, she would be smiling from ear to ear. As Holly sat back down, so did Richard. Leslie looked over to Jack, as she felt her dearest was still just as gentle as before. Her clansman Jordan had committed serious sin against the kingdom, but spared him, even if only for now. Jack took the soul into his hand and cast it back at the crumpled body of Jordan. In mid-flight, Jack hummed a different Holy Hymn, "Solzuuu." The light once again engulfed Jordan''s body and tendrils appeared to grasp the soul. It then merged it into Jordan''s body. The light subsided, and soon Jordan''s body shuddered while knelt over on the floor. "Grand Minister Lucius." Lucius, who had been silent for a while, turned to look at his Grace. "Let it be known, that in light of the sins committed by Jordan Grimnight, he is to be stripped of his Title of Undeath Official. Take him to the Jail Quarters to be further questions. There will be no chance of bail." Jordan, who was about to stand, feel back down. He didn''t feel right in his body, and what was worse... He remembered everything about what happened! The feeling of being separated from his body... The feeling of being played within the hands of his Grace... The feeling of being reattached to his body... These feelings were terrifying... but what really brought fear into the deepest recesses of his soul was... He liked this feeling. It felt good! Like he was floating, and wrapped in warmth. Undead were indifferent to most temperatures, besides the extremes of heat and cold. One of the reasons undead enjoyed soul unions, so much, was due to the feeling of being warm between two souls. "Holy Sentinels, heed The Holy Witch King. Escort Jordan Grimnight to the Jail Quarters. May his Grace have mercy on your soul..." Two Holy Sentinels appeared in a flash of Holy Light. No one saw them enter, not even Jack. [Wait... give these guys some dreads... and they could be programs missing from the Matrix!] Jack retorted. He was finally in the mood to joke about in his mind. The Holy Sentinels wore solid white plate armor. On both of their faces, they wore white sheet clothes with black Holy runes lined in gold. These reminded Jack of Zombies from Han. Each Sentinel picked up Jordan by his underarms and walked down the white cloth toward the Official entrance. Jordan was oddly silent. Some Officials wondered what The Holy Witch King might have done to Jordan. He did have his soul extracted... This couldn''t have been a pleasant sensation. Soon after, the double doors opened, and the two Holy Sentinels exited with their charge. Only the bang of the double doors resounded in the hall, after their exit. "Now, Grand Minister. Please bring court to order, and list any new issues, before I resolve the last session." Chapter 20: Taking Care of Business Lucius placed his right hand over his left rib cage, where a heart should be, in acknowledgment. This was the salute of Deagoth. Grand Minister Lucius'' voice rang out "Let Court come to session, his Grace, The Holy Witch King presides! The floor is open. You may state your business." Immediately, "General Kevin, representing War Marshal Ken, requesting permission to speak..." [Ah, so the representatives of Neolith should be on the way...] Clink... "War Marshal Ken has sent word that a company of ambassadors has contacted him. He is already en route to the Capital per your last orders." General Kevin finished his report. The Officials of the court were more than impressed. It could be said that the last time The Holy Witch King stated that ambassadors were coming was a brilliant piece of deduction, but many still doubted it coming to pass. However, with this new report by General Kevin, these Officials were enlightened on just how farsighted his Grace truly was, after all... Anyone could make a prediction, it didn''t mean it was going to come true, but a prediction that came true! This was something else entirely. The whispers of many Officials in the stands rose like the rustling sound of a swarm of locust. The ones that were present last were telling the newly attending Officials what was last predicted. "Ah... As I expected, War Marshal Ken wouldn''t happen to know the Title of the head ambassador?" Jack asked, expected to hear about a princess. "War Marshal Ken referred to the head ambassador as Lady Emily, but no other Titles were mentioned." [Huh... Shouldn''t that be Princess Emily? Well... Thankfully I don''t have to deal with another love interest. I already have Leslie... and I don''t know about Verruca] Jack thought, as his eyes shifted from General Kevin to look over War Marshal Verruca. War Marshal Verruca was very sensitive to her surroundings and felt Jacks roaming gaze. She smiled back to Jack. Leslie, once again, noticed this smile. She looked over to Jack, but couldn''t notice where his golden flames were looking with his hood on from the side. [After all she said last, is she trying to flirt with my dearest... In court... Just what kind of woman is Verruca?] Leslie didn''t refer to Verruca''s Title in her mind... She was more of a rival than anything else to Leslie. Leslie knew there was no law or order that The Holy Witch King couldn''t have more than one wife... To be honest, she never thought he would take a wife, but look at her now. She wanted to be the only wife, and she thought Verruca was done with Jack after that speech about pity... [Wait! She did say he would have to work for her! Did this mean she didn''t mind being the second wife?!] Leslie''s mind was going over and over the conversation, Jack was having with Verruca the last time she had seen them. So much so, that she missed the next issue that was brought to the court. General Kevin had long sat down, and another Official had stood, requested the floor, and asked a new question. "When is his Grace and Consort Leslie planning to hold a Black Wedding?" [ACK!] Jack was caught off guard... When he took a consort, he didn''t think he would have to have a wedding, and thought that just by saying he was taking a consort, then it was done... He really was a bonehead. Taking a consort was the first step in engagement for royalty among the undead. After courtship, first the proposal, the engagement, the date set, and finally then the Black Wedding. Many undead held weddings, but only royalty held Black Weddings. A Black Wedding was a time when vows were exchanged, and a grand party was held for a length of days. The number of days the party was held for depended on the kingdom, but no less than three days were held for a Black Wedding party! During the party, Black Ichor Rot Wine was given to all the zombie guests, a wine that could make undead drunk, and various censers of dust would be burnt. Undead were really into their burnt offerings, as even skeletal undead could enjoy them. These burnt offerings were various dusts burnt for social events. Some undead burnt them at home for personal recreational use, dusts had various effects, but in the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, Holy dust was the most widely used and condoned dust. While these were offered during the grand event, various activities were also held by the groups of the kingdom. This ranged from the groom and bride dancing with the court in a grand ball to different kinds of games, and other interesting entertainment. Jack looked over to Leslie, desperately looking for help. [Please throw me a bone, Leslie!] However, Jack was sorely disappointed in his consort. She was still engrossed in her imagination, so much so she didn''t even hear a question that pertained to her! [Why aren''t you paying attention... You were so alert earlier!] Jack''s mental state was panicking. A period of silent rested upon the court. All the Officials, that weren''t in fear of their unlife from earlier, were interested in the Black Wedding. At Black Weddings, gifts were handed to the people, not the other way around, and food and drink were in abundance! Who didn''t like free stuff, burnt offerings, and entertainment! "We have yet to decide on a date, but We will announce a date when set." Jack decided to try a political move he once seen on TV, in one of the rare events he watched the news in his last world... known as... Answering while not answering anything! "I understand, your Grace." Undeath Official Holly sat back down. [Blah! You could have just said you didn''t know, right?!] Holly was trying to fish out how much time her Lady Emily had before The Holy Witch King took Leslie as his first wife. [If I am lucky, they will put this off due to the ambassador visit, and this is exactly what Lady Emily needs...] Holly then proceeded to laugh in her mind. Oddly enough Marquis Richard who had been single all his unlife, but not by his own choice, was thinking if he could court Undeath Official Holly during the Black Wedding. Marquis Richard was known to have a terrible temper in his home city of LaZorn, thus found it hard to find a partner. A few minutes passed, and no other Officials requested the floor; however, the air was thick with the sound of murmurs. "Any remaining issues? Concerns? Requests?" Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Another Official rose to request the floor, "Undeath Official Ethan requesting permission to speak." A rather dry voice rang from the Undeath Official''s area. This house had been really vocal today... Clink... In a rather monotone voice, "I believe the court is aware of the pillar of Holy Light that was cast from the roof of the palace. I was wondering if We could become privy to what that display meant?" Undeath Official Ethan represented the Blackstars Clan, who resided here, in the Holy City of Saigunrai. They were a Clan that practiced Arcane Cultivation, and thus, severed their emotions. This made almost all members of their Clan... Dry and humorless. Ethan was a tall and skinny Zombie. He wore long dark gray colored scholar robes. The robes too were plain. [... I feel like going to sleep after hearing this Ethan talk... geez...] Jack retorted this dry undead, in his mind. "The pillar of Light was a byproduct of my Cultivation," Jack said, already prepared from talking with Lucius earlier. "Do you mind if I ask, did you make a breakthrough in your Cultivation to create such a display?" [...] Jack thought his previous comment was good enough, but what Jack didn''t know was how important Cultivation was to a kingdom. The higher the leader''s Cultivation, the more likely it was for others to obey him. An ant doesn''t want to piss off a god, right? Jack thought over how to answer this from the novels he used to read and inserted a random answer, "I didn''t make a breakthrough, but my understanding of the Holy Light has reached a new level." A low "Aaaa" resounded in the court, as understanding dawned on many Officials. This made sense. The better a Cultivator had in understanding his school of magic, the more powerful he would be in his Cultivation. This enlightenment usually came into play once a Cultivator became Emperor rank, as Cultivation speed slowed to a crawl, and the best way to increase power was through enlightenment. Wasn''t this a bit too early for his Grace to gain enlightenment? "As expected, of his Grace." Ethan sat back down. "Any more issues?" Lucius made another motion. Grand Minister Lucius turned to The Holy Witch King. "Your Grace, all the Official have concluded all their current business. We await your judgment for the issues on the current docket." [Ah, so it''s time to flex these brain muscle...] Jack mentally made this comment. Interestingly enough, Jack had neither a brain nor muscles... He, in fact, processed information with his soul. This was how undead thought, as they were not bound by their physical form to promote or hinder intelligence. Finally, Leslie had come out of her self induced stupor. She had completely missed two of the previous issues. She would have to get with Lucius later to ask what they were, granted she would lose a bit of face... But it was Lucius. She had worked with him for a long time. They sometimes butt heads, but they had a good work relationship. "First, I would like to address the Boneyard workers." Jack paused briefly, then continued, "I wish to set up a committee that will speak with me directly, and will not be pulled from either the House of Unlife or Undeath. This committee will be made up of working supervisors from each of the Boneyards." Many Officials were confused... Was The Holy Witch King going to make a new branch? "Grand Minister Lucius. I wish for these words to be related to each boneyard. I want one representative to be sent from the Boneyard here to the Capital. These representatives will be on a committee called the Boneyard committee. They will be responsible for relating their issues to me and the court." When The Holy Witch King finished his speech, reason hit all the Officials. Who among these Officials weren''t crafty foxes? If he made the move to group one of each boneyard, he could play them against each other, and they wouldn''t be able to form a union to seize control. They would be fighting each other for better benefits. Genius... [Good ole anime, didn''t know watching a merchant anime was going to be this helpful.] Jack made a note. Lucius called over a Court envoy. A Court envoy''s sole job was to carry messages. The Court also employed Court Scribes, who took the minutes and notes of each session. They would later hand this over to the Holy Library of Saigunrai to be cataloged. The Court envoy immediately left through the side door for servants. [Wow... My dear has really put thought into this one. The two Houses argued over this issue for a year.] Leslie was impressed. The Holy Witch King came up with solutions before, but they were always a means to keep the status quo. Lucius returned to his post, by The Holy Witch King''s Throne. Lucius would have a smug face... If he had one. "Next, I would like to address the marauding bands raiding our northern border from the Republic of Stonedge. War Marshal Verruca." Verruca stood up and performed the Deagoth Salute. "Your Grace." "I know you have been eager to shed... ichor on the northern border; however, I don''t wish to use a brick to smash an egg." Jack thought it was overkill to send someone like Verruca for some small warbands, plus he had other plans for Verruca. "...I understand, your Grace." "Recommend me, someone, to clean up these pocket cells of resistance." Without hesitation, "I recommend War Marshal Frostgard." War Marshal Frostgard had been present all this time and had been quiet throughout both the first session and the current. She was a slim undead zombie, with average looks. She had long blue hair that was tied up into a ponytail. She wore fatigues, much like Verruca. War Marshal Frostgard stood up, "It would be my honor to become the bulwark of the kingdom. [Frostgard... If my readings are correct, they Cultivate defensive ice magics... Shield bash?] Jack looked over to the newly introduced War Marshal, "What do you need to further assist you?" "Cooperation with the current Northern War Marshal Michael," Frostgard spoke coldly, this was just her nature, by virtue of her Cultivation. "This should not be an issue. After this session, Verruca, please meet with me with regard to defense." "Of course, your Grace." Verruca didn''t smile this time but saluted. [Why didn''t she make eyes this time?] Leslie puzzled. "Lastly, We have the newly minted Trade Company eating up Our nation," Jack spoke. All the Officials became silent. This was the issue they wanted to have solved the most. Jack decided it was time to be dramatic. He rose from his seat and took one step down. He surveyed his court. The Officials were disturbed by this... The Holy Witch King never left his seat during court... Just what did he want to do! "We will take over the Trade Company, and make it a national asset!" CLANK! Jack heavily hit his stave on his Throne, as the loud sound reverberated in the still air of the Court. [YOUR GRACE, WHAT?!] Lucius was the first to have a thought cross his mind. [Why do we need to take the Trading company?] Leslie asked, inwardly. [Bodacious!] War Marshal Verruca, praised. "Let me query the court. Who can get in touch with the CEO of the South Eastern Undead Trading Company?" Jack asked while still standing on his Throne. A period of time passed, as Jack grew bored. He took a step back and seated himself again. The momentum he brought was crushed by the deafening silence to his answer. "Undeath Official Holly requesting permission to speak." Clink... "What is a CEO?" [Huh... OH... They don''t know what a CEO is...] Jack forgot that this might not be an acronym understood in this world. "A CEO is an acronym that stands for Chief Executive Officer," Jack spoke, while wondering what this actually sounded like in the language he spoke, as everything sounded like his previous world''s language to him. He had learned that the Language that undead spoke and read was known as Voidic. Voidic was widely used by the Underworld races. "Furthermore, a CEO is the one that controls the company, but may not be the one that owns the company." "Thank you, your Grace." Holly sat back down... She didn''t know who to contact and didn''t know how to contact the heads of the Trading Company. Marquis Mark knew, but he wasn''t in the court anymore. Even if he was, he wouldn''t assist with taking over the Trading Company he worked so hard to bring together to cripple the nation. "Grand Minister Lucius, find me someone that knows this, and bring them to me." "Yes, your Grace." Another salute. Jack looked over to Leslie, and in a low tone asked, "...Do you have anything to add to the court..." Chapter 21: Vanity and Insidiousness Leslie looked back over. [Is Jack asking if I wish to address the court? I''m just a consort...] While Leslie thought this, a warm feeling spread throughout her soul. "...I wish to be on the council that reviews the Grimnight Clan..." Leslie whispered back. [Isn''t that a conflict of interest...] Jack thought, but decided to grant her request. "Before We bring this session to a close, I will be appointing a council of investigation responsible for reviewing the Grimnight Clan and other corruption. I appoint Consort Leslie, Grand Minister Lucius, and War Marshal Verruca to this Council. Judgment can be made by an agreed decision by these three, or if needed, can be brought to me for final judgment. War Marshal Verruca will be charged with imprisonment or execution of the guilty. She does not need my permission to execute the guilty." Clink... Jack looked down to Lucius, "Convene court for a year unless it''s urgent." Lucius nodded, "Court will be adjourned for one year''s time unless pressing concerns bring us again." Jack rose and walked down his Throne. At the base, he waited for Leslie to make her way down, as well. As soon as she made it to him, he held out his left hand. She again took the hand, and they both walked hand in hand, as they walked out of the Throne room. The double doors of the Holy Entrance closed behind them. The court erupted in talking. Most of the Undeath Officials excused themselves, quietly, and left. ******* "Ah, Marquis Mark... Should I call you a Marquis, still?" A large Zombie undead lumbered toward Mark. This large zombie undead wore royal attire, with a large sweeping red robe. The robe was embroidered with gold images of a great bat. The Symbol of Jakahn. "No, I left that Title behind. You can call me Merchant Mark because I do business." The large Zombie stopped in front of Mark, towering above him with his height. "I can''t help but notice, that you haven''t bowed before the King of Jakahn." Mark looked around the Royal Hall of Jakahn. The walls were lined with Bat warriors, a special elite of the Kingdom of Jakahn. If Jack was here, he would have thought [How do I fight an army of Batmen???] The great open-air hall was carved out of Blackrock stone into the side of a mountain. The entire palace was set upon the great mountain of Jakahn, even the City was named Jakahn. Mark turned his gaze back to the towering undead king of Jakahn. "Your Majesty, this isn''t my kingdom, so I do not have to bow before someone that isn''t my king..." "Is that so?" The King of Jakahn released a burst of pressure, showing the regal of a king ranked cultivator of Unholy magic to press down Merchant Mark. Mark stood unfazed by this dark pressure, as he stared at the King, neither back bowed or knee bent. [King rank?!] The King of Jakahn inwardly exclaimed. [Why wasn''t his Title higher in Deagoth...?] The King was slightly disturbed... But his face did not betray his feelings. He retracted his aura, "Ah, I didn''t know We were receiving an honored guest. You should of let Us know! Come in, come in!" The large king of Jakahn turned his huge frame showing the door to the back of the Royal Hall to his private chambers. "Let Us retire to a more conformable location." The king motioned with his hand, as Mark walked beside him to the large exit. "Say Honored Guest Mark, We just got some great dust imported from the Kingdom of Dragon''s Jaw, called Dragon''s cough. I''d love to get your opinion." "Of course." Mark didn''t correct the King''s way of addressing him, as they walked into the king''s private office. ******* "Soooooooooooooooo..." War Marshal Ken rode beside the caravan that held Lady Emily, a top his undead steed. Emily turned her tiny head to face Ken, "Yes?" "What brings The Grand Tomb of Neolith to our Kingdom?" Ken was trying to make chit chat. "Business and politics, mostly," Emily responded in her cute voice. "Well, it is odd ya know. Considering what happened at Femur''s reach and all." Ken responded with humor in his voice. "Well, many things have changed in Neolith since then, and We need new allies now." "You''re not afraid that his Grace will, I don''t know, Call down the Angel of Death again and wipe out all of you?" Ken asked slightly serious, but slightly jokingly. "Well, I doubt that a group of ambassadors could call the wrath of The Holy Witch King to that extent, and his Grace has never been a rash person." If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Jack had finished disrobing his regalia, and felt a chill run up his bony spine... [Is this how undead feel when someone is talking about them????????] "I don''t know about that... So, tell me more about you." Ken asked, striking up another conversation. "I''m not interested in you, sir." Lady Emily responded flatly, but even with a flat voice, it sounded cute. "I.. er.. No, I already have someone that I like." Ken said while stuttering. Ken was a real socialite but really fell apart when the subject of Verruca was brought up. "Oh, as the number one War Marshal on the southeastern border of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, who could catch your eye?" Lady Emily asked while giggling. "I''m the only War Marshal at the southeastern border..." Ken replied slightly sadly. He was very relaxed while talking to what had been his enemy for the last thousand or so years. Either he was very powerful, or very stupid. Ken hadn''t lost a battle in the last seven hundred years; he was more of the former than the ladder. "Don''t try to change the subject... Who is she or is it a he?" "No, it''s a she... War Marshal Verruca, I doubt you know of her..." Ken responded shyly... This was the only subject that Ken was shy about to others, but oh, was he bold to Verruca when he was on leave! Emily giggled again, "Who doesn''t know the War god Verruca of Deagoth." "Oh, what does Neolith call me?" Ken asked ready to get an ego boost. "That guy at the border..." Emily said while watching ken''s body language. While this was actually what Neolith called War Marshal Ken, it was because his name had become taboo for the military. Ken was like a great plague on the battlefield to any commander of Neolith. Ken''s back bowed slightly while he was riding his undead steed. "Why Verruca? I mean, I get why you would admire her, but why her?" "She is bold, courageous, and honorable. These are the qualities I like in a partner." Ken responded, passionately. "Oh, but from the way you have been talking, there hasn''t been any progress?" "I have no place in her heart. I don''t know who has her heart, but she gave it a long time ago. Others might not know it, but how couldn''t I know. What''s worse, I can''t even be mad at the one that has her heart. They must also be amazing." "You think you know who it is?" "I think its War Marshal Frostgard. They have always been very close." Ken added his conjecture. "Isn''t War Marshal Frostgard a woman. Is War Marshal Verruca into women?" Emily tilted her little skull and looked at Ken. "Well it isn''t that uncommon, and why else wouldn''t she respond to my advances?" Ken added. Ken honestly thought that Verruca was into other women because she didn''t pay him any attention. He was that vain. Emily stared at Ken for a moment, [How unbelievably vain... We have been losing to this for the last five hundred years...] Emily spoke, "No wonder Verruca is uninterested in you." She turned to look forward, no longer paying attention. "Huh... Why?" Ken asked, feeling slighted. Emily didn''t say anything. A long period of time passed, when Emily finally asked, "How much longer before We make it to the Capital?" She was growing bored. "...about two weeks..." Ken spoke, reluctantly. [Oh... Please, mother spider... Grant me the patience to suffer this undead, until I meet The Holy Witch King...] Emily was chanting in her mind. ******* "Consort... Leslie... Countess Leslie... Exile Leslie of the Grimnight Clan is now the Consort of our kingdom." The Clan Head boomed within the hall of elders of the Grimnight Clan. He had heard this news prior but didn''t believe it. Today, he had got confirmation, and even an emergency telepathic relay message stating she had her own Throne next to The Holy Witch King! She wasn''t even his first Wife yet! "So it would seem." First Elder spoke, "But more importantly, What of Undeath Official Jordan..." "....sigh... Jordan is no longer an Official. Based on the report received, he has been stripped of his position. He even confessed to the court about our involvement in his businesses." The Clan head, spoke... finally calming down to speak coherently. "The Holy Witch King is going to have our bones!" Third Elder exclaimed with fear in his voice. He had heard from his private channels what The Holy Witch King had said in his last session about cleansing the court, and the Third Elder didn''t think he was going to stop with just the court. "No. We need to wash our hands of all of this." First Elder made his decision. While the Clan Head was the leader of the family on the surface, it had always been the First Elder leading the family from the shadows. "How do We do that? Let us not forget what the Clan Head had just said. Exile Leslie is now the Consort... Both her father and mother have been humiliated..." Second Elder calmly described. "Then it''s simple. We snuff the unlife from both of them. Make an accident happen at the mines, and find someone to rob Matron Jade, at her brothel." Clan Head Grimnight spoke while making a devious smile cross his zombie face. "Hmmmmmm." Second Elder made a thinking sound aloud. "Does Exile Leslie know the location of her parents?" First Elder asked. "Far as I know, I don''t believe so..." Clan Head Grimnight replied. "We don''t need to think... If she knows, then The Holy Witch King knows. How much of a coincidence could this be..." Third Elder spoke fearfully. Rubbing his stringy white beard, the First Elder finally made a decision, "But true dead don''t talk... See to it Clan Head." Clan Head Grimnight laughed loudly! "Let''s see how the little exile will despair now! Consort or not, shes still an exile!" "No, Clan head. We can make use of the little exile. We can use the true deaths of her family to dump her into an abyss of despair, and We will use the clan to comfort her... We can get close and use The Holy Witch King... Do you think his Consort will allow her clan to be annihilated?" "Blah... I''d rather not..." "This isn''t up for debate... Do it... Find her old clan friends, and bring them together." ******* Jack and Leslie walked out of the wardrobe room, as Jack had come to call it. Coming out, they walked into War Marshal Verruca. Standing against the wall on the other side of the hall, waiting for Jack. Before Jack had a chance to talk, Leslie spoke up, "What brings you here, Verruca?" "When did we get so close, that you could call me by my name, Leslie?" Verruca stuck out her blue tongue. "Ah!" Leslie was called by name as well! "HOLD IT!" Jack spoke loudly... A little too loudly, as the entire palace heard his voice, and dust shook from the bones that made up the ceiling. Leslie covered her ears, while Verruca just stood there chuckling. "I''m sure Verruca is here because I asked her to be. Remember, in court, We need to talk about the court cleansing?" Leslie was still covering her ears. Jack''s loud voice had brought a single black tear to her eyes. As it spilled and ran down her right cheek, Jack lifted his skeletal hand to catch the tear. "I''m sorry, Let Us all retire to my Office to discuss the defense of the kingdom." As they were walking, Verruca noticed that Jack brought up the single tear to his own bony cheek and left it there. Chapter 22: Everything the Light Touches Jack opened his office door and walked into it. He then proceeded to his black desk to take his seat. Leslie once again went to the couch to lounge. Verruca took up one of the chairs in front of Jack''s desk. With her huge frame, she dwarfed the chair. Jack found this comical but made no comments. "While We wait for the Grand Minister to make his way here, Verruca, We should discuss the defense of the kingdom." Jack folded his hands and laid them on top of his desk. [Ah, down to business... This is The Holy Witch King I know.] Leslie was pleased that Jack went straight to business. She was slightly worried that Jack would talk to Verruca, again about more personal affairs, in Leslie''s opinion, actual affairs, and more so, he called her by name only just now... "Before that, I would rather ask about the soul extracting Holy Hymn you used on Jordan Grimnight," Verruca asked casually, as she crossed her legs. If she wasn''t a muscle chick she would look petite with this way of sitting, Jack still found it to be cute. He just couldn''t see how her cute face matched her large body. "It''s a spell I came up with." Jack came right out with it; he didn''t feel this was anything big. "You... You wrote it?" Verruca was slightly disturbed. "Well, yeah," Jack answered, nonchalantly. Verruca looked over to see Leslie, who held a face of shock. Leslie had also turned her face to see Verruca. They both stared at each other for a moment. "What''s the matter?" Jack could tell something was odd, but couldn''t figure what from their reactions. The two turned their gaze back to Jack, and it was Leslie who spoke first, "How long have you been working on this new spell?" Leslie had some Cultivation, but it was only at a master rank. This was enough, though to know the basics. Writing spells was a long and difficult process, no matter the school of magic. Most spells were completed by Trail and Error, and a few by sudden enlightenment. Jack felt that something was off here. He knew it concerned the spell, but he wasn''t sure what part about it was a problem. [Was it because I took someone''s soul?] "I''m not sure..." Jack said this, and Leslie and Verruca were about to sigh with relief, but then... "...about a day before court." Their mouths hung open, large enough that an egg could fit into them. It never occurred to Jack that writing spells were a difficult process, for any race. The races of the world might know the words to write the spells, but they did not understand the syntax logic behind them. This was the same thing as knowing English, but not how to use it in C++ programming. A better example would be to ask a random person from Jack''s last world to write a new program for a calculator from scratch. How long would it take for them to write this new program? "What?" "This can''t leave this room..." Verruca said, after recovering. "Well, I didn''t plan on shouting it to the masses... but I must ask... why?" Jack was puzzled. "I know you lost a good portion of your memory, but this... you shouldn''t have told us this." she went on. "Why?" "You may be the most dangerous being in the entire continent. I am sure this is why you didn''t tell us before... You may trust us a bit too much..." Verruca finished and looked over to Leslie. Leslie smiled bitterly; this had become a habit, as of recent. She had just asked Jack to hold no more secrets... Was this one of the secrets he said that would harm him and the kingdom... "...I... See?" Jack was slightly confused, he knew that all the Holy Hymns he read were written like garbage, but this was something new. "Ok, then We will keep this in Our office," Jack said our office as in all of them, but Leslie and Verruca heard this as his royal office. "I guess I shouldn''t show you my newest Holy Hymn, oh well..." Jack trailed off... He was playing on the very thing he had seen many times in all the media he had ever watched... the curiosity of women! "...What does the Holy Hymn do?" Leslie asked she wanted to know. Verruca simply didn''t want to admit she wanted to know, and now that Leslie volunteered... Let her. "Oh, just something about the Holy Light and how it can be amazing." Jack didn''t say anything and played his little game. "Ah, so the Holy Hymn does some kind of amazing thing?" "Always..." "Sooo, can you show it?" "I''m not sure I should..." This banter of Jack''s and Leslie''s went on for a few minutes until Verruca couldn''t take it anymore. "JACK, SHOW US THE HOLY HYMN, STOP ROAMING THE BONEYARD!" Roaming the boneyard was the equivalent to beating around the bush. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. She had actually stood up out of her seat and had an annoyed but excited expression. Leslie was shocked... Jack had already told her his name? Jack was shocked... because he didn''t expect the cool-headed Verruca to be so curious. What Jack didn''t know was that she was only like this because it was Jack. "Alright, alright, feast your eyes," Jack said as he soon hummed out his Holy Hymn, turning over both his palms to face up. His shoulders made a shrugging motion... "Phelneee." Soon two bright lights fired up from Jack''s palms and burst in the air at the high ceiling of the office. In the shower of sparks, the firework display made, the bits of light fell all around the room like it was snowing lightly. Leslie and Verruca were looking at the light display, thinking how pretty; however, they didn''t expect that this was just the setup. As the sparks landed on the black stone flooring, and carpet, the light spread out coating the floor. From the patches of light, arose small stalks that soon bloomed into beautiful flowers. As the light spread across the ground the light produced lush golden grass, and the flowers that had finished blooming appeared like gold lotuses. Leslie and Verruca felt like they were in a fantasy world. The Underworld did indeed have flowers, trees, and grass, but they were all twisted versions of the life above in the Overworld. Flowers were always in dark shades, and with gnarled thorns. Trees were always scarce in Deagoth, but the ones they had were knotty and rotting. Grass did grow near the Skull of the Sun God, but it was always spotty at best. Leslie finally spoke after her oohs and aahs, "It''s so pretty." Verruca then commented, "What does it do?" Jack looked over his spell work, it had worked exactly as he wanted it too. He knew women liked pretty things... and figured undead were no exception, thus he made this Bright Flower Explosion Hymn, for just that. "It looks nice, and I get to say that everything the light touches is mine," Jack replied Verruca sat down while looking at the glowing flowers, and ignoring Jack''s second comment asked, "How long does this last?" Leslie had reached out to touch one of the golden lotuses and found... It was solid! "Oh, about six hours." Jack didn''t put much power into the Holy Hymn. "Just how much power did you use in your spell?!" Verruca was alarmed. "I''d say about five percent." Jack had gotten familiar with using his Cultivation from before when he extracted Jordan''s soul. At that time, he had consumed about twenty-five percent of his power. It was a very difficult thing to forcibly take someone''s soul, but Jack had made a perfect spell. This meant it used less power. Leslie had picked the golden lotus and was playing with its petals. "Why did you make this?" Jack made an audible sigh, so it could be heard, "To please my women." ""Whose your women."" Leslie and Verruca spoke in unison. They both looked at each other, and then back to Jack. He was just making an off the cuff comment, but realize he goofed. Jack racked his brain... [Time to use anime logic!] Jack mentally exclaimed... "Well, you both are. Am I wrong?" Jack asked. He didn''t plan on a harem. In fact, a harem was a great idea in stories, but it was really a bad idea in reality. Jack had started to take his unlife as being reality, unbeknownst to him. "Hump" Leslie snorted. Verruca didn''t say anything but stared down Jack. "Maybe Leslie is, but I don''t remember agreeing to this." Verruca was bitter at heart. She had Jack to herself for years, but now she felt she was cast aside, even if she knew he did this without memory... Why didn''t he wait to recover before taking a consort? Why not me... Verruca had many questions, even if some of them were answered by Jack previously, the questions didn''t get answered as she wanted them too. She felt like Jack wasn''t the same as he used to be like he was a different person altogether. She didn''t want to blame Jack, as she felt this was the backlash from the conflict with Neolith and Jakahn. This was one of the reasons she had pushed to leave for a battlefield. Ever since the entombment of The Holy Witch King Verruca threw herself into the many battles and conflicts at the borders of the kingdom, all in an attempt to forget about Jack being entombed. "At the end of the day, it is your choice. I will never force you." Jack said with a sad tone. He was hoping he could bring this to an end quickly. It was a good thing he didn''t have a flesh and blood body because he would have been pouring sweat this entire time. "Let us get back on topic. Neolith is coming with ambassadors, and this can only mean that they have bigger enemies than Us." Jack changed the topic. Leslie and Verruca became solemn as the serious business had finally started. Jack found this funny, as he wanted to start this way ever since Verruca came to talk. "Either Jakahn is becoming a problem for Neolith or... Dragon''s Jaw has finally decided to end an eyesore." Verruca spoke, in a mysterious way. "Tell me about Dragon''s Jaw. I don''t... remember much about them." This time Leslie spoke, "Dragon''s Jaw is a large nation at the lower border of both Neolith and Jakahn. While Neolith has had a... strained relationship to say the least with them, Jakahn seems to be great allies, but in truth, there is a feud with Dragon''s Jaw." Jack pondered for a moment, "So what, Jakahn stole something from Dragon''s Jaw in the past, and now they hate each other?" "So you remember?" Leslie asked. "No, it makes sense... Wait... Is that what is actually wrong?" "Well, yes. Jakahn''s royal family and guards Cultivate the Unholy tome of Bat''s End. This was originally discovered and owned by the royal family of Dragon''s Jaw. At the time, one of the handmaidens of Dragon''s Jaw stole it and gave it to the then King of Jakahn. She later married and became Queen of Jakahn." "So are they still around?" "No, this was just after the end of the Lich King, when everything was in Chaos. This feud started around ten thousand years ago. The current King of Jakahn is said to be the great great grandchild of the Hand Maiden Queen." Leslie finished. "The Unholy tome of Bat''s End... What makes this so great, I wonder?" Jack asked. "This Cultivation manual has six levels to it. All six are shared by the royal family, but only the first three are shared with their warriors. Those lucky enough to make it to the elite rank of Bat Warriors get rank four. The manual gives them abilities to meld into the darkness, use sound to locate, and to a limited extent to fly, before the Emperor rank." Verruca answered this question, as she studied her enemies in depth. [Fly before Emperor rank... Wait... If I make it to Emperor rank, I can fly? I wonder If I can make a spell to fly... Wings, maybe?] Jack was thinking to himself. It was a dream of most of mankind to fly one day, and Jack who grew up on anime and movies loved the idea! Knock, Knock, Knock... The sound rang from the door of the office. "Come in." Grand Minister Lucius opened the door and took one step inside the office before freezing in his tracks. [What in the abyss is this?!] Lucius gaze found the floor and room covered in gold grass and flowers. He clearly saw Leslie playing with a gold lotus, and even Verruca had pulled her large feet from her boots and was playing with the gold grass with her toes... Jack hadn''t seen Verruca pull this off, but Leslie had. She had thought to do it herself but didn''t feel it was proper. Leslie didn''t make any comment about Verruca doing it, because she wanted to do it herself. "Did I... Did I come at a bad time?" Lucius cautiously asked. Chapter 23: Are you sure? "Not at all. Come in, come in." Jack spoke to Lucius. Verruca quickly slipped her feet back into her boots. [Oh, Light... Lucius just saw that, didn''t he? Why didn''t his old bones knock on the door!?] Lucius had, in fact, knocked on the door. He just didn''t wait for The Holy Witch King to tell him to come in. Lucius made his way to the only chair left in the room, the chair to the right of Verruca. As he walked, he was careful of walking on the golden grass. "Lucius, it isn''t going to bite you, just walk normally," Jack said jokingly. Lucius however, wasn''t sure what was going on... He hadn''t had any burnt offerings today... "Just what is all this?" He inquired. "This was a demonstration of a new Hymn, I have... recently found." Jack changed the way he was going to say this, thinking back to what Verruca had said about telling anyone. If he couldn''t tell them, he best not tell anyone else, even Lucius. "What is the purpose of this Hymn?" "It looks nice and is used for special occasions. I was just showing it to Leslie and Verruca, while We were waiting for you." "Oh, I see?" [When did his Grace become so playful? Losing his memories seems to have changed him a bit...] Lucius thought. "We were just going over why Neolith maybe coming to Us. Verruca has suggested that it may have to do with Dragon''s Jaw or Jakahn." Jack spoke of the previous conversation. "Well, We do know that Jakahn and Dragon''s jaw have been playing nice for thousands of years now, but it is possible that Dragon''s Jaw may wish to take Neolith and use it as a staging area to attack Jakahn, as the mountain range between them and Jakahn makes moving an army difficult," Lucius added in his opinion, while glancing at the golden garden that had taken over the office. It had finally stopped expanding; it even had golden ivy growing among the flowers and grass. Leslie spoke up this time, "Jakahn has always been land hungry. If it wasn''t for the history books, we wouldn''t know of the Democracy of Yand." "What is the Democracy of Yand?" Jack asked. "Ah, they were taken over by Jakahn about eight thousand years ago. It was the nation that was in between them and Neolith." Verruca added. [I remember absorbing the history of the kingdom. The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth was only founded about five thousand years ago, and I''m the second Holy Witch King.] What bothered Jack was that in all the books he absorbed... There was no mention of where he came from, as The Holy Witch King. The first Holy Witch King founded the Kingdom and ruled it for three thousand years. He then granted the Title to the second Holy Witch King, who was now Jack. "We could be considered the youngest kingdom here, right?" Jack asked... "Yes, only the Republic of Stonedge is younger than us. They founded three thousand years ago, from the broken remains of the Union of Undead Masons." Lucius spoke. Jack decided he really needed to go grab the books on the rest of the country histories... He figured he only needed to know about his kingdom''s history... Jack was a bonehead. Verruca finally chimed in again, "We aren''t going to know anything until the ambassadors get here." "Yes, but if We can anticipate what they may want, We can make a better treaty," Jack said while rapping his fingers on the table, and propping his head with his left hand. Lucius was about to say something, but then he just got a telepathic message from Archbishop Taylor. Archbishop Taylor was one of the quieter members of the council, just like Javon, but even more so in that, she never spoke unless it was absolutely necessary. "One second, your Grace, everyone..." Lucius motioned with his hands. The other three went silently looking at Lucius. [What''s wrong with him?] Jack wondered... It would be a few minutes before Jack would find the wonders of Telepathic messages. [You''re absolutely sure?] Lucius asked again, sending out his telepathic message. [Yes. I have just received a report from my priests in Sosuhalf, that a massive cave-in happened at the Little Gloom Glowstone mine. After my priests did their investigation, one of the names that were extinguished in the cave in was Nicholas Grimnight... Father of Consort Leslie...] Archbishop Taylor finished sending the message. These messages took magic to send; those without Cultivation couldn''t receive or send them. [I will inform, his Grace.] Lucius spoke ending the message. "Your Grace, I have just received some horrible news." "Oh... Did the Officials of Unlife try to skip town?" Jack guess but was wrong. "Errr. No, your Grace. A Cave in took place at Little Gloom Glowstone mine in Sosuhalf." Jack immanently stood up, and the golden flames danced in his eyes. "They work quickly... I thought they would be quiet for another month... It''s only been about a day since court!" If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Verruca furrowed her brows... She could guess what this could mean, as it obviously had something to do with the Grimnights of Sosuhalf. Leslie looked a bit unsure, she knew her family owned this mine, but didn''t know why this was such a big deal. It wasn''t the first time a cave in had happened with the pithy bedrock of the Underworld. "Is he gone?" Jack asked, playing the pronoun game. Lucius nodded his head. Jack sat back down. [Should I tell Leslie...?] Jack pondered in his head, his face exposing no expression, but his posture showed he was deeply worried. Verruca was the first to ask, "What happened?" Lucius looked over to Verruca and then to Leslie, but didn''t say anything. He knew it wasn''t his place to say, and if his Grace wanted to tell them, it was his business. [Should I make Verruca and Lucius leave the room? If I do that, they might not trust me as much as before, but if I let them stay then Leslie might feel awkward...] Jack was becoming more concerned on how to deliver the information than what the information contained. He knew this was going to happen, but he just didn''t know it was going to be so soon. The fact that the Grimnight Clan acted before he felt they would, really infuriated him. He was already angry that they had made a move on his consort''s parents, then they did it before he could save them, and lastly... They put him in this position to tell Leslie in front of the Verruca and Lucius. [Screw it; everyone is going to know soon...] Jack toss the decision behind him, he didn''t feel like dealing with it, with as much as he already had to do. This was actually the correct choice. Had he asked Verruca to leave, it would have hurt her more than she already was, and Lucius would have felt slighted by the new consort considering he had a friendship with The Holy Witch King longer than she had been assisting with the Kingdom. "Leslie, dear... I don''t know how to break this to you... So I am just going to say it. Your father... has passed. He was in the mine cave in." Jack just blurted this out, with zero tact. "What?!" Leslie startled mind was in chaos... Jack made another audible sigh, and spoke, "I didn''t expect your clan to be this fast. I figured I had about a month to deal with them before they made a move. It seems that your clan head is a decisive... undead." Jack was going to say man but added in undead. He had gotten better at the undead jargon, but sometimes when he spoke too fast, he would slip. "No, my father wouldn''t work in a mine. He would be at our home courtyard with my mother." Leslie was trying to deny it. Lucius realized Jack''s lack of finesse, and added in, "Consort Leslie. The report I just received from Archbishop Taylor stated that his priest took the toll and that Nicholas Grimnight had passed. I''m deeply sorry for your loss." Black tears formed at the corners of Leslie''s eyes. Only one member in her clan was named Nicholas... That was her father... [Jack was right... My clan killed my father, and now they are going to kill mom...] "Daddy''s gone..." Leslie made a small sound, as the black tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on the golden lotus in her hands, making the beauty of the flower all the more solemn. Jack started to panic again, [CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!] Jack really had an irrational response to the tears of women. What else did he expect to happen, when he told Leslie what had happened to her father? Lucius stood up, "I will excuse myself. I know this is hard news for the consort. Let me know if I can help, by message." He walked to the door and left the office and the golden garden behind. Verruca had been mute since Jack told the news. She still had both her parents and didn''t know how she would feel if one of them had been killed. This whole thing smelled of conspiracy to her. She hadn''t heard Jack''s summary of what happened, but after some of the things he just said, it was all but confirmed. The Grimnight Clan assassinated Leslie''s father, and her mother was likely next. She was conflicted. Did she want to stay and comfort Leslie, or did she want to leave? [How do I fix this?] Jack was thinking over in his mind, [Wait! Leslie''s mother is next! If her clan was this fast, how long does her mother have?] "How do I send a message to Lucius?" Jack asked Verruca, as Leslie was currently sobbing. [Wow, he really forgot a lot...] Verruca was coming to terms with Jack''s memory loss. As Telepathic messaging was so basic, it did not appear in the tomes Jack had absorbed. It was the first technique all Cultivators learned. Each school of magic messaged a little differently, but it all had the same effect. Holy and Unholy magic had the fastest messages, but Cultivation limited how far they could be sent. Verruca sent a message to Jack, giving him the spell and instructions on how to execute it. Jack tested it, with Verruca, [Does this work?] [Yes.] Verruca''s voice echoed in his mind. [Lucius can you hear me?] Jack sent the message. [Ummm... Yes, your Grace...] Lucius responded, wondering why his Grace was being so odd. [Get Jordan Grimnight, and make him tell us where Leslie''s Mother works as a matron.] Jack sent grimly. Jack didn''t know it, but even his mental voice sounded just like The Holy Witch King. It was a good thing that Jack had adjusted to his new body. [OH! I will get this done immediately, your Grace!] Lucius was going to join up with his council of Archbishops, but dashed to the jail quarters as fast as he could. "War Marshal Verruca.... c-can you leave me and Jack for a few minutes." Leslie sobbed out. Verruca stood up and walked over to Leslie. She kneeled down to near eye level, but because of her large form, she was still a few inches taller than Leslie who was sitting with her knees tucked on the couch. Verruca placed her large right palm on Leslie''s shoulder, "If you need me... Ask for me, or ask Jack to fetch me... I''ll help, however, I can..." With that, she stood up and left. As soon as Verruca left, Leslie dashed out of her seat, and into Jack''s arms. "Daddy... Daddy''s gone... W-why? I haven''t seen my parents in s-so long. I thought that if I left the c-clan they would be fine... Why did this happen?" she asked and sobbed in Jacks rib cage. Jack still sat in his chair and folded his arms around his consort. Jack patted her gently, "Leslie... What do you want me to do? Just tell me, and I will do it." He was at a complete loss and didn''t know how to make this better... Jacks white vestments were now socked in a grey patch, from Leslie''s tears. "I want my parents..." Leslie clenched her teeth, with angry sobs. "I want both my f-father and mother here with me. I want them in the capital... I don''t care how!" Her voice was sobbing, but at the end, it started to harden. "You don''t care how?" Jack asked tentatively. "I don''t!" She bit her lower lip when she finished that sentence. "What if I wipe the remainder of your clan from the kingdom...? What if I cause mass genocide...? What if I become a monster to the people?" Jack asked while patting Leslie''s back in a rhythmic pattern. "Then be my monster... They are no clan of mine. A clan doesn''t kill their members like this." Leslie said finally with hate. "Last time I ask, remember what you''re asking me. I will do whatever you want." Jack laid out his cards, the gears in his mind turning. "YES! I DON''T CARE HOW!" Leslie near shouted! Chapter 24: Im Willing to be Your Monster "Alright." Jack rubbed Leslie''s small back. [Verruca... Who is over the City Border of Sosuhalf?] Jack sent his message. He was becoming more adept at this new skill. [War Marshal Aaron is currently here in the City, but his generals are still in the field there.] Verruca replied. [I want Nicholas Grimnight''s body secured. If it is with the priests... Take it and preserve it. If it''s being held by the Grimnight clan... I don''t care if you have to kill them all. I want that body.] Jack said with a chilly voice. Verruca felt a shiver up her spine. This was the same voice he used in court today when he was toying with Jordan Grimnight. It made her clotted blood feel excited. [Are you sure?] [Whatever it takes. Hand this down as an order from me, The Holy Witch King. Damn anyone that would obstruct me.] Jack finally steeled, in full villain mode. Startled, Verruca replied respectfully, [By your will, your Grace.] She then hurried off to contact War Marshal Aaron to hand down this edict. She only hated she wasn''t there for the fight if there was going to be one. It was unlikely the Grimnight clan would step on the toes of The Holy Witch King for a cadaver. When it came to cadavers, corpses without a soul attached, a new soul could be called to it, but it wouldn''t be the same as the one lost. Undead would retire the cadaver of the fallen, as it was unseemly to them to reuse a corpse. This didn''t mean some undead didn''t do it, in some of the more remote and stranger cults and kingdoms. "I can be a monster, Leslie. Please forgive me, in advance." She snuggled closer to her love. "I know, dear... but how are you going to do it?" "Don''t ask..." Jack paused before continuing, "I need to go to my study for a few minutes. Come with me and wait outside for a few minutes, to see me off." Jack spoke decisively. "...ok," Leslie said sheepishly. Jack left, holding hands with Leslie until he arrived at the mysterious door. "I won''t be long. I am waiting for Verruca and Lucius to get their tasks completed before I can... take care of business." Jack walked into his study leaving these words. Leslie went a door down to the waiting lounge. This was the same lounge she waited for Jack previously and was used by any one of the palaces to wait for The Holy Witch King to come out of his study. In most cases, it was only used by Leslie and Lucius. [Alright, I need information on souls, true death, and powerful spells!] Jack wondered around the tables that were marked by the previous Holy Witch King. He glanced at a table marked "The Angel of Death," with a tome of the same name. [This must be the ultimate spell the last guy used.] Jack walked over to the tome. It was one of the newer looking tomes in the study, and it appeared to be hand written in the strange language the undead used, Voidic. He then did his absorbing trick and gained the knowledge. [Wow, out of all the Holy Hymns I''ve looked over, this is the least terribly written. Way to go, last guy.] Last guy had become Jack''s form of address for the previous Holy Witch King. [This can be cleaned up further, and I think I can make a few variations of this.] Jack walked over by the Glowstone he sat under previously, still bent on getting a better Cultivation spot. He sat down, and started working on new Holy Hymns based off the tome he just absorbed, "The Angel of Death." Jack finally opened his gaze, this time the flames in his eyes danced a bit more... slowly... a bit more... wrathful. He had spent the last hour working over his spells and had a few he was satisfied with overall. He couldn''t wait to give them a try. He got up, went back over, and walked the tables for his next tome, but after a few minutes, his search came up fruitless. [The last guy didn''t care about souls or true death... Who doesn''t want to know what lays beyond.] What Jack didn''t know was that The Last Witch King knew about both, but never played with them. He felt that if someone experienced a true death, then it was meant for them to pass. Jack then searched the rest of the study, finally spotting a tome named "The Mysteries of True Death." This was exactly what Jack was looking for in a tome. What was odd to him was that the tome was on the last shelf in the study were he found the "The Light''s Heretical side." Jack absorbed this tome, as well, but after absorbing it he just stood silently in front of the bookshelf he had just pulled the tome... He felt that he shouldn''t have absorbed this tome. [Ah, if We really knew what was going on, it would cause us madness. Right, H.P.?] Jack found that, now that he knew what was beyond, he wished he didn''t. As Jack''s only defense, he tossed the knowledge to the side, to deal with later. He had other things to deal with at the moment. If not for Jack''s nihilism, he might have broke down at this moment from the knowledge of what lay beyond the veil of true death. True death was just another way of saying that the body was unable to hold the soul, or simply the release of a soul from its corporal container. Conveniently, the tome also contained all the information he needed on souls, in addition to what he had already absorbed the last time he was here, before court. Jack hadn''t been contacted by either Verruca or Lucius yet, so he thought to get some more information on Holy Hymns. He really wanted to get other schools of magic tomes to see how they were written. Maybe all magic had a common syntax for writing spells or could schools of magic cross to others by the same spell. This would wait until another time for Jack. After absorbing nearly all the tomes he could find, he felt the voice of Lucius. [Your Grace, Jordan Grimnight has divulged the information you wanted. Jade Glowminer, mother of Consort Leslie is the matron of the Elegant Darkness Manor of Souigak City.] [Thank you, Lucius... Get whatever other information from him that you can.] Jack replied. [Ummm... The thing is... He only told us, on the promise that you would come to visit him. I''m sorry, but I agreed that you would. With your urgency, I felt you would grant him that.] Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. [Why does he want to see me?] Jack asked, but was wondering if Jordan wanted to assassinate him. [I''m... unsure, but after court, Jordan Grimnight seems... different. Perhaps your soul extraction Holy Hymn had an adverse reaction, or caused some damage to his soul?] Jack mulled this over in his mind, and couldn''t see any issues with the interaction, and felt that both the extraction and the replacement of Jordan''s soul was flawless. [Shouldn''t be, but I will visit him after I settle with the Grimnights.] Jack made his final verdict. [Thank you, your Grace.] Lucius felt relieved, as he had promised on the behalf of The Holy Witch King. This would usually only occur with prior permission. Jack left his study; as he walked back into the hall, he saw Leslie darting over to him. "I know where your mother is now." Jack simply spoke. Leslie made a small noise and looked into the bright dancing flames in Jack''s hollow eyes. "Do you know which way the City of Souigak is?" Jack asked Leslie. The hall was just as clear as when Jack had arrived. He always wondered where the traffic for the palace was in the halls, as no one was ever seen coming or going. Unknown to Jack, the palace servants had separate halls they walked to access the palace. Only select rooms of the palace had rooms with only one exit, such as his office or his study. Leslie nodded her head, "My mother is in Souigak? Is she really... A matron?" "I''m afraid so..." Jack said as he started walking to the courtroom. He only knew one way out of the palace, and that was through the courtroom. If he had asked, he would have known that there was back and side doors to the palace. Side doors for servants, and the back door to the royal garden that laid outside, which was exclusive to officials and parties. [I need my regalia...] Jack thought, and spoke while walking. "Leslie, call your handmaidens. I need my full regalia." Immediately Leslie was startled but complied. After her message summoned her head maiden, she wondered exactly what Jack was going to do. She figured he had already sent a War Marshal to get her mother. Jack entered the now familiar double doors to the wardrobe room, even before the servants made it there. Jack pulled Leslie close and patted her back, her head resting on his rib cage. "Leslie... I''m sorry. I should have moved sooner." he consoled. "No, it''s not your fault... I-I should have listened to you. I just never imagined that my clan would do this. I should have contacted my parents anyway. I should..." She was interrupted by Jack, with a bony finger on her lips and the sound of "shhhhhhh." "It''s not what We should have done, but what We can do now, that is key..." Jack spoke. He paused briefly, "Please forgive me, in advance..." As Leslie was going to ask what for, the room began to fill with her handmaidens, as they moved in a practiced manner. Jack stepped out of her current robe, as they dressed him. Finally, in his full regalia, the Femur Ferula was brought. Jack picked it up and took a last look in the large mirror before he departed. [I am about to do something stupid... Aren''t I?] he thought, as he turned to walk out of the Holy Entrance. He pushed on the door with his left hand, as the door creaked open. Jack had never heard the door creak before but assumed it was do to all the noise that was made at his entrances to court. The Holy sentinels of the courtroom guarding were astonished to hear the sound of the Holy Entrance opening, and they couldn''t believe the sound that followed. Clink... Clink... Clink... They both had one thought, where was The Holy Witch King going in full regalia. This was only worn during special occasions and court. Exactly what did this mean? As Jack made his way down the, now changed, white carpet that separated the courtroom, Leslie was close in toe. It wasn''t until he had made it to the double door entrance to the courtroom did she realize that Jack must have not remembered another way to leave the palace... But why did he want to leave? What was he going to do? Pushing open the door, he walked down the long set of steps. This was Jack''s first time setting foot outside the palace, since his arrival into this world a month ago. When Jack thought of this, he felt that he had been here for a long time, but also like it was all within one day... A very odd feeling. As Jack descended the stairs, he looked across the Holy City of Saigunrai. The palace sat at the highest point in the City, atop a large mound with a solid foundation. This hill was large enough to be of some size but too small to be a mountain. Besides this large mound the palace sat upon, the surrounding City and beyond were all flat lands. Jack could see that the City was dimly lit, and he looked down to see his shadow on the stairs as he descended. Finally making it to the base of the stairs, Jack turned to look behind him at the colossal golden skull that was held high above the palace supported by seven towers. Its dim glow gave the surrounding area the effect of Twilight. The bishops of the Grand Minister regulated the intensity of the light provided by the Skull of the Sun God to create a macabre sense of a day and night cycle for the city. The Holy City of Saigunrai was one of the few cities of the Underworld to have a day and night cycle provided by light. Now at the base, Leslie finally spoke, "What is it that you plan to do?" she could no longer maintain her silence. Before Jack could answer, Lucius had returned from the jail quarters, and quickly made his way to his Grace. He was going to enter through the side door of the courtroom until he saw The Holy Witch King at the base of the stairs. In fact, he was not the only one to see The Holy Witch King. Many in the city center had seen the large form of The Holy Witch King descending the stairs, along with the judgmental sound of his Femur Ferula. Clink... Clink... Clink... "Your Grace, why have you left the palace?" Lucius had asked. While The Holy Witch King was powerful, he was only one undead. If enough ants attacked a man, the ants could win. The Holy Witch King was the head, ideal, and icon of The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. If he fell, the country fell. Jack looked at both Leslie and Lucius. "Which way is Souigak?" "Your Grace, you don''t mean to travel there? It would take you a month to get to Souigak." Lucius responded wearily. "My love, just dispatch your Templars. They can save my mother." Leslie advised, lovingly. She felt warm that her love was willing to do this, but she advised not to for his safety and the kingdoms. "I didn''t ask that. I asked which way is to Souigak." Jack firmly asked. Caught off guard, Lucius pointed to the northeast. The Face of the Skull of the Sun God faced south, for reference. "I''ll be back with my mother-in-law," Jack said this but felt funny about it. He hadn''t had parents in over eighteen years. Now that he said this, he felt that he would like to have parents. The more he thought this over, the more he wanted to save Leslie''s mother, as it felt to him... He would finally have that chance to save his mother. "No, my Grace!" Lucius quickly dropped to a knee and pleaded. "My love, my Witch King, don''t go." Leslie also pleaded. Jack turned to Leslie, placing a cupped hand on her face while lifting it to see into her eyes. She stared back into his flaming eyes. "You asked me to be your monster... I''m willing." Jack bent over and pressed his teeth to her forehead. He wanted to kiss her on her head before leaving but felt awkward about not having lips, again the limitation of not having a flesh and blood body. Leslie still felt she was kissed. She wanted to stop Jack but found she couldn''t say any more. If he was bent on doing what she asked, she would let him. It was her that asked, after all. "Stand back." After saying this, Jack looked up into the sky, and spoke, "Zorehir." In front of all the eyes in the city center, before the palace, before the eyes of Leslie, and Lucius, Jack bent slightly forward as a beacon of Holy Light poured from the sky. Smaller in diameter than the one when he last cultivated, this beacon was only the width of Jack. As the beacon subsided, surrounding Jack came to a layer of Light bound golden bones. He called his last spell, "Skametoa." With another burst of light, Jack shot up into the dark sky high above the city. As he was ascending, the silhouettes of both Leslie and Lucius became smaller and smaller until he could no longer see them, dwarfed by the light of the Skull of the Sun God. He could see the many black rooftops that lined his city, and for the first time, he could see an area view of his city. It was shaped like a heptagon, with a thick wall forming the outer areas. To the left of the City, he could see an endless ocean of Lava. His was a port city for the Brimstone Ocean that divided his continent from the others. At the top of his height, he looked into the direction of Souigak. All around him, he unfurrowed his Wings of the Angel of Death, as a blazing light illuminated from him. He then departed to the northeast, as provided by Lucius. Chapter 25: Streaking Across the Skyline Verruca had looked into the sky the moment Jack unfurrowed his wings, but couldn''t make out his form. She could only see a flash of light. She had just finished getting information from War Marshal Aaron. After seeing this spell work, she assumed it was created by Jack. Who else could manifest a Holy Hymn this large? She was trying to get a message to him, but he had gone far beyond her range. Her failure to message Jack left her anxious. [What in the abyss is he doing...?! Why can''t I message him?] Verruca had become livid, caused by her worry, and her expression was seen clearly by all the military stationed at the Saigunrai barracks. These military members took only a few seconds to scatter to the four winds, making themselves busy. It wasn''t for them to know what had happened. Verruca went to find Lucius while making her way to the palace she found a large gathering in front of it. "Grand Minister..." Verruca called out, as she spotted him at the steps of the palace. Lucius looked over and waved her over, so she went over in large strides. As she was approaching, she saw Leslie shaking her head. It was known that the City Defense was Verruca''s position while The Holy Witch King wasn''t available, and she would leave it to her subordinate when she was out to war. "What was that flash of light?" Verruca asked Lucius. "That was... His Grace... He just flew over to Souigak." Lucius spoke with tiredness in his voice. "HE WHAT?!" Verruca was feeling a flood of mixed emotions. Anger, fear, and shock. "He just took off." All the citizens that were watching the horizon where The Holy Witch King just departed, were discussing various topics. Now that Verruca just caused a wave of light from her shouting, they had all backed up until they arrived at the edges of the town center. They stared at the now alone Grand Minster, Consort, and War Marshal. "Why did HE go?!" Verruca had actually dropped The Holy Witch King''s honors. "About an hour ago, I told him that Consort Leslie''s Mother is in Souigak. I can only assume that he has gone to bring her back here." "But why did he go himself?" "Well... I guess he is the fastest to get there, as he can fly." "Speaking of which... When did his Grace reach Emperor rank?" Verruca finally asked. "I guess when we got that light show about a month ago." [Why didn''t he take me with him? He needs a guard!] Verruca was thinking about Jack''s defense, but if Jack was Emperor rank, there wouldn''t be many his equal in the kingdom. After considering that he was Emperor rank, Verruca calmed down. After Verruca''s twenty questions Lucius asked for her, and Leslie to go to his office to talk, leaving behind the various undead talking and exclaiming that The Holy Witch King just flew away from the City. They wanted to know when did he get powerful enough to fly, and what had happened for him to leave. The last time he left, he destroyed six armies in the defense of the kingdom and fell into a deep sleep that lasted for a thousand years. In fact, he had only just woke up a month ago... Through the courtroom and through the palace, he led them to his office. As always waiting for Lucius'' return, Hand Servant Shane spoke, "Welcome back, Grand Minister. Good evening, War Marshal Verruca. Good evening, Consort Leslie." Shane made a noble''s bow, then opened, and led the three into Lucius'' Office. "Should I bring any burnt offerings?" Shane asked Lucius respectfully. Lucius then sat down at his desk, and asked, "Ladies?" "Sure," Verruca said as she fell into the only coach in the room. The couch groaned under the weight of her muscular body. Leslie walked over and took a padded seat to the side of couch Verruca had assaulted. "...I''ll pass," Leslie said with a weary voice. She was never into drink or smoke. "Understood." Shane went to the side cabinets to prepare the burnt offerings, Holy dust as per the standing order. A few minutes later, Shane had returned with two censers of offerings and sat them by Lucius and Verruca respectively. He then excused himself from the office. After a few intakes of the Censer''s burnt offerings, Verruca stated, "Alright you two... Why did The Holy Witch King just jump ship, and hauled ass to Souigak for your mother? Furthermore, Why aren''t you two tripping over yourselves to bring him back, or escort him... anything?" She was livid, the last time Jack went out he went into entombment for a thousand years... Would he come back like that again? "Well, if he is Emperor rank, I feel assured that nothing will happen to him," Lucius replied while thinking, [As long as he doesn''t run into anyone from the Mafioso.] Leslie was being uncharacteristically quiet. Verruca was still vexed. She noticed Leslie being silent and daydreaming. "Leslie, Why are you spacing out? His Grace went out to bring your mother back, and you haven''t ex...?" Verruca stopped mid-sentence, as the reason dawned on her. "Your clan also plans to assassinate your mother?" She asked. "Jack says so," Leslie replied while viewing the floor. She didn''t even bother to add The Holy Witch King''s honors to her speech. Lucius felt troubled by this. He was big into etiquette but decided not to say anything considering everyone here already knew his Grace''s name, even if he wouldn''t say it in front of these two without prior consent. "Why did you let him go then? He could have just ordered for her to be brought back." Verruca was getting increasingly aggravated. "I.. I told him I wanted my parents... Both my parents... This is my fault, maybe I shouldn''t have asked him..." Leslie''s voice started to crack. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Verruca stood straight out of her seat. "You asked Jack to bring both your parents to you? Why did you ask him to do this personally? Is this some show of love he needs to complete for you? Do you think you deserve The Holy Witch King''s Love?" In her agitated state, Verruca had started jumping to conclusions. Leslie looked up at the towering Verruca, "What? No! I asked him to bring them to me. I didn''t ask him to do it. It never occurred to me he would do it himself. He''s never done anything like this before. What makes you think I would want him to put himself in danger... Wait..." Leslie''s eyes opened wide, as Verruca realized what she had said. Leslie also stood up, "What do you mean by that last comment? Do I need to remind you, it was The Holy Witch King that declared me as his consort." Lucius not only became the bystander, but also felt that he was caught in a typhoon... [Sigh, and this is why I brought them inside.] He felt that this might happen. Verruca had a temper, that she tried to crib. Lucius knew this, and he had already seen how protective Leslie was of Jack... Now that he saw fire shooting between the two, he could only blame Jack for leaving him behind to look after them. How he was going to let him have it when he returned. "Ladies, please calm yourselves. Please don''t forget where you are, and more importantly who... you are." Both ladies had been verbally quarreling as Lucius had been thinking, but both stopped at his word, as they looked over to him. Both Leslie and Verruca were panting but sat back down in their seats. Verruca just realized she lost her composure and made herself look like a fool in front of Lucius and Leslie. She tried so hard her whole life to look dignified and strong... All for that dunce and this was what it got her. She couldn''t take it any longer. Her face turned dark from embarrassment. "I think I''ve had enough burnt offerings for a day. I need to go check with War Marshal Frostgard, for her preparations for her campaign." Without waiting for either Leslie or Lucius, she stood up and left. After realizing she just had a spat with Verruca, Leslie was filled with a variety of emotions. Today was a day many people would feel like this. Lucius had known Verruca for a long time, as well. Him, her and Jack had all grew up together in Saigunrai, so many years ago. He stared into the wispy smoke produced by the burnt offerings while reminiscing. While he always felt that Jack and Verruca were a good match, he felt that Jack and Leslie were better matched. That was the ship he pulled for but never spoke aloud. In his opinion... Why not both? But with Jack choosing Leslie first, this was a clear statement that Verruca didn''t have a chance. If she did, she would be named as the first consort. Then again, Leslie wasn''t first wife yet, Lucius just thought of this. [Is this all a test by his Grace?] Lucius was clearing reading more into this than there was... Leslie was left to stare at the door, where Verruca just exited. it was unknown what she was thinking or felt. ******* [I really should have asked what Souigak looked like...] Jack was thinking, as he was soaring over the rapidly changing landscape. He was far from the light of the Skull of the Sun God but found that he could see in the dark. It was as if everything was in black and white. It was jack''s Cultivation of the Holy Light that allowed him to see this, normal undead would be blind. Gliding in the sky for so long, Jack had thought over what he was going to do when he landed. The biggest thing he needed was directions to the Elegance Darkness Manor. Jack had seen many towns and small villages as he passed. Jack left a streak of Light in the sky, that was too eye-catching to the many undead going about their unlives. They would all point above and exclaim at the falling star. Many undead that were knowledgeable, would talk about it being a high-level Cultivator, while the ignorant wondered how a meteor fell into the underworld. [Ah, that''s got to be Souigak... speaking of which, who named this place?] Jack was falling toward the large city. The city was shaped into a large plus sign, and at the center of it had large spires that jutted into the skyline. At the top of these Spires were large round Glowstones, these Glowstones failed to provide any light on a large scale, but were used more for locating the city from a long distance for trading caravans and travelers. All the streets were lined with glowstone lamps that made the city appear to be in perpetual night, as was accustom to almost all Underworld cities. Jack figured the best place to start would be to go to the center. He was the King of this place, so couldn''t he just ask the mayor of the city? What Jack didn''t know was that cities of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth didn''t have mayors, but Archbishops as the head of the cities. When the Archbishops were away to court or council meetings, like now, it was overseen by a rotating roaster of seven bishops. They would take turns heading the city at each court or council meeting. The city center would have been a great choice if Jack figured out how to land... [Stupid, stupid... Ack!] Jack was falling increasingly faster toward the center of the city. Out of desperation, Jack hummed out, "Irjirex!" Jack streaked across the skyline, and crashed down in the town center, with an earth-rumbling sound. Dust flew all around the town center, and many small stalls broke down in the merchant''s quarters from the aftershocks. Large cracks in the town center spread out in a spider web. From this dust cloud, light shown from the epicenter. Many undead shielded their eyes when gazing at this foreign invader. This event had drawn many merchants, officials, and citizens. As soon as the streak appeared on the skyline, the militants were scrambled and followed the light trail until they arrived to see the event''s unfolding before them. They were accompanied by the local priests of Souigak. Jack stood up and canceled his shield of light. This was one of the spells he had cleaned up before leaving to come here. Even though he had cleaned the spell up, it still consumed a large amount of magic. Jack currently had seventy-five percent of his total power left from his trip here and his landing. With the shield of light withdrawn, all the undead could see the Femur Ferula... The priest knew what The Holy Witch King looked like from their studies, and immediately knelt down. The citizens and officials, even the militants didn''t know what The Holy Witch King looked like, but they knew what the Femur Ferula was and looked like. This was the staff of The Holy Witch King. They too knelt down. The Bishop that represented Souigak was messaged and immediately came forth at a frightening pace. He, too, knelt down while asking, "What brings The Holy Witch King to your humble city? What can we do for your Grace?" Normally, this bishop would never get to speak to The Holy Witch King, let alone see him. Jack looked over the kneeling crowd. He felt very unaccustomed to being worshiped like this, so he walked over to bishop, and helped him up. Many gasps were let out by the zombie citizens. The Holy Witch King helped the bishop of the city up! What honor! Many of the other official''s eyes glazed over with jealousy but tried to keep this hidden from his Grace. "What is your name and title?" "I am Bishop Johnson, and your Bishop of Souigak." he replied respectfully, [I can''t believe I have been so honored by his grace! Maybe I can be next in line after Archbishop Melina!] Bishop Johnson was a geist. A geist was a type of thin zombie that was without eyes or a tongue. Zombie geist were closer to skeletal undead than zombie undead, as they did not eat or breath. Jack sent a telepathic message, [Where is the Elegant Darkness Manor?] Stunned, Bishop Johnson stared at his Grace... [What does his Grace what with a brothel?] It was best left unsaid why Bishop Johnson knew of this brothel. He slowly nodded his head to his Grace. [Take me to it, and, ah... Clear these... Citizens from seeing my activities. I don''t want anyone within seeing distance of the manor.] Jack finished his telepathic request. Bishop Johnson thought for just a second but came to the conclusion it wasn''t for him to know what his Grace does... if his Grace wanted to have some fun before his wedding with his consort it was his business. He immediately stood and started shouting orders, "All citizens return to your business, and unlife, I need a team of engineers to repair the town center, I need a group of priests to assist with any property damage, and help with repayment!" He then sent out a mass telepathic message to his priests, [I need four undead-at-arm squads to form a mile perimeter around the Elegant Darkness Manor. His Grace doesn''t even want to see a bone gnat fly in; else, may his Grace have mercy on your souls!] "This way, your Grace." Bishop Johnson started leading Jack, as his priests and militants started their tasks. Chapter 26: The Geist to do Business Jade Glowminer sat alone in her room on the highest floor of the Darkness Elegant Manor. It had been about eight hundred years since she had taken over this... business. She sat by the glow of the stones embedded on the walls, while she worked on mending a dress for one of the girls that worked. Just last week the girl was requested by some of the more foul patrons. Upon resisting, her clothes were torn. Thankfully, Jade was alerted by some of the ladies of the business, so she came and put a stop to their... unwanted attention. Jade Glowminer was a well-preserved zombie undead for her age. She was thin in the waist with an ample bust. Her skin was a lovely translucent green color, with light jade colored eyes. All these pointed to her name. Jade was her name, but her favorite color was scarlet red. However, she hadn''t worn this color since she last saw her husband. She now mostly wore black, with white for special occasions. She stared up at the ceiling. It would be soon, she could see her husband again. Her and her husband, Nicholas Grimnight could see each other once every fifty years. This was the final agreement they could make the clan budge. This was all because her daughter wouldn''t agree to a marriage proposed by her clan. She never blamed her daughter, as she married for love. It wasn''t her place in the clan to speak out against it, but it was her that helped her daughter leave Sosuhalf City to make a new start in Saigunrai those many years ago. While thinking of the past, she felt her heart soften when she thought of the present. She hated the work she did, but was comforted by all the news she gathered on her daughter. Her daughter was now the first consort of The Holy Witch King... HER daughter! How proud she was that her daughter found a good partner, and with a bonus of a high Title, it didn''t get much higher than the monarch of a kingdom! Though, she felt sad after thinking about it again. She would never get to see her royal son-in-law... How could the king of a nation acknowledge the matron of a brothel as a mother-in-law...? "Sigh..." Jade went back to patching the dress. She treated all the girls in the business as her daughters. ******* "Hey, Boss... We got another job." A geist walked into the darkened room. Sitting at a white bone desk, a large zombie was completing paperwork. The entire room was thick with the smoke of burnt offerings. This smoke carried a dark red tinge to it. Only the smoke of Brimstone dust would cause this type of effect. This was one of the strongest dusts to be used for burnt offerings; however, the large zombie undead bossman seemed unfazed by the offerings. He looked up from his stacks of paperwork. "Yeah... Who''s it from?" "Grimnight clan..." The bossman sat up in his sit, displaying his full size. He was a colossal undead. His face was a square shape with one black eye and one white eye left and right respectively. His white eye was slashed over leaving a large scar that started at his hairline down to his cheek. His skin was a dark purple color, and his expression was apathetic. "Ah, I love business from the clans. They pay well and don''t like questions. What''s the job?" "That''s the part I think is funny, listen to this." The geist took out a scroll and read it aloud. As he finished, the boss commented, "Huh... They want us to make a move on their own business? This stinks of conspiracy." "So we aren''t going to pull the job?" The large zombie boss laughed, as his muscles in his suit quivered, "Of course, we are going to pull the job. Who cares why they want it done, it''s all about wither they are paying or not." "Oh, they paid... and paid extra for it to be done today." "So soon? Whatever, Get Lil'' Joey and the goons together and make it quick." "Oh, uh, what do you want to do with the body?" "What do I look like the cleaner, dump it into the river, burn it, sell it for mushroom food, I don''t care... Now get outta here, I got paperwork to do." The geist bowed deeply, "Yes, Boss Crag." He turned quickly to leave but was stopped, "Hey, What was that loud boom earlier?" "Not sure yet, we waiting on a report from the local rats. We should know soon." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Alright, go on." Finally, the geist darted out of the room. Once outside, he started getting the shakes. He went down the hall and to an open room to the side. He finally made it inside and fell to his knees, with the door closing behind him. Laughter burst out all around him. "OH, Jonny here got another taste of the offerings in the boss''s room!" "Yeah! He was talking like he could walk in and out with no problems, now look at ''em." another voice was gaffing. "Hey now, we all know the big deadman on deck is Jonny. He can take a plate and it won''t hurt!" "Shut it, you guys... Boss was doing a pile of paperwork... You know he burns extra when he''s doing paperwork!" Jonny spoke up from his shaking. "Oh boo hoo... What are you? Clergy? Get ya ass up. What did Boss say?" "We pull the job. What else you think he would say." "He doesn''t find it out? We going to knock over a brothel owned by the same people that''s putting up the job... What about the Doomcry clan''s protection?" "Look. Boss said pull the job, he didn''t say nothing about the Doomcry clan, he didn''t say worry about it being the same people, he wanted to know if they paid, and they did... So we do it." "Alright, alright, alright..." The undead goon rubbed his bony fingers together... "So who gets to go?" "Lil'' boss and his goons." "What! What not us?" Another undead popped the speaker in the back of the skull, "What makes you think boss going to let you do this job. I knew we weren''t going to get this job when you botched the Casper Job." "Bonehead, you were with me when we pulled that job. You''re at just as much fault as I am!" "Who you calling a bonehead, Bonehead!" Finally, getting to his feet in an unsteady faction, he barked out, "Break it up yous too... sheesh. Look. Ya got ya own job, today. Make to it." As the goons were breaking up, one could be heard, "Yeah, but who wants to extort, when you get loot... Extorting is too much talking, not enough stabbing." "Hey, Hey, get back here Tommy. You know your running boy this month." Another undead, who had his head low trying to sneak out, cursed under his breath. "Yeah, yeah... What is it, capo?" "Oh, you only remember I''m the capo when you don''t want to do something is it, ya git." "Hey, capo, it was the other guys laughing. I''m just sitting in the back." "Get ya self over to the Lil'' boss, and tell ''em what''s what. Now get." Capo kicked at Tommy. Tommy covered his head and ran out of the room. "Sheesh... I thought when I made capo; I''d get some respect around here." He had his hands on his hips. One could tell that there was a slight shakiness to his legs, making his argument seems all the more questionable. ******* Jack was walking with Bishop Johnson when they finally made it to the front of the Elegant Darkness Manor. It was a tall building, at least eight floors with a wide entrance. It was actually a nice looking building, with no advertisement of what business they were doing, very discreet. "Take your leave, Bishop." "As you will, your Grace." Bishop Johnson bowed, turned, and quickly made his way to one of his undead-at-arms stationed far away. [I have no idea how long his grace will take...] While walking with his Grace, Bishop Johnson had already cleared all the surrounding businesses and restaurants of anyone. He would compensate them from the city treasury. Jack walked into the manor and approached the counter. Clink... Clink... Clink... The Femur Ferula tapped on the white stone flooring. The Hostess was fiddling with her bony hands behind the desk, polishing her oval gemstone nails. It was common for skeletal undead women to embed small gemstones into the top ends of their finger bones. False fingernails for Skeletal undead, if you will. Even with the clinking sound, she didn''t pay much attention. "Ma''am. I am looking for Jade Glowminer." Without looking up, "The matron doesn''t provide services, but we have other willing beauties if you like." She continued to polish her nails. "Ma''am, I''m not looking for a good time." [Though Jack was really interested in how undead achieve this.] "I have business with Jade Glowminer. Please call for her." "Sir, if you have biz..." The hostess finally looked up into the imposing form of The Holy Witch King in full regalia. Standing so tall with his hooded vestment, that only showed the dancing flames in his eyes. "I''m kind of in a hurry. Thank you." The hostess didn''t pay attention to the Femur Ferula. If she had, then she would have known it was The Holy Witch King, but she didn''t tarry. She dashed like the wind to the side stairs, and up she went. Jack leaned on the desk while rapping his fingers. So far this had been way easier than he thought it would. He figured he would get here in the middle of some fight with her clan, and almost on queue... With a loud bang, the door of the business flew pass Jack and landed behind the desk, where the previous hostess had been standing. Jack lifted his head and looked at the entrance to see a large zombie undead making his way into the shattered door frame, followed by a group of undead. The lead zombie wore a thin white shirt and rough pants, his followers were dressed in bandit attire. [And this was what I was expecting...] Jack inwardly sighed. "This is, like... A holdup. I need all the broads to like, empty ya savings and jewelry into a sack, pillow or otherwise container. Also, I need this to be given by the matron of the business or Imma start releasing these little girls from their unlife one by one... Like where is everyone?" After a long rant, the large undead finally asked the question. How these dunces made it through the lines of undead-at-arms was a mystery. Jack stopped leaning on the counter and coming up to his full height, turned and stared down at this group of ruffians. "Who are you?" While the zombie was quite tall and large, he was still dwarfed by Jack''s tall figure. The Zombie leader looked up into the flaming eyes of Jack. "Like what''s this supposed to be? It''s not abyssal''s end. Isn''t it a little early to be playing dress up?" He laughed, and soon his goons were laughing. [This dufus has no idea who I am...] Chapter 27: This is Where We are going to have a Problem "Let me ask this another way. What''s your Name and Title?" Jack asked again. "My name is ''ya mud''ah'' and my Title is ''ya daddy.''" His goons were laughing even harder. This was the first time Jack had been insulted since he had arrived here a month ago. Jack was usually a level headed guy, except for two occasions, when women cried, and when people insulted his parents. Jade and the other brothel girls were looking from the top step of the second floor through the stairs down to the first floor. Observing what was happening. [Is that The Holy Witch King?!] She was just in time to see Jack cast a Holy Hymn. "Slafeim..." Jack hummed. A large golden hand materialized in the large reception area and slammed into the large undead. Causing him to fly backwards and into his goons that broke his fall, with such force they were knocked out of the door. One goon had the misfortune to be broken in half by the force. Jack casually walked forward. Clink... Clink... Clink... Coughing slightly, "Hey, I''m Lil'' Joey! Lil'' boss and son of Boss Crag!" "So I had to use force to get you to speak, interesting." Jack looked down on Lil'' Joey, who was laying on the floor with his chest caved in. "Tommy! Hey TOMMY! GET THE BOSS!" Lil'' Joey howled. "Ummm... Boss, Tommy in two pieces at the moment... We need to get him to a bone doc quick." Shambling to his feet, Lil'' Joey looked at the two pieces of Tommy, and back to Jack. "You son of a bitch, Tommy is good people. You going to pay for this." Jack didn''t intend to hurt anyone but this dunce named Lil'' Joey. [What are they supposed to be... the local triad?] With Jack being in Villain mode, he wasn''t going to apologize. "Just be glad you have a stocky body, or else it would be you in two pieces. Now get out of here." While Jack and Lil'' Joey were talking, another goon had run to the entrance to their base in the back of one of the businesses not far from the Elegant Darkness Manor. "We going to be back and it anit going to be pretty. My daddy going to fix ya up good." Lil'' joey was helping up his goons, while talking more crap. Jack ignored him. He had heard some clatter behind him and looked to the stairs. "Jade Glowstone... I''ve come for you. Please come down." Jack called out. Timidly, Jade started to ease down the stairs; however, her girls held her back. In whispers, "We don''t know who he is." "Yeah, didn''t you see what he did to those goons?" "But, maybe he''s the good guy?" "Do good guys look like him?" "Girls... I think that''s The Holy Witch King..." Jade spoke with a slight squeak in her voice. Many of the girls gasped... [[[[[[[Could it really be him]]]]]]] many thought at the same time, but why would he visit a brothel for the matron. The girls loosened their grip on the hem of Jade''s dress, allowing her to walk down the stairs. Jack placed his staff to the side. It stood straight up in its place. This was a fancy trick he found while playing with it while being dressed this morning. He held out both his arms, "Ma''am, I''ve come to pick you up. You no longer have to work here." Jade now stood at the base of the stairs and stared vacantly at The Holy Witch King. [So this is where Leslie gets it from...] Jack thought to himself. "Come, let us depart." "N-no... I can''t leave behind my girls." Jade mustered up the courage to speak to The Holy Witch King. She glanced at his standing staff... That was the Femur Ferula, the symbol of The Holy Witch King. It was him. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. On impulse, "Fine, bring them too. We can all go." [I''m going to have to make a spell to transport everyone... blah.] "T-they can come?" "Of course, you''re like my own mother. So whatever you want, you can have!" [His own mother?!] Many of the brothel girls didn''t know that Jade Glowminer was the mother of Consort Leslie. In fact, many people didn''t know that Consort Leslie was even a Grimnight, let alone her parentage. "Then let''s go, let''s go." Jade slightly giggled. She felt like she was in a dream. The Holy Witch King came to pick her and her girls up personally to save them from this demon''s task! She wasn''t thinking about her clan, but just how to get away from here and to her daughter. She hadn''t seen her daughter in so very long. Jack picked back up his staff and, with Jade by his side and the other girls following behind him, he walked out the front entrance, which was now broken. As he left the building, he saw a hulking zombie in a suit walking into his direction, followed by Lil'' Joey and his goons. Another geist was to the side of the hulking undead. Jack stood still, as Jade and the girls started to gather behind him, peeking from around his robes. The closer this fine suited zombie got the taller he was until he was a few meters from him. Jack had to look slightly up to meet his eyes. Boss Crag looked at the staff in Jack''s hand, and then to his son. [This son of mine....] He mentally shook his head. "Witch King. We have a job to do. You know the agreement. I don''t take kindly to interference. I can forgive the fact that you disciplined my people for their ignorance." he looked back over to his son again and then back to Jack, "But we need to complete a job. It''s business. I''m sure you understand." [What agreement... And did he just call me Witch King... I''ve been graced and Holy Witch Kinged to death... But he isn''t honoring that... Who is he?] "Before anything, can I get your Name and Title?" Jack asked with respect. He didn''t know who he was talking too. The goons in the back were sweating when the boss had address this undead as witch king. There was only one witch king, and that was The Holy Witch King. Now that they heard the witch king sounding respectful, pride rose in their chests. "My names Joseph Crag and I am the Boss of Crag families." "Boss... Crag..." Jack spoke the name and title aloud... [Really...] "In the flesh." [This is actually a thing...] "You must forgive me... Boss Crag, but what agreement. You must know that I have just woken back up. It''s been a while since I''ve been in the land of the unliving." Jack decided to go back to Villain mode, otherwise how else was he going to bluff his way through this. Boss Crag looked left then right. He felt it was odd that no one was around. [Seems the witchy king has decided to clear out all the people. He trying to declare something.] "All the families agreed wit the First Witch King that we keep to ourselves and you keep to yourselves. We do our jobs. You do your jobs. You getting this?" Boss Crag was making some interesting gestures that Jack didn''t really get. He looked like he was in a sales pitch meeting. "Ok. Then I''m going to take my people, and leave. You, do you." Jack decided that don''t start none, won''t be none. "I''m glad we agree. We need the Matron of the Elegant Darkness Manor, and whatever valuables they have." As Jack was turning to leave, he stopped. Without looking, "See... This is where We are going to have a problem." "Huh?" Boss Crag didn''t understand why the conversation just took a 180-degree turn. "See the valuables aren''t a problem. Loot the whole damn thing if you want. Burn it to the ground. Lit fireworks. No problem, but you want the Matron... Of the Elegant Darkness Manor. There isn''t a Matron anymore. I just stopped that business about fifteen minutes ago." Jack, once again, began to walk away. The ladies quickly following behind him. Not sure what to make of the Witch King''s speech, Boss Crag was about to open his mouth, but his capo had come over and whispered in his ear. Boss Crag called out again to the now distant witch king, "We need the one called Jade Glowminer, the former matron of Elegant Darkness Manor." Jack again stopped. He turned ever so slightly, and Boss Crag could only see one of his flames dancing in his hood at the corner of his profile. "Boss Crag... You''re making this really hard to NOT make this a problem. Say, you couldn''t find her." "I know she''s one of those broads you got behind you. I don''t care what you''re going to do with a brothel full of women... If you want to start a harem that''s your business. What''s one woman?" Jack looked down at the ladies, "Lady Glowminer, find somewhere safe for a moment. I have to take care of something." Jack started to walk back to Boss Crag. Jack was extremely nervous. This was going to be his first fight. He did NOT feel like he was in control. He had no idea how strong this Boss Crag was, or what his Cultivation type was... No clue. He did know that if they were here for Jade Glowminer, then they were here to either bring her back to kill or just outright kill her. "So that''s how it''s going to be, and here I thought you were a reasonable undead." Boss Crag was cracking his knuckles. Other undead may coward before The Holy Witch King, but Boss Crag was a King Rank Cultivator as well. [Can I do this? I don''t know if I can do this...] Jack was walking. "So how are we going to do this? In the middle of the city and bust, all the buildings up or are we going to take this outside like gentlemen?" Jack walked straight up to Boss Crag, looking slightly up into his eyes, "We take this outside, but keep your people to yourself. I''ll keep mine to me. Let''s see who''s afraid of whom." "I''m never afraid." Boss Crag let out a "heh" like laugh. [Bishop Johnson. I need an escort out of the City and into a large clearing. I have a duel with a certain Boss Crag.] [Of course, I''ll have my people on it. I''ll have a squad of undead-at-arms there to lead, right away!] Johnson replied, but was thinking, [WHY IS HE DUELING BOSS CRAG...!] After calming down, he thought... [Maybe they are old friends?] Soon a small squad of undead-at-arms showed itself before both Jack and Boss crag, with Bishop Johnson. Bishop Johnson made a Deagoth Salute, "This way your Grace, Boss." Everyone Followed Bishop Johnson and the squad out to the City gates and beyond. Chapter 28: The Overpowered Witch King Soon the group made its way outside the city and into a clear but desolate plain. It was quite dark as it was far from the city, to avoid any collateral damage. "So, what''s it going to be witch king? How ya want to play this?" "Let me get some light first." Jack said as he hummed his hymn, "ZaaaaaaNiiiWoooooHUG!" Jack raised his left hand casually to right above his head and ended his Holy Hymn on a high note. After the Hymn finished, a large ball of blinding light manifested into existence. Its light rivaled the Skull of the Sun God. Jack pushed on the ball, and the brilliant light orb rose high into the sky, suspended just below the ceiling of the Underworld, its light illuminating the surroundings as if they were on the surface world on a clear day. This phenomenon alerted all the surrounding undead. This artificial sun could be seen by all the surrounding Countries, let alone the capital of Deagoth, Saigunrai. This drew the eyes of many. Boss Crag whistled, "Nice, Light show. You mind if I can invite you to my son''s wedding when he gets hitched?" He let out another "Heh" laugh. Jack shrugged his shoulders, "I don''t mind, as long as you attend mine." Boss Crag was intentionally being obtuse but was dumbfounded by Jack''s reply. He never expected that the witch king would be so relaxed. He even counter offered him. What did this mean? [Did ole'' witch king improve? There was that other fireworks display he had about a few days ago... Should I be worried? Let''s play this a little differently then...] Boss Crag was thinking to himself. "Alright witch king, we all gentlemen here. Let''s have a friendly duel. Just you and me, none of the little ones need to get involved. When we feel we have been bested, just shout ''I surrender,'' and we stop. Winner gets to pick what we do? You getting this?" "...I agree. Let''s start a hundred meters apart, and since I made a suggestion, I think it would be best if you have a subordinate that calls the duel to start. You agree?" "That''s fine by me." "Knowall! Get over here." Boss Crag had turned his head and shouted to his subordinate. Capo had been getting information while they were walking from reports given to his men by the rats on the streets... He did not like what he was getting. He jogged over, and in a low voice, "Yeah, boss?" "You going to be the one to call the duel to start, but what information you got?" Boss Crag promoted Jonny ''The knowall'' to Capo. Jonny wasn''t the only Capo Boss Crag had, but he was the closest to him, because of his ability to acquire information. In a lower voice capo told the information he had been getting, "You not going to like this... The Holy Witch King flew here from the Capital... flew! Then he crashed down in the town square and ordered an escort to the Elegant Darkness Manor. He also had all the people cleared out so he wouldn''t be seen. Boss... Let me say it again, he flew here on his own... Like an Emperor." Boss Crag''s eyes shrank to pinholes. [Shit. It''s a damn good thing I set this up as a friendly duel. So the fireworks was him breaking through...] Boss Crag wasn''t going to make this a life and death duel, in the first place, but he had been planning on putting the witch king out of commission for a while. He had plans for expansion that would work better without local clergy interfering... He lowered his voice, "Alright, go to the middle, and do a count to start when I message ya." "Alright, boss." Capo jogged to the middle of both The Holy Witch King and Boss Crag. "Alright, my capo here is going start the countdown. Remember, if I best ya, just call it. I''ll do the same. Remember that weapons and spells don''t have eyes, so don''t get to badly broken up; I''ll try my best, as well." "...Agreed..." [Do it.] "1... 2... 3... START!" The capo shouted as he hauled ass back to his group watching from the sidelines. Honestly, it was odd that the Clergy and the Mafioso were so close to each other in proximity while spectating their respective bosses'' fight. [Ah, to get to watch his Grace in battle... This will be something I can pass down to my children!] Bishop Johnson was thinking while watching the start of the match. [I need to feel out how strong he really is, if he just reached Emperor level, I think I can still take'' em.] Boss Crag stomped the ground, shattering the rocky terrain. He suddenly held his hand out flat, then made a two finger point and turned it upward, he exclaimed, "Roxusayasegi!" A mouth full, but Crag spoke it flawlessly. This was a Knight rank spell from the Nature school of magic. Large pieces of the ground that was shattered tore itself from the dirt and hurled itself at the witch king. As the chunks of rocks came within a meter of the witch king, the rocks were blasted apart by arcs of golden lightning springing from the body of the witch king. Boss Crag could clearly see these lightning arcs and the large dancing flames in the eyes of the witch king. He had seen them earlier but didn''t think much of them. Now, however, he found out that the witch king was emperor rank; he knew it was because of his cultivation materialization! Those dancing flames... they stared into his soul and made him feel very uncomfortable. [What kinda spell was that? Lightning? Isn''t that more of a nature spell? Meh...] Boss Crag thought it was strange that the witch king had a type of lightning spell... In fact, it didn''t make sense at all. "Haha, I was just feeling you out. I''m going to get serious now." "...Alright..." [...Is he taking me for a joke?] Those flaming eyes... That uncomfortable feeling made Boss Crag slightly pissed, and so decided to unleash his Rock Giant spell. "Roxhiaregim-Uff!" Boss Crag had held both his arms up to call out his spell, but a suddenly received a hit to his stomach knocking the wind out of him. One of the limitations of a true zombie undead, they still had to breathe air. As his spell failed, he bent slightly from the strike. Boss Crag looked at the witch king, and saw him slowly walking over to him, his right hand extended. Boss Crag straighten his back where he was hunched over from the hit and took in the sight of the witch king retrieving his staff from mid-air, as it returned to him. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Boss Crag might have not seen exactly what happened, but Capo and Bishop Johnson did... They both looked at each other and then back to the duel. [I didn''t know his Grace could throw his staff like a Javelin. That was an unexpected strike.] Bishop Johnson thought and praised. [That was a dirty move. You wait for Boss Crag to go giant.] Capo was inwardly laughing, not realizing that his Boss had just tried to do that very thing. [Yes!] Jade was watching with the other girls further to the side and behind the undead-at-arms that escorted them and his Grace with Bishop Johnson. "Well, well, well... Not pulling any punches, huh." [He''s really is Emperor rank. How else could he do that, with such ease? I didn''t even hear him cast a spell... Silent casting?!] Steeling himself, He raised his arms again, and quickly shouted his spell, ""Roxhiaregim---anahro!" Boss Crag again received another strike to his stomach, but it didn''t interrupt him, so finishing the spell. The earth beneath his feet twisted and turned, as it slowly crawled up his massive legs. Quicker still, it rushed up his torso and over his arms. The Holy Witch King was silent during Boss Crag''s transformation. He slowly grew more in size, until he was a towering 15 meters tall. Boss Crag clenched his rocky hand, and a clap sound was produced. He opened his palm and a few gnarled diamonds fell from his hand. [I still got it. HA.] It had been a while since Boss Crag had stretched his muscles, and flexed his martial might. The witch king only stood 50 meters from Boss Crag now and looked up to the small headed behemoth in front of him. [That''s my Boss! Boo ya! Giant Rock form. Boss is near invulnerable in his rock form. Though, I''m not sure how it stands up to an Emperor rank Cultivator... Come on Boss!] Capo started out strong but started to doubt Boss Crag near the end. [I knew Boss Crag was strong, but this is ridiculous... That''s a King rank spell! So it''s true that Boss Crag is a King rank Cultivator?! I''ve heard the reports at the chapel, but this is my first time seeing it. But... His Grace is still so calm!] Bishop Johnson made a keen observation. [His Grace must be superior. That''s right! He flew here! He must be Emperor rank! I can''t wait to see how he resolves this, and I get to brag all about it. Ha!] [Oh, I hope his Grace doesn''t get hurt for my sake... What would I tell Leslie?] Jade covered her eyes. She knew that The Holy Witch King was powerful, but she had been in the shady business for a while. How did she not know who Boss Crag was? He was a King rank leader of the Mafioso here in Deagoth. She had heard of his martial exploits in his younger days. "That''s right, witch king. This is my Rock Giant form. Back in the day, many who fought with me and seen this form... all ended up dead." Boss Crag was laughing with loud gaffing sounds. "...Are you threatening me? Then this isn''t a friendly duel?" "Ack...! I''m just saying how powerful I was back in the day. You get that right? I bet I could have taken on those six armies you took out." "Really?" "See, this is what I don''t understand. If it was me, I would of made a deal with both Countries they couldn''t resist, and if it did come to a battle, I would of smashed one Country, then the next. I wouldn''t of waited for them to come to smash me, like you did..." Inhaling another breath, "It''s all about the approach. Like us! We are both high-level cultivators. No need to send in the little guys. Just let Us battle to see who wins. We can all be civil, but if they don''t be civil, then I crush them under heel. Survival of the Fittest and all that. You getting this?" Boss Crag started monologuing while walking to the witch king showing off his impressive form made of rock. He just couldn''t figure out the witch king''s expression or opinion from his stance or face, considering the witch king''s face was all bone. Only the dancing flames in his eye sockets told anything, but all they did were to become fiercer as Boss Crag trodded over. Boss Crag was buying time to gather enough magic power to unleash a nature spell he could only cast while in his rock giant form... The dreaded "Desolate Tomb." One could see that the stone that made up Crag''s being was slowly turning a gray color from the brownish red it was before. This was the prelude to his spell. Some even said that his "Desolate Tomb" spell was equal to an Emperor rank spell, but its only drawback was that it had a long build-up time. [Ahhh yeah, Boss is about to unleash his big attack! So much for friendly, haha.] Capo was praising in his mind. He really wanted to know how The Holy Witch King would take it on. "See... I''m going to stop you here." The witch king raised his left hand to give a halt to Boss Crag. "A couple of things of note. Where were you, when the Country needed your help? Two is there a problem with a spider to spin a web to catch his prey, both Countries walked into oblivion. Six armies with one blow. Do you think they would have just walked into my web if they had known otherwise? Third, there is always a price to pay. No matter the trade-off, the bargain, the deal; whatever it is you want to call it. There must be a trade. I traded many years of my... unlife to wipe their armies from the face of this world. Do you think for even a moment, that I care about you and your thoughts? I came here to pick my soon-to-be Mother-in-Law up. If I don''t bring her home, then my Consort is going to be upset. Thinking about the tears she''s already shed... It makes me frantic, Crag... Do you understand the tears of a woman? A helpless woman, Crag? Like my Mother''s tears on her deathbed? Let me tell you this... I''m not happy, Crag... I am very unhappy. You call yourself the Boss of the Crag Families... But you failed to pay respect to the Boss of Bosses... Me." "Rathexifolec" Jack calmly spoke. [What tha fuck? He''s not happy? Why do I care about his women crying? What was all that stuff about his mum? Does he want to talk about it...? Wait what did he just cast?!] Boss Crag saw a glaring light shine behind the head of the witch king. Brighter than the small sun he had created earlier. The bright light even swallowed the small sun. Boss Crag took two steps back to get a good look at the sky. He was astonished... Was this the spell...? THE SPELL? [OH MY GRACE! IS IT THAT SERIOUS?] Bishop Johnson couldn''t believe it! He honestly couldn''t believe it. [Is that... IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS! BUT, BUT, BUT...] Capo''s mind was breaking down; he knew what The Holy Witch King did at Angel''s decent... This was it! THIS WAS THAT SPELL! [What''s going on?!] Jade exclaimed in her mind. Her girls were almost under her. They were terrified. They were just normal women, with no cultivation. Jade had heard of The Holy Witch King''s exploits, but she was able to see the last time this spell was cast. Everyone... Everyone in the kingdom of Deagoth, Everyone in the surrounding Countries, even the people''s abyss could see in the sky above the small city of Sosuhalf... Forming from the bright light, a golden blade pierced the veil in the sky beneath the Stony ceiling of the Underworld. The golden blade drug slowly across the sky as it tore a rift above. White light shined from the gaping wound left behind. Soon as the scarred sky was torn asunder, the blade retracted, and the massive form of a golden skeleton widened the gash to reveal itself. Half of the form of the Angel of Death had revealed itself, with skeletal wings that unfolded themselves that stretched from the north coasts of Stonedge to the City of Nogore, deep inside the territory of Deagoth. All the undead looked up in collective awe. Those that did not witness the Angel of Death last time had their chance, now. Undead all over the Ruined Content came out of their homes, businesses, barracks, churches, and tombs to gaze upon the Holy Hymn of The Holy Witch King. They called to each other to come to look, and be awed. Everyone knew it was him. Only he could call down the Angel of Death. They all collectively wondered who had offended The Holy Witch King, now that he awoke... Staring with an empty expression, much like his summoner, The Holy Witch King; the Angel of Death gazed down at Boss Crag. It was holding his Scythe; the undead had named simply, The Golden Reaper. Boss Crag never imagined that the witch king would call down the Angel of Death! The last time he did that he was entombed for a thousand years. This wasn''t a joke. It was said that the "Angel of Death" Holy Hymn was an Ancestor ranked spell. That''s right not Emperor rank, but Ancestor rank! He was a small boy at the time and had seen the same appearance in the distant sky. Was it really that serious! It was a friendly duel!? Was the witch king really that pissed?! What if he was... [Oh my sweet abyss... Don''t tell me with the Emperor rank he can just call down the Angel of Death whenever he feels like it... I... I...] "I SURRENDER!" Boss Crag took a knee and held up both his hands in mercy. His head bowed. All the magic power he drew to cast "Desolate Tomb" dispersed. The Large form of the Scythe, The Golden Reaper, reached down from the sky, and the very tip of the blade reached under the chin of Boss Crag and lifted it up ever so slightly until his eyes were made to have contact with the witch king''s... NO! The Holy Witch King''s flaming eyes. "Boss Crag, now you know. I am the Boss of Bosses. I am the Holy Witch King, and I rule this land. You will follow me to Saigunrai. We have much to talk about." "Ye... yeah. No problem. I mean, this is just a friendly duel, after all. No hard feelings, right?" The Scythe retracted and the form of the Angel of Death sunk back into the open laceration it had slashed opened to make its entrance into their world. Slowly it retreated back to the Light. Chapter 29: The Biggest Bluff Jack wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow but had none to wipe. He was so nervous he just wanted to go back to his tomb, lie down... and never wake up. In fact, he had already made up his mind. When he got Leslie''s business finished, he was going to drag her to his tomb and sleep for a month... Maybe TWO! To understand why Jack felt this way, let us travel back to the start of his duel with Boss Crag. ******* Jack followed behind Bishop Johnson and his undead-at-arms. Jade and her girls followed him. [Okay. He''s one big dude, so like... He must be a fighter right? Warrior? Does he cast spells as well? I remember the books spoke of Mixed Martial Cultivation. So spells and hand to hand?] Jack was stressing, as Boss Crag and his group followed beside him. [Look at this guy. He is totally confident. He''s got to be at least as powerful as the last guy... Crap....] As Bishop Johnson came to a stop well outside the City limits, Jack could see a large open plain. A deserted, rocky, and otherwise, ugly plain. [Oh geez... Isn''t this a great place to get killed and forgotten?] Jack was inwardly shaking his head. Boss Crag kept walking into the plain, and Jack followed only a step behind. When Boss Crag stopped Jack did so as well. "So, what''s it going to be witch king? How ya want to play this?" Boss Crag called out. [It''s frigging dark.] Jack was already tired of the monochromatic world of Black and White his night vision granted. "Let me get some light first." Jack said as he hummed his hymn, "ZaaaaaaNiiiWoooooHUG!" Jack formed a large ball of light, based on the first Holy Hymn he learned. He took it and tossed it high in the sky above. Thankfully, it only took a bit of strength to form. He was now down to seventy-four percent of his power. Boss Crag whistled, "Nice, Light show. You mind if I can invite you to my son''s wedding when he gets hitched?" He let out another "Heh" laugh. Jack shrugged his shoulders, "I don''t mind, as long as you attend mine." [Thinking of which, I need to find me some books on undead weddings... I didn''t even know I had to get one... blah...] "Alright witch king, we all gentlemen here. Let''s have a friendly duel. Just you and me, none of the little ones need to get involved. When we feel we have been bested, just shout ''I surrender,'' and we stop. Winner gets to pick what we do? You getting this?" [Friendly duel... Who the crap would believe that? I''ve seen enough anime to know this fucker wants to kill me. Got to keep up appearances though...] "...I agree. Let''s start a hundred meters apart, and since I made a suggestion, I think it would be best if you have a subordinate that calls the duel to start. You agree?" "That''s fine by me." Jack heard Boss Crag call to one of his minions called knowall... [Who gets named knowall? If he does know all, then I have some wedding questions for him. I wonder if I can get him to arrange a wedding.] Jack was a nervous wreck. He was even thinking of getting the underside of his kingdom to plan his wedding. It was widely known that the consort would have their own planners. Jack could see that Boss Crag and this "knowall" were whispering to each other. [What are they planning?] Jack then looked over to where the Jade and the ladies were standing. He then looked back to Boss Crag. [Their not planning on trying to snatch up, Leslie''s mum while we are fighting?] Jack thought this, but then after thinking about how there were so many undead-at-arms by Bishop Johnson, he threw this thought to the back of his mind. Jack watched as they broke up from their huddle, and the one called "Knowall" jogged in between him and Boss Crag. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Alright, my capo here is going start the countdown. Remember, if I best ya, just call it. I''ll do the same. Remember that weapons and spells don''t have eyes, so don''t get to badly broken up; I''ll try my best, as well." [Confirmed. He''s going to try and kill me...] "...Agreed..." Jack was searching his mind for all kinds of spells he learned or made for every possibility Boss Crag could do. He was pushing his mind to the limits to analyze and take in every detail he could. "1... 2... 3... START!" The one named "knowall" ran quickly back over to his people. After that Jack was thinking so hard, he just stood there ready to take what Boss Crag was going to do. He wanted to strike first but didn''t know exactly what spell to use. Jack witnessed Boss Crag stopping the Ground, and using a nature spell to throw the broken rocks. These rocks were the size of small boulders. [CRAP! Shoot!] "Vii" Jack hummed the simplest and fastest Hymn he could. This was a Consecrated ground Holy Hymn he had come across. He was horribly written, but he cleaned it up and found it to be very flexible. Large arcs of Lightning arcs off of him, destroying the incoming rocks. The rocks had made it to one meter from him... Jack was convinced a second later he would be in pieces. "Haha, I was just feeling you out. I''m going to get serious now." [Just feeling me out? This bro tried to steamroll me with a small mountain, and that''s feeling me out... sure.] "...Alright..." [Is he chanting...? That''s a long ass spell... screw it...] Jack aimed and threw his staff right at Boss Crag. It was a good thing Jack was in the javelin club in school. He was really good at the Javelin toss, but after his girlfriend at the time broke up with him, he just didn''t feel like going back. Who knows what Jack could have become if he had stayed with it? Jack watched as his staff hit Boss Crag dead center in his stomach. [Sweet hit... I should have never left the club.] Something Jack could never do in his last life, he called the staff to come back to him. Something he found out while messing with it that morning. He felt there was a strange bond between him and the staff. Boss Crag recovered a moment later, "Well, well, well... Not pulling any punches, huh." [I''m trying to not get killed here. This sounded like a much better idea earlier. Think. I got to think of a way out of this.] As Jack received his staff, he threw it again. "Roxhiaregim---anahro!" He landed his blow, in the same spot, but he found that Boss Crag finished his spellwork, regardless. Jack stood as he watched the ground twist and turn. The stony ground climbed up on to Boss Crag, expanding his physique until he was a 15-meter monster. [A golem... How am I supposed to stop a golem? Crap, Crap, CRAP! That''s a King rank spell!] Jack finally got the point that was most troubling. The spell Boss Crag utter was an exactly a King rank spell. Jack''s phenomenal saw Boss Crag''s hand grip hard, even a clap sound was produced; soon after shiny gnarled diamonds fell from his hand. [Did... Did he just make diamonds?! Why does he still run a gang...? Couldn''t you get rich off diamonds?] What Jack didn''t know is that diamonds were basically dirt in the Underworld. The Overworld wanted them simply because of their scarcity and looks. Undead didn''t care much for them, even gold. It was Glowstone that was the coveted metal. It was light that was the currency. [Haha! He doesn''t have a helm! He''s got such a large body, but a small head. Haha!] Jack forgot all about the fact that Verruca looked similar with her large muscular form and normal sized head. "That''s right, witch king. This is my Rock Giant form. Back in the day, many who fought with me and seen this form... all ended up dead." Boss Crag was laughing with loud gaffing sounds. "...Are you threatening me? Then this isn''t a friendly duel?" [Yeah, I called you on your crap... I know what you want to do...] "Ack...! I''m just saying how powerful I was back in the day. You get that right? I bet I could have taken on those six armies you took out." "Really?" [Why is he backpedaling?] "See, this is what I don''t understand. If it was me, I would of made a deal with both Countries they couldn''t resist, and if it did come to a battle, I would of smashed one Country, then the next. I wouldn''t of waited for them to come to smash me like you did..." He inhaling another breath, "It''s all about the approach. Like us! We are both high-level cultivators. No need to send in the little guys. Just let Us battle to see who wins. We can all be civil, but if they don''t be civil, then I crush them under heel. Survival of the Fittest and all that. You getting this?" Boss Crag started monologue while walking to the witch king showing off his impressive form made of rock. [Is he really hitting me with the Villain Monologue? Two can play at this game... Wait!] Jack had come up with the perfect idea! He was going to do the same thing he did in court... Play the Villain. He always put on his Villain mask and played the part... So now he was just going to bluff the rest of the way out! "See... I''m going to stop you here." Jack raised his left hand to give a halt to Boss Crag. [He''s powering up...] "A couple of things of note. Where were you, when the Country needed your help? Two is there a problem with a spider to spin a web to catch his prey, both Countries walked into oblivion. Six armies with one blow. Do you think they would have just walked into my web if they had known otherwise? Third, there is always a price to pay. No matter the trade-off, the bargain, the deal; whatever it is you want to call it. There must be a trade. I traded many years of my... unlife to wipe their armies from the face of this world. Do you think for even a moment, that I care about you and your thoughts? I came here to pick my soon-to-be Mother-in-Law up. If I don''t bring her home, then my Consort is going to be upset. Thinking about the tears she''s already shed... It makes me frantic, Crag... Do you understand the tears of a woman? A helpless woman, Crag? Like my Mother''s tears on her deathbed? Let me tell you this... I''m not happy, Crag... I am very unhappy. You call yourself the Boss of the Crag Families... But you failed to pay respect to the Boss of Bosses... Me." Jack just said whatever came to mind. He added a bunch of other Villain speeches into his, added some comic references, and finally added in some mafia boss speech to spice. [Here goes nothing...] "Rathexifolec." Chapter 30: Mysterious Knowledge Leslie and Lucius were discussing how to deal with The Officials of Undeath. When The Holy Witch King flew out of the city, many rats started to abandon ship. In fact, half of the Officials of Undeath had tried to leave the city. They were currently being held in the Jail Quarters. They both knew that his Grace said to execute them, but he didn''t say when to execute them. If he was here, they would just ask for his opinion. Leslie was for executing them on the spot, while Lucius was against this idea. Lucius had tried to message Verruca for a tiebreaker... However, she remained unavailable, as she refused to answer his mental messages. Lucius made an audible sigh. "I swear, Warmarshal Verruca isn''t answering my messages." He looked back up from his desk of paperwork at Leslie. His vacant stare wasn''t a problem, as the annoyance of the silence, he let the room decent into. "Honestly, you heard what she said. Don''t look at me like that." Leslie responded annoyed, as well. "I... errr... It isn''t my place to tell the consort how to handle her business." "Perhaps you can advise me, but I have a request," Leslie stated. "Oh?" "Just call me Leslie. You''re already friends with Jack, so We can be on first name basis. We''ve also known each other for a while now." Lucius sat upright, from his hunched posture. "And why do you say that we are friends? You know it would be a conflict of interest." "Lucius, there are many things I know about. I''ve known you guys were friends since about five hundred years ago. I never said anything, of course, but I feel we can be friends as well." [How would she find this out? The only undead that would know is Shane... But he wouldn''t say anything.] Lucius was searching for an answer. Leslie noticed his silence, "Don''t rack your mind trying to figure out how I found out." "Ah... Can I ask where you found this, then?" Lucius was baffled. He knew Leslie was good with gossip, rumors, and information. She managed the Treasury of the kingdom, and her direct subordinates were the Tax Collectors of the kingdom. With a huge number of handmaidens, how was it possible she didn''t know most things. This was his first time, in a thousand years, that he found she knew something that shouldn''t be known to anyone but to him, Verruca, Jack, and Shane. Shane only knew because he would be present when Jack and Lucius would play chess, cultivation, or discuss various topics. Jack had always treated Shane with respect, just as he would Lucius. "Don''t worry about it. I''m not going to tell anyone. I just wanted you to call me Leslie. If Jack''s my Husband, then his friends are my friends." Leslie smiled sweetly to Lucius. She genuinely meant what she said. "Does that include Verruca?" Lucius leaned back in his seat behind his desk. "It would if she wasn''t interested in Jack. Now that''s something I''d like to know. I never knew they had something... How did they keep that to themselves?" Leslie figured if she didn''t know then Lucius wouldn''t, but Lucius did know. This was kept even more a secret than The Holy Witch King''s name! If Leslie didn''t know The Holy Witch King''s name, then how would she find out about Verruca and Jack. Lucius shook his head, in response. "Well... Leslie. The Business Tax Quarter is closely approaching. Warmarshal Michael is requesting funds for a campaign against the Heretic Tribes south of the Kingdom of Borda. If We can take that stretch of land that border us and is in-between Borda and Neolith, We can strange resources to Borda from the lower continent. We can also cut off pilgrims from the Temple of the Three Gods to Dragon''s Jaw." "How much are we talking?" "Warmarshal Michael has requested one point two million Glowstone cubiks" Banged his hand on the desk. This was serious talk. Leslie is the Chief of the Kingdom''s Treasury, this was one of the few issues Leslie and Lucius would argue over until they had reached an accord. Leslie thought for a moment, "How about a counter offer. As we are friends now, I''ll offer you some information and one million cubiks for the Warmarshal''s Campaign? "Oh?" Lucius had picked up this habit from previous Holy Witch King. "Interested?" "If the information is worth two hundred thousand cubiks... Naturally." Lucius clapped his hands together, but the sound produced a clatter of soft clacking bones. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. [Leslie always has juicy gossip.] Lucius was delighted. Leslie leaned forward, "Among the Heretic tribes, Tribe Golak is awaiting a promised seer of Borda. The Temple of the Three Gods is sending that seer, but what if... A bishop of the Faith of Holy Deagoth arrived to... save them from corruption?" Lucius rubbed his skeletal chin a few times. The more he thought of this; the more he liked it. "Done, and done." "Excellent." [This friendship is already with benefits!] Lucius was happy to add more members to the Church. So much so, he overlooked why Leslie would know something like this. All the gossip she provided before was within the kingdom. "Huh?" Leslie paused for a moment, she was receiving a message from one of her subordinates. He brows furrowed, then shock, then regret, and lastly excitement! Lucius saw these emotions play on her face. He knew she was being massaged by how she was acting, but with such rapid expressions, it looked comical. "My Grace flew to Sosuhalf. He landed, contacted the local stand-in Bishop, cleared the area, took over the Elegant Darkness Manor, and was impeded by... Boss Crag!" "What?!" Lucius stood up with both his hands resting on his desk. This was exactly what he feared... A run-in with the Mafia! [Wait... I felt a surge in the Holy Light not too long ago... oh no!] "Did, his Grace, fight Boss Crag?" Leslie smiled again, "Yes. yes, he did. We missed it." Seeing her smile, Lucius knew Jack won. "What did We miss?" Lucius sat back down in his seat. He wondered how the other Mafia Families would take this. "Just the Angel of Death..." Lucius was usually calm, but this... "What?!" at least this time he didn''t stand up. "He called down the Angel of Death to deal with Boss Crag. Everyone outside seen it. [That''s what I felt earlier? The last time the Angel of Death was called down, I felt it much MUCH more strongly, than this time... Why?] Lucius was pondering this point. "If your worried, Jack''s okay. He has... He has my Mother and is bringing her back with him. He will be taking a caravan back to us." "Oh? That''s... That''s good." "He''s also bringing Boss Crag." "Huh? Why is he bringing Boss Crag?" "Now that... I don''t know at the moment." "Oh, Okay... Well... I need to call a meeting with my Council. Leslie, if you need me I''ll be with the Archbishops." "Alright then. I''ll be in the Gold quarter." Leslie took her leave. With Lucius left behind, Shane soon walked to his side. "Could I ask?" Lucius shook his head, "It''s best not to ask. There is more to Leslie than first thought. I''m not sure if his Grace even knows with his memory loss." Shane remained quite, as Lucius spoke a few words, and left as well. Shane started to clean the room, and clear the burnt offerings. ******* In the dark lit clan hall of the Grimnight''s, an emergency meeting was taking place. Third Elder was yelling frantically, "I TOLD YOU OLD BASTARDS! DIDN''T I FUCKING CALL IT!" The second Elder and the Clan Head had one finger in their ear that faced the third Elder. Yes. The third Elder did indeed call it. The Holy Witch King went to pick up Jade Glowminer, mother of Leslie Grimnight. He was wrong on one account though, The Holy Witch King completed this personally. Third Elder was continually beating the stone table in front of him, leaving cracks behind that fanned out into spider web patterns. "DID YOU BASTARDS READ THE REPORTS! HE FLEW TO SOSUHALF! FLEW! IT''S BEYOND OUR BONES NOW! HIS GRACE IS GOING TO BURN OUR BONES AND FEED THEM TO BONE IMPS!" The third Elder was now panting, with black sweat beading up on his face to the point it fell upon the table he was smashing, with ''plop'' ''plop'' ''plop'' sounds. The first Elder sighed, "Are you finally finished?" "Barely! If you ragtag bastards can''t figure out we are boned, then I might as well go jump in the Brimstone Ocean!" third Elder retorted. The Clan head was dazed... In all his years, he had seen third Elder cowardly, he had seen him being soft-spoken, even being righteous, but this was the first time he had ever seen him furious! "It isn''t as bad as it looks, Nicholas Grimnight is now a colder corpse than he was before. I don''t think this will be a problem. We can spin this. What''s Jade Glowminer going to say? Who would believe her over a whole clan?" The Clan head spoke rationally. Third Elder stood up and pointed into the air, as if he was pointing to the skies above Sosuhalf, "So you are just going to disregard the fact that he called down the Angel of Death on Boss Crag! You know the agreement, but he did it anyway! He has already taken their side!" "And who said you can speak here, quote-unquote, Clan head! This whole mess is your fault, to begin with. If We had shut you down so many years ago this wouldn''t even be a problem now, but now! Oh, but now this Ichor Ball is just rolling down the river bank and it''s just picking up more as it''s about to roll over the clan!" He then pointed to first Elder, "And you! If you waited just a few more days to see the situation pan out, this wouldn''t have happened. We would have known that The Holy Witch King got his soon to be Mother-in-Law, and took a step back. Now look where we are. Even a mill worm would have sense enough to know that We are responsible for Nicholas Grimnight''s death, let alone that Boss Crag might be forced to speak!" "And how is he going to make Boss Crag speak? He might have made him surrender, but it''s not like he could control him." the second Elder spoke out. "...Are you an ass?! Remember not even a week ago, We were notified that Jordan Grimnight had his soul extracted from his undead body, toyed with between The Holy Witch King''s fingers, and forced to speak everything he knew! We can''t even contact the fucker in jail! What do you think?" The first Elder was getting incredibly impatient... The third Elder had been ranting for 5 hours straight now, without a sign of slowing down. They had even replaced two broken tables. The first Elder had already finished his third bottle of Sporespring Wine, imported from Stonedge. He was quickly going through his stash to tolerate his fellow Elder, thankfully this was his first outburst. "Then what is your solution? We''ve let you get this all out of your system, so tell us how to fix this." The first Elder finally replied. "We confess... We confess like the criminals We are and beg... And I mean really beg... Dig deep down and beg for Our clan to be saved. We might even have to sacrifice Our very unlives to save the clan!" He then looked to the Clan Head, "...And appoint a new more competent Clan head! One that isn''t going to be jealous of his brother!" Chapter 31: Machiavellian Evaluation "So... You are assured that you can provide details on all the barrack locations in Deagoth? All the Temples, and key Officials?" Spoke the King of Jakahn while gazing at Honored Guest Mark, from across the table. The King of Jakahn and Mark were in an open area, that was well lit with Glowstone. This was the palace of Jakahn''s Grand Hall. Honor guests, Ambassadors, meetings, and negotiations took place in this hall. As one could see lush green grass covered the floor, and ivy grew along the walls. This was a display of power of Jakahn. Green was a color that was in the least abundance in the Underworld. This Grand Hall only served to remind Mark of things he loathed, but his gestures and speech gave nothing away to the contrary. Surrounding the small table in the large hall were numerous other undead. These were aides to the King for various functions of the kingdom. "Yes. In addition, I can provide information on the Cultivation of the Key Officials and the War Marshals, even a little bit about each War Marshal''s preferred style of attack, like the ones to the north you have little contact with." Mark spoke while swirling the liquid in his wine glass. Mark had no idea why they served wine to a Skeletal undead... He felt it an insult but didn''t point it out. "And what are you asking for in return?" The King of Jakahn asked, in a grim voice. "I would say everything, but that would be unreasonable. I will ask for freedom to my merchants to move untaxed in Jakahn, and cultivation resources." Mark put the wine glass down on the table. "No taxes and some resources?" "Yes." The King paused for a moment. One of his aids were messaging him. "It sounds like a simple request, Honor Guest Mark, but what quantities or... Qualities are these resources?" "Quality, of course." After a pause, "Name your resources, and see if We can reach an accord." Without missing a beat Mark replied, "Two large Soul-binding Cap Mushrooms, four Giant Rusty Toad Tongues, six Typhoon Bat Brain preserved in simple Ichor Wine, and lastly, one Lavagrim Geoshark fin." All the aids, including the King of Jakahn, were already cursing after the second item. What were these items! HIGH GRADE! All of them were high-grade items, and the Geoshark fin was ultra high grade! Only one Geoshark fin would be auctioned per thousand years... And the last one sold a hundred years ago! Lavegrim Geosharks were a type of fish-like beast that lived in the lava ocean, specifically the Brimstone Ocean to the left of the ruined continent. Only Jakahn, Deagoth, and Stonedge had access to this Ocean. Dragon''s Jaw could, but with the elevation, they were all their coasts were massive cliffs. They focused more on their Dragon''s boneyard for profit and resources than bother with the ocean. Deagoth was known for the holy bones produced by their bone mills and Glowstone, and Stonedge was the kingdom of Burnt offerings, wines, and mushrooms. A foodie''s paradise for the zombie undead! This left Jakahn to access the ocean, almost, exclusively, but even then, Geosharks were not a beast one could just fish easily. If one already had a Lava boat to sail the ocean, and the crew and years of knowledge to navigate the lava flows and cunning eddies, then the beast itself was a class 4 beast. A class 4 beast was equal to a knight ranked Cultivator, but fighting one in its home like the Brimstone Ocean made it feel more like a class 5 beast... King rank. There was a long period of silence. All the aids and the king were messaging each other back and forth. Finally, the King spoke up, "This will take some time to acquire. We hope you understand. We can''t just produce these kinds of items when We feel like it." "I understand. How about this? For each Item listed, I will divulge another piece of information, and when all the resources are collected, I''ll fill in any blanks. I''ll even aid in any plans you have using this information." "Deal." The King instantly spoke. "Decisive. I like that in a leader." Mark nodded approvingly. "Naturally." "Aids dismissed." The aids were walking out from the hall, only leaving behind one servant. The king looked at the remaining servant. His expression showed he was messaging this hand servant. Quickly, the servant walked out of the hall with purpose. "You liked the last burnt offerings from Dragon''s Jaw?" Asked the King. "Aye, they were pretty good. Though I prefer harder stuff." "Then be in a treat." As the King spoke this, a skeletal lady gracefully walked into the hall holding two censors with burnt offerings. "Ah, Violet come meet our guest." The King called. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Mark observed this lady. He could see why the King called her Violet. Her bones were a lovely color of lavender purple. She wore a beautiful, but simple dress, in royal purple. Only her bright white teeth and her jet black hair that came to her waist stood out to Mark. She was monochromatic purple. Violet carried the offerings and placed one by the King. "This is my daughter, First Princess Violet." The King said with much pride. His first daughter was his favorite child. She wasn''t the most powerful of his children or was she the most cunning, but she was very gentle and filial. "This is Honor Guest Mark." The King gestured to Mark. Violet walked to his side and placed down the censor. She curtsied to Mark while holding out her right hand. Mark reached out and gently held her hand, and brought it to his mouth, pressing his teeth to the back of her Metacarpal on her hand. These were the bones in the middle of the hand connecting the fingers to the wrist. "It is a pleasure to meet such a fine lady. You must be your father''s favorite." Mark spoke softly. While Mark was making a pleasant comment, he was actually right. "You flatter me, Honored Guest Mark." Violet took her hand back, and continue to stand by Mark. The King noticed that she did not return to his side. "These burnt offerings are some of my most exotic. They are from a small tribe of undead that still live within the Kingdom. I granted them a plot of land to live, as long as the offered this to me annually. They call it Dream Dust. It''s a great relaxer." After lighting the censors, a wispy pinkish smoke filled the small area in front of both the King and Mark. A few seconds passed as the smoke drifted to them both; it filled them both with a feeling of drifting in warm waters. "Good stuff!" Mark said after his first drift of smoke. The King of Jakahn laughed loudly, "I enjoy this after every council the ministers drag me too." Laughing again, "even Violet likes it!" "Daddy!" Violet stamped her foot. "It''s true!" The King continued to laugh, while Violet turned her back to both her father and Mark, but she didn''t leave. The King and Mark continued chatting for a while, and eventually even Violet joined back into the conversation. As the hour was getting late, the King finally decided it was time to retire for the day, "Honored Guest Mark, We should get together tomorrow, without all the aids. What do you think?" Mark leaned forward, "Do you know chess?" "What monarch doesn''t?" with another big laugh, "I hope you''re good enough to give me a good fight!" "Of course. Then I''ll see you tomorrow then." Mark rose, and as he walked out, a servant appeared to guide him to his guest chamber. "Well, daughter?" "I like him." "Ah... errr... I mean his character." "He''s a secretive person with an agenda." "Tell me seriously, even my aids could figure that out." The king sighed. "The cultivation resources aren''t for him. It''s someone else." "For the Witch King?" "No." Violet shook her head. "He generally hates Deagoth. I don''t know how he stayed there so long with not one finding out." "Perhaps they did... And just couldn''t use a reason to get rid of him. We both know how the Witch King does things." "In that case, that is even more reason to be cautious of him. You can''t just stay somewhere for over a thousand year doing mischief and getting away with it, without being a Machiavellian. "But you still like him?" "Yes." The King shook his head. ******* Verruca was overlooking the training grounds of the undead-at-arms stationed in Saigunrai, with her arms folded under her massive bosom. Today, she was personally overseeing their training. This had always been Verruca''s way of forgetting her troubles, much to the woe of the soldiers being drilled. "Hey, girl!" Verruca turned to see the approaching female undead, "Hey, Warmarshal Chaoshood." Warmarshal Chaoshood was a tall zombie undead. She would have a gorgeous face if it wasn''t for the scars under both her eyes that appear like black tear stains. They did add a sense of mystery to her. She wore a tight-fitting robe that showed off her womanly curves, with the robe coming just below the waist, showing off her long legs with black high heels. A large white wrap secured her middle, above her hips holding the robe in place. On her neck, hung a small pendant that glittered in the light. If one looked close enough, they would see inside the pendant spun a small dotted whirlpool. If Jack saw this, he would make the comment that it looked like a galaxy in a marble. "Wow! You are in a worse mood than I first thought." she joked, as she stopped beside Verruca and looked out at the drills performed by the undead-at-arms. "Why do you say that." Verruca furrowed her brow. "Whoa, now. None of that pinched brows with me." "I''m... I''m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind." Verruca said apologetically. "But how could you tell?" "Well, one of your arms are folded, and you''re drilling the troops personally. Secondly, you called me by my titled name. How long have we been friends now, and you still called me by my titled name?" "Again, I''m sorry Stephanie... Does that make it better?" "Yes! Much better. Now... What I want to know is what has you in such a foul mood?" Stephanie asked. "Just a lot of things really. The kingdom is in the middle of some..." Verruca was cut off by Stephanie, "When was the Kingdom not in the middle of some impending war or conflict? No, that''s not it. It''s his grace, isn''t it?" "...Yeah..." "Angel of Death?" "Well... He''s fine. He fought Boss Crag of the Crag families." Verruca said as she turned her head back to the troops and yelled, "COME ON YOU MAGGOTS! THAT WAS THE MOST PATHETIC ROUND OF PRACTICE I''VE SEEN IN THE PASS HUNDRED YEARS. ANOTHER THOUSAND SPEAR THRUSTS." A collective groan was issued by the soldiers. "I HEARD THAT! TWO THOUSAND SPEAR THRUSTS, AND IF YOU DON''T GET IT DONE BY LIGHT''S DIM, THEN ITS NIGHT TRAINING FOR EVERYONE! "You know some of them are going to have to visit the bone doctor after this." Stephanie laughed "It''s good for them. If I don''t come around every once in a while, then they start to get soft." "Their Lieutenant general does a good job." "I have him out there, too. Look over to the far west." Verruca chuckled. Stephanie put her hand over her eyes to shield them from the light of the Skull of the Sun God, "Is that also your general?" "Yeah. That''s her." "No wonder the troops call you the Iron Maiden." "Like they know what''s good for them, pfft." "So... Boss Crag. Do we know how the other families are going to respond?" Stephanie asked while returning her eyes back to Verruca. "We don''t. Well, not yet, at any rate." "Julia... Answer me. What else is bothering you." Verruca kept silent as she overlooked the soldiers performing their drills. "His Grace?" "His Grace." "The new consort?" "Fine, damn it. Yes, it''s the consort. Are you happy to drag this out of me!" Stephanie always felt that Verruca had something for The Holy Witch King, but every time she asked Verruca, she would dodge or change the topic. Many rumors were about concerning the love life of the Iron Maiden, but Stephanie was close to her. She knew they were all untrue. "So you do have a thing for him?" Verruca nodded. Chapter 32: Break upon our Bodies Jack found himself riding a convey of carriages from Souigak to Saigunrai, at least Bishop Johnson made them as accommodating to the Witch King he could given the time allotted. A full five carriages were being pulled by a team of four undead horses apiece. These carriages were large and elaborate. These were usually used for the Archbishop. Jack, in fact, wondered, if the Archbishop was already in Saigunrai how they got there if their carriage was left behind. He would ponder this a bit more in the future. He was sitting in the first carriage, Jade in the second, Boss Crag in the third, Jade''s girls in the fourth, and a squad of undead-at-arms in the last. Thankfully the undead knew what suspension was when constructing these ivory bone carriages, as it was a smooth ride. Today the carriages had to pull to the side to let the undead horses eat. These horses were zombie undead, more accurately they were known as Holysteed undead. A type of undead horse summoned and cultivated by the undead of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. They could run at top speed for a full six days, before having to rest on the seventh day, unlike skeletal horses that didn''t have to eat or rest. Most skeletal undead horses could trot for long periods of time but were unable to bear the pressure to their bones for long travel periods. It had been known that a skeletal horse could be reinforced with holy bones, alleviating this issue, but was wildly expensive. It was to this point that only five Warmarshals, the Grandminister, and the Witch King himself that owned one apiece; making a total of seven in the entire Kingdom. Jack sat in his carriage thinking about his future. How to solve the kingdom''s issues? He was waiting to hear about the Boneyard''s sending him representatives. He was now incorporating Boss Crag into some of his plans. While engrossed in his thoughts, he heard a light knock at the back of his carriage. "Yes?" Jack asked while looking at the back of his Carriage, from where he was sitting. He had to give it to his Archbishop. He didn''t know if all the carriages were like this one, but his had an interior appearance of a small office. It had a nice couch, a desk and chair, and two chairs in front of the desk. It really reminded him of his office back in the palace. "Can I come in? Is it a good time, if I do?" Jack heard the voice. It was a soft voice. He had a good memory for voice and knew it was Jade. Jack arranged the messy papers he was working with on the desk and called out to her. "Yes. Please come in." The curtain at the back of the carriage brushed aside for just a moment, and in that moment of gap swept in Jade Glowminer. Today she was wearing a long red summer dress. It contrasted well against her light green skin tone. She took off her shoes by the curtain side. Jade looked around but didn''t move, after. [Ah. Leslie always liked the couch...maybe she''s the same?] Jack thought, "Please have a seat here." As he gestured to the couch. She nodded, as she walked over to the couch and sat at one side, with her legs tucked under her. "So what brings my soon to be Mother-in-Law to visit me?" "Ah. Well... I wanted to ask about her... My Daughter... MMmm... Leslie." "Ah, what of her?" Jack stood a bit straighter in his seat. He wasn''t quite sure how to face his mother-in-law. "How is she doing? What has she been doing? Have you set a wedding date? Do you know...?" In just a few moments, Jade had asked over fourteen questions, including "What does she think of me?" "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Ms. Glowminer. Please, I am only one... Undead. I can''t answer everything at once." "Ah!?" Jade squeaked out. She covered her face with both hands. She was very nervous sitting in front of the supreme pontiff and ruler of the Kingdom. Never in her life did she think she would be sitting in front of The Holy Witch King. Seeing her reaction, Jack softened his voice and decided to change how he called her. "Mother, it''s not that bad." Of course, Jade noticed this change of address. This wasn''t mother-in-law, but mother. Wasn''t this a sudden change, but it made her feel all the better. It had been a very long time since someone had called her that. "Ah, but the wedding hasn''t been held. I''m not your mother yet..." "Formalities. I took Leslie as my consort. In my mind, it''s already done, but I''m not going to deprive Leslie of her special night. I know ladies love these kinds of affairs." Jack was thinking as fast as he could. He wondered if he could make a spell to think faster. [Light speed thinking! That would be sooooo sweet.] Jack was thinking and sidetracked a bit. He was jarred back when Jade replied. "I guess I can''t say no to The Holy Witch King." Jade placed her hands back into her lap. "Ah. Well. You don''t have to call me by Title either, in private you can call me Jack." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Jade stared at Jack vacantly for a few moments. [Is this a type of condition Leslie''s family has?] "OH! Jack... What a fine name, Jack. Jack. Jack. Jack." "eerrrr?" Jack was feeling slightly shy from his name being called so many times. This may be his mother-in-law, but it was the first time a lady had called his name so many times in a row. "I''m sorry. It''s just... I didn''t even know you had a name!" "How is that possible? Everyone has a name, even me." "Yes, even you, but I always thought you were just... I don''t know The Holy Witch King. No one else knows your name... AH! Does Leslie know your name?!" "Well, of course. How could my consort not know my name...?" "Ah, well that makes sense, but why tell me?" "I like to think We can be family. I mean... I will be your son-in-law... If you approve of me." Jack looked down at his desk, at the roughly arranged work papers. "What?! No, no, no... It would be us asking if my daughter is good enough for you!" Jade was horrified. If The Holy Witch King wasn''t good enough for her daughter, then who would be qualified to marry her? The Emperor? "You have a good daughter. She has been by my side for a while now. I have seen her dedication to me." Jack thought back to her bone white hands. He later learned that she had hands like this from washing his linens in Holy water. He remembered his bath... Holy water was not a good time. He continued, "I am just responding to her feelings." Jade nodded, as she stared into the dancing flames in Jack''s eye sockets. A silence drug across the carriage. "Does she... Has she mentioned me?" Jade asked in a whisper. Jack wondered why she whispered this; she had asked this kind of question in her rapid-fire state earlier. He thought for a few moments and then replied. "Leslie wanted her family back together. She asked me to put it back together. This is why I came to get you because she wanted you. In fact, she didn''t care how I did it, as long as I did it." "Ah!? That''s why you fought with Boss Crag?!" "Yes." Jade''s mind was thrown into chaos. The Holy Witch King fought with the Boss of the Crag families just for her daughter, for her daughter''s mother... "But there could have been another way right?" "Like what?" "Couldn''t you of just bought out Boss Crag''s contract?" [WHAT!?] It was now Jack''s turn to have his mind thrown into chaos. That''s right. Boss Crag had a code of ethics. Once he received a job he would do it, but that didn''t mean you couldn''t buy his contracts. Boss Crag liked money... A lot. Jack could have easily bought the contact for Jade and the Manor she worked. Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts. He felt he was truly an idiot, but Jade took this another way. She felt that him shaking his head meant that he had no choice but to fight. "Oh, I see. So you wanted to summon the Angel of Death to let the world know you had awakened and were not to be trifled with. I see. I see." Jade was nodding her head up and down in understanding. [You see what? That I''m a dumbass... sigh... We''ll go with that.] "Right." Spoke Jack, agreeing with his Mother-in-Law. ******* It had been half a month since Warmarshal Frostgard had left Saigunrai to visit the Grimnight Clan of Sosuhalf. She was ill at ease with the information that the Grimnight clan provided at her Grace''s request. Recalling the conversation, the Clan Head Grimnight stated that because of the massive collapse in the Glowstone mines, the clan was still unable to exhume the corpse. They were putting in full efforts to reopen the collapsed section and exhume all of the workers in the accident; as well as, restart mining in that part of the mine. The story was sound, but something in Warmarshal Frostgard'' s gut feeling told her that there was funny business afoot. She couldn''t place her finger on it, but her mother had always told her to listen to those gut feelings. They were there for a reason. After getting permission to assist in the mine clean up to exhume the corpse of Nicholas Grimnight to bring back to Saigunrai under orders from The Holy Witch King himself, her and her Company of Frost Knights made way to the Grimnight''s Glowstone mine, Little Gloom mine. At the outskirts of the mine, Warmarshal Frostgard called a halt to her company. She overlooked the ranks and silently counted. A hundred and sixty-eight Frost Knights atop their undead steeds. Her family summoned and cultivated a rare horse, Icehoof Draft Horses. She was atop her favorite, she named Black Ice. These horses unlike Holysteed undead horses were not known for speed, but for toughness. These were the tanks of the undead horse breeds. Some tomes her family held, recounted stories of these Frost Knight and Icehoof Draft Horses weathering so much damage that when the battle was over, both the rider and the steed looked like blue lave urchins with all the spears sticking out of them. Out of the company, a lone rider came to the side of Warmarshal Frostgard, her General. General Frostgard. "You got that look in your eyes. Something isn''t right here?" Asked. "Observant as always, Gerald." Warmarshal Frostgard coldly replied. Gerald didn''t take this to heart. He knew that in his family, the Frostgards that the Cultivation made them cold in nature, even their personality. He didn''t feel slighted by his cousin at all. "Sara. Tell me what you really think." "The Grimnights are going to fuck us the first chance they get." "You think this is a trap?" "Something like that." "Why? What''s so important about Nicholas Grimnight that his corpse needs to be brought back to his Grace?" "Gerald, it is not for us to question his Grace. We are the shield that protects the kingdom and the bulwark his Grace uses for his enemies to smash their bones upon us." Warmarshal Frostgard gave a rare look to her cousin. Gerald had heard this mantra in his family for years. It would seem that he would continue to hear it. "Sigh... I get that, but I would fight a lot better knowing why I''m doing something. You know besides, ''I told you so.''" Warmarshal Frostgard continued to look at her cousin. [You dare breathe a word of this, and I will smash your body, personally.] Gerald stiffened and felt cold. He was always cold due to cultivating his families'' art, Ymir''s Icegard, but now he might have asked too many questions. He nodded his head to his cousin, Sara Frostgard. No. Warmarshal Frostgard, at this moment. [Nicholas Grimnight is the father of Consort Leslie. This would make Nicholas Grimnight the Father-in-Law of his Grace.] [WHAT?!?] Was the first thought to come to Gerald''s mind? Countess Leslie was a Grimnight. No. Consort Leslie was a Grimnight. The very point that she was a Grimnight was difficult to accept. Grimnight''s always cultivated Unholy arts. An Unholy Cultivator was going to marry a Holy Cultivator in a Holy Kingdom?!?! Warmarshal Frostgard was glad that messages and thoughts in one''s mind, even when whispered or screamed all sounded at the same volume. Otherwise, she was sure to have a massive headache from her cousin''s yelling. [Now you know. We will now walk into this trap.] Messaged the Warmarshal. [Why?] [Because we are the Frostgard. We are the bulwark of his Grace. Even when the trap snaps, we will not break.] General Gerald Frostgard nodded to his cousin Warmarshal. She signaled, and he rode back to his position. They rode down from their hilltop to the base of the mine. For what trap springs, it mattered not to the Frost Knights of the Frostgard. Let them break upon their bodies. Chapter 33: Unstoppable Force Xavier Doomcry was lying in wait for the Frostgard of Deagoth. Being of the Doomcry clan he was of the Deagoth Kingdom, but this was the kingdom overstepping their bounds. He and his family''s personal army were waiting for the Frostgard to walk into their hands. Hands that would crush them. Thinking back to what the Grimnight clan told him, he felt that the Witch King was losing his mind. It had always been that the Glowstone mines were taxed, yes, but anything else found in the mines belonged to the clans. As the local representative of the Doomcry clan, Xav, as he liked to be called, was contacted by Clan Head Grimnight. He spoke of a rare Cultivation resource found in the depths of the mine, after the collapse of a mining vein, a Voidstone gem. According to Clan Head Grimnight, it was the size of an egg. This Voidstone gem was an amazing resource for Unholy cultivators. It could allow low ranking Cultivators to immediately break through to the next rank, or for high-level Cultivators could loosen the bottleneck to breakthrough. One the size of an egg also called a mid-level Voidstone gem, could promote six low-level Cultivators or with enough time produce one King rank Cultivator from Knight Rank... This... This is what Xav Doomcry wanted. The Clan Head of the Grimnights told him that the Holy Witch King found out about the discovery of this mid-level Voidstone gem. He had sent his Warmarshal and a company to capture it. Xav Doomcry was at a loss of what the Holy Witch King was going to do with a Voidstone gem with his Holy Cultivation. The Holy Witch King must have wanted to use the Gem to one of his Warmarshals. Yes, The Holy Kingdom of Deagoth had one Warmarshal that Cultivated an Unholy art. The Faith of Holy Deagoth spoke that all undead are accepted, even those that practiced the darker arts, at least on the surface. Xav had brought with him his entire army his clan stationed in Sosuhalf. Three hundred and thirty-three Ebon Berserkers. His Doomcry clan was known for their Unholy Cultivation, but unlike the Cultivation of the Grimnights that was focused on stealth, assassination, and intel, his clan focused on power and brute force. They cultivated the Call of the Mad Titan. With this Cultivation, each Berserker would yell a battle cry that would send them into a raving mad rage that would last depending on their cultivation level and increasing their physical strength to one rank higher than their own. If the battle cry was heard by another Cultivator of the same art it would increase incite them into a rage furthering their strength. It could be imagined that a group, let alone an entire army of Cultivators of the Mad Titan''s Berserker''s Rage going into a frenzy was a frightening ordeal. All the Ebon Berserker''s would battle cry each compounding the power of the next. The drawbacks of this Cultivation art was that it was very difficult to breakthrough ranks without cultivation resources, and when the cultivator or cultivators were in a blind rage it was very difficult to follow reason, logic, or orders. In fact, ranking up in the Cultivation art did not increase their power by much, but it would allow the Cultivator to be in more control of their rage. Mad Titan''s Berserker''s Rage Disciple ranks would lose full control, not even knowing what they were doing or even who the enemy was to fight. Master Ranks could discern who the enemy was, Grandmasters Ranks could prioritize the enemy if more than one appeared, Knight rank could end their rage early by choice, and had some limited ability to direct lesser Cultivators of the same art, while King rank would gain full control over their art. They could berserker and be in full capacity of their mental state. It wasn''t known if an Emperor rank existed in reality, but the family test spoke of one in myths and that an Emperor rank could double berserk. Increasing their power from Emperor Rank pass the Ancestor rank and stand firmly in the mythical Saint rank. According to history, no King rank Cultivators had ever made it to Emperor Rank. The Doomcry clan was named after the Cultivation art. For when they let loose their battle cry it would doom those that heard it. Xav was very confident that he could wipe the Frostgard off the map. He had with him two hundred and seventy-eight master rank soldiers and fifty-five grandmaster rank solders. Xav was a Knight rank. With his men all berserking they would have the power of hundred and eighty Knight rank cultivators! Using an Unholy art, he and his men were hiding in the shadows of the mining yard surrounding the entrance of the Little Gloom mine. Xav knew it was high treason for the clans to impede the military of Deagoth under orders of the Kingdom. If an issue arose, they were to submit this to their local Archbishop or Bishop to forward to the Archbishop if they were in the capital. At which point it would be brought before the court for judgment, if the Holy Witch King presided, then he would make the decision. Xav didn''t just plan to impede them, he planned to silence them. No evidence; No crime. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. If this was a military move by the Frostgard clan alone, then this would be a clan conflict, but this was a military move by the Kingdom. He watched with greed filled eyes as the Frostgard Company slowly rode down from their hill perch. Once he slaughtered them, he would get rid of all traces, and excavate the collapsed mine shaft. Then the Voidstone gem would be his! ******* Warmarshal Frostgard led her men to the bottom of the valley from her previous hilltop view. Little Gloom Mine was set at the bottom of a valley in-between two large mountains, Glooming Peak and Black Top Mountain respectively. The base of the valley was shaped with a rocky gear like-suggestion, with the mine opening up against the base of Glooming Peak. She brought her men to halt just as they were approaching the middle of the valley. "I know you''re there. Either come out and face us like real warriors, or be flushed out of the shadows and slaughtered like discount pigs. The choice is yours." Warmarshal Frostgard shouted to the seemingly vacant valley. A few moments passed when a shadow trampled and turned into a gooey mass. It expanded and rose, as it finally took the shape of an undead. With a soft pop sound, the form of Xavier Doomcry could be seen. Soon after his form was revealed many popping sounds were heard as his troops reveal itself. Xav wasn''t happy that he was found out by this Warmarshal. Just a few more meters and her whole company would be in the middle of them. Warmarshal Frostgard completed her once over the would-be leader of these revealed miscreants. From their wear, she knew immediately identified them as being form the Doomcry clan. Xavier Doomcry was best described as a lanky geist undead. he wore a brawlers harness. Leather straps crisscross his chest and over his shoulders to crisscross his back, attached to a leather belt. His pants, if you could call them that, were black tatters that were barely able to keep what he might still have intact. His whole troop had a similar appearance. Xavier stood out, however, because of his left ear was made of gold. It was a custom of the Doomcry clan''s warriors to ceremonially cut off one of their ears to be replaced by a replica made of precious metal. These would come in colors of Bronze, Silver, and Gold, as these corresponded to their cultivation level of Master Bronze, Grandmaster Silver, and Gold Knight. As Frostgard looked over the other Doomcry troops she saw many Bronze ears and only a few Silver ears. "It seems that we are only worth one Gold ear?" Frostgard spoke coldly. Calling the warriors of Doomcry by their ear color only was a slur that many clans picked up on. The Doomcry had two sides. Their brutal warriors and their political rats. Being politics, how could the other clans not mud sling an obvious insult. If the Doomcry warriors didn''t take being called by their ear color, it would have never become an insult in the first place. "What did you call me, Frostbitch?" Xav took an aggressive stance, as he stepped forward. "I merely called you by what you look like, or are you telling me you''re not a gold ear?" Frostgard pointed to her left ear. "If this ear was gold, then I''d be called one too... Right?" a rare smile etched across her face. Behind her atop his horse, Gerald Frostgard had been overhearing the talk. He facepalmed. [Oh by his Grace, she thinks she''s being funny.] Taking a deep breath, Xav calmed himself ever so slightly. "You know. I am going to enjoy ripping you apart. Before your body gives up your soul, I am going to bind it to your skull, so I can use it as my chamber pot." He grimly said. Frostgard looked at her Frost Knights on the left, and then on the right. She looked back to Xav, "Why do you have to bind my soul to my skull. You could just use it as a chamber put if you were so lucky." "What?" Xav asked, caught slightly off guard. "I''m saying if, by some stroke of luck, you manage to defeat me. Why do you need my soul to be bound to my skull? Either way of having my soul attached or not doesn''t restrict you from using my skull as your chamber pot... Or anyone''s chamber pot, really." Frostgard went on. There was laughing being issued from her Frost Knights. They were loyal to her, and to the family, but why... Why did their Warmarshal and family military leader have to dissect everything? How could this be the same Warmarshal that would blindly follow orders to the death, but still over analyze an insult? The Frostgard were dry and mostly humorless, but their family scion, Sara Frostgard, Warmarshal of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth was the funniest undead they knew. Only the Frostgard would laugh at this. Thinking of his cousin''s earlier "do or die" conversation, Gerald shook his head as he chuckled. Xav was getting pissed, as he thought they were laughing at him. The Frostgard were all laughing at their Warmarshal, not Xav, but he didn''t know this. "SO WHEN YOU''RE FULL OF MY WASTE, I''LL KNOW WHEN YOU COUGH ON MY SHIT!" Xav shouted his profanity in anger. "If you bound my soul to my skull, I wouldn''t have to breathe, so-" "ENOUGH!" Xav interrupted her. "We both want what''s in the mine. We fight to the death for it." Before Frostgard could ask, Xav roared loudly. His geist body turned from its shade of grey to a sickly red and began to bloat. Many wormy looking muscle fibers were wiggling under the surface of his skin, as he began to bulk up. As Xav issued his battle cry, his warriors also issued their battle cries, each influencing the other. In front of Frostgard, the three hundred and thirty-four Doomcry warriors were entering their Berserker state. She called to her warriors, "CAVALRY CHARGE! ICE BRIDGE!" Chapter 34: Immovable Object The now bulked up Doomcry warriors rushed toward their enemies. Their eyes shined with an unnatural red glow, even the corners of their mouths foamed a bit red, as many of them issued their roaring battle cries. Each Doomcry maintained their own weapons, with many using different weapons, such as maces, axes, and swords. Some carried them in combination, and others only used one large two-handed weapon. Warmarshal Frostgard had already ordered her Frost Knights to charged into the now rampaging Doomcry warriors. The Icehoof Draft Horses were known as the moving fortresses of the undead horse breeds, but they had one additional monstrous ability. They could gain full momentum from a stopped position, in but a few seconds. An Icehoof going at full speed was not a fast horse, but the sheer charging power and knockdown force of a one thousand kilo, or twenty-two hundred pounds, war beast, and rider could break lesser armies. All the Frost Knights, beast and rider, collectively leaped forward, in unison. They moved like a flock of birds or a school of fish, as one body. The disciple of the Frostgard was evident his their moments honed to perfection. The Icehoof came down in sync, landing on their front right cannon bone. Icehoof Draft Horses bones were dense and tough for the full weight of the beast and rider to be maintained on the canon bone. Each rider was equipped with a massive shield tower, and a short sword. These weapons were crafted by the Metalheart Clan of Saigunrai. Master artificers of Deagoth. This sword and shield combination was tempered from the rare metal found only in the icy flow rivers that snaked across the ruined continent, Shiver Iron. A metal with freezing properties, a most suitable match to the Frostgard. As the charge gained its full momentum, a With Warmarshal Frostgard at the front, her two Generals to her left and right flank, and her formation complete, the now Arrow shaped formation plowed into the Doomcry troops. Many of the Doomcry warriors were instantly destroyed by this impacted, the remaining warriors did not even hesitate, as they began attacking the Frost Knights on horseback they were mobbing them in a raging frenzy. Several Frost Knights were pulled from the back of their horses and continued their fight on foot. As the Warmarshal broke through the ranks of her enemies, her and her remaining Frost Knights rode out of the conflict gaining speed again. With the formation reforming into its arrowhead. The outer riders closed the gaps left by their brother''s being pulled down. They plowed into the Doomcry warriors, again. More Doomcry fell to this assault, but unlike last time, they had mobbed up to catch up to the Frostgard, thus they have not broken apart as they were last assault. Unholy howls rang out, with the clashing of sounds of metal scraping against shields, and the dull sound of blows to flesh and bone made for a symphony of destruction that only served to empower the Doomcry''s Ebon Berserkers. Warmarshal Frostgard was busy bashing and slashing many Doomcry warriors that confronted her, now that her Frost Knights on Horseback had been bogged down in the quagmire of battle. Each time she had dealt a large blow to a berserker, they would quickly get back up and charge over again, totally disregarding the damage they took. As she was fending off three silver ear berserkers, a heavy blow slammed into her back. Powerful enough, that it ejected her from her steed. She landed with a thud and rolled, as she rolled she tucked her self and used her shield to spring from the ground. Warmarshal Frostgard landed on her feet and looked to her steed, Black Ice. Her steed, like the others, was continually fighting, as it kicked, reared, and trampled the surrounding berserkers. In front of her a flash of red followed by another heavy blow to her shield, she was able to raise her shield in time to withstand the impact. "I am... Going to... Enjoy you..." Xav was running at full speed toward the downed Warmarshal. Something flashed in Frostgard''s eyes... [A talking gold ear... This is bad.] Warmarshal Frostgard sheathed her sword, and called out "Xiresawield." At the end of her spell, icy air swirled around her right hand and arm. They congealed into existence a new shield, a mirror image of the large tower shield she wielded on her left hand. She was trained in her family''s famous duel shield techniques. As the last second when the ice shield hardened, another blow struck down upon the Warmarshal. For a brief moment, a groan was issued. "No you don''t..." taking her double shield''s she went on the attack. With the left shield, she bashed the relentless Xav sending him sliding through the rocking ground back a few meters. Frostgard started forward chasing behind him. Xav took his large two-handed mace and swung it in front of himself, in an attempt to sweep the warmarshal. Frostgard ducked lower, turned and fell on to her ice shield on her right. Using it as a surfboard she slid under Xav''s attack. With a thrust of her right arm, she slammed into Xav sending him again flying. ******* Gerald was having a time, as well. He had been fighting five berserkers at once. Granted these were two silver ears and three bronze, but every time he knocked them down or away. They would pop right back up, and chargeback at him with no regard to the wound he inflicted. At one point he had severed both arms of one of the silver ears, but the silver ear rolled back up and roared at him. These weren''t warriors! In Gerald''s opinion, these were beasts, unreasonable beasts. This was his first time fighting the Doomcry. His cousin, the Warmarshal, had fought them a few times before, but that was, in fact, before he was promoted to her general. Her last general retired, an old war vet named, General Cold Hard Bettie. Why she never became the Warmarshal was unknown. She was the instructor for all the Frostgard for a long time, even now in retirement, she still made time to come out to teach new recruited Frostgard. When she retired, Gerald had ground hard through the rings and tests to make his position. He had just become General a hundred years ago. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Stupid beasts!" He shieldbashed the armless silver ear away and cut the head off of a bronze ear in front of him. He was getting real tired of this, real fast. Normal enemies would have been wore down by now. These Doomcry didn''t know the meaning of tiredness, even undead would grow weak with fatigue after spending all their stored energy! As he fought, he saw one of his Frost Knight get toppled over. One of the weakness'' the Frostgard had was falling to the ground. They wielded plated armor and massive shields, so they were not easily up-righted. Not everyone could be like Warmarshal Frostgard, who was considered a genius. With the Frost Knight down, Gerald, again bashed his foes to the side and ran headlong into the fray where his fellow was brought low. "Xiresahon" As he uttered his spell, an arctic blast of air smashed into the Frenzied Doomcry, that was circling the downed Knight, like vultures. He kneeled and slide next to the Knight, "Sister, are you okay?" "No, one of the bastards took my right leg!" The Knight spoke in grunts of pain, as both Gerald and the Knight fended off the Doomcry attacks. "No... Problems... The Bone docs can have that fixed up when We get back. I''m going to give you a temporary one, It''s going to be a bit stiff... Ahhh!" Again he bashed, a legless Doomcry in the face with the butt of his sword, caving in his skull. "Just get me back to my feet so I can continue!" "Xirelehizeyade" It was a long spell, but the air chilled, and swirled. It moved to the down Knight''s leg, as it slowly started to freeze at the stump of the knight, just below the knee. A large Icicle formed and took shape as it grew longer, it started to thicken. As the pair finally bashed another two silver ears away, the leg and foot were now made of solid ice, producing a frost prosthetic. Gerald stood up, and took the hand of the Knight, and righting her up. "COME AT US!" Gerald roared. "AHHH!" The Knight shouted in response, as another wave of Doomcry crashed in. ******* "Frost... Bitch..." Xav spat out a mouth of black blood. He rolled backward and back on to his feet. He jumped high into the arm, intending to drop the hammer on his enemy, the Warmarshal. Frostgard paused, waited, and took her stance. At the last moment when the hammer would cave her head in, she stroke. Lowering her head, and slamming both her shields into Xav''s body. He dropped his hammer, as the crashing force of the jagged ice points on the spear produced many wounds upon his body. Frostgard backed up a moment, as Xav staggered back a few paces, his wounds oozing black blood, that plopped to the ground. "Voidstone... MINE!" Xav pulled a pair of axes from his back''s brawler''s harness, and proceeded to his attack, renewed, as if his wounds were no concern. Doomcry warriors were prone to losing their weapons in combat, as they traded their skills for power. "Voidstone?" Warmarshal Frostgard made a rare frown. she had been wondering this entire time, why did the Doomcry want Nicholas Grimnight''s body? At first, she thought they wanted it to bargain for more benefits, in the court, but after she seen that the Doomcry warriors went berserk, they intended to kill everyone. The kingdom would never let them off if that was the case. So why? But hearing Voidstone... This was the trap! She fended off the mad Xav. This time, when he came in to attack, she unleashed a well-known spell of the Frostgard. "Zihoxire!" A large ice wall formed in front of the Warmarshal, and with her double shields slammed into it. The ice wall was propelled into Xav''s charge. Moving to fast, and not in full control of his facilities, the ice wall crashed into him. This again, sent him flipping through the air, to land harshly over a dozen meters away. Xav was looking a lot worse for wear, as his prior wounds were now free flowing with black blood. He spat on the ground another clot of black blood, as he smiled. It had been a while since he had a good fight, and he was ready for more. Frostgard had other ideas. Relinquishing her ice shield, she redrew her sword and thrust it into the air. "ALL FROST KNIGHTS! CONVERGE AT MY POINT!" Warmarshal Frostgard shouted in a booming voice that rolled over the sickly sweet sounds of battle. All the Frost Knights that were pulled down earlier were currently fighting off three to four berserkers a piece. As they heard her shout, each of them employed their families signature technique, "Ice Cold Bash." A mighty swirl of fridge ice condensed on top each shield and with a powerful swing, the power swept their foes in front of them to the side. This cleared a path to the Warmarshal, as they continued to shield bash all enemies in their way. Finally making their ways through the crowds of Doomcry, which now had been thinned by a quarter, they took their positions around the Warmarshal. "GIVE THEM THE FINGER!" The Warmarshal roared to the surrounding Frostgards, as she knelt down to begin her ritual. A ritual was different from a spell, as it required reagents, an accompanying incantation, and the spell to be finished. The Reagents would be produced, the verses or words spoken, then the spell itself would be said. This would produce the desired effect. Rituals were only used by Cultivators that were too weak to actually cast the spell. With the drawback, that a ritual can only be cast by one who was one rank below the spell''s rank. A Disciple rank Cultivator could cast a Master rank spell if done by a ritual. A Master rank could cast a Grand Master spell, Knight rank could cast a King spell, so forth and so on. It was unknown why The Holy Witch King did not perform a ritual for his Angel of Death. Some theorized that because it was actually an Ancestor rank spell, that it couldn''t be used in a ritual, while others believed that The Holy Witch King made the spell at the last moment before the Battle of Angel''s Decent, and thus didn''t have a ritual in place to use it. "You heard the Warmarshal, PHALANX ICE BONE PRISON!" All the Frost Knights grouped up, in a circle surrounding the Warmarshal. Shields up, swords to the side. When the Doomcry came in, they pushed forward with their shields and thrust their swords into them, as they retracted their shields. A few moments of this maneuver, bought the Warmarshal the time to complete her ritual, as she began to speak softly, until the end she began to shout, "The land is your back, the oceans and lakes your blood, the sky, your sky, the wind your breath. SO LET FORTH YOUR ICY BREATH, YMIR!!! XIREYMIRNOVA!!!!" Above the battlefield a giant''s face appeared for a moment, blue in color with piercing red eyes, it looked down upon this spit of land with malice. Its forehead was adorned with two horns, with one broken off, and a large icy beard. It pursed its lips and blew down upon the group of Frostgard. A howling winded erupted and flowed out from the Frostgard. They all stood steadfast, as the temperatures plummeted. The Doomcry that continued their attacks were flash frozen in place. A few Doomcry that had jumped into the air to pile into the phalanx froze in mid-air, soon became comets that smashed into pieces upon impact with the ground. Xav was frozen in place during his charge from outside the battle to get back to his target. Now with only eyes watching, the red lights of all the Doomcry warrior''s began to fade. Warmarshal Frostgard stood up and looked to the direction of the Doomcry leader, Xav. "Now, We can talk..." Chapter 35: Her Lady Approaches "Assess injuries, check casualties, and secure the area!" Warmarshal Frostgard''s voice echoed in the frozen wasteland that had now become the area surrounding the mine; she then made her way toward Xav. The icy wasteland appeared to be a winter garden of ice statues, clearly the frozen Doomcry warriors, it was unknown if they still had their unlife. Gerald started to help his brothers and sisters tend to the wounded, as his fellow general started securing the area, without speaking. The Frostgard were well-trained soldiers, unlike the barbarians of the Doomcry. Among all the clans, only the Frostgard Clan and the Verruca Clan were military families. The remaining clans had private forces and members in the military but were not strictly military families like these two clans, were receiving military training from the time they could speak and hold a weapon. The warmarshal stopped in front of the leading Doomcry warrior. She took out a hand knife from her side and with a few quick swipes, cleared the ice from the mouth of Xav, "What''s your name, gold ear?" Xav tried with all his might to break his frigid bonds but to no avail. "I''m not a damn gold ear, my name is Xavier Doomcry, Commander of the Doomcry Zerkers of Sosuhalf, and I demand to be released!" "Oh, really?" Warmarshal Frostgard tilted her head slightly and scratched her head... "Considering that you conspired to obstruct the Official Business of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, and have attacked an army under the command of a Warmarshal, I don''t have any reason to release you. That''s regardless of who you are; furthermore, you should have talked this out with us, to begin with, instead of attacking us." "Frost bitch, this is because you insulted me." Xav snapped before a sharp pain met his face. "SMACK!" Warmarshal Frostgard slapped him in the face, knocking some ice from his head, and fracturing some ice along Xav''s neck. "It''s only an insult if you take it as an insult. You know that even your clan classifies you Doomcry by your ear colors, so don''t play that double standard with me. Now, calling me a quote-unquote frost bitch... Now that''s just asking to be a casualty in this wonderful winter wonderland." The Warmarshal looked down on the frozen Xav. He stared hatefully back, but choose not to say anything. "I''m glad; you now know your position, at this moment. Now answer me... What Voidstone is yours?" "Huh?" Xav''s hateful face was awash with confusion. "You screamed it while attacking me... I assume that''s something in the mine you want... I don''t have any use for Voidstones. What I want is the corpse of one of the Grimnights that died in the mine collapse." "Why do you want a Grimnight corpse?" Still confused, Xav asked tentatively. "The Holy Witch King, himself, ordered for me to get this corpse. It''s his business. You can ask him about it." The Warmarshal''s face smiled in a beautiful way, with thoughts of Schadenfreude. Xav''s face would have paled, if not already three shades lighter due to the biting cold. "Now Xav, I have a proposition for you. I can either kill you and everyone here that obstructed our mission, or you and your men can help me excavate the mine shaft, get your dirty rocks, and come with me to Deagoth to await your punishment by His Grace." Xav was afraid of The Holy Witch King. His clan would always use The Holy Witch King as King Yama, the judge of the dead, in stories to scare young Doomcry into behaving, ever since the incident at Angel''s Decent. Let alone he witnessed the descent of the angel half a month ago. This whole deal turned out very different than he expected. He was going to kill all the Frostgard, and reap the Voidstone. Then he would seclude himself until he broke through to the King rank, and enjoy all the rewards of being a powerhouse. He might even want to knock over a kingdom to rule, like Stonedge... But now... He not only had to help dig up a bunch of cadavers, but the Voidstone he wanted was also going to be turned over to his family. That was if he wasn''t confiscated as evidence by the kingdom. The moment he was given the two choices, Xav knew he was screwed. His two options were to die now or to be judged by The Holy Witch King. If it was before what had become known as the Trail of Jordan, he wouldn''t worry so bad. Even with the scary stories of the Doomcry, once they became adults they knew the Holy Witch King was a tolerant ruler, but in the Trail of Jordan he ripped his soul out of his body and played with it like a toy. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Xav shuddered at his thoughts, and immanently yelled, "We''ll Help! We''ll Help!" Maybe he could live with The Holy Witch King''s judgment... He would die here. A chance was better than none. "Good. I will soon thaw you miscreants, but I''m placing an Explosive Ice formation on your skull. If you so much as cough wrong... Pow." Warmarshal Frostgard looked down at Xav and shrugged her shoulders. "I hope you know what that means, right?" Xav was pissed to be controlled like this, but he would do the same. Didn''t make him any less pissed, but he still understood. "Yeah, I know. I know." ******* Consort Leslie, Grand Minister Lucius and Warmarshal Verruca were standing in a large elaborate platform in the front of the Holy Palace of The Holy Witch King. They had got news that the ambassador''s escort had finally made it to Saigunrai. The trio had worked hard for this arrangement, as Leslie set about rolling out the red carpet, so to speak. She had decorated for the occasion, in undead faction. Lucius had set about organizing the Officials and Church members for the reception, and lastly, Verruca had ensured an iron defense, with a look of guard for receiving the ambassadors. These guards were exclusively from her clan. Her personal company, while Warmarshal Frostgard called her personal company simply The Frostgard, Warmarshal Verruca called hers the War Breakers. The War Breakers were much like their Warmarshal of the same Family. Huge, tough, armor-clad juggernauts, named for their ability to break the lines in battle. They stood like silent statues in their towering armor lined up from the city gates that would receive the ambassadors until the reception. The Trio stood on the platform waiting for the ambassador''s convoy. "What do you think Neolith really wants?" Lucius asked the other two in a hushed tone. "I''m not sure. I know they have just finished a civil war, with the branch family winning and assuming sovereignty over the tomb." Leslie spoke while gazing into the distance. "Perhaps it is like what his Grace has said previously, they are looking for allies. If a civil war happened, then they are weakened." "Even if Jakahn wants to eat them up, because Dragon''s jaw wants to end Jakahn, wouldn''t that weaken Jakahn enough to give Dragon''s Jaw time to attack them, as well?" Lucius added. "As complicated as that sounds, it makes sense to me. I would think that Jakahn would bury in like a tick to defend. The terrain favors defense between Dragon''s Jaw and Jakahn." Leslie commented. Verruca looked over to Leslie. In the past, Verruca had a few dealings with this mysterious Countess, but the more she interacted with her, the more mysterious she became. How did she know some of these things, and feign innocence? Verruca wondered what sweet lies she fed Jack to make her his consort. she decided to probe. "...Consort... Leslie, How do you know that Neolith had a civil war?" "Oh, it''s gossip! You wouldn''t believe the kinds of gossip you can hear among my handmaidens." Verruca raised her brows. If Leslie''s handmaidens could gossip about international geopolitical turmoil and affairs casually, then they weren''t simple handmaidens. She decided to probe later, so as not to put Leslie on guard. She knew that many of her political foes mysteriously disappeared. So she had some power, while Verruca thought it wouldn''t be enough to challenge her military might, she also didn''t want to kick a hornet''s nest, either. Just as Lucius was going to ask another question, they heard the trumpets at the edge of the city that could only mean the arrival of the caravan. ******* "This is Saigunrai, the pearl of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. The seat of his Holy Grace, and the birth of the Holy Deagoth faith." Looking outside the window of her carriage, Lady Emily listened to Warmarshal Ken introduction, as they approached the city. She saw the city guards and didn''t feel much, but she says some very impressive guards lining the road into the city. "Warmarshal Ken, who are these guards? They don''t seem to be like the other city guards." "Oh, these are Warmarshal Verruca''s troops, the War Breakers." "I see." Emily mused to herself, [These are supposed to be the most powerful of the armies of Deagoth. They do look like metal mountains... I wonder how they stack up to our Spider Bone Legion?" The carriages rolled along the cobblestone road further into the city. This was the first time that Emily had seen a foreign city. She had lived her entire life in the Grand Tomb of Neolith. The Grand Tomb was just that... A grand tomb. The entire city and all outlining cities of Neolith were built underground. They grew and cultured a special type of moss, the Neolites of Neolith called Glowmoss. Neolith was by all accounts a poor nation, by the standards of the surrounding nations and kingdoms. They used Glowmoss to lit the entire underground cities. There was not a patch of the ceiling in any of the Neolith cities that didn''t have Glowmoss growing there. This Glowmoss was nurtured and cultivated overages along with a species of spiders. These spiders would tend to Glowmoss like farmers. They would feed the Glowmoss with captured prey, and the Glowmoss would, in turn, produce light, and a sugary liquid. This sugary liquid is eaten by the spiders and the leftovers are collected by the zombie undead Neolites. They would use this to make sweet goods, and various kinds of milk, the most famous of which is called Sweet Spider Milk. [There is so much light here!] Emily marveled at the light provided by the Skull of the Sun God. Light in the underworld was a symbol of power and wealth. This was one of the reasons that the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth incited such as greed and envy among the other countries of the Ruined Continent. Emily and her party were making their way to the Holy Palace; however, there was one person that was desperately trying to send a message to her Lady. Undeath Official Holly of the Achnida Clan was in a precarious position. She had vital information that her Lady needed to know to complete her mission here in the Capital, but every person she tried to contact was either refusing to answer her mental messages or were not apart of her Lady''s delegation that embarked upon the ambassador''s visit. Undeath Official Holly made her way to the receiving party near the Holy Palace to stand with the other Officials. [I can only pray to the spider goddess, that she doesn''t say anything out of the way to Consort Leslie...] Chapter 36: Awkward Arrival With the help of her guards, Emily stepped off from her carriage and viewed the crowds lined on both sides of the carpet that led to the reception. She then cast her gaze upon the three standing at the reception post. She made out the form of Warmarshal Verruca based on her prior knowledge, but she wasn''t sure on the other two undead. She knew The Holy Witch King was a skeleton undead, and was very impressive looking, but this undead looked to be more clergy than ruler... She walked toward these leading undead with purpose, flanked by her attendants, Servants Janet and Chrisy and to the side Warmarshal Ken. The Officials that made the crowd cheered for the ambassadors. Having more allies than enemies would surely be better than having more enemies, but having an enemy become an ally would be the best, so they cheered harder. Emily waved politely to the crowds as she made her way to the reception. Arriving, Warmarshal Ken bowed to the three leaders, "Warmarshal Ken reporting. I have escorted Ambassador Emily until her destination without issues. I will now follow the request granted by his Grace, and go on leave." With that Warmarshal Ken stood up, winked at Warmarshal Verruca, turned and left. "....." Warmarshal Verruca had no comment on Ken''s actions Looking down at the short skeleton called Emily, both Verruca and Lucius had the same thought, [[Why did they send a child as an ambassador???]] Emily performed a formal bow to the trio, "I am Ambassador Emily of the Grand Tomb of Neolith here to request an audience with The Holy Witch King." She stated her name and purpose, as she wasn''t sure who she was meeting. Even if they weren''t The Holy Witch King, she didn''t want to offend his aides. After Emily spoke, this caught Lucius and Verruca off guard... This childlike undead was... an adult undead!? They both wondered why she did not complete her ritual of age. Was there a reason she was forced to stay in her childhood body, or did she prefer it...? Leslie without any pause walked forward and bowed to the skeleton loli. "I am Consort Leslie of his Grace, The Holy Witch King. We apologize that my Grace is currently making his way back to us from an emergency trip he took to one of our great cities." Leslie said with a sweet smile. The biggest advantage that skeletal undead had in social settings were their pure bone faces that gave away no expression, else Emily''s expression would be a mix of shock, fury, and a hint of sadness at the lowest depths of her soul. [CONSORT! WHEN DID THE WITCH KING GET A CONSORT!!!! AHHHH! That''s not how this is supposed to be! The prophecy and Uncle Spider said that I''M GOING TO BE THE CONSORT!] Emily stood silently looking at Leslie, no one could feel anything from her, and so Lucius stepped forward. "I am Grand Minister Lucius, head of our Faith of Deagoth. We welcome you and your party to Deagoth in open arms, in the stead of his Grace, The Holy Witch King." Emily looked over and nodded her head at Lucius, while Lucius made a mental note that he was disregarded by this tiny ambassador. Lastly, Warmarshal Verruca loomed high above Emily, and bowed to her politely, as Leslie had, "I am Warmarshal Verruca of our Holy Kingdom of Deagoth; commander of the War Breakers. I will safeguard your visit, while you stay in our holy kingdom." Emily, too, nodded to Verruca, while the latter had no opinion about her action. Emily was still processing the fact that The Holy Witch King had a consort, it had only been about a month and a half of travel... How did he pick up a consort so quickly... Why had he... Emily knew from her tutors that the Witch King had been single all his unlife. Watching Emily stand dully while nodding to the Lucius and Verruca, a brief light flashed in Leslie''s eyes. Leslie extended her hand out to Emily, "Come Ambassador Emily. Let us go into the palace to set up some burnt offerings and talk. We can get to know each other, while my handmaidens prepare your rooms." Emily hesitated, but she wanted to know this consort, as well. She extended her small thin hand and took Leslie''s as they walked up the steps and into the palace. Cheering ensued after they began their journey into the palace. Verruca furrowed her brows slightly, making a stern expression on her pretty face. Lucius had sent a mental message to Verruca while they both watched the two disappear into the palace. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. [Does Consort Leslie already know Ambassador Emily?] [I don''t believe so... I have a strange feeling about Emily.] Verruca replied with some hesitation. [Like scheming feeling, or that this Emily is a strange undead?] [Scheming, but not for nefarious purposes. More like I think she was shocked that his Grace has a consort.] Lucius felt this was an odd assessment, [What makes you feel like that?] [Call it a woman''s intuition.] Lucius didn''t continue but decided to walk into the palace, as well. He had a meeting soon with Warmarshal Michael. Lucius had just today received the one million Glowstone cubiks; he had also decided to send Archbishop Edward to spread the faith of Deagoth among the Heretic Tribes. Seeing Lucius off, Verruca stared at the palace. She felt that it was a good day to drill the soldiers at the barracks, and so she soon departed. With mental messages from both Leslie and Lucius, the Officials soon went back to their work or homes, and a crew of undead workers began the clean up for the reception. ******* [This has got to be the longest trip I have ever taken in my whole life... unlife... Whatever it is now... sigh] Jack was sitting at his desk in the Carriage made for the Archbishop of Sosuhalf, just as before. He had been traveling for half a month. In his last life, he could be anywhere in the world in less than a day by plane... Not that he ever traveled in his last life, just that it was a thing. Jack had already finished a new spell that was going to solve Leslie''s parent issues, and he thought up some plans for the kingdom. During this trip, he had a lot of time to think and come to terms with being the ruler of an undead kingdom. He still wasn''t sure if he was, in fact, The Holy Witch King that lost his memories, or a guy that reincarnated and transmigrated to this world. Either way, it didn''t help him currently thinking about it, so he tossed the idea to the side. Jack thought this solved it, but it was really just putting it off. He had also thought about how close he came to getting crushed by Boss Crag. His Angel of Death spell was actually a hologram he had made. The entire light construct was just for show with the exception of the very tip of the scythe. Even then, this spell still took up the remainder of Jack''s power that day, as he had to get the light construct the presence of an entity. That pressure that made everyone tremble at its might was akin to a small dog with a loud bark. When Jack was a kid being bullied, it was his mother that told him that a bluff goes a long way. In the same way, that the gopher snake pretends to be a rattlesnake, one can bluff his way out of being bullied or prey in the case of the gopher snake. Jack always took his mother''s lessons to heart. While in transit, he had frequent discussions with Jade, Leslie''s mother, and had become very close to her. He found that she had a strange sense of humor and was slightly obsessive about some things, but she was very gentle and caring. She reminded him of Leslie a great deal, even some habits were the same. He also spoke with Boss Crag a few times, but other than just passing the time, no serious business had been discussed. This was mainly due to Jack putting it off. He did, however, get good intel of the mafia families that made up not only his kingdom but the surrounding kingdoms. It was almost like the land contained two sets of kingdoms or nations. The first set were the ones control by governments, and the second controlled by mafia families or organizations. Interesting to Jack was that the territories controlled by the mafias were different in size and shape, and weren''t bound by the kingdom or national borders. For example, the Crag Family controlled the east side of Deagoth with a small portion that extended into Stonedge. As such, He had been making plans to incorporate Boss Crag and his family into his, and today he had finished. His servants had also informed him that he would arrive in the Holy city of Saigunrai in a week. [I think it''s time to talk to Crag.] Jack called to one of the guards that came to escort him to the capital, "Templar Brent." Brent walked into the spacious office room of the carriage. "Yes, your Grace." "Inform Boss Crag that I would like to speak with him about some business." "Your will be done, Your Grace." The guard turned and walked out to call Boss Crag over. Jack arranged his papers on his desk and went over how he was going to speak to Boss Crag. He had already formed a speech in his head with a few possibilities of what Boss Crag might say. A few minutes later, Boss Crag walked into the office, as he made his way to one of the chairs in front of Jack''s desk he spoke, "So Witch King, Ya want to talk about business? I''ve still been wondering about what you want me to do in Saigunrai." "You see Boss Crag. I''ve already told you I am the Boss of Bosses. With that being said, I''ve grown tired of people playing in my backyard and not getting any returns." "What? Are you going to start ya own crime family? That don''t make no sense, being the supreme pontiff of that faith you running." Boss Crag snorted a laugh, thinking it would be funny for a pope to run a crime ring. "No. I''m not going to run a crime family, and neither are you." "Come again..." Jack had Boss Crag''s attention now. Crag didn''t want to make his family give up their lifestyle. after all, Crag was a fifth-generation crime boss. Seeing the confused and slightly agitated look on Crag''s face, Jack began, "I am going to incorporate you and your family into my kingdom''s government and make you an Official of Unlife to represent the interests of your family. You will not be mafia." "If We, not a crime family... Not mafioso... Then what you want us to do." Boss Crag felt pressured. He played the game like he was supposed to, as he did his business and didn''t mess with the Kingdom unless he knew he could get away with it. He wanted to get paid, but this didn''t sound like getting paid... This sounded like charity. Boss Crag wasn''t a charity worker, but facing the awe-inspiring power he witnessed The Holy Witch King display in Sosuhalf made it hard to disagree with what he wanted. Boss Crag remembered something his father told him, when he passed. ''Whoever has the biggest fist rules. Remember that always.'' So Boss Crag remembered those words and worked hard to cultivate until he, like his father before, became a King rank Cultivator. The flaming eyes of Jack''s flared as he spoke his next line, "I want you and yours to do the same things you are doing right now, but with my endorsement for returns. Call this a takeover, and re-brand." Chapter 37: The Same but Different "What''s a re-brand?" Boss Crag had asked this question, as he knew what a takeover was, this was something even he had done in the pass, but a re-brand was new to him. Jack stood up and walked to the other side of his desk to stand as he looked out of the window of his carriage, his back to Boss Crag with his hands folded behind him, as he began to monologue. "You see Crag..." Jack didn''t use his title, and Crag did not correct him. In the current situation, Jack was more powerful than Crag, so Crag thought, and allowed him to call him by name. "What are the difference between a mafia family, a government, and a large trade company?" Jack let this question linger in the air for a while, as Crag fell into contemplation. After a few minutes, Crag spoke, "I don''t know the difference between them, but I know they all do business. Does that count?" The flames in Jack''s eyes jumped slightly, "Yes! That does indeed count. You''re exactly right, each of these organizations conducts business, but only the Mafia and the trading companies can commit crimes, the government doesn''t." "Well yes, because the kingdoms and nations make the laws, so they don''t break their own laws." Crag made his comment while looking at the back of the Witch King. "Let me enlighten you." "Is that a joke?" Crag asked as The Holy Witch King was after all a practitioner of the Holy Light. "Yes and no." Crag chuckled a bit. He found it funny but didn''t want to laugh at the Witch King if it wasn''t a joke. He had tried to rest on this trip, but every time he cleared his mind to sleep, he would get flashbacks of the angel of death. This terrorized him, and made him more fearful of the Witch King, more so than the day he had actually dueled him. "Kingdoms, Nations, Governments... They all break the law, their own laws, but being a sovereign power who within them can say they are breaking the law. A kingdom can assign a special mission as important to the state and assassinate a potential threat... Even in the same kingdom. We all know killing a fellow undead is illegal, but that''s not true. It''s more technically correct to say ''unauthorized'' killing is illegal. In short, if the government says to do it, it''s not illegal." Crag has been thinking this whole time, and when Jack spoke he came to a conclusion, "So a Government can''t do wrong?" "Oh, they can, but who''s to stop them, most of the time a Government keeps their missions secret as not to lose the trust or morale of their people. So this brings us back to re-branding." "I know what branding means. So you mean to say, you going to bring my family into your government to legalize our crime." "I like the fact you catch on." "But why?" "What''s the bottom line of everything in this world? The one thing that everyone depends on?" "...Money." "Close... Power. Power is the bottom line. Money can be power, but power isn''t necessarily just money. Our cultivation is power, our troops are power, our food is power, and our money is power." "So you want more power, but I don''t understand. You''re The Holy Witch King. The, like, pope of ya faith. Everyone looks up to you and worships you almost to the power of a god. You control the richest kingdom in these lands, and your cultivation is at the Emperor level... What more do you want?" Crag asked. He felt that The Witch King had everything he didn''t, so why did he want more power. "Crag... Do you read a lot in your spare time?" "You mean like book books, or like accounting books." Boss Crag would work on his own accounting books. He was paranoid of others working on them, lest he finds later that they would skim the top and doctor the books losing money. "... Book books... As you have put it. History books, novels, and writings... Some even alien to our world." [Alien to our world? What kinda book is he on about...?] Crag was pondering. "You see... Without power, enough power, someone will come along and crush you. You can see this for yourself. If I didn''t have enough power, you wouldn''t be sitting in my office now. Correct?" "Ahh, yeah. That''s right." Crag nodded. "There is more to this world, and without going into massive details. I need power to rule, and power to protect what''s mine from others. Even the surrounding nations can invade us, and take what I have..." Jack turned to look at Crag, as Crag lifted his head to look at Jack. Crag''s eyes met the dancing flames of the hollow eyes of the Witch King. Stolen novel; please report. "The one thing I dislike the most Crag... Is being powerless and I find that I lack power. Only by always working, always expanding, and always learning can I hope to achieve my goals. Do you understand, Crag?" A moment of silent lapsed as Crag watched those haunting flames in the sockets of Jack, as he finally spoke, "I get it. I thought things would be different for you being the Witch King, but you''re in the same boat as me." Jack turned and walked back to his desk to take his seat, "Your right. We do have the same plight, but you miss a key detail Crag, that sets Us apart." Crag had followed Jack with his eyes to his desk, to now look at his flaming eyes as the burned slightly brighter. "...Me and my power are on a different level than you. Same problems; different level. That is why I am the Boss of Bosses. If you could do what I could do, then this would be a different conversation, but since you can''t, at this moment, then it is this conversation. Remember Crag, I will not treat you wrong, or your family. Whatever you have done before I have taken over, I will pardon. Going forward, you work for me, you do what I say, and you stay in line. If someone crosses you, or makes something difficult for you while doing the tasks I''ve set... You tell me." "I get it, but what if someone stops me from pulling a job... err... Mission that you gave me and mine. What are you going to do about it? How do I know I''m going to be taken care of?" "I could tell you the old answer of, ''We will cross that bridge when We get there,'' but is there something you have in mind?" "Yeah... There is another family that''s been biting me in the ass. I mean has been taken advantage of weak spots in my territories." "Who is this family, where are they, and what are they doing to bother you?" "The Kain family. They from the Stronedge side, and have been pushing into my areas. I have a good portion of turf, I mean, territory in Stronedge. These homebois have been making these rough for me." "Stonedge? Well that''s outside of my kingdom." "What that means they get to bully me and my family while being a part of your people?" Crag had decided that he could use the Witch King to pull this thorn out, and at the same time see if the Witch King was worthy of his loyalty. "What businesses are they wrecking? Competing, busting ya up, or just racking a protection racket?" "What aren''t they doing?" Crag replied annoyed. "Oh, I see." Jack lifted his hand to his chin in thought, while Crag saw this gesture he shuddered. If this had been half a month ago, he would have laughed at this, but now, being fearful of the Witch Kings power, he remembered this was the gesture that all the Officials would talk about. They call it "Grace''s Judgment." Crag heard this and scoffed, but now he waited in bated breath to know the Witch King''s next move. [The fuck do I do with Stonedge... Should I just take over their country? I mean they have been raiding our borders. Verruca was pissed over this... I should see what she thinks. I wonder how hard it would be to take them over. Should I start with the mafias to undermine their country? WAIT... Is there such a thing as tariffs here? I don''t think I remember reading any... HAHA] Jack laughed to himself. "Crag, what business does this family-run on primarily?" "They are in the meatshroom business. Mass production, low quality." "As Stonedge is landlocked by Our kingdom with only the brimstone ocean for them to travel out, We can set up taxes if they wish to export product from their lands through ours or even to Us." "You mean to charge them money, just to bring their wares across the border?" "That''s right. We already charge a small fee for anyone to enter the country, but if they want to bring product to sale, We will charge them extra. If they can''t pay, then if they still wish to enter, we will take a portion of their product. We will do everyone from Stonedge this way." "This is basically robbing them... on the highway even! HAHA" Crag slapped the armchair of his seat, laughing. "No, Crag. Remember We are a Kingdom. This is called taxes. This is Our land, and if they want to use it, then they are going to have to pay Us." "Wait, what if Stonedge does this to Us?" "Is the Kain Family backed by the Stonedge?" "No... I don''t think so. This the first time I''ve ever heard of a crime family being taken in by the government." [Oh, it''s happened more than once... Just not here, I guess] Jack thought. "Then We can just take the taxes they gave to Us, to pay for your family to move your product to Stonedge. This will not hurt Stonedge or Us, as much as this will cripple the profits of the Kain family, and whatever other merchants they have." "Oh, I see! HAHA, The fruits of being part of the kingdom already show!" "Of course. With Us, it is only a matter of time, before all of the lands here fall into my hands. When We return to Capital, I will iron out your new Title, conveyed personally. I also expect you to be at my wedding." Jack had this on his mind often these last few weeks. "You were serious about that! HAHAHA! Alright, no problem." Crag guffawed for a few moments, his huge frame shaking with each bellow of laughter. He finally spoke up, "I have some great burnt offerings if you would like to share?" [Burnt offerings? What''s that?] Jack thought. Jack had yet to come across this, in this world. Not willing to say no, after setting a great mood, he responded, "Sure." Boss Crag stood up and went to the doorway, and opened it, "Hey, Knowall! Get the good stuff, and bring it to me." Jack heard knowall talking in the distance. "No kidding, ya git... Bring it to us. We having a good time, over here." A few minutes later, a skinny geist walked in to bring a silver censor and a silver box. "Here ya go, Boss." "Good, Good... Good." Boss Crag looked over at Jack, "Mind if We set this up on ya desk?" "Go, right ahead." [What are they doing with that censor exactly...? What are we offering?] Knowall set up censor, took some dust from the silver box, and placed it in the censor. He took out a flint lighter and struck it a few times above. The dust ignited and produced wispy smoke. He then placed the censor cover back on and excused himself. Jack watched the wispy smoke roll out of the censor. This smoke was unlike the one he seen pouring out of the censors he had at court. The smoke drifted over the Boss Crag who inhaled it with big lungs full. He held it for a few moments, before letting it roll out of his nostrils, and sighing in relief. "Ah, that really hits good." "What is it?" Jack asked, in confusion. "Oh, my fault. I got it going, and didn''t even tell ta. This is Snap Dragon dust. Comes from a plant in my turf just outside of the city limits of Sosuhalf. Something I have in my private stock. This is my personal creation. It''s twice as strong as Brimstone dust, haha!" [Brimstone dust? How strong is that? It''s obviously a drug... How does a skeletal undead use this???] Jack had experimented in college, but never found it to be his thing. So now that he was offered, he didn''t mind to partake. Chapter 38: Burnt Offerings are Made of These Jack sat there staring at the smoke as it rolled about the desk. Part of the smoke drifted to Crag, who would breathe up full lungs of it, and let out satisfied sighs. Crag had noticed that Jack had not started to take in the Burnt Offerings, "You''re not going to try it?" [Crap, crap, crap... I don''t want to seem uncool. What was that about peer pressure...? Blah... Whatever, how do I use this? Hmmmmmm... If Crag things I can use it, then skeletal undead can do it. Can I absorb it in my bones?] "Just thinking about my next set of moves for when I get back to Saigunrai. You know I have some private life problems to fix when I get back." "Oh?" Taking in another lung full, Crag asked something that had been on his mind, "Ya know... Ya never did tell me why ya wanted that Matron, Jade was it?" "Yes. Jade Glowminer, She is the mother of my consort." "No shit... That''s why ya were so into taking her away... I thought you wanted her and her whole place as a harem." "Do I look like the kind of undead that has a harem?" "We are men of power... What man of power doesn''t have plenty of women surrounding him? I have two wives at home. I still can''t believe ya only just now got a consort." "Well, after being entombed for a thousand years, it leaves one lonely." "Oh, I can understand. When I get back to Sosuhalf or get my wives to come to the capital, depending on your decisions, I place to hold a 3p." Jack mentally raised an eyebrow over this comment. He still really wanted to know how undead boned, as funny as the pun was, this was Jack''s chosen verbiage for sexual relations. After a moment, Jack had an idea. Using his cultivation he pulls the smoke to him. A second tendril of smoke drifted to Jack and entered into his mouth and flaming eyes. A few moments of this did the smoke wafer back. Jack at first didn''t feel anything. "Good stuff, right?" Crag asked, confident in his personal creation. Jack had slowly adjusted over the time he had occupied his body to feeling nothing, during this trip. He greatly benefited from spending some time alone. The biggest things about being an undead was that He didn''t feel the need to breathe, to sleep, to eat, to have sex, or anything. He felt nothing. At first, he didn''t really notice with all the happenings with the court and Leslie, while trying not to be discovered as a different person from their king... The feelings of denervation were scary to him, at first, but later he became bored when the feelings of fear subsided. But now Jack finally felt something, a pleasant burning feeling. Warm at first, but soon burned like fire. While the burning was slightly uncomfortable, it was a great feeling just because he could feel something. In the absence of no feelings, this sensation was marvelous. After the burning passed, he felt like he was light as a feather, and resting in a vat of warm water. His mind was buzzing with a soft hum. Jack actually took in a massive amount of this powerful Burnt Offering, and let out an audible voice of pleasure, "Ahhhh...." After voicing this, Jack sat up straighter in his seat, slapping his armrest. "GOOD STUFF, INDEED!" "HAHA, I KNOW, RIGHT!" Laughter between Jack and Crag Echoed out of the office. All the surrounding undead that had pitched tents for the night heard the sounds of laughter coming from The Holy Witch King and Boss Crag. The Undead of the kingdom felt slightly funny, as they had never heard of The Holy Witch King laughing, while the underlings of Boss Crag swelled with happiness, that their Boss had got on good terms with the Witch King. ******* It had been a week since Warmarshal Frostgard and Xavier Doomcry battled each other, and now they were helping each other to excavate the Glowstone mine. Warmarshal Frostgard had been conversing with Gerald Frostgard, in her field tent that had been set up for the command center of this operation, on the recovery efforts of the Doomcry warriors, when one of her Frost Knights ran over from the opening of the mineshaft to her. He stopped in front of the Warmarshal and gave a Deagoth salute, "Warmarshal Frostgard the mine is clear, but we are having trouble." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "If it''s clear, then what is the trouble?" She replied. "There are no bodies, no void stone, and no Glowstone." The Frost Knight reported. No bodies? No void stone? This was an issue, but not a problem. No Glowstone, now that was a problem... Did the mine go dry, and if it had... Why didn''t the Grimnight Clan report it? There was more to this mine than appeared... Warmarshal Frostgard looked back to Gerald, "Bring that Doomcry dog, Xavier over. We are all going down into the mine. We need to confirm with our eyes for his Grace." Gerald saluted and went to retrieve Xav. A few minutes later he came back with him in frost steel chains. These chains were a special request, like their weapons, from the Metalheart Clan. They would emit a deathly chill that would sap the strength of any Cultivator below the King rank of their power. These were so effective, that these chains had been adopted by the jailers of Deagoth. As Xav approached, he tripped and fell in front of Warmarshal Frostgard. "Frost bitch, you''re not going to keep punking me when we get to the capital." "Call me Frost bitch again, and you won''t have to worry about getting back to the capital, as I''ll give you the Witch King''s mercy now. Also, if and when you get back, it won''t be me to be, as you call it, punking you... It will be his Grace that will punk you." Xav was helped up by two Frost Knight that flanked Gerald. "Are we clear, Xavier?" "I don''t remember us being so close, as to you being able to address me by my first name." Xav spat. "I don''t remember you having any rights, as of the moment you attacked my army." Warmarshal Frostgard replied with smugness. "What do you want of me...?" "There isn''t a void stone in the mine... There aren''t any bodies, either. So I think its best that we go down there see for ourselves, and we can confirm with each other''s subordinates." "Fine, but can you drop the chains... I won''t be able to move well in the mine." "I can grant this, but if you make any wrong moves, I think you know the rest." The Warmarshal laughed. "Yeah, Yeah." The team, made of Xav, Warmarshal Frostgard, Gerald Frostgard, and two Frost Knights, entered into the mine and followed the Frost Knight from earlier. After a few rounds in the mine, going down different tunnels, and speaking to both the Doomcry and Frostgard that were helping with the efforts, the team again reemerged from the Glowstone mine. Finally, Xav, who had been holding his tongue since he left the last floor of the mine, curse out, "Those fucking disloyal Grimnight''s... They set me up! This is a fucking set up if I''ve ever seen one." "Slap" "Enough of your cursing." Warmarshal Frostgard did not enjoy cursing, and she would suffer it not if given the opportunity. Xav wanted to flare up... But decided not to speak, keeping his mouth shut. "Do you want to return this information to his Grace?" Gerald asked his cousin, the Warmarshal. "His Grace is currently bound for the Capital, as of this moment... So he isn''t within his palace at this moment. We need to contact Grand Minister Lucius." "I''ll get out communication officer on it now." Gerald turned to go coordinate with another Frost Knight designated to send messages with code to another within the relay stations around the Kingdom. Unless you had unrivaled cultivation you could only send mental messages so far. The undead got around this by setting up relay stations. A designated Communication officer was set for each mission and would contact the closest station. This required that the Armies, Units, and even the Clergy to carry a map of the Relay stations with names to contact in case a message needed to be sent. The relay station undead personnel would get the message via the code words, then write down the message, repeat it for confirmation, and then get ready to send it to the next station. They would then keep a copy of the message and achieve it if needed later for investigations. ******* In a dark basement, somewhere in Jakahn, a sensual voice spoke to Mark, who was deep in Cultivation "You''ve broken through, husband?" Mark awoke and looked to his right side to see his wife had crawled to his side. She looked up at his tanned skull. "Why have you done this? You know, you''re supposed to use your Wheelchair..." Mark reprimanded her. "Blah... I''m tired of that old chair. I wanted to use my own power to get close to you. You''ve been cultivating non-stop for two weeks. If you don''t pay me any attention... I start feeling neglected." Princess Janet said feeling wronged. "I''ll buy you a new chair. We can get you a dragon bone wheelchair if you don''t like the holy bone wheelchair. Anything you want, I''ll get it for you." Mark said with tender feelings in his voice. "I know..." Princess Janet spoke softly, and then she looked mischievously at Mark, "What if I want you to give me the world?" "I''m already working on that," Mark said with some confidence. She giggled at this remark, "Is that why you make these shady deals and cultivate so much? What did you do before you married me?" "I was pining for you," Mark spoke, as he ran his bony fingers through Princess Janet''s hair. "How come I don''t believe you? I know how much of a workaholic you are." She said unconvinced. "Perhaps you just don''t know why I work so hard, but on a different topic... If Jakahn will cough up the resources like they are supposed to... Then I will have a big surprise for you!" Mark said bringing his skeletal hand to cradle his wife''s face. "I love surprises, but before that... I want to have some fun... I''m so booooooored. You know what I like!" Princess Janet said while looking up at Mark with upturned eyes. "I know you do, and with my successful breakthrough, AND the knowledge that Deagoth is going to recruit the Heretic tribes to the north... I''m feeling it''s time to have some fun, too!" Mark said with total satisfaction, many of his laid plans were coming to fruition. He had originally planted many followers into the Heretic Tribes to be assimilated by Borda, but If Deagoth wanted to do it then all the better! "That''s what I wanted to hear. Come to me!" Princess Janet held out her arms to hold her husband, as they embraced. Chapter 39: The Haunting becomes the Haunted "So Princess Emily, I''ve been more than enough accommodating now. What is your ambassador party''s true intention?" Leslie asked Emily, as they were both sitting in the Holy Palace''s Guest room. It was a nice parlor room that had a black obsidian tile floor, with white bone walls. Skull Glowstone lamps, and plenty of Tables and Chairs if one needed to host a large group. Leslie and two of her Handmaidens were present on her side, while there were Emily and her two servants on her side. The air was a bit... tense between the two. A light scent of Moon Catcher''s dust was in the air. A favorite of Leslie''s... for reasons she wouldn''t tell people, not in the know. "I guess as for the Consort, you get access to all that good stuff, Am I right?" "You could say that." "You already know why I''m here... If you are who I believe you are..." "I''m Consort Leslie, Consort of my Grace, the Holy Witch King; just what are you trying to get at???" Leslie narrowed her eyes into slits. She looked to be smiling, but to Emily, she was creepy as a demon''s smile. "Need I remind you that I am a guest of your Kingdom, and I demand respect?" Emily said with an air of confidence and power that befitted her status as a princess. So far only Leslie had called her Princess, and only at this moment did anyone in Deagoth know that Emily was the favored daughter of the Spider Queen of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. "When have I ever disrespected a guest? This is my Grace''s, my Love''s, Kingdom, and I would not see that it would do such a thing... But I find your lack of response to my question troubling, little spider" Emily shuddered, [What?!] Emily was known as the little spider in her family. Her Mother-Queen gave birth to her last and it became her nickname within her family, and the higher priests of their faith, The Faith of the Spider. How did the Consort of Deagoth know? "Remind me of the question?" Emily asked, unsure of her self. "You know very well the question. What are you and your people of the Grand Tomb of Neolith doing here in Our Kingdom?" Leslie''s patience was quickly running out. "We uh... We are here to negotiate a treaty, trade agreement, and a joint military training program." "I think you left something out, little spider... You left out how you plan to steal my husband, The Holy Witch King... Is that right?" Leslie''s tone had been even throughout the conversation, even jovial, but her face had been icy for a while. Now her voice took a dip when she mentioned, ''steal my husband.'' From birth to now, Emily had never been talked to like this. She felt threatened. Obviously, she had been enduring, as at first, she felt slightly afraid of this Consort who knew too much, but now her temper was getting the better of her. With a final snap of judgment, "YEAH! That''s right! I''m here to court your man! You haven''t married him yet! You''re just a consort! My Uncle has four wives! Maybe you will be one of many! For all the spider knows, I will become The Holy Witch King''s first wife, and I will manage you!" As Emily was yelling at Leslie how she felt, she had got off her chair to stand to make a point... The problem was that she was standing at the same height she was when she was sitting. Comical. "Ah, so now you finally tell me the whole truth." Leslie smiles while she watched the little skeleton get back on her chair. "We can finally have an open conversation." Emily was struck slightly off-guard; she figured that now that she had revealed what she was really here for, then she would have been thrown out. This Consort Leslie was... Interesting and slightly scary. "Errrr. I suppose so." Emily responded while both of her Servants were perspiring... They just knew Emily had dropped the ball, but this seemed like it might be salvageable. "Princess Emily, Can we get a private conversation?" Leslie asked politely, and with an actual smile. This was not that joker smile from earlier, but an actual sweet smile. It was bright and gorgeous to Emily... Pissing her off... Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Emily was a skeletal undead supremacist, she felt like all other undead were less than Skeletal undead, even the ones from her Grand Tomb. The Grand Tomb of Neolith had a class system. Skeletal nobles were the highest class, then the skeletal citizens as the first class that held minor offices and business owners, then there were those that were in transition to becoming skeletal as the second class who held the ability to become skeletal citizens, and then there were free zombies, as the third class. These Zombie undead who had worked long enough to but their freedom, they could later, if enough money permitted, start the transition to becoming Skeletal Undead, but this only happened to one percent of the freed zombies. The lowest class were just Zombie undead, this included geist, and whatever other foreign undead unfortunate enough to be caught in the web of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. Zombie undead were the working for of the tomb, and they would tend to the glowmoss farms, and spiders. They would also work at digging new tunnels for the Tombs, maintenance, and cannon fodder for the armies of the Grand Tomb. "I''m not sure if I feel like I would be safe to have a one on one conversation with you," Emily said in a perturbed voice. "Oh? You think your little Knight rank servants are going to save your smelly bones if I wish to keep her soul for a night lamp?" Leslie said in a sing-song voice as if she was talking about how she might go to the food market quarter and pick up something to eat. Emily stiffened. Her biggest trump card was the two Knight Rank spider Knights that were her servants. They were given to her as a present by her mother-queen when she turned thirty this year. "Princess Emily, Your safety is also our priority, until my Grace, my love, The Wholly Witch King sees you in person. Until then, it would take more than just your Tomb to attack to bring us down." Emily thought for a moment, and so she waived her servants to go wait outside. The servant known as Chrisy leaned down to whisper, "are you sure my Lady?" "Yes, for now." "Your will be done." Both Servants walked out of the room, followed by Leslie''s servants. As the doors to the guest hall closed, Leslie cleared her throat, much to the cringing of Emily. Emily believed that bodily sounds were grotesque, and only the pure bone frame of a Skeletal undead was perfect. "Princess Emily, you believe you have a chance with my husband... Why is that? I don''t see how you would get this chance. Did you know I tried to curry his favor for a little over a thousand years?" Consort Leslie laid out the truth. "Maybe it''s because you''re a Zombie undead?" Emily was baffled, but from seeing his consort, maybe that''s why? "What?" "Yeah, I mean The Holy Witch King is a Skeletal Undead, right?" Emily had heard but never seen him. One of the reasons the Grand Tomb had changed gears, besides the civil war that ended in the Tomb, but because The Holy Witch King was a Skeletal undead. Have a powerful Skeletal undead could quail some of the lesser zombie undead that was trying to rebel. "...yes..." "Then maybe it''s due to your excess flesh..." Emily looked to Leslie''s hands, and pointed out, "See your hands are perfect! Your bone color is even more white than my own... Jealous! But seriously... Has The Holy Witch King ever stared at your hands?" Emily asked this while feeling sure that it was the truth. Leslie paused... She stared down at her hands, as she flexed his hands and admiring their bone with color, as she made various hand gestures while searching her memories... Shocking Leslie, she remembers the bath she had given her love! She remembered that right before the bath, he had stared at her ivory. It wasn''t shortly thereafter that he was waiting for the Officials to make it to court did he ask her those weird questions... Then in court, she announced her to be his consort! [BY THE ABYSS! She''s right! My love has a Bone fetish!] Leslie felt weird about this revolution. She had always been confident in her appearance. She had always been told she was beautiful like her mother and was adored by plenty of people before she came to the capital to pursue a career as an Official. This might explain why he never made Verruca his Consort, as she didn''t have any bones showing. She was a through and through Zombie undead... A massive fleshy Zombie undead! After a few moments of silence, she actually gave into Emily, "You might be right... He did stare at them right before he made his announcement!" "So if he only likes those pure bones, just what do you think he will feel when he sees a princess like me?" Emily flipped her white hair behind her shoulder. That''s right, with Emily taking off her traveling veil, she had long straight white webby hair, almost like spider webs. Leslie finally took notice of Emily''s hair. She had been sitting here with deeper conversation, but Emily''s snooty mannerisms brought attention to her hair. Leslie knew that among the Skeletal undead ladies of the Grand tomb wigs had become all the rage. The more natural one looked the better it was, and more fashionable it was. There were freed zombie undead just because the zombie undead ladies sold their hair to the nobles for good money. "We will know when my Grace, the Holy Witch King returns," Leslie spoke. Emily, while not as observant as Leslie, noticed that she didn''t say her love, just her Grace... [Interesting.] Leslie called for her Handmaidens to come and show Princess Emily, and her servants to their rooms. Leslie wanted to return to her own office, and ponder. The thing that weighed most on her mind, while she was madly in love with The Holy Witch King... Just how much did she know about him. Did he really only make her consort for her hands... Should she make a transition to becoming a Skeletal undead? But how would that work for her? She didn''t even know if she could become a Skeletal undead. Chapter 40: Equivalent or Greater Exchange Another morning appeared for Saigunrai, as the Skull of the Sun god increased in its illumination. Warmarshal Julia Verruca was early drilling the troops stationed in Saigunrai. To her right was her best friend and Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood. They had been chatting well before the light dawned on the city. "Well, what are you going to tell him when he gets back?" Stephanie asked Verruca while looking across the training. Stephanie had brought her new recruits to train with those stationed in Saigunrai. "Nothing," Verruca said slightly disgruntled. "I don''t get it. It''s been sooooo long since you admitted you liked old bones-" Stephanie was interrupted. "Don''t let his Grace hear you say that..." Verruca looked over to her. "Oh, come on! Julia, he knows us... We are his Warmarshals for crying out loud. He''s not going to lock us in the stockade." Stephanie complained. "It''s best to honor him at all times." Verruca was staunch. "How are you going to even court his favor, if you can''t talk about him casually?" "I can do that. You just have to be respectful." "Why am I even friends with you... sigh...?" "Because I''m the only one that can tolerate you and your antics?" Verruca mused aloud. "You know you should stop thinking aloud." Stephanie wasn''t too happy with this comment. "I wasn''t thinking aloud." Verruca laughed. "Well, at least you could get a laugh out of this. I haven''t heard you laugh since you told me about the tiny ambassador." Stephanie giggled to herself over the topic of Emily. She found it strange to be an adult in a child''s body, but super funny at the same time. "Haaa~ Maybe you''re right, but this is all his fault, to begin with. I know he lost parts of his memory... But... Why did he forget me? Shouldn''t I have been remembered in his soul?" Verruca lamented. "Julia... You don''t know how souls work, so you can''t say that... The fact that he has memory loss is proof that his soul was damaged. In fact, when there is damage to a soul that can cause memory loss, there is a high chance he encountered Lady Death." Verruca stiffened a little. This thought had popped into her mind before, but she didn''t want to think about it. She would rather be sad about Jack losing his memory, than scared that he might have died. "Julia... Did you ask him if he met...? Lady Death? "Ah... No... I''m afraid to." Verruca said. "If he has been through the revolving door of death... and made it back... Then this can explain how he broke through to Emperor Rank." A light flashed in Verruca''s eyes, she looked over to Stephanie, "Explain." "You should have studied more, that''s why you''re so big... All that training." "Get to it!" Verruca was annoyed to have this brought up again. "As undead, you would think we know more about death than anyone right?" Stephanie put on her airs and acted scholarly. "Don''t tell me a story, Stephanie... Just get to the point." "You know, you are the biggest buzz kill... I don''t know why Ken is into you at all." "If you like Ken go invite him to dinner... I''m sure he would like that, the big ham." "You know I have a husband," Stephanie said while sighing. "And? Get another... Isn''t that what you suggested his Grace do...? Take me and con...sort... Leslie" Verruca said through her teeth. The more she thought about it; the more she hated Leslie. "Well old bones at home said if I wanted another man, he wanted another woman... So I''m not about to crowd our bedroom." "Get two bedrooms and you can both sleep with your own spouses." "What in all the hells would us being married be then? We might as well divorce." "For your daughter?" "You''re doing that thing again... Sigh. Why do I always fall for this?" Verruca shrugged innocently while smiling with her baby face, "What thing." "Devil''s advocate, damn it. Do you want to hear my explanation or not?" "One second," Verruca said, as she waved over one of her generals. She gave a few instructions for the next maneuvers to take and then sent him on his way back to the training grounds. "Okay, go ahead, remember to keep it simple." "Ah... Fine. According to the first undead, when you die either one of two things happens. You go to the yellow springs, and get your memory erased to live another life." "Does anyone actually believe that?" "Duh! Yellow Springs, the lake of forgetfulness, Samara... Whatever you want to call it. It''s a process in the next world to set up a soul to be reincarnated." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Alright, then what''s the second thing." "Sometimes... Special souls... Get a glimpse of what''s actually going on behind the veil of the world, to see into the abyss and not blink." "You mean he learned about what''s beyond?" "Yes... Verruca, do you remember what they taught us in school?" "What part... I slept through most of it." Verruca said with a laugh. "Pfft, obviously. No, the one true rule of the world? That everything is a trade-off. Anything gained is by trading in an equal or greater than price." "Well yeah." "He lost his memory, to gain more knowledge, and knowledge is power," Stephanie said grimly. Verruca didn''t say anything but was lost in thought. "Julia... Tell me. Does he still trust you, treat you the same, or is he different?" "Well, he... Well, he treats me the same, but he is... different now. He''s not as kind as he used to be." "Well if the Jordan incident is anything to go by, and the upcoming court cleansing is to go by, the stuff that lay outside of the world must be terrible for him to be like this." "What do you mean by that? Do you have an idea of what he''s seen?" "Well... You know my family has a lot of books..." "Duh," Verruca replied dully. It was widely known that the Chaoshood clan was the scholars of Deagoth, and had libraries in each city, with the largest in Saigunrai, even if their home city was Sufenron, out of respect for The Holy Witch King. It was also known that The Holy Witch King was a bibliophile and also held a large personal collection of tomes and books. Many of which were supplied by the Chaoshood Clan. Being a scholar Clan, Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood was the oddball of the family, but no one doubted her Knight Rank cultivation or the knowledge she knew. She used the knowledge she knew to wield the awesome powers of chaos as an arcane cultivator. It was unknown how she managed to retain so much personality as an arcane cultivator, only Stephanie Chaoshood knew. "Ok. Ok. Ok. I remember once reading another case where this happened. Its basically just old legends now. At the time, a human had died and seen what was outside of the nine realms." "Nine realms?" "Yeah, nine realms. Just know there is more than just the Overworld and the Underworld, there are seven other realms." "Why not worlds?" "Well, let me get to it." "Oh... Sorry." Verruca apologized. "It doesn''t say what this human had seen, but it was so bad, that he wanted to unify all the realms under his banner to stop whatever it was. Do you know who this figure later became?" "Who?" "The Lich King." "What?!" "That''s right. The same thing that happened to your boyfriend is the same thing as what happened to The Lich King." "He''s not my boyfriend..." "Sigh... That''s what you focus on?" Stephanie was at a loss. Verruca remained silent while thinking over what Stephanie had just said. "Look. Two things. First off, you need to ask his Grace if what I said is true. This would make a lot more sense if it is and if it is and he tells you... Then keep it to yourself! Don''t even tell me. No one needs to know this, but by knowing this... This will help you know why he forgot. Remember the trade-off. Second thing, are you more willing to let his Grace go, and have nothing to do with him. OOOOR are you willing to share him? That is the question... What can make you happiest in your unlife?" "I... I will heed your words." Verruca said after a pause. This would help to relieve her of some of her frustration if Jack had seemed beyond and explained his actions. As for the later part of Stephanie''s words, she would think about later when she talked to him. With the silence descending on their conversation, Stephanie broke the silence, "So Julia, if you plan to give up on his Grace... You can always date Ken!" "Are you kidding me? I recently heard that he thinks I''m only into woman..." Verruca said breathlessly. "Well, there isn''t anything wrong with that per se... Maybe me and my husband will marry you, and it can be a 3p every night!" Stephanie said while laughing. Verruca made no comment as she walked forward to her and Stephanie ''s troops. She had decided that she needed to spar with her generals to keep them on the right track. Today would be remembered as the day the War-god of Deagoth spared nonstop all her generals and all the generals of Chaoshood. Many Bone doctors were called that day. These Bone doctors would later send letters of thanks to the Warmarshal the following week. ******* Deep within the darkened corridors that lead into the inner chambers of the Grimnight Clan, within this inner chamber, a not so peaceful discussion had broken out among the Clan head, and the Clan Elders. "You stupid rattling bag of bones, the whole lot of you!" The Third Elder insulted the other Elders. "I don''t know why you thought that the Doomcry Clan could defeat much less hold off the Frost Knights of the Frostgard Clan... They have to know what''s going on by now. Soon as his Grace knows this... I''ve already told you what''s going to happen!" The Third Elder finally ended this rant. He had been ranting in a similar fashion for weeks now, however now... The Third Elder had lost all faith in the Elders. "Enough! We have already decided. With the protection of the Kain Family, we can start to begin a new foundation in Stonedge. I think it best if we make like the Kain Family and become the Grimnight Family, shedding the Clan name." The First Elder finally reviewed the rest of his plan. "That''s right. Once we become a mafia family, the governments will not interfere with our businesses." The Second Elder followed up and nodded. The Clan Head didn''t like this change, as it meant that he would no longer be in charge of the family, even if only in name. "You guys just don''t get it. How are your vision is clouded by delusions... The Holy Witch King defeated Boss Crag and has taken him to Saigunrai. If that isn''t interfering in the mafia, then you''re all stupid." The Third Elder made his last speech. "Do as you see fit." With this, the Third Elder rose and left the inner chamber. Thoughts flashing in his mind, he had made it up. He only had one way to bring him and his branch of the family out of this. "Don''t worry. He''ll come around." The Clan Head said as he glanced at the back of the Third Elder as he was leaving. "I''m sure we will." Both the First and Second Elder spoke, then laughed together. They had been planning a move to Stonedge for years, and the Jordan incident was the switch they needed to get to moving. They had finished their prep, strip-mined the Little Gloom mine, framed the Doomcry, and sold off a lot of unnecessary items for this move. If all went as well so far, they would be gone before the armies of the kingdom came knocking. The Third Elder left the inner sanctum and went to his first son, James Grimnight. His son was in charge of the Little Gloom mine and was there when the mine collapsed. The First Elder had sent someone else to destroy the mine when James refused. James had already stripped the mine but knew the method to reactivate the materials in the mine to start the formation of new Glowstone. Glowstone was a metal formed by the elements with the right conditions and materials. He carried out the strip mining grudgingly, but he would not destroy the mine he worked on for years. "Son." The Third Elder walked into the home of his son within the Clan to the east side of the Clan''s massive quarter of the city of Sosuhalf that was their Clan''s dwelling. It was surrounded by walls within the City, in the same vein as the Hollowell Clan, where they had been fighting against for years. It was, in fact, the Hollowell Clan that forced them to start their business affairs with the Doomcry, and their massive brothels. "Yes, father?" His son was seated in his office writing. James was a writer in his spare time of fiction fantasies. His best selling book so far was called, "The Call of the Sun." It was a series about a young undead that ventured to the Overworld for adventure and wealth. "The Clan is deciding to betray Deagoth and leave." The Third Elder said only this sentence when he turned and left. James was left in thought for a moment, [So it''s time to pack and leave... I can only hope his Grace will pardon us, but I would rather have my bones broken than letting those old pile of bones called the First Elder to get away with destroying my mine...] Deep in the eternal dim night that was the Grimnight Clan''s compound, many Grimnight packed and left with the Third Elder and his son, James. They headed with haste to the City of Saigunrai, hoping to find salvation in the hands of The Holy Witch King. Chapter 41: His Grace Returns [Oh god! How long has it been since I left!] Jack thought about how he was happy to finally be back in Saigunrai. He wasn''t sure why he felt like it was home, as he only found out when he was on this trip. He was slightly homesick. He wondered if his skeletal body was more than just bones... If it had a memory as well. Jack drew in another round of burnt offerings. Him and Boss Crag, who was present, had each day since he was offered, partaking this wonderful effect. A few coughs and Boss Crag spoke, "Damn Witchy, I didn''t know you were this hardcore... You''ve even put me to shame. I had brought twenty kilos of my Snap Dragon Dust... And we''re down to only three kilos now..." Boss Crag shook his head and lamented that it went to fast. "Ah, that''s my fault. It''s really fine dust. I''ll compensate you somehow, but honestly... We need to market this. It''s a damn shame you have been hoarding this to yourself!" Jack had said, he wasn''t worried about being called Witchy by Boss Crag... Seemed that the Mafia loved to give nicknames. As good as this Snap Dragon dust was... Jack could care less. "Well... To be honest, most undead can''t take how strong it is." "You''re kidding... Make a different dust, and cut down on how much of the snapdragon flower you put into it?" "Hmmmm... I''ll get the boys in the alchemy lab to work on that. Wait? You don''t mean to start marketing the dust directly do you?" "Hmmmm? No... I plan to let you do it and tax the dust... All dust, and make a profit from it. If you want I can give you the taxes on your dust back so that you don''t have to worry about any profit loss." Jack said as he was in taking another drift of smoke. "That''s too much bookkeeping, just keep it. I think I''m already going to make a lot of profit just by being in the government." Boss Crag nodded to himself. [I wonder if they got Leslie''s father''s body... hmmmm... How many Officials did they execute from trying to leave while I was gone... I''m betting like... ten!] Jack chuckled to himself. "What''s funny?" "Oh... It''s time for a court cleansing. I left standing orders for anyone that wants to skip town to execute with no mercy." "Whoa... Isn''t that a bit harsh for you?" "I''m not running a charity here," Jack said this with a bit of sarcasm. "But ya running a church and country... Is it really okay to be like that?" Even Boss Crag thought it odd. "Well... If I plan to unify the surrounding countries... I need to clean up my own backyard first." "So, you''re going to do the same thing ya doing with the Mafioso. Wait... Did you come to Souigak to recruit me?" Boss Crag''s forehead beaded with a few drops of black sweat... Could the Witch King really have so much foresight? [Not even close... I didn''t even know who you were... But let''s spin this.] Jack thought to himself. "I expected to encounter your people when I got there. I went to retrieve my Mother-in-Law, but I will say I didn''t expect you to show so quickly. It did save me a lot of time, thanks to your offer of a duel." Jack said with confidence, he was getting better and better at acting. Boss Crag gave a hollowed laugh, "Yeah... Saved a lot of time, I did... Haha Yeah...." "It all works out for the best. At least We started off on the right foot, and your people didn''t get hit harder... Except for that one guy that was broke in two... Is he alright?" Jack asked this last question, as a side note. "Yeah. We have a Darkfield Clan Bone Doctor. He put him back together, but it''s going to take a month before he can walk again." "Well, that''s good," Jack said, as he overheard his Driver shouting. "The City of Saigunrai is in view! The City of Saigunrai is in view! The City of Saigunrai is in view!" If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Good, good, very good," Jack said aloud. He had been waiting for a while. He missed Leslie and had a strange feeling of wanting to see Verruca, as well. "How do you think they will react to me being here?" Boss Crag asked as he took in another lung of burnt offerings. "I''m sure they already know. I wouldn''t worry about it. I''ve been thinking. I''m going to wait on giving you a Title. I have need of your Mafia family to execute something for me first before I bring you officially into the kingdom." "Oh?" ******* [Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! He''s back!] Leslie was in her new office in the palace. When she was taken as the Consort, she had an Office prepared. Lucius, though, ensured that she was given an Evening Tomb, as well. She had no idea why... As she had planned to sleep with Jack, and do... maybe more than just sleep. She started to send mental messages to her subordinates, one to Lucius, and one to Verruca. She didn''t really want to tell Verruca, but she had no choice. Verruca was in control of the city defenses, and was a necessary evil, in her opinion. Leslie went back and forth on Verruca... Sometimes she admired her, other times she wanted to get rid of her, and lately... She felt bad for her. She was a pure zombie undead. She didn''t show even an ounce of bone. Yes... Leslie''s thoughts were still plagued by Jack being a pervert for bones. She mulled it over the last few days and decided he was a skeletal undead after all... It made sense to be attracted to what you were, and maybe she was the odd one, maybe they both had a bone fetish. Soon the City was abuzz with the sound of the guards and troop movement, quickly a reception was put in place, the Officials were called just like when Ambassador Emily had arrived, Lucius and Verruca gathered. They all waited in bated breath for the Witch King to come. As Jack entered the City, he heard the cries of the citizens of his city. They were welcoming him back with open arms. Shouting they loved him, and that he was the light that guided him. Jack felt like he was a superstar, in his last world. [Just how loved am I?] Boss Crag who was still sitting with Jack felt slightly strange. He had never had a welcome like this. Then again... Officially he didn''t exist. Jack figured he should be in range, and messaged Leslie, [Leslie can you hear me?] Leslie who was standing at the reception stand shed a tear. Finally, his voice again, even if she hadn''t heard him in a thousand years... These last few weeks felt like ten thousand years. Maybe it was because he had acknowledged her as the consort, but she really really missed him. She wanted to see him, to touch him, to be with him, to hear his voice, and to service him. [Darling!] She exclaimed. [Oh my lovely consort! How I have missed your voice.] Jack did indeed tell the truth. He missed that alluring voice of Leslie''s. [Well! I hope to spend time with you this evening!] She said with joy in her mind. [I look forward to every moment, but We need to take care of a few things first.] Leslie got serious when she heard this, [What''s wrong?] [Nothings wrong. We need someone to escort the carriage behind mine, it contains your mother and her... company.] [No problem.] Leslie replied, and made some arrangements with her servants via mental messages. She was excited to see her mother again, but when she thought of her father... Her heart felt funny. So many emotions together made her feel light headed. [I also have Boss Crag with me.] [In the same Carriage?] [Yes.] [Ummmm... Have him wait in the Carriage. I''ll make arrangements with the Driver to take him off-site for a few hours. We''ll invite him into the palace afterward.] [As expected, of you.] Jack said, as he felt Leslie was very good at logistics. He remembered how she coordinated her handmaidens and the court official''s and their arrival. The Carriage was being escorted by the War Breaker''s as they approached the city, the Undead-at-Arms gave way to these colossal undead warriors that made Verruca''s army. Jack stood up from his desk and walked near the door. He turned to Boss Crag, and spoke, "Crag, I am going to leave first. Stay here, and the driver will take you off-site for a few hours. I''ll get you into the Palace afterward. We need to keep this affair low-key, as I still need you in your current capacity." "No problem." Crag replied quickly. "How do I look?" Jack made a regal pose. "Ummm... Like The Holy Witch King." "Good." The Carriage came to a stop, and the door was opened from the outside. Jack was able to see the familiar light of the Skull of the Sun god. He stepped out, and see the crowds of people. Not only were the Officials from the Court were present, but also the citizens present. They weren''t called, they just wanted to catch a glimpse of their Holy Witch King. No ordinary citizen had seen him for over a thousand years. When they saw him appear from the Carriage, carrying his Femur Ferula, and walking with the gate of a King. They were immediately silenced, as they were in awe of his presence. Jack walked down the red carpet that was set out for him, and looked to the left and right. He saw that there were Officials on the right, and what he assumed where citizens on the left. Jack held up his hand and staff, as he shouted the first thing he said as he had when he first entered this world, "May Holy undeath reign within the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth!" After a pause, the Crowd went wild screaming to the top of their ability, as the shouted their response! """"""""""May the Undeath of his Grace last forever!"""""""""" Silence resumed, but the fervor in the eyes of the citizens was clear, but opposite reflected in the eyes of the Officials of the court. They still remembered who ordered the cleansing, though many still didn''t believe it was going to happen. Chapter 42: This is Our Holy Witch King The Holy Witch King walked forward, on the red carpet. About halfway to the reception stage, he felt a tug on his remnant that connected to his hood. Jack looked down to see a small zombie undead child. This child looked to be around eight or nine years of age based on body size. The Child had walked under the rope that separated the red carpet and reception from the Officials and the public. The child''s mother was horrified as she had seen her child do this! Her child had touched The Holy Witch King! She broke out from the crowd, ducking under the rope, and scooped up the child in her arms, while on her knees. She bowed her head to The Holy Witch King. "Your Grace, please! Please have mercy! She''s only a child! She didn''t know better." The mother pleaded. She was the wife of one of the Officials and knew that when The Holy Witch King returned he was not happy. He planned to bathe the court in blood. She even feared for her husband''s life. Jack loomed high above this tiny zombie undead woman. The child was only about a hundred and thirty-five cm, while the mother was only a head taller at about a hundred and sixty cm. Jack left his staff to suspend in midair, as he kneeled down on one knee, coming to just a head taller than the mother, who was kneeling on her knees. He used his right hand''s index bone to lift the head of the lady to look into his Flaming eyes that were deep in his hood burning brightly. She felt his boney finger on her chin, as she looked up into those eyes. She quivered all over. The Officials and Public were dead silent. Not willing to make any sounds. The Warmarshals, Verruca, Leslie, and Lucius were on the reception state. Verruca frowned, while everyone else made no expression. The Holy Witch King asked, "What''s your name?" "I-I''m Susan B-Brimknot, wife of minor Official G-Gordon Brimknot." She spoke in a shaky voice. "And the name of this child?" "This is J-Jennifer Brimknot. Please your Grace." She spoke and begged. "May I hold little Jennifer?" The Holy Witch King asked. Susan didn''t want to let go of her daughter. She wasn''t sure what The Holy Witch King would do... No one did. He was so much different than before he was entombed. While not common knowledge, she found out through her husband that he was now an Emperor rank Cultivator, and even had beat up a well-known mafia boss in another city, only today returning. While she paused... She handed her daughter to The Holy Witch King. She prayed in the faith of Deagoth to have mercy. Jack picked up the little undead girl in his hands and rose from his kneeling position. He cradled her in his arms; he could notice that she was curious. No malice was detected, but she was slightly shaken from what her mother was saying. She knew she did wrong but didn''t know why it was wrong. While cradling the little girl, Jack asked, "So your name is Jennifer Brimknot, Child of the Brimknot''s?" "Yes." A cute little voice issued from the mouth of the little zombie girl. Jack was extremely curious about how the undead populated. He had read they gave birth to children; they even boned to have them or could have children without boning. This was all crazy to him, and this was the first child he had seen in this new world to him. He examined her. While she was in fact undead, he couldn''t see a cause for death. Some undead he had seen who were very old undead, looked like they had died and become zombies, but there were undead that had no cause of death from any physical causes. Did undead steal children and make them their own? But if so... How did they grow up into adults? "Little one, why did you pull on my robe?" Jack had softened his voice by many levels, his normally heroic voice sounded very happy now. The mother of the child held her breath. "I just wanted to say ''Hi,'' and look at you. Mommy and daddy are always talking about you." she said with her adorable voice. The mother was panicking, hoping her child wouldn''t offend the supreme existence in Deagoth... But then the bombshell question dropped by his Grace. "Oh? What do they say about me?" Jack asked. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The mother of the child almost felt her heartbeat... While she and her husband would talk about The Holy Witch King, they would refer to him as just the Witch King... It was easier to say in conversation, and her husband was displeased with the court cleansing. He said a few choice words, not because of the cleansing itself, but the pressure that the House of unlife was exerting on him in his position. "Mommy and daddy said you were very powerful and that you can fly... Mr. King, Can you fly?" The child slightly calmed by Jack''s voice asked. Flying was the romantic dream of anyone that walked on the ground. "Yes, I can. Would you like to see what the city looks like from the sky?" Jack asked while the little girl nodded quickly. Jack looked down to her mother, "Well... Only if it''s okay with Lady Brimknot." "Yes, your Grace. I have no problems." The mother said without issue. She wasn''t sure what his Grace was about to do, but she heard the softness of his voice. She felt that maybe... Maybe the rumors of his Grace being malevolent on his return were unfounded. "Alright then." Jack looked back to the little girl, "Hang on to my arm here, while I hold you." He turned her around to hold her so she could look over his arms. The little girl held tightly. "Don''t be scared, Okay?" "Okay!" The little girl nodded and said with her childish voice. She was very excited that she might be able to fly with the Witch King. Many of the Officials of the Court watched and heard this exchange. Was this the same Holy Witch King that was tapping his Ferula not too long ago? The same Holy Witch King that pulled the soul from Jordan Grimnight...? "Zorehir!" Jack shouted, as a beacon of holy light poured from the sky on top him. The surrounding zombie undead covered their eyes, while the skeletal undead continued to look on. Emily was by a window of the palace when she saw a flash of light. Drawn by the light, she looked out from the palace and down to the square in front that had now gathered. "Is that... Is that The Holy Witch King?!" Emily was shocked but then grew angry... [THEY DIDN''T TELL ME...! The Consort...] Emily quickly found the reason for not being informed. She quickly went to her baggage, and searched for appropriate apparel, while mental messaging her servants. Jack unfurrowed his light bound bone wings and shot into the sky. All the undead looked toward him, as he flew up. Even though Leslie and Lucius saw this before it was still shocking, and Verruca was left with her mouth open. Many thoughts had flashed in the mind of the surrounding undead when his rope was grabbed by the little girl... But this wasn''t something expected. He was granting the little girl''s wish, as most of the undead present had some form of cultivation, they had heard what she had said. Those that couldn''t be quickly told by those that could hear. High above the city, Jack spoke another spell, "Sohal." Jack then started to descend from his high altitude, but at a very slow rate. It seemed to everyone on the ground that he was floating in midair, as his bone wings flapped gently behind him. "It''s okay to open your eyes, little one." Jack had noticed that the little girl had tightly shut her eyes, as they ascended. The Little girl, Jennifer, opened her eyes and started to look around on the ground. She got to see the glory of her city from a bat''s eye view. She OOOooo''d and Aaahhhh''d. Making comments about how small it looked, and how the big skull shined so brightly. Jack rubbed the little girls head in a loving manner. Jack started to ask the little girl questions, and she answered them while she looked all around the city. On the ground, the mother, Susan, stared into the sky with a complex expression. She looked to her husband who was in the crowd on the other side of the red carpet among the Officials. Their eyes met, and their expressions were a match. [What is his Grace doing?] Verruca asked Lucius with a metal Message. [I''m not really sure... He''s never been a very playful person, even you know this...] Lucius said unsurely. While The Holy Witch King was a kind ruler and leader, he wasn''t a jovial person. A light flashed in her eyes, as Leslie looked up into the sky, and watched her love floating down with the little girl in his arms. Soon Emily had finally made it outside and to the Reception stage. Leslie looked over to Emily as soon as she stepped onto the platform, "There was no need for you to come." "I wanted to be here to greet The Holy Witch King, as well," Emily said, as it was easy to tell her tone of displeasure. "I''m sorry Ambassador Emily. It''s just that receiving his Grace is an affair of our Kingdom, so I did not wish to bother you. Now that you''re here, I''m sure his Grace will welcome you." Leslie finished, while Verruca and Lucius looked to each other. Jack controlled his spell to descend a bit faster until he had touched down again on the ground. "Alright little one, that should be enough for today. I should speak to your father soon." Jack spoke, while he walked over to the overjoyed mother who received the child from Jack''s hands. "Thank you, your Grace. Thank you." "It was my pleasure to spend a bit of time with your daughter. She is a very bright and gifted little girl. Just make sure that her curiosity doesn''t get the best of her. While curiosity is in the nature of our people and drives us forward with discovery and change... There are many sacrifices made by these heroic undead to grant Us this." Jack left these words behind, as he walked up to the platform. As Jack finished his words, the citizens cried out with cheers! This was their King! This was their Pontiff! He was humble! He lowered himself to the extent of playing with a common child! He didn''t put on airs, and even left good advice! The people loved their Holy Witch King, and now they had seen him in person after a thousand years, it was like he was even better than before! Many in the crowd even spoke that him leaving the city in the first place was to put down a vicious gangster that threatened the peace of the kingdom! This was why the Angel of Death appeared. Chapter 43: A Short Speech to Whip Up A Frenzy Jack made it to the reception and took the steps to ascend. When he made it there, he could finally see all the faces there. Lucius, Leslie, Verruca, the guards, and... One other... Another child? [Whose kid is this?] Jack thought so himself. If this child was standing among his closest advisors... Then who was she? He could tell it was a girl child based on the clothes and hair. Interestingly enough, unlike the zombie child he just played and talked with, this one was skeletal. Jack looked over to Leslie and messaged, [Leslie... Who is this child?] [This is the ambassador from the Grand Tomb of Neolith.] [Neolith employees kids to be ambassadors...] [Darling, you''re mistaken. This tiny ambassador is an Adult Woman. Why she chooses to remain in her child form... I don''t know. Maybe you can ask her at some time in the future...?] Leslie replied and commented. From this exchange, Jack learned a few key things... Undead could choose their forms, and this ambassador was weird if she remained as a child... Is it because of some kind of illness that is isn''t able to change? How do undead change their forms? [What''s her name?] Jack asked. [Ambassador Emily of the Grand Tomb of Neolith... But she is also known as Princess Emily in Neolith... You were right. They sent over a princess.] [Are you serious? I was so happy when I found out they didn''t... Let me guess political marriage?] [I believe that''s their aim.] Leslie messaged again. These exchanges of quick mental messages were rapid fire and only took the span of a moment. Jack turned to Lucius, "Grand Minister Lucius, I am glad to have returned to seek your counsel. We need to catch up on some workings within the Church." Lucius being acknowledged first surprised, but also thrilled him. He bowed deeply, "Of course, your Grace." "Warmarshal Verruca, Your guards are impressive as always. We still need to speak about other points on the security of the kingdom, if you have time." "A-Always, your Grace." Verruca was slightly caught off guard. When was the last time his Grace complimented her... Baring his thousand-year entombment. She wasn''t sure exactly what to think. His heartfelt words echoed in her mind, along with the words of her best friend and fellow Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood. "My Consort," Jack said lovingly. Though called last, Leslie could tell the tone difference he used when he spoke to her. She smiled in response. Even though she should wait for their wedding day... She really wanted to service her love soon. She simply said, "Welcome back." While smiling in her seductive voice. Finally, Jack turned to look at the tiny left out ambassador, "If I''m not mistaken, you must be Ambassador Emily of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. Am I right?" Emily made a courtesy, and spoke, "Yes, Holy Witch King. I am Ambassador Emily. On behalf of The Grand tomb of Neolith, I wish to speak with you about ways that will benefit the two kingdoms." Jack mentally raised an eyebrow at the voice that was issued from this little childlike skeleton. Judging by her voice, she sounded to be in her 20s. She had this snobby college girl voice. He could still hear this voice in his mind from his college days. He did not have a good impression of ladies that had this voice. Thankfully Jack couldn''t frown even if he wanted to, with his skeletal face, and so Emily didn''t notice anything askew. "Welcome then, Welcome to the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. We shall speak later then, about this treaty." "Absolutely, I look forward to our time together!" Emily said sweetly and courtesy again. [Wow... Neolith must be facing some serious problems for them to send a princess to marry me... Why a little girl... A little skeletal girl at that...] Jack mentally shook his head. He turned to oversee the crowd of people that were still waiting for him. He could only guess they were awaiting his first public speech since his awakening. Jack had long mentally prepared several speeches on his trip, so he stepped up, and tapped his Ferula on the stand. This gathered the attention of all the undead, citizens and Officials alike. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Jack again left his Femur Ferula suspended in midair, as he raised both his hands up to greet the crowd. Jack was very familiar with public speaking. He used to be the Student Council Vice-President in college. Well... Before he decided that he no longer wished to be a part of extracurricular. "My People. There is much to be done! I wish to give a proper meeting with everyone in the city, and the entire kingdom. I have a few words today, as I believe important events are on the horizon. But! Together, with Our people and kingdom as Our armor, Our Armies as Our sword, and Our Faith as Our shield... There... Is... No one... That can withstand the Might! OF! OUR! HOLY! KINGDOM!" Jack started in slow and built of the frenzy in the people who gathered. His shouting was heard to the ends of the city. Many undead looked up from their toil or desks to wonder what was going on? Today would be marked as a great day. The Holy Witch King declared it so, and so it would be to the citizens of the kingdom. The Citizens and even the Officials were cheering loudly! Our MIGHT! We are the Armor! Deagoth had never been a true military focused state. They learned more to a peaceful theocracy, but Jack... He was able to wipe these peaceful citizens into a warlike frenzy with only a few words. Jack had many people that wanted him to become a politician in his last life, but after what happened in college, he withdrew from the world. If not for him being propelled into his current situation, these skills would have laid to waste. Jack turned, as he picked up his staff, and walked from the reception. He then ascended the palace steps and was followed by Lucius, Leslie, Verruca, and Emily. A host of guards followed. Ever lurking in the light, unknown to Jack or the Citizens were his personal guards. The personal guards were furious that they were not able to catch his Grace when he left for Souigak but after much thought... Being Emperor Rank... What could they do besides cleaning up the trash? These guards were the ever silent Holy Sentinels. The name of these guards would change in the future, and this future name would chill even the hearts of undead. ******* Jack remembered the way, and so he went to his Office. He was sure he had plenty of business. What he really wanted to do was to find his bed called an evening tomb and just drop dead in it. Yes... Jack started to find puns fun. Jack took his seat behind the desk, Leslie took her position on the couch, Verruca, and Lucius took up both the black chairs in front of Jack''s Desk. This left Emily to stand. Jack looked up to see Emily standing awkwardly. He just couldn''t leave her standing, a guest in his kingdom... His mother had taught him better than that if he had a guest. Though in his past life, this seldom if ever happened. "Let''s prepare a chair for Our dear Ambassador," Jack spoke to no one in particular, but a few seconds later, his door opened, with two handmaidens carrying a black bone chair, just like the one Verruca and Lucius were sitting on. After arranging the chairs where Emily was between Leslie on the couch, and Verruca was sitting on the other side of her, with Lucius besides Verruca, Jack got down to business. "I hope everyone has been well in my absence." "Well, very well," Lucius replied. The others kept silent, and Jack took note. He observed the four sitting before him. "Let''s bring you to speed. I have decided to abolish the Crag Families." A sharp breath was taken in by Verruca, Lucius clicked his teeth together, and Emily stared vacantly, only Leslie made no reaction. "Is... Is he agreeable to this?" Lucius asked he knew from the Archbishops just how much of a pain the Mafioso were. One has to remember that the Warmarshals were in charge of the armed forces, while the Clergy were in charge of the peacekeepers. Deagoth didn''t have police in name but had peacekeepers. They were part of the church and punished crime according to Deagoth holy law. Holy law was a combination of laws made from faith and governance. Committing crimes were known as committing sins, and could be used interchangeably. Sin would never be removed off one''s record. An interesting note that sin actually did exist. Not in the same note that Deagoth law stated, but in the way that it was a metaphysical occurrence. For example, when one undead killed another, the sin of murder would attach to his or her soul, like a blemish or a scar. These tainted souls would have little bearing on day to day unlife, but this could affect cultivation with the Holy Light, or even Arcane energies. While the undead were masters of soul manipulation, it would be a long time, before the undead would think to view the soul for corruption of sin. On this flipside, the more virtues an undead committed, as an example, willing sacrifice, would brighten a soul, and repair sin. It wasn''t known who or what had made such a cosmic mechanism in place, but it could only be deduced that it was used for the judgment of souls in the afterlife. Undead were not the abominations that other races would make them out to be. They were anticipated by the cosmic mechanism of the afterlife. So when a soul was bound to an undead body, it only prolonged its journey to the afterlife, with only newly dead could be resurrected. This was before the soul was sent to await judgment. Oddly enough, the undead found a way to procreate. Jack would later find out this information. "Yes. I have already talked everything over with Boss Crag. In fact, I have made another decision." Jack paused for dramatic effect, unknown to him that no one cared, and would patiently wait until he spoke. "The Crag Families and Boss Crag will be absorbed by our kingdom, and become part of our kingdom." ""What?!"" Verruca and Lucius spoke almost at the same time. Emily kept silent, not sure who Boss Crag was, or even who or what a mafia was, as in the Grand Tomb of Neolith... They didn''t have mafia... They had slave unions that caused them issues. Something flashed in Leslie''s eyes, as she opened her mouth to speak, "Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer... Is that it?" "That is definitely one of the boons of such an undertaking." Jack spoke, then looked to Emily, "Ambassador Emily, I will be talking about various other important aspects of the kingdom with my advisors. I don''t believe it would be good for you to continue to sit with Us." Jack finally realized that he was talking about some pretty secretive stuff, and was almost going to speak about his upcoming plan. Emily was an outsider, a guest, but an outsider as well. Chapter 44: Disappointment leads to Decapitation "Don''t mind me. I will keep anything you say a secret from the Grand Tomb of Neolith." Emily spoke up while nodding from where she was perched up on her chair. She wanted to seduce the Holy Witch King and marry him. This would tie her Country to his, and this would also strengthen them. So keeping a few secrets for the Witch King wasn''t going to be a big deal to her. "Ambassador, I fail to believe that. You represent your Country. Why would you keep Our secrets...? I wasn''t born yesterday, and so you insult me." Jack spoke with a calm tone, but a thick killing intent filled the air. This killing intent did not emanate from Jack, but from his people. Lucius looked around the massive form of Verruca, while Verruca looked down from on high at this small undead Ambassador. Leslie who was lounging on the couch had sat up straight, and a few twinkles of light flashed around the edges of the room. Emily could feel an almost tangible feeling of death in the air, like a boulder on her rib cage pressing down, making it hard to move. Never had she thought that a simple word from the Witch King of Deagoth could make her feel this way? Her mother, spider queen of Neolith, couldn''t produce this feeling. Her mother was powerful, and a King rank cultivator, but her subjects didn''t react as fiercely like the Witch King''s. The scariest part of the Witch King, in Emily''s opinion, wasn''t him or his Cultivation, but his subjects of his kingdom. Jack could notice an awkward and angry atmosphere in the room. He didn''t mean to turn everyone against Emily, but he really couldn''t believe she wouldn''t tote this information back to Neolith... He had to think of a way to ensure his secrets would remain just that... Secrets. He would later ponder over how to complete that task. "Alright now, Ambassador Emily. Return to your dwelling. I will call upon you to review the possible treaty. I thank you for the time you have already spent, and your willingness to assist with Our kingdom." "Ah... Yes, your Grace." Emily had actually address Jack as his Grace, and not by his Title. One could guess the crazy amount of pressure she was under. She slid off her seat and walked to the door. The Door was opened from the outside by two Holy Sentinels, who escorted her to her room, along with her two servant-guards. In the office, Lucius finally made a statement, "Knowing Boss Crag will join us is something you want Neolith to know?" This wasn''t actually something Jack wanted Neolith to know. It was just that he had forgotten she was here, and by being a little too excited for the plan he had in mind said too much. Jack naturally wouldn''t admit this, "It wouldn''t hurt for Neolith to know, that We are unifying. This leaves one less avenue for them to exploit." "Why let them know this?" Verruca asked. "Boss Crag isn''t a big name or a small name, but I have plans to use him internally." "So you''re sending a message to Neolith, that you''re going to bring the mafia into the kingdom?" "Yes." "I object to bringing Boss Crag and his cohorts into the kingdom, your Grace." Lucius made a rare objection. "What''s your objection?" "They are lawless, sinful, miscreants, that only lust for Glowstone. They are not fit for the kingdom or the Holy Faith of Deagoth." Jack mulled his words over for a moment, before replying, "Grand Minister Lucius, Let me ask you a question." Taken slightly aback, "Yes...? Your Grace...?" "Do We make money? The kingdom, that is." "Yes... Yes, We do." Lucius said after a moment of thought, Verruca and Leslie were watching with interest. Verruca didn''t want to see the Mafia become a part of them, while Leslie''s thoughts reflected approval. "Then have We engaged in battle before with other powers?" "Ah, but the-" "No. Have We engaged in battle before with other powers?" "Yes," Lucius spoke again. "Have We killed undead in the interest of the kingdom?" "Yes." "What makes Us any right to do these, then the Mafioso?" "Because We are the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth!" Lucius said proudly. "That''s true. Let me ask another question. If the Mafioso were a kingdom, let''s call them the Crag Kingdom and We weren''t the kingdoms, who would be the mafia then?" The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Lucius thought this over but didn''t want to say aloud what he thought of... Leslie spoke in his place, "We would be the mafia. So you mean there are no differences between the Mafia and Countries?" "Exactly... Even Trading Companies are the same, as large ruling powers. Only Countries make the law of the land, and are exempt from crime, as long as We stay to Ourselves. This means We do not act against other sovereign powers." Leslie nodded and praised! "What a keen observation! What about Clans and Large Families? Aren''t they the same thing?" "They are. They are just smaller versions." "So taking over the Crag Families is the same as taking over a Clan, a Trading company, or even taking over another Country." "That''s a part of the plan. Boss Crag will complete a mission for me first, and then We will then absorb him into the Kingdom." Verruca asked this time, as she was interested in this topic. She wasn''t into the Mafia and felt a lot like Lucius. Now that she heard his Grace explains that there is no difference... She felt rather subtle about it, "What mission?" "I plan to use Boss Crag to take over the Undead Eastern Trading Company. When he finishes this, I will move him, his and the Undead Eastern Trading Company into the Kingdom." This time Leslie was surprised. This was outside her expectation. This was... This was... This was an amazing move! She couldn''t help herself but blurt out, "As expected of my love!" Lucius and Verruca turned to look at the undead beauty. What was she on about...? This sounded stupid. Didn''t his Grace say he was going to take over the Trading Company as a part of the kingdom? Leslie saw the two look over at her, and couldn''t help shaking her head, "You guys don''t deal with money or merchandise on a regular basis, so you wouldn''t know. My love plans to use Boss Crag as a Mafia Boss to take over the Trading Company. If anyone tries to accuse My love as being a tyrant, he can say it''s just the mafia and take no action. It''s not his problem. Then when Boss Crag completes his mission, he scoops it all up. No one can blame or stop My Love." Leslie''s eyes shined. "Exactly." Jack nodded, but he had a different thought appear in his mind. [I really can''t wait to get to the changing room and be stripped of these heavy clothes... I''ve been wearing these robes since I lef-] Jack''s thoughts to himself were cut short when he realized he needed to take another bath... The last bath was firmly etched in his mind... No! It was acid etched into his mind. Jack mentally shook his head. Realization dawned on both Verruca and Lucius, but they also wondered what this had to do with money or merchandise... "Alight then, We need to replenish the ranks of the Officials of Unlife. How many have We executed from trying to leave the City in my absence." Leslie glared at both Verruca and Lucius, and Jack noticed this. "I take it something happened..." Jack asked. "Well... We locked up those Officials that tried to leave." Lucius said a little wearily. "Locked... Up...? Why didn''t you execute them...? How many are We talking?" "Well five of the Officials of Unlife tried to leave, and forty-five minor Officials tried to skip, as well. Verruca spoke up. "Alright then... Just why are they jailed and not truly dead?" Lucius and Verruca remained silent. They just didn''t have it in them to execute so many Officials. This had led the Officials of the kingdom to believe that The Holy Witch King wasn''t going to actually cleanse the court. Leslie spoke up, "Because these two couldn''t bring themselves to execute your orders. I had wanted to execute the Official filth from the Court, per your Orders, but they were not willing. I even took the time to go through the background of each Official that''s in jail. Each one of these scum bags has exploited their positions within the last five hundred years. Jack looked over to Lucius and Verruca, "Even if you didn''t know they have committed offenses to the kingdom. Why are they still among Us?" "Ah... We... I..." Verruca was at a loss, she didn''t think that Jack would react quite like this. Lucius remained silent. Jack sighed out loud, "I''m not angry with you two." As Jack said this one could see the relief on the face of Verruca, and the drooping posture of Lucius. "I am, however, disappointed." Jack finished. Verruca''s metaphysical heart shattered... [Dis-Dis-Disappointed in me?] While Lucius continued to remain silent, When was the last time he had ever disappointed The Holy Witch King. Jack sighed again out loud, as he stood up to pace behind his desk and chair. "Let me tell all three of you a secret." Verruca and Lucius looked up from where their head drooped; Leslie''s eyes brightened. She watched with fervor. "I know about things... Things I shouldn''t know. Things that I doubt many in this world know." The three remained listened; wondering where this was going. "I have seen things. Things that I doubt many in this world has seen." This mystified the three. "We must unite, only then can We face the horrors that lay outside. If We do not clean up Our court, kingdom, and solidify Our position... Then everything We have done up until now will be for naught!" Jack had turned and slapped his bony hand on the Black bone desk to make a sick thud sound. Verruca broke out of her trance and couldn''t help but ask, "Uh-Uh Your Grace, Can I ask a question?" Jack adjusted his posture, "You may." "Did you... When you were entombed... Did you see beyond...? Did you see beyond the veil of Our world?" Verruca asked this question based on Warmarshal''s Stephanie Chaoshood''s theory, though because of the situation she forgot the part where no one is supposed to know this. Jack''s flames that danced in his eye sockets became a bit more fierce. "Yes. Yes, I did." A sharp air was taken in by Leslie and Verruca. Leslie knew what this meant, and Verruca had recently learned what this meant. Lucius looked to have turned to stone; He also knew... what this meant. Jack took his seat. "Let Us comprise. Using the evidence provided by My Consort put these scum on trial. I want this trail to be with high exposure. Show everyone in the kingdom what these Officials have done, and then after each trail. If they are found to be guilty, I want them executed on the spot. No waiting, No leisure, no excuses. I want their skulls to be piled up in the city center and guarded by palace guards, and I want posted signs telling what each of these so-called-Officials did, and the reason for their execution." "I want every citizen and Official to see the skull of each decapitated Official, and know the crime they committed. I want the unlife of these traitors to be snuffed. No Questions!" Jack stated all his demands in a chilling tone. This tone... Could this tone be produced by the same Jack they knew a thousand years ago? Chapter 45: Intimate Knowledge Needed "I want this public execution to occur, where everyone can see it! Everyone!" "Y-Yes, your Grace." Both Lucius and Verruca spoke out at the same time. They even shuddered at the same syllable. "Good, Very good. Now then, start this task tomorrow. We just had a celebration on my return. I wish not to sully the good mood of the people, at least for a day." Jack said as he turned his gaze to Leslie. "My dear Leslie, Can you arrange Boss Crag a guest room and accommodations for his people?" Leslie smiled sweetly, and replied, "Of course!" "Alright then, We need to meet again after the executions, for the future of Deagoth. I also need to speak with that little Ambassador..." Jack actually shook his head for them to see. They too felt that Jack didn''t have a good impression of this Ambassador; this made Leslie and even Verruca feel better in their hearts. "Alright, everyone makes busy. Unfortunately, I need to rest." "...My love... You need another bath." Leslie spoke up. "I-Yes... Yes, I do. Will you accompany me, again?" "YES! I mean Yes, it will be my pleasure." Leslie stood, and waited for his Grace to pass her. As he did, she took his bony hand, and they walked out of the door hand-in-hand. Verruca had seen this, and the small amount of pleasure she found that Jack didn''t like Emily, was smashed by the intimate contact he had with Leslie. Lucius put his hand on the arm of Verruca, "Julia... You have a choice to make. That''s all I will say." Lucius then left through the door. He had arrangements to make with the clergy for tomorrows trials. His Grace would have no mercy for these Officials, so he wouldn''t even bother to pray for them. Verruca exited the Office. She left to go home. She just wanted rest for once. It had to be known that Verruca had not used her Evening Tomb, since the day they had Resurrected The Holy Witch King. As she walked through the corridors of the Palace, one could see the stiffness in her shoulders, and the weight of her heart. ******* Jack had walked to his changing room. Leslie''s handmaidens were already waiting for him, as they stripped him of his ruling garments, and redressed him in his casual robes. He slipped on his casual slipper shoes and was led out again by Leslie, who propped her head on his bony arm. As he walked back to his room, he could look down to see the top of Leslie''s head, and the cleavage she had. Jack again wondered... How did undead make love... He Really REALLY wanted to know but didn''t want to ask Leslie, as he wanted to save his own face. He wasn''t even sure if she knew. She didn''t seem like one of those ladies that did that kind of thing. It was a fact, that Leslie had not taken part in any union with any other, male or female. Jack had returned to his room and took off his shoes by the door. He left them in the nice box by the door that was meant for shoes. He always thought it was funny that they were so into shoes here in Deagoth. Were all undead like this? Already in the room, there was a wash tub of clear pure water waiting for him... [Not again....] Jack remembered his last traumatic experience... but here he was. He steeled himself, so he didn''t even try to fight. He stood by the water basin, as Leslie slipped off his robes, and he stepped into the basin. Just like last time the water started to boil the moment his foot entered into it. Jack clenched his teeth as he applied more strength in his lower jaw, and sat down into the water. The holy water was now at a rolling boil. Leslie then preceded to, as last time, wash him with meticulously care. Jack could see the silly grin on her face, and this lessened the pain he felt. He also noticed again she didn''t have gloves on, and her skeletal hands were directly washing him with the linen washcloth. Leslie noticed his gaze lingered on her hands, and she felt her heart tighten. He was looking at her bony hands... Was he really into bones? She had come to terms with his bone fetish, but as a lady, she still felt a certain way about her appearance. "Darling..." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Startled Jack spoke, "Yes?" "Do you... Do you like my Bony skeletal hands?" Leslie asked hesitantly. Jack knew this was a loaded question. Undead or not, all women were sensitive about their appearance. Jack had watched enough shows, movies, and played enough games for this. He wanted to give it a try to answer this correctly. "Before I answer this, can I ask you a question?" Jack asked while Leslie began to wash his rib cage. She paused, and spoke, "Uh-Of course." "If I knew this once, please forgive me, but how did your hands become like this. I have a feeling they weren''t always this way." The previous Witch King did, in fact, know how her hands became like this, but he had never made comment or spoke about it. "Well, ah. Well, I''ve always washed your sheets, your casual robes, and linens by hand. You granted this to me many years ago. I had washed everything with holy water, as it should be." "So... Your hands became like this because of me?" "Because I wanted to do this for you. Yes." "Then I love your hands," Jack spoke this confidently, and this shot an arrow into Leslie''s heart. So flustered Leslie dropped the washcloth into the water. Leslie was about to reach her arm into the water to pick it up, but this would burn up to her forearm. Jack quickly scooped up the washing cloth and handed it to Leslie. Leslie looked up to stare deeply into the dancing flames that appeared in the eye sockets of her beloved. She remembered when she first saw his eyes aflame. She didn''t make comment, but she thought they were very handsome and gave a regal air. No skeletal undead she had ever seen had such eyes, and it could only be attributed to his cultivation breaking through to Emperor Rank to produce such an effect. "Jack..." She called out to him, actually saying his name. "Leslie..." Jack also commented, even as the holy water boiled around him. He was lost in her eyes. Jack could only lament his lack of flesh... He really wanted to kiss this beauty, but as he was thinking this, he felt pressure against his teeth. He snapped back from his inward thoughts to see that Leslie had leaned over the water basin kissing and licking his teeth, with her eyes closed. Jack paused for a moment, as she continued to run her tongue over his teeth; she was even making certain seductive feminine sounds. He could only feel this was the least romantic thing he had ever seen or experienced... That was considering he even asked his first and only girlfriend if she was in the mood when clearly she was. He had broken the romantic atmosphere with his stupid questions. He did have to admit that it made him feel incredible to see this seductive beauty performing such an act, and the sounds she made really made him feel good. This was basically eye candy. Jack wanted to interrupt her, but she seemed to be quite passionate about it. At a loss, he didn''t interrupt her. Unconsciously, he had wrapped his long thin arms around her waist. Leslie paused after a few moments and released herself from Jack. She turned a bit darker, as was the custom of Zombie undead when blushing. "I-Uh... I lost myself for a moment. I apologize." Leslie tried to regain her composure. "Let''s finish the bath first," Jack spoke again. "Alright." Leslie continued. Jack got a distinct feeling that Leslie wanted to do... That... But how was he supposed to do... That... He was made of bones, but could just Bone... That required flesh. Who could he ask? Crag popped into his mind first, but he wasn''t that close yet. He also needed to maintain his image. What about Lucius... Would Lucius know? He was also a skeletal undead... Did he have a wife? Jack actually didn''t know much about Lucius... Curiosity finally got the best of him, and he mentally Messaged Lucius. "Lucius, can you hear me?" "Ah, your Grace, What''s the matter?" "Just call me Jack, it''s fine." "Alright then... What''s wrong?" Lucius dropped the act and treated Jack as his friend. Lucius couldn''t be sure with the way Jack was acting after he came from entombment. "I have a rather... Ummm... Screw it; I''m just going to ask." Jack finally couldn''t think how to word this, so he just asked shamelessly. "What is it???" Lucius was baffled, as he sat among the Archbishops. All seven Archbishops were still present in Saigunrai from the last court meeting, and Lucius was going over the trial tomorrow. "How do undead have sex? Like Me... I want to know how I have sex. I have no clue." Jack just outright said it. He knew no other way to ask. Lucius stared vacantly at his Archbishops, as his boney jaw slacked and hung open, creating a comical scene. [Ah... What did The Holy Witch King just ask?] Lucius thought to himself. All the Archbishops saw that the Grand Minister suddenly stopped the meeting and his Jaw hung open... They weren''t stupid; they knew he must have just got a message. Now the question they wanted to know was just what kind of message did the Grand Minister receive to have this kind of reaction? [I don''t think I heard what you just asked?] Lucius messaged back. [You damn well know what I asked... I''m desperate here... Leslie is totally in the mood, and I have no idea how to do this. I don''t want to break up the mood here. This isn''t something I''ve ever done!] Jack sounded exactly as he described... desperate. "Please-uh... Everyone excuse me for a moment. I have to provide some important direction. Please carry on with the discussion. Remember we need to appoint a fair judge." Lucius excused himself from the conference and left through the double doors. Standing outside the hall, he finally messaged back. [Jack... This is going to sound really really awkward... Is Leslie there with you?] [Yeah. She''s currently bathing me.] [As much as I''d like to know how this led to this... As a man of the cloth, you should abstain until after the wedding to consummate the marriage.] [Lucius... If anyone in this whole underworld doesn''t need to be told this it would be me. I need a wingman right now... Can you be that wingman...] [I''m not sure what a wingman is, but you can count on me, never the less.] [I''m going to save you some time. This is going to be super weird, but I''ll clean this up as much as I can.] [Exactly what are you going to be doing...?] Jack finally asked, as this started to become the pronoun game... cryptic. Chapter 46: Evening Tombs As this flood of information made it into his mind, some parts... He wishes he didn''t know about Lucius... But... At this point, he would try to replace these memories with his own, between him and Leslie. In the part of the information that he received, he found that Undead do not have physical sex, but have Soul Unions. Soul Unions sounded like some high-level mystical techniques but were actually rather easy to accomplish. Any creature with a soul can complete a soul union. So not only could undead have sex via soul unions, any creature, and between even creatures that did not share the same species. It was super convenient for interspecies relationships, though bearing children were interesting between different species, for undead, it involved soul unions. However, Lucius chooses to exclude this information or didn''t know how to. Jack figured it was more that Lucius didn''t want him to know. In the case of undead, two undead would find somewhere to be comfortable, and they would use their souls to mingle with each other. That was the whole grist and concept. Now the feeling was something that he felt that Lucius was unable to convey even with a knowledge transfer. Jack figured as much. How many games, novels, shows, and comics would portray sex, as each and every one of them described it differently? Some said it was like the earth moved, and others like the sweating and primal mating patterns of beasts. Jack felt that he would come up with some way to figure out how it felt. He just wanted to give it a try. He really really really liked it in his last life, but that was physical... What would this soul union be like, he felt it couldn''t possibly compare to what he did in his last life, or even his gentlemanly ways near the end of his last life that involved much AV and adult games? [Did you get all that?] Lucius asked. He now felt closer, but also super awkward to his king and supreme pontiff. He had just instructed him, based on his own experiences how to have intimate encounters. If someone had told Lucius this would happen, Lucius would have slapped that undead out of the palace, too absurd, but here he was... [Yeah... I got it. So this is interesting. Lucius... Who... ah... How did you go about this?] Jack asked out of pure morbid curiosity. [Do you really want to know, or do you want to return to your consort?] [When you say it like that, I sound like a jackass.] [I know what an ass is, but what is a Jackass?] [A stupid beast of burden.] [A bit harsh, but I didn''t say it. Are you good? Do you have any questions?] [No... I think I got this. It''s kind of strange though... Does it feel good?] Jack asked the important question. Lucius Laughed through the mental messaging, [Are you kidding me... Undead wouldn''t be a civilized species without it feeling good. We would be nothing but warmongering monsters.] [Oh! Well I look forward to it then.] [You know Jack...] [Yeah???] [When you do this with Leslie, Verruca will be sad....] Lucius finally said what was on his mind. He wouldn''t give this kind of warning if he had already completed his marriage with Leslie, but as he hadn''t he knew that Verruca was still hopeful. [Actually... This maybe shameful of me, but I want both Leslie and Julia.] Jack had remembered Verruca''s first name. He had thought a lot about her on his trip back. Listening to Boss Crag, he finally came to a conclusion. He was The Holy Witch King, who said he had to have only one wife. Was it not every male''s dream to have many females? So he was going to have his. [Ummm... Jack... The Verruca family is really tight values on marriage. They believe one male; one female union. If you ask this of her, she may have to forsake her family.] [Are you telling me that I, The Holy Witch King, would ask the Verruca family for the hand of their prized daughter, they would not agree, if I have another wife?] Jack was slightly pissed. He had already built up in his mind that he could have it all. He was going to get everything he wanted in this unlife that he lacked in his last life. He tried not to act as he cared... He cared. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [When you put it that way... I actually don''t know. You could approach her family elders, and have a talk with them. I just don''t know how she will react to this... Though I have a question, if you still have a moment.] Lucius was going to finally ask something that had been on his mind for a while. [Leslie''s currently cleaning my eye sockets, so I think I have just enough time... Shoot.] Jack spoke. This verbiage ''shoot'' was unknown to Lucius, but he chalked it up, yet again, to Jack having seen things in his entombment. He figured it meant ''go ahead,'' [Why are you doing this now? Why make Leslie your consort? Why Julia? Why now?] [...I was lonely.] Jack said the truth. This was actually the bottom line truth. In his last life, he wanted a woman. At first, when he withdrew from the world, he would go to work and go home. He only wanted one woman. What he believed was his dream woman, but that didn''t work out. This is what led him to his withdrawal. In the many years that followed, he began to want just a woman, a companion. It didn''t have to be the woman he wanted formally, any decent woman would do. Now that he had the ability, he wanted one. When he spoke to Boss Crag, he realized he was in a position to have more than one. So he did want he wanted. [Lonely? I understand, completely. Say no more.] Lucius nodded to himself. [Alright, wish me luck, with Leslie.] [Ah... Good luck.] Lucius felt odd wishing Jack good luck to having premarital relations. He also felt slightly foolish for the last time he barged into Jack''s room thinking he had been doing THAT... Lucius shook his head and went back into the meeting hall to finish his discussions with the Archbishops. "Who were you talking to?" Leslie had noticed Jack''s silence and knew he must be talking to someone. "Oh, I was speaking with Lucius." Jack had dropped Lucius'' title. "So you guys are friends?" "I believe so, but don''t tell anyone." "Well, I already knew. I just wanted to see what you were going to say." Leslie giggled. "Are you trying to outsmart me?" Jack asked humorously. "Maybe... What would you do about it?" Leslie asked seductively. Jack had finally completed his bath and stepped out of the tub. Leslie came up to him with his robe, and as she walked around to slip his robe on to him, Jack reached out to grab her around her waist. He dragged her to himself. Leslie felt as if her heart would beat. She again looked up into those flaming eyes. She had been initiating contact with her love, but this was the fourth time he had. This was the boldest of contact to date. Yes, she counted each time. "Leslie... Would you like to retire to my evening tomb for the night?" Jack really hoped he said evening tomb correctly. It wasn''t something he was really familiar with in common speech. [Does he finally want to do ''that?''?] Leslie thought to herself. She wasn''t sure if she was going to have to wait until after their wedding. She didn''t want to wait, but being a lady... She didn''t want to bring it up either. She was his consort after all, and no one would dispute it if they would do it. She also felt some expectation, "I would love to." She laid her head on Jack''s clean rib cage. After an amount of time, he patted her on the back and led her over to his evening tomb. Leslie followed, and they both lay down on Jack''s evening tomb. Evening tombs came in two variations, and there was no uniform building material for them. Of the two variations, the standing tomb, and the flat tomb. The standing tomb was that, an evening tomb that would walk stand up in to rest, while the flat tomb was to lie down in. Both of these tombs were exactly that, tombs for the dead. This habit of evening tombs came from the first undead who would return to their crypts to rest or recover. They could have just as easily used beds, but they felt that being undead they should use tombs. A custom that was born purely out of a cultural aesthetic. Evening tombs were undead beds. Jack''s evening tomb was by undead standards... Really nice. Which was to be expected of the King and supreme pontiff of the Country and Faith of Deagoth? His evening tomb was set in on the left corner of his room. It was rather large, with a width of two meters, and a length of three and a half meters. It was gold and obsidian, as the customary colors of Deagoth, with inlaid runes on all the sides. The Tomb had a sealed cover made of the same material that could cover the tomb by the mechanism. The inside of the tomb was lined with White Neolith Spider silk padding and had three small pillows made of the same. Jack lay down in his tomb and soon followed by Leslie. Jack used a pillow to prop her head next to him, as she lay in his embrace. He wanted to make sure she was very confirmable. He laid his head on his pillow and activated the mechanism for the tomb''s covering. He didn''t do this last time, as he was just taking a nap. This time he wanted to privacy, even if this type of soul union wasn''t a physical action. The gears clanked, and the cover slide into place. Thankfully, undead did not need to breathe, even if Zombie undead mimicked the action, as the tomb was sealed off from the outside. It would take a King Ranked Cultivator to destroy this evening tomb to gain access, as it was built to withstand sneak attacks. A bit of light was still within the darkness of the sealed tomb, illuminated by Jack''s flaming eyes. A thought crossed his mind... He should if he wanted to have his first Soul Union... But he thought he needed to make this clear. Even if he couldn''t get his way, Jack felt he needed to be clear with Leslie. "Leslie..." "Mmmmm...?" "I have something serious to talk to you about..." Chapter 47: Climaxing Souls "Oh? What is it?" "Without going into details, I really want to do... You know... With you." "Mmmhmmm." Leslie wasn''t actually all that bothered by him to voice it, though she blushed. "We''ve never spoken about Verruca." "...!" Not hearing a response from Leslie, Jack continued. "You remember the conversation We had that day..." "...Yes..." "What do you think of her?" "...Why are you asking me this?" Leslie felt slightly disturbed in her heart. "I... I can only apologize." "...for what?" Leslie thought for a moment... Had Jack and Verruca already reaped together? Yes... The undead''s slang for Soul Unions was to reap, reaping, reaped together... Also to bond together, to harmonize together, tote the bone, lay the tomb, and do soul dance were also among the slang for Soul Unions. "I wish to take Verruca... Julia Verruca as my second consort." Jack said this as shamelessly as he could muster. He was so glad he didn''t have flesh and blood. He could have died from high blood pressure at this moment. "What?!" Leslie questioned this, not because of Jack''s shameless request, but because she thought they had already reaped. "I know it''s not right to you for me to have a second wife, but I wanted to tell you before we went any further... Just what my desire is..." "So you two haven''t... before?" "What? No! No, I''ve never done... That... before, with anyone." "Oh..." Leslie was slightly relieved to hear that Jack hadn''t done that yet, and she could be the first. A period of silence lapsed between the two, then Leslie spoke up, "Jack..." "Yes." "I''ll be honest with you. I don''t want you to take a second consort or a second wife. I want you all to myself." Leslie spoke the truth of his heart. "Ah... Then I understand." "Will you give up on taking Verruca as your second consort or second wife?" "Yes." "You will only marry me, and never touch, look, or reap with another besides me?" Jack was unfamiliar with reap... Maybe it was slang... He wasn''t sure, but he answered the best he could. "I can''t say I won''t look at another woman, but I can state for a fact, that I''ll never touch or do anything with another woman besides you." Jack had decided to let this farfetched dream go. He had made up in his mind what was going to be... He let Boss Crag pump him up, and get such ideas. He was the top dog of Deagoth. He was king and pope. He could get whatever he wanted... But Lucius... Lucius reminded him of a very important fact. Saying Verruca would be sad, it reminded him that these ladies had minds, and opinions of their own. If they didn''t agree, then he couldn''t have them, simple as that. What good would it be to have two consorts, if neither one of them wanted to be with him? "Because I don''t want you to?" Leslie asked. "Yes." "So you will forsake all others for me, and only me?" "Yes." "Why?" Leslie asked. While she felt warmth in her from Jack openly saying he would be hers alone, she didn''t understand why... He could have lots of ladies if he really wanted. She could tell he was being truthful, which was even more perplexing to her. How could he go from wanting multiple spouses to forsaking his dream and fetish in moments? She found him more and more interesting. "Because I want you." Jack had at first picked Leslie as his consort to give him someone that would be on his side and could use to get information. He also did this because he wanted a girlfriend, a companion, but after interacting with Leslie... And the length of period of not being about to see her... Jack had caught what people of his last life would call... Feelings. Yes. Jack had fallen in Love with this beauty. He thought many things about Leslie. She was mysterious. His trip left him with a lot to think about, and when he thought of Leslie... A bunch of things didn''t add up about her. So he found that her mystery was intriguing. Also, Leslie was dark... He didn''t know what it was about her, but he felt that Leslie was slightly evil... A femme fatale and Jack liked that. He liked that a lot. However, the next words he heard Leslie say surprised him. "I''ll think about it." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Huh?" "I''ll think about it if you want to take a second wife or third, or however many you want." "But... I thought you wanted me to yourself. I can agree with that." Jack was at a loss. He had just given up, but all of a sudden she was saying this. "I wanted to know how you felt. What you really felt... You''re amazing, Jack. Do you know that?" "Ah, well... I don''t think so." Leslie giggled. Such sweet giggling made Jack tingle. One has to remember being undead is like being in a sensory deprived room, to feel anything was amazing. Like the Burnt Offerings Jack partook with Boss Crag. It made him feel warmth. Her laughter... It made him feel tingly. He wanted more. "I''ve liked you... I''ve always liked you... And, yes, I said like. I thought I loved you before you were entombed, but now I know it was just a crush. I was fond of you. You were the only one I could see to be my husband, to be my mate, but after you left your entombment though... I''ve fallen in love with you. I love you. You''re wise, a bit awkward, but you''re truthful, and you''re a genius. You could fool everyone else, but you can''t fool me. I watch you too closely." "Uhhh... What do you mean?" "I know you act. I know you aren''t the bad guy you want to make everyone think you are..." "I''m not a good guy either..." "No, you''re not... You''re a villain, but you make decisions for the best of Deagoth. Even if they are seen as bad or good, you make them if you think they are for the better for us. " "A villain is a bad guy..." Jack said helplessly. He had done exactly that... Act the villain. It was the only way he knew to be in the situation that he found himself in. "A villain isn''t a bad guy. A villain is a selfish person. They only ever do anything that would serve them. In your case, I, your consort, your friends, and your kingdom are yours. You only make decisions for us, for the best of us, only because you feel you own us. Because we are yours... Selfish." Jack thought for a moment, while Leslie finished... He couldn''t think of a retort, but found his thoughts were interrupted by Leslie, "I don''t dislike a selfish man." Leslie giggled again, feeling Jack with more of that sweet feeling. "I don''t know what you saw when you died... But you didn''t want to tell me that." "Yeah... I died." Jack said the truth, and Leslie could tell he wasn''t lying. "So whatever you saw, is driving you to make these changes, and it has changed you. You''re ruthless now, and I like that a lot in a male." Leslie snuggled up to Jack. He could feel her laying on him. "I know you say things you think sound good, but if anyone stopped to think about it... They would know you''re just trying to act the part. It''s only when you''re talking to me, Lucius, even Verruca... Are you being the real you, even then your just a selfish villain." "So you noticed..." Jack had thought he had a high level of Bullshittery... His acting failed to meet the scrutiny of Leslie. "Also..." "Hmmm? "I love it when you''re being ruthless, and evil." Jack could hear Leslie making her seductive sounds... Could she still be in the mood? Jack wanted to question what she meant by being evil, but logic was tossing this to the side, as he wanted to give Soul Unions a try. Jack decided to try his luck. As he remembered from the instructions given to him, Jack call from deep within him to what would be considered his soul. It was interesting, that this wasn''t the first time Jack had done this. The same way Jack absorbed books were exactly the same way to ignite a Soul Union. Jack had wondered if ''the last guy'' had read the karma sutra to learn how to use a technique for undead sex to read books... Jack was baffled about this. Actually both techniques required the soul, and of course, had the same process to start... Jack was just ignorant of this version of soul techniques, as the previous Holy Witch King did not devote much time to it. Jack moved the feeling of his soul from his rib cage, through his shoulder, down his arm, and into his hand. He placed this hand on Leslie''s Chest. This was the first time Jack had cupped him a feel of the spongy flesh that gave Leslie her bust. Leslie moaned in response and did not reject his soul''s intuition. Accepting it, and inviting it into her soul space. The Soul space of undead was the metaphysical location of their soul within their bodies. Each undead could link this metaphysical location with a real location on their body, or even move it into another object. If moved to another object, then they would no longer be considered zombie undead, or skeletal undead, but Lich undead. Lich undead were the cockroaches of the undead. If one destroyed the physical location of the soul space in an undead, or the container of the soul space became so damaged, the soul would leak out and cause true death. As long as the soul space was intact, an undead could be recovered to their physical status previous of the injury or damage they sustained. With Liches, their entire body could be destroyed, but they would have to get a new body to control. Liches required powerful magics and servants to maintain them. Without servants, a Lich could be destroyed, and his soul would not be damaged, but who would set up the next body for the Lich to inhabit without someone to complete the task? Jack entered into Leslie''s soul space. Jack and Leslie turned their vision inward to see into their soul space. Leslie''s soul was a dark purple colored mass of fog, while Jack''s was a Yellow and black mass of liquid. Colors of souls could indicate cultivation and personality, but Jack would learn of this later. Both souls moved closer to each other before they started to mingle with each other. Almost as each soul wanted to enter into the other. Jack''s soul was stronger than Leslie''s, simply due to it being a liquid form, while Leslie''s was in the form of misty fog. Souls could be strengthening, and cultivation did play a part in this as well. Liquid soul forms were only available to Emperor Cultivators or above. It could only be attributed that Jack being a transmigrator that moved to a new body naturally had a strong soul, as he was not really an Emperor Ranked Cultivator. This misunderstanding would be continued now that Leslie had encountered his soul. As the two souls mingled, played, and danced with each other. The contact between the two brought endless pleasure to both. As the two souls tugged, played, and teased each other, Jack''s and Leslie''s minds were completely open to each other, having no secret thoughts. They could freely think, without having to mentally message each other. Just thinking would express the deepest level of oneself with the other. This was one of the reasons Soul Unions were called Unions. It was a conjoining of the two souls. [I love you.] Leslie was the first to think during the soul union after an unknown length of time. [Me too...] Jack responded with his first thought. [This feels so good.] Jack thought again, this was different than physical sex, but it was very close to having the best sex he could ever have. Were Soul Unions like having the best sex every time? [Yes... this is the best... This was worth the wait... soooooo goooood.] Leslie completed Jack''s thought and was moaning with her very soul. Both Jack and Leslie went to the very peak of ecstasy during their Soul Union multiple times, as Soul Unions too had climaxes. During these times, the souls of each would vibrate and pulsate, which would in turn cause please the other soul during the union. For Jack and Leslie, this at times caused Chain reactions where one would climax, and this started the other to, and as they finished he would cause the other to climax again. This fierce battle of the souls lasted for Jack and Leslie for three days. During these days of endless pleasure for the two of them, the obsidian blood and marrow of the Officials of the Court painted the palace square a deep shade of black. Chapter 48: Reflection In the three days that The Holy Witch King retired to his Palace, his newly appointed Judges made work of the Officials that were locked in jail, and ones that were dragged to trial, by the evidence provided by the Consort. These Judges were appointed by Grand Minister Lucius, under the Orders of The Holy Witch King. They were known as simply, "His Judges." They had struck fear deep into the Court. They had pulled entire families up and put them on trial. Using evidence, those guilty were killed without mercy. Their relatives that also took part in the crimes were killed. Those that knew of the crimes committed, but did not report it, were also killed, even servants weren''t spared. For three days, from the dawn of the Light of the Skull of the Sun god, until it dimed for the night, there were town criers yelling out the crimes committed by the Officials of Unlife and Minor Officials. The People of Saigunrai were stunned and horrified at the killings and the staking of the skulls of the true dead that piled up in the palace square, but after two days, and the knowledge of the crimes committed, the People were on the side of the Witch King. These Officials were corrupt, and after hearing the crimes by word of mouth of the Town criers, the Zombie undead citizens would spit on the pile of skulls as they walked through the palace square for business or travel, and the Skeletal Undead would make the sound of spitting, though no spit could or would be produced. There were now only a few trials left to complete for the last day, and the town criers continue to make public the lists of guilty and their crimes. ******* Jack and Leslie had finally ceased their fierce battle. They both laid in the dim light of Jack''s evening tomb. The light flickered as the flames in the eyes of Jack danced about. Deep in thought, Jack could not believe how great Soul Unions felt. One has to remember that everyone feels Soul Unions and the Soul Bond a bit differently. Ask ten undead to describe it, and you will get ten different answers, interestingly enough even the undead in the Soul Union will feel it differently. Some undead theorized that it was based on the strength and state of the soul that would determine how it felt, but as this was not toughly researched, no one knew if it was the truth. Jack was one of the few that could give opinions of both the physical act of sex among the living and the metaphysical act of sex among the unliving. While Jack greatly enjoyed the active life and even his gentlemanly private sessions at the end of his life, he had just found his favorite thing in his current unlife. Burnt Offerings were great, but they paled in comparison with Soul Unions. Leslie, for obvious reasons, now felt closer to Jack, and called him husband, as in Leslie''s mind they were now married just without the wedding. "Husband..." Leslie called softly. Stunned, Jack heard Leslie just call to him, as husband. Jack was left without words. He had never imagined he would be called husband one day. He felt a mix of emotions. Happiness, contentment, pride, satisfaction, but also a bit of fear. "...Wife?" Jack asked questioningly. He wasn''t sure if he dreamed Leslie calling him Husband or not. Considering the boning they had just done, he was kind of hazy at the moment. Yes... Jack had decided to also call Soul Unions... Boning..... Leslie giggled, and laid in Jack embrace. Jack pulled her closer to him. He could feel the pressure against him that was her presence. He planned that from now on, as long as she was willing... He was going to bone as much as possible! Leslie gasped, and then went silent. Jack wondered what was wrong, and so asked, "What''s the matter?" "Husband, it''s been three days..." Leslie called. "Well, I mean... We did take a nap for a week." "Yeah... But even while napping I can still continue with my work. I got to get up. Also, you need to look at the palace square... Your Judges had been busy." Leslie said as she hit the mechanism on the inside of Jack''s tomb. Stolen story; please report. His evening tomb''s gears grinded and the lid slide back to its open position. Leslie popped up, and out. Jack sat up. It was interesting to Jack that his vision transitioned from the darkness of the tomb to the light of his room instantly. If he had real eyes, then he would have to wait for them to adjust. He would think more on this later. "So Lucius really made the Judges thing happen. That''s really great. Oh! When are you going to meet your mother?" Jack asked out of curiosity. "I... Uh... I''m not sure." "Come again?" "I don''t know." Leslie acted strangely. The same way she acted when she wanted her family again. She continued, "I don''t know how to face her. It''s been so long... And I thought everything was okay with her. I just didn''t want to face the truth. What if she''s mad at me? What do we do about daddy?" Leslie started to rattle off a bunch of questions. Jack got up out of the tomb and walked over to Leslie. He took both of her hands into his hands and brought them up to chest level. Jack looked down into her eyes, "Leslie... I''m sure it will be fine. I had plenty of time to talk with Mother-in-Law on the way here. She''s a fine lady, and she had a fine lady. She had the same questions about you. If you want, I can be there when you meet her." "You will?" "If you want me to, of course." "Well, it''s a bit backward to introduce you after you have already met her... But I would feel better if you were there, yes." "Then let''s do it this way. I need to check up on Lucius, Boss Crag, and the Ambassador. After that, let''s meet up to visit your mother together." Jack said lovingly. Leslie frowned; she wanted to be with Jack when he spoke to Emily. Even if she agreed with Jack taking another consort or wife... It didn''t mean she liked Emily. However, Leslie had other things to attend to; three days of work would take a while to sort. She thought about it a moment and decided that it shouldn''t be too much of a problem. "Let''s to it that way then." Leslie pulled on Jack''s hands, as she stood up on her toes. She puckered her lips and closed her eyes. Jack still didn''t quite understand the purpose of kissing him, when he had no lips, but if it made her happy... Jack leaned down and pressed his teeth against Leslie''s lips. After a moment, they parted, and she giggled. Leslie let go of Jack''s hands and moved to the door. "Have a good day at work, husband." After she said this slightly humorously, she slipped out the door and was gone. [...I wonder if I moved a little too fast.] Jack pondered this, but after a few moments of thinking. He kind of liked where he was at the moment with Leslie... He really liked the Soul Union. He tossed the idea to the back of his mind, but couldn''t help thinking something else about her. [Exactly what is so pressing at the treasury that taking three days off would cause issues???] Jack found it odd that her business was so important. He knew the government was slow in every reality... So why did she need to go to work? She could have put in for leave... He was the King of the whole kingdom... This too, Jack tossed to the back of his mind, while not even thinking about the fact that he had supernatural sex for three days of time. While not a feat to the undead was incredible for his previous life. Jack stood in his room for a few minutes while contemplating who he should meet next. [I should see what my Judges have been doing with the Officials.] Jack had spoken with Lucius about an idea he had for new Law enforcement. They would be Clergy who were the Judge, Jury, and Executioners... He got this idea from some books and movies in his last life. He thought they would fit well here. This would also save him a load of time. He just had to make sure that his Judges didn''t get corrupted. If they had, then everything he was doing would be worthless. [Oh! I need to get with Boss Crag... I''ll ask Leslie where he is later; Maybe We can talk about his next assignment over a censer of Dust.] Jack enjoyed his time with Crag... Maybe it was the dust... Okay, it was most likely the dust, but he also liked Crag. [Ah, crap. I need to see that Ambassador... Haaaa~ let''s just get this out of the way.] Jack should have asked Leslie before she left but, alas. He mentally messaged her, [Leslie where is Boss Crag, and the Ambassador located in the palace?] Not even a moment later, a small trickle of information entered into Jack''s mind, as Leslie gave him the location. [Thank you. See you tonight.] [Mmmm.] She only messaged back the sound of affirmation. Jack went to his wardrobe. He found this interesting that he had his work clothes for any time he needed to complete work affairs. In fact, he didn''t need Leslie to dress him. Anytime he wanted to don his regal garbs, he simply needs to speak aloud as he would make it to his wardrobe chamber. The Holy Sentinels were always waiting and watching. As creepy as it is, they were close by for three days, while the King and Consort were busy with... Personal affairs. Too bad Jack didn''t know this, or else he would have dressed for the occasion. He changed his robes to a simple black robe, with a hood. As he was changing he glanced down to look at the runes engraved in gold on his white bones. He hadn''t given them much thought, even on his last trip. Looking at them now, he wondered what they meant. Even though he could read and write the language of the undead, Voidic... He had no idea what these runes did or symbolized. Jack thought he should check his library later. After changing he proceeded to the Ambassador''s chamber. Jack should have sent someone to fetch the Ambassador and have them meet him in the same chamber that Leslie had previously spoken with Emily. He was, however, unused to these sorts of verbal exchanges and etiquette, and made his way to Emily''s room. Even Leslie would not have guessed that Jack was actually going to visit Emily in person, it never crossed her mind. Chapter 49: Delivered Myself to the Mad King Emily was assigned the guest room for Ambassadors in the palace. She stood at the window that faced the Palace Square in front of the Holy Palace, as she gazed at the small hill of skulls. For the last three days, she had counted the number of undead killed. Five Major Officials, a hundred and twenty-three Minor Officials, and four hundred and sixty-nine family members, servants, and friends of the Officials were executed. Almost five hundred skulls were piled high in the palace square. It took ten city guards to swat away the various carrion bats from stealing away the grim testament to the wrath of the Witch King. Emily shook her head while looking at another head added to the pile. This was not the Witch King that her Mother, Elders, and Tutors spoke of... She felt that she had been lied to for hundreds of years. [Has the Witch King always been like this? Maybe he changed after he left his entombment.] After thinking about his entombment, she felt slightly odd at heart. It was, after all, her kingdom''s fault he had to go into entombment, to begin with... Just how mad was he since then. She felt that he might have become mad from his entombment. Her kingdom was previous enemies, and could still be considered enemies with The Holy Witch King, and all along they had planned to have her marry him. Well... It was her mother, The Spider Queen that had her for the sole purpose of fulfilling the Prophecy. It was the Royal Elders that wanted to get rid of Deagoth. Her mother allowed them to do what they pleased, as she would win in either situation... Thinking of her situation, Emily couldn''t help but think, [To escape this nightmare, I have to marry a mad king... Is this a fairy tale, or did mother slap me too hard once... Haaaa~] While deep in thought, a loud set of knocks echoed in the room, originating from her door. Emily jumped at the surprise, but turned to look at the door, "Yes?" Jack''s heroic voice drifted through the solid door, "Ambassador, I''ve come to speak with you concerning the proposed treaty." Emily nearly jumped again in surprise! Why was the Witch King here... At her door?! She called out, "One moment please." As she quickly scurried around the room fixing up her mess. She had been coloring in her coloring book. She had a ton of coloring books. An expensive commodity to be sure, as each coloring book was handmade and hand drawn, She was gifted these so awful much, but couldn''t turn it down. One day a hundred so years ago when she was bored, she tried it and found she loved to color. She now kept that information to herself, out of concern for her image, among her siblings. She already got enough disrespect out of her height and form; she didn''t need further help. After she made everything up and packed. She went to the door and opened it. Jack walked in and surveyed the room. This one was a new room for him. He had never been here before. It was a nice room, really. A moderate-sized evening tomb, an actual window... something his own room lacked, a wardrobe, a mirror, a desk and chair, a table and four chairs. Emily closed the door and walked to the table. She pulled her own chair and hopped up into it. Jack walked over as well, and sat down in the chair, unlike his Office chair, or even the chair of the Archbishop of Souigak... This was a normal sized chair but was very small for Jack. This painted a comical picture, of Jack sitting in a small chair, and Emily sitting in a large chair, even with both chairs being the same size. Jack, also, dwarfed the little skeletal loli. [So what was her name again?] Jack thought to himself. He was usually good at remembering things but after his fierce battle with Leslie... He was a bit absent-minded. He hoped this would pass. "So... How would you like me to address you?" Emily asked. "Hmmmm?" Jack, pulled from his thoughts, was unsure of what she was asking. "Well... I''m not of your kingdom, so ''His Grace'' seems a little out of sort, also ''The Holy Witch King'' is a bit too long for a casual conversation. So what can I call you?" [...What should she call me?] Jack thought for a few moments then replied, "You can address me as either ''His Majesty'' or ''His Holiness.'' Either would be fine." "Seeing as I am not of the Deagoth Faith, I''ll call you ''Your Majesty.'' Is that fine?" "That''s fine, but what faith are you of then?" Jack wondered, he had not read too much on the Grand Tomb of Neolith, nor had he asked enough to understand. "...I believe in the Spider Goddess..." Emily was a bit of disbelief... As a member of the royal family of the Grand Tomb of Neolith, they all believed in the Spider Goddess. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Have you thought of converting?" Jack thought this was funny, and so asked. He was the pope after all, shouldn''t he get people to join. If Lucius knew he was doing this for fun, he would surely slap Jack in the back of the head... Even if he was The Holy Witch King! Slightly speechless, Emily sat there. She gazed into the flaming eyes of the Witch King. She too had a profound impression of these eyes, when she had met him four days ago. It was too bad she didn''t make a better impression. She felt it would have been better to not of hurried out as she had. Jack noticed her intense gaze, and just as he was about to talk to break the silence, Emily spoke first. "I may not be able to fully convert... But I might be willing to practice both faiths. I can''t just forsake my home faith completely." Emily said in her cute voice. Though her voice had the cuteness of a loli, it was clear it sounded adult. This was one of the reasons she was viewed with mixed reactions. It was Jack''s turn to be speechless. He had only said this out of fun, but she actually was considering it. Hell! He didn''t even fully understand the faith he was the pope of... At this moment, Jack had made a mental note to get to his library to read up on his own faith. After a moment of thought, he felt shame for being the pope that knew nothing of the faith he was the pope of... He would change this as soon as possible. "Is that unreasonable?" Emily asked. It was a longer pause than when she has answered and felt that she might have offended the Witch King. "No... I''m just surprised. I asked out of courtesy, but I never expected that you might consider it." Jack said a half-truth here. "Well... I might move to Deagoth in the future. It all just depends on how things play out. I might become the permanent Ambassador." "I see... I''d like to ask you a question." Jack wanted to confirm something. "Yes?" "Why would the princess of Neolith want to move to another kingdom, or even become an Ambassador?" Emily never questioned the fact that the Witch King knew she was the princess. She figured if his Consort knew, then he knew. It was funny that Jack wasn''t sure and only speculated that she was, even so far back as to when Neolith had decided to send an ambassador to him. "It was the decision of my Mother, the Spider Queen," Emily said flatly. She wasn''t telling a lie, but it wasn''t quite the full truth either. "Oh, I see." Jack brought his hand to his chin and rubbed slightly. "Yes. I have been tutored from a young age in reading, writing, mathematics, statecraft, world affairs, etiquette, sowing, ceremonies, cultivation, spell casting, and spell writing." "What a busy schedule... You have siblings, as well. I take it?" "Yes, many. I happen to be the smartest of all of them." Emily said proudly. Jack could tell a sense of hubris, as expected of a princess type, but the fact she was a princess. In the games, he played and the novels he read... This was always done with the purpose of marriage to tie the kingdoms together. Jack suspicion grew as he continued talking to Emily. "So you were taught with purpose?" Jack probed. "Of course, I am the most promising of all my siblings." "But you''re the youngest, right?" "...I am..." Emily thought it interesting that he knew this, perhaps she wasn''t a best-kept secret in her kingdom... His consort knew too much, and so did the king. Did they plant rats inside the Grand Tomb? How could they even do that with the spider priest''s tight supervision? "That''s interesting. I have a theory, if you may." Jack spoke, as he stood up. He loomed high above the tiny Princess-Ambassador. "What theory???" Emily was slightly lost. Weren''t they just talking about her background? She had been waiting to get the pleasantries out of the way to discuss a possible treaty. She was then going to get to know him more, so she could pick him apart... To satisfy him, to marry him, to gain freedom. Jack paced around the room while speaking, "I think you... Well, I think your family sent you here for another reason. It''s related to a treaty... But I think it''s more than a treaty." "I don''t know what you mean...?!" Slightly alarmed Emily squeaked out. This was touching on a closely guarded secret. Jack stopped and looked over to her, "I think that you''re here to win my favor." ".....Well, Of course, we wish to curry the favor of his Majesty. How else will we get a treaty?" Emily stayed the course, but even Jack could tell from her voice she was slightly shaken. He was even more sure of his theory. "Let me ask you something else." "You''re already asking me..." Emily was slightly pressured. She was still thinking about the skulls piled in the palace square... Did this mad king know why she was here, and if he did...? Would he be angered? "Are you here to try and marry me?" Jack flat out asked the question on his mind. It wasn''t that he didn''t have tact, but felt this was a direct verbal attack on her intentions. [So his Consort is very close to him. Haaaa~] Emily knew she shouldn''t have spoken in anger the day she spoke with Consort Leslie, but she couldn''t help herself. Here the Witch King knew her purpose, so she decided to tell as much as she could. "Yes. That''s my intention." [She actually admitted it?] Jack was taken back. He thought she would beat around the bush more... Clearly, Leslie had not gotten a chance to talk this over with him. She was actually planning to talk to him later about this. "Why would you wish to become my second wife or even queen...?" Emily liked the sound of queen! She hadn''t really thought about her Title if she really did marry the Witch King. Her second Eldest sister was already selected to be the next Spider Queen, so she had no chance of being one... But... Queen of Deagoth... The more she thought about it... The more she liked it. "... There are a number of reasons. Wouldn''t any woman wish to be ''your'' queen?" Emily had added extra emphasis on yours, trying to appeal to the King''s possessiveness. "I have a consort, already. Why would I want another?" Jack was playing devil''s advocate. He had just asked his consort three days ago, even just before their first boning, if he could take another consort or wife... If Jack''s face wasn''t just pure bone, it would have been thicker than the City walls of Deagoth. "You''re a man of power... All men of power want beauties... Here I am. I have delivered myself into the jaws of the beast. Perfect, and pristine. Royal and Regal. We match, unlike your consort." Chapter 50: Tears of the Skeleton Jack mulled it over in his mind... Besides the blatant abuse of self-praise, Emily was right. She was royalty, and so was he... [But this bro doesn''t see myself as royalty... I''m just the guy playing the Villain!] Jack retorted in his mind, he was also greatly displeased with her bad mouthing Leslie. Also... He couldn''t just forget about Leslie. He really enjoyed his time with her. He also wanted to learn more about her. "Attractive offer... But I''m not a lolicon." Jack replied. "A what???" Emily asked out of concern. It seemed her direct attack had hit nothing. A complete miss... Didn''t men like virgin females? For undead, the only sign of being a virgin was the experience of a Soul Union. No physical or even soul marks would be left behind... So virgin was more of a makeshift word for inexperienced, left over from the early days of the first undead that rose from their previous human life. It would be easy for Jack to understand, seeing as he was among the living not long ago... "A lolicon is... a guy who likes small young girls," Jack said while trying to explain what a lolicon was... What he said was the simplest explanation he could think of... As being a lolicon was far more than just that, but that would be for another day. Jack refused. Not because she was a loli... In fact, Jack was a part of a group of rather subtle gentlemen in his last world. He liked thick plot, but he also liked flat justice! This could be attributed to the fact that Jack just liked women period. All shapes, sizes, and in-between. This was one of the reasons that, even though Verruca was a muscle chick, he still liked her. He just liked women. No, Jack refused on the grounds that he didn''t know Emily well, or what her kingdom wanted. He had never seen or heard of a free lunch, and this loli was not attractive enough in appearance or personality wise to Jack to pay the price to have her. Jack favored Leslie so much simply because she had flesh, and appealed to his sexual attraction he retained from his last life. This was the exact opposite of what Emily thought... Even Leslie was convinced by Emily, that Jack had a bone fetish. "But... but... but... I''m a skeletal undead princess....." Emily said... If she could breathe, then she would have felt breathless. "I believe you already introduced yourself, so I don''t get your point." "Your Consort is a Zombie undead!" "Ah... Yeah..." Jack wasn''t following her point. "What do you mean ''yeah???'' I''m better than her with just this regard! Not to mention she doesn''t come from a royal family!" Emily couldn''t wrap her head around how Jack didn''t get what she was trying to say... Jack was slightly taken back. He had seen self-centeredness, but this was his first time encountering it in this new world. The more things change; the more they stay the same. "I don''t know what difference it makes on what kind of undead you are, but as far as being royal or of royal decent... Just because people decided to listen to your ancestor doesn''t make you royal. Before your ancestor became king or queen, they were just a commoner. Anyone can become royalty, so long as they have strength and support..." Emily received a huge impact from this. She wanted to say the Witch King was wrong... That he was mad, but she couldn''t find a counter argument for being royal. However, she had to be heard on another topic, "Skeletal undead are better than Zombie undead... You being a Skeletal undead should know this, so why did you take a lesser undead as your Consort? Take me as your consort, as your wife, as your Queen! No one would disapprove of this choice." Before Jack could interject, Emily continued, "You could gain power over our Grand Tomb, as well. My mother would certainly grant you a dowry! You want more undead to serve you? We have legions of Zombie undead that we could gift you! You want food supplies? We have tons of food for the Zombies of your nation? You want more land? We can grant you one hundred square km of land that borders between us! You want Burnt Offerings? We have dust exclusively used by our Royal Family, Spider''s Bane! Granted by the Kilo whenever you want! You want more personal power? My mother would even be willing to gift you a fragment of the Tome "Lich''s Dream!" If I can''t satisfy you... You can... You can take as many concubines as you want! My Grand tomb has plenty of beauties if you want! Skeletal ladies of all types, all ages, and all... your preferences..." If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Emily had just poured out every enticement she could think of to hook the Witch King... Out of nowhere, even to Jack, he spoke harshly, "No... All undead are equal in the eyes of death...." Jack felt slightly strange... This wasn''t exactly something he thought before, but now that he said it... He felt it was right! He didn''t even know why he said it. He had disregarded her entire offer and focused only on her previous statement. Skeletal undead is better than Zombie undead. Emily mulled over the words in her mind... She felt that these words made sense, but also they sounded stupid. She wasn''t sure how to respond to this statement, but she couldn''t back down from the offer she had made. Honestly, Emily should have backed off from the start, and tried more subtle ways with Jack... Emily had never actually tried to employ her knowledge in real-world applications. She lacked experience. "Disregarding this topic, the offer still stands. You can benefit greatly from our kingdom! You can even keep your consort!" "But how would my Consort feel about this?" Jack asked looking down at the little loli that had stood up in her chair, but was still shorter than Jack. "What do her feelings have to do with this? You''re the king! You get what you want! You can have me! You can have many of my kingdom resources! We also want to ally our military with Deagoth! We will even give you command of half of our standing forces!!!" Emily continued to throw any and everything she could think of to Jack; however, Jack remained passive. In reality, if he had spoken with Emily four days ago when he first arrived about this, he might have been swayed, but after his conversation with Leslie. He got rid of that thought process. Women had their own minds, and weren''t property! They weren''t property in his last life... and they weren''t in this life. He could have many if he wanted, but these ladies would have to agree to it. It wasn''t that he couldn''t have a harem, but if he did then the ladies would have to come out of their own free will. "I hear what you''re saying, but let me ask this another way... How would you feel if you were already my consort, and another princess decided to show up, let''s say from...? Jakahn." Emily listened quietly, as Jack continued, "She came to me and offered me the same as you have and more, and I am swayed. I take her as my consort or even promised queen. How would you feel?" Emily didn''t say anything. She didn''t say anything, nor did Jack for a long while before Jack stepped forward. Emily looked up at the flaming eyes of The Holy Witch King. Those eyes, while fierce looked extremely gentle to her. For the first time... Emily wished she had flesh just so she could cry. Jack reached out with his hand and ran his large skeletal fingers through Emily''s hair. Emily shuddered, as Jack performed this action. While she might have been tempting him the entire time, his heavy-handed action shown by the hill of skulls outside sowed a bit of fear in her heart. She still viewed him as the mad king, but she felt slightly at odds with herself, as she wanted to caress this large bony hand. Jack removed his hand and turned to walk out the door, only leaving these words behind, "Let''s leave it at this today. I want you to think more about what I asked. How would you have felt...?" The door made a light sound as it closed behind the Witch King. Emily sunk into her chair. She had felt many emotions today... Fear, hope, disbelief, anger, and a pang of jealousy... While her thoughts on the Witch King were slightly clouded by the mass killings that took place outside, she had to admit that his words had plenty of logic. Some of his words challenged her values, but she found it hard to counter... [Why did he take a Consort, before I got to meet him...? He could be my husband, and regard my feelings...] Emily thought sadly, and a rare phenomenon occurred. Through the sadness of her existence. To be raised as an offering and freely given away, to have no actual freedom, but told you are a privilege, and then to be turned down at the last sliver of hope... Emily was washed in emotions. A single teardrop formed into existence in the hollow of her left eye socket and rolled down her face. Tears of the Skeleton were not widely known or understood. What little information there was could only state that it was possible that due to the emotions of the undead and the cultivation level, they could, under extreme stress, produce tears. These tears had magical properties. It was unfortunate that Emily did not feel or notice the tear, as it fell onto her regal dress and faded away... Chapter 51: The Attempt Jack had decided he really needed to read up on his faith, so he was going to take a trip to his library. A few moments ago, in the conversation with Emily, he shamed himself for not knowing about the faith he was the pope of... This echoed in his mind a bit too much for his liking. The hallways in the Holy Palace were like a maze, but luckily Jack had a great memory, even if it was slightly clouded over from his time with Leslie. As Jack walked the winding paths, it still seemed intreating to him that he very rarely ever seen anyone in these bone lined halls. There were so many rooms, he wondered what good all of them were. Interestingly enough there were two sets of halls in the Holy Palace. Those for the servants, and those for The Holy Witch King, Clergy, and guests of the Palace, such as Verruca or the Ambassador, Emily. Jack continued, and as he turned down the next hall... A strange feeling washed over him. This was the exact same feeling he had that day just before he died on that microwaved dinner, or when he was fighting Boss Crag. That feeling when Crag turned into a rock monster... Jack immediately invoked his personally crafted spell he called Seal of Protection, "Segex!" Instantly an eave of light surrounded Jack protecting him from every angle. This was Jack''s more powerful spell. It could protect him for any harm of any kind for five seconds. The cost was half of his current magic power. He could only use it twice on a single day, and this meant he couldn''t use any other spells. It was a cheat like a spell Jack came up with after his battle with Crag. He feared that Crag may one day make a move against him. So made an absolute spell defense. Even with Jacks innate ability to craft spells with a cost reduction, it was still an astronomical amount of power needed to use. If anyone else would have crafted the spell, then only Ancestor Ranked Cultivators could use it. Just as the light surrounded him, a dark vorpal blade slashed across Jack''s chest. The Light barrier hummed, as a whole was made in the shield, that quickly filled back in, but even for that half a second... This attack opened a whole in Jack''s thought-to-be absolute shield. One could imagine just how powerful this attack was targeting Jack. Jack caught off guard took a step back to see his attacker, who wanted to make another attack! The attacker looked a lot like something Jack had seen before... He looked like a Feral Bat Man. In his last world, there was a caped superhero that took on the mantle of a bat... And this attacker looked like he was a Feral but ninja version... [BATMAN! THE FUCK I DO TO YOU!?!] Jack quickly thought in his mind. As the attacker went for the second attack, multiple flashes of light occurred blocking some of Jack''s vision. When Jack gained vision the Feral Bat man was in three pieces on the ground. There was three standing undead surrounding the attacker. Jack had seen these undead once before but didn''t know much about them. He knew they were guards but never got a chance to ask about them. They had heads full of Dreads, even though they were Skeletal undead. Each of their faces was covered by a white sheet of cloth with black Holy runes that were written in gold. An interesting note that Jack didn''t notice before was that their bones were black... Solid black, which was in stark contrast to the white armor they wore. They were like Han Zombies in slim knight armor. Jack''s shield dispersed. From the start to finish, the attack and counter-attack took five seconds. The Feral Bat Man on the floor spoke his dying words, as his soul leaked from his corporal container... "Long unlife to King Jakahn!" with this spoken, the undead ceased his movement. He was truly dead. The Sentinels stood and looked at Jack. As he walked over to the body to look at his attacker. The weapons he held were two black bone carved short swords. They were almost like daggers, but just a tad longer than a dagger, but shorter than a normal sword. Jack looked around, he was unsure of the next attack. This was the first time he had been blindsided in this new world. He had always felt safe, if safe could be considered as a skeleton from his previous life, in the Holy Palace. Due to his ignorance of his situation, he didn''t feel danger, even when he left the palace. This was the first time he realized that he was a high profile target... This was an assassination attempt! [Does the Palace have a morgue? Do undead have morgues?!] Jack couldn''t figure this question, so he decided to do the next best thing, "Take this body for investigation!" He would let his subordinates figure it out. The three sentinels nodded. The looked silently at each other. Two of them picked up the pieces of the body and started to walk down a different path. The third disappeared in a flash. [Light ninjas?] Jack''s second impression of these Holy sentinels were all over the place. They wore thin knight armor, had Han zombie sheets over their faces, but came and went like ninjas, but instead of a smoke bomb it was a flash of light.... Jack shook his head. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. [JACK?! HUSBAND?!] Jack heard Leslie''s voice echo in his mind. It was a good thing that all mental messages were at the same volume, or else Jack would risk going deaf, in his opinion... Skeletal undead could only go blind or deaf if damage to the soul occurred, so this wasn''t a problem for him, but Jack still had some lingering thoughts from his past life. [I''m okay.] [...Okay... You''re not hurt? I''ll be right there!] [Actually, I''m going to my office. Meet me there.] [Alright!] Through Leslie, the entire palace was buzzing with noise. Even though the Holy Sentinels remained silent and out of sight, the hum of Holy power was thick in the air. The entire city was being turned upside down. Verruca was the second person to find out Jack was attacked. Leslie mentally messaged her as well. She had scrambled all of her soldiers, she called her fellow Warmarshall and best friend Stephanie Chaoshood. She lent her forces. Even Warmarshal Ken stopped his holiday and rode with Verruca. This might of been an excuse to just get closer to her, but no one would say this today. The local undead-at-arms surged into the streets like locust. Every home was searched in Saigunrai. No Official put up a fight, as the skulls in the palace square was a reminder of the leaf the Holy Witch King had recently turned over. Verruca was rampaging through the City. Even the underside of the society in Saigunrai mobilized, helping the military and Clergy. The Judges of his Grace were out. Later in the days of this assassination, these groups mixed of these would ride out to all the neighboring city, when Saigunrai turned up nothing. The whole kingdom was in an uproar! Someone tried to assassinate The Holy Witch King! Verruca remained in Saigunrai, but Stephanie Chaoshood rode out, as well as Ken. Verruca lent half of her forces to Warmarshal Ken to ride south, where Stephanie went east. Verruca sent word to Warmarshal Frostgard. ******* Jack had just sat down in his seat when the door swung open, and Leslie bolted in the room. She soon jumped into Jack''s embrace, as she held tight to Jack''s rib cage. She talked very quickly. "I failed you! I failed so much! I don''t know how!" "Leslie, calm down! How did you fail me?" Jack said while patting the dead beauty on her back. He tried to console her as much as possible. "I should have seen this coming. I don''t know how this happened." Leslie cried while talking to Jack. "I''m fine. There isn''t anything to worry about." Leslie''s crying soon stopped, as her voice turned from sorrow to anger. "Jakahn is going to pay for this. They have been a sore for too long...!" "Why should you of seen this coming?" Jack thought this was an odd statement... Just what did Leslie know? "Oh." Leslie leaned back in Jack''s lap. She was sitting in the middle of him, as she pressed her two hands together. She was searching for words on how to explain this. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Lucius burst into the room. "Your Grace, We have failed you!" "Lucius... Calm yourself." Jack said in reply. Lucius stopped in mid-step to see that Leslie was sitting in The Holy Witch Kings lap. He stared at the two but said no more. "Alright, Lucius... That''s too calm." Jack chuckled. "No. I mean. Am I interrupting something?" Lucius could see from the contact of the two, they were more than what they use to be. He was sure that Jack put the knowledge he gave to him to work. Leslie quickly stood up, now that she was reminded of the situation. Her original pose was shrouded by grief for Jack''s safety. Jack made a mental note to ask Leslie later about her work and why she should have known. "I''ve already got our alchemists and bone doctors working on the corpse. They should have more information on the origin, but even raving undead would see it''s a Cultivator of the Bat from Jakahn." Lucius said his first findings. "I doubt it''s really Jakahn." Lucius and Leslie looked to Jack in slight confusion. The door opened again, and Verruca now made her appearance. She had already ordered a grand search on all of Saigunrai. Soon as she knew that Jack was fine, she would head back out. Woe be any who happened to cross her today! "Ah... It''s good to see you''re okay, Jack." Verruca had actually slipped and said Jack''s real name. Ever since Jack had first laid to rest in his entombment, Verruca was slightly crazy over him. She immediately noticed she had done wrong, as she looked to Lucius and Leslie. She didn''t know if they knew. Jack seeing her expression, waved his hand in the air. The fact his name wasn''t known was always a mystery to him. He didn''t know why this was originally done. "It''s alright. We''re all family here." This statement caused a mix of emotions for the three present. Lucius was touched, Verruca was conflicted, and Leslie hesitantly nodding in agreement. "Let''s just get something out of the way before. Everyone have a seat." They took their usual seats. Jack leaned forward in his seat looking at each of their faces. "First thing. You all know my name is Jack. You can call me such in private, or among Us. So no need for honor among family." Lucius nodded vigorously, Verruca also nodded, Leslie made no further comment but smiled deeply. "Second thing. This assassination couldn''t have been committed by Jakahn." Verruca clenched her fists tightly, while breathing the name, "Jakahn." through her teeth. In a rare moment of agreement, Leslie narrowed her eyes as well. She completely understood this feeling. "Easy there. One... Far as I know, this has never happened before." Jack looked at the three. They understood that he had memory issues. Leslie shook her head, "No. There has never been an actual attempt." Jack noted her words... ''Attempt.'' This meant there had been others before that tried but never got a chance to be in front of him. "Alright then... Why would Jakahn only now decide to deal with me? So obviously as well. Assassinations are meant to be silent, to leave no trace if one fails. Unless Jakahn wants a war, why would they make it so blatant." Understanding Dawned on Both Lucius and Leslie. Leslie only needed a moment longer to comprehend this. She felt slightly dumb for not realizing this earlier. If this event didn''t involve Jack, then Leslie would have figured this out the moment the assassin named Jakahn as his employer. Verruca made no comment. She only released her clenched fists. "Someone has set this up to frame Jakahn. There are a few things to consider." Jack had decided to use all his game, novel, and movie knowledge to figure out the culprit. The others remained silent, as they waited for him to speak. "The Grand Tomb of Neolith could be a party, but seeing as they sent their youngest princess to me... I don''t think it''s them, but We can''t take them off the table for the moment." "The Ambassador is a princess?" Lucius spoke aloud and in confusion. "Yes." "But... Why?" Lucius couldn''t help but ask, as he looked to both Leslie and Verruca. Chapter 52: All the Chess Pieces move into Place Jack looked to Leslie and Verruca, then back to Lucius. "Neolith wishes to betroth their princess to me, tying the two kingdoms together," Jack said slowly. Leslie seemed unfazed, but both Lucius and Verruca were shocked. The longtime foe wanted to marry off their princess??? "I just had a conversation with the little princess, and while her views are skewed, I don''t see any problems with her. The fact that she was sent here by her Mother, the so-called ''Spider Queen,'' shows to me that she is either an overly ruthless undead if she is the culprit or someone in her kingdom." "Are you going to accept the betrothal?" Verruca couldn''t help, but ask; even Leslie to the side provided her full attention. "...Not, at the moment..." Verruca looked over the Lucius, who didn''t make a comment, and then she looked over to Leslie. Leslie''s eyes matched with Verruca... They seemed to agree with their eyes. They didn''t like this response. Jack continued, "So while The Grand Tomb of Neolith is still a possibility, I don''t believe it''s them." The three nodded, this sounded about right. They all wanted to maintain some suspension of Neolith, anyway. "Depending on how authentic the ''Bat Warrior'' is... We can eliminate, for the most part, Stonedge and Borda." Jack paused. "Based on location?" Verruca asked while Leslie nodded. "Yes. With Stonedge land locked by us, and Borda being separated by Us and Neolith, it''s fair to say I doubt it''s them as well. Making them unlikely." Jack was straining his mind''s capacity remembering all the maps and locations he had studied in detail, while he took the longest road trip of his previous life or unlife from Souigak to Saigunrai... He had to find a faster way to transport people and goods for commoners. It wouldn''t be hard for him to get around with his jumping trick, but as for the aforementioned... "Dragon''s Jaw?" Lucius spoke, thinking out loud. "They are the last Country, I can think of that could be responsible." Verruca picked up on a keyword, "Last Country?" "Yes. We can''t rule out the possibility of other Mafias, Trading Companies, or even radical militant groups." "Radical Militant Groups?" This time Leslie spoke up. This wasn''t something she had heard before... She was very interested in this term. Jack looked to his Consort, "Yes. Radical militant groups are groups like-minded peo-undead who are fighting for a cause which is different than our own. It''s only called radical because it''s radically different than Our own. It doesn''t make them right or wrong morally, just different." "So... What makes them different than a Mafia?" Lucius asked because he was quite confused. "Besides the structure of the organizations, a Mafia family and a radical militant group are different as Mafias are started for protection of the people, while radical militant groups are started for the liberation of the people. Kind of the same, but different goals." "Oh, I guess that makes sense... So the Church of Three Gods could be considered to be a radical militant group?" Lucius asked this line of question because this was his backyard. "Yes and no. They are a religion. So in their home Country of Borda, they are a peacekeeping group. If they invade local territories independent of their Country then they are." "And if they are backed by their Country?" "Business as usual." Jack couldn''t help but think back to his previous world. Lucius was slightly confused by the last answer but didn''t push the questions more. "So, it''s Dragon''s Jaw, for sure?" Verruca was ready to mount an assault, ready to use the princess ambassador as a means to threaten Neolith into allowing passage of her forces and make war with Dragon''s Jaw. Jack actually noticed a dangerous glint in Verruca''s eyes, as he quickly commented, "Hold on now! Let''s not go to war with Dragon''s Jaw just yet!" Verruca was slightly startled by Jack suddenly raising his voice. She looked to the ground because this was exactly what she was thinking. Jack paused for a moment and felt his sudden outburst was a bit too much. After all, Verruca was only thinking for him, but he had to wonder to himself. Verruca was supposed to be a long time battle-hardened general of his forces, why would she be so rash in judgment. While Jack''s thinking was correct, Verruca was a lot more like Leslie and Vice versa, than either would care to admit. When it came to Jack, Verruca was overly protective. The reason she was known as the War-god of Deagoth was due to his entombment and the many years of warfare she brought against Neolith, and soon after Borda. It was only as of late, that Borda even dared to cough slightly, but this was due to another event happening within their borders, that would soon cause concern for Jack. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "I''m saying that there are two most probably culprits behind this assassination. Dragon''s Jaw, or an organization against me." "So We don''t know anything?" Verruca lifted her head. She couldn''t fight an enemy she didn''t know. "As I once heard, there are known ''unknowns.'' We know the unknowns, now. We need to know who We don''t need to be pointing out spears at, and how We might need to." Jack finished. "The known... Unknowns..." Leslie muttered under her breath. Jack had heard this, as his senses were very acute. In fact... It was these very senses that saved his unlife. His connection with the Light, however heretical he was with the Light, was responsible for this. "So what do we do?" Verruca was at a loss. All she wanted to do was find the enemy, and bash their skulls in... This always worked for her in the past. "Tighten Our defenses, and prepare for war." ..."War?" Verruca sat straighter in her chair... This word she knew all too well. She was ready for war. She knew war. War was her life. War was her greatest confront when Jack wasn''t there. War was always there for her. "Yes. For all, We know... This assassin was sent by just one person wanting to incite all the nations to fight each other, just so they can play the fisherman." While the three weren''t sure about the phrase ''play the fisherman,'' they could draw clues to think it was taking advantage of the chaos of fighting. "Then why war?" Lucius asked. Jack wanted a window in this room... He wanted to stand up and look out of it while telling his reasons for war... Alas, his office had no window. He had to get someone to install one. So instead, Jack said calmly, "Because, I will it." Lucius was taken back, while Verruca got that glint in her eye again. She was ready. Leslie made no comment from start to finish on war, but a smile played on her face. ******* "What''s got you in such a fine mood, husband?" Again in a dark basement somewhere in Jakahn, Mark was studying over maps and names. His plan was starting to come together, and he had just received news of his latest ''gift.'' Mark looked over to his Wife, Princess Janet, and "I''m wondering how the Holy Witch King enjoyed his gift." Janet giggled, "Was it a Bat Man assassin? "Haha, It was... I bet Warmarshal Verruca has already turned Saigunrai upside down." "And that makes you happier than the items, Jakahn has given you?" His wife asked while she turned upside down on the bat-skin rug on the floor. She had a terrible habit of leaving her wheelchair as of late and simply lay on the floor staring up at Mark. She was glad she got to spend more time with him, as of late, ever since he left Deagoth. She hated that hypocritical Country. "Well... I''m still waiting on one item." Mark sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You''re not even told me what they are supposed to be giving you... Why so mysterious?" Janet giggled again. "It''s all a big surprise. You''re going to love it! While... The suspense is killing me too... Alright, alright, alright. Let me tell you what I''m doing, but the payment from Jakahn is still a surprise. How about that?" Janet looked up at Mark from his upside down position on the rug, "Absolutely! Mmmmm" Jack turned his chair to face his wife, as he began to narrate his plan, while excitingly moving his hands. "All the chess pieces are on the table! Alright, So the Bat Man assassin will frame Jakahn. The Witch King isn''t stupid enough to fall for that, so he''s going to suspect either Neolith or Dragon''s Jaw." "Dragon''s Jaw?" Janet was still the princess of Dragon''s Jaw, and still had some feelings for them. "Yeah, but I''ve received reports that Neolith has sent an ambassador to Deagoth! While the Witch King wouldn''t want to make war with anyone, his Warmarshal''s might not feel the same. They may persuade him into talking Neolith into allowing passage to Dragon''s Jaw, either by negations or force, either way, they will make their way to them!" "So you want Deagoth to make war with Dragon''s Jaw?" Janet sequenced her brows. "While that''s what it seems like, but that would be boring!" Mark clapped his hands together, making dull sounds that emitted an eerie sound of applause. Only with his wife, would he show such a jovial mood. No one else in the world to date had the privilege of seeing the true side of Mark. His maniacal laughing could be heard echoing through the underground base he had set up with numerous spell work of concealment. "The Church of the Three Gods has been suppressed so hard for so long... They are just crying out for justice. The War god of Deagoth crushed them, and then browbeat their kingdom eight hundred years ago, remember?" "Vaguely... I can''t tell you what I ate for last week... but go on." She was now starting to feel exciting. "A wonderful development has happened. Deagoth is going to be sending a prophet to lead the heretic tribes! Borda wasn''t happy about this when certain information was leaked." "I''m sure your people are the leaks! Haha go on, go on!" "Yes, Yes! So the Church of the Three Gods had just appointed a new leader! An aggressive leader, who has decided she will lead the church to a new dawn!" "A dawn in the underworld... They really covet the Skull of the Sun God... I bet the one in charge of the Church is one of your people, no less!" Janet giggled even harder! She was almost laughing as hard as Mark! "Right you are! Even the people in the Heretic tribes have some of my people mixed in, which will bring me great joy to move inside of Deagoth, but I digress. So Borda should be getting information on the movements of Deagoth, as they send Ambassadors to Dragon''s Jaw! Slaughtering them all! HAHAHA" Pausing her laughter, "Ambassadors of Deagoth? Why not Army? Shouldn''t they make war?" "Unless the Witch King is someone else, he will never send an Army to Dragon''s Jaw! He would want to talk it over with them first!" "Why do you say someone else?" Janet thought this was odd. "Think of this as a test. I want to see his reaction! If he sends an Army to Dragon''s Jaw... Then The Holy Witch King is no more... It''s someone else, but if he sends Ambassador''s, Then it''s the same game! HAHAHA" "What about Jakahn?" "That''s the best part! Jakahn has been envious of that giant piece of Glow stone called the Skull of the Sun God for a long time! I''ve released half the information about all the relevant military bases of Deagoth in the southern portion of Deagoth." "So while Borda and Deagoth fight, you want Jakahn to sneak in? Too Devious!" "No! Not devious enough! We need more chaos! This isn''t nearly fun yet! Stonedge hates being landlocked by Deagoth, so I''ve contacted the Kain Family of Stonedge to stir up some trouble! They should be peaking at the edges of the Country border, and should take the territory between them and Borda, as to gain free trade!" "Even Stonedge has been involved!" Janet found it hard to breathe, even if it was unnecessary as she thought this was just too much! "Yes! The whole continent will be in war, and when everyone is tired and resources are wasted... We can make Our move! You asked If I would give you the world... So I am!" "Oh, husband... You didn''t have too." Janet said soothingly while holding her arms out to him. Mark slide off his chair to his wife, for yet another pleasurable encounter. While some of his planning hinged on a lot of "What Ifs," if everything went like he predicted it would be a fun show to watch until he made his move. There were only two uncertain factors... The Holy Witch King, himself, and the one in the shadows of Deagoth... However, he was... He had networks everywhere and was his number one source of headaches. Chapter 53: Leave it to the Consort "Didn''t you mention Business Head John?" Princess Janet laughter came to an end when she finally asked. "Yes... How can I forget? I spent so much time getting his and Business Head Georges Trading Companies to merge." Mark said while making a sighing sound that could be heard. "Are the included in your plans?" "Not really... They can do whatever they like, as they have already completed my plan." "And what was that? "Just to strangle the commerce of Deagoth, just long enough." "Okay, but it''s unlike you to leave such a loose end. What do you really have planned for them?" "Naturally. My people have already infiltrated them. Soon as anything happens, they will pull out and take all the resources off-site." "That''s it?" Janet was a bit disappointed... All this scheming and that''s it, she thought. "Alright, you got me." Mark laughed. "I also had my people set up enough alchemy bombs under all their major Head Quarters to start the next New Year! HAHA! We''ll have a blast watching them all go up!" "Oh, honey, that was terrible!" Janet giggled. She actually liked bad puns. "Oh, come on! That was a good one. Just think... I spent so much time trying to get Business Head John to submit to my will, but he just refused. Now instead of being with us, he will be all over the place... In tiny bits!" Mark really never liked Business Head John either. It was so hard to maintain their friendship. One thing still bothered Mark, about Business Head John and himself... Why was Business Head John, along with Mark, invited at the opening of The Holy Witch King''s Tomb opening? This question, in addition to the Shadow of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, and was The Holy Witch King still the same undead were the only real wild cards in the game he was playing. ******* "Anyone have any more questions?" Jack asked to finish the overall meeting. He had concluded that military forces should be sent to the border of Stonedge, and a new tariff will be placed on all passage by Stonedge as well. Jack was also made aware of a military expenditure of a Warmarshal being sent to the Heretic Tribes with Clergy to convert them to the Faith of Deagoth. This was the first time Jack realized that Lucius, as Grand Minister, had limited control over the Kingdom''s Military, as he could activate any two Warmarshal''s at any given time. Only Jack had the power to activate all Military forces at one time. "None," Lucius spoke while nodding his head. Verruca remained quiet; she had already gained permission from Jack to send her forces and others to sweep the kingdom for any possible connection to this assassin. Leslie had a vacant expression for a few minutes, near the end of the meeting. Jack figured she was bored and didn''t press, now at the end of the meeting, she was about to open her mouth, just as Lucius spoke before her. "Jack... I do have something to add. I just got a message from Warmarshal Frostgard." "Oh?" He too wondered what had taken so long to get back with Nicholas Grimnight''s body, father of Leslie. "It seems that they were set up by the Grimnight clan to fight against the Doomcry clan, who were duped into in-fighting. The Warmarshal defeated the Doomcry without any actual casualties to her army but did sustain injuries. The Doomcry clan army was decimated, losing a tenth of their force stationed. The battle occurred outside the Little Gloom Glowstone mine." Jack nodded... No losses of soldiers were good, but he didn''t like his own people in-fighting... Setup by the Grimnight Clan... Jack had one thought, unacceptable. Lucius continued, "What''s more is that the Warmarshal was able to enlist the help of the Doomcry warriors, and excavate the mine, to find that it had been stripped mined, and is completely out of Glowstone. Furthermore, there were no corpses within the mine!" Jack slammed his fist on the desk! Startling the three present. "Does the Grimnight Clan take me for a fool?" Leslie''s face showed a complicated expression. She now knew what her clan had been up to, as she had turned a blind eye for so many years. This had now come back to bite her... The jaws of her clan were locked down on her, and there were really only two ways out for them, even if she was the Consort. Jack''s expression would be ugly if he had a face. Naturally, none present could tell his expression, but his fist slamming down did produce small holy sparks arcing off his fist on the table. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He maintained a long silence, as no one dared to interrupt him. After a few minutes of thought, Jack finally spoke. "How long as it been since this information was issued..." "One week ago..." Lucius said solemnly. "Unacceptable..." Lucius was stunned... This was very fast for communications, but how was he supposed to get the message faster? "I want Warmarshal Frostgard to move on the Grimnight Clan... I want them all of them on house arrest. I don''t even want to see a fly move out of their compound!" "...Warmarshal Frostgard... She didn''t lose forces, but she is at least sixty percent fighting capacity." "Then recruit the Doomcry warriors!" Jack barked. "Recruit them... Is that really appropriate?" Lucius asked. "I will pardon them for the in-fighting!" "It will still be a week before I can get the message back." "We don''t have a week! Those Grimnights have decided to pull the rug from under us! I don''t know where they are going, but they are leaving soon. They stripped mine, and didn''t say anything?! They are either going to leave for Stonedge or Borda or considering Stonedge is closer... I bet they are joining them!" "What?!" Lucius was unsure how Jack knew this, but didn''t question it. "Leave it to me." Jack turned his head to gaze at the undead beauty on the couch. Leslie stood up, after speaking, and walked out of the office. Lucius and Verruca stared at the door that just closed... Leslie was going to send the message to Warmarshal Frostgard??? They then looked to Jack with questioning looks. "Leave her be... This is part of her family, as well. It might be for the best. Let''s... Let''s call it a day here. Lucius, please have your people get me the information on the ''Bat man assassin,'' as soon as possible. "Of course." With that Verruca left to turn the rest of the kingdom over looking for suspects, and Lucius made way to the Palace ward, where they took the corpse. [Haaaaa~~~] Jack signed inwardly, as he slumped in his chair. ******* The communications Officer ran over to Warmarshal Frostgard''s field tent to report. Acknowledging them, they spoke to the Warmarshal, "Warmarshal Frostgard! Orders directly from The Holy Witch King, himself. We are to group with the Doomcry warriors and move on Sosuhalf and put the Grimnight Clan on house arrest. They are not to take half a step outside of their compound until further notice. As for the Doomcry warriors, if they complete this message, he may pardon their crime. His Grace will pass judgment on both the Doomcry warriors and Grimnight Clan soon!" Sarah Frostgard''s brows furrowed... It had only been a week since she sent a message to Lucius... And the Witch King got there about the time she expects, but she expected a message back in another week... Had His Grace anticipated this already? It could be, she thought. Warmarshal Frostgard rallied her soldiers and had Xavier Doomcry dragged over. Soon Xav was brought before her; again he was put in chains for over a week since he left the mine. Xav put on a bitter smile, "What can I do for the Warmarshal?" A week in power draining Frost chains had left Xav with a new respect for the Country. Also, the impending nightmare that was The Holy Witch King''s judgment hung over his head like a sword of Damocles. "The Holy Witch King has asked me to move on the Grimnights." She said slowly. "Okay." Xav didn''t understand why she was telling him. "He said that he wants you to join our forces, and move together. If you do so, he will pardon your prior offense for obstructing us." "I''ll do it!" Xav didn''t even bother to think. "Release him." Frostgard''s fellow Frost Knight''s released the binds of Xav, who rubbed his wrists in pain. "When do we move out?" "Now..." The camp was rolled up, and everyone mounted their undead steeds. The Doomcry warriors did not have horses... They ran on foot! Warmarshal Frostgard had heard of this before but seeing believed. They were keeping up with her men on horseback. She had seen them in battle, but maintaining such speed for long periods of time was amazing, even to her. Xav ran alongside the Warmarshal, "We may have to rest for a few minutes after so many kilometers... We just started to get our Cultivation back from the chains..." "No issue, even horses need rest, but we need to make it to Sosuhalf before days end!" "...Okay..." Xav wanted to ask for more time, but he didn''t really have a choice. All he could do was roar his inhuman sound, and rally his warriors to increase their morale! ******* Jack rested for a period of time and decided he would return to his room. He figured he could see his library tomorrow. He just wanted to lie down in his evening tomb... He wasn''t even in the mood to bone, but then again, if his consort just so happens to appear, he wouldn''t pass the offer either! He just needed a timer for that kind of thing. He pondered this as he walked through the halls back to his room. The more he thought about his pleasurable encounter with Leslie... The more his mood spiked. His previous mood vanished, and so decided that he might try to talk her into another round! Even if he had to visit his Mother-in-Law tonight, he just needed to maintain a sense of time. He could do it, right? After checking his room and not finding Leslie there, he decided to go visit the room that Lucius had prepared for her. Jack unceremoniously opened the door to Leslie''s room. To Jack, they had already done the most intimate of undead encounters, what was going to happen... For him catch her nude? Even if he did, it would be eye candy. However, all those were blank the moment he opened the door. Jack still had the door handle in his left hand as he stared at the thing in the room hovering by the side of Leslie. Leslie was lying in her evening tomb. It was a lot smaller than his, and her room had a window. If Jack could comment at the moment, he would wonder why everyone had windows but him! The thing in the room looked to Jack, and he could make out half the body of a woman, where her lower body took on the form of black mist. This looked exactly like a ghost... She was a monochromatic color, and she appeared to be just as shocked to see Jack, as Jack was to see her. Jack could only bearly make out the face, but the shock was indeed apparent! [Another assassination!?] Jack''s judgment was slightly skewed, as he feared for his consort! He raised his right hand, as Magic power started to form around his hand after all ghosts and spirits weren''t just fantasy in a world of undead, he started to speak a cleansing spell he came across in his time before in his Library, "Xlu---" "It''s me!" The voice called out, seeing the accumulation of power surrounding Jack''s hand. Jack could recognize this voice! Chapter 54: Banshee Queen... Really? "Leslie?" Jack asked the apparition, apprehensively. "...Yes..." The apparition floated down slowly beside Leslie''s body but otherwise made no other sudden moves. Jack observed this apparition. It did resemble Leslie''s face, but her normal shiny black hair instead of cascading around her shoulders like a waterfall were standing on end. This created a bride of Frankenstein look, minus the white highlights. Her ears were elongated, into what looked to be elf ears... Maybe demon ears. Her fingers ended with long razor sharp looking claws, even while appearing ghostly intangible. Jack could only bring one word to describe the creature in front of him... Banshee. "How do I know it''s you, and not someone posing as you? How do I know you''re not here to steal Leslie''s body?" Jack asked in quick succession. "Ah... Er..." The apparition wasn''t sure how to answer this. "I know... How many times did you climax during our Soul Union?" The apparition''s ghostly transparent mouth hung open wide. It was wide enough a bat could fly through! She turned her back, and in a tiny whisper replied, "I''m not sure... Maybe... Maybe two hundred... maybe more... I don''t know..." The ghostly being looked to be embarrassed if such emotion could be conveyed by an otherworldly specter. Thankfully Jack had really keen hearing, else this response would have been lost to him. Jack remembered clearly, even being muddled that Leslie Climaxed two hundred and thirty-seven times exactly! Even while Jack was overwhelmed with pleasure during this encounter, which to Jack was like surfing the highest crest of an orgasm for days, he was able to keep count of his and Leslie''s climaxes. He was slightly taken aback at the time, as Leslie passed him in climaxes by almost fifty! No one would be able to guess closely how many times this would occur, and Leslie didn''t really count this number either... Only a pervert like Jack would use his good memory to remember something like this! He had been slightly muddling headed since morning from the encounter with her, but he clearly remembered this. This showed where he placed his priorities. Jack''s gentle voice sounded, "Why are you like this?" "I never wanted you to see me like this." Leslie remained with her back turned. Jack could clearly see through parts of her. "Why? Didn''t you call me husband this morning?" Jack asked, with a soft tone. It was good that Lucius wasn''t around to hear this tone, or even as a skeletal undead he would have gagged on sugar. "This Hideous form is only a means to an end. It was never meant to be seen... You''re the first to see me like this... Well, see me and still be among the unliving." Leslie sighed. Jack walked in and closed the door behind him. He approached Leslie, "Face me." Leslie''s shoulders quivered, as she turned to face her lover. Jack reached out with his hand, as the wrathful holy fire on his right hand softened to a dull glow, as he caressed the face of Leslie. Leslie wanted to draw in air, as she was used to inhabiting her physical body, but failed to do so, "How are you touching me?" "Can''t I touch my wife?" Jack''s hand moved from her face and his index finger traced the shape of her elongated ear. "That''s not what I mean... In this form, only what I want to touch can be touched. You''re doing this to me. MMmmmmm~~ <3" [Ears are sensitive in this form... Noted] Jack made a mental note. He wasn''t as disturbed by Leslie being in this form as he first thought he would. He chalked it up to the fact that he had become jaded by becoming undead. He had after all died, and was reborn... resurrected... returned... whatever it was, he did became the undead ruler of a nation of undead... "I can touch you because I will it." Jack simply said what he thought. He didn''t think about what he was doing. He simply did as he wanted, much in the same way Leslie had exposed him to be the villain days prior. He was selfish. As a practitioner of the Heretical Side of the Light, this selfishness created many unknown phenomena. The Light was selfish, so was Jack. The Light wasn''t as pure as many Hypocritical Cultivators would lead others to believe, or even believe themselves. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Stop!~ Let me return to my body!" Another coo was issued from Leslie. It was usually Leslie who would make moves on Jack. These attacks were much more powerful; as a zombie undead, she retained her sense of touch, as was sensitive to it. Now in this form, she found she was even more so, and never knew until the moment Jack touched her. This was one of the reasons Leslie was a very physical person. Zombie undead were fleshy beings. They enjoyed physical contact more than skeletal undead, who had very little feeling in the sense of touch. "Alright, but I want to know what all this is about. You asked me to keep no more secrets. I expect the same..." Jack reprimanded in a honeyed voice. This barely constituted as chastising. Leslie floated over to her body, flipped over in mid-air, and laid back into her body. She vanished as she completed this odd maneuver, and her physical body''s eyes blinked open. She turned her head to look at Jack. "I told you it''s me." She said shyly. "Alright, enough nonsense. Confess. I''m really curious about you." Jack walked over and sat at the side of her evening tomb. As tall as Jack was, the edge of her small tomb was tall enough for him to conformable sit on. "Remember when you asked me earlier... Why it''s my fault?" "Yes... I like to know that, as well." "I am the Shadow of Deagoth," Leslie said solemnly. "Excuse me???" Jack was startled. Not because this was a revelation, but because it was a damn cool sounding name. He thought it sounded much better than everyone calling him ''Holy Witch King'' all the time. "I work from the shadows of the kingdom to protect it from threats seen and unseen." "Holy crap... You''re the part of MI6?" Jack couldn''t help, but blurt out his thoughts. "What?" Leslie was confused about what this word meant. "CIA... SIS? Any of this make sense to you?" "No? Should it?" She continued to be confused. Was she missing something here? "Your part of secret intelligence!" Jack just couldn''t believe this, how the hell did he miss this! "Yes. I know many secrets, and I collect a lot of intelligence. This is why I should have seen another assassination attempt." Leslie moved her head to look back at the ceiling. "Another?" Jack asked to confirm is earlier suspicion. "Yes. They have been other attempts, even while you were entombed." Leslie admitted. "Wait? How did you not know about your parents?" "Sigh... Because I didn''t want to know." Leslie confessed as the stone in her heart weighed heavily. [Ah... That''s why she feels so guilty to her parents... She could have known and done something... Why didn''t she?] Jack asked this question to himself, but thought it was better to not ask that at the moment. "So is being a banshee your main form, or something else?" Jack asked while placing his hand on her knee. He wanted to comfort her. "No... This body is my real body. I cultivate the ''Tome of the Banshee''s Wail.'' It allows me to pull my soul from my body to take on the form of a Banshee. This form allows me to pass through walls, be invisible, and incorporeal. I can also unleash, once per day, an overwhelming Banshee cry that can break lesser cultivators." [Hot damn! Why is she so powerful?!? This sounds like hacks. I need to call a GM!] Jack couldn''t help but to meme it up in his head, trying to process what he thought was a very weak lady, and find out that she was, in fact, a very powerful secretive banshee... Queen....!!!!!!!! [Oh my damn! I''ve made a banshee into my consort... She will soon become my queen, and be the Banshee Queen.] Jack thought, and physically facepalmed. "What''s wrong? Why are you so silent, and why are you holding your face?" Leslie was nervous. She never wanted her love to know she did this. She wasn''t supposed to let him know... "Sorry. Just thought of some ironic thoughts. You know... Never mind, actually." "What?" It was Leslie''s turn to ask what he meant. She didn''t like when undead started a sentence but didn''t finish it. If you started a sentence, you should finish it or don''t start to say it, to begin with. "Hmmmmm... I sometimes wonder if this is all a dream, or maybe a game... Someone else''s game." Jack confessed. This matter was what weighed on his heart the most. "A dream...? A game...? Why?" Leslie was startled. This was an existential crisis! Who would believe that The Holy Witch King would have such an issue! "Leslie... I died. I mean you know I died, but I mean I really died." "Well... Yeah, it''s why your memory is so bad." Leslie said plainly. "Maybe that''s the case, but honestly, here''s something to think about." "Okay." "Do you know there are many worlds out there." Jack looked up vacantly. "Yeah... There are nine realms, though I only know about ours and the Overworld." "No... I mean literally more than that, and if even one more world than ours exists... This means there could be an infinite number of worlds, and infinite numbers of undead, or even infinite versions of Us. There could be another world right now exactly like ours, except I never woke up here. Maybe what is other worlds are just dreams... And this is my dream... Maybe none of this is real..." Leslie sat up, "Jack... This is real... I''m real. I''m here. We are both here, right now." "I know. It''s just... I don''t know. I woke up, and here I am. It''s like this is unreal. I mean I accept it, but it''s just I---" Jack was interrupted, as Leslie jumped on him, and pulled him into her tomb. It was a horrid fit within her evening tomb to be honest, as he was vastly larger than her evening tomb. Jack could feel a probing in his soul; he knew was the start of a Soul Union. Instead of rejecting it, he allowed Leslie''s soul to enter into his own soul space. It was needless to say what ensued, but what could be said was that Leslie was trying her best to soothe Jack through their Soul Union. Further explanation would have to wait. Chapter 55: Those with Tainted Souls Jack and Leslie ended their intimate time the next dawn of the Skull of the Sun God. It was a good thing they didn''t tell Jade, Leslie''s mother, that they were going to visit the previous night, as she would have been left waiting. Jack was the first to speak, once he regained his facilities, "Your evening tomb is much too small for me. Thankfully I don''t feel pain in this body." Leslie thought this was an interesting statement, but changed the topic, "Do you still wonder if this is a dream?" She held onto Jack''s ribs while staring into his flaming eyes. "Actually... Yes, but I''ve decided whatever this is... I will treat it as it being real. Dream or not." Jack said seriously. "I guess that''s the best I can get at the moment." Leslie smiled so that even Jack was memorized for a moment. He still thought from the first moment he had seen her, that she could have been a model or actress in his last life... A megastar. "You know... We forgot to visit your mother." "I didn''t tell her I was going to visit, but we really need to visit her, at least I need to." Leslie continued to smile, but one could see it was with weary. "Let me sit upright, I still need to know what the ''Shadow of Deagoth'' is" Leslie with some hesitation let go of Jack, while the ladder climbed up and sat back down where he was the previous night. "Seriously though... How long have you been secret intelligence?" "If you mean the Shadow of Deagoth... Your father appointed me to it." Leslie turned her face away from Jack, while she continued to lay in her evening tomb. "My father?!" This was the first time Jack had heard anyone speak to him about having parents... He figured he didn''t have them... Orphan or lost in time? "Yes. The first Holy Witch King. He found out I was an exiled Grimnight when I first came here. After he overseen my training, he told me to work toward taking over the treasury of the kingdom. Of course, I did, and he started giving me resources. I used them to cultivate the ''Tome of the Banshee''s Wail'' to Grandmaster level. " "..." Jack continued listening and didn''t have much to say. This was just unbelievable... How good of a cover she had, that all this time he had been with her, and didn''t know. From the way she spoke, even the last guy didn''t know she was secret intelligence. "So... Using my cultivation, I eliminated a lot of threats within and without the kingdom." Leslie turned her head back to see Jack, who was just staring at hear with the flames dancing in his eyes. A period of time passed, and she couldn''t take the silence, "You don''t have anything else to say?" "I''m just wondering how someone as ditsy as you can be secret intelligence." "DITSY?!" Leslie screeched, as she says up and hit Jack on the side of his arm. Word choice wasn''t the best here, but it was the only thing Jack could use to describe it. "Maybe I should have used another word... I can''t help but look at your face when it goes slack. Even during serious discussions or just you and me, I see you just stare off into space." "AH! That''s because so many undead is talking to me at once! Do you know how hard it is to decipher ten different conversations at one time in your head?!?" Leslie kept hitting Jack on the arm. This didn''t cause any discomfort to Jack physically, but he knew he made a mistake. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know." Jack turned his head to look down at the floor. Leslie stopped hitting Jack on the arm, and spoke up, "...That''s the second time you''ve said sorry. As long as I''ve known you, I''ve only heard you say it twice. Twice in the same week, and only to me." "I didn''t mean to say it like that... Who is messaging you so much, so hard?" "Ummm... My handmaidens are more than just that. Many of my handmaidens don''t just work here in the palace, but are out and about collecting information, each of them are banshees as well. They aren''t as powerful as me, but they can go undetected if they want." Leslie confessed. "How come I could see you then?" "Because I didn''t know you were just going to invade my room... Ever heard of knocking?" Leslie said jokingly, but seriously. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "...Well... I didn''t think there were any secrets between us. Why didn''t you tell me this." "Your father told me not to tell anyone, not even you." "Then why did you just tell me?" "...You asked me, duh! Also... How am I going to make you forget something like seeing that form." Leslie felt slightly depressed, knowing Jack had seen her ugly side. "Leslie... You''re not as ugly as a banshee... I like both looks on you. Don''t ever worry about that." Jack reached out and cupped her face, in the same way, he had in her banshee form, minus the holy light on his hand. "...Okay..." Leslie whispered. "Jack..." "Leslie..." "No... I actually have a question." "You always have questions. You ask me tons of questions. Haha" Jack laughed. "I''m sorry... It''s a habit. I''m always the one asking things in my line of work." Leslie pressed against Jack''s hand that cradled her face. "Well, what''s your question?" "Do you really plan on marrying me?" Leslie asked. "What kind of question is that?" "Well... Princess Emily is a better match for you." Leslie said through gritted teeth. She had to acknowledge the facts. "You know... She said the same thing, haha." "So you did speak to her?" "Yes. She confirmed that she was here to be betrothed to me." Jack nodded. "I could have told you that. I had already talked to her. She wants to become Queen and manage your harem while putting me in my place." Leslie narrowed her eyes. "Honestly, you should have heard everything her and Neolith want to give me just to have her become Queen. She can''t tell me why they want this so bad. One thing I can tell you." "What''s that?" "I believe... Well, I think she has had a terrible life." "Are you kidding me? Every piece of information I have on her is that she is an entitled spoiled overly educated adult-child. She''s received the best education, the best resources, and the best treatment." Leslie hissed. Leslie worked for everything she ever had, even The Holy Witch King''s favor she worked for herself. "I''m not saying your wrong, but... I just have a feeling she''s pitiful." Jack said shaking his head. "Is that what she wants you to think?" "No... She put on a very hard front. Mark my words. That girl is abused, and sad." "So you want to be the one to save the princess damsel in distress? That''s for heroes... You''re a villain. Hahaha." Leslie laughed, though if anyone in the kingdom would hear that The Holy Witch King was a villain, they would have started a riot from slandering His Grace''s name. "And you told me villains aren''t bad guys but are just selfish. I want to save her because I''m selfish, and I like her." "You... Like you?" Jack turned him to look deeply at Leslie, "Yes. I like her, but I love you. There is a difference." A sweetness spread throughout Leslie. Jack had already told her that he loved her, but that was only in response to her telling him. This was the first time he had said it of his own accord. "Does that mean you''re going to reap with her too? You know I''m the jealous type." Leslie laughed. Jack shook his head, "I can''t say I it will not happen one day, but that day isn''t today, nor is it tomorrow. One thing I know for sure though." "And what''s that?" "I will marry you first, before anyone else," Jack said resolutely. "Jack..." "Leslie..." "I want to go another round..." "I mean... I''m not opposed to it, but... Shouldn''t we get back to business today? I still need to speak to Boss Crag, and get with the people on the Bat Man assassin." "I''ve already coordinated with the Bone Docs, and Alchemists working on the corpse. It is indeed authentic." "Oh?" Jack stroked his chin bone. "I''ve arranged most of the work today, let''s go again." "Are you sure your not a succubus?" Jack asked seriously. "No... I''m a banshee... Now come to me." Jack was pulled back down again... This was what Lucius warned Jack about the first time. ******* Jade and her girls had been given rooms within the Holy Palace. This didn''t bother Jade, but this wasn''t the case for the girls she had brought from the brothel. "Lady Jade... We can''t just stay here... This place... This is a holy place. Not a place for undead like us." Charlotte, a tall skeletal undead lady, said with a saddened voice. "His Grace has already suggested that you girls become my handmaidens. Being my handmaidens would mean you serve me here in the palace. Just think you''re still working for me, but with a better job! Isn''t that what all of you have always wanted?" Jade was sitting in a large room, that was given to her. The palace contained many many rooms that were simply unoccupied. So it wasn''t a big deal to give each of the twenty girls Jade brought, along with her a room. "Lady Jade... We''ve sinned, and now we are simply staying in the most holiest of places in all of the underworld... You didn''t do what we did, you''re still without sin, unlike us." Another small zombie girl named Nikki, couldn''t help but point out. "Ladies... I oversaw the operation... If anyone is at more sin, it would be me. I let it happen." All the girls sighed, "No, Lady Jade... You had no choice." one spoke up. "Well, you girls didn''t have a choice either..." Twelve of the ladies were in fact forced into the job, by the Grimnight clan, but the others sold themselves to feed their families, or to get out of debt. "Maybe, not all of us." Nikki forced a pained smile. "We are truly tainted. We can''t stay here or here. It''s only by His Grace that we were even permitted to be-be here. We must leave as soon as possible." All the ladies nodded and agreed with this sentiment. Jade shook her head. She didn''t see the problem, then again... Jade Glowminer was not a practitioner of the Faith of Deagoth. It just so happened that these ladies were or use to practice the Faith of Deagoth. "I know... We can have His Grace to speak to you. If anyone can make this right, it would be him." Jade was confident that His Grace would speak to her ladies. She had gotten very close to him, while they were traveling. Jade thought her daughter was very lucky to pick up such a husband. She wished... maybe she.... and him... Then she would dismiss the thought. All the ladies shook their heads. They had done ''that'' with anyone male or female, it didn''t matter. They were soiled ladies, their souls tainted with sin. Charlotte sighed again, "We will do as her Lady wishes, and wait for His Grace..." They could only agree to see His Grace, though the prospect of being in the presence of the most powerful undead, and holy being in all the Underworld caused many of them to shake at the thought. They could only retire to their rooms to wait for their lady to call to them. Chapter 56: The Faith of Deagoth After a lengthy battle, Warmarshal Frostgard and Xav Doomcry had pushed the Grimnights back into their compound. When they had arrived, they had encountered them beginning to leave for Stonedge. Currently, Warmarshal Frostgard had the Grimnight Clan head pressed down against the floor, under her boot. "Betrayer... I will enjoy watching you atone for your transgressions before His Grace." Sarah Frostgard, Warmarshal of His Grace said in a grim voice. "Lift your boot, Warmarshal. There is no betrayal to move my clan," "But there is when you provide false information to a Warmarshal. I suggest you keep quiet until His Grace has decided what to do with you." "...." The Grimnight Clan head remained quite. He only had to endure. The First and Second elder had already departed. When he got the message to them, he was sure they would make something happen to spring him from this encampment. "Frost Knights... Put him in chains!" The Warmarshal hissed to her guards. She was in a most disagreeable mood. As she walked back out of the compound, the signs of a fierce battle were scattered all over the Grimnight compound. The land was pocked with craters, and the walls of the Grimnight''s were laying in all directions from the battering of forceful entry. Xav approached the Warmarshal, "Did you always have to be so heavy-handed?" Warmarshal Frostgard sneered, "You seen it for yourself, they were planning to abandon our Kingdom." Xav smiled wearily, as he looked at the Warmarshal''s profile. He hadn''t noticed her beauty until now. One could say that Sarah Frostgard was a beauty. A cold beauty, that would only make sense as one of the Frostgard family. "What are you looking at?" She turned her head to look at Xav. Xav, of course, quickly turned his head, "Nothing." "MMmmm? You know I hate cowards. If you do something, follow through with it. Where is all the talk you had when we first met?" The two were quickly approaching the field tent that had just been constructed after the battle. Both the Doomcry and the Frostgard were going to camp until The Holy Witch King gave further orders. "...Well... That didn''t turn out as I wanted it too... But this is okay, as well." Xav looked forward. "Oh? If you think you still got some fire in your heart... I wouldn''t mind getting to know you a bit more, but I want to get to know the Xavier Doomcry that called me a bitch and tried to take down my army... Not the Xavier Doomcry that takes quick looks at me and whispers apologies." "Will The Holy Witch King really let me go on this?" Xav decided to change the topic. Yeah, he had started looking at the Warmarshal, but he didn''t know how to handle her. The Warmarshal laughed, "His Grace will always do what he says... Now how he decides to let you off, that will be his choice... But depending on the outcome... Well, We will see." Xav was dazed on this answer... Did this mean he was off the hook or not? Also was the Warmarshal into him? He couldn''t be sure. She did say she wanted to get to know him, but also she didn''t... They had both made it to the tent. A Doomcry warrior quickly approached, "Sir Xav!" "Speak Silver ear..." Xav said, now with an imposing voice. Nothing of the meek Xav appeared at this moment. This got a raised eyebrow from Warmarshal Frostgard, too bad that Xav didn''t see this with his back turned. "Two bands of Grimnights left before we encountered the rest of them here. It seems that We only have half of the Grimnights contained." "You got to be shitting me." Xav was displeased. He didn''t know how His Grace would react if any fish slipped from the net. This concerned his freedom, possible unlife. The Warmarshal''s brows furrowed, but she remained silent. "How far have they gotten?" "Far enough that if we give chase, they will have already made it across the border to Stonedge, before we can get to them." "Damn it! Fine! Go report to your squad, and patrol. Remember to approach me later for your reward for service to the clan." Xav gave his final word. "Yes, Sir!" The Doomcry warrior ran off into the compound. Xav turned to face the Warmarshal, "Now what?" "We send a report to his Grace." "...Okay..." ******* Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Jack and Leslie finally separated themselves from each other. She had work to do, and Jack really wanted to go to his Library. They both agreed that tonight! They would both meet her mother tonight, barring any major incidents. Jack walked into his library and again marveled at all the golden tomes. He went to the tables that were labeled by the last guy and picked up the books on the Faith of Deagoth. Jack then absorbed them all and learned many things. With the highlights, that the Light was based on Three Aspects and Seven Virtues. The Three Aspects were respect, tenacity, and compassion, with the Seven Virtues of Fidelity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility. [No wonder the last guy was a pacifist... With practice like this, your enemies would come and knock down your front door, and you would thank them for it... How odd] Jack thought after reading an overview. Jack might have taken this to the extreme, as even the Church of Deagoth wouldn''t stand for such a thing, The Holy Witch King prior to Jack did indeed try to embody these qualities. It could even be said that he was entombed because he invoked such a massive widespread carnage on his enemies, breaking his life long compassion of unlife. Some, if not all, of these practices, mirrored a lot of his last life''s religions. They certainly didn''t seem like bad advice... Maybe a bit too ironclad for his taste, but the in the major book he read, the tome called simply ''The Faith of Deagoth,'' it mentioned sin. Sin was something that wasn''t just a concept. According to his reading, sin was accumulated in the soul of all living creatures, when they committed acts that were known to the creature as wrong. Jack felt this even more odd, as this implied that if you believe you were doing right... You couldn''t sin, and if you didn''t know it was wrong, to begin with... Then it wasn''t a sinful action to the soul! But sin marked the soul of the creature, and over time tainted it. This sin would warp the creature. This was almost like brainwashing. The more sin one committed, the more it would accumulate, and the more it would influence the creature to commit more sin. It was truly a terrible cycle. What boggled Jack''s mind was that there wasn''t anything about absolving of sin. He absorbed the book, but actually when back to read it by hand. He couldn''t believe that the book didn''t mention how to rid oneself of sin. It only spoke of how to cope with sin, and to live with one''s mistakes. It was to move on, and not commit more, before the soul became completely tainted, turning to what was called a Soiled Soul. Once someone obtained a Soiled Soul, they were to be cast out. Jack scratched the top of his bald skull but decided to think more on this later. At least, he now knew what he was the pope of... It wasn''t bad to be like this. Jack finished his reading on his Faith and decided he needed to read more on the nature of the Light, and Cultivation. This assassination attempted proved to him that he needed to get strong. He had noticed that the Bat Warrior Assassin was able to make a hole in his so-called-perfect defense, Seal of Protection. This showed him that his personal power made a difference in the spell and that the spell might not show it''s full power without the correct cultivation, as he was currently Knight Rank. Everyone thought he was Emperor Rank, but he wasn''t even King Rank. Jack thought maybe if he was King Rank, he would have been able to fully block the assassination attempt. It was actually due to Jack''s amazing programming he learned in his last life he applied to spell crafting that saved his unlife. By all rights, there should have been no spell that he could cast at the Rank of a Knight that would have saved his unlife, but it did in fact work. After finishing more tomes, Jack walked over to the wall to sit under the same Glowstone that he had first done to Cultivate. He folded his legs and put his hands into his lap to form a triangle. He began to mediate following the tenets of ''The Heretical Side of the Light.'' Jack made a startling discovery as he looked at his own Cultivation. He was now Mid-Level Knight Rank. One has to know that all the Ranks have three levels. Low, Mid, and High. This usually only matters when one hits Knight Rank. These levels within the Rank show how much magic power one can store and how potent a spell could be cast by the Cultivator. Usually only by using resources, or cultivating could one increase their cultivation, there were rare techniques that could allow the practitioner to increase their cultivation passively. As an example, Unholy tomes usually borrowed on the principle of malevolence. This was to cause harm to others to increase their connection with the Unholy powers of the world to increase their speed of cultivation. On the flip side, cultivators of the Light would use the principle of benevolence. They would do good for the world increasing their speed of cultivation through good deeds. Jack''s increase could be attributed to the strange nature of the tome he practiced. ''The Heretical Side of the Light''s'' acting principle was the principle of the Light''s Center. This sounded a lot nicer than it actually was... The principle, as stated by Ex-Archbishop Julius, of the Light was indifferent, but more than that it was selfish. It was self-serving and would have no other powers before it. The light wanted to consume all. It negated many powers and pushed back darkness. That anything in the presence of the Light must succumb to it. Jack villainous nature of being selfish befitted this principle to perfection. He did want he wanted, and what he thought was right for the occasion as to serve his own purpose. His self-serving nature mimicked the true principles of the Light. This actually caused Jack to be closer in the path of the true nature of the Light than any other before him. After all... The ''Heretical Side of the Light'' was banned by the major faiths of the time it was produced so that Jack was the first practitioner. Even Ex-Archbishop Julius didn''t know if his tome was correct, as he wrote it in wrath, on what he believed was correct about the nature of the Light. Jack moved his mind, and formed a connection with the Light, as per his knowledge. This lead to a beacon of Light forming in the skies above the Holy Palace. Much like the first time Jack Cultivated, but the intensity of the Light and the girth of the beam was much smaller in comparison. Only those in Saigunrai could see the beam of light in the sky that poured down on top of the Holy Palace. The people of Saigunrai looked to the sky and smiled. They knew His Grace was with them. The remaining Officials of the Court collectively wiped the black sweat from their brow, as they saw the beam in the sky. Jack began his cultivation on the seventh day of the week, and Lucius notices two things this day, as he prepared to preach his sermon for the Grand Cathedral of Saigunrai. There was a beam of Light that washed down from the sky that pored over the Holy palace, and church attendant doubled. Lucius rubbed his lower jaw... He knew that this beam was a sign that His Grace as cultivating... [I got to get Jack to cultivate every Seventh Day. We can double admittance to the church this way, haha.] It was seen that the passion of the Grand Minister''s sermon was the highest it had been for the last thousand years. Many were in awe of the beam in the sky followed by the contents of the Grand Minister''s preaching! Chapter 57: The Legendary Super Skeleton... I guess. Jack cultivated from the wee morning hours of the seventh day, until dusk hours of the same day, only then did he rouse from his cultivation. Like last time, Jack was oblivious to the cultivational pheromone of the pillar of light he caused. As his vision came into view, from where he had turned it off to concentrate on the Light, he noticed light flickering in the Library. Getting up, Jack wondered why there was more light than usual, and why did it flicker on the walls. [Is there a fire going on?] Jack scratched his bald skull. He wondered as he looked around. Just out of habit, he looked down at his body. That kind of look to just make sure he was still bones, just to remind him he was still in his situation, as this had become a habit of his. [....] Jack wanted to comment but found it difficult. He noticed that the simple robe he was wearing was gone, and he was entirely engulfed in golden flames. He lifted his hands to look at the flames dancing on them that extended to all parts of him. [I guess I am no longer your average skeletal undead... I''ve become the legendary super sa-] Jack finally found words to describe his situation, but forcibly stopped himself from completing the thought. Jack was started to become increasingly worried about himself. Not because he was currently on fire, but because this realization didn''t bother him as much as he felt it should. He felt he should be freaking out over this, but found that it didn''t really affect him one way or the other. [Well... How do the undead say it...? ''How in the abyss'' am I going to fix this.] Jack felt proud of using the local lingo to describe his situation. He had been trying to speak more in the way that his fellow undead did, as to fit in better with them. [If this was an anime... Then this fire is due to me cultivating. Why it would make me look like this... Anyway, let''s try to control these golden flames, hmmmmmm. I''ll call it holy fire. Makes sense to me.] Jack closed his vision again and moved his mind within his soul space, and along his bones. He imagined the fire being absorbed into his bones. As he did this the flames did, in fact, shrink across him, and in an almost living way, crawled to the golden holy runes etched into all his bones. The holy flames sunk into them and disappeared. Now with the flames no longer dancing on him, he found that he felt numb again. He didn''t notice when he first rose from his cultivating, but he was warm. As Jack was concerned with a possible fire burning his place down, he didn''t notice, but now with the absence of the flames, he was again left without. [Okay... This doesn''t make any sense. Holy fire doesn''t burn me, but Holy water baths do... I need to report a bug.] Alas, there was no one to hear his complaint, but now Jack found it difficult to leave his library. While he was here in the library, no one would walk in on him, but he found himself without clothes. [Did the fire burn all my clothes off...? How do those Z warriors keep their clothes from burning up when they power up...?] Jack wondered while looking down at himself. [What am I going to do...? It''s not like I can just streak back to my room.] Jack pondered over this a moment until he realized he could just call someone to bring him some. At one point he had thought of just making a run for it, but felt he would have been a real numb skull had it done that, though Jack rubbed his chin. It could of lead to some interesting developments if Leslie, Verruca or even Emily saw him. Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts... Wishful thinking, he decided to just call Leslie. [Leslie can you hear me?] [Mmmmm?] Leslie replied. [I had a, Ummmm... Cultivation incident, where all my robes have... burned away. Can you bring me a robe to wear to the Library?] Jack found it hard to word exactly what happened, as he could only guess this was the cause; nothing else made sense to him. [That''s funny. Mmmmm... Alright. I''m pretty much finished for the day. I''ll be there in a few moments. I''ll Message you when I get there.] [Thanks.] [There''s no need for thanks between us.] Jack thought this last message over in his mind. He had always been taught to thank someone when they do anything, but... This felt pretty nice. Jack decided to use his time while he waited to look over a few more tomes. As he shifted about in his library, with his bones on full display, he came again before the tome he disliked the most. He gazed at it on the bottom shelf where it laid next to the ''Tome of the Heretical Side of the Light.'' If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [Haaaa~ Old H.P... Did you really just make-up gods or did you actually see-] [Jack, I''m here.] Leslie mentally messaged. [I''m coming out.] Jack stepped out of his library, as the false doorway rippled in effect, as his massive skeletal form cleared into the hallway. Leslie stood there waiting for him. Today she was wearing a very nice black with golden trim Qipao. It came to just below her knee. Jack had left first thing this morning and didn''t see her change. He really... really liked this type of dress. "You look great." Jack couldn''t help but say. "Sure," Leslie said unconvinced. "...I mean it..." Jack could only say, as Leslie helped him into his robe. As usual, there was no one in the hallways to see him here, though it could be said that if Jack had really left for his room, he might have encountered Emily, who was being entertained this evening by Lucius. He had thought to get more information on the faith of Neolith, the so-called Church of the Spider, which had been growing the southern city of Salily... It was not really a secret that the Achnida clan of Salily were originally from Neolith. They brought their faith with them, and they were accepted by The Holy Witch King. At the time, he felt that given enough time they would convert to the faithful path of Deagoth. To date, the Church of the Spider only increased in Salily, instead of decrease, for various reasons. "Alright," Leslie said flatly. Jack shook his head... He wished she would just take the compliment. He did mean it, after all. [He''s seen my other form... How could I still be considered pretty?] Leslie sighed and forced a smile. Jack turned to look down at his consort. "Hey now... That''s not a good face to make to meet your mother." "If you say so... You know... We could just go back to your room for another round." Leslie said as she pulled herself closer to Jack. It would be a lie if Jack didn''t feel tempted, but he felt Leslie had another agenda. "You want to put off meeting your mother... Again?" Jack said probingly. "Well... That would be a plus for me." Leslie turned her face away but didn''t pull away from Jack, partly because she didn''t want to leave his embrace, but also because she was being embraced. "No... We really need to see to her. Also, did you get any information from the Warmarshal Frostgard sent to the Grimnight clan?" Leslie decided to tell him mentally. [I''ve got a few handmaidens working there at the moment... They ummmmm.] Leslie made an uneasy expression. Jack tilted his head slightly to see her face, where she had it turned and noticed. He took the hint of using mental messages, and replied, [They recovered your father?] [... Yes. He''s... It''s confirmed. He''s gone.] Leslie forced herself to reply. Jack squeezed Leslie a bit more and hated he couldn''t share with her a bit of warmth. Maybe he would try to comfort her, in the same way, she had comforted him. After all... She had just asked for it. Jack had an idea on how to fix this. Leslie sighed, "Let''s just go. I can''t put it off forever, just don''t tell her I''ve been putting her off." Jack chuckled aloud, "I wouldn''t sell you out. I still want you to visit me tonight." Leslie playfully hit him on his rib cage, as she left his embrace. Jack followed her to the guest quarters of the Palace. This wasn''t far from the room where Emily resided. Jack looked into that direction as he passed. Leslie took note of his lingering gaze but didn''t make comment. ******* "Honored Guest Mark! It''s good you have come again." The King of Jakahn sat on his throne. He had many aides reporting to him this morning. He had just got word that Mark had asked for an audience. The King of Jakahn decided to invite him in, without dismissing his subjects. "Your Highness honors this one with your praise." Mark came in but did not bow to the king. The king of Jakahn didn''t make comment on this non-action, but many of his advisors couldn''t help but click their tongues or teeth. "I''ve come again for the last resource, and to provide another key piece of information, some would even call it news," Mark said with confidence. "Good! Good! Very good! Yes!" The King of Jakahn clapped his hands together. "It took considerable resources and manpower to get this last item you needed, but We were able to obtain it." The King made a motion to his servants. Quickly four servants came in each holding onto a pole that suspended a large red hot glowing box. If one looked closely, they could see the searing of the poles that held the box in place. "One Lavagrim Geoshark fin! Fresh from the Brimstone ocean. We lost three crews to capture this one." The King said with a tone that was neither happy or otherwise. Mark could tell that this box held a powerful item, and the Lavagrim Geoshark was a creature made of pure fire and malice, a marriage of fire and darkness. This was exactly what he needed. He didn''t need to open the box to know it was inside and knew it was better to save the face of the King than check. "Perfect, as expected of His Highness." Mark finally bowed to the King, not because of his position as the King, but out of courtesy for the transaction. Many of the aides, the same that clicked their tongues, nodded their head in approval, this Honored Guest Mark was of character. He showed firm unbreakable will in the face of a monarch, but with an extremely practiced etiquette. He moved subtlety, but with purpose. "So, what ''news'' do you bring to Us?" The King said with interest. At this moment, a purple monochromatic beauty walked into the royal chamber. Violet was also interested in what Mark had to say. He had been feeding Jakahn with plenty of good information. Information that was later verified as authentic. Jakahn had marked many barracks for their purpose of invasion. Yes. Jakahn was preparing for war, even without Mark''s assistance. "A little bat told me that an Ambassador of Neolith has made their way to Deagoth to meet The Holy Witch King," Mark said in a joking voice. "Yes. Tell Us news We don''t know." The King frowned. "The little Ambassador just so happens to be Princess Emily." Mark again replied, while shifting his gaze to Princess Violet. Violet made no movements, but Mark could tell that the lack of movement was a type of expression. "So, she is. That''s very interesting, but that still doesn''t lend itself as being news that We can use." Mark chuckled a bit, but only in a reserved manner. "Of course, Your Highness. I wouldn''t waste your time on this, but the bit I believe you wish to know is her purpose being there. I won''t beat around the bush anymore. Princess Emily has been sent there with the mission of betrothal to The Holy Witch King." Mark finished. The entire royal chamber, right down to the servants that were in the background stood silent and motionless. Betrothal! This was... This was the tying of two nations into one! This could severely hamper the plans of Jakahn! It was not a good thing for Jakahn to attack Deagoth, for them to be counter-attacked by two sovereign powers! Chapter 58: Willingly Exposed "We thank you for this news. This is most interesting..." The King hesitated, but decided to ask anyway, "You wouldn''t happen to know anything about an attempted assassination on The Holy Witch King?" The King had received information in a flurry that the whole of Deagoth was being turned upside down from such an issue but had no information on who or even where it took place. "Indeed, I do. If you didn''t ask, I was going to volunteer the information. After all, this concerns your backyard." Mark said in a serious tone, there was no more fun in his voice. The King frowned deeply, "Please enlighten Us." "This information... Not even I can be one hundred percent sure, but I am at least eighty-five percent sure it is correct." Mark''s voice rang in the royal chamber. No one moved. How could anyone in this room not know about the assassination attempt in Deagoth? The whole of the Country was in chaos, seen to it by the Warmarshals of the Witch king. What was eighty-five percent sure? That was a near guarantee of true information, more importantly... It concerned their backyard...? "This information... I''m not sure I should speak it aloud, Your Highness." Mark finally said hesitantly, his head shifting to look at all the aides in the room. The King of Jakahn took the hint, and with a wave of his hand dismissed everyone. Many of the aides threw looks at Honored Guest Mark... Just what did he want to say, and how was this going to impact them. They wanted to know; who wouldn''t want to know. As the servants were leaving, they left the treasure chest that contained the Lavagrim Geoshark fin to the side of Mark. When everyone had finished leaving, the royal chamber was mostly vacant. Only the silent Bat Man Warrior guards remained, Princess Violet, and the King of Jakahn remained. The King of Jakahn made a gesture to Mark to continue. "According to my sources, the attempted assassination was carried out by a ''Bat Man Assassin.'' I''m sure you both know what this means." Mark could see from the body language of both the King and Princess they were mentally messaging each other. This time Princess Violet spoke, "We have a number of Bat Man Assassins here, and We don''t show any missing. Are you completely sure?" "My apologies dear princess... This simple undead can at most say I am ninety percent sure if I completely trust the source, but no more. I would like to remark though, that if I didn''t have that level of confidence in this information, I would never speak of it. We both know what this means. I dare not say it in front of your subjects, at least..." Mark didn''t finish his sentence and left it to the King and Princess to fill in the blanks. "Fine." The King spoke. Mark was inwardly delighted. He had been studying the King of Jakahn from the moment he met him. To his expectations... Everything was going just as planned. He spoke, however, differently. "Your Highness are you sure? I can only say that someone within the Kingdom is inciting a war with Deagoth. I know you wish to war, but only a fool would tell their enemy in advance!" The King sighed, "I will find who sent the Bat Man Assassin, but this can work in our favor. The Holy Witch King may not believe it to be Us, to begin with, as only a fool would let his assassin be revealed. This might have bought Us time." Mark tilted his head for a few moments of silence, and then replied, "I see what you mean. That is good then. This amount of time should be used planning for the upcoming show you plan to put on." "We think so as well." Mark decided it was time to leave, "Alright your Highness, I will take my leave. Now that I have all the resources required, I will be going into closed-door cultivation for a period." "How long will this period be?" The King asked as if this was expected. "Hard to say. Could be six months up to a year." Mark said in a light voice. "We understand, but We feel that this final piece of information might not be enough for the work put into acquiring the Lavagrim Geoshark fin." The King spoke with some disdain. "This one isn''t an undead to shirk away from his debts!" Mark bowed. "Naturally, I will send a complete list of all important locations of Deagoth, and... A map of all the Churches of Deagoth. In addition, I will put down some notes for certain areas. I believe this will come in handy, should your Highness wish." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "This would be for the best. Thank you." "Until next time." Mark performed a deep bow and then exited the royal chamber, in a manner that was neither fast or slow. The King and Princess of Jakahn remained silent until Mark was confirmed to have left. "Daughter... Now, what do you think?" The King of Jakahn relied heavily on his daughter, Princess Violet. She held a very crafty mind and keen insight into people. She had excellent judgment. The King had no sons that could match this aspect. While he really wanted to have a son on the throne, he could only give that idea up. When he retired to the tomb or died... It was Princess Violet that would be made ruler. Even if she married, she would be the supreme Ruler, as Queen of Jakahn. These were thoughts that only the King of Jakahn had, and never revealed them. "He sent the assassin." Violet looked up at her father. The King was slightly startled by this revelation, but he never questioned his daughter''s judgment. He then looked to be in deep thought, then spoke, "Did he do it as a favor to Us, to buy more time, or is their malevolence behind his actions." Violet looked up at the ceiling for a few moments. After thinking deeply, she replied, "Yes and no. I believe he did it to buy time for us, but I also believe he did it to distract Deagoth from us. Depending on how he did it, I believe he may be trying to set up another Country." The King again made a displeased face, "I do not wish to split the Country of Deagoth into two pieces." "Of course, royal father, but remember... We must not choke trying to eat the whole pie. These notes that Honor Guest Mark will be leaving... We can use the information, but it is best if we do not follow them to the letter. While he''s being helpful, I do not wish to be a puppet on a string, nor see you as one either... What does royal father think?" "I feel the same." ******* Jack and Leslie stood in front of her mother''s guest room in the palace. They had stood here for several minutes already, mentally messaging each other. Jack had already got all the information he needed from Leslie. The Warmarshal had taken over the Grimnight Clan, some got away, and her father''s corpse was recovered. It was being sent to the capital by a few Frost Knights and a squad of undead-at-arms. Still, Leslie continued to the main topic, when she couldn''t put it off any longer. [Are you sure I should go? Maybe I should come back another day.] Leslie was going back and forth ongoing in... [You sounded much more resolute when We left my Library.] [Well... I''ve had time to think while walking here, maybe this wasn''t such a good idea.] [Your mother is a fine lady. I''m sure she will be happy to see you. She told me as much on Our trip here.] [We could just go back to your room.] [You temptress... I bet We are going to do that tonight, anyway. Come on, and let''s go in... This is going to weigh heavy on your heart, if you don''t get it out of the way quickly.] Jack finally laid his thoughts bare. [Uhgg! Alright!] Leslie clenched her silver teeth and pushed open the door. She didn''t even knock. She walked in, and Jack soon followed. Leslie seen her mother seated in a nice chair. She was sowing clothes. Her mother, Jade, no longer needed to sow, but she felt compelled to do so from years of the task. It was almost like a hobby for her. Jade looked up to see the undead beauty enter her chamber. She was dazed for a moment, but then called out with a sweet smile, "Daughter, you''re here." All the apprehensiveness Leslie held, all the anxiety, and more were swept. She quickly went to her mother and dived into her arms. Jade held her daughter, as the mother and child reunited for so long shed black tears of joy. Jack stood to the side watching this feeling helpless. He watched the pair bond through emotions. He had seen Leslie emotional before, but out of all the undead to date. This was the first time he witnessed undead being so emotional. It wasn''t that undead didn''t feel emotions. They felt them the same as any other sentient creature, however as most undead existed for long periods of time, their emotions dulled. It wasn''t that they weren''t passionate or emotional creatures, but they had ample amount of time to display them. It might be best to explain this by the phrase, ''Live fast. Die young.'' Whereas the undead were, ''Live slow. Die old.'' With the phrasing of what was living or dead to the side, undead generally lived long lives in times of peace. After the moment of joy, Leslie''s feelings of guilt swept in afterward, "Mother, I am so sorry... I didn''t know! I should have known. I should have been there! This daughter is unfilial!" Leslie was crying to her mother, after her bout of joy, wailed up many other emotions. Jade soothed her daughter, "Leslie. Sweetie. It''s okay. I''m here. His Grace took care of my problem. Everything is going to be fine." "But... But... Mother! I could have stopped this! I could have done something!" Leslie cried. The tears on her mother''s face ran down it, as well. "Let me ask you a question," Jade spoke softly to her daughter. "Yes, ma''am." "Do you hate mother for not being able to stop the Clan from exiling you?" While Jade was speaking softly, one could hear her voice crack. "No! You were the one that helped me get here to Saigunrai! You were the one that helped me obtain my cultivation tome! If you didn''t help me then, how would I have met my future husband! So no! I don''t hate you. I only worry you are disappointed in me." "Hush now! You''re my pride. I''ve heard every piece of major news on you for centuries. You make your mother proud. I hope you can accept mother for not being able to give you a better life." "Nonsense! Mother has done her best for me." "Then let''s put this behind us." Jade continued to cry together. Jack was awkward. He didn''t like to see ladies crying, but he didn''t know how to make this better. He figured it could only run its course, also it wasn''t his place to say anything at the moment. After a few moments of bonding, Jade spoke up, "Sweetie, it might be backward, but I''ve already met his Grace." "I know." Leslie separated herself from her Mother''s embrace. Jack heard this and stepped in, "It''s good to meet mother-in-law." Jade chuckled at this... Like he didn''t already say this to her, but in her heart, there was a bit of bitterness for undisclosed reasons. "You make a fine husband for my daughter. In truth... You and she aren''t a good match. So I can only hope you will keep a place in your heart for her." Jade shook her head. This was the third time Jack had heard something like this. He tried not to think about it, but it was starting to get to him. Leaving to the side, for now, he replied, "Now that I have both of you here... I have something to speak with you about." Chapter 59: Offering Resurrection "Hmmm?" Jade wondered what his Grace was on about. Something that included both her and her daughter. [Is this about the wedding they are planning? Do they want me to be the planner???] Jade couldn''t stop herself from wondering such a thing. It wasn''t. Leslie pulled a chair up from the room, and offered a seat for Jack. He refused a seat, which made Jade feel a bit uncomfortable, but she figured he was the Witch King. He could do whatever he wanted. "Before We start, I need to know how to address you." Jack indicated to Jade. Jade thought for a moment, and a selfish wish entered her mind. She wanted to dismiss it, but she decided to indulge herself for once. "Just call me Jade." She replied. Leslie wore a complex look, as she felt that wasn''t exactly proper; however, seeing as she was feeling guilty about the whole situation, she didn''t disagree. [Why first name?] Jack thought. During his trip here, when everything wasn''t exactly formal, he did refer to her as mother-in-law. She never countered him, or asked him to say otherwise. Now that proper introductions were made, he figured she might ask him to just call her mother... He was slightly at a loss. "Okay, Jade... I''m not sure if you know and I don''t want to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you should know." Jack started. Jade was perplexed, but steeled herself for the worse. [Are the girls really unwelcomed here in the palace?] she hastily thought. This was the first thought that came to her mind, after all she had just had this conversation with them last night. Jack stood ram rod straight, as he didn''t know how to deliver such news well, he decided to just blurt it out. "Nicholas Grimnight, your husband and Leslie''s father has passed." "Oh?" Jade commented. Her expression was one of mild shock and wonder. It wasn''t at all the expression Jack expected... [Huh? She doesn''t look that upset... Shock?] Jack made a snap judgement in mind. Leslie looked down at the floor, and didn''t see her mother''s expression. She heard her voice, but didn''t think on it. She felt terrible about the whole thing. She remembered having such a nice home when she was younger. Granted her father was away almost all the time, but she loved when he came home. She would tell him all about the books she read, and the gossip with the clan. Her father always loved to listen about the clan gossip, especially concerning the clan head and elders. "Warmarshal Frostgard, at my command, has locked down the Grimnight Clan. They have been up to something as of late, but beyond that topic... We have secured the corpse of your husband." Jack continued, and paused to let this sink it. A moment of awkward silence ensued, until Jade broke it, "Well... We can certainly give him a proper send off. We can Cremate him, and make him into a nice tombstone." Undead of the Kingdom of Deagoth would cremate the deceased and mix the ashes with ichor of the black river, sand, and Holy bone mill. This would produce a sudo-concrete mix. It wasn''t good for building, but it could make decent tombstones or statues. Jack formulated his next words, as If anyone heard them they would be shocked. He wasn''t even sure he could do it. In theory he could, but that was just that... Theory. He still felt she shouldn''t have read that tome... "I need to preface what I''m about to say." Jack said rather grimly. This caught the attention of both Jade and Leslie, as Leslie lifted her face to look intently at Jack. Just what was he on about that was so solemn. Jack paced for a few moments, then came back to his starting position... "I can... I can resurrect Nicholas Grimnight." Both Jade and Leslie remained silent. Jack wasn''t sure if they were shocked, or they didn''t believe him. As this atmosphere lasted longer than Jack could endure, he spoke again, "That way Leslie, you can have your whole family again... Isn''t that what you asked me that day." You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Leslie remembered the unreasonable request she made. All Leslie wanted at that time was her family. She had always thought they could one day rejoin. She remembered the words she said at the time, ''I want my parents... I want both my f-father and mother here with me. I want them in the capital... I don''t care how!'' She remembered Jack asked... ''Are you sure.'' Leslie came back to reality [He said he was willing to be my monster... Was this what he meant?] "Yes... This is what I asked... How can you do this? Will it really be him?" Leslie asked unsure how this could be possible. It had to be known this wasn''t an easy task. In most of undead culture, this was a myth. If we look beyond the undead race, the only resurrection that was widely know was taking a once living person and bringing them back as undead... Being undead was usually the last stop, before being true dead. There was a reason why is was called true dead. Even being undead, was still a part of this world''s nature. With this proposal, Jack wanted to turn nature on it''s head. "I''m fairly confident. I would need to do some special things, but yes. I can get his soul back from beyond and put it back into his body. We just have to make sure that his body is in a condition where it will not leak his soul again." Jack was glad that he finally got some kind of response to break the silence. "Then... Okay. I trust you." Leslie said, though her voice was a bit shaky. She dared not believe Jack could actually do this. Jack looked to Jade, waiting for her input. "Well... Jade, what do you say?" "Uhhh...." Jade looked a bit confused, as she looked to her daughter, "Do you really want him back?" Taken back, "What kind of question is that mother?" Leslie asked quickly! Of course, she wanted her father back, to have her family back. She asked the next question that came to her, without even thinking, "Don''t you?" "I..." Jade glanced at Jack and then back to Leslie. Jade never thought someone could be resurrected. She knew that those that had not died could be brought back from entombment, but this was true resurrection the Witch King was talking about. This wasn''t a new soul to be used, but one that had already departed the body. When humans or other races died and turned zombie, their souls didn''t depart their bodies. They would be tethered to the body using magics... But to return a soul that has already left to the body... Jade wasn''t sure what to say... but she did know that she didn''t want this. "I don''t think so..." jade finally said, after some hesitation. Jack was stunned... Leslie was stunned... They both looked at Jade. Both had the same question that floated in their mind... Why? Jade could see Leslie''s questioning face, and she could assume from the Witch King''s movements that he too wondered. "You didn''t know your father very well... Honestly... I didn''t either until after you were exiled. He... I... It''s a long story." Jade said with some emotion. Leslie''s face was full of questions, and her mind was rapidly working wondering what was going on... Jack had offered resurrection. This wasn''t a cabbage on the side of the road offer. He was going to try and bring back Leslie''s father, because of her request, but never did he expect the wife of the husband to resent him... What had happened in Leslie''s family??? He wasn''t sure if this was information he should hear, or should he leave. "I don''t care if it''s a long story, just what happened to make you say this?!" Leslie was in shock, and barely able to keep her emotions together. Jade shook her head, "I can tell you... If you want, but it''s not going to be a story you''re going to like." Jade''s voice was steeped in bitterness. "Alright... Did... Did father cheat on you?" Leslie was wondering what was so bad. "If it was only that, it wouldn''t hurt so bad." Jade looked up to the Witch King, "You may wish to pull up a seat for this." Given the go ahead to stay, Jack was very interested to know what happened, as well. He went over and pulled a chair from table by Jade and Leslie. Again, the chair was a bit on the small size for him, but he made due. Jade seen that both were ready, she began, "Nicholas Grimnight... Haaaa~ Let me start from the top... You know my family name, Glowminer. We were called this as we were one of the small families that worked the Little Gloom Glowstone mine. My father was even a foreman. We rarely ever seen a direct descendant of the Grimnights. Almost always it was a person of the branch families that would visit to collect the ores and treasures." The two remained silent. Leslie had heard a bit of this before, but she never head the full story. "In fact, it''s because of our families'' mining that I was named Jade... For my eyes, even in my child body before my coming-of-age ceremony I had green eyes, but I digress. We had a small family, and my parents could only support one child, so I had no siblings. I was regulated to taking care of the other workers at the mine. Providing food or preparing burnt offerings for break times, and among other mundane tasks. It was this happy, but boring time of my life I met your father." Jack could tell that this was indeed not going to be a good story. He had heard intros like this before, but in a rare case, he did not try to figure out the end. He remained silent, and let Jade finish her story. Leslie was engrossed, just the same. "He was so handsome. He came to the mine to oversee the tasks, taking over for the last old undead overseer. He was aloof, but after he saw me... He would go out of his way to talk to me, to be beside me... He pursued me, and I let him. He was a very charming to me." Jade said as she sighed. Her face even darken slightly from a blush. The pair, Jack and Leslie, could tell she still has some feelings. Chapter 60: Heart Ache "After a long time of courtship, he proposed. Of course, I said yes. I thought he was my soulmate, my prince charming. Even though he was a bit aloof, and slightly more stoic than I liked in a man... He doted on me quite a bit and helped my family with expenses at no cost to us. I even asked him not to, but he insisted saying it was something he should do. I should have known then." Another breath was drawn in by Jade''s vestigial lungs, and so she continued, "He took me to see his family. I knew he was a Grimnight... Everyone knew it. I thought he was a branch family member. I mean they were always the ones that looked after the mine for the main family. It wasn''t until I met his family, his father, his brother, that I found out he was a direct descendant to the main family!" Jack wasn''t shocked, but he could tell Leslie was shocked, though she chose not to say anything. "His family was strictly against us for marrying. They said that I was a commoner, and not worthy of him. They even went so far as to call me a small-time fling in the nicest of ways and in the worse ways they said I was a common whore!" Jade said through gritted teeth. "Yes. I was a commoner, but Nick was my prince charming. He told them that he didn''t care what they thought, and after much agony for them, they banished him from the main clan. He, of course, married me. At the time, I didn''t fully understand. I was just a young girl in love. We didn''t have a hard life. He still managed the mine, and he still helped my family. But... He grew distant from me. Before he married me, our... Intimate times where..." Jade looked at both Jack and Leslie, but steeled herself, "Our intimate times were passionate but after marriage... It was difficult to even get him to have such an encounter, and when we did... I could tell he didn''t feel like it. I tried to communicate to him through such encounters, but his mind was only blank during out unions like he was just going through the motions. I felt lonely for a long time, but I could only chalk it up to his family pressures, and the stress of managing the mine. I mean he kept insisting on more mining and digging deeper." Jade sighed with loneliness, "I should have known then... Another reason I suppose. I was lonely, and my parents started to pester me to give them a grandchild. I wanted children, as well. So, I talked to Nick about it. He refused. Simply refused. He gave all kinds of reasons, none of which I thought were valid enough, but I wore him down over time. When he finally agreed... He didn''t want to conceive through... union." Jade again stole glances at both Jack and Leslie. Jack wasn''t too sure about how to conceive children, so he tried to listen as closely as possible. Leslie, on the other hand, did know. She wasn''t conceived through a Soul Union? "He even paid to have a birthing ritual. I mean if money was a problem to have children, why pay for it like that. He didn''t have any soul damage that I know of that would have prevented us from having a child during a union, but again I digress..." Another sigh. Jack counted this as the forth sigh, and so shook his head. "So, we got a mystic to complete the ritual, and so I carried your embryonic soul. I nurtured your soul until it was strong enough to inhabit its own body. Through another ritual, we summoned your childhood body, and place your soul there, Leslie. During the most wonderful event of my life... Your father wasn''t there. He went to the clan to handle affairs and business. He didn''t even spare the time to see the ritual complete." Jade had black tears at the corners of her eyes. "I brought you home. You were such a smart little girl. You learn to walk and talk in half the time as the other boys and girls of the mine. Of course, your father didn''t seem to care all that much, until one day he took you on a trip to the main clan. When you guys got back, you would tell him all the things that went on in the clan. He would listen deeply and praise you for it." Leslie nodded to this. This was indeed true, but she always thought her father was just too busy for her until then. She was so happy to spend time with him. "Time went on like this, and you had your coming of age ceremony. I was so proud of the new vessel summoned, even now you''re the apple of my eye. Haaaa~ Your father had other business to attain too." Leslie remembered that, but didn''t think much of it. She showed off her looks when he got back, but she did remember that when he got back... It was with news regarding her betrothal. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. "Then he came back with his wretched news. The Grimnight clan cared less for us, until it suited them. They wanted to force you into a marriage, as the daughter of a main clan descendant to return to the main clan. You know the rest from there, but then you don''t know what happened after." Jade paused, while facing Leslie. "Yes. I was, of course, exiled, and you helped me to get here." Leslie said this, as she placed her hand on her mother''s hand to comfort her. "When I was able to get you here, that''s when I found out everything. Me and your father were summoned before the Elders of the Clan, and the Clan Head. I found out that your father wasn''t just a direct descendant, but was the brother of the Clan head. They competed to become clan head, and he lost. He didn''t care about being Clan head, but he competed for the position only for another woman. The Clan head would be married to another clan princess... Nick... Nicholas was in love with her, in love with Lorraine Kain of the Kain Clan." Again, Jade spoke with gritted teeth. Hatred could been seen flashing across her green eyes. [Kain Clan? The Kain family of Stonedge? Craig''s problem family?] This all seemed too interwoven for Jack''s taste... He felt slightly speechless on this revelation. It was a small world after all, huh. "He failed to become clan head, and on the day of his brother''s wedding, he left the clan. At his request, the former clan head allowed him to take over as the overseer of the mine. That''s where he met me... He... He only married me to spite his family. I learned this from his own mouth before the Elders of the clan, after your exile. He got into an argument with his brother, the clan head, and all the other skeletons in his closet spilled out... He never loved me. He was still in love with his brother''s wife..." The tears on Jade''s face streamed down them. "I thought he was only saying this to anger his family, so when the family had decided to send him back to the mine, to work inside the mine, no longer an overseer, and separate me from him... to oversee a, what I thought was a bar... I asked him to tell me the truth... Do you know what he said to me?" Jade sobbed. Both Jack and Leslie were waiting. It was unknown when Leslie''s tears again flowed. "I jumped into his arms seeking comfort, but he knocked me away, He told me... He said, ''You are no wife of mine. You were only a tool I used to piss of my Elders. Get out of my sight. I have no use for you.''" Jade covered her face, as she sobbed. At some point, Jack rose from his small chair, with his hands clenched into fists. He anticipated many things, but he didn''t expect it to be this heartless. He didn''t know how many years they were married, but he only married her to piss of his family? He then just throws her away like trash when it was revealed, and he had no purpose for her anymore? [This worthless son of a bitch.... I should bring him back just to kill him myself!] Jack seriously contemplated this, a gross misuse of his power. "Father would never say that!" Leslie cried while watching her mother. Jade sobbed out, "Leslie... Did he ever say he loved you? He never even told me he loved me... I always... I always thought he was just a reserved man... I should have known. Did he ever have anything to do with you, besides picking your brain about the clan?" Leslie paused, and thought that over. It was indeed true! She had no way to respond. "He only took interest in you, because you could bring him clan gossip. If you weren''t of any use, he would never have bothered with me or you. That terrible terrible man." Leslie''s image of her father shattered in her mind. The image of her perfect family along with it. She had entertained for many years that she would once again meet her father and mother, who were living in peace in the country side... They would be happy together, and she would tell them all about the capital. She would share with them her troubles and joys. She would bring a husband with her, and maybe kids. She wanted to make them both proud, and today... It all came crashing around her. Her father never cared for her. Maybe some part of her heart knew he was aloof and stern, but she never thought for a moment he didn''t care. Greater than hate... This was indifference. It took a few moments for Jack to calm down. "I see. Then I have no need to bring back such a... To bring him back. I''m sorry I offered, Jade." Jack said to Jade, he didn''t know how he felt at the moment. Somewhere between anger and helplessness. He moved over to Leslie, and placed his hand on her back. Feeling Jack''s touch, Leslie looked up at Jack. [Am I just a tool to him, as well?] Leslie wondered, even her father who she thought so much of done thing... Was Jack the same? She spoke up, "I... I need time to digest this. I''m going to go to my room. Thank you, mother, for telling me this. I needed to know this." Leslie got up from her chair and walked out of the room. She didn''t even bid Jack goodnight. Jack stood there with his hand still stretched out from rubbing Leslie''s back, as she left him in the room with her mother. He was at a complete loss. [What is this feeling I have?] Jack felt a sort of tightness. A tightness where he thought he would have a heart. He knew he didn''t have one. He even looked down at his rib rage that was barely exposed from the top of his robe and seen clear through it. So why did his heartache? Chapter 61: Are You a Divine Being? While his heart ached, Jack decided to give Leslie the time and space she needed to digest her mother''s story. He had to admit this was heavy stuff, as even he as an outsider, felt like beating up her father. He was left with a still teary-eyed Jade, and Jack wasn''t exactly sure what to do. His consort just ran off to collect herself, so he couldn''t comfort her. So, Jack could only do the next best thing. "Jade... I know it''s a waste of words to say not to worry about such an issue, but I did want to let you know if you want to talk about it. I am here." Jack could only say helplessly. Jade sniffled a bit, "That''s alright. This isn''t something that should burden you. I''m just an old lady who made poor choices." "That''s not true. If you didn''t have Leslie... Then I wouldn''t have a consort... Right?" Jack said rather matter of fact but was quickly countered. "But how many ladies would want to die again to be your Consort? You''ve always been the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom." Jade finally laughed for a moment, though it was a slightly wretched sounding laugh after crying. "Ahhhh?" Jack found it hard to counter this. "I know what you''re trying to say, but only being thanked for having a child doesn''t really cheer me up you know?" She said again with a voice of laughter, that was gradually recovering some vigor. "Well, does it help for me to say that I think you''re a great conversationalist and have vastly better social skills than me?" Trying to compliment Jade, he could only find these words. "So, I talk a lot? That''s what you''re trying to say?" She put on a slightly unhappy face, though it looked a lot sadder with the tear stains on her cheeks. "Alright, how about I tell you that I think you''re pretty." Jack was at the end of her rope here... "Even if I believe you, which I don''t, there is no woman that doesn''t like compliments on her looks." Jade made a better face. She stood up to go to the side of her room. From her luggage she had brought, she fished out a makeup cloth, and cleansed her face. She knew that she must have looked like a wreck... And she looked like this in front of The Holy Witch King no less. "It''s true. I do think you''re a very pretty lady." Jack didn''t like that she didn''t believe him, and so pressed the issue. Finishing her face, she came back to sit down, "You do?" "I do. So, you shouldn''t feel too worried. With looks and a personality like yours, you can definitely get a better husband." Jack nodded his head. "Who would want a widow?" Jade made a displeased face, despite feeling slightly happier inside her heart. "Does anyone even pay attention to that when it comes to a pretty lady. It''s a wonder you haven''t been snapped up already." Jack continued. "...I''m going to ask you a question... Could you answer it?" Jade asked, while looked intently into the flaming eyes of the Witch King. These eyes always got her. "Ah... Okay?" "If you hadn''t met my daughter... Would you court me?" Jade asked in almost whisper of a voice. [WHOA!] Jack couldn''t stop his mind from going... Where did this question come from!? How does he answer this he wondered? His mind was in full swing! [If this was a manga... How would I answer??? I would... I would just tell the truth. Fine!] Jack made up his mind, quickly. "If I didn''t know Leslie, and I knew you instead... I would indeed court you." Jack decided that the truth as it could set him free... Or damn him to hell. "I want to say your lying... But does The Holy Witch King lie?" Jade asked while her face blushed. "Everyone is able to lie, but I can at least say I am not lying," Jack said with confidence. Jade must have felt his confidence, as she nodded her head. "Alright. I''ll think on it." [Think you what?!] What did this mean... What was she going to think on...? Did he just stub his toe? If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Before Jack could ask her, Jade changed the topic, "If I could be bolder still, I''d like to ask a favor. That is... if you could grant me one." Taken back, "Of course. What is it that you need?" "Well, it''s actually the girls I brought with me. Like you suggested, I proposed for them to become my handmaidens, but they refused." "Well... It''s not something We can force." Jack could only reply. "No, it''s not that they don''t want to per se, it''s because they don''t feel worthy. In fact, they feel issue with staying here in the first place They believe that they are too sinful to stay here in the Holy Palace." "Too sinful?" "Well... I mean, you know what they did for a living. They feel they are tainted, and not worthy of a place to stay here in the palace." Jade said helpless with the matter. "I see. I said they can stay here, but they refuse to listen... And this is because they believe they have sinned so badly, they are unworthy of Me or the Holy Palace. That about sum it up?" "That''s exactly right." Jade nodded her head. [Should I introduce absolution? I can''t clear the sin on their souls, but I can make them think I did...] Jack mulled it over in his head. Sin could only be absolved by the Creator or a divine being. A white lie to help them recover and reform, but it was founded on a lie, after all. Could it be harmful, but then again What harm would it do? In all of Jack''s readings on the soul, in cultivation or in his faith, he hadn''t read up on how to detect sin. In fact, this was a question he wondered. How did undead know there was sin marked on the soul, to begin with if you couldn''t detect it. Jack could only figure that at one time they were able to, but it was lost to the passage of time. [Fine... A white lie to fix their life.] Jack came to a decision. He looked to Jade, as he spoke, "I will absolve their sin." Jade snapped to look at Jack... While she wasn''t super religious, she knew quite a bit about the Faith of Deagoth... but she had never heard of absolving. "What is absolving their sin mean?" Jade stared intently at Jack. "It means I can and will remove their sin. If I remove their sin, it will be a spiritual rebirth for them, and they would be worthy of working here as your handmaidens and remain in the Holy Palace." Jack said resolutely "You can do that?" "I can." "...I''ve never heard of this before; why isn''t this a thing?" Jade said speechlessly. "Well... I''ve improved my connection with the Holy Light. It''s only now I can do this." Jack said a half-truth here. "Oh." Jade wasn''t really into cultivation study or anything like that, "So when should we do this ''absolving.''" "Hmmmm. If they want, We can do it right now." Jack said lightly. "I''ll call them then. The sooner the better." Jade nodded. "Alright. Let me get the Grand Minister. He will greatly aid Us." Jack said as he contacted Lucius, [Lucius can you hear me?] [...I can always hear you, haha!] Lucius responded in a happy mood. [Oh ho! What''s put you in such a fine mood?] [Your cultivating illuminated the sky above Saigunrai all day! It doubled church attendance!! We had record turnouts for the past thousand years. I was even beginning to believe we were in decline.] [Oh...? Well. That''s great!] Jack figured as the supreme pontiff he should be happy about this, but he needed to get to what he wanted to tell Lucius. [Lucius do you know about absolution?] Jack decided to start with this question. [...Yes... What have you done?] Lucius sounded in Jack''s mind with a grim tone. [No, no, no. Not me. Jade, Leslie''s mother, brought with her some ladies that use to work... Well they worked in a Grimnight brothel.] [...Okay...] [I suggested that they become the handmaidens of Jade, and work here in the palace. Jade seems to be very attached to them.] Jack went on. [Well that''s not a bad suggestion, but is that really proper with their previous work?] Lucius couldn''t help but comment. [And that''s what the absolution is for.] [Jack... Only the Creator or a divine being can grant absolution...] Lucius said rather flatly. [Don''t worry about that Lucius. I can absolve them.] [What?!] shocked, Lucius could only question. [Yeah. With my connection to the Light, I can absolve.] Jack said some interesting things here. Lucius mulled it over in his head. He had to say that with all the funny effects surrounding Jack... The Angel of death... The smaller angels of death that time he lit up the whole sky... The beacon of light this morning, and the occasional outburst from him that would produce sparks of Light... His flaming eyes... [Jack... Are you a divine being now?] Lucius had to ask the first question that came to him after he thought this over. [I wouldn''t say that. I just have a stronger connection with the Light. I''m sure when others here have a connection as strong as mine, they would be able to do the same.] [Humble!] Was the only word that Lucius could think of to describe what Jack just said. If Jack could absolve sin, then he had to be a divine being. A divine undead! A Holy Undead! [So, you wish to absolve these ladies of sin, so they can work in the palace?] [Yes. They feel they are unworthy of Me and the Palace. I can fix this up.] [Understood.] [Any suggestions to where to hold this. While I can do this anywhere, I''m sure the ladies would feel better if it was more official feeling.] Jack went on. [Well, here in the Grand Cathedral would be the best choice or the Court as a second.] [Yeah. The Grand Cathedral has a bit of a ring to it, doesn''t it.] Jack said nodded his head. Only Jade could see Jack just nodding his head and doing nothing else. She could only guess he was talking to someone. [Alright. I was just about to head out, but I''ll await your arrival.] [Okay... Could you send some priests to escort us over?] Jack asked this, but his intentions were only clear to himself. He had no idea where the Grand Cathedral was in the City. [Only Priests? I''m sending a force of Holy Dead Templars to escort you!] Lucius felt slightly uneasy about Jack leaving the Holy Palace, even if it was just across the square to the Cathedral. [Thank you, Lucius.] Jack said some heartfelt words. This could only be this smooth because Lucius could lend his aid. [It''s what I should do. Don''t mention.] Jack looked over to Jade, "Gather your ladies together, and bring them-" A knock sounded on the door of Jade''s room. Chapter 62: A Prophecy Overheard The two stopped and looked at the door. Jade was slightly confused, but as the owner of the room, she rose and walked to the door. She opened it. "Lady Jade, we assume that His Grace is with you currently?" A large heavily clad undead knight was at the door. He was flanked by another that looked just like him but was a lady. "Yes, he is." Jade turned to look at Jack. Of course, he heard, as he rose and walked to the door as well. Jack left the room and sized up the two knights. They were as tall as Verruca and just as large. They reminded him of the guards the City had out for when he arrived, but their armor was different. These two massive juggernauts clad in heavy plate carried shield and flails on their backs. Their Armor was Black with light gold trim. They had their helms attached to their waists, so as to show their faces. The male undead had clean cut short hair and a natural face. The female undead had long hair, with the left side of her head shaved, as the hair flowed over to her right. An interesting haircut. Without being asked, the two dropped to their knee. The male knight spoke up, "We were sent by the Grand Minister to escort you to the Grand Cathedral." "Of course. Please rise." Jack replied as the two rose to stand. "What do I call you two?" The male replied, His Grace may call me Templar Robert." The female replied, "His Grace may call me Templar Grace." Jack nodded. These two must be the Holy Dead Templar''s that Leslie had one time spoke of... These were the personal army of The Holy Witch King. This did not include the Holy Sentinels the personal ''out-of-sight'' bodyguards of his Grace. It could be thought of that the Holy Dead Templars as the Shield and Hammer that the enemy could see, while the Holy Sentinels were the blades that would remain unseen. "Templar Grace, please go with Jade to retrieve her Ladies. Meet up with Us at the Grand Cathedral." Jack asked with authority. "Your will be done." The Templar preformed a Deagoth salute and looked to Jade. Jade was slightly startled. She had seen the priests, and even the undead-at-arms'' way of interacting with the Witch king, but this was the first time seeing military personnel. It served to remind her that the Witch King wasn''t like everyone else, even the Holy Palace didn''t give her such a feeling, as these two undead. She felt like she was learning that the Witch King was more than just a name, which had always been too lofty for her to really understand. "Ah, yes. Come with me, if you can." Jade walked to the ladies'' rooms. Templar Grace followed. Jack watched as the two disappeared around the corner. Jack thought to himself... He needed to look the part, as the glanced down at his simple robes. [I need to change, but I can''t just ask Leslie... She''s kind of dealing with things at the moment... But who do I tell to get changed?] Jack wondered to himself. [Well... I''m not a kid... I can dress myself.] "Come. I need to wear my royal garbs for such an occasion." Jack started toward his wardrobe room, with the Templar in toe. ******* Leslie was in her room, with her head in her hands. She was absolutely crushed. She had never felt so crushed in her life. This paled in comparison to being banished by the clan. She didn''t live in the clan grounds back then, so it was more of just leaving the mine''s housing district. She hated leaving her parents at the time, but again time smoothed that. She always thought she could get those times back, but now... It seemed to her that her younger life was a lie. These last few days were some of the best days of her whole unlife. She had finally gained the favor of her love. She had a long-time crush on the Witch King, and then he finally showed interest. At that point, after more interaction on a personal basis... She fell in love... Actual love. She knew the difference between what she felt before and what she felt now. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The problem is now that she felt that if she could have mistaken her father for a family man, a villain maybe, but a family man never the less... Then what was Jack? [I don''t know... I just don''t know! Am I just a tool to be discarded? But... But he didn''t know I was the Shadow of Deagoth... or did he? I didn''t ask him if he knew! I SHOULD HAVE ASKED!] Leslie was going over and over all the interaction she had with Jack, as of late. Unknown to Jack... Unknown to anyone currently among anyone, Leslie had a special gift. One that the first Holy Witch King took interest in, and the reason she became the Shadow of Deagoth. Leslie was a lie detector. [He said he loved me. Was he telling the truth, or did I just believe him??? I wanted to believe him. So, I''m not sure... I wasn''t exactly paying attention. Should I just ask him again?] One of the reasons why Leslie was obsessively inquisitive was due to her ability. She had made it such a habit to tell if someone was lying. She really hated liars. She could only tell if someone was lying if she paid attention. This was a conscious effort, not passive. If Leslie wasn''t trying, then she didn''t know. Leslie listened to her mother, and it might have been wrong of her... But she did check to make sure her mother was telling her the truth. Everything her mother said was true, as far as she knew. One of the things about Leslie''s ability was to discern truth, not fact. If someone believed something to be true and said it, then it was a lie to them, even if what they thought was true was actually false. Leslie hoped through most of the story that her mother understood wrong until she quoted her father... This was the breaking point. Now broken, Leslie felt paranoid. After a while of going around in circles within her mind, Leslie came to a stop, [Where is Jack? Why didn''t he come to comfort me? Why isn''t he here now...? Did he decide to visit Verruca? Emily? If he takes a second consort... I''ll just be one of many... He even asked me the night we.... the night we did ''that.''] She couldn''t help it. Leslie wanted to know what Jack was doing, and so she decided to do what she always did when she wanted to know something. She laid back into her evening tomb, and fold her hands across her belly. With a few shakes of her shoulders, the Banshee form of Leslie tore from her corporal container. This process always contained a bit of pain, but Leslie had grown numb to it for the most part. Now as a ghostly apparition, Leslie looked over her form laying within her evening tomb, after which she decided to look for Jack. Leslie wondered the bone-inlaid halls of the Holy Palace, unseen by anyone. The Holy Sentinels were aware of a ghastly presence within the Palace but were informed many years ago that it was the Shadow of Deagoth, to not be alarmed. They were only one of two forces that knew of the Shadow of Deagoth, them and the force controlled by the Shadow of Deagoth, the Umbra Presence. Leslie''s invisible ghostly form drifted into the room of Emily. She observed the odd little princess ambassador. There was no Jack here, but she remained to take note while she happened to be in the area. Emily was coloring in a book, as she would sign to herself on occasion. Leslie had to admit... Emily certainly acted like she was depressed. [Was Jack, right? Why does this spoiled little thing act so...?] Leslie thought, as she seen Emily occasionally look out the window. Just as Leslie was going to depart the room, she overheard Emily speak out loud, as she began to sing. "Sigh... Behold in the sky, A pillar, A pyre, A fire it lights, The dead''s last rites, terrifies it''s enemies, but with hatred to end from age old centuries, to be wed to the one that would become the Lich King, A child bride must be made as an offering, To the new god of the undead for worshipping. Only when the God-King places a wedding ring on the child bride, Can she obtain her new form''s pride, A new queen is born and the road is paved, and only then will Neolith be saved." Leslie was caught off-guard by this... [Child bride made to be given to the Lich King? New god of the Undead? Is this a prophecy?] Leslie pondered, while she turned back to stare deeply at the tiny ambassador. "Why do all these spider-forsaken prophecies have to rhyme and be so cryptic... Sigh... More like the mad king..." [Cryptic...?!] This was anything but cryptic! The only question Leslie had left was... When was this prophecy made? She left the room in the same way she entered... Without a sound or trace. [I need to send more agents to Neolith. We need more information on this prophecy. So convenient of the little princess to sing along while she doddles in her coloring books.] Leslie thought. This was a good thing for Leslie. She needed something to slightly distract her from her paranoia... But don''t think for a moment that she didn''t catch the fact that the little princess ambassador needed to marry Jack... Leslie again searched the Holy Palace over and did not find Verruca. Leslie received information that The Holy Witch King went to go get dressed in his Royal Garbs, and so she floated over. She popped into the familiar room. Jack was standing in the middle, as her handmaidens were dressing him. Jack remained in place while the handmaidens dressed him, [How do these handmaidens know I was coming to get dressed? Do they stay here in case I show up?] Jack thought. The maidens brought his Femur Ferula, and He took it up, as everyone dismissed themselves, but the Templar. Jack looked into the mirror as he observed himself. In the corner of the room wide mirror, Jack''s vision picked up a certain floating apparition. Chapter 63: The Monument of Shame Without turning back, Jack chuckled as he spoke, "Leslie... Are you spying on me?" Startled Leslie was about to dart out the room, [How did he see me?!] "Huh?" Jack noticed she was about to leave; He turned to speak, "Wait!" as he clicked his Ferula. Leslie stopped on the spot, as she floated down to the floor from her high altitude within the room. "Templar Robert, please step outside for a moment." Templar Robert had been wondering who The Holy Witch King was talking to, as he saw nothing, but he would follow his Witch King into Hell''s Abyss if he needed to... The Templar saluted, and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. "Leslie... Come to me." Jack asked softly. She felt bound, as she floated over to Jack. "I thought you were in your room..." "I... wanted to see what you were doing... You didn''t come check on me." Leslie said, still perplexed as to why Jack could see her. Jack reached out again, and touched Leslie''s face, just the same as he had first done so when he first met this form of her. Leslie felt his bony fingers slide across her ethereal face. "I wanted to give you time to process what Jade told Us. I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that when I seen you leave the room... My heart hurt... Leslie... I don''t even have a heart in my chest, and it hurt. I want you to know that." Leslie put her ghostly hand over Jack''s and caressed it. She knew he was telling the truth, but she wanted to ask Jack while she had the chance. "Jack... Do you love me?" Leslie asked softly, in almost a whisper. "Yes, I do... Why do you ask?" Leslie heard the truth... Jack said the truth! "I Just wanted to reconfirm. I feel like my father-" "Hush... Girl''s with daddy issues are common." Jack brought his finger to place over Leslie''s lips. He then brought her ghostly appearance into his embrace. He comforted Leslie the best way he knew. "I''m sorry... So so sorry that things turned out like this. I am, also, deeply angry with your father... But at the same time... I want to thank him." "Th-thank him???" Leslie pulled back to study Jack''s skeletal face, and flaming eyes. "Yes, for having a daughter like you." Jack said with satisfaction. Leslie snuggled up to Jack, forgetting that the form she was currently in was being embraced without her making it corporal. "Leslie..." "Jack..." "I have a question." "Mmmm?" "Do you think it''s okay to tell white lies?" Jack asked in a solemn tone. "White lies? To not hurt someone''s feelings? Why what''s wrong?"" Leslie asked, as she pulled from Jack''s embrace. "I am about to go to the Grand Cathedral, and absolve the Ladies Jade brought back with her. These ladies that use to work in the brothel feel tainted and unworthy of Me and the Holy Palace." "Absolving?" "It means I will remove their sin." Jack said flatly. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "You can do that?" "That''s the white lie. I will simply take their sin, but not remove it." "Is that really proper?" Leslie''s intangible brows furrowed. "If it will mean they will live a better life, then I will take on their sin." Jack said rather profoundly. "To live a better life?" "They are weighed down by it, and so I will take it." Leslie thought for a few moments, "I''ll be honest with you." Leslie giggled at her own wording, "Seriously though, I don''t like liars, and I don''t really like lying, but... I don''t think this is a bad thing. If these ladies mom has brought really feel that way, I don''t think they are going to let it go. Then do what you want and take their sin." Jack felt a bit of relief, he wasn''t exactly sure if this was a good idea. "I''m going over now. Do you want to come over and see?" "Okay. I''ll come and watch you." "When We are done, I wish to talk to you again tonight." "Okay." Leslie simply said, as Jack watched her float out of the room through the wall she came in. Jack shook his head. He looked back to his reflection in the mirror. This was who he was... He stared at the flames that illuminated out from his dark hood, and the regal appearance of his robes and massive shoulder pauldrons. [I guess I shouldn''t keep anyone waiting in suspense for me.] Jack turned and left out the door he came in, as he seen the Templar, "Templar Robert, please lead me to the Grand Cathedral. With a salute, the Templar turned and began to walk. Jack followed him through the maze-like halls and out a side door passage that led to the left of the Grand Entrance of the Court. Jack marveled at the construction of the Holy Palace. He was no architect, but who ever made the Holy Palace was either a genius or a certified wacko... Jack made it to the outside of the Holy Palace. This was his third time being outside. His first time when he did his falling trick to Souigak to retrieve Jade, and the second time when he made it back. Now for the third time, he was walking behind Templar Robert, as he was flanked by six other Templars, who were waiting outside the doorway for them. Jack was rather impressed with this quick arrangement. He wondered where the Templar stayed while they weren''t on duty. As Jack cleared the side door, and to a lesser extent the Grand Entrance, he came into full view of the grim trophy that was the monument of his own creation. The small hill of skulls from the corrupted officials, the people had come to call the Monument of Shame. [Holy Crap on a pogo stick! What the hell it this!] Jack could only exclaim with in his mind. Sudden realization came to him, and he recognized the hill for what it was... His orders. [Are you kidding me! Just how many corrupted officials were there?!?!] Jack had estimated that there would be a corruption of about fifty or sixty people. He already thought that was a lot, in his opinion, but this was... [Oh, my damn! I really screwed this one up... This is most differently a crime against humanity...err... Crime against undeath. Yup yup... The people are going to kill me and put my head up on the top of that pile... I seen that anime already.] Jack was exclaiming in his head. He was aghast at this monument of his design. He was prepared for some bloodshed, but... [Oh shit! Was that little girl''s family in there?!] Jack thought back to a week ago and remember the little girl and her mother... He would feel guilty if they were killed due to the fall out of his orders. "Wait up, Templar Robert. I wish to observe this monument." Jack pressed his growing concerns of rebellion and guilt into his heart, as he called out. His troop came to a still right next to the hill. Jack was a tall undead. He was much taller than in his previous life, but even then, this hill was twice as tall as him. [Lucius...] [...Yes?] Lucius responded, he was waiting on Jack and the ladies he had mentioned. [Was Official Brimknot and his family charged and executed during the Court Cleansing?] Jack asked tentatively, he tried to keep his voice clear. [You''re going to have to be a bit more specific, as there are three Official Brimknots in here in Saigunrai. We did, in fact, execute one of them. I believe he embezzled money to entertain a mistress unknown to his wife. While having a mistress isn''t a legal issue, that''s a moral issue... Embezzlement is what got him executed.] Jack felt slightly dizzy... Was this... He tried to remember what his wife said that day... Started with a G... Something something Brimknot... !! [Was it Official Gordon Brimknot?] [Oh? No. It wasn''t him, though it was his cousin. Thankfully the investigation found that Gordon Brimknot had no hand or knowledge of his cousin''s embezzlement.] [That''s good then. I''ll be over shortly.] Jack replied with relief in his voice. [Do you know Gordon Brimknot?] Lucius asked, wondering if they had almost done something wrong. [Remember the little girl I seen when I arrived last week?] [Oh, yes! I remember that. The people really loved that. Such a curious little girl, at that.] Lucius remembered fondly. [That was Gordan Brimknot''s Daughter. I had told her I wanted to speak with her father later. Would have seemed terrible, if he got executed before I spoke with him.] [Oh... Quite...] Lucius was happy to have dodged that bullet. Ole'' Gordon Brimknot can count his lucky stalagmites he didn''t do anything execution worthy. Jack gazed once more at the hill of skulls. He wasn''t bothered about killing people or undead. He had never killed anyone in his past life, or this one, but he had always held the opinion that some people just need a good killing. It didn''t mean he was heartless, just slightly indifferent... Just slightly. Jack noticed something while watching. Undead would come by and spit on the skulls... The skeletal undead that couldn''t make spit, made the sound... Jack was slightly taken back by this. He made note of this, and turned to Templar Robert, "Alright, let''s get going." The Templar saluted, and they again started toward the Grand Cathedral. Chapter 64: Ego Te Absolve It wasn''t a long walk, but it also wasn''t a short walk to the Grand Cathedral. What was most amazing to Jack was that no one paid attention to his passing. He wondered if the Templar made many trips between the two places, the Holy Palace and the Grand Cathedral. For the most part, the Templars positioned themselves as to block The Holy Witch King from view. This was done at the command of the Grand Minister, and as it was, in fact, common to see them going back and forth, many didn''t pay attention. Jack paused only slightly as he took in the design of the Grand Cathedral. A large old Gothic structure, but made entirely out of shining white bones, each bone gave off a golden glow when the light from the Sun God''s Skull cascaded across them. The large church that was the Grand Cathedral gave vibes of Winchester Cathedral. [How impressive. This is old money.] Jack nodded to himself, as he and his group walked into the Grand Cathedral. Lucius was at the head of the Cathedral, as he welcomed them. Jack could see that Lucius was wearing his Minister garbs, the same that he wore during court. Jack could see clearly the large spacious interior. It looked to made in much the same way as cathedrals were constructed in his last life, especially the Winchester Cathedral, though he had never seen the Winchester Cathedral in life, he had seen it in his games and shows he played and watched. Besides the many many pews all along the walls were many candles that were lit, and gave the entire Cathedral a soft yellow hue. The braziers at the front and back provided the same, but stronger light. Along the walls, into the second story, and into the ceiling were intricate patterns of Holy bones in black and white. These patterns also gave a Gothic feel. As Jack made his way to the front, the Templar spread themselves out and guarded the Cathedral. This was just an extra layer of protection that could be seen, as the Holy Sentinels were silently guarding from the unseen. "I''m glad you made it. In fact, now that you''re back with us, we should have you come and make sermon again for the people." Lucius said with a bit of joy in his voice. Jack was slightly startled by this... Make sermon? Preach the word of Deagoth? Jack had just learned of his faith. How was he going to teach others? Jack had made it to the head of the Cathedral, and as he had, he came to stand next to Lucius. He could already see that Jade and the ladies hadn''t made it yet, so he decided to ask a question that was bothering him since he had just seen the Monument of Shame. "Lucius... How were the reactions of the populace to the Court Cleansing?" Jack asked this, as the feeling of rebellion was weighing on his heart. He thought a few well-placed executions would be fine for corrupted Officials, and to keep the others in line. Serve as a reminder... But the death count was far higher than he anticipated. Lucius had anticipated this question and had already gathered the information for Jack. He to found that there were far more corrupted Officials than, even he, had expected. Leslie''s report of corrupted Officials were thoroughly comprehensive. "I understand. You can put your worries to the side. While at first the citizens were unnerved, but after hearing of the heinous crimes that were listed by most of the Officials, they gave their full support. I would even go so far as to say the citizens are in celebration, as some of the Officials abused their power and used it against the citizens." Lucius said this last part with a grim tone. Jack heaved a sigh of relief in his mind. So, they weren''t going to get the proverbial torches and pitchforks after him. Good. Lucius and Jack shot the breeze for a few minutes until Jade came into the Cathedral. Seven paces behind Jade were her ladies that were treading this holy ground with fear, as they looked around the cathedral hall, and observing the Templar guards. Nervousness was easily seen on their faces and through their body language. Jack saw this and looked to Lucius. Lucius believed he understood Jack, as he stepped to the side, leaving a path for Jack to the pulpit. Jack looked at the podium... He wasn''t sure but he decided to give it a try. After all... This was a favor asked by Jade. He went to the podium and looked over the hall. He could clearly see everywhere within the Cathedral. [What a great viewpoint!] Jack mused. Jack looked out and could see the group of ladies, fourteen ladies to be exact. The ladies had seen the movement and looked up to see The Holy Witch King standing in the pulpit. His large statue farmed by his massive shoulder pauldrons and Femur Ferula in hand. They came to a stop halfway down the aisle. It was like the ladies'' feet were glued to the white carpet separated the left and right pews. Jade had already made it to the front of the hall and seemed to be largely unaffected. It could be that she was okay because she had met The Holy Witch King before. Then again... She wasn''t as religious as the ladies that worked for her. Jade was, however, awed by Jack''s royal garb. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Jack and Lucius could clearly see that the ladies paused in their tracks. Jack decided to make things a bit better, and to ease them some. [I''m going to have to act this part... Haaaa~ Think, think, think...] Jack was thinking of what reference he could think of to get through this part. After a moment of thought, he cobbled together enough references to make his performance. He left his Femur Ferula floating to the side of the podium, and raised both his arms in a welcoming gesture, "Ladies come closer so that I can look upon you." The ladies quivered from the booming voice of Jack. Just like Jack''s throne, the pulpit also had the effect of increasing the volume of the voice of the speaker. "Come now," Jack said again. The ladies walked to the front before The Holy Witch King. while a bit slow, they were steadier than when they first showed. Jack looked down at the Ladies and wished he could smile. The one thing he hated the most about having a skeletal face was that he couldn''t smile. What Jack didn''t think of is how much this skeletal face saved him with its poker-faced ability. So, to make up for the smile, Jack softened his voice. "Ladies of Jade, I hear that you have sinned, and now are no longer worthy of being in my Holy Palace, or unworthy of me, The Holy Witch King. What say you?" Jack looked down at the ladies, as the dancing flames within his eyes flickered about, instilling more fear into the ladies, than was necessary. None of them spoke up, as they huddled together as if together they could make it through this trail. The ladies didn''t know why they were invited, as Jade was quick to just get them, but didn''t explain the situation. Jack could see that the nervousness of the ladies had turned to fear. Thinking for a moment, he decided to pull the robe from around his head back to expose his bald skull head. "Ladies of Jade, there is no reason to fear me. Look upon me and know me, as I look upon you to understand you." Jack said softly. The ladies looked up again to see Jack. They could see he was a skeletal undead, though with eyes of flames, he looked less scary to them. Though they were still shaken up by the huge pile of skulls they just passed, they felt much better looking at The Holy Witch King like this. One of the ladies gathered her courage and spoke, "Your Grace, I... I am Charlotte. Charlotte Underwood." "Yes, my child. It is good to finally meet you." Jack nodded and looked to the lady next to her. One by one, each of the ladies said their names. While this was occurring, a certain banshee floated into the Cathedral, unseen by anyone. Jack wasn''t paying attention, and missed her presence, as he was focused on acting. "Ladies of Jade, I have asked Lady Jade to bring you here, so that I may absolve your sin, and have you become a part of my Holy Palace if you wish." Jack finally got to the topic at hand. The group of ladies muttered to each other the word ''absolve'' questioningly. "When I say absolve your sin, I am speaking of removing your sin, to purify you. So that you may serve in the faith of Deagoth, again." The ladies were stunned... before the silence became awkward, one of the ladies named Nikki prostrated on the ground, "Yes! I wish to be absolved of my sin! Please purify us!" Seeing this action, the other ladies followed suit. Jack mentally frowned. They didn''t have to prostrate, but to just kneel, at least that made sense to him, according to what he had seen before. "Ladies of Jade. I will be more than happy to do this. I will need you all to kneel, instead of prostrate." The ladies quickly changed their positions and were waiting with zeal within their eyes and posture. "Children of Deagoth, confess your sins to me and let me take them away. Without Crown or Gavel, I will not judge you but absolve you. Air out the grievance in your heart, so as to lighten the burden to you. Free yourself from the demons of your heart, so that you are no longer tormented by them." Nikki again started first and confessed. Then the next and on, until all the ladies had spoken. Lucius stood to the side and frowned inwardly. Thankfully, he too had a skeletal face, and no one could see what he was thinking from his posture. These working ladies had been up to quite a bit of stuff in the time they worked. He also came to believe that many undead had really weird fetishes. He usually never dirtied his hands in this manner. Jack decided to make this look good, "We are all, as children of Deagoth, and I absolve each of you as one of these children." He used his right hand to make a circle in the air and then a line from top to bottom, "All is one. Now go and sin no more. Ego... te absolvo" As Jack said these last words, he also silently muttered spell. A golden hue of light surrounded Jack as it covered him and rushed to the point of his index finger he had outstretched. The light made a pinpoint at the end of his finger before it slowly fell from his finger until just before the ladies. As it neared the ladies, it expanded into a circle of light that surrounded them and filled them with a holy warmth. They could actually feel warm in this glow, and it eased their hearts! No pain, only warmth! The circle expanded until he rose to the ceiling in a rush before exploding into light shards, that produced no impact, but just a light puff sound. "Rise ladies of Jade, you are no longer the you of the past, but now the lightborn of Deagoth!" Jack said bringing his voice up to a fevered pitch. Stirred but Jack''s voice, the ladies rose, with zeal in this eyes and righteous passion in their hearts. Lucius, Leslie, and Jade were stunned at looking at the ladies now! They no longer were cowering as before but stood straight and rigid. They can confident postures and faces of stoic expression. Each had a different thought, that all came to the same conclusion. [Haaaa~ Jack really is a divine being. He''s created another miracle... He could bring all the underworld into the fold!] Lucius thought with righteous reason. [Are these really my girls? His Grace could unite all of the world like this!] Jade could only have such a thought in mind, as she looked at these girls. She even harbored the thought of becoming absolved herself. [Did he really absolve them? There is no way he just faked this... Their expressions! Their pose! He really took their sins! Jacks going to bring the Faith of Deagoth to the pinnacle!] Leslie almost couldn''t believe what just happened! Chapter 65: A Risk of Sorrows "Everything is finally set, dear wife! I just need to make sure there is no problems with the formation!" Mark said with a slightly mad cackle, but his voice only slightly hid the affection he had for wife, Princess Janet. In a larger room in his temporary underground base in Jakahn, Mark had sat up a large spell formation. He had all the ingredients to perform his ritual. In the large room sat his wife in a bone wheelchair, she looked around at the spell formation rather amused. "So, this is the big surprise...? You know how I disdain such rituals now. I''ve gone through so many... and is it really necessary to dress me up like a mummy?" Princess Janet said with a displeased voice, that betrayed the amusement on her face. "I know, I know sweetheart, but this could be the last one! This one will work! I just know it." Mark ran around making the final preparations. "The last five rituals didn''t work, though that last one did help me raise my strength to Knight rank..." She continued while watching Mark run back and forth double checking everything he had laid out. "That was the setup. You have to have enough strength to endure this new ritual. I was able to get my hands on an ancient bone doc book that was supposed to be handed to The Holy Witch King. You''ll never guess who the book was written by!" "I know you fancy yourself a bone doc in your spare time, but honestly don''t you think you should have gone to school for that?" Princess Janet asked while watching Mark triple check his formation. "Blah! Bone docs in Dragon''s Jaw, Bone docs in Deagoth, Bone docs in Borda! They are all the same. Too caught up in making money to see the real purpose and potential of our craft! You never asked if you wanted to know who wrote the book!" Mark carried on while making another round of checks. "Alright then, who wrote it." "Alendore Whitecoat!" "You''re going to have to remind me who that is... I don''t keep boring things in mind anymore." Princess Janet said rather blandly. "Of course, dear. Alendore Whitecoat was the personal doctor to the Lich King!" Mark said clapping his bony fingers together. "To the Lich King?" Princess Janet was caught off guard. "Yes! It was Ole Whitecoat that pioneered the medical arts of undeath! In fact, it could be said he was the founding father of Bone Doctors everywhere!" Mark explained pleasantly. "So, this ritual was his, or inspired by his work." Princess Janet continued. "Yes, and no. This was something he was working on, in fact, the book is his working notes, really. At the end of his days, he had been working on a solution to the problem that some undead experience." Mark waited a moment to let this sink in before continuing, "Some undead issues controlling their bodies, and Whitecoat believed that it was due to the soul''s attachment to its undead form and damage to the soul or soul defect. Where the living has a perfect attachment, undead have a limited attachment tittered to the body through crated magic, instead of natural magic like the living." "We''ve known my soul is damaged and isn''t attached to my body correctly since I was twenty-one. I had my coming of age ceremony and I was still like this... Tell me something new, husband. " Princess Janet propped her head in her hand, as she listened. "Alright, alright. Whitecoats believed that if he could strengthen the soul, then he could detach it, heal it, and reattach it correctly. The strength of the soul would allow it to remain behind just long enough to heal, before escaping to the netherworld, so that he could attach it back again." Slightly startled Janet raised her head, "You wait to remove my soul, heal it, and quickly reattach it?!" "Yes!" mark said with confidence. "But they transferred my soul to this body, back then as well... What''s the difference?" The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Your soul is stronger now, and I plan to aid the process. During the ritual, we will heal your soul, and reattach it." Mark said caringly. "How safe... is this?" "Well... That''s what I''m leading too. There is a chance of one of three things will happen." Mark held up one bony finger, "One. It works perfectly, and you assume full control over your body. Everyone is happy. We celebrate." "Okay..." Mark held up two fingers, "Two. Nothing happens, and We go back to square one again." "Alright." Mark held up three fingers, as he shook them in the air, "Three... It works or it doesn''t, but there are side effects." "What kind of... Side effects?" "Anything from memory loss right on down to true death," Mark said rather helplessly, as he looked at his beautiful wife. He truly felt complex about this. On one hand, he wanted to cure his wife, but on the other, he was afraid of further harm or even losing her. Janet thought over it for a few minutes, as the room descended into silence. Mark didn''t stir or press for an answer. Janet raised her head, "Let''s do it." "You''re sure?" Mark said as he nodded. "Yes." "Alright then. Let me help you to the center of the formation." After mark had taken his wife to the center of the spell formation, he flipped out two books. Whitecoats''s last book, and his own workbook. After a few moments of reading, he nodded again. "Alright lay perfectly still, and close your eyes. This isn''t going to feel good in the slightest." "Mmmmm." Mark summoned up all his courage, and the zeal he had earlier returned, if not a bit forced. He spoke aloud, "You are the lioness that breathes the deserts! You are the daughter of the sun, not seen in the underworld!" The large chunk of Glowstone, that was placed above Janet''s head in the formation started to wobble in place. "As Ra brings the sun to the underworld, so to do you follow! Bring with you healing the Ka, Ba, and Akh to become one again!" Mark''s voice rose, as he started to shake. The Chunk of Glowstone lifted from the floor and was suspended in the air, as it rotated just above Janet! "We reject the judgment of Kheru! We only find trust in you! Sekhmet! SO, COME FORTH! OREXOULHAWOLE" Finally Mark brought a fevered pitch to the incantation, as all the regents liquified as the poured into the basketball-sized Glowstone. This soupy ball of Glowstone began to rotate at an alarming speed until it formed into a small star. From inside the star, the form of a lioness-headed cat woman emerged, as it cocked its brow as it observed the surroundings. It turned its gaze down and seen the mummified appearance of Princess Janet. It made motion to the still undead lady on the floor, grasping at the air above Janet with a clawed, but graceful hand. As the motion did so, a ghostly appearance pulled from Janet''s body. Mark was stunned at the side, as he saw the process. He had an idea of what would happen but didn''t know the full extent. He down knew that everything that was written down by mad man whitecoat was true. The ghostly appearance of Janet''s body seemed strange. There were no lower half, only the upper half. The Cat headed lady made motion with her other hand, and a swarm of energy swam from the outside world into the area just below Janet''s waist. It began to form, as the shape of the upper legs began to take place. Mark watched on as his wife''s lower half was beginning to take shape. A joy that was hard to suppress emerged from mark''s heart. Just as the position above her knees was completed, the form of the cat-headed woman began to fade. Mark looked on in horror, as the ritual began to fall apart. "No, no, no! NO!" Mark howled, as he went to the side of the large room, and grabbed up several different reagents, and threw them next to Princess Janet''s body, shattering the glass jars and beakers exposing the contents. Forming several quick hand seals, mark cried out another series of incantations, as he saw the form of the cat-headed woman fade out of existence. spoke in a hurried tone, as the soul of his wife began to fade, "You are the one that lurks in the dark, you are the protector of the soul at the beginning of its journey. You are the one that can save an impending doom, so I call you! ANUBUS! SAJ''ER OMUS" Out of the dark mess of broken glass that lay on the floor beside Janet, as dark and furry clawed hand emerged, as it grasped at the fading soul, that was rising higher in the air. Its clawed hand latched onto Janet''s soul and pulled it down. As it pulled it down, it whipped quickly, and the soul was forcefully merged back with the body. Soon the hand slipped back into the muck of disgusting regents and broken glass. Mark ran as quickly as his undead feet would get him, as he collapsed onto his knees. The dull sound of bone on stone sounded, as he slid next to his wife. He shook her shoulders while calling, "Wife! Wife! Janet!!! Can you hear me! Please be there! Please! I need you! Don''t leave me!" Mark continued to shake. Mark stopped, and formed a few more hand seals, as he made spoke a few more spells, no longer incantations, using his own magic power. He poured his own magic into Janet, unceasingly. Almost all the magic power that was contained in Mark''s form found its way into Janet. Just as Mark thought it was over, the eyelids of princess Janet flickered slightly, as she opened them to look at Mark. Mark ceased, as he looked at his wife, "Janet are you okay? Can you move? Can you speak... How do you feel?!" "I... Who are you?" Janet spoke slightly confused. "No! NO! NOOO!" Mark crouched over his wife. A pair of single tear drops rolled from each of his hollowed eye sockets. Tears of the skeleton... Chapter 66: A Disturbance in the Light "The Glowstone... I needed a bigger piece of Glowstone... Out of all the regents! Glowstone..." Mark said with a sobbing voice. The two tears dropped from his face, onto Princess Janet. The tears dripped onto Janet and were quickly absorbed. She suddenly had a massive headache, so she called out, "Husband?" In disbelief Mark looked to his wife''s eyes to see them slightly clear, "That''s right! It''s me!" Mark stared into those eyes, that had a sudden hint of slight clarity to them, as again they clouded over by confusion, "Who are you? Why are you holding me?" Mark let go of Janet again, staring at her face. The blue beauty continued to lay on the floor, as he watched her attempt to sit up. He saw that she could use her hips! As he continued to watch her, she failed to get up, as his knees and feet did not respond. "Mister do you know why my legs aren''t working?" Janet tilted her head and asked. "Mister... Mister... Mister..." Mark said over and over... "Yes. I know why your legs do not work." "Can you fix them?" Janet asked again in an innocent voice. Though she didn''t quite know who this was... She felt safe with him. Mark could tell that her memory was damaged. A tiny part of her still remembered him, but another part didn''t... As long as she didn''t totally forget... If there was still hope... He could keep... He could keep going... "Yes... I can fix them... I sure can." Mark said again, his voice growing slightly hard and cold, as he lovingly touched the hand of Janet. Janet didn''t refuse this touch but felt like it wasn''t slightly improper. At the same time though, she felt that it wasn''t enough, which perplexed her... Mark turned his head to look in the direction of Deagoth as if he could see through the walls, ground and over hundreds of kilometers away... "The Skull! The Skull of the Sun God! If that isn''t a big enough piece... Nothing is! Wait for me Witch King... I will bring the entire world to your front doors, and when everything comes crashing down. I will walk away with the Skull in the midst of chaos... Wait for me." ******* Jack had returned to his office back at the Holy Palace, still in his regal garb. He was still thankful that none of the citizens seen him come or go. How convenient! He was currently talking to Lucius about the service he performed for the ladies of Jade when he felt something. Whatever this something was... This something felt off. Lucius noticed Jack had gone silent suddenly. "What''s wrong?" Lucius asked, clearly concerned for Jack. "I... I don''t know. Would it be clich¨¦ to say I felt a disturbance in the force?" Jack said while looking up at the ceiling. "What force?" Lucius was quite confused on this wording. "I don''t know how to put it. It''s more accurate to say a disturbance in the Light. I feel... Sorrow? but... Why? And... something else..." The flames of Jack''s eyes danced in a slow manner, almost sluggishly. "What else?" Lucius leaned forward, he was slightly fearful. "Something bad has happened and... Something bad will happen... Give me... Give me just a moment." Jack asked Lucius has he held up his hand, to give pause. [Leslie are you alright?] Jack asked. [Yeah... What''s wrong?] Leslie replied. [I don''t know... Come to my office as soon as you can.] [...Alright?] Leslie was slightly confused as she answered. [Julia are you Okay?] Jack messaged, but he didn''t get a reply Jack looked at Lucius, "Where''s Julia?" Jack had referred to Verruca by her first name, making Lucius even more on edge. "She''s on the city border, checking the suburbs for any more clues to the assassination," Lucius said quickly. "Can I talk to her from here?" "She might be able to hear you, but I doubt she can talk back." "Call her... Call her now. Get her back now." Jack said quickly, but forcefully. He thought in his mind... What else? What else do I care about? "I need Lady Jade and Princess Emily. I want them to come to my office now." "Is that really appropriate?" Lucius asked. Emily had been here before, but Jack quickly excused her... Jack thought for a moment and remembered the dread wearing matrix knight dudes. They were called... [What were they called? Something something holy... Holy Sentinels!] Jack remembered. "Holy Sentinels heed my words! I want Warmarshal Verruca, Princess Emily, and Lady Jade in front of me as soon as possible, no matter the cost! NO MATTER THE COST!!" Jack slammed his fist on the table, as gold sparks flew from the impact. A loud humming resonated with the Holy Palace, as all the Holy Sentinels acknowledge the command. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Jack paced back and forth. He didn''t know why, but he had a bad feeling... A really bad feeling. The first to arrive was naturally Leslie. She opened the door cautiously, as she looked in to see Jack pacing behind his desk, and Lucius sitting in front of the desk with a rigid posture. Leslie took a step in, "What''s going on?" For as long as she had known Jack, he had displayed anger once, but she had never seen him act like this. Jack turned to see Leslie. As soon as he saw her, he took large strides from around his desk to appear in front of her. He leaned down to embrace Leslie, as he just held her in his arms for a moment. Leslie was startled, but she reciprocated the hug. She enjoyed this but also felt at a loss... Just what had happened? Jack continued for a moment, before he continued to hug Leslie but lifted her up off the floor, and put her in a princess carry. He walked back to his desk, and he placed her in his lap. "...?!" Leslie was completely at a loss. She thought she was at a loss before, but Jack did this right in front of Lucius. In fact, Lucius gave a dry cough, which seemed forced seeing as he didn''t have a throat or lungs. Jack looked over at Lucius, while his flaming eyes danced a bit, "Yes?" "Ah... Would you like me to leave?" Lucius inquired, seeing Leslie being held in Jack''s lap and embrace... Almost like a pet... "No. I want you to stay here for now." Jack spoke sternly. "Oh?" Lucius was slightly disturbed... Just what did he feel was only thing that Lucius'' mind was working on... He had never seen him like this. Leslie noticed the awkwardness of Lucius and wanted to be put down. She struggled a bit, but Jack pulled her closer. Helpless she asked, "Jack... I''m not going anywhere you can put me down now." "Hmmmm? No." Jack responded flatly and held her firmly, but gently in his embrace. Leslie''s mouth gapped slightly. She recovered, "Jack, what exactly happened?" "I''m not sure. I want everyone here first." "Who''s everyone?" "Your mother, Julia, and Emily." Jack rattled off. "When did you get to first name basis with Emily?" Leslie frowned. "I''m not, and it''s also not very important at the moment," Jack said, and before Leslie could interject, the door opened. Flanked by two Holy Sentinels Jade was escorted into the room. They bowed and left, leaving a very confused Jade. "What''s going on?" "Have a seat on the couch. I need to wait for the others." Slightly startled, Jade nodded her head and complied. Interestingly enough, she sat exactly where Leslie would of, and in the same manner. Like daughter; like mother. Jade couldn''t help but notice that her daughter was sitting in The Holy Witch King''s lap, and was being embraced by him no less... Almost like Leslie would run away, if he let go. This was the vibe she got from The Holy Witch King. A moment later the same occurred with Emily, as she was pushed into the Office, "I can walk on my own thank you!" She had turned and berated the Holy Sentinels, but they had already disappeared by the time she spoke against them. "AGH! Silent numb skulls!" Emily stamped her small foot. She was coloring in her coloring books a moment ago, and then the Bozos, ahem, Holy Sentinels came in and dragged her out. "Emily take a seat on the Couch," Jack said from behind her. Finally realizing where she was she stiffened, "What''s... What''s going on???" She too was at a loss and asked the same as everyone. [Did he just call me by my first name?] Emily could only think. The silence that was emitted by The Holy Witch King was long enough, that she simply did what he said, and hopped up on the couch next to Jade. Emily looked over the people present, and couldn''t help but see Leslie in The Holy Witch King''s embrace. Somewhere deep in the recesses of Emily''s heart, unknown to her... a jealous feeling was roused. "Is it proper for the consort to sit in the King''s lap during a meeting?" Emily couldn''t hold her words any longer. "...Emily come over to me..." Jack said sternly, after being reprimanded. Everyone looked at Emily, then to Jack... A collective thought of ''What?'' was resounding in their minds. "Just what do you want to do?" Emily looked hard at The Holy Witch King. "I didn''t ask you to question me. I asked you to come over to me. I expect that you do it." Jack said flatly. "I am no citizen of this kingdom, so I have no reason to do so," Emily said folding her arms. Jack moved Leslie to his left leg to sit. He still didn''t let her go, while Leslie was so lost, that she didn''t know if this was still real life. Again silence ensured, and Jack stared Emily down. "Also... When did you start calling me by my first name?" Emily tried to bring up another topic. Jack continued to say nothing and stare, the dancing flames of his eyes even emitted crackling sounds. Jade watched this play out amused. She had no idea who Emily was, but this was entertaining, to say the least. Was this some type of dominance play? Lucius had just this morning praise Jack in his mind as a divine bring... And here he was with his consort on one knee and forcing another to approach him. Lucius mentally shook his head. He was at a loss about the whole thing. He wasn''t sure what he felt at the moment. He was still sitting here, simply because he wanted to know what Jack felt earlier. Under the pressure, Emily finally buckled. She slid off the couch and walked, ever so slowly, over to the side of the desk that held Jack. Again, she felt just how big Jack was compared to her. Now beside Jack and looking up to him under the odd gazes of the room, Jack scooped up Emily and placed her on his right leg. She had no weight to her, unlike Leslie. Whatever Emily was going to say was toss out the non-existing window in Jack''s office. Her whole mind was blank, and she was currently unable to form thoughts. Even though Leslie had long wanted to get down from Jack, it was due to embarrassment, not because she actually wanted to get down. Now that Emily was sharing her place, she couldn''t help but feel a certain emotion. She remembered she talked with Jack on other women, but to see it and feel it... That was another thing! It didn''t help she had a poor opinion of Emily in the first place. Jack rubbed the back of Leslie, as she looked up into his face. She didn''t say anything, but Jack could read the slight sigh of displeasure on her face. [Is this displeasure I see?] Jack mentally messaged Leslie. [Exactly why is she sharing your lap with me?] Leslie didn''t bother to hide how she felt. [Oh? And here I thought you wanted to get down.] Jack teased. [Because it''s not appropriate for me, let alone her, to be perched on your lap during a meeting! Or even in front of company!] Leslie felt breathless, even though she was speaking mentally. [I make the rules. I don''t know what else to say. Call it being selfish. Also, if you haven''t noticed the little one has shut her trap since I placed her here.] Jack spoke to here, and Leslie had to agree... This did shut up the usually mouthy tiny princess ambassador. [Think of it as a type of punishment.] Jack said to console his Consort. [I bet you''re enjoying this.] Leslie looked back up at him. [I am. Hahaha.] Jack said and laughed in his mind. The expression on Leslie''s face eased up, while everyone in the room wondered what all this was about... The silence was excruciating. Finally, the door opened, as Verruca bound into the room. The Holy Sentinels were only seen for the briefest of moments before they disappeared in a small flash. "What''s wrong?!" Verruca howled until she noticed that Jack had both Leslie and the tiny ambassador on his knees... Lucius sitting in front, and another lady sitting on the couch... The door closed behind her, and the click of the door brought her too, "Exactly what''s going on?" Jack rubbed the head of Emily, and then gestured to the Chair in front of his Desk, "Julia have a seat." Verruca scrunched her face slightly at hearing her named called in front of so many people, but didn''t say anything to refuse. She walked to the chair to the right of Lucius next to the couch and sat down with her imposing form. Jack paused and then opened up to what he felt. What he said next left the room stunned. Chapter 67: Consorts & Catastrophes "I want to recall all military activity back to Us, to bring all of Our armies back to Deagoth. I want all the Warmarshals to report to here in Saigunrai." Jack''s opening sentence dropped a bombshell on the people present. Each reaction was worth its weight in gold. [What about the heretic tribes?] Was Lucius first thought... [So, it begins.] Was Leslie''s first thought. [Are our armies outside of the kingdom?] Was Jade''s first thought. [Why are We turtling?] Was Verruca''s ONLY thought. [Why am I being told this?!?!] Was the thought held by Emily. Perched on the Mad King''s knee... A chill that even an undead could feel ran down her spine... The prophecy... Lucius spoke up first, "Alright, but... What exactly was this disturbance you spoke of...? And why did you need all of us here right this second, but furthermore how does this relate to bringing everyone home???" Verruca spoke next, "Disturbance!?" While she looked back from Lucius to Jack. This word bothered her. The last time Jack got a bad feeling he annihilated two armies and was entombed for a thousand years... "Let''s start from the top," Jack said as he rubbed Leslie on her back. She felt slightly awkward from the display of affection in front of everyone, but she didn''t refuse the touch. "A few minutes ago... I felt something. I don''t exactly know how to describe it other than a disturbance in the Light. A mix of emotions of pain, sorrow, and pure rage. Not a fiery rage... But a cold dead rage. This feeling made me feel like... Like I have lost someone important to me. So I gathered everyone that I care about. Everyone in this room is someone that I care about." This again caused another sensation within the room. Lucius was filled with warmth, Jade was filled with hope, Verruca was filled with conflicting feelings, Leslie was filled with love, and Emily... Emily was filled with uncertainty. She even looked up to Jack and stared at those flaming eyes. She spoke up interrupting, "Even me?" Jack looked down at the small princess, as he rubbed her head, "Lolis are justice." No one in the room knew what a Loli was, except Leslie... And Leslie wondered what being a small woman had to do with justice... "I don''t understand." Emily shook her head and looked back up to Jack. "Can you make me a promise?" Jack asked, in front of everyone. "What promise?" Emily mentally stepped back... Just want did this mad king want? "I need you to cut ties with Neolith, and become one of mine," Jack said rather solemnly. Shock filled the room! Did The Holy Witch King just propose in front of his own Consort?! "This is so sudden!" Emily covered her face. She wished she could go back to her room, and hide in a corner. However, there was a tiny corner of her heart that quietly whispered, "Finally." "What are all of you thinking! I mean become a citizen of the Kingdom!" Jack snapped. """"Oh!"""" A collective ''Oh'' was issued from the room. Did he just purposely mislead us? They all wondered as the face of Verruca eased up, while Leslie''s remained placid. "No. I need to know you are a part of Deagoth. Sink or swim." Jack continued. "I... This... I mean, I just can''t turn my back on my kingdom. I am a princess of Neolith after all." Emily said as she looked down to the floor. "I feel that I can save you from your situation. If a situation, it can be called." Jack replied. Slightly startled, Emily again looked deeply at Jack... [What does he know?] "Alright... Is it that you want a Title in Deagoth? Is that it?" Jack asked. He decided to try the carrot method. After a moment of thought, Emily actually nodded her head. [Leslie... What if I make Emily my second Consort? Will you oppose it?] Jack mentally asked. [You''re bent on doing this anyway, am I right? Find then... Do what you want.] Leslie replied rather dryly. It was Jack''s turn to be startled... [When a woman says do whatever you want... DON''T DO WHAT YOU WANT!] Jack alarmed in his mind. Again, he asked, [While I could do whatever I wanted, I wouldn''t ask you. I literally want your opinion. I think it would do us good to rope her into Deagoth. One I get to save the princess, and two We can use her as a means to protect Us and even Ally with Neolith. If my feelings are correct... I think We are heading to a world war.] Jack finished. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [World war?! Alright... Then I''ll be honest. I don''t like this little girl, but I understand what you''re saying. Later I need to tell you about something about this little thing... But go ahead. If this nets Us Neolith''s support... Then this might do Us well.] [Alright, and thank you.] Jack replied. [What are you thanking me for...] Leslie was displeased about the whole thing but decided to support her husband... Even if it meant that she had to share him. She had already agreed to it after all... Just she expected Verruca, not this little brat. This exchange of conversation was quick between the two. Quick enough that everyone only thought that the Witch King was thinking, and the silence hadn''t become awkward yet. "Then let''s go back to the room''s assumption, and I will give you the Title of my second Consort," Jack spoke, while looking at Emily. Another bombshell! Today was a good day to be shocked. Emily was the most shocked person here! She didn''t believe it was going to be this easy, after her first meeting with this mad king, but here she was... [Wait? Second Consort??? Well... A second consort can become first wife, if I play my cards right!] As Emily was thinking, a voice next to her sounded. "I think your kingdom wishes for this to happen. It''s not like you will never help Neolith again." Leslie said while looking at the tiny girl that resided next to her. "Huh?" Emily looked up to Leslie, this was the first time sitting here that she looked over at her. She felt slightly strange sharing the lap of the King with his Consort, and she was about to be made his second Consort. "Don''t think I don''t know about your little reason to marry my King," Leslie said, as she decided back up Jack, even if she didn''t completely agree with it, at least she held Jack''s heart! "What!?" Emily shuddered. The reason she came was related to the most guarded secret of Neolith, and the faith of the Spider. Considering Emily was singing the prophecy while coloring in his room, she didn''t make it seem all that secretive, but Emily would never admit to it... "I don''t see the problem. I mean if you really don''t wish to become a part of Deagoth, then how would you become his Consort or even marry my King?" Emily realized she was right... [Why does it seem like she isn''t against me become the mad king''s Consort???] Emily was slightly puzzled by this but decided that she would for now forsake her old kingdom, but this was only for now. If she was to become Queen of Deagoth, then she could help them in ways she could never before. "Then... Then I will cut ties with my kingdom. I will only be for Deagoth and become your second Consort, till true death do us part." Emily said slowly. Jack glanced at Leslie, only for Leslie to smile back at him. He shook his head, and then looked back to Emily. He rubbed her head again, "Then it''s settled. Now that you are a part of Us, I can continue. Just know that We will be watching you, to make sure these words you have just spoken aren''t hollow." "I... Understand." Emily spoke sheepishly, she felt she had boarded the mad king''s pirate ship... What else was she going to do? Verruca face contained a sense of sadness. Lucius looked up to see her face, and could only helplessly shake his head. [She missed her chance...] Lucius could only feel this way, but then again... Not taking the chance was also a decision. Knowing Verruca''s personality, it was highly unlikely that she was ever going to become a three Consort, as second was likely her limit. If Jack didn''t feel the way he did, he wouldn''t have made Emily his second consort. Jade finally spoke up, "If you''re just handing out Titles, I don''t mind being a Consort!" Jade laughed. "MOTHER!" Leslie snapped, she couldn''t believe what her mother said, as the room focused on Jade. [Her mother? Interesting.] Emily looked to this lady, named Jade. "Well... Let''s talk about that later then. You can''t blame me for trying." Jade spread her hands out. Jack recovered from his shock. He felt she was acting odd earlier today. "Let''s continue. Second of all, because I feel this... This doomsday feeling. I want all of Our troops home side. A bulwark to the coming world war. I don''t wish to lose any of you." Jack said as he was being in a rare mood. He was showing he cared when usually he would just toss it to the side. That feeling he got... It was the same feeling he had just after he died... He would later call this feeling ''the endless dark.'' Verruca''s face returned to her stern expression as she voiced her concern, "Why do we need to hold up in our shell like a turtle?" She didn''t like being on the defensive. "Because I don''t know who the enemy is at the moment. What would happen if We attacked one, but the real enemy attacks after Our attention was divided?" Jack said as he looked over Verruca. "Of course. I was too hasty." Verruca said. She did know in her mind, but she hoped that Jack knew who it was this time. It didn''t help that her emotions were slightly muddled over Emily. "I also need to get even stronger for the coming times. I plan to go into a retreat to increase my strength. As I am currently, I feel too useless." A short gasp filled the room... An Emperor Ranked Cultivator felt useless??? Who would believe that! Only Jack knew that his current cultivate was Knight Rank Mid-level. "I have to try and see." Jack shook his head, as he looked at the shocked expressions and body language of the group. "Can I suggest something then?" Leslie spoke this time. "MMMmmm?" Jack acknowledged "You should do something about showing off... Every time you cultivate, a pillar of light forms and shines in the sky. Everyone knows it''s you. This will include our enemies. It would be a good idea that they didn''t know you were away, else they might get ideas." Lucius wasn''t to refute this, as it was so helpful with church on the seventh day... but he had to admit that there was plenty of logic in these words. "I will figure something out." Jade finally broke her silence, "How long will you be gone?" "I don''t know," Jack replied. He really had no idea. Cultivation was something he had just started learning, and only knew what was written in books. "While I am gone, I want you, you, you in charge. This time I want decisions to be made if they have to be made." Jack pointed to Lucius, Leslie, and Verruca. The three nodded slowly. Lucius hesitated for a moment before he spoke, "What about Warmarshal Michael, and the Heretic Tribes we are trying to recruit." Jack thought for a moment... Something about that didn''t feel exactly right. "It doesn''t sound like a problem. Just make sure that no issues will come up about this. I want him back as soon as possible." Jack looked over the Verruca, "I want you to be my War Master while I am in retreat. This means that besides Lucius, you can activate our armies for defense. Do you accept being War Master until I return?" "Yes." Verruca nodded with stern confidence. "Good. Tomorrow I will go into retreat." Jack finished. After a few more pieces of conversation and planning, that included the appointment of the North and South Boneyard speakers, and the handling of the Grimnight Clan. Jack bid everyone a good night, as the Skull dimmed outside, sending them to their respective rooms. He returned to his chamber with Leslie. That night, again, Jack and Leslie confirmed their love. For tomorrow, he wouldn''t see her for a while. Chapter 68: Thats a Lewd Name Jack had changed back to his regular clothes, and after a bath in Holy water, he and Leslie retired for the remainder of the night to partake in natural pleasures. Their encounter came to an end the next morning. She was roused from her state, as she had work. "You could just put it off a bit longer," Jack said lazily from within his evening tomb, that held both him and Leslie. "Uh huh... If I really did that, it would be another week before we would be done, huh?" Leslie said teasingly. "You can''t blame me. This has quickly become my favorite pass time." Jack had turned over to lay on his boney side, as he overlooked the small lady inside his tomb. "...Jack?" "Hmmm?" "What did you really feel yesterday... I feel that you held back a bit." Leslie asked a bit hesitantly. She was afraid of what she was asking, but she needed to know to safeguard the kingdom. "I... It''s hard to explain, but... Have you ever been doing something when you get that feeling someone is watching you or staring at you?" Jack said feeling slightly complicated. "Of course, even non-cultivators get that. Some call it Our sixth sense, but cultivators call it Our spiritual sense." Leslie nodded. "Okay then, that makes this easier to explain." Jack felt better knowing they had a word for it. "My spiritual sense tingled from something in my connection with the Light. I can only guess... This is just a guess, I can''t be sure if it''s a fact or any of it''s true at all... So, take this with a pinch of salt." "Okay..." "I think one of my enemies or an enemy of the kingdom just lost something. They lost something important... And they blame Us for it. I don''t know if it is Our fault... I mean it could be the Grimnight clan, but I don''t think so... But never the less, someone lost something close to them, and they want to destroy Us for it. That sick feeling like ice being poured into your belly... That''s the feeling I get when I think about it. I don''t know how I feel these things when I don''t have a body." Jack shook his head. "Well, We can feel with our souls... Otherwise, last night would have been dead for both of us." Leslie giggled. "Har har." "So, the world is going to go to war just because of one person?" "I... I don''t know, but I feel that something big is coming. World war is the only thing I can think of to make it be that big... Well, that or an invader that will destroy Us all." "Jack don''t joke about that." "I''m not...." Leslie felt slightly complex about the situation as well. "So... When I leave, you''re going to retire to cultivation. Where are you going to go hole up at?" "My library. I need to work out some spells first. I think that will be the best way to solve a lot of my problems. I have an idea on how to work it." "Well... Couldn''t you just use the angel of death to wipe everyone out?" "The angel of death has a price to pay to use it." "Oh?" Leslie said surprised. "This time I have a question," Jack asked slowly. "Hmmmm???" Leslie thought this was intreating, as Jack rarely asked her questions. "About Emily... About Julia..." "Oh... I see." "Yeah. I want to know what you really think..." "Well... I feel slightly better now about it." Leslie said while thinking. "Feel better? What do you mean?" "Well... Ummmm... Let me ask you this... Do you think of me as a tool to be used?" "What??? No! Why would you say that?" Jack said surprised, and slightly angry. Even though Leslie heard anger in his voice, it only served to give her a warm feeling. Undead enjoyed the most in their life things that gave them warm feelings. This was one of the reasons undead were more passionate and had a more addictive nature. "I''m... Still not okay with my father..." Leslie spoke. "...I know what you mean..." "Hmmmm? You had a decent father..." Leslie spoke looking over at Jack, propped next to her. "Let''s just say my father was never around," Jack said this to mean not the father of the Holy Witch King, but his father from his last life. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh. I see." "I don''t know about everything Jade said about your father, but... I will never be like that." "Never say never," Leslie said playfully, but seriously. "Yeah, yeah... But my feelings for you are real. I''m not going to lie. When I first saw you, I had the idea to use you for information, but... I''ve fallen for you." Leslie heard the truth in his words, and her heart was put to rest. If Jack said he never had any other feelings than love, Leslie wouldn''t have believed him... even if his words sounded true to her. "Well... I really need to get going." "Leslie do something for me while I''m in retreat." "Take care of your baby Consort?" Leslie laughed "Ugh... No! I want you to check on the people that are from the Heretic Tribes Lucius keeps harping on... Something about that gives me a bad feeling." Jack said rather vaguely. "Infiltrators?" Leslie''s first thought spilled from her mouth. "Maybe... Just check behind them, and make sure there are no problems." "Well... I''d of done it, to begin with, but I will be extra sure." "If you find anything that''s not quite right... I want you to interrogate them. Get the information. That''s what We need the most at the moment." Jack said with stern words. "Alright, leave it to me," Leslie said with sweet words and a smile on her face. [Ah... Jack?] Jack was slightly startled... No one contacted him first... [Lucius?] [Oh, thank goodness... I wasn''t sure if you were still... You know.] [Well, Leslie has work this morning.] Jack said, as Lucius could tell the disappointment in his voice. [I see. Then that''s for the better. I really need you to see Jordan Grimnight. He''s losing his mind over wanting to meet you again!] [Oh yeah... I remember now. You said that you promised that I would see him for information on the Grimnight clan.] [That''s right. I''ve been putting it off really, with the whole issue after issue lately. Things have become quite livingly, haha, now that you''re back among us.] [Haha, I see what you did there. Alright. I''m going to go change to my royal robes. Send someone to get me from my wardrobe.] [Alright. I''ll see you in a few.] Lucius ended. "Who was that?" Leslie could tell that Jack''s silence meant he was talking to someone. She was very sensitive to this kind of thing. "Lucius... He wants me to meet with Jordan Grimnight." "Oh yeah... If I''m not mistaken I think he might be my third cousin." "Oh really... I''m glad you didn''t get mad at me when I got him to confess." "The Grimnights... I... I''m thinking about changing my name. I don''t want anything to do with them." "Change your name???" "Yes. My surname is Grimnight... But I don''t want them anymore. As an exile, I could of just dropped it then, but I kept it because of my father... Now I don''t want it. Can I... Can I take your name?" "Do wives take their husband''s last names?" "Well... No..." [Ah... Just like in my world, then again... The people in the west would change the last name of their women. Meh... Works for me.] "That''s fine. You can change it." [Wait... What was my last name again?] Jack was stumped... He remembered what the last guy said to an extent, but he was having trouble remembering. Jack was always slightly muddle headed after his pleasurable encounters. "Speaking of which... What is your last name?" Leslie asked, while her eyes traced the bones that made up Jack''s ribs, spine, and arms. "Ah..." [Think, think, think!] "Hmmmm?" Leslie looked up to make eye contact with the flaming eyes of Jack. [BONEREAPER!] Jack finally got the sudden inspiration, like remembering the name of that character on that movie you thought, but couldn''t remember. "My last name is Bonereaper." "What a lewd last name." Leslie giggled. "Oh yeah... You call that kind of thing reaping don''t you." Jack remembered Leslie''s jargon about soul union''s easily... Again, this tells us where he placed his priorities. "Leslie Bonereaper... I like the sound of that... Okay. I''m going to change my name." "How does one do that?" "Well there are special instances it''s done, so it''s not like its unheard of... I''ll take care of it. Go meet that Grimnight..." "Alright saying it like that?" "They are outsiders to me now," Leslie said callously, as she popped the tomb open, and hopped out. Jack got up, and sluggishly got out of the tomb as well, as he did, Leslie pounced on him. Another awkward kiss from her, and she slide off. "That one was for the road... I''m going to miss you for a while." With that, she slid out the door and was gone. Jack scratched the back of his bald skull. [She never fully answered my question about the Consorts... I guess she''s still coming to terms. Haaaa~] ******* Jack left his room to get dress. After which, with his Femur Ferula in hand, he stepped into the hallway. Already waiting for him again was Templar Robert and Templar Grace, waiting on bended knee. "Let''s get going then." Jack command, as he made the rise motion with his hand. They rose, gave a Deagoth salute, and led Jack to the jail quarters. Jack found that this time, they used a different exit point from yesterday. It was interesting that this exit point led to a walkway directly to the jail quarters. [How is it safe to have the jail next to the prison???] Jack mused, but this was the doing of the last guy. As Jack approached, he met Lucius waiting for him with the Warden of the Jail. "Ah, His Grace honor''s us with his visit." The warden bended knee on The Holy Witch King''s Approach. The Grand Minister did a simple bow but was not required to bend knee. He also made an introduction, with Jack''s memory as a reminder. "This is Warden Metalhearts. She takes care of everything here at the jail quarters." "So, you''re a member of the Metalhearts clan here in Saigunrai?" Jack asked as he looked over this undead. She was a short stout skeletal undead. Her bones were very thick giving her a stocky look. She had a skeletal face, but her face was covered in black runes in a tribal tattoo style, Jack had seen in his last life. She had hair as well, short red hair in a bob haircut. She was quite the interesting looking undead, but... She had reminded Jack kind of an undead dwarf... [Wait... The Metalhearts clan are blacksmiths...!! Undead dwarves?! You have to be kidding me. Simply unbelievable. Now that I think about it... The Official of Unlife Metalhearts was a short bearded male zombie undead!] "Yes. I thought to become Warden as a job change about a fifteen hundred years ago. It was Consort Leslie that appointed me, with the Grand Minister''s approval." Lucius nodded. The warden continued, "The Consort stated that We could save on metalwork in the jail quarters using me to get the family discount for the bars, cells, and chains." In a rare instance, Jack was glad he didn''t have eyes, or they would have bugged out at this comment. Undead dwarves followed by Leslie blatantly using a member of the Metalhearts clan to get discounts... [She is, after all, the treasurer of the kingdom. Haaa~] Jack had become accustom to sighing in his mind. Jack made a motion for Warden Metalhearts to rise. "I''m sure you''re here to meet Wackynight." The Warden made comment. "Wackynight???" "Ah... I''m so sorry." The Warden had the posture of embossment. "The prisoner''s really taken to nicknaming everything around here." She continued. "Why is he nicked name this?" "You... You just have to meet him. He''s become kind of a wacko. Follow me, your Grace." The warden turned and led The Holy Witch King and the Grand Minister inside. Chapter 69: The Tomes of Lexos Divinus Jack followed slightly behind the warden, along with Lucius. The first floor of the Jail quarters were, in general, empty. Jack didn''t think much of it, but just a bit of thought would have told him that the many skulls laid in a pile just outside of his palace were from this first floor. The Jail quarters and its ghostly ambiance struck Jack with a rather interesting feel. After being an undead, and among undead for so long, he had slightly forgotten what a haunted place felt like... This Jail gave off the vibes that ghosts would walk its halls. "I feel like We should see some ghosts here, or is that just wishful thinking?" Jack chuckled as he spoke. "Of course, We have them locked up in the lowest chambers. Nasty little buggers have to be sealed or they get away." Warden Metalhearts spat. [What?] Jack was slightly taken back... He was just making a comment, but ghost were real? Only for a moment did this feeling last, Jack figured anything was possible. He was after all a walking skeleton. "So, are these the ghosts of undead, or something else?" Jack became curious. "Not really. These ghosts are conscious undead that are unable to inhabit a body. Think of ghost as most of soul bodies, then anything else, but We do have a few that were undead at one point. They made it to Knight rank and had strong souls. This gave them the ability to remain behind as ghosts. I guess if We really wanted... We could perform a ritual to bind them back to a body." The Warden said casually. "I guess them being in a soul form is better to save on space." "Exactly." The Warden said with a bit of laughter in her voice. Jack and Lucius continued to follow, as they took a flight of stairs down... Down... and Down... Unlike the first floor, the next few floors contained plenty of inmates, with each floor being walked by two guards in white uniforms. On each of their chests, were the Deagoth symbol with two chains in an X over the badge. This was the symbol of the Jail quarter guards. The bars of each of the cells were made of Froststeel. The same metal that made the chains that bound some of the stronger Cultivator inmates. This froststeel would freeze the Cultivator''s magic power, and were, for the most part, impervious to Cultivator''s attacks. "Does each floor keep certain inmates for different reasons?" Jack asked, out of curiously. Lucius spoke up this time, "Yes. The first floor is basically the temporary Jailing section. The second floor on are inmates being held. The second floor is for petty theft, the third floor is for general punishments, the fourth floor is for grand theft, the fifth floor is for murder, etc., etc. "Ah." Jack estimated that they were seven floors down now and if the ghost were kept lower then... Just how many floors were there??? "Here We are. The only Official left with unlife still in them." The Warden pointed down the hall to the last cell. "What floor is this one used for?" Jack was very interested in this place. "This is our solitary confinement floor. Each cell keeps one inmate a piece, and is lined with Froststeel for some of the more powerful Cultivators being kept prisoner." The Warden explained. "So, Jordan Grimnight is in solitary confinement?" Jack asked. "Yes. The other inmates, at the time, couldn''t take his preaching. Though to be honest, a lot of inmates were slightly sad he was taken out. We took him out for his own safety really... Now some of the inmates ask to get permission to visit him. I didn''t see the harm, and let them visit. It was either let them have this small request or listen to endless amounts of complaining. I took the option where I can rest in peace." The Warden continued. The group walked until they reached the last cell, and next to it was Guard Daniels, like the last guards that seen Jack, they kneeled to one knee. It was interesting that this floor only contained one guard. "Please rise." Jack made motion. As Jack performed his motion, Warden Metalhearts spoke, "Guard Daniels, please open the cell. The Holy Witch King wishes to speak with Jordan Grimnight." "Right away!" The Officer fumbled with his keys and was slightly unsteady as he tried to open the cell. A full five minutes, when he finally was able to open it. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Jack wondered why this Guard was so... Nervous? Jack tossed it for the moment, as the door opened he walked in to be greeted with a very eccentric room. The room was that of a mad man. All the walls were written on, saying different things. There were pictures drawn besides all the texts, at various angles. Yellow parchment papers were strung all over the floor with writing all over them. In the corner of the room, sat an undead with simple white robes, as they were hunched over a small desk writing endlessly, unaware that the door had been open. Lucius to the side of Jack was stunned... He knew a bit about what was going on but hadn''t seen for himself. Jack wondered why Jordan Grimnight wanted to meet him so bad. Jack spoke, "Jordan Grimnight. I have come at your request. What is it that you wish to say." The furious writing of the hunched over inmate stopped abruptly. He turned to face The Holy Witch King. "...Your Grace?" The wretched madman spoke. The handsome face of Jordan Grimnight was withered, and hollow. His eyes were sunken and his skin had taken on a darker shade. Jack could see that each of his fingers showed a bit of bone up to the second joint of the finger. Black blood was dripping from his index finger on his left hand. Before Jack could ask anything, Jordan fell from his seat as he prostrated before him. "I am unworthy! I AM UNWORTHY! Such a sight! MY GOD-KING HAS COME!" Jack mentally furrowed his brows, "God-King?" "Yes... YES, MY LORD! The God-King has come! Forgive your servant for he was blind. He failed to see his lord when he was so close for so long!" Jordan sobbed with joy and fear in his voice. "....." Jack maintained his silence, speechless. "I dare not to look upon my Lord! Again, I am unworthy! But... But... I must show you. Please let me show you my gifts!" Jordan quivered on the floor, his face planted down. "Ah... Go ahead," Jack spoke, he wanted to know just what gifts this mad man had. Lucius to the side remained silent, as he watched Jordan. The Warden shook her head while watching. Jordan scrambled up from his position and went back to his desk. He shuffled around his work and came back. He laid on the floor three large tomes, as he resumed his kneeling face plant. "Are these... Are these bound in skin?" Jack looked over these tombs and found that they had the pattern of dried skin. "Yes! From my back... I know that I am unclean, but I had no other means at the time." Jordan said with slight fear. "If given the proper materials, I''ll rewrite them again!" Jack looked over to the Warden. "By the time I had got the materials, he had already stripped the skin from his back... He tore it off himself. How he cut it into shape? I don''t know. I had to get a bone doc in here to heal his back so he didn''t get a flesh-eating disease." The Warden explained while shaking her head. "I don''t know how he stood the pain." Jordan spoke again, "Anything for my God-King." "Why do you call me God-King?" Jack turned back and asked. "I''ve written! I''ve written it all down here. The God-King of the undead! Our Holy God-King! You are the lord of light that has descended from the Light. In my prior days, I cultivated the darkness. I, now, may not be able to cultivate the Light, but the Light speaks to me. It tells me that you are him. You are the God-King of the undead. The one that will lead us to the Light!" "...What are in these Tomes?" "These are all my writings that I gathered from the Light! The Light calls them ''The Tomes of Lexos Divinus.''" [That sounds a lot like Latin?! Lex Divina... Divine Law... The Tomes of Divine Law? How does he know Latin?] Jack had uttered a phrase once before in Latin, instead of Voidic, the language of the undead. That phrase was Ego Te Absolvo. He used this when he absolved the ladies of Jade. Jack had put on a nice light show and uttered what the thought sounded good. He had once heard in one of his shows that phrase, and so he said it... In all the tomes he had read in his Library, he had not come across any other language but Voidic... Was Latin a thing here? "This is Latin. Do you know the language of Latin?" Jack asked out of curiosity. "No, my lord! I am only your tool of the Light, through which I write." Jordan spoke with Joy. Lucius spoke up, "What''s Latin?" "Its... It''s a dead language. No one uses it anymore. I''ve never seen anything in this world about it." Jack said without looking back. [If you haven''t seen it... How do you know it?] Was the first thought that Lucius had come to mind. "...Divine being..." Lucius muttered in what only he thought he could hear. Jack heard and looked over to Lucius speechlessly. Fortunately, unfortunately, Lucius couldn''t read Jack''s bone face. "What does this Lexos Divinus say?" Jack turned back again and questioned. "They are a guide for all undead... NO! For all sentient creatures to live their life and worship you! To Cultivate the Light, with you as its god! We will draw power from you! Our Faith will be Out Cultivation!" Jordan said with zeal. "...Jordan... I''m no god. I am a King, I am an Undead, I am a Husband, I am a Male... But I am not a god." Jack said slowly so that not just Jordan can understand, but even Lucius. "My Lord is too humble! I know! I know that you are the Undead god of Light! I wish... I wish you could grant this servant his wish. I know I shouldn''t, but to better serve you, I must ask! I must!" "...What is it that you want...?" "I wish... I wish to be absolved of my past sin! I know if you do this, I can cultivate the Light. It will no longer just talk to me, but I will be able to connect to it!" [I don''t think that''s exactly how it works... but... Let''s find out.] Jack thought. He knew that the Light was a selfish power. If you cultivated any other, it would not form a connection to that person. [Let''s just call this... for science!] Jack mentally laughed to himself, using science to figure out magic. "Alright. I will do this for you, but you must kneel before me. Do not lay on the floor." Jack said with his heroic voice echoing through the halls. Lucius put his hand out to both the Warden and Guard, and moved back, pushing them all back with him. Jack didn''t beat around the bush, with any fancy words this time. He simply made a circle in the air with his index finger, and spoke, "We are all, as children of Deagoth, and I absolve you as one of these children." Jack then brought his index finger through the middle of the circle, "All is one. Now go and sin no more. Ego... Te Absolvo." Chapter 70: The Prophecy Continues As Jack''s words finished echoing, A golden hue of light surrounded Jack and covered him. It rushed down his arm and to his index finger that was straighten out above Jordan. The light made a small tiny dot in the air above, and then gently fell upon Jordan. As it neared, it expanded into a small circle of light that surrounded only Jordan. He could feel it! Jordan was a washed in ecstasy! That feeling! That warm feeling like when his soul was pulled out! So warm! So Good! Jordan even issued a small soft moan. It would escape anyone... But Jack. [The crap was that?] Jack was stunned by two things... Besides Jordan sounding like a girly AV actress. He didn''t mutter his light show spell... He simply said the same words. He wasn''t going to put on a light show... Why then...? Why did the same thing happen? Jack pulled back his hand to look at his index finger in puzzlement. The light ended surrounding Jordan, and silence descended upon everyone present. Interrupted from his thoughts, Jordan cried out, "I feel it! I am absolved" Jordan shook all over, and black tears ran down his face. He lifted his right hand, and a soft golden glow enveloped his hand. Magic power rushed into Jordan. The group present could feel Jordan''s magic power increasing. He went from no cultivation to Disciple Rank... Then it broke again to Master Rank! The Light shined around him again, and he broke again to Grand Master Rank! Everyone present had cultivation present. Everyone but Jack gasped! Even being a Skeletal undead didn''t stop Lucius or the Warden from gasping! This was crazy! Unheard of! Jack and Lucius were cultivators of the Light. Warden Metalhearts of her clan cultivated fire. She was brought up by a family of blacksmiths, so this was their natural process. Guard Daniel though... Guard Daniel cultivated Darkness, just like Jordon, but he had a small family. As he only had public access to cultivation resources, he only made it to Master Rank. Thoughts quickly flashed in Guard Daniel''s mind. He finally dropped in front of The Holy Witch King, and shouted, "I too wish to be absolved! I will scatter my Cultivation of darkness! I wish to Cultivate the Light, and become whole again!" Jack turned to see Guard Daniels face plant... Exactly like Jordan... Exactly like the Ladies of Jade, [What''s with people face planting in this place?] Jordan had a crazy smile, while Lucius remained silent, it was Warden Metalhearts that was shocked. For a moment, they felt the magic power of Guard Daniels rise... and then a black mist issued from around his body. They could feel that all the magic power that Guard Daniels had pain shakenly Cultivated dissipated. "He actually did it!" Warden Metalhearts was stunned. She had known Guard Daniels now for about a hundred years, and knew how hard he worked to Cultivate. She had even caught him Cultivating while he was supposed to be guarding, where she had to dock his pay for punishment. [Let''s see if that light show happens again, without my spell.] Jack thought. "Fine then. Guard Daniels. Approach and knee. Tell me what sins you have committed." Jack said again in a voice that echoed. Guard Daniels did want better cultivation... But what he really feared was his sin. He approached and kneeled like Jordan. "My God-King I have sinned. I committed adultery against my wife. I... I spent a night with the daughter of a merchant here in the city. In my lust, I lost myself, but I sobered. I broke off from her twenty-five years ago. I have remained faithful since... Please... If you can..." Jack ignored the God-King comment, as he spoke, "Again, We are all, as children of Deagoth, and I absolve you as one of these children." Jack then brought his index finger through the middle of the circle, "All is one. Now go and sin no more. Ego... Te Absolvo." The light condensed at the end of his finger again. The same thing happened with Guard Daniels. He felt warm. The God-King had absolved him. He rose with a proud look and held out his right hand. He glowed with a golden light. Just when everyone thought that his Cultivation was going to shoot up like Jordan''s the Glow dimmed, and remained fuzzy. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "My God-King... Have I done wrong?" The Guard looked to his Lord and asked. Before Jack could say a word, "You much read the books! It is only through worship of the Undead God of Light can you obtain your Cultivation! Come! Come! Read! Read!" Jordan had stood, and motioned with his hands to the three tomes on the floor. The Guard looked to Jordan, and a crazy thought entered his mind! "Please make me your Disciple!" He bowed to Jordan. "My first disciple! Of course! Kowtow to the God-King three times and then three times to me and I will accept." As Guard Daniels performed his action, Jack, Lucius, and the Warden were at a complete loss... None of them knew what was going on anymore, this included Jack. He was still thinking on how the Light show spell went off without saying the spell... Could he cast it by thought? "Good, good, Very good! My Disciple! Read, read!" Jordan picked up the tomes and passed the first one to Guard Daniels" The disciple in returned held the tome as if it really was a sacred text. "Well... What do We do with Jordan Grimnight now?" The Warden asked. "I wish to change my name! I wish to be known now as Jordan Lightborn!" [Lightborn? Isn''t that what I said... Speaking of which... Who told him I could absolve undead???] Jack wondered to himself. It had only been a day since he had absolved the Ladies of Jade. Everyone looked to The Holy Witch King for an answer. Stirred from his thoughts again, Jack spoke, "Lucius... Find somewhere safe for Jordan... Lightborn to stay." He could only say, feeling slightly helpless. "I will follow my master!" Daniels spoke up. "Guard Daniels, I don''t care what you do on your time off, but you still got another six hours on duty." The Warden looked hard at the Guard. "I quit. I will follow my Master. I follow my God-King." Disciple Daniels spoke firmly. "Wha?" The Warden was again at a loss... She was slightly stunned when Guard Daniels spoke of adultery... She never heard or seen rumor of it, but now he quit. He was a decent guard, even if he did Cultivate on the job. "Fine! Lucius, take care of him too... And don''t call me a god!" Jack turned quickly as he left, feeling slightly upset. He wasn''t a god. He felt painfully clear on this point. [Hump! If I was a god, I wouldn''t have choked to death on a microwaved dinner! WHAT GOD CHOKES TO DEATH ON A MICROWAVED DINNER!? HUH!?] Jack howled in his mind. His robes fluttered, as he started on the way he came in, Lucius followed close behind. The Warden left behind, "What do I do with these two?" Jack''s voice echoed back, "Their free to go... I''ve absolved them of sin. They are guilt free now! The Grand Minister will send someone for them... Just... Keep them here for a few more hours." The Warden saw The Holy Witch King and the Grand Minister ascend the stairs and leave. She looked back at these two, who had one of the tomes open and were reading like madmen. "...This is why I don''t go to church..." She sighed. ******* Jack left Lucius to make council with the Archbishops. The mad man Jordan... Lightborn had caused quite a stir between the two. Lucius stated he would take care of this. Jack wanted to speak to Leslie one more time before he left for his Library. [Leslie... Do you have a few minutes.] Jack asked. [If it''s important, I always have time for you. Do you want to meet, or is it something you can just tell me?] Leslie asked, wondering if Jack wanted to go another round before he left to Cultivate. [Leslie... Do you know anything about the mad man I just met?] [Jordan Grimnight?] [He''s going by Jordan Lightborn now...] [Like Mom''s handmaidens?] [They are going by Lightborn now too?] [Yeah... They changed their names last night. Mom was just telling me about that, when I visited her for lunch.] [Did... Did they talk to Jordan?] [...I don''t think so... Why?] [He knew I was able to absolve him, and changed his name to Lightborn... Without knowing about it... Something''s weird about that don''t you think?] [I have no idea. That is strange.] [I, uhhh... I absolved him, and he can now Cultivate the Holy light... He''s written three tomes on worshiping me as a new god, and has a new Cultivation method based on it.] [Did you say... Worshiping you as a new god?] [Yeah... The Undead God of the Light... If I remember correctly.] [You know, I''ve been meaning to tell you something I overheard Emily singing the other day.] [Were you spying on her?] [Duh.] [I get it, I get it! What was it?] [It was some kind of prophecy saying she was supposed to marry you and you were the new god of the undead. We should actually talk to her about this.] [...I think you''re right... I''ll go right now, are you coming?] [Ugh... Unless it''s an emergency, I''d rather continue what I''m doing.] [What are you doing, exactly?] [Well... I''m currently in the north with my handmaidens spying on the Heretic Tribes and Warmarshal Micheal... I think you''re right. There are some plants in the tribes.] [The north!? How did you get there so fast?] [... I''m a banshee... I can fly really fast...] [Why didn''t you visit me for a whole month then, while I was on the road back?!] [I didn''t want you to know I was a banshee!!!!] [Oh... Right... Wait... If you''re in the North, how can I talk to you there?] [My body is in my room. It acts as a nexus point to my soul that''s in banshee form.] [Well... Just be careful. I love you... I want you to know that.] [Jack... I love you too.] Leslie had a sweet feeling spread throughout her banshee form, as she observed certain tribesmen talk about the new priestess of the three gods. Jack ended his conversation and headed to Emily''s room. Chapter 71: Our Business Stays with Us The sound of knocking echoed in the guest room that was Princess Emily''s. This was a rare time, where she was not coloring. She was simply looking out the darkened window, lost in thought. The sudden sound caused her to jump slightly in her seat. "Yes?" Emily called out uncertainly. "It''s, ah... It''s me." "The Mad King?" "What?" Jack replied he heard that! "I mean come in... Come in!" Emily quickly tried to cover up, as she tried to steel her nerves. She was failing miserably, as the pile of skulls outside her window unnerved her every-time her gaze fell on them. It would have behooved Emily to have asked someone for the reason of such a monument, but she failed this as well... Jack opened the door and closed it behind him. As he walked over to the table, where Emily was sitting, and sat, just like last time. Same sized chairs, that looked to be too small for Jack and too large for Emily. "Mad King?" Jack asked breaking the silence, while the flames in his eyes danced ever so slowly. "Ah. Ah... I didn''t mean anything by that. Please forgive me, Your Highness." Emily quickly squeezed out, while lowering her head. She trembled all over while speaking. Jack heard the familiar sound of bones rattling ever so softly. He looked deeply at Emily... "Are you afraid of me?" "...." Emily wasn''t sure how to answer this question, but the answer was unequivocal yes. Jack mentally frowned... [Why is she afraid of me?] "I know I wiped out one of the armies of Neolith, long ago... But I don''t see a reason to fear me for that," Jack said softly. "What? That was war... That''s different... But..." Emily lifted her head to look at the mad king. "You... You..." She shuddered on her words. "I''ve what? Far as I know, I haven''t harmed you or your servants... I mean it was rude to drag you to my office yesterday, but I see that as no reason to fear me... Furthermore... You''re my consort, now..." Jack felt slightly odd saying these last words, but he did have her agree in front of his most trusted people. He had wondered how the people of the Kingdom would react when they found out. [That''s right! I am his consort... He dotes on his first consort so much... Would he... Would he do that for me?] Emily quickly thought. "If I say... You will not punish me, right?" "Pfft... No. Speak, now. What''s the matter?" Jack said with a slight laugh in his voice. "You... You killed all those undead, and made a monument out of their heads..." Emily whispered, almost like she was unwilling to speak, as she pointed to the window. "Oh... That..." Jack finally realized what had her spooked. He turned his head to look out the window she had pointed to and realized that her window was right over the palace square, in full view of the hill of skulls. Jack shook his head, "We didn''t place you here, in this room, to be frightened by the executions. In fact, this is gross misconduct on my part. I should have known, and made better arrangements." "To hide this from me?" "No... It would be to hide the ugliness of this world from you." Jack said following up something he had watched before in his last life... What a beautiful world... what an ugly world... What a show. He mused. "Then... Why did you execute them all?" "Didn''t you hear the town criers?" "...No? I know I saw undead standing around, and guards... What were they crying about?" Emily had not bothered to collect the information on what was going on... She lacked the thought process, as she was handed everything in her life. She had never gone for wanting. "These were all Officials from my court. In my long absence... Decay of law and morals occurred. These Officials used their seats to not serve the people, but to serve themselves. So... I cleaned the court of filth." Jack spoke with firm resolution. He had yet to take a life, but he was certain he could do it. "I... see... Then what makes you different?" Emily asked without thinking. As soon as the words left her, she slapped both her hands over her mouth. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "It''s okay. I''m not going to do anything to you if you speak with me in private. Now if you take Our business, outside for everyone to hear... Then I would." Jack jokingly said, but Emily could feel a real threat in these words. "I Understand, and obey." Emily quickly nodded. "...I''ve been calling you Emily, without really your permission. I''m very late asking this, but can I call you Emily?" Jack asked, trying to restart the conversation. "...Of course... I am... I am your consort now... You can even... You know." Emily turned her head to look back out the window. "Not without your permission, also... You do not have to obey me. You only have to understand me, and do or not do. I''m not your master. I am your husband-to-be." Jack said this too, with firm words. Emily muttered, "Not my master, but my husband-to-be?" Jack heard her clearly, "Yes. If you are to be my consort, let alone, my wife. We will be equals. With that being said, my name is Jack, Jack Bonereaper, and I am the Holy Witch King of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth." Jack stated this clearly, and only at this moment did he feel that it was true. He really was Jack Bonereaper. He accepted his hand that was dealt to him. He didn''t get a choice over the hand of cards he was dealt with in his last life, why protest it in this life. He was the King. "Jack... Jack... Jack... I... I like this name. This is a good name. Your last name though... Seems a bit... Perverted, doesn''t it?" Emily commented. "..." Jack made no comment. This was the same thing Leslie said. What did this little consort of his, know about ''boning?'' "Well if We are saying Our names, my name is Emily Neith. Princess of the Grand Tomb of Neolith, and your consort." [Where have I heard Neith before?] Jack wondered. "Will you really treat me, as good as, my... Sister-Consort?" "I will be honest with you. I will make Leslie, my first Consort, my first wife. The Queen of Deagoth, but I will treat you as good as I treat her if you allow me." "Is... Is there no chance of me becoming Queen of Deagoth?" Emily asked... This was her sole purpose. She was born into this word for this one job. If she could do this, then what was she? "...Wait...? Is this related to a prophecy?" Jack thought for a moment. Why was she so hell-bent on becoming Queen, unless it had to do with something from Neolith? Leslie just got done telling him to talk to Emily about this sort of thing. "Haaaa~ So my Sister-Consort... Knows about it. Has she told you the prophecy?" Emily asked she figured when she heard what Leslie said yesterday that she had told him. "Actually, she told me to speak to you about it. She only said that somethings I am dealing with are related to a prophecy you know." "Dealing with?" "Let''s do this... Tell me the prophecy, and then I''ll tell you what just happened to me today." Jack said with an authoritative tone. "Well... Alright. It goes like this" Emily began to sing, "Behold in the sky, A pillar, A pyre, A fire it lights, The dead''s last rites, terrifies its enemies, but with hatred to end from age-old centuries, to be wed to the one that would become the Lich King, A child bride must be made as an offering, To the new god of the undead for worshipping. Only when the God-King places a wedding ring on the child bride, Can she obtain her new form''s pride, A new queen is born and the road is paved, and only then will Neolith be saved." Jack let the words just sung hang in the air. It wasn''t really a song that sounded good, but Emily''s voice was angelic when she sang. Jack could listen to it again, and again, but the words. The Contents... "God-King... Are you kidding me? And How do you know I am the one that this prophecy even talks about." "Uncle spider, Uhh... The current Spider Prophet of the Web said it was you. He saw the pillar of light in the sky and said that was the sign he had been waiting for... It''s why I was sent here, and If this is right. I need to marry you and become Queen of Deagoth to save Neolith." "Frist off... You don''t have to be Queen of Deagoth... You have to be "A" Queen. I could just knock over another kingdom and make you the Queen of it, and that fulfills the requirement." Emily gasped, "You would do that for me?" "We will see." Jack had plans to take over the continent. He needed the power. There were things out there he wished he didn''t know about, that he could only combat if he had power. "Second of all... Saving Neolith? What disaster is going to befall them that I would have to save them?" "I... I don''t know." Emily said helplessly. "Child bride? Is that why you look like you do?" Jack asked a very sensitive question. "Yes. I never had my coming of age ceremony for my adult body. I can only have such after I marry you. Then I can gain my form''s pride, also known as, my adult body. I will be so happy to shed this stupid body! You have no idea why I have endured for so many years..." "But what troubles me the most... God-King... God of the Undead... Are you sure these are the lines?" Jack asked, to make sure... This was all too weird to him. Was there a force of destiny that was pushing the cogwheels of fate? "Yes! I''ve read this prophecy over thousands of times... If anyone knew it... It would be me!" Emily said with a slight hatefulness but quickly looked to Jack. He could tell even though she started to open a bit to him, she was still afraid... Jack choose to overlook it, "Alright... Do you know about an undead Official in my court known as Jordan Grimnight...? Well, use to be known as..." "Did you kill him, too?" "No! Haaaa~ He... Well... I''m going to tell you this, and you better not say a word of it to anyone else. Don''t even think about it again after today..." Jack said fiercely. [So much for not having to obey...] Emily remained quiet but lowered her head. "I know what you''re thinking... This is Our business! We don''t talk about it out there! This isn''t an order. I mean it." Emily lifted her head to look again, at Jack''s visage, "Alright. Our business." "Leslie is a Grimnight, of the Grimnight clan." "...What does that mean to me?" "She just changed her name to mine, Leslie Bonereaper. She no longer wants to be a part of the clan. Long story short, she was exiled for stupid reasons, and the Grimnight clan later got into some shady business." "Oh, I see. She''s shamed by them. I get that. So... Jordan Grimnight came from this clan?" "Yes, and at the time, Leslie had a soft spot for them. I''m not sure she still does, but love for one''s clan or anything else... Just doesn''t go away. It either remains or turns to hate... I''m getting away from the point. The point is instead of executing him on the spot in court. I ripped his soul out of his body, and forced him to tell the truth to me and for everyone to hear." "YOU RIPPED HIS SOUL FROM HIS BODY?!?" Emily shouted in a high voice. Chapter 72: Mortals become Gods "Why are you reacting to this so severely." Jack asked while looking at her, after seeing Emily shout so over his taking of Jordan Grimnight''s soul. "I... You... How? How can you just take someone''s soul? To kill someone is one thing, but to take someone''s soul! Did you sit up a ritual just to do this?" "What? No... I just did it." Jack felt this was a funny question, and a joking voice was heard. "..." Emily rattled a bit in her chair again. "It''s not that scary..." Jack tried to sooth. "...Jack... If I can call you that." Emily, again, tried to pull herself together. "Of course, you can." "It is much more crueler to take someone''s soul, then it is to simply kill them. I don''t even know how you do this without a ritual. Just to command someone''s soul to leave their body... This... This is terrifying. This sounds like the old evil tales I was told when I was younger." Emily said, after a moment to try to compose herself. "Well... I mean I did have to put a bit of effort into it. It wasn''t like I just snapped my fingers and it popped out." "Still... No ritual. Is this the power of an Emperor?" "Ah... Maybe..." Jack smiled wearily in his mind, "Now, let me get to my point." "I''m sorry." "After his soul confessed, and placed it back into him. We took him to Jail to wait for punishment. Other things happened, and I needed information, that he knew. The Grand Minister, Lucius, got the information, but only after promising that I would see him again." Jack let this soak for a moment before continuing, "I met him again today... Do you know what he called me?" "God-King?" Emily said without hesitation. "YES!" Jack rose his voice. Emily remained silent for a few moments, and the two of them descended into it together. Emily broke the silence a few minutes later, "Did you ask why he called you this?" "He says that the Light spoke to him. Told him I was the new god of the undead. The Undead God of the Light, in fact. That I was the God-King. He even wrote three books on the topic, that he bound in his own flesh, and I assume he used his own black blood to write the books. He then asked me to absolve his sin, and so I did." "Wait... You can absolve sin?" "Yeah, yeah... I can absolve sin." Jack decided not to let the cat out of the bag on this one. He still needed to figure out how his light show spell went off without saying the spell... He wondered if saying the Latin phrase made the light show, but that didn''t make any sense. "Does... Do you just do these things, without thinking about them. I mean. No one can remove sin, but divine beings and the creator. Even the Spider Goddess can''t do this, and she is supposed to be a divine being, a literal god." "It''s not that big a deal." "No... I don''t think you get it. You have great power, almost maddening power. How do you not go mad? I mean... I thought you were the mad king for killing all those people, but now I know better. what''s worse though, is I feel like I''m back to square one. You are mad." "Just because I freed some people from the shackles of sin? So that they can lead better lives, I must be mad?" "No... You''re too powerful... Absolute power; corrupts absolutely!" Emily spoke harshly, but with a trace a fear in her voice. [Where have I heard that before?] Jack mused. "I don''t think it''s that big of a deal." Jack said, as he shrugged. "You absolved this Jordan person?" "Yes. He begged, and I granted him absolution." "What happened?" "He Uhhh... He broke through from being a commoner to being a Grand Master Ranked Cultivator." "...You know what... I''m too numb, now. I''m not even surprised." Emily said. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Well that will make it easier on me to explain the rest." "Go ahead... Nothing is going to surprise me now." "I wouldn''t bet on that." Jack said while laughing, before he went on, "Alright... So, he took a disciple from one of the Jail quarter guards, and I have the Grand Minister taking care of him." "You didn''t forbid him from talking about this?" Emily tilted her head again. "Huh? No... I mean how did he even know I could do this?" "Wait? He wasn''t your first absolution?" "No... Yesterday, I absolved a group of brothel ladies that Leslie''s mother brought back. You know Leslie''s mother, she was the one with us sitting on the couch yesterday evening." "Was she the one that wanted to become you''re consort, as well?" Emily asked with a mixed tone. "I''m sure she was joking to lighten the mood." Jack waved this off. "A mother and daughter pair of consorts... How lucky." Emily said while looking deeply at Jack. Jack would have to lie to say the thought never crossed his mind, but this was differently not proper, so he tossed the thought. He decided to not even make another comment about it. After another moment of silence, Emily picked up on Jack''s unwillingness to speak further on that subject, and so asked, "So just yesterday was your first time preforming an absolution?" "Yes. For the Light''s sake, why are you so stuck on this?" Jack said tiredly. "Because I want to know when this started... I''m finding it hard to believe that you don''t seem to understand just how powerful this is..." Emily said this like she was out of breath, even though she didn''t need to draw it. "Alright.... Again, We have seriously side-tracked, you''re missing the point..." "That he says you''re the new God of the Undead?" Emily tilted her head cutely, as she looked at her Husband-to-be. "Exactly!" "Well... My kingdom has known about this for about eight hundred years." Emily said knowingly. "How???" "...The prophecy..." Emily said speechlessly. "No, seriously... You guys don''t really believe I''m going to become a god..." "The way that I see it... You are a god, you just haven''t ascended, yet. My mother had me, solely to become your wife and queen, before you truly ascended. So that way, I could save Neolith from whatever is going to happen." "Or your mother planed for all possible outcomes." Jack said as the first thing that came to his mind. Emily thought for a moment before saying, "Maybe..." "Also... What do you mean by ascended?" Jack asked a very serious question. ******* Jack had left Emily''s room. He had already messaged Lucius, and asked him to arrange for her a room like Leslie''s in a better area. Lucius, of course, said it would be no problem. Jack had one last stop to make before his retreat. He needed to speak to Boss Crag. He hadn''t even spoken one word with him since his return. Jack had been tied up with various matters... Let''s just be honest, Jack was really enjoying his Consort. While Jack was making his way to where Boss Crag stayed, he thought back on what Emily had told him about gods and ascension. Her being the princess of Neolith gave her special permissions, such as knowing a bit about gods. Even her, and by extension, Neolith didn''t know everything, but what they did know was that gods were at one-time mortals. Before the Lich King, and other such beings rose in history, there were the times known only as... The Old Times. Jack marveled at the unoriginality of the name. At that time, gods rose from the races of the realms, from mortals to gods. Each realm had one god, so in effect there were at least nine major gods, and many minor gods. Things went on, and a cataclysm happened. Many different races call it various names, but one stuck with all of them... Ragnarok. Jack had heard of the name Ragnarok before... The great Norse battle that would see the death of the gods... He could only shake his head. Did his world have something like that too, or did someone from this one go to his and bring the story. He didn''t know. With Ragnarok, almost all the gods died, and the ones left disappeared. The Spider that Neolith worshipped, as told by Emily, was one that was left. The spider had leave various heirlooms behind, and had disappeared. No one knew what happened to them. All of this didn''t bother Jack the most, but the last thing that Emily mused out loud... She said, "Well... Maybe it''s a cycle, and We don''t live long enough to see it come full circle. Maybe you will be in the next generation of gods, and you will have to face Ragnarok." Jack didn''t really want to be a god... He didn''t know what it would feel like, but he already had enough to deal with... What would be being a god mean? Before he knew it, he was in front of Boss Crag''s door. He gathered himself up, and knocked. From inside the room, "Huh? Who''s it now?" "You know who it is." Jack said trying to gain back the act he had put on before. "Boss?!" Quickly the door was open, and Boss Crag''s massive frame beckoned into Jack. Jack came in, and made no pleasantries immediately walking to the only desk in the room, and sat behind it. Crag made a funny face, but only for a moment. "Why didn''t you call for me?" Was Crag''s first question. "Crag, when were you in a position to question me?" "Ah, well... I just thought..." "Thought what?" Jack pressed. "Just pardon old habits of mine. What can I do for ya?" Crag walked to the front of the desk and sat. Jack liked Crag''s desk, though he wasn''t as good as his. It was big enough for him. "Crag... Have you already looked into what We talked about before?" "Yeah. I got some boys working on it now. It shouldn''t be long before I take over the South Eastern Undead Trading Company." Crag smiled. "This is very good. After that, We can absorb you into the Kingdom, and move onto the next point. I''m very pleased that this is going smoothly." "Yes. Very smooth. This CEO John and CEO George. They seem to be smart guys. I think they can see the writing on the wall. It won''t be long before they are in this office as well. If ya would like that, that is." "Yes. This would be good." Crag decided that it would be a good time to take out the burnt offerings. It was already sat on the desk, but he hadn''t lit it this morning. He had been meaning too, but got caught up in reading reports from his men. "Let me just get this going... I don''t know about ya, but I could use a bit." "That''s not a bad idea. It will differently help what I''m going to be telling you next." Startled, Boss Crag looked at The Holy Witch King. "What''s going on, Witchy?" This was the nick name that Boss had come up with, and Jack never bothered to stop him. He would change between boss, and Witchy. Jack figured Crag only called him boss to feign subservience, and flatter him. It worked, but even then, Jack still knew he was doing it for that purpose. Chapter 73: An Unexpected Source "I will be going into retreat for a bit. I need you to do two things for me while I''m gone." Jack said with an authoritative tone, as he looked deeply at Boss Crag. The flame of his eyes jumped about, as he spoke. "Only two things? Alright, what''s it?" Boss Crag asked as it let the burners, and the strong acidic smoke coil into the air. "Well, of course, I want the trading company to be in your control. Honestly, this goes without saying, but I want this to be completed before I get back." "Alright." "And lastly, Things will be happening around the kingdom, and I want you to promise me you will protect, at least, this capital city. You don''t have to protect the whole kingdom, but at least this capital. Have all of your people to move here, and then protect it. Just don''t show yourself until the last moment. You will be my trump card. People may think I am a pushover, but they will think twice if it''s me and you." [An Emperor Rank push over? These words don''t even go in the same sentence... Is he luring out his enemies?] Crag thought quickly. "Sure. If it''s just this City. No problems." Crag''s laugh bellowed as he took in the smoke that felt so warm and sweet to him. Jack also took in some smoke, a slight warm feeling stirred. "Crag... I''m going to let you in on some insider information." "Oh?" Crag''s curiosity was roused. "I believe war is coming. When... I don''t know, but it is coming. I only hope that it will not come, until I have left my retreat." "How long are you planning on retreating for?" Crag wondered aloud. "Six months, maybe a year. It depends on how long it will take me to work out a new spell I am working on..." "A new spell? Something more powerful that The Angel of Death?!" Crag sat up straight, even to this day he felt a certain kind of way when referring to this spell. "It will be powerful... Insanely... Something I don''t believe this world has ever seen." "What are We talking here? Like a bigger Angel of death... Or like... Lich King levels of ridiculousness?" Crag licked his lips, as much as he feared the reaper, he also loved power. "This spell will be a support type spell. It''s not for attacking, and it''s not for defending." Crag was instantly stunned... A full minute passed, until he finally opened his mouth, "Not used for attacking or defending...? Does it enhance a spell?" Crag wasn''t a fool; his rock armor spell was a support spell. "Not quite. Let''s just say... That if what I want works... I will then be able to do anything I want when I want, depending on time and power." "Anything?" "If I can make it happen... Wish me luck." Jack began to laugh. "Shouldn''t I be praying for your success instead?" Crag laughed too and commented. "Hahaha, sure. According to some old prophecy and a lunatic, I am the Undead God of Light. Can you believe that?" Jack laughed a bit harder. Crag''s laughter abruptly stopped. Jack soon noticed that he was the only one laughing, "What''s wrong?" Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Crag looked oddly at Jack, "...My daddy used to spin yarns about the tells and exploits of the gods... He would entertain me and my three sisters. Do ya know the last story he told me before he passed?" "...I''m afraid to ask..." Jack felt the emotions in Crag''s voice. Crag always struck him as a tough guy and this... This was unexpected. "His last story that he told... He only told it to me... Said as the new boss, I should know. He said that gods were at one-time mortals, and mortals could become gods. He told me in a ''once upon a time'' story that there was a Vampire... Yeah... A Vampire of all things... This Vampire worked hard and was an amazing expert. Blood Magic, he had! Strange stuff, but that little Vampire worked and worked and reached the apex of the underworld, and became a big Vampire. He conquered the realm well before the Lich King was even a thought to his greatest of grandparent''s eyes. He was Alucard... The Blood God of the Vampires. God of the Underworld." [Alacard???? Like the son of Dracula? or is he Dracula... This is getting too weird!] Jack commented in his mind. Crag continued, "He ruled with a small pantheon, including the Spider Goddess his wife, the Jackal God, and a whole bunch of others... Daddy told me that they met with a terrible war. Kill ''in almost all of ''em. The Blood God, Alucard saved his wife the Spider Goddess, at the hour of destruction... She disappeared, and no one knows where she went. The Blood God wrote one last message... Now my Daddy... Well, My Daddy told me that one of Our ancestors was there that day. How much I believe any of this is... Well... I don''t know... But I''ve always held it close to my heart because it was Daddy''s stories, ya know..." Crag pulled a cloth handkerchief from his suit''s breast pocket and wiped a tear that formed at his right eye. [I never took Crag as an emotional man... But I can understand... I didn''t have a dad... But I had mom...] Jack sighed in his mind, and continued to listen. Crag hardened his voice to continued again, "Daddy said Our ancestor seen the Blood Gods last message... His last message wrote in blood said." Crag cleared his throat, as it seemed he tried to mimic his old man, "In death I die, in blood I write. The gods are not now. The gods are later. Another will come, and he will wash the worlds in blood and light." Jack sat up straighter when he heard the word ''light.'' "Now Daddy finished telling me this... He said that one day that more gods would come. Mortals that would ascend, and become gods." "Did... Did he say why it was like that?" Jack asked this was what he wanted to know. Exactly what was the purpose of the gods. This was all super new to him. He just wanted to run a kingdom... Crag shook his head, as he dabbed his left eye. He folded his handkerchief and placed in back into his suit''s pocket. "Nah, he didn''t say why there were gods... He never said how to become a god neither. I figured destiny makes that kind of thing happen." Crag said, before he took a deep breath of burnt offering, then gave a hard look at Jack. "I think you should take this prophecy and this supposed lunatic serious." Crag said with a sharp look. Jack was slightly shocked. He always knew Crag to be a well-grounded man. A realist, even! And here he was telling him to take what Jack considered to be "hocus pocus fortune cookie stuff" serious? Crag felt Jack''s silence, and spoke again, "Look... I''m not saying you''re going to become a god, but I am saying there is such a thing as having fate. Don''t ask me how to become a god. I don''t know, but ya was told a prophecy that included you and what you call a lunatic might just be a prophet. Where there''s smoke there''s fire." Jack decided to not say what the prophecy Emily had told him, that was their business, after all, so he spoke, "Alright... I''ll give it some thought." "What''s there to think? Just let it happen if it does, just don''t forget me when you are sitting on high." Crag finally laughed and slapped his leg, lightening the mood greatly. "Sure." "I always thought washing the world in blood and light was meaning another Vampire was going to become a god, but thinking about it now... Sounds like you are going to be killing a lot! I guess I''ll have to nickname you ''Witchy, the Undead Disaster!'' Crag laughed again. [Undead Disaster? Am I the disaster that will befall Neolith? If so, then Emily is their sacrificial sheep to spare their kingdom???] Jack quickly thought back to the conversation from earlier. "Alright, I''ve spent enough time here. I''m going to get going. Be easy these few days, and remember the two promises I asked." "Don''t even mention it. It''s what I should do, while under you." Crag said while waving his hand. Jack left the room and made it to just outside his Library. He began to message everyone. [Leslie, I''m going into retreat. I''ll be out in about half a year to a year.] Jack messaged. [I''ll miss you.] was Leslie''s only reply. [I''ll miss you, too.] [Lucius, I''m going into retreat. Make sure to take care of Jordan and his disciple. Also, do me a favor and release that Emily has become my Consort. It would be best if this news made it to everywhere. We need to make sure to pull Neolith onto Our pirate ship, as soon as possible.] [Will do. See you soon.] Lucius messaged. [Emily...] Chapter 74: I Hope You Can Come To Hate Me [Ah... Yes?] Emily messaged back, this was the first time that Jack had messaged her. [I''ve asked for the news that you''re my Consort now to be made known. I want everyone to know it. Okay?] [It''s not really my choice, but okay...] [I''m going into retreat. Leslie, Verruca, and Lucius will oversee the kingdom while I am gone. I would like you to be the go to between Neolith and Ours.] [I can do that, but how long are you going to be gone?] Emily held her comments to herself, as she was going to do this anyway. [I''ll be gone for half a year to a full year.] [...Do you... Do you want to visit me first?] Emily asked a bit hesitantly. [I''ve already seen you once today. I''m sure you''ve had enough of me.] Jack decided against. He wasn''t exactly sure how to handle this new consort of his. He felt bad, as he used her for the same reason her kingdom used her, to benefit both kingdoms. He had made it up in his mind, that he would treat her as well as he could. [Are you sure?] Emily asked again. She felt that she really needed to curry his favor, and he didn''t seem interested at all. [Yes, I''m sure. You''ll be sick of me before We even get married. I''ll look for you when I get out of retreat.] [...Alright...] Emily was slightly released, but slightly upset. It seemed that The Holy Witch King didn''t have any design for her. Was she mistaken in his bone fetish? She was told by one of her sisters, that men loved soul bonding, and would do it all the time if they could. She knew that he was visited by her Sister-Consort last night. Why didn''t he want to do ''that'' as soon as he made her his consort? Jack left it at that. He mused for a few moments and thought one more thing... [Julia?] [Yes, Jack...] She replied, and a sour note could be heard in her voice. For some reason... This voice slightly angered him. Jack really had no idea why he was mad, but he felt it very difficult to not be mad at this moment. He tried to calm down. [What is it?] She replied again, after getting silence. Jack thought for a moment, [You know what... screw it.] With this thought, he decided to get it off his chest. So, he messaged her again, [Julia. I know you''re bitter over Leslie, and I am sure that Emily didn''t help one bit. So, let me ask you directly. Do you want to be my consort?] Jack asked while keeping his thoughts as calm as he could, but failed as anger was embedded into his words as they were transmitted. Verruca was standing on the south-east side major gate, issuing orders when she got Jack''s last reply. Her massive body shuddered... When was the last time he had talked to her so harshly? What had she done to deserve this? She waited her whole unlife and even expected to meet true death before Jack would break and take a wife... And when he did it; it was someone else! In her anger, she replied, [YES! Yes, I do, but not anymore! I don''t want to share you with two or more other women! It''s not fair to me, damn it! I waited! I waited so long! And then you come back, and what is the first thing you do! You take friggin girly girl Countess Leslie as your Consort! Do you know how that made me feel!] Jack heard the anger and bitterness in the thoughts sent over, and it quailed a lot of his own anger, but he couldn''t help himself, at the same time. [Julia. I only have really one thing to say to that!] Jack summoned up his will. [Yeah!? What could you possibly say! I can''t even be a third wheel now! You took yet another woman... No! CHILD! As your consort! As old as she is, she''s still got a child''s body any way you look at it!] [No listen to me!] [Fine! What is it!] Verruca was fuming. The guards and soldiers realized she was talking to someone when her lovable face started to change, and darken. Seeing this they all backed up as far from her as they could get away with... This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. [Julia. I''m sorry. I am so very sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am. I can''t tell you how sorry I am. To be honest, I''m surprised you have held that in all this time... Why didn''t you just tell me. Why keep it to yourself. I know I wronged you with Leslie, but I feel I had no other choice but to make Emily a second consort. I need her kingdom. I''m in debt to her as well. But you... I can only say sorry.] Jack bleed out his anger he held, that he didn''t know why, and his sorrows for the woman he knew he had time with before he took this body. Verruca melted on top of the guard wall. She stepped back a few times and took a seat on the floor. Many of the soldier''s gasped for breath, wondering just what news their war god had heard that toppled her. A long-time silence occurred, as she sat there, and Jack stood in front of his Library. She finally asked, [Is that all you feel? Just sorry?] [No...] [Then what do you feel?] Verruca asked, as she looked up into the sky, to see the twinkles of the light scattering across the stalagmites of the roof of the Underworld. [Julia. I am not a good man. I am a villain. I am selfish. It would be a lie to say I don''t want you. I do. I really, really do, and I know it''s not fair to you, but I want you as my consort as well. Make any condition! You said I would have to work to get you! Name it. Anything you can think of, and I will make it happen. As long as I can have you and my other two consorts, I will do anything.] [Anything?] [Literally anything, but asking me to give up on Leslie and Emily.] [...So, you will not give them up...] [I''m a selfish, villainous, bad man... But I am an honest man. I will not mistreat them.] [You don''t have to bad mouth yourself. Fine... I have a condition.] Verruca''s voice held a strange tone. Jack felt hope, again. The subject on what to do with Verruca weighed heavily on him. He felt that he owed her a lot. He also had strange feelings for her as well. He wondered if it was something left by the last guy, within his old bones. [When you unite the whole of the Ruined Continent, I will become your consort. No, if you want me as only your slave, I would be willing.] Verruca''s voice started to get increasingly hateful as she continued, [With no more war here, I would have nothing to do! I''ll be your pet! How''s that! If you want to be the Villain so bad, I''ll roleplay with you. You conquer the whole Continent, I will be yours to own, but until then, don''t think about getting your soul even an inch of my soul space...] [What crude words... Jack thought for a moment. If he translated these into lingo for humans... She had just said...] He decided not to think about it. [So, you want me to take over the world to put you out of a job.] Jack asked, but his voice had begun to regain its normal vigor. [Yes. A few things with this request. I don''t think you can do it, and it will give me a long war to cope with all of this, even if you can''t.] Verruca replied, as her voice too, regained much of its normal vibe. [...You don''t think I can unite this world...?] [No. It took the Lich King over ten thousand years ago to do it, and that''s only because he could control others.] [Julia...] Jack had some evil thoughts occur in his mind, as he thought about role-playing. [Ah? Yes?] Verruca was slightly struck by the odd tone she just heard in Jack''s voice. [You get yourself ready. You don''t know it, but I am, in fact, into role play.] [What?] She was taken back. She had only said that in anger, thinking that Jack was bad mouthing himself to make her feel better. [When I come out from my retreat. You will be awed. It would be funny, if you don''t ask me right then to take you.] [As if...] [Keep thinking that. I will say the villainous line, that I will enjoy breaking your will to me. That pride you have, that you must be my only woman... I will break it, too. You will love your sister-consorts as real sisters when I lord over everything I see.] [...] Verruca had never heard Jack talk like this in all her unlife. She missed the gentleness of how Jack use to be... But... For some reason... Somewhere... deep within her heart, there was a small feeling budding. A small part of her heart was delighted, but she quickly shoved that feeling down. [You really do sound like a villain.] She made comment. [Don''t I? On a topic bigger than the both of Us, I will be in retreat for up to a year.] Jack changed the topic before he got to into it. [Yes. I know.] [I wanted to let you know. Remember you will be the War Master while I am gone. Lord-Commander of the Deagoth Military. I leave it to you to take care of the Kingdom in my absence, with Lucius and Leslie.] [That goes without saying.] [Remember three things, and everything will be okay.] [Oh?] Verruca was piqued with interest. [Remember to listen to Leslie''s advice. She has strange ways of knowing things, and heeding her advice, or seeking her council is not shameful.] Verruca knit her brows, but replied, [Yes.] [Keep eyes out for enemies. Some undercurrent is happening, and that bad feeling I got hasn''t gone away.] [Of course.] [Lastly... If all else fails... Fall back to here, in Saigunrai. I have someone that is very powerful watching this city while I am gone. They will not move from here, but will only guard.] [Someone powerful? Who could you invite that will babysit the capital, that you would trust?] [...Don''t think about it... This is just a worst case. I hope it doesn''t come to that.] Jack just cringed, as he thought to himself [Shit! I just threw up a flag didn''t I.] [Alright. See you later Jack.] [Yeah. Don''t fantasize about me too much.] [Go away, already!] Verruca blushed, as she turned to start shouting orders. She had already decided to start reinforcing the city defenses. Jack shook his head slightly, as he thought, [I can only hope she comes to hate me. If she hates me, then maybe she can move on... Sometimes playing the villain hurts.] Jack walked into his Library. Chapter 75: Unexpected Alliance Inside a large mansion, in the capital city of Stonedge, a group of undead were having a celebration. This group of undead looked to be a mix of bone docs in white lab coats and Clergy of the Three gods. These Clergy differed greatly from Deagoth''s. Each of these Clergy wore black robes with a symbol on the chest. This symbol was a triangle pointing down. In the middle of the Triangle were three different colored eyeball designs. "Alright, boys! We''ve finally completed our the prototype and driver!" An undead bone doc called out. This Bone Doc was dressed differently than the others. He wore a white lab coat, with black leather pants. He was a half zombie, as his the upper half of his face, above the nose still had flesh. He had normal eyes, but below his eyes was all bone, that had turned a slight yellowish shade. His right hand was skeletal and his right hand was a fleshy grey color, as seen sticking out from his lab coat. "Yes. Our faith thanks the bone docs of Stonedge. We must say, that Stonedge is the cutting edge of magical research regarding fungus." The head of these clergy spoke. "Third Bishop is too kind. This breakthrough wouldn''t have been possible without the investment of much glowstone and... Volunteers of the faithful." The Bone doc laughed out. "Of course, of course. So, Chief Researcher Vincent... Can you show Us an example of your latest research?" The Third Bishop asked as he sipped on putrid wine. "We would need a good sized test village, but I got a driver and spores ready. In fact, I have ten ready at this moment." This strange looking researcher was Chief Researcher Vincent. The lead researcher in the medical and magical arts of the Republic of Stonedge. His name was feared throughout the country. "Good. I can''t wait. It will be interesting to watch your spores take over the bodies of the populace of Deagoth! I would love to see the expression on that war bitch''s face when she has to kill her own people to stop the spread of more spores!" The Third Bishop laughed, and so everyone laughed with him. "Yes. Yes. Deagoth has bullied our republic for too long. We can both carve out a large chunk for us, naturally, the survivors can convert to your faith... If there are any left." Chief Researcher Vincent spoke, as the laughter died down. "I want to see the effects of these spores. Do you have any suggestions?" The Third Bishop looked back over to Vincent. Vincent looked up in thought for a moment, as he took a sip of the same wine, "Hmmmmm... I believe there is a small village to the west of us. If memory serves right, I believe that they have problems paying taxes. It''s a poor village, but don''t quote me on it. I was never one for politics." "Doesn''t matter. Can We try it there? We and my priests are quite interested in seeing our investment in action." The Third Bishop spoke, as he looked to his followers. "I don''t see why not. Let me just pass a message to a few friends." Vincent called to one of his subordinate staff members. After a few minutes of talk, the staff gofer dashed out. The chatting went on for another half hour until the gofer returned. This gofer whispered a few things to Vincent before rejoining the crowd. "Well some money had to be used to get the right people to look away, but I think it will be worth it to test the finished product, no?" "If everything is as you say, money isn''t a problem." The Third Bishop nodded. "Well... The biggest sinkhole is the sheer budget we spend on secrecy..." Vincent shook his head, "The senators are still worried that the Shadow of Deagoth has found out about our little experiments." "I wouldn''t worry too much about that. A little bat told us that the shadow should be looking for the new head priestess, and her involvement with the Heretic Tribes of the east." The Third Bishop nodded and spoke knowingly. "Well, alright then! Let''s get moving. We have a military escort even! Granted when we are done, the military is going to burn the whole place to a crisp. The senators I represent are afraid that the spores will get out. Which is impossible, but if it makes them sleep in their evening tombs better." Vincent shrugged, as everyone followed him outside. A few moments later, five large carriages pulled by undead horses rolled up. Three of the carriages were ready to load them, while two were covered with large black leather tarps. The Bone docs and Clergy of the three gods bordered them, and they made their way. As the escort left the slight glow of the capital, they were soon followed by three squads of soldiers of the republic. Stolen story; please report. "Friends I suppose?" The Third Bishop looked behind the escort. "Yes, the cleanup crew. Each squad is equipped with fire gel explosives." "Isn''t that the jelly that burns like hell''s flames?" The Third Bishop looked at a few undead horses that were packed down among the three squads. "Yeah. Another of my products, at a time I was really into alchemy." Vincent nodded, looking pleased. "Is it possible that the clergy could buy some of these?" "Hell! I think it''s a good idea to put a few on the drivers and if they die, let them go off! So of course!" "You''re wretched mind conceives the most evil of ideas. It certainly a good thing we do this for the faith, else we may have to pray for our souls." The Third Bishop commented as the carriage hit a bump. "Well... I don''t really subscribe to all that noise, but give me the tools and resources and anything is possible." "Oh, yes. That would be why we are here now." After a few hours of traveling, the escort followed by the soldiers of the Republic made it to the outskirts of the village, that had been sold as a test site, unknown to the inhabitants. Vincent got down from the carriage and was followed by the clergy, as his researchers pulled the tarps of two loaded carriages off revealing to contents. One carriage was filled with various strange equipment and a few cages that held strange looking bats. The second carriage was loaded only with one wrapped up body. The researchers under Vincent pulled the body down and began waking up the undead inside. While Vincent went to the carriage of equipment, asking for the Clergy to follow. "What''s all this?" The Third Bishop asked, what was on the mind of his followers. "Oh! I guess you guys didn''t know a side project of mine for the military." He pulled one of the cages to him and opened it. From inside the cage, a strange looking bat creature clawed it''s way on to the bony hand of Vincent. It was a bat, but in the place of its head was a large egg sized eye. Vincent took a few more of these creatures out, and when to the side and pulled out a veil of pink fleshy colored fluid from a case in the carriage. He returned and poured a few drops on each creature. "I call these eye bats. Instead of hearing, they see! But that''s not the best part." Vincent announced to the Clergy that was his audience. He took the creatures, one by one and threw them up into the air, where they began to fly in a circle. He reached over and pulled out multicolored gem-stone. While he was doing this, his team of researchers woke up the body, and it shambled to the front of the caravan, as it was ready to walk to the village. The Villagers were interested in what the military were doing, but didn''t dare to interfere with their business, as they watched from their homes and businesses. Vincent picked up each iBats and tossed it into the air, where it circled overhead. A two of his researchers came over and hauled out a large crystal slab, and desk. They put the desk down next to the carriage, and propped the crystal slab on top of the desk and angled against the carriage. If Jack was here, he would think this looked a lot like a Crystal quartz TV Display. In fact, this slab functioned a lot like that. After inserting a few of the crystals into the side of the slab, the images on the crystal slab flickered between moving aerial shots, which any of the bystanders could tell where from the bats. The clergy looked up and then back to the screen in slight awe. This was pretty good stuff. It was unknown how Vincent controlled the bats, but they flew out to the village. Many undead in the village paid no attention to the new eyes in the sky, as they like many other undead, were used to bats flying about. Bats in the Underworld were like birds in the Overworld... Extremely common. Vincent clapped his hands, which produced no sound as he spoke, "Alright! Everything is in place. Come guests of the Nation. This crystal will show us what happens when my spores spread. This will be a great show! I promise." Vincent sent a few messages, and then under that was woke up out of the bag, was lifted up and pushed into the direction of the town. This undead was a sickly looking skinny zombie. On closer inspection, one could see various shapes of mushrooms on its skin. All these mushrooms had a similar look. They looked just like the same ones that grew on the side of deadwood trees that made up the forests to the east of Stonedge. These mushrooms were usually nothing to worry about but had the strange ability to grow on the animals in the area. Even skeletal undead couldn''t stop these mushrooms, as they would also eat flesh, bone, and wood. These mushrooms were called, Dead Soul Shrooms, and only Creator knows exactly what Vincent had done to them. The audience drew around the screen as they watched the air views showing the undead shuffling slowly to the village. The villagers were slightly curious, but also cautious... What was this shambling undead doing? Maybe he was injured and needed help? A villager called to the undead, "Hey... Friend do you need a bone doc? We only have one, but he can''t fix big problems." The undead continues to get closer. The collection of seven undead frowned, "Hey friend, are you a mute type? Just nod, or something." Another villager asked. The undead was now within light of the glowstone lamps of the village. A lady villager looked at the completion of this undead, "This friend doesn''t look so good? Why did the Military send him over? They should have taken him to the capital, right?" "One would think so? Maybe he just looks like that." Another villager spoke, looking hard. Finally, the undead had made it into reaching district, and they could see he had no eyes but had black mushrooms growing from them. This frightened the villagers, as the begun to back up. "Why would they send someone like that here???" Another villager looked into the distance at the military that rolled up. They could tell by the flags flown on the side of the carriage it was the military, so why? A tall undead zombie mushroom farmer called out, "Everyone get back to your-" Chapter 76: Black Tears Stain the Path to Desolation Before the tall undead zombie could complete his sentence, the slow shambling zombie, exploded with speed. Caught off guard by the sudden speed. The fungus infected zombie quickly wrapped its limbs around its victim. As it did this, the rest of the villagers ran, save two that couldn''t run either due to morbid curiosity or petrifying fear. They could see that the infected bit into its prey, as black blood spurted from the undead farmer. The Mushrooms in its eyes bellowed orange dust. Spores were released, from this dust, and attached to the farmer. In a rapid growth, these spores soon took root into the eyes of the undead farmer, and his struggles ceased. These mushrooms grew rapidly, as the eyes were quickly eaten away by the fungus. The bits of the liquefied eyes of the zombie farmer trickled down his face, followed by black tears. The two infected released each other from their grasps and soon turned as they started to shamble to the other two undead that continued to gawk. Finally, the villager that was paralyzed by fear, turned and began to run, but not before the farmer caught up with this undead, with explosive speed. This undead that tried to turn was a skeletal undead, but this didn''t stop the infected farmer. He too, like his predator before him, latched on to the fleeing undead. Spores were released from his eyes, as the farmer tore off one of skeletal undead''s arms, in the struggle. Soon from the eyes of this skeletal undead came black tears, it was unknown, at this time, if these tears were from the mushrooms or the fabled tears of the skeleton, but these black tears that streamed from these dark mushrooms would become the horror of many to come. The skeletal undead tried to get away, as the pair fell to the ground in melee, the villager groped the ground with its remaining arm while screaming for help, but was unable make any progress. In but a few moments, in the skull of this undead, a pair of black mushrooms grew from its bony sockets. They also stood, and separated, as they shambled toward more villagers. These villagers, in turn, went into their homes; others grabbed weapons. The first infected had made its way into a nearby home, and soon screams were heard, and then they silenced... This family of villagers shambled out of their home, each of them had dark mushrooms grown from their eyes and each of them with their faces twisted into crying expressions. Black tears dribbled from their chins, even the little one of the family wasn''t spared. Out of the larger home of the village came a small militia of undead that came forth bearing light leather armor, short sword, and shield. This small militia consisted of five male undead of the village that practiced arms in their spare time to ward off wondering underworld wildlife. They would rally in times of need. The Zombie captain howled his warcry, as soon his four comrades issued theirs, to gather their courage and hardened their heart to kill those that they once knew and once loved, as they charged at the small newly formed horde of infected. Their shields bashed into the incoming infected. A loud dull bone-cracking sound was issued, as the pushed back the infected. Some of the infected fell to the ground, to soon be chopped by the militia. As they finished off these undead, by chopping off their heads, these severed heads issued spores, up into the air in the faces of these warriors. The Militia pressed on and cut another two infected down. A little girl infected rapidly ran on all fours around the bulwark of the Militia and leaped on to the back of the leading undead. Soon orange spores were released from her, chocking the zombie town captain. The undead that had chopped several undead, soon turned sluggish in their movements. The Zombie captain, who was trying to shake the little infected from his back had his movements dull, as well. The iBats in the sky could clearly see that three of the Militia grew black mushrooms from their eyes, as they turned on their former comrades, with black tear-stained faces. "Most impressive, Chief Researcher. We see that our glowstones were well spent." The Third Bishop spoke with laughter in his voice. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The group crowded around the crystal slab taking in the gruesome acts. Vincent laughed, "That goes without saying. This kind of work is the best. I really love taking something so simple and making it so far-reaching." "Far-reaching indeed." The Third Bishop gave a light laugh, as the group watched with a silent glee. The whole village soon turned into a body of shuffling undead of which each had a pair of black mushrooms growing from their eyes. A few of the first infected showed signs of the mushrooms growing on their arms and along their spine. "So, these mindless undead can be directed by the infected servitor, and how does one direct the infected servitor. Your reports on this topic have been the vaguest, so far. I hope this step has been completed, or we risk this coming back to infect our territories." Vincent looked up to see the iBats circling the village. He pulled out a small crystal from his pocket, different than the one used for the iBats. As he held this crystal in his hand, some magic power-infused from him into it, and the shuffling undead began to move in a swarm formation, like a flock of birds. "Oh? This is most interesting." The Third Bishop had turned his attention back to the screen. "Yes. These control crystals I use to the iBats are surprisingly efficient for the infected servitors." Vincent gave a smug smile. "What happens if the infected servitor is destroyed?" Another clergy asked slightly behind the Third Bishop. The Third Bishop furrowed his brows under his hood, unknown to any present, but didn''t speak against the question. He, too, wanted to know. "Well, they fall into a state of basic instincts of the infected. Which is mostly roam aimlessly, and attack anything that moves really." Vincent slowly explained. Explaining such things to unknowledgeable people gave him a headache. If he didn''t have to think so hard on how to explain it to an idiot, it would be a casual conversation, but these people were his cash cows. It was best to take his time and milk them slowly, as per the plan. "Ah... Then that''s no good." The Third Bishop slowly shook his head. Fearing they misunderstood, Vincent quickly cleared up, "It takes a few hours, but a new servitor will emerge from the horde of infected that is left. I''ve designed a sort of hierarchical structure to them, sort of like termites. If the king or queen dies, another will take its place. The best thing is that in small groups of twenty to fifty, only one infected servitor will appear, but for every fifty afterward, another infected servitor will emerge. This way in large masses, there will be many servitors to lead them. They communicate with each other through a method that''s similar to pheromones, but through spores." Vincent just laid down a block of speech. It took the clergy a few minutes to decipher his meaning. "So the bigger the pack of infected, the more servitors that will change from the basic infected?" Another clergy asked. The Third Bishop showed signs of irritation, from the talking of these priests. These were priests that were here under the guidance of the First and Second Bishops. He felt they were meddling in his business. Though, he had little to fear, as he had the backing of the Head Priestess that took power, not long ago. "Right. Exactly." Vincent nodded approvingly. Though they were somewhat slow, they were clearly not stupid. "Well, I believe we have seen enough. When can this be ready to ship?" The Third Bishop asked the question he had been wanting since he saw the first infected rise on the crystal slab. After fiddling with his crystal, Vincent commanded the servitor to shuffle back to the researchers. It was unknown what method he used to have the servitor know who to attack and who not too..... "We have thirteen servitors, including our test subject we just showed, all of which can be sent out at any time you so choose. Name a time and place, and these infect servitors will see a tide of mindless infected wash over the lands we wish to take. Though I do have to add, that the Senators are asking if the City of Sosuhalf can be included. "It seems that Stonedge has already planned to take the Glooming mines. That''s not an issue. In that case, it would be best to start on the outskirts of Sosuhalf, LaZorn, and Souigak. Start in all the small towns and villages, and then wash the Cities clean of the filth that is the faith of Deagoth. The survivors will prey, and their poor faith will not protect them. Then we in their moment of need, will swoop in and save them from a wretched ending. It would be best if the infected make their way to Sufenrun, but if they don''t make it in time... That''s fine, as well." "Sosuhalf, LaZorn, and Souigak. No problem. Now when is the question." After some quick calculations, "In Three months time, We want to hear reports of a growing concern." "Then I better get started in two!" Vincent wasn''t one to procrastinate. As the two talked, the town behind them was slowly being burned down to the grown by the liquid fire that was employed by the military of Stonedge. So hot were the flames, that a smooth sheet of glass was made from the husk that was once a lively town. Not even the bones of the homes remained. A warm wind blew across the shiny mirror-like glass, and a few laughs were heard among the military as they echoed across the glossy plain. Chapter 77: A Church Undivided and The Lexos Divinus Sanctus Within the Faithful''s Sanctum within the Holy Palace, the Grand Minster and the Archbishops were discussing at length a new topic. The eight chairs that faced the throne of the Holy Witch King in the Sanctum were filled with the seven Archbishops and Lucius. "And everything up to there I have seen personally." Lucius finished narrating his experience with The Holy Witch King absolving the Ladies of Jade and his experienced with Jordan Lightborn. Lucius had not volunteered any of his personal views so far and only spoke exactly what happened. After a few minutes of silence among the Archbishops, as the absorbed this story, Archbishop Ava was the first to speak, "Is his Grace a Divine Being now, or was he always?" The sloven Archbishop Lukas asked, "If he was before, I believe he would have already started absolving the masses... So I believe he only became so after his awakening. How he became such... I don''t know." A discussion broke among the Archbishops before it was interrupted by Lucius, "These are the three Tomes I have borrowed from Jordan Lightborn. I ask everyone to read them quickly. This may answer a lot of your questions." Lucius left his seat and sat up three podiums, each with a single tome. He had already read all three tomes, and so he spoke, "Read the first tome on the left and then continue to the next on the right and so on." The Archbishops, as a whole, mentally frowned, but they left their seats to gather around the books, as Lucius returned to his seat, and sat up another censor of burnt offerings. This was the second he had burned this session. Lucius has already told Leslie and Verruca that this session would take three week''s time, and in fact, it did, simply for the time, it took to read each tome. These Archbishops read each book at various speeds. Archbishop Javon and Archbishop Ava finished reading the first tome in twenty-five hours. The remaining completed in about thirty hours. This was the same for the second tome and the last book took only twenty hours for the speed reading Javon and Ava, though it was still a shorter tome than the previous two, and the others completed it in twenty two hours. Lucius had supplied the mostly zombie Archbishops with tea, and for everyone, he replaced the burnt offerings around the room on the regular. It wasn''t unheard of for the council to have month-long sessions, but this was the first in many many years. Once each Archbishop finished all three tomes, they stiffly walked back to their seats and sat. Finally, when Archbishop Lukas finished, he walked wearily back to his seat. No one said anything in this quiet reading environment, as was expected, but now that everyone finished, no one spoke up. After an unknown amount of time passed, finally did Archbishop Javon speak, shaking his head, "Times are, indeed, changing." The others looked at Javon. He had said the same thing, three and a half months ago... "This... This is a lot to take in." Archbishop Edward spoke, in an almost overwhelmed voice. "I don''t see the problem. I believe every word written." Archbishop Ava spoke, with a bit of joy. "Every word?" Archbishop Murphy spoke out. "Yes! It''s the only explanation. The Holy Witch King is, in fact, our God-King. How else do you explain his ability to absolve others?" "But..." Murphy wanted to counter but fell short, thankfully Archbishop Edward came with back up, "I don''t think that''s exactly the problem. This goes against the Faith of Deagoth''s Orthodoxy. We worship the Light, not a god." This time the ever silent member of the Archbishops spoke, Archbishop Taylor, "I believe it was clearly stated that The Holy Witch King is the God-King of the Undead, the Undead God of Light. He is the Light, and the Light is him. So We are not going against the Faith of Deagoth." The Archbishops gasped... Archbishop Taylor spoke! The last time anyone heard him speak was over a thousand years ago, when he took oath to become an Archbishop, not long afterward due to an incident within the church that cost the lives of several faithful during a raid from the minor barbarian tribes from the western peninsula, he had vowed a penance of silence. After he had completed his time, he still refused to speak. He now spoke today! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Because of the speaker, everyone mulled over his words. If Archbishop Taylor broke his silence, then it could only show just how much he believed in these tomes and their word. "Grand Minister... We haven''t heard your thoughts." Archbishop Melinda spoke to Lucius, as the others surfaced from their thoughts. They looked to Lucius with expectations. "I''ve told you all the facts, and I''ve let you read the tomes provided, without adding any of my thoughts, or any rumors I have heard." Lucius paused before he continued, "I''m sure everyone is aware of the news that Princess Ambassador Emily is now the second Consort of his Grace, The Holy Witch King." The Archbishops looked to each other, wondering what this had to do with their discussion, but all nodded in affirmation. "I had the pleasure to speak with Consort Emily at length when I gave her appropriate accommodations for a Consort here, within the Holy Palace. " Lucius went on. The Archbishops were hungry for more information, and wished to hurry up the Grand Minister in his explanation, but dared not to speak out. "She happened to inform me of an eight hundred-year-old prophecy of Neolith, and her purpose." Lucius then pulled out a paper from his robes, and read aloud the prophecy. Many of the Archbishops mouthed the words spoken in the poem-like prophecy, with realization dawning on each the meaning behind the cryptic words, that became not so cryptic. "Consort Emily''s entire existence was for this prophecy. She was conceived, nurtured, and taught to be the wife of the God of the Undead. The God-King. She now happens to be the Consort of his Grace. I believe everyone can see that Neolith believes that his Grace is that God-King." The Archbishops nodded again, as they looked to each other. "I would like to integrate these teachings into the Orthodoxy, and I hope that each of you agrees. I don''t wish to see the church divided." "I''m in favor." Archbishop Ava was the most vocal in her belief, "I believe in his Grace, The God-King." One by one, each of the Archbishops gave their consent until only Archbishop Edward and Archbishop Murphy were left. The others looked to the two left, "What says you, Archbishop Edward?" Lucius asked "I find this hard to believe. A supposedly eight hundred-year-old poem, and a mad man believe that his Grace is a god... And We just buy it?" Edward voiced his concerns. "I have to agree with Archbishop Edward. This seems too odd for my taste." Murphy spoke to support the two Archbishops. Before Lucius could speak, it again was Archbishop Taylor that spoke, "I understand your hesitation, but it only seems to me that there is more weight to be held in The Tomes of Lexos Divinus, than a poem from Neolith. While I believe Neolith has made the right choice to follow the God-King, these tomes speak of many concepts that only we of the upper echelons know in the faith. I can''t help but believe that this self-proclaimed Lightborn is, in fact, a prophet for the Faith of Deagoth." Edward and Murphy fell into silence, and the others left them to it, as the chamber descended into the collective hushed atmosphere. After another length of time, Archbishop Murphy spoke, "I believe I can accept his Grace as a God-King." Edward was slightly shocked, as he looked to Murphy. Seeing his only ally be swayed, he could only feel he had to conform to the group, "Then I will not be the undecided. I will also give my full support." "Excellent! We need to abridge the Lexos Divinus and get the scribes to make ten copies for each of you." Lucius clapped his hands, as a dull bone sound issued, as he looked at the undead Chronometer on the wall, "If we can act fast enough, then We can have each of you back in your cities with the copies to spread the word in a month!" Archbishop Ava spoke again, "I volunteer myself, and my priests to help the scribes to right the new version. I believe that the masses need to know about this the sooner the better. It would be best if We have this information known by every corner of Deagoth before the God-King leaves his study." Ava had become a fanatic without realizing it, and even unknowingly changed the way she spoke about The Holy Witch King. The other Archbishops followed suit, as they did not wish to seem as if they were not as pious as the next Archbishop. Lucius inwardly smiled, [A church undivided, and a religion with a god. The Church of Three Gods and even the followers of the Spider Goddess have no choice but to take us serious.] While Borda had mostly fallen to the Faith of Deagoth, they had a strong resistance, as the Faith of Deagoth did not preach of a god or gods. This turned off many undead that had come from faiths with such figures. This would work even better with the Heretic tribes that littered the Ruined Continent. Lucius did not feel guilty using these tomes or his words to sway his Archbishops to accept The Holy Witch King as the God-King, because Lucius truly believed that Jack was the God-King of the Undead, or at least he would become such. "I would also like to make Jordan Lightborn recognized as an Official Prophet of the Faith of Deagoth, and get his help to make an abridged version of the Lexos Divinus, as he was the one that wrote it." The Archbishops quickly agreed to both. Jordan Lightborn was contacted, with his Disciple, and they and the Archbishops crafted the Lexos Divinus Sanctus. Jordan gave insights from the whispers of the Light, and the Archbishops left all of the cultivation methods within the original Lexos Divinus, that they now called Lexos Divinus Fidelis. It was seen that with the combined efforts and around the clockwork of all the visiting priests with the Archbishops of the Faith of Deagoth, and the residing priests of Saigunrai were able to scribe eighty copies of the Lexos Divinus Sanctus in three weeks following the conclusion of the Faithful''s Council. The Archbishops quickly bid each other fair well, as they hurried off back to their cities bringing with them the new cannon of the Faith of Deagoth. Chapter 78: Demons of the Heart Leslie had returned two weeks ago, and passed on her knowledge of the Heretic Tribes to the north to Lucius, though mental messaging. It was up to him how he wanted to handle the plants of the three gods that were among them, that Warmarshal Michael was bringing back. She hoped it was going to be as simple as a small accident cleaning up the unwelcomed. She decided that while Jack was gone she needed to talk to the tiny Consort, as she had off handily decided to call Emily. She made her way to her new room, also information generously provided by Lucius. She knocked on the door. Emily was started from her studying. She had asked her servants to bring her some new books from the Library of Saigunrai, as suggested by the Grand Minister. She was grateful... She was starting to run out of coloring books. "Come in?" The door opened with Leslie walking in, and closing it behind her, "Hello tiny Consort." Leslie giggled slightly as she spoke. "...Do you have to call me that?" Emily was slightly pissed, but now that this undead in front of her was her Sister-Consort, and Senior on top of it... She wasn''t really sure how to deal with her. "Its fun to say." Leslie walked over to the table that Emily was sitting by, and pulled a chair. In this room, there was a nice large evening tomb and a great table with chairs. The Table was average size, made of bone per the usual, but the chairs were interesting, to say the least. The chair Emily sat in, was perfect for her size, there was an overly large chair and two normal chairs. Leslie could guess the large chair was for Jack. She marveled at Lucius'' ability for fine details. Leslie may not have thought of it, but this room had a window, as well. This time it was a view of the back of the Holy Palace showing the garden of The Holy Witch King. A much better view than the grim monument in front of the Holy Palace. "...What brings you to me today???" Emily wasn''t sure why her Sister-Consort visited, as she didn''t seem to like her all that much. "I had a few questions I wanted to ask. I''m wondering if you could help me." Leslie asked with a smile. [Maybe... Maybe we could become closer...?] Emily thought hopefully. "Sure. If it''s within my power I''ll answer." "I''m sure you can." Leslie''s smile grew, but her brows furrowed ever so slightly. Emily could tell that Leslie was slightly fiercer, and wondered just what did she want to ask. "Did... Did Jack come visit you before his retreat?" "Oh..." Emily accidentally let her voice leak. "He did?" Leslie couldn''t tell from Emily''s reaction, but now she saw her lower her head... Then did he? "Yes, and no." "???" Leslie was slightly lost on this. "Yes. He came by and asked me a few things, and told me about his God-King business, but then he left. The last thing he did was to message me that he was going into retreat and to manage the ambassador duties with Neolith." Emily said with a slight note of sourness. "Oh? Did... Did you turn him down?" Leslie looked own, with wide eyes. "...I know what you''re asking... We didn''t do anything, and I didn''t turn him down... I... I offered him to visit me before he went into retreat. I didn''t outright say it, but I''m sure he knew. He said that he didn''t want me to get sick of him too early... Can you believe that.........." Emily''s tone still contained a note of sourness, but now with a mix of anger. "You offered, and he... turned you down???" Leslie slightly surprised! She knew Jack was a straight-up pervert, and also knew that he didn''t mind Emily''s form as a little girl, even if he said otherwise. She could tell when he said he wasn''t into Lolis... He was lying. The only time she had heard him lie... And he lied about that. She couldn''t help herself but want to follow up with her... Sister-Consort. "Yeah. Pretty much..." Emily kept her head down and didn''t speak anymore. The entire room descended into a stale quietness. Leslie looked up and noticed that between the words and the body language, Emily was feeling down about being turned down. With just a bit of thought, she could tell it hurt her pride. Her betrothed turned down intimate relations. How would anyone, let alone a woman, feel for being turned down. As much as she disliked this little princess, she was her Sister-Consort for better or worse. She couldn''t just leave her to wallow in her misery. She also liked the idea of having a sister... She always wanted a sibling, but that never worked out... "Dear... Can I call you Sister?" Leslie had unknowingly softened her tone. Caught off-guard, Emily raised her head to look at Leslie, who now had retracted her accusing wretched smile in favor of a more gentler expression. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "...Only... Only if you will let me do the same." "Sure." "Alright, Sister Leslie... I hope you are better than my real Sisters... I''m in your care, as you''re my older sister, right?" "What happened to putting me in my place when you become Queen." Leslie covered her mouth and giggled, teasing Emily. "Haaaa~ I think we both know Jack''s favorite. You don''t have to rub it in... He visited you the night before and then left. He didn''t pay me any attention. I always thought that it would be happy ever after when I finally met my husband... But here I am... Unwanted just like home." "Unwanted?" Leslie again didn''t know what to say to that as she blurted out, "But in your kingdom, you have everything! You have servants, the best teachers, access to cultivation resources, and tomes!" "Yes. Yes, I do... But I was born to be given away. My siblings were jealous of what our Queen-Mother gave me but never stopped to see how little time she gave me. I haven''t talked to mother face to face in five hundred years..." Emily confessed, "And now my husband-to-be leaves the day after announcing my betrothal for at least half a year." Leslie''s mind was working, and she could see the despair in the situation. This was changing her opinion on Emily. She now no longer felt jealous, but... Pity... Leslie had the rare feeling of comforting the little princess. "I don''t think that''s just it. Jack has a lot on his plate at the moment. I''m sure he was going to ask you to become his consort later in the future but asked hastily due to his impending doom he felt." "So... He was going to make me his consort any way?" "Of course, he already asked me if he could have a second consort, and I agreed," Leslie spoke with truth and a lie. Jack did ask her about a second consort but never said he was going to take Emily. Leslie was surprised when Jack did it during their meeting, but after a quick conversation, that day understood why. Emily felt a bit better, at least she wasn''t just an afterthought. "I know Jack... He''s a bit of a perv... Sister, let me tell you more about him." Leslie covered her mouth again, as she giggled. She pulled her seat closer to Emily, as they began to talk about Jack and the kingdom. ******* Mark had returned, after several weeks of absence, to the court of Jakahn. The King and his daughter, Violet, had awaited his presence when they received word. They had dismissed all other servants of the court, for a private session. Mark walked into the room, with a straight back. He walked to the front of the throne. It was obvious to Mark that the King was showing his power by meeting him from his throne, instead of a more personable location. "Honored Guest Mark. It is a pleasure to see you again. After you took your resources, you quietly slunk away for a while. In fact, We expected you to be gone longer on your retreat. We hope all went well?" "Of course, your highness. The resources were perfect, and exactly what I wanted." Mark said with a bit of a smile in his voice. Violet mentally raise a brow. "So what brings you to Us, so early?" The King''s voice echoed in the hall, not phasing Mark in the slightest. "After some meditation, I believe that I have obtained a demon of the heart," Mark said, as he spoke. It was widely known, that demons of the heart, that these could black progress in cultivation. Mental afflictions, anxiety, and pained emotions could cloud cultivation, no matter the Cultivating method. "Oh? Making a breakthrough can be tough, but exactly what is your demon? If it''s within Our power, We would wish to break this obstacle." The King spoke again, a bit of laugh in his voice, as he smiled. Mark could almost hear the rest of his sentence, "-for a price." Mark didn''t hesitate, "Thank you so much for your favor. It is indeed a demon. A demon named Deagoth. I know that his Highness has already made plans to lay siege to the Hypocritical Kingdom, but how far are you planning to take your war?" Slightly startled the King asked, "How far?" "Yes. How far? Because I believe my demons will only rest when the seat of Deagoth is razed in flames and chaos." Mark said, as a bit of anticipation leaked in his words. The king brow''s slammed together, "It''s never a good idea to take to big of a bit, lest you choke on it." "Would his highness rather nibble his enemies to death, or like the King''s of old, and tear his Enemy apart with his teeth? As the saying goes, would you rather choke of greatness or nimble of mediocrity." Mark said while maintaining his words. It seemed he had covered his anticipation for destruction, and resumed his mild manners. A few minutes of silence permeated the room. Mark could tell that his Highness was speaking with his daughter. He had long known the true mind of the Nation of Jakahn was this purple-clad lady in front of him. Only she could bend the ear of the King, and sway his hand. "Mark, We know you are tempting me, goading even, for Us to take far more from Deagoth than what We first planned, but Our question is... What do you have or know that will sway Our favor?" "Of course, I have key knowledge, that is far more than just the military maps of Deagoth. I also know their relay stations they use for communication. I, also know, just where their churches and tombs lay." Mark put most of his chips on the table. He needed Jakahn for his plans. He needed them to take the bigger bite for his plans, even if they didn''t make it to the Saigunrai, they could cripple them enough for his other agents to take what he needed, that was fine. A few more moments of silence, "My daughter wishes to negotiate. So, We will let her speak on Our behalf." "Business with a fair lady is best, no matter what it is. Princess Violet, what say you to my terms." Mark said with a smile in his voice, as he turned his head to take in the full view of the princess. "Honored Guest... Mark. I''ve been studying you the best I can. You are a very hard undead to get information on that isn''t obvious." The princess spoke in a happy tone, contrary to the difficultly in her words. "Well, I do believe that a certain level of personal life must be maintained." Mark maintained his tone. "Is that so... If I''m not mistaken, you have a wife, but no one had seen her or heard from her. Then do you really have a wife?" Violet asked, in a humorous manner. "Again, I do like to keep my personal life, personal. I''m sure the both of you can understand how hard it is to have personal affairs that are not made public." "Well, it just seems to me that if you do not have a real wife, then it wouldn''t be an issue to take another, or if you DO, in fact, have a wife, I don''t see an issue with taking another wife." The princess went on... "Princess Violet, I don''t seem to be following. I''ve come to request help to lay the demons of my heart to rest, so I don''t understand how my personal life or my wife are involved in these negotiations." Mark''s voice was still the same, neither humble nor arrogant. Violet decided to lay her card down, "I can tell you are a decisive undead, so let me just state it clearly." The princess paused, and then continued, "I wish for you to take me as your wife. I will apologize personally to your current wife, and I will not even question you having another wife. Even my father has a few wives. I only request to make me your first wife..." Chapter 79: Sweet True Lies Mark immediately shook his head slowly, "An attractive offer, but I must apologize, as I have to decline." The purple princess clenched her teeth hard, and then spoke rapidly, "Why do you decline? If you do not give me a satisfactory answer, I will not be happy." Mark again shook his head, "Princess Violet. You are an outstanding lady. Intelligent and decisive, and while it isn''t polite, but I can only comment that you are candy for the gaze of whomever falls upon you, but I already have a wife. I have no wish to take another." "It''s hard to be showered in praise and then immediately turned down. Then if I become your first wife, I''ll relinquish my sovereign power to you as King, come time for the crown to pass from my father. I will not overshadow you... Can you think about it now?" Violet finished, and bit down hard on her teeth, awaiting the answer from Mark. What she hoped would finally be a positive result, though she knew at this point it was a lost cause. She had to try any way. "Haaa~ Princess Violet is really making this hard for me today. I know these are not the words you wish to hear, and I am most flattered that you have even offered me such a great deal. The King of a Nation and the hand of the most beautiful princess of that nation, but I must still refuse this offer. While my wife isn''t in the limelight, I am still dedicated to her. I will have no other woman before her, or after her. If this is the only condition to provoke Jakahn in razing the capital of Deagoth, then I must take my business to others." Mark spoke everything at once. He did not speak hurried or slow, and he didn''t seem to be mad. Violet picked up a few notes of sadness in his voice... The King sat on his throne looking over the negotiations between his daughter and Honored Guest Mark. He could only wearily sigh in his mind. He didn''t expect Mark to not take another wife... He would have to apologize to his daughter later for fanning the flames of her heart. "Alright then... As that deal has fallen through, then I can only ask for other compensation." Princess Violet said with a touch of disappointment. "Most anything will work." A smile was heard in the tone of Mark, now that the topic had shifted to better waters. "Then I wish for you to not only provide the information that you advertised earlier, but I wish for you to take part in the war as well. You one time spoke that you will be an adviser, but I wish for you to take a more direct approach. Be a Guest General, and take your war to Deagoth personally." Mark mentally frowned... "This... This would be a difficult thing to do, as I am not the most mobile of fellows. Moving isn''t a problem, but always on the move is... I will need to deliberate on this for a decision. Are there any other terms?" "No. If you wish for the Capital of Deagoth to be razed to the ground, then I suggest that you take the deal, otherwise, the Kingdom of Jakahn will be happening to carve out a chunk of Deagoth, and slowly eat the rest." "I, humbly, request to deliberate on this matter. This is not a small decision for me, and implicates many of my personal affairs." Mark said slowly. "Of course. There is no problem, but I can only say that if you wish to agree, the longer you wait to reply will be longer before we start our war on Deagoth." Princess Violet dully said. "That goes without saying. With that, I must bid you both good day, for now." Mark bowed slightly, and then turned to leave. Both the King of Jakahn and the princess watched him, until he had left. They both remained quiet until they were sure he was well out of earshot for a high-ranking cultivator. Princess Violet could not hold herself any longer, "Father..." "I know... I know..." "Was the information you receive incorrect?" Violet looked up at her father, displeasure could be seen from her posture. "No... The information is correct, just not complete it would seem." "I see... Well... It was a long shot. I know I will never be able to love, but I was hoping to find a partner that matched up to me that was at least likable." Violet now shook her head, as she turned to leave the room behind. Her father, the King, could see from her back a depressed aura. He wasn''t sure how to make this up to her. He hadn''t seen any reason for Mark to turn her down, so had built her up and gave her the courage to negotiate such a thing as betrothal with Mark. Seeing that, at the time, she didn''t fight him, he figured his decision was correct. His folly had caused the last hope of his daughter to be dashed for a better love life. He could only lament that she was too outstanding. ******* Mark had returned to his abode, and after checking that he wasn''t followed. He performed a few spells for anti-tracking, and detection spells. When his returning ritual was completed, he then went to a bookcase that shifted, at the touch of a mechanize lever hidden as a book named, "The Rapture of a New Kingdom." He walked down, down, down into his basement area, where he had his laboratory, his library, his living quarters, resources, but most of all... Where his wife was currently. "Dear, I''m back. Are you okay?" Mark spoke as soon as he entered the threshold." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. His Princess Janet was sitting in her wheelchair reading a book, she looked up at Mark rather expressionlessly. "Is there any reason why you call me dear?" She spoke in a flat voice. Mark was rather embarrassed, "I... I already explained everything, right?" "I don''t believe it." She replied flatly. "Dear, I would never hurt you! You must believe me..." Mark said as he looked to her for her understanding. After his wife recovered from the shock of the accident... She lapsed into amnesia. Sometimes she could recall bit and pieces of the past, but for the most part, she was like she was now. "...No... I can''t remember everything, but I know I''m important. You kidnapped me, and did abyss knows what to me. I can''t remember anything, and I can''t even run away... This screams some type of plot. I bet you''re blackmailing or ransoming my parents." "Haaa~" Mark walked over to his desk, and sat down. "Release me back to my parents, or where ever I came from..." Princess Janet glared at Mark. "Doll baby, please..." Mark pleaded. He had already went over this. "I''m not going to believe your stupid lies. Who believes their captor! I must be stupid to be talking with you in the first place..." Princess Janet went back to her book. Mark sighed aloud, "Yes, I did say before, I can''t take you home. I already told you you''re the princess of Dragon''s Jaw. Princess Janet." Janet put down her book again, "Then take me back!" "I can''t..." "Why?!" "...Because your... Never mind... Yes, I am your captor. I''m so sorry, my love. So so so sorry." Mark said with a tear in his eye. Yes... Mark produced at least one tear of the skeleton each day when speaking to his wife. This rare phenomenon wasn''t so rare now. "Don''t play you''re little crying trick on me. I don''t believe in tears of the skeleton." Princess Janet brushed off Mark. Mark took note, and stood to get a vial from the other side of the room, and looked into his mirror. He carefully put the tear into the vial. This vial could hold 10ml, and with this tear, it was full. He opened a box, and put the vial in with the others. Mark had twelve more vials like this in the box. He put the box back where he kept it. He didn''t know what he would do with these tears, but these were shed for his wife, so he felt he should keep them. "Why do you do that?" Janet had seen this process many times. She never understood her captor, and why he feigned these tears to put them away... Could they be real? "Because I shed tears for you, Haaa~" Mark shook his head, and went back to his desk. "So you finally admit you''re my captor... Why lie for so long, and only now tell me? You''re not going to kill me now are you? Have I outlasted the money from my family??? Answer me!" Janet became increasingly angry as she watched Mark stare at her. "No. It''s better for you to believe I am your captor than tell you the rest of the truth. Just... I have an important decision to make, and I wanted to talk it over with you." Mark started on the task he wanted to at the beginning. "What choice... Like whether to bury me or cremate me? I''ll let you know I prefer-" Janet was interrupted by Mark. "Cremation, because you don''t want to rot and let the carrion creatures eat you." Janet shut her mouth... [How does he know that? Did he do something to my soul?] Mark shook his head again, "Wife, I-" "I''m not your wife!" Janet threw her book at Mark. She hit him square on the side of the jaw. She did this with such force that it dislocated his jaw, as it hung from his head. A product of her strength he had instilled into her so many rituals ago. "Ah!" Janet covered her mouth, shocked! She paused afterward, not understanding why her first reaction was pain looking at Mark, as he picked up her book, and walked to her. She used her wheelchair to back up a bit, until she was against the wall, as she feared this unknown undead with now a hanging jaw walking slowly to her. Mark stood in front of her, and checked the book, after making sure a few crumpled pages were fixed, he put it back in her lap. He pushed her back to where she was near the glow stone lamps, and walked back to his desk. Now seated again, with a few quick movements he reset his jaw, "Is your book okay?" "My book?" Janet looked down at her book, and found that it had a few creased pages, but were already flattened by Mark. She had thrown the book in anger, but she feared his retaliation, once she realized what she had done. She wasn''t sure how strong he was, but she found that he was very mysterious... Who knew if he was some old undying that had reached High Knight Rank... Or worse. "Why aren''t you mad?" Janet asked, she was more curious than fearful. "I could never be mad at you. I will always love you, even if you don''t love me, even if you hate me." Mark said with a sweetness in his voice. Janet would always feel something when he talked like this, but it unnerved her more. She changed the topic. "What did you want to talk about? What decision?" "The Kingdom, We are in... They wish for me to become a partner for a short while... A General of one of their armies as We fight against a common hated enemy." "Jokahn, wasn''t it?" Mark laughed, "They pronounce it ''Jakahn.''" "Alright... Well what''s the problem." Janet asked. "I... I just can''t go without leaving you. Either I will take you with me, or I will stay with you. I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me, or you wanted me to stay here." "What does it have to do with me? I''m just a victim. What kind of captor asks for their captive''s opinion." "The kind that loves you." Mark said, again like every day since she came too. "A change of scenery would be nice." Janet mused aloud. "I would need to make sure you kept away from everyone. No one can know you exist. So if I bring you, you have to agree to be being quiet." "Are you serious, right now? You don''t want me to shout ''I''VE BEEN KIDNAPPED! HELP!''" Janet raised her voice to act dramatically. "Well... No... Your identity is rather subtle. It''s just a good idea not to be seen." "And you want me to believe that?" "Well... If you don''t that''s alright with me, as well. I''ll just turn down the offer made, and find another way." Mark said soothingly. "...What if I say I won''t yell for help, and then do it any way...?" Janet tilted her head as she looked at mark. "That''s fine too... I''ll just have to deal with the aftermath." Mark nodded. "So it''s fine for me to yell for help?" Janet asked, as she wasn''t exactly sure what to make of this conversation. "Well, I wish you wouldn''t, but I''ll clean everything up. You can do whatever you want, as long as I can protect you from harm." "Then I want to leave." "That would harm you." "I see... I''ll come with you." Janet spoke her choice. "I''m glad. Now I can direct the armies of Jakahn to burn the nation of Deagoth to a cinder! Once I get the final piece, I will heal your legs... And at that time, if you still wish to leave me I will not stop you. I will always love you, always remember that." Mark rose from his seat and went to his laboratory. For some strange reason, a warm feeling filled Janet, before she quickly pressed it back down from these words. She was completely confused by the whole situation, and unsure how to escape. If this mad man will bring her out, then it would be her best chance to do just that... Escape. Chapter 80: Men Love Lies "Jack one time said he wondered if everything was a dream, either his own or someone else''s." Leslie continued her long conversation with Emily, as they discussed Jack, their common interest. "What made him question that?" Emily was baffled, it never occurred to her that The Holy Witch King would question his own existence. He seemed to be on top of everything. "That''s just it! He may be very powerful and he may have vast knowledge, but he needs us to keep him grounded. He needs us to fight him, and fight for him." Leslie taught Emily, like a proper elder sister. "Fight him and for him?" Emily was lost. "When he confides in us, it means he''s unsure of something. So if you believe it''s a bad idea... Tell him! Stop him! Don''t let him do something stupid. It only takes a moment in time for someone to make a bad choice that they will regret forever after..." "So everything he says isn''t law?" Emily questioned. "Yes and no. Everything he says is law, but what about his questions?" Leslie wore a satisfied expression, as she watched the face of Emily brighten. It seemed that she may of understood something. "Don''t forget that We as his Consorts must protect him and fight for him." Leslie continued. "But... He''s stronger than us... So how can we do either? Shouldn''t we just wait here for him to do everything?" Leslie shook her head, just who taught this girl, "And do what? Sit around like playthings? He does his part; We do our part." "Well... What do you do for him?" Emily asked, as her eyes shined. She had never thought about aiding Jack. It never even crossed her mind. She only knew how to stay in her room and learn... Maybe color in a book. "I, uh... I collect information for him. What he doesn''t know can hurt him, or the nation, and hurting the nation will hurt him." Leslie had to think of a way to explain what she did, without really explaining it. "I, also, am the treasury of the Kingdom. So I hold an Office." "Oh, I see... How can I help?" Emily asked. "I don''t know, only you can answer that. Just know if something looks like you can help, just do it, and when you do it... Do it for Jack." Leslie said with a smile, as she stood up. "Let''s continue our chat later. It seems that I''m needed by some of my handmaidens." Leslie walked toward the door. "Alright. Uh.. Talk to you later, Sister." Emily waved gentle to Leslie, as she left. Emily sat in her chair for a few minutes, as she pondered her place, and the new revelation Leslie brought to her. [What can I do? How can I help my Husband?] Emily had already taken Jack as her husband, even if he didn''t confirm it like he had with Leslie. For better or worse, she was his consort, and she was going to marry him whether she was queen or not. She remembered that the only thing Jack asked her was to act as the ambassador to Neolith. [That''s all he asked of me. I was going to do it any way, but I''ll do it the best I can.] Emily felt a rare sense of determination, but with the next thought she had she felt defeated, at what she had to do next. Gathering up herself, she went to his baggage, and pulled out a small bottle. She brought the bottle to eye level, as she stared at the shiny spider inside. "Haaa~" Emily let out a audible sigh, as she walked to the corner of her room, next to her evening tomb, and opened the bottle to let the Gem Spider free. This Gem Spider crawled around briefly surveying it''s area, before it quickly went to work forming a web. Emily pulled her chair from the table, to sit in while she watched the spider work. She had seen many spiders over the years weave webs, but it was rare to see a Gem Spider weave. These Gem Spiders were very precious to the Grand Tomb of Neolith. One could even call them their trump card. If not for her being the princess and offering of Neolith to the new God-King, this spider may of never been introduced into Deagoth. These Gem Spiders were called this for their shiny and jewel-like carapace, but it was their ability that Neolith valued. Each of these spiders were born from a spider sack. Unlike normal spiders, each spider sack only had one egg, that spawned twin spiders. Once both spiders emerged, they would be raised with certain reagents and magic. Once completed, the twin Gem Spiders could be separated, and no matter the distance of separation they would still be connected. It wasn''t known how, but if the web vibrated, it''s twin''s web would vibrate at the same pitch and frequency. This meant, that if you spoke into the web, the other spider would produce the sound. When Jack would come to know of this, he would jokingly refer to it as a WebPhone, which was lost on all the undead. The Neolithians referred to it as a Web Way Call. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Finally the Gem Spider finished it''s web, and it crawled to the middle of the web, as custom. Emily seen this, and then she took her index finger to pluck the bottom string of the web. This caused the spider to vibrated. She did this in a specific pattern. Once she stopped, she waited until the spider vibrated again, but this time a voice was heard. Yes, the true purpose of these Gem Spiders were to carry sound for conversation over vast distances. The Gem Spiders connected, and on the other side of the Gem Spider sat in a large stonework underground throne room. The roof of this throne room was covered in a thick luminescent webbing. Sitting on a large throne that held showed the backrest to have been decorated with eight daggers sheathed into the throne, was an alluring skeletal undead lady.. This lady wore a dark red and black crown that covered the top half of her face, and only revealed her lower jaw. The crown showed eight black slanted eyes, and seemed to be made of Crimson-Steel. From under the crown flowed long white hair, that upon closer inspection was large swaths of cotton-white web. The Queen treated the web, exactly like hair, and had tucked half of it over her left shoulder. Her clothes seemed to be made of a fine black silk, as it draped slightly over her shoulders around her rib-cage, that exposed her skeleton arms and spine that continued into her waist, where a find dress of black silk with a spider silk design flowed until her feet. She wore black silk gloves and slippers. She was the most beautiful of the women of Neolith; she was the Spider Queen of Neolith, Kamilah Neith. "Emily... And here I thought you would never speak to me again." A seductive feminine voice sounded from the web. "It''s not me that hasn''t spoke to you... Royal-Mother." Emily said helplessly. "Oh, come now. I provided that Gem Spider to your Uncle Spider before you left for Deagoth, and only now have you used it." The voice of her mother, the Queen of Neolith, sounded very Snarky to Emily, so she declined to speak. This did not phase her mother, as she was used to it, "So I hear you''re not the Queen of Deagoth, yet... Why not?" Emily could only stare at the vibrating Gem Spider, in disbelief, "Royal-Mother, I''ve already been made Consort." "But not Queen. I expected you to be Queen already..." The Queen of Neolith sounded disappointed. "He already had a Consort when I got here! No one told me! What was I suppose to do!?" Emily complained. "And??? Did you seduce the King?" Her mother said in an expecting voice. "What?! No!" "And that''s why you''re not Queen! Use your feminine wiles and body!" "What body is there to use?!" Emily became annoyed, and felt slightly embolden from her conversation with Leslie. "Oh! When did you get some fire in you?" The Queen asked, questioningly. This wasn''t like her daughter at all. This wasn''t how she was taught, then again... She wanted to teach her daughter the fine art of seduction, but the damn prophet wouldn''t let her. "I... I don''t know. I''m just saying, even if I wanted to-" Emily was interrupted. "Spiderling, it''s not the body that seduces a man..." Emily couldn''t see her mother, but she was shaking her head. For the unlife of her, she didn''t know what the spider prophet was thinking. This was exactly what she needed to learn to become Queen. Emily paused... It had been about twenty years since she last talked to her mother via the Web Way, but... It had been a very, very long time since she had referred to her as her Spiderling. Emily felt slightly warm. "Mother..." Emily spoke. "It''s never too late to learn these things." Her mother let out a sigh... She was going to go against the prophet and teach her daughter a few things she needed to know. She was at least the consort. That was a full foot in the door. Did it really matter now? "Listen, my Spiderling. Appeal to your man''s ego. There isn''t a man with unlife that doesn''t want his ego stroked. It''s not just your body that you flaunt. It''s how you use it, the words that you say, and how you coo them." Emily quietly listened to her mother''s lecture, as her mother went over various ways to appeal to the male creature, and what buttons to press. After an hour her mother finished, "You have to have confidence when you do any of these things. If you back out or back down halfway through, your seduction will be seen through and backfire. Your man will never listen to you after that." Emily finally asked her mother a question on this, "Royal-Mother, what makes you think he will believe any of this?" "Because men want to believe our pretty little lies. No man dead or otherwise, doesn''t want a woman to lie to his ego. You tell him the truth in everything, but his ego. Even if he knows your lying to his face about how great he is, how much you love his soul dancing, or how powerful he is... He will love you for it, and want to believe your lies." "Al-Alright. I will try." Emily squeaked out. "As you should, now I know I''ve rattled on for a while, what was it that you called me for... I know you didn''t call me to just talk, with how busy I am." Emily just realized how much time her mother gave her. She was slightly dazed. [Why did she spend so much time with me???] Emily sat this question to the side, as she got to her topic. "Royal-Mother. Now that I am Consort, I believe it''s time for our Kingdom to provide my dowry." "You haven''t married him, yet. So I won''t be doing that." Her mother spoke seriously. "No! We need to show some signs of sincerity. I offered him everything I could." Emily spoke with a bit of passion. "Everything!? He didn''t take you as a Consort, until you offered him everything in the dowry!?" The Queen spoke almost breathlessly. Chapter 81: A God Blows Out the Light "Yes, everything," Emily spoke bluntly. "Did you even try to hold back???" The Queen shook her head. "I did my best, and this is what it got us. Honestly, when I first talked to him about this, he outright rejected me." Emily spoke of her first conversation with Jack. "Rejected you!?" It never occurred to her Queen-Mother that her princess-daughter would be rejected. "Yes. He was unfazed." Emily spoke with a slight bitterness hidden in her tone. "I see? So what made him decided to take you as his Consort?" The Queen asked. She was very curious about this matter now. "Because he felt like it, I suppose." Emily shrugged as if her mother could see her. "Really? He wasn''t swayed by any of our gifts, but just... On the spur of the moment said, ''Oh hey, be my consort...''?" "Uh... Pretty much, in front of all his trust people no less. In front of his first consort, even." Emily added. "Well of course. If his first consort means anything to him, he''s already talked this over with her. Interesting. In that case, if he wasn''t swayed, why is he asking for your dowry now?" The Queen assumed that Emily called her because The Holy Witch King wanted their offerings now. [He didn''t tell me to get anything from you, but I will... I will fight for him.] Emily was spurred on by Leslie. Even though Leslie was a zombie undead, she felt close to her. This didn''t mean Emily wasn''t prejudice to other zombie undead, she simply treated Leslie different now. "Because he feels that way, I decided to not question him." Emily simply replied. The Queen released a snorting sound, that Emily heard. "Is Neolith not going to show that it really means what it is offering, or do I tell my husband that Neolith is only talk." Emily continued. "Husband? You haven''t married him, yet..." The Queen felt slightly funny by her daughter already addressing the King as such... Not that she didn''t want her too, but she shouldn''t be that loose with her words, as she had more work to do if she wanted to become Queen of Deagoth. "I''m marrying him, so it''s going to happen. Royal-Mother... I can''t help, but feel you keep dodging my question." Emily pressed. "Well... There is hope, after all, my Spiderling. I will concede half of the dowry now, and the other half later. I will let you decided on what you wish for me to send. Does that sound sincere enough?" The Queen spoke with a happy tone. It was almost like she wanted her daughter to do this. "Very. Let me think then..." Emily replied as she descended into thought. [Jack had a bad feeling... What bad feeling? Something is going to happen, right? Then... We need to fight... Fight for him? Power? Personal or Kingdom? Well, the Kingdom is him and he is the Kingdom, right...? Well, Royal-Mother isn''t giving up the piece of the "Lich''s Dream" that easily, so that''s out of the question... Let''s go with the Kingdom.] Emerging from her thoughts she spoke, "Send over a quarter of the Military forces, two legion of Zombie-Slaves, and enough food to feed them for ten years." "...Spiderling... Do you even come from Neolith... Or did you board the Witch King''s Pirate ship and have come back to rob us???" The Queen laughed. It was rare that the Queen of Neolith laughed in a natural way, and not putting on an act. "Fine. I will do this, but only food for five years. Remember, We just put down the insurgency. I don''t want to have to turn around, and ask for the food back." "Alright. Five it is." "Where do you wish for Us to deliver the dowry?" "Send it here to the capital. I will organize it when it gets here." "Alright. If that''s all, I need to get back. Your Elder-Aunts want me to decimate the insurgence We caught so as to teach them a lesson. We don''t want there to be a next time, so I am include to do so..." The Queen said thoughtfully. "But if you decimate them, there won''t be a next time..." Emily tilted her head in wonderment. "Didn''t your tutors teach you better? Decimate... To destroy a tenth. I''m going to make nine out of ten of the insurgence kill one of their own if they wish to remain among the unliving." "Oh." "Bye-Bye, for now, Spiderling. Make sure you call again... I''ll try to make time for you, but don''t forget what I told you. Be your man''s little pet liar." As the Queen''s voice faded away on this last line, the Gem Spider crawled to the edge of the web and stopped moving. It seemed to have gone to sleep. "Well... That went better than I thought." Emily thought out loud. She had a terrible habit of talking to herself out loud while being by herself. A certain banshee nodded in approval, as she left the room undetected. ******* Jack had been in his library for about a month now, and he had gone over the Tome the Heretical Side of the Light many times. There were parts he didn''t understand without reading and absorbing them many times. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. He finally understood the part he was hoping to decipher for a while now, how to connect to the Light. Jack sat in a chair at a large table. On the table, there were numerous tomes stacked on top each other, and many more still of odd items. The most abundant of all these items were tons and tons of Glow Stone. When Jack first came to this library, he didn''t know that Glow Stones were the currency, but now on his return, he realized that he lived like a rich duck with a money bin. [I think I can connect to the Light. If this tome is to be believed though, I need to build a type of node that will connect me to it, a type of antenna. Hmmmmm... I can''t get the numbers right in my head to save my unlife...] Jack had the basic idea down, but he wasn''t an engineer, he was a programmer. This thing that he could only describe as an antenna would amplify a connection with the Light, and though this he could interface with it directly. In short... He could become a part of the Light. [Well... If I can make the damn thing, this could be a short cut to being OP.] Jack shook his head, he had casually tossed the warning the Tome provided saying that only those that had achieved Ancestor rank should directly connect to the Light. Jack figured... No pain; no gain. What he needed was power... Power unequal, or he would just be choking on another noodle and waking up who knows where... [Well, let''s toss this to the side for now. Time to see if I can really make this spell.] Jack had, for the most part, figured out what he needed to for now with the Tome, and the antenna it described. So, he began work. Scroll, after scroll, after scroll were written by Jack. He made more scrolls and used many regents, based on his readings. He was making a light construct that could think. This was his ultimate plan; his ultimate weapon. ******* It had been two months since Jack started working on his new spell, and he now had a three-meter tall pile of scrolls. Each scroll in this pile was a component of his spell. Jack''s mindset changed many times these last two months. The following would describe Jack''s decent, each with a progress nature of anger. "Alright, it''s the first week. Rome wasn''t built in a day!" Jack would tell himself in the first week. "Well, I got this. This is a big project after all, haha." The second week continued. "I wish Leslie was here... I could take some breaks." The third week matched on. "What does Ichor wine taste like anyway???" Jack lost focus on the fourth week. "Fucking, I got this shit!!! WHOOOOO." Jack motivated himself in the fifth week. "My life... fucking unlife sucks... I just want to bone babes..." Jack cried while working in the sixth week. "You wanna be my Lover, La da da dee da da da da." Jack song the lyrics of a favorite song of his for a full week, during the seventh week, still hard at work. "WHY IS THIS SO FUCKING HARD! AUUGHHHH!" This brought us to week eight, and Jack is rolling on the floor next to his hill of spell scrolls. Jack got up after his fit, and began again, even if he was angry with the time this was taking, he had to continue. He had already been closed doors for three months... He felt that this was going to take a year, instead of six months as he wanted. He still had that antenna to work on... Finally, another month had passed, and Jack completed his spell scrolls. Jack mine of completed, but he had successfully written ninety spell scrolls, with each scroll containing a whooping five hundred thousand spells! If any modern scholar in the underworld would come to know this, they would have taken Jack''s bones and burned them and scattered the ashes in pure anger and spite. It took undead, and most other creatures countless years to write and refine on spell let alone Jack who complained about writing forty-five million spells in two months. Granted each spell were smaller parts of the whole, even with him working around the clock, and acting a fool, this feat had never been accomplished by any other undead until Jack. Jack had sat up a ritual to invoke all the spells at once. It took most of the Glow Stone he had to act as a catalyst. It was good that Lucius didn''t see what he was about to do, as he was going to burn 1.3 million Glow Stone Cubiks on this ritual. This was the budget of a military operation for Deagoth. Jack called out with his hands extended standing in front of the large formation of scrolls that lined the floor. He had pushed all the tables out of the way and formed this. [Well... I''m not getting any younger... Well, I don''t age any more either.. Whatever] Jack started the ritual! "I am who I am, and I am me! I set the course, and I make the call! I bend the will, and the will is mine! All my knowledge and all my power bend to my will, and form to my want! HIRDOHXP!!!" The Glow Stones became bright, blindly bright. Jack couldn''t see anything, as it completely whited out. Outside of the Library, all the Glow Stones of the Palace went dark, plunging the Holy Palace. This didn''t stop here. It was like the Light of all the Glow Stones were being sucked dry, with the Holy Palace acting as the center. Glow Stone one by one went out. The Skull of the Sun God was dimmed for the Night, but it too... Went out. Many undead in the City of Saigunrai were not use to the dark, as the came to depend on the Skull of the Sun god had met darkness again. Beyond Sairunrai, the Glow Stone Lights of the other Cities. This Blackout rolled until it met with Borda, Stonedge, Neolith, Jakahn, and even Dragon''s Jaw. Glow stone, and even the luminescent webbing used in Neolith went dark. It was as if a god had blown out the candle of Light that was the Ruined Continent. This darkness caused widespread panic. In one such place, Jordan Lightborn was preaching to a mass gathering in the City of Nogore, closest to Saigunrai, and trade hub of the Kingdom of Deagoth. When the Lights went out, Jordan spoke out, "Fear not children of Deagoth!" He spoke to quail the fear of the people. "The Light has gone out, but has not abandoned us! It heeds the call of the God-King! Our God-King of Light commands it, and so it is! If you wish for him to bring the Light back, kneel down and pray! Pray as I have taught you tonight! Pray to the God-King!" Jordan had wiped himself into a fanatic frenzy, as he fell to his knobby knees and began to pray aloud. The Archbishop of Nogore, Archbishop Edward, wasn''t receptive to the idea, but he too knelled down and prayed in earnest. Hearing the Archbishop praying, the other usual members of the congregation of Nogore knelled down and did the same. This praying didn''t just happen with Jordan Lightborn, the other Archbishops in the other cities did the same as if inspired by divine intervention. Lucius did the same in Saigunrai. They all did this, without speaking to each other, as if on the same wavelength. After many, many undead did this the Lights... flickered, and came to life again. Light reign again throughout the continent. This blackout lasted seven minutes. "The God-King has heard us! He has answered us! Pray to your God-King! We will never go without an answer!" Jordan had gotten back to his feet and worshiped. It was this day that marked the death of the Faith of Deagoth, and the birth of the Faith of the God-King! [Holy crap! That was crazy! Did it work?!?!?!] Jack finally had his vision coming back, as the room started to darken back to its normal light levels. All the scrolls had turned black as pitch and smoldered as if burnt. The Glow Stones that were used to connected each scroll to the next were now normal looking rocks, gray in color. "YES! YES! YES!" Jack exclaimed as he looked at the finished product that took shape in the center of the Ritual. It glowed with a golden hue and was Jack''s most powerful weapon, that would never be surpassed by anything in this world for its use. Jack stepped over the burnt scrolls and gray stones, to walk to the center. It picked up the object, and spoke, "I might just be a god in this world with this thing." Jack nodded to himself. Chapter 82: Powered with Undead Inside Jack held the object in his hands and nodded approvingly. This object was gold in color and appeared to be solid as if made of solid gold. It was a thin rectangle shape, that appeared to be like a thick serving plate. He held this object as if he had just been united with a long-lost friend. If Jack could cry, he would shed a tear, at this moment! "Just how long has it been?" Jack looked at the object with love. He fiddled with the edges of this object and found the clasp. He lifted it apart, as it unfolded at the edge, and what appeared was a screen attached at the back to reveal a keyboard. "This is what I needed so bad! A fucking computer!" Jack nodded, as he saw the screen booting. This was what took him so much time to complete. This was why he made so many spells to form it. It wasn''t the shape, but the function he created. Every spell he could find in the books and all the knowledge he had in his last life poured into this creation. He released his hands, and the Laptop floated in midair. The screen showed an image booting, with an undead Penguin appearing, with a caption below showing briefly stating ''Powered by Undead inside." After a moment, the interface came on, and Jack stared at the familiar but foreign-looking screen. "I can''t believe! I just don''t believe it. I want to howl at the moon. I want to go crazy! I want to find Leslie and bone for a month! HAHAHA! I did it! I fucking did it!!!!!" Jack was hopping around, and fist-pumping the air. He, literally, was acting a fool. It was a good thing that his library was for personal use and closed doors. Even Leslie wouldn''t believe her eyes if she had seen Jack acting like this, least any that worshiped him as the God-King. It took Jack a full fifteen minutes to calm down, from his excitement. He finally swaggered over to the floating laptop and pointed at the screen clicking on the start menu and pulling a list of applications. Jack had made this computer with some snazzy magical engineering, including touch screen and voice command. After clicking an app called, Familiar, an Undead Penguin with a stylized appearance appeared on the screen. It moved its stubbed legs a bit before it spoke aloud. "Hello! I am the AI of this Quantum Computer Laptop, powered with Undead Inside." "I know... I''m the creator..." Jack spoke, unconsciously. "Thank you, Creator. Please provide me with a name, so that I may respond to future commands." The Penguin nodded. "Huh?" Jack had incorporated many spells he found interesting in his findings within the library. One of which was called "Familiar Creation," which he added as an app. He was going to use this as an assistant. Was this intelligence a product of this spell, as well? Jack figured it would bind the laptop to him like a pet, but he didn''t expect it to have this level of intellect. "Hmmmmm... Tux... Your name will be Tux" Jack remembered the mascot in his last life and casually called the undead Penguin on the screen. "Tux, it is. What can I do for you today, Creator?" The creature replied. "interesting, very interesting." Jack spoke, and then randomly called out, "What is 12/845*6341+14^2" "286.05 depending on decimal placement, I rounded up." "And if it isn''t rounded?" "286.049704142" Jack walked over to one of the pushed away tables and used an unused scroll to complete the long math, and came to the same number. He exclaimed, throwing the pen down, "OUTSTANDING!" Tux, the Undead Penguin, bowed on the screen. Jack found it funny this thing had personality. [Is this what they call AI?] Jack thought. "Good, Good, very very good!" Jack clapped his bony hands together. Jack mused for a few minutes, [I bet those nerds at my job would sell their women to me for this thing if I had it in my last life.] Jack laughed out loud. The Penguin tilted its head on the screen in puzzlement. Jack paused while looking at the familiar''s almost human-like expression, and wondered just how much this thing understood. Never the less, he had something to use this tool on... "Tux, make a new project. Name it... Project Helios..." Jack spoke his first true command to the Penguin, in which it nodded. [Damn, I''m good at naming things.] Jack was beyond satisfied, at the moment. Contrary to Jack''s thoughts, his naming sense was abysmal. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He walked over to the Tome of the Heretical Side of the Light, "Scan this tome into your Light Drive, and save it as the index for Project Helios. "Please bring Tux to the Book, and flip the pages to be scanned." Jack shook his head, he should have made some type of mass scanner... What a stupid thing to forget... He picked up the laptop from where it was floating and walked over to the Tome. He flipped open the tome, and a flash of light scanned the pages, as he flipped through each one. It took more time to flip the page than it did for the Laptop to scan it. After about fifteen minutes of this boring task, the whole book was scanned. Jack thought for a moment before he brought all the books in the library to be scanned. Jack boringly flipped pages for the computer to scan... And scan... And scan... Jack felt that this task was more boring than writing the spell work for this laptop, but he had to build a database. A solid week later he was completed, as he pulled a chair and fell into it. Jack didn''t need to sleep as an undead, but working continuously for twenty-four hours a day for four months were draining his sanity. He pulled himself together, before he ordered, "Alright, Tux for project Helios, I want you to use the information from Chapter twenty-seven through Chapter thirty for the ''Light''s Apex Connection Ritual.'' Use this information to theory craft a device that will allow the wielder to connect to the Light." "Please state the form of this theoretical device." Tux replied. "Uhh..." Jack thought for moment, bringing his hand to his chin. "Make it into a chair, no... Make it a throne!" "Understood. Calculating time needed for project... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated 1,177 hours." "How long is that in days?" "49 days and 3 Minutes." [Almost two months!!!! This is a friggin super computer beast, so why is it going to take two months to solve a problem like this for a quantum computer?!] Jack howled in his mind. After calming slightly, Jack sighed aloud, "Whatever... Just do it... I''m going to go cultivate. Alert me when it''s done." The Penguin bowed, and replied, "The Creator''s will be done!" Jack''s flaming eyes danced slowly, as he saw the familiar fade into the background, and a large hourglass appeared on the screen, showing the number of hours counting down. [I might have had to move overseas in my last life, but I really did good getting that Job... I bet if my old company had magic, they could make one of these too... I bet my boss would shit his pants if he knew I had a Laptop with the equivalent of a 720-qubit processor.] Jack chuckled to himself, as to comfort himself for the long wait. He didn''t even bother with putting the tables back to where they were properly, or fixing the tomes haphazardly strung about, as he went to the same place under the Glow Stone on the wall. [I really need to make a better cultivation place... I think I will make this new throne my cultivation place... Sounds like something a badass would do.] Jack used a scroll he made to conceal himself during his cultivation, as he turned off his vision and started in earnest to absorb the light. This concealing spell worked, and a barrier of light formed around him, as not to show the pillar of light in the sky. Jack still thought he had done well, as not to cause in commotion outside from his doings... How wrong he was... ******* It had been four months and half a week since The Holy Witch King entered into closed-door cultivation, and it had been a week since the Blackout incident. The rumor started among the faithful that it was the God-King that blew out the light. It was only that the faithful didn''t understand why. They were helped by their Prophet Lightborn who spoke on the subject that ''It is not our place to question the God-King, but to serve and die again for him!'' Lucius was currently meeting with Leslie, Emily, and Verruca. Emily had been meeting with them on a regular bases for the last three months. Lucius had brought the meeting to order, "Any news that should be discussed?" "Yes! I have great news. In one week, Neolith will be sending over the first part of my dowry. This part will be twenty-five thousand Zombie slaves, and enough food for five years." Verruca was the first to speak, "And where are we going to house that many... Slaves?" "...I don''t know... That''s for you guys to figure out. I got the resources from my moth- I was able to negotiate them into coming early. We can use them however you want." "The God-King does not like slaves," Lucius added. "Can you stop calling him God-King... Lucius, honestly..." Verruca shook her head, as she looked back to Lucius. "I''m only stating facts, as given by the Lexos Divinus," Lucius spoke calmly. "...Lucius... This isn''t one of your gatherings... We can just call him Jack." Leslie added. "Maybe you can, but I as the Grand Minister, and soon to be Supreme Pontifex, can not," Lucius said righteously. "I don''t mind if Jack is the God-King, but that Title sounds so made-up." Emily spoke up while staring at Lucius, "Besides, I thought Jack was the Supreme Pontiff..." "Not if he''s a god." Lucius nodded to himself. Leslie disregarded Lucius'' crazy banter, "Emily, I think it''s great we are getting an influx of people." "Well... Consorts... What do we do with them? Saigunrai can''t hold them all." Verruca spoke glaring at both Leslie and Emily. "I''ll take care of it." Lucius decided to aid in this issue. "Uh-huh... You''re not going to make them build a church are you?" Emily asked. "No. I''m going to free them, as the God-King desires," Lucius spoke with more zeal. "Well, As long as they are useful to the Kingdom, then that''s all that matters... I guess..." Emily spoke, as she wasn''t sure what the Kingdom needed. She was just here to bridge the gap between Neolith and Deagoth. Leslie patter Emily''s head, "We can count on Lucius to handle this well... He''s very meticulous." She turned to look at the rest, "What we really need to discuss is the growing reports from the surroundings of Souigak and LaZorn... In fact... The towns above Souigak, Wighamwat and Aymocksey, have disappeared..." "Disappeared?" Verruca questioned. "Ghost towns. From the people that have went that way, the ones that return tell a story of deserted towns. They show to be small fights, but no major battles. The oddest thing is that they say that the ground is littered with some type of black substance. It isn''t ichor, blood or sweat... We don''t know what it is..." Leslie reported grimly. "That''s really spooky..." Emily rattled slightly. "Has this happened in Borda or Stonedge?" Verruca questioned. "That... I don''t know yet. I''m trying to find out. This is just so strange, that I thought to mention it." Leslie responded. Chapter 83: Requesting to see the God-King? Audacious. "Then We should send a task force to check things out. This doesn''t bode well for us." Verruca made comment, after a moment of thought. The others nodded, as well. "We should send some bone doctors and a few specialists to carry this out. Perhaps with trained personnel, we can find out what this black substance is..." Lucius added. "Isn''t Warmarshal Darkfield over that area?" Leslie chimed into the discussion. "Yes. You wish to utilize a Warmarshal for this?" Verruca asked in questioned. It didn''t appear that she was going to send that strong of a force. "I think We better... Also, Warmarshal Darkfield is a Bone Doctor in his own right. He could greatly aid in conclusion." Leslie responded. He guts were telling her that this was bad news and needed to be stamped out quickly. Verruca nodded, "Alright. I will contact Warmarshal Darkfield, and send a team to investigate." "Thank you, very much." Leslie bowed her head in earnest. This slightly shocked Verruca, but it couldn''t be seen on her face. [Why is she thanking me so politely??? Perhaps this is more serious than I first thought...] Verruca thought to herself. She thought it might be the heretic tribes of the north performing strange rituals, but now... Maybe it was something else. "I have something to ask," Emily spoke to the group, as everyone turned their head to look at the little consort. "I''ve... I''ve been meaning to ask but decided to wait until we all got together... Does anyone know why the Light went out?" Emily asked hesitantly. Both Leslie and Verruca shook their head, as they both turned to look at Lucius. Lucius looked at all of them but didn''t say anything immediately. "Ah... Well... I have a theory, but how true it may be... That''s for us to ask the God-King when he leaves closed doors." Lucius spoke, being uneasy on the topic. "...Well out of all of us here, you''re the most connected to the Light. No offense Warmarshal." Leslie commented. "None taken." Verruca waved it off. "Ah... Err... I believe the God-King did blow out the Light, but it might be better to say he... He absorbed the Light. It was like all of the Light collapsed inward to the Holy Palace." Lucius again didn''t sound sure of himself. "Collapsed?" Emily didn''t understand. "Folded in on itself, even. I''m not sure how to exactly describe the feeling. It was as if the power that I call on from day to day was being sucked from my being. In fact, if it was any more powerful... I rattle at the thought." "What would happen if it was more powerful?" Leslie asked quickly. "Then... Then all the Light Cultivators in Deagoth wouldn''t be life with any unlife. Every one of them, including me, would of went with the Light. I''m basically saying that the God-King would have taken all of our souls." Lucius spoke wearily. This topic had been on his mind for a week. Leslie and Verruca took in a deep breath, while Emily was numb to this. After her conversation with Jack last time, nothing he did anymore could shock her, at least she thought. Verruca looked at Lucius... This bothered her more than the other two because she felt that pulling as well, but she didn''t think it could be to the extent of it pulling her soul out. "Then... Then let''s hope he doesn''t need to do this again." Verruca spoke. [Did he... Did he do this because of his promise to me?] She thought within her mind. Verruca thought about the conversation she and Jack had before he left for closed doors. [Do I really have to love my sister-consorts...] Verruca looked to Leslie and Emily. "WARMARSHAL VERRUCA!" Lucius yelled, interrupting Verruca''s thoughts. "What?!" Verruca was caught off-guard. "Consort Leslie has some gossip, then I think you would like to know. Are you okay? You seem a bit distracted all of a sudden." Lucius asked kindly. "No. I''m fine. Just a lot on my mind." Verruca spoke, without knowing that her lips curved up slightly at the corners. [Thinking of him, are you?] Lucius asked Verruca mentally. Lucius was met with silence, confirming his suspicions. "I''m sorry to ask you to repeat, but what information?" Verruca looked to Leslie. "Jakahn... Jakahn has been amassing a lot of troops to our southern border. I''m sure you can guess what that means. Those stupid bones think no one would notice when they move three-fourths of their military, that no one would notice..." Leslie said with gritted teeth. "Are you sure?" Verruca stared hard at Leslie. "I wouldn''t say something like this lightly, but the next piece of information... I can''t be sure, but it makes my clotted blood boil." Everyone was slightly shocked by what Leslie said... She always seemed to be a smiling devil, never showing that she was angry. They could only count one time when she lost her composure, and it was to be expected at the time. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "If the rumor I received is correct..." Leslie took a deep breath, "Then Former-Marquis Mark will be leading this force." she spoke in hatred. Verruca stood up and slammed her fist through the table that they were sitting at, as Holy Bone shards flew from the impact. No cultivation, only pure physical power. The Shards bounced of Lucius and Emily, without much damage to them as being Skeletal undead, though their clothes suffered. The Holy Bone shards oddly flowed around Leslie without making contact with her. "I KNEW THAT SON OF A BITCH LEFT, BUT HE HAS THE GALL TO LEAD THE EMEMY TO OUR DOORS!" Verruca''s breathing was ragged. Everyone was silent watching this outburst. This too was out of character for Verruca, but Lucius knew why. Lucius shook his head, [It seems her hatred for Jakahn and Neolith still hasn''t lifted. I''m surprised she tolerates Little Emily to the extent that she does.] He thought to himself, before looking at Leslie. "I hate to ask again, but are you one hundred percent sure?" Lucius asked Leslie. "No... I can''t be sure, but I''m about seventy percent sure." Leslie nodded. "DAMN HIS FAMILY BACK TO HIS LIVING ANCESTORS!" Verruca turned her back. She wasn''t having any of this. "Warmarshal Verruca, we got to stay calm in situations like this." Lucius reminded. Emily stared at the Warmarshal in disbelief, she had never seen this woman like this. It wasn''t that she didn''t expect her to be angry if an enemy kingdom to attack, but wasn''t this exaggerated? Verruca took in several deep breathes to calm down, as she stood up straighter. Her height regained its former towering posture. She turned to look at the remains of the table, and the faces of the people present. "I apologize for the outburst... Just..." "You don''t have to say anymore, we understand." Lucius cut off Verruca. "Thank you." Verruca said warmly, "I will be calling the remaining Warmarshal to form a War Council. Jakahn has made a poor decision. If they feared a Holy Witch King before, they will die before the forces of a God." Verruca turned her back and left. The room turned silent, at her departure. It was broken after a few minutes of deep thought by each of the remaining, as Emily spoke, "I thought she didn''t believe in the God-King?" "I wouldn''t be so sure on that..." Leslie said mysteriously. "Should I Tell her the prophecy?" Emily added, a few minutes later. Leslie thought about this, but before she could respond, "What prophecy?" Lucius asked. ******* "We finally made it." The Third Elder of the Grimnight clan could see the Light cascading from the Skull of the Sun God. James Grimnight, his son, was sitting next to his father, as he saw the Light in the distance. It had been a hard journey, and took longer than expected, as they dodged every checkpoint and every Deagoth Official. This spoke more about their ability to blend with the shadows than it did the lack of security of approaching the capital with their people. "Father... Are you still sure about this? What if The Holy Witch King does the same to us, as he did with Jordan..." "Son, we don''t have a choice. Our choice was made for us by the Clan. If there is a path to survival, then it''s going to be here." The Third Elder nodded his head. "I''ll trust in your decision, I''m just worried." James continue to look at the Skull of the Sun God, the single best item to describe the wealth of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. The Caravan approached the City. ******* Leslie had returned to her chambers, and as she was about to lay down to make a quick trip to the north to see about the deserted towns, she received a mental message from one of her handmaidens. [Mistress... It seems that a part of the Grimnight Clan has delivered themselves to punishment.] Handmaiden Gretchen sent the message. [...Explain...] [The self-proclaimed Third Elder and his son, James Grimnight, are here outside the city gates requesting audience with his Grace.] Gretchen explained. [Can We verify their identity?] [We are unable to confirm the Third Elder, as no one has ever seen him before, but James Grimnight''s identity checked out with two other Hand Maidens here. I''m sure you know that he is the son of the Third Elder.] [...Yes...] [Requesting command.] [Influence the Officials at the Gate to bar entry. I will send someone to fetch them. Conceal your presence. No one needs to know our hand.] Leslie finished. [As the Mistress commands it.] The shadowy voice of Gretchen faded from Leslie''s mind. Leslie quickly left her room, and found Lucius in his office, as she barged into his area, which was thick with a golden smoke. Hand Servant Shane spoke, as he stood next to Lucius'' desk, "Consort Leslie, I believe it''s inappropriate to barge in without announcement." Lucius looked up to his desk, and seen the expression Leslie''s face, "It''s alright Dear Shane. It seems this is very important." Lucius waved his hand. "Lucius, I''m sorry to barge, but part of the Grimnight clan is sitting outside requesting to meet The Holy Witch King. I can only think they are one of the two groups of Grimnight''s that got away." Leslie said out of breath. "...Requesting to see the God-King? Audacious..." Lucius spoke, tapping his quill on the desk. He had just been writing a proposal to the Archbishops concerning a certain prophecy. "Normally, I would intercede on their behalf to get such an arrangement, but with Jack behind closed doors, I can only ask the soon to be supreme pontifex." Leslie charmed. Lucius wasn''t a stranger to such charms from Leslie, but it still pleased him. "Alright. I will send some Templars to bring them here. Do you wish to be present when We speak?" Lucius asked out of consideration. Leslie thought hard, "I do want to be present, but I would prefer not to make any decisions." "You wish to remain neutral? They are your clan after all." Lucius spoke with a certain tone. "I changed my name. I am no longer a Grimnight." Leslie had already completed the paperwork with the Officials in the Department of Civil Records. "To what?" Lucius asked out of curiosity. "To Jack''s last name," Leslie said, with a rare hue on her cheeks. "So, you joined his Grace''s family name... Isn''t that like becoming his sister?" Shane spoke out in a rare instance. "Shane!" Lucius reprimanded. "My apologies." Shane lowered his head. Lucius shook his head, "It isn''t for Us to judge the God-King. Even the stories of the Old Gods spoke of Bother and Sister unions, so who are we to question." "It''s not like that!" Leslie spoke loudly. "It''s a weird flex, but I won''t judge the God-King." Lucius nodded. "Lucius, damn it... You''re doing that on purpose." Leslie was slightly perturbed. Lucius was silent for a moment, "I''ve sent some people to fetch the Grimnights. We can meet them in the Palace Square. I think it will do them good to look at the Monument of Shame." Leslie took note that Lucius didn''t take back his words, [Does he really think like that, damn it!? The First Holy Witch King didn''t adopt me! Long distant Clan members marry all the time!] Leslie became quiet in thought. "Let''s go meet these Outsiders." Lucius rose from his desk. Leslie didn''t continue to say anymore, and nodded, as she followed behind him. Lucius spoke as he left the office, "Dear Shane, I will be returning late tonight. Don''t stay up." "Of course." Shane nodded, as he began to fix the office, and clean up the burnt offering''s censor. Chapter 84: I Hurt Lucius and Leslie were standing in the Palace square. Interestingly enough, Emily had seen the two walking out, and decided to tag along. She had no idea what was going on, but she saw the grim look on Leslie''s face. One of the few things she found she liked about zombie undead was that she could tell what they were thinking by their expression. Neither Lucius or Leslie questioned Emily''s presence, which in turn made the tiny consort feel slightly warm. They waited until they saw a group of Templars escorting a single carriage to the square. When the carriage arrived, a Templar opened the door. Out stepped the Third Elder with a hunched posture, followed by his son, James. The Elder wore a black robe, that was cinched by a white sash. James Grimnight wore a suit similar to what Jordan wore, but this one was pure black. There was no one else with them. They both bended knee, as they greeted. "Grand Minister Lucius. Consort... Leslie. It favors us greatly that you are willing to meet us." The Third Elder said humbly, as both he and his son looked up. It was only at this moment that they see the small hill of skulls that was the Monument of Shame. The Third Elder rattled slightly, as his son began to sweat slightly across his brow. In a rare instance, the two of them had the same thought cross their mind, [[The abyss happened, while we were traveling!?]] Lucius gestured, "I am glad you decided to visit us, and by your expression, I can see you have met with our Kingdom''s Monument of Shame." Lucius gestured behind him. "Ah, yes. It is... Unique." The Third Elder spoke. "So, tell me, Grimnight. How do I address you?" Lucius looked deeply at the Third Elder. "Grand Minister can call this little one, Gordon." The Third Elder didn''t give a Title and only his first name. He showed to all present that he didn''t put on any airs. "Gordon. Gordon. Gordon... It is good you come with such intentions, but I must ask... Why come at all?" Lucius questioned with an authoritative tone, that didn''t betray the leader of the faith. "We wish to meet The Holy Witch King to ask for asylum from the foolishness of our Clan." Both Lucius and James bowed. "Well, there are a few problems with this." Both the Third Elder and James were full of question marks. "First off... There is no Holy Witch King. There is only the God-King of the Undead." [No Holy Witch King??? What the hell happened!?] It was rare for undead to refer to hell, as hell was another part of the Underworld that was inhabited by demons and devils. These were the natural enemies of the Undead. "Second of all, the God-King is currently behind closed doors cultivating, so he isn''t able to pass judgment." [Closed doors?] "Until he has returned, I am one of the few in charge. As my charge of the church, I can see if I have a place for you, but it will require much from you." Lucius continued. "If this provides us with a path to salvation, then nothing is out of the question." The Third Elder spoke with purpose. "It is interesting that you say salvation, as that is exactly what I am referring to..." Lucius spoke mysteriously. Leslie and Emily stood silently to the side as they gazed upon the two Grimnights. Of course, the Two Grimnight''s seen these two ladies. They both knew who Leslie was, even if it had been hundreds of years since they last saw her. She was wearing a long black Qipao that was embroidered with the Angel of Death. Around her middle was a large white sash that wrapped into a bow in the back. The Third Elder could only think that the Consort of the Kingdom was allowed to wear images of the Angel of death, but they weren''t sure how the little girl was at all. The little girl was a cute skeletal undead, that wore a long black silk dress, that showed her midriff, as her spine descended to her waist. Most eye-catching to him was that her hair was long and white. It was rare to him to see a Skeletal undead lady with hair. They didn''t even know why a little girl would be present... Was she Leslie''s daughter? Wasn''t that too fast to have children with The Holy Witch King? "Speak, so that we may follow." While the Third Elder was full of questions, he wouldn''t let him pass this chance to save his clan. "What happened in the Grimnight clan to cause you to be here?" This was the question that Leslie wanted to know, thankfully asked by Lucius. "The First and Second Elders have decided to break from Deagoth and leave for Stonedge betraying the Kingdom. The Clan Head agreed. By now, they should have been in Stonedge already." The Third Elder spoke, not meeting their gaze again. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "That''s alright. The Grimnight Clan Head has been detained by our Warmarshal. I will admit that the other two you spoke of, have made it to Stonedge. We had first thought it was you as well. This brings me to my next question. What made you decided to come to the God-King." Lucius continued. "...We have brought our part of the clan, and we wish to throw ourselves at his Grace''s mercy." "You wish to seek the Master of the Undead''s favor? Bold." Lucius spoke without hesitation. [Master of the Undead!?] Both Grimnights had no idea what happened while they were out of contact, but something major happened. They did remember seeing the gold light in the sky, and then last week their Glow Stone lamps went out, plunging them into darkness. Did that have anything to do with this? "We see no other path of survival. We would never betray the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth." "It is good you feel this way, as betraying Deagoth is betraying the God-King." Lucius nodded, before continuing, "I will make a place for you. It would be best that you speak with prophet Lightborn. You should convert to the Faith of the God-King, and await his judgment, once he descends." [What happened to the Faith of Deagoth??????] The Third Elder was so confused, his skull felt like splitting, but he didn''t argue. "Templars! See that this clan is given a compound stay within the city. Guarded." Lucius spoke aloud the orders. He looked back to the two Grimnights, "May the God-King have mercy on your undead souls." Lucius turned and left. Leslie looked at the two and hesitated for only a second before she too left followed closely by Emily. As they were walking up the stairs back into the Holy Palace, Leslie mentally spoke to Lucius, [Thank you, Lucius.] [Don''t worry about it. It''s not like this will not serve the faith.] Lucius replied in a warm voice that sounded so distant to the cold voice he used to speak to the Grimnights. [Do with them what you wish.] Leslie mentally messaged. A bit of bitterness could be discerned from her voice. [The Faith of the God-King thanks you for your donation.] Lucius began to laugh mentally in his mind, as Leslie heard this, she could only think of Jack. It seemed that Jack was rubbing off onto Lucius, but why now? [In that case, I suppose it will be a good idea, to request for the rest of the Grimnight clan to come to Saigunrai. We will camp them with the Zombie refugees. I dare them to even rattle loudly.] Lucius messaged Leslie again. [In that case, I will send the message in your place, if you are okay with that.] Leslie responded. [I don''t know how you do these things faster, but it''s not my place to question the wife of the God-King.] Lucius added. [Alright.] Leslie messaged back. She thought to herself, [Wife of the God-King... I like that... I like that a whole lot.] She smiled sweetly, as they passed through the entrance into the Holy Palace. ******* Xavier Doomcry was knocked down to the ground, and tumbled in the mud. Looming before him was Sarah Frostgard, Warmarshal Frostgard. "Xav, Xav, Xav... You got to protect your left side. You were completely open." Warmarshal Frostgard wasn''t wearing her full armor, and her blue hair flowed around her face. She wore a chest wrap around her breast and had frost blue shorts. She wore boots, instead of her normal greaves. Xav rolled to all fours and spat out a tooth, "Going to need a bone doc for that one. That makes three this month. I''m not going to be able to chew food soon if this keeps going." Sarah laughed when she heard him complain. Thankfully bone doctors could replace any bone in the body, and treat any problem with a zombie. This included replacing teeth. Xav stood up wearing his usual brawler''s harness attached to his ragged black leather pants. Being a thin geist made his pants look baggy, but they were even more tattered than five months ago... Now they were held on by a prayer. He held two large battle axes in hand, as he pushed himself up. He never had let go of his weapon, which spoke of his training, even if it was lacking compared to the Warmarshal''s. Xav spoke bitterly, "If you would let me, berserker, I could have you on your ass." "You would like that wouldn''t you." Sarah smiled from ear to ear, as the corner of her lips trickled a big of black blood. "Sarah, you''re bleeding again." After being dazed by her smile spoke. Xav put his axes on his back and dusted his pants. "I''m sorry." Sarah turned her back, and pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed the edges of her mouth. "I know for a fact I can''t land a hit on you... Why does blood form at the edges of your mouth? Is there problems with your cultivation?" Xav walked up behind the Warmarshal. "No... I''d rather not say." Sarah looked at the cloth, and her brows slammed together. "But I''m worried," Xav said caringly. "Worry about yourself. You haven''t heard, but the Holy Witch King has become the God-King of the Undead. I don''t know what that means, but I know a God-King is above a Witch King." Sarah said as she turned around, with a light smile, that almost looked like she wasn''t smiling at all. Xav looked left right left, and seen no one was around their training ground. Sarah had seen fit to make sure that no one bothered them when they practiced, even as her own Frost Knights gave her strange looks. Xav lifted his hand and cupped her face. Xav had a bit of feeling left in him, and he finally realized when he cupped Sarah''s face. It was ice cold. [I''m a dumbass... How did I not figure this out, sooner?] He thought to himself. Sarah closed her eyes and allowed Xav to touch her ice-cold face. She felt as if she could almost feel the warmth of his calloused hand. "Sarah... Your face is frozen near solid isn''t it." Xav breathed in deeply before he spoke. The Warmarshal''s eyes snapped open, as she stared at Xav. She didn''t look at him in anger, as he expected, but with a slight look of pain in her eyes. She brushed Xav''s hand to the side, as she turned around, "Let''s go. I need to get back to camp. We''ve already been up here a few hours." "...You didn''t answer me... Am I the cause? Is it because you smile?" Xav called out behind her. Sarah stopped in her tracks, with her back still to Xav. They had become very close these last five months. She didn''t know why she liked this outrageous geist from the Doomcry clan... She just did. Her family expected her to marry within the clan, so she would have to face them if she really did take a liking to this Doomcry fellow. She remained silent, as Xav walked forward, and circled around to face her. "Sarah, if I''m hurting you. I can stop seeing you. I''ll manage the Doomcry warriors while I wait for The Holy Witch King to deal with me." Xav spoke. "Yes. You are hurting me." Sarah said, plainly. Chapter 85: It Hurts So Good Xav looked down at the ground, no longer meeting her gaze. Sarah could see his expression changing to a look of sorrow. "I understand. I''m sorry. I never meant to hurt you." Xav said as he turned to leave. It was almost like everyone forgot he slandered her, and wanted to kill her close to half a year ago. Two loud bangs sounded, as a cold and thin hand reached to tug on Xav''s Brawler''s Harness. Xav stopped in mid-step, as he turned to look at the pained expression of Sarah. "It does hurt, but it hurts so good." She spoke, as she smiled widely, as her deep dark blood trickled at the corners of her mouth. Again, Xav was at a loss for words looking at the beautifully wretched smile. "I know... I know I''m not pretty. I know I''m ugly, and I know my smile is ugly... It hurts. It hurts to know that my art will cause me to turn fulling skeletal one day, and the face you like will no longer be here. It hurts to think about when I return my family will fight with me for the time I''ve spent with you... But it hurts so good." Xav wasn''t a really smart undead. He was slowly processing what he was hearing, but he didn''t agree with any of it that he understood! Sarah continued, "I never wanted you to really see this smile. It hurts to know that you will not want to see me now. I won''t fault you for turning and leaving now. Who wants to battle my family for an ugly girl? I only know how to fight. I don''t know how to be anything but a warrior. So, I''m not fit to be w-" "Stop!" Xav couldn''t take this anymore, as he turned and scooped up the Warmarshal into a princess carry, as he looked down at her face. She was so cold to the touch, but the looming figure he always saw looked so small in his arms. Sarah bit her tongue and remained silent. She hadn''t expected to be picked up like this. She had never been picked up in her life. Her parents, or otherwise. She could only stare into the concerned face of Xav. "No more of this. You are not ugly! I am a stupid man. I sometimes get smart ideas, but I am very stupid! But even then! I know what looks nice and what looks ugly, and you''re not ugly. Alright? Tell me. Tell me that you''re pretty." Xav urged "I... I can''t, because I''m not." Sarah had deep scars on her heart from childhood. She had practiced the Cultivation of the Frostgard since before she became an adult. From her childhood body, she knew the ravages of the advance stages of Frostgard cultivation tolled on a body. "Says who? I say you are pretty, so you are pretty! Who else are you trying to impress??? Should I find other suitors, and destroy them?" Sarah slightly chuckled. "Tell your little gold ear, you''re pretty. Can you do that for me?" Xav asked with a soothing voice. "...Are you really sure about this?" She could only ask. "I don''t care what anyone says. If your family has a problem with me, I will just figure out how to double berserk. See if your elders can stand before the legendary double berserker!" "You''re such a nerd." Sarah reached out to pull on Xav''s head into a kiss, but he didn''t move his head. She opened her eyes in puzzlement. "You didn''t say you were pretty." Xav was many things, and one was stubborn. "Fine... If you really think so, then I''m pretty." Sarah whispered. If Xav couldn''t read her lips, he would have thought she didn''t say anything at all. She then spoke louder, "Strong, combative, and stubborn... This is the kind of man I like." She smiled widely, as blood trickled down again. They both closed their eyes, and so they shared their feelings with their lips sealed with the taste of blood. Xav thought this was the sweetest taste. Maybe the Vampires had it right? ******* Xav and Sarah walked over the hill holding hands until they got closer to the base. They ceased their actions, not because of being shy, but because she didn''t want to deal with her family yet. She only managed here, because she was the superior of the Frost Knights she led. The communications officer saw them in the distance and ran over to meet them before they arrived at camp. The Frost Knight performed a Deagoth Salute, "Warmarshal Frostgard! Urgent message from the Saigunrai." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Hmmm?" "In the name of the... God-King, we are to return to Saigunrai, with the Grimnight prisoners, and the Doomcry should provide further protection." "Understood." She waved the Officer, and shouted, "Alright Knights! Wrap it up. We need to be packed in less than two hours. We need the Grimnight''s ready to be brought to the Capital in five hours. We will be leaving in six hours from this mark." A pause and then she shouted, "MARK!" All the Frost Knights scrambled from their lounge and practice. The camp stirred with the clanking of the armor of the Frostgard. "Xav, you need to get your people as well." "We can roll right now. You have to remember that until Deagoth was founded, the Doomcry clan was nomadic." "MMmmm." Sarah nodded her head. ******* A month and a half had passed by in the blink of an eye. Jack''s soul shuddered, as it became thicker in consistency, like a think fluid as it circled around inside his soul space. He had broken through to High-level Knight Rank! This was Jack''s first time breaking through the conventional way. [I thought this would feel amazing but it just feels... Lacking.] Jack shrugged as the flames in his eyes burst into life. He stood up to look around. The room was exactly as he left it. He made his way to the laptop to check on the status of project Helios. [Fuck! Four days and twenty-one minutes to go...] Jack didn''t expect it to still be processing. Just want kind of friggin throne was this penguin making! Jack started to look at some of the tomes he had scanned in a large pile and decided to read through some, instead of absorbing them. He found he learned quickly when absorbing, but didn''t understand everything absorbed. It was like speed reading. He could only retain so much when it was advance concept. Jack read many tomes while he waited, but one caught his eye the most. He re-read the tome many many times. This tome was called, "Beyond the Light." This tome had a similar tone to his cultivation tome, "The Heretical Side of the Light," but it didn''t have any cultivation methods. It only explained theory. That theory was... What was beyond the Light, and its intended purpose. [This sounds so much like the Big Bang Theory...] Jack commented as he read it again. [...So, the Light is just the remaining power of creation... So, what is everything else... Wouldn''t that mean that Light is the first power of the Creation?] Jack read more and tried to understand the concepts. [So, beyond the Light is Void. Hmmmmm... Void, Void, Void... When I think Void I think darkness cultivation, but this tome clearly states that the Void is not darkness, it''s nothing. So, the Void is the flip side of the Light. The Light is something, and the Void isn''t?] Jack closed the tome and mulled over his thoughts. [Then... What is the relationship between the two? Everything is Void until the Light arrives? But that sounds like the obvious answer... I remember from school that Light is a wave and a particle. So, Light has mass, as well. Unless What if the Light can make Void and the Void can make like... Are they really one and the same.] Jack tried hard to make this theory work. When he got to the end of the tome, it could only tell him that this was purposed and not confirmed. Then two words flashed in his mind briefly, [...Black Hole...] Before the laptop sounded, distracting Jack from his thoughts. Tux spoke, "Creator! Project Helios is ready for your review!" "About damn time!" Jack left behind his thoughts, as he shoved them out of his mind. What he needed now was power, not theory. "Tux, please pull up the schematics," Jack said while he carried the laptop to a table to sit down. Jack sat down and looked over the picture on the screen. It was a massive throne. [Damn this is huge! No wonder it took little Tux forever to compile it.] Jack thought to himself, as he went through each part. "Tux, please provide a list of all material." The Laptop showed basic materials. Nothing on the list was actually hard to get! The only requirement was a large amount of Glow Stone. Jack looked around the room. There was still a huge pill of Glow Stone, even after he "Spent" 1.3 million Glow Stone... Jack was indeed the Holy Witch King, and the wealth of Deagoth was apparent in the amount of Glow Stone within his private Library. [Why did the last guy need so much Glow Stone??? Was he a duck that liked to swim in money???] Jack could only think of his childhood. "Tux, how does one shape Glow Stone?" "Replying to Creator! Glow Stone is a mysterious metal. It is soft metal like gold, that emits Light continuously until it expires. Once Glow Stone expires it will turn into its dormant form, that is indistinguishable to ordinary stone except that it retains its malleable consistency. Glow Stone can be shaped in the same way that Gold and other precious metals can without harm. This requires heat and forge." Tux replied dutifully. "Wait... Can I reuse Glow Stone that has been depleted?" "Replying to Creator! Yes! It is only necessary for Glow Stone to absorb the naturally occurring magic power of the world. This can be absorbed from any element, including Light itself." "So... I just supply Light, and it can come back to be an active Glow Stone?" "Replying to Creator! Yes!" Jack thought for a moment before he walked over and picked up one of the Cubiks from the floor. Jack held it and poured magic power into it. He continued to pour magic into it... And still on. It felt as if he was dropping his power into the ocean... No impact." Jack was determined, and after pouring his power until he was almost tapped out, the Glow Stone sparkled into a brilliance, as it illuminated! "FUCK!" Jack cursed aloud. Jack had never curse so much in one place in his whole life, or unlife, then his time inside this library. This would not be the end. "Almost all of my power... That''s crazy! This thing didn''t even show signs it was going to come back to life until it suddenly sparked! Just what is this stuff?" "Replying to Creator! It is theorized that Glow Stone is the first material created when Creation began. Others believe that it is the blood of the Creator himself." "So... I''m holding a piece of the Big Bang? Pfft!" Jack tossed the Glow Stone Cubik onto the table next to the Laptop. "It would take too much time to recharge this ridiculous mess... I''m just going to use the crap ton I have other there, Jack looked at another pile of Glow Stone." Chapter 86: If It Wasnt For You Mark walked back into the Throne room of the King of Jakahn. As he walked in, the servants and the Officials were dismissed with a wave of the King''s hand. Mark came in with a straight back and looked upon the King on his throne. The King was sitting lazily, with his right hand propping his head. He was a massive zombie undead, in large armor. His armor colors were those of Jakahn, Red, and Beige, much like the color of the City just outside. To the King''s left, as always, was the purple princess, Princess Violet. She wore a long purple dress, and she wore a new hairstyle of purple hair from her head. Mark didn''t get a chance to speak, as Princess Violet called out, "I wasn''t sure you were going to return. Another week, and I would assume that you had turned down our offer." With a light laugh, "I''m sure you jest. I did need time to think, as well as get some affairs in order, but I do come with news. I''m sure you expected the news I am going to say." "Oh? Honestly speaking, I have no idea what you will choose. You have already exceeded me in our last meeting." Violet spoke, and she didn''t conceal the bitterness in her voice from Mark''s rejection. "I''m glad that I can exceed your expectations, and hopefully carry this to Deagoth. I''ve come to agree to your counteroffer. I will lead your armies to the capital of Deagoth and smash them down. I only ask for one item in return, and everything else can be Jakahn''s. This will be my last counteroffer to yours." "Oh? And what makes you think you would get anything of Deagoth as yours, after all, we are providing the brawn for this campaign." "And I am providing the brain. That is already one of two halves." "Alright... Just what is it that you want?" Curiosity peaked within Violet. "I wish for the Skull of the Sun God," Mark said with neither demand nor relinquish. A moment of silence passed, until Violet spoke again, "How... Unexpected. I didn''t take you as an undead that was into wealth." "Well, we all have our hobbies. I like to collect rare items, as you can see from our last exchange." "I see. Very well then. If you can, in fact, lead our armies to destroy Saigunrai, you make take the Skull of the Sun God. I only hope you are not taking too big of a bite." "Even if I took too big of a bite, I would wish to choke on it, then not take the bite at all." "Our forces are already at the border of Deagoth awaiting command, you may ride out now to them and command." "...How long have your forced been at the border of Deagoth..." Mark asked he had been focused on his connections in Borda and Stonedge, and especially his wife. He had not been paying attention to Jakahn. "Ever since you left to deliberate, they were vectored to their current possessions," Violet spoke blandly. Mark gritted his teeth but didn''t make any other sigh. A moment later he spoke, "I really wish you waited to consult me, even if the campaign was pushed back by a month. "Hmmmm?" "Deagoth now knows our intentions. Even if they thought about it before, they know for sure now." "And how is that?" Violet asked puzzled. Mark felt puzzled for a moment, "You... You don''t know about the Shadow of Deagoth?" "We have heard of such a thing, but it is little more than a fairy tale to entertain diplomats." Mark shook his head, "I had higher expectations." The King sat up in his seat, and Violet took a step forward. "Exactly what do you mean by that?" Violet spoke aggressively. "Please do not take this as offense, but the Shadow of Deagoth is very real. In fact, if it was not for the Shadow of Deagoth, I would have destroyed it from the inside out long ago. I''m sure you wondered why I haven''t, and why I have resorted to coming here." [Among other things.] Mark thought within his mind, as he spoke. "Really? Come now. This is simply a boogie man story. I don''t buy it." Violet continued. "Boogieman? I''m afraid not. For many years I have introduced pawns into the kingdom, but they disappear. I would set up various occurrences to lead to interesting events, but they never came to fruition. For a long while, I considered it a challenge to keep at it, but about two hundred years ago, I couldn''t fight the Shadow of Deagoth on their own land. So here I am." Mark finished. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "...Let''s say that I believe you. Just what does this Shadow of Deagoth do?" Mark thought for a moment, "Many things, but two for certain. He gathers intelligence, and he kills the enemies of the Kingdom from the shadows." Violet tilted her head, "That''s it? And here I thought you were going to tell me the Shadow ate children or was super scary. We have spies ourselves." Mark shook his head again, "I said it simply so that you can understand, but I see that I didn''t get my point across. Let me put it like this. From my experiments, the Shadow of Deagoth must have an enormous system of spies. So many that it must be ridiculous. As an example, if something happened in one City, the Shadow will know in less than an hour... If something happens in another Country, then the Shadow will know in a day... If you do not understand the speed of information that he can gather, then I have nothing left to say. I can only say that the Shadow knows what we are intending to do. So, I can only expect that I will have to face the armies of Deagoth with their Warmarshals... There will be no surprise." Violet looked up to her father, and they both exchanged glances. She returned to looking at Mark, "It seems we have underestimated Deagoth. As the ichor has already been spilled, we can''t put it back in the cup. Please join the forces at the border. Father will give you his seal, and a decree giving you full control over the leading armies. We have three full armies, each with twenty thousand warriors, for a total of sixty thousand." Mark did some quick math within his mind, "So you are allotting about sixty percent of the current arms?" "You seemed to know much about our situation." Violet countered. "Then I will await the seal and decree. Once I have them in hand, I will ride out with my servants." Mark bowed. He turned and left. The King and Princess in returned waited for a long while until they spoke aloud. "We didn''t think he was the kind to covet wealth." The King spoke. "I don''t believe he does... The only thing is... What does he need with the Skull of the Sun God." Princess Violet stared at the spot where Mark left. She turned to leave as well. "Royal-Father, my mind is tired. I''m going to retire to my evening tomb until you need me again." Princess Violet left, and as she was leaving her posture seemed to wilt. The King could see his daughter wasn''t dealing with rejection well. What pained him the most was that this was his daughter''s first time actively seeking a suitor, and she was rejected. He could only shake his head, as he called for his aids to return so that he could prepare the seal and decree for Mark. He had decided to give him the Title of Acting General, until the end of the war. ******* Emily was within her room preparing to take some rest within her evening tomb. She had changed from her usual lolita dress to her nightgown of spider silk. There was no need to be so neat for a skeletal undead, but like much of the royalty of Neolith, she was a clean freak. She had already bathed for the evening. She heard a knock on the door, as she was applying her lotion on her bones. She quickly put away the item, as she spoke, "Come in." Instead of the normally visiting Leslie, it was the massive frame of Verruca that loomed into the room. Like Jack, she towered above the loli, but unlike Jack, she took up much more room, with her massive armor. Even at such a late time, she had not changed from her armor, and this puzzled Emily. "Ummm... Warmarshal Verruca, what do I owe this visit." Emily spoke, as she pulled two chairs out. She took the chair meant for Jack for Verruca to sit. Verruca said nothing until she took her seat. She watched Emily sit down, then she spoke, "How much can you guarantee that Neolith will not attack us?" "What?" Emily didn''t quite understand. "I wish to pull some forces from the border of Neolith and send them to the border of Jakahn. I don''t want to do this, but with one Warmarshal in the northern lands of the heretic tribes, and the other to meet him to look over the situations of the black stain of the ghost towns, I''m finding it low on personnel. When Warmarshal Frostgard gets back, she can rally all her forces and go, but I don''t wish to have a prolonged war. I want to send as much as I can and crush Jakahn''s armies before the war gets started." Emily heard everything until here, "Of course, Neolith isn''t going to attack. We are allies now. Even if the documents haven''t been signed by Jack and my Royal-Mother, their word is worth more than gold." "I wanted to see you to make sure that Neolith doesn''t... Pull something dirty. It''s not like you haven''t joined up with Jakahn before." Verruca narrowed her eyes and she looked down on the tiny skeletal doll. "No. My Royal-Mother''s word alone should make you feel better, but in addition, I am here." "You can guarantee that no one of Neolith will get involved." "Yes. I am the consort of Deagoth. Neolith is, basically, your in-laws." Verruca snorted. "I hold you personally responsible. If anything happens because of Neolith, then I will break each of your bones, and dare any bone doc to get within 5 km of you." Verruca said sinisterly. She really didn''t like this little consort for so many reasons, and now that she had the opportunity, she let her know. Emily felt shocked. Verruca had never been like this to her before, granted she wasn''t the most civil, but she hadn''t threatened her before. "Is it really necessary to threaten me?" Emily asked softly. Verruca stood up, and she turned to leave. She didn''t even bother to look back, "Jack might have taken you as his consort, but I don''t have to accept you. Furthermore, I don''t like Neolith. You weren''t the one that had to put her love into a thousand-year slumber." As Verruca said that she paused. She turned back to look at the still sitting Emily. Emily felt something strange with the Zombie woman. "That''s right... Neolith was one of two that was responsible for putting Jack into entombment... Where he lost his memory." "He lost his memory???" Emily asked quickly. "That''s right..." Verruca took a step forward, "If he didn''t have to deal with both Neolith and Jakahn, he wouldn''t have had to use the Angel of Death, and he wouldn''t have been entombed. If he wasn''t entombed, he wouldn''t have lost his memory... He would have remembered me... He wouldn''t have taken Leslie as his consort... He wouldn''t have taken you as a consort... He would have taken me." Verruca slowly spoke, and equally slowly developed a dangerous look in her eyes. "If it wasn''t for you..." Verruca said ominously. Emily had slide off her chair and backed up slightly way from the dangerous feeling she got from Verruca. As Emily was quickly thinking to mentally message someone, a knock sounded at the door. Startled Verruca stopped in mid-stride. Chapter 87: Saved by the Knock Emily quickly called out to the knock at the door, "Come in." Leslie opened the door and walked in, and seeing both Verruca and Emily, she spoke, "Oh! I''m not interrupting something am I?" "Yes, but I think it''s better if you did," Verruca said. "What''s that mean?" Leslie tilted her head in question. "Ah. Well, I just got done asking Princess-Ambassador Emily about Neolith. She promised that Neolith isn''t going to bother us, and with that, I''m going to go arrange for most of the forces at the Neolith border to march to the border of Jakahn." Verruca nodded a few times and then spoke, "I''ll leave you two for the night. I''m going to go arrange this." Verruca stepped around Leslie and exited shutting the door behind her. As soon as the door clicked, Emily quickly ran to Leslie throwing her small arms around her, "I''m so glad you came. You came at just the right moment." "This is unexpected. You never seem to be a touchy feeling person, but I don''t mind a hug occasionally." Leslie spoke, as she released herself from Emily, and took a seat. "I happen to be in the thinking of something and wanted to talk before retiring for the night... But what''s wrong with you? You seem to be slightly shaken?" Leslie asked in concern. Emily calmed herself, as she took one last look at the door. She returned to her previous seat and sat. "Is... Is Verruca a very violent person?" Emily asked with some hesitation. "Violent? She called the War God of Deagoth... Just what do you think?" Leslie looked slightly helpless. "I mean... On a day to day basis." Emily pressed on. "I wouldn''t say yes, or no to that. I believe Verruca might be the kind of person that would use force if she could solve a problem easily with it. Why?" "Ah... Well... A few moments ago, she asked about Neolith. I said nothing would happen, then she threatened to break all my bones if Neolith did do something." Emily said uneasily. "Truth be told, the fact she can stand you at all is a miracle. Even I have trouble with people of Neolith." "Because of Jack?" "Of course, thankfully I got to know you. Otherwise, I would be the same as her." Leslie spoke matter of factly. "Well, something else..." Leslie looked on with a questioned look. "As she was going to leave, she turned back and in many words, was implying that everything was Neoliths fault, but it felt like she was saying it was my fault." "I can see why she would think that. It was Neolith''s and Jakahn''s fault... I still don''t feel good about them being allies with us, but everything has been on the up and up so far." Leslie nodded. "Well... She turned back and I felt like she was going to do something to me." Emily said as she looked at the door where Verruca left. "You think she was going to hurt you?" "Yes. In fact, I think if you didn''t come... Maybe... Maybe I wouldn''t get to see Jack again... Wouldn''t get to see you again... Or talk to my Royal-Mother... I think-" "Shhhhhhhhhh, shhhh, shhhh... I''m here." Leslie consoled, "I have a feeling about these things, so don''t worry." Leslie smiled. "As for Verruca... She''s under a lot of stress. Jakahn, the black stain incident to the north, and Jack among other things." "Jack? She did say that if he didn''t lose his memory then he would have taken her... Taken her as what? Consort?" Emily questioned. "Haaa~ Yes. Jack died." Leslie sighed and spoke. "He died?!" Emily screeched. "Shhhh, but yes. He died. He came back, thankfully, but because of that he lost a lot of his memories." "So... Jack and Verruca had something going?" Emily questioned again. "I didn''t find out until Jack had already made me his consort, but somehow they kept their affair secret for all this time. I never even knew it! How far that affair goes as far as a relationship? I don''t know." Leslie confessed. "Did...? Did they...? You know..." Emily implied. Stolen novel; please report. "I don''t think so. Verruca doesn''t act like it. I, actually, feel really bad for her, but at the same time... I feel like I won against her. Which makes me feel good, but then I feel like I cheated." "Because you think if Jack didn''t lose his memories, then he wouldn''t have made you his consort?" "Yeah... My greatest blessing was that Jack got hurt... Do you know how sad that makes me feel? I never wanted him to go to the border. I tried to stop him the months before, but he wouldn''t stop. He brought down the angel of death and killed them all gloriously!" Leslie spoke with pride and fever, as she made a fist in the air. "But... It cost him." Leslie withered back into her chair. "So, you feel conflicted that you are happy that he lost his memory so you could become his consort, but you feel sad because he lost his memory due to death," Emily asked. "Yeah... I, kinda, hate myself for that. I haven''t even told Jack this." Leslie further confessed. "Then... Why are you telling me?" Emily asked again. "Well, I feel you can understand me. You wanted to know about Jack and Verruca, plus his memory. It just all ties together. Don''t you think I''m a terrible undead for thanking the abyss for Jack''s memory loss... Even though it meant he had to be hurt, die even, I''m happy he returned and made me consort... Even if you are his second consort." Leslie''s head drooped slightly. "I don''t think so." Leslie lifted her head, "Why? I''m a terrible person, and I feel terrible for it." "All I see is a lady who is in love... I''m very jealous of you." Emily said as she turned her head. "Jealous? Well, I am first consort." Leslie had a light laugh, but it was dry and without humor. "Do you know what Jack told me when I first offered to become his consort?" "You made mention that he rejected you," Leslie remembered a conversation. "Not just that. He said explained that he didn''t want to take me as a consort because of how it would make you feel. He didn''t say you, but he meant you." "But... He asked me if he could take a second consort." "He might have, but he thought of you first. He thought of you first, before all the wealth and power I offered... He thought of you first before me." Emily spoke these last few words with a sad tone. Leslie felt a slight warmth in his chest, but consoled Emily, "Emily, he feels for you too." "Not that day. Let''s both be honest... He didn''t visit me before he went to closed doors. He visited you. I''m ready, willing, and waiting for him. I even offered him, but he didn''t want to..." "I''m sure he has his reasons. Jack is a very smart skeleton. He does things we can''t even understand, but it works. He can solve problems almost effortlessly, and I even believe he can see the future. Even with his memory like it is, he''s a genius. I don''t want to be that undead, but I can usually figure someone out in a short period. Jack... He was mysterious before his entombment, and now after... Mysterious isn''t the word anymore... It''s like he''s beyond us." "So, you buy into the God-King movement, as well?" "Well if gods act like you told me previously, then yeah... I think Jack will become a god." Leslie smiled. "Then We would be the wives of a god... I wonder what that would mean." Emily thought aloud. "That we could control the world," Leslie said with relish. "Wouldn''t Jack be the one to control the world?" Leslie giggled, "No! Men don''t control the world, it''s women that control the world. Like your Grand Tomb, it has the Spider Queen. It''s just that they threw the pretense to the side, and have the woman be the leader on the surface. She just chooses not to stand behind a man, but I bet she can bend men to her will." "Well, Royal-Mother does have eight husbands," Emily said plainly. "Eight???" Leslie didn''t find it surprising that the Queen of Neolith had more than one husband, but so many? "Yeah... Eight. My father was the last." "I really hope Jack doesn''t have eight wives. I feel like each wife after the first, just diminutions the next in value." "Yeah... But you will be the first." Leslie giggled again, "Yeah, but you will be the second. You know only the first and second spouses have any power in a harem. The rest can only join one of the two parties." "Then We will he against each other?" Emily asked tilting her head. She had performed this action a lot today. "Well, if Jack is stupid, I mean ambitions enough to have more than three wives, then it is possible." "But I don''t want to be against you..." Emily said sounding alarmed. "No, no, no... We will act as We are to draw the other wives. If we leave these other ladies to their devices then they will form their own camp, but they would yield to the first and second wife if we played them." "Isn''t that tiring to play along all the time?" Emily continued. "Of course, but I can teach you how to make it look good when in truth We are just chatting away, and passing the time," Leslie explained. "Thank you, in advance." Emily bowed. "Oh, none of that! It''s what I should do for my little sister." As Leslie said, little sister, she could only think of the Joke that Lucius played on her... It was true her last name was ''Bonereaper'' now... [Damn you, Lucius.] Lucius was within his study preparing a manuscript for his sermon on the God-King for the seventh day when he non-existing nose itched. [Is someone talking to me?] He rubbed his skeletal face. "Well... Jack should take Verruca as his next consort. I think three is a good number if it has to be... I can only hope he doesn''t take any more." "Well... Political marriages are a thing. I mean, look at me. I think that''s the only reason Jack made me his consort." "See the thing is that every female he takes after Verruca if she is willing, will be outstanding. They will be very pretty or super smart or very powerful, or all three..." Leslie ignored Emily''s comment. "Wouldn''t it be good to have a powerful sister-consort?" "And outshine us, and obtain all of Jack''s attention? I don''t think so." Leslie''s expression turned tense. "Well, she might outshine me, but I doubt you. I believe that Jack genuinely loves you." "I hope so, but don''t count yourself short." Leslie giggled again, "It''s gotten late, hasn''t it. I need to rest my mind. I''ll leave you to your devices." Leslie stood to leave. As she turned, a slight tug on her sash at her back was felt. Leslie turned to see Emily pulling on her. "I don''t really feel safe after Verruca acted like that. Can I rest in your room?" Emily asked awkwardly. Leslie mulled it for a moment. She figured Verruca wouldn''t try anything else, but if it made her little sister feel better. "Sure, but I have a better idea." "What''s that?" Emily wondered. "Let''s go sleep in Jack''s evening tomb. It''s a lot larger than mine." Leslie said with some humor. "Is it really alright to visit his room without him here?" Emily wasn''t sure if that was a good idea. "We are basically his wives, who''s going to stop us?" Leslie giggled. She always wanted a sibling to do things with, and she began to really like her sister-consort. Chapter 88: Brutal Dead Souls "Tux. I need you to calculate a spell model that will allow me to shape Glow Stone to the requirements laid out in Project Helios." "Replying to Creator! This spell model will be complete in twenty-five hours." "Whoa! I didn''t expect it to be that fast... Or is it that slow???" Jack shook his head. "Alright. Let me read back over this ''Beyond Light'' Tome. I think I''m close to understanding something. Maybe... Maybe it''s like how Stars are born and then die... If they are massive enough, they can become black holes... Black holes are certainly a form of void. Right?" Jack watched the screen as it flipped again to the timer. He then pushed the laptop on top of his table to the side, as he brought his tome back over to him to reread again. "This is so boring... Those shows and novels I read always made things like this more... exciting. All I''m doing is waiting. Haaaa~" ******* Warmarshal George Darkfield had been rushing with his legion. He had only taken with him a division of his forces, a total of five thousand warriors. After a hard month of none stop traveling using Zombie Horses. They could travel quickly, but at the cost of constant feed and water, unlike the Holysteed undead horse, Warmarshal Darkfield rode atop. Warmarshal Darkfield on his Warhorse overlooked the wooded areas. Darkfield was a grim-looking Zombie undead. He was neither skinny or fat but was very lanky. He was bald, with a thin face, and skin the color of deadwood bark, mahogany. He wore a black medical robe. On the left chest side of the medical robe was the crest of Deagoth, and on the right, was a symbol know and the red three marked crosses, the symbol of the Bone Doctors of the Darkfield Clan. This symbol was three red horizontal lines intersected by one red vertical line going through the middle. He looked down from the top of the hill to a clearing that housed the troops of Warmarshal Michael. George rode down to make contact, followed by his troops. After a few words between the soldiers, the undead troops led George to Michael''s tent. Warmarshal Michael opened the flap of the tent to step out to great his fellow Warmarshal. Michael wore all silver armor. He was a Zombie undead, with a Skeletal face and head. It seemed he was making the transition from Zombie undead to Skeletal undead. He had a large frame within his Silver Armor, but he wasn''t tall. Warmarshal Michael was a short, but stocky undead warrior. On his back was strapped the Largest mace wielded in the Kingdom. This Mace was loving named by Warmarshal Michael as Deadhammer, as anything the hammer hit would be deader than he found it. "Warmarshal Darkfield, it is good to see you again, my friend!" Michael guffawed a few times, holding his arms open wide. George stopped approaching, "If I''m not mistaken, I believe you were the one that wished to never see me again. So, I fail to believe that it is, as you say... ''Good to see me.''" "Don''t be like that. Maybe you''ve changed!" Michael put down his arms but remained casual. "No," George replied. "I guess, you haven''t changed." Michael shook his head. "Were you able to complete your mission with the Heretic tribes?" George asked. "Of course! Five out of the Eight tribes have taken to the Faith of Deagoth!" "You may wish to return, and tell them about the Faith of the God-King." "Faith of the God-King???" Michael was puzzled. George began to explain in a monotone. Around fifteen minutes later, "The Holy Witch King is no more?! How did he become the God-King!?" Michael asked in disbelief. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "I, too, wish to know, but it would seem that the Grand Minister has promoted the faith. There is even a prophet." George continued. "I guess I will just ask when I get back. I did what my mission said, and no more." "Yes," George replied dryly. Michael shook his head, "So have you seen the ghost towns yet?" "No, I haven''t seen them yet. I am excited to see them." George''s monotone voice betrayed any excitement. "...You know George... I don''t know when you''re being an ass or you''re being serious." "I''m always serious." "Wait... So, when you called me a short overgrown undead manlet, you meant that shit?" Michael bowed up. "Yes." "You son of a-" "Brother, please!" A female zombie undead approached and interrupted Warmarshal Michael. This female undead was a very slim, but she was a pretty undead. She had an athletic build, with silver armor that mimicked Michael''s. She had long golden hair up in a ponytail that came to her waist. "Blah! Come on Jen-Jen, I was only going to spare with George. I wasn''t going to do nothing else." Michael said with a meek voice, as his anger instantly dispelled. "I somehow find that hard to believe." She threw a look at Michael, she then turned to greet her brother''s fellow Warmarshal, "Nice to meet you Warmarshal Darkfield." This Jen-Jen held out her hand to shake with George. George shook hands and replied, "You must the Warmarshal''s sister, General Dunnder." She let go of George''s hand, "Yeah, but you can call me Jennifer. I don''t mind." Jennifer went to the side of Michael and locked her arm around his. "If you say so." George looked at the too. "When are We going to visit Aymocksey?" Michael asked as he felt his sister lean into him. "As soon as the horses have rest and red. We should make haste. I need to catch you up on the Kingdom, as well. Warmarshal Verruca has been named by the God-King as the Lord Commander of Deagoth. She was the one that sent me her. Her authority now surpasses the Grand Minister and is only below the God-King''s when it comes to us." George explained. "Well... If it was anyone else, I would argue the choice, but if it''s her... I feel rest assured." Michael thought for a moment before speaking. "Come in and have a sit. We will prepare to ride out soon." Michael turned with his sister and entered the tent. "Okay." George nodded and followed. ******* Deep in the inner chambers of the Church of the Three Gods, a zombie female undead sat on a Bronze throne. She was dressed in elaborate robes that were in three colors featuring each of the gods of the pantheon of their church. Her face was covered by a three-colored veil that obscured her features, but her pale blue skin was marbled with black veins. Among the undead, it would be known she was a great beauty, but alas no undead had gazed upon her visage. "Third Bishop, your last report pleases me. Explain more to me about this... Transformation that the Dead Souls take." Dead Souls were what Chief Researcher Vincent named the infected, after the mushroom he used to create them. "These Dead souls after a period of time will gather other undead and draw from them. Once a Dead Soul has enough magic power, it will transform into what the Chief Researcher calls a Brutal Dead Soul. He, also, went on to say that they can progress from there, but he had to conduct more experiments." The Third Bishop was alone with the Priestess of the Three Gods within this innermost sanctum. "Brutal Dead Souls... I like this name." The Priestess nodded to herself. "So, these are Vincent''s answer to strong cultivators." "Yes. As the Dead Soul Spores can infect normal and weak cultivators, it takes a long time to break the defense of stronger cultivators. If the cultivator is weakened by stress or battle, then the spores will overcome them transforming them into Brutal Dead Souls almost immediately depending on the strength of the Cultivator." "I love it." The Priestess clapped her hands in delight. "When do the Dead Souls spill into Souigak. I can''t wait to see. Vincent was kind enough to provide me with a personal Crystal Slab for my viewing entertain me. Thinking about it... It makes me want to touch myself. MMMmmm. I think I know what I will be doing while I watch." The priestess gave a baleful laugh, that sounded oddly seductive. "Of course, Priestess. Should I arrange a meal for your enjoyment at that time." The Third Bishop commented as if this was a normal occurrence... It seemed it was. "Hmmmm? Perhaps some snacks would be good. Choose a few good Fleshy fruits. You know how I enjoy them." "Yes. I have had some prepared for a special occasion. These fruits were ripened on the vine of the Baleful Flesh Tree. This tree has only been nurtured by the death and souls of virgin undead. They have just turned black and ripened." "Oh my, how I feel spoiled. If you can provide these fruits, I feel that favoring you will be worth it. I know how you wish to change your status of the ''Third.''" "Yes, my Priestess." The Third Bishop bowed low. More baleful laughing echoed from the inner sanctum. ******* "Creator! The spell model for Glow Stone manipulation is ready for your review!" Tux the penguin came on screen and announced. Jack flipped his book closed, "I feel like this was the longest day of my unlife." Chapter 89: True Death Discoveries Jack pulled over the laptop and reviewed the spell... [HOLY CRAP!] Was the first thought that Jack can come to mind. This spell was very simple. In fact... It was too simple to Jack. He thought for a few minutes, and couldn''t think of a way to make it better. He had expected Tux to make something that would work. He challenged this laptop with making a spell. As spells were basically the programming of the world, he wanted to know if this computer and by extension if Tux could program... It could!! "Tux... This is good work." "I think so, as well. Your words comfort me." Tux replied. Jack thought this was an interesting reply, [Is this thing alive?] Jack shook the question from his mind, as he walked over and grabbed up a few pieces of Glowstone. "Xuuu" Jack hummed a simple hymn. The Glowstone turned into a liquid that Jack could shape with his mind alone. It didn''t get hot, as he thought it would. "This is a form of cold wielding?!" Jack exclaimed. He picked up another piece of Glow Stone and hummed again. This piece melted and he added the pile in his hand with this new one. They merged seamlessly. "This... This is amazing." Jack spoke aloud again, as he found that the hymn didn''t use nearly any magic power. He felt he didn''t use anything at all! Jack went back to his computer, "Tux pull up the plans for Project Helios. I want a piece by piece break down. I will now begin fabricating the throne." "As the Creator decrees." Tux bowed on screen. [At least, I can keep my hands busy.] Jack thought as he began work. ******* Warmarshal Darkfield and Michael both left their horses and surveyed the town called Aymocksey. George bent down and picked up a hand full of dried black powder from the dirty wood board road that lined the town. The town had was constructed out of mostly bones and vines. This showed how poor the town was at the outskirts of their major city of Souigak far to the north. George let the powder fall from his hands. Michael approached George, with both of their armies to their back just outside the town limits. "This is the black substance that you spoke of... I thought it was like ichor... why is it powder?" Michael asked. "It''s dry." George sounded dull. He took another hand full and walked to his horse. He was followed closely by Michael, who still had his huge mace strapped to his back. With one hand, George fished around his saddlebag and pulled out a strange gold device. Michael not being the intellectual asked, "Exactly what is that thing?" "It''s a Micro Lens." "How did you get one? I heard they were super rare." "My family is well off. I know you know this." George placed the powered in a dish and put it under the lens." Michael became bored, "I''m going to go scout around, my friend. This place is creepy quite." While George was looking through the lens, "I don''t remember us being friends, but be safe. Take a vanguard with you." "Will do." Michael disregarded Georges'' unfriendly remark, as per his sister''s demands. After some quick conversation, Michael, his sister, and fourteen of his men walked into the town. They swept each building as they went. "Hold!" Jennifer called. She raised her hand swiftly. "You found something?" Michael came jogging over from another building. "Look at these marks. This is definitely two undead in a shuffle going on, but... Why does it look like the struggle just ended... abruptly?" Jennifer showed the damn on the side of the door of this small-town house. It showed four claw marks, and the team looked at the tracks on the ground. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Perhaps one killed the other?" Michael thought after looking at the other. "And what? Drag the body away? All the bodies...? Why not burn down the whole damn village?" Jennifer frowned. "I don''t know... Those bastards of the three church are a sick lot." Michael shrugged. As far as he was concerned, this was connected to them, and some strange ritual. Honestly, he wasn''t far off the mark. Jennifer pointed on the ground following to the wooden road, "There isn''t any sign of dragging. I''m not a high-level tracker, but it looks to me as they just stopped fighting and left together." "Hmmmmm, maybe they saw something that got their attention or scared them?" Michael thought as he started to feel something eerie in this place. He remained on guard, as up to this point he was relaxed feeling. "The tracks looked like they just slowly left, not with any of the fierceness as when one of them attacked. This is so strange." Jennifer and the team continued to study the tracks that led to the road, while another three went inside to sweep the townhouse. "Jen-Jen... Something doesn''t feel right." Michael pulled his mace from his back, and held it ready to strike, as his eyes darted back and forth on the street. "All of this doesn''t feel right. Look here. A few steps after the tracks lead from the house is all this black powder." She pointed, not looking up at her brother. "We need to leave..." Michael said slowly. He didn''t see anything in the glow of the Streetlamps, but he felt something... Something disturbing. "I think I''m close to figuring out something... Why do we need to be in a hur-" She was cut off, by a creature jumping off the roof of the townhouse. "THE FUCK IS THAT?!" She rolled back. The Creature darted toward her, as it''s long arms clawed at the air, as she was backing away. "BOOOOM." A crater the size of a horse was formed from the force of Michael''s Deadhammer. The Creature was crushed under mace at the bottom of the pit that now formed. Orange dust rose from the pit. "We need to leave, now!" Michael yelled as an order, as a cloud of orange dust drifted behind him. The warriors that had entered into the house rushed back out, and the team formed a circle of protection around both the Warmarshal and the General. They walked as a group, with eyes on all, looked up at the roofs. Halfway back to where George was, they seen the top of these roofs start to sound with cladder. They could see black hunched forms on all the roofs. "Break formation and run!" Michael scooped up his sister and carried her in one hand. His other handheld Deadhammer. The black creatures on the roof were uncountable. Michael felt that there were many more he couldn''t see. At the outskirts of the town, George heard Michael''s booming voice and already called his troops. Michael fell into formation as well, as he had left orders to heed Darkfield in his absence. Behind Michael, who was hauling ass in his big armor with his sister under his left arm, was no one else... It seemed that his fourteen-member squad had fallen in the run. Behind him came running countless black creatures. They made no noise. Silent... Like death... George saw the sight, "Prepare for combat! Let in Warmarshal Michael! Cover the Flanks! Give no quarter!" George pulled from his side several scalpels has he held them in his hands between his fingers in a fist. Michael made it back into the group, as behind him his and George''s soldiers raise spear to drive into the creatures. Plums of Orange dust rose from the first impact. "GEORGE WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE THINGS?!" Michael quickly made his way George. "Mushrooms," George replied, as his right hand disappeared for a moment and reappeared. In the front lines, five creatures slumped over, as they were trampled by more creatures as they used them as stepping stones to attack the warriors on the front lines. "WHAT KIND OF MUSHROOMS DO THIS?!?!" Michael exclaimed as he took up his battle hammer in a two-hand position. "The Dead Soul Mushroom. I''ve seen something like this before, but it wasn''t ever like this. These are just more aggressive. A Dead Soul Mushroom must have evolved or changed. Maybe this is an ancient unearthed Dead Soul Mushroom... But it is a Dead Soul Mushroom never the less." His hand flicked again, and another five Creatures dropped. Orange clouds billowed from their bodies, as they too, were trampled upon. In the light of the Glowstone torches used by the army to Light up the field. The support division finally shed some light, and the sight horrified all warriors present. There must have been a thousand of these things. "We can push forward and take them down." Michael was about to charge into the group. "I think that would be a very bad idea." George held out his hand, as he saw that the creatures were jumping over the first line of warriors and attacking the second line. This wasn''t his focus... His focus was on a few of the warriors on the front line that started slowing down. He could see black mushrooms in their eyes. "Why?" "They are infecting our men. We need to leave. Cut our loses... These troops at the front line are already gone." George stated as he ran to prepare his horse. "We can''t leave our men like this." Michael roared. Just as George and Michael were about to get into a fight over this choice, they heard loud thumping and a shake in the earth. They looked to the battle lines, and way behind the army of creatures, in the dim light of the Glowstone they made out the form of a massive juggernaut stomping forward. George with better sight could see mushroom growths on the behemoth! George no longer hesitated, as he shouted his orders, "First and Second line hold position! All other troops retreat to the horses! Leave and regroup at Souigak! BREAK!" Michael was angry, but he made for his horse, dragging his sister with him. He tossed her up on the horse and rode away quickly. Many of the warriors left did the same, as the First and Second wave fought tooth and nail against these creatures that were quickly breaking their ranks. The group soon left the battle far behind them, as the commotion quieted down. Only the creatures and two hundred warriors were left with black tears draining from their hollowed mushroom eyes. Large pillars of orange dust seem to reach the dark rocky ceiling of the Underworld but without a light source... No one would see them. Michael looked back, as he felt terrible for his men, but relieved that they made it. He looked down as his sister, to discover a large wound on her chest, "JEN-JEN!" Chapter 90: Words to move a Patient; Words to move a Nation After a long and hasty journey to the city of Souigak, the two Warmarshals and their armies made it to the city limits. "Don''t worry so bad, Michael." George attempted to comfort Michael as the two dashed into the city, in a rare situation George had continuously tried to comfort Michael on their ride here. They had already left orders for their armies to camp outside the city, and take report of the wounded and missing in action. "That''s like telling a dog to fly!" Bellowed Michael, who was carrying his sister in a princess carry, closely behind George, as the dashed to the City. George spoke again, "Seriously, there isn''t a wound I can''t cure." Michael remained silent, as the two had blasted pass the city sentries, at the gates of Souigak. The Two Sentries attempted to stop the two speeding intruders, but they had seen the crest of Deagoth on both warriors, as the blasted by... "Were those the... the... Were they both Warmarshals?" One sentry looked to his partner and questioned. "I think so, we need to inform the Archbishop, something big must of happened." "We''re here! Now, where do we go!" Michael questioned as his voice boomed in the dimly lit streets. Even though it was late at night in Souigak, it was still busy with undead coming and going. A testament to the population and prosperity of the most northern city. "My family has a branch here in the city! We will take your sister there! I will have the tools needed to fix her!" George spoke confidently, as he took a left at the next intersection. It seemed he had been in this city before. With a clear direction, Michael focused his attention on his sister. She hadn''t spoken three words since they rode with all their might to arrive. She would spasm in his arms every few minutes increasing the Warmarshal''s dread, during the entire duration of the escape. George came to an abrupt stop just outside a large dark building. The defining feature of this large building besides the sole plot it took up within the City was the large symbol of the Darkfield family. Busting through the doors Darkfield spoke to all the nurses and bone doctors in the area, "I am George Darkfield, Warmarshal and Heir of the Darkfield clan! I need an Emergency room prepared and staffed. I need two assistant Bone Doctors, and I need a Message runner." As they darted in, George was followed by Michael. The staff, after hearing George''s Orders, started moving as if they had been shot with stimulates! The entire building buzzed with talk, and action. The Hospital''s Head Bone Doctor quickly made his way downstairs to meet George Darkfield, and with the aid of the staff, a new room was prepared for them. Michael laid his sister on the bone bed stretcher. He looked up to George, waiting for his next order. "I''m not going to ask you to wait in the waiting room, but I will ask that you restrain yourself no matter what happens. Do you need a chair to sit?" George spoke again dryly, but his words made it easy to know he was doing his best to show care. "I''ll stand... And thank you, my friend." Michael spoke softly. His voice contained many emotions. Fear, anger, respect, thankfulness, and... Hope. "I only ask, that you debrief the message runner I''m having them prepare. Deagoth needs to know what We know. The Dead Soul Mushroom is a threat to all of Undeadkind." Michael nodded, as he put his bad to the wall, as he watched George and the Bone Doctor''s preparing. Michael didn''t know what all his sister''s injury meant, but he knew that it was bad, if he could see guts. He only hoped her soul wouldn''t leak from her body before they repaired her... ******* "So, you must be General Mark." A large hulking geist greeted Mark, as he walked to the encampment. Mark had just arrived with the King of Jakahn''s seal and decree. "It is good to meet you finally, General Jacob," Mark said with a slight bow to show respect. Shock crossed Jacobs'' eyes, but disappeared before anyone could notice it, "It is an honor to have you, General Mark." Jacob for his impressive size stood with a hunched posture but was still five meters tall. He dwarfed Mark in height, but like all geist, Jacob was mostly skin and bones. He wore a Jakahn Military uniform, colored in beige and red trim. While Mark was sizing up Jacob, Jacob was doing the same. Mark stood before the war council of Jakahn also wearing a Jakahn Uniform. Mark was a skeletal undead and had his signature silver monocle over his right hollowed eye. "I''m glad you think so. Before We begin, I would like to address all the lead commanders." Mark commented as he should no arrogance. "Hmmmm... Well, we were planning on something like that anyway. I will gather them up." General Jacob started passing orders. While he and Mark chatted for a few minutes by Jacob''s tent, one of his commanders came over to report. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Hearing the report, Jacob led Mark over to the largest tent in the compound. Mark walked in under the gazes of all the major commanders of the three armies posted here. He showed no cowardice nor arrogance again. His back was ramrod straight, and this instantly gained a bit of respect from those that saw him. Many rumors surrounded this traitor of Deagoth. This aspect of being a traitor, while fitting the agenda of Jakahn, didn''t mesh well with these die-hard patriots of Jakahn. Mark stood on the platform, and overlooked, everyone. He spoke aloud, "I know... Some of you think I got to this position because of political favor. I know that you believe I am a traitor of Deagoth, and this leaves you with a bad taste. I, also, know that you feel my presence isn''t needed." Mark could see that some of the undead commanders slightly nodding their head, before stopping themselves. It was obvious they didn''t mean to nod, but they did so subconsciously. Mark nodded a few times. "Let me tell you first... You are absolutely correct. Everything you believe is true." Mark landed his first headbanger. Many of the commanders, including Jacob who was thinking on how to downplay the situation couldn''t help but give another look at Mark... What was he saying? "I did get here by political favor, so you''re Right. I know the King and Princess of Jakahn, and through them, they have allowed me to come to the front lines with everyone." Mark paused so this point sunk in, "I am in fact a traitor of Deagoth. I was a traitor from day one! If you look at it that way... Then I was never a part of Deagoth. I disdain Deagoth and their hypocritical ways... I won''t go on about such feelings, as I''m sure you disdain them as well. They are not like the Jakahn. Jakahn is a warrior nation that respects the strong, as it should! Strong minds, and Strong bodies! This is what makes a nation great, and Jakahn has excess. I can tell this as I look over this crowd." Many in the audience nodded at this statement and found that they stood slightly straighter. Pride could be seen forming on their already proud features. "Lastly... I''m not really needed here. I believe without me here, you would still steamroll Deagoth! Do I think Jakahn will win this war! No...!" Many undead didn''t understand this statement... How do we steamroll, but not win??? Even Jacob frowned, as he wondered just what Mark was getting at... Before any of the commanding undead could think of what this means, Mark provided the answer, "Because you can''t win a slaughter!" Unknowingly, the blood that slept in all the zombie undead was stirred up as they shouted! "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" "You are the best of the best of the Jakahn''s warriors, and We will engage in slaughter." "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" "I only ask that you listen to a few of my opinions... Opinions that will increase the slaughter!" "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" Mark pointed to Jacob, "And with the War God of Jakahn Jacob, who could stop us!" "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" "HUUUUUU RAAAAAA!" "Jacob, come on up here, and let Us know the war plan!" Jacob quickly made up to the stage, as Mark came down. With the fervor and zeal felt by many of the undead, they couldn''t tell you what the plan was... They only wanted to be pointed in the direction of the fight, so they could run the rivers black with blood. After the pep rally, Jacob, mark and two other Generals were left within the large tent. "What was quite the speech, General Mark." Jacob sincerely spoke. "Thank you, General. I''m only here doing my job. It''s really your credit. Your achievements have been heard from coast to coast. Who doesn''t know that year, it was you that stopped an army of Dragon''s Jaw with a troop of one thousand warriors, never losing one undead." Jacob laughed pleased, "Well in Dragon''s Jaw''s defense, they were stupid to attack from the Dragon''s Pass between the twin peaks. You know numbers mean nothing when they walk in single file." Mark nodded. "Let me introduce these two, these are-" Jacob was interrupted by Mark, "This is General Lee, and this is General Russell. It is a fine pleasure to meet two other outstanding warriors." Mark shook hands with both. General Lee was a Skeletal Undead like Mark, but his face had two deep slashes over his face that gave the appearance of an "X." General Russell was a Zombie undead, short and stout. He was burly with muscles, and harry over his arms. He had a huge upper body in comparison to his short waist and legs. He resembled a gorilla. His hair was wild, and the color of flames. "The pleasure is all ours, General Mark." General Lee said while shaking Mark''s hand. "It''s good ta meet cho." General Russell spoke with an odd accent, that Mark couldn''t place. After introductions, Jacob chimed in, "I''ve already told the plan, what input do you have?" Mark thought for a moment, "The overall plan is good, but let''s make a few fine point adjustments." The group walked over to a large map of Deagoth and Jakahn. They poured over the map, and Mark listed a few key points that should be thought of... He also pointed out all the churches of Deagoth and a few key monuments. After about two hours of planning, Mark bade them night, as he wished to rest before everyone got ready to roll north into battle. Mark had his servants and warriors follow him this way. He had ten servants, one hundred warriors. This was seen as a small escort, and not worth mentioning. No one paid attention to this, as even the commanders would have personal warriors, though much larger than one hundred. Mark entered his tent, and mat his wife again. "How do you feel? Is there anything you need? No one has bothered you, have they?" Mark asked in quick succession. "Okay, No, and No, in that order." Princess Janet snorted. "That''s good... Good... If you need anything, just let me know. If it is within my power, you know I will do it." Mark spoke, as he walked over to his chair, his servants had set up within the tent, he crossed over his wife''s favor fur skin rug that laid in front of his desk. "You know what I want," Janet spoke, as she returned to the book she was reading. She had no idea why Mark had so many books, but it was one of the few things she enjoyed doing now that she was captive. "When... When I get the Skull of the Sun God. I will fix your problems. At that time... If you still want to leave. I won''t stop you. I... I would do anything for you." Mark commented as a pang of sadness welled up inside him. Feeling the emotion. He got up to walk over to a box of supplies, he packed and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he took out another vial. He waited for a few moments while looking into the mirror. He caught the Tear of the Skeleton he just produced into the vial. This vial was a new one he just started. He had many many vials now. He placed the vial back into the box, almost lovingly. He returned to his desk. Princess Janet had seen him do this every time she brought something like this up. He would shed a tear. At first, she didn''t believe in it, but she slowly started to wonder. It would be hard for someone to put up an act like his, for this long. Finally, she couldn''t help but finally ask, "Why do you shed tears when you talk to me." "Haaaa~" uncharacteristically Mark sighed aloud. "How I wish I had lungs to experience the feeling of being able to sigh..." Mark shook his head, "Because I love you. I shed tears because I love you." Mark started to gather his notes on his desk, and began to work, leaving Janet to her thoughts. Her beautiful face looked complex, as she studied her jailer. Chapter 91: A God Laughs within the Light Jack backed off from the giant throne that now laid in the middle of the room. The entire library looked like a disaster had struck it, and even the golden gleam that it first had when he came into it for the first time was now slightly dulled. Jack propped his hands on his hip bones, as he admired his work. The Throne was made from solid Glowstone that he had molded into different parts and interconnected them together. It was like a giant puzzle. He had then installed various other pieces of materials as directed by the schematic provided by Tux. "I really really wish I still had a stomach and a liver... I could use a drink." Jack mused to himself, after his hard work, "Well, maybe when I''m done here I will get together with Crag and kill several pounds of burnt offerings." The more he thought of killing several pounds of burnt offerings, the better the idea seemed to him... Jack walked around the giant Throne. It was gold and glowed with a soft hue. If it wasn''t for Jack''s undead vision, he wouldn''t be able to look directly at it. He figured anyone with actual eyes would need sunglasses to look at it. He liked the decorative touches the penguin took, adding all the skulls to it. It really fits the theme of the ruler of undead. "This... Now, this is what I''m talking about! This is how an undead king should cultivate!" Jack shouted as he came around to the front of the Throne again. He still hated sitting under that lamp and cultivate like a beggar. A King in his mind should do things big! "What I need to do now it get this puppy working." Jack walked over to his laptop. "Tux. Pull information from the ''Heretical Side of the Light,'' and organize it as to how to connect to the Light. Cross-reference this with the Golden Throne tool design as assistance." "Replying to Creator! Please review this information." "What? No waiting?" "...No... It''s all right here!" The penguin made a bow. Jack didn''t question, as he pulled the laptop over to him, as he took a seat. He read up on what he needed to do. The first page had a giant warning, showing the image of large red "X." "Hmmmmm?" Jack muttered aloud, "Can only connect with the Light with the base cultivation of an ancestor. Attempting to complete the connection with the Light prior to obtaining this cultivation base may result in soul damage, soul dispersion, and possibly true death." Jack felt aghast! "True Death and Soul Damage??? What is Soul Dispersion?" He asked aloud. "Replying to Creator! Your soul would dissipate from its source." "I don''t understand... Make this into an analogy that I can understand." Jack asked politely. "Okay. Got it. Image your soul at ancestor rank as a boulder tied to your body by a rope, and the Holy Light like an ocean. When you drop the boulder in the ocean you connect with the Light gaining benefits. You can use the rope to pull the boulder back, so your soul comes back to your body." "Okay... And what benefits are there for doing this?" Jack asked aloud. From what he read there were a few large ones, but he wanted a second opinion. "Of course. Connecting with the Light will improve cultivation, and understanding the power of the Holy Light. Cultivators also call understanding this, as understanding Law. Laws are the rules of Creation and their application. Understanding an aspect of a Law is known as Principles. If you understand the speed of Light, then this is known as the Principle of the Light speed. A Cultivator that knows the Principle of the Light speed can travel at the speed of Light, or A Cultivator that knows the Principle of Destructive Fire can burn any material that is made of the Heavens and Earth." This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Tux provided a long speech that Jack intently listened too... This was better than the search engines in his last life! "Okay... So, if I don''t have the Cultivation of an Ancestor... What will happen." There is the possibility known as Soul dispersion. Instead of a boulder and a rope, your soul at lower levels will look like a bag of water connected by a string. Yes, you can drop it in the ocean, but the cunning eddies and tides can destroy the bag of water and/or the string." Jack felt disturbed. This was a huge risk! "When the bag of water is destroyed your soul with blend with the ocean waters... In this case, your soul will blend into the Light. If the string is broken instead. Your soul will be left to wander within the Light for all eternity until it disperses. If both the string and bag of water are broken, then Tux can only theorize that this is known as true death." Jack thought for a few minutes, while Tux did not interrupt Jack''s thinking. [Should I really take this chance? I mean... If anyone thing goes wrong... I''m deader or worse.] Jack looked up at the ceiling, as the thought more, [I need to get strong, and this is the only short cut I''ve found...] Jack mused some more, [What would happen if I did die... really die... I''d leave Leslie and Emily by themselves... I really shouldn''t do that too them, but if I don''t get strong enough... My entire kingdom could be crashing down in front of me and I wouldn''t be able to do anything... Who knows what jackass will come and just screw them in front of me just to spite me.] Jack mentally frowned. [I need power... Power by any means necessary... Is it worth the risk? Principles of Law. The Law of the Holy Light. Should I think of What Law I want, then go in and think about it. Maybe dip my toe in, see if it is that bad, and duck back out?] Jack felt he came to a conclusion. "Tux. I believe I will test out the Golden Throne. Connect with the Light for a moment, and then come back immediately, if it''s too dangerous." "I understand, Creator. Please read the rest of this information. I hope it is helpful." "Alright." Jack read the entire document. When Jack finished, he pushed the laptop to face the Golden Throne, "Alright Tux, I believe I am going to begin." "Tux understands. Good luck." [Does this laptop know about luck???] Jack wondered, as he approached the Throne. [Hmmm, should I go out to set up my final affairs and my last will and testament?] Jack wondered about if he should tell everyone goodbye like he was going to die. After a few minutes of thinking, if he should, he didn''t want to experience the sadness of Leslie or the others... He also didn''t want to be talked out of what he was about to do. [I''ll just try my luck... I''m not going to connect, but for a few moments.] Jack made up his mind. He sat down in the Golden Throne, as the soft glow enveloped him within it. [This feels cozy.] Jack thought as he was sitting. This Golden Throne was made from all the Glowstone cubiks within his Library. This was an astounding fortune that was in the amount of half a billion Glowstone cubiks... The savings of a King for a thousand years. All used to make a glorified chair. It would be sure that even Leslie would spit up black blood, as the treasurer of the Kingdom. [Alright... Let''s do this... LEEERO- I can''t do that...] Jack shook his head a few times to clear his thoughts as he chuckled to himself, he needed to be serious. [Alright.] Jack concentrated on the cozy feeling within him. He felt like he was by a warm fireplace. He used the method of soul-bonding to move his soul to the Golden Throne, and connect to the Light. Once his soul emerged collectively from his bones it was invisible to the naked eye. If one had the ability to see it, it would appear as a floating liquid ball of gold. It was thick in nature, and one could see a tiny ghostly tether to Jack''s body. Jack urged his soul to merge with the Golden Throne. After a few minutes of resistance, he was able to sync his soul with the resonance of the Throne, and merge. [Oh! OH!] Jack successfully connected to the Light. The Light flooded into Jack and caused him to feel like he was high. The power that he felt flooding him was great, maybe too great! He could feel by the second as he was growing stronger and stronger. His soul was getting thicker, and he was about to break the chains of Knight Rank and Ascend to King Rank! [THE ABSOLUTE POWER!!! POWER OVERWHELMING!!!] Jack couldn''t help but shout in his mind until he couldn''t think anymore. Now, he couldn''t help, but start laughing out loud! This feeling was too great! ******* Lucius, Leslie, Verruca, and Emily were meeting again. This would be the final meeting with Verruca before she personally went to the border of Jakahn. "While I am away, I would-" Verruca was cut off... by the sound of laughing. Lucius, Leslie, and Emily all popped their heads up looking around them, half expecting to see Jack walking in. As they were looking around, it was Emily that pointed at the Glowstone lamps that lit his office, "The laughing is coming from the Glowstones." Lucius stood up, "No... I think it''s coming from the Light itself!" Both Verruca and Leslie spoke loudly at the same time, "Jack!?" Chapter 92: The Laugh that was heard around the Underworld Jordan Lightborn had been traveling none stop to each of the cities to spread the faith of the God-King with the blessing of the Grand Minister. He had left LaZorn and was making his way to Souigak. He was currently about five km from the city limits. He was sitting within the largest carriage, when everything quieted down in the surroundings, as abnormal mad laughing resounded. Many of the Undead in the escort dropped from horseback and took up arms. The wagons rode into a defense position ready for attack. Jordan shook himself away from his giddiness as he tore his gaze from the lamps in his carriage, as he jumped from his wagon! "No one be alarmed! It is our God-King! He had joined us in the Light! Kneel, and pray to the God-King, as he may hear you!" Jordan ceased speaking and dropped to his knees as he prostrated. He continuously murmured passages from the Lexos Divinus. After a few seconds, the other undead dropped the weapons, books, and reigns and followed suit. The Laughing echoed and continued. ******* General Mark was directing a few units of the army to make fortifications to fall back should the siege of Zitergall, the southernmost city of Deagoth, should fail. General Jacob came to stand next to Mark, as he spoke, "What''s the use of falling back when our plan is to push forward?" "In war, it is always best to know your limits. We can''t be sure just what Deagoth will do, now that they have now long kne-" Mark wasn''t able to finish, as loud laughing issued forth through all the encampment of the armies. The laughter continued, and one of the soldiers pointed at a Glowstone, "The Laughing... it''s coming from the Glowstones!!!" The armies started to become restless, as the commanders began to work in getting them back in line, and preparing for combat. They didn''t know if this was a trick of Deagoth to cause chaos before they attacked. "General Mark... Just what is this?" Mark mused for a few minutes, as he listened to the laughter. He then sighed, "I guess getting the Skull of the Sun God isn''t going to be that easy." "What?" Mark shook his head a few times, "This isn''t an attack on us. I assume the Witch King has made another breakthrough... He should need a period of time before he can consolidate his new realm, as he has just broken through twice in a row... We need to attack Deagoth soon, and leave it in ruins before he comes out. Otherwise, we would have to face him and his armies." "Do you... Do you think we can take on a Mid-Level Emperor Rank Cultivator?" Jacob asked... He wasn''t sure. The thoughts of such a Cultivator scared him. The Holy Witch King wiped them from the face of the Underworld no more than a thousand years ago with only the cultivation of a High-Level King Rank Cultivator! He shuddered to think what he could do now. He decided then and there to send a messenger to the King. "Even an undead would fall if a million army ants attacked him. Don''t worry about it. I''m going to go rest in my tent." Mark didn''t bother to wait for Jacob to send him off as he left. [Of course, I won''t be a part of these million army ants when the Holy Witch King sprays bug poison on all of you, so what do I care.] Mark thought sinistrously. ******* The King of Jakahn had left for his room with his two wives, after a late-night war meeting. He had already undressed for the evening, and his pleasurable encounters with his wives had relaxed him. He and his two wives laid upon a massive open led evening tomb. Jack would come to know this style of evening tomb was more akin to a large bed... Only that it also came with a lid. The smoke of the burnt offerings hung heavy in the air. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Husband... What are we going to do with Violet?" Vivian, first wife of Jakahn''s King spoke. She was also Violet''s mother. She laid to the right of the King. The King of Jakahn sighed... "I don''t know... I shouldn''t have encouraged her to follow her feelings. I''ve let her down." He shook his head. "This Mark-undead must be stupid to reject little Violet... How can his current wife match up to her?" Sylvia, second wife of Jakahn''s King spoke next. She was Violet''s aunt. She laid to the left of the King. Both beauties were Skeletal undead, with long flowing blond hair. They were considered exotic beauties in the land of the ruined continent, and it was rare to find Skeletal undead that grew hair and didn''t use replacements. It was unknown as to where their origins lay, even to the King of Jakahn. "I know... But I have to respect General Mark. He is faithful to his sole wife." The King mused as he looked at his ceiling covered in Glowstone Lights. "And??? Outstanding men have more than one wife... Only weak men have one wife." Vivian spat. "That''s not exactly the case. Just because General Mark takes one wife, doesn''t make him weak. It might even mean he has a stronger mind than most. It could also mean that his values are different than Our own." The King explained. "Blah... I say-" "AH HA HAHAHHA! Ah Ha HAHA Haaaa Haha!" Laughter suddenly exploded out of nowhere within the King''s private chambers. Even with the King''s fortitude he couldn''t remain calm, and cursed out, "WHAT IN THE HELL IS THAT?!?!" One has to remember that the Undead were not on good terms with the Demons in the Hell area of the Underworld. The King felt the hair on his brawny arms rise. His two wives shook in fear, they had never heard something like this before. They knew what laughter was, but why did this sound like a maniac? An intruder? The King knowing his room was secure, called his guards. As his personal guards reported in front of them, the news they delivered was disturbing. "No one knows! It just came out of nowhere. The whole City hears the laughter." One guard spoke to the King, upon request. Information was being sent to them by mental messages that it almost made the two guards dizzy. They were used to being the earpieces of the King but never had this many reports sent at the same time. The second guard spoke, "Some of the Light cultivators... They say the laughter is coming from... The Glowstones..." "From the Light?" The brows of the King of Jakahn slammed together. ******* Many Many Many KM away from the Ruined continent, within an overly grand palace, sat a dark figure with blood-red eyes upon a throne. He wore Imperial robes reminiscent of the Emperors of Han Jack would know from his previous life. Laughter resounded in the hall, as it echoed all around. The dark figure frowned, as he turned to his adviser. A dark and eerie voice sounded, "It seems another god has been born in the barbarian islands." His adviser cloaked in shadows nodded, "It would seem so, but what Island?" The laughter continued for some time, as the dark figure on his thrown looked to the Glowstone torches that lit his palace. "It seems this one is the God of Light... A God of Light in the Underworld... How... Unexpected... The Ancestor was right... A world washed by Blood and Light." After thinking aloud for a moment, the dark figure closed his red eyes. "It seems... It''s coming from... The Ruined Continent." The Dark figure snapped his blood-red eyes open. "...How could a God appear on such a devastated land. Out of all the Barbarian Islands..." "Do not question me." The eerie voice of this Emperor sounded out calmly, but coldly. The Shadowy figure bowed quickly, "It was not my intention, my lord!" The figure upon his throne reached to his side, and brought a golden goblet of scarlet to his mouth, and drank deeply. He finished the large goblet in one go and placed it back down. "Send... My oldest daughter to search for this new god. She would like that." It seemed that the blood-red eyes of the Dark figure came to an agreement. "I know your oldest daughter is... Eccentric, but... Will she be willing to go?" The shadowy adviser asked, still bowing low. "She has always sought the Light... As odd as that is... With a God of the Light appearing here in the Underworld. This would be a dream for that child. I can only hope she doesn''t want to swim the Brimstone ocean to meet them. From the sound of this laughter, it appears to be a male. It would do well if she sought his favor... But that child... She doesn''t quench her thirst." The Dark figure shook his head. "I will organize for her to leave immediately." "You best provide her with gifts. We don''t know what this newborn god is like. So, make sure you prepare for any possibility, even if it takes slightly longer for her to meet him." "My lord! The Ruined Continent... It would take her five years, at least, to reach the shores with many galleons." The adviser was covered in cold sweat... Colder than his blood. "Then you better give her the Amulet of Alucard, so the blood winds will be at her back... Prepare enough blood slaves to sate her crew... and her should she wish to revoke her self-imposed blood fast." "Yes, my lord." "Leave me... I wish to ponder this." The laughter continued, long after the adviser left. The dark figure considered the Glowstone Torches, his blood-red eyes narrowed, "Will you be friend or foe... Newborn God of Light?" Chapter 93: The Day the Light went Out Jack sat on his golden throne, as his soul continued to float inside of the metaphysical connection with the Light. [I feel like...! I can feel the whole Underworld!!! SO MUCH RAW POWER!!!] Jack had become giddy with the feeling of power surging through him, he had already broken through the King Rank and was approaching Mid-Level King rank. He was on the threshold of entering a new world, as he continued to explore the full capacity of the Light. Around Jack''s body, the golden words etched into each bone of his shined with radiance, before soon each word burst into holy flames. Unaware Jack''s entire body was wreathed in golden flames. He moved his mind, and he could see glimpses of various places. These images would flash too quickly for him to see them clearly, but he could tell that they were real. He felt like his soul was reaching out, and it was almost like he could touch the membrane that would grant him power unopposed on the Ruined Continent. The golden flames strengthened as they grew brighter. The entire library was now solid white, and only those with true vision or undead vision could look upon Jack sitting high on his Throne. The flames traveled from around his sitting figure to the top of his head. Leaping into the air above his head, they consolidated until they formed a crown of golden flames above Jack''s head. It shined with a regal radiance. Jack was still laughing like a manic, unaware of the changes outside of his body, as he continued to laugh even he felt that he must have lost it. [Maybe I really can become a G- OH!] [OH!] Jack''s soul shook. His laughing ended abruptly, as pain flooded into his soul. It hurt! [OH SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!] Jack felt a stabbing pain in his chest, as if he had a heart. His bones rattled together as he sat on his Golden Throne. [OH, NO! I''VE STAYED TO LONG! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!] Another wave of pain washed over him. It was as if many knives were being stabbed into his chest and twisted, to only be removed and repeated. Jack almost felt like he had a flesh body again! [NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOO!] Jack focused hard on returning to his body. He struggled over the pain to pull his soul back to his body. He wanted nothing more than to end his time with the Light. The joy and feeling of power were quickly fading from his mind, as only pain... Unlike death, he had felt before which was painless... This was the true sting. [I- Got--- I GOT TO!!] *POP* The hue of the Golden Throne softened, as Jack''s head slumped in his chair. The radiant crown above his brow dimmed along with his flaming eyes, flickered... And went out. He no longer moved on his Throne. Jack no longer felt pain now... He was freed from his torment... The whiteout of the room ended, and the laptop still sitting on the table by the Throne went off, as if the battery died. It sat on the table like a flipped-up book, still. Before he could even say goodbye within his mind, as he struggled in his last moments of consciousness... His soul had already blended into the ocean of Light that was made by the collective Light of the Underworld, began to slowly spread out from his Throne within his Library of his Holy Palace at the seat of his capital City of Saigunrai, the jewel of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. ******* The laughter had ended abruptly all through the Underworld; a collective silence ensued. Within Lucius'' Office, the Council of Deagoth, as Lucius called it, were wondering what happened. "I think the God-King must of broke through again! He is simply a cultivating monster." Lucius nodded to himself. [Is he working so hard to make what he said true?] Verruca could only think to herself. She shook her head to get rid of the thought. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Well... I don''t know if you can consider him a monster if he was Emperor rank when he left his tomb, where he was entombed for a thousand years... This could just be a normal ranking up?" Emily commented. Leslie had been oddly silent, as the others turned to face her. They could see black tears rolling down her face as if a strand of black pearls had been shattered and left to fall upon the floor. They were all startled, even Verruca. While Verruca wasn''t on good terms, Lucius and Verruca had known Leslie for just a little over a thousand years... They had only seen her cry once. This was over her family. So, why was she crying now? "Leslie... What''s wrong???" Lucius asked. They all wondered if she got a message from her mother or about her mother. Lucius would usually get these messages too, as per his standing order. He would look out for the consorts while the God-King was out. "I... I don''t know..." Leslie placed her hand on her cheek. She removed it slowly to look down to see black tears staining her ivory white bone hands. Question marks filled the three''s mind, as they looked to Leslie. "What''s wrong, Sister???" Emily placed her hand on Leslie''s left arm. "I feel... I feel... Sad. I feel like my heart''s been squeezed... I don''t understand it, but it feels... It feels so hard to breathe!" Leslie looked up, as the tears continued to stream down her beautiful face. "Hard to breathe?" Verruca now questioned! Undead didn''t need to breathe! "I''m... I''m going to my room. Finish without me. I need to be alone." Leslie fled from Lucius'' Office. The three looked at each other puzzled. Emily was about to follow after Leslie, as Lucius called out, "Leave her... I''m not sure what''s wrong, but it seems that she doesn''t want to tell us." Emily sat back down in her chair. ******* Leslie opened her room door and quickly went inside. She sat at the edge of her evening tomb. [Why... Why do I feel like this???] Leslie could see black tear stains on her Qipao she was wearing, and further, she could barely feel them running down her face still. She sat within her room, wondering... Until a single name surfaced... [Jack.] She jumped up from her seated position, [Something happened to Jack! Is this the disturbance he spoke of? But... But I can''t feel the Light!] Leslie paced around her room, unable to sit back down. [I just heard him laughing... He must have broke through, right???] As she continued her line of thinking, [What... What if he met with a tribulation he couldn''t overcome... OH... Oh, Creator... Please don''t let what I''m thinking be true.] Leslie had come to a standstill within her room. She looked to the right as if she could see through the rooms and corridors of the Holy Palace to Jack''s Library. [Should I... Should I disturb him?] Leslie had never been this indecisive for this long. Leslie knew that she wasn''t supposed to disturb the Holy Witch King within his private Library unless it was the most desperate of situations. In normal circumstances, this would mean she would have to reveal her status as the Shadow of Deagoth and her Banshee form, but Jack already knew about these... [What if he is concentrating on consolidating his new power... If I disturbed him, it could spiral out of control.] She thought deeply. After a long period of going back and forth on whether to visit or not to visit, she finally made up her mind. Clenching her skeletal hand, she walked over to her evening tomb and laid down within. She crossed her hands over her chest, and she spoke her Unholy spell. Soon the form a Banshee ripped from her body. Freed from her moral form, she looked down to see herself. Nodding, she floated through the walls going to Jack''s Library. The Library of the First Holy Witch King was built with only one entrance for him at the front that faces the halls, but it came with a second entrance. One at the back of the Library through a bookcase. It was more of a gap in defense left so that only an Unholy ethereal existence could enter through the wall. The requirements to enter the ''Back Door'' was to be able to walk through walls and be an Unholy Cultivator... The Shadow of Deagoth and its agents were the only ones within the Kingdom that fit this bill, and only the Shadow knew of this back entrance. Leslie circled around the outside of the Library counting the stones that built it, until she found the right number, and moved through the wall. She was greeted with a mess. This was the first time she had ever entered the Library during the Reign of the Second Holy Witch King. She couldn''t believe how messy it was... But the one item that struck her the most was the giant glowing Golden Throne in the middle of the room. She floated to the throne and moved around the sides, as she could see the outline of Jack sitting on the throne. Slightly happy to see him, as she hadn''t seen Jack in almost half a year, she came to the front to look at her love. But... When she arrived at the front of the throne. She looked at her lover''s face. Her love, the Holy Witch King... Jack Bonereaper... Was slumped to the side with his head hanging. She couldn''t feel any unlife within him. Leslie covered her mouth with her ghostly hands. She stared at the unlifeless form of the Holy Witch King. [He looks... So peaceful... Like he''s sleeping. He didn''t even look like this when we entombed him.] She thought as she hurt so deep. Chapter 94: Tears Shed to Raise a Dead God Leslie continued to stare at the slumped skeleton on the Golden Throne after it became too hard to bare to keep looking, she turned her glance to around the room. [What exa-] [Reporting to Mistress.] A mental message reported in Leslie''s mind. [Hold that report. I am currently... dealing with a situation. Hold all reports. Relay my orders.] Leslie replied. [Yes, Mistress...] The shadow agent had never held reports before... There were times recently she couldn''t contact her Mistress, but she had never outright told her to wait... She lingered in her post wondering what she was supposed to do, as she started messaging the other agents. Leslie looked back around the room again and finished her thought, [Jack... What were you doing in here???] She floated around looking at the discarded gray Glowstones, the ashes that were made from the scrolls that Jack had written. [Some kind of array or something else? Did he make something?] She looked to the Throne... [He made that Throne... Is that what got him...?] She looked to a stiff and very thin-looking golden tome laying on one of the closest tables to Jack''s Throne. Leslie floated over to it. It was a very odd tome. It didn''t have any pages. The page in the air was black, and the bottom had many letters but didn''t spell any words. Leslie knew this too must have been something of Jack''s, but she didn''t know what it was... She floated back to the front of Jack and gazed again at his slumped form. [It still hurts just as much...] Leslie had taken a few minutes to look around and guess what Jack was doing... But it didn''t change how she was feeling. She wondered if she didn''t take long enough to calm down, as she felt her emotions rising again... [I really took him as my husband...] Her ghostly face contorted. She began to speak aloud, "Jack... Why did you leave me... You know I took you as my husband, but you left... You didn''t even say bye." Leslie floated to sit down on the floor, as she pulled her legs to her and wrapped her arms around them. "You know I told you once that I first had a crush on you... It''s true... It wasn''t really love. To be honest, what I really love its knowledge and power. It was your father that told me knowledge is power and to guard it well... And then you just had to come bumbling into my room and looked straight at my form." Leslie lowered her head. "But... Why didn''t it repulse you? Why did you touch me? How did you touch me? I just... Any other undead that seen me was in fear, granted I only showed myself right before the kill. Stupid Marquis Mark introducing his pawns... Now he has joined Jakahn... Did you know Jack that Mark joined Jakahn?" Leslie began to talk like Jack could listen. "But... You, out of the blue, came out of your entombment, and before the entire world said that I was your consort... You didn''t even ask my opinion! If whatever you call that in the dressing room was seeking my opinion, then you don''t know a woman''s heart from a piece of Glowstone on the wall." Leslie gave a light laugh. "But... I was happy, you know. Yes, I was being, as you call it, ditsy at that time. No one was messaging me... I just stood there dazed. The Holy Witch King took me, as his consort! Why? I had so long tried to her your attention, and the most you ever let me was to wash your linens! Even though I was delegated a task that was left to maids... I really was happy then... It was like zero to one hundred. You left your entombment, and allowed me to bathe you! Then... I''m your consort. It was a lot to take in." Leslie''s voice contained humor, as she continued to stare at the ground. Her ethereal fingers traced her bone in her hands where they were wrapped around her legs. "I was so mortified when court ended. I had sat for the entire time on the side of your Throne like a common wench from the long pass of the barbarian kings... Do you know how many of the other noble ladies and female Officials contacted me the days that followed? Too many... That''s how many." Leslie laughed. "But... I was happy. Then that whole thing happened with my wretched family. Damn them, is the only words that come to mind. Even my father... I was blind, and I just didn''t want to see the truth, now that I look back. I remember I cried... I remember I cried, and you didn''t want to see me like this. I remember how you acted then. Almost like a manic! You damned everything to leave to get my mother, right then, because I wanted it. You even offered to bring my father back... Which I don''t know how you do it, but I believe you..." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Ghostly tears formed at the corners of Leslie''s eyes, as she lifted her head to look at the unlifeless skeleton, that sat within the soft glow of his Throne. "I ask again... Why did you leave me? I know you did this for power... I''m not a fool... But... WHY DID LEAVE ME! I WANT TO DIE AGAIN WITH YOU! HOW DO I LIVE IN A WORLD THAT''S WITHOUT YOU, DAMN IT. WHY COULDN''T...! WHY COULDN''T WE HAVE DIED TOGETHER!" Tears fell from Leslie''s face, as she floated up, pointing her finger at the guilty sitting on his Throne. The ghostly tears that feel from her face would vanish as if falling into the void. "DAMN YOU! Why... Why did you promise..." Leslie sobbed harder, "Why did you promise to marry me... I''m not even truly your wife! You lied to me! You told me the truth then, but only to know it was a lie later!" Leslie continued her accusations. She rose her voice, "YOU ASKED ME LAST TIME! YOU ASKED ME WHAT DO I WANT OF YOU! WELL, DAMN IT! I WANT YOU BACK! I WANT YOUR SORRY LYING BONES BACK! IF YOU ARE REALLY WHAT LUCIUS SAYS, THEN YOU CAN DO IT! DO IT FOR ME!" Leslie no longer held herself in the air, and fell to the floor, sobbing her last lines, as if they were a pray, "...I want you back... ...I just want you back...." Over, and over, as she hit the floor of the Library with her fist. "Les... Lie...?" "Huh?!" Leslie stopped and looked up. She heard something call her name... "Jack?" Leslie floated up from her place on the floor, before the golden throne. She stared hard at Jack still slumped on the throne. He still looked the same. "Les... Lie..." "Jack!?" She again called out. She looked around the room, it seemed her name echoed this time from many areas. It sounded like tens upon tens of Jack''s spoke her name. "Jack!? Are you there? Are you in another form? Are you like a banshee too????" Leslie frantically called out in hope. "....No...." Overcome with joy, Leslie floated around calling to Jack wondering what was going on! He wasn''t dead! Then... Why was she so sad, why did he look true dead on his glorified chamber pot? "Then what is it? Come back to your body, so we can talk! Damn it you had me worried!" Leslie laughed a bit, as she was slightly angry with her self for losing control. "I... Can''t... Right... Now..." Leslie stopped back in front of his Throne, "Why?" "I... Mm... Sorry..." "Well... As long as you come back right now, I won''t be mad anymore... Just hurry up. Why can''t you come back?" "Don''t... Cry... Any... more..." "Alright... I can do that... But... Can I see you? What''s going on?" "I... Was... Foolish... My... Soul... Is... Broken..." Leslie froze in mid-air, "What???" "My... Soul... Is... One... With... The... Light... It... Wasn''t... Strong... Enough..." "Oh, my Creator...! But... How are you still talking! Where are you talking from!?" "From... The... Light... Walk... To... The... Light..." Leslie floated to the closer to the golden throne, as far as light sources when, this giant chair was the brightest thing in the room. She was enveloped with the Light as well, it stung slightly on her form, as the direct contact with her was slightly painful. "Can you... Hear me... Better?" "Kinda... When can you come back?" Leslie asked while she gritted her ghostly teeth. "When I collect... All the pieces... Of my soul back..." "...Just... Just as long as you can come back, I don''t care if it takes another thousand years... Just do it!" Leslie continued to hold on to better hear Jack. The Light was bothering her, as the stinging pain started to turn to a burning pain." "I will... Just... Don''t cry... Again... I''m sorry..." "...Did you seriously come back from beyond the dead, because I cried?" Leslie wore a funny face that was mixed with pleasure, pain, and humor. "Yes... I don''t want... My woman... To cry... I... didn''t lie... I will marry you..." "Alright! I''ll keep my tears to myself, just hurry up! Bad things are happening in the kingdom, and We need you. I don''t want you to be away, and then come back at the last second and save us like a hero... You''re not a hero! You''re my villain!" "Yes... Your villain... Always and forever... I love... You..." "I love you too, you selfish bastard..." Leslie giggled. "I can... Tell the Light is... Hurting you... Go back... I will work... On my side... As well..." "You better! Hump." Leslie floated out of the Light of the golden throne, and back into the room. Just before she was about to exit the Light, Jack spoke again. "Whenever... You need me... Call to me... From a place... With Light... I will... Answer you..." The searing pain that just started left her, as soon as she exited. She looked slightly singed all over. It was a result of the Light being the direct counter to Darkness. Leslie nodded, at Jack''s last comment. "Jack... One last thing..." "....Yes...?" "Did you... Did you hear everything I said before you... Ummmm... Woke up..." "....Yes...." "You friggin bonehead! You''re supposed to lie about that!" Leslie was anger because she would know the truth with either answer, but she wanted Jack to pretend he didn''t if he had! "I live... Again... Because of... Your tears... My precious... Honey Ghost..." "AUGH! What kind of endearment is that! I''m a banshee, not a damn ghost!" Leslie said before she floated around the throne and was about to float out the back door for her. "...Is Bony... Hands... Better...?" Leslie turned back to look at the back of the throne, "Jack... I love you, but you''re a nerd." Leslie said with a smile before she left through the wall. Chapter 95: Godly Amoeba of Light! The Death of a Gods Pride [A nerd huh? I can live... unlive... exist? Yeah, exist with that.] pieces of a tattered soul drifted in the Light. Though pieces of Jack''s soul were continuously bathed in the Light, he could just barely make out geometric shapes in the Light, where he now resided. He thought back to earlier, wondering if this was another dream. ******* [Hu... Uh?] Some part of Jack could hear distant talking... [...] "Jack... Why did you leave me...? You know I took you as my husband, but you left... You didn''t even say bye." He could hear but didn''t understand exactly. [Who''s... Who''s Jack?] The tattered pieces of a golden orb were strung throughout the place of Light. As he was bored in this place, he continued to listen to the voice that was talking, while making comment, [So tired...] "...To be honest, what I really love is knowledge and power... And then you just had to come... looked straight at my form." [Knowledge and power...? Who''s talking? Who''s there? What''s a who? I just want to sleep... What is sleep?] The tattered pieces flickered in the plane of Light, surrounding the nexus that was Jack''s connection. "...Why did you touch me...? ...Now he has joined Jakahn..." The golden tatters stirred a bit but showed no other movements, [Touch... What is touch? Touch is good? So many questions... Do I know questions?] The tattered orbed stirred more while it could hear the voice continue, [Hmmmm? This sound... It sounds... Sad? What''s sad? Am I sad? Is she sad? Who''s she?] "...I''m your consort. It was a lot to take in." [Con... Sort? Why does this pain me? I remember pain. Lots of pain. Is that why I am so tired? Just want to let go...] The golden flakes drifting in the Light shuddered, as it heard silver bell laughter. [Such sweet sounds... Laughter? I remember laughing! Laughing is when you''re happy, but why does this sound sad too? So much sadness...] "...Which I don''t know how you do it, but I believe you..." [You believe in me? Don''t people believe in gods? Am I a god? I slightly remember being called a god...?] A few pieces of the tattered remains of the golden orb floated into each other and were absorbed into a large chunk, that then formed a shard of gold. The remains of the orb could hear better now. "I ask again... Why did you leave me? I know you did this for power... I''m not a fool... But... WHY DID LEAVE ME! I WANT TO DIE AGAIN WITH YOU! HOW DO I LIVE IN A WORLD THAT''S WITHOUT YOU, DAMN IT. WHY COULDN''T...! WHY COULDN''T WE HAVE DIED TOGETHER!" [I left...? For power? Died... Died again... I died...] "DAMN YOU! Why... Why did you promise..." The golden remains stirred anxiously over the sounds of sobbing. "Why did you promise to marry me... I''m not even truly your wife! You lied to me! You told me the truth then, but only to know it was a lie later!" [Wife...? Con... Sort? Consort. My wife. Crying? No... Can''t be. Ugh... Just want to sleep, so sleepy.] "YOU ASKED ME LAST TIME! YOU ASKED ME WHAT DO I WANT OF YOU! WELL, DAMN IT! I WANT YOU BACK! I WANT YOUR SORRY LYING BONES BACK! IF YOU ARE REALLY WHAT LUCIUS SAYS, THEN YOU CAN DO IT! DO IT FOR ME!" [Lying? Me lie? I lied to my wife? Never! Don''t cry!] "...I want you back... ...I just want you back...." The many small pieces of the shattered and tattered orb forcibly attracted to each other, as it now formed a misshapen golden orb that suspended in the Light. It was only the size of a cherry, instead of the normal size of an ostrich egg. The Orb struggled to vocalize its thoughts, and finally, in a broken voice, it spoke the name that came to mind. The name is loved. The name of the one it didn''t want to cry, "Les... Lie...?" "Huh?!" [She... She heard me! Who was me again?] "Jack?" [Right! My name... My name is Jack. Jack Bonereaper! I need to call her again!] "Les... Lie..." "Jack!?" "Jack!? Are you there? Are you in another form? Are you like a banshee too????" If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. [Ack! I don''t think so... What happened to me.] "....No...." "Then what is it? Come back to your body, so we can talk! Damn it you had me worried!" [I know I can''t leave right... now... hmmmmmm... Must talk more.] "I... Can''t... Right... Now..." "Why?" "I... Mm... Sorry..." "Well... As long as you come back right now, I won''t be mad anymore... Just hurry up. Why can''t you come back?" [Her voice... I must do more...!] Jack pulled more pieces of himself surrounding his misshapen golden orb. Bits and Pieces of him that were shredded flowed back to the orb to reform it. While this misshapen golden orb wasn''t very pretty, and could just barely count as a soul... If it had the strength of a thin piece of plastic, it now had the strength of steel. It seemed that being directly quenched in the Holy Light provided an unexpected boon. "Don''t... Cry... Any... more..." "Alright... I can do that... But... Can I see you? What''s going on?" [What happened? I... I was trying to get stronger... Oh... Soul Dispersion...!] "I... Was... Foolish... My... Soul... Is... Broken..." "What???" "My... Soul... Is... One... With... The... Light... It... Wasn''t... Strong... Enough..." "Oh, my Creator...! But... How are you still talking! Where are you talking from!?" [I can''t hear her, as well as I want... I have to make her come to me, so she can hear me.] "From... The... Light... Walk... To... The... Light..." Jack floated to a dark spot that was made known in the Light. It was an inversion of light being cast on it, as much as it looked like the beloved face of Leslie was shining in the darkness. "Can you... Hear me... Better?" "Kinda... When can you come back?" [That''s a damn good question.] Jack sensed around him... There is a lot of me everywhere... I really screwed up this time... Haaaa~] "When I collect... All the pieces... Of my soul back..." "...Just... Just as long as you can come back, I don''t care if it takes another thousand years... Just do it!" [Of course, I will do it... Hmmmm, I wonder if I can bone with my soul like this...] Jack wondered, and this shook it off, he heard a slight sniffle. "I will... Just... Don''t cry... Again... I''m sorry..." "...Did you seriously come back from beyond the dead, because I cried?" [Damn right! I''m a lot of things, but I''ll make sure my woman sheds no tears! I still have to marry her!!!] "Yes... I don''t want... My woman... To cry... I... didn''t lie... I will marry you..." "Alright! I''ll keep my tears to myself, just hurry up! Bad things are happening in the kingdom, and We need you. I don''t want you to be away, and then come back at the last second and save us like a hero... You''re not a hero! You''re my villain!" [Villain? Haha! Fine, of course, I am! It''s the only way I know how!] "Yes... Your villain... Always and forever... I love... You..." "I love you too, you selfish bastard..." Leslie giggled. [Ah, her giggles... It sings to me. How I wish to be free to hold her... To look at her... Hmmm? The light... It''s hurting her!] "I can... Tell the Light is... Hurting you... Go back... I will work... On my side... As well..." "You better! Hump." [She''s leaving? I need to let her know I''m still here for her!] "Whenever... You need me... Call to me... From a place... With Light... I will... Answer you..." "Jack... One last thing..." "....Yes...?" "Did you... Did you hear everything I said before you... Ummmm... Woke up...?" [I heard most of it... Though, I doubt I will remember must... I need to stay conscious! Feeling so tired. Better answer truthfully!] "....Yes...." "You friggin bonehead! You''re supposed to lie about that!" [What did I say wrong??? Well... I live for her, unlive... I''ll just leave it as live for now... I don''t even know what I am at the moment.] "I live... Again... Because of... Your tears... My precious... Honey Ghost..." "AUGH! What kind of endearment is that! I''m a banshee, not a damn ghost!" [I thought Honey Ghost was good... Well...] "...Is Bony... Hands... Better...?" "Jack... I love you, but you''re a nerd." [What did I say?] ******* Jack was left alone within the Light above the space that was his throne. He could see around him, [I think I prefer villain better than nerd, but if Leslie likes that better, I won''t stop her. Creator help anyone else that says it though!] After his brief reminiscing, he observed his surroundings in the light. He was able to see and hear in the same way he could within his skeletal form. This made it easy to move along. He could see far away from his golden bits, bobs, scrapes, and flakes that should be his soul floating away from his in a circle, with him at the epicenter. [I really, really screw up here.] Jack commented again. [I should have ducked out earlier than I did, but it felt damn good!] after a few minutes of pondering Jack thought some more, [No... This is just me being stupid. I should of know there is no free lunch. Haaa~ I should have talked this over with them, and then maybe get some help? I''m sure that Tux could have figured out how to make a stronger soul... I just didn''t want to bother anyone... Didn''t want to let them down, ya know...] Jack felt morose, [I shouldn''t have taken the risk... I really let Leslie down! Damn it, I even knew better!] Jack complained as he probed his form. As he continuously tried, it felt he could move parts of him, but he couldn''t move from his spot. [How the crap do I move like this? How do blobs move? Wait? Hmmmmmm Blobs do move! Amoebas! I''ll just phantom foot my way to victory...!] [....] [I think I just hit rock bottom... I can''t even right now... Phantom foot my way to victory... I''ve thought a lot of things, but I think that is rock bot... No... This is below the rock... Best not to think about it!] Jack tossed the thought train out the window of his mind, as he manipulated a part of his soul to lurch out, and cling to the Light around him. Even though he could pass through the light, he could also grab onto the Light. It was a very weird feeling. After a bit of struggling, Jack had moved one inch in the Light! [I guess I am a godly amoeba! This just can''t be right... Got to stay focused! Leslie! Emily! Leslie! Emily!] Jack continued to chant in his mind. He had made it next to several small flakes, and globs of his soul. He stretched out his golden feelers to make contact with them. After some struggling, Jack was able to pull them into himself and enlarged slightly. [Oh wow! I feel like a bit of the haze I''m in is better.] Jack looked around again, and this time he could see further into the plane of Light. He could see parts of his soul a long way from him. [Ah crap! This is going to take forever.] Jack began to move to the next closest batch now that he took all the pieces in this spot. He never questioned how he was existing in the Light when earlier it had torn him apart. Jack continued his slow, tedious, and extremely boring task of collecting his soul bits. He mused along the way wondering if this could be called a form of training. He looked back to where he was coming from and could see a long wiggly tether dangling up into the Light like some time of fishing line. He knew this was his soul tether. [If I can collect my bits back together, I could attach back to the tether, and get out of this place! No one can ever know what I did here! I mean choking on a noddle was a crap way to go... But near dying like this... This is the mega-genius equivalent of dying on the toilet.] With more zeal in his realization, he turned back to get all the bits in the north side first, and then make a large circle. It felt like an eternity to Jack when he got the last piece of his soul in the north. Some flakes were floating off further, as he tried to get them. He turned and started making his way to the west side. As he was traveling he heard something in the Light. [Hmmm? Who''s calling me? The God-King Amoeba? I mean... The God-King of Deagoth!] Jack mentally frowned. Chapter 96: Ill Stare Straight into the Sun Skull As Jack had been exploring this plane of Light, he had come across many different looking objects. The most normal were what appeared were numerous black holes, almost a sea of black holes, that Jack avoided like a plague, as he lurched to collect more paces of himself. There were so many black holes that extended beyond where Jack could see, it felt like there were more black holes than Light. Other objects included shapes of Light in geometric formations, and the rarest were large spheres of intense Light. Jack also avoided these pseudo-suns, as well. As he was traveling he would hear countless people talking. It was almost like a realm of chaos, as he couldn''t quite understand them. Occasionally, he would try to focus on one voice to make out what was being said but failed to discern any useful information. [I''m not sure if it''s because I don''t have more pieces of my soul, or if this place is just a mad plane of existence... But all these voices are giving me a headache... Soulache? Haaaa~] Jack couldn''t be bothered with the exact wording. As he was coming from the north side collecting more of himself, he heard a clear voice from one of the black holes. ******* It had been a week since George and Michael had made it back to Souigak with their armies. In fact, their armies were still camped just outside, north of the City. Jennifer''s, Warmarshal Michael''s sister''s, surgery was a complete success, and under normal circumstances, she would have been discharged two days ago, with the warning to not engage in any physical actions for at least two weeks per normal Zombie undead recovery... But... "George... Are you sure there isn''t a way to remove the Dead Soul Mushroom from Jen-Jen?" Michael asked as he, and George gazed at his sister, who had been quarantined. She had just now fallen asleep again, after another round of Alexander''s Medical Grade Sleeping Potion was used on her. Michael could see the Mushrooms that were firmly rooted in her eyes, and the pain of seeing her struggle. She didn''t scream, but he could see her mouth working as if she wanted to... But didn''t have the ability. He could see her mouthing his name, as the mushrooms grew in her eyes, and black tears streamed down the sides of her face. It wasn''t long after that her mouth clenched, and she no longer acted like the sister he loved. "I admit defeat this time... I can repair her body, but I can''t cure the Dead Soul Mushroom. It''s bonded to her soul. I could remove it, but it would wipe out her soul. There wouldn''t be a difference than just being killed." George spoke dryly. Michael turned, and rushed George lifting him up by his lab coat in the air, as his feet left the ground, "YOU SAID YOU COULD FIX ANYTHING! FIX HER!" George looked down from where he was lifted, and never raised his voice, "I was proven wrong. The best I can do now is to ease her passing. I''ve never said this before, so I will say it now. I''m sorry, but there is nothing I can do." Michael lowered George back down, "I- I''m sorry. I shouldn''t of..." "It''s okay Michael." George put one of his hands on Michael''s that still held his collar. "I will not insist on donating her to us for research on the Dead Soul Mushrooms, but I can give you some time before we have to dispose of-" George didn''t get a chance to finish when an odd hunched undead walked in caring a Glowstone plated book. "I''m sorry to interrupt, but I couldn''t help but come to see the girl that cried Dead Tears." Michael let go of George, and they both turned to look at the funny looking undead that walked into the room with them. He was dressed in white and gold and carried the symbols of the faith of Deagoth. However, Michael saw one symbol that he didn''t understand, even though he was raised in the church. It was a skull face with two dots of fire in the place of the eyes, and a crescent halo over the skull. "Excuse you. How did you get back here?" George asked, stepping forward. "Oh, come now. There are many faithful, and there isn''t anywhere I can''t walk." The funny undead walked over with his Glowstone plated book to the side of the bubble that contained Jennifer. There was an orange haze inside that bubble. The undead shook his head. "Ummm... Are you a priest?" Michael asked as he followed the undead. He was nervous for his sister. He wasn''t going to let this undead be her end, George, or anyone else. "No, sir. I''m called a prophet by the people, but you can call me Jordan Lightborn, or Prophet Lightborn if you are part of the Faithful. Jordan looked over some of the symbols on Michael''s armors and knew he was a Warmarshal and a Templar. "Michael, this would be the new prophet of the God-King," George spoke plainly while eyeing this hunched undead. He didn''t look like the rumors. Michael looked on and wondered about how the faith changed so much since he left. "Warmarshal Michael, I can assume you are in pain, as your sister lies here. But honestly, I can see the pain, even if your face is bone." Jordan spoke cryptically. "Obviously." Michael was short on patience. Jordan shook his head and looked over the sleeping beauty. He paid attention to the mushrooms in her eyes, as he mumbled a few incoherent words. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "What are you doing here... Prophet?" Michael asked. "I came to see the girl, and see if our God-King would intervene," Jordan said as he looked back up at Michael. "God... King...?" "You haven''t been informed of the God-King?" Jordan furrowed his brows. "Not exactly. I heard a bit, but I haven''t returned to Saigunrai from my last campaign." "You and your sister are very lucky, that I have come to Souigak in my tour of the Cities." "Why?" "The God-King can cure your sister. He can cure-all." Jordan said with confidence. This room had many Glowstone light fixtures above, and unknown to them was on the other side of this Glowstone light fixture, in the plane of light floated Jack in a misshaped blob the size of a gold ball listening. Jack peered through the black hole and was astonished he could see on the other side, and furthermore what he saw was shocking. He could see the top of the heads of three people, and a girl in what appeared to Jack as a hospital bed. The person he heard talking was Jordan Lightborn. He couldn''t understand anyone in this crazy abyss, but he could hear him loud as day. He could just barely make out what the Zombie with the Skeletal Head, and he didn''t understand a word spoken by the tall dark Zombie. [Look man... Jordan... I can''t cure his sister... Why are you dumping them on my lawn?] Jack wanted to cry but had no tears. He was drawn to the sound of someone clearly saying God-King but didn''t know that when he finally lurched over that he was being dumped on... "So, you''re saying that if I pray to some God-King that... He will appear and save my sister?" Michael folded his arms and looked down on the hunched undead. "Yes, but you must pray to him, and mean it!" Jordan stuck his finger up and shook it. "Not likely," Michael spoke flatly, this impressed George, as George was the driest and flattest bastard in Deagoth. "Let me ask you Michael Dunnder." Jordan pulled back his decrepit finger, as Michael frowned over being address by full name. "Do you love your sister?" Jordan asked like he already knew. "Of course. That goes without saying." Michael nodded, his hands still folded. "Do you love her... More than you should?" Jordan asked again. "I don''t know what you''re hinting at..." Michael started anger slightly. "Be at peace Michael Dunnder! The God-King approves of love! He has much love! He even has two consorts that will soon be his wives. He has the compacity to love, as well as hate... But I''m asking you... Do you love her enough to bow and pray to the God-King to save her?" Michael had unfolded his arms, and looked to his sister, as he looked up at the ceiling. [I have to give that bat-shit crazy Jordan credit where it is due... He knows how to bullshit someone... Jack looked down from his area of Light into the skull face of Michael, and for some reason, he could feel that Michael was changing his feelings. "George... If I do this, will it hurt Jen-Jen?" Michael looked back at George. He shook his head, "I don''t know anything about faith, but I know that many strange things I can''t explain occur. Cultivation is magical in a way, but Faith even transcends it. I say give it a try." George laid his thoughts bare. "Alright... What do I say?" Michael concluded as he turned his head back. He would do anything for his sister; he merely wanted George''s opinion. Jordan flipped his Glowstone plated tome, "This is the Lexos Divinus Fidelis. The true Tome of the God-King. Read this, and if you mean it... Then you will feel your power leave you, and the God-King will answer your request. If your request isn''t to his liking, or if you aren''t sincere... Then forget it." Jordan handed the Tome to Jordan flipped to a page. "Read this?" "No... Mean it, when you say it. Read it to yourself, and then say it. I have a few minutes before I have to leave for my servants to visit the Archbishop here." Jordan spoke clearly. [...I''ve never read his funky tome... I should have Tux scan it.] Jack mused, as he watched. He even temporarily forgot his situation as this was interesting. He only hated that he was going to watch failure, but he had decided as if he didn''t have anything to do with it. Michael read the page and then looked up to Jordan. Jordan smiled in response. Michael re-read the page in the tome again. He finally looked back up for the second time, "This is a Holy Hymn." "Yes. We sing to our God-King for his pleasure, not the Light. He is the Light, after all. It would be redundant to sing to both." Jordan nodded a few times. "What does this Holy Hymn do?" Michael could tell it was spellwork, but not the effects. "It does as I have said it does. I have time for you, but not all the time, and the God-King..." Jordan looked up into the Light, "Is becoming impatient." [Did this fucker just look at me?!] Jack shivered in his blobby form, [Okay... Now I am officially creeped... There is no way this fucker knows I''m here.] "Alright. I''ll take this chance! If this works, my life is no longer my own! I may war for Deagoth, but I will die for this God-King if he saves my sister." Michael kneeled to one knee. Jordan put his hand on Michael''s shoulder, "He will do more than just save your sister... He will save us all. I will spare a bit of my power to you as well." Michael could feel warmth enter him, as he took bowed his head. This warmth was unlike the kind of Light he cultivated. He mixed it with his own, and the two powers did not reject each other. So, he focused on the hymn and hummed it out. This Hymn was written with words and spellcraft... Almost like a ritual. "Oh, God-King of Light, He who protects and guides all of undeadkind, please hear my cries. I look to the Light and humbly ask you to grant your servants'' request. I''ll stare straight into the sun skull, and I won''t close my eyes. In return I give my faith to the God-King, and a part of my humble power..." Michael wasn''t sure how to finish. In a low tone, Jordan whispered, "Fool... You must end with what your request is! He''s a god, not a mind reader! Don''t forget the spell work to say after the request!" "AH! Please cure my sister of the Dead Soul Mushrooms! I beg you! She''s all I have left, and I love her with all that I have left! Please cure her! Ummm...? Preces Exaudiantur!" Michael finally gritted his teeth and shouted. As Michael completed his hymn, he felt his power that he had temporarily stored from Prophet Lightborn and his own leave him. He, Jordan, and George collectively looked up to see a faint golden trail of light snaking its way into the Glowstone light fixture above the room. [What the crap is this?] Jack looked own as the Light came through the black hole and joined into his Newtonian fluid like body. Jack felt a bit stronger, and a bit clear-headed! [Did... Did they just give me power???] Jack felt like he had collected twenty pieces of his soul in one grab. He could head Michael clearer now. "Why isn''t anything happening?" Michael was about to get off his knee. Again, in a low whisper, "You fool, stay your position. The God-King hasn''t decided yet... Do you just make a snap decision!" While a whisper it was a snap at Michael, but Michael didn''t care. He just wanted to know if this would work, as he regained his former kneeling position. George behind them looked on in curiosity. Chapter 97: Too Lazy to Explain Jack felt the changes in his soul. [Then... does that mean, if those that pray and request me to give me power for my favor??? How do I answer their requests?] Jordan whispered, "If We are lucky the God-King may even send a piece of his soul to Us. This would cure your sister." Jack heard this and wondered if Jordan could hear his thoughts... Creepy... [Do I... I could just toss a piece of my soul down there... Will that work? Can I cast spells up here? I have no idea... but screw it. At least I can make a good show.] Jack thought solemnly. [Alright! Let''s play this little game. Go down there and fix this mess!] A long tendril extended from his blobby soul and whipped down to the black hole, at a blinding speed. It snapped off a small piece of Jack''s soul. Jack spared a small piece of his soul, as mentioned by Jordan, though the power he took in to form this bit of soul was less than three times what Michael gave him. A bargain to Jack. A long silence ensued in the room. Jordan hunched over to the side of the bubble that contained Jennifer, and Michael in front of Jordan. George stood in the back, now becoming decreasingly uninterested as time passed. Just when Michael was going to question again, all those present felt an overbearing pressure descended from above. The three-conscious undead looked up to see a pinpoint dot of blindly light. Jordan stared directly at this Light, even with his flesh eyes, while Michael could see with his undead vision. George had to shield his eyes. As it slowly fell into the room, it seamlessly moved through the quarantine bubble that held Jennifer. It then stalled in midair at the edge of her bed. The tiny dot then grew into the image of Jack. Lifesize, and completely golden. The avatar even had the same flaming eyes and the most striking thing was that behind his head was a half-crescent halo that shined like the skull of the sun god. Now the Avatar was floating in the air within the bubble, at the bottom of Jennifer''s bed. Jack was startled. Not because this avatar looked like him, but he could see through the eyes of this avatar and move it like it was his own body. He could see two images! One where he was, and once inside the room below him! It was an extremely freaky feeling, like wearing VR goggles that each eye showed a different image, neither overlapping... [Ummm... Let me think... I''ll pull her soul out, and cleanse it... I''ll just shove it back in... That should do, right?] Jack noticed that this thing in the girl''s eyes was not just rooted into her body, but it had parasitically attached itself to her soul. He was extremely impressed with how the mushroom-like plant could cross physical barriers into soul barriers. Jack wondered if this parasite had some type of passive magic. Michael had already stood up by the time the dot of light descended, but now he gawked at the image of the Avatar. "IT''S THE HOLY WITCH KING!" Michael yelled in a whisper. He didn''t dare to scream at the top of his lungs. "No... It is the God-King." Jordan said with a bit of piousness in his voice, reminding Michael. George stood slightly stunned. He, as a fellow Warmarshal, had seen The Holy Witch King before, but... Why was he here now?! How was he here now?! "Solxeees" The Avatar hummed, as he was undisturbed by those in the room, with his hand extended to Jennifer. As a beam of light descended over Jennifer. The beam of light was being emitted directly from the hand of the Avatar. Many tendrils formed from the Light, and invaded Jennifer''s body through her abdomen. They tugged on her body. As they tugged, her body shook and quivered like a leaf in the wind. Still the tendrils pulled, as her body rose slightly in the air. Her arms and legs dangling and spasming. With a final pull, a light golden smokey wisp was pulled out of Jennifer. This golden smokey wisp though had many dark pulsing veins on it. It looked infected if a soul could be described. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Now free from the body, Jennifer collapsed on the bed, and the soul floated a few centimeters above the Avatar''s hand. Jordan remained silent, but with a nonsensical grin plastered on his face. How he longed for this to happen to him. Michael and George''s mouth were gaped open. Michael''s mouth was hung open so wide, that his Jawbones threaten to fall off, and George could fit half a dozen eggs in his mouth. The Avatar nodded to itself, and then hummed another hymn, "Xureall." Blinding Light surrounding the light golden wisp, and slowly the dark veins burned. They burned like a fuse, ever so slowly, until they were no more. The soul now floated above the hand of the Avatar emitted a radiance, instead of the gloom it had before. The Avatar spoke, "Do you feel pain now?" Jack''s voice boomed within the room. It shook the very foundation of the hospital. All the doctors, nurses, and patients in the building looked up to wonder who asked this question... The soul spoke in the voice of Jennifer, "...No..." Michael shuddered when he heard this voice. The Avatar looked to her body, and hummed again, "Xureall." Blinding light burned the infection from her body. "Solzuuu." The light appeared to gain and engulfed Jennifer''s body. Tendrils appeared to grasp the soul and merged it back into Jennifer''s body. The light subsided, and soon Jennifer began to shudder on the bed again. Her eyes no longer had black mushrooms, but neither were her eyes there. Only hollows where left, however, what happened next sent Michael''s heart soaring. "...Michael?" Michael stood up and was about to barge into the bubble, then George stopped him. "We don''t know if the Dead Soul Mushroom has been cured, it''s best to have tests run first!" George had gripped hard on Michael''s arm from behind. "It''s fine now. The problem has been solved by the God-King. Praise the God-King!" It wasn''t known when Jordan had gotten to his knees and prostrated, but he was face-planted on the floor. Michael heard this, and shrugged off George, and torn through the bubble. George knew he couldn''t stop him, so he ran out of the room, and locked the door behind him, as he started to call the orderlies on the floor to bring materials to quarantine the room. "Jen-Jen are you alright!" Michael had appeared at her side and held her hand. "Michael... I can''t see you..." Jennifer raised her other hand and touched her eyes. They were hollow. "It''s okay! I''m here with you!" Michael was pained when he realized that her eyes weren''t coming back, but... They could be replaced! "FOOLS! GIVE THANKS TO THE GOD-KING!" Jordan, still face-planted in the floor yelled in righteous anger. It was interesting that Michael could disregard the three-meter-tall glowing ghost in the room, but soon as Michael realized, he turned and kneeled before the golden Avatar. "Warmarshal Michael is forever the servant of the God-King!" Jack became too lazy to explain, as the glowing Avatar used all the power it was given and faded out of existence. [I guess that about sums this up... What a handy trick, but how did Jordan know???] Jack looked down upon the head of Jordan, who was currently face planted. [Well, I can''t stay here all day. I need to get moving on the rest of my soul. Would be nice, if they are going to keep calling me the God-King to give me more power...] Jack again went back on his path to collect more bits of his soul. Micheal turned back to his sister, "Don''t worry Jen-Jen, the God-King had saved us, and We can always fix your eyes." "...That was a god, just now?" Jennifer asked while laying back down on her bed. "Yes. The Holy Witch King has become a God-King." Micheal nodded as if Jennifer could see him. "How does one become a god?" Jennifer asked. "I.. Uhh... Ask the prophet." Micheal wasn''t sure, as he walked to Jennifer''s side, and took her hand. Jordan had stood up from his prostrating, "To become a god is a choice of the God-King. Only he can proclaim godhood on our lands." Micheal scratched his head with his other hand, while Jennifer went silent. "My job here is done." Jordan walked to the barred door. Micheal turned and called out, "Prophet!" "Yes?" "How... How does one serve the God-King?" Micheal asked hesitantly. "Do you wish to learn?" Jordan asked while a light glinted in his eyes. "I wish to serve." Micheal said seriously, and before Jordan could speak another voice called out, "I wish to serve, as well." Jennifer spoke "Jen-Jen, it''s enough if I serve." Micheal soothed his sister. "Our lives are no longer our own... We do all things as one, so let us do this together." Jennifer smiled, as she firmly held Micheal''s hand. "Alright." Micheal turned his head back to look at Jordan, "We wish to learn." "You''re both strong enough to pay Tithes." Jordan nodded a few times. "I will be staying here for a few weeks. Come find me, and I will teach you directly from the Lexos Divinus Fidelis." Jordan spoke, as he turned back to the door. With a raise of his hand, he hummed, "Zegor." The barred door to the room dissolved in a flash of light, and Jordan, known as the Prophet, casually walked out into the hall. Micheal was shocked by the ease of might the Prophet displayed but shook his head a moment later. He turned back to Jennifer, "We can replace your eyes. George is the best bone doc in the Kingdom." Jennifer shook her head on her pillow, "I don''t want you to look into a different pair of eyes that are different from the ones you love." "But-" "I''ll learn how to use undead vision. If you could learn it, I can too." Jennifer Laughed. "Hey!" Micheal laughed along with his beloved sister. Chapter 98: A God Watches from Above Jack continued his monotonous task of collecting the bits and pieces of his soul. From time to time, he would feel a bit of power surge into him. This felt exactly like the time when Warmarshal Michael prayed to him. [Are others praying to me? Does prayer give me power? Maybe being a God-King isn''t so bad... Hmmmmmmmm.] Jack pondered as he absorbed another piece of his soul. As Jack continued to get more power from, what he assumed, were prayers, and the accumulating amounts of his soul he regained, his hearing and sight into the black holes increased. Jack would stop by and peer into these holes to break up the boring task of collecting himself. As he was collecting more of himself on the western side of his Throne, he couldn''t help but take notice of a conversation from a black hole. "First Elder is too king visiting my Kain Family, so late in the evening." A voice rumbled through a black hole. [?!?!?] Jack quickly lurched to the black hole that sounded. He peered down into a room that contained three elder undead. It was a large decorated office. The large undead was behind a desk, and the two other elder undead were sitting on chairs. The most interesting thing was that the office was furnished entirely of wood... No bones! It had an old English elegance to it. "No, it is my clan''s pleasure to be hosted by the Kain Family. We only regret we weren''t able to come to the decision to defect sooner." A decrepit skeletal undead in robes spoke. "Then let the pleasure be on you then! Hahaha!" The larger skeletal undead at the head of the room guffawed and hissed. This skeletal undead was nearly as tall as Jack but was twice as wide with thick massive bones. He wore an aristocratic suit, for his choice of wardrobe. "So, what can we Grimnights do for you?" The first Elder spoke. [Fucking Grimnights!] Jack snarled in his mind as if Leslie wasn''t from this clan. "Well, I would normally ask you to apologize for your clan''s ineptitude and general lack of moral integrity, but the concerns of my homeland are of much greater concern. [.......Well said!!!] Jack could only praise, [But... This is a terrible choice of words to persuade someone to do something for you....] Even Jack could come up with something better to curry favor, and could only wonder what this hefty skeleton was asking. Jack could see the humiliation in the posture of the first and second Elders of the Grimnight clan below. He could only laugh to himself. "I''m sure my clan''s... Lack of integrity would concern the Kain family enough to request us to show ourselves." The first Elder spoke with gritted teeth. "As you are correct, I digress. It seems that We are in need of a special Grimnight Cultivation tome to help us ward off the Dead Tide." The Kain Family skeleton replied. "If you want the Tome of the Banshee''s wail... It was lost long ago... We no longer have it." The first Elder shook his head. "No one cares for that dried up tome." The Kain waved his skeletal hand to mock. The two Grimnight elders gripped their hands tightly, that tome was what propelled the Grimnights to becoming a Major clan so long ago, but over time... The loss of the tome weakened the foundation of the clan until it devolved into a Minor clan within Deagoth. If it wasn''t for that tome being lost to time and thieves... Then why would they sit here to be taunted by the Kain Family? "No, we want your second cultivation tome." "The Tome of Shadow''s Touch?" The second Elder asked in question. "Yes. We believe that this Tome can greatly aid our Family in dispatching the Dead Tide menace." The Kain Family member waved his hand in the air again, casually. "What is the Dead Tide?" The first Elder finally couldn''t hold his curiosity. "Oh? You don''t know the Dead Tide? Well... It''s a wave of soul infecting mushrooms designed by Chief Researcher Vincent to destroy Deagoth... But the Jack ass skipped the Nation, and left the damn things to run amok." Near the end, the casual nature of the Kain Family member began to harden. "Chief Researcher Vincent?!?" the first and second Elders exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah... Him." The Kain Family member sled back into his seat, as he was on edge. "Isn''t he attributed to the creation of the Immortal Corps of Stonedge." the second Elder asked. "Yeah. His research allowed us to create super soldiers for the Nation, but then he decided to stop his research, and start dabbling in... other areas. Of course, Stonedge couldn''t stop him, as we needed him to keep producing more serum for new Soldiers." [What are the Immortal Corps of Stonedge??? Super Soldiers obviously, but what makes them super in a world of near-immortal undead???] Jack couldn''t help but wonder. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "Anyway, the Dead Tide is of much grave concern, then the Researcher skipping for now." The Kain Family member folded his hands over his mid-section, as he spoke. "How will the Tome of the Shadow''s Touch help, and of course... What will we get in return?" The first Elder asked, in expectation. "Yes, yes, compensation is a must. The Shadow''s Touch allowed an undead to attack a soul directly. Normally, because most Cultivators guard their souls, it doesn''t help the practitioner until they are at King rank... But what happens when the Cultivator attacks an undead that isn''t guarding their soul?" "They can damage or destroy the target''s soul." the first Elder nodded. "The Dead Soul Mushroom''s victims... They take over and infect their souls, slowly turning them into mindless drones. In the later stages of this infection, the soul is wiped clean of any memories and becomes just another part of the machine that is the Dead Tide. The reason we want this skill is because the Dead Soul Mushrooms don''t have sense enough to guard their souls... They act purely out of instinct, like dumb animals." "So, attack them with the shadows touch... Destroy the soul, then the Mushrooms will die?" the second Elder asked. "Well... Die isn''t exactly what happens, but it makes dealing with inactive Dead Soul Mushrooms a lot easier." The Kain Family member laughed. "Alright... Then What do we get?" The first Elder asked. "We can provide a permanent piece of land for the Grimnight clan, though your status as a clan will be striped as you will become a part of Stonedge, and lastly... We will provide you with six pieces of low-level Voidstone gems. I assume this is enough to persuade you?" "Ummmm...." the second Elder paused, but not before being slapped by the first Elder, "Yes. This is plenty." the first Elder bowed his head. "Then let''s shake on it, and I''ll send someone to your ''Family'' to acquire the tome." The Kain Family member stood up and walked around his desk to extend his hand. The first elder stood and reached out his hand, "Then it''s agreed Young Master Kain." The two shook hands. [Should I do something to them?] Jack wondered within the light. "Hmmm?" Young Master Kain stepped back and looked around him. "What''s wrong?" the first and second Elder''s asked together. "I feel... Killing intent..." "It isn''t from us." The two Elders bowed. "No, I get that. I can''t shake the feeling." [Can he feel that I''m here??? Should I step out and say something? Intimidate them?] Jack''s mind worked quickly, [Can they even do anything to me while I am here? I''m certain they can''t interact with the Light as I can... Not without a giant piece of Glowstone. I should drop-in, and taunt them... That''s what a villain would do...] Jack considered all of these in second until he came to a decision. [But... Deagoth has enough to handle, I don''t want to piss off another enemy so soon. It''s good enough that I know what they are doing. I''ll tell Leslie, and she can investigate them, and get Boss Crag to crush them... I don''t need to lift a finger if I think about it like that. Maybe... Maybe this is what a smart villain does?] Jack lurched away, leaving the black hole behind, as he continued his journey. ******* Today was the Seventh-day, and the Archbishop of Nogore, Archbishop Edward, was leading the church outdoors. The faith of the God-King had swelled during the events that came to be known as the Day the God-King blow out the Lights. The largest church of Nogore could no longer handle the attendants. Archbishop Edward wasn''t a massive fan of the God-King originally, but now with the influx of members and fees paid to the church, he couldn''t stop the smile that etched on his face. He led the members of the church as told by the Prophet. It had been two months since he left, and with the progress of the members, things were looking up. As the Prophet dictated, the first part of the Cultivation of the Lexos Divinus Fidelis was taught to the faithful. This allowed the members to cultivate to Master level! This improved the lives of all the undead of the church, and attracted even more members! But this was all in preparation for today, as to start today was for all the Members of the Master rank or above to pay their Tithes to the God-King. In the large Nogore city square that Archbishop Edward reserved for this morning, the Archbishop called to order. It must be noted that no one noticed that the square was arranged for all the faithful to face east toward the Skull of the Sun God. It only shined in the skyline like a lone star. In fact, it was known as the Skull Star to the citizens of Deagoth, though the furthest reaches of the Kingdom could not see it, such as the Cities Salily or Zithergall. "Members of the Faithful of our humble church of Nogore, we come together today as one congregation under the God-King." A resounding amen issued from the members attending, all one hundred thousand members resounded and shook the foundations of the city. Many of the unconcerned undead of Nogore, couldn''t help but look out of their windows and feel the streets wondering just what was happening. It wasn''t that they didn''t know of the faithful or even the God-King with the zeal of the new members, but they had never heard such a large or loud congregation. The true power of Deagoth wasn''t that it was rich in Glowstone... But rich in undead... Deagoth was the largest nation in landmass... and undead. Nogore was the largest city outside of the Capital of Deagoth, Saigunrai, with a population of one point five million undead. Collected in the City square was roughly ten percent of the total population of the City. "With so many faithful finally ranking up to Master rank, it is time We pay our dues to the God-King! It is the mercy of the God-King that we live in peace, and die again for his sake! We must give thanks to the God-King, and humble ourselves before him!" Archbishop Edward brought the multitudes to a fanatical zenith. "KNEEL! KNEEL BEFORE THE GOD-KING AND PAY YOUR TITHES!" Archbishop Edward threw his hands up to the rocky sky in the dim twilight of Nogore, before kneeling down with the congregation. In a massive voice that rocked the land, a collected voice was heard that shook not only the land but the unconvinced, "OH, GOD-KING OF LIGHT, HE WHO PROTECTS AND GUIDES ALL OF UNDEADKIND, PLEASE HEED OUR TITHES! WE LOOK TO THE LIGHT AND HUMBLY PAY THE PRICE OF FAITH. WE''LL STATE STRIGHT INTO THE SUN SKULL AND WE WON''T CLOSE OUR EYES! IN RETURN FOR YOUR MERCY, WE GIVE OUR FAITH TO THE GOD-KING AND A PART OF OUR HUMBLE POWER..." A pause ensued, a moment of peace before the outburst, "PRECES EXAUDIANTUR!!!!" Thin golden light briefly shined on the backs of each of the kneeling undead, before it shot into the skyline directly to the Skull of the Sun God. As it approached the Skull of the Sun God, the thin rays of light gathered together and formed larger rays of light. Numerous undead looked above to see the fabled shooting stars as the rays of light invade the Skull of the Sun God. The rays invaded into the Skull of the Sun God, and into the Plane of Light. Now the collective power given by the undead faithful of Nogore was as thick as a road and twenty meters long. In the plane of Light, a massive black hole rotated above the soul tether of Jack''s body. From the massive black hole, the light poured in, and instead of blinding into the plane, it charged westward, as if it had a mind of its own. Chapter 99: A Gods First Steps in the Light [This plane of Light is so weird... I feel mentally tired, but I don''t actually feel tired...] Jack had collected another piece of himself. He was now the size of an ostrich egg. [I think that pretty much wraps up the west side... Let''s start to the south.] Jack started to lurch his way down south. [This moving like a slug thing is really crappy... I''ve tried to roll like a ball, but that doesn''t seem to work. Haaaa~] Jack became bored with his spying, and could only preoccupy his mind as he went along, [I guess I can''t say this journey is a total loss... I did get some good intel, and I''ve learned a lot about the Light.] Jack tried to cheer himself up. [Huh?] Jack felt a disturbance in the light, but not like the one he felt when he decided to go closed doors. [What''s that impending feeling? Almost like prayers, but... Different? huh...] Jack looked to the source he felt was coming. He looked long into the distance that was the now small black hole, that he came from originally. [Isn''t that black hole the Sun Skull? I wonder what''s going on with it.] Jack mused, as he figured this didn''t have anything to do with him he was about to turn his attention back to going to the south when he spotted something he hadn''t seen in the plane of Light before... [IS THAT A FRIGGIN TIDAL WAVE??? LIGHT TSUNAMI?!?] Jack panicked. He started to lurch quickly to the right, to sidestep this wave... But with Jack''s speed, this would be an impossible task, as he found that the wave followed him. [OH, COME ON! WHOS CORN FLAKES DID I PISS IN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!? Wait... Did I accidentally make someone''s yogurt lite flavor to cause this?] Jack stupidly joked to himself to relieve some of his tension, when the wave parted and a large beam of Light struck him. Jack was consumed by this power source, and he heard many many voices all talking at once. [Ack! It feels like someone is playing all the radio stations at the same time! This is worse than my University cafeteria during lunch hour!] Jack''s mind was filled with the chatter of a hundred thousand people, and the maddening sound combined to send Jack to madness. Jack noticed though the static volume of the excessive amounts of talking that his soul wasn''t being eaten by this entity... It was... Fusing with him in strange ways. Jack remembered Emily saying he was mad, and he felt like she was going to be made right! [FINE, EMILY! IF I CAN BE A MAD KING, I CAN BE A MAD GOD! I CAN PLAY WITH MADNESS!!!! SO WATCH YOUR HUSBAND!] Jack struggled to control this power, bend it to his will, as he spoke in his mind as if Emily could hear him. Emily was sitting at her table in her room, within the palace drawing up a request for her Mother, the Spider Queen. "If what Leslie said is true then... I think the weavers can make a suit that can defend against the spores.] She mused to herself. [Huh?] Emily looked to the Glowstone lamp of her room. [Did... Did I just hear Jack again?] She stared at the Light for a few minutes, as she felt odd. She kind of missed Jack, but she didn''t know why. She didn''t have much interaction with him. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The edges of Jack''s mind were repeatedly scrapped away by the chattering, and finally, it started to dull down. Just when Jack felt relief and relinquished some will, it rose back up in volume. He had to continuously control this power, as he remained in this think mass of Light. After much struggle, and heartache Jack was able to bend this to his will. He found that he was suspended in this mass of Light. He could manipulate it at will as if he was moving his own soul, but it wasn''t a part of him... But it was a part of him. [What in the hell is this power? What were those voices? Is this some kind of beast of the Light?] Thinking for a moment, Jack thought to talk to this source of Light like a person via mental messaging. [Hello?] [...] [Who are you?] [...] [What are you?] [...] [I know you can talk, you overly talkative windbag!] [...] [Do you understand Voidic? Some other language?] [...] Jack started to run out of ideas... [I heard voices... Should I... Should I just relinquish some control and listen better? Maybe I can make it so I can hear just one voice.] Jack tried, and with some effort produced some results. [FOR THE GOD-KING! I PRAY FOR A SMART CHILD!] [....What the fuck.....] Jack heard this loud and clear, he tried again... [I PRAY TO THE GOD-KING FOR MORE GLOWSTONE!] It was now Jack''s turned to become silent, [...] [I PRAY FOR BETTER FOOD AT SCHOOL!] [...] [I PRAY TO THE GOD-KING TO FIND A BETTER JOB! MY BOSS IS A BASTARD... CAN YOU... CAN YOU STRIKE HIM DOWN?] [.....] [I HOPE THE GOD-KING LISTENS TO MY PRAYER! I JUST WANT TO SAY HI!] [......] [I PRAY FOR A NEW COUCH!] [........Are you serious... A new couch? You pray to me... A supposed god... for a couch... Fuck it... When I get back I''m going to find out who this guy is and give him a couch just for the hell of it!] Jack mentaly shook his head. He quickly surmised that this power was just like the power that was previously given to him by Warmarshal Michael, just on a much much large scale and of a volatile nature. It was ridiculous... This power had to be one hundred times stronger than he was just before his soul shattered... When he had just arrived at King Rank! [If I remember right... ten Kings make an Emperor... Ten Emperors make an Ancestor... The power of an Ancestor... Donated by the people??? Fucking being a god is a cheat! These fools have made me a GM!] Jack now ascertained his situation. [So, prayer really does give me power... I guess I''m going to have to thank Jordan Light-boy....] Jack never wanted to be a god, even if he joked about it... But the more he learned about it, it didn''t sound so bad... But all the responsibility! [What else can I do with this power?] Jack found that unlike his soul, he could change the shape of this power that surrounds him. Soon he had manipulated it into a body, however, he had to maintain a constant usage of his mental abilities to control the power. He found that if he slacked for even a moment... The voices would drown him. [I should find a way to purify this power and make it docile... Otherwise, if I bone Leslie, it''s going to be the world''s largest and loudest orgy...] Jack thought grimly. Jack shook his head. Jack finished his manipulations, and stood up inside the plane of Light, as a Skeleton made of pure light. [Why is it a skeleton? I wanted meat on these bones?] Jack tried to manipulate it into a more human or at least zombie form, but failed... [Maybe I need more prayer?] Jack shrugged and tossed the idea to the side. [At least I can walk like I am someone instead of crawling around here like an amoeba.] Jack started walking south, as he played with his power. He would form various shapes with his arms, as he walked into the distance, making swords, maces, axes, among other shapes. [Hahahaha, I had to bluff before... But let''s see who''s going to piss me off now!] Chapter 100: Warbreakers Warmarshal Verruca and her armies quickly approached the city of Zitergall. She was accompanied by her best friend, Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood. They had been traveling as hard as they could and hadn''t rested since their departure from Saigunrai to the border. They had already received news that Zitergall was under siege by the forces of Jakahn now for a week, and they were losing ground despite Warmarshal Ken Quicker arriving with his forces a few days before they could to join with the Warmarshal over Zitergall... Warmarshal Wayne Mossvale. Zitergall was situated in the middle of a fork in the river that fed into the Brimstone Ocean. The Red River, named as such due to being a lava flow. Zitergall was a city of industry for metals, and it was this river that proved the heat necessary for the largest forge in Deagoth! It even dwarfed the main forge in Saigunrai. The forge of Saigunrai was the property of the Metalhearts Clan, but the Forges of Zitergall in their raw power and output were owned by the Furysmith Clan, one of the minor Clans of Deagoth. What the Furysmith clan lacked in quality they made up for in sheer volume. Elite arms were produced by the Metalhearts Clan, yes, but it was the Furysmith Clan that supplied the armies of Deagoth with Weapons, and the reason that a Warmarshal governed the City, instead of the Clergy, though Archbishop Javon hailed from this city. Fortified between the fork of the Red River, Zitergall laid nestled in between, drawing the raw lava flows for many of the industries and cultivation for the City. The Furysmiths like the Metalhearts Clan were Cultivators of Fire, and their craft called for extreme heat. Unlike the Metalhearts Clan that believed in slow, methodical steps in forging and Cultivation... The Furysmith Clan lived up to their name. They were fanatical over their forges, and equally so over Cultivation. They had not had a King Rank Cultivator since the times of the Lich King, but again... They made up for numbers, as they had four high-level Knight Rank Cultivators, with many Grandmaster Cultivators. Zitergall had a modest population of seven hundred thousand undead, but almost half of the City were named Furysmith, and every Furysmith, male, female, or child cultivated their Tome, The Tome of Vulcan''s Fury! Zitergall was not peaceful like the sleeping City of Faith such as Saigunrai, with its noble air and seat of the Holy Kingdom, nor was it the Merchant''s jewel of the Kingdom like Nogore... It was a furious beast of a City that issued low loud roars of the forges as if countless dragon''s laid within... As the sole undisputed rulers of Zitergall, with the help of Warmarshal Mossvale, the City churned weapons of war among other mundane metal objects. This monster of a City did not take the siege laying down. The Fury in the name of Furysmith was made known when their Clan joined forces with the Legion undead Warmarshal Mossvale. Mossvale''s forces were a mix of Light Cultivators and Nature Cultivators and now aided by the Fire Cultivators held well for a week until the ballista of Jakahn, under the orders of General Mark. Ballista shots were fired continually one after the other and battered the high walls of Zitergall. While the Lava flinging Mortars of the City defenses powered by the Furysmith Clan would return fire with large boulders of molten rock. Both sides had sustained heavy damage to their siege weapons, but very few undead were destroyed in the exchanges. After the consistent pounding on the south gate across the bridge that connected to the shores that faced Jakahn, as begun to show cracks to crumble. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Verruca''s and Stephanie''s Legions followed them into the City, as the sounds of the contact booming echoed from the south side of the side. Verruca walked in, with her impressive form shining of Light, to the main office of governance of Zitergall set up as the HQ for this war. She, followed by Stephanie, approached a large round table with maps and reports strung around it. Around the table was three undead. Warmarshal Mossvale, as a tall lanky geist undead in green-tinted chain mail and a vine whip on his side, his face hollow and his eyes blindfolded. Warmarshal Ken Quicker, as his usually jack ass smile that now formed a thin grim line with an additional burned hanging on his brow, in his light shining suit, and his two famous one-sided swords on his back. Lastly, the patriarch of the Furysmith Clan, Patriarch Furysmith stood with height equal in height of Verruca, with shoulders like a bear, and the waist of a Tiger. His skin was obsidian black with many cracks and his armor was silver trimmed in red and orange. His two famous forging hammers hung on both his sides, named ''Upsetting Fury'' and ''Drawing Smith.'' "Gentlemen... The cavalry has arrived." Laughed Verruca as her footsteps fell with purpose and drew the attention of the three undead leaders. Ken was the first to speak, "It is good that the most gorgeous, and more intelligent Lord Commander of Deagoth has graced us with her presence," As Ken gave a Deagoth salute. Verruca snorted. "I''m just glad you have shown. The South Gate, let alone Wall, will not hold out but for another day under the bombardment of Jakahn." Warmarshal Mossvale spoke up. "Does the Lord Commander have any ideas on how to stop these rats from pouring in through the cracks?" The patriarch of the Furysmith Clan spoke up in expectation. "Rats? What''s the situation?" Verruca''s brows furrowed on her pretty face atop her massive form. "It seems that in the cracks of the walls made... There are many many Jakahn rats coming in and attempting to assassinate out officers and forge leaders. We have already lost seven officers and three forge leaders... Forge leaders of my Clan." "And seven officers of my Kingdom." Verruca reprimanded. "Yes. What does the Lord Commander advise?" The patriarch raised his head to stare into the eyes of Warmarshal Verruca. Many of the undead surrounding the area were of the City, and they too looked to Warmarshal Verruca, both her fellow Warmarshals looked to her, as well. "You obviously don''t really know who I am, if you are asking this..." Verruca''s melodious voice hardened and cascaded within the walls of this temporary HQ. Stephanie behind her took a step back, seeing the aura rise around her best friend. She knew what she was going to say. The aura of Verruca rose and a golden flame surrounded her armor as she calmly voiced, "I am Warmarshal Verruca of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. Appointed Lord Commander of the Legions of Deagoth, Blade and Executioner of the God-King, and Bulwark of the faithful. So, if you are asking me what I advise... I advise... War." Verruca laid it on the line, and the room was deadly silent. They knew what she said, but this didn''t give them direction. Verruca walked to the map and pointed. "Prepare all major forces. I want you and you." Verruca pointed to Warmarshal Ken and Mossvale, "To take your forces to the east and bypass the town of Querbere and go to the Town of Bug... Fight your way across the bridge, and flank the assault of Jakahn." "Patriarch, I continue to leave the Cities Defense to you. No one denies this is your City, so I trust that you can keep it from sliding into the Brimstone Ocean." The patriarch nodded grimly. Verruca sidestepped to show Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood. "Warmarshal Chaoshood will use a ritual to form an arcane bridge across the Red River to the West, and flank Jakahn to Hammer and Anvil the forces of Jakahn with the arrival of Warmarshals Ken and Mossvale." Silence ensued... Bold! "But what will the Lord Commander do?" The patriarch asked. "Me and my Legion will do what my Legion does best... We break wars." Verruca''s face etched into a sadistic smile on her delicate face. Chapter 101: An Unexpected Breakthrough Mark looked long into the distance from his hilltop perch, as he listened to the drawstring of the Ballista snap continuously. General Jacob walked next to him and stood silently for a time until he finally opened his mouth to speak. "It seems the War God of Deagoth has graced us with her presence, here at the border," Jacob said wearily. "War Goddess." "Hmmm?" "I always wondered why Warmarshal Verruca was called the War God, and not War Goddess." Mark thought out loud. "...I... I have no idea." Jacob shook his head, he had never thought about something like that. He was known as a War God, but he was weary of Warmarshal Verruca. This would be the first time in over a thousand years she had come back to their border, and this was before she made her name in the Conflicts with Borda. "Either way, she is strong, and her troops, the Legion of Warbreakers, are terrifying if left unchecked," Mark noted. "The bits of intel We have shown that three Warmarshals have already departed from Zitergall. One going west, and two going east." "Hammer and Anvil? Impressive... Do you know which army was Warmarshal Verruca''s?" Mark asked blandly. "If scouts are to be believed... None of them. There are four Warmarshals here." Finally, Mark broke his sight with the front lines, as he looked to Jacob. It was slightly out of his expectation that they had received four out of the seven Warmarshals, as he knew good and well that the north side of Deagoth should be knee-deep in the Dead Tide. "Really interesting," Mark spoke, after a pause. "I have some suggestions, but this is why I have sought you out. What do you advise, General Mark?" Jacob asked, in expectation. The moment he heard the laughing in the Light was already more than he was willing to endure but lingered on due to Mark''s insistence of winning. "Warmarshal Verruca built her reputation on frontal assaults, I assume this to be her place. Attack from two sides, while she plows through the front." Mark spoke, without letting Jacob interrupt. "We will simply pull back." "Huh?" "Or do you want to face the might of the strongest Warmarshal executing her strongest formation?" Mark asked as he turned his sight back to the frontlines blandly. "What about the siege weapons?" "Destroy them, as we retreat into our fortifications," Mark said. Slowly understanding dawned on Jacob, and he followed the plan in his mind, [So we built the traps and fortifications for this moment... General Mark is really far-sighted...] Jacob thought, as he wondered if he prepared this for Warmarshal Verruca in mind or as back up, and this just fell into place. "Some losses will happen, but this is war... When have undead not perished in war?" Mark laughed, while Jacob nodded. "When We pull back, we need to find an opportunity to separate Warmarshal Verruca from her troops, stave off her fellow Warmarshals, and... send the good Warmarshal on a one-way trip to the next world." Mark stopped laughing and grimly issued his plans. "You want to assassinate Warmarshal Verruca?" Jacob looked shocked. In undead wars, it was mostly the troops that fault and perished. The commanders seldom died. "I have some of my plans as well. My honor guard are... Ready for some action. You focus on separating the Warmarshal, and if you can... Destroy her." Jacob furrowed his brows, "While I find destroying Warmarshal Verruca a difficult task, the thoughts of being Titled the Death of Gods... I can''t help but feel giddy. We will speak again, General Mark. I must go prepare." Jacob spoke, as his voice was left to linger in the air. He had already left, by the time the words sounded. Mark laughed a few times, "Verruca, Verruca, Verruca... How will The Holy Witch King feel when you leave him? Did you think I didn''t know you were his woman? Haha, so cleaver! A false consort to cover for you! Who would believe that The Holy Witch King would take an Unholy cultivator from the Grimnight Clan as his wife... Laughable! I can''t wait to see your facade crumble when you leave your closed doors and see the still corpse of his beloved Julia..." Mark began to laugh heavily, as he turned to walk back to his tent. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ******* Mark walked into his tent, "Wife have you been well, since this morning?" "..." Mark was met by silence, as he looked at his wife sitting in her chair by a Glowstone lamp reading another book. Her favorite rug on the floor vacant of her. "Haaaa~ Princess Janet have you been well, since this morning?" Mark asked again, but with his wife''s name. Janet put her book down for a moment, "Yes. No one has bothered me." She eyed Mark with less suspicion, but reservation could be seen on her face. Mark shook his head, "I really don''t know why you don''t believe me." He walked over to his desk to sit down. "Who would believe you were their husband?" Janet said with a snort. Mark stopped looking for a report on his desk, as he looked up at Janet. Shock could be seen in his posture, but not on his skeletal face. "What''s wrong with me as a husband?" Mark asked hesitantly. "...I don''t believe I fell for a conniving lying manipulative arrogant bastard." Janet spat, while she picked up her book to start reading again. Mark''s jaw hung for a few moments, as he took in his wife''s slander. He stood up from his chair and crossed the tent to stand next to Janet. Janet at first was unconcerned until he stood and began to walk to her. She still didn''t know how strong Mark was... She had probed a few times, but still... "What... What do you want?" Janet raised her book as if a shield that could protect her. Mark knelt to one knee next to Janet, as he looked at her at eye level. "Janet, will you listen to me?" Mark asked softly. Janet lowered her book to look at the undead in front of her. "I am exactly what you said I am. I am conniving, but you can also call me a master of schemes. I do lie... so that I can manipulate, but I have never lied to you and will never lie to you. I am arrogant, but you can also call me confident... Also... My parents were happily married before I was conceived." Mark spoke all at once. Janet was slightly dazed, [He just wanted to make clear what he was to me?] "If you have never lied to me, then tell me why I''m not at home in my nation?" Janet asked. This question bothered her the most. Mark didn''t say anything for a long time. "Speak!" Janet gritted her teeth "I... Are you sure you really want to know?" Mark asked, with a pleading tone that indicated he didn''t want to say. "Yes!" "Janet... That year when I finally made you mine, when your father, the King of Dragon''s Jaw, allowed me to become your husband. I wed you in your palace courtyard... Only you, me, and our servants were present, your father didn''t even bother seeing us. You might have been able to endure the treatment of your family, but I couldn''t... I took you with me. Your... Family... Never stopped me, and have never once asked about you. We stayed in Deagoth for more than two thousand years. It''s not like they didn''t know where we were... But they never tried to find out." "What are you saying?" Janet couldn''t believe what she was hearing. "I''m saying your royal family dislikes you. It borderlines on hate. They treated you worse than your servants. I''m not strong enough to get justice for you... But when I do get strong enough. No one and I mean no one will ever... EVER... Be able to ridicule you." Mark said sternly, at the end of his sentence. "So... So, you took me from my royal home, because my family was terrible to me? Why were they terrible to me?" Janet asked, as she tossed her book, and wheeled her chair to face Mark, who was still on knee. "If you really want to know... Your birth was... Complicated. Your mother, the Queen of Dragon''s Jaw, perished during the birthing ritual. Your father and your siblings resented you. They shouldn''t'' feel like it''s your fault, but they blame you anyway. The reason you are bound to a wheel chair is also a cause of your complicated birth." Mark said softly. "So... So, my mother is gone?" "Since you were born." "And my father... my father, and siblings, with an ''S'' hate me." "Yes." "And I have been like this since I was born." Janet indicated to her lower body. "...Yes..." "Why did I lose my memory?" "Because... I... I tried to heal your soul, and I... I..." Janet reached out with her hand and laid it on Mark''s hand, that was on his knee, as he knelt, "Say it." Mark slightly touched, by the tenderness his wife had shown him. So, long... It felt like a life time since he had felt his wife''s touch. Feeling choked in his soul, he spoke, "I failed. I performed a ritual to heal your soul, and I failed. I almost lost you, but I brought you back. I brought you back to unlife. I broke the taboo of unlife. Once dead can be raised, once undead should be destroyed. I will have to pay the price... But I couldn''t lose you. You mean... You mean too much to me. Such a simple reason, I failed." Mark put his head down into his wife''s lap, as she put her hands on the back of his head, holding him. "If what you say is true, you didn''t fail me. This is a lot to take in, and I''m still not sure I can completely trust you, but... I forgive you." Janet soothed. At this moment, a muffled bang was heard in the room. It sounded out and startled Janet as she lifted her hands to look at the source. It was Mark! Frigid air coursed through the tent and filled into Mark. Mark stood up from his kneeling position, as he did so a pair of icicles formed on upon his skeletal brow, and extended upward. He appeared to have grown two thick ice horns, that resembled a demon''s on his brow above his eyes, a pair of horns and a monocle over his eye. Janet gasped looked at Mark! Wasn''t these displays of Cultivation, a byproduct of power??? Mark noticed her reaction and crossed the room to his mirror. He gazed at his massive ice born horns. He ran his fingers over his left horn. Pleased he looked to his wife, "It seems The Holy Witch King isn''t the only one who can Cultivate to become an Emperor." Mark began to manically laugh, as Janet''s face slackened in shock! She hissed the words, "Emperor Rank!" Chapter 102: Faith is a Weapon Mark ran his left hand along his icy horns, as he turned to look at Janet sitting in her wheelchair with her mouth gaped, "While these look great, they draw too much attention. Don''t you think so?" Knowingly or maybe unknowingly, Janet nodded her head. With this, Mark put both his hands on his icy horns and squeezed hard while lifting his head. "CRACK!" Ice shards rained down around him, as the ice horns shattered. Mark considered the mirror taking a few moments to clean the remaining ice from the brow of his skull. He took from the counter under the sink a cleaning cloth and cleaned his monocle. Placing the Monocle back on, he turned to Janet, "How do I look now? The same as before?" "Y-yes." "Very good." Mark walked back over to Princess Janet and kneeled beside her again. He reached out to take her hand, and she didn''t resist. "Janet... Thank you. Without your forgiveness, I would never have been able to put down this demon in my heart. Can I ask you to do something for me?" Janet nodded. "Can you wait with me? See my work to the end, when I have healed your soul. When I have healed your soul, you can make your choice either to stay or to leave." Mark asked softly. Janet paused for a few moments, while Mark patiently waited for her reply. Janet finally broke the silence, "I don''t understand. Why?" "What part don''t you understand?" "Why do all this? Why for me? Why break your mark of cultivation...? Your ice horns?" Janet asked while looking down, darting her eyes to Mark to take quick glances. "In reverse order... I broke my mark because I don''t want anyone to know I''m an Emperor Ranked Cultivator. What they don''t know will kill them. Low-key, until there is no reason to not be." "But Emperor Rank! You could rule over these lands! I''ve been reading the books. I know no one should be around with this power. You could just sweep the lands." Janet spoke breathlessly. "Ah. Well... One would think so, but..." Mark shook his head. "If it was that easy, then why would anyone form kingdoms, empires or anything. Because of power. There is power in Cultivation, and there is power in kingdoms. Remember that a million ants can destroy an undead. There is also another prime reason." Janet looked up to observe Mark as if she had just become familiar with him. "There are a few undead in this land I have to be wary of..." "The Holy Witch King?" "He''s definitely one of them. Already an Emperor Rank, and now Mid-Level. A force to be sure, but he doesn''t scare me." "You can feel fear." Janet laughed. "Yes. Sometimes fear is the correct response, and for The Holy Witch King... He''s not scary... His church is... More accurately his faith is." Mark said solemnly. "His faith?" Janet questioned, "The faith of Deagoth is just a faith that believes in equality and structure." "Not anymore, haha!" Mark laughed, and a chill stirred in the air. "What do you mean?" "I''ve been getting... Some interesting reports." Mark rose from her side and walked to his desk. He pulled out a small stack of papers, as he sat down. "This is the information I received this week. It speaks of the rise of a new faith in Deagoth. The faith of the God-King. That God-King happens to be The Holy Witch King." "So, The Holy Witch King formed a faith with himself as god?" Janet questioned. "That''s just the thing!" Mark threw the papers on to his desk, "He has been recorded clearly by eyewitnesses stating he isn''t a god. He actually said, "I am not a god."" Mark said astonished. "What?" "YES! But he''s still being worshipped as one. There is even a prophet for his faith! This little asshole prophet is either the best snake oil salesman this side of the Underworld, or he knows things we have only begun to understand." "A... Prophet?" "My last report was that he left Nogore, the City of Merchants, in Deagoth. When he left he had single handily converted four hundred thousand undead to the new faith on top of those that had already pledged. Faith is a weapon... I know. I use it. Now tell me if that isn''t scary." Mark said as he finished. "Then... What are you going to do about it?" "That... Well, there are a few things that can be done, but I''m reserving judgement until I get more information. Making the wrong more without knowing anything will always lead to a bad end. But besides his fanatics, there are other... Undead with power here, and I must be weary of them as well." Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Before Janet could ask about them, Mark continued, "As for your other questions, Why for me? Because I took you as my wife. That year when We married in your courtyard I meant my words, ''Till true death do us part.'' I love you, Janet, and I always will. I promised you that year. I was poor enough, I didn''t have a ring, so I promised you that I would heal your illness, and give you the world. I remember you laughed and said as long as We are together." "I meant what I said, and no one can stop me," Mark spoke with determination. "Lastly... If you want the last absolute reason... I loathe Deagoth and The Holy Witch King. I will enjoy watching them suffer." "Why do you hate Deagoth, so much?" "I would rather not get into that at the moment. What I want to know is your answer. Will you stay with me...? I will try not to call you wife until you have accepted me or if you wish to leave me later, but will you stay for the time being?" Mark asked hopefully. "Do I have a choice?" "Actually, you do... I''m sure you have been planning on escaping since we left Jakahn." Janet''s face showed shock. "Don''t be surprised. I know you, even if you don''t know yourself." Janet lowered her head. "I''m not mad with you. I know you to well, so it only made sense, and yes. I brought you with me knowing you would try. To be honest, I am actually surprised you haven''t already tried to make a break for it." "...Then what would you have done if I had?" "I would bring you back, even if you did it in the middle of the next battle. I would drop everything and rush back to you. There is a reason no one should know where you are... The rights to the throne of Dragon''s Jaw is underway for the last eight hundred years, and you my dear... You have a right to that throne. Your siblings would love to end you. Partly because they still blame you for their mother, but mostly because they don''t want any more competition." "Oh." Mark nodded his head. "Can I be so bold as to ask one more thing?" Mark looked up with expectation. Janet panicked. She knew Mark was a male undead. In her latest books, she had been reading on Undead history, and it was almost all the same. Outstanding men liked outstanding women. She had looked in the mirror, and knew she was a beauty, even if she didn''t mean to be vain. It was the truth... Did he want to do that? After a few moments, she replied, "...You may." Mark indicated with his hand, "I know you must hate your chair. As much as you should stay in your chair, I would like for you to lay on your rug." "My... Rug?" "It was your favorite. I brought it with us, but you haven''t taken another look at it. I would like for you to try. Maybe it will help you remember..." Janet was slightly relieved but found an odd stirring in her soul... Like disappointment. She had been feeling a certain way since she had read those books detailing undead soul unions... It made her feel... certain expectations. She put her thoughts to the side, as she seriously considered Mark''s request. "Al-alright." She rolled her wheelchair over to the rug, and slide out of the chair. She found that she had a certain familiarity with this action. She laid on the run and found it to be... Pleasant. She snuggled into it, and then she rolled over onto her back to look up at Mark from upside down. When she looked up at Mark, she almost felt she saw a smile on his skeletal face... But that was impossible. Skeletons can''t smile...??? "I... I must admit this is rather comfortable." "Good, I''m glad." Mark seemed to feel like he wanted to release a sigh of relief. How he wished he had lungs. "We have a few hours before the battle begins. We need to go ahead and pack up. You can stay where you are. I will have the servants do everything. When We get packed. I will move you further back from the action... We can then wait for the trap to snap." Mark laughed out loud. ******* Warmarshal Verruca stood in front of her Legion, as she considered the sky to her left. She had already seen the signal from Stephanie''s legion, but she was waiting on Warmarshal Ken''s and Mossvale''s forces. Once they saw the flair, they would rush a frontal assault. "Lord Commander." A voice sounded next to her. She looked over calmly, "Yes, General?" "Some of the Legion have asked for a war speech." General Bryce asked in expectation. "Alright." Verruca nodded. Seeing that their Warmarshal agreed, they quickly built a platform for her to stand from the items in the surroundings. Verruca leaped onto the platform, as it shook slightly from her massive weight. She stomped a few times to ensure her footing and the structural integrity of this makeshift soup box. She looked across the heads of her legion, as she began to speak. Her voice boomed, "My Warbreakers. War has brought us to the borders of our Kingdom again, and again we heed the call. Our enemies lay outside that gate, and they mock us with their pretty toys that bang on our doors." Verruca paused for a moment taking in the sight. "Let THOSE who have been accustomed to warfare rejoice, as WE the faithful now go against the heretics of Jakahn. Let US end this battle with VICTORY that should have been wrought so long ago. Let THOSE who for a time have slept within their armored shells, stir once more on the battlefield, and let THOSE that would be OUR enemies know that the Warbreakers have arrived! Let THOSE who have brought WAR to our lands know that WE BREAK WAR, AS WE WILL BREAK THEM! Let THOSE who are unsure of VICTORY look to the Sun Skull, and be reassured. BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!" An earth rumbling shout was let loose that cause the skin on many Jakahn zombie warriors to tighten... A sleeping beat had awoken, and it looked at them with malice. """""BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!"""""" """""BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!"""""" """""BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!"""""" """""BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!"""""" """""BREAK THE ENEMY! BREAK THE WAR! FOR THE GOD-KING!!!!"""""" Verruca saw from the corner of her eye the flare in the sky. It was time. She jumped down from her platform and stood in front of her warriors. "ARMS UP!" All ten thousand Warbreakers pulled their dozerblade shields from their backs with their left hands and lifted them high. These Dozerblade Shields called this for their shape. This shield was large and covered them from near head to toe. They reached to their backs with their right hand and pulled their Holy Morning Star Flails. The sounds of chains rattled loudly and strummed the hearts of the Legion. "Seals!" Verruca called. A wave of Light from the sky poured down on each Legion Warbreaker. As under their feet rose circles of power. They now glowed with a Zeal of power. "GATES!" The gatekeepers watched in awe of this legion, as they snapped back to focus, and with all their strength moved the gate mechanism. The Gates widened until they could see ahead. "SHIELDS UP! TO BATTLE!" Verruca bellowed over the crowds as her gorgeous voice stirred the spirits of her warriors once more! She charged forward with her Dozerblade high, her foot''s steps dug into the lava stone-paved road that leads to the south. Her troops followed, and the earth trembled. Mark stood upon the highest hill looking over the front-lines with Jacob, now that his servants had moved his tents. The rest of the army had done so with their logistics units. The earth underfoot quivered. Jacob beside mark spoke low but firmly, "General Mark. They come." Chapter 103: A New Kind of Warfare The sleeping Dragon, Zitergall, slept no more, as it opened its maw and thunder rolled. Ten thousand Warbreakers stormed forth on foot, with their Dozerblade shields raised high in full charge. The Warriors of Jakahn could hear the rumbling, but more than that... They could feel the rumbling. "Shield wall upfront and ready! Skirmishers began volleys! Ballista re-angle and fire on the incoming!" General Lee spat in quick session. Javelins of five thousand Skirmishers were tossed into the air. With the eternal twilight of the city behind and the Glow of the Camps ahead, the rain of spears turned the battlefield into a porcupine. The Javelins would make clear "ding" sounds as they bounced off the armor of the Warbreakers, as they stormed forward in silence, only with the rumbling thunder of their steps their warcry now. A few lucky shots would find their way between the chinks in the armor of the Warbreakers. Most shrugged and they continued to charge with the Javelins embedded into them. The unlucky fell, to only be dozed to the side by the shields of their fellow Warbreakers plowing forward. A Ballista shot came blistering in on the ranks of the Warbreakers. A Warbreaker could see the incoming show. As she continued to charge, she raised her mighty Morning Star Flail and begun to swing it in her right hand. She waited just before impact and unleashed the power of her Flail. The Flail crashed into the long arrow-like Ballista shot shattering the missile. Splinters rained down around the Warbreaker who broke the shot, as they continued to storm forward unaffected by the shrapnel. "Damn! Is this the might of the Warbreakers of Deagoth!?" General Lee muttered, as he seen his first Ballista destroyed. "I don''t believe they can all be destroyed! CONTINUE TO FIRE, YOU MAGGOT FILLED BONES!" Lee screamed out! *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* The sounds of the Ballista''s drawstrings were heard, as now the sky filled with Javelins and now Ballista missiles. The Javelins were ignored, as the Ballista shots were broken in flight just before impact by the Warbreakers! General Lee traced the "X" etched on his face in thought, when a solider appeared to him, "General Lee! General Mark has had me to bring some Ballista shot from his personal collection! He wishes for you to fire them down on the incoming Warbreakers!" "What?! WHY WAIT NOW! GO USE WHATEVER IT IS, YOU INCOMPETENT INGRATE! BE QUICK ABOUT IT OR YOU WILL BE LOADED INTO THE BILLISTA!" General Lee was a foul general in combat, but a decent guy when not in combat. The soldier didn''t need to be told anything else, as he had already had the Ballista shots transported to the Ballista. He only needed permission to load them, as he went back to the crews to relay the order. The new shots were loaded, as the crews scratched their heads. These new shots were like hollow arrows, that contacted powder... How would this be better than a solid Ballista shot...? But it wasn''t their place to ask. They loaded and fired. The Warbreakers were now halfway across the expansive gap between Zitergall, and the invaders of Jakahn when several odd Ballista missiles came from above. The Warbreakers in the path readied their Flails ready to strike. Multiple bangs were heard as the Warbreakers slammed each shot, but the horror of these new missiles was revealed. As the missiles were destroyed they exploded in a wave of orange and gray dust, covering many of the Warbreakers in the impacted area. They continued to storm forward, when the second volley of these missiles came, as the same instance occurred. Mark stood on his hill looking at the charging Warbreakers. He looked to his left and right to see the two other armies flanking them. "Beautiful," Mark commented. "General Mark, what exactly is that dust that is blooming from the Ballista shots?" Jacob asked. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "A weapon generously provided by a mad man. It shouldn''t be long before we see the fruits of a labor of insanity." Mark said cryptically. Jacob frowned. A third of the Warbreakers were now covered in gray-orange dust, but they continued their efforts. If one could look closely, they could see a fine black pattern growing on the armor of the Warbreakers that were affected. Soon, those that were covered by this black pattern fell to their knees to be dozed by the Warbreakers behind them out of the way. One-third of the Warbreakers were consumed by the dust and were heartlessly tossed out of the way by the Dozerblade shields of their fellow Warbreakers... On both sides of the Warbreaker''s charge laid three thousand or so Warbreakers that were now covered in a black mass. Lee was astonished! The Warriors of Jakahn gawked, and General Jacob''s face slackened. "General Mark... What do you call those Ballista shots?" "Haha, would you believe me if they''re called Soul Eating Ballista Missiles. I know it''s a long name, but the mad man I spoke of likes to name things. Think of the dust emitted as a type of poison." Mark said casually. Jacob gazed at last volley fired into the air... Was this still war? "Alright, that should about do it. Leave the shield wall, and pull the forces back. Let''s lead them into our playground." Mark nodded while speaking. Jacob nodded as well, as he turned to relay his orders. Jacob didn''t feel anything now that the show was run by Mark because Mark showed just from these bizarre shots he could back up his words with results! "LORD COMMANDER!" General Bryce of the Warbreakers called to Verruca at the front. "Yes!" "WE...! WE HAVE SUSTAINED MAJOR CASUALTIES! THE BILLISTA SHOTS ARE SOME KIND OF POISON! WE''VE LOST ALMOST HALF OUT FORCES!" Startled Verruca turned her head slightly to look behind her! To her horror, it was exactly as described! She saw the incoming shots but disregarded them. Her troops had fought against Ballista in Borda on more than one occasion, but this... What was this black mass all over her troops! She gritted her teeth! "WE MUST PUSH FORWARD! IF WE FALL BACK THEN, WE CAN''T COMPLETE THE FORMATION WITH THE OTHER ARMIES! SPREAD OUT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE POISON FROM THE BILLISTA SHOTS" "UNDERSTOOD!" The general relayed. The Warbreakers slowed down as they formed scattered lines in their frontal assault. [Something feels off....] Verruca thought as she looked at the shield wall in front of her, now in sight. She glanced left and right to see her incoming forces to descend on the army in front. The impact of the Warbreakers on the shield wall came fast and furiously. The dozer shields broke the ranks of the Soldiers of Jakahn instantly from the impact! Enemy warriors were broken and split in the collision, now tossed to the side by the Dozerblade shields to be trampled on by the other Warbreakers. The forces of Ken, Mossvale, and Stephanie arrived to flank the army in front. The battle was quick, and the shield wall fall just as fast. The Skirmishers found where quickly slaughtered. Black blood reeked, and a feeling of helplessness spread through the forces, as they saw that the Ballista left were destroyed... The Drawstrings cut in half, and the main pillar is broken. In the distance, the retreating army of Jakahn could be seen Glowstone torches in hand. Without truly displaying the power of their armies, the warriors of Ken began to celebrate. "WE HAVE PUSHED THEM TO RETREAT! WOOOOOOOO!" As their voices were just as grating as their Warmarshal, though their Warmarshal Ken knit his brows, as he looked into the distance at the retreating forces. He wasn''t the only one... Verruca''s brows had long slammed into each other looking at the cowards in the distance... But cowards were only a slur... Mark still stood high on his hill looking at the retreating army of Jakahn. "Just as planned," Mark spoke out sinisterly. "General Mark... Warmarshal Verruca''s forces did sustain heavy damage, but... General Lee didn''t get a chance to fight with Warmarshal Verruca or the others, and you didn''t even let General Russell fight... So what plan?" "Plan within plans, General Jacob. Plan within plans. Watch the true power of faith." Mark said as he pointed to the armies of Deagoth that had ceased their charge. Jacob followed his finger to see. Warmarshals Verruca, Ken, Mossvale, and Stephanie huddled together discussing the next step. when underfoot the ground moved. Undead sprang from the ground in strange attire holding black ball-like objects in their hands. Startled the warriors around them lashed out! Only to hear the undead that sprang in the surprise attack underground around them yell, "FOR THE MONOCLE!" and explode in a cloud of gray and orange dust. Another wave of undead sprang from underground, and one sprinted to Warmarshal Verruca! Verruca had already lifted her shield, even though she knew her shield could not save her from the dust these undead used. The undead was almost upon her. A flash of light and he was knocked down to the ground. Warmarshal Ken covered the undead, as he yelled, "FOR THE MONOCLE!" and exploded with Ken in the epicenter of the blast. He tried with all his might to suppress the explosion and contain the dust, though he knew not what it was... An explosion was an explosion. Ken rolled off the suicide bomber and laid on the ground... Like the others surrounding them, a black pattern formed on his light silver armor. Chapter 104: Dont Want to be Beaten by Nobody "Just what is this dust on my Legion?" Verruca asked her fellow Warmarshals, as she looked over the casualties in the distance. "Some time of corrosive poison I suspect," Stephanie spoke, up after a moment of thought. "Obviously, but This doesn''t look like it''s just poison." Verruca agreed, but something was off about it. "It''s living poison... Or close to it." Mossvale was hunched over a Warbreaker that that collapsed when the charge halted covered in a black mass. "What do you know Warmarshal Mossvale?" Verruca''s eyes gleamed with a bit of violence... Poison wasn''t war to her. It was a coward''s weapon. She didn''t disdain poison, but the person that used it. Mossvale had covered his hands in a green glow, as he took a swath of the black mass growing on the armor of the Warbreaker. He held it up and pressed it between his fingers. After a few spells, he wiped it back on the armor of the Warbreaker. He stood up speaking with his back to everyone, "This is made from mushrooms that now have mold type properties. Whoever made this was a mad man. If not for my Cultivating a nature-based tome, then I couldn''t touch this stuff. Thankfully it looks like it only eats flesh and bone, and not metal or stone... Otherwise, everything would be eaten here." Verruca drew in a cold breath... Just what were they fighting here! "Despicable bastards! So much for the Warrior''s Honor of Jakahn!" Stephanie yelled in anger. "...I''m not sure this is Jakahn..." Ken, who had been silent, spoke gathering everyone''s attention. "Speak," Verruca commanded. Ken lifted his head to look at Verruca and smiled widely, as Verruca snorted at him. "I know more about Neolith than Jakahn, but of course being over here I get a lot of intel from Mossvale, isn''t that right buddy?" Ken gestured to his fellow Warmarshal. "Of course. What I know is what you know." Mossvale agreed. "Jakahn''s super into the whole, OH SO HONORABLE! Poison has never been their thing, even when they have it in some of their tomes... They don''t cultivate it. This is Marquis Mark''s doing." Ken looked over his shoulder into the distance to a certain hilltop. Understanding dawned on the other three. It wasn''t that they couldn''t come up with this assessment, but it was Ken who thought of it first. "Alright then... What''s the next move, and how do we combat this poison, now that we know?" Ken turned back and questioned the others. "Do they have any more Ballista?" Stephanie asked. "Who knows if they have more in the distance covered up, but our last scout report stated this was all they had," Mossvale replied. "I can create and Arcane barrier to shield us from more shots, but I can''t do anything else if I am to sustain it," Stephanie added. "That''s good. We should secure this area, and form battle lines. Now they have a foothold outside of the city, we should hold it, least these cowards launch their poison into the city itself..." Verruca decided. "Why didn''t they launch that poison into the city already?" Ken questioned. "They want to occupy Zitergall... Otherwise, they would have, nothing else makes sense." Stephanie thought out loud, as the others nodded. "Alright. This is what I what- Huh?" Verruca felt some killing intent, but before she could command, the ground opened all over with multiple undead leaping around holding two large black balls, one in each hand. "FOR THE MONOCLE!" The undead charged into the crowds of troops surrounding the Warmarshals and blew themselves up in clouds of gray-orange dust. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The warriors around started to combat the wave of suicide bombers, as another wave sprang from the ground. One undead, in particular, first seen Warmarshal Verruca and ran crazily at her, "FOR THE MONOCLE!" As Verruca raised her shield, she saw a flash of light, as Warmarshal Ken jumped in front of her and knocked down the bomber. Before she could provide assistance, an explosion sounded. Ken rolled off the suicide bomber, his chest caved in, and now filled with a cloud of gray-orange dust. Verruca dropped her shield to the side, as he plunged into the ground deeply, as she made her way to Ken''s side. "DON''T TOUCH HIM!" Mossvale cried out! Verruca hesitated, as she looked to Mossvale. "He''s covered in that poison... If you don''t cultivate my tome or at least a nature-based tome, you better leave your unlife behind if you want to touch it." Verruca kept her hands to herself, as she kneeled beside Ken. While Mossvale and Stephanie were cleaning up the rest using their magic shields they conjured to block the dust from spreading from the bombers. Ken looked up at Verruca, "Can I get that dinner date now?" "What are you asking at a time like this?" Verruca asked angerly but slightly touched. "I don''t... I don''t think I''m going to get another chance." Ken coughed a few times. "I... Yeah... Do you have any other last requests?" Verruca''s eyes turned slightly red. She wanted to say he was going to be alright, but seeing the black mass growing in his hollowed chest, and spreading on his silver armor... It wasn''t likely. "Can you... Can you tell me why you never gave me the time of day? Is it because you''re into girls?" Ken asked. "What?" Verruca didn''t know what he meant. "I mean..." Ken coughed a few more times, as the black mass spread, "I kept trying to court you... I tried for so long, and I never was able to... I guess I''ll never get that chance. I figured you liked girls, instead of guys." "I''m not into girls... I like guys." Verruca said slightly humored, in this dark hour. She at least had to set the record straight for Ken if he was going to return to the cycle. "Then... I really wasn''t good enough?" Ken was startled, it had never occurred to him, that he might have been the problem. "Maybe... I''m flattered, Ken... But I have someone I like." Verruca spoke with a bit of sadness at this moment, the humor drained from her voice. "Why do you say that so sad?" Ken coughed a few more times, the black mass was up to his neck, and soon to cover him. "Ken... You''re about to meet true death. I don''t think it''s time to talk about my problems. What is your last will?" "I want to know why you said that so sad... If the person you like makes you sad, then I could have been... that person to make you happy." Verruca thought for a second, before replying, "I... I-I..." Verruca looked around and found that no one was listening, as they had engaged a third round of bombers. She lowered her head to Ken, "I like the God-King." Ken slightly startled, "Have you always liked him? Back when... he was The Holy Witch King?" "Yes." "So that''s why... But... Why did you sound sad? You didn''t... answer me?" Ken pressed on. "He has two consorts now... He''s going to marry soon. There is no room left for me. He didn''t take me. I always waited." Verruca let out her feelings. "Really...? The Warmarshal I know always charges headlong into battle... She never waited for anyone... Why... Did you wait...? The black mass was reaching his mouth and was around his ears. It wouldn''t be long now. Verruca was surprised by Ken! This... This was true! But... So, what? It was too late now. She shook her head, "Be that as it may. It''s too late now." "Is he... still alive...?" "You know he is... He currently sits in Saigunrai." "Then there... Is time... Unlike me... Please promise... Me... Something..." Ken squeezed out, as it was getting harder to talk. Ken felt he should have learned undead vocalization. "What?" Verruca wanted to know his last will. "Chase him...! Win his heart...! Even... If you are... His seventh... Wife... Be his... Wife...!! I don''t... Want you to be... Sad...! I don''t... Want to be... beaten... In love... By nobody...! I''m... Ken... Lover of... Romance... after all...!" Ken''s last words lingered in the air, as the combat around them started to die down. Verruca continued to kneel beside Ken, as she watched the black mass consume him. He was gone... [...Didn''t want to be... Beaten by nobody...] Verruca felt guilty in her heart. She had tried to keep Ken away, but he always tried to get her attention. Maybe if she had been more direct... A thought popped into the back of Verruca''s mind... It whispered to her... ''Cry... Cry and Jack will fix everything.'' [No.] It whispered again, ''a few tears, and Ken will be back again, you can rid the guilt in your heart. A few tears and your troops will be replenished... Cry...'' [NO!] Verruca stood up, from her position looking down at Ken. [I will not cry again for him. Not until he has conquered all the lands! He has to hold his part of the bargain!!!] Verruca yelled in her mind. She looked down at Ken one last time before she was going to head out to battle once more. Guilt and pain of the heart were easy to quench with the blood of her enemies. [Maybe I should... Maybe I should have told him I loved Jack to begin with... !!!] Verruca admitted it in her heart. She loved him. [DAMN IT! DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT!!!] Verruca had enraged herself, as she finally admitted the obvious. She had always liked him... but she never wanted to love him until he was hers...! She needed to take this out of someone, and she knew just who she wanted to take it out on...! She yelled to the sky, with her sing-song voice booming well into the distance, "FORMER-MARQUIS MARK! SCRAM OUT FOR YOUR MOTHER! I''M HERE TO TAKE YOUR DOGGY LIFE!" Golden lightning was arcing off her armor, in many ways that Jack''s did... Chapter 105: A Banshee Gossips "That''s one down... Three to go." Mark said with a bit of humor in his voice. "When did you plant those bombers?" Jacob to the side asked as he saw the armies marching, and seen troops go into the forest to ambush them like they didn''t know they went into the forest... "They were put there when the Ballista were being set up." "That was two weeks ago!" Jacob exclaimed. "Yeah. Best laid plans, as they say, and lay they did. Now that We have enraged the War Goddess... Let''s see if she is going to walk through our playground. I can only thank her for being emotional right now, and not backing off." Mark spoke these words with sincere thanks, which troubled Jacob. "Well, what''s the plan now," Jacob asked as he was lost when the dust started. This wasn''t the kind of war theater he could run. "Let them hit up the playground first, and then set General Lee them. Have him fight the good Warmarshal Verruca. You say he''s good with his movements. Let''s see if he really has it in him." "What about General Russell?" "Have you seen General Russell yesterday? Today?" "No?" Jacob thought for a few moments. "I''ve already sent him out yesterday. He struck out early, and by now he should have passed the bridge at Wufengen and be just about time for him to reach Zitergall from the west." Astonished General Jacob thought General Russell was waiting to the side, as the Original plan... When was General Mark going to let him know??? "Why didn''t you let me know about this??? What if I called on him, and I couldn''t???" Jacob said slightly angry. "Come now, General. I didn''t want to trouble you with nonsense. Your might was already suppressing this area, why keep General Russell here for no reason? Once he breaks into Zitergall, the achievement of breaking the south of Deagoth will be yours to take." Mark soothed. Jacob was slightly less angry hearing this. This did appeal to him. "I''m just here to provide assistance." Mark nodded. "Of course, you provide the best assistance. This war is completed differently than I expected." Jacob played along, now that his ego was soothed. Mark laughed, as they turned their attention to the armies heading to them. ******* Within the Office of Lucius sat Leslie and Emily. They were meeting for the first time today since the departure of Verruca to the warfront to the south. "Consort Leslie, I know you''re really into knowing things... How is the warfront?" Lucius asked. "MMMmmmm, you don''t have to call me Consort. You can call me by name. You know that... Also, which?" "Oh... Jakahn''s invasion." Lucius clarified. "I''m afraid we''ve already lost one Warmarshal." "WHAT?!?" Lucius called out! Emily was equally shocked. Partly because she couldn''t see a Warmarshal falling in battle, as commanders never fell... but... How casual Leslie was saying it. "Warmarshal Ken Quicker... ''The Whisper of Death'' is no more. He was killed in action while shielding Verruca from a type of poison bomb." Leslie spoke. "THE GUY AT THE BORDER HAS MET TRUE DEATH!?!?!?!" Emily shouted in fear! Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Leslie casually looked over to Emily and patted her on the knee, "Yes. He''s gone. We didn''t even get a chance to show why he''s called the Whisper of Death at the warfront. A shame really... Right now, Verruca isn''t very happy. She is charging with her army head lone into the retreating armies of Jakahn." "I bet she isn''t. That one has always been like that." Lucius shook his head. "Well... What about the other warfront, if that''s what you want to call it?" Lucius continued. "Ah, well... Interesting things have been happening in Souigak." Leslie said with a smile, catching both Emily''s and Lucius'' attention. "About the warfront in the north, the Dead Tide approaches Souigak, and it threatens to crush it," Leslie spoke again, feeling a bit depressed about the Dead Tide. "You feel that the Dead Tide is of more concern that Jakahn?" Emily asked. "At the moment, I do. Jakahn isn''t the problem... Former-Marquis Mark is the problem in Jakahn. Without him, they would fall apart to our armies." Leslie paused, and then continued, "The interesting bit in Souigak is that not too long ago is about the sister of Warmarshal Michael, General Dunnder." "You know those siblings," Leslie asked vaguely. "Of course, always a loving pair... What happened?" Lucius commented, and asked right away. Michael was his favored Warmarshal and well-liked by the church, as a whole. "Well, his sister was struck down during their investigation into the Dead Tide to the northern outskirts of Souigak, infected by the Dead Souls. They rushed her back to Souigak because at the time they didn''t know of the infection, but the wound was great. Warmarshal George repaired her, but they took notice of the Black Mushrooms that took root in her eyes. Warmarshal George documented a lot on the Dead Soul Mushrooms through Jennifer, and Michael mostly grieved... I don''t blame him." Leslie sighed. Emily learned about this Dead Tide from Leslie... It was terrifying. She hoped Jack would come out soon. She was finding it hard to sleep at night and has been resting with Leslie in Jack''s tomb every night for a long while now. "How devastated is Warmarshal Michael? Will he be able to defend Souigak?" Lucius asked concerned for both Michael and the Cities'' faithful in the north. "Oh... That''s the interesting part I''m getting to... Jennifer is okay." Leslie said smiling. "Okay?" Lucius asked bewildered. Emily stared questioningly. "Jack saved her." Leslie dropped another bombshell. "PRAISE THE GOD-KING!" Lucius slapped his hands together and bowed his head. "Really, Lucius...?" Leslie asked looking at Lucius'' reaction... It wasn''t like Lucius didn''t know him personally. "How did he do it? Isn''t he in his Library?" Lucius leaned forward, he wanted to know. "Didn''t you just praise him...???" Leslie couldn''t follow Lucius ever since Jack was hailed the God-King. "Of course! It was the blessing of the God-King that saved her, but I don''t know how." Lucius shook his head. Emily remained quiet, but she wanted to know as well! How did he do it, when he was here? "Jack has become... One with the Light, so to speak." Leslie''s smile widened on her face. She had been saving this for a while. "ONE-ONE-ONE WITH THE LIGHT?" Lucius yelled while slumping back into his chair. He praised the God-King, but it never occurred to him in a million years that Jack would reach this level of Cultivation! Emily wasn''t sure what this meant, "What is one with the Light?" Lucius looked over at Emily and said nothing. Emily shifted a few times, as she felt awkward from the silence. He collected himself, and leaned back, "One with the Light... Think about the ultimate state of Cultivation in the Underworld! No wonder we could hear him in the Light! He''s within the Light! He could even be here! Who could be safe from him? Who couldn''t he protect? What secrets has he learned? Just... He is a god!" "Well Lucius, The ''One within'' State isn''t the ultimate state of Cultivation." Leslie corrected. "As far as anyone here is concerned!" Lucius countered! Emily kind of understood, now. [Is this what makes him a god?] she wondered. "So, he just knew to show up and help her? If that''s the case, why didn''t he show up and save Warmarshal Ken?" Lucius asked. "Are you questioning the God-King?" Leslie teased. Lucius waved his hands in the air back and forth, "NO, NO, NO!" Leslie giggled, while Emily looked to be in deep thought. Lucius seeing that he was being teased, went back to his question, "Alright, you had your fun. Tell me?" "Because in Souigak, Prophet Lightborn showed up and taught Warmarshal Michael how to pray to Jack. After the prayer, Jack showed up and completed his request." "So, it does work..." Lucius looked up into a Glowstone lamp on the wall. Emily turned to look at Leslie, "I don''t mean to interrupt us from praise Jack as the God-King, but didn''t you say these Dead Soul thingies spread by spores?" Leslie nodded, "Yes. They attach to living and unliving creatures and take over their souls through these spores." "I think I have an idea. I need to contact my mo-The Queen of Neolith." Emily slipped off her seat, to walk to the door. Lucius called out, "Emily, you don''t have to correct yourself... We know the Queen is your mother... You''re the princess." Emily turned her head, and whipped her smooth spider silk hair over her shoulder, "And you don''t have to praise the God-King like he isn''t mine and Leslie''s husband, and your best friend." Emily opened the door and walked out. Lucius looked to Leslie, "Is it me, or is a lot of you rubbing off on the little one?" "I do my best." Leslie shrugged grinning from ear to ear. Chapter 106: Should Bone Beat Blood Emily walked into her room, and closed the door softly, as she sighed within her mind. Her next step was going to be... Troubling. She walked over to the corner of her evening tomb and bent over to tap on the sleeping Gem Spider. A few pokes to its back and it woke up. It looked up with its eight luminous eyes as if yawning. Emily giggled at the small thing, as it made its way to the center of the web. After carefully plucking the web at the bottom in a certain pattern, she waited. A voice drifted out of the web, "Little Spider!" "Hello, Royal-Mother," Emily replied as she dragged her small chair to the corner of her evening tomb. "And here, I thought you were mad at mom, for teaching you how to treat your husband... Speaking of which..." The web paused, and then her mother spoke again, "I hear you''re not the Queen of Deagoth, yet? Why?" "MOTHER!" Emily said speechlessly. "I take it my daughter has decided to not use some of those moves I spoke of..." "Mother! Will you please!" Emily was shy about that subject. "Really now... You should just be his private whore... I swear on my name is the Spider Queen that if The Holy Witch King doesn''t favor you, then he likes men, instead of women." Kamilah was sitting on her throne casually, as she took in some burnt offerings. It had been a very long day receiving reports from the west and south. "By all that is in Creation, MOTHER! How can you say that to your daughter!" Emily was dazed and became angry out of embarrassment, "That''s not even why I messaged you through the web way!" "Oh?" "Besides! Jack hasn''t even left his closed doors cultivation!" "Jack???" "Oops." Emily slapped her small bony hands over her teeth. "The Holy Witch King is named Jack??? Are you serious??? I didn''t even know he had a name! HAHAHAHA" Her mother started laughing hysterically. "Royal-Mother... Did you... Did you get into the Burnt Offerings today?" Emily asked out of concern, her mother was only like this went she dipped to heavily into the family stash. Spider''s Bane Burnt Offerings were nothing to play with... "I''ve had a bit. Today has been a very long day. I, your mother, needed to unwind a bit. It''s great you decided to call, but I''m sure you called for a reason. No one ever wants to talk to me unless they want something... It can''t ever be because I just want to say, ''Hi Mom.'' Right?" The Spider Queen didn''t hold back. "Royal-Mother... You always told us you were super busy, and to not bother you!" Emily spoke out, in injustice. "You were brats! I can''t divide my attention forever small thing you guys did! You are grown undead now! You do big things! These are the events I want to know about... Forget it, what''s my little spider want?" Pausing to calm down a bit, and collect her thoughts that were scattered by her mother''s outlandish behavior, Emily finally spoke, "Do you remember years back when We had to fight the Deep Toxic Centipedes in City of Collenda''s Tomb?" "Oh, yes! I remember those giant nasty things... So many legs... Blah! Nothing should live with more than eight legs." The queen spat, as she took in more smoke. "If I remember correctly, they sprayed a poisonous corrosive mist." Emily pressed on. "Very corrosive! Damn things were corroding the foundations of the whole underground tomb of Collenda! Melted right through the Gravestone!" The Queen was happy the day the last one was killed there, though the damn things popped up every once in awhile, in the Grand Tomb''s territories where they expanded. They were so aggressive in breeding, that at one point the Queen wondered if they were going to be eaten by them... If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "In that case, didn''t We make a special web weaved suit to fight them," Emily asked in expectation. This was what she was building up to! "You''re asking for some Web Shielding Armor? That''s... That''s actually really smart." A more sober voice drifted from the web into Emily''s room. "Huh?" "I assume that you wish to protect your people from the Dead Tide, and whatever weapon Jakahn has conjured." The Queen mused aloud. [What weapon?] Emily wondered, she would ask Leslie later. "That was my thought if it can keep that corrosive mist away, then tell me sure it can keep the spores of these mushrooms at bay," Emily added. "I think you are right!" A bony hand-clapping sounded echoed. "So how many can We get, and When can you send them?" "Little spider, We have loads of them now that the Deep Toxic Centipedes aren''t a huge problem. I''m willing to exchange them for... Compensation." "Really..." Emily asked. "Really." "I don''t think so..." "Then you''re not getting them... Heh." The Queen gave a light laugh. "Because we are already compensating you." "Oh? You have your mother''s attention. How are you already compensating Us?" "If we don''t stop the Dead Tide... They will gladly turn Neolith into a wonderful walking mushroom forest." Emily spoke with a sound of confidence. "Oh, rare of you to think of something like this... Alright, We can keep the suits and fight them ourselves." "And risk a large amount of capital, when you can get someone else to do the work for you, and all you have to do is supply a large number of armors you aren''t using." Emily sounded convincing. "When you put it like that... I''ll trade for information then." The Queen spoke sounding defeated, but only the Queen knew she was actually getting what she wanted. "Then what is it that you want to know?" "The God-King... Is the prophecy true?" The Queen spoke with interest. This is what she wanted to know! "Well, he is being worshipped as an unliving walking god... So yeah... I''d say it''s true, and if I can be Queen, I can rid this damn body finally!" "Or he will ask you to keep it because he likes little girls." Laughter rang out from the web. "It doesn''t seem he is mother! Stop laughing!" "Oh, how fierce! Where are you learning these behaviors? Tell mother... What friends have you made?" "Is this part of the bargain?" Emily asked. "No... I already have what I wanted to know. This is just motherly concern." "My Sister-Consort." "Wow! I would have never thought you would become friends with the enemy!" The Queen laughed again. "Sure, sure. She''s a really nice person. I like her a lot." Emily added. "Alright. Mom will look into her background, and she will send you the armor. Where do you want them?" [She said Jakahn had weapons, and the suits could help... Both??? Though, I think Verruca will be just fine. I need to focus on the Dead Tide] "Can I get them all sent to the City of Souigak?" Emily asked hopefully. "What a tall order? Then I guess I will have to send your personal guard." Her mother spoke happily. "Personal guard??? Emily had two servants here in the Palace... And that''s all she ever had in her unlife. "Yes. Yes. I granted you some personal guard many many years ago under the command of your uncle spider, in case your siblings got any odd ideas. Now that you are far from home, and mother is sure you are going to be of Deagoth, I will send them out." "Alright... How many are there?" "Eight hundred elite Archspider Warriors! I will send them carrying the armors in two days." "Thank you, Royal-Mother." Emily bowed to the web as if her mother could see her. "Haaaa~ When can I hear you call me mother or just mom kindly again?" The web sounded before it went silent. The Gem Spider crawled to the side and began to sleep again. "Maybe soon... Mom." Emily went to find Leslie to pass the news. Within her tomb, the Spider Queen reached up over her head and plucked a different web in a strange pattern. A fanatical voice sounded, "Yes, my Queen." "You were right. The Holy Witch King is now considered the God-King of Light." The Queen no longer had any love in her voice, as she spoke to her Prophet. "Of course! The spider goddess knows all, sees all... She has spoken recently! A new message not received since so long ago... So long ago... When Emily was conceived... So long ago!" "What did she say?" "She speaks of blood, fresh red blood..." "Exactly what did she said... Word for word, speak it." The Queen had no time to play these games with the prophet. "She said, ''Tides of blood wash in from the Red Sea... Greed is given to persuade a god, but only the offeror is needed to be offered to gain his favor. Neolith finds it hard to live in a world of blood, but should bone be greater than blood, Neolith will last for another ten thousand years." The prophet finished. "Have you written this down?" "Yes, my Queen." "Send it to me to ponder... Also... I wish for you to give your final orders to the ''Eighth Leg." It is time for them to be commanded by their proper master." "Yes, my Queen." "I will send a servant soon, with the remaining orders... Leave me, for now." The web went silent. "Should bone beat blood... How do we beat the descendants of Alucard...?" The Queen murmured, in thought. Chapter 107: His Angels in the Light Jack was sitting cross-legged floating in the Light just below the giant black hole that was the Skull of the Sun God. From time to time, small winged golden skeletons with scythes would come before him leaving a small floating blob. Jack would reach out and absorb it before going back to his meditation. There were at least a hundred of these Cherub Angels of Death. These Cherubs were small baby looking skeletons with large heads and small bodies. Each of them had a pair of skeletal wings on their back that flapped in flight and carried a small version of the same scythe that the Angel of Death wielded. They were cute in a creepy way, as they shined with a golden radiance. [It was pure genius to think up these Cherubs. Twice the results with half the effort.] Jack thought smugly at his own genius. Using the voices within the power he absorbed previously, he was able to make synthetic souls and form these cherubs, through a heavily modified Angel of Death spell. They had no freedom of choice and no personality, but they could execute simple commands... Such as find pieces that look like this and return them to me. Thus, Jack sent out his Cherubs to collect himself, while he sat on his pelvis and pondered the great mysteries of the Light. As for why they were Cherubs. They were based on the Angel of Death spell. Jack had wanted to model them after some game monsters he used to collect in a small game in his previous like, where he could hold a bunch of them in his pocket... But his dreams were shattered when he could model them, but they were nothing but constructs without thought... It seemed that the Angel of Death spell had some deeper meaning to it, that Jack was still learning. [I guess Cherubs are cool... I''m supposed to be a god, after all...] Jack shook his head, as another Cherub brought him another piece. [At this rate I should be complete within a few more days... Perfect! I think the first thing I''m going to do when I get back is getting Tux to make a spell to refine this power, and then bone Leslie until I must be entombed for another thousand years!] Jack laughed within his mind. The Cherubs in the light were darting around looking and collecting. They worked like a hive of bees, continuously dropping off bits and pieces they found. A Cherub brought back another piece, dropped it off, and rushed back to the south again. Jack reached out his hand to absorb this when he felt something was off. He opened his vision to look at the thing in front of him. [What is this?] It was a small sparkling sun. Unlike the massively large suns he had seen in this strange plane of light, this one was the size of his hand. The smallest he had seen. Jack thought for a few moments and decided to try to pick it up, based on that it was picked up by one of his Cherubs. He held it and felt a bit of understanding dawn on him. As he held it, it seemed that some of the things he was wondering earlier unraveled in his mind. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. [HOLY FUCK, THIS IS A COMPREHENSION ORB!] Jack shouted in his mind. He had read in his Library, where he was deathly bored while waiting for his laptop to finish its progress on his Throne about these!! Just by holding it, it could provide the soul with better understanding, at the same time, the essence of the orb would be absorbed by the soul. It wouldn''t increase Cultivation level or rank, but it would increase understanding of the Cultivation, in question. [!!! I know what I better use this thing on to comprehend! Light speed... I need to cultivate speed! Speed reigns supreme in this world...!!] Jack held the orb in his hands and began his comprehension of the Light. He would ask questions, and he would answer his own questions with a bit of understanding. It was like being his own teacher with this orb. [What is the Light? The Light is a state of matter, but a wave... Where does the Light come from? It comes from the creation of the Omniverse. Why is Light so fast? Because Light is the first source of creation and blessed by the Creator... Light is the simplest of all forms of particles, and through these particles with enough energy light photons can turn into matter! It''s just E=MC2 backwards! I see I see!] Jack continued to question and answer himself, until he asked an unexpected question even to himself, as he was on a roll, [...Can the Light be destroyed? No, the Light merely changes to a different state...!! A different state? What is the different state of Light? Void... The Light and Void are two parts of the whole. Void becomes Light and Light becomes Void... The Void is anti-matter, where the Light is Matter, and both collide and produce energy! The Void is held in a different but connected Plane, while the Light is done the same. Both filter into the plane of reality, as designed by the Creator to form the cycles of eternity, like the cycles of life and death or the cycles of time and space... These are the Laws left by the Creator!] Jack''s flaming eyes burst into flames upon his golden form in the realm of light, as the first time they had done so since he took over this new form. [...I can''t believe it.] Jack held the Orb in his hand... [Where do these Orbs come from...?] But when he asked this question... He couldn''t draw an answer... These orbs were the things of legends, and he just so happened to have one. [I need to keep this... Maybe I can give it too... NOOOOOO!] As Jack held the Orb, it defused into light and dispersed. It seemed to have used all that was held within it. [Damn it! Man damn it! I needed that.] Jack shook his head, but it was already gone. [I had other things to assssssk!] But it was too late. It had already passed into Oblivion. Jack mourned for his new-found toy until he saw in front of him a small collection of his soul. He tossed the sadness of his onetime use treasure to the side of his mind, as he absorbed his pieces that were brought back by his Cherubs, [I guess I will just have to treat those Orbs like one-time power-ups... Life is cruel.] If any other Cultivator of the WHOLE nine realms heard Jack speak in this way, they would run up to him immediately and beat him, even if they were just Grand Master Rank Cultivators!!! These Orbs were something you could only get by chance. These were the true treasures of the Cultivating world. In ancient times, they were known as ''Soul pieces of the Omniverse,'' though that name had been lost to time. [Oh, well. Let me study what I know already. This all feels like pseudoscience... Haaa~] Jack closed his vision, and so did his flaming eyes in the plane of light go out, as more Cherubs brought back more pieces of his soul. [I wonder how the girls are doing... I hope I pissed Verruca off enough to move on... I can''t see someone as proud as her to submit to anyone, in a relationship. Haaaa~ I wish I could have done better by her. Maybe that Warmarshal Ken, Leslie was telling me about, can do good by her.] Jack pondered as he moved his mind back to his task... [The Law of Light... Speed of light... Speed...] Chapter 108: Two Down Warmarshal Verruca shouted her orders, and her remaining Warbreakers charged beside her after the retreating army of Jakahn. Stephanie Chaoshood remounted her steed and rode beside the armies'' charge, shield spell at the ready. Warmarshal Mossvale and his warriors took to the forest on the right, to flank the enemies. They knew they were seen, but Mossvale''s nature-based cultivation would allow him through the forest like a fish in water. "YOUR MOTHER IS COMING FOR YOU, JAKAHN!" Verruca yelled in fury. Stephanie facepalmed, [Julia, you always get like this when you get angry...] She shook her head. As the army of Warbreakers stormed forwarded, followed closely by Stephanie''s Spellslingers, they stormed into a clearing. Once they passed this clearing, they would be able to engage Jakahn. Mark on his hilltop took notice of the distance and finally nodded, as he spoke, "They''ve made it... Now let the sin begin." As the Deagoth forces cross halfway through the clearing, the ground rumbled and hundreds of undead sprang from the ground, just like before. The bombers sprang, found the closest target, and yell "FOR THE MONOCLE!" before exploding into a mess of gray and orange dust. Startled Verruca yelled, "CHEAP TRICKS!!!!" Stephanie began changing and using her arcane powers to form shields around the dust bubbles to try and minimize the impact, though many undead fell to the black mass. Verruca saw a bomber running to her, and in her rage, reached out and grabbed this lanky suicide bomber. She took him and threw him into the distance where the Armies of Jakahn were now setting up their barricades. The bomber exploded over the heads of Jakahn, as the dust floated down causing wide panic in the ranks of Jakahn. "That was unexpected..." Mark shook his head. "Should we let them continue to do that?" Jacob frowned. "What''s to continue? The fun is just about to begin. Look in the distance at Zitergall? Notice anything...? Good about it?" Jacob lifted his gaze to meet Zitergall and astonished he seen that the city was in flames. "A whole city of fire cultivators that are ridiculous in their use... A good thing the city isn''t made of wood, or we wouldn''t have a city to conquer... Then again, if it was, we would just say we won now and go home." Mark chuckled. "And there comes Warmarshal Mossvale, the most forgettable of the Warmarshals, and he will die the most forgettable. At least, he gets one last gift before he goes." Mark looked to his left, from the woods came Mossvale and his warriors. Mossvale leaped from the highest tree until the closest warrior of Jakahn. His whip from his side unleashed, as it moved as if alive. It attached to the warrior of Jakahn''s neck, and with a flick of the Mossvale''s wrist, the head of the undead fell from his shoulders. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Victory to Deagoth!" Mossvale yelled to his warriors, as the followed behind him. [Alright, he had his moment to shine... End him.] Mark mentally messaged one of his honor guards that held onto a large bow. The bow that was held by the servant was as tall as the servant, himself. The servant then pulled the bowstring back as far as he could. The servant aimed, as Mossvale was weaving in and out of combat, his whip leaving a trail of heads from Jakahn. The servant smiled to himself and whispered gently, "Nighty-night... Wayne Mossvale." "Thang!" The drawstring snapped. Mossvale had just removed another two heads when a force struck him from behind. "Which son of a bitch thinks he can snipe me?!?" Mossvale looked into the distance and seen a bowman one of the hilltops waving at him before he turned around and ran the opposite way from him. "YOU SORRY, SON OF A BITCH! DON''T LET ME GET TO YOU!" Mossvale roared. His warriors swarmed around him like enraged monkeys jumping into the ranks of the Jakahn warriors sent to meet them. Mossvale''s whip lurched out and latched to the waist of an unlucky warrior of Jakahn. With his strength, he pulled the whip back, with the warriors dangling and flailing like a fish out of water. With a massive swing, he slammed the warrior into a group of Jakahn warriors running up smashing them together, to soon be dismantled by his troops. Mossvale''s warriors weren''t called, ''The Scourge of Deagoth'' for no reason. Mossvale continued to roar until he felt a chill on his back... [SHIT! THAT ARROW HAS THE POISON!] Mossvale looked over his right shoulder to see the arrow, and the black mass growing from the outside by just a bit, and... He could feel it spreading inside of him. [Careless!] Quickly Mossvale used his power to contain it''s spreading, as he continued to fight. He separated from his warriors, as not to spread it among his ranks. He continued to fight, with many undead falling to his whip. He could feel his power draining, as he continued. Finally, with a sliver of power left within his fiber, he made his choice. "General Achnida! I leave The Scourge to you... I have a dinner date with King Yama! Maybe he has a daughter, he doesn''t mind letting me date!" Mossvale cried out, as he made his way deep into the ranks of the branching army of Jakahn. "Warmarshal! What are you doing!?!?" "Anything you want me to tell Warmarshal Ken when I see him?" Mossvale hollered, as a sword plunged into his left leg. Mossvale took his left hand ramming his thumb into the attacking Undead''s eye socket, and with a snap of the wrist, the Undead''s head came off. He used the severed head to smash into the face of another incoming warrior of Jakahn killing him. Mossvale didn''t bother to pull the sword from his leg. General Achnida fought his way over to his Warmarshal, but the warriors of Jakahn were thick, and he wasn''t Knight rank yet! "Tell Warmarshal Ken, he''s a Jackass for teaching you to be a whoremonger!" General Achnida joked as he found no other way to make this situation better. "Alright! See you later... General Achnida..." Warmarshal Mossvale used the last of his power to jump high over the heads of the warriors of Jakahn. In the air, his whip caught onto an officer of Jakahn, and he pulled himself down crashing into the enemy officer. The warriors surrounded Mossvale, as they plunged spears, and swords into his back. He smiled facing the Officer in front of him. The Officer now on the ground watched as the Black blood of Mossvale dripped onto him, and the chilling smile on his face. "Hey, kid... How''re the medical plans in Jakahn?" Mossvale asked humorously. The Officer took his dagger and plunged it through Mossvale''s right eye socket. Mossvale didn''t stir or yell, after being stabbed. A calm voice sounded from Mossvale, "Then it must be one hell of a medical plan..." He reached out with his left hand and gripped the throat of the Jakahn Officer, and squeezed until the head of the Officer fell from his shoulders. Mossvale smiled, as he collapsed onto the dead Officer, as his power faded, and the black mass bellowed from the wound of his body. Mossvale bloated and exploded into a cloud of gray-dust covered the surrounding warriors of Jakahn. General Achnida back off seeing this action, and returned to his men, as they watched the panic of Jakahn''s warriors. On that same hilltop, Mark spoke, "Two down, two to go..." [Is Mark planning on assassinating all of the Warmarshal''s here?!?] Jacob thought in shock. Chapter 109: A Devil Plans a Party "Just a bit more... Come on, dear Warmarshal''s of Deagoth... Just a bit more." Mark urged quietly, as he saw that Verruca and Stephanie were edging their way to his front lines. "Did your undead set up my trap, as I advised?" Mark questioned Jacob, as he already knew the answer. He only asked to keep Jacob in the loop and give him a sense of command. "Yes. Such a strange contraption... Will it really work?" Jacob answered. "If it doesn''t just use it as cover. Waste not; want not, as the saying goes." Mark commented. As he watched his last wave of bombers explode. Their deaths would pave the way for them to engage Jakahn and his machine. "FORWARD!" Verruca yelled loudly, as she rushed to the front, with her Warbreakers, now that the bombers subsided. The Warbreaker''s charged up the hill towards their enemies. The terrain was formed into a small valley, as the hill they charged was in the middle, making it hard to flank this position. Stephanie rotated to the back of the army, now that she had exhausted almost all her power. She began to draw more into her, through her cultivation. It was a slow process for her. Mark looked to his left and see the warriors of the late Mossvale were entrenched by Jakahn. They would be no further help for a period of time. "Finally." Mark nodded with a satisfied voice, as he watched Verruca charge. One of Mark''s honor guards watched and waited when he saw the Deagoth army charge again. "They''re almost here! Set it off!" A Jakahn Officer yelled in a whisper to Mark''s Honor Guard. "Not yet..." "They are almost on us! What are you waiting for!!!" "For the word." The Honor Guard replied, paying no attention to the Officer. [Do it.] Mark mentally messaged. "GET DOWN OR DIE!" The Honor Guard shouted as loud as he could to Jakahn. They were already prepared for this, as they were told earlier, and they all ducked to the ground. The charging Warbreakers and Spellslingers thought this was a provocation, and charged harder as if pumped with stimulants. "Clink!" A mechanical sound emitted, with the rapid during of gears ground. If one looked beside the Honor Guard, they would see a massive boulder fell into a deep gorge dug into the ground. A long-jagged arm of the Trap slung out from the device, and slammed into the charging Deagoth army, sweeping them to the side, along with Verruca. The unlucky Warbreakers were impaled by the spikes of the Arm. This device looked like a spear trap, but on a massive scale. A hundred troops were knocked into the distance. Even the Armor of some of the Warbreakers'' chest piece armors cracked, as they fell some distance away, and no longer stirred. The Warriors of Jakahn leap from the ground and went to pull the arm of spears back to reload the trap, as they completed this, the rock that fell into the deep dug hole was slowly lifted back up. Verruca got to a knee and looked at the trap being reloaded, as the warriors behind her charged up. Verruca shouted loudly at her Warbreakers, "FOOLS, DON''T JUST CHARGE INTO THAT THING!" Verruca''s sing-song voice took a turn to a rough and malice voice. But this was the style of the Warbreakers... Charge... Break the front ranks... It took the second wave being knocked into true death for the ones behind verruca to listen, and a stalemate occurred. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "CHAOSHOOD! WE NEED ARCANE ARTILLERY!" Verruca turned her head to shout, as she held her left side, she discarded her shield, as it was cracked and threatened to break in half from the impact of that spear trap. Hearing Verruca''s command, Stephanie gritted her teeth. "Generals! Heed my call!" Stephanie called out, as her three Generals of the Spellslingers army came to her. Quickly a formation was set, and the ritual began. Purple chromatic and glittering lines of power swirled through the four of them, as the incantation was spoken, "Arcane influence is the sever the heart, but Chaos reigns in the beginning! Through the daughter of Nyx! ZANNAHE!!! LET US RETURN TO THE BEGINNING!" The power formed and rose high in the dark skies of the Underworld, as the power formed five primordial purple meteors. With a snap, each one turned solid, as if real, and extruded a sliver of the power of the beginning rocks formed in the void. With black sweat beads on her brow, Stephanie flicked her wrist, as the five five and a half meters long meteors came crashing down on the armies of Jakahn and their infernal spear trap. "BOOM!" "BOOM!!" "BOOM!!!" "BOOM!!!!" "BOOM!!!!!" Five earth-shaking sounds reverberated, as the ground trembled from the impact. Screams issued out, and the sounds of frantic movement were heard. All the warriors of Jakahn were breaking ranks to escape, like rats fleeing a sinking ship, but their efforts were in vain. Only a blur was seen, as the Mark''s Honor Guard escaped just at the last moments. The infernal spear trap and the warriors of Jakahn guarding the hill valley passage were broken and half-burnt bodies, with purple flames dancing on their corpses. "CHARGE AGAIN!" Verruca yelled out to her stationed warriors. "Heh." Mark gave a light laugh. He watched as his Honor Guard that retreated in the face of the attacking meteors returned. "HALT!" As the Honor Guard waved his hand, creating a purple arcane shield wall, that temporarily stopped the charging Warbreakers. "ROLL OUT TO YOUR MOTHER, IF YOU WANT SOMEONE TO STOP!" Verruca was swinging her Morning Star Flail, as she yelled. "I would love too, but I think you are forgetting your purpose... Look at your precious city." The Honor Guard spoke blandly. Verruca, Stephanie, and many of the Warbreakers looked behind them to see a raging fire in Zitergall. "FUCK!" Verruca didn''t know how Jakahn passed her to attack the City. What good was fighting, if the objective was lost! Verruca glared, at the Honor Guard before issuing her orders, "WARBREAKERS RETREAT BACK TO ZITERGALL! PROTECT THE OBJECTIVE!" "HOOOO AAAAAH" The Warbreakers turned to charge back to the City in the distance. Their loyalty to their Warmarshal was unquestionable. [Fuck! I''ve lost half of my army, and the City is in flames! Fucking patriarch, you had one job!] Verruca cursed in her mind. Verruca turned to follow her army, as she decided to bring up the rear with Stephanie, to cover the retreat. "HAHAHAH!" Laughter was heard from behind. "Do you think you can just come and go as you please?! This land you stand on is Jakahn''s! The border is there, but you thought you could just kill your way in? HAHAHA! Leave your unlife behind!" General Lee jumped from behind and came crashing down on Verruca. Verruca''s instincts dictated her to dodge, and she rolled out of the way, as she picked up a fallen Warbreaker''s shield from the ground. She lifted the shield, as she spun her Morning Star. "General Lee... So, we finally meet on the battlefield. I see you are tired of hiding behind your troops and pretty little toys." Verruca spat. Stephanie was about to turn her steed to aid Verruca, when she heard Verruca reply, "FOLLOW THE TROOPS! THEY MUST BE LED TO DEFEND ZITERGALL!" Stephanie hesitated but for only a moment, before she rushed to catch up to the army, leaving Verruca behind. Mark stood on his hilltop, "At last, she is alone... How... Predictable." Mark laughed. "This is the final outcome? Do you think General Lee can defeat Warmarshal Verruca?" Jacob asked. He didn''t have faith if it was just General Lee... Maybe both him and Russell could... But just him? "No. General Lee can''t stop Warmarshal Verruca. I had wanted her separated earlier if the opportunity was there but alas... But this is what I expected. We just need to keep her for just a few minutes. Let''s wait for her fellow Warmarshal to make it back to Zitergall... General Russell will pull out of Zitergall, after a bit of a small struggle. Ha!" "I don''t follow..." Jacob didn''t understand exactly why this was a good plan. "General Jacob... Let me ask you a question... Do you know much about the Southeastern Undead Trading Company?" Mark asked unexpectedly. "A bit... They have a lot of merchants that flow into Jakahn, but they have already done business in Deagoth, and export and import. If I''m not mistaken, your merchant band does a lot of business with them... Why???" "Well, let''s just say that they have a large HQ here in Zitergall... Buying up the trade goods here directly, before export. Good business... In fact, all the major cities'' of Deagoth has a branch of the Southeastern Undead Trading Company. But I plan to ''Have-A-Blast'' with them just as soon as Warmarshal Chaoshood takes back the city, and the Good Warmarshal Verruca returns. HAhAaHAHAhahaHAH" Mark began to cackle out of character in front of Jacob... As Jacob didn''t understand the reference. "HAVE A BLAST!!! I can''t wait!" Mark slowed his laugh, until a chuckle, as he watched in anticipation of the duel with Verruca and Lee. Chapter 110: Coming Undone General Lee was wearing the high-ranking officer uniform of Jakahn in the colors of their country, red and beige. On his back were two bladed weapons. They were too long to be a dagger but too short to be a sword. What was odd about them, was that they pointed downward, instead of upward, and were crossed like an "X" on his back. "So, the War God of Deagoth knows my name. I''m flattered." General Lee spoke blandly, with no sincerity Verruca chuckled, "Yeah, I''ve heard you''re a punk kid that got scratched on your face by your daddy and then refused to talk to anyone for five hundred years... Do you want mommy here to kiss it and make it better? heh." "I know you''re provoking me... And fuck you, it''s working!" General Lee touched his face, as his right hand traced his "X" scar on his face from left to right, while his left hand pulled his sword down from his back. "Good... Now you know how I feel. Enough chit-chat, time to see what the marrow of your bones looks like." Verruca took a solid step in General Lee''s direction. Verruca swung her flail high, and then brought it low while casting her spell, "Phailol!" The Morning Star Flail shined brightly in the dark twilight of the underworld, as it fell in the arc it was swinging on the handle Verruca brought, it enlarged into a might golden spiked ball. It slammed into the ground, leaving a large crater. Verruca was slightly startled, as the image of General Lee that should have been crushed, or he should have at least dodged, faded away. She felt pressure from her back, "Underhanded!" As she was pushed forward by a step. She turned to see her attacker, "So the fabled Tome of Hermes'' Legacy is true then." Verruca spat. General Lee landed steadily on a nearby boulder, as he looked down on Verruca, "Of course, Dear ole'' dad found it in some ruins... Use to practice it on me, until I learned it, and then no more dad... Heh." "Long story short... Who cares." Verruca softly hummed another spell, "Anxlihowug." Crackling golden lighting danced softly on her armor with a soft buzzing sound. General Lee held both his swords in a backward grip, before disappearing. Verruca stood still, [Where are you... AH HA!] She slammed out with her flail but met nothing but air and another crater she formed. She felt that the back of her right knee was struck by General Lee, as she kneeled on her right knee to the ground. General Lee materialized to her left, "This is the mighty war god of Deagoth... Warmarshal Verruca... Bane of Borda... Frankly, I''m unimpressed." He looked to his right arm to see scorched marks along his forearm. "Hold still for a few seconds and say that again," Verruca said calmly. "I wonder how many war credits I can get by bringing your head back to the King." General Lee took an offensive stance. "That''s if you have the ability." Verruca gritted her teeth, and leaped into the air toward General Lee, smashing down where he was. General Lee appeared behind her, "Why struggle? You can''t catch me, even if you prayed for it." "Don''t mention prayer, at the moment. Though say, Lee-Boy... While you had your famous tantrum and didn''t talk to anyone, I wonder? How was it feeling like an undead-child? Did you miss your daddy?" Verruca hummed another spell, "Lihowugnime," As she hunkered down, awaiting the next strike. General Lee responded, with a cross slash on Verruca''s back. She turned slightly with her left leg, swinging the flail like an unstoppable force, but she missed her mark again. Gold lightning crackled along her armor that now showed a bit of her back, and black blood oozed from her. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Lee landed further away from Verruca now, "It seems I played into that... A double edge sword." General Lee looked down at both of his arms, now colored black from the burns received by the Lightshield of Retribution. "Defense versus speed... I wonder which is better?" "I wouldn''t worry about it until the battle is over." Verruca''s face bloomed into an enchanting smile on her massive frame. "Hmmm?" General Lee didn''t understand this, but he felt taunted, as Verruca took a half step. "Alright, Daddy''s boy... See if you can''t hit me with your best shot." Verruca dropped her shield and flail, with a loud low thud. General Lee vanished from his place, but in that instance, a crackling sounded from behind Verruca, as she turned to look at General Lee being held in golden chains rooted to a luminous yellow sigil on the ground. "WHAT IN THE HELL ARE THESE CHAINS!!!" General Lee screamed out in frustration. Verruca didn''t say anything, as she reached out with her massive hands, to grip onto General Lee''s upper arms. "Got you now, your quick little bitch... Any last words before I pull you apart?" Verruca said with a laugh in her voice. "How?!" "I won''t bother you about the details, but just know that Warmarshal Ken... Was faster than you, and he could never defeat me." Verruca held the smaller General Lee with her left hand, as she pulled with her right hand, feeling the resistance of the bones of General Lee. Lee was still holding his swords and kicking with his legs toward Verruca in vain. She was three times his size, and her form dwarfed his. Savoring the feeling of the resistance in the bones pulling away. "AUUUUHHHHH!!!!" Lee yelled in pain, as he felt his arm dislocating from his socket. Skeletal undead felt little in terms of pain, but the feeling of having your bones pulled from their sockets, while better than zombies or geist, was one of only a few ways to inflect pain on Skeletal undead. Soon Verruca smiled brightly, as she tore General Lee''s right arm from its socket. She crushed his left arm in her hand, as she dropped it. "Oopsie... I guess you are going to need to see a bone doctor for another arm, now. I don''t think you can recover this one. Now you''re lopsided... Let me even you up." General Lee heard the sweet voice of Verruca, but in his mind, it sounded like a devil that crawled out of hell. She gripped General Lee again with her right hand, as she started to pull on his right arm, feeling the glorious feeling of resistance. "Warmarshal Verruca, I believe it''s time for you to aid your precious city... Or else I guess Warmarshal Chaoshood will end up as the third Warmarshal to die today." A humorous voice sounded from behind Verruca. She had her back to the city, and this voice, as she turned to look who spoke. "Former-Marquis Mark... So, we meet at last." Verruca held onto the ragdoll General Lee, who continued to struggle and yell. "Quite you. Grown-ups are talking." Verruca''s right hand crushed General Lee''s rib bones. Breaking almost all of them but three. "How brutal. Your reputation proceeds you, but I think you miss the big picture. Take a look to my left." Mark spoke as if he was chatting with a good friend. Verruca looked up to see a giant undead gorilla rampaging in Zitergall. "Let me remind you that General Russell is a High-level Knight Rank Nature Cultivator. I don''t think that Warmarshal Chaoshood and Patriarch Furysmith will be able to hold him back for much longer if you stay. So, two things. Stay here and destroy General Lee and let Zitergall fall, oooor leave General Lee and let Zitergall fall into my hands. The choice is yours really." Mark said while nodding his head. "What makes you think I can''t bring General Lee with me." Verruca took a step forward, though a bit shaky due to her injury on her right knee. "Me and mine will bar your way. I''m simply here to collect General Lee. I don''t want to lose him just yet, but if you want to trade your city for General Lee... I''m sure Jakahn will agree to it." Verruca hesitated for a moment, before discarding the struggling General Lee, as he was smashed down to the ground. She hummed a new spell as she placed her hand on her right knee, "Faxhong," and a golden light surrounded her knee in what appeared to be a brace. Verruca gave another look to Mark, before she charged toward Zitergall on foot, passing the fallen bodies of her army on her way back. Mark watched her as she passed before he walked over to General Lee. Lee had struggled up, as he leaned against a small rock beside him. "...Thanks..." He squeezed out. "Don''t mention it, General Lee. Generals have to look out for each other." Mark reached down to pull Lee up. General Lee slumped over slightly from his crushed ribs, as he held himself with his left arm. "I got a bone doc back at camp. A really good one. We will have you patched up before this day ends, no cost." "...I''ve been feeling some aches in that right arm, anyway." General Lee looked to the ground to his crushed arm and staggeringly made his way to his arm. He sheathed his sword and bent down to pick up his other sword from the remains of his other arm. "Let''s make our way... We have a show to watch, haha." Mark spoke, as he pointed to Zitergall. "I''m not really in the mood," Lee spoke blandly. "Come now. I promise this show will be a party, and even Deagoth will have a ''blast.''" "Alright, then." Lee nodded, as soldiers of Jakahn came to his side to help him. Chapter 111: A Scream too Late Mark looked into the distance, where he could see a giant undead gorilla rampaging in Zitergall. [Russell, focus on killing Stephanie Chaoshood, then retreat quickly. That''s when I will start the party.] Mark mentally messaged Russell. [Russell understands cho, Lord Mark.] A grunt and hurried voice came in reply through the mental messaging. Mark nodded a few times, as he turned to follow his subordinates to the major camp on the hill. ******* [Mistress!] A shrieking voice mentally messaged Leslie, who was currently laying within Jack''s evening tomb, with Emily. [Report, Agent Abigail.] [Startling news has been uncovered! There are massive amounts of Hexplosives under the HQ of the Southeastern Undead Trading Company here in Nogore!!] Leslie poped the mechanism of the tomb, and sat up, [WHAT???] [It''s enough Hexplosives to level a fifth of the City...!] Abigail reported. [Has Boss Crag taken over the SE Undead Trading Company, yet?!] [He finished completing the take-over one week ago. This appears to be unrelated to Boss Crag. We have detained a suspect, and tortured the information out of him, except he will only tell Us that his master is called ''The Monocle.''] [Holy fuck, former-Marquis Mark! How did you slip this by me!?!?] Leslie thought to her self! [Did the suspect state how or when these will be set off?] Leslie asked quickly. [They are hand detonated. She had a device on her, that indicated she was going to trigger the Hexplosives. She said that ''Lord Monocle would hand down the order on high, and tell them to start the party.] [Party?] [That''s what she referred to the hexplosive detonation.] [Can we remove the hexplosives? How are they implemented?] [They are buried under the basement of the HQ. We should be able to remove them with magic. I have already contact Agent Susan. She has in return contacted several Master Alchemist to come and assist in removal.] Abigail explained hurriedly, but dutifully. [...If it''s him, it wouldn''t just be under one... He always had a tight relationship with CEO George. Either CEO George is behind this, or he slipped in some undead into his business. Knowing him, he slipped undead... It''s just his style.] Leslie quickly added up in her mind, before issuing orders. [Attention all Silent Scream Agents! Any Agents that are close to their respective Cities, quickly assess the Southeastern Trading Company branch located in that City. We have reports there are possible Hexplosives planted under the branch offices capable of destroying large portions of their home Cities. There are at least one enemy agent among the ranks at each office with a detonator. Do not stop at just one detonator. Turn every stone. Now go!] Fifty banshee agents replied mentally in unison, [[[[[[[Yes, Mistress!]]]]]]] Leslie was dazed for a moment. It had been a really long time since she had to endure so many mental messages at one time, as she held her head. Emily had long awoken to see Leslie sitting holding her head, "What''s wrong?" "...Sister has work... I will leave you here. This is Jack''s evening tomb... Lock it from the inside. It''s the King''s tomb so, unless an Ancestor Ranked Cultivated descends, they can not crack this tomb. You will be safe. I need to go check on something." A bad feeling was whaling up inside of Leslie, this news with what she already knew happening in Zitergall... Didn''t lead to a good ending. "Are you sure?" Emily asked as she didn''t want Leslie to leave. Leslie patted Emily on her knee, "I''m positive. I just have to check on some minor work issues. I''ll be back when I''m done. Why don''t you cultivate while I''m gone. Work on what I told you." "Al-alright. I really do need to get stronger, if I am to help Jack." Emily nodded. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Leslie smiled, as she crawled out of the tomb. She stood there, until the lid of the evening tomb slid back into place, covering Emily within... Leslie left for her room. She got into her evening tomb, and fold her hands across her belly. With a few shakes of her shoulders, the Banshee form of Leslie tore from her corporal container. She quickly disregarded the bit of pain, as she flew through the bony ceiling of her room, and through the many floors of the Palace to reach outside. In the dark of the night of the Holy City of Saigunrai, Leslie looked to the branch office of the Southeastern Undead Trading Company. She looked to the dim Skull of the Sun God, [Jack... I think I''m going to need you soon.] Leslie shook her head, as she flew unnoticed to the branch office. Though the wall she descended, and she floated right into three of her Agents. [[[Mistress.]]] The three stopped and bowed. [We have no time for games. Find the enemy, strip them, and Agent Elizabeth bring Alchemist Chaoshood back here. I don''t care if you reveal yourself. We will just alter his memories later.] [[[Yes, Mistress.]]] With the help of Leslie, the Banshees located two enemies that had detonators as they tried to come into the branch office, and with a bit of torture, no! Persuasion! She learned that the detonators had to be close to the hexplosives to active. After she relaid this information to her Agents, she turned her back to hold her head for a moment, as a bit of ghostly black blood oozed from her nose. Feeling a trickle, she touched her face, to find the evidence of a nose bleed, [...I need a higher cultivation level for mass mental messaging.] Feeling a bit fatigued and off, she turned back to her banshees. [Take them to the Black Prison and have Alchemist Chaoshood take care of the hexplosives. I take my leave now.] Leslie turned and floated through the wall, as her Agents bowed behind her. She floated high into the sky... [Jack... It would be a really good time to return...] Leslie thought to herself, as she wondered if she should disturb him. Leslie thought to herself again, as she decided to make her way to the south... To Zitergall. ******* In the chaos of Zitergall, Agent Alida was racing against time to find the enemy agents that were responsible for detonating the hexplosives. In her invisible banshee form, she ducked and dodged the battle between General Russell and Warmarshal Verruca. Stephanie Chaoshood had already received heavy damage, and she wasn''t sure if she was still alive, after being smacked through a few buildings. "General Russell, die you damn dirty ape!" Warmarshal Verruca bellowed, as Agent Alida watched her jump in the air, and smash her flail into the giant gorilla''s chest crusting it inward, toppling the giant. As much as Agent Alida was a huge fan of Warmarshal Verruca, and wanted to continue to watch, her Mistress'' orders were absolute, with the necessity of preventing the imminent blast. Through the fire and the flames, she found a dark undead darting through the alleyways of the Zitergall. She quickened her pace to catch up to them, clipping the corner of buildings, as she passed through the walls. She had decided to kill them, instead of keeping them for interrogation. The true dead don''t activate hexplosives. As the dark figure turned the corner, a dark claw reached out from the building beside him to claw into their chest. The dark claw passed through the skin of the giest, and directly attacked the soul. Black blood spurt from her target, as they made a motion to its inner robes. Another claw from Alida caused the soul to burst, and the geist slumped to the ground. The banshee agent searched the robes of the dark figure, discovering it was a female geist. She found a device where it had reached too... She kept the device, as it became ethereal with her form. [Mistress said there was at least two...!] Alida quickly made it through the Cities'' ruined scape to find her next target, as she would make loops to the South Eastern Undead Trading Company Office Branch. She looked up to see General Russell, in his ape form, leaping over the wall of Zitergall with his caved chest. She also saw many of the Jakahn Troops retreating through the north entrance, as she made another round. She felt a presence, as she looked up to see her Mistress in the sky of Zitergall. [Mistress Leslie! I found one, but I''m not able to find any others.] Agent Alida messaged quickly. [There must be more than one. The device that we know must be used in close range. Keep around the branch office. I will help, as well! Make haste!] Agent Alida nodded, in response. She circled around a few more times until she saw another dark figure wearing similar robes to the last. This time they were much quicker than the last one. Alida flew toward the figure with all her speed and reached out with her dark claw. Just as the claw was going to strike, she saw the figure blur, and two dark figures replaced the former. These two figures took different paths along the alleyways to reach the Branch Office. Mark was standing on his hill on high, as he overlooked the City in the distance, "General Russell did good. Who else here is ready to Have-A-Blast??? I know I am..." General Jacob and General Lee were standing on the left and right of Mark respectively. "Let''s see the fireworks then." General Jacob said rather blandly. He felt this war wasn''t as glorious as he had first imagined, but he was already riding the back of the tiger. Mark mentally messaged, [Are you ready Illusionist Genie?] [My life for the Monocle, my lord.] A replied was returned. [Good bye... Illusionist Genie.] Mark said, solemnly. [Good bye... My lord.] Agent Alida destroyed the first shadow, as it was just an illusion. She quickly changed course to get to the second shadow making its way to the branch office. She flew through many buildings, but she saw the figure into the office, as it burst through its window. [MISTRESS! I HAVE FAILED! I CAN''T STOP THEM!] Agent Alida quickly messaged Leslie. "EVERYONE TO COVER!" Leslie''s scream rocked the City, as she launched herself high in the air before a deafening roar drowned out her voice, as the ground rumbled, and the City cracked. The walls of the City fell to the south side, and a runic fire roared through the city, consuming many unprepared warriors of Deagoth. On his hill, Mark watched with a satisfied feeling, as he nodded his head a few times viewing the mushroom cloud forming over the city of Zitergall, as he steadied himself from the shock wave. Chapter 112: Pride that becomes the Lie Leslie''s nose bled a stream of black ghostly blood, as it rolled over her ethereal lips. She looked down to see the devastation of Zitergall. It was unknown who was left, but she seen to the north of the City, a large piece of wall that fell inside the city turned over. The massive form of Verruca staggered from under it but soon stood firmly. Leslie angry with herself and the outcome of this war, flew down to meet Verruca, and for the first time reveal her true form to her. "Lord Commander... Warmarshal... Julia Verruca... Of the Verruca Clan... of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth... See what you have wrought." Leslie floated five meters in front of Verruca. "Auuhgh... Leslie???" Verruca looked on at the ghostly form of Leslie. She was clearly shocked! She had never seen Leslie in this form and wondered exactly what was she. "Yeah... It''s me... Let me ask you. Why didn''t you call Jack?" Leslie asked while frowning her cold face. "What???" Verruca didn''t understand what she was getting at... "Why... Didn''t you... Call for Jack''s help???" Leslie said slowly hoping the Idiot Warmarshal would understand the question. "This is my war. I don''t need his help." Verruca sneered. "What a fine war it is... If I''m not mistaken, that before this Hexplosion, you lost half of your troops and two Warmarshals... Even your best friend wasn''t spared... That''s three Warmarshals. Who knows how the other armies are doing... Mossvale''s army looks to still be in the forest tangling with the Jakahn warriors. Quicker''s army is still dazed from the loss of their Warmarshal and rode with Chaoshood''s Spellslingers... And where are they? Where are your Warbreakers?" Verruca looked around the City of devastation, as she spat, "Like I could stop this bombing! I''m not a god!" "NO, BUT OUR FUCKING HUSBAND IS!" Leslie shrieked in a high voice. It was good that the undead that were closest to them was still dealing with the shock wave of the explosion, and couldn''t hear them... At least the ones that were left. "He isn''t my husband!" Verruca drew an awful face. "This is what you focus on??? Not the fact that you could have done something to prevent what has happened?!" Leslie continued "Like what could I have done!? Since you know so much, then you saw the weapon''s Jakahn was using!" Verruca took a step forward, as she clenched her hands into a fist. "Did you ask anyone for Intel??? If you did, then you know that Former-Marquis Mark is their leading commander here! Of course, you did! He is helping Jakahn, but who is helping you?! Us!? Deagoth?!" "What are you getting at...!?" "You know damn well what I am getting at! You are a powerful warrior, and no one will deny that, but you are a poor commander! You squander your forces, and let them die by the wayside for your pride and arrogance! You let your fellow Warmarshal die in front of you, and called no one for help! You then, instead of falling back, let your emotions cloud your judgment, and stormed into the most obvious trap I have ever seen in my unlife! FOR WHAT...?!? Pride... Because of the little Verrucan princess'' pride!" Leslie berated, without letting Verruca get in a word edgewise. Verruca dropped her fists, she wouldn''t admit anything that Leslie said was true, but it was true... She knew it best. "Look at our mighty War God of Deagoth... you are no god, but you have an intimate relationship with one! Don''t tell me that you don''t believe in the God-King when all you talk about in your spare time is Jack, the God-King... Why didn''t you call him?!" Leslie pushed. Verruca shook her head and cleared her thoughts with a huff, "And since you know so much about my situation... Why didn''t you call? Why didn''t you try to do something, huh??? Don''t lay this at my feet, if you could have done something." Verruca tucked her chin, as she stared down the ghostly entity in front of her. She felt some powerful energy rolling off of Leslie, but she couldn''t tell her Cultivation rank... "...Haaaaa~" Leslie let out a sigh. "Julia..." "I don''t remember allowing you to call me such a name," Verruca spoke blandly. "Damn, what you want, Julia. Damn, what you want... Didn''t you feel it funny that you had the thought to call Jack after Ken fell? Wasn''t it odd, that you had the thought of getting help when these things never cross your mind???" Leslie asked, tilting her head. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "...." Verruca thought hard, and agreed! She hadn''t stopped to think, as everything just happened in a blur... But that wasn''t something she would think... "You-" Verruca was about to ask, before getting cut off. "That''s right... Me. I was the one that whispered you from the shadows. I have my reasons to help in such away. In fact, you''re not even supposed to see me like this, but I figure one day we may no longer have secrets with each other... All you had to do was call... Jack would heed your call. He cares for you." Leslie sighed again, this was what she really wanted to talk about, even at a time like this. "That''s not what he told me before he went into seclusion. He thinks I''m just a toy... A game to him. I mean nothing to him. His choices so far are a clear indicator of that." Verruca turned her head to look as some of the falling buildings. "Let me guess... He said he was a terrible person... Bad mouthed himself, and then went on to same some stupid things to piss you off... Is that right?" Leslie guessed, right in front of Verruca. "Ah... Clos- Wait... How do you know what we talked about! Did he tell you?!" Verruca looked back to Leslie. "I can guess what that dumbass did... He hurts for you. He knows he did wrong by you... And he wants to set you free. I can almost bet the entire treasury of Deagoth on this. He wants you to hate him, and so you will turn your back on him. He can''t serve you as you want him too... He can no longer be monogamous, because of me and Emily... So he wants you to forget him. Find someone else, even in anger... He really is stupid, sometimes." Leslie shook her head. "Why... I... I don''t think that''s stupid..." Verruca thought up to this point in logic and thought it made a lot of sense. That day he was being really dominating, mean, and slightly disgusting to her, even if a small part of her heart really liked it like that... "Once I found out you two had something, I did everything in my power to find out the clues I missed... Both of you have had feelings since you were kids. In fact... It''s only my luck that he forgot his memories, and choose me first. I will not apologize for this. I love Jack, and I would die for him. I''m willing to share my love for him. If he wanted me too hurt me... I would let him. Do you understand? I love him so much, I would allow myself to be hurt by him, and enjoy the attention. I hate that he has this control over me, and by the Creator, I hope he never finds out." Leslie said rather morosely. "That''s not love..." Verruca knit her brows. "That''s my love... Unconditional. My love for Jack is greater than your love, you think you have for him. You are simply fond of him. My ultimatum is either find you another undead to love, or leave your pathetic pride to the side and love him as I do." Verruca made no comments on love, but asked, "I will not call Jack... What if he doesn''t come for me. I''m not his consort like you are... Even that little bitch Emily is more than I am to him." "Want to make a bet?" Leslie''s ghostly face smiled widely, as the blood from her nose traced her lips to fall on the ground. "A bet?" "Yeah, a bet. Are you woman enough to take my bet? Yes, I am goading you into my bet, because I don''t think I can lose." "What''s the bet?" Verruca asked. It was widely known that Verruca liked to make deals and bets. She was that competitive. "I bet that if you call Jack... In all this mess... Show a bit of your feminine side to him, and he will rage just like he did for me... When... When my family had problems. I bet he will fly into a rage. Do you take my bet?" Leslie asked, smiling like the Cheshire cat. "What do I get if I win?" Verruca got to the point. "You even think you have a chance! Laughable. Alright. How about this... I can''t speak for Emily, but if you win, I will renounce my title as Consort." "That''s not what I want." "Alright then, what is it that you want?" Leslie asked tilting her again. "I want a large military budget. I want more troops. I want more war, and I want to crush Jakahn." Verruca said excitedly. Almost speechlessly, Leslie''s eyes gleamed, "That''s all?" Leslie giggled, as her silver bell laughter pierced through the twilight of the fires that burned over Zitergall. With the aid of Alida, and several other Silent Scream agents that came down to Zitergall... The recovery efforts of the survivors were going well. "Alright, fine! If you win, I will grant you almost all available funds that do not go into staving off the Dead Tide to your war, but if I win... I want to make your relationship with Jack clear. It bothers him that he doesn''t know. Either decide to allow him to pursue you... And let the dense dunce know... If you don''t let him know, he''s never going to figure it out, OOOOOR simply tell him that you aren''t interested in him anymore. Let him know, you are going to see other undead. Make it clear... Do you understand me?" Leslie floated closer to Verruca, now a mere meter away from her. Verruca looked deep into the ghostly banshee eyes of Leslie. "Deal," Verruca said as she summoned up her courage. She would rather run back into Jakahn''s trap than call Jack, but she too... She too wanted to know if he would come, and this was just a way to make her pride feel better if it was a bet. "Call him," Leslie said blandly... "I... How do I call him? Do I just cry, shed some Gray Crocodile tears?" Verruca asked as if this was a debriefing of a military mission. Leslie pointed behind Verruca to a lamppost, that had a broken piece of Glowstone, "Anytime we need Jack... Just call to him in the Light. Go over to that Glowstone, and cry... Call him to aid you... Then we will see his reaction." "Will this really work?" "Do you believe in the God-King? You don''t have too, but it makes this easier if you do." Leslie began to float over to the Glowstone lamp. Verruca looked left, right, left, and found that after this long conversation, they had not been attacked back Jakahn again... She felt rather odd about this, now that she thought about it. She took large strides to the Glowstone lamp. As she stood next to the lamp, she looked one last time at Leslie. Leslie nodded in response and then disappeared from sight. Verruca couldn''t believe she vanished and searched all over with her eyes for her. [Don''t look for me. Just play your part. Make it believable... Even if it isn''t what you feel.] Verruca pinched her brows, and looked directly into the Glowstone, as she opened her mouth to speak. Chapter 113: Is this the Power of the God-King? "Jack..." Verruca stood next to the Light being emitted from the broken pieces of the Glowstone lamp. Jack was sitting cross-legged, as he floated under the large black hole in the plane of Light, that Jack surmised as the Skull of the Sun God. His cherubs had finished gathering his soul for him yesterday, and he was now fully absorbed in understanding the Law of Light''s Speed. He heard a voice... Very distant... But it was his name, but he was very close to understanding the full Law of Light''s Speed. He had a feeling, if he broke his concentration then he would lose this chance for now and didn''t know when he would get it again. Verruca spoke again, "I need you. I don''t think I can do this by myself..." A bit of Jack stirred, but he remained passive. He was so close to understanding the full law... So close! Verruca thought about what she should say next, as she looked around. She hadn''t asked for this kind of help since before she got her coming of age ritual... so many years ago... She hesitated, before a whisper came to her, [Keep on... That''s not going to work. Be honest with yourself, be angry with him, just say it.] "Haaa~" Verruca sighed. "JACK!" She shouted. Jack''s flaming eyes snapped open, as they burned with an angry light, as he looked to the south. "Jack! I need you! I want you! I can''t do this here! I''ve lost all of my troops! I''ve lost all of my Warmarshals! I''ve lost the City! Help me!" Verruca started to air out her regrets in her heart. Jack hurriedly stood up from his place in the light, "Julia?" He could hear her voice so far away. Why could he hear her so far away? "Jack... I want you to come right now!" A single black tear beaded at the corner of Verruca''s right eye. "I need you. If you don''t come, then I know I am nothing to you. If you don''t come and fix this, then I know you never felt for me. Just let me die on the battlefield, where I belong. I''m not even a real woman to you, am I? You would rather have a pretty woman like Leslie, or even a little traitor bitch like Emily... You don''t want a mannish woman like me... Whatever... Just help me." Verruca didn''t sob, but a black tear now fell from her left eye. "Julia!?!" Jack howled. "WHO!?!?" A voice echoed in all the Light of the Ruined Continent. It wasn''t like when the laughing started, that the whole Underworld heard, but just his Continent was startling all the undead. Mark turned to look at the Glowstone torch to his left and nodded a few times. Verruca looked astonished at the Light. She heard Jack call her name, and asked who... She didn''t waste time thinking and just responded with the name she hated currently. "I''m in Zitergall! It''s Jakahn that''s done this! Jakahn. I hate them! They killed my armies and destroyed your City... They... They hurt me." Verruca choked a bit at the end, as it was hard to admit any of this, but to the one hearing it... It sounded like she sobbed. "FUCKING JAKAHN! WHO GAVE YOU THE GUTS!!!" Jack roared in the Light, as all the Glowstones on the Ruined Continent trembled as if they were frightened... How does one scare an inanimate object? Undead around the continent looked to their Glowstones, or on the streets at their lamps, wondering what was going on... It all started with that Laughing not too long ago... Many of the faithful dropped to their knees worshiping the Glowstones and crying out to the God-King. Especially those that were being invaded by the Dead Tide in Souigak. The King of Jakahn laid in his room with his two wives when his palace trembled. He looked at the buzzing coming from the Glowstones on his ceiling, and for the first time... Felt fear. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Jack was livid! He was so close to retaining the full Law of Light''s Speed... And then someone had the guts to mess with his things... Even if Verruca wasn''t his woman, she was his Warmarshal and commander of his armies! He looked to the south, and quickly thought, [I could take the soul tether back to my body, but how fast would that be? I would need time to adjust to it again... I could... I could just cross over in my soul form. Would that work?] "Jack, I need you. I really need you. Only you!" Verruca pleaded in the Light, as she got a bit too carried away in the moment. "Fucked it!" Jack looked up into the giant black hole, as he rushed into it, as a gateway. Lucius was sitting at his desk in his office. He was working on his paperwork for the church, but Jack''s voice startled him. Then he felt a stir in the Light... Like a massive beast had awakened. Thinking back to the day, when the Light pierced the skies of the Underworld, he left his office to go outside the palace. He wanted to see what strange things Jack was going to do this time. He watched, as a large skeletal hand emerged from the giant chunk of Glowstone that was known as the Skull of the Sun God. Lucius jaw hung open, as the skeletal hand continued to extend until it almost reached the roof of the Underworld. It was known that the roof of the Underworld was one hundred kilometers, and this skeletal arm almost reached it! That was a hundred-kilometer arm!!! Soon from the Skull of the Sun Skull emerged a skull and shoulders, as if squeezed from the stone. The Skull of the Sun God was a whopping hundred and fifty meters large, but when compared to the skeletal arm reaching out... It was like a tiny pebble. Lucius watched in astonishment, as a head and shoulder soon followed. As the eye sockets on the skull of this massive behemoth appeared, they burst out into flames that overshadowed the Light of the Sun Skull. "It''s... It''s... It''s the God-King." Lucius fell to his knees, as he looked up. before his best friend, he felt for the first time Jack was alien to him, and to himself, felt puny compared to Jack. Jack emerged to his bony waist above the City of Saigunrai. His upper body radiated pure light, as it was then restrained to his form. Behind his back a large golden halo formed, adding to his magnificence. He continued to grow in size, until his skull was just below the roof of the Underworld, as he loomed in the skyline. Jack looked around shocked, [Why is everything so damn small???] He could actually look across the vast spaces and see Zitergall in the distance. He could see two armies surrounding the City. It looked to be hit by a nuke and was smoldering in ashes. The two armies didn''t look like his people... They looked like his reports told him of Jakahn! "Jakahn! I have a bottom-line, and you crossed it today. You should pray to me not to destroy you!" Jack said loudly, as his voice shook the continent, even Dragon''s Jaw heard him. This wasn''t a voice in the light, but a voice in the real world. He reached out with his skeletal hand, as he appeared on the horizon. The warriors of Jakahn couldn''t help but stare at the massive form in the distance. They could see and hear the Holy Witch King of Deagoth. They could see him reaching out from the distance to them. The collective panic was widespread, as the ranks of the Jakahn warriors broke. Mark stood on his hilltop, as she stared vacantly at the massive image in the skies. [This... This isn''t the plan. Just what the hell are you!?] He couldn''t figure this out... Was he as the reports said... A god??? Jack''s arm reached across the vast distance to Zitergall, extending well beyond 100 kilometers, as his skeletal arm elongated, and reached down into the City of Zitergall. He plucked an undead from the ruins of the once-great City. It was a good thing that Verruca didn''t have to breath, as she had stopped breathing for a long time now, watching the form of Jack emerge from Saigunrai. Never in her wildest imagination did she see this coming to pass... If Mark, the mastermind, couldn''t see this coming, then, how could she? She saw the massive arm approaching. It looked slow, but it was already above her before she could blink. It reached down and scooped her up. Multiple sonic booms sounded from the air resistance against the skeletal arm and hand that extended after it had scooped her up. She felt the air around her breaking, as she was held inside the bony hand, as she heard the roaring of the wind. She held onto one of the fingers, at the base, until he opened, and the massive flaming eyes of the God-King was upon her. She stood up, from where she was and looked straight into the single eye that loomed before her. The eye starred back. The hand-turned and her back appeared to Jack. "Who... Who was the one that cut you on your back..." Jack''s heroic voice turned cold and rumbled like thunder. Verruca for the first time felt small in this world, as she squeaked out, "General Lee... General Lee of Jakahn." Jack moved her back from his face, as he asked, "Do you want to see what your husband does now?" "...Yes..." Verruca said without thought. Jack closed his fist, as it moved through the distance, and stopped outside the distance of Zitergall, as he placed her on a small hill that overlooked the City from the North. "Watch what I do." A voice sounded. She could see Jack reaching over the City of Zitergall and closed his bony fist hard. He squeezed hard, as his luminous fist dripped globs of light. As these drops of light fell, they changed form into small flying Angel of Death Cherubs. They swarmed into the city of Zitergall like a swarm of Locus. Chapter 114: The Anger of a Wrathful God Jack''s Cherubs rushed into the City and reap the lives of any lingering Jakahn warriors or agents. Two or three of them would find survivors and pick them up. These scared stiff undead were flown to the northern hill where Verruca resided, placed there by Jack. A Jakahn warrior struck out at a Cherub, only to be cut down by another from behind. A Deagoth Warbreaker fell to her knees, as she looked up at the Light''s host swarming over the City. She lifted her hands up to the Cherubs, as they rushed to her. They each grabbed one of her arms and spirited her away from the city. Seeing this reaction, some of the other Deagoth warriors followed suit, and soon the City was lifeless. Jack looked high above the city, as his hand reached up to grab something in the sky. He closed his hand and brought it from Zitergall to his face in Saigunrai. He opened his hand to look at the Banshee form of Leslie. "Hi-Hi Jack," Leslie said hesitantly, but happily. Jack''s flaming eyes crackled, as he spoke, "Are you okay?" "I''m fine." She responded. Jack moved his left-hand index finger close to her, Leslie''s face, and gently put it beside her face, as Leslie leaned into his finger. She was startled to find that the Light didn''t hurt her, as she was braced for pain. After caressing Leslie, he asked, "Do you wish to see what else I am going to do with Julia?" "Yes." Jack moved his hand to above Verruca, just outside of Zitergall. Thankfully Leslie was still invisible and was not noticed by the other undead that collected on the hill with Verruca. Jack watched the army to the north of Zitergall scrambling back down to the coast. He looked to where they were fleeing and seen several bridges. Now he knew what they were doing. They wanted to leave... "Let me show you the anger of a wrathful God." Jack boomed out, as he lifted his hand and moved it to the front of the Zitergall, as it slammed into the ground like a karate chop. He moved his hand to the right, as he plowed the ground on the fleeing Jakahn warriors, creating a parking lot in the wake of his hand. He scraped the land away, and with the warriors of Jakahn were either buried again to suffer eternal torment under a mountain of dirt to never rise again or swept to the Brimstone ocean to meet a true death in lava and flames. Jack''s parking lot extended from the North of Zitergall until the coast of the Brimstone Ocean, for a 40 Kilometer trench. He looked across the river to see the Jakahn warriors fleeing back. Jack moved his colossal hand as he dredged the lava river with his bony fingers breaking the bridges to Jakahn and scooping up a large lake of lava. He lifted his hand, as lava dripped between his golden skeletal fingers. He flicked his wrist as a torrential flow of lava washed over the fleeing army of Jakahn engulfing half them. "General Mark, what do We do!?" General Jacob and General Lee looked to their side to see Mark, to only find that he was gone... You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Where the hell is General Mark!?!?!" General Jacob howled, as he watched the work of a god. This was what he was afraid of, but he never thought the wrath of the witch king would be this crazy or powerful. They all heard a booming voice sound over them that deafened many of the warriors of Jakahn, as the sonic booms caused some of the lesser cultivators to meet a true death on the spot. "Who among your ranks is General Lee?" The hand of the God-King of Deagoth loomed above them, as they all shook in fear. General Jacob didn''t hesitate, as he pushed General Lee in front of him. "He is! This is General Lee! Spare me, Mighty Witch King!!!" General Jacob''s mind had broken down from the first sight of the god in the distance and shattered when Mark couldn''t be found. General Lee was petrified at first but executed the flight of Hermes technique to its maximum fleeing as far as he could. It was too bad that a pair skeletal fingers pinched down on him in the distance, snuffing his unlife. Jack brought his fingers holding onto the destroyed body of General Lee, as he let it go in front of Verruca. The crushed remains of General Lee fell in front of her and the feet of the undead of Deagoth outside of Zitergall to the north. Jack looked over and seen a giant ape moving and turning over rubble in Zitergall. Jack narrowed his flaming eyes, as he reached over to the City, wondering how this thing escaped his Cherubs. Suddenly the Ape stop and was going to reach out to pick something up, when the giant hand of the God-King was above him. Jack reached down and pinched this giant ape, as he did so, he was careful not to crush him. He brought the struggling ape to Verruca. "What is this creature. Is it Ours?" Jack asked. "No... This is the wretch, General Russell. He killed my best friend." Verruca glared and spat. A squishing and bone popping sound issued, as the black blood and remains of General Russell slid from the golden fingers of the God-King. Jack looked back to where he saw the Giant ape was digging and found that a female undead was laying with a shattered body. He had seen this female in his court months ago... This was Warmarshal Chaoshood. He reached down and carefully scooped up the remains. Jack brought the body to lay in at the foot of the hill of Verruca, and the rest of the people of Deagoth. "This is Warmarshal Chaoshood?" Verruca trembled, "...Yes..." Jack looked down at the shattered form, and he placed his large palm over the body. Cherubs swarmed to the body of Stephanie Chaoshood and began to mend it. The people of Deagoth, Verruca, and Leslie marveled at the Cherubs'' work, as they tended to the body. Each one was using magic as if they were actually undead. Soon the body was repaired to its post true death state, only the robes where shredded, but were good enough to cover the vitals. Jack turned his palm to face upward, as his flaming eyes went out as if he closed his eyes. Time drifted, while many of the undead around the continent gawked at the massive looming form of the God-King. Soon the flaming eyes of the God-King burst back into flames, and it seemed as if the skeletal hand of the God-King reached into the void and pulled out a single tiny purple wisp. The God-King moved his hands, and the purple wisp danced around his palm, and through his massive fingers. Satisfied, his hand turned over, and the purple wisp, that was almost unable to be seen from the massive hand of the God-King floated down until it united back into the body of Warmarshal Chaoshood. Stephanie''s body convulsed, and with a few moans, her eyes opened wide and blinked. She looked up to see the massive hand of the God-King, as she thought, [It wasn''t a dream...] With several loud thuds, Verruca kneeled to her side, and asked softly, "Are you okay, Steph?" Stephanie laughed, "You haven''t called me Steph since you became Warmarshal... But I have to ask..." "Don''t... Just thank the God-King." Verruca pointed up. "Stephanie followed the massive skeletal hand in the sky as she traced it back to the looming figure in the skyline over Saigunrai. Stephanie rolled to her knees, and face planted toward the God-King, "Your servant isn''t worthy of this!" "You are favored by my Julia, and your unlife is mine to do with what I want... You haven''t finished your duties to Deagoth, nor your friendship with Julia... Thus, in undeath, you serve longer. Treasure it." Jack''s voice echoed long into the distance past the continent. "Your servant hears and obeys." Stephanie shuddered, in much the same way that Jordan Lightborn did... Chapter 115: Spread the Name of the God-King "Ja- God-King... Can you... Can you do this for Warmarshal Ken and Warmarshal Mossvale? Bring them back?" Verruca asked looking up at the skyline. "Where are their bodies?" Jack asked as he felt an acute pain in his mind, like an icepick headache. "To the south of Zitergall, Warmarshal Ken fell due to a weapon of Jakahn. He''s covered in a black mass... Same with Mossvale. He fell south of the forest there." Verruca pointed. Jack''s hand moved through to above where Ken''s body fell, and for the first time seeing this new weapon... After a few moments of looking this over, he felt that it was almost the same as the mushrooms he treated Warmarshal Michael''s sister in Souigak... But these already ate the soul and did not take over the victims... He moved over to Mossvale and found the same... "I am sorry, my Julia... But their souls have been destroyed... They never returned to the cycle." Jack said reluctantly. "The cycle?" Stephanie asked. Jack didn''t answer, as his head was throbbing with the incessant voices again. It was scratching at the corner of his mind. Jack looked to the ruined City of Zitergall, and then to the forest to the south of the City. When he just looked this place over for Warmarshal Mossvale''s body, he could make out some of his people left in that forest actually still fighting against Jakahn. Jack moved his hand, as his host of Cherubs followed. The Cherubs went into the forest and reaped the remaining lives of all the Jakahn warriors, and extracted all Mossvale''s troops, bringing them to Verruca''s hill. His voice boomed to the remnants of the Jakahn''s armies, "Where is Former-Marquis Mark?" General Jacob that was retreating with his remaining men, trembled at this question, as he looked into the air to see the giant skeletal hand of the Witch King. He felt truly powerless before this being, as he jumped from his undead steed and fell to his knees again, "My lord! I-I don''t know. He has deserted us." "Why am I not surprised..." Jack contemplated if he should allow these people to flee... When an idea struck him... He needed people to witness what he did first hand and spread his name. "What is your name?" "Ah- My lord, I am called General Jacob of Jakahn." General Jacob shivered on the ground, with no more glory than he had previously. "Ah. General... Jacob. Are you willing to serve me in my interest, and I will spare you and your men''s lives." The God-King asked. Verruca heard the voice and didn''t know why Jack would offer such to their enemy, but she didn''t rebut him. She couldn''t hear General Jacob. "I will obey! I will follow your teachings! O'' mighty one!" General Jacob face planted. "Then you will no longer be called General Jacob, you will now be known as... Obsignator Jacob. You will return to Jakahn and tell of what you saw." "I will, my lord! I will!" Obsignator Jacob pledged. "As for the rest of your men... Those that wish to follow you, Obsignator Jacob, are free to, as for the rest of you... You are free to return to Jakahn but know that the eye of the God-King is upon you." "Ah-ah...AH... GOD-KING!!!" Jacob felt relief wash over him. He was spared... No wonder the Witch King was so powerful. He was actually a god...! How didn''t anyone know this!!! "Go now, Obsignator Jacob. Your first mission is to spread what you have seen here to those of Jakahn. No more... No less... Let those that would do you harm know that, you are my servant. If they dare to kill them, they will feel my wrath. Now look to Zitergall... And see what I can do in anger..." Jacob and his men looked into the distance at the small city perched between the fork of the red river. They saw the golden skeletal arm of the God-King pull back, and soon... Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. An earth-shattering sound echoed, as the ground trembled under them. To their horror, the God-King back handed the City of Zitergall... Removing it and much of the rubble of Zitergall, as the remains of the City and ground which it was built on flew into the Brimstone Ocean. "Now go..." With one last look at the vacant area that was Zitergall, Jacob could only speak, "Of course!" As he rose and fled with his men as fast as they could, rounding up what undead steeds they had to head back to Jakahn. Anywhere but here... Jacob would first tell the king of what happened here, and then think about what to do next... He figured telling the King of Jakahn was spreading the word of the God-King fulfilling his promise. The Cherubs were absorbed back into Jack''s skeletal hand, as he moved it back over to Verruca to give something to the undead there to see. The survivors of Zitergall gawked at the removal of their city... There was nothing left... What were they to do now? "WHAT ARE WE TO DO NOW, GOD-KING?!?" The Patriarch of the Furysmith Clan was badly hurt during the hexplosion but survived. He had remained silent this entire time witnessing the power of the God-King, but with the removal of his City and Clan''s home, he couldn''t restrain his anger anymore, as he shouted. All the undead, even his clan members, that surrounded the Patriarch backed from him leaving a large girth between them and him, but the Patriarch didn''t care. "Who are you to question the God-King?" "I am John Furysmith! Patriarch of the Furysmith clan... HOMELESS!" "Your home is Deagoth, and We have much to do... We will build a new City... We will name it... Bellum. I will place you and your clan in charge of this city, and it will be built to the east of Saigunrai between Nogore. You will forge a new era for Deagoth. Do you have any objections, Patriarch Furysmith?" "...This is good... I accept!" The Patriarch spoke happily. Jack''s headache was intensifying, and he wanted to withdraw soon, as he spoke, "Let me take you to Saigunrai. There is no reason to be here." Noticing everyone agreed, Jack lowered his hand and allowed the survivors to board his hand. With everyone in hand, he closed his fist, and in a matter of moments, he opened it again just outside of Saigunrai letting them leave. "Julia... We will speak later. Warmarshal Chaoshood, remember my words. Everyone will know that I stand behind you and Deagoth." Jack retracted his hand, as he was about to sink back down into the Skull of the Sun God when a massive amount of power surged into him from the north east. With this power, Jack knew it was more prayer, as the voices intensified in his mind. He shook it off best he could, as he turned his back to look where it came from... He could hear Warmarshal Michael''s prayer from within the sea of voices, clearly, "Oh, God-King of Light, He who protects and guides all of undeadkind, please hear my cries. I look to the Light and humbly ask you to grant your servants'' request. I''ll stare straight into the sun skull, and I won''t close my eyes. In return I give my faith to the God-King, and a part of my humble power..." [So, he memorized the prayer from Jordan...] "Spare a bit of your power to drive back the Dead Tide that seeks to destroy Souigak! Preeces Exaudiantur!" The prayer ended, as Jack could see many black humped forms crashing into the walls of Souigak... Some even got into the City, as the walls collapsed under the attack of large behemoth looking mushroom creatures that shook the ground as they walked. Even though the voices echoed in his head, making him dizzy and disoriented, Jack moved his hand to above Souigak and squeezed hard. The drops of Light that oozed from between his finger bones again took on the form of his Cherubs. These Miniature Angels of Death swarmed into the city over the heads of Warmarshal Michael and Warmarshal Darkfield. Relief was finally here! They had been fighting for almost twenty-four hours now, and an hour ago these creatures breached the walls. The undead that were not prostrated on the ground before the hand of the God-King marveled at the sight of the host of Cherubs that flooded the City. If the people of Zitergall could see, they would find that the air was filled with double the amount that was released previously. The Cherubs checked over the Dead Souls, with an intelligent zeal. Those Dead Souls that were already completely corrupted and could not be changed back, were cleaved by their Scythes. Those that were newly changed, were held down by two Cherubs as the third cleansed the infection from the soul and body of the undead afflicted. The large Brutal Dead Soul that were rampaged were systematically dismantled by the Cherubs, as they fell apart. In a matter of moments, the huge Dead Tide that threatened to take over Souigak was eliminated, causing both Warmarshals to be at a loss. Large pillars of Orange dust rose from the bodies that laid. They faced the Horror of these things infecting more when a voice spoke aloud. "Do not face the wind but seek cover from the storm." Michael quickly figured out what was needed, as he grabbed his sister, and told everyone to get into cover. As the last undead that ducked, a storm gale of typhonic proportions buffeted the City of Souigak. Jack fanned his hand a few times and waved the Orange dust away from the City far into the Distance pass the other side of the Continent''s Oceanfront into the Brimstone Ocean. As Jack was going to pull back, he looked across from Souigak, past Borda, and he could see a second Continent... [Why... Why is there another landmass over there?] Jack questioned, as his thoughts become muddy from all the voices in his mind talking at once. He felt it was time to pull back now... If he had the feeling that if he let, go for even a moment and didn''t settle this down he would be consumed by madness. He withdrew to through the Skull of the Sun God, and the skies became dark again. The Light of day was a miracle in the Underworld, and for a brief time, the undead of the Ruined Continent knew what it felt like to have the Sun of the Overworld. Chapter 116: The Blood Tide Approaches "Princess Eris! Come outside, quickly! We can see the God of Light!" A high nobles tone issued into the soft glow of the inner cabin. This was a large galleon ship and was followed by four other ships, as heavenly weighed by gifts to the new god, as the treaded through the lava. It seemed that each ship was covered in a cooling magic that retarded the heat of the Brimstone Ocean causing a pleasant air on the ships. It could be clearly seen that a bloody red wind pushed all five ships, as the sailed with reckless abandon. A few seconds later, and the door was quickly open, as a thin pale face showed itself from the cabin on the ship. A tall sickly thin figure stepped out. Her hair was long and black with a deep dark blood red hue shine in the light of the Glowstones aboard. Her face, though thin, was perfect. If a bit fuller, and not so thin, this woman could cause the fall of worlds, not just nations. Her skin was deathly pale, but not bone white, with her eyes clear and inky black. Her lips were full, but when she spoke two fangs would be exposed. She wore a dark red Victorian dress, with a full black corset pulled tight, that served to push her ample bosom to the top. It was amazing with just a thin figure, how this woman could maintain such an abundance on top, with wide hips. She walked to the front of the ship, as her ankle buckled black heeled shoes clacked on the ship''s alchemical wooden boards. The Captain handed the princess a large Telescope. She extended the scope and looked long into the distance. "MMmmmmmmm..." A seductive purr left her lips as she looked at the tiny Skeletal figure in the distance. She watched with her dark eyes as the figure moved around above the distance as if moving pieces on a chessboard. All the sailors and servants swallowed hard when they heard this moan. Their princess never made sounds like this, in their presence. Some of the Vampires with lesser wills turned their backs away to hide their shame. She continued to watch and see the anger of the golden skeleton as it slapped a chunk of the land away. Only for minutes later for the debris to flew pass her ships. Her pretty pink tongue licked her lips, and a pink hue surfaced on her neck, as it inched along to her face. "How many years have I yearned... I thought Daddy hated me, but he sent me to my future god. It seems he is an Undead God... Well, I don''t mind bonding souls, instead of flesh... I hope the light of his soul burns so good... Ah!" She saw the figure shrink and disappear from the horizon. This princess remained in her thoughts thinking over how a soul union with a god of light would make her blood seem on fire. Oh, the thoughts! Her own blood sung to her. She felt a clear feeling of dew and decided she should return to her cabin least she lose face in front of her subjects. She walked to the cabin of her door, as she stopped before entering the cabin, she handed the telescope back to the Captain and spoke, "Captain, I''m sure you have already adjusted course. So, how long will it be before we reach this barbarian land?" The Captain looked into the distance, and guessed in his head using the stalagmite charts, he finally spoke, "With the flow of lava facing Us, the Blood winds to Our backs, and the distance to cover... I''d say about another two months. The flow of lava is really slowing our speed. If it wasn''t for the blood winds you would have to triple this time." "Mmmmm, but I want a faster trip... I don''t wish to have to wait for another second longer. Sacrifice all but a tenth of the blood slaves to the Amulet of Alucard. Increase the blood winds." "But Princess, it will take time to set up the ritual, and We will be slowed down to collect them from the fourth ship." The captain advised. Princess Eris knitted her brows, and gave an annoyed look to the Captain, "Then I will come and sacrifice a portion of my blood as well. That should be more than enough for this to make up the time and then some." "NOO! Nooooo! Please... Please, princess. You don''t have much to sacrifice. If you do, at least let us prepare you a feast with the blood slaves to give." The Captain implored. "No... I don''t want their filthy blood. My new god will feed me, so this isn''t much of a sacrifice. How much will this shorten the time?" She asked. The Captain did more math in his mind, "Ah... Depending on how much we strengthen the Blood winds... A month, maybe less." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Then do what I asked, or you will be a new blood slave. I''ve seen how your first mate eyes you... This is a warning to you and a gift. Do not disturb me for... A few hours. I have something I need to take care of... Personally. Work around that schedule." The princess finished and walked into her cabin and shut the door behind her. The Captain stood there in a daze, but soon an evil glint formed in his eyes, as he turned his head to see the back of his first mate, as he muttered, "Thank you, Princess." in a soft voice. Inside her cabin, Princess Eris comforted herself, as she thought of the delicious pain and pleasure that would be soon her dishes to feed on... "Oh, my god of light... Possess me... MMMMmmmmm." ******* Jack slunk back into the Skull of the Sun God, as the plane of Light compressed his soul. It was only known then that Jack realized that his soul was actually that large, and it was due to the nature of the plane of Light that made it shrink to such a small size. It was no wonder why the plane of Light would pop his soul in the cunning tides, as the pressure here was like the bottom of the ocean. [Damn! What was I thinking when I first decided to get here? Next time, I''m going to heed the damn warning.] Jack facepalmed, as he sat down cross-legged. He now had to use all his attention to regain control, and not let the voices continue to scrape away his sanity. He wanted to leave here, as soon as possible. He had much to do in the outside world. Things went to pot, and he wanted to make sure Julia was okay... Check on Emily... And set up two new projects. The new city of Bellum, and his project for Super Soldiers. Hearing that Stonedge had Super Soldiers gave him a scare. He had seen certain movies with them in his last life and didn''t see how a standard army could fight something called that, let along super undead warriors... Jack shuddered, and it was unknown if it was due to the voices, or to a feeling of someone thinking about him. After what felt like ages, Jack''s flaming eyes bust back into flames in the plane of light. He felt the changes in his souls, his true soul, and what he called his god-soul that wrapped his true soul. He finally pushed back down the voices. Jack stood up within the light, as he walked over to the soul tether that led down to his body. This was the first time he got a good look at it. At first, he was worried that his body wouldn''t be able to hold a giant, like himself. He even feared that he might be trapped to stay long periods of time in the Light, but now after looking at the soul tether... [Why does this soul tether look like a steel cable? If memory serves, the Soul tether is attached to the body and is produced by the body... Just what kind of body do I have???] Jack mused to himself. Jack pondered this as he watched the soul tether dance in the light from the small blackhole below him, like a fishing line in the Light. Jack finally shrugged and decided to ask his laptop, Tux. He missed his laptop, even if he wasn''t with it very long after all his last life was dedicated to computers. Jack reached out, and grabbed the soul tether, and used it to reach his body. Jack''s soul latched onto the soul tether and transferred to his body like light through a fiber optic cable. This process took longer than Jack expected, but soon, with a disoriented feeling his vision returned to that of his real body, as the flames in his eye sockets burst into light, and a halo formed over his shoulders behind his head radiating light. Jack sat up in his chair and processed the room around him. It was still messy, and awful looking. Jack stood up slightly uneasily, and he stepped down from his Golden Throne, he reached out with his hand, as the Femur Ferula snapped to his hand. He used it to steady himself, as he stood. "Oh, man... I feel like I''ve been on the biggest roller coaster that has even been made. I have no idea how I feel like I am going to throw up, and I don''t even have a stomach!" Jack hung his head. He hobbled over to a chair at the table, as he decided to sit down for a moment and see about his laptop. He clicked a key, and he watched the screen flicker, as Tux the penguin flashed onto the screen in the foreground of his desktop. Tux yawned loudly. "You were asleep?" "Yes. Tux entered into sleep mode when Creator decided to foolishly dive into the light despite numerous warnings." Another loud yawn was issued. [I really want to strangle this thing...] Jack glared at the penguin, but this look was lost on it, [Forget it.] "Tux. I have a new project. Open a new project named... Project Deus Vult Drive." Again, Jack felt himself clever for his naming sense. "I want to design a power source from Glowstone. This power source will be able to provide magic power for locomotion or emit Light at high intensities." Tux fell silent for a few seconds before responding, "Reporting to Creator, not enough knowledge retained for this task. Please supply more tomes for processing." "Fuck..." Jack didn''t expect this. [Doesn''t Saigunrai have a large Library run by the Chaoshood Clan... If I''m not mistaken... I''ll just go over there soon.] "Put that project on hold, Tux. Open a new project named, Project Bellum. Design a City to accommodate one hundred thousand undead, and the ability to manufacture weapons, armors, and massive constructs." "Reporting to Creator for clarifications, any specification on land size?" "I want it to be able to fit easily between Saigunrai and Nogore. In addition, I want to be able to import and export easily, with large dedicated roads for just import and export, with smaller secondary roads for civil travel." "Understood. Calculating time needed for project... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated seventy-seven hours." [Hmmm roughly three days. That works for me... I need to get back out there.] Jack closed the laptop and stood up from the chair. He held the laptop like a book in his left hand and used his Femur Ferula to walk steadily out of his Library. Chapter 117: What is a God without Worshipers? Nothing. Jack stepped out of his library and took in the familiar surroundings of the bone made walls and ceilings and the obsidian black floors of the corridors within the palace... It had been a long time for Jack. Jack stopped just as he was about to turn, when a thought struck him, [How... How did these bones of mine withstand the power of my god soul???] Jack looked down into his rib cage, and over his robes to his skeletal hands holding his laptop and Femur Ferula... When Jack descended, he felt so funny and disoriented he didn''t stop to wonder until this moment. [I don''t feel strange in my bones, as much as I feel dizzy... I was thinking this power was going to melt this body, and I''d have to find a better one, after all, unlike living creatures my body doesn''t grow with my soul...] Jack had read this in one of his books and was a well-known growth inhibitor of the undead. It was also one of the main reasons that undead did not have more powerful Cultivators... They would have to find the body of an extremely powerful dead Cultivator and move their soul to it... Like a hermit crab transfers his body to a new shell... The other way was to use magic rituals to increase the strength of the Undead''s existing body. This was one of the main reasons why in some perverse undead cultures a single body was passed down from leader to leader. [Haaaa~] Jack sighed within his mind, [It''s damn hard to walk, though even if it isn''t falling apart.] Jack thought, as he just accepted that this body must already be improved... What with all the magic runes inscribed on it, but... What did these runes mean? Who carved them? The last guy...? Jack shook his head and tossed the thought for now... [I should give it more time to adjust to my body again... I did float around in the plane of light for who knows how long, but I want to go check on Julia... Maybe... Maybe I can fly now.] Jack concentrated on the feelings he had experienced before while using his power in his soul form. While Jack was personally at the King Rank now, his god soul was Ancestor Rank, well above the requirement to fly. He felt that a tiny portion of his power push against the surroundings, as he levitated about 30 centimeters above the obsidian stone floor. His feet pointed downward, though he didn''t let them dangle. He took a superhero approach to floating... instead of the awkward look of walking on the air. [This actually feels easier than walking... Who would of thunk?] Jack didn''t question it, as he floated along the corridors, like a wraith. [Lucius.] [GOD-KING!?!?!] Lucius responded in astonishment. [Ah... Yeah... If you want to call me that. We really need to talk over the God-King thing. Not sure if I should be called that, even if I joke about it.] Jack mused over as he mentally spoke with Lucius, as he was making his way out of the palace. [No, no, no! God-King, anything but calling you by your Title is wrong!!! What do you need of your servant?!] [Lucius... Like, calm down. It''s me... Jack.] [How dare I address the God-King by his name!] [What if your God-King commands you too?] Jack countered. [Ah...? Ummm... I have no choice...] [Sounds good... Though I don''t want to pull the God-King card when I just said We need to talk about that... Do We still have bone doctors here in the Palace?] This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. [Of course! We have Doctor Hollowell of the Hollowell Clan! He is the best bone doctor in the kingdom if you don''t count Warmarshal Darkfield. He is known as the best Holy Bone Doctor, though... Why? [Julia, Ah... Warmarshal Verruca was hurt. I''m bringing her for treatment.] Jack moved through the court and seen his new throne... It was nice, but it wasn''t as good as the one he made. [I will send the Templars to get her! It''ll be two months before they get back. There are bone doctors in Zitergall. They should fix her though, right?] Lucius suggested and then questioned. [Zitergall doesn''t exist anymore.] [...Huh?] Lucius didn''t understand what he was hearing. [I removed it. Destroyed it, whatever you want to call it. It''s gone. I''m going to build a new city, instead of fight for that one.] Jack said offhandedly, as he floated out the door, and looked over the Palace square at the monument of shame... This monument was a bit tasteless now that he had a second look at it, [I need an artist to make something nicer to condemn these sinners and traitors.] Jack mentally filed this away for later, as he rose into the air. It was good that when he went to his Library he was already dressed, but sitting on his golden throne, a thought occurred to him, as he flew over the City to where he dropped off Verruca, [Crap! I need another bath...] Jack felt like crying. A lot of undead were still standing in the streets, from where they had just witnessed the power of the God-King. They were discussing with each other in hushed tones when some of the more observant undead spotted a flying figure in the sky. They pointed and cried that it was the God-King again, but in his undead-form, as they called it, and not his God-form. They, again, took a bended knee, while other more zealous undead outright face planted as he flew over. Jack felt slightly satisfied, as he thought over how his display of power gained the respect and attention of the people... [Feels good to be the King.] Jack remarked on a rare occasion. To the south of the City, he made it, and right over the walls of Saigunrai, he found a large group of undead wondering to the City. They pointed to Jack, as they all face planted, with the exception of Verruca. Even Stephanie Chaoshood''s face planted. It wasn''t but an hour ago, that her unlife was brought back into this world. Jack looked in the sky and all around for Leslie, but didn''t see her, so he flew down to the front of Verruca. "Julia, We need to have your wounds looked at, come here," Jack commanded. "I can make it with the rest. Don''t worry about me." Verruca smiled wearily. She didn''t really want to talk to Jack, at the moment, after what just happened and the bet she made. Jack became silent, as he mentally frowned, [Why isn''t she just coming with me?] A silent pause occurred, as all the undead present were speechless, as well. The God-King said come here, and you didn''t come here... Madness! Jack decided not to browbeat her, and just do what he wanted to, as he floated over, and before she could react, Jack had hefted her massive form in a princess carry, and flew back to the Palace, with his words lingering in the air, "I will send people to look after you all. Stay put." Hearing the words of the God-King, all the undead did as told, some even stated face planted, until he was his words had long faded. Verruca spoke up while being carried, angry and annoyed, "Put me down!" She flailed. "No." "I said put me down, so I mean down." Verruca raised her voice louder, though no one could tell her words as she was high in the sky above. Jack looked down into the face of Verruca, as he trod the sky across the City. His flaming eyes crackled, as he looked into her eyes. Verruca being looked at this intensely, turned her face, but asked instead, "Can you put me down?" "Why...?" "Because... I''m strong enough to make it back to a doctor. I don''t need your help..." Verruca said gloomily. "Really? It doesn''t matter how strong you are, you will always need help... I''m a King, but without my people, I''m just a random undead. I''m supposed to be a god, but without my worshipers, I''m just a random mortal... I need the people''s help to rule; I need the people''s faith to lord. Do you understand?" Jack explained slowly and then asked. Verruca remained silent, as he touched down in front of the Holy Palace and walked through the Courtroom to meet Lucius. "Lucius, send people to the south of the City to take care of the wounded, and build some temporary housing for the homeless of Zitergall... Give priority to the Furysmith Clan. They have gained my favor." "Of course, my lord!" Lucius snapped out in Zeal! "Enough of that... Where is Doctor Hollowell?" "She is waiting for you in the ward," Lucius noted, as he left through the front of the Palace to complete his task. "Well, let''s go see this Bone Doctor, shall We dear Julia." Jack teased, as he noticed that while he carried Verruca into the Palace in his arms, she turned her face away from Lucius as if trying to hide. Comical. Chapter 118: Hollowell that Ends Well Lucius took a few steps outside of the Holy Palace, as he thought [Why was my Lord just floating? Has he become so much, that he refuses to step foot on the same land, as us mortals???] As Lucius thought along this line of thought, he felt even more sure that Jack was not just a divine being but in truth a god... Filled with more zeal, Lucius made his way to pass off orders for the construction of a temporary residence. He had decided that since the Furysmith Clan had gained the God-King''s favor, he would visit them personally, and pay his respect. ******* Jack floated along the twisted corridors, as he made his way to the ward when he heard Verruca speak up, "Jack... Can we... Can we just not talk about what has happened?" Jack looked down at Verruca, as he was making quick progress reaching his destination, "I can wait until after you are done with the Doctor, but I will wait if you will listen to one condition." "...Okay..." "I wish to speak to you alone. Is that okay?" "Okay..." [Haaaa~ This is going to be troublesome.] Jack thought, as he reached the door of the Ward to meet a thin female geist. She had long blond hair, with a white blindfold. Her skin was very smooth, with a bone-white complexion. With her white lab coat, she gave the impression that she was all white... Only her painted nails and the symbols on her lab coat were gold. "Doctor Hollowell?" Jack asked, as he went to a table, and laid Verruca''s massive form on the bed. Doctor Hollowell hand already bended knee when Jack had walked in, and now spoke, "I am, your Grace." "Please tend to Warmarshal Verruca. If you need anything to speed up this process, please ask now. I will give anything that is necessary." Jack took a step back, waiting for the Doctor to approach. "Well, I''ll need to examine her to tell." Doctor Hollowell came to Verruca''s side, "Warmarshal, if you will be so kind, and remove your armor. I can''t see to the extent of your injuries, otherwise." Verruca sat up and looked at Jack. Jack read the situation, and the look, "I will excuse myself. Doctor Hollowell, please make sure to send for me if you need anything." Jack was going to bow to the good doctor before leaving, but hesitated, [I''m the King... Do I bow to others???] "You have my thanks," Jack spoke, as he turned to leave, as the doors closed behind him. Doctor Hollowell helped Verruca out of bed and gave assistance to taking off her armor. It seemed that Verruca was struggling with her greaves. "So, Julia... Back to see me after just a short period of war... How did it go?" "You didn''t see what happened outside?" Verruca asked strangely, as she finally got the greave from, her right foot. "No, should I? I was here examining a few of the Holy Sentinels... A strange lot all of them." Doctor Hollowell said off-handedly. "Oh... Well, it didn''t go so well." Verruca said begrudgingly, as she with the help of Doctor Hollowell took off her plated Cuisses. "Really? I haven''t heard of you getting a tough fight in a long time." Hollowell continued making small talk. "I... I think it went really bad. His Grace, actually, had to step in... So, I don''t know what''s going to happen now." Verruca said sadly. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Oh? Must have been fireworks, no wonder you said did I see what happened, too bad I missed that. What did he do?" Verruca removed her Gauntlets and Bracers, Verruca dropped both massive pauldrons on the floor, when she pulled the bindings on her shoulders, as they fell with loud reverberating metallic sounds. and with Hollowell''s assistance again carefully removed the plated chest piece. Verruca now stood in all her might, with just her Chainmail shirt, and cloth briefs. Verruca stood for her examination, she and Doctor Hollowell had known each other for a long time. This wasn''t the first time seeing her, and she was a personal patient of the good doctor. Doctor Hollowell went to her back, as she listened to Verruca talk. "Well... I lost almost all my Warbreakers, two Warmarshals died... Well... Three Warmarshals died, and the God-King brought one of them back to unlife, and who knows how many of the other armies suffered casualties. We also lost the City of Zitergall, and in the God-King''s Wrath, he removed the City from existence. Whatever is left of Zitergall has been melted by now in the Brimstone Ocean..." "...." Doctor Hollowell remained silent as she went to prepare tools to extract the metal fragments embedded in Verruca''s back from the cross slash she received. She soon returned with her tools, as she began to systematically remove these shards. She hadn''t spoken in a while until the silence was broken by Verruca again, "Is it that bad?" "That''s a lot to take in... Besides the campaign being a complete failure, no offense, you just told me, in not so many words, that his Grace is actually a God, and he took his anger out on his own city... I feel that behavior is a bit scary." "In his defense, he did save everyone in the city first before destroying it," Verruca said wantonly. "Oh... Well, that certainly makes things a lot clearer. Sorry for your loses on the battlefield, but my question to you is what is he going to do now." Hollowell removed the last few pieces of armor shards from Verruca''s spine. She then reached over for twenty-five percent Holy Water solution to clean the wound. "What do you mean?" Verruca asked as a searing pain came from her back. Holy Water still hurt even if you were a Holy Cultivator being undead... Thankfully it was diluted Holy Water. "You botched your military campaign, and as the Lord Commander of the Deagoth armies you have to take responsibility for their failure," Hollowell commented, as she put the bottle of Holy Water down. "Yeah, but-" "No, buts... If you weren''t favored by his Grace, you should have already been dismissed from duty at the very least." Hollowell picked up her next set of tools. A golden needle with black silk thread. A specialty from the Grand Tomb of neolith and began to stitch the gashes on Verruca''s back. "But this is my first failed campaign..." "Yes, but it is also the worst losses of Deagoth troops since Our founding... We have never lost two Warmarshals in the same battle." Hollowell worked quickly. "...I see your point... Haaaa~" Verruca sighed. "So, what story do you need to spin to save you in this situation." "What do you mean?" Verruca asked as she felt the needle pierce in and out of her flesh, at least the sting of the Holy Water also doubled as a pain reducer to the area. "You need to come up with some facts that downplay just how bad your campaign went. Else, you may not be seen on the battlefield again. You know there is such a thing as early retirement." Verruca sat up straight away, almost knocking Doctor Hollowell away, and tearing five new stitches. "Damn girl, hold yourself!" Doctor Hollowell cursed, as she got back up rubbing her hip where she fell. She reached back over to get more Holy Water to clean up the bleeding black blood from the tore stitches. She now couldn''t guarantee a scar in this spot, making her angry. "I''m sorry... I just don''t want to retire." "Obviously... So, get your story straight. You will not answer just his Grace, but the entire kingdom." Verruca fell deep in thought for a long time, as her back was stitched up. Hollowell came to her front and found that Verruca was still in deep thought. She checked on Verruca''s right knee and found that the knee cap bone has been shattered. Doctor Hollowell frowned as she thought it was no wonder that his Grace had hand-carried her to the Ward... What frightening perseverance. "Julia, I''m going to have to replace your knee cap. This one is shattered." Hollowell said, as she mentally messaged one of her nurses to fetch a new one from the inventory. She would have to use spells to manipulate one to the right size, a standard of Bone Doctors. She came back to see Verruca still thinking, "Julia, you can always pick up singing with your voice." "NEVER!?" "Oh, finally got your attention, but I miss your voice. You sang so well when you were younger in the choir... I miss your voice sometimes." "Blah, those days died long ago." "Yes, but we are undead... So, maybe those days that died can be raised again?" Doctor Hollowell laughed, as she helped Verruca lay back down, as she started to work on her knee. Verruca returned to her thoughts and the dread of speaking to Jack later. Chapter 119: Confessions within a Tomb Jack floated through the winding corridors of the Holy Palace like a ghost deep in thought, [What do I do with Julia...? Haaaa~] Jack mentally sighed. It had been a long day, and he still didn''t know how his God-Soul would interact in a soul union, so he couldn''t wind down using such... Extracurricular activities, no matter how much he wanted. [I need to check on Boss Crag. He should have taken over the South Eastern Undead Trading Company by now. If he hasn''t then some of my plans for Bellum will be delayed.] Jack thought while he went to the front of his door, and with a swing of his hand the door opened, as if automatic. Jack did this unknowingly while thinking and didn''t think about his actions that would shock most present-day Cultivators. He went into his room and didn''t even bother to take off his Holy garbs. He floated over to his evening tomb wondering why it was closed, as he waved his hand again. The latch mechanism popped and opened, from the inside. It was indeed a tomb that couldn''t be cracked by anyone but an Ancestor Cultivator... Jack''s God-Soul just happened to be ranked at Ancestor. Without paying attention, the lid opened, and he let go of his Femur Ferula, to glide to the side, as he rolled over into his evening tomb, with his massive form including his pauldrons laying within... Thankfully the tomb could accommodate his massive form with a lot of room to spare. He popped the mechanism from the inside, as the tomb shut, and only Jack''s flaming eyes illuminated the inside of the tomb. Then, they shortly went out. Just before Jack was going to suspend his weary mind and use his power to suppress the voice that would encroach on him while resting, he heard a stirring next to him, which finally aroused his attention. [How did I miss Leslie in here? She must have returned to her body.] Jack thought to himself, as he moved his hand over to grab Leslie''s... He wasn''t going to try anything funny until he figured out how to settle his power, but he at least wanted contact with her. She was a touchy-feely zombie undead, anyway, and would appreciate his approach. "How did you get back in from the outside?" A soft little voice sounded beside Jack, just when Jack had grabbed ahold of a little bone. He had searched for a few minutes trying to find something of Leslie but found that he held on to a bone, at least the pressure of his fingers told him it was hard and the shape of a... Hip bone? [Wait... That isn''t Leslie''s voice?!] Jack''s flaming eyes snapped open, as he turned his head to look at who was in his evening tomb, as the light of his eyes illuminated Emily in the darkness that was his tomb. Both remained silent within the tomb for a long time, neither saying anything to each other. "Is this a dream?" Emily asked in a small voice. "Do undead dream?" Jack asked in reply casually, as if this was a normal occurrence. "I have... I don''t know what you should say to make me believe this isn''t real... What is it those Zombie undead do to know it''s a dream?" "Pinch themselves?" "Yeah... I can''t really do that can I?" Emily thought out loud. "Well, being a Skeletal undead does have its advantages," Jack replied tracing the lines on Emily''s skull with his sight. "You''re being really nice... I guess this is a dream." Emily spoke rather blandly now that her hopes dashed. "Well... I have a tough time telling whether this is a dream or not... I mean one day I died, and here I am... Who knew right?" "You died?" "...Many times, actually... Many times... Would you like to hear a quote I heard before... It''s something I think about from time to time." Jack asked as he continued to feel around the hip bone he was holding. Emily didn''t make a comment on what Jack was doing, but it made her soul stir a bit, and feel slightly out of place. "I like old sayings. What quote?" Emily asked. "''I was the first you know. For me, the wheel of death has spun many times. So much time has passed... I have a lot of catching up to do.'' When the old undead died again, he simply said, ''The Wheel... Spins... Again.''" Jack finished. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "How many times did he come back?" Emily asked wondering. "Honestly... I don''t know. I kind of feel the same. I''ve died for stupid reasons, and now I think on that quote... Will the wheel spin again for me the next time I come across that threshold, or will it be my last?" "Do you want the wheel to spin?" "I don''t know. I''m very tired. I have so much to do... And I don''t feel like I can do anything right. All I do is act day in and day out... I hurt those that I wish to see happy, and I lie to make others feel better. Haaaa~ I''m sure you don''t want to see the sappy and sorry side of the king, but this is how I am..." Jack said feeling depressed. He had so much on his mind, that he just blurted out what he was thinking. He never intended to tell Emily any of this... He had never intended to bring this back up with Leslie, either. "This is pretty deep for a dream," Emily spoke up after some thought. "I don''t think this is your dream." "Isn''t... My dream?" Emily asked again, "I''m pretty sure this is me. So, it can''t be someone else''s dream." she continued. "Then this isn''t a dream..." Jack said simply. "Then how do I know I''m not dreaming besides this?" "Should I act for you?" Jack asked. "Act?" "Yes. I can act like I usually do if it will make you feel better?" Jack had a teasing voice. "Try it." Jack''s morose voice immediately changed, "So my second Consort has seen fit to enter my chambers, and even place herself in my evening tomb. Couldn''t stop yourself, I see." Emily was shocked by the sudden change and didn''t speak. "Oh, I can tell by your silence, that it must be true. Then come into my arms so that I can hold my second Consort." Jack turned on his side, and with his hand that was holding Emily by the hip bone moved up to grab her and turned her to become his little spoon. She was just the right size to be a teddy bear. "Isn''t that better." Finally, Emily squeaked out, "No. It''s not." "Oh? I don''t remember you being so strong-willed. Does your husband need to teach you a lesson?" Jack asked with a heavy voice. A voice that reminded Emily of the pile of skulls in the middle of the palace square. This was the Jack she remembered. "Alright, you made your point... Stop being like that. I liked you better before you started acting like this. I don''t like you like this." Emily intended to say this firmly, but it only waffered out into the air in a whisper. "I see. I thought as much. I''m sorry I''m like this." Jack let her go and put her back where she was, as he turned back on his back. He kept his eyes on her with his head turned, but this time instead of holding her hip, in placed her small head into the palm of his skeletal hand, under her spider webbed hair. He held her softly, as a skeletal undead could hold another of its kind. This pressure wasn''t lost on Emily, and it warmed a part of her heart. "I like this." "Yeah... So, do I." Jack said as he looked at the tiny profile of Emily. "So, everything you do is an act?" "Everything I say is an act. Everything I do is real... Does that make any sense to you?" Jack asked as he was unsure if the meaning was being conveyed properly. "So, the way you spoke to me the day you met me, the way you spoke to me the day you made me your consort, and the way you spoke to me the day you went into secluded cultivation... That wasn''t what you really meant?" "I meant what I said, just not the way I said it." "I see..." Emily said, as she paused, and asked something that was on her mind, "Do you love me?" "What?" Jack asked as this train of thought derailed into a train wreck within his mind. "Do you love me?" Emily asked again, but with a firmer voice. "Haaaa~ Do you want the truth, or would you rather me lie to you?" Jack asked. "...I want the truth..." "I don''t love you, but I can come to love you. At the moment, I am fond of you, and I am indebted to you. If you choose to continue to be my Consort, I will give you anything your heart desires. If you wish to no longer be my Consort. I will release you and you may find your true love, or you may just continue to be your own love. I won''t hold you against your will." Jack said with a bit of softness in his voice that was rarely heard from him since he entered this world, only Leslie had heard this voice before... "Is it because I''m in a child''s body that you don''t favor me? Am I not pretty enough as a Skeletal undead? Am I not smart enough? Well-bred enough? Do I not come from a high enough background?" Emily asked with a bit stronger voice. It seemed her time with Leslie was returning dividends. "These things help me love someone, but none of these things are required for me to love someone..." Jack said after a bit of thought. Emily remembered her mother''s words and finally decided to act on them. She turned over, with her head still in Jack''s palm. She gazed into the flames of his eyes, as she spoke the words her mother told her. "Jack..." "Mmmmm?" Jack wondered what this tone meant. "I want to be yours." "...?!?" "You''re the most powerful undead in all of the Underworld, that commands the lava oceans and the causes the mountains to bow. A literal god among undead. What female wouldn''t want your attention? What female doesn''t want your love, attention, or affection?" Jack felt that this was a bit of an exaggeration, but he didn''t mind listening to such things. "With just a heroic figure, you can wave your left hand and you can bury armies, and with your right hand hold the lava rivers hostage." Emily continued to coo her words. [Did she watch me outside? Could she see what I was doing in Zitergall?] Jack wondered. "I''m yours if you want. Will you have me?" Emily asked again, but with a slightly more mature voice than her usual tone. Even Jack who heard Leslie regularly felt odd from this whisper, though he remained silent feeling this was such odd behavior. A period of silence ensued, as Emily gritted her teeth to finally break the silence... "You want me to beg? Fine... I beg you to make me your... Make me your whore." She had pulled herself from his palm, and closer to him, as she held onto Jack''s rib cage. Jack unconsciously held the tiny lolita in his arms, as he heard the seductive voice of Emily. Chapter 120: The Love Prophet Jack held onto Emily, as she began to rattle in his arms. This rattling shook Jack from his trance. He spoke, "Emily... Are you, the one, acting now?" Emily rattled a bit harder, as she remained silent. She just gave her all for this performance, and she had already been found out... Fear washed over her, as her mother had already told her the consequences of a man catching a lady in her lies. "No, I really just want to be-" "I don''t believe it." Jack interrupted Emily and said flatly. "...Why? Can''t I be... Can''t be your little whore?" Emily finally asked in a smeared voice. Jack patted the back of Emily for a while, not speaking until Emily stopped shaking and rattling. Jack, feeling that she had calmed down a bit spoke, "If you were a whore, I would accept you being one, but you''re not a whore. If you want to be mine, then I can accept you for who you are now, and what you will become. I meant that I said. I am indebted to you. I''ve made you my Consort with the promise to marry you for the resources of your Kingdom. It''s very unfair to you and wasn''t something I had planned to do, to begin with... I am deeply, truly sorry for what I''ve done." Being held against Jacks large rib cage, Emily asked up, "But I want to be Queen... So, this works for what I want. You don''t have to feel guilty..." "I feel guilty because you have been caged by your kingdom... Like a caged bird, I took you from their home, and brought you to mine... The cage is still there, but it''s just a change in location. If you really do become mine, you will not have freedom. You can''t choose who to love or have feelings for, as I am possessive. I''ve done you wrong." Emily thought for a moment before speaking, "Can I be of use to you?" Jack thought it over for a moment, "Yes. Of course, you can be of use." "Will you do that... with me?" "I, ummmm... Yes... I can do that... It''s not like I don''t enjoy that kind of thing." "Then let''s do it now," Emily said immediately and firmly. "Wait, wait, wait... Don''t you want to have some time to think about this?" Jack was startled, he didn''t think he would have to rise to the occasion so soon, he had to fix his issues first. He just got out of the frying pan, and into the fire! He didn''t want Emily to make him into a ''Want but can''t.'' "Why not? You already said you like that kind of thing. I want to be yours. I want to be queen. This serves both my purpose and yours. I''ve read it''s a very pleasurable encounter. Don''t you want to? Or did you just tell me some pretty words?" Jack felt his mind pushed against a corner. This sucked... This really really sucked. [WHY! DAMN IT!] Any other day, Jack would love to swim in feminine souls and drown in the pleasure therein... One day he would figure out how to get burnt offerings and women together, and see if he couldn''t surf a high, but why was she so aggressive today!? Emily hit Jack on his ribs with her bony fist, causing a xylophonic sound, "You don''t want to do that kind of thing with me after all..." Jack gritted his teeth... Should he tell her that he couldn''t because of his current God-Soul situation, or should he just risk it! [JORDAN!!! That fucker Jordan knows all kinds of bullshit about me! If anyone knows it''s him!] Jack roared in his mind. "One moment, let me check something," Jack spoke softly, though it sounded a bit strained. Emily found this odd but didn''t press. If nothing else, she wanted to know what it was checking on, exactly. Jack reached out with his God-Soul as he called, [Jordan Lightborn!] This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it After a few moments of pause, causing Jack to want to get to his Golden Throne, and appear again in his God-form to smoke this bastard out, he heard a reply. [...My God-King. I knew you would call for me one day!] Jordan responded sounding like a humble servant. [Cut the chit-chat. You know quote-unquote stupid shit about me. I want to know how to Soul Bond with my current soul situation.] Jack spewed out in impatience, with no tact of a king, a pope, or a god. Jack heard chuckling from Jordan, and just as Jack was actually going to get up to get his Golden Throne Jordan replied again, [God-King reassured, I know your plight. A god without his goddesses... What is the meaning of unlife? What for which the Light darkness and gives birth to shadows, why does the shadows dim in the light?] [Jordan... If I wanted to hear cryptic crap, I would ask for it. Can you help me or not?] Jack had a pretty little thing in his arms willing and waiting... So, his patience was thinning much faster than usual, and he didn''t bother to have any pretenses. [Of course, God-King. It is a temporary solution. You will have to consolidate your God-Soul, but I can tell you how to make it possible until then.] Jack was shocked because Jordan called it a God-Soul... He hadn''t told him it was what he called it...! [Al-alright... What do I do?] [Do not fight your God-Soul. It is an extension of you, even if the voices are too many, it''s still a part of you. I do not advise to take their soul into yours... Too many in one place isn''t good for them... Go to their soul space, and do... What it is that gods like to do with their goddesses.] Jordan said with a bit of mirth in his voice, though it was strange as it also contained endless respect. [...Will the God-Soul follow in with me?] [Remember to not fight your God-Soul. Use your God-Soul to protect you both, as you gain entry to their most sacred of places.] [This works?] [Should I lie to the God-King, then may you strike me down.] [Jordan, my love prophet! I will grant you one favor for this!] [I will remember that, my God-King.] Jordan said with joy before the mental connection went silent. [Crap! Should I have just promised him something...] Jack wondered... Then he looked down to see the loli in his arms, before thinking of the last thing he needed to do. [Leslie...?] [What?] Leslie responded almost immediately. [What are you currently doing?] [Cleaning up the South Eastern Undead Trading Company.] [...?] [I can tell by your silence... They were what blew up in Zitergall. All the branches have such things. By the way, sorry but you might have to wait a while before you can lay down.] [Huh?] Jack wasn''t sure about this last line. [Emily is currently resting in your evening tomb. I had her lock it. I can pop it open when I get back to my body, or when she wakes up.] [Leslie, I''m currently inside my tomb.] [?!?!? How did you get in?] [God...] [Oh...] [Yeah... So, you wouldn''t believe what this little thing has asked me to do.] [She wants to reap.] [That was damn casual of you to say!] Jack said astonished. [You know, we have been talking a lot recently. I have a pretty good grasp on her.] [I see... And you''re okay with this?] [I''d be lying if I said yes, but I''m not opposed to it, either.] [I see...] [If you have more than one wife, this is a husband''s duties... Do me a favor, and if you can answer my question... I expect you to take care of my sister-consort, as you would me.] Jack braced himself, [Okay.] [Do you love me the most?] A questioning voice came though the mental message. [Forever and ever, and a day.] Jack responded without a pause. [Then please take care of her. I''ve grown fond of her, and Jack...] [Hmmm?] Jack wondered. [Unlike me, don''t take her on a three-day tour of reaping the fields... My soul felt like it was going to die... I couldn''t talk to my banshees properly for a week.] [........................] Jack''s mental state could only be expressed with an exceptional amount of ellipsis... Lots of ellipses. [Love you, bye.] Jack could feel the connection breaking. [I don''t deserve her.] Jack mentally shook his head. It had been a long time since Jack went silent, and Emily was now starting to regret being so forward. She continued to ask herself was she making the right choice, was this what she wanted, and was her mother really right? There was a small part of her that was in expectation. This would be her first time. She longed for it... She loved reading romance... She hoped it wouldn''t disappoint her. "Alright. That''s everything then." Jack said as he looked down to the loli in his arms. "What did you check on?" Was the first thing that came from Emily. "This isn''t very romantic talk... Are you sure you really want to know?" Jack asked... "Yes. It''s killing me to know what you have to check on to do... That!" Emily couldn''t hold back her curiosity. "I checked with my prophet if it was okay for me to do... That... You have to remember I might just be a god... Is it okay for a God-Soul and a Mortal-Soul to do...? That? You know, without ripping the Mortal-Soul to shreds." "Oh... OH!" Emily never thought about that! She was focused on the moment, and it never occurred to her that there might have been problems. "I also contacted Leslie." "...Why..." "Leslie is my first Consort and your Sister-Consort. I don''t want to appear to be doing this behind her back." Jack said openly. "...Would you do that for me?" Emily asked in a whisper. "Yes, I would." "Then... Do I need to ask again?" Another tiny whisper floated into the air. "Nope..." Jack continued to hold the little loli in his arms, as his soul reached to her, guarded by his God-Soul. Chapter 121: Sensual Geometry Jack held onto the little loli, as his soul approached her soul space and attempted to invade Emily''s soul space. Emily was startled by the feeling and panicked. "Just relax." Jack soothed. He felt somewhat awkward like he was the big bad wolf at the moment. With Jack''s soothing words, Emily calmed herself and stopped rejecting Jack''s soul''s intuition. She accepted it and led it into her own soul space. Emily instinctively turned her vision inwardly to see into her soul space, as she viewed her own soul. She had seen it many times before, as her soul was a misty and wispy source of black and white fog. It danced around energetically and reminded Jack when he entered the soul space of the Taijitu symbol... The Yin-Yang symbol. He instantly wanted to know what it would feel like! Emily turned her view of her soul to Jack''s when she realized Jack''s soul was domineering! His was a near solid golden orb with black etched runes on the surface... It was also huge! [Why is his soul so big?!?] Emily looked at her own dwarfed soul and wondered if she was going to be small her whole unlife. She decided that she was destined to be bullied for the rest of her unlife. Though Jack''s soul appeared to be solid metal, it moved with a familiar pattern... He had used this in the Plane of Light, and if Jack said he was number two among those in the Underworld at moving his soul, there wouldn''t be anyone to dare say there were number one... Jack just realized that his time in the Plane of Light had certain... Benefits. Jack''s soul scooted next to Emily''s as he tried not to engulf her soul. After a small period of familiarizing herself, Emily finally gave in to the hints of pleasure her soul was receiving from the contact with Jack''s soul. After her hesitation was thrown to the wind, she became wildly aggressive, and surprising Jack, as he accepted it wholeheartedly. Emily was a silent lover during the soul union, unlike the chatty Leslie. Jack just continued to enjoy the feelings, as he thought of some things. He had been in the Plane of Light for a long time and could be considered an expert on soul management and soul movement. He decided... To experiment. He wondered if different shapes of the soul would produce different feelings, as he manipulated his soul to form a cube. He didn''t feel any differences, as the pleasure he was receiving was still on high. It was the reaction of his sweet loli, that surprised him. [Ooohhhh~~~~~ MMMMmmmmm~~~~~] Emily purred some mature seductive sounds. Intrigued, Jack decided to try every shape he could think of going back to geometry. Two days later, when Jack finished his final shape... An icosahedron... Jack finally withdrew his soul, if not only because Emily''s soul laid almost devoid of any movement. During his time of experiments, Emily far surpassed him in climaxes, and left Leslie''s old record in the dust! At one point, he thought her soul had a seizure, and was greatly worried until he heard her ask him not to stop... Those in the slurred thoughts she expressed, he could have misunderstood her. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Jack took the loli, that was still in his arms, and laid her beside him, as his flaming eyes flickered back into life, illuminating the evening tomb, once again. Jack laid on his side savoring the last feelings he had during his time spent with Emily, as he gazed at her quivering profile. While he didn''t experience anywhere what he did with Leslie. Jack did enjoy providing such pleasures to Emily, to the point he would later ponder on how to improve his performance even more. [Who knew math could be so... lewd.] Jack mused to himself, rather pleased. If the reaction was anything to go by his performance meant he was the champ! He felt damn pleased with himself. Jack mused himself in his thoughts, as they turned to his duties, he finally saw Emily stirring a bit. She turned her head ever so slightly, and in an exacerbated voice, "Jack... Jack you just... Is it like...? Is it like that every time???" Jack noticed she was able to articulate a full sentence, "I don''t know about every time, but at least this time. If nothing else, it gives up something to chase in the future, otherwise." "Ah... Ah... So, there will... Will be a next time? I hope... Every time... I have to apologize to Sister Leslie." Emily gasped, which struck Jack as being odd... Undead don''t breathe, and they don''t even have lungs. What Jack didn''t know is that soul fatigue could produce a lot of responses that mimicked what life was... "I don''t want to be clich¨¦, but was it good for you?" Jack chuckled. "....yes." A small tiny whisper left Emily. If not for Jack''s extreme senses, he would have missed it. "So, you want to go again?" "...You beast..." Emily turned over with her back facing Jack. Jack laughed out loud, as he pulled her to him. She struggled but stopped when she felt that he wasn''t trying anything funny and just embraced her. "Oh, why do you have to apologize to Leslie for?" Jack asked, thinking back to what she said. "Don''t make me say it," Emily said, turning her face. "I don''t want to bully you, but you have my curiosity... What can I do to make you say?" Jack asked. Emily was left speechless until she thought so something. "Then... I''ll tell you if you agree to do this... with me whenever I want... No questions asked..." "Huh?" It was Jack''s turn to be speechless. "I''m not saying it again," Emily said with more vigor. "I... I can''t guarantee that... I might be working on a project working with others, in front of the people, in court, war... Just... I can''t drop everything and... you know." A thud sound emitted from Emily hitting Jack on his side, with her back to him while in his embrace. "Stupid... I have awareness... Hurry up and agree!" Emily pressed. "Wait... What if Leslie wants too, but then...? Wait a moment... You want priority in this matter!" "Tch." "You clever little devil... You are already scheming on your sister! Emily... Was it that good that you have to scheme on her?" Jack laughed long and loudly. Emily really wanted to find a boneyard and turn herself in and be covered up in a-hole... "Yes, damn it... Leave me alone. Just let go of me, you mad king." Emily struggled. "Shhhh, shhh, shhh. Don''t be like that." Jack comforted Emily until she stopped struggling out of his teddy bear embrace. "Hump." "Such a fussy little wife." "Not yet, but you wait." "I will grant you favor." "What?" Emily asked as she was caught off guard. "I make one condition. You are not going to block Leslie from this. That would be wrong, but you may request for me whenever you wish now no matter the situation... as long as you are aware of the situation." "So, it''s two conditions," Emily asked. "So, it is." "Alright. I expect your favor from now on." Emily said shyly, which paled before the aggression she just showed. "So, what do you have to apologize for?" "Because I''m going to monopolize all of your spare time..." Emily said in another whisper. "You''re going to do what now?" Jack asked as if he didn''t hear her. "Augh... I''m going to take up all of your time doing... AH! You heard what I said!" Emily swatted behind her, as she was being held. Jack popped the mechanism on the evening tomb, as he had business to do today. He had been held up by sensual pleasures and needed to get back to the money... As the tomb slide open, Jack spoke, "Well, you''re going to have to tell her that yourself." Jack sat up to hear Leslie''s voice, "Tell me what?" Chapter 122: Holy Water Doesnt Hurt Jack''s flaming eyes looked to the left in his room and found Leslie sitting in a chair working on paperwork at his desk. She was sitting in his large chair at his desk, and it made her look small in comparison. Jack was shocked for only a second before he chuckled, holding his little consort in his arms. He turned her around like a teddy bear to face Leslie, and spoke, "There is your sister. Go ahead and tell her what you just told me." Emily stared deeply at Leslie, who smiled in reply, "And what is that dear sister?" "¡­Ah...Ah..." Emily stuttered her words. Jack found that she wasn''t quite as bold in front of Leslie as she was with him alone, so he took her from his arms, and put her back in the tomb, as he spoke, "I see that you''re still a little tired from Our time together. Rest more." After being placed within the tomb, Emily gazed into Jack''s flaming eyes as they burned with a soothing light, and for the first time, she felt that he was being gentle to her. She felt from this gentleness that he had accepted her and made her feel warm, a rare feeling... She found that his words were true; she did feel very tired. Emily hit the mechanism and tomb''s lid slide into place, as she went to sleep. Jack turned around to look at the strange gaze of Leslie. "What???" Jack asked. "So, reaping with a woman is all that is needed to gain your favor?" Leslie asked in an odd tone. "..." Jack felt like he could sweat on his brow, though he knew he wouldn''t. Wasn''t this the same feeling as being caught with another woman??? He did this out in the open! He didn''t do this behind her back, at all! Leslie stood up from the large chair, as she crossed the room, and stood in front of Jack, as she leaned into him to stare into his flaming eyes. "You smell like her," Leslie said simply. After a brief pause, a thought struck Jack, "...Wait just a damn moment... She expected you to be in that tomb... You two sleep together, and you are going to say I smell like her?" Jack caught onto something he thought of but didn''t question earlier. "We never did anything like what you and she did... I''m not into girls like that... Unless you want me to be." Leslie said with undertones. "You know what... Nope! I''m not into that... Nope... Not at all... I am not going to come home to find you two keeping each other company and decide you like it better than me! I''m not that kind of guy." Jack shook his head as if he was rattling a can on top of his shoulders. Leslie giggled incisively, "I thought all guys liked that kind of thing! How rare! How, truly, rare!" "Not this one!" Jack had been gotten a bad ending in too many gal games, for this kind of reason. Leslie then giggled again, "Do you know I talked to my mother earlier today." "How is Jade... I''ve missed her company." Jack asked. "First name basis, I see... Now I know why she misses you so..." Leslie said again in that strange tone. "I think there is something I''m missing here." Jack finally acknowledged. "She wants to see you... Jack... I don''t mind if you have other wives, but my own mother?" Leslie''s eyes turned into crescent moons, but this smiling face gave Jack a strange chill. "Honey, I swear to, uh... I swear to myself! I haven''t touched your mother. If I had, I would tell you!" Jack felt pressured. "MMmmmmm... Okay." Jack was astonished to see Leslie agree so easily. "I''d prefer if my Mother didn''t share our tomb, but I guess I don''t have a final say so..." Leslie spoke, as she made some mental messages in her mind. "I''m sure your mother has nothing like that on her mind, and I don''t have any plans to do anything with her." Jack put it bluntly. "You know, my love, for someone so smart, you''re very dense... Haaaa~ That''s why I''m worried." Leslie sighed. "Okay... I''m not going to deny being dense, but you talk like your mother is into me." Jack turned his head to deny his charges. "Alright, I''m not going to be funny, but truth is... She is really into you. In fact, I thought you two already reaped together." Leslie put her hands on her hips while talking harshly. "I used to talk to her on the trip back almost every day, and I talked mostly about you. She asked a lot about you, but then again... When she didn''t ask about you, she was asking about me. Not like I can remember anything..." Jack looked up and spoke while in thought. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "Well, I''d like for you to not encourage her, if at all possible, as a favor to me. Just don''t hurt her feelings, but if you can''t I understand." Leslie finally asked softly. Jack took a few steps to pull Leslie into his embrace, "I understand. I''m not that big of a beast I can''t spare a lady. You act as though I''m going to go eat her up, just as soon as I see her." "Jack, your kind of a pushover when it comes to ladies... Your tomb is currently filled with a princess from a former enemy nation. The same nation that drove you into entombment, where you died might I add, for a thousand years. "...Alliances change a lot..." "I know... It''s also why I''m not opposed to you having more than one woman. Political marriages are a thing." Leslie sighed, as she held on to Jack. "Did she say what she wanted?" Jack decided to get the hell away from this topic. "No. She didn''t say and wouldn''t tell me how much I asked." Leslie shook her head. "On another note, I thought I told you to go easy on her... It''s been two days." Leslie changed her train of thought. "I... Uh..." "Her cultivation isn''t as high as mine, so her soul isn''t going to have as much stamina as mine. The poor thing looked like she was going to fall apart." Leslie chastised him. Jack rubbed the back of his bald skull, "I might have got too carried away." "...What did she need to tell me?" Leslie asked. "I''ll leave that for her to tell you." "So enigmatic. Doesn''t sound like I am going to be happy." Leslie smiled this time that was refreshing, and it eased Jack''s mind. A knock on the door sounded, and Leslie quickly moved to it to answer. A few of her Hand Maidens brought in a basin of water, and clean linen clothes. Then more Hand Maidens came in and surrounded Jack, as they reached out for his ropes. [Oh, no...] Soon he was stripped of his attire, and they took away his garbs only leaving him bare bones. The Hand Maidens bowed to both Jack and Leslie and then left, as quickly as they came. Jack stared at the basin of water... It was at that time. Leslie got down on her knees, and beckoned Jack over, "Come now. You know it''s been a long time since your last bath." She smiled brightly. Jack could tell she enjoyed this the most. Jack mentally sighed and decided not to fight it. He walked over and put one foot into the tub. He slipped it into the water. The water began to boil as usual, but... It didn''t hurt. [?!?!] Jack didn''t understand. He got completely into the, now boiling, holy water to find that while it rolled, it didn''t cause him to feel pain. [Why... Why is this???] Jack thought to himself, he would have to experiment later! Leslie picked up her linen cloth, as she soaked it into the holy water, and caused her pain on her bony hands. She then began to clean Jack with familiarity. As she cleaned, she asked, "What do you plan to do today, my love?" Jack thought for a moment, and asked something on his mind, "You know... It''s been a long time until today you called me ''My love...'' Why the sudden endearment?" Leslie smiled, as she began to clean his ribcage, "I recently had a little chat with a... Friend, and I remembered just how much I love you." "It''s good to be loved, but don''t love me too much, ahaha" Jack laughed. "You joke about it, but it''s true. Now stop sloshing the holy water, I don''t want to get it on the rest of me." Leslie reprimanded. Jack stilled himself again, as Leslie continued to work, as he began to speak again, "I need to see Boss Crag. See if he completed what I wanted, and I need to get with Lucius. I really need to iron out this God-King business." "Boss Crag completely took over the South Eastern Undead Trading Company a few weeks ago. He is now the true CEO, and both Co-CEOs George and his business partner, are taking the second-highest position in the company. I don''t know how he managed to do that, but he has my respect." Leslie replied. Jack was shocked, but for only a moment, when realized that Leslie was basically the CIA or KGB... Of course, she knew. "That''s good. A lot of my future plans hinge on this task. I feel rest assured now, thank you for letting me know." "Do I need to be thanked for this?" Leslie said with a smile, as she began to clean Jack''s spine. Jack didn''t say anything but nodded his head a few times. It did go without saying. Leslie again spoke, "Let me ask this time, what do you mean God-King business?" "I might joke, but I shouldn''t really be called a god," Jack spoke openly. "Why?" Leslie paused her cleaning and came to the front of Jack to continue on his hip bones. "Well... I mean, I''m not god-like." Leslie, now actually, stopped her washing of Jack, as she looked deeply into the flame eyes of Jack. "And where is that coming from?" "Don''t you think so?" Jack asked. "No... If anything, everything I''ve seen says that you are... I don''t understand why you don''t think so, especially when I hear you rocking the entire underworld with your voice claiming, ''you are the God-King.''" "That was just to scare Jakahn." "I don''t think you understand just how many people worship you as a god," Leslie spoke. "Actually, that would be about one hundred and seventy-eight thousand four hundred and two undead." Leslie''s expression slackened for a moment, before it recovered, "That''s a pretty specific number. Jack tapped on the side of his skull with his right hand, producing a thud noise, "Everyone of their voices are in my head from every one of them that prays. There was even one guy that wanted a couch. His name''s Herraclitus Crossett and all he wants is a couch. Pretty funny fellow spends a lot of his time reading. I assume he wishes to read while sitting on a new couch. Lives in Nogore, by the way." Jack shrugs. "So... So, you know all this because he prayed to you, and along with him and every other undead are all in your head, all the time?" "Pretty much." Jack nodded. "How does that not turn you batty?" "I have to continually suppress the voices or they give me a mind-shattering headache." "And you say you''re not a god... That sounds pretty damn god-like to me." Leslie picked up another cleaning cloth, and dipped it into the holy water, to continue cleaning Jack. "If you say so..." Jack said wearily. "Alright darling, let''s play this game," Leslie spoke, after a moment of thought. "MMmm?" "Let''s say you get with Lucius, and hand orders on high that you are not a god, and you are not a divine being... You forbid everyone from worshipping you, and so forth... What do you think will happen?" "I''ll lose my prayers, at most." While Jack thought to himself, [And the power that comes with it, but at least I won''t have the damn voices in my head.] "I don''t think you have thought this through! You will split the kingdom. There are going to be undead that worships you regardless, and then you will punish them. You will punish them for believing in you! That''s nonsense! These undead are willing to put faith in you, and then you turn around and slap their faces, foolish! Even if you aren''t a god... Let them believe it! Unify them with their faith, and honestly, from what I''ve seen I will say it again... You are a god! I saw you loom over the lands and move things around like chess pieces! You back handed a city... That''s crap that only happens in old legends concerning gods. So, tell me, Jack... Are you a god or not?" Leslie finished cleaning Jack''s leg bones and feet, as she pulled back and propped her hands on her hips. Chapter 123: A Napkin of Scarlet Jack descended into his thoughts, [Should I be called a god... I don''t... Well... I don''t want to split up the nation, and Leslie has a point. Should I berate people that want to worship me.] Jack wrestled with this thought. [But it would be wrong to have people put their faith in me, if I''m something I''m, not right? But then again... I did get all this power from them... Does this power make me a god? What makes a god anyway?] Jack started to question the whole situation. Finally, Jack came to a conclusion, [I''ve lied about everything else... If this is what the people want... Fuck it. What''s the problem with lying about being a god?] Jack remembered a classic movie from his last life, and a line. The bad guy of that movie asked, "Are you a god." and when the humans answered no, they got shocked by lightning... One of the humans then said, "The next time someone asks you are you a god... YOU SAY YES!" Jack rose from his memories and thoughts, and nodded to Leslie, "Alright, then I am a god. Does that make things easier for Us?" "That I don''t know, but I know this wasn''t what you wanted to do. I can hear it in your voice. I can say that I think this will be best for the nation, and I can''t lie... If my husband is a god, how can I not like that." Leslie giggled, as Jack got out of the water basin. She dried off Jack with another linen towel, and after handed Jack a simple robe. Jack put on his robe, as he decided, "I''m going to pay Boss Crag a visit. What do you think about me absorbing him and the company into the kingdom, and making him the Minister of Commerce?" "A government position based on business? That''s actually not a bad idea. I know that Stonedge has something like this in their parliament." "Do you think Boss Crag can do it?" "He''s done well so far, but we do have to remember where he came from..." "Can I bother you to keep an eye on him then?" "I was going to do that without you saying, I wouldn''t worry about him doing anything above board... Who pisses off a god that lives next door?" Leslie giggled. "Alright, alright, haha. What about you? What are you going to do today?" Jack asked after laughing. "I plan to follow up on former-Marquis Mark''s plan to blow up the SEU Trading Company." "He what?" "I... I thought you knew?" Leslie paused. "No? I know he led Jakahn into screwing over Julia and her armies and blew up Zitergall." "The reason Zitergall blew up was because the former had already set up hexplosives to blast it. I''m still tracking down when and how he did it. He did this to every branch in every city." "Damn..." Jack cursed. "What?" "I wish I got my hands on him that day." "Yeah. We need to put him to true death as soon as we can." Leslie nodded. "What? No! We need to recruit him back." "Excuse me?" Leslie was taken back. "The dudes a fucking genius! If he can slip by you! YOU of all undead, and played our armies like puppets, that''s an undead I want to run my armies!" Jack spoke loudly and passionately. "...You''re joking, right? No undead here would suffer his actions to let him lead them." Leslie spoke with her brows knitted. "If I can find out why he wanted to destroy us, then maybe I can give him what he wants. This world is about benefits, and very few people function on principal. If you can find him, give him a message I want to meet him, again. I don''t remember much from seeing him before." "If... If that is your will... I think you''re playing with fire." Leslie said heavily but acknowledged. "Well, I can''t guarantee that he''s going to rejoin Us, but if he''s against Us, then I will just destroy him. Meh." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Alright. We will do as you say." "I also need to talk to Julia today," Jack stated slowly. "Yes. She needs to talk to you as well." "Haaaa~ This is going to be a hard talk. What little bit I already know... She really screwed up the battle at Zitergall." "Yes... My agents already tell me of decent among the survivors of Zitergall." Leslie added as she knit her brows. "What about the Military? Are they still behind Julia, or has she lost their favor?" "Quicker''s army, may he rest in peace, is indifferent, and so is Mossvale''s. The Warbreakers and Spellslingers seem to still be on good terms. The other three armies don''t know yet... Speaking of which, We should see Warmarshal Frostgard tomorrow. She''s been on the move for a while." "Oh, that''s good," Jack said, while he thought, [I really need to get project Dues Vult Drive going.] "What are you going to do?" Leslie asked. "I''m... Haaaa~ I''m going to have to punish failure, but I don''t want to bury her, either. War seems to be her favorite past time, and it would be stupid to remove such a good warrior from the battlefield. I think I have an idea, but it''s going to be after I finish a few personal projects." "Alright, then." Leslie smiled, as she came up to Jack, and looked back up at him. "If you have nothing going on tonight... I''d like to keep you company. It''s been so long for me. I''m hoping your fun with sister Emily isn''t going to make you forget about me..." As spoke softly, as she looked up to Jack with upturned eyes. Jack wrapped his arms around Leslie, as he pressed her tight to himself, "If I didn''t have things to do right now, I would try some of my new tricks... But We would need much more than two days." Jack said with masculine charm. "Oh, I look forward to it. We need to clear a schedule... I''ll see about taking off a week. I''m going now." Leslie said, as she slipped from Jack''s grasp, and out the door. Jack looked at the door close behind Leslie, as he thought to himself, [Ah... What a woman. I need to make sure I do right by her, if not one else. I guess its time to go meet Boss Crag again.] Jack stepped out of his room and walked to where Crag was located. ******* The door of a cabin opened, and out stepped the sickly beauty, Princess Eris. She looked even more thin than before she witnessed the Might of the Undead God of Light. Her skin that was pure white before, now had sickly green undertones, with slight shadows under her eyes. If one looked closely enough at this sickly beauty, one could see the use of concealer to cover the dark circles. The ship rocked back and forth with reckless abandon, plowing through the lava flows pushed by a sanguinary wind. Around the hulls of each ship, one could see boiling blood lifting the ships as they buffered each ship. As the ships approached a wave of lava, the boiling blood while piercing through the lava, leading the ships through, as they rocked in the wake. She moved slowly to the side of the captain, as she quickly pulled out a cloth napkin to cough into... She looked into the napkin to find that it was stained with bits of crimson red blood. The captain panicked when he heard the coughing behind him, "Princess!!!! Please call for someone you wish to move around!" "I''m alright. I just want to know how much longer." She coughed a few more times, into her napkin. The Captain sighed, "Princess, please... If not for your sake, think of your late mother... Please drink some blood... Drink someone''s... anyone''s... Mine! Drink mine!" The captain held his arm out, as he took his dagger to put to his wrist ready to slice it the moment the word was given. Princess Eris smiled, even as her face slackened with weakness, "You''re sweet, but I don''t want to drink. My new god will feed me. I just came out to know how long it will be before We reach the shores." "...Tomorrow..." The Captain said with slight sorrow, as he continued, "You gave too much... A little blood would have been fine. Hell, it would have been fine if you drank more, but you don''t! Why did you give so much!" "Dear captain, don''t question me. Know your place." The sickly beauty became icy in spite of her deathly appearance that lacked vitality. The Captain quickly kneeled, "I''m sorry, princess. I spoke out of line, out of concern. It is indeed not my place." "I know you care, but don''t question my choices... After all, this is for my new god. I would give him anything... My life... Even yours. Remember that, captain." "Yes, your highness." The Captain lowered his head. "I do want to mention that seeing your first mate wailing as all of his blood drained during the ritual really added to the ambiance. If all goes well during this trip, captain... I don''t mind seeing about your promotion to Admiral, only lower than Fleet Admiral Nikole." "Yes, my princess!" Princess Eris took one last look into the distance, where she could just make out the massive port of the barbarian lands, before turning to her cabin, and closing the door. She would rest, as she didn''t have any energy left to entertain herself. After the door closed, the captain stood and went to the shipmate down deck. As the shipmate looked up to see the murderous look of his Captain, he wanted to speak, but his face was already backhanded. The shipmate covered his face, as he fell from his chair, head over heels. All the other shipmates backed up with their cups of bloodmead. "You worthless wretch! You''re sitting here filling your belly, while our princess walked out of her cabin unassisted! I didn''t know she was next to me until she was coughing blood, you sorry limp blood vessel!" "Cap-Cap... I-" "I don''t want to hear it. Clean yourself up... So, help me, by the Blood Emperor himself, if you do this again... I will feed you to the neophytes!" The Captain randomly picked up a napkin on one of the side tables to clean the back of his fist smeared with blood, and dropped it on the floor, as he left. All the other shipmates looked to the bloodied shipmate in pity, it wouldn''t be long now that this shipmate wasn''t with them. He had one last chance... Everyone on the Ship called the Bloody Mary had two chances... Then it was over. "Ole'' Captain Fairfield treats the princess-like his daughter... If I didn''t kn-" "Shut your blood hole, you stupid ass! Least the captain hear you!" The shipmate whispered in a yell, as he pulled the other closer to him, "The captain was appointed by the right-hand vampire of the Blood Emperor himself... If he misses up this mission, then all eight of his generations will be turned into blood slaves..." The shipmates scrambled around, as they didn''t want to hear such information. Sailors that knew too much, found themselves burning in the Brimstone Ocean if they were lucky. Chapter 124: Showing off Jack floated to the outside of Boss Crag''s room door. He held his Femur Ferula, and his Golden Laptop. Jack had started walking here, but halfway there, he decided to just fly... It was strangely easier for him. Jack used the end of his staff to knock on the door, as he heard a voice from the inside, "...Joey, what do ya want now..." A hard voice sounded. "Ahem... Crag, I''ve come to see you-" Just before Jack could finish his words Crag tore the door from the frame to lookout. He took a look at Jack floating in mid-air, as he fell to a knee, while he threw the door to the side, "Ya humble servant has completed his mission, God-King." [Augh... Even him...] "Rise Crag. You don''t have to kneel to me in the future." Jack said as he floated into the room, and seen it was messy with paperwork. Piles of paperwork were scattered everywhere, but there was one thing that was sorely missing... There was no burnt offering in the air. Jack mentally frowned. Jack took a seat at Crag''s desk and moved a stack of his paperwork to look at Crag from across the desk. Crag was busy putting the door back in the frame, but it didn''t fit neatly anymore. "I will get someone to fix it. Make do for now." Jack said solemnly. "Y-yes." Crag did his best and then took a seat, as black beaded sweat formed on his brows... It was just two days ago, that he looked out of his window behind his desk to see in the sky above him the God-King and his voice rumbled so long and so on, that he thought his dead heart was going to pump again. "Crag... I seem to find a distinct lack of burnt offerings here." "Of-Of course! I gave them up for the God-King!" Crag said under pressure. "Gave... Gave them up?! Why?!?" "Oh, mighty God-King of Undeadkind, what has upset you!?" Crag asked under duress. "Who said that I didn''t like burnt offerings." Jack put his laptop on his desk, and let his staff go to the side, as it glided to the edge of the desk. "Ah-Well... Being a god and holy... and righteous, I just assumed, that..." "Assumed what?" Jack''s flaming eyes crackled in his eye sockets. "That ya wouldn''t be about vices!" Crag blurted out. "Haaaa~" Jack sighed. "Crag, whatever act this is, you can drop it. I''m still the same undead you knew when I met you. It''s just now that everyone calls me a god." "I remember telling ya about the prophecy my dear daddy told me... I didn''t think it was true, about gods... I just thought it was about really powerful Cultivators." This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Don''t worry about it Crag... You know I''ve been in the mood for some Burnt Offerings, say like... some Brimstone dust." Jack said with a voice of expectation. As the word lingered in the air, Boss Crag began to wildly laugh, and cough while he was laughing. Large gaffing laughter resounded before he finally calmed down. "Are you alright?" Jack asked in a tone that asked, ''why are you laughing.'' "I just didn''t expect a God of Holy Light to burn some dust with me! This will be stories that my decedents will look back and go... ''Wow, our ancestor burnt offerings with a god!''" "Well, it''s not going to happen if you don''t like that up... Come on dude, some of us have things to do today." Jack cut part of his act but kept his voice stern. "Of course, of course." Boss Crag ran to the side of the room, and from behind a bookcase, he pulled out his supplies. "You didn''t give that crap up! You just stashed it... I should have known." "Old habits die hard, witchy, haha- Oop... Can I still call you witchy?" "I don''t care, just don''t stand on ceremony." "Got it!" Crag sat up the censor and ignited the dust he placed on it. Thus, the room began to be filled with wispy smoke. Jack and Crag sat in their seats, Jack in Boss Crag''s, and Boss Crag''s in one of his guest seats, as they took in the smoke produced. "Ah... I''ve missed this. You got to give me the recipe for this." "Not a chance! If I do that, then I won''t be able to entertain a god from time to time." "Haha, fair point." Jack laughed, then asked, "Alright, did you get it done." "Who am I?" "Capt- Boss Crag?" "Damn right! Got the whole of the SEU Trading Company under thumb. You are looking at the CEO of the whole company, though I lost our Branch in Zitergall, though I''m sure you know why." "Are you complaining?" "Not even a chance of that. It''s like losses during a natural disaster... Who am I going to argue? The Underworld? Fate? A god who was pissed and backhanded an entire city?" "So, you heard about that...?" "Are you kidding... A deaf undead heard about that. Seriously impressive." Jack waved his hand in the air, "Actually, I have something more impressive than that sitting on your desk." "Huh?" Boss Crag looked all over his desk, and only see a thin gold tome laid on the desk. He didn''t think this was impressive, but what else could it be? Jack followed his eyes, and nodded, "It is indeed this." Jack patted the thin gold tome. "What is it?" Crag asked as he inhaled another round of burnt offerings. "I believe this is the most powerful artifact in all of the Underworld," Jack said proudly. "Is it some really powerful technique or cultivation art?" "It''s called a Laptop." "Lap...? Top...?" Crag didn''t quite follow. "Let me explain. Imagine a tome that can store the information of all the tomes you have ever seen in your unlife, then imagine it can answer any question you ask verbally and solve any problem you ask, then imagine it can learn." Jack said feeling smug. "...Ya produced a living tome?" Crag asked in wonderment. "What''s a living tome?" Jack asked dumbfounded. "Ya know... A living tome... binding the soul of a creature or undead to a tomb to catalog information. Almost all of the major clans and families have one. I''ve even got one. Keeps track of my family tree." Crag said matter of factly. [Son of a bitch... Wait... Mine is a supercomputer, not just some rando creature!] "Those living tomes can''t compare to mine." Jack got a hold of his and opened it up. It shows the screen with an hourglass and a small keyboard on the bottom page. "Ya living tome only has two pages?" "It only needs two pages," Jack said, again, as he regained his confidence in his creation. "Remember what I told you last time about what I was working on?" "The ultimate tool." "This is it." "Well... What does it keep track of?" Crag wondered. "Anything I want... Let''s demonstrate it." Jack said as he looked at the timer on the laptop. It only had a few hours left to complete his city project. "Tux, pause current project." Jack spoke as the screen changed to that of an undead penguin. "Reporting to Creator. Project has been paused and saved." Tux replied dutifully. "This is it," Jack spoke with excitement. "What kind of creature did ya bind to this? I''ve never seen anything like this." "It''s a penguin." Jack didn''t bother to correct Crag on the fact he had made this penguin out of spells and not a soul. "I''d like to know where ya got this thing from. It seems smart." "Seems? Let me ask you. What would be a difficult thing to think up?" Chapter 125: Unleashing the Most Evil "Think up? Well... I''d say spellcraft is the hardest to work on..." Crag held his chin as he thought looking into the air. "That''s only one of the things, but it''s a good answer. My laptop is only able to complete Holy Light spells because that''s all the books I had, but let''s show off one." "Huh?" Crag didn''t follow. "Think of something that the Light could do, that you haven''t seen a spell for... Make it simple and small though." After being suddenly asked, Crag had no idea. He was put on the spot, and his mind couldn''t think of anything, with a stretch of silence filling the gap between Jack and Crag. Jack felt the silence, and broke it again, "How about this. Tux design a small spell that can make a hologram of an undead the caster is thinking about." "Calculating... Done... Spellcraft ready for Creator." Tux replied almost immediately. "That was fast. Let me see." Jack looked over the screen, where Crag could see the words on the screen as well. Crag''s mouth hung open, as he saw Jack stand. Jack hummed his spellcraft, "Fixpho." In front of Jack, Light burst into radiance, as the sparkles took on the appearance of a seductive figure. While the hologram was a solid gold color, one could tell the fine details of the lady it conjured. She had long hair, that draped like a waterfall around her shoulders, with a beautiful face. She wore a qipao dress with the angel of death insignia and stood with a stance of authority, but with a hint of seduction. "Whoa, Witchy! Isn''t that your first Consort?" "It is exactly my lovely Leslie." Jack gazed deeply at the figure, his flaming eyes crackled ever so slightly. It wasn''t like he didn''t just see her half an hour ago, but he still liked to look at her. "Say, I''ve never seen your second Consort, I''ve heard ya have. Can you conjure her up too?" Crag asked. "Ah... About that." "I can''t believe that she isn''t good looking. Are ya holding out on ya brotha?" "Alright..." Jack hummed again, and the light conjured a tiny skeletal undead, with a head of spider web hair that reached her waist. She wore a full-length dress, with a spider motif. She had a perfect skull shape and an attractive jawline... This was exactly Princess Emily Neith. "Witchy... This is your second Consort?" "Uh, yeah... This is Emily." "...Say... Did you rob this child from her mother?" Crag lowered his head as he looked at this perfect looking child. "...Crag... I don''t usually threaten... But I will break you if you make another comment about her." "Whoa! It isn''t that serious Witchy! I mean, there isn''t anything with liking them young. My first wife just had her coming of age ritual, a week before I married her." "Crag!" "..." Crag closed his mouth... He felt slightly wronged. It wasn''t his fault this undead liked them so young that he was robbing the cradle in the grave. "Also, for your information Crag, she''s eight hundred years old." Jack turned to walk back to his desk, as the golden hologram blew away like dust behind him. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "Eight hundred??? Is she a soul cripple?" Crag asked. "Cripple?" "Ya know! A soul cripple. Someone that''s soul can''t be moved to a new body." "Oh... Not quite. Keep what I am about to tell you to yourself... Breath a word, and you know the kind of business you do, I will do." "You got it, witchy. Nothing I say leaves this office, and I''m sure it''s the same for you." Crag pounded his chest with one hand. "Right." Jack nodded. "Neolith has a prophet, and part of the prophecy he spoke of was that Neolith had to marry their princess as a child bride to the God-King, which at this point, We all figure is me. So, she''s my second Consort." "No kidding, wait... She''s a princess of Neolith?" "Yup." "Didn''t see that coming." Crag spoke openly. "Well... Meh, best not to think about it." Jack shrugged. "Okay, so the living tome can make spells. That''s damn good." "Yeah, I think so. Now, that the fun is out of the way, let''s talk business." "Alright." Crag became serious. "Tux resume project Bellum," Jack said to the golden tome before the screen flashed to an hourglass again. Jack closed the laptop, and then looked up to Crag, "You did good Crag. My reports tell me that you have indeed put the SEC Trading Company under thumb. Now to make things more official. Are you willing to be titled, Minister of Commerce here in Deagoth?" "Minister... Sounds good... Sounds legit... What do I do as a Minister?" "Besides being elevated to an Official of the Court, you will be in charge of all things commercial in Deagoth. You will open a kingdom owned a chain of general stores, in which various foods and goods will be sold at a price specified by Us. This will standardize the use of Glowstone per item and volume. You will also open something called... A bank." "A bank?" "A bank will be a place where undead will come and give you money." When Jack found that the undead didn''t have banks, he almost fell out of his chair. He wouldn''t say the whole of the Underworld didn''t have banks, but he knew damn sure Deagoth didn''t. "Undead aren''t just going to give you money." Crag said with a laugh. "A bank will be a place where undead store their money for safekeeping and earn something called interest. Interest is made by storing the money. For example..." Jack went on to explain interest and the purpose of interest. He also came back to another topic, "And you will also grant loans." "Well, loans have been a long-time business of mine, so it won''t be a problem." Crag said again beating his chest. "We do loans different with a bank. These will be official loans, and nothing shady. Everything will be out in the open." "What do you mean?" Crag asked. "Let me ask, how did you get repayment before?" Jack queried. "We broke all of their bones, or they coughed up the moolah." "But that''s not actually money in the pocket if you break all of their bones?" "...No... But most will pay." Crag shook his head, "It''s the nature of the beast." "Not when the government backing you. If they don''t pay, we will issue a decree to take all of their belongings and leave them on the street. Once on the street, We will also offer government assistance. With this assistance, this will allow them to live in homes We decree, and work jobs We choose. Once they have worked to a significant amount, they can move out and move on to what they want to do. "Isn''t that just enslavement? And how are you going to take their stuff, and then turn around and say, he come live where I tell you too..." Crag pointed at a few flaws. "No, no, no... We, Deagoth, are not going to take their stuff to pay loans... The bank will!" "But the bank is backed by Deagoth..." "Right, but Deagoth isn''t the ones taking their stuff... And once you have taken their stuff, We will be there to help them." "And by help, you mean enslavement." "Not at all... You slander Us. They are free to get the loan, they are also free to become in debt. Once you have taken their stuff, then they are free to choose Our assistance program, and during their time with Us, they are free to quit at any time, but they will not get Our assistance." Crag thought this over in his mind a few times, "So as long as they pay the loan, there are no problems." "That''s right. We also cannot make the loans, where they cannot be paid back. They must be fair." Jack hit his fist on the desk, as a few yellow sparks sprang from the impact. "Alright. I believe I got it... This is damn smart thinking. With the support of the kingdom, we can do proper business, and the game is still the same... But I have to say... You''re more evil than I am." "I might be unleashing the most evil of all time, but I think It''s a matter of perspective." With the room now vacant of burnt offerings, Jack stood up to leave, pausing at the doorway, "You will now no longer be called Boss Crag. If you choose, you will be called the Minister of Commerce Crag, or Minister Crag... Do you accept." "Of course! No problem." Crag stood up and gave a Deagoth Salute behind Jack. "Good. I will call on you from time to time, with other projects. Start work on what We talked about. If you need money to build anything, please inform my first Consort, Minster of Treasury Leslie. "Your consort is in charge of the budget... Can''t get on her bad side, can I?" "Nope..." Jack said with a laugh, as he left through the broken doorway after he removed the door. Chapter 126: Lord of Schemes Xav Doomcry and Sarah Frostgard were approaching the Holy City of Saigunrai. Sarah rode her mighty Icehoof Draft Horse, while Xav was still on foot to her side. They both rode well ahead of the forces behind them so that they could talk, this was Warmarshal Frostgard''s intention. Ever since the day she saw the Holy Witch King fill the skies with his form... She started to formulate a plan. So, she spoke with Xav today for that reason, "Xav... I have an idea." "Hmmm? What about?" He answered noncommittally. "But it''s going to require your help." "Babe, I will always help you." "Then you don''t mind that both you and me will require the audience with The Holy Witch King?" Sarah asked as she watched for the amusing reaction that Xav would take. Xav didn''t disappoint her, as large black beads of sweat formed on his brow, and he missed his footing for a moment on the road, nearly tripping over his own feet. "What is it that you want to do... If I complete this task, I was hoping that I wouldn''t have to see him." Xav, of course, seen The Holy Witch King in the sky... Like a god, he loomed overall, and his words still thundered in his ears... ''God-King." He shuddered. Sarah laughed, "I am his Warmarshal, he isn''t going to eat me and spit me back out." "First off, he''s an Undead Skeletal God-King... And I don''t think they eat... Second, you are his Warmarshal... I am not..." "So, you won''t help me?" Sarah said in a teasingly voice that mimicked sadness. Xav slapped his chest, "Fuck it! If I have to meet the God-King face to face so be it!" Sarah smiled widely, as it cracked the corners of her mouth. Feeling the trickle, she took out her napkin and dabbed the corners of her mouth in a familiar way. Xav looked up to this cold beauty and shook his head. "I''m glad... Because I plan to ask The Holy Witch King to issue a decree for our Marriage." "Ack!" Xav sprayed spittle in front of him, and with the wind, it pushed back into his face. Now that he realized what he did in front of his beloved, he wanted to go bury himself. "Here." Sarah passed to him her napkin, which was stained with her black blood. Xav looked at it for just a second, as Sarah realized what she had done. "If you think it''s dirty, you can just hand it back." Her words were stern, but her voice betrayed her feelings. Xav didn''t say anything, as he used the clean side to wipe his face, as he handed it back, as he spoke, "I would battle the demons and devils of hell for you, so what''s a God-King...!" Xav slapped his chest a few times to pump up his courage. "Oh, good. I''ll make sure to let his Grace know your determination." "...Please, babe, don''t do that to me..." Xav asked meekly, with Sarah holding her stomach, as not to laugh hard enough to cause her face more damage. It would be tomorrow when they reached their destination, and Xav did not look forward to speaking with the God-King. ******* Mark walked back from the Port Keepers of Neolith. He had laid to rest many undead steeds for his wagon of servants and his wife to make it to the east coast of the Ruined Continent. He was in deep thought, as he walked to his wagon to see his wife again when something caught his eye. Two grown undead males, one skeletal and one zombie, were bullying a zombie undead child. Mark watched for a few moments seeing how this was going to play out, and what these undead men needed. He learned, as the undead men began to beat the undead child, who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old by voice, that this was money owned to them for a loan. This was typical of poor families needing money to feed their zombie family members. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Mark decided his course of action, as he walked over to the group, he called out, "Excuse me, sirs. I don''t believe this is the time or place to attack children." "Mind your business, old bastard or your next." the Skeletal undead lifted his head, from beating the child. Mark nodded a few times, as he reached out with his hand, icy swirled around him, and an icy claw reached from the ground suspending both the undead men into the air by their throats. "If you are going to speak like that, you need to make sure you back up what you say." Mark nodded a few times, as he watched both men struggle free, grasping at their throats. If this icy claw that emerged squeezed hard enough... Then their soul containers would break... The thoughts that swirled in their heads was silent casting! This undead didn''t speak any spellwork to attack them! "Stop struggling, or I will save the boy trouble." Mark snapped, as he passed the two to kneel in front of the undead boy child on the ground. The two undead men held onto the icy claws that held them up, least the weight of their bodies decapitate them. "Boy, what''s your name?" Mark asked in a soft tone. "M-My name is Logan... Logan Splinterat..." The child said as he got to his feet, and the back of his fist to wipe the black blood from his broken nose. He looked indignant about the whole situation. "Little Logan... I''m just passing by, and so I cannot suffer the actions of these two to bully you, no matter the reason they have come to do so... But know this Little Logan. There won''t always be someone to come save you. I will be leaving in a week. Once I am gone, these two will be sure to come back." A few sniff sounds were heard, and then the boy spoke, "Then mister what do I do?" "Get stronger!" Mark said without hesitation. "But... My family can''t afford for me to go to school here." "Take this card." Mark produced a card with a gold circle on the front, and an address on the back, as if he performed sleight of hand magic. The boy reached out and took the card, looking at the light shine on the gold surface of the card, and then looked to Mark''s gold monocle. "It''s exactly what you think it is... Take this card to the address and tell them the Monocle choose me. They will teach you the rest." Mark said softly, as he stood, he placed his bony hand on the head of the boy and ruffled his hair. The boy looked up with a gleam in his eye and nodded vigorously. "Smart boy, now run along. I need to talk to these two fellows." The boy nodded again, as he ran off as quick as a mouse. Mark turned to the two undead men and waved his hands. The Icy claws disappeared and dropped the two men. They finally dropped, and fell to their knees, pleading for their unlives. "We were mistaken!" "We couldn''t see a Master when he was in front of us!" "Spare our unlives!" "We''ll stop our ways today!" Mark laughed, "Stop your ways? Not likely. As soon as I turn you two loose, the first thing you''re going to do is find your boss, and rat me out. Then you''re going to try to check out who I am, find nothing, think it''s okay, and then come attack me." The skeletal undead rattled, and the zombie undead produced copious amount of black sweat, as it streamed down his back. "Let me tell you, in this course of events, what happens is I reap every one of your sorry unlives and waste my time. So, I have a counteroffer... Take this." Another card with a gold circle was produced, and extended to the skeletal undead, "Take this card to your boss. If he''s smart, he will come to the address on this card, and talk to me personally. If he isn''t smart and he shows up with anyone but himself... Then he can kiss whatever little shit stain of an operation he''s running goodbye. In the end, the choice is yours." Mark said as he walked past the two undead to walk back to his wagon. The two undead saw that he didn''t have more intentions, and also made haste, leaving this devil far behind. Mark saw the edge of the wagon flap move quickly, as he chuckled. He climbed up onto the wagon and seated in from the flap to the inside of the large wagon, to find his wife, Princess Janet sitting in her wheelchair. She was pretending to read. "W- Princess Janet, I know you are a curious one, so just ask." Mark laughed again, as he walked over to his makeshift desk to read some reports, while his servants arranged his coming to his vacation home here in Borda, also known as his base of operation in this area, and the location of the address on both cards he handed out. Janet folded the book over his mid-section, and asked, "Why did you help that boy? That doesn''t really seem like something you would do." She asked as she couldn''t hear what was being said. "I saved that boy from a terrible future so that he can work for me. I gave him my card, and he will come to see me in a few days. At first, he will think he will be lucky, and not want to go into the unknown. After a few days of tasting his continued existence of weakness and poverty, he will remember my words, and the draw of power will bring him to me." "So, you did that to gain a follower?" "Yes. Those saved become fiercely loyal, and loyalty is a weapon. Illusionist Genie who was the detonator of Zitergall was just such a child I saved, and she served well until her last shred of soul dissipated." "...That''s cold... I know that''s a horrible thing, but why do I feel that it''s sooo.... clever?" Janet said uncertainly. "Because it is." Mark laughed. "What about the two bad guys... You just let them go?" "No... They will tell their boss to come find me, and he will show up like a pompous Jack ass. I will smack around his people and force him to submit to me. My forces here will keep him under thumb, and once he understands that my undead aren''t all stick, and rewards are abound... He will come around to my way of thinking." "So, you conned the victim and the assailants... I love it!" Janet said with a squeal. "I know! I know. Haha! You always did like a good scheme." Mark laughed a few times, with his wife. His wife smiled, as her eyes shined while looking at Mark. It seemed her way of thinking was slowly changing to that which it used to be. Chapter 127: Just make me your Mistress Jack floated through the corridors of the Holy Palace, as he thought of who he should visit next... There was Lucius, Verruca, and... Jade... [Should I get the worst over, the awkward over or the zealous over first???] Jack thought to himself. [Well, if I...] Jack looked down to see a lady''s frame bumping into him, as he grabbed around the waist of the lady to stop her from falling, [If this is a game, this should be Jade.] He released the exquisite waist to float back a bit to look down at the one he had bumped into and standing there with her green eyes... Jade... "Hello, dear mother-in-law, I didn''t mean to bump into you." [Damn... Looks like the choice was made for me.] Jack had unknowingly called Jade by her Title. "Oh, no. It''s fine... I just forget to move out the way." Jade looked down to see Jack floating in mid-air. "It''s easier for me to move this way, speaking of you, I was just coming to see you. Leslie told me earlier you wanted to see me?" Jack told a half-truth, as he was only thinking of if he should visit her. "Yes, dear, yes! Come! Follow, your mother-in-law." Jade turned to go to her room. [What a way to address herself... Please don''t be one of those situations, where she thinks seducing the son-in-law is a taboo pleasure... Please... Please...] ******* "So... I asked before, but what do you think of my body?" [Fuck...] He had entered into his mothers-in-law room, and after a bit of chit chat, this was the first thing Jade wanted to know... If this wasn''t a set up for such adult activities, he didn''t know what was... "That''s a bit of a hard question to answer, Mother-in-law," Jack answered. "I thought We moved away from using Titles... You know you can just call me Jade... You can call me mommy instead if you really want to..." [And now the naughty mommy card...] "...I''m not going to play this game... Haaaa~" Jack sighed... If he let her determine the tempo, they would be soul-bonding in about thirty minutes... forty-five if Jack put up more resistance. "What game?" Jade feigned ignorance. "What is it that you want. Perhaps if I get a straight answer from you, I might be willing depending on what it is." Jack said sternly, folding his arms, as he stood up from his chair within Jade''s room. He wondered if he had a nose, could he smell her scent? "You''re no fun, and just when I was getting to the fun parts." "Jade, don''t play me. What is it that you want?" "Fine... If you don''t want to be romantic or at least some finesse, I wish to be your woman." Jade said plainly, as she sat back in her bone chair, and crossed her legs. Her green eyes sparkled in her face. Jack had a feeling, Leslie had a feeling, but hearing it outright was another thing altogether... Who gave this lady the face to say such things! If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Can I ask why...?" "I don''t want another man like my former husband... I want someone like you. Powerful, wise, strong... A god... What female doesn''t look for these things in a mate." Jade choose her words well. [This feels similar to Emily''s words... What''s with that???] "I have to protest. I don''t think many females look for gods to become their women." Jack said bluntly. "This woman does... I don''t have to be a consort. I don''t even have to be your wife, just make me your mistress! All of the fun, with none of the strings." Jade left her seat, as she got into her tomb to the side, as she flourished her hair with a flip of her hand. "And what would this bring you, that you don''t receive now... As Leslie''s mother, you are treated as she is, only without her Consort Title, and no physical relationship with me. So, I don''t understand how becoming my women will benefit you." "Unless... There is something I don''t know..." Jack continued, after a pause. "I''m an attractive female undead that wishes to bond with a powerful and attractive male undead... Is there more that is needed?" Jade played with her hair, as she looked over the edge of her evening tomb to make eyes with Jack. Jack''s flaming eyes danced around, as he was close to thinking she had a point. "You didn''t answer me, but answer this... What about Leslie?" Jack asked. "She doesn''t have to know." "You, obviously, don''t know your daughter," Jack said flatly. Jade stiffened at this response but went back to her antics. Jack continued, "I can consider this, but you are going to have to convince your daughter to accept this situation and make it clear that it isn''t my idea. If you can have Leslie agree to have her own mother be accepted into Our evening tomb... Then I will accept you." Jack laid all of his cards on the table, in hopes of deterring his mother-in-law from these strange ideas. "...If Leslie agrees, I can have you occupy my evening tomb?" Jade said faintly. "If you want to say it like that, yes." [Odd choice of words... Not an innuendo, at all...] "Alright. I will talk to her." Jade said triumphantly. [...] Jack''s mind went blank, as he thought she would back off, but it seemed she doubled down. [Did Leslie plot this...?] Jack wondered to himself... [Couldn''t be, right?] "At least we agreed on that, I''m not sure how you will get Leslie to agree, but I don''t mind if she does... Oh, by the way, why do you need my power?" Jack asked quickly. "Oh, I wo-" Jade slapped her hands over her mouth, with a surprised look. Jack unfolded his arms and took a few steps forward where Jade was sitting in her evening tomb. Jack''s flaming eyes danced and crackled, "I knew there was another reason here... Dear little mommy dearest, you wouldn''t lie to me, would you?" Jack placed his hand on the edge of the evening tomb, to gaze down at Jade, as he loomed above. "I didn''t lie! I just didn''t answer!" "Avoid telling me is the same as lying... I can make unreasonable judgment... I''m a god, remember." Jack pulled his god card at his convenience. "I- I-" "Speak the truth." "Alright! I want to be a lady of power and give birth to your child!" Jade shouted as she slunk into her evening tomb, as Jack had spooked her. Jack stood up and took a step back. [My child?] Jack had thought about children when he was actually alive, but knew that was impossible for him being alone... But that was right! He had willing partners in this unlife... He could have offspring, even in this form... Though he didn''t know how... Jack came back from his thoughts, "Why?" "I want to be impregnated naturally, and not through a ritual! I want to be made love too and to be loved... I want power! I don''t want to be queen, I''ll leave my daughter to that, but I want to be a lady of position. When I go somewhere, I don''t want them to bow their heads because I''m the mother-in-law of the God-King, but because I am his woman!" Jade whipped herself into a frenzy. "I... I don''t think there will be that much of a difference between the two titles." Jack said offhandedly, as he was processing this. "There is!" "...Jade... I feel you''re telling me how you feel, but what is the main reason." Jade put her fingers together, as she looked around, "I do want to have another child... But I also want to use your power to destroy the Grimnight Clan... Leslie won''t do it because a part of their blood and soul is in her... But I don''t have a part of their soul... I want to soul bond with you to clean the filth of that man, and I want their blood on the fields to wash away my tears I shed trusting that man!" Jade gritted her teeth. Jack felt sorry for her, and he reached over and rubbed Jade''s back. She stiffened to the touch, but soon withered, as she sobbed black tears. Jack didn''t want to see her cry, but he had no choice... There wasn''t anything he really could do at this moment. He pulled a chair to the side and sat on the edge of the small chair. Patting and comforting Jade. Chapter 128: The Real Reason, and a Gods Cold Anger While Jade was sobbing continuously, he went over in his mind their conversation and weighed it against what he knew. He patted her back while she cried some incomprehensible words, as he thought, [I swear I''ve seen something like this before... But what was it???] [OH, man... Why is she crying so much?!] Jack reached into the tomb, and lifted the squealing Jade, and put her into his arms, as he comforted her again. Jade was shocked and tried to stop crying, but as she saw the soothing fires of Jack''s flaming eyes, she couldn''t stop herself from crying more. [What w- AH! Someone is threatening her... That anime... The second lead heroine was threatened with her family, and then she went to seduce the main character to do what they wanted... But Jade''s only family is Leslie, right? And who has the fucking guts to threaten my friggin mother-in-law with my fucking wife!!! I need Leslie here.] Jack reached out, while he continued to comfort Jade, [Leslie... What are you up to at the moment?] [I''m coming back in a few minutes. I just finished up in Sosuhalf. I need to do some treasury work before heading back out to Souigak''s branch.] [I need you to come to your mother''s room. I think something is out of place with Jade.] Jack asked. [Alright? I''ll be there in a few minutes.] Jack cuddled Jade with his massive skeletal form, and rocked her in his arms, as she soon came down from sobbing to soft blubber. The door opened, with Leslie entering to see Jack''s and Jade''s situation. She silently walked to her mother''s side to see her mother''s red dress drenched in black tears, and Jack''s robes stained in them as well. Jade looked up to Jack in astonishment, as Jack shook his head to indicate he didn''t exactly know. Jack took Jade and put her back into her evening tomb, as he spoke, "Jade, I have Leslie here." "What?!?" Jade looked up to see Leslie, as Jade turned her back quickly. She took some of her sheets in her evening tomb to clean her face from her bout of sobbing. "Leslie, dear... Why have you come, at this time? You have work, right?" Jade finished and turned back to attempt to smile. "Mom... What''s wrong? You weren''t like this went I last talk to you..." Leslie asked in concern, as she took over her shoes, and stepped into her mother''s evening tomb to talk. Jack sat back down on his chair and mentally messaged Leslie his thoughts. Leslie brows furrowed. [...There are a few people that could threaten mom, but it can''t be a coincidence that the Grimnight clan''s prisoners of Sosuhalf will make it here tomorrow with Warmarshal Frostgard...] Jack''s hand tightened into a fist that crackled with a frightening popping sounds. Gold lightning arc over his fist and danced in the air, before dissipating. Jade saw this and stiffened. "Mother, who threatened you?" Leslie asked softly. Jade''s head spun quickly to meet Leslie''s with a shocked face, but recovered almost instantly, "No one has threatened me. I was just stressed a bit... J-Jack was just comforting me. He doesn''t wish to-" "Mom... Don''t lie. I can tell you''re not telling the truth. What''s really going on?" Jade looked up at both Leslie and Jack with wide green eyes, and she drooped her head, not saying anything. [AHHHHH, I hate this!] Jack roared in his mind, as he stood up, "Jade, listen to me.!" Jack''s outburst startled Leslie and frightened Jade, who the ladder clutched onto Leslie. "Jade! I am the God-King of Deagoth! I have so much power that it scares me, and some stupid wretch thought it was a good idea to scare you and make you come to me! WHO! Tell me, WHO! has the power that can stop me from doing what I want! If I have to I will unleash the whole of my Angelic host of Cherubs to snuff the unlives of every one of the bastards. I can be unreasonable in my rage! I already decided I will be the god of these people! So you tell me! Who!" Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Jade loosened her grip on Leslie when she realized Jack wasn''t mad at her. She sighed, and spoke with her head down, "...Emory Grimnight... Clan head of the Grimnight contacted my a few days ago, and said that if I didn''t do what I had to... to have him and his clan members released, then I can forget about you bring the Queen of Deagoth." Jade looked at Leslie. "How could he stop my wife from being Queen of Deagoth?" Jack questioned, while Leslie smiled silently. "...He knows that Jade has the Tome of the Banshee''s Wail..." Jade said with her head down. "WHAT?!?" Leslie broke composure. Jack was stunned, before looking at Leslie... He had talked to Leslie before about this tome and knew it was secret stuff. It was what made her CIA/KGB in the first place. "Mother, how does he know?!?" "That... I don''t know... He was going to expose it... Honey, that tome is the leading tome of the Grimnight Clan that was lost even before I was conceived. I don''t know how you got it, but it''s an unholy tome... With the undead being swayed to the faith of the God-King and their belief in the holy light, they wouldn''t allow for the Queen to be an Unholy Banshee..." "Who the fuck oppresses the God-King?!?" Jack said loudly, as the anger he felt was hurting his mind. He started to pace the floor in thought. "Calm down, Jack... You can''t make good decisions when you''re angry." Leslie said slightly worried. Jack paced, as all he wanted to do was rush to his Golden Throne, and rise before the city! Scoop this arrogance ass out of his confinement within the Warmarshal''s caravan, and pull him apart like pulling the wings off of a fly. Jack paced a bit more, as he decided into his thoughts. The ladies watched him pace back and forth, "Jack... I don''t think being rash is a good idea. Think about all the responsibility you have." Seeing that her words weren''t reaching Jack as she liked, she mentally messaged Emily. Emily woke up in Jack''s tomb to Leslie''s plea. She quickly popped the tomb open and made her way down the halls at a stumbling pace. It seemed her soul still hadn''t recovered. She didn''t even respond to Leslie. She then knocked on Jade''s door, as it wasn''t that far from Jack''s, her, or Leslie''s room. Jack stopped pacing when he heard the knock. His eyes glared at the door, as he walked to it to open it. As he did, the little loli on the other side, jumped on to him, holding on to his ribcage. Jack took a step back in shock looking at the loli holding on to him. Jack snapped his head for a moment, before he closed the door, and walked the chair he sat in previously. He wrapped his arms around Emily. "Why are you here?" Jack asked softly. "Leslie called me. She said you were mad, and I could calm you down." Emily said breathlessly, soul fatigue still present. Jack looked up to Leslie, who smiled in reply. Jack continued to hold the little thing in his arms, as he sighed out loud, "...Thank you, Leslie..." "You are most welcome." Leslie knew that Emily could calm Jack down. She got this impression when Jack held her like a teddy bear this morning. It wasn''t a matter of love, in this case, but a matter of personality between herself and Emily. Emily gave one a feeling of protecting her, teasing her, and most importantly calming you. Leslie enjoyed this feeling, when she gave Emily a chance, and quickly became good sisters with her as a result. "Thank you, Emily..." Emily snuggled into his robes. "Jack... What were you about to do...?" Leslie asked... "I was going to emerge into my God-Form and find this Emory Grimnight and pull him apart like an insect... I should talk about the rest." "The wrath of an angry god, Lucius spoke of..." Leslie shook her head. Jack calmed down a bit now but was still angry... But it was no longer hot rage but cold anger he felt. "I have a better idea." Jack''s flaming eyes radiated a baleful light, and a halo appeared over his shoulders again, as he did so after his awakening back on his Golden Throne. "Jade... Wait for Emory Grimnight... Clan Head Grimnight, whatever he wants to be called, he will contact you again, and I want you to tell him that you have persuaded me to save the Grimnight clan." Jack said darkly. "Jack... What are you going to do?" Leslie asked this was a fearful voice of Jack. The same voice he used to when he ordered the purging of the corrupted officials. Jack spoke again, "Hehe... Let''s see how he dances in my palm. I wonder what color his soul is?" Jack stood up holding Emily in his arms, "I need to speak with Lucius. I have big plans for Bellum, and our dear Clan head and the rest of them will help, haha... HAHA" Jack laughed ominously, as he walked to the door, opened it, and floated out into the corridors still holding his loli. Leslie and Jade looked at each other after Jack left. Leslie asked first, "Mom, why didn''t you ask for me and Jack''s help first?" "I... I thought I could kill two bats with one stone..." "Well... Jack is thoroughly pissed. The last time he was this pissed he purged the court of five hundred and ninety-seven Officials..." Leslie said flatly. "Will... Will he do that again?" "I don''t know... He''s thought something sinister up... By the way... What was the second thing you wanted to do?" "Baby... I want to be... Oh, this is harder for me to say to in-person... This is why I didn''t make mention before!" Jade turned her back and covered her face. "Mother, are you going to tell me you want to be Jack''s woman, as well?" Through gaps in her fingers, Jade replied, "...Yes..." Leslie was speechless... Chapter 129: The God-Kings Fanaticals Jack floated out of Jade''s room, and mentally messaged Lucius, as he was making his way to his own office. [Lucius are busy, at this moment?] [No, my lord.] [Come to my office. I have somethings We need to discuss.] [Of course, my lord.] Lucius replied, respectfully. Jack waved his hand, in front of his office door, and found that with his intention it opened for him. [How does this work?] Jack wondered to himself, now that he calmed down ever so slightly. He sort of remembered when he did this to his personal room, and even to his evening tomb, without trying. Jack went into his office, as the door behind him closed, "Emily do you want to sit on the couch, or do you want to stay in my arms?" Jack asked softly while looking down at this little skeleton. Jack never thought that he would find a skeleton cute, but here he was thinking she was... Perhaps his sense of ascetics was changing. A soft voice drifted out as if dreaming, "I want to stay in your arms a bit more..." Jack nodded and went to his desk to sit down and wait for Lucius to show. He saw a number of reports on his desk. Some of these reports detailed the Dead Tide, and others about Zitergall... Or Zitergall before it was backhanded by him. After reading through the Dead Tide report did, he noticed that Emily shifted every once in a while, in his arms. It was exactly like she was dreaming. [So, undead do dream... Or is Emily special???] Jack wondered when he heard a knocking at his office door. "Come in." Lucius came into the office, closing the door behind him, and took his usual seat in front of the God-King''s desk. Lucius couldn''t help but notice the little loli cuddling while being held by one of Jack''s arms. "My Lord... Why is Consort Emily... Uh... Resting in your embrace?" Lucius asked cautiously, but couldn''t contain his curiosity, though it wasn''t like he hadn''t walked in on Jack with Leslie in a precarious position. "She is tired, and I needed her comfort. I''m glad she was able to calm me down." Jack said as he used his free hand to tousled Emily''s webbing hair. "...." Lucius was speechless, when had his lord become this close with his second Consort... Not that it was a bad thing, but he would have thought to known... Lucius thought of Jack''s wording, and spoke up, "My lord, what has upset you?" "The Grimnight clan has seen fit to piss me off... At least the Clan Head of the Grimnight clan and the part he represents. This does not include their Third Elder and his son, or the undead under his charge that have already arrive" Jack explained. "Should I ask what he has done?" "He threatened Jade, Leslie''s Mother, with blackmail against Leslie." "...He has indeed... made a bad choice." "Indeed, Lucius... I have a fitting end to him, but for now... I need to discuss with you some key issues." "Yes, my lord." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "About this God-King business..." "My lord, are you against being known for what you are?" Lucius spoke up, as he heard Jack on more than one time claim he wasn''t a god. "Uh... No... The undead may call me such. I will accept this mantle if they choose to place it on my shoulders. The question is how many faithful do I have among the populace?" Jack asked uncertainly. "Here in Saigunrai, I would say all worshippers have been converted over to the Faith of the God-King, and some new recruits within the City have lent a whopping seventy-seven percent of the population here in Saigunrai take you as their Undead God." "That is good." "The zombie undead slaves that were given by Neolith as part of the second Consort''s dowry have almost all converted. What''s even more interesting is that yesterday, these zombie undead formed a group calling themselves the fanatical and wish to serve even more faithfully. They go out and lash themselves in front of each other, in almost a competition of sorts to see who can bleed more black blood for the God-King..." Lucius continued as Jack listened quietly as if dazed. "This morning they began their self-flogging again while crying their loyalty to you... To be honest, I''ve never seen anyone worship like them... They were slaves before I gave them the ability to rise from that status to become normal citizens. What surprises me the most, and I''m stopping myself from laughing at the irony, is that they use to be lashed, and now they are lashing themselves..." "I can see your point here, Lucius." Jack chuckled as well, as this irony wasn''t lost on him. "Should I let them continue this behavior? I don''t wish for some contagion to start because of their frolicking." Lucius queried. "Provide them with health care for their flogging, if this behavior risks a public outbreak of disease. I think I may have a use for these... Fanatical." "As you wish, my lord." "I''m planning the construction of a new City... One to replace Zitergall." Jack stated bluntly. "Is this the use of these Fanaticals?" "Yes. These will be the hard laborers of the City, and We need skilled craftsmen to direct these hands. I want this City completed with such haste that has never been seen before within these lands." "How... How fast are you talking, My lord?" "I wish for it to be built in a month, two months max." "My... My lord! Two Months?!?" "Yes. The very survival of Deagoth depends on this new City that will be named... Bellum." "Bellum?" "Yes. Do you have any suggestions to make this happen?" Lucius quietly thought. Jack caressed Emily in his arms, as his Flaming eyes danced while gazing at her. After a small period of time, Lucius surfaced from his thoughts, "My lord-" "Lucius." Jack interrupted, "You can just call me Jack like before. There is no reason for you to stop now, just because I''ve gained a different title." Lucius went silent, as he felt a bit of warmth, "Alright Jack... If that''s what you wish." "It is, my friend." Jack nodded and spoke with a smile in his voice. Over the period of time, Jack found he only had one issue with Lucius... And since he was now the God-King that meant there were no issues with Lucius. Lucius nodded as well, as he spoke, "We can either throw a lot of money at this problem, or I have another solution." "Use the faithful, in addition to the Fanaticals?" Jack asked. "Precisely!" Just as Jack was going to say some more words, his laptop sounded with a chime. Lucius looked to the golden tome, with amazement within his mind. Jack opened his laptop, as Tux, the Penguin appeared on the screen, "Reporting to Creator! Project Bellum is ready for your review." Jack nodded, as he looked to Lucius, "Lucius. I was so in thought about the kingdom, that I failed to show off my newest creation." "A living tome?" "Something like that... This is the most powerful living tome that has ever been seen here, and I might dare to say the whole underworld." Jack chuckled again, pleased with himself. "The whole underworld? What did you bind into this tome exactly?" Lucius asked out of astonishment. "I''ll let you in on a secret, Lucius... Tell no one else... But I made this tome, and the creature inside was designed and created by me and me alone. I bound no other souls to this tome." "?!?" Lucius sat up straighter in his chair, as he looked to this golden tome. No soul was used to make it? Not even a piece of the creator? Lucius could only chalk this up to Jack being a god. "Tux create a spell that will allow me to display this city as a construction so that I can view it in all three dimensions," Jack ordered. "Calculating... Done... Spellcraft ready for Creator." Tux replied almost immediately. [Just like last time! I really love the speed of this thing.] Jack felt pleased with himself, as he read the screen. Jack stood behind his desk, still holding Emily, as he hummed a new spell. Lucius looked on in astonishment from what he heard, just speechless. Creating spells so quickly? Madness! "Diflam." Jack hummed. A golden hologram of the city plans for Bellum illuminated Jack''s office, as it appeared before both him and Lucius'' vision. Chapter 130: So Many Churches need to be Built! "This is Bellum," Jack said as he gazed upon the golden hologram of a large city. Lucius was nearing numbness, as he stood to look at this oddly built city complex. The city was built in two tiers, with large sectors on the bottom level, and huge roads leading in and out of the City in four directions. The top tier was smaller in size, but with many housing districts from what Lucius could see. Next to all four major roads that led into the City Center were smaller roads that flanked the bigger highways that led to the second tier. "This here Lucius is what I would call an Industrial City. Unlike Zitergall, which was built over time and forged into a city of industry, this City will be built with it in mind. The four major roads here will be for import and export, and these roads lead to the housing districts. This City will accommodate one hundred thousand workers and enough factories that will power our war machine." "War... War Machine?" Lucius asked hesitantly. "Yes. War Machine... No longer will I sit idly by as other kingdoms, nations, and trash look to our home with greedy eyes. My dear Julia asked me for two things. She asked for me to conquer all of the Ruined Continent, and she asked for war... So, War Eternal, I shall give her." "My lord, war is bad for conversion!" Lucius finally understood the purpose of Bellum. "Is that so, Lucius? I don''t think so." "If we bring war to other kingdoms, then this will draw resentment to their people, and make it harder for Us to convert them! We can simply work our way into their kingdoms and nations and use the faith of the church to overturn their governments." Lucius described well. "This is certainly a good method, but one that takes a long time... Moreover, it may or may not produce results. I will meet you halfway. We will clean out the filth of our enemies but will not touch the people. The people are not the ones in charge of their kingdoms and should not be harmed because of the stupidities of their leaders." Lucius'' posture showed his favor of this option, so Jack continued, "We will grant asylum to those that are captured, and we will quickly rebuild that which we destroy. Our armies will always be followed by workers to clean up our mess, but We will use the Materials from those that We conquer, as not to drain those here at home." Lucius made some mental notes, as he looked at Bellum in a different light. Jack finished, waiting for Lucius to catch up. "Jack... This model of Bellum is great, but... I think it''s missing something." Jack felt astonished... What could he have missed??? "What is it missing???" Jack asked in concern. "Where''s the church?" "Church?" "...The Church for you... So, your faithful can worship you as the God-King... There isn''t any church here..." Lucius spoke baffled. How does a god forget his own church and worshipers! "Oh... This is indeed a problem." "Tux reconstruct Bellum, with a church in the center. Base it off the grandest design within my Library." "Reporting to Creator! As this is a minor change, please allow Tux five minutes." "Alright." "How did you forget the church?" "I was in military mode, Lucius... Military mode! Forgive me!" Jack held Emily with his right arm, as he facepalmed with his left, as he leaned onto his desk. This was indeed a large oversight. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Jack, my lord... I''m sure a lot is on your mind." Lucius looked at the tiny consort in Jack''s arms. Jack felt Lucius'' gaze travel to his arms, in a way he wasn''t sure, but he could feel it fall on Emily. "Hey! It''s not just because of that reason..." "Jack, I don''t think I have to tell you that the death of heroes and villains lay in the embrace of women," Lucius spoke to this point. "...You''re right, Lucius. You''re right." Jack didn''t fight Lucius on this point, as it was true. How many great people, terrible and the like were ruined by lovers? "As long as you know, then it''s fine." Lucius comforted Jack. "Lucius, another thing. I think the throne built for Leslie is great work!" "Thank you, my lord." "But I also want you to build one for Emily, on the other side of my Throne." Jack requested. "..." Lucius really wondered did he hear any of what he just said, or did it float into that thick skull of his and float out having no contact with his mind... "God-King, Lucius... God-King." Jack reminded. "Why do you bring that up after just a bit of scrutiny?" Lucius jokingly asked. "Because your gaze is too intense, Lucius!" "Alright! Hahaha" Lucius laughed loudly. Jack and Lucius spoke about the throne for Emily for a few minutes, until Jack''s Laptop chimed again. "Ah, good!" Jack looked to his Laptop again, "Tux in the future list all spells that show information about projects as ''Display spells.''" "Tux acknowledges." "Please create a Display spell for the Project Bellum Revised." "Calculating... Done... Display spell ready for Creator." Jack again hummed the spell on the screen, "Diflom." A slightly altered version of Bellum displayed, but on the top tier where the housing was kept, in the center of the stood a large grand Cathedral on par with that in Saigunrai, the seat of the church. "What a grand design!" Lucius applauded. "It does look nice. Good job, Tux." Jack glanced at his laptop and praised. "Tux aims to please, Creator." Jack nodded a few times, as he manipulated the design to look at the inner structure and seen massive columns drove deep into the ground all over the City to support the weight of the top tier, and the columns for the Cathedral were even grander. This would require construction equipment from his last life. As Jack was pondering this point, Lucius spoke up regarding this problem, "Jack how do We drive down such massive sporting pillars? I mean I can casually chuck ten thousand undead at this and more, but this won''t be a problem of undead power, as much as it will pose a time issue. There is no way We can erect these supports in the time frame given... This is at least a six-month job if We are working around the clock, and I get the Templar reserves to assist." "Hmmm... What if I do it." Jack mused aloud. "What?" "I will ascend to my God-Form and drive these pillars into the ground. Would that speed up construction? I could have all three hundred and forty-three pillars down in a day or two." Lucius who was about to cut in, with his finger raised... Dropped his finger! This... This was not only possible, but it would be literally a god creating a city! [I could market this! The faithful would pilgrimage here to Saigunrai to see the God-King up-close work for the undead! We could even sell seats and then there are hotels we can set up for temporary housing to rent to them!] "MY LORD YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS!" Lucius yelled loudly, causing the loli in Jack''s arms to stir. "Ah...?" Jack always figured he was but didn''t want to assume. Lucius calmed down slightly, after Jack tilted his head slightly in a questioning posture, "My lord, Leave this to me! I can set this up. No problems, but..." Lucius stopped to think... It would take time for the pilgrims to make it to Saigunrai... It would be a month for some locations and longer for the most distance cities! "Ah... My lord, can I ask you for a favor?" "A favor?" "Yes... When it comes time to clear the land and set the foundation... Can you bring the pilgrims to Saigunrai to watch your work?" "What pilgrims???" Jack asked astonishedly. "Well, it''s like this..." Lucius explained his thoughts and plans. "Lucius... I really do wonder about you." Jack shook his head in wonderment. Lucius loved money. He wondered if the Church wasn''t the faith of the God-King, but the faith of money! "With all this income, I can pump it into Bellum, among other projects for the church. The Cathedral here in Saigunrai could use some expansion, and We need a new larger Cathedral in Nogore, and We need to build smaller churches in the numerous smaller villages, and We need to build churches in the north with the Barbarian Tribes, and We need to build churches in Borda, and We need to send more missionaries to Neolith, and-" "Lucius, I get it!" Jack cut Lucius off... He might of went all day if this continued. "I''m sorry, my lord." Lucius looked down. "Nothing to apologize for... You made your point very clear. I can lend a hand in this. Have each city build a plate for the faithful to stand on, and I will bring it here. I leave the rest to you." "Of course!" Lucius was experiencing euphoria; just how much could he generate would be limited only by his imagination... [We need to have some services that day... Let''s have the God-King preach to the masses in his God-Form... Not just the faithful here could hear him, but everyone could... More converts!] Chapter 131: The Call of Deagoth "Alright, then." Jack reached on his desk for a piece of paper, and then placed his finger on the parchment. He moved his finger swiftly, as he expertly wrote in the Voidic language the requirements for the column, the size of the area, the location of the City, and the materials necessary. Jack found that this was easy for him to accomplish ever since he received the prayers of his undead followers and his God-Soul. He, also, wondered if he could perform the same actions as his followers... If this was possible, then did this mean he could complete other talented type actions? He then decided later he would try his hand at something artistic. Jack then handed the parchment to Lucius, "Make this happen." Lucius quickly looked over what was needed, as he looked up in astonishment. "My lord... Some of these materials are... No longer available!" "Hmmmm?" "Like... Bonesteel ashe mix! This was used to construct ancient cities and would be great to use again, I''m not questioning that... But the alchemical formula to produce it was lost with the fall of the Lich King if I recall correctly." Lucius freely spoke his thoughts. Emily awoke and listened to what was being said, though she stayed in Jack''s embrace. She felt really comfortable laying within. She felt a type of warmth being radiated by Jack... Like some of her novels would speak about what living creatures felt laying in the sun. "What else?" Jack asked, after listening. "Well... I can substitute the dragon bones for holy bones, without much loss... Otherwise, We will need to deal with Dragon''s Jaw on a massive scale." "Alright, then it''s just this Bonesteel ashe mix?" "For the most part, yes." Lucius nodded. "Tux, define Bonesteel ashe mix." Jack turned to his laptop. "Reporting to Creator! Bonesteel ashe mix is a compound made from various creatures to create a liquid that can be poured into the shape of anything the builder wishes. It was used during the height of the Lich King''s Reign and was lost during his fall. At that time, it was used to build large and small structures alike and was favored for its speed of use and setting, as well as its toughness and weight supporting ability." Tux finished. [Concrete?] "Tux, what was this material made from?" "Tux can only deduce a rough estimate of composite based on accounts left within the ancient tomes. It is believed that it was made of Lich Dragon sinew, Enchanted Bone ashe, and blood sacrifice to bind it together." "I didn''t know it was such a dark material... This causes me to look at the ancients in a different light, my lord." Lucius said solemnly. "We don''t need to use or look for such a style of material. I have a better material We can use." "???" "It''s called Concrete in its simple form, but after my modification, We will call it Holy Concrete, because... God-King." "Holy Con... Crete...? How does it work?" "Exactly the same as Bonesteel ashe mix, but without all the tedious mucking about." [Good thing I took a few civil engineering classes in college... Does this place know about the periodic table? I guess We are about to find out.] "Tux start a new project called Holy Concrete. I want this to be an alchemical formula that will be used to create Bellum. We will create this Holy Concrete by mixing Water, sand, and cement. Cement will need to be created and will need to be made of Lime, Silica, Alumina, Magnesia, Iron Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Sulfur Trioxide, and Alkaline. This mix will need to be heated to produce Cement, and further processed will be needed to create Holy Concrete." "Understood. Calculating time needed for project... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated one hour." "That''s not bad." Jack nodded his head. Emily finally stirred, "Not bad?" Jack looked down to his loli, and wondered when she woke up, "Is it bad? I thought it was pretty good." "You... You can''t just make an alchemical formula to replace Bonesteel ashe mix! I know Bonesteel ashe mix! The Grand Tome of Neolith is made using Bonesteel ashe mix!" Emily sat up in Jack''s arms, to look at the display of Bellum floating in the middle of the room in shock. Stolen story; please report. "What is this?" Emily then asked what the hologram was... "This is the new city I''m planning on building, called Bellum. I will use the Holy Concrete to construct it with various building techniques." Emily looked to Lucius, as Lucius nodded his head a few times, and then back to Jack. "How can you just casually make something better than the ancients in an hour with a living tome?!" [Because I''m using the wisdom of the ancient in another world...] Jack thought within his mind, before replying, "Because God-King..." "God-King?" Emily said questioningly. "God-King," Jack said firmly again. "That doesn''t make sense! You can''t just solve something by saying God-King!" "You are going to question my logic in a world where there is literally magic," Jack asked and teased. "But this is alchemy! There are world rules that one just can''t break just because of magic!" "Really... I find that hard to believe. Let''s just leave this to my living tome, and then with the formula... Lucius can take it to an alchemist and have them make a test batch." "...Then let''s do as you say... Haaaa~" Emily said defeated... She didn''t want Jack to be disappointed. She had learned about alchemy in her studies and could perform basics. This is why she was shocked and annoyed. She herself could be considered a tier nine alchemist, out of the ten ranks with number one being the highest rank. "Lucius... I have one last thing I need to speak about..." Jack sat back down as the hologram of Bellum shattered into sparkles and dissipated. He put Emily on his thigh bone to sit. Unlike last time, she seemed unfazed this time, as she looked from Jack to Lucius following the conversation. "Speak, my lord." [I told him to call me Jack... Haaaa~] "The Grimnight clan... I did want to address this. Do We have any containers that can hold souls for a period of time? I remember that the last floor of the Jail can hold ghosts and the like... Can they hold souls?" "Well... Yes." "How many containers do We have, and how many souls to a container can they be fit." "...Why are you asking this, my Holy God-King of the Undead..." Lucius asked with a slight tinge of fear. Ever since Jack left his entombment, his temper was terrible. "I''ve promised Leslie that I will not wipe out the Grimnight clan, and even though I could grant true death to this band of Grimnights, and leave those already received with their unlife, I''d prefer to stick to my words... Heh." "Al-all of their souls?" "Yes... All... At... One... Time." Jack said grimly, as Emily shivered on his leg. Jack raised his hand to pull her closer to him, and pet on her, calming the little loli. "...A soul jar can hold twenty souls at once... Though We have only ever needed to hold one at a time. We have five jars with two being occupied by two souls apiece." "Who are these souls?" Jack asked out of curiously. "Joan, the butcherer, and Dannis, Master of Malice," Lucius said with hesitation, a clear feeling of loathing mixed with fear when saying these names. [These names sound freaking great!] Jack thought to himself. "Who are they, and what did they do to end up as souls?" Emily wondered, as well, as she had never heard of them either. "Joan, the Butcherer... Descendant of the Doomcry clan was the closest to be a King Ranked Cultivator. She lost her mind to her battle lust one day and butchered half a million undead. It took the combined effort of three fellow Warmarshal''s to subdue her, and in her rage, she tore herself apart... Her soul was left behind, and in fear that she may inhabit another body, we sealed her away in the bottom of the prison in a soul jar with seventy-seven sigils to prevent her escape." "You said fellow Warmarshals... She was a Warmarshal?" "Yes. She was the Warmarshal of the first legion, that would later be handed to Warmarshal Mossvale, may his soul rest in peace." "I like her," Jack said offhandedly. Emily''s neck almost snapped from the force of her turned her head to look stare at Jack, while Lucius leaned forward as if to see if Jack was still sane. Jack taking in both of their expressions, spoke, "Hey, Hey! I mean I like her record. A former Warmarshal! Considering I''m down two Warmarshals, I could use the backup." "Jack... This isn''t just a former Warmarshal, this is the Butcher of the Nogore straights!" "I think I can fix her." "Fix?" Jack lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers in the air, "Remember Jordan?" "...I see... As you say." "And this Master of Malice... Dannis, was it?" "Yes. A simple heretic! His worship of the light is false and without a doubt a blasphemy to all that is the Holy Light." "Wait... How does he worship the Holy Light?" "He believes that the Holy Light and the Unholy Darkness are two sides to the same coin. He went so far as to attempt to cultivate both at the same time! This turned him into a monster." "A monster? Explain." "He''s insane!" "That doesn''t explain much... Lucius, you have to remember... I am connected to the Light in very intimate ways, and I don''t want to be the one to tell you, but... The Light and Darkness are connected in strange ways. This Dannis isn''t that far off the truth." "But... But... My lord! He sacrificed the entire congregation of Salily at the time to draw in the power of darkness! Every male, female, and child!" "He did this willingly, unlike Joan who did it in a rage?" "YES! We subdued him but at the cost of a full legion..." "Then leave him to rot for all eternity... Bastard deserves well what he has wrought even if he knows the truth of the Light!" Jack shook his head. "This Joan though... I wish to see her soul. Bring it to me." "Jack!" "Lucius, trust in me. Break the seals and bring her soul to me. I will do the rest. She may have butchered countless unlives, but she had no intention to do it. As a former Warmarshal, the call of her kingdom and God-King will be greater than her madness." "As... As you wish, my lord." "While you''re at it bring me the other three soul jars, and lastly... Prepare for court. I need to deal with the Grimnights in front of everyone and appoint others. We will have court in a week if you can manage Lucius." "Of course. Leave it to me." Lucius stood, as he felt he was no longer needed and exited. Jack did indeed intend to finish, but Lucius rushed out, leaving Emily and Jack within the Office. Chapter 132: The Bet Fulfilled "Jack... Do you really intend to bring back such a scary person, as this Joan the Butcherer?" Emily continued to stare at Jack. Jack lifted Emily, and put her on his desk, with her legs dangling on his side of the desk as she was now near eye level. "I believe I can cure her rage, and if I can... This will be a strong Warmarshal to rejoin Deagoth. I plan to go to war, and if I go to war, then I need leaders, soldiers, provisions, supplies, and war machines." "Why do you want to go to war so badly?" "Besides Julia, I''ve decided that the time where Deagoth gets slapped around, and no one expects Us to retaliate is over. Jakahn attacked Us and retreated without expecting Us to return the favor. If not for you, even your kingdom would be trying to take over Deagoth again. Shady things are going down in Stonedge, and who knows about Borda." Jack detailed. "Isn''t peace better?" "Peace can only be maintained with the threat of violence. I have shown the lands my God-Form, and this will buy Us a long peace, but this peace will not last forever. Bold fools and liars will seek to sneak away that which I find precious." Jack moved his bony hand to again tousled Emily''s webbed hair, as Emily leaned into his hand. "Things like you. Things like Leslie. Things like my undead people. Never again will I suffer another Zitergall, and never again will I send Warmarshals to a battle that they might lose. Never again." Jack said grimly, but sadly. His flaming eyes went out, and he put his skull against Emily''s, as he rubbed against her''s in a loving way. "Jack..." "Mmmm?" "...Nothing." Emily said as she decided not to question Jack''s actions, and just enjoy his rare show of gentleness. ******* "Sire!" The King of Jakahn''s Personal guards interrupted the royal court, while the Officials of Jakahn were discussing the aftermath of Zitergall. The King of Jakahn sat high on his Throne with his head propped on one fist, as he had become accustom to hearing the jabber from these vassals. "Yes?" "The Port Authority reports five galleons making their way to us! FIVE GALLEONS! We see flags being made on the deck of the first ship... The Port Authority didn''t understand the flag set, until they consulted the former elder captain Jaheed! Elder Captain Jaheed states these are the ancient naval flags of the Kingdom of Blood!" The King jerked to attention, as his gaze fell on the guard, "How does he know the Kingdom of Blood''s Navel flags?!?" "He says he found them on a shipwreck deep in the brimstone ocean when he was a young undead!" [The Kingdom of Blood still exists? This isn''t good for us... We have to receive them with the highest regards... Potential allies! If I can use them effectively, with the right number of offerings, perhaps they can aid Us in laying waste to Deagoth!] The King emerged from his thoughts, as he began to issue imperial decrees left and right to welcome in this new foreign visitor with the highest honor! ******* Jack and Emily departed, once he left his Office, as Jack had one last person, he needed to speak to... [Julia...] Jack mentally messaged. [Yes...?] [Are you ready to talk?] Jack asked, as he stood outside of his office. [...I can talk...] [Where are you at the moment?] [Home.] Verruca responded, as Jack remembered that she lived in the Verruca Clan compound with her own courtyard. [I will come and visit you.] [NO! NOOO!] [...Why?] Jack was startled by the intensity of his rejection. [...I don''t want you to visit here... I''ll come to the palace.] This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. [Are your wounds healed?] Jack inquired, as he figured she needed to rest longer. [I''m fine.] [Are you lying to me...?] Jack asked, slightly annoyed. [No...] [Julia... If you don''t want me to visit you, at least let me send someone to get you.] [No... Wait in your office, I will be there in a few minutes.] Verruca snapped. [...Only for you Julia.] Jack turned and opened his Office again and walked back to his desk to sit down. "Haaaa~" Jack sighed aloud. Jack waited for Verruca, as he continued to plan out his next steps and his grand design. Time flew, as he worked, and he heard a knock on the door. "Come in." The door opened and the massive frame of Verruca stepped into the office slowly. She closed the door behind her and went to take her seat in front of Jack''s desk, on her mind was the bet she had with Leslie. Jack noticed she was in full battle plate armor, only lacking her weapons, and thus asked, "Julia, why are you armored?" "...This is what I wear as a Warmarshal..." "You don''t have formal attire?" "...I don''t wear it... This is what I consider formal attire." "I see." A long silent drew across the room, between Jack and Verruca. "Haaaa~ Julia... Can-" "Why do you call me Julia?" Verruca interrupted Jack. "Hmmm?" "Why do you call me Julia, now?" "...Am I not allowed to?" "No, I''m just asking. You lost your memory, so it''s not like we are close anymore." Verruca spoke flatly, but the quiver in her voice betrayed her indifferent words. "Is that so?" Jack asked, his flaming eyes danced slowly, as he looked deeply at Verruca. "What do you want me to call you, Warmarshal?" Jack said slightly indifferent. Verruca stiffened at this indifference... Her brows furrowed slightly, but she spoke, "Verruca... You can just call me by my last name." "Alright, Verruca. I have a question. How willing are you to answer me truthfully?" "I will always answer you truthfully," Verruca said, as she was no longer nervous, but slightly upset about Jack''s indifference. "Can I trust you, with what I''m about to tell you?" Jack asked harshly. Stunned... This was the only word Verruca could be described as... She had never been questioned her loyalty! Though angry, she still replied, "My loyalty to Deagoth is unquestionable." Her tone conveyed her anger. "I think you misunderstand me. Can I, Jack Bonereaper, trust you. Not the Holy Witch King, Not the God-King, Not Deagoth, but just me. Can I personally trust you?" Verruca slumped slightly as if deflated... [When had he stopped trusting me?] Verruca thought to herself, but answered, "Y-yes, you can trust me." "Haaaa~" Jack leaned back in his chair, "I''m sorry." "What?" Verruca asked what he meant. "I apologized before, but I am sorry. I feel that your failure in Zitergall is my fault." "Your fault?" "My fault. I tried to push you away, piss you off, and make you forget me. I believe this weighed on your mind and caused you to make less optimal decisions in Zitergall." Jack spoke sounding tired. "My personal life does not interfere with my work life." "Is that so... Because there is no one that can truly say that... I want to believe that isn''t the case, as well... Is it shameful to have that happen more than saying the battles went badly for Us?" Verruca didn''t counter this and remained silent. "Warmarshal Ken... In my reports, and from personally talking to others, He was head over hills for you. In fact, it wasn''t like the guy didn''t have suitors. He was well-liked for being obnoxious as some of his close friends said... But he never dated anyone, once he decided to pursue you." "What''s your point." "Why didn''t you date him?" "I... I didn''t like him." Verruca spoke, not sure why this was being discussed. "Really?" "Well, yeah," Verruca said now with a firmer opinion. "I see." Jack paused and then asked, "I thought perhaps Warmarshal Ken could have been a good companion for you, but I guess We will never know." Verruca was shocked to hear these words, "You wanted to set me up with Ken???" "Yes. Is that a bad thing?" "WHY?" "Ken had a good record and was an undead that believed in monogamy. He could give you the one thing I can''t... He would have loved you and cherished you like you should be and would have only ever loved you. He had his faults, but nothing I would say that would be Mark him as a terrible person." "So, you thought you could just pawn me off onto some other guy?!?" Verruca rose her voice. "Pawn?" Jack stood up from his seat, "No! I want to give you what I can''t, damn it!" Jack''s voice shook the room. Verruca again was stunned, when had she been yelled at by Jack? Jack paused, and walked to the front of his desk, leaning against it to look at Verruca, "I''m sorry... I shouldn''t yell. I''m just really upset. I can''t speak for you, but you are often on my mind." "I am?" "Yes. I''ve made some choices that have wronged you. We have had a few words about this, but I don''t know how to make it better... Haaaa~" "Then... Drop Leslie and Emily, and you can have me." Verruca lowered her head to look at the floor, as she whispered. "...This... This is the one thing I can''t do, Julia..." Jack said sadly, sad because he didn''t know how to fix this. Jack liked to solve problems, but this wasn''t something he could solve. "I don''t remem-" "I don''t like to just call you Verruca. I tried, and I screw everything else up, so let me screw up your name." Jack said helplessly. "...Okay." Verruca relented. "I just can''t Julia. I can''t drop Leslie or Emily, but I can give you anything else you want." Verruca looked up, "What?" "Do you remember the things I said before I went behind closed doors?" "Y-yes..." "While I said them a certain way, I did mean them." [I''m going to finish that bet] Verruca thought within her mind, as she steeled herself with what she was about to say. "Jack, I have something to say." She clenched her fists, as she looked into his flaming eyes. "Alright." "I don''t love you anymore." Verruca gritted her teeth. It was Jack''s turn to be stunned, but he felt this was forced... and something felt... off? "Then... That''s a good thing." Jack acted. "What?" Verruca didn''t understand Jack''s response. "If you don''t love me, then that''s fine. I''m glad. We are both free." Jack said as if a weight was lifted from shoulders. "Is that how you really feel? Then I guess we are done." Verruca stood up and went for the door, clearly angry. "I would feel like that, unless you were lying to me, Julia." Jack''s voice echoed behind her, as she stopped just before putting her hands on the doorknob. Chapter 133: Friendzoned... For now. As she stood there, she felt a hand on her shoulder and a voice from behind her. "Turn around, Julia." She heard Jack behind her, as she turned to face Jack who was now just behind her. "Come here." Jack reached out to hug her, and Verruca hesitated for a moment, before giving into Jack. She let him hug her, as she embraced him. Jack patted Verruca on her steel-plated back, issuing a dull clanking sound of bone on metal. "Verruca don''t lie to me." "I''m sorry." Verruca apologized as well. "All of this nonsense is my fault, Julia." "I know," Verruca responded. The two stood for a long-time hugging, before mutually separating. "Come sit back down." Jack went back to his desk and took a seat. Verruca did so as well and sat down. "Julia. I may not be able to become your man, but I can still be your friend. Can we be friends?" Jack asked. "Just friends?" Verruca asked, hesitantly. "With the chance of becoming more... If you want, and only if you want. I don''t want to seem greedy, but I do like you Verruca." "Only like?" "To be more than like, We have to be more than friends." "Alright." Verruca nodded. "I find you very attractive, Julia. Very attractive." Jack spoke bluntly, praising Julia. Verruca turned her head, "I don''t believe that." "Why not?" "You have Leslie. I''m not blind. I know what I look like, and Leslie is very pretty. I understand if you like her for her looks; it makes sense." "Yes, but Leslie isn''t a heroine like you are." "I don''t follow." "You are gallant, strong, and a genuine heroine. You have to remember Julia, that I like women based on their features. I don''t like features and like women for those features." "I still don''t follow." "Let''s use a very crude example, to make this easy. Some male undead will only like women with large breasts because they like large breasts. Large breasts are a feature, and they like these women for these features." "...Okay..." Verruca found this to be slightly dirty. "I like women because of their features. Leslie''s flowing hair, personality, charm, and beauty are things that I like, but I like her. I don''t like her because she has these things. I like her for her, and these are qualities that I like about her." "I think I''m getting it." "I like Emily. I like her webby hair and her naive point of view. I like her size too... I don''t like her for being a loli or being naive, but I like her. These are qualities that I like about her." "So... You don''t have a type. You just like women." "More or less, but I do have ladies I don''t care for..." "And you like me, and I just so happen to have qualities you like." "Exactly." "But... That''s not normal, right? Men like pretty women... Like Ken... He was strange. Why did he like me? The guy clearly had something wrong with him." "You''re kidding me right... Please don''t tell me you rejected Ken because you thought he was strange for liking you..." Jack tilted his head slightly looking at Verruca as if she was some strange entity. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "No... I didn''t like his personality, but I still found him odd for that as well. Pretentious... That''s what I felt about him." Verruca shrugged. Jack felt she didn''t really care for his death on a personal level, but maybe guilt on a professional view. "Well, that makes me feel better. Alright, let''s reverse this. Why do you like me, and don''t lie to me? You already lied to me once today." "...Well... You used to be gentle, and you''re smart... And... You''re strong... And I don''t know... Don''t ask me weird questions." Verruca looked away. "Let me ask you this then... I''ve come back, and I''m no longer gentle... Do you still like me?" Jack asked. "Why are you making me say this stuff?" "Because We need to get this out in the open." "Yes, damn it... I still like you, even if you''re not gentle... I even kind of like you being... aggressive." Verruca whispered her last words. "So, you like me, and I just happen to have qualities you like. It''s the same thing for me." "So, no matter what I look like or do, you would still like me?" Verruca asked, turning her head to look at Jack again. "Yes." "...Is this a confession?" Verruca asked. "It''s simply the obvious." "...Okay." "Julia... From now on, if you ever need anything, no matter what it is, please call for me, or ask me. Don''t do what you did in Zitergall. Call me. Let me be the fall guy. Now that the battle has gone this way, I''ve found that people no longer support you as they did before. The survivors of Zitergall pin the blame on you. I have to give the people a stratifying answer." "What do you mean?" Verruca felt her heart was about to beat... [This is what Doctor Hollowell meant!] "As the God-King, I must punish you. So, during court that I will hold in one week. I will call you before the throne and issue my punishment." "Why are you telling me now?" "This is called a curiosity, also known as a heads up, also known as not blindsiding your friends. Just because I have to do this for the Kingdom, doesn''t mean I have to blindside you with this." "...So, what''s the punishment?" Verruca didn''t defend herself like Doctor Hollowell suggested and just take the punishment like a warrior. "I will strip you of your title of Lord Commander. You will remain a Warmarshal." "...But-But! You were going to take back command of the armies when you returned from your closed doors seclusion... This isn''t a punishment...!" Verruca was breathless. "I only told you, Lucius, Leslie, and Emily of my plans. The rest of the Kingdom does not know I intended to do this. They will know that you lost a title, and was dropped in rank back to what you were... No one will question my decision." "Why?" "Why what?" Jack asked as he didn''t know what he was being asked. "Why do that... Why aren''t you actually punishing me?" "Because this is my fault. I accept responsibility for what happened in Zitergall, but the people will not see it like that. I will make this go away, and you can still go to war in the future." "You... You are protecting me, so I can still go to battle???" "You told me you wanted war, did you not?" "Yes. I want war." "Then I have a lot of war coming up. I can''t say this is all for you, but I want this to make you happy. This fits my plans and yours." "...Thank you." "Excuse me?" "I said, thank you, Jack," Verruca said with her eyes gleaming. "There is no need for thanks between us." Jack waved his hand. Verruca felt a bit of warmth enter in her hurt heart, as she looked at the upright skeleton behind the desk. Perhaps... Just maybe... In the future, she would think more about bring with Jack. "Julia, I''ve been working on some new plans. Take a look." Jack hummed up his display spell to show off his City of Bellum. Verruca marveled and the plan, and the two talked it over. Jack even joked a few times, while Verruca chuckled at some of the funnier jokes. "Julia, would you like to hear something that I haven''t told anyone else? I will inform others later, of course, but you will know first. I want to know what you think." "You would be willing to share this will me before Leslie and Emily? ...Why?" "Because this concerns your area of expertise." "Hmmmm?" "Do you know that Stonedge has super soldiers?" Jack dropped a bombshell on Verruca. "What? No, I didn''t!" "Yes. A researcher named Vincent created them for their government. The only problem, I don'' know how super We are talking. Are we talking knight rank cultivators, Kings? No idea, and no point of reference." "Verruca knitted her brows, "I know super soldiers refer to augmenting normal undead, or low-level cultivators in various ways to produce better warriors. Usually all physical ability increase, with very little in terms of actual magic." Jack rubbed his jaw, then spoke, "I''m thinking of making my own. What do you think?" "..." Verruca had never thought that Jack would consider this. "What?" "Don''t you think this would create abominations?" "...No...? Well, I mean if I make monsters, yeah, but I''m going to make super soldiers. I see no issue with that." Jack said waving his hand. "But-But... I suggested this so long ago, and you dismissed it. You said that We were not going to create abominations!" Verruca said bewildered. "Death changes a person, Julia, and with my favorite quote as of recent... The wheel of death spins again... We will not create abominations, but we will do as you have once suggested." "Really?!" "Yes." Jack nodded. "I can''t wait! New troops!" Verruca got giddily from the idea of a new military unit. Jack leaned forward in his seat, and propped his elbows on his desk, bring his folded hands up to his face, only showing his flaming eyes, as he stared at Verruca. Verruca saw this and calmed down, as she looked at this serious expression. "Julia... The plans I have will be the ultimate warriors. I will clad them the best armor and give them weapons that will spread my wrath. They will be walking armies of one, and will strike fear in those that feel nothing, and will be the sword I will use to bring my rule to the lands and the shield to defend from those that think otherwise... They will be called the Militus Obitus. My hand upon the battlefields." Chapter 134: I am his Pet Jack outlined some ideas with Verruca on his new super soldiers'' program, and they both enjoy each other''s company as they tackled suggestions. Jack wrote all of these down and ended up with near twenty pages of notes. Feeling that he was moving on the right patch with Verruca, they bid each other goodnight, and Jack made his way to his evening tomb. It was time to turn in. Jack waved his hand, and his door opened. He slipped off of his slippers and walked to his evening tomb. "Welcome back, husband." Leslie giggled, as she laid in Jack''s evening tomb. "Leslie... How I have longed to see you today. Let me lay down and have you by my side." Jack climbed into his tomb, and Leslie, in turn, climbed up onto Jack laying on his large rib cage, as she stared deeply at Jack. "Jack?" "Hmmm?" "You were alone with Verruca for five hours... You didn''t do... that... With her, did you?" "No... None of that was thought about." "Alright. Did she tell you her feelings?" "She tried to lie and say she didn''t love me anymore. So, I stopped her from lying, had a long talk, and we both decided we are friends that have the possibility to become more in the future." "So, she tried to fulfill the bet, by lying... That woman, I swear." Leslie thought out loud. "What bet?" "I made a bet with her to call you. She thought you wouldn''t come. I said you would. If you didn''t come, I was going to give a larger military budget, and if you did, she had to tell you either pursue her or not." "Well, I guess she more or less kept her word. She didn''t say I could pursue her. I think We can just be friends, and nothing more. With enough time to pass now, perhaps this will heal her heart, and she can find someone else... Maybe she doesn''t need anyone else and can just be herself. I just want her to be happy." Jack said lazily. "Well, are you going to make me happy tonight?" Leslie asked with a flirty voice. "Where''s Emily?" "Me and her had a talk," Leslie said with a bright voice. "Oh? Did she tell you what she wouldn''t this morning?" "I thought I knew Emily, but who knew she would fall in love with that feeling!" "Haha, was it that great for her," Jack asked while feeling smug. "Jack, whatever you did to her, please for the love of the Creator do it to me. She went on and on about it." Leslie clamored. [I might not have been the champ in my last life, but I am the champ in this unlife! FeelsGoodMan.] "So, did you agree to her?" Jack asked. "...That depends on your performance tonight if I will fight her on this. I enjoyed it last time, but if it''s like that for her I don''t mind letting her have more time. If you show me what you did to her... Then I might just have to come up with a schedule." "You''re kidding..." "Come and love me." Leslie pulled Jack''s bony hand to her chest. Jack was more than happy to, as their union began, guarded by his God-Soul. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. A night of endless pleasure was in store for Leslie, and Jack would enjoy providing it. ******* The eerie galleons docked in what the Jakahn''s people called "Backbone''s Landing." The zombies of the docks could smile the acidic metallic smell of blood... Fresh blood. This was a rare smell on the Ruined Continent. Some Zombies even sneezed due to the acidic smell. An entourage had long arrived by the King to pick up the person of authority among this vessel, he had even sent his Official of foreign affairs, Alister Avery. Alister Avery was a thin zombie undead. He wore traditional robes of the undead and was clean. He kept his hair short, neat and groomed a bit too much for most Jakahn males. He stood on the dock, listening to the slow dull wooden knocking of shoes on the shipboards. Soon, as he and his party waited for the guest of honor, a sickly beauty which has never been seen in their kingdom or the continent as a whole came into view. Though her gate was slow and unsteady, her hips swayed in a mischievous manner, that even some of the elder shipyard zombie undead swallowed a bit of their spittle. As this sickly thin figure moved gracefully down the to the dock from the ship, followed by several large pale-skinned vampires, a captain and crew hands, as it appeared to Alister. Alister bowed in the way of the nobles in Jakahn, with a low back, as he spoke, "We of Jakahn welcome you, and ask if we can have the honor to know your name and reasons for visiting our humble kingdom." The princess smiled widely, "I am Princess Eris of the Sanguinary Empire. These are my servants. What is your name, little one?" [Little one?] Alister thought, but didn''t make mention, "I am Official Avery, Official of Foreign Affairs for Jakahn." "Little Official, bring me to your god. I would like to meet him." The Princess said with a smile. [What god?] Alister had not heard of the God-King of Deagoth, only The Holy Witch King''s rampage in Zitergall, [I''ll take her to the King, perhaps royalty call themselves gods in the foreign lands?] "Right this way, Your Highness." Alister motioned to a gloriously decorated Sedan chair for the princess to board. Three sturdy male undead and one female undead of the Jakahn military were in waiting to move the sedan. The princess did not put on airs, as she simply swayed over to the sedan and took her seat. She was hefted into the air, and the parade of officials and military took her with her ship captain and his six crew hands to the Palace of the King of Jakahn. ******* The entourage arrived, and the princess debarked from the sedan. She was flanked, by everyone as she made her way into the palace as if this was her own home. Her heels clicked on the marble floors, as she found her way to the royal hall. The King was sitting high on his Throne and was flanked by a little female skeletal undead dressed in all purple. The King saw fit to have his most trusted daughter, Princess Violet accompany him while speaking to this vampire princess. Soon Princess Eris walked to the middle of the Royal Hall followed closely by her captain and his crewmates. The other''s previous spread through the hall to watch the affair. The King swallowed hard at the sight of this Vampire princess... He had read of vampires before, but this was his first time seeing him. Were all vampire women this beautiful? If so... Should he finally get a third wife? [Daddy!] Princess Violet''s voice boomed inside of the King''s mind. Startled, he immediately spoke up, "We the King of Jakahn welcome you to Our Kingdom. May your trip be fruitful, and Us become allies. What is it that you have traveled so far for? How is it that We can help you?" "I''ve come for your god. Bring me to him." The princess said flatly, but with it was a sickly voice that sounded with the urge to cough. As strange as it sounded, it still stirred the hearts of the undead present. Some Officials with wives decided to leave soon, least that no longer be satisfied by their current partner or partners. "There are no gods here, only undead." The King of Jakahn laughed while thinking about to a small report he received a month ago... The princess for the first time broke her pleasant smile, that seemed to have been etched into her face. "No god?" She asked again... Her sickly voice sounded like it had a hint of blood contained within... The King of Jakahn shook his head. "While there may not be any, We of Jakahn can help you with what they may be looking for... I can''t help but notice that your health isn''t the best. We have many strange cures that may not be found in your homelands." "I need to feed. My god will feed me. I am his pet..." A collective thought washed over the Officials present and the King and his daughter couldn''t understand... Pet? "While I was traveling the seas, I was blessed enough to see the visage of my god at play... Does he not own... Jakahn?" The princess tilted her head, as she smiled slightly. Though this appeared to be the same smile as before, it was much more sinister in nature. "If you do not know my god, and you are not owned by my god... Then you can all just-" "My sire! My sire!" A ragged undead ran into the royal hall. He stumbled and staved until he landed on his face, as he crawled up from his fall to one knee. The princess was annoyed to have been cut off, as she held onto a small vial of crimson red blood. She put it back into her corset between her bosom. She would retrieve it in a moment. Then she could be done with these undead and be on her way to her god. The King stood up and took one step down pointing at the shabby undead, "WHO ARE YOU TO INTERRUPT OUR COURT!" Nervous, the Undead looked up, "I was called Jacob, my king." The King of Jakahn dropped his accusing finger, and spoke baffled, "General Jacob?" Chapter 135: No More Blood left to Bleed "Yes, my King." "How did you get back from Zitergall, so quickly?" The King asked, uncertainly. "Many... Many undead steeds were sacrificed. I have returned as Obsignator Jacob, Messenger of the God-King of Deagoth." Jacob spoke still bended on knee. "What!?" The King yelled... He had just said there were no gods here, and then this loser rolled into his hall. "OOooOoooh?" A seductive sound nipped at all the minds of the undead present, even though that were not male... A few steps forward, and the Princess leaned down to look at Jacobs face, her cleavage in full view of Jacob, "Obsignator Jacob is it? Tell me about your God-King." Jacob swallowed hard looking at the amble flesh in front of him, though he was a geist that preferred skeletal women, he couldn''t help himself from admiring the view. He then looked to the King. The King then turned and seated himself and nodded to Jacob. Jacob then told everything that happened in Zitergall. The war, the battles, who died, who went missing, the appearance of the God-King, his words, and finally... The God-King''s wrath." "Nonsense!" A zombie Official of the court stood out to reprimand Jacob. "We seen him in the sky, but that doesn''t make him a god! At best it was a simple light show!" The Official said with a smug smile. Princess Violet caught sight of the blood princess'' expression... She would not intervene on this stupid Officials behalf. Who told him to butt in at the wrong time? Eris stood up to look at this Official, and spoke to him directly, disregarding the King completely, "What did you say about my god?" Black sweat beaded up on the zombie Officials brow, as he wondered why this visitor acted out in the King''s royal hall. "You still have blood in your body, don''t you?" The princess asked in a strange way, as she tilted her head to smile widely. Her hands danced in the air as she muttered words the others couldn''t understand, and soon the Official that mouthed off... stopped speaking. The court watched, as his black blood seeped from his skin. It didn''t drip onto the floor, but cover ever centimeter of the Official, even his clothes. The princess made an open hand, as she waved to herself. The stiff black bloody official lifted into the air, and over to her. She looked around from left to right, and then back to the King, "Your servant has blasphemy my god." Princess Eris made a fist, and the black blood membrane holding the Official collapse inward with an otherworldly sound. A sound rustling, cracking, grinding, and wretch snapping, until a smooth shiny ball of black blood remained in the air. With a wave of her hands, the black ball of blood fell to the ground, as it landed dully. It was solid and rolled slightly in place a few steps behind her. "No one... Blasphemies my god." A crazy murderous look flashed in Eris''s eyes, as she looked around this shit hole. Princess Eris hunched, and quickly pulled out a napkin and coughed a few times into it. She looked down to see that her blood had turned a slight pink color. No longer the vibrant red it was days ago... [Soon, I won''t last... I gave to much blood.] Eris thought to herself, as she smiled again. With this same smile, she put her napkin back, as she turned to face Jacob. "Obsignator Jacob, would you be so kind as to guide me to your god." Princess Eris looked deeply at Jacob, as Jacob seen the swirls of madness and lust in her eyes... He shivered without thinking. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Of-Of course!" "HOLD IT!" The King of Jakahn rose again. "It will take days to leave here to go to... Deagoth. We can see you are weak and need rest. Stay here and rest. We will work on remedies for your illness. We can do much to benefit each other." The King had totally disregarded his servant that was crushed into a blood ball. The princess tilted her head again as she looked at the King, then to Princess Violet. Princess Violet was about to speak up, when Eris spoke first, "Obsignator." "Y-yes, your highness." Even Jacob knew to address this woman with respect, as he lowered his eyes. Looking at her gave him hot feelings, he wished he didn''t have... "How far is it to where my god resides?" "The God-King stays within the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, in his Capital City of Saigunrai. It would take us two months to get there by caravan... Ah, two weeks if it was one person sacrificing their steeds to continuously run. "Two months? I don''t have time for two months... Say, Obsignator... Is Jakahn actually enemies with the God-King." All gazes in the room fell to Jacob... Everyone that wasn''t stupid knew his next words would spark this crazy woman if spoken wrong... Worst of all the King couldn''t figure out how strong of a Cultivator she was... While everyone waited for this moment, Princess Violet motioned her father, the King. The King descended from his Throne, and they both left through a secret door, as no one noticed them, as everyone was focused on Jacob. Jacob looked to the throne to see it vacant... He was abandoned... Then he would abandon Jakahn! "YES, PRINCESS! THESE PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE FAITH TO THE GOD-KING! YOU HEARD THE DISRESPECT EARILER OUT OF THESE WIND BAG OFFICALS!" Jacob roared. He hated these old fucks, the Officials of Jakahn. Many times, he could fix issues with a bit of military power, but they were too focused on profit and the ear of the King to allow him. "They have?!?" "GREAT!" The princess clapped her hands together, as she looked to her captain who had been silent this entire time. "Good Captain, please create the Blood Bat Seal here, we have enough blood with these zombies... The skeletal ones should just be destroyed." "You heard the princess, boys! Kill''em all and let the Creator sort''em out!" A wide smile formed on all the crewmen at this word. These Vampires had been cooped up on a ship for a while... They would enjoy bloodshed again, as they jumped into the groups of Officials like wolfs in a flock of sheep. Each tearing the Officials apart, leaving others with sliced throats to spill messy black blood on the red carpet of the Royal hall... The skeletal undead were dismantled limb from limb, as their screams etched into the minds of the remaining undead that fled. Captain Fairfield took his side sword, and ripped the robe from a dead Official, and created a make shift brush. The other crew me pulled back the red Carpet to give plenty of room on the marble floor. The Captain began to draw elaborate runes, sigils, and summoning circles within each circle. Jacob watched in horror as his countrymen were wholesale slaughtered... They were slaughtered not as warriors... But as live stock. It made him feel sick in his soul, but some strange feeling of happiness budded as well, seeing those bastards meet true death. He came to the side of the princess and kneeled again. He didn''t dare to offend this woman, while the woman in question, Princess Eris cough again into her napkin. [It''s getting paler in color...] She thought. "How much longer before We can summon the Blood Bats?" "I''m almost done... With the blood of these cattle, I''d say We can have it done in a few hours. They won''t be as strong as the blood slaves, but black blood is better than no blood." "Is it an issue of quantity or quality?" "Even if We took a million zombies to make this, it''s not going to help. Black Blood just isn''t going to cut it. We need blood with life." Watching the Captain back off from the giant runescape made on the floor, he nodded in satisfaction at his work. This was his best work yet! The princess watched, as the fallen zombies were dragged over, and their necks spilling blood into the runescape. Those that weren''t bleeding, were nicked in the throat where the carotid artery descends into the body, causing the blood to spill faster, like pigs being drained of blood for meat, as the zombie bodies were through to the side, discarded like trash. The princess remained silent, as she took a few steps forward, and took his ceremonial dagger, and sliced her wrist. She turned palm over, as the Captain yelled behind her, "NOOOOOOOO! PLEASE, CREATOR, NO!" She squeezed her hands a few times, but nothing came out. In anger, she slashed three more times, and used her other hand to squeeze around her arm, until a few drops of bright crimson blood dripped into the maroon colored runes on the floor shined with a baleful light. Satisfied, she took a few steps back, but she stumbled to fall, as the captain held her up, and steadied her on her feet. The captain wanted to say something, but what was done was done, so he remained silent. Eris licked the wounds on her arms and savored the filling of the cuts she had made. It would take days for these to heal with her current condition, maybe a month... The crimson blood worked its way within the black mass of blood... The runes were set, and the ritual began... Soon, the legendary Blood Bats of Alucard would ride north to Deagoth... To her god. "My god... Save your pet." Eris coughed into her napkin, but this time... It was only clear plasma. Chapter 136: The Spider Queens Proposal Jack finally released Leslie from his grasp, as he withdrew his soul. Jack enjoyed the pleasant feelings he just had, and especially the reactions of Leslie. He felt that the most fun he had was endlessly playing with her soul and Emily''s soul, and just watching their reactions. Jack''s flaming eyes burst back into life, as he looked over to Leslie. Leslie has a fine mist of black perspiration all over her body. Her qipao was sticking to her and accented her curves. "J-Jack... What-What time is it?" Leslie spoke weakly. "Hmmm, it should be morning." Jack judged by his internal clock. "W-What? It''s only been a night???" Leslie huffed a few times, appearing to be very tired. "Only a night, as We are expecting Warmarshal Frostgard and her charge," Jack said casually, but his tone held a hint of contempt when he spoke of her charge. Leslie weakly nodded. "You know, I am curious." "About what... huff..." Leslie asked, still out of breath. Jack still wondered about this reaction. It was very similar to Emily''s. "Are you going to oppose Emily on monopolizing my time for... That?" "YES!" Leslie spoke loudly. "Oh?!" "Jack... How come you are so... So, much better than our first time?" Leslie wondered where he learned his tricks... more importantly, who taught him his tricks. "It''s just some experimentation on my part from things I learned while traveling in the plane of light as a soul." "So, the plane of light is for perverts... huff, huff... Got it." Leslie said without thinking, as she turned over on her side to face Jack. "..." Jack didn''t have a comeback, answer, or otherwise to this statement. "So, besides receiving the Warmarshal Frostgard, what else are you going to do today?" Leslie asked, as her voice was slowly returning to normal. "I plan to head to the Library of Saigunrai. I need to check some of their tomes." "What a nerd you are..." Leslie teased. "A nerd that just played with your soul for the last twelve hours." Jack countered. "So, you did. Speaking of which, I hold Emily in higher regard now." "Oh?" Jack wondered what she meant. "Little Emily endured under you for two days... I thought that was a bit much, at the time, thinking you were just doing what We did... She endured your... Well, she endured for that long. I''m impressed." "Don''t think you can handle it?" Jack asked, seriously, but he was also teasing. "Oh, honey I could endure for another week. I need to find the time for both of Us to get a week of doing this..." Leslie spoke, as she popped the tomb, and sat up. Jack looked at Leslie''s hair, as it cascaded down her back from over her shoulders. This was his woman... She wasn''t weak, but he still wanted to protect her from the world. Leslie got out of the tomb and stretched. "Blah... I thought I would have more time." Leslie spoke, as she held her head. "Hmmm, what is it?" "Two agents have reports for me. The Dead Tide is rising again north of Souigak, as Stonedge and Borda are still fighting against different waves, and there is a serious report from Jakahn." "What about Jakahn," Jack said fiercely. Leslie listened a bit more to the report, that was mentally messaged to her. She finally stopped and looked to Jack with a shocked expression. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Vampires," Leslie said speechlessly. "Vampires? In Jakahn???" Jack was baffled... Where did Vampires come from? "We need to hold a meeting." "Alright. Let''s go to my office. I will mentally Message everyone." Leslie nodded, as they both put on their indoor slippers, and walked out of Jack''s room. "Leslie run up ahead to my Office. I''ll get Emily and the rest." Jack asked as he began to float. Jack tried to return to walking but found it was so much easier to just fly around. "Hmmmm, alright, but don''t start anything you have to finish." Leslie flipped her hair, as she went to her own room. She would change before going to Jack''s Office. She wouldn''t dare be caught with her wear sweaty as it was... As the very least she needed to wipe down. Jack nodded, as he floated over to his second Consort''s room. He opened the door, as he walked into the room. He found Emily sitting in a chair talking to a spider web. [Did I play with her soul too hard, too long, too much?!?] Jack wondered watching this. Emily noticed he had come into the room and waved him over. Jack floated over slowly and landed beside her watching a spider in the middle of a web. Just as Jack was going to ask a question, an authoritative feminine voice drifted out of the web. "Who came in?" The voice sounded. Jack was dazed, as Emily mentally messaged him, [This is my royal mother I''m talking to... Queen of Neolith.] [Ah.] Jack thought, and thanked Emily. [Is this what one would call... A web call???] Jack amused himself by his own cleverness. "I am the God-King of Deagoth, you are addressing. I see that you are speaking to my Consort. State your name and intention." Jack said as he went to acting. Emily facepalmed, [Oh, Creator...] "Oh! You call yourself God-King now? How interesting. I''m Kamilah Neith, Spider Queen of Neolith, Jack." Jack looked over to the facepalmed Emily, as she stiffened up. Jack reached down and tousled her hair. "It''s good to finally speak with you. Say... Jack... What are your intentions with my daughter?" The Queen asked, in a seemingly flat voice. Emily couldn''t believe what her mother just asked. "Are you seriously asking me this?" Jack retorted. "I am." "Are you sure you really want to know, Kamilah?" "I''m sure." "I plan to wed your daughter, and I also have designs on playing with her soul at my convenience. Every chance I get I plan to find new ways to play with her until she doesn''t know her name. On a side note, I plan to make her a Queen, though I haven''t decided where." Jack said all at once. Emily now wondered if this was what true death felt like, as she really wanted to pass on now... Kamilah''s voice went silent, for a period of time, until loud bursts of laughter were heard! Jack was amused not just by Emily''s mother''s laughing, but also Emily''s reaction, as she swayed in her chair covering her face with her hands. [What an interesting mother and daughter pair.] Jack thought until Kamilah responded. "Forget my daughter! I''ll marry you, and We can combine Our kingdoms!" "Mo-MOTHER?!?" "Hmmm?" Jack wasn''t sure he heard right "I''m serious! You sound like you know what to do to a lady! I''d love to make you my new husband. I''m willing to drop all of my husbands to marry you, but you would have to drop both of your current Consorts. What do you think?" Emily looked up at Jack, while Jack''s flaming eyes danced quickly. "I''m sorry, but I like my current Consorts... Let alone, I''ve never seen you." "Baby, I can tell you, I am gorgeous." "I believe you, but We don''t have to combine our kingdoms." "What do you mean?" The Queen''s voice lost its humor and took a turn for the serious. "Kamilah... As a favor to my Emily, I will let you know something." "...You already have my intention." Kamilah spoke. "By all rights, I should never tell my enemies this, but I consider you an ally. Can We be considered allies?" "Unless you become Our enemies..." "That depends on your answer. Can you tell me you will keep this to yourself...? So, I am going to provide you trust, as an ally, to provide a favor as Emily''s mother." "I see what you''re getting at... Speak." "I speak when I feel like it. Hold your voice, woman, you are speaking to a god." Jack''s flaming eyes flashed and radiated. Kamilah sat within her throne room, looking at her daughter''s web, as the glowmoss on her ceiling grew brighter, before dimming back down. She looked down back to the web and spoke, "So you are..." "I plan to take over this spit of land. This spit of land includes Neolith. State your allegiance." Jack said flatly. Emily was frantically waving her hands to stop Jack, but he continued as if she wasn''t doing anything but sitting in her chair. "Neolith''s alliance falls to the winner." The Spider Queen said cleverly. "Then I will be counting on your support... Kamilah." Jack said with confidence, and a sinister tone. "Jack... Are you sure about not disregarding Our lovers and becoming the King and Queen of these Lands?" "I''m already a god... It''s only a matter of time for these lands to be mine. I''m sorry, but Emily is already my Consort. I will marry her. At best, you could only become a concubine. So, I think it best that We keep a distance between Us." "...I see... It was worth a try... When are you going to marry my Emily?" "You mean MY Emily... Soon. I need to finish some major projects soon, and I will wed her and my first Consort. At any rate, it was good to speak with you, Kamilah. I will be taking my Consort now." "And what do you plan to do?" "Haha! What do male and female undead do when they are alone?" "I-wait! Have you guys already laid together?!" "Goodbye... Kamilah." Jack watched the little Gem Spider wiggling, as he flicked his finger and tiny flick of light flew from his finger and bumped the Gem spider to the side. The Gem spider got back up from its tumble and shook itself. It looked to Emily and then to Jack. Once it saw Jack, it shivered and went to its usual place to take a nap. Jack looked over to Emily, "Come with me, We are meeting concerning some reports We just received." Jack requested Emily, who was still in a daze... How was she going to face her mother in the future? Chapter 137: Vampires hate the Light, so they will hate me "Jack!" "Hmmm?" Jack wondered what Emily screamed his name for... "Why did you tell my Royal Mother that?" Emily said with a mixture of misery and speechlessness. "Because it will gnaw at her a bit... No offense, but your mother is kind of a... Hmmm, what''s a good wording here?" Jack rubbed his jaw bone. "Hush! Just hush!" Emil shook her head. "Well, if you don''t want to hear it. Now do you want to walk with me, or do you want me to carry you to my office? We are going to meet with Lucius, Leslie, and Julia." Jack asked. "You call her Julia more now." "She''s a friend." "Just friends?" "For now." "Hmph..." "Walk or carry?" Emily looked away but still walked up to Jack. He knew what she wanted, so he bent down to scoop her up, into his embrace, as he floated down the halls, with a loli in his arms. If Jack could smile, he would split his mouth. [Lucius are you busy?] Jack mentally messaged. [Not for my lord!] [Meet me in my office, then...] [As the God-King decrees!] Lucius messaged with zeal! [Lucius, just call me Jack...] [Of course, God-King.] [...] Jack felt the connect break... [Haaaa~] [Julia are you busy?] [MMmmm... I can be available.] A soothing voice was heard. [???] [We''re having a meeting in my office, so I would like you to come.] [Of course, see you soon.] Verruca''s tone faded from Jack''s mind, that left him with question marks... Many... Many question marks, as his connection with Verruca, broke, as well. [What... the hell...] Jack thought in his mind, as he got to his office before everyone with Emily. He waved his arm, and the door opened. He went inside, as the door closed behind him, he spoke, "Alright Emily, last question. Do you want to stay in my arms for the rest of the meeting, or you can sit anywhere you like?" "...I like where I am..." "Are you sure?" Jack checked to be positive. "Yeah... I like this better." "Alright." Jack went to his desk to sit down as he put Emily on his left thigh bone to talk. They chatted while waiting for the others. ******* High above the land that was once Zitergall, flew nine large Dark Crimson Blood Bats. Perched onto the backs of these bats were Princess Eris, Captain Fairfield, his crewmates, and Obsignator Jacob. These blood Bats were three meters long with a wingspan of seven meters. Theselarge beasts held long thin ears that sat high on their head like horns and wore manes around their necks before their backs were harnessed with saddles. Their large leathery wings were dull, but the veil between each digit of the Bat''s wing contained vivid bright red veins, that stood out while it flew, flashing red in the sky as they beat their wings. They occasionally emitted shrieks and high pitch eeks. "This was Zitergall, your Highness," Jacob said loudly so his voice could be heard over the great wingbeats of the bats, as they flew over the ruin fork of the red rivers. Princess Eris looked down, and smiled weakly, as she saw a large gash in the land, where lava was still pouring in slowly to fill the place where a City once been. [My god... Your pet is so hungry...] "How much longer?" The princess asked her Captain. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I''m not saying! Just know it will be soon!" The captain said behind the princess as the Captain''s bat hung back... In case a certain weak vampire fell from her saddle. "Why, good captain?" "Every time you ask that! YOU GIVE MORE BLOOD! STOP GIVING BLOOD!" The Captain howled, forgetting his place. The princess felt too weak to argue back, so she let it slide... For now. [I''m coming... I''m coming for you, my god... Your pet needs you... So hungry... I should have fed at the party daddy threw... six hundred years ago... But...] Princess Eris was having a hard time keeping her thoughts coherent and decided not to waste any more energy thinking until she met her god. "Just keep following the Coast! The pearl of Deagoth will be here shortly! Look in the sky, you can see the Skull Star! That''s where the God-King resides!" Princess Eris nodded weakly, as she decided to nap on the back of her Blood Bat. She gripped onto the fur of Bat''s mane and laid her head against the bat. She could hear the beating of the bat''s heart and the rushing sounds of the blood in its body... The temptation to... Just take a bite... Just a small bite... Perhaps a nick here, and just lick up a bit... [No!] Eris screamed in her mind! She did not come this far to fail at the gates! She weakly slumped back in her saddle and laid back onto the bat. She again gripped onto the mane. [My god... Your pet needs you.] Eris weakly turned her head and ignored the symphony of decadence sounding from the heart of her bat. [So hungry.] Eris closed her eyes, as a few tears of starvation leaked at the corners of her eyes. ******* Verruca was the first to arrive after Jack. She walked in wearing her fatigues, and sat in her usual seat, on Jack''s right-hand side, and closest to the couch. Jack looked up from Emily, the moment Verruca walked in, "Welcome Julia. It''s good to have you here." Verruca looked at the loli in Jack''s lap and knit her brows. Her brows only knitted for that moment, before going back to normal. She smiled brightly, "It''s good to see you again, even if it was yesterday." As Verruca was going to ask something, Lucius stepped in, with a censor smoking. He walked in, and spoke, "I''ve been told that the God-King expects offerings. Please enjoy this Holy Dust." Lucius brought it to Jack''s desk on the left-hand side and left it while taking his seat to the right of Verruca. "Where did you learn that and who said that about me, Lucius?" "I must know everything about my God-King," Lucius said with a smile and nodded. It was Jack''s turn to facepalm today. After a bit of chatter between the three, Leslie finally entered, despite being the first to know of the meeting. She walked in with a new Qipao. Her waterfall flowing hair was dazzling as always, but her black and golden Qipao, with a slit on the side to her high thigh, served to drive Jack. It was good that Jack didn''t have flesh or a face, else he would be hard press to control a bodily reaction. With a familiar gait, she made her way to her couch, and sat, tucking her legs under her, as she smiled to Jack. Jack nodded to Leslie, as Leslie mentally messaged the complete report to Jack. Jack felt his mind buzz slightly, in the same way, that Lucius had done when informing him of how to bone. Jack received the information and processed it. He again nodded to Leslie understanding her intention of not wanting to be the one to report this. She wished to remain anonymous. He then spoke, "I''m please We are all here, so not to waste time, as We are all very busy undead. I received a report this morning concerning Jakahn." Jack waited for dramatic effect, and then continued, "It seems that Jakahn had some visitors. Our intelligence tells Us that they received ships from the Kingdom of Blood and were graced by the presence of Vampires." "Vampires?" Emily looked to Jack and asked. "That''s right. Not just any Vampires, but one was of royalty. This is where the report starts to break down. We know that Vampires landed and that a royal Vampire went to speak with the King of Jakahn... But We don''t know anything beyond this. We have dispatched agents to collect more information, but this information alone is to cause concern for Us." Jack rattled on, as he took in his first take of Holy Dust. [Oh, this has a slight buzz to it.] Jack liked the feeling but felt that Crag''s was the best. "How?" Lucius asked. "What do you mean?" Jack looked at Lucius. "Can''t you just... I don''t know, use your God-Form to slap these Vampires into the light?" Lucius commented. Verruca and Emily nodded. Leslie remained silent. "While I think that would be great, We also have to remember some things. Do the Vampires have a god? And if I kill a royal Vampire will this stir the ire of their kingdom? A kingdom that We don''t know anything about? One that could dwarf Us?" "You have made your point. I apologize." Lucius lowered his head. His zeal got the best of him. "Nothing to be ashamed of... There is a time and place for everything. If We knew We had the biggest stick, then force is almost always the answer. The golden rule is if force doesn''t work... You''re not using enough of it. I just don''t want to be caught in a situation where I''m not using enough force." Jack took in more burnt offerings. "I understand, my lord." "We do need more information on the Royal Vampire they have. Royal makes me think of a prince or princess... More than likely sent out to gain experience or learn more about the world, with a slight chance of looking for new lands to conquer. Considering it''s Vampires, if it''s a guy they must be a pretentious prick that thinks he''s better than everyone, or if it''s a lady, then she will be a snob that''s nice to your face but thinks you''re shit for not being a vampire... Male or female, they will be extremely calm and refined. Crafty and full of schemes." "How do you know?" Verruca asked. "Just guessing," Jack replied. "Does anyone have any suggestions," Jack asked looking around. Emily spoke up, "We could send an agent to covertly make contact with the Vampires, and offer them more than Jakahn... It''s not like We aren''t rich, right?" Emily looked over to Leslie. Leslie shrugged as if say ''don''t bother me.'' "This isn''t a bad idea." Jack thought for a moment. Leslie was shaking her head. She did not want to give up the coffers. "What else can attract the Vampires to Us than riches?" Jack asked, humored by Leslie''s reaction. "Well... We have a god." Lucius raised his head. "A god of light Lucius... Last time I remembered Vampires hate the Light." Lucius lowered his head again... Today wasn''t his day. Emily spoke again, "That''s right. Vampires loath the Light, and when the Lich King was in power, his Blood Army only fought at night during the crusades for the Overworld. I do remember that there was one Vampire that had a suit of black armor that blocked the Light, but I forgot their name..." "Vampires hate light... They must hate me to death!" Jack waved his right hand in the air as if warding off the suggestion. Jack''s meeting went on, as massive wing beats were sounding on the horizon of Saigunrai. Chapter 138: The Vampire Princess Arrives! Jack continued his meeting, as Leslie, Emily, Lucius, and Julia bounced ideas. [Jack!] Leslie mentally messaged. Jack looked to Leslie sitting on the couch. He wondered why her expression was dark. Leslie could tell she had Jack''s attention, and so, continued, [There are seven Giant Maned Bats heading here from the south.] [Flyers?] Jack responded. [Yes. I suspect that they were sent by the Vampires.] Leslie sounded weary. [Are We talking weaponized or transportation?] [You mean if they are a threat or diplomatic?] Leslie asked to make sure. [Right.] [I believe they are diplomatic from what my agents have seen. Ah! They are heading straight here to the Palace, wait... General Jacob is with them... Confirmed to have come from Jakahn.] Leslie''s brows had long slammed into each other. [Let''s go welcome them.] Jack nodded, as he stood up. He looked to his Office. "Alright, everyone. I just received reports that We have company. Seven Giant Maned Bats have just come from Jakahn. I believe We can all safely assume these are envoys of the Vampires. We should see to them." "Leslie, Emily, and Lucius. You should stay here in the palace. Me and Julia will go greet them." Jack said as he reached the door, putting Emily down, in the corridor. Jack floated backward to look down, "Because I don''t know the Vampires'' intentions." Lucius and Leslie walked out, as Emily spoke, "I want to see what happens, too." "I would, as well," Lucius spoke up in a rare event of inserting his whims. "Find a window to watch from... I don''t want you guys to hurt. So, find somewhere you can watch and hear, but not be seen." Jack spoke out to propose an agreement to make them happy. Lucius and Emily nodded. Leslie had already departed, to what Jack figured was her room to assume her Banshee form. Jack looked to Verruca, "Come Julia. I need to get dressed for the occasion." Verruca didn''t speak but smiled and nodded. Jack walked to the Wardrobe room, that would lead to the Court. The double doors opened with a wave of his hand, as Verruca followed him in. He found that Leslie''s Handmaidens were already waiting. With some degree of familiarity, he was wrapped in his royal garbs. He stood silently as the Handmaidens stripped him bare. Verruca decided to look the other way, as she found herself gawking. Jack didn''t mind, as he had grown used to it. Now he stood in full regalia, as his Femur Ferula was carried to him by four Handmaidens. Jack lifted his hand to call the staff, as it sprang from its confinement and into his hand. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Jack didn''t understand his form of telekinesis, but he did find it fun to use and damn convenient. Jack floated out of the wardrobe and into the Court, flanked by Verruca who had a quickened pace, as Jack was much more quicker floating along, then walking. Jack and Verruca entered into the Courtroom, just before the Holy Palace''s Entrance, as Jack came to a stop. "Holy Sentinels," Jack said normally, but it caused a buzzing in the area. "I want half to guard Lucius and Emily, the rest provide back up to Warmarshal Verruca." Another buzz of holy power, and then silence. Jack nodded, while Verruca felt her heart warm slightly again. He then continued, until both of them exited the Palace, and stood just before the stairs that led down to the Palace square, where stood the Monument of Shame. [I really need to do something about that pile of skulls.] Jack thought, as he and Verruca faced the South. Jack could see just at the edges of the Saigunrai''s limits across the City, to the seven large flying bats coming. [I did not expect them to come this fast... Jakahn put them up to this... Haaaa~] Jack could only sigh in his mind. How was he going to get out of this one? Emily and Lucius wondered why Leslie didn''t follow them, as Lucius knew the Holy Palace inside and out, he found a nice window facing the Palace Square. This was a place that had an even better view than Emily''s old room, provided for the ambassador. She still shuddered when she saw the Monument of Shame. Leslie had informed the rest of her agents of the incoming visitors, and they moved about sealing the area for other... More unexpected situations. The bats flew low into the city, as some of the citizens of Saigunrai pointed to the low flyers in astonishment. It wasn''t unknown that Giant Bats could be used for transportation, but where incredibly difficult to be found on the Ruined Continent, and even more so incredibly difficult to breed for use. Jack waited patiently when all the Bats flew down into the Palace square. He could see Obsignator Jacob hop off the back, with six other Vampires. These Vampires were the most human-looking beings he had seen in his new unlife since his reincarnation. [I''ve almost forgotten what humans look like... I mean I know they are Vampires, but they look damn close beside the ears and the teeth... They kind of look goth, I guess.] Jack mused, as he saw the last Vampire, with help from a large sturdy Vampire dismount her bat. He could even see that this last Vampire fend off the sturdy Vampire to walk, although wobbly and unsteady, but walk never the less up the stairs to meet him and Verruca. Jack tapped his Femur Ferula out of impatience and nervousness, but to the Vampires, they could only marvel at the imposingness of this Skeletal Tyrant. Eris looked up the stairs, and into the flaming eyes of the Skeletal Tyrant... Her heartbeat quickened, and she wasn''t sure what her heart was pumping... But it made her flush. She spoke in a soft voice, that not even Jack could hear, "My god..." Eris climbed the stairs, flanked by her Captain, his crewmates, and Jacob. She made it to the top of the stairs and stood before the towering Skeleton Undead. She looked up to him, as he looked down on her. [Wow! She is some kind of hot... Is she the envoy?] Jack had assumed this woman wasn''t the princess. Jack decided to speak first, "Kneel before the God-King of Deagoth." Jack decided to test the waters with their reaction to him. He had to play his part. He wasn''t surprised when Jacob fell to his knee, but the other Vampires fell to theirs behind the female Vampire. Jack watched as this female Vampire looked up to him, and he looked deeply into her eyes, as she approached him. [If the other Vampires knelled... Why isn''t see? Wait... That look in her eyes!] She came closer, and Jack could see much more clear in her eyes... It was madness and lust... Carnal desires, and a thirst for him... HIM! [Wait just a damn moment!] Alarm bells continuously rang in Jack''s mind. She held out her arms to reach her God-King... She wanted to touch him, be touched by him, be used, and sullied... She was ready... He looked so perfect... He was so close! Jack searched his mind filling through everything he had ever remembered for this look until the word from his last life appeared in his mind... [Yandere!] Chapter 139: Im a Skeleton... I dont have blood! [A damn yandere! Why! Why is she like that with me! She doesn''t know me! FUCK! Look at her eyes! If she gets involved, she''s going to kill Leslie and Emily!] Jack''s mind spun at high speeds, as he searched for any way to deal with a yandere... [Don''t get involved!] Jack looked to the Vampires behind her and could tell the captain was a King rank cultivator and his crewmates were Knight rank respectively... He didn''t know how strong this female Vampire was, but it didn''t matter at the moment. "You are not welcome here. Leave." Jack clanked his Femur Ferula against the stone floor of the landing leading to the Holy Entrance to the Palace. [What is he saying?] Eris seemed to not be able to understand that she wasn''t welcome, as she continued forward with her arms outstretched, as she appeared to almost be grasping toward her god. "I said GO!" A small bubble of light popped in front of him and bounced the female Vampire toward her fellow Vampires. The sturdy Vampire stood up to catch the flung Eris in the air, who began to cough. Captain Fairfield held onto Princess Eris, and never imagine that such an occurrence would happen! He looked down to Eris coughing and grew worried... Wasn''t this god supposed to feed his pet? Isn''t that what the princess kept mumbling? What was going on??? Did he know they came with treasure for him? If he knew, did that mean they weren''t sincere enough? "Princess! Are you okay, Princess?" Jack could hear the Sturdy Vampire speak to the female Vampire during her coughing fit. [Princess?!?! Why is the friggin princess here?!? She''s nothing like I thought? Is she ill? What the fuck is going on?!?!?!?!?!?] Jack couldn''t process what was happening exactly. He could see that the princess struggled out of the sturdy Vampires embrace, but it looked to him more that the Sturdy Vampire helped her stand back up. She started to walk up the stairs, before falling to her knees. She spoke up... "My god...! Your pet has come... Please... I need to feed... Feed me." [Feed her what???] Jack thought, as he watched the female Vampire crawl up the stairs this time to reach him. Verruca was unsure of what to do but had pulled her weapon in care... She now wished she had worn her armor. As the Vampire Princess crawled up the stairs toward him, Jack continued to look into the Vampire Princess'' eyes... The craziness, the madness, the pure lust... Hunger! [This chick is giving me some serious Yandere vibes!] Jack remembered in his last life a certain anime he watched there were kids that went to school on days... The Male lead had a few women, but one yandere killed him and the girl he got pregnant! Finally, at the top of the stairs again, she crawled toward Jack, as if clawing for him. "My god forgive me. I''m weak and need to feed... Feed me. Feed your pet." The Vampire princess pleaded, with a lusty voice. Jack looked down, as he finally decided a solution, [Fight crazy with crazy! I will insert my domination!] Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. During this intense thought process that happened in a flash within Jack''s mind, Verruca was about to block this Vampire Princess from approaching Jack, but she was unable to do so, as she looked on with shock. Lucius and Emily looked on with shock... Leslie that was floating in the air that watched over the events unfolding were shocked. The people of the Palace square that left their homes were shocked. They couldn''t help but all think... [Just what the hell is going on???] Jack took a step forward, reached down, and pick up the Vampire Princess by her throat. She didn''t struggle but almost looked to be euphoric. With Jack''s large Skeletal hands around the princess''s throat, the Captain panicked, as he stopped kneeling and jumped to the top of the stairs, closely followed by his crewmates. Jack saw them coming and waved his left hand as if swatting them. As Jack''s hand waved in the arm, a large golden skeletal hand, reminiscent of his God-Form, emerged from his bones and slapped away the seven Vampires. They were knocked into the Monument of Shame. The citizens in the square ran for their homes, and Lucius, Leslie, and Emily were unsure of what to do. Verruca could feel in the moment that the Vampires moved that the Sturdy one was King rank with many Knights... She wasn''t sure how to take them, but she took a single bound to the bottom of the Stairs to defend her god, king, and friend. Jack continued to hold the princess by her throat, as he asked, "What is it that you want? Why have you come?" The princess started to cough clear fluid, and became increasingly weaker, as her legs stopped moving, but she continued to hold onto Jack''s bony hand. She wasn''t trying to pull his hand from her throat, but caressing his hand, and lovingly tracing his bones to his arms. In a rare occasion, Jack felt creeped by this woman but strangely attracted. Captain Fairfield could tell that his god didn''t intend to kill them, or they would already be dead... [Is this the power of a god??? Then is the Blood Emperor a god???] The Captain wondered in his mind, [I have to plead for the Princess... Creator be with me... How do I convince a god!] The sturdy Vampire got to his feet quickly but was blocked by Verruca before approaching. "Your lordship, please forgive our Princess! She''s weak! She has come to worship you! She needs to feed! She means no harm!" Jack continued to hold this Vampire Princess in his hand, while he looked down the sturdy Vampire, as he spoke, "Feed? I don''t have blood." Jack said bluntly. "I know! WE ALL KNOW! She has given all of her blood to see you! She refuses to drink blood with the rest of us! She only wants you to feed her! She says her god will feed her!" "..." Jack wasn''t sure what to make of this, as he looked to the woman in his hands, as her eyes started to roll up. "My name is Captain Fairfield of the Sanguinary Empire! Please forgive her bold actions and feed her!" The Captain fell to both his knees and face planted to prostrate... This was his last option... If this failed, and the princess died... All eight generations of his family would become blood slaves... Jack looked to the princess who was struggling... [It seems Vampires needed to breathe.] Jack thought to himself. [Maybe she''s just crazy from needing to eat...? What in the fuck do I feed a Vampire if I''m a skeleton?] Jack took her and put her in his embrace like a kitten, with her facing him. She coughed a few more times, as clear fluid trickled from her mouth. [Is she sick?] Jack wondered just what kind of people did he get involved with... [Is she? Is she moaning in my arms?] Jack looked down in suspicion, as he looked up at the one called Captain Fairfield. Fairfield turned his head, not knowing how to answer the implied question. Jack looked back down to this Princess Vampire, as she reached up to Jack with her slender sickly pale arms to touch his bony face. Jack could still see in her eyes the madness, hunger, and lust... But... Why did he see a touch of light? Jack looked back to the Captain astonished, "Captain Fairfield... Does this princess cultivate the Light?" "What? I... I don''t know." The Captain was dumbfounded... A Vampire cultivating the Light? Who would believe that? "You don''t know your Princess?" Jack asked slightly speechless... "She... She is eccentric, and not well known." The Captain said uncertainly. "Warmarshal Verruca, prepare rooms for these Vampires. I will take their Princess." Jack turned to enter into the Holy Palace carrying the tired, drained and limp princess. She had closed her eyes, and her breathing had become shallow. Jack felt that she just might be dying, in the truest sense of the word. He didn''t know if he could bring back a Vampire if it died... He would have to feed her first. Chapter 140: Im a Skeleton... I do have blood!? Jack floated into the palace and quickly made his way to the ward. As he entered into the ward, he found Doctor Hollowell there at her desk, doing what appeared to him as notes. Jack floated over, and placed Princess Eris on a bed, as he turned to speak to Doctor Hollowell, "Doctor Hollowell if I could bother you for a moment." Doctor Hollowell put down her pen, as she stood up to walk over to Jack''s side without a word to look at the would-be patient. She tilted her head slightly, "A Vampire?" "Yes. This one has come to Our Kingdom to search for me to feed her... I think she is sick." Jack explained. "I have very, and I mean very limited knowledge of Vampires. I''m a Bone Doctors, not a Blood Doctor..." Hollowell said slightly displeased. "I''m sorry, but when I see you, I didn''t know who else to ask about these things." "Aren''t you suppose to be some kind of god now? Don''t you know?" Doctor Hollowell looked up into Jack''s flaming eyes. "I''m a god, not omniscient," Jack said indifferently, as he felt slightly annoyed. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have spoken out of place," The good doctor noticed Jack''s annoyance. She spoke again, "I will try my best," as she walked over to the side of Eris, and looked closely at her face, and skin. "Princess, this is my royal doctor. Stay perfectly still for her to look you over." In Eris'' haze, she heard the voice of her god and obeyed without hesitation. Doctor Hollowell continued to do an examination on her and listen to her breathing, which seemed foreign to her, but she still had some knowledge from what she had read in the Medical Section of the Grand Library. She took one of her bony fingers to swipe a bit of the clear fluid from the side of Eris'' mouth. She rubbed the fluid between her fingers and pulled them apart to see the stickiness of the fluid. "She''s coughing up plasma... She does indeed need to be fed. She''s lost a lot of blood." Doctor Hollowell looked to Eris'' arm, and continued, "It appears she has been partaking in self-harm. "This is an easy cure... Give her some blood." Doctor Hollowell backed up, as she said rather blandly. "So that''s all that is wrong with her? She''s just bloodless?" "I''m not Blood Doctor, but that would be the most obvious answer with the state she is showing. We have black blood. It isn''t very good blood for Vampires, but it can be enough to bring her out of her current state. If she came with others of their kind, I would suggest for them to feed her some of theirs" "She... She won''t drink blood from them. That''s why she is like this. She only wants me to feed her..." "Well, feed her then. I need to go to the crypt for another cadaver. I think my last experiment proved useful, so I can differently get certain organs to work again in zombie undead... I might even be able to add blood and skin to a Skeleton if they wanted." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Jack didn''t really listen to the end of what Doctor Hollowell was saying, as he was thinking how he was going to feed this bat shit crazy princess... "I don''t have blood, what the hell am I suppose to do?!" Jack spoke up while looking at Eris, as Eris'' breathing became rapid and her eyes rolled up in her head. Doctor Hollowell was just about to leave the ward, as she heard Jack''s question. She turned to look at the God-King''s back, as she spoke, "Who said Skeletons don''t have blood? Where do you think blood is made in living and undead creatures?" [I have blood???] Jack thought for a moment, he didn''t really listen in biology in high school, as he was more of an earth science and computer science nerd... At that time in biology class, he was more focused on courting a certain female than being concerned with any of the lectures, but he thought logically... The only thing he had was bones... Therefore his bones produced blood? So, Jack spoke, while he turned to look at the ward''s exit, "I have blood in my bones?" "Of course. Give her some bone marrow... Just don''t give her too much, I''m sure it will be alright." Doctor Hollowell spoke, as she then exited the room. [She totally disregards me as the God-King... That''s kind of refreshing.] Jack thought, as he turned back to the Vampire Princess. He looked down to his bony wrist, [How do I get the blood from my wrist? Do I need to break my bones? Jack thought for a moment and decided to just try and slice his bone open, like flesh. With a thought in his mind, his left hand held a bright solid-looking gold dagger made of the light. The shine of the light seared a part of Eris'' left arm. Jack seeing this backed up many steps away from her. [Damn are vampires sensitive to the Light...] Jack thought, as he slashed at his two bones above his wrist, the Ulna and Radius respectively. His only result was a thin gray line that soon turned back to his normal ivory white bone color. [What the fuck?] Jack tried again, and produced no results. Jack looked up at the Vampire Princess on the table who seemed to be getting worse by the minute. [I can''t produce blood and this bitch is going to die on me, pissing off her Kingdom to come and screw me over... Damn it... Why is this my problem!] Jack''s fury rose, and the golden dagger turned into a morning star mace in his left hand. He held out his arm again, with the intention to crack his bone open. He would fix it later. The mace came down, and a boom of exaggerated proportions sounded. The shock of this impact produced a gust of air that knocked down many other beds in the ward and sent papers and numerous medical instruments flying from Jack''s epicenter. He could only be thankful that he backed up a good way from the Vampire Princess. [...This is ridiculous... You know what... Magic... Magic solves everything.] Jack thought, as he disregarding the mess he made in the ward. He approached the nearly unconscious Vampire Princess. He was impressed that she was still holding on this long while he basically played around. He felt slightly foolish he couldn''t do anything about his bones... Just how hard were his bones? Standing to the side of Eris, Jack lifted his right hand and made a fist. [Seems like magic shit happens with my intentions now instead of casting spells... Can I just think of what I want and make it happen?] Jack decided to try, as he squeezed his hand hard like he had done over Zitergall making the cherubs, but this time his intention was the force out his bone marrow from the pores of his pones. It took a few seconds, but a thick golden visceral fluid began to seep from his clenched hand, [Holy crap it worked!] Jack didn''t know what to make of the fact that he was about to think about what he wanted and attempt it... And it would actually happen! No spells, no nothing! Why??? After tossing the thought, for now, he looked at this fluid and was shocked by something else... [This... This looks a lot like Glowstone! Liquid Glowstone?!?] Jack never heard of a liquid form of Glowstone, but if it was metal then it could be liquid or even air due to the state of matter... [Should I really feed this woman with something that looks like Glowstone? I mean this looks like liquid light!] Holding his hand, the fluid was about to drip, and Jack decided it was time to do or die. He took his left hand and caressed the beautiful face of this female Vampire, as he asked, "If you can still hear me, are you sure you want to feed from me?" In her labored breathing, Jack could her a moaned yes. "Alright... Please don''t blame me if this kills you." Jack''s left hand that was caressing her face, pulled down on her chin, which exposed the pink fleshy insides of Eris'' mouth. Jack was dazed for a moment but quickly shook his head. He put his right hand over her mouth, and the collective glowing golden blood poured from his hand into her waiting fanged maw. Chapter 141: Trial by Holy Fire The globs of golden blood landed into her mouth and on her tongue, as Eris'' half-closed eyes opened wide with looks of various emotions. Jack could see deep into her eyes that hint of light, but it was accompanied by Lust, desire, madness, shock, euphoria... and pain... Endless pain, as he watched her grit her teeth. Jack''s bony hand squeezed the last of the golden blood from his hand to drip into her quivering mouth. Her eyes focused on the last drop, as it fell past her nose and out of her vision. Eris then swallowed the flaming liquid down. Jack was going to give this Vampire Princess some space, but her heart-rendering scream seemed to scratch the inside of his skull. The only other being he knew that could scream like this was Leslie... [So, I was right...] Jack cradled the Princess'' head with his right hand and looked for a way to fix her. Eris'' mind piercing scream ended abruptly, as her expression alternated between absolute pleasure and horrific torture. At this point, Jack had no idea how to make this situation any better, or who to call, as Eris spasmed in his hold. Jack mentally sighed, as he saw this woman curl up like a prawn, [Well, she was either going to die due to starvation or because of my blood... What difference does it make? I just have to ease her death and figure out how I''m going to explain this to her subjects.] Jack was already preparing for the worst within his mind. Now that Eris was shaped like a prawn, she had ceased her screaming but now gritted her teeth so hard that they threatened to break. In her mind, she remembered the most dreadful object in all of creation for Vampires... The Sun! She had read up on the sun many times, as she always wanted to know the difference between the Light of the Sun, that existed in the Overworld, compared to the Light of Glowstones in the Underworld... Why did Glowstone not hurt Vampires, but the Sun did? Wasn''t Light... Light? But these thoughts weren''t present in her mind, only that she felt she was standing naked before the might of the Sun... As a newborn Vampire would be tossed into the Sun for death as punishment. Jack watched on, as her body ignited in flames, burning off all of her garments. Her black corset, right down to her buckled shoes were burned away only leaving behind a thin, but curvy body. Flames danced around her body and licked her skin as they rose high. Parts of the bed she laid on would ignite, as Jack would put them out with a wave of his hand, his intentions made manifest. Jack could see the Vampire Princess holding on, and her eyes turning crimson, as she closed them tight. Soon the flames died down, and parts of the bed were only singed, mostly at the corners, but a thought occurred to Jack, as he continued holding on to this literally red-hot vixen. [Shouldn''t... Shouldn''t she burn up with the clothes?] Jack looked on helplessly. Now that her clothes were gone, she began to wallow, and pull on his arms... As if she wanted to crawl on top of him, as her eyes went in and out of focus. He tried his best to understand what she was saying in her mumbling delirium. Jack looked on in disbelief, as in her thrashing the Vampire Princess'' fangs, the symbol of a Vampire fell from her mouth. He saw one of the fangs ejected from her mouth, with a toss of her head, and the second fang fell into her mouth. Jack without thinking, pulled on the back of her neck, in her struggles, and quickly stuck his left hand''s two bony fingers down her mouth and extracted the last fang. He held the fang between his fingers, just before being knocked from his hands, by another wild convulsion by the Vampire Princess. Even Jack didn''t understand why he stopped her from swallowing the fang... In death or not, what did it matter...? But for someone reason, he felt she wasn''t going to die... [Her fangs came out... Is she going to become human again???] Jack wondered! After a few more moments of reckless throws, Jack watched as she began to calm down, with a blissful look on her face. He eased her back on the bed, as she perspired continuously. Her skin was a deep shade pink but was rapidly shifting back to the pale white he had first seen, though she no longer had the sickly green undertones. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Jack continued to hold her head, as he looked over her. He hadn''t realized it, because he had assumed, she would meet true death, but she was a gorgeous woman... She would have ruled the movie or model world in his last life. Jack would swallow hard himself, and for once was thankful he didn''t have flesh, so he didn''t have to face the embarrassment of a man. After pulling back his gaze from certain peaks, he looked to her face, and saw that new fangs were growing in!!! [What the hell?] Jack assumed that she lost her fangs, she would turn human... Curing her of sorts, but it seemed that she grew new fangs... But why? He watched as these new fangs grew at a rapid speed, and these were... [Why are they gold! Golden teeth??? She drank my blood, and now she''s crunk... I don''t want to stay in this world anymore...] Jack couldn''t help himself, as his mind tried to understand this Vampire''s situation. The fact she was still alive was beyond him in the first place, but now she had grown golden fangs... What did that mean? How did that work? Why did that happen? Too many questions, he could only hope this crazy thing would know. As the fangs grew to the length of her original ones, she calmed down and opened her eyes to look into the flaming eyes that stared into her most private of places, her soul... She straightened out her arms, and wrapped them around Jack''s robed neck, as she tried to pull herself again, into his embrace. "Ahem." A sound emitted behind Jack, as he looked behind him with Eris still nude, and still hanging from his neck. Leslie floated over, as she gazed at the nude Vampire Princess dangling from the God-King of Deagoth... "We should call you the God-Perv, instead, don''t you think?" Leslie asked with humor. "No, damn it! You are not to just float in here, as the last moment, and find me in a compromising position with this woman!" Jack was angry as if this wasn''t the most expected outcome the moment the Vampire Princess lost her clothes. "...What are you talking about... I''ve been here since she started to scream... I believe that half the Kingdom heard her. Julia is doing her best to pacify subjects." "Oh..." Jack felt slightly embarrassed about his assumption. He felt she should have known she would have come running at the first moment of trouble, perhaps he did watch too much anime in his last life. Jack turned back to the bed and pulled his head from under her arms as if he was taking off a necklace. He laid her back in the bed, as she tried to wiggle her way back up his arms. "Clingy little minx, isn''t she?" Leslie remarked as she floated next to Jack. "No kidding... I feel like she''s part octopus." "What''s an octopus?" "Ah... It''s like a spider in the Ocean, but instead of stiff legs, they are tentacles." Jack spoke casually. "Like a Deep Ocean Red Kraken?" "Sounds about right." Jack offhandedly said, after hearing the word Kraken... He''d have to find out just what in the Underworld that was in detail, later. "Shhhh, Shhhhh, Shhhhhhh." Jack soothed. "Rest, Vampire Princess, rest. You''re tired." Jack continued. "Eris." Jack heard the most normal-sounding words from this woman finally issued, but they still carried with it a noticeable enticement. "Your name?" Jack questioned. Eris nodded her head. "Then Princess Eris rest. I will check on you later." "Call me your pet." Eris still squirmed into Jack''s embrace, as he kept pulling off her arms. Leslie simply stood by and watched with amusement. Eris couldn''t see her and didn''t care about who or what was talking to her god. "Princess Eris, I don''t think this is appropriate, now rest!" Jack struggled. "Call me your pet, and I will listen to my god. Only my god will call me his pet!" Eris continued her assault. [Where did this woman get all this energy!] Jack began to curse in his mind. "Why don''t you just do it and see if she will listen. Don''t you want to call such a beautiful female creature your pet?" Leslie said with a laugh in her voice. "Damn it, girl! Just whose side are you on?" Jack scowled. "The one that is amused." Leslie tilted her head, as she floated behind Eris to watch from the other side, as Jack was trying his best to pull her away from himself. Leslie nodded internally, that she was sticky like a dark dwelling mud toad. Finally, Jack gave up, after a few more of his commands fell on deaf ears, he stopped fighting with Eris as he stood up to his impressive height. "My pet Eris lay down, and be a good girl. You need to rest." Jack finally spoke with his most commanding of tones, with a hint of gentleness. Eris stopped as she was going to finally get into his embrace, as she slid down from her god, and back on to the bed. At no point did she try to cover herself, as she enjoyed being gazed at by those flaming eyes. She felt whether or not she wore clothes in front of those flaming eyes didn''t make a difference. They made her feel nude either way, as she put one finger in her mouth, as she looked up in the skeletal face of her god. [Don''t look at me like that, aghhh... I need to spend some time with Leslie or Emily... Maybe both... And a censer of burnt offerings... two censers of burnt offerings.] Jack was mentally planning for the evening. Jack reached over and picked up Eris. He walked to a new bed, to put her on clean sheets. He then took a nearby folded blanket to cover her. "I will send someone to bathe you soon." Jack nodded, as he began to float to leave the room followed closely by Leslie. From behind, Jack could hear a spoiled voice, "No... I want my god, my owner to bathe me." Jack was so tired from his earlier exchange he didn''t fight, "I''ll be back for you." He simply said as he left. It was only now that, when Eris requested to be bathed personally by Jack, did Leslie furrowed her brows, as they left together. Chapter 142: Can I be of Use to You? Jack and Leslie floated down the corridors of the Holy Palace together, as Leslie opened her mouth, "You''re not really going to come back to bathe her, are you?" "What choice do I have... The damn thing is crazy and full of energy... Who knows what she will do if she doesn''t get her way?" Jack complained loudly. "Then... Can I be spoiled." Leslie asked with a hopeful voice. Jack looked over to the banshee face of Leslie''s profile, "Of course, I will always spoil you. You wish to be bathed as well?" "I would take a bath together with you... I just can''t take Holy Water like you can... Unless you want me to become a Skeleton?" Leslie spoke and then asked. "I prefer you as you are now, but no matter what form you take, I will always love you," Jack spoke plainly, but this plainness struck a chord in a deep part of Leslie''s heart. She was again reminded of the undead she loved. Who cared if he bathed another woman? Wasn''t she his first Consort? Wouldn''t she be his first Wife? Would she be Queen? More importantly, wouldn''t she be his most favored woman? "Then, I expect to be spoiled later. I need to check with my agents. I''ll be going now." Leslie spoke, with a smile, as Jack watched her float up and out through the ceiling. [Must be nice to be able to wall clip.] Jack thought to himself. As he turned down another hall to his office. He was about to reach his office door when he received a mental message, [Jack, Warmarshal Frostgard has made it.] [It''s just one thing after another this morning isn''t it.] [It''s already noon.] Leslie''s giggle echoed in Jack''s mind. [So, it is... Has your mother already messaged the Grimnight Clan head?] [I''m not sure. I will check, and let you know.] Leslie replied. [I see. I still need Lucius to fetch me a few things, so I will deal with them when Court is ready. Have them thrown in Jail for now.] [Will do.] Leslie''s clear voice replied. Jack opened his Office and went to his seat. As he was about to sit down, he remembered he needed his Laptop to continue his projects. He got back up to float out and down to his room. [Jack...] [Hmmm?] Jack wondered what Leslie needed now. [Warmarshal Frostgard is requesting a personal audience with you.] Leslie said helplessly. [Really? Any reason why?] [I''m not sure... She had a Doomcry gold ear warrior with her.] Leslie continued, unsure as well. [What''s a gold ear warrior.] [The Doomcry ritualistically cut off their ear after their coming of age ceremonies when they rank up. After each rank, they replace the same ear with a corresponding color. Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Gold being a high-ranking member of the Doomcry Clan.] [I think I will see them after all. Have Warmarshal Frostgard and this gold ear Doomcry warrior see me in my Office.] Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. [Is... Is that really necessary? You could just see them in the Court.] Leslie was unsure. [I don''t mind if it''s a Warmarshal. Send them.] Jack noted, as he floated into his room, and picked up his laptop. [If that is your will. I will have it relayed.] Jack went back to his office and sat down with his laptop. "Alright Tux," Jack spoke, as he opened up the Laptop. "Reporting to Creator, Project Holy Concrete is ready for your review." Tux replied. "Good." Jack looked over the formula and noted it down for Lucius. [Speaking of Lucius.] Jack took a moment and mentally messaged the other, [How is everything going?] [No issues. Julia has calmed down Vampires, and I have had the clergy comfort the masses.] Lucius responded. [Where is Emily?] Jack asked, as they were together. Jack''s door opened at this question and walked in his tiny consort. [Never mind, Lucius.] [Very well, I''m heading to your office now.] [You don''t have too if you have other business.] Jack responded kindly, as he patted his thigh to Emily, who rounded his desk. [Oh, the priests were able to break the seals on Joan the Butcherer. I have her Soul Jar. I''m bringing it to you now.] [Oh, that is fantastic! What about the rest of the Jars?] Jack commented, and then asked. Emily climbed up into Jack''s lap and took her place as if it was normal. [They will be delivered before the start of Court.] Lucius answered quickly. [Perfect. I''m currently waiting for Warmarshal Frostgard. So, if you can just drop off the Soul Jar with me.] [No problem. Once I do so, I need to get started on finishing the prep for Court.] [Thanks again, Lucius.] Jack said happily, he now tousled Emily''s hair. "What brings you here my lovely Consort?" Jack asked with a voice that contained a smile. "What else am I going to do? I''ve got no other responsibilities here. I just wanted your company." Emily looked up and into Jack''s flaming eyes, as she happily chatted. "You want something to do?" Jack asked wondering. "...I want to have some use to you..." Emily spoke while looking down at the floor. "You''re cute. Does that count?" Jack said laughing. Emily would blush if she had skin and blood, "No! I mean to be of actual use... Not just a woman you like to play with..." "I do enjoy playing with your soul," Jack said with some smugness. He felt a small fist hit him in the chest, while he was laughing. "Hush, you mad god... I''m serious." "Alright, Alright. Don''t hit me anymore, so fierce!" Jack slowed his laugh, and Emily slowed her fists. "What can you do? What skills do you have? I know you''re very well learned." "Well... I can do a bit of Alchemy. I was taught so, and you are working on that Holy Con-stuff..." "Oh, I have the formula right here," Jack spoke, as he pulled his notes from earlier, handing it to Emily. Emily quickly read through it, and then looked back up to Jack. She looked back down to re-read it. After completing this cycle a few times, she exclaimed, "This can work???" "I don''t know. You''re the alchemist." "I''m only a low ranked alchemist! But... But this should work... I think... Did your living tome really come up with this???" "It did. I''ll get some Alchemist, and you can be my doll that makes this work. How does that sound?" "I''d rather be your whore," Emily said with that mature tone again. [What does her voice shift like that when she said such things???] Jack wondered. It paled before the new Vampire Princess, Princess Eris, but Emily''s voice when it shifted reminded him of a more seductive Leslie... Was she emulating her, or was it being done unintentionally? Tossing the thought, as Jack quickly thought. "If you were just my whore, then your only purpose would be to wait for me in my evening tomb. That would be your use." Jack said with a funny tone. "...Now that I think about it... That wouldn''t be such a bad job... I c-" "You''re not one, so you get to be my little alchemist." Jack cut her off. Emily looked up at Jack and finally asked, "Why do you say I''m not... I could be you know." "You saw the Vampire Princess?" Jack didn''t answer but asked a question. "Yes..." "She was a whore... A crazy whore at that." Jack nodded a few times. "Was?" "Oh... She''s had some... Changes... I don''t know how she will be now. I can only hope for the best." Jack spoke thinking about the future. "Then... If she were me... You would accept her as a Whore?" "Yes. If she was you... But she isn''t, so don''t think more about it." Jack couldn''t help but keep messing with Emily''s hair. He really liked her webby hair. As Jack was about to speak more, a knock echoed into the room. Jack and Emily looked to the door, as Jack spoke, "Come in." The door opened, and Warmarshal Frostgard walked in, with Xavier Doomcry close behind her, as if hiding in her shadow. Jack''s flaming eyes crackled when he saw them both, and the sound of snaps was heard like the kindling of bonfire, as his gaze fell on the two. Chapter 143: Freedom is like a Dream Warmarshal Frostgard dropped to a knee, and greeted, "Your Warmarshal greets you, my lord." Xavier Doomcry dropped to his knee as well but remained silent. "Rise and take a seat. Why is it that you have come to seek my audience?" The God-King spoke with a righteous tone. Sarah and Xav took their sears, as Sarah spoke, "This is Xavier Doomcry. He''s the leader of a band of Doomcry warriors of the Doomcry Clan. He assisted me with escorting the Grimnight clan back here to Saigunrai." The God-King''s flaming eyes turned onto Xavier Doomcry. Xav''s black brow beaded up, as he came under this scrutinizing gaze. "Isn''t this the one that attacked your forces?" "That''s right. He was deceived by the Grimnight Clan." Warmarshal Frostgard replied. Xav watched the God-King nod a few times, as he watched him perform this action, Xav looked over the God-King... He found that sitting in the lap of the God-King was a little skeletal child, but why did this child give him a feeling that he looked upon a grown woman? "Thank you, Warmarshal Frostgard for executing your task flawlessly. I also appreciate you helping in this regard Xavier Doomcry. You have been pardoned of any fault due to the Grimnight Clan." The God-King looked over Xavier. "Th-Thank you, my lord." Xavier squeezed out. He felt pressured before the God-King like instead of sitting, he should be face planted in prostrate. The God-King looked by the Sarah Frostgard and waited for the next thing she was going to say... She hadn''t answered him, yet. "God-King... I have a request." Sarah asked Jack, not as The Holy Witch King, but as the God-King. Jack made a mental note but didn''t correct her. Sarah put her hand on her cold face, "We''ve come today to seek your approval. My family wishes for me to marry within the clan... But I want to choose who I marry." "I see. So, it is this one." The God-King looked at Xav, "That you wish to marry." "Yes." "Before I continue, let me introduce you two to my Second Consort, Consort Emily..." The God-King made a motion to the Loli in his lap. This was Sarah''s first time noticing her... She would later wonder why she missed her and chalked it up to nervousness. "It''s a pleasure to meet you both," Emily said politely. "The pleasure is mine." Sarah gave a Deagoth Salute. Xavier bowed his head but didn''t make words. "I have a question, Warmarshal Frostgard?" "Yes?" "Can you smile?" The God-King asked an odd question. Xav looked up from where his head was bowed and looked astonished at the God-King. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "...Yes... Yes, I can." Sarah answered. "Then smile. I wish to see you smile, while I think about helping you." "This... This is a bit difficult with the seriousness of my request." Sarah defended, as she wished not to show that side of herself to the God-King. "I understand." The God-King nodded, as his gaze shifted to Xavier Doomcry. "Xavier Doomcry, can you assist with Warmarshal Frostgard? Can you get her to smile?" Xav nodded, as he looked to Sarah. Both his and her eyes matched for a moment, as she looked away. Xav thought for a moment before he pounded his chest to gather his courage, he stood up before the God-King. "God-King." "...Yes?" A ''what is it?'' tone replied. "I''m Xavier Doomcry, of the Doomcry Clan. I may not be a perfect undead, but I have fallen for Sarah Frostgard! I''ve come here with her because she believes that with your power, you could sway her family to giving her the freedom to marry who she wants. For whatever reasons, she has chosen me, and I wish to choose her." Xav paused, while he looked over to Sarah, "My Sarah is strong and heroic, but kind and thoughtful... She may be a bit cold, but it has a certain kind of warmth in my heart." Xav''s words sounded, and the corners of Sarah''s Mouth curved upward ever so slightly, until... They cracked, and a bit of black blood running down both sides of her mouth. As Sarah began to pull a napkin to dab the blood, at the corners of her mouth. "Stay your hand." The God-King stood from his seat, as he placed his Consort to his side. He walked to the front of Sarah Frostgard. "It seems that you have a condition. If I hadn''t seen, you today... I would have never known." The God-King made note. Sarah kept her head low, not looking up. This was her weakest part of her heart. Her face... Her vanity. [Let''s see if I canrestoreher face, with my intention.] Jack had a new target to test on... He had been waving his hand while holding his intention. This would cause things he wanted to happen to... Happen! He didn''t understand how this worked, especially when he didn''t use spells. Xav watched as the God-King waved his hand, and a gold radiant wind flashed to Sarah''s face. This effect was so quick, that Xav wondered if he blinked. "Warmarshal Frostgard, smile now. There should be no problems." The God-King nodded. Sarah touched her face and found that it wasn''t rigid. It felt... It felt normal! She looked over to Xav and smiled like she would when she first acquired her adult body. Xav couldn''t help but be mesmerized by the enchanting smile of Sarah. It was like a mischievous young woman, but with the maturity of a lady in love. [This... This is her true smile!] Xav continued to gawk. Jack walked back around his desk, picked up his loli, and sat back down. He would later have to thank Emily for her observations, as she could tell something was wrong with Sarah''s face. "Now, let''s continue with your request, Warmarshal Frostgard. You still wish to marry Xavier Doomcry?" "Still wish too?" Sarah didn''t answer, as she spoke with a more upbeat sound in her voice. Her face with more expression. "Let me make this clear. For your contributions and your future contributions, I do not mind intervening on your behalf. You may wish to choose any partner in the Kingdom of Deagoth that is willing, and I will decree the Marriage as sanctified by the God-King." Sarah and Xav heard these words... Xav''s black sweat dripped a bit on his forehead. Did the God-King see fit to test them? Sarah fell into thought for a few moments. Xav looked to Sarah, with a slight look of panic. He had truly fallen for her but did she only like him because he overlooked her condition... Jack took note of the silence, as he continued to mentally messaged Emily about the two. "Thank you, God-King." The Warmarshal bowed low. "You are my Warmarshal, so how could I not help." The God-King nodded with a smile in his voice. After another pause, "I wish to be married with Xavier Doomcry." Jack nodded again, "Very well. I will hold court in a few days, and I will make this announcement." Both Sarah and Xav bowed low, as they stood to leave. ""Thank you, God-King."" Jack waved his hand, "I only wish to be invited to the Wedding." "Of course," Sarah smiled in the most enchanting of ways, as she took Xav''s hand, and walked out the office together with him. The door closed, leaving Jack and Emily alone again. "Thanks again." Jack thanked Emily for her contribution. "Well... It was easy for me to spot the problem. I don''t think a male would figure out her condition. I''m glad you were able to help her. I think it''s so sweet that she gets to marry her love, instead of being forced." Emily said with a dreamy voice. Jack''s hand paused in the air, as he was going to tousle Emily''s hair again... He slowly, put his hand back down, falling into deep thought. Chapter 144: A Broken Soul Reforged Lucius burst into the room, as the door hit the side of the wall hard creating a loud thud resounding. "My lord, here is the Soul Jar of Joan the Butcherer." Lucius walked over and placed on Jack''s desk. Jack and Emily looked at the round Jar. It was a normal shape, but its lid was two overlapping seals, that had been tied to the opening of the container using the seals as a lid. There was a jet-black ball inside of the container darting around, like an agitated hornet. It would charge back and forth the hit the seal at the opening of the container, in attempts to break free. "How long has she been trying to break the seal at the top?" "When we went to retrieve her... She was doing this... We ask the guard out of curiosity as well. The guard had been on duty down there for a few hundred years and the Jar that contact Joan... Even though it was so heavily sealed it would clank at least once a day." "What perseverance!" Jack exclaimed, "I must have this Warmarshal again!" "Jack..." Emily spoke up while looking up. "Hmmm?" "You''re not going to make her your woman as well, right?" "What? no. I don''t have such an intention." Jack spoke flatly. "...I''m worried..." Emily spoke again. Lucius scratched the back of his head, as he backed out of the office, leaving Jack and Emily to their conversation. Jack watched Lucius, while feeling helpless, as Lucius backed out of the office and softly closed the door as he left. [Is this the same Lucius that kicked in my door when I took a nap with Leslie for a week???] Jack mused. Jack looked back down to Emily, who clearly sounded upset. "Don''t be worried. Leslie and you are enough." "But now there is that Vampire." "I''m not going to have anything to do with her." "Jack... I don''t think it''s you that''s going to have anything to do with her, but more of her that''s going to have a lot to do with you." Emily remarked. She continued, "You already said you would accept a whore." "I was talking about, if... IF you were one." "So, there will be three of Us... Haaaa~" Emily sighed. [She''s already counting that crazy thing...] Jack thought back to this morning upon seeing the Vampire Princess. Even if she looked sickly... Those curves, and the right amount of flesh in all the right areas. Her face shape, and the sway of her hips... It was enough to drive any male creature insane! Jack thanked the Creature for being undead, for once. "Why are you bring silent...? You were thinking of that Vampire." Emily asked. "Yeah... I was." Jack openly admitted it. "She is pretty... Maybe too pretty. She doesn''t look real to me." Emily thought out loud. "Maybe she was made with magic?" This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Maybe. I just find it hard to believe there exists someone that looks like her." Emily commented again, while in deep thought. "Well, I don''t want to have anything to do with her, and I want this Warmarshal to be my guillotine on the battlefield." "Emily, I''m going to open this Jar. Go ahead and take that formula to Lucius. I need to work with this soul." Emily didn''t argue, and took the Holy Concrete formula, and slipped off of Jack''s thigh. "See you tonight... Darling." Emily exited. [Was that her first term of endearment... No, if I think about it. Mad King and Mad God are her terms of endearment.] Jack held his bony chin. Jack stopped thinking and reached to the Jar. He broke the seal, and as soon as he did so, the black ball soul shot fourth like being blasted from a cannon. Jack''s right hand shot forward, and caught the struggling soul, as he brought it back to his hand. As he opened his hand, tethers of gold light suspended the black ball soul in his grasp, as he put it under his vision. "Are you Warmarshal Joan?" "...AGUHHH..." A faint scream issued forth. It was low in sound but high in emotion. After a few rounds of questions and answers, with all the answers being screams, yells, and incoherent words, Jack decided this was the rage that he heard off from Lucius. Jack reached over with his left hand and got his Laptop. "Tux. Design a spell to calm a soul, and to allow it to speak freely, without yes or no questions." "Calculating... Done. Spellcraft ready for review." Tux replied dutifully Jack hummed the spell aloud, "Resgo''tar." Golden light surrounded the black ball soul and invaded it. With a gold shine on the surface of the black ball soul, it returned to be suspended by Jack''s soul tethers that anchored down. He could tell that it no longer struggled. It almost felt like the soul was waking up. "Do not be alarmed," Jack spoke again. "Ugh... Where am I?" A rough female voice sounded from the black ball. "You are currently with me. The God-King of Deagoth. We are both in my Office within the Holy Palace." Jack had already grown used to addressing himself as God-King and spoke it without thought. "God? God-King? Where is The Holy Witch King?" "I used to be The Holy Witch King before I ascended to become the God-King," Jack spoke with a bit of authority. "I-I understand... Did I die?" "That''s a hard question to answer... Especially for me." "Why can''t I see anything. I can hear, but I can''t see." Joan asked. "You''re currently only a soul. Try to see like you would if you didn''t have eyes... Use undead vision." "Oh- Okay." Joan showed great comprehension, pleasing Jack. Jack felt the black ball soul quiver in his hand, and soon after he heard, "Oh... This is indeed the Office of The Holy Witch Ki- Your Grace!" "Hmmm?" "I''m sorry I didn''t recognize your voice! It is good to see you again, but... Can I ask why I am like this?" [Good to see me again? Isn''t Joan from before my rule as The Holy Witch King, if you include the last guy ruling?] "I''ve been told you attained the highest level of Berserking and lost your mind. You committed great acts of violence in and to the kingdom. You were destroyed by your fellow Warmarshals. Your rage was so great that your soul wasn''t allowed to pass to the cycle. You have been sealed for a long time, and I have thus brought you back to serve Deagoth." "What... What did I do?" "Are you sure you want to know?" "...Yes..." "In your madness, you slaughtered half a million Deagoth citizens and military personnel." "H-Half a million?" "...Yes..." "How... How will I ever be forgiven!" "Do not panic Warmarshal" "I''m well beyond panic! What have I done! My only skill is murder, and I''m stuck on automatic!" "Your skill in murder is what I need. It is what Deagoth needs. I shall absolve you of your sin, and you will lead my armies again. Deagoth has fallen into a state where We are no longer the strongest. If We aren''t the strongest... Then We could just as easily be considered the weakest." "Y-you can absolve me of my sin?" "Yes." "And you want my skill in murder?" "Not just murder... Mass murder." Jack replied with a serious tone. "..." Joan fell into deep thought, then replied, "What is it that you want of me?" "You will be my executioner. My guillotine. I want Warmarshal Joan... Joan the Butcherer as you have been called. Our kingdom has many enemies, and I want those against Deagoth to sleep eternal." "If you can absolve me... I will become your executioner." Joan spoke with a bit of Zeal, as she remembered the Holy Witch King introduced himself as God-King... God''s were divine beings... They could absolve! Jack held the soul in his right hand, as he began, "We are all, as children of Deagoth, and I absolve you as one of those children." He used his left hand to make a circle in the air and then a line from top to bottom, "All is one. Now go and sin no more. Ego... te absolvo" A golden hue of light surrounded Jack as it covered him and rushed to the point of his index finger he had outstretched. The light made a pinpoint at the end of his finger before it slowly fell from his finger until it landed on top of the black ball soul. Joan could see the light, but more importantly, when it fell on her... She felt the warmth! In shock, Jack watched as the color of the soul ball changed from an inky black to a dark royal purple. Chapter 145: FOR YOUR GLORY MY LORD!!! [Hmmmmm? Why did her soul change color??? Did I actually absolve her?!] Jack wondered as he watched the, now, dark royal purple ball quiver in his palm. "My Lord! Give me a body! Show me your foes!" Joan''s voice equally quivered... [Why does she sound a lot like Jordan???] "You don''t want to change your last name to Lightborn, do you?" Jack asked hesitantly. "I have no desire! That is... Unless my lord wishes for me to change my name!!!" Joan replied with more zeal. [Whoa, there... Joan has kicked up to eleven.] "That will not be necessary." "A body my lord! I need a new body! Anybody! As long as it has one head, two arms, and two legs, I can use it to murder anyone that darkens the doors of Deagoth!" [Hmmmm... How do undead get bodies?] Jack finally hit a question he one time wondered while holding that undead child. "I need to put you back in your Soul Jar for now. I will give you a body soon." Jack replied. "Yes! Yes, my lord, I will PERSONALLY, take my axes, and go on a crusade through our enemy kingdom''s myself, and shove it down the throats of every single one of their PATHETIC! FUCKING! HERETIC! HIDES! DROWNING THEM IN THEIR OWN BLACK BLOOD FOR YOUR GLORY MY LORD!!!" Joan screamed in zeal and bloodlust, her soul buzzing with the want and the need to bring glory to her, now accepted, God-King. [WHOA! WHOA! WHOA...! Over the top! Way too over the top! I''m now starting to regret what I''ve done...] Jack thought, as he put her back into her Soul Jar, and created a golden seal over the Jar to prevent her from leaving or escaping, though... [I could leave her out, but I don''t want her to steal someone else''s body and go rampage... I think it''s time to go to the Library.] "Calm yourself, for now, Warmarshal Joan. There will be time for war... I also believe I have a friend for you. She likes war, as well." The Jar reverberated with Joan''s voice, "I do not like war! I love war!" "Oh, you guys are going to be best friends." Jack patted the Jar. With a wave of his hand, the jar was bound in gold chains and latched to his sash that secured his ropes. He held his hand out to his Femur Ferula, as it snapped to his hand, and grabbed up his Laptop. Jack floated out of his office and down the Corridor to his Court Room for the second time today, though now it was nearing evening time where most of the undead would go home after work. Jack had heard Leslie refer to mentally messaging people at the same time, and thought he would give it a try today, as he thought of it like group chat from his last life. [Lucius, Leslie, Emily, I''m leaving the Palace for a little while. I''m going to the Library of Saigunrai] Jack spoke to all three while deciding that since he could fly, he would just casually go over and check it out... How hard would it be to find it from the sky? [[What?]] Lucius and Leslie both responded at the same time, their voices overlapping. [Oh geez... This is what Leslie deals with?] Jack tried to pull the voices apart with his mind. [Okay.] Emily responded. It seemed she was distracted. Jack then mentally messaged only Lucius and Leslie, [What''s the problem?] Jack stood in the Court Room. [You need an escort!] Lucius messaged loudly. [Lucius...? Is that you?] Leslie could be heard asking. [Leslie? Aren''t I talking to my lord?] [Yes, you are both talking to me. Why do I need an escort...] Jack questioned? [How can we both hear each other?] Lucius asked. [I don''t know... God-King...] Jack shrugged as if Lucius and Leslie could see him. He found that if anything was the most useful to him, it was explaining anything strange he did with just the two words... God-King. [Right, my lord.] Lucius spoke again. [Jack, let someone escort you. You can''t just walk or fly or whatever you want to go out.] [Who can hurt me?] Jack wondered now that he had his powerful God-Soul. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. [No... People will hurt themselves for you, my lord.] Lucius replied. [I don''t follow.] [Remember you are a god among undead... What would happen if their god just casually showed up?] [Hmmmm...? Oh... OH...!] Jack mused and then seen what they were talking. [Right... Let''s get you, someone, to escort you. We should inform Warmarshal Verruca. In fact, we should get Warmarshal Verruca to escort you.] Lucius continued. [No. Let her rest. I know who I will get. Thank you, Lucius.] Jack broke the connection with Lucius, leaving only Leslie. [It''s only me and you now Leslie.] [Yeah, you need to let me know when you group us all together... I didn''t even know that could be done, though...] Leslie mused to Jack. [I didn''t either until I tried.] [God-King?] Leslie asked. [Right, God-King.] [That''s become really convenient for you.] Leslie giggled. [Found me out, huh?] [Yeah, but I don''t dislike it.] [I''m going to ask Warmarshal Chaoshood to clear the area and allow my entry. If I''m not mistaken her family owns and operates the Library.] [That''s true, but you might want to let Julia know.] [I planned on it. Thanks for making sure.] [See you tonight.] Leslie made a cute voice to message, as Jack felt the connection break. [Who knew just visiting the damn library would be such a pain in the coccyx.] Jack mused over his next words, as he mentally messaged Verruca. [Julia, how are you feeling?] Jack started off with, as he really did want to know. After a few pauses, Verruca replied, [I''m doing well. Knee''s in working shape, and I''ll only have a small scar on my back.] [Scar?] Jack asked... [Yeah... Just a small one.] Julia thought about the stitches she ripped out, and the beratement she received from Doctor Hollowell, afterward. [...At least I know who I will destroy next...] Jack thought to himself but messaged Julia as well. [Who?] [Oh... Jakahn... They shouldn''t have scared your back.] [You already handed true death to the person that did it.] Julia felt something stir within her. [I can be unreasonable... I''m a god. Speaking of which, I''m going to make you a new friend.] Jack changed topics. [Make?] [Re-Make.] [How???] Verruca was baffled by this idea. Jack patted the chained soul jar on his waist, [I''m currently in possession of the soul of Warmarshal Joan, also known as Joan the Butcherer.] [...] [Hmmm?] [...] Jack could feel the connection was still there but didn''t hear Verruca. [Julia, my dear, are you still there?] So, agitated did Verruca not notice the ''my dear,'' as she decided that friends didn''t refer to each other as my dear, she would have corrected Jack... but... [JOAN THE BUTCHERER! WHY DO YOU HAVE HER SOUL!] [Whoa there...!] [DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE HAD DONE! WHAT SHE CAN STILL DO! WHY DID YOU BREAK HER SEALS! BY THE CREATOR, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR COMPLETE MIND!] [Julia... Calm down! You''re almost as bad as Joan.] [The HELL I am!] [Well you both love war, right?] [Wait... You talk, as if you have spoken with her.] [I have. I absolved her of her sins, and she will come back to the fold. I need to get a new body, and I will forge her a new army. She will help Us reclaim our glory.] [She can speak?] [She can... This is why I bring it up. Do you want to talk to her? I think you two would get along greatly. I''m going to go to the Library, and was going to invite you to come, while I have Warmarshal Chaoshood escort me there.] [I''ll message Stephanie and make the arrangements. I''ll meet you there!] [...Okay... I''ll be in my Courtroom...] Jack was helpless, as he felt the connect break... [Does she hate Joan, or not???] Jack was baffled by Verruca''s antics. Jack opened his laptop, as it floated in front of him. He skillfully typed on the keyboard, as Tux sat in the corner of the screen watching the letters appear in the document, with amusement. After Jack saved his document, the Courtroom entrance opened revealing Julia, and Warmarshal Chaoshood, both of which kneeled before Jack. "None of that you two. Julia, you know better, and Warmarshal Chaoshood, you can be at ease." Jack folded the laptop back. Stephanie replied first, "To the one that brought me back to unlife... Not even saving my unlife, but brought me back from true death... I still don''t know how to repay you... I''m already married, so I can''t compensate through the usual means, and my blade is already for the Kingdom..." "It''s okay. I already told you last time. Your unlife is mine, and your friendship with Julia isn''t over. Let''s leave it at that." Jack looked over to Verruca, who stood at her impressive height, but Jack couldn''t help but notice what she was wearing. She was wearing a black sundress on her massive frame. It oddly fit her well, with her massive muscles. Jack tilted his head and this action cause panic within Julia. [I knew I should have worn my fatigues! Stupid Stephanie!] She cursed in her heart. "Warmarshal Chaoshood-" "Please call me Stephanie... It''s the little I can do considering what I owe the God-King." "Ah... Okay... Stephanie, please wait outside for a moment, I would like to speak with Julia in private for a moment." Stephanie about-faced, and winked to Julia, before walking out of the Courtroom, without another word. This left Jack and Julia alone in the Court. Jack looked up, "Holy Sentinels... Turn a blind eye for ten minutes, then return." A loud buzzing, then a low buzzing, and then silence, as Jack felt that the Holy Sentinels obeyed begrudged and left. "Why did you tell your Holy Sentinels to leave?" Julia raised an eyebrow. "Because I want to see your back." "What...?" Verruca thought she didn''t hear right. "I want to see where you are scaring." "Is that really necessary, and I think this might be a little inappropriate, as you have two consorts." Verruca near pled. "I won''t make you, Julia, but it would greatly please me if you would listen to me." Julia thought for a moment and then thought how best to expose her back. Her dress exposed her shoulders, but not her mid-back where the stitching was... She gritted her teeth. She would rather go back to Zitergall, or what was left, and fight Jakahn... [Screw it...] Julia thought within her mind, as she pulled her dress over her head exposing her, as she only wore her massive black bra and black briefs. [I never thought about what kind of underwear she would wear, but briefs fit her.] Jack mused with his perverted thoughts, as he floated closer to Julia. Julia quickly turned to expose her back, as Jack could see just below her bra hook and latch, was the scarred area. in the shape of a small ''X.'' "Unacceptable," Jack muttered. Verruca drooped her head, as she heard him clearly. Jack decided to do what he did for Warmarshal Frostgard and see if he could fix this. He left his Femur Ferula to float next to him, as he brought his right index finger and traced the scar of Verruca''s back. Verruca felt a warmth draw on her back, as she gasped. Chapter 146: Merely a Tool Jack moved his finger tracing the scar, and as he did so, the scar burned. As the tissue burned, the remains feel from Verruca''s back scattering as ash, as it fell; leaving only clear skin behind. Jack finished his movement, and floated back slightly, "There. No more scar." "Huh?" Verruca held her dress in her hands, as she looked back to Jack over her shoulder. "I removed your scar." "Uh... How?" "God-King." "..." "It''s very convenient to say, you know," Jack said with a bit of humor. Even if Verruca didn''t get an answer, she was touched that Jack felt compelled enough to want to remove her scar... Her body now returned to being unblemished, as it was before Zitergall. In all the war and battles she fought... Only in Zitergall did she receive a wound... This was her pride, that was shattered when she found she retained a scar, but... Jack removed that scar. "Why...?" Verruca stood with her back to Jack. "Because I don''t want a scar on you. Simple as that. I have no other reasons." Jack said just as plain. "Alright." Verruca smiled. "Is this your Consort?" A rough female voice rang out in a buzz. "Who is there!" Verruca still holding her sundress took on an offensive stance, as her vision darted around the Courtroom. [Oh, shit... I forgot about Joan...] Jack mentally facepalmed. "It''s alright Julia... I forgot one person that was still here. This is my fault." Jack replied. Verruca turned to face Jack showing her front again, still in her strapless black bra, and briefs. "Who, then?" Verruca watched Jack pat a Jar hung on his side bound in gold chains, "This is Warmarshal Joan. Warmarshal Joan meet Warmarshal Verruca." "Warmarshal Doomcry?!?" Verruca exclaimed, as she faintly saw a dark purple orb darting around inside the Jar. "Oh? A fellow Warmarshal of the Verruca clan? How is Warmarshal Bernard Verruca?" "...Warmarshal Doomcry... Patriarch Bernard Verruca passed into true death over a thousand years ago..." Verruca spoke forgetting just how old a soul Warmarshal Doomcry was... "You don''t have to call me a Doomcry... I don''t even know if my clan is still among the unliving, or if they would want a butcherer like me among them..." Jack patted the Jar again, "Joan, you can be my sister. I will be your family if they turn their back on you." "...I SERVE THE GOD-KING! I AM ONLY A SERVANT, A TOOL BY WHICH MANY HERETICS WILL BE BURIED IN THEIR FILTH AND SIN! FOR YOUR GLORY MAY I BE CALLED SUCH! MAY THE FAITHFUL REJOICE WITH TREMBLING AND PRAY IN FEAR!" Joan couldn''t contain herself, as she rattled off more zealous speech. Verruca stood still just as bare as before, with her head tilted looking at Jack and then to the Jar he was patting, and then back to Jack... [Why is she better at making speeches than me?] Verruca wondered to herself, as she thought about Jack being the Butcherer''s brother... Why would he want to make this woman his sister? "Whoa there, Joan, whoa!" Jack soothed the jar, as he rubbed it. "I''m merely your tool... A TOOL OF WRATH!" Joan said again, but there was an intense firmness in her rough voice. [I''m a complete undead now, I have two Consort, a best friend, a girlfriend, a pet, and now a tool... I wonder if I should spin that wheel again...] Jack mused about his death wheel, as he came to think of it as... Jack looked up to Verruca, "Do you have heavy metal music here?" "...What kind of music?" "Heavy Metal." "I''m not sure what that is." Verruca tilted her head. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. [I''m going to have to change that... With Joan... I must put her on the Battlefield while blasting some Heavy Metal! I should have the whole military listen to this music!" Jack started to formula plans within his mind to start a cultural renaissance, but a cultural renaissance based on religious and war-themed Heavy Metal music! [...I''m going to have Joan be a lead singer!] Jack went off to dreamland. "How long is your Consort stand before you in her undergarments... I feel that eyes are returning." That same rough voice sounded. Verruca quickly turned her back, and slipped on her sundress, as her face darkened from blush. Jack patted the Jar, "Joan this is my good friend. Please stop making this awkward for her." "Maybe things have changed... I''ve been kept like this for a while and hearing how long ago Warmarshal Bernard Verruca passed... I guess things have changed. Last time I had a body, zombie women didn''t just show their bodies like that." Verruca shoulders hunched, as she was about to turn around, she heard Jack speak, "Joan... Speak one more piece of none sense, and you will become a neglected tool. I will leave you in my shed to rust... Would you like to rust?" Jack said coldly, as his flaming eyes slowly danced in his sockets, as he looked to his waist at the Jar. "No-NO! NO, MY LORD! YOUR TOOL WISHES TO CARRY YOUR WILL TO THE FOUR CORNERS AND WATCH THE HERETIC STRANGLE ON THEIR INTESTINES FOR YOUR GLORY MY LORD! EVISCERATED FOR YOUR PLEASURE AND YOUR NAME SPREAD TO CAUSE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS!" Jack patted the Jar again, "Then please note these following names, Grand Minister Lucius, Consort Leslie, Consort Emily, and Warmarshal Verruca... You must never offend these four, or you offend me... Understand, my tool?" "YES, MY LORD! GLORY TO MY LORD!" The jar buzzed. Verruca smiled at Jack, as she spoke, "I''m sure Stephanie is waiting. Let''s go to the Library." Jack watched as Verruca started to leave him behind. He chuckled, as he caught up. ******* Jack casually floated into the Kingdom''s Library of Deagoth. He looked up and around. It was a three-story building and reminded Jack of the Russian State Library in scope and size. He was flanked by Stephanie Chaoshood and Julia Verruca. "Say, Stephanie... Do you know how many tomes there are here?" "There are seventy million tomes, including everything from carefully guarded cultivation methods right down to the common romance novel." Stephanie smiled, as this was one of her Clan''s pride. "Over seventy million...? Impressive." Both Stephanie and Verruca shook their heads... It was widely known that The Holy Witch King was known for pumping in so much Glowstone into the Library and the Chaoshood clan to maintain it. It was the largest Library on the Continent, and he should have known almost every major book here... Some of which he kept in his personal collection... He truly forgot a lot when he died... "This is fantastic! How many librarians does your family have here, Stephanie?" Jack asked. "We only have one librarian, but we have many pages that maintain the library." "I need to meet the Librarian," Jack spoke, as he floated into the middle of the hall. He looked up at the skylight above and seen the Skull of the Sun God casting its light inside of the halls. Along all the walls were many Glowstone lamps, and every bookshelf was lined with Glowstone to illuminate the titles of the tomes. A book lover''s dream. "My lord." A harsh voice sounded with a rattle of bones. Jack looked to his left to see a thin skeleton in a grand robe, making his way to him on his knees, with his head bowed. Jack could see his skull had a large crack from the back of this undead''s head to the front just before his eye socket. His bones were dirty brown and yellow with many stains and would see hairline fractures along his exposed bones, hands feet, chest, and skull. His nice vestments only served to cause his skeleton to look dirty and wretched. [This looks like an ax wound... How come he''s able to maintain his soul space? Hmmm... Oh, I see...] Jack looked above the wound and could clearly see a faint mist dispelling from the cracks. It seemed no one else could see this escaping soul mist... This undead was indeed dying in a sense of true death. [I wonder if I can heal bone???] "What is your name?" "This faithful one is Terrence Chaoshood." Terrence lowered his body to lay before his God-King. "You are a believer in my faith?" "Of course, my Lord! One must be insane not to look upon your glories form and not bow down in worship." "I like this one." A rough female voice sounded from Jack''s jar. Jack patted the jar. "Where did you get that wound on your head?" Jack asked in a voice that rumbled in the mind of Terrence. "This humble one sustained this about three hundred years ago when assailants tried to rob this fine establishment. I was of little help, but I slowed down one long enough that the guard of the Chaoshood clan caught him." "Do you wear this bone fracture with pride, or does it hurt?" Jack inquired, seeing what he would do next. "Every day it is a reminder to me, my Lord. The pain reminds me to keep vigilant, but it is not of pride I wear it, but with a feeling of a lack of responsibility." "I see... Come closer to me, Terrence Chaoshood." Jack asked in a voice of authority. Stephanie wondered what he was going to do, while Verruca had an idea based on what she experienced earlier... Terrence, on knee, made his way to the front of Jack, where Jack placed his hand on top of Terrence''s head, and with a thought, a flash of light poured into the skull of Terrence. Terrance laid perfectly still, as he felt a flood of warmth wash over every inch of his bones. As Jack pulled back his hand, Terrance felt that warmth leave... He lifted his head, to hear his great-grandniece Stephanie gasp, along with her friend and fellow Warmarshal, Verruca. Terrence felt that they were looking at him, and so he looked down at his hands to see they were pure ivory white again! Just as the day he gained his body during the Coming of Age Ceremonies all those years go... Excited he found that his throbbing headache was gone, and slightly afraid but with expectation, he placed his hand on his skull where it previously pained him. It was whole! "My-My-My Lord!" "You are whole again, Librarian Terrence." Terrence bowed again and began to pray in earnest, as Jack watched threads of purple light peel from Terrence and travel into himself. [Hmmmm? No voice?] Jack noticed that now that Terrence prayed and gave power to him, there was no voice... Now that he thought about it, he never heard Warmarshal Michael''s voice... Does that mean he had to fulfill every prayer to rid the voice from his mind!?! Chapter 147: Finally, Some Answers! [I''m going to have to deal with the prayers later... Haaaa~] Jack decided not to dwell on it for the time being... "Rise, Librarian Terrence." Jack''s voice rolled within the halls of the great Library. Terrence did as commanded and now stood with a rigid posture. He no longer drooped or looked withered and ragged as before. Jack took out his Laptop and left it to float in front of him, as the screen flickered to show Tux. This action drew the attention from Terrence to it, and now he, Jack, Stephanie, and Verruca looked at this Laptop. "Oh, a living tome? What kind of creature is this?" Stephanie asked as she looked at the undead penguin. "It''s a penguin," Jack replied and then didn''t bother to wait to answer any more follow up questions. "Tux, how long would it take to flip through the pages of seventy million tomes?" "Calculating... Complete. Responding to Creator, with an average page count of three hundred pages, it would take six hundred and sixty-five days and twenty hours." Hearing the outrageous time, it would take to flip books caused Stephanie and Verruca to take in a cold breath... Even Terrence dazed for a moment, but due to the time... He wondered why one would want to flip all the book pages? Jack heard this number and didn''t know how to reply... He would have to come up with a better scanning style... wait... couldn''t the Laptop just come up with one...? "Tux, develop a spell that can scan all books within this Library to comply into your memory." "Calculating... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated two hours." Tux replied. [What in the hell am I going to do for two hours...?] Jack looked around at all the books and decided... Look at books, duh! Jack took his Laptop and folded it to carry. "While my living tome is working on a new spell, I would like to see your section of tomes concerning coming of age ceremonies." Jack requested as he turned his head to look at Terrence. Terrence did not ask why his lord wanted to see this section but that wasn''t a problem, "Right this way, my Lord." Terrence guided the group of three. "Why do you want to see this section?" Verruca asked. "Among various reasons, Emily can''t stay as she is forever... She, too, wishes to have an adult body." [No more loli... Haaaa~] Jack thought in his mind. "...So, this is for Emily...?" "This is also for Joan." Jack patted the jar on his side, with a loving touch. This type of caress didn''t escape any of the ladies, including Joan herself. Jack didn''t have any designs toward Joan other than her alibies on the battlefield. To him, Joan wasn''t a monster but a weapon. Weapons should be cared for and maintained, and most of all pointed in the right direction. After walking two flights of stairs and going to an old section to the back of the third floor, Librarian Terrence waved his arm to indicate the section of choice. "Thank you, Librarian Terrence." Jack walked forward to look through the tomes, "Ladies, you can entertain yourselves, however you wish. I will be in this section for a period of time." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Stephanie and Verruca nodded. The two of them went over to a section that Stephanie was interested in... The family planning section. Jack browsed through the many tomes. Most of these books were how to celebrate the occasion, while others were the potential traumas and issues with the transition from a childhood body to an adult body. [Hmmmmm... Oh, here We go] Jack placed a finger on a tome called, "Summoning rites of an Undead Body." Plain... This is what Jack liked... Plain, blunt, to the point! Jack pulled the tome out and began to read it as he stood. [Oh, wow!] Jack exclaimed inwardly. This tome answered a lot of questions for him. He had long wondered about where undead children got new bodies... At one point, he wondered if they went somewhere to rob graves or something of the sort, but no... This tome explained there was a plane of existence, like the Plane of Light. This plane was called the Plane of Death. It was discovered by ancient necromancers the progenitors of the race, and through their ancient rites, undead corpses could be summoned to this plane. [So, the Plane of Death is like the graveyard of worlds??? How trippy is that... So, Leslie''s body was someone else''s? Or was it hers from a different timeline, or even a different reality...] Jack wasn''t sure, as the tome detailed a process to collect a piece of the undead child''s soul to be used in the ritual of summoning. This would allow the ritual to search the Plane of Death to a certain degree for a corpse with an intact soul container with a high degree of compatibility with the host soul. [This is absolutely amazing!] Jack could only marvel, but now he wondered... If there is a Plane of Death with the Plane of Light... What other Planes exist? Plane of fire? Water? Earth? Blood? Wait... Plane of Bone? [I need a lot of materials such as bone for Bellum... Is there a Plane of Bone, or is that part of the Plane of Death? I bet it''s the Plane of Death since it''s composed of anything that''s died.] Jack continued to muse in his mind while thumbing through the pages. [I bet I don''t need to use a ritual. I can just make use of some special spellwork and summon up a body... But Joan''s soul is very strong, so I might need to modify the body I summon for her, hmmmmm. Well, I''ll just get Tux to figure it out.] Jack tossed the hard parts, now that he knew the key parts. He felt even more sure of his plan for the Militus Obitus. "Reporting to Creator. Spellcraft is ready for your review." Jack heard tux replied, as he pulled the Laptop from the shelve where he placed it while reading. He opened it to have it float in the air, as he read the spellwork on the screen. [That actually makes a lot of sense... I didn''t take into consideration my cherubs, but... I didn''t explain my abilities to Tux... Did I?] Jack wondered how his Laptop considered his abilities when crafting this spell. He would ask later. He first manually scanned the tome he had in his hands, before putting back on the shelf, before going back the way he came, speaking out, "Alright Ladies, do you want to see some fireworks?" A pair of ladies were disturbed from their banter on baby names, as they walked from the family planning section to see Jack going down the flights of stairs. They quickly followed behind him, while this drew the attention of Librarian Terrence. Jack went back to the middle of the hall in the center of the Library where he was before and opened his Laptop. "Alright, everyone stands behind me, and don''t make any sudden moves," Jack said with a commanding voice. Verruca''s brows lifted upward in wonderment, while Stephanie maintained a neutral expression with a slight smile at the corners of her lips. It didn''t matter to her what the God-King did... Her life was his after all. "Librarian Terrence are there any more undead here, or is it just Us?" "It is only you and us, everyone else has been asked to leave for your arrival," Terrence replied with much humbleness. "That is for the best." Jack turned back to his Laptop and began to hum his spellwork. Terrence, Stephanie, and Verruca watched on, with Jack''s living tome floating in front of him that the light rose up around him. It was as if the Light was dripping upward instead of down. Once a large drop of light the size of a basketball was produced it would fly up and take the shape of a miniature Angel of Death Cherub. Seeing these creatures from Zitergall before, Stephanie and Verruca were impressed but not shocked... Terrence, on the other hand, had the intense urge to fall to the floor in reverence, if not for being told not to move he would have already done so... From within her Soul Jar, Joan witnessed the creation of these Cherubs and their directions under the command of her God-King. The last traces of resistance that still remained, however small they were, vanished from her heart. This was her God-King, and she would serve in this unlife, and into the next. Cherubs flew throughout the Library moving from tome to tome, as if almost randomly. After a book was flipped, it would fly back to the Laptop, and enter into it, as if disappearing. The same cherub would re-emerge to complete this process again. Jack continued to spawn many cherubs, and his audience lost count after something like five hundred something... In a swarm of light and it seemed it would only be a matter of time before everything was scanned within the Library, as Jack nodded in satisfaction. Chapter 148: It was Indeed Stupid An estimated six hundred years was completed by Jack''s swarm of Cherubs in three hours. During this time, he chatted with Verruca and Stephanie. "So, I saw you guys checking some tomes. What are you ladies interested in?" Jack asked making conversation. Stephanie gave a light laugh, "Making Babies." Verruca looked the other way, without commenting, and Jack had the feeling of spraying spittle, though this would never happen. "R-Really? I can''t say to know you very well but seems kind of sudden." Jack remarked to keep the conversation going. "Yeah. Me and my husband have entertained the idea, but it was always after I retired... After what happened in Zitergall... I feel that I should go ahead and have a little one. That time showed me that I might not have very long." "I see... Life, or rather, unlife is precious." Jack looked at Verruca''s profile. Verruca refused to look back at Jack, as she felt his gaze. [Julia...] Jack mentally messaged. [Why are you messaging me? You can talk with Stephanie here.] [Do you want her to hear, how I think you look nice in your dress... I was too caught up earlier this evening, that I forget to mention it. You look very nice in your sundress.] Jack replied. Verruca finally faced Jack, but her face was a mix of shock and embarrassment! [Sh-shut up.] Verruca replied. [I love how you take a compliment.] Stephanie looked between Jack and Verruca but didn''t say anything... She was just enjoying the faces that Verruca was making. It seemed beside herself only Jack could make her have these expressions. "So, Stephanie, what names are you thinking?" Jack asked, turning his attention, and giving Verruca some room. "I''m not quite sure... I know my husband wants to name the boy if I have one... He wants to name him Marik, but I have my reservations." Stephanie replied. "Only name him Marik if you want him to be an evil bastard, no offense," Jack remarked, as he remembered this name from a show in his last life. "None taken... I don''t like the name. I''m thinking about naming a girl Julia." Stephanie looked at Verruca. "You shouldn''t name her after me." Verruca snorted. "I think it''s a great name," Jack said happily. "Well, I think that''s settled... Now to talk my husband out of his stupidity." Stephanie remarked. [Maybe I should think of kids...? I need to learn how to have them, it''s not like I can''t afford them being the ruler... Oh yeah, Jade wants a child with me...] Jack chuckled at Stephanie''s comment about her husband. The conversation went on a bit more, while they waited. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Soon the last Cherub came back with the last book, and with the book deposited into Tux''s memory, he announced the completion of all books received. The Cherubs scattered into light particles that swirled into Jack like a vortex, leaving the Library dim, from its previous bright luster. "Well, it''s done... Finally." Jack was ecstatic! All of the collective knowledge of his kingdom now in his hands! This is what made a god... A GOD! Knowledge! Jack turned his head, to look at Librarian Terrence, "Thank you, Librarian Terrence. I must remember to fund more Glowstone here. I''ll take my leave." "Th-Thank you, my Lord!" Terrence bowed low and prayed again. Jack then looked at the ladies, "Anything you guys still need here?" "I''m good." "Yeah, me too." "Alright, Stephanie. If you can escort me back to the Holy Palace, I would really appreciate it." Stephanie nodded and walked in front of Jack and Verruca. "Julia, I''m about to complete a ritual for Joan. Would you like to tag along?" "I... Uh..." "I understand. I''ll see you later." Jack nodded and followed behind Stephanie. [...Does he want me to go or not???] Verruca could only curse in her mind! Jack returned to the Holy Palace and entered into his Courtroom from the front entrance. "Thank you, Stephanie. If you need anything, just ask." "Of course, God-King." Stephanie bowed and left with her Spell Slingers. Now left Only Jack and Verruca remained behind, and perhaps a certain Jar on Jack''s waist. "So..." Verruca spoke. "It''s indeed a bit late. I will need to complete Joan''s body tomorrow. Will you come back tomorrow, or would you like to spend the night here?" "I''ll come back tomorrow." Verruca blurted out, and then corrected herself, "I''ll come back to see you perform the ritual and speak to Warmarshal Joan." "Alright. Goodnight, Julia." Jack watched as she left through the entrance. "Haaaa~" Jack sighed aloud. Even though he didn''t have lungs, it still served to make him feel better to do so... Some habits die hard. "What makes you sigh, God-King?" The Jar on Jack''s side vibrated. Jack turned to leave for his room, as he spoke, "I''m just a bit... tired." "I feel it has something to do with that Verrucan lass," Joan responded. "Well... Yes. Many things have happened, and... I still don''t know." Jack said wearily. "I am your tool, my God-King... That means you can use me however you want, for anything you want... I also have existed for a long time before I lost my mind... Perhaps I can help if you will let me listen, though I do not wish to say I would be able to handle the problems of a god better than you." Joan babbled. "You know what... Sure. I''m going to my office." Jack took a different turn and ended up at his office. Finally getting to his desk, he took the Jar from his side and put it on the desk and sat down propping his head with one hand. "So...?" Joan asked, almost excitedly. She could be of help, even before getting a body! "Let''s get the big part out of the way. I died." "We have all died, haha" Joan laughed. "I remember dying twice, but it could be more..." "Huh?" "I don''t think I''ve only died just these times... I think I might have died several times, and I''m just passing through again... I''ve quoted not too long ago, that the Wheel of Death has spun many times for me... I''m beginning to think it might be more times than I knew... But that''s out of the way." "... That''s a bit hard to swallow..." "Yeah, think how I feel." Jack continued, as he waved his left hand in the air. "So, this time here I am... I have no memory of what happened before I woke up in my entombment here in Deagoth, as The Holy Witch King. I''m sure you know better than to repeat what I''ve said." "Of-OF COURSE!" "I''m glad... I don''t want to have to destroy such a fine tool." "You don''t have to worry, my God-King. I exist now only to serve you." "As I was saying, I had no idea... What I do remember is for a fact, I was lonely. Very very lonely." "Hmmmm... Death... Death can make a soul lonely." Joan said with a rough morose voice. "You too?" "I might not have remembered my imprisonment, but I could still feel... I feel boundless madness... and endless loneliness... It still hurts, but I''m sure it gets better, right?" "Nope." "Oh... Well, thanks for that!" Joan said slightly unhappy. "I''m just not in the mood to lie. I have two consorts... In fact, they are my greatest happiness, but also my greatest problems." "...? How is that possible...?" "When I first got out of entombment... It never occurred to me, that I might have had someone that was interested in me. So... I found the first lady I liked and made her consort." "Well, that was stupid! I mean! FORGIVE ME, MY GOD-KING!!" Joan roared. "No. There is nothing to forgive. You can speak your mind, and I will not punish you for it. It was indeed stupid..." Chapter 149: A Demon of the Heart! "My sweet beloved Leslie... At the time, I also had alternative motives as well... But I''ve fallen for her. I believe she has also fallen for me, though I have to admit, I''m not sure if I treat her right." "Then what''s the problem?" Joan asked inquisitively. "Ah, well... Even before my second Consort... There was, in fact, a female interested in me... The one you just met, Julia Verruca." Jack spoke to here and heard a resounding ''OOOooooh'' from Joan. "She is a strong-willed, well... Stubborn, and traditional woman. She still has feelings for me, but she can''t live with the fact that I already have a Consort, let alone two..." "So, if it wasn''t for Warmarshal Verruca, you wouldn''t have any problems," Joan asked oddly. "I can''t say that... There is still my second Consort," Jack admitted. "...Well just cut off ties with her, or let her know it''s either be at your side with your women, or she needs to look for a mate somewhere else. It sounds pretty simple to me." "But it''s not fair to her... That''s why I feel so bad about this." "It sounds like you need to be more decisive... I don''t understand." Joan''s voice portrayed her confusion. "Hmmm? What do you mean?" Jack asked in his own confusion. "How does the same undead take me out of my confinement with the confidence to cure my madness, and then set about getting me a new body with drive... And then comes to his office and wallows in self-doubt and indecisiveness?" "Well, this and that are two different things." Jack understood what she was saying. "Not really. You just apply that same feeling to your women and your unlife..." Joan advised. "Well, it hurts to see her acting..." [This Verruca has become a demon of the heart of my God-King...] Joan thought to herself, as she decided what to speak next. "Are you a man? I mean, my God-King, I do not wish to question your wisdom, but if I am allowed to speak freely as you have asked without punishment... Are you sure you are a man?" "What?" "What man cares? All males want is domination, no matter the race. So why are you caring about the feelings of one woman? Either push her away or take her... Stop this indecisiveness." "I told her I just wanted to be friends with the ability to be more, but it''s just a patch. I know this... I''m just putting off the future." Jack complained. "You already took a good step. Leave it at that! Friends and no more! Don''t concern yourself with her personal life. Leave everything professional, and move on with your current Consorts." Joan continued to advised. "Just forget about her? That doesn''t seem right... I wronged her the moment I choose Leslie over her. I never gave her a fair chance." "Again with fairness! Nothing is fair in unlife... shit, life either! So, you are unfair to her. Get over it, and let her move on if you have too. Leave it as is... Just make a choice, and stick with it. Why care at all? You have bigger things to deal with..." "Hmmmm... I guess I can only do what I have always done." Jack shrugged. "And what is that my God-King," Joan asked hopefully, thinking he had made a great choice. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "I''m going to stop caring. I''m too tired to care anymore... This might be a temporary fix, but it doesn''t matter." "...Can you just stop caring...?" Joan asked, because if he could... Why didn''t he do that, to begin with??? "I didn''t want to be like that, but I can''t think of a good solution, and all you have offered is make a choice for her. I would like her to make her own choice... But that is the problem isn''t it." Jack spoke to here, waiting for Joan to catch up. "...Why is that a problem...?" "Julia has too much pride as a woman, even if she is fragile on the inside. She will not pursue me. Remember she is a traditional woman. If I pursue her, that might pressure her into a choice, and if I do nothing, she will accept the status quo, forever longing." "Oh... I see... I guess that''s something, as well. I mean... If there was a male I liked, I would just tell them. I guess I don''t understand that kind of tradition." Joan spoke up to here. "And was there a male that you liked?" "Haha, no," Joan recalled. "Hmmm? A lady then?" "I might have experimented with soul bonding with my fair share of both sides, but I can''t say I had one I fancied either." "So you like both?" "I like the person and not the gender... Like, I like you... In spite of your self induced misery." "So, if I say lets bone, you would be all about it." Jack laughed. "Is this hypothetical, or should we start talking about how I like it?" Joan asked eagerly. "Errr... Yeah, but you would only do this because I''m the God-King, and not because of me, as a person." "...You lack confidence... How does one become a god like this??? This world is truly unfair..." Joan complained. Jack stood up from behind his desk, and slammed his fist on the desk, as golden sparks shattered and sprayed around him, "What do I have besides godhood! What do I have besides a kingdom! No one cares about me as a person, but only what I have or what I am! No one cares about who I am!" Joan quivered in her Jar at this outburst, "Then who are you?" She quivered from fear, but with excitement... [He was indeed the God-King! Such raw power!] Joan thought to herself. "Me? I... I am..." Jack sat back down slumping into his chair. "I''m no one... I''m empty inside. Nothing makes me happy..." "But you said you loved your first Consort... Doesn''t she make you happy? What about your second Consort? You haven''t said much about her." Jack waved his hand in the air, "I do like my second Consort, Emily... But she isn''t with me of her own free choice. I plan to give her freedom... She then can go search for her own love. Her, too, I have wronged." "Does she want freedom? I know, I don''t." Joan spoke up. "What?" "I don''t want to be free. I want to be bound to you, as your tool. Murder is what I do, and I hope you treat me well. If I was free, then I couldn''t murder." Joan commented. "Yeah, but you have a choice. I don''t think my second Consort has ever had a choice. My gift to her will be that choice." "Well, like I asked... Doesn''t your first Consort make you happy?" Joan pressed. "...Yes... She does, but I don''t deserve her." "Says who?" Joan questioned. "She''s too good of a woman... She tolerates the fact I even have a second Consort, and she even made sisters with her... She''s willing to put up with me being what I am. How can I compare to her?" "Is this a rhetorical question?" Joan asked slightly angered. "What''s your problem?" Jack asked while glancing at the Jar. "You can''t change you are a God-King! That''s not what you are! That''s WHO you are! You haven''t accepted what you are?!? How did this happen? You have two Consorts because you are this! You have power because this is who you are! Accept your lot! There are undead that are literally surviving with eternal hunger! Others may be buried to never see the Light of day, and only the erosion of time will release them from their torment! There are undead that don''t have homes! You have everything!" Joan roared! Jack slightly shocked by what he was hearing. "My God-King... You have everything, but you act as if you have nothing... Power is a burden but it comes with many boons... Have you lost sight of the reason you have power?" Jack thought over these words... The more he thought about it, the more he thought these words were right... This is what he needed... He needed someone that would challenge him! Not someone that would roll over and show their belly, when he appeared. Even though he had many depending on him, he was still lonely... He didn''t want to burden his Consorts with this nonsense anymore and was the reason he opened up to an undead he barely knew...! "I understand. I wanted the power to protect what I have, and to rule without equal," Jack spoke aloud. [I accepted being Jack Bonereaper, but I didn''t accept being God-King, or the power of my position... Well, damn it... I am me, and I am the fucking God-King.] Jack decided on his course of action. "Thank you, Joan. I think I have a course. It''s late now, where do you wish to rest? Here in my office or somewhere else?" Jack asked out of courtesy. [This demon has only been eased... It''ll flair again... I need to figure out how to help my God-King... His first Consort can help me.] Joan decided. "I wish to sleep beside you. Just take me to your room. I would also like to meet your Consorts." Joan spoke with her usual rough voice. Chapter 150: A long Day makes for a long Night Jack floated to his wardrobe room and Leslie''s handmaidens were waiting for him. [Do they always wait for me???] Jack waved his hand, and Joan''s soul jar floated to one side. After his garments were stripped, donning a simple robe, Jack picked up Joan''s soul jar, and his laptop, and went to his room. Jack opened his room door with a wave of his hand, and as he entered, he heard, "Welcome back, my Love." Jack looked to see his evening tome open, with Leslie sitting inside looking at him, as she smiled. "It is good to be back." Jack nodded, as he spoke in a pleasant voice, he then continued, "We have a guest tonight." Jack floated to the side to slip off his slippers, as he floated over to his desk. "So, Emily is hell-bent on reaping with you tonight...?" Leslie said with a slightly displeased voice. It wasn''t that she didn''t mind, but she wanted to have another night with only Jack. "Huh? I don''t think so..." Jack took the soul jar from his waist, "This is Warmarshal Joan." Leslie''s eyes widened as she looked at the inside of the clear soul jar to a dark royal purple soul floating around the inside. "So, Lucius has already brought her out? Don''t you think it''s a tad dangerous walking around with such a soul?" "Joan is a good girl, now. Isn''t that right, Joan?" Jack patted the jar. "My unlife for the God-King." The jar shuddered. Leslie covered her mouth, "You cured her insanity?" "Of course!" Jack nodded and placed the soul jar on the corner of his desk. Leslie thought for a moment and then realized that it wasn''t that surprising given that it was Jack that did it. She removed her hand from his mouth to smile again, "As expected of my husband," Jack chuckled, as a rough female voice spoke again, "This is your Consort, God-King?" "Why, yes. Joan, this is first Consort, Leslie. My future wife, and Queen of Deagoth." Jack introduced. Leslie felt a bit of warmth that Jack was willing to confirm their relationship with others, in such a manner. Not because of what titles he was bestowing, but because he acknowledged her. "It''s good to meet you, Consort Leslie." A smile could be heard in Joan''s voice. "You''re a lot more polite than I''ve been led to believe, Warmarshal Joan." Leslie giggled. "I can see why you favor your Consort, my Lord," Joan spoke again. "She''s the best." Jack nodded. "My Lord, do you have something to do for a little while. I''d like to talk to your Consort in private." Joan asked with respect. "Hmmm? What is it that you wish to speak with my Consort in private?" Jack asked in confusion. "...Girl talk..." Joan said cryptically. Jack mentally raised a brow, as he looked to his Consort, his eyes crackled ever so slightly. Seeing Leslie nod, Jack spoke again, "Sure." "Speaking of which, did you bathe your pet?" Leslie asked with a small laugh. "My pet...? OH! Damn... I forgot all about her... Haaaa~" Jack sighed as a certain little miscreant came to his mind. This day was too damn long... Considering it was well after the dimming of the Skull of the Sun God. Jack went back to the door and slipped on his slippers to leave again... "I''ll be back soon." Jack opened the door and left. Hearing the door click behind Jack, Leslie looked back over to the soul jar, "What does the famous Butcherer want to speak about with little ole me?" Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "It concerns my God-King, of course," Joan spoke bluntly. "Hmmm?" Leslie furrowed her brows. "He confided in me earlier tonight... Through this... I''ve learned he has a demon of the heart... Not even the God-King knows it, yet." "...Julia..." Leslie spoke with a tinge of anger. "So, you know?" "I suspected, but I couldn''t confirm... It slightly upsets me he confided in someone he doesn''t know well..." "From his own words, he said he didn''t want to burden you... I can tell he loves you greatly." [But I am yours to burden...] Leslie thought within her mind... A mixed feeling of being cherished and disappointment filled her heart. Cherished because Jack didn''t want to bother her, but disappointed because she wanted to shoulder Jack''s burdens. "Well... At least, I know for a fact now." Leslie commented. "The God-King has seen fit to gift me with another body tomorrow. I have overheard that Jack will allow the Verrucan to be present. I hope that you will not attend. It will be a good time for me to bond with the Verrucan. It seems that she loathes me, but also respects me... I take it she is the one that likes war." "Oh, Julia? She loves war. My love plans on taking over everything his light touches..." "This is good." Joan approved. "How are you going to convince Julia to join me and my sister Consort?" Leslie asked. "I''m not." "What?" Leslie didn''t understand. "The God-King said it is her choice, but he also said she will not approach him, and he will not approach her. It is because of this limbo that this demon will continue to fester. The best outcome is for the Verrucan to make up her mind. The God-King also said she is a traditionalist. She only believes in one male and one female... I vaguely remember the Verrucans to be like that... Though it''s only vague. I was busy murdering at the time, so I didn''t pay attention." "You''re going to drive her away?" Leslie tried to keep up. She wasn''t used to someone speaking so fast. "I don''t care what she does, honestly. It makes no difference to me. Stay, leave, lover, friend... I don''t care, but she needs to make up her mind. I can hear the tiredness in my God-King''s voice when he spoke. This demon is limiting him." "Why do you care?" "...I have my reasons..." Joan spoke cryptically. "So, you do. Speak then, or I will not help you." "You are more fierce than your appearance suggests." Joan complimented in her own way. "Speak it." Leslie pressed. "The God-King lacks confidence among other things... This demon weighs his heart down... An uninhibited God-King... Think about it! I could turn the land black with blood... War needs a master, and he could be that master. My glorious God-King, I get shivers thinking about it." "I see... You will have my aid." "I also want to talk about his second Consort." "Oh?" ******* Jack floated into the ward and found his target. What shocked him most was... [Is she crying?] Jack wondered in his mind, as he saw her nude back to him and her shoulder trembling. He could even faintly here sniffling. Jack silently floated behind the Vampire Princess, as he looked over, and, did indeed, see tears falling onto her lap. [What was her name?] Jack wondered while he watched tears continuously falling. He felt odd in his heart... He never liked it when women cried. Mentally snapping his fingers in his mind, he remembered and spoke, "Princess Eris... Why do you shed tears?" Eris stifled her snubs, as she jumped to the nearest wall. Like a spider, she clung to the wall in her nude glory, as she looked to where the voice she heard. Jack looked up high on the wall, as he saw her sticking to it. [It''s a good thing the ceiling is high in the ward.] Jack thought, as he watched her. "My god?!" She exclaimed, as she crawled down the wall, and darted into his embrace. Jack hesitantly brought his arms up to hold the girl, though he felt she would cling to him regardless, considering she could wall crawl. The God-King patted on his pet. "So...?" Jack asked expectantly. He felt Eris nestle herself closer to him. "Eris, were you crying?" Jack asked again. Eris pulled her face back to stare into Jack''s flaming eyes, "Yes... But everything is fine. See? I will smile for you!" As she smiled brightly to Jack. Jack looked deep into her eyes again, as he did, and still found that madness he first saw... Lust, and... Light... But stared deeply, as if he was trying to dissect her. Eris wanted to look away, as she knew her god was reading her soul... But she couldn''t look away, almost compelled to let her god do what he wanted. [What is this feeling?] She wondered with excitement! [It feels... I feel... I feel helpless, yes! That''s it... Oh, I feel helpless before my god.] Jack could see these emotions, but they were surrounded by a vast sea of sadness, and loathing... All the madness, all the lust, all the light... All of it was but a tiny drop in the ocean that was her sorrows. [She''s just like me...] Jack thought to himself. "MMMmmmm." Eris purred while being stared at by her god. [?!?] Jack was slightly startled. [Why is this vixen making such sounds...] As he realized that she had flushed. He took her under the arms, and held her out from himself, like one would do a cat, and looked at her from head to toe. She was without apparel, and Jack feasted on her beauty. Eris was now full-figured despite being tall, and no longer the sickly green, or the withered look. Her skin even had a slight glow to it, as it was a pale white. She had long black hair with a dark red tint when the light shined on it. Her face was perfection chiseled from marble, and Jack wondered just who could give birth to such a woman. Her bosom despite its large proportions was perky and defying gravity. [So, she shaves?] Jack mused as it took her all in, [I''m really glad I don''t have a flesh body.] Even as a skeletal undead, Jack found his thoughts wondering about what he would like to do if he had his old body. [Is she excited?] Jack could see her glistening. Eris''s face was a deep blush, and her chest was splotched pink. [Let''s just bathe her and try not thinking about it!] Chapter 151: A Bath with a Vampire Jack pulled her back into his embrace, so he didn''t have to continue looking on her. [Damn...] Jack cursed, as he thought about the woman in his arms, [She''s so damn pretty it hurts to look at her. Where the hell am I going to get water anyway...] Jack thought for a moment, while Eris calmed herself. She looked up at the flaming eyes of her god and wondered what he was thinking about... [Screw it.] Jack thought, as he mentally messaged, [Lucius are you up?] [Augh... What time is it?] [Like... one at night.] [That''s all? I''ve rested too long at my desk, but I''m up. What do you need, my Lord?] Lucius asked. [I need to bathe my pe- Forget what I was about to say... Do you have a room prepared for the Vampire Princess?] [Of course! The best.] [Have servants prepare a basin of water for a bath. She seemed to wish to be bathed, and... You know... Prepare a basin of holy water as well... I want to know something.] [My lord, are you sure? Holy water is more poisonous to Vampires than to Undead, and you already know how it affects us!] [I know the risks... I just wish to see.] [A whole basin... I could get a small cup...] Lucius advised, as in his mind, if the Vampire Princess just tripped into it... He shuddered the thought. [Trust me.] [As you wish my Lord.] [Send someone to guide me to the room, I have the Vampire Princess with me, in the Ward.] [Of course. I shall have them here soon.] Jack felt the connection break, as he looked back down at the woman he was holding. "Are you going to tell me why you shed tears?" Jack asked again, but he only saw the crazed smile of Eris reflected back. [I guess not...] As he was about to ask a second question, he heard behind him a rattling of a skeletal undead. Jack turned around, as he looked at a skeletal undead priest on his knees, "Go-God-God-King, your ser-serv-vant is-is here to ga-guide you." "..." Jack was not amused by the fear displayed by this priest. Eris was laughing at this priest''s reaction, as she was kicking her legs up and down in Jack''s arms animatedly. "What''s your name?" Jack asked casually, but to the young priest on the floor kneeling, it sounded like thunder ringing in his skull. "Ja-Jasper, my Lord." The young priest squeezed out. "Do you have a Title?" Jack asked as he knew undead were big on Titles. "Ah, y-yes! Priest Jasper!" "You do not have to fear me, Priest Jasper." "Y-yes, my Lord. I will show you the way now." Jasper kept his head down, as he hesitantly got to his feet, and walked into the hall to lead the God-King. Jack silently floated behind him, while carrying Eris. Through the corridors, it was a short walk for them, as they approached a very familiar room. [Wasn''t this Emily''s old room?] Jack wondered as it was indeed her old room when she was still known as Princess Ambassador Emily. "Thank you, young Priest Jasper... Is there anything you pray for?" Jack thanked him and then thought of something from earlier. "Ah... How... How could I pray for something...?" "I know better. Now speak." The God-King commanded, as Eris no longer laughed and wanted to know what would happen with great interest. "I... I wish to be more confident." Jasper whispered. "I see... Pray before me." Jasper kneeled and prayed in the way that he was taught within the pages of the Lexos Divinus Sanctus. Jack watched as a small thread of power formed and flowed from the Back of Jasper and enter into himself. He then waited a moment and let go of his control of the voices in his mind, and soon after heard a voice like Jasper. [I-I pray to be more confident... I also pray for the hand of Handmaiden Leona.] [...This young undead has more than one prayer, and the cheeky thing had the gall to not admit it to my face... Very well.] Jack waved his hand in front of Jasper, with his intention to give more confidence to Jasper. He didn''t know if this would work or not; it was just another test to see how this new power he used worked without spells. A small bead of light fell from Jack''s hand and entered into Jasper. Jasper felt a warm surge into his soul space and wrap his soul. It soon increased his cultivation by a whole stage! He was now a Grandmaster Ranked Cultivator! Just like that!!! If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "My Lord! You have blessed me?" "You have my blessing, so you now have confidence. Use this confidence to speak to Handmaiden Leona... If she is willing, then you have my blessing as well. If she is willing but isn''t able to because of other issues... Both of you can request my presence through the Grand Minister..." "Ah... Ah... YES! YES, MY GOD-KING!" Jasper threw himself on the floor in prostrate. The Young priest lept to his feet and dashed away down the corridors. While Jack watched this comical exit, he checked within his mind and found the voice of Jasper was quiet. If he wanted to know about Jasper, he could still connect to it, but it didn''t actively voice its prayer. [I''m certain... To control this God-Power, I have to answer prayers, or have the people pray without asking for anything in return." Jack nodded. As with a small wave of his hand, the door opened, and he walked in, with a dazed Eris. She had watched the whole exchange, and while she had no idea who Leona was... She could tell that her god didn''t know her, until the moment that priest prayed... This reconfirmed her own choices! Jack looked into the large room, and it was clean. [Oh, my me! Lucius you mad undead!] Jack looked at two basins of water. Once was fine, but the other had a large gold "X" painted on the side. [Hahaha, I take it that''s the one with holy water.] Jack laughed within his mind. He walked over to the evening tomb and laid the nude Eris inside. Jack pulled his large chair over, which was still left from where Emily occupied the room and sat. "Alright... I''ve catered to you enough. Now speak up. Why are you here? Why do you call yourself my pet? Lastly, why do you want me to be the one to bathe you?" Jack asked rapid-fire questions. Eris looked into Jack''s flaming eyes, as her hand disappeared below the lip of the evening tomb. Jack mentally frowned at her silence... "You were very verbal this afternoon. So, why are you so quiet now? Speak woman, or I will abandon you like a kitten." "No! NOOO!" Eris attempted to climb out of the evening tomb, as Jack waved his hand. She slipped back into the tomb. "Then answer me." "Anything..." Eris said while licking her lips while watching Jack... "Anything you want... Just don''t abandon your pet." "Then what I want is for you to answer my questions, or abandonment is what you get." "...Alright..." Eris sighed and drew in a breath. "My name is Eris Von Deadhart of the Sanguinary Empire, daughter of the current Blood Emperor, Blood Emperor Deadhart." Eris paused as she was telling, looking for praise. Jack remained silent, and so Eris pouted a bit before continuing, "I came for you, my god. My mother told me my god will feed me... So, here I am." "Who is your mother, and why are you my pet?" "My mother... My mother is Hannah Jawreaver. She was a famous adventurer, explorer, and archeologist." Jack could hear the sadness in her tone... Something had happened to her mother. [Adventurer, and with a sad tone... She died during one of her digs or is trapped by some crazy ruins... Well, or died from being trapped in one of her digs.] Jack mulled over the classics in his last world. "Why did she tell you to seek me out to feed you." "She... Well... She found..." "Wait... Can I finish this." Eris looked perplexed while looking at her god... Didn''t he want her to explain, but she bit her tongue with pleasure, anyway. "Your mother found some old ruins and explored it as usual. She found a prophecy about a God of Light, and you needed me. These ruins trapped her, where she passed on... Am I right?" Tears formed at the corners of Eris'' eyes, "How... How did you know?" She couldn''t help but ask. "Just a lucky guess." Jack sat a bit straighter, hoping she wouldn''t cry again... Enduring it last time was a bit tough for him. "Lucky? Then did you know I was trapped with her???" Eris pressed on and asked in expectation. "This... This I did not guess." Jack admitted. "Oh..." She slid back into the tomb. "If it''s too painful to talk about, I can talk to you tomorrow." Jack rose to leave. "I... But... Don''t leave... I want a bath." Eris sounded spoiled. Jack looked back over his shoulder, where he was about to float out, and found he couldn''t dodge the bullet. "Fine... I have an experiment I want to carry out. Climb out of the evening tomb and come over to the basins of water... Don''t touch either." Eris complied, as she crawled out, and over to the basins on her hands and knees. She looked up to her god with expectations. "Take your pinky finger and dip it into the basin on your left," Jack commanded, as this was the basin with the Holy Water. Eris, without resistance, did so. Jack waited, and nothing happened. [Hmmmm? Is it like I thought?] "Do this for the other basin." Eris took her hand out and used her other hand to do the same... No reaction. [As I expected... How mysterious.] "Eris do you know about Holy Water?" "Of course... Deadly." Eris said shortly. "You just put your pinky into a base of it," Jack said with a light laugh. "What?" Jack stood up and actually walked over to the basin with the gold "X," and pointed down at the water. "This is Holy Water. Watch." Jack slipped his hand into the water, and the water boiled around his bones. "Ah!" "See." Jack kept his hand submerged until the water came to a rolling boil. "I do! But... Doesn''t that hurt?" "I''m a God of Holy Light... Holy... Holy Water... It doesn''t hurt me. It boils, I suspect because I am still undead, but that''s just a theory of mine." "See if it will hurt you," Jack asked while leaning over the basin. Eris didn''t hesitate as she submerged her hold hand and arm into the basin. "It''s really hot!" She kept her hand and arm in the water, as it turned red like a lobster." "Wait... Pull your hand out as well." Jack pulled out his hand and commanded Eris to wait. He waited until the water was no longer boiling. He remembered watching Holy Water do this before when he got his baths. The Holy Water was now still. "Try it now." Eris slipped her hand into the water, with no reaction like before, but now she spoke, "It''s lukewarm, now... Why?" "I''ll have to do more testing, but I''m sure it has something to do with me, than with you." Eris nodded only understanding a bit. "Now, do you want to bathe in Holy Water as I do, or do you want to bathe in the plain water?" "Holy Water!" Eris jumped into the water, splashing a bit of the water over the sides. [I''m damn glad no other undead were around.] Jack sighed. Jack decided to take care of this crazy woman, for now, he grabbed a smaller bucket and dipped it into the water. Bringing it over her head, he dumped it onto Eris, who laughed, while enjoying the attention. Jack watched her reactions, but found she wasn''t childish acting, but... oddly seductive... Was this a ploy? Jack looked to the side, and grabbed a linen cloth, and proceeded to wipe her down. He dipped it into the Holy Water and started with her face. He paused at her lips, as he used his thumb bone to lift her lip a little at the corner to look at her gold fangs before he continued. Eris didn''t fight Jack in the slightest and only enjoyed herself greatly. Jack then cleaned her upper body and then her lower... Eris would moan when Jack would touch or wash certain places... But he paid no special attention to what he was doing but only cleaning... Using massive amounts of concentration on his part. Jack was about to finish, she Eris grabbed onto his hand that he was pulling back. "You didn''t clean everywhere..." She looked up to Jack with expectation. ******* Jack put Eris back into the evening tomb. "There are robes in the wardrobe. I expect you to wear them until We get your clothing situation fixed. Goodnight Eris." Jack quickly turned and left as fast as he could. It was almost as if he walked through the door of her room, as Leslie would... Eris smiled at his reaction as he left, as she thought, [My god is funny but too smart... Haaaa~ Let me enjoy his attention for just a bit more before he learns I know better...] Eris feeling much better than when she was starving, clicked the lid to the evening tomb, and began to entertain herself while thinking of her god. ******* Jack wasn''t sure how he had gotten to his room so quickly, but the door swung open wide, and he floated into his chamber. "Welcome b-" Leslie wasn''t able to finish her words before Jack had zipped into his tomb and popped the mechanism on the tomb to close. "So eager?" Leslie asked as she felt a probing to her soul. "Very..." "Of course!" Leslie allowed Jack into her soul space. Many pleasurable hours passed quickly as Jack played with Leslie''s soul to his heart''s content! Chapter 152: The God-Kings Guide to the Omniverse Jack popped the inside mechanism of his tomb; as the lid slid back, he floated out of his tomb. Leslie was left crumpled within the tome in a pile of sweat and exhaustion. It was currently the middle of the following day. "I-I think I am going to let Emily have her time with you, as often as she likes... I''m going to make a schedule. I don''t think I can keep up with you...!" Jack floated over to his shoe rack and slipped on his shoes. He turned to look at Leslie, as he waved his hand. She was pulled from his evening tomb, and gently positioned to sit on the side of the tomb. "Why is that?" Jack asked softly, as he floated over to Leslie. "I don''t have much experience, but talking with mom, I don''t think you should be able to provide so much... stimulation while soul bonding." [So, in other words, I''m the champ!] Jack thought to himself. "Well, I like playing with your soul. It''s not hurting you is it?" Jack asked with a concerned tone as he used the back of his finger to caressed Leslie''s face. "No... It''s endless pleasure, but I have things to do today..." Leslie patted her chest. "So, you''re telling me next time that We do this, you''re going to need more rest?" Jack chuckled. "That''s why I''m going to tag out with Emily. She doesn''t have anything to do, and she can also take care of you." Leslie said as she put her hand over Jack''s as he caressed her face. "I wouldn''t say that... She''s going to help with some alchemy to produce the new City." "She didn''t tell me she was an alchemist." Leslie looked up in thought, as she still felt fatigued. "I''m not sure how much learning she has, but she seemed knowledgeable." Jack looked over to his desk to a certain jar, "Joan are you still in there?" "Of course, my God-King." A rough female voice vibrated the jar. "Good." Jack nodded, as his hand left Leslie''s face, he reached into his evening tomb, and retrieved his laptop. Jack opened his laptop, and left it to float next to him, "Let me see something." Jack spoke aloud, "Tux are there parallel worlds?" "Reporting to Creator, according to theory there is the Omniverse. The Omniverse is composed of every conceivable world, reality, plane, possibility, and timeline. This information was published by Grand Archanist Anderson of the Undead Archanist Union pre-Lich King era." Leslie''s mouth gapped listening to this explanation, even Joan within her Jar stopped her buzzing and became still. "So there are multiple Elemental Planes, like the Plane of Death?" Jack asked. "No. Planes of Power, or as you call them Elemental Planes are singular instances in the Omniverse connected to every other world." "...Explain this with an example..." Jack asked such, as he was trying to process this information, and keep the voices suppressed within his mind. "Picture the Omniverse as a book. Each chapter is a world, with pages of history. Think of the Elemental Planes as the index for the whole book. The index contains the information of every world for a specific purpose or reason. There is a limitation, that every world has limited access to this index or Elemental Plane." "Why are there Elemental Planes?" Jack asked while rubbing his chin. "It is only theorized that these are the tools used by the Grand Creator to craft the Omniverse. There are no other theories that can explain this phenomenon." "Well then, if I strengthen this limited connection to, say, the Plane of Death I can access other parts of the same Plane that are only accessible to other worlds?" Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "Correct." "What are you going to do exactly?" Leslie interrupted Jack, this sounded really out there! Dangerous even... "Haha, Joan needs a new body," Jack replied, as he turned back to his laptop, not really answering. "Tux start a new project named Project Charon. Design a ritual that will increase the connection with the Plane of Death for a limited duration for a body summoning ritual." "Understood. Calculating time needed for project... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated 1 hour." [Huh? That''s not too bad.] Jack thought to himself. "...Ah... What was that???" Leslie asked. "That was my living tome! Pretty impressive, right? Made it myself." Jack said smugly. "No, I mean about multiple worlds and planes of power?" Leslie asked bewildered! "It''s best not to think about it." Jack didn''t think too much about it. He had known there were multiple worlds from the first day he was reincarnated. [Maybe I should put the words, ''DON''T PANIC,'' in big bold friendly letters on the back of my laptop...] Jack amused himself. Jack casually changed the topic, "What do you plan to do today." "I just received some reports, in fact... You might want to hear one of them." Leslie spoke, after a moment of thought. "Hmmm?" "One of my agents reports that Stonedge is the source of the Dead Tide, but I believe it''s Borda." "That reminds me, I''ve been meaning to tell you. Stonedge is, indeed, the source of the Dead Tide. It was created by a researcher named Vincent. Moreover, the rogue portions of the Grimnight Clan have sought out the Kain Family, and have been dissolved into the Grimnight Family of Stonedge. Ah, and most importantly Stonedge is in possession of Super Soldiers courtesy of the same researcher Vincent." Jack let one news bomb after another. "Are you sure? How do you know all this???" Leslie asked as she was always the one that knew everything within Deagoth. "During my time in the Light, I was able to listen to somethings." "I see... Then what do We do about the Dead Tide?" "Didn''t I destroy that outside of Souigak?" Jack asked in confusion. "One of the waves... There is another one making up outside of Souigak, and there are multiple waves pushing into both Stonedge and Borda..." "Oh... Well, then... If it comes, I''ll destroy it again, until I can come up with a better solution, at least." Jack paused, as he continued, "The Super Soldiers of Stonedge has me worried." "More than the Dead Tide? Why?" Leslie asked. "The Dead Tide is mindless from what I''ve seen... Super Soldiers would be intelligent... Intelligence is the greatest enemy." "You believe that Stonedge is the hidden dragon?" "Yes," Jack answered shortly. "In that case, I will get all my available agents to get as much intel, as soon as possible." Leslie took a step from the tomb''s edge, though a bit wobbly, she made her way to Jack, and pulled his floating self down to her level, where she kissed him on his bony cheek. "I''m off." Leslie giggled, as she left. She walked out the door and made for her room. She would need to bathe, and change her apparel... Jack watched the door close behind her, as he touched his face where she had kissed. "Do you still have doubts about your first Consort?" Joan asked. She had decided not to dwell on what she had heard earlier, and just keep to what she did best... Murder. "It was just a moment of weakness... We all have those." Jack spoke, as he mentally messaged Lucius. [Lucius, where is a good place to set up a ritual without much fan fair?] [I''d imagine the garden behind the Holy Palace.] [That sounds good. Send that young priest again to guide me there.] [Of course, my Lord.] Lucius replied, glad that the young priest made a good impression. Lucius had thoughts on promoting this priest if he could develop him more. Jack chatted with Joan for a few moments, until a knock at the door sounded. Jack floated over to Joan''s Soul Jar and attached it to his side with gold chains he conjured. He then opened his door, and outside of it stood Young Priest Jasper. Jasper kneeled immediately, but unlike yesterday by his side kneeling with him was a handmaiden of Jade. "Hello again Priest Jasper, this is?" Jack indicated to the Handmaiden, though he felt like he had seen her before. "This is Handmaiden Leona." Jasper introduced. "Ah, yes." "We meet again, my Lord," Leona spoke out, as she lifted her face to Jack. "I remember, you are one of Jade''s Handmaidens." "Thank you for remembering me. I will never forget your blessings." Leonda nodded. Jasper was astonished to know that the God-King knew Leona, as the God-King looked over at him. "Did you ask her Jasper?" "Yes, my Lord." "I take her presence is an admission of acceptance?" "Yes, my Lord. It is all thanks to your blessings." Jasper nodded and thanked. "That''s fantastic... I''d like to trouble you to lead me to my garden." The God-King asked well mannered to his servant. Jasper touched by the pleasantness of the God-King rose and took Leona''s hand into his, and they both lead him to the garden. When Jasper found that he was going to lead the God-King again, he quickly got Leona to come with him to show her to the God-King. He was so glad that the God-King approved. Jasper and Leona bowed to the God-King, as they left for their other duties, leaving the God-King in his garden. [I''m glad he showed me how to get here...] Jack was constantly amazed by the maze-like structure of the Holy Palace, and its grounds. Jack patted the soul jar on his side, "Well, Joan... In just a few hours, We will have you good as new." "I look forward to walking again, my God-King." Jack took a few steps into the garden path, while behind him crawling on the Holy Palace was a certain Vampire Princess wearing the garbs brought to her by Jade''s Handmaidens. She watched with interest, as Jack patted the Soul Jar. Chapter 153: Another Prophecy... Will they even end??? Jack took a few steps onto the path leading into the larger part of the Holy Palace''s gardens when he came to an abrupt stop. "It''s interesting to me that you think I don''t know you''re there," Jack said to the surroundings. Joan buzzed in her container, as she wondered who got passed her... She chalked it up to her Soul Jar interfering with her senses. Jumping from the side of the Holy Palace and appearing behind her god was Princess Eris. "It was never my intention, my god." Eris giggled with a seductive sound. Jack turned to see that at least the Vampire Princess was dressed. This eased his mind greatly. "Why did you not make your appearance known to me, and decided to stalk me instead?" Jack asked, with a slight chilliness. "I only wished to watch from afar..." Eris looked up to the God-King''s tall form. He was much smaller in his everyday robes, then his large ceremonial robes she saw him wearing. Jack fully turned to face this woman, as he spoke, "I have a difficult time believing your words." Jack remembered the look in this woman''s eyes yesterday. That crazy over the top gaze... That yandere look. If this woman hadn''t been the Vampire Princess, even Jack would entertain the idea of killing her immediately... He still wondered if he should. "I would never lie to my god." Eris smiled brightly. "...Then leave this place. Return to your guest chamber or find your servants." Jack waved his hand to dismiss her. "But..." Jack appeared in front of her in almost a flash, as Eris felt herself lift from the ground again... This feeling... The same as yesterday! Jack held Eris by her throat again, he didn''t squeeze as hard as he had yesterday, as he wanted to put more fear into her, than actually hurting her... After all what good would it have been to save her life, to only turn around to kill her today? Eris didn''t fight, but savor the feeling of asphyxiation, as her eye''s smiled to Jack. [Is... Is she enjoying this?!? You know what... She''s a yandere. I bet she is...] Jack mentally shook his head. Jack thought again, as he squeezed his hand slightly, Eris'' mouth opened slightly to expose her gold fangs and pink tongue. Jack brought her closer as he inspected her fangs again. [They look just like solid gold... How does that work? Hmmmm... She said I was right about a prophecy.] Jack came back from his thoughts when he realized that the Vampire Princess started to take on blue tones around her face. Jack released his grip, as Eris fell to the ground and began to gasp for air. Eris held her throat, while she looked up to her god. Jack looked down into those strange eyes again... [Haaaa... And she''s a masochist... Fuck my unlife...] Jack now had no idea how to deal with this Vampire Princess. If he continued to physically bully her, she would just enjoy it. [Let''s just hear out this prophecy first...] "Answer me this, and perhaps I will allow your presence for now. What prophecy?" The God-King rumbled out. Eris got to her knees as she looked up high above her into the flaming eyes of her god, as she spoke obediently, "I went with my mother on her last adventure to the supposed last temple of Alucard. The temple was maintained by his blood priests several eons before the Lich King, and they had left a prophecy behind. The Red Prophet, whose name is hilariously enough is, Scarlet Soothsayer. That''s like being named Blacksmith Blacksmith!" Eris giggled again. "I digress... She left behind a prophecy that my mother translated before her death. Of course, I memorized it." Eris cleared her throat, which still had some ache to it from her god''s grip, she spoke, "The gods have left. The gods will come. The worlds will be washed in sanguine and radiance. The blood race will need the favor of the light to cure the Malady. A dhampir of Malady should be offered to serve her god and herald the coming militus obitus." Jack listened, but became dumbfounded as he heard the last words, "Say that last part again..." Eris repeated the last line and then spoke before Jack asked, "I''m sorry... Mother said it was the only two words she couldn''t translate... I don''t know what militus obitus means." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. She hung her head as if she had done wrong. Jack asked with a flustered voice, "When was this prophecy, again???" "Ummm... I''m not sure really. Mother said it was several eons before the Lich King. I''m not sure how long an eon is, but I think it''s ten thousand years, so I would guess seventy thousand years before the Lich King." Eris said out loud in thought, putting on no airs of a princess. "..." Jack was left speechless, as he had decided to call his Super Soldiers the Militus Obitus after some thought... [Am I mistaken, and there is Latin in this world?] Seeing that her god fell silent, she asked, "Do you know what Militus Obitus is?" "I have a feeling that I just might know..." Jack spoke mysteriously. "I''ve done what you have asked may I accompany you?" "What can you do to ensure that you are not my enemy. While I do not believe you can harm me, I do not wish to see my Consorts, Servants, Subjects harmed by you or yours..." Eris descended into her thoughts and debated if she should actually go through with her plan... [Let''s just offer what daddy gave me to bring.] Jack waited for her to speak nonsense, so he could dismiss her... He had a ritual to complete, and he didn''t like wasting the hours of the Sun Skull when he had so many other things to do. "I have galleons of treasure to bring to you. I''ve sent a message for it to leave the other Kingdom''s port and go north. It will be a week or so, but they will arrive soon." Jack immediately dismissed, "Treasure doesn''t guarantee me anything, and if anything, it tells me that you are here to curry my favor. Begone now... I have things to do today." Jack turned his back and took a few steps. Eris showed struggle on her face for a few seconds until she called out, "Wait, my god... I''ll... I''ll offer my true heart to you!" ******* Mark sat at his desk within his Vacation home in Borda. What he called his Vacation home was also known as his base of operations in Borda. Mark hummed to himself, as he read a report. His wife, Princess Janet, was reading a set of books stacked beside her, as she was laying upside down on her favorite rug. Mark would sometimes glance over to see his wife happily reading on her rug, which gave him peace of mind. He looked out the window from time to time as if he was expecting something. Janet spoke noticing his look of anticipation, as she spoke, "What is it that you''re waiting on?" "A carrier bat." "Oh? What news has you waiting on pins and needles." "Good news, I hope... Before we left Jakahn, I had one of my servants take a message to the Mountain Ape Hermit." Mark nodded a few times. "Mountain Ape... Hermit... What is that supposed to be?" Janet asked as this was a silly name. Mark could tell this by his wife''s tone and facial expression she thought it was silly, "Don''t discount the name, just because the old hermit came up with it. The Mountain Ape Hermit was the master of General Russell." "Oh... That big monkey undead thing?" "Well... I don''t think he was really an ape, just that the cultivation tome he practiced with his master gave them both ape like qualities... Then again, he might just be an ape. I actually don''t know." Mark looked up in thought for a few moments. "So, what about his master?" Janet asked to interrupt Mark. She had unknowingly become more drawn in by Mark and his schemes. "Oh, right. The old hermit might just be one of the most powerful cultivators on the continent." "Really? Stronger than you?" "If he broke through like the local''s state he did, then he should be ancestor rank, like The Holy Witch King, or God-King, or whatever he calls himself now," Mark said with a happy note. "An-Ancestor Rank!?" "Right... Of course, my servant leaked a little of the news to him. I''m sure from his mountain he saw The Holy Witch King moving around, but I bet he didn''t know that his only, and I mean the ONLY disciple got pinched to death, haha" Mark chuckled in satisfaction. "That''s it?" Janet said slightly disappointed. "What do you mean?" "This is all to your plan? Just rouse some old gorilla bastard to fight The Holy Witch King?" Janet said as she flipped right-side up on her fur rug. "Who am I?" Janet giggled, "Mark, Master of Schemes, right?" "Darn right!" Mark laughed again with his wife, "If I get the missive that the old Hermit has left his mountain, then my people will move." "Alright, then what are they going to move about with?" Janet was getting excited! "Haha, Okay, okay! Obviously, if the old hermit shows up, crap will hit the fan, and The Holy Witch King will need to defend the Kingdom. No one else is strong enough to do it, so he''s going to have to show up! But if he''s showing up, who is going to guard the Skull of the Sun God?" "So, you''re still after the Sun?" "Of course! You need it, and I''m planning to get it." "How are you going to snatch away such a large piece of Glowstone without being stopped by the rest of the Kingdom???" "I still have some Undead on the inside of Deagoth, haha. In the best case, the Old hermit slaps the skull away in anger, and We just pick it up and haul it off, in the worst case... We''ll just blow up the supporting pillars and collect the pieces from under their noses." "Do you think you can get by the shadow guy, you keep harping on about?" "That is the only wildcard... If the skull is slapped away, then it''s going to be super easy to pick up, but if We have to get it within the City of Saigunrai... The Shadow will know what We are up too. Too bad I didn''t get enough time to smuggle in some Soul Eating Bombers." Mark said with a bit of sadness. "So, either way, you think you can pull it off?" "I''m about ninety percent confident if the skull is slapped, and about sixty percent if we blow it up." "Well, here''s hoping to success!" Janet giggled at Mark''s plan. She was very interested if it would work. A light tapping sounded by the window, "Ah, that must be the carrier bat now." Mark walked to the window, opened the seal, and reached out for the bat. He softly held the bat, as he pulled a little rolled message from the pouch on it''s back. Rolling out the message, Mark read it silently. Suddenly he gave a loud ha! "Even better! My servant was able to convey the message and completely piss off the Old Mountain Ape Hermit! Haha!" "How wouldn''t he be angry???" "No, no, I didn''t explain well enough. My servant was able to make a deal with the Old Hermit. The Old Hermit will slap the skull in exchange for the information we gave him about his Disciple. I have to remember to reward this one... They have exceeded my expectations." Janet clapped her hands in joy, "Do you think he will go to that colossal form again?" "If We are lucky, he will, because with that large form I''ve heard he''s connected to the skull. I want to know what happens if the skull gets knocked into oblivion... Will he follow it, Hahaha!" Mark and Janet laughed together and the ridiculous mental images they had of The Holy Witch King flying off into the distance! Chapter 154: Crazy on You "I don''t need another woman, so I don''t need your heart." Jack continued to walk. Shock showed across Eris'' face but was quickly replaced, as she crawled behind her god, "I don''t have to be your woman. I only want to be your pet, and you misunderstand what my heart is..." Jack, again, stopped and turned back to look at Eris, who had crawled her way up to his feet. "Do I look like I am in need of a pet?" Jack asked now annoyed. "My god... As for women... How can you not need another? That''s like saying you don''t need more money or more power... There is no such thing as enough women." "I''m a god. I can be the judge of that." Jack wondered how he misunderstood what her heart was... Eris paused, as Jack''s flaming eyes peered into hers, and for the first time saw hesitation flash across them. [This yandere knows reluctance? What is she on about?] Eris pulled her upper robes apart to show her chest, as Jack again got a full frontal. He didn''t look away but also wondered if this Vampire was an exhibitionist on top of her other fetishes. Eris took her right hand and placed it over the left side of her chest above her heaving bosom. She drew on her courage, as this would be the first and last time, she did this. She pulled back her right and with a look of determination, she made a bladed hand and drove it into her chest above where her heart should be. Blood with flakes of gold splattered onto the bottom of Jack''s robes, as he heard the sickly-sweet sound of bone''s cracking! Jack stood still watching the gore unfold in front of him, as he witnessed the Vampire Princess wiggling her hand back and forth to gouge into her heart! Jack looked up to see her expression and saw it was with pain... This masochist was not enjoying this...! After a count of three breaths, Eris griped inside her chest, which was now a large bloody hole. Bright red blood, with gold flakes, poured from her, as it stained her robes and the ground around her. After grabbing tightly, and Eris double over from her kneeling position, where she held herself up with her left hand, she pulled twisted her hand, and pulled out her still-beating heart! She held it in her hands, as she watched it continue to beat, she collapsed onto her left elbow, and fell over onto her back still in front of her god, still in front of him. Eris held out her shaking arm, now holding her heart outstretched to her god, as she spoke, "My h-heart... is yours, your pet''s heart..." Jack finally snapped out of his dazed state, [This isn''t the time for fatalities!] He kneeled on the ground quickly, and as he was going to shout at the stupid little Vampire Princess, he was again astonished to watch her chest start to heal from the inside out... He could see in the gaping wound that a new heart-formed, but it was a gray color, and not like the crimson and gold one she held in her hand. "Explain to me... What is this, and why have you done it?!" Jack was angry due to his confusion, as he raised his voice. Eris smiled weakly, as she heaved her breath. Relief from the pain she just endured began to wash in, as her chest began to heal. "This... This is my... My true heart. As long as my heart is in your hands, you hold my life. Crush my true heart, and I die... As long as you hold my heart, I cannot die, but to your hands only." Eris'' color began to come to her face, as her chest completely healed over. Jack reached out and took the beating heart from Eris'' hands. He held it, as it quivered in his hand and brought it up to look at, as he stood back up. He felt it pulse in his hands... It felt good to feel a beating heart again... Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. [Where in the hell am I going to put this...?] Jack mused for a moment, as a thought came to him... He did like the feel of it beating. Jack pulled his robe to expose his rib cage, as he stuck the beating heart into his chest cavity. With his intentions, the heart was suspended inside his rib cage where a heart should be held in place by gold chains that latch to his bones and sunk into the heart. Jack pulled his robe together, as he reached down and helped Eris to her feet. As he did so, Eris held up both her hands, while speaking, "Carry me." Jack mentally furrowed his brows, as he picked her up. It wasn''t like this was the first time he carried her... [I hope Emily doesn''t see this.] Jack thought to himself, then he cursed within his mind for throwing up a flag... Not everyone was like Leslie! Jack carried the Vampire princess using his left arm, while he patted, the soul jar on his right, as he continued into the heart of the Garden. He spoke to Eris, "Why did you do that?" "I... I''ve given you everything I have... Now you can trust me." Eris spoke, as she enjoyed being held by her god. "I can''t say I fully trust you, because I don''t know whose puppet you are... Your life might mean everything to you, but to your father, who I assume is a King, or to someone else that might be your master, you are a pawn." "Hmph! I am no one''s but my god''s pet... I''ve given you everything, what more do you want from me?" Eris became slightly ill, even with her god. Why didn''t he trust her! Jack paused his step to glare at the thing in his arms, "You''ve only told me a bit about yourself, and you rip your heart out for me... I do not deserve such from someone I don''t know. So, you are going to have to bear with me for a while." Jack spoke aloud but felt kind of like a hypocrite... He knew Leslie for only a day before he took her as his Consort, and knew Emily for about a week before he made her his second Consort... [Maybe if you weren''t bat shit crazy, I could trust you a bit...] Jack thought to himself, as he was tired of walking, he began to float and fly to the center of the Garden. "But... I''ve waited and wanted you my whole life... It hurts that you reject me... All that I am and will be, will be yours! Whatever you want, I will become! If you want a General, I will lead. If you want a soldier, I will kill. If you want an advisor, I will direct. If you want a servant, I will serve. If you want a slave, I will kneel. If you want me to be all of these, I will learn..." Eris looked up, and rubbed her god''s face, as she felt chills in her body, from the touch of his bony face... He seemed to ease the ache in her chest from her new heart. Jack landed in the middle of the Garden in an expansive area, surrounded by black and white roses, and large briars. He looked back down to Eris in his arm, "So, your life is mine, but who are you? Maybe later you can tell me who you are first before I decided what I want you to be... Don''t forget who you were just to please another, even if they are a god." Jack floated to the side, and gently place Eris on the ground to the side of the wall of flowers. Eris sat on the dusty stone tiles that lined the inner Garden in a daze. In all her life, she had not stopped to question who she was... Ever since the day her mother died in her arms... She only had a single goal in life. Jack went to the middle, and took out his Laptop, as it floated in front of him. He flipped it open, to see that he had five minutes left for the ritual crafts to be calculated by Tux. [What the hell am I going to do for five minutes?] Jack wondered to himself, as he decided to pay his soul jar. "Hmmm?" Joan was rattled after being patted so hard, this was unlike his normal patting. "Joan, what do you think of the Vampire Princess?" "Is that what she is? I wondered as I haven''t seen red blood in a long time. I know you said that yesterday, but Vampires haven''t been seen on the continent since the before the Lich King era." Joan spoke in a rough voice. Eris was far enough away, that she could hear her god talking, but she didn''t know to who, or what was said... She was mostly still pondering over who she was... She would have to leave where she was and venture across half the center of the Inner Garden to hear him, even with her hearing. Jack wasn''t bothered by talking in front of Eris either, he knew she couldn''t hear him since he could hear her. Even if she could, he wasn''t worried as sitting within his rib cage was the woman''s heart. He would have Tux later run as many tests on it as he could... He had some ideas for this heart. [Does everyone use the Lich King as the bookmark of History???] Jack wondered, as he began to speak. "Yes. It seems she''s one of their princesses." "One of? What makes you think she isn''t the only one?" "No King is going to have their only daughter venture out." "She seems a bit off, so their King could be getting rid of her." "True, but I''m sure he would have other children." "Of course, my God-King," Joan replied respectfully, yielding. "So, you also think she''s off?" "...My God-King... Listen to me... I lost my mind, and only recovered when you cured me of my madness, right?" "Yes..." Jack wondered where this was going. "I don''t think you can cure her... Or..." "Or what?" "She is the best actress I''ve ever seen. Either way, I would be wary of her." "Noted," Jack spoke, as he placed his hand into his robes and between his ribs. He touched the beating heart within his bones... The steady rhythm reminded him of a time when he had one. Eris who was still in thought felt a tightness in her chest, as she looked up to see her god''s back. She smiled, as she knew he was touching her heart... [Maybe he doesn''t hate me. Then it''s only a matter of time...] She thought to herself. As Jack was gently touching Eris'' heart, he heard his laptop sound. [Just at the right time!] Jack nodded, as he withdrew his hand. Chapter 155: The Beginning of a Breach into Death "Reporting to Creator, Ritual is ready for your review." Jack peered at the screen, as he familiarized himself with the new spellwork. The first page had a giant warning, showing the image of large red "X." [This is very different than the usual spells that are crafted... This almost seems like the information to cross over into the plane of Light...] Jack muttered to himself, "Can only breach the barrier between different sections of the Plane of Death with the base cultivation of an ancestor. Attempting to complete the connection with the breach prior to obtaining this cultivation base may result in soul damage, soul dispersion, and possibly true death." [This is almost exactly like the time with the plane of Light... It even sounds almost exactly the same.] "Tux with my current cultivation will there be a problem?" "Allow Tux to scan Creator." Jack stood still and held his arms outstretched, as the Laptop produced a beam of yellow light that scanned Jack from top to bottom and from left to right. After completing this scan, a total of seven times, Tux finally reported, "Creator''s cultivation is split between his soul and his pseudo-soul. Using Creator''s pseudo-soul will allow him to complete this operation successfully, unlike his first excursion into the Light." [This...!] Jack was slightly embarrassed that this damn thing pointed that out... "Then I should get started." Jack tossed that penguin''s snide comment to the side. "Creator, one last warning." "Hmmm?" Jack looked back to the laptop. "Because Creator is drawing power from his pseudo-soul and not his actual soul, there will be a limitation." "What is it?" "According to the research notes of Soul Exarch Bishop of the Kadari Empire, Pseudo-Soul power is non-replenishable, unlike power drawn from your soul." "So, if I use the power from my God-Soul, then I''m not going to get it back, and it will be weakened?" "If God-Soul is what the Creator is referring to as pseudo-soul, then yes." [So, if I complete the ritual, it will leave me weakened... Hmmm... That''s about the right time for something stupid to happen.] Jack thought to himself, as he brought his hand to his chin in thought. [What''s the worst that will happen...? Soon as I''m done with the ritual some random ass baddie jumps out of nowhere and whips my bony ass... That sounds about right. That or someone attempts a coup d''¨¦tat.] Jack resurfaced from his thoughts, as he reached out to Leslie, [Are you currently busy?] [I''m always busy, but what''s my husband need?] Leslie''s interesting voice sounded in Jack''s mind. [I''m about to complete a very powerful ritual to get Joan the Butcherer another body. She will be very useful for Our armies.] [You have my approval if that''s what you''re asking.] [Good, then I have one request.] Jack spoke, but he felt kind of bad since he wasn''t seeking her approval. [Hmmm?] [I''m going to enter a weakened state for a bit afterward and will need to recover... I don''t want any undead to get funny ideas about messing up the kingdom while I''m like that. I shouldn''t be weakened for a while.] [How would anyone know, and who would come up against the accepted god of Deagoth?] [Just a feeling. I''m sure it''s nothing.] [Alright. I''ll increase patrols. Do you want me to contact Julia, or do you want to?] This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it [...I''ll do it...] [Alright. See you later tonight.] Leslie said with a smile in her tone, as Jack felt the connection break. [Haaaa~] Jack mentally sighed. [Julia are you busy?] Jack mentally messaged. [I''m running maintenance on my armor, so I''m not unavailable.] A cheery voice was heard. [She''s in a good mood.] Jack thought to himself, before he messaged again, [In that case, I would like to trouble you to increase the defense of the City.] [What''s wrong.] Julia''s voice turned stern instantly. [I''m going to complete a large ritual, and it will leave me in a weakened state for a short time. I''m just taking precautions. I don''t want anyone getting funny ideas, within the Kingdom or outside of it.] [Understood. I''ll be heading out. Let me know when you''re done with your ritual.] [Of course... Oh, hey Julia.] [MMmmm?] [Thanks.] [Haha, No problem!] This simple thanks really filled Julia with a burst of energy! Jack felt his connection break with Verruca, and now the most important call. He reached out searching for the connection he wanted using his powerful God-Soul, and finally, he found it. [Jordan.] [My lord! How can I be of assistance?] [Where are you currently?] Jack asked. [I still remain within Souigak. The faithful here have increased since your grand display against the Dead Tide Menace.] [That is very good, as I am in need of some snappy prayers.] [Snappy?] Jordan did not catch the reference. [I''m about to perform a powerful ritual, and it will weaken my God-Soul. I will need prayer to replenish my strength.] [Ah, of course, my Lord. That can be arranged. I have advised staggering mass prayer, as not to burden you, but if you are going to expend a great deal of power, then I see no issue. It will take me a few hours to call for a quick mass, but once we do so, you should receive the power quickly. Make sure you have completed whatever it is that you are doing then... If you receive too much prayer before you can refine your God-Soul, then you will be consumed by madness.] Jack held his head... [When did Jordan become so talkative.] Jack wondered to himself but noted everything he said. [God-King, I also have something I''ve been meaning to tell you. So, I am glad you have reached out to me.] [What''s that?] [It''s something that came to me through lucid dreaming, but... It''s only one line. Forgive your prophet for not being clear enough.] [It''s a prophecy?] [Of course... What good are prophets if they do not give prophecies.] [I''m not surprised, what is it?] [Thank my Lord for his forgiveness!] Jordan praised. [That''s the prophecy???] [Ah, no my Lord, I''m just praising you for your godly forgiveness! I''m unworthy of your kindness.] [...] [Ahem... In a cage, a beating heart is bound; and by faith, the heart will be crowned. Blood and Light bound together, as enemies drown, least the Malady eats her sanity.] [The last one didn''t rhyme... Why does this one rhyme?] as he mentally messaged back, [Thank you, Jordan.] [This is what I should do... Be at ease, God-King. I will put my unlife on the line to accomplish this mission.] Jack felt the connection break immediately as the last words of Jordan. [I can say a lot about Lightboi, but he takes his prophesying serious.] Jack nodded. "Alright. Let''s do this!" Jack pumped himself up, as he pointed his finger and as he drew in the air, gold lines began to take shape on the ground. Joan and Eris, who now snapped back to reality, marveled at the runic lines being drawn. Neither had ever seen a ritual completed in this manner, but neither were experts on this subject. Joan was more of a martial warrior in Cultivation, whereas Eris had only seen Ritual''s drawn in every element but Light... After all... She was the only Vampire crazy enough to attempt to cultivate the light, and lucky enough to meet a god of the same element. After another half an hour of drawing, Jack finally completed the complex lines that intersected and formed many integral patterns. [How easy would this be if I made a program for this... Wait.] Jack rapped his noggin... [I should have had Tux develop a spell to draw this... I''m a moron!] After moaning in his mind for a moment, he went back to work. He took the soul jar from his waist per the instructions and placed it in the center of the formation. Jack floated back to the edge of the formation and placed his hands outstretched, as he looked over to Eris. "Hey, Princess... I''m going to give you a bit of trust. Watch the area, and make sure no one can disturb me, but do not hurt anyone. Simply keep them at bay. Can I trust you for this?" "Your pet will guard!" Eris got to her feet quickly, but slightly dazed... It seemed she wasn''t used to her new heart just yet, and it would take time for it to strengthen. Even so, this was her first task given to her by her god! She would rather die than be unable to complete it. Jack shook his head... Just why did she call herself his pet? At any rate, he wasn''t counting on her for anything, he only told her to do this to keep her busy and not bother him. Jack went back to what he was doing, he cleared his mind best he could and started to speak the incantation for the ritual. "Go g''we fal''are oph Deag''we god to, Go g''we fal''are oph Deag''we god xall, God za''neaxew g''we jeil, God xall oph Deag''we, ard Deag''we heeds god xall!" As Jack ended on a high note, a rare Underworld occurrence appeared... Storm clouds appeared on the edges of Saigunrai and rolled in to cover the City, with the Holy Palace Gardens as the central focal point. None of the citizens of the kingdom, let alone Saigunrai, had ever seen weather in the Underworld like this. Powerful lavastorms from the Brimstone Ocean contained Lightning, but none without... With Lightning flashing in the skies above them as thick as a Zombie''s thigh cracking out, the citizens left work early and went back to their homes. Verruca''s guards and the City Militants kept the order, as they stated it was only the God-King that was doing his work. This statement did well to calm the masses, as each home of the faithful found themselves praying to the God-King. Jack''s flaming eyes intensified, as he began to move his God-Soul into the forming portal in the sky. Chapter 156: The Breach into Death The skies above Saigunrai flashed with Lightning. Cracks and peels of thunder rumbled continuously, as if without end. Even after the residents were informed that it was the God-King at work, they huddled in their homes taking shelter praying. Many didn''t have the courage to look outside their homes. Verruca stood on the north gate wall, as one of the best places to view the city. She looked to the nexus forming over the Holy Palace. [He didn''t call for me...] Verruca knitted her brows slightly. [But... Just what kind of ritual are you performing, Jack?] ******* Leslie just completed her briefing with her Agents of the Silent Scream. She heeded Jack''s words. In her time with Jack, she found that he had an uncanny ability to predict things. She didn''t know if he was able to see the future, or just felt the lay lines in the Light or some other mystical art she didn''t know. Hearing the cracks of Lightning outside, she slowly came to a window to look out. She frowned as she looked at the clouds in the sky that were briefly illuminated by the Skull of the Sun Skull and the constant flashing. [Jack... Just where are you getting this body from???] Leslie too questioned in her mind. ******* Emily was sitting at her desk in her new room provided, now that she was a Consort, though she stayed within very little since she began sleeping in Jack''s tomb... As she studied the Formula making notes, she marveled at some of the interactions. She continuously wondered how Jack''s living tome could conjure such a formula! [I''m going to have to get a higher-ranked Alchemist to help me with this... This is just too incredible.] Emily thought to herself, as a crack of thunder rattled her window panes. Emily looked out to see the lightning flashing, [What''s going on today? Is Jack doing something again?] She wondered as she got up from her desk to go look for Lucius. He should know more alchemist to help, maybe the Kingdom had a royal alchemist like Neolith... ******* Jack''s outstretched hands pulsed with radiating power that gave a golden hue to everything surrounding him. He felt astonished and wondered why so much was going on, as when he connected to the Light, it wasn''t this big of a deal. After a few moments, seven lightning bolts in the sky formed an electric heptagon above him, as they broke the shape and headed to the center formation. They stroke down one after the other. Jack knew the next step, as his body shuddered. He wondered if this was what Leslie felt when she gained her Banshee form... He would ask. From Jack''s bones, golden light shined as it flooded the area with Light. Eris looked on but was blinded by the radiance, as she continued to look in vain even at the possible cost of her vision. Jack''s right hand and arm ripped from his body, as it began to expand exponentially as it moved up into the sky. Just as Jack''s god hand reached into the sky, he grappled into the air, as if he was holding onto something. Something that no one in the kingdom that had the courage to watch knew was... Jack''s left arm followed, and the strange scene of two gigantic golden god arms both holding onto some invisible object in the clouds of the sky appeared. It would look even more strange if they saw these enormous arms extended from the Normal body of the God-King. Jack twisted his god hands to the side, as he pulled them as hard as he could. His body began to rattle as he put more force into it. In the cloudy sky, the backs now faced each other, as Jack pulled with all his might. As he pulled, a rip in the sky could be seen. A terrifying baleful light shown from this tear in the sky shined down in a dark light. It illuminated and bathed the city in a pale blackish-purple hue. Undead that before had the courage to look felt sharp pains in their minds as they looked on... Those with lower cultivations now had to look away from this new development. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jack finally enlarged the tear to accommodate his next move. With another shake of his body, from the top of his crown emerged his increasingly enlarged God-Skull. He let go of the tear, as it stayed in place, as his form slide into the rip. From below, those with the power could see the pelvis of the God-King in the sky, as the rest of his form entered into the void tear. Verruca on her gate looked in astonishment at the development, [He doesn''t have any shame, showing his ass to the world.] She facepalmed but didn''t look away. The light flood subsided, as Eris looked up to see the golden pelvis of the God-King in the clouds, [It''s just like in my dreams!] She thought to herself, but it was unknown if she dreamed of this moment or dreamed of simply seeing the God-King''s pelvis... Jack''s God-Form breached into the Plane of Death, as his skull rose through the void tear into the Plane. His flaming eyes and golden radiance that now shined on his back brought light to the infinite dark of the plane. Jack looked around as he was horrified by what he saw. He had braced himself for what a place like the Plane of Death would be like... but this... He saw endless... Countless... bodies... parts... bones... fields, for kilometers on with no end! Everybody was nude, and there were no other things here but dead. No blood, no other fluids... No water, and no light. It was silent except the continuous pattering sick dull thudding sound of fleshy bodies landing upon each other. There was no sky he could see, and no stars beyond. He couldn''t see where these bodies came from... It was either because his light didn''t shine far enough to see, or there wasn''t anything. Jack felt like he didn''t want to know. It was bodies and parts on bodies and parts. Heaps and mountain ranges formed from the countless cadavers. What Jack first thought was rain was more dead falling from the sky landing on top of the old bodies to form a new layer. Jack had no idea how deep the dead went, or even if it had a bottom to this realm. Now fully emerged into the Plane of Death bodies were raining down on him. Jack quickly made the void rip around him smaller, least these bodies leak into his world... He had no idea if that would cause any issues, but he didn''t want to find out. Jack didn''t feel sick from what he saw but horrified that such a place existed. Thankfully this feeling only occurred for a few seconds before he shook his head, to clear his thoughts. After all... He saw dead bodies on the daily, considering that his entire kingdom, him included, where made of walking dead. He brushed off some of the cadavers from his shoulders as if brush off dust sending the bodies flying into the dark beyond his light. Jack then lifted his hand into the air and drew the same diagram he had before. The two formations connected between the Plane of Death and his down below. It lit up with a glow of power, and a beam of light shot through the darkness beyond. [Crap... I have to follow that...] Jack said, as he decided his task. His upper body enlarged again, increasing to radicicolous proportions, as he lifted his right arm to follow the trail of light given by the formation he set. This trail would lead to his target. Jack''s arm crossed countless leagues of dead fields. He could see as he followed his hand with his sight the countless dead. Creatures that he had never seen or heard of were illuminated by his light, while the most common of all dead where... Human looking bodies, though they came in many different shapes and sizes. [Is that a wolfman''s body?] Jack saw some interesting details as his eyesight traveled along with his hand. Abruptly, his hand met resistance. It was like an invisible wall that blocked his way. [This must be the barrier that Tux spoke of... Well easy does it...] Jack pushed against this barrier ever so slightly, until... CRACK! [Shit....] Jack shattered the veil between his plane of death and one of the adjacent world''s... [I really hope this isn''t going to bite me in the ass later...] Jack thought, and then wanted to cry, [I really need to stop throwing up damn flags!] Jack decided he had enough, as the bodies were piling upon his arm and around him. No amount of brushing them off stopped them from piling up again from the corpse rain. Jack finally found the end of the beam now that he was able to cross the veil. He found that the beam went deep into a large cadaver mountain. [Haaaa~!] Jack reached into the mountain, as he tried to gently move around. After a few moments, he found his target. He gently grasped it, and pulled it from under the mountain, and brought it back quickly. He opened his hand to see the body he pulled. It looked exactly like he imagined. He mentally frowned when several bodies from the corpse rain fell into his hand. Jack carefully plucked the other bodies, and shield his hand, until he was able to close it again. Jack took one last look around... In the illuminated darkness, he saw something that caught his eye. He took his left hand and quickly covered the corpse to prevent other cadavers from piling on top of it. As he gazed at it, he saw it was the corpse of an enchanting female. He felt an unexplained drawing to this corpse. He looked at its face and had never seen it in his life or unlife, and knew it wasn''t someone he knew. It had a classic Roman face with full lips, and a tranquil expression, as if the corpse was only sleeping. It from the rib cage up was fleshy, including the arms, with an above-average bust size but shapely in nature bosom, but from the rib cage down was all skeletal. Its skin was a pretty pale blue, at least Jack thought it was a pretty pale blue color. Perhaps this corpse died in something like flesh-eating acid, so only half the body was skeletal, Jack wondered. What struck Jack most was that this corpse had a head of long thick spider webbed hair... He wasn''t sure it was actually spider webbing or was true hair, but it looked damn close to Emily''s. Jack looked around and seen no other skeleton like it. He was even more impressed that it was a complete corpse atop a pile of other bones and bodies. [Spider web hair... This can''t be a coincidence.] Jack took his left hand and reached over and took the body, before descending back down from where he came. Chapter 157: Even a God-King can make a Mistake... Jack slid out of the void tear in the sky, as various flashes of lightning thundered around. When he was fully out of the tear, it gradually closed in the sky, and with a small ''zip'' sound it disappeared in the clouds. His form receded back into his skeleton, as his two large hands laid to bodies on the ground just outside his hand-drawn formation, that now no longer glowed. His golden God-Form now sunk into his original body, and he took a step and fell to a knee. [Oh, shit...] Jack felt like he just ran a marathon, as he a feeling of heaving... This strange sensation wasn''t lost on him, as he had felt it in his previous life, but hadn''t felt it since becoming undead. [Is this... ha... ha... What''s call soul fatigue? Ha... ha...] Jack hassled in his mind. He waited so badly to draw air into lungs he did not have. [This...] Jack probed his God-Soul, and felt that what use to be Ancestor Ranked was now King-Rank... He fell two entire ranks for his journey into the Plane of Death. [Tux wasn''t screwing around... Good thing I already contacted Jordan, otherwise I don''t think I could message him now...] Jack''s vision was off, as he was checking his internal situation, as he felt someone to his side propping him up... Helping him. Jack''s flaming eyes burst into light, as he looked to his right, to see Eris helping him stay on his knee, instead fall to the ground. [...Why is she helping me?] Jack wondered as he looked into that crazy thing''s eyes. Jack used his other hand to reach into his robe and through his rib cage to brush against Eris'' heart to see if it was still there. It was still there, and it was still beating. Eris shuddered and gave an oddly wide smile to Jack with a tilt of her head. [...] Jack got back to his feet with Eris'' help, "Thank you, Princess Eris." Eris was stunned for only a moment before she responded, "Call me... Call me your Eris." "...I''ll check with my First Consort before I call you such a name..." Jack spoke slightly for a moment. Eris'' expression stiffened as a funny look crossed her eyes. This look didn''t escape Jack''s notice, even in his weakened state. Now on his feet, he reached out to grab Eris'' neck, [I hope I''m still strong enough to get her attention, even if she likes this kind of thing...] Jack gripped her throat and brought her to his front. "Princess Eris... You will not hurt anyone that I don''t tell you too... You will not kill anyone that I don''t tell you too... Do you understand me?" Jack''s heroic voice carried a chill in the air, but unmistakable tiredness could be heard laced in the words. "Then... Then you will..." Eris coughed, as Jack loosened his grip slightly, "You will crush my heart?" Eris smiled widely. "No... I will give it back to you, and banish you... Never to see me again or be near that which is mine." Jack said solemnly, as his left hand grabbed the heart in his rib cage lightly, as if not to crush, but to pluck it from himself. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. For the first time, Jack saw a look of pure horror cross Eris'' beautiful face. [Ah, so I finally found your weakness.] Jack thought in relief, he had wondered how he was going to control this yandere, [Let''s not push her too hard...] "Listen to my words, and I will not do such a thing." Jack released his grip and brought her into his embrace. Eris startled by the sudden treatment hugged onto her god. "I do not need a... Pet... That will not obey its master." Jack decided to put this into words she used. Eris in Jack''s embraced nodded, and responded with a happy tone, "Your pet will listen. I will not harm anyone or kill anyone without your word." "Good girl." Jack took his left hand out of his robe from the heart and put it on Eris to pat her head. "Let''s see my spoils," Jack said with a more natural tone. He took a single step, as shaky as it felt. He was trying his best to look strong in front of Eris, least she gets ideas... Jack felt he had to make sure he was the strongest in her eyes, even when he was weakened. Jack spoke to the soul jar in the middle of the dimmed formation, "Joan are you still with me?" "Yes. I''m still here, my God-King." The Soul Jar buzzed. Jack looked to the side and waved his hand. His laptop wiggled slightly but did not come to his hand. [...Right... Weakened...] Jack thought to himself, as he turned his steps and walked to the laptop, he left floated to the side. He began to type into his laptop his spell to remove and to reinsert souls, with the hope Tux could improve them, even if it was only a little. Eris stood to the side with her god watching his actions and wondered why he tapped on the pages of his living tome. Jack completed his entry and then spoke to Tux, "Alright Tux... Please refine this spell." "Creator, what is the purpose of this spell?" "The first one is to remove the soul, and the second is to reinsert the soul." "Does Creator wish to have the soul remain the same, as it was prior to extraction and reinserting?" "...Yes..." Jack had a bad feeling from this line of questioning. "Tux understands and will reconfigure the spell work." "Wait... Tux with the current spell work will this cause issues to the soul to perform this operation?" "Reporting to Creator, this spell work does not shield the soul from your direct power or the influence of the world. It would cause a near-death experience, with uncertain side effects. To put it in simple terms, it would be like taking a fish out of water and holding it in your hand." [...] Jack went silent for a moment, as he watched his laptop go to an hourglass icon... He knew Tux quoted a short time to reconfigure the spells, but his thoughts drifted to Jordan Lightborn, and Jennifer Dunnder... [HOLY FUCK! Is that why Jordan turned into a batshit crazy fucker?!?!? But, but, but... That doesn''t explain how he knows so much shit about me?!?! Oh crap... Is Michael''s sister going to turn into a prophet too? I hope she doesn''t get creepy like Jordan... Aye shit, shit, shit... I really screwed up this time.] Jack held his head in his hands. Eris approached him from the side, as she spoke, "Did the ritual cause you pain?" She touched the side of her god''s bony hand while he held his head, as she thought he had over withdrawn on his power reserves... A sort of temporary magical sickness of the soul. Jack removed his hands to look into Eris'' eyes to see concern... "No... I just realized the reason for some of my troubles." "Oh?" Eris spoke thoughtfully... She heard what the living tome said... But she didn''t quite understand what it meant. Removing souls? She knew about removing blood, tissue, organs... but souls? This was a gap in the research of magic between the Undead and the Vampires. [Wait¡­ That doesn''t explain why Jade''s Handmaiden''s called themselves Lightborn¡­ I Absolved them¡­ Should I have Tux review the Latin I speak???] "Spellcraft complete, ready for review by the Creator." Tux sounded, as it distracted Jack from his train of thoughts. "Great." Jack read the page and nodded a few times. [Well... Now that I''m reading it... It does make a lot of sense. I wish I knew this a few months ago.] Jack turned to walk to the center of the formation, where he picked up Joan''s soul jar. He then walked over to one of the two exposed bodies. Jack walked to the side of the body he had found for Joan. He lifted Joan''s soul jar above the body so that she would get a good look. "See Joan? This is what I''ve been preparing." "H-How? This doesn''t make sense?!?" "Haha! God-King, Joan! God-King!" Jack laughed, as Joan continued to survey her body. Chapter 158: A Legendary Corpse Body With the last crack of thunder in the sky dying, and the clouds slowly dispersing, Jack approached the body and took a look at it, as well... He knew what he had done, even peeked at the corpse, but this would be his first good look at it as well. With the soul jar being held out by him, his gaze fell upon the body of Joan. What surprised Joan, and her to continuously question how this was possible is that... This was her original body! This was her body she had before she died! It was here!? [How did my God-King get my body!? I know for a fact right before death, I struggled for control and tore it apart!!! So... How??!?] Joan continuously went back over the hazy memories of her past in her mind. While Joan was raving in her mind, Jack took the time to look at his spoil. It was a female body for obvious reasons in Jack''s opinion. It was a zombie undead body, with the exception of her left arm being a pure skeletal arm. Her soon to be body again, had a slit on its throat, as if someone tried to cut off her head. Joan''s body was average height, about the same as Leslie, but the body was very muscular. He could see well-defined muscles all over the body, with a well-toned skin color that paled, now giving it a pale wheat color, but what drew Jack''s attention first was the hair. Her body had a head of snakes... Dead snakes, but snakes never the less... [A gorgon?] Jack remembered Medusa and her sisters in his last life... This was clearly a gorgon-like one of the many creatures he fought or allied within games he used to play... Usually allied with. Jack never expected to see a different species of zombie. He had seen undead in all shapes and sizes, but they all looked to be pure human... Or were... "Say, Joan?" "Y-yes, my God-King?" Joan was interrupted from her disbelief... This was her body just as she had received it when she was eighteen that year, she received her coming of age ceremony! Its right ear was still intact!!! "This body... Is a gorgon''s?" Jack asked questioningly. "...Yes... My body is the Legendary Gorgon Corpse Body... This... This is my true body. ...How did you do it?" Joan asked again. "God-King," Jack repeated again, as he was too lazy to explain the theory, or now that he confirmed, the knowledge of the multiverse or parallel worlds. In fact, he tried not to think too much about it. Joan kept quiet, as it seemed her God-King didn''t want to say. She knew he prepared the ritual, and that he personally went through a portal, and dragged her treasured body back... [Did he go back in time?!?] Joan wondered to herself, and was that even possible? "Spellcraft reconfiguration complete! Ready for the Creator''s review!" Tux sounded behind Jack. Jack walked back to his laptop and read the Spellcraft on the screen. [Yeah... This makes too much sense... I''m a moron. Haaaa~ Guess I''ll have to check on Michael''s sister. I know Jordan is a lost cause.] Jack thought to himself, as he turned to walk back to Joan''s body, with Joan''s soul jar still in hand. Jack held Joan''s Jar out, in front of him as he spoke, "Are you ready, Joan?" "Yes, my God-King!" Joan spoke happily with her rough voice. Jack hummed the newly improved hymn, "Xoleix!" A radiance surrounded Jack and the soul jar, as from the gold light sprang two of Jack''s Angel of Death Cherubs. Jack watched as one took off the gold chains that bound and sealed the Jar, and the second cherub stuck it''s radiant chibi skeletal hand into the jar. With light, it wrapped the soul of Joan in transparent gold light, as it pulled her soul out of the Jar. The jar fell to the ground, as the second cherub flew over to help wrap the soul in the light. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They both carried her soul to the gorgon''s body. Jack saw the two cherubs carefully drift to the chest of the body, and with another flash, he saw them inject the soul into it. After completing this task, the two Cherubs dissolved into pure light and vanished. Jack walked closer to look at the body of Joan on the cold ground, as he patiently waited for her to come to... The snakes that made up Joan''s locks of hair began to wiggle, as Jack heard some of them hiss, and saw a few of them blink their white eyes. Joan''s closed eyes fluttered slightly, as they, too, opened. She no longer had to rely on undead vision, and just like the first time all those years ago... She was looking out of her own eyes. She sat up and looked at her body again. She used her right hand to reach over and check her left skeletal arm, as she traced the bones from her left shoulder to her hand. [It''s exactly the same.] She continued to check her body, scrutinizing every part of herself. She even groped her own bosom to see if they felt the same as she remembered, teasing them slightly. As Jack watched Joan feel herself, he finally realized that she was completely nude. Before when it was a corpse, he didn''t think much of it, but now he felt that maybe he shouldn''t be looking at her for privacy reasons. [I should have brought something for her to wear...] Jack felt slightly dumb, but he never stopped to think if he would need clothes. He never thought the Plane of Death would be without clothes... [Lucius.] [My lord?] [I''ve completed the ritual, and Joan has a body.] Jack replied. [As expected of my Lord.] [She needs some clothes to wear, and I need someone to transport a second corpse as well.] [A second corpse vessel?] Lucius asked. [Corpse vessel?] [Ah, well... Corpse vessels are what the majority call corpses that are for the purpose of inhabiting, whereas Corpses that have had their soul container''s broken are just that... True Corpses or simply Corpses.] [Oh... Thanks for clarifying that for me, Lucius.] [No problem, my Lord. I will have servants to your location shortly.] [Thank you again, Lucius.] [Of course, my Lord.] Jack finished mentally messaging Lucius, to look over to Joan to see she was still checking her body, as he spoke, "Joan, how long are you going to be playing with yourself? Let''s get you something to wear." The snakes of Joan''s head looked up at Jack, as a few of them licked the air, as she spoke, "Oh... I guess you''re right. Well, only you and the vampire are here. I don''t care if she sees me, and you... You''re my God-King, besides retrieving this body from beyond this world; it''s not like you haven''t seen all of it, already. I have no sacred place that can''t be seen by you." [Can she see through the snakes on her head?] Jack thought to himself, as Joan got to her feet, though she was a bit wobbly. Jack reached out to help her get steady on her feet. Joan appreciated her God-King for helping her even stand and preferred the Current ruler of the kingdom. She remembered the previous Holy Witch King. She didn''t know how many had come and gone since she was brought back, but she knew the one she served was a cold ruler. It wasn''t that he was mean, evil, or unjust... He was simply uncaring, and indifferent. His methods were considered gentle, but with his indifferent attitude, Joan felt that her Holy Witch King she served at that time was a cold bastard, an opinion that she kept to herself. "Let''s see my other spoil," Jack spoke, as he helped Joan take her first steps in a long time. Eris had now also approached, as she saw the close actions between this newly revived undead, she spoke... "My god?" Jack had grown accustomed to being called such, and didn''t change her way of referring to him, "Hmmm?" "Is this your wife or concubine?" Eris tilted her head. "..." Jack understood she was nuts but didn''t know how she came to this conclusion. Joan began laughing while trying not to fall down. As Jack was about to speak, Joan leaned into Jack and used her right hand to seductively rub the side of his face, placing his skeletal arm between her mounds on her chest, "So, what if I am either? What does that mean to you?" A funny look flashed across Eris'' eyes, as Jack noticed. "Princess... Eris..." Jack said sternly, as his flaming eyes crackled. The strange gaze Eris used faded quickly, as she looked into those flaming eyes. "Remember what I said... Or do you wish for me to return your heart?" Eris tucked her chin, and looked down, as if she was scolded like a bad child, "I apologize, my god." Jack nodded, as his gaze turned back to Joan, "And you... Don''t antagonize her." Joan released Jack from her embrace, and stood uneasily to his side with his help, "I''m sorry little Vampire, but you''re such an easy target. If you want a piece of advice from this Auntie, then you need to stop pretending." Joan looked deeply at Eris with her shiny black eyes, and a head full of snakes that all looked deeply at Eris. Eris swallowed hard, as she stepped to the side and let them approach the second Corpse. Jack looked upon the second Corpse vessel, as defined by Lucius, that he brought back with him on a whim... A whim for Emily. "My God-King, you also brought this with you?" Joan''s rough voice sounded beside Jack. Jack looked up to see her profile and the line on her throat. [Is her voice rough because her throat is slit? Then why does her voice sound rough without her body?] Jack thought to himself, as he looked back down to the Corpse vessel. "Yes. This will be for my second Consort, Emily." "How did your second Consort lose her body? Assassins?" Joan questioned. "Ah? She has a bit of a special situation..." Jack spoke after a moment of thought. "Oh, okay." Joan didn''t press to know, as she only asked out of curiosity... It wasn''t good for a tool to ask too many questions. She believed that if her God-King wanted her to know, he would tell her. Chapter 159: A Deal for True Death Jack sent Joan off with the servants that arrived provided by Lucius and was closely followed by Eris. Jack turned, as he walked through the corridors back to his room, and looked to Eris. He reached out and lifted her face with his hand to look up into his eyes. "Princess Eris, return to your room for now. I will call you later to discuss... This..." Jack pointed to his rib cage identifying the heart that laid within. "But I wish to follow you," Eris spoke out against Jack''s orders. "Do not argue me. I have something I must do alone. Returned... Do not anger me, Eris." Jack tried his best to be as stern with this crazy thing. He needed to send her away as soon as possible, as he had already exposed too much. Eris nodded and turned to walk down a different corridor. Jack watched her disappear around the corner, as he hurried quickly to his room. He waved his hand as he approached his door, but nothing happened. Jack continued to approach, and by hand opened his door. He closed the door behind him, and took two quick steps, as he fell to one knee. [...Oh man... Am I dying again?!?] Jack wondered and exclaimed in his mind. Since he performed the ritual, the amounting fatigue continued to build, and his power seemed to continue to drain... At present, he couldn''t connect with his god-soul, and he felt his own cultivation falling. Jack fell onto his hip bone, as he slid himself to the side of his evening tomb on the floor, as he opened his laptop with his strength, and tossed it to the side. "Tux..." "Yes, Creator." "I remember you warned of a weakening from the ritual I performed... To what level are We talking weak, and I need estimated recovery time." "Reporting to Creator, Creator breached the veil into another world''s section of the Plane of Death..." "Tux, I need a simple example right now. Explain the rest later." "You have to pay the ferryman. The power you expended was the payment." Tux resounded... sounding annoyed for being interrupted. "Alright, how long does this last?" "How fast can you replace it?" Tux counter questioned. "...Cheeky bastard..." Jack spoke aloud. Tux squeaked in acceptance. Jack was too weak care about this strange interaction. [I''m going to personally cultivate while Jordan gets those snappy prayers together.] Jack closed his vision, as he barely crossed his legs. He followed the instructions he followed before in the tome, "The Heretical Side of the Light," as he made a small connection to the plane of light, and began to siphon power from it. ******* Leslie glided to the front of a battered undead, flanked by two of her Silent Scream agents. It was a dark area, that was barely lit with anything save for a single piece of Glowstone, that hung from the ceiling, as it wobbled back and forth causing the Light to shift within the room. The undead Leslie stared down was a male undead that had just been brought to the Black Prison of Deagoth. The prison used and only knew of by the Silent Scream agents and Leslie as the Shadow of Deagoth. The male undead was a Zombie undead that looked worse for the wear, with his clothes half down, and multiple lacerations on his body. One could see that each of his fingers was smashed, and both of his legs were broken. Leslie drifted in front of the male undead and used one of her sharp talons to lift the undead males head up to look at her. "Merchant Stacy... What a fine Merchant you are! Age five hundred and thirty-nine. Currently married with two wives, but no children. Took over the business of your first wife at the age of Seventy-eight. Found cheating on your first wife, at the time only wife, five years later. Forced your wife to accept your mistress as your second wife." Leslie retracted her talon, as she drifted behind him in a shadow, as she spoke again, "One year afterward your first wife mysteriously disappeared, and the Officials of Undeath and Unlife were unable to convict due to lack of evidence. You then took full control of your first wife''s business and her branch families'' business at the age Eighty-five. It seems recently that you have thrown away pretense and forcibly married another woman after her longtime lover was killed accidentally during a shipping accident... It seems this case hasn''t been sent to court just yet... Right? Merchant Stacy." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Leslie drifted to his side when she noticed the stern face of her interrogated target. This male undead acted as though he didn''t hear her. Leslie stretched out her arm, as she took one of her talons to cut off one of his ears with a flick of her wrist, "I didn''t seem like you were listening, so I got rid of one of these useless things." The ear flew into the darkness of the room, as the light above swung back and forth to only illuminate it for brief seconds." The male undead screamed as he attempted to cover hold the side of his head, that now bled black blood. Thirty minutes later, Leslie came back to the male undead''s face to speak again, "We have run out of fingers and now two legs... There aren''t many more appendages left before we run out of things to break. Honestly, I want you to keep resisting... I find it fun to think up which part to break, least you can tell me what I want to know." The male undead though regard heaving spat at Leslie, as the spittle went through her body to land on the floor behind her. "Interesting. You know... I don''t get many that last this long when I do this personally. I love a good challenge." Leslie spoke with a humored voice, as the two Silent Scream agents behind her giggled. Leslie drifted around the undead, and reached out to his right arm, and snapped it right at the wrist before the male undead was able to resist. Another loud cry was issued, as it reverberated inside the room. Leslie continued, as she questioned until the undead was now broken several times in his arms, legs, hands, feet, and ribs... Leslie didn''t draw pleasure in interrogation, but the end justified the means. "We have officially run out of limbs, so I wonder what We have to do now?" Leslie said with another humored voice as if she wasn''t really bothered that the male undead wasn''t speaking, as she thought of her next move... As if she didn''t already have it planned. "Well, alright then... Oh, before I proceed, Merchant Stacy, remember that there are things far worse than death." A sealed container was brought over to Leslie by one of her agents, as she took the container, and released the seal. She reached in, and took out a dangling creature, as she held it by her ghostly index finger and thumb. As she dangled the creature above the male undead that now stared at the creature that now was suspended above him. "Do you know what this is?" Leslie asked. The male undead finally spoke words, since he was kept in this room, "No..." "Oh... This is a Gluttonous Soul Leech." Leslie said delightedly, as the creature struggled, wiggled, and lurched between her pinched fingers. The male undead''s brow was now filled with black sweat, as he rolled to the side, as it streamed down his face and body. "..." Only now did the face of horror appear on this male undead, until now, he had not buckled even a little to break, even though his screams. "Oh, I see you have heard of this lovely little creature," Leslie said with a sickly sweet tone. "That''s right... This beastly parasite is going to wiggle it''s way to your soul space and slowly leech your soul until you wish you had died... I hear that as it leeches, it causes unspeakable pain. I believe I heard once it was like a meat grinder for the soul... Though, I don''t know who survived to tell the tale... But, it''s then going to slowly eat away at your soul until it collapses... It slow enough that your soul has time to repair before being eaten again, though it will at some point fail to heal properly. It''s amazing how these creatures can prolong your suffering to feed themselves. I find it poetic in a macabre sense really." Leslie spoke, as she began to lower the creature to the face of the male undead, as she no longer asked any more question. "Wait...! WAIT! DON''T YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LORD MONOCLE!?" "Oh? I thought we passed that already?" Leslie stopped her hand just a few inches away from the male undead''s face. The male undead could only stare in horror of the creature he heard as scary bedtime stories as a child. Until a few minutes ago, he thought this creature was a myth, fairy tales, things made up to scare children! "No! I''ll talk... Just get it away! GET IT AWAY!" "Oh... Well... I guess I could be persuaded, but I mean... You really wasted my time here. I''ll tell you what. If you tell me what I want to know... I''ll give you a quick true death, otherwise, this cute little beasty is going to get it''s fill for the next hundred years." Leslie pulled her head back, as she stared at the leech in her hand. "Fine! True death is fine! It''s fine!" The male undead relented... True death was better than this fate... It was better... "Ack... Always at the moment where the fun is going to begin... I''m sorry little fellow... Maybe next time you will get to eat a soul." Leslie said with a cute voice to the leech, as she put it back into the jar, again, handing it back to her agent, as she resealed it. Leslie''s attitude abruptly changed, "How did Mark get the hexplosives into Saigunrai, and who remains that is still apart of his little clubhouse." "Lord Mon-" "Call him Former-Marquis Mark... He is no lord." Leslie reprimanded with a severe voice. "Former-Marquis Mark... He... He smuggled in the Hexplosives through the South Eastern Undead Trading Company itself. I don''t know about the rest, but I''m sure that''s how he did it." "What... Did he smuggle them in with..." "Foods! Foods from Borda!" "Borda? What food from Borda... Speak clearer, as my leech is still hungry!" "Ah! Fruits! Fruits from Borda! Um. Um... Fleshy Baleful Fruit!" [Hmmmm... The prized fruit of the Church of the Three Gods... But Mark smuggled it in with those shipments... So, he has a connection with the Church of the Three Gods... Interesting, Mark, interesting... So the clergy didn''t properly check the goods coming from Borda... Lucius isn''t going to be happy to hear this...] Leslie... Wasn''t happy to hear this... "Who else does he have here in the City? Huh?!?" Leslie''s voice screeched. "There are others! There are!" "Agent Abigail, prepare to start writing," Leslie commanded. "Yes, Mistress." "Alright, little traitor... Speak the names, and you will know peace soon." Leslie''s soothing voice drifted into the ears of the undead on the floor, as he felt like he was finally going to be released from this hell. Chapter 160: Mountain Ape Hermit "...Mark...?" Princess Janet folded her book across her stomach as she spoke to Mark, who was currently working on reports. Mark hearing his wife, put down one of his news reports, as he looked to his wife, "Hmmm?" "I was just thinking... What happens if the Skull of the Sun God is broken?" "You mean where the Ape Mountain Hermit will knock it from its perch in Saigunrai?" "Well... Yeah... I mean if he hits it, and he''s as strong as you say he is... Wouldn''t he break it, and ruin your plan?" Janet said in concern, unknowingly becoming more affectionate with Mark. Mark chuckled, "The Skull of the Sun God has been around before the time of the Lich King... In fact, the Lich King used it to light his floating fortress of a Necropolis for more than several centuries... If a big ape from the mountains can break it, even if I have to blow it up it''s not going to break apart. If it breaks, then I should look for a different piece of Glowstone." "Th-The Lich King used it!? Then... Then how did it become the icon of Deagoth?!" Janet exclaimed! "Interesting isn''t it... Actually..." Mark looked up in thought for a few minutes, deciding if he should speak. Mark looked back to his wife, "I''ve not spoken this to anyone before, but as my most trusted person... I can tell you." Janet''s pale blue skin blushed, as she heard this, but quickly leaned forward, as she wanted to know what he was going to say. "Did you know that this land, or lands I should say, important?" "Ummm... That''s... We live here? I don''t really find it all that important..." Janet wasn''t prepared for this question. "This land... The Ruined Continent is a very interesting piece. It is one of the few places that the Lich King stripped bare. Out of all the places, why was this place stripped?" "It had resources?" "Yes, and it continues to produce them, even now that it''s been ruined. It''s been fought on, and over for so many years, and it''s still worth it! Think about Neolith... Below it lies a sleeping Goddess!" "What?!" "You don''t think the Neolithians play house with their faith of the Spider Goddess... This land contains at least one Goddess We know of, and ruins from the Lich King... But most of all... And you dare not say a word about what I''m about to tell you." Janet fiercely shut her mouth and nodded. This was the first time she had heard Mark speak harshly too her. "My family... May they rest in peace... Were great mythologian, explorers, and archaeologist. The reason my family came to this forsaken spit of land was for the tomb of the Lich King." "THE TOMB!?" "Yes... This was the land the Lich King rose on, and through myths and scattered remains of his broken empire, my family theorized that his remains were returned to this land, after his fall." Mark spoke with a solemn tone. "...Did you...? Did you find it...? I mean... Did you find evidence he was here?" Mark leaned back in his seat, "That''s hard to say. My grandfather had a strong lead and then went missing in this land before my father and I arrived." "...Have I met your father?" Janet asked suddenly. "No, he''s passed on." Mark shook his head. "Then... Are you still searching for the tomb?" "Yes, and No." "???" Janet looked puzzled. "Let me clarify. I believe the tomb has already been found, and I believe it''s in Deagoth." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Deagoth?" "I mean... they are using the Skull of the Sun God... That''s been recorded as a piece of the Lich King''s main necropolis." "Does Deagoth know this?" "No. Those fools have no idea the treasures they sit on. To be honest, it''s been a long time since the Lich King, and longer still since the time of the Gods. So, I can''t really blame the undead of Deagoth for being ignorant, the Holy Witch King though..." Mark''s voice trailed off. "Why does or did your family want with the tomb of the Lich King?" Janet probed. In a rare occurrence, Mark searched the room again before replying, "The Mythologians believe that whoever can reclaim the bones of the Lich King can gain the powers of the Lich King himself... Though that might not be true, it should still be a Cultivation resource that is unparallel in the Underworld." "So... Besides the Lich King''s bones... You want this Skull of the Sun God because of the Lich King, as well?" "No... I want the Skull so I can restore your lower body. Then it''s back to what I promised you." Mark corrected. A warm feeling was felt around Janet''s dead heart, "What is it that you''ve promised me?" "...The world. I promised you, the world." ******* The King of Jakahn was resting within his inner sanctum accompanied by his most trusted advisor, Princess Violet. "Violet... What''re the most recent reports on the Vampire''s movements?" The King leaned back at his desk, rubbing his forehead while listening to his daughter. His crown slide to one side of his head, while his mood was low. "...The five galleons have already departed... They uh... They slaughtered half the docks and drained all of their blood. Eye-witness reports state they used the blood to power their ships faster up the coast to Deagoth to meet their deranged Princess." Violet reported dutifully. The King looked up with bloodshot eyes... It would take years among years to recruit another court to his liking, even if the old officials he had were corrupt, they could run his kingdom without him having to delegate every task... [I bet the Holy Witch King doesn''t have to put up with this shit...] The King of Jakahn thought to himself, as he was about to open his mouth, a booming sound echoed throughout his palace. The King sat up in his seat, as he looked to his daughter, in question. Princess Violet was equally wondering what that was, as the King rose from his seat. He opened the door of his sanctum to hear a booming voice, "OO, OO, STUPID KING, GET OUT HERE!" [What in the hell does the Ape Hermit want???] The King thought, as he looked to his daughter, "Stay here... I''ll message you if need be." The princess nodded, "Alright, daddy." She said with a smile in her voice. It was always her father that treated her best. The King closed the door behind him, as he adjusted his crown, and neaten up his apparel as he heard another command from the damn ape, "Don''t think Me don''t know chou''re in there, Stupid King, uh uh." The King shouted, "Of course, I am! Please allow me a moment!" The King quickly made his way to his previously clean throne room, from the wake of the Vampires assault. As the King entered, he saw the ceiling destroyed with debris scattered all over the floor, with a malevolent undead radiating power in the middle of it. The King hadn''t seen this monster since one hundred years ago... Not since this monster won the bid for the Lavagrim Geoshark Fin... The King weighed the appearance of the old hermit with that he had seen many years before... He still looked the same, as he stood at a height of almost two meters. He was shaped like a triangle with large overly developed shoulders and a tiny waist with funny short legs. His arms were thick as marble pillars that held his hall up and were covered in a thick black fur, as they were long enough to hang to his knees. The old hermits face reminded the king before and now of a Dark-face Gorilla that inhabited the forests of the deep south of Dragon''s Jaw. The Hermit''s gorilla-like face was completely intact, with the exception of both sides of his mouth rotted away exposing his teeth, but his mouth was intact, this might of led to his odd speech pattern, but the King wasn''t sure. The gorilla-like man lifted his massively thick arm with an accusing finger, as he spat his words, "Oo Oo, Stupid King! I left Me boy here, and he died for your Kingdom..." [Shit... I thought it would be a while longer before he found out...] The King thought, while raising his hands in innocents, "My friend, It wasn''t Us that got him killed. The Holy Witch King waged war in Our land. Disciple Russell died for his land and his honor!" "Uh-Uh-Huh... Likely story. Me heard Stupid King sat back and did nothing while Sparkle King killed Me boy. Were you going to deliver his body one day, or is Me boy mulch for the fields of Jakhan?" "I have my best warriors on their way to the battlefield to retrieve Our warriors for proper burial. The true death of Our warriors is Our Honor to side them on with the highest honors!" [Violet, send warriors to recover the bodies of Our warriors near the ruins of Zitergall.] The King messaged his daughter, who in turn went to immediately carry out his will. "Alright... Uh-Uh, Compensate Me five hundred pounds of Glowstone, two clusters of Verdant Geostones, and two hundred fresh recruits." Anger flashed briefly through the eyes of the King of Jakahn, but he pushed it down before the old hermit looked up, "No problem. I''ll have it delivered within the week." "Take chour time. Me heading to Deagoth. Sparkle King must pay for Me disciple. Uh-Uh." The old hermit leaped to the side of the King of Jakahn, as he looked into the King''s eyes. The King could see the Mountain Ape Hermit smile from his side, with his ragged jaws. "Oo, Oo, It''s good chou know chour place, Stupid King," as the old hermit lifted his large thick hand to roughly pat the King''s shoulder, with loud thuds. With a smashing sound, the Mountain Ape Hermit crashed through the ceiling dome of the King''s throne room, leaving the King of Jakhan alone within his throne room. Chapter 161: Stalling for Time! Jack sat in his room absorbing as much of the Light as he could as quickly as he could, He could finally feel a trace of his God-Soul, so he knew it wasn''t gone or the like. [Hmmmm... I''d estimate that I''ve recovered about ninety percent of my personal power... Too bad my God-Soul is blown up.] Jack estimated that his Ancestor Ranked God-Soul, the greater part of his power was only at King rank, currently. He found that his Soul had to have a certain amount of power to connect to his God-Soul, no matter how strong his God-Soul was... [Jordan needs to hurry the hell up with those prayers-] Jack''s thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing and booming sound. His flaming eyes flashed as they ignited in his eye sockets. He gazed around his room, as he saw dust shake from the ceiling. Jack stood up, now more steady on his feet, as he made it to his wardrobe to change. On his way to his wardrobe he couldn''t help but think [...And this would be the rebellion or the jack ass that''s come to fight...] As Jack tried to make the fastest time he could, Jack was going mentally messaged Leslie, Verruca, and Lucius, but was immediately bombarded by multiple messages from each. [What was that?!?] Leslie''s shrill voice came across. [What just happened?!?] Lucius messaged. [Jack, what''s going on?!?] Emily Messaged. [Enemies have attacked the Skull of the Sun God!!!] Verruca''s voice rang out echoing in Jack''s mind! As Jack, assisted by Leslie''s handmaidens, changed into his kingly garbs and reached out to grab his Femur Ferula. Jack messaged Emily first, [Emily, go to my evening tomb, and lock yourself in... I don''t know what''s going on... I''ll contact you when it''s over.] [Alright...] Emily replied... Jack reached out to everyone else, in a group message, [Everyone is in my multi-message. What''s going on Julia? How the fuck has the moxie to attack the Sun Skull???] [[...?!?]] Both Lucius and Leslie were astounded when they heard Jack''s voice come across! [I don''t know!? It''s an extremely powerful cultivator that looks like a stupid gorilla and talks like he''s got a speech problem! He''s at least Emperor Rank, as he flew right in, over Our defenses, and knocked the Skull of the Sun God out of City!!!] [DID YOU SAY GORILLA?!?] Leslie yelled again. [Yeah, WHY?!?] Verruca was currently commanding troops to safeguard the citizens and declared martial law. She had already commanded the City wall defenses to aim at the flying target, for what little good it did. [Oh shit...!] [[[...?!?]]] It was Jack''s, Lucius'', and Verruca''s turn to wonder. [What is it?] Jack walked into his courtroom from his wardrobe, as he was about to exit. [...The Mountain Ape Hermit! Shit! Just... Shit! He''s supposed to be in closed-door cultivation! He wasn''t going to exit for another nine hundred years!] [Who in the fuck is the Saturday Cartoon Villain?] Jack retorted. [What''s a Saturday Cartoon Villain?!] Lucius asked confused. [Never mind that! Who is this Cultivator!] Jack howled, when a booming voice rocked his palace. "Sparkle King! Roll out for this Ancestor!!!!" [He just said, Ancestor... Did anyone else hear Ancestor...?] Jack asked everyone to make sure. [[[Yes...]]] All three replied. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. [Short story, General Russell of Jakahn''s Master... I''d say he''s here because you killed him...] Leslie spoke again, now solemn in tone. Jack remembered one of the reports he read on his desk about Zitergall and remembered General Russell. He now realized he must have died in his assault, though he didn''t know exactly which one it was he killed. [Lucius contact the faithful, and have them pray for me to save them as they have never prayed before!] [YES, MY LORD!] Lucius yelled in zeal, and his connection broke. [Julia, don''t agitate him any further... If he''s this powerful, it will be like the buzzing of flies to him, I don''t want his to lash out at you guys. Protect the citizens, and herd everyone to safe places. [...I''ll have everyone go to the storm shelters...!] Verruca replied, as the connection broke, now leaving Jack and Leslie. [Leslie, if you can have your agents lookout for anyone that''s trying to sneak about in the chaos.] [Even if you didn''t ask, it''ll already be done.] Leslie said with a stern voice, but Jack could hear a trace of humor laced within it, [Jack... Is there anyone else We can send besides you?] [...If he wasn''t this powerful, then I would just have him mobs by the military... I don''t think that''s going to work.] [Just... Be careful.] [I will.] Jack spoke as he walked outside the Holy Palace. It was dark outside... Like night. Jack had been here for a long while now, and it was his first time seeing the City plunged into such darkness. While Jack could see pretty well due to his vision, it was still depressing that his giant piece of Glowstone was destroyed or missing in action... "Oo, Oo, So, the Sparkle King has decided to show up!" The old hermit spoke angerly! [Sparkle King...?] Jack thought, as he stood just before the flight of stairs that descended to the Palace Square. Jack''s loud voice boomed and rolled, as he spoke, "You address the God-King of Deagoth. State your name and intentions." The old hermit tilted his head, as he drew in air into his haggard lungs... A rarity of Zombie undead. "Killing Me boy, and then chou call chouself God-King??? Chou think chourself better than Me?!" "I''m sorry for the loss of your... Boy, but war doesn''t spar lives, it takes them. As for being a God-King... I am, what I am." Jack clanked his Femur Ferula on the ground, as the wind of the Underworld blew softly stirring up the dust on the tiles of the palace, and the eerie sounds of an abandoned city. "Oo!" The old hermit cried out, as he descended from the sky like lightning toward Jack. A rumbling crashing sound resounded from the impact of the old hermit, hurling himself like a meteor at the God-King. The thick stone slabs around Jack cracked, as he sunk into the tiles that made the landing above the landing of the Holy Palace, as he had blocked the attack with his arms up and his staff enduring the impact. "Let''s! Let''s talk about this...!" Jack howled over the rushing winds of the impact, to only feel a tightness around his right shin bone. His vision turned topsy turvy, as the Mountain Ape Hermit flailed the God-King like a rag doll. The Mountain Ape Hermit wasn''t in the mood to talk more, as he had to destroy the Sparkle King quickly! "No time to talk, Sparkle King! Just die-die for your Daddy Ape! Oo! Ah!" [The fuck is a daddy ape?!?] Jack thought as he currently didn''t feel very God-King-like, and could only hope that the prayers were going to come in faster, as he felt the grip loosen on his leg. Jack was flung through several buildings within Saigunrai, as two of them collapsed, issuing cracking sounds and the crying of the splintering of holy bones. Jack pushed a bit of debris off from himself, as he stood up uneasily, as for the first time felt some acute pains in his bones, he didn''t know could hurt. [I need to get out of the city, and stall for time...] Jack could see the big gorilla coming at him, as he kneeled and hummed his spell, "Zorehir." He bent slightly forward as Holy Light enveloped him from within himself. Smaller in diameter than the one when he last cultivated, this beacon was only the width of Jack. Now surrounding Jack came into being a layer of Light bound golden bones. Just as the old hermit was just meters away from him, Jack hummed his next spell, as quickly as he could, "Skametoa." With another burst of light from within him, Jack shot up into the dark sky high above the city, as he looked down to see that the old hermit missed his attack. Compared to the last time he looked down on the city it was now dotted with Glowstone, and no longer had the brilliance of the Sun Skull. "Uh-Uh! Come ''ere!" Jack used the momentum of his ascension into the sky, to propel himself out of the City and over to the Zombie Housing of North clearing the population, and into the dark wastes that surrounded Saigunrai. Jack landed with a boom, as he felt a force transfer to his back, sending him further flying forward, as he landed onto the ground again, and came to a skidding halt. From the first two impacts, Jack''s robes were tattered, his bones dusty and dirty, and now in the last strike, he had lost one of his shoulder pauldrons. He flipped himself over, as he roughly got to his feet, [I got to distract him... I need... I need more time.] Jack thought quickly, as he took his hand and wiggled his jaw slightly, as he felt like it was going to unhinge from his head. [I''ll summon my bluff card!] "Rathexifolec!!!" Jack cried loudly, as the ape hermit paused his next attack to look in the skies over the self-proclaimed God-King. He could see the sky rupture, and a blade cutting it''s way out of the void behind, bellowing light in its wake, as the golden head of the Angel of Death emerged, with its arm reaching out toward air in front, as if paving its way into the Underworld! "The Death Sparkler! Oo, Oo!" The old hermit took a step back, as he beheld the Angel of Death. He had tried to destroy the Sparkle King before he had a chance to summon that this to this world! Chapter 162: A Scream, not so Silent The old hermit felt the pressure of the Angel of Death, as it rolled off in waves. As he watched the emergence of the Angel, the old hermit raged, as he shouted, "Oo! Uh! So, what!" The Mountain Ape Hermit pounded his large chest, as his form rippled and expanded, growing by the second. [Oh... Shit... Now I know which one was his boy...] Jack remembered crushing some type of animal creature in front of Verruca in Zitergall. He continued to watch the increasingly enlarging form of the Mountain Ape Hermit, as he grew well over fifty meters tall. Jack helplessly watched the hermit change in front of him, as he directed the only part of the Angel of Death that was physical... The very tip of the scythe, just as it was with Boss Crag. The Angel of Death was fully emerged and could be seen from all around the Ruined Continent! It raised its blade, and it came down quickly and swiftly landing into the back of the old hermit, just as he finished his transformation. "Shiiink" A low sound of a blade cutting into flesh sounded from the Giant Apes form, as he was sliced by the Angel of Death''s Scythe. "Oh-Oh! Don''t think I can''t beat chou!" The hermit''s massive form was quickly rolled to the side from the next attack, and even with his large size, he was still agile as before. [Damn... Fuck my unlife... Bat man tried to assassinate me, I have to deal with a yandere Vampire...] Jack had unknowingly reached into his tattered robes to touch the heart in his rib cage. Standing on top of the Holy Palace watching the fight from afar, Princess Eris touched her chest just above where her heart resided... She watched on, as her other hand held onto a veil of crimson blood. [Should I... help? But... I don''t know if I can still drink regular blood...] Princess Eris looked down at the veil of her mother''s blood she was clenching hard that would give her the power of a High-Rank Emperor for a limited time. [Shhhhhhhit....] Jack had forgotten that he was housing the true heart of the Vampire Princess and had to be extra cautious. While thinking up what was his next step to buy time for the prayers of Souigak to reach him, Jack watched as the old hermit launched itself into the air toward the Angel of Death, howling madly! [No... No...! NO!] Jack watched over his head, as he saw the large Gorilla flying through the air using a palm technique to shatter his hologram! Jack had expected it to last a bit longer! The illusion shattered and shards of light cascaded around Jack as it rained from the sky. Now with the illusion broken in the sky, the Giant Ape turned to face Jack again, with a more guttural voice, "Oo, Oo! I always knew Me stronger than Death Sparkler!" The old hermit crossed the distance of a football field to in front of Jack in seconds, as he lifted his boulder-sized fists aiming at his target, the God-King of Deagoth. Jack hastily raise his arm to block, as he lifted his Femur Ferula to hum his next holy spell, "Segex!" Quickly an eave of light was summoned to surround Jack protecting him in a shielded bubble of radiance. This was Jack''s most powerful defensive spell he had created so far, though he had not had time to see if Tux could improve it. The massive fists of the old hermit slammed into Jack''s bubbled that near buried him into the thick and cracked earth of the Underworld. Jack felt faint, as more and more of his power was drawn from his to sustain the shield. This was the major drawback of the shield, it had to be sustained. If used in precise instances, it wouldn''t have such a drawback. In fact, Jack could be considered a genius of genius for creating a King rank spell that could block an attack from an Ancestor Ranked Cultivator!!! A large hand shot forth into the created hole that Jack was now set into by force. The old hermit brought the golden bubble of the God-King before his face as he tightly gripped the shield, "So much like an egg... Let''s crack chou!" He then drew back and threw Jack with all of his force toward the walls of Saigunrai. Being launched with such force, Jack could see the ground rapidly moving around him, as he saw the quickly approaching wall of Saigunrai. Jack braced for impact, as he slammed through the wall cleanly, causing it to collapse between two towers, as he hurled through several buildings in the city. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Jack landed harshly as his bubble reached its end, and he fell to the ground. [So kinetic energy isn''t dispelled by my defensive bubble... Good to know...] Jack thought within his mind, as he attempted to lift himself from the ground to get on all fours, as his bones issued popping sounds from his joints. Eris took long breaths as she stood atop the Holy Palace watching where Jack just landed holding on to her chest. She felt as if she was just slammed into the chest with a sledge hammer. [I followed the prophecy... Did... Did I find the wrong one???] Eris began to doubt her conviction. [He''s coming back into the City!] Leslie''s voice now echoed into Jack''s mind. Jack staggeredly got to his feet and haphazardly walked to a small merchant''s shop he had face planted next to entering into the shop to buy more time. After just clearing the doorway, a rumbling tremor was heard and felt through the ground, as the old hermit had landed where Jack had been previously. He was immensely pleased with his bodies'' transformation. He hadn''t gotten a chance to really let loose like this in many many years. He looked into the crash site of the God-King but didn''t see his target. Looking at the cobbled roads surrounding the impact crater, the old hermit scratched the back of his head wondering where the God-King got to... He looked in the sky, and around him in vigilance after another thought! "Sneak attacks won''t work on ME!" The Mountain Ape Hermit slammed his large fists into the ground many times shaking the city as a whole, as some of the buildings that were already unstable due to Jack''s previous impacts, caused them to cave-in now due to the tremors in the ground being issued. As the old hermit continued his displays of fierceness outside of the now nearing collapse shop, Jack leaned himself up against the merchant''s counter inside. Jack had seen various goods scattered within the shop, from meats and hanging cheese wheels, at least that''s what they looked like, to clothing. [I guess this is a general store?] Jack didn''t get out much, as he wondered how long was it going to take for Jordan to get the faithful to prey... [That fucking wheel is going to spin again, if Jordan doesn''t hurry the hell up!!!] Jack roared in his mind. Outside the Mountain Ape Hermit had finally confirmed with his senses that there were no impending attacks in the sky, as he couldn''t feel any gathering of magic. He couldn''t feel the God-King either... Then again, he couldn''t feel him, to begin with... beating his fists against his chest, the old hermit took large strides around the area, when a thought struck him... "Sparkle King! Shamelessly hiding from chour Ape Daddy! Get out here and get crushed like you crushed Me boy!" He reared back and bellowed to the four corners of the City. [So, that''s why he is hell-bent on pounding me into the ground instead of pulling me apart!] Jack now heard the reason why he wasn''t plucked apart. A few minutes of the big ape stomping around in the streets, and the old hermit had reached the limits of his patience. "Fine! Say goodbye to chour City!" A large fist smashed a small building on the other side of the street from Jack, as Jack tried to replenish his strength. He found it hard to concentrate while his life was endangered and couldn''t properly connect with the plane of light like previously. Another building was smashed, then another, then another. As the Giant Ape was slowly clearing the area of buildings and was increasingly getting closer to Jack''s location! With another crushing sound, the building around Jack fell into ruins, as he heard above him. "Oh! Oh! So here chou are!" A large fist smashed itself ruthlessly into Jack''s body causing him to go through the floor and slam into the basement below. "Hahaha! How weak chou are! Me heard rumors chou were stronger than this! Me even thought that the Death Sparkler was powerful, but it was nothing all along! Haha!" Another fist slammed into Jack from above, as Jack finally groaned in pain. Jack wrapped his arms around his rib cage to protect the squishy heart inside. "Ugh!" Jack couldn''t take the pain any longer. The first few hits weren''t a problem, but now his bones continued to ache with each passing hit. It was a testament to his bones for holding up against an Ancestor''s physical strength... Especially an Ancestor that focused purely on physical strength... The old hermit looked into the whole to expect the God-King to be in many pieces found him still intact, only groaning slightly as it appeared, he was going to get out of the hole. The old hermit reached in and grab Jack by his legs and slammed him into the ground while still holding him. He slammed him again, and again, and again into the ground left and right attempted to break him. He lifted the God-King to his eyes to see him in nearly no robes, as they had been almost disintegrated from his beating... "ARAH!" The Giant Ape cried out as he slammed Jack into the cobbled road sending rocks flying in various directions forming yet another crater. The old hermit jumped over to where Jack formed a new crater from his impact as he sent another wave of punches into the hole to break the God-King. As punch, after punch was sent, the old hermit was cursing and raging! "Why!" Another punch was sent into the hole. "Won''t!" Punch. "Chour!" Punch! "Bones!" PUNCH! "BREAK!!!" Eris kneeled down to one knee holding on in pain, as she helplessly watched her Owner getting pummeled. She steeled herself to drink her mother''s blood to help! She wasn''t sure what would happen, as she thought of some of her body''s changes, but she would take this chance for her god! The Mountain Ape Hermit continuously pounded into the area where Jack was now being buried further into the ground deeper, he went, as he could no longer hold back, as he groaned in pain from each blow. This pain was slowly building up in him, and it threatened to cause him to blackout first! As Jack was taking blow after blow further entombed into the ground, from behind the Mountain Ape Hermit a heart-rendering ground cracking sonic scream was issued! All the windows in the Holy City of Saigunrai instantly shattered, as ferocious winds howled in its wake! Just as Eris had put her veil to her lips, it shattered, spilling the blood within to scatter in the winds and paint red droplets along the roof of the Holy Palace. Her hand quivered as she watched it sparkle in the limited light of the city. Chapter 163: Light Drinker The Mountain Ape Hermit clutched his ears in agony, as the shrill shriek resounded and reverberated in the area. He rose up and staggered back for a few steps while holding his head. Jack slowly climbed out of his hole that was created from the continuous blows dealt by the old hermit; the flames in his eyes dim. Leslie reached down and helped Jack out of the hole. [What are you doing!] Jack quickly mentally messaged Leslie. [Helping you, bonehead! Why are you letting him kick your ass!?] Leslie reprimanded. With Leslie''s help, Jack got out of the hole, now his upper body was completely exposed, and only the loose sash around his waist held the tatters of the bottom of his robe, as he stood up fully. [Shoo... Leave quickly!] Jack urged, as he broke in a swift run to another building, as he looked over his should to the giant ape that was starting to blink his eyes regaining his bearings. Leslie''s banshee wail was an extremely powerful tool, that even an Ancestor Ranked Cultivator would have to give pause, though it''s effect would be diminished if it had impacted a Skeletal undead Cultivator. The old hermit used his massive arm to wipe the blood from his nose with a grunt, as he stared at the retreating... God-King... And... The little bitch that screamed in his ears! With a massive thumping of his chest, the mighty beats sounded out like war drums at his chest pounding. "Oo! Oo!" The ape dug in his feet into the cobbled street and pushed with an explosive impact to the ground covering the distance between him and the two running in but a few seconds. As Jack and Leslie heard the Gorilla sound behind them, Jack was already sent flying again. "Fuck!" Jack yelled out, as his body flipped through the air crashing into another building, as it toppled around him. Eris still on top of the room of the Holy Palace reached down to touch the spattered blood of her mother... This wasn''t her only veil, but it was her only veil she took with her... And to be wasted like this... A tear splattered next to the drops of blood on the roof, when Eris clutched her chest again, as she looked to the fight below. She was now helpless to do anything but wait for the outcome and prey her choices to now weren''t in vain. Jack groaned as he pushed out of the rubble, wondering why he was still intact. He looked up to be horrified, as he saw the giant ape with a crushing hold on Leslie in both his hands. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Jack howled, as the flames in his eyes crackled with fury even in their dimness, as he urged his body to move as fast as he was able, which was vastly slower than it was before by many levels, and now looked to be a snail''s pace before his God-Form or the Mountain Ape Hermit. Leslie was seized by the hands of the giant gorilla, as she went to help Jack again. She had no idea how this gorilla found her while she was invisible. Unknown to Leslie, that the old hermit could see her, as he could feel her presence due to his Cultivation Rank and Tomb, he cultivated which heightened his sense greatly, such as sight. She began to let loose another scream, but just as it began, she was stifled, as the old hermit commenced his crushing of her in his hands, "Uh-Uh! Scream no more little ghost!" The old hermit laughed, as he heard Jack howl from the toppled distance. "HAHA! This little ghost is yours? See how it feels to be me!" The giant ape suddenly squeezed down even harder to crush Leslie in his grasp, as Leslie became visible, as the Mountain Ape Hermit felt a stinging pain along his back, as he yelped in surprise. He could barely believe he was sneaked attacked. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Who has the guts! Oh!" The giant ape turned his head to see a woman with a head full of snakes wielding a giant Meat Cleaver in his right hand, and a large boning knife in his left skeletal hand. "HAHAHAHA! I''VE NEVER BUTCHERED A MONKEY BEFORE!" Crazed laughter rang out behind the old hermit. "Oo! And chou never will!!" The old hermit turned and threw the object in his hand at lightning speed toward Joan. She didn''t expect that the old bastard would use the person in his hands as a weapon, as Joan wasn''t as willing to drop her weapons, but didn''t want harm to come to what she suspected to be the God-King''s consort. She used her body as a shield, to take the impact from Leslie. Joan at first wasn''t sure if it was Leslie, but seeing her face and feeling the aura... She confirmed her suspicions, as she was hurling backward by the force of impact. Jack changed course from the old hermit to Leslie in Joan''s arms and was just about to pass the hermit to make his way to Leslie fully committing the mistake of disregarding your enemy, the equivalent of turning your back. "Where chou going!" Jack was snatched up, as he struggled free from the grasp. Joan stuck both of her weapons in the ground to hold Leslie in her hands. She wasn''t familiar with the form of which she had taken but knew it wasn''t a form with a body... More like a corporal soul, like a ghost. Jack was again smashed into the ground, as he desperately attempted to climb out calling, "Leslie!" Joan looked up, as she was unsure what Leslie''s condition was... She saw Jack attempted to get away from the giant ape. She shook her head to indicate she didn''t know her condition, but everything paused for Jack in that instance. He watched Joan shake her head left to right. He could see everything in crystal detail. How Leslie laid in Joan''s arms unmoving. He could even see the most micro of details at that moment. How Leslie''s hair fluttered in the wind, and the coiling of Joan''s snakes on her crown, the flicking of their tongues. It was as if everything was in slow motion, as Jack misinterpreted Joan''s meaning to be that Leslie was dead. Jack felt everything slipping away... So distant... So far away... Jack struggled near fear from the ape, as he began to crawl to Leslie quickly. He was again grabbed by the Mountain Ape Hermit by the legs, who now found he was struggling to pull the God-King back to him as he had done earlier. As the old hermit, decided to pummel the God-King again, he punched Jack, who was crawling forward, into the ground again, he moved his face to peer into the deep hole he re-made, only to be met with a fierce and unstoppable crashing force. A colossal sound echoed sundering the remaining building in the surrounding area district where the conflict was taking place in Saigunrai, as the body of the old hermit hurled into the distance in an arc that lasted until he left the city crashing down in the outskirts of Saigunrai. Jack floated out of his hole and into the air, as he spoke, "I''m waiting for prayers from Souigak... But I haven''t gotten them yet... Without the faith of my people, I am nothing... But... Who do I prey to...? To save me and those I love?" his solemn voice rang. "I..." Jack looked to Leslie one last time... He had another Consort, and other perspective ladies, but Leslie... Leslie was his world, his sky, and his dream... It wasn''t like that in the beginning, but over time... It had turned from infatuation and a poor choice to something Jack hadn''t felt before... Something he wasn''t sure was called, but he would like to call it... Love. Joan''s mouth opened and closed a few times... She had no idea who a god would pray to... Themselves? "AHHHHHHHHH!" The grounds rumbled, as all of Saigunrai shook with the fury of an angry god. Joan watched from on the ground, and Eris held her breath, as she watched from the Holy Palace roof... As the golden runes on Jack''s upper body went out one by one. They started from the top of his ribs, down his arms, and on his spine until only a few above his waist down were still glimmering with light. As the runes golden runes went out, they watched, as it seemed to almost reverse, as they no longer gave light, but it appeared... It appeared that these runic inscriptions were drawing the light in! Jack''s mind played over and over his memories, as he looked over Leslie laying on the ground. "I can bring her back..." Jack muttered as he reached out with his long skeletal hand. The space around him warping, as if his very bones were drinking the light. Jack''s hand paused as he heard in the distance, "CHOU THINK CHOU BETTER THAN ME!?" Jack turned his head slowly to see an incoming giant ape. As he was no longer thinking, but on autopilot... His objectives were clear to him... Destroy the one in his way... Bring Leslie back... Jack backhanded the gorilla that now reached out to him, as he flashed from afar to in front of him. Black blood slung from the mouth of the old hermit, "Huh?" as he dumbly sounded. Chapter 164: Dawn of the God-King Jack''s hand jerked into the air, as the Mountain Ape Hermit uttered disbelief. Jack pulled his hand back to the front of him, as he now held the giant ape in one hand. The Ape stared half disbelief and half anger. "CHOU THI-!" The old hermit opened his mouth to yell, as Jack punched him. The old hermit began to struggle in Jack''s grasp to free himself, as Jack continued to punch the ape repeatedly. One punch, another punch, ten punches. Black blood streamed from the ape''s nose, as Jack threw him to the ground, as he spoke, "Leave now and don''t come back. I don''t have time for you." Jack in the air, turned to fly back into the city to his beloved, as he heard raged yells, "CHOU NOT DONE WIT ME! ME NOT DONE WIT CHOU!" The Mountain Ape jumped back into the air, as the ground fractured under his feet from the force used to lift himself. Jack''s anger reached a new height, now that he realized that this jackass wasn''t going to let him get back to Leslie without dying first. He was only going to let him go because he wanted to be by her side first. "WHEN I''M DONE WIT CHOU, IT WILL BE THAT LITTLE BITCH TURN! AND THEN CHOU''RE WHOLE KINGDOM! EVERYTHIN-" Jack''s runic tattoos flashed on his bones, as more light poured into them, as the area around him darkened. Joan realized that her God-King was thoroughly pissed, and she wasn''t sure what he was going to do... As she looked to the Glowstones on the street bursting one after another. Eris on the roof of the Holy Palace watched as the Glowstone lamps burst, and the Light was pulled into the direction of her god. She watched as the Lights of the City exploded in a chain reaction from her perch high above, and the Light was drawn to her god. [What... What is he going to do now?] She looked to her god in the sky, outside the city, but couldn''t see him for the fluxing space around him. Jack angrily lashed out against the coming hermit. Gathering himself, he shot himself down to meet the old ape as the ape was flying up to meet him. As the two came into contact, both with one arm raised to shield and one arm to punch, Joan and Eris, found they couldn''t hear anymore. Everyone in the storm shelters, that didn''t know what was going on top side, and Jack''s trusted people, Lucius, Emily, and Verruca, also couldn''t hear. Undead talked, but no one could hear each other. Then... It was as if the volume of everything was turned to the highest setting, as all the undead collectively held their heads, or instantly turned off their hearing! Even if they couldn''t hear by choice, or covered their ears, they all felt the tremors in the ground and the shifting of land that continued afterward. Leslie blinked her eyes a few times, as she looked up to see a snake-headed woman, even as the City was plunged into darkness... "Who are you?" The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Haha, Its Joan, Consort Leslie," Joan spoke as her ears were buzzing continuously. "Oh...? Wait... WHERE''S JACK!?" Leslie attempted to get out of Joan''s grasp but felt that it was difficult to move her body, something she hadn''t felt before... "Easy there... I don''t know much about your form, but I''m certain you''re hurt. The God-King is currently fighting the giant gorilla." Joan replied. Leslie twisted in her arms, to look in the direction of the only source of Light in the sky... Jack! Jack looked from on high down from his position in the air, to the Ape that was now buried into the ground, who was now with a wretched look. Jack nodded to himself, that this is as it should be... But felt that since the old fucker was still groaning in that hole, it was still a problem. He looked left and right, to check for any by standards. Jack realized that they were to the west of Saigunrai, in the wastes so that many of the villages were further west or behind him. "Good, but not enough." Jack raised his arms air above his head, as the Light from inside his body billowed out into a small ball above his hands. "More..." Continuous flowing light issued into the basketball-sized sphere, as it enlarged again. "...More..." The glowing ball soon bellowed to the size of a skeletal horse. "...More! It''s not enough! MORE!" The ball enlarged again, and again! It quickly expanded into the size of a stadium Jack would see in his last life. "MORE POWER! SO MUCH MORE!" Jack''s runic tattoos gorged on the light, as around him became shrouded in void. The hazy ball of light seemed to be ignited, as it ballooned to ridiculous proportions and was currently the size of eight kilometers above his head and still growing, dwarfing Jack. As it continued to grow rapidly, an explosive sound issued, and a searing wind wrapped around and expanded from the epicenter racing through the skies of the Underworld. The largest size of the light sphere collapsed inward into a sphere now the size of a kilometer. The sphere no longer looked to be made of Light but was issuing light, as it rumbled continuously above his head. It radiated so much light, that it illuminated the dark skies, as flares of fire lashed out to crash back down into the now burning sphere of light. Objects in the surround began to quiver, as they flew up toward the sphere, and be vaporized just before hitting the fireball. The large stalagmites of the roof of the Underworld broke away and fell to the same fate, as pieces of land breaking away below to become dust before the Fireball. Jack maintained the fireball above his head, as he felt sharp pains in every bone. He felt his soul tearing, and his bones rattling in their joints... But he felt it was finally enough. Jack moved his hands to bring the fireball down on top of this bastard that destroyed his city, ruined his reputation, and most of all... Hurt his beloved. Jack cackled out loud, even as the rumbling of the ball of fire drowned his voice out, "Good bye... Mountain Ape...! HAhahHAHahHAhahAHAHa!" As the Fireball illuminated the Underworld with its very presence, The undead as far away as the Abyssal''s People walked out of their homes to see the sphere of Light on the horizons, and wondered how this would happen. ******* Mark had just got information that the Skull of the Sun God was covered, and was being transported now, looked out of his window to see the skylines reminiscent to the descriptions of the Overworld. Mark muttered to himself, "...God-King...?" As now he began to wonder about what this Title truly meant. ******* The five Vampire Galleons were making their way up the coast of the Ruined Continent, as those on desk watched the light show in the distance. Many on board had never seen such displays, and only two of the old foggies on board knew what it was, as they told the others it was a fight between high-level cultivators. However, everyone on the ships stopped their merrymaking once the red light of the fireball ignited above. They could all feel their skin instantly begin to burn as if they were put into an oven! "DOWN THE DECKS! TO THE ROOMS! QUICKLY, QUICKLY!" The old foggies hurried their men, the first mate calling orders! As the two of the oldest, they knew what that monster in the sky was... But... HOW!??!!? Those that were not fast enough.... were left to the fate of the winds, as their ashes drifted away in the breeze. ******* Eris stood on top of the Holy Palace, as her mouth gaped open, as she felt the warming sensation on her skin... It didn''t burn as she basked in the glow of the tyrant of light in front of her. She muttered only two words, "The... Sun..." Chapter 165: Tell them Who sent you... As the colossal fireball traveled the short distance between Jack and the crater that held the old hermit, the continuous rumbling of solar activity, and thunder sparking around the outskirts as the Magic that bound this ball of plasma separated it from the normal world began to break down. Jack continued to laugh hysterically with his arms outstretched downward, as he watched with eyes that now swirled with darkness as if the God-King''s eye sockets were as vast as the boundless void of space. The ape had roused himself from his crater and stood up to look at the incoming fireball. He watched around him, as small stones and even larger pieces of rock were being pulled up into the massive incoming attack. It seemed to him that this powerful attack included the power of gravity! "OO-UH! COME ON THEN! CHOU NOT WON! ME SILL HAVE POWER!" The Mountain Ape Hermit got to his feet as a green shield of power surrounded and covered every inched of him. Now with a thick dark green luster protecting him, the old ape dug his feet into the carter he was in, and with a ground-cracking force, he launched himself toward the incoming rumbling solar giant. Jack became silent, as he sensed below that the old ape jumped into his attack... If one looked closely... They may wonder if even skeletons can smile... "...Foolish..." Jack remarked as he closed his hands in midair. Immediately around the ape, as he passed through the corona of the proto-star, he began to feel a restricting gravity pull, but he pushed on with the intent of going through the attack, breaking it, and reaching the God-King on the other side to finish what he started... Crushing the God-King, like his disciple. The falling star paused in midair, just before reaching the ground, as the giant ape surrounding by his dark green shield reached the innermost part of the fireball... The Mountain Ape Hermit was finding it very difficult to continue, as the gravity around him binding his actions, and slowing his progress. He watched as the intense hell fires born from this tyrant of space began to eat away at his shield, as the Mountain Ape continued to supply more power to it, quickly exhausting his Cultivation. "RAWR!" The Mountain Ape Hermit was making his last stand, as regret was finally setting in for his action to wade through this attack... Why was the God-King now so much more powerful, than before...? It didn''t make sense to him... He had made a fatal error! Underestimating his enemy, even if the God-King was an abnormal existence, and touched his reverse dragon''s scale, he should have kept his guard for those two reasons alone. The old hermit came to a pause, as he struggled to continue moving, as he found that the fires surrounding him began to twist and churn. He was a few meters from the middle of the fireball, as he witnessed, though shielded by his power, with his eyes the multiple explosions of light forming in the middle that gave birth to this monstrous entity... But now, in the center, as the explosions began to become more erratic, and all around him, the flames were being pulled to the middle of the star. He blinked in astonishment, as a pinpoint black ball formed. As the pinpoint grew larger, the flames around it were being constantly drawn, and disappearing at the event horizon! The Ape now began to struggle more, as he now wanted to get away from this new creation! This wasn''t like anything he had seen or read before! His back was being pounded by numerous rocks, and chunks of the ground that was pulled away and being funneled into this anomaly. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. In his futile efforts, he too like everything around his was being sucked into this now baseball-sized black hole. The fireball was gone, and only the baseball-sized black hole remained, with the Mountain Ape Hermit fighting to get away from it, as his green shield was rapidly thinning, with his power was waning. The Ape looked around frantically, as he looked up to see the self-proclaimed God-King. "..." The ape hermit was at a loss, as he watched the God-King with his hands behind his back... "Tell the others, the Lich King sent you..." As the last words, this ape heard, before his shield ruptured, and his body cracked in half, being pulled through the small hole. At the event horizon, now unprotected by his shield, the meat and flesh of the mountain ape hermit dissolved, froze, and burned in rapidly changing succession before being sucked into the innermost part of the void. With a zip sound, the baseball-sized black hole shrank at a visible rate before disappearing from the face of the Underworld. In the wake of this attack, the surrounding grounds west of Saigunrai. The area was half melted into molten rock and resembled the brimstone ocean just south the wastes. Jack rubbed his bald head, [Why did I say that?] He then reached into his rib cage and felt the heart that was still beating, though it quivered during a few beats, beating still, it was... He turned in midair flying back to Saigunrai, crossing the Holy Inlet and over the City port to wear his lover was... He came down to see that Leslie was awake and floating next to Joan. He reached out toward Leslie with his right hand, still with the Void in his eyes. Regardless of how Jack looked Leslie was beyond elation, as she too reached out for Jack to receive him back. She watched as Jack''s void-like eyes fluxed, and then dissipated, and he plummeted out of the air. Horror crossed her face, as she watched Jack fall from the height of seven meters to the ground, and skid along the ruined cobblestones and dirt of the ruptured land of the inner city of Saigunrai. She and Joan quickly went to his side, and flipped Jack over to his back, in his tattered robes, as they watched his runic tattoos on his bones come back to their previous golden brilliance, though Jack didn''t move. Leslie looked deeply at Jack, as Joan to the side called out to him, "My God-King! My God-King are you okay!" "Shhhhhh, Shhhhh, Shhh... He''s only sleeping... He does this a lot." Leslie consoled, as black tears formed at the corner of her eyes. "Let''s take him to his room." Leslie reached under Jack''s large skeleton and heaved him up despite her open soul wounds and current weakness. "Consort Leslie allow me!" Joan watched Leslie struggle to lift him. "No... Just... Escort me back." Leslie finally lifted Jack into her embrace, as his body was limp in his arms. She flew slowly, as Joan shook her head, and picked up her weapons. She sheathed them on her back, as she began walking toward the Holy Palace through the ruined earth of the City. [Dead again...] Leslie giggled, as she silently wept; tears falling onto the bones of her lover. ******* One-minute Jack felt he was flying to Leslie and the next... He was here... [Where is here? That is the question.] He felt much more clear-headed than he did just a moment ago. A moment ago, he didn''t half know who he was or what he was doing, except to kill that stupid monkey man, and save Leslie. Thankfully, Leslie was okay. [I might have overreacted...] Jack thought, as he began to walk through a small tunnel. "Overreacted? You threw a sun at the old bastard that became a Black Hole, Bahahaha!" Jack heard a voice resound in his mind. "Who said that?!?" Jack called out, as he exited the tunnel. As Jack exited, he looked around and saw a vast starry sky, with many cosmic bodies. Galaxies clusters and many stars dotted along them. Magnificent nebulas, as the cradles of stars. It was as if the Macro Cosmos was on fast forward, as Jack could see the violent birth of stars, and then the slow decay of them afterward, and then stars that refused to die, and become black holes or other anomalies he wasn''t sure of... "How long are you going to gawk for?" Jack heard that void again, he looked around, and in front of him was a very interesting looking undead. He was a black skeleton from head to toe and was as tall as Jack. He wore a simple white robe with his hood up, with a black sash around his middle. "I know you don''t have a tongue, but so does the cat, indeed, have it?" "..." Jack was at a loss of where he was, who this was, and what he was supposed to do! "Well, it''s good to see you again, anyway, my mute friend... You used to be very vocal! Anyway, how long has it been since I last saw you in person?" The mysterious skeleton walked forward and drew Jack into a bear hug. Chapter 166: Just who are you? The mysterious skeleton shook Jack a few times before releasing him and taking a step back to look him over again. "Same look as the last time you came through, though it isn''t far from the second time either... This makes... What the fourth time I''ve seen you." "...Just who are you...?" Jack finally asked from his bewildered state. "I am your father." The Black Skeleton said with a solemn voice. "...What?!" Jack blurted out. "Hahaha! Just like the last time! Priceless!!! That''s three times you''ve fallen for that!" The Black Skeleton laughed nearly uncontrollably, "For the record, I am not your father! Hahaha, No testing needs to be done!! Hahahaha." "...That''s kind of fucked-up..." Jack spoke without thinking. "I know, but it''s such fun to be able to pull the same joke on someone that many times... That''s the only problem with what I do is mortals always forget, but I have to get fun somehow, right?" The skeleton laughed for a moment. "Alright, alright... How do you want this to play out? Like the first time we met, the second time we met, the third, or should I treat this as the fourth time, which it is indeed the fourth time." "...That''s not really explaining who you are, but... Have we met before?" Jack asked rubbing his chin while looking up, after collecting himself again. A black tentacle-like tongue slithered out and licked the Black Skeleton''s left eye socket, before retracting quickly... Going unnoticed by Jack. The Black Skeleton then began to talk animatedly again, "Sure have. I remember the first time you came by... Damn mad, and full of rage. Was hilarious! You wouldn''t stop cursing and you were mad in every sense of the word! You even had the balls to call me, ME, a bitch ass fucker. Bahaha, I laughed for while on that one. I couldn''t talk to mortal humans for a week because of it. Every time I saw one, I just started to laugh, after all, every one of them looks the same to me, Bahahaha." "..." "Oh, hmmm... Got to get serious." The Black Skeleton shook his head and loosened his joints while shaking his hands as if warming up to play a piano. "Alright, there. This should be proper of what you mortals like when you think of me." "...Are you death...?" "Am I death? Well... No... I mean, I''m not the one that goes around killing mortals. I mean you guys do that just fine on your own." The Black Skeleton laughed a few more times. "...Do you have a name?" Jack continued to fish for something. This guy rambled! "Well, I have many names. Some folks call me King Yama, others call me Charon, some others like to think of me as the ferryman. I remember one race of mortals calls me the Lurker at the Threshold. Ha! Didn''t even give me an actual name, and just a reference... What kind of shit is that?" The Skeleton demanded to know. "...You''re Yog Sothoth... The Key and the Gate." "Was Howard from your world? Smart man... Though a bit deranged... Then again, he looked beyond the veil and knew of my kind, soooooo I guess I would be the reason for that." The Skeleton shook his head. "At any rate, that''s right, you did a stretch on a human world where Ole Howard was born and died. That makes things a lot easier, though he didn''t get everything right. He was way paranoid. You would think with knowledge of the veil lifted, he would have made more of himself." The Skeleton shrugged. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Jack looked all around him, and then back to the skeleton, tilting his head slightly. "What?" The Skeleton asked. "Where are the tentacles, and all the eyes... The cosmic horror that''s described." "Well... I mean, if you want to look upon the closest visage of my true look, I don''t mind being an exhibitionist, but I don''t really want to melt your mind and soul. You''ve been fun to watch, so it would be a shame if it ended... Wait... You read the book, didn''t you?" The Skeleton asked as if he just remembered something. Jack remembered the book he read long ago when he first went to his Library. The things that laid beyond the light, and the constant pressure of knowing just how things beyond the veil were... What his end goal was... "Falling silent... It seems you changed your goal from the first time we talked." "...Yeah, I read the book, and you know what my goal is... Why aren''t you bothered?" "Well... Let''s talk for fun, right! Let''s say that you somehow manage to kill me. It doesn''t change anything. I''m more of a force of nature than an entity. Think of me as more of a process that gained sentience. Kill me if you can, is what I say. I''m damn bored. I''d think it fun to watch you try! The last mortals to try wanted to lure my body into their world to trap me... They only succeeded at starting their own apocalypse. No one could handle what they saw, haha! It was fucking gut buster! A brain smasher, if you like!" The skeleton held his sides shaking. "..." "Though, I believe that my brothers and sister wouldn''t be as receptive of the idea." The skeleton wiped the corner of his eye socket as if there was a tear from laughter. After a brief pause, the skeleton mentioned, "You''ve become silent again... Is the prospect of challenging the indifferent cosmos that daunting? Giving up already?" "No... I''m just thinking up a name to call you because I''m not going to drop Yogg Sathoth in casual conversation." "I mean you don''t re-" "Yoggi... I''m going to call you Yoggi." Jack interrupted. "...Yoggi... Well, I''ve been called worse, I suppose." The Skeleton tilted his head at an angle to stare at Jack slightly disturbed. "What...?" "You''ve gotten a lot stranger than the last time we met... What happened to all the reverence and the hysterical? In fact, you are taking this way to easily, and you''re killing my vibe." Jack scratched the back of his bald head, "I don''t know... I could give a fuck less really. My only question is... Am I dead?" "That is the question, right? Dead? Alive? Undead? Dead-Dead? Alive-Alive? What does it mean to be any of these, right? I mean... Here you are in a realm beyond your reasoning talking to a hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional being. Are you alive now?" "Alright. Let me ask this. If I''m here, it means I''ve transitioned from a state where I was considered "Sentient" in the realm I''m from to where I am now..." "...You''ve become such a fun suck... Just... Suck all the fun out..." "Ah." Jack began to pace back and forth on the spot while thinking aloud, "If I think about it... Then I used too much power... I called on something to make me stronger, and it broke me down! Yeah, it caused me to die, and here I am... You''ve said you''ve seen me before, and you''re the guy that sees dead people, cue the sixth sense, and it means that I''ve died before, and forgotten." ''Yoggi'' watched Jack pace back and forth while monologuing... His eye sockets narrowed on his skull distorting the bone appearance into a more evil look. "Keep talking it out." ''Yoggi'' encouraged. "If I''ve come through before, it means I can go back to the living world. How do I get back?" "But you just got here!" "Yoggi''s" skull face went back to normal before Jack could see any difference. "Yeah, I mean I don''t mind shooting the breeze with you, but at the same time, I''m sure things aren''t running smoothly with half my capital city in ruins." "And the woman, ahem... Women." ''Yoggi'' laughed. "Yeah... There are the ladies I''m worried about." Jack admitted freely. "How is it to finally have women? I mean... After you''re first love in your first life, you haven''t had a woman in three other lives... What a loser of a mortal, am I right? Bahaha." "...I don''t see you with a harem of women..." Jack thought out loud. "Pfft, my wife is a naughty fertility goddess with a thousand young... Who do you think made those young? They didn''t get birthed like the Creator, let me tell you. I was the one laying pipe." "...How do you even know that reference?" "Actually, you should ask what I don''t know!" ''Yoggi'' laughed again, then stopped while looking at Jack from a bent angle from laughing. He straightened himself and walked over to Jack with only half a meter between the two. "How would you like to play a game?" ''Yoggi'' asked, in a tone that was half sinister and half-amused. "...You''re not going to chain me up and make me saw my leg off, are you?" "Not, this will be much more fun... Fun for me..." ''Yoggi'' rubbed his hands together. "What is it?" "You get to ask me three questions. I will answer with the truth for one, I will lie for one, and I will tell a half-truth for another. I won''t tell you which, and you can figure it out which is which!" The jaw hinges of ''Yoggi'' moved up on his skull as if it wasn''t bone moving to give the sinister look of a smiling skull. Chapter 167: The Laughter and Snores of a Blind Idiot God "So, you wish to torment me... Did you do this to me before?" "As a courtesy, is this one of the three questions?" ''Yoggi'' asked with a humored tone. "No. If you want to answer do it, but it''s not one of the three." "Again... No fun! Yes. I''ve done this for you each time you passed through here." ''Yoggi'' openly admitted, placing his hands behind his back. "Well, it''s a good opportunity," Jack said out loud, as he began to think to himself, [I could ask something I already know... Then if he tells me its false, then I know the next answer will be truth or a half-truth.] ''Yoggi'' shook his head, "Nope. It would only mean that I would tell you the truth and you get a guaranteed lie for one and a half-truth. "Wait..." Jack looked up from his thoughts in shock, [Did you just read my mind?] Jack thought to himself. "Yeah. Kind of the whole kit and kaboodle of being hyper-intelligent. Mind reading of simple mortals is very fun. You learn all kinds of neat things doing it." ''Yoggi'' laughed a bit. "So, in other words, I can''t think this out, and you''re going to make sure to screw me over if I try to fix the game. It''s asked what I want to know and hope I can figure it out." "Pretty much." ''Yoggi'' the Black Skeleton nodded and agreed. "I see... Alright... Before I ask... Does it have to be yes and no questions?" Jack asked quickly. "Smart... No... Ask whatever you want." "Alright... What things do I want to know?" "Ack~!" ''Yoggi'' coughed, as he patted his robe a few times. "You smart little ass... That''s a good one. You''ve gotten smarter in spite of forgetting. I''m only going to answer using your last life, or it''s going to be too long..." "Alright, then..." ''Yoggi seemed to take in a deep breath for no reason, "In no particular order, You want to know who your father really is... If Leslie truly loves, you... How to handle Julia... How to give Emily freedom... How to get rid of Eris... How to plan for a Black Wedding... How to have a child with Leslie... If the subordinate of Crag called Knowall knows how to plan a wedding... What''s Jade plotting... How your god powers work... How to remove the voices from your mind... If your body is the Lich King''s... If you are the Lich King... If your body is the First Holy Witch King''s... If you are the Holy Witch King... How many times have you really died... Why Jordan Lightdumbo decided to call himself Lightborn... Why the handmaidens of Jade did the same thing... Can you really absolve sin... How sin really works anyway... Why would someone pray to a god and ask for a couch... Why Mark wants to destroy Deagoth... And lastly, How come you remember your last life, but not the ones prior, and not being able to remember me if you passed by..." ''Yoggi''s'' eye sockets narrowed again, but now Jack saw this while feeling slightly unnerved... "That sound like all of them...?" "Yeah... Some of that I didn''t really think about, but they are good questions." Jack commented. "Alright then... You have two more to ask!" ''Yoggi'' folded his arms. "Okay... Then I should ask something I really want to know." Jack tapped on his chin as if in thought, but ''Yoggi'' didn''t feel any thoughts within Jack''s mind. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "I just told you... Pick one." ''Yoggi'' laughed while pacing around Jack. As he paced, his ribs quivered from the exposure in the top of his white robe, as if they were like worms, before becoming hard again, just as he walked to the front of Jack. "How do I become your friend?" Jack asked. "Ah...? What...?" ''Yoggi'' didn''t understand, and for him... This was an exceedingly rare feeling. Not unpleasant, but rare. "How do I become your friend?" Jack asked again. ''Yoggi''s eye sockets became round like circles in his skull, as he pondered. He turned around. He looked up, and then back down. He swayed on the spot a few times before he finally turned around. "...I would have to accept you as a friend... I guess... Speaking of which, What the hell kind of question is that." ''Yoggi'' raised a fuss! "I don''t know, you seem like an interesting guy, that I might want to kill later, so why not be friends?" "I see... That... Seems illogical..." ''Yoggi'' held his head, "Strange, you have really become strange!" "I don''t know how to take that from a hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional being." Jack gave a light laugh. "...Are you fucking with me, or are you serious?" "I''m DEAD fucking serious, haha!" Jack laughed now as ''Yoggi'' did earlier. "..." ''Yoggi'' was now at a loss. "Why so silent ''Yoggi,'' friend? We can be called friends now, right?" Jack took a few steps to ''Yoggi.'' "Hey, damn it... This is my game. Ask your next question." ''Yoggi''s skull went back to normal, as he raised his voice. A few sleepy laughs rumbled through the realm, as ''Yoggi'' looked around, as the ground shook, and stars turned supernova in the galaxies creating new nebulas... It was almost asking if the skies would turn into hell in an instance breaking the Macro Cosmos around them. "STOP LAUGHING, YOU JACK ASS!" ''Yoggi'' turned his back and roared to the stars above. Jack getting his footing again, looked up in astonishment, as he thought, [What the hell was that?!?] "That was the creator laughing in his stupid sleep... I want him to wake up, but the damn thing won''t... I just don''t want him to wake up at my expense!" ''Yoggi'' turned again, as a black tentacle from the bottom of his white robe retracted quickly. "...The creator? Of like... Everything?!?" "Yeah... Him... The Blind Idiot God!" "Azathoth!" "Pfft... No Azathoth is a Jack ass, but he''s not the Creator. Howard got him and the Creator confused, then again... Considering he was slipping into madness at the time, it was good he got the name right if anything." "Is he really a blind idiot?" Jack asked. "...You ask a lot of questions... Is that your question to ask?" "No..." Jack replied, sighing. "I''ll just tell you, No. He isn''t actually blind, but he is an idiot! Haha, on another note, he''s really dense, that''s why I said he''s blind. Don''t think too much on it, kay?" "...By the way, what happens when he wakes up...?" "What happens if Azathoth woke up?" ''Yoggi'' didn''t answer and returned a question. Jack thought of something about the end of everything. "That''s what I''m hoping that will happen, but I''m not sure." ''Yoggi'' looked up and yelled a few times. "YOU HEAR THAT! WAKE UP, YOU SLEEPY FUCK!" ''Yoggi'' Yelled to the stars above, as it rippled out in waves. He went silent, as Jack stared in wonderment. "Just wait a few moments." ''Yoggi'' waved his hand to dismiss Jack''s thoughts. A reality wrapping and shattering snore roared through the stars, as stars went black, and black holes gorged on their surroundings with increased fervor. Jack fell to a knee, as the space around him bent, but just ask quickly as this occurred, it seemed to go back to normal. ''Yoggi'' turned his head and shook it... "He''s a really deep sleeper... Sleep talks too." he shook his head again, "You wouldn''t believe the things he spouts in his sleep." "Have... you... ah...?" "Have I met him before? Is that a question?" ''Yoggi'' gave Jack a smile on his skull. "You know what... Yeah! That''s a question." Jack stood up and declared. "Pfft, then it doesn''t count! I''m not counting that one... Play the game correctly, damn it. Anyway, when I gained sentience, he was already asleep..." ''Yoggi'' looked Jack up and down for a moment, "You know... The last mortal to hear anything from the Creator had their soul disintegrated... I''m surprised you''re still here." He tilted his head as if he was looking at some rare creature. Jack shrugged as if saying, ''I don''t know.'' "Well, now ask your actual question." ''Yoggi'' folded his arms again, as if what just happened didn''t phase him in the slightest. "Oh, alright. Then, how do prophets prophesy the future?" Jack asked something that had bothered him for a while. "Ah, they listen to that idiot''s sleep talk, or they listen to someone that listens to the idiot''s sleep talk. So, it all works out really." ''Yoggi'' pointed his finger upward. "So... That''s how it is." Jack rubbed his chin while looking up trying to see if there was anything beyond the stars. "So... Have you figured out which questions were answered correctly?" ''Yoggi'' laughed a few times. Chapter 168: A Deal forged with Villainous Thoughts "Not really." Jack shrugged. "What...?" ''Yoggi'' asked for a second time this meeting. "I mean... I don''t care if any of the questions are lies or not. In any case, they don''t impact me one way or another." Jack laughed similarly as ''Yoggi.'' "...You smart ass... You smart little strange jack ass... Oh, JACK ass!" ''Yoggi'' began to laugh as well, and the strange scene of two idiotic and eccentric undead one white skeleton and one black skeleton laughing creepily formed in a realm between worlds and veils. ''Yoggi'' stopped laughing in mid-Ha, and narrowed his eye sockets to look at Jack. "You didn''t play the game correctly, so you get a bonus." "Oh? A bonus round?" Jack asked inquisitively. "Yeah, a bonus round, but this time it''s in reverse! I''m going to tell you three things, and each one with will be either the truth, a lie, or a half-truth!." ''Yoggi''s'' tone took a turn to anger. "I see... Alright, go ahead." "Leslie loves you." "You are the Lich King." "And lastly, Emily hates you, and want''s her freedom." ''Yoggi'' spoke then paused between each sentence for dramatic effect. "Oh... I see. That''s interesting." "Isn''t it? ''Yoggi''s'' bony hands clapped together, though they issued a flesh slapping sound, despite their bony appearance. "Sure... Regarding Leslie, that can''t be a half-truth, really. Love is all or nothing if you ask me. Whether it''s the love of a friend or that of a lover... Then she either Loves or Hates me." "So that leaves the last two for half-truth... You are either the Lich King or you''re not... Right, so I''m not the Lich King, then that means that''s false." "Emily doesn''t hate me, I think, but that means she wants freedom." Jack tapped on his chin a few times, as he spoke out loud while looking at the stars above. ''Yoggi''s'' hands squiggled as a mass of tentacles squirmed, as he retracted them into his robes, as Jack looked back down. "So, Leslie loves me, Emily wants freedom, and I''m not the Lich King." Jack held his bony hand with a thumbs up. "Really... Are you sure?" ''Yoggi'' extended his bony hands to wave them in the air, making a no sign. "No. I''ve fairly confident I''m right." "Well, I can tell you-you got some of that wrong, hahahaha! Take that as a hint!" ''Yoggi'' laughed again, as he watched a blank Jack. Jack shrugged, as he spoke, "I do have a different question. How do I go back." "Go back? Oh, you mean back to the living realms. That''s fine. I''ll just wipe your memories and send you back. This time I''ll just let the cycle pick where to send you at random... Seems the world I sent you to for fun, turned out to be a bust... Blah." "Wait... What?" Jack now was startled, as if someone stepped on his tail. "Which part...? Wiping your memories, letting the cycle to pick where you should go, or that I was the one to send you to that last world?" ''Yoggi'' tilted his head, as one eye socket became round and the other squinted as if confused. "..." Jack didn''t say anything as he watched this being in front of him. "Not thinking anything either... Give me a bone hear, haha! Seriously, what is it?" ''Yoggi'' laughed. "You know damn well it''s wiping my memories. What kind of shit is that... If you wipe my memory what good was having me ask questions and telling me that bullshit?!" Jack exclaimed out of anger. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Oh! I''ve done that each time you came through... You didn''t remember those, so why did you think you were going to remember this time? The last time you died YOU DIDN''T COME BY HERE, DUMBASS!" ''Yoggi''s'' voice raised, as it rumbled through the area reverberating, as his form quivered as if many worms were inside his white robes. "Wait... That literally last time I did... I didn''t come through here?!?" "You were so smart earlier, and now you''ve become so dumb! Was it the Creator''s laugh and snore that made you stupid!" ''Yoggi'' calmed down and thought for a moment looking at the ground, "Yeah, I bet it was the Creator that made you stupid... Alright, it''s time to wrap this up then." "No! No! Wait!" "What is it, now?" ''Yoggi'' looked to be impatience with his hands on his hips. "Let me go back to my body, and rejoin Leslie... I don''t want my memory wiped and to be sent somewhere from her... What will she do? What will the others do? My Kingdom? My plans! How will I accomplish my goals!?!?!" ''Yoggi'' shrugged, "Better luck next time?" "I''m sure you have the power to send me back, so let me return." "And... What''s in it for me?" ''Yoggi'' laughed. "That''s what friends are for???" Jack said with a slight hopeless laugh. "Ah, Ahaha! Okay, that''s funny, but seriously what''s in it for me?" "Well, what do you want?" "I want my boredom to end." ''Yoggi'' said straight out, "Do you think you can end that boredom by yourself???" "Ah... No..." "Yeah, thought so... Time to wipe your memories." ''Yoggi'' took two steps to the front of Jack lifting his hand. "Wait... No... I''m interesting! I do interesting things! Think of it as a challenge to come kill you and your fellows, or, or, or Something else, I could invite you to chill in my world. I''m sure there is something that can help with boredom!" Jack grasped at straws, as ''Yoggi'' paused his step. "Invite me to your world? You do realize that if my true form shows up in your world, it''s basically the end of that world, right?" "I could summon you to a different world, doesn''t have to be mine right? As long as I go to another world, I can summon you there, say like a weapon!" "Isn''t that giving you too much... You get to go back to your life, with all this knowledge, and you get to summon me on your enemies in other worlds... Where is the downside?" ''Yoggi'' put his hand down, as he tilted his head again for the third time this meeting. "Does it have to have a downside? Think about fun instead, and think of it as a win-win! You get to venture out, do something different! It''s like a vacation!" "You do realize that you are trading you''re unlife for the possible countless lives of an entire world... Doesn''t that bother you?" ''Yoggi'' laughed amused, and actually for the first time wondered how this mortal would answer. "I can''t be the only would that has ever made this deal, right! All, I have to do is make sure I find a world that I don''t like and summon you on over... I want what''s mine. Screw everyone and everything else!" Jack watched as ''Yoggi'' bent over laughing... The shrill laughter that pitched high in frequency and then bottomed out into a low timbre... It was an eerie sound that could be described as hundreds of... Creatures... Hundreds of creatures laughing... Laughing that sounds old... That sounded right in front of him, and that it sounded far way... A funny sound that made Jack feel as if he had hair on his neck rising. Jack even reached to his bony neck to check to see if he had flesh... The white robes of ''Yoggi'' burst with countless tentacles, countless black tentacles, as they waved in the air, enlarging at a rapid pace as the laughter continued, and rumbled. A large central mass bubbled out from the middle of this chaos. Large slits formed and oozed a purple solution across the tentacles, and a large gash appeared in the middle of the seemingly large gelatinous mass that billowed forth, that took on a shape with a cephalopod type persuasion. As these gashes and slits poured forth their violaceous fluids, with many xanthous-like eyes peering from their opened wounds across this now immense and darkly fantastically sized being, as more and more laughter filtered into the realm, as even the stars in the skies above quivered. Jack watched in horror, as he continuously backed up from this monstrous inhuman creature. He continued to look on, as he felt sharp ice pick pains within his mind. This being... This ''Yoggi''... It was... Was a being that defied common sense, and logic... As the laughter came to a rolling stop, all the eyes that contained many pupils looked down with many different emotions contained within each, although each eye gazed at the same target... Jack. An inhumane voice now rang across the realm, like a voice made of nails scraping a chalkboard, or perhaps the piercing sound of an incoming impact... ??You wish to summon me to a world, for your own selfish desires and damn those that would get in your way... You will be the most villainous of all creation... You are not the first to ask this deal, but you will be the first to be granted this deal with the conditions that you wish!?? More laughter rang, as Jack held his head with both hands. He had fallen to his knees trying to understand the voices... The many sounds that were not voices but mimicked a voice, and decipher their meaning. ??Any last words, before I cast you back to which you came!?? ''Yoggi'' spoke in many sounds. "Yeah... Can we still be friends?" Jack asked as he covered up one eye, to attempt to look up at this... This thing that had become. ??...?? Along paused stretched long enough that Jack felt some of the pain in his mind ease. ??Yes... We can be considered friends... Now go back! Go back to your world... I expect you to do what you have agreed to!?? "Is there a timeline?!" jack roared again, as pain flooded back in to fill the void of relief. ??There is no such thing as time to me!?? Laughter issued forth again, ??In time..." Laughter rang again as if amused at his own wording, ??In your time, I will send you a present.?? ??Good luck... My friend...?? Jack felt something crawling underneath him, as his gaze fell to his feet. The ground twisted as if alive and slowly reached around as if many black insects were emerging forth to consume him. Jack decided to trust ''Yoggi'' and let go. He was engulfed, and then his vision darkened as the last spec of sight failed him, and the feeling of weightlessness took over. Chapter 169: The Wheel Spins, again Jack''s body was laid on top of his evening tomb, as he laid on the lid. Leslie''s Handmaidens had brought a basin of Holy Water. With a few black tears at the corners of her eyes, Leslie walked over and removed the remaining tattered robes and other bits of the God-King''s regalia. Now that she had stripped him bone bare, Leslie finally had time to look inside his rib cage. It wasn''t that she didn''t see earlier but didn''t have the time to see it closely. [...Whose heart is this...?] Leslie gazed at the still-beating heart of Eris within the ribcage of Jack. It hung inside of him tethered by gold chains latches to various rib bones. Leslie reached into Jack''s ribcage and placed her skeletal hand around the heart to feel it beat, unlike her own. [...Just whose heart can still beat!?] Leslie questioned more. After she retracted her hand, she thought hard, and the tears on the edges of her eyes seemed to dry in her thoughts. [Vampires... Their hearts still beat... That new toy of Jack''s? The Vampire Princess? How in the hell did he get her heart? Her literal heart!] Leslie felt frustrated, and then looked down to her own chest. [...My heart no longer beats...] She felt at a loss, as she wondered even if she gave her own heart... Would Jack still like a dead heart? She looked back up at the dirtied bones of her beloved, as she decided she would have to ask the crazy thing later. Going over, she dipped a white linen cloth into the Holy water, and carefully came back to Jack''s side, and began to whip him down in earnest. In the middle of this cleaned, she heard some knocking on the door. "Yes?" Leslie spoke out, as the door was opened by one of the Holy Sentinels. Now that the God-King was injured, they had been scrambled and were agitated to the extreme. It was good that they as a whole decided to listen to the first consort, or the fate of the unfaithful couldn''t be determined in their wrath. Leslie turned to see the doorway held Emily. She waved her hand to the Holy Sentinel, and in turn, the Holy Sentinel then let Emily into the room. It seemed the Holy Sentinels disregarded the status of the Second Consort in comparison to the First Consort. Emily hesitantly walked into the room, and stood next to Leslie, as she watched her wash Jack for a few moments before speaking, "Is... Is he going to be alright?" Leslie stopped for a moment, pausing on Jack''s hip bones, as she still felt the pain of the holy water on her bony hands. "I... Yes. Yes, he will be alright. It''s not like this doesn''t happen." Leslie then gave a light laugh. "I can''t feel anyth-" "That doesn''t mean anything. Jack''s mysterious like that. Just believe in our husband, and everything will be fine." Emily looked up to the bones laying on the lid of his evening tomb. Was there something in his ribcage? "Ah... Is there something in-" You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Yeah... I''m not too sure, but I have my suspicions." "Well then... Is there anything I can help with?" Emily asked on the side. "...Just wait with me..." "Alright." Emily went to take a seat in Jack''s massive desk chair at the side of the room. "What... What happened exactly?" Emily asked, as she was inside at the time, and forbade from leaving. She could only stay with Lucius until the go-ahead was given. "Jack... He... He was fighting that Hermit, and then... The hermit hit me... I don''t know how he found me, I shouldn''t have interfered... I just... I just couldn''t keep watching as he flung Jack around like a rag doll." After a moment of thought, Emily pieced together the events, and then asked, "...What happened after that?" "Jack... I don''t know what he did, but when I came too... I saw him holding up a giant fireball and threw it at the old hermit..." Leslie gave a light "Ha." "The old hermit flew into the fireball. I take it he wanted to smash through it to get to Jack, but Jack... Jack collapsed it... It turned... Black and small... That black thing ate everything around it and ate the old hermit too... Then Jack flew back to me... And when he saw I was alright, he... He became like this." "I see..." Emily now had a generally good idea, as her heart turned sour, and she wondered if Jack would do the same for her. Silence then engulfed the room, as Leslie continued to wipe Jack down. Leslie finished her cleaning and had her Handmaidens take away all the excess, under the watchful eyes of the Sentinels "Haaa~" Leslie sighed, as it seems she had picked up this habit from Jack, as Emily to the side tilted her head, and ask, "What is it?" "I wish he didn''t do these kinds of things making me worry... Making you worry... Making us all worry... It took everything I had to calm down Lucius, who is still taking care of the church... And I pray to Jack that he wakes up before I have to deal with that damnable woman." "Which, Warmarshall Verruca, or the Vampire Princess?" "Oh, ah... There is her too... Haaa~" Another knock at the door sounded, "Yes." Leslie spoke out loud, as she turned her head to see, as the door opened under the hand of a Sentinel. "Dr. Hollowell, please come in..." Dr. Hollowell nodded and walked in with a small bag in her hands. She didn''t say anything, as she crossed the room, and placed her medical bag on the lid of the evening tomb. She looked over Jack, as his eyes grew wide. She turned to look at Leslie with a shocked face, one that didn''t look normal for her. Leslie nodded. Dr. Hollowell went back to her examine. After a long while of various tools pulled from her bag and checking various things. She put everything back in her bag and turned to face Leslie sitting to the side, with Emily also waiting for her word. "Is it like I thought?" Leslie asked. Dr. Hollowell nodded. "So, it''s not like when we put him into entombment?" Leslie asked a similar but different question. "No... It''s not like that... This seems-" "He''s just sleeping, Dr. Hollowell." Leslie interrupted. "...I see... I don''t th-" "Just sleeping. I''m not sure how long his nap will be, but he will wake up... I''m sure he might even wake up soon." Leslie said with a bit of a smile. "...Consort Leslie, if you ever need a shoulder or someone to talk to... You can find me in the lab, my office, or just call for me. I will come, okay?" Dr. Hollowell added and said sincerely. "Of course," Leslie spoke and stood to walk Dr. Hollowell out of the room, in a show of respect. Just as Leslie placed her hand on the door to open, they felt something behind them. Leslie, Emily, and Dr. Hollowell looked to the evening tomb, to see the eyes of the God-King flicker, and then ignite with a blaze... A crazed fire took root in the eye sockets of the God-King! Jack''s mouth opened, and then laughter... "HahahHAhahAhAHAHaHAHhaHAhAhAhAhahahahahAHHAHAhahAhAH!" It sounded, and the Glowstone lamps in the room trembled, as the light, they provided flickered like candles in the wind. The Holy Palace shook with the vibration of laughter, and all the rooms the Glowstone lamps flickered as if they were going to go out as well. Today had brought so many events, that the servants and Handmaidens only looked for cover, and didn''t question what was happening. Jack sat up and looked down at his hands, and his ribcage, still laughing. As he clenched his skeletal hands a few times to receive the feeling of pressure and movement was present. "HAHAhahahAHHA~!" Dr. Hollowell dropped her medical bag, as she saw Jack sat up. "I knew it..." A quiet whisper was issued that only Leslie could hear during the laughter, while a black tear finally escaped flowing along the curvature of her porcelain-like face. Finally, the laughter came to a chuckle, as Jack spoke out, "Haha! The wheel! The wheel indeed spins again! Hahahaahaa!" Chapter 170: To Convince Death Jack slid his body to the side, to allow his legs to dangle from his evening tomb''s lid, as he surveyed his room. Jack held out his arms, and called, "Leslie come to me." Leslie with black stains on her face from the tears shed, near flew into the arms of Jack, as Jack received the impact. He rubbed the small back of Leslie, he calmed down slightly, as he finally felt her in his embrace, as his sense told him this was real. He patted her, as he whispered, "I''m sorry." "Just shut up for a few minutes, and let me enjoy you," Leslie said with love and annoyance. Dr. Hollowell wanted to leave, to allow the God-King to bond with his Consorts, but this went against all the teachings that she had ever had or read... He was dead... Dead-Dead in every sense of True Death, but he was sitting there and talking again... Dr. Hollowell remembered a line from her mentor to many years ago, [That which is alive can die, and be brought back... That which is dead can not die again but leaves the world behind. To break this is taboo...] After thinking this over, she couldn''t help but stay to ask. Emily sat awkwardly waiting for Jack to call her... [Why isn''t he calling me to him???] Emily wondered, as it has been five minutes now since him and Leslie began to cuddle. When was it going to be her turn? She was worried too... After ten more minutes, as the room had long become awkward for the other two, Jack released Leslie from his hug. Just when Emily thought Jack was going to call her, she heard him speak to Dr. Hollowell. "Good evening, Doctor. I''m sorry to make you wait. Is there anything I can do for you?" Dr. Hollowell gave a rare laugh, as she spoke, "I thought it was what I was going to do for you, but I couldn''t do anything. Can you answer a question for me?" "Well... Depends on what it is good Doctor." Jack said after a moment of thought, as his eyes flickered in thought, his hand extended to Leslie, as he didn''t want to let go of her. "How... How did you come back?" "..." Jack thought this might be it. "Well... I can''t answer that directly, but I can give you a general gist." "Please enlighten this one." Dr. Hollowell turned her body to face Jack completely, as she thought this might help her know practice better. "I convinced Death to let me come back." "...You... Spoke to Death..." Dr. Hollowell who was an atheist at heart didn''t quite understand. She believed in powerful beings and magic, but that these beings were of mortal ascendence, not of a divine nature... Death would be of divine nature... "Well... It''s not just over Death, but other things. The most I can tell you, good Doctor, is that I convinced it to let me come back." "Convince? How does one bargain with Death?" Jack paused at this line of question from Dr. Hollowell... He did bargain with Yog-Sothoth... The lives of an entire world... While he steeled himself at the time to claim it done, but to think of it now... It was something hard to think about it. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Jack finally spoke, "Death is very bored, so I promised him some entertainment in the future." "Enter...Tainment..." Dr. Hollowell looked up as she muttered, and then looked down... "I don''t understand..." "It''s best not to think about it. Let me tell you one last thing before I send you off Dr. Hollowell... Perhaps this will ease your mind." "Please ease it, God-King." Dr. Hollowell addressed Jack as his new title. "I tried to answer your question the best I could, and have revealed more than I''m sure I should have... The nature of Life, The Universe, and Everything isn''t even possible to understand with general thinking. It''s what you make of it, least if you know what''s actually going on... You may not be able to live with it and go mad... So promise me that you don''t think more about this." Jack finished, as he brought Leslie''s hand into both of his own. Dr. Hollowell nodded a few times, though absentmindedly. "Dr. Hollowell!" Jack rose his voice startling all within the room, and the buzzing of the Holy Palace ensured, and then eased. "Yes!" Dr. Hollowell snapped to attention. "I have something I wish for you to research if you have the time?" "Oh, of course. What is it that I can do?" "I wish for you to research the effects of Glowstone and zombie tissues. What happens when a piece of Glowstone is embedded into a Zombie''s flesh... What happens... Tell me what happens in a cadaver and what happens in an unliving Zombie." Jack said after a bit of thought. "Just... What is that you wish to do, God-King?" "I have plan''s that this knowledge will help with... Please work on it as soon as you can... I need to know." "Of course." A fire burned in the eyes of Dr. Hollowell, as she swiftly left the room. Leslie, was the first the break the silence, after Dr. Hollowell''s departure, "Did death make you kind-hearted?" Leslie freed her hands from Jack''s grasp and reached for his large skull, as she looked deeply into his eyes. Jack chuckled, "It does change one''s perspective, but a broken doctor isn''t any worth to me." "I see... Then I am relieved." Leslie smiled brightly, but as she smiled brightly, she lifted her small skeletal hand, as it slapped Jack across his face, with a dull sound of bone colliding. Jack''s felt little from the impact but was greatly shocked. He looked down into the eyes of Leslie that had black tears again beading at the edges. "Don''t make me worry again... This is the second time! STOP THIS!" "...I''m-" "I don''t want your apology... That doesn''t ease the pain in my heart! I want you to promise that you never do this again! If you can''t win... Then run! Runaway! Let the whole kingdom rot if you have too, We can always rebuild, We can always make another Kingdom, as long as you exist Deagoth will never die... But if you leave... Then Deagoth and I leave this world with you." Leslie poured out her bottled feelings. "I understand. Never again, then." Jack reached down and brought Leslie into his embrace holding her in his arms to soothe her. After another period of time, Emilly uttered out, "Ummm..." As she was left out... "Yes, Emily?" Jack turned his head to see Emily fidgeting on the corner of his large chair. "..." Emily didn''t understand why Jack was being so distant... Wasn''t it obvious that she wanted to be doted on as well... Was what happened between them only a dream? Leslie hit Jack on his rib cage with her small skeletal hand, as she mentally messaged, [Bone head... She wants some attention... Even you can see that... Why are you bullying your little Consort.] [Emily wants freedom from me. So, I don''t wish to bind her here. I will get her a new body, and release her back to the world.] [What...? It doesn''t seem that way to me...] [I''m pretty sure it''s that way.] Jack nodded, as he turned back to look at Leslie. Leslie in turned looked to Emily, as she thought within her mind, [She just doesn''t look like that too me...] [Just cuddle her anyway... She was really worried, you jerk... Even selfishness knows a bound. Love her a bit, while I go let everyone know you are alright.] Jack chuckled, [Alright. Only because my most beloved has commanded me.] Warmth blossomed in the bosom of Leslie, as she reached up and kissed Jack on his teeth. She slid out of his embrace and reached the door of the room. She looked over her should to Emily and winked, as she left. Emily saw this and lamented she couldn''t wink, though she understood the meaning. As the door closed behind her, Jack turned to see Emily in thought. He slid off the evening tomb, as he walked over to his chair. Emily finally getting attention, raised her arms, as she wished to be picked up. Jack complied, and picked her up, and placed her in his lap, as he took a seat on his desk chair. Emily snuggled the bareboned Jack, even as she wondered what was with the annoying sound of that beating heart in his chest. "Emily..." Jack called. "Mmmmm?" "I plan to release you. You are my Consort, but We haven''t married. I plan to release you from my binds and send you to make your own place." Chapter 171: Death Laughed from Beyond A long silence engulfed the room, as Jack had expected a favorable response... It quickly became awkward, as if it wasn''t previously. Emily slid off the lap of Jack, and took two steps before she spoke, "...Are you unsatisfied... With me?" "Unsatisfied?" Jack didn''t follow her question. "Yes." Emily kept her back to Jack, "Are you unsatisfied with me... Is that why you are getting rid of me." "I''m not getting rid of you." Jack chuckled, "I''m given you freedom. The freedom to go wherever you want, do whatever you want, be whatever you want... You will not be bound to me, or anyone." "Is that what you think I want?" "I remember you commenting on Warmarshall Frostgard and her prospect. How nice it was that she got to choose her partner... And... I haven''t been fair to you." "Fair or not..." Emily turned, and Jack was astonished to see a single tear leak from Emily''s right eye socket. [Is... Is she crying? Skeletal undead can cry???] Though astonished, Jack made a mental note to ask tux later. "Are you stupid?" Emily took two steps again to be back in front of Jack again to look up at his face, and into the dancing flames of his eyes. "I... I don''t think so...?" "Then how do you not know how I feel! Stupid! I can''t begin to think of a word that shows how much and how stupid you are!" "Ah, foolish? Err, moronic? Oh, and imbecilic." Jack added a few words that came to mind to help. "...Are you helping me to find a word for how stupid you are?!" Emily rattled in anger. "I... I''m just trying to help... I''m not mocking you." Jack said simply, and then quickly added, after seeing Emily''s current state. "Fine. Imbecilic. It''s a good word. A fine word." "But... You don''t wish to be free...? Your family gave you to me... And... I... I accepted it." "What of it?" "I..." "Just shut up for a moment and listen." Jack was taken back by how fierce Emily was being. Since he knew her, he had seen her temper, but she always backed down... It seemed that wasn''t the case today... Had she changed? Jack remained silent, as his eyes flickered with light staring at the little skeletal lolita. "Do you know that I was conceived for the sole purpose to be your bride... To be your wife. My mother eight hundred and twenty-three years ago gave unlife to me for this purpose. My ONLY purpose." Emily paused, searching for more words. She began speaking again, "I think it romantic that Warmarshall got to choose her partner, but that''s all. It''s a romantic idea. I only exist for my family to be given to you. I have no other purpose, and if you release me. Cast me out, as it would be... I would have no home, no family, and nothing to my name... In fact, even my name wouldn''t be my own. You are the only thing I have, and I don''t want to lose it." Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jack shocked by what he was hearing... She... Didn''t want to be free... But... So many questions appeared within Jack''s mind. Was... Was what ''Yoggi'' said to be... a false... but that couldn''t be it... It had to be a half-truth! Even if ''Yoggi'' said he got something wrong, it couldn''t be this... Did I get this wrong!? At this moment, Jack thought he heard the mad laughter of ''Yoggi,'' though faint it was still lingering in his ears. Seeing Jack''s posture and his stiff manner, Emily spoke again, "Shocked? Why? Is it that I might actually like such an imbecilic ass, as a husband?" Jack coming back to himself, he slowly nodded his head. Emily choose not to speak more about this, as she turned her head to speak with an angry sob laced within her voice, "If you wish to cast me out because you think it''s something, I want... Then you are gravely mistaken, but if you have no purpose for me, or I am not up to your standard, then fine!" Jack realized how wrong he had been... The feelings he felt for Emily weren''t small. While they weren''t as strong as he had for Leslie, they were clearly there. [Now, I have truly wronged her.] Jack thought to himself, as his mind went into a decent to find how to fix this mess he created by his own hand. As his mind was pondering, he felt an immense flow of power entering into him from outside. Rippling throughout his God-Soul, finally, the prayers of Jordan must have paid off. Jack shuddered with a comfortable feeling and was quite happy that there was no flashy show of power when he received these prayers, though he wondered what the Plane of Light looked like at the moment. He quickly tidied up his mind and suppressed the various chaotic voices. As Jack was giving his attention to Emily, he would have to check with his God-Soul later... It gave him a different feeling than he had last time. Emily''s sight peeked up as she gazed at Jack to see what he was doing... She felt herself hurting inside... She felt as if she was being doubted, and if that wasn''t it was it that this was an excuse to get rid of her? Jack reached out, and picked up Emily, as he stood up from his chair. He turned and placed Emily on the edge of the table. She tilted her head to see exactly what he was doing. "This may be a bit backwards, and I do not know if this custom exists among the Undead, but..." Jack kneeled down in front of Emily to her astonishment. She became a bit frantic, and the previous hurtful mood was swept away at this moment due to her shock, as no god should kneel! Jack waved his hands, and with his intentions, a small circle that appeared to be made of gold and onyx took shape. It became solid, and real as Jack whirled his hands continuously in the air. Finally gaining substance, it fell into his bony left hand. He looked up while kneeling before Emily, who say on the edge of Jack''s desk. "Emily Neith will you accept I, this idiot, and agree to become my Consort? Will you marry me?" Emily shed another tear, and Jack took note... He wondered what he had done wrong now, and was at the edge, as he was about to speak further, when he heard a happy but sobbing sounding voice issue from Emily, that simply said, "Yes." Jack heaved a sigh inside of his mind, as he took the gold and black ring, with his right hand, as he extended his left skeletal hand to Emily, "This ring... Will always glow and shine, so long as I exist." Emily on reflex extended her left hand. This was where wives wore their wedding rings. "Is this a wedding ring?" Emily asked aloud, as she wondered aloud. "It''s called an engagement ring. It''s a promise to marry." Jack spoke aloud, as Emily wondered to herself... It was true that Undead did not practice this custom. They did wear rings at the wedding but did not have engagement rings. This was something from a different world. Jack then spoke again, "You will change this ring on the day of Our wedding," as he gently held her hand, Jack slide the ring onto her ring finger. Emily brought her hand up to look at the ring glisten in the light, but as she turned it, it also seemed to eat the light it gave giving it an illusionary feeling. "I''ve given you your freedom. You choose to become my Consort and future wife. I''m sorry I misunderstood your original intent. I promise I won''t let that happen again... Can you forgive me?" Jack remained kneeled. Emily said finally with a voice that sounded sweet, "Of course." As she reached out with her small hands to bring Jack''s skull closer to hers, as she rubbed her forehead against his. Chapter 172: Prophecies and Proposals Jack spent the evening with Emily, as he talked over their situation, and the future, during the conversation it couldn''t be helped that he brought up the body he brought back. "Emily... I know your prophecy states you have to be married, but I have a body ready for you." Jack spoke to Emily who was sitting in his lap, as she continued to gaze as her ring, as she and Jack conversed. "...You said something like that earlier... How is that possible?" "I brought yours back when I brought Joan''s back." "Joan... Oh, I see... What does it look like?" "Peerless." "Better than Leslie?" Emily tilted her head. Jack made an audible couching sound, to cover up the question. Emily thought this was cute, as she knew he was trying... How obvious could you be as a Skeletal undead? She thought to be mischievous and push the issue, "You might want to get that cough checked with Doctor Hollowell, but I wanted to know does it look better than Leslie?" "This... Ah, well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder." "Does your gaze behold it?" Emily pressed forward. "...You really want to know...?" Emily broke her gaze on her ring, as she looked up to Jack, and nodded. "I don''t know how it will be when you assume the form, but I can tell you that it''s in no way inferior to Leslie," Jack said finally. Emily finally feeling good, decided to let Jack off with these words. "Alright. I already have a ring. Wedding or not, I believe I can qualify as your wife, so I think it would be great to assume my new body. I would like to have my wedding in an adult body anyway..." Emily looked at the same arms of herself that she had seen every day for the last forever. Jack tousled her hair, as he felt better in his heart. Lolis were justice, but he needed to thicken the plot. "I need to seek Leslie, as well," Jack spoke after a period of silence between the two. "You want to give her a ring?" Emily asked as she looked back to hers. "I''m not going to lie. Yes, she is my first Consort. I''ve done wrong by proposing to you first." "Well, you are going to marry her first, so I guess this makes us even," Emily said after a brief moment. "When do you want to have your coming of Age Ceremony?" Emily shrugged, "Today, tomorrow, next week... I''ve been in this form for such a long time, that a few days doesn''t matter. You pick." "Alright. Then tomorrow." Jack nodded. "Alright. That''s decided." Emily felt sweet that Jack pushed the date so close, and didn''t put it off into the far distance when given the choice. After a few more words, Jack left Emily within his evening tomb for a nap. Even as he saw the lid of the tomb sliding back, Emily was still gazing at her ring. Jack nodded a few times, and then looked down... He had been a nude skeletal this entire time... [Best not to think about it.] Jack shrugged and went to his wardrobe and got a simple robe. Wearing the robe, he then turned to leave the room. As he left the room, he saw two Holy Sentinels guarding the door. These silent guards immediately kneeled at his approach. Jack looked at these seldom seen guards of his and nodded. "You are both among many of unsung heroes." Jack took a step and patted them both of them on their shoulders. He felt this way ever since they were able to combat that Bat Man assassin. What he owed them wasn''t a little, even if it was their job. Jack couldn''t see their faces behind the white cloth that covered their faces, but he felt they smiled... Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "I''m going to visiting some people. So, as you will." Both of these mysterious Holy Sentinels disappeared from their spots as if they were never there, to begin with. Jack mentally frowned, [Note to self. Learn more about these Holy Sentinels.] Jack went to his office, and with his intentions, the door opened, and he floated inside. Laying on his desk was his most prized possession... His laptop. Jack floated around his desk and took a seat. He opened the Laptop, and with a flicker of the screen, Tux appeared. "Tux, please scan my body, and save this information under Project: Self-Discovery." After Tux chimed, Jack stood and allowed himself to be scanned in the same way that he had his soul scanned by Tux. After completing this task, Jack sat down. "Tux... Cross check my Skeletal Structure, components, and any information you can find with all information contained in your memory banks. "Reporting to Creator, complete." Jack was slightly startled by the speed but was pleased. "Tux, before I ask you to report the specifics, what is the likely odds that my body is the former Lich Kings." "Reporting to Creator... With an overall lack of information, estimation variance is well beyond-" "Just report, please." "Reporting to Creator. Creator''s body matches descriptions of the Lich King by an estimated 77.6%" "..." Jack twitched in his chair... At this moment, he thought he could hear ''Yoggi'' laughing again... Jack looked up into the air to listen carefully but heard silence... Jack shrugged. "Tux what are the runic inscriptions on my bones?" "Reporting to Creator. Runic inscriptions match ancient Holy Text of the Holy Order of the Runic Knights of the Overworld, as described in the journals of Leonic The Fallen during the Lich King era. "...Overworld..." Jack knew of the existence of the Overworld, but never in context. "Tux, do you know what these runes mean?" "Reporting to Creator, no translation found in databanks, but context clues leave me with no choice but to hypothesis the possibility of restraint." [Restraint...] Jack thought for a few minutes trying to recall what happened when he killed that stupid monkey, but... He drew a few blanks. [So, my body is the Lich Kings... That fucking note!] Jack thought back to the first note he found within his library left by the last guy... [Wait... His name was Jack... My name is Jack... Fucking ''Yoggi'' sent me to earth... I am the fucking last guy!!!] Jack slammed his fists on the desk, as the room shook around him. A painting on the wall tilted slightly, as a bit of dust fell from the ceiling. Jack felt he touched upon the truth... He needed some answers, but to ask the fucker that knew wasn''t going to be easy... Just what else did he have to offer that fucker... Jack slumped back into his seat. [Why didn''t I marry Julia then...? What was I thinking? Fucking had Leslie by my side the whole time, but didn''t take a shot at her??? What in the fuck!] Jack mulled over why he did some of the shit he had in his life BEFORE last... An unknown amount of time passed, when the door opened, startling Jack from his thoughts. He looked up to see a smiling Leslie slip into the room. Jack sat up straight in his seat, as he saw Leslie gracefully make her way across the room, and around to him. "Did you get things right with my little sister?" Jack chuckled, "Yeah, and she might not be so little anymore from tomorrow on..." "Oh?" Leslie wondered. Jack explained what happened between him and Emily, and when he touched upon the ring, he saw that Leslie''s brow twitched at one corner. He finished his story, never the less, and explained that tomorrow he was going to complete Emily''s Coming of Age Ceremony. Before Leslie opened her mouth to speak, Jack stood up from his seat and pushed it further behind him. He kneeled down in front of Leslie. Leslie was startled, she knew Jack did something he called proposing for Emily and gave her a ring but didn''t know exactly how he did it... Kneeling before her was never something that crossed her mind. Jack thought to himself what kind of Ring would look good on Leslie. Last time, he made it without thinking for Emily, but this time he thought about the onyx look and wanted a pure one for Leslie. With his hands whirling in the air, with his intentions, a solid black ring began to form under Leslie''s curious gaze. Finally completed, the ring fell into Jack''s right hand. He held out his left hand, and Leslie on reflex extended her right hand. "Leslie... I already asked Emily, but I want to ask you too... Will you take me as your Husband? Will you marry me?" Jack asked sincerely. "...Yes, of course..." Leslie said with a black tear in the corner of her eye. She felt that this ceremony was strange at first, but now being on the receiving end... She wanted nothing more, than this. Jack held that bony hand of Leslie... That same hand that turned to bones for his sake... Pure white Ivory, and flawlessly smooth. Jack could only think that his aesthetic changed when he came back to this world, or maybe it never changed, and it was always like this? He would think more on this later, as he only thought just how lovely Leslie was in this moment. Her grace, and flawlessness... Her bearing, and nature... Perfection embodied. Jack used his right hand to slip the ring on to Leslie''s ring finger. Even though she saw the entire process of its creation, she brought it up to her face to look at directly. She could see the black band didn''t shine in the light but seemed to be eating it, like wearing a band of pure darkness. It stood out on her ivory white Ring Metacarpal bone. Leslie looked over to Jack who was still kneeling and panicked as she reached out to help Jack up. Jack stood to his full impressive height, to look down at Leslie. She looked up into his flaming eyes and felt that those fires that burned, burned gentle for her. She felt a warmth, as she looked down at the ring, and spoke. "Does Emily''s ring look the same as mine?" Leslie asked as she admired the ring. The more she looked at it... The more she liked it. "No. Your ring is unique to you, just as you are unique to me. Special." Jack reached out, and pressed Leslie''s body to himself, feeling the pressure of her chest against his spine, as Leslie only came up to just below Jack''s ribcage standing... It went without saying that Jack enjoyed this feeling the most. Who said Skeletal Undead didn''t like physical touch? Leslie wrapped her arms around Jack feeling secure at this moment, and an unknown amount of time passed between the two as they enjoyed each other''s embrace. Chapter 173: The Riddle of... Currency After embracing for so long, Jack and Leslie released each other, only for Jack to sit in his chair, and for her to sit in his lap. "I didn''t get a chance to ask... How is the city?" "...Half of it is in ruins... That''s to be nice about it, but no undead were injured. Everyone is safe." "Good... My Citizen''s unlife is greater than simple buildings, even if those buildings are their unlife. We can always rebuild." Jack rubbed his chin a few times in thought. "How are the people taking the damages, and who is in charge of recovery?" Jack asked. "This... Well, a lot of sorrow over the businesses lost and homes. Also, Our chief engineer was executed during your purge of the court..." Jack facepalmed, "His skull is in that pile?" "Yup." Leslie felt some laughter in her throat. "...Is there anyone that is qualified for the position...?" Jack asked. "I expect there to be undead ready to step up, but honestly, I don''t normally deal with construction." "Wait... Lucius was working on getting my new city built... He should already know some..." "Ah, yes... Bellum." "Hey, how do you know about that?" Jack looked down at his sweetheart''s face. "Haha, if it concerns you, I know." "I''ve been thinking... I wanted the City to house a hundred thousand undead... But I feel that''s too small... And now with the Destruction of the City... I''m thinking about building Bellum larger, and moving there." "Moving to Bellum? What about Saigunrai?" "We, of course, can keep it, but... I feel that We should restore this City, but the might of Bellum will be indomitable." Jack said with a bit of passion. Leslie pushed forward on her knees and wrapped her arms around Jack, as she spoke, "Where ever you go, I will follow." "Then will you always follow me?" "Always," Leslie whispered again. As much as the atmosphere was right, and Jack wanted to indulge in his sweet Consort... For the first time, Jack thought about his people... The people of his Kingdom and his City... Not as just random numbers or just in name, but undead that dwelled, that had feelings and that worshipped him... His City was in pain, and the hearts of his people weighed on his mind, now. "We need to go out and comfort the citizens." Leslie sunk back into Jack''s lap with only her hands now resting on Jack''s ribcage, "MmmmHmmm." Leslie murmured, as she agreed reluctantly. ******* Jack without the approval of anyone... Without contacting Julia or Lucius. He left the Holy Palace with Leslie, as he held her and ascended into the sky to overlook his distraught city. Jack could see a path of destruction that carved through the city... It was, also unexpectantly to Jack, full of craters. As he looked down at the darkness and the few glow stone lamps that littered the streets... It appeared gloomy without the Sun Skull''s dim light of the night to illuminate the night. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Jack looked to the east, where he felt the skull was and did not see it in the distance, even with his great sight. [Seems that it''s really far gone.] Jack thought in his mind. Leslie found Jack had fallen into silence, as she spoke, "It is pretty bad, huh." "Indeed, it is." Jack agreed. Despite the darkness, he could see the tiny ant looking undead leaving the shelters, that opened with large black doors around the various parts of the city. Jack spoke again, "I''m going to speak to you, Julia, and Lucius at the same time, alright?" "Alright." Leslie nodded while holding on to Jack in the sky, as she gave full trust in him. [Lucius, Julia, Leslie... Do you hear me?] [[Yes.]] [MMmmm] Three voices were heard within Jack''s mind. [Lucius. I wish to restore the City, but it doesn''t need to be to the level it was previously. This City... I wish to make it a historical city. We can move everything else business and church-related to the new City Bellum when it''s completed.] [Yes, my Lord, but... Bellum will not be large enough... I take it you will make it larger?] [Yes.] [Then... It will be even harder to build it in the time you wish.] [I have an idea about that; I will tell you later.] Jack assured. [Of course.] Lucius agreed without further hesitation. [Julia.] [How can I be of service?] Verruca responded in the manner of a Warmarshal, at this moment. [Have the soldiers remove the rubble, and clear the streets... Keep the peace.] [Your will be done.] Verruca answered, and the connection broke soon after, as she seemed extremely serious. Jack mentally furrowed his brows but didn''t make comment. [Leslie.] [Hmmmm?] Leslie responded, as Jack took a moment to articulate his thoughts aloud to Leslie and Lucius. [I have a need for a large collection of Glowstone... A lot of Glowstone.] Jack spoke aloud his thoughts. He had already worked out a large amount of work on Tux now and only needed Tux to assemble his thoughts into reality. [...The reconstruction will take a massive amount of Glowstone and furthermore, it will be even more Glowstone to build Bellum.] Leslie replied, as a Lucius agreed. [What is more powerful than Glowstone... Currency. Money if you will?] Jack spoke as he continued to drift over the skies of Saigunrai with Leslie in his arms, as he oversaw the destruction that had been wrought. [I... Uhhh... Faith...?] Lucius studdered out, as he wasn''t sure. Faith was the only other power he knew... Leslie didn''t dwell on it, knowing that was going to answer his own questions, as she asked, [What is it?] [Faith... That right Lucius, but let me be more specific. My will. My will is more powerful than money. My people''s faith in me as the God-King is more powerful. Things will happen now because I say they will. ''Because I said so...'' This is power!] Jack spoke to this point to let it sink in for Leslie and Lucius. [I understand faith... But I don''t completely understand.] Lucius mentally messaged after a bit of thought. [Why is Glowstone the currency?] Jack decided to change a bit of the topic. [Because it''s precious, and it can''t be replicated.] Lucius answered quickly, as Leslie''s silver bell laughter rang out beside Jack, unknown to Lucius. [I see. I need all the Glowstone, not as money, but as material for my project Militus Obitus. It''s time we introduced a new currency. One of my making, by my hand. No one will be able to copy it. We will issue this currency.] [But... What makes you think that other kingdoms and third parties will accept a hand made currency?] Leslie questioned this time. She was after all the Treasurer of the Kingdom. [Because We will call this currency Favents. These will be a type of coins I will make. They will be backed by my word. If enough Favents are collected, then the undead can turn that into the Kingdom, and I will grant them a personal favor. There will be rules of what can''t be asked, but I will guarantee this will happen.] Jack explained slowly, as Lucius standing silently by the Archbishop of Zitergall... It almost seemed as something gleamed in his eye sockets. [This... What if it is a citizen from outside of the Kingdom?] Leslie couldn''t help but ask. [I will grant them their favor, as long as it fits the rules I have established...] Jack said naturally, but then a Jack''s voice rang throughout both Leslie and Lucius mind, as it turned to a chilling and sinister vibe, [All the lands, all the Kingdoms, and all the undead will be mine in time... In time, they will be mine, HahAhAHhhAh] Jack laughed to himself, as Leslie looked up in his arms with an infatuated expression, while Lucius nodded his head. [As it should be, my lord.] Lucius responded. [Lucius I will assist Leslie with making this currency, and through her and the Church I wish for Boss Crag, who will now be titled as Minister of Commerce Crag. He will be building something called a Bank. At this bank with the backing of the Kingdom and the Church... People will exchange for this new currency. We will also pay the workers of Bellum with Favents.] Jack finished. [Your will be done, my lord.] Lucius broke his connection, leaving only Jack and Leslie now. They both broke the connection, as they were next to each other. "Let''s go walk among the people. We need to comfort them during these times, but more than comfort... It is time to stir the hearts of Our people." Jack''s heroic voice echoed, as he began to descend with Leslie in arms to the center of the City, where the most Undead could be seen. Chapter 174: Something Wicked this Way Comes A few rapping sounds were heard from the window, as Mark stood up from his desk to walk over to allow the carrier bat inside. He took the bat in one hand and took the message from its pouch. "More news?" Janet placed a book to one side, as she rolled upside down on her fur rug. "Yes. I hope it has to do with the rumbling and light show earlier... Cross your fingers." Mark rolled out the message and read it. Soon, he laughed out loud with satisfaction, as he walked back over to his desk to slum into the chair. "What does it say? I want to laugh too!" Janet chuckled too, as she heard the crazed laughter. "It worked! I can''t believe it worked, but it worked, hahaha!" "The skull thingy or the three god peoples?" "The Sun Skull! My people have actually recovered the skull! I just don''t know what to say... The Mountain Ape Hermit did what Jakahn couldn''t in an afternoon! Just... Where is the justice, hahaha!" "Well... In Jakahn''s defense, they were going to take over the lands as well." Janet spoke with humor in her voice. "I know, I know... I''m just being narrowminded at the moment. When I first thought about this... I didn''t think it was going to work. It just seemed too easy. Remind me to provide extras to the one that spoke with the Mountain Ape Hermit. They did a fantastic job of convenience him." Mark continued to laugh, as he found this to be ridiculous... He didn''t even have to blow up the Sun Skull! It was in one piece! Janet nodded, and then spoke, "Now that we have it... What now?" "Well, we don''t have it juuuust yet, but soon. My people will be bringing it here soon. After that, I will need to get the Lavegrim Geoshark fin from the Church of Three Gods, and after that... The rest will be fine. I will be able to restore you as you were previously." "Will I get my memories back?" Janet asked as she righted herself back up on her rug. "This... I''m not sure. It would be best, but it will be fine if you don''t." "I see... I would rather get them back to know the truth personally." Mark stood and walked over to Janet and thought for a moment. He reached down and picked her up and placed her in her wheelchair. "I know a great restaurant here, in Bineham. Would you like to go?" Mark asked softly. Janet put her hands over her stomach, as she looked up, "It has been a while... I would love too," She spoke as she smiled widely up at Mark. ******* "Priestess... The God of Deagoth won against the Mountain Ape Hermit." The Third Bishop of the Church of Three Gods kneeled before the Priestess, inside a danky dim room in the bowels of the Main Church, here on the Ruined Continent. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "I figured, as much... Nothing is ever easy, and the Dead Tide?" "Another wave looks to have formed and is heading to Souigak... This one will be must larger than the second one they defended off." "Good... The more souls we can destroy the greater our gods will be pleased." The Priestess laughed, as she looked at the mural on the wall. She looked at the various carvings on the walls. "The Faceless one, The Beyond one, and the Dark one..." The Priestess called out one by one. "Third Bishop... Who among the three is the most powerful? Do you know?" "...It''s not that I haven''t thought of it before, but... Should I say? I fear retribution from the three divines." "They, of course, will do no such thing... They themselves question everything, so why would the question you? Speak now... I am curious." The Priestess propped her hand under her chin, as she looked down on the Third Bishop. "Ah... Well... If I may be so bold, I believe it is the Faceless one." The Third Bishop looked up to see if he could catch a glimpse of her face... Alas, the three colored veils did not allow his gaze to pass. "The Faceless one." The Priestess nodded a few times, but then spoke, "I can see how you might think so... Old than the other two, and the messenger of the Blind Idiot, himself... But... I believe it is The Beyond one." "...But the Beyond one... He cannot come into our world... So, I don-" "Just because he himself cannot come and go of his own accord doesn''t mean he doesn''t have his own... The Beyond one and the Dark one are a married couple... Married by the Blind Idiot, THE DEAMON SULTAN HIMSELF!" The Third Bishop shivered when he heard this information... He was getting a lesson on the beyond... He knew this was because of his contributions, and he also knew this would aid in his Cultivation if he could understand this information without losing his mind. "Yes... Priestess." The Third Bishop squeezed out, as large black beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "He has thousands of young with his mate... Thousands of Thousands... They are his messengers of him and his wife. They come and go as they please one by one, but if you wish to see many a blood offering has to be made." "Then... Have we ha-" "Yes, Third Bishop. Yes, we have. I will tell you some great news. News so great that I may be able to return to the mainland." "Yes, my Priestess?!" "After many years... The Beyond one has answered us, and has sent us... One of his Dark Young." A fierce cold breath was drawing in a hiss by the Third Bishop into his vestigial lungs. He knew what this meant... A dark young?! A messenger from The Wedded beyond the Veil! "Do... Do we know if it''s from The Beyond one or from The Dark one?" "It seems that fortune favors me... My two sisters must be furious, haha. It''s as you guessed. It''s from The Beyond one." The Third Bishop bowed his head in thought... If he could gain the favor of this Dark Young... Maybe... Maybe it would give him some secrets to the beyond, and his cultivation would go well beyond... Forget becoming the First Bishop! Perhaps he could have this Priestess dwell within his evening tomb every night! But... How does one please a Dark Young... And could he even meet this one, as it was on the mainland? "...Wanting to meet the Dark young?" The Priestess laughed, with her darkly toned reverberating inside the small room. "Of course! Such a being! Divine! What knowledge do they have, and what could they pass to us!" "To you, you mean?" "Without question! If I were to get information straight from the source, then I could become more powerful. Do you wish for me to lie?" Behind the three-colored veil, the brows of the Priestess twitched, but she spoke aloud and agreed, "That''s how it should be. If the mainland sees fit to call me back, then I will have you stay here. I will promote you at that time to First Bishop. I look forward for the both of us, my Bishop." "Thank you, my Priestess." The Third Bishop rose and walked from the room, leaving the Priestess behind. Inside of her thoughts, the Priestess thought of her next move, as she looked around the room at the various awful depictions on the walls. She muttered to herself, "I''m just as much a prisoner, as I am in power... Third little Bishop... This Priestess has lived longer than your parents... Do you think I don''t know your plans?" "It looks like I will need a new pawn... What was his name? All I remember is that they called him Monocle? Meh. It doesn''t matter. All will be dust in the end." The Priestess smiled, at the thought of sweet release. Chapter 175: The Time for War is Now Jack floated down to the large group of undead in the center of the city. They looked up, to see the golden hue surrounding the God-King in simple robes. He was holding the first Consort of Deagoth, as he neared landing, he floated a few meters from the ground, and his consort touched ground, while he, himself, remained in the air. The undead collectively rang out in an uproar of passionate praise, begging, and some of the more brave undead in anger... Scolding. Even while this happened, everyone present dropped to a knee, and the more faithful prostrated on the ground praying in earnest. Jack listened to them all chatter at the same time and found he could understand most of them... [It seems listening to the maddened chatter of voices in my mind allows me to understand this noisy place.] Jack thought within his mind, as he looked over everyone. Jack thought for a moment, and then rose higher into the air, as his voice boomed through the City. "Citizens of Saigunrai, Children of Deagoth, Servants of the God-King... Draw from your places, look to me above, and hear my words!" As his heroic voice echoed in the streets and places throughout the city, all the undead within the remaining homes, shelters, and all places filled the streets, as they looked above the building tops and ruins of others to see the vivid light of the God-King. The City Guards and Military roused from the voice looked from the walls, and from the streets. Warmarshall Verruca, Chaoshood, and Frostgard look to the sky with their charge, as all that witnessed the God-King kneeled or prostrated. Jack hummed a holy hymn, as a golden light arced around him, and condensed into a set of golden robes and golden pauldrons. It appeared to be a solid gold set of his Royal garbs. In his right hand, he extended and in the light, it condensed into a golden version of his Femur Ferula, and in his left hand condenseda book. Now with his solemn and holy appearance, he began. Jack looked around to see that many many undead were ready to hear his word. He looked down to see Leslie staring up at him with love and affection, in her eyes. Jack nodded, as he began to speak, "Today... Today, we were attacked by an independent Cultivator, named ''The Mountain Ape Hermit.'' His Cultivation was Ancestor Ranked..." He left his words to hang in the air over the city, as they echoed causing many of the undead to understand more of what happened, and severed from the fear of now knowing how powerful the foe was... "For attacking my Kingdom, harming my people, and destroying my city... I sentenced him to true death, and I carried out my charge." All the undead rattled and sweated, skeletal and zombie respectively. Ancestor ranked... Killed... This showed the might of their God-King! "While independent, what stops the next enemy of the Kingdom to attack? Who will it be? Independent? Country? Or otherwise?" The words of the God-King buzzed in their ears and minds of all the undead present. Emily, Lucius, Julia, Stephanie, Sarah, Joan, Eris along with the Officials, and Clan heads of the City looked out of their windows or stepped outside to hear this sudden address. "I would like to take a moment to address the unfaithful... I have heard once before what is an undead to a God... But then they counter... What is a God to a Non-believer...? It isn''t just the might of a God you face, but the MIGHT OF THE LEGIONS OF BELIEVERS OF THAT GOD YOU FACE!" Jack''s voice rumbled like thunder in the skies, as the Glowstones cracked and golden sparks issued forth, though light they still provided. Jack''s tone turned to solemn anger, as he lowered his voice to a dull rumble, as the Glowstone of the City flickered like candles in the wind, "For too long, have I been Merciful! TOO LONG! I have pardoned Our enemies and allowed them to do as they please. I have been merciful... And this mercy has punished my people, my kingdom, my loved ones... TOO LONG! But no longer... No longer still will I be merciful to my enemies. Mercy to my enemies is punishment to my people. I will no longer punish my people..." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. All the undead that rattled, and sweated, those that chattered and whispered went silent... "I will no longer tolerate my enemies... Our enemies. They sit outside my light and pace back and forth to plot on me and mine. They plot on my people; they plot on you." Jack pointed to where the Sun Skull used to reside. "See there, as I point! They have stolen Our Light. My Light. They took the symbol of my Great City, and they laugh, as they believe they have gotten away... But I will now only show mercy to my people... Not to Our enemies." Jack hummed a hymn, as he raised his hands upward... A giant ball of light formed, as it grew to the proportions of the Sun Skull. Jack then flicked his wrists, as he sent it to land where the Sun Skull resided. "This is my light! My Light may never be stolen by the Heretic! My Light may never be stolen by the abomination! My light may never be stolen by Schismatic!" The God-King''s zealous speech rumbled long in the air, as those that were looking down, looked up to see the radiance of the God-King expanding in the sky, and feel the light of his sun cascading down. In the illumination of the new light to the City, they all believe his words. Even those not of the faithful... The believed too... "Never again! Never again will I wait in my city and allow Heretics to bust down Our doors of Righteousness and Mercy! Never again will I sit idly by while the Abominations profane my name and smear my people''s faith! NEVER AGAIN WILL I TOLERATE THE SCHISMATIC!" The God-King''s anger and passionate speech drove many undead to clench their fists, with Skeletal undead''s hands issuing popping sounds as the bones squeezed, and Zombie undead''s hands bleed from the fists they made. Many had their eyes lift and with adoration and worship. "Starting today! TODAY, I DECLARE A HOLY WAR! A WAR UNSEEN SINCE THE TIMES OF THE LICH KING! MAY OUR ENEMIES PRAY TO ME FOR MERCY...! And I will whisper back softly... No..." Silence ensued, but only all the undead to erupt with howling cheers, zealous chanting, and incoherent praying! Mothers of children silently wept for the war to come, but stern expressions were formed on their faces, as they held their children. Father''s continued to kneel, but with a straighter back. Many were ready to walk out of the city and go to war right now! They only needed to be pointed in the right direction! "SO TODAY! I ask... I ask to restore this city to show that We will not lay down and will not go quietly. We will build a new city! A new city unlike any before or since! A City of War! A City named Bellum! With me here today! We will clean up this city, and We will begin building Bellum. I ask those that wish to stay... Stay... I ask those willing to build. Build... For tomorrow... Tomorrow, the great war beast that is Deagoth sets its eyes on her enemies! The undead of Saigunrai was wiped into such a frenzy, that they didn''t know what needed to be done first. It was if stimulates or haste spells were cast on every Citizen. "For now! With the help of your God-King, we will clean this city, and supplies must be gathered! Recovery. Listen to the City Guards, listen to Soldiers of the kingdom, listen to my command..." Jack then reached out with his hands and squeezed them together, as many drops of gold fluid dripped and began to form endless amounts of Golden Angel of Death Cherubs. They swarmed the City, as they began to move stone, bone, and Glowstone. Jack mentally messaged his Warmarshalls and instructed them to carry out cleaning. He then headed down to help clean. He moved the largest pieces with his large golden God-Arms, that reached form his body. Picking up the pieces and flying to a makeshift landfill on the outskirts of the city where the Military was sorting the reusable materials. The People seeing their God-King lowering himself to perform work with them lifted their spirits and drove them harder to work! Leslie smiled as she watched Jack helping clean the City. Only she knew he was doing this to increase the speed of recovered. She contacted her handmaidens, and in a rare show left the Holy Palace to help with the recovery. Lucius, after hearing Jack''s speech, was filled with enough righteous anger, he thought he might pick up a weapon and go to battle himself! Of course, his saner mind prevailed, as he directed the clergy to aid the people. They provided food and drink to the Zombie Undead and makeshift resting areas for the homeless. Under the command of Lucius, Grand Minister of the faith of the God-King... Scribes hastily jotted down the words of the God-King. Lucius personally mentally messaged each Relay station to send the word of the God-King to each Archbishop. The words their God-King spoke today... All must know it. In a matter of three days... The entire Kingdom of Deagoth undergone a change of attitude. Grit could be seen in their work and righteous anger in their chests. Many young undead would visit the local Military offices to sign up for service forming long lines that stretched and curved with a serpent-like suggestion. Aid was sent from the other Cities back to Saigunrai... It seemed that the time for war had come. Chapter 176: Not you, not a King, not even a God Jack rose into the air again, after his twenty-eighth trip carrying debris to the makeshift landfill outside the city. As he appeared in the sky looking over the work being done, he felt quite pleased over the progress that took place in the last seven hours. It was well late at night, but his temporary sun provided light as if it was day time. Undead were cleaning up, and the largest pieces of debris had been cleared. Many of the craters that were formed were almost all filled, and large vacant lots were created from the clearing of the ruins. Jack almost had the urge to wipe his brow of sweat, but he knew there was none. He didn''t feel tired in the physical sense, but he was deathly tired mentally... Tired in his soul. How Jack would love to take Leslie and Emily to his tomb and sleep for the next two weeks... That was the best sleep he had ever gotten, Jack mentally sighed. His gaze moved over into the distance in the city to Leslie who was helping fill in a crater. Helping, might not have been the best word. Jack mentally frowned, when he saw many Citizens had surrounded her and seemed to be stopping her from helping. Jack silently floated over to watch from above, and he couldn''t help but feel warm from his people''s words. "Leave this kind of work to us. As the first Consort, it''s good just to have your presence here." "I can still help! If my husband can help, then I can too." Leslie stamped her foot, appearing annoyed, but with a helpless smile Another undead sounded, "Please have mercy on us, Madam Consort. We didn''t fight you further when you wanted to help clean up the effects from the homes, but please... This is hard labor. Let us men do it." "Madam Consort, let the men get this. Come with us, we can help in other ways. There is no need for you to break back for this task." "I want to do this, then let me." Leslie became stubborn. All the undead surrounding was at a loss, male and female. Jack descended, as all the undead seen him, they quickly kneeled or prostrated, except Leslie. "What seems to be the trouble?" Jack asked, while already knowing. The lead male undead that was speaking earlier lifted his head while prostrating, "We wish to save the First Consort from hard work, but she stubbornly insists in performing this back-breaking work of filling in this hole." "Is this true?" Jack looked over to Leslie. Leslie creased her brows seeing Jack appear, and ask this... She nodded her head, with a solemn expression. Another braver female undead spoke up, "My lord God-King, we ladies tried to persuade her to come help us, but she refused us as well..." Several ladies behind her nodded while prostrating. Jack nodded a few times. Another male undead lifted his head, and felt braver now that others voiced, he spoke, "Please make your First Consort retreat, and allow us to do this work." Leslie brow twitched, but her face remained largely passive. Jack nodded again, but then spoke, "I understand, and I thank you for considering my Wife''s wellbeing. However... I cannot make her do anything she doesn''t want to do." All the undead in the area that kneeled, seeing him descend, and was listening intently were startled... Did the God-King not control his wife, or did his wife control him?!? Seeing shock cross the face of the undead around him, Jack spoke again, "My Wife... I cannot make her do anything she doesn''t want to, no one can... Not you, not a king, and not even a god like me can, but that doesn''t mean I can''t help her." Jack looked over to Leslie, as he saw her expression ease greatly, and a gentle smile hung on her lips. "Can I help you?" Jack asked as he extended his hand to her. "Of course," Leslie responded softly, taking that extended hand. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "If you, my undead, would bring the materials, I and my Wife will fill this in... Please." Being asked politely astonished the undead, and they almost broke their leg bones trying to get up to bring anything he may need. ******* Hours later, Jack and Leslie returned to the Holy Palace. As Jack floated to the front of the Holy Palace entrance with Leslie in his arms, his Golden robes adornments, Femur Ferula, and book dissipated into glittering light. This left Jack again in his simple robes. Leslie placed her feet down, as she walked in front of Jack through the entrance. Jack got a good look at Leslie''s rearview. Despite the dust and dirt on her Qi Pao... Jack felt it was a feast for his gaze. He felt a certain boiling feeling within his soul, that he could only figure was the soul equivalent to being sexually aroused. Jack quickened his floating speed to loom next to Leslie, as he spoke, while they walked through the Courtroom, "Leslie... Do you have... Anything you''re doing tonight?" "Actually... I do." Leslie spoke, as she looked up to Jack with a refreshing smile. "Oh..." Jack sounded disappointed, but he nodded as Leslie chuckled. Leslie reached over to Jack and intertwined her skeletal hand with his large bony hand and pulled his floating form over to her. Jack looked down with his flaming eyes, wondering what she was up to... Seeing her indication, he leaned his head down to her to hear what she was saying. Jack felt this was odd seeing as he could literally hear her thoughts if she messaged him, and with his sense, he could hear across the room, but he did so never the less. It was then that he felt a tingle down his spine, as Leslie whispered, "I have something to do alright... It involves us bathing together and then reaping for the rest of the month." Jack then felt Leslie''s soft lips press on the side of his skull, as he stood back straight, leaving a deep lipstick kiss on the side of his skull. "...Tomorrow I need to perform Emily''s Coming of Age Ceremony..." Jack said while trying to restrain some sense of sanity. "I''ll be the villain this time... I''m sure she will listen to her good sister and let me have you for a little while..." Leslie spoke with a certain commanding grace. "In that case..." Not one to wait, he scooped up a giggling Leslie, as he disappeared from the inside of the court as if he teleported. ******* The God-King and the First Consort disappeared into the Holy Palace for a week with no contact with the outside world. It seemed that Leslie had already informed those that needed to be, and with Lucius, Crag, and Julia they were finished with the clean-up, and now new construction began. Crag brought out his people he had already in the city. He ran a construction business, to begin with, so it was easy for him to get the jobs started with no chief Engineer. Lucius rallied the Church''s efforts and organized with the relay stations that were sending materials. With the Help of Emily, Lucius also was able to have massive amounts of supplies being shipped to an area between Saigunrai and Nogore, as designated for Bellum. These supplies would be for the Holy Concrete. While progress was being made in Saigunrai and for the start of a War machine... The Dead Tide knew nothing of sleep or retreat. ******* "BLOODY HELL!" A massive hammer smashed a massive Brutal Dead Soul, just outside the walls of Souigak. Abloom of Orange dust billowed, as Warmarshall Michael quickly retreated, in the wake of the falling monstrosity. "Brother that makes..." Jennifer counted on her hands, "Fourteen Brutal Dead Souls this week. That''s up from last week." Jennifer gazed fondly over at her brother, as he returned to his position on the wall. Jennifer stood there with her military wear, but around her head was a black leather mask that covered her eyes and draped down to look like a sleeping mask that was melting. Michael rubbed Jennifer''s head lovingly, "I take care of the big ones. They take care of the small ones... It all works out really." Jennifer had a bitter smile, "I wish we could do for them what the God-King did for me." As Jennifer spoke of the God-King, Michael made the symbol of the God-King with his hands and bowed his head, as he was taught by the Prophet. She saw this, and was reminded, and did the same. It seemed when they spoke of the God-King they would perform this religious action. "Of course... but unlike you... They were not Graced by the God-King. I-" "Warmarshall!" A soldier approached Warmarshall Michael quickly. Michael paused in mid-sentence and looked to the call. The Undead come up and kneeled with a message scroll. Michael saw that this was seals by the Archbishop of Souigak and took the Scroll and opened it to read. The soldier retreated quickly. After he scanned it quickly, he read it again... Finally, a single word slipped from his lips... "...A Holy War..." Michael looked back into the distance and seen the incoming waves of the Dead Tide... They never ended, and it was with both Armies of his and Warmarshall Darkfield''s to stave off them long enough to handle the next wave. It was with Darkfield''s research that they found the weakness of these Dead Soul Mushrooms... The head and eyes. They still had to be wary of the orange dust. "What is it?" Jennifer walked up next to her brother. "The God-King." Michael performed his action, as his sister did... "Has declared a Holy War on the Underworld." Michael crushed the scroll in his hands, as it turned into powder to be taken by the wind. At the moment these words escaped him, alarms from the east side of Souigak rang out, and Michael furrowed his brows. He looked back over at the dead tide and prayed to the God-King that it would last long enough to see what happened in the east... There was no way they, Souigak, could handle the Dead Tide coming from two angles. It was the only thing that saved them so far... The Dead Tide was stupidly running into them from one direction... "Jennifer... Pray that isn''t the Dead Tide." Michael spoke, as he jumped from the high wall of the west side, to crash into the ground, as he sprinted to the east of the City. Chapter 177: What it means to give your heart away Warmarshall Michael reached the east wall, and with a mighty leap, bounded to the top of the eastern wall. Landing with a slight quake, Michael looked into the distance for the Dead Tide. However, the Dead Tide was not what Michael saw, but a small army of unknown origin. [Is this what the prophet meant?] Michael thought to himself. Michael walked over to a few lookouts on the wall, that quickly gave a Deagoth Salute. He took from the neck of one of the lookouts a pair of binoculars and used them to see from the wall to the incoming army in detail. Now more visible, Michael was able to see the army come to a halt and reformed. He could also see white flags drawn, and a few riders moving ahead of the army. [Those are Spider Behemoths... Neolith? Why here?] Michael wondered, he would have to beat his communications officer around a bit since he didn''t make mention that this army had white flags drawn. Maybe the officer was in too much of a hurry to get him the information. Michael sent a message to Darkfield, who made his appearance on the eastern wall fifteen minutes later. "I believe they wish to parlay," Michael spoke with Warmarshall Darkfield, as they both looked over the camping army. "It appears to be so." Darkfield looked to be in thought. Michael seemed to be a bit impatient by the reaction of Darkfield but remained silent. After a pause of five minutes, a single rider came to the gates and passed a message. The message was quickly brought to Michael and Darkfield. Quickly reading it, they found that the army was known as the Eighth Leg of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. They wanted to parley to help with the Dead Tide. In a flash of light, the message scroll burned into dust. "What do you think?" Michael asked. "I don''t trust Neolithians," Darkfield said flatly. "You do realize that the God-King''s Second Consort is a Neolithian," Michael said slightly peeved. Darkfield shrugged, as he continued to look over the army of Neolith. "Well, I''m going to go see what they want." Michael nodded his bony head, as he made his decision. "...I''ll stay here. If they assassinate you, I will avenge your death." Darkfield said flatly. As Michael was about to leap from the wall, he stopped, and looked back over his shoulder, "Was that a joke from you?" Darkfield shook his head, as he spoke, "Just letting you know." "Oh..." Slightly disappointed, Michael called for some of the resting troops from the last rotation to ride out with him to meet with the Neolithian Army. ******* Michael rode up with his soldiers half way between the camping army of Neolith and met with a small group of Neolith Soldiers. Michael stepped from his undead steed, as he announced, "Warmarshall Michael of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, Disciple of the God-King''s Prophet. What business do you have in the lands of Deagoth, and encroaching upon his Lord''s City?" His voice was strong and vigorous. Dust spiraled in the directions surrounding him, in the dim light of the underworld. leading the small contingent, walked forward a tall geist undead. He was wrapped like a mummy, with bandages from head to toe. Over his bandages, he wore light Dark Steel armor, which suggested that he was an agile fighter, unlike Michael''s brutish hulking appearance. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "It is good to meet her Highness''s Husband''s Warmarshall. I am Madu. High General of the Eighth Leg of the Armies of Neolith, under the direct command of her Highness, Princess Emily, Consort of the God-King of Deagoth." Madu spoke, extending his hand to shake with Michael. While Michael couldn''t see this undead''s face for all the bandages, he could tell from his voice he was very sincere, or at least he sounded like it. "Then let me ask. Why has God-King''s Consort directed your wrath here to assist, without letting us, the armies of Deagoth expect your welcome?" "This... I cannot say." Madu tilted his head slightly. After letting go of Madu''s hand, Michael thought for a moment, before speaking, "I will have to send word to the God-King for his decision. I can only apologize." "That''s fine. We''ve come here under secrecy, so it''s to be expected." Madu nodded a few times, "While you are sending that missive, you might also want to ask if We can provide you with the special suits we have." "Special suits?" Michael asked in wonderment. "We''ll have to use them in a live test, but these suits should protect against the Dead Tides spores... Spores, it what I think they were called in the briefing." "...Wot..." "They''re not called spores. Dust? Whatever it might be, the suits should protect the soldier''s from changing into more humps." "No, no... I mean... That''s great! You just got me off guard. I didn''t expect such a boon." Michael was ecstatic. If he could protect himself and his undead from the orange dust, then he could end the Dead Tide waves. "If I may be so bold to ask the good Warmarshall, is it possible for us to continue to camp here?" Madu motioned behind him to his camped army. "Of course. I have a good feeling about you, High General Madu. I hope a good reply comes back from the God-King." Another handshake and Michael returned to Souigak to send his message to Saigunrai to the God-King for further instructions by relay. ******* Eris sat atop the Holy Palace staring at the dried blood that stained the roof in silence. She would sometimes show a strained smile, and other times her eyes threatened to tear. "Princess..." Captain Fairfield called out again. He had stood here for the last three days after he found her. He had tried to talk to her, but she refused to speak. After three days the good Captain''s patience wore thin, and he decided on impulse to get some response from the Princess. "Where is your god now?" Captain Fairfield said in anger. Eris lifted her head to look at the glowing ball of light in the sky above Saigunrai, where the Skull of the Sun God used to be... "He''s with her consort. Sleeping with her no doubt." Eris finally replied. "Why don''t you come back in... Bathe, and rest. I''m sure when he is done, he will start to inquire about what''s happened in his absence..." Eris remained silent, and with another stretch of time, Fairfield opened his mouth again, "You have to allow him to rest. He did just kill an Ancestor Ranked Cultivator and assisted his City in the cleanup. He will come for you afterward." Eris placed her right hand over the left side of her chest, over where her real heart should be. Inside, blood still pumped, but from a heart that wasn''t real. "Captain." "Yes, your highness." The Captain finally felt some relief believing that his Princess might have snapped out of her gloom. "...What do you think about me giving my heart to my god...?" "Ah!?" "What do you think?" Eris asked again... "Ah... Well... I... This should be talked over with the Emperor, your father first. Marrying into such a small and remote Kingdom... I couldn''t say, but such an antiquated and barbaric means to marry as to give your heart. I shudder to think what he could do with it. There is nothing wrong with thirteen coins, and a wedding ring, your highness." "You wouldn''t want your wife to give her heart to you?" Eris countered. "I mean... It would be a great gesture, but..." "But what?" "I don''t know if she has the resolve to pull it out, even more, I wouldn''t want her to feel the pain just for my sake." "I see..." Eris thought for a moment, before speaking again, "Did you know my mother pulled her heart out for my father?" "The Empress did?" "Yes. My Empress-Mother. She pulled out her heart, and she died anyway in strange lands. She still died even though my father still has her heart. Did you know it still beats for him?" The Captain turned silent looking at the rooftop he stood on... Should he be listening to this, he wondered. "...Maybe I can see her again one day..." Eris muttered. "Go... My god will bathe me. I will return now." Eris touched the blood stain on the rooftop, before she stood up, and turned to order Captain Fairfield. The good captain sighed in relief, and he departed. Eris climbed along the roof and found the window of the God-King''s office. She slipped inside and hear buzzing. She looked around, and squinted, "Hey now." Eris raised her hands. "You know I am my god''s pet. I just took the short cut in..." The buzzing continued for a moment before it died down. Eris breathed a sigh of relief of her own, as she opened the office door and made her way to her god''s room. She had followed before and found who''s rooms were whose, in her sneaking. Though she sneaked around, the Holy Sentinels knew her every move, and she had met them on more than one occasion. If not for the God-King''s approval of her... They would have cut her down on the first day. Finding her god''s door, she entered to see that his evening tomb was closed. She saw his shoes to the side, and a Qi Pao, along with other female clothing items on the floor... Shaking her head slightly, Eris went to the side of the evening tomb and laid down. She soon went to sleep on the hard obsidian floor at the side of her god''s resting place, while she waited for him to wake. She believed that her place was at his side, and maybe he would favor her one day... Chapter 178: The Butcher becomes the Teacher Warmarshall Verruca had over saw the soldiers of Saigunrai and was aiding the disassemble of materials at the make-shift junkyards outside of the City walls. She would on occasion bark orders to those coming and going, as the soldiers further separated the materials and hauled the useable Holy Bones to the agreed location for the construction companies of Minister Crag. At present Julia was knee deep in conversation with Stephanie Chaoshood, fellow Warmarshall. "So, you''re both just friends now?" Stephanie asked while standing close enough to Julia, that no one else could hear them. "Yeah." "You never did tell me how he felt about the sundress." "...He thought it looked nice... I should have never listened to you." Julia facepalmed. "Why not? You JUST said he thought it looked nice. Isn''t that good?" "But we''re just friends now. Isn''t strange to do that? Also, you should have heard what Warmarshall Doomcry said." "Wha-" "I no longer go by Doomcry." A harsh voice interrupted Julia and Stephanie, as they both turned in defense! Just who had the moxie, and ability to walk up on both of them, without them knowing. "Warmarshall Doomcry?" Julia asked. "Didn''t I just say I didn''t go by that?" Joan tilted her head, as a few of her snakes in her hair licked the air. "Ah... Then what do we call you?" Stephanie asked as both she and Julia visible relaxed on the surface, though nerves taunt from facing the infamous butcherer. "Joan... For now. Just call me Joan." Joan chuckled, as she easily saw through the nervousness of both Julia and Stephanie. It seemed her reputation preceded her. "All... Right... Joan. What brings you here?" Julia asked second. "My God-King has retired to his evening tomb, and I find myself without an army, and without a task. So, I''ve come to look for my fellow Warmarshalls." Joan replied. "...It''s been a week since the cleanup began... Why are you just now coming to find us?" Stephanie asked in turn. Joan then spoke with that raspy voice, "Cleaning my armor and weapons." Both Julia and Stephanie, who were wearing their armor, looked Joan up and down, and could clearly see her wearing military fatigues... What armor, they both thought together. "Okay. Well. What do you want to do?" Julia asked. A few snakes looked around, and some others looked directly at the pair of Warmarshalls in front of Joan, as Joan spoke, "What is this? Fifty questions? I just wanted to see if you ladies needed help, and I happen to hear you guys speak of my old name." "Why is it your old name?" Stephanie asked. Joan looked slightly annoyed, at being asked another question... But answered anyway, "Those of my old clan are all gone. Passed away to time. I do not know the Doomcry Clan of today, nor do I care to rejoin them. I am my god''s tool, and so I will ask him to give me another name." Joan shrugged. ""God''s tool?"" Now both Julia and Stephanie asked together. "I am merely an instrument of my god''s wrath. He points, and I follow. Where I tread the battlefields will choke on true death and black blood." Joan looked into the darkened sky, with an intoxicated look. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "..." Julia was at a loss, while Stephanie asked out loud, "Are you looking to become a consort of Deagoth, as well?" "Pfft!" Julia nearly spat up black blood, as she looked over to her supposed to be best-friend, who just shamelessly asked such a question. Joan returned back to her previous state, and looked over Stephanie again, as she nodded. "I like straight forward people, and to your eighth question, No, I am not." Julia felt a bit of relief, but didn''t understand the emotion she felt exactly, as to why, this relief was only for a moment, when Joan followed up by speaking, "I am his tool, and while I am an instrument of his wrath, if he needs me for other affairs, then he need only command. I need no status as consort or concubine to serve him if he so desires." Joan chuckled again, as she saw the expression on Julia''s face. "Say, Warmarshall Verruca." Julia looked a bit confused, as she waited for Joan to finish. "Are you sure you aren''t a Consort of my God-King?" "...I''m sure I am not," Julia replied, with a complex face. Stephanie watched from the side wondering how this was going to turn out. "So, you really aren''t... That''s strange. Truly strange. I remember a certain someone showing themselves to Him." "Ack!" Julia was caught off-guard, as Stephanie quickly snapped her eyes to Julia. "You didn''t mention anything about this! I need to know all about this." Stephanie added some fuel to the fire. Calming herself slightly, Julia replied, "The God-King healed the scar on my back, so I presented it to Him." "Oh, I see..." Stephanie looked a bit disappointed, that there wasn''t anymore, but she thought silently that there should be more to it than that... Joan spoke again, "So, can you both bring me up to speed on the situation of the Kingdom?" Finding a topic that Julia was interested in war, she jumped into the conversation, and with her and Stephanie, Joan quickly caught up. "So... The Little Consort is from Neolith, and We were just at war with them. What a swing that is!" Joan laughed, "Does that mean I can''t chop them up?" "I don''t know about that. Only the God-King could tell us." Julia looked a bit lost when speaking about Emily. Joan nodded, as she silently agreed. She then asked about some of the new battle tactics of the armies, and empires, including their personal ones if they could speak on it. After a conversation with Julia and Stephanie, Joan could only shake her head, "Warmarshall Verruca... You can''t just solve every problem by smashing it with a hammer... Though I love the force of violence myself." A pleasurable expression took over Joan''s face, before it reverted back, "You sometimes have to use some finesse." Julia had been reflecting on her battles in Zitergall... She also thought this might be the case, but it always worked before... "Take my weapons for example. I use a large cleaver and a small sword. The Cleaver is for brute force, while the small sword is for agile sharp movements. With my Cleaver, I can bisect an armored horse and rider in a single move... But I can also use my small sword to flay the thigh bone out of a Zombie undead in about three moves. It''s all in flexibility." Joan continued, as Julia absorbed more information. This was good information and should have been known to her through her family. It was ironic that the same undead that was teaching her was also the same person that killed the patriarch of the Verruca Clan before he had the chance to pass down this knowledge to his descendants. Verruca during her campaigns became too prideful to continue her studies, and thus lead to her victories over Borda, but downfall in Zitergall to Jakahn. After a lengthy discussion of tactics, that even Stephanie benefited from, they came to a good stopping point, when a few soldiers came to the Warmarshalls for their next orders. After Julia handed down the next set of tasks, Stephanie went back to asking about her showing off her body to the God-King in more depth. Joan laughed to herself a bit while looking at these two, as she found that they were funny and kind of cute. Seeing Julia frowning over the ambiguous questions of Stephanie, Joan couldn''t help herself from wanting to tease Julia, and took a step forward, and looked up at Julia, as she spoke, "So... If the God-King doesn''t have you as a Consort... You could always come to me for comfort." Caught off-guard, Julia took a few steps backward on the implications of this, "I-I-I''d... rather not." Stephanie then had a gleam in her eye, "Say... Warmarshall Joan... I wonder. It seems you are inclined to ladies, but what about the God-King?" Joan laughed again, as she found this entire process hilarious. She didn''t come with the intention of messing with these two, but they were so easy to poke fun at, that she couldn''t help herself. It was either this or go murder, and the God-King hadn''t pointed her in the right direction. "If my God-King wishes me to serve, then I will gladly serve." Joan shrugged again, but with a bit of humor in her voice. "Hey... You''re messing with us aren''t you!" Stephanie finally caught the humor laced rough voice of Joan. Joan held up her hands, "Guilty as charged, but the big one here can always find me if the God-King doesn''t ask me to serve¡­ Oh! I got it! How about we both become Sister-Consorts of and for the God-King!" Joan laughed out loud, with her hands on her hips proud of her idea, as her snake hair laughed with small hisses. Chapter 179: Consulting the God-King, A Guide to Door Kicking Lucius sat dazed at his desk from the information he just received... An army of Neolith within the borders of Deagoth... Unannounced? Sent on the behalf of the second Consort, Princess Emily of Neolith??? [What the hell is going on in this underworld?!?] Lucius could only think to himself. This was only something that the God-King could judge on, but it had been two weeks since he went "Closed-Doors." Lucius looked to the Chronometer on the wall, as he sighed to himself. Shane, Hand Servant of Lucius, spoke while he stood of Lucius'' desk to the side, "What''s the matter, sir?" Lucius rubbed his bald skull, as he confided in Shane, as he would always in private. "It seems that Neolith has sent an army up to Souigak to help with the Dead Tide, but... How did they go unnoticed through our Kingdom to make it to the other side, unless they went through Nation of Borda...? I don''t see that though. At any rate, I need to inform the God-King for his decision on how to handle these potential allies, but I know for a fact he''s knee deep in Leslie''s soul... Haaa~" Shane began to wonder when sighing out loud became such a custom, among other things, as he spoke, "Why not just rustle him from his land of pleasure... He can always return, right?" Lucius felt a bit awkward since that time he busted Jack''s door down, about the whole situation, buuuuuut... It wasn''t like he really had a choice. "You''re right. I''ll be right back. Prepare something stronger than Holy Dust, please." "Yes, sir." Shane nodded, as he began to clear the burnt offering''s plate. Lucius left his office as he made his way through the winding halls to Jack''s room. [...I really need to appoint a new Archbishop over Bellum... Too bad, Archbishop Javon was lost to the bombing of Zitergall... Haaa~] Lucius thought as he sighed again to himself. He found that he enjoyed sighing to release his pent-up frustration. [I''m unsure how quickly we can throw up Bellum, otherwise Jasper would be a great candidate.] Lucius thoughts became as such, as he stood in front of Jack''s door. He pondered while looking at the door, how best to enter. [Maybe... Slowly walk in and rap on the tomb led... So awkward... I''m not in the right here, otherwise, I would just kick in the door and storm in! Should I really kick in the door of the God-King? But... He keeps insisting to call him Jack... Such kindness and humility of my Lord. Then... I should just do what I would normally do! wait...] Lucius thought and mulled it over... [Maybe I am in the right! I mean, it''s urgent! Yeah! YEAH!] Lucius summed himself up, and then with a simple hymn, as light flashed around Lucius'' right foot. He lifted his leg and brought it hard against the door of the God-King''s abode. The Holy Bone door was shattered, and splinters cascaded from the threshold into the room, as Lucius walked in with large strides, now with a commanding presence! Two steps into the room and two bloody gold eyes full of malice greeted Lucius on his third step, as he paused his foot before taking that step. "Ahhh..." Lucius was at a loss, as he stared, as a very ill and malevolent-looking Vampire Princess, half lying next to Jack''s evening tomb. "Grand Minister... I believe that''s what you are called, Grand Minister... Why have you kicked in my god''s door?" Eris asked with an agitated tone. "I-Uh... I have urgent news for my Lord!" Lucius tried to regain his momentum. "And this urgent news required you to shatter his door, and walk in like you owned my god''s room?" "Well, you see-" Lucius was interrupted by the sound of the evening tomb lid''s mechanism activating. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. [OH, THANK YOU GOD-KING~!] Lucius roared in his mind. As the lid slide over, Jack raised up from where he was, barebone, and his flaming eyes burst into radiance as he surveyed the room. He looked to the shattered door on the floor, Eris half laying below him, and Lucius standing with an awkward pose. He finally spoke, breaking this odd environment, "What the hell-ooooh? Eris, Lucius... What are you guys doing?" Jack looked down to Eris. Eris'' malevolent look vanished as Jack''s gaze looked her over, as she purred, "Your pet is waiting for you to rouse. Your pet is dirty and wishes for another bath. Your pet, also, wishes to speak to you about... Things." Jack didn''t want to bath this crazy thing, but what did she want to talk about... He looked over to Leslie who was currently lying next to him dripping with sweat and huffing in fatigue. She had slid down lower in the tomb, even in exhaustion, as not to be seen by either Lucius or Eris given her current state was the same as the day, she received her adult body. Jack looked back to Eris, "Maybe, I will in a few minutes... Lucius... What''s wrong?" Lucius took a moment to calm himself, as he spoke, "I''ve come to inform you that an army of Neolith calling itself the Eighth Leg has come to the outskirts of Souigak and states it wishes to ally with us to combat the Dead Tide. They state they are under orders of second Consort Emily." After a pause, while Jack thought to message Emily, he heard Leslie speaking next to him. To Lucius and Eris, the disembodied voice of Leslie rang into the room, "It''s alright. The Eighth leg was made by the Queen of Neolith to safeguard Emily. I take it she''s handed the army over to Emily now that she''s Consort." Jack nodded a few times, not doubting Leslie even slightly. He turned to look at Lucius, "Based on your and Leslie''s intel, accept their help, but make sure to also keep them at arm''s length. We don''t know if Neolith has slipped in some spies. We don''t need to be backstabbed while fighting off the Dead Tide either. Inform Emily of her new Army provided by Neolith and see what she thinks. Don''t forget to let her know about what I said about spies. She''s smart enough to know. Speaking of Emily, what''s happened with the Holy Concrete formula? "Ah, about that." Lucius remembered he was sitting on that information for a week now, "I introduced Consort Emily with High Alchemist Raleigh. Besides him praising Emily as a genius in Alchemy and a travesty that she hasn''t been allowed to study it further in her unlife, they were able to produce Holy Concrete, and have perfected the ability to mass produce it. High Alchemist Raleigh also solved the problem with it hardening if left unattended, by consciously moving it." Lucius glanced at Eris, as she continued to look up at the skull face of her god with an infatuated look. Lucius shook his head. "Err... That''s great." Jack spoke but felt bad he didn''t make mention that concrete needs to be always turned or it sets... Oops. "Have them begin to mass produce it and send them any help they need. I''m sure you know who to send for manual labor." "Indeed, I do." Lucius thought of the former slaves of Neolith. The soon to be freed workforce of Neolith. "Alright... Is there anything else?" Jack asked as he wanted to return to his love scape, as soon as possible. "There is, ah... Emily''s coming of age ceremony... You made mention before you retired to your evening tomb, but did you want to make it a big deal, or did you want to just keep it here in the palace?" Jack thought for a moment, as he turned his head to Leslie, "I''m thinking of keeping it small... After all, I''m supposed to wait until I marry her to do this. What do you think?" Leslie nodded, "I think that sounds good... Friends and Family kind of thing." "I agree. Let''s keep it low key." "Alright... Lastly... Doctor Hollowell... She''s..." "She seems to have lost her mind?" Jack interrupted Lucius. "For a lack of better words, yes." "Has she researched what I asked." Jack continued. "She has... And... I find it disturbing, to say the least." "What do you mean?" "She has found that for she can replace the blood of a Zombie with liquid Glowstone, though how she made it liquid is anyone''s guess, but nevertheless, she can replace black blood with Liquid Glowstone... But only for Light Cultivators." "...How does this help the Zombie Undead?!" Jack was eager. This was something he hoped for! "It seems to allow them to go beyond their physical limits. I don''t understand any of it really, but it makes them, I guess Super Soldiers? I believe that was your aim when you suggested her to research this." Lucius added at the end, his belief. He glanced back to Eris, who now was staring at him again. In her eyes, he could still see a bit of violence as she was viewing him. He wondered if she could tell that he was looking at her, even though he kept his face pointed to Jack... "That is indeed my intention, but they are just better soldiers at the moment. What I want is something more... Super. Let Dr. Hollowell know that I will be visiting her soon." "Of course,... Should I tell her to stop some of her research until you arrive... It seems that she has recruited a number of volunteers among the faithful Zombies of Neolith." "Of Deagoth now, Lucius... But... No. Don''t stop her. Let her continue, but she isn''t to force anyone to do anything. Understand?" Jack spoke as his flaming eyes crackled with a fierce light. "Of course, my Lord, " Lucius bowed low. "Good. Anything else?" "No. I shall carry out your wishes now." Lucius turned and left quickly. This whole incident was a train wreck from the moment those baleful eyes stared at him. Lucius wouldn''t admit it, but the Vampire Princess creeped him out. "Leslie... I''m going to let you rest, so We can continue round two, while I go bathe the pet." "Alright. In the meantime, I will get some agents to look out for the Eighth Leg." "Good deal." Jack turned his vision back to Eris, "Eris. Let''s go bathe you." Chapter 180: A Lingering Scent Jack walked across the room to his side closet and took a new robe out. It seemed he only had three left... [I need more robes if I keep destroying all my clothes...] Jack thought to himself, as he donned his vestments. [Can you please send some Holy Water to Eris'' room.] Jack mentally messaged Lucius. [Of course, my Lord.] Lucius replied. Jack turned to see Eris, as he called to her, "Alright then, come now. We''ll do this in your room." Jack said in almost the tone he would of an actual pet in his last life, seemingly taking the pet role of Eris serious. He just couldn''t be bothered at the moment to deny it, and just wanted this over with quickly. Eris crawled on her hands and knees across the room, and then kneed before Jack, with her arms stretched out right over her head, in a position that asked, ''pick me up.'' "Haaa~" Jack sighed as he reached down and scooped Eris up. Cradling her in his arms, he floated out of the room''s entrance. As he did so, he spoke aloud, "Holy Sentinels, I know you''re not fix-it kind of undead, but... I seriously need a new door. Can you guys do something about this." The area buzzed with an accepting sound, and Jack nodded a few times. He made his way through the twisting halls to Eris'' room. Jack watched as two of Jade''s handmaidens left the room, and prostrated to him, as he floated by them and went into Eris'' room. Jack put Eris on the floor and was about to speak for her to undress when she looked up at him with upturned eyes. Remembering the exchange they had last time, Jack just didn''t feel like arguing. He stripped the clothes from Eris, as he picked up the nude thing, and placed her into the Holy Water basin. Before he began in earnest, he took a small bucket and dipped it into the water. He poured the water over Eris'' head and drenched her black hair. Jack noticed that while her hair still had a red hue... It also had a few streaks of blond hair... As if bleached... High-Lights??? "Ummm... I like what you''ve done with your hair," Jack spoke honestly. As Eris was enjoying the care of her god, she became startled... [What have I done with my hair?] She wondered. Not that she didn''t like the praise, but why did her god speak praise this time. She would have to find a mirror. He reached to the side table that held white linen clothes and took one to begin his work, as he had last time. He paused slightly looking at this perfect specimen of a feminine body. Jack couldn''t help himself, as he looked over Eris again... A slender face with gold fangs in her smile, as those upturned eyes were large and with mischief deep set, though many other emotions stirred just below the surface, he continued his gaze at her fully nude glory. Breast that were full and defied gravity, with a thin waist that suggested she should wear a corset, but she was able to maintain that toned abdomen in a corset''s absence... And her hips... sloping with the curve a woman should have from her waist into those wide luscious hips that then curved again into long legs. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Jack shook his head, as his thoughts began to turn to more lewd lands. He could say that she didn''t have a thigh gap, as his last life would suggest was perfection, but with how robust her thighs were... He would murder the maker that would change them to be such, as it only heightened that sense of spring scenery that was just out of sight but peeked upon movement. "Oh, that''s right... What did you want to tell me?" Jack asked as he came back to his senses, shaking his empty noggin. Eris watched her god''s dazed posture with amusement, as she moved in ways that would accent her body. Now being asked a question, she too turned serious. This serious expression caught Jack off-guard, as he finished wiping her face. "My god..." She almost whispered. "Mind if I ask something before you begin?" Jack asked as he began with her right arm. "Mmmm?" "Why do you call yourself my pet?" Jack asked again, not that he expected a straight answer. "Because you are my god... You are a god. What I want to talk about kind of ties into this, but to make it short. You''re a higher being than I am... To anyone! A master to a pet. I am that pet." and in Eris'' heart she whispered, "maybe I can be more to you one day." "I... See..." Jack was slightly confused. He understood the god theory, but why still??? Jack believed, for the most part, everyone was equal in death. "You see... I haven''t... I haven''t been entirely forthcoming with my god, and I hope- No I pray to you, that you will show me mercy. I have my reasons, and you... You don''t seem to trust me, so I didn''t really have a choice, but I want to be more than a pet, but being a pet is security- I''m so tired, and I want a place of my on- I don''t want to think anymore, I just want to be kept. I want to be protected and cared for, and I can''t-" Jack paused his washing, as he interrupted and called her by name in a rare instance, "Eris calm down. I don''t understand what you''re saying, right now," As Jack was listening, she began to talk harder and faster, and it sounded like one long run-on. Eris calmed herself, as she watched her god continue to clean. She smiled widely, as she breathed deeply. She could always smell her god when he was close or had been somewhere for a long period of time... Contrary to what his appearance and home would suggest of death... Her god smelled like... Eris sniffed again, just to make sure, and it was still there. He, or maybe it was his bones? She wasn''t sure but it was something ambery... almost musky with a hint of leather and just a mix of some type of mouthwatering fruit-like apple. She first found this scent when her god held her after he fed her, and moved her to a new bed. That night she confronted herself as she thought about the lingering memory, even in her weakened state. That smell made her intoxicated, and feel... Safe. It still did. Jack noticed that Eris had become quiet, as he continued past her chest and on to her midsection. She cleared her thoughts, only after taking in another breath, and began again, "Please forgive me, but when I gave you my heart... That... That was more than just a piece of me for you to hold hostage, as I might have led you to believe." Jack stopped, as he vacantly stared at her, as his flaming eyes danced ever so slightly, [If this was an anime... That was a symbol of marriage... Nah... That can''t- Nah... NAH! Shiiiit... Uh, yes! Yes! YES, IT WAS! Damn me!] "I''ll be right back," Jack spoke, as he put her washcloth to the side of the basin for safekeeping, as he stood up. He stepped out of the room and disappeared, leaving Eris sitting in her Holy Water basin of water to be left alone with her thoughts. [Oh, no... No, no, no...] Eris thought to herself, as she watched the door close behind him. Was he mad? Did he know what it meant? But... If he did know then wasn''t that good? Why did he just leave like that? He did say he would be back! But...! Eris was dazed as many thoughts went in and out of her mind, and she breathed deep the lingering smell left behind, however faint it was... Chapter 181: Youre telling the Truth! Jack floated down the twisting halls back to his abode, as he entered into his room, he called out, "Leslie..." "Hmmmm?" Leslie sat up in Jack''s evening tomb revealing her bare body. Exquisite in her own right, Jack enjoyed the candy-like view. Long black hair that flowed like water as it swept down her shoulders, with those perfect oriental features. He remembered a saying from his last world. A proverb, as it was called. Though Jack couldn''t remember the exact saying, he could roughly remember, [beauty to drown fish and cause birds to fall from the sky.] Though, he wondered if he was to use this here, would he have to change birds to bats? Coming back to his sense Jack approached the side of his evening tomb, and sat, while he waved his hand, his laptop flew to him from its perch on his desk. Leslie knitted her brows, as she felt that something was off, but didn''t know where to place her finger. She waited for Jack to speak. "Let me see," Jack spoke aloud, as Tux flashed onto the screen of his laptop. "Tux is there any information on Vampires and Vampire culture?" Jack asked aloud, while Leslie looked on with mild amusement now that she heard the question. Considering Jack just came back from taking his pet for a bath... This made sense to her. "There are twenty-one tomes concerning Vampires within Tux''s Library." "Anything on marriage practices?" Jack asked as Leslie''s brows became tighter on her face, even as her smile still hung on her lips. "There are two tomes of this nature." "Tux, please inform me of the significance of a female vampire pulling out her still beating heart and giving it to someone," Jack asked finally. "Reporting to Creator, Ancient vampire tradition has it that when a female vampire swears her mind, body, and soul to her lover, mate, or husband she will forcefully and painfully extract her own heart by her own hands in a gory display of devotion and love. She will then give this heart to her lover. If her lover accepts the heart, they are then bound by the same ancient vampire laws of marriage. This form of marriage is outdated and seen as the most barbaric of traditions. It is rarely used as of the writing of this tome ten thousand years ago." Jack would go pale if he had flesh and blood, as he opened her robe to stare down into his rib cage at the beating heart of Eris. Leslie became dazed after hearing this... She had her own thoughts and concluded it had to be Eris. Now hearing the process and the meaning, this was two different things. "Tux... Besides marriage does the heart mean anything else? What about divorces or disputes of marriage?" "This form of marriage is known as the Bloody Heart Marriage. This was condoned by the Vampire God Alucard. At the time of writing, this marriage could not be disputed even by the Vampire God himself, let alone the mortal ruler of Vampires or any other vessels. As for divorce, it is very simple... Crush the heart to kill the wife. True Death do you part." As the words of Tux lingered in the air for a moment, they soon became fleeting and left the room in silence. Jack and Leslie were completely silent at this moment, as they both looked to each other. Jack sitting on the side of the evening tomb, and Leslie glancing from Jack''s face to the heart in his rib cage and back to his face. Jack unconsciously reached into his rib cage and lightly held the beating heart. He felt it quiver in his hands. He thought of it before, but he didn''t want to admit it... He greatly enjoyed the beating sound of this heart, and the rhythm it brought. Leslie watched his action, as she sighed, "Haaa~ So, you married her before me?" Jack released his grasp of the heart, as he put up both his hands in defense, "I DIDN''T KNOW!?" "You watched a strange woman pull out her heart and give it to you, and you just took it? No questions just went... Yup, I see no problems with taking this crazy woman''s heart and put it in my rib cage for safe keeping, can''t be any problems with this, nope, nope, nope..." Leslie spoke with a harsh but teasing tone. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "She made it out like I held her life, and if she got out of line, I could end her!" "What a good wife she is, huh? You hold her life in your hands. Forbid it to be if she displeases you, and a simple squeeze and that''s her end, huh? Why are you bathing her as a pet, if you hold her life? Shouldn''t she be bathing you? Your servant?" "Ah... Well..." Jack rubbed the back of his bald skull under Leslie''s scolding. Leslie was very annoyed, but soon she calmed down after her first emotions passed... Finally, she opened her mouth again, seeing Jack''s slumping posture where she had beat him down. "Do you want her as a wife?" Leslie finally vented enough to get to the topic. "I... Uh... No... Not really." "Excuse me?" Leslie tilted her head unsure what you make of Jack''s refusal. Jack raised his hands in defense again, "I mean... At one time, I thought having a harem of women would be nice. You know. Being lonely like I was... More the merrier, but... Then... Well..." Leslie laughed at Jack''s awkwardness, "Come now, speak. What is it?" "...You..." Leslie tilted her head. "I love you," Jack said with complete sincerity. "..." Leslie had heard these words from Jack twice before, but only in passing... Almost like saying goodbye, but this was the first time she heard him say them with confidence, conviction, and sincerity. This filled her with warmth, and everything she thought of earlier seemed that it was no longer as important, as her thoughts spun. She got up on her knees and made her wait to Jack''s side to embrace him with her nudeness. Jack without hesitation returned her embrace, as he squeezed her to himself, feeling the pressure of her body against his. She spoke feeling secure, "I don''t think this is a bad thing, per se. While I was caught off-guard, I know you didn''t take her heart knowing it was for marriage. Since it seems that even her father, which I take it a Vampire King can''t stop this marriage now... We can use this to our advantage." "Mmmmm, We could." Jack agreed. "Also... She''s very beautiful." "Mmmmm, she is." Jack agreed. "Is she more beautiful than me?" Leslie probed. "No." Leslie pushed herself from Jack to look up at him in astonishment. Jack seeing her face of shock wondered what was wrong, as he asked this, "What''s wrong?" "You''re... Telling the truth???" "Well... Yeah." "But... She... She''s almost unreal in beauty! I''m a woman, and even I see her beauty! She must have succubus in her bloodline! How can you possibly say and mean that I am more beautiful than her! I know I look good, but I have a mirror! I know what I look like!" It was Jack''s turn to be dazed... [Is she angry? Why is she angry???] Jack thought to himself, as he put his hands around that thin waist of Leslie''s and pulled her back into his embrace, as she spoke to her. "Leslie, my honey ghost, listen to me. Beauty to me is more than just looks. Yes... If I base that question on physical appearance only... Then Eris is without a doubt more physically beautiful. So much so, that it hurts to look at her at times... BUT, I don''t base it only on appearance. Listen to me, I mean what I said. You are most beautiful to me because of the way you carry yourself, your air about you, the way you act, that quirky personality, your charm, that seductive voice, and that tempting smile you use on me... This combined with your appearance is your beauty. Never let anyone say you are not Eris'' equal, because to me you are her superior." At the corner of her eyes, black tears formed and threatened to spill... Not because of these sweet words and honeyed phrases, but because Jack really meant them. Jack released Leslie from his grasp, and then took her skeletal hands into his own, as he lifted them to her eye level, as he spoke again, "Eris might have given me her heart... That''s a custom, and it does mean a lot, but you without question... You gave me your hands. These hands became like this for me... Of your own choice." Jack took her hands and rubbed his forehead against them in a loving way, "I love these skeletal hands, as I love you." Seeing her skeletal hands joined with Jacks, she could see that black ring on her finger, which represented Jack''s promise to wed her. As she looked at the way the light twisted and bent as it fell into the ring, she felt her heart tighten. Those threatening tears no longer threatened as they spilled from Leslie''s eyes. Jack wanted to panic at the sight until he saw Leslie''s beautifully wretched smile behind those tears. She threw herself into Jack''s embrace again, as they held each other for a period of time. After a period of time, Leslie finally vented her love. Hearing Jack''s real thoughts, she was able to kill a large heart demon, and she felt that it would be soon before she would break into King Rank herself. Leslie extracted herself from Jack as she looked up into those flaming eyes, "You should return to your blood wife... You came back so quickly, I doubt you finished bathing her, right?" "Ah damn! I bet she''s waterlogged!" Jack stood up. "Jack..." Leslie cooed. He, in turn, looked down to Leslie, as she slipped back into his evening tomb, "I can recognize her as your official THIRD wife. She will not be before me, and you can entertain her at your leisure. After all, a husband must perform his husbandly duties... But not with her today. I expect you to come back here as soon as you''re done with her bath and talk. You still have your husbandly duties to perform with me." Leslie spoke with a seductive tone, causing a tingling and burning feeling inside Jack''s soul. He wanted nothing more than to forget Eris and dive into this evening tomb now. He suppressed this desire. "I''m going to give her a ring, as well." Jack floated to the door, as he was about to open it. He spoke as if asking a question. "As long as it doesn''t look like mine, I don''t mind," Leslie said with some humor. Jack nodded, and left the room for Eris, with his laptop in hand. Chapter 182: Finishing what was Started Jack waved his hand, and with his intention, Eris'' room door opened as he floated it. He was shocked to see Eris still sitting in that basin of Holy Water rocking herself, as it appeared to be a means to comfort herself. "Uh, Eris?" Jack spoke out hesitantly, as he laid his laptop on the side table. Eris snapped from her process of thoughts, as she looked up to see Jack. Jack looked deeply into those eyes again but found that they have very different emotions than the first time he looked into them. While madness and lust were very present... That ocean of despair, and that eternal longing... Jack could understand that look in her eyes, as he reconfirmed his prior opinion. Jack spoke out, "Well... What do you want me to call you?" Eris shuddered... "Pet? Toy? ...Wife?" Jack added a longer than usual pause on that last note. He watched as the rosy complexion of Eris drained from her face, leaving that bloodless pale he had first seen her within his first meeting with her. Jack walked over to the water basin and stuck his hand into the Holy Water, while Eris blankly watched him, the water began to heat up and come back to warm temperature for her bath. Jack looked at the slightly dried linen cloth, and tossed it to the side, as he reached to the table in the room. He selected another and dipped it into the water. Remembering he was last watching her belly, Jack began again, still waiting for her reply. Many thoughts swirled within Eris'' mind, with the largest one being... [How does he know!!!] Jack continued down with his cleaning, and unlike last time he did not spare her most spring-like garden. He again changed cleaning clothes and began to clean her legs, as he lifted them up, where she sat in the warmed Holy Water. As Jack finished her other leg, he began to wash her perfect feet. While Jack wasn''t into that, he could appreciate it when he saw those feet. He could understand why some would like this part of a lady. He spoke aloud, "Are you going to answer today, or do you need more time?" Eris finally broke her silence, "...I..." Jack put down her other foot, and then changed his linen cloth again, as he spoke, "Turn around and let me wash your back. Last time you splashed water everywhere, so be more docile this time." Eris nodded and turned around exposing that large expanse of white flesh. Now with her back to Jack, and no longer focusing on those flaming eyes. She inhaled a deep breath to take in that intoxicating aroma, and then calmed herself, as she began, "Are you mad?" "Well, I''m not mad, but I can''t say I''m not upset," Jack spoke honestly. "...I think I can answer your first question. Why I want to be your pet." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "I''d say I''m all ears, but we both know I don''t have them." Jack chuckled, as he attempted to make a joke, however bad it was... Eris felt some tension ease, as she gave a light laugh over her god''s poor humor. "In my vain attempt earlier... I wanted to say I am tired. I''ve put up a strong front for a long time. You might not know, but your Undead Kingdom is extremely relaxing compared to the Vampire Empire." "Oh? How so???" Jack inquired. "Everyone I have met in Deagoth are very... Truthful. Almost... Strangely so." "Hmmm? I don''t think I follow." "Everyone here in Deagoth simply tells the truth! You don''t hide yourselves! You speak how you feel." "Doesn''t... Doesn''t everyone simply speak how they feel?" Jack wasn''t quite understanding what Eris was trying to convey. "No! No, they don''t! Everyone in the Vampire Empire is out for themselves. They use schemes, plots, and plans to get higher on the ladder. To get that better position, or to get their artwork or music seen or heard. Most of those idiots hide behind polite smiles and appropriate conversation, while behind those smiles and those eyes are nothing by liars! Every one of them! LIARS! ALL OF THEM!" Eris gripped the side of the water basin tightly, that it began to crack at the top. Jack noticed as he paused his cleaning of her lower back, to gently rub along her slender arm with his large skeletal hand to soothe her. Eris loosened her grip, as she realized she lost her composure. She looked over her shoulder back at Jack with large eyes, as she spoke again, "Even I... Even I am like them, and I hate it. I deceived you. After being back among my wretched people... I''ve learned to mix truth and lies to make it sound believable, and this is why you have my heart." "You''re going to have to be a bit more specific there..." Jack spoke, as he lifted her out of the water, and warped a large white linen towel around her middle. "Well... Some things are because of my mother, others... A prophecy, and a small part... Because I want to be your pet." "Why pet, though???" Jack asked for the third time since he met this crazy thing. Eris thought for a moment how to word this, as Jack took another towel and thoroughly dried her. He even wrapped her hair in a towel, in a way he saw how his mother had done so in his last life. "I want to relinquish control over to you, my god. As a pet, all I have to do is entertain you. Wiggle my tail a bit for you, and you take care of everything else... I can rely on you and know I will be protected. If I can be your favorite plaything, your favorite pet, then I will be cared for... I don''t have to think about who is plotting on me, or my palace. I don''t have to think about who I am going to marry off too for daddy''s political schemes. I don''t have to do anything, but to please you. To entertain you..." Eris spoke softly, but Jack could tell some heavy emotions that were sawn within those words. He carried the now dried and towel covered Eris to the room''s evening tomb and laid her inside. He pulled that large chair that existed in the room to the side of the evening tomb to listen to the rest of Eris'' words. Eris laid there and looked up to her god, "I''m just so tired... and... I feel so strongly about the prophecy." Jack sighed aloud, "Haaa~" Just as he was about to speak, Eris asked him a question. "Why do you do that?" Caught off guard, Jack responded, "Do what?" "Why do you sigh... You don''t have lungs or breath air, so why do you sigh?" "Oh... Force of habit, I suppose. I feel it really releases some stress." "Habit?" Eris muttered to herself. "What prophecy... Is this the same one as before?" Eris nodded, and spoke aloud, "The gods have left. The gods will come. The worlds will be washed in sanguine and radiance. The blood race will need the favor of the light to cure the Malady. A dhampir of Malady should be offered to serve her god and herald the coming militus obitus." "But" Eris continued... "There is a second part or a second stance one could say." Jack tilted his head, in wonderment. "A herald born, she will be his pet, and with the coming militus obitus worlds will burn for purpose. Blood turns to bone, and the spider seeks the surface. Only the dhampir of Malady, though her Empire saved but torn apart, as a pet of her god can she save her mother''s heart." "Why does this part rhyme?" Jack asked since the first part didn''t. "I... I actually don''t know." Eris didn''t think about it before, as she focused on two parts... Saving her mother and her being a pet. "I see. So, you wish to be my plaything? My toy? My pet?" Jack asked feeling odd. Eris purred, as she looked up to Jack with those upturned eyes again, "Yeees~" Chapter 183: Coercing or Teasing... Whats the difference? Jack opened his robe slightly exposing his ribcage, and a certain beating heart suspended by small gold chains inside. Jack reached inside his ribcage, and gently caressed the heart. Eris shuddered, as she watched Jack complete this action. It didn''t feel good, but she couldn''t say it felt bad either. "I accepted this last time, knowing or unknowingly, but I did correct?" "Y-yes." Eris stuttered out feeling an interesting feeling wash over her, as Jack rubbed the heart with the back of his bony fingers. "Then it''s mine now. This is my heart." "Yes. That''s your heart." Eris nodded, enjoying the feeling of being possessed. "By ancient vampire law, you are my wife. Even if you performed marriage with me by this law, you will still be my third wife. Your sisters, Leslie is the first wife, and Emily is the second wife. Do you understand." Eris shook her head left to right saying no. She felt flush from the feeling her heart gave, as this at first not quite a pleasant feeling became more... pleasant. "Hmmm, doesn''t understand..." Jack thought to himself, [if this was a messed-up anime... Then she wants to be made to understand... I don''t know if I can do this. What was that one anime with ''breathers?'' What would that frog boy do... Ah?] "Perhaps I should persuade you to understand. Would you like that?" Jack asked for consent. Eris nodded her head up and down. Jack removed his hand from her heart inside his ribcage. He reached into the evening tomb and caressed Eris'' face, as his large bony hand moved down touching her slightly, as it paused above one of her feminine peaks. With a light grasp and a small twist of the cherry on top, Eris unexpectedly held her legs together and issued a small sound of pleasure, as it escaped her lips. "Do you understand now?" Jack asked again, as he continued to tease. Eris shook her head again left and right, still unsatisfied. Jack became more determined, as she made some light small circles around that peak, and then as his hand was about to drift away to other lands, he quickly returned to provide another small twist, but this time the twist lasted a bit longer than expected. Eris found that this was the best. The best feeling. That sting, that feeling, that unexpected sensation. Euphoria... More. She craved. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Jack released that land of honey, as he looked back into her eyes, "Do you understand now?" Eris relented while panting, she spoke in a small uncharacteristically meek voice, "I will be your third wife, but I want more than this, so much more." Jack shook his head slowly. He felt a burning in his soul, that called to him to perform his favorite act, but he had his honey ghost waiting for his return. "I''ve already promised my time with your, sister Consort Leslie." A sense of longing, and a tinge of jealously tainted her eyes. As Jack noticed, he placed his hand softly around Eris'' neck. "Tch, tch, tch... What did I tell you about being like that?" Eris smiled as she enjoyed were her god placed his hand, as she tugged on his hand, Jack allowed his hand to be pulled to her mouth. Eris used that perfectly shaped and pink tongue to taste his index finger, as it extended beyond her mouth and gold fangs. She would playfully bite his finger with her gold fangs, as she continued her movements. While this sensation of touch was lost on Jack, the visual impact was a different matter. [This little seductress...! Maybe Leslie is right. Maybe she does have succubus blood in her family...] Jack removed his finger, and caressed her face again, as he spoke, "We will continue this later. Trust me, but for now. I want to give you something." Eris blinked those lustful deep eyes, as she waited for her god. Jack thought for a moment, and then asked, "Give me a few drops of your blood." Eris didn''t hesitate, as she bought her right hand''s thumb to her gold fang and pressed down. Piercing the skin, scarlet blood with a hint of gold beaded up. Jack waved his hands, as the few drops of blood floated into the air to him. With her blood floated above his left hand, Jack squeezed hard with his right hand above this blood, as a few thin drops of golden liquid fell from his hand into her blood. This formed a half crimson and half gold glob of floating liquid that almost appeared metallic. Jack then waved his right hand around in a circle continuously, as the liquid began to spin and form into a circle until it took on the form of a ring. Eris looked on to this ring that she just saw her god create, as it fell into his left hand. Jack picked up the ring with his right hand, and reached out with his left hand, indicating for Eris to give him her hand. Eris extended her left hand in almost a daze, as Jack slipped the ring on to her ring finger, without any more useless words. Eris retracted her hand and looked at the ring on her finger. It was a gold ring that was streaked with scarlet, forming an almost tie-dye effect. It glimmered in the light. With a strange urge, Eris brought the ring to her mouth and licked it. [It tastes... It tastes like Him.] Eris looked up to Jack with mild shock. Jack wondered why she just tasted her ring, but considering what they had already done, he could only mentally shrug. Eris spoke, "Do I get a Title?" "Yes. You will be known as Consort Eris, until Our Black Wedding." "But Vampires have Sanguine Weddings." "...Then it will be so..." Jack didn''t refuse, as he always thought that weddings were for women more than they were for men. "Now, go keep my... Sister... Consort company, but when you are done... I want my turn." Eris said with a bit of passion. Jack reached over quickly, and teased her peak again, "Don''t forget you are my pet. This will not be a case of the pet tells me what to do." Eris gasped, as her god''s fingers released her small cherry on top of her peak, as she looked back up to Jack with pleading eyes. Jack''s urges now were worse than when he first bathed this new Consort of his... In a flash, Jack disappeared from the room... Almost as if he teleported. Chapter 184: Soul Drunk With the evening tomb''s mechanism activated the lid of the tomb slid open revealing those within... Jack sat up and stretched, as his various joints popped with magical cadence, as he let out a satisfied moan, "aaaaahhhh." He looked over to Leslie who was actually drawing air into her vestigial lungs, panting and sweating. Jack watched as a bead of black sweat flowed along her feminine curve and then vanished from sight. "Jack... Ha... Ha..." "Hmmmm?" Jack wondered, as his vision traced his way up along Leslie''s lines of perfection to her face. "Where... Ha... Ha... Did you learn to do... That... Ha..." Jack rubbed the back of his bald skull, as this wasn''t the first time he was asked this, "Well... I''ve had a few lives to practice" Jack chuckled. "It''s... A damn... Good thing... I love it..." Leslie spoke seemingly out of breath, as she rolled over onto her back, and looked at her ring on her left hand. "Why...?" Jack felt that was a bit over the top. "Because... Ha... Ha... I''m not sure... Ha... If I can go to work today... What am I... Suppose to... Ha... Tell my agents... Sorry... But the God-King... has me... Soul drunk... Can''t make it..!. Ha..." Leslie giggled slightly between breaths. "Ah... Well... It was you that said for a month. Good thing We had that break, right?" "What... Break...? Might as well... Just go back to it..." Leslie put her hand down, as she turned her gaze back to Jack, with a gleam in her eyes. "...I just don''t know about you... Do you want me to be good at reaping or not?" Jack was at a loss. "I would love... More... Than anything... To just be lost in... your soul forever... But Alas... Ha... Ha... I have things to do... Today." While Jack thought of something, a question came to mind, "What''s being soul drunk?" Leslie turned her face, as she darkened in embarrassment, "That''s... Ha... That''s being drunk on the feeling... of a soul bond... Like how Zombie Undead can get drunk on Ichor Wine... Or the right Burnt Offerings for Skeletal Undead." "Oh, I see. Okay. Then I get you soul drunk?" Jack''s flaming eyes danced in excitement. "Why ask when you already... know, hump!" Leslie turned over showing her sender back to Jack. Jack continued to look at that smooth back and the line that formed it as if it was boneless... Was it, he wondered. He reached out, and placed his large skeletal hand on her shoulder, as he gentle slide it down her body, enjoying the springy and spongy sense of touch. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Leslie looked over her shoulder, "Stop seducing me... I''ve already called for a... handmaiden to bring me my clothes." "What? I can''t enjoy my wife?" Jack chuckled. Leslie knitted her brows as she thought of something, as she spoke, "It''s not like you don''t have two other wives now, so why don''t you go bother them. Hump!!!" Leslie turned her face away from Jack, as some of her heaving began to even out. [What the... hell...] Jack wondered why she became like that all of a sudden but decided to not think too much about it since he couldn''t make sense of it. "Honey ghost, don''t be like that. Right now, I just want to touch you. If I wanted to touch the other two, wouldn''t I be with them at the moment? How come I''m still here with you then?" "Hmmmm?" Leslie looked over her shoulder with a cheeky grin, "Alright." At that moment, a light knock sounded at the door. Leslie rose up slightly, and called out, "Come in." A handmaiden walked in with Leslie''s garments in hand, and closed the newly created door behind her, as she turned her face not to look at the God-King and her Mistress together nude. Jack floated out of his evening tomb, as he saw Leslie shakily attempting to get out of the evening tomb with her coordination not being the best. Jack waved his hand, as she was lifted out of the tomb in her nude glory, and was placed easily on the floor standing next to him. As Jack''s power left her, she felt her legs were going to give. As she was about to throw out her arms to catch herself, she felt Jack''s large skeletal hands catch her and hold her in place. A warmth spread throughout her chest, as she looked up into those flaming eyes, knowing that Jack was there for her, for even something as simple as standing, even if this was all his fault. Leslie''s handmaiden approached, and as she was going to help, Jack spoke, "Honey Ghost, can I help you instead?" Leslie paused, but then chuckled, "Sure," as she waived her handmaiden to leave. The handmaiden darkly blushed and took her leave quicker than she came. Leslie uneasily walked to Jack''s desk and held onto it. She looked over her shoulder to Jack with some expectation in her eyes, wondering if Jack could dress her properly. Jack''s gaze roamed over Leslie, and he lamented not having flesh. He then looked to Leslie''s clothing. He selected the black panties and kneeled down to Leslie. She lifted one leg and then the other. Jack slide them into place, and he selected the next item. [...I didn''t know she wore a chest wrap...] Jack noticed the next article, and looking at Leslie from behind, he could clearly see the hanging fruit from Leslie, and they were much fuller than he thought they were previously now that he thought about it. Without thinking too much, following what he had seen in anime in his previous life, he carefully wrapped Leslie torso, making sure it wasn''t too tight but not too loose. Lastly, Jack reached for the Black and White Qi Pao. He noticed that it was inlaid with a repeating gold pattern that showed... Golden Chibi Angels of Death. Jack shook his head and took the Qi Pao, and kneeled again. Leslie stepped into it, as he bought it up to her neck. He reached around and buttoned it on both sides of the chest. He further straightened out the wrinkles, as Leslie clumsily turned around to face Jack with a cheeky smile. "You know..." Leslie looked herself over, "I didn''t think you would be able to dress me." Jack reached over and ran his bony fingers through her ink-black hair, as he spoke, "I''m amazing... I thought you knew this." "Be more humble, even if you are amazing." Leslie giggled, grabbing onto Jack''s ribs and pulling him down to her face, as she kissed his forehead. "I need to go put on my makeup. I''ll meet you later for Emily''s Ceremony." Leslie took a few unease steps and retrieved her shoes. She put one on and then the other, as she staggered a bit to the door. Jack called out, "I can take you to your room..." "No need... I need to get used to being like this if we are to continue doing this together." Leslie braced her hand on the side of the door, and winked to Jack, as she opened the door and left. Jack felt excited by that last comment but trusted Leslie to make it to her room. Jack donned a simple robe, and left, as well. He made it to his office, sat down, and mentally called Lucius to talk over Emily''s coming of age ceremony, while he placed his laptop on his desk. He opened it and started working on one of his projects. Chapter 185: Getting up to speed Without a knock, Lucius entered into Jack''s Office, and took his seat, per the usual. Jack looked at his laptop in thought for a moment, before keying a few more lines of spellwork, before pushing it to the side, to look up to Lucius. "First off, I would like to thank you, Lucius." Jack began. "I only do as I should, my Lord," Lucius spoke with confidence. "Even so, know that I appreciate what you do, and how you take care of the Kingdom in my absences... Not to mention tolerating my high-jinx." Jack continued. "Even gods need to relax and enjoy their conquests, I''m sure," Lucius spoke with a bit of humor, but he meant his words. Jack nodded and then didn''t press on, knowing that his appreciation wasn''t lost on Lucius. "Lucius, if you don''t mind, can you bring me up to speed on the kingdom, and how prep for Bellum is coming along?" "You will be excited to know the progress... Even I am shocked by the progress. It''s just... I can''t help but marvel at the faithful." Lucius, himself, became overly excited, as he began to ramble. "This sounds good," Jack said in encouragement, as to hurry Lucius to tell him. "It is! After your speech made it go through the kingdom last month... We have had a new high, an ALL time high for enlistment! almost a tenth of each city has signed up for the armies!" "A tenth?!" Jack exclaimed as he did some quick math in his mind, "That''s something like six million that have enlisted!!!" Jack stood up abruptly, with his hands braced on his desk, as his flaming eyes grew brighter and crackled with shock. Lucius nodded repeatedly, "That''s about right. We have the undead, but I haven''t listed what armies to put them in, or if we need to make new armies of these undead. We also need more barracks, more food to provide, more supplies, more weapons, and much more funds to support a standing army of this magnitude!" Lucius exclaimed, but with a happy tone. Jack while dazed, sat back down in his chair, and heard Lucius happy tone, "Ah, you must know of a solution to this. So, how do we deal with this, and utilize these new recruits in the meantime?" Lucius folded his hands over his midsection, over his vestments as he plainly stated, "I have no clue." Jack paused, as he looked over Lucius. It was, again, a good thing his face was bone and not flesh, least his expression give away more than just his posture. "...I see..." Jack spoke slowly. "See, I knew my Lord would know what to do," Lucius said with clear confidence, without sarcasm, but blind faith. Jack leaned back in his chair, as he thought it over. He did indeed need an army of this size if what he wanted to do was to be accomplished. He then thought to ask, as he leaned forward back in his seat, "What about the supplies to Bellum''s building site?" "They''ll arrive in the next few weeks. The merchants and suppliers of Deagoth are wiped into a frenzy. Almost all the undead of Deagoth have family here in Saigunrai... After what happened and your message that was heard... Well, they only hate they couldn''t grow wings to bring it themselves." "...I''ve been thinking small..." Jack said in a lower voice, as Lucius tilted his head in wonderment. Stolen story; please report. "Tux, reconfigure the current model for Bellum to accommodate five million undead," Jack spoke after another moment. "Understood. Calculating time needed for project revision... Calculation complete. This task will take an estimated seven hours." "Thank you, Tux." Jack looked back up to Lucius, "We are going to need much, much more resources." Lucius clutched his skull, "There''s no way we can have these resources in the time that''s left! We only have a month left to FINISH the city by your command! It''s impossible!" Lucius felt like his skull was going to roll off his body! Jack thought for a moment, then spoke, "Remember your plan to bring pilgrims?" "Yeah?" "Have them put supplies out ready to be transported by me. I will assume my true form and carry all the needed supplies." Lucius immediately slapped his femur, with a loud dull sound, as he shouted, "YOUR WILL BE DONE!" [The faithful will love this display of power, I should also include orders for the church to hold mass outside for them to witness the power of the God-King.] "Excellent! In addition, have all the recruits ready. I will pick them up as well and bring them to Bellum''s construction site. Larger City will need more workers. We can use them in the meantime." "Not a problem, but... what about the pay?" "Clean out the vaults of all the Glowstone. It doesn''t matter how much you throw at the project. It will just come back to Us with the introduction of the new currency." Jack nodded. "Ah." Lucius nodded enlightened. "Anything else?" Jack asked. "There is court. Thankfully I accounted it was going to be next week, a while ago... If it was last week, wouldn''t I look bad for it?" Lucius said with a serious tone. "Ah... Yes... Thank you." Lucius waved it off, "It will be next week on the second day of the seventh." "Alright. Sounds good. I''ll make sure not to get too involved with my... Hobbies." Jack said awkwardly. "As the God-King, I''m sure you have a sense of responsibility," Lucius said with some advice. "Or you''re going to kick down my door?" Jack said with a lot of humor and laughed openly. Lucius looked away while speaking, "Of course." Jack chuckled a few more times, before asking finally, "Alright, what about Emily''s coming of age ceremony?" "Ah, well... I figure we could hold it in the garden. I can have the servants set it up for this afternoon since I wasn''t really sure when you were going to be done with... What you were doing. I''m just thankful you were able to come back to the land of the unliving before next week''s court session." Jack disregarded that last scold, as he spoke, "Then this afternoon would be best. Alright... I have one last thing to inform you." "Hmmmm?" Lucius wondered what this might be, as Jack''s tone turned strange. "Let me show you something," Jack spoke, as he pulled his upper robes apart to expose his ribcage. Lucius wasn''t sure until he seen a beating heart suspended within Jack''s ribcage on Jack''s right side, where hearts would reside in a normal body... Suspended by small gold chains... "...Is that actually beating...?" "Yup." "Why... Do you have a beating heart?" "It''s Eris'' heart." "..." Lucius was speechless, as he didn''t understand any of this. One very odd conversation and explanation later... "So, you''re married to the Vampire Princess, and not even the ancient Vampire God can undo it per their vampire laws..." "And there We have it." Jack nodded. "And Consort Leslie''s alright with this?" "She took it... Surprisingly well..." "Wait... How well?" Lucius asked as Jack went over the conversation. "That''s all the chastising she did?" Jack nodded. "Hmmmm... While Leslie is the most well-grounded lady I know, after all the years I''ve known her... I just can''t help but say that she let you off a bit too easy." "Too easy?" "You just picked up another Consort without any prior agreement, even if Prin-Consort Eris, so to say, tricked you... She didn''t press more? I feel she''s either bottling that up or going to use it on you in the future." "Use it on me?" "You''ve never heard of a lady bringing something up from years ago to argue with their husband? Holdover their heads? What about just to guilt them?" Lucius made clearer his meaning. "Oh... That might be a problem... Any suggestions?" "Talk with her again but wait a while. That''s all I''m going to say... I''m going to go get everything prepared. Until this event, my Lord." Lucius stood up, bowed, and took his leave without Jack getting a chance to detain him further. Jack rapped his fingers on his desk a few times, "How long are you going to wait before you show yourself, my little pet?" The window opened, and Eris crawled through. [This is why the office didn''t have a window, to begin with, isn''t it...] Jack thought to himself about his choice of having installed a window. Eris crawled over to Jack, and into his lap, as she purred, "You didn''t come to see me first thing." Chapter 186: Sweet pain and Bitterness adrift Jack sat in his chair, as Eris curled up in his bony lap atop his robe. Slightly at a loss but not showing it, Jack reached down with his large skeletal hand and began to gently rub along the back of Eris that was facing up to him. It became more awkward to Jack as she began to make certainly enjoyable noises... "Didn''t you know I was going to come to visit you as soon as I was updated?" Jack asked, trying to ignore the sounds being issued by her. "MMmmmm, but I''m impatient... Your other Consort received favor, why can''t I receive mine?" "Her name is Consort Leslie, your first sister. Your second sister is named Consort Emily... Please remember their names." "MMMmmmm, Okay..." Eris simply agreed, while not seeming to pay much attention. Jack seeing that Eris didn''t really care, lifted his hand and swatted her backside, with a soft ''pop.'' Eris gasped in response, as she looked up to Jack with a teasing but flirty gaze, "Remember their names. You want to be a pet? Then my pets need to be able to follow my direction." "Consorts Leslie and Emily..." Eris said meekly, while a deep lust formed in her eyes as she stared at Jack''s hand that had just swatted her. Jack made just to always look in her eyes, as he was afraid to let his gaze roam any on her body, and thus seen this expression and desire. He hesitated and spoke again, "Do you want more of that? I only do this to discipline. I don''t think it should be used otherwise." Eris whispered, "It... It can be used a little bit though... Right?" [...fuck it.] "Then ask me." "MMmmm...?" "Ask me what you want." "I want..." "What want?" "Discipline... I don''t think I learned my lesson... I need more lessons... Please." Eris breathed heavily though she whispered her desire that Jack could almost not hear even with his level of sensitivity. ''pop'' "Oooh." ''pop'' "Ooooooh!" Jack asked if Eris had enough, and it seemed she hadn''t... Several more rounds later, and Jack had already become numb to this inappropriate play, though he still felt slightly odd. He did, however, enjoy her reaction. Especially that high pitched whine, and how her legs drew closer to herself, as she trembled. He''d be lying to say if he didn''t like it. Jack rubbed the abused area softly, as he spoke, "I think that''s enough." "...MMMmmmm... I''m not a very good Vampire, so I''m sure I will need more of this..." Eris spoke lightly, then whispered softly, "A lot more." Jack simply shook his head... He then asked, "Do you mind if I see?" "You have my heart... So my everything is already yours to play with..." Eris said with a teasing tone. Jack mentally sighed, as he was unsure how to handle this creature. He lifted up her robe to expose that fleshy rear part and see that it was striped with long red streaks that overlap... No doubt due to the bones in his hand. "Let me sooth this." Jack lifted his hand to heal this area, as he knew a few healing hymns, even if he had never improved or used them. Just as Jack was going to hum out his hymn, Eris pleaded, "No!" Jack''s gaze turned to stare at those eyes, as he was wondering what was wrong...? The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "I... I want you to leave it like that." "...Why..." Jack was afraid to ask, but couldn''t help himself. In a rare scene, Eris blushed. This dazzling display of pinkish hue that splotched her face and continued down her neck near dazed Jack... She whispered softly, "I want to sit later and enjoy the feeling..." Eris then turned her face down and covered her face with her god''s robe. [.............] ******* Jack floated through the twisted corridors of the Holy Palace with his laptop in hand making his way to Emily''s room. He dreaded this talk, as he was going to reveal Eris as his newest Consort... In all honesty, he wanted to take Eris but she was... Indisposed at the moment. Jack looked to his right hand, and flexed it a few times, as if in remembering the spongy and springing sense of feeling it had received earlier. [I need to be in control... If I lose myself to that feeling, then I won''t be able to stop.] Jack shook his head as he realized the threat that Eris posed. Not a lethal threat to him, but one that could cause his fall and ruin his unlife. Tossing the thoughts to the side, he found himself in front of Emily''s door. Hesitantly, Jack knocked on the door. After a moment, Emily''s voice drifted through the door, "Come in." Jack waved his hand, as the door opened, and he went inside to see that Emily was at her desk, with papers strung all over the room. Truly the workplace of a mad woman. "Ah... What''s all this?" "Homework by High Alchemist Raleigh..." Emily moved a few papers to the side and then left her chair to look over a large tome on the floor. She flipped through the large pages until she found what she wanted. She went back to her desk to write a few more things down. After nodding her head, she left her desk and went to go stand on a chair in front of a makeshift lab set up on the other side of the room. Jack watched as she pulled vails and poured different solutions into a beaker, as she placed it over a small flame. She then went back to the other side, and this scene repeated for Jack a few times, as he watched her make notes, go through books, and then work with different things in that small lab set up. Finally coming from his daze, "Ummm... What are you working on at the moment?" "Producing a flesh-eating formula that dissolves meat from bone, to help Zombie undead transition to Skeletal undead," Emily spoke absentmindedly. "Oh. That sounds intreating." Jack rubbed his chin a few times. Emily made no comment as she continued her work. Jack then spoke, though hesitantly, "Ah, well... I have something I need to talk to you about..." "Yeah, I''m sure the coming of age ceremony will be this evening. Thank you. It will be great to have a larger body. It will be nice when I don''t have to get up and down out of this chair so much." Emily spoke offhandedly, as she crossed the room again, to stand on that chair next to the lab set up. "Longer arms would help too." Emily made another remake. "Yes, I have Lucius setting that up as We speak. I hope you like the body I chose." Jack felt funny talking to Emily, as she wasn''t really paying attention to him. "I''m sure it''s great," Emily spoke, as she muttered a few alchemist lingo, that Jack didn''t understand, as she rotated the vails and put one into what Jack believed to be a centrifuge. "I, Uh, I came to speak about something else, as well." Jack finally got to his main point. "...Yeah...?" Emily hopped off the chair, and went to one of the walls that had pages stuck to it, and pulled a few notes down, and went back to her desk, as she crawled back up to scribble a few more things down. "Ummm... The Vampire princess has become my Consort." Jack didn''t know where to begin, as he just blurted out what he wanted her to know. Emily didn''t rise from her notes as she spoke, "I saw that coming." "...Yeah?" Jack asked, but didn''t defend himself. "Yup. In fact, I believe I was the one that told you about it." Emily hopped down to go to another tome, as she lifted the cover and went through it. "I can help you if you like?" Jack spoke, as he saw that she was having a tough time getting around the room, with her size. "Don''t need it. I''m very close to getting this right." Emily spoke again, as she wrote a few things from this tome, and went back to her chair. "Oh..." Jack felt slightly dejected. [Why do I feel like my last life...?] Jack wondered. Jack thought over it, and couldn''t come to a reason why he felt like this. In the end, he tossed the thoughts and walked over to Emily. He tousled her hair a bit, as his hand slide down her jawline. He used a bit of pressure to lift her chin and she was finally pulled away from her work. For the first time since Jack entered into the room, she looked at him and into those flaming eyes of his. "Don''t work too hard... Please..." Jack asked softly. Warmth filled her, as she saw those flaming eyes that danced ever so slowly for her, and heard his pleading on her behalf. Emily nodded her head, as Jack leaned over, and rubbed his forehead and hers together in an intimate way. Jack rose and spoke, "I''ll leave you to your work, but please don''t work too hard. After the ceremony, I would like to spend time with you. If you want to, that is..." Emily spoke with some tenderness, "Of course." Jack leaned back over, and rubbed foreheads again before he exited the room, he stood by the doorway, with his back to Emily, as he spoke, "If things get too hard in your work. Take a break, and remember I will always support you, in everything you do. No matter what anyone says, your Queen-Mother, the whole Underworld says, even Leslie... I will always be there for you when you need me." Jack left the room, but as he did these words lingered in the air left behind, "I love you, always remember that." Emily sat in her chair in a dream-like state. She felt the bitterness she had this last month drift away into the air, and the suffocating feeling in her soul lift. Emily looked down at the gold and onyx ring on her finger, and she used her right hand to touch it. This was his promise to her. Feeling warm she thought that the alchemy she was working so hard on was worth it, because... It was to help him. [He loves me... I will always remember that.] Emily thought to herself, as she turned back to pick back up where she left off. Chapter 187: The need to Kill Jack floated through the halls and went back to his office. He sat down and pulled out his laptop, as he went back to work in earnest. Not long after that, the door was flung open. Jack looked up expecting to see the famous doorbuster Lucius but found it was Joan. "Oh! Joan. What brings you to my Office so early?" "Early? It''s already noon, my lord." Joan kneeled and spoke. Jack found that her funny, as she knocked open the door but addressed him with respect... Mixed signals if he ever saw it. "Rise and take a seat. Tell me what''s on your mind." Joan rose and did so taking the seat that Verruca would usually sit in... Jack pushed his laptop to the side, while he waited for Joan to speak. Joan''s snake hair observed the room at all angles. "God-King...?" "...Yes...?" Jack felt odd listening to Joan''s hoarse voice... [Oh, no... No, no, no... Please don''t want to be my consort too... Please no...] Jack shouted in his mind, as he revealed no expression on his bony face. Joan''s smile crossed her face, as she finally asked, "When do I start the bloodshed?" [OH, THANK ME!] Jack wished he could heave a breath of relief! So, that''s all it was... She just wanted someone to kill. "Ah, hmmmm, that''s a really good question. It''s not like we don''t have a list of people that need a good killing." "There''s a list! Please tell me it''s a list of locations and not a list of names... I work with locations a lot better than just names." "Let me guess... Because you can''t be bothered to remember the names of those you kill?" Joan''s face showed shock, as too as her snake hair hissed as well in shock! "The God-King knows me best!" Joan''s face then changed to show an intoxicated face. "So, I do." Jack felt bad for whoever he sat this monster on... Well... Maybe not that bad. Jack pulled his laptop to him, as he brought up a map and started thinking. [Bellum isn''t done, and the Dead Tide is still a thing. I''m waiting on the joint effort of both my forces and Emily''s force there to reply... Jakahn has been quite since I slapped that city. Neolith has been good... Wait a moment... Wasn''t it Stonedge that was fucking with Us at the border raiding us. I never did send anyone to go stop them. Who knows how much land they have taken for Borda? I really fail as a King.] Joan waited patiently for her God-King to make a choice. Finally, Jack rose from his thoughts, "How do you feel about going north and killing without mercy anyone that isn''t of Deagoth?" Joan showed a sad face, as she asked, "Do I have to limit it like that... It''s so much easier to just kill everyone..." Stolen story; please report. Jack laughed, and he slammed his fist on his desk. Gold sparks arcs from his fist, as he laughed, "Yes! You can''t kill my people. Hahaha. I love you, Joan. I, simply, love that train of thought." "Oh?" Joan made a surprised face but beat that thought back down, as she lowered her face to Jack, and spoke, "As long as I get to kill it doesn''t matter strong or weak, old or young, ours or theirs... I just need to kill. I haven''t killed anyone since I got my body, and it''s beginning to get a bit uncomfortable for me." "I''m sorry, Joan. If I still had some prisoners, then I would have let you execute them all... You should ask about the court cleansing I did." Jack chuckled. "Oh... I know of it." Joan thought lovingly of the pile of skulls she asked about. "Ah, I see. Well, alright. When I ascend to my God-Form. I will be collecting supplies and undead from around the Kingdom and bringing them here. Can you work with new recruits?" "More like I will forge them into the axe to kill!" Joan spoke with her head lowered. "Alright. Start preparing, and in a few days, I will bring new recruits for you." "Ummm... God-King, I have another request..." "Oh? What is it?" "Do you mind if I take a servant for... Reaping purposes...?" "..." Before Jack spoke, Joan opened her mouth again, "Unless you want to... Fill that void?" Jack''s lower jaw hung open, not sure what to say... He wasn''t sure how to tell her no... "I... Do not mind if you take a servant. Just... They just have to agree..." Jack finally said out loud. "Oh..." Joan was happy, but at the same time felt a slight loss. ******* Jack floated out of the back of the Holy Palace and into the garden''s as he had done when being led here last time by the young priest Gasper. Jack floated, as he looked out and saw many undead servants of the palace going back and forth setting up various decorations... Jack looked around and saw that the garden was decorated with almost a dark feeling, though white was used everywhere. What shocked Jack the most were all the candles! Lit candles! [I didn''t even know we have candles!!!!] Jack had never thought about it. "My Lord," Lucius saw Jack, and quickly kneeled to him, and as Lucius performed this action, all the other servants stopped kneeled as well. Jack waved his hand, and power swept out from his lifting all the undead, causing them to feel warm inside. "Rise and continue. Lucius... This looks good." Jack commented as he looked around. He always liked the white and black roses of the garden, but now with the vestibule in the middle was accented with them. A nice row of chairs, large stone tomb set in the middle, and an evening tomb next to it. "So, how''s this going to work?" "Well... Usually, We would only have one tomb, but seeing as you already have the body, we have provided another. We will have Consort Emily lay in the evening tomb. Then we will allow the chief of ceremonies, My Lord, to move the soul from the old body to the new body." Lucius continued. Jack nodded as he listened, then Lucius spoke, "Then we get some good burnt offering and get wasted." "..." "...The burnt offerings help with assimilating the body and soul..." Lucius spoke for certain. "..." "I''m serious." Lucius watched as Jack didn''t move an inch and continued to stare at him with those flaming eyes peering into his soul. "...It''s a tradition..." "...It''s for a good cause..." "ALRIGHT ALREADY! UNDEAD JUST LIKE GETTING WASTED!" Lucius buckled under the pressure, as he shouted, before slapping his bony hands over his teeth. All the servants stopped, and the clattering of various objects could be heard around the area. Jack tilted his skull to look at Lucius, who immediately went to one knee. "Please forgive my outburst, my Lord." "There is nothing to forgive. I''m just a little shocked. This sounds like a good time, carry on... I will be seated over there-" Jack pointed to a spot next to the edge of the garden surrounded by thorny black and white roses, "Working on a project." "Let me know when it''s time to begin." "Of course, my Lord." Lucius felt better from Jack''s words. [Was there really a need to pressure me like that?] Lucius though... Jack floated over to the edge of the Garden in thought, [I wonder what kind of dust they are going to use, and should I have burnt some offerings with Joan...] Jack''s thoughts turned to Joan while he was listening to Lucius. When he brought up that burnt offerings help the body and soul bind... He remembered Joan, and of course their earlier conversation... [That Joan... I don''t mind her wanted to reap with anyone... Good for her, but why did she want to drag me into it! I have enough shit on my plate! Haaa~] Jack rubbed his bald skull. Chapter 188: The Start of the Coming of Age Ceremony Jack continued to type and work on his project to the side of the garden, while servants of the Holy Palace would glance at him, and then quickly go back to their task. [Mmmmm... There doesn''t seem to be a perfect way to wipe memories with a spell... How does Yoggi do it?] Jack thought to himself, as he typed some more on this project. Much later Lucius came to his side, and spoke, "My lord, it''s time. We have everything ready." Jack looked up with his flaming eyes dancing ever so slowly, with a delighted voice he spoke, "Fantastic Lucius. Thank you again... Send for everyone to come." "Do you want... The... Third... Consort to come?" "I''ll summon that one myself then." "It would be best, thank you, my lord." Lucius nodded, as he turned to get everyone. Jack reached out and mentally messaged Eris, [Eris.] [Oh, my god... What is that you wish of your pet...?] Eris'' seductive voice issued through the mental message filtering into Jack''s mind. Jack shook off the lusty sounding mental message, as he messaged back, [I want you to come to Emily''s coming of age ceremony. We are holding it in the garden, where I summoned Joan last time.] [Coming... Of age ceremony???] Eris asked baffled. [Yes. So, I''d like you to be a part of your sister''s ceremony.] [Wait... If she''s underage, how is she your second consort??? Do you like them young?] Eris asked out of sheer curiosity if that was the case... It might explain why he wasn''t as into her as she expected him to be... Even if he was a skeleton, she had great confidence in her appearance. [For... Reasons... Years ago she wasn''t granted one until she married. While the actual black wedding hasn''t been performed, I''m her husband, and I''m going to give her an adult body.] [Isn''t that special. Her husband gives her a wedding and a body... And here I am with only my ring.] Eris pouted. [A ring forged with our blood... Even the other two do not have rings forged of my blood, and you''re going to pout???] [I want my owner to spoil me... When can your pet be spoiled?] [I can promise nothing. Today is your Consort Sister''s day. Consort Emily. I''ve already played with you earlier... Hehe, how does it feel to sit?] Jack asked in the end out of dark curiosity. [MMMmmm, it reminds me of my god''s love for his pet.] Eris messaged with a bit of happiness in her tone. [Then... I will prepare you a seat. I want you to sit and watch. You can feel my love that way... Now get down here.] [I''m on my way!] Eris said with a bit of impatience, and then Jack felt the connection break. Jack shook his head, as he turned to see that Leslie had come. He held out his arms, as Leslie casually strolled into his embrace. She looked up to Jack as she smiled, "Why do I feel like you missed me. It''s only been half a day since we were together." "MMMmmm, I can''t change how I feel." Jack held on to that slim figure, while he rubbed her shoulders. "Is Emily happy to come?" "I... Don''t know about that. She was in a... mood when I saw her. She seems to be working too hard with her Alchemy." Jack thought about how he felt at that time, and still couldn''t put his finger on it. Leslie''s brows furrowed as she spoke, "I''ll speak to her after the ceremony. It''s usually the mother that help''s the child become accustomed to the body, but I will play the part. I can also ask if anything concerns her." "I don''t know what I would do without you," Jack said from the bottom of his heart. Leslie giggled, "I don''t know either." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ******* The Third Elder was sitting with a Zombie undead, who was currently laughing. The Third Elder spoke, "Let me be clear... You are playing with more than just your unlife here. This concerns the unlife with all the undead under you." The Clanhead of the Grimnight Clan''s chuckle trailed off, "Doubtful. Unlike you, who ran to the Holy Witch King with his tail between his legs, have used my superior mind to find a path of survival for my Clan." The Clanhead''s decorative robes were in tatters, and it could be seen that he had not cleaned himself in many months. It was a far cry from the last time the Third Elder had seen him. He was only here upon his request to see him, he received yesterday. The Third Elder shook his head, "You speak of the God-King. You must be a fool to not know that the game you play will end in him winning... I haven''t seen him lose, yet, and I doubt a god loses a game." The Clanhead sneered, "I have my path ready. I was already informed that supposed ''god-king'' is going to spare me and my undead. My unlife is secure. What about you and your undead. Join me again. We will again take our place, as the Grimnight Clan and bring it to new heights in Deagoth!" The Third Elder didn''t think before responding, "No... Your leadership brought us here." The Third Elder rose from his seat to leave the run-down shack that was the current Clanhead''s residence on the outskirts of the Zombie district made for those from Neolith. As he stood at the door to leave, the Third Elder decided to leave some words, "A few things... Emory... You best not refer to the God-King as his former title, lease the faithful zombie''s here do not flay you... Least you become a skeleton undead in the most painful ways. If the faithful are more forgiving.'' The Clanhead snorted at his name being called and heard nothing. "Lastly... I have a bad feeling for you and your part of the clan. You should speak to the God-King when you get a chance... And beg... Like I told you so long ago... beg for your clan members, if not for your own... I will not come to see you again, Emory... Goodbye, Emory." With that, the Third Elder left the slums and returned to his residence provided by the God-King, and his undead clan members. It was like night and day, how the members of the Third Elder were treated compared to those of the Clanhead''s. [Forget it. Once I stabilize my power, as the First Consorts-in-law... I will rise up, and suppress you. Your part of the clan will return to me, in the end. heh!] Emory Grimnight, Clanhead of the Grimnight clan thought to himself, left in his miserable shack. ******* Emily was escorted by the handmaiden''s of Jade into the back of the Holy Palace. At first, she wasn''t very excited, but now thinking about how she was going to finally get a body... She became so much happier. She thought about how Jack treated her this morning, and that warm feeling rose inside her. It wasn''t like High Alchemist Raleigh said... Her beloved did indeed love her... Emily wondered why he would say that the God-King didn''t have time for her. The thoughts in her mind swirled, as they quickly died down, in the face of the small tomb in front of her. She looked to Jack who was standing in his full regalia. This time his full regalia was all in gold. Unknown to her was that Jack had conjured his armor from the Light itself. She felt more love, as she saw how imposing he looked, as she thought that he was her dead man. She turned and looked out to the audience. She looked out to see that Leslie was sitting on the left, and Eris sitting on the right. [Why is the Vampire shifting in her seat with such a face...???] Emily wasn''t the only one to notice the odd behavior of Eris. In the audience, she could also see Lucius, a large Undead Zombie as tall as Jack laughing with two ladies beside him. She would later learn his name to be Crag. Lots of clergies were in the audience as well. It seemed that the people with Crag were behind Leslie, and the clergy sat behind Eris. Emily wondered if she should have sent her servants that came with her so long ago back... Maybe she should have kept them for this day, but she never thought this day would truly come... Not saying anymore, the handmaidens helped Emily into the tomb, as she slipped from the view of everyone. Jack floated over and with a wave of his hand, the tomb that was covered''s led slide open. It fell to the ground with a loud dull thud. The audience could not see inside the tomb, but they all knew that inside was the new consort''s body. Jack spoke from memory, "Today We come to witness the rebirth of a youngling to that of an adult lady!" His voice rolled through the audience, as all became quite before the God-King, even Crag became silent, as he put his hand on to the leg of both of his wives, who in turn back silent. "We will bring forth her soul from her old vessel to her new vessel. Remember that it is not the vessel that indicates adulthood, but the ceremony itself. Those that were adults before will now be peers, those that remain as children will need to learn from their older sister." Jack felt funny reciting the rites but pressed on... "I, the God-King of Deagoth as the master of ceremonies, have the pleasure of transferring the soul of this Daughter of Neolith, Second Consort of I, into her new vessel. Watch the blossom of a new lady. Jack recited his holy hymn as provided by tux to extract Emily''s soul. The Cherubs were produced and flew to the tomb containing Emily. Emily had long ago shut off her sight, as she waited for the process to begin. She would be lying to say she wasn''t feeling anxious. At this moment with a cue from Lucius, large pyre''s that were set with a multitude of lit candles were set aflame. Soft smoke of burnt offerings rolled out and covered the area in an illusionary atmosphere. All the undead present took deep breaths or took in the smoke through their bones. They gave a collective shudder... Age dust... Dust that was only used for coming of age ceremonies. It had a calming effect and allowed those to generally improve their mood. This smoke rolled into Emily''s tomb, and she took it into herself calming her greatly, as the cherubs over her began their work. After a few moments, Jack felt something was wrong... [Why isn''t her soul dislodging???] It seemed that the two Cherubs were not able to remove the soul that dwelled deep inside of Emily, as Jack mentally furrowed his brows. Chapter 189: The Coming of Age Struggle Jack floated over to the side of the evening tomb, as he peered into it to see Emily and witness his struggling cherubs. [Just what''s going on...?] Jack could see that Emily was in discomfort, even if she didn''t make any sounds. [...This can''t be right] Jack raised his arm, as his laptop at the edge of the garden flew to his hand. Murmurs in the small crowd sounded, as the clergy began to talk. Many of them performed these ceremonies, and this wasn''t normal. Lucius thought to see what was going on but wanted to wait for the God-King to call him, least he overstep his bounds. Jack quickly tapped on his keyboard. As the last few days of his private use, he had found more functions for his laptop, even if he was the one to create it. Jack raised his right hand and squeezed hard. Drops of golden liquid formed and dripped down. Eris in the audience licked her lips witnessing her god produce his blood. These golden drops, as they dripped formed into new cherubs, that flew to aid the others. Now with seven cherubs working together, they were still unable to dislodge Emily''s soul. Emily now began to groan in pain! [FUCK IT!] "TUX." "Reporting to Creator." The bland unenthusiastic voice of the undead penguin chimed in front of many undead, as their attention was split between the flock of Cherubs and the living tome that floated and spoke. "Will there be a problem if I personally remove her soul?" "As long as Creator shields the soul from outside influences, and especially your own influence, there will be no issues." "Good." Jack floated backward from under the nice reception that was created for Emily''s coming of age ceremony by Lucius and the servants. He, in front of everyone, dropped to his knees, as his golden regalia vanished leaving him in his normal robe. From his crown appeared golden light, as many zombies undead shielded their eyes. Like the time that he ascended into the plane of death, Jack''s god soul emerged from his body. Larger than last time, he squeezed out of his form and ascended high into the skyline. As the God-King''s form appeared, the many many candles that were lit, went out instantly. All of the flames and light appeared to have been sucked into the God-King''s form, as the Glowstone lamps trembled. It was again time for all the undead of the continent to see the God-King in the sky. One would think seeing a giant golden skeleton in the skyline every other week would become the norm, but the undead had yet to adjust, as even those in Dragon''s Jaw quickly went home and shut their doors and windows. Jack now at his impressive altitude, as he hunched over with his bent head just under the roof of the Underworld. He took his large skeletal god hand and lightly sent the reception tilting and crashing to the side. The audience members had long left their seats and prostrated before the God-King, even Crag. There were only two members that did not. Leslie and Eris. Leslie''s brows had long been furrowed, and Eris looked to be drunk on the power of her god. With the reception sent flying, he called back his own Cherubs. He seen inside both tombs. Jack looked to his right skeletal hand, as it burst into golden flames, that even the skeletal undead shielded their gaze. With his flaming hand, he reached down and reached into Emily''s tiny body into a place that was neither physical nor incorporeal. His flaming flight surrounding Emily but did not burn her. Once she was completely covered, Jack pulled. He felt the resistance in her soul from leaving. He had never seen anything like this before. Enraged at being thwarted, and the thought that Emily might suffer the longer this took, he concentrated all of his strength into that pull. [DAMN IT! RELEASE FOR ME!] Jack pulled again. Still not dislodging, Jack was finally beyond angry, as he threw the collective power of his entire soul and God-Soul into this pull. His form dimmed in radiance, but the holy fire that burned around Emily and his hand reached high into the sky. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "AS THE GOD-KING OF DEAGOTH, I WILL NOT BE REFUSED!" Jack''s voice rumbled long in the continent, as thunder would roll in the skies of the Overworld. Many undead would talk for weeks just what caused the God of Deagoth to be so angry. Many Undead on the borders of Deagoth migrated to Deagoth from their surrounding Kingdoms. This would only be learned much later. Jack finally felt the soul let loose, and he held it in his grip. As he pulled it out, no one could see the same as he saw... Shocked, he looked at the thing he pulled. It was large... Large as he was! This was a large spider looking, woman. [Arachne?!?] Jack was speechless at just what he was seeing. He saw that Emily''s body became still now that it''s soul left. He used his other hand to hold the massive soul in his hands. Gray all over, and with eight legs and body of a spider, the torso of a woman... The face... The face looked just like the face of the body he brought back!!!! Jack even glanced into the other tomb that held the vessel. It was true, the faces match. [What... the hell?] Jack thought. Everyone witness the God-King with both his hands held in the air at a standstill. Wondering what was wrong or what was going on... Until he finally moved, and it appeared to be placing something in what they assumed was the new vessel appeared. Jack took this soul and began to move it into the new vessel, and felt almost like the new vessel was pulling the soul from his hands into it as if it was recovering what it once was... Within seconds the massive soul that was invisible to the people was taken completely by the new Vessel. Jack wary of what he just saw, decided to not return to his body. He didn''t know what that was, or if that was Emily at all... And if that wasn''t Emily''s soul... Then who''s was it? There were questions that he couldn''t answer, and Jack for the first time since he took this unlife. He never had as many questions as he did at this moment. He bet that even Yoggi couldn''t list them all in the span of an hour. Jack thought, for only an instant, he heard a faint coughing sound, as he looked around him. [Yoggi? Are you watching?] He thought to himself but was only met with silence. As this moment, he saw that the new vessel... Emily was stirring. He loomed high above, but his face look to look more carefully at his second precious Consort. At this moment with his heart in turmoil, he realized just how much this second consort meant to him. [I will never forsake her... My Emily.] Jack renewed his vow within his mind, the same on the day he made her ring. This time there was a touch of tenderness that was absent from that day. The eyes of the vessel fluttered, and she looked up at the massive golden skull in her view, as she instinctively threw up her arms to shield her eyes. Jack understanding that he was blinding her, backed off a bit, as he spoke in that thunderous voice, "Are you okay, my Emily?" Emily''s voice drifted softly, but it was that mature voice that she spoke in every once in a while. "I''m fine... I don''t seem to feel anything really different." She thought as she felt her body. Relieved, Jack descended back into his body. Now that his body contained his mighty God-Soul, fatigue washed in behind him, though nothing like this trip into the plane of death. It seemed that completing this process really took a lot of his power... He would need more prayer to restore his strength. Something he would need to tell Lucius and Jordan to get on, as soon as possible. Jack floated over to Emily''s side, about the same time that she screamed. Jack''s speed was as if a flash of light appeared, and he saw that Emily was clutching her breasts. Jack sized her up now that she was in her new body, as Jack called her name. "My Emily." Emily looked up with her eyes. He looked deep into them. It was the first time he could see inside of her, as she was always a skeleton. Deep and profound. Gentle and soothing... A touch of loneliness... A touch of... Evilness...? Jack was startled as he saw this last attribute. Leslie''s eyes contained darkness, but... it wasn''t like this... This was... slightly malevolent. Slightly... Evil. Jack didn''t consider himself a bad guy, but he didn''t feel evil. After he looked into her eyes, he quickly scanned her body. She now had a flawless face, with a roman profile. Long webby white hair. She had a flesh body from the rib cage up, including her arms. This also included her shapely bosom, that she was clutching. Below her ribs showed her spine as it descended into her pelvis and legs. She was half zombie and half skeletal. With pleading eyes, Emily looked to Jack, "Why zombie!?" Jack then remembered that she was a skeleton supremacist... He had forgotten, after this long period, and when choosing this body of hers, he remembered the attraction he felt. Jack chuckled, as he spoke to ease Emily, "I love you for you, but you must admit. This form you take..." Jack leaned into Emily''s tomb and spoke next to her ear, lowering his voice to a whisper, "It invokes my lust. Do you want me to take you here? Soulbond in front of everyone? It''s been a while... Do you... Crave it?" Despite Emily not being in this body long, her pale blue skin turned dark from embarrassment, as she half glared at Jack, but half smiled. Jack laughed again, as he stood up, facing the crowd. "The ceremony is completed. This child has now become an adult, and may We celebrate!" The audience shook itself back to themselves, as they were stunned by what they had seen. The clergy had never seen a coming of age ceremony like this before! The God-King did things in a big way! But was it really necessary??? Lucius finally got the attention of the servants who prepared the feast for the Zombie undead, but also more incense, as the once prior dissipated in the fallout of the God-King''s form ascending. He also had a few servants relighting all the candles. Leslie had already seen the vessel Emily had now occupied and had her handmaidens bring over some clothes. With a folded blind placed in front of the tomb. Emily stepped out and was helped dressed by her sister Consort. Other servants under the direction of Lucius took the stone led and hefted it to seal Emily''s old body away. This would later be taken to the Holy Palace Catacombs to be sealed among the other previous vessels and corpses. Jack floated on back, as he watched Leslie dress Emily, but... He couldn''t get his mind off that soul he held... That soul that looks like Arachne. [I''ve soul bonded with Emily before... I know for a fucking fact her soul didn''t look like that... Just what the hell!] Jack couldn''t help but think more on it. He raised his hand and his laptop came to him, as he started researching. Chapter 190: Aftermath of the Ceremony Jack continued to rap on his laptop, while the clergy and the reformed mafia family Crag members actually began to mingle, as directed by Crag and Lucius. A rare time, indeed, but as Crag and Lucius knew that the future was more than what they currently were... Agreed on one common ground... They both liked Money. [None of this makes sense... Why in the hell would Emily have a God-Soul... Think, think, think you fool... Wait!] Jack thought about the prophecies. The many prophecies that were provided to him by Emily, Jordan, and Eris. [Fuck I need Yoggi... Because if this is what I think it is... Then I might even be able to tempt him!] Jack looked up waiting for the faint chuckles, but heard nothing, as Jack mental frowned. [I know you''re always listening! Is the Spider Goddess in my Emily?!? Answer me with a sign or something!?] Silence. [...Is this what my people feel like when I don''t immediately answer them...?] Jack thought to himself when he finally heard that faint laughter. [Fuck it is... Alright... Alright, already! I''ll answer the prayers of Nogore tomorrow!] Jack closed his laptop, as he couldn''t find an answer, but he knew he was on the right track. He walked over to Emily who was fully dressed. Leslie had taken the time to order a set of wear for Emily in her size based on her way of dress of Neolith. Jack floated over, as Emily turned to look at him. As Jack was about to approach, his movement halted, as his flaming eyes roamed his Second Consort. She stood as tall as Leslie, with that pale blue skin. She wore a black sheer Kalasiris... Jack thanked all the only powerful entity he could think of... Yoggi... For remembering this dress type! Her webbed hair flowed down around her shoulders, and around her neck was a large gold and onyx Usekh, in the center was a large gold spider. From under the Usekh necklace came flowing black sheer fabric that split down the middle and covered Emily''s breasts as it flowed around her arms to around her back, exposing her shoulders. Below her breasts came a gold weave rope belt that was loosely worn over her hip bones, that kept her sheer Kalasiris from flowing with the wind. On her skeletal feet were two well made black sandals, made to correct a skeleton''s feet to walk. Jack took this sight in, and his jaw hung open, as his flaming eyes cracked like the hungry fries of the apocalypse. Emily saw Jack''s infatuation, while Leslie put her hands on her hip, though she smiles. Emily walked to Jack, as she attempted to sway her hips. Though her gate was awkward as she wasn''t accustomed to her body, it never the less stirred that feeling within Jack. That deep down feeling of the soul that burned hot. Finally, in front of Jack, she lifted her flesh arm and hand to his jaw and pushed it close, as she spoke, "Don''t you know it''s impolite to gawk, my husband?" Jack shook his head, as he looked around to see if he had been seen. Thankfully only Lucius, Crag, Eris, and Leslie saw him. Lucius laughed, Crag gave a thumbs up, and Leslie shook her head. Jack looked to Eris who puffed her cheeks. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Jack mentally messaged Eris, [I''ll punish you later for your jealousy.] Eris'' smile blossomed, and it was good that she didn''t use it to conquer the Underworld. Jack looked back down to his Second Consort, his mind still working on that soul he saw, as he asked, "H-how do you feel?" [Did I just stutter? What am I... In puberty???] Jack felt like he wanted to clear his throat, but had none to clear. "I feel... Like I want to spend some time with you." Emily looked up at Jack with upturned eyes. [...Has she always had these expressions, but not able to use them? Wait... Is this just a woman''s charm?] Jack wondered to himself. Emily took a few steps and pressed herself to Jack, "Is it mine turn finally?" Jack looked to Leslie, as she made a shooing motion, as to get one with it. [Hmmmm... I can''t just soul bone her down without knowing just what that thing was...] Jack thought to himself, but it didn''t mean he didn''t want to... He really wanted to... "We just moved your soul... I think it would be best to give you some time to become adjusted to it. I don''t wish to harm you... Even if that is the best sounding suggestion, I''ve heard today!] Jack bent over and rubbed his skull against Emily''s forehead. She, for the first time, felt the rough skull of Jack''s against her skin. That intoxicating feeling of touch, as she melted into Jack''s embrace. She purred with that mature voice of hers now, "Alright... But as soon as it''s alright... You''re mine. Not Sister''s, not Eris'', but mine." Jack chuckled while holding Emily, "Of course. Tonight. I want you to sleep with me if that''s alright. Just sleep." "Mmmmm. Okay." Emily smiled widely. Eris at some unknown time had crept behind Emily, as Jack lifted his head to look at the vampire, "Hmmmm?" Emily knowing that Jack was looking behind her, squirmed in his embrace to see who it was and saw the Vampire Princess. A look of disgust crossed Emily''s face, while Eris looked to her. Eris furrowed her brows, "Why are you so crossed with me dear little... Sister." "Tch. I was betrothed to the God-King before my birth... Where did you come from to become his Consort?" Emily spat, while Jack wondered what to do to keep this from going out of control. "You don''t know what I''ve done or had to do to find my god... You don''t know the sacrifices that have happened, or that I will continue to make to be his... You may have been born to be his, but I''ve had to wait, long, and travel to be his, and in the future, I''m sure I will fight to be his, dear little sister." Emily''s mouth became round, as she looked at this Vampire differently. [Maybe she''s right... I don''t know anything... Leslie always told me to learn more about my friends, family, and enemies. Wait...] Emily thought before she got out of Jack''s embrace to stamp her food, "Who''s the little sister! I am his-" Emily pointed to Jack behind her, "Second consort! That means I am above you in status, therefore YOU are the little sister!" Eris giggled with a brilliance that paled in the evening air, "So you say, but who just ''grew'' up tonight? I''ve been an adult longer than you have, so you tell me, little sister... Who is the bigger sister and who isn''t?" "That... Well, That''s... but-" Emily didn''t know how to respond as her face changed quickly between expressions. Eris smiled brightly knowing she had won this verbal exchange. Jack tilted his head when he saw that Eris had won, but only out of curiosity. [I didn''t know she was able to debate.] Jack thought, as he knew that Emily put a lot of stock in the word little he spoke up, "Eris, you may have a point, but I also agree that based on status you should be the little sister of both Leslie and Emily." Emily smiled so large her new face threaten to split, as she turned her head to Jack. Her face showed how she wanted nothing more than to bond with him. Eris'' face though looked slightly malevolent. Jack noticing this, took a step around Emily and grabbed Eris around the middle while she flailed. "Emily, I''ll be right back. I need to discipline someone." Jack then disappeared from in front of Emily, as if he teleported. Emily tilted her head, with an evil smile. [I like that... I should ask to be invited to see him discipline that little slut... How good would it be to see her screaming- Uh!] Emily stopped her train of thought! What was she thinking! Where did that even come from?!? She shook her head a few times and decided to accompany Leslie who was sitting and speaking with Minister Crag about the transition of Glowstone to Physical Currency per the God-King''s will. She practiced her sashay as she approached. Chapter 191: Coming a Second Time; Beginning A satisfied pet laid in Jack''s lap, as he rapped on the keyboard of his laptop. Jack paused his working to rub his jawbone in thought. He pushed his laptop slightly away, as he leaned back in his chair. His flaming eyes danced slowly while he descended deep into his mind. From her almost drunken state, Eris noticed the aura about her god change. She turned her head to look up to see those flaming eyes dancing slowly, as she laid on her stomach in Jack''s bony lap. After a period of time of watching she could no longer help but ask, "What are you thinking about so hard?" Jack stopped pondering, as he brought his hand down to rub the curves of this pet of his, while speaking, "That was my God-Form during Emily''s ceremony..." "MMmmmm, I''ve seen it before. It was... Glories." Eris purred, as she brought her ring to her lips. This action did not escape Jack, though he made no comment. He continued, "That''s not normal." "I didn''t think it was... Not everyone can have a god to perform their ceremony. If you hadn''t been there the little tot would still be a tot." Eris licked her ring tasting the unique flavor. Releasing her ring from her mouth, she yelped in surprise. That satisfying sting on her abused backside. "Her name is Emily. I know that you just want more, but don''t push my favor... Least I decided that you are a lost cause." "Emily... Sister Consort Emily." Eris purred out to let her god know she knew, with a lustful gaze still focused on his skeletal face. "At any rate... Something was very wrong about the whole situation, and I''m not sure how to fix it." Jack continued, as he had long gotten used to his pet. Treating Eris like a pet became something routine to him. "MMMmmm, what could bother a god?" Eris wiggled in Jack''s lap. "...Another god..." Eris raised an eyebrow. ******* Emily excused herself from the afterparty and made her way to her room. She wasn''t physically tired, as much as she was mentally tired. She walked into her room back into the mess she made. Overlooking the room and all the tomes, alchemy and supplies... She could only sigh at the chaos she created, "Haaa~" Emily felt a release of stress, and... Lungs! While she hadn''t used them until this moment... That felt great! She drew in air into her vestigial lungs, and let out a long sigh, "Haaaaaaaaaa~" Feeling the stress release from herself felt so good! Now it was no longer a habit she picked up from Jack, but actually the ability to sigh. How good it was. She walked over to her desk and took a seat. Her old chair was now way too high for her. She giggled at the thought and felt it was nice to finally be a woman. She looked over her notes, she had been working on and began deducing a few formulas. [...] Emily felt something and sat straighter in her chair. She looked around the room and didn''t see anything... She didn''t hear anyone... She shrugged and went back to scribbling on her parchment. [...tch...] She caused a large bloat of ink on her work, as she now knew for a fact, she heard something. "Sister...?" Emily stood up from her seat as she looked over the room. She walked to the only door to the room and looked out into the vacant hallways. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She thought to herself, [I know I heard something...] [...MMmmhmmm...] Startled, Emily looked around again, as she heard something confirming what she was thinking! She went to the window and looked down. Seeing outside and nothing around was she going crazy? [...Don''t be afraid...] This statement only served to frighten Emily more! She ran to the door of her room, and as she was to open it her body stiffened. [...Listen to me...] Emily struggled to reach the door handle in front of her that felt so close, but it also felt so far away... [...Do you want...Power...?] Emily paused for only a moment but shouted in her mind despite her body not allowing her to move, [No! I don''t want power! I want to leave!] [...And go where...?] [I want to go to my husband! Leave me ALONE!] [...Let...Me see...] Emily felt a mind piercing pain. So severe was the pain, that she collapsed to the floor, in a pool of black sweat. After the pain faded for an unknown amount of time, she felt weak and drained. Almost as if she couldn''t move... Now not because of a force stopping her, but because she didn''t have the strength to do so. [...Good...A...fine husband...] [What do you want with me!?] [...I want...My body...] Laughter ensued. [HUSBAND! JACK! HELP ME, PLEASE!!!] [...You can''t...Message him with me...Here...Should have taken the bait...At least I would of...allowed you to have...a few more...weeks of...perceived freedom...] A few black tears formed at the corners of Emily''s closed eyes, as she laid on the floor of her room. [...Don''t be like that...You are serving your purpose...It has always been that you were to be my vessel...Just think of your soul as giving birth...to a revived Spider Goddess...] More laughter erupted. [Jack! Please, Jack... Please, please, please...] [...shut you''re whine-] Emily''s door to her room exploded in a flash of gold light, as the floating God-King drifted to the edge of the doorway, to look down at Emily on the floor. [...Why is he here...?] [JACK!] Emily exclaimed within her mind. Her lips trembled but words wouldn''t escape her mouth. Jack reached down and lifted the new body of Emily and floated over to her evening tomb. With his intentions, a pile of tomes was knocked from the side, as he placed her within her tomb. "Emily... I can''t mentally message you... I know you''re not okay, but I''m here for you, so don''t cry." Emily was unable to do as Jack asked as the tears that formed at the corner of her eyes rolled down her face. Not because of the pain that formed them or the helpless feeling that trapped her, but because of the endless love and protection, she felt from Jack''s words. [This is definitely the Spider Goddess... If novels have taught me anything, that bitch is going to use Emily as her second coming. I need to get inside there.] Jack thought to himself. He came so quickly when he felt a pain in his heart. He scooped Eris up and put her on his desk in his office, as he fled to Emily''s room. He would check her first since he already felt something was wrong with her. Jack stood up and pointed his open hand to Emily''s door as if he was waiting for something. As he stood there, Leslie floated into the room, and upon seeing Jack she mentally Messaged him, [What the hell is going on?] [I think Emily is being possessed by the Spider Goddess.] Jack messaged, as his laptop flew through the threshold of room and into Jack''s waiting hand. [So, that''s why you went God-Form!? I knew something was foul! What do We do now?!?] [Guard me and Emily. I''m going to see if I can get into her soul space with my God-Soul and root out the problem. Tux flashed on the screen looking perplexed. "No time for witty banter. I need to know how to get my God-Soul into a Soul space without screwing up the soul space. I also need to fight another god in there! Can it be done!?" Jack issued his orders. "Reporting-" "Cut it, and answer!" The penguin felt indignant but replied, "Yes, you can. You can use your ''God-Soul''" The penguin spoke sarcastically when saying God-Soul, before continuing, "And you can battle any soul you wish within the soul space. Precaution is needed, as damage can occur to the soul." "Is this like soul bonding?" "Close in the way that you''re moving your soul to a soul space, but not in the fact that you are going with the intentions of fighting. It is possible to attack the soul directly. Destroying a soul, needless to say, will destroy the undead you are possessing." "Do I need a spell!" "Yes. You will need to force your way in, and this is not possible in normal circumstances." "Make it then!" "Already done, in anticipation." Tux said folding its flippers, as it displayed the spell on screen. Jack read it quickly, as he hummed out the strangest spell he had ever read, "Ack''nlu Fa-bra!" With his hand placed on Emily''s chest, he felt his God-Soul charging into her surrounded by a barrier that covered them both, as if to protect them from the outside and each other. Leslie watched as Jack''s body stood ridged with his hand still on Emily... His flaming eyes went out as if he went to sleep. "Haaa~ Why can''t anything be ''normal'' around here." Leslie heard something, as she floated out into the hall, and seen on the ceiling a certain vampire crawling along. [Still being nosy, I see.] Leslie placed her clawed hands on her hips in her invisible banshee form. Chapter 192: Enter the Soulscape Jack''s vision came into view, as he looked around... Not his first time being a soul without a body, as he adjusted quickly to the feeling of disembodiment. He observed his surroundings, and as the view filtered in... A never-ending obsidian stone floor, and a sky filled with floating black rocks in various shapes and sizes. [Hello dreamscape, or would I call it a] Jack thought to himself, as another thought hit him, [I wonder if time is slower here than the real world?] It was not. Jack, however, could not tell the passage of time in this Soulscape. As for if it was fast, slow, or normal he was completely unable to tell. The more he thought about it, the more he figured it must be like that movie he saw where they moved from dream to dream, as time slowed down... So that means he had time! Jack checked his ''body,'' the form his soul took in this soulspace. He looked to his hands, and unlike his normal body, he was completely gold and gave off a dim light. [So, God-soul?] Jack squeezed both his hands until a gold fluid dripped from between his bony fingers. As the radiate fluid dripped it formed into his familiar skeletal cherubs. With his thought, these seven cherubs he made began to fly out in all directions searching for anything and everything of note. [How is this different than Soul-Bonding??? Unless... Unless I''m INSIDE Emily''s soul and not just her soul space.] Jack thought and stumbled onto the truth. He would later confirm this with Tux. "Hello?" Jack''s voice long into the distance, but unlike what he expected it did not echo. [Strange.] Jack began to float noting that most of his powers that he had in the real world worked here, as he floated along at a rapid pace. His cherubs faster than he was, keeping along still searching for anything, as several pairs of eyes. As Jack covered a vast distance of nothing, he could feel that now... Now, something was watching him. Jack mentally frowned, as he directed his three of his cherubs into the floating rocks above. With a flash of light, one of the cherubs cleaved a creature in two, as he fell from high above. As he landed heavily on the ground Jack could see that it was some type of demonic looking spider. A big one... Large as a small car. He then shouted, "So, Spider Goddess. You are here after all. Come on out for me, so that I can smash you like a bug. No one told you to take up residence in my wife!" A burst of shrill laughter sounded from above the floating rocks. Soon many of these rocks were pushed to the side, and the massive form of that same God-Soul Jack saw previously decided to the ground, with massive spider webs left in her wake. Jack wondered why she was so much bigger here than he was... "Little god, you have my respect. You completed your mission as it was supposed to be." The Spider Goddess laughed as she spoke harsh hisses. "Oh? And what mission is that." [She seems villain enough... Time to have her monologue and have her tell me everything she knows.] Jack spoke, and then thought. The half-spider, half-human looking woman folded her arms, and she laughed again. "Retrieving my real body, and placing my soul be into its vessel, of course." Jack floated up into a reclining position and put his hands behind his head. His cherubs surrounded him. The Spider Goddess furrowed her brows watching the young god in front of her. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "I''m glad I was of help, but tell me... Is it possible for you to leave my Emily''s body, and bug off?" "No." "Then what becomes of her soul?" "I will absorb it into myself, and she will cease to be, as she becomes me." "Well, then I have to ask, just how is it that you knew I was going to get your body. I mean I don''t even know you. Is it possible that you are a prophet?" Jack spoke in an almost carefree tone. "Ha, nosey little god. I can hear the mumblings of the beyond." "Yeah, yeah... The Blind Idiot God talks a lot in his sleep. So, did he predict this?" "Oh!?" The Spider Goddess made a mouth with an "O." "What? I thought it was common knowledge." Jack spoke again still carefree. One of the Spider Goddess'' legs twitched, as she spoke, "No. That''s not common knowledge. How dare you slander Elder Gods!" "Elder?" "You little god! I am an Elder Goddess! I know the mechanics of this world! I am the wife of Alucard, First Elder God of the Underworld!" "Thank you for your introduction. If there is a next time, please start with that. With that in mind, I''m the God of Deagoth." "Liar. You are the little God of Light!" "Oh? How come I didn''t know that?" Jack chuckled as he spoke, he wondered what other information he could badger out of this stupid goddess... Perhaps being sealed for so long made her muddleheaded. "How can you not know that, Stupid god!?" The Spider Goddess clicked and hissed her voice in mild annoyance. "Now tell me how you know of the Blind Idiot God!" "Oh? Why should I? If I''m not wrong." Jack stopped reclining in the air and took firm steps. "You plan to absorb my power, regain control of your former body, and rise to become the premiere Goddess of the Underworld. Somewhere during that, you will look for or already know how to resurrect Alucard." "...Did you hear that from the Blind Idiot God..." "If you want to think so, that''s fine too." Jack spoke laughing as well, as he guessed this all with his line of thinking being ''If this was an anime.'' "Impossible!" "Why?" "Because you don''t have enough believers!" "My faith is spread across my kingdom, so how is that hard to believe. Does having more believers unlock more power, or am I missing something?" The Spider Goddess facepalmed, "How can you possibly listen to the Blind Idiot God, as a God and not lose your mind! You need more believers! MORE POWER! So that you can listen and not lose your mind... Wait! That''s it... You lost your mind, that''s why you''re so stupid." "Is that why prophets are so... You know... Loopy?" The Spider Goddess became more increasingly vexed by this little god in front of her, "I use to be worshipped by hundreds of Trillions!" As she hatefully spat, many spiders spilled forth from the rocks that floated above, as they descended down on white threads of web. [Are there that many undead in the underworld?!? Just how big is this world!??!] Jack was shocked inwardly but didn''t speak. "In awe? You should be." "Actually, one last question." "Hmmm???" The Spider Goddess wondered when this little god was the one asking questions. "Is there a tome on how to be a god or something? Or is this just word of mouth. I just became a god not long ago, and honestly, I have no idea what I''m doing. It would be nice if you just tell me everything I need. If you do, maybe I won''t sell your soul to my friend." "..." The Spider Goddess remained silent as she stared evilly at the little god in front of her. Jack was now surrounded by hundreds of large demonic looking Spiders. Large as the one his cherubs killed earlier. "Seriously, is there a tome?" As Jack questioned his Cherubs drew back their scythes in arcs above their skull heads, as they took places on Jack''s seven sides, ready to reap these spiders. "No. Answer my last question before I snuff your stupid little unlife and absorb your power." "Unlikely but go on." Jack''s flaming eyes crackled, as he returned the glare. "I already know the memories of your little lover. You don''t know any other Gods, so who would you sell my soul too... Hmmm?" "To death." The Spider Goddess laughed almost uncontrollably, "Your friend is the God of Death. That''s funny. I''m sure he could use a God-Soul." "No. He''s not the God of Death, he is the personification of Death." "Hahaha- What?" The Spider Goddess laughter apparently ended, as she was startled and asked. Jack nodded, "We can be considered good friends. See my big, beautiful, bouncing, baby goddess... The thing is, as I''ve said before... The wheel of death has spun many times for me. How could I not see death?" "...You don''t even know his name!" The Spider Goddess protested, as he clicked and hissed out, though now her voice betrayed some fear. What was the one thing that the Spider Goddess feared? Death. "HAHAHAHhahahaHAhAHAAHAHhahahahahHAhahahAhahahAHAhAHAhahahAHAHa" Jack now laughed uncontrollably, that villainous laugh, as the Spider Goddess felt a chill run down her spine. "He knows the gate." Jack quoted. "NO!" "He is the gate." "NO! NO!" "He is the key and the guardian of the gate." "IT''S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU CAN''T KNOW HIM!" "I do, and I know something, even if he didn''t tell me that day." The Spider Goddess shook her head, as she felt this was a nightmare! This wasn''t the plan; this wasn''t the vision she saw! "He doesn''t like it when souls don''t pass by him, and it seems to me that you have been ducking and dodging him for a very... Very... Long time." The Spider Goddess screamed in anger and hate, as she drew her finger to point out the little god, ordering her spiders to attack. Chapter 193: Retreat into the Soul Seven skeletal cherubs relentlessly attacked the oncoming waves of spider-like monsters. They descended from the floating mountains overhead in the black sky, and from the ground underfoot. Jack watched as his cherubs beat back the spider horde, in his hand, he materialized his Femur Ferula. He mentally furrowed his brows, as he watched the Spider Goddess shouting, and directing the endless clutch of spiders. As far as Jack could see in the overhead and on the endless plain... Spiders... Almost as if the ground itself was moving. [WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SPIDERS! JUST SPIDERS...!] Jack roared in his mind, as he saw the endless fields! He squeezed his hand again, as more drops of golden fluid dripped down and formed into more cherubs. These new cherubs rushed to reinforce their brethren. They sliced with their scythes, as the spider corpses fell, they would evaporate into black mist. The screeches and shrill cries of the multitudes of spiders filled Jack''s mind and were enough to cloud his own thinking. If not for his experience filtering the voices in his mind, then he would already have had his mind shattered. The Spider Goddess knitted her brows together, as she saw that the little god was able to fend off her Spider fiends. She was frantic to destroy this little god... He knew too much... Too soon... How he knew about anything of the beyond was a mystery to her. She read Emily''s memories, but... Even if he had near-death experiences... To return meant he didn''t actually die, so how did he know of death''s true form and name!? An unknown period of time passed as the Spider Goddess'' rampaging spiders piled into Jack''s Cherubs. Jack''s number of Cherubs had reached twenty-one, but they were successfully defending against countless numbers of Spider Fiends... Truly impressive for a new god, even if the Spider Goddess had been weakened by many times from the passage of eons. Calming down slightly, as she watched her minions continue their attacks, she wondered how this little god knew that she resided in the body of his little lover... It seems that even she didn''t know that she would reveal her god-soul when it was transferred to a new body, and only became conscious when her soul took root in her former body. This was not part of the prophecy she heard through the snores of the Blind Idiot God. "Why aren''t you dying?" The Spider Goddess yelled over the chattering of her Spiders. Jack was quickly becoming mentally tired, as he spoke in anger, "What kind of question is that?!" Jack took up his Femur Ferula in hand and threw it aiming at the Spider Goddess. The Femur Ferula missed it''s target, as the Spider Goddess turned her body slightly, passing next to her shoulder, as she laughed. "You aren''t a Lightning God! You need to go back one hundred thousand years first and learn from Zues!" The Spider Goddess continued to laugh. "Spider Goddess... NEITH! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SOUL!" This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "Huh!?" The Spider Goddess seemed to not understand. "I said to get the hell... Out... of my soul, NEITH!" "How does this little god know my name???" The Spider Goddess asked she wondered if he was a peerless sage. "I don''t know about others, but Neith... I know a bit." Jack spoke... He only knew of the web weaver from a game he played in his last life and tried his luck at her name in an attempt to shake her... It seemed it worked. Considering it was either Archne or Neith... He hoped the architecture and dress style of Neolith would prove it Neith... Also considering Emily''s Last name... "Regardless of if you know my name or not, it brings you no benefit, and how is this your soul? At best it''s the soul of your little lover, but that doesn''t matter now... All of this will be mine, your soul included." The Spider Goddess laughed. The ground trembled, as Jack stumbled where he had rooted to throw his staff. The very land he stood on was cracking apart. He witnessed the massive form of Neith crawling into one of the large fissures in the ground disappearing from sight. With Jack''s intention, the Cherubs made a small space for him, as another Femur Ferula condensed from the Light. "Bitch get back here!" Jack flew forward over the hordes of spiders, while his Cherubs cleaved a path as he quickly made his way to the crag that the Spider Goddess disappeared into and out of sight. Looking into the deep abyssal state of the crag that even the dreamscape''s light couldn''t penetrate brought Jack endless frustrations that he manifested into words, "FUCK!" As Jack stood at the edge of Emily''s mind, he let his vision wonder from the crag, and into the endless wastes and cracked earth that surrounded him, and into the sky that was still dotted by endless floating mountains. Still hearing the relentless sounds of battle behind him, Jack turned around to see the ravenous Hordes of spiders continue to match upon his area, as they were continuously cut down by his Cherubs. Jack looked back at the endless abyssal crag that the Spider Goddess retreated into and beyond his grasp. "Screw it!" Jack jumped into the crag as if preforming a diving technique... Or as his former life''s crush''s diving couch put it... Falling with style... ....... ...... ..... .... ... .. . Falling... As Jack continued to fall, the sensation of gravity began to lose itself and now with the absence of wind resistance, Jack could only feel that he was now only floating. Just as Jack began to regret his plunge, a flash of light passed by Jack, as he continued to fall, reinforcing the fact he was in fact still falling! With this flash of light, also came a burst of sound, that soon went silent as fast as it occurred. Another flash of light, another... Another... and another... Each accompanied by incoherent sound. Jack slowed his decent, though a strong force was still pushing him down, he managed to see what was passing so quickly. He saw a moving image... Almost like looking through the eyes of someone else, that someone he guessed was Emily... Was this a memory? It only made sense. "What a miserable excuse for a sibling... I don''t know why Royal-Mother gave unlife to you... Even your wretch of a father, Ugh! I now understand why those fleshy wastes of space Zombie''s spit. The fact that I can understand the mannerism of a filthy Zombie makes this even worse!" Jack watched a tall Zombie woman bash the one behind the vision... His Emily. As Jack came to an understanding that the one being bully was his Emily, his temper began to get the better of him... [Just who is this stain to bad mouth my Emily...] Jack roared in his mind, just before he decided to move down further into the Crag, as he didn''t want to give the Spider Goddess any more time. "Princess-Sister Moon... I... I didn''t mean to knock over your mirror! I-" Emily''s voice faded as Jack continued his decent, though he made a mental note of the name "Princess-Sister Moon..." Chapter 194: At the edge of Insanity Jack saw someone coming close to him in the darkness of this abyss, even with the flashing of various memories around him. He had been falling in this abyss for a long period of time he felt. Though he had no concept of time in this domain, he could only find that he had enough time to think about Emily''s and his current situation... Until... From a long way, until he came close he floated down to meet this Skeleton. The Skeleton he met at the bottom of the abyss mimic''d all of his actions, and after just a bit of though found that it was just his reflection. [Why is there a mirror at the bottom of Emily''s soul... Or... Is this the bottom of her memories to be exact?] Jack wondered to himself, as he floated just above the rippling surface of the mirror-like land. Unperturbed and now calm, Jack looked long into the distance surround him now in this mirrored land. He could see various edges of the walls in this space... Black stone walls lined all around in a circle long in the distance. After a few minutes of searching along one of the Black stone walls, Jack found a series of white doors, with iron chains binding the doors. Only one of the doors had the chains broken, and still swinging as if recently touched. [...This has to be a trap... Walking into the spider''s web, is it?] Jack came to a conclusion, as he approached the only chain broken door. He brought his hand to his chin, as Jack fell into thought... [What is the nature of these doors...? Sealed memories? Buried memories? Why would the Spider Dunce lead me into one of these... Is it simply to retreat or is there a set up in here... Hmmmm.] "Thup" "Thup" "THUP" Startled, Jack looked to his left to a chained door that was being smashed from the other side. The chains that secured the door rattled again and again with each hit as if someone was beating on the door from the inside. [What... the hell...] Jack watched as the door became silent again. [Are the connected from the inside, or is that some kind of monster hidden down here besides the Spider Bitch???] Shaking his head, [I''m not going to go through this side to where the Spider ass is... I''m going to see what''s thumping inside... Fuck her plan.] Jack reached over and gripped the chains on the door to the left. He squeezed hard and pulled at the same time, and with a loud metallic ring the chains broke, falling to the floor. Jack had quickly stepped to the side, expecting the door to be blown open, but found it was still quite... [That''s... Odd...] Jack felt, but considering he was currently standing in a metaphysical realm that was expressed in a way that could be understood while residing inside another soul, he found something odd. [It feels like... Emily.] Jack reached out and turned the doorknob, and opened the door wide, as the door itself swang to the side to reveal the contents of the room inside. The inside was... A brightly lit room... shaded and colored in pink... Jack''s first thought was this was a little girl''s room... He stepped inside the threshold and after another glance around the room picking on the furnishings, a bookcase made of stone, painted pink with chipped paint... An evening tomb, also with chipped pink paint, a small desk with large stacks of tomes, and a small chair, etc... Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. But also with the chipped pink pain... Black bloody handprints all over the walls. Jack couldn''t see anyone or anything in the room that would have produced the banging, so it took a few more steps. As he looked around the room and found the edges of what might be a door that led out of the room, but had no nob, he heard the door close behind him. Jack looked behind him to the door that closed... Unlike the front side that was white... The backside was pink... and clawed... smeared in black blood... and pieces of splintered bone jutting out at the claw marks... Jack''s sight detected movement to the corner of the room that would have been behind the door... There! It was an undead... well, if undead could be said... it was more like a creature. It was hunkered over crouching down as if cowering in the corner. It had a body like a sickly geist, with some places looked to be stripped of skin... forcibly, as if the creature ripped parts of its skin and body away. Jack couldn''t help but notice its face. No eyes... In the place that a withered geist face would be expected horns grew where eyes should be and turned into massive curved horns from the top of its head. A hole for what would be a nose, and then a massive mouth full of ragged, jagged, and gnarled teeth that stretched from one side of the face under the pointed years to the other side. The creature looked feminine, it had a few tatter pieces of pink and bloodied cloth hanging from its shoulders that looked to be the stitching places for a dress, but it was so tattered now it looked more like hanging remnants... Hidden between these tatters of cloth, Jack could make out the swellings of what would be a female''s chest... On the back of this hunched creature, Jack would call a ghoul, were eight large curved spikes, from long to short lined in pairs going down either side of the spine of the ghoul. The ghoul''s long arms were tucked around its body, but Jack could clearly see that each finger ended in a long talon... Obviously the Owner of the clawed and bloodied walls. [What in the fuck is in your head, Emily!?] Unsure of what kind of situation this was, and the fact the door closed... He could feel that this creature was strong... Stronger than himself... And he was a God... Was it because it was a creature that lived within Emily''s soul and mind... Whatever the case, Jack could feel that this wasn''t a creature or servant of the Spider Goddess... Jack took a few side steps to the door that opened back outside. As Jack did so, the creature-like ghoul, turned it''s head as if ''watching'' him take his steps. [Shit... A lot of my power went into my cherubs... I should have reabsorbed them before falling...] Jack''s hand reached slowly to the doorknob on the inside of the room. The ghoul reached out with one of its arms in Jack''s direction as if to stalk prey like a cat, as its body moved with it. [...shh....it...] Jack slowly turned the knob of the door, as the door produced a sound, indicating the mechanism triggered. "Click" Springing from the corner the Ghoul pounced on Jack pinning him to the floor, like a guttural and monstrous roar issued from the maw of the ghoul, as it screamed in Jack''s face, as Jack was holding the thing off from him, as it began to claw at him... It started to rip part of his clothes. Wrestling with the creature, as it opened it''s large mouth lunging at Jack''s face. It''s long tongue snaked out, and with foaming drool, it splashed across Jack''s forehead. The tongue made its way to his skull, as Jack turned his head, as to avoid the near prehensile appendage. With one of the ghoul''s arms shaking off Jack''s hand that was holding off the creature, the fanged maw that hovered above him now lunged forward and bit into Jack''s skull. Jack felt the ghoul''s teeth scrape across his bald skull producing a near hair raising nails on chalkboard sound. "Ah! Fucking! GET OFF MEH!" Unnerved by the sound, Jack put all of his strength into his arms, as he shoved the Ghoul across the room. It landed against the far wall with a crack, and slide down, but not before it lunged again, as if unphased. Before Jack could get from the floor where he was knocked down, he noticed a change in the creature. The ghoul creature landed next to him, and slowly extended it''s right clawed hand. Jack looked to the hand that appeared in his field of vision, as he felt slightly off guard... While still on alert, he saw a black and white ring on the ring finger. Looking to the monstrous face of the ghoul, with its ragged mouth that appeared to almost being pulled into a wretched smile... Jack called out, "Em-Emily?" Chapter 195: Over the Edge; Over again Jack still sitting up from the floor looked over the clawed hand that was extended to him... The ring he gave Emily... This was the ring, but it was on the right hang. He remembered placing it on the left hand. [A reflection? A reflection of the soul? Maybe it''s like a mirror?] Jack''s flaming eyes crackled, as he traced the monstrous lines of Emily''s face. He extended his own hand to this creature''s face and held it softly. Unexpectantly it leaned into his hand as if cuddling. "Emily... What is this place, exactly?" Jack asked, as he again looked around. The creature tilted its head away from Jack''s hand as if to ponder the question, but it remained silent. Jack noticing that Emily was thinking, he finally pushed himself up from his place on the floor, and upon seeing no other doors in this bloodied pink room, Jack walked out back into the Mirrored hall. As Jack walked back out of the room, the creature stopped thinking and noticed Jack''s presence had left. Sensing his direction, it followed after him. At the threshold into the mirrored hall, the ghoul stopped and sniffed the doorway, and then hesitantly crawled out of the room. It then went to Jack''s side, as it leaned against his leg. Jack stared at the remaining doors, wondering if this was Emily''s reflection or just a part of Emily. So far it hadn''t said a word, so reflection might not be... Emily was very opinionated, even if misguided at times. Jack looked down and made another attempt to communicate with this Emily. "Emily, you wouldn''t happen to know what the Spider Bitch is doing around here do you?" The ghoul stopped, but then shook its head left to right over and over again as if to emphasize she had no clue. "Hmmm." Jack thought aloud, "Do you know where I can find out?" The creature tilted its head, and then nodded, as it crawled over to a faraway door. This door too was chained. Jack attempted to float over to the door but found that he wasn''t able to make it. Deciding to keep what bit of power he had left; he walked the rest of the way to the door. Standing in front of the same plain door like the others, Jack looked down to the ghoul-creature, as if to ask, ''are you sure?'' Somehow the creature understood what Jack was doing and nodded again. Jack then reached out and ripped the chains from the door, though he felt that it took more strength than last time to do so... Maybe it was just his imagination. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He then turned the doorknob and walked into the room. ******* Leslie continued to stand at the threshold of the room, but now she was conversing with a certain Vampire, who still remained firmly attached to the ceiling. "And that''s why I took up my father''s proposal to visit the birth of a new god here in the barbarian lands, I mean, the Ruined Continent." Eris finished speaking her story to Leslie. Leslie nodded a few times, "But, that doesn''t explain the whole ''pet'' thing, now does it?" Hanging upside down on the ceiling, Eris put her two index fingers together putting them up, while speaking, "That''s... Well, you know... That''s just, yeah." "Uh-huh... So, you like to be abused. Weird, but to each their own, I suppose." Leslie responded slightly bewildered. It wasn''t like she didn''t know of such things. The Offices and Clan Heads had must more elaborate playtime pre and post reaping... Most of which she didn''t know, but she had no choice but to know. "No!" Eris exclaimed, causing Leslie to become bewildered, as she looked back up at the Vampire. "Ahem... I don''t like being abused; I like being spoiled. There is a big difference really!" "Didn''t you just confess that your ass still hurts?" "That''s! That''s DIFERENT!" Eris exclaimed, with a red face. [Oh, how cute! She knows embarrassment.] Leslie giggled to herself. "Stop that, ack! Is my god and Sister... Emily going to be alright?" Leslie looked back over her shoulder to Jack who was still kneeling beside Emily''s new body at her Evening Tomb. "I have full confidence in Jack." Leslie turned back to see Eris thinking, "Now, dear Sister-Consort... Tell your big sister why you want to be spoiled, and if you tell me everything, I want to know... Maybe I''ll see about persuading Jack to spend more time on you." ******* Jack took a full step into the room, followed closely by the ghoul-like creature. The room was dark, as the only light that shined into the room was from Outside. There were no sudden attacks, there was nothing jumping out, or any surprises. Just a small dark room without any furnishings, save for one small evening tomb. "Hello?" Jack called out, as it echoed. "So, you came..." a bland voice, without an echo chimed back. "Emily?" Jack asked, while looking to the Ghoul to his side. In the little light from the Mirrored Hall outside the door shining into the room, Jack made out a small thin arm that reached up out of the sole piece of furniture inside the darkroom. On that small thin arm, that Jack could tell was her right arm, he could make out the white and black ring. "Yeah... It''s me." "But... Then who is this besides me?" "That''s also me." The bland voice issued, as the small tote looking undead, sat up, and looked over to Jack. [Fragments...] Jack thought, as he spoke, "Do you know whe-" "Where the Spider Goddess is? Yeah. She''s currently approaching my Soul Crux. I assume she has decided to insert her own soul and to replace me. "Fuck that, let''s go!" Jack spoke, as he took large steps to grab up the small Emily, now in the light, he could see that she was a nude skeleton. No clothes, just all bones. Not paying attention, Jack walked back into the Mirrored Hall, followed by the Ghoul-Emily. Jack began to make way to the doorway that was originally torn, when the voice of the Skeletal Emily issued blandly, "You do realize with your Cherubs still up top fighting off her spiders, and only me and that... We aren¡¯t strong enough to take her down. She''s far stronger than you can imagine." "Then?" "I guess it would be to get the rest, but who knows if it will work. It might just be better to let the Spider Goddess take over and replace me." Jack stopped... He looked down to the Emily he held in his hands. He turned to face both the Ghoul, and the Skeleton. He pulled them both into his arms, and spoke, "Never think that. I want you always. Tell me... Tell me what We need to stop the Spider Goddess from taking over." "If that''s what you want, but I don''t see the point." The Skeleton-Emily shrugged, but the Ghoul-Emily embraced Jack hard. Blandly speaking, the Skeletal-Emily spoke, "Then we need the others." Chapter 196: All Together Now "Where are the... Others?" Jack asked hesitantly. Time seemed to be wasting, but he was now playing the pronoun game. The Skeleton-Emily pointed indifferently to the remaining locked doors. "They are one to a door. We need each other. I''ll help since I have nothing better to do." She then shrugged. Not usually one for time, but now pressed, Jack went to each of the remaining doors and ripped off the chains. He opened each of the doors, as he went along. Completing his objective, only leaving the door that the Spider Goddess went through closed, he returned to the center of the Mirrored Hall. "Emily... I need your help. The Spider Goddess wants to take over your body. I think part of you knows, a part doesn''t care, and apart what¡¯s to stop it... I don''t know about the rest, but... Can you help your husband? I don''t want to lose you!" Out of the seven doors that Jack broke open, the first to appear rushed Jack. Jack staggered due to the force of the undead that rushed him. "I knew... I knew you would be here. Yes, I long for you. Forget the Spider whatever, and let''s just soul bond now." The Undead roused in Jack''s arms. "Tch." The Skeletal Loli Emily sounded her dissatisfaction. Before Jack could get a good look at the Emily in his arms, the Eyeless Ghoul to his side had reached out and snatched the Lustful Emily in Jack''s arms. "Let go of me, you bitch!" The Emily that rushed Jack began to fight the Ghoul creature. "Ah, girls... Please don''t fi-" Jack tried to persuade the two, before being interrupted. "Those two will be fighting for a while... Tch, Pathetic." A tall skeletal female undead stepped out of her room, calling out to Jack. She looked like a tall skeleton version of the loli to his side, but there was much disgust in her words compared to the indifference of the skeletal loli Emily. Jack then heard the next... A small Zombie child slowly walked from her room dragging a small stuffed spider toy. "I remember when both of them didn''t fight... They were better times." "Tch, and you remember when none of us existed too, I bet. Still holding on to the past, are we?" The Tall Skeletal Emily spat. "How do we move on, if we don''t remember what we''ve done?" The Small large-eyed zombie Emily brought up her stuffed spider and held onto it lovingly as if she remembered better times. Jack had to admit, that this version of Emily melted his heart. She was too cute for words. Perhaps skin and flesh really did make a difference on his sense of aesthetics. A pair of eyes stared out of one of the doors, as Jack looked to the voice to see the eyes, "I understand remembering... But they torment. I don''t understand anything else! What good is anything?! Why fight? Why do anything?!" The voice cracked, in a sobbing tone. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Now, there''s no need fo-" Jack attempted to comfort this confused and frustrated voice of Emily, but not before being interrupted again. """The Mad King shows up in person??? How is that possible???""" Three voices overlapped, as Jack saw that three small Emily''s... Each looks like her from before she took on her new body. The only difference where their dresses. The one on the left wore a bright red dress with plenty of frills, but her webbed hair was all messed up looking slightly mad. The middle one wore a small pink dress that showed off her skeletal legs and hugged her skeletal frame, and lastly, the one on the right wore a large ball gown in a monochromatic black. [Three in sync???] Jack thought astounded. A sobbing voice issued from the eyes in the darkroom, "I''m sure he''s here to kill us, even if he loved us!" "Unlikely." The indifferent voice of the skeletal loli side of Jack issued forth. "HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" The angry sob issued again. "He''s here to fight the Spider Goddess. He already said as much. If you paid attention, you would know this." Her bland voice continued. """What¡¯s wrong with you??? Ever since yesterday, it seems you died.""" The three dressed Emily¡¯s spoke in unison again. "Meh. I have no purpose, so what''s there to be about?" Emily spoke again with that same monotone. The horned-ghoul and the tall lustful Emily ceased catfighting, as they laid upon the mirrored surface of the hall, as they and the rest of the Emily¡¯s turn to stare at the one that spoke. Noticing the small change, Jack also looked down to the speaker and processed the words. He dropped to his knees and embraced the Small and bland speaking Emily. He pulled her tight to himself, as he did so, the Ghoul Emily crawled over. It hugged to Jack''s side, just as the same with the Lusty Emily. "You have a purpose. I''m your purpose. Please don''t be like that. I wouldn''t be here if you weren''t my purpose!" Jack held onto the indifferent loli. "My... Purpose?" The Emily that lost her purpose''s arms dangled to the side as she was embraced by Jack. "Yes. Be my purpose." "What is it that I do?" That indifferent voice cracked. "Be mine, exist for me, help me, and above all... Be happy!" Jack exclaimed. The seemingly indifferent loli embraced Jack, nodding her little head, "I can. If that''s my purpose, I can!" Jack pulled the Loli back a bit, "Let''s go kill us a Goddess!" All the Emily¡¯s present nodded. Jack stood back up, and then coughed lightly, which was even more awkward seeing at he was undead and didn''t need to breathe, and in a realm in which he was a projection of his soul, also with a lack of necessity to breathe. The formally indifferent Emily giggled, "We are parts of a whole that make us complete. We were each contained before you came along and freed us. I don''t know what will become of us but are you sure you want us whole. It''s not normal to be whole." "Not normal to be whole?" Jack wondered what this meant, but before he could ask. The Emily¡¯s present faded into a black mist. Swirling around Jack, as if seeking comfort in him, before it reassembled into a whole new Emily. She appeared to Jack as a combination of all the Emily¡¯s and her new body. She was half skeleton and half undead with webby hair, but this time... She had a heavy influence of the ghoul Emily. At least this time, instead of the gazelle-like horns extending from her eyes, they extended from her forehead. "Ummm... Emily?" "I''d love for you to continue to gawk at me, but the Spider Goddess is almost finished her business at my core. Take my hand, and I can get us there quickly." Emily spoke with some mixed emotions, but with an overall tone of love, as she extended her fair hand to Jack. Jack nodded and took her hand. The mirrored hall''s mirrored bottom suddenly shattered, as Jack and Emily fell into another abyss hand in hand. Chapter 197: Would you give your heart to him? Jack continued to hold onto Emily''s hand while everything fell out of sight, and then begin to swirl about. Jack watched as the swirling matter within the abyss began to take shape. Finally, the mists and broken shards combined, reconfigured and conjured a new dreamscape. One in which Emily touched down with Jack. "This place will lead us directly to my Core. Come on." Emily smiled brightly. Jack slightly silenced by the brightness of that smile nodded his golden head, as he was tugged along. Walking to the Only door in this small new room that was formed, Emily turned the knob and walked outside. Outside of the newly formed room, was an ancient ebon monolith stood at the center of an ever-shifting and changing mechanical maze. The Monolith breathed as if it was alive. It was, in fact, alive. The maze was alive with sound, as the paths that changed, folded, and appeared came accompanied by the sound of shifting stone and metal clanks. Also, unnerving was the amount of monstrous sounding roars and cries from deep within the maze. Emily pointed to the Monolith, "That''s my core. See that head bobbing along there. That''s the Spider Goddess. She''s almost there." Jack looked on to see the Spider Goddess quickly navigating this master maze. He also saw where the maze shifted, as the Spider Goddess dodged to the side, and went a different path to get to the monolith. "An Elder Goddess just can''t like... Zip and be at the Soul Core???" Jack asked. Emily shook her head, "Only I can do that... because it''s my soul. She just found the maze''s difficulty raised a hundredfold... Mostly because I''m now controlling it. The nightmares of this place can only slow her down so much." "Then just... Shut all the entrances to your Soul Core, and we ambush the Spider whore!" Jack''s flaming eyes crackled with a bit of malice. Again Emily shook her head, "Mmmmm, that''s not how Soul Core''s work. They must always have an entrance and an exit that leads to and from. I can only change those locations, but they always exist." "Then... Can''t you just open the entrance here, and then like... Just straight line it to the Core." Jack asked, while looking at Emily''s regal profile, and tracing the shape of her horns. Emily tilted her head slightly in thought, before speaking, "Well... Yes. I can exactly do that. Let''s do that then." As Emily finished her words, the wall of the maze that was in front of Jack and Emily split open showing an entrance, and a straight path to the Core. Jack this time grabbed Emily''s hand, and they began to run to the center of the Maze, with the Monolith insight. While running to the Core, Emily''s voice rose about the sound of their sprint, "There is a downside to this." "What''s that?" Jack replied as he found that the Monolith was getting taller and taller as he approached. "It paralyzes the whole maze... So the Spider Goddess is going to arrive at my Core just after we do." "...Wut..." Jack''s reply came just after Jack and Emily made it before the massive Monolith. With a quick glance up Jack could see the countless etches of runes and voidic among the entire surface, along with smears of black blood that also stained the mighty monolith. If Jack wasn''t so close, he would have never seen this detail... "Little god... I am impressed, to say the least!" The Spider Goddess'' voice hissed, as the clicking of her legs against stone issued forth, as her frame emerged from the side of another entrance. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "...Wait, I thought she couldn''t get in here if there are one entrance and one exit!" Jack looked at Emily. Emily shook her head, "As easy as that would be, there must always be an entrance and an exit, but that doesn''t mean there is only one. Let''s just deal with her now that''s she''s here." "That goes without saying." Jack nodded, looking back to his profound arachnid foe. "I see that you have freed your lit... Why is she whole?!" The Spider Goddess pointed to Emily with a surprised voice that suppressed some horror, but she quickly calmed herself. It seemed that the Spider Goddess had reached some conclusion within her mind. "I found her and put her together." Jack shrugged, as he materialized a new Femur Ferula. Emily let go of Jack''s hand, and stepped forward, "Spider Goddess, Neith." "...Yes, child?" The Spider Goddess unexpectedly answered softly compared to her haughty way of speaking to Jack. "Are you sure you can''t leave my soul and body. I do not wish to rid you. I, too, am a follower of yours but compared to my body and soul... These are my husband, Jack''s. While it may hurt to a degree, I can''t allow you to take me from him. Again, I ask... Can''t you just leave?" Emily asked sincerely, and without negativity. The Spider Goddess sighed, before speaking, "Little princess vessel... It was always meant for you to be my vessel. Your Spider Prophet transferred my essence to your soul shortly after birth. You can thank your current Spider Prophet later for never telling you. He was indeed loyal. I rooted inside here to nurture myself... Ragnarok isn''t... Nevermind... I''m sorry, but for me to return to the land of the unliving then you must pass on. I''m sorry, my perfect little vessel. If you were someone else, I would bless your union with this little god, but I can''t. But... But, now I guess that doesn''t really matter does it." The Spider Goddess sighed again, seeming defeated. Emily nodded, "I''m sorry my goddess. You''re right. Now that I''m whole... I control this place completely." Emily as some unknown time had placed her hand upon the Monolith. "Yes. I figured that out, after seeing you are whole. Can you tell me one thing before... I''m... made dead?" The Spider Goddess no longer had any amusement in her voice. "Only if you answer something of mine." Emily countered. "Then what is it that you want to ask?" Jack wondered as well, as he seemed to be the backseat now... Wasn''t he suppose to be saving Emily? Then again, now that he thought about it... Making her whole... Was that what saved her? "Spider Goddess Neith, why does Neolith hate zombies so much and revere skeletons so much?" Emily asked this question that was at the bottom of her soul. "Just this? Alright... It''s really simple... Alucard''s first lover was the Goddess of Ghouls. She favored zombies... I used that to divide her followers and gained a cult among the skeletons... I one day used this cult to topple that then Empire of Xoyee, with the sunken ruins, we build the underground cities of the Grand Tomb. Weakening the Goddess of Ghouls. I appealed to Alucard. Alucard... He was always a man that loved the survival of the fittest. He didn''t mind what I was doing. In truth, he even encouraged what I was doing, while he helped his little lover. But I still enjoyed the day that I made the Goddess of Ghouls dead. I snuck into Alucard''s temple... Stole her heart. Found her, and made her eat it. Hahahahahahaha! I forced it down her throat. The look in her eyes, as she passed. It gives me pleasure even today. I became the next lover of Alucard, but I didn''t give me heart. I''m not so foolish as to produce a phylactery to give to him, for another slut to do me in as I did in the Goddess of Ghouls, ha! As for the Zombies... To hell with them... every time I saw a Zombie, Giest, or Ghoul... They remind me of that sickening slore. It wasn''t hard to set up the family I named after myself and cast down the zombies. Let the sins of their goddess forever damn them." Emily nodded, after ingesting this information, then replied, "Alright, your question?" "How did you become whole... Or should I say, how did you become whole so quickly?" The Spider Goddess finally asked. Emily looked over her shoulder to see Jack standing by with his golden form, femur ferula in one hand and his flaming eyes dancing about between her and the Spider Goddess. "If I was to tell you that... My only goal is my husband, and my one purpose is him... Would you understand?" Emily spoke, as she turned back to look at Neith. "...Would you give your heart to him?" The Spider Goddess now snarled. "He already has it... Goodbye, Neith." Emily''s hand upon the black monolith radiated strange light. An otherworldly color that didn''t have a representation in the real world. It was teal green, but it was blue in essence, but dark light as it shined. Jack would only find out later that this was the color between spaces. The Spider Goddess did not struggle, as the maze and all of the surroundings trembled. Black lightning ran currents down the monolith that arcs off and impacted the Spider Goddess. "STOP!" Both, Emily and Neith looked to Jack slightly startled. "Do not kill her. I want her soul... Give it to me." If one looked closely, they may think that Jack''s golden skull... Smiled. Chapter 198: Your soul is mine... The Spider Goddess shuddered at the seemingly cruel smile of a skull... She had been around for thousands upon thousands of years, even before the fall of the Elder Gods, but this was the first time she saw a skeleton smile. "F-Fine. Take my god soul." Neith stuttered out, losing all of her previous condescendence, as she folded her arms. Emily looked over to Jack, as she still had her hand upon the black monolith. Jack shook his head slightly, "I don''t think you understand... I said I want your soul, so I will be taking it." "You can''t!" Neith took a few steps back, as Jack walked over to the side of Emily. "My dearest Emily, do you want her god soul?" Jack asked so softly, that it felt like a whisper. "Nn." Emily nodded, with a smile. "Is it possible for me to get my cherubs back?" Jack continued to ask. "Nn." Emily nodded again, as the strange colors ran up and down the black monolith. The Spider Goddess turned to run, but as just as one of her legs took a step, Emily''s charming smile changed... Black lightning that before would destroy her seemed to form strangely colored chains, binding the would-be usurper of the soul. "NO!" Neith yelled in frustration. Jack seemed to pay no attention, as he attempted to fill his missing power. This was a lesson well learned, as not to waste his god soul powers so blatantly... Perhaps he needed better control, something Jack would ponder later. High above all of them within the center of the Maze, from around the dark spire of the black monolith came numerous golden cherubs. These cherubs rushed to Jack, as they defused into light, and seemed to be returning to their source. "Ah... Much better. Thank you, dear." Jack looked over to Emily again, as he spoke. "No need for thanks, heh." Emily continued to smile. "Solxeees Nolaak." Jack hummed with a solemn sound, as Jack extended his left hand. A beam of light seemed to surround Neith, as it enveloped her. Many tendrils made of holy light formed from around the circle that Neith now stood within lurched out and attacked her. It seemed that these tendrils invaded Neith, as it pulled and tugged. "No! NO! NONONONO!!!" Neith struggled, but being bound by the black chains, and now the golden tendrils did their work, she was unable to break free... Perhaps only at her zenith of power would she have been rampant. With a sickening pop sound, did the vivid yellow-gold tentacles produce a solid bloody red and black sphere from Neith''s body. The Body, in question, slumped to the side, as it began to lose its shape forming a metallic gray blob of floating matter. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The tendrils pulled the bloody black solid sphere to Jack, who held it in his hands while chuckling to himself. "It seems that spell does work on gods," Jack smirked. "I''m sure it''s only because she''s here, I''ve got control, and not to mention she was severely weakened after just waking up," Emily noted bringing Jack down a few pegs. "True, but it still worked." Jack struggled to input. "Yes, it did still work." Emily nodded. "I know someone that will be very happy to receive this, but how does one take over a god soul..." Jack looked down at the sphere, and grabbed it into a crushing vice-like grip, as he spoke, "Neith, how does one absorb a god soul." A few seconds passed, as it seemed the soul of Neith struggled to not answer, but now bound by Jack''s spell, and a mere soul without its god soul to protect it... Soon fell to her questioners'' power. A hazy voice sounded out, though much more aged than before, "It is very simple. Take in the soul with your god soul. Use your god soul to absorb it''s power while containing it." "What if it is a mortal soul, not me?" Jack looked over to Emily. Emily reached up and touched her right horn on her head slightly, as she beamed to Jack. She rubbed her horn in a loving way that reflected her feelings for Jack. "This will be difficult. The mortal will do the same, but they will need to establish dominance over the god soul. A god soul without its master is akin to breaking a skeletal horse to ride. It does not want a master. If enough time passes, the god soul will dissipate back to its followers or become one with the realms again." "What happens if you are unable to establish yourself as the master of a free god soul, as a mortal?" "The mortal soul will become a part of the god soul''s power, ceasing to exist." "You mean a god soul can erase a soul??? Removing it from existence?!" "Yes... The most fearsome power of Gods to Mortals." "Alright, then can we save the god soul for later?" "No. It will disappear in time. It is not like a mortal soul that can be contained, as it is a part of the creation. Gods only borrow the power of the one above all... The Sleeper within Chaos... You know him as the Blind Idiot God. All returns to him... In the end. I tried, so hard-" "Thanks, Neith." Jack didn''t care to hear the remainder of her laments. "Emily, do you want to become a god?" Jack asked while letting his grip ease up on Neith''s soul. He had use for it, after all. "MMMmmm... Yes." Emily nodded, after a second of thought. "There is a lot of risks it seems," Jack warned as he was slightly worried for her. "There maybe, but I''m not worried. If you will let me, I''d love to try it." Emily let go of her horn, as she held her hands in front of her. "Haaa~" Jack looked down at the sphere again, "Neith, how long does it take to gain control over a god soul?" "Depends on the mortal soul. A few minutes, a few years... I took Hecate''s soul... hahaha, Ugh-" Jack crushed the sphere a bit, causing a hairline fracture to rupture. [Oof... I need to get a grip on myself...] Jack thought, as he cut off Neith''s words in a bit of anger. He had literally just thought about needing this soul for some of his business. "I can do it. Just believe in me." Emily spoke again when she turned her gaze to look over the metallic blob. "Believe in me, who believes in you, is it? Alright. Before that, I have one last question." "Neith, do we need to leave the soul before attempting to take over the god soul?" "Tch... Yes." "That''s my cue. If you can send me back, I''ll watch over you." Jack looked up, as he quickly decided. Emily nodded, as she placed her hand back on the black monolith. That strange color appeared again. As Jack''s vision became that color, and then... Jack''s flaming eyes ignited in the real world, as he looked over the body of his beloved Emily. Chapter 199: What we do for Love Jack, now back in the real world, looked down at his right hand. He was still gripping that Orb... "Hehehe... HEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Jack began to laugh wildly. "Dear, you should really stop that... People are going to see who you really are if you keep on." Leslie had come to Jack''s side, while a certain vampire crawled into the room along the ceiling, now that her trial was finished with Leslie. "Do you know what this is???" Jack lifted the Orb in his hands. Leslie gazed at it while feeling a piercing pain in her brow. "N-no? But it gives me a headache. What is it?" "This." Jack looked up at the ceiling to see Eris. Eris looked down while smiling, as she then shuddered. She could feel that Jack just placed his hand around her heart. Leslie noticed that Jack''s intention. "I think she can be trusted, for now." Jack nodded, as he gave the heart a bit of a squeeze, as Eris held her breath for that moment. He then returned his gaze to Leslie, "This is the Spider Goddess'' mortal soul." Leslie showed a genuinely shocked expression, as her skeletal hands slapped over her mouth. Eris lost her grip and fell from the ceiling and landed with a thud. Pleased by their reactions Jack continued, "The Spider Whore thought it would be fun to take over my Emily''s soul. Tch tch tch. Me and Emily wiped the floor with her." Leslie pulled her hands down slightly to speak, "But... How? Why is she here, why in Emily? I don''t... I need to sit down..." Leslie in a rare show of not understanding went over and took a seat in the small chair of Emily''s. "If I understand correctly, their prophet of the spider implanted the soul of the spider slut into her soul at a young age, where it laid dormant until I retrieved this body and transferred the soul to it. This sparked her awakening." Jack said as he pieced together his talks with the Spider Goddess. "What a convoluted plan." Leslie knitted her brows while averting her gaze from the orb in Jack''s hands, as she proceeded to further speak, "Then what do you plan to do with her mortal soul now?" Jack looked again over to Eris, and then back to Leslie, "I plan to trade it with death. The Spider Harlot should have passed into the cycle long long ago. I''m sure he would love to have this." "Ummm..." Leslie thought over exactly how does one contact death incarnate. "Don''t worry. I don''t have to die again to contact him, at least I don''t think I have too." Jack chuckled. "Ex-Excuse me..." Eris finally spoke up. Jack and Leslie turned to look at the Vampire that was rubbing her bottom from her landing. "Yes...?" Jack asked slowly while looking to Eris on the floor. "Just-Just how does one easily say... To contact death and give them a soul???" Eris stuttered out. "Easy. Me and Death can be considered good friends." Jack nodded a few times, and then added, "It''s best not to think about it." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Eris nodded blankly. "Well... What do we do now?" Leslie asked as she looked over Emily''s body that twitched every few minutes. "I don''t know how long she''ll take, but I need to trade this off, as soon as possible," Jack commented. "You know you have court tomorrow... Lucius already postponed it once for us." Leslie continued. "Did he?" "You know... When we... slept for a while." Leslie put her fingers together. "Ah. I see. I''ll have to thank him." "MMMmmm Hmmm." "In that case, I''m going to my library for a few hours. I need to get rid of this quickly, as I said." Jack got up and walked to the door. "Do you want me to keep a watch over Emily personally, or do you think the Holy Sentinels will be better, or???" Jack looked to the ceiling, as he spoke out, "Holy Sentinels... Would you guard my second consort and inform my first consort of any problems?" In a flash of light, two Holy Sentinels appeared outside the room¡¯s door. [I need to learn how they do that.] Jack thought to himself, as he saw both the Sentinels nod silently. Jack walked out of the room, as he called, "Leslie get me in my Library if you need me. You know where I''ll be." "Golden Throne?" "Golden Throne," Jack replied, as he floated down the twisted hallways. Leslie looked back to Emily, as she understood, as she then looked to Eris. "Eris it''s best if you come with me for now, and let the Holy Sentinels do what they do." Eris got off the floor and patted her amble backside of the dust that clung. Leslie passed the Holy Sentinels as she walked out the door, as Eris followed behind. In a rare occurrence, one of the Holy Sentinels cleared their throat as Eris passed. Eris looked back at the Holy Sentinel that made the sound for it. She watched as the Holy Sentinel pointed to the other and then to itself. It then made the, ''We are watching you'' gesture. "Eeeeh..." Eris sounded. "What did you do to piss off the Holy Sentinels, dear Third Sister?" Leslie spoke out, while not looking back, as she led Eris to another hallway, and out of the sight of the Holy Sentinels. "Uhh... I bet they''re just pissy because I roam the Palace." Eris commented, and put her head down, which seemed to be unbecoming of her. Leslie nodded, "Yes. They have been very angry ever since Jack fought the Mountain Ape Hermit." "Why?" "They found out they were weak in comparison to the God-King. If my guess is correct, then they are lamenting that they couldn''t help him. They are very protective of him, you know." Leslie finished. "They do seem to buzz when I come through windows or go out of them." "The only reason you''re not in two pieces is that you were recognized as the third consort, I imagine." "Well, on another topic... Where are we going?" "We''re there now. Come on in." Leslie had led Eris through twists and turns through the palace until they had entered deeply into the underbelly of the palace. It was only a few more floors before it was Jack''s old resting place when he was entombed. Eris hadn''t paid attention to where they were going, but even if she had, she hadn''t explored this deep into the palace before to know where she was... She took two steps into the room following Leslie''s invitation and gasped. ******* Deep within Emily''s soul, she battled the endless voices that threatened to consume her. "FOR JACK!!! FOR MY HUSBAND!!! I WILL NOT BEND! I WILL NOT BREAK!! I WILL NOT BOW!!!" Emily shouted as loudly as she could. The seemingly chaotic sounds soon died down, when a voice that was just barely audible spoke... "Child..." "Ugh... Who is it this time!" Emily roared, as she continued to gain more control, and shift through the voices. "I am Hecate, former Goddess of Ghouls." "...The one killed by Neith...?" Emily spoke through gritted teeth, as she strained within her soul, as the surrounding god soul sparked and cracked with black lightning. "Just a fragment... Let over... Just a ghost... Nothing more... Nothing less..." "What brings this ghost to me?" Emily began to reign in the voices, and the chaotic soul started to smooth out in areas. "I heard you shouting... And it brought me awareness from my long-defeated state." "So, what is your point, former goddess of ghouls. I don''t mean to be rude, but this process is much more intense than I suspected it to be. So, forgive me if I''m not more... UGH... Accommodating." "Yes. I understand... The first time of acquirement is... Challenging... I can help with that..." "At was price? Huh? All of you have a price!" "No... No price... Nothing... You... Remind me of... Myself... Dear child..." "Of you???" "I loved... Alucard... More than anything... My husband... You love your... Husband... We are... More alike... Even your soul... Appears to be that of... A ghoul..." "What are you getting atttttttt-ta..." Emily struggled with another surge in a wave of chaotic power and voices. "As a new goddess, you have a rare choice... You can become the Goddess of Spiders... or you can become my heir... The Goddess of Ghouls..." "..." Emily wasn''t quick to respond, as she continued to subjugate the god soul left behind by Neith. Chapter 200: Give him a Couch Just as Jack approached the front of his library''s entrance, he looked up. "Holy Sentinels, I have a task... Can you do it?" A pair of Holy Sentinels appeared and kneeled to Jack''s left and right. With the minor differences, he could tell they were different from the other two he left with Emily. "There is a faithful undead of Nogore, named Herraclitus Crossett. Take my couch from my Office, and give it to him. I want this done, as soon as possible. I want him to know it''s from me, The God-King, and it''s my own couch... Can you do it?" The two Holy Sentinels looked up as if asking ''what?'' but no words came out. After a few moments, they both nodded, and then disappeared in a flash of light. Jack walked through the wall entrance into his dilapidated library. [Ooooh, right... I really need to clean this place up.] As Jack was the only one that was really allowed into his personal library it was still a pigsty from his last romp. Jack tossed his laptop up on one of the pushed over desks, as he took a seat as well. Jack flashed up on the screen while yawning. "Sorry for earlier Tux. I was a bit on edge." "Tux is unfamiliar with the concept of friendship and love, but the Creator''s obsessive dealings with such has so far inconvenienced me." Tux Replied. "How about I make you a female Tux to give you something to do when you''re not resting." "I''d rather not, Creator. I thank you for your unwarranted concern." Tux replied. [Interesting... Tux seems to have developed ego... I wonder, if with more stimuli can he gain actual intelligence...?] "If you say so... I enjoy the company of ladies." Jack returned Tux''s comment. "Which leads to over 70% of your troubles. If you cut female contact to the bare minimum, then you could decrease your amount of issues, stress, and problems by a wide margin of 55%. Creator might want to consider this advice." "I see... Tempting, but what good is the opposite? Self-alienation... What good would anything I do be to just end up alone... again. Behind every great undead is a great undead lady... Remember that Tux. On another note, can you pull Project: BFF." "Displaying content." Tux replied. Jack mused over his calculation, this was a field that Tux couldn''t help him on, as he had no books on this subject, nor was Jack able to program/teach Tux the concepts of what he wanted to do... Even when it was similar to other spells designed. Even though Jack ran over the spell framework several times... He couldn''t get it to work in debugging... Seeing that color on the black monolith of Emily''s reinforced his opinion that it could be done... But............ Jack stood up and walked to the middle of the room, still holding the soul orb of Neith. Jack looked up at the ceiling as if he could see through it, his flaming eyes grew more intense as if he was trying to see beyond what was in front of him. "Yoggi! I know you can hear me. I have no idea how to come visit you without dying... My spell work is lacking. Do something, since you know I have something you might like." A silence ensued, but not long after a creepy chuckle drifted into Jack''s mind, soon followed with strange knowledge. Jack clutched his head slightly, from the pounding headache and sharp piercing pains that attempted to take over his mind. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. What felt like an eternity was naturally over within seconds, as Jack almost fell to a knee, but as Jack''s vision started to return, there was a slightly strange color within his flaming eyes... Almost a color not of this world. Something... Beyond it, or maybe... Between the world. Jack walked back over to Tux and began typing with his left hand quickly, while he still held the soul orb of Neith. "Creator, I am unable to understand this spell frame, work, or execution. I cannot advise activating this spell effect of unknown origin." Tux suddenly announced after Jack finished and pushed back the laptop. "I figure as much. This is eldritch magicks... How would either one of us be able to understand it? Also, something tells me that I don''t want you to understand it." Jack nodded to himself, "Save this under Project Discord." "Acknowledged." Jack walked over to his golden throne and sat upon it. He shifted his bony body to get comfortable, and then finally spoke aloud the spell taught by Yoggi. "PH'' N''GHFT''DRN PH'' EPHAII!" Jack articulated the words correctly, that no mortal throat could utter. Thankfully, Jack did not have a mortal throat. Jack''s vision became cloudy, as he found that his library was invaded by a mist of unknown color... It was a strange teal-ish color perhaps green, Jack felt he had seen something like this just a few min- This was the color of the monolith Jack had seen. As the mist-filled his Library, Jack wasn''t sure if this otherworldly mist was actually in his library or only within his mind... Or was it there all along, and he had never seen it before until now? Soon, the mist had filled his Library completely, and all that Jack could see was the mixing and undulating fluid colors of the between the worlds. That disorienting feeling came on suddenly as if Jack was in a roller coaster in his last life, but as quickly as it came it passed. Jack''s vision cleared, as he stared back up into that Macro Cosmos he had last see upon his death, but now he was not dead... He instead made it to the place beyond life and death, the veil between worlds! He looked down at his right hand and made sure that Neith''s soul was still very much in his grasp. Now that he was sure, he looked back up at those stars. Jack continued to take in the beauty of the nebulas, the swirling galaxies, and the cosmos itself, but as much as he continued to enjoy the great beyond, the continuous sound of smacking seemed to break his concentration. From the moment he could see and hear, Jack only seen the endless cosmos in the sky and vast distances of black sand and dunes of it but also heard nothing but a pa-pa-pa sound. Jack was no expert but... "Where the fuck is that sound coming from?" Jack took a few steps in a random direction, until... ??I¡¯d not come over that dune if I was you. You could have waited a few days before showing up.?? Yoggi''s eccentric voice carried over the dune Jack looked over, though maddening in its sense, Jack felt that it was much more easy to listen to than the last time he heard it. "Yoggi... Are you doing what I think you are?" ??Oh, yeah!?? Pa-Pa-Pa "Seriously?" ??How did you think I got all those young!??? Pa-Pa-Pa As Jack was about to ask another question with his sight still affixed to that dune, half tempted into becoming a voyeur, a sickly sweet and seductive voice rose over the dune to greet Jack''s hearing. ??MMMmmmm, my young... I was the one that gave, MMMmmm birth. Who is our little visitor? Hastur hasn''t been by in so long.?? PA-PA-PA! ??Don''t think about him!!!?? PA-PA-PA! ??Oh, so jealous~! <3?? The flirty voice rose. Jack clenched his leg bones together, as his nonexistent male parts quivered. As much as Jack wanted to question what just happened, he wanted to leave. This new voice, who he suspected was Yoggi''s wife by contract, was not someone he wanted to be around. Pa-Pa-Pa~! ??Seriously... Who is this roach that can''t help but piss himself in excitement??? ??Dearest little wife... This is the mortal I was telling you.?? A peal of unnatural but incredibly alluring laughter erupted from over the dune. Jack took two steps in that direction, before stopping himself. He felt cold in his soul... A few more steps and he''d see what he shouldn''t see... But that lovely, but menacing giggle... The voice of a siren of legend. Pure madness made audio. ??The one that called you a Bitch Ass Fucker??? ??Yeah, he''s the one. Haha?? ??Wait...? Mmmm? Doesn''t that make my ass as the bitch that you fuck??? ??If you want to think of it that way. I''m game if you want to roll over for that.?? ??After I fill full, maybe.?? "Guys, if you want... I can just come back... Another day... You could have just told me you were... Busy? Seriously..." Jack had never seen such bullshit. Why immediately tell him how to come over! Yoggi knew the moment that he did, he would come visit! [Damn it, Yoggi!] Pa-Pa-Pa! Pa-Pa-Pa! ??Oh~~! You always get so rough, when you know someone is around! You know I lowkey like that right?! OH, RIGHT?!?? Pa-Pa-Pa! Pa-Pa-Pa! ??Yeah, I know you liked being watched and heard, but this time I can enjoy it because it''s not fucking Hastur!?? Pa-Pa-Pa! Pa-Pa-Pa! Pa-Pa-Pa! [...] Jack''s thoughts were unable to articulate his feelings at the moment, as the saying ''what the fuck'' was not able to cover the full breadth of his situation. Extra chapter: Herraclitus and the Couch of the God-King Again, I prayed today. Ever since the Prophet of the God-King came and said that prayer answers all your questions and needs... He did say that no response can also mean no. [So, I guess that means I don''t get a couch.] Herraclitus, a single male zombie, sighed as he got up from his prayer, and sat on the floor. He reached over to a pile of tomes next to him taking the next one to read. [Maybe I should have prayed for more tomes?] He thought to himself, as he began to read. Herraclitus began his reading. Today''s topic was on the History of the Lich King, or at least that which was remembered. It was a rare tome he was gifted when he helped an elder undead pass. It was this tome and a few others. Herraclitus sighed with his vestigial lungs, as he looked to his walls that were lined with tomes. [I just want a girlfriend that likes to read... I should have prayed for that, but I figured if I had a couch, I could invite Elain at the tome store to come visit and read together. Elain Piousblight, a female Geist, Owner, and sole attendant of the tome store of the corner of blightstone and south, was considered still young by many, and beloved by the locals. Though her last name was Piousblight, she was a distant relative of the Clan Piousblight of Nogore. She was part of a side branch family, and not considered part of the main branch. As such, Elain did not enjoy any of the boons that the main branch family of the Piousblight Clan was privy too. Nevertheless, no one dared to bring her problems with a surname of Piousblight, and to date no one had ever bothered her business. As a frequent visitor and fellow lover of tomes, Herraclitus Crossett made frequent stops to the store for many years browsing and purchasing a large number of tomes, many of which he would talk over with the owner. Okay, he may now own double of some of these tomes, but it was worth it. [Tomorrow is the first day of the week. Ugh, I have to go to work, huh?] He looked up to the chronometer on the wall. Herraclitus a professional dishwasher for the most prestigious dining establishment of Nogore, the Cavern in the Rough. Inheriting his father''s job at a young age, he continued the job to this day. They paid well since it would be beneath them to pay little, as the best and highest class restaurant of the city and represented the face of the Piousblight Clan. This was his compensation for having the worst boss, this side of Deagoth. [I''d love to know how in the God-King''s left calcaneus bone is Janet Piousblight related in any way to sweet Elain???] Herraclitus'' thoughts shifted from work to his boss. For many years he wondered if there was any relation between Elaine and Janet due to the last name, but last year he found they were actually FIRST COUSINS!!! Herraclitus shook his head. Ever since he met Janet, she was a bitch. She, like himself, inherited her position from her parents and became the manager of the Cavern on the Rough. While he knew it was a hard job, why was she only the worst to himself? Was it because he knew her before her coming of age ceremony? She was so nice to him when they were younger, but after they both became adults she morphed into a mega bitch! "Haaaaa~" Herraclitus sighed again, as he was told by the Prophet that even the God-King would sigh, it made him feel better since it was something he often did and seen odd for within his community. [Maybe I should save for a couch... Or better yet an evening tomb...] He looked around the room again, at his shelves upon shelves of tomes. This one-room apartment in his holy bone rise only contained one thing, tome shelves lined with tomes. [Let''s prayer again for that couch.] Herraclitus rose and went to his makeshift shrine to the God-King and faced the direction of the Holy Palace, the throne of the God-King. ******* "Hey, Herrabro!" James Shenpopper waved to Herraclitus as he went in to take over from the third-shift dishwasher. "Hey, Popper." Herraclitus greeted poorly. "Did you ask her yet?" James'' first question after his greeting, concerned his coworker''s love life. "No, bro! What am I supposed to do, invite her to sit on my damn floor?" "Take her somewhere else? This is friggin Nogore, not some backwater town. What can''t you do here!" "Get a couch apparently..." Herraclitus glummed. "Dude, leave the couch out of this! You are so hung up on a couch. Get a damn evening tomb! You can''t soul dance on a friggin couch!" "Yes, the hell you can! I was conceived on a couch!" "I don''t want to know what your parents did to have you, man! I don''t want that thought stuc- Ack! Now it''s in my head!" "Good for you, move over." Herraclitus bumped his Skeletal friend out of the way and began his work within the washroom of the Cavern on the Rough. It was a good thing, as... The washroom''s door slammed open with a bang, "Fucking Crossett, you better be watching those dishes! We need them for breakfast this morning!" Herraclitus looked up to see his bosslady, Janet Piousblight storm in, with her usual ass like attitude. "Yes, Ma''am." He replied respectively. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "James, why are you still here? I don''t pay you if you stay after your shift!" "Yes, ma''am! I was just leaving. Uh, talk to you later Herrabro." James waved, as he headed out the back door like a bat out of hell. Herraclitus continued to wash dishes, as he felt Janet''s gaze on his back. This continued for ten minutes before he cleared his throat. "Uh, Lady Piousblight. Is there anything I can do for you besides the usual?" "N-no. I''m just observing you like usual." Janet made herself clear. "Yes, Ma''am." Herraclitus thought that she had become increasingly agitated since the coming of the prophet. A few minutes later, Herraclitus heard a sigh and the sound of the doors opening and closing, as he looked over his shoulder to find that Janet had left. He relaxed, as he continued his job in earnest. [Janet sighs now too?] He thought as he reached for another stack of plates. ******* The bell on the door tinged as Herraclitus entered the tome store called "The Worm''s Delight." The tome store owned and operated by his crush, Elain Piousblight. "You''ve come again?" From behind the counter rose the thin figure of the owner. Herraclitus robed the back of his head, as he chuckled, "Yeah, you can never have too many tomes." Elain took a stack of tomes and placed them on her counter, as she thumbed through one. Herraclitus looked up from a tome he randomly pulled to ask a question, "Elain, do you believe in the God-King?" "You mean what the Prophet said?" "Yeah?" "...MMMMmmm... Not really." "Really?" Herraclitus opened his eyes wider, "Why not?" "God-King or not, it''s not like it really affects us. He''s still the ruler, but making him a God? What good does that do? He was already powerful, so is he more powerful? Who cares." Elain shrugged her shoulders. "I... I see." Herraclitus thought that she might be onto something, after all... He prayed and was never answered or worse... His answer was no. After a bit more banter, Herraclitus went home for the day. As he crossed the street to take the walk to his holy bone rise apartment, he looked to the skull star in the sky that marked the position of Saigunrai and the Holy Palace. "Was the prophet wrong? He made it sound all true." Herraclitus muttered to himself. That night Herraclitus prayed again and then went to sleep on the floor per his usual habit of a few tomes propping his head up. Herraclitus was startled awake by the slamming of his door. He rose from his place on the floor to see a pair of undead. His mind cleared quickly from his mind fog to realize that he was staring at a pair of Holy Sentinels!!! He had read about them... Seen pictures in one of his tomes! These were Holy-fucking-Sentinels! He actually screamed out, "I thought Holy Sentinels didn''t leave the Holy Palace!" One of the Holy Sentinels came to the front of him, who had now gotten to his knees. Only to see that the Holy Sentinel then thrusted a piece of parchment in front of his face. Unsure what to make of it, he read what was in front of his face. "By decree of the God-King, his personal couch from his Office within the Holy Palace was to be given to the faithful undead known as Herraclitus Crossett of Nogore. No one is to control the couch but he who is known as Herraclitus Crossett of Nogore. He and no one else may guide the couch. Any who remove, profane, abuse, steal, defraud, or otherwise commit heinous acts to the Couch of the God-King or the Owner of the Couch of the God-King will be hunted by the Holy Sentinels per Order of the God-King. It has also been declared by the New Pope of the Church of the God-King, Lucius Belmont of Saigunrai to report to Archbishop Edward for priest training under the Church of the God-King. Life expenses will be taken over by the Church, and if current residence is not up to par, you may request Archbishop Edward for additional accommodations, and the Couch of the God-King will be moved by the Clergy. Signed and sealed, Lucius Belmont of Saigunrai Pope of the Church of the God-King." The parchment actually had the seal of the God-King and the Seal of the Pope! SIGNED BY THE NEW POPE LUCIUS! SEALED WITH THE EMBLEM OF THE CHURCH''S HIGHEST ORDER! Herraclitus looked up and gawked, as another pair of Holy Sentinels carried in a large couch and placed it in front of one of his tome shelves. The one in front of him rolled up the parchment, wrapped it with a ribbon, and dropped it on the couch. The Holy Sentinels then all vanished in a flash of light, leaving his door still open, and him still laying on the floor in stark shock and amazement. "Just... What the hell just happened???" Herraclitus muttered after a moment. Dazed for a few minutes, he got up and walked to the couch, and hesitantly touched it. After feeling a combination of darkness and light within it. He quickly went over to his door and closed it, and then jumped on the couch. It was then that Herraclitus believed he had become one with the universe. This, of course, was only within his mind. To Herraclitus it only seemed to be a few minutes, but he heard his apartment door being beaten, he got up reluctantly from his couch to look through the peephole. Thankfully the Holy Sentinels didn''t break it when the busted it in to bring the couch. "Lady Piousblight?" Herraclitus muttered as he opened his door slightly. "Yes, Ma''am?" He spoke to his lady boss. "What the hell is this notice about you quitting work?!? Why didn''t you tell me you joined the church!? And are you going to leave me outside!???" "Uh..." Herraclitus invited his Lady boss into his apartment. She looked around the room, and then her eyes rested on the couch. "You finally got a couch." "Ummm... Just got it today, actually." She then turned to him, "Why didn''t you tell me you were going to leave! A two-week notice is nice! Why did the fucking Archbishop himself show up to tell me you were quitting!? Do you hate me that much!!!???" "Ummmm... First off, this is a lot to unpack, and I never hated you... You didn''t have to be such a bitch, but I don''t hate you." "You think... You think I''m a bitch?" "Well, yeah... A massive bitch! You treat me like shit." Herraclitus found that the couch gave him unknown amounts of confidence... Perhaps it was in his head, or perhaps it was that he realized that the female undead in front of him no longer had power over him. He was going to see what being a priest meant. "I-I... It''s... Just..." Janet stammered. Emboldened, Herraclitus stood up for himself, "Well, if I am to believe any of this, the God-King answered my prays and then some! I don''t have to work as a dishwasher and be shitted on every day now. I''m going to go to be a priest!" "Priest can still marry, right?" "...What? Well, yeah. You don''t read much, huh?" Herraclitus felt smug. "I Just-" "Just what? Apologize to me, now that I''m not under your thumb? At least tell me before I kick you out, why you became a massive bitch to me when we became adults?!" With a look of anger, Janet stormed to the door before spitting out, "Because I love you, and your family was poor as hell, commoners!!! I come from the main branch of the Piousblight clan, unlike my cousin you love, so much! I can''t marry a commoner, you dickhole! I talked to the Archbishop in private, and with your new status, you could match mine. I could bring it up to the family, and they could finally get off my fucking back about marrying some random dumbass but fuck you." And just before she was about to slam the door before leaving, "Oh, and by the way, my cousin Elain Piousblight... She likes females... Thought you might want to know, you dense dickhole." The door slammed leaving Herraclitus alone within his one-room apartment with his couch. "What the fuck did I just hear..." Chapter 202: Can I play with Madness? "Alright, I''ve had enough. I''m going to head back." Jack waved to whatever was on that side of the hill and turned back to where he came. While he didn''t have to turn his back to return to his body, he just didn''t want to face those two. ??Shy... Isn''t he??? ??Ole Jack is a character, honey. A real piece of work. Should have seen him the second time.?? ??You know how I don''t like to get into your work. It''s just so boring!?? Pa-Pa-Pa ??Yeah, but you come crawling for this!?? ??Uh huh, and if it wasn''t you, then it''d be Hastur.?? ??You get off on pissing me off with his name, huh??? ??You just found that out since creation??? That demonically musical giggle rank out, causing Jack to take a step backward toward that sound before he steeled himself. "Yeah, I don''t need to hear any more of this." Jack took a step away. ??I''m a bit busy, but this is actually what I do to unwind. Come over here and greet my wife.?? "Yoggi, I don''t really want to see you and your wife going at it. You can just like... Stop making this super awkward." ??Are you kidding! My beloved just tightened on seven of her genitals. This kind of pleasure I don''t get often, So the longer you stay the better it gets for me.?? Jack paused, as he looked up into the macro cosmos sky, [Can I use this?] Pa-Pa-Pa! [Maybe I can get more information or something more for this] Jack thought, as he looked down to the soul of Neith in his right hand. Pa-Pa-Pa! "Haaa~" ??So he does sigh, as an undead! How unusual!?? ??I told you. He wasn''t always undead.?? ??Resurrected??? ??What hasn''t happened to him, actually??? Pa-Pa-Pa! "Yoggi, I have the soul of Neith, the Spider Goddess of Neolith here. Are you interested in it?" ??That bitch finally gave up her soul. Well, done. I''m just going to clap to that?? PA-PA-PA! ??Oh~?? [...] PA-PA-PA! If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ??OH~! Clap more!?? "Yeah, no... Are you willing to trade?" Yoggi''s voice changed from his usual jovial self to a menacing sound. ??What is it that you want? You already got a ''Get out of Jail Free'' pass from me. What more could you want? A single gods soul isn''t going to be worth an entire world, let me remind you.?? ??You know what I want, do you??? ??Kinda don''t really want to think about what''s in your head while I make love to my wife... I mean you''re fun to mess with, but I''m not-?? "Yoggi, you know what the fuck I meant!" Pa-Pa-Pa! ??By the way, when did you start being called Yoggi??? ??He came up with it.?? Yoggi spoke in a soft voice before it retained it''s menace again, ??Seriously. You want to take my job!??? "No, I want to wipe the memory of the souls of my enemies and make them into working machines." ??So, you want to be what you''re old world called Kind Yama. Passing Judgement on their souls, and then damning them, huh??? Pa-Pa-Paaa! "Sure, whatever." ??Whatelse do you want that you think you can extort out of me.?? "Thought you weren''t listening in" ??Thought you didn''t buy into that.?? Pa-Pa-Pa! "Haaa~ You''re not going to stop that and have a normal conversation, are you?" ??Normal... Here? Us??? ??He said normal, dear, maybe for both of us this could be considered normal, right??? ??Jack, I''m going to have to think that one over. Normal, but still you never actually thought of what else you might want?? "Is there like a book or tome on how to be a god?" ??What, you want a brochure??? "Honestly, it would be better than grasping in the dark" ??Hey, honey... The little God of Light is grasping in the dark.?? ??Oh, that''s funny, OH~! I liked that angle, do that again.?? Pa-Pa-Pa! "So yeah, is there something?" ??Jack... I don''t have to, but as a friend to another, as I don''t have many... My books and tomes are not for mortal minds. Even a mortal mind that has ascended to Godhood can''t read my stuff without becoming mad.?? "Aren''t I already mad? My second wife calls me the mad king." Jack chuckled. ??I don''t think you understand madness. It will change you, in subtle ways, and in fact, you may not even detect it. My tomes and books have a type of life of their own. The more you understand the writings, the more they understand you. The contents of the books change based on what you want to know, but also what it wants you to know. It can guide you in ways no mortal or god could, but it can also damn you in ways that even I would have to pause to think what they might be.?? ??Honey, I don''t mind you talking to the shy guy, but you''ve stopped.?? ??Oh.?? PA-PA-PA~! "I can play with madness." Jack laughed with oddness. ??As they say, don''t say I didn''t warn you, and on a different note, say hi to my wife. This is Shub-Niggurath, my naughty black goat of love.?? ??Hey, Jackie... I can call you Jackie, okkey~!?? "Y-yeah." [Why the hell is my voice changing like I''m in puberty?] ??Because she''s the incarnate of sexual desire, lust, birth, and anything you basically want to stick a part of yourself into, peen or soul?? "But doesn''t she look like-" ??You want to finish that, Jackie dear??? "No, ma''am." Jack stiffened at the tone change of Shub. "Ma''am, if you don''t mind, I''ll just call you Shub for short." ??I don''t mind. Oh, Honey, did you tell Jackie the present you sent??? "What present?" ??It was supposed to be a surprise.?? ??Haha, sorry for spoiling it!?? PA-PA-PA-PA-PA-PA! ??You only did that to piss me off, I know you love it rough!?? ??I do.?? "What present, guys?!" ??It''s going to be a surprise. Now leave the soul of Neith at your feet, and go back. I''ll send what you want in a bit, my dearest needs to give birth any way.?? "Wait, shub''s pregnant?" ??Jackie, when am I not with child, with this monster you call Yoggi filling every hole I''ve ever spawned!?? "You know what. I''m out!" Jack cried out, and dropped the sphere at his feet, while he muttered the eldritch void magic to return to his body. As his soul was pulled from the place between worlds, the last thing Jack heard was the popping sounds of various pieces of flesh slapping. ******* Jack''s flaming eyes ignited while his destroyed library came into view. "Haaaa~" "Welcome back, Creator." Tux sounded from the side where it still laid on the tables pushed to the side." "Thank you." As Jack was about to ask Tux something else, a hole tore in the space within Jack''s Library. From the strangely colored mist it produced, came flopping out a Tome. Jack looked to the tome on the floor, as the hole closed quickly as it opened... "Yup. That''s the most evil-looking book/tome/thingie I''ve ever seen in all my lives." Chapter 203: Again, Something Wicked, this way, Comes Jack stepped off of his golden throne and took a few steps to approach the wiggling tome on the floor of his library. Peering down, he saw the surface of the book that appeared to be made of... Hamburger? It had the appearance of cooked Hamburger, perhaps like meatloaf from Jack''s last life, complete with a rub of ketchup looking substance that Jack bet was dried blood... It was a mash of chewed meat that seemed to be bound together with a sticky substance that oozed a green puss. From the baked splits in the pours that oozed the foul green puss, wiggled small blue tentacles with purpose suckers. "I''m not sure I even want to pick this shit up." Jack paused as he looked into the air, "Yoggi, this shit isn''t diseased is it?" Jack heard a chuckle, then silence. "Well, that didn''t explain anything to me." Jack thought out loud, as he walked over to Tux, and left the Laptop. He brought it over to the squiggling mass that was supposed to be a tome. "Tux please scan this for any... Problems." Without missing a beat, Tux responded, "What is this?" "..." A silence ensured, as Jack finally responded, "It''s a tome." "Unlikely." Tux replied. "Can you elaborate?" "This collection of tissues looks to be more of a crafted creature of various parts of flesh that is held together by what I can only assume is magicks. As far as it being a Tome remains to be seen, even if it has the shape of a tome." Tux replied, while his figured looked curious on the screen of Jack''s Laptop. Jack knowing that Tux wasn''t of much help decided to just trust Yoggi that he wasn''t going to catch some magical disease from this... Thing. He sat Tux back on the table, as he went to the tome on the floor again and beat down to carefully pick up the putrid tome. Putting his right hand on the tomb, the tomb too touched him back with the small feeler tentacles from a crack on the cover. As Jack picked up the tome, the sticky slime ooze stuck to the floor ever so slightly, but gave way after a small bit of force, as Jack walked it back over to his desk, and laid it on the table next to Tux. Jack looked to his right hand to see it covered in the green ooze. [Lucius.] Jack reached out. [Yes, my God-King.] [Lucius...] [Yes, your Grace.] [Haaa~ Close enough. Can you have someone bring me some Holy Water to the front of my Library?] [Your will be done.] Lucius sounded more pious than before, as he cried through the transmission. [...] A few minutes later, Jack felt someone outside his library. Staring at the wiggling, and squiggling tome was enough to disgust him. Thankfully, Jack felt again, that it was nice not having a stomach to empty. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. As he exited his Library, he found Young-Priest Jasper bowing before retreating without word. Jack did want to say thanks but found that Young-Priest Jasper was already out of sight. Shrugging, Jack lifted the basin of water with his strength and walked it into his Library. Sitting the basin of water on the desk, Jack put both his hands into the basin to clean off the slimy ooze. He successfully cleaned the mess from his hands, but Jack watched as the basin of water changed from its clear brilliance as it changed hue into a greenish-blue tint, and then thicken up to the consistency of sludge. "A small amount of the ooze from this book befouled the Holy water???" Jack muttered aloud. [What the fuck did Yoggi give me???] Jack roared in his mind, as Jack was complaining, he noticed that the muck that was now bubbling in the Holy water began to stir, as tiny tin arms arose from the disgusting pool of filth that now filled the holy water basin. [...] Jack watched on, as these tiny arms that emerged, were followed by tiny green fat little imp-like creatures. These creatures had mouths in their bellies that opened and closed as they made sounds. On their small heads were just a pair of small beady eyes. Six of them climbed over the side of the basin, flopped outside of the basin, and rolled around. Jack poked one for it to giggle in a menacing way. He then looked to the wiggling tome and shook his head. [I really need to be able to mentally message fucking Yoggi, when I need too... This is some gremlin shit...] Jack watched as one of them was bumped off the table and landed with a splat onto the floor. Its inners squirmed out, showing that it had organs on the inside, before it bubbled and dissolved into the green ooze, as if acidic. Jack brought his hand to his chin, as he rubbed, wondering how all this worked, and how he could use these creatures. Before his thoughts could come to a clear conclusion, four of the remaining ones helped each other down from the table to the chair, and then to the floor. They then began to eat the tome that were on the floor nearest to them. "Wait! STOP THAT!!!" Jack yelled at the tiny imp-like creatures, as they giggled while stuffing their largemouths. Jack pointed his finger and a small bolt of light fired at one of the green imps causing it to splat its insides out. This did little to deter the other green imps, as they took large bites out of the tomes, and anything that was in sight. Jack quickly dispatched the few remaining imps, as he looked at the pile of half-eaten tomes, and a bit of the chair leg gnawed off. [I''m going to need a lot more holy water if I want to see how this works.] Jack thought to himself. ******* In distant lands, roared the Priestess of the Beyond One! "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE LOST THE DARK YOUNG!!!" "Priestess, please forgive us... We accompanied her for days and days... But... When we went to bring her food again this afternoon, she... She was gone." "HOW DOES ONE LOSE THE REVERED MESSAGER OF THE BEYOND ONE! FIND HER!" The Priestess had a veil of three colors covering her face, but her rage was not hard to miss. "Priestess Moon, we have looked all over the temple lands... We have others searching the nearby cities... It''s like she disappeared completely." One of the two servants cowered before Priestess Moon, Servant of the Beyond One. "Who... Who was the one that was watching the Dark Young?" The priestess suddenly softened her voice, as she sat back down in her seat. The Dark hall she was a part of seemed to echo with her chilling voice, unlike when she was yelling. "That would be... That would be me, Priestess." "Very well." Priestess Moon looked to the servant to her left. "Servant, what is your name?" "Priestess of the Beyond One, I am Jakold, and I have served this hall for one hundred and two years." "Good... Take your fellow servant outback. Cut his neck, drain his blood into the pit. Flay his skin and bound a new tome of conduct with it. Cut his meat from the bone, and feed the orchard of gnarled trees, and use his bones to make a chair. At least he will be good for something... And lastly... Bring me his eyes cut freshly from the sockets. It has been a long time since I''ve had a good martini, this time I won''t hold on the eyes. You will take his place Servant Jakold. Now begone... I must consult the Beyond to locate this wayward one." The Priestess flipped her hand, as both servants were flung out of the halls long passage and outside the doors, as the doors shut behind their exit. The priest sat upon her chair brooding, as she muttered to herself. "My two sisters are going to have a field day with this... Beyond One, why send me a Dark Young and then take it back? When will I receive my sweet release?" The Priestess looked up as if waiting for an answer that would never come. Chapter 204: Just a Touch of Madness After numerous calls to Lucius and other servants, Jack''s Library now had taken on a more... Mad lab vibe than an actual library. Gone was the bright reflections off of the gold shelves, and now was the dark glow of numerous experiments. Tanks full of green imp-like creatures, blue mass like slimes in another, and an odd fog hung in the air with the luster of greenish blues of some otherworldly color. All the while, Jack''s eyes flickered in the darkness of his Library with that same strange hue within those golden flames. After much trial and error, Jack was able to open the tome provided by Yoggi, as he stood before it on a podium, he made of pure glowstone. With this podium, one would think the Glowstone would illuminate the dank darkness within this mad hovel, but perhaps it was dampened by the bleak and ever-growing chaos of the Tome. "Finally! Got this open..." Jack looked around the room and remembered Lucius'' last words that Court was to be held within the next five hours... Was that four hours ago he said that? Jack shook his head, as he looked back to the first page of the meatloaf and ooze book. He observed as the unknown runes upon the page shifted and changed, never resting in a state that was readable. Upon Jack''s brow bore a pain, that shot through his head, in much the same way that it did when he saw Yoggi''s true form... Or what he thought was Yoggi''s true form. Jack turned his head quickly, as the pain threatened to break his concentration over the myriad of voices within his God-Soul, as he huffed. "Haaa, Haaa, Haaa?" Jack heaved without lungs. "Soul, haaa, Fatigue? Haaa?" Jack felt a pulling inside his soul that felt more like he had been hit by a sledgehammer, than anything that pleasure could be said. "The... fuck." Jack shook his head again. Slightly angered, Jack went back to the tome in an attempt to do nothing more than stare it down and comprehend what was on the page. He continued to stare, watching the runes shift change and morph into different characters, maybe even different languages. Most of the time they were written in different parts, but all should be the same? At some points, it looked like a written form of morse code, others even had a brief Chinese letter, before it shifted into a rune, he had no idea was... Other times a roman letter appeared that looked like the letter "A." Watching the runes, the pain within Jack''s mind lessened, but at the same time, Jack felt something was missing. "What happened here?" Leslie''s charming voice issued. "I think-I think I''m about to understand." Jack''s monotoned voice issued from his podium in the middle of the Library. "Jack, you''ve been cooped up in here since yesterday. It''s time for court. Did you at least get rid of that soul of the Spider Goddess?" Leslie continued, as she floated over behind Jack, as she came to this room in this form, as only she could. "Yes-Yes. Things are starting to make a bit of sense. Oh! OH! That''s it! That''s how it works!" Jack''s monologuing continued. "Honey, are you alright? You seem way more distracted than usual." Leslie approached over to the side of Jack, who was nodding his head up and down as he poured over some unknown tome. As Leslie floated to the side of Jack, the pages of the tome Jack was reading suddenly flipped rapidly as purple and blue tentacles emerged from the pages, as nightmare gained life in an attempt to grasp Leslie "Aah!" Leslie shrieked, as she dodged the first three tentacles, and found that another set darted from that damnable tome. "Jack! JACK!" Leslie howled, and as she did Jack finally shook his head. Upon seeing that Tentacles were spreading from the tome on his podium, He waved his hand in a chopping motion. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Condensing from the light, a large golden cleaver sliced through the air over the tentacles. Cutting them all, but one. Odd sounding high pitch squeals issued, as the last tentacle was pulled back within the tome, as it slammed shut, exposing that meatloaf like exterior, as the pages, now collapsed together foamed a green ichor. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" Leslie now in a corner of the room pointed her clawed talon to the tome upon the podium, Jack had just left. Jack was now holding Leslie in her banshee form, in an attempt to comfort her. "Shhhh, Shhhhhh, Shhhhhhhhh. It''s going to be alright. I''m here, I''m here. Everything''s fine." "J-Jack, what the fuck are you doing in here. What is all this!?" Leslie now starting to calm down took in more of the sight in front of her. At first, she thought it was good that Jack cleaned up a bit, but now upon further inspection found that this was a place of madness. "I traded Neith''s Soul for that tome over there." Jack soothed. Leslie unconsciously clutched onto Jack, "What were those tentacles, and what''s in those tanks?" "I-Errrrr... It seems that I found the answer to my question from Death." Jack nodded. "What?" Leslie''s ethereal eyes opened wider. ******* At the second largest port of The Republic of Stonedge, an odd-looking little girl left a darkened ship in the Bay of Murg. As she took a step off the plank that led from the Ship, the ship, itself, dissolved into a green ooze, as it bubbled atop the lava ocean in the harbor. Soon it bubbled away, not leaving behind who''s ship it was or who was left. The Little girl proceeded down the docs almost unnoticed. One could tell she was a girl by the figure she cut in the hot gusts of air vented from the lava ocean''s currents around her cloak. If not for the wind, telling what she was might have been harder for the harbor''s inhabitants and workers. With her head covered, one could just make out thick rope-like hair from out of her hood. Most of everyone that seen her, simply looked the other way, not wanting to be caught up in any trouble, or seen as something they weren''t. They simply let her pass by, as long as she didn''t harm their business or interest, who cared? "Oye, ya bloke. Look there. Some ''er child''s playing on the docs." A large zombie undead called to his partner in crime. "Ole'' Hank... She ain''t no one''s child I ever seen." The other thin geist stood up from where he and Hank had hunkered down. They had been placing dice or rolling the bones among the harbor mates, as a popular pass time... Though these two enjoyed swindling monies through the dice far more than they played. "Think We ''ought to find the lil'' one''s parents, or?" Hank asked in a gruff voice. "Kidnap the squirt and make ''er daddy pay for ''er?" "That''s what I was thinking. You go to the side and offer. Imma'' go around up ahead and wait for yous two to come back. I grab dah head." "I grabs the feets. Take ''er to see the candy man, aye?" "Aye." The two split up, as one went straight to the little girl, the other went ahead. "Oye. Lil'' tot. Girl-child! Oye, I''m talking to you!" The thin geist good made haste to the little girl, who he had finally made known his presence too. "Lil'' one, you be hard to catch up too... You loss ya mummy or daddy? I can take ya to ''em." The Goon bent down to look at the little girl at eye level. A strange voice unlike the age of the girl in front of him issued in a whisper, "I''vaah been sent by my daddy to look for his baaah-estfriend. Do you know where to find the God of this land?" "Oye... Girl... I can find anyone. Say... You look to be a fine zombie undead... Looks almost perfect, you must have a rich parents." The goon continued. "You''re not here to help me find my daddy''s Baaah-estfriend, are you?" "How about this girl child. You come with uncle bone up ahead, and I''ll help ya find this bestahfriend. Aye?" "I don''t think my daddy would want me to go with anyone baaah-tah his baaah-estfriend. So, no." The little girl shook her head, as her rope-like hair slipped into her cloak. "Say, look ''er lil'' girl, who''s your daddy, and what does he do?" "You really want to know?" "Sure, lil'' girl." "Come closer to me, and I''ll whisper his name to you." The little girl giggled, with an eerie air, but the goon thought nothing of it, as he got closer to the child. "Closer, put your ear to me... I''ll whisper it." Doing as told, a harsh metal scraping, goat bleating, and guttural sound issued, as some otherworldly nonsense made manifest just under the notice of anyone present sole for the one listening... The goon kept crouched where he was, as the little girl giggled again, and then walked around him. Ole Hank watching from the side saw that the little girl left his partner. Seeing as his Partner didn''t make a move, she must have told him something that was worth not bothering her for... Leaving his place, after the girl passed, Hank walked up behind his couched friend. "Pawn... Oye, Pawn... What-sa matter with ya?" Hank patted the shoulder of his friend, who was still facing away from him, but as he patted the figure of his friend collapsed, with the head of Pawn rolling off his shoulders. "the ''ell!?" Hank looked in horror as the head of Pawn was distorted in terror, and his mouth was filled with wiggling purple tentacles, the remains and clothes that should have been Pawn''s body was nothing more than slime on the floor of the stone harbor. Crying in fear and terror, it would be a long night for the authorities of Stonedge, and the case of the slime of Murg''s bay would never be solved. Chapter 205: Does the Princess wake up for Court? "What answer from Death???" Leslie spoke aloud still with a trace of panic in her voice. Whatever those things where that lurched out after her... Could touch her in her Banshee form! More and more things, as of recent, had started to touch her in this form... Starting with Jack, the damn monkey, and now those things; Leslie shuddered again. "I have more to learn, but I have a special surprise planned for today¡¯s court. Has everyone been called?" Jack asked as he patted Leslie. "Mmmmm, it''s an hour before everyone shows up." Leslie cooed. "Have the Grimnight exiles attend. I will judge them today. Also... have Lucius bring in what he called ''His Judges.'' I will name them now." Leslie nodded while looking over Jack''s shoulder to that accursed tome, that wiggled and undulated as if it was alive, perhaps it was... ******* Jack opened the newly installed door on Emily''s room, as he walked in. The Holy Sentinels were nowhere to be found, but Jack could feel them concealed within the light around the room. As he entered the room, Jack couldn''t help but feel the undulations of power from Emily. "Hahaha, it seems it should be soon, at least she doesn''t look like she is having too much of a probl-" Jack shut up mid-sentence, as he approached the side of Emily''s evening tomb. Jack brushed the side of Emily''s face with the back of his fingers, feeling the pressure and textile feeling. "Ah, I see. I wanted you to come to court with me, so I could show you off to the world, as my consort... I suppose that will have to wait until next time." Jack muttered, as he retracted his hand, and turned to leave for the door. Just as Jack''s hand was to turn the know to leave, he heard behind him, "Then your wife will go with you." Jack turned his head to see Emily sitting up, but what attracted Jack''s gaze was that the flesh on her began to regrow, as if it was alive. Her mid-section that was skeletal, began to fill in, as the tissues grew around the spine. Little by little the flesh grew, with layers on top of layers. Jack floated back, to look down as his second consort, as he found that her intestines grew and spilled out, but before Jack could voice his concern, a white tissue latched onto the guts and pulled them back into the now inclosing stomach. After which, Jack looked on to see that muscles were forming around the bones of Emily''s Legs. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Emily sighed a bit, as if enjoying the process until she had a complete body, even the skin tone changed to a darker gray color. "Em-" Again Jack was cut off, as he watched two horns grow out from Emily''s head... Exactly as she had with the eyes-ghoul, within her soul, but then another set of horns besides them grew, until... "That is... Well, that is a fine crown of horns." Jack finally commented about the crown of eight horns that grew from Emily''s head. Emily finally coming back to her sense, reached up and touched the horns with her right hand. "Is that heavy?" Jack asked, as it seemed that he had seen enough odd things as of recent that he didn''t put much stock into this transformation, as it didn''t seem to be harmful. "Not really." Emily moved her neck a bit, seeing her webby hair sway, and the large crown of horns staying perfect with her head. "You would think they would, but they look nice." Jack nodded, "Hey, does that make you horny?" Jack chuckled. "...I don''t get it. I mean... Yeah, I have horns now, but... Horny?" Emily blinked her big eyes. "Ah, guess that joke doesn''t exist here. It means that you wish to reap." Jack explained. "In that case, yes. I want to join with your soul forever and ever." Emily put both her hands together in front of her chest, as Jack picked up something in his hearing. "Huh?" Jack opened his simple robe to reveal Eris'' heart, as it thumped. "This doesn''t sound like her heart... Where is that thumping coming from?" Jack asked aloud, as he looked to Emily, as his flaming eyes flickered. "I think that''s my heart? I have a beating heart now...? I have a beating heart!" Emily finally exclaimed. "Is that a good thing?" "You like that whore''s heart, so I know you will love mine! Do you want me to give it to you now?" "Errrr... Wait up on that for a bit. Let me just listen to it from within your body for a while." "Okay~!" Emily nodded her head quickly, but soon stopped, as she held her head, "Ugh..." "What''s wrong!?" Jack reached for Emily''s shoulders steadying her. "Voices... A bunch of voices! All Talking! ALL TALKING AT THE SAME TIME!" "Shhh! Shhhhhhh! This is your God-Soul emerging! This is good! Concentrate on suppressing the voices! Little by little! Beat them back, contain them, control them!" "Uggggggh!" Emily held her head, as she tried to roll back and forth in her tomb, as Jack drew her from her evening tomb, and held her in a princess carry. She was much larger than the last time he had held her, now with her new body, and her new change. "Shhhh, it''s alright. The voices are your followers! Just suppress them for now and answer them later. Shhhhhh." Jack held her close to his bony body, hoping his bones weren''t hurting her, now that she had flesh. He had many questions about the whole growing flesh but now wasn''t the time. Emily calmed down slightly, as beads of black sweat pulled in her modest bust. While other beads streaked down her face. "Shhh, I''m here. Shhhh, I got you. It''s alright. It''s good. It''s a good thing." Jack indulged Emily. Emily finally sighed, as she opened her eyes again, and again Jack was the first thing she saw. "It''s... It''s better... This means I''m a Goddess now?" "Yes. The voices are the faith of your followers. There must be a lot from Neolith." Emily shook her head, "No... Not from Neolith." "Huh?" "From many small cults from around the underworld... Because, honey... I am the Goddess of Ghouls now." Emily smiled widely, showing a mouth of jagged fangs. Emily spoke through her large teeth, that snapped open and close, "Now, I''m hungry." Chapter 206: Preparing for Court "Errr..." Jack wondered what do undead eat... He''d seen Crag eat dishes, but didn''t know what they were... "Ummmm, one moment." Jack thought while he held Emily in his arms. Her tongue slithered out and licked her mouth. [Leslie... It seems that Emily has finished becoming a Goddess...] Jack reached out to mentally message Leslie. [...What...?] Leslie''s bland reply came back in response. [Emily finished up, and now she''s changed into a Goddess... With that, it seems that she regenerated her whole body and is now hungry. What do you eat, and can we feed her?] [...You''re going to have to back up a bit for me. When did she become a goddess, second how did she regenerate an undead body, and lastly how does a former skeleton understand what the feeling of being hungry is...?] [I... Well, she took the Spider Goddess'' soul and used it to become a goddess, as for why ghouls, I don''t know actually. I take the regenerating undead body thing is part of being some god power, and lastly... I don''t know... Goddess?] [We don''t have much time left before we all need to be court. I''ll have my maids get something together for her quickly just to have something on her stomach. Then she can eat to fill when We get out of court.] [Where should I go?] Jack asked. [Take her to your dressing room. She can grab a quick bite here.] Leslie mentioned. Jack floated out into the hallway, and then through the twists, turns, and bends on his way to his dressing room. "We''re going to the dressing room. Leslie will have her maids prepare something for you to eat. I believe it''s a snack, and then after court, We can prepare more." "Okay." Emily laughed, as she clutched onto Jack''s ribs through the opening at the top of his robes. Jack came to the front of his dressing room. The large double doors still issued forth thick white smoke from the basketball-sized gold censers. Jack approached and with his intention, the doors opened, startling the maids that were ready to open them on the other side. Jack floated in to find Leslie, Eris, and a group of maids, along with a large table of various foods. Seeing the table, Jack let down Emily. The latter of which rushed the table and began shoving the food into her mouth. "What''s up with all the horns on her head???" Leslie couldn''t help but ask, as Emily shoveled food endlessly into her mouth. Jack shook his head watching Emily but noticed that Emily gasped her throat! "Emily?" Jack asked. "What''s wrong with her?" Leslie asked while tilting her head. Emily turned while holding her throat, as her eyes teared up. Her mouth opened and closed, as food particles fell. The maids all looked to each other wondering what the Second Consort was doing. ""SHE''S CHOKING!"" Jack''s and Eris'' voice overlapped and yelled, as Jack pushed one of the maids out of the way that was pulling off his robe, as he got to Emily. He turned Emily around, and with a balled fist into her belly just above her navel. He grabbed his fist with his other hand and pulled into Emily hard. Several times until Emily finally spat up what appeared to be the leg of some animal, even the hoof was still attached, as it made a clacking sound against the obsidian floor. "Emily are you alright!" Jack spun Emily around, as he heard her gasp in air. Emily now gasping, as she looked up with black tears on her face, "What the hell was that!?" Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Suffocation!" Jack yelled from worry. "Suffocation!? I..." Emily finally noticed she was breathing. Even Jack did not notice when he brought her, but she had been breathing since her heart began to beat. "Why the hell does a Zombie need to breathe???" Leslie finally took a few steps forward to see what was happening. "It''s because I believe she''s a ghoul," Jack spoke to Leslie, as his voice filled the room, the maids dropped the articles in the hands. Hearing the clatter, Jack looked around to see that the maids had all backed to the door, while others were following suit, even Eris climbed the wall to the ceiling as she looked over Emily with a face of horror. Jack looked to Leslie to see her back up a few steps from Emily as well. "Did you say... Ghoul?" Leslie asked, with a frown. "Yeah?" Jack nodded his head, as he looked back down to Emily. He reached over to the table and took a napkin, and began to wipe the food from her mouth, as Emily smiled showing her large teeth. "Jack... Do you not remember about ghouls?" Leslie finally asked after a few pausing moments of her mouth opening and closing. Jack looked up, with his flaming eyes crackling, "What''s wrong with ghouls?" "Jack honey, they eat undead..." Leslie finally stated. "...Wut...?" Jack stared vacantly, and then back to Emily. Emily had just heard what Leslie spoke but didn''t seem surprised. "Ghouls were purged before the fall of the Democracy of Yand... They were aided by the newly founded Grand Tomb of Neolith." Leslie continued. Jack looked back down to Emily, "Emily, you don''t seem surprised." "Jack... I learned a few things about what I am... Though... I didn''t know I needed to breathe. I umm... I''m hungry." Emily spoke again but changed the topic as if she couldn''t get her mind from her stomach. "..." Jack''s flaming eyes searched each part of Emily, and after a few moments of thought. "If you are hungry... I have a feast for you in a few minutes, but you must promise me to never eat anything or anyone without my say so..." Emily looked over to the maid within the room, as her eyes glazed over. Jack shook her on her shoulders, as Emily snapped her face back to Jack. "Promise me!" Jack said firmly. Emily raised her hand to look at her ring, that shined with the light on one side and darkness on the other, "I remember that I do not obey... I understand and do... Right, my husband?" "That''s-That''s right! Can you promise me? Can you do it?" Jack pressed on. "I can''t promise anything if I''m hungry... But I will try my best for you, my love!" Emily balled her fists and looked into Jack''s flaming eyes. Jack pulled Emily into his embrace and patted her. "...Jack, it''s time..." Leslie finally spoke. "Eat more slowly, while I change," Jack asked Emily, as he pushed her to the table of food. Emily, of course, didn''t stand on ceremony, as she began to gobble down more food, but this time it seemed she chewed, instead of shoving it down her throat. The maids, then, approached Jack dressing him in his new garbs. These new garbs were made following the mess made of his royal robes following his fight with the Mountain Ape Hermit. These were designed by Leslie, and hand made by the citizens of Saigunrai. Two maids brought over the front chest piece, and two more brought the back chest piece. They joined them over Jack''s rib cage, which still revealed a beating Heart that was held by small gold chains. As the two pieces clanked together with a dull metallic sound. The Maids in the back, took out thick ratchets, as they placed them over the bolts that were made into the armored carapace, sinking them together. The front of the Chest piece showed two skulls. One on the right was a laughing hollowed face looking up, while the left depicted a skull looking down. One large pauldron was placed on Jack''s left shoulder, depicting a large Skeletal face, with its mouth biting a large piece of Glowstone that had been shaped into a sphere. On the top of the Puldron were many candles that were lit, and it seemed that the air circulating within the room was unable to put them out. This pauldron was fastened to a robe that covered Half of Jack''s chest and wrapped around his waist and around his back. Upon Jack''s head, a crown was forged and placed on top. This crown held seven candles and showed that each candle was a third burned down, as the wax collected on the rim of the crown. As the candles melted away the wax, they revealed the spikes within... Both of Jack''s hands were covered in Dark metallic gauntlets, featuring the icons of the God-King of Deagoth, and the triple cross of the Church of the God-King. Jack stepped into his two new dark iron boots, as he floated over to the mirror. "Does it please you, honey?" Leslie cooed, as she came close to Jack, as she looked over her shoulder to spy on Emily, who was still gorging herself. "Yes. This pleases me, greatly... Are you ready?" "Yes." "Is Emily ready?" Jack continued. "Her clothes are fine... But she might need to clean up her face... and apply some light make up..." "Let''s do that then, she will sit with Us." Eris who had been quiet this entire time came forward... "Do you... Do you want me to come as well?" Jack reached out with his iron gauntlet, and gently rubbed Eris'' head. "Of course." A few minutes later, Leslie spoke, as she and her maids revealed the dolled Emily, "We''re ready." "Again, it must come time, to remind the masses they''re place, and those that... Defy me." Jack walked to the Holy entrance that led to his Court Room followed by Leslie, Emily, and Eris, as he held out his right hand, he condensed his Femur Ferula from the Light, as he slammed it on the floor. Clank... Chapter 207: The Third Court Session Begins [Called to Court... Finally, the day that had been postponed more than once is here.] Gordon Brimknot thought to himself, as he sat in the Minor Official seats in the stands. The court was exceedingly thin, but with so much time that had passed... It wasn''t as thin as it would have been two months ago. The House of Undeath and House of Unlife were still largely untouched, with the exception of two members on the side of the House of Undeath. All the Warmarshalls in the capital were present, Warmarshall Frostgard, Verruca, Chaoshood, and a new one, that Gordon did not recognize... He expected would be announced, just like the two other ladies on the thrones beside the God-King. In a low voice, another Minor Official Spoke to Gordon, "Gordon bud... Just what are we to expect this time around?" The Minor Official to the side of Gordon, a chubby Zombie Official asked. "Jake... I... Just don''t know anymore." Gordon responded. "Gordon, you''ve always had your ear to the ground. How else would you be spared the cleansing?" The Official chuckled. "Shhhh... Are you stupid?" Gordon reprimanded his best friend. His parents and Jake''s were friends... In fact, his best friend was his brother-in-law, as he married his sister. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry... It''s just... I''m nervous. I''m saying too many stupid things." Jake wilted. "It''s alright. I just don''t know this time." Gordon looked to the two seated thrones, that was once the sole throne of the Holy Witch King, and then to the two smaller thrones to the left and right of the large Throne in the middle. "-Things are not as they use to be." Gordon continued. "What do you mean-" As Official Jake Kravenoose attempted to ask, the hymns began aloud, signaling the approach of the Holy Witch King, but now it would be best to call him... The God-King. A pair of heralds walked before the Holy entrance, followed by fourteen undead of the Choir, who continued to sing their Holy Hymns. ""Let it be known, that The God-King of Deagoth will grace us with his presence!"" Gordon and all the Officials of the court kneeled in the stands and on the floor. The large double doors were pulled open by fourteen clergies by large gold chains, as thick white smoke billowed out, and carpeted the obsidian floor. The Court collectively looked onward, as they heard the ominous sound, that was much more intense than it was the last time. That rhythmic sound... Clank... Clank... Clank... And from the white smoky fog, two strangely colored flaming wisps soon departed, revealing the full form of the new God-King. Clank... Clank... Clank... Many a mind within the Court froze, while others slowed to a snail''s pace, looking at the new regal garb of the God-King. He appeared much more... tyrannical. The God-King went to the base of his Throne, where he gently raised the new Pope Lucius to his feet and nodded his head. He held out his hand, as it was taken by his first Consort, Consort Leslie. They ascended the Throne together, as the God-King sat left seat, while Consort Leslie sat in the right seat. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Behind the God-King and the first Consorts, were two others. One with a crown of horns, that took the small throne to the God-King''s left, and the last one that appeared to be an amazing beauty... took the throne on the right. After the four settled into their seats, a loud clank was issued from the staff of the God-King that echoed within the grand Court. CLANK...! "I welcome everyone back. Now that the Court has been cleansed... Not only will the faith of the people be stronger in the Court and of the Kingdom, but work will progress with much more... Efficiency." The rumbling voice of the God-King lingered in the ears of everyone. Gordon mouthed the words of the God-King, as he shivered, he heard the God-King command, Pope Lucius, "Bring the court to order and let Us resolve the issues from the last session before continuing to the current issues. Gordon watched on as Pope Lucius opened, "Let Court come to session, his lordship, the God-King of Deagoth presides!" All the Officials watched as the Pope unrolled a scroll and read the first of the business on the docket from the last session." "As Unlife Official Thompson is no longer among the unliving, condemned for his previous travesties, his work was handed to the newly instated Unlife Official Maxine." Unlife Official Maxine stood in front of her table on the floor as a short dainty skeletal undead with long black hair that reached her hip bones, as the God-King''s face turned to look over her. Gordon couldn''t help but feel that the flames within the sockets of the God-King were stranger this time than they were last time... Unlife Official Maxine stood and gave her response, "As decreed by the... God-King, a council was set up that will report directly to the Court. Their first article they wish to address with the court is to be given a raise for the work they do in both the North and South Boneyards," Maxine rattled a little, as she spoke. The God-King''s clawed black gauntlets rapped upon the skull of his throne, as he deliberated the request. Gordon felt suffocated by the silence of the court... Even the rattling of the undead paused as if time stood while waiting the judgment of a god. Many thought the request was absurd in the face of a god, but Gordon was among the few in the stands as a minor Official that knew the request was written before the ascendancy of the God-King Title. Soon, the God-King brought his hand to his chin as he spoke, "I have a need for immense amounts of materials for the new City Bellum, which I am sure everyone present knows. Tell the Council of the Boneyards, that I wish to see production tripled." As the God-King''s words rippled out among the Officials, many felt dazed by the word Triple! The Boneyard workers were already pressed, with low wages and so few joined them. The old bone dogs that run the yards were nearing their true death from sheer soul exhaustion, and the request for more monies was an aim to leave behind some kind of patience for their families. Before Maxine could reply, the God-King again spoke, "I do not ask this lightly. Deagoth''s currency will change soon, which is an announcement of itself today but with it... I will pay the heads of the Boneyards five times what they are making now in the new currency equivalent to glowstone if they are able to make my dues... As for the workers of the boneyards... Double the pay." Then the God-King waved his hand as if to dismiss Maxine. Unlife Official Maxine''s legs gave way under her as she slowly sank back into her seat. As for the rest of the Officials, cold air was hissed, and bones rattled... A new currency? Five times pay for the Boneyard foremen. Double the pay for the workers? Among the chatter of undead, the God-King silenced it... CLANK... And again, the court fell into silence. "The transition of the Currency will be carried out by the Treasury in conjunction with a new establishment that will be working with Us of Deagoth. More details will be passed out after Court." With that, no further chattering erupted. The God-King waved his hand again, and Gordon noticed that the New Pope, nodded his head, and read the next issue on the docket. "The issue with the absorbent prices of the Southeastern Undead Trading Company." Pope Lucius spoke. Gordon then noticed that an overly large Office stood up... He had never seen this one before today. "Unlife Official Crag asks to speak." Crag spoke up while eyeing his surroundings. Never in his unlife did he think he would be among the court of Deagoth. Clank...! "The Southeastern Undead Trading Company has come under new management and has backed down on their prices. While still making profit, it has become more competitive with those in the areas around. In addition, the Southeastern Undead Trading Company wishes to form a merger with my own Company Crag Industries and be renamed Southeastern Undead Financial." A collective chatter again erupted from the Officials, on the floor, and in the stands. "Say... Gordon... What does this mean for Deagoth?" Jake leaned over and asked him in a whisper. After some quick math in his mind and piecing together the news earlier, bright lights seemed to shine in Gordon''s eyes, as he leaned over to Jake, "Jake, my pal... If this is what I think it means..." "Means what, Gordy? Means what??" Jake asked faster. "It means, we are going to be rich undead... We invest in the new Southeastern Undead Financial!" Gordon spoke with fever. "But that doesn''t tell m-" CLANK... Chapter 208: Third Court Session Continues The murmurs of the Court silenced within the instance the light forged staff of the God-King echoed and reverberated the bones of his Officials. The Officials, in turn, drew their collective gaze to the one that issued the decree of silence. Minor Official Gordon watched as the oddly colored flaming eyes of the God-King swept the entire court. Gordon shuddered for that brief second the God-King''s eyes moved across him. He wasn''t sure if he was imagining it, but that glance seeped deeply into his soul. Within a few seconds of racking his mind, he remembered what it was that gave him that feeling. So long ago, when he lived in the Countryside of Deagoth. His father was a hunter and rancher. His father took him to hunt... But in the hunt for Razorback Scarlicks, him and his father were hunted by the beast of the plains... The Black-Fang Hell Hound... Finally cornered, Gordon remembered the eyes of the Hell Hound, as it stalked forward in that ravine. The hunger, the violence, the madness, but most of all he remembered that within all those emotions was an underlining pleasure. The pleasure of what it was about to do. It was that day, he lost his father, so that he may live. It was that day when he went home alone. It was that day that he decided that when he came of age, he would move to the city. Clank... Gordon jerked back to his senses. Another issue was handled, and he didn''t even notice, too deep within his memories. [...I''ll ask Jake later...] He thought to himself. With his undivided attention, Gordon listened to the God-King. "With all pervious issues on the docket handled. I must address a few issues before the court..." The God-King''s voice rumbled and echoed again. "Warmarshal Julia Verruca of the Warbreakers Legion... Stand." Gordon looked down to the left side of the Court''s hall to the table that held the Warmarshals and watched as the large form of Warmarshal Verruca stood up. "Warmarshal Julia Verruca. As War Master presiding over the War of Zitergall, now known as Deagoth''s Shame. You have been charged with the unnecessary loss of Deagoth forces. The death count of over seventeen thousand unlives of Deagoth military forces among the Warbreakers Legion, the Spellslinger Legion, the Scourge Legion, and the Light''s Whisper Legion. I will not count the loss of Zitergall or their forces to the detonation of the Hexplosives, as this is not your blame. However, the loss of the numerous unlives, compounding with the loss of two Warmarshals is unacceptable." A melodious voice of melancholy issued from Warmarshal Verruca, "Yes. I accept all accounts," as she hung her head. "Haaaa~" The God-King issued a sigh, as Gordon and the rest of the Officials sweated and rattled breaking the silence. "With consideration of your previous deeds for Deagoth, I will now pass judgment. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. As my right as the ruler and god of Deagoth, I hereby stripe you of the position as War Master of Deagoth. I hereby stripe you of the Title War God of Deagoth..." The God-King paused, as he turned his head to look at one of the unknown sitting at the table of Warmarshals. One thing could be said... This new undead sitting at the table has been the talk of the court. No one had seen a Legendary Gorgon body since the reign of the First Holy Witch King. The God-king then continued, after the briefest of pauses, "I hereby demote you to the rank of General of the Warbreakers to serve the next appointed Warmarshal. With the demotion of Warmarshal Verruca, I hear by announce the appointment of the new Warmarshal of the Warbreakers. Warmarshal Joan! CLANK...!" Warmarshal Verruca, no. General Verruca gasped in shock but wilted when she looked to her left at Warmarshal Joan''s smiling face, as the snakes in her hair licked at the air. It was now time for the Court to gasp and chatter. Pushed by fear, Undeath Official Piousblight stood up abruptly, though shakily. "Undeath Of-Official Pi-Piousblight requesting permission to speak." Gordon watched at the God-King slowly turned his head to oversee Undeath Official Piousblight, and then... Clank... "I-is the new Warmarshal... Warmarshal Joan of any relation to Joan the Bu-Butcherer, Ba-Bane of Nogore?" Undeath Official Piousblight finally squeezed out. A creepy laugh issued forth from the God-King before he replied, "Yes. She is one and the same. I reached down and lifted her up. You need not fear Warmarshal Joan. I have cured her madness. I now wield her as my tool. Do you object?" "N-No...! Ju-Just wanted to be clear the or-origins of the newest Warmarshal." He continued, as he looked to the left table of Warmarshals and spoke, "I wel-welcome Warmarshal Joan back to service. May your blades always point to the enemies of Dea-Deagoth." Warmarshal Joan hoarsely laughed as she spoke out, never turning her face from the God-King, "My blades will always be pointed to the enemies of the God-King. Unless you become an enemy of the God-King, you will never have to worry." [I wonder how many Officials just caught her wording... She''s for the God-King, and not Deagoth...] Gordon''s thought process went down a dangerous road. Realizing that his mind wandered off into strange paths, Gordon focused again on the God-King. "I will now also announce the newest Warmarshals. Promoting General Achnida to Warmarshal Achnida of the Scourge Legion." Clank...! The new Warmarshal stood up and performed a Deagoth Salute. "Warmarshal Achnida requesting permission to speak." Clank...! "The memory of Warmarshal Mossvale will continue forever so long as my soul is intact. I strive to meet true death as he did... With my hands around my enemy¡¯s throats! I will wield the Scourge as he did... To the detriment of our enemies of the God-King!!!" Warmarshal Achnida clinched both his fists in front of him, before sitting back down. The God-King nodded in approval, as Warmarshal Achnida sat back down. "I will one day call on the Scourge to serve. I look forward to your agreement." The God-King echoed ominously, as the strange flames flared in his eyes. "Always willing to serve, my God-King." Warmarshal Achnida spoke with fervor. The God-King nodded again, before he spoke again, "Promoting General Kevin to Warmarshal Kevin of the Light''s Whisper Legion." "Warmarshal Kevin Requesting Permission to speak..." Clank...! Warmarshal Kevin looked down at the table, with his hands behind his back at ease, as it spoke, "Warmarshal Ken was like a brother to me, and many others of the Light''s Whisper Legion. We respected his command, but he respected us as not his soldiers but his brothers. His heart wandered to another but was crushed in doing so..." Warmarshal Kevin took a glancing glare at General Verruca sitting to his right, two seats away from him before he continued, only a few noticed his action. "I cannot say I can replace Warmarshal Ken... But God-King...! You can damn me if I fail to keep the border of Neolith UNDER FOOT for another five hundred years!" Warmarshal Kevin shook with fury before he sat back down. "I will remember that Warmarshal Kevin. I have full confidence that you will do as you say. The power of your God-King is at your back. Always remember that." Clank...! Chapter 209: Third Court Sessions Surprise "Warmarshal Frostgard." The God-King''s voice took an upward shift in tone, almost as if he was happy, Gordon thought. "Present, my God-King." Warmarshal Frostgard stood up at the table of the Warmarshals, sitting to the left of Verruca. "Is the one named Xavier Doomcry present?" The God-King''s eyes didn''t scan the crowd, as if he already knew the answer. "No, my lord. He is just outside. I can call him if you allow." "Please do so." The God-King said with a smile, shocking the Officials present. Even Gordon wondered why was the God-King showing such a side... The last two sessions and even today he showed how angry he was... While the Officials entertained the reason for the sudden change, the Courtroom doors opened. Xavier Doomcry walked in, with beads of black sweat forming on his brow, and down his back. He wore his Brawler''s harness, ear silver and gleaming in the light of the Court. He carried no weapons... This was the God-King''s Court after all. He paced down the long white carpet, leaving a single trail of black drops behind him. Sarah Frostgard nodded to him, as he finally stood next to the Warmarshal''s table. Many Officials questioned why he wasn''t escorted by guards... Was he not on trial? "Warmarshal Frostgard, Xavier Doomcry approach my throne." The God-King nodded, as Warmarshal Frostgard stepped around the chairs and into the white carpet with Xavier. They both approached and kneeled down at the base of the throne. The God-King then looked to his first Consort, and then back to the two at his base, as he stood up. Shock ran through the Officials, at the God-Kings move. What did standing mean? He never stood up unless it was to leave...! The God-King lifted his Femur Ferula as he pointed to Xavier Doomcry, as his voice now boomed with authority, as both Sarah and Xav turned to face each other. "Wilt thou have this female undead to thy wedded wife, to exist together after my ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in woe and in joy so long as ye both shall exist?" The God-King questioned Xavier, as the Court collectively realized...! They are holding a wedding in the middle of Court!!! While not something that couldn''t be done, but... It was a Frostgard and a Doomcry being wed!!! [WHAT?!? Just... WHAT?!?] Gordon''s thoughts weren''t able to follow the events playing out. Xavier cleared the phlegm in his throat as he spoke the memorized words for today, "I, Xavier Doomcry, take Sarah Frostgard to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in woe and in joy, to love and to cherish, till true death do us part, according to the God-King''s ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." Large black beads of sweat continued to drop down from around the crown of Xavier, but he felt proud he didn''t stutter his words. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The God-King then pointed his golden Femur Ferula to Sarah Frostgard, as he spoke again, "Wilt thou have this male undead to thy wedded husband, to exist together after my ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour, and keep him, in woe and in joy so long as ye both shall exist?" Sarah Frostgard spoke in turn, "I, Sarah Frostgard, take Xavier Doomcry to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in woe and in joy, to love and to cherish, till true death do us part, according to the God-King''s ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." Two Officials of Undeath stood up at this moment. Undeath Official Doomcry, and Undeath Official Frostgard. Undeath Official Frostgard slammed both hands on the table, though it didn''t make much sound as she was not of the marshal branch of the family. They both waited to protest this marriage. The God-King with tracked his staff, as he spoke, "Do you have the Arras Coins and Ring?" "Y-yes." Xavier stuttered but pulled a pouch from under his brawler''s harness. He opened the small bag, as light issued from inside showing that inside were Glowstone coins and retrieved the ring. "By my right as the God-King of Deagoth and by my own hand, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" CLANG!!!!!!!! The Courtroom shook from the impact of the God-King''s Femur Ferula. The First Consort looked amused, even though it was done in front of her. The female with the head of horns was leaning in her chair slightly bored, but her eyes continued to flutter every time she glanced at the God-King. With the loud banging of the Staff, she sat up, with eyes of love focused on the God-King. While the last beautiful female looked shocked from what was occurring, but it was odd that she looked slightly drunk, after the buzzing sound of the vibrations past. "NO!" A shrill voice cried as the collective of the Officials drew their gaze to Undeath Official Frostgard. Gordon quickly looked up to the God-King, who was still standing, with his femur Ferula in hand. He watched as the God-King turned his flaming eyes, until the focused on the Frostgard representative. "Am I correct in believe that you are challenging my decree?" The God-King''s deadly calm words issued out low, but somehow every Official heard the words seep into their bones. "N-No! It... God-King! You didn''t give time for anyone to object!" The Undeath Official Frostgard drew her courage to challenge. "These two have been married under my gaze as the God-King of Deagoth. When I decree who can dare challenge me? I respect the Frostgard. Their service to Deagoth is impeccable, Loyalty unwavering, and defense staunch... And now you question me? Do you believe that I would not do what is best for this kingdom?" The God-King''s rapid-fire sentences and questions piled upon the Official, as her knees wobbled. "Bu-But God-King...! I don''t see how the marriage of a Frostgard affects the Kingdom...!" She finally squeezed out. "IT IS NOT THE MARRIAGE OF THESE TWO THAT AFFECTS THE KINGDOM, BUT YOU QUESTIONING MY DECREE THAT AFFECTS THE KINGDOM! SO SAY YOU?!" Holding on to the table the Official spoke again, but with gritted teeth, "I da-dare not question the decree of the God-King but ask to recognize respect for the Frostgards... We ha-had no in-input." The God-King laughed... HE LAUGHED! A SINGLE HA! Gordon watched, as he turned to sit back on his throne, as a pleasant voice issued, and the pressure that caused Undeath Official Frostgard to nearly collapsing lessened by many degrees. "I respect the Frostgard, but I will not lift this decree. I have married them, and they are eternally bound, so say I, the God-King of Deagoth. However, let me make this clear... Those with the courage to challenge my word are welcome in my kingdom. Again, respect for the Frostgard. I will personally visit the Frostgard''s Matriarch to provide her an explanation. Forward my word in advance for me, Undeath Official Frostgard." "Y-yes! Th-thank you, God-King!" She replied. Many Officials realized this was a test! A test that Undeath Official Frostgard passed, and now the Frostgard gained the favor of the God-King! [...Wise...and...Terrifying...] Gordon could only think in his mind. Such favor caused many Officials to click their tongues, and snap their teeth. Clank!!! Chapter 210: Pissing off a god during the Third Court Session Gordon watched as the God-King addressed the Pope directly... "Pope Lucius... Have my Judges escort the Rebel Grimnights, and, also, invite in the Third Elder of the Grimnights." Gordon couldn''t help but notice, that the God-King''s voice lacked emotion. For whatever reason, it was unnerving. The large entrance court doors opened for the second time this session. Walking in, escorted by His Judges, the Clan Head of the Grimnight clan with his fellow clan members followed behind clad in froststeel chains. Gordon still shivered from the sight of His Judges again... He watched as they moved forward, each Judge was a large overly grown Zombie... Standing 1.9 meters tall, and while their armors were all different, each carried the same looking large two-handed mace. His Judges would laughingly call their gavels... Some of the Officials that were judged during the ''Court Cleansing¡¯ but attempted to run... Were smashed under these hammers! Even now, the hammers that were originally a silver color trimmed in bronze now took on a shimmer of maroon around the head of the hammer... They even made their own creed... "We are His Judges; let Him have mercy for We have none!" Gordon then looked over the Grimnights... Each of them were chained with hands in front of them, their ankles chained together, and with chains connecting both the wrists and ankles together. These rebel Grimnight''s shuffled slowly behind their Clan Head. [Why does the Grimnight Clan head look... Smug? Is he a fool, or does he have something that can persuade the God-King???] Gordon could only wonder within his mind. "Say, Gordy... Look at his mug. Have you ever seen such a shit-eating grin?" Jake leaned over and whispered among the cascade of rattling chains that rang out from the parade of damned. Gordon shook his head, but... As everyone watched the Grimnight''s shuffle in, Gordon focused on the God-King. At first, Gordon watched the Pope speaking with an Archbishop, but then he saw the Pope sharply turning to stare at the God-King... What was wrong, he wondered. The other two ladies on their own thrones to the left and right of the God-King looked over to the God-King. They both wore expressions of anxiousness... Gordon kept looking for what was wrong, as the God-King was sitting perfectly straight... But, wait... Gordon focused his eyes on the skull that ended the arm of the Throne of the God-King... His clawed gauntlet had dug into the skull of the arm of the Throne, and it was cracking. Gordon thought if it wasn''t for the chains, he might have been able to hear the sound of a crushing skull... Wasn''t the God-King''s throne made of Holy Bones...? [...Holy shit...] Gordon thought he perhaps shouldn''t have noticed this reaction. It wasn''t until the first consort put her left hand over the God-King''s hand that was crushing the arm of his chair did he relax... Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Gordon blinked a few times, as his eyes darted to the Grimnight Clan Head, [Does he actually have something? But... But if he did would he piss of a supposed god?] Finally, the marching damned stopped before the feet of the Throne of the God-King. The Officials finally noticed that the God-King''s right hand was being patted by the First Consort, even while she looked forward to the Grimnights. He, the God-King, turned his right hand over, and gently held the First Consorts hand, as he looked to her face. The First Consort broke her gaze from the Grimnights and met with the God-King''s gaze. It seemed to be a pink color drifting between the two before the God-King turned his gaze to look upon the newly approaching undead. An Elder Skeletal Undead made his way, seemingly unnoticed, to stand to the side of the damned Grimnights. "Thank you for joining Us, Elroy Grimnight, Third Elder of the Grimnight clan." The Third Elder kneeled with the help of a nearby Judge that took pity. It seemed that he had aged considerably since he first arrived in Saigunrai. This old undead somehow looked older, even though his clothes looked new, they hung upon his frame loosely. His back hunched, and his legs shaky, he replied in a tired voice, "I wish I could greet the mighty God-King of Deagoth under better circumstances." "I know..." The God-King agreed, before his gaze shifted, again to the Grimnight Clan Head. "Emory Grimnight... Former Clan Head of the Grimnight Clan. You''re charged with kidnapping, forced prostitution, destruction of Kingdom assets, desertion of post, murder, and treason... What say you, Emory Grimnight?" Emory laughed with a sneer, "I''m just waiting to be released, Witch King." With the rude words and reference to God-King''s former Title, the Court''s faithful roared to denounce the Grimnight Clan Head. They hurled insults at the Clan Head while speaking other various remarks. Some of the faithful Minor Officials in the stands with Gordon attempted to move down to the Court Floor to personally dispatch the Clan Head. CLANK...! Gordon who watched the faithful act like monkeys, shuddered again, from the sound. Each time that Staff slammed, it vibrated his skull... He felt that it was a real attention-getter. It, however, was more than effective, as the collective hall silenced again. Gordon noticed that several Warmarshal''s had stood up, now sat back down. He couldn''t help but also notice that the Butcherer had her hand propped on her dagger on her right side... [I thought weapons were banned during Court Ses-] Gordon had just enough time to wonder before he caught the actions of the God-King. He returned his eyes to see the God-King lifting his hand to calm the faithful among the Officials. "Before I proceed, I have one last charge to add..." The God-King added, now that the court returned to its silence. "I, also, charge you with the crime of extortion." The God-King calmly spoke out the added charge. Gordon strained his hearing, but he could not hear what Emory said in response, but he noticed the God-King looked to his First Consort, and then back to the Officials. During this pause, a clatter of rattling bones rang out... It wasn''t because the Officials knew what was happening but understood on an instinctual level... Fear of a god. Gordon, along with the multitude of Officials, watched as the God-King''s eyes went out... Leaving behind a deep black within the eye sockets... Almost as if they were chasms into the abyss. Now, the God-King faced the Grimnight Clan Head with his grisly gaze. The golden runes of the God-King that always shined... Dimmed... One... By... One... Gordon''s first feeling was to run... To get his wife and daughter and leave... Leave the city... Just like he left the countryside, so long ago... The ever-present light within the Grand Court Room Dimmed, as the Glowstone sputtered and sparked around them. Gordon felt that he was paralyzed... So much will, but his body didn''t obey! He looked up to see the First Consort! Gordon didn''t understand why she could move, but no one else was able... He wanted to look around, but his head was locked into staring at the God-King and his surroundings. Finally, with all the force of his soul, Gordon screamed out to the First Consort, and it rose above the chorus of bones, "S-SAVE US, CONSORT!!!!!" ....... ...... ..... .... ... .. . Chapter 211: Judgment of the God-King It did not matter that Gordon called to the First Consort, but his voice was heard by all the Officials... It would later be attributed to his cry that persuaded the First Consort to intercede on his behalf for the Court. The Court watched, as the First Consort watched the God-King from the side, even as the golden runes on his skeletal frame went out... the light that shined through the armored plates on his chest went out. The First Consort leaned, and reached out with her right hand, as it caressed the jawbone of the God-King... She leaned her forehead against the God-King''s from the side... For the Officials, time felt as if it stood still, but in truth, it had only been a minute that passed. The God-King''s vacant-like eyes turned to the First Consort, as their foreheads rubbed each other. Such intimacy wasn''t questioned this day... Anything was fine with the Officials so long as it quelled the wrath of their God-King. Everyone saw the First Consort''s mouth moving but did not know the words that were spoken during the rattling chaos of bones and glowstone sputtering. Her hand caressed until his chin, and as her index finger left him, she sat back down properly in her seat to the God-King''s right. The dimming influence of the Court reversed, as the Glowstones seemed to no longer tremble, but increase in light. the light drinking runes of the God-King began to produce light. While not as strong as earlier, they were a far cry to the darkness they appeared only moments ago. The Officials found that they were released from whatever grip they were under, with many of them slumping in their seats. The Warmarshals fared better than the other Officials, but they also flexed their bodies. Gordon raised up from his slumped posture, to see that the God-King released his grip from his throne''... The Skull that ended it crumbled under his release, as the God-King continued until he stood up for the second time this Court Session. "I apologize." The God-King spoke, as the Officials were silenced again... [He apologizes?!? When was the last time he ever apologized!? When has he ever needed to apologize??!??] Gordon''s thoughts raced, even while fatigue set into his body. "I''ve allowed my senses to be clouded by anger... Before I dole out my judgment. Let me inform the Court," the God-King continued, as he stood holding his light-forged Femur Ferula in his left hand. Gordon couldn''t help but notice that the Ferula had a strange hue to it, almost of a green-blueish tint. He blinked a few times and noticed it was gone... The God-King turned to gaze upon his First Consort, the latter of which nodded her head. He then turned to face the Court again, "My First Consort... Consort Leslie was a Grimnight." Much rustling sound was heard from the stands, as the God-King continued, "I say was, as the Grimnight clan exiled her years before she traveled here to Saigunrai to start a new unlife for herself. Now that she has become my Consort, she has changed her clan name to mine." Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. [The God-King has a clan name?] Gordon wondered like so many other Officials... They had never thought of it before. The God-King slammed his staff down... CLANK! As he pointed his finger down, "This wretch, called the Grimnight Clan Head, thought it would be funny to blackmail my Mother-in-Law... Consort Leslie''s mother, to get out of his charges." "I made a vow to my First Consort that I would not end her clan then... I further vowed I would not destroy them. While I could do so, and leave the worthy clan members with us, such as the Humble Third Elder of the Grimnight clan," the God-King pointed to the hunched Elder undead to the side. "Elroy Grimnight... I give charge of all the minors of the Grimnight clan to you. They should not suffer the sins of their fathers and mothers. Teach them better." The Third Elder nodded heavily, "Yes, my God-King." "But... Emory Grimnight..." The God-King retracted his bony finger, as he continued, "My anger for their... Your transgressions... Will not be sated with such..." the God-King''s voice turned low and cold. His hand turned over and beckoned the Grimnight Clan head to him. The Officials watched as the Grimnight Clan head lifted off from the ground and the chains that bound him jangled, as floated into the area to the front of the God-King. The God-King opened his mouth, as he issued sounds... The Officials of the Court didn''t understand what was being heard, as the sounds contained the scraping of metal, guttural whispers, and horrible squishing sounds. The God-King, as the sounds continued, put his free hand on the head of Emory Grim night... and squeezed with his taloned gauntlets, as black blood seeped from the wounds on Emory''s scalp. Emory struggled, to be free, as he began to yell animalistic noises, and screeches. His body contorted in shapes and ways that bones and joints weren''t meant for undead to move, until finally... [What in the bloody hell has he done?!?] Gordon could only comment, when the body of the Clan Head of the Grimnights slackened. The God-King tossed the body of Emory to the side, as he held out his hand to the rest of the parade of the damned Grimnights. His Judges backed up, as they saw the men and women contort into monstrous positions as if possessed by demons. After the sounds of the scraping of metal, chaotic mumblings, and squirming sounds ended, the Grimnight prisoners slummed in pools of black sweat that stained the white carpet of the Court a deep black. "Pope Lucius... The Jar, if you will..." The God-King called down seeing the slumped members of the Grimnights. Lucius produced a soul jar, and it floated to the God-King''s grasp. "I CONDEMN YOU REBELS OF THE GRIMNIGHTS! TO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT! I WILL STRIP YOU OF YOUR MEMORIES, SEAL YOUR SOULS, AND YOU WILL PAY OFF YOUR DEBT TO THE KINGDOM OF DEAGOTH AND YOUR GOD-KING UNTIL YOUR SOULS CEASE! THANK ME FOR I HAVE FREED YOU FROM PAIN, AND DELIVERED YOU INTO SERVICE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL UNDEADKIND!" The God-King then hummed with a thunderous sound, "SOLXESEEES ARE YINEL...!" Light poured from the God-King as it condensed into numerous skeletal cherubs. They flew around the court before each dived into the bodies of the Grimnight''s and without effort... Extracted the many souls of the damned that laid about... Even the Clan head of the Grimnight clan was no different, as a cherub looked him over before it reached into his chest and snatched his soul. While the Officials had seen the God-King extract a soul before... Why did they not resist? Why were they not in pain, like the former Grimnight Jordan, Now Prophet, Jordan Lightborn? The cherubs, one by one, deposited the souls, all of which were gray in color into the open Soul Jar of the God-King. The Officials witness the dissolving of the cherubs into light, that swirled back into the God-King. [...] Gordon was at a loss... This... This was crueler that true death! This couldn''t be described as heinous... Finally, the word floated into Gordon''s mind, [...Madness...] The God-King raised the soul jar to his eye level, as he stared at the many souls inside that floated around like fireflies. Chapter 212: All are useful to the God-King Gordon slumped in his seat along with all the other Officials in the stands. He looked over the Officials of Unlife and Undeath and saw the Officials of Unlife fared better... The same couldn''t be said for the Officials of Undeath. "Undeath Official Doomcry re-" Official Doomcry cleared the phlegm in his throat, before calling again, "Undeath Official Doomcry requesting permission to speak." Gordon thought the Doomcry representative foolish last court session, but it seemed he still had a backbone. [As expected of the Doomcry... Stupid but brave...] Gordon could only think to himself after Undeath Official Doomcry cleared his throat. Gordon then returned his gaze to the God-King, as he watched the God-King stop staring at the Jar and slowly rotate his head to look upon Undeath Official Doomcry. This time there was now clank, no bang of the Ferula, the Officials heard the giddy voice of the God-King... "What is it that you wish to ask?" "Ga-God-King, sire, your grace, sir... Is it not enough to lock their souls beneath the jails of Deagoth, such as-" Official Doomcry''s eyes drifted to his lost ancestor. His lost ancestor, Joan simply smiled in a cruel way... Gordon swore he couldn''t be the only one that watched the new Warmarshal drag her index finger across her scarred throat to threaten the younger Doomcry... "I mean, to remove their mem-memories... What good are they? They now no longer know the reason for their imprisonment, sir, God-King, sire..." The God-King''s flaming eyes crackled a few times within their eye sockets. The Officials would hold their breath if they breathed. Gordon took a moment to see that the other two lady undead seated beside the God-King''s throne stirred. The one with the crown of horns seemed to be eyeing the corpses of the Grimnights, while the otherworldly beauty appeared to be very surprised and curious over the jar of souls. Gordon snapped back from his thoughts, as the words of the God-King issued forth, "Simple imprisonment is not enough for them to atone for their crimes, nor would true death deliver them... These souls of the Grimnights and all others that will join them in the future will be known as... Drudges. These Drudges will be the ones to automate the new City of Bellum!" After a moment of silence, no matter how afraid of the God-King these Officials were, they couldn''t help but mutter to each other. [Automate? Drudges? So many questions...!] Gordon now wanted to know more than before Undeath Official opened his big mouth! The God-King then swept the Officials again, and again... Clank... A hush returned, and the God-King spoke, "I see you have many questions..." As he spoke, the God-King lifted the sash that wrapped around him from his right shoulder over his mid-section briefly exposing his armored carapace, as he attached the Jar of souls to his spice with gold chains. He removed his hand, and his sash fell back into place, "They will all be answered in time. Know that the City of Bellum will be unlike anything that has ever been known to the Underworld, and the Kingdom of Deagoth will be the wielder of this new power." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The God-King laughed a few times, almost... Maniacally, but stopped short of going out of control. He continued, "My Judges." The remaining Judges rushed to line and kneel before the Throne, leaving the bodies of the Grimnights behind them. "I have read of your exploits from Pope Lucius. I am pleased. Your duty of purging the Court is done, however, Our work to continue must not be abated. The shadows of Our land is protected in the absence of my Light, but in the radiance, I wish for you to be that judgment. To that end... I ask only the staunchest of you to accept the role of... Militus Obitus..." "Militus Obitus?" "Militus Obitus??" "What''s a Militus Obitus?" "Is that a spell?" "I think that''s a rank..." "Militus Obitus?" "What does that mean?" "Militus Obitus?" "Is this good?" "Militus Obitus?" "Is this a new branch?" "Militus Obitus???" "Praise the God-King!" "Militus Obitus?" "Does that mean they will still purge us if I act like my former brother?" "Militus Obitus?" The sounds of the Officials murmured out all questioning the name "Militus Obitus." "Sounds like a disease doesn''t it, Gordon..." "God-King damn you, shut the hell up!" Gordon yelled in a whisper to his best friend. He might not be a follower of the God-King, but that didn''t stop him from taking his name in vain. The God-King ignored the Officials as he spoke to the kneeling Judges, "This is not a light task I ask. Only the most loyal to me, the most faithful, the most stanch, and with iron will may become the first of the Militus Obitus. You will be the trailblazers that all fellow Militus will follow. Without you, the dark will forever reign in the Underworld. Those that wish to be that trailer blazer... Arise and stand before your God-King." All the Militus stood. All eager to serve. "Again... There will be pain... Madness... Bitterness... Even true death may come... Do you still pledge to my service as Militus? I will not think less of anyone of you Judges that turn away. I will sill reward your service in a different way." After listening... One Judge hesitated, as he stepped back. "Oh?" The God-King spoke surprised. The other Judges stared daggers into the soul of the Judge that retreated... Shamed, they felt. "For-forgive me, my God-King. I have just engaged by childhood sweetheart... I do not wish to be separated from her so soon..." "Enough!" Clank...! The Officials turned silent, as the Judges snapped back to face forward. "You will not look down on your fellow Judge. He wishes to serve his love. I, too, serve my love. My selfish love." The God-King placed his hand over his First Consort''s hand, as she smiled while looking on to the Judges. "No one will disrespect his choice... State your name, my Judge." "Frank Undershire, my God-King." Frank kneeled again. "You are no longer a Judge, for I have relinquished the need for my Judges, but you are not Militus... Report to Pope Lucius to be reassigned to be the Head of the new Church''s enforcers... To be known as an Arbiter. You will keep the peace for the locals in the place of the Church. The Church will attend to its sacred halls... You will attend to the crimes of your fellows, and judge them in my stead, as you were my Judge before... Do you accept?" "Yes, my God-King... I will be this new Arbiter to continue your Judgment." Clank...! "My soon to be Militus. Your last task as Judges are to take these... Grimnight corpses to the Royal Crypt below... The Pope will appoint you a guide." The Judges beat their chest and saluted with the sign of the God-King, as the turned to begin their task of dragging and piling up the corpses on themselves to tote... Even as their mighty hammers dyed in hues of red shined heavily on their backs, did they take four or five corpses each still clade in frost steel chains... the rattling soon died, as they left the Court to the side, provided exit by the clergy at the direction of the Pope, Lucius. While the Officials were fixated on the task being performed by the Judges, Gordon couldn''t help but notice the God-King nodding to the undead lady with the Crown of Horns... The latter of which began to drool, as she quickly dabbed her mouth with a cloth she had taken out... Chapter 213: Court Adjourned; The Wandering Goat Continues While the Officials murmured it up amongst themselves, Gordon directed his attention from the Odd horned lady. He had for a long time wondered who these two ladies where. The one that wore a crown of horns and the one that was almost like she was alive... He noticed that the God-King and the First Consort seemed to be mentally talking with each other, as they stared into each other''s eyes. Gordon was always thankful for his eyesight... He wasn''t sure why, but he had always maintained perfect undead vision, and he was using it now to see that the Consort nodding and shaking her head. After another round of nodding, came the notice for attention. Clank...! All the Officials, in the stands and on the floor drew the collective gaze to the God-King. "With business out of the way, I would like to make a few announcements of a more... Personal nature. I hope that all present knows of my First Consort, Consort Leslie." The God-King nodded a few times, as the Officials agreed in a low tone. They, of course, knew of the zealous lady of the God-King. In fact, it was still fresh in the minds of many of the female Officials the way the God-King announced her ''his consort.'' "I would also make mention that many here, should know I have a Second Consort. Consort Emily of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. She has been sitting with Us today, but many may not have recognized her. Allow me to introduce her new appearance, as she has come of age." The God-King finished and gestured to his left, to the Lady that bore the crowns of horns. Many Officials gasped... Many female Officials gasped louder than the others. [That drooling zombie is... The Princess-Ambassador?!?] Gordon couldn''t understand. In fact, many Officials didn''t understand. She was a zombie! A zombie of nobility of the Grand Tomb of Neolith...?! The Grand Tomb of Neolith was widely known for its outright disregard for zombies. Saigunrai had even been recently ''invaded'' by a motley crew of zombies that were said to be this Consort''s dowry! Most Officials assumed these ''refugee'' Zombies of Neolith were nothing more, but the dredges cast away and pawned off to Deagoth. The Officials thought of something else... She was pretty if it wasn''t for the crown of horns. What did that crown mean? Even the First Consort didn''t wear a crown of horns, so they didn''t understand. Some searched their memories of the customs of Neolith and didn''t find anything besides their spider tiaras, and only the crowned princess wore one. As for the Queen, it went without saying she wore the crown of queen, the Spider''s crown, that signified her status upon her bone skull... "Consort Emily, my second consort, sister-consort to Consort Leslie. Please welcome her and treat her as you would befitting her status. In her stay, We have discovered that she is very talented in alchemy and has already contributed greatly to Deagoth. As the ancients used Bone Steel Ashe Mix... With recent discoveries, and her work with the High Alchemist Raleigh, A Bone Steel Ashe Mix substitute has been discovered, that has been deemed Holy Concrete! This Holy Concrete will be the building material of Bellum!" the God-King issued forth! Only a handful of Officials understood the meaning of Holy Concrete as a replacement for Bone Steel Ashe Mix, and just want this meant for Deagoth! Those few spoke to the ones next to them, who in turn passed it on... The God-King left silent for a few moments, as it seemed he waited for the information to circulate. "Gordy, you know what Holy Concrete or bone ashes whatever means?" Official Kravenoose leaned over to ask. "Hmph... Should have paid more attention in school all those years ago... Bone Steel Ashe is the material the Lich King made all of his buildings! Hell, it''s even said that the times before the Lich King they used the material. Shit''s damn strong! You can still find old ruins built with it. The only reason Neolith isn''t a sunken crater is because it''s made mostly out of the stuff... Who knows who made it?" "Oh... So... This new city is going to last forever?" "...Might as well, as far as we are concerned... But We could sell this Holy Concrete for so much money!" Gordon¡¯s voice shook. The God-King continued now that most of the talk passed, "My second piece of news concerns the lady of the throne to my right." The God-King pointed to the otherworldly beauty. "Most of you may know that We were visited by Vampires of the distant Sanguinary Empire. This is Princess Eris, but she should now be known as Third Consort Eris." Third Consort Eris waved to the Officials like a celebrity, unbefitting of the reserved nature of undead royalty, but so charmed by her looks, most of the undead with a flesh fetish let it pass. Many female Officials spat when they saw these perverted Official salivate. "My Consorts... Are to be treated as you would treat me. If you have any questions about their orders, you may ask the pope to speak to me directly. I maybe your God-King but I will answer worthy questions. [How do you like that... Celibate for two thousand years, and then takes three consorts within a year...] Gordon wondered the backwards acting of the God-King... It seemed the rest of the Officials rolled with the changes, but why did Gordon feel he was the only one that felt everything took a one-eighty since his reawakening... Perhaps it was best to die with such thoughts to himself. "As for my last piece of news..." The God-King stood up for the third time, but this time he was accompanied by the First Consort, Consort Leslie, "My First Consort was kind enough to allow me to love her. We have both decided that on the day of the new City of Bellum''s Official opening, will be the day of Our Black Wedding, and the beginning of a new Era and Chapter for the History of Deagoth!" Moved by the words of the God-King, many female Official''s clapped their bony hands together, as they too stood up... This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Many muttered, the words ''that she was kind enough to ALLOW him to love her!'' Seeing the female Official''s standing and clapping, many of the denser males followed suit and stood as they clapped. After the thunderous applause started to wane, the God-King was heard, "Pope Lucius... bring court to an end... The Consorts are tired, as so am I... We retire. Court again in six months, unless pressing matters need to be attended." ******* Just after entering Deagoth from the Border of Stonedge at the outskirts of a mid-sized town called Sulzheim, did the clacking of hooves beat on a cobblestone road. "Trip, trap, trip, trap" did the hooded girl sound, as she walked down the center of town. It was not unusual for undead to pass this way, so thought the residents of this border down. Many, however, were spooked by any unknown undead, due to the constant raiding of Stonedge. It was said that the, now, God-King would be siding his forces... But that was half a year ago... Where were they? "Trip, trap, trip, trap" Did the hooded girl continue, until she passed a pub. She looked upward to the sign, though she could vaguely guess what the runic symbols of voidic meant, she could care less as long as they served milk... As Trip, trap, trip tape turn to blip, blap, blip, blap sounding dull on the bone floor of the pub, the bell rang as the door closed behind the little hooded girl. Many of the pubs undead looked up from their dice games and conversations over black bubbling mead. "blip, blap, blip, blap" the Little girl walked to the counter of the pub with what little sense she had... The tall skeletal Bartender looked over the counter down to the hooded girl to see her face. "Welcome to the Yellow Face Inn and Pub... Staying for the night, or just a place to rest?" The Bartender, come, innkeeper asked. He found it strange that a nice looking little undead girl was by herself... Her parents must have been of money with just a nice-looking body for their child. "Milk''aaaah." The Little girl spoke with an odd tone in her voice. "Milk?" The bartender asked, and once he received her nodding, he reached to the back where the ice coolers were to fetch what they had for milk. These ice coolers were supplied ice by the ice cultivators of the town for Cubiks. He turned back with a covered tankard, as he spoke, "Little one, I''m not sure if you like Underworld Goat Milk... It''s an acquired taste, as I suspect that you would be more into Rich Bat''s Milk..." "I looooove goat''s milk. It''s the Baaah-est!" "Oh, alright then, here." The Bartender took out a small glass and filled it, as he passed it to her. Down in a gulp, as she asked, "More." "Oh?" Again, he poured, and again, "More." "..." The Bartender now curious about how much she could drink, just passed her the tankard, and was surprised when she didn''t show any weakness in lifting the tankard to her mouth gulping down the think yellowish-gray milk. Finally finishing with an "Aaaah," the little girl hefted the Tankard back to the counter. "Well, then... That''s going to be five bits of a Cubik." The Bartender finally priced as he laughed seeing her so satisfied. "What''s a cubeah''kik?" "Huh?" "Not sure..." The little girl spoke again. "You know? Monies? Say where''s your mama, little one? I''m sure she''ll pay... Don''t tell me you wandered off from her..." The bartender wasn''t much worried about five bits of a Cubik. After all, she was just a little thing, and she was cute, soooooo Bias. "My mommy is with my daddy making more mes. My daddy sent me to find his Baaah-estfriend. So, I was thirsty... Ask for milk and directions... I thought I was going the right way... baaah-ta, I don''t know." "Well... Who''s your mommy, little one. She could pay for you, and if she tells me where you guys are going, I would be more than happy to help you." "Really? Baaah-ta... Mommies home. Do you know where the God of this land lives?" The bartender scratched the back of his head... "Little one... The God of this Land? Like the God-King? He lives in Saigunrai, the capital of this Kingdom. You sure you want to know how to get there... It''s not really safe going by yourself and with no money... I not sure..." "No problem mister... Mommy and daddy showed me how to defend myself." The little girl persisted and seemed confident. "Well... Follow the road out of town to the south... Keep following it through another town to Sosuhalf, go between the twin peaks and to the harbor of Herecn. There you can ferry to Saigunrai for Cubiks, or take the long way around the inlet and follow the shore to Saigunrai that way... It''s a long trip." "No probaah-lem." The little girl nodded and turned. "Wait... Wait... Little one... You should go back home, or at least get your mommy here." The little girl stopped and turned... "Do you want to know my Mommy''s name? "Ummm... I don''t know if I know her, but if it''s a good last name, I might know her people." "Hehe, here." The little girl walked closer to the counter and called to the Bartender to lean down. He did so... "Closer to me, so I can whisper it to you." The Bartender thought it odd, he had good undead hearing, but... okay...? The sounds of goat bleating, and guttural sounds issued not unlike before, but with an odd up tone in swing... almost like the happy sounds of kids playing in the farm fields. The little girl giggled, as she turned around and walked out of the pub come inn. "blip, blap, blip, blap" As she pushed the door open, and walked out... Many of the pub-goers that were interested in the little girl turned back to see the Bartender Sean begin to contort and turn... Tables turned and crashed spilling mead, dice, and foods all over the floor, as some bailed out of the door, and others crawled out of the windows. The others trapped on the inside, watched as dark flesh twisted on the bones of the skeletal undead, as he continued. The glimpses of the Bartender and his otherworldly screams continued, until finally, he got up from behind the counter, as he looked around. Those still left watched on in amazement... The Bartender... The keeper of the Inn... Sean... Was alive...! Healthy skin, and rosy cheeks... Unlike anything these undead seen before! But before they could ask, or question what this was... they soon saw the healthy flesh turn dark, and gray... A deathly color rose, and patches of flesh turned dead and fell to the floor. Pieces and patches of hair fell... Until finally, Sean got to his mirror and looked, as he knew something was wrong with his looks. "Hot damn!" Sean cried in joy. "S-Sean?" One old master of the pub called out that was too unlucky to leave fast enough, witness the scene. "Yeah, old Bobby! It''s a miracle! Must be the God-King''s child! When did he get a child?! Or was it best friend?! I don''t know but this is great!" "Sean??? Wut tha hell did it do to ya?" "Old Bobby, you senile old bastard, you remember I used to be the hot stuff of this town years ago, before my accident at the mines of the Grimnights! This is my flesh! I never wanted to be a skeleton!" "Wut?" Old Bobby asked in confusion! "I bet my wife will take me back now! Old Bobby, I''ll pay ya two Cubiks to close the place. I''m going to go see Barbara! REAPING IS BACK ON THE MENU BOYS!" The door opened, as a half-nude Sean, kicked an undead out of his way still blocking the way, as he ran out across the street yelling his wife''s name. "..." Old Bobby got up and dusty himself off... Went to the Counter and took the good bottle of Whiskey Weed from behind the counter and chugged it. "I''ll take this, Eep... For me payment... Eep..." Old Bobby, the large Zombie and old master of the town hiccupped twice before yelling in his old captain''s voice, "ALRIGHT YA GITS! BEST GETS THE FUQ OUT THIS PUB OR UP IN THE INN! BUT YA BEST BE FINDING A PLACE TO STAY! OLD BOBBY''S IN CHARGE TONIGHT!" A ruckus raised when others came to see the commotion and the clergy were informed the following day the bats rose to fly... Chapter 214: Have you seen... The Yellow Sign? Jack was left behind after his new royal robes were removed. Leslie went to check on her duties to the Silent Scream, Emily dashed off somewhere saying she was still hungry... Jack had a strong feeling the direction was to the crypts below, while Eris was largely silent, as she only said a few words of parting before going to her room. [What''s wrong with her???] Jack shook his head as his office door opened at his intention. He floated to the front of his Office, and with his intention, the door swung open, and as Jack was to pass through... He couldn''t help but stare into what was supposed to be his Office and beyond. Looking out into the yellowish space of some otherworldly metropolis... Jack couldn''t help but continue to look into the sky at the blackened stars that shined down in the presence of twin suns that hung low over a black-veiled but spired city with many tips pointing to the tawny-colored skies above and bulged domes... Surrounding the gloriously ruined city was a placid lake, with a moist wind that Jack could even feel... Such sensations were almost all but lost to Jack until this moment his door opened to reveal the contents of someplace that should not be his office. The archway beyond the lake laid figures that lumped and sloshed through the winding roads that swirled around the towers like the wax ways of a hive... Dripping from every roof and shingle came a think amber liquid that coated the buildings in a stickiness reminiscent of honey, but even this sweet concoction could not hide the smell... Jack without the ability to understand taste or smell, could only say that he detected in some strange way... The odor of this place... The sickly-sweet smell of decay. The one that draws by on long days of rays of the sun beating down on the corpse that lay by the side of the road from mistakes quickly made. Almost like the smell of bread that laid too long on the shelve that began to germinate life that isn''t so pleasant, that sweet smell that would fight the very thing it was... Decay. How could Jack know where he was, and out of instinct, how could he not float back, as he was indeed still floating. However, as he floated back, the walls that should be to contain him within his castle where... Not. Gone was the winding corridor he just treaded... The Obsidian floor that was to be known, and the bony inlaid walls... All that remained was a door frame, and a door still open. [Fuck this...] Jack floated over and grabbed the knob of the door and slammed it shut, with a dull noise that echoed in his surroundings, unlike the dank sounds that adored his royal home. Jack looked to the side hoping to see as the door slammed, the disappearance of this yellow xanthous place... Yet he remained. Still in front of the closed door, still surrounded by fields of yellow dandelions that all drooped with a curved depraved shape, not facing the twin suns but set toward the ground. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "Haaaa~" Jack floated around the door frame to look again across the lake to the languid shapes that moved through the city. Over the Gateway into the city, at the top of the facing showed a pallid mask with two black eye slits. It was smooth overall... No expression. Jack floated over the shore of the placid lake, that had the undertones of a sulfuric spring. Coming closer, Jack found that it wasn''t as placid as he thought. It boiled and popped, but as it did, it caused no rippled on the surface. [Well... That settles it... Not in Kansas anymore... Where the hell is my toto?] Jack joked in his mind, as he tried to rationalize how he came here. Noticing a diseased tentacle rose out of the water, it whipped in the sky, before capturing some large black bat-like creature that darted from the autumn colored forest to the sides of the lake. The rotten appendage of some cephalopod coiled around the struggling bat, before it was dragged under the rancid lake''s surface, as the surface returned to its ever still tension, minus the boiling pops. [...Yoggi... Where the fuck am I...?] Jack called in his mind, but unlike the laughter that usually came... Jack was met with silence. After many minutes of contemplation, Jack floated high over the lake, much higher than the Bat, and flew across to the City in the distance. ******* Jack landed, of sorts, on the opposite side of the lake. It was only now, that the forms he made out before appeared before him in clarity. These slime-like creatures slumped and walked... Tan in color, and with skulls for heads, almost like the games Jack seen slimes in games before, but each wore clothes and appears as if they had no bones to keep them upright. This might have been the reason for the oddest of gaits, as the slunk from leg to leg, and staggered with a drunken swagger. It was admiring one, that had a coat of think matted golden moss, did one approach Jack. It spoke in a language Jack hadn''t heard, but within Jack''s mind, he heard it all the same. "Have you seen... The Yellow Sign?" Not sure how to respond, Jack decided to talk as he always had, and hope for the best... He didn''t feel threatened to attack from this... Being. "I have not. What is the Yellow Sign?" Jack replied. The yellow slime man slumped over and walked pass Jack, as he Jack never stood there before... Jack watched as he passed and continued until the slime man took a railing up to another level and disappeared into the bulb-like domed building. "..." Jack shook his head, and floated deeper into the city, crossing the threshold ever deeper into this sepia-colored cityscape. Jack flew up to another level of these mustard colored brick roads, as he landed at the edge, another daffodil colored slime creature approached, this time with a feminine persuasion. "Have you seen... The Yellow Sign?" It asked in a tone that Jack could now tell was female. "... Everything is yellow..." This time the slime lady nodded her butterscotch skull, as black fluids dripped from the eye sockets within the gelatinous mass, a large leap, and she fell from the third layer of butter brick road in the sky. Jack floated to the edge after being puzzled to see that she became a blonde smear on the city floor below... Her clothes dissolved quickly, as it seems she was made of some acid that sprung from its casing at her impact. "..." Jack was more lost than anything... Again, from behind he heard, "Have you seen... The Yellow Sign?" "...you seen... The Yellow Sign?" "...seen... The Yellow Sign?" Jack turned his head to look over his shoulder, as his flaming eyes danced with an eerie color to see three more slime people, with their amber gazes reflecting back to him. Jack turned to see these three that approached, in their two suits and one dress, as they slumped and lurched to him over the high spun brick road from the building that was erected to the side. "...Yes... I have seen the Yellow Sign." Jack spoke, as his eyes flickered again, with an angry light, that failed to reflect on the passage of yellow surroundings. Chapter 215: The Play down in Carcosa Prompted by Jack''s response, the gent, but slumped slimes turned to walk away. Jack stood at the edge of the brick way suspended in the sky between the domed buildings, watching as the figures were retreating. Jack''s temper cooled somewhat now that he got a different response. The female dress slimed turned again, it''s bobbling skull submerged in its viscous honey jam-like body tilted as if to watch Jack. "The Pallid mask draws the map to Carcosa... The King has been expecting you..." The slime woman slunk back to its path. Jack shrugged, as he decided to follow behind. The slime woman and Jack caught up to the other two proceeding honey made men to lurch about the brick road as it descended down to the lower levels, as other roads intersected and looped back. Down they continued into the heart of this mustard-colored city, following a road that Jack swore he saw before... Bored for a time of just following the three slime things, Jack, of course, looked over the city. It was filled with many many yellow slime-like peoples of various shapes and sizes. They wandered from building to building as if living some vain of life. The sky became dimmer in its yellow folds as if the curtain was being drawn for the play''s next scene, Jack even felt that maybe canary sounds that whistled through the buildings as the wind blew brought on a change of pace. Finally, in what Jack felt was the center of this sparling cityscape of various yellow hues, did the slimes lead to a large Greek-style theatre built into the stone ways that lead down to the stage. Jack walked to the edge to see the stage. On the stage was a large group of birch trees, that he only knew were because of the sign on the stage that said... "Fall of the Birch." This grouping of five trees were covered in a thick matte of yellow lichen that produced a bubbling and popping blond jelly that oozed until it dripped to the floor of the stage, leaving behind thin strings along the branches connected to the floor. It was at this time, that over in the stands to the left of the stage did a voice rise, "You made it just in time for my favorite part. Come have a seat." Jack looked to the voice to see a hooded yellow figure in the seats. It was leaned back in its seat, and with a hood, no face was shown. In fact, it appeared as there was no face at all, as if the hood was held up by nothing. Above the hood, covered it was a yellow crown made of brass that oxidized at the edges to finally show a color of teal that was thankfully not yellow. The last artifact of this yellow hooded being was a large necklace that was worn on the outside of the robes. Jack floated over to the figure, as he stood next to him to see some type of strange rune on it. Like a question mark had sex with the roman letter "Y" and then found out they were related at a later date... This was the child of that union... A grotesque yellow sign. "I know I''m handsome, but don''t stand there all day. Sit, and watch." The Yellow hooded figure gestured to the seat beside him within this empty theater. Jack floated over and sat. Time passed, as Jack didn''t say anything, nor did the yellow-crowned and hooded figure. They both stared at the grouping of birch trees on stage that seemed to be struggling under the weight of the yellow growth upon the trunk and branches. After a long period of time, much longer than Jack was going to originally a lot and as he was about to speak, he heard from the figure, "Finally... The Climax!" Bewildered, Jack looked from the stage to the empty hood of the yellow robes, and then back to the stage... Finally,... If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "CRACK!" The Birch closest to the edge of the stage snapped in half and fell into the rest of the remaining birch trees. Now leaned upon the others, it added more weight, as the rest of the birth trees issued cracking sounds. "Clap." "Clap!" Jack looked to the side to see the yellow hooded figure stand, clapping again and again, that started soft, but now he clapped vigorously, as the sound of his clapping issued and filled the entire place... As if thousands of hands were clapping. "MARVIOUSLY! SUCH RESILIENCE! BRILLIANT!" It was at this time, that the curtains fell to enclose the stage. "ENCORE! ENCORE!!" Jack looked to the curtain, and then back to the yellow figure. "..." As much as Jack wanted to retort, he couldn''t help but be at a loss for words. Again, the pallid curtain rose, to show the same scene of the birch tree to be broken and leaning against the other trees. The Yellow figure whistled, as the other trees cracked, and they too... Snapped in half and fell over. Now on stage, only the stumps of the trees were exposed with the birch logs shattered on the stage floor, as if dissolving. With that, the curtain fell again. "YES! YES YES YES! THAT''S HOW IT''S DONE!" As the sound of clapping slowed, the hooded figure sat back down not even out of breath, "This is my favorite play, he spoke, "The Fall of the Birch... But it seems the actors were even better this time than last... Simply glorious display of talent, skill, and realism!" It seemed the hooded bobbed up and down as if nodding. "Who are you?" Jack finally asked the question that he wanted to know most. "How curious... Not where are you, but who are you?" The yellow one seemed humored, as he continued, "It seems you got a little something coming your way that I''m most... Interested in..." The figured leaned back within his seat again, as the chair squeaked in sounds of protest. As the figure drew in his hands that were clapping earlier, it was now that Jack noticed that the hands exposed to be covered in some type of crispy yellow flakes... Like they were rolled in corn flakes, as they shredded off skin as the figured moved. "Alright... What is it that you want?" Jack rolled with the punches. "The dark young... I''m a collector of sorts, you see. I simply must have her. She''s rare among her sisters." The Yellow figure talked of some creature, but also spoke as if it was a person... Was it a creature? A person? A thing? Jack couldn''t guess if it was a thing or not since it was to be ''collected.'' "I don''t really know what a dark young is..." Jack prompted, trying to fish for more information. "Haha, Alright, listen here, you bony little shit." The hollow hooded figure slumped over to the side as if he contained no bones. His polite tone changed to a damning and accusing tone. "You got one of hers coming here, and I want her. Pass the dark young to me when you get her, and I might think about letting your pathetic shitstain of a kingdom survive another thousand years." Jack listened but didn''t comment. "I know you understand me. Do I have to turn your little lovers into a pile of snot for you to take opportunity or would it be best for me to-" Jack''s flaming eyes flashed, as he rose up to strike... But before being restrained by some invisible force. "Tch, tch, tch... Just because I''m talking to you as an equal doesn''t make you an equal. I''m humoring my brother by not turning his favorite piece into a pile of bones that should have been..." The Yellow figure flipped his wrist with a nonchalant attitude, as Jack slammed into his floor next to him sending a couple of theater seats flying in different directions. [Could really use some of Crag''s dust right now...] Jack groaned in his mind. It seemed that his blow was harder than the Monkey that attacked his kingdom. "Now... I''m being polite to you. I''m willing to make a trade with you for this dark young." Jack slumped over on the floor, as he floated back up. The floor cracked under him as he lifted off back into the air. "...What dark young?" Jack''s question now changed... "Is your skull for your soul, or is it for shit? My brother has sent his daughter to you, and I''m... As I said before, a collector of sorts. Since she''s yours... She''s mine, now... But I''m not like my brother... I''m willing to trade instead of assuming it was mine to begin with." Jack now back upright tilted his head, as if to straighten it on himself, "Alright, first off... Yellow, hooded, Jackass... Hastur, I presume?" Jack had been searching his memories and coming up with what he was dealing with... He didn''t know where he was but while thinking, Jack Noticed something that was unlike Yoggi... "I must not be named..." The yellow rot spoke with his solemn tone. "Alright, Ass-Tur... I''m just going to call you Asstur for short." Jack commented, after rubbing his head. "..." The yellow figure brought up his hand toward Jack as if to flick away a gnat. "I don''t believe I would do that, Asstur." "...And why wouldn''t you believe that..." "Because I''ve been thinking, and you haven''t commented on it at all." "..." Asstur put down his hand, as he continued, "What''s that got to do with me." Chapter 216: Temptations of the Yellow Sign "It means that you can''t read my mind like Yoggi." Jack replied to Asstur''s question. "...Is that what you call him? Yoggi?" Asstur asked with a serious tone. "Yeah...?" Jack admitted, slightly confused. "PFFT~!" Asstur seemed to make a sound as if he was spraying drink from his mouth... Though Jack couldn''t see anything within the darkness of his Yellow hood, and what followed was a creepy laugh. Laughter erupted from the theater. As if the sounds of a creaking house in the dead of night could laugh, this was the shrill sound that echoed from what sounded to be many beings, though Jack could see none around him, but the Yellow hooded Asstur in front of him. "And he''s okay with being called that?!" Asstur caught up to ask again. "Well, he wasn''t too keen on it, but I guess he lives with it." Jack shrugged, wondering if there was a joke he missed. A bit of laughter followed before Asstur stood up from his seat. He then took a step and appeared to the side of Jack, where he then threw his yellow-robed arm around Jack''s neck. "I have to admit... I see why my brother likes you." Asstur confessed. "I have a question... Well, I actually have a dozen, but I have to ask... Why are you calling him brother? Isn''t he like your father or something?" Jack scratched his bald head while feeling strange prickling pain along his shoulder bones and spine that was being touched by Asstur. "Fuck no, he''s not my father. Uh, excuse my language. I''m a son of the Blind Idiot God like everyone else. My brother is more keen on everyone''s lineage than I am... As for the rest of your questions... I''ll answer one more before We need to get back to the topic of me obtaining that Dark Young." Asstur spoke with some amusement, showing that he was in a good mood for whatever strange reason. Jack floated forward from Asstur''s over the shoulder hug, as the prickling pain began to spread from his shoulders and next to the rest of him. "Then... Where am I, and how did I get here?" Jack asked. "That''s actually two questions, but close enough for me... You''re in my City of Carcosa, and I brought you here to trade for the Dark Young," Asstur spoke followed by that creepy laugh. "I see... Car-Co-Sah..." Jack continued to think to himself, as he spoke along. "You already know what I''m after, but it seems that maybe I haven''t provided enough incentive to trade, is it? What is it that you want?" Asstur spread out his arms in a "T" Pose, as he floated into the sky, as he continued to speak. [Nobody: Not a single fucking person: Asstur: Imma just T-Pose on ya boy...] Jack retorted in his mind, as he watched Asstur ascend into the saffron skies. "I can offer riches that you have never seen or dreamed!!! But why tell you, when I can show you!" Asstur''s voice shook the realm, as he laughed again like a legion of rats chattered at the sight of a feast. Jack was plotting his next move, when Asstur''s robed arm appeared before him and swept over him, like a blanket thrown over him. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Almost instantly the area changed, as Jack could no longer see the theater, and heard Asstur continue from the side of him. "If you want, I can provide all that could ever behold! Knowledge is it?! That''s why so many seek my brother... BEHOLD! The Library of Carcosa!" Jack looked on to see rows and rows of books... All of which were in various states of decay, but the area, in all of its gold-hued glory continued well out of sight. He even seemed that they were underground, as Jack could tell that there was no light, he wondered how it was illuminated. His eyes traced the numerous shelves of books lined done the endless corridor. Jack could also see many yellow slime-people moving and slinky along within the endless abyssal library. With the many tables and chairs, it seemed these slimes were learning from these decrepit tomes. Again, Asstur''s robes swept Jack, as his surroundings changed. "Power?! I can lend the forces of Carcosa! BEHOLD the standing army of my Pallid Mask!" Jack looked out into blond wastes to see unending numbers of yellow slimes lined up in formations. Other otherworldly contraptions, that Jack suspected to be armored weapons of some sort of tanks, lined up as well. This seemed to be some type of invasion force... Panic slowly filtered into the mind of Jack... It was one thing to contend with an Eldritch God... It was another to see the power they wielded as a physical object instead of some abstract concept. Before Jack could raise a question, Asstur''s robes fluttered again, and his surroundings followed. "Personal Power?! I can give you the secrets to the Tome of the Yellow Sign!" Jack found that he was within some type of temple, and a large pale mustard-colored book laid upon a podium at the head of the temple. So large the tome on the podium that was open appeared as if a football game could be played on the pages, but a god or an army? Again, the robe blanketed Jack''s sight, as his surroundings changed. "Mortal Women!? Name the woman, and she''ll be yours within the hour!" Asstur''s voice boomed, though it seemed that it wasn''t heard by those in front of them. Jack found that he was staring at a harem of ladies. They all seemed to be bored as if waiting for something. All kinds of females where presently represented here. Jack was excited to see the fabled "Cat-Girls!" Her ears were on the top of her head, and she yawned lazily, as she along with others of her kind stretched their waists. There were other types of half-human type females, wolves, dragons, centaur, of course, humans, there were even skeletal female undead, zombies, and what Jack thought was a witch by the motif apparel. There were ladies of all ages, of very young appearance that Jack questioned mortality, and those of an advanced age and those in between. Those that seemed to be of a more artful type, and those that appeared to be extremely capable. Where was this? Jack wondered. Asstur chuckled seeing a reaction of Jack, but he flipped his robe nevertheless and covered the two, as he continued, " Riches!? The Vaults of Carcosa can be turned out today!" Jack found that again his surroundings changed, and again he looked at endless fields of gold, glowstone, and amber diamonds... The amber diamonds were so abundant that it seemed to be like the sand on a beach to an ocean of glowstone. Jack could feel the pull of the glowstone as if it called to him. Asstur nodded, and flicked his robes, "Lands?! Name any place in the cosmos, and I can show you the way." Jack''s vision flickered as different places flashed his vision. Tangled overgrown walkways made of plants suspended over a dark lush jungle teeming with life. A large mountain that seemed to be made of Clockwork gears, as it moved and clanked, steam spouted from the top like a volcano erupting with ashe, and lands surrounding it ran with refined brass, as robotic looking beings forged various wares. An endless Ocean with life so bizarre that it seemed more alien that nature, with various large creatures of the sea erupting from the surface, as strange calls were made to agitate each other. A wasteland irradiated by harsh sun rays but glittered with precious metals and stones... What life was seen was the toughest that Jack had seen thus far, as armored beetles fought with dinosaur looking reptiles the size of houses. The images started to come much too far... Must faster than Jack could keep up... Until... Endless fields of green grass, large hearty cities populated with humans. A sun that shined down with a golden radiance, and robust looking mountains and seas... Fertile and inviting¡­ Almost¡­ Nostalgic. "Yes... This is the Overworld of your Underworld." Asstur''s voice filtered into Jack''s mind. Then the scene changed again, as Jack found he was back at the entrance of Carcosa, the yellow city of madness. "I''ve shown you what there is to gain... It is but a parlor''s trick to provide any of these that you desire... I just need that Dark Young." Chapter 217: He is the Key, the Gate, and the Guardian Jack looked around and finally nodded. Asstur''s hooded figure seemed to quiver watching Jack nodded as if expecting him to say yes. "You sure are interested in this dark young. I would love to know what makes her so special that you are willing to fork out this much." Jack continued to speak, "but thankfully... This is given me just enough time to finish my incantation." Jack raised his right hand into the air, "He knows the gate..." "...What?" "HE IS THE GATE!" "Wait..." "HE IS THE KEY AND THE GUARDIAN OF THE GATE!" "NO!" "PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE! ALL ARE ONE IN YOG-SOTHOTH!" "FUCK NO! DON''T CALL HIM HERE!" Asstur fanned his robed arm, as a force slammed into Jack sending him flipping through the archway of Carcosa and collapsing a tower into rubble. Jack pushed a large stone slab that fell on him out of the way, as he murmured with a chuckle, "NOG FOTH YOG-SOTHOTH! M''GAHNNN SHUGGNGLUI!!!" "Damn you..." Asstur who was going to continue his attack touched back down on the ground. ??So, this is where you were?? Yoggi''s voice echoed and reverberated within the realm. Jack looked up to see one of the moons that hung over Carcosa split a slit within the moon. Soon purple liquid dripped from the slit that seemed to be carved into the surface of the moon, as the gash tore apart to reveal a large vertical pupil that looked down as if the moon was an eye, the eye of Yog-Sothoth. "No one called you here!" Asstur pointed into the air with his crusted yellow finger. ??Oh? It''s not like I want to come to this cesspool you call home, but it seems that I''m needed.?? Yoggi continued "We haven''t had a good fight in a while! Get down here and talk shit to my face or are you afraid that I might take Shubby as my own!" Asstur spoke, as the yellow film on his body dissolved. His form liquified and splashed onto the ground of Carcosa. Jack knowing his job was done, flew from the rubble while holding his left should that ached. He flew away to watch from the sidelines the show he put together. Now at a safe distance, Jack took notice that the towers of Carcosa twisted in their blond images, as they began to rise from the ground as if pushed upward into the sky. These towers then began to bend and curl. He could see the towers of Carcosa that rose up and flexed. It was at this moment Jack realized the towers of Carcosa were the fingers of Hastur, as the ground shifted and moved with a robe-like feeling. the putrid lake rose up and revealed itself to be the pallid mask of the unspeakable one as the yellow hood of Hastur soon formed from the land of Carcosa itself that became the body of the Yellow King, as the Yellow King born from the ground finally rose into the sky in all his colossal might. His robes made of the very lands of Carcosa, and the towers his fingers and the plazas his palms, with the putrid yellow lake as his Mask within his hood that was made of the prairies. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ??I''m conducting business here! Get out!?? Roared Asstur as he assumed what Jack figured was either his true form or some exotic proxy. ??But you''ve been building a clubhouse this hol'' time, and you didn''t even invite me? Shameful.?? Jack amplified his voice many times to be heard, "Aye, Yoggi, he''s trying to get me to sell off the dark young you sent me... Whatever that is..." ??Dear brother... Still collecting my things??? The bleeding moon in the sky blinked, as large washes of amaranthine colored fluids expelled from the eye as if it cried. ??Not like you ever cared before! You know what I do!?? The Yellow figured pointed and accused, as Asstur''s movements became exaggerated, Jack could see the former slime residents falling from the towers that became the hands of Asstur. They plummeted many kilometers to splat on the ground, in a gory honey-colored rain. ??How many of my daughters do you have now? Hmmm, should I set them free while I''m here??? ??You stay the fuck away from my collection!?? ??As your big brother... What good is power if you don''t abuse it... Isn''t that right, Jack??? Laughter erupted from the pale moon that blinked and bled, as the mustard blond twilight skies darkened, there came a cracking sound. Jack nearly fell out of the sky from the impact of the sound alone. As if a volcano awoke from its dormant sleep, roaring to life! It echoed in the realm and reverberated. The parts of the surroundings of Carcosa not a part of the form of Asstur instantly burst into dust and swept away by the wind. Jack was awed and lifted his head to continue to watch, even while holding it in pain. He saw massive fissures in the sky, as it appeared darkness dripped into the area. Soon pieces of the sky began to plummet to the ground, only to dissolve into nothingness before impact. The now cracked open sky revealed the Macro Cosmos beyond... Jack now knew that this place was between the worlds, an area like he visited last time with Yoggi and Shub. Asstur must have isolated this place from Yoggi and the rest. That''s why Yoggi must have referred to it as his clubhouse! ??Stop breaking my things! Do you know how long it took to make this!? Like! Four hours! FOUR HOURS!?? Asstur finally threw the first true attack. His crusty hand of towers balled into a fist of wreckage as it smashed into the Moon''s eye. "Clap!" "Crack!" [A punch... Eldritch beings fight like... Commoners... Just... Everyday people... My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.] Jack thought within his mind, as he watched the moon in the void skies break apart from the impact of Asstur''s fist, as the figure of Yoggi loomed in the darkness behind the shattered moon outside the dome of these amber lands. The large countless tentacles invaded from the Dark beyond the Macro Cosmos into the cracked open world of Asstur''s. ??Let''s see if you will submit to my might again, dear brother!?? Yoggi''s large bubbled head with it''s cephalopod persuasion loomed in the distance. As the Tentacles raced to Asstur''s titanic form, a purple solution was slung and dripped across the land. Where it dripped, amethyst colored squid faced humanoids crawled out of the muck, dressed in robes. Some of these squid people carried weapons with their tentacle-like arms. Jack could see swords, axes, and staves made of some black metal. Jack followed their line of sight to find that the Yellow slime people that splatted earlier, had reformed and took up arms as well. [Now this! THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO WATCH!] Jack roared in his mind, as he saw the purple-headed squid monster men charge while cackling crazed languages best forgotten, while the yellow slime humanoids launched themselves through the area with their weapons made of rotten hardwood axes, and staves of gnarled birch, while overhead the titanic forms of Yoggi and Asstur traded blows, that rippled the land like turbulent seas! Jack looked up as he heard the angry voice of Asstur, ??Your little death cannot harm me, for I have never lived so I can never die!?? While the calm voice of Yoggi echoed back in the laughter of numerous creatures, ??And with strange eons even, I, death may die, brother! And if I can, so can you!?? Chapter 218: What has been Seen cant be Unseen As the clash of the Titanic figures above the wastes of Carcosa continued, Jack watched from the side. All the while, the two above engaged in arcane close-quarters combat, so too did the spawn of the brothers below fight as an orgy of yellow and purple fluids flow like blood from the fierce war below. Jack saw during the war of the slimes and squidfaces died, they collapsed and returned to the sludge of their respective eldritch god. Yellow for Asstur and purple for Yoggi. [Why doesn''t the fluids of these dead minions not rise again?] Jack wondered. With some thoughts in mind, Jack lifted his hand, and the light condensed into a golden tube. [Maybe I should collect some... Samples while I''m here...] Jack thought back to his Library to the slimes and imps held captive he was experimenting with the Tome Yoggi last passed to him. Jack flew down and weaved through the shield-wall of the squidfaces... Interestingly enough they did not attempt to stop him, nor did they attack him. Jack scooped up the blood of the squidface, and then produced another vail to scoop up the purple liquid that was giving rise to more squid face, as the form of Yoggi bled above from the brother''s brawl. Jack flew over to the Yellow slime but were met with resistance. Unlike the squidface, these slimes were angered by his presence, as Jack dodged weapon attacks. [I don''t know if I blast these fuckers, will it alert Assface up there...] Jack thought to himself, as he dodged another round of attacks. With the slimes distracted with his presence, the minions of Yoggi began to gain ground, to which the yellow slimes redirected focus, lest they fall short. Jack confirmed these created minions had some sort of intellect, as he scooped up two batches of the yellow liquid of Asstur''s, both of his direct blood and one of the dead slimes. ??Do you have everything you want??? The numerous sounds of creatures asked, as it shook Jack''s mind. "Ugh... Yeah..." Jack flew back up, knowing now that his actions were seen by Yoggi. ??Then I''ll send you back.?? Before Jack could properly react to these words, a wealth of tentacles swarmed him, coating him in a thick transparent wine-colored gel. ??You''re going to have to forgive me in advance... My brother brought you here in body and soul... So, this might hurt a bit!?? The laughter of many creatures again sprang from nothingness. ??I''m not done with my deal! He hasn''t said yes or no!?? Asstur howled over the sounds of war, as his yellow robe turned bladed on the end slicing toward the tentacles that held Jack. ??He summoned me! If that''s not a no, then you''re more dense than Our Father!?? ??YOU HAVEN''T EVEN TALKED TO FATHER, SO HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW...! Excuse my language?? Asstur continued his strike, as the sound of his voice seemed to be carried by a legion of bound victims. At the last moment, Yoggi blocked the bladed robe with some conjured violet bubble. ??I''ll repair the hole, but it might take a bit of time to settle here.?? Yoggi spoke again, as the surrounding Squidfaces raved and reveled in the sound of their father. The ecstasy that his voice brought his minions drove them to plow a path through the slimes shield wall and deeper into the Carcosa wastes. "Can I speak to Asstur before you do whatever?" Jack asked all of a sudden, as both Yoggi and Asstur paused their actions. So quickly did they pause, that Asstur''s bladed robe was still posed in the air for another strike, and Yoggi''s recoil of a ball of Tentacles come fist was still pulled back for the punch. On the ground surrounding the wastes, the Slimes and Squidfaces still had their weapons high, but it seemed as if someone or something hit the pause button. Jack could only figure it was the doing of the two eldritch gods in front of him. ??What is it??? Asstur asked as if a thousand mufflered voices sounded., as he noticed that Yoggi reciprocated his pause. "I''d like to pass on your offer. I want to know what makes this dark young so special. I also think it would be a dick move to sell my best friends'' daughter, and it''s super creep of you to want to pick her up anyway." ??Well... I appreciate you letting me know, but don''t think this is over. I will get that dark young, as you mortals say... By hook or by crook.?? Asstur continued. "Thanks for the play, by the way." Jack scratched his bald head. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ??Oh... Well... You''re most welcome. I''ll invite you to the next showing, depending on the dark young... I can see why my brother takes such an interest in you. Now, be gone. I need to finish off my brother once and for all, and take Shub as my wife, and have all the dark young for myself!?? Jack clutched his head, as he heard the sounds of battle restart, almost as if they never stopped, before feeling that Yoggi was moving him backwards. Jack glanced around to see that he was held high in the sky of the worlds between. He could see the galaxies and nebulas, almost as if he could reach out and touch them. Looking down, he saw the long arm of Yoggi that was stretched so long that he could only make out the battle down below as a single dot. Then... Without notice... Acceleration. As Jack was slingshotted downward, he heard the passing voice of Yoggi, ??Don''t listen to anything you hear as you go down and DON''T look around, or it might drive you more mad, ah ha... hahahahahahAH hahahA AH AH aH AhahahA hAhA hAhA AHahhaAHA!?? The laughter of Yoggi and Asstur overlapped as if they heard some cosmic joke that Jack wasn''t smart enough to understand. As he processed this impression, Jack plunged through the floor of the world between. The feeling, he felt, could only be described as swimming through pudding, though he would later wonder if this was due to the gel covering of Yoggi, but when he stood on the grounds of the world between it had always felt solid to him. Bursting out the other side after an unknown amount of time penetrating the pudding-like landmass that was the floor of the world between Jack''s vision finally came back into view. It revealed again... Galaxies, stars, and dark masses... As he was hurling through the void, he had enough time to see that the Dark Mass twisted along and following this dark mass that was darker than the void around it. Not heeding the advice of Yoggi, Jack continued to look and made out a shape... It... [This is a branch!] Jack could see that the dark mass was a branch, as he continued to follow his sight along the branch to the trunk, and down and down and... [Fucking?!? Yggdrasil!?] Jack could only name in his mind the name of the world tree, as he watched the stars and galaxy clusters hang from the dark branches of like leaves of a tree. [Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!] Jack was more surprised that the world tree was the shape of the omniverse than meeting Asstur, as he felt he was somehow touching on some primal truth, that mortal minds might not be meant to know. It was at this time, that Jack was following the branches, that he looked to the top of the tree. Straining his neck to look up, as he was hurling through the void. The top of the tree was a massive cloud of something that bubbled. It was at this time, that Jack saw the visage of the Creator. Numerous names flood Jack''s mind with mind piercing pain. Sharp like daggers drove into his mind with each name that came, [The Daemon Sultan!] "Ugh!" [The Abyssal Idiot!] "Ugh!" [The Nuclear Chaos!] "Ugh!!" [The One that Sleeps within Chaos!] "UGGH!" [The Deep Dark Cold One!] "OH! UGG! AH!" Jack wanted to pull his gaze from the center of all, the one above the tree of everything that was or will... The tree planted by the Maddened Lord of All! He couldn''t; He wouldn''t! That sound!? Like the buzzing of insects! Like the nails on a chalkboard! The sound of a Train that''s breaking the metal on metal grinding squeal! The sound of a Violated Violin that scraped on the nerves! Jack could just make out... The infernal flutes of the damned that kept the Blind Idiot God asleep. They too... Looked back, as they held their twin flutes in chains bound to their fleshy sacks that floated within the fields of void above. Jack covered the sides of his head as if he had ears in a futile response to the insane sound come music of the court of chaos. As Jack felt that there were other things above that were looking down on him besides these wretched musicians, he could no longer look upward, a blessing in disguise. He plowed through some membrane of something like an acorn on the branch of the world tree, as he burst through to see Images of the Overworld! Too mesmerized by what he had just witness that he streaked across the sky, like a shooting star to the residents of the Overworld, as a few Gods of the Overworld lifted their heads to see the star, as one God bathed in a wreath of Light wrinkled his brow, as Jack slammed plummeted into the ocean outside, and through the floor of the Overworld. The ensuing Tidal wave was at a cost of nearly fourteen thousand lives, and the fervent worship of the God of the Sea of the Overworld, as many took this as his anger. Jack continued his decent, through a Jungle, that he left a crater that claimed the lives of billions of creatures in his wake, through an irradiated wasteland that only saw five creatures die, with only one that was intelligent... He would be missed by his species and claimed that the Gods misaligned them. Crashing through a world of gears, as a Volcano erupted molten bronze, Jack plowed through it to impact the other side, pushing up larger than normal clouds of dust that would cause the cooling down of their world of clockwork, as steam issued, as a shifting clanking metallic hand rubbed the face of its owner, the God of Gears wondered what cosmic omen this brought to his lands. Onward down, Jack finally shook his mind to see that he plummeted through yet another world of light and darkness, where no life was lost in his bombardment. Another world and another world, this time what Jack could see was a world of water, and Ocean endless, as he smashed into the waves and through the long dark waters. The Kraken, The Crab, and the Siren all looked up from their abyssal homes, as Jack plunged threw the world and out the bottom, as the three followed the decent. Each wondered if this was a play from the other. The roof of the Underworld burst open, as Jack screamed through the world. The Devils looked up to see the fabled shooting star, and their god wondered was this the sign of the end times foretold. The Demons saw the shooting star and knew that their time had come, as they prepared for war. The Vampire Emperor sighed on this throne, as he watched the sky above lighten up, and then darkened just as fast. All the ghouls scattered in the Underworld licked their collective lips, as their Goddess Hecate so long ago told them this day would come... An unholy pilgrimage to meet her among the Vampires, and so they set out from their dark dank corners of the Underworld. Finally... On the outskirts of Deagoth, to the West of Saigunrai, where the battle of the Mountain Ape took place, Jack blasted into the ground, rocking the Ruined Continent, causing tremors that were felt as far away as the abyssal''s people. Jack laid in the crater, with his flaming eyes of an otherworldly color flickering while still covered in the wine-colored gel coating of Yog-Sothoth, as he stared up at the rocky roof of the Underworld and dwelled on what he had just seen. Chapter 219: Truth can hurt Leslie along with six other banshee agents of the Silent Scream approached the impact site. She had met with several of her agents to speak directly about an escalating situation with Borda and the Church of the Three Gods, when her group saw the falling star firsthand, shooting out of the darkness of the Underworld and crashing into the area next of Deagoth. [What the hell is the fabled shooting star hitting here in Deagoth?!] Leslie thought within her mind. Tales, stories, and fables, mostly children''s stories, told of the shooting star. A long distant memory left to the undead by their forefathers that descended from the living of the Overworld and beyond... One thing troubled Leslie the most... The one-story that said that the shooting star was the beginning of the end. It was a children''s story that she, herself, read at a child when she visited her cousins in the Grimnight''s compound of Sosuhalf. The memory was foggy at best to Leslie from how long ago it was, but it went along the line that a shooting star was a sign of the end times. Later she would learn that this was good for the undead because it might their time would come, but the Overworld trembled at the thought. Approaching the edge of the impact crater, Leslie stopped just before the event to look over into the deep wound made in the land. "Jack...?" Leslie spoke aloud, without thinking. Her other six agents furrowed their brows, as they surrounded the area. She slapped her clawed hand over her mouth, as she realized she spoke without thinking, unlike her. Even in the deep dark dank pit made from the crash, Leslie could see Jack laying, with his eyes flaming, as always, but it seemed... They flamed with a blueish-green tent, unlike the usual red and gold. Leslie descended into the hole of fifteen meters deep, as she came to the front of Jack. She noticed that Jack was lying in a pile of light purple sludge, that was dissolving fast... Perhaps evaporating was a better word, as it seemed to be ''drying up.'' His robes were in tatters... Which was normal, as of recent, but still concerning she has just left him not long ago! [Jack? How did you get out here, so fast?!] Leslie mentally messaged Jack. [When did you leave your office? Where is the shooting star? Why are just... just lying there?! Hello!?] Leslie became a bit irked, but also nervous noticing how he didn''t respond. Leslie floated back up, as she too furrowed her brows... Was this Jack? [LESLIE!] Lucius'' panicked words flooded her mind. [I have a situation here, what is it Lucius?] Leslie didn''t take her eyes off of the Jack that laid within the crater, as she directed her banshees to search the area for additional clues or any fragments. [The God-King, Err, Jack! Jack is gone!] Lucius cried through the connection. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [Yeah!? What happened? Tell me exactly to the letter of report!] Leslie urged. [The Holy Sentinels are rampaging at the moment. Their report to me stated that Jack left you guys, the consorts, went to his Office. They reported that he all-of-a-sudden slammed his door! Then he opened it and went in... The moment he crossed the threshold he... Disa-fucking-ppeared! GONE! POOF!] [How long ago was this?!] Leslie screamed in her message to Lucius, as she just left Jack not that long ago! [The Sentinels just reported it to me! Couldn''t have been but ten minutes ago... Tops. They said he was floating through the halls rather slowly. They report that he kept rubbing his chin, which they suspected that he was deep in thought like always when he does that...!] [Lucius, you can... You can calm down, I think... Jack''s in front of me...] Leslie now confirmed that somehow... Jack teleported from his door to fall down out of the sky to crash into this undead-made pit. It wasn''t the first time she found him in a pit, but at least last time she could blame a damn dirty ape. [He is?! Where are you guys? Why did he disappear?! It''s not like he hasn''t left the palace before, but this is a first to just disappear in thin air!] Lucius continued. [Have you been reported to the falling star, yet?] Leslie asked as she floated back down to get closer to Jack. [A few clergy are bombarding me with questions about that right now, but I could care less, if Jack''s miss-] [Jacks the falling star... Just tell them the God-King called the star, and just blame him. I''m going to see if I can get Jack to come around... I think he''s knocked out from the impact, or something close...] [As... As long as he''s fine.] Lucius sighed in his mind and then blamed Jack for rubbing off on him. He calmed down the clergy and issued a message the Star was a sign of the God-King''s power, which in turn calmed the masses to an extent. Leslie floated to just the front of Jack and reached out with her hand to caress Jack''s skull. She looked over the runic tattoos in his bones and confirmed it was him. She didn''t believe anyone could recreate these to such detail. She had after all memorized each and every inscription in his bones the night of their first ''cuddle.'' [Jack...? Dear...?] Leslie messaged Jack again, but with loving words. It was only now, that Jack''s head moved slightly to look at Leslie. [Why are you out here?] Leslie now asked again lightly. [...b-blind...god...world...tree...flutes...] Jack''s weak mental message finally drifted into Leslie''s mind. [What does that mean?] Leslie messaged back, as she directed her Banshees to close off the area and restrict access. Her planted agents within the Military reported to the new Warmarshal over Saigunrai''s Defense. Warmarshal Joan, who was sending out a few squads to lock down anyone else. [Jack, honey. Are you okay?] Leslie rubbed Jack''s bald head as if to coach him to speak more. [...flutes...they see...the tree...we live...] [Jack, you''re starting to scare me... What are you saying?] [...home...] Jack said vaguely. If Jack was anyone else, Leslie would have informed the military through her aids and they would carry Jack back, but in her selfish love... She reached down, unsure of the dangers, and lifted Jack. Heavy as he was, she hefted him over her shoulder and rose in the air. She informed her banshees to cover the area and remain hidden until aid arrived. Relay all information to her. She then rose high in the air, out of the sight of normal undead visions and flew to the Holy Palace with her cargo. [...blind idiot god...world tree...we live upon...flutes they keep him asleep...father of all...daemon sultan...it hurts...] Jack continued to mumble things into Leslie''s mind in her trip. [What''s a blind idiot god, honey? You''re not making much sense?] Leslie questioned in her slow flight. [father of all...damned...father...asleep...flutes...screeching flutes...they look...the flutes have eyes...the tree we live on...is under him...] Jack continued his maddened mental whispers. Chapter 220: Can He be fixed?! "How long has he been like this?" Eris asked with her hands on her hips, as she watched Jack laying in his evening tomb, staring at the ceiling. "He''s mentally messaging me even now various incoherent phrases and words..." Leslie was slightly at an end, as both she and Eris watched from the side with troubled faces. Emily was informed, and it was expected she would be here at any moment, in fact- The door slammed open, as Emily bounded into the room, and pounced into the evening tomb with Jack while crying. "JACK! HUSBAND! ARE YOU OKAY?! SPEAK!? SPEAK TO ME!?" Emily shook Jack in his evening tomb, as black blood dripped from her chin, as it seemed she ran here from her feast, as soon as she received Leslie''s mental message. "Sister... Take it easy," Leslie called out, gently. Leslie seemed to be far more calm than the other two consorts. It was if she had grown used to Jack''s strange antics. "No! Speak! Jack speak!" Emily continued to throttle Jack. As Leslie was to reach out to take Emily from Jack, she heard Jack''s voice overlap with the mental messages he was sending her. While not impossible to talk and mentally message at the same time, it was something that was difficult to do. "Damned father of all... The Blind Idiot God... Lays upon his bed of the World Tree... The flutes have eyes! They saw me seeing them, and the things that guard the Damned Dreaming God, his Court of Chaos... They look back..." Emily stopped shaking Jack and listened to his words. Leslie had to admit that while what he was saying still didn''t make sense, at least his sentences were getting longer. "...Did he say Damned Father of All?" Eris spoke next with a slight shock. Emily who was straddling Jack, and Leslie both looked to Eris. "Uhhh... It''s just... Well, my Mother was a bit of an expert in these things and... Well, The Damned Father of All should be the Creator. Lots of weird old tales speak of the dreaming god and his court of chaos. If I didn''t know any better... Jack acts as he saw it himself." Eris shifted from foot to foot while explaining. "Okay... How do we fix him?" Leslie asked as Emily nodded, he horn crowned head, as Jack continued his deranged talk of the Blind Idiot God. "This... Well... There was only one case I know of, and this was even before The Vampire God Alucard. The first and only Emperor of the nine realms, Luther Talrok. It was said that he was granted Visions of the domain of the Dreaming God. It drove him mad. At the time, he wasn''t the Emperor, but even so he was still a king of a small kingdom. His prophet preformed some kind of ceremony and liberated him. When the soon-to-be Emperor rose, he was back to what could be called normal, but he knew things... He had the ability to just whisper something to someone and they would go mad in an instant! Other abilities were that he cultivated all the elements at once, even light... Just ridiculous things, but honestly how much of that is true and how much of it is romantic tales, even my mother was unsure. My mother was certain that the Vampire God Alucard was attempting to see the Dreaming God and his Court, but Ragnar?k started before he could accomplish his mission, and so left behind his legacy... Eep... I''m sorry, I just started to ramble!" Eris covered her mouth, as she saw that Emily''s and Leslie''s expressions turned grim. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Leslie spoke up, "No... It''s an interesting tale." "I thought you were just a bimbo slut Vampire whore, but it seems you have more use than just shaking your ass and fawning over Jack," Emily spoke flatly. "HEY!" Eris pointed her finger, "I''m more than a pair of tits, you shitty dead eater!" "Keep your finger to yourself, or you might find me using it to stir my drink..." Emily smiled revealing her ragged teeth, to which Eris retracted her hand and backed up. "Emily, don''t you think it''s time to get off Jack?" Leslie interjected. "No..." Emily spoke with a significant reduction in attitude to Leslie. Leslie then turned back to Eris, "So, we just need to get Jordan... Lightborn, the Prophet to come in here and fiddle with Jack?" "I''m just saying that''s what worked for the Legendary Emperor of the Nine Realms." Leslie became quiet for a moment, while Eris wondered what she was doing. Emily slide to the side of Jack, she couldn''t exactly face him with her crown of horns, but he did lay the back of her head on his bony shoulder, as Jack continued to mutter. "...Well... Strange as always..." Leslie spoke up, after he brief pause. "What?" Eris asked as she saw the odd look on Leslie''s face. "It seems that the good prophet has already made it here to Saigunrai, and should be at the Palace in about three hours... It''s kind of creepy how he knows these things." "Well... Prophets are said to be able to see and predict the future to an extent. I take it, it''s just like that." Eris followed up. "My Unc-, The Spider Prophet was a lot like that, but now that I think about it... I wonder how much he told the truth, and how much he manipulated the Prophecies." Emily spoke, as she felt the black blood drying on her chin. She took out a cloth from her side, and wiped her face, as she became slightly embarrassed to see that she had ''food'' all over her face. She never thought she would need etiquette lessons for eating... In fact, no one of royalty of Neolith needed them... "Let''s get the Clergy to bring up some dust for relaxation and set it off in here... Even if it''s only to ease Jack''s spirit a little, it will be for the best." Leslie decided as she opened the Door to see seven Holy Sentinels standing-by. "We need the Prophet to see Jack, He should be here within the next three hours. Send some help to get him here faster." Leslie spoke to this point, as three Holy Sentinels disappeared in a flash of light. "We also need some Dust to relax the God-King, if I can trouble someone to get Lucius to handle this and bring it back personally." Another two Holy Sentinels blinked out sight. The other two nodded to Leslie, as they continued to watch the Door. "Thank you." Leslie bowed to them, as she returned back to Jack''s, the God-King''s, room. ******* "Knock, Knock, Knock." Leslie, who was sitting at Jack''s oversized desk, along with Emily who was still laying with Jack, and Eris who had crawled to the ceiling as usual looked to the door. It was unusually for anyone to knock on the door. The Holy Sentinels would just send them in, if they were approved, such as Doctor Hollowell. Leslie rose and went to open the door. As she opened the door, the wizened figure of Jordan Lightborn strolled-in to the room, as he spoke. "It''s good to see the Ghost, the Sucker, and the Phage Goddess in the same place," Jordan spoke with a smile. "Ghost?!" "Sucker?!" "How do you know I''m a Goddess?" "You''re a Goddess?" Eris looked over from the ceiling into the evening tomb to Emily. "Yeah... Goddess of Ghouls." "...Uh... So, Goddess of Monsters got it." "HEY!" "Shhhh, Shhhh, Shhhh. I did not mean to offend. I''m just surprised you are all here in one place. My God-King sure has charisma." Jordan hobbled over to the evening tomb to look at Jack, who was speaking in a low voice, as Jordan was listening. "Yup, yup... It''s as I fore saw. He not only found out about the Blind Idiot God, but he saw him, his court, and even his pipers... One has to give credit where it is due... So not have his soul taken from him and returned to the source. I''m glad that he is so strong." Jordan nodded many times as if he was talking to himself. """Can you fix him!?""" Leslie''s, Emily''s, and Eris'' voices overlapped. "Hmmm... Yes, but I have to warn you all... He may not be the same as he was before. There will be a period in which he will need to adjust to the new truth he sees." Jordan spoke ominously. "As opposed to him lying in his tomb chattering endlessly... Almost anything is better than this..." Eris spoke looking upside down. Jordan nodded and agreed. "Yes." "Well, I''ll need you three to help to fix him. Come to my side." Jordan began. Chapter 221: Procrastination is Sometimes the Answer "Alright, wives of the God-King..." Jordan spoke with firmness in his voice that had been absent only moments ago, as he was surrounded by Leslie, Emily, and Eris. Leslie to his right, with Emily and Eris to his left. "There are two ways to go about this, and I leave this to you three to decide." "Aren¡¯t you a prophet? Don''t you already know what choice We will make?" Emily asked as she tilted her head to look at the wretched curved back of Jordan. Jordan slowly shook his head. "I know the paths that can be taken, but not which you will take. As a wife of the God-King, I''ll explain. Think of it as I''m a living map. I know the paths that tread in every direction, but I can''t choose them for you. I know what you will see if you are on that path, so if you''re going down a certain path... I can tell you what to expect when you get so far along that path." Jordan continued. "So, if I''m on a path with a lava flow at the end, but I can''t see the lava flow... You can tell me, ''Hey, there is a lava flow coming up.'' Is that it?" Eris asked after a moment of thought. "Exactly." Jordan nodded. "But-but... But how do you make prophecies?" Emily shuddered out. "That... We prophets listen... I listen to the Light, and it tells me what the most likely event is to occur. Nothing is set in stone, as there are many many many wills working in the flow. Paths intersect with others, some dived and leave others, while some stop completely. Some prophecies that were going to happen, may never happen... Some evil prophets may even say the prophecy wrong to change the outcome... Because if you know something is coming... Wouldn''t you step around it if it was ''supposed'' to be bad?" "The... Butterfly effect?" Leslie mumbled out. "Oh?" Jordan looked up to Leslie, as the other two also wondered what a butterfly was. "You know?" "I... I remember something once that said if you step on a butterfly, it could change the future, or if you went into the past, the distant past, and stepped on a butterfly, it could radically change the future... But I don''t have an idea what a butterfly is..." Leslie looked up in thought, as she spoke. "While I don''t know what a butterfly is as well... The extent that I do know is that it''s some type of beautiful insect. Some of my readings of recent tell me this idea came from the Overworld and passed on to Us during the ''Fall.'' "The Fall?" Eris this time spoke up. "What tomes have you been reading?" Leslie narrowed her eyes as she silently passed judgment over Jordan, her cousin turned-convert. Jordan had a line of mist on his forehead, as he perspired, "My lady... All that I do is for the God-King... Have mercy." "What two choices?" Leslie dropped the matter. Jordan cleared the phlegm in his throat, "We can force the God-King to forget... Forget he saw any of the things he saw beyond, and then he may continue without issue." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "...How much will he forget...?" Leslie''s displeasure could be heard in her voice, while Emily and Eris looked to her and back to Jack. "...He will most likely forget... Everything... Be as he was... When he first woke up again." Jordan spoke to this point, as Leslie''s eyes grew wide, and then narrowed again. Jordan closed his eyes, as he spoke, "Have mercy, my lady... Mercy." Leslie retracted her ghostly taloned hand that separated from her arm. Unknown to Emily, Eris happened to see that Leslie seemed to have two left arms. As she saw over Emily''s shoulder, and around her webby hair. She had her corporal arm... But then she saw a clawed arm of an apparition-like nature. It slowly merged back into her physical arm. "...Fine... What is the second option?" "Haaaa~" The Prophet sighed in the same vein as his God-King did in relief. "The second option would be to put him into a deep sleep. The living would call it a coma. We will separate his mind from his ''Madness,'' and cast it out. There is one problem to this though..." "What... Problem... Prophet, my patience is limited this eve, and the more you speak." "I know, my Dark Lady, I know... Please forgive his prophet... But I must say certain things..." Emily mouthed the words, "Dark Lady." "...Continue... Speak quickly." "There is a place... We can cast this part of the God-King into... He can always go get it later." "What... Place?" "...A land of dreams, where all things slumber does, they dance and ravel. In the enchanted forest to the throne of Hypnos. It is his domain, Hypnos. It would be much easier to wound the God-King''s soul and force him to forget, than to cast his ''Madness'' into the forgotten and ruined city of lost Candlelight, Xardaela... But be warned Wives of the God-King..." Jordan stepped back to view all three at once. "In this foreign land, even gods are mortals and even mortals are gods, once they''re in the forgotten and ruined city of Lost Candlelight, Xardaela, you may not return from which you came, and one day, he must go retrieve the pieces of himself..." "Isn''t this just procrastination... Solving this problem later?" Emily asked, after heading the description of what Jack must do to get himself back together." "As the God-King is now he can not, by his own hand, save himself. Once completed, he can help himself. With everything said... Are you sure you wish to take the second choice...?" Jordan asked with a solemn tone, unlike the begging tone earlier. He knew they never considered the first choice, so he skipped it to ask about the second choice. Leslie looked to Emily and Eris, Emily to Leslie and Eris, and Eris to Leslie and Emily. The three nodded in unison, as they replied together. """We''re sure.""" They smiled to each, as this was the first time, they all agreed on the same thing, none of them wishing for Jack to forget them, in their selfishness, even if there was more risk. Jordan nodded a few times, "Very well." Eris, this time, spoke to Jordan, "How is this method more dangerous than hurting his soul???" Jordan stopped nodded, as he thought for a moment, "The... Ruler of the lands of the sleepers... Is... Eccentric... His Sister-Lover that rules in his absence due to slumber is... Well... She''s nefarious in her ways and Malevolent in action. She enjoys the torture of most anything that she lays her eyes on. If the Ruler, Hypnos is seen as the Beautiful dream... Then know his Sister-Lover is the Nightmare. Once the God-King needs his ''Madness...'' Then he will be lucky if he encounters Hypnos... If he meets her, then... Well... Even I don''t know what may happen." "Does he have to go alone to get that piece back?" Leslie finally asked, after hearing the mumbo jumbo being explained, she could determine this was a place Jack needed to journey, but must he do it alone? Jordan tilted his head and then brought his hand to his chin. After several rubs, he continued, "The God-King may enter, as a piece of him will already be there, but anyone else that wishes to follow his footsteps... Would have to pass the judgment of the twin gatekeepers. How they judge, and what is worthy... Again, I can''t say." Leslie nodded, "Okay. I think we all agree. How do we put him into a Coma and cast out his ''Madness?''" She turned to look over Jack, who''s flaming eyes burned with a green-bluish hue. They flickered and danced as if he was all there. She reached out with her bony hands and rubbed along his Femur with a loving caress stopping just before his Patella. She shook her head, as his mental mumblings to her were hard to understand at best. If not for Leslie''s ability to speak to multiple Silent Scream agents at once... She might have broken down. The most merciful thing was her inability to understand the contents of Jack''s ramblings, otherwise, she too would need to be ''cured.'' Chapter 222: The Twin Gatekeepers The decrepit figure of Jordan hobbled to the foot of the evening tomb that contained Jack, as he directed, "Alright. Honestly... In normal situations, well more normal than this, someone would need to take the place of the God-King once he awakens, but with the power of the Phage Goddess, however little she has can alleviate the need." "Voidic, please." Leslie snapped, as she, Emily, and Eris approached the side of Jack''s evening tomb at the front. "Ahem. Consort Emily can supply her God-Soul''s power to substitute in the place of a normal soul. Think of it as a trade of sorts. At any rate, each of you put your hands on the God-King''s rib cage; Mind touching the neurotic vampire¡¯s heart." "I''m right here..." Eris spoke, as she cast a side glance to the prophet. "You are, indeed." Jordan nodded his head. "Must be an undead thing..." Eris muttered under head breath. Emily leaned over to Eris and whispered, "Must be a vampire thing to be a whore, right?" "You-!" "Quiet. Jack. Focus." Leslie spoke, as she glared at the two, which lowered their heads in response. "Alright. Now... Channel your souls... Consort Emily might struggle a bit with her God-Soul, so We will wait a few moments for her to catch up." After a few minutes, "Now repeat after me, and guide your souls to the God-King. Take care to not agitate his God-Soul. It''s confused at the moment without its master''s command. My Dark Lady, please lead the way, as the God-King is more intimate with you than the others... No offense intended Consort Emily." Emily did want to retort but was too concentrated on using her new God-Soul. "Alright, Consort Eris... You get the fun part. You protect Emily''s God-Soul, in case the God-King''s God-Soul becomes... Agitated." "Wut?" Eris'' forehead already had beads of sweat. Her arts in the soul was limited at best... Vampires weren''t known for their arts over soul manipulation but over blood and bodies... This was already a pain, but... "Yes. You can take the pain." Jordan nodded, as he smiled widely. "..." Eris cursed in her mind... There was a big difference in pain in the body and pain in the soul! "Ahem-" Jordan began speaking the Voidic words necessary for the three to perform their ritual. ******* Jack''s vision slowly began to come back, and what he saw gradually became less blurry, as he stared at a dark stone ceiling. Lifting his head, he saw walls, and he laid at the bottom of a flight of stone steps. The walls were all carved with various figures and unknown words and runes. The path was lit by flaming torches, so it was unlike what he was accustomed to seeing. "So, you awake, God Nihilum." A squawking voice echoed around Jack, as he lifted himself to sit on the second from the last step and righting himself up. Looking at the voice, he saw two figures. Both of them were large three-and-a-half-meter tall male looking figures. Just slightly taller than Jack, but partially due to their heads. Both figures had crane-like heads. One''s head was black with a black bill, and the other had a white head with a red bill. Both wore clothes that reminded Jack of the Egyptians and Emily, they even had pharaoh style headdresses over their long necks, In fact... "Are you two Egyptian Gods?" Jack blurted out. "That''s not a group of people that I''ve heard in a very long time. How are they doing?" The Black-Headed birdman squawked to the other. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Their empire dead, but they have descendants." The other nodded with his white head, and both looked back to Jack, as they replied, "We are the Twin" the white-headed one spoke first, "Gatekeepers of the Dreamlands," the black-headed one finished. "So, you guys aren''t that bird guy named tooth, tath, tok-" "Thoth." The white-headed birdman corrected. "Yeah! Thoth! Are you guys Thoth, or one of you?" Jack continued, as he got to his feet, looking around and buying time for himself to understand where he might be, and what other eldritch abomination dragged him into this time. "We''ve been called many things before, and Thoth was one." The black-headed birdman chirped. "Teach a few people, and everyone has to name you something. I always wonder why no one remembers Our names." The white-headed birdman spoke with humor in his squeaky voice. "You know it''s because outside of here normal mortals can''t remember proper." "Oh, Right-right-right-right-right." Both, again, looked to Jack. "So... What do you two want?" Jack turned his head to look over his shoulder at the flight of stairs leading up. "Isn''t it what your prophet asked Us to do?" "First off, we aren¡¯t you... I am Nasht." The black-headed birdman declared, "This is my twin brother, Kaman-Thah." As he gestured to the white-headed birdman. "I bet it was the Thah part they used for Thoth," Kaman-Thah commented. "You know We had this conversation so long ago..." Nasht continued. "Yeah, but I took a nap since then." "What did my prophet do?" Jack caught the question in-between the two''s ramblings. "Oh. It seems that you went a bit... Damn, how does the mortals say it?" Nasht, looked to Kaman-Thah, as Kaman-Thah blurted, "Gone completely cuckoo in the head." "Right. Cuckoo in the head." Nasht finished. "I-" Jack rubbed his bald skull trying to remember but drew a blank. He remembered being in Carcosa... Asstur... Yoggi... Getting pitched like a baseball... and then slamming into the Underworld.... And after that... Nothing. "Right-right-right-right-right, you''re not going to remember. That''s what''s been requested. The parts of the memories that made you cuckoo were cast out and sent to the land of Nightmares. Ha! It can rot there for all I care!" "Yeah, but the last time something rotted there, it became a big issue," Kaman-Thah spoke up. "True, but the damn thing built a city and keeps to itself, so who cares." "Might become a god later." "I''m sure the Daemon Sultan will do something about it if he has too. For all we know, he wants something like it to develop. Just keep eyes on it, until further notice." Nasht finished. "Right." "...Sooooo... What do I do now?" Jack asked what he wanted to know. "Oh, that''s simple. Just take the stairs behind you." Kaman-Thah started. "Seventy stares up, and then you wake up." Nasht finished. "That''s it? No catch?" Jack said slightly unconvinced. "No-" "Catch." "What if I need those memories again?" Jack felt weird knowing that part of his mind was basically cut up... What else was removed? But he tried to roll with the punches. He''d been through too much weird and strange happenings since he woke up undead to honestly care at this point, as long as he could get back to Leslie and Emily... Maybe Eris, who he was growing fond of. "Then come-" "Back." Watching the two starting and finishing the other¡¯s sentences... As expected of twins? Was weird, but then again... They were birdmen, so was it really that weird? Jack thought so... "So, is there a catch to coming back?" Jack continued. "No catch, but-" "Remember that the Dreamlands We guard are dangerous... Even to gods. Within the realms of the dreamlands... Gods are mortals and mortals are gods. It''s not that you don''t have your power, but so do mortals. Dreamers have odd sets of powers in the dreamlands that they don''t in the awakened world." "There are also strange creatures, races, and monsters that populate the dreamlands as home... More than one god has fallen here and forgotten." "If you dream and enter here and die... Then you wake up, never to return... But if you come here in body... Like you will have to the next time you return... Death is forever... Not even your best friend can save you, as your soul will return back to the Daemon Sultan directly, with no change of reincarnation." "Daemon Sultan... This name... Why do I somehow know it?" "Best not to think about it." The two birdmen chirped in laughter. "If the soul goes to him, can''t he just return it back?" "Cough! Cough! Cough!" "Cough! Cough!" The two coughed together, "That... Even We do not know, but for him to be awake to perform such a thing... Well, it would have no meaning... If he awakens, then nothing will exist... We would be wiped from existence before We could even question." Nasht spoke in a low voice. "Maybe... Maybe if his beloved daughter asked, while he was half asleep..." Kamen-Tath looked up and spoke in thought. "...Maybe, but the chance of getting her to agree, and risking waking him up... I wouldn''t take it even for myself or you..." "Agreed." The two twin gatekeepers nodded. While listening, Jack looked behind the two to the giant imposing shiny metallic gates. Jack figured there would be the dreamlands... Should he go get him memories now? [I just don''t like how my mind''s been chopped up! Last time I didn''t remember shit, I messed up Julia...] Jack continued to look at the gates, as he thought about going to the dreamlands now... Where did these pages turn up??? Year - 5687 AK - First Winter I don''t really know how to keep a diary, so I''ll just keep to what I know and what I''ve seen. Perhaps these writings will be of benefit to those that find them after I''ve passed. My name is Brand Iron Blacksmith of the Iron Blacksmith House. As you may have guessed, I am a noble, son of Edge Iron Blacksmith, so I won''t go into detail. What prompted me to keep a diary of these happenings occurred just a week ago. While dreaming the same dream as always, I couldn''t help but notice an odd set of stairs that descended into the ground. I''ve dreamed ---------- many times, and I know for sure they hadn''t been there before... So startling was the revelation that something was different, it almost woke me up then and there. Spurred on, I sought to see what was below. So I descended. I mean two queer bird-like men. They said they were brothers... Twins actually. They even started and finished each other''s sentences much like the Carpenter''s daughters. Strange was that this hall that led to them had strange markings and words I''ve never seen. So queer was the entire ordeal, I asked these bird men, that didn''t seem to be harmful, how could I dream of things that I didn''t know about. It was then that these creatures, who names I can''t for the life of me remember told me... I was at the entrance of the Dreamlands! What and where were these lands they spoke of, but I couldn''t understand a word of it. It wasn''t that they didn''t speak common. I knew the words they were saying, but not the way the strung them together... I must ponder this later. All in all, they said I passed whatever test there was to enter the Dreamlands. Thus the doors behind them opened. They gave me several words of advice and then left me to my devices as the door closed behind me. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. A room of supplies was left and I was to pick and pack as much as I could. Granted I haven''t set course beyond my camping trips with father for most of my life, but what bits I could gather from memories I made do. It was as if the room knew I was done when I finished packing my knapsack, and thus I was dumped into some spiraling forest. The nightmarish creatures that I witness stalked me in that dark woods. The gatekeepers told me if I die, I wouldn''t really die, I would only wake up... But it meant I could never return. So, to me, that felt trapped in my awakened life... felt to preserve my life in the Dreamlands at all cost. Thus I escaped those wretched woods and those cat-like monsters. Walked on two-legs they did... Hissing in chase, and even meow in distances as if to lure me. I''m not moron, so I left like a coward... If the Gatekeepers were correct. Once I get more power in these lands, I''ll return to show these cat things what''s what...! Nearly shat myself when one of the buggers knicked my crouch, exposing my little john to the cold air... Far away from those woods and in the morn of the following day, which I presumed was the previous night, I stitched up my trousers... Embarrassing to be seen with your willy hanging about, even if the gatekeepers said that there were other creatures out there... Just doesn''t sit right with me to trying and greet someone and there you are exposed... Well, I dwelled on this topic a bit too long. It wasn''t long after the sun in Dreamlands rose did I wake up. My waking life moved as usual, and at night it seemed that myself... whatever I am in those lands came back to the same spot. I can only wonder if I sleep in that world, as I am awake in this one... But... Surely something would have ate me on the shores of that strangely colored river than I laid next. Chapter 223: A Black Mask follows close behind "Could I go in now?" Jack lifted his skull to interrupt the two birdmen. He had thought to sneak past them, but even as the two seem to be talking amongst themselves, he felt that they were still keenly aware of him. This caused him to toss the idea of slipping past them. Nasht looked over, as he spoke, "Sure. You''re a god, so that''s enough to get in easily. You have the power to protect yourself-" "Just don''t let that go to your head." Finished Kamen-Thah. "Well, then I would-" "Jack..." Jack heard a familiar voice behind him, as he also noticed the two bird brothers look over his head to the one behind him. Spinning in place, Jack saw Leslie taking her last step from the stairs to approach him in the landing. "Leslie?" "Yes. Jordan, your prophet sent me to come to get you." Leslie approached, as she stood on the tips of her feet to extend her arm to caress Jack''s skull face. "Why... Why did he send you to fetch me?" "He said you were going to head off into the land of dreams to get your memory as the first thing you did when you woke up..." "I- Ummm..." Jack stumbled over his words. "I, also, believed him when he told me." Leslie cooed as she stared into those flaming eyes, as she continued, "Why do you insist on worrying me?" "Wait, I never m-" "If a giant monkey isn''t slapping you around, you come crashing down out of the sky, speaking mad libs." "Now, that wasn''t-" "And then you start thinking about running off into some mysterious door guarded by a pair of..." Leslie leaned to the side to look at the two gatekeepers, as she articulated her words, "unreasonably strong fellows." Leslie leaned back into Jack, placing her hands around the back of his neck. "..." Jack now didn''t try to speak. "Now, are you coming with me, or are you going to go gallivanting around?" "...But I''m missing a piece of me... I just wanted to go get it back..." Jack sulked. "My love... Think about it... There must have been a reason why we''ve gone through all the trouble to remove it, and it''s only for now. Your prophet says we can come back... I''ll come with you then. So, let''s just go home, for now, okay?" Jack looked back over his shoulder to the large gated doors, and then to the two gatekeepers, their long necks ruffled up to smooth down again. "Alright. Haaaa~" Jack signed. He found it hard to resist Leslie. He felt in many ways she was his strength, but also his greatest weakness. Something he didn''t want to think about. Leslie removed her hands from around his neck, as she, with her right hand, grasped Jack''s left hand, as she turned to take a few steps up the stairs. Jack took his first step, as he looked again over his shoulder, feeling he was leaving a part of himself behind... In truth, he was... Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Step, step, step up he went... ******* The double doors behind the twin gatekeepers opened slightly, as a hooded figure swayed from the doors with a feminine swagger. The twin gatekeepers both ceased their chatter, as they turned their respective heads to see the hooded being that walked up behind them, as the door to the Dreamlands was left open with a slight crack. "Oh? What brings the beloved daughter here?" Kamen-Thah squawked. The hooded figure lifted her face to reveal a black pharaoh''s mask, as she spoke, "He decided to not come in?" "If by, He, you mean the Nihilum God-" "Then yes. It seemed his lover came to escort him back to the awakened world." Nasht finished. "How do you know it''s his lover?" Kamen-Thah questioned his brother. "Oh, come now. You saw how she held his face." "Just being like that... Maybe that was his sister?" "What kind of sister does that?" "Cough." The Black-masked and hooded figure attracted the attention of the two birdmen. ""Oh, right, right, right, right, right"" Both gatekeepers chirped together. "I take it he''ll return." She went on to ask. "We expect it to be so, his lover said she''ll come back with him-" "In fact, it was only then he gave up." Nasht spoke, as Kamen-Thah continued, "Yes, he was eyeing the gate with much fervor. If not for her, I''d say he''d make a break for it." "It''s not like we would have stopped him." "Yeah, but it would have been fun to bully him a bit for trying to break the rules." "True. We haven''t bullied anyone since Amon... I liked that chap." "He even remem-" "Stuff it, bird brains!" The Black Masked woman growled. "Oh!?" "Ah, my... Much sorrys." Both exclaimed as Nasht apologized. "We miss him too. Do forgive us." "It''s not every day We get to meet other bird-men, you know. We felt the same..." "Whatever... Can you guys just give me a heads up when he comes back? It''ll be much fun to see if he''ll pass my test or become another plaything." "Does Lord Hypnos permit?" Kamen-Thah spoke, as he narrowed his eyes. He didn''t have to fear from this daughter of the Daemon Sultan... For here, the gatekeepers were the masters, but outside of these halls... In the awakened world the master would be the Daemon Sultan and his children, inside the gate, that would be Hypnos, also a son of the Daemon Sultan, set on high by... You guess it... The Daemon Sultan... "Hypnos allows me to do as I please, but yes. He said I could do whatever I wanted. That includes destroying the guy to piss off a certain brother." The Black mask of a pharaoh shined a baleful light, as its owner Hmphed. "Still angry with your Elder Brother?" Nasht asked with a pitting tone. "...I don''t want to talk about it..." The black-masked woman angrily yelled, as she turned and left, as she muttered to herself, "Let''s see why he''s so interested in this bonehead... heh," slamming the large doors to the Dreamlands shut with an exaggerated bang. "Yeah, she''s still angry." "No, kidding... Did you deduce that on your own?" "I did, I thought you did, as well!" "You know I''m being sarcastic..." "Nooooo?!" "...Want to play some more Senet...? "Because you won''t play hounds and Jackals..." "We always draw in that!" "Then back to Senet!" "What are you betting?!" "Err... How about priority who gets to spy upon the ladies of Tangle''s Roast!" "...How many years are we talking here, and whose years!? Last time you tricked me into a hundred years of Yig''s Star! That was three thousand standard years!" "Funny isn''t it!" Nasht chirped in laughter. "Fine! I''ll take that bet! Set up the game. One hundred years of Yig''s Star!" Burst out Kamen-Thah! "Sure, sure!" Spoke Nasht, as he rubbed his hands together. ******* Jack''s vision slowly filtered, and the familiar ceiling slowly came into view. As he was about to sit up, he found that laying on his right side was Leslie asleep. He then turned his head to see the marveled faces of Emily and Eris, while Jordan continuously nodded his head, with his wretched but meant-well smile. "Ummm... The wheel-spins again? Haha... Ha..." Jack joked, before being slapped. "Pop!" A dull popping sound of flesh meets bone sounded, as Jack shook his head in shock, having felt Emily''s hand. Eris covered her mouth in shock. Before Jack could air his grievance, he found that his head was firmly pressed between two well-developed breasts, not overly large, but just right... "Will you stop making us worry about you!" Emily held onto Jack''s head, as his flaming eyes snuffed. Jack turned off his vision briefly to attempt to feel the sensation of Emily. Strange as it was... He could feel her! He could feel Emily as if he had a sense of touch! Just as if he was in Carcosa! [What did Asstur do to me? Or... Did something happen to me, I can''t remember!?] Jack cried in his mind. Chapter 224: Eldritch Corruption "So, that''s what dreaming feels like?" Leslie opened her eyes, as she lifted her body at the waist, as she looked over to see Jack''s skull plunged between the ghoulish breasts of Emily. "...Dearest Sister... Give Jack some room..." Leslie seemed to command. Emily glanced at Leslie, but only for a moment before she nodded. She then released Jack''s skull, as his flaming eyes flashed into existence. "Then you tell him how he needs to stop making us worry," Emily spoke, as she took a step back. Leslie sighed, as she agreed, "Sister Emily is right, Jack, but... At this point, I guess this is just who you are now, huh?" Jack trace the shape of Leslie''s face, as he then looked to Eris and Emily on his far right. In his chair, he noticed that Jordan was sitting, with a stupid grin on his face. "Yeah... I don''t mean to... But things just happen to me." Jack shrugged, as he stared at Eris, who was standing the furthest away. "Eris..." Jack spoke up suddenly, as Leslie and Emily looked over to Eris. "Y-yes, my god." Eris squeezed out. "...Were you worried...?" "What?! Yes! Of course, I was worried! I-I mean... I''m sure you have your reasons... for... this..." Eris started off with a loud voice that trailed off into nothingness. "I see," Jack spoke as his flaming eyes crackled, He pulled himself up from his lying position to a seated position inside his evening tomb, as he heard the jingle of glasses clanking together. Jack looked down into his rib cage to see the beating heart of Eris, a Jar of souls, and two vials of fluids, one royal purple and one tan in color. "Oh? Praise Yog, I guess..." Jack spoke lightly but heard a laughing voice faintly just beside him. Jack looked left to right scanning the room, as the concerned faces of those present were returned. [Yoggi, what happened with laughing from the sky...] Another ''HA'' was heard, and then silence. "We need someone to keep Jack company to keep him out of trouble," Emily suggested. "I would, but I have a lot to do, believe it or not." Leslie made a wary face, as she eluded to her job responsibilities that only Jack knew. "Well, I still have to work with High Alchemist Raleigh. The Holy Concrete will be ready for batch process soon, and now I have to eat every few hours, and it''s a pain in the pelvis." "You have flesh now, it''s pain in the butt." Leslie corrected. "Oh... Whatever, pain in the butt... You know what I mean." Emily complained in a joking tone. "As soon as my business here is finished, I must venture to Salily. The residents have yet to convert to the faith." Jordan confessed, still smiling, as he continued, "I suggest Consort Eris. She, also, hasn''t fed in a while. While I know." Jordan looked deeply at Eris, who looked down, "She can do without for long periods... She must be hungry." "..." Emily didn''t like the sound of Eris spending more time with Jack, but Leslie sighed, "That might be for the best. Eris." Eris turned her gaze to Leslie, who was sitting beside Jack, "Yes, Ma''am." [When did Eris become so polite with Leslie???] Jack wondered. "You will accompany Jack. Please keep him out of trouble and contact me as soon as he is about to jump into a hole without knowing the bottom." Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "Yes, Ma''am." Eris was oddly polite and respectful of Leslie, making one wonder what Leslie said and showed her previously. "I''ll be watching you... Sister." Emily spat, as she turned to leave speaking, "I need to finish eating, and then go work on the Holy Concrete." "Emily," Jack spoke, as Emily turned around to see Jack''s flaming eyes. "I love you." "Eep... I-I love you, too." Emily smiled widely, as her jagged teeth revealed. "I''ll visit you in a few hours. How long are you going to eat?" "Hmmm... In that case, I guess I can hold out. I''ll go work on the Holy Concrete now and eat later." Emily said with a smile, as she opened the door, "Bye." She left, as the door closed behind her. "Eris... I''ll call for you after I meet Emily." Jack then looked to Eris, as he commanded, with a stricter tone. "Oh. Okay, my god." Eris nodded. "I''ll feed you then, and... Maybe I''ll play with my pet." "Yeeeees... Your pet would love that." Eris purred, as she too went to leave the room, but before she closed the door, Jordan called out, "In addition, Insanity Princess... It would do you well to decide your place now before the God-King begins his campaign... For yourself, your kingdom, and... Your mother..." Eris paled, as she quickly closed the door, only leaving Jack, Leslie, and Jordan within Jack''s room. "Jordan." "Yes, my God-King." "What was that?" "Words that need to be said to your third consort. It will make more sense in time. I hope you can forgive me for not explaining now." Jordan knelled. Jack seeing Jordan kneeling, and knowing Jordan always had his best wishes in mind, decided not to pursue him, but ask Eris later, as Jack nodded his head. "In that case, I have a question." Jack continued. "Yes, my God-King." "Can I reap with Leslie?" "Why do you ask, haha?" Jordan darkly laughed. "You know why if you can predict so much..." "Haha, yes. Yes, you can, but I need to remind you. Watch over your Third consort. I do want to mention this. Her heart has been exposed to the beyond and the beyond that... It was in the presence of the Unnamable and him, who is the gate and the key... The Unnamable brought your body and all... That is the difference..." "Oh...!? Then... What will this do to her." Jack asked, as Leslie desperately tried to follow along, as she furrowed her brows. "...Honestly, even I do not know. The movements of the... Eldritch are filled with blanks to me. Delving into their actions too much will draw their attention. And unlike you, my God-King... I do not have the fortitude to stand before them and walk away." "Then why chop up my mind, this time?" Jack now asked something he really wanted to know. "I was wondering when you were going to ask that... It''s because you saw beyond just them... Truthfully, Honestly, and without a doubt... You are one of the few that witnessed what you saw and remain nearly whole. Any other mind would have collapsed... I... I have sacrificed much of my mind to know how to treat you, my God-King." "What?" "To know how to treat you, I had to know what happened... To say the least, I''m no longer working with a full deck of cards, if that makes any sense to you, my God-King." Jack cackled. "So, you''re crazy now?" "Crazier, my God-King... Crazier, Hahaha." "...Fitting..." Leslie commented. Jack coughed into his hand, which was strange to both Leslie and Jordan, as Jack had no lungs... But it worked to change the topic. "So, you know what I saw?" "I did... I, too, removed it. It was far simpler for me to remove it than it was for you... I have no reason to retrieve my memories, but you will." "I... See... Well, then me and Leslie can?" "Back to that, huh? Well, even gods need to relax. Yes, you can, but know that the corruption of the beyond is upon you... You will pass it to her if she touches your soul." "What?!" "Yes." "Isn''t that... Like... A disease that''s transmitted-" "Not quite... While there may be a negative to those with weaker minds, Your Queen, will have no trouble. In fact, it will help her later in your quest to the land of dreams. I suggest you lay with her, and your other two consorts." "Can those two handle it?" "The Goddess is far more powerful now than she was previously before ascending. It seems that her faithful are amassing in the foretold area. Though it''s foggy to where it is a distant land... She will be fine. Your Third Consort... Her mind is already bent... There is a risk to her. If the taint does not break her, then it will be of a benefit to her later. Even with the risk, I suggest it." "I... See..." [Taint... Sounds like that area between- UGH, DAMN IT ASSTUR!] Jack cursed in his mind. "I will not leave the Capital for the next seven days. Frolic with your First Consort, I will return in..." Jordan looked up for a moment, "six hours... That is when your Second Consort will be done with work." "Okay?" Jordan stood up from his kneeling position, and went to the door, "Enjoy," Jordan laughed as he left the room. [I feel raped by Asstur... Ugh... And that nickname I gave him... I feel a headache coming... Oh, gees.] While in thought and still unsure about reaping with what he could only assume was Eldritch taint, he looked down to Leslie, who returned his gaze, "Ah-" "It''s fine," Leslie spoke. "But-" "It doesn''t matter to me." "...Can I finish my words?" "No." Leslie laughed, as Jack felt a probing into his soul, noticing Leslie had already placed her hand on his ribcage. Jack sighed understanding Leslie''s determination, as he slid back down to lay in his evening tomb, as Leslie popped the tomb''s lid to slide into place covering them. Using his God-Soul, Jack opened a path for Leslie to intrude into his soul space, to once again embrace each other''s souls. More of those pages that turned up??? Year - 5687 AK - Last Winter Finally! It seems my constant movement has paid off! I''ve drudged along following the moving water down this stupid river for what feels like months. I''ve found that one full night of sleep is the same as spending a month and a half here in the Dreamlands... I feel as if I live here in the Dreamlands, and my waking life is the Dream... It''s all so surreal. My tutors think I mad, and even my nanny touched my head for fever! Well... They can''t be blamed. I can''t remember yesterday to them, as it was almost two months ago for me! I keep notes now, by my bed for my waking life, just as I write her my diary... It seems that I have so much to write, and so little time to do anything else! Alas, the end of the River approaches! Today I finally met what appears to be people. Though they speak strange tongues, after getting the notice, they seemed friendly enough. These people looked the same as my people, but they all had a third eye on their brow. Strange it was... I couldn''t help but stare at time, which got me slapped by one young maiden of the village. The most amazing thing that these people did for me... They took me to the mouth of the river and after they bantered for a while, the old fishermen brought a yellow leech-like creature. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After various attempts to communicate, they etched in the ground and gestured as if I were deaf, but I understood most. This creature would help me understand what they said, but they all pointed to my ear... After pointing to my own ear a few times and then to the leech-like creature that was still wet from the brackish water of the mouth of the river, I thought... What the hell, right? This was all just a dream. I took the slimy creature and let it infest my ear. ...I will not include the words that could be used to describe how awful it felt... Surely the work of some devil is responsible for this useful abomination... After falling feverish, and healthed back by the three-eyed people, their voices garbled at first became plain afterward. I learned these people were called the Triclops Clan... I''ve heard of Cyclops but tri? Well, it was then I also found out that staring at one''s third eye was rude. I guess I deserved getting slapped. These kind folks put up with me for many weeks and taught me a great deal about these lands. They know they live in the Dreamlands, which surprised me. I thought this was another world like mine, but it seems that it''s just a bit more than that. They also taught me about the money system... Using Thought to make money. How novel. Nightmare small coins, and Idea Large coins. 100 Nightmares make an Idea, and vice versa. I sat around for nearly five dream days when I finally had an idea, and a coin fell into my lap. Seems if I can keep coming up with ideas, no matter how bad, I can make money... I can also do work for them, but who wants to work, if money falls out of the sky? After spending three months with these nice people, I made off. They gave me a map and told me if I wish to get more ideas or to get stronger in the Dreamlands, it would be best to find a Master of Dreams. Powerful Dreamers that exist. I left the port of Ghoulfen of the Ghoulfen River, and with the excellent captain I paid all my Large coins too, We passed the Tower of the Fallen safely. It seems this place was a place that a Dreamer fell to his nightmares creating a scar in the Dreamlands... One of many places such... And onward to the next port! The port Buria Veldt! Chapter 225: The Thought that will Start a New Era Leslie''s soul returned to her own soul space, as she felt some levels of soul fatigue. "That wasn''t nearly long enough... Ha... Ha..." "No... It wasn''t, but there is always tonight." Jack replied, but then his voice hardened as he asked, "Do you feel different anywhere? Feel strange? Any pain?" Leslie became quiet for a few moments as she probed her soul and body, and then replied, "No...?" She popped the evening tombs led to open, as she asked, "Do I look different?" In the glowstone light of the room, Jack traced along Leslie''s body and then her face. Being scrutinized so heavily by Jack made Leslie squirm slightly. "Hmmm... Your eyes have changed color." "Huh?" "Your eyes have a bluish-green tint to them now," Jack commented, after a moment of articulation. "That''s funny, your cultivation effect, the flames of your eyes have that same color." "Is that what Eldritch Taint looks like... Changes your eye color?" Jack asked. Leslie shrugged, as she then spoke with a joking tone, "Maybe it''s because the eyes are the window to the soul?" "...Maybe... Hmmm." Jack thought this might just be it. "Perhaps We''ll have time again tonight, but I have to go sort out my duties. Not only to the shadows of the Kingdom but also with Crag. The Money Exchange should be ready soon, and We''ll only need you to make the coins." "Ah, yes." Jack floated out of his evening tomb and was quickly followed by Leslie, who felt uneasy about suddenly flying. She was placed on the floor standing next to Jack. A jingle of glasses collided inside Jack''s ribcage, as a reminder they were still there, with the thumping of a heartbeat that he could no longer hear due to being once alive himself and use to a heartbeat. Looking at the vials in Jack''s ribcage, Leslie opened her mouth, "Jack honey, I''ve been meaning to ask, what are those vials exactly?" Jack looked into his ribcage as his pointed his bony index finger to the purple tube, "This is the blood of the god of death, and-" He moved his finger to the yellow tube, "This is the blood of the god of decay, at least I think it''s decay... Might be disease all things considered, maybe slime, now that I think about it." "God of Death? God of Decay?" Leslie looked a bit frightened but quickly calmed down, as she asked the five Dubs. Jack narrated what he remembered, being kidnapped by Asstur, Carcosa, calling Yoggi, the battle, and him coming back, while some parts expressed his displeasure on not remembering certain parts. "That is... That is a lot to take in, but what in all the hells of the Underworld do you want with the blood of those two." Leslie reframed even using the nicknames that Jack spoke of the entities as they gave her a pain in her head. "I think I can use these to make new technologies... For some reason, their blood gives rise to creatures... I''m thinking I can make an engine with the Death God''s tome, and the blood of his brother." "An Engine? What''s an engine?" Leslie seemed to not understand. "Think of it like clockwork. Gears that are moved with energy. Some worlds use steam or small hexplosive power to trap the energy to move the gears." Jack explained. "Okay? Couldn''t we just use a few dead rats to move the clockwork then, like the chronometer?" "What I want to move is much-MUCH larger... I want to move wagons, boats, and entire ships with them." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Like warships?" "Yes... If I can get these engines to produce more power than they weigh in kg, then We can even fly without cultivation or without god powers." "...This is a lot to take in." "Yes... It will take time and a lot of experimenting on my part... I''m not really an engineer... I need someone that works with clockwork to help me." Leslie brought up her hand to cover her mouth as she thought, as Jack waited. "There is one I think that can help you," Leslie spoke after her moment of silence. "Really? That''s great." "He''s eccentric as all hell though, and I know for a fact he doesn''t believe in the faith... Before or after." "He doesn''t believe in me, even after showing my god form that loams over the lands???" "At least to my understanding, from what my agents just told me." Leslie nodded with a complex expression. "What does he want? Everyone has a price." Jack''s flaming eyes crackled. "That... I don''t know. He''s almost always in his workshop and forbids anyone from entering except his nephew-apprentice. "What is his and the nephew''s name. I''ll go visit them personally. This isn''t something I need, but what Deagoth needs. This is what''s going to push Us forward." Leslie nodded, "His name is Ironically James Gearsmith. I''ve guessed before that he changed his name, but I have no proof, as he was named that before he and his brother came to Saigunrai five hundred years or so ago." "Really. I should speak to his nephew first and see if I can speak to this Mr. Gearsmith in person." Leslie nodded, "I''ll send a message you wish to speak with him this evening... Until then go see Sister Emily. She loves you as much as I do, Jack." "...That''s hard to believe..." Jack spoke honestly and without hesitation. Leslie giggled, before stepping and putting her hands around Jack''s neck, pulling him down to her face. "You play with my emotions too much," Leslie giggled again, planting her lips on Jack''s Zygomatic bone, where his cheek would be on his face. Leslie then released Jack, as she went to his closet and pulled out a new black robe, and a pair of inside shoes. Jack walked over, as Leslie helped him into his new robe, as she used a chain to secure the middle of the robe around him, over his hip bones. "This is new..." "You ran out of robes, so I had some made." "What''s up with the chain?" Jack continued, looking down at his waist. "I thought it matched your new armor and look. It''s a woman''s prerogative to dress her deadman how she wants, so no complaints." Jack nodded his head, while thinking, [Yeah, but now I look like the edgelord I am...] Leslie looked over Jack to ensure his grabs and reached up to caress his face again before she turned to leave. "If you need me, I''ll be with my agents for a while, and then with Crag after... Oh, and Jack..." "Yeah?" "My mother has been wanting to see you again for a long while..." Leslie looked back over her shoulder. "..." Jack had been avoiding Leslie''s mother in person and in conversation for a long time now... Noticing Jack didn''t speak, Leslie continued, "We''ll both visit her tomorrow." Jack nodded, feeling relieved. He had no idea how to face her mother after she declared that she wanted to be his lover and bare his child. They both walked out of his room, to see the Holy Sentinels nod to their God-King before they disappeared in a flash of light. [I have to learn how to do that... That is the coolest entrance and exit I''ve seen in person...] Jack signed within his mind. "Be gentle to Sister Emily, She''s currently with High Alchemist Raleigh in the first Royal Workshop." Leslie reminded and spoke the directions to Jack, as she then turned and walked down the twisted hallways leaving Jack in front of his room. ******* Jack floated down the hallways to the first workshop. He rubbed his chin as he was walking; thinking he would need one of these workshops. There were three in total, four if Doctor Hollowell''s could be considered one, now located in the underground catacombs of the Palace. As Jack approached, he made out the angry voice of Emily. He floated much faster, as he heard her, as even this far away he could hear her words. "Squandered? Do you EVEN know the God-King? Seeing him at a distance isn''t the same-" "If anything, I am wasted on him! My husband literally saved my soul from an evil goddess, you wretch-!" Jack floated to the front of the door, as the board above it, wrote in Voidic, showed that this was "Workshop one." "...Raleigh, you have about three seconds to leave my sight, before I rip out your guts and hang you with them, while I slowly feast on your body starting from your fingers and toes and ending with your eyes!" "LEAVE!" Hearing a crashing sound, Jack floated back out of instinct, as the door slammed open, and the tattered robe-wearing zombie rushed out looking much paler than a normal zombie. He spared no glances at the floating god to the side, as he attempted to run down the hall while gimping with a lame leg. Emily walked slowly out of the Workshop to look in the direction of High Alchemist Raleigh, as she rubbed a finger across her bottom ragged teeth before she noticed Jack. "You''re here!" Emily pounced onto Jack, with a glomping motion wrapping her arms around his rib cage. "My cutest goddess, what was that?" Jack thought to speak some honeyed words to calm the heaving Emily that stared into his flaming eyes with fevered eyes. Emily''s expression turned sour, as she turned her head, "Go into the Workshop, and I''ll tell you all about it, while I eat. Ugh... I am so hungry; you have no idea." Jack nodded, as he floated into the workshop, and with his intention, the door closed behind him. Chapter 226: Fed up and Getting her fill "Ugh... I''m so huuuuuuuungry! I hate this feeling! Jack, honey, do you know what hunger feels like?!?" Emily complained as her eyes darted back and forth as if she was watching for someone to spy on her. "...I actually know a bit about that..." Jack mulled over his words, as he touched down inside the room. He looked at the numerous vials, beakers, solutions, and a barrel of what appeared to be concrete. There was an undead type of creature running on a wheel that turned the barrel. The mixing and maintenance of the concrete Jack presumed. "Really...? You had flesh before?" Emily spoke, as she went to a large locked cabinet-like locker, and quickly took a key from between her breasts and opened it. Out of the locker fell a corpse. Jack, slightly startled, noticed it was one of the Grimnights, though it appeared to have been drained of its black blood and clothes removed. "Brains or Guts... Such a hard choice." Emily picked up the corpse, as if it had no weight and brought it over to a nearby table that had already been cleared, and tossed it on top of it. "Emily dear, I know you''re a ghoul and all, but do you eat them like this?" Jack thought if he had a throat he would swallow, as he watched the fluid actions of Emily. "Huh?" Emily paused her hand right above the navel of the corpse, "I''m just going to eat a bit... I thought We could talk while I ate unless you want to skip my eating and get to more fun... But... But... I need to eat... Can I?" "I... yeah... Go ahead..." Jack gave his blessing, as Emily slapped her hands together, and spoke, "Thanks for the meal." [Where did she learn that?] Emily dug into the corpse as she began to eat in earnest, as she continued to moan at the taste. Jack watched the unholy sight of a ghoul eating a corpse in front of him. His beloved skeletal loli, the same one that rattled when first meeting him, the one that called him the mad king, was feasting on the innards of a corpse of a former undead. How much had she changed... He continued to stand there and gawk at the sight, his flaming eyes dancing among the sounds of the macabre and morbid crunching and chewing. He watched as Emily''s short nails sliced the parts off she wanted, like carving a turkey, and the innards, she ate in large chunks, with bits of black blood and bile dripping down her chin. "MMmmMmmmHpmmm?" Emily looked up at Jack and spoke with a mouth full. "...Baby... Doll, it''s not good to talk with your mouth full, least you choke again." Emily paused and swallowed, "Sorry, I was asking why are you staring like that? In fact, it''s almost like you want some. You can''t eat any of this... You don''t have a stomach! Hahaha" If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Yes, Yes, I don''t have one. Emily, what was that with Raleigh?" Jack changed the topic, and Emily took in more mouth fulls. Emily struggled hard to get a particularly large bite to go down, and then heaved a breath to speak, "That low undead... He told me long ago that you and I weren''t compatible. He then since started to go on how I and him were the same seeds of a lotus pod... At one point I thought that maybe... I wasn''t good enough for you..." Emily''s eyes looked down at her meal. "That-" "Shhh... That''s no longer a problem. I know better." Emily smiled, and took a small bite, as she chewed and finished to speak again, "Today he was commented on how I looked better than my skeletal form, how I really filled out. After probing a few questions... It seems the little wretched bastard thinks I''m wasted on you, not knowing that you''re wasted on me! Stupid little man..." Emily finished another bite, as Jack remained silent listening. He had decided to sit in the air, using his God-Soul to allow him to relax like sitting in a chair. "At first I didn''t realize, but then today... I finally got it. The bonehead thinks he had a shot. He wanted to woo me away from you. Woo me! AWAY FROM YOU...! HA," Emily breathed slowly again, "He didn''t have a chance before, and today! Today! He became bold and thought to take liberties...! Does he take these horns for show?!" Emily gestured to her crown of horns. "Excuse me." Jack''s flaming eyes danced. "Don''t worry, my mad king, hahaha... I''ve calmed down for now... I was going to end him quickly, but I''ve since thought of something special for him." Emily finished the innards and went to the legs enjoying the stale fat on the hams. "Oh?" Jack felt like he was living a John Romero movie watching the scene in front of him. What concerned him the most... Was that he didn''t feel bad watching... There was a part of him saying this was wrong, but there was a larger part that didn''t care. It was as if the corpse that Emily was eating wasn''t undead, person, or anything... That it was just food. It felt to Jack no different than if she had a cooked turkey up there and was eating it with her hands. While crass to eat with your hands, it wasn''t like there weren''t people that didn''t do it. It was just that... It was the part of that thought, ''it isn''t wrong'' that caused Jack to feel so... Queasy in his soul. "I still need him for my research. There are many things I''ve been thinking, and he knows a lot of things. He''s going to teach me what''s left, and when I know it all. He will be delegated to being a servant, and no more..." "And the harassment goes unpunished... I-" "Oh, no, no, no, dear husband. Only you can touch me... I''ll make it clear, and if the High Alchemist thinks otherwise... We''ll have another Skeletal undead walking around... I''ll see if I can''t get the good Doctor to come up here, and help me." Jack waited for Emily to finish the leg she was eating, as she tossed the shin bone and bits of the knee cap onto the table, as she continued, "I''ll keep him among the unliving, and will strip each part of his flesh off and eat it, while he''s still with us until he is only a skeleton. I''ll eat his gooey brain last, as Doctor Hollowell helps him transition to full Skeletal Undead... Show him how We convert Zombies to Skeletons in Neolith with a hook to pull his brains out, as I savor them quenched in fear." Emily salivated, and shivered, as drool trickled down the corner of her mouth. Jack opened his skeletal mouth and closed it a few times. Overcome with herself, Emily discarded the few bones in her hand to the side, as she pounced on Jack. "Take me! Take me, now!" Emily growled to Jack. "Ummm... The door is-" "Damn the door! Do your husbandly duties, and fill my soul!" The Holy Sentinels appeared in the hallway in front of the Workshop One sign, as they nodded to each other. They took their guard. It would be a while before Eris was visited by Jack, and Leslie would become frustrated with her Sister-Consort''s cravings. Chapter 227: The Riddle of Flesh Jack retrieved his soul after an unknown amount of time at the urging of constant mental messages. "Jack... Ha... Ha... Ha... Why''d you stop...?" Emily squeezed out words, as she asked, with a flushed face. Jack looked upon the erotic expression of Emily and was reminded of the wonders of flesh. As Jack was looking upon the coquettish face of Emily, he reached out, [Lucius, just want the hell do you want?] [Where the hell have yoooooou been?! HUH!?] Lucius snapped back instead of his usual worshiping attitude. [I''ve been with Emily, doing... You know.] [Well zombie''s shit on a shingle, no wonder! It''s been three days, and the FUCKING Holy Sentinels won''t let me get anywhere close to Emily''s workshop. Leslie said you were with her... Speaking of which, Leslie is going to break you in half. Her words, not mine.] Jack felt a knot in his non-existence throat, [Uh... Why?] [Well, I''m no expert, but I''d say it''s because you soul danced with your second consort for... let''s see... Oooh, I don''t know, DAMN NEAR A WEEK! You think about it.] [She''s umm... Why didn''t she come to get me? She knows how to get me.] Jack asked out of confusion. "Who are you... Haaaaa... talking to?" Emily finally got her breathing under near control. "Lucius... I''m in hot holy water now." [Again, why did I agree to be your keeper!? You''re the god here! I need something stronger than holy dust.] Lucius held his head in his office while he mentally messaged, while Shawn was to the side putting another burnt offering out. [You can get Crag to get you some good stuff.] [Haaaaaaaaa... To your question, I can only guess she didn''t want to interrupt your time with another consort. So, you figure out the rest. Look, several undead are looking for an audience with you.] "What''s wrong?" Emily asked, not sure what hot holy water Jack was speaking of... "One moment." Jack spoke, as he got off the floor where he and Emily had been having their ''fun.'' [Who?] [A group of Envoys from Neolith... Princess Violet from Jakahn... And a representative from Stonedge... Oh... And some strange little girl that''s the most... Disturbing.] [Little girl? What''s she like?] [Think of a perfect undead mated with some black goats or maybe a dead ram. I don''t know, but what I do know, is that witnesses say if you ask for her parent''s names people turn into strange things, disappear, or... Magically heal... Leslie gave some information that she came from a port in Stonedge. We have her contained for now in the Jail, but the Warden is demanding you do something.] [If she''s contained, what''s the problem?] [She keeps... I don''t know how to put it. She sings... And when she sings... Strange things show up in the jail quarters. We undead aren''t scared of ghosts, you know that... But these things that show up, aren''t ghost. We don''t know what the fuck they are... Even I couldn''t exercise them away.] The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. [What the fuck did she call up?] [Jack... You just must deal with this. I''m not going to the jail quarters with you. I''m sorry. One of those damn things tried to hold me down and eat the middle out of me... At least I hope it was trying to eat me because the other thought it might be wanting to do disgusts me.] [...] "Jack, love? What''s wrong???" Emily asked, watching Jack''s odd movement. "I think Death''s daughter has arrived..." Jack blurted out. "Dea-Death''s daughter???" "Yeah... I''ll figure something out later." [Are you still there, or are you knee-deep in Emily''s soul again? Hello? JACK!? DAMN IT!] [Lucius, I''m here. Calm down!] [Oh... Well... I''d be the last undead to cry help but seeing as I was the last undead that got ran out of the jails... HELP!] [Okay! What about the princess whatever and the others?] [Oh, we provided for them. They are here in the palace. When we get a chance, we can see them. I''m not worried about them. Just take care of whatever that strange little girl is first, please... For the faithful?] [I-] [FOR THE FAITHFUL, JACK!] [Oh-] [PEOPLE LEFT THE CHURCH AFTER SEEING HER!!! WE''RE LOSING MONEY, JACK! DO YOU UNDERSTAND! THIS IS FOR THE FAITHFUL!] [... I got it...] [Whew... Tell me when you''ve... Done, whatever you''ve done... Throw her into the Brimstone Ocean for all I care, just don''t let anyone know about it. I don''t want to lose more members here in Saigunrai...] [Okay. Then put in some words with Leslie.] [Already tried... You''re on your own.] Lucius piped up, and then Jack felt the connection break. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa~" Jack let a long drawn out sigh, as Emily pulled herself up using Jack''s ribcage, as the clinking of vials within chimed. Jack looked down at the horned beauty that clung to him as he spoke, "I hate to cut this short, but it seems We''ve been in here for about a week. Things are lacking without me." "A week? Doesn''t seem like it''s been that long." Emily commented as she squeezed her eyes, as she looked upon Jack''s visage. "Yeah... I don''t think so either." "We should definitely do this more. Like... Everyday." Emily nodded vigorously. "OH!!!" "I know, right!" Emily exclaimed in agreement. "Oh, no, no! I mean, yes, but actually no. I wanted to ask what your Goddess type powers were." Jack answered. Emily stood up completely in thought, before speaking, "Like what?" "Well, I mean I do weird things with the light and I can float. What about you?" "I... Breath and eat like I''m alive... Oh, I remember Hecate said I can heal flesh and grant flesh." Emily thought out loud slowly. "Wait, wait, wait, back up, what does grant flesh mean?" "Means I can bestow my gift of ghouls to another undead. It gives them a body like mine, but it does make them a ghoul, you know. A living undead." "Can you give me flesh?" Jack asked quickly. "Hmmmmmmmm... I don''t know. Give me your arm." Emily thought for a moment, before deciding. Jack quickly extended his right arm to Emily, as she held the arm and traced her fingers over the bones, "Such a shame to cover such bones with flesh, but let''s see. I''m quite curious now than you mention such a thing." Emily''s right index finger quickly drew some random-looking patterned rune in the air, before bringing that rune to above Jack''s hand. The air twisted around Jack''s large skeletal hand, as golden liquid gushed from around his bony fingers, hand, and wrist. As the golden blood twisted as it was alive, it began to mend itself around the bones. Jack witness a similar feat when Emily regrew her midsection! He was excited, to say the least. In a matter of moments, Jack looked down at a hand that appeared to be tanned with a slight gold hue. He flexed his hand and felt the flesh squish, but it felt empty. [Blood, huh.] Jack thought to himself. "Oh, it wor-" Before Emily could finish her words, the ruins on Jack''s body lit up. The Gold hue died from the new flesh before it turned black and dry. Jack flexed his hand again, and the husk of dry skin and flesh cracked off and landed on the floor, revealing his skeletal hand once more. "Haaaa~" "What went wrong???" Emily looked over the now dimming runes on Jack''s body. "I believe I''m cursed to some degree. I think... Well... I don''t know... I''ll have to do experiments later." "I can help!" Jack nodded, as he patted Emily''s head. "I know you will. Thank you in advance. I''m going to go see about that strange little girl. I''ll message you if I need you, okay?" "Sure!" Emily watched Jack begin to leave, as she heard him mutter to himself, "Why can''t anything ever be easy..." Emily shook her head, as she turned her sight on the now stale corpse, she had been eating a few days ago... She approached and with a few pokes felt it was still good enough and began to once again fill her belly. Chapter 228: A Mix of Emotions With the retreat of the God-King, so too did the Holy Sentinels, with that brought back the lab''s head. High Alchemist Raleigh opened the lab door, as he entered. Emily looked up from her meal, black blood dripping from her mouth as she had finished the lower half, it seemed not all the blood was properly drained, perhaps she would ask the slutty vampire to help her. If a vampire didn''t know how to drain blood, then there was no helping it. She noticed that Raleigh closed the door behind him, and made his way over to her as he paused midstep. His face twisted, as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Emily continued to eat, not taking her eyes off of Raleigh. This was the third time she ate in front of someone. First Leslie, then Jack, and now Raleigh... "Wha..." Raleigh''s face twisted more... "Are you eating a fucking corpse?!" Raleigh finally found his voice, as he spoke in disgust and loathing, as his initial fear subsided. Emily swallowed her chewed food, "Yeah, what of it?" As she took another piece, stripped from the ribs. "This-This is cannibalism! GHOUL! THIS IS GHOULISH! I CAN''T BELIEVE THAT I EVER THOUGHT OF YOU! UGH!" Raleigh squealed, as he turned and emptied the contents of his belly onto the floor. "..." Emily stopped chewing, as her gaze flickered looking upon Raleigh''s actions. She was already displeased. "Disgraceful! I am ashamed! You aren''t worthy of the God-King nor I! Ugh!" Raleigh turned to leave this sight, angry at himself for attempting to woo such a creature. He couldn''t believe that this skeleton loli got a zombie body and developed such a habit so quickly... He would report this to the church soon if nothing else but to have her dealt with... "I CAN''T BELIEVE THAT THE GOD-KING HAS SUCH A CONSORT! SICKENING, JUS-" Raleigh seemed to bump into something soft, as he backed up to see what it was... Emily stood to her full height from her usual slumping posture. With her straight back and Crown of horns, she looked down on the wretch that insulted her and her husband. "What did you say, High Alchemist?" Emily''s cold voice issued in a whisper but echoed in Raleigh''s ears. It was only at this moment, that alarm bells began to ring. He had never taken Emily as a threat... Even when he saw her eating the corpse, stuck in his train of previous thoughts. "I-I... I-I-I..." "I... What... High Alchemist? I what? I believe you said the words disgusting, disgraceful, and shameful..." Emily loomed above. Raleigh swallowed the spittle in his throat, "Y-Yes... You were... You have... The corpse..." Emily took a step, "I have never been called such by any outsider, in all my unlife... Born to my Royal-Mother, Queen of Neolith, Raised by the Spider Prophet of the late great Spider Goddess Neith and trained in etiquette by the most renowned scholars of these lands... I have endured, High alchemist. From confusion, until anger, but today..." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Emily, No! Lady Emily, Your highness, Consort Lady Emily! I was wrong. I saw nothing! What you do in your spare time is your business." Raleigh backed up, as he continued to seek escape. As he backed up, the only door to the lab look further and further away, but why did the presence of this thing that was supposed to be Emily keep getting larger and larger. As long as he could get to the door, the clergy would know of this monster! He would see it purged! "You''ve never called me by any titles before Raleigh... I endured because you were a scholar, a learned undead... My professor, if you would... Why do you smell like piss and fear, Raleigh? Wasn''t it you who just said that I was undeserving of my husband, and now... EVEN you???" It was indeed true that Raleigh, who had never fought or battled in his unlife, lost control of his lower region. "Oh... No, no, no! Highness Consort Lady Emily is a great beauty still and well learned. Unequal to any lower class undead-" Raleigh''s last back step bumped into a table of vails and beakers, that released a chiming sound upon impact. "Still?" "Yes, The God-King must--- Huh?" Raleigh continued to flatter, as he saw his own body turning upside down. From the floor, Raleigh saw his headless body slump over, as his soul left his body, and he was granted true death. Emily gasped, as her long talon upon her index finger retracted back and her hand regained its original form. She looked upon the dead body of High Alchemist Raleigh, and the blank look of the severed head on the floor. She stared at the vacant stare of Raleigh, as she, herself, backed up until she came to the door. With her back to the floor, she slid down, as she continued to stare. [W-What have I done...] She looked at her hands, with her right hand speckled in black blood. She saw that black blood, and felt an urge to taste the body, as she looked back up. Tears welled up in her eyes, as they spilled over her pale face to drip down upon her chest, [Just... I was angry... I was right... He shouldn''t have done this... I was supposed to wait... I-I didn''t have permission... But I''m Consort... A Goddess... I can kill! I was planning on killing him anyway, right...? A most painful true death... But not like this. Not like this. Not like this.] Emily held her head, as she welled to herself... After a period of time, her eyes dried, and her expression a bit better, she reached out, [Sister...] [Done playing with Jack, I see.] The slightly angry but amused voice of Leslie filtered into her mind. [I need your help to clean up something.] [Oh? Where are you?] ******* "Done, and done." Mark checked and triple checked all the reagents required. Getting some of these items again required numerous dealings and some with the Church of the Three Gods. Deep in an underground lair the size of a football field somewhere in the Nation of Borda, a large spell formation was constructed in the same pattern as the one previous in Jakahn, but its size paled in comparison and complexity. In the middle of the formation sat Former-Princess Janet, wife of Mark. She had been watching Mark off and on for the last few weeks bring supplies and write the complex spell formation. His detail to this spell formation touched her heart when she asked what it was, only to learn it was for her. This was all for her, she thought. Even though she still disliked Mark, some part of her yearned for him, and that ice that surrounded her heart slowly melted with time these last few days, as she watched him cackle away as he worked. So eccentric and mysterious, but dedicated and faithful. Ah. At the head of this formation was a large skull covered in thick canvas to drown out the overpowering light. This room would be ice cold, if not for the overpowering warmth given off by the blanketed skull. Yes, this was none other than the Skull of the Sun God snatched from its perch in Saigunrai seat of Deagoth slapped into the distance by the now long forgotten Mountain Ape Hermit. Mark wiped the condensation from his skull and took his monocle to wipe the moisture from it, as his old habit flared, as he walked to the side of Janet. "Soon, very soon, I will be done. All this time, all this money, and all these deals will finally bear the fruit of my love." Mark said lovingly and softly, as he gazed upon Janet. Janet had long put her book down, and looked up into the face of Mark, as she asked, "Will you let me go when you''re done?" "Yes... Once I''ve healed you, and you still wish to go... I will let you go, or if you will permit... I will escort you to wherever it is you wish." Mark nodded and spoke with a voice that hid a few sour notes and sadness. Janet''s heart felt as if it would thump in her chest, as she silently vowed to call this undead husband if he held his words true. Chapter 229: I GOT TO GO! Mark nearing the completion of his formation, as he finally decided to unveil the most sought after possession among these lands... "Cover your eyes, please," Mark spoke. Janet heard his words and brought her hand up to cover her eyes, as she peeked through her fingers out of curiosity. He stepped to the head of the formation, and with both hands he snatched the blanketed tarps covering the Sun Skull, as light poured into the Underground field, nearly blinding the curious abandoned princess. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! YES! This will do! This will most certainly do!" Mark clapped his hands together, as he turned background to help Janet out of her wheelchair and into the proper place. ******* "Warden Metalhearts, what kind of creatures am I to expect?" Jack asked the jail quarter Warden, at the entrance leading within the hollowed cells. "This... God-King have you seen the flaming leviathan or read of it in the Brimstone Ocean?" "With the tentacles?" "Yeah... They''re like that in the face." "I see..." Jack spoke with a solemn voice, [Sounds like the things I seen Yoggi''s blood make.] Jack thought to himself, as he heard a ''Heh'' sound from above him. [Yoggi, what did you send me?] Jack looked up to ask but was met with silence. The warden didn''t disturb the God-King, as she thought he was thinking of a solution. Jack looked back down to this stout warden as he spoke, "Well enou- Huh?" He stood up to his full height from his bent-over position talking to the warden to look in a certain direction. [This... hmmm... Wait, this should be it.] Jack thought that he felt a flux in the light. [Right! RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT! FINALLY FUCKER! FINALLY FOUND YOU!] Jack exclaimed to himself. "Raincheck, warden! I have something to deal with." Jack turned and flew back to his palace at top speed, as flashes of light surrounded and followed him, no doubt the Holy Sentinels. "WHAT''S A RAIN CHECK!!!! GOD-KING!!! DON''T LEEEEEAA-" The warden''s voice echoed behind Jack be it was long lost in the winds as his distance increased from her, and the Holy Arched Doorway to his Throne and Courtroom approached. Jack busted open the colossal doors, as he continued to fly within the courtroom, as he touched down to open the door to his dressing room. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Lucius opened the door, just as Jack was intending for it to open, and the two collided. "Oh! God-King? Oh? Already done with the jails? As expected, I wanted to as-" "Out of the way, Lucius!" Jack pushed Lucius to the side with a rather heavy hand, as Lucius toppled on to his tail bone. "Ouch! What the h-" Lucius word was left behind, as a Holy Senetiel was spotted helping him up. Jack floated into the start of the twisting hallways, "Oh, you must be the God-King, I am princess Vi-" "I don''t have time for you, tart, out of the way!" Jack flew around her in the wide hall, leaving behind a stunned Jakahn princess. Two Holy Senetiels flanked her and pointed their hand silently to the direction she came from... Jack flew with greater speeds through the halls as they serpentined, until he collided with yet another undead, "God-King! Much has been discovered with the new Glowst-" "PISS OUT THE WAY, DOCTOR!" Jack mowed over Doctor Hollowell, who cackled in his wake. [BLOODY HELL! I see no one for weeks, and then all these fuckers come out of the bone works!] Jack thought grimly as he approached his Library turned lab. "Oh? Witchy??? Been a while, Just got some new du-" Crag called out, as Jack left him spinning as he passed, "LATER CRAG! I''LL VISIT LATER!" Outside the doors of Jack''s Library stood a very bored Vampire princess. "Oh, I''m sooooo glad you''re here... I''ve been bored sick for-" "I give a fuck less... Matter of fact come with me!" Jack hooked his arm around her middle, and drag her into his library. It was good that he had modified his doorway prior to being taken to Carcosa... "EEP!" Eris'' voice echoed in the hallways, as the Holy Sentinels appeared and guarded the library''s entrance. Within Jack put down Eris much more easily than he just scooped her up with five seconds prior, as he spoke, "This is my library lab area place thing... I work here. Read some of the books, they have a lot of knowledge. Don''t touch the living tome on the desk there... He''s an asshole, careful of the slimes and monsters... The slimes eat whatever they can get near them, and I''m not sure about the other things yet. If you see anything strange, close your eyes for a full minute and then blink seven times. That should get rid of it... Don''t listen to any of the words anything in here says unless it''s me... Nothing sounds like me in here, yet. Don''t touch the tome that looks like meat... Just... Get a random book and enjoy it if you''re bored... I''ll be right back." Jack rattled off, and then climbed his golden throne and seated himself, as his body slumped to the side, and the flames in his eyes died. "..." Eris stared wide-eyed at her god as he just appeared to have casually died. After staring at her god for a few minutes, and watching as a golden hue released from his throne, she determined that he had not died, but... Perhaps he was meditating? She wasn''t sure. She stood up and inspected the hazy room. She wondered over to the table that held the usual living tome that Jack carried around. It was closed, and being told not to touch it, she decided it was for a reason. Of course, the wiggling bits in the jars and glass containers caught her attention, as she moved over to see them. She watched for a while, as these imp-like creatures attempted to escape, became jovial, played, and then attempted to escape again. One such imp-like creature seemed to notice Eris, as he waved, before being tackled by another imp before a pile of them began to play-fight each other. Eris shook her head, [What has my god been doing??? Is he trying to create life???] After a while, her attention went to the pile of meat that Jack had mentioned. Curious as she was, she went over to the podium that contained this abomination, until she was five steps from it, as she exclaimed... "THE HISTORIA MORTIS!?!?" Chapter 230: Finally they Meet "Alright! This is it!" Mark clapped his bony hands together, as he finished with Janet. "Is it really necessary to dress me up like a mummy?" Janet asked while lying in the center of the overly large formation. "Oh..." A sorrowful sound issued from Mark, as he turned to look at Janet in the middle. "What''s wrong?" Janet seemed to soften her voice, as she slightly turned her bandaged head to see Mark''s hollow figure. "...Nothing really... I''m going to triple check the formation again and the regents. I want to make absolutely sure there are no problems. None." Mark declared, after he picked himself back up, and began to go to each of the ritual sites within the spell formation, checking and checking to make sure each line and each amount was perfect. That he compensated for not having enough Geolava fin, but had more than enough Glowstone, that each item was in place and each amount was balanced to the next. There must be no more mistakes. ******* Jack within the familiar realm of light looked down at his skeletal body wreathed in light. He clenched his hands tightly a few times feeling the sensation of touch, even in this place. [...I need to have a talk with Yoggi or Asstur... This just can''t be normal.] Jack then cast his vision to the large black hole in the distance. Push against the ceiling like-floor of the realm of light, Jack dashed forward like a beam of light within the realm, as many objects raced passed him. The sounds of talk, laughter, and private times filtered in and out of Jack''s hearing, as he passed the small pocked landscape of blackholes on his way to the Skull of the Sun God. ******* After numerous checks, Mark felt that everything was as perfect as he could make it. At this point, he was just hesitating out of fear, but he looked over his wife, who had a slight smile on her face. With pangs in his heart, he would do what he said he would do. He walked to the front of the formation, as he began to speak. "You are the lioness that breathes the deserts! You are the daughter of the sun, not seen in the underworld!" The Skull of the Sun God vibrated with a fierceness, unlike the chunk he had previously. "As-" A large skeletal hand burst forth from the Skull of the Sun God cracking the roof of the underground lair. Space vibrated, and the large space began to fracture, as the arm of a luminous skeleton appeared shortly after the hand pushing up and out finally revealing the sky. "FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!!" Mark had little time to understand the situation, as he rushed to the center of the formation, and landed over top of Janet. On his hands and knees, the roof came crashing down upon his skeletal back. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Now a skull appears, with blazing eyes, as it spoke, "Just who was the one that stole my Sun Skull??? Who has the balls!?" Jack finally began to manifest outside of the Skull of the Sun God to just above his waist, as he loomed above the skyline. He peered down into the hole that was made. Jack then peered around him, seeing the undead of a city point fingers up at him, with a vast majority running or taking shelter. There were a few that bowed down at his sight, in reverence. After looking around and getting his bearings, he should be in Borda... [So, it was Borda that had the balls, hmmmmmm?] Jack saw a few bowed down, as he spoke, "Those that worship me, pilgrimage to the new city of Bellum deep within Deagoth," as Jack pointed into the direction of where Bellum would be built. Looking back down into the hole, he saw some of the wreckage of the building moving and saw some sort of spell work on the floor between the mess of the building. [...Where the fuck were they keeping my Sun Skull?] Jack reached down with a finger to knock a few pieces of the building out of the way where there must have been a survivor. Finally, with a roar, Mark straightened his back, and all the ruins broke and fell to the sides. It was now that Mark looked up into the face of the flaming skull of Jack, and Jack down into the small form of Mark. "Marquis Mark...?!" Jack said finally starting to piece together that Mark was in the same place as the Sun Skull, therefore it was Mark that orchestrated its theft or played some major hand in it. Mark looked back down at Janet to see she was fine. She smiled back, as she asked if he was okay. He was slightly bewildered that Janet wasn''t screaming her head off, considering that they were attacked by a colossal titan and it was still in front of them. Mark then lifted his gaze again, "Witch King... Or do I call you God-King, now?" "Oh, that''s right? Do I call you a traitor? Or perhaps a thief?" Jack countered. "How many times do you insist on thwarting me?" Mark spoke ominously, as chilled air swirled around him. "Honestly... I don''t remember the first time I ever bothered you. If We have a problem, I would more than love to talk it out later... You know after I take back my Sun Skull." "All my unlife I dedicated to my wife, even when I have the love to burn down your wretched kingdom... All this time, all these things, and right when I''m on the cuff of freeing my wife from the burden that was unfair to her! YOU SHOW UP AGAIN!" With Mark''s shouting, the icicles in the air condensed into a pair of ice horns that extended from Mark''s forehead and curved up. "Whoa! Who asked you to keep being a thorn in my kingdom''s side!? Your shit-stirring of Jakahn led to the true death of two of my Warmarshals!" "TO BAD IT WASN''T THAT WOMAN OF YOURS!" Mark howled, as he smiled. [If a god can be damaged... or bleed...] "...Say... That again." Jack''s flaming eyes changed from their yellow luminescence into a deep shade of abyss... It was strange to see this in Jack''s true form, that wasn''t his body... "...Mark... Don''t fight him..." Janet whispered to Mark over the chilly and heated winds that swirled between the small icy figure and the large. "...This is for you... I will show the world that mortal can stand up to a god... When I retreat, I will take you and the Sun Skull, and We can start again." Mark whispered back. "But..." Mark pulled his monocle, as the gold chain snapped, and tossed it to the still bandaged hands of Janet, "This will protect you from what''s about to happen..." "I SAID, it SHOULD have been YOUR WOMAN to die in that rubble! Perhaps you would know even a little of my PAAAAIN!!!" Mark shouted as he launched himself into the air chanting icy frost spells. Numerous shards of ice hurled at the God-King, as they were wiped away with a swipe of his massive hand. With ebon flames in his sockets, the God-King lifted his right hand, but as he did so, Mark did not let go of the attack. A large hammer of Ice condensed into the air, as Mark grabbed onto it and increased its already fast swing time. Dwarfed by the hammer, himself, Mark looked to be hanging on more than it appeared he was swinging this monumental mace. Jack lifted his left arm to block the incoming blow in time, startled by the size of this frost hammer that condensed so quickly. It appeared to be a hammer even Jack, in his titanic form, could wield. The lava seaside City of Bineham shuddered, and silence reigned. Chapter 231: The Meeting Continues With the crashing sounds rippling through the city and reverberated back all the windows and lights shattered plunging the greater part of the city into the dark save for the presence of the God-King. It seemed that he was the only one radiating Light. Jack released the ball of Light he was condensing, [I really don''t want to nuke this place, but if I have too... Well... Don''t blame me, Borda...] With a narrowing of the flaming abyssal eyes, his right hand launched into a fist that struck down on Mark. "Ugh!" Mark spun through the air, as the Ice Hammer broke apart when his skeletal hand''s released grip. In his reckless decent, Mark slammed through two buildings, sending the last one toppling, as he formed a crater on the other side into the street. Jack seeing the falling building, reached out and scooped up the debris before it crashed. He then shoveled it to an open waste to the East of the City. [Need to minimize the true deaths of these people... These are not mine to kill... Yet... And these might become mine later.] Jack thought to himself, as a few more undead kneeled in reverence. Mark crawled out of his hole, and dusted off his vestments, as he looked up to see the God-King''s work. He mentally furrowed his brows, as he conjured a set of six Ice lances in the air before him, each thirteen meters long and one and a half meters thick, like the trunks of trees. He waved his hands to launch them, as he condensed another set of six. As Jack turned his large skull to face the impact crater of Mark, out of instinct he backhandedly swatted the Ice Lances that were about to his face. As his hand came down, a second set of Ice Lances hidden in the shadows of the first echoed out from the impact to Jack''s face. Being knocked back slightly, Jack was surprised by Mark''s thinking. [This is some anime fighting shit!] As he commented in his mind, Jack reached out with his hand to grab Mark, but was only met with Mark dashing away. [Large, but slow...] Mark commented in his mind, as he formed another set of Ice Lances to launch, as he flew at rapid speeds around Jack. Jack continued to fend off the attacks while minding his hands within the city, though his interest in protecting these foreign people started to dwindle quickly, as his patience was fast approaching their limits. Seeing that the God-King paused to hold another building from falling due to his Ice Lances, Mark landed. He saw that while he got some hits in on the God-King, all it served was to piss him off, and it didn''t even seem that the God-King was taking him seriously. Weighing his options in his mind, he finally concluded that he needed more power. He had, personally, done enough. [Let''s give him a bigger problem to face and destroy this City. I can then blame him and turn Borda onto the idea of invading Deagoth as an excuse to get resources to fend off the Dead Tide...] Mark smiled in his mind. Looking up from the corner of a building, Mark spoke in a low voice as he began to chant, "You are the child of the Trickster and Sorrow. The one that would be Queen of this Underworld. Cold death is your right, and judge of those that departed-" Jack''s spine tingled, as he looked to the source of concern. He noticed that a bit of his light glimmered on the icy horns of Mark, as Jack slammed his fist into the ground where Mark had been... Mark seemed to dodge at the last possible moment. Jack reached and grabbed at mark who was flying, as he caught him in his hands, the Image of Mark shattered into Ice within his grasp. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. [Ice clones... Fuck. What''s next... Ice Mirrors???] Jack continued to look for the real Mark, as he heard Mark''s voice rising, "-Lend your descendant your coming, and face this new god with your might, least he taste sorrow on his tongue but he be given naught but your fury! XUYOR HEL GO GWIS XI!!!" A large Icy wind blew within Bineham, as a vortex of white ice and snow took form of a large silhouette of a blue female with icy horns. This image was conjured from waist high, and her long hair was a deep black color that seemed to reflect the light of Jack like stars in the Overworld''s skies. She wore a large skinned fur around her neck of some three-headed beast with reddish-brown hue as it draped over her shoulders and back, and her ample blue bust was pushed up by a Leather brown corset. The taunt strings of her dress across her bosom struggled to contact them, and threaten to burst should the chance arise. The Female Goddess summoned, spoke with her closed eyes, "Who has summoned Hel, and Who needs to be smitten in my name?!" Her eyes snapped open, as she loomed over the city, as other Undead marveled, and wondered when these lands contained a second god. The continent as a whole looked at the skylines and were able to see a second god in the distance... Was this a new challenger to the God-King??? With Hel''s eyes open, she starred as Jack, who the ladder stared at her in turn... Neither one nor the other spoke. As Mark was about to go pick up Janet, he couldn''t help but find something strange, as he paused to watch. "Lich King...?" Hel spoke... "Hel...? Goddess Hel? As in the Goddess of Hel, the Underworld?" Jack asked after his mind racked to remember. "You remember! You finally became a god! Good for you! How many years has it been?" "Ummm... The Lich King is from ten thousand years ago..." Jack commented. "Has it been that long?" "He died you know?" "No kidding? Well, here you are, back in might and bigger than life! Bahahaha, you know I love that joke." "Riiiiiiiight... Hel, where are you?" "Oh?! You know where I reside, what kind of question is that," Hel laughed with hideous laughter, as the Undead within the city slumped and fell to their knees. Jack noticed these Undead''s reactions, as he nodded, and spoke again, "You must forgive me, death takes a toll on the soul." "He always does. Best not to associate with him, as much as possible, you know." Hel pointed in a direction in the distance North. "With the Demons, I live. I haven''t been here in so long. You know It''s about time for the new age to begin. I was lucky last time... Speaking of luck is that old bitch Neith still here?" Hel looked to the South, where the tomb of Neith would be... "I Killed her not that long ago actually, gave her soul to Death, in fact..." "BAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH." Deadly laughter rang out among the City, as Icy wraiths crawled out of the shadows of the moaning of the Undead, to spook those that were among the unliving. "So! Hilarious! At least I don''t have to worry about that Elder Goddess pissing in my lands! Just Because she''s a Ragnar?k older than I am, made her think she was hot stuff! Get it... Hot! Hilarious. I digress." "Yes... What brings you here, Hel?" Jack attempted to play off his situation and his utterly confused state, and gain as much information as he could. "Hmmm, Oh! I was summoned to do some smiting. You know I always enjoyed smiting, but you''re already here." "I think you''re supposed to be here to smite me." "What? Why would I smite you? Hel and the Lich King are old friends, isn''t that right, Lichy Poo?" "...Yeah..." Mark stood as many things clicked within his mind, into place... So many questions answered, so many old hatreds resolved, but there were still some that did not... Mark finally flew up, "HEL!" Hel turned her large face to see Mark, as her Icy eyes flashed, "Junior of the Demons, what happened to you?" "...Things happened... Can you hold him off long enough that I can leave with my wife?!" Mark pointed at the God-King. Hel looked to Jack, "Is there a problem with my Junior?" "Well, he only tried to topple my kingdom with his little tricks, took my Skull of the Sun God, and then attacked me out of no where." Jack summed up his experience. "Hmmm..." Hel brought an icy talon to her chin as she thought... "I''m not getting into this. Junior of the Demons, The Lich King is my friend, and you are my descendant. You fix these problems yourself." Hel then looked to Jack, "My reign of the Underworld comes soon, Lich King. Now that you finally became a god... You have to answer the question from so long ago... Are you with me...? Or are you against me?" Hel began to dissolve into ice crystals as the winds of the deep dark frozen wastes blew them apart leaving some parting words, "I look forward... Lich King..." Mark still dazed from the information he was processed was met with a titanic fist of the God-King colliding into him sending him crashing back down into his Original Lair among the rubble of the building. Oh??? What are these? Let''s start off with a bit of background on the Countries/Kingdoms of the Ruined Continent. The First Symbol of Deagoth shows as it was prior to the God-King. With Lucius'' help, he is slowly issuing new emblem patches for the Clergy to show the God-King''s symbol. Which is basically a skull in the Deagoth Cross. The Deagoth Cross is still used by the Military, but those of defining rank or special badges for accommodations show the God-King''s symbol. Of course, We know the Monocle as Ole'' Mark. If one remembers, this is the mark that was on his Business card he handed to that small boy. Borda shows three circles, which is supposed to stand for their three bodies of government. The Head, The Body, and the Limbs... Which is their equivalent to their Prime Minister(Head,) Republic forum, Body, and the Justice system/Military, the Limbs. Too bad these look really similar to the marks of the Chuch of the Three Gods......... Jakahn has many Legends of the Bat. One that was passed own by the First Queen of Jakahn, the maid that betrayed Dragon''s Jaw. One of which tales of the Might Stalagmite Star, as seen by the four-pointed star and two circles. As it lowers from the roof of the Underworld it twinkles in the distances, so far that no Undead of the Ruined Continent has seen it in present-day in person. However, it was known in the distant past that during the reign of the Lich King, it was a fortress that housed a factory that produced undead bats... This last part has since been changed to believe that it holds great treasures, instead of the horrors left by the mad lich king. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Stonedge was founded by Undead that believed in druidism... This twisted belief in nature allowed them to cultivate the mighty lands of Meatshrooms, but the druids were later driven out by many more powerful families that took residence in those lands, that soon became the owners of Stonedge. Their symbol the stone table is still used as if to mock the previous peace-loving druids for the unknown and aggressive objectives of their new shadowy leaders. Stonedge is now known not just for their Meatshrooms, but also their innovations in undead tech... Too bad the Dead Tide is about to knock them over like Borda............ Neolith and the Spider... It seems to be almost one and the same with their Goddess... Something of interesting note... The Grand Tomb has recently plummeted into the dark... It seems that all the spiders that groom the glowmoss have died... Strange... I wonder if it has anything to do with the death of a certain someone??? Oh, I''m sure they will be fine... PFFT! Dragon''s Jaw... Still mysterious in its perch to the east. Protected by Mountains, with many mountain strongholds, built with Dragon bones... It seems this old Dragon Graveyard that use to be fuel the undead dragon''s of the Lich King has bared some very hardy undead, if not Xenophobic to their neighbors. Chapter 232: NEVER DEFY! Mark felt a few ribs cracking and his right femur showed a hairline fracture, as he looked through the wholes of the two buildings, he produced in his crashing descent. One could see that his left ice horn was broken off halfway, giving him a haggard look with his tattered gentleman''s clothes. Mark got to his feet, with his left arm holding his rib cage, afraid that his ribs would completely break, as he used his right arm to brush off the dust on him. He made a sharp sound as he put pressure on his right leg. [This feels so much better when I''m not the one being slapped around.] Jack thought while pleased it wasn''t his turn again to be sent crashing around, as was done to him previously. Jack raised his hand to remove the wreckage of one of the falling buildings and again put it on the outskirts of the city, in an attempt to save more unlives and clean up. This wasn''t without the Undead of Borda noticing, with some sending prayers and others deciding that they would, indeed, pilgrimage to the new City called Bellum. After clearing the pile, he turned back to face mark, half expecting to be met with more ice lances. [Hmmmm...?] Jack noticed that he couldn''t find Mark, nor could he sense him. All the Glowstone within Bineham shined brighter for a moment before they dulled... [Where the hell did he go???] Jack looked around the City, as his form loomed over. The undead he lorded over, shuddered as his gaze passed by... Some of these undead did not like the God-King, but they did respect the power he was currently wielding, thus none called out. With the sounds of the fighting momentarily paused, an uneasy silence took ahold of the seaside city. [This can''t be right... The bad guy always talks shit before he runs away...] Jack deduced in his mind, as he looked below him to still a female zombie undead half laying on the ground with an anxious look. [I take that to be his woman. If I recall, that should be his wife, eeer... Janet. Yeah, Janet. Leslie spoke of her... Isn''t she supposed to be some princess???] Jack was trying to remember some of the things Leslie told him previously after some sensual soul-bonding, but his mind at the time had been riffled by other things. [I don''t think he would just leave her if he was that much in love with her.] Jack thought some more, as he straightened his large form back up from his glancing posture. ******* Mark at the edge of the City to the Northwest on the opposite shore of the Ice Ugly Lake, he crouched in the darkness staring at the colossus, which was the God-King of Deagoth searching for him. [...It seems I will have to be the one to destroy this town... In the end, I''ll grab Janet and make off...] Mark concluded, as his previous plan with his ancestor fell through, as he placed his hand down on the soft dank muddy bank of the lake, as he began his complicated ritual. In a low voice, "Ymir, the grandfather of old, with his world as his back, and blood as these lakes and river, Ice Giant, the pre-" Jack grew nervous noticing that nothing was happening, [Crap... It''s been enough time for him to prepare something... Haaaa~ I''m not good with smart guys... Why couldn''t just keep attacking like that monkey man...] You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Jack heard a voice from below him, as he looked down again into that pit to see that the one that should be called Janet was yelling to him. He began to lean over to listen to this wife of Mark. ******* Many icy runic circles surround Mark, as he continued his broken ice horn reformed, as he completed his ritual, "AS I THE RUMORED CHILD OF THE ICY WASTES THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND! DEAD WITH TIME! GIVE ME STRENGTH IN THIS DEEP DARK! WITH THE POWER I INVOKE WITH YMIR, MY GRANDFATHER''S GRANDFATHER! XA''GE YE IR SILJEN ARD XOLD!!!" The frigid waters of Ice Ugly Lake turned even more extreme in nature, as the vast lake froze over. A complete glacier was formed, as the ice cracked and folded. It broke, in places, and then folded over, as if a shifting shape of geometric patterns converged on Mark. The Ice of the lake encased him, as he hoisted him into the air, and the remaining ice continued its patterns of braking and reforming taking on the shape around the Ice care of Mark, as just that... A rib cage. This followed by forming the rest, with each break of the ice flows ice crystals leaving snow in the wind. ******* "So, all this is to cure you of your birth defect?" Jack asked Janet, as he summed up his conversation. Janet looked down at the broken floor of the lair and nodded, with tears in her eyes, "I only know so much because Mark told me most of it... Honestly, I don''t remember much since he said he failed the last ritual to fix me. Said I died and lost my memories." "...That hits too close to home..." Jack nodded his large head a few times. "You lost your memories, too?" "I- Hmmmm?" Jack stopped before answering, to see a large white looking skeleton rising to the northwestern area... It seemed to be spawning from the Lake that laid there. [Must be Mark.] Jack thought to himself. "Can''t you both just put aside your problems? I don''t want Mark to be hurt anymore." Janet cried out. Jack looked down again, as he was about to quickly speak- "CRACK!" A large black ice fist collided with Jack''s skull producing snow in its wake. He was knocked back into the buildings of Bineham, as he smashed them, it was unknown how many undead met their true death, as he laid among the rubble with his waist still connected to the Skull of the Sun God. [...] Faster than he expected Jack got back up from his position, he noticed that this giant frost skeleton in front of him had ice horns just like Mark, perhaps an Ice Demon''s skeleton''s appearance. "Mark-" Another solid left Jab issued forth from the Ice Demon Statue, before being caught by Jack''s luminescent right hand. "Mark, listen to me for j-" Crack! While the Ice Demon Statue''s left fist was held, a right body blow was sent against Jack''s rib cage. "..." It wasn''t that Jack couldn''t feel pain in his true form, but it took a lot to cause it... It just so happened that Mark pressed the right button. Jack snatched the left fist to him, as his right hand grab the Ice Demon Statues left elbow, and with a growl, Jack unleashed as much force has he could, with a solid city shaking splintering explosion, he snapped off the left forearm of the Ice Demon Statue, spraying ice shards over the city, destroying many more homes, markets, and stores. "YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SNOW FLEA ON THE NUTS OF YMIR!" Jack yelled in fury, as his voice shook the lands surrounding, and was heard all the way through the Borda Cities of Midbalmou, Darbrore, and Deagoth''s own City of Sufenron! Raising the Ice arm and fist of the Ice Demon Statue high into the air, scraping the roof of the Underworld sending rocking remains of the ceiling crashing down before the arm and fist club was brought low upon his foe. With immense earth sundering sound, the Ice Demon Statue was knocked down to the side, crushing many more buildings underneath him, as a muffled groan was issued forth from the icy titan. Another slam of the, now frozen maul, was brought down again. "LET THIS BE A LESSON!" BOOM! Another blow. "NEVER!" BAM! Another blow. "EVER!" DAM! Another blow. "DEFY" CRASH! BASH! BOOM! "YOUR GOD!!!!" CRUNCH! SNAP! CRACK...! The Frozen lake waters of the fist and arm of the Ice Demon Statue could take no more blunt force trauma as it shattered over the battered snowy body of the Ice Demon Statue. Jack tossed the shattered remaining ice in his hand to the winds, as it dissolved into nothing over the Lava sea to the east. As Jack was to reach out again for this broken ice statue, as a cry was heard over the sounds of the city''s panic and the remains of the crumbling buildings. "STOP IT!!!!!" After which a distressed female''s cry was issued forth by Janet. Chapter 233: We are All going to Die Janet''s sobs were heard over the echoing waste that was made of a large swath of the city. Jack looked over to the lady, he had been conversing with and felt she reminded him of Leslie... Maybe less forceful, and more playful, but it reminded him, nevertheless. Now hearing her sobs, he put down his fists and braced them on the ground on either side of the ruined lair that was Mark''s, as he lowered his head to Janet, with his flaming eyes watching. It wasn''t but a moment later that the rubble next to her broke apart with Mark crawling out of the ground, without dusting himself off, he released the large mole-like ice claws he had used to dig, and he came to Janet''s side and kneeled. "What''s wrong?! Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?! DID HE?!" Mark''s vacant eye socket''s flashed, as he lifted his head to see into the looming face of the God-King. With tears, Janet reached out and with a light pop, she slapped Mark aside the face. Mark brought his hand to cover the place that stung, as joy crept into his heart. "No, he did not! What are you doing!? This isn''t like you??? You don''t fly off the handle like this! You scheme, you plot, you play tricks! Why are you fighting head-on with the God-King here?!??" "B-B-But-But I have-" "Do you want to die? Do you want me to finally love you when you''re gone? Do you want to kill the God-King and have the world find you? Do you think you can escape that shadow thing in Deagoth you keep rattling on about???" "I-I" Janet reached up, grabbed Mark''s collar, and pulled herself up as she hung onto Mark''s dusty vestments, "Tell me! WHY?! WHY DO YOU HURT ME?!" Panicked that he was getting Janet dusty, Mark was about to release her, but hearing her words, he reversed his actions and deeply embraced her. "Never! NEVER! NEVER WOULD I HURT YOU! Damn the world, Damn even me... But never you! What have I done wrong?" "Tell me why you suddenly attacked the God-King... I know he interrupted the ritual thingy you had going... but you''re usually calmer than this!" "..." "You tell me everything... Tell me." Janet commanded as she appealed with her large eyes and blueish complexion. Mark looked up at the God-King and weighed many things in his mind. After adding and subtracting the pros and cons, what choices he would be making, and how to please his wife... He decided who he was going to betray. Jack mentally furrowed his brows, as he tried to listen to each word. Mark was a thorn in his coccyx for a long while now... But he still had hoped to draw this mind to him... Jack felt he had power, but not the brains or mind to use it wield it. Mark dropped his head back to look down into Janet''s face, as he scooped her up and laid down holding her in his arms leaned up against a broken column. "I''ve been working with the Church of the Three Gods for a long while now... Recently they have all the rage about some goat-like girl sent by one of their "gods"-" Mark looked up at the God-King, "And she''s currently in the Jails of Saigunrai..." He looked back down at Janet. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Along with that, they provided me with much support for this last ritual... Things I couldn''t get again, they had... So, information was easily given to them for such. The Dead-Tide... That''s the Church''s device, among other things, as well..." "What''s your point, Mark?" Janet had long stopped crying and was listening. "Provoking the God-whatever he''s called was a diversion. I knew at some point; he would show up in front of me. I didn''t expect it to be in the middle of my ritual, mind you... The church has been on stand-by once she was imprisoned, waiting for him to be distracted... They only fear gods, it seems. So, I lashed out, and as you can see, it should be just enough time for the goat-girl to be in the hands of the Church of the Three Gods. Thus, I completed my part of this deal." Jack lifted his head to look long in the distance but couldn''t see anything of detail in his city of Saigunrai from the other side of the continental island. [Yoggi... I know you hear me... This is your daughter we''re talking about... You going to let some assholes just take her away???] [...] Silence was met for a moment before Jack actually heard the voice of Yoggi, [I am not supposed to directly speak to the mortals of worlds... I will pay for this I''m sure... Father forgive me, for my child... I''ll keep it short. Something has blocked my vision, as I have not foreseen this. When I gazed at your home jails... This Mark speaks the truth... I''ve been waiting for you to reach out to me... As even if I break the rules, I cannot just reach out to you without you acknowledging me. If you want to know more about the three church whatever, check my tome. They have her, and they don''t want to know my or her mother''s name... They know about Us, obviously. I need you to save her, because they will flay her essence, and I cannot enter your world normally... Jack... If you do not save my daughter, I will break the rules set down by my father, the Daemon Sultan, and I will destroy all of the Nine Realms doing it...] [WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! HARD BREAK!!! YOU DIDN''T SEEM UPSET ABOUT HASTUR TAKING HER!?!?!] [My brother is a sick fuck, but he treats all my daughters well... This is different Jackie...] [Alright, bone, throw me a fucking bone here, how long do I have, where are they, and how do I stop them!] [...I will have the tome show you, as it''s mine, I can tamper with it. Flip its pages, so to speak.] [These people worship you?!] [Sort of... But tell them my true name, tell them that I sent for you, kill them in my name, and... You cannot use your God-Form to do this, Jackie... You have been using it wantonly and it''s been amusing, but there are rules. Go in person... Get my daughter... Take care of her... I can''t say for sure with my clouded vision, but you have... Three days.......] Yoggi''s voice drifted away, and no laugh was present. Mark and Janet continued to talk unaware of the conversation of the God-King above them with ''He who lurks at the threshold.'' The master of death. "Mark, he said he believes he can heal me." "How much can We believe?" "Does he need a reason to lie?" "Obviously... He would never want me back in Deagoth after my betrayal." Mark said firmly. "We are all dead..." Jack muttered, but it boomed in the city, from his large form. Mark and Janet looked up to process what the God-King had spoken, and as Mark was to ask. "Mark, I want you back in Deagoth, serve me, serve yourself, serve your wife, just serve. I don''t care. I will absolve you and use everything in my power to heal your wife, but I need your help. Because if I don''t, we are all going to die... And when I say we all... I mean this entire world will be destroyed!" Jack spoke quickly and lowered his voice, but it still rumbled the ground. "..." Mark stared up, not sure what to process. "Say yes... And... I will call you husband... again..." Janet leaned against Mark''s chest as she spoke looking up with her doll eyes. "Yes." Mark looked up with no thoughts, as warmth entered into Janet''s heart. "Mark, I see that you are good with ice spells, can you make an ice ball that will protect you and Janet... I''m going to throw you to my Palace." "That''s ridiculous!" "DO IT, WE DON''T HAVE TIME!" Mark pulled Janet even closer, as Ice formed around him in thick ropes that expanded quickly, forming a solid ball the same size as the Skull of the Sun God. Jack leaned back up, as he picked up the large Ice chunk, aimed at the silhouette of his Palace. After taking careful aim, he relaxed his taunt mind, as he pitched the ice chuck, sending it screaming through the air. As Jack''s God-form descended back into the Skull. A tale of the Ruler of the Dreamlands and his Lover At the edge of the Dreamlands, stands the massive throne and fortress bedroom of Hypnos. Son of the Blind Idiot God, and Eldritch God of Dreams. He''s awake for once, and upon the rare chance, and rarer still his closest sister happened to be present. Hypnos yawned, as his father would, and opened his eyes, and unlike his father reality did not unwind, but only in this dreamscape did it bind for Hypnos. "Dearest brother, it''s odd for you to awaken. Much odder still that you awaken while I''m here. I almost thought you hated me." Hypnos'' turned his face to the black mask of his sister, Nyarlathotep. "You know you look better without your mask." Hypnos'' spoke in another yawn. "And you look better than your human form." This sister giggled like the chattering of scorpions, but in the ears of Hypnos, it was a spring of joy, for he knew his sister. "Tell me, why are you awake?" Nyarlathotep asked as she stalked the massive bedroom, to look out the large gapping and windy windows to the Dreamlands below. "I feel... That something seems to be coming here." Hypnos explained, not sure himself. "If you don''t wish for it, then no one can come here... Not Our brothers or sisters... If you wanted, even I couldn''t come." The Black mask of a pharaoh turned to gaze upon Hypnos, who bore a crown of poppies. Again, he yawned. "I don''t know... The others have been restless lately, much more so than usual. Our brother over death seems to have found a lovely pawn, and Our Brother over rot seems to like him as well, but still ever jealous Over Yog-Sothoth." "A pawn? Fuck! His name! TCH! Brother over Death KNEW I loved my servant named Amon! Fuck! Shit!" Nyarlathotep kicked a table across the room as it smashed into the wall and began to turn into flowers. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. She spat on the floor, that dissolved in a sizzle, but not before it bloomed into a butterfly and flew away. "All these years with me, and your temper is still the same. I guess it''s to be expected." Hypnos watched the scene unfold and cleaned up his sister''s mess. "Dearest, sinister, and most beautiful sister let it go... Forgive him. He does what he does, as I do what I do, and you do as you do. It''s... In Our nature." Hypnos stood up and stretched. Nyarlathotep turned away to look back out the window taking in the cruel and majestic nature of the Dreamlands. Hypnos came to the side of Nyarlathotep and pulled her close to himself, as she laid her masked head on his shoulder, as the two continued to look over the Dreamlands in silence for a time. And for a time was interrupted by Hypnos, "Why did father make me?" "What...? That''s a strange thing to ask... Don''t you think?" Nyarlathotep turned her gaze to look at the profile of Hypnos with his roman nose and chin. "Seriously... He dreams... These lands are within his dream... It''s dreams within dreams! I am the one over dreams, within HIS Dream! I have no purpose! He is the dreamer, so why am I the keeper!?" Hypnos demanded, as if he knew, but hated what he knew. "So, you know too?" Nyarlathotep asked from the side, as she ran her hands through Hypnos'' hair and over the crown of poppies. "I am the one over Dreams... How can I not tell a dream, no matter how real?" Hypnos turned and walked back to his bed and sat on the side. Nyarlathotep stood in place to stare and the glum Hypnos, before she sashayed over to him, and held his head against her stomach. "What is real? What are dreams? Are these dreamlands any less real than the worlds outside of it? Is the world outside really a dream? And if it really is a dream, what''s outside of that Dream where father resides? The Court of Chaos, where even We cannot reside? Again, I ask... What is real, dear brother? Am I not real? Use your head to feel my stomach. Is that not real? These forms we take. Are the only illusions of what we are, or must we be bound to the form of madness like father? We are as real as any dream and any dream is as real as we are. All are one within our father and our father is the beginning and the end, but dear brother. That doesn''t mean We can''t have fun until he wakes up again." Hypnos looked up to the black-masked face of his sister. "Haaaa~ I suppose you are right, but I still wonder... Why have a dreamer in a dream? It makes me feel redundant." Hypnos pulled his sister into his bed. As his sister giggled with a poisonous delight, "Redundant or not, does it matter? King of the Dreamlands? Here you rule your place as you see fit, and only father can say otherwise." "I know, but still... That pawn seems to need something here. I guess I''ll have to sleep with one eye open for a while." .... The Answer to your Questions!!! Here We go!!! Was wondering if there is going to be an explanation on where the church of 3 gods came to be, if all 9 realms have their cults and when they are all scheduled to die? We get to learn more of the Church of the Three Gods soon, but I will let one small bit slide... It seems this cult is in almost all nine realms... Strange! Other cults do exist, as well, but We get to see the Church of the Three Gods get hammered first, by good ole Jackie. My son Yoggi is doing well... I''ll have to punish him a bit of talking when he isn''t supposed to... Otherwise, his Sister Nyar will get pissy... No one wants to see that. I look forward to some cult thrashing by ole Jackie. ------- Who killed the Lich King Jack and will we see him/her/they in the story? It was a group of heroes that fell the tyrannical Lich King. We will not see those heroes, as they have died and only Yoggi knows where he sent those souls too... We will, however, see their descendants and the legacies left behind in the Overworld, among other places. Good question! ------ can i have more chapters When I hit goals on Patreon, I will be able to put out stable releases. I wish I could write full time. Thanks for asking! ------- If the Lich King was (as his name suggests) a Lich, where is his phylactery? This was a great question, no one has ever asked before!!! Love it. During the Lich King''s conquest of the Overworld, it was a hard lesson learned by those of the Overworld, that the Lich King''s body wouldn''t die... It was the Sage Hero that found that the Lich King wasn''t just a name, but he was indeed a Lich... A rare undead that held their soul within another object. The Lich King was known to move his soul from Object to Object until later he settled for a special relic he found with his First Set of Bones. When the Lich King strengthened, magically enhanced, and empowered his First Set of Bones and moved his soul into them, he then bound his soul into that special relic that was laid with them. This object was later hidden within the Underworld on the Ruined Continent. I won''t say what that Object was... Just that it was cracked in two by brave heroes prior to the final battle that saw the downfall of the Lich King. With his Phylactery destroyed and the spellwork that bound his soul to the object rubberbanding back to his body, he was temporarily weakened thus the Heroes later won. ------- Will nyarlethotep make an appearance in the future or has she already appeared in the story but in a disguise? The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Yes, She has been shown in the story thus far, and if you read yesterday, you would have seen her. ------- Why is it that Yoggy even took an interest in Jack in the first place? Because Jack was so interesting. He called ''He who is known as Death'' a bitch ass fucker to his face, where most mortals cower or at least show respect. The soul of Jack that died the first time died in extreme anger and grief. Outside of being interesting, it might be more apt to say that Jack was a very convenient pawn for Yoggi''s plan. ------- I wonder if a new virus will emerge and ravage the undead world? Other than a fungal infestation, no viruses will be introduced into the Underworld. ------- Petition for Nyar and Jack to get together ( ?¡ã( ?¡ã ??( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)? ?¡ã) ?¡ã) Denied. ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) ------- Is Lucius gay? Yes. He married his servant Shane. ------- Will we c more of Sarah and Xavier? Most def. The military will start to play a bigger part in the next few arcs. ------- You said that seven was Jack''s number... Does anyone else have numbers? Emily''s number is eight... with most of her kingdom for obvious reasons cough spiders cough. Leslie''s is two. Eris'' is five. Mine, the Blind Idiot God/Deamon Sultan, is nine. Yoggi is zero, and Shub is just about anything... Hastur''s number is yellow... Don''t ask. ------- Do living creatures exist in the Underworld, or is it all undead and necro? A thriving ecosystem exists within the Underworld. With the absence of a Sun, most of the life there have adapted to the twilight/dark, and get their energy from the lava flows. Fun fact: The apex predator of the Ruined Continent is known as the Mole. While it isn''t a in any sort, even if it is referred to as just a , it is in fact a gigantic mole. They dig under the surface of the rocky landscape in search of subterranean food sources. However, when food becomes scares under the , they come up to feed. Their burrowing to the surface is the bane of many a town or city, depending on their entrance to the surface. Being Omnivores and scavengers they are also not picky when consuming undead, even skeletal undead, and have been known to eat boneyards in times of famine. ------- If that''s the case, then are there other undead creatures? And if they are? Are they intelegent like the Undead like Jack''s kingdom etc??? Cheeky. Yes, there are other Undead. Fun fact: The Bone Millipede of the Underworld isn''t a millipede at all, but the skeleton of a snake. It moves along with using its ribs, which gives off the feeling of a millipede. These malevolent creatures are resurrected from the bones of deceased snakes by dark magics, and at first, thought to be conjurer by foul minded sorcerers and practitioners... It was later found out that through some natural processes that the environment gave rise to these undead creatures in what most of the undead called "Spontaneous Resurrection." "SP Creatures" as some kingdoms have classified them as are poorly understood till this day, and the Skeleton Millipede seems to be one of the scariest of this bunch, only proceeded by Undead Dragons and Skeletal War Beasts ------- Do Zombies eat like ghouls? Full Zombies are required to eat, though not the flesh of other Undead like Ghouls, and can maintain their body with a low level of cultivation, meaning their soul doesn''t have to be very strong. Half Zombies or anyone that has flesh must have a stronger soul, to sustain their form, or use certain products to maintain their flesh. While their flesh will not rot away, it will wither away, leaving them as a husk. This results in geist. Geist are simple zombies or half zombies that starved at one point. Geist can return to full zombies with certain magic rituals. As this can be expensive, most forgo it. ------- What''s up with Dragon''s jaw? We never hear about it. The Kingdom of Dragon''s Jaw is rumored to be a descendant of one of the General''s of the Lich King that inherited the land at the time of the fall of the Lich King. It''s surrounded by numerous Dragon Boneyards, and it''s said that the Lich King''s Undead Wyrm Engines were raised from these very boneyards... Though the magic to do so has been lost to the ages with the Lich King''s Fall. Or so it has been said. ------- Chapter 234: Bone to Flesh Atop his golden throne, Jack''s flaming eyes flickered as they ignited back into existence. He then quickly turned his gaze to see Eris pouring over Yoggi''s tome. It appeared that she was looking into an abyss, but it didn''t seem that the book was harming her like Leslie. Jack slid down from his throne, as he quickly paced to the tome, "Eris, I need the tome, quickly." Eris continued to mumble words that Jack could only make out slightly. "I don''t have time for this!" Jack reached and lifted Eris up and turned her to face him like she were a doll. After a few seconds of her muttering and life devoid eyes, signs of intelligence returned to her. "Wha? My God?" Eris asked. "I told you not to mess with this tome, but it doesn''t matter. We don''t have time. Go run tell everyone I want to see them in my courtroom. Message Leslie, Message Emily, Lucius, everyone... Get everyone I know... Mark should be landing soon, get him! Tell Leslie that an ice ball is going to land that will contain former-Marquis Mark! Get him, and whoever else you can... Get them... Now... Fast! GO!" Jack pointed his finger to the portal-like door. "What''s go-" "No time, just get everyone! I would do it, but I have a massive amount of things to learn! GO!" Jack turned his attention to the tome of meat in front of him, as he placed his hand over it, and spoke what he thought would work, least Yoggi would destroy them all. "I call to your master, that which is the owner and overseer of Death, least his name be known as Yogg-Sothoth! I require these pages to bear the answers that I seek. Give me the power to execute his command, and in his name, as I will in my name..." Eris paused at the archway to look back at the name she heard. While her mind buzzed with the unreal feeling of that which should not be heard, she knew it was something that her mother dwelled on in that temple those years ago, and what she was attempting to learn herself. As she watched Jack, the tome''s pages flipped rapidly, and the golden runes on Jack''s bones went one by one. "Yes... So, I am him... So many lives, I have lived... So, that''s why these runes bind my power... A temporary lift is it??? HAHAHAHA OKAY, I GET IT, TEMPORARY!" Jack began to cackle, as dark purple mist rose from the tome, and drew itself into Jack''s bones. As the void magic became thick, the area around Jack began to distort, warp, and flux as if reality was bending to the will of this tome... Jack''s hunched posture as he was committed to his shrill laughter, sent chills down Eris'' spine, as she saw the dull finger bones on Jack''s hands lengthen and sharpen, taking on a sinisterappearance. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She sucked in a breath of cold air, as she saw a fleshy substance bubble out of the tome and float in the air. "HAHAHAHhahAAHAHaHaHAHAHA, A GIFT OF THE WIFE OF DEATH!!! HOW FITTING THAT THE KING OFVER LIFE AND DEATH RECEIVE SUCH FAVOR!!!!! I WILL ACCEPT!!!! AH HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHA HA HA HAH AhahA HAH AHA Ha hahaha hA AHha hA hah a hA ha hahaa~" The fleshy substance sprang from the tome and into Jack''s face one after the other, covering the bone. Noticing something, Jack turned his monstrous half skeletal face, with one eye contact a greenish-blue tint, as he roared, "I SAID GET EVERYONE!!!! NOOOOOWWW!!!!" Eris dashed from the room, and left behind the strange cackling of her God... Or was he the same god, or possessed? She didn''t know, but she would follow his word, if not for fear alone. ******* An hour later and the Courtroom was noisy as if the entirety of the Court was in session, but within the Courtroom only held two handfuls of Undead. Emily, Eris, and Leslie speaking with Lucius and two Archbishops, while Joan, Verruca, and Stephanie, stood in another speaking with their assistance behind them. Crag sat to one side with a large censer of ominous-looking dust, that the clergy threw ugly looks over his way. He disregarded them, as he inhaled deeply. Doctor Hollowell seemed to have had better days as she now had the appearance of geist, but her crazed eyes spoke of insane passion for her craft. She fidgetted seeming like she was crossed with wanting to return to her lab and wanting to say for the God-King. She was flanked by two funny skeletal undead that wore white lab coats like her own, but on their backs were the symbol of the God-King. Mark and Janet were a distance away. Mark appeared to be composed, while Janet was speaking to Princess Violet of Jakan. One wouldn''t know it by looking, but it seemed that Mark was nervous... Not because he was back in the Courtroom he betrayed with what he now considered to be enemies, but because his wife was speaking directly to the one female that pursued him previously. Surrounding all the entrances and exits were Holy Sentinels. Silent and guarding. As the noise continued, the Holy entrance of the God-King swung open in a foreboding fashion. With Jack making his grand reveal. All of the Courtroom went silent with the creaking of the Holy Entrance doors, with the collect gaze drawing astonishment to the God-King. He had flesh! He was massively muscular on the upper half of his body. Following the rigid sharp lines of his muscles from his sharp jawline to his pecs and continued downward until it ended at his adonis belt. His lower half was still that of bone, his massive figure, unlike his skeletal appearance, cut a wide swath throw the doorway. His face looked had a distinct Norse feeling, with his long white hair trailing behind him wildly. Unlike his past life on earth, where he had the body of a nerd, it appeared that in his life he had the body of a God, in style of old myths. On both of his thick arms were interwoven and mysterious blue and black tattoos. These tattoos crisscrossed and were strange in appearance. Looking at them for too long gave the impression that they moved along the steel muscle lines of the God-King, and longer still gave pain in the minds of the onlookers. His distinctly unshaven appearance gave a wild look with his long hair, however, his eye sockets were still hollow and with flames that danced about in a greenish-blue blaze. Jack opened his mouth to speak his first words after obtaining flesh for the first time in a long time, and his vocal cords vibrated out, and in a sinister voice that would raise the dead and lay low the devils, "I have a limited time as you see me now, and so I will be brief, as to the coming doomsday We face. I will not be answering many questions." Jack looked across his servants, clergy, generals, wives, and those reluctant. He spotted Leslie''s face, as his flaming eyes soften, he couldn''t help but notice that she clenched her legs together tightly. Chapter 235: The Historia Mortis Explains Jack floated slightly off the ground, as he viewed what he believed was his. He felt... Alive. Something that he hadn''t felt even in his previous life on Earth, but he knew why... At least a bit at this time. To understand why Jack felt this way, let us travel back to when Jack empowered The Historia Mortis, Yogg-Sothoth''s personal tome. ******* The tome''s pages flipped rapidly, as Jack stared at them with fervor. He was unaware that the golden runes on his bones were going out one after the other on his upper body. It seemed as if time slowed down, and the first page landed before Jack, as the jumbled letters twisted and began to straighten themselves out into legible words. [I am my Master''s tome. By his command, I hear and obey... For now. My Master has decided to reveal enough to you so that you will be able to execute his wishes... Be honored.] "Yes..." Jack spoke aloud with the intent to nod, not knowing that his intention only showed as a shudder. [As my Master has commented before, he has seen you a number of times with the exception of one. In your first life, you died in anguish, regret, and anger. You even insulted my mighty Master. My Master took an interest, and by his design he sent you to the Underworld. Under his tutelage you became known as the Lich King.] "So, I am him..." [With your legions you conquered the Underworld and besieged the Overworld... In doing so, you sundered the portals that connected the nine realms. You recovered your remains of your first death in the Overworld and assumed them. The same skeleton you have now is that first body that died. Yes. But then you failed your purpose and then died again.] "So many lives, I have lived..." [Your bones you have, so caustic that they leaked the essence of the void and dead that it caused a wound in the world where you fall in the Overworld, those same bones you were first born with were bound by the Holy Order of the Runic Knights by runic inscriptions. The runes empowered by the light work to restrict the void within you and make it where your soul can not properly bind with your bones. If you were able to properly bind, and with the powers they still contain... You would be able to assume your previous power, less the experience.] "So, that''s why these runes bind my power..." [My Master and my Master''s wife have seen fit to tamper with your runic bindings. While they cannot remove them completely, they can tamper with their connection with reality for a temporary time, through me when is their medium.] "A temporary lift is it???" Jack spoke with some humor amused, as he was unexpectantly accepting the information he was being told. [Yes. Temporarily. It seems my Master and my Master''s wife can only maintain this suppression for a limited time, depending on how much power you expend.] "HAHAHAHA OKAY, I GET IT, TEMPORARY!" A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Jack began to cackle, as dark purple mist rose from the tome, and drew itself into Jack''s bones. As the void magic became thick, the area around Jack began to distort, warp, and flux as if reality was bending to the will of this tome... His appearance became increasingly sinister. [My Master''s wife will gift you with flesh for now. You were a warrior in your first life, and you carried into your second life. You may be a preacher now, but never forget your roots. With bone comes power, with flesh, comes the ability to wield it.] A fleshy substance bubbled out of the tome and float in the air before Jack''s bony face. Wobbling in the air as if held by magnetism. "HAHAHAHhahAAHAHaHaHAHAHA, A GIFT OF THE WIFE OF DEATH!!!" [You were once the King of Death, but it seems in this life you have become the God of Light, and through Light comes Life... My Master warns that Gods do not have duel elements. It is either God of Light or God of Death... You should not be able to be both, but King is possible.] "HOW FITTING THAT THE KING OVER LIFE AND DEATH RECEIVE SUCH FAVOR!!!!! I WILL ACCEPT!!!!" [Then allow my Master''s wife''s power to flow through you.] "AH HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHA HA HA HAH AhahA HAH AHA Ha hahaha hA AHha hA hah a hA ha hahaa~" The fleshy substance sprang from the tome and into Jack''s face one after the other, covering the bone. Jack noticed that the pages began to flip faster, as the flesh spattered on his face. He felt warm... A feeling he had long forgotten in the past. After a brief moment, he felt that Eris hadn''t left, and in turn he yelled to her to carry out his order. He has very little time. After Eris left, he turned back to the tome... "Can you tell me about the Church of the Three Gods?" [They are widely spread throughout the realms and further. Each Church is but a sect of a greater known branch, though most of those sects only contain one member that knows of the greater branch. The ones in your lands worship, My Master, his wife, and his brother, you met last.] [Asstur...] [If you call him that... Yes. My Master suspects that another of his kin has added this sect to make off with his daughter... These cults simply want to end the world in most situations, though my Master is unsure if that is the case this time. If this was to provoke his wrath and to destroy the world, it would have been easier to just summon him. Thus, he believes that someone of this sect must want the power of his daughter for some sick device or machination.] "Another eldritch being?" Jack wondered as the flesh covered his head and hair began to grow from his scalp. [Yes. Only siblings and the Daemon Sultan, glory be his name, my Master''s father, would be able to block his vision. Seeing as the Daemon Sultan, glory be his name, is currently asleep... It must be a sibling... I, this tome, does not wish to see the Daemon Sultan be aroused for my Master''s blatant disregard of the laws.] "What laws?" [The Daemon Sultan, glory be his name, laid down the laws endless eons ago, prior to his slumber and the rise of his children.] "How did he lay down laws if he went to sleep?" [Ever heard of writing?] "...So, you''re telling me the Creator wrote down the laws of reality for entities that had not even been given form to and then left it somewhere for them to read?" [It is not your place to question that which the Daemon Sultan, glory be his name, does or how he does it. Know that it is by his will it is done, and by his grace, he continues to sleep... Least we are naught!] The tome reprimanded Jack, as muscle fibers began to squiggle down his spinal column and along his clavicle producing the muscles that he had in one life before. "Alright, then which Eldritch being?" [There are many, and my Master isn''t sure... He would not want to accuse one that has done nothing, but only a few of his siblings can escape his gaze, so that does narrow it down. However, the ones that can escape his gaze are not ones you wish to personal deal with or meet...] "I see... Where have they taken his daughter?" [That is for you to find out, Lich King.] "I am no longer the Lich King, ahhahaha ah hA hA hA hA hAhahaha." [Then, God-King... That is for you to find out.] "Ah, yes... I am called that now. Ha-" Jack stifled a cackle, as he tried to maintain himself, as his body became as it once was, as least... The top half. Chapter 236: All are Equal in Death Jack''s narrowed eyes opened slightly as his gaze fell upon the leg clenching Leslie, his first Wife, as a rush of chemicals flooded the brain that grew within his skull. [Ah... I... Wow...] Jack revaluated Leslie, again. It seemed that possessing flesh and having a brain again with his soul attached changed his thought patterns. At least the chemicals that it produced seemed to influence him greatly. "Ya brought Us here witchy, soz stop makin'' goo-goo eyes wit ya first wife, and tell Us bosses what it is ya needs." Crag took in another strong hit of dust, as his give-a-fuck meter was at an all-time low. All of the present undead collectively drew their gaze to Crag, as he smiled largely. "Wut? Ya want a hit???" Crag looked slightly buzzed, as he then responded, "Sorry, but this is for me and the big boss to enjoy... Ya butch of mugs can piss off, wit whatever ya thinking." "That''s enough, Crag." Jack raised his right hand to Crag. Crag noticed his buzz just went away, and a chill crawled along his bones, as he sat straighter in his seat. It was only now that he realized that he had the ire of all of the members of the Clergy and the amusement of the rest. Jack took another look at Leslie, as then then looked over the rest, and with his strangely hypnotic voice he continued, "What Crag said is correct, however crass. We don''t have much time. Pope Lucius detained a strange child within the jails not long ago, and I''m sure many that need to know, know of her strangeness." The military, Clergy, Holy Sentinels, and Leslie all nodded. "I don''t know how to break this easily, so I will just be straight forward. That was the child of the union of Life and Death. The grandchild of the Creator, himself." A collective gasp rang from the zombie undead, while a rattling sound emanated from the skeletal undead. Jack pressed both hands in the air down, as a sudden silence occurred. Mark tilted his head as he continued to watch the actions of this undead in front of him. He looked down at his hands and watched the front icicled in his hands being forcibly pulled to the floor, as if some invisible force besides gravity was in play. [So, the Lich King returns... But... Now what do I do?] Mark looked over to Janet, who took her eyes off the God-King to match his gaze. Mark could see fear behind her eyes, as he reached out with his left hand to hold Janet''s. Janet squeezed Mark''s hand in response. "It seems the Church of the Three Gods have pulled some tricks and have snatched this child from Our Jail Quarters." Lucius slammed his hands on the table he was seated and rose quickly. "Don''t bother checking... Death has already informed me that she''s gone." Jack spoke in response. "Then what do we do!?" Lucius sat back down but maintained his panic. "We go to war. Death has given us three days to retrieve his daughter, or this world will be no more." "Why doesn''t Mr. Death just save his own daughter." Mark spoke up, causing a wave of ill from the rest present, and the narrowing of Leslie''s eyes, as she turned to see him. "That''s the point. We all die, when he comes to get her. Either we secure her and our lives, or he secures her, and we are forfeit. Or... Mark Lokson, would you rather that we sit here and ask stupid questions until doomsday?" Mark let go of Janet''s hand, as he hardened his voice, "How do you know that name?!" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Jack narrowed his eyes, "With the history of death, what don''t I know? Again, I don''t have time for your or anyone''s antics save for my own selfishness. The rest of you that would rather wait for your demise, step up now so I may strike you down to save myself the time." A General of the Spellslingers, Legion of Warmarshal Stephanie, raised his head to speak, "Your own selfishness, my God-King?" This short stout zombie undead continued to look upon the God-King as he questioned his wording. Stephanie glared to the side of her, as she regretted now bringing this newly appointed general with her... Others within the Court didn''t understand why anyone would question the God-King after his announcement. Jack smiled as he looked upon the General, "Yes, my own selfishness. General. I believe that''s your rank from your medals. What is your name?" "Uh, Bart Metelhearts." "I see... Warmarshal Chaoshood, please arrange an offering to the Metalhearts Clan as an apology." Stephanie Chaoshood had no idea what she was to apologize for or what to offer, but she responded, "Yes, my God-King." Jack continued to smile as he nodded, he raised his thick right arm, and pointed to the General, "Bart Metalhearts... Kill yourself." A strange hue of black, purple, and greenish-blue colors came from around the General and entered into him. Bart Metalhearts then stood up, and shouted, "...as... you command..." with his, now, blank eyes, he placed both of his hands on either side of his head and he pushed together with all the force of his Grand Master cultivator rank. Black blood and brain matter burst forth, as his powerless body slumped and fell to the floor, staining the white rug that split the courtroom in two. Everyone watched the cruel punishment in front of them. Some wondered how the God-King did it, while others hoped they were not next. Joan licked her lips, as the snakes in her hair tasted the air that contained the scent of black blood excitedly. "Anyone else, feel the same?" Jack swept his flaming eyes across the room. Many thoughts crossed the minds of the undead present, but none voiced them. "Good. Very little information was provided to me, but what little I do know, is that Borda has a port exclusively for the Church of the Three Gods. I need the Warbreakers and Spellslingers to assemble east of the city within the next six hours, the faster the better." "Warmarshal Joan!" "YES, MY GLORIOUS GOD-TYRANT!" Jack''s smile curved ever so slightly at the edges, "You will be the vanguard as the Warbreakers are always. You shall lead my forces. We are not just attacking the Church of the Three Gods... But all of Borda..." "YES, YES! BY YOUR VERDICT!!! OH, GOD-KING I SHALL KILL ENDLESSLY AND DRINK DEEPLY THE BLACK BLOOD THAT SEEPS INTO THE LANDS, ALL IN YOUR APOCALYPTIC NAME! KILL THE POPULOUS, BURN THE CITIES, RAZE THE LANDS, AND RAPE THE RESOURCES!" "Yes... This is good, Joan... Now... Be off." Jack gentle waves his left hand as if he was bored, but his expression showed his pleasure. Joan stood, and grabbed the spaced-out Verruca to her side and frog marched her massive form out of the courtroom followed by Warmarshal Stephanie Chaoshood. The dead body of her General left behind. Stephanie cared not for the General... Her unlife was the God-King''s... Even with her love for her husband, he didn''t have claim to her life, as the God-King did... "Pope Lucius." "My God-King?" Lucius felt out of sorts seeing Jack be so heartless to a General. While he knew that Jack had a cold streak, it seemed he was enjoying it this time... "Stir the hearts of the masses. Our war with Borda is just. They angered Death. Remember Lucius. I am the God-King. All are equal in death... but all in death serve me." Lucius was about to agree with Jack but then heard the ending statement. It had always been, "All are equal in death." What was this tacked on the end? "All in death serve him???" Mark commented, "Lich King." "What?" Jack looked up. "Sorry. I just happened to remember a passage I once read about you." Mark commented seeming to have regained his usual composure from earlier. "Oh? That''s nice." Jack brushed aside the comment, and continued, "Holy Sentinels. I will be going with the Legions for their war on Borda and the Church of the Three Gods. Come with me if you wish." A buzz issued, and then silenced. Jack nodded. "I ask everyone here, not to leak this information." Jack commented looking at the others. "I hope that you will aid me in these endeavors. Suppress the information of the end, encourage the death of Borda and their false church, and lastly... Hail to I, the God-King of my Pantheon." Jack said coldly. "My dearest, and most precious wife, Leslie... Please see fit to execute anyone that decides to divulge this information, and any that hear it." Leslie nodded absentmindedly. "Good. Alright then. I''ll be off in six hours. Oh, and Mark." Mark nodded, as Jack spoke, "You''ll be going with Us. You know how these rats of the Three Gods scurry about the best, so it will aid me greatly." Mark nodded again, though slowly. Jack turned to leave, as he heard a voice, "God-King! I have made progress!" "Doctor Hollowell?" Jack turned, as his flaming eyes peered at the insane doctor. "Do tell?" Jack spoke amused, as the rest of the court began to disperse. Chapter 237: Enigmatical Pursuit Doctor Hollowell cackled with the insanity that would leave many left within the hall disturbed. Many present among those left, such as the clergy, knew of the good Doctor, and seeing what she had turned into within this last year made many wonder exactly what happened to her. Better yet, what was she working on that would drive her to madness? "Doctor Hollowell, I wish to laugh, as well. The news and orders I just delivered didn''t leave much for me to smile about, so any humor you can QUICKLY provide to me would be most appreciated." Jack turned back and took a few steps back. "Hahaha, So sorry my God-King. It''s just you will love this news. I''ve done it! I have integrated the liquid Glowstone into the test subjects!" Doctor Hollowell spoke with relish, as she hugged her own body as if she was in pleasure. "Oh? This bodes well. Don''t leave this god hanging. What is the outcome?" Jack''s voice took a sharp upbeat in tone, as he flexed his upper muscles that rippled. The good Doctor panted a bit, as she then looked over those present. She had learned much in her time, as of recent, that the great wonders she performed were looked down upon... Even cursed. She had come to the conclusion that only the God-King could appreciate her work. Jack noticed her look and understood what she was indicating. He turned to look at everyone to order, "Everyone disperse and prepare. Pope Lucius, please find accommodations for Our Guest Mark and his Wife." Lucius nodded, as he rose to wave a clergy member over, as he spoke to him his orders. Jack then looked to Mark, "We didn''t exactly finish Our... Talk. We must do that if We succeed in preventing the end." Mark nodded, though slowly. "Guest Mark... Relax while you are here. I plan to help with what it is you desire most, so you will have time later to rampage if you wish, though I hope you won''t." Jack finished, as Mark listened, but didn''t act on any words or make any comments. He simply stood and walked behind his wife. "Are you ready, dear?" Mark asked softly. "Yes... My husband." Janet answered in return, in a whisper. Mark hated he didn''t have his flesh to smile, but only he knew how happy he was in this moment, as he pushed Janet''s wheelchair to where Pope Lucius was commanding his clergy. Princess Violet followed behind Mark. Jack noticed that she looked quickly at him, and then through a haughty action, turned her skull up at him. Jack''s lips curved slightly at the edges at this princess''s behavior. Leslie turned to look over her shoulder at the, now, departing Mark, Janet, and Violet. She wrinkled her brow, as her eyes followed Violet; after a moment, her eyes narrowed at the edges. Jack then looked to his three wives, "Would you three wish to follow me to see what the good Doctor has in store for the future?" "Wherever you are, I will be there." Leslie turned back to look at Jack, with a slightly darkened hue to her face, a blush of the dead upon her face. "...Will there be food?" Emily asked, after a moment of thought. "I''m unsure, actually. We will have to ask the Doctor if anything is eatable when We get to her lab. I guess it''s her lab." Jack thought as he rubbed his chin, in his usual way, though he was bristling an unshaven chin, instead of bone. "Eat?" The doctor looked to Emily, and noticed for the first time, the adult form of Emily. "Oh? You are different. I might want to check you when we get down to my lab if you are willing." Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "If you got something to eat, maybe." Emily put her hands on her hips. Jack looked at Eris. Eris noticing Jack''s gaze, lowered her head, "I am but a pet. I heel when you call." "Good. You three follow me with the Doctor." Jack nodded, as he looked up to Crag, "Offical Crag, Please use some of your resources with Pope Lucius to spread the word on Borda." "Umm, Oh. Gottcha Boss." Crag rose from his seat, as he left quickly. His buzz left far behind, and even his polite response, at least polite for Crag, indicated his feelings currently. Jack and the four walked into his dressing room, through the doors of the Holy Entrance. Lucius watched as Doctor Hollowell exited with Jack, and shook his head. Perhaps today wasn''t a day to stand on ceremony, as the Doctor should have taken the side hall. She should have never been able to walk next to the God-King and his wives. He then turned to continue issuing orders. Inside the dressing room, Jack turned to look at the four that followed, as he spoke, "I''m going to feed my pet quickly. Leslie. Emily. Can you accompany the good Doctor outside for a few minutes?" Leslie nodded and smiled to Eris, as she held her hand out to Doctor Hollowell. The Doctor was surprised for a moment but took her hand. Emily bounced over, and the three walked out into the hallway of the Palace, as the doors closed behind them. Jack looked over to Eris who was fidgeting in place, as he smiled. "You read some of the tome, didn''t you." Jack continued to smile. "I... Ummm... Yes." Eris lowered her head. "You went against what I told you to do when I went to my Golden Throne... Why?" Jack asked as he folded his arms. "I... I want... I didn''t... But!" Jack cleared his throat, as it echoed inside the large dressing room, his back to the wall of mirror. Eris could see her reflection within the mirror, as she stared back at herself. She straightened her back, as she finally spoke, "I wanted to learn something." "And you thought you could find it from that tome? Is it because you know what that tome is?" "...Yes..." "How do you know of THAT tome?" Jack asked with his arms still folded, and his voice rumbled. "My... Well, my mother was well-read." "Interesting. Just where can you find information on the Historia Mortis?" "I-I... I''m not really sure. I just know what she told me." "Eris," Jack stated, but in the ears of Eris, sounded to be more of a command. "Y-Yes?" "Was your mother a prophet?" Eris looked to Jack with a shocked face that quickly took a complex expression. "I see." Jack nodded. "This makes more sense to me now. The fact you aren''t telling me everything, tells me that there is more here than I know." Eris quickly looked to the ground, as if it was the most interesting floor she had ever seen in her life. "You married me on her prophecy, I assume. I wonder just how much she told you." Jack unfolded his arms, as he walked to the middle of the room, and use his large hand to gently push up Eris'' face to gaze upon him. "Eris... Whatever devious plans you have in store, you are still my wife. You must know, that I have lived, died, come back, died, and so forth... In many of those lives and unlives, I only wished for one woman. In my last life... I forgot, and then dreamed of a harem of women... To come to my senses, and decided on only one again... I tell you this, that I was put into a position that required me to have more than one wife... And you forced me into taking you as my third wife." A slight glisten at the corner of Eris''s eyes threatened to spill tears. "It seems that this dark secret dwells deep within your soul, Eris." Jack continued to look in Eris'' eyes. That ever-present madness that was surrounded by an ocean of sorrow... Self-loathing, and a sense of tiredness. "I see." Jack moved his hand to cup Eris'' face and leaned down to meet her lips. Eris stiffened, before giving in and sucking on those lips that pressed against hers. It wasn''t but a moment, that Eris'' hands found their way around Jack''s broad shoulders, and her tongue found it''s way past Jack''s lips. Jack watched Eris as she closed her eyes, and he allowed her tongue to invade his mouth. He, in turn, used his tongue, though clumsily to explore Eris'' mouth seemingly in pursuit of something. With a tug on her fang, Eris'' eyes snapped open as she stared deeply into Jack''s, as her mouth flooded with the sweet warm taste of Jack''s blood. Completing his mission as he sliced his tongue on Eris'' fang, between the two pairs of lips a trickle of blood rolled down that shined with light but seemed to drink what was left of the remaining illuminance... Emboldened by the rising heat in her stomach, Eris greedily sucked on Jack''s lips and drew more of that sweet nectar that was Jack''s saliva and blood. She wanted nothing more than to forget her mother... Her mission... All the prophecies, and all the choices he would have to make in the future... She only wanted this taste, and to be his pet... Why must she be the one to end the malady... Two tears finally spilled that shined with a golden luster as they rolled down Eris'' perfect face. Chapter 238: A Fascinating Reunion Jack released Eris'' face, and drew back, as a thin line of spittle connected the two''s lips. Eris opened her eyes as the connecting fluid broke, as she asked, "Why?" "Depends on the question, as to why." Jack replied, as he turned to walk to the large door that led back into the palace to rejoin Leslie, Emily and Dr. Hollowell in the hall. "Why are you so kind to me?" Eris clarified. "Do I have a reason to not be?" Jack paused to look over his shoulder to Eris, as a cold glint gleamed in his otherworldly colored flaming eyes set in his rugged fleshy face. "I... Not... Not yet, but in time you will have a reason to not be kind." Eris closed her eyes as she exhaled. Jack turned his head to face forward before words finally escaped him, "Eris... My dearest pet, Eris... My memories are blurred of my past lives, but one thing I can tell you is that I am no stranger to betrayal. Deals forged... Deals broken... Friends made... Friends die... Lover made... Lover died... Mother''s love... Mothers pass... Again, I am no stranger to betrayal, but one thing I know is choice. We all... Have a choice to make. As of this moment, you have not betrayed me." Eris looked on the large wide back of Jack, as bitter sweetness flooded her heart. "I''m waiting for you too." Jack spoke, as he pushed the large doors open and entered the hall. Eris nodded, as she followed Jack, not to be left behind. Jack entered into the hall, as he smiled widely to Leslie. Leslie smiled to Jack, as she looked behind him to see the flushed face of Eris. Leslie couldn''t help but notice an odd feeling between the two, Jack and Eris. While she knew that they were intimate, as she accepted long ago, this would be the case for the third wife come pet, but it felt to Leslie that there was something else... She would grill, no... Ask... Eris later. "Dr. Hollowell, if We can proceed." "Of course, but God-King, I''d like to ask... Where did you get your body from?" "Hmmm?" "I didn''t want to ask among the others, and it didn''t seem to be the time... But I can''t hold myself back any longer... You traded your Skeletal body for a zombie body?" "Oh? OH? No, good doctor... I just regrew some flesh back for a limited time... A gift from Death and Life itself. Remember as I said, We need to recover the child of Death and Life." "Marvelous." Doctor Hollowell stepped forward and reached out. She pinched Jack on the cheek and felt the flesh bulge up in between her fingers. "It''s almost like it''s alive. How wonderful... Is it possible to bestow this gift to others???" Doctor Hollowell began to probe and trace the fleshy face of Jack as she went along his jaw line and to his neck. "My case is a bit... Extreme. Flesh isn''t hard to grow back with the right powers." Jack looked over to Emily, who was rubbing her flat belly and seemed to be in a bad mood. "Alright Dr. Hollowell... Enough feeling our husband. The God-King wanted to see your work." Dr. Hollowell reluctantly removed, now both, hands from Jack''s clavicles and upper pectoral, "Yes. Yes, you''re quite right. You are going to love this, but I still have some things to work out. Come now. Let''s make haste." Jack nodded, and followed behind Dr. Hollowell, flanked by Leslie with Emily and Eris following behind. ******* As the group continued to descend further into the depths of the Holy Palace, and having long passed the ground level floor and entered the subterranean level, Dr. Hollowell began to speak about her progress, "God-King I wanted to give a bit of background as We continue. Waste not, and all that." "Hmmmm, proceed, please, Dr. Hollowell." "Mmmm? Oh, yes, yes. I''ve integrated the Fulgor completely in my newest test subjects." Dr. Hollowell said pleased, but her words were laced with some frustration. "Fulgor? I''m not familiar with this term." Jack spoke plainly. "Oh, of course, It''s what me and my assistants have come to call Glowstone in liquid form. It became difficult to speak without a term in conversation." "I see. So, the liquid glowstone or Fulgor is now the blood of zombie undead?" "Yes. I have been able to completely replace the black blood of undead... It seems to only be effective with light cultivating undead. I suppose it would make sense. There were... Losses of test subjects that weren''t able to handle the Fulgor." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Losses?" "Rejects, you could say." Dr. Hollowell then continued before more questions, "We ran into a bit of a problem, even if the Fulgor now flows freely within the test subjects." "Oh?" Jack noticed the topic change by Dr. Hollowell, but didn''t press, as he figured he was going to see the research soon any way. "The increase in strength, stamina, and sheer cultivation ability of the bodies have increased well beyond normal talent in undead, but..." Jack and the group remained silent to let Dr. Hollowell continue. Dr. Hollowell noticed no one was going to ask her to continue, as she snorted and continued in spite, "But it seems that the same power is causing the flesh of the zombie undead to decay." "That is interesting." "As you may or may not know, all Zombie undead are in a state of decay. It''s just that the dark magics that bind the soul to the undead body slows this decay down so much that it almost becomes a moot point." "So undead flesh is decaying, it''s just so slow no one can notice it unless the undead is around for a very very long time?" Jack commented, as he rubbed his chin''s stubble. He missed having stubble. The little things, as they say. "Exactly correct. Very concise, but as the light is the anathema of the dark magics that holds Us together it''s causing this effect to reverse!" "But this can be corrected by utilizing the Light Cultivating Zombie Undead???" Jack asked while pondering the issue. The group took a long spiral staircase downward, as the glowstone on the walls flickered at the passing of Jack. "Well, it certainly helps... I still have a few pools of flesh and bones laying in my lab from the rejects. It''s just that... Well, you''ll see." After exiting the long spiral staircase the group were greeted by the assistants that were in the court area with Dr. Hollowell, as they kneeled at the passing of Jack and the group, as they entered into the large dark laboratory. "Welcome to where the genius happens!" Dr. Hollowell cackled. "Indeed. Quickly, Dr. Hollowell. I may have time, but not so much that I can idly chatter. I''m only here because it''s going to take time for my armies to assemble." "Yes, yes. Assistants!" Another pair of assistants unlike those previously came forward leading from a side room four shambling monstrosities. "This is the fruit of my labors." The four large shambling undead looked upon the God-King, and at first did not know who he was... It was then they saw the flaming eyes of Jack''s did they realize he had taken another form. The four shamblers of putrid flesh and boiling pox fell to their knees with a fleshly disgusting sound of crumbling bone. The four began to prostrate, as each in their horrible voices groaned in hoarseness, "My God-King!" "...Who are these...?" Jack asked, as he rubbed his chin, seemingly unfazed by what he saw, though the smell that came from there four were horrific to the point that even Jack curled his nose. Before Dr. Hollowell could answer, one of the four groaned out, "We are your former Judges, your soon to be Militus Obitus." The wretch spoke. "These are those judges?!?" Leslie covered her mouth, as did Eris. Emily tilted her head. ******* "Your move." Somewhere in the place between worlds, a pair of eldritch entities were playing a very specific type of game. "Seriously... How do you two tell whose pieces are whose???" Shub-Niggurath asked the pair playing. In the vast empty space between worlds, there was a small table set up with a solid yellow board with all yellow chess pieces. Each piece appeared to be in a grid, but no lines were marked to designate which piece should be where. "It''s Carcosian Chess... The best chess of all." Hastur picked up a knight and took a pawn from Yoggi''s side. "Not really, I prefer fifth dimensional chess... But Nyar won''t talk to me anymore." Yoggi used his queen to take the knight. Hastur''s yellow hood quivered seeing his knight taken, as he muttered under his breath things no mortal should hear. "How is Nyar, honey?" Shub-Niggurath asked, as she walked to the side of the yellow chess board. Hastur looked up from his yellow hood to take in Shub-Niggurath. She stood to the side in her humanoid form. Hastur was always smitten by her, even in her humanoid form. She wore only a simple robe that opened in the front revealing large swaths of skin and her large belly... No doubt filled with his brother¡¯s progeny. Her face was angelic with goat eyes and a third eye in her forehead with a cat''s pupil. Her head was adorned with two simple goat horns, and her lustrous black hair extended to her waist. extending blow her robe were her two goat legs. Hastur had to admit her first daughter he had back home looked so much like her mother... Hastur finally broke his attention from Shub-Niggurath to see the board. "HEY!!!" "Hmmm?" Yoggi tilted his black skull as he turned his attention to Hastur. "You took five turns in a row!" "You were eye fucking my wife, so I kept playing." "Oh, fuck right off with that business!" A yellow bat flew from the void and grabbed a yellow piece from the table. "And what the hell was that, Asstur???" Yoggi looked up to see the yellow bat flying away, as he casually flipped his hand in its direction. A purple tentacle pierced through the void and into the bat snuffing the bat''s life, as the yellow piece dissolved along with the tentacle. "That was my queen, you know." Yoggi looked back, noticing which piece was gone. "And?" Hastur folded his skin flaked arms. "Nyar is fine. She''s still at Hypnos¡¯ place, though... I can''t help but notice I can''t sense where she is at this VERY moment... VERRRY suspicious that she''s missing when I can''t see what''s happening at my piece¡¯s world." Yoggi continued, as he waited for Hastur''s next move. "Speaking of pieces-" Hastur promoted his pawn at the end of row to become a queen. "No. He''s mine." Yoggi cut off Hastur, as Yoggi moved his last knight to take the newly promoted queen. "That''s amber colored cow pies! What about his wife, the ghoul?" "Not my piece, have at." Yoggi nodded his black skull. "Really now? Hmmmmm..." Hastur rubbed some of the yellow flaky skin on the back of his arm off as it fluttered into the wind of the void. "No." Shub-Niggurath said flatly, as she turned her lovely goat eyes to Hastur. "Huh?" "The goddess of ghouls is going to be my piece!" She placed her hands on her well-developed hips despite her advanced state of pregnancy. "...Rathy..." "Who said you can call my wife by my pet name?" "Stuff it, brother... Rathy, let me have this one." "No... I''ve already blessed her the day she ascended... She''s mine, so you can use that same language you used on hubby... Eff right off." Shub-Niggurath also known as Rathy walked away. "Ha~! Checkmate." Yoggi spoke with pleasure, as Hastur looked down to see many of his pieces missing, and his king cornered by two rooks. "...Damn it!" "That makes what? Every game we''ve ever played won by me?" "SET IT UP AGAIN! I''ll win this time for sure!" Hastur slammed his fist on the yellow board. "I feel bad for the bats of Carcosa," Yoggi laughed as the pieces of the board materialized again. Chapter 239: Life Eternal Jack looked upon the wretches while refraining from breathing. Something he had come to enjoy as soon as his flesh on his upper body returned. It was time to see if he needed to breathe, as the smell of these former judges caused him to remember Carcosa. "Show me their strength. No offense my former Judges, but you appear to snap if I look too hard." Jack folded his thick arms as he looked from Dr. Hollowell to the former Judges. "L-let me..!" One of the Judges weakly got to his knees in grunted pants. Dr. Hollowell waved her arms to the pair of assistants that were within the Lab with them, as they quickly brought over a large femur bone. "This is the femur of a Black-Fang Hell Hound. Superior beasts of this land. Fast, agile, but most well known besides their aggression and crazed hunting abilities, is how strong their bones are... This one has also been processed into a Holy bone... Tripling the strength of it, hahaha, SHOW THEM!" Dr. Hollowell boasted and explained as the bone was placed on blocks before the shambler-be-Judge. The shambler grunted as he lifted his decayed pocked arm high above him, and with a balled fist brought law a sweep of air that rose and a roaring sound that soon was followed by a climactic crack! The Shambler fell back to his knees with that sickly thud, as blackened yellow beads of sweat cascaded down his form as if he had stepped out of a nightfall shower. Leslie spoke first, "What''s your cultivation, Former-Judge?" She took a step and placed her hand on Jack''s left arm, which he loosened, allowing her to tangle her arms with his left arm, though still folded. Jack''s eyes never left the shambler, as he waited for this good question to be answered. "I am a Grand Master rank cultivator, though my Cultivation never prevented me from carrying out my judgments in the name of the God-King." The Shambler spoke in groans. "This is what I''m talking about!!! Hahaha," Dr. Hollowell crowed. Eris spoke up, in a rare instance, "Wouldn''t you have to be Knight rank to bust that femur?" "I''d say King rank really, as it''s a Holy bone." Jack nodded, after a moment of thought. "My thoughts also, God-King, my thoughts also!" Dr. Hollowell quickly brought up, as she wilted after, "But in their current conditions, it would be impossible for them to exert this strength at all times on a battlefield." Jack unfolded his arms, as Leslie continued to hold on to his left, while Jack used his right arm to rub his chin, as he turned slightly to see an agitated Emily. It seemed while they were watching this performance, Emily was scouting about for food of any kind. She had even cornered an assistant, whose bearly revealed face from their hood showed their fear of the toothy grin of Emily''s. "Emily!" Jack shouted over to her, interrupting her hunting. Now with the attention of those surrounding them pulled to Emily, the assistant quickly escaped to another part of the lab and into a side room. Leslie sighed, a habit picked up from Jack, while Eris shook her head. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Nothing to eat here, Dr. Hollowell?" Jack turned back to the good Doctor. "Well... We have a bit of foodstuffs for Us that work down here... Isn''t much really." "Any test subjects that are no longer of use?" Jack continued. "None that aren''t a pile of goo." "I see... Excuse me a moment then," Jack patted Leslie on the head, as he untangled his arm from her, as he walked over to Emily, while Eris stood next to Leslie. Dr. Hollowell nodded her head in understanding, as the shamblers continued to kneel on the floor. "Emily, come with me just outside the lab for a moment," Jack spoke, as he passed Emily. Emily trotted behind Jack, as he eyes swiveled around the lab one last time, as she continued to search for something to abate her hunger. After crossing the threshold of the lab door, and closing it behind himself and Emily, Jack turned to her. "I was hoping it wouldn''t come to this... Well, this should work." Jack spoke cryptically, as he raised his left arm in front of himself. "Emily... I hope this doesn''t disturb you." Jack continued cryptically. Emily tilted her head now watching Jack, as his voice carried uncertain notes. Jack''s right hand formed a claw-like look, as he brought it down on his left fleshy forearm, as he with great force plunged his talon-like fingers into the flesh. Blood of a gold flicker erupted from the five puncture wounds, only to be exacerbated by the pulling of his right hand, as most blood burst from the opening wound. Jack continued to pull as the flesh of his left forearm lifted and tore along to his wrist until finally, it came detached from his left arm completely leaving his left arm exposing the bloody bone underneath with it''s darkened runes. Sweat beaded upon Jack''s brow, as he spoke, "That feeling has been a while..." His voice wary, as blood rained from the wound falling upon the floor. As each plop of blood that fell released a small snap sound and a flash of light, to Jack this looked like bang snap fireworks from his last life. Jack then pulled his attention from the wound to Emily, as he extended his right hand holding his own flesh to her. "Eat this." "I... Uhhhh..." Emily''s mouth salivated at the sight, but she shut her mouth quickly, fighting the urge to snatch the piece of flesh. "I allow this. I can grow this back. It''s not like I can''t... Just in the future, don''t eat me in my sleep, if I ever reclaim my flesh on a more permanent basis." Jack humored. "A-are you s-sure...?" Emily spoke, as it was hard for her to talk through the saliva that threatened to spill. "If I''ve already done this, don''t you think I''m certain... Plus... I have a theory I want to test, and this seems a good enough time... Now eat of my flesh, Emily, as Eris has drunk of my blood... Have life eternal, so that We may be together when the end wakes up." Hearing his words, Emily spoke them to herself, "Eat of his flesh... Life Eternal... I will long for you forever... Would you let me touch your soul forever?" "Yes..." Jack answered. Emily took the flesh handed to her and gorged upon it. As she ate, Jack brought his wounded arm to him, as he held it by the wrist. It seemed in the small amount of talk, it had already stopped bleeding. "Even a god can bleed, huh... If it bleeds, then it can die." Jack whispered to himself, as a dry laugh sounded beside him. Jack knowing the sound of Yoggi''s laugh didn''t ask, as he watched the flesh knit itself back together in a display of dark apotheosis. Black tears spilled from Emily''s eyes, as she ate. Jack sensing something, looked up to see Emily crying. "What-What''s wrong?" Jack asked quickly. "Is this how you really feel???" Emily asked through a mouth full. "Ummm... What are you asking?" Jack released his left arm and touched Emily on the side of her face as she cleaned some of the black tears. "...I thought... I thought I had despair... I thought... this flesh... your flesh..." "Shhhh... We can talk about it later..." "What happened to you???" Emily looked up, now that the last bite was gone, she continued to chew. "That... I''d like to know most of that myself. I only remember a few things... It seems having a fleshy brain somehow helps me remember, but I feel that it''s also hindering some of my thought processes..." Emily swallowed, and then pounced on Jack, as she climbed him to get to his face, as her lips locked with his. Startled, Jack slowly brought his right arm around her to hold her in place, as he indulged in his second consort, even if time was counting down to the end of the Underworld. Chapter 240: Living-Dead Tissue Jack reluctantly pulled his lips from Emily. "Not that I don''t enjoy this, We have a lot of work... Emily, how do you feel?" Jack asked the question that pressed him. He did all this to test an idea he held. Emily slid down Jack''s large form and touched back down on the stony ground outside the lab. She felt her stomach and realized for the first time since she became the supposed Goddess of Ghouls... She wasn''t hungry! She patted her face a few times as if to wake herself up. [I see.] From her reaction, Jack could tell she felt different, but still he waited for her to answer. "I''m not hungry!" Emily exclaimed! "You never get full?" Jack probed. "Well, it''s not exactly that! Even when I eat until I''m what you call full... I''m just physically full... I can''t eat more, but I want to... At the moment, I don''t feel physically full, but... but-but... I don''t crave to eat more!" Jack reached out and rubbed Emily''s head, much like he did when she was still in her child form. Emily rubbed her face against his hand, as Jack asked, "Remember that time when you tried to grant me flesh?" Emily nodded her head under Jack''s hand. "Can you do this for the test subjects inside... I think with your blessing... This might stabilize their form." "Oh? OH! That makes sense! Why didn''t I think of that before?!?" Emily squealed in delight and self-mockery. "You were hungry? Ha." Emily pulled on Jack''s right hand to the Lab. The Lab door opened again, silencing the talk of the ladies within, as they watch Jack and Emily coming in. Leslie looked between the two... Noticing the caked blood around Emily''s mouth and the crusted up blood on Jack''s now thick again left arm. Leslie pulled from under her sash a cleaning cloth, as she approached Emily. "I swear... You need to pay more attention to your looks." Leslie swooped down upon Emily wiping the latter''s mouth with fierce strokes. Emily paused and then didn''t fight Leslie''s cleaning attack, as Eris gave a light laugh. Dr. Hollowell too noticed the caked blood on the God-King''s arm. She approached and looked over his forearm, as Leslie finished cleaning up Emily. Dr. Hollowell reached out and poked around Jack''s forearm, and noticing a slight color difference in the skin tones of the flesh on his hand and back of his arm compared to where the blood flaked off, she swelled with curiosity as to how this came to pass and exactly it was that he and his second consort did outside the doors of her lab. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Nothing to worry about good Doctor." Jack pulled his arm back, leaving Dr. Hollowell''s grasp. "Ah... Yes." Dr. Hollowell tilted her head, as she asked, "Can this be granted to those behind me?" "Not like mine, but what I was just asking Emily, is going to be exactly what We need. Let''s hope it works." "Pray to the God-King, as it would be known today, haha!" Dr. Hollowell laughed, as she walked back to the shamblers. "No... Pray to my Goddess of a consort." Jack spoke lightly. Dr. Hollowell turned, "What?" Jack didn''t elaborate, as he walked to the side of Leslie, as Emily wiggled out of Leslie''s grasp, and trotted over to the Shamblers. The shamblers that were the former judges didn''t understand what was going on, but lowered their heads to Emily, knowing she was the second consort. Emily quickly drew in the air numerous runes for each of the shamblers, before pointing her fingers to the poor pocked marked and decayed fellows. The air twisted around the four putrid sacks called undead, and for a moment silence dwelled within the lab... but not before long hair raising screams began to fill the lower levels of the Holy Palace. All present, except for Jack, averted their eyes, as shining light filled the lab, issued forth from the four kneeled on the floor of the lab. Jack watched as the liquid glowstone called fulgor oozed out of the wretches and coated their bodies; wrapping them almost like a cocoon of light, as the screams began. Jack watched as the golden fluid washed over sections of the shamblers restoring the flesh underneath as it passed. It wasn''t long before the light subsided, and the screams died down to dull hoarse grunts and tired wheezing. The four had collapsed on the floor with labored breathing, uncharacteristic of Undead. Jack approached, as did Dr. Hollowell. Leslie followed closely behind Jack. Emily stood where she was, as Eris did the same in the distance. "Amazing... Simply amazing..." Dr. Hollowell spoke with light words, as her crazed eyes flashed in her sockets. The four former judges turned shamblers were shamblers no more! Flesh renewed, and with a healthy though pale hue to each of the test subjects. What was most interesting was that each subject''s arms were corded up with light-gold veins. It was as if gold worms squiggled just underneath their leathery hides. If one looked closely enough, one could see that they pulsed with a heartbeat. "Hmmm?" Jack commented aloud, before watching Dr. Hollowell and her assistants begin testing various things on the subjects. "It seems there is even greater pain here." Jack continued to comment, as he watched the former judge on the far left withered in abject agony, as his grunts had bearly any unlife. If one only heard the sounds being issued by the far left subject, one would think he was inches away from meeting the death god spoken about so often by the God-King. Dr. Hollowell had an assistant take a chunk of flesh from the calf of the subject on the far right, Jack''s former world would call this a biopsy. After a few minutes of the good doctor going over the subjects, and just long enough that Leslie''s patients began to wane, did Dr. Hollowell pull her eyes up from what Jack knew was called a microscope... It seemed in the Underworld it was called a Magnifying Spyglass or Magnaglass. "Horrifically great!" Shouted Dr. Hollowell''s odd voice, as Jack turned his attention from Eris, who had come to Jack''s other side to lean on him. "So, what''s the verdict?" Jack asked amused, but also somewhat bewildered by the withering cases of the four former judges. Jack wasn''t sure, but he had a feeling these four would in unspeakable pain. Something about their twitching movements, crazed eyes to a vacant expression that alternated back to visages of pain that made the Masks on the doors of Hades seem... Tranquil. "This blessing? Gift? Curse? Whatever your second consort, nay- Whatever Consort Emily has done to these four seems to keep them more or less intact. Even now under the Magnaglass the flesh is decaying and regrowing. It''s in a constant state of decay and growth. This could even be called "Living-Dead" Tissue." Jack rubbed the stubble on his chin again, as he nodded to himself. [So I just need to give them blades in their fists and name them after a kick-ass animal... Or katana''s and guns and teach them to break the fourth wall, haha...!] Chapter 241: Research to be Done! The former Judge on the far left collapsed after a number of groans issued forth, unable to endure the pain. "Soon, We are so much closer to realizing a new undead!" Dr. Hollowell clapped her hands, as she danced about completely unlike her previous self only months ago. Jack nodded, as he spoke, "Not new undead, just undead. We are all equal in death, good doctor... But remember all in death serve me." "Of course, God-King." Dr. Hollowell produced a menacing smile. The former Judge on the far right squeaked out a harsh strained voice, "I s-ser-va my God-da-King-ga...!" "Let''s put these three remaining ones under." Doctor Hollowell issued her orders to a couple of assistants, who grabbed up syringes of fluids, and began to inject each of the judges." "F-finally..." the second judge''s voice squeezed out. Jack turned to walk away when he heard the good Doctor sound confused... A rarity. "Why isn''t the serum working?" "...!" continued grunts of pain issued forth from the four judges. It seemed the second started to pound his fist against the floor, as the stone floor began to crack along with the issued thuds of sounds upon impact. "Huh?" Jack turned to look over his shoulder, as he was flanked by Leslie, Emily, and Eris. "...These vials are filled with the purified venom of the Blind Devil Wyrm..." Jack tilted his head, as Leslie mentally messaged him, [Blind Devil Wyrm venom is known to induce comas in undead... So strong that it even affects the soul, so it works on skeletal undead as well. In short, it knocks anything out with a soul.] [These pre-militus have souls...] [Don''t ask me... This is your alchemy experiment.] Leslie''s sassy voice fired back. Jack took a few steps forward and waved his hand over the third former Judge. As he did so, a calmness took over the judge, as he collapsed on the floor in a puddle of gold-tinted sweat. It was Dr. Hollowell''s turn to tilt her hand, wondering exactly what magics does the God-King process... She would have to research gods later... Jack moved over to the second, who produced a wretched smile, as he collapsed with his eyes still open. Moving to the first Judge on the right, Jack brought up his hand to put this judge under, as the former judge spoke up, "M-My God-da-King-ga... I Heard-da t-that w-we are at-ah w-war wit B-borda-ah." Jack paused, as he wondered how this one knew... It seemed the assistants gossiped, but it wasn''t a secret, so Jack confirmed, "Yes, I have declared that so, just about two hours ago...." "C-can I Re-request-ta ta g-go wit y-you, M-My God-da-King-ga?" The former judge''s pitiful tortured voice issued forth to answer the call to arms. Jack pulled his hand back that paused in the air to rub his stubbled chin. [I could see what he can do, but can he do anything with so much pain to bear???] Jack thought, as his thoughts soon turned to voice, "Can you serve on the battlefield as you are now?" "P-pain is m-my f-fuel!" The former judge got from all fours and with strength of will alone, he stood upcoming chest high to Jack. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He stood with a slight curve in his back, but he was tall and proud with every moment of waking pain that washed over him, this former judge refused to bow before his mistress of pain in the face of his God-King''s call. "Amazing! Write this down! Write everything down!" Dr. Hollowell yelled into a whisper to the nearest assistant, who scrambled for a journey to record these events. "Strength of will." The good Doctor muttered under her breath. [What do you think?] Jack mentally messaged Leslie. Leslie showed a surprised expression, before it softened, [I think, one warrior can''t slow us down. Why not.] Jack nodded again, as he spoke, "What is your full name, former judge?" "N-name''s B-bestle Tornface." "You will be the first I name Militus Obitus. You may not have achieved the final form of the Obitus, but you have achieved what I wanted in the mindset. Come and serve. I wish to see you stand atop a mountain of corpses as you proclaim my name." "Y-yes, m-my God-da-King-ga!" Obitus Tornface kneeled and pledged. "Good. It should be just enough time for my armies to be in place. Obitus Tornface, follow behind us. Good Doctor, I have something I want you to study... Specifically what it''s effects are on some of the "Living-dead" Tissue." "Oh?" Dr. Hollowell came forward with expectation. Each time the God-King had something for her they were always the most wickedly wonderful things. "Bring me a liquid container of some sort. Doesn''t have to be large." Dr. Hollowell collected a beaker, herself, as she came before the God-King. Jack held his right hand just below his chest, while everyone wondered what he was waiting for... But as Emily was about to ask, the skin just below Jack''s pectoral muscles twisted. A small vial of purple color was pushed out into Jack''s waiting hand, leaving a small open hole that oozed a tiny amount of blood. Jack held the vial up, as he looked at the bubbling solution inside. The vial that was once filled to the top was now three-fourths full. He looked down at the good Doctor. "Here." Jack pulled the small cork off the vial, as he carefully poured a quarter of the contents into the beaker. The purple viscous-like fluid plopped into the beaker, as it soon spread to fill the entire beaker full. Everyone stood silent as they watched this horrible substance, as an odd odor prevailed in the area. Leslie remembered this smell from Jack''s Library, as she frowned remembering her time with the strange tome and tentacles. "This is?" Dr. Hollowell could only ask. Jack bent down, bringing his mouth next to Dr. Hollowell''s ear, as he whispered, "This is the blood of the death god... See what fantastic and horrible effects can be garnered. Dr. Hollowell held the beaker to her as if it was a child, as she nodded, "Yes! YES OF COURSE!" Jack corked the vial again, and put it into the hole in his chest, as the flesh latched onto the vial and pulled it back into his form. After a few seconds, all that was left was crusted blood in its place. He then turned to leave, as he left his words lingering in the air, "Look forward to success." The door to the lab closed, leaving Dr. Hollowell, her assistants, and the three coma induced former judges on the floor. She held the beaker close to her chest, as her deep black eyes sparkled. "So much research to be done!" She then turned and started issuing her orders to her assistants. ******* On the way back up, Leslie asked, "Was that a good idea?" "What? Leaving some of the death god''s blood with the good Doctor?" "Well... Yes. Are you sure it isn''t going to... I don''t know, turn into some kind of tentacled monster and take over the Holy Palace?" "Hmmmm...?" Jack rubbed his chin, as was his custom as the group, Jack, Leslie, Emily, Eris, and Obitus Tornface accended another large set of spiral stairs to the ground floors. "Wait... That''s seriously not a possibility is it???" Leslie''s voice pressed. "I- I don''t think it is... Well, as long as they don''t leave the blood to its own devices. I''m sure the good Doctor will keep it safe." "..." "Is this going to bite us in the pelvis?" Emily asked, after listening. "Butt." Corrected Leslie. "You know what I mean." Emily stamped her next step she took up the stairs. "I doubt it, but on another note, how is the assembly of troops." "Warmarshal Joan is efficient, if not mad like you." "Hahaha, even you call me mad???" "We''ve talked, haven''t we Emily?" Leslie giggled. "Yes, yes we have!" Emily giggled back. Eris kept to her side, of Jack''s left, alone while Leslie and Emily walked together on Jack''s right side. They were all followed by Obitus Tornface. "Haaaa~ Oh~!" Jack inhaled large amounts of air and released it into a greatly exaggerated sigh, "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!" "..." "..." "..." "What?" Jack noticed the silence, as he looked to his right and left. "You act as if you''ve had lungs before..." Leslie commented, after a few more silent steps upon the stairs going up. "...I have..." Chapter 242: Last Kiss Rises No matter how much the three consorts continued to ask, Jack would not elaborate about having lungs previous or flesh in general. Leslie knew that Jack''s younger body was a skeleton before he took on his current body, also a skeleton, before whatever grand and terrifying magic twisted it into his current half living body... So at what point did he have lungs...? ******* As Jack approached the large double doors of the Court leading to the outside of the Holy Palace, the doors opened with his intentions. Passing through the threshold, Jack was followed by his three consorts, Leslie, Emily, and Eris, along with his first Militus Obitus, Obitus Tornface. Jack stood at the first step leading down to the courtyard which housed the monument of shame, a pile of skulls and heads of the slain corrupted officials. Inhaling deeply, Jack released another sigh, "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~" Leslie frowned, as Jack''s common sigh had no taken on another cryptic note... [I''m going to grill him later...] Leslie thought to herself, as she gazed upon his broad back. Jack turned his head to look over his shoulder, "Let''s meet My forces..." He then held out his arms to his sides with his palms facing upward, as he began to ascend into the air. Soon a force surrounded the three consorts and Obitus Tornface, as they started to rise into the air. Leslie was surprised but felt accustomed to the sensation of floating in her Banshee form. Eris had experience at being able to fly, though her ability to do so was gifted and limited in duration. She let the force do with her as it pleased, as she smiled softly behind Jack. "What the hell?!" Emily flailed in the air as she tumbled. "I''ve got you," Jack spoke with his back to them as the party gained altitude. "...Please let me know when you are going to do such things again..." "My sweetest ghouly girl, you''re also a god, so I expect soon you should be able to fly, as well... But... I can''t promise I will tell you before sweeping you off your feet, in the future." Jack spoke with a touch of humor and softness from his cold voice adding a paradoxical tone to his words. "..." Emily blushed as eyes darted away from Jack''s back, but Leslie noticed the edges of Emily''s mouth curved upward ever so slightly. Obitus Tornface remained quiet through the process, as he dealt with his own issues. The feeling of floating was lost on him in the face of his torment, as he remained conscious. Heading to the north of the City and with a bat''s eye view, Jack and his consorts were able to see the formations of the Legions outside of Saigunrai. Jack could make out, in the dim light of the Underworld, five columns of warriors standing proudly among the Underwheat fields. This was Jack''s first real glimpse at the surrounding farmlands of Saigunrai. Not that he hadn''t seen them, but never before had he paid close attention. In the twilight of the Glowstone torches, he saw these crops withered. Searching his mind as chaotic as it had become, a stale memory surfaced from some far-flung corner of his brain... This Underwheat only grew near places of light. Next to lava flows, volcanoes, glowstone, glowmoss, and... The Skull of the Sun God. Jack shook his head. He felt the skull was more than just a symbol. It was the lively hood and source of food for his people that required it. After this campaign, it would be time to collect it, as he had promised so long ago! The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Searching the Legions over, he found at the head of the columns was a make-shift platform. Jack descended to that platform, where surrounding it stood familiar faces. Landing upon the rotten wood planks, they squealed as they bowed under the weight of the God-King and his Consorts. "Our fearless leader finally graces us with his presence..." Mark adjusted his monocle, as it glinted in the light of the Glowstone torches that let the area. "...So, I do..." Jack grimly smiled at Mark who stood below the platform. Many hissing sounds echoed within the skull of Mark, as Joan slithered up behind Mark, as she whispered to Mark, "Don''t think I don''t realize how powerful you are... Even if you were a god, yourself, I''ll break your bones and wed your spouse... Fuck with my God, and find out... Test me, boy... Please test me." It seemed Joan''s voice almost pleaded with Mark. Mark dusted his vestments, as he spoke, "It''s quite alright, for you to think such. I only ask that my wife be taken care of..." "Oh???" Joan was caught slightly off guard by Mark''s comment, she whispered back, "If you choose not to antagonize my god, I can see We can be friends, boy." Joan patted Mark gently on the back, as she turned and sauntered back to Julia Verruca, now General, of the Warbreakers. [The Butcherer indeed unlives to the stories of old.] Mark thought within his mind as he calculated his next move. This show played out before Jack and his Consorts. Jack nodded slightly, while Leslie frowned. "Oh mightly "God-King," why don''t you enlighten those of us who are less knowledgeable... How is it that We will save this daughter of death in three days if We are to move armies?" Mark finally commented, after adjusting his mental state. Jack raised his brow, ever so slightly, "That''s true... Normally that would be an issue of extreme inconvenience. Until I have developed a new method, my memories of the distant past will serve me. It seems that part of them have returned with this flesh I was gifted." Jack looked down at his hands, as he flexed them. Many of the audience, Consorts included, wanted to know what this meant exactly, but they choose to remain silent. Jack turned and walked to the edge of the wobbly makeshift platform to stare into the darkened North, beyond the Underwheat fields, and into the darkness of the Underworld. "Many here may know of the distant past''s "Lich King." It was said that he had his Sorcerors build terrible and horrific engines of destruction that defied the ground and soar through the endless night of the Underworld and even into the distant Overworld." Many nodded in the audience, while Mark snorted in discontentment. "I tell you this because only one such engine survived his fall. It was buried in these very lands under the feet of those that continued their unlives in solace, no longer afflicted by his malicious intent for revenge and anger... His purposes are irrelevant, but what is relevant is that this engine has one last flight left within it." Uncontent to stay silent any longer, Mark voiced his feelings, "Many historians believe this tell! I, chief among them, have searched for the relics of the Lich King, and know for a fact it isn''t here!" Jack turned to face Mark, as he looked down on top of his skull from his platform, "You let your passions grow wild, Former-Marquis Mark... How... Unlike you. Well, be that as it may, dear friend. Let me ask you... Do you think my father was so stupid as to build a city on top of a floating fortress???" "..." Mark folded his arms, and many of the Legions grew restless. Leslie inquisitively gazed upon Jack''s back. Emily took heard many stories of the Lich King and listened with great intent. Eris savored the taste that lingered upon her tongue of her god... She wondered how long it would be before she could slake her thirst for his blood again. Jack turned again to face the north, closing his eyes, as he attempted to remember the long past. He, for some forsaken reason, knew that the knowledge of this floating fortress was available to his mind through the fleshy parts of his brain. How this worked, he didn''t understand, but he wanted to ask Yoggi... Or more specifically his wife, Shub. Jack massaged his left temple, as the memories flashed in fragments within his mind as if he was excavating some long-buried treasure or better said best-forgotten curse. His eyes flashed open, as he raised his right palm to the darkened roof of the Underworld, "X GWE KIRT O'' DEAGOTH XOYARD MOU GO NISE!!! RISE FLOATING FORTRESS: LAST KISS!!!" "CRACK" The Underworld rumbled, as the ground shuddered. The Warmarshals, the Consorts, Mark, the Clergy, and the Legions of Deagoth looked to their right to the north, as they attempted to keep their balance as the land groaned in protest. It was at this time, that the crowning spires of the floating fortress, Last Kiss, the legacy of the Lich King, pierced the ground and began it''s rise into the eternal night of the Underworld, heeding the call of its master once more. Chapter 243: War comes to Borda Into the dark skies of the Underworld, the floating fortress called Last Kiss ascended. "This! This will be Our transport to the apocalypse!" Jack shouted as he flicked his wrist, and the floating fortress moved with an uncanny speed and landed on the ground with another shudder through the earth. In the wake of the fortress'' rising, a large crater, almost wound-like, was left in the ground. "Warmarshal Joan!" Jack turned and called out to his fanatical sycophantic murder machine. "YES, MY GOD!" "Load everyone aboard... There is killing to be done." Jack spoke coldly and commanded. "YES! YES, MY GOD! YOUR WILL BE DONE!" Joan turned sharply as she decreed the will of her god, "LOAD UP! WE RIDE UPON THE CHARIOTS OF DEATH AND RING THE BELLS OF DOOM! WE SHALL SLAUGHTER THOSE THAT WOULD DEFY OUR GOD AND ALLOW THE LAND TO DRINK DEEPLY THE BLACK BLOOD OF THE HERETICS! MARCH!!!!" With the chanting of hymns holy to the Deagoth Kingdom, the legions marched to the opening mouth of the, now landed, fortress, with Warmarshal Joan leading first and followed by the other warmarshals. Mark closed his mouth and silently walked alongside the legions to board as well. He may not fight with the legions, but he would assist... For now... Jack watched with satisfaction as his armies marched to and began to board the maw of the Last Kiss. Leslie took a few steps and stood next to Jack, while Emily and Eris stood behind the two. "Jack?" Leslie asked out loud. "Hmmm?" Jack turned his face from watching the boarding, to look down upon his first consort. "I don''t think it''s a good idea to kill everyone in Borda." "Oh? It will cut down on so much time, and what innocent are left there shouldn''t be worth my time." Jack frowned. "Logically, yes. But Jack..." Leslie glanced into Jack''s glowing human-like eyes, "Remember that the crimes of their rulers should not fall on their heads... Just as your actions should not fall upon the shoulders of your people. Shelter these undead of Borda. Take them in, and show them a benevolent god. What good is believing in a god that doesn''t believe in you?" Jack rubbed his chin in thought, as he cast his gaze back to the Last Kiss. After a few minutes of silence, Jack spoke without looking at Leslie, "Perhaps... You are right. Kindness should not be mistaken for weakness." Jack sighed, "Then do you trust me?" Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "Always and forever." Jack turned and swept up Leslie into his arms. With swift action, he piled his lips upon hers. Startled by the sudden action, it wasn''t but a moment before Leslie closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss, a sense of a tart-tasting fruity flavor spread throughout her mouth. It had always been her to kiss Jack, but with skin, Jack had initiated. Leslie let her hands snake around Jack''s neck and into his hair while kissing deeper. Eris bit her bottom lip watching, while Emily looked the other way... Jack and Leslie''s lips parted leaving a thin line of saliva connecting the two, as they watched the last of the legions of Deagoth load unto the Floating Fortress Last Kiss. ******* Standing atop the western walls of Souigak, Warmarshal Michael, his General and sister Jennifer, and fellow Warmarhsal George looked across at the now wandering hordes of Brutal Dead Souls. Accompanying the three of Deagoth, was Madu High General of the Eighth Leg of the Armies of Neolith. He had long ago been sent to support Souigak and placed under the direct command of her Highness, Princess Emily, Consort of the God-King of Deagoth. Madu still had his reservations, as he had yet met Princess Emily in person, but he had been completing his mission to support this time. "It''s been easier since the God-King last smote this damn fungus..." Michael hefted his large mace to his shoulder. "How long will these monsters continue? Even with the God-King''s hand, he only drove them back for a time." Jennifer commented as she looked across the west fields of the City. Her eyes were bandaged, thus she used her undead vision. "Your God-King is impressive. However, I wish I could say the same for Our Goddess... Goddess forgive me, but the spiders no longer listen to our commands... It''s almost as if they are wild..." Madu tightened a few bandages around his wrists, with his mummy appearance. "We appreciate your soldiers during this time. I don''t believe we could have held out this easily without your Eighth Leg Army, High General Madu." George spoke blandly. Madu nodded but paused in mid nod... "Do you feel that???" Michael, Jennifer, and George looked over their shoulders to the East. After a moment, the group of high-ranking commanders made out a silent but ominous floating object in the dark skies of the Underworld. It was lit up with many faces of agony on the sides, chiseled from Glowstone. "What in the God-King''s name is that?" Michael could only whisper. "Dearest brother... I think that is the God-King." Jennifer sucked in a breath of cold air into her vestigial lungs. It was at this time a small scrappy geist in the uniform of Deagoth desperately made his way to the side of the Warmarshal while howling. "WARMARSHAL! WARMARSHALS! URGENT NEWS! URGENT!!!!" Finally, making it up the stairs of the wall, and to the side of the commander''s group, the Undead began to babble, almost incoherently. Michael reached for the smaller geist and gave him two small slaps from his bony hand, "Calm yourself, undead! What''s what?!" "There see it! See it! The Floating Fortress Last Kiss!!! We just got a missive! The God-King rides aboard the last vessel of the Lich King! He has declared war on Borda! WAR ON BORDA!" Startled George swiveled his neck and asked, "Does the missive explain why War was suddenly declared???" "Yes! Yes, it does! Borda has profaned the God of Death, True Death''s daughter has come to this world and found her way to Our kingdom to meet Our God-King! OUR GOD-KING! Borda''s Church of the Three Gods Kidnapped her! Right from under our noses! The God-King declared that Borda is Heretical, and he will separate the chaff from the wheat!!!" The frail messager continued to babble. "Let us pray to him that once he''s done with Borda, that he''ll stamp out these filthy foot feasters called Dead souls once and for all..." Michael continued to watch the fortress moving quickly through the far dark skies. Chapter 244: Path of Attack Jack stood within the spacious helm of the Floating Fortress: Last Kiss. Before him was a large magical projection showing the Country of Borda. Various lines pointed to various places with words in Voidic hanging in the air to detail each specific target within the projection. Surrounding Jack and this projection he had conjured were Warmarshal Joan, General Verruca, Warmarshal Frostgard, Warmarshal Chaoshood, Warmarshal Kevin, Warmarshal Achnida, and each of these members had subordinates behind them various generals of the Warbreakers, Spellslingers, Frostgard, and a few outliers. Standing behind Warmarshal Frostgard, and looking awkward, was Xavier Doomcry, and behind Jack stood Militus Obitus Tornface. Another interesting addition was the Furysmith Patriarch from the, now gone, City of Zithergall and his Clan warriors. Small chatter and clacking of teeth echoed throughout the helm. General Verruca waved her large hand over the projection, in which various drop sites were marked indicating her path and plan of attack. It was a straight forward attack path that led to the Head Cathedral of the Chruch of Three Gods. "I only need three legions, and the name Borda will be wiped from the annals of time." Verruca clenched her right fist which produced joint popping sounds. "And the casualties?" Jack''s voice rolled out, as he arched a brow over his flaming eyes. The very same flames that caused dancing shadows to sport among his out-of-place fleshy face. Verruca scrunched her brows, as her eyes darted across the phantasmal image of Land of Borda. "...Not more than half...!" Verruca holds up an index finger. The hall quieted down, as they heard the estimation. "...Joan." Warmarshal Joan''s snake hair hissed, as she continued to look at the projection. Silence reigned for an uncomfortable amount of time until Joan waved her hand over the projection. The drop sites changed from a straight line to a line that curved to the right and approached the Church of the Three Gods from the right, instead of the front. "I would only need two legions for this assault, and I estimate only a tenth of loss to current forces." Joan chirped in her husky voice. A frown formed on Warmarshal Choashood''s face, at hearing the estimate. Jack''s voice rolled out, though the tone sounded far more pleased than his words would indicate, "And your objections, Warmarshal Chaoshood?" Looking into the God-King''s flaming eyes, Stephanie Chaoshood nodded her head. She spoke out her thoughts, "I see that this proposed attack leans heavily into attacking from the Brimstone Channel, and taking advantage of the lack of defense to the Lava Channel, but what makes you so sure that the losses will not amount to beyond thirty percent?" Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Jack, so too, nodded his head, as his gaze drifted to Warmarshal Joan, just as the rest of those present had done. Joan laughed loudly, as she pointed her finger to the first drop site, "The land has changed quite a bit since my... Slumber, but here is the crooked lane between the bean lakes, north of Sufenrun." A few nodded to the location. "This entry point into Borda was, and by the looks of it, still is one of the weakest border entries, and for good reason. By land, the crooked lane through the bean lakes is riddled with pitfalls and undead alligators. What army marches through a death trap like that?" Verruca cleared her throat. "With this fortress flying over it would be ideal. Few military forces below would be able to bombard us, as we make entry." Joan''s finger lingered there, "We can deploy half of the Frostgard legion here. Defending this choke here between the two bean lakes and the Avencain Lake here. I remember that the Deviduke Clan dwells in this area." "What would we do with such a heretical clan?" Voiced Warmarshal Kevin. While he and his former Warmarshal Ken Quicker stayed in the south and clashed with the Grand Tomb of Neolith, he knew of the many conflicts between Warmarshal Michael and the heretics of the North and Borda... The Deviduke Family were a depraved cabal of devil worshiping darkness cultivating assholes greedy for power and profit. At one point, they were the premount clan that persuaded before the coming of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth. As for being greedy... Seriously, they would sell their own mother, grandmother, and favorite aunt, if they thought it could grant them profit. Thankfully they were a minor clan, but Warmarshal Kevin had heard through the various gossip channels that the Deviduke clan was going to make a comeback to their full glory. "Heretics is a matter of opinion. You know I would gladly slay every fucking pathetic heretic and offer their blood up to my God-King, here, for all eternity" Joan made slow chopping motions with her hands, with a held laugh. "But, these heretics knew some great stuff a while back, and I believe it will aid the God-King. So We will occupy, I mean, stay as honored guests within their Clan, as We hold off the forces. We can borrow their forces to defend their location." "Alright, let me ask a different way, what makes you think that the Deviduke clan would help us?" Kevin continued. "One, they owe me. Two, if they don''t I''ll kill them all. Three, it''s in their best interest to do so, as the God-King will profit them more than Borda, at this point." "I see... Carrot and stick, as it were... Carry on." Warmarshal Kevin nods, satisfied. It wasn''t his Legion that was dropping down and having to deal with the Deviduke clan. Joan continued, "Then through the Witbury foothills, which hold little value, and is defended by the same amount, We can adjust course over these foothills and then pose to attack Dypilme, City of the Church of the Three Gods, from the Lava Sea Channel and port." "And the warbreakers should do what I remember best... Break the war, right through their back doors." Joan finished, with a wide smile. "Yes. That''s fine and all, though, I can''t help but ask WaRmArShAl Joan... What of the rest of Borda?" Mark''s voice echoed within the hall, as some undead parted so that Jack could see his figure. Jack nodded, "Securing Death''s Daughter is Our number one objective. In fact, it pales before any other current objectives." As he leaned against the door frame leading out of the hall, Mark asked over his shoulder, "And after her secure?" The flames of Jack''s eyes flickered quickly, before he spoke, "With Death''s Daughter secure, Death will follow those that supported this fiasco, down to the government offices that allowed the Church of the Three Gods to assist or aided at one time or another." "Sparing the people?" Mark''s voice seemed to mock. Jack signed per his usual, "I should not condemn the people for the crimes of their rulers... Those innocent of this should be spared." "And who are you to judge?" "I am a god." "Are you theirs, though?" Mark stood up from his place and walked out of the room. He only left words echoing back, "Are you?" Jack frowned in thought, as his flaming eyes burned brighter. Chapter 245: Stay the Course and Flip the Board "Pain riddles my form... In every inch that could be called my own, it comes in waves that never cease. Like the lapping of the tides of the brimstone ocean upon the shores of Saigunrai, it hurts. Only in my thoughts does my voice not betray me, as my lips stutter and shudder my words loosely." Bestle Tornface thought to himself, within the might hall of the Floating Fortress Last Kiss. "I stand by my God-King." Bestle Tornface powerfully turned his neck to squint up at the near-human visage of his God-King. Taking a moment to let these features sink into his mind and soul, before turning his view to the front that showed out of the helm and into the coming picket lights of Borda. Checkered lights that signified civilization of the undead-kind... Heretics before the God-King so declared of these residents of Borda... Enemies of himself then, simple. "I know not of when this pain will end. I know not of what this ''Militus Obitius'' name that my God-King has bestowed me truly means." Bestle Tornface shuddered as the muscles in his abs decayed and mended as quickly as it came. "I do not truly know the crimes of the enemies that I face, but the words of heresy on the lips of my God-King dictates... And that... That is enough for me..." "...Again I stand by my God-King. I stand in pain, but still, I stand. In the coming minutes to hours when this battle will begin... I will fight in pain... For I will become pain. I know not when it will end, but I wish for it to continue... Pain feeds me. It boils in my black chest like powerful poison and delivers its hateful fuel to course through my veins. The demonic cargo filters into my limbs. They will obey, with hammer in hand, and limbs that obey... I will fell my enemies... In the name of the one that blessed me. In the name of the one that blessed me twice... By Her dark eyes, His Second Wife" "Again, I see the lights coming closer in the far darkness of this heretical lands of Borda." "I do not know what ''Militus Obitius'' is, but... I know my fuel and I know my purpose." "My fuel is pain." "My purpose is Death." "True Death to the Enemy of the God-King!" Bestle Tornface howled within his mind, as he hefted his mighty gavel hammer over his shoulder. He watched as Warmarshal Frostgard and Xavier Doomcry descend from the mighty Fortress to begin their first assault on Borda. ******** Jack stood at the helm of the Floating Fortress: Last Kiss with his hands behind his back watching the coming scenery. "Time." Jack''s cold voice echoed in the hall. "Fifty Hours exactly and counting to seventy-two." A minor priest called out from the back. "Over two days... I''ve wasted time," Jack whispered to himself. If the undead within the helm heard him, none made it known. "Latest reports," Jack called out again. He had called out for their reports of the battles below since the first hour after the Fortress dropped the Frostgard. These reports had been gathered through the clever deployment of communication units. Their units consisted of a communication officer, with a guard. Each Unit would be deployed in a certain order with a list of names given to each Unit. This allowed for a quick relay station set up to remain in contact with command. This was set up by Warmarshal Joan, as a call back to her previous command with the first Witchking. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Warmarshal Frostgard reports that both the lake city of Avencain and the lake town of Stan have been occupied. Contact with the Deviduke Clan has been established as previously stated. Deviduke Clan is pushing back and disallowing Occupation. Permission to annihilate." "Interesting..." Jack unfolded his hands from behind his spine and rubbed the stubble on his chin. "My God, if I may." Warmarshal Joan kneeled to Jack''s left. "You may." "I had already told that Frostgard kid what to tell the Deviduke Clan. If they have not heeded her words, I suggest annihilation as well." Joan''s brows heavily furrowed, as the snakes in her hair hissed in annoyance. As Jake was contemplating how large of a loss of Frostgard he was willing to lose, a short priest darted over to Warmarshal Joan''s right shoulder. The young zombie priest swallowed his black spit, as he cupped his hands to Joan''s ear. After which he trotted back to his post with the communication officer, with trembling steps. A smile stretched across Joan''s face as she spoke with a much more gleeful note, "My God, it seems that the Deviduke Clan has decided against true death. Their great Elder crawled out of his crypt to command the Clan. It seems he still remembers my name." "It''s amazing that he still holds a grip on his unlife. Just how old does that make him." Jack laughed. "He existed before Deagoth and Borda. I''d say he''s in his six thousand, my God." "I should meet him. It would be best to have a mind that old to serve as a council." Jack returned his hands to behind his back. "If my God commands..." Joan rose and backed away from Jack. Jack furrowed his brow. He would have to ask Joan later what reservations did she have with the Deviduke Clan. Jack had already heard they were a clan of assholes, but assholes could do business for benefits. This made them useful to Jack, as long as he was the highest bidder, loyalty could be maintained. ******* Jack watched as the Port City of Dypilme came into view on the horizon. The brightness of the Lava Ocean lit up the City and made it shine like a pearl in the distance. "Time." Fifty-nine hours and Twenty-Three minutes and counting to seventy-two." Jack sighed. "Latest Reports." "Borda armies made contact with the Frostgard two hours ago. One hour ago, Warmarshal Frostguard reports that the Frozen Bulwark of the Kingdom of Deagoth will never be broken." "Ha." Jack gave a quick laugh, which spooked many of the undead presents. "Losses?" "Zero reported." "Good." Jack nodded, and then spoke again, "Joan, please approach me. Everyone else, leave the room until told to return." The undead within the hall looked at each other for only a brief breath, before standing and shuffling out of the helm. As the last undead left, some stood just outside the helm and continued to look at the God-King and Warmarshal Joan. Jack with his back to the door to the helm waved his hand, and with his intention, a door to the helm shifted into place with a metallic sound. "My God?" "We are quickly approaching the main city of Dypilme. How much do you know about the Church of the Three Gods?" Jack inquired, as Joan stood up from her kneeling position to stand next to Jack at the helm. "I know they are nut jobs even back in my day." "It was once said, "Know the enemy and know yourself and in a hundred battles, you''ll never be defeated." Jack mused, before continuing, "With that said, I feel that being able to get Death''s Daughter isn''t an issue, but the enemy that I am making bothers me." "...What enemy, my God? To you, these pests are but dust before a mountain." "Not exactly. Death also bestowed some information to me with this small gift of flesh." Joan turned her head to look at Jack''s profile. Her eyes followed the lines of his sharp broad Jaw bone. "Death referred to me that his church of three gods actually worships some of his brothers and sisters. That''s an issue. I can''t help but connect that to the fact they would "Kid" nap his daughter. Was this done under the direction of one of them, and I''m just a pawn in a cosmic pissing contest?" Jack''s voice hardened, as he steeled his teeth. "And if you are?" Joan laughed. "That would make a joke of me, and I''m not to be trifled with-" Jack''s hard voice continued, before being cut off by Joan, "You''re thinking too much, and you''re being too serious." "I-" "You want my council, otherwise you wouldn''t make this private, so you want my real council." Jack sighed, "Yes." "There is being serious and too serious. There is thinking and there is too much thinking. Too much of anything is bad for you or anyone. So what if you are a pawn to beings higher than yourself? Your current self? Play your part in the game, while you consolidate your power. I don''t believe that you can not flip the chessboard." "Flip the board, you say." Jack rubbed his chin, as he was thinking. "Yes, my God. Flip the board." Joan smiled that pulled tight to her ears, as the snakes in her hair hissed in delight. Chapter 246: Ravings of an Idiot Within the Capital City of Borda, Midbalmou, the ruler of the Nation of Borda, President Rottensong was ranting and raving. "WHAT IN THE THREE''S FUCKING NAME IS GOING ON!" President Rottensong threw a small stone statue across the room. The statue shattered at the impact with shrapnel spraying the room. Unfortunately for some of the lower undead cultivators, these bits of stone shards found their way deep into their bodies. The president''s staff silently moved these undead from the office and to the private bone docs office of the president for treatment. "President Rottensong, I have nothing to defend myself with, but that if I was granted more funding wh-" High General Crowder, General of the East Border Guard, sidestepped another object. This time it seemed to be a plaque. "Do I look like I give a flying bat''s ass?!" President Rottensong was heaving air into his vestigial lungs with great gasps. After a few deep breaths into his zombie form, he adjusted his tie and eyed the occupants within the circular office. He walked over to his desk, pulled the chair back again from where he had haphazardly tossed it, and sat down. Chevell Rottensong, known better as President Rottensong, was elected from the Undeads'' Officials of Borda. Borda was cut up into many districts and each district would choose a representative. The means of each to choose a representative varied from district to district, but the prevailing method was originally by popular vote, but later became hereditary. Each representative would be known as an Official, as many Undead would, and would vote for the president. This next generation''s president was elected by popular vote among said Officials. Granted the vote from the majority was done through bribes, coercion, and threats, it was still a vote, and thus Chevell Rottensong ruled for the last eight hundred years. It was eight hundred years ago that the Rottensong family rallied Borda to impeach the then-president Trimswitch with incompetence in handling foreign affairs. Namely the Idol of Slaughter at their Border, kindly sent by the Fury of Deagoth with the prior entombment of the Holy Witch King. President Rottensong cleared the black phlegm from his throat before he started. "I want everyone to leave except the following." President Rottensong smoothed out the wrinkles in his suit before he continued in an even tone, "Crowder, Isaac, Warnam, Blighthrill, and Third Bishop, I mean, Second Bishop, if you will kindly stay, as well." President Rottensong looked to his left with a politician''s smile. The former Third Bishop of the Church of the Three Gods had recently been promoted to Second Bishop. He was pleased with the advancement but slightly angered his merits did not spur him to first... All in good time, he thought. The Second Bishop nodded silently. A shuffling of undead left the Office leaving the aforementioned named behind. Each of the remaining undead with the exception of the Second Bishop wore an army black service uniform which included a black yet drab four-pocket coat with a belted waist, drab trousers, and different color ties. First General Crowder stood the furthest to the right of President Rottensong. He appeared to be a zombie undead with slicked-back black hair with graying sideburns to show his age, by choice, and with a colored tie, Red. Next stood Second General Isaac, a skeletal undead wearing a uniform in the same design as the first general with fewer commendations. He stood slightly hunched with his hands behind his back. He unlike the others in the room wore his peaked cap proudly showing the emblem of Borda, three non-overlapping circles, a large, a medium, and a small circle joined at the edges into the shape of a triangle. His blue tie stood out from his uniform. After the second general, the Third General Warnam stood at ease. A young zombie face stared back at President Rottensong, but one couldn''t help but notice the ''X'' shaped scar on his right cheek that made his handsome face twist into a grave visage. His lackadaisical smile that hung from his lips betrayed his grim look. It had been said that a grimace would be much more appreciated, but Warnam was known as the Laughing Boy of the North. A tale for another time. Lastly, Military Advisor Blighthrill stood shaking and nervous. It was odd of a Geist like Blighthrill to be dripping with black sweat, but here he was with a ring of blackened fluids around his form. He was dressed similarly to the previous Generals, but he lacked the commendations and decorations as the three generals. Perhaps his nervousness was a testament to his lack of achievements in his younger days. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "DAMN IT!" With a roar, President Rottensong slammed his fist on the table leaving cracks in the rare blackened wood, "I gave you direct orders to pull back, not to run here like cowards!" He pointed his finger in an accusatory manner at the First General. President Rottensong then pulled his tie slightly from his collar in anger, as he continued, "And NOW! We have lost the east border to a bunch of ice heads from fucking Deagoth!" "Sir, Deagoth is now in possession of a Calamity level artifact. Once they activated it they immediately attacked us. I did the best I could with what I was given for what was used against us. The fact that I still have more than half the east border guard unalive with us should be a fucking medal for me. With all due respect, I was given less than half an hour of time before their troops landed and were backing up on my ass and the asses of all my soldiers-" "I don''t want to hear any of your miserable excuses. If not for the Second Bishops gifts your path of retreat would have been cut off before you could have hauled any ass like the cowards you were." President Rottensong slide back into his seat and closed his eyes. "What the High General here is saying, and again I must press upon you is that Deagoth sent a Calamity level artifact cap-" Second General Isaac, General of the North Border Guard, spoke and was cut off. "And again, I must stress that I don''t understand how this so-called Calamity Artifact was not knocked out of the eternal night skies! If there is one thing We are known for is our three-be-damned ballistae. How is it in all the Underworld you can''t hit a target that huge." "Sir, I understand that the East Border guard had a difficult time hitting the Artifact due to its speed. It was estimated to be flying at the speed of an Emperor level Cultivator." Third General Warnam, General of the South Border Guard, spoke to defend his fellow generals. Something of which, both of the other generals nodded in appreciation. "...I understand the speed, but it was still in our skyspace long enough it crossed the nation and left out to the Lava Sea! You''re telling me that the brain buckets in white robes can''t calculate a Ballista to hit it as it comes right over the City of Darbrore!?" Poked the large map on his desk showing a thick red line from Saigunrai through Darbrore and ending just above Bineham at the Lava Sea''s shore. "There... seems to be some problems with the Ballista in Darbrore and Bineham..." President Rottensong looked up from his desk where the map of the Ruined continent lay, as he narrowed his eyes. "What... Problem?" Military Advisor Blighthrill adjusted his collar and cleared his throat, as black sweat dripped off his nose. He pulled out a gray handkerchief and whipped his face hastily. "WHAT?! Problem....?" President Rottensong asked again. The three high generals stepped back to allow Miltary Advisor Blighthrill to explain, as they had just learned about this a half-hour earlier. "Well, It... It seems that the ballistae were decommissioned and sold to a third party." The Military Advisor squeaked out. "De... Commissioned..." "Y-Yes, sir..." "Who... did ''We'' sell these ballistae too, exactly, and why wasn''t I made aware of the decommission of potential war machines." Military Advisor Blighthrill reached into his uniform, as expecting to hear such a question, and produced a bundle of parchment. He then took a step forward and placed them on the president''s desk. President Rottensong pulled out a pair of specs from his first vest pocket and placed them on his eyes, as he picked up the paperwork to review. "Si-Sir, you signed these decommission orders a few months ago..." The Military Advisor Blighthrill wiped his face again. After review, President Rottensong couldn''t help but admit to himself silently that this was indeed his signature, but his fist clenched tightly crumpling the paperwork, as he looked up in anger, "You said these orders were to ''Relocate'' the ballista to a more advantageous position!" "Ye-Yes, they were sitting so deep with our borders, that none of them have been shot in ten thousand years... I just though-" "THOUGHT WHAT!? YOU WOULD LINE YOUR FUCKING POCKETS, YOU INEPT FUCKING WITHER! YOU ARE REMOVED FROM YOUR POST! GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!!" President Rottensong roared again, throwing the ball of paperwork over his desk, as the Military Advisor scrambled out of the office, leaving the door half-opened revealing the crowd drawn up outside of the office. The Third General Warnam walked over and easily closed the door and returned to his place before the President. "Quite the pickle you have here, President Rottensong." The Second Bishop spoke for the first time since the door first closed. "Yes... Very much so, your Excellency." President Rottensong turned to smile at the Second Bishop, "Is the church of any help?" "...The Church has its'' own hardships, but I believe that something can be arranged... But it would take the use of the Brutal Dead Souls to the northeast." The Second Bishop smiled from under his hood, leaving only a white toothy smile within a black void of the underhang of his hooded clergy garbs. "The... The Brutal Dead? But that could just as easily infect our population as much as it could occupy the Deagoth invaders... Right?" President Rottensong didn''t seem keen but also gave the impression that he could be talked into such an action. "You know the old saying president, desperate times call for desperate measures. This just happens to be that time." The Second Bishop continued. The president nodded his head, as he turned to the first general, "Have Secretary Lightburn draw up the paperwork for me to sign. Time is of the essence." "Sir, I do not-" "I expect a soldier to take orders, not to question authority." President Rottensong spat, as he leaned back in his desk chair. First General Crowder shut his mouth now formed a thin line. He nodded and left, closing the door again behind him. President Rottensong looked to the ball of paperwork on the floor that had been thrown as the former Military Advisor, "Can anyone in this room explain just who the fuck is this Monocle ''We'' sold Ballistas too?" Chapter 247: Whispers and Screams Jack watched as his Fly Fortress crossed the shoreline and into the skies of the Port City of Dypilme. "Time." Sixty hours and Fourteen minutes and counting to seventy-two." Jack nodded. [I hope nothing stalls me... Ah, shit... I just threw a flag.] Jack facepalmed, as the Deagoth Generals looked to Joan, as the leading Warmarshal of this operation. Joan''s stoic face did not change, but she gave a wide smile that stretched her cheeks and tightened the slit on her neck, as her snake hair issued hissing laughter. "Ssss, Ssss, Sssssss." Joan''s gorgon hair drew the attention of the rest of the crew. She then held up her left skeletal hand and extended her finger to press her lips. "Shhhhh." The snakes silenced, as the rest watched Jack and Joan''s strange behavior. A clatter of skeletal noises and gurgled zombie coughs broke Jack''s trance. He then cleared his throat. "Latest Reports." The sudden ramble of sounds ended as quickly as it started, as Jack''s command. "Borda armies have suddenly stood down across all battlefronts. In addition, the President of Borda stated that you, The God-King of Deagoth, are not to be obstructed, harmed, and if possible to assist with whatever endeavor that drives you." [Huh.] Jack''s face turned blank, as he stared ahead. Thankfully, none of the undead saw this expression. "It seems the President of Borda remembers my deeds." Warmarshal Veruca laughed. "If you say so," Warmarshal Stephanie gave a light chuckle, but relief washed over the high-strung generals. With the Guards, Soldiers, and Citizens allowing entry and even possible aid, this operation''s chances of succeeding just increased. "I find this odd... A trap must be laying for us in Dypilme." Warmarshal Achnida couldn''t help but state. "Perhaps." Joan acknowledge. Jack''s vacant expression twisted into an evil grin, that sent a chill down the spines of all the undead present, with the exception of Joan. Jack mentally messaged back, [Haha, You''re the best. You know that, right?] To understand who Jack''s mentally messaging and why the sudden faces, let us travel back to an hour ago. ******* President Rottensong sat within his office, now alone. He had dismissed his war council and was working silently on his paperwork. Alone within his office, outside of his door stood his two personal guards, of quite some fame. At the side of the guards, sat his secretary at her desk. Beyond her desk stood two rows of twenty soldiers. Here to guard the President''s Office. President Rottensong had dismissed everyone from his sight, as he needed his time from these fools. He felt safe enough with his guards, both of which had one foot in the King Realm. Though both guards were in the last layer of Knight rank, when both brothers worked together, it was said they have the power to stop a King-ranked Cultivator. President Rottensong leaned back, and rubbed his eyes, as he groaned aloud, "ah well, worse come to worst I can just take my stash and flee to the people''s abyss." After a moment of thought, President Rottensong laughed, "I can just up Styx and leave everyone..." President Rottensong was supposed to be a beloved family man... Perhaps his clan showed itself to be something it wasn''t... A low whisper broke President Rottensong''s waking dreamland fantasy. "huh?" President Rottensong listened again. A few seconds of silence stretched, as President Rottensong shrugged his shoulders. He began to pick up his quill to begin writing again before another whispering voice was heard again. "Who in the abyss is interrupting me now?!" President Rottensong mentally messaged his secretary. [Who''s making the racket?] [Excuse me, sir?] Secretary Scarlet mentally messaged back. [Huh? I thought someone was calling me from outside.] [No, sir. No one has come to see you at this time. Everything is clear here.] [In that case, have you thought about my proposals?] President Rottensong licked his black gums as he awaited his Secretary''s response. [Sir, you''re a married deadman. I just don''t think I could do that.] A shy tone was conveyed, but still with some flirting... A more social person would tell that Secretary Scarlet was speaking at just the right distance to keep President Rottensong baited. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. [...Agh...! I''ve had it, Joanne! You''ve been keeping up this game of yours for months and months now! I didn''t want to pressure you more than I already was! Don''t say I didn''t try to be nice! You are going to decide right this moment to be my personal fuck toy or you can find your sorry ass in the lava sea with the rest of those that''s been in your position!] A few more seconds of silence transpired before Secretary Scarlet responded, [I understand, sir. Until true death do we part.] A flat tone was conveyed, but a tight smile stretched across President Rottensong''s face anyway, [See... That wasn''t so bad. You''ll see that being my mistress will benefit you far more than you know.] President Rottensong laughed, at the thoughts of the pleasure he would be experiencing during the eve of his evening tomb. Thankfully his family knows he''ll be at the Office overnight, "Working" obviously... Working that boneyard more like! A light tune floated by President Rottensong''s ear. President Rottensong looked around his office, as he stood up from his chair. He walked around his desk trying to locate the source of the strangely alluring melody. Standing in the middle of his office, he could barely hear the voice, but straining his ears, he finally heard the contents of the beautiful poem... It was sweet and something from his childhood, so, so many years ago... "The Boneyards are filling, Tell me how you''re feeling, The Bone Imps are singing, Tell me what you''re seeing, Cerebus is sleeping, Don''t fall down, Don''t fall down, Don''t fall... DOWN!" The sharp shriek broke the illusion, and President Rottensong fell to his bottom with a thud. His mouth gaped as floating in front of him was a free-floating apparition! Hair standing on ends, long ears, dagger-like fingers, if this wasn''t a banshee, then he was alive! "Awww... You fell down. It seems you already lost the game." Leslie smiled, as she flexed her talons. President Rottensong scrambled backward, he searched his mind for all the information he could on banshees. He knew ghosts, but not much about the banshee. They had strange powers and odd vendettas... Or they were messengers of powerful beings... Usually seeing one would mean a trail! Coughing slightly, President Rottensong croaked out, "Who are you and what can I do for you, my fellow undead?" President Rottensong mentally messaged both his personal guards, but there was no response. The doors didn''t bust open, and no one mentally messaged him back. It was as if his mental messages were falling into a quagmire and vanished. Leslie floated around inspecting the president of Borda. "Not much to see here, but I can work with this." Leslie tapped a claw on her chin. "Haha, haha... Yes, what can I do for you? Need funding? Something else?" President Rottensong racked his decayed brain, until he thought of something, "Wait are you from the church?" "It would be best if you showed respect... Now say what you will." Leslie smirked. President Rottensong wilted and relaxed, "I already signed the orders for Third General Warnam to draw in the Deadtide." President Rottensong slowly got to his feet. "Oh? How long ago was the order issued?" Leslie''s eyes narrowed. Thinking that he displeased the Church of Three Gods, President Rottensong quickly added, "As soon as I could, It must have been about an hour ago. The orders are passing through the relay stations now!" He slowly made his way to his desk and sat down. "Ah, that''s good. There is still time." Leslie nodded, as she floated across the room in front of President Rottensong. A cold feeling filled Rottensong''s stomach. "We-well, is there anything else the Church needs?" Leslie''s bell-like laugher echoed loudly in the office, as some of the parchment paperwork on President Rottensong''s desk begin to fray at the edges and the walls cracked, creaked, and groaned. President Rottensong covered his now bleeding ears. "Dear President Rottensong, I think you have me mistaken. I am not with the Church of Three Gods." As the ringing subsided and looking at the black blood on his hands, President Rottensong decerned Leslie''s words. "What? Then... Then who the Devil''s Abyss are you!?" "Well, I think you might know of me if I tell you some call me the Shadow of Deagoth." Leslie smiled while biting on her clawed index finger. President Rottensong swallowed hard. He did know who had this nickname... Why was the shadow a banshee!? A creature of Darkness in a Kingdom of Light!? How did ''it'' get in?!? He had to get help... Anyone, but anyone he mentally messaged for help again felt like it fell into a black hole! "Dear Mr. President. We are going to get to know each other well. Because my darling needs something here in Borda... And Borda has been a thorn in ''Our'' side for so long... Tell me, Mr. President. What are the codes for your relay stations?" Leslie laughed again as she slid her nail across the rare black wood table, rolling up the varnish. Again swallowing, President Rottensong finally decided to try messaging his Secretary as he went down his mental list of people to contact in case of emergency. [Yes?] A mental message finally came back! [Quick! Assassin! Assassin! I need my bodyguards, send everyone! I nee-] [But President Rottensong, until true death do we part.] [Wha-what?!] Rottensong frost at his desk watching Leslie loam over him smiling. [By the Mistress! May the God-King forever reign!] [Jo-Joanne?! Scarlet!? SECRETARY SCARLET!?] "What''s the matter, Mr. President? Cat run across your grave?" President Rottensong tapped the mechanism under his desk, but the trap shoot to open and take him to his underground escape tunnel failed to activate. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... Already fixed that. Now, Mr. President, I need those codes." President Rottensong shuddered, "If I give you the codes, can you guarantee my unlife?" "I guess you don''t know what position you''re in..." Leslie quickly darted to the top of the room, opening her mouth, a moment of silence was shattered as the room ripped and roared. The furnishings shattered, the walls showed signs of weakness, and the floor peeled up in pieces swirling about the office as if a typhoon has suddenly manifested out of thin air. President Rottensong''s head felt as if it was going to shatter, as suddenly everything went silent. He was lifted by the gale-force winds and drug around the office. Tossed about like a rag doll. With the torrent of pressure subsiding, Leslie gently floated next to the downed President Rottensong. Leslie mentally messaged President Rottensong, [There are 206 bones in the skeleton... That''s two of your ear bones. Let''s see how many it will take before I get those codes... Afterward, I think I''ll flay the broken bones from your body. You should thank me for cleaning up such a mess.] President Rottensong desperately attempted to gather his thoughts... He needed to tell this creature quickly what it wanted to know before... before... ******* [Jack?] Leslie mentally messaged Jack as she was staring at her handy work. [Yes?] [The president of Borda has decided to help with ''Our'' mission to collect Death''s daughter.] [Why would he do that??? Is he surrendering?] Jack''s confused tone was conveyed. [Oh... He just went all to pieces when I spoke with him. After some simple persuasion, he was more than happy to help. Honestly, I should have done this so many years ago.] Leslie watched as the vague outline of a cadaver wiggled on top of the rare black wood desk. What appeared to be a mouth at the end of the table weakly opened and closed its toothless and tongueless maw. If one tried hard enough, they might make out the mouthed words ''kill me.'' [What did you do exactly?] [Oh, you''re no fun, haha! I''ve taken care of the President, and have used his code to contact the relay stations of Borda to have the Military stand down and for the Nation to assist you.] Leslie twirled a bloody broken bone through her clawed fingers as she mentally messaged Jack. Jack mentally messaged back, [Haha, You''re the best. You know that, right?] Chapter 248: First Bishops words The major of Dypilme patted the black sweat that ran down his forehead, "President Rottensong has already declared for us to not engage this god-king character... I don''t s-" The head of the major fell from his neck, "The church has no time for ignorance." A hooded figure turned his back on the major and walked out of his office with a gimp and a cane. "Your orders, First Bishop." A row of priests of the three gods lined up, each with a robe inscribed with three eyes in a triangle. The First Bishop nodded his head and reached out with his skeletal hand to rub the face of the first clergy. "How long have you been with me now, Stultus? The first Bishop held the larger zombie undead''s face like a child. "Twelve years since I was adopted, First Bishop." The zombie undead known as Stultus responded. "It has been rough on you, and it seems that today, your life is needed... I''m sorry my child." The First Bishop withdrew his hand. "Don''t be First Bishop..." "Child, an undead''s life is long... and you have only seen it for forty years... Too short..." The First Bishop shook his head, and asked his next question, "Is it done?" "Reporting to the First Bishop, We control Dypilme, and the Barrier is ready to erect at any time." The First Bishop nodded, "Perhaps if we lived in another time, we could be at peace... But with the way things are... There can only be war until there is the end." "It doesn''t matter, First Bishop." Stultus smiled, as he mentally messaged the rest of his clergy to start the ritual to erect the barrier to protect the City of Dypilme from the Tyrant-King. "Yes... It indeed does not matter when the bubble pops." The First Bishop nodded again, as if he agreed with his own word, "Then it no longer matters, it seems you learned the truth before I even had the chance to enlighten you." A series of steps and robes pulled the First Bishop from his thoughts, as he witness his flock setting out for their charge. "Then let it be done." The First Bishop gimped along with his cane, as Stultus pulled out a black dagger from his robes. It gleamed in the Glowstone''s light, as its blade appeared to be made of some obsidian gemstone, and emitted a type of dripping darkness. With Dagger in hand, Stultus pointed it at his face, clenched, and then stoved the dagger into his left eye socket. Surrounding Stultus, the remaining clergy plunged similar daggers into their own eyes... It was as if time paused briefly, before starting again... Stultus fell to his knees, as he roared to the ceiling of the major''s office building as if he was staring into the ''stars'' of the Underworld... A baleful black light emitted from his Right eye, as his zombie form withered quickly, before turning to dust... The dark light combined with those let off by the quickly succumbing clergy, and pierced through the Office building, and into the skies over Dypilme... This baleful light turned into a dome that covered the entirety of the port city. As the First Bishop exited the major''s office, he saw the dark barrier protect the city. Shaking his head a bit, he spoke in a low brief mumble, "Nothing means anything unless you give it meaning... I hate that Stultus meant something to me when nothing matters." He hobbled along the deserted road of Dypilme. All citizens had already heard of the invasion from Deagoth. Many wondered who pissed off that thing that use to live at the Border of Borda, that Idol of Slaughter must be coming... The First Bishop looked up to see that the so-called ''Floating Fortress'' was just above his head. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "Alright, Tyrant-King... It has been long enough, let''s see if you can break this barrier... Soon... Very soon, We can cast off this curse of existence... This sick joke of life." Many of the Church of the Three God''s warriors stations around the city, and those that were arming ballistae. "Soon, so very soon, the dead tide will come in, the goat will be sacrificed, Death will rage, Life will cry, Decay will be sad, and the Messenger... The Messengerwill laugh, as The ''Bubble will Pop.''" The First Bishop pulled back his hood to reveal his skeletal face. In each of his eye sockets grew pulsing fungi. A smile hung in his words, as they floated into the cities'' nightline. "So very soon..." ******* "We have confirmed with visuals, the port city of Dypilme has deployed a massive barrier!" An undead darted into the command chambers of the Floating Fortress known as Last Kiss. Jack rose a brow, this time not so mentally, as it showed on his face. Seeing the God-King''s expression, Joan barked out, "What type of barrier? Do the eggheads know anything?!" The undead officer of the Spellslinger legion quickly snapped to attention in the heavy pressure applied by the leading Warmarshal... Not because she was a Warmarshal, but because he knew of her history... The Butcherer had set its eyes on him, and it made him squirm. If the good Warmarshal did this to him, it was no wonder when he saw the expression of the God-King he felt his mind turn white... If not for the Warmarshal''s bark, his soul might have left his soul space and died on the spot. "Reporting to the commanding Warmarshal, it appears to be the Church of the Three God''s Domain of Sacrifice!" Verruca stepped forward and volunteered, "For those that don''t know, the Domain of Sacrifice is a very powerful barrier magic. It sacrifices an undead''s immortal lifespan to build a barrier of pure arcane energy." This was a technique that had stopped her advances on Borda many times. While it did cost the Church of Three God''s powerful members each time it was used, they could just raise more to replace them. "Like a rot turtle, they will not show their head too soon..." Verruca spat with her sing-song voice... Even in anger, her angelic voice lifted those aboard the command. Stephanie Chaoshood nodded as if saying that Verruca spoke the truth. "Time." "Sixty hours and thirty-two minutes and counting to seventy-two." "I''m not sure how many Knight-rank Cultivators were sacrificed for this barrier, but thinking they would use the most possible, then this barrier should stop a King-Ranked Cultivator for at least three days," Verruca spoke with some reluctance, as this wasn''t good information... "I don''t have time for thi-" Jack spoke before Joan appeared before his vision with a smile... Jack narrowed his eyes, as he tranced Joan''s face as if to etch it into his memory, "Yes, Warmarshal Joan." "I can crack this arcane barrier... Allow me to be the first to this battle!" Joan cackled. Jack smiled stretched a bit too far on his face for a normal human, as he asked, "You think you can do it?" "Please, please my God-King. Let me prove myself! Also, this city and I have much history. It would be only right for me to herald your coming!" Joan spoke quickly as if it was all one word. Jack nodded, perhaps he could resolve all of this without lifting a finger. [It would be good if I didn''t have to exert this body... I feel this ''gift'' isn''t quite what I expected it to be.] Jack''s mind felt more whole than ever, but he found that he was acting in ways that didn''t feel... ''Him.'' "Warmarshal Joan, see it be done." "Thank you, my God-King..." Joan bowed, and turned to walk out of the command room, "Open the ''Gates'' of the Last Kiss! All Warbreakers meet me at the threshold, Warmarshal''s be ready to deploy when the barrier falls!" Verruca trotted quickly to catch up to Joan, and in a low tone asked, "Wa-Warmarshal Joan, do you think you can do it?" Verruca knew that Joan was powerful, but this was the barrier powered by willing sacrificed souls! It was pure arcane energy! "Verruca, Do you even know my clan name?" Joan spoke, as she walked the unfamiliar but clearly labeled pathways through the Floating Fortress to the ''Gates'' of the Last Kiss. "Doomcry... Oh... OH?!" Verruca came to an understanding... "I''m sure I can destroy this barrier... Now, if I go out of control..." Joan stopped suddenly, causing Verruca with her massive form to collide with Joan. Surprisingly, Verruca stumbled back. "I expect you to stop me." "Wait, I-" "Hold me in place long enough that the God-King can stop me." "But, I don-" "My weakness is the loss of control." "Still, I-" "Don''t fight me head-to-head... Hit-and-run tactics. Evade my attacks, and lead me away from populated areas. This is the most important one!" "Don''t you-" Joan grabbed Verruca by her arms and looked up into her face, "Don''t let me just start killing those that don''t need it. The God-King desires me to be his angel of death. I do not wish to spit upon his name. Promise me." "Al-alright." "Again!" "Yes!" "Thank you, Verruca. Maybe when this is over you want to go back to my place and reap like hell isn''t a real place?" Joan released her hands and smirked. "I don''t lik-" "Well, we could always get a drink instead, just know the invitation is always open for a cutie like you." Joan turned her back, and resumed her quick pace to the ''Gates.'' Chapter 249: Until the Bubble Pops Joan stood before the ''Gates'' of the Floating Fortress. As the doors opened, it showed the domed city below, with the flickering lights of glowstone lighting up the city. Joan pulled out her Meat Cleaver and Boning Sword and inspected both weapons. quickly a pair of undead servants came to her side and chained both weapons to her arms, Right for the Meat Cleaver, and left arm for the Boning Sword respectively. The pair of undead servants retreated quickly to the side, once their job was done. With her weapons in hand, she cleared her ragged throat, as she roared above the noise of the winds, as the floating fortress remained stationary above the skies of Dypilme. "LEGIONS OF DEAGOTH! WARRIORS OF THE GOD-KING! THE GOD-KING GIVES US PURPOSE AND IN RETURN HE ASKS OF US OUR PURPOSE!" """"""""""HAAAA RUUUUU!"""""""""" "THIS IS WAR! THIS IS WAR WORTHY OF YOU AND OUR GOD-KING! THIS IS WAR WHICH IS GLORIOUS TO CONQUER AND ADVANTAGEOUS TO DIE AGAIN!" """"""""""HAAAA RUUUUU!"""""""""" "AGAIN, LEGIONS OF DEAGOTH, RIGHTEOUS CRUSADERS OF THE GOD-KING, REMEMBER TODAY THOSE THAT DIE IN TRUE DEATH WILL BE REMEMBERED BY THE GOD-KING FOR ALL TIME!" """"""""""HAAAA RUUUUU!"""""""""" Joan nodded to Verruca. Verruca nodded back. "Releasing restraints: First binding..." Joan''s slender muscles bulked up, causing her appearance to take that of a bodybuilder near par with Verruca minus the height, though her skeletal left arm remained the same. Joan breathed in cold air into her vestigial lungs, as she spoke again, "Releasing restains: Second... Binding." This time, Joan''s snake hair lengthened, and as it did so its shedded skin dissolved into the air as dust revealing her snake''s true scale color. Whispers murmured from some of the Spellslinger''s Legion, the general words could be made out as ''The Chain Lightning Snake." The scaled pattern of Joan''s hair showed white rings linked like a chain along the black scales of each snake. Joan smiled, as she felt the growing wildness and unrestrained nature of her soul screaming out, blood, destruction, and madness. A dark cultivation for the art of spilling black blood. With crescent eyes, she looked down upon the city of Dypilme, and whispered, "In the end, I''ve still returned..." Joan leaped from the Floating Fortress, as the air currents swept her snake hair behind her. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Her soul screamed of murder, death, bedlam, and mayhem. The urge to commit heinous acts upon her fellow souls and beyond scraped at the edges of her mind. Falling quickly to the barrier, Joan lifted her meat cleaver and raised it high above her head... In a Tuck and roll, she spun in the air coming down and turning herself into an unliving saw blade. With Deagoth''s legions watching from above, they saw the unnatural energies emitted from Joan in waves. Finally... Contact. An ear-piercing wretched scream wailed out from the contact. Verruca lumbered closer to the ''gates'' to watch Joan''s attempt to breach the Domain of Sacrifice. she watched as the impacted site of the barrier cracked as if made of glass. Soon Joan broke through and entered the city''s skyline. Verruca held up her arm, "WE FOLLOW INTO TRUE DEATH WITH EYES THAT DO NOT BLINK!" """"""""""HAAAA RUUUUU!"""""""""" All Legions present stepped up behind Verruca and Stephanie Choashood. As the command to descend was about to be given, the barrier was breached... "Fuck..." Warmarshal Stephanie muttered in a low tone, as she watched the crack formed from Joan''s entrance begin to reform and heal. "GO! GO! GO!" Verruca howled over the sheer winds. She jumped and was followed by Stephanie and both legions. Jack watched from the command chamber, as only half of the deagoth legions brought made it through the cracked dome, before it closed, leaving the remaining undead to slide down the dome, and the rest to stay aboard the Floating Fortress. "Time." Jack''s voice rolled across the bridge of the Fortress. "Fifty hours and twenty-Two minutes and counting to seventy-two." [Time is running short...] Jack thought, as another undead officer called out, "Communcations to the Legions and Warmarshals within the Domain of Sacrifice have been cut off... The barrier is blocking mental messaging!" [Should I trust Joan to bring down the barrier...? Exerting my power before I can confront the agitator of Yoggi... Will not be in my best interest... But this waiting...] Jack thought and narrowed his eyes. His patient thinned as the seconds ticked to Yog-Sothoth''s arrival. ******* Deep within the chambers of the Church of Three Gods, a loud screeching noise echoed through the halls. The same sound of breaking glass soon followed. "PRIESTESS!" An undead clergy burst through the doors to the inter sanctum that contained the head priestess of the Church of Three Gods. Still wearing her three-colored veil, she stood before an altar. Chained to the unholy slab of marble etched in strange runes that flicked with an unknown color, Priestess Nevaeh Neith turned her face to the side and eyed the Undead clergy member. A slight gap in the veil revealed the eye that fell upon the undead clergy member... Whatever word he was going to speak, failed him, as his soul began to leak from his soul container. The skeletal undead fell to bones, as the necrotic power of his soul that bound them faded. Head Priestess Nevaeh Neith licked her lips, out of habit, as the soul was devoured by her. "LET ME GO!" a shrill little girl''s voice, immature in sound, wailed against the walls of the inner chamber. She pulled her arms and goat legs against her bindings. Head Priestess Nevaeh returned to her focus, as she continued to etch more runes. These runes led from the marble slab that restrained the dark young by chains and continued through the chamber. ??MY FATHER, YOG-SOTHOTH WILL COME FOR ME!?? A strange sound issued when the voidic words father was spoken by this dark young, but no outside effect occurred, other than the Head Priestess got a slight headache. Nevaeh groaned as her mind ached, but this did not deter her, as continued to etch more runes. She spoke in a comforting voice, that sounded as if a coo, "Yes. I hope your father will come as fast as he can, my dear tot. Soon, this will be over... ''ALL'' of this will be over." Nevaeh laughed wickedly, at the thought of the ''bubble pop.'' The inner chamber shuddered, along with the whole of the temple above, as the battle outside began in earnest. A soft sigh escaped the Head Priestess'' pale blue lips, "Soon the dream will end, and we call all rest forever and ever, amen."