ă€ŠMarch of The Dead (MotD)ă€‹


 Chapter 1- Broken Family

    Alaster ran through the forest with some of the other village children. Each of them pretending to be brave and heroic knights fighting against evil. In many of their hands, they swung sticks they had picked up, occasionally lightly sparring against each other.

    Laughing and giggling filled the bright and warm woods. Birds sung in the branches as the sun streaked through the leaves, illuminating the grass and foliage beneath them. Deer gracefully jumped between the trees. Maple Badgers climbed the trees, either searching for tree sap or getting away from the children as they charged through the foliage.

    The snows of the winter melted in the late spring heat, filling the rivers and streams and breathing life into nature. The warm sun, paired with a light breeze, kept the children pleasantly cool.

    On a day such as this, what child would want to tend to the fields? And their parents were happy to turn a blind eye as they made their escapes, most were too little to be of much help anyway.

    The Planting Festival was in full swing.

    All the adults gathered in the village square and together went from one field to the next planting together. It was hard work, but it was done with smiles and laughter. Music filled the air and jokes were made.

    When they finished and the sun set, everyone would once again gather in the village square and the party would begin. Food would be cooked and eaten, desserts would attempt to be stolen by the children and would usually fail. Games were played.

    It was a celebration of surviving the winter and welcoming the new year.

    The last winter had not been particularly harsh, but even still, it had not been easy for the poor villagers. No winter was.

    But none of that was on Alaster''s mind. The only thing he was focused on, was finding a birthday gift for his little sister. She was turning ten that day, while Alaster had turned twelve over the winter.

    The age of ten was important for every child. It was the age when they first touched a Seer Crystal. The Crystals weren''t that rare, as every settlement had one. If a child under the age of ten touched the crystal, nothing would happen. But once they touched the crystal, they would be able to see their basic stats.

    It was usually nothing unknown. It would give a numerical value to the attributes of the person, which most would be able to estimate from just a simple observation. However, it was seen as the first step to adulthood.

    Alaster''s Decade Crystal, as the celebration was known as, had not said anything special, the vast majority did not. He was a little stronger and wiser than most of his peers, but nothing extraordinary.

    The Decade Crystal was done at first light, something Alaster still remembered grumbling about on the day of his own. As such, his little sister, Evelyn, had already gone through hers. But what no one expected was for Crystal to display that she had a special constitution.

    Alaster was still not quite sure what that meant, but apparently neither did any of the adults. They knew that it was special, but the name of it meant nothing to poor and uneducated villagers such as them. However, as one of the Aldermen''s duties, he sent a message to the nearest city with the details of any child that was seen as unique.

    Apparently, this was done as anyone designated special ''enough'' would be granted a scholarship to one of the prestigious academies throughout the Kingdom. Alaster daydreamed about going to one of these academies. Even a country bumpkin, such as he, knew that these academies trained up the heroes of the nation.

    Of course, not every graduated student become famous, but it was all but guaranteed that attending one of these academies would promise a successful and great life. Alaster''s parents were already preparing to send her off to one of these academies if she was granted a scholarship, but he was more focused on the simple matters.

    He did not care for any of the adult matters. The only thing he cared about was getting a birthday gift for Evelyn. For his own birthday, she had made him a wooden ring, engraved with his initials. Apparently, she had taken classes from Mr.Tobyn, the village carpenter.

    Alaster wanted to give her something equally great, but he had gotten sick at the end of winter, beginning of spring, preventing him from preparing anything. Even still, he had been forced to escape from his overprotective parents while they had been distracted by Evelyn''s special constitution.

    He could have gotten Evelyn her favorite flowers, as they were abundant at this time of the year in the forest, but he wanted to get her something that she could keep with her for a long time, just like his ring.

    The boy played with the rest of the boys as they played through the woods closest to the village, but he stayed at the edge and searched for something for his sister. Two of Alaster''s closer friends, Tommy and Michael, also looked around, trying to help their friend.

    "Hey Al, what bout this?" Tom asked, holding up a clump of moss.

    Alaster looked up excitedly, but upon seeing his friend''s catch, he frowned, "Really Tom? That''s the best you got?"

    "So you don''t want anything that will die or wilt?" Mike asked for the fourth time.

    "Yes! I want to give her something she can keep with her, like my ring." Alaster once again explained.

    Mike nodded and looked back down on the ground. The boy was the smartest among the other children around his age, but he was always thinking about so many things all at once that it was a struggle to get him to focus on any one thing for any length of time. He knew very little about everything. He liked keeping his black hair shaggy, and had gotten very quick and agile escaping his parents who wanted to cut it.

    Tom was quite the opposite. He was not an idiot, though that might be the best way to describe him. He was simply very narrow focused. Tom could be very stubborn. He was fairly average among the kids, but he never gave up. Alaster could still remember two years ago when Tom was set on climbing to the top of a tree. The boy had fallen numerous times and would have continued to try until one of the adults put a stop to it. Tom had broken his arm that day. He was never able to hide in a crowd, as his red hair seemed to glow in the sunlight.

    Alaster was a slightly taller and larger than most of the other children, but that was the only thing that distinguished him from the other kids visually. His hair was a very plain dark brown and kept fairly short. His face was average, and while Mike could be considered gracefully attractive and Tom a rough kind of attractive. Alaster simply blended in. It was only once you began to know and talk to the boy, that you could realize how wicked smart he was.

    He did not know a lot, and was actually fairly mediocre in intelligence, but he was unbelievably crafty. He could use a bit of knowledge he learned when he was four and combine it with something he just learned and understand the connections between them. Alaster still chuckled when he remembered when he mixed sulfur and charcoal and burned off the eyebrows of the Alderman when the man was teaching the children.

    One of the other kids yelped as he tripped into a stream. All the other kids ran over, Alaster and his friends as well. The boy was fine, though he was grumpy about being soaked and kept to the sunny spots as he ran off with the rest of the boys, but Alaster ignored them as he bent down and grabbed something out of the stream.

    "What is it?" Mike asked, ever curious.

    Alaster bent down and washed some of the dirt off in the cool stream. As the dirt washed away, it revealed a small stone that filled the boy''s palm. It was pure black with dark purple streaks that swirled around, leaving a small circle of black in the middle. White flecks gave the illusion of a starry night.

    "Perfect." Alaster muttered to himself.

    "It is pretty." Mike agreed.

    "So you are giving her a rock?" Tom said, breaking the mood.

    Alaster looked up, questioning if he should splash him or not, before shaking his head.

    "Mike, do you think you could teach me how to make a necklace with this?"

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    "Sure. We just need string. It''s too late to cut into it, so we''ll have to tie the string around it, making a kind of net." Mark explained.

    "Tom, give me the string in your pocket."

    "What string?" Tom asked, tilting his head, genuinely confused.

    "The one you put in your pocket four days ago."

    "Then how do you know I still have it?"

    "Because your mom doesn''t wash the clothes for another two days, with my mom. And you never clean out your pockets."

    Tom reached into his pockets and quietly pulled out a large and crumpled mess of string. Alaster grabbed it and focused on unknotting it, while Tom muttered to himself about Alaster knowing everything.

    The day was already getting late when they found the rock, and after unknotting the string and Mike teaching Alaster what to do, the sun was nearing sunset when they finished. It would have taken much less time if Mike had done it, but Alaster wanted to be the one to do it.

    The boy held up the necklace to the fading light to admire his work. He had to admit that while the string was old and ugly, the stone was amazing. Had he not been searching for a last minute gift for his sister, he would have claimed the rock for himself.

    "Al, we should get going. If our parents find out we were in the forest after sunset, they''ll hang us." Tom said, shivering at the memory of the last time he had been out after sunset. That had been a long spanking.

    Alaster agreed and put the necklace in his pocket. Together, the trio ran through the forest back to the village. During the day, the Forest was a beautiful and peaceful place, but that could quickly change during the night. For an adult, it typically wasn''t too dangerous, but for children, it could prove lethal.

    They managed to sneak into the Festival party since everyone wasn''t really paying attention. Mike and Tom went off on their own, leaving Alaster to find his sister. It was not very hard. She was surrounded by people.

    She had been the only child doing her Decade Crystal that day, and her results almost instantly spread to everyone in the village.

    The ten year old girl had long light brown hair that reached the middle of her back. Their mother had braided it, much to the girl''s cries and fidgeting. Even as a twelve year old, Alaster knew that his little sister would quickly grow into a beauty that would capture the hearts of many. If her looks did not, her personality certainly would.

    She found it very easy to talk to everyone and always made it seem like she was truly interested in the topic, whatever it was. Maybe she even did. Alaster did not know. He struggled to have casual conversations, preferring to listen.

    Nonetheless, Alaster snuck his way between the numerous people and reached his sister.

    "Al!" Evelyn immediately spotted her brother and jumped at him to hug him.

    Alaster laughed as he caught her, "Hey Eve, I got you a present!"

    Evelyn let go and eagerly hopped up and down until Alaster pulled out the necklace. Seeing it, she stopped bouncing and her eyes widened. She tenderly grabbed it and studied the stone.

    "It''s beautiful." She whispered, "Put it on me!" She excitedly ordered her brother.

    He chuckled as she turned around to let him put it on. He barely had time to readjust her hair over it before she spun around and hugged him again.

    "I love it!"

    "I''m glad!"

    "Alaster!"

    Evelyn let go and stepped back as Alaster turned to face their mother.

    "Al, you were supposed to stay in bed today! You barely recovered from your illness."

    "Mom, I''m fine. Besides, I had to find a birthday present for Eve." Alaster explained, motioning towards Evelyn''s new necklace.

    Their mother leaned down to get a better look and let the light from one of the nearby fires catch it, "Wow, that''s gorgeous. Alright, young man, I forgive you."

    Their mother was the one that gave both children their brown hair. She was a fair woman who even still turned heads, much to their father''s annoyance. Their father was one of the guards that protected the distant village from most threats. He mostly dealt with goblins and the occasional packs of Thunder Wolves. He was where Alaster got his size, a good head taller than most of the other men.

    "Where is dad?" Alaster asked, looking around for him.

    "Oh, he and the rest of the guards were out hunting down a nearby Dew Bear. They have already reported a good hunt and are coming back. But you should focus on Olivia, she had been trying to find the time to get your attention for a while now." AlasterˇŻs mother grinned, pointing to the twelve year old girl, nervously gripping her dress.

    Alaster briefly looked over, "Do you know what she wants?"

    "Yes, but a woman never tells. Now go on and be kind." His mother lightly pushed him forward, her grin widening.

    Alaster stumbled a bit before he caught his footing and walked over. Olivia was a shy girl, so it was not surprising to see her on the edges of any gathering.

    "Hi Olivia, were you wanting to talk to me?" Alaster asked, waving at her with a calming smile. He knew that she was prone to running away at the slightest scare. She often reminded him of a Deer.

    The young girl did not look up from her dress, "Hi, Alaster. Umm, yes, I do want to talk to you."

    "About what?"

    She hesitated before he shook herself, finding her courage for a moment and looking at the boy in the eyes, "I really like you and was hoping we could spend more time together!"

    That caught Alaster so off guard that his mind froze. Olivia''s courage fled her and her eyes returned to her dress. They both stood there awkwardly while they both tried to think of something to say.

    Alaster rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, sure. I''d like that."

    Olivia looked up with a bright smile before her face filled with heat and she fled. Alaster looked at her fleeing form, wondering if he said something wrong, but before he could think about it too much, Tom found him and dragged him away to play with the other kids.

    The rest of the night was filled with joy and laughter. Games had been played. Some fights had broken out, but they had all been settled with no hard feelings. Alaster''s father and the rest of the guards returned, bringing back their prize, and quickly joined the festivities.

    Alaster did not see the rest of his family for the reminder of the night. He was too busy playing and running around with his friends. He stayed out much longer than he normally would have. The boy had seen his parents and sister return to their home to sleep off the night''s fun, he had turned around and continued to race around.

    Most of the kids eventually found their way behind a house, away from the party that was just beginning to die down. Hidden from the adults, Alaster and the rest of the boys began to have one mass wrestle, trying to prove themselves to be the best. However, some of the adults had pulled everyone apart before a victor had been decided, just as they did every year.

    Exhausted and bruised, the Trio started to walk home. They lived next to each other, so they usually did everything together. They lived on the outskirts, fairly distant from the Village center, where the party was taking place.

    The boys turned a corner and saw their houses, but something was wrong. It was too dark. Usually, the families would light torches in front of their houses to burn through the night, but none of them were lit.

    "Why aren''t they lit?" Mike asked.

    They stopped, wondering the reason. They were never unlit at night, even if Alaster''s father was completely drunk, he would still remember to light it. It was one of the safety measures of the village, one that he had personally implemented.

    Alaster opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Tom body slammed both him and Mike to the ground, his hands over their mouths.

    "Shhhhhh!" He harshly whispered, before falling quiet himself.

    Not a moment later, one of the doors opened, and four men in dark cloaks obscuring their bodies and faces walked out. One of them carried something in his arms. The house was Alaster''s. Looking closer, He saw that it was his sister in the man''s arms. She was either asleep or knocked unconscious.

    Alaster rushed to get up, but Tom was both faster and stronger and kept him down and quiet. Even when Alaster bit deeply into his friend''s hand, Tom held strong and kept them all quiet.

    The men were quick to tie Evelyn up and put her in a sack, and then, one of them pulled out a scroll. He broke the seal, and all four men and Evelyn were surrounded in a very brief flash of light. When the light vanished, so to had they. They had teleported.

    It was only then that Tom relaxed enough for Alaster to break free and rush forward.

    "Shit! No Alaster! Don''t!" He screamed after his friend as he sprinted to stop his friend. Mike followed, not sure what else to do.

    Mike was the fastest among the three, but Alaster had a head start. He made it to his house before his friends could stop him. The door was open, but had swung mostly closed. He stormed in, slamming the door into the wall.

    His face paled and his knees buckled. Before he fell, Mike caught him. A moment later, Tom arrived and dragged them back out. They both fell to the ground, and Mike puked.

    "Help!" Tom yelled at the top of his lungs at a volume even the adults struggled to replicate.

    Immediately, the village adults rushed over, many carrying torches and weapons. Tom only pointed to the open house. One of the Guards moved in, weapon held up, but only a second later, he came back out and puked on the side. He wiped his mouth and steeled himself before going back in to continue to investigate.

    Over the next hour, all the guards had blocked off the house of their comrade, not allowing any of the villagers to come close, the exception being the Alderman.

    None of this was noticed by Alaster. He still sat in the dirt, mindlessly staring at the ground beneath him. No tears fell. No emotions were felt.

    Only one thing ran through his mind, he had only seen it for a moment, but it was burned in his memory. Never to be forgotten.

    Blood coated the walls and pooled on the ground. Some even touched the ceiling. More blood than he ever thought possible. But that was not the worst of it. The Guards trained to be accustomed to scenes like that, and even cause it if needed. But it was not the blood that caused them to vacate their stomachs.

    It was the two bodies that were in the room. Strung up to the ceiling by chains connected to sharp hooks embedded in their backs, their bodies mutilated and so broken it was impossible to identify them as human. Parts that should have remained in the person were instead on the ground or tied up with the chains.

    Alaster''s mind broke that night, and continued to break each passing moment that image played before his eyes.

 Chapter 2- Escape and Misdirection

    Alaster does not remember much of the next three days.

    Mike''s family took him in, and the entire village helped to take care of him. The Alderman send an urgent report to the City Lord while the Guards desperately searched for any clues or trace of anything.

    They were more than angry. Not only had someone snuck into the village and murdered two of their people and kidnapping a child, but it had been one of their own. They had failed their duty and to make it even worse, they had no idea about who they were, why they did it, or where they went. Many of the Guards threw themselves into training to vent their anger.

    Alaster remembered Mike asking Tom how he knew what was happening before the rest of them, and the boy said he could smell the blood and something was screaming at him, ''Danger!''. Mike was fascinated by that answer, but he shelved his endless curiosity to instead focus on Alaster. He never allowed Alaster to be alone.

    Tom spent every moment he could with Alaster as well, but despite the tragedy, the life of the village had to go on. And Tom was the only son of the village Blacksmith. Tools still needed to be repaired, nailed made, and carts maintained.

    Mike was only able to spend so much time with Alaster because the planting of the fields had already been done and the weeding and caring for the seeds was simple enough for his father to do himself, at least at this point in the season.

    Alaster did not sleep. Every time he tried, the scene just played again in his dreams. After the second night, he had woken up screaming and in a cold sweat because he had dreamed of it again, but this time, the mutilated corpse of his father looked up at him with a silent scream.

    Ramon, the Village Guard''s chief, made it a point to look after the boy. He still remembered the day he had been born and the day his father first brought him to the small barracks. He had personally trained his father.

    Olivia tried to console Alaster, but she was too awkward and shy, and her words fell on deaf ears. As did everyone else''s. She watched him from a distance, caring too much about him to just leave him, but not sure how she could help.

    On the fourth day, a return message had arrived by bird from the city. The Alderman quickly read it before ordering his assistant to find Ramon urgently. Soon the Chief Guard arrived and read the message as well. He immediately burned it.

    "No one else knows of this?" He asked.

    "No. No one here, at least."

    "Then it stays that way. I''ll find him, and give him some supplies. He left the village upon seeing the message bird, and we aren''t able to locate him. Understood?"

    Normally, the Alderman was the one in charge, but he dared not contradict Ramon, even if he wanted to.

    Ramon left to find Alaster and soon brought him to the Alderman''s house, avoiding as many eyes as they could. Alaster stood in the Alderman''s house and blankly stared at the wall behind the Alderman and Ramon. The boy had not been allowed back into the house since he burned off the Alderman''s eyebrows, but it seemed like it barely registered to Alaster where he was.

    "Alaster, I need you to pay attention." The Alderman tried to call the boy''s attention but received nothing.

    Nodding to Ramon, the Chief Guard grabbed the shoulders of the boy and shook him. That got them the boy''s attention, but barely.

    "Alaster, this is important! The city had branded your family as heretics! They are sending a Knight Patrol to do their own investigation and to capture you."

    "So what?" The boy mumbled.

    "So your family weren''t heretics! And the timing of your sister''s special constitution and the attack are too close to be coincidental. They will not investigate, they will cover it up and threaten anyone who even mentions your family. They will not capture you for ties to heretics, but to execute you and make sure your body is never found."

    More light returned to Alaster''s eyes, "So someone intentionally murdered my parents and took my sister?"

    "Yes! And someone very influential. Too powerful for our small village to stand against. You need to run. You need to hide. Ramon will get you supplies, but then you have to leave immediately."

    The light fully returned, blazing with fury, "You want me to run away!"

    "Yes! Just the few knights they are sending could wipe out our village, and the Guards would only be able to delay them for a few moments."

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    "So I''m just supposed to let them get away with this? They could be torturing my sister!" The boy''s fingernails dug into his palms.

    "Then go out and get stronger!" Ramon yelled, "You have always wanted to see the world, so go out and see it! Go and train yourself until you are strong enough to rescue your litter sister!" He knelt in front of the boy, "Alaster, you are too weak. I am too weak. If we fight right now, we will die and so will any hope of saving your sister. So for now, we will hide, and we will train. While the Guards and I are here striving to strengthen ourselves, you must leave and grow stronger somewhere they can''t find you."

    Alaster looked down as salt stung his eyes and the floor boards beneath him turned damp. For the first time in four days, the little boy cried. Ramon drew him into a tight hug as his own throat tightened. He held his God Son as the boy let everything out.

    "Ramon, he has to go. The message said they are already on their way."

    Ramon nodded and pulled away from Alaster, grabbing a bag from behind the desk, he handed it to Alaster.

    "Here, this is some food and camping supplies. It should be enough for a couple of days, if you are careful. Your father taught you how to make traps. Your mother taught you how to clean yourself and make shelters. Use everything you know and everything you can."

    Alaster wiped the tears and snot from his face and took the bag, putting it on, "Where am I supposed to go?"

    The Alderman spoke up, "Head East. The city of Vrens is only a two day journey, but don''t go inside, skirt the forest around it and continue East. You''ll leave the Kingdom''s borders after another two days of travel, but after another day, you''ll come across an Independent City named Onigas. As long as you keep your head down, they will never find you there. We''ll tell the Knights that the last time anyone saw you was heading West."

    "East. Got it. What about Mike and Tom?"

    Ramon answered, "We''ll tell them the truth after the Knights leave. Now you need to go, quickly. Henry, your tunnel?"

    "Right." The Alderman nodded, opening a wardrobe, pushing the clothes out of the way, and taking out the false bottom.

    Alaster peered down, at a ladder that traveled into the dark.

    "Don''t worry, there are Glow Stones further down the path, just keep your hand to the wall and you''ll be fine. The exit is somewhere in the forest, head East. Avoid the roads and don''t use a fire until you pass Vrens. Stay dry, and conceal yourself at night." Henry advised.

    Ramon knelt down next to Alaster, "Now there is a warm and thick cloak in the bag, wear it with the hood up. There is a utility knife in there, but also a dagger," He hesitated, "Avoid any confrontation, but if you need to, do not hesitate to use it. Your father taught you, and you grew up watching the Guards practice."

    Alaster nodded and got on the ladder, but didn''t go down. Looking up at the Elders of the Village, he asked a question that broke their hearts, "When can I come back?"

    "Not until you are strong enough. At the very least, not until the snows come and melt again." Henry fought to say.

    "Now go. We''ll do our best to mislead them. Be safe." Ramon lightly pushed Alaster down the ladder and replaced the false bottom.

    Henry quickly reset the wardrobe and closed it. Afterward, he collapsed in his chair and rest his forehead in his hand. He never imagined that he would see the day when children would be branded as criminals and hunted down, or that he would help someone avoid the Knights of the Kingdom.

    "What has happened to this kingdom?" He asked himself.

    "Do you think he''ll make it?" Henry asked Ramon.

    Ramon leaned against the desk and folded his arms, "Out of all the kids, he would be the one to survive. He is smart, and when he puts his mind to it, he can be outright ruthless. I just hope that when he does survive, there is still some of the child in him. He has gone through more heartache in a single day than most lifetimes, and now his own kingdom is hunting him. He will have to grow up fast."

    A loud and urgent knock pounded on the door. Henry cautiously went to open the door, but waited until Ramon was next to it, his hand on his sword. Ready, the Alderman opened the door, but on the other side was just one of the Guardsmen, a very panicked one.

    "Alderman! There are a patrol of Knights approaching the Village!" The Guard reported.

    "How close?"

    "At their current pace, an hour."

    "Return to duties, but find me Alaster."

    Henry wanted the Guards to be unable to find him, giving the impression that he was gone, which would allow Ramon to report that he last saw him entering the West Forest to the Knights.

    The Guard nodded and ran off.

    Closing the door, Henry''s face was grim, "So close already?"

    "Keep it together, Henry. So what if they came sooner than expected. Alaster is on his way, and he is quicker than most through the forest. All we have to do is mislead them in the opposite direction.

    An hour passed almost in the blink of an eye, but at the same time at a snail''s pace. Eventually, Henry did meet the Knights at the edge of the Village. He reported that he had received the message only recently and was still searching for the boy. The Guards vocally reported that they were unable to find him. Just on time, Ramon came running around a couple of buildings and reported that he saw the boy entering the west forest.

    The Knights immediately dispatched their fastest, while the rest stayed and gathered everything they could. The Villagers did not hide anything, they did not need to. They told the Knights that Alaster was very quick and knew how to hide his tracks, and that his family had been great, upstanding people.

    As Henry and Ramon had expected, the Knights quickly searched their house, what they did not expect was for the Knights to set it ablaze, claiming that it was infested with dark magic. Most of the Knights left then, to catch up to their earlier comrades. However, a few stayed, both to ensure the destruction of the house any of the family''s belongings, and to monitor the village.

    By the time the sun set, the Knights had scouted out nearly fifty miles of the west forest and were still moving west. Meanwhile, Alaster was twenty miles east and camped out in a tall tree.

 Chapter 3- Night Planning

    The first night was cold. Winter was still leaving and Summer slow to arrive. Yet, despite the cold that would have made any other child shiver, Alaster did not. Not only because the cloak the Alderman gave him was warm, but because Alaster did not allow himself too.

    All the children in the village had been taught about the monsters that called the forests their home, and the worst of them were mostly active when the sun set. Alaster had been taught more than most. He not only knew about the monsters, but their behaviors, as well as what they do to their prey.

    The boy had climbed a tall tree and currently rested himself on one of the thicker branches. The trees in the forest grew tall and thick, their branches as well. Alaster was bigger than most of his peers, but he was still a child. Despite that, the branch was large enough for a grown adult to comfortably lay down, and as long as they did not roll around, they would be safe.

    Alaster sat cross legged and searched through the bag the Elders of the Village had given him. Everything was as they said, except one thing. A small crystal attached to a necklace. Alaster recognized it immediately.

    Last summer, a traveling merchant had come to the village. In his caravan, there was a Light Mage who specialized in images. They had a specific name, but Alaster could not remember it. He did however remember his father helping the Mage with something and the Mage saying she would give him a Sight Crystal.

    His father had said that these Image Mages, as Alaster still could not remember the title, sold their services for a great deal of coin and that we should thank the mage. As the Mage patiently explained what the Sight Crystal was, Evelyn ran off to play, leaving only Alaster to listen.

    A Sight Crystal was a crystal that a Light Mage had imprinted an image on. Anything the Light Mage saw when they held the crystal could be imprinted. Once they were done, the Crystal looked just like it had before, but when a bit of Mana was injected, it would reveal the image saved.

    This particular Crystal had the image of Alaster''s family saved inside of it. The boy still remembered the day it was saved. He had hugged his sister from behind as they both smiled wide. Behind them, His father had dressed up in his proper Guard''s uniform, with his sword at his hip. His father had intended to look calm and collected, but just before the Light Mage saved the image, one of his friends had made a joke, causing him to laugh loudly. His mother was the only one that looked poised as she calmly held onto her husband''s arm.

    After it was done, Alaster''s mother had injected some of her mana into the crystal and brought up the finale image. It amazed the boy, and he and Mike had asked the poor Light Mage a truly endless stream of questions until she left with the Caravan.

    Coming out of his memories, Alaster wished for nothing more than to be able to see that image again. But he could not. Human children were unable to use mana until they turned fifteen and got their class. That was when the children were legally considered adults, though very few would actually consider them as such.

    ''Three years.'' Alaster thought to himself, putting the necklace around his neck. ''Three years before I get my class and can see their faces again. Three years before I can even start my revenge.''

    Classes were unique to the person, and while most got the same Common classes, like Warrior or Archer, some got more Rare classes. Classes such as Mage or Rogue. And the lucky few got Unique Classes, like Tamer or Seer.

    Upon receiving a class, the child would also receive stats according to their class. Warriors would get more Strength and Constitution, with a hint of Agility. Archers and Rogues would get more Agility and Strength with some Constitution. While magical classes would get more Intelligence and Wisdom.

    All the Beginner Classes were combat oriented. But once they reached Level Twenty, they could evolve their Classes into Intermediate Classes, which were vastly more complex and diverse. They would also be given a selection of what specific class they wished for. This selection would be reliant on what they did.

    If a Warrior crafted a lot of armors, they could choose to evolve into an Armor Smith and receive bonuses to any armors they made, same with Weapon Smiths, or even the generic Blacksmith, who didn''t get any special bonus to what they make, but instead are able to make it faster.

    Their level would remain the same, and once they leveled to fifty, they could once again evolve. This time into an Expert Class. Their chosen class would then become even more specialized. Once they leveled to one hundred, it was believed to evolve for a final time into a Master Class, but if such a thing was true, so few achieved that level as to be a fairy tale.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    As it was, most of the population reached the low end of Intermediate in their lives. Most knights were Intermediate as well. But the difference between a Level twenty-five and level thirty was staggering, and that was without taking the class differences into account. A Farmer and a Duelist of the same level would not even be in the same league.

    Even the bonuses of the classes weren''t equal. All the Beginner Classes gave the same twenty stat points, but after that each class was different. This difference was considered what differentiated the rarity of the class. The more rare, the better. A farmer was very common, while a Duelist were less so.

    A Light Mage and a Duelist were considered the same rarity of class and gave the same stat point bonus, but magical classes were in reality much rarer to come across.

    It was not common knowledge, but it was common enough for Alaster''s father and the Elders of the village to know that what the child did before they turned fifteen had a minor effect on the class they received.

    Alaster was certain that Tom would get a Warrior Type Class. Mike would likely get a Mage Type Class, but he could also get an Archer Type class. As for himself, Alaster had no idea. He was larger and stronger than most of the other kids, but he was also faster and when he wanted to, most couldn''t find him. He was of quicker wit than even Mike, but he could also be just as stubborn as Tom when it came to it.

    In truth, the boy could not figure it out. Even if he could know what Type of class he would get, the number of them was staggering for the village boy, and more were still being discovered, both Beginner and Evolved.

    He hoped for a Mage Type. They are rarer to receive and much harder to level, but they grew into power quickly. A Mage Type in the low twenties was much stronger than say Warrior Types of the same level.

    Alaster''s Father, and in fact, all the guards, regularly said that in a battle, always target the Mage Types first. If left to their own devices, a single Mage Type could turn the tide of a battle of dozens. And that difference only grew as the Mage Type did.

    Most of the strongest people in the Kingdom, at least the public ones, were Mage Types. But, the undisputed strongest of the Kingdom, was, in fact, a Warrior Type. The King''s older brother.

    Alaster recalled a night when a bunch of Guards visited their house in celebration of something and got drunk enough to talk politics in front of the children.

    They said that while the Throne should have gone to the older brother, he publicly and quite vocally, rejected it, preferring to guard the Northern Borders. So his brother took his place. And while the king was tied up in managing the Kingdom, the Brother was busy guarding the North Border against the Gilaen Empire, The savages of the North, and the near constant Monster attacks.

    Yet, against it all, He stood defiant, defending the snow capped mountains himself when needed. Thus earning him the North Sentinel. It was not public knowledge what his class actually was, as most preferred to keep them hidden. But it was known that he was much stronger and faster, ''than any human has the right to be'', as one of the guards had put it. And that, despite losing his entire right side to a dragon''s breath, continued to fight as his body repaired itself perfectly.

    According to the Guards, the Sentinel refused to involve himself in politics, so long as they don''t threaten the general wellbeing of the kingdom. In fact, over a decade ago, when his brother had fallen deeply ill for over a year, many of the more influential took power and began to corrupt the nation for their greed.

    The Sentinel returned from his mountains for the first time since he abdicated the throne and slaughtered each and every one of them, across the kingdom, in one night. That night had since been called, ''Red River'', as the blood of those corrupt had flown as if it was a river.

    For a brief moment, Alaster considered traveling to the Fortresses of the North and pleading with the Sentinel to save his sister. But the snows would still be piled higher than the boy was tall, and it would take him a month just to reach the snows. There was no telling how long it would take Alaster to travel through the snow and reach the Fortresses, or even if the Sentinel would hear him, let alone agree.

    And all that was dependent on surviving the trip. Forget the supplies or the clothes needed for such a trip, but even Intermediate Classed wouldn''t want to make that trip without a large caravan with many trained people.

    Alaster could hitch a ride with one such caravan, but those were closely monitored by the authorities for any criminals trying to escape, and even if he avoided them, he would not be able to avoid the fee. A fee that would be astronomical for the boy.

    Alaster shook his head.

    No, it would be best to follow the Alderman''s instructions. Once in Onigas, Alaster would need to figure out what to do, but he doubted he would be able to leave the city again until he turned fifteen and got his class. Most Cities outright refused to allow children away from the protection of the Walls.

    The boy was stirred from his thoughts by a low growl. Alaster frantically looked around for the source, but found that it came from a creature on the ground, nor had it been directed at him. Alaster quickly repacked the backpack, and held the dagger.

    The Elders had warned him to avoid confrontation if possible, but if forced, to not hesitate to use the dagger. Alaster held tightly onto the grip of the dagger as he resolved himself to use it if needed, whether the foe be monster or man.

 Chapter 4- First Kill

    Alaster did not truly sleep that night. Not only was the memory of his family still fresh on his mind, but he understood the dangers of the forest. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried to rest, while still remaining observant of his surroundings.

    When the sun rose the next morning, and the creatures of the night returned to their lairs and slumber, Alaster carefully climbed down the tree and continued East. The boy was unsure if the Elders'' plan to misdirect the Knights had worked or not. Either way, he was not going to risk being captured.

    He moved as quickly as he could, while still hiding his tracks as best as he knew how. However, as the sun passed overhead, Alaster decided to move faster, ignoring his tracks. By this point, the amount of land they would have to cover to find his tracks would be astounding. But that was all under the assumption that the Knights did not have some other way to track him. And if they did, he needed to move quickly.

    Alaster was forced to hide himself numerous times as monsters blocked his path forward. The boy saw many creatures he was familiar with, but even more, he was not. To make up this time, Alaster did not stop to eat. Instead, eating while he moved.

    As the sky turned vibrant hues of orange, Alaster finally saw the edge of the forest. Crouching and peeking out around a tree, Alaster set eyes upon the walled city of Vrens.

    The walls stood five meters tall, the battlements patrolled by the City Guards. The Western Gates, that Alaster could see, still stood open, but it appeared that the Guards were rushing to get people through, so they could close the gates before night fell. However, in their rush, they still made sure to examine everything and everyone that passed through.

    The path from the gates, lead into the woods, but Alaster had paid close attention to that road, so as to avoid it. A line had formed of people wishing to enter the gate. A line that stretched nearly halfway to the woods. And from where the boy hid, he could not make out anything more than the shapes of the people and blobs of color of what they wore.

    Past the walls, Alaster could make out the roofs of the building, smoke rising from the chimneys as fires warmed the rooms. Alaster wished he could go in and find a bed next to one of those cozy fires. But even without the Alderman''s warning, the boy understood that the risk was too great.

    By now, if the Knights had not found Alaster, they would have sent word to the nearby cities to be on the lookout for him. They would not send out patrols of their own to look for him, but if they saw him, they would apprehend him.

    Wrapping himself tighter in his cloak as a stiff breeze kicked up, Alaster turned away from the City and ventured deeper in the forest before he continued East, keeping under the cover of the trees.

    As the sun set, and night took hold of the world, Alaster once again climbed a tall tree and took shelter underneath its branches.

    Being so close to a city, the wildlife of the forest were quieter and more subdued. The more dangerous creatures preferring to avoid the walled settlement. Being disturbed less frequently throughout the night, Alaster actually felt rested when the sun rose once more. He was still exhausted, his eyes dark and back hunched, but he felt more alert. If only slightly.

    Carefully climbing down from the tree, Alaster once again resumed his journey.

    He made good progress, as he did not have to hide nearly as often. The boy kept an eye on the sun, making sure to kept heading east. The woods were also thinner, being this close to the city. He did not have to climb over or walk around as many obstacles.

    Two hours before noon, Alaster had successfully skirted the city and was past it. Readjusting his backpack and checking the dagger as his hip, he continued on, deeper into the woods.

    By the time the sun was above him, Alaster was forced to climb a tree to avoid a wandering hunting party of Goblins. Hidden in the thick branches and leaves, Alaster watched and studied the creatures.

    They were ugly things. Motley green skin with spots of brown. Standing at a little over a meter tall, he suspected that they would stand at lower chest height of an adult human. All of them were male, and wore a loincloth. Most carried crude clubs made of broken branches, but a few carried short spears. Really just longer sticks that were sharpened into a point.

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    Their long ears stuck out of their heads, the ends drooping down. Their massive and crooked noses were the defining feature of their faces. Even up in the branches, with the wind carrying most of it away, Alaster could still smell their stench.

    Alaster briefly remembered that while Goblins were weak and easy prey for those who had just received their classes, they should not be underestimated. They were a massively male dominated race, their females only being born once out of several hundred. Instead, they kidnapped the females of the other races to breed.

    With numbers, they could easily overwhelm a new party of beginners. They would kill the boy, and drag away the females to their lairs. As such, it was common practice for the girls of anyone hunting Goblins to keep a knife or poison handy. Not for the Goblins, but for themselves.

    Alaster once asked why the other races don''t just kill all the Goblins then, but he was taught that the Goblins simply bred too quickly, birthing a new one once every couple days. And they hide throughout the entirety of the world. An Adventurer that was passing through their village once said that even if you were the first human to set foot in a new part of the world, Goblins and been there first.

    The green vermin were cowardly at heart. They never attacked an adult human alone, preferring only to attack in trios at least. But Alaster was not an Adult, only a child. So instead, he hid in the trees, hoping that the Goblins would walk past quickly.

    They clearly weren''t on a time limit. They seemed to be wondering around mindlessly. It took nearly twenty minutes for them to leave, but just as the boy was about to climb down, a lone Goblin wondered out from underneath the foliage. Alaster quickly laid down again.

    The Goblin lazily looked around for its comrades, but upon not finding them around, it shrugged to itself and laid against a tree to take a nap. It was asleep within moments. It had chosen Alaster''s tree to sleep against.

    Alaster could not wait for it to wake up and move on.

    The boy slowly climbed down, making so to pause at any sound he made, but the sleeping Goblin didn''t even adjust.

    Alaster lightly landed on the ground and quietly grabbed the dagger from its sheath at his hip. He approached the Goblin and raised the blade over his head, readying himself to plunge it into the defenceless creature.

    Alaster struggled to steady his breath, and held the dagger even higher, ready, but before he could an annoyed Goblin came back from the earlier group. It was likely looking for its friend, who it saw asleep with a human boy standing over it with a dagger.

    It screamed in anger, waking the Goblin, but Alaster was faster.

    His dagger fell and dug into its green chest, only stopping at the handle. It groaned in pain, before it lay motionless, but Alaster was not paying attention. Just as quickly as he brought the dagger down, he pulled it out, to defend himself against the second Goblin.

    But it was faster than he thought, and before the boy could even steady his footing, he had to dive to the side to avoid the over head swing of its club. Alaster scrambled to his feet, but before he could bring his left foot underneath him, he again had to dive away.

    His heart beat wildly in his chest as it pumped blood speeding through his veins. Alaster would have thought it could be heard if the Goblin was not constantly screaming.

    Alaster once again scrambled to his feet, but the leaves underneath him slipped, throwing him forward, and into the Goblin. Neither the boy nor the Goblin had expected this, and they both fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Both of their weapons were thrown away.

    They rolled in the ground, struggling against each other, and by luck, Alaster ended up on top. He tried to get the Goblin''s arms under his knees, but the thing was moving too erratically and its nails were sharp. Alaster punched the Goblin in the nose, stunning it enough for the boy to finally lock its limbs under him.

    A Goblin was weak, much weaker than an adult, but still stronger than a mere child, but not by much. And their position allowed Alaster the leverage needed to over power the Goblin. He grabbed the Goblin''s throat and squeezed. It tried to fight back, but it had no leverage. Its feet tried to kick the boy, but they could not reach. The claws of its feet dug grooves in the leaves and dirt, but did not save it.

    The Goblin''s eyes teared up, both from the punch to the nose, and the lack of air. Its eyes bulged as its face turned a shade of purple. Its mouth opened, revealing a set of filthy sharp teeth, chunks of its last meal still between the teeth. Alaster was hit with a wave of even more oppressive stink, but he fought through it and did not let go.

    Gradually, its resistance began to weaken, allowing Alaster to tighten his grip even more. When the Goblin finally stopped moving, Alaster held on for several moments longer before he let go and scrambled away.

    His back slammed against a tree trunk, and he looked around only to see the still bleeding corpse of the first Goblin. Alaster rolled away and scrambled to his feet, clutching his heaving chest. He struggled to catch a breath.

    Several minutes passed before Alaster looked up and saw the carnage of the skirmish. Two Goblin corpses and a mess of blood and leaves. Alaster saw his dagger and quickly retrieved it, wiping it on some clean leaves before he sheathed it.

    Alaster wiped his forehead of sweat and Goblin spittle and took one last look before he ran away.

    The boy ran as fast as he could, barely remembering to continue east.

    Alaster had killed for the first time, and not just one, but two kills. He had expected to feel horror or disbelief. But all he felt was exhilaration, and perhaps even joy.

 Chapter 5- Onigas

    Another five days passed before he finally reached Onigas.

    Alaster gathered any berries he knew were edible on the way, but even still, he was nearly out of food.

    After he had crossed the Kingdom Borders, there was a distinct increase in monsters, forcing Alaster to hide more often and for longer. There had been multiple close calls. By the time Alaster entered the City Clearing. His clothes were ripped from diving into bushes. He was caked in mud and had twigs and leaves in his hair.

    The boy set foot on an actual path for the first time in over a week and joined the procession of other travelers and merchants towards the Independent City of Onigas. All of them looked at the boy strangely and gave him space, but he ignored them and kept walking.

    The next step in his plan would start once he entered the walls.

    As to what that that next step would be, Alaster had still not figured out. As he walked, he allowed himself to think of it. During his journey to Onigas, he had intentionally thought about what he would do once he got there. The trip had been dangerous enough without him being distracted.

    Luckily, the Goblins were the only creatures that he had been forced to fight. However, there were a few monsters that had chased Alaster that had Alaster fought, would have certainly killed him. Alaster''s foot still ached after he had been forced to jump from the tree he had spent the night in after a monkey looking creature attacked him.

    ''First step, recon. I have to know my surroundings before I can plan further.''

    Alaster briefly glanced around him, seeing the area that was cleared around him despite the many people and large animals.

    ''Scratch that. First step, wash myself.''

    The boy left the path and quickly returned to the forest. He had spotted a small stream that briefly expanded into a sort of pond, before shrinking back to its small size. Luckily, it was far enough in the forest, that it would be concealed, but at the same time, close enough that it was not a long trip. In just under an hour, Alaster found it again, however he was not the only one.

    Alaster ducked behind a tree and studied his surroundings. Besides the young girl that was splashing around the pond, there was nothing else out of the ordinary. The girl seemed to be around Evelyn''s age. She had long bright blonde hair. Her vibrant red dress was clearly well-made and cleaned. At the edge of the pond, her boots were thrown, allowing the girl to play around.

    Alaster considered walking up and just ignore her while he washed off the bigger chunks of mud, but decided against it. He simply was not in the mood to converse, and Alaster had a strong suspicion that once the girl started to talk, she found it difficult to stop. However, the true deciding factor of him not introducing himself was that she reminded him of his sister with her big, bright smile.

    The memory was still fresh in his mind, not that it would ever leave. Just seeing the girl caused his chest to tighten painfully.

    Alaster was about to turn away, but he heard a twig snap. After over a week in the wilderness, he silently dropped to the ground out of habit before he searched for the source.

    On the other side of the pond from where he was, a group of four Goblins were quietly stalking closer to the girl. And she had not noticed them.

    ''Damn it!''

    Angry with both himself and the situation, Alaster drew his dagger and began to get closer to the pond himself. He would have preferred to avoid the confrontation, but he knew he could not just leave the girl. Least of all to the Goblins. Forced into the fight, he would have then preferred to sneak behind the green skinned vermin, but he had neither the time nor the opportunity.

    The stream had no foliage cover that could conceal him while he crossed it. As dumb and oblivious as they were, the Goblins would have spotted him. So, Alaster quickly came to the realization that his best chance was to hide as close to the Pond as he could and wait until the Goblins made their move, then he would jump out surprising them.

    The boy snuck through the foliage on his hands and knees, leaves crunched under him, but the Goblins were even worse. It was like they weren''t even bothering to conceal themselves. But the girl''s playful splashing was loud enough that she did not hear any of it.

    As foliage began to thin out, so Alaster stopped moving and prepared himself. The Goblins were close to the edge of their own foliage, and past that, only a meter away, was the edge of the pond. Luckily, the girl was closer to Alaster than the Goblins.

    As Alaster watched, the two Goblins in the front crouched themselves down, preparing to sprint out of cover and ambush the girl. He tensed his muscles, preparing himself to intercept them.

    With a triumphant screech, the Goblins sprung forward. The girl finally noticed them and backed up in panic, but her foot caught the edge of her dress and she fell into the shallow waters. Alaster forced himself to wait until they reached the edge of the pond before he sprinted out of hiding.

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    The Goblins dropped into the pond and began to wade towards the girl. The two Goblins still in between the trees screeched a warning, but it was too late.

    Alaster jumped over the girl, his knife over his head. He landed on one of the Goblins and slammed his Dagger down, into the Goblins chest, its blood coating the boy''s face. The Goblin was thrown into the water by the force of Alaster''s jump, but he anticipated that, and jumped off before he followed.

    Before the Goblin could react, slowed by its surprise and panic, Alaster slashed his dagger deeply across its chest. The Goblin jumped back in pain as he held its hand over the cut, but it did not go down. It screamed as it raised its club and charged at the boy that had hurt it.

    Alaster tried to dodge to the side, but he had forgotten where he was, and the water that stood to his knees slowed him down.

    The club slammed into the boy''s arm and in his pain, he dropped the dagger.

    Alaster screamed in pain, but pushed through it as his father had taught him. Instead of retreating from the Goblin, Alaster instead tackled it, driving it under the water. The water was shallow enough for the Goblin to go under completely, but not for the boy as well. However, he still got a large amount of water in the face, blinding him.

    He rolled off the Goblin and hurriedly wiped his eyes, but when he could finally see, the other two Goblins had already arrived. One of them bent down and grabbed Alaster''s dagger, while the second Goblin stood back up, the blood from its wound running wildly after mixing with the waters.

    Alaster grit his teeth, both in pain and desperation. He was fairly certain that his upper left arm was broken. He had no weapon, while he was against three Goblins, all of whom had weapons, and one even had the boy''s. And to make matters worse, Alaster could not run. The girl was still behind him, shivering and frozen in fear.

    Nonetheless, his parents would be disappointed if he gave up or left the girl to be taken.

    Alaster ran his good arm through his hair, swiping it back and getting the excess water out.

    ''Not quite the way I intended to wash.''

    His left arm hung limp, but he held up his right in a fist, ready to fight.

    The second Goblin growled as it once again charged forward, the other two just behind it.

    Alaster yelled in defiance as he also charged. This time, he did not forget about the water. As he got closer to the lead Goblin, he sidestepped the rapidly descending club and thrust his fist into the Goblin''s face.

    Alaster grinned to himself triumphantly, but it quickly vanished as he saw his own dagger being thrust at him.

    The boy barely had time to react, and he was just a tad too slow. His dagger, cut across his side, even nicking his rib at its deepest.

    Alaster screamed in pain once again, but used the force on his side to spin him around and punch the Goblin in the ear.

    It dropped both the dagger and club as its brain was scrambled.

    But before Alaster could grab his dagger again, he was forced to back step from the horizontal swing of the fourth Goblin.

    In his desperation, Alaster nearly tripped over himself as the water resisted his movements. But he managed to stay on his feet. One of the Goblin''s clubs brushed against his knee and the boy quickly grabbed it.

    Before he could bring it up, he was tackled by the fourth Goblin and he went under. The club was forced from his hand and he was once again without a weapon.

    The Goblin grabbed Alaster''s throat and tightened his grip. Both underwater, and without the air already in his lungs, Alaster began to suffocate.

    The boy struggled against the grip of the Goblin as his vision dimmed, but under the water, none of his movements had any power.

    In one final desperate move, the boy brought his legs up and wrapped them around the Goblin''s chest before he yanked away.

    His legs, still flexible from youth and much stronger than his arms, pulled the Goblin away and off the boy.

    Alaster scrambled to the surface and gasped for breath. But he was not given any reprieve. The second Goblin, that he had punched in the nose, tackled him, slamming him into the side of the pond.

    The Goblin was knocked off of Alaster and onto the bank of the pond. It yelled as it scrambled back to its hands and knees before it once again jumped at Alaster.

    Alaster reacted and grabbed its arm as it sailed at him and redirected it over him. It splashed into the water past him.

    The boy was quick to react and grabbed a club floating nearby. By now, two of the Goblins had recovered, while the one Alaster had punched in the ear was still clutching it and squealing in pain.

    Blinded by pain and anger, the second Goblin moved first. Alaster swung the club as hard as he could.

    The Goblin tried to duck under it, but its foot caught on a rock under the water. It lurched forward, lining its temple right in the path of the club.

    Alaster felt the shock of the impact run through the club and into his arm. He almost dropped the club, but he managed to hold onto it.

    The Goblin was thrown away from the blow and floated in the water.

    The next Goblin was more careful and splashed at the boy to distract him, but he closed his eyes and blindly swung.

    The blow landed.

    Alaster wiped his eyes and saw the goblin scrambling in the water, bleeding profusely from its head.

    The boy marched over and slammed the club over its head, stopping its movements.

    In the water, Alaster spotted the glint of his dagger. He stumbled over and retrieved it.

    The last Goblin groaned as Alaster walked over.

    Not wanting to take any chances, Alaster tackled it, knocking it over the edge of the pond.

    Exhausted and in pain, Alaster fell on top of it. It tried to fight back, but its senses were still scrambled.

    Alaster had no strength left, instead, he just put the knife in front of him and fell, plunging the knife into the Goblin''s throat.

    Alaster stumbled off the Goblin and turned around, pulling the knife with him.

    The girl still hadn''t moved, but behind her, four large men in armor ran out of the trees.

    The boy took a step forward, raising his knife up. His consciousness already fading, but still defiant. Still ready to fight.

    Alaster took a step forward, but his foot caught. He fell forward into the water, his mind already absent from his body.

 Chapter 6- Lord Siphas

    Alaster woke with a start, shooting up. He came to regret that as a wave of pain consumed him.

    "Woah, calm down there, lad."

    Alaster looked up and saw an elderly man in a light gray robe. Fighting through the pain, his mind raced as he looked around the room he found himself in.

    It was small, but clearly well built and maintained. Its stone walls were smooth, with no noticeable gaps. The wooden floor was clean and appeared to be freshly and regularly polished. There was only one bed in the room, which Alaster was currently sitting up in. Against the far wall, a large desk dominated the room. The desk was filled with papers of small projects that the boy was unable to identify.

    The old man sat on the chair at the foot of the bed, watching Alaster, with an open book in his hand.

    Alaster''s right hand instinctively covered his bandaged left side, and he noticed that his left arm had been put in a sling.

    "Where am I?" Alaster groaned out.

    "You are currently in my study."

    "Where am I?" He repeated.

    The old man sighed, "You are in the estate of Lord Siphas. Tell me, boy, what do you remember?"

    "I remember a little girl too oblivious to notice being stalked by Goblins and trying to save her."

    The man chuckled as he closed his book, "Well, that oblivious girl is the Lord''s daughter, and he is quite protective of her. So do be careful."

    "Why am I here?"

    "Because you were injured protecting his daughter after she had snuck out of the estate. So he had me, his residential wizard, to heal you."

    "So I can leave?"

    "Sure. No one here will force you to remain. However, I would personally recommend that you at least wait until you meet with the Lord. As I said, he is quite protective of her. And, he is a strong believer in rewarding those for their good deeds."

    Alaster sighed and carefully laid back down, "What''s your name, sir?"

    "Colius, and yours?"

    "Alaster, when can I meet the lord?"

    "Whenever he is ready. As one of the advisors to the City Lord, he has his own work. But would you like us to contact your family? Your parents must be worried sick about you, and I''m sure you''d want them with you when you meet the Lord."

    Alaster closed his eyes and didn''t speak for a moment, "I do want them with me, but unless you can cast a spell to bring back the dead, they won''t."

    Colius sighed deeply, "I''m sorry for your loss. I still remembered the day I learned my parents had passed, it still hurts, and that was many years ago, and I had seen many more winters than you."

    "What kind of wizard are you?" Alaster asked, trying to change the subject.

    Colius understood and went along with it, "I am an Intermediate Warp Mage."

    Alaster sat up again, much more carefully this time, "A Warp Mage?"

    Even a village child had heard about the wonders of Warp Mages. They could create portals that would allow people to travel vast distances in mere moments. This allowed trade to flourish, for travel to be safer. However, the thing they were most known for was their Dimensional Bags. Or simply Bags of Holding.

    These bags had their own dimensional space inside of them. Making the space inside, vastly larger than it was outside. Anything put inside, never decayed, and would come out just how you put it in. However, these were very rare, and very expensive. Most noble families would have a few.

    The old mage briefly chuckled, "Yes, not a very good one, unfortunately. I always preferred my books and research to anything, so I never really cared to level my class."

    "Can you make portals?" Alaster asked with wide eyes, his excitement leaking through.

    "Yes. Even a brand new Warp Mage can make portals. I can make a portal from one side of the city to the other, but it is very tiring, and I can''t keep it open for long."

    "Can you make Bags of Holding?"

    "No, only Expert Warp Mages can."

    "No wonder they are so expensive."

    "Smart lad. How old are you anyway?"

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Twelve."

    "Ah, so still a few years away from getting your own class. What are you hoping for?"

    "A Mage Type."

    "Naturally! Working Magic is unbelievably wonderful."

    Alaster''s reply was not a very surprising one, most children wished for magic. What did surprise Colius was what Alaster said next.

    "I need to get strong quickly."

    "I''ve heard many say that, each with their own reason. What is yours?"

    Alaster didn''t respond and only looked past the man, the scene replaying in his mind.

    "The death of your parents were not accidental or natural, were they?"

    The boy silently shook his head, looking down.

    "Normally, at this point, it would be expected for the adult to tell the kid not to rush through their childhood and live life to the fullest." Colius leaned forward, resting his arms on the foot of the bed, "But your childhood has only been destroyed, hasn''t it."

    It was not a question.

    "So instead, I will say this, think through everything you intend to do at every step to make sure you truly want to do something. Or you will one day look back on your life and regret so much."

    Alaster opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door to the wizard''s room swung open, and the little girl rushed in.

    "You''re awake!" Her bright smile almost seemed to fill the room with light and nearly blinded Alaster and Colius.

    "Lady Isabella, has your father not reminded you not to barge into rooms without knocking?" Colius gently reprimanded her.

    She sheepishly rubbed her arm, but her smile clearly showed that it did not have any effect.

    "I''m sorry, Colius. I just got so excited about seeing the boy who saved me!" She then turned her full attention to Alaster, ignoring Colius. "What''s your name? Where are you from? Where did you learn how to fight like that? Where are your parents? How are your wounds? How old are you?"

    Isabella bombarded Alaster with questions. He was not sure where to start, luckily he did not need to.

    "Isabella! Where are your manners!" Isabella cringed at the loud voice of the man in the doorway.

    Colius immediately bowed slightly at the waist, "Greetings, Lord Siphas."

    The man, Lord Siphas, was tall but slightly thin. He wore fine clothes, but Alaster did notice that they were not too fancy to be useable. However, his attention was immediately drawn to the rapier at the man''s hip.

    "Sorry father." Isabella apologized, backing up.

    "Apologizes Colius." Lord Siphas said as he entered the room, seemingly filling it.

    "No worries m''Lord. The boy and I were just talking after he had woken up."

    Lord Siphas nodded before he turned his attention to Alaster, "Hello young one. How are your injuries?"

    "Much better now. They only hurt a little bit."

    "That''s good." He turned to Isabella, "Go finish your studies. If I hear from your tutors that you skipped again, you will not get a new dress for the upcoming ball."

    She panicked and rushed out of the room. Lord Siphas merely glanced at Colius, who nodded slightly and left the room as well, closing the door behind him.

    Lord Siphas sat down in the chair and stared at the boy. Alaster briefly wondered if he was trying to stare into his soul.

    "What''s your name?"

    "Alaster, Lord Siphas."

    "What were you doing in the forest at that pond?"

    "I was attempting to wash myself before entering the city, but your daughter was there first. I was going to simply come back later, but then I saw the Goblins."

    "And you selflessly defended her like a hero in the stories?" Lord Siphas finished with a raised brow.

    "No. In truth, she reminded me of my little sister. I could not let her be taken by Goblins."

    "Do you live here in the city?"

    "No."

    "Where are you from?"

    Alaster hesitated, "I am not sure of the name of the village. My parents were killed, and I was forced to flee. After many days, I finally came here, but I was so filthy that I thought the Guards would not let me in."

    "A kid like you survived in the woods for days?"

    "My father was a Guard in my village, he taught me how to hide."

    "How did they die?"

    Alaster growled, "Someone butchered them and stole my sister."

    "Why?" There was no emotion in his voice.

    "My sister had her Decade Crystal that morning, she had a special constitution, but I am not sure what it is. Apparently someone did, and wanted it."

    "So then, why are you here? Why not go to one of the cities in your Kingdom?"

    "Because I think whoever took her came from the city. I am here to live until I get my class and get strong enough to get my sister back!"

    "Ambitious, but foolish. But you''re smart enough to know that."

    "I won''t let them torture my sister!"

    "Trust me Alaster, your sister won''t be hurt. If they took your sister alive, they want to use that constitution themselves."

    "So what? Just leave her there with them?"

    "No, just to be careful and patient. But, don''t get your hopes up. Until then, why don''t you stay here?"

    "Here? In the city?"

    "With me. Or, more specifically, as an employee."

    "Doing what?"

    "As a bodyguard for my daughter, since you have already proven your proficiency in doing so."

    "Don''t you already have bodyguards for her?"

    "Yes, but she is very small and knows all the nooks and crannies of the estate. This is the third time she has gotten away from them, and this time, she even got past the City Guards and got past the walls."

    "And you think I can keep up?"

    "Even better, I think she will drag you along with her." He said with a smirk.

    "What?"

    He sighed, "I am a Noble, not only that, but an Advisor to the City Lord of an Independent City. I hold a high position, and that causes many to want my ear and influence. Because of this, Isabelle hasn''t really had the chance to socialize with kids her own age. I want you to be her friend and protect her as you do so. What do you say?"

    Alaster''s brow furrowed for a moment in thought before he looked up at the Lord Siphas.

    "Will I get paid?"

 Chapter 7- Fifteen Winters

    Alaster was woken by loud pounding on his door.

    "Al! Wake up! We are going to be late!" A girl yelled from the other side of the door.

    Alaster grumbled under his breath, but rolled out of bed. He shivered as the chill air kissed his skin and his feet touched the cold wooden floor.

    "Wake up!" the girl yelled again.

    "I''m awake! Just give me a minute, Bell!" Alaster shouted back, standing up.

    He quickly grabbed a fresh set of clothes, making sure to hide a dagger in his pant leg and shirt. He opened the door while he ran his hand through his hair, trying to smooth it out after sleeping.

    Standing right in front of the door, was Isabelle, with an angry face and her hands on her hips.

    "You can''t be late to your own party!" She accused.

    Alaster yawned as he responded, "Bell, the party doesn''t start till sunset, it''s early morning."

    "Yeah! But we have to go shopping first!"

    Alaster scratched his stomach, "Didn''t we just go shopping last week?"

    "That was just shopping! Now we have to shop for the party!" Bell grabbed Alaster''s hand and began to pull him through the halls of the Estate.

    "Why?"

    "To get your clothes!"

    "I have clothes. A few of them might even be fit for a party."

    "Most of them are fit for parties. I''m the one that bought them for you. In fact, I''m pretty sure the only clothes you have that aren''t nice enough for formal occasions are the ones you use to train or explore with me, and even then! You refuse to let me get you more than the two sets!"

    Isabella wove through the servants in the halls, dragging Alaster behind her.

    "Then why do we need to get more?"

    "This is a special occasion! You only turn fifteen once!"

    As Alaster was dragged around, he recalled the last two, nearly three years.

    After he was employed by Lord Siphas, he immediately began to guard Isabella. He had thought it would a pretty boring job, but once her father had explained the situation, Isabella had completely ignored everything. The only thing she got out of that hour long discussion was that she had a new friend. She took him everywhere, just like Lord Siphas had hoped.

    While Isabella was in her classes, which she finally began to take seriously after Alaster dragged her to if she tried to skip, he was training with the Lord''s personal guards.

    He was trained ruthlessly, breaking bones and tearing muscles numerous times. Luckily, despite being a Warp Mage and not being specializing in healing magic, Colius had spent a lot of time learning how to heal. His Healing was nowhere near as advanced or quick as someone whose class specializes in healing, but it was enough for most non-life-threatening injuries.

    While Alaster would be healing, or had really any free time, he would annoy Colius until he finally taught Alaster magic. Even those whose classes weren''t magic based, they could still learn magic if they practiced enough, though it would be extremely basic and weak.

    However, Alaster had been too young for a class, and without a class, his mana veins had not just been dormant, they had not existed. So instead of practicing magic, Alaster instead learned the theories and knowledge of magic. This was something most Mage Type classes ignored, as their classes simply allowed them to use the knowledge without actually knowing it. Alaster hoped that by learning this, as well as being surrounded by magic, it would influence his class into being a Mage Type.

    Which is true. Classes have been proven to be influenced by the child''s interests, desires, knowledge, and surroundings. It was also known that bloodlines influenced the class choice as well, though slightly. Several noble families were known for being a specific class.

    As Alaster lived in Onigas and learned about it, he learned that the City Lord''s family was renown for being Paladins. A Class, that, despite its religious notations, in fact has nothing to do with religions. However, the class specializes in being on the frontlines of any conflict, granting aid to their allies. They could make their allies tire slower or be harder to kill.

    The City Lord''s children, were perhaps the only friends Isabella had before Alaster had come along. The older daughter, had already turned fifteen and received her class. Surprise to none, she became a Shield Maiden. A beginner class that specializes in the shield and protecting others. Since then, she has been tutored in a special way to unlock the Paladin Intermediate Class.

    Alaster briefly smirked as he remembered how she had regularly challenged him to an arm wrestle and always lost. Now, after she had gotten her class, it was fairly even, but as more time passed, and she improved on her class, she was winning more and more. She was still a level one as she would only be allowed to hunt monsters once she learned enough about her class and abilities, and earning experience for your class any other way was very slow.

    The younger daughter of the City Lord was just a little younger than Isabella and much more shy. She reminded Alaster of Olivia. To this day, years later, Alaster still refused to think too long about the village, his home. It was still too painful, and he tried to separate that life from his current one.

    However, the thing that surprised Alaster the most, was how warmly the entire estate had welcomed and treated him. He had expected to be treated as any other servant, but he was not. Isabella dragged him along like a best friend or brother. Lord Siphas treated him as his child''s friend that he approves of. But it was Lady Siphas that truly made his experience in the house.

    For as long as she could remember, she had always wanted a son. Her first child had been stillborn and was a boy. After she and her husband recovered, a lengthy process, they tried again, and Isabella was born. But her birth had perhaps been even more troublesome than the last. Isabella had been born healthy, but her mother was unable to become pregnant again.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    For a woman who had always dreamt of a large family, this devastated her. And when Alaster came into their lives, roughly the same age as her son would have been, she took him in and treated him as her own.

    When Alaster had first arrived, he had attempted to stay separate from the family, as he thought bodyguards were meant to do, but Lady Siphas had seemed offended and saddened by this and forced him to be closer, to eat meals with them, to go on trips with them.

    Due to the Lady''s actions, the rest of the house simply treated Alaster as another member of the family. They did not bow to him or give him a special title, as they did with the family, but they were very respectful.

    Isabella continued to drag Alaster all the way to her father''s office. While Alaster had been with them, she had gotten much better at knocking, but she was currently too excited to do so and barged right in. Lord Siphas looked up from his paperwork and saw Isabella quickly walk in, dragging Alaster behind her.

    "Yes Bella? What is it?"

    She stopped right in front of his desk, finally letting go of Alaster.

    "Can I have some money to shop for Alaster''s clothes for tonight''s party?"

    Lord Siphas raised a brow, "Can I?"

    Isabella sighed with annoyance, "May I?" she corrected, putting emphasis on the first word.

    Lord Siphas leaned back in his chair and put his quill down, looking past Isabella and at Alaster.

    "How are you feeling, Al?"

    Alaster corrected his clothing and stood up straight before replying, "A bit nervous, but whatever I get, I will do my best to use it to its fullest."

    He would receive his class at exactly midnight, the moment he turned fifteen. The party was both to celebrate his birthday, but also keep him awake until then and be surrounded by friends when he began the new stage of his life.

    "Bella, please wait outside. I wish to speak with Alaster for a moment." Lord Siphas commanded in a voice that begged no argument. Isabella had heard that voice only a few times, and knew not to argue or delay.

    She quickly left the room.

    Once the door was closed, the lord sat up in his chair and leaned forward once again.

    "What are your plans after tonight?" He asked.

    Since that first day of his employment, Alaster had very rarely talked about his past or his need for revenge. And the few times he had, it had only been when Lord Siphas had asked him when they were alone.

    Alaster''s entire persona shifted from one of a serious young man, to a creature of hate and coldness. His eyes lost all emotion, but remained sharp, as if seeking for any opportunity to kill.

    "I plan to stay here under your employ until I evolve my class into Intermediate. Only then will I leave to seek my sister."

    The previous boy returned just as quickly, "If you allow it, sir."

    Over the years, Alaster had been forced to block off his desires to save his sister and get revenge, as he knew he was too weak and was forced to wait. Being forced to leave the only person he loved in the hands of some unknown people, doing who knows what to her, had injured his mind in a way similar, but different from when his parents died.

    Together, the event and situation morphed into that cold and lifeless personality. However, he could not show that side of himself in front of the innocent Isabella or her loving mother. Their love and care had created a second personality, a mask, which Alaster typically wore.

    But make no mistake, Alaster''s real personality was of frost and death. The mask he wore was the side of himself he had carefully crafted to hide his real intentions and masquerade around people. He had created it from watching and learning.

    He made it seem childish and innocent from Isabella and the City Lord''s Daughters. The mask had a hint of seriousness from the Siphas Guards he trained with. Its wild curiosity came from Colius and his passion for learning. Its care was learned from Lady Siphas. And finally, the part that Alaster paid attention to the most, its etiquette, which came from interacting and studying the Siphas family and all the nobles they spent time with.

    Only Lord Siphas knew of Alaster''s true self, though Alaster suspected that Lady Siphas had a clue. Despite knowing how cold Alaster truly was, the only reason he allowed Alaster to remain around his daughter was because he learned of Alaster''s protective side.

    When Alaster had first become Isabella''s bodyguard and friend, Lord Siphas had paid very close attention for several days. During this time, he quickly spotted how once Alaster truly recognized something as under his protection or care, he never willingly allowed harm to come to it.

    When it came to something Alaster decided was his to protect, he became hyper sensitive to its wellbeing. Lord Siphas compared Alaster to a loyal dog, though he means it kindly. While Alaster had been protecting Isabella, he had been able to notice the smallest changes in her. So much so that he had asked for a doctor to treat Isabella when she had caught a cold, before she even developed a fever.

    Not to mention the countless times he had protected her from both mundane and malicious threats. Isabella had always been a clumsy girl, but after Alaster guarded her, she went to bed each night with vastly fewer bruises and scrapes.

    Lord Siphas still remembered how last summer, someone had tried to kidnap Isabella for ransom, but Alaster protected her by stabbing the man in the leg and standing in front of her taking the man''s beating until the City Guards arrived. The boy had received four broken ribs, a fractured skull and foot, a severe concussion, and three broken fingers that day. But he had stayed standing and in front of Isabella until Lord Siphas himself arrived. Only then did he allow himself to pass out.

    Lord Siphas attributed the boy''s distinct personalities to his heightened sense of protection. His mind struggled to comprehend needing to protect someone so dear to it by not doing anything.

    "Al, I know you feel alone in this. And I am sorry. I am sorry that I am unable to help you. But know that you will always have a place here. But please, try to enjoy yourself once in a while. Be happy today and tonight. See it as your first step to saving her, and celebrate with the rest of us."

    Lord Siphas had originally investigated that matter of Alaster''s sister out of pure curiosity. But after several of his agents went missing while investigating, his curiosity was peaked, and he used the majority of his network in that Kingdom to find out. But the only thing his agents had reported back was that it was impossible, and to drop the matter.

    Since then, the Lord had developed a true relationship with Alaster and genuinely wanted to help, but he could not. He was a Lord Advisor to an Independent City. The only reason the other, much larger, nations did not take control, was that their city wasn''t worth that much effort. However, if he tried to pry too deeply into other kingdom''s matters, and it was traced back to him, that would very easily change.

    Lord Siphas had to worry about his city and his family first, though it still pained him to have to leave Alaster alone in this manner. So instead of helping him save his sister, the Lord Instead provided him the tools to do so. He instructed his personal and Elite guards to train Alaster.

    Since then, the boy had shown incredible progress. The power of hate, his guards informed him. They did not know the boy''s story, but they could recognize the emotion. While the boy had no Class, and was sparring against those with Classes suited towards physical spars, he was usually able to hold his ground. As long as his opponents did not use their abilities.

    "I know sir." Alaster replied. This was not the first time the Lord had said this.

    Lord Siphas opened a drawer and took out a small bag of coins. He had already known that Isabella would ask him for money for the party, and had prepared beforehand. The lord tossed the bag at Alaster, who caught it.

    "Go and get some good clothes. Something stylish and can be worn in a ballroom, but also sturdy, and you can fight in if needed. Use the rest to get yourself your own sword. Couldn''t really have you wandering around as a child with a sword, at least not while pretending to be just Bella''s friend. But now that you are an adult, it won''t seem out of place. Now go on, I got some work to do before tonight." The Lord waved Alaster away with a smirk on his face.

    Alaster pocketed the coins and curtly nodded before rushing out.

    ''I wonder what class he''ll get.''

 Chapter 8- The City

    After leaving the Lord''s office, Alaster and Isabella rushed out of the estate. Alaster made sure to stop by the training ground to inform his instructor that he would not make it to their training session. To which he simply nodded and waved the boy away with a smirk.

    They ran out the gates, waving to the guards stationed there, and entered the city streets.

    The City of Onigas was divided into five sections, each with their own walls. The outermost section were the slums, the most heavily patrolled section where the poorest of the citizens lived. Due to its proximity to the city''s outer walls, it allowed the City Guards to keep a close eye on it. The wall separating the slums and the Residential district stood three meters tall.

    The Residential district was the largest portion of the town, being where the majority of trade and commoners dwelled. It was uniform and kept clean. Patrols of Guards could be seen occasionally, but order was typically kept by the people themselves.

    Then there was the Military District, with a four meter wall separating them. Each of the walls were heavily guarded, but this particular wall was riddled with guards at all times. The Military District was where the majority of weapons and armor were made and maintained. As such, most blacksmiths called it home. The district also had many training fields and barracks throughout.

    After the Military District, the Nobility or wealthy of the city lived in their estates and manors. The wall stood as tall as the Military District''s, but was not as guarded, it did not need to be. While the City Guard were powerful, needing to repel not only monster attacks, but the threat of invasion from other Kingdoms, they were not as powerful as the Guards of the Nobles.

    All the City Guard were Intermediate Classes, they ranged from the lower levels to the middle level, but the Noble Guards were at the high end of Intermediate at the minimum. A few were even Experts. These Noble Guards were the ones that truly kept the peace, not that anyone would dare cause trouble past the Residential District.

    The Noble district was where the Siphas Estate dwelled, though they lived next to the wall of the final District, the Lord''s District as it was called. It was basically just the City Lord''s home and office, but the City himself was rumored to be approaching the heights of Expert while every Guard in his home was high Intermediate at the minimum, and most were Experts themselves.

    The wall of the Lord''s District was nearly as tall as the Outer Walls, standing six meters, while the Outer Walls stood at seven. When Alaster had first arrived, he always wondered at them and their Guards every time he passed, but after nearly three years, he had mostly grown used to it. Though he could still feel the auras of the Lord''s Guards.

    Even an unclassed child, such as he, could feel the power these Guards radiated, even when they tried not to.

    Isabella and Alaster had quite the journey ahead of them, as they had to transverse two districts to get to the Residential district and purchase what they needed. They had made this trip many times before, as Isabella loved shopping and was quite proficient in bartering. She never complained about walking so far, as the Family Carriage would only be used for official travel.

    They quickly settled into their usual pace, with Isabella constantly talking about one thing or another and Alaster quietly and absently listening, while focusing on their surroundings. After all, he might be the quiet child that the Siphas Family had taken in, but he was still an employed bodyguard of Isabella, and he took it seriously. Even in the Noble District, he stayed vigilant.

    They soon passed the Noble Wall, Isabella showing her Identity to the guards. The Military District was really the only part of town, Alaster was truly interested in. Even before his family had been broken, he had always been fascinated by the weapons and armor. He had even considered becoming a Blacksmith of some kind, at least before.

    Now, while his fascination remained, it was more geared towards how he could use it against the people who took his Sister. However, his childish excitement blossomed in his heart at the thought that as soon as they finished getting him clothes for that night''s party, he would come back to this district and get his own sword. Every man dreamt of having his own sword.

    They passed various City Guards as they walked, either going to or coming back from a shift.

    At the Military Wall, Isabella once again showed the guards her Identity Card and they opened the gate. Once through, it was as if they were hit by a wave of sound. The sound of a busy city in the midst of a nice day. Traders shouted their wares, hoping to attract customers. Commoners walked from one place to another, talking to each other loudly to be heard, and only adding to the mess of volume.

    Of all the Districts, the Residential District was Alaster''s least favorite. And unfortunately for the boy, soon to be young man, it was also Isabella''s most favorite. He hated the noise and chaos of the city, while she reveled in it.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She knew exactly where to go, as she had gone there numerous times, and quickly led the way. Alaster ensured that he was never more than a step away from his charge, as he kept a hand near to at least one of his hidden weapons.

    The crowded area would have given Alaster a heart attack, trying to protect Isabella. Anyone could just casually brush past her with a knife and be gone before Isabella even realized she had been stabbed. However, luckily for his young heart, Isabella''s fine and colorful clothing immediately declared her a noble. Or at least very rich, and they cleared the space around her for two meters at least.

    The store they were heading to was close to the Military Wall, being specialized in catering to the rich. They did not need to yell their wares around. Isabella entered the store, with Alaster quickly following and closing the door, muting the noise.

    Even after spending nearly three years in the city, he still had not grown used to it. He could actually feel his shoulders relaxing as the sound was much quieter within the store.

    The store itself had even employed a Wind Mage to Enchant their walls, helping to mute the outside hubbub. Lord Siphas'' office had similarly been enchanted, but with a much more skilled Mage and much more carefully.

    Used to the Rich and having quality material, the store employed a pair of guards, one of whom stood at the doors while the other stood at the other end of the room, just before the backroom where the clothes would actually be made and fitted. A thick curtain hung over the doorway to protect the privacy of anyone being fitted, and the Guard was there to keep it closed.

    "Morning John." Alaster greeted the large man guarding the front door. He had been dragged to the shop enough times to at least know the names of the staff.

    "Mornin'' Al." John returned.

    Alaster nodded to John''s brother, Vince, who guarded the backdoor, as he was too far away to talk to, at least not without disrupting the constant peace of the store. Vince nodded back.

    The Store itself was filled with rows of stands and mannequins with clothes. Of course, these clothes weren''t actually the ones the customers bought. No, this was a high end store. Anything the customer bought would be specially fit to them. The clothes on display were simply to showcase the skill and designs of the tailors.

    Isabella quickly ran to around, looking at all the men''s clothes, but she could not help be distracted by the dresses that caught her fancy. Alaster lagged behind, trusting the area enough to give her some space.

    "Al! Come look at this!" She called, beckoning Alaster closer, "What do you think?"

    Displayed on one of the mannequins, was an outfit that even Alaster had to say was amazing. The dark material was contrasted beautifully with silver and buttons and red lining.

    Alaster did not say anything, which to Isabella spoke volumes of his approval. Even she knew that Alaster did not care for clothes. It was one of the few things he vocally made his dislike known. So the boy not saying anything was a high praise.

    Isabella looked at the plaque for its name and quickly scurried over to the counter, where an attendant stood, ready to help any customers, even if Alaster and Isabella were the only ones currently in the store.

    By the time Alaster walked over, Isabella had already told the attendant what style they wanted. The young lady was already walking away to call one of the actual seamstresses. She returned a moment later with an older woman holding the back curtain.

    "Welcome back, Lady Siphas. I hear that we are doing a fitting for your friend?"

    Alaster recognized the woman. She had made many of his clothes that Isabella had forced him to use. He had to admit that she knew her craft, and was quite skilled in it. However, she refused to acknowledge him herself after she learned that he was not an influential person. Personally, he did not care.

    But the Seamstress would never ask him opinion about the clothes and would only ask Isabella, who would then ask for his opinion and vice versa. It was very inefficient, which is what Alaster disliked. Well, that and standing still for a prolonged length of time and being poked and prodded.

    However, for the sake of the occasion, Alaster kept quiet and not a moment too soon, they had a bag with the new clothes. They left the store and were once again in the streets.

    The pair quickly made their way to the Military Walls and were allowed to pass.

    "So, what class are you hoping for?" Isabella asked with wide eyes.

    It was truly an impossible question as there were literal hundreds of Beginner Classes, potentially thousands. And more were being added constantly.

    "A Mage Type. Casting magic would be amazing!" Alaster replied with the usual response to that question, as most kids wanted to cast magic, though few would be able to. However, that did not diminish the boy''s desire.

    "What about you?" Alaster returned the question, a little more than slightly hoping she would go off on another long tangent until they got to the weapon smith.

    "Same! I want to be a Warp Mage, just like Sir Colius! He can go where ever he wants!"

    "Want to see new places?"

    "Yes! I love Onigas, but imagine all the unique places out there! And I wouldn''t need to pay for special shipping if I could buy the stuff from there."

    At this point, a patrol of City Guards walked past, dragging between them a large and heavily scared man in chains. Alaster subtly moved himself between the man and Isabella and walked a little slower and away from him, Isabella doing the same subconsciously in order to stay with Alaster.

    The City of Onigas was largely peaceful and safe, but that did not mean it was at all times.

 Chapter 9- New Weapon

    Alaster chose a Blacksmith that was close to the Noble Wall and specialized in weapons, specifically swords.

    If Alaster was being perfectly honest, which he very rarely was, he did not really like swords. When he was younger, he, like any other child, loved swords. He had thought they were the weapons or nobility. The perfect weapon used to protect the innocent. After all, all the stories and songs told of the hero using a sword.

    However, after being trained by the Lord''s personal Guard, as well as learning about the monsters of the world in more detail from Sir Colius, he learned that the sword was actually pretty useless. Not to say that it was useless, but there were so many better weapons to use against monsters.

    Against most monsters, it was best to use a spear, as you could kill the threat from a distance. However, even then, a bow was better for that, but proved useless if the threat reached you. A dagger was better than a sword if it came to a brawl, as a sword was too unwieldy.

    A noble''s weapon was in fact a sword, but that was purely based on how pretty they could be. They were a good average weapon to use if you did not know what threat you would face. However, Alaster hated going into any situation without knowing all the threats, which is just one of the reasons he hated shopping with Isabella. There were simply too many variables.

    Personally, Alaster preferred the dagger. But he understood that his opinion was biased. He had never fought any monster that was not too different from humans. He had only fought goblins, and that was before he had been employed by the Lord. And none of that took into account of magic.

    A spear might be best against wolves or similar creatures, but what if the monster had armor, whether it be natural or not? Then a war pick would be best, a weapon used for piercing armor, but what if you were unable to pierce the armor even then? Then a heavy weapon would be best, such as a club or hammer. A sword proved useless if it could not slash or stab.

    This is where magic came into play, as well as enchanting. Most mages could enchant. A Light Mage could enchant a ring to produce light. A Fire Mage could enchant an iron plate to produce heat to cook with. However, if a mage proved proficient enough, they could enchant weapons to have unique effects, or even armor.

    The Lord''s personal bodyguard, a giant of a man named Lukas, used a helmet that could produce a blinding light for a moment to blind his opponent. Another of the Lord''s personal Guard used a sword that could generate enough heat at its blade to melt normal iron. Alaster still wondered at that, as he could not feel the heat at all. The blade had glowed red, but there was no other indicator that the enchantment was active.

    However, enchanted weapons and armor were very expensive. Even basic Heat Plates to cook with were expensive enough for a normal commoner to spend a month''s wages on. As such, unless they personally bought it, no standard guard would have anything enchanted.

    None of that mattered to Alaster, at least not at this moment. Noble men all wore swords at their hips, whether they were a Warrior Type or not. While Noble woman all wore daggers. Most considered it as just another accessory.

    Lord Siphas wished for Alaster to be thought of as a distant relative of the family. This would explain why he lived with them, as well as followed Isabella everywhere she went. As such, he needed a sword. But unlike the majority of nobility, his sword would be for actual use.

    The store that Alaster had chosen did not stick out among all the others. In fact, the only reason Alaster knew and selected the store was because he had been taken here by one of the Guard training him. The guard had damaged his sword in training, and had decided to take Alaster with him to get him familiar with the process.

    Isabella was not any less bubbly. The moment they entered the store, she rushed from one display to the next. The smell of smoke, iron, and oil filled the room. While Isabella was moving around, Alaster walked up to the attendant, who, by the looks of it, was an apprentice of the Smith.

    "Hello, I need a new sword fitted to me." Alaster got right to business.

    The young man looked over Alaster before silently nodding to himself. He turned around to enter the backroom, where Alaster could hear the constant banging of a hammer, and entered after making sure Isabella had not broken anything. He returned a moment later, carrying a fancy sword, and handed it to Alaster.

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    Alaster grabbed it and examined it as he had been taught. Testing it balance, examining it edge, giving it a few test swings. It was ok, but not what Alaster was looking for.

    "Sorry, but this one does not fit. I would also like a sword I can wear for formal occasions, but also use."

    The man took the sword with no opinion and left again. Alaster turned around to watch Isabella run around until the man returned. The apprentice took a little longer to return, but once he did, he came with a much plainer sword. It was still elaborate, but it wasn''t a work of art in itself. Alaster took it and went through the same movements as he had with the last sword.

    "This is great, thank you. How much?"

    The man held up his hand and held up four fingers.

    "Four gold? How about Three gold and fifty silver?" Alaster attempted to haggle, after all, it was not his money to spend.

    The man did not react and only continued to hold up four fingers. With a hint of irritation, Alaster took out the four gold and put them on the counter. The man nodded and took the coins, turning away from Alaster.

    Rolling his eyes, Alaster called to Isabella as he put the sword on his hip. The girl bounced over and together, the two children left the shop and resumed home. When they entered the estate, one of Isabella''s tutors dragged her away to her lesson. The elderly man was either deaf or completely ignored her whining.

    Chuckling a little, Alaster went to the training grounds to get better used to his sword. Each weapon was just a little different, even if they were made by the same Blacksmith. Typically, these differences were so small as to be pointless to worry over. But those differences could prove the difference between living and dying. And Alaster had nothing else to do until the party.

    Lady Siphas loved parties, as such, she had taken it upon herself to organize the entire thing. Luckily for Alaster, even among Nobility, Class Parties were typically small. Usually only among family or very close friends.

    By this time, Alaster had spent more time in the training grounds than anywhere else in the city, perhaps only rivaled by the time he spent in a recovery bed. He did not particularly enjoy training. He only saw it as a means to an end, an end that he welcomed with a cruel grin.

    The training grounds of the Siphas Estate were always busy. However, Alaster found a vacant space and drew his new sword. Isabella had taken his new clothes, saying she would have one of the servants drop it off. Alaster slowly went through the movements that had been drilled into him by those training him.

    Felix had taught him how to use swords elegantly, switching from form to form to keep the opponent guessing. Otto had taught him to use his sword with overwhelming strength to crush anything that would dare stand against him. Alaster still thought a maul would be better suited for Otto, but he seemed strangely hostile against blunt weapons. Clara had taught him the spear and when to be fluid or when to be firm. Daphne had taught him the bow and how to hunt.

    However, the man that typically trained Alaster and also the cause for most of his injuries, was Lukas himself. The man rarely spoke, but when he did, it was either quiet and to the point, or violently loud, usually with the threat of harm following.

    In Alaster''s eyes, Lukas was the definition of a gentle giant. Whenever the man interacted with Isabella, it was like he was handling a fragile glass doll, and he treated her like his niece. But in the end, he was still a giant, entirely capable of ripping a man in half if needed. And he drilled that same mindset into Alaster.

    Unlike the others of the Lord''s Guard, who treated their weapons as tools of their trade, and their jobs as just that. Lukas wielded his bastard sword and heater shield as part of him. When he sparred with the rest of the Guard, it became apparent that guarding was not something meant for him. He was meant to hunt. To rip and tear.

    Whenever Alaster sparred with Lukas, with the man severely holding back using only a miniscule amount of his true strength, his sword could break the boy''s arm, even if he perfectly deflected it. However, it was really Lukas'' shield that Alaster came to fear.

    Multiple times, while Alaster was distracted with his sword, the shield would come from a completely different direction and bash him. Even a light bash was enough to throw the boy several meters away. Lucky for Alaster, Lukas had never used the rim of his shield against him. Alaster had personally seen Lukas shatter solid stone with the rim of his shield, even when he didn''t use an ability.

    Once Alaster warmed up his body through the movements, he began to shadow spar against an imaginary opponent.

    Winter was in full swing, but it was a nice day, not a cloud in sight with very little wind. Snow covered the ground, but gradually, Alaster began to overheat and sweat. Taking a short break, he took off his shirt, laying it on a nearby post, and rubbed some snow across the back of his neck.

    The years of hard training had refined his body. Even as a child, his body had very little fat. His body was all muscle. He was not overly bulky, in fact, when he wore his shirt, he appeared merely fit. But he had conditioned his muscles to have a hidden strength, capable of holding heavy weights or responding with lightning fast blows.

    However, even with his body, that made even the older female guards stare occasionally, he was still vastly weaker than anyone with even minimal training in their Warrior Type Class. That would change tonight, at least, Alaster hoped.

 Chapter 10- Blood Night

    Alaster worked through his exercises until the sun began to set, at which point Isabella ran over and dragged him away, mad that he wasn''t getting ready.

    She shoved him into his own room and pointed to the bed, where his new clothes were waiting. The girl only left when Alaster promised he would get ready and even comb his hair.

    When he had first come to Onigas, and had to dress up in these fancy sort of clothes, it would take him hours to figure it out and get it right. Now, he had enough practice that he was dressed, combed, and ready within twenty minutes.

    Attaching the sheath of his sword to his belt, the boy left the room and made his way over to the small banquet hall. The Siphas Estate had two banquet halls. One smaller, a much more cozy. And one larger, where they would host great balls with dozens, perhaps even hundreds of people.

    As Alaster arrived at the doors, Lukas opened the door and motioned him in. While the Lord''s Guard were all close with Alaster, the Class Party was much closer than that. Lukas was really only there as he went everywhere with Lord Siphas, as his personal Bodyguard.

    The Hall was lightly decorated with a banner celebrating his birthday, and a couple of candles casting warm light throughout. The single long table was filled with all of Alaster''s favorite foods, and even a cake. Alaster had never had a cake before.

    He was the last to arrive as the Siphas family was already there, as were the two City Lord''s daughters with their own bodyguards standing at the edges of the room. Colius appeared to already be a few glasses in, as his speech was slightly slurred while talking with Lord Siphas about some random thing he had learned in his constant study.

    Isabella immediately noticed him and left the conversation she was having with the City Lord''s daughters to ran towards him. She didn''t even stop, and Alaster was forced to catch her as she slammed into him. Had he not expected something like this, it was likely he would have been knocked over.

    Lady Siphas walked over, laughing at the sight, "Hello Alaster and happy birthday."

    Alaster looked up at the woman with one of his exceedingly rare genuine smiles.

    Lady Siphas was a beautiful woman. She wasn''t a renown beauty, but she could turn heads quite easily. However, what really drew people towards her was her personality. She was kind and focused on whoever was speaking to her. She was a very charismatic woman. The Lady Siphas was a shorter woman, but was fit and thin. It still caused a light blush to creep into Alaster''s face seeing Lady Siphas as she seemed to perfectly fit into whatever she wore, without it ever seeming too loose or too tight.

    Without a doubt, Isabella had gotten her blonde hair from her mother and would grow up to attract many suitors.

    Lord Siphas followed right behind his wife, dressed well, but comfortably. His hand casually rested on the hilt of his sword, appearing ready if needed, but his eyes were tired. Alaster knew that he had been looking over his paperwork all day and had only left when his wife dragged him away.

    The two Daughters of the City Lord came up next, both dressed in beautiful gowns. Iris, the elder daughter, proudly carried a dagger, symbolizing that she was an adult by law. Not that she would truly be considered an adult until she was seventeen at the earliest. However, by turning fifteen, she was now eligible for marriage, and her father had already been forced to turn down or delay several offers.

    Iris'' brunette hair was beautifully done up in a braid, meant to keep out of the way if necessary. Alice, the younger daughter, had her hair in bouncy curls. While Iris was dressed in a more mature dress. Alice was the very image of a child, she only reined in her excitement for the occasion because her sister held her back.

    "Hello Alaster." Iris greeted as Alice simply nodded, scared that if she opened her mouth she would be too loud and be reprimanded by her sister.

    "Hey Iris. Who knows? Maybe tonight I''ll beat you in an arm wrestle."

    Iris smiled widely, "Maybe? No chance, I''ll make sure of it!"

    The rest of the group each greeted and congratulated Alaster, and then they all sat down to eat. Unlike the strict aura of formal Noble dinners, this was much more familiar. At one point, Isabella threw a bread roll at Colius only to have it fly through one portal and sent right back into her face by another.

    The occasion was filled with laughter and smiles. For the first time in a long while, Alaster was happy. And for the first time since his sister was taken, he allowed his constant planning to rest and be momentarily forgotten. Once the dinner was finished, Lady Siphas then corralled everyone over to some chairs and couches, where the gifts currently sat.

    Typically, gifts were only given for the child''s tenth and fifteenth year, as they marked milestones. However, as a commoner, and one in a remote village, he had only received two gifts before. The ring his sister had made him, which still sat on his finger. And a wooden practice sword his parents had given him, which he had been forced to leave.

    However, every person had brought a gift of their own for Alaster, even Isabella and little Alice. Alaster was overwhelmed, and genuinely did not know how to respond. He had never received so much.

    The Siphas'' had given Alaster a book of all known and common monsters. The boy was excited to read through it and learn more about the world he knew he would have to travel through. But just before they moved onto the next gift, Lord Siphas had moved closer to whisper something in his ear.

    "No matter what happens, you will always have a place in our family."

    That struck a nerve inside of Alaster, and he struggled to not tear up, but he forced it down and thanked the Lord, even as his voice cracked.

    The next gift came from Isabella, who excitedly shoved it into his hands. When he opened his hands, he saw a small amulet. It was not fancy, only a polished iron disk.

    "It''s enchanted to make you quieter." Isabella explained.

    Alaster''s and everyone else''s eyes widened.

    "It isn''t very powerful, but any little bit helps, right?"

    Alaster smiled as she recited what he had told her numerous times. He brought her in for a tight hug and only let go when Lady Siphas called for the next gift.

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    The next gift was from Alice, who gave Alaster another book, but this one detailed numerous classes up to Intermediate. Taking a short look through it, the book had at least a hundred beginner classes and even more Intermediate classes listed. The information it provided was very brief and generalized, but it was still a vast amount of knowledge that Alaster did not have previously.

    Information about classes were strangely kept from children by the adults. Only the most generalized information was told. The secret was not kept for any particular reason, just that the adults believed that the children should search for and learn it themselves, as they had done.

    Without waiting for lady Siphas to announce the next gift, Iris thrust hers forward. It was a large round shield, polished, but Alaster could tell that it was meant to take a serious beating. It was heavy, almost too heavy for Alaster, but from the grin on Iris'' face, it was meant to be.

    "This shield was made by my uncle when he was first starting out his Expert Class. He threw it away, claiming it to be a failure, but I kept it to give to you."

    An Expert made shield? Even if the creator thought it to be a failure, for a Beginner, it was still an unbelievably great item. And Alaster was still not a Beginner.

    Unexpectably, the next gift came from Lukas. The large man handed Alaster a dark purple, almost black cloak.

    "It is made from a Mid-Adept Monster''s hide."

    Another name for class rankings, and one usually used for monsters. Novice for Beginner, Adept for Intermediate.

    "It is waterproof, and water will slide off without soaking in. It is tight enough that no wind with get through. It is warm, but won''t cause you to overheat. It is also thick enough to deflect or blunt most glancing blows from Novice to Low-Adept attacks. Finally, I had it enchanted to be capable of repairing itself. The repair is automatic, but is very slow, and has its limits. I have personally tested each aspect and found it adequate as a gift for you."

    Alaster was stunned, not because of the cloak itself, though that itself was amazing, but because he had never heard Lukas speak that much in one go. Isabella had to nudge him to break him out of the trance.

    "Thank you, Lukas, both for the cloak and the training. You have taught me so much, and I hope you have more to teach."

    The giant nodded, "Celebrate the night, but training still starts at noon. Do. Not. Be. Late."

    Alaster shivered, thinking of the last time one of the guards had been late to their scheduled training. It was not something he wanted to experience himself.

    The last gift came from Colius, though Lukas had to lightly nudge the drunk to get his attention. However, a light nudge from Lukas was equivalent to a shove.

    "Ow! Be gentle, you brute, I''m old!" Colius complained, shooting the man a glare while rubbing his arm where Lukas had touched.

    "Gift." Lukas said, pointedly looking at Alaster.

    Colius looked at Alaster, his mind slowed by the many glasses. It took several awkward moments for understanding to bloom in his eyes.

    "Ah, right. Here you go, lad." Without any ceremony, Colius reached into his pocket and threw a ring at Alaster, who rushed to catch it as the throw had been way off.

    As Alaster examined the ring, Colius went back to sipping his drink.

    "Colius?" Alaster asked, forgoing the wizard''s title.

    "Hmm?"

    "When did you become an Expert?"

    The entire room exploded in noise, and it took Lady Siphas several minutes to calm everyone enough to sit back down.

    With an almost evil chuckle, Colius explained, "I finally became an Expert just two days ago. I was so embroiled in my research that I almost missed it. But catch it I did! The surprise forced me from my focus, allowing me to notice the date. I realized that I had not yet occurred a gift for you, young Alaster, so I thought I would make a Ring of Holding for you.

    Had I made a Bag of Holding, the space would be much bigger, but a Bag could be lost."

    Alaster spoke up, "And you wanted to see if you could make a Ring."

    "Yes." The man shamelessly admitted. "And it worked."

    A Ring of Holding was vastly more complex than a Bag of Holding. The powers used were similar, but it was the very concept that was so alien. Most Warp Mages were unable to make a Ring of Holding until they were Mid-Experts, but Colius had been able to create one because he already understood the concepts and ideas due to his constant study.

    Typically, the space within Rings were much smaller than Bags. However, there were two major differences. Unlike Bags, Rings required the user to inject a miniscule amount of mana into it in order to access the space. And Unlike Bags, where you had to reach into to access the space, Rings allowed the user to simply have the item appear in their hand.

    Alaster opened his mouth to thank the drunk man, but was interrupted by a loud banging on the Banquet Hall doors. All the Guards stiffened, and their hands crept closer to their swords.

    Had it been a guest, they would have been announced. And had it been a servant, they would have quietly opened the door and approached the Lord.

    The Daughters'' Bodyguards stepped in front of their charges, as did Alaster in front of Isabella. Colius immediately sobered up, and snatched the ring back from Alaster, quickly making all the night''s gifts disappear within, before he gave it back. Without looking away, Alaster put the ring on the finger next to his sister''s ring, and put his hand on the handle of his sword.

    Lukas grabbed his shield from his back, but kept his sword sheathed. After a slight nod from Lord Siphas, the giant approached the doors and slowly cracked one open. Alaster could not see who was on the other side, but from the posture of Lukas, he could tell they were exchanging words.

    After a moment, Lukas closed the door again and quickly returned to his Lord, whispering in his ear.

    Lord Siphas'' eyes blazed, any prior exhaustion burning away. It spun towards Colius, "Get a portal up, anywhere away from here."

    Colius did not hesitate and began the incantation. For small portals, he could make them instantly, but for portals large enough for a person, it still required some time, and the further away the portal was, the longer the incantation.

    Just as Alaster noticed blue sparks appear in the air in front of Colius, the doors to the banquet hall burst open and a dozen men in black masks sprinted in, weapons raised. The Guards inside the hall rushed to meet them to protect their Lords and Ladies.

    Alaster drew his sword and stepped forward to join the defense, but Lord Siphas roughly grabbed his arm, holding him back.

    "Kill the Heretic! Ignore the rest!" One of the masked men shouted, clearly the leader.

    Alaster''s eyes widened and his grip on his drawn sword tightened. They had found him. Somehow they had tracked him all the way from the village to Onigas.

    Despite being outnumbered, the Guards held their ground. Each of them were the Elite Guards of the leading Nobility of Onigas. Lukas himself held off five of the masked men. The battle had only lasted a few moments, but already most of the Guards and many of the masked men sported wounds, dying the wood floor underneath with their blood. However, as of yet, none had fallen.

    Lady Siphas corralled the frightened children into the far corner, and drew her own weapon. A slender rapier. She would not let anyone reach the children without first painting the steel.

    Lord Siphas kept Alaster close to Colius and the forming portal. Luckily, where they had been opening gifts, it was against the far wall and had the large table in between. As Alaster watched, one of the masked men rushed past Lukas and jumped unto the table, but he did not take another step as Lukas reached behind him and grabbed the ankle of the man, throwing him away from his lord.

    "Alaster, get through this portal, and don''t come back until it is safe."

    "What about the rest of you? What about Isabella?"

    "We will be fine! By now, the rest of the Guards would have heard the commotion. Help will come. They are here for you! If you want to protect Isabella, right now, that means getting away from her!"

    "M''lord!" Colius called, signalling that the portal was ready.

    Without waiting for Alaster to object, Lord Siphas grabbed Alaster by the collar and threw him through the portal. Colius closed it right after.

    Alaster landed roughly, but he scrambled to his feet, holding his sword in front of him, but there was no enemy. All was quiet.

    He was alone once more.

 Chapter 11- Death Mage

    Alaster did not allow himself to panic. He allowed his mask to fall off, allowing his Cold and Violent self to appear. His heart immediately slowed. His stance relaxed into the one he had trained in. And his eyes looked everywhere, seeking for any possible threat.

    However, the forest was quiet. There was no rampaging beast or screaming monster. It was an uncomfortable silence, but not one that was threatening. The thick snow that covered the world around the boy dampened any sound.

    Allowing himself to relax, Alaster shivered. The fancy new clothes that Isabella had bought him were meant to be worn during the winter months, but they were meant to be worn with a coat of some kind while outside.

    Alaster remembered the cloak that Lukas had gifted him and glanced at the ring, where it was stored, but without mana, he could not access it. It was a simple ring, only an Iron Band. Alaster would have worried about its durability, but he knew that Dimensional Bags and Rings were strengthened naturally by the magic.

    A strong gust of wind pushed into Alaster, forcing him to take a step and huddle against himself. Remembering some of the lessons his father had taught him about staying warm in the winter, Alaster rushed over to a cluster of trees near where he had fallen.

    The trees would block the wind from that direction, and Alaster huddled against it. Alaster hyped himself up and began to dig through the surrounding snow, piling it up on the edges. In this way, he fashioned himself a small little hole that would further protect him from the wind. He faintly remembered that the snow would also slightly insulate him, making him warmer. It seemed weird to him that snow could help to keep him warm, but he didn''t doubt his father''s words. He already remembered so little of them.

    Alaster rubbed his hands together and kept them close to his body to warm them back up. As he did so, the boy looked up through the tree branches and saw the sky obscured by thick clouds. As he watched, the cloud passed in front of the moon, blocking what little pale light it sent to the world below, and darkness took hold.

    Alaster had never feared the dark. But he did learn to fear it, or more specifically, the creatures that called it home. And he was not the only one in the forest that felt the same. As the light retreated, what little noise the creatures of the forest gave off, quieted even more, casting the woods into silence.

    The boy could not do anything more, at least, he did not know what more he could do at that moment. He had no clue where Colius had sent him, so he had no idea where the City lay. If he moved from that spot, he would likely freeze or at the very least get very sick. And that was if the Monsters that hunted at night did not find him first.

    So, the boy sat and waited. Even as his blood boiled, urging him to return to Onigas and protect Isabella from the masked men, he stayed still. Those men had been looking for him, and had somehow found him. Alaster simply hoped that they would leave the Siphas family alone now that he was gone.

    Alaster briefly entertained the idea that the rest of the guards had arrived in time, and they had either captured or killed the masked men, but he doubted it. After all, the men had somehow gotten past all the guards undetected. The boy then wondered if they had somehow killed all the guards to get past, but that would not have been possible.

    The masked men were without a doubt a powerful group, but he had seen them struggle to get past the guards in the Banquet Hall, and they outnumbered the guards. Even if they specialized in sneak attacks and ambushes, Alaster doubted they would have been able to do so repeatedly without a single guard calling the alarm.

    [Receiving your Class in ten seconds. Be prepared.]

    ''Now? I''m getting my class now?''

    Alaster''s mind raced. His heart beat faster in excitement. Every child wished they got their class sooner. Having a Class meant so much to everyone. It practically defined who you were. Alaster had personally seen some of the older kids in the village have their entire lives thrown around when they got their Class.

    A kid could spend their entire life hoping and training to receive a Warrior Type Class with a sword, but then get an Archer Type Class.

    As those ten seconds passed, oh so very slowly, Alaster''s mind recognized this as the first step to his revenge. He would grow in strength, and then hunt down each and every person responsible for his family''s murder and theft.

    The tenth second came and immediately, Alaster''s entire body was racked with pain. More so than he had ever endured, even when he took that beating from the man attempting to kidnap Isabella. Every muscle in his body clenched, but it not do anything to alleviate the agony. Alaster opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was a pitiful gasp.

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    His entire body felt like it was being burned by a Dragon''s flame, but his veins felt like ice shards were being shoved through. The boy began to bleed from the nose and his eyes turned bloodshot.

    But then, just as it seemed to last for ages, it vanished, just as suddenly as it had come.

    All the strength left from Alaster''s body, and he slumped against the trees and the frozen ground, gasping for breath.

    [Congratulations. You have received the Class: Death Mage]

    The words appeared before his eyes, even when he closed them, the words were still there. As soon as his mind processed the final word, they vanished, and new lines appeared.

    [You have been gifted the Spell: Necrotic Bolt]

    [You have been gifted the Spell: Raise Undead]

    [You have been gifted the Spell: Bone Crafting]

    [To see your Status, simply think ''Status''. It may also be easier to say ''Status'']

    Alaster immediately thought it, and before him, appeared his Status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 1

    EXP: 0%

    Health: 120/120

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 130/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity: 11

    Constitution: 14 (12+2)

    Wisdom: 19 (14+5)

    Intelligence: 16 (13+3)]

    As he had been told, his Status told him a lot, but just left him with more questions. In fact, just about the only question that was answered was why Mage Types level so much slower than any other Type at the lower levels.

    Ten stat points was the expected and normal someone would be, at level 1. Anything above, or even below, was due to something they had done. Alaster had worked out his body, which gave him physical stats above the standard ten. He had taken lessons and learned as much as he could, which gave him increased mental stats.

    Strength determined how hard they could hit with a melee weapon, but this was heavily reliant on the weapon, and its usage. If someone with 100 strength attacked a monster made of rock with a rapier, he would do less damage than someone with 50 strength who attacked the same monster with a hammer. The location, and even the angle, of the hit was also crucial.

    Dexterity was how fast or quick they physically were. How easily they could maneuver their body. Weapons such as bows, or daggers used Dexterity more than Strength when calculating damage, though strength still played a role, just like DEX did with STR weapons, such as hammers.

    Constitution was how tough the person was, both to damage and kill. If a person with 100 CON was attacked while they had no armor, they would still take less damage than a person with 50 CON who had on armor. Each point in Constitution, above ten, granted an additional 5 health. As for its regeneration, each ten points over 10 would grant an additional 1 Health Regen, making healing much more important at higher levels.

    Wisdom''s prime factor was how quickly you regenerated mana. Every ten WIS over the standard ten would give you another point in Mana Regen. The second factor was how quickly you could cast a spell. However, this increase in speed was not detailed in the Status, and was more of a feeling. It was the most important Stat for most Battle Mages.

    Lastly, there was Intelligence. INT determined how large of a Mana Pool one had access to. Similar to CON, a point in INT would grant 5 Mana. INT was crucial for any Mage because as the Mage leveled his Class, they would have access to stronger magic, but that stronger magic cost more Mana. And while many spells would cost less mana as it was leveled, some cost even more. INT also determined just how effective the spell was, such as its damage, or area. But just as with WIS, this was not in the Status and could only be felt or seen.

    Alaster also knew there were bonuses once a stat reached 50, 100, and 200. However, those bonuses were different and tailored to each class.

    A Warp Mage like Colius had put most of his points into INT, as the majority of spells Warp Mages used were Mana intensive. But another mage might have a lot of smaller spells, which used less mana. Meanwhile, very few abilities of a Warrior Type Class used mana at all.

    Alaster shook his head to clear it. Looking again at his Status, he saw that CON, WIS, and INT all had modifiers. But he knew what they were. Each Novice Class granted ten stat points, distributed among the stats depending on the Class itself. They were very important. Not only for the numbers themselves, but because it was practically the only clue a Novice would get as to what their class specialized in. That and the starting Spells, for mages, and Abilities, for non-mages.

    As a Mage, it was obvious that his starting Stats would be in WIS and INT, but he was surprised that he would also get some in CON. After all, Spell casters were usually attacking from a distance. If the enemy was close enough to hurt the Mage, he had already failed.

    Alaster would have thought that if he did get Starting Stats in a third stat, that it would be DEX, so he could avoid attacks better. But clearly his Class felt differently.

    The numbers of the Starting Stats were just as important. His Class had put emphasis on WIS over INT, but an entire two points, while CON was only behind INT by one. Each level would grant five stat points, but that did not mean the person could not train and raise the stats by itself. The Class was practically telling Alaster to focus on WIS first, and INT and CON second.

    A strong gust of wind blew across the slow, kicking up a small flurry. Alaster shivered again and glanced at his ring. Now that he had Mana, he could access the ring.

 Chapter 12- Seeker

    From his lessons with Colius, Alaster learned how to manipulate mana. But knowing how to do something was vastly different from experiencing it yourself. It did, however, give the boy a much needed boost.

    Colius had explained that all mana was different for each user. A Light mage felt warmth and bright from their mana. A Fire mage felt burning heat. A Water Mage felt soothing coolness. In fact, just about the only thing that was the same across all users of Mana, was that their own unique feeling they received from theirs, felt comfortable to them.

    Even if they would normally hate the feeling. Such as Alaster and his mana. When he touched his mana with his will, it reacted violently. Alaster felt a sense of cold that seeped deeply into his very being. However, it moved slowly, until Alaster gave it a direction, then the mana moved like a tidal wave actively seeking to destroy.

    Alaster struggled to control his mana. Colius had taught that mana was naturally free. He had said numerous times that mana, and therefore magic, does not suffer fools. One had to keep a tight grip on it, or it would run wild, damaging everything it touched.

    Colius had also compared mana to a War Horse. Completely stubborn and outright violent to those it deemed a threat. But if you could tame it, make it see you as its master, it would be a staunch ally.

    Being a brand new Novice, Alaster was currently dealing with the War Horse side of mana.

    It wanted to escape. Had it been mana from a Fire Mage, it would want to burn everything it touched. Had it been Ice, it would have wanted to freeze everything it touched. But the feeling Alaster got from his mana, was that it simply wanted to destroy.

    Alaster struggled to control his mana, and this was apparent even from the outside. Anyone watching Alaster would have seen the young man, huddled against a tree in a snowy pit, with his eyes closed, and thin streams of sickly green fog faintly glowing, exiting his body from his eyes and mouth.

    However, Alaster did manage to fight against his mana enough to power the Ring of Holding.

    Alaster was not quite sure what to expect, and it surprised him. As his mana filled the Ring, in his mind, a two by two meter box appeared in his mind. The boy could ''see'' all the items Colius had put in the ring. Most of them were the gifts of that night, but not all.

    Besides the gifts that Alaster expected to see, he also saw a small hatchet.

    ''Why would that be in here?'' Alaster thought to himself as he willed for the cloak to appear in his hands.

    The cloak appear instantly, the only hint as to its appearance coming from a few extremely faint particles of mana that dissolved almost instantly. The mana was Alaster''s own. The Ring required it to access the Dimensional pocket.

    Alaster quickly put it own and almost sighed in relief. It was just as Lukas had promised. The Cloak, itself, was not warm, but it completely blocked the near constant wind that seemed to sap the heat from Alaster''s body. And it was insulated. The heat any living mammal gave off around them, was instead trapped by the cloak and used to help heat the boy.

    However, he did not just pull out the cloak. Alaster also put out the shield, and propped it up in the snow. Instead of blocking attacks, the gift was now used to shield Alaster even further from the wind.

    Alaster then took out Isabella''s amulet and put it around his neck. He wished he could take out Alice''s book about the Classes, but he had no light to read with, nor was he in a rush to start a fire. Despite the more than welcome heat it would provide to the young man, it would also be like a beacon to the monsters, as well as the masked men hunting for him.

    Alaster put the hood of the cloak up, finding it large enough to cover his entire head. He tried to get comfortable, before settling down and closing his eyes. The day, and the events of the night, had exhausted the young man, and he was soon asleep.

    But it was not a restful night. If he was not woken by every little sound of the forest, fearing for a monster to attack him. Then his sleep was disrupted by the constant nightmares of the masked men finding him and chasing him through the forest.

    *****

    Lord Siphas rubbed the bridge of his nose as he leaned back in his chair.

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    ''Why tonight?''

    The night had started off so well. He was tired from his paperwork, but that was nothing new. But all he had to do was show up to the party. His wife had taken care of everything. Lord Siphas had genuinely been glad to see Alaster smile and laugh.

    He did not know it himself, but he had started to see Alaster as a son. Always seeing the boy in such bad spirits had dwelled on him over the years, so seeing the boy enjoy himself for once was like finally losing the weight of an anvil off his shoulders.

    "Elliot," Lady Siphas called for her husband''s attention, "I finally got Isabella to sleep. Do you need any help before I retire for the night?"

    "No, my darling. I''ll be to bed in a moment."

    They both knew that was a lie, but neither brought attention to it. Elliot''s wife, Nora, had long realized that trying to drag him to bed while he was working was practically pointless. Even just dragging him away for tonight''s party had been a struggle. And now, his work had just doubled overnight.

    The short battle between the masked men and the Guards had been a vicious one. However, none of the injuries were too horrible. Luckily, it seemed, that none of the masked men were Mages, or the Siphas Estate would likely be missing a Banquet Hall.

    The battle had been a losing one for the Guards the entire time. It was almost certain they would have broken through given time. And yet, the moment the Portal had closed behind Alaster, they ordered a retreat and quickly disengaged.

    Lukas, and the Daughter''s Guards, had stayed behind while the rest of the Guards pursued, and were quickly joined by the rest of the Guard and eventually the City Guards. They had chased the masked men as they split up and ran throughout the city. A skirmish here and there had been conducted, however it seemed the masked men were more interested in escaping than battle. None were seriously injured.

    However, unknown to the people of Onigas, the masked men were not escaping. Instead, they immediately realized that the Warp Mage was weakened by both age and drink, and that he would not have been able to send Alaster very far. They were not escaping, but continued to hunt.

    While Nora had comforted the terrified children, Elliot had been managing the situation as best as he could. It had been going well, at least as well as it could, until the City Lord arrived.

    The City Lord of Onigas was a fair and just man, even the criminals had to admit, but he could turn into a terrifying tyrant when it came to his children. So being woken in the middle of the night, and being told that a large group of skilled men had drawn weapon and blood near them... The City Lord would be needing a new bed and several doors.

    Luckily, Iris had calmed herself down enough to yell at her father, and like a dog caught in the act, he hung his head and apologized. However, before he took his daughters back with him, he promised that his personal Guards, the City''s version of Royal Guards, would be assisting.

    As the masked men searched for Kilometers around the City, hastened by the people of Onigas chasing them, no one, not even Lord Siphas himself, expected that Alaster would be so much further. Colius had been drunk enough not to know quite where he sent the boy, but not enough to impair the distance. A distance that had been dramatically improved after he became an Expert.

    It had been several hours since the portal closed, and the pursuit had been mostly called off as the majority simply could not keep up. The Royal Guards of Onigas were the only ones still chasing, and even occasionally engaging, but each time, the masked men managed to escape.

    Even the Siphas Estate was calming down. In fact, besides the usual servants and guards that stayed up, only Elliot and Colius were awake. While Elliot fought to retain order, capture the masked men, figure out how they got in, and create a way to prevent this from happening again. Colius was beating himself up for losing Alaster.

    Even when Elliot finally joined his wife, Colius was up in his study, desperately searching through his vast amount of research for a way to find Alaster, and bring him back.

    But, Colius was not the only one. Deep underground, a man whose face was hidden by shadow, was receiving constant updates from his agents, who had failed to capture their target and were forced to flee. Another person in the room shook her head.

    "I''m sorry sir, but I told you, that was the only chance to find the boy. It''ll take me another decade to gather enough power to locate him again."

    The man sighed, "I know. Thank you anyway."

    "How is she?" The woman asked.

    "She talks about him almost constantly. If he has even half the connection to her as she does to him, He will never let her go."

    "Why did you not eliminate him the same night, then?"

    "The agents that night were not aware there was a sibling. It was not until they returned, they learned otherwise."

    "Sir, if I may, you are looking too deep into this. He is just a boy from some random village, he will most likely end up just like any other random peasant. Forgotten."

    "Perhaps you are correct. I truly hope so. I just can''t get rid of this pit of worry. Something is telling me that this boy will be crucial in someway."

    "What does she know?"

    "Nothing. We told her that her parents had given her to us, so she could amount to something greater. She believes us."

    "Why wouldn''t she? She is but a child. What about the boy''s mission with her?"

    "I have not needed to even tell him. He has taken a shine to her, and her to him."

    "Then let us hope we succeed, for Lissura!" The woman decreed.

    "For Lissura," The man agreed, "May the Gods forgive us."

 Chapter 13- First Magic

    When the sun began to rise and cast away the darkness of that cold night, Alaster gave up trying to sleep. He even considered the possibly that he would have felt more rested if he had not even tried to sleep.

    The boy carefully peeked over the berm of snow he had constructed the night before and searched for any threats. Finding none, Alaster stood up and stretched, shaking off the dusting of snow he had received. Alaster yawned as he grabbed the shield from the snow. It had served its purpose well, which was not at all the purpose it had been created.

    Alaster smirked at the thought of how Iris would react if she knew he had used the gift she had snuck away from her uncle to give to him. Straining slightly to lift the shield, Alaster considered putting it back in his Ring, where weight was negated. But he decided he did not want to wrestle with his mana, as exhausted as he was. At least, not right now.

    Instead, Alaster put it on the ground and sat on it, using it as a dry seat. Had Iris seen her gift used that way, she would have been pulling her hair out. However, had her Uncle seen it, he likely would have laughed. After all, it was a failed project of his, using common scrap as material. If Iris had not stolen it from his ''to be dismantled'' pile, it would have been melted down and used in some other project.

    Alaster rubbed his hands together to get the blood flowing as he considered his next step. He had no idea where he was, or what direction Onigas lay. Alaster did not know how far Colius had sent him, but he had heard stories of Expert Warp Mages being able to open portals hundreds of kilometers away.

    He was never one to believe those sorts of stories, but he understood that in each story, there was a kernel of truth. As did the best lies, as he had learned from watching the Nobility of Onigas. Nor did he think Colius would be able to do that even on his best day.

    Colius was a good Wizard, a user of magic who instead focused on the academic aspect of magic. While Mages, used their ability practically, whether it be battle or craft. Colius was a great Wizard in fact, but his abilities in magic had been stunted as a result, and that was not even taking into account his age, or the fact that he had been drinking.

    But, even if he did know where he was and how to get back to Onigas, should he? They had found him in Onigas. Onigas, a small independent city that barely registered on maps of the region and was regularly forgotten by practically everyone. And still they found him.

    Even if they could not actively track him, they had already found him in Onigas, and would have learned of his relations with the Siphas Family. They would be watching them, distantly, as it was still another nation''s leading families, but watching. And who was to say that if they attacked him again at the Siphas Family, they would not bring a larger force. A force capable of harming or even killing the people Alaster cared about.

    No, Alaster could not return to Onigas. He could not allow these people to hurt someone he cared about again. He could not return to any of them, at least not until he could protect not only himself, but them as well. Easier said than done. Alaster still did not even know who ''they'' were. But he had a feeling that if he learned who ''they'' were before he was strong enough, he would be killed.

    ''Come to think of it, I still haven''t looked at the spells I got.''

    Alaster would have slapped himself for forgetting something so crucial, if he had not been nearly killed, sent away, and nearly froze. Things tended to slip the mind in those circumstances.

    Calling up his Status, Alaster studied each of them intently.

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 1: 0%

    Fires a single bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Mana Cost: 10]

    Alaster did not know what Necrotic energy was or what it did, but he was excited to figure it out. Unfortunately, he would only be able to use the spell ten times before he ran out of mana. Which did explain why Mages struggled to level up at the early levels. They had to rest much longer and much more often than their Warrior or Archer Type peers.

    Many, but certainly not all, spells could also level up themselves, through repeated use. However, Alaster had heard rumors about other ways to level up spells, but it was just that, a rumor. As a spell leveled up, the mana cost would usually decrease. And at certain levels, usually every five levels, it would be given a choice between different effects for the spell to learn.

    Someone might level their spell to fire multiple projectiles with a single cast. Or be able to manipulate the path of it after it had been cast. Alaster had heard of countless variations of the same spell, including simply changing the color of the spell.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 1: 0%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    ''Costly.''

    Alaster also took note of the max number and the defining part of the corpse, small. It made sense in a way. It would be pretty ridiculous to see a level one Death Mage be able to summon a dragon as their first Undead, or an army.

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 1: 0%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

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    Mana Cost: 10/min]

    A crafting spell, clearly. But Alaster pondered what he could use it for. The young man had never heard of anything being made of bone. At least nothing that would help him. The only thing that really came to mind was glue or bone meal. But then he quickly remembered that glue was made with hooves or horns, which were a different material than bone.

    Alaster also did not have any intention to start farming. Unable to see a single use for this spell, Alaster was tempted to ignore it, but if his Class decided it important enough to be one of his starter spells, it was apparently important. And it certainly was not like Alaster could afford to not use everything at his disposal.

    Unfortunately, two of his spells required something to already be dead, and he did not even know the effects of his Necrotic Bolt. Luckily, he still had the sword he had bought. And the Hatchet, which still puzzled him. Why was it in the Ring to begin with?

    Alaster would not be surprised to learn that immediately upon successfully creating the Ring of Holding, Colius had grabbed the first thing that came to hand and tested it. And he had been so excited to record the entire experience that he forgot to take it back out. Colius had originally had the Hatchet to test one of his theories.

    Before the young man could continue to think, his stomach growled. However, it was winter and food would be scarce in the dense forest. Pretty much the only food would be the kind Alaster would have to hunt and kill. Luckily, that would serve multiple purposes. He would be able to test his spells, as well as be able to find something to eat. If he could find anything.

    From the sounds he had heard during the night, creatures lived in the forest, which meant there was food for them to eat, as well as themselves.

    Alaster stood up and stretched his body, much like he would before training with Lukas. It took him a few minutes, but when he was done, he felt much warmer. Kneeling down, Alaster put his hand on the shield and prepared himself to wrestle his mana once again. It had not been a pleasant experience, even if the feeling of his own mana was.

    It took the young man nearly ten minutes to finally activate his Ring and put the shield inside its pocket dimension. Once he was done, Alaster stepped out of the shallow pit and began to kick the snow back in to fill it.

    Even in his excitement of his Class, he had not forgotten that he had people hunting him. He did not know how far away they were, or even if they knew where he was. Either way, Alaster did not want to leave a single sign of his passing. Alaster tossed some leaves and pine needles on top of the filled in pit and called it good.

    Not knowing where anything was in relation to his location, Alaster simply decided to head west, so the rising sun was at his back and would not blind him. Alaster traveled quickly, but quietly. Just as Isabella had said, the amulet was muffling any sound directly created by him. It was a minor effect, but Alaster was able to notice the difference if he focused.

    It was nearly four hours later that Alaster came upon his first prey. A fat boar, digging through the snow to reach what little plant life remained. Seeing the large tusks, that looked very sharp, Alaster did not want to get anywhere close. Instead, he decided that he would use his spell, Necrotic Bolt.

    Alaster crouched behind a tree and peeked out. The boar had not noticed him, Alaster had remembered the lessons from his father and kept his prey upwind of him. The young man carefully raised his hand and lined it up to his target.

    Spell casters did not need to do an incantation to use a spell, if they had enough mastery over it. Alaster, did not.

    Forced to use an incantation, "Necrotic Bolt."

    Even spoken under his breath, the Boar immediately perked up and turned in his direction. But it was too late.

    Alaster felt his mana leave his body and collect at his open palm, where it began to swirl. Alaster saw his own mana for the first time. The sickly green fog had seemed to take on a violent water texture. As it built up, it grew bigger and spun faster. And then, it shot out from his hand and towards its target. As it flew, it elongated, its point becoming more and more narrow. And then it hit the side of the boar.

    It had formed in a second and hit its target over five meters away in less than even that.

    The Boar squealed in pain, its entire body shaking. Its eyes locked on Alaster, but instead of attacking, it instead turned around and ran. At least, it tried to. The moment the Bolt hit, the flesh around the wound seemed to dissolve and expand. It was sickening, it squeals of pain only adding to the disturbing scene. But Alaster did not allow himself to turn away. This was a part of him now. Whether he liked it or not.

    The spread of the Necrotic Energy stopped after a moment, but by then, it had dissolved a doublewide fist sized hole, both inside and outside the point of impact. Alaster quickly approached with his sword drawn, but he did not need to bother. The Boar had died quickly, if painfully.

    Not wasting time, Alaster bent down and started to carve into the meat. He made a point to avoid any meat even close to the hole, but the boar was fat enough for there to be plenty of meat left. Normally, when butchering an animal on while on the hunt, you would leave the bones as they were just dead weight. But Alaster ensured that any bone that came loose was kept in a pile. He had uses for them.

    Finished with the animal, Alaster once again fought with his mana to use his ring, putting all but a few pieces of meat inside. For the rest, he quickly cleared a spot of snow and started a fire. As a village born and raised child, Alaster knew how to start a fire, even if all he had were two sticks, such as now.

    Alaster relished in the heat of the fire, small as it was. Sticking the meat, his soon to be breakfast, on a stick, Alaster set it over the flames to cook. As it cooked, Alaster allowed himself to wonder at the effectiveness of his Necrotic Bolt. It had practically eaten the flesh of the Boar. Only needing a single cast to kill it.

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 1: 10%

    Fires a single bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Mana Cost: 10]

    ''Huh, ten percent with a single use? I only needed to use it as much as I had mana for. But if I used the spell on a tree, would it increase? Or does it need an actual target?''

    Alaster did not know, but nor was he in a hurry to try. He was starving, but even more than that, he was careful. He did not want to use all his mana and then be practically defenceless if a threat appeared.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 1

    EXP: 2%

    Health: 120/120

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 127/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity: 11

    Constitution: 14

    Wisdom: 19

    Intelligence: 16]

    The spell had taken ten mana, and while he had started a fire and begun cooking, most of it had already regenerated. Alaster also took note that his Class EXP had increase by two percent.

    ''Great! I only have to kill forty-nine more Boars just like this one!'' Alaster thought sarcastically.

    Satisfied with the sizzling meat, Alaster took a bite of the tough meat. It was a boring meal, especially after he had grown used to eating with a Noble Family, but he was too hungry to care.

    However, as he opened his mouth to take another bite, Alaster heard a crunch of snow to the side.

    Something was there.

 Chapter 14- New Buddy

    Alaster dropped the meat, grabbed his sword, and spun around.

    A single Goblin, clearly lost and too hungry to think properly. It was roughly four meters away and had a short spear. It had been attracted by the smell. Alaster did not hesitate to send a Necrotic Bolt flying.

    The Goblin may have been too hungry for much thought, but was not too hungry for basic survival instinct. It did not try to dodge and instead just dropped to the ground. The Bolt shot overhead, slamming into a tree behind it and dissolving harmlessly.

    Even when faced with an enemy, Alaster took note of this.

    As the Goblin struggled to stand, as weak as it was due to starvation. Alaster sent another Bolt at it. His aim had been off. He had been aiming for the chest of the Goblin, but the bolt had instead hit the Goblin''s leg.

    It screamed as the Necrotic Energy began to eat its flesh. It tried to clutch at the leg in a desperate attempt to stop the spread, but it did nothing. The spread ignored its hands and continued to eat its way up the leg.

    Once again, Alaster took note that the Necrotic Energy had not jumped from one limb to another, despite making contact.

    The Goblin collapsed in the snow, spasming in pain, and throwing snow everywhere. The snow was only a foot deep in most sections and was loose. It did not take long for the claws of the Goblin to dig through the snow and reach the frozen ground underneath, where it stopped.

    Eventually, the spread stopped after eating through roughly the same sized hole as it did the Boar. But the Goblin remained alive, it had lost any strength to scream, let alone fight back. The Bolt had not hit a vital area, which only seemed to prolong the pain.

    Alaster calmly walked over, kicking away the sharpened stick it called a spear, further away from where the Goblin had dropped it. The Goblin watched Alaster crouch next to it, too weak to do anything about it. Alaster weighed simply stabbing it in the heart, but in the end, decided he would prefer the EXP for his spell.

    Spell Casters could learn physical abilities if they trained enough, but Alaster did not have any currently, and was not in a rush to learn them at the moment. At least not when he still had spells to level up.

    In the back of his mind, Alaster did recognize the use in having Skills to use when he ran out of mana for his Spells.

    If he was honest with himself, Alaster simply wanted to see if the Necrotic Bolt would have a different effect if it was used up close.

    Alaster raised his hand and fired another Bolt, this time only a meter away, and aiming at its face. The Bolt slammed into the head of the Goblin, throwing it back. It was dead before it fell. Alaster forced himself to watch the Bolt eat the flesh of the Goblin''s face, revealing its skull. It was a disturbing sight that made his own skin crawl, but he did not turn away.

    Once the Bolt stopped, Alaster called up his status once more, focusing on his Level EXP and his Spell EXP. Surprising him, that was all that appeared. It seemed, that if Alaster wished for it, he could summon specific parts of his status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 1

    EXP: 12%]

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 1: 30%

    Fires a single bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Mana Cost: 10]

    ''So Necrotic Bolt needs an actual enemy to get EXP.'' He had not gained any EXP for the first Bolt that missed.

    ''But it looks like this single Goblin gave me ten whole percent, while the Boar had only given two. Why? I would rather fight Goblins than Boars.''

    But Alaster ignored that and looked at his Mana.

    [Mana: 102/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min]

    ''Still got plenty.''

    Standing up and taking a deep breath, Alaster once again rose his hand towards the Goblin. But this time, cast a different spell.

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    "Raise Undead."

    Had Alaster not raised his hand or spoken, there would have been no indication that Alaster was the one raised the dead Goblin was him. No visible mana stream connected the two. The moment Alaster had cast the spell, the deep sickly green of his mana began to coat the corpse of the Goblin. It was thicker than when he cast the Bolt and seemed to be more of a fog.

    It quickly coated the body. Alaster leaned in a little, seeing the remaining flesh of the Goblin begin to bubble. He was confused, but then remembered some of the experiments he had assisted Colius with. Alaster dived away from the Corpse and not a moment later, it exploded. Small bits of flesh fell, but surprisingly, there was no Goblin Blood.

    Alaster carefully stood up once more and looked around. It had been a small, localized, explosion. The small chunks of flesh only spread out in a two meter area. However, what truly caught his attention was the Goblin Skeleton that was standing up.

    Alaster raised his sword, ready for anything, but the Goblin Skeleton simply stood there, staring at him.

    Several tense moments passed, at least for Alaster, but nothing happened. It took him a moment to understand.

    "Jump."

    The Skeleton jumped, reaching nearly two meters high.

    "Goblins certainly can''t jump that high."

    In fact, Alaster had never really heard of any Goblin jumping. Leaping at their prey, yes, but actually jumping, no.

    Alaster quickly took a look at his mana and spell.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 1: 20%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Mana: 53/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min]

    ''Holy shit, I have an Undead Goblin as my minion!''

    A bit of Childish joy seeped through the cold visage, Alaster normally displayed.

    ''Can I see its status?''

    [Goblin Skeleton

    Health: 55/55

    Strength: 8

    Dexterity: 12

    Constitution: 6]

    Alaster immediately noticed several differences.

    First, it had no level. So it could not grow stronger. Which did make sense in some way.

    Second, it had no health regeneration. Which means it could not heal, which again made sense as it was no longer living. Nor did it have any flesh to heal in the first place.

    Third, it had no Mana of any sort, nor the Wisdom or Intelligence stat. It could not use any magic.

    Fourth, it was truly pathetic. Its stats were all below a normal fifteen year old, except for its DEX, which was only a little better. From the looks of it, the Goblin had the standard CON of five, only half of a human. And a normal health of fifty.

    Alaster was a little disappointed by its Stats, but then again, he did just create a skeleton which could serve and fight for him. Alaster was already thinking of ways to use it.

    Nodding to himself, Alaster returned to the fire, and put the meat back over the fire as it had cooled quickly, being dropped in the snow. As it reheated, Alaster noticed that the Skeleton had followed him on its own and was staring blankly ahead.

    As Alaster watched the meat over the flames, his first thought for the Skeleton was for it to protect him from any attacks while he dealt the actual damage with his [Necrotic Bolt]. His next thought quickly fell to the shield in his ring, but he discarded that thought. If he struggled to hold it with his twelve STR, the Goblin would not be able to hold it with its eight STR.

    However, he did recall the hatchet in his ring. Currently, he did not have a use for it. It was too small for him to use in a fight, but would be a good size for the Goblin Skeleton.

    The meat began to sizzle once more, and Alaster ate it while he remembered the level of his [Raise Undead] Spell. Just one cast had raised it a fifth of the way to level two. He would have to use the spell four more times.

    ''Could I just unsummon the Goblin Skeleton and cast it again?''

    He was tempted to try it, but he was already running fairly low on mana and if it did not work, Alaster did not want to lose his only skeleton.

    After Alaster finished eating the meat, he was feeling much better. He once again fought with his mana, but noticed that did not take him as long. Accessing his Ring of Holding, Alaster took out the hatchet and Alice''s book.

    Alaster tossed the hatchet in front of the Skeleton.

    ''"Use it and protect me." Alaster commanded, not quite sure if it would work. But it did.

    The Skeleton bent down and picked up the hatchet before he began to slowly wander around Alaster. Alaster finally studied his new minion. To be perfectly honest, its skull was the only real difference between a Goblin skeleton and a Human one. Its bones were slightly thicker, but it seemed to be more compacted, like something had pushed down on its head and forced the rest of the bones closer.

    However, the Goblin Skull was not any prettier without the flesh. It did not have the ears or nose, a Goblin''s defining features. It had large holes where its eyes would have been, and a thick and large forehead. Its mouth was full of sharp fangs, almost like it had more teeth than it had room for.

    Despite all of that, Alaster was only looking at the ropes of his mana connecting each bone. A single strand could be seen passing between the space of each bone. The strands became denser as they reached the chest of the Skeleton, and then a single thick strand from the chest, up the spine, to the skull, where two condensed orbs of his mana replaced the thing''s eyes.

    Even in the sun, it was apparent that the eyes glowed slightly.

    It made very little sound, only the occasionally light tapping of its bones hitting each other, and the even lighter crunch of snow. Without the flesh of the Goblin to weigh it down, it was much lighter, and therefore impacted the snow left, leaving less of a trail.

    Smiling to himself at his progress, Alaster sat himself on the shield next to the warm fire and opened his book. He wanted to know more about his class.

    He only hoped that the book had something.

 Chapter 15- Knowledge

    While his Goblin Skeleton mindlessly wondered around Alaster with hatchet in hand, Alaster himself opened the book and began to read.

    The few pages described how EXP worked in basic terms. It also explained why Alaster only got 2% from the boar while he got 10% from the goblin. The boar was considered a Mundane Creature. Typically, weaker than Magical Creatures. While the Goblin was considered a Magical Creature. Despite the Goblin being much weaker than the Boar.

    Magical Creatures gave more EXP than Mundane Creatures.

    While a Mundane Creature had a small chance to develop magical abilities, it was very rare, so typically, it was a waste of time to hunt Mundane Creatures for EXP. The book went on a brief tangent about how if a Mundane Creature that had developed magical abilities mated with another Mundane turned Magical or a simple Magical Creature, it''s off spring would be mostly Magical.

    Alaster only skimmed over that section, as it held little interest to him.

    The final thing in the book, at least before it began to list the classes, detailed use of Mana Crystals.

    Every Magical Creature had a small chance, usually one in fifteen, but it varied, to possess a Mana Crystal within their bodies. Anyone with Mana, which was the vast majority, could sense the presence of a Mana Crystal if they were close enough. The stronger the person was with Mana, the wider the radius, and the more noticeable. So most hunting parties wanted at least one Mage in their party, so they didn''t miss any.

    Of course, the Mana Crystal was still in the body of the creature, so even if detected, it still had to be carved out. Typically, it was beside the heart, but certainly not always.

    The uses of Mana Crystals were many, nearly every Crafter wanted to get their hands on them. Alchemists, Blacksmiths, Engineers, Magitek, Enchanters, etc.

    However, the main use was to absorb it. Upon absorbing, the Mana Crystal would dissolve into mana particles and be absorbed by the user''s body. By absorbing it, the user would receive a bonus amount of EXP equaling to half the EXP for killing the creature.

    Mana Crystals also had an incredibly small chance to grant the user an ability of the slain creature. However, this was a one in a hundred shot. Enough of a chance that people would try to use Mana Crystals from creatures with desirable abilities, but not enough for people to refuse to buy Mana Crystals to absorb.

    There was also a chance to receive the Bloodline of the creature slain, which would grant more permeant stat bonuses and even a few passive and active abilities. However, this chance was one in ten thousand. A person who received a Bloodline from a Mana Crystal was said to be favored by the God of Luck.

    Alaster realized that this was how Noble Children were able to level up so quickly. They could simply use their wealth and influence to purchase Mana Crystals for the kids to use. Alaster felt a bit jaded by that, but knew that he would do the same if he had the money.

    As it was, Alaster was broke, he had no money. Not even the money he had earned over the two years of protecting Isabella. He had asked Lord Siphas to keep account of the money he earned, so he could grab it when he left to find his sister. After all, most of his needs were taken care of by the Siphas family anyway. He had food, shelter, and even training. And it was not like he had any friends to go party with.

    Alaster was not sure how much he had earned, but was sure that it was a sizable amount, at least to a Village boy.

    Clearing his head and warming his hands by the fire for a moment, Alaster turned to the Classes. Each page had around five classes detailed. The Class name would have an ''N'' or an ''A'' next to it to show if it was a Novice or Adept Class.

    Each class would have a brief description as well as occasionally their strengths and weaknesses, and most Novice Classes had an Adept Class listed that it could evolve into.

    However, there was no order to the Classes. A Novice Class would have an Adept Class listed that was a page or several back. So Alaster was forced to skim through all the pages to find his own Class. His attention was occasionally caught by a Class, which he would read, but then move on.

    Eventually, in the back half of the book, Alaster found his Class.

    "Death Mage - N

    A Death Mage''s most unique aspect is its Undead Minions, but it is not its strength. A Death Mage is very versatile. Being able to cast a Necrotic Bolt that is devastating against living and breathing opponents, however it is lacking against any opponent made out of anything else. The Bolt possesses a strange ability to bypass armor to hit the flesh underneath, though the armor does affect its potency.

    However, it is the Bone Crafting spell they possess that the ability of the user shines. Able to make practically any physical object out of bone. From small and intricate objects like keys, to large and solid objects like weapons or armor, usually for their Undead Minions.

    Most common Evolutions involve: Necromancer, who focuses on their minions. Nether Mage, who focuses on spell use, similar to their Necrotic Bolt."

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    ''Interesting.'' Alaster thought to himself.

    He had heard of Necromancers. They were a very rare class, but despite the stories describing them to be monsters and villains, Alaster had heard of them using their minions for mundane tasks like farming or hauling to make their living. He had even heard of a City far to the south who used the Minions of the Necromancer to guard the walls, as the City was practically in a perpetual blizzard and the Undead were unaffected by the Cold.

    Alaster closed the book and fought with his mana once again to access the Ring of Holding. Once open, Alaster quickly put the book, shield, and the bones of the Boar, inside before he lost control of his mana.

    Alaster lightly stretched and checked his mana before he resumed his journey.

    [Mana: 119/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min]

    ''I spent over an hour reading'' Alaster noticed as he looked at his Goblin Skeleton.

    It seemed to sense his attention, and stopped to return the stare.

    "I need a name for you." Alaster mused with a slight grin.

    "Gobi." Alaster knew his naming sense sucked, Evelyn and Isabella both made fun of him for it.

    If the Skeleton cared one way or another about its new name, it did not show it.

    "Follow me Gobi!" Alaster decreed majestically as he kicked snow over the fire and walked away.

    However, before they got too far, Alaster noticed the spear of the Goblin before he had killed it. It was a basically just a long stick with a sharpened point, but was a little shorter than Alaster.

    "Carry this." Alaster ordered Gobi, to which it immediately moved forward to grab the spear from the snow.

    As Alaster traveled through the woods, occasionally ducking under low branches laden with snow, Gobi followed close behind, walking into the branches without caring. Alaster only rolled his eyes and continued on.

    Eventually, the sun began to set once more. Alaster did not want to scramble for shelter again, so he stopped early.

    He found a small but dense cluster of trees and began to pack snow in between the gaps. Then dug through the snow, piling it around the edges. Once he had dug a large enough area for himself and a small fire, Alaster used the wooden spear Gobi had carried and dug through the frozen ground. It was a long and tiring ordeal, but eventually he had dug a deep column in the ground, with another small hole connecting to the bottom and exiting a few inches away.

    Alaster had seen one of the hunters teach his son how to do this. It was a simple process that Alaster quickly understood. The actual fire would be in the first, larger, hole. The air for the fire would come through the second hole and supply the bottom of the fire. Due to being underground, the flames and light would mostly be concealed, only allowing the heat out. And due to there only being one exit for the heat, it could be concentrated.

    The area Alaster had cleared was roughly a meter in diameter, and all that snow was piled on the edges. With the snow being a foot deep, and even more being piled on top, Alaster ended with a wall of snow nearly a meter tall around him. A wall that would further conceal any light or heat.

    It was beginning to grow dark, but Alaster had Gobi gather some fallen sticks while he had been constructing the rudimentary shelter. Only a few of the sticks were adequate for use in a fire, so Alaster used the rest to make a small platform that he could sit on, so it would be flatter and wider than the shield, but be off the frozen ground.

    Alaster soon had a small fire going inside the deep and narrow pit and just like he had expected, no flames came out. He had specifically chosen this cluster of trees as the dense branches were lower to the ground, providing a sort of roof. With the fire, it quickly warmed up.

    Alaster was still cold, but he would not be shivering, especially with the cloak. Alaster had Gobi sit against one of the trees in the cluster, but out of the shelter itself. Undead were unaffected by cold, at least the level of cold that was natural. He would have had the Undead patrol, but Gobi was weak and more likely to attract the attention of a predator that neither Gobi nor Alaster could handle.

    Taking out some of the boar meat, Alaster stuck it on one of the sticks and began to cook it over the fire. It was a boring meal, but Alaster was just glad to have a meal. He had been pretty lucky to find something he could eat that wasn''t too strong for him. It had been a large boar, but Alaster did not know when he would find anything else, so he rationed it.

    After eating, Alaster wanted to take out of the bones of the boar to practice his [Bone Crafting] spell, but he did not have enough light. Which was what he wanted, but it was only enough light to see general objects, not anything detailed. Even if the branches of the cluster did not block the sky, no light of the moon would have been visible.

    Thick clouds covered the sky, threatening a storm.

    Instead, Alaster crossed his legs and sat straight. He was tired, but he knew he had very little time to become stronger, and needed every edge he could get. Colius had told him that an Ability that every Mage Type should have is [Meditation]. It was a simple Ability. One that sped up mana regeneration, so long as they stayed still and calm.

    So that was what Alaster did. Colius had taught him how to meditate, even if the boy was not able to learn the Ability itself, the knowledge of the Ability was still useful in keeping a calm mind. It was a skill Alaster had used many times before.

    Taking deep breaths, Alaster began to clear his mind. It took a while, as it would for anyone, but soon, Alaster had completely cleared his mind, focusing only on his breath.

    [Ability Learned: Mediation

    Level 1: 0%

    Clearing the Mind to see what is concealed

    Mana Regeneration increased to 5/min during use]

    Alaster smirked to himself and struggled to continue. However, he kept his mind clear and body relaxed. He had done this many times before, so it had come easily to him now. He did not meditate to get the ability or even to level it up, but to relax himself.

    After all, he had been attacked and thrown into the wilderness with no gear or knowledge of his whereabouts. He had expected to only leave the Siphas Family after he had grown strong enough, where he would return to his village and see if they had learned anything about his sister.

    While meditating, it was very easy to lose track of time, in fact, Colius had recommended that he forget about time. So he was not sure when he had been yanked out of his trance by the distinct sound of a nearby branch snapping.

 Chapter 16- Night Bear

    Alaster lifted his head to look over the snow berm.

    Scratching its back against a tall tree, A large hairy Bugbear. Alaster had seen Bugbears in pictures.

    Appearing as a large brown bear standing up on two legs and with thumbs. Standing at over two meters tall, and with razor sharp claws and teeth. They typically lived in tribes numbering from one to two dozen, led by a Tribal Chief who could use Tribal Magic.

    However, luckily for Alaster, Bugbears were much less active during the winter months. Otherwise, there would be at least two or three.

    Alaster sensed that Gobi wanted to attack. After all, he had given the Skeleton orders to protect him. He had not declared that order finished, but the most recent order was to sit against the tree and pretend to be dead. Apparently, the most recent order took precedence. Alaster mentally begged Gobi not to move, not really expecting it to work. But the feeling he got from Gobi ended, almost, in acknowledgement.

    Alaster had heard that Bugbears were slow, but extremely hard to kill and strong. A party of consisting more than thirty Adepts was needed to clear out a tribe of Bugbears. Alaster doubted being able to kill a single Bugbear, even if he had four Goblin Skeletons.

    The Bugbear finished scratching its back and stumbled away, closer to Alaster''s shelter. The boy quickly ducked down and put a few sticks over the hole of the fire, covering the light. Alaster heard the monster come closer, its large feet crushing the snow beneath it.

    Alaster scrambled to the snow wall and laid there, hoping that if the Bugbear looked into his little shelter, it wouldn''t see him right underneath it. However, the young man ensured that one of his hands were free and pointed up, ready to cast a Necrotic Bolt into its face if needed. If the Bugbear wanted to eat him, Alaster would at least give it a fight, even if it was guaranteed to end badly for him.

    The wind began to accelerate, kicking up snow, obscuring everything. Alaster had already struggled to see the massive monster in the very dim and spotty light of the moon peeking out through the clouds, but now he was completely unable to see anything.

    As Alaster could hear the Bugbear, and even feel it through the vibrations in the ground, getting closer, he could also feel the little Goblin Skeleton become agitated, in a way. It was a simple Undead, it had no mind or emotions, but Alaster could feel that with every step the Bugbear took closer to its master, Gobi desired to fight.

    Luckily for Alaster, the Skeleton seemed to be able to dim the sickly light from its eyes and veins, though it seemed to become weaker and more oblivious as it did.

    The Bugbear finally reached the small shelter. Its towering form was forced to hold branches apart to see into it as it leaned over. Unfortunately, Alaster had not accounted for it leaning over, and it saw him.

    It growled as it found its prey, but Alaster had been ready. He immediately cast [Necrotic Bolt]. The force of the spell slamming into the right eye of the Monster and throwing its head back. A small part of Alaster hoped that the single bolt would kill the beast. After all, the book had stated that the bolt was extremely effective against flesh, and the Bugbear had taken it right to the face.

    But it was not that easy. The Bugbear was simply too strong for a single spell from a Level one mage to do much. The more cautious side of Alaster knew that, and in this instance, it won out. As Alaster had fired the [Necrotic Bolt], he also ordered for Gobi to rush forward and hack at the back of the Bugbear''s ankle.

    The Goblin Skeleton was weak, even for a level one Undead, but the hatchet excelled at heavy slashes. However, it still only barely dug into the muscle. Not severing it as Alaster had hoped, but damaging it enough for the Bugbear to fall on its back when paired with the surprise bolt.

    The Bugbear roared, shaking the snow from the nearby tree branches and forcing Alaster to clamp his hands over his ears. But an Undead didn''t have ears. Unaffected, it swung its hatchet into the throat of the Bugbear. The little Skeleton swung down with all its might, biting deep.

    The Bugbear''s roar turned wet, and it blindly swung at its attacker, slamming into the Skeleton and sending it flying into a snow bank several meters away. But Alaster had not just laid there. The moment the Bugbear fell back, he had jumped to his feet. As the Hatchet fell, Alaster cast another bolt, this time aiming for Monster''s other knee.

    Even as Gobi was launched away, it had not let go of its Hatchet, being yanked out of the Bugbear''s throat and widening the wound. Compared to the massive size of the Bugbear, it was a tiny and pathetic injury.

    Alaster did not stop to watch his second bolt eat the flesh of the Monster''s knee. He continued to cast bolts at each of the Bugbear''s limbs, hoping to immobilize it. Previously, Alaster had noted that the [Necrotic Bolt] seemed to also eat any blood, making it a fairly clean affair, even if it was disgusting. However, as the bolts ate the flesh of the Monster, blood seemed to flood out and melt the snow in large quantities until it cooled enough to simply paint it.

    However, even with the barrage, the Bugbear was simply too large and too powerful. It was in severe pain from the numerous critical areas. But with its initial surprise over, it rolled over and tried to rise to its feet, but found its legs unable to support its massive weight. Even as a new [Necrotic Bolt] slammed into it every five seconds, it did minimal damage.

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    Enraged by the attack and the pain, the Bugbear spun around on all fours to face Alaster, who had caused it so much hurt in such a small amount of time. As it did so, Alaster saw the damage his first bolt had done to its face. Paired against the Bugbear''s large CON, it had done very little, but it had done enough to completely melt its right eye and part of its ear.

    Unable to lunge for the boy due to it wounded back legs, it instead dug into the ground with its front paws, but as it put all its weight on them, Alaster aimed his next bolt for the elbow joint. It did minimal damage once more, but that was not its purpose. The bolt slammed into the joint with enough force to buckle it, sending the Bugbear into the snow once more.

    By this point, Gobi had returned and swung its hatchet into the back of the Monster''s back right leg. Stunned, the Bugbear was unable to react as another [Necrotic Bolt] was cast into his right eye socket. Alaster did not know if the beast would be able to find him even without its vision, so he had instead hoped the Bolt would dig deep enough to destroy its mind.

    It did not.

    The Monster roared in agony, making the gaping hole in its throat even worse as blood began to fill its lungs. Its eye stared fiercely at Alaster, wanting nothing more than to rip the boy apart. But its body was unable. Alaster''s [Necrotic Bolts] were unable to deal enough damage to kill the Bugbear, but it was enough to cripple it. And paired with Gobi''s hatchet, it had been enough.

    Alaster''s heart raced. He had just done the impossible. He had beat a Bugbear, while he was only a Level one Novice. Granted, the monster was still alive and Alaster understood that he had not actually fought the bear and had only disabled it. But most considered a Bugbear to be a Monster only a pair of Adepts to be able to handle.

    Alaster slumped forward, putting his hands on his knees, and gasped for breath.

    "None of this would have happened if you had just left me alone." Alaster told the bear, even as it glared at him with fire in its eye.

    "I would not have attacked you if you had simply walked away." Alaster stepped high to get over the Shelter''s berm. Once out, he stood tall, even as the wind and snow battered him.

    "So now, here are the consequences."

    Alaster raised his hand once more and fired another bolt at the gaping hole that was the Bugbears right eye. And this time, it dug in deep enough. The Bugbear didn''t even roar or move, it had been nearly instant as the Bolt destroyed the brain of the Bugbear through pure concussive force, then melted.

    [Level up]

    Alaster saw the words appear before his eyes, but he waved them away, focusing on Gobi.

    Gobi stood tall before its master, even as its rib cage was shattered. Even as Alaster watched, a small fragment of bone fell. The bony hand the held the hatchet was covered in blood, as was the hatchet. The small Skeleton''s large eyes burned brightly with its signature green.

    Alaster summoned the Goblin Skeleton''s status.

    [Goblin Skeleton

    Health: 19/55

    Strength: 8

    Dexterity: 12

    Constitution: 6]

    That single blow from the surprised and panicked Bugbear had wiped off thirty six health. Had Gobi been a living creature, it would be paralyzed with pain or even knocked out. But Undead felt no pain, and would serve its master until its second death. A death that had very nearly come for it.

    However, the Goblin Skeleton was unable to heal itself, and Alaster did not have any way to heal it.

    Alaster instead brought up his own Status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 2

    EXP: 54%

    Health: 130/130

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 50/130

    Mana Regeneration: 1/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity: 11

    Constitution: 14

    Wisdom: 19

    Intelligence: 16

    Stat Points: 5]

    Alaster did not really think too deeply about it. He immediately put another point into WIS, to get it to 20 and granting him an increase in Mana Regeneration.

    He then put two in both CON and INT.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 2

    EXP: 54%

    Health: 140/140

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 50/140

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity: 11

    Constitution: 16

    Wisdom: 20

    Intelligence: 18]

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 2: 45%

    Fires a single bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Mana Cost: 10]

    [Raise Undead

    Level 2: 30%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 48]

    However, while it was great to level up, it was really not nearly as great as the Bugbear corpse, which would help him directly in his current situation. As tired as he was, Alaster took the bloody hatchet from Gobi and set to work on the hide of the Bugbear.

    Alaster''s [Necrotic Bolts] had destroyed the limbs and face of the Bugbear, but its chest was practically unharmed. And it was massive.

    Alaster was almost drooling at how warm the thick fur would be.

 Chapter 17- Bone Creations

    Alaster really wished he could wait until morning to skin the Bugbear, but he knew that if he did, the corpse would only attract more predators. Maybe even stronger ones. Nor was his Ring large enough to hold the bear, at least not unless he dismantled the body.

    So he ignored how exhausted he was and kept going.

    He had not been hurt during the fight. He hadn''t really even moved. But he was tired from trekking through the deep snow all day and then making his shelter. And he had never cast that much magic so quickly. It strained his mind.

    Alaster quickly cut off the fur hide of the Bugbear, after years of doing so with his father. He had never done it with such a large creature, but the practice was similar. He had cut from the top of the legs to the bottom of the arms.

    Bugbears had stubby legs, which left the boy with very large hide. Alaster wondered how he would prepare it. He had seen the Village tanner work sometimes, and he had seen how some tanners in the city did their work, but he had never really paid attention or learned.

    Deciding to ignore that for the moment, Alaster began to carve out the meat. It was a long process, as there was a lot of meat with plenty of fat. The boy stacked all of it neatly in the snow, separating any bone that he could and putting it into its own pile.

    Alaster worked by the dim light of the moon, and the light of Gobi''s eyes. Neither of which was good light. Eventually, however, Alaster took everything he thought he could. He ordered Gobi to drag the remaining carcass away at least a hundred meters. Alaster was not sure if the Goblin Skeleton would understand that measurement, but it didn''t need to. Alaster had supplied the Undead with a mental image of a spot he had passed earlier.

    With the weighty meat off, as well as most of its bones, the little Skeleton was able to slowly drag it away. As it left, Alaster fought against his mana to access his Ring and put all the material inside. After he released his hold on the mana, and the Ring closed, Alaster noted that his mana was responding to him easier.

    But at that moment, he was too tired to care. Like some drone, Alaster began to bury the bloody snow under fresh snow he had received from a nearby snow bank, and then he carefully entered his shelter once more. He removed the sticks from over the dying fire, instead adding them to it. As it began to come to life once more, Alaster warmed his hands and face over it.

    The cloak Lukas had given him kept his body warm enough, but he did not have gloves or anything to keep his face warm. As his little and primitive began to warm up once more, Alaster leaned back against the cluster of trees and quickly fell asleep.

    It was a deep sleep, with no dreams, or nightmares. Ever since that night, Alaster had seen that scene almost every night. The only nights he didn''t was when he was too tired or injured to dream. That was one of the main reasons he trained as hard as he had.

    When Alaster woke, the sun had just begun to peak through the branches. Mumbling to himself, Alaster moved to his fire hole and stoked the remains until there were embers, which he then added wood shavings to, and then sticks, until the flames returned in strength.

    The boy glanced over his snow wall, but did not see anything amiss. Even more than that, he did not see Gobi. Briefly panicking, Alaster studied the area, searching for some threat or a clue about the Skeleton''s whereabouts, or remains. But once more, he saw nothing.

    Confused, Alaster looked at his status and saw that the Goblin Skeleton was still part of it, meaning it was still active and had not been killed, again at least.

    ''Shit. I told it to move the remains of the Bugbear, but didn''t specify the need to return afterward. Gobi, come back to me, but don''t bring back any threats.''

    Alaster made sure to add that last part, as he could quite vividly imagine Gobi sprinting back to him, with a horde of Monsters chasing after him.

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    Instead of patiently waiting, Alaster fought with his mana to bring out some of the Boar meat.

    ''Enough Boar for another meal, then it''s onto the Bugbear.''

    Alaster quickly cooked the meat and began to eat, when Gobi returned. As ordered, it had not brought back another monster chasing it. Instead, Alaster was quite impressed with it. Without the weight of all its flesh and organs, that twelve DEX had more of an impact. It had moved much quicker than Alaster had expected, and its trail of footprints in the snow was quite light.

    As Alaster ate, embracing the warmth, he thought about his immediate plans. The night''s storm would have erased any tracks Alaster had missed.

    ''But they found my in Onigas two years later and without tracks. But why did it take them two years to find me?''

    The young man''s mind ran through a series of possibilities, which were quite extensive, as he knew enough about Magic to know there were countless ways to track someone, but did not know enough to know what those ways were.

    ''If it took two years for them to find me, I should be safe for a little bit. Besides, the book had said that my [Bone Crafting] Spell is extremely valuable and versatile. But it also sounds like it''s careful and fragile work. I need to get the [Mana Manipulation] ability.''

    Colius had regularly told Alaster that since mana was needed for every spell, being able to manipulate it intricately was invaluable for any mage. Unfortunately, Colius had forgotten to mention to the boy about how to get the ability, as he had with [Meditation].

    ''Hmm. My mana is becoming easier to control the more I use it, so maybe it''s that simple?''

    Deciding to put it to the test, Alaster opened his Ring, this time only taking a few minutes to do so, and pulled out some of the Boar bones. Alaster set them on the ground and took a deep breath before he activated his [Bone Crafting] Spell.

    Once he did, he could feel his mana stretch from him and coat the bones, despite being unable to actually see it. The bones began to lose their shape, turning into a thick off-white puddle.

    ''As the spell description said, it''s like clay.''

    Alaster tentatively touched the puddle with his finger, quickly withdrawing it. The imprint of his finger in the puddle slowly closed. Feeling somewhat giddy, Alaster began to experiment with the liquid bone.

    After nearly an hour, meditating when he ran out of mana, Alaster discovered a few things. The less mana he used, the harder the liquid became. If he used more, the bone puddle became more fluid. However, he also noticed that if he used a lot of mana, turning the standard ten mana a minute into twenty a minute, the impurities of the bone seemed to fall out of the bone puddle. This more pure bone was much stronger.

    He also learned that if he tried to condense the puddle between his hands, it would become denser and heavier, so long as he hardened the material before he let go. Alaster was extremely fascinated, wanting to experiment with it further, but a brisk breeze reminded him of his circumstances.

    The book had stated that most Death Mages used the [Bone Crafting] spell to equip their minions in bone weapons and armor. But what was stopping Alaster from making other things?

    Driven by his curiosity and the cold, Alaster took out all the bones of the Boar from his ring and began to mold them into a large sheet. It was only about two centimeters thick, fairly fragile, but Alaster did not care for it being sturdy.

    He was intending to use it as a shelter, at least a wall in his shelter. He wanted to bring it with him, so he made sure that the wall was a little smaller than two meters tall and two meters wide. Alaster made three more walls the same size.

    Alaster made one of the walls have a small gap that he could crawl into. He was a bit grumpy about running out of Boar bone and needing to use the Bugbear bones. However, he was even more grumpy at finding that there was no real difference between the bones. The Bugbear''s bones were denser and larger, but nothing else.

    Alaster was able to quickly attach the four walls together with his [Bone Crafting] but was also able to just as quickly detach them to return into the Ring. The young man set it up in the clearing and then began to work on the floor and roof.

    When he finished, Alaster examined his creation. It was basically just a square.

    ''Hmm, snow could easily get in.''

    To remedy this, Alaster made two thick hooks on either end of the ''doorway''. He also added a small beam that would stick out from the floor of the doorway, helping to keep the snow out. For the hooks, he intended to attach a hide across to cover the door and keep any light in. He hoped to not use the bear hide. But if he didn''t find another, he would.

    Seeing his work, Alaster smiled. When the sun set once more, Alaster would set his shelter up and he would be warmer. At least, he hoped.

 Chapter 18- Portable Shelter

    Proud of his creation, he put it in his Ring and sat down beside the fire to begin to mediate. He was happy with his progress, but the [Bone Creation] Spell was quite costly. But it had leveled up twice with its use.

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 3: 42%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

    Mana Cost: 8/min]

    When Alaster''s mana had recovered, he began to experiment with his mana. As was expected for any mage, trying to use mana outside of casting a Spell, proved to be unwieldy. Alaster''s mana fought against him, trying to get out. For a Novice Mage, Alaster did well in keeping it under control, but he wasn''t perfect.

    Anytime, a strand of his mana got loose, it would either shoot out like a small [Necrotic Bolt] and either crash into snow, sending it flying, or dissipate harmlessly against a tree. Or the mana would seem to ooze out like tree sap, slowly dissipating when it touched anything. Alaster was not quite sure what the second one did.

    Alaster continued to try to manipulate his mana into different forms and shapes, and after roughly an hour, and two meditation sessions, he got the ability he wanted.

    [Ability Learned: Mana Manipulation

    Level 1: 0%

    Control better, what builds and destroys]

    ''Wow, how descriptive.''

    One of the most common complaints about the system, for everyone, was that its descriptions were very weak.

    Now that he had [Mana Manipulation], he could create spells of his own. Doing so was extremely difficult as you had to force your mana to do a specific thing multiple times, until it recognized it as a spell. Like muscle memory.

    Alaster wondered what spell he should create first.

    The young man''s mana seemed to naturally target living tissue, so it would be easier to create a spell that used that aspect.

    ''What about the Bugbear hide? I need to scrape off all the remaining skin and fat from the underside. What if I just melted it off?''

    Grinning to himself, Alaster took out the hide, noting that it was much easier after learning how to manipulate mana. Though it still was not instant.

    ''Lets start small.''

    As much as it pained him, Alaster grabbed the hatchet and cut off a small portion. He was somewhat mollified by the sheer size of the hide.

    Alaster set the small part down flat in the snow, and raised his finger. Breathing deeply, he focused his mana into his finger. He could feel the mana oozing around his finger, but could not see it. Tentatively, Alaster brushed his finger against the skin side of the hide. It only touched for a moment, but it instantly melted a small finger sized hole in the hide.

    Growling in irritation, he lowered the concentration of mana, something that proved much more difficult than he thought it would, and tried again.

    It once again burned a hole, but a much smaller hole, and much slower.

    ''Progress, I guess.''

    Slowly, Alaster managed to find the perfect amount of mana to use. Once he did, he grew confident enough to use his entire hand, or more specifically, his palm. If he had to use a single finger to melt off all the fat from the hide, it would take days.

    Alaster cut off another small portion to experiment with. There were a few failed attempts, but Alaster had already gotten a feeling for it and was soon able to get it right. Once it did, Alaster received a notification from his Class.

    [Spell Learned: Death Touch]

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    [Death Touch

    Level 1: 0%

    Imbue your body with Necrotic Mana

    Mana Cost: 5/sec]

    The moment he learned the spell, the mana cost of his practice increased, but so did his ability to control it. In his mind, he could see melting the hand of whoever attacked him. Alaster knew he could, if his INT was high enough to combat their CON and any possible enchantments they had. But he also knew that he could now easily prepare the rest of the Bugbear Hide.

    Alaster stretched the hide across the snow, furry side down. After recovering all his mana, Alaster cast [Death Touch] and got to work. Despite using his entire hand, it was slow work. He was forced to stop and meditate three times.

    As it was, his [Meditation] ability was leveling quite nicely.

    [Mediation

    Level 4: 5%

    Clearing the Mind to see what is concealed

    Mana Regeneration increased to 8/min during use]

    It was currently his highest level ability or spell.

    ''Wonder what will happen when it reaches level five.''

    Alaster was just finishing the Hide when the sun began to set. Smiling to himself, he took out the shelter parts and set them up. He was a bit unhappy that he hadn''t spotted another animal to skin and use as the curtain over the doorway, but he decided to simply close the door after entering, leaving only a small part open to allow in air.

    Once it was set up, Alaster noticed that he had not built a fire place, or a chimney to get the smoke out. Using some more bones pulled from his Ring, he soon remedied this.

    The fireplace was fashioned as a bowl. Alaster thought doing it like that would allow the wood to fall to stay in the middle as the wood already in the middle began to burn to ash. Then, as a chimney, Alaster simply fashioned a funnel that would sit a little above the bowl. The funnel was the same size as the fire bowl, allowing it to catch the majority of the smoke. The funnel turned into a five centimeter wide pipe that was fused with the ceiling, allowing the smoke to exit the shelter.

    Once finished, it was turning dark, but Alaster was extremely proud of himself. There was a certain joy to be had about creating something yourself.

    Alaster ordered Gobi to carry sticks into the shelter. He had to supply a mental image of how and where after the Skeleton just dropped the sticks into a pile. As Gobi was doing that, Alaster piled snow against the sides of the shelter. Both to further insulate it, and to conceal it. In the end, it still stuck out, but the edges weren''t as sharp.

    Alaster had Gobi lay against the hill of snow Alaster had created and told it to conceal itself. Alaster was quite impressed that instead of just laying there as he had suspected. Gobi actually buried itself under the snow, leaving only a part of its skull exposed to see the area, but then dimmed its Necrotic Eyes.

    Impressed, Alaster entered the shelter and closed the door, leaving only a small hole for air. Alaster used his [Bone Crafting] to stick one of his test pieces of hide to the hole, leaving the bottom with a gap. That way, air could still get in, but much less light would get out.

    Finished, the young man sat down at the fire and relaxed. The fire was warm and filled the room with light. It was a small room, only a little larger than Alaster was tall, but that was intentional. The Ring of Holding was only two by two meters large, so none of the pieces for the shelter could be larger than that.

    He would have preferred to make a type of raised platform that he could sit and sleep on, but he was running out of bone. As it was, he would have run out a while ago, if the Bugbear bones weren''t denser than normal bone. With his remaining bone, Alaster tried to make a helmet. If he had more bone, he would have wanted to create more armor, but he was already using the majority for the helmet, leaving only a few scraps.

    A helmet was the most important part of any armor, as the head was the most important part of any body. The fight with the Bugbear was a perfect example. Alaster was not able to significantly damage the body of the Bugbear, but he was able to do enough damage to the head to hit the brain, at least after numerous attacks, and only when targeting a soft part like an eye.

    So Alaster created a bone helmet. He made it as dense as he could and fashioned the helmet after a T faced Barbute. After trying it on and adjusting it several times, Alaster made it fit on his head quite well, but not too uncomfortable. He had decided on this helmet as it would provide the most protection, while also having no moving parts and being simple to make, and would not impact his breathing while only slightly impairing his vision at the very edges.

    The young man had personally seen some new recruits for the Onigas city guard train in a closed face helmet and begin to panic as they couldn''t breathe. Their trainers had then gone on to explain that closed face helmets, while they provided excellent protection, required practice to get used to. A helmet was meant to be snug and with a closed face helmet, it covered everything leaving only small slots to see out of and small drill holes to breathe out of. Very few didn''t panic after exerting themselves inside these helmets.

    Alaster, was not practiced in their use. Nor did he really have the time to practice with them right now. So he decided to forgo them. With a T faced Barbute. It would cover his entire head, except his eyes, nose, and the middle of his mouth.

    Satisfied with his newest creation, Alaster laid out the Bugbear hide, furry side up, and laid down to sleep. Almost immediately, the young man promised himself that the next stream he finds, he would stop to thoroughly wash the hide and dry it next to a fire. It stunk. However, the hide, being used as a mattress and blanket, combined with the fire in the corner, it was the warmest Alaster had been since leaving Onigas.

    It was perhaps even comfortable. But as his mind left the world of the wakeful, he once again saw the mangled bodies of his parents.

 Chapter 19- Evolution

    The world was hazy, the dirt path merging with the houses. Only one house remained sharp, his. The door was slightly open, beckoning him further. Alaster knew what he would find, but he couldn''t control his own body as he walked forward.

    The scent was the first thing to hit him, as it always was.

    Alaster opened the door wide, and that scene that he would never forget was seen once more.

    Blood pooled on the floorboards, soaking in. It already coated his bare feet.

    Cold iron chains hung from the rafters, each tipped with a bloody hook.

    Blood splattered the walls.

    Furniture was broken and splintered.

    Powerless to control himself, Alaster finally looked at the center of the room.

    Hung from the hooks, his parents, displayed as a form of morbid art.

    Alaster looked down at his hands and saw them covered and stained in blood, their blood.

    Alaster''s father looked up at his son with bloody eyes and mouth hanging open.

    "Yoooou diiiiiid thisssss."

    *****

    Alaster shot up in a cold sweat.

    His clothes were soaked and chilled him to the bone as he gasped for breath.

    The boy had grown used to having nightmares of that night, but it had never been as vivid as that.

    Alaster wrapped the Bugbear hide around himself and hugged his knees.

    His mind replayed the nightmare over and over again.

    He knew logically that it had not been his fault, but his heart kept telling him that if he had been there. If he had just gone home when he was supposed to and not kept playing with his friends. If he had gone home when he was supposed to. They would still be alive.

    He tried to tell his heart that his parents had both been Adepts, and his father had been a Combat based Adept. Yet the attackers had still completely overpowered them. What could a Classless boy have done?

    But that didn''t stop the feeling. The feeling that, in some way, it was his fault.

    Alaster shook off the hide blanket and added more wood to the fire. It had died down during the night, but there were still glowing embers. He built the fire up, building it high and hot. He took off the cloak to let the fire dry his clothes directly. The boy shivered slightly, but the fire did well to warm the small room quickly. Unfortunately, Bone was not the most insulating material and lost heat quickly.

    As the heat slowly dried his clothes, Alaster took out the last of the boar meat and began to roast it over the flames.

    After half an hour, Alaster killed the flames by disconnecting the funnel, closing it, and dropping it over the fire bowl. After waiting a moment, Alaster used his [Bone Craft] to open a door and carry the fire bowl out. Only then did he take off the funnel. Smoke billowed out, but the fire was dead, having no air to burn.

    Slowly, Alaster took down his shelter and put it all into his ring. He was still numb from the nightmare.

    "Gobi."

    The Goblin skull quickly clawed its way out of the snowbank and stood before its master. Alaster only wordlessly handed it the hatchet and began to walk away.

    The nightmare had reminded Alaster that people were chasing him. Even if he did not know who they were, they had tracked him to an Independent City, under the protection of one of the Lords, and still attacked him. Even after two, nearly three years. He could not stay in one place too long.

    As the sun rose to its peak, it began to lightly snow. Alaster did not care, and continued to walk forward. He did not even know where he was going, he merely continued East.

    At one point, he came across a large deer.

    ''Not a deer.'' Alaster corrected himself, ''Caribou''

    It was a female, as its antlers were much smaller than the males. Despite its size and obvious weight, it seemed to only sink slightly in the deep snow.

    Alaster didn''t bother hiding, she had already spotted him. They both stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move, but Alaster didn''t need to move. He had Gobi. An Undead Skeleton with no scent, at least, not one the Caribou found as a threat.

    Alaster had ordered Gobi to follow him through the tree branches. They were thick enough to support the light weight of the Goblin Skeleton, and the trees were close enough to intermingle. The moment Alaster had spotted the Caribou, he had ordered Gobi to get right above it.

    On his order, Gobi didn''t just fall from the branch, but jumped from it. Propelling itself from the underside and sending him hurtling towards the animal. An animal that reacted too late.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Gobi''s heavy hatchet buried deep into the mundane animal''s neck, painting the skeleton in a fresh coat of blood. The animal was only able to give a brief cry before it died. It landed heavily in the snow as it died, sending up a puff of fresh snow.

    Alaster emotionlessly walked closer and took the hatchet from Gobi. As he butchered the Caribou, he noticed that its feet were quite wide, allowing it to travel easier through deep snow. Using some of the animal''s bones, Alaster fashioned himself some snow shoes.

    Nodding to himself, Alaster opened the Ring. He was not in the mood to fight with his mana, and instead just forced it into the Ring, costing much more mana than was needed. He threw in the remains of the Caribou and continued on his journey. Fresh snow already beginning to cover the blood soaked area.

    With his new snow shoes, Alaster was much faster as he didn''t sink nearly as deep.

    Gradually, Alaster noticed that he was continually ascending, and the trees were beginning to thin out. Eventually, Gobi wasn''t able to continue following from above and jumped down.

    It was at that point that Alaster stopped. If he continued East, he suspected he would reach some mountains. He did not want that. There would be no cover to hide. He would be exposed to both his pursuers and any monsters. Instead, he returned deeper into the forest and turned South. Gobi returned to the trees under Alaster''s order.

    Soon, Alaster spotted tracks in the snow. Familiar tracks. He called Gobi down and had it step into the footprint.

    ''Goblins.''

    Alaster was not too worried about Goblins. He had killed four of them as a child with just a dagger. Now he had a sword, magic, and an Undead minion, all of which he knew how to use. His only worry was about being surrounded. Goblins were known for their numbers.

    Any normal person would have turned around and returned with allies, but then again, no normal person would have been this deep in the woods, in the middle of winter, alone. Alaster was far from normal. His desire for power trumped his desire for safety at that moment. And he had a lot of anger and pent-up stress to unleash. Goblins would do nicely if he could ambush them.

    So Alaster continued forward as Gobi kept watch overhead.

    As he kept going, the tracks grew more frequent and recent. Alaster soon spotted thin pillars of smoke rising in the sky. He was getting closer to the tribe. He growled in frustration, as he had only been expecting a patrol, but it only added onto the anger he was already feeling.

    Instead of turning around, as his cautious mind was telling him to do, Alaster continued on.

    It was not much longer before Alaster hid behind a tree as three Goblins appeared. They seemed to be a guarding patrol and were clearly unhappy to be there. Even without knowing the language, anyone could hear the annoyance and discomfort.

    Alaster peeked around the tree. Two of the Goblins had wooden spears, similar to the one Gobi had had. The third one carried a club. All three wore mismatched furs and hides to protect them against the cold.

    The young man waited until they walked past him. If they turned around, they would see him, but he didn''t give them that opportunity.

    Alaster cast a [Necrotic Bolt] into the back of one of the Goblins, while Gobi dropped onto another, hacking into its neck.

    The one hit by the bolt screamed, but Gobi''s never had a chance. The third one turned around, raising its club, just in time for Gobi to leap onto it, plunging its hatchet into its face. The three Goblins were dead before they could react.

    [Raise Undead: Level up]

    [Class: Level up]

    ''Oh?''

    Alaster had noticed that the spell had gotten EXP after killing the Bugbear, but he had not expected the Goblins to be enough to level it again.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 4: 5%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 44]

    ''Four? It leveled twice with only two Goblins?''

    It had, in fact, been gaining EXP with each kill Alaster had done, as the Undead had participated in all of them.

    Alaster took the hides and furs the Goblins wore into his Ring. Bending down, he used his [Bone Crafting] spell to liquify the bones and used mana to carve its way out of the body. It was gruesome and disturbing to watch, but Alaster did not care. He did the same to each of the bodies, adding their bones to the Ring.

    Only after finishing did Alaster leave and climb a tall tree nearby, Gobi following him and sitting on a branch in the tree next to its master. Alaster opened his status and put two pointed into his INT to get it to twenty and the last three into his WIS, bringing it to twenty-three.

    After, Alaster decided to meditate to recover the mana he had used. Pulling the bones out had drained twenty mana for each goblin.

    However, only ten minutes passed before another patrol walked past. They spotted the blob corpses of their comrades and immediately went on the defensive. Alaster raised his eyebrow. He had expected them to run back to raise the alarm to the rest of the tribe. But apparently, this group of Goblins were braver than most, and dumber.

    Hidden in the tree, Alaster simply fired a bolt of Necrotic energy as Gobi fell on them. It was basically a perfect copy of the first group. Once again, Alaster drained their bones and took the hides and furs.

    [Raise Undead: Level up and Evolution]

    ''It reached level five.''

    Alaster was quite surprised as he settled himself in the branches. He had fully expected [Meditation] to be the first ability to reach level five and Evolve.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 5: 10%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 42

    Evolution:

    1: Be able to raise larger minions

    2: Be able to raise two minions

    3: Be able to give more complex orders to your minions]

    ''Interesting. I suspect the first option would allow me to raise human and similar sized corpses. Powerful, as humans are much stronger, but not useful to me now. Being able to raise two minions would be amazing. Numbers often decides a battle. But having smarter minions could be beneficial. Stronger, numerous, or smarter?''

    Alaster rubbed Evelyn''s ring as he thought. Several minutes passed.

    ''Numerous.'' He finally decided, making his choice.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 5: 10%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/2

    Mana Cost: 42]

    Grinning to himself, Alaster took back out the bones of the Goblins he had just put into his ring. He cast the spell and watched as a Goblin Skeleton began to raise out of the pile.

    ''Wait a minute.'' Alaster realized, ''I have a spell to manipulate bones and mold them into whatever I wish. Skeletons are made of bones.''

    Chuckling to himself, Alaster approached the new Skeleton, excited to experiment. The poor Skeleton had just been born again and had no idea what was coming to it.

 Chapter 20- Children of the Night

    Alaster traveled away from the Goblin Tribe until he could barely make out the smoke trails through the trees. Once he was far enough away, Alaster set up his bone shelter and had Gobi hide in the trees while he took the newest Skeleton in side.

    Before he began his experiments, he prepared the Caribou hide with [Death Touch] and hung it over the doorway. He then started a fire in the fire bowl to provide light and much desired warmth, which the Caribou hide kept in.

    He then had the Skeleton stand straight and perfectly still.

    "If I move any part of your body, you will keep it in that same position." Alaster ordered, speaking for the first time in many hours.

    He then began to move the Skeleton like a doll. To an outsider, it would appear as if Alaster was simply playing around. But in truth, Alaster was studying how the Skeleton could move, and how the green veins of his mana worked.

    After nearly an hour, he believed he had a good enough understanding and began his experiments.

    Using [Bone Crafting], Alaster molded the Skeleton''s fingers into sharp points. The bone fingers were already surprisingly sharp as they had no flesh to cover them, but Alaster turned that natural point into a knife point. Once he was done, he did the same to the toes, and Alaster knew that the Skeleton would be able to climb much easier and quicker.

    But he was not done.

    Next, Alaster changed the teeth, once again sharpening them. He envisioned a dozen of these similar Skeletons dropping from the treetops to bite and claw into their prey before quickly ascending once more.

    But still, he was not done.

    For his next step, he began to strengthen the bones of its hands and feet. He did not make them denser. While that would make them stronger, it would also make them heavier. Instead, Alaster injected more of his mana into the bone, fusing with it in a way. He had previously found that doing so would make the bones harder to break, while also making them less brittle.

    Once he had strengthened the hands and feet, he noticed that they were darker than the rest of the Skeleton.

    ''Interesting. So taking out the impurities to making the bone lighter and more flexible makes than whiter, but strengthening them with mana makes them darker.''

    However, he was still not done. He was not even sure this next step would work. Targeting the Mana Veins of the Skeleton, Alaster injected his mana, much like a blood transfusion. The Veins grew thicker and more vibrant the more mana he pushed into them. Eventually, however, he sensed that the Veins were reaching a sort of critical saturation, and that if continued to pump his mana into them, that they would burst.

    Alaster took a step back to admire his work. The Skeleton was pretty much the same as Gobi, but the bones past its elbow and knee joint were darker, more gray. The veins glowed brighter, especially around the joints, where he had focused his attention. But he was not done. Alaster bent down and molded the forearm and shinbone to have downward facing spikes, which Alaster hoped would assist the Skeleton in climbing.

    As a final touch, a more artistic one, Alaster molded the head of the Skeleton to be smaller with its eye sockets smaller, narrower, and pointed.

    [Spell Learned: Skeleton Creation]

    [Skeleton Creation

    Level 1: 0%

    Create what none have created

    Mana Cost 50/min]

    With Alaster''s recent level, and two points into INT, he had one hundred fifty mana. Just enough to keep the spell active for three minutes. It had taken nearly an hour to edit the Goblin Skeleton, though it could hardly be called a Goblin Skeleton anymore.

    Taking a look at his creation, Alaster was not quite sure what to call it.

    When he did have to make the bone denser, to accommodate the amount of mana he was putting in, he also made it smaller, to keep it roughly the same weight. And since he made the skull smaller, as well as the eyes, it looked more humanlike.

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    Alaster had been imagining what it would be like for this Skeleton to ambush and terrorizing its prey from the tree tops. It would be even more effective at night, when its sickly green eyes would glow in the night. But due to its size, from afar, it would look like a child.

    ''Night Child.''

    His naming sense still sucked, and he was not going to apologize for it.

    ''One of the benefits of being alone. No one can criticize you.''

    Alaster decided to change one last thing. The underside of its forearms had spikes, so when it was climbing, they would poke down and dig into whatever it what, helping the Child climb. But having to carry a weapon would diminish that ability.

    It could use its sharp fingers to stab its target, but Alaster wanted the Night Child''s specialty to be stealth and speed. And to stab an enemy, they would have to withdraw their hand, slowing them. But if they had a slashing weapon? One that was built into them, so their hands were free.

    Alaster spent the next several hours working through what weapon, style, angle, and all of that. He added more bone, and had to make the forearms denser. This would slow it down slightly, but Alaster had strengthened its Mana Veins nearly to the breaking point. If his theory was correct, that would make it stronger and faster, and without the weight of flesh, Skeletons were already quite fast.

    In the end, Alaster finalized his design and sat down, leaning against the bone wall and staring at his new Night Child.

    Standing a little taller than a meter. With gray forearms and shinbones covered in small spikes. Its brightly glowing green veins had been hidden under some bone, blocking its light from showing. Only the joints had unexposed vein, as bone was inflexible, preventing Alaster from covering it. On the sides of its forearms, Alaster had created a long curved blade.

    The blade, made of super condensed and infused bone, was razor sharp. It ran from about an inch past its knuckles to two inches past its elbow. It curved, which Alaster hoped would allow the Child to run or jump past the enemy, keeping its speed, while still slashing at the enemy.

    Alaster spent all that time designing it, and only about twenty minutes making both blades. When they were made, Alaster finally cast [Skeleton Creation] to finally implement the blades onto the Skeleton, making the two, into one. However, it still took two minutes, one hundred mana, to attach the blades seamlessly and how he wanted.

    [Night Child

    Health: 65/65

    Strength: 8

    Dexterity: 15 (12+3)

    Constitution: 8 (6+2)]

    ''Even the name changed. And it looks like my additions also changed its status. It is now easily more powerful than Gobi.''

    Alaster sent the Child out. He needed to hold the hide curtain aside, as he did not quite trust the Skeleton with razor blades attached to its hands, not to cut it. The Child took Gobi''s place among the trees as Gobi entered the shelter.

    Alaster examined Gobi.

    [Goblin Skeleton

    Health: 19/55

    Strength: 8

    Dexterity: 12

    Constitution: 6]

    ''Still damaged, and it doesn''t seem like the system had recognized Gobi as its name.''

    After meditating, Alaster cast [Skeleton Creation] on a hunch. As he had suspected, his vision seemed to highlight the damaged areas of the Skeleton. Alaster knew that if he added bone and fused it together while the spell was active, that it would repair the Skeleton, effectively healing it. But that was not what he wanted to do.

    Alaster instead dismissed Gobi. The moment he decided it, the Mana Veins within Gobi vanished, dissipating, and the bones fell into a pile. Gobi had served him well, but Alaster was not one to grow attached to a minion, especially one without any intelligence.

    As the bones fell, Alaster gently kicked them into the rest of the Goblin bones in the corner. And then, he cast [Raise Undead].

    Another Goblin Skeleton rose out of the pile, staring at its master and waiting for orders.

    Alaster had only one.

    ''Dismiss.''

    Very few skills could gain EXP unless there was a target. Such as [Necrotic Bolt], It could not improve unless it actually hit an enemy. But [Raise Undead] only needed bones, and it seemed that as long as a sufficient amount of bones remained after it was dismissed, the same bones could be used to raise another, and it still provided EXP.

    [Meditation] only needed mana to be missing from the max, and [Raise Undead] was quite mana intensive.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 5: 30%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 1/2

    Mana Cost: 42]

    After his recent test, he found that raising an undead provided ten percent EXP after the Evolution, instead of the twenty percent EXP before. That was still fine. That wasn''t even including the EXP that went towards the spell''s level if the Undead killed or participated in a kill.

    The sun was still up, and Alaster wanted to attack the Goblin Tribe at night, when most of its members would be asleep. So until then, Alaster was going to speed Level his two most important abilities, [Raise Undead] and [Meditation].

    Alaster was excited for the blood that would spill when the sun fell and moon rose.

 Chapter 21- Night Raid

    Snow fell slowly from the sky, but heavy. Cold Wind flew through the trees, whipping the falling snow and the freshly fallen snow into a brief frenzy. Large and dark clouds coated the sky, threatening a blizzard as they blocked out the moon''s light. Temperatures plummeted, forcing the few Goblin sentries closer to their fires, and taking what little shelter they could.

    The Goblin tribe had created a log wall. Though most of it was just tree trunks laid on their side and lashed together and then tied to the trunk of a still living and upright tree. Good enough to keep most wild animals and even a few monsters away. But the horizontal trunks would have made it easy for even Alaster to climb over, let alone a Night Child, built for climbing.

    The wall, was erratic, with several sharp turns. The ''gate'' was just an opening in the wall, where most of the Goblin Sentries guarded. The tribe itself was just a dozen or so small huts, made out of sticks and grass.

    In the middle, a much larger hut stood, made out of stone and logs. It was roughly five meters wide and two meters tall. The circular walls were made out of stacked river stone and the roof was made of angled logs with mud stuffed between the gaps.

    Alaster examined the Tribe from the top of a tree near to the Tribe. He wanted to know the layout, and unsurprisingly, a Goblin Tribe didn''t have any layout. However, he did learn where the Goblins were. They didn''t move away from their fires, randomly placed around, mostly around the ''gate''.

    Alaster quickly climbed down from the tree and snuck his way through the woods until he reached the forest clearing the Goblins had cut. Alaster readjusted his hood, and sprinted across the clearing. He had specifically chosen a spot of the Tribe that didn''t have any Goblins around, something that was easy to find.

    Two Night Children appeared beside Alaster, the green eyes glowing menacingly in the dark. They stayed crouched down until Alaster ordered them forward. Alaster discovered that the Night Children seemed to prefer all fours, and they were wicked quick on them.

    On his order, the Children jumped onto the log walls, their jump alone allowed them to nearly reach the top of the six meter wall, and before Alaster to blink, they had climbed over, disappearing from view.

    Alaster took much longer, but it was not very difficult to climb a wall of horizontal trunks with their bark still on. Soon, Alaster was able to hop over. The Night Children were waiting on the other side, their sharp blades reflecting what little light there was with how sharp the bone was.

    ''Go kill every Goblin you find, and do it as quietly as you can.'' Alaster ordered.

    The Night Children dashed off into the darkness. Alaster walked after them, not in much of a rush. As he came upon the first fire, all he saw was four dead Goblins. Alaster continued to walk. The next fire, three more dead Goblins.

    Three more fires, each with several Goblins dead around them. Eventually, Alaster came across the ''gate'' where the majority of the Goblin sentries were. It seemed like they actually managed to fight back, or at least tried to. Unlike the other Goblin sentries, who hadn''t gotten that chance.

    Nearly twenty Goblin corpses were sprawled around. In the flashing light of the fires, the blood and body parts made a scary scene. But Alaster could only grin.

    As Alaster turned to walk away, he noticed that one of the Goblins was still alive. Its leg had been sliced off, but it still crawled away. It was pale as it lost most of its blood, it was not long for the world.

    Alaster did not care that it was going to die, nor did he care about ending its pain, he wanted the EXP. Even as little as the Goblin would provide. Alaster cast a [Necrotic Bolt] at it and walked away, not even bothering to watch as its back melted.

    The young man walked through the Tribe, looking at the way Goblins lived. He was curious, but not impressed. Occasionally he would see one of the Night Children leave one hut, with fresh blood dripping from the claws, and run into another hut.

    Eventually, the Night Children finished with the rest of the huts and crouched on either end of the entrance to the main hut. Alaster stood between them.

    Nodding to himself, Alaster walked in, his Night Children rushing after him. The moment Alaster walked through the hanging and rotting hide, he was assaulted with an unbearable stench. It was not difficult to identify the source.

    Every spot of the floor was covered in the naked bodies of over a dozen women. From the stench, it was not difficult to know the reason. Each of them seemed absent, as if their mind was not present. Each of them were staring blankly forward, wherever they were facing.

    In the back of the room, were two small cages. An old Goblin with a gnarled staff was leaning over in front of one of them, trying to unlock it.

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    Alaster simply pointed to the old Goblin, and both Night Children sprinted forward, somehow without stepping on any of the women. The Goblin turned around just as the Children ran past. It fell to the ground as four large slashes opened up, blood flooding out.

    Alaster walked over to the cages, carefully watching every step to not step on the women. As he went, he pulled out the furs and hides he had gathered from the dead Goblins. They were small, had large cuts from the Children, and were bloody. Not to mention the filth that was on them before. But nonetheless, Alaster carefully laid them over the women.

    Reaching the cages, he found that there were two women in both cages. Both women in one of the cages were dead, either starved or beaten, Alaster could not tell. But in the second cage, only one of the women were dead. The living one wasn''t broken like the others, either.

    "H-Hello?"

    The woman had only seen the Goblin trying to open her cage, then two blurs rushed past, and then the Goblin falling dead. The light from the fire at the entrance of the room did not reach this far into the hut.

    ''Go outside and hide.'' Alaster ordered his undead.

    Sticking to the shadows, they did just that.

    Alaster carefully approached with his hood down and hands raised.

    "You don''t need to worry anymore, all the Goblins are dead. Are you hurt anywhere?"

    "N-No. Who are you?"

    Alaster hesitated to mention his name, but he also couldn''t think of a fake fast enough.

    "Alaster. Let me open your cage." Alaster drew his sword and approached.

    As he got closer, Alaster was able to see her clearer. He immediately turned around.

    "My apologies! Umm," Alaster''s mind rushed to think of something.

    The young man had never seen naked women before tonight, but his mind simply didn''t consider the mindless women as anything more than broken. The woman in the cage was different, she was still conscious and thinking, but no less naked. His mind did consider her a woman.

    Thinking quickly, at least as quickly as a fifteen year old boy in this situation could, he took off his cloak and handed it to the woman without turning around.

    "Umm, here. Please put this on."

    "Thank you." She replied, she was not just embarrassed about being naked, but very little heat from the fire reached her.

    Alaster waited a moment, trying his best to not shiver as the cold assaulted his body, now that he was without his warm cloak.

    "Are you ready?" Alaster asked, feeling the blood rush to his face.

    "Yes." She whispered, but he heard it.

    Alaster turned around and without any hesitation slashed down at the thick rope holding the cage closed. He immediately opened the cage and offered his hand. The woman tentatively grabbed it, almost believing it to be yet another of her hopeless dreams where she was rescued.

    Alaster helped her out and to her feet. Alaster immediately noticed.

    "Oh, I don''t have any shoes, but I do have some animal fur that we can wrap around your feet. I should have enough for everyone."

    She hung her head as the words caught in the back of her throat, "Thank you, but please, kill them."

    Alaster turned around and finally stared at the girl''s face. She was gorgeous. Not the most pretty woman he had seen before, as he had spent a lot of time around the Noble women of Onigas, but certainly up there.

    Her smooth face was marked only by an old scar over her right eye. Alaster could not tell the color of her large eyes as without enough light, they appeared black, but he knew they were not. Her full lips were chapped and bleeding, but they somehow didn''t diminish anything. From under the hood, and with the help of firelight, now that she was out of the dark wooden cage, he could see a few strands of light red hair.

    "What?" He questioned, not expecting that response.

    She began to shake, struggling, and failing, to hold back tears, "When they were still conscious, we all promised each other to end the suffering of anyone who ended up like that. I am the last one."

    Alaster was not opposed to it, he did not really want to care for the fifteen women until they reached a settlement. He doubted he would be able to even if he tried. Plus, he did need the EXP, but that was a side thought.

    "Are you sure?"

    She nodded.

    "Do you know their names?"

    "Yes." She whispered as tears fell from her face.

    Alaster silently nodded and slowly approached the woman before bending down and picking her up in a bridal carry. The moment she had mentioned killing the rest of the women, he ordered the Night Children to begin weakening a portion of the wall, in case he had to make a quick exit. But now, he carried the woman to the portion, and with his order the Children quickly began to take the stones out.

    By the time he reached the wall, a large hole had been created. Alaster stepped through, careful of the woman''s body and his footing. As he walked away, he ordered the Children to kill the women in the Hut as cleanly as possible, and they rushed to obey, sprinting through the opening. As the EXP counted towards his Class Level, even Alaster felt dirty.

    He approached a clearing in the Tribe and carefully set the woman back on her feet. Alaster had made sure she hadn''t seen the Night Children, and he wanted to keep it that way until he knew more. But some things couldn''t wait.

    Alaster quickly pulled out the shelter parts, his mana responding much quicker after his speed leveling session. Within five minutes, the shelter was set up. He ushered the woman in and laid out his Bugbear fur for her to sit on while he quickly built a fire. As the flames warmed the room, the woman sighed. It had been a long time since she was warm.

    Alaster sat across from the woman and mentally ordered the Children to begin to pile the Goblin corpses in the middle of the Tribe. He didn''t think he needed it, but he also ordered them not to touch the women. He could feel the Children set to work.

    "May I ask your name?" Alaster asked.

    "Astrid."

 Chapter 22- Astrid

    As exhausted and hurt as she was, both mentally and physically, Astrid was soon asleep. Alaster watched for several minutes, thinking to himself.

    With the light of the fire, Alaster was able to see the girl clearly. At least her face, as it was the only part of her body that was visible from under the Bugbear hide. She was not as old as Alaster had assumed.

    ˇ®Probably only a year or so older than me.ˇŻ

    Alaster knew that, from a realistic view, it would severely hamper his rate of growth to care for and protect the girl. Even if her class and abilities increased the rate she healed, it would still be at least another day before she was able to move unaided. And Alaster doubted she had anything improving her healing.

    However, Alaster knew that he could not just leave her.

    AlasterˇŻs parents had always taught him that family was the most important thing. And he knew that if they could see him, they might not agree with what he was doing for their sake, but they would understand. But they would not look favorably upon him abandoning a weak and hurt young woman. He doubted he could either.

    He sighed to himself, knowing that she was now under his care for the time being.

    Alaster shuffled closer to the fire-bowl, taking care not to bump into the sleeping Astrid. He had made the Shelter to be a small but comfortable fit for him, not him plus one.

    ˇ®First things first, she needs some clothing. I want my cloak back.ˇŻ

    Shaking his head, he looked over his earnings of the night.

    While he had been leveling his [Meditation] and [Raise Undead], he had made great progress.

    [Mediation

    Level 4<7: 5%<20%

    Clearing the Mind to see what is concealed

    Mana Regeneration increased to 8/min<13/min during use

    Can sense fluctuations in mana around you]

    For the Level Five bonus of [Meditation], had once again been offered three choices.

    [1. Sense Mana Fluctuations nearby

    <ol start="2">

    <li> Infuse surroundings with own Mana</li>

    <li> Visualize Mana]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster was able to see the uses for any of the choices. Being able to Infuse Mana into his surroundings sounded like an Enchanter type of ability, and would likely have different effects depending on the type of Mana used. He had actually been very interested in taking this choice, but in the end decided against it. He knew very little about his own mana.

    As for seeing Mana, that was an ability every Mage wanted to get. There were numerous ways to gain it as well, and not all of them were from the System or even Items or Potions. The general consensus was that nearly everything the System offered, was something the person could learn on their own, if given time and practice. The System simply sped the process and make the effects easier to understand.

    In the end, Alaster decided on being able to sense the movements of mana. It was similar to being able to see mana, but very different. Similar to being able to see the wind. You might see the snow fly through the air, so you could understand that the wind was moving. But it was as if you were watching from a closed window. You werenˇŻt feeling it yourself, and if you werenˇŻt paying attention, you could very easily miss it.

    But being able to sense the movements would mean that while he didnˇŻt understand exactly what was happening, as someone who could see the mana could know, he would still know that something was happening.

    As for [Raise Undead], It had leveled much faster as it had leveled both from being cast, and from the Minions killing.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 5<9: 30%<94%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 42<32]

    Only a few more casts or kills would level it up to ten, giving him another bonus.

    ˇ®At least if the trend holdsˇŻ

    While Leveling abilities did not level up the Class, killing did, and the Night Children had certainly done a lot. A lot of killing, if you looked purely at their stats, they had no right being able to accomplish.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 2<6

    EXP: 54%<32%

    Health: 140/140

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 140/140

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity: 11

    Constitution: 16

    Wisdom: 20

    Intelligence: 18

    Stat Points: 0<20]

    ˇ®I have quite a few abilities, and I got some more Stat Points to distribute.ˇŻ

    Following what his class believed to be important, Alaster put two points into INT and four into CON, getting both to twenty.

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    [Health: 160/160

    Health Regeneration: 6/min

    Mana 150/150

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min

    Stat Points: 14]

    He thought about adding the rest into WIS, boosting his Mana Regen once more, but he did not know what sort of skills would be needed for his quest for revenge. And he couldnˇŻt always rely on his Magic. If he ran out of Mana, he would be defenceless, and he did not want that.

    Especially when he had and knew how to fight with a sword.

    Instead, Alaster added four points to his DEX and eight into STR, he allocated the last two into WIS.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 6

    EXP: 32%

    Health: 160/160

    Health Regeneration: 6/min

    Mana: 150/150

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation

    Strength: 12<20

    Dexterity: 11<15

    Constitution: 16<20

    Wisdom: 20<22

    Intelligence: 18<20

    Stat Points: 20<0]

    Content with his choices, Alaster finalized them. Immediately he felt his the changes. Normally, the changes were subtle enough that most would never notice the changes, but most also didnˇŻt apply four levels worth of Stats all at once.

    AlasterˇŻs eyes seemed to clear. He wasnˇŻt able to see more, but it was more like he understood more of what he saw. The gears constantly turning in his head seemed to turn faster, allowing him to understand things faster and better.

    His skin felt tighter, and his bones seemed stronger. He could his body growing, reaching the limits of the clothes that had been fit for him the day of his birthday. They still fit well, it was just a little tighter than it was meant for. Alaster could almost imagine that if he increased his STR even more, he would rip out of them. While STR seemed to add to the bulk, DEX only made better use of what was there. Even as he grew taller and larger, he could feel his muscles tighten and twist, gaining more of a whip like strength.

    As he felt his body calm down from the changes, Alaster adjusted himself and leaned back against the bone wall, finding a comfortable position to sleep. Without the Bugbear hide or his cloak, he had stayed much closer to the fire.

    He closed his eyes and issued a new order. He could somewhat feel like the Night Children were still dragging the Goblin Corpses into a pile. The Children were fast, but were physically weak.

    ˇ®Patrol the area and protect the shelter.ˇŻ

    He felt them acknowledge the order as his mind drifted away.

    While he had not done much physical exertion, his mind was exhausted after speed leveling his two Abilities, creating the Children, and then managing them.

    He did not dream.

    *****

    Alaster woke the next morning before the young woman. He did not want to move. He wanted to close his eyes again and embrace the abyss that is sleep, but he was cold. The fire had died down during the night, and bone was not very insulating. When the source of heat died, the shelter did not stay warm for long.

    Growling under his breath, which was visible, he noticed, Alaster stood up and took some wood from his Ring, adding it to the Fire-bowl and rebuilding the fire. Soon, the warmth of the fire began to chase away the frost. Alaster could feel the cold leave his body as he huddled close to the fire.

    Eventually, however, his stomach growled. So Alaster took out two sharpened and debarked sticks and stuck some of the Bugbear meat to it, roasting them over the fire. It was not long before the sound of dripping fat and grease sizzling in the flames, and the scent of roasting meat permeating the small shelter, woke the young woman.

    Alaster heard her wake, and begin to move, but he did not turn around. He did not want to scare her anymore than she already was. From the faint sounds, Alaster imagined that she had taken whatever comfort she could in huddling against the corner of the shelter, watching him.

    A few minutes passed in relative silence, only the sizzling meat interrupting it. Eventually it was properly cooked, at least as well as Alaster knew how.

    Alaster sniffled against the cold and calmly turned around on his hunches. He bit into the meat of one stick while he offered the second to the girl. Alaster almost had to stop a smile from forming. She had wrapped the Bugbear hide around herself. She hesitated, but after Alaster swallowed his first bite and took another, she tentatively reached out and quickly grabbed it and retreated.

    Alaster simply sat across from her. He noticed that the early morning sun peaked around the edges of the Caribou hide at the entrance. He checked his Minion status. They were both still there, and neither had taken any damage.

    ˇ®Resume piling all the Goblin Corpses. If you killed anything during the night, pile them next to the Goblins.ˇŻ

    After issuing the orders, Alaster continued to eat while observing the girl, and vice versa. Eventually, however, both of them soon finished eating. Alaster slowly reached his open hand towards the girl, motioning to the stick. She was once again very careful not to touch Alaster as he handed the stick over. He quickly put them into his Ring.

    ˇ°As IˇŻm not sure how much you remember of last night, letˇŻs start again. My name is Alaster, I killed all the Goblins and saved you. What is your name?ˇ±

    She readjusted, pulling the furry hid tighter, ˇ°Astrid. Thank you for saving me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you remember what you asked me last night?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± She said in almost a whisper, ˇ°I remember everything.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°Where they your friends?ˇ±

    She nodded.

    ˇ°Do you have any family in the nearby settlement?ˇ± Alaster still did not know where he was or where a settlement was, so he was somewhat hoping that she would.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. IˇŻm an orphan. We all were.ˇ±

    Despite the age of Adulthood being fifteen, when they would receive their Class. Orphanages were funded to keep the children until sixteen, allowing the child enough time to learn their Class and hopefully get onto their feet. However, only a year for a brand new Novice to earn enough money to live off of was too short a time. Most spent several months trying to learn their classes, and they were expected to learn it and use it well enough to earn a living.

    ˇ°Our Sixteenth birthdays were coming up, but none of us were ready. So we formed smaller groups than we usually did to cover more ground and spread the EXP around, and travelled deeper into the woods than we were ready for.ˇ± She took a deep breath before continuing, ˇ°We didnˇŻt know there was a Goblin tribe. They ambushed each group.ˇ±

    Her eyes began to water, ˇ°They killed all the boys, and captured the girls. My group was the luckiest, we had run into a more experienced and older Novice group returning from their hunt. They ordered us around and took us back with them, but it didnˇŻt stop the Goblins. The older adventurers were only a few levels away from becoming Adepts, and they put up a good fight. But they just kept coming.

    Most of the girls were knocked out, but I was only held down and tied up. They locked the girls who were still awake into cages, but they did not care that the others were knocked out.ˇ±

    She began to shake. Alaster knew that he should comfort her, but he did not know how. Normally, when his sister or Isabella cried, he would have hugged them, but given the context of the trauma, he did not know if that was a good way to go around it.

    ˇ°Thank you for saving me.ˇ± She choked out.

    ˇ°Did they touch you?ˇ± As much as Alaster did not want to ask that, he knew he needed to. Goblins were evil creatures that seemed to enjoy getting their prey addicted to them and using them until they died.

    ˇ°No, it seemed like they wanted us four in the cages to willingly offer ourselves. They barely fed us old and rotting scraps, and the only fire was at the entrance, far from us. Originally, there were six of us in the cages. Three held on until they died.ˇ±

    Alaster did not need to ask about the two.

    ˇ°Did you really kill all of them?ˇ± She asked, looking into his eyes, almost begging for him to be telling the truth.

    ˇ°The girls died painlessly. The Goblins were slaughtered.ˇ±

    ˇ°How? You can''t be much stronger than we were.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not. But I am a lot quieter. I found them before they found me and waited until night. Most of them slept in the huts, and last nightˇŻs storm helped to hide me. They didnˇŻt know what was happening until they were dying in the snow.ˇ±

    ˇ°What Class are you? A Rogue Type?ˇ±

    ˇ°You first.ˇ± Alaster did not want to tell Astrid his Class, but knew that it would only arise even more suspicion on him. It was better to mislead her and let her come to her own assumptions.

    ˇ°My Class is Herald. It''s a Warrior Type Class that specializes in the use of a spear, shield, and buffing allies.ˇ±

    ˇ°Buff? That''s amazing!ˇ± Very few Novice Classes had access to buffs.

    ˇ°It''s weak though, supposedly, It increases my alliesˇŻ strength as long as they are close to me. But none of my friends noticed any difference. It did help me level. As long as I have it active when an Ally gets a kill, I get a portion of the EXP.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt sell yourself short. You are still a Novice, so having access to any buff, especially an Area Buff, is amazing! IˇŻm sure if you keep it up that people will soon be begging to have you on their team.ˇ± Alaster didnˇŻt just say that to help cheer her up. It was all truth.

    Paladins, an Adept class, also specialized in buffing allies, and they regularly had to turn down groups. A person that could buff their allies was always in large demand. Many could buff themselves, but it was much more difficult and complex to buff others.

    Astrid grinned, ˇ°Thanks. What about you?ˇ±

    ˇ®Damn it.ˇŻ

 Chapter 23- Farewell

    Alaster rubbed the back of his head, he needed to say something. He didnˇŻt want to tell her he was a Death Mage, but it would not take long for her to realize the shelter was made out of bone. There werenˇŻt exactly a lot of Novice Classes who could manipulate bone like that. And eventually, she would see the Skeletons. That was just inevitable.

    The Night Children were small, fast, and could climb just about anything, but they didnˇŻt have much in the way of actual stealth. And they would be constantly moving to keep up with them. If they were just passing over someone, odds are the people would not notice or think it was a bird, but they would be following Astrid. Eventually she would catch on that something was not normal.

    Alaster took a deep breath and sighed, ˇ°IˇŻm a Death Mage.ˇ±

    AstridˇŻs eyes widened, ˇ°YouˇŻre a Mage? But you have a sword?ˇ±

    Her eyes finally noticed the fancier clothes Alaster wore.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre a noble! I am so sorry sir if I disrespected you!ˇ± Even as traumatized as she was, the fear of nobility clung to all commoners, even more so for those with no power or influence, such as Beggars or Orphans.

    Alaster waved his hand, ˇ°IˇŻm not a noble. I was under the employ of a noble, but circumstances forced us to part ways for a while. This Ring was given to me as a gift by the NobleˇŻs Wizard.ˇ±

    She calmed down, ˇ°What did you do for them?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻd rather not get into it. It is a rather long story, and we have more pressing matters. As a Death Mage, I can summon skeletons to obey my orders. Right now, they are throwing all the Goblins into a pile to be burned. However, I do not know how you want your friends to be treated.ˇ±

    She hugged her knees tightly, resting her chin on them. Several moments passed in silence, only the cracking and popping of the fire disrupting it.

    ˇ°I would like them to also be burned. I donˇŻt want monsters to get to them.ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand. You stay here while I go get this all done. When it''s done, we can leave, if it''s still light out.ˇ±

    She silently nodded, her eyes wet.

    Alaster quickly left the Shelter, ducking under the thick hide curtain. Standing up straight, he shivered as the cold wind hit him.

    ˇ®She still has my cloak.ˇŻ

    He was tempted to go back in and ask for it, but knew that it would not be right. As it was, the cloak was probably her strongest sense of safety at the moment. Steeling himself, Alaster walked towards the center of the Tribe, where the large pile of Goblins were all thrown together.

    As Alaster walked towards the pile, he saw one of the Night Children drag another Goblin by the feet and throw it onto the pile. Blood poured from the corpse and spilled onto the snow. As the Child ran away to fetch another, the second Child walked around the corner of a Hut dragging another Goblin.

    ˇ®Making good progress, I guess.ˇŻ

    Instead, Alaster turned to the large stone hut. The sight still burned brightly in his mind, but he knew he could not allow either the Night Children or Astrid to take care of them.

    Alaster tore the curtain from the doorway, tossing it aside. One by one, the young man carefully carried out the women and laid them gently in the snow, laying the hide over their bodies and faces.

    Two hours later, the Night Children had finished with the Goblins and instead crouched to either side of the Shelter while Alaster laid the last woman down. As strong as he was and light as they were, he was still breathing harder and hot.

    He took a moment to quickly stretch and check to ensure his mana was full. Then he stood in front of the pile of Goblin corpses and raised his hand. Over the course of several minutes, the bones of the Goblins exited their bodies and fell into their own pile next to Alaster. When it was done, the pile was much smaller without the bones keeping the shape. He put the bones into the Ring, a process that took just as long as retrieving them.

    Alaster entered the shelter and warmed his hands over the fire. It was beginning to burn down, but Alaster did not add more wood. He wanted to be leaving soon. Astrid had not moved from the corner, and it looked like she had been silently crying for a while.

    The young man sat down and pulled out the largest hide and a few smaller pieces. He used [Death Touch] and prepared them. Astrid watched, completely fascinated. He wrapped the large piece around his shoulders, holding it in place with a sharp piece of bone he shoved through and molded flat. As for the smaller pieces, Alaster carefully wrapped AstridˇŻs feet, once again using bone to hold them together.

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    ˇ°WeˇŻre ready.ˇ± Alaster informed her, holding out his hand. She hesitated, but grabbed it and allowed him to lift her to her feet.

    ˇ°How are the wrappings?ˇ±

    ˇ°They feel weird, but are much warmer. Thank you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Before we leave, IˇŻll make you some snow shoes. That should make it much easier to walk through the snow.ˇ±

    ˇ°ArenˇŻt we leaving now?ˇ± Astrid asked, frowning.

    ˇ°There is one last thing I have to do, and one last thing you have to do.ˇ±

    She looked at him strangely, but he had already held open the curtain and motioned her out.

    Once she was outside, she saw the Night Children crouched to either side of the shelter, watching her. She yelped and jumped away from them.

    ˇ°Calm down, they are mine. Besides, they arenˇŻt that scary.ˇ± Alaster said, examining the Children now that they were in the light. ˇ°Never mind. That is pretty bad.ˇ±

    They were covered in Goblin Blood. Their hands up to their elbows were completely covered, and apparently they had even bitten into a couple of Goblins. Alaster had sharpened their teeth for the looks. He did not actually expect them to use the teeth, but they certainly had. The majority of the front of their skulls are splattered with dark blood that seemed to dye the bone. Their bright green eyes shone through the slits, contrasting the dark blood.

    ˇ°Those are yours?ˇ± Astrid asked, her voice shaking.

    ˇ°Yes. They are the ones that killed all the Goblins. IˇŻll have them wash at the next stream we come across, but they will just get covered again the next time they fight.ˇ± Alaster explained as he began to disassemble the shelter.

    Within a few minutes, the shelter was completely in his Ring.

    ˇ°That Ring of Holding is really nice.ˇ± Astrid muttered, more to herself than anything.

    ˇ°Yes it is, the Wizard who made it for me had just become an Expert Warp Mage. This was the first one he made. I suspect that by now, the entire Noble Family he serves has their own, much better Rings. This one is fairly small. If it was bigger, I would have made the shelter bigger. Unfortunately, that is as big as I can make it. So we will be a bit cramped, sorry.ˇ±

    ˇ°As long as its warm.ˇ± She cracked a weak smile.

    ˇ°Trust me, I despise the cold. It will be warm, or I will work on it until it is.ˇ±

    She smiled a genuine, if small, smile.

    ˇ°Follow me.ˇ± Alaster motioned the way to the pile. It was hidden behind the large hut.

    They walked slowly as AstridˇŻs legs were still weak. The Night Children hopped from one spot to the next like rabbits. Alaster stayed right next to Astrid, ready to catch her if it was needed. As close as he was, he was able to hear her breathing speed up the closer they got to the Hut.

    Alaster wrapped his arm around her to support her and keep her moving. They walked past the Hut and Astrid almost stopped at the sight of the Goblin pile, but Alaster kept her moving. Next to the pile of Goblins, in a tight but neat row, lay the woman with hides covering their bodies.

    Astrid stopped and collapsed to the snow. Alaster crouched down next to her.

    ˇ°Stand up.ˇ± He commanded

    ˇ°I-I canˇŻt.ˇ± Her breathing was erratic. Her words faint whispers.

    ˇ°Yes you can. You have to do this, Astrid.ˇ±

    She looked up at him, her face as pale as the snow. Her bright green eyes wide with terror and her split and cracked lips trembling.

    He ordered one of the Night Children closer and grabbed the torch from it. He held it out to Astrid.

    ˇ°You have to end this, or it will continue to haunt you.ˇ±

    ˇ°I canˇŻt!ˇ± She seemed to almost plead with him.

    ˇ°Astrid! This isnˇŻt for you!ˇ± He shouted at her, causing her to recoil, ˇ°This is for them. You owe it to them as the only one to survive to make it right! You owe it to them to stand tall and strong.ˇ±

    She sat in the snow, with the Bugbear hide still wrapped around her, and hung her head.

    ˇ°How?ˇ± She asked.

    ˇ°By putting them to rest and living your life the best way you know how. Now stand up.ˇ±

    He helped her to her feet. When he let go, she stumbled but remained standing. He handed her the burning torch and took a step back.

    Astrid took a deep breath to calm her breathing. As she took the first step, she remembered the memories she had shared with her friends in the Orphanage. She took a second step, and she remembered the day each of them had come to the Orphanage. As her foot crushed the snow beneath on the third step, she recalled all of their excitement at turning fifteen and showing off their new classes. And on the fourth step, she recalled that day. The day she had lost everything.

    Tears fell freely, but she did not allow them to obscure her vision, not yet. She leaned down and touched the torch to the row of her friends. The dry and rotting hides quickly light and spread. Astrid stepped back and threw the torch into the pile of Goblins. Within moments, it was a bonfire.

    Alaster supported Astrid as she walked backward, not taking her eyes off her friends. She watched as sparks flew off the pile and landed on the nearby huts, setting them ablaze.

    Her strength left her, and she fell to the snow once more. Alaster slowed her fall, but did not stop it. She leaned into him as she closed her eyes, feeling the heat of the flames consume everything of the Goblins, and basked in the warmth as darkness consumed her.

 Chapter 24- Ally

    Alaster stayed crouched in the snow, holding Astrid close, as he watched the fires burn and spread.

    He might have even been concerned about starting a forest fire, but it was the middle of winter with strong and wet winds and snow covered the world. Not only that, but it was known that when there was a large threat to their homes, the monsters and beasts would work together to stop it.

    Even solitary monsters, that staked out large swaths of territory, would work with other creatures to stop fires, invasions, and even natural disasters. This was just one of the many reasons most civilizations tended to stay where they were. Any form of rapid expansion would cause violent opposition.

    As the stench of burning bodies swept over Alaster, he picked up Astrid and carried her to the gap in the tree wall. Once there, he gently propped her against the tree trunks and pulled out a small mound of bones.

    The bones he had harvested from the Goblins filled up quite a bit of the Ring. As he set to his next project, he promised himself to mold all the bones into cubes to save space in the Ring.

    Using his [Bone Crafting], Alaster quickly molded a flat platform. Two meters long by a meter wide. He then sloped the edges up. Smirking to himself, Alaster laid Astrid onto the simple sled. Finally, He took some of the primitive rope he had taken from the Goblin Tribe and attached it to the front of the sled.

    Alaster would have preferred to let one of the Night Children drag the sled, but he wasnˇŻt willing to weaken his defenses for ease. He would drag the sled while the Children followed him from the tree branches.

    Alaster put his snow shoes back on. He had taken them off before beginning the raid on the Tribe. They made it much easier to travel in the snow, and faster over distance. But in short distances, they were too cumbersome, and therefore slower. Besides, the snow was much more shallow in the walls of the Tribe.

    Checking over himself, Alaster ensured that he was all set and wasn''t forgetting anything. He took one last look at the towering flames and the pillar of dark smoke before he grabbed the end of the rope and turned into the forest.

    From what Astrid had said, Alaster was able to figure out the rough direction of the city she had come from. Human settlements avoided mountains, and Goblins did not tend to stray more than a dozen miles from wherever they considered home.

    As it was, Alaster was intrigued by this Goblin Tribe. Normally, Goblins would live in caves or similar holes they could hide in. They were naturally quite cowardly, and their dwellings reflected that. It was certainly not rare that a Goblin Tribe would dwell above ground, making huts much like this tribe had. But Alaster had never heard of them building defensive walls, as primitive as they were.

    Not only that, but they actually had Goblins guarding the Tribe. Very few Tribes were that organized. And yet, the Goblins guarding were certainly not the best.

    Goblins could typically be categorized into four types. The Peons, or servants, or even runts. They were the smallest and weakest of the Goblins. They usually didn''t have any weapons. Then there were the Warriors. They were stronger and the most numerous of the Goblins. They were the hunters and fighters. Then there were the Elders. For such a weak and pathetic race, being able to survive long enough to be called old was an accomplishment. Most Tribes didnˇŻt have more than one or two, and they usually used very weak magic.

    Alaster had noticed each of those three types during the attack on the Tribe, but it was the fourth one that was missing. And the most crucial.

    Every single Tribe of Goblins had a Lord Goblin. No tribe lasted very long without one, usually killing themselves off due to infighting. The Lord Goblin was the strongest and tallest of the Goblins, usually standing mid-chest height of an adult human male. They typically wore crude armor and used actual forged weapons. They were the smartest of the Goblins and always had an entourage following them. Their Bodyguards were the strongest of the Warriors.

    And yet, Alaster did not see them. Something he was grateful for, as he doubted even his Night Children could kill them. They relied on speed to kill, and their attacks would not do much against actual armor. However, it was because he did not see them, that he worried. He did not want to fight them, he doubted he could. His spells seemed to have little to no effect against armor.

    Of course, he was not too worried. After all, he had even killed a Bugbear, a creature that was much stronger than a Goblin Lord and his bodyguards. But he did recognize the strength of numbers. He had been confident in wiping out the entire Tribe if he had caught them sleeping. He had even been confident in fighting a few of them if needed. He had done so when he was just a small child.

    But there was simply too much unknown about the Goblin Lord, and he would not have the element of surprise. He did not want to fight the Lord.

    Alaster pushed himself to move faster through the snow. The Sled slowed him down, but Alaster forced himself to move faster. Goblins were known to dwell near settlements as they tended to supply easy prey, but they stayed far enough away to not attract attention from the Guard of the City. Even a group of prepared Novices were a threat to a Tribe of Goblins. Two or three Adepts could easily wipe them out.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Luckily, the thick snow provided a smooth surface for the sled to glide over. The Night Children jumped from tree branch to tree branch on either side of Alaster, however, Alaster was not paying attention to them. He leaned forward as he dragged. Alaster only occasionally glanced up to make sure he was going in the right direction, and not run into any tree.

    It was not long before the sun began to set. Taking care of the bodies had taken longer than Alaster had thought. He had only traveled for a few hours.

    Alaster quickly set up the shelter and carried Astrid in. He put the sled into his ring and quickly built up a fire in the bowl. He gave the mental command for the Night Children to watch over and protect the shelter.

    Alaster observed the surroundings of the shelter as the sun truly set. When the final rays of the sun vanished, Alaster entered the shelter. There, he found Astrid sitting upright and staring at him.

    He sat down across from her, ˇ°How are you feeling?ˇ±

    She nodded, ˇ°Better, actually. Thank you for making me do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt force you. I pushed you, but in the end, you did it yourself.ˇ±

    The corner of her mouth rose a degree, ˇ°Thank you nonetheless. Sorry for making you take care of me while I was passed out. I promise that I will be more useful tomorrow.ˇ±

    ˇ°That would be great. It wasnˇŻt bad, but this deep in the woods, another pair of hands are great.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt you have three pairs between you and your undead?ˇ± She tilted her head in confusion.

    ˇ°Yeah, but they arenˇŻt exactly the most intelligent. And since they have those blades on their arms, I donˇŻt really trust them to do anything delicate.ˇ± Alaster explained as he took out some meat and sticks, handing one of each to Astrid.

    They sat in silence as they cooked for several moments.

    ˇ°So you can make things out of bones?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, it''s pretty simple, and I canˇŻt do anything intricate or complicated, but it was enough to make this shelter.ˇ±

    ˇ°But you can make armor?ˇ± Astrid asked, pointing to the bone helmet Alaster had taken off and set to the side.

    ˇ°Yeah, but that is all IˇŻve made so far. What level is your Class, by the way?ˇ±

    ˇ°Five. Which isnˇŻt great because my sixteenth birthday is in two months. I spent a little bit and came to the conclusion that I would need to be at least level seven to be able to afford living once I was removed from the Orphanageˇ­ At least, that was when I was still planning on living with the other Orphans my age. I donˇŻt know what I will do now.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm sure that youˇŻll be fine. You can buff allies. No doubt that youˇŻll have multiple people asking to party with you.ˇ±

    ˇ°But my single buff is so weak they donˇŻt even notice it.ˇ±

    ˇ°That just means that you have to level it up! How does the buff work? Does it require mana to keep up?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, however, it is the only Mana ability I have. I can keep it up for little more than ten minutes.ˇ±

    ˇ°And it only gets EXP when it is active and gets kills? Or does it get EXP just for being active?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, either I or one of my buffed allies need to get Kill EXP.ˇ±

    Kill EXP, basically just EXP that is earned from killing something. Spells similar to AlasterˇŻs [Bone Crafting] got EXP for simply being used. While spells like [Necrotic Bolt] require it to hit a living foe. But some abilities, such as AstridˇŻs buff, required Kill EXP. There wasnˇŻt any real way to know which way an ability leveled without testing it, or researching it if someone had already figured it out and shared it.

    ˇ°What is your Buff called?ˇ± Alaster asked, taking a bite out of the meat.

    Astrid actually chuckled, ˇ°Nothing amazing. Very simple. Strength Aura. It has a four meter radius, with me at the center.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is the actual wording of the ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°Strength Aura, Level four, sixty-two percent. Range, four meters. Slightly strengthens user and allies.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wow, that really is vague. Well, tomorrow, if we get into a battle, activate it. Might as well level it as much as you can.ˇ±

    She grinned at him as she began to eat as well.

    They both ate in silence. When they finished, Alaster put the sticks back into his ring and pulled out a small mound of bones.

    ˇ°Let''s see here. Currently, I doubt that I can make a spear out of bone. But I have a hatchet you can use. Maybe I could make you a shield.ˇ± Alaster thought aloud, scratching his arm.

    ˇ°IsnˇŻt bone fragile?ˇ±

    ˇ°Normal bone, yes. But I can strengthen it, making it more durable. It becomes heavier, and with my ability, it would still be fragile. But it should be strong enough to protect you from a few blows. I hope.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about you?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. I need to keep a hand open for spells, and would prefer to keep my other hand open to use my sword. Hmm, I should also make you a helmet.ˇ±

    At this point, Alaster wasnˇŻt paying much attention to Astrid. He was entirely enveloped in his process. Not that Astrid minded, she found it fascinating to see the solid bones be molded into different forms.

    Alaster was completely absorbed in making the equipment. The helmet was simple enough, as he had already made one before and knew how to do it. But the shield was different. It was meant to be hit hard and numerous times. But if it was too stiff, it would simply shatter.

    Alaster needed to remove the impurities, to make it more flexible, before he could strengthen it.

 Chapter 25- The Chase

    Astrid laid on her stomach and peeked over a snow drift. She struggled to control her breathing, hot puffs of air escaping her mouth.

    Her bone shield was cracked where she had deflected a thrown Goblin spear. The spear was simply sharpened wood, but it had been thrown was such force that her arm throbbed. Blood trickled down from her forehead where a glancing blow of the Goblin LordˇŻs sword had hit. Had it not been for the bone helmet Alaster had made for her, she would likely be dead now. As it was, the bone had shattered, and she had thrown it away.

    Alaster hid behind another snow drift that built up on the tree across from her. He had not been as lucky as Astrid, and a Goblin sword had cut deeply into his shoulder. It would have cut even deeper if one of the Night Children had not jumped at his attacker from the trees above.

    As it was, while the Night Child had done significant damage to the Goblin with its sharp blades, its surprise attack did not remove the Goblin from the fight. The skeletonˇŻs attack had been at the cost of its destruction, its bones scattered across the snow.

    However, its distraction had been sufficient for the two young humans to run away and hide. For now at least.

    From over the snow drift, Astrid spotted one of the Goblins search for them. It was larger than the other Goblins from the tribe. It wore thick furs and even thick sticks tied together to form a type of armor. Its dull and rusty sword was still lethal. While the Goblin still used the sword as a club, the Goblin was much faster and stronger. They weren''t nearly as clumsy as the other goblins in the tribe, no, they were the bodyguards of the Goblin Lord. And there were eight of them.

    The Goblin Lord himself had stood a head taller than his guards and Astrid, and even a little taller than Alaster. He wore crude iron armor and wielded a sharp sword and wooden shield, all of which were cleaned and sharpened. It was smart, too. Smart enough to lay an ambush for the two humans.

    While AlasterˇŻs Night Children had scouted from the trees, the Goblins had buried themselves in the deep snow and waited until the humans had been right on top of them. The only reason Alaster and Astrid had survived was because the Goblins had been slow to jump up, as the snow had weighed them down and slipped them up.

    Alaster bit down on his fur coat as he tied a strip of hide tightly around his arm. Blood had already melted the snow around him and begun to pool. They were downwind of the Goblin, or it would have smelled the fresh blood. As it was, AlasterˇŻs grunts of pain were heard.

    Astrid had been distracted by his grunt and looked over, but she quickly looked back. The Goblin had immediately turned in their direction and rushed over. It jumped over AlasterˇŻs snow drift with a triumphant cry and raised its sword to kill Alaster.

    The final Night Child dived from the tree above with its arms raised in front of it. Its sharp blades, that extended past its knuckles, slammed into the back of the Goblin. Alaster twisted out of the way as the Goblin was dropped into the small puddle of blood.

    Alaster hissed in pain as he stood. The surrounding woods grew loud as the other Goblins screamed and rushed over to them, their position revealed. Alaster rushed over to Astrid. She stumbled to her feet and together they ran.

    The Night Child vanished into the trees and followed from above.

    They sank into the foot deep of snow, but they forced their feet forward. Wind whipped around them, kicking snow into their faces. From the shadows of the trees emerged the Goblin guards, converging on the fleeing humans. Snarling and growling at them from the sides. The Goblin Lord sprinted after them from behind, screaming its orders.

    The Goblin Lord and his guards had been out hunting for new adventurers and food when Alaster had raided their tribe and Astrid burned it down. They had returned to find their home and comrades destroyed, with tracks in the now leading away.

    Furious, they had given chase and hunted the humans.

    Now with their prey within reach and the sweet scent of blood in the air, rage and bloodlust clouded their minds.

    AstridˇŻs heart beat rapidly. Her hands, feet, and face numb. The wrappings around her feet had long since fallen off.

    One of the Goblin guards caught up to Astrid and reached for her. Alaster took off his bone helmet with his one hand and threw it at the greenskin. The awkwardness of running through the snow and of throwing it with his offhand didnˇŻt allow him to put much power behind the throw. It did, however, have enough power to stun the Goblin.

    It tripped and collapsed in the snow, but the other Goblins were catching up. However, the trees were beginning to thin. Through the trees, a hundred meters past them, stood a walled city.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Another Goblin caught up to Alaster, but before it could dive at him, the Night Child jumped onto it, thrusting its blades into pale green skin. Its screams of anger turned wet and weak as it died. One of the other Goblins attacked the Night Child and within moments, Alaster felt the connection between him and the Skeleton vanish.

    They broke out of the forest, sunlight embracing them. The snow noticeably became lighter and more shallow. Alaster almost allowed himself to relax, but the walls were still a hundred meters away. Just over three hundred feet away. And the Goblins were right on them.

    The Guards on the city wall immediately noticed them and four threw ropes over and climbed down, but Alaster was not sure if they would make it.

    As he racked his mind for a solution, his focus wavered, and he tripped over a rock hidden in the snow. He cried out as his ankle was twisted. The young man slid for several feet more before he came to a stop. One of the Goblins rushed at him, cruelly grinning as it raised its sword.

    But a shadow fell over the young man as Astrid jumped over him with the bone shield in front of her. Unbalanced as it was, the Goblin was thrown back. A second Goblin swung at her, but she ducked under it and backhanded the Goblin with her shield. It was thrown aside.

    By this point, Alaster had gotten to his feet and fired off a [Necrotic Bolt] at the GoblinˇŻs face. It squealed as its face began to melt, revealing the muscle and bone beneath.

    Astrid grabbed AlasterˇŻs good arm and pulled him away. The rest of the Goblin guards would soon be upon them, but the Goblin Lord was already there.

    It jumped at the pair, slamming them into the snow. Alaster cried out as his bloody shoulder hit something hard, his vision dimming. Stunned, he was not able to react as the Goblin Lord threw Astrid away, seemingly more interested in Alaster.

    The Goblin Lord recognized Astrid as one of the captured women, he did not however recognize Alaster, leading him to believe the young man responsible for the destruction of his Tribe.

    Alaster stumbled to his feet and drew his sword.

    The Goblin Lord jumped at him, swinging its own sword with all its strength. The two blades met. By force of will, Alaster kept a grip on his sword, but was swung around.

    Alaster faced his enemy, gritting his teeth.

    The Lord came at him once more, bringing his sword down on the young man as an executioner would. Alaster stepped to the side, bringing his sword up. The tip of the sword caught the helmet of the Lord.

    The Goblin recoiled from the close call. Blood wasnˇŻt even able to drop from the scratch the Goblin had received from AlasterˇŻs blade. A [Necrotic Bolt] slammed into the unarmored face of the Goblin Lord. It cried in pain as its face began to melt.

    Alaster was tossed to the ground as the Lord backhanded him.

    The Lord swung his sword at the prone boy even as the Bolt ate through its right eye.

    Alaster rolled to the side. The sword embedded itself into the frozen ground. It raised its sword once more, but before it could bring it down again, a fireball slammed into the snow just behind the Goblin Lord.

    Fireballs were mid level spells. Fairly weak, but its strength was that it exploded upon impact and was simply enough for most Mages to rapid fire. Which is exactly what this mage was doing.

    Just as the Goblin Lord recovered from being showered with snow from the first Fireball, four more rained down on the area. The Goblin Lord looked around and saw the edges of a Fireball burn one of his bodyguards.

    Growling, It shouted something in its language.

    Immediately, the Goblins turned around and ran back into the woods.

    The Goblin Lord stepped backwards, glaring at Alaster with fire in its eyes, before it ran away. Fireballs creating small craters in the snow around the Goblins as they ran. At the forest edge, the Goblin Lord once again turned around and glared at the young man, before it disappeared between the trees.

    Alaster stood up with a groan, Astrid rushed over and helped him up.

    ˇ°That was close.ˇ± She muttered.

    ˇ°Too close for anyoneˇŻs liking. How are you doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°Bruised, exhausted, and bleeding a little. But, surprisingly, ok for what just happened. You?ˇ±

    ˇ°About the same.ˇ± He said, staring in the direction of the Goblin Lord.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I have the distinct feeling like this wonˇŻt be the last time IˇŻll see him.ˇ±

    Astrid opened her mouth to say something, but the City Guards reached them.

    There were four of them, one in heavy armor, two in light armor, and one in a thick wool coat. Surprisingly, it seemed that only the one in heavy armor was breathing fine after sprinting away from the wall. He also seemed to be the leader of the four.

    ˇ°You kids alright?ˇ± He asked, his thick beard doing nothing to block the steam from his mouth.

    ˇ°Yes sir. Thank you for saving us.ˇ± Alaster said, tenderly holding his shoulder.

    The man noticed, ˇ°Let''s get you both to a healer. Come with us.ˇ±

    The guards surrounded Alaster and Astrid. The two in light armor watching the rear. They led two to the city gate, wrapping around the wall to reach it. While there was a short line waiting to enter the city, the guards led Alaster and Astrid past it.

    Once more, Alaster entered a strange city. He only hoped that he would be leaving this one of his own free will this time.

 Chapter 26- The Pact

    The guards led Alaster and Astrid into a stone building. Alaster assumed it was a barracks for those patrolling the gate and nearby walls. They were led into a separate room with a desk and three chairs. There was a small fire burning in the corner, adding a pleasant heat to the otherwise cold room.

    ˇ®They must have just recently started the fire.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Please wait here for a moment.ˇ± The bearded guard said, the rest of the guards leaving.

    Astrid walked right in and sat down at one of the chairs, but Alaster hung back and motioned for his attention.

    He leaned in close, the man doing so as well, ˇ°Can she get some clothes? All she has is the cloak.ˇ±

    The manˇŻs eyes widened, but he briskly nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

    Alaster walked over to the fire and briefly warmed his hands before he took a seat next to Astrid, making sure he faced the door.

    ˇ°We almost didnˇŻt make it.ˇ± Astrid muttered to herself, more than anything.

    ˇ°That just means we need to become a lot stronger.ˇ±

    Astrid turned to stare at Alaster, ˇ°Can I stay with you? I know that you intended to just get me here and then leave to do your own thing, and with your skeletons you donˇŻt really need a party. But I have no one else here. Even if I went back to the Orphanage, I would be looked at like I was the reason everyone else died, and they would have to kick me out after a turned sixteen anyway. I promise I will be useful. I wonˇŻt drag you down.ˇ±

    Alaster continued to watch the door while his mind ran. She continued to stare at him with wide, hopeful, eyes.

    He knew that if he said yes, that it would slow down his leveling. He knew that the people were still hunting him, and that if Astrid followed him, she would most likely get caught up in it. The young man also knew that there was safety in numbers, and she could watch his back. If he was being completely honest with himself, he was lonely.

    He had never really been the most social of people, and ever since that night, he had closed himself off even more. But humans were social creatures. They naturally desired companionship. And Astrid had already proven her use. Even weakened from being starved and beaten by the Goblins, she had still kept pace with Alaster and even protected him.

    However, there was one thought that truly decided it.

    Colius, while tutoring Alaster in the ways of magic, had mentioned numerous times that mana effected the user, just as much, if not more, than the environment. Fire Mages would be louder and more violent, while Water Mages would be calmer and go with the flow of the situation. Earth Mages were stubborn and hated to change when they had decided something. But Wind Mages were quick and ever-changing.

    Colius had mentioned that when he used his mana, it made him feel something profound, as if he was on the cusp of discovering something vast and indescribable. That was actually why he had become a researcher.

    AlasterˇŻs Mana, was slow when unguided, but violent and wild when given a target to destroy. It was subtle and quiet, but he could feel himself changing the longer he used his mana. Like he was becoming more and more casual about slaughter and destruction. It was not turning him into a wild murderer who didn''t realize or care about the consequences. But he could feel himself putting less value to a life.

    It was a change he did not want to control him.

    ˇ°Of course you can stay with me. After all, you saved my butt out there by jumping over me and bashing that Goblin.ˇ±

    A blush immediately appeared, and she looked down, ˇ°You didnˇŻt see anything, did you?ˇ±

    Alaster tilted his head and raised his eyebrow, ˇ°See what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nothing! Nothing! What happened to your skeletons?ˇ±

    Still confused, he decided to just go along with it, ˇ°Both died, and for now, I am not a Summoner Class and you are not a Buff Class. Just think of some other generic Warrior Type. Something common and overlooked.ˇ±

    She nodded in understanding.

    Novice Classes that could Buff were rare, but Novice Classes that could Summon were even more so. If everyone wanted to party with a Buff Class, every faction wanted to claim a Summoner Class.

    It did not really matter how strong a person was, so long as they were all in the same Tier, numbers mattered most. Many Summoner Classes focus on one or two powerful summons, while AlasterˇŻs Death Mage Class appeared to focus more on numerous weaker summons. Whichever one the Summoner was, Powerful or Numerous Summoner, the common denominator was that the Summoner was weak against direct attacks, even more so than other Mages.

    Alaster did not want to be the weak link of his force, which is why he still kept and used the sword. When the summoner was defeated, the vast majority of the SummonsˇŻ power would diminish, most outright being unsummoned. The stronger the Summon, the longer they would last without the Caster maintaining them.

    As such, the common tactic was to ignore the Summons as much as you could and focus on the Caster. If you could get past the Summons, it was almost guaranteed to win. If the enemy got past his Undead, Alaster wanted to be able to at least fend for himself until they could come to his aid. Of course, he was not the only Summoner Class to have this idea. He did however have the significant advantage of being a Novice Summoner Class.

    It was much easier to create Abilities while still a Novice. It grew more difficult each Tier you went up. There was a saying that an Expert learning a new Ability was enough cause to throw a month-long party.

    ˇ°So, whatˇŻs our next step?ˇ± Astrid asked, holding up her feet in the direction of the fire.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The corner of AlasterˇŻs mouth rose, ˇ°That depends on how our interactions with the guards go, but whatever it is, should involve you getting some clothes.ˇ±

    AstridˇŻs face burned, ˇ°Shut up!ˇ±

    The door then opened and in walked a well-dressed man. He was tall, but strong. His shoulder-length black hair was tied back in a low ponytail. His uniform designated him as an Officer. A low ranking one, but clearly a noble.

    ˇ°Greeting children. I am the Officer of this gate.ˇ±

    Alaster spoke up, while Astrid shrunk in her chair, ˇ°Are we in trouble?ˇ±

    The Officer waved his hand dismissively, ˇ°No, no, of course not. We just need to know what happened, and then you will be let go.ˇ± He sat down in the chair across from them, ˇ°My name is Tobias, what are yours?ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster.ˇ±

    ˇ°Astrid.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good to meet, I only wish it was under better circumstances. Why donˇŻt you start with where you came from? Do you live in the city?ˇ±

    Alaster quickly spoke up before Astrid, ˇ°No. We were hired on by a traveling Merchant. He was so cheap, he only hired Novices. Our party knew that it was dangerous, but we wanted to go out and see the world. The Merchant had said that the roads he would take were regularly patrolled, so we thought we would be fine. We were ambushed by Goblins when we stopped for the night.ˇ±

    Alaster stopped for a moment, looking down and simulating an emotional pause, ˇ°All of my friends were killed. They knocked out Astrid and took her back to their tribe.ˇ±

    ˇ°How werenˇŻt you killed?ˇ± There was no skepticism, just curiosity.

    ˇ°I was actually taking a leak when they attacked. When I got back, they were already gone. So I tracked them and returned the favor.ˇ±

    ˇ°How so?ˇ±

    ˇ°Before I left to be an Adventurer, my father gave me a small vial of poison that he had gotten when he was an Adventurer. So I waited until they all fell asleep. I was lucky that a blizzard decided to hit then, so I snuck in and poisoned their food. When the sun rose, they ate their breakfast, and by lunch, they were all choking. So I just walked in and killed all of them.ˇ±

    Astrid spoke up, ˇ°They didnˇŻt touch me. They only stripped me and locked me in a cage.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought I had gotten all of them, but apparently, the Goblin Lord and his guards were away. We had already left and were coming here when they found their tribe all dead. We also set fire to the tribe. So they tracked us and when they found us, we were just out of sight of the city. If it had not been for your guards, we would be dead.ˇ±

    Tobias sighed, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry for what happened to you. Do you know anyone in the city, or have money?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. We have a few coins, but nothing great.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, I think I could ask a friend of mine if he could offer you a job and roof. He is a cobbler.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you sir, but we canˇŻt accept.ˇ±

    Astrid turned to him with a question on her lips, but she didnˇŻt speak. Tobias was shocked, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

    ˇ°Why? It''s the middle of winter. How will you survive?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sir, we have a debt that we must repay before all else. And IˇŻm afraid that repaying it means we canˇŻt afford to stay behind the city walls.ˇ±

    ˇ°What debt? And canˇŻt it wait until spring, at least?ˇ±

    ˇ°Our debt to the Goblin Lord. And no, it canˇŻt wait.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kid, it takes Adepts to kill Goblin Lords. ItˇŻll take you several years to get to that level.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre right. It takes an Adept to kill a Goblin Lord in a fight. But we wonˇŻt be fighting it. We will be hunting it.ˇ±

    Tobias stared hard at the young man for several moments, ˇ°You wonˇŻt change your mind?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about you, young lady?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm with Alaster.ˇ±

    The Officer sighed once more, ˇ°Fine. Not like I have any authority to force you one way or another. Just be smart, and donˇŻt die. A guard will be in shortly with clothes. At the very least, I canˇŻt allow the two of you to leave without adequate protection against the elements.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you sir.ˇ± They both replied.

    Tobias simply nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

    Astrid turned to Alaster, ˇ°So what is our next step?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was thinking that we would take a day to rest and recover, and then we take another day to explore the city. Then on the third day, we would try to level up.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where would we stay? We have no money.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, we do actually have some money. I have a lot of hides and furs I could sell, if needed. But, we have plenty of food, and I can set up the shelter in an alleyway or some other out of the way spot. If we run out of fire wood, which shouldnˇŻt be for a while, we can just go out into the woods and gather some while we try to level.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ugh, And here I was hoping that we would have a nice hot bath and an actual bed.ˇ± She was not actually opposed to this plan, but she really had been hoping for a warm bath.

    ˇ°I can make a bathtub, and we can just pack it with snow, but the problem would be heating it. That would take a lot of wood.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll personally gather the wood, you just make that tub.ˇ± Astrid was determined to make this happen.

    The door opened once more, and a middle-aged woman in loose robes walked in with a bundle of clothes in her arms.

    ˇ°Hello. I am here to heal the two of you and give you these. Then youˇŻll be good to go.ˇ± She explained, putting the clothes on the table.

    ˇ°Now then, lad, turn this way and donˇŻt you dare turn around, or IˇŻll leave your cut to rot. Sweetie, you go ahead and get dressed while I heal him.ˇ±

    Astrid did not need to be told twice. Alaster turned his chair to face the door, while the woman sat down across from him. He could hear Astrid behind him, but tried not to think to much about it.

    The healer woman gently grabbed his arm and held her hand over the cut. She closed her eyes while her palm began to lightly glow. Alaster watched in amazement as his flesh began to knit itself together. The blood stayed, but by the time she was done, just a few minutes later, it was as if there was no injury to begin with.

    She then waved her hand over Alaster, her hand once again glowing. His body took on that glow for a moment before it disappeared. She than did the same to Astrid.

    ˇ°There we go.ˇ± She said, smiling to herself for a job well done.

    ˇ°What did you do?ˇ± Astrid asked.

    ˇ°Oh nothing much. Just a slow acting and general heal. For the next eight hours, any minor ache or injury will slowly heal. However, if you are hurt like that again, it will disrupt the spell.ˇ± She explained, pointing to Alaster healed shoulder.

    ˇ°Take it easy for the rest of the day. Bye now.ˇ± She then left the room with a gentle smile.

    ˇ°Guess that is our cue to leave.ˇ± Alaster said, standing up.

    Together, Alaster and Astrid left the room and exited the barracks. A strong gust of freezing wind met them as they closed the door behind them. Astrid wrapped the cloak tightly around her, and Alaster readjusted the hide he had wrapped around his shoulders.

    Before them, lay the city and its many opportunities, and many dangers.

 Chapter 27- New Possibilities

    Chapter 27- New Possibilities

    The City was called Sicon, a small city on the border of Tarvia. Tarvia itself was a strong Kingdom that bordered Lissura, the Kingdom Alaster was born in. The two nations had not had a true war for nearly a century, but had a small series of skirmishes almost yearly.

    Alaster himself had never actually heard of Sicon. Not that he thought it meant much, as he was a village boy. As a Frontier City, the City of Sicon had very thick walls and all its guards were quite skilled at protecting it from the monsters.

    From what Alaster saw while they walked the streets, the people were well cared for and fed. The streets were clearly maintained and regularly swept clear of any snow or filth. Guard patrols were regular but relaxed.

    Alaster noticed that most of the buildings were made by Earth Mages or similar Classes. It was noticeable by the large and uniform blocks of stone the buildings were comprised of. Either they had a masterful mason and great quarry, or, and much more likely, they used Magic.

    The city itself was fairly small, just a little smaller than Onigas. Unlike Onigas that had a wall separating each section of the city, Sicon only had two sets of walls. Sicon only had two gates, The North and South gates. The City sat on a tall hill, and the rich and influential claimed the hill as their own. The City LordˇŻs Mansion sat at the highest point. The second set of walls separated the Noble District from the rest of the city.

    The streets were wide, but the alleys narrow, much to AlasterˇŻs delight. He did not actually like narrow spaces, but they were much easier to defend than a wide area. They found an alley that was roughly three meters across. Tall buildings on either side, nearly seven meters deep, and the rear was where the wall stood.

    Alaster found it ideal as it only had one way in, so it was easily defended if needed. It was far from the actual street and tall buildings, and even taller wall, covered it in shadow, so it was easily hidden. And it was wide enough for the Shelter to be set up.

    Astrid found it less amazing, but she agreed that it was a good and secluded spot for Alaster to work his Death Magic while still in the city. Her quiet complaints became even quieter when Alaster set up the Shelter and got a fire going. They both sat down and warmed themselves by the fire.

    Eventually, exhausted from the chase and not yet recovered from her capture, Astrid fell asleep. Alaster took that moment to begin rebuilding his Night Children. Unfortunately, he had been unable to recover the already modified bones of the Skeletons. So Alaster would need to begin from scratch.

    The only good part of that, was the EXP that he would get. He still wasnˇŻt happy, but that fact consoled him at least a little.

    Due to already being familiar with the process, Alaster progressed quickly. It was not long before both Night Children were rebuilt. It was, however, still long enough for his legs to become stiff. The young man stretched them out while he looked over his [Skeleton Creation] ability.

    [Skeleton Creation

    Level 4: 57%

    Create what none have created

    Mana Cost 50/min]

    ˇ°So close.ˇ± Alaster muttered to himself, bringing up his [Raise Undead] ability.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 9<10: 94%<41%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minion: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 32<30]

    [Evolution Available]

    ˇ®Holy Shit!ˇŻ

    Alaster had expected the ability to level up again. After all, it was only six percent away, and he had just made two more Undead. But Alaster did not expect it to already be forty percent to the next level.

    ˇ®Just how strong were those two Goblins?ˇŻ

    The two Goblin guards that Alaster had killed while trying to escape the Goblin Lord had provided him more EXP than he had expected.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 6

    EXP: 32%<73%

    Health: 160/160

    Health Regeneration: 6/min

    Mana: 150/150

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min]

    ˇ®And almost leveled my class.ˇŻ

    Alaster was more than impressed by his progress. It was commonly understood that it would take a Novice, who trained hard every day, roughly until their twentieth birthday, to become an Adept. Yet here he was, not even a month after his birthday and already level six, almost level seven.

    Not only that, but Alaster already had very capable minions. He had designed them to be an Assassin Type of minion. Sneaky, quick, and lethal. He doubted that any Novice would be able to could survive a sneak attack from the Night Children.

    But he did not let himself grow cocky. In the end, the Night Children were fragile. He was fairly sure that in an actual fight, even Astrid could defeat a Night Child. Astrid herself wasnˇŻt weak. She had thrown back a much higher level Goblin and even blocked a strike from an Adept Goblin Lord.

    Alaster had checked the book of Classes he had gotten from Alice for his birthday. AstridˇŻs Class was not there, but that in itself was not surprising. Alaster would have been surprised if it had. The book was by no means complete, and it seemed to focus more on the Magical Classes.

    He would have preferred to be able to learn about her class to be able to better utilize it. As for now, and the foreseeable future, at least the immediate, Astrid and he would be working together.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    At the moment, Alaster had to select one evolution and was so close to another. Alaster was severely tempted to choose the evolution now, but decided he would wait to see the [Skeleton Creation] evolutions to see if the selections from both abilities could synergize in some way.

    To do that, however, Alaster would need to level up his [Skeleton Creation] ability. Alaster sat down in front of the Night Children and wondered what more he could change. He could of course simply make random changes until the ability leveled up and then change them back. But he was hesitant to do that.

    Currently, his greatest defense were the Night Children. A good defense is a great offense. But Alaster wanted a great defense, as well as a great offense. In that way, he did not really need two Night Children.

    He needed a shield. An undying one.

    Alaster stretched his arms and fingers, and got to work.

    First, he completely removed the blades of the Night Child. He did not want to worry about getting cut by them while he was working on the rest. He then smoothed the spikes down on the shins and underside of its forearms.

    Without the blades or the spikes, Alaster was once again reminded why he decided to call them Night Children. He had originally been planning to simply strengthen the bones and give it some armor and weapons. But after seeing it stand straight, it was too short.

    The other Night Child stayed crouched in the corner, watching its master blankly. After Alaster had removed the spikes and blades, the first Night Child had stood back up.

    When Alaster thought of a guardian, he imagined something standing tall and large. But the Goblin Skeleton was simply too short and too weak. Alaster was sure that it could protect against most blows a Novice would use, but it would be thrown around or easily reached around. Alaster needed a larger Skeleton.

    The young man leaned back against the shelter wall and rested his chin in his palm. He considered waiting until night and then doing a bit of grave robbing. His parents would not exactly approve of that, but Alaster himself did not see any issues with that. After all, they were already dead. And it was not like he was shoveling them up for any riches they were buried with. He only wanted the bones themselves.

    However, while Classes and Abilities that could make use of corpses were Unique in their rarity, guards were still placed at the cemeteries. Not that people were truly worried about their loved one''s corpses being used in some way, but because it gave them sound of mind that having the guards there would prevent it.

    Most cities had limited space. They could not expand outward very easily, and the graveyards could not be placed outside the walls, or they would quickly be dug up and eaten by monsters. As such, most cities would ˇ®recycleˇŻ the space.

    The worship of the Gods was prevalent practically everywhere. Even the nonreligious were effected and took care of it. As such, the burials were typically handled depending on the deadˇŻs faith.

    If they worshiped the Gods of Earth, Life, Water, or Fertility, they were buried. If they worshiped the Gods of Fire, War, Protection, or Wind, they were cremated.

    From what Alaster could see and had overheard, this city seemed to be predominately Earth Worshipers. As such, their Graveyard would be larger. But eventually, space would run out. Due to this, every so often, when the Graveyard ran out of space, the bodies would be dug up, the remains gathered and then ground up into powder that would be spread over the farmlands.

    This was done very respectfully and the family of the deceased would handle the remains. The idea was that by burying the dead within the walls, the souls of the dead would help to nourish and protect the city as they passed on. And then the earthly remains would be used to help nourish the people of the city.

    Of course, there were always remains that were left unclaimed, for numerous reasons. It would be quite easy for Alaster to claim a few as his long dead relatives and simply leave with them. But he had no idea when the last Remembrance Ceremony was, and the next one was never planned very far in advance. They simply did them as the need arose.

    So the young manˇŻs mind once again ran to simply digging up one of the graves. However, there was no doubt that it would cause quite a stir in the city. It would not be long before the idea of a Necromancer being in the city was thrown around.

    That in itself was not bad. Necromancers and those with similar Classes and Abilities were not illegal, and most Cities would love to have one, as it means free labor or soldiers. However, followers of the Gods of Life were much less welcoming, especially when said Necromancer stole the dead.

    The actual scriptures and teaches of the Gods of Life said nothing against Necromancers and other users of Death. In fact, it quite regularly and directly said that death is just a part of life and should not be shunned or avoided. But what was taught and what was acted on, were almost never the same for anything. Especially when it came to religion.

    AlasterˇŻs family werenˇŻt intense worshipers, but they did abide by and follow the teaching of Metos, a Goddess of War. More specifically, returning from battle. She was worshiped by most guards and almost every soldier. However, since that night, he had forsaken her and the rest of the Gods. They had not protected or saved his family. Not from death, nor from torture. In his eyes, they did not deserve worship.

    He shook himself from the thoughts that had run away from him and returned to the matter at hand. Alaster could not steal a body, either now, or during a Remembrance Ceremony. He silently chastised himself over not taking the bones of the women at the Goblin Tribe. But with a glance at Astrid, he knew that it would have made matters much worse.

    ˇ®Not that she would have known if I had taken them after she passed out.ˇŻ

    Not that it mattered anymore, so he moved on.

    ˇ®Wait. I can mold bone. Why canˇŻt I create human bones? Oh, thatˇŻs easy. Because I donˇŻt know what they look like or their density. But do I really need to know? The Goblin SkeletonˇŻs stats had changed after I changed it with [Skeleton Creation]. I donˇŻt need to know what a Human Skeleton looks like because it won''t matter. After all, it''s the mana that causes them to move, not the boneˇŻs functionality. Its not like bones can run, jump, and fight anyway.ˇŻ

    Smirking to himself, he got to work.

    Changing a raised Skeleton worked with a weird combo of both [Bone Crafting] and [Skeleton Creation]. It seemed to rely more on [Bone Crafting], but if Alaster had to add anything to the already existing Skeleton, whether it be more bone or, he was guessing, anything else, it required more use of [Skeleton Creation].

    However, within just a few moments of work, he got a notification.

    [Bone Crafting Level up]

    [Evolution Available]

    ˇ®Nice!ˇŻ

    If he was being honest with himself, Alaster had pretty much forgotten about [Bone Crafting], at least its levels. It had quickly become something that just felt natural.

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 3<5: 42%<0%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

    Mana Cost: 8/min<6/min]

    [Bone Crafting Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Blueprint, can create copies of creations, if user has enough mana.</li>

    <li> Finer Control, easier to create smaller and more intricate creations.</li>

    <li> Stronger Control, easier to manipulate properties of creations.]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster thought about the implications and use behind each choice. As before, each choice could be learned by the user, but that required intense practice and time. Ability Evolutions allowed the user to learn one choice right then and there. Even then, it could be improved with practice.

    Blueprint would be great if and when he created an army of undead. It would allow him to create an object with the ability, like a helmet for example, and then create copies of that item. It had specified ˇ®if the user has enough manaˇŻ, so it likely also required the correct amount of bone. And Alaster had a sneaking suspicion that the copies would not be as good as the original.

    Finer Control would make it easier for Alaster to create smaller items. Anytime he tried to create something smaller than his palm, he could feel resistance. Resistance that became stronger the smaller the item was or became. As he was now, Alaster could not make anything smaller than the width of three fingers.

    Stronger Control implied that he could force through any resistance easier. So, in a way, it would also help with making smaller items. But Alaster could feel that it was specifying something else. Something like the density and strength of the bone. Just like with small objects, Alaster felt resistance whenever he pushed the bone too much.

    Each was valuable. Blueprint would help with quantity. Finer Control would help with delicate and intricate works. But Alaster was leaning more towards Stronger Control. Not only because it would help him with his current project, but because he had always preferred quality over quantity and he struggled to see how Finer Control would help him in his current situation.

    So, Alaster made his selection.

    He immediately felt something change as he used [Bone Crafting].

    Alaster continued with his project, adding more Goblin bones as needed, he certainly had a surplus.

 Chapter 28- Black Guard

    As night befell the earth and consumed the city, Alaster cooked and ate some meat as he worked on the Undead that would hopefully serve as his shield.

    Sure, he currently had Astrid, who could be his shield, but after he had thought about it some more, he did not want anyone with him. She had saved him while they were escaping from the Goblin Lord. But he was currently fixing that issue, so it would not be needed again.

    From the little time she had been with him, Alaster could tell that while she was tough, she wasnˇŻt as motivated as he was. She would push herself, but when they both reached their limits, Alaster would be the first to reach beyond, and would reach further. He understood that having allies would be beneficial in the long run. But right now, in the short term, keeping Astrid around would hinder his growth.

    He could not allow that to happen, not when his sister was possibly being beaten and starved. So, he would leave her. He would not do it now. As he was still in new territory; territory she knew. As he grew accustomed to his new surroundings, he would prepare both himself and Astrid to go their separate ways.

    AstridˇŻs buff, potentially multiple, could be a game changer in future battles. But Alaster had tested it before they had been chased by the Goblin Lord. It did not affect the Undead. While a buff on something living could be difficult to see due to the bodyˇŻs constant changing. An Undead didnˇŻt change. When Alaster tells his Undead to jump, they jump as high as they can.

    So he had them jump as high as they can and cut a mark into a nearby tree at that height before they fell back down. Just to be safe, he had them do the same thing three times while unbuffed and three times while buffed. As he had expected, the height did not change at all. The only thing that did change was that the cut became deeper and deeper.

    If AstridˇŻs buffs could not work on the Undead, then its value dropped tremendously. But, while Alaster learned the area, he would also help Astrid level her Buff until it was noticeable on himself. Then he would hand her over to any of the numerous parties that would miraculously show up, begging her to join them. After that, she would no longer be his concern.

    Alaster continued to add Goblin bone. Making the bone as pure as he could, while also making it as strong as he could. He changed the Skeleton itself. Making it stand at nearly two meters tall and wide. Each bone thick enough that Alaster nearly couldnˇŻt wrap his hand around one and touch fingers, nearly.

    Of course, Alaster had to leave some of the bones a normal thickness, such as the feet and hands. If he made them thicker, it would mess with the functionality. Instead, Alaster pushed even harder to make them stronger, giving him a headache and nearly causing a hand to explode.

    As a final, artistic, touch, Alaster made the head match the size of the body, and widened the eyes. But for the mouth, He gave the Skeleton sharp tusks. While the Night Child had sharp teeth meant for cutting into the enemy, this new Skeleton had tusks roughly two inches long that were designed to rip chunks of the enemy away.

    Alaster genuinely had no intention for the Skeleton to use them, he was planning on armoring the Skeleton in so much bone armor that it would be very difficult for anyone to identify it as an Undead. But then again, he also had not been planning on the Night Children to actually use their teeth either, but they had.

    [Skeleton Creation Level up]

    [Evolution Available]

    [Skeleton Creation

    Level 4<5: 57%<30%

    Create what none have created

    Mana Cost 50/min]

    [Skeleton Creation Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Blueprint. Save the customization of a Skeleton to copy.</li>

    <li> Legion. Doubles the limit of Skeleton based Minions.</li>

    <li> Null. Created Skeletons become minutely resistant to hostile Mana.]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster was stunned. Each one was amazing, but he immediately set his eyes on Legion and Null. Alaster had a sense that if he chose Null, it could upgrade into a higher resistance. He could just image his Undead being bathed in Magic Fire and walking through it unscathed. However, he had yet to encounter any hostile Mages. While he knew for a fact that he eventually would, he had to focus on the here and now. And Legion was just too good to pass up. He did not know that Ability Evolutions could affect other Abilities.

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    And yet, that wasnˇŻt the only Ability waiting to Evolve. So, as much as it pained him to put it off, Alaster did not make his choice, and instead brought up the Evolutions for [Raise Undead].

    [Raise Undead Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Mindful. Grants an Undead Intellect, equal to the mana offered.</li>

    <li> Numerous. Increase maximum minions by one.</li>

    <li> Twin. Be able to raise two undead with one cast.]</li>

    </ol>

    Not nearly as staggering as [Skeleton Creation]ˇŻs Evolutions had been, but perhaps even more useful. Mindful could allow AlasterˇŻs Undead to actually be able to think for themselves. This would allow them to operate independently of him. It would no longer require him to detail his orders so vividly. And it would also increase their capacity to fight. Currently, his Undead simply used what was available to them, like babies.

    The Night Children were extremely clumsy. The only reason the raid on the Goblin Tribe had been successful, besides the Goblin Lord being away, was due to the storm blocking out any sound they made. They were light enough, that they barely made any tracks. Alaster had briefly instructed them on how he wanted them to fight the Goblins.

    Simply run right past them. And even then, they had resorted to clawing and biting their foes. Luckily, they were small and agile, or Alaster would have either lost one or even both, or had to repair them.

    He had already decided to choose the Legion option from the [Skeleton Creation] Evolutions. That alone would increase his available minions from two, to four. If he selected Numerous as well, that would go up to six. At that point, the minions under AlasterˇŻs control would number the same as the average Novice Adventure Party.

    Alaster still chuckled about how the Guards of his home Village would call these groups NAPs, because if even a single Adept went with the Novices, all he would do would be to nap.

    Despite the obvious number advantage, Alaster decided that he would rather have intelligent minions over mindless ones. Satisfied with his choices, he selected them, and felt things change from within, the effects taking hold.

    Alaster immediately looked at [Raise Undead]

    [Raise Undead

    Level 10: 41%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 0/2

    Max Skeletons: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 30]

    ˇ®Interesting. It listed both the Night Child and my new Skeleton differently, leaving the Minion section completely open.ˇŻ

    On a hunch, Alaster took some more bones out of his Ring and summoned another Goblin Skeleton.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 10: 43%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 1/2

    Max Skeletons: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 30]

    ˇ®Ha! I can! It worked, and I can even raise a fourth!ˇŻ Alaster chuckled to himself, envisioning himself leading an army.

    However, while he had effectively doubled his minions, he could have increased the number even more. He had chosen not to in favor of Intelligence. Alaster briefly panicked upon not seeing the Mindful option under [Raise Undead]. But he then realized that it would most likely be individualized to the minion themselves.

    Alaster turned to his new Skeleton and brought up its stats.

    [Custom Skeleton

    Health: 200/200

    Strength: 17

    Dexterity: 13

    Constitution: 20]

    [Mindful Y/N]

    Alaster was very impressed with himself. Despite making, it as durable as he could, it had still ended up nearly as fast as the Night Child, only being two points down. However, it was vastly superior in both STR and CON. It had even more health than Alaster did.

    ˇ®Good.ˇŻ

    However, Alaster also noticed that the system had simply given a generic name. He assumed it had done the same to the Night Child, but he had mentally named it before he had brought up its stats.

    ˇ®What should I call you, the one made to protect me?ˇŻ

    Alaster thought for several minutes, allowing his mana to regenerate after the intensive use. Eventually, however, Alaster reached a name that did not make him negatively react.

    ˇ°You are my guardian. My Black Guard.ˇ± Alaster declared, briefly forgetting that Astrid was asleep.

    She turned, but remained sleeping.

    ˇ®Evelyn can criticize my naming sense later.ˇŻ

    The system recognized the name and changed its Status to reflect that. Despite the fact that the Skeleton was not in fact black. It was at most a moderate gray that tilted slightly more on the darker side. And he was not done.

    Alaster focused on the Mindful option and selected yes.

    [Offered Mana: 0]

    Alaster looked at his mana

    [Health: 160/160

    Health Regeneration: 6/min

    Mana: 34/150

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min]

    It was very low. Alaster offered everything, and he could feel his headache increasing ever so slightly. But Alaster pushed through it and began to meditate. He had first worried about there being a time limit, but Alaster didnˇŻt see nor felt any sort of timer. So he was content to add every bit of Mana he could.

    After all, the more mana offered, the smarter the Skeleton would be.

 Chapter 29- Armory

    Alaster meditated till his mana was full, and then offered all of it. He did so until there was five hundred mana offered. It only took him eleven minutes to recover his mana. So little more than half an hour later and five hundred mana was offered.

    Alaster would have offered more, and he wanted to, but when five hundred mana was offered, the skeletonˇŻs skull began to vibrate, like it was on the verge of exploding.

    ˇ®There must be a limit of some kind, but how do I increase it?ˇŻ

    However, he did not allow himself to ponder it too deeply. He had other things to worry about.

    The young man finalized his selection. Immediately, the skull stopped vibrating and the sickly green fog of his mana wrapped around it. The fog floated there for a moment before it began to seep into the bone of the skull.

    As the last wisps disappeared, the Skeleton seized, as if every muscle in its body tightened, yet it had no muscle. A moment passed and it seemed to be released. It fell down to a knee and bowed its head.

    ˇ°Can you understand my words?ˇ± Alaster whispered, not wishing to wake Astrid.

    The Skeleton raised its head and nodded.

    ˇ°Can you speak?ˇ±

    It shook its head.

    ˇ°What is four plus five?ˇ±

    It held up nine fingers, causing Alaster to smirk.

    ˇ°What is two times four?ˇ±

    The Skeleton dropped its hands and hung its head.

    ˇ°Hmm. DonˇŻt know huh. The answer is eight, by the way.ˇ± Alaster sat down and leaned against the bone wall, the chill immediately beginning to seep into him, even through the thick fur around his shoulders.

    ˇ°Intelligent, but not a genius.ˇ± He whispered to himself, ˇ°Stand straight.ˇ±

    The Skeleton quickly and silently moved to obey.

    ˇ°Do you know how to use a sword?ˇ±

    It nodded.

    ˇ°As anything more than a club?ˇ±

    It shook its head and Alaster sighed.

    ˇ°IˇŻll teach you later. For now, I am going to make you some armor. Stand still.ˇ±

    Alaster pulled out a pile of Goblin Bones and began to work.

    He worked on the helmet first, as it was the armor he was most familiar with making. However, the standard T faced Barbute, which is what the other helmets were, would not work for the Black Guard Skeleton. Alaster wanted the Skeleton to be able to walk through the city with him, without being recognized as a Skeleton.

    As it was currently, It was obvious that it was not a human. Disregarding the fact that it was not alive and was only bone, none of the bones were where they should be, if it was a human skeleton. But it did have the general shape and size. So Alaster hoped that once it was equipped in all bone armor, that it could be disguised as a human in armor.

    So, Alaster needed a helmet that would conceal it as a Skeleton, without blocking its vision. Alaster had already done numerous experiments with the first few Skeletons and knew that the green ball of mana in their eye sockets, did function as eyes. As such, they couldn''t be blocked, at least not without blinding the Skeleton.

    The helmet needed to be cover everything except the eyes, and even then, the openings would be small enough that they couldnˇŻt see into them. Alaster doubted it would be possible. The eyes of the Skeletons glowed. Dimly enough that in the day, it was nearly impossible to see without focusing on it. But at night, it would be plenty obvious. However, that in itself wouldn''t be much of an issue. Alaster was not planning on walking through the town during the night.

    He grinned to himself as he got to work. There was always something satisfying about thinking through a problem and ending up with a creation you made as a result of it. Luckily, the Undead didnˇŻt need to breathe. Which simplified the creation of the helmet.

    Alaster molded the bone into the desired shape and began to cleanse and strengthen it. Most living creatures needed to protect their heads. It was where the brain was. Any damage to the head could disastrous, as AlasterˇŻs fight with the Bugbear displayed. While the Skeleton was not living, its ˇ®mindˇŻ seemed to still reside in the skull. So, Alaster created the helmet as well as he could. By the time he finished, he was running out of mana, but it was done.

    The helmet itself was another Barbute variant. A Visored Barbute. Basically just a Barbute with a face covering. Typically, the face would be able to be lifted, allowing the wearer greater visibility and ease of breath. But as the Skeleton didnˇŻt need to breathe, Alaster didnˇŻt bother creating the hinges. It was all one solid piece.

    It was quite heavy too, comparable in weight to if it was made of steel, though Alaster strongly doubted it was as strong. It wouldnˇŻt bend, either. It would either weather the blows, or it would shatter. Alaster had imbued enough mana into it, that the material took on a gray color. He hoped that it would pass for standard iron by any passerby.

    Satisfied with his creation, Alaster stood up and reached up to put it on the Skeleton. As he had previously ordered, the Skeleton stood still and allowed him to put it on. It was a good fit, but Alaster molded it to become a perfect fit. But even that was not enough.

    Alaster added some more bone from underneath, and molded the helmet onto the SkeletonˇŻs skull. It was not connected together as one piece, but instead locked together, with parts of the helmet wrapping around parts of the skull. Such a thing would have been impossible for a living creature, but for a Skeleton, it was perfect. It ensured that the helmet would not accidentally fall off.

    Alaster took a step back and admired his work. The helmet was perfect. It completely covered the skull, hiding that it was dead. Without any muscle or skin in the way, there was more space between the inside of the helmet and the eyes, which only further decreased the chances of anyone seeing the green fog of the orbs.

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    The Skeleton stood a little taller than Alaster, prompting the young man to stretch up to reach eye level. Yet, even then, in the light of the fire, it was very difficult to see the glowing eyes. Alaster suspected that in the even brighter light of the sun, it would be nigh impossible.

    ˇ°On a scale of one to ten, how badly does this helmet block your vision?ˇ± Alaster whispered to the Skeleton.

    The Skeleton turned its head from side to side, looked up and down, and even tilted its head. Within a moment, it held up three bony fingers.

    ˇ®Seven out of ten visibility? Damn IˇŻm good.ˇŻ

    Alaster wanted to immediately get to work on the chest piece, but a sudden pulse of pain from his headache reminded him that it was the middle of the night, and that he wanted to be awake early. His Undead might not need to sleep, but he did.

    ˇ®Black Guard, nod if you can hear me.ˇŻ Alaster thought, and it nodded, ˇ®Good. Night Child, go outside and climb to the roof of one of the buildings. You will remain out of sight and quiet, but will not allow anyone or anything to enter the Shelter. Go.ˇŻ

    The Night Child immediately sprinted out of the shelter, the only sound being its feet scraping against the bone floor.

    ˇ®Black Guard, you will stay inside the shelter and not allow anyone or anything to harm either I or the girl,ˇŻ Alaster pointed to the sleeping Astrid, ˇ®You will keep the fire small, in the bowl, and alive during the night. Do you know how to do that?ˇŻ It shook its head.

    Ten minutes later and after demonstrating numerous times, Alaster finally taught the Skeleton what he wanted to be done. Even then, he was certain the Skeleton didnˇŻt actually understand, but it did know the actions and when to use those actions.

    ˇ®I am going to sleep. Wake me if there is a threat.ˇŻ

    The Skeleton nodded, but Alaster didnˇŻt see it as he yawned and wrapped himself tighter in his furs and closed his eyes.

    It felt like he had just closed his eyes when he was violently shaken awake.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He grumbled.

    ˇ°Alaster! What is this thing?ˇ±

    Alaster reluctantly opened his eyes to see Astrid knelt beside him, ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°That!ˇ± She pointed to the Black Guard, who at the moment was stoking the fire and adding another stick to it. Just as before, it was clearly just repeating the motions it had been shown, and not understanding the reason behind them.

    ˇ°One of my minions.ˇ± Alaster said, thinking it good enough and closing his eyes again.

    ˇ°So now you have three!ˇ± Astrid exclaimed, shaking him in her excitement.

    Alaster grumbled to himself as he sat up, understanding that she was too excited to let him sleep.

    ˇ°No, I donˇŻt have three. That was one of the Night Children, but after yesterday with the Goblin Lord, I decided I needed something that is focused on defense.ˇ± Alaster explained, scratching his arm.

    ˇ°I thought I was your defense. Am I not good enough?ˇ±

    Alaster looked at her, seeing that her head was low.

    ˇ°You are a great defender. I would be dead if you hadnˇŻt protected me from those Goblins at the end. But, you are still a living thing. That isn''t,ˇ± Alaster attempted to cheer her up, pointing to the Black Guard that had returned to standing and looked at them. ˇ°It will defend until it is killed again. I could have it hold back something while we run away and if it dies, that is just some time I have to spend to rebuild it. If you die, that''s that.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought you didnˇŻt want anyone to know you are a Summoner Type?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt. See the helmet? I am going to give it an entire set of armor so no one will notice that it is an Undead.ˇ±

    Alaster was quite proud of the helmet. Its smooth faceplate, angled slightly in the middle and gave the impression of an emotionless warrior. Which it was, as it was incapable of emotion. Alaster had quickly ascertained that. Despite it now having intelligence, even as simple as it was, it was still incapable of emotion.

    ˇ°But how will you do the joints, you canˇŻt make bone flexible. Can you?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Though it would make things a lot easier if I could. No, I was thinking of using some of the scraps of fur I took from the Goblins. Most of it is worthless, as rotted and full of holes, as they are. But there should be enough clean parts to put in between. If not, IˇŻll think of something else.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is that what youˇŻre going to do today? I thought we were going exploring?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. I want the Black Guard outfitted entirely. I donˇŻt want to risk anything.ˇ±

    He didnˇŻt want to say it to her, but he was fairly certain that the Black Guard would be a much better shield than her. It was not as strong as she was, or if it was, it soon wouldnˇŻt be. But while living people could be distracted or slowed by thought, the Black Guard wouldnˇŻt be. It would see the world around it as just potential threats to its master or something to kill. It wouldnˇŻt hesitate to stand in between a threat and its master.

    Astrid could grow in strength much easier than it could, as it required Alaster to become better with his [Bone Crafting] and [Skeleton Creation] abilities.

    ˇ°If you turned one of the Night Kids into this, where is the other one?ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°Night Children. And it is keeping watch outside. Its hidden itself.ˇ± Alaster admitted that he was horrible at naming things, but he actually liked the sound of Night Child, so he kinda took offense to Astrid saying the name wrong.

    ˇ°IˇŻm going to get to work on the chest piece now.ˇ± Alaster said, pulling out another pile of Goblin Bone.

    Despite wiping out nearly an entire Tribe and collecting their bones, Alaster would soon run out of bones. Condensing bone to make it strong enough to be considered armor took a lot of material. Alaster looked at his supply in his ring and suspected that he would have enough for a full suit of armor for the Black Knight, but not enough for a weapon or shield.

    Alaster was not even sure what weapon he could make for the Black Guard. Bone was prone to shatter. Alaster knew that he would be constantly repairing the GuardˇŻs shield. But weapons also took a lot of blunt force. The Night ChildrenˇŻs blades only worked because it was against weak flesh and was only used with forward attacks.

    Alaster considered making a spear for the Black Guard, but he couldnˇŻt trust the shaft not to shatter. As Alaster made the chest piece, he was forced to admit to himself that he simply did not have the skill to make a weapon strong enough to be used by the Black Guard. As it was, he only had the sword from the Siphas family and the Hatchet Colius forgot about.

    Alaster was not about to give the sword to the Black Guard, that he fully imagined being expendable. And the hatchet was being used by Astrid. She had already told him that her class seemed to use spears. But the hatchet was all they had.

    The young Death Mage could make basic and crude armor, but they needed actual weapons. The shield Alaster had gotten from Iris, the Onigas City LordˇŻs daughter, was still too heavy for any of them to use in actual combat. Even the Black Guard struggled to effectively wield it.

    That did not surprise Alaster. After all, the shield was designed by an Expert, most likely for an Expert. Even Mage Type Expert Classes would have significantly more STR than a Warrior Type Novice. So for now, the shield was useless to them.

    They needed actual weapons. For them, they needed to either get them from monsters similar to Goblins, or buy them. And for that, they needed money. Money that they had none of. Luckily, most Cities were well aware of the need for new Novices to grow stronger, so they decided to make an economy off it by offering rewards for certain monster kills or materials brought back.

    Unfortunately, that required leaving the safety of the City walls. Something Alaster was not very opposed to doing, as he had grown up without large stone walls all around him. However, he was also fairly certain that the Goblin Lord was watching the City, just waiting for a chance to kill them.

    Goblins were cowardly by nature, even the strongest of them. But they were also vengeful. Alaster had no doubt that the Goblin Lord would hunt them down. So Alaster wanted to return the favor.

    Alaster could not help but wonder who would succeed.

 Chapter 30- Sight Seeing

    Alaster decided to take a break and left the shelter to stretch his legs.

    The sun was up, showing that he had gotten at least some sleep, but it was still early in the morning. The sun wasnˇŻt even high enough to fill the alleyway, and without the heat of the sun, the alleyway was freezing.

    Alaster shivered as he looked around.

    The snow in the alley had not been disturbed by anything new. Though, he did see the tracks of the Night Child as it left the shelter and immediately when to the building on the right, where it met with the building, and then ended. It wouldn''t take a genius to know that the thing that made those tracks had climbed the building.

    Sighing to himself, the young man quickly removed the tracks as he had been taught. It wasnˇŻt perfect. An experienced tracker would still notice it, but they were in the middle of a city. Alaster wasnˇŻt worried.

    Alaster could feel his connection with the Night Child and knew that it was above him, on the building and watching the alleyway. As a form of camouflage, Alaster had made its head as pure as he could. The bone easily blended in with the pure white snow. And the bone would also be more flexible, less prone to cracking. However, any actual attack would do more damage.

    Before he had gone to sleep, Alaster had ordered the Night Child to bury itself in the snow on the roof and watch over the alley. He did not want any unwelcome surprises, and right now, that was any surprise.

    The brisk air swept away any vestiges of sleep from his mind. Fully awake, Alaster returned to the warmth of bony shelter and to his ongoing project, which Astrid was playing with.

    ˇ°What are you doing?ˇ± Alaster asked, more confused than anything.

    ˇ°Are you making this for the new one?ˇ± She asked, turning the chest piece around and looking at the inside.

    ˇ°Yes. Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°No real reason. I just thought you made this for you or I, but then I saw that it was too big for either of us.ˇ±

    Which was true. Alaster was large for his age, but still only fifteen. While stats did affect the body, they werenˇŻt that drastic. But Alaster had made the Black Guard to be large enough to cover Alaster from attacks. When it was in a full suit of armor, Alaster suspected that it would look like an eighteen or so man. A large one, too.

    Astrid handed him the chest piece and watched closely as he finished. He didnˇŻt bother with any fancy details and instead focused on durability. Astrid watched as the chest piece gradually grew darker and darker the more bone Alaster added. Soon enough, he felt that he couldnˇŻt add anymore.

    With careful instructions and movements, Alaster put it on the Black Guard and sealed the chest piece to its bones. Both of the young humans took a step back to admire the Blackguard. Alaster was content with it for now.

    The chest armor covered any indication of the wearer being an Undead, at least from the chest. Now, if Alaster put a shirt and pants on it, many would struggle to identify it. At least visually. He was still not sure how he would cover the hands. For the feet, Alaster could just get boots. Those were expensive, but he would make it work.

    The Guards of the city had been kind enough to supply Astrid with a full winter outfit, shoes included. But it wasnˇŻt like he could just walk up with the Black Guard and ask for a pair of shoes.

    Finished with his current project. It was time to familiarize himself with the city, as he suspected he would be here a while. Most people stayed in their home city, or if they didnˇŻt live in a city, most would go to their nearest city.

    ˇ°Want to show me around your city?ˇ± Alaster asked, turning to Astrid.

    ˇ°Sure!ˇ± She jumped to her feet with a wide smile.

    She rushed to the doorway and waited for Alaster, while slightly bouncing on her feet.

    Alaster killed the fire and put everything loose back into his Ring. He left his shelter, Astrid close behind him. After checking that the coast was clear, he mentally ordered the Black Guard to exit the shelter and quickly hide behind it in the snow drift that had already piled up over the night. It quickly did so by walking into the snow drift, kicking up a flurry of the loose snow, and laying down.

    Rolling his eyes, Alaster began to bury it. Astrid chuckled to herself and helped. The space between the bone shelter and the city wall was only three feet, but the snow drift was also three feet deep. With the help of Astrid, the Black Guard was quickly buried.

    ˇ®Stay still and donˇŻt be seen.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Alright, let''s get going.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes! IˇŻm going to show you my favorite places!ˇ± Astrid exclaimed, lightly pulling on AlasterˇŻs fur shawl.

    Alaster let her pull him away. He wasn''t worried about the shelter itself. It blended in fairly well with the surrounding snow. And there wasnˇŻt anything valuable in it.

    Coming out of the alley, they were embraced by the light of the sun. The early morning sun shone over the city, warming the stone roads. The pair stepped onto the road, which was kept clear of snow. Alaster assumed that a crew had swept the streets clear before he had woken up.

    They werenˇŻt the only ones on the street. In fact, it was quite crowded. Alaster hesitated. He had never seen so many people all in one place, all going their own way. But Astrid didnˇŻt hesitate at all. She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him through the crowd.

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    She forced her way through the crowd, sidestepping when needed, but mostly pushing through. Alaster was simply dragged along. He quickly learned that he did not like crowds at all. There were too many, too close, and too loud. The noise hit him like a brick.

    In the alley, they had been mostly insulated from the sound. He had known that the actual streets would be loud, but he had underestimated the amount. He wasnˇŻt used to this. He wasnˇŻt used to the noises, the sights, or the smells of the city.

    Alaster had grown up in a village. There were no tall walls made out of stone. The guardsmen of the village maintained a log palisade around the outskirts, but it was mainly to keep out the stray animals or monsters. It wasnˇŻt meant to hold out against an actual attack. It was only three meters tall.

    Even Onigas wasnˇŻt nearly as crowded as this city. Alaster understood that he lived with the Siphas Family on their estate, but the Merchant District of Onigas wasnˇŻt as full. Nor was it as chaotic.

    In Onigas, while the roads werenˇŻt as high quality as the ones here in Sicon, most people kept to the left of the road. It allowed for foot traffic to be smoother. Nor was it really anything enforced, it was just a silent rule. But here in Sicon, people just shoved their way to their destination. Astrid included.

    He already wanted out, it was suffocating.

    Eventually, Astrid pulled him out of the main street, onto a side street. It was much less crowded. Alaster took a deep breath, feeling as if it was the first one he had taken since he left the shelter.

    Without the crowd, seeming to press in on him, he was able to watch the area. The buildings in this area, just as in the area with the bone shelter, were clearly made by Earth Magic. The walls were all made by large uniform stone blocks, just like the roads. It even looked like the roofs were made out of stone shingles.

    In Onigas, very few people lived in the Merchant District, and those who did, lived in their shops. But, as Alaster quickly noticed, there were homes mixed between stores and even workshops. Similar types seemed to group together, but it was not a strong grouping. This area seemed to have a few shops that sold furniture.

    ˇ°Why are we shopping for furniture?ˇ± Alaster asked, now that it was quieter.

    ˇ°We arenˇŻt! We are visiting a friend of mine.ˇ±

    Alaster pulled away from her grasp and stopped, causing Astrid to face him, ˇ°What?ˇ± She asked.

    ˇ°Astrid, the reason I was willing to help you was because you were alone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wha- what do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°I have people after me. People who want to kill me and donˇŻt seem to care about borders or innocents.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why? Why are they after you?ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ°I donˇŻt know, but I need to stay quiet and small, until I get enough power to defend myself. That means, the fewer people who know me, the better.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why am I here? If its better for you to be alone, why arenˇŻt you?ˇ±

    Alaster noticed her chin tense and the scar over her eyebrow twitch, ˇ°Because right now, it is beneficial to both of us to work together.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s it? Is that why youˇŻve been babysitting me?ˇ± Her eyes began to glisten.

    ˇ°So far? Yes.ˇ± Alaster decided to hold back, she needed the truth, ˇ°But soon, you will be able to stand up for yourself. Why do you think I was able to kill all those Goblins alone, while your entire group failed to defeat just a group of them?ˇ±

    Her breath caught in her throat, ˇ°Because you are stronger.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. It''s because of my plan. And I was only able to execute the plan because of my mentality. A mentality to kill. You went into that forest with the idea to level up. To get stronger. Not a bad mentality. I went into that forest with the mentality to kill. Everywhere I go, I am constantly planning how to kill what is before me. I am looking for threats and figuring out how to remove them first. I am looking for escape routes.

    Astrid, I cannot allow myself to grow in power slowly. Look around, everyone you see has been able to grow in power slowly and overtime. You could not due to your living situation, and that made you rush without a plan. I cannot, because I am being hunted. So I force myself in situations that, by every right, I have no hope of surviving. But I do, because I plan.

    But you canˇŻt plan for everything. So you have to plan for backups. You canˇŻt plan to be attacked at night while you sleep. So you plan on how to defend yourself when such an event happens. That''s why the Night Child was outside watching the alley. That''s why I am working on the Black Guard.

    In every fight, you need to have the mentality that one way or another, either you or your enemy, will die. One of you wonˇŻt be returning home. Every move you make, and every thought you have, should be about ensuring you are the one to return.

    That includes everything from the weapons you use, to the area you fight in, even to the company you keep. DonˇŻt hang out with those who will just hold you down, and if you do, let them go.

    Right now, being with you will aid my need to grow stronger, and you, with yours. Together we will grow stronger. But right now, the more people that know me, the greater the risk of me being found before I am strong enough. It''s a balancing act, and for now, it is in my best interest to grow stronger with you.

    And while I am with you, I will do my best to teach you, and if there is anything I am missing, I hope you will teach me. Because the stronger one of us is, the stronger the both of us are.ˇ±

    Astrid shook her head to clear her mind, ˇ°So that''s it? IˇŻm just a tool for you? IˇŻm not a friend?ˇ±

    Alaster took a deep sigh, ˇ°I canˇŻt allow myself to have any friends right now. Because I know I will eventually have to leave them. The road I walk, is a lonely one. I have accepted that.ˇ±

    Astrid sniffled and flicked her hair over her shoulder, ˇ°What''s the plan then? You want to grow stronger, so do I, so what''s the plan?ˇ±

    ˇ°First step to anything should always be to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Only then can you plan further. And currently, you know the area better than I do. So you are showing me around, and while we do that, you will also be studying the area. No matter where we are, you need to find a way to escape if we are attacked.

    Memorize where certain stores or workshops are. Learn where the guard posts are and their patrol routes. Familiarize yourself with the events of the city.ˇ±

    ˇ°The events?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, like what Noble family is most prominent. What crimes are being committed. What politics are being talked about. All of that. Each bit of knowledge you acquire will most likely be useless on its own. But all together, they can paint a picture of what to plan.

    If you need to get something from that might not be technically legal? You need to know the situation of the Black Market. You will always need to know prices, and everything affects prices. If you need to talk with a Noble, it is best to know who it is and what sort of person they are. And, if you are planning on going level hunting in the forest, it is best to know what sort of monsters there are and where they are.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, we are learning?ˇ±

    ˇ°Astrid, I am going to tell you something my father told me. Always be learning. One day, it will save your life.ˇ±

 Chapter 31- Preparations

    The rest of the time they spent familiarizing themselves with the City, was spent in silence.

    Astrid would occasionally glance over at certain places with longing, but she would restrain herself, usually with another glance to Alaster, who pretended he didnˇŻt notice. What he had said was harsh, and if he was being honest with himself, he said more than he meant to. But he believed that it needed to be said.

    He could not allow himself to be found by the people hunting him, not yet. That would be a lot easier if he was alone, but at the moment, his growth was improved with Astrid being there. At least, it would be once they actually began hunting.

    As they returned to the shelter, Alaster was thinking of how he would get the Black Guard out of the City unseen. He had been so excited to create it, that he had not even considered that. Right now, Alaster had enough bone to make a full suit for the Guard, at least, he believed. But not enough to actually strengthen it. It would just be normal bone.

    Alaster already had an idea for the design of the Black GuardˇŻs armor. So when they finally returned to the Shelter, he immediately got to work. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Astrid being to do push-ups. It seemed she wanted to improve as well.

    In just a few hours, Alaster made all the armor pieces and attached them to the Black Guard. Alaster took a step back and admired his work. If he didnˇŻt know otherwise, he would never assume it was an Undead Skeleton under the armor.

    The Armor itself was designed to appear fairly light. Not the usual bulkiness of heavy plate. The entirety of its left arm was thicker and wider, as he intended that to be the shield arm. But on both shoulders, the pauldrons flared out. They appeared as if they were just slightly curved square pieces that had been glued on. And it wasnˇŻt far off. That was exactly what Alaster had done. The pauldrons would grant extra armor to the neck and head.

    By no means was Alaster an Artisan, but he was quite happy with the final product. He had based all of it off story pictures that had been shown to the village children, with a twist of his own.

    Unfortunately, they had not found anyone that would take the furs and hides they had taken from the Goblins. So while that meant they had no money, that did mean that Alaster was able to use the good parts in between the armor pieces. However, he was almost entirely out of bone. Only the helmet and the chest piece were strengthened, and as such, darker. The rest of the armor was slightly darker bone, but nothing else. And it was Goblin bone, certainly not the strongest.

    AlasterˇŻs plan was to leave the City, with the Black Guard, just before the closed the gates. When the sun was beginning to set. It would be darker, so Alaster hoped that when the City Guards saw the Black Guard, that they wouldnˇŻt notice anything different about it if they saw it again and the armor pieces were darker.

    As for the Night Child, he would have it climb over the City Wall during the night. It was a risky move, as the City Guard were more alert for that exact thing. But they would also be watching for it to happen the other way around, monsters entering the City from over the Wall, not leaving.

    Luckily, due to Sicon being a frontier city, the walls wouldnˇŻt be enchanted to prevent things from going over them. At least, he hoped it wouldnˇŻt. He knew next to nothing about enchanting, but it sounded expensive, extremely so. He had heard that City Walls that had been enchanted were extremely tough and hard to damage. They also prevented projectiles, magic or mundane, from going over. And he also heard that they somehow prevented creatures from flying over them.

    Of course, Alaster was relying on the fact that it sounded extremely expensive. He doubted that a Frontier City could afford it.

    It also did not escape his notice that he could have four skeleton minions, but still only had two. That slightly irked him. It made him feel as if he wasnˇŻt using everything to its fullest, and he wasnˇŻt. But he was limited by the lack of material.

    Alaster could have created four Night Children. He had the material. But the Night Children would not be able to defend him properly. They were daggers, meant for quick kills, not shields, meant to protect. Which, Alaster noted with a groan, the Black Guard still did not have.

    As the sun began to set, He told Astrid where he was going, which she acknowledged with a grunt as she did another sit up. Alaster told the Black Guard to follow him, and he left the Shelter.

    At this time of day, with light fading, most people had already returned to their homes. Unknown to Alaster, the Walls, in fact, were not enchanted. And while the City Guards did their best, occasionally, some monsters would sneak in. No one wanted to tempt fate, and were quick to remain indoors at night.

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    By the time Alaster reached the City Gates with the Black Guard in tow, there was no one in sight except for the City Guards at the gate.

    ˇ°Hold it lad.ˇ± One of the Guards said, holding out a hand to block Alaster. The Yellow sash across his chain mail vest designated him as an Officer and likely the only one at the gate. Alaster did not actually know what the color meant. He did however know that any Guard wearing one was of a higher rank than the other Guards.

    ˇ°WeˇŻre closing the gate in a bit.ˇ± The Officer continued.

    ˇ°WeˇŻll be really quick. My friend here wants to hunt at night. IˇŻm just here to see him off.ˇ± Alaster lied, pointing to the Black Guard.

    The Officer turned his attention to the Black Guard, ˇ°Alright, what is your level? I canˇŻt, in good conscious, lock you out for the night without knowing you are at least capable of surviving.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sorry, sir, but he can''t talk. ThatˇŻs why I''m here. He took a serious cut to the throat a while back. The healer that was with his party managed to save his life, but not his voice. But he is level thirty-four.ˇ±

    Alaster had expected the City Guards to ask, so he had planned ahead. Thirty-four would put him as a fairly strong Adept, but not anything to take note of. While the vast majority of people were Adepts, most were under level thirty.

    The Officer scratched his neck with his gloved hand, ˇ°Alright. But you need to understand that the Gates will remain locked the entire night. You will be on your own. If there is a monster you can''t fight, do not lead it back to the City. That is an executable offense. Understand?ˇ±

    Alaster quickly ordered the Black Guard to nod. Which it did.

    ˇ°Good. Go on then. Good hunting, and be safe.ˇ±

    ˇ®Go and hide yourself in the forest. Either bury yourself in the snow, or climb a tree.ˇŻ Alaster mentally ordered.

    The Black Guard, clad in its armor, walked out of the gates. They closed the Gates right behind it, but the Black Guard continued to walk.

    ˇ°By the way,ˇ± The Officer said to Alaster, ˇ°Where are his weapons?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, he had a Ring of Holding. He did a contract for a Warp Mage a few years ago and was given the Ring as compensation. Apparently, the Ring was one of the MageˇŻs first one, so its pretty small.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lucky bastard. Well, good night Lad.ˇ±

    ˇ°You too!ˇ± Alaster quickly left, not wanting any more questions.

    He had completely forgotten that when someone intents to go hunting, they usually bring weapons. The Sun had completely set by the time Alaster entered the Alley with his Shelter.

    ˇ®It''s time, Night Child. Climb over the walls and get into the forest without being seen. Then hide yourself.ˇŻ

    He would have wanted the Night Child to go to the Black Guard, but he had a feeling that the order would have been too complex for the mindless Undead. He had yet to give it a Mind, and was not in any rush to do so. It had taken five hundred mana just to make the Black Guard simple-minded.

    Alaster saw the Night Child jump out of the snow on the roof of a building, a lot of the snow dropping into the Alley, and immediately begin climbing the wall. He waited until the Night Child disappeared over the wall, when he didnˇŻt hear any cries of alarm, he entered the Shelter.

    Astrid looked up from the fire, ˇ°Oh good! Dinner?ˇ±

    Alaster raised an eyebrow. Astrid sweaty from her workout and was rubbing clumps of snow over her arms. Instead of saying anything, he just pulled out some meat from his Ring. They would soon be out. Not just of food, but of firewood.

    ˇ°Tomorrow, we will enter the forest and begin hunting, we need more food and firewood.ˇ± He told her.

    ˇ°Ok,ˇ± Astrid rubbed the last of the snow over her face before she took the meat and hung it over the fire, ˇ°How did the drop-off go?ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine, I guess. It is hiding in the forest by now. Tomorrow, we will see how well it performs.ˇ±

    ˇ°By the way, you mentioned that you were able to give it a basic intelligence, but that it took a lot of mana. Are you able to add more mana to make it smarter?ˇ± She asked, warming her hands over the flames.

    ˇ°No, I donˇŻt think so. The amount I was able to give was limited by the bone itself, I think. And after I finished it, the ˇ®mindˇŻ felt locked, somehow. Like I couldnˇŻt change it, at least for now. Maybe as I grow stronger and learn more, I could? I donˇŻt really know. I donˇŻt really know a lot about my Class and because its a Unique Class, there is practically no info on it anyway.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hmm. That sucks. My Class is just a Rare Class, but I have the same issue. I canˇŻt find anything about it, at least, nothing informative. All I know, is that it is a Frontline Support.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, tomorrow, we will try to figure it out.ˇ±

    The rest of the night was quiet, except for the occasional word. Alaster had never been much for talking, and it seemed Astrid was still a bit sour from their talk earlier. They ate when the meat was cooked, and then laid down to sleep.

    It was a quiet night, at least in the City.

 Chapter 32- Old Friends

    Tom sidestepped the Frost Hare, thrusting his sword into its side as it jumped past him. It squealed in pain, and turned to face him just as it landed.

    The white fur of the Frost Hare was dyed red from its own blood, but it continued to fight. The Frost Hare was essentially just a large rabbit. It stood roughly stomach height. Its powerful legs allowed it to jump large distances, which it used to impale its enemies on its long and very sharp horn. It could also use its sharp teeth and powerful jaw to bite its enemies, which Tom had personally experienced from a previous Frost Hare.

    The HareˇŻs rear legs bunched up to once again jump at Tom, but just before it could, a light green blade of wind cut deep into its leg, severing its tendons. The HareˇŻs jump became lopsided, and it landed hard on its side, several feet away. Tom was there within moments, and thrust his sword into his neck, killing it.

    ˇ°Ha ha, How many does that make, Mike?ˇ± Tom asked, breathing hard, resting his arms on his knees.

    Mike jumped out of a nearby tree and stood beside his friend, ˇ°Four today. We might need to slow down. We donˇŻt want to eliminate the Frost Hare population in this area.ˇ±

    Tom looked up at his friend with a raised eyebrow. They both stared at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing. Frost Hares were never in danger of becoming too few, but they were always in danger of overpopulation, they even put Goblins to shame. However, they migrated, not in herds, but in large groups spread out over a vast distance, moving together to new areas.

    Due to their migration, their furs were always in high demand. The furs were very warm, provided natural camouflage in the snow, and were quite pretty. Many lower Nobles wore Frost Hare fur during the winter.

    Their migration had just happened to pass by Pinefall, their village, this year. Which prompted many of the Novices in the village to hunt them. Frost Hares were fairly weak, but they were very quick and preferred to hide. While their teeth could easily tear large chunks of flesh away, the Hares preferred eating the bark off trees, despite being omnivores.

    Very few Novice groups were having any luck hunting the Frost Hares. Tom and Mike were one of them. MikeˇŻs Wind Magic allowed him to track the Frost Hares.

    When Mike turned fifteen, he had received the Uncommon Magic Type Class of Aeromancer. Basically a more specialized version of a Wind Mage, specializing in detection and speed. His spells were weaker compared to a normal Wind Mage, but they were much faster.

    TomˇŻs Class was a Warrior Type, and wasnˇŻt anything special. He was a simple Swordsman. He used an Arming sword and round shield. However, unlike the other Swordsmen in the village, of which there were many, he used his shield offensively as often, if not more often, than his sword.

    While he was a bit annoyed that his friend had gotten an Uncommon Class, and he had only gotten a Common Class, he quickly got over it. He fell in love with his class and if he wasnˇŻt out hunting with Mike, he was almost always training.

    ˇ°Oh cool! I leveled up!ˇ± Tom exclaimed.

    ˇ°Me too. Level four, that makes you Level five?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep!ˇ±

    Out of the trio, Tom was the oldest, though he never acted it. Followed by Alaster, then Mike. While Tom had waited for Mike to get his Class, he had hunted in the outskirts of the forest, killing a few mundane creatures. He only began to truly hunt when Mike got his Class, just a two months later.

    The pair sat down against a tree to rest for a moment, and to check their status. While Mike studied each aspect of any change, Tom simply put two points in STR and CON and the final point in DEX, and called it good. Waiting for Mike, Tom laid his head back and closed his eyes.

    ˇ°Hey, Mike?ˇ±

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    Mike immediately noticed the change in TomˇŻs tone, ˇ°Yeah?ˇ±

    ˇ°What level do you think Alaster is by now?ˇ±

    Mike closed his status and leaned back against the tree. They had been strictly forbidden by the Alderman of the Village to not mention Alaster or his family in the Village. Which is just one of the reasons they spent so much time in the forest. Even years later, the Knights of Hasal were still in the Pinefall, watching for any hint of where Alaster was. That alone was enough proof for the pair that their friend was still alive and free.

    ˇ°Knowing him? Probably eight.ˇ±

    Tom chuckled, ˇ°Yeah. He always was quick to figure things out.ˇ±

    They grew quiet, both remembering moments when Alaster was there with them.

    ˇ°Where do you think he is?ˇ± Tom asked.

    ˇ°No idea, and honestly? I donˇŻt care to think about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because if I think about where he could be, IˇŻll think about how far away he is, and figure out how many days away he is. If I think about it, I will inevitably calculate how long it would take for me to reach him, then go and do it. And I know I would be wrong regardless. There are simply too many ways to travel and too much time has passed. He could be anywhere.ˇ±

    ˇ°I like to imagine that he is just in Krilla. That we could visit him occasionally.ˇ±

    Mike chuckled, because he too liked to imagine that Alaster wasnˇŻt as far as he knew he was. Their friend had never been careless, if he thought someone was chasing him, he would get as far away as he could.

    ˇ°Let''s go. Are you good to drag the Hare back?ˇ± Mike asked, standing up.

    Tom groaned, but stood up as well, ˇ°Yeah. Can you get the sled?ˇ±

    Together they managed to get the sled under the Hare. They had attached a rope to the front of it, which allowed Tom to drag it. The young man put his shield on his back, sheathed his sword at his hip, and grabbed the rope. Mike simply walked alongside him.

    Using the money from their hunts, they had equipped themselves in some basic armor. Mike had a dagger to defend himself, should his magic be ineffective. Mike wore light leather that didnˇŻt hinder his movements, while Tom wore a mix of Hard leather and chain mail. It had been expensive for Tom, but it had already saved him from bloodshed numerous times.

    They soon returned to the Village, dropping off their hunt to the butcherˇŻs and getting the  money for it. They had already done the same thing three times earlier that day, but this fourth one was the final for the day.

    ˇ°See you tomorrow?ˇ± Mike asked.

    ˇ°Yeah, See ya.ˇ± Tom ran off to get home, where his father was waiting with some chores. Being the only son of the only Blacksmith in the village was tough.

    Mike also returned home. On his way, he saw OliviaˇŻs Party also return from their hunts. Most of the Novice Villagers preferred going out in parties of five to seven. There was safety in numbers, but in return, slowed their leveling.

    Olivia had first asked to join Tom and Mike, but they had said they wanted to keep it small. She had understood. Everyone in the village did. Everyone silently acknowledged that Tom and Mike were desperate to grow strong enough to help Alaster. They wanted to become strong enough to go out and find him and help him if needed. They couldnˇŻt publicly acknowledge it, as the Knights were still in Pinefall.

    The Knights numbered only five, and had built their own small barracks. They kept mostly to themselves and helped to defend the village from monsters, so for the most part, they were accepted and welcomed. But everyone knew they were only there to arrest one of their own should he return, for a crime they all knew he was innocent of.

    Most still didnˇŻt truly understand what had happened. But they all believed it to be impossible that one of their own families could do something as horrible as dealing with Demons. They struggled to believe that the woman who cooked that delicious pie every festival, and the man who protected their homes from monsters and gave piggyback rides to their children, could have been involved with Demons.

    Mike walked into his home, greeted his mother who was focused on sewing a hole in some socks closed, and walked into his room. He took off his armor and put it away. Laying on his bed, he took one of his book off the shelf over his bed, and began to read.

    Before the incident, Mike had simply read everything he could get his hands on. But after Alaster had disappeared, he had focused his reading habits on more applicable knowledge. He learned what sort of monsters called this part of the world home. He learned their habits and weak spots. He learned what sort of magics there were and what his own could accomplish.

    While most of TomˇŻs money went into training and repairs, MikeˇŻs went mostly into new books and knowledge. Everything the pair did, was to see their friend again. And the more they killed, the stronger they got, the less they cared what that would cost.

 Chapter 33- School

    Sunlight came in through the windows at the perfect angle. Slamming into the sleeping girlˇŻs eyes. Grumbling to herself, she rolled over, bunching her thick blanket around her head. Finally in the smooth embrace of darkness once more, she sighed as sleep began to embrace her.

    ˇ°Evelyn!ˇ± Someone shouted, banging on her door.

    ˇ°Go away Luke!ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre gonna be late again!ˇ±

    She sat up, grumbling to herself even louder. She did not really care about being late, but she was already awake now, thanks to the sun and Luke. The young girl didnˇŻt need to care about being late. She had the best grades in the class, and due to her special constitution, she casually aced all the physical tests.

    ˇ°Come on! Wake up!ˇ± Luke shouted through the door again.

    ˇ°IˇŻm up! Now shut up!ˇ±

    Evelyn was likely the only one that would dare to talk to him that way. After all, Luke was the son of Duke Redmond, cousin and direct advisor to the King. The only reason Evelyn was able to talk to Luke that way was because she was being endorsed by the Duke, who treated her like his own daughter.

    As Evelyn got up and prepared for the day, she thought of her constitution, the reason she was there in the first place.

    It was called the ˇ®Celestial MaidenˇŻ body, or Body of the Holy Maiden. It was extremely rare, the last user dying of old age over four hundred years ago, and the Maiden herself had lived to be nearly two hundred.

    The body was naturally closer to the Gods. Apparently, Evelyn should expect to interact with the Gods from time to time. She would be more sensitive to the world and more Intune with it. Due to her age, and not having a Class. That basically meant that she learned things very easily and her body was in perfect shape. Many of her other friends constantly complained about how unfair it was, but did so jokingly, even if silently they meant it.

    However, when she got her Class, and leveled up, her special body would allow her unique abilities and opportunities, many of which the system didnˇŻt even recognize. But for now, she just breezed her way through her classes, helping those who asked for it.

    Evelyn finished braiding her hair and opened the door, where an ever impatient Luke was waiting, hopping from foot to foot like he needed to pee.

    ˇ°Finally! Let''s go!ˇ± He exclaimed, grabbing her hand and running as fast as he could to class. Evelyn easily kept up.

    They were currently in the Female Dorms, a place that technically the young noble shouldnˇŻt be in. Even as the son of a Duke, if he was caught by one of the teachers, he would be severely punished, then handed over to his father, who would do even worse. However, he had only ever been caught once. Since then, he had always been too stealthy, going as far as to memorize the patterns of the teachers.

    The stone halls of the Academy were decorated with beautiful paintings, engravings, and statues, but the students rarely had time to admire them.

    The pair made it to class just as the teacher began the lecture. So while they were sternly stared at, they hadnˇŻt actually been late.

    ˇ°Ah, Luke,ˇ± In the Academy, titles were ignored outside official occasions, such as dances or ceremonies, ˇ°Since you are so excited to be here, perhaps you could tell everyone the titles of the five Elven rulers?ˇ±

    Evelyn sat down at the desk as Luke froze in the aisle. The classroom, much like all the others, were an auditorium styled, with rows of desks, each one higher than the one in front. As such, the teacher was at the lowest point in the room, with a large board they would write on.

    As Luke stammered through his memories, trying to figure out the answer, Evelyn quietly waved to her friends on the row and took out her books, which were mostly filled with her drawings.

    ˇ°Umm, Seasonal Protectors?ˇ± He finally guessed.

    ˇ°Close but no. Now sit down. Evelyn, what are they?ˇ± The teacher dismissed Luke and turned around to face the board, already knowing Evelyn would supply the correct answer.

    ˇ°They are called ˇ®The Guardians of the ForestˇŻ. Each one is granted a title for the area they rule over and is granted additional power during their season. Currently, the most powerful is the Lord of Winter, who rules the South of the Elvish Lands. Then it will be the Lord of Spring, who rules the East. Then Lord of Summer, who rules the North. Finally, completing the cycle, is the Lord of Autumn, who rules the West.

    The fifth lord is the overall Royal family of the Elves. They govern the other lords, ensuring peace between them and speaking for Elves as a race. However, Civil wars between the Elves still happen occasionally. Typically, between the Lord of Autumn and the Lord of Winter.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the Ruling family is called?ˇ± The teacher prompted.

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    ˇ°The Aehana. Which is also their family name.ˇ±

    ˇ°And in Elvish, that word means?ˇ±

    ˇ°Everwood.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very good!ˇ± The teacher congratulated, not that he expected anything else. Evelyn always knew the correct answer, especially after she started to read the books for later in the year.

    ˇ°Now, Adam! What sort of society do the Elves have?ˇ±

    ˇ°Matriarchy!ˇ± Adam was excited to finally be asked a question he actually knew.

    ˇ°And why is that?ˇ± The teacher asked, writing ˇ®Elvish MatriarchyˇŻ on the board.

    ˇ°Because Elves have a very low birth rate of males.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. And what has that led to within Elvish Families?ˇ±

    ˇ°Uhhh, I donˇŻt sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then let class begin. Elves are a long-lived race, who, on average, live until they are one hundred and fifty. However, just like any other race, upon becoming an Expert, their Life spans are increased drastically. Elves also maintain body strength until they are roughly one hundred, while humans gradually begin to lose their health after fifty and typically die of old age in their sixties.

    Humans are a primarily Strength based race, while Elves are a Dexterity based race. Now, can anyone tell me what the Dwarves are? Holly?ˇ±

    ˇ°Constitution?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct. Of course, this only means that the stat has more of an impact, not that you can''t use other stats. Elves see more of an impact when their Dexterity raises than humans do. They are very quick.

    Moving back to the Elvish Society. While women rule, in truth, the males still hold a significant role. Not even the Queen of the Elves would casually ignore the Elvish men. Despite the longer life, Elvish children still mature at the same rate as humans do, however, they are not considered actual adults until they turn twenty.

    It is the MaleˇŻs job to teach and protect the children. Each Elf is expected to master at least one combat style, and one craft or art. As such, while every Elf is highly skilled, a Male Elf is a master in the art of killing. Due to their low rate of birth, each child is highly valuable and the Male will slaughter anything that threatens a child.

    However, most of the time, the Male spends their time in the home. They are usually doing one of three things, training themselves, teaching the children, or in the act of making children.ˇ±

    Most of the children blushed, while many let out awkward chuckles. They were all twelve or thirteen.

    ˇ°Due to the scarcity of children and the rarity of males, it is each maleˇŻs duty to create a family. To do so, each male will typically have between three and six wives. However, the King is only ever allowed to be with the Queen. Yes Colin?ˇ±

    One of the students had raised their hand.

    ˇ°So the guys spend most of their time with multiple women?ˇ±

    ˇ°The particulars are each different per Elvish family, nor are they what I teach. Though I do believe your Health classes start next semester, where they will teach you those particulars. Moving on!ˇ±

    The rest of the class taught of the Society of the Elves, as well as their political standing, allies, rivals, region, and Military strength. None of it was very in depth, but it was meant as an introductory lesson, as the rest of the month would be about the Elves.

    Classes took a break for lunch, then resumed until four in the afternoon. Every two hours, the teacher would change, where the student would stay in the same room. After class, the students were expected to return to their rooms and study, but it wasnˇŻt enforced. As long as the students stayed on campus, and out of restricted areas, it was free time.

    Luke and Evelyn sat at one of the cafeteria tables with a bunch of their friends. Most were studying, but they were all just talking.

    ˇ°Hey Holly, what are you going to do during the break?ˇ±

    Each school year was broken up into quarters, with a week-long break between each and a month-long break at the end of the year. They were only a week away from the break, where afterward they would be in the second quarter of the school year.

    ˇ°My family is planning on traveling through our territory. My father wants to see the state of them personally and decided to make a family vacation of it. What about you, Adam?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. My father keeps pestering me about learning what he does. So IˇŻm pretty sure IˇŻm going to be watching and helping my father. What about you Evelyn?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea. It''s too far to return to Pinefall. It takes two weeks just to get there. Not that IˇŻd want to go back.ˇ±

    ˇ°Still mad?ˇ± Adam asked.

    ˇ°Of course I am! They gave me over to the Knights while I was still sleeping! I wasnˇŻt even able to say goodbye to anyone.ˇ± Evelyn exclaimed, drawing some attention from some of the other students in the cafeteria.

    ˇ°Come on Eve, you know they only did what they thought was best. Perhaps you should forgive them and write to them?ˇ± Luke tried to calm her. This was not the first time he had suggested this, either.

    Evelyn slumped in her seat, resting her chin on her propped up arm. She toyed with her necklace as she responded, ˇ°I know. But its super expensive to send a letter that far.ˇ±

    ˇ°And, as IˇŻve told you before. My dad would have no problem with it. He might even send it with one of his personal men while they went somewhere nearby.ˇ±

    That was true. As an Advisor to the King, the Duke constantly send agents throughout the Kingdom to report the situations of the area.

    ˇ°Yeah, but that would still take at least a month to get a response, and there is no guarantee that the letter will get there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why not try? Just write the letter and give it to Duke. He will send the letter the next time he sends one of his agents in that area. And then maybe perhaps, eventually, you will get a letter from your family. It would only take you a bit of time to write it. So why not?ˇ± Holly suggested, trying to be helpful to her friend.

    ˇ°Yeah, youˇŻre right. IˇŻll write the letter tonight and give it to the Duke during the weekend.ˇ± Evelyn stated, promising herself, as she glanced at her necklace.

    Compared to the rest of her belongings that the Duke had given her, the Necklace looked shoddy and out of place. But the necklace her brother had given her was the most valuable thing she had.

    It was all she had to remember him by since she had left.

 Chapter 34- Progress

    Alaster leapt to the side while as he cast [Necrotic Bolt]. A large paw slammed into ground, sending snow flying. The bolt hit the GnollˇŻs knee, causing flesh to melt off and the joint to buckle. The large dog fell to the ground just after Alaster did himself, but he was much faster to roll to his feet, allowing him to observe the situation.

    They had been hunting just like they usually did, but they had accidentally woken a small patrol of Gnolls. Creatures, a good head or two taller than most humans. They resembled hyenas on two legs and with thumbs. They used equipment similar to Goblins, but tended to have access to better quality due to their strength and size.

    Astrid was fighting off two of them, trying to keep one between the other so only one of them could attack her at a time. The Black Guard, due to its larger size and armor, was deemed a bigger threat, and so was prioritized, was fighting off four of the Gnolls. It was struggling, and its armor was cracking in multiple places. However, it was dealing almost as good as it got.

    Alaster was left with the last three. Due to the flesh eating qualities of his magic, he was able to harm their mobility. Alaster and Astrid were already exhausted. They had just finished killing an Ice Leopard. Not very strong creatures, nor durable, but very fast, and capable of creating Ice Spikes out of the ground, forcing them to move quickly and constantly.

    The Black Guard jumped back, giving him space to swing his Bill. The bill was a short polearm with a hook at the end. The one the Black Guard was using also had a sharp point at the end. This weapon allowed the Black Guard to swing and stab, and deal crushing overhead strikes, even over and around shields. The armored Skeleton also had a small round shield, not quite small enough to be a buckler. But it was small enough to not get in the way of his attacks.

    Astrid was outfitted in studded leather armor, which Alaster had covered in a thin but dense layer of bone, providing additional protection, but also cutting their costs in repairs, as Alaster could repair the bone layer himself.

    She used a large wooden round shield paired with a short spear, but she also used a short sword. Whenever the spear proved too cumbersome for the current fight, she had no issue simply dropping it and drawing her sword. Or in this case, throw it into the chest of a Gnoll, who fell to the ground howling.

    She drew her sword quickly, only catching in the sheath slightly. The second Gnoll, enraged by his wounded comrade, growled and attacked the young women with renewed vigor. Astrid took cover behind her shield. Her shield was actually too heavy for her, but not so much as to prevent adequate use.

    Alaster was forced to look away as one of the Gnolls jumped at him. The Gnoll was favoring its left side due to the large, but fairly shallow, hole in its side from a [Necrotic Bolt]. Alaster parried the spear thrust and thrust the point of his sword into the GnollˇŻs chest. It screamed in pain, and fell to the ground, sliding off AlasterˇŻs blade.

    The young man stepped to the side to avoid a clumsy swing from the second Gnoll. It did not know how to use the sword it had looted from an Adventurer it had killed. Alaster stepped past it while it was off balance, bringing his sword behind him. The Gnoll fell to the snow, dead before it hit with a deep slice across its chest.

    The final Gnoll struggled to its feet, weakly holding up its rusty sword. Alaster casually smacked away the sword with his own and stepped forward. It tried to claw him, but he simply walked to the side and behind.

    Alaster used his free hand and placed it over the throat of the Gnoll, activating [Death Touch]. The Gnoll immediately began to scream, but it quickly turned wet as the ability burned a hole in its throat. It fell down, suffocating. Looking at his hand, which was covered in the melted flesh of the Gnoll, Alaster shook most of it off and activated [Death Touch] to dissolve the rest.

    He looked over to Astrid, but saw her impaling her sword through the chest of the Gnoll. The Black Guard was still fighting its last Gnoll, which was trying to run away, but Astrid yanked her spear out of the first Gnoll and threw it again. Her aim was off, though, and it only embedded itself in the tree next to the Gnoll. It did however cause the Gnoll to panic and slip in the snow.

    The Black Guard was there before the Gnoll could get up, and it thrust its Bill into the stomach of the Gnoll, nailing it to the frozen ground.

    [Level Up]

    ˇ®Nice.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Yes! I leveled up!ˇ± Astrid exclaimed, her excitement overtaking her exhaustion.

    ˇ°Same. But we should wait until we get back to the city to distribute the points.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know. I know. WeˇŻve been over this.ˇ±

    They had been hunting together for quite a bit of time, and their dedication to it was showing results. Unless Astrid hadnˇŻt told Alaster about a Level Up, which he seriously doubted, she was now Level eight, and he had just turned Level ten.

    Because the Black Guard was usually seen as the bigger threat, literally, it also contributed a lot in any fight. And any kill, or contribution it made to a kill, was credited towards Alaster, allowing him to level faster than Astrid.

    Working together, they quickly cleaned the area. Astrid recovered her spear, which had fallen out of the bark of the tree from its own weight. The Black Guard was dragging the Gnoll corpses into a line, which allowed Alaster to begin to loot them easier.

    The only thing of value the Gnoll carried were their weapons, and for the larger Gnolls, which were seen as the leaders, occasionally their armor. Alaster stacked all the salvageable equipment and then used his magic to recover all the bones of the Gnolls. He immediately put them in his Ring. As for the recovered equipment, Alaster would have the Black Guard carry it all. It wasnˇŻt a lot.

    When they finished, the Black Guard dragged all the boneless Gnoll corpses into a pile. Astrid set fire to it, and they left while it burned. Normally, Adventurers were not supposed to burn anything in the forest, to prevent forest fires. But it was winter and snow covered everything, so that unspoken rule was less enforced. By burning the bodies, they would help deter predators from coming closer to the city and would even help prevent disease.

    As Alaster had become accustomed to, he began to feel like they were being watched shortly after the battle with the Gnolls ended. Anytime they left the City, he felt watched. At first, he had assumed it to be the scouts of the City, who monitored the area around the walls for any potential threat. But if that was the case, Alaster would not have felt them.

    Alaster knew he had better situational awareness, and was more perceptive, than most, but he was not disillusioned enough to think that he could sense those who specialized in stealth. At least not yet.

    No, something else was watching them. It was constant, only leaving when they entered the city or began a fight, and it was amateurish. He would have suspected another Novice, but it was simply too consistent.

    ˇ®Those Goblins really donˇŻt know when to quit.ˇŻ

    Alaster quickly came to the conclusion that Goblins were watching them. That would explain why it was constant, because they could rotate and always have a scout watching for them. It would explain why it left during a battle, because Goblins were, at their nature, cowardly. Of course, Alaster could not be certain. They stayed far enough away to not be seen with their basic skill in stealth.

    However, Alaster wondered why they had not attacked yet. The feeling of being watched had started over three weeks ago, yet they hadnˇŻt seen a single Goblin during that time. They were simply keeping their distance and watching. Which concerned the young man.

    Goblins were not known for their planning abilities and would usually attack their prey immediately, which usually resulted in them fleeing when their prey proved too powerful to simply be overrun by numbers. AlasterˇŻs mind went to the Goblin Lord. It had been smart enough to hunt the young humans, had been patient enough to lay a trap for them, and had been careful enough to call for a retreat when the City Guards came to Alaster and AstridˇŻs rescue.

    But that still did not explain why the Goblins were waiting for so long. What were they waiting for? Surely by now, they had the numbers to overwhelm even the two humans. Both had already proven to be much more powerful than ordinary Novices, but they were still Novices themselves, and could be overwhelmed by large numbers quite easily.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    It was due to being watched that Alaster made sure to keep their hunting activities near the outskirts of the forest, where they could flee to the City quickly, and to keep them short. That had cut into their leveling rate, which irritated Alaster.

    By this point, occupied by his thoughts, they exited the forest and entered the clearing of the City. Sicon stood as strong as ever. Alaster had been carefully listening while they were in the City and gradually learned that Tarvia, the Kingdom Sicon was a part of, was strengthening its Eastern Borders. For what? No one seemed to know, but the military recruiters were constantly out in force.

    Whatever the reason, it had not become drastic enough for them to employ a Draft. Which Alaster was immensely glad for. Even if he wasnˇŻt technically a citizen of the Tarvian Kingdom, he still resided in one of their cities, which they considered good enough to draft. If they institute a draft, Alaster and Astrid would leave the city and hide out in the forest. Which due to the Goblins watching them, was not at all a good idea.

    They joined the short line to enter the city, which consisted mostly of other Novices hunting in the forest, but there were a few merchants. It did not take long for them to be at the front.

    ˇ°Hey Simon. WhatˇŻs the word around town?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    They were fairly consistent about when they left to hunt and when they returned, and the Guards kept a schedule, which meant that they saw Simon regularly.

    ˇ°Eh, its alright I guess. This morning, the army recruiters came by the barracks, but they didnˇŻt seem too desperate.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know why they are strengthening the Eastern Borders?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nah, the Celarnians are in the East, so I assume the Capital thinks they might attack. But we should be fine here. We are a Frontier City, but we are pretty far from the border, and Noln at the border.ˇ±

    Alaster had heard of Noln while in the City. It was a Fortress City. Built on the border, and built entirely for defending it. They are highly restrictive of anyone entering or leaving, and the majority of those living in the City are soldiers or those who work closely with the military, such as Blacksmiths or Engineers.

    ˇ°What did you kill to get all that?ˇ± Simon asked.

    ˇ°A couple of Gnolls.ˇ± Alaster said, annoyed that the hyena monsters had destroyed the Ice Leopard body. Its fur would have sold quite well, but the Gnolls had sliced it into ribbons when they first attacked.

    ˇ°Impressive. That ought to sell for a bit. Go on through then, kids.ˇ± Simon said with a grin.

    Astrid hated being called a child, and Simon knew it. But before she could start yelling at Simon, yet again, Alaster grabbed her elbow and walked through the gate, not giving her the chance.

    The City of Sicon was as busy as ever. It was only late afternoon, so the streets were full of people, all going their own way. Luckily, the Black Guard was large enough and imposing enough, that it cleared the path enough for Alaster to not suffocate. It already knew where they were headed, so it led the way.

    While the Black GuardˇŻs intelligence was quite lacking, it was still capable of learning, especially when shown multiple times. Whenever they recovered any weapons or armor, the group would always head to the same Blacksmith workshop. This one specialized in melting down old equipment, so it was common for Adventurers to sell any recovered loot to them, and today was no different.

    The workshop was fairly close to the City Walls, and they quickly reached it, with the Black Guard leading the way. The entrance was fairly simple. Just a simple room with three scales in the back. A double wide door frame, with no door, led to the actual workshop. Three apprentices manned the entrance, tending to the Adventurers with loot.

    The heat from the smelters in the back was very welcome to Alaster, so he did not mind waiting in the short and quickly moving lines. There was no counter, just a line painted onto the ground where no customer was supposed to pass. The attendants would have the Adventurers load their loot into a low cart, which would then be loaded onto the scales and measured. The Adventurer would be paid the adequate amount for the material, and the apprentice would wheel the load to the back and bring the cart back.

    ˇ°Any valuable metal?ˇ± The apprentice asked Alaster, boredom from the repetition of the job evident on his face and in his voice.

    ˇ°No, just scrap.ˇ± Alaster said as the Black Guard dropped it all into the cart.

    It was measured, and the apprentice came back with two silver coins. Not a lot of money, but it was also scrap material. Alaster wasnˇŻt sure what they did to the equipment back there, but he assumed that they sorted it, removed anything that wasn''t metal, and smelted what was.

    At this point, the group had saved quite a fair amount. As they returned to the Alley where the Bone Shelter stood, Alaster did a quick calculation.

    Copper Coins were the cheapest coins. Five Copper was usually enough to buy a small and basic loaf of bread. One hundred Copper would equal a single silver coin, would was typically enough to rent a small room for a month. Most Weapons and Armor were sold for Silver, usually in the tens. Equipment repairs usually ranged from a silver to a few, but rarely went over ten.

    One hundred Silver equalled a single Gold Coin. Gold was what most nobility operated with. Most books were sold for a Gold coin and a few silver, at least the common books. Maps, depending on the area displayed and the quality, could easily go for dozens of Gold.

    Alaster did not have much experience with Gold Coins, as in none. He had held some before while he stayed with the Siphas Family, but he had never used one to purchase anything.

    Then there was Platinum. Alaster had never seen a Platinum Coin, but he had been taught about them. A single Platinum was worth one thousand Gold Coins. Platinum was not the coin of the commoners, or even Nobility. Platinum was the coin of Nations.

    They entered the Alley and found that everything was as they had left it. Even though they had been in this Alley for nearly a month now, Alaster doubted many people noticed it. Snow had continued to pile in the Alley, and since it only saw direct sunlight for barely an hour a day, it never had the chance to melt. Snow gradually piled around and even over the Bone Shelter, which not only helped to conceal it, but also to insulate it.

    Alaster opened the doorway, which he sealed with Bone when they left, and held up the fur curtain for Astrid and the Black Guard to enter. He then entered himself and closed the doorways again, leaving a small slit at the bottom. This way of closing the doorway was a slow process, but it was more secure than a simple fur curtain, and it helped to level his [Bone Crafting]. Any little bit helped.

    By the time the door was sealed, Astrid had already started a fire in the bowl from the small stack of wood they left next to it. Alaster took out the wood they had gathered while hunting from his Ring and added to the stack.

    Both Humans sat down near the fire while the Black Guard stood at the sealed door, always ready for a threat, if needed. Alaster could see, from the distant eyes of Astrid, that she was already looking over her status. Alaster opened his own.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 6<10

    EXP: 73%<16%

    Health: 160/160<300/300

    Health Regeneration: 6/min<8/min

    Mana: 150/150<300/300

    Mana Regeneration: 2/min<4/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation

    Strength: 38<40

    Dexterity: 33<35

    Constitution: 38<40

    Wisdom: 40<47

    Intelligence: 38<40

    Free Points: 5]

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 4<7: 85%<28%

    Fires a bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Can fire two Bolts for only half the cost.

    Mana Cost: 10]

    [Raise Undead

    Level 10<14: 43%<56%

    Raise a small corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 0/2

    Max Skeletons: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 30]

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 5<9: 0%<74%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

    Mana Cost: 5/min]

    [Mana Manipulation

    Level 3<5: 45%<46%

    Control better, what builds and destroys]

    [Death Touch

    Level 4<6: 23%<42%

    Imbue your body with Necrotic Mana

    Mana Cost: 5/sec]

    [Skeleton Creation

    Level 5<8: 30%<53%

    Create what none have created

    Mana Cost 50/min]

    Alaster had made amazing progress over the three weeks he had been in Sicon, during which, he finished the Black GuardˇŻs armor. The Black Guard had proved its value numerous times, and now, after harvesting the Gnolls, he had enough bone to create another.

 Chapter 35- Twins

    Alaster had just raised the Skeleton itself, molding it into the shape size and shape as the first Black Guard using the various bones he had gathered over the weeks. It took several hours to create the armor. The sun was long set by the time he finished. The design of the armor was the same as the first. Standing next to each other, neither Astrid nor Alaster could tell the difference.

    However, there was, in fact, one difference. The second Guard didnˇŻt have a mind, like the first, as simple as it was. In combat, that minor intelligence was a vast improvement. The Undead would be capable of learning simple combat techniques and be able to identify and properly react to threats easier. Unfortunately, it seemed like Alaster was only capable of offering five hundred mana. It was a lot for the Novice, and required him to meditate to recover enough Mana to offer the rest, but in the end, the result was only a very simple mind.

    Astrid warmed her hands by the fire before laying down on the thick blankets she had bought, creating a much more comfortable spot to sleep on than the bone floor of the shelter. But Alaster wasn''t ready to sleep, not yet at least, he had to give the second Guard a mind. With his much larger mana pool, it was done much quicker. Unfortunately, despite his much higher INT and WIS, it seemed like the limit was still five hundred mana before the skull began to violently vibrate.

    Once the mind was created, Alaster immediately noticed the first Black Guard look over curiously at the second Black Guard. The second Black Guard also looked at the first. They stood in front of each other, simply staring at the other. But then they both held out their fists, bumping them together.

    ˇ®Weird.ˇŻ

    Alaster wanted to study their interactions, but it had been a long and tiring day, and his eyes were threatening to shut without his permission. Before they could, Alaster laid back and was asleep almost instantly.

    The next morning, the young man was woken by the Astrid excitedly yelling.

    ˇ°Go go go!ˇ±

    Alaster shot to his feet, reaching for his sword that never left his hip, eyes searching for any threat. But all he found were the two Black Guards laying across from the other, competing in an arm wrestle, with Astrid sitting behind their grasped hands, bouncing with energy.

    Alaster dropped his hand from the handle of his sword and sighed.

    ˇ®This is what I wake up to?ˇŻ

    ˇ°Astrid, what are you doing?ˇ±

    She looked up with a wide smile that seemed to cover her entire face, ˇ°Seeing which is stronger!ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head and took out a loaf of bread, breaking it in half and tossing one half to her, ˇ°Astrid, they are the exact same. I made sure of it while I made the second one.ˇ±

    Just to make sure, he pulled up their statuses, but instead, he saw that he was wrong.

    [Black Guard

    Health: 200/200

    Strength: 17

    Dexterity: 13

    Constitution: 20]

    [Black Guard

    Health: 200/200

    Strength: 40

    Dexterity: 35

    Constitution: 45]

    ˇ°Second Black Guard, stand up.ˇ± Alaster ordered.

    The two immediately stopped their arm wrestling, which the first was just barely hanging onto, and the second stood up. Alaster suspected that the only reason the first didnˇŻt immediately lose was that it had more experience with its strength and knew how to better leverage it. But there was only so much knowledge could do against superior stats. In the higher levels, it had more of an impact, but at the lower levels, even a single stat could drastically change the outcome.

    Alaster examined the standing Black Guard, but did not notice any specific difference.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Astrid asked through a mouthful of bread that she warmed over the fire.

    ˇ°The second one is stronger than the first.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± She asked, swallowing her bite and quickly taking another.

    ˇ°So far, no idea.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do your minions scale with you? IˇŻve heard that most Summoner Types scale with their level.ˇ±

    Alaster scratched his head, ˇ°That seems the most probable, because IˇŻm not seeing any other difference. Let''s see if I can make the first one stronger.ˇ±

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    He dismissed the first one, and it lost the mana holding it together. The bones and its armor lost connection to each other and fell apart. But it was still laying down, so none of the parts went far.

    Alaster immediately resummoned it and found that the stats were in fact higher, matching the second.

    ˇ°There we go. Now we have two Black Guards, each with one hundred and twenty points divided between STR, DEX, and CON.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wow.ˇ± Astrid was impressed, even as she shoved the last of her warm bread in her mouth.

    Alaster was only level ten, but he could potentially summon four Black Guards, each with enough physical power to defeat most average Novices level seven and below. Still not a great force, considering the vast majority of humans were Adepts or Experts, but certainly much more power than anyone would expect from a Novice, and that was just his summons. If Alaster joined the fight, he was certain he could threaten a full party of level ten Novices.

    However, he didnˇŻt have four Black Guards. He had two, plus the Night Child, that was still hiding in the forest. Ever since Alaster felt the sense of being watched, he had kept the Night Child out of any battles, and focused on watching their surroundings, ensuring they werenˇŻt attacked or surrounded. Doing, Alaster decided to also give it a mind so it could do its job better. But for the most part, it had not done much for the last several weeks.

    Alaster still needed to equip the second Black Guard. He was thinking of setting it up the same as the first, for ease of command. So far, the Bill and shield had worked well for the Black Guard, and now with its improved stats, it would be much more effective with them.

    ˇ°Let''s get going. We need to stop by the Blacksmith before we head out.ˇ± Alaster announced.

    Astrid simply nodded and grabbed her equipment, same with the first Black Guard. As they left, Alaster made sure to kill the fire properly and seal the shelter closed. It was still fairly early, so while the streets were still busy, they werenˇŻt packed. Plus, the two Black Guards seemed to naturally create a bubble around them that no one entered, much to AlasterˇŻs joy.

    The Blacksmith they were headed to, where they bought the rest of their equipment, was on the way to the gate, so it wasnˇŻt much of a detour. Nor was it busy at this time of day. They entered the store and immediately approached the apprentice manning the counter.

    While the store did have weapons and armor on display, either on the walls, or on a stand, most of their work was stored in the back.

    ˇ°Hello, how may I help you?ˇ± The young apprentice asked.

    ˇ°Morning, I need another Bill and shield like these.ˇ± Alaster said, pointing to the Black GuardˇŻs.

    The apprentice looked over and nodded, ˇ°Ok, will there be anything else?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nope, just those.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, I will be right back.ˇ±

    The apprentice quickly went into the back and brought back the equipment, which he placed on the counter.

    ˇ°Alright, that will be eight silver.ˇ±

    Alaster had learned from their previous times shopping at this particular store, bartering was not accepted. While practically all the other stores, regardless of the goods sold, encouraged bartering, the owner of this store was almost violently against it. However, that didnˇŻt bother most customers, as while the equipment sold wasnˇŻt anything special, it was still good quality, and typically cheaper than they could get at the other Blacksmiths. At least the ones that catered to Novices.

    Alaster handed the young man the coins and mentally ordered the second Black Guard to grab the equipment. Now that they both had the same gear, it truly was impossible to tell them apart.

    ˇ°Thank you, come again.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded to the apprentice, while Astrid politely waved as they left. Now, with both of the Black Guards holding weapons and walking right behind them, the bubble of space around them widened even more. It was an easy trip to the gate.

    During the night, it had snowed, once again. And while the street sweepers had done their job before most people woke up, there was now so much snow in the city that it was beginning to pile up against the buildings and in the alleys. Which Alaster was happy about as it provided more cover for their shelter. The fewer people that knew they were there, the better.

    The Guards at the gate glanced at the Black Guards, but didnˇŻt stop the group. They had no reason to. They only cared about what was coming into their city, not what was leaving. Unless an order came, they wouldnˇŻt stop anyone leaving. And at this point of the day, most of the people leaving the city were Adventurers, either on their way to a job, or going out hunting to level up.

    The average growth rate for Novices was level ten by their sixteenth. So while Astrid was still behind, she was making much faster progress than most of her age. And Alaster was well ahead of the average. He was still eight months away from his sixteenth birthday, and was already level ten. Then again, very few had the opportunity, let alone the capability to kill a Bugbear, wipe out an entire Tribe of Goblins, and go out hunting every day for several weeks, killing monsters that an entire party has to fight, then have the EXP divided amongst them.

    With their current group, the EXP was only divided two ways. And that was only if both contributed to a kill. Due to the number of Undead, they were capable of killing more enemies at a time, which meant most of the EXP of a battle still went to Alaster.

    All the Novices, and a couple of Adepts, split up after exiting the gate. None wanted to get their prey stolen by another group, and most had a favorite area to hunt in. Alaster had his own, which they headed for. As they entered the cover of the trees, the Night Child made itself known from the tall branches of the trees.

    After it had gained its mind, it seemed to emulate its name, acting quite like a child. A child that wanted attention from its parent, which in this case, was Alaster.

    It dropped from the branching, landing in front of Alaster and looked up at him. Alaster patted its head, while he looked around. Usually, after entering the woods, they had a few minutes where Alaster didnˇŻt feel like they were watched. Even Astrid had begun to feel it, and had asked Alaster about it after they had returned to the shelter one night. He had told her his suspicions, and also told her to keep natural and act like she didnˇŻt notice.

    After a minute of patting, he ordered the Night Child back into the trees. He did not want the Goblins to know about it, a hidden weapon if they decided to attack. And as he expected, the feeling of being watched continued only a few minutes later.

    The dayˇŻs hunt was fairly calm. They encountered several groups of monsters, ranging from seasonal monsters that migrated, like the Ice Leopard, to the monsters that called the forest home, like packs of Thunder Wolves. Even the occasional humanoid monster, like the Gnolls. However, they didnˇŻt encounter anything serious, like they had yesterday. And with the second Black Guard, it was even easier.

    Due to the ease, Alaster considered going deeper into the woods, where they would find stronger monsters, meaning more EXP. But he didnˇŻt want to rush. All it took was a single mistake to be killed, and only Expert Holy Magic could revive someone, and only if they were recently dead.

    Instead, they decided to call it a day early. And that is when things turned around, very suddenly, and very violently.

 Chapter 36- Ambush

    A branch breaking was all the warning that the group had. Astrid immediately turned in that direction with her shield raised, while one of the Black Guards jumped in front of Alaster with its shield up. A primitive arrow embedded into the wood of AstridˇŻs shield and another into the lone Black GuardˇŻ shield, while four slammed into the second Black GuardˇŻs shield.

    Astrid and the Guards lowered their polearms, while Alaster drew his sword. He looked around the large frame of the Black Guard in front of him and saw a group of eight Goblins charging at them. Six more Goblins were nocking another volley of primitive arrows onto their even more primitive bows.

    It looked like the bows were simply thick branches they had attached a string to. But even that was advanced for Goblins.

    The other Black Guard turned around, drawing AlasterˇŻs attention. He looked behind him and saw another eight Goblins charging them. They were being attacked from both sides. Astrid stepped up next to Alaster. Her face said that while she knew this was a desperate situation, she was confident. Alaster was less so.

    He had killed many more Goblins than this, but always with a plan and never surrounded. When he killed the Tribe, he had attacked during the night and a blizzard. The Night Children only needed to deal with a few at a time, and they were rarely seen. However, his mind didnˇŻt stop. He quickly calculated the situation. He came to the conclusion that they could stand and fight, but not with those archers.

    They were slow to fire, bad shots, and the bows were weak, but it only took a small wound to slow someone down enough for the melee Goblins to kill them. As he was thinking, another volley of arrows bounced off the Black GuardˇŻs shield.

    ˇ°This way!ˇ± Alaster shouted over the GoblinˇŻs screams. And he ran for the city, with Astrid right beside him and the two Black Guards following closely while guarding the rear.

    With their increased levels, their abilities, and their skill, Alaster did not worry about the Goblins themselves. It was the one commanding them. The Goblin Lord. Unless they had somehow wandered between two different Goblin Patrols, they would not have flanked the humans. Nor would they have used bows. Without a doubt in AlasterˇŻs mind, the Goblin Lord was commanding them.

    They ran through the woods as fast as they could, aiming for the city, but the Goblins followed them, with more and more appearing. Luckily, the Goblin Archers were horrible shots and werenˇŻt able to even pull back their bowstrings while moving. So while they ran, they didnˇŻt have to worry about any arrows, but the number of Goblins coming out of the trees was concerning.

    They had already surpassed the number of Goblins in the Tribe, and they were all intent on killing them.

    Alaster sensed the Night Child following them in the trees, killing the occasional Goblin that had climbed the branches. So far, it did not seem like the rest had noticed, and it prevented Goblins from jumping at them from above.

    Due to their haste, they didnˇŻt follow the already cut path through the forest, and were instead running through the bushes and low branches. AstridˇŻs higher DEX allowed her to duck and weave easier than Alaster. While the Black Guards just bulldozed through the branches, only worrying about their footing so they didn''t trip. AlasterˇŻs face and arms already had numerous deep scratches, and they continued to grow in number as they ran.

    Focused on speed, Alaster didnˇŻt even notice when direct sun flashed into his face and the forest ended very abruptly. Too abruptly for it to be the forest line around the City. Alaster lowered his arms and saw that they were in the middle of a small clearing, but they werenˇŻt the only ones.

    In front of them, dozens of Goblins anxiously stood at the other end of the clearing. They were struggling to control themselves from just attacking. In front of them, standing almost relaxed, was the Goblin Lord, even taller and stronger than before, along with several new scars. It nearly stood as tall as a human, and wore patchy chain mail and leather.

    More Goblins crowded the sides of the clearing, while those chasing them caught up and filled the back of the clearing. They were surrounded. And by enough Goblins for two, perhaps three tribes.

    The Goblins waited impatiently, some bouncing, some pacing, some even crawling, but none entered the clearing itself. The only Goblin in the clearing itself was the Goblin Lord, who stood patient and relaxed.

    Alaster drew his sword once more, knowing they would have to fight. But he also pulled up his status. He had been holding off on distributing his Free Points, but he did not have that luxury now.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 10

    EXP: 16%<43%

    Health: 273/300

    Health Regeneration: 8/min

    Mana: 300/300

    Mana Regeneration: 4/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation

    Strength: 40

    Dexterity: 35

    Constitution: 40

    Wisdom: 47

    Intelligence: 40

    Free Points: 5]

    Alaster quickly put two pointing into INT, and the remaining three into WIS, bringing it to fifty, and unlocking the first bonus.

    [Wisdom Bonus Unlocked]

    [Wisdom 50 Bonus

    Level 1: 0%

    Capable of raising Undead past the limit, at the cost of Mana Regeneration.

    One past max per point of Mana Regeneration]

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    Alaster smiled to himself. He would think more about this abilityˇŻs uses later. For now, it meant more Undead to fight for him. He did not have the time to customize any of them. Keeping eye contact with the Goblin Lord, the young man pulled out a small pile of bones. With his Wisdom reaching fifty, he also got another point of Mana Regeneration, reaching five per minute. And he had every intention of using all five to raise the undead.

    His current Mana Pool, while it might be tiny for a full mage, was huge for him. He only had two spells he could use in combat, and they were fairly cheap. With his [Necrotic Bolt] He could fire a single bolt for ten mana, or two bolts per cast for fifteen mana. While summoning the six undead, one to reach max minions and five for the Mana Regeneration, would drain one hundred and eighty mana, that would still leave him with one hundred and thirty mana. Enough for plenty of [Necrotic Bolts].

    Astrid certainly also had a bonus, maybe even two, because she only had to focus three stats instead of all five. Of course, a Warrior Type like her, especially one that used Buffs, would still benefit from WIS and INT. However, Alaster did not know what the Bonus, or Bonuses, were. Each Bonus was unique to the person. Two people with the same class and exact same stat distribution would still get different bonuses.

    While the Class and Level were vital, it was truly the Bonuses that made a person, especially at higher levels. A single Bonus, could drastically change the way a person works, and they got a bonus for each stat once they reached fifty points, and another at one hundred, then another at two hundred. Past that, Alaster did not know.

    As the pile of bones grew, the Goblin LordˇŻs eyes narrowed. Alaster cast [Raise Undead] on the pile. Instead of the Undead being raised within moments, as he expected, it was much slower. The bones moved slowly to reassemble themselves, and his mana spread between them. He had never raised so many Undead at once.

    While the Goblin Lord was unable to properly see what its prey was doing, it knew that it wanted it stopped. It raised its arm, silencing the Goblins, all of them. The Lord kept it raised, wondering how the Human would react, but he only stared back.

    Astrid was watching the back while the two Black Guards watched either side. She did not know what Alaster was doing, or what was happening between the Goblin Lord and him, but she did feel AlasterˇŻs mana. She had spent enough time around him while he was using it to know the unique and very subtle feeling. Very few would be able to do the same, even fewer Non Mage Types.

    She also saw the Goblins completely freeze at the forest edge. She tensed, knowing what was about to come next. From behind her, the Goblin Lord pointed his finger at the group, and as one, the Goblins all screamed and charged.

    Nearly a hundred Goblins charged into the clearing. Astrid was confident she could handle a dozen at once, but they would simply run over her with pure numeric advantage. They all so frenzied that she doubted they would even capture her either. They were out for blood, and hope less situation or not, she would shed plenty of theirs.

    The Black Guards followed her example, having learned from her from their previous battles. They crouched lower, raised their shields, lowered their bills, and dug their feet in. Alaster stood straight, with his sword at his side and free hand open to the ground, supplying mana. His eyes never left the Goblin Lord, nor did it look away, even as Goblins swarmed toward them.

    When the Goblins were only a dozen meters away, the Skeletons stopped taking in AlasterˇŻs Mana. They all stood up, some were the skeletons of Beast Type Monsters, Some were the skeletons of Humanoid Type Monsters. Regardless, the Six of them all jumped past the rest and charged into the swarm of Goblins with such ferocity that stunned even the frenzied Goblins.

    While the new Skeletons were able to falter the Goblin Charge, there wasnˇŻt enough to properly halt it, and many Goblins simple ran past. Astrid threw her spear at one of the larger Goblins and drew her sword, which would see better use in this situation. The spear flew true and threw the intended Goblin off its feet and into the two Goblins behind it, sending them all sprawling and halting the Goblins behind them.

    As the Goblins closed in, the Black Guards swung their bills wide. The long blades of their bills dug deep into the sides of the Goblins, nearly cutting them in half, but also swinging them into the Goblins to their side, clearing a wide area. They continued this, swinging wide, back and forth. Astrid stayed behind her shield, stabbing out from behind it, and constantly moving to keep her back to the group and prevent the Goblins from completely surrounding her.

    The Night Child was having an absolute blast. With all the GoblinsˇŻ attention on the prey in front of them, none noticed the small Skeleton behind them, hunting them. Its entire was coated in Goblin Blood. It relished in it.

    Alaster was not idle, either. While the Black Guards and Astrid fought hard and valiantly, and the Skeletons tore through the Goblins violently, it was Alaster that sowed fear through the Goblins. His [Necrotic Bolts] slamming into the Goblins two at a time, melted large holes into the fragile Goblins. His sword was precise and always moving. And if a Goblin did manage to get past the blade, they faced his open hand, which melted any flesh it touched.

    However, as the Goblin corpses began to fill the ground, Alaster knew that it would not be enough. The Skeletons were taking a lot of damage, and as they fell, the Goblins would flood past and quickly overwhelm them.

    Mentally commanding them, the Skeletons to the right began to get closer to each other, while the Black Guard closed the circle more. Astrid unconsciously backed up as well to keep with them.

    The preparations ready, at least as ready as they could be, Alaster shouted over the screams of anger, excitement, and pain, ˇ°We are going to make a break for it to your left! Now!ˇ±

    Together, the two humans ran past the Black Guards holding the rear and into the channel that they and the Skeletons had made. The Goblins screamed in anger at seeing their prey attempting to escape and chased after them. While the Black Guards had heavy and dense bone armor to protect them, the Skeletons did not, and the first one fell in a pile of bone.

    The Humans broke through the edge of the Goblins and sprinted into the cover of the forest. The Black Guards followed, their armor cracking in more places than it was not. The Skeletons protected their rear.

    As furiously as the Skeletons fought, they had no armor, no weapons, and were severely outnumbered. One by one, they fell, allowing more and more Goblins past them and into the forest.

    The Goblin Lord watched them run, unsure if it was annoyed they had escaped the clearing it had carefully prepared, or amused. It had challenged the Lord of four tribes to gather this army, and two novices had just killed little over a tribe worth of them and ran away. While the other Goblins saw their prey as four. The Lord only saw them as two, understanding that the rest were merely summons of the boy.

    In truth, It did not even care about the girl. It had challenged four other Goblin Lords, killing them and absorbing their tribes, for the sole purpose of killing the boy, the one who slaughtered its own tribe. It turned around and casually walked back into the forest, its guards and trusted allies following. The back-up plan was already in progress.

    Alaster was able to feel as each Skeleton died, and his Mana Regen returned, gradually refilling his very depleted Mana Pool as they ran. He was exhausted, and he wasnˇŻt the only one. While Astrid had more stamina than he did, having a higher concentration of physical stats, they were still only novices, and her abilities were more physically tiring than his spells.

    ˇ°Astridˇ­ Haˇ­ Haˇ­ IˇŻm going toˇ­ Haˇ­ draw them awayˇ­ get toˇ­ the city.ˇ± Alaster panted as they ran, his lungs burning.

    ˇ°What about you?ˇ± She asked, in much better condition than him.

    ˇ°IˇŻllˇ­ have theˇ­ Black Guardsˇ­ Haˇ­ lead themˇ­ awayˇ­go!ˇ±

    Astrid didnˇŻt want to leave him, but he always knew what he was doing, so she decided to trust him and split away while he ran deeper into the forest.

    In truth, Alaster had no idea what he was doing. He was running deeper into the forest because he hoped that the Goblins would at least hesitate to enter a stronger MonsterˇŻs territory, but that was a vague hope.

    He knew that they would chase after him. They were focused on him. The arrows made that perfectly clear, as most of them were shot at him, but so did the higher concentration of Goblins that attacked him over the Black Guards or Astrid. They would follow him, maybe sending a few to chase Astrid. He also knew that he would not be able to run for much longer.

    ˇ®Fuck it.ˇŻ

    One of the Black Guards handed its bill and shield to the other and ran in front of Alaster, who jumped on its back. The extra weight slowed the Black Guard, making the group slower, but the Skeletons did not grow tired. It would be better to have some energy to fight if they were cornered, and that was becoming more and more likely.

    The deeper they went into the forest, the larger and thicker the trees became, filling the sky with their barren branches and blotting out the sun. The darker it became, the further away from civilization he was.

    As the Black Guards ran as fast as they could, with one of them carrying the exhausted Alaster, they werenˇŻt fast enough. It wasn''t long before the Goblins caught sight of them once more.

 Chapter 37- Desperation

    Without the labored breathing, one would expect something moving quickly while carrying someone, coming from the Black Guards, Alaster was able to hear the Goblins long before he saw them. He peeked over the shoulder of the Black Guard carrying him.

    Trees were everywhere. Tall and almost majestic. He was temped to have the Black Guards climb the trees, but he quickly tossed that out. The Night Child had followed them through branches, still hidden from the Goblins. The Night Child had been designed with climbing in mind. It was made as light as possible, with sharp fingers and claws built into its forearms and shins.

    Meanwhile, the Black Guards had been built to be as durable and heavy as they could be. There was no point in a defender that was tossed aside with every blow. While they were still much lighter than any living person in armor, they were much heavier than the Night Child. Not only that, but they didnˇŻt have any tools to climb, like the Night Child had built in. And Alaster did not have the time nor mana to fix that.

    After the excess Skeletons had died, AlasterˇŻs mana regeneration returned to normal, but that was still much too slow. When they had been surrounded in the clearing, Alaster had thought he had a large enough Mana Pool. He had been expecting most of the Goblins to flee after they killed so many of them. They were cowardly creatures, after all. But they hadnˇŻt. No matter how many Goblins they killed, they just kept coming, forcing Alaster to use more mana than he had expected.

    He was practically drained when they broke through the clearing. While they had been running, Alaster had been recovering mana, but they were moving too fast and too erratically for him to meditate. He knew that experienced users of [Meditation] could move while they meditated, and perhaps it would even evolve to make it easier. Alaster was only able to slowly pace back and forth.

    [Meditation] required a calm mind, but at the moment, Alaster couldnˇŻt even calm his pounding heart, let alone his mind.

    But then he noticed the terrain start to slope up.

    ˇ®Head up the hillˇŻ and the Black Guards turned to obey.

    It was a desperate act. He recalled some of his training sessions with Lukas, the Siphas Family Bodyguard. He had said several times that terrain could make the victor of any conflict, regardless of previous advantages either side had. Fighting uphill was a nightmare for anyone.

    But that was not why Alaster pointed them up the hill. The Undead didnˇŻt get tired. While they would still suffer for fighting uphill, simply traveling uphill would not impair them much. Unlike the Goblins, who would grow more tired and hopefully slow.

    It did help, but not nearly as much as Alaster had hoped. The sounds of pursuit grew more distant, but still very much so present. The hill was large, but Alaster could not see the top through the thick and dense trees. He could only hope that he somehow lost the Goblins.

    * * * * *

    As Alaster had suspected, the Goblins had only sent a few after her. Only four, but they had immediately fled when she broke into out of the Forest and the City lay before her. Even as her lungs burned, and her legs were numb, she didnˇŻt dare to stop. Now with flat ground and no trees or bushes in her way, she sped up and sprinted as fast as she could to the Gates.

    The Guards posted there quickly noticed her and a few ran out to meet her, knowing that something was wrong. The first man to reach her stopped her and asked what happened.

    ˇ°Haaˇ­ haaˇ­ haaˇ­Goblins, at least a hundred. They were catching upˇ­ Haaˇ­ and my friend led them away whileˇ­ Haaˇ­ I came here. Please help him!ˇ±

    Unlike Alaster, Astrid had not bothered to try to count them.

    With no energy left, she slumped into the arms of the Guard. The other two ran back to form a party. Even for Adepts, a hundred Goblins were dangerous. And as long as that many were around their City, they wouldn''t allow anyone to leave for their own safety. The Officer of the Gate was already dreading how many parties of Novices they had let through today that he likely wouldnˇŻt see return.

    The Barracks was intentionally kept close to the gate, and they quickly had a party formed and rushing out the gate as the Guard carrying Astrid reached it. The entire party of nine were experienced Adepts and knew the forest, with three of them being trackers. They all wore light and flexible armor. They knew what they were doing, and they prepared to spill Goblin blood.

    Each one of them were part of the Elite Guard. A force of Adepts that showed exceptional skill and had the Class and Abilities to back it up. They were sworn to protect the city from any threat, but saw most of their duties in the forest, clearing out significant threats to keep the roads and hunting grounds clear, and monitoring the rest. Each member of the Elite Guard, regardless of what they wore, were identifiable by the dark green and white patch on their right shoulder.

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    Neither the Elite Guard or the City Guard had any hope of the young man who led the Goblins away to still be alive, but they would still try to find him and return with him alive or his remains. But their primary objective was to wipe out the large amount of Goblins. They reproduced very quickly. The more Goblins there were, the faster that number would grow.

    Astrid watched them sprint out and quickly disappear into the forest, and prayed to any God that would listen that Alaster was still alive.

    * * * * *

    Alaster turned around, keeping his legs and one arm tight around the Black Guard carrying him, and cast [Necrotic Bolt] behind him. His aim, while being constantly jostled by the Black Guard navigating the forest, was horrible, but he didnˇŻt really have to aim. There were so many Goblins right behind them that so long as it didnˇŻt go over them or into the dirt, it was practically guaranteed to hit one of them.

    The two bolts flew from his hand and each slammed into a Goblin. One in the chest and one in the arm. Both of them were thrown back or spun around, impeding the Goblins behind them. This was the only reason they hadnˇŻt been overrun yet, but Alaster only had thirty mana left. Enough for two double shots of [Necrotic Bolt], but after that he would have no way to hinder them.

    The Goblins were enraged, several frothing at the mouth, a couple tried to throw their spears, but they all flew wide and weak. Alaster aimed his arm to another part of the flood of pale green and cast another [Necrotic Bolt], causing two more Goblins to swing around. They were pushed into the Goblins behind them, hindering their speed and causing a few to trip. But then the ones even further behind simply ran over them, trampling them into the forest ground.

    One more cast left. One more chance to slow them. After that, he didnˇŻt have anything else. Alaster already struggled to control where both bolts went when he was moving of his own free will. But right now, he was being carried through a very bumpy forest. Alaster cast his final [Necrotic Bolt].

    The two sharp streams of sickly green mana shot from his hand, sailing through the air and slammed into two of the lead Goblins. They flew back, knocking several of their comrades down, only to be trampled to death by the ones behind.

    Alaster turned back around to face the front, just as the Black Guard jumped over yet another root. AlasterˇŻs chin rammed into the shoulder pad of the Guard, causing his lip to split. Suppressing a curse, afraid that he would bite his tongue, Alaster ignored it and searched for something that would save him. He was grasping for anything, even another monster, at this point.

    They had been going uphill the entire time, which was the only reason they hadnˇŻt been overrun yet. But, off to the right, Alaster spotted a cave. He immediately directed the Black Guards towards it. As they neared it, the Black Guard carrying the weapons was forced to swing its Bill a few times, killing a couple Goblins, but primarily making them back off.

    The ˇ®caveˇŻ was little more than a small hole dug into the side of the hill, using the vast roots of one of the trees to serve as the foundations. But it was large enough for all three to get inside, and the entrance was small enough that only one Black Guard was needed to block it, while the second could use the point of its Bill around it. Which they immediately did.

    Alaster dropped off the back of the Black Guard while the other one had dropped the two bills and was dual wielding the shields, blocking the Goblins, who were already throwing themselves against them and trying to get around them.

    The Black Guard that carried Alaster grabbed one of the Bills on the ground and began to stab through the gaps around the shields, eliciting cries of pain and fresh blood spilled. Seeing that the situation was stable, at least for now, Alaster began to meditate while he kept watch.

    It took several minutes to calm his mind enough to actually cause the Ability to activate. During which, the Goblins still threw themselves against the shields, but grew wiser, beginning to actually use their weapons. The only weapon the Goblins had that had any use in this situation were the spears. Which were little more than sharp long sticks.

    The Goblins tried to stab through the gaps around the shields, similar to the Bill. But the Bill was longer, and many Goblins failed to retreat in time. Occasionally, though, a spear did manage to hit one of the Black Guards. More often than not, the damage dealt was nothing more than a scratch. Due to the angle of the thrust, the weapon itself, and the user, it was simply unable to generate enough force to truly damage the dense and strengthened bone armor.

    Twenty minutes later, they were still stabbing away at the shields and the gaps. Their actions had actually managed to widen the gaps, dislodging clumps of damp soil. This emboldened the Goblins, but in truth, had very little effect. Their weapons failed to cut into the wood of the roots. The structure Alaster had taken shelter in was only a meter and a half tall, forcing the Black Guards to hunch, and Alaster, if he was standing. This position would be very uncomfortable for any human, especially over any length, but the Black Guards were unaffected.

    His mana full after mediating, Alaster prepared to raise more excess Skeleton from the Goblin dead. They had pulled away their dead to make room for themselves, which would slow their rise, but they were still within range. Alaster could feel it, though they were at the limits.

    As he prepared himself to raise them, he noticed that the Goblins were backing off. But not running away. Alaster stood up and peeked around the shields. The Goblins had turned around, showing their backs to them.

    ˇ®What the?ˇŻ

    Goblins were dumb, but not dumb enough to turn their back on an active enemy.

    Before Alaster could think anything else, explosions of fire began to rock the forest, melting snow and sending up showers of dirt. One after another. Soon, Alaster saw bodies of Goblins being sent flying, by the dozen. Several impacted the shields, forcing the Black Guard back a step, and causing them to pile in front. More explosions caused more bodies to pile up, and causing the second Black Guard to drop its Bill and support its twin.

    He saw the army of Goblins that had threatened his life, and come so close to taking it, be eradicated in mere moments. Alaster spotted a few dozen Goblins fleeing in multiple directions, and he imagined the hillside to be littered with their corpses.

 Chapter 38- Bonus Plan

    Several corpses and bushes were burning, creating black smoke. A few Goblins were still alive, and trying to crawl away. Alaster watched one climb to its feet and stumble away a few steps before a slender man in black dropped onto it, driving two long daggers into its back.

    Alaster ordered the Black Guards to hide while he crouched lower against the pile of Goblin bodies and continued to watch.

    After the first man appeared, eight more appeared from the shadows. Most of them quickly got to work extinguishing the fires with Water Magic. The rest of them continued to execute the Goblin survivors, there werenˇŻt many.

    Alaster continued to watch them, hidden in the hole. The Black Guards hid themselves against the pile of corpses. In mere moments, the fires were out, and the survivors were dead, at least enough to be sufficient to the group.

    The young man spotted a patch on their shoulders, so knew they were from the same group. It didn''t take much to know they were from Sicon. He was tempted to reveal himself, thinking they would escort him back to the city. But he thought better of it. They might just kill him too. And if they didnˇŻt, Alaster could feel himself stifled in Sicon.

    He refused to tell anyone about his Class, as it would reveal too much about him. He had been somewhat forced to tell Astrid due to the situation and not being prepared for it, but not he was. He was prepared to properly hide his Class and his Undead. But now? Now that he had the Wisdom bonus, it would simply hinder him to continue to hide his Class. Being too close to the city would have serious risk of exposure if he used the Bonus to its fullest. After all, while he couldnˇŻt be sure, Alaster believed that if he meditated while he had the Bonus Active, he could raise more than five excess Undead.

    If he mediated, he should be able to raise twenty, five from his normal Mana Regen, and fifteen from his [Meditation] Skill. He had just been about to try it on the Goblins when this group arrived. They were clearly Adepts, and very high leveled and skilled ones. They knew what they were doing and how to do it in the most efficient way.

    Instead, Alaster hid. He wasnˇŻt going back to the City. He needed to be able to operate independently and at his own pace. Astrid would think he was dead, which was fairly cruel, even for Alaster, but she was ready. Alaster had taught her enough to be able to survive.

    Her Buff had also leveled enough to be felt. It was still pretty pathetic, but other Novice Parties would understand its value. The Buff only affected the living, and only received experience when someone under its influence killed something. So it had leveled very slowly when in a party of mostly Undead. She would quickly be recruited and would be fine. Alaster was sure of it. She was no longer his concern.

    Just as quickly as they appeared, the group left, heading back to Sicon. Alaster relaxed, as did the Black Guards, who sat down against the walls, but they remained hidden in the hole. He wanted to ensure they had left. Nearly an hour passed before Alaster felt comfortable enough to leave, plus the corpses were starting to smell, which in the small hole, with minimal airflow, was horrible.

    Alaster had his Black Guards shove the pile of corpses, blocking the entrance, away. Exiting the hole that had served as their savior, Alaster stood straight and stretched his back, which popped in several places. He looked around at the carnage. His view from the hole had not done it justice.

    He could see the exact point each of the fireballs had landed, as it had created a little crater, instantly melting snow and sending a shower of dirt away. Many of the corpses had body parts missing where the extreme forces of the explosions had simply ripped them off. Blood mixed with loose dirt to form a slurry.

    The scene was horrible, but the only impact it had on Alaster was annoyance. Both because he now had to search the entire area to loot their bones, and the explosions had thrown them quite far. And because he was incapable of replicating such an effect. At least for now. Alaster was grateful that they had unknowingly saved him, but he was mad at himself for needing the rescue at all.

    Alaster started at the hole, using [Bone Crafting] paired with [Mana Manipulation] to pull the bones out of the Goblin bodies without having to carve into the body himself. It cost quite a bit of mana, but he was willing to spend it in order not to be up to his elbows in Goblin blood and guts. He had sold his fancy clothes he had escaped the Siphas Manor in, and instead bought more normal and sturdy clothes he could adventure in. They were already dirty, but dirty and blood soaked were two very different things.

    Alaster simply called the bones out of the bodies, and left them for the Black Guards to gather into a single pile for Alaster to gather later. While one of the Guard picked up the bones, the other began to haul the corpses away from the hole.

    Alaster knew that the harvesting of the bones would take a long time and probably take the rest of the day. While he knew the bodies would attract predators, and this deep in the forest, they would be quite powerful. But the hole was very defensible, and Alaster was not sure if he could find another similar spot. But he set to work, wanting to be done before it was dark.

    * * * * *

    After the Elites had left, the Goblin Lord set to organizing the survivors of his army. It quickly became apparent that he no longer had the size needed, nor were they strong enough. After the chase and clearing battle, and then the second chase and the hole, the Goblin Lord had learned much. But what he did learn, was enough to teach him that he didnˇŻt know nearly enough.

    He turned to the horde of Goblins around him. First step, he decided, would be to train his army. Then, he would focus on rebuilding it, where those already trained could assist in the teaching. He looked down at the sword at his hip and then to wooden clubs and spears the rest used. His own personal guards, and the few guards of the other Goblin Lords he had killed, had actual weapons.

    As they trained, they would try to steal better weapons, or, at the very least, make better weapons for themselves. The Lord understood that any weapon they made would be much weaker than even the standard weapons of the humans. But he also understood that value of the bows.

    The Goblin Lord looked in the direction of Alaster and grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. He would be back, and when he returned, it would be with a true army behind him, not the horde he had sent. He could hardly hold back his excitement at the thought.

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    The Goblin Lord turned away, the survivors following.

    * * * * *

    The pile of bones had grown quite large. The Black Guards were just finishing up with piling the boneless corpses further away from the hole. Alaster was busy pushing the pile of bones into the hole, their shelter for the night. He would have put them all into his Ring, but there were simply too many. They didnˇŻt fit.

    He would use some to create another Night Child. The first one was still hiding up in the tall branches, and had concealed itself when the Elites from the city showed up. Alaster was sure that if they were looking for something, they would have found the Night Child. Before Alaster had taken shelter in the hole, the Night Child had been killing the stragglers of the Goblins.

    Alaster grumbled to himself. He was quite annoyed that he had left behind his Bone Shelter. The feeling of security the portable shelter had offered was great, and it had taken a lot of bone and time to create.

    ˇ®Haaa, at least Astrid can still use it. Wait! No she can''t! I sealed the door!ˇŻ

    Of course, she could simply break in, the bone wasnˇŻt that strong. But it still irritated him. Which caused him to make a few mistakes in the creation of the Night Child, making him have to go back and fix them.

    The Black Guard finished their work just as Alaster was putting the finishing touches on the Night Child. They entered the hole and sat down at the entrance. A few moments later, the Night Child ran out to join its twin.

    In just a few minutes, he had a small fire burning, as well as a stockpile of sticks and branches. He had put the fire in the middle of the hole, which he hoped to warm it quickly. A few minutes later, he had constructed a Bone wall to cover the entire entrance of the hole, leaving only a small slit at the top for airflow.

    He would have used a similar wall during the attack, but to make it strong enough would have taken too much time. Instead, as the hole warmed, Alaster began to create thick poles out of bone. Both ends were sharpened, intending to be shoved into the ground to impale anything that ran into them. Alaster couldnˇŻt make spears out of bone, as they required more durability than he was currently able to make with bone. A spear was blocked, and parried. But these spikes, wouldnˇŻt face that issue. They would be deployed, and any charging foe would have an issue with them, as fragile as they were.

    After he had made two dozen, and stored them in his Ring, he turned to the pile of bones. Even after he had created a Night Child, a bone wall, and several strengthened spikes, the pile was still too big to put into his Ring. At least without taking out everything else, including his food, water, books, and the shield. However, they were ordinary bones. And Alaster had no use for them as they were.

    Grabbing some, he condensed them into a cube, roughly eight inches small. Alaster didnˇŻt push himself to condense them too far, so instead of the dark gray of the Black Guard, they were a much lighter gray.

    Alaster made cube after cube, and with each cube, the large pile of bones dwindled. However, he did not turn all of them into cubes. Otherwise, he wouldnˇŻt have the bones to make more of the Excess Undead. At least, not without reconstructing the bones.

    As it was, he could currently have four skeletons, or two Skeletons and two of some other kind of Undead. In addition, he could raise another five with his Wisdom Bonus, but to do so would drain his mana by one hundred and fifty, nearly half, and would prevent him to regenerate any unless one of them died.

    However, if he was meditating when he raised the Excess Undead he could increase the raised Undead from five to fifteen, but he wouldnˇŻt have the mana to raise all of them at the same time. At most, if his Mana Pool was full, he could raise ten at a time, which would still leave him with five remaining mana regeneration, which he normally had.

    However, those summons would be reliant on him to keep his [Meditation] Active. If he stopped meditating, Alaster was certain they would be unsummoned, their bones clattering to the ground. At least the ones over his Mana Regeneration.

    Alaster took out some meat and began to roast it while he ate some cheese from his Ring.

    ˇ®No wonder my Class prioritized Wisdom over Intelligence. But why did it put some into Constitution?ˇŻ Alaster thought, thinking back to when he first received his class, in a situation remarkably similar to his current one.

    Back then, and as with any fifteen year old receiving their Class, the Class had come with ten stat points that it automatically assigned. This was used by the user to know what their Class specialized in, and give a hint of what they should put their free points into later. Most Classes designated three, as AlasterˇŻs had, but not all of them.

    Alaster had never heard of a Mage Type Class that didnˇŻt designate Wisdom and Intelligence, but instead of Dexterity as a third, which most Mage Types had, his third had been Constitution. AlasterˇŻs Class had prioritized Wisdom with five points, Intelligence with three, and Constitution with two.

    ˇ®IˇŻll have to wait until I unlock the bonuses for Intelligence and Constitution.ˇŻ

    Already, less than a day after unlocking his WIS Bonus, he was changing strategies to revolve around it. He was excited for his next bonus. Had he known just how vital they could be, he would have prioritized getting them over keeping his Stats fairly spread out.

    Luckily, his closest stat to fifty was INT at forty-two. And he hadnˇŻt checked after the long and bloody day.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 10<11

    EXP: 43%<63%

    Health: 310/310

    Health Regeneration: 8/min

    Mana: 320/320

    Mana Regeneration: 5/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation

    Strength: 40<42

    Dexterity: 35<37

    Constitution*: 40<42

    Wisdom*: 50<52

    Intelligence*: 42<44

    Free Points: 5]

    ˇ®IˇŻll put it all into Intelligence, which will bring it up to forty-nine, then the next time I level, it will automatically go over fifty, giving me the bonus. The next level will also bring Constitution to forty-four, and the Free Points will boost that up to forty-nine. Meaning I will get a Bonus each level, for the next two levels.ˇŻ

    Smiling to himself with his plans for the next few levels, he began to eat the roasted cut of meat. With this, he would get the first bonuses for the Class Designated Stats. For now, he wouldnˇŻt put any Free Stats into STR or DEX. He simply didnˇŻt need to. His true power now truly lay in his minions, so he didnˇŻt need much STR. And if he needed to move quickly, such as another chase, he could just have his minions carry him.

    ˇ®Should probably make some sort of platform or something they can carry me on.ˇŻ

    However, he decided to do that tomorrow. He was exhausted from the day and was struggling to keep his eyes open with the heat of the fire thawing him out. Alaster laid down and closed his eyes, giving one last command to his Undead to stay hidden and protect him, before he fell asleep.

 Chapter 39- Growth

    Alaster was woken numerous times throughout the night by the sounds of monsters consuming the corpses, but none of them approached the bone covered hole. When the sun rose, so did Alaster, still exhausted.

    The Black Guards had kept the fire going through the night, which Alaster was immensely grateful for. He wrapped the blanket tightly around himself and tried to thaw his hands by the fire, which he built up slightly. Alaster ripped off a chunk of bread, putting the rest back into his Ring. As he warmed the bread, he considered his options.

    He finished eating his light breakfast and opened a small slit in the wall so he could look out. He didnˇŻt see anything, not a monster prowling around, nor any Goblin corpses. Cautiously, Alaster opened a doorway and sent one of the Black Guards out. When nothing attacked it, nor did it ready its bill, Alaster considered it safe.

    The second Black Guard went out, followed by Alaster. He carefully looked around. The peeking slot he had made had a limited view. And just as he had thought, there were no corpses left. Not one. Alaster stretched his back and neck, quietly groaning with each pop. The hole was very defensible, but the height of it was smaller than AlasterˇŻs, requiring him to bend his head. It was even worse for the even taller Black Guards, but they didnˇŻt have any sense of pain or discomfort. At least not one that they displayed.

    Alaster sensed the Night Children above him, so he looked up, seeing both of them peering around the thick branches at him. So far, the Night Children had been invaluable. But they were not the subject of todayˇŻs hunt. Alaster opened his Ring, noticing that it opened nearly instantly, and dropped out the Goblin Bones he hadnˇŻt turned into cubes.

    They cluttered into a pile before him. He had left fifteen of them. It had pretty much filled the Ring, but it was worth it if he could have a group of Undead around him so quickly. Currently, the bones were just normal Goblin Bones. Very weak and very fragile. The Undead Goblins would have a much greater advantage than a living Goblin, but Goblins used numbers to hunt, numbering he didnˇŻt want to risk.

    ˇ®Nothing said that I couldnˇŻt modify the Bones before I rose the Excess Skeletons.ˇŻ

    Alaster sat down and got to work. He gave them a similar style to the Night Children. With a sharp blade attached to their wrists, but he didnˇŻt give them sharp fingers or spikes on their shins and forearms. He didnˇŻt need them to climb. He strengthened their bones, to take a blow if needed. Unfortunately, because they werenˇŻt already raised, Alaster had to sort through all the bones to find the ones he needed. He could have raised them, but he needed the Mana Regeneration to work on them.

    Simply stronger bones and a blade attached to their wrists. It was simple, but it still took several hours and plenty of mana. Because they were more of a temporary minion, summoned as the need arose, he was unable to give them a mind.

    Finally done, Alaster raised them, watching his Mana Regeneration drop. The sickly green mist of AlasterˇŻs mana coated the bones, and they began to move. Rattling over each other, each trying to get into the correct place. In just a few minutes, the Skeletons began to stand. They all still looked like Goblins. The only differences in the appearance were the darker bones and the bone blades attached to their wrists.

    Each of them stood like normal Goblins, but differently. Alaster struggled to find the word for it. Stupid. Each of them moved like they were still alive, but less. More than a statue, but less than a creature with a heartbeat.

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    ˇ°Go out together and hunt single monsters, and bring the body back here.ˇ± Alaster ordered.

    He had previously noticed that while he could order the Undead mentally, the order had more impact, and they seemed to understand it more the way he intended it if he spoke it out loud. The ten Undead didnˇŻt hesitate as they ran deeper into the forest. As ordered, they stayed together in a close group, but without any intelligence or further orders, it was more of a mob.

    Alaster watched them go with a sigh and a roll of the eyes. They crashed through the foliage like a raging herd of bulls. They werenˇŻt going to run into anything that didn''t want to face them. Alaster only hoped that they wouldnˇŻt be wiped out completely in the first encounter.

    While he did not know his exact location, Alaster did know the area. The average monsters were High Novice to Low Adept, and most were Beast Types. Bug Bears would be fairly common if it wasnˇŻt winter, instead they would be fairly rare. However, if the Undead stayed together, He was certain there wouldnˇŻt be many monsters in this area of the forest that they couldnˇŻt handle themselves.

    While the Undead were mindless, completely devoid of intelligence, they all seemed to have an innate understanding of how to fight. It wasnˇŻt anything amazing, even a standard trained village Guard would be much better trained, even if their stats were the same, which the GuardˇŻs would be much higher.

    Alaster could not do much. He had to keep meditating to have the Mana Regeneration required to maintain the Undead. Luckily, it seemed that if he was meditating to maintain Undead, it also provided EXP for [Meditation]. So the time he spent waiting for the Undead to return wasnˇŻt a waste of time. The rate of its leveling was slow, but it was constant. And the longer Alaster meditated, the easier it became for him to think, plan, and even move slightly while still keeping the Ability active.

    The thing about meditating? It is very easy to lose track of time. In a way, that is the effect you want to strive for. To lose yourself in the calm. It is what allowed for the mana to enter the body in greater amounts. With fewer things in the way to impede it. It was due to this that Alaster personally believed that Mana also Regenerated faster while the person was asleep. He had built this belief from the numerous lessons he had with Colius, but Colius had stated that he did not know of any research about that topic.

    Alaster was drawn out of his trance by his Undead coming closer to him. He had kept his Black Guards at the entrance of the Hole, and the Night Children in the surrounding trees. The other Undead were expendable, but they were not. They were stronger and more suited to protecting him.

    Alaster stopped meditating and stood up, hunched over, leaving the hole through the doorway in the bone wall. He had yet to hang anything over it. His Black Guard exited with him, standing slightly behind and to either side of him. He watched as the mob of Goblins emerged from the darkness of the setting sun. They were dragging something, many somethings.

    He still counted ten, so they hadnˇŻt lost any. But they had all taken damage, some more than others. Alaster met them a few meters away from the hole entrance. His Black Guards behind him and watching the surrounding forest, searching for a potential threat.

    The Skeletons dropped their prey before Alaster and took a step back. There were five bodies. Each of them with numerous cuts of various depths. The bodies were all the same type of creature, but Alaster did not recognize them.

    They were slightly larger than wolves, but their heads were more shaped like a ratˇŻs. Their fur was thick and black. The only reason Alaster didnˇŻt think it was simply an oversized rat was that its tail was still a wolfˇŻs. Its claws were razor sharp and its jaw looked powerful. Three of the SkeletonˇŻs wrist blades were shattered, and it was no mystery as to why.

    But the thing that drew AlasterˇŻs attention, their paws were too large for their bodies. Colius had taught him that for many Beasts, that meant that the creature was still growing. These things were already as large as a wolf, and they were still growing.

 Chapter 40- Repair

    Alaster did not find that encouraging. From their current size, to the size of their paws, Alaster could easily see them as massive creatures. He only hoped that they didnˇŻt travel in groups.

    The furs of the adolescent creatures were ruined by the blades of the Skeletons. They held no use for him. However, the meat and bones did. He began to gather what he could.

    While Alaster did that, his Black Guard and Night Children kept watch of the area. There was no clearing around them, the tall trees only thinned slightly as they went up the hill to the Hole, but they were still within the depths of the forest. Any number of threats could sneak right up to them through the foliage.

    When Alaster had stopped meditating, the Skeletons had continued to follow their orders for exactly one minute. Afterward, they all clattered to the ground, as lifeless as they were meant to be. As Alaster worked through the bodies of the monsters, his mind raced to figure out ways he could use that to his advantage. However, he simply required more testing. And testing required time and resources. Neither of which Alaster had.

    It did not take long for Alaster to finish. It wasnˇŻt pretty or efficient, but he knew what he was doing and being able to directly control the bones helped immensely. He stored everything in his Ring and had the Black Guards shuffle the bones of the Skeletons closer to the Hole, where he began the tedious and time-consuming task of repairing the bones.

    Using the [Bone Crafting] and [Mana Manipulation] Abilities, it was not a difficult process. And, after he repaired ten bones, he received another Ability.

    [Necrotic Heal

    Level 1: 0%

    Repair any damage sustained to the Dead

    Mana Cost: 10/sec]

    It was a costly ability and required him to touch each bone individually. He tried to touch multiple bones at once, but the Ability only worked on one of them at a time. After a few more rounds of experimentation, Alaster had a basic understanding of the Ability. And with that understanding, came the confidence to that it wouldnˇŻt have any harmful side effects.

    Alaster chose to ignore the pile of Skeleton bones and turned to face his Black Guards. They had both sustained quite a severe amount of damage. Their strengthened bone armor was cracked and appeared on the brink of shattering. However, the damage was only on the armor itself. The bones beneath were nearly untouched. While the System counted the armor as a part of the Undead, it did not seem to calculate the damage the same.

    The armor and the Undead were one and the same, but damage to the armor seemed to only translate to the Undead itself as a fraction of what was received. The UndeadˇŻs status did not show an amount of health lost equal to the damage shown.

    Alaster laid his hand on one of the Black GuardˇŻs arms, activating the [Necrotic Heal]. A thin mist consisting of his mana spread from his hand and rolled over the Black Guard, leaving behind unblemished armor as it slowly rolled up the arm and into the torso. The process was extremely slow, much slower than the individual bones, but Alaster was simply glad he didnˇŻt have to touch every individual part of armor to fix it.

    The Ability seemed to count the Undead as one part, instead of numerous bones, and the armor as part of the Undead. Alaster actually ran out of mana before the Black Guard was fully repaired. If he had to guess, it was roughly sixty-five to seventy percent repaired. After his Mana Pool recovered from his [Meditation], he resumed the repair. Meditating again once he was finished so he could start on the second Black Guard with a full Mana Pool.

    However, before he did, Alaster pulled up the Ability. He had spent so long using it that it must have leveled up at least once. He should have been notified if it did, but while he was meditating, it would have been easy for him to miss it.

    [Meditation

    Level 9<16: 73%<54%

    Clearing the Mind to see what is concealed

    Mana Regeneration increased to 15/min<22/min during use

    Can sense fluctuations in mana around you

    Evolution Available]

    Alaster grinned to himself. He could have twenty-two skeletons while he mediated. He didnˇŻt even have enough mana to raise more than ten. The young man found that both quite funny, and beyond irritating. Funny, because as a Level 10 Novice, he could raise twenty-six Undead, if you counted his max. None of whom were powerful, but could quite possibly overwhelm a single Combat Adept, if they all attacked together.

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    While all Novices were Combat Classes, Adepts could branch out into a very diverse area. They could stay as a Combat Class, like Knight or Ranger. Or they could become a Craft Class, like Black Smith or Carpenter. Or they could become a Production Class, like Farmer or Miner.

    However, it was also very frustrating because it made him feel like he wasnˇŻt working to his fullest potential at that moment. Like he was missing something. Regardless, he had something more pressing. He had an Ability Evolution to decide on.

    [Meditation Level 10 Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li>  Can have 50% mana, past max, for an hour after mediating.</li>

    <li>  Raises a shield of mana, equaling 50% mana pool of damage, while mediating.</li>

    <li>  Able to move slowly while meditating.]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster was very impressed with his options. For each one, he could imagine several uses for. If he chose the first option, he could [Meditate] just before he got into a fight to have more mana available. Or before he started a large creation or construction. If he chose the second, he would be safer to [Meditate] in places that might not be safe, as he would have a Mana Shield.

    Mana Shield was actually a fairly simply spell that practically every Mage Type Class had access to. It was basically just a film of mana that coated the userˇŻs body to act as a buffer. It reduced damage taken, up to a point. The more skilled the Mage was with the Spell, the more damage it could prevent. Compared to the amount of users of Mana Shield, only a few had what many called, True Mana Shield, which protected the user from all damage.

    For the current Alaster, it would protect him from one hundred fifty-five points of damage, at least while he meditated. He had yet to actually learn the Spell himself. It required a good amount of experience and control over your own mana to properly learn. Which Alaster did not currently have. The standard was to get [Mana Manipulation] to level twenty, before you attempted to learn [Mana Shield], as if you tried before then, and failed horribly, you could kill yourself with your own mana.

    Alaster was very tempted to chose that option, after all, anything that could protect and possibly extend his own life, was invaluable as you only had one life. At least, unless there was an Expert Holy Mage who could get to you very quickly. However, Alaster was leaning more towards the third option.

    He could raise a good amount of Undead, and as he leveled up, that number would rise until it was quite a large number. And if he meditated while he raised the skeletons, that number would grow exponentially. But while numbers were very important in any battle, adequate use of those numbers were vastly more important.

    As it was currently, Alaster could only issue basic orders to Excess Undead while he meditated. If he chose the third option, he could then move while he meditated, slowly yes, but he was certain that with practice that would grow. He imagined himself eventually running and jumping over obstacles while his [Meditation] was active. He wouldnˇŻt be able to cast any magic while he meditated, but he would be able to issue more detailed orders to his Undead.

    After all, to be able to move, one had to be able to mentally process the ordeal. Currently, meditating took most of his mental capacity, only allowing him to slightly move and think basic thoughts. If he chose the third option, the capacity would increase, or more likely, the capacity used by [Meditation] would decrease, allowing him more.

    Alaster made his choice, and as he did so, he was able to feel a slight change. So slight, that he was almost certain he had imagined it. Alaster turned to the second Black Guard, and began to heal it. While he wanted to try out his new Evolution, he knew that so long as his protectors were damaged, he was vulnerable. And he was already more vulnerable than he liked. He would get the Black Guards back into perfect health before he continued his experiments.

    As the final crack in the Black GuardˇŻs armor sealed itself, Alaster checked his [Necrotic Heal]

    [Necrotic Heal

    Level 1<3: 0%<15%

    Repair any damage sustained to the Dead

    Mana Cost: 10/sec]

    Nothing had really changed except its level, but he was still glad that it was progressing.

    As the Black Guard took its place behind and of to the side of Alaster, checking the area for any potential threats, Alaster finished repairing the pile of Skeleton Bones. He stretched his back and prepared himself. Alaster calmed his mind, activating [Meditation]. He watched as his nearly empty Mana Pool filled. At empty, he could completely fill his Mana in just fourteen minutes.

    Once it was full, Alaster raised the Excess Undead, watching as his Mana Regeneration decreased with each Undead that stood. Normally, it wasnˇŻt possible to cast more than one spell at a time, and [Meditation] and [Raise Undead] Both counted as a spell. He should not be able to raise any Undead while he meditated, as he did not have any abilities that increased the amount of spells he could cast at a single time.

    That was just another reason Bonuses were so vital to a person. They could somewhat bend the rules, and they were always active.

    As the final Undead stood, draining his Mana Pool and lowering his Regeneration down to twelve, Alaster was still able to stand up and move. He was still able to watch his surroundings. His movements were slow, like he was trying to sneak up on a deer. He felt that if he moved any faster than that, then the [Meditation] would break. However, he also felt that if he kept at it and practiced, that he could gradually begin to speed up.

    Alaster could not help but think, ˇ®If I am a simple Novice, able to regenerate twenty-two mana a minute and still move, just how much mana are Expert Mages holding and casually throwing around?ˇŻ

 Chapter 41- Split Migraine

    Alaster sent his Undead out to hunt again with the same orders. Instead of retreating into his hole, Alaster decided to practice moving while he meditated. It was a slow process, both the movements themselves, and the progress. He had to be careful not to move too fast and disrupt the [Meditation]. By the time the Skeletons returned with the prey, the sun was beginning to set, and he had had only managed to slightly speed up.

    It was such a small improvement as to be pointless. But any progress was still progress. He promised himself that he would continue to work on it as he focused on the Monsters the Skeletons had brought back.

    They were more of the large rat like wolves. Four more of the still growing monsters. The damage to both the Monsters and the Skeletons were the same as the first time. However, it confirmed one thing to Alaster. These Monsters moved in numbers, were large, and if the damage to them said anything, it was that they were hard to kill. Ten Skeletons against four of these things, and the damage to their bones said that it was still a close fight. Alaster did not want to meet the adults.

    While the Skeletons had been out hunting, Alaster had received a notification that he had leveled up, but he had put it off to the side in order to focus on his [Meditation]. Just the appearance of the notice had nearly been enough to disrupt him. He had been forced to shove it to the back of his mind.

    Alaster quickly got to work on the Monster bodies using a sharp bone knife he had made. It would not hold up to any sort of combat, but for slicing through the layers of fat and muscle of a dead creature, it was adequate. It was slower going than the last time as Alaster kept his [Meditation] active, but as he finished with each body, one of the Skeletons would drag it away from the hole and deeper into the forest, returning without it.

    When he finished gathering any salvageable meat and the bones, the sun had properly set, drowning the world in darkness. With the material safely stored in his Ring, which was beginning to get quite full, even after he condensed all the Goblin Bones into cubes, Alaster retreated to his hole and started the fire.

    The Black Guards followed him in, and he sealed the doorway, making sure to leave a gap at the top for fresh air. The Night Children watched the area of the hole from the tall branches. But the Skeletons mindlessly wondered around the tree the hole was under.

    Alaster knew he needed to move. As easily protected as the hole was, the surrounding ground was soaked in blood, both from the Goblins and from the rat like wolves. The snow that was falling would help to cover the scent, but there was no doubt in AlasterˇŻs mind that it was bound to attract a Monster he couldnˇŻt face. Especially the adults of the Rat Wolves. They would certainly track the things that killed their young, and the Skeletons had definitely left tracks even a blind man could follow.

    For now, though, Alaster stayed in the hole. It was dark, and it would be foolish for him to attempt travel when the moon was out. The forest was less active as the sun set, but it was also much more violent. The Predators that slept during the day were active.

    Warming himself by the fire as the snowstorm outside grew worse, Alaster checked his status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 11<12

    EXP: 63%<12%

    Health: 310/310<320/320

    Health Regeneration: 8/min

    Mana: 320/320<330/330

    Mana Regeneration: 5/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 42<44

    Dexterity: 37<39

    Constitution*: 42<44

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Wisdom*: 52<54

    Intelligence*: 49<51

    Free Points: 5]

    [Intelligence Bonus Unlocked]

    Before Alaster looked at the Bonus unlocked, he quickly added the five free points into CON, to bring it to forty-nine points, and his health to three hundred fifty-five.

    [Intelligence 50 Bonus: Split Mind

    Level 1: 0%

    Splits the mind into two.]

    Alaster was immediately rocked by a piercing migraine. He let out a pained scream before he was able to control himself enough to bite down on his cloak. The Black Guards held him so he didnˇŻt thrash around, possibly falling into the fire, but they did not know what more to do. Outside, the Skeletons collapsed into small piles of bones, while the Night Children anxiously paced around atop the towering branches.

    Gradually, the migraine did calm into a dull headache. Alaster came to his senses, his heart pounding, lungs burning, and body in a cold sweat. As he stopped thrashing, the Black Guards laid him down and returned to their posts by the entrance. Alaster was not sure how long the migraine lasted, or how long he laid there.

    Eventually, he sat up, gingerly holding his still pounding head. He shuffled over to the bone bowl he had packed with snow, now melted, and gulped down the entirety of it. His heart was beginning to calm, but his breath was still ragged.

    ˇ®That must have been my mind splitting in two.ˇŻ Alaster realized.

    He then noticed that he could indeed think about two different topics. It was a stunning development that Alaster struggled to comprehend.

    He had of course heard of the Split Mind Bonus. It was what every Mage Type Class wanted. It would not only allow them to process more information at any single time, but would also allow the user to cast multiple magics at once. But that was the problem. It was an incredibly advanced Ability. Adept Mages that had it struggled to use it, and not even every Expert Mage had it. Alaster had never heard of a Novice getting it for their first Bonus.

    The ˇ®Split MindˇŻ was a well known Intelligence Bonus, but Alaster had only ever heard of Mages getting it for their one hundred or two hundred Bonus, never their fifty.

    Alaster experimented with his second mind, and after a few minutes of thinking about his immediate plans, he realized a few things. Just as he had heard, the second mind, and any additional mind he developed, was slower and simpler than the ˇ®Prime MindˇŻ as it was called. These additional minds would have to be trained. The more they did a certain task, the better and more detailed they would work.

    So it was still better to think about the important things with his Prime Mind, but he could leave the less important things to be figured out over time, such as [Bone Crafting] or [Necrotic Healing]. Both could be very boring, but required constant focus. Now that his Mind was split, he could be working on those while he was still strategizing or working on something else.

    Alaster did also notice that if he left his secondary mind to work on a complex problem, his headache got worse. He was sure that the pain was simply due to his body not being suited to the secondary mind, and was still adapting. He only hoped that it would adapt quickly.

    So, Alaster set his mind onto a fairly simple task. The creation of some Bone armor for himself. He had already made it all before. He knew how to do it already and didnˇŻt need to figure it out. But after the Goblin attack, of his bone armor was either lost or too broken to be useful. As it was, his leather armor was scratched in numerous places.

    Alaster felt his headache, not quite become worse, but more intense. Like it was stepping forward from the back of his head into the spotlight. But he also saw the scrap bones around the hole float closer to him and begin to change shape, his sickly green mana around them. It was fascinating to watch. He knew he was the one doing it, but it wasnˇŻt a conscious thought. He knew every step and every thought that was going into the actions, but it was like he was watching it from the outside, not as the one actively doing it.

    After watching the process for a little bit, ensuring that the second mind was doing what it was supposed to do, Alaster turned to his surroundings. When the migraine had hit, he had lost his [Meditation], causing the Skeletons to be dismissed. Alaster opened the doorway of the bone wall, causing a wave of freezing air to sweep into the shelter, and ordered the Black Guards to go gather all the bones.

    Alaster huddled closer to the fire as the air hit him, and opened his Ring to pull out some of the meat. As his Ring opened, his mana entered and pulled out a few cubes of Bone. It hadnˇŻt come as a surprise to him as he could feel the intent of his second mind, but it was still amazing to watch.

    As Alaster cooked himself a small and pathetic dinner, the Black Guards finished gathering all the Bones, which the second mind casually paused creating the armor and opened the Ring, ordering the Black Guards to begin throwing the bones in.

    ˇ®So the Second Mind can even order around my Minions.ˇŻ Alaster grinned to himself, already thinking of all the uses for this new mind. But then he thought of something that, if it worked, could completely change his way of doing things.

    If the second mind was capable of processing complex problems, ordering his Minions around, and even cast Magic. Would it be able to [Meditate] and allow Alaster complete freedom with his Prime Mind?

 Chapter 42- Foundations

    Short answer? No. It didnˇŻt work. It appeared to only work on the Prime Mind. However, while his Prime Mind was meditating, his Second Mind could still cast other magic, such as [Necrotic Bolt]. Or, he could cast [Necrotic Bolt] with both minds, launching four bolts. Alaster imagined that even mid-Level Adepts would be wary of such an attack, at least while unarmored.

    However, while he was experimenting with other sorts of magic he could use with his Second Mind, he noticed that some were ready to Evolve.

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 9<11: 74%<12%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

    Mana Cost: 5/min

    Evolution Available]

    This was the Ability that had the most utility. He was excited for what would his choices could be.

    [Bone Crafting Evolution

    <ol>

    <li>   Can create blueprints of creations</li>

    <li>   Can create more intricate creations</li>

    <li>   Can better manipulate the qualities of the Bone]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster was impressed. Watching his Second Mind create the armor pieces, he was tempted to choose the blueprint. He could create another shelter, have it saved as a blueprint, and then simply dismantle it whenever he moved and recreate it whenever he stopped for the night. This would allow him to create a larger shelter. But he didnˇŻt need a larger shelter than the one he had previously made, and planned to recreate. However, the blueprints would also make it much easier to create armor for the Horde Skeletons.

    But if he chose the third option, he knew he could create actual weapons for the Horde Skeletons. They wouldnˇŻt be strong weapons, and would break quite often, but they would be strong enough to be useable in battles. He could feel that he was on the edge, and that Evolution would be enough to make it work.

    The second option would expand the uses he had for the Ability. Potentially allowing him to create mechanisms with Bone. Hinges, pulleys, maybe even keys. That last option made him chuckle to himself.

    In the end, however, He chose the third option. While the second option would be interesting to work with. It wouldnˇŻt really assist his survival, at least not at the moment. And while the first option would greatly improve his crafting speed, he had the time to manually create them when he found a safe place. Especially with the Second Mind.

    The Third option was the best in AlasterˇŻs opinion. Not only would it allow him to create weapons out of bone, allowing him to make a weapon better suited to a certain situation. But it would also make his Skeletons stronger, at least the ones his modified.

    [Skeleton Creation] and [Bone Crafting] were both used whenever Alaster modified the bone of an active Skeleton. While he had been changing the bones of the Horde Skeletons to have blades on their wrists, only [Bone Crafting] had been needed. But if he tried to change the Black Guards or Night Children, who were active, both Abilities would be necessary.

    Alaster ordered one of the Black Guards closer, where he quickly got to work changing the bones. As the Evolution had stated, AlasterˇŻs control over the boneˇŻs qualities had improved. Which, allowed him to make the Black GuardˇŻs bones stronger and heavier, which also made them darker. Gradually, the Black Guard became a shade darker.

    Now, Alaster was certain that the Black Guard could take a direct blow from a Bug Bear. At least one of the weaker ones. The only reason the Goblin Skeleton had survived when the Bug Bear had battered it away was because it had jumped away at the last moment, and because the snow had served as a buffer. But Alaster was now sure that the Black Guard could take the blow, and remain standing.

    The Black Guard, whose bones and armor were still not quite black, but instead very dark gray, stepped back. Allowing the second Black Guard to step forward. Alaster could have sworn that it was excited. It didnˇŻt very long before both Black Guards were much sturdier. However, they werenˇŻt stronger. [Bone Crafting] only affected the Bones, not the Mana Veins, which directly effected the strength of the Skeleton Minion.

    If Alaster wanted to make his Minions stronger, which he certainly did, he would have to improve either [Mana Manipulation], [Skeleton Creation], or [Raise Undead]. Each of them would allow Alaster to improve the Mana Veins, each to a different degree. However, Alaster was wondering if the bones wouldnˇŻt soon be reaching a point where he couldnˇŻt improve them anymore.

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    The way the bones became stronger was that Alaster would fill them with Mana, making them denser. The bones becoming darker was a side effect of his mana filling every part, discoloring them. However, he could not imagine that the bones could simply take in an unlimited amount. Sure, the current amount of Mana he could pump in was limited by his abilities and practice. But eventually those abilities would reach very high levels.

    Theoretically, to AlasterˇŻs knowledge, there was no max level for Abilities. An Ability could reach a high enough level that the Ability itself would Evolve, not just an aspect of it. This generally meant that Ability would become stronger, usually more specialized, but sometimes becoming more generalized. But it could still level up.

    So, in theory, Alaster could gradually become capable of controlling a nearly endless amount of Mana. But bones werenˇŻt exactly the best container of Mana. There was a very good reason that Enchanters used more gems, precious metals, and crystals. While Gold was horrible at containing Mana, it was excellent at conducting it, moving it from one place to another. Gems were excellent at holding Mana, especially if the Mana within matched the Gem itself.

    For example, while all gems were capable of holding an impressive amount of Mana, if it was Fire Mana, it could hold many multitudes more. But while Gems were great at containing Mana, it was extremely difficult to impose commands on them. Which is where Crystals came in. Crystals allowed Mana to pass through it almost entirely without interference, but it was because of this aspect, that allowed Enchanters to inscribe the Enchantment.

    The Mana would flow from the Gem, through the metal, typically Gold or Silver, into the Crystal, where it would configured by the Enchanters inscriptions. These Enchantments could be nearly anything. From an active spell like Fireball, to a passive spell like an Aura. But one of the most common uses was to improve Stats, any of them.

    Colius, AlasterˇŻs tutor while he resided in Onigas, had several Enchanted gear that increased his Mana Pool because so many of his spells required so much Mana. But a more battle oriented Mage might prefer Enchantments that improved Mana Regeneration. Anyone could use Enchantments, whether they were a Mage or not, which is just one reason they are so desired.

    In a battle, it only took a single Enchantment, used at the right moment, to end it. An Enchantment could allow someone to challenge someone much stronger than them. Unfortunately, Enchantments were very finicky. While anyone could Enchant, even someone with an Enchanter Class needed to study for years before they even began to put their knowledge into practice. Even simple Enchantments could take an entire week to create.

    Entire Nations had fallen or risen depending on their Enchanters, or lack thereof. Every Nation carefully regulated and protected their Enchanters. Even simple Enchantments could bankrupt a family. Currently, Alaster desperately wanted an Enchantment to improve his Mana Regeneration. While such Enchantments were pretty common, due to their demand, even a weak one would cost several Gold.

    However, while the vast majority of Enchantments were created by modern Enchanters. The strongest were always found in Dungeons.

    Dungeons wereˇ­ well, Alaster didnˇŻt really know what they were. Not even Colius knew, if anyone, at least truly knew. They knew that Dungeons were wells of Natural Mana. Natural Mana being Mana generated by the world itself. The Mana would condense, and then somehow create its own pocket dimension. One similar to Bags or Rings of Holding in only the vaguest sense.

    People had been experimenting with them for as long as the history books detailed. They had even tried to create their own through the same process. But they were obviously missing something, as it never worked. No one really knew how the Dungeons worked. But everyone knew about them, and the riches one could get from them.

    Dungeons were pocket dimensions. They operated on their own rules and laws. They were typically put into one of three categories. Instanced, where every group would enter their own experience. The Dungeon was the same for every group that entered, but the ˇ®worldˇŻ would only unique to them. No other group could enter, or interfere. If they did enter the Dungeon, they would enter their own Instance.

    The second category was Public. Meaning that every group that entered would enter the same ˇ®worldˇŻ and be able to help, or hinder, each other. These Dungeons were usually much larger and the Monsters and Loot that would spawn at random times at random areas. Whereas the Instanced Dungeons would never respawn anything. Once something was dead or destroyed, it would stay like that until the group left. If they entered again, everything would be just as it was when they entered it the first time, expect that the loot and Monsters would randomize through the Dungeon.

    The Final category was Raid. A Raid was almost always much more difficult than any other Dungeon, but the potential Loot reflected that, prompting many more people to challenge it, despite the much higher chance of death. Raids operated on a calendar or timer. Either only being open for a few days out of a month, year, or even decade, or being available once the timer reset.

    Every Raid was technically Instanced, but while the theme of the Dungeon would remain the same, the ˇ®historyˇŻ would be completely different. Once the Dungeon began, there was no escape unless it was completed. While the other two types of Dungeons could be exited early through either the door, or special areas throughout them, Raids were locked. Those who entered, either died, or succeeded.

    One Raid could require the Challengers to defeat one massive enemy, or that same Dungeon, just a different Raid, could require them to defeat a vast army. Each Dungeon had its own history, its own lore. But in Raids, it was an entire world, and some requirements for completing the Raid could be to help save the Kingdom within the Raid from a plague. However, most Raids were simply, ˇ®kill this or thatˇŻ.

    Each Raid, once entered, would notify the Challengers with their objective, as well as a reward if they succeeded. However, they could get more rewards depending on their actions within the Dungeon. No other type of Dungeon did that. For Instanced or Public, whatever you found was what you got.

    Due to the nature of their creation, Dungeons could form anywhere. Most settlements formed around Dungeons. Onigas had been settled over a Raid Dungeon, however its restrictions had been fairly limiting, so only those aligned with the City were allowed to enter. The Nation of Lissura had used a very powerful Raid Dungeon as its foundation.

    As Alaster warmed his hands over the fire, he decided he would find a Dungeon. Preferably an Instanced one. If he searched long enough, he was certain he could find one. Whether he could actually fight the Monsters within, was much less certain.

 Chapter 43- Dungeons

    The next morning, Alaster ate a small breakfast of meat before he stomped out the fire and began to prepare to leave. The hole had proven to be a great shelter, but the Goblin blood that had soaked into the ground and snow had begun to attract scavenger Monsters. He dismantled the bone wall and put the material into his Ring, as well as the furs and hides he had pulled out.

    Within the hour, he had gathered everything he wanted to take. He attached his newly created bone snow shoes and began to walk. The Night Children followed from above, while the Black Guards were right behind him. Alaster didnˇŻt really have a destination in mind. While most settlements would be built around a Dungeon, he did not want to enter a settlement.

    For now, he would avoid other people. People just complicated things, and he didnˇŻt really need them. Safety in numbers, but Alaster was able to make his own numbers, as well as equip them. Sure, the weapons he made them were fragile, but he could simply repair them. While Classes that could raise the dead were rare, they were common enough to be known. But that didnˇŻt stop people from creating their own stories about them.

    If Alaster entered another Settlement, and they discovered his Undead, there was no telling what sort of problems would occur. Some would see him as a great help, being able to supply the town with raw man power. But some would see him as an evil to be eliminated.

    Far to the West, a certain religion dominated all others. This religion was very strict and saw the world as black or white. They openly hunted anyone with a Class that opposed their views or beliefs. Unfortunately, despite being so distant, they still had believers or sympathizers in this part of the world.

    The other Necromancers that Alaster knew about, Necromancer being both a Class and a Title given to those who can raise the dead, had solidified themselves as an asset to both their Cities and their Kingdoms. They used their Undead to do the dirty jobs that no one wanted, but was needed. They had their Undead protect the City and Kingdom.

    Alaster could do that as well, but he refused. While those Necromancers had created a comfortable and stable life for themselves, they also grounded themselves. They could no longer go out and become stronger. They could no longer go where they wanted and do what they wanted. Everything the did was constantly watched by those around them. They had become a pillar of their cities and Kingdoms, and they couldnˇŻt leave.

    Alaster needed to grow strong enough to discourage anyone from causing him trouble before he revealed himself. If his Class and Abilities became widely known, he would be constantly hounded, both by those wanting his aid and allegiance, and those wanting to eliminate him to prevent him from aligning himself to their enemies or even just for their faith.

    The young man slowly walked through the dense forest. Even with the snow shoes, he still sunk deeply into the snow. Within just two hours, he was exhausted and forced to rest for a bit. Luckily, the Undead couldnˇŻt get tired. It was nearly unbearably uncomfortable, but Alaster climbed onto the back of one of the Black Guards and had them continue.

    Now, normally it was foolish to just wonder the forest trying to find a Dungeon, whose entrance could be anything from an old ruin, to a simple hole in the ground. However, using the Night Children, who had a much better view, Alaster was able to avoid any of the worst Monsters. The rest were taken care of by the Night Children and spare Black Guard. While Alaster couldnˇŻt verbally communicate with the Night Children, they were smart enough to point out threats, which allowed Alaster to steer the group away.

    Even then, it was a flimsy method of travel. One bound to break. Luckily, Dungeons emitted a form of Unique Mana. This allowed anyone sensitive to Mana to be able to locate them much easier. The more sensitive they were, the further they could detect a Dungeon. This Mana did attract Monsters, the stronger the Dungeon, the stronger the Mana it gave off, attracting stronger Monsters.

    But Alaster was not too worried about that. He had above average ability to sense mana, at least for a Novice. And he was still fairly shallow in the Forest. Still much deeper than any sensible Novice Party would be. But Alaster was able to move much quicker and lighter than other Novice Parties, and unlike them, he had no issue leaving one behind to delay any significant threat.

    As the sun passed its crest, Alaster finally felt a Dungeon nearby. It was a strange feeling. Like it was otherworldly and didnˇŻt belong. While the source felt fairly nearby, it also felt weak, Which Alaster was happy about. He had read about Dungeons and heard the Guards at the Siphas Manor talk about them. You could tell the rough difficulty of the Dungeon by the strength of the Mana it gave off.

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    Of course, the more difficult the Dungeon, the better the rewards. But Alaster didnˇŻt really care about those. He would, of course, take them, but his primary reason for seeking out a Dungeon was the constant rate of EXP he could gather. In the Real World, he would have to hunt down Monsters, or have them hunt him. Either way, it was inconsistent and wild. He could run into a threat that he had no possibility of defeating or escaping.

    But in the Dungeon, the strength of the Monsters were much more consistent, usually only having a few types of Monsters within. Each Dungeon was given a designator, for how strong it was. But that was given by the System itself, and only told of the overall strength of the Dungeon, not the Monsters within. A Dungeon could be designated A Rank, but only have a few strong Monsters. While a C Rank Dungeon could have thousands of weaker Monsters.

    Novices were typically only allowed access to F or D Rank Dungeons, and even for the D Ranks, not all the Novices were expected to return. C and B Rank were for Adepts. While A Ranks were reserved for Experts. The Only A Rank Dungeon Alaster knew about was the one in the Capital City of Lissura. And each time it opened, the Kingdom would send in a full Raid group of Experts and the strongest Adepts. Even then, while they always returned with treasures that could buy a small Kingdom themselves, very few returned alive, or at all.

    Luckily for Alaster, he could tell that it was an F Rank. At least, he hoped. He steered the group towards it, and while the Monsters they fought increased, it was still a bunch of weaker Monsters, easily dispatched by the Night Children. He only gathered their bones, leaving the rest of the corpse where it lay. In only an hour, Alaster saw the entrance to the Dungeon.

    He knew that it wouldnˇŻt be anything grand, but he certainly wasnˇŻt expecting it to be in a tree. It was just like any other tree, there was nothing out of the ordinary, except that the tree had a hole split in the middle of the trunk. Like someone had sliced a hole in some cloth. It was wide enough for both Black Guards to slide in if they went in sideways, or a single one walking normally. If it hadn''t been a Dungeon, the tree was thick enough that if it was hollow, it would comfortably fit Alaster and the Black Guards.

    However, it was a Dungeon, obvious by the black void that filled the hole. Even when Alaster made a quick and crude torch and held it up to the void, he couldnˇŻt see through it. Alaster backed up and ordered one of the Black Guards to touch it. Without hesitation, it did so, but like a solid wall, its Bone Gauntlet rested on it, unable to get past.

    Cautiously, Alaster stepped forward and raised his hand. Taking a deep breath, he reached forward. Unlike the Black Guard, his hand passed through the Black Void as if nothing was there.

    [Everfrost Woods Dungeon

    Rank: F+

    Instance

    Time Dilution: 5:1

    Party Limit: 7]

    [Enter?]

    Alaster smirked to himself. The System was able to recognize who was part of your party. EXP was spread to whoever participated, whether they were in your party or not. But for situations like Dungeons, where Party size was important, there was no fooling the System. Though many had tried before. It simply left out a random Party Member if you tried to enter a Dungeon with too large a Party.

    He briefly pondered if he should, or if he should wait until the morning. It would be dark in a few hours. But then he remembered that the Dungeon was an Instance. Regardless of what time or state of the outside world, the Dungeon would always begin at the same state. It didnˇŻt matter when Alaster entered, it would have no impact on the Dungeon itself.

    However, Alaster was tired. Trekking through several feet of snow was tiring work, even when his Undead did all the fighting. He would much prefer to enter his first Dungeon, where he had no clue what dangers he might face, well rested. While he would probably be attacked by some weak Monsters during the night, the stronger ones would stay away. Not because they avoided the weaker Dungeons, but that the weaker Monsters were too numerous and annoying for them.

    Alaster had the Black Guards clear an area of snow, piling it on top of itself at the edge. Alaster then created a small tent out of bone and set it down into the cleared spot. It was a small space, but would be large enough for Alaster to lay down and still have a fire burning. He would have the Black Guards outside, assisting the Night Children in keeping any threats from their master.

    The Monsters that were concentrated near the Dungeon were strange skinny dogs. Pretty weak, and even more fragile. Alaster wasnˇŻt worried that they couldnˇŻt handle them without him. Unfortunately, they gave very little EXP, and even less meat. Alaster wasnˇŻt even sure how they survived the freezing temperatures. Their fur was thin and offered little to no protection.

    Alaster quickly built a fire inside his shelter, making ventilation holes as he had forgotten. He ate some freshly roasted meat and laid down. It didnˇŻt take long for the young man to fall asleep. While he slept, his Undead Minions guarded him, slaughtering any of the dogs that dared to come close. Even ordinary Novices would have no issue with them.

 Chapter 44- Dream Hunt

    When Alaster woke the next morning, the fire was down to embers. He sat up and tightly wrapped his furs around himself before he opened the small bone shelter. What greeted him, was certainly not what he was expecting. He had expected that some of those weak dog monsters would try to attack him overnight, and that his Undead would protect him. What he did not expect was an actual mountain of their corpses.

    Alaster absentmindedly stood up while he stared at the large pile. Sensing that he was awake, the Black Guards jogged over to him. One from the other side of the pile, and the other from behind the Dungeon. Both were covered in the dog monstersˇŻ blood. But not nearly to the extent the Night Children were. They peered down at their master while they clung to the underside of the thick branches overhead.

    ˇ°What the actual hell? Did you guys wipe out the entire species?ˇ± Alaster mumbled to himself, ˇ°Should be good EXP at least.ˇ±

    Alaster quickly peeked at his status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 12<13

    EXP: 12%<54%

    Health: 355/355<365/365

    Health Regeneration: 8/min<9/min

    Mana: 330/330<340/340

    Mana Regeneration: 5/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 44<46

    Dexterity: 39<41

    Constitution*: 49<51

    Wisdom*: 54<56

    Intelligence*: 51<53

    Free Points: 5]

    [Constitution Bonus Unlocked]

    [Constitution 50 Bonus: Blood Price

    Level 1: 0%

    Capable of using Health in exchange for Mana.

    1 Health= 5 Mana]

    [Raise Undead, Level up]

    [Raise Undead

    Level 14<16: 56%<61%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 2/2

    Max Skeletons: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 30]

    [Evolution Available]

    Alaster was stunned, but he couldnˇŻt keep the smile out of his face. He had finally gotten the CON Bonus, and in essence, had significantly increased his Mana Pool. Of course, it came at the cost of his Health, but it made him much more flexible. He could exchange nine Health for forty-five Mana, and in a single minute, have that regenerated. If he exchanged one hundred health, he would get five hundred mana, more than his Mana Pool could hold.

    ˇ®I need to be careful with that.ˇŻ

    Alaster had heard of those who had pushed their Mana Pool past what it could handle. The Mana Core, which held the pool as well as condensed the mana and distributed it to the rest of the body, was meant to gradually grow in strength, allowing it to hold more. It wasnˇŻt meant to be pushed like that. Some were lucky and only received repairable damage to their Cores. But most had their Cores shattered.

    That was the worst nightmare for any Mage. When a Core was broken, it released all the Mana within, violently. A Fire Mage would be consumed by fire so hot that it would reduce them to ash in moments. A Water Mage would drown from the inside. Even if they managed to survive, which very few could, it was impossible for them to use Magic again, not even Enchantments would respond to them.

    The new [Blood Price] Ability was amazing, but it was a double-edged sword. If he wasnˇŻt careful, it was likely that he would break his own Core. Alaster had seen a [Necrotic Bolt] melt the flesh off a Monster. And he could, all too vividly, imagine his Mana lashing out and melting him from the inside out.

    However, in AlasterˇŻs mind, the Ability certainly had more Pros than Cons. First and foremost, he had nearly unlimited Mana for a Novice.

    ˇ®This is making more sense.ˇŻ Alaster thought.

    Classes tended to steer a certain way with their progression. The user could personally push it in a certain way, but the Class had its own disposition. It had confused and annoyed Alaster as to why the WIS Bonus would allow him to raise more Undead than he could supply with Mana. Same with why a Mage Type Class would use CON as a one of the Prime Stats. Now it made sense.

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    The Death Mage Class was the basic Class for the use of Necrotic Mana. The users could take that anyway they wanted. Some focused more on the [Bone Crafting] Side of it, eventually even becoming capable of molding Flesh. Some focused on [Necrotic Bolt] Strengthening it, and gaining more abilities that used pure Necrotic Mana as a weapon. Alaster, as well as most Death Mages, had chosen to focus more on the [Raise Undead] Spell.

    That did not mean that Alaster was ignoring the other two parts of being a Death Mage. But it did mean that his Bonuses would respond to his thoughts and beliefs and aid in the creation of Undead.

    Shaking his head, he focused on his new level. He had five stat points to distribute, and now had the Bonuses of all his Prime Stats. Looking back at his Stats, he chuckled to himself.

    ˇ®This is a good day already.ˇŻ

    With the new level, his STR had naturally risen to forty-six. Meaning he could put four of the Free Points into it, getting the STR Bonus, and putting the last Free Point into DEX, his lowest Stat. Of course, he could also put those four points into WIS, raising to sixty and granting him another point of Mana Regen. However, with his [Meditation] That simply didnˇŻt feel as impactful. Every point mattered, but a Bonus was simply much more valuable than a single point.

    Alaster put four points into STR and one into DEX, raising them to fifty and forty-two respectively.

    [Strength Bonus Unlocked]

    [Strength 50 Bonus: Imbuement

    Level 1: 0%

    Infuse the body with Mana to strengthen it

    Mana Cost: 100/min]

    Alaster had heard of this Bonus. It was the foundation of many Mage-Warrior Hybrids. Anyone who used their Magic to fight like a Warrior Class. They were very powerful in close quarters, and typically nicknamed Mage Hunters, as their Magical abilities made them very suited to killing other Mages.

    Imbuement sounded like an Enchanting Ability, and in truth, Enchanters could get a very similar Ability that focused more on Items than themselves. Imbuement allowed the user to spend Mana to strengthen their own body. In every case, it made the user faster, stronger, and more durable, so long as they kept it active. However, the type of Mana the User used also played a role.

    Fire Mages would be even stronger. Water Mages would be much more flexible and agile. Earth Mages were damn near unkillable. And Wind Mages would very incredibly quick. Each type of Mana effected the User differently during the use of this Ability. However, Alaster had no clue what his particular type of Mana would do. At the very least, it would make him stronger, faster, and more durable. That alone made it a great Ability that he could imagine himself using quite often.

    But he still wasnˇŻt finished. He still had an Evolution available. An Evolution for one of his most valuable Abilities. Alaster pulled the selection up.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 14<16: 56%<61%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 2/2

    Max Skeletons: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 30]

    [Evolution Available]

    [Raise Undead Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Bond. Be able to take direct control of an Undead Minion.</li>

    <li> Numerous. Increase maximum minions by one.</li>

    <li> Twin. Be able to raise two undead with one cast.]</li>

    </ol>

    ˇ®Same choices as last time.ˇŻ Alaster recalled, scratching his back, ˇ®Except for Bond. That took the place of Mindful, which I chose last time.ˇŻ

    Alaster automatically discounted Twin. Not that it wasnˇŻt valuable. Especially when he was using the Horde Bonus. Then, it would save his a lot of Mana by only half the Mana required to raise them. It simply wasnˇŻt as valuable.

    From the description, Bond would allow him to share the senses of one of his Undead. That was amazing, not only because it would allow him to learn more about the Undead, which in turn would allow him to make better modifications and use them better. But it would also allow him to scout around with a disposable Undead, and would also allow him to command his undead personally, while his real body was hidden away.

    But Alaster was leaning more towards Numerous. It would raise his Undead limit by one, but the [Skeleton Creation] Legion Evolution would add another, if it was a Skeleton Undead. That seemed a bit overpowered to Alaster, who had still not learned how to create any other Type of Undead. All he knew how to raise were Skeletons.

    He could currently raise two Undead, plus another two Skeletons. This allowed both the Night Children and the two Black Guards, who were still more of a dark gray. But if he chose Numerous, he would be able to raise two more. The only hesitation was that Alaster didnˇŻt have any more weapons, so he would have to create more Night Children, or something similar. And he simply didnˇŻt need more Night Children.

    Alaster facepalmed himself. He had completely forgotten that he had Evolved [Bone Crafting], allowing him to create crude and fragile weapons, but weapons nonetheless. He would have to repair them quite often, possibly after every battle. And what if the weapons broke during a battle? Alaster stopped himself there before he thought too far. It was pointless unless he actually chose Numerous.

    While He absentmindedly began to remove the bones from the pile of Dog Monsters, a slow and mana intensive task, but a mindless one, He ran through every possible situation he could imagine where he could use either one. However, in the end, while Bond had potentially vastly greater strategical value. He simply didnˇŻt have the numbers to use it effectively.

    The greatest use for Bond that he envisioned was hiding himself away from the battle, depending on if there was a distance limit, and commanding his Undead from afar. However, he only had four Undead, three if he took control of one. And he doubted that he could maintain [Meditation] while he was controlling an Undead, so that limited him to just the four. Four had done great things before, but the Skeletons were too weak to do much in the grand scheme of things.

    Plus, Alaster wouldnˇŻt leave his body defenceless. He would leave at least one of the Black Guards with himself, which would severely weaken the already weak force of Undead, as the Black Guard were, without a doubt, the strongest Undead he had.

    Alaster chose Numerous, and brought up the Status.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 16: 61%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 2/3

    Max Skeletons: 2/3

    Mana Cost: 30]

    Grinning to himself, Alaster glanced over to the pile. While his second mind worked on removing the Bones, the pile was growing obviously smaller. Without the bones keeping the corpse''s structure, it was gradually becoming a large pile of flesh, which was incredibly disturbing to Alaster. He had little issue with watching a [Necrotic Bolt] melt the flesh off someoneˇŻs face, but he did have an issue watching a pile of flesh taller than he was, just giggle around.

    Instead, Alaster turned around to face the gradually growing pile of bones as his second mind added to it. He had two more Undead Slots to fill, and while he could use the Bone Cubes in his Ring, it was much easier to use material already in the shape of a functional bone and make the changes there. Instead of having to start from scratch.

    At this moment, he wished he had the Blueprint Evolution.

 Chapter 45- Everfrost Woods

    A few hours later, four Black Guards stood in front of Alaster. They were all the same. None of them any different from the other. The only difference were the weapons they used. Two of them used the Bills and shields Alaster had bought in Sicon. While the other two used a spear and shield made from bone.

    The bone spear was simply a long stick with a sharp point that flared slightly. It was as strong as he could make it. However, he knew that he would be repairing or replacing them regularly, so he made then very simple. The Bills were best used with swings, which required the shield to be smaller. They were still larger than a buckler, but definitely not as big as the metal shield in AlasterˇŻs Ring. A shield that was still too heavy for Alaster to actually use in combat.

    Since the spears were designed for more thrusts, the shields paired with them could be larger. Alaster first tried to make a Tower Shield, a shield designed to cover the entire body, leaving only an inch or two of their feet and head exposed. However, after making the shields strong enough, they proved too heavy for the Black Guards. They could still carry and run with them, but using them in actual combat, they were simply too slow.

    Instead, Alaster went with a Kite Shield. As wide as the shoulders at the top, with a rounded top to help cover the head, and gradually narrowed into a point the lower it went. Normally, that bottom point would be capped with iron or steel. Both to protect the point, and allow it to be used offensively. Unfortunately, the strongest material Alaster had, was the bone, which wasnˇŻt saying much.

    After making them, he had the Black Guard do some exercises and combat movements. Alaster was satisfied. He had given each of them a Mind equal to five hundred mana, which had been much quicker thanks to [Blood Price]. The Mind allowed them to learn. The Undead seemed to naturally know how to fight, but it wasnˇŻt much better than the Goblins. With the Minds, the Undead were at least able to learn a few movements from Alaster. They were still clumsy and slow with even the basics, but certainly better than the Horde Skeletons, who tended to rip and tear into everything regardless of the weapon they were using.

    Making shield itself was simple, figuring out a way that the Black Guards could hold them was not. After nearly an hour of beating his brain against the issue, he just used some of the tougher hides to make some straps. The Bone was able to hold onto the makeshift straps well enough. In the end, the Bone Kite Shield was no different from a normal Kite Shield, at least in use.

    However, despite how durable the bone equipment was, they were still not up to par with standard metal weapons. Alaster fully expected for them to break often, and if they broke in the middle of a fight, that could be disastrous. So Alaster slightly modified the Black GuardsˇŻ hands. He gave them sharp claws that they could use either to stab into their foe, or to slash. The older two Black Guards looked at their new hands with curiosity.

    Alaster had to show them some basic moves they could use with their claws. But he didnˇŻt really know any actual attacks, so it was just very basic stuff. As Alaster finished the final touches, the sun was nearing its peak. The young man took one last look around the area to make sure he hadnˇŻt missed anything. The pile of the boneless Dog Monsters was still there, and was still disgusting, but Alaster still made sure he hadnˇŻt missed anything.

    Finally, Alaster stood before the Dungeon, mentally preparing himself to enter. He wasnˇŻt worried about his Undead following him. The Dungeon would only count other people as part of his party, so he didnˇŻt have to worry about the limit. It counted his Undead as his Minions, which he already knew would be brought along, unless Alaster wanted some to stay behind, which in this case, he didnˇŻt. He had no idea what he was going to face in the Dungeon, so he wanted every thing he had.

    It would be a shame if he left the Night Children out of the Dungeon, only to find out that he could have used them inside.

    Alaster stepped forward and placed his hand into the void.

    [Everfrost Woods Dungeon

    Rank: F+

    Instance

    Time Dilution: 5:1

    Party Limit: 7]

    [Enter?]

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    Even as the word was being spoken, Alaster could feel his vision fading. As it returned, Alaster immediately noticed that he was not in the same place as he was before.

    There was still snow on the ground, but it wasnˇŻt as deep. The trees were shorter, with pines instead of leaves. Not that it mattered, each pine was encased in thick ice, as were the trunks of the trees. The trees were fairly spaced out, allowing plenty of sunlight to come through. While the Sun outside the Dungeon was just reaching Midday, the sun inside the Dungeon looked to be more early morning.

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    As Alaster observed his surroundings, his Black Guards immediately took up defensive positions around him, as he had instructed them to do the moment they entered. Meanwhile, the two Night Children sprinted on all fours to the nearest tree, intent on climbing it and getting a high point they could ambush from. But they couldnˇŻt find purchase. They shaved off quite a lot of the Ice, but Alaster could tell that there was still a good inch of Ice before they could reach the trunk.

    The Night Children quickly returned at his order, but he could tell they were less than impressed with the trees. They preferred to be higher than their enemies, Alaster had designed them to be most effective that way, and now they couldnˇŻt.

    As was usual among lower Ranked Dungeons, nothing attacked Alaster just as he entered, a sort of safe zone until he moved further away from where he had appeared, then it would disappear. This sort of Safe Zone was not guaranteed in any Dungeon, but the lower the Rank, the more likely there was to be one at the beginning. While Higher Rank Dungeons would rarely have a Safe Zone somewhere deeper inside.

    The ground was fairly flat, as was the undisturbed snow, which appeared to only be a few inches thick. Though each of the tree trunks had a good foot piled up around the edges of their iced branches, where Alaster imagined any falling snow would just slide off.

    In the distance, perhaps a mile, Alaster spotted the Monsters of the Dungeon. While Mid and High Rank Dungeons could have neutral or perhaps even allies that spawned with the Dungeon, Lower Rank Dungeons were very simple. For an F Rank Dungeon, such as this one, Alaster was certain that it was a standard Kill Dungeon.

    Basically, just a Dungeon with some Monsters wandering around or in small groups, and then a much stronger ˇ®BossˇŻ Monster at the end. Once the Boss was killed, a portal would open up, allowing Alaster to leave the Dungeon, whether or not, any of the other Monsters were still alive. But Alaster was here to gather as much EXP as he could. He had no intention of letting even a single Monster live.

    And with the 5:1 Time Dilution, where five hours in the Dungeon equaled only one in the Real World, He had plenty of time. Colius had mentioned that those who stayed in Dungeons for a long time, and aged, would be returned to their normal age when they left the Dungeon, as if they had never entered at all. Apparently, some of the stronger and more influential used that as a means of extending their life.

    Though by advancing from Novice to Adept, or Adept to Expert, would also extend their natural lives. And then there were artifacts and potions, and even some Classes or Abilities. Simply put, there were many ways to extend their natural lifespan.

    Alaster wasnˇŻt able to see much of the Monsters from that distance, but they appeared to be hunchbacked white apes. He was only able to see them when they were moving. As each one occasionally stopped, Alaster lost sight of them. Their fur naturally blending into the snow.

    Rolling his shoulders to loosen them, Alaster drew his sword and stepped forward, his Black Guards right behind him and the Night Children slightly ahead. However, while Alaster had only seen the Apes at a distance, they were attacked at only one hundred feet away from where they appeared in the Dungeon.

    Two of the Apes lept out of the snow on either side of the path, attacking the two Night Children. Both Night Children, unable to jump away, held their arms up, their sharp blades pointing to the sky. The Apes, already in the air, were unable to avoid the blades. The Apes crashed onto the Night Child, but with cries of pain, immediately jumped away, each with two deep holes in their chest. Their light blue blood ran down their blueish gray chests and onto the snow beneath them, melting it and being to pool.

    ˇ®So they are warm-blooded.ˇŻ

    Alaster tucked that bit of knowledge away. He did however look at their thick coats of fur. As two of the Black Guards rushed forward to assist the Night Children, and two stayed back to protect their Master, Alaster gave them an additional order.

    ˇ®Try to avoid damaging their fur.ˇŻ

    Seeing that their ambush had failed, and they had been quite heavily wounded, the two Apes made to escape. But, unburdened by additional thoughts and injuries, The Night Children were faster. They sprinted around and behind the apes, cutting off their escape. Now surrounded, the Apes began to panic.

    The two Black Guards, wielding the spears, reached them. One of the Apes attempted to backhand the Black Guard in front of it, but the Undead simply raised its shield at an angle. The Hand slammed into the shield, causing the Black Guard to stumble, but the angle did its work, and the Hand was pushed up and away, exposing the Ape. The Black Guard was slow to thrust due to its footing. The sharp edge cut deeply into the ApeˇŻs stomach, but it was able to sidestep, avoiding being impaled.

    The other Black Guard had no such issue. Its Ape had been unable to choose whether to focus on the Black Guard in front of it, or the Night Child behind it. Doing so, allowed the Black Guard to thrust its spear deep into the side of the Ape. It twisted the shaft, eliciting an even louder cry of pain and shredding the ApeˇŻs insides. The Ape collapsed to the ground, blood flooding from its side, as the spear was removed. The last Ape didnˇŻt last much longer after the Night Child jumped onto its back and used its sharp claws to shred its throat.

    Despite the ambush, the Apes themselves were fairly weak. Smiling to himself, Alaster began to remove the fur from the Apes while the Undead kept watch. In short order, both furs were removed, and he began to prepare them with [Death Touch]. In just over an hour, Alaster had two new thick white fur coats. He put one on, while he put the other Ape Coat in his Ring. He was immediately impressed with the warmth of the Fur. He took off the rest of the furs and hides he had been wearing and put them in the Ring. Even alone, the Ape fur was perfectly comfortable, even in the freezing temperatures.

    However, he wasnˇŻt finished with the Ape corpses. Activating [Horde], Alaster raised them as Skeletons. Their bones were thick and dense, as were the green Mana Veins. Alaster didnˇŻt bother to check their Status, but he was sure they were stronger than even the Black Guards, and perhaps even faster, at the cost of agility. His Mana Regen lowered by two as the Ape Skeletons stood, leaving him with seven more points.

    Alaster chuckled to himself, ˇ®This is gonna suck, for them.ˇŻ

 Chapter 46- Slaughter Fest

    An hour later, Alaster had six Ape Skeletons running around by themselves, ripping apart any of their living brethren they found. Alaster was casually walking around, taking in the sights. The Night Blades had joined the Apes, but the Black Guards followed Alaster. Occasionally, He would be attacked by the Apes, but they were always quickly dispatched by the four Black Guards.

    Alaster did have to repair one of the Bone Spears after the point had ripped off when the Black Guard twisted it in the wound. Which prompted him to also check the Bills. It had been a while and it was evident. The blades of the Bills were dull and chipped. The spear points were in good condition, as the Black Guards rarely used them. The Bills were designed to be a swung weapon. They really only had the point to combat larger monsters or even cavalry.

    Grumbling to himself, Alaster sat down on a rock with a Bill across his lap. He pulled out a whetstone from his Ring. He had bought all the required maintenance tools with the Bills, and they were small, easily forgotten. Which Alaster was regretting. He set to work, working on sharpening the blade of the bill and getting the chips out.

    The Dungeon was a fairly small one. It was flat, snow covered, with spaced trees covering the entire area. The edges of the Dungeon were marked by a tall, icy cliff face. Neither the Night Children nor Alaster had been able to climb it. Alaster guessed that the Dungeon was roughly four miles from where Alaster appeared from, to the far end, in a rough oval. At the far end of the Dungeon, there was a large cave, where Alaster assumed the Boss waited.

    But Alaster had no desire to fight it just yet. He was quite enjoying walking around and enjoying the sights. The frozen pine trees reflected the light in fascinating ways, and it was slightly warmer in the Dungeon than outside, so Alaster was relishing it. Besides, it wasnˇŻt like he was lazing about. His Horde Skeletons were busy ripping apart every Ape they found, providing a fairly consistent flow EXP to Alaster.

    It actually amused him in a way. Most Novices fought tooth and nail to achieve even a single Level. And here he was, exploring the sights and already achieved two Levels. He had yet to actually distribute the Free Points. He wanted to see how much EXP there was to be had in the Dungeon. Normally, when exploring a Dungeon, it was a very tense and serious time. And any battle fought would have the EXP distributed among those who fought.

    Dungeons were still a very efficient way to Level up as the Monsters were very consistent, but to safely hunt, a sizeable party was required, which severely slowed the Leveling process. Alaster didnˇŻt distribute the EXP, so the EXP of an entire Dungeon was being fed to him. He was certainly excited. He was Level fifteen, only five levels away from becoming an Adept. And he wasnˇŻt even sixteen.

    Alaster finished the Bills and handed them back to the Black Guard. He stretched his hands and arms and brought up his Status.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 13<15

    EXP: 54%<42%

    Health: 365/365<385/385

    Health Regeneration: 10/min

    Mana: 340/340<360/360

    Mana Regeneration: 5/min<6/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 50<54

    Dexterity: 42<46

    Constitution*: 51<55

    Wisdom*: 56<60

    Intelligence*: 53<57

    Free Points: 0<10]

    As Alaster walked around, his second mind pondering his status, they occasionally came across the corpses of the Apes. Already killed by the Horde Skeletons. He had already gathered over a dozen furs from them, but that didnˇŻt stop him from harvesting more, indirectly. The Black Guards had learned from watching him do it several times, and he supplied them with bone knives to do it.

    It was much slower than if Alaster did it himself, but they were able to harvest four at a time. All while Alaster sat down and pondered his status. He was leaning more towards putting all ten Free Points into WIS, bringing his Regen up to seven and allowing a seventh Horde Skeleton. But he decided to take a look through his Abilities first. But only a few caught AlasterˇŻs attention.

    [Wisdom 50 Bonus: Horde

    Level 1<6: 0%<43%

    Capable of raising Undead past the limit, at the cost of Mana Regeneration.

    One past max per point of Mana Regeneration]

    [Intelligence 50 Bonus: Split Mind

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    Level 1<3: 0%<62%

    Splits the mind into two.]

    He hadnˇŻt received a notice about an Evolution available when Horde reached Level five. So it was unlikely that any of the other bonuses would either. However, two more Abilities also caught his attention, and not for their levels. [Blood Price] was something to be used occasionally, and Alaster promised himself to use it more often.

    He hadnˇŻt taken much damage before, and his Health regenerated fairly quickly. So he could level it fairly consistently. Just sacrifice ten Health for fifty Mana, as he is using Mana, for example, [Bone Crafting], and in a minute that Health is regenerated. He was excited to see what any of the Bonuses would Evolve once he reached the required levels.

    However, [Imbuement] was quite possibly game changing. If he could adapt to it. One of the Siphas Family Guards had [Imbuement] and when Alaster had asked about it, the man pointed out that it had taken several months for him to become accustomed to using it. The Ability augmented the body, but not the mind. And the mind took time to adapt to the increased abilities of the body.

    Alaster shook his head. He had allowed himself to grow lazy. Now that he could raise a dozen Undead, he had simply stepped back and allowed them to do everything. This in itself was fine. That was the purpose of a Necromancer. To be the brains of their Undead Minions and let them be the muscle. But Alaster didnˇŻt have that luxury. He couldnˇŻt allow himself to ease into power, not while he didnˇŻt know the state of his Sister.

    She could be dead for all he knew. He doubted it, as there wouldnˇŻt have been a need to kidnap her if they were just going to kill her. But he didnˇŻt know that. And that lack of knowledge scared him. Alaster stood up, growling to himself. Necromancers were a powerful foe to any organization, as they could create their own numbers. But they had their faults, and most powerful people knew them and how to abuse them.

    Alaster knew that the people who had taken his Sister were part of a powerful group. If a Necromancer suddenly attacked them, they would know how to counter them and their Undead. But Necromancer wasnˇŻt the only Class a Death Mage could Evolve into, just the most infamous. Nor did he have to Evolve into a Class that branched off of Death Mage. A Novice still kept all of their Abilities when they Evolved into an Adept Class, whether the Abilities matched with the Class or not. This could create wonderful or horrific synergies.

    The young man twisted and bent as he stretched. He was done being a bystander of his own battles. His second mind created a Bone Heater shield, and he grabbed it as it finished, drawing his sword. He ordered his Black Guard to watch the area, but only interfere in a battle if there were more than three.

    They continued to walk through the Dungeon, and it wasnˇŻt long before another pair of Apes attacked. As ordered, the Black Guards stepped back and allowed their Master to fight. They did however ready themselves to prevent the Apes from escaping. If they did flee, eventually the Horde Apes would find them and finish the job, but Alaster wanted not just their EXP, but the experience of fighting them.

    Alaster raised his shield, resting the blade of his sword on its rim. He activated [Imbuement]. He could feel his Mana drain at a large rate. Not too bad, but he would have to monitor its use during prolonged fights. As his mana filled his body, he felt his skin and muscles tighten. Alaster charged at the Apes, and they, him.

    The difference with [Imbuement] was immediately apparent. Each step propelled him several feet. His mind struggled to comprehend the speed, and his vision blurred. As he neared the Apes, he raised his sword. He didnˇŻt stop, and instead charged past them. His sword cut deep into the muscle of the ApeˇŻs side.

    It roared in pain, and the second Ape spun around and jumped at him. Alaster was stunned, both by how deeply he had cut, and how fast he was. His mind was lagging behind, and only his muscle memory from his sparring sessions with the Siphas Guards saved him.

    He raised his shield and braced himself. The Ape crashed onto him, slamming its fists down, cracking the strong bone of the shield. AlasterˇŻs second mind immediately set to repairing the shield, the crack sealing itself within moments. But Alaster wasnˇŻt paying attention to that. The Ape fell to the ground, and Alaster thrust forward.

    The Ape stepped to the side, dodging the thrust. Without missing a beat, Alaster punched forward with his shield, slamming into the ApeˇŻs chest and knocking it back. At the same time, he turned his thrust into a backhand swing towards the second Ape. The wounded Ape was slow to jump back, earning a shallow cut across its chest.

    But Alaster didnˇŻt look to the second Ape. Instead, he chased after the first and unwounded one. Stunned from his shield bash, the Ape was unable to react to the augmented Alaster, who embedded his sword deep into its heart. Alaster ripped his sword free as the Ape fell to the ground and turned around. He barely had time to raise his shield before the second ApeˇŻs fist slammed into him.

    Alaster was sent flying and slammed into a tree, shattering the ice clinging to the pines, but only slightly cracking the ice stuck to the trunk. His vision, already blurry from his use of [Imbuement] began to darken. He fought through it and stood up, only to raise his shield. Even had he had flown away, the Ape chased after him. He had only moments to recover before the Ape was upon him once more. Its fist slammed into him.

    Alaster flew into the snow, rolling several times, but he was able to adjust himself to land on his knees. His second mind already at work repairing the large fractures. The Ape was upon him once more, roaring in rage and pain. It launched another mighty punch, the air whistling around its fist. Alaster turned to the side, holding his shield across his chest and his sword against the shield.

    The Ape didnˇŻt expect to meet no resistance, and it flew past. Its body slamming into and across the shield. It roared as blood flooded out and it stumbled. Alaster used the impact to spin around and thrust his sword into the back of the Ape. It gave a weak scream and collapsed.

    Alaster stopped [Imbuement] and called up his status.

    [Health: 273/365

    Mana: 198/340]

    ˇ®Imbuement is costly.ˇŻ

    The fight had lasted just over a minute, yet it had drained nearly half his mana, and he hadnˇŻt cast any other Spell.

    [Strength 50 Bonus: Imbuement

    Level 1: 0%<29%

    Infuse the body with Mana to strengthen it

    Mana Cost: 100/min]

    ˇ®Damn. Its also so slow to level.ˇŻ

    Not that it actually surprised him. Bonus Skills were notorious for being difficult to level. After all, they were immensely impactful. Each Evolution of a Bonus Skill was just as impactful as the Bonus skill itself. It would be a lot of work to level any of them. It was actually amazing that [Horde] was level six already. It seemed to level similar to [Raise Undead], where it also leveled up as its summons killed.

    Alaster stood up straight. He turned to see the Black Guards stand up as well, putting the butt of their polearms into the snow. He looked the other way, and saw a small group of four Apes wandering around a few hundred meters away, little more than blobs of movement at that distance.

    Alaster rolled his shoulders and walked forward, grinning as he went.

 Chapter 47- Meetings

    The Meeting Hall was vast, meant to comfortably accommodate over a hundred. There were several hundred people within at the moment, and each one was focused on only one person.

    He stood on a small platform to be seen by those in the back. The air was hot and stuffy, but not a single person spoke.

    ˇ°War is sweeping through the land. As of yet, it has not come to Onigas. But we would be fools to think this will last. War will come to us. We need to be ready. My question to all of you, how are we to prepare?ˇ± The Onigas City Lord asked.

    ˇ°We need to strengthen our walls.ˇ± One of the Nobles stated.

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ± Another asked.

    ˇ°It is too difficult and costly to make the existing City Wall taller or thicker. At least within the time frame we should expect. My first thought is to build a second wall further away from the City. It doesnˇŻt have to be pretty, just stable and durable. In the space between the two walls, we would station our military forces, allowing them to react quicker and act with less interference from the City itself.ˇ± The man explained his thinking.

    ˇ°It would also allow us to monitor those coming and going from the city much more closely. And, if the City does come under attack, it would help prevent damage to the city proper.ˇ± Another Noble said, catching onto the idea.

    The City Lord spoke up, ˇ°What would be needed for this project?ˇ±

    He had already asked the Noble to suggest this. He wanted the rest of the Nobility to discuss it, as he appeared as impartial.

    The Minister of Forestry spoke up, ˇ°We would need to cut the forest back to maintain a safe distance.ˇ±

    ˇ°Which will also require the Scouts to push the Monsters back, both to protect the Lumberjacks and to keep the worst of the Monsters back.ˇ± The Commander of the Scouts added.

    The Scouts were the ones to monitor the Forest and its occupants.

    ˇ°How would we actually build this wall? Who would we have build it? How would we fund this?ˇ± The Minister of Finance asked, worried about bankrupting the City.

    ˇ°We could have the Mage in the Military make it?ˇ± A noble suggested, trying to avoid paying another group to make it.

    The General quickly interrupted another noble, ˇ°We canˇŻt do that. My men are all geared towards combat. They could do it, but it wonˇŻt be as durable as a Wall created by those who specialize in building Walls. They might be able to do the majority of the actual work, but the design and detail work will need to be done by a third party.ˇ±

    ˇ°So we hire said specialists and have the army do the actual construction. Could your men handle digging a moat around the Wall? We could have it filled with water. This should prevent siege engines from getting too close, as well as hinder any infantry trying to push forward.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes they can manage that, it''s simple work, just takes time. Speaking of Siege Engines, this new wall will need their own. Just a few Ballistas could make a headache of any attacker. And because the Proper Wall wonˇŻt be taking the brunt of the damage, we could have it using Trebuchets to hurl stones over the outer wall.ˇ±

    ˇ°Could our Engineers make more?ˇ±

    The Engineer Captain answered with a brash raise of his hand, ˇ°Yeah, we could do it. Especially with increased flow of Lumber we will have coming in from clearing the Forest. But between the walls, we need to have pathways linking them.ˇ±

    ˇ°WonˇŻt that make the defenses weaker? If the enemy capture the outer wall, they could just walk to the top of the inner wall.ˇ±

    The Engineer opened his mouth, but the General spoke first, ˇ°It would actually strengthen the defenses. By quite a bit. The cross walls would speed up the defenderˇŻs reaction speed and would also help to section off areas in between the walls. Sections that can each defend themselves, slowing any attackers from capturing the space between the walls.ˇ±

    ˇ°But wonˇŻt those sections just be peppered from on top of the outer wall?ˇ±

    ˇ°Depend on how we build the sections. We would make the sections to be easy to attack from on top of the inner wall, in case they are captured. However, the weak spot in any wall is the gate. The gates will, without a doubt, be the first to fall during any siege. As such, the ward, which is what the space between the walls are called, that or bailey. As such, the ward is the first area to be captured in most sieges. By sectioning it, we make it harder to capture by the infantry while the outer wall is still fighting. Then, when both the outer wall and the bailey is captured, the bailey will be designed to be open to attack from the Inner wall.ˇ±

    ˇ°With this new wall, how will we man it?ˇ±

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    ˇ°Should we institute a draft?ˇ±

    The City Lord spoke up, ˇ°No. We will not be issuing a draft. At least not at this point. We will however be openly recruiting, as well as lowering the costs of independent training.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about the Adventurers?ˇ± A man asked.

    Adventurers were usually Adepts who traveled from settlement to settlement in small groups, accepting tasks from the citizens. They tended to be stronger than the average soldier or mercenary.

    ˇ°We will treat them as mercenaries. However, while we wonˇŻt openly say it, any Adventurer still in the city if we come under siege will be drafted into service, if they check out. They will be paid for their accomplishments during service, but they will serve.ˇ± The General explained.

    This wasnˇŻt anything special, it was a common practice to any Settlement that was attacked. Any experienced Adventurer would know and understand this. They would either leave the settlement before the attack, or they wouldnˇŻt.

    ˇ°Would we hire Mercenaries?ˇ±

    ˇ°At this moment? No. Depending on how the situation develops, we might. But not right now.ˇ± The General explained.

    ˇ°Sir, how much time do we suspect we have?ˇ± The man asked the City Lord.

    ˇ°As of right now, skirmishes are rising, both in frequency and in intensity. Our spies are reporting back that many Nations are beginning to recall their ambassadors and halting any discussions. At this rate, we believe that open wars will begin in two years. Everyone hear that? We have two years to be ready for war!ˇ±

    ˇ°What is our stance in these politics?ˇ±

    ˇ°The same as always. Neutrality. With any luck, the larger Nations will forget about us in favor of the other large Nations. If they still remember us, thatˇŻs where these defenses come in. If they do remember us in the midst of all the turmoil and wars, I want to make this City require more men, resources, and time to conquer than they have available.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sir, we should also be concerned about the inflow of refugees that come here once the wars do start. As an Independent City, they will see us as an island of safety.ˇ±

    ˇ°Which is just another of the many reasons this outer wall is so important. All refugees will be closely monitored and interrogated. If they are clear, they will be allowed in.ˇ± The City Lord explained.

    ˇ°If we do need a draft, we can issue one among the refugees we allow in, or even to be allowed in.ˇ± The General stated as he scratched his beard.

    ˇ°How so?ˇ± One of the Noble Women asked.

    ˇ°If needed, we can say that to be allowed in, the groups must offer some people to join the Military. Its harsh, but that is the way of a refugee. And when the bodies come home, our citizens will be more willing to accept that many of them are refugee bodies. People they donˇŻt know. And when the wars end, the Citizens will be more willing to accept the refugees if they fought for the city.ˇ±

    ˇ°This is all well and good. But by building this outer wall, we will be basically turning our entire city into a fortress. How will this effect trade? If we do come under siege, will we have the food reserves to feed not only our own people but the refugees?ˇ±

    The Minister of Agriculture raised his hand, bringing the attention to himself, ˇ°If we do come under siege, we will have to abandon the fields. We will harvest what we can, and destroy the rest to prevent the enemy from feeding themselves off our work. The city keeps a supply of grain capable of feeding the city for approximately six months. The harvest will add some time, depending on the time of season, as well as how much of a warning we receive of any impending attack.

    However, we do also have hydroponics underground which will help supply the city, but even those will only buy a bit of time. I will have to look through the records, as well as examine the stores myself, but I believe that if we do come under siege, if the defenses hold, the city will survive for seven, maybe eight months.ˇ±

    The Minister of Trade spoke up next, ˇ°As for trade, we should see an influx during the construction of the walls. The Merchants will see the expansion as a good opportunity, but as the wars progress and the wall finishes, it will decline. I''m worried that the merchants residing in the city will begin to hoard their goods and raise the prices.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, Ministers, I want each of you to speak with your people and give me a report on how you believe your areas could help the city defend against invasion. I want those reports in two weeks. General, speak with the Engineers and design an outer wall, as well as find the specialists you would require.ˇ±

    That seemed to serve as the dismissal, and the doors opened, bringing with it a wave of cool fresh air. Many left, but even more began to form groups. The City Lord sat down in his chair on the podium, where Lord Siphas walked up to him.

    ˇ°If it does come down to a fight, do you really think we could survive?ˇ± Siphas asked.

    The City Lord sighed, letting down the guard in his voice with his friend, ˇ°I have no idea. Our ambassadors are doing their best to push our neutrality, as well as make it a point that we arenˇŻt very special, but have a strong military force. If that doesnˇŻt work, and we are attacked? Our standing army is of a slightly higher quality than the standard soldier, which for defenders in a siege, is very important. We do have more Mages per hundred, due to our higher level of education and training. But all of that means nothing against the flood of bodies any of the Nations could drown us in.ˇ±

    ˇ°Could we send some of the soldiers with the Scouts while they clear the Forest of Monsters?ˇ± Siphas asked.

    ˇ°We could, and its worth thinking about, but while that would improve the quality of the soldiers, they would inevitably take losses.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about our Dungeon? It''s an Instance. Could we send the soldiers there to improve?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Its a High B Rank. An experienced group of Elite Adepts could reliably clear it, but the vast majority of any force we sent in wouldnˇŻt come back. So we can make our Elites even stronger, but it wonˇŻt help the majority of our forces.ˇ±

    Hidden above, in the rafters of the Meeting hall, Iris watched and listened. If she was found, she would be punished by her father. But she couldnˇŻt restrain her curiosity. Her father was always busy, but something had changed recently. Isabella had said the same about her father as well. And now she knew why.

    War was coming. People would die, fields burned, cities razed. Blood would flow in rivers. Iris snuck her way out of the room, headed for the training fields. She was weak, and it made her blood boil. If war did come to her home, she refused to be a hindrance.

 Chapter 48- So Close

    Alaster slid to a stop, and looked behind him. Four Apes collapsed to the snow covered ground, their hearts stabbed through or their throats slit. The Black Guards rushed forward and began to harvest their fur. If AlasterˇŻs count was correct, that group brought his kill count up to Thirty two.

    He had been fighting each group alone, intent on increasing his proficiency with [Imbuement]. After that first battle, he had taken very few blows, and most of them impacted the shield. None of them had managed to break the shield. Every bit of damage it received, was quickly repaired by AlasterˇŻs second mind using [Bone Crafting].

    He had refrained from spending any of his Free Points. Alaster decided that he would clear out the Dungeon first, and then spend all his free points before he challenged the boss. In this way, he could get used to [Imbuement] without also having to adjust to the changes the stats would provide. The changes would be minor, but with the massive boost [Imbuement] provided, every tiny bit mattered.

    Already, Alaster was level sixteen. The standard average most people accepted was that it took until the personˇŻs twentieth birthday to become an Adept. And then most people never become an Expert. Most people would only reach a Level in the Mid-thirties to low forties.

    Every Kid dreamt of becoming an Expert. But now, Alaster didnˇŻt see it as a far away dream, but a necessary step to save and protect his sister.

    It had been two days since Alaster entered the Dungeon, at least if the lengths of the days in the Dungeon were the same outside. Alaster didnˇŻt really know or care. He had simply slept when he felt tired and eaten when he felt hungry. However, with the time difference, Alaster was not quite sure how much time had passed in the Real World while he had been in the Dungeon.

    But Alaster did not care. If he wasnˇŻt an Adept by the time he beat the Dungeon, which he was expecting, he would simply turn around and do it again. It would, of course, be faster if Alaster found a D Rank Dungeon, but he had no idea where he was in the Real World, let alone where such a Dungeon could be. Instead, Alaster stuck to where he knew a Dungeon was. It was slower, but more reliable. And because he was getting all the EXP it wasnˇŻt actually slow in any way. Most Novice Parties would usually have to run a Dungeon twice before they all leveled once.

    However, AlasterˇŻs EXP gain was beginning to slow. Not only because the Apes were becoming more scarce, but because his level was raising too high for the Monsters in this Dungeon to impact it. Alaster finally realized why so many Minion Type Classes were Experts. They could simply solo Dungeons.

    But in an actual fight, it was common sense to ignore the Summons or Minions of the Mage, if you could, and directly attack the Mage themselves. It was a solid strategy because those types of Mages would focus on making their Summons and Minions as powerful and numerous as they could, typically neglecting themselves.

    Alaster decided not to allow that to happen to himself. While the [Horde] Skeletons were running around and killing every Ape they came across, increasing the levels of [Horde] and [Raise Undead], Alaster was training himself. If someone decided to bypass his Undead, he would surprise them with his personal power.

    [Imbuement] was costly, and while the [Horde] Apes had taken his natural Mana Regen, Alaster was able to [Meditate] to recover any Mana lost. It was repetitive, but gradually Alaster began to familiarize himself with [Imbuement]. He was still far from the proficiency of the Siphas Guard who had [Imbuement], but Alaster no longer his vision blurred while he used it. He could, fairly accurately, predict where he would end up with each movement. The Siphas Guard had been able to activate and deactivate [Imbuement] at will, to conserve his Mana, as well as focus it on certain parts of his body. Alaster was still far from that level.

    By the end of the third day, Alaster hadnˇŻt run into more Apes, nor had the [Horde] Skeleton Apes. So, Alaster called them back. It took over an hour for them to return. When they did, they were riddled with cracks, missing bones, and fractures. Alaster cast [Necrotic Heal] over each of them, and watched in amazement as the missing bones began to slowly return. Like branches, they grew from the other bones until it was large enough, then it seemed to just fall off and position itself back into its rightful place.

    The Night Children appeared excited to see him again as they hopped around him. They hadnˇŻt taken any damage, as he imagined they let the Ape Skeletons take the attention and therefore attacks of the Apes, while they attacked from behind. After healing all six of the Apes, Alaster as out of Mana, so after a quick [Meditation] session, he headed for the cave at the end of the Dungeon. It didnˇŻt take long to reach it from his position.

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    The cave itself was nothing extraordinary. Its entrance was roughly four meters high and six meters wide. At either end of the entrance, stood an Ape, guarding the cave. They hadnˇŻt yet spotted Alaster or his Undead. Alaster didnˇŻt want to waste any more time and simply cast two [Necrotic Bolt] at them. Two bolts of Necrotic energy slammed into the face and throat of each.

    [Level Up]

    ˇ®Yes!ˇŻ

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 15<17

    EXP: 42%<1%

    Health: 385/385<405/405

    Health Regeneration: 10/min

    Mana: 360/360<380/380

    Mana Regeneration: 6/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 54<58

    Dexterity: 46<50

    Constitution*: 55<59

    Wisdom*: 60<64

    Intelligence*: 57<61

    Free Points: 10<20]

    [Dexterity Bonus Unlocked]

    [Dexterity 50 Bonus: Fine Control

    Level 1: 0%

    Better Control over body and mind.]

    Alaster didnˇŻt hesitate to immediately put the twenty Free Points into WIS, bringing it up to eighty-four and his Mana Regen up to Eight. He now had all the Stat fifty Bonuses. But that wasnˇŻt all. With those two kills, he had finally gotten [Necrotic Bolt] to level ten, earning another Evolution.

    [Necrotic Bolt Evolution

    <ol>

    <li>   Can fire additional Bolt for half cost</li>

    <li>   Can slightly change trajectory midflight</li>

    <li>   Can slightly bypass inorganic]</li>

    </ol>

    Each one of those were interesting in their own right. At the moment, Alaster could cast a [Necrotic Bolt] for ten Mana, or cast it once but fire two bolts for fifteen Mana. The bolts were powerful against exposed flesh or thin clothing, but had very minimal actual impact power, and did nothing against armor. If the Bolt didnˇŻt hit flesh, it did nothing. If it did his flesh, it was very powerful at melting it. Though it did appear as if the stronger Monsters could resist the melting power of the Bolt.

    If he chose the first option, he could fire three bolts for the price of two standard casts. That was interesting, but they fired right after each other, making it hard to aim the additional bolts if he wanted to hit different areas or targets.

    The second option would help remedy this, but while Alaster did want to eventually get that Evolution, especially when he was dealing with a lot of lower Level enemies, it wasnˇŻt as great as the first or third option.

    The Third option seemed to slightly remedy the weakness the bolt had against armor. Alaster had noticed that as the bolt leveled, it had more of an impact against organic matter that wasnˇŻt flesh. Such as trees, the bolt would chip off some of the bark. But Alaster wondered how it would work exactly. Would the Necrotic Mana seep through the armor? In what manner would that harm the target?

    Alaster was very tempted to choose the first option, after all, more bolts per cast meant more firepower with less Mana used. But as Alaster fought stronger and stronger enemies, he was bound to encounter more enemies with armor of some sort. It was inevitable. When he did, he didnˇŻt want his one and only ranged spell to become entirely useless. The third option would make it only mostly useless. Big difference. In the end, Alaster selected the third option.

    Done with his choices, Alaster stepped towards the cave. He had cleared this Dungeon, and was not intent on killing he Boss. As he stepped through the snow, his four Black Guards, two Night Children, and six Skeletal Apes, Alaster briefly wondered what sort of Loot the Boss would drop.

    In lower ranked Dungeons like this one, the Boss was typically the only Monster that had any Loot. As the Dungeons became higher ranked, more Monsters would begin to drop Loot. But one constant of any Dungeon was that the Boss always dropped Loot of some kind, and it was always the best Loot the Dungeon would offer. Though even the same Boss dropped different Loot each time it was killed.

    As Alaster passed into the cave and was swallowed by the darkness, he wondered how the Loot would be dropped. Would it just appear? Would the Boss be guarding it? Did you have to dissect the Boss to reach the Loot? Alaster did not know, but soon, he would find out.

 Chapter 49- Horror of the Frost

    The cave was filled with ice. The walls were covered in a thick light blue ice, and icicles hung from the ceiling. The ground was treacherous and chaotic. Slippery ice threatened to throw Alaster and his undead to the ground.

    After the first Black Guard had slipped on the ice, he had stopped to add little spikes to the bottom of their feet. He also did the same by creating a small attachment that he could slip over the top of his boots.

    It was a quick change, and they were on their way once more after only a few minutes. The cave was dark, but at the tip of the icicles, something was lightly glowing. The light was faint, but there was enough of it to allow Alaster to traverse the uneven ground of the cave.

    The light cast shadows throughout the cave. Casting weird shapes on the walls. Several times he found himself raising his sword at one of the shadows. The Blackguards followed his example, raising their shields and lowering their polearms, but the [Horde] Skeletons never reacted.

    As Alaster ventured deeper into the cave, his breath became more and more visible, as well as heavier, quickly falling from his mouth. Even with the numerous layers of furs he had covering his body, Alaster still began to shiver. A Bugbear fur with three more layers of the Snow Ape furs, and he was still shivering. Alaster doubted he would see any more of the Snow Apes. He doubted they could survive even this level of cold.

    The Undead didn''t seem to mind the cold, let alone be affected by it.

    ˇ®Interesting, maybe I should learn some Ice Magic.ˇŻ

    Ice Magic, similar to most magics, had secondary effects. Fire Magic would heat up the surrounding area and, depending on the spell used, would explode. Meanwhile, Ice Magic would chill the surrounding area. If used often enough and with enough high level spells, it could chill the area enough to affect living creatures, but it wouldnˇŻt affect the Undead.

    However, he couldnˇŻt help but be hesitant to use Ice Magic, even if he had the opportunity to learn it. He despised the cold. The only reason he wasnˇŻt rushing through the Dungeon was because it was slightly warmer in the Dungeon than in the real world. There wasnˇŻt nearly as much wind. Now, within the cave, it was much colder. Something that irritated Alaster to no end.

    And it was only getting worse. As the cave twisted and turned, it grew colder and colder. As reluctant as he was, Alaster sheathed his sword and hung the shield over his back. It was growing so cold that he was quickly losing feeling in his hands. As he traversed the uneven stone of the cave, Alaster tucked his hands under the layers. Alaster grit his teeth, a deep sigh momentarily clouding his vision, freezing as it fell. He could help his hands, but he couldnˇŻt do anything about his feet.

    Two of the Black Guards turned a corner and stopped, turning to look at Alaster. Instantly cautious, Alaster peeked around the corner, the Black Guards raising their shield. But no attack came, nor was there any potential threat. The cave tunnel continued for nearly a dozen meters before it took a sharp turn. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least ordinary for the rest of the cave. However, there was light. Light that would have come from the sun of the Dungeon.

    Alaster quickly made his way over. He ordered the two forward Black Guards to hold back, so he could be the first one to see around the corner. The Night Children, marching at the front of the [Horde] Skeletons behind Alaster and the rear Black Guards, grew more and more agitated as they came closer.

    The young man peaked around the corner, his hand close to the pommel of his sword. Around the corner, the cave tunnel continued for another five or six meters before it ended abruptly. Out of the cave, Alaster couldnˇŻt see much. A thick white mist obscured everything. Alaster ordered all four Black Guard forward before he cautiously followed.

    As he drew closer, Alaster saw that the mist didnˇŻt enter the cave tunnel, almost like it had hit an invisible wall.

    ˇ®Greaaaat. Cause unnatural mist is never a bad sign.ˇŻ Alaster thought sarcastically.

    He ordered all of his Undead in front, with the [Horde] Skeletons right in front of the mist, the Night Children behind them, followed by two of the Black Guards. Alaster watched closely and ordered one of the Ape Skeletons forward. The Ape moved forward, swinging forward on its large arms. Alaster expected that something would happen when the Ape entered, yet nothing did.

    However, after only a few feet, the mist obscured the Ape. Alaster was only able to see a slight shadow as the Ape went deeper into the mist. Yet nothing happened to the Ape itself. Nothing attacked it. He still felt his connection to it. So Alaster sent the second Ape Skeleton into the mist. Once more, nothing happened. Alaster sent in the rest of the Apes, then the Night Children.

    The Night Children seemed hesitant to enter, but at the same time, didnˇŻt hesitate to obey. Alaster wondered why they were so hesitant. It couldnˇŻt be because they had a mind. The Black Guards had minds with five hundred mana, just like the Night Children, but they didnˇŻt seem to notice anything. However, unlike the Black Guards, the Night ChildrenˇŻs mana veins were strengthened.

    Of course, Alaster had strengthened the Black GuardˇŻs veins to make them stronger and more durable. But for the Night Children, Alaster had focused more on the veins leading to the head. He had done so in hopes that it would make the head more durable. After all, the head was the most vulnerable of the majority of living things. Perhaps, in addition to making the head more durable, he also improved the senses of the Night Child.

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    Regardless, Alaster pushed it aside. He was about to fight the boss. Even if he was nearly an Adept, and over leveled for this F+ Dungeon, he was alone. It would only take one single mistake for this all to end. He couldnˇŻt allow that to happen.

    Surrounded by his Black Guards, Alaster walked into the mist. And as the mist consumed him, Alaster felt himself slipping. Every thought left his mind. Every thought except cold calculated murder. Nothing remained.

    The mist blocked his vision. He could see nothing but dark blurry shapes where his Undead were. Alaster ordered one of the Night Children to stay close to him. He intended to use it as an early warning system, as it seemed able to sense the surrounding threats.

    While he couldnˇŻt see very far through the mist, Alaster knew that the tunnel had widened into a cavern of sorts. It also seemed to Alaster that there was no ceiling, allowing the Dungeon Sun to light the mist. The mist itself could be emanating the light, but he doubted it.

    Alaster intended to stay near the entrance in case he needed to retreat. The narrow tunnel of the cave would make it much easier to defend against a threat. However, once he entered the mist, he found that he couldnˇŻt leave through the tunnel. It seemed that whatever force was preventing the mist from entering the tunnel, was also preventing Alaster from leaving. Alaster made a note to himself that the next time a situation such as this arose, that he would ensure that he could leave before he entered.

    However, before Alaster could think of something else, he felt a change in the mist. It had grown thicker. Something was happening. Alaster quickly ordered his Undead closer. The immediately obeyed. But it came too late.

    As one of the Ape Skeletons turned around to return to Alaster, it was attacked. Alaster heard the impacts against bone. Through his connection to the Skeletal Ape, Alaster rushed to its location, the rest of his Undead converging on it as well. The Ape wasnˇŻt far. It didnˇŻt take long for him to reach it. The Ape was throwing punch after punch into what seemed like a ghost. Its bony fists passing harmlessly through it.

    The ghost seemed to be made of the mist. The only indication of its shape was a concentration of the mist. It took the shape of an upright Ape, similar to the Snow Apes of the rest of the Dungeon, but over three meters tall. As Alaster watched, the ghost raised its ˇ®fistsˇŻ over its head. Similar to how he had seen the other Apes do. At its peak, the mist condensed even more, taking solid shape, before slamming down onto the skull of the Skeletal Ape. The ghostˇŻs fists were just like a larger version of the Snow Apes, but heavily scared, revealing black skin.

    ˇ®There goes that mist-eryˇŻ Alaster groaned at his own pun, even as the Skeletal ApeˇŻs skull shattered, and its bones cluttered to the ground.

    He now knew the opponent he was facing, as well as its ability, and its weakness. The only remaining question was how to take advantage of it.

    Once the Skeletal Ape ˇ®diedˇŻ, the ˇ®ghostˇŻ turned to Alaster. He had missed it before, when it had been facing the Ape, but the eyes of the ˇ®ghostˇŻ slightly glowed a light blue. After only a momentˇŻs pause, the ˇ®ghostˇŻ quickly moved towards Alaster. It was very quick, only allowing Alaster enough time to draw his sword before it crossed the four meters between them. As it moved, it became difficult for Alaster to track its form through the mist.

    Using its momentum, it solidified one of its fists, already cocked to punch. Alaster jumped to the side as one of his Black Guards jumped in front of him, its shield raised and body braced. Its white fist slammed into the bone shield, severely cracking it and throwing the Black Guard away. As one, Alaster and the Night Child attacked the solid fist. The Night ChildˇŻs blades struggled to cut through the thick fur and draw blood. AlasterˇŻs blade attacked the other side of the wrist, which had much less fur. His blade cut deeply into the flesh, potentially nicking the vein.

    The ˇ®ghostˇŻ made no sound, but the constantly swirling mist consisting of its shape grew violent, and the mist in the area grew thicker. The fist seemed to struggle to return to mist as blood fell. Quicker than Alaster could react, the ghostˇŻs other fist solidified and came flying at Alaster. It slammed into Alaster and sent him flying. But it did not get that blow for free.

    Even as Alaster was midair, stunned from the blow and pain, his second mind cast [Necrotic Bolt]. The bolt dug into the fist, and quickly began to melt the flesh. Alaster slammed into the ground and rolled nearly four meters away. His breath ragged and pained.

    [Health: 242/405

    Health Regeneration: 10/min]

    Alaster stumbled to his feet, holding his side as he spat out blood. He glared at the ˇ®ghostˇŻ as the rest of his Undead arrived, surrounding it. It had struggled to turn its first fist into mist after it was injured, and after its second fist was injured, it completely failed to turn to mist, the rest of its body becoming solid and coming into view.

    Just as Alaster had expected, it was just a very large Snow Ape. Its bare chest was riddled with more scars than not. Even as one of its fists bled severely, and the other had a hole the size of two fists down to the bone, it glared defiantly at Alaster. Two large and sharp tusks extended from its bottom teeth, and Alaster knew that they saw plenty of use in battle.

    It was enraged, both from pain, and due to becoming unveiled. It launched itself at Alaster, wildly swinging its fists at his Undead. Two casts sent four [Necrotic Bolts] into the chest of the Boss, even as it batted away two Skeletal Apes with one fist, and crushed another Ape into the ground with another.

    Alaster dived to the side, letting out a silent cry of pain as he fell on his injured side. Unable to stop its own momentum, the boss ran into the prepared and braced polearms of all four Black Guards. Each sharp point digging deeply into the four impacts of the [Necrotic Bolts]. Both Bone Spears snapped off in the body. The force of the massive body slamming into them forced the Black Guards back, even as the butts of their spears and bills dug deep grooves into the frozen and compact dirt.

    Alaster rolled to his feet and lowered his sword, ready for another attack. But none came.

    The Boss, profusely bleeding and quickly growing weaker, grabbed a Black Guard and raised it to its mouth. But before it could bite down, it grew too weak, and the Black Guard fell out of its grasp. All four of the Black Guards quickly moved away as the Boss collapsed to the ground, dead.

    [Level Up]

 Chapter 50- Repeat

    Alaster quickly took stock of himself and his Undead. It was a quick battle, but it had been violent. By the time the Ghost Ape had fallen to the frozen ground dead, seven of the eight Apes were dead and scattered, one of the Night Children was missing an arm, and the Black Guard that was grabbed had numerous fractures.

    However, while his second mind took note of the damages, and even automatically began to collect bones, Alaster was more focused on something else.

    Moments after the Ghost Ape fell dead, the mist began to clear, revealing a small wooden chest in the center of a large arena, exposed to the sky. But that was not all, at the far end, a black rift appeared, almost like a zipper in reality. The rift seemed to absorb all light and sound, while emitting none of its own. To Alaster, it seemed very out of place, unnatural.

    Alaster walked closer to the rift, temporarily ignoring the chest. However, getting closer revealed only one thing. The rift was growing smaller, almost as if the Dungeon itself was fighting against it. At the current rate, Alaster believed that it would take several hours before the rift properly closed, but that in an hour, it would be too small for him to get through.

    The young man had been taught by Colius, the resident wizard of the Siphas Family in Onigas, that a rift such as this was normal and expected. Just as it was the entrance into the Dungeon, after defeating the Dungeon, it was also the exit. Colius was very stern in teaching Alaster that he needed to leave through the rift before it closed. The rift was the only exit, and no one that remained in the Dungeon was seen again.

    Alaster turned away from the rift and returned to the corpse of the Ghost Ape. He sent all of his Black Guards to begin skinning the corpse. He then ordered the wounded Night Child to open the chest while the other began to collect the scattered bones of the Skeletal Apes.

    The Night Child hopped over on three limbs and opened the chest. In truth, Alaster had not been expecting anything to happen. Occasionally the Loot was trapped, at least according to some of the guards of the Siphas Estate. However, they said they had only experienced it in the higher ranked Dungeons. But, it never hurt to be careful.

    When nothing exploded or gas released, Alaster sent the Child away to help its twin and approached the chest. The chest itself was rough and old wood with a flat top and rusted hinges. It was only a foot tall and wide, but three feet long. Alaster looked in and pulled out the object.

    It appeared to be a glass orb slightly too big to fit in the young manˇŻs palm. The orb was pale white and emitted a very faint light of the same color. Alaster knew exactly what it was, though he had never seen one. It was a Mana Core.

    Almost every living creature had one. It wasnˇŻt a physical thing, but it could be perceived by those with the Ability or even raw talent. Being able to see the Mana Core would also reveal the relative strength and type of Magic the creature could use. When the creature died, the Core typically dissipated into nothingness, but rarely, they solidified into a physical form that could be used in numerous ways.

    Every child had heard of the wonders Mana Cores could be used to create. And most had also heard of the fortunes that could be had from selling Mana Cores. Being able to use them was an art and skill in itself, as was identifying them. Both of which many would pay well for.

    Alaster, did not know anything practical about physical Mana Cores. He was still figuring out his own Core. He could easily assume that the faint glow displayed that it was a weak Core. After all, it was a Mana Core from an F rank Dungeon. As for the color of the Core, it showed what sort of Mana was within, but if the creature the Core came from used multiple types of Mana, the colors would merge, in quantifies relative to the strength and regular use of the Mana.

    If Alaster wanted to know what sort of Core it was, he would have to pay someone to identify it. Then another if he wanted to create something using the Core, unless of course Alaster figured out how to use it himself. Which Alaster doubted. He was still figuring out his own class.

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    Alaster had no idea what he could do with this core, so he threw it into his Ring and dismissed it for now. He was thinking that the best thing would be to sell it, but he was hesitant to sell it when he could instead use it. Regardless, it would not help him. He had less than an hour to loot everything from the Dungeon and leave. Alaster looked down at the chest, only to see it sinking into the ground, as if being swallowed.

    ˇ®Guess I donˇŻt get to keep it.ˇŻ

    Turning away, he looked at the Black Guards working. They were making good progress and would have the pelt of the Ghost Ape with plenty of time left. The Night Children, and the last remaining [Horde] Ape, were quickly building a pile of bones. Luckily, unlike the rest of the Dungeon, the ˇ®Boss RoomˇŻ had no snow, only frozen dirt with the occasional rock. The bones couldnˇŻt hide in the snow.

    Alaster walked over to the growing pile of bones and began to shove them into the Ring. He was working casually. He had plenty of time and while the Night Children and Ape was working quickly, Alaster could put the bones into his Ring faster than they could gather them. As the Undead were working, AlasterˇŻs health was regenerating. It was an interesting process for Alaster. He was still used to healing when he didnˇŻt have the benefits of the System.

    He was used to taking weeks to heal from even simple injuries. What he had received during the battle with the Ghost Ape was much more than a simple injury. And yet, he could actually feel himself healing, the aches and pains gradually fading away every minute. Of course, as he leveled up and gained more health, his Health Regeneration would slow down, in relation to the Health Pool.

    Those who could heal were always in demand, but as someone leveled, they became more and more necessary. Unfortunately, there was never enough. Healing Abilities were rare, Healing Classes even more so. And if someone used Healing Abilities, especially if they could heal others, in front of an enemy, and even some Monsters, they would be targeted. Of course, the rest of the Party would do their best to protect their healers, but sometimes they couldnˇŻt.

    Healers were the backbone of any combat force and when they were taken out, moral crashed, leading to more fleeing and defeats. They were always the target of any army, and many commanders would reward the soldiers who eliminated one.

    Roughly half an hour later, Alaster had the rolled up fur of the massive Ghost Ape in his Ring, as well as the bones of the Snow Apes and Ghost Ape. Just as before, none of the Undead could enter the rift. To them, the rift might as well have been a solid wall midair. It only responded to a living creature, such as Alaster.

    [Exit?]

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    Just as before, his vision faded to black for several moments before returning. Except, he wasnˇŻt standing in the Dungeon anymore, but outside it, in the forest of the Real World. But he wasnˇŻt alone. His Undead had returned with him, appearing around him. Alaster quickly calculated the time he had spent. He had spent roughly four Real World days in the Dungeon. He opened his status as his second mind began the process of creating another arm for the Night Child. He had already planned how he would distribute the Free Points.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 17<18

    EXP: 1%< 32%

    Health: 405/405<415/415

    Health Regeneration: 10/min<11/min

    Mana: 385/385<395/395<400/400

    Mana Regeneration: 8/min<9/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 58<60

    Dexterity: 50<52

    Constitution*: 59<61

    Wisdom*: 84<86<90

    Intelligence*: 61<63<64

    Free Points: 0<5<0]

    After finishing the distribution, Alaster began to heal the Undead. There wasnˇŻt much to heal. The Ghost Ape hadnˇŻt dealt much damage without killing the Undead. It only took a few minutes to heal the Black Guard that had been grabbed, and another few minutes to reattach the Night ChildˇŻs arm.

    Once his Undead was back in perfect repair, with the added [Horde] Snow Ape Skeleton, Alaster turned around and touched the rift once more. Disappearing from the world once more.

 Chapter 51- Horns of War

    Cold wind swept through the mountain pass, sweeping up loose snow, and creating a hollowing song. Ice hung off the walls and snow piled at the bottom. Frost clung to every exposed surface.

    Yet it was all ignored by the men and women guarding the pass. They stood defiant against the cold and frost. The Fortress behind them was a mess of frantic people, each running in different directions, but the men and women on the wall stood tall and unmoving, even as the harsh winds beat into them. Yet it was an organized chaos, each of them had their duty and place.

    Standing on the balcony of his office, unaffected by the weather or the chaos, Prince Aurelius stared through the building blizzard at the massive army that was massing for an assault on the mountain pass. They pushed their engines of war forward as their infantry marched forward in large formations.

    ˇ°My lord, the Savages are advancing.ˇ± The PrinceˇŻs aid informed, bowing deeply.

    Savages. The image brought to mind by such a term were large shirtless barbarians that simply charged forward blindly. But the Savages of the North were no such thing. The Prince had lost many good men to their ambushes and flanking maneuvers. No soldier of the North would dare to underestimate their strength, cunning, and ferocity.

    The Savages of the North were just as organized and disciplined as the Lissurian Military. They were called Savages because they were in fact a collection of City States that constantly warred against each other. However, when an outside force threatened any one of them, they would band together nearly seamlessly to defend themselves. Their culture was one of strength. They had no nobility, no generational kings or queens. Those who had the strength to firmly grasp power were the ones in charge.

    Within their culture, lay a custom as firmly enforced so as to be law. If a champion could rise and defeat the champions of all the other city states, they would rule for a decade before they would cede their throne and venture into the wilds to battle the powerful Monsters. The stories told that one who could constantly battle the Monsters of the wilds for another decade would return as their God. None had. Yet the custom remained.

    The Savage army before the mountain pass fortress was led by their current Champion. The Prince had received plenty of information about him. He had ruled for nine years and would be expected to leave for the wilds when the snows melted. He was prepared to meet his end with strength and blood. But before he left, he wanted to make something of himself worthy of being told in their histories for ages to come.

    The Champion was a giant of a man whose power lay in strength and durability and rivaled that of numerous Experts. The Prince was prepared to face him in a duel, but it would still come at a cost of numerous lives of his own soldiers. The custom between the Savage City States was that their soldiers would fight for a single day. When the sun rose on the second day, the Champions of both sides would duel after giving their forces time to display their strength.

    The Prince was tempted to force the duel by attacking first, but regardless of the result, it would end poorly. Even if he defeated the Savage Champion easily, the Savage Cities would see it as an insult. The army would pull back for now, but would return eventually with an army multitudes larger. As one of the few Experts in the world, and one of the strongest, the Prince could slaughter many Adepts easily, but even he would be overwhelmed with numbers.

    The Prince looked down at the brave men and women who stood on the wall. To maintain the Northern Defenses, this pass could not be allowed to fall. The Savages would destroy the Pass Fortress and return to their lands victorious, but with the Pass destroyed, the Gilaen Empire would march through with their armies. The Prince was proud of their Military, but he was not foolish. If this pass fell, the Gilaen Empire would be able to quickly conquer their Kingdom.

    When the Fortress had been built many centuries ago, the builders had also mined tunnels from the fort to high up on either side of the pass. This allowed the defenders to have mages or archers in the small bunkers. It had taken several hundred Mages and Miners nearly a decade to carve them out of the hard stone. The Savages and Gilaens both knew that using ladders or other methods to climb into the bunkers was a waste of man power. The tunnels were narrow and twisted to give the defenders the advantage.

    However, they also knew exactly where the bunkers were. The moment the Savage army passed the bunkers, magic and arrows rained down on them, only to be met with a storm of magic and arrows gifted to them in return. Few Lissurian Soldiers were harmed during the barrage, even fewer were killed. But the suppressive fire was enough to force their heads down and prevent them from returning attacks.

    At the same time as the bunkers released their attacks, the siege weapons of the fortress loosed. Large boulders were thrown, crashing into the siege weapons of the Savages. Massive wooden bolts were launched from their ballista, little more than sharpened logs, and dug through several ranks of the Savage formations.

    Normally, any defensive structure would have to be concerned about mages mining underneath the walls or destabilizing them. But the Mountain Pass was considered top priority, worth the cost of enchanting not only the fortress itself, but also the ground around it. The Enchantment prevented unauthorized magic from controlling the earth and even made the earth stronger, more firm, making it even harder to mine through than the mountains. The Enchantments also had numerous other uses, such as alerting the defenders to any attempt made at mining, however fruitless as it was, given time, it could still have an effect.

    Yet even under the barrage of stones and ballista bolts, the Savage Army pushed forward, their own trebuchets throwing their own stones from the relative safety of their camp. But the Savage trebuchets werenˇŻt aimed at the massive wall, but at the fortress behind them.

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    Ninety meters away from the wall of the Mountain Fortress, the archers of the Defenders began to rain their arrows down on the attackers. Even with shields, many Savages fell. At Eighty meters, the attackers were faced with a moat five meters deep and filled with water. The stone bricks of the moat were enchanted to prevent the water from freezing, while not increasing the temperature. In armor, most soldiers would struggle to swim, with many failing. In below freezing waters, none to fell in came back out without help and of those who were rescued, many died from exposure within minutes.

    The Moat was twenty meters wide and spanned the entire length of the pass. The Attackers were prepared. They threw down airtight wooden chests, creating treacherous, but buoyant bridges. Untold hundreds died in the attempt to build and cross the bridges, even as they wheeled wooden walls forward, granting cover to the attackers. Most Magic lost effectiveness past fifty meters from the wall, so after the Moat, the rain of arrows was joined by Magic.

    After the Moat, came a forty meter stretch of land that rolled and dipped to prevent siege weapons from being wheeled forward further and further slowed the attackers while providing no cover. After that came another twenty meter moat, this one ten meters deep.

    If by some miracle, a Savage Soldier survived all of this while under the constant barrage of arrows and Magic, they then had to scale the hundred meter tall wall, where they would be attacked from above and the sides, where towers jutted ten meters out from the rest of the wall every fifty meters along the wall.

    But the Savage Army had come prepared, having attacked the Mountain Pass numerous times in the past and the fortress and changed very little since its creation. They built bridges to allow their infantry to pass, then widened and strengthened them to allow their siege towers and battering rams to pass. They slowly built the path over the steep ridges, and even more bridges over the second Moat. The bridges at the second Moat were more numerous to allow more ladders to be brought forward.

    Occasionally, the suppressive fire on the bunkers lessened, which the attackers quickly regretted. The Defenders had also learned from previous attacks. Those within the Bunkers were hard hitters who had a long recovery time between attacks. Anytime someone within the Bunkers were allowed to launch their own attack, it was devastating on the Attackers running past.

    Boulders thrown by the DefendersˇŻ Siege Engines repeatedly slammed into the Siege Towers of the Savages, but many did little damage. Each Siege Tower had several Mages capable of defending the Towers, as well as Archers on top providing suppressive fire on the Defenders atop the wall. But several Towers did break. A Boulder would score a lucky shot, or the Mages within would be overwhelmed by the number. As each tower broke, the debris would scatter and rain down on the Savages around it.

    The Battering Rams took even more losses, as they couldnˇŻt be as defended. Most were left burning husks, the Savages pushing them forward lit aflame and screaming. However, three did manage to make it to the Gate, a behemoth in itself, standing at ten meters tall. Above the Gate, the battlements hung over, allowing the defenders to rain down attacks directly. The first Ram only got a few hits on the gate before it was destroyed, forcing the attackers to remove it before the next one could be brought up.

    A fleet of ladders numbering over a hundred were thrown against the wall, each one quickly filling with soldiers. The Defenders met those on the ladders, refusing to allow even a single Savage to stand on the battlements. Those climbing continued to have arrows and magic rained on them, their shields could only protect them so much. As each attacker fell from the heights, they impacted the meter of ground between the moat and the wall with a sickening crunch.

    The Siege Towers were the last to reach the tower, and only four made it, out of the two dozen they sent forward. More than the attackers were hoping. The Tower ramps opened, falling onto the battlements with hooks digging into the stone, and revealing the wall of shields charging forward. Yet, even as prepared as the attackers were, many were still blasted away by the DefendersˇŻ Magic. The Attackers were supported by their own Mages and Archers from the top of their Towers. And the Mages of the DefenderˇŻs towers attempting to blast away the tops of the Towers.

    The Prince watched all of this, hundreds of soldiers; soldiers he had personally trained, die. And he was unable to assist. By the culture of the Savages, he was the Champion of his side, and wasnˇŻt allowed to fight until the second day. The Savages had begun their attack at dawn. By the time the Towers reached the walls, the sun had already passed midday. But to the Prince, it wasnˇŻt quick enough. Several more hours passed, both Savages and Lissurians making pushes and retreats. Bodies stacked, both on and around the wall.

    Even as the sun set and night took hold, the Savages charged forward, forcing the Lissurians to bring even more reinforcements from within the fortress. Blood had long since began to pool anywhere it could, turning the Moats a deep red, and reflecting the pale moonlight. Yet even if the moon had been obscured by the clouds, the soldiers from both sides would still have plenty of light to fight by. Fires were littered throughout the battlefield, either rubble or corpses, it did not matter.

    The battle continued throughout the night. The Savages only pulled back as the SunˇŻs light filled the early morning sky once more. The Savages were allowed to leave the battlefield uncontested. The Lissurian Soldiers had no energy to pursue in any way. The Soldiers of both sides had had their time to fight. It was now time for the Champions.

    The Prince had watched the entirety of the battle, not once did he turn away. Not to eat, nor to sleep. As an Expert, he could last several days without either. Massive boulders were removed from behind the Gates to allow him to pass through with his Honor Guard, his most elite and trusted soldiers. The Savage Champion met him in the middle of the blood soaked and corpse laden battlefield with his own Honor Guard. Neither of the Honor Guards were expected to do anything, they were only there to keep the other side honest. And to return to their lands with the body of their Champion if needed.

    The Savage Champion was more bear than man. Standing well over two meters with more scar than flesh. The rules of the duel stated that only a single set of weapons were allowed, with no armor. Despite the temperature being well below freezing with a cold wind sweeping through the pass and clouds overhead threatening another day of blizzard, both Champions stood shirtless before each other.

    The Savage Champion wielded a poleaxe and shield in each hand, while the Prince used a long sword and shield. Both saluted each other, each in their cultureˇŻs fashion, before readying themselves.

    The Prince had been forced to watch his own soldiers die without being able to assist. Now it was time to prove once more to the Savages why he was called the Northern Sentinel.

 Chapter 52- Ever Stronger

    Tom and Mike left the forest tired and bloody. Behind them, they dragged a large creature through the snow, creating a bloody trail.

    They hunted in the forest every day, bringing back a steady supply of meat and furs. It earned them a fair amount of coin, but an even greater amount of respect through the village. The creatures they were hunting werenˇŻt common deer or other such harmless creatures. They were hunting Monsters. Every day, they brought back yet another Monster that two Novices had no business fighting.

    Today, they had picked a fight they almost lost.

    It had been a long battle, where even a single mistake would be the death of one or even both of them. Yet neither backed down. They forced ahead, refusing to retreat. Tom had actually blocked a blow from the Monster. A blow that should have immediately killed him. As it was, his shield was shattered, left behind as kindling, and his arm was broken. Even with the System healing him, Tom was certain that it was still fractured, even several hours later.

    Health Regeneration was a great aspect that saved the lives of countless people. However, it did have its drawbacks. It excelled in sewing flesh back together once more. But it was slow to repair bone breaks or muscle tears. And as the person leveled up, and put Stats into CON, it only became slower and slower to fully heal. The current theory was that as the body become more durable, it was harder for it to heal itself to the same level.

    A Mage healed quickly compared to their peers, but was also more fragile to begin with. While a Warrior was much slower to heal completely. The Warrior was more likely to put more Stats into CON, making them harder to damage, but also making it slower to heal from said damage. Just another reason that those who could heal were so sought after. Those who had Abilities that could heal others would never be poor, being able to heal for vast amounts of coin.

    Even a Novice Healer would still be effective when using their abilities on Adepts. Their abilities would be diminished, but they would still find many customers, or patients, among Adepts. Even Experts would hire Novice Healers. Of course, the level differences were so severe that even the strongest of Healing Magic from a Novice would at best shave off a few hours, or maybe even a day off the Experts, recovery period.

    Unfortunately, Abilities that could heal were very rare, and Abilities that could heal others, even more so. Some Military Medics were respectively called Food Angels. The faster one was able to heal, either by their own natural rate, or with their own healing Abilities, or by another person, the faster they would grow hungry. It was believed that this was due to the body requiring more energy to heal itself. After all, the majority of healing simply accelerated the natural healing rate of the body. However, there were a few certainties of Healing.

    First and foremost, only the very highest forms of Healing could revive the dead, and only if it was done very quickly. Second, lost blood could not be regenerated through any Healing, only as quickly as the heart could create more. This led to most Food Angels carrying around plenty of red meat. Finally, It was better to not require healing in the first place. Many who could heal preferred to instead cast protections on the person, if they were expecting a fight. Protection Spells were much cheaper, Mana wise, than Healing spells.

    Tom had actually found this quite funny when his father, the village Blacksmith and retired soldier, had explained all of this to him. Before a child turned fifteen, they healed very slowly, typically referred to as the Natural Health Rate. Then they turned fifteen and could suddenly recover from nearly fatal injuries within a few days at most. And as they grew stronger, they gradually returned to the NHR, whether they put stats into CON or not.

    And despite all of that, Body Constitutions could ignore most of the established ˇ®rulesˇŻ of the System. Unique Body Constitutions were very rare. The vast majority of people only had a standard Body, granting no bonuses or negatives. Some had a Body that granted additional stats in one stat or more. So instead of two points each level in strength, they would get three. Some had a Body that granted more Free Points. Some even had a body that improved Health or Mana Regen, or both!

    Body Constitutions were one of the most varied and impactful aspects of a person. However, not all of them benefited the recipient. Mike had read about a Body Constitution that made any type of poison lethal to the recipient. That didnˇŻt sound too bad, just avoid poisons like any normal person. But the key term is ˇ®any typeˇŻ. Meaning even the smallest and weakest type of poison was lethal, like a rotten apple, or moldy bread. Mike also read some Bodies lowered the amount of Stat levels or Free Points.

    Mike himself had a special Body Constitution that allowed him to see further and with more detail. It wasnˇŻt anything amazing, in fact, it was very nearly normal.

    Some Special Body Constitutions could be gained later in life through various means. Mike wasnˇŻt able to find any books about what would happen if someone who already had a special Body gained another. However, from what he did know about Body Constitutions, he couldnˇŻt think of any logical reason the person wouldnˇŻt have two Body Constitutions, or even if the two bodies merged together into one.

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    Special Body Constitutions were incredibly valuable, they could turn the tide of many things. Those with Special Bodies were usually quickly scouted and recruited by larger and more powerful organizations. But they werenˇŻt only recruited for the use of their Special Bodies, but also because Special Bodies could be inherited through their Children.

    The example that Mike read was that a child with one parent with a Special Body would have a twenty percent chance of inheriting a Special Body of their own, and a Five percent chance of it being the same Special Body as their parent. A child with both parents having a Special Body would have a forty percent chance of having their own Special Body and a ten percent chance of that Special Body being one of their ParentˇŻs.

    However, if the ParentˇŻs Special Bodies were the same the child would have a sixty percent chance of developing a Special Body and of that sixty percent, twenty percent would be the same Special Body.

    But if the ParentˇŻs Special Bodies were not the same, but complimented each other, the child would have a sixty percent change of developing a Special Body that was a mixture of both their ParentˇŻs Special Bodies.

    For Example, If the father had a Body that improved Health Regeneration and the mother had a Body that improved CON, the Child could have a Body that increased Health Regeneration every five points into CON instead of ten, or even every other point.

    The two boys were quickly spotted as they left the forest. Of course they were. They were dragging a very large corpse behind them. As the boys came closer to the Village proper, the Monster was quickly identified. A Dire Bear.

    The title ˇ®DireˇŻ was given to any mundane Creature that absorbed enough ambient mana. Dire Creatures were much larger, faster, and stronger versions of their normal selves. They had no access to Magic and were just as intelligent as before, making them somewhat simple Monsters to hunt. However, they were nonetheless very lethal.

    This Dire Bear was easily twice the size of a normal bear. The fight had nearly killed the two boys. Even a normal bear was wicked quick when it wanted to be. This Dire Bear had been so quick as to provide little to no time to react. By any count, the two Novices had no right to succeed killing a Dire Creature, let alone a Dire Bear.

    However, in fact, they were best suited to kill a Dire Bear. Had it been a Dire Wolf, they would certainly be dead. Tom had struggled to keep up with the Dire Bear, but he was able to, if only just barely. If it was a Dire Wolf, he would have had no chance of reacting in time. And while many Adept Mages would struggle to pierce the fur of the Dire Bear, Mikes Wind Magic was naturally sharp, allowing it an easier time to cut through the thick fur. Regardless, Mikes Magic still only barely cut through. Earth Magic would have been much better against any Creature they couldnˇŻt cut. Very few creatures could resist their organs being crushed and bones shattered.

    In the end, however, the two had managed to beat the Bear and even haul it back to the village, no easy feat in itself. Even if Tom hugged his shield arm close to his chest and Mike had used so much mana in such a small amount of time that he felt on the brink of puking and his nose bled.

    As the pair dragged the beast closer to the village with their ropes, more and more people came over to see the creature or help push or drag it while congratulating the two young novices.

    Tom and Mike had long since caught the eye of the City Knights residing in the Village. Even if they were only Novices and commoners, on top of that, they showed remarkable skill and perseverance. The Knights had not approached them or spoken to them, just as they didnˇŻt with the rest of the Village. With the Dire Bear kill, both Tom and Mike had become level Fifteen. Something that was unheard of in the Village. They became the shining beacons of the small frontier Village.

    Regardless of their popularity, though, the Butcher and his wife, the Village Tanner, refused to give them a special deal. Not that it truly mattered to the two boys. The coins the Dire Bear corpse brought them was still an extraordinary amount for the two young men.

    Despite their fame and amazing strength, for their age at least, neither of them allowed it to get to their heads. They didnˇŻt care. Their fame was useless as it was limited to just their Village. And their strength, while it might have been great for their age, was still pathetic to Adepts.

    That night, as they laid in their individual homes and beds, both recalled that night. The night their lives changed. The night they lost their friend, who disappeared only days later. Both of them remembered the cloaked figures who had snuck into their Village, slaughtered two of the people they considered family, displayed their corpses to be found, kidnapped a child, and disappeared, all unseen and unheard by the rest of the Village and within minutes.

    AlasterˇŻs father had been one of the strongest Guardsmen for the Village. Guardsmen who the children always looked up to as heroes. And yet these cloaked figures killed him with ease. Their strength didnˇŻt go to their heads because they no longer saw the Guardsmen as someone to strive to become. The Guardsmen were powerful compared to the rest of the Village. But that night had broadened their eyes. They saw becoming as strong as the Guardsmen as only the first step. The first step in finding their friend who they considered their brother, and helping him find his sister.

    Every night as they stared at their ceilings, they reminded themselves of how weak they were, of how much further they had to go. And every day, they pushed themselves further than the day before. TomˇŻs arm was still fractured, but by morning, it would be healed, if extremely sore. Yet it wasnˇŻt even the first broken bone he had had trying to level up, and he was prepared to break as many bones as he needed to reach his brother.

 Chapter 53- Training for the inevitable

    Her opponent thrust his spear forward, but she met it with her shield, countering with her own thrust. Her opponent blocked with his own shield, but was pushed back. She stepped forward, keeping him off guard. He was only able to protect himself from two more strikes before she got a solid hit to his stomach. He fell to the ground, only to have two more of his allies step over him and take his place.

    But she didnˇŻt shy away, she met them head on. She took several hits to the arms and legs, but she managed to protect her chest and head. Anytime she managed to score a hit on an opponent, another would take his place. She was not sure how long this lasted, but eventually a shrill whistle sounded through the battlefield, bringing it to a halt.

    Both sides began to help up the people who had fallen, even if they were the ones to knock them down. But she wasnˇŻt paying attention to them.

    ˇ°Trainee Astrid! What the hell were you thinking! Where did you learn to do that? Huh? Pushing ahead of your squad mates and leaving a hole in the middle of them for the enemy to exploit? You certainly didnˇŻt learn it here! When you pushed forward, you created a hole in your squad, a hole that increased the pressure on your squad mates and eventually broke them! Had this been a real battle, you would have been the reason all of them are dead!ˇ± The drill sergeant screamed in her face, his face red with rage.

    Before Astrid could respond, he was already rushing off to berate another trainee, detailing every single mistake they made during the drill battle. One of the calmer Sergeants stepped up to her.

    ˇ°Trainee Astrid, you excel in actual combat skill. Nothing we have taught in that regard has been worth it for you. However, you struggle with control, teamwork, and pacing. You have the makings of a commander, but unless you become more aware of the situation around you, any soldier under your command with die. Focus less on being the best fighter in the battle, and focus more and know how the battle is turning. With your combat skills and Abilities, you would make a great response force, going to parts of the battles that need more help. Focus.ˇ± With that, the calmer man walked away to provide more tips to other Trainees.

    While the other Trainees were usually berated and given examples as a unit, Astrid didnˇŻt act as a unit, so she wasnˇŻt trained as one. She sat down on a fallen log, resting her heavy shield beside her.

    She had grown so used to working with Alaster and his Undead that she now struggled to work with actual people. Whenever she pushed forward, the Undead wouldnˇŻt hesitate to follow. When she backed off, so did they. There was no need to communicate and keep track of the Skeletons. They were always where they needed to be, or maybe because Alaster was usually commanding them from the back, where he could see the battle from a distance.

    She always found it weird that while Alaster always strived to level his Abilities in the most efficient way, he tended to use his sword more than his Magic attack. He did use it, but he seemed to favor the sword more than the spell, despite being a Mage. She was actually a bit jealous of Mages. They could attack from a distance, and their attacks had such wonderful effects.

    The army recruited in waves. Regardless of when you signed up, you would be thrown in with a wave and begin training at the same time as the others in your wave. Each wave was generally a hundred strong. At first, it had seemed like a huge number to Astrid, but now, it just seemed so small. The trainers had constantly told them of the scale of actual battles and over time, it had changed their way of thinking. They all felt the same, the scale of the mock battles they had was doing little to prepare them for the scale of an actual battle, where hundreds would fight and die on either side.

    AstridˇŻs wave only had ten Mages sign up. Which apparently was a larger number than they were expecting. Which didnˇŻt really surprise her. Mages were rarer than Warrior types, and Mages could usually find an occupation that would pay well and didnˇŻt involve putting their lives on the line.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    However, while the Warriors could train against each other with blunted weapons, the Trainee Mages could not. So they trained separately against a few of the Mage Trainers. Basically, they took turns attacking and defending with their spells, occasionally sitting down to meditate. In that regard, Astrid hated Mages. They could do significant damage with their spells if left unchecked, but they treated the battlefield as more a place to show off.

    In a true fight, they wouldnˇŻt be able to throw around their spells until they were out of mana and then leave to regenerate it. ThatˇŻs what she liked about Alaster so much. He used his spells efficiently, supplementing them with his skill of the blade and allowing him to regenerate his Mana. He didnˇŻt just sit down and let his Undead fight for him.

    She thought of the young man often. She was certain he wasnˇŻt dead. He wasnˇŻt the type to die from some Goblins. She often wondered how many Undead he could raise now. At first, the Undead had creeped her out a bit, it was a living skeleton after all. But she soon grew to think of them fondly. While most of his undead were more like unthinking Golems, the Undead he kept around were kind of like toddlers.

    To her, Alaster was the goal. He always seemed perfect. She never saw him make a mistake or lose his temper. He was always respectful and willing to make accommodations for her. She had rarely ever experienced such a thing. As an orphan, she had typically been overlooked by everyone else. Even when someone donated, it was usually clothes or books, both of which were already well-used.

    But despite doing most of the work, even if it was technically his Undead doing it, he always made sure to split the earnings equally. And as soon as they could afford it, he made sure she had the proper equipment and clothes, brand new.

    When they were separated, Astrid had broken into the bone shelter, expecting that he would just show up eventually and fix it. He never did. Most people in her situation would have thought that he was dead. But she didnˇŻt. She had noticed that he felt somewhat distant, like he wanted to leave. And in the short amount of time that they were together, she learned that he was the type of person to just do what he wanted, especially given the opportunity. She expected that after he had lost the Goblins he considered returning to Sicon but decided against it.

    She didnˇŻt really hold it against him. He had taught her how to fight, and how to fight Monsters that they as Novices didnˇŻt really have the right to be fighting, let alone killing. That alone gave her a large bump up ahead of the rest of the Trainees, even if she was now struggling to work with them. He had also made sure that her Aura was leveling up well. And now, even if she didnˇŻt work well with them, anyone designated as her squad for a Mock Battle appreciated the Buff she provided them.

    The System itself didnˇŻt really like Mock Battles, but it still provided EXP, so while their leveling was very slow, it was constant. As a Warrior Class in the Military, they made her run and exercise plenty. Which increased her physical stats without the need for leveling. Occasionally, the Trainers would take out small groups of Trainees into the forests to allow them to use their learned skills on a living opponent and level them up.

    She joined the Military for one simple reason. She didnˇŻt care about the propaganda the recruiters were spouting, nor did she care about loyalty to her country. Her country had all but abandoned her. However, she did care about meeting Alaster again. She had no doubt that he would be much stronger when they met up again, and she didnˇŻt want to drag him down. He would just leave again if she did. But she had no one to go hunting with, and only a fool would go out hunting alone. Even Alaster didnˇŻt go anywhere without his Undead around him.

    So instead of sitting around hoping something would change. She joined the Military, where they would push her to become stronger as well as provide the materials, training, and opportunity to do so. While her levels had practically stagnated, her ability to use them and use them well had improved drastically.

    Her training would continue for another four months, a very long time for a common soldier, but she was a Sicon Soldier, having signed up in Sicon. And instead of providing the Nation with a large amount of soldiers, the city preferred to have elites represent them.

    She was brought out of her thoughts by the Sergeant shouting at everyone to form up for another Mock Battle. The forth one of the day. She dragged herself to her feet, grabbing her shield, and walked over to her ˇ®factionˇŻ of the day. As she took her position next to her squad mates, she reminded herself, once again, to stay with them. She had felt the pressure build up among the trainers. War was coming, and when it did, she needed to be ready.

 Chapter 54- Adept

    When a person reaches Level Twenty, they are immediately notified of a Class Change available. Technically, a person isnˇŻt considered an Adept until they accept that Class Change and pick the Class. Potentially, a person could continue to level with their Novice Class. However, there isnˇŻt much of a reason to do so. In addition, a person is only notified if they are in the Real World.

    AlasterˇŻs rate of leveling significantly decreased after reaching level eighteen. He had expected to be able to run through the Everfrost Dungeon twice more, one per level. But he had instead been forced to run through it twice to reach level nineteen and three more times to reach level twenty. He had been so focused on killing everything in the Dungeon that he hadnˇŻt even noticed that he had reached the level until he left the Dungeon.

    However, despite his nearly overwhelming excitement, he managed to hold it in. He had been careless during the last Boss fight. Two of his Black Guards had nearly been destroyed. His Ring was full of Snow Ape Furs. The Boss Furs themselves took most of the room, forcing Alaster to spend several hours condensing the Bone Cubes even further.

    Typically, Dungeons would have a list of Loot the Boss could drop. It tended to be a list only five or seven items long, however, rarely, there were dungeons that dropped only one or two. Everfrost seemed to be one of those rarities. He now had six Mana Cores, all identical, so much so that Alaster didnˇŻt know which was the first one.

    After he healed his Black Guards and repaired their equipment, Alaster sat down on a small bone chair he quickly made, it was fragile, but it would do for his weight. The recommendation for new Adepts was to do your Class Change somewhere safe and calm. Take your time. And do it while sitting. There were ways to change your Class while not having to increase your level to the next tier, but they were exceedingly rare, enough that they might as well be legend. What the aspiring Adept chose, would forever be their selection. And if the Adept managed to become an Expert, their Adept Class drastically effected the available selection.

    After he had ordered all of his Undead to guard him and situated himself comfortably in the chair, Alaster pulled out the Book of Classes that Alice had given him on his fifteenth birthday. Hopefully, he would be able to read a general description of some of the Classes he was offered. After all, the System only offered the names and the Class it derived from, if there was one.

    However, Alaster didnˇŻt select the Class Change. He had Free Points to distribute. He wanted to be as stable as he could before he made a decision as important as this. Bringing up his Status, Alaster put six of the ten Free Points into WIS, bringing it up to one hundred, and the last four into INT, bringing it up to seventy-two.

    [Class: Death Mage

    Level: 18<20

    EXP: 32%<12%

    Health: 415/415<435/435

    Health Regeneration: 11/min

    Mana: 400/400<420/420<440/440

    Mana Regeneration: 9/min<10/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal

    Strength: 60<64

    Dexterity: 52<56

    Constitution*: 61<65

    Wisdom*: 90<94<100

    Intelligence*: 64<68<72

    Free Points: 0<10<0]

    [Wisdom 100 Bonus Unlocked]

    [Wisdom 100 Bonus: Death Pact

    Level 1: 0%

    An Undead Spirit has bound itself to you, pledging to protect you.

    Nurture it, and there will be none better.]

    Alaster would have been very confused, but the moment he finished reading, he felt something moving beneath his skin, trying to break out. It moved from the center of his chest, just under the skin, to his spine, a small bulge showing it move. It was a slow process, and one that was exceedingly painful for Alaster. However, as much as he wanted to, he didnˇŻt claw at it or try to hinder or destroy it. The process the System chose might occasionally be painful, but it was never harmful, at least not in a way the System couldnˇŻt later repair.

    The ˇ®somethingˇŻ finally reached the middle of AlasterˇŻs spine, while he bit his lip to stop from screaming. There it stopped for a moment, before it began to drill into the vertebrae, embedding itself into the bone. Despite all his best efforts, he screamed. Even as the System healed, his bleeding lip and the cuts in his palm where his nails cut, the creature forced itself into the bone.

    After what felt like an eternity, the pain stopped, leaving behind a dull ache. An ache the System either didnˇŻt or couldnˇŻt fix. As AlasterˇŻs mind returned to the world, he hoped it was the first one.

    ˇ®For something that swore to protect me, it sure is causing me a lot of pain.ˇŻ

    However, instead of the usual silence, he was greeted with a foreign emotion of apology. Alaster nearly fell out of the chair, his sudden movement creating fractures, which his second mind immediately set to fixing.

    ˇ°Are you the Pact?ˇ± He spoke aloud.

    He was greeted with an emotion of confusion, so he reworded his question.

    ˇ°Are you the thing that dug into my back?ˇ±

    It responded with an affirmative emotion. Alaster did not really understand how an emotion could be affirmative, but when this thing responded, he could feel its meaning. The next hour was spent questioning it, which brought plenty of answers with it, but even more answers.

    The creature was actually a spirit that had taken on a physical form in order to bond with Alaster physically, allowing it to protect him physically. However, it didnˇŻt sacrifice Spiritual protection for Physical. It would protect him from both. To protect against spiritual, it formed a type of net around him, that would either intercept or reduce the effect or damage from the Spiritual attack. This protection was always active. When Alaster asked if it was able to disable it, the creature had shown confusion. However, Alaster believed that with practice, it would be possible.

    The Physical protection could easily be disabled, however. To protect Alaster from physical damage, it would form armor around him. Currently, it was only able to form a gauntlet, made out of a strange black metal that Alaster could not identify. The gauntlet itself seemed like it had come out of a story book as the armor of a villain. It had sharp edges and ridges, with sharp fingertips. Alaster was not able to remove the gauntlet, and moving it felt perfectly natural, almost like it wasnˇŻt there.

    AlasterˇŻs next series of questions was about how to improve it. The answer it provided was both completely expected and not at all. Just like most Abilities, it Leveled from use. Kill EXP essentially, but it didnˇŻt use EXP at all. Instead, the creature would absorb part of the essence of whatever Alaster killed, regardless if Alaster had the armor on or not. As the creature leveled up, it would become better suited to protect him. The ˇ®netˇŻ would grow stronger and tighter, and the armor would gain more and more pieces.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    When Alaster asked what it remembered of its past life or death, it told him that it couldnˇŻt remember anything from before it appeared within him. Alaster had been hoping that it would provide him with knowledge of the afterlife or ancient history, both being extremely valuable, but he hadnˇŻt really expected much. The System was nothing if not fair. It would not have provided him with something so valuable so easily. Though the blood on his chin reminded him that it hadnˇŻt been so easy.

    The emotions and images that it provided Alaster made him think of it as immature, childish. Though he had the impression that as it grew, it would grow in maturity.

    Next, out of curiosity, Alaster asked what it physically looked like. He really wished he hadnˇŻt. The image the creature provided wasnˇŻt horrifying in itself. The thought that a creature like that had dug its way into his body was. It looked like a bony spider with sharp tips that allowed it to carve its way around. Alaster didnˇŻt see any mouth or eyes, but that somehow made it even worse.

    However, the Bonus wasnˇŻt the only thing he needed to deal with before he chose his new Class, and as much as he wanted to continue questioning the creature, he wanted to choose his Adept Class more. Luckily for him, he currently only had one Ability that needed to be attended to. Though, he certainly wouldnˇŻt have turned away any other Abilities that had leveled up.

    [Skeleton Creation

    Level 9<10: 42%<13%

    Create what none have created

    Mana Cost 50/min]

    [Skeleton Creation Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Blueprint. Save the customization of a Skeleton to copy.</li>

    <li> Creature. Able to create non-humanoid Skeletons.</li>

    <li> Null. Created Skeletons become minutely resistant to hostile Mana.]</li>

    </ol>

    Yet again he was met with familiar Evolutions. Blueprint, right at the top, tempting him. And Null, at the bottom, reminding him of the possibilities. However, once again, the middle option was the one that drew AlasterˇŻs attention.

    He had attempted to create animal Undead before, but it never worked. Even if he made the bones exact and if he used the bones of an animal, it would instead create a weird humanoid Skeleton using the bones. Even the Night Children, who usually ran around on all fours and climbed like some kind of spider, was still humanoid.

    Blueprint would save him an unbelievably large amount of time, especially as his army of Undead grew larger, but he simply couldnˇŻt force himself to look past the versatility of non-humanoid Skeletons. So Alaster made his choice.

    With all of that out of the way. Alaster finally turned his attention to the Class Change. The moment he did, he was presented with a selection of Classes.

    [Adept Classes Available:

    <ol>

    <li>   Artisan</li>

    <li>   Armor Smith</li>

    <li>   Black Mage - Death Mage</li>

    <li>   Necromancer - Death Mage</li>

    <li>   Flesh Mage - Death Mage</li>

    <li>   Weapon Smith</li>

    <li>   Bone Mage - Death Mage</li>

    <li>   Engineer</li>

    <li>   Blade Bound</li>

    <li>   Death Knight - Death Mage</li>

    </ol>

    Make your Choice.]

    There didnˇŻt seem to be any order to the Classes. There were however some Classes he immediately decided against, such as the Crafter Classes. For the rest, he opened the book of Classes he had been gifted. However, the book was as unorganized as the list of Classes. It took him a while.

    Black Mage was derived from his current Novice Class. It seemed to focus on the Necrotic Spells. The book described the Class as being able to manipulate the ghosts of the dead to do its bidding and creating an Aura of Necrotic Mana around itself while raining down Spells. It didnˇŻt mention Undead at all. While the Class seemed to be great at causing damage, especially to the living, it also seemed pretty fragile. Like, one lucky or well planned shot could end it. So Alaster moved onto the next Class.

    Necromancer was the most infamous option available. And it earned it. A Necromancer could summon large amounts of the Undead. Usually not too particularly strong, but they made up for it in pure numbers. An average Adept might be able to handle five of the Undead at once, but there wouldnˇŻt be five, there would be fifty for each Adept. Every faction would go to war over having a Necromancer. A single Adept Necromancer could change the tide of an entire war if used correctly. Alaster wanted to choose it, it was an obvious choice, but he was always careful. He wouldnˇŻt make his selection until he looked through each one.

    He moved to the next Class, Flesh Mage. While Necromancers were always well received and even public heroes, Flesh Mages were considered little better than monsters. Despite that, they were still relentlessly recruited by factions. They could raise Zombies. An Undead that was much more durable and even retained a small portion of the victimˇŻs stats, while they were still alive. The highest level Zombies a Flesh Mage could raise could even use a few abilities of the victim. However, while that was powerful, that wasnˇŻt what they were truly feared for. Flesh Mages, while they had access to plenty of spells, had one particular spell that could wipe out entire cities if it was not stopped.

    Corpse Explosion. It did exactly what the title said. It caused a corpse to explode violently, sending flesh, bone shards, and even metal shard depending on what the corpse was wearing, speeding through the air. The explosion is so violent that the debris can penetrate armor and even tear down stone buildings. The Flesh Mage could use it on their own Zombies, but it was known for being used on armies. Corpse Explosion spread, like a disease. All the Flesh Mage had to do was cast it on one corpse, and it would then jump to any corpse within a three meter radius. And if it killed something, it would also cause its body to explode. It could be countered, but if used on an unprepared victim, it could wipe out an entire city, leaving no man, woman, or child alive.

    Even Alaster detested Flesh Mages, but that didnˇŻt mean he refused to become one. They were terrifying for a reason.

    While Black Mage focused more on the Necrotic Mana side, Bone Mage focused more on creating things out of bone, including Golems. Bone Golems might sound like Skeletons, but Bone Golems were entirely made out of Bone. Just like any other type of Golem, they were extremely strong, and even harder to kill. Alaster had heard stories of someone who used Golems to conquer a city. Despite being severely outnumbered, the Golems were just too difficult to kill. However, Golems were expensive. Each one requires a Mana Core.

    Alaster entertained the idea, but ultimately decided against it. It was simply too expensive. While he would still be able to use his Undead and even improve them, just like any other Class, especially when he equipped them with even stronger bone equipment, it wasnˇŻt worth it. Choosing an Adept Class wouldnˇŻt restrict the Novice Class Abilities. He could, if he wanted, become a Blacksmith who used his Undead to carry supplies.

    Alaster read the entire description of Engineer, but didnˇŻt even get through half of it before he decided he wouldnˇŻt choose it. It would allow him to build stronger and larger structures, as well as spot the weaknesses within a structure, but that wouldnˇŻt really help him.

    Blade Bound sounded extraordinary. It coupled with [Imbuement] to create a Class that seemed custom-built to hunt Mages. He would be able to track Magic, as well as defend against it, even cut through it if he became powerful enough. However, it sounded like it used a lot of Mana in a short amount of time. Used more to hunt down a single Mage, or a small group. Nonetheless, Alaster put it to the side.

    Faced with the last option, he couldnˇŻt find it in the book. Even after looking through it several times. That in itself wasnˇŻt that spectacular. The Book contained the brief descriptions of hundreds of Classes, and yet it only detailed a small amount of the total known Classes. A list that was constantly growing as people selected them and learned them. Alaster had no desire to be the first one to experiment with a Class. He wanted to pick a Class that was known, so he could choose the most optimal path with that Class. If he chose Necromancer, he had every intention to travel to one of the cities with a Necromancer and asking them for guidance.

    Yet, despite that, Alaster couldnˇŻt help but turn back to Death Knight. Many Adept Classes were considered Pure Classes. That didnˇŻt make them any more powerful or useful. It simply meant that it was the natural and ˇ®pureˇŻ way the Novice Class was meant to go. For example, a Geomancer was the Pure Class of Earth Mage. Despite both being called Earth Mages, Geomancer was a much stronger version.

    Pure Classes typically added little to what the Novice Class already introduced. They usually only strengthened the already known Abilities and capabilities. While an Earth Mage might be able to create a two by two meter cube of solid stone in an hour, a Geomancer could do the same thing within minutes, while also making the stone much stronger in every way.

    While many Classes didnˇŻt have a known Pure Class, Alaster couldnˇŻt be sure, but Death Knight seemed like the Pure Class of Death Mage. It just seemed like a fairly logical step forward. But what Alaster was feeling wasn''t entirely logical. Something about the Class was almost forcing Alaster to pay attention to it.

    ˇ®Are you causing this sensation?ˇŻ Alaster asked, the creature dug into his spine.

    ˇ®No, but I feel it too. That Class feels special.ˇŻ It replied.

    Alaster weighed the risks as well as evaluated the benefits of choosing one of the other Classes, yet regardless of how he reasoned it, he always turned back to Death Knight. Against his better judgement, he went with it and chose Death Knight.

    Immediately, his vision blacked out, and he could feel himself falling out of the chair. And then, he felt nothing at all.

 Chapter 55- Divine Lesson

    Alaster opened his eyes and found himself looking up at a strange ceiling. It appeared to be made of hard mahogany. Yet every inch of it was covered in beautiful carvings, creating a masterpiece out of the ceiling. From what Alaster could see, it depicted an ancient battle between what looked to be Angels and Demons. The Angels were all beautiful and smooth, men and women in armor, that despite being carved into wood, seemed to glow. While the Demons were hideous with sharp jagged edges and mouths full of fangs and tusks.

    Sitting up, the rest of the room was normal. Rich, but normal. There was a stone fireplace on the wall in front of him, seemingly made out of a single stone. The fire within was small, providing a comfortable warmth through the small room. The walls on either side were filled, floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with books. Alaster had never seen so many.

    Standing up, Alaster turned around. There was a small and low table between two sofas. On the table, there was a small teapot with steam coming out of it. The floor was a beautiful wooden floor, polished to a shine. However, what Alaster couldnˇŻt find, was a door. He had almost missed that. He also almost missed that despite such a small fire, and no other source of light, he could see everything clearly.

    Alaster sat back down on the floor, cradling his head, where a dull headache had formed. He felt sore and slow, like his mind was wading through water. However, his mind wasnˇŻt so slow to not notice when he suddenly wasnˇŻt alone in the room anymore. Even as his head complained, Alaster spun around, raising his hand and cast [Necrotic Bolt]. But instead of the usual sickly green bolt of oozing mana that he had grown so used to, nothing happened.

    ˇ°Nice try lad.ˇ±

    In front of Alaster, warming his pale hands in front of the fire, was a thin man in fancy clothing. Alaster wasnˇŻt sure what sort of clothing it was. Smooth black pants and a thin coat of the same material, over a white shirt with buttons lining up the front and a black tie around his neck. He had never seen it.

    The Man turned around with a cold smile. The smile itself wasnˇŻt cold, the man actually seemed glad to see Alaster, but the feeling that emanated from that smile chilled Alaster to his soul. He motioned towards the two sofas.

    ˇ°Shall we?ˇ± He asked, calmly walking past Alaster and sitting down.

    Alaster himself was more cautious. He didnˇŻt know where he was or who this man was. The man made no obvious threatening movements, but Alaster could feel the power behind the man. Or at least a small fraction of it, and it scared him. Even if his Spell had worked, he doubted it would have done anything. But what really worried him, was that he couldnˇŻt feel access to any of his Abilities. Not his Undead or Bonuses, Alaster couldnˇŻt even feel the parasite that had dug its way into his spine. It was like he was a child again.

    Nonetheless, the man had asked him to sit, without his Abilities, and with the apparent strength of the man before him, it was best to keep him happy. Alaster sat down, still feeling wrong. Like something was missing. As the man calmly poured two cups of the tea, Alaster realized what was missing, and his skin turned paler than the man before him.

    He couldn''t feel the System, at all. He couldnˇŻt bring up his Status. Alaster had never felt something like that. The young man couldnˇŻt even describe it. It just felt wrong. Like something crucial to his very being was gone.

    ˇ°Ah, you noticed. Faster than most, but slower than many.ˇ± The man commented, sliding over a cup of tea to Alaster before taking a sip of his own.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°The System, as you mortals call it, doesn''t work here. DonˇŻt worry, however. It will work perfectly fine when you return to the Mortal Realm. Like you never left. Technically, you never did.ˇ± The man grinned, like he had just made a pun.

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Please, drink. It''s amazing. Like nothing, youˇŻve ever had,ˇ± The man nodded towards the cup of tea still on the table, ˇ°You see, the you that is here, right now, is just your Soul. Your body is still in the Mortal Realm, laying in the snow.ˇ±

    Alaster picked up the cup with shaky hands, ˇ°Am I dead?ˇ±

    ˇ°No no no. I just called you here for a little chat. When we finish, youˇŻll go back, and it will be just like it never happened.ˇ±

    ˇ°I wonˇŻt remember this?ˇ±

    ˇ°You will, but the details will seem fuzzy and hard to grasp, but reachable. You see, the Mortal Soul was never meant to come to the Divine Realm, especially one as weak as yours. On the rare occasion that we call a Mortal Soul here, it is almost always an ExpertˇŻs Soul, or a very powerful Adept. Meanwhile, you could barely be called an Adept at all. Now drink, the Tea will help with the headache. It very slightly strengthens the Soul. A little bonus for you when you return to the Mortal Realm.ˇ±

    ˇ°Permanently?ˇ± Alaster had heard of plenty of potions that would temporarily make someone stronger, but he had never heard of one that could do so permanently.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ˇ°Yes, but like I said, its a very slight increase. Noticeable for someone as weak as you, but even an Expert would struggle to care about such a small increase. I drink it because the taste is to die for, and you donˇŻt have to die!ˇ± This time he chuckled to himself like he had just made the funniest joke.

    Alaster took a small sip. As the liquid passed his tongue, he could feel his headache lessening slightly. The taste was good, but nothing like Alaster knew. Then again, he had never had tea before. It was too expensive. Even when he worked for the Siphas family in Onigas, they rarely had tea. Lord Siphas didnˇŻt care for the taste, but Lady Siphas loved tea.

    ˇ°Are you a God?ˇ± Alaster asked the man.

    ˇ°That I am,ˇ± He said, leaning back with a comfortable sigh. ˇ°Ebris, God of the Dead. At your service.ˇ±

    It would have seemed amazing. It should have felt majestic and wondrous, but he said it like it was more of a chore. Alaster had a thousand questions, but two stood out among all the others.

    ˇ°Did you see my parents when the died?ˇ±

    Ebris placed his cup on the table and leaned back, ˇ°As the God of the Dead, it is my duty to ensure the dead are able to peacefully pass on to the next life. As well as ensure that nothing tries to corrupt them. That''s what I am supposed to do. But I, just like all the other Gods, have had to force that duty onto our servants.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Later. I sense you have another question that matters to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can read minds?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, otherwise I would have answered yours already. But you live as long as I have, and you start to decipher the smallest things of a person.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know where my Sister is, and is she safe.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. Like I said, we Gods have had to turn a blind eye to the Mortal Realm for a while now. The only reason I am speaking to you now is because of the Class you took. I would have sensed that regardless of where or what state I was in.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Each God once started out just like a Mortal. We chose Classes when the System was still a brand new thing. Those Classes soon formed the basis of what we are right now. I, as the God of Death, started out just as a Death Mage, like you. Why did you choose Death Knight?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. It felt like it was calling to me.ˇ±

    Ebris smiled wide, ˇ°Good! That means it was a perfect fit!ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Occasionally a Class with just match with a person, their personality, their thoughts, their aptitudes, etc. Basically, the best Class for that person. It is rare for a person to have one, let alone be able to choose it. Like you thought, the Death Knight Class is the Pure Class of Death Mage. By the way, a Pure Class, is pretty much just the Class that a God chose when they were that weak.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you were a Death Mage just like me, and you chose Death Knight as well?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, back then, the System was still in its earliest stages. There wasnˇŻt really a structure. But yes. However, not even I as the future God of Death, had a Class that was the perfect fit for me. Some of the other Gods did. But I didnˇŻt.ˇ±

    Alaster finished his cup and placed it down while he asked, ˇ°Why is a perfect fit so important, then?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because it means that the way you will progress through the Class will match the natural progression of the Class. Even a Water Mage can learn Fire Magic and combine the two to make steam or whatever. That isnˇŻt necessarily a bad thing, just not the way the Class was meant to go towards. As you know, the progression of Classes are slightly effected by the thoughts and desires of the person, so if the two match, the progression is more effective. The Abilities you unlock will just be a bit more powerful.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about Bonuses?ˇ±

    ˇ°Those are unique to the person, purely independent of the Class itself. However, it takes the person''s thoughts and desires into account to a higher degree, so they are individualized. Two people of the same Class and Level will have drastically different Bonuses. And might I say, your Bonuses are really cool.ˇ±

    ˇ°What were yours like?ˇ±

    ˇ°Let''s just say my Level one hundred bonus was that I could raise one more Undead, and I considered that extremely powerful. However, as the System developed and embedded itself into life, the Abilities became stronger.ˇ± Ebris finished by pouring Alaster another cup.

    Alaster picked up his refilled cup and began to sip it as he asked his next question, ˇ°Why am I here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Death Knight is the Pure Class of Death Mage, but ever since I became a Death Knight, you are the only one to have it show up on their Class Change, and you chose it. Millennia has passed, but you are the only one.ˇ±

    ˇ°Have any tips for me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Countless, but I want to see you develop the Class on your own. I want to see how you will form it. If you think of learning a certain Ability or type of Magic, do it. I will however tell you this. The Dead are loyal to those who are loyal to them.ˇ±

    ˇ°The hell is that supposed to mean?ˇ±

    Ebris chuckled, ˇ°Just remember that, and youˇŻll do fine.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you dragged me from the Mortal Realm just to sate your curiosity?ˇ±

    ˇ°Partly. However, in truth, we are desperate. YouˇŻve seen the ceiling?ˇ±

    Alaster glanced at it before responding, ˇ°Yeah, when I first woke up here.ˇ±

    ˇ°That is real. And is constantly happening. I can''t tell you the details of the situation, literally, but what I can tell you is that Gods have had to ignore the Mortal Realm in order to fight off an Invasion. We have been fighting it for centuries, trying to protect both our Realms. But we are slowly losing. More and more of them are slipping through our defenses, attacking both our Realms.

    Go and find your Sister, but keep in mind, that there are bigger issues. By selecting Death Knight, you have practically become my heir, in a sense. IˇŻm certainly not expecting you to handle any of my duties, but as more and more hole form in the defenses over the Mortal Realm, more Demons will attack.

    Your Realm will need powerful people who can defend it. So become stronger, protect those you care about, and defend your home.

    I have to return now, as do you. Keep in mind what I have told you. Things are getting desperate, but it is not hopeless. At least not yet.ˇ±

    As Ebris finished speaking, AlasterˇŻs vision blackened once more.

 Chapter 56- Ever Watchful

    The man woke up from his sleep abruptly. A surge of energy had woken him. He sat up from his stone bed for the first time in many centuries, with furrowed brows. He had thought the age of such a thing to occur to be over. And perhaps it still was. The surge felt different. Rushed. Like the cause hadnˇŻt had the time to properly protect and cover its tracks. Years ago, when such occurrences happened fairly often, it was difficult to track. But now, the man was able to locate the source after only a few minutes search.

    And he wasnˇŻt the only one. The others like him had also noticed the surge and tracked it. He wasnˇŻt exactly worried. They all had the same interests and desires, roughly, but the way they went about it were drastically different.

    The room the man had slept in was bare of any decoration. It was made of smooth stone and only had a raised stone platform in the center to serve as a sort of bed. All the corners were rounded, even the walls. The room hadnˇŻt seen light in centuries, and likely wouldnˇŻt ever again. The single item that could possibly be considered decoration was a small, but thick, solid metal door. The metal was dark was produced no light, but was so heavily enchanted, that if light did hit it, the door would glimmer.

    The man glanced at the door with slight annoyance. If it had been up to him, he would be out and exploring the world, as he loved to do. But as trapped in the room as he was, imprisoned and forgotten, he could only occasionally send out his Spirit when he was able to scavenge enough of his power together.

    Normally, he would send out his Spirit every fifty years. By that point, he would have gathered enough power to sustain it for roughly one year, allowing him to explore and interact with the world. Sometimes he used that year to search for clues about where his body lay trapped, but it always felt like he had wasted his year. The people who had trapped him and been incredibly thorough.

    However, in this case, it was important enough for him to sacrifice his year of illusionary freedom. He had to know more about the Surge, its cause, and its reasons. The man laid back down on the stone platform and closed his eyes, his Spirit leaving. As always, the enchantments of the cell interfered with the process, but those who had built the cell were much more proficient in blocking physical access than they were at blocking spiritual access.

    Instead of appearing above his body as it was meant to, his Spirit appeared randomly in the world, however, he with the Surge as a flag, he was able to direct his Spirit to appear closer to it.

    The man, looking through his Spirit which would appear as just a strange wind to the untrained, appeared high above the clouds. He stretched his body, even if his Spirit didnˇŻt have ligaments to stretch. The man turned in the direction of the surge and moved towards it, the land below flying past at impossible speeds. Within moments, he stood in the sky, looking down at a strange boy, covered in thick furs and surrounded by Undead, just waking up. But the man wasnˇŻt the only one. Others of his kind had beaten him there.

    ˇ°Its good to see you.ˇ± One of them said, only glancing at the Spirit.

    ˇ°Apparently not good enough to find my body and free me.ˇ± The Spirit replied.

    He had once considered many of his kind as his friends, but after he was imprisoned, not one seemed to care much. He wasnˇŻt the kind to be quick to anger. At first, he had hoped that they would search for him. But after several centuries of his so-called friends simply going about their usual affairs, anger had begun to set in. Now, he while he wouldnˇŻt be the one to deal the blow, he wouldnˇŻt mind seeing them die.

    The one who had spoken didnˇŻt respond. Only continued to look down at the boy with the other dozen there. Their kind were few, just under a hundred, but they were spread throughout the vast world. To see a dozen of them in one place was something even the Spirit had only seen once before, and the previous event that had required it was not one that he would have wanted to relive, even with his body.

    ˇ°What are you all doing here?ˇ± One of them asked, a beautiful woman dressed in green asked. Of their kind, she was the one who typically stayed in this area.

    ˇ°Same as you.ˇ± A giant of a man with gray skin said, his voice barely a whisper in the wind, but easily heard by all present.

    The Spirit would have rolled his eyes if he had eyes at the moment. It was such a stupid question to ask.

    ˇ°What about you?ˇ± The woman asked the Spirit.

    ˇ°To sate my curiosity and prevent the rest of you from doing something stupid.ˇ± The Spirit emotionlessly stated.

    ˇ°You arenˇŻt even really here. What could you possibly do?ˇ± A thin man with a rapier at his hip laughed.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre right, I am but a Spirit at the moment. But They saw fit to imprison me. Out of all of us, they deemed me enough of a threat to hide away.ˇ± The Spirit growled, his form becoming violent.

    After so long, they had forgotten just how terrible this man could be. Before he had been imprisoned, he had been one of the few undisputed strongest of their kind, and the most terrifying. Even in his weakened state as a Spirit, none wanted to see his capability. They all backed away in poorly hidden fear. All but one.

    The old man was certainly not one of the powerhouses of their kind, in fact, it could be said that he ranked in the bottom ten. However, nonetheless, they all respected him. He was the oldest of them. Throughout the ages, there had been thousands of their kind, most long dead. Yet despite that, he remained. He was the fourth to become one of their kind, and survived, despite none first thousand managing to do the same.

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    The old man was one of the weakest, but he was, without a doubt, the one they all turned to for aid or advice. He knew exactly the sort of strength the Spirit had when he had been free, as well as the exact limit of his current power. The Spirit, even as weakened as he was, could still easily slaughter the old man and another six of those present. Yet the old man was not afraid. He was the one who knew the Spirit best. He would not attack except in self-defense.

    ˇ°Sed, calm yourself.ˇ± The old man commanded, much like he was talking to a grandchild.

    Sedall obeyed, slowly returning to the calm constant. Like the others, Sedall respected the old man immensely, more so than any other of their Kind. Even before his imprisonment. The old man was also the only one of their kind to be actively searching for ways to free Sedall.

    ˇ°There will be no fighting.ˇ±

    His word was law, none daring to counteract it.

    ˇ°We were all brought here by the surge generated from this boy.ˇ± Ever since he had arrived, the old man had not once looked away from the boy.

    ˇ°One of the Gods called this boy to the Divine Realm to speak to him. From what I have found within the surge, it was a short discussion. This leads me to believe that the war isnˇŻt going any better. What are your thoughts?ˇ± His question was directly to all of them, who similar calmed down as Sedall did.

    ˇ°Roughly the same. What type is the boy?ˇ± The gray giant asked, crossing his bare arms.

    ˇ°Undead Summoner, but he uses the sword with a modicum of skill.ˇ± The woman explained, having more knowledge of the going ons of the region.

    ˇ°And he just became breached the first barrier?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct, and it appears that he was whisked away immediately afterward. Whatever he chose, seemed to have caught the attention of one of the Gods, despite them focusing on the war.ˇ± A lithe woman with pointed ears said, almost to herself.

    ˇ°If its enough to catch their attention, should we greet the boy?ˇ± A stout and wide man with a vast beard asked, looking towards the elder.

    Sedall was about to speak, but was stopped by the elder.

    ˇ°No. We all have our duties. We cannot postpone them for the boy, as valuable as he may or may not be. For all we know, the God called him because of their own curiosity during a break in the war. Sedall will monitor the boy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Evros, I donˇŻt have that much energy. I can only maintain this form for at most another month, and that is if I donˇŻt expend any excess energy.ˇ± Sedall would have hesitated to mention his weaknesses in front of the others, but he wasnˇŻt saying anything that wasnˇŻt already common knowledge.

    ˇ°I have been meaning to talk to you about this. I am still working on locating you, but while researching the method of your imprisonment, I learned a technique that should assist in this regard,ˇ± Evros pulled a thin and simple ring out of his satchel.

    Each of them were so strong that they had no need to store things in such a way. To the knowledge of Sedall, Evros was the only one of their kind who physically carried around his items and tools, despite having the ability to store them in much more convenient ways. Sedall simply chalked it up to the old man being stuck in tradition.

    ˇ°This ring, once I attune it to your Soul and the boy wears it, should allow you to constantly see the boy. Through his eyes, and his immediate surroundings.ˇ±

    Sedall was hesitant. Having anything attuned to the soul was incredibly risky. However, he trusted Evros. The old man would not have mentioned it if he was not certain of its ability.

    ˇ°How wide of a radius?ˇ± He asked.

    ˇ°My estimations are roughly two meters.ˇ±

    ˇ°How will you get the boy to wear it, and not take it off?ˇ± The woman in green asked.

    ˇ°I have added a rudimentary enchantment on it. Though, it has been countless centuries since I have used such simple work. I do have faith that it is enough for the boy to wear it willingly, but not enough to be too powerful for him.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm assuming you will gift it to the boy and not mention that through it, Sedall can see him?ˇ± Asked the stout man, stroking his beard. Staying still at this altitude was causing his beard to fray.

    ˇ°Correct. I was thinking of pretending to be an Old man who is retiring from adventuring and seeks a quiet life. Tualla?ˇ± Evros asked, looking up from the boy below for the first time.

    ˇ°That should work. I havenˇŻt had the time or need to closely watch the boy before now, but he will work with what he has. If the ring provides him a noticeable benefit, he will wear it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. The rest of you; you have business to attend to.ˇ±

    All of them knew they had been dismissed, and quickly left, leaving only Evros, Sedall, and Tualla watching the boy.

    ˇ°Tualla, what is the boy like?ˇ± Evros asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

    ˇ°Broken. The world has treated him harshly, and he resents that. His parents were slaughtered and strung up as displays, while his sister was stolen from him. He wonˇŻt stop until he gets revenge and saves his sister. It is what has driven him to break the first barrier at such a young age. I will try to learn more of him when I have time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you, and please let me know what you find when you do. This boy intrigues me.ˇ±

    Similarly dismissed, Tualla vanished from the area, returning to her duties caring for the region.

    ˇ°You felt it too, did you not.ˇ± It was not a question.

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± Sedall answered, watching the boy.

    ˇ°Keep a close eye on him. Do not interfere in any way unless his life is at risk. I do not believe one of the Gods spoke to him purely for curiosity.ˇ±

    ˇ°I will. However, I am worried.ˇ±

    ˇ°About?ˇ±

    ˇ°His mind. Like Tualla said, he is broken. But I can see it deeper than she can. I worry that if nothing changes, he will change things, and not for the better. Things arenˇŻt good now. And the seed we felt? Many have taken notice of the boy, from all sides. If we are not careful, I worry that he will be the destruction of everything, directly or not.ˇ±

    Silence hung between the two for several minutes as they watched the boy.

    ˇ°For now. Do nothing but watch and listen. Keep him safe, but do not let him know of our existence or involvement. I will search for more clues. Until we learn more, none are to interact or interfere with him or his surroundings. Return to your cell. Build your strength, quickly. I fear that we will have need of it sooner than any of us hoped.ˇ±

 Chapter 57- Death Knight

    Alaster woke slowly, feeling slow and tired. Yet his body felt fine. It was as if his soul had been over exerted while traveling between the Mortal and Divine Realms. He just hoped that he would recover quickly enough. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Not one he enjoyed.

    He sat up, finding himself in the snow. He must have fallen out of the chair when he passed out. His Black Guard were looking at him curiously, while the Skeletal Apes continued to pace around him mindlessly. The two Night Children looked down at him from high up in the branches. His personal Undead were curious, but also couldnˇŻt detect any visible threat.

    Alaster stood up and shook off some of the snow. Once his furs were clear of snow, Alaster opened his status.

    [Class Change: Death Knight

    Progenitor: As the first of your Kind, you receive Three points per Level in each of the Prime Stats.

    The Death Mage builds and creates, but you have surpassed this. The Death Knight brings death upon all who stand in their way.

    Stat Changes: +2 STR, +2 DEX, +5 CON, +5 INT, +10 WIS

    You have been gifted the Abilities: [Dead Aura], [Flesh Crafting], [Raise Mage]

    These Abilities have been Morphed: [Necrotic Bolt], [Bone Crafting], [Raise Undead]

    Beware the Dead, or you will join them]

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 20

    EXP: 12%

    Health: 435/435<460/460

    Health Regeneration: 12/min

    Mana: 440/440<465/465

    Mana Regeneration: 11/min

    Spells: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Blood Price, Imbuement, Fine Control

    Strength: 64<66

    Dexterity: 56<58

    Constitution*: 65<70

    Wisdom*: 100<110

    Intelligence*: 72<77

    Free Points: 0]

    [Dead Aura

    Level 1: 0%

    Generate an aura that strengthens and heals any Undead within, while hindering the strength and healing of the Living]

    [Flesh Crafting

    Level 1: 0%

    Manipulate the flesh of the dead]

    [Raise Mage

    Level 1: 0%

    Raise the skeletal corpse of a mage

    Max Minions: 0/1]

    [Necrotic Bolt

    Level 12: 42%

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Fires a bolt of condensed Necrotic energy

    Can fire two Bolts with half again cost.

    Slightly bypasses inorganic matter

    Manipulate the form

    Mana Cost: 10<5]

    [Bone Crafting

    Level 13: 42%

    Ability to mold bone as if clay

    Craft Living Bone

    Mana Cost: 5/min]

    [Raise Undead

    Level 18: 20%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 3/6

    Max Skeletons: 3/6

    Mana Cost: 30]

    Alaster was beyond overwhelmed. He was used to only having or two changes to work with. He was used to being able to think deeply about each change and how to best use it. The young man had known that becoming an Adept would drastically change things. But the Abilities and other changes he had received were amazing. More than that, they felt kinda overpowered, not that he was complaining.

    As one of the more popular sayings went, ˇ®The System is nothing, if not fairˇŻ. Tiers of Classes were supposed to be fairly equal. Of course, the rarity of the Class itself as well as the Type of Class would still change things. Death Mage was already a Unique Class, so it was naturally stronger than some of the other Novice Classes. It was also fair to say that Death Knight, being the Pure Class of Death Mage, would also be Unique.

    However, no one else had ever received Death Knight, so perhaps it was an even higher rarity? Regardless, the Abilities and other changes he had received were still better than what a brand new Adept should have gotten. He didnˇŻt even understand some of the changes. Living Bone? What did that mean? And then being the Progenitor gives him two points per stat each level instead of two? That wasnˇŻt much, but it could quickly add up.

    Now instead of six Undead, plus the [Horde] Skeletons, he could now raise a dozen Undead, plus the [Horde] Skeletons. Slowly, he was creating his own army of the Undead. As it was, he could raise twenty-two [Horde] Skeletons. They wouldnˇŻt be powerful individually, but numbers typically decided battles. Granted, to raise those numbers, he would have to meditate, which would severely limit his own usefulness in the conflict.

    But Alaster was quickly learning just how desperately factions recruited Necromancers and similar Classes. Death Mage was supposed to be a middle ground between the Necrotic Mana using Novice Classes, as such, the Death Knight should be the same for the Adept Classes. So if he could already raise thirty-four Undead at the same time, how many could a Necromancer raise? A Class designed to raise large numbers of Undead.

    He could now change the form of [Necrotic Bolt]. He was not quite sure what that meant, but he suspected that he could make it wider to do have more of an impact, or better chance of hitting, or thinner to have more piercing power. Of course, he would not know for certain until he experimented with it, including against a living target. After all, [Necrotic Bolt] worked exceedingly well against living opponents.

    Alaster moved onto the next Ability he had just received. Against the pure numbers of the Undead, this one seemed to pale in comparison. But, in fact, it was much more valuable. The Undead Alaster could previously raise were fairly simple. Against similarly simple Monsters, that didnˇŻt matter. But against smarter enemies, it could be lethal. None of his Undead had any Abilities of their own. If they couldnˇŻt reach their enemy, they were just fodder, not even very durable fodder.

    Alaster had considered making an archer Undead, but that was very complicated. Not only because the bow would have to be strong, but flexible, but also the string. Of course, he could buy a bow the next time he entered a Settlement. However, he was hoping to avoid other people until he was a solid Adept. Arrows broke quite often, and Alaster simply didnˇŻt want to deal with making more bone arrows constantly.

    But a Mage would drastically diversify his minions. Even if it was only one. Alaster wondered how it would work. The wording hinted that the corpse had to already be a mage. That alone significantly hindered his selection. He couldnˇŻt just get some random bones and craft them into a similar shape, like he had done for the Black Guards. Under their armor, they were still very clearly not human. In fact, Alaster wasnˇŻt even sure if the way he had customized the bones, their shape, size, and location, would even be realistic in an actual living creature or not. He simply didnˇŻt have the knowledge of the proper bone structure of living creatures, let alone humans.

    However, it required a corpse of a Mage. Not a Monster with Abilities and could form a Mana Core. The System designated between the two. In this instance, it had specified Mage. Humans and the other Humanoid Races were the only ones that could be designated Mages. Alaster would have to use the Corpse of a Human. Of course, he could use an Elf or Dwarf, but they tended to stick to their own lands. The chances of finding one in the area were very slim. Of course, he didnˇŻt have to kill them.

    He could find an already dead body of a Mage, but he doubted that would be as effective. The System was fair. Alaster had a feeling that if he was the one to kill the Mage, it would provide a better reward.

    On a moral basis, Alaster was not against killing. He was already planning to butcher the people who took his sister and killed his parents. However, he did have an issue with killing innocent people. Not that anyone really was in his mind. But unless they did any something directly to him, he was hesitant to kill them.

    Unfortunately, Alaster had no ˇ®materialsˇŻ to experiment with a Mage. Besides, he had plenty of other things to experiment with. As well as an entire Platoon of Undead to assemble, equip, and get used to. He was already running different compositions of the unit through his mind.

    For a while now, the Night Children have been fairlyˇ­useless wasnˇŻt the right word, but less valuable than the Black Guard. He considered making the entire unit Black Guards, but that would make them fairly single purpose. He needed Undead for multiple needs. The Night Children werenˇŻt as useful in a straight battle as the Black Guards, but they were much stealthier.

    The new Undead didnˇŻt even have to be Humanoid anymore. Perhaps he could keep the four Black Guards and create mounts for them? Making a cavalry unit certainly appealed to Alaster, but once again, his lack of knowledge was limiting him. He had no idea how the skeleton of a horse worked. He didnˇŻt really need to know, as with the Black Guards, he could just get something close, but he had been pushing the limits of his Ability with the already familiar, if not known, humanoid shape. If he wanted to create inhumanoid Undead, he would have to learn more about how the Skeletal system worked. He could already imagine himself leading a skeletal cavalry charge atop his own Undead Horse.

    Nonetheless, Alaster did not have enough Bone to experiment with his options. Luckily, he had a Dungeon right behind him, with an unlimited amount of Bone he could harvest. Smirking as the possibilities ran through his mind, Alaster disassembled the chair he was sitting on and entered the Dungeon yet again.

 Chapter 58- Mercy

    ˇ°Lieutenant, are we going to die?ˇ± A man asked, his armor wearing him. He was barely nineteen winters old, his face still having plenty of baby fat. He had become an Adept only a few months prior, mostly against his free will. The man, more boy, had only become an adept to take over his fatherˇŻs profession as a cobbler.

    Every kill he made as a Novice had nearly made him hurl. Blood made him nauseous. He had been beyond happy to advance to an Adept because he no longer had to kill to level up. And as he leveled, he would be better able to make his father proud and expand the family shop.

    His whole life, he had been beyond excited to become an Adept. He never would have expected that something he saw as his hope to a brighter future, would instead become the most likely cause for his early death.

    Shortly after he had chosen his Adept Class and begun work with his father, an order was issued throughout the region. A draft. All Adepts under the age of thirty were to report to the castle of the City Lord.

    Had the boy remained a Novice for just a few months more, he would have been safe. He would have been able to stay home, and live. If he had known that a war was coming, he might have chosen a Combat Class. Instead, here he was, in the middle of a siege, about to be ordered to scale the walls of a small castle in order to capture it, as a level twenty-one Cobbler. The Abilities from his Novice Class werenˇŻt much of a help either. None of them were spectacular, and his skill in using them were even less so.

    His Lieutenant, a large man who had made the military his career, looked down at him.

    ˇ°Maybe. Maybe not. Only the Gods know.ˇ± The man replied with a shrug.

    He had spent his entire life in the service. He enlisted the day after he received his Class. The man had seen countless people die in battle, both against Monster and Man. During his many years, he learned two things. One, that battle will claim who it claims, it matters not who they are, what their Class or title is, or even what they had planned afterward. And two, that oftentimes, man was worse than the Monsters they feared.

    ˇ°Sir, are you not scared of death?ˇ± The boy asked, struggling to keep hold of the small axe and shield he had been given. He had only been given two days of military training.

    His knees shook, and he struggled to control his bladder or his stomach as he watched the first and second waves of soldiers be bombarded at from above. Half of the first wave had been slaughtered before they even got ladders set up, and the second wave wasnˇŻt fair behind. Magic flew down at them from the castle walls, coupled with countless arrows. It would not be long before he would be ordered to march forward as part of the third wave.

    ˇ°No, I do not death. I fear what comes after.ˇ±

    ˇ°Third wave! Prepare to advance!ˇ± Their unitˇŻs commander shouted.

    The boy was not the only one who was struggling to control his own body. Many failed, but the liquids simply mixed into the mud beneath them.

    The City Lord had decided to take control of this enemy castle in preparation for the upcoming war. Not only would it give him stronger defenses around his City, but it would provide training for his Soldiers, drafted or not.

    As the boy watched, his throat tight and legs numb, four of the Siege Mages stepped forward and launched their Spells arching through the air. Two of them being massive fireballs that exploded over the middle of the Castle, raining down fiery arrows. And two being similarly large balls of hardened stone. One of this large stones slammed into one of the stone towers of the Castle. The Tower fell, sending the defenders atop it falling to their probable deaths and crushing the defenders within under rubble.

    The second slammed into the top of one of the Castle outer walls, destroying the battlements, pulverizing the defenders, and some attackers, and sending the rock tumbling over and into the Castle grounds on the other side of the wall, doing unknown damage to whatever was there. And that was the place the third wave was heading into.

    ˇ°Third Wave! Advance!ˇ±

    The formation marched forward. The recruits in front, followed by the veterans. Both to discourage fleeing and for them forward, and to soak up damage for the veterans. They started slowly, well out of range of the defenders. Gradually, they built up speed, until they were sprinting just before coming into range. It was as if they walked under a waterfall. Magical bolts and arrows crashed into the third wave, but they pushed forward, each one hoping their shield was enough.

    As they got closer, they got into range of the more powerful magics. Explosions rang out from within their formation, splitting them apart. At this point, any semblance of a plan was destroyed. Everyone ran forward, to seek cover in the makeshift magic shields that had been erected at the ladders, hoping they would make it, many didnˇŻt.

    The CobblerˇŻs son dived into a crater left behind by a potent Fire Ball, holding his shield up. His uniform was caked in mud, blood, and parts of people that had been part of the third wave. His lungs burned, and his vision was fuzzy. But he was alive, for now. He still had another forty meters before he would be in the protection of the Mage Shields, and then he would soon be ordered up the three-man ladders.

    An explosion erupted nearby, bringing short cries of pain and throwing dirt over the boy. Tears streaked his filthy face and his pants were wet, not all of which because of him.

    Another person jumped into the crater. The boy spun around, raising his weapon.

    ˇ°Woah boy, we ain''t at the wall yet. Best save that energy for those bastards.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lieutenant!ˇ± The boy cried.

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    Another three people jumped in. The rest of the boyˇŻs squad. John, a large man of similar age. He had been a Blacksmith but had kept up with his skills, occasionally going out hunting with some of the Novices. He was a kind man, always looking out for the rest of the squad, even if they were rude to him.

    Which brought the next man. A man of similar size to the CobblerˇŻs Son. Henry had been a tanner. And it seemed to the boy that the stench of his work had permanently soiled his attitude. No matter what happened, good or bad, Henry could say something that made it just that much worse. However, as much as the boy hated him, Henry had never brought the rest of the squad down. He did his portion, and ignored the rest. Which was annoying in its own right.

    Finally, there was Lisa. She was the only other person in their squad, besides the Lieutenant, that had an actual Combat Class. She was the daughter of a Tavern keep and seemed to want a life more than that. Her Class was some kind of sword user. The boy had never had the time to ask, having only two days to prepare for a war wasnˇŻt a lot of time. She was kind and the boy had a crush on her. As he saw her again, even as filthy as they both were, he promised himself that he would ask to court her.

    ˇ°Alright everyone! Spread out! Keep your shield up! DonˇŻt slow down, and donˇŻt make yourself a target! LetˇŻs go!ˇ± The lieutenant shouted, only giving them a few moments of rest.

    As one, they all scrambled out of the crater and sprinted forward. Arrows sailed past them and explosions rang out around them, but none hit them. After what felt like an eternity, the CobblerˇŻs Son reached the relative safety of the Mage Shields and turned around. He didnˇŻt have the most stamina, and he certainly wasnˇŻt the strongest. But if there was one thing a coward like him could boast, it was that he was fast.

    He watched as Henry soon joined him, a few new arrows embedded in the wood of his shield. Then Lisa, the side of her own shield burned. The Lieutenant was next, an arrow in his shoulder, but it didnˇŻt seem to bother him much. John was the slowest among them, his shield riddled with arrows.

    A fireball landed right behind the large man, sending up dirt and throwing everything that was near it, including John. Lisa gasped as John fell hard. But after a moment they could see him move. After another moment, John propped himself up and gave them a big smile to show that he was ok.

    The arrow just seemed to appear in his eye. Lisa screamed, the boy had to be held back by his  grim Lieutenant, and Henry glared up at the Defenders on the wall. John had only been four meters away.

    ˇ°Pull yourselves together! We can mourn after we take this damn castle! Take out your anger on those bastards up there!ˇ± the Lieutenant shouted, just managing to control them, ˇ°You three up first! Let''s go! Move it!ˇ±

    Pushing them to the nearest ladder. The attackers constantly moved up, there always seemed to be space for more on the ladder. They all chose to ignore the broken corpses of the men and women who had fallen off the ladders. The outer walls of the castle were only ten meters, but even for the Adepts, falling from that height unprepared and landing at an awkward angle was still plenty enough to kill.

    Despite the multitude of people all attempting to climb the ladder, they moved quickly, and it wasnˇŻt long before the boy and his squad were climbing. The ladders had walls on the sides to help protect the climbers against projectiles, but they couldnˇŻt protect them from all of them, and it was broken in several places.

    After only three meters, they passed through the protective film of the Mage Shields, leaving them seven more meters to climb almost completely exposed. The defenders were focused more on the climbers closer to the top, but that did not mean the ones at the bottom had an easy time. The boy nearly fell off when an arrow struck the shield on his back.

    Their own Mages and archers were doing their best to suppress the defenders, but there was simply too many places for them to hide behind while still shooting down at them. The squad took their second loss three meters from the top, when an arrow was shot into his hand, causing him to fall. His screams ended with a thud that the boy heard even through the rest of the screams and noises.

    The second wave had managed to carve out an area around their ladder, allowing them to get off the ladder without contest. They all quickly took their shields off their backs, designed to quickly come to hand, and drew their weapons. The Lieutenant had another arrow in his side, but he ignored it once more. Lisa and the boy were still fine, for the most part.

    The Lieutenant didnˇŻt spare them a glance and immediately went to reinforce the ring around the ladder. Lisa and the boy joined him, even as the boyˇŻs heartbeat was in his throat. The Ring was small, but thick. Three men thick, and their squad joined the third. The boy followed the example of everyone else and held up his shield providing protection to the second row, who supported the first row, or took their place.

    Several arrows impacted his shield, but he couldnˇŻt tell how long it had been. There was a bit of a stalemate. The defenders couldnˇŻt push the attackers off the wall, but the attackers also couldnˇŻt push to take the wall. But that changed when a stray Fire Ball, cast from their side, slammed into the battlements, shattering them and disrupting the footing of everyone nearby.

    The Defenders were the first to react. They surged forward. The Lieutenant took a sword to the stomach, but even as he yelled in pain, he brought his light axe down in the neck of his assailant. However, before he could recover, two more Defenders rushed forward. They didnˇŻt bother to swing at him with their weapons. They just ran into him, throwing him off the battlements through the hole the Fire Ball created. He did not go easily, he grabbed one of them as he fell, bringing the man with him.

    The boy got distracted by his officer falling to his death and took a spear thrust to the side as punishment. He screamed in pain and fear, falling to the ground. Before the Spearman could step forward to finish it, Lisa stepped in front of him with her shield raised. She fought furiously even and soon shoved the point of her axe into the chest of the Spearman. The boy watched, desperate to stand and help her, but he fell to his knees as the wound at his side pulse, a flood of blood coming out.

    However, Lisa was still only a low Adept. She could only do so much, and that limit was exceeded when three Defenders stepped forward. She could only defend herself from one, maybe two, directions. While she was defending herself from one, and fending off a second, the third got around and thrust his spear into her back. She gave a pained sigh and fell to her knees, dropping both her shield and her axe.

    ˇ°NO!ˇ±

    But they didnˇŻt listen to the boy. They probably didnˇŻt hear him. The rest of the battle was still raging around them. The one in front of Lisa didnˇŻt hesitate to put the point of his own spear through her chest. Not one of the three gave her another glance as they moved past her corpse. But while the other two moved past, the one who dealt the final blow to Lisa noticed the boy still alive.

    He walked up to him, and tilted his head, examining the boy before him.

    ˇ°IˇŻm sorry, unless a Healer treats that soon, it will be a slow death. I shall grant you mercy.ˇ± He said, a sad expression on his face.

    He stepped forward and raised his spear to the boyˇŻs heart.

    ˇ°May you find a better life in the next one.ˇ± He recited, quickly thrusting, ending the boyˇŻs life.

    The man withdrew his spear and bent his head in a quick prayer. When he finished, he raised his head, catching an arrow through his throat. He fell to the ground, drowning in his own blood.

    Overhead, more Siege Engines and Magic soared through the air from both sides. The names of the dead quickly rising, and soon forgotten.

 Chapter 59- Minotaur

    In the end, Alaster ran through the Dungeon four more times, bringing his Core up to ten. Each time gathering all the bone he could and using it to build his expanded Minion Limit. He actually only needed to run through three times, but he wanted to test a new type of Undead he made against the Boss. It did not go well for the Skeleton.

    So he reentered the Dungeon and gathered enough bone to rebuild it, making a few changes from the previous performance.

    In the end, Alaster only made one new type of Undead. The Night Child was designed to be quick, lethal, and stealthy. The Black Guard was designed to be a soldier, capable of fighting on the front line of a prolonged battle, if needed. This new Undead was designed to be the front line.

    The Black Guard stood almost two meters, a little over six foot. Alaster had done this so he could take cover behind one of them if needed. But for this new type? It stood comfortably at seven foot, not because Alaster wanted it to be tall, but because it needed to that tall to be strong, heavy, and durable enough.

    While the Black Guards were designed as a jack of all trade, this new type was designed to take a beating. It was slower than the Black Guards, noticeable, but surprisingly not too slow. Its armor was massive and thick, strengthened to the limits of AlasterˇŻs Abilities, which improved after becoming an Adept.

    The thick chest piece was segmented at the stomach and waist, allowing greater flexibility while retaining the durability. Thick segmented plates of bone curved around the waist and ran down the legs, ending just above the knee and providing near complete protection. The legs themselves were armored similarly to the Black Guards, but the ˇ®bootsˇŻ of these Undead were thicker and while it ended just below the knee to preserve moveability, the armor expended past the knee into a sharp spike. Alaster imagined that, if needed, the Undead could knee an enemy.

    The arms had thinner plates of bone protecting them, similar to the legs, but Alaster suspected that it would still be enough to protect against a glancing blow from most Adepts. The Gauntlets were incredibly thick and had sharp edges, similar to how the ParasiteˇŻs Gauntlet looked. Alaster would not want to be backhanded by it, as it would no doubt shred his face.

    However, despite that, the defining characteristic, was no doubt the pauldrons and the upper armor of the chest piece. The Pauldrons were truly massive, even for the sheer size of the Undead. They were over six inches thick at its thinnest and slightly curved to wrap around the shoulder. The back of the chest piece was higher, creating a lip around the back of the neck and part of the head. The pauldrons expanded up past the shoulder itself to protect the sides of the head, which in conjunction with the back of the chest piece, created a form of nest for the head to sit.

    The helmet was a square great helm. Alaster recreated it from his memories while he was at Onigas and saw some of the Guards use them. But after finishing it, Alaster could not help but feel like it was taunting something to challenge its durability.

    While the most noticeable aspect of the armor was the pauldrons, the most distinctive aspect was the two horns that looked like it came from the helmet, but was in fact part of the armor itself. Alaster had added that part because he could imagine that a lot of things charging this Undead. And if all went right, the Undead wouldnˇŻt budge, it would hold its ground. So the horns were designed to strengthen the collar bones of the armor, while also dampening the impact. And if the enemy was large or unlucky enough, the points of the horns would dig into them.

    All in all, the armor was massive, taunting, and a symbol of durability. If it had been made out of metal, Alaster would be surprised if any Adept who didnˇŻt specialize almost entirely in strength being able to move in it. But it was made out of bone, and while still being a heavy material, is nowhere near the weight of most metals, at least not until Alaster strengthened it.

    That was just the armor itself. Which, while built into the Skeleton, was in fact separate. Standing at seven foot, it was massive in its own right. However, since Alaster did not have any actual human bones, he had to make it up. Just like he had done with the Black Guards. But while the Black Guards had to remain flexible and quick, this new Undead was designed to hold the ground and stand steadfast.

    It would never be without its armor, but regardless, Alaster designed the Skeleton to have its own ˇ®naturalˇŻ armor. Its ribs were remained flexible, but were made much thicker and stronger. The arms and legs became one, very solid, bone. The Skull was made thicker, with barely enough space to accommodate the Necrotic Mana. The eyes were made narrow. This would limit its vertical vision, but would also make it much harder for an object to get through to the Necrotic Mana.

    Alaster did not actually know if anything would happen, but he would rather not take that risk.

    When the Skeleton was in its armor and standing, even Alaster felt a chill. Its sheer size was imposing. The armor itself seemed to challenge others, but once the Undead was built into it, that feeling intensified many times over. It almost felt palpable. This Skeleton wanted something to beat it. It wanted the enemy to try to break it. And even more so, it wanted the enemy to fail. It wanted to watch the hope drain from the faces of those before it before they died.

    None of AlasterˇŻs Abilities hinted at this. There was nothing for Alaster to identify why this was. This Skeleton felt cruel and arrogant, but even more than that, it felt protective. The moment it was situated and free to move, it began to examine the surroundings of the Dungeon and placed itself between Alaster and wherever it expected a threat to most likely come from.

    ˇ°Now what to name you?ˇ± Alaster thought aloud.

    Alaster sat in his bone chair and thought for several minutes, while his other Undead continued to exterminate the Apes in the Dungeon and bring the corpses to him. However, in the end, it was its nearly black armor practically begging for a challenge, and its horns, that decided it.

    ˇ°You will be called Minotaur.ˇ±

    Minotaurs were creatures of legend, even in this land of Goblins and Dragons. The stories were of ancient Alchemists and Flesh Crafters working together to create the perfect soldier to conquer the lands. Together, they created a Minotaur, half man, half bull. The Legend stated that Minotaurs were arrogant creatures that were extremely territorial and violent.

    Alaster thought that matched this Undead perfectly. He almost couldnˇŻt wait to see it in action after fixing the mistakes he had seen during its last fight with the Ghost Ape. The young man almost pitied any one foolish enough to take it on in a straight fight, so he made another.

    It had taken Alaster almost the entire day in the Dungeon to make the first one, and the second was only a little faster. By the time he was done, Alaster was exhausted. Even with the help of his second mind, automatically taking care of the more simple things, his head was pounding, and his eyes were heavy. The two Minotaurs didnˇŻt even have equipment yet, but in the relative safety of the Dungeon, he didnˇŻt care.

    He currently had twelve [Horde] Skeletal Apes active and hunting down their still breathing counterparts with two of the Black Guards and the Night Children, leaving him with just two Mana Regeneration. Not a lot, and with the high mana cost of [Skeleton Creation], he quickly ran out numerous times. However, that''s where [Blood Price] came in.

    Every minute, he sacrificed twelve Health Points in exchange for sixty Mana, and his natural Regeneration would recover it. It was easy and covered the cost of [Skeleton Creation] with a little left over for him to make other changes as he saw fit with [Bone Crafting]. The System was a bit finicky over what it registered as [Skeleton Creation] and [Bone Crafting]. Making the Skeleton taller and strengthening the bones were counted as [Skeleton Crafting], but making the bones thicker and the eyes more narrow were [Bone Crafting].

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    In the end though, Alaster was able to create both of the Minotaurs without running out of mana. However, he was not used to working with Mana so intensely for so long. His head pulsed and pounded, and it wasnˇŻt alone.

    [Blood Price] didnˇŻt just take the points from the System. It actually damaged his body. At only twelve points out of his four hundred and sixty total, it was very minor and the pain easily ignored. However, doing it for every minute for several hours still took its toll. AlasterˇŻs body was sore. And not just in one place. His entire body ached.

    As much as he wanted to create and experiment with equipment for the Minotaurs, he made a small bone lean-to, raised out of the snow, and quickly fell asleep.

    He awoke several hours later, feeling much better. His body felt fine, and his head only ached when he moved it quickly. He ate some ape meat, drank some melted snow, and got back to work.

    To match with their design as being frontline defenders, the Minotaurs needed large shields. That would be first. After he finalized a design and made two of them, he would work on picking a weapon.

    Alaster already had an idea in his mind for the shield. A tower shield. A shield designed to protect the entire body, leaving only a few centimeters of the foot and head exposed. Some of the soldiers in Onigas called it a board shield due to its appearance. But for the Minotaurs, it would probably look more like a wall, which ironically, was exactly what Alaster was going for. When they raised their shields next to each other, he wanted it to look like a wall had formed.

    The shield was simple to make, just tedious, time-consuming, and just as material exhaustive as the Minotaurs themselves. When it was finished, it was just as black as the armor and had no design. That kinda bugged Alaster as he felt like the shield, which would kinda be the ˇ®faceˇŻ for the Minotaurs, had no design. But he did not know how to create a design without compromising the durability of the shields.

    The shield was slightly heavier than the shield Iris had gifted Alaster. The failed shield designed for an Expert Warrior Type Class. So far, it had remained in his Ring, untouched. He had used it more as a chair than as a shield. The Minotaurs were strong, even for their size. And while they could have wielded the shield with enough proficiency to be useful in battle, the shield itself was too small compared to them.

    So yet again, Alaster left the shield in his Ring as a memento until he could create an Undead strong enough to use it. However, even being a failed shield, it was still designed for an Expert. Alaster was confident in his ability to make the Tower Shields durable, but he was under no illusion. He knew that even as a failed project, the steel shield would still be many times more durable than his own.

    As for the weapon, Alaster chose to make two spears. They were just as simple as the ones the Black Guards used. He considered giving the two Bills to the Minotaurs, but he thought better of it. The Minotaurs had plenty of strength to use the Bills, even one-handed. But it was that same strength that worried him. Alaster could repair and recreate weapons made out of bone. He could even repair the Bills with the tools he had purchased at the same time, but his ability to repair the Bills was limited.

    He was also tempted to add a crossbar on the spears. This bar was usually designed to prevent a charging enemy from going too far down the shaft of the spear and still harming the user. An excellent addition when the users were living people who had to worry about shock. But for the Undead, especially the Minotaurs who were designed to take said charges head on, he wanted the spear to go as deep into the enemy, causing more damage, as he could.

    Besides, if the spear broke, the gauntlets of the Minotaurs had spikes at its knuckle. Alaster wasnˇŻt sure which would be a better death, the spear, or the fist. Luckily, because the Minotaurs were larger, so were their hands. Which meant that the shafts of the spears could be equally thicker.

    And yet, despite all that, he was not done. He couldnˇŻt do anything with [Raise Mage] currently, as he didnˇŻt have the corpse of a Mage present. But he still had two other new Abilities.

    [Death Aura] had immediately proven its worth. Once activated, an incredibly faint sickly green fog expanded out from Alaster in a two meter radius. As he moved, so did the fog, and outside forces, such as wind or terrain, didnˇŻt seem to effect it. Undead who entered were slightly, but noticeably, faster and stronger. And they slowly healed from any damaged they sustained. The healing was much slower than if he used [Necrotic Heal] on them, but it was present.

    Alaster had only had one opportunity to see it affect living creatures, such as the Apes, and it had only been for a moment before the Black Guards butchered it. But while it was still alive, Alaster noticed that it grew sluggish, the effect was so minor that it could have been a trick of the eye, but Alaster chose to believe it was the effect of the Aura.

    All accounted for, [Death Aura] was well worth the somewhat pricey Mana Cost. [Flesh Crafting] was strange to Alaster. He experimented with it using the corpses of the Apes, but it was beyond weird. Alaster could feel that if he worked on it, that he could push his Undead past the limits of simple bone, but it would take time. Time that he chose to push to later. He had enough  new things to worry about at the moment.

    The changes to [Raise Undead] were simple. Just more Undead. A great change that Alaster loved, but one that didnˇŻt really need any thought. [Necrotic Bolt] was slightly different but still pretty simply, and he used the Apes as test subjects. Just as he suspected, he could slightly change the shape of the bolt. If he made it thicker, it would have more physical impact and the Necrotic Mana would melt the flesh in a wider, but more surface area. While if he made the bolt more narrow, it would dig deeply, having almost no impact force, but melting the flesh in a smaller, but deeper area.

    However, the change that cause AlasterˇŻs attention was to [Bone Crafting]. It had gained the change of being able to craft Living Bone. In truth, before he started experimenting, Alaster had no idea what that meant. But after several hours, he learned that it too was simple to learn, but exceedingly difficult to master. Basically, it was enchanting bone.

    Alaster could feel that he enchant the bone to do all manner of things, but after nearly an entire day of experimenting, he had only managed to figure out how to enchant it to be slightly harder and self repair, in a sense. In actuality, the self repair enchant was more of a ˇ®return to previous stateˇŻ enchantment. Functionally, it did the same as self repair. The enchantment would slowly return the material to the same state that it was in when the enchantment was placed.

    This enchantment was pretty simple to learn, as the vast majority of physical objects actively resisted change. So it was kind of hitching off that. The hardness enchantment was so minor as to be pointless, but out of the two, it was much more complicated.

    When Alaster used the Living Bone aspect of the Spell, his vision slightly changed to see the Mana of the Object. Everything had Mana in and around it, that was one of the ˇ®factsˇŻ of magic. Enchanters took that ˇ®outlineˇŻ of mana and changed it slightly, directing the Mana in certain directions.

    In truth, Alaster only knew these two enchantments, or patterns, in ColiusˇŻ Lab. His drawings of the patterns had been extremely complicated, but after all this time, Alaster still remembered the general shape, which allowed him to make an extremely weaker and more costly version of it, but even that seemed to be pushing the limits of his personal ability. He needed to practice it. But the possibilities made Alaster promise himself that he would actively improve.

    Regardless of how weak they were, Alaster still put the self repair enchantment on all the armor of the Black Guards and Minotaurs. He tried to enchant the Skeletons themselves, but something seemed to be blocking it. He couldnˇŻt change the mana at all. But that didnˇŻt discourage him. Alaster also put the hardness enchantment on the MinotaursˇŻ shields, though he doubted it would do much. And though he was done, he could feel like he wasnˇŻt able to enchant the shields any further, even if he knew any other pattern.

    By the time his Undead had cleared out the Dungeon for the twelfth time, the two Minotaurs were almost ready, but they were missing one thing that Alaster believed to be critical. Their Minds. Alaster ordered them to kneel before him, because otherwise they were too tall for him to reach their skulls. He placed his hands on the first one and began the process, but it felt much easier. He simply chalked it up to becoming an Adept. But when he reached five hundred Mana, where he would normally stop, he felt that it was only half way full.

    Exchanging even more health, Alaster pumped more mana into the mind, watching the Mana in the Skull become thicker and brighter. However, the limit was soon reached once more, but instead of five hundred Mana, Alaster had used one thousand Mana. Five hundred Mana had made the other Undead with the intelligence of a child, without the immaturity. Alaster wondered what a thousand Mana would do. How intelligent would the Minotaurs be?

 Chapter 60- Expansion

    Alaster reappeared in the world with twenty Mana Cores in his Ring. Enough to purchase a small house in most Cities. His Undead appeared scattered around him. They quickly moved to stand before their master in formation. In the end, Alaster decided on two Minotaurs, two Night Children, and eight Black Guard. He had taken the bills and wooden shields away from the first two Black Guards. Simply put, after running through the Dungeon so many times, they were becoming worn. Too worn for Alaster to repair.

    Instead, for each of the Black Guards he made Bone Spears, strengthened to his new limit. For the Minotaurs, Alaster made two Halberds made of Bone. Typically, a Halberd was a heavy polearm used by two hands for powerful downward swings or thrusts. But the Minotaurs were strong enough to do the same with one hand. The Night Children had also been strengthened, and now they could easily blend into the shadows of the trees they hid in.

    After making all the Undead and strengthening the already existing ones, Alaster ran through the Dungeon twice more, much more slowly. During which he had them all stick together and move as a unit. He wanted experience in commanding them in such numbers. Surprisingly to Alaster, the Dungeon reacted. Instead of coming at them a few at a time as Alaster had grown used to, the Apes attacked them in equal numbers. Which Alaster was happy about as it meant a better experience in commanding his Undead.

    While the rest of the Dungeon wasnˇŻt very difficult, as each one of his Undead could comfortably handle two or even three Apes at a time, the Boss Fight was much harder than it normally was. Instead of one Ghost Ape, there were three. And they attacked together. It was challenging, and tested AlasterˇŻs ability to control his Undead.

    He had increased all of their Minds to the new thousand Mana max, which made it much easier to control them. But they still didnˇŻt register the slightly more concentrated mist as the enemy. So Alaster had to not only notice three different slight differences in the surrounding mist from three different directions, but also control his Undead to attack and defend from them. What really irked Alaster, was that when he did manage to kill all three, the reward was the same as if he had killed only one.

    The second time he ran through the Dungeon with all his Undead was similar to the second. The Apes came at them in larger numbers, and there were three bosses. Alaster found it much easier this time around, and the Undead didnˇŻt take nearly as much damage.

    After emerging from the Dungeon, Alaster was content with his progress. Taking one last look around the Dungeon entrance, Alaster turned south-west, back towards Sicon. However, he was not intending to go to Sicon. A little to the north of the city, there was a village. There, Alaster was intending to gather supplies, as well as sell the Ape furs, of which he had plenty.

    As it was, each of the Black Guards had a Snow Ape fur draped over their shoulders in a way that wouldnˇŻt hinder them in combat. Same with the Minotaurs, but they needed the Ghost Ape Furs. It didnˇŻt really provide anything, but when they reached the village it would help conceal them. Plus, Alaster thought it looked cool. The contrast between the black armor of the Black Guards and the white fur worked well together.

    Most monsters struggled to determine the actual strength of a human, which led to them attacking people well out of their league. But one thing even monsters could identify was superior numbers. Alaster wasnˇŻt expecting any monsters to attack him. That might not be the case when the sun set.

    However, he was expecting to be at the village before then. He knew the general location of it and didnˇŻt think he was too far away. But the real reason he was confident was because he had fashioned a chair lift. He did not know what it was actually called. He had this idea for a while. But now, he had enough Undead to carry it while still leaving a sizeable enough force that could defend him. The Undead didnˇŻt get tired, and they could move quicker than their living counterparts of the same general power.

    The lift was basically just a large board, the size of a door with four handles built into it, so the sides of the board were still smooth. The bone chair he had made previously was simply melded onto the board. It was very simple, and he doubted that it would be very comfortable. But it would allow him to travel faster without exhausting himself.

    Alaster got on and sat down, giving a tentative glance to the four Black Guards that stepped forward. Their increased intelligence didnˇŻt require him to command them in every little thing, and they seemed to better understand his intent. As one, they bent down and grabbed the handles through the thick snow.

    ˇ°Phew, ok. Let''s give this a try. Please donˇŻt drop me.ˇ±

    As one, they lifted, bringing Alaster up with them.

    ˇ°Woah! Ok, next time, bring me up slower.ˇ±

    Alaster had thrown out his arms in legs in a panic, but surprisingly, or perhaps not once he thought about it, the chair was perfectly level. The rest of the Black Guards took position around him, with the two Minotaurs in front and behind him. Meanwhile, the Night Children continued to hide themselves in the tall trees. They would follow them through the branches.

    ˇ°Alright, let''s go. Only as fast as everyone can keep up.ˇ±

    The Minotaurs were surprisingly fast for their size and weight. They were now much heavier than a normal person, but still a little lighter than if that person was in full plate. But they were still not as fast as the Black Guards. After all, the Undead, not weighed down by all the organs or blood, were much faster than the living of their general power.

    The Black Guard carriers started out at a slow jog, when they saw that the Minotaurs were keeping up, they gradually increased the speed until their larger brethren were beginning to lag behind, then slowed down slightly. This speed, was still a vast improvement over what Alaster could have achieved on foot, at least in the thick snow or for a lengthy enough time. But the Undead didnˇŻt grow tired, they had no issue forcing their feet through the snow time after time. The Minotaurs were more like plows, sending up large blooms of snow with each step.

    Alaster held up his hand to cover his face from the snow and looked behind them.

    ˇ®Damn, even a blind man could track us.ˇŻ

    The snow was over two foot thick, but with all the Black Guards and Minotaurs running through it, they were leaving a fairly wide path with maybe only six inches of compressed snow with all the displaced snow piled up on the edges of the path.

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    Alaster didnˇŻt really care. They werenˇŻt deep in the forest. Deeper than a Novice should have been, especially a lone Novice. But for an Adept with a sizeable force of Undead, they could have gone much further into the woods and still be fine. Of course, there were still limits, as well as the outliers, such as much stronger monsters wondering into the more shallow woods.

    Turning back to the front, Alaster grimaced. The snow really was flying right into his face, and it was cold. Alaster hated the cold, despite being born in one of the coldest winters the Village knew. The ride started out extremely bumpy, almost throwing him off several times, but as the Black Guards figured it out, they all stepped forward as one and adjusted their arms to provide suspension for Alaster. It was still bumpy, but not too much.

    Nonetheless, Alaster carefully pulled out two of the condensed Bone cubes and created a sloped wall in front of him. He had to stretch out the material, making it much weaker, but it only had to hold up against snow and wind. He also made the wall touch the sides up about a third of the way, creating a type of pocket, like a shoe, where it would hopefully be dry. Alaster was extremely tempted to build a fire there, but despite the ride being comfortable enough for Alaster, it was still too bumpy for exposed flames.

    How pathetic would that be? For the only Death Knight in the world to burn to death because he was cold, and the flames ignited his fur coats.

    Instead, Alaster just stretched out his legs there where they were protected from the snow. However, he promised himself that he would eventually find an Enchantment for heating. If he could make his Bone Crafts heat themselves, Alaster would be in bliss.

    For now, though, Alaster was forced to bear the cold wind. The slope he built, while it blocked his vision in front, also blocked the snow the Minotaur kicked up. And while it helped slightly with the wind, it didnˇŻt entirely protect him. Alaster could have made the entire lift enclosed, but he was already uncomfortable with being unable to see in front of him.

    Eventually, the ground became more even and the trees more spaced. They were getting closer to the Village, Alaster hoped. Or they could be getting closer to a road, but if that was the case, Alaster would have thought that they would have found it already. Roads tended to only have a few meters around them cleared.

    Gradually, the trees ended, so Alaster ordered the group to stop and set him down. He didnˇŻt want to go into the Village on a chair. It would make the Villagers think he is some type of Noble. That could cause issues in its own right. After disassembling the lift back into cubes, Alaster turned to the Night Children, who silently watched him from the tree branches. They refused to leave the forest of their own will, but would obey Alaster without hesitation if he ordered them. However, he wasnˇŻt going to.

    He intended to pretend that his group of Undead were a group of Mercenaries that had just finished a training exercise in a nearby Dungeon and were returning to sell their gains. Such a thing was uncommon, but easily passed off and believed. However, while he could have his Undead pretend to be very disciplined mercenaries, he wouldnˇŻt be able to have his Night Children pretend to be anything other than the Undead.

    Off in the distance, he could see smoke rising, though he couldnˇŻt see the source. To Alaster, it looked like the normal amount of smoke he would expect from a Village trying to keep warm in Winter. Alaster hesitated for a moment. It had been a long while since he had talked to another living, breathing person. How long had it been? A few weeks? A few months? Alaster was not sure, the Dungeons tended to disrupt the personˇŻs sense of time, especially when they didnˇŻt have anyone outside the Dungeon to verify how long they had spent within.

    Alaster shook himself and steeled himself. He wasnˇŻt nervous about talking to other people. He wanted to keep a low profile and remain anonymous. He was worried that he would say something strange that would bring unwanted attention, worse if it was attention from the people who had taken his sister.

    He still did not know who they were, but he was certain that he was nowhere near ready to face them yet. The best case scenario would be if they assumed he was dead and lowered their guard against any other threats they might have. That way he could eliminate them all easier.

    Thinking about his sister, AlasterˇŻs emotions became numb, less drastic. All that mattered was that he succeed and save his sister. He only brought his Undead, despite the attention they would bring even if they were masquerading as mercenaries, because if the Villagers knew he had a Ring of holding, it would draw far more attention.

    He pulled out all the Furs and Hides, basically emptying his Ring, and divided them among the Undead he was bringing into town with him. Each of them had a large stack in their arms. The Minotaurs carried the most, and were the reason Alaster was able to empty his ring. He could have made a sled, but it would have been made of bone. He didnˇŻt want to take the risk of the Villagers discovering it. It would lead them to conclusions a little too close to the truth than Alaster liked.

    Walking on his own two feet once more, Alaster led his group of Undead to the Village. Alaster suspected that it would take them an hour or two to reach it. Which he found different. In his Village, the Forest had only been a two hundred meters away from the palisades. Luckily, the snow on these plains werenˇŻt nearly as thick as it was in the forest.

    As Alaster expected, the Village soon came into view. At least the wooden palisades of the Village did. He also spotted a few groups of Novices hunting what appeared to be large snow hares in the plains. The Novices were obviously brand new and didnˇŻt know how to use their weapons. Most of them were using wooden spears they had likely sharpened themselves, but a few were using metal weapons. Such as one who used a large iron club that was clearly too heavy for him. But Alaster did see one or two who appeared to know who to use their weapons.

    Alaster couldnˇŻt help but see them as children, despite being less than a year older than them. He was the outlier who managed to reach level twenty and become an Adept within one year of becoming an Adept.

    Come to think of it, His birthday had likely already passed. He would have to ask someone what the date it, but if he was right, Winter should be almost over and receding. If that was the case, it was yet another year gone where his sister was at the mercy of her captors. And yet he was not ready. It drove him made. Stirred him to speed up, to grow stronger.

    Most of the nearby Novices spotted them, and some ran off to the Village, likely to warn their elders. Regardless, Alaster had his Undead continue. To reinforce the story that they were Mercenaries, Alaster ordered them to stay close but disorganized. Something that the Minotaurs didnˇŻt like.

    One thing that Alaster discovered, after increasing the Minds to one thousand Mana, was that the Undead began to have their preferences. They had always seemed to have their peculiarity. Like the Night Children preferring to stay on all fours, or the Black Guards preferring to work in at least one other Black Guard. But now that their minds were more expanded and complex, there were more.

    The Night Children hated being exposed, preferring to stay hidden. They also preferred to have a height advantage in any situation. The Black Guards preferred to work together and preferred to gang up on the enemy with each other to quickly kill it. The Minotaurs, they were brutes, but they preferred order, they preferred being the ones who kept the order, even in battle. They enjoyed formations and being given orders and left to work do it. They didnˇŻt like being ordered about for every little thing, but if given a general order, they would go about doing it in the best way they knew how.

    Alaster grinned at, thinking how while they were each still very simple-minded, they were gradually forming their own personalities. Especially the Minotaurs. Even after being ordered to remain in a small unorganized group, they still kept to either side of the Undead, corralling them.

    Soon they were at the gates of the Village, but they werenˇŻt alone. Before them stood what must have been the entirety of the Village Guard. And it wasnˇŻt a kind welcome. Each of the men and women were equipped in their armor and had their weapons raised or sheathed, but ready. They came for a fight.

 Chapter 61- Goldview

    Alaster ordered his Undead to stop and stepped forward calmly.

    ˇ°Hello there!ˇ± He called out, putting on his most innocent smile and stopping roughly ten meters away, his Undead another ten behind him, something his Minotaurs did not like at all.

    ˇ°Identify yourself boy!ˇ± A man in mismatched iron plate called out, apparently the leader of the Village Guard.

    ˇ°I am known as Al, and I am the spokesman of the mercenary group behind me.ˇ±

    The Guards shifted uncomfortably.

    ˇ°They send a Novice to speak for them?ˇ±

    ˇ°They donˇŻt speak at all! At least not to me nor to each other in any way IˇŻve heard. They hired me through writing.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you doing in this area?ˇ± The captain asked, suspicious of such a heavily armed group in close proximity. He had not heard any reports of any such group in the area.

    ˇ°Training! Apparently they are all Warrior Types, so they hired me, a mage, to help them locate a Dungeon to train their newer recruits. We have come here to sell our gains. We have a great many furs and hides.ˇ± Alaster yelled back.

    ˇ°To whom do they pledge their services to?ˇ±

    ˇ°Currently none, they prefer to keep their group small but strong, hence the training. We have been hunting within the Dungeon for a great while, and wish to learn of any recent happenings.ˇ±

    The Guards relaxed, and the captain yelled, ˇ°Then you are free to enter, so long as you all obey our laws.ˇ±

    ˇ°We seek only to trade and hear the news.ˇ± Alaster affirmed, walking forward and his Undead speeding up slightly to catch up to him.

    The Guards had mostly dispersed, but there were still a few who remained to watch over the group. So used to living in the wilds where any creature could be a threat, Alaster could not help but measure them. Could he defeat them if they attacked? No. His Undead were powerful, but didnˇŻt have any Abilities of their own. He could cause a great deal of damage and maybe even kill a few guards, but his Undead would be slaughtered, including the [Horde] Skeletons he would raise.

    He had to keep it peaceful.

    The captain was one of the guards that remained, and Alaster noticed that the man kept his hand close to his sheathed sword.

    ˇ°Good to speak without yelling. Now, as much as I would like an actual bed, they desire to sell their goods and be on their way to the next Dungeon. As IˇŻm sure you would prefer to have such a heavily armed group out of your Village. Perhaps you could point us to someone we could sell our furs?ˇ±

    The man grinned, he found the boyˇŻs tact to be entertaining. ˇ°Certainly, follow me. IˇŻm not sure what price youˇŻll get, but our general merchant is an honest man.ˇ±

    ˇ°No tanner?ˇ± Alaster asked, curious.

    ˇ°We do, but he can be quite harsh with his trades, we prefer selling our own furs and hides to the General Merchant and allowing him to deal with the Tanner. Besides, from what I can see of these Furs, IˇŻm sure not all of them will go to the Tanner. Might I ask why the mercenaries donˇŻt speak?ˇ± The captain asked, leading them through the dirt roads of the village.

    ˇ°No idea myself. Then again, I have never seen any of them without their helmets, so perhaps they have a way of speaking to each other? They are a strange sort, but kind enough, and they pay well enough that I donˇŻt care about their peculiarities.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will they also be selling the furs they wear?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably not. They seem to wear the furs of their latest hunt, so they probably wonˇŻt sell them until they hunt another creature.ˇ± Alaster simply enjoyed how they looked with the furs.

    The Captain pointed to a building in front of them.

    ˇ°Here you go, kid. IˇŻd recommend most of them stay outside, It''s pretty cramped in there. If you need anything else, IˇŻll be somewhere in the middle of the Village.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you for the help, sir.ˇ±

    The man chuckled to himself and walked away, but the rest of the Guards, who had followed from a distance, remained. Alaster handed his armload of furs over to one of the Minotaurs and ordered the Undead to stay outside while one of the Black Guards were chosen to follow him in. He needed to show the merchant the type of goods he was selling.

    The boy opened the door and followed the Black Guard in, closing the door behind him. The store was even smaller than he thought it was. Goods of various sorts were piled up all over. The only clear spots was the counter and the path leading to it. Behind it, stood an old man who looked only one stiff breeze from death. He was currently writing something down in what looked like a ledger.

    He slowly looked up at the newcomer.

    ˇ°Oh, I donˇŻt recognize you. Did your family move here recently?ˇ± The old man asked, with a kind smile.

    ˇ°No, IˇŻm here with a traveling mercenary group. We have some furs we will to sell.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very well then, could you bring them here for me to examine?ˇ±

    Alaster ordered the Black Guard to set its stack of Snow Ape Furs on the counter. The old man wordlessly grabbed one off the pile and examined it. First the fur side, then the skin side.

    ˇ°Are they all of this kind?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, all from the same type of Monster. We were hunting in a Dungeon.ˇ±

    ˇ°How many do you wish to sell?ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment. He had counted them before, but he had run out of space a while ago. It took him a moment to recall it.

    ˇ°Fifty Furs from a monster we called Snow Ape. Just like that fur you''re holding. And twenty furs from a larger variant we called a Ghost Ape. Its the one on the bottom of the stack.ˇ±

    The old man lifted the Snow Ape furs off so he could examine the Ghost Ape fur.

    ˇ°Interesting. IˇŻll buy the lot for five gold.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ten.ˇ±

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    ˇ°Six.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine, seven Gold and fifty Silver.ˇ±

    ˇ°Deal. By the way, weˇŻve been in the Dungeon and Wilds for a while now. Any notable news?ˇ±

    The man reached under the counter and pulled out a pouch of coins and began to count them as he answered.

    ˇ°A great deal, in fact. Let''s see here. Celarn is building more forts while taking the ones they can from Tarian hands. The Warriors of Xedora are defending their Bamboo forests from the Slave Legions of Hason. I hear that Kemore is having yet another Civil War, I think that makes four in my lifetime.

    The Savage City States tried to capture the Mountain Pass of Lissura, but failed, now they are dealing with a large Monster Wave from their Northern Forests. The Mountain Folk of Taurus are combatting an invasion of Orcs in their lands, both above and below. The Fair Folk Athera have cut off all trades and communications once again, preferring to isolate themselves.ˇ± The man had to pause to catch his breath before he continued.

    ˇ°The Gilaen Empire is once again pressuring Lissura, and both are preparing for Military Conflict. In fact, I believe the only nation I havenˇŻt heard news from is Zalar.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sounds like the entire world is only one small step away from a full-blown war.ˇ± Alaster commented.

    ˇ°Aye. It makes me sad for the next generation.ˇ± The merchant agreed with a grim expression, sliding over the coins.

    ˇ°Tell me, how is it that a store keep from a small village knows all this?ˇ± Alaster asked, putting the coins in his pouch before sneaking it into his Ring.

    ˇ°I used to be a businessman in the Capital. I decided for a more peaceful life in the countryside many years ago, but I still have contacts around. Some of which travel the lands to do business.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yet no news from Zalar?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Zalar had always been a quiet nation. Very rarely heard from. However, over the years, and the occasional news from Zalar, I hear they are excellent crafters of machines and Golems. But that could just be rumors. None of my contacts do business there, in fact, I donˇŻt think IˇŻve met anyone who does business with the Zalarian People.ˇ±

    The old man seemed glad to have someone to talk to, which Alaster was all too happy to exploit. This was incredibly valuable information, both the general news, as well as news about the Zalarians. They truly were quiet. The Atherians were isolationists, they cut off communications regularly and totally. When they didnˇŻt wish it, nothing was heard from them.

    However, the Zalarians did communicate with the other Nations. It was just that they never did anything of note. That might be fine if it was for a generation, maybe even two, but even the History Books in ColiusˇŻ Library only had a very small section about the Zalarians. If Alaster didnˇŻt know better, they were actively trying to seem as unimpressive as possible, draw the least amount of attention to themselves.

    Of course, he wasnˇŻt the only one who thought so. But the Zalarians never attacked anyone, only defended their lands. Their agreements were equal and fair. They presented no threat to anyone, and so despite the thoughts about them, they were ignored for more pressing matters. There just always seemed to be more pressing matters.

    ˇ°Thank you for the coins and the information. Where would you like us to put all the furs?ˇ± Alaster asked, eager to get on his way.

    If the international tension was rising to such a degree, it was extremely dangerous, but also extremely profitable for someone who used the dead. Battlefields would be ripe for Harvest, if he was careful.

    ˇ°Oh, you can just leave them stacked out front. IˇŻll have moved later. Be safe, young man, the world is becoming a much more dangerous place.ˇ±

    Alaster gave the order, and his Undead stacked the furs beside the door before he even opened it. He politely waved goodbye to the old man and closed the door, the Black Guard returning to the group of Undead. It might have only been a business transaction, but the man was kind to him.

    Without any ceremony, Alaster and his Undead began walking to the other end of the Village, where another gate stood. The Guards followed them at a distance, and most of the Villagers stopped their work to watch them pass. It wasnˇŻt everyday you saw such a large group of heavily armored individuals, especially the two Minotaurs, who stood seven foot tall.

    Alaster hated the attention, but allowed the knowledge that they would soon be away from the Village and the attention soon to calm him. But it seemed like too many things had gone his way lately, and the Universe had decided to throw a brick in his plans. Standing at the gate, was a few more Guards and the captain. Beside the captain, stood a boy around AlasterˇŻs age. The boy was dressed in light leather armor, but had a staff in his hands.

    ˇ®A Mage then.ˇŻ

    Staves and Wands were not necessary to cast magic, but they could help channel it. Thus improving numerous things depending on the item itself. They could make a spell stronger, faster to cast, more controllable, or even cost less mana to cast. However, they were fairly expensive. They couldnˇŻt be made by just any material, or by any craftsmen. Special materials were needed as well as a craftsman who had the Ability and expertise.

    Alaster greeted the captain as his Undead stopped a few feet back. He could the MinotaursˇŻ annoyance at being surrounded by potential threats. Just as he could feel the Black Guards identifying which of the Guards they would engage first, should the need arise. It once again made Alaster question how intelligent they could become.

    ˇ°Hello Captain. Is something the matter?ˇ± Alaster once again put on his mask, an innocent smile playing on his lips while his second mind prepared to cast [Necrotic Bolt] at the CaptainˇŻs face.

    ˇ°No no no, Nothing serious. In fact, I have a proposal for the Mercenaries.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh?ˇ± Alaster looked back at one of the Minotaurs, pretending to seek approval. ˇ°What sort of proposal?ˇ±

    ˇ°You said that they hired you as a Mage so they could better locate Dungeons, correct?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°How would they feel about hiring a second?ˇ± The Captain motioned to the boy beside him. ˇ°This boy recently became a Novice Fire Mage.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why would they want to spend more money on another Mage?ˇ± Alaster asked, already knowing the CaptainˇŻs response.

    ˇ°To cast a wider net. The two of you could separate, cover more ground. Once one of you finds a Dungeon, the rest of the group converges and challenges the Dungeon.ˇ±

    ˇ°As if this runt will be better than me!ˇ± The boy boasted to the Minotaurs. ˇ°I promise I can locate twice as many Dungeons as he can!ˇ± He had clearly decided that the Minotaurs were the leaders.

    One of the Minotaurs tilted its head, not sure if that was a threat against it''s master or not, however Alaster decided to use that to speak.

    ˇ°Unfortunately, the Mercenaries are very picky about who they hire or recruit. They expect to be away from civilization for months at a time. They go into very dangerous areas regularly. They live rough, and many won''t survive to return to civilization. And with all these wars about to begin, it will only become much worse. However, they are not against hiring him, but they have a few demands of him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Those being?ˇ± The captain asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ˇ°First, as I said before, they expect many won''t make it back and they donˇŻt want to pay any families. Anyone they hire or recruit must be independent of any ties, family, or business.ˇ±

    ˇ°This boyˇŻs parents were killed in a Hob Goblin Raid a few years back.ˇ±

    ˇ°Second. There is to be no hostilities between any in the group. Friendly competition is fine, but no arguments or fights are permitted. They will leave the aggressor in the Wilds.ˇ±

    The captain turned to stare hard at the boy, prompting him to speak with a warning.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry, I am sure we can all get along.ˇ± However, the cruel grin on the boyˇŻs face said otherwise.

    ˇ°Third, the mercenaries believe that all skills should be shared. As we travel, we each tutor each other in skills. For example, I am teaching that one how to sense mana and that one is teaching me how to use a spear. This will be expected of him, and vice versa. He will teach and he will be taught. Is this acceptable?ˇ±

    ˇ°It is.ˇ± The boy answered, ˇ°But how much is the pay?ˇ±

    ˇ°One Gold per Dungeon found at or over the C Rank. One Silver per Dungeon ran with the group, if you actively participate in the completion. As well as a share in any of the spoils, if you participate in its earning.ˇ±

    ˇ°That is acceptable.ˇ± The boy struggled to remain calm. He likely had never seen that much money.

    Alaster had a lot of money for someone his age and Tier. Of course, he was fighting Monsters and Dungeons while technically solo. He didnˇŻt need to share the spoils with anyone. He was not against spending some on the boy. The only reason he was accepting to take the boy along and keep up the act of being a Mercenary group was because Alaster wanted to learn Fire Magic.

    Anyone could learn any Ability. Mages could learn other School of Magic using different types of Mana. And Warriors who used long swords could learn Abilities for daggers. It was much harder for a Non Mage Type to learn Magic, but it was certainly not impossible.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs your name?ˇ±

    ˇ°Owen.ˇ±

    ˇ°Welcome aboard then, Owen.ˇ±

 Chapter 62- Newcomer

    Owen grinned brightly and ran off to pack. Apparently, the captain had explained the situation as he had been told, and they had both rushed over to catch them before Alaster left. Alaster was a bit grumpy that he had to wait for the boy, but he did his best to cover it by asking the Captain about his opinion on the current affairs.

    ˇ°Its wasteful. All these Nobles and Diplomats havenˇŻt had their homes raided by monsters at night. They donˇŻt know the terror of seeing a Monster rip apart your friends and family. Instead, they make their own conflict. These wars will be extremely costly. Not just in lives lost during the wars, but because the battles will excite the Monsters, and they will attack settlements more often. And with all the men and women of fighting age gone, many villages, such as this one, will be destroyed.

    While the soldiers are away, many villages wonˇŻt have the manpower to farm enough, and many will starve. And when the wars finally end and the soldiers return home with only a fraction of the numbers they left with, they too will starve. And if they donˇŻt, the Monsters will see a settlement with many humans to kill and eat, and not enough people to defend themselves.

    I believe that if the Nobility visited the villages more often and for longer periods of time, and see the devastation the Monsters leave behind, there would be fewer wars, and more calls to exterminate the Monsters. The Villages would receive more resources to build taller and stronger walls, to have more soldiers guarding them and more patrols protecting them.ˇ± The Captain ranted, breathing hard by the end as his grip on his sheathed sword tightened.

    ˇ°How many are they drafting from Goldview?ˇ±

    ˇ°The drafts havenˇŻt reached us quite yet. But I would not be surprised if they demanded fifty, perhaps even one hundred. We are a small village of only five hundred.ˇ±

    ˇ°How many would you need to still properly feed and protect the village?ˇ±

    The Captain didnˇŻt even hesitate, ˇ°Four hundred. We guards only number fifty and can guard the village quite well, but with the wars exciting the monsters, there is no telling how many we will need. And our wheat fields require a lot more. We are more lucky than most. We have a Nature Mage. She can make the fields grow faster and healthier.ˇ± The man sighed, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry. This doesnˇŻt concern you. It''s just that I know the names and faces of every person who calls this village home. Being forced to send them off to die in some stupid war aggravates me to no end.ˇ±

    ˇ°It does concern me though. I donˇŻt really have any connections to my own village, but that doesnˇŻt mean I want it harmed. Plus, all of these changes are bound to effect the market. And since we are going to be in the wilds, we should know if the monsters will be more active or not.ˇ±

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt you want them to be more active?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, until we get swarmed or attacked by a Monster much stronger than us.ˇ±

    ˇ°That would be a horrible thought. With a group like this, I wouldnˇŻt be surprised if you could take on an Expert Combat Class.ˇ±

    Alaster knew for a fact that he couldnˇŻt. The captain was under the assumption that all the Undead were normal humans, each with their own Abilities. But his Undead didnˇŻt have Abilities.

    ˇ®I wonder if there is a way for them to have Abilities? I really need to find a more experienced Necromancer. Who knows what I could learn?ˇŻ

    ˇ°Maybe,ˇ± Alaster lied, ˇ°But the group is still training, and if a Monster like that attacked, odds are even if they could kill it, I would still be dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°At least you know your limits.ˇ±

    Owen came running in with a backpack and his staff in hand.

    ˇ°Welcome back Owen. By the way, where did you get a staff from?ˇ± Alaster asked, curious to see if he could get one cheap.

    ˇ°My parents gave it to me before they died.ˇ±

    ˇ°Keep it close, then.ˇ± Alaster said, thumbing the wooden ring his Sister had given him on his birthday.

    Alaster ordered the Minotaurs to lightly nudge him, still that little nudge nearly threw him off his feet, which only helped sell the lie.

    ˇ°Guess, weˇŻll be going then. Keep up Owen.ˇ±

    The Guards opened the gate, and the group of ten Undead and two humans lightly jogged out.

    The sun shone brightly down on the fields, slightly past midday. The snowy plains stretched out in front of them, the trees of the forest on the horizon. Small groups of Novices were scattered around, hunting the small snow rabbits. They couldnˇŻt possibly provide much EXP, so Alaster did not understand why so many Novices were killing them.

    ˇ®Why waste your time on such a worthless prey?ˇŻ

    The group ignored all the Novices and jogged past. After a mile, Owen looked to be struggling, so Alaster slowed them down to a casual walk. He tried to calm himself down by reasoning that learning the School of Fire Magic would be well worth the price of being a little slower. Plus, slowing down allowed him to question the boy.

    Alaster asked the first question as they entered the edges of the forest.

    ˇ°So, Owen, what level are you?ˇ±

    Such a question was considered more private between strangers, but much less so between teammates.

    ˇ°I recently turned level five.ˇ± He replied with a hint of pride, ˇ°What about you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nine. I managed to help them kill a few Monsters in the Dungeon.ˇ±

    ˇ°Congrats.ˇ± Owen congratulated, but with a hint of venom.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be so down. IˇŻve been with them through one Dungeon, and I started off at Level Six. IˇŻm sure you can catch up quickly.ˇ±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    They walked deeper into the forest in silence for several minutes before Owen spoke up, ˇ°When should we start searching for Dungeons?ˇ±

    ˇ°They prefer to hunt in peace, without worry about interruptions. So we will travel for about a day, camp for the night, and begin searching tomorrow. By the way, could you teach me Fire Magic when we stop?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah sure, what magic do you use?ˇ±

    ˇ°Wind.ˇ± Alaster lied. Novice Wind magic was difficult to see, so it wouldnˇŻt surprise anyone if they didnˇŻt see it.

    ˇ°Think you can teach me Wind Magic?ˇ±

    ˇ°No problem, but youˇŻll first have to learn how to fight in melee. One of these guys will spar with you. IˇŻve already been trained enough for them to be satisfied. I think. They donˇŻt exactly tell me.ˇ±

    The rest of the day was spent with walking and the occasional question. It was peaceful. This shallow in the forest, none of the monsters dared to attack such a large party. Many of the Monsters could have killed one or two of the Undead, but there were ten of them, plus the two Night Children. The Children had circled around the village through the trees and now followed them hidden in the trees.

    As the sun began to set, Alaster had two of the Black Guards begin to patrol the campsite, while the rest sat down and leaned against trees. They were Undead, they didnˇŻt get cold or tired. All of this was to sell the illusion of them being normal living beings to Owen. Meanwhile, Alaster gathered some dry firewood, something that was much harder due to the deep snow.

    But Alaster cheated. When Owen wasnˇŻt looking, Alaster pulled some dry wood from his Ring. He didnˇŻt have a lot in the Ring, but it was enough to build a strong enough fire to use damp wood. Alaster normally hung some wood over the fire to dry it and then put it in his Ring.

    When Alaster returned, he helped Owen dig through the snow. As he dug through with his hands, Alaster was once again seriously considering leaving Owen behind. He would have quickly crafted a shovel out of bone, or even just made a bone sheet he could have put the fire on. Instead, here he was, his hands frozen, digging through the snow.

    ˇ®This Fire Magic better be good.ˇŻ Alaster grumbled.

    While the spell he would likely learn from Owen would be very weak and Novice Grade, it would unlock that branch, or school, of Magic. Doing so would allow Alaster to learn higher Grades of Fire Magic, as well as be able to create new spells, like he had done with [Death Touch].

    Alaster shoved down is hate of cold in favor of learning a new School of Magic and seeing how it would interact with his Necrotic Mana. But the tipping point was having Fire Magic so he could be warmer latter. He could just barely imagine being able to create a flame that would just hover around him, keeping him warm and dry.

    ˇ°What are you smiling about?ˇ± Owen asked.

    Alaster shook his head to clear his thoughts, ˇ°Just imagining being able to use Fire Magic. I hate the cold.ˇ±

    They had dug not only a place to place the fire, but also compacted the snow around it, creating a ring that they could sit on. Alaster placed one of the two Snow Ape furs he had kept for himself on the snow ring and sat down. Owen did the same with a blanket.

    ˇ°Let''s get started then. But what about the rest of them?ˇ± Owen asked, waving to the rest of the group.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt know. IˇŻve never seen them eat or huddle around a fire. For the most part, they just leave me alone. They wake me up when the sun raises, and I try to find them a Dungeon. If I do, they hand me the payment and take me into the Dungeon with them. I can either just walk along behind them, or help out.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs it? And they pay so well?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. But it is also pretty dangerous. Not only do we occasionally get attacked while IˇŻm trying to find the Dungeon, but the Dungeon I did find was a Swarm type. They did their best to protect me, but there was only so much they could do when so severely outnumbered. I nearly died twice.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well the pay is nice. But let''s get started. Ok, so I have never taught anyone how to use Fire Magic. Is there something I do in the System?ˇ±

    This was actually one of the few things Colius had been able to teach Alaster about the System.

    ˇ°No. IˇŻve heard that you actually have to teach how the Mana moves, feels, and fluctuates during use.ˇ±

    His own Necrotic Mana felt sluggish and slow while passive, but extremely quick and  aggressive when it was given a target.

    ˇ°Oh ok then. Well, I only know one spell. Fire Bolt. Its kinda like an arrow made out of Fire. I guess the spell feels warm. I know that''s something that''s obvious, its made out of fire. But the feeling I get inside is warm. But also destructive. Like it''s going to torch anything it touches.ˇ±

    ˇ°Does it have a physical impact?ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Does it move the thing it hits?ˇ±

    ˇ°A little.ˇ±

    ˇ°Could you show me? Could you cast it as slowly as you can, so I can see it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I guess?ˇ±

    Owen raised his hand over the stacked pile of wood. Alaster focused on his [Mana Manipulation] Ability. As he did, his vision slightly changed, allowing him to see extremely faint wisps of Mana.

    Mana was always everywhere, even when someone used Magic, it only moved along with the userˇŻs desire. However, the user still had to use the Mana in their Core to push it and direct it. As such, it was possible to somewhat track the use of Magic, as it would be denser in areas. This denser Mana would be slower to react, but also react more powerfully, which was just another reason why Mages who used Powerful Siege Magic waited for a bit during battles.

    As Owen began to cast [Fire Bolt] Alaster was able to see a few wisps of Mana consolidate around OwenˇŻs hand and then condense for a moment before it ignited, the spell finalizing the cast. A fiery bolt appeared in OwenˇŻs open palm for a second before it was shot forward, or in this case down, into the pile of branches.

    The pile shifted, but did not topple as it ignited, releasing a pleasant wave of heat, embracing Alaster. But it did not distract Alaster. He was focused on how the Mana moved. The stronger the spell, the more it effected the movement of Mana, as well as how long it took for the Mana to return to a normal state. For such a low level spell such as [Fire Bolt], used by a low level Novice, the Mana returned to normal after only a few moments.

    The Mana movement was similar to [Necrotic Bolt], but slightly different. But not too much that Alaster couldnˇŻt replicate the effects with [Mana Manipulation]. However, in the end, theory was different from practice. Alaster asked Owen to cast [Fire Bolt] dozens of more times, each time trying to replicate the Mana movement himself. He could feel himself growing closer and closer, but each time failed, simply creating a weird type of [Necrotic Bolt] that Alaster had to quickly halt.

    Eventually, however, Owen grew tired of casting [Fire Bolt] endlessly. Alaster was irritated that he was forced to stop before he had accomplished his goal, but he understood. Plus, Owen had a large tarp rolled up in his bag that he and Alaster set up over the small dugout, creating a small shelter. After that, they ate some roasted Snow Ape meat and laid down to sleep.

    Long after OwenˇŻs snores began, Alaster was still attempting to replicate the [Fire Bolt].

    ˇ®You should rest.ˇŻ The parasite reminded Alaster.

    ˇ®I know, but IˇŻm so close. I can feel it!ˇŻ

    ˇ®And you were so close two hours ago. Tomorrow is a new day, and you have time.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But my Sister might not.ˇŻ Alaster closed his eyes as he clenched his fist, remembering her face, and finding it difficult.

    ˇ®Perhaps, perhaps not. As you are today, are you strong enough to face her captors?ˇŻ

    Alaster hesitated, already knowing the answer, ˇ®No.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And will you be tomorrow?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No.ˇŻ Alaster grumbled in his mind.

    ˇ®Then rest, so that you will have the energy to become strong enough. Worry not, your Undead will watch over and protect you, and should they fail, I will not.ˇŻ

    Alaster chuckled, but obeyed, feeling his body begin to relax. As the description of the parasite, [Death Pact] said, it could become his greatest armor, but at the moment, it was even weaker than Owen. Today it was weak, but who knew what tomorrow might bring?

 Chapter 63- Surprise Guest

    As previously ordered, one of the Minotaurs woke Alaster at dawn. Its interpretation of this was yanking off the tarp over their little shelter. The sudden movement and sound had been enough to wake Alaster, but not Owen. The other Minotaur stood over the boy and used its foot to shovel snow onto him.

    ˇ°I''m up!ˇ± Owen exclaimed, quickly waking up as the massive foot of the Minotaurs covered the boy.

    Alaster stood up and stretched, before adding some firewood they had dried the night before onto the dead fire.

    Yawning, Alaster asked Owen, ˇ°Could you start up the fire? These guys don''t like stopping until sundown, so if we are going to eat, it''s gotta be now.ˇ±

    Owen shook himself off and held his hand over the wood Alaster piled. Alaster was tired, but he wasnˇŻt too tired to forget to watch with his [Mana Manipulation] active. Once more, the bolt of fire Owen produced ignited the wood, and once more, provided a small increase in AlasterˇŻs understanding of the spell.

    ˇ°How come IˇŻm the only one getting snow thrown on me?ˇ± Owen grumbled, holding his hands over the flames.

    ˇ°Because you were the only one still asleep.ˇ± Alaster grinned. In truth, the Minotaurs simply didnˇŻt like Owen. None of his Undead did. To be fair to Owen, the Undead didnˇŻt seem to like anyone, besides Alaster.

    Alaster discretely pulled out Snow Ape meat and passed some over to Owen. They sat silently as they roasted the meat. As they did, the Undead, who had been randomly wandering the area, all turned to one direction. Alaster immediately noticed, though Owen did not, as he took a bite out of the roasted meat before allowing it to cool, burning his tongue.

    Rolling his eyes, Alaster kicked Owen.

    ˇ°Ow! What was that for!ˇ±

    Alaster held up his finger to be quiet and pointed where the Undead were looking, slowly getting closer to the spot and lowering their weapons. Owen caught on and raised his staff, but didnˇŻt do anything.

    ˇ°Impressive senses!ˇ± A voice cried with joy.

    A older man in clothing resembling a NobleˇŻs seemed to appear out of a tree. The manˇŻs white hair was shoulder-length, tied back in a low ponytail. Everything about him, from his posture, demeanor, and stance, revealed him as a dignified individual. However, to Alaster, it also revealed the man as someone dangerous.

    Alaster could not identify the reason for this feeling, but every thing about the man screamed at Alaster ˇ®dangerˇŻ.

    ˇ°Greetings young ones.ˇ±

    As much as Alaster was wary of the man, he replied, ˇ°Greetings yourself. Might we have the honor of knowing your name?ˇ±

    The man calmly walked forward, completely disregarding the ten armored ˇ®menˇŻ with their weapons pointed at him.

    ˇ°My name is Regis. IˇŻm actually on my way back home, though I decided on a more roundabout way. I just recently retired from adventuring.ˇ±

    Alaster put on a fake smile, ordering his Undead back, ˇ°Congratulations, perhaps you would share some stories while sharing the warmth of the fire with us?ˇ±

    The manˇŻs ever present smile widened, ˇ°I would love to!ˇ±

    Regis calmly walked to the fire and lowered himself to the snow bench. AlasterˇŻs Undead continued to randomly wander around, but they did so much closer.

    ˇ°We were just about to eat breakfast, would you like to join us?ˇ± Alaster asked, offering some Snow Ape meat.

    The man graciously accepted, and began to roast it over the fire.

    ˇ°This is one thing I miss.ˇ± The man reminisced, his eyes unfocused, recalling some memory.

    ˇ°The cold?ˇ± Alaster joked, desperately wanting to keep the man pleasant.

    ˇ°No, that is something I will be glad to forget.ˇ± The man replied with a light smile, ˇ°The new people! Adventuring always brings new and interesting people together, such as yourself, young man.ˇ±

    Owen sat back down, and didnˇŻt seem to like being ignored, but he kept his mouth shut.

    ˇ°Oh please, I am nowhere near as interesting as you must be.ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps, perhaps not. I remember once meeting a man who could create a ball of light so bright you would think it midday, even in the pits of the darkest caves. And yet, the man preferred the dark! Then there was another man who was dumb as a brick sober, but if he was wasted, he was the smartest man youˇŻd meet.

    IˇŻm sure in your own travels, youˇŻll meet just as interesting, if not more so, people.ˇ±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ˇ°What''s the most memorable adventure youˇŻve had?ˇ± Alaster was beginning to calm down, allowing his more childish side, who always enjoyed hearing such tales, to emerge. But he was still on guard.

    ˇ°Two come to mind, actually.ˇ± The man said, scratching his neck as he rotated the meat over the fire. Though, his face turned dark.

    ˇ°The day my daughter was born. And the day she died. As you grow stronger, you will inevitably create enemies. Its the cost of power. Even if you help everyone and are kind to everyone. Mere power is all it takes to make people despise you, to see you as a threat. I thought I didnˇŻt have any enemies. Maybe a few rivals, people who wouldnˇŻt mind seeing me suffer, but wouldnˇŻt actively cause the suffering themselves, but not enemies. I was wrong.

    My daughter was only sixteen years old when they came. And they came in strength. I fought them off as best as I could, but there is only so much one person can do. I donˇŻt recall how many I killed, but when they ran away, they had accomplished what they came to do. My family was dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°What did you do?ˇ± Owen asked, causing Alaster to roll his eyes.

    ˇ®What a moron.ˇŻ

    Despite OwenˇŻs rude interruption, Regis answered, ˇ°I hunted them down. It took many years, but I hunted and killed each person that was involved. And now, I am old and tired. I am retiring, and will hopefully manage to live the rest of my days in peace.ˇ±

    The old man blew lightly on the meat before he took a bite.

    ˇ°Do you regret it?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°Regret what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Getting revenge.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ahˇ­ well, I donˇŻt know. DonˇŻt get me wrong. Killing each of them brought a great sense of pleasure, but in the end, it didnˇŻt bring my family back.ˇ±

    Regis looked into the flames with a distant look in his eyes. A brief breeze swept through the area, picking up some loose snow as it went, but the old man didnˇŻt seem to notice.

    ˇ°If you had the chance, would you do it again?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    Regis didnˇŻt hesitate to look up at the young man with a bloodthirsty grin on his face, and a sensation consumed the area around the old man that froze AlasterˇŻs heart. ˇ°Without a doubt.ˇ±

    The old man looked back toward the fire and the feeling vanished as if it had never been there. Owen gasped and Alaster breathed heavily, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted off their chests, crushing their lungs.

    ˇ®If he decided to attack, we wouldn''t be able to do anything against him.ˇŻ Alaster realized, a cold sweat breaking out.

    When Alaster advanced to Adept, he felt that he was so close to his goal. Sure, practically all adults were still stronger than him, but not to an overwhelming degree. He felt that if he manipulated the situation with careful planning, that he could emerge victorious. But after meeting this old man, it was as if he was slapped in the face with ice water. Regardless of how much planning and preparation Alaster did, he would never be able to harm Regis, let alone kill him, even with his age.

    Old age didnˇŻt actually decrease the power of someone, their Abilities were just as potent and their stats just as influential. The only thing that really changed was the bodyˇŻs ability to handle the stress. If someone as young as Alaster and someone as old as Regis both had the same sized Mana Pool, and emptied it at the same rate, both would be tired and breathless, but the younger one would physically recover much faster, even if their Mana Pool was still empty. And if the elderly pushed themselves too far, it could be lethal.

    Yet despite that, Alaster doubted the old man before him would require the use of any Abilities to destroy his Undead and kill him.

    ˇ°Are you an Expert?ˇ± Alaster asked, still recovering from the sheer bloodlust that had enveloped him.

    The man looked up at the cloudy sky above, threatening to cover the world below once more.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs been a long time since I have been classed as such.ˇ±

    ˇ°A Master? That''s impossible. Those are just storiesˇ± Owen spouted, causing Alaster to shoot him a glare that promised great pain.

    ˇ°Not impossible,ˇ± Said the man, finishing the meat he had been offered and casting the stick into the flames, ˇ°Just exceedingly difficult to achieve.ˇ±

    ˇ°How is it done? What level do I need to reach?ˇ± Alaster asked, desperate for some secret to power.

    ˇ°IˇŻll tell you this. The System is a crutch.ˇ± With that, Regis stood up and patted himself down, not that any snow or dirt would have dared to touch him.

    He stepped out of the little fire pit and began to walk away, but he only got a few feet before he stopped and turned around.

    ˇ°I almost forgot! Its bad manners to accept the warmth of a fire and food without offering anything in return.ˇ±

    Alaster opened his mouth to object, saying that the old man had already done much for him, but he wasnˇŻt given the opportunity. Before Alaster could open his mouth, Regis tossed a ring to him, which he caught.

    ˇ°Thank you for the conversation, lad.ˇ± Regis waved farewell before vanishing into the forest once more.

    Alaster looked down at the ring in his hand. Its appearance wasnˇŻt anything special. It looked to be a simply iron band. There were no engravings or markings of any kind. Cautiously, Alaster slipped his finger through. Normally, he never would have done such a thing to an item he knew nothing about, but if the old man had wished them harm, Alaster was fairly certain that a mere sneeze would have been enough. The ring was a perfect fit, even more so than his sisterˇŻs ring. But the young man was not interested in that. He was instead fascinated by the effect the ring produced.

    Immediately after he put on the ring, he could feel something change. Alaster quickly opened his Status.

    [Warning: Temporary Effects Active

    SummonerˇŻs Ring:

    Capable of Storing Minions bound to the UserˇŻs soul

    0/50]

    Alaster was stunned. This was exactly what he needed. Most Monsters struggled to identify the strength of their opponents, leading them to attack those they had no chance of defeating. But they could identify superior numbers. Since Alaster had managed to create a dozen Undead, no Monster had yet attacked him. Since he had become an Adept several days ago, his progress had severely slowed due to this. Of course, that was normal for many. But for Alaster, it was aggravating.

    But with this Ring, he would be able to store his Undead inside, and bring them out when a battle begins. It would also allow him to enter Settlements much easier. A bright grin split AlasterˇŻs lips, and he stood up, excited to experiment with it. Behind him, unseen by Alaster, Owen glared at his back, his eyes burning with jealousy and greed.

    It was not unseen by the two Night Children hiding above.

 Chapter 64- New Edge

    The group split in two. Four Black Guard and one Minotaur for each human. Owen assumed they split to locate Dungeons faster, as he had been told the day before. In truth, Alaster simply wanted to get rid of the boy while he experimented with the SummonerˇŻs Ring.

    Enchanted Items with Abilities of their own were actually not that rare, among Enchanted items. But Enchanted Items were still very rare. All it took to create was for the Enchanter to know the Ability already, therefore allowing them to copy that Ability into the item. The better the Enchanter knew the Ability, the better the copy would be. If they didnˇŻt know it well enough, or didnˇŻt have it at a high enough level, then it would either fail to copy over, or more likely, have limited uses before the Item broke.

    Colius actually had one such item, capable of generating a personal Mana Shield around him capable of withstanding over a thousand points of damage. At least that''s what he claimed, at the time, Alaster did not have assess to the System, so even when he held the bracer, nothing showed up to verify the Old WizardˇŻs claim. However, Colius did say that the item only had three uses, and he had already used one before.

    Which reminded Alaster. Now that he was an Adept Mage. He should strive to get [Mana Manipulation] to level twenty so he could at least safely attempt to create [Mana Shield].

    [Mana Manipulation

    Level 9: <74%

    Control better, what builds and destroys]

    He wasnˇŻt even level ten, where he would get the first Evolution for the Ability. It wasnˇŻt that much of a surprise. [Mana Manipulation] required the user to change the flow of Mana. Using Spells would provide EXP for the Ability, but not nearly as much as it would for the user to change the Spell in some way or just manipulate raw Mana, outside of a Spell. Spells didnˇŻt really require any action on the CasterˇŻs part. All they had to do was cast the spell, and it would automatically manipulate the Mana to achieve the Spell.

    Alaster had not done much Spell casting, much less Spell editing. His Spells were varied enough and broad enough that he didnˇŻt really need to do anything outside of the SpellsˇŻ normal purview. However, [Mana Shield] was just too valuable a Spell to ignore. And Alaster had a sneaking suspicion that as his [Mana Manipulation] Improved, so to would his capability to improve the Minds of his Undead. Though he did not know for certain.

    Creating [Death Touch] had provided a sizable amount of EXP to [Mana Manipulation]. Alaster wondered what other Abilities he could create. He was already learning how to use Fire Magic. Once he was able to, he should once again receive a sizable boost, perhaps even a massive one since it was a completely different School of Magic.

    However, none of that was what he was out in the wilds for. He had divided the group so he would have the privacy to experiment with the SummonerˇŻs Ring. He needed to know how the Ring stored his Minions, if there were any effects on the Minions themselves, how quickly they could be stored as well as return, and how quickly they could act after returning. It would not do to have Alaster summon his Undead only for them to require several minutes before they could react.

    Holding up his hand, Alaster saw the SummonerˇŻs Ring, next to the Ring that his Sister had given him for his birthday the year she was taken. He only spared a glance at his SisterˇŻs Ring, knowing that if he spent more, he would spend much longer than he wanted staring at it.

    With a thought, Alaster activated the SummonerˇŻs Ring. In front of him, a small vortex of Sickly Green appeared, quickly growing into a large portal as large as a grown man within moments.

    ˇ®Quick to appear.ˇŻ Alaster noted.

    On his order, one of the Black Guards stepped forward and attempted to enter, mimicking Alaster when he entered the Dungeon by holding up its hand. Had it been a Dungeon, the UndeadˇŻs hand would have stopped like it had hit a wall, while AlasterˇŻs would have slipped through like a mist. But the Undead passed right through, quickly disappearing completely. Alaster immediately called up the Status of the SummonerˇŻs Ring.

    [SummonerˇŻs Ring:

    Capable of Storing Minions bound to the UserˇŻs soul

    1/50]

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    It now showed one out of fifty. Alaster would be able to store the Dozen Undead he could raise, as well as the all the [Horde] Skeletons he could raise while meditating, and still have room for more. It would be a long time before Alaster could create enough lasting Undead to fill all fifty slots.

    Seeing no issue, Alaster ordered the rest of his Undead, he currently had with him, in. One after another, his Undead marched through the portal. As quickly as they walked through, the Portal accepted them, quickly growing in size to accommodate the larger Minotaur. The counter rising with each one.

    ˇ®They can enter quickly enough, but how quickly can they appear again, ready for combat?ˇŻ

    Alaster closed the portal with a thought, not wanting it to effect the timing. Taking a moment to scratch his shoulder, Alaster ordered the Undead to come out. The portal appeared again, yet before it was even large enough for the Minotaur, the large armored skeleton tossed its shield through and crawled through.

    ˇ®Impatient much?ˇŻ

    The Minotaur truly detested being away from his Master. The Black Guards were just as annoyed, but were willing to wait until the portal opened large enough for them to walk through, which only took a few more seconds. In all, the Undead were capable of coming out as soon as they could fit, and the portal grew quickly enough for them to walk out within five seconds. Alaster tried a few more experiments and found that they also came out with an understanding of the situation outside, likely seeing through the eyes and ears of Alaster himself.

    Alaster did not really know. What he did know was that while the Undead were in the SummonerˇŻs Ring, any orders Alaster gave were still received and would be carried out when they came out of the Ring. When he ordered them to come out ready for a fight, they did. This Ring would certainly form the foundation of many of AlasterˇŻs future plans. The ability to summon a veritable army in only a few moments was simply too great a weapon for many to overcome.

    Of course, his Undead were weak, even compared to other Minions and Summons. He could raise a lot of them, but they were weak. None of them had any Abilities of their own. And while they were physically powerful, they were predicable and against others with Abilities, that was a weakness easy to take advantage of. If he managed to raise an Undead Mage, that would change.

    However, the fact that the Undead Mage required the remains of a Mage severely limited his opportunities to raise them. Those who could use spells were fairly common, Magic was difficult to learn for those without the System aiding them, but most Adepts learned one or two spells. The versatility of Magic was simply too much of a lure. But for the System to require a MageˇŻs remains, the person would have to possess a Mage Type Class. But if he could figure out a way to give his normal Undead Abilities. Undead where he could use any bone? His forces would receive a massive power boost, even if it was only one Ability.

    After he finished experimenting with the Ring, he stored the four Black Guards, keeping only the Minotaur out. Alaster wanted some action. He wanted some Monsters to attack him so he could farm EXP, however minor. He had been stuck at under twenty percent for too long. Sure, most Adepts went several days before achieving even ten percent progress, but Alaster would not be able to rescue his sister if he was just like any other Adept.

    No, the stronger Alaster became, the most people he met, and the more he learned, the more he realized that he was out of his league. A smart Adept with enough preparation and skill could accomplish a lot, but Alaster was now certain that the people he were going after had more Experts than he had fingers and toes. If he wanted to burn their organization to the ground, he would need to be able to at least handle two of their Experts at a time, in addition to preparation, skill, and no small amount of luck.

    As Alaster had expected, with only two traveling around, Monsters saw them more as a meal, than a threat, and began to attack. None of them were as powerful as the Minotaur, however. In fact, most of them were easy prey for even ordinary Novices such as Owen. The Minotaur tore through them with ease and glee, leaving a trail of blood and body parts. Taking from AlasterˇŻs knowledge, the massive Skeleton used its spear to impale its prey, and began to chop them into pieces when Alaster adjusted its spear into more of a glaive. Despite that, it seemed to prefer using its shield to rip the monsters into pieces. The snow was dyed dark red behind them.

    Eventually, Alaster found exactly what he was searching for. A Dungeon. He had sensed a few, but none of them were strong enough to possibly be an Adept Level Dungeon. So Alaster had simply ignored them. However, now, he felt a Dungeon that would easily be considered Adept Level. With a thought, he ordered the Undead with Owen to lead him to AlasterˇŻs location. As an afterthought, he reminded them to do so gently. He could easily imagine the Minotaur throwing the boy over its shoulder and sprinting over.

    However, Alaster could sense that the group was fairly distant. It would take them some time to arrive, so Alaster decided to find the Dungeon Entrance. As before, as they neared it, the number of weaker Monsters grew, however, since the Dungeon itself was stronger, it attracted stronger monsters. Alaster eventually had to call out the Undead in the SummonerˇŻs Ring. But there wasnˇŻt really an issue. They carved their way through. Luckily, Alaster didnˇŻt believe himself to be followed by anyone else besides Owen. Otherwise, even a blind man could have followed.

    It was not much longer before Alaster found the entrance to the Dungeon. Just as with the Everfrost Dungeon, the entrance wasnˇŻt anything special. It was the same black void, but this time in the back of a shallow cave, only ten feet deep.

    Alaster was very excited, when Owen and the rest of his Undead arrived, they would enter, and if all went to plan, they would not leave until Alaster was at least level forty. But the sun was already beginning to set, and Alaster was beginning to feel tired. And if Alaster, who had not actively participated in the fights against the Monsters, was feeling tired. Owen, the novice desperate to prove himself, would be feeling exhausted.

    They would enter the Dungeon in the morning, when both were rested. And once they did, blood would flow.

 Chapter 65- Fire

    Alaster got to work creating the shelter for the night. Basically just the same as the night before, and because Owen wasnˇŻt there yet, Alaster could create a shovel out of bone and set to work. The snow in this area was a compacted two feet deep. When Alaster finally managed to clear a six foot radius, the berm around raised the snow another two feet. Alaster then stuck two poles of reinforced bone in the ground, ready for the tarp to be placed over them when Owen arrived.

    Alaster was just getting the fire going when they finally did. Their arrival was first noticed by the Night Child, who had stuck with Alaster, and turned to stare at them. A few minutes later, Alaster heard them, as did everything for a considerable distance. Luckily, they werenˇŻt very deep in the forest, so nothing truly horrible should hear them. Granted, the Minotaur with Owen wasnˇŻt trying to be quiet.

    When they finally came into view, the sun was already sneaking behind the mountains, casting the forest in shadow. But it was obvious that Owen was exhausted. He stumbled over to the fire, gasping for breath as he sat down.

    ˇ°Are you ok?ˇ± Alaster asked, amused with the situation.

    ˇ°No! We were searching for a Dungeon when all of a sudden they forced me in this direction and set off at a jog.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you can''t handle a jog?ˇ±

    ˇ°For several miles? No! No Novice Mage could!ˇ±

    ˇ°Get used to it, they donˇŻt like being slowed down by Mages. I still remember how sore I was for the first couple of days I was with them.ˇ± Alaster lied, keeping that same cocky smile present.

    Owen laid out one of his blankets from his back and laid down with a groan, ˇ°So what is the Dungeon?ˇ±

    Alaster had placed his hand on it earlier, and it matched his needs perfectly.

    [Hollow Tunnels Dungeon

    Rank: B-

    Instance

    Time Dilution: 10:1

    Party Limit: 7]

    ˇ°Its called the Hollow Tunnels. Its a B minus Instance. Its a pretty hefty Time Dilution. Ten to one. And there is a seven member limit.ˇ± Alaster explained, sneaking some Snow Ape meat out of his Ring and placing it on a reinforced bone plate hanging over the fire to cook.

    ˇ°Wow, ten hours in the Dungeon will only equal one in the real world? Have you ever been in a Dungeon like that?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, the last Dungeon we found was the first one IˇŻve been in, and that was only five to one.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you think it will have any lasting effects?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea, but while the food is cooking, can you show me your [Fire Bolt] again?ˇ±

    Owen groaned, ˇ°Seriously? When are you going to give up on that?ˇ±

    ˇ®Its been one day. What are you talking about?ˇŻ Alaster thought, barely suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.

    Nonetheless, Owen cast the Bolt as slowly as he could while Alaster watched intently. As it formed, Owen directed it into the fire, moving a log a little, but doing little else.

    As before, Alaster tried to replicate it, feeling that he was so close. The next two hours went by like that. Owen would cast his Bolt as slowly as he could while Alaster studied it, and then he would try to make his own. They stopped to eat when the meat finished cooking, but Alaster insisted they resume afterwords.

    Eventually, Owen grew tired of this and laid down to sleep. But Alaster didnˇŻt stop. By now, he had memorized how the Mana moved during the formation of the [Fire Bolt]. Yet despite replicating it almost perfectly, the System never notified him of learning the Spell. Frustrated, Alaster stepped out of the shelter, bending low to get under the tarp, and began to walk around the area.

    His Undead were dutifully watching the area. As Alaster watched, a large weasel the size of a child and teeth like daggers with gray fur attacked one of the Black Guards, who blocked the monster with its shield. While it was still stunned, one of the Minotaurs walked over and slammed its massive shield onto the neck of the Monster, severing it in a sickening crunch.

    When Alaster first started this journey, such a sight likely would have caused him to lose his last meal, but now his first thought was ˇ®did any of it get on my clothes?ˇŻ.

    Alaster sat down on a log mostly buried in the snow. His fingers naturally found his SisterˇŻs Ring and began to spin it. It helped to calm him, but more than that, it helped to spur him forward.

    ˇ®In a few months, it will be her fourteenth birthday. One more year alone with those people doing who knows what to her.ˇŻ

    Distracted my his thoughts, he didnˇŻt notice his Undead grow more and more violent in their occasional battles against the large weasels.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    In an attempt to calm himself, he touched the Ring of Holding Colius had given him. Out of all his possessions, this was the one that had likely saved his life the most. The amulet Isabella Siphas had given him likely helped him avoid quite a few battles. The unnatural quietness from his own movements sounded almost natural now.

    He had often found himself reading through the book of Monsters Lord and Lady Siphas had gifted him, or the book of Classes Alice had given him. And Alaster still wore the cloak Lukas gave him. It was warm, but proved not quite up for the job when up against the cold nights of the winter, so he also wore a Snow Ape fur over the cloak.

    While he thought of this, his fingers brushed against the SummonerˇŻs Ring. Alaster had put both the Ring of Holding and the SummonerˇŻs Ring on one hand, and EvelynˇŻs Ring on the other. As he touched the SummonerˇŻs Ring, he was reminded of what the Old Man had told him.

    ˇ®The System is a crutch.ˇŻ

    What did he mean? A crutch was a tool used to aid someone to walk when they were injured or incapable. The crutch was meant to be a temporary tool used until the person healed enough to walk by themselves. However, as Alaster remembered, one of the Healers under the employ of the Siphas Family, if the person relied too heavily on the crutch, it could also hinder their recovery.

    ˇ®I canˇŻt rely on the System. I have to learn how to do this without it.ˇŻ Alaster realized.

    With a grin, Alaster rested his hand on his lap, palm up, and copied the Mana movements of [Fire Bolt], instead of letting it dissipate when the System didnˇŻt register it, Alaster pushed the Mana through his palm, much like he would when using [Necrotic Bolt]. A fiery bolt of flame shot from AlasterˇŻs hand into the night sky, dissipating after a few meters.

    [Spell Learned: Fire Bolt]

    [Fire Bolt

    Level 1: 0%

    Fires a bolt of condensed Fire energy

    Mana Cost: 10]

    Alaster couldnˇŻt keep the wide smile off his face. He had to accomplish something before the System registered it. He couldnˇŻt rely on it to tell him what to do or if he was on the right track.

    A brisk breeze swept through the area, bringing with it freezing winds and a wave of snow. Alaster shivered and, despite his joy at finally learning [Fire Bolt], he quickly retreated back into the shelter. Owen shifted as he was hit by a wave of cold, but didnˇŻt say anything. Alaster sat by the fire for a few moments, adding a log to be consumed by the flames, before he laid down, wrapping himself in one of the Mist Ape Furs.

    He was exhausted, his eyes scratchy and his eyelids heavy, but he couldnˇŻt sleep. Alaster was just too excited about finally learning [Fire Bolt]. It had only taken him two days, which was quick for most people, but it felt like an eternity for him. An hour passed like this, his body wanting to sleep, but his mind not allowing it. Just as the two were finally coming to an agreement, Alaster heard Owen sit up.

    Alaster pretended to be asleep, wanting to see what the boy would do. He heard Owen step around the fire as quietly as he could, crouching next to Alaster, who immediately went on guard, but didnˇŻt move. The two Night Children jumped from their tall branches and rushed over to the shelter, remaining right outside. Two Black Guards joined them. If the Night Children were needed, Alaster didn''t want them to accidentally cut the tarp.

    Owen grabbed AlasterˇŻs left hand, with the two Rings, and Alaster let him, wanting to see what the boy would do. Owen grabbed the SummonerˇŻs Ring with two fingers and tried to take it off as gently as he could, in hopes of avoiding waking him. He had failed before he began.

    The two Black Guards quickly lifted the tarp, allowing the Night Children to dive in. Owen screamed and fell back into the fire. To his credit, he was quick to roll off and pat out any flames, but froze when the two Night Children held their blades up to his throat. Alaster sat up and stared at the boy, across from the fire.

    ˇ°Alaster! Help me!ˇ± The boy begged, shivering both from the cold at having the tarp thrown off their shelter, and fear.

    At AlasterˇŻs command, one of the Black Guards gathered the tarp while the rest continued to guard the area. But the two Minotaurs marched over and stood behind Alaster, resting their shields and the butts of their spears in the snow. With the Minotaurs standing on the raised berm of snow and Owen sitting inside the shelter, the already massive Minotaurs appeared gargantuan.

    ˇ°You know Owen. When you try to steal from someone, it is probably best you do it without being caught. I mean, what were you thinking? We are in the middle of no where. If one of my things went missing, the logical deduction would be that someone in the group stole it.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do you know it wasnˇŻt one of them?ˇ± Owen cried, motioning to the Minotaurs, but stopping when the Night Children pressed their blades further, drawing a line of red.

    ˇ°Gods, you are dumb. They canˇŻt have stolen from me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why not? Why do you trust them, who have never spoken to you, over me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why? Because they are my Minions. My Undead.ˇ±

    OwenˇŻs already quick heart accelerated even more as a cold sweat coated his body, ˇ°Undead?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. I allowed you to join me because I wanted to learn your Magic. Afterward, I was going to drop you off at a nearby settlement with the money I promised and leave. No harm done. But instead, you have attempted to steal from me. So now, you are going to join my Undead.ˇ±

    The Minotaurs raised their shields over their bodies and lowered their spears at Owen.

    ˇ°Any last words?ˇ± Alaster asked, already bored.

    ˇ°Wait! Wait! You havenˇŻt learned [Fire Bolt] yet!ˇ± Owen was grasping for anything, unfortunately for him, he chose the one thing that wasnˇŻt true. Had he used this excuse just two hours prior, he would have been right and Alaster likely would have spared him, at least until he did manage to learn it. But now, his only use was now null and void.

    AlasterˇŻs lips spread in a cruel grin, ˇ°You mean this?ˇ±

    At his command, a bolt of fire shot from AlasterˇŻs hand and slammed into OwenˇŻs stomach, burning through the fabric and charring his flesh.

    ˇ°Agghggh!ˇ± Owen screamed and writhed in pain.

    ˇ°You have no use anymore. Goodbye.ˇ±

    One of the Night Children lunged forward, swinging its wrist blade across OwenˇŻs throat, turning his screams into wet gurgles. OwenˇŻs eyes were wide with fear and pain, and Alaster didnˇŻt turn away, not until the light from OwenˇŻs eyes vanished.

    ˇ°Alright, Minotaurs, drag the body out. DonˇŻt let any Monsters get to it. Children, good work, now back to the trees. Oh, and you,ˇ± Alaster pointed to the Black Guard with the tarp, ˇ°Help me cover the shelter again.ˇ±

    The Night Children dashed out, quickly disappearing into the bare branches one more. Only one of the Minotaurs were needed to deal with the corpse, as it just leaned over and hauled it out with one hand, tossing it away. Within five minutes, Alaster was laying down once more in the shelter, the only difference being one less person and a patch of bloody snow.

    Alaster slept well.

 Chapter 66- Bony Magic

    The next day, Alaster woke up with a smile on his face. He was warm, rested, and surprisingly comfortable. But even more than that, he no longer had to worry about hiding his Undead. He sat up and began cooking more of the Snow Ape meat. At this point, he was beginning to run out. He only had enough for a few more meals.

    ˇ®Hopefully whatever is in the Dungeon is edible.ˇŻ

    After a quick meal, Alaster suffocated the fire using a bone dome and took down the tarp, putting it in his Ring. Owen certainly wouldnˇŻt be using it. Alaster looked around the area. During the night, it had lightly snowed, piling up on the tarp, so when he took it down it all piled around. Stepping over the snow and out of the pit, Alaster saw that the Undead had done a wonderful job keeping the Monsters away from both their master and the corpse.

    ˇ®Huh, now that I think about it, I should have checked my EXP before and after I killed him. I wonder how much it was worth?ˇŻ

    It had been the first human Alaster killed. He would have expected to feel something such as grief, like the Guards usually said. But Alaster didnˇŻt. He didnˇŻt feel anything. And not like he was numb. He simply treated the kill as yet another obstacle removed from his path to saving his Sister. Treating it like that, Alaster had no issue moving onto the next thing. Which, in this instance, was the ring of dead weasels around his camp.

    The Undead, in their increased numbers, had not allowed a single weasel to get within ten meters of the shelter. And they had come in numbers. The giant weasels had climbed over their fallen to attack, and there they died. Alaster would have been impressed if the Weasels were powerful enough. As it was, he suspected even Owen would have been able to kill a few himself. The impressive part was the numbers they had managed to kill, but that was mitigated because the Undead didnˇŻt get tired.

    After a quick survey, Alaster didnˇŻt spot anything other than the weasels, so he ignored the mounds and moved on. He could have butchered a few of their corpses, but they actually had very little meat on them. He was only interested in their bones. At AlasterˇŻs command, the Undead knelt down and began to extract the bones.

    Alaster could have done it much quicker if he used his magic. He could have pulled the bones out of the bodies, a dozen at a time, if not more, but he was focusing on the corpse before him.

    ˇ®Owen was a Fire Mage.ˇŻ

    He pulled up the relevant Ability.

    [Raise Mage

    Level 1: 0%

    Raise the skeletal corpse of a mage

    Max Minions: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 200]

    Grinning to himself, Alaster mentally selected the corpse of the mage and cast the Ability. His sickly green mana leaked out of his outstretched hand and coated the remains, gradually seeping in as more and more mana covered it. After a single minute, the last of the two hundred mana points soaked into the body, and Alaster was greeted by another notice from the System.

    [Select ten Mana Cores]

    ˇ®The Spell didnˇŻt mention anything like that.ˇŻ Alaster grumbled to himself, but pulled out ten of the Mana Cores he had gotten from the last Dungeon.

    They were all identical to each other, coming from the same Boss Monster. Low Quality of a Mana type Alaster was not able to identify, which was not surprising. Alaster didnˇŻt know much of anything about the actual use of Mana Cores.

    ˇ®Apparently they can also be used in Spells.ˇŻ He noted.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    [Consume Cores?]

    [Yes/No]

    Alaster made his choice. The moment he did so, the Mana in the cores began to stream out and similarly seep into the body. Alaster had piled the Cores in the snow next to him and when the streams of Mana ended, the Cores crumbled into dull, fragile, shards. He wanted to look closer at this, but his attention was caught by the corpse. It was melting. Or at least the flesh was.

    Out of the half melted flesh, a Skeleton sat up, before standing up, bits of wet flesh falling off. Owen had not been a particularly tall boy, unlike Alaster. He looked his age, and his Skeleton emulated that, standing nearly a full head shorter than Alaster, who was just beginning to grow as tall as the Black Guards.

    The blood soaked and frosted clothes hung off the SkeletonˇŻs body, having been made to fit around the flesh of a living boy. Alaster used [Death Touch] and melted them off, after all, the clothes were made out of organic material, and they werenˇŻt good clothes anyway. Alaster wasn''t worried about losing out on money or materials, as they were ratty and pathed.

    With nothing covering it, Alaster was able to study the bones themselves. And he learned a lot. While making the Black Guards, and then the Minotaurs, he had simply made the bones however he wanted to get the desired height and functionality as a human. He did not actually know how the Human Skeleton looked. Now, after nearly half an hour of study, he at least knew the general shapes and sizes, as well as locations, of the larger bones.

    Not that it would change his current designs for his Undead. The way the Black Guards and Minotaurs were built did not hinder them in any way, and without organs or blood, their bones were allowed to be more durable and protective. He was simply curious.

    And after sating his curiosity, Alaster looked at the SkeletonˇŻs Status.

    [Novice Skeleton Mage

    Health: 100/100

    Health Regeneration: 5/min

    Mana: 300/300

    Mana Regeneration: 5/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Bone Crafting

    Strength: 15

    Dexterity: 20

    Constitution: 10

    Wisdom: 50

    Intelligence: 50]

    ˇ®Impressive. Kinda.ˇŻ

    It was, in fact, pathetic. Alaster wasnˇŻt expecting much, but this was just weak. Even an ordinary Novice would have no issue defeating this Skeleton Mage. However, Alaster wasnˇŻt discouraged. Because it had Abilities, two of them. Which, for a Mage, was an abysmal amount, but for a minion? The Skeleton Mage also had one of Alaster most used Spells, [Bone Crafting].

    After a quick check, Alaster learned that the Skeleton Mage was unable to level up any of its Abilities, and after a similarly quick test, learned that the Abilities were base Level. No Bonuses of any kind. But once again, he wasnˇŻt discouraged. Alaster was going to make this Skeleton Mage his factory, giving it all the time-consuming and brainless tasks, such as repairing the other UndeadˇŻs Armor and weapons. It would be slow, because it was stuck at level one usage. However, Alaster was able to see that the Skeleton was able to replicate the properties of the Bone it was working on.

    So the Mage would have no issue repairing the armor and weapons, even if it wasnˇŻt able to get the Bone to that level of durability itself. So Alaster would still have to make the items, but the repair could be handled by the Skeleton Mage.

    As for the [Necrotic Bolt], It was similarly level one. But it was a ranged attack regardless, so Alaster just took it in stride. Unfortunately, the Skeleton Mage wasnˇŻt very accurate. It could reliably hit a target within ten meters, but anything past that, Alaster wouldnˇŻt count on it. However, Alaster was already imagining a group of fifty of these Skeleton Mages casting [Necrotic Bolt] en masse and just showering the enemy.

    Alaster quickly gave it a mind worth one thousand Mana and gave it its first actual task. Gathering the Bones, the other Undead were extracting. As he generated his Mana and Health, he watched the Skeletal Mage go about its work. As he expected, it was slow. It consolidated the Bones into cubes, but it wasnˇŻt able to condense them much. So Alaster had to do it. He had one of the Night Children run the white cubes from the Skeletal Mage wherever it dropped them, to him, where he would condense it, and have the other Night Child stack the Black Cubes next to him.

    It was a smooth process and was quickly completed.

    After storing all the finished cubes, Alaster had the Undead throw the Weasel corpses into the pit he had spent the night in. It quickly overflowed, but he didnˇŻt care, and neither did the Undead. They continued to pile the corpses there. When it was finished, it was a wide pile, roughly up to AlasterˇŻs waist.

    Alaster smiled to himself, and raised his hand, casting [Fire Bolt]. The Spell was not very powerful, especially at level one, but Alaster didnˇŻt need it to be powerful for the current purpose. He just needed the fire, which caught very well. Alaster would not have expected weasel fur to be so flammable. And within moments, the pile was burning.

    Alaster turned away, facing the Dungeon Entrance. It was time he saw what he would be slaughtering.

 Chapter 67- Hollow Tunnels

    The light was dim, not nearly adequate to see the details in anything, but enough to not run into walls. The stone walls were rough and uneven, with many sharp angles, the floor not any better. Stalactites descended from the ceiling with stalagmites rising up to meet them, occasionally meeting to make stone pillars. The dim light was provided by moss that clung to the ceiling and ran down the pillars.

    Alaster opened his eyes and took this all in. There was only one way forward, which worried him. Even a fool could set traps in one direction, or prepare an ambush. The tunnel itself was only three meters wide, but appeared to be just under four meters tall. With how narrow the tunnel was, AlasterˇŻs worries were somewhat alleviated. The two Minotaurs could cover the vast majority of the width, and a Black Guard spear on either side would completely prevent anything larger than a Goblin from getting past.

    The young man looked behind himself. The tunnel only continued for four meters, before coming to a rounded end, but Alaster didnˇŻt care. His Undead stood in neat formation. The two Minotaurs having shoved them into their place before Alaster entered the Dungeon. At AlasterˇŻs order, they quickly marched forward, taking the formation Alaster imagined.

    The two Minotaurs in the front with a Black Guard at either side. Six Black Guards protecting the rear. And the final two Black Guards and the Night Children in between with Alaster. Unfortunately, this formation made it quite difficult for Alaster to see where they were going, so he had the two forward flanking Black Guards back up, allowing the Minotaurs to each take a step aside, allowing Alaster to see between them. They would return to the previous formation at the first sign of a threat.

    As for the Skeletal Mage, Alaster stored it in the Ring. It was simply too fragile to test it in uncharted waters. Alaster would run through the Dungeon once or twice before he brought out the mage and saw how effective it was. He did not have high hopes. This was an Adept Dungeon. Perhaps if Alaster was still in the Everfrost Dungeon, the Mage would have been useful, but Adept Monsters were on a different tier for a reason.

    Together, Alaster and his Undead moved deeper into the Dungeon. The terrain didnˇŻt change much. The walls were still rough stone, the floors were uneven, the ceiling was covered in faintly glowing moss. Alaster could not tell how long they had been walking, as there was no way for him to measure time, but he felt like it had been at least an hour, perhaps closer to two. Nothing attacked them. Nothing changed. There were no forks in the tunnel.

    Alaster was about to stop and eat some dried Snow Ape meat when both Night Children perked up. They had noticed something. Immediately, the Minotaurs raised their shields and closed the gap, their shields raised. Not a moment later, a series of projectiles slammed into the shields. From the sound of it, there was plenty of force behind them, but the Minotaurs didnˇŻt budge an inch. However, Alaster did not hear them clatter to the stone ground. Whatever the Minotaurs had blocked, had enough power behind it to embed into the reinforced bone.

    The Black Guards on both ends raised their shields and lowered their spears, but stayed in formation. The Night Children were dancing the edge of the space in between the two lines, desperately wanting to attack the enemy. They did not like being told to hold in one spot, Alaster had not designed them to. He had made them to be ambushers, and yet, it always seemed like he was the one being ambushed.

    Only a few moments passed before battle cries bounced off the walls. Alaster peeked around one of the Minotaurs and saw something he had hoped he wouldnˇŻt have to deal with again. Goblins. Except these Goblins were mottled gray instead of green and even had patches of scales at their elbows and knees. They also stood taller, matching AlasterˇŻs height at just below the average human. In fact, the only reason Alaster still called them Goblins was because their hideous faces were still the same. Even their weapons were different.

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    Instead of the usual primitive wooden spears and clubs, these Goblins were using crude iron spears and what appeared to be a wooden club with a sharpened iron band around it. But what surprised Alaster the most, was that while a good two dozen of them charged Alaster and his group, there were six in the back with small crossbows. They appeared to be struggling to pull them back to reload, and Alaster was not surprised. The bolts, while small, had dug deep into the bone shields, and from the grouping, they were surprisingly accurate.

    Alaster ducked back behind the Minotaurs just before the Goblins clashed into the front line of Undead. The two Black Guards on either side were slid back nearly a foot, but the Goblins that crashed into the Minotaurs bounced off, not managing to make them even shuffle a little. The Night Children ran underneath the Minotaurs with glee, slashing the shins and ankles of the Goblins. Their screams of pain turned wet as the Minotaurs thrust forward with their long glaives, impaling them while they were unable to defend themselves. The Black Guards were right behind the Minotaurs, thrusting forward themselves.

    The Goblins were able to fit seven abreast in the tunnel, and the Minotaurs took advantage of that. After all, their glaives were for slashing, not thrusting. With their blades still impaled through Goblin chests, both Minotaurs twisted their weapons and swung outward, taking a small side step to make a gap. A gap just large enough for Alaster to fire off a piercing duo of [Necrotic Bolt].

    The two liquid green bolts slammed into two Goblins, and while it only caused them to stumble, the boltˇŻs power wasnˇŻt in its utility in stopping power, but in eating the flesh of its target. And they performed admirably. One went down screaming, while the second was dead before its momentum halted, having been hit in the throat.

    The strength of the Minotaurs ripped their glaives through the corpses and put the blades deep into the sides of another two Goblins, severing the arm of one. As the two Black GuardsˇŻ Goblins crumpled to the ground, they ducked, allowing two of the rear Black Guards to thrust their spears over them. Alaster had decided to leave only two Black Guards guarding the rear, he had not seen any way for the Goblins to get behind them, but he wasnˇŻt certain or foolish enough to leave his back undefended.

    The rest of the battle was a slaughter. Other than one more volley of bolts, which the Minotaurs blocked once more, the Goblins stood no chance. The Night Children took pleasure in dashing in between the feet of the Goblins, severing muscles and joints, before retreating under the massive Minotaurs.

    Eventually, even the simple Goblins realized that they were no match and retreated. In doing so, they simply turned around and attempted to run away. None of the Undead, nor Alaster had an issue attacking their backs. In the end, only two melee Goblins and five of the crossbow Goblins got away, disappearing deeper into the dark tunnel. Alaster had managed to snipe one of the crossbow users with a [Necrotic Bolt].

    Ordering his Undead forward, Alaster learned that the Minotaurs had no moral, nor practical, issue crushing the corpses underfoot. The rest of the group did their best to step over them, though Alaster was the only one concerned about getting his boots even more filthy. As he went, AlasterˇŻs second mind began collecting the bones of the Goblins, condensing them, and storing them in his Ring of Holding.

    Only a few moments later, Alaster bent down at the ranged Goblin corpse. The only visual difference was a filthy and primitive satchel carrying the bolts in addition to the loincloth. The bag held four more bolts, meaning it had likely started with six. The bolts themselves were simple cast iron tipped. Too heavy for much distance, but powerful up close. Alaster simply tossed them into his Ring and examined the crossbow.

    It was just as primitive as he expected. Just two sticks strapped together at a T with a notch cut into the stem where the string would sit and a wooden lever that would push the string out of the notch when pushed down. Despite how primitive and limited it was, Alaster did consider giving it to one of his Undead, giving them a ranged option. And while that would be useful, he threw the idea out. From what Alaster could see with his untrained eyes, the crossbow would only be good for a few shots before it fell apart. If he was going to use a weapon, even indirectly, he wanted it to be reliable. Regardless, he tossed the crossbow into his ring.

    But before he moved on, Alaster needed to make a few changes. The battle had given him an idea about how the rest of the Dungeon would go, and while he knew it was likely to change, he was not expecting it to change drastically. The next time they faced the Goblins, they would be in for a world of hurt.

 Chapter 68- More Goblins

    Alaster ordered his Undead forward. He had made the changes he wanted. Now he wanted to see them in action. The Goblins had certainly warned the others in the Dungeon, so he was expecting to fight more prepared enemies, but in the narrow tunnel, there wasnˇŻt much to prepare for. Battles would be more dictated by the individual strength and their stamina. The Undead were certainly stronger than these Goblins, and they never tired.

    The tunnel didnˇŻt change much. Occasionally there was a stalagmite or pillar that they would have to step around, but the Undead were disciplined and moved around them without disrupting the formation too much. A good thing too, because as they were moving through two pillars, they were once again attacked by bolts.

    A dozen bolts flew through the air, almost invisible in the dim light. Monster were caught by the MinotaursˇŻ shields, but three managed to bypass them. Two embedded themselves into the shoulder of one Minotaur and the forearm of the other. While the third slammed into the shoulder of the frontline Black Guard on the left.

    These ˇ®injuriesˇŻ were purely cosmetic to the Undead. They didnˇŻt feel pain or bleed out. They didnˇŻt have muscles that were harmed by the bolts. In fact, the only way to hinder the Undead would be to damage the Mana Veins that run through their limbs, but they were completely encased in reinforced bone, and could only be damaged through Magic, at least to AlasterˇŻs knowledge.

    The Minotaurs didnˇŻt move at being shot, it was as if the Goblins had shot a stone wall, except this stone wall would take perverse pleasure in ripping you apart. The Black Guard had been forced to take a step back from the force, but was still completely functional. It just as quickly returned to its position, its shield raised.

    Alaster peeked between the Minotaurs and saw the Dozen Goblins reloading their crossbows, but they werenˇŻt alone. Right behind them, ready to charge forward if needed, at least another two dozen Goblins, probably closer to three, were waiting. However, they werenˇŻt charging. They werenˇŻt advancing at all. The Goblins were standing there, impatiently, but standing there while the Goblins using the crossbows reloaded.

    ˇ®They are going to use all their bolts before they attack, hoping it thins out my Undead.ˇŻ Alaster realized with a grin, ˇ®They arenˇŻt the only ones with ranged attacks. Plus, itˇŻll help increase the level.ˇŻ

    Alaster had the two Minotaurs shuffle to either side, providing enough room for Alaster to use his Magic through while not exposing him. Two bolts made out of Necrotic Mana flew over the distance separating the two, faintly glowing as they went. But they werenˇŻt aimed at the Ranged Goblins in front. They were aimed at the Goblins behind. Due to his limited view, and the distance involved, neither shot was very accurate, but the Goblins were bunched up enough that he didnˇŻt really need to pinpoint where each bolt would go.

    Two Goblins collapsed to the ground, one screaming, one silent. The bolt had hit one Goblin in the arm, quickly melting it off, the rest of the limb falling to the ground. While the second bolt had punched through the skull of another. It had been dead before the bolt even properly dissipated into its flesh. The Goblins shrieked in anger, but didnˇŻt charge. Something Alaster was perfectly content with exploiting.

    The Ranged Goblins finally managed to reload their crossbows and raised them to fire. As they did, Alaster ducked behind the Minotaurs, who closed the gap and raised their shields a bit higher. The Black Guards raised their shields as well. Alaster, after seeing the crossbows in the last battle, had changed the shapes of the shields to be more square in order to better protect their legs. It was a minor change, but one that would protect them more. Even if the Bolts didnˇŻt do any actual damage, he didnˇŻt want to see his Undead riddled with them.

    Another volley of bolts slammed into the bone shields of the Undead. This time, the Black Guards were forced back a step as they had another Black Guard behind them, supporting them with their own shield, which Alaster hadnˇŻt changed. Leaving them in their round shield form. However, Alaster had used the Living Bone aspect of [Bone Crafting] and enchanted the armor and shields of the Undead to repair themselves.

    It was a very weak enchantment, as Alaster could repair the same damage in a quarter of the time. But in this way, he didnˇŻt have to fix every little bit of damage. However, Alaster noticed that the bolts from the previous battle, which he had forgotten to remove from the MinotaursˇŻ shields now had bone growing on them from the shield out.

    ˇ®Huh, I wonder if they will create little spikes?ˇŻ

    Even Alaster noted how weird a thought that was while taking cover from Goblin Crossbows, but he ignored that and stood up, the Minotaurs creating the gap once more. Allowing Alaster to fire off another two casts of [Necrotic Bolt]. Another two dead, and two wounded. Each [Necrotic Bolt] agitated the already angry Goblins. Now, they were struggling to control themselves from not charging.

    ˇ®Maybe one more.ˇŻ Alaster noted, taking cover behind the Minotaurs as the Goblins raised their crossbows again.

    The bolt stuck into the shields once more, two even managing to hit the Minotaurs themselves, doing no actual damage once again. Alaster peeked around, and cast another [Necrotic Bolt]. As he had expected, as the bolts took down, either killing or injuring, two more Goblins, they lost control, and charged. Their cries of battle resounding through the tunnel.

    Alaster managed one more cast of [Necrotic Bolt] before the Goblins slammed into the shields and spears of his Undead. He actually saw one of the Goblins impale themselves on a MinotaurˇŻs horns. Alaster had made those horns to be extra defense against large Monsters charging them. He had not expected them to see actual use. It had pleasantly surprised him.

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    The Black Guards were pushed back a step, but he had made them take a step forward before they charged in preparation for this moment. Now, the Black Guards were even with the Minotaurs. The Goblins hacked and thrust at his Undead, but they were wild, never managing to do anything serious. However, they were so close and packed, they didnˇŻt leave much room for the Undead themselves to attack either. Luckily, Alaster had noticed this issue in the last battle, and had made changes to resolve it.

    Two of the Black Guards, who had been behind the forward Guards, took two steps back and lowered their spears, which Alaster had lengthened. They werenˇŻt long enough to be considered pikes, but they were close. They were also three-pronged like a pitchfork, with each prong being three sided, like a triangle, which would make wide wounds that would bleed profusely. Against most beast type Monsters, such a weapon would be too fragile, but against humanoid Monsters, such as Goblins, it worked very well.

    There were only two such weapons, but with each thrust made, one or even two Goblins would go down. Within moments, there were much fewer Goblins, which even as frenzied as they were, even they noticed. They attempted to run away, but in doing so, they gave the front line Undead enough room to attack. Which for the two Black Guards, only meant one kill each, but for the two Minotaurs, with their glaives, meant two chopped into pieces and another hurled into the tunnel stone walls.

    The Ranged Goblins fired one more volley before they also retreated. Alaster cast a [Necrotic Bolt] after them, but by the time the Minotaurs moved aside after blocking the volley, the Goblins were already disappearing into the dark. He doubted he hit any. Even if he did, he wouldn''t be able to hear them. Not all the Goblins that had gone down were dead. Luckily for AlasterˇŻs ears, the Night Children jumped from one to another, silencing their groans of agony.

    Alaster stored his Snow Ape Fur in his Ring. It was chilly in the tunnels, but not freezing. LukasˇŻ Cloak was plenty to keep the young man comfortable. However, it was only then that Alaster realized that the Snow Ape furs his Black Guards and Mist Ape furs his Minotaurs wore were covered in Goblin Blood.

    ˇ®I hope it washes out.ˇŻ

    Alaster opened his Status. Surely, after killing so many Goblins, he had leveled at least once.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 20<22

    EXP: 12%<35%

    Health: 460/460<475/475

    Health Regeneration: 12/min

    Mana: 465/465<480/480

    Mana Regeneration: 11/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Blood Price, Imbuement, Fine Control

    Strength: 66<68

    Dexterity: 58<60

    Constitution*: 70<73

    Wisdom*: 110<113

    Intelligence*: 77<80

    Free Points: 0<5]

    ˇ®Wow, two levels. Perhaps its not impossible to use this Dungeon to level up to fifty.ˇŻ

    Alaster grinned to himself. He was slowly growing stronger and stronger. Currently, while his level was still lower than most peopleˇŻs he was roughly as strong as a single Combat Type Adept. His versatility would make him a larger threat, as did his numbers, but in the end, an Adept would still dispatch his Undead quite easily. The Night Children could be killed from a slap from an Adept, but that was if they were caught. The Black Guards would slow the Adept down simply because they worked well together and there were a lot of them. And as for the Minotaurs, AlasterˇŻs strongest Undead, they would make the Adept struggle, but in the end, they too would fall apart with some effort.

    Alaster could very well be the strongest sixteen year old in the world, but he was still weak, incredibly so. And in the eyes of large organizations, he was nothing but an ant. The only thing that would give them pause about squishing him was his Class. All organizations wanted to recruit Summoner Type Classes, or basically anyone who could create Minions, of any kind. Strength was important, but numbers were vital.

    Alaster desperately wanted to find another Necrotic Mana User. There was so much he didnˇŻt know about his own Magic. And if he could find a Necromancer, even better. Elemental Magics were common and basic enough that basically everyone knew how they worked. But for Necrotic Magic? Alaster had heard of it, but never seen or heard how it worked. He was simply going with what he knew, which led his Undead to be simple and predicable and his Abilities such as [Necrotic Bolt] and [Flesh Crafting] to be ignored.

    He still had not touched [Flesh Crafting], not only because the idea of it makes him gag, but because he has no idea how to even begin using it. [Bone Crafting] had been easy for him. He just treated it like any other building material, like clay. But he couldnˇŻt do that with Flesh. He didnˇŻt understand it enough to tamper with it.

    ˇ®Alaster, you should rest and eat.ˇŻ the Parasite reminded him, ˇ®I am sensing that you are growing fatigued.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah I guess I should,ˇŻ Alaster agreed, ˇ®I have a few ideas to try out as well. By the way, I should really name you. By now, it seems kinda insulting to call you a parasite.ˇŻ

    ˇ®By your definition, that is what I am. I do not mind. But if you insist on a proper name, I also do not mind. However, do so after resting.ˇŻ

    Alaster chuckled and pulled out some bone, quickly molding it into a lawn chair and laying down, pulling out some dried Snow Ape meat. He was running out and would have to locate another source of food, or resort to eating the Goblins. Something he really didnˇŻt want to do.

    ˇ®You know, you kinda remind me of Lady Siphas,ˇŻ AlasterˇŻs smile died, ˇ®or my Mother.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why is this?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Always nagging me to take care of myself.ˇŻ

    ˇ®If it helps, you can think of my care of you as selfish. If you die, so do I.ˇŻ The parasite said, with little emotion.

    ˇ®ArenˇŻt you already dead?ˇŻ

    ˇ®So are your Minions, but you still think of them as dying when they crumble.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, I guess so.ˇŻ Alaster yawned.

    ˇ®Rest. Your Minions and I will watch over you.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs eyes were heavy, and he allowed them to close, ˇ®Thank you.ˇŻ

    The world fell away from him, as he began to dream, but not all were pleasant.

 Chapter 69- Markets

    Evelyn was slow to wake and even slower to get out of bed. Even as she finally managed it, her warm blankets called to her. Tempting her to get back under them. But she forced herself up. She couldnˇŻt stay in bed all day, even if that is exactly what she wanted. She immediately regretted her decision when her bare feet touched the cold stone of her room.

    Evelyn quickly walked over to her closet, where she had foolishly left her slippers, and put them on. While she was there, she got dressed for the day. Her maids, while they had given up trying to dress the young lady, had already set aside the dayˇŻs dress. Evelyn smiled to herself at the memory of the last time they had tried to dress her. It had only been one week after she arrived at the DukeˇŻs Residence.

    She quickly got dressed in the thick winter dress and grabbed her book. After arriving at the DukeˇŻs she quickly earned the reputation of always reading. If she wasnˇŻt doing something else or talking to someone, she was reading, even when walking. Luke had quickly learned how to direct her around while she was reading, or she would run into things, and by now it was fairly instinctual. He didn''t even notice when he did it anymore.

    TodayˇŻs book was about the intricacies of the Taurian Government and Nobility. A fascinating subject because the Taurians had two kings. One that managed the military and one that managed the domestic matters. Traditionally, the Kings were brothers, with the oldest being trained to become the Military King.

    Evelyn put on her shoes and left the room, nearly walking into Luke, who had his fist raised to knock on the door.

    ˇ°Oh! Hi Luke.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, Hi Eve. I was coming to get you for breakfast. Whatcha reading now?ˇ± Luke stepped back, allowing Evelyn to exit her room, and together they began to walk to the familyˇŻs personal Dining Room.

    ˇ°Taurian Noble Intricacies.ˇ± Evelyn said, holding up her book to show her friend.

    Luke glanced at it, ˇ°Huh, sounds boring.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre boring.ˇ±

    ˇ°How old are you again?ˇ±

    ˇ°Thirteen and eleven months!ˇ± She proclaimed, sticking her chin up like she had seen some of the prideful nobles do.

    ˇ°Still such a child.ˇ± Luke said, a disappointed look on his face before he ducked under EvelynˇŻs swing and running away.

    ˇ°Come back here and let me hit you!ˇ± Evelyn gave chase.

    The two kids ran through the halls of the DukeˇŻs estate, filling them with laughter as they ran in between the numerous servants. Some keeping the estate clean and running. While others were assisting the Duke with his numerous duties, such as running messages or bringing reports. The Duke advised the King, focusing more on the domestic affairs. He had agents throughout the Kingdom, each providing reports on even casual and unimportant matters. They left it up to the Duke to connect the dots.

    They turned a corner in the hallway, Evelyn on LukeˇŻs heels. Right into one of the guards. The armored man picked Luke up by his collar, while he gently but firmly held EvelynˇŻs arm.

    ˇ°Young master Luke, young madam Evelyn, I do believe the Duke has asked you not to run in the halls. It disrupts the servants while they go about their duties. Now, I really donˇŻt want to inform him of this, but I will if I see you running in the halls again. Understood?ˇ±

    Luke hung his head, ˇ°Yes sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good.ˇ± The man let go of them, dropping Luke, ˇ°Now go eat your breakfast and have a good day.ˇ±

    They stood there while the guard walked past them, resuming his rounds. When the man passed them, Luke looked up with a grin and took off running again, Evelyn right behind him. The guard looked behind them and saw them go, but only rolled his eyes, continuing his rounds.

    The two children soon burst through the doors of the familyˇŻs personal dining room. The table was large enough to sit six, but the family was only four, five with Evelyn. LukeˇŻs older sister was currently abroad educating and strengthening herself while also fortifying the reputation of her family. And the Duke himself rarely joined the rest of them for breakfast anyway, though he always did his best to join them for dinner. Evelyn was actually surprised to find out that most of the nobles who ran their families rarely joined said families for meals. The Duke was one of the few who did.

    He found the time, though he would still occasionally receive reports or fill out paperwork while he was there. But he strived to hear about their day and keep up to date on what was happening in their lives. Evelyn had noticed people following them throughout the day several times, only to find them handing reports to the Duke that same day.

    Currently, only the Duchess sat at the table, eating some fruits while reading a book. The Duchess actually wasnˇŻt LukeˇŻs mother. His mother had died just over a year after giving birth to him due to a Monster raid on a small village she was visiting, doing the same thing LukeˇŻs older sister was currently doing. The entire Kingdom had mourned her loss, and called her a hero for saving the village.

    The Duke had married the current Duchess just two years ago. And while she never tried to replace their mother, she strived to be the best one they had.

    She looked up at their entrance, ˇ°Good morning, children.ˇ±

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    ˇ°Morning Sofia.ˇ±

    ˇ°Morning Duchess.ˇ±

    She smiled warmly as she set down her book. The servants had put the vast selection of carefully prepared food down the center of the table, which the two kids quickly began to pick from once they sat down. They immediately began to stuff their mouths with one hand, even as they continued to put food back on their plates with the other.

    Fresh fruits from the City Greenhouses. Various flavors of porridge. Fluffy pancakes served upon a platter enchanted to keep them warm, with several syrups to choose from. Eggs of all kinds, from scrambled to omelets, and from both cattle raised within the City and from Monsters. Bread freshly baked that very morning with warm butter. Juices from a multitude of fruits.

    Evelyn still remembered back when she had first come to live in the DukeˇŻs estate. The vast variety had stunned her. When she lived in the village, her family had at most two different foods per meal, and she had never tasted half the food available. Even the Academy didnˇŻt have the selection.

    It was actually the first day of the week-long break for the Academy. Then classes would resume once more. Some of the students would have different classes, while others would remain in the same ones.

    ˇ°So, what are your plans for the day?ˇ± Sofia asked the kids.

    Luke looked up, his mouth full, ˇ°Wepth gewing tew,ˇ± Sophia interrupted him.

    ˇ°Swallow before you talk, young man.ˇ± She said sternly.

    Evelyn giggled while Luke took a moment to chew before swallowing, ˇ°Sorry. WeˇŻre going to the market! I found a stall that sells some really cool glass figures and I wanna show Eve.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, thatˇŻs nice. Just make sure to bring some Guards with you.ˇ± Sophia reminded.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry, Duchess, they already know and have a few set aside to escort us.ˇ± Evelyn said, grabbing a slice of toast.

    ˇ°So long as you are careful.ˇ± She relented, returning to her book as she ate.

    Evelyn and Luke quickly finished their meals and rushed out of the room. Sophia just smiled warmly as she watched them go. The two children sprinted to the front gate of the large estate, where a group of four lightly armored guards were waiting. One of them spotted them and nudged his companions.

    ˇ°Greetings young master. We are ready to travel with you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you. The trip should be fairly short. We are just going to the market and back, no wandering.ˇ± Luke tried to reassure the guard, who grimly smiled.

    ˇ°So we are going to the most densely populated area in the city, with thousands of people all moving chaotically, pushing and shoving, and with only four of us to protect the two of you?ˇ±

    Luke smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, ˇ°Yeaah. Sorry.ˇ±

    The guard sighed, ˇ°Should be fun. Shall we get going? The Weather Mages are predicting a blizzard later in the day, so we should be quick.ˇ±

    The guards stationed at the gate opened it and allowed them to exit, before closing it again. As the home of the Duke, cousin and direct advisor to the King, his estate was a juicy target for many a thief and assassin. There were over two hundred High Adept guards on duty at any time, as well as two Experts on call within the Estate should they be needed. That wasnˇŻt even including the DukeˇŻs personal Guards, who followed him everywhere and which numbered twenty. Fifteen of some of the most powerful Adepts, and five Experts.

    The wind gradually picked up as they walked to the market, causing Luke to shiver, but he had promised to show Evelyn the glass figures. He wasnˇŻt going to allow some wind to deter him, no matter how much it froze his blood. Unfortunately, despite have four carriages with the Duke''s Emblem on their sides, none of them were permitted for use outside of something official. Each one worth a fortune with the amount and quality of enchantments built into them. While neither Evelyn nor Luke had seen them in use, each carriage was equipped with such strong protection Enchantments so as to withstand a full-blown attack from an Expert.

    Luckily, the market wasnˇŻt that far. They soon reached the vast maze of stores and stalls. And despite the bitter cold and biting wind, it was as packed as ever. The guards surrounded the two children, clearing a path around them as they pushed their way through. Evelyn didnˇŻt really like such crowded areas, but she did enjoy seeing and listening to all the people. Even now, several years later, she still marveled at how so many people could be in the same place together.

    In just one moment, she was able to hear bits of conversations from a multitude of lives and points of view. Most would have been confused and simply blocked it all out, but Evelyn had never struggled to listen to all the people at once. It helped her learn the situation of many places, both in the Capital and not. Nowadays, it was almost all about the same thing. War.

    War was coming everywhere. Everyone was preparing for it in their own way. No war had been officially declared, but skirmishes were everywhere. If the battle wasnˇŻt between two nations, it was against the monsters. Even they could sense the tension of the Kingdoms, and it excited them. Prompting them to attack more frequently and in much larger numbers. Evelyn had already heard of several villages either being destroyed or having to be abandoned.

    Despite it all, she was safe from it. As a student of the CapitalˇŻs Academy, she was one of the most highly protected people in the Kingdom. But that did not stop her worry. Not for herself, but for her family. She hadnˇŻt received any letters from them. She hadnˇŻt even received word of what Class her brother had gotten. Nor had she heard of anything about her village in general. But she still had her own private celebration for her brother on his fifteenth birthday.

    ˇ®He should be sixteen now.ˇŻ Evelyn realized, but before she could reminisce any further, her eye was caught by a flash of light. Their destination.

    On a small stall, protected by nothing but a blanket serving as a shade, stood dozens of beautiful glass figurines. Some were of Monsters, some of legendary heroes. Manning the stall, sat an old man on a stool who looked like he was just one stiff breeze away from death. But when such a breeze swept through the market and the man didnˇŻt fall over dead, Evelyn stepped forward.

    ˇ°These are beautiful.ˇ± She complimented.

    The man looked up, with dreary eyes, glancing at the armed guards around before returning to the young lady before him.

    ˇ°Thank you miss. Would you like to purchase any?ˇ± The man spoke slowly, as if speaking was a struggle, which for his advanced age, might have very well been the case.

    Luke looked on from the side, grabbing his coin pouch. He wanted to buy one for Evelyn as thanks for helping him with one of his Academy assignments, something that was more common than not. The DukeˇŻs son was by no means dumb, but against the frightening intelligence of Evelyn, most would appear so.

    Evelyn crouched slightly and closely examined each one. And while each one was beautiful in its own right, even the ones depicting hideous monsters, none called out to her. None except for one. A figurine of a tall man in plate armor, holding his sword up, seeming to challenge some mysterious opponent.

    The young lady carefully picked it up, not taking her eyes off it. Luke handed the old man some coins and looked at Evelyn. Despite the manˇŻs face being featureless, Evelyn could not help but feel reminded of her brother. This is always how she had imagined him to be when he grew up.

 Chapter 70- Surrounded

    Blood spilled out, painting the stone ground. Alaster pressed a hand over the deep wound as he jumped back. The four Black Guard took one heavy step forward as one, thrusting their spears in an attempt to cover their master while he retreated. Goblins had swarmed them, coming from both directions. Alaster just counted himself lucky that the tunnel was so narrow, otherwise his Undead would have been overwhelmed in the first few moments.

    As it was, they werenˇŻt far from that point as it was. AlasterˇŻs Undead were much stronger than the Goblins, and while they couldnˇŻt get tired, they still had a breaking point. The Goblins just kept coming. One after another, each dying quickly, but occasionally one would get a solid hit in on one of the Undead. And there were so many and coming so quickly that even with the Living Bone enchantment, AlasterˇŻs second mind, and the Skeletal Mage all doing their best to heal the damage, it wasnˇŻt enough.

    Even when Alaster himself healed them, it was just barely faster. But with no end to the Goblins in sight, Alaster was concerned about his mana reserves. He had a lot for a Mage of his level, a nigh infinite amount with [Blood Price]. But that was only if he had enough health to convert. He was reaching his limits.

    As Alaster had ventured deeper into the Dungeon, the Goblins and grown smarter and more numerous. The tunnel had branched off a few times, but after the first several branches had ended in a dead end that wasted over an hour, Alaster had ignored all the paths that had branched off of the main tunnel. Such a simple and seemingly innocent decision was about to kill him.

    The Goblins had built short platforms that gave their crossbows a better angle over their rushing comrades. The melee Goblins were now using an even mix of cast iron tipped spears and iron studded clubs. The spear users werenˇŻt able to do much damage, but they were able to attack from further back, while their club users pushed up. It was the clubs that were the most damaging. Their powerful blunt attacks sent ripples of cracks through the bone armor.

    Alaster attempted to aid his Undead with fending off the goblins. But while he was an adequate swordsman, he was not the best, nor was he experienced in fighting in formations or with a spear. His sword was lethal, but in the current situation, he couldnˇŻt even get in range to use it effectively.

    Goblins were instinctually cowardly creatures, during the time Alaster had been in the Dungeon, he had been studying the Goblins. In addition to their darker skin and rough scales, Alaster had noticed several other things. Dungeon Monsters were notoriously difficult to frighten, and in this case, it also applied to the Goblins. Normally, after having a few of their brethren killed in front of them, they would flee, but these darker Goblins hadnˇŻt. They continued to attack even after taking significant losses.

    The Minotaurs were dispensing their wrath as efficiently as they were able. Sending limbs flying and blood spraying their bone white armor and weapons. Despite the GoblinˇŻs bravery, or stupidity, they hesitated to face the giants as the blood of their brothers painted the white armor. Alaster and the Skeletal Mage had been required to repair the Minotaurs glaives several times throughout the battle.

    Alaster bent over as he put pressure over the wound. He had over extended on an amateur thrust with his bone spear, and had gotten stabbed by a Goblin spear.

    ˇ®I really need to make a full set of armor for myself.ˇŻ

    He had a bracer on one hand and the parasite guarding his other hand, extending to his forearm. He also had a helmet and shin guards, but he had neglected to make additional armor.  The ache in his abdomen was a sore reminder of his mistake. Yet another of his mistakes since entering the Dungeon was still not resolved, and still threatening to kill him.

    During the battle, Alaster had been forced to supplement his Mana with his Health. And his decreased health was slowing down his bodyˇŻs healing. AlasterˇŻs own blood was seeping through his fingers and soaking into his clothes. He was out of commission, at least physically. Alaster took out the bone chair from his Ring and sat down. But as much as he wanted to take a break, he couldnˇŻt. He continued to look over the battle, and continued to heal his Undead.

    ˇ®After this mess, I need to figure out how to use AOE Spells. That would be really helpful right now.ˇŻ Alaster mused to himself, his face twisting as he adjusted, and cast [Necrotic Heal] on one of the Black Guards.

    The Night Children had long ago been destroyed. They were simply too fragile. And Alaster didnˇŻt have the opportunity to raise more Undead. He had tried to raise [Horde] Skeletons, but the Goblins, in the desire to reach the Undead, would drag their own dead away, out of reach of AlasterˇŻs Magic, and clear room for themselves.

    ˇ®Wait, why canˇŻt I create an AOE right now?ˇŻ

    Struck by an idea, Alaster moved quickly to put it into action. Necrotic Mana naturally wanted to destroy the living. Slow to move, quick to destroy. All Alaster had to do was let that aspect free. Alaster held his palm up, Necrotic Mana slowly gathering. First it was a few wisps, but as it gathered, it condensed, becoming more liquidlike. The young man imagined it shooting from his hand, flying in an arc, and exploding, consuming the living.

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    The dormant ball of Mana reacted to his thoughts and began to boil. Alaster actually struggled to control it, but the fear of it falling apart and consuming him was enough to spur him into action. He pointed his palm into the midst of Goblins attack the rear of the formation, where without the Minotaurs, they were struggling. The chaotic ball shot out, arching through the air, sailing over the heads of the Blackguards and at least a dozen closely packed Goblins, all vying to be the first to get past the Blackguards.

    The ball hit one of the Goblin heads. It was as if Alaster had just tossed it over. Alaster sighed. That one experiment had drained him of most of his remaining Mana, and it had failed.

    No sooner had he thought that did the ball explode in a sphere of sickly green Mana. It passed through the ranks of the Goblins as if it was a mist, stopping only two meters away from the Blackguards. And just as quickly as it had appeared, the sphere vanished, as if it had never been there. But unlike mist, the only thing that remained of the Goblins within were their weapons, loincloths, and bones. One Goblin had been caught half in, half out. It fell to the ground, its entire back exposed to the bone.

    It had been soundless, and left not a mark on the surrounding stone. But regardless, it had left an impact. The Goblins, at the front, had not seen it, and continued to charge into the swinging glaives of the Minotaurs, each riddled with countless bolts. But the Goblins at the rear had. And despite still filling the tunnel for as far back as Alaster could see in the dark, not one dared to move forward. Not one dared to cross the no man''s land that Alaster had established.

    The Goblins who were engaged with the rear Blackguards were quickly killed, too consumed by their bloodlust at being so close to their prey, they did not even notice they were alone. The six Blackguards in the rear finished with the last of them and stood straight, driving the butts of their spears into the ground, as if daring the Goblins from advancing. None took them up on it.

    Given a short respite, Alaster mediated for three minutes, recovering enough mana to create another of those explosive balls. Despite his pain, he stood up and stepped in front of the rear Blackguards, holding up the ball, as if to use it. But he didnˇŻt need to. At the sight of another green ball of mana, the rest of the Goblins scrambled to get away. Climbing over each other, they soon disappeared around the corner over ten meters away.

    One of the Blackguards stepped forward just in time for Alaster to grab its unmoving arm in support. He had lost a lot of blood and he felt faint. But he was not done yet. With the BlackguardˇŻs support, Alaster walked to the front of their formation. Three more of the Blackguards from the rear turned around and reinforced the front, leaving only two to guard the rear, not that Alaster expected the Goblins to return.

    Alaster was tempted to simply use the Goblin bones from the rear to raise [Horde] Skeletons while he meditated and overwhelm the Goblins with numbers. But he threw that plan out for the same reason the Goblins hadnˇŻt overwhelmed him with numbers. The tunnel was narrow. Just as he had done with the rear, Alaster mediated for a few moments, recovering even more mana.

    Satisfied with the amount, Alaster launched another ball over the heads of the Goblins, this time a bit deeper in their ranks. Just as before, it was soundless and left no mark as it cleared out every living thing within its five meter radius. This time, however, the Goblins were more insistent, and continued to charge forward. As they entered the [Dead Aura], that Alaster had left active the entire battle, they slowed unexpectedly, allowing the Minotaurs an easier time dissecting them.

    However, Alaster had expected just such an outcome, and had meditated enough for another ball. As even more of their number simply vanished, leaving only bones behind, the Goblins finally retreated. It wasnˇŻt until Alaster could no longer hear them that he allowed himself to fall into the chair.

    He breathed heavily. He was exhausted physically from his short spurt fighting the Goblins with a spear. He was mentally exhausted from so many spells being used in such a short time. And the young man was on the verge of passing out from blood loss. Luckily, he had prepared for something like this. He had bought some supplies in Goldview, which including some basic bandages. Alaster moved as quickly as the wound allowed him to and wrapped it tightly, biting down on his coat as he did so.

    Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he panted, his vision blurry and distant. But he had survived, barely, but so.

    ˇ®Just how many did I kill in this engagement alone?ˇŻ

    Yet there was no way to accurately know.

    When his vision finally returned, Alaster looked over the Undead. All of them were riddled with bolts, except the Mage, but even it had a few sticking out of its bones. The Minotaurs were more bolt than armor, creating the image of a porcupine. But these porcupines were literally dripping blood. Alaster briefly pondered how the Minotaurs didnˇŻt have a speck of white, even on their backs.

    Without his prompting, the Mage moved to each Undead, and began pulling out the bolts, healing them as it went. Alaster was perfectly fine with leaving it to do so. The ground was covered in about an inch of blood. This section of tunnel dipped slightly, allowing it to pool. But despite that, Alaster didnˇŻt care. His boots were soaked through already. The young Death Knight desperately wanted to take a bath, but more than that, he wanted to sleep.

    Yet despite his desire, he pushed it aside in favor of common sense. He had to ensure the area was not only clear of enemies, but also that his Undead were at max strength before he allowed himself to sleep.

    Alaster was already dreading it.

 Chapter 71- Recovery

    Repairing the Undead took nearly an hour, but Alaster left it all to the Mage. The damage, while mostly not severe, was numerous. Instead of personally repairing the Undead, Alaster focused on crafting two more Undead to replace the Night Children, who had both been destroyed in the last battle.

    The Night Children was a wonderful design of Undead. They were great ambushers and were easily able to attack from above. But they were fragile, and in a prolonged battle, weak. The Children had been of little use since leaving Sicon. Alaster would remember their design, for later use, but he wouldnˇŻt be using them now. Not in this Dungeon.

    Instead, using the ample amount of bone from the Goblins, Alaster set to work in creating two more Minotaurs. They had proven themselves in a prolonged battle. And while they were slow to move, they were very fast once they got moving, and with their weight, they were difficult for most to stop. They were even harder to move when they didnˇŻt want to. Their thick armor was nearly impervious to the Goblin weapons.

    The entire portion of tunnel was covered in blood, but the tunnel around the Minotaurs had blood dripping from the ceiling. Their glaives, while they couldn''t swing them wide due to space restraints, still had enough power to cut through two Goblins and bash into another two. Each swing cleared the area in front of them.

    Each Minotaur took almost an hour to create. The Mage finished healing just after the third Minotaur was made, so Alaster ordered it to start turning the rest of the bones into cubes. The Undead had already gathered all the bones, so it sat down in the pool of blood and began to work.

    ˇ®Does bone stain?ˇŻ

    Shaking his head to clear the unnecessary thought, he set to work on the fourth Minotaur. When he was finished, he sat back down in the chair, cautious of the hole in his abdomen, and finally looked through the notifications the System was giving him.

    [Level Up]

    [Mana Manipulation Level Ten Evolution

    <ol>

    <li> Extend Mana further from the body</li>

    <li> Condense Mana further</li>

    <li> Have a stronger hold over Mana]</li>

    </ol>

    [Necrotic Heal Level Five Evolution

    <ol>

    <li>  Can heal from three meters away</li>

    <li>  Heal two Undead at once for half again cost</li>

    <li>  Strengthen Undead under the spellˇŻs influence]</li>

    </ol>

    This was all amazing to Alaster, but he focused on [Mana Manipulation]. It was the foundation of all spells, after all. Some Mages didnˇŻt pay much attention to the ability, choosing only to use spells using the System. But such people never became Experts. The Ability simply provided too much flexibility.

    Each option had its own use, and as usual, Alaster wanted all of them. But he could only choose one. He thought about it for a few minutes, but in the end, went with what he knew would be immediately useful. While the first option would allow him further range on many of his spells, he did not have an issue with range. The third option slightly confused Alaster. It sounded beneficial for everything, but unless something was affecting his own Mana, it wasnˇŻt as great as the second option.

    If he could condense his Mana even more, he could strengthen the equipment of his Undead. The limits he could make his bone crafts were slightly weaker than iron. With his evolution, Alaster was sure his bone creations would be as strong, if not slightly stronger, than iron. This was crucial, as stronger Monsters were harder to harm, requiring stronger weapons. And stronger armor was always a good thing.

    Moving onto [Necrotic Heal] It was a much tougher decision. Currently, Alaster was forced to touch the Undead in order to heal them. Not much of an issue outside of combat. But if he had to heal them in the middle of a fight, like he had just been forced to do, it was very difficult to keep a hand on them while they are fighting.

    ˇ®Plus, when I eventually get some Undead with flesh still on them, I really don''t want to touch them.ˇŻ

    Being able to heal two at once, for fifteen mana per second, instead of one for ten mana per second. That was extremely valuable. It would have made the last fight a lot less stressful. It was simple, nothing complicated about this evolution, but it was valuable nonetheless.

    The third option was interesting, as it seemed to turn [Necrotic Heal] into a copy of [Dead Aura]. But if it stacked, it would make his Undead much stronger. Currently, Alaster estimated that [Dead Aura] strengthened his Undead by five percent, and hindered the living by the same amount. It was a minor increase, but it was still a low level. In fact, [Dead Aura] had leveled up significantly during the battle.

    [Dead Aura

    Level 1<4: 5%<59%

    Generate an aura that strengthens and heals any Undead within, while hindering the strength and healing of the Living

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    Range: 2 Meters< 4 meters

    Mana Cost: 5/sec]

    It seemed the range increased by one meter every two levels. However, while it leveled, Alaster hadnˇŻt been able to identify an increase in its effects, only its range. But if the third option improved the Undead by another five percent. They would be ten percent stronger, a small, but invaluable improvement.

    However, it required the Undead to be under the spellˇŻs influence. Which, in the spellˇŻs current state, meant touching them, and only one at a time. So until Alaster could get both the range and multiuse evolutions, this buff evolution was not worth it.

    Alaster quickly made his selection and pulled up his Status. He had also leveled up.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 20<24

    EXP: 12%<74%

    Health: 375/460<375/500

    Health Regeneration: 12/min

    Mana: 465/465<505/505

    Mana Regeneration: 11/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Blood Price, Imbuement, Fine Control

    Strength: 66<74

    Dexterity: 58<64

    Constitution*: 70<78

    Wisdom*: 110<118

    Intelligence*: 77<85

    Free Points: 0<20]

    ˇ®Wow, I wonder if IˇŻm the fastest to level.ˇŻ

    Probably not, while rare, there were plenty of people who could have Minions, people with a lot more resources than Alaster did. He just never thought he would be an Adept in just over a year. Alaster doubted anyone did. He was only able to accomplish it by throwing himself into impossible fights time after time all alone. Fights only full groups would tackle, but he only had his Minions. All the EXP went to him.

    He had twenty free points to distribute. And he only needed fifteen to get his Intelligence to one hundred. Alaster excitedly put fifteen points into INT and five into CON.

    [Intelligence 100 Bonus Unlocked]

    [Intelligence 100 Bonus: Swap

    Level 1: 0%

    Swap places with one Minion

    Range: 10 meters

    Cooldown: 10 minutes

    Cooldown Use: 500 Mana]

    Alaster rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was seeing it wrong, even though the System didnˇŻt use the eyes. When nothing changed, Alaster was stunned. Teleportation Abilities were exceedingly rare. This one was a short-ranged teleport, which was much more common, but still rare. Not only that, but once every ten minutes he could use it for free, no Mana Cost. If he used it while it was under Cooldown, it would cost him five hundred mana, which was practically all of it.

    [Swap] was a life-saving Ability. If he saw an attack coming, he could use [Swap] and let one of his Minions take the blow. Or he could use it to get to places he otherwise wouldnˇŻt be able to. Now, the Night Children were much more useful. Not in the Dungeon, but in a Settlement, when he wanted to sneak around, he could have the Night Children sneak into a place, and then he just appears there.

    Alaster pulled up his updated status.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 24

    EXP: 74%

    Health: 399/500<399/525

    Health Regeneration: 13/min

    Mana: 505/505<580/580

    Mana Regeneration: 11/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Swap, Blood Price, Imbuement, Fine Control

    Strength: 74

    Dexterity: 64

    Constitution*: 78<83

    Wisdom*: 118

    Intelligence*: 85<100

    Free Points: 20<0]

    There it was, under Bonuses, Swap was listed. Alaster attempted to pump his fist in joy, but stopped as his wound made itself known. Unfortunately, Leveling, or improving CON didnˇŻt suddenly heal you.

    Grinning like a fool, Alaster looked up at one of the Minotaurs, activating [Swap]. Immediately, AlasterˇŻs senses turned off, but just as quickly, returned. Except he wasnˇŻt in the same place. He was where the Minotaur had been, even facing in the same direction. Alaster noted a few things.

    First, despite losing his senses, Alaster was still fully aware of the area, from the MinotaurˇŻs perspective. Taking advantage of that, He could teleport and be ready for whatever was on the other side. Like attacking while the opponent was surprised.

    Second, the spell took a moment to work, during which, the first note applied. When he used [Swap] he would have to time it. If he waited till the last moment, it would be too late.

    Third, both Alaster and the Minotaur swapped in the same stance they were in previously. So Alaster fell on his rear as he had been sitting, sending a roaring fire of pain through his abdomen. And the Minotaur was suddenly standing on the chair.

    Fourth, AlasterˇŻs chair was not strong enough to support the weight of a Minotaur. It shattered beneath it, and besides slightly bending its knees, the Minotaur was completely unfazed, and splashing blood over the Undead nearest to it. Alaster was glad he didnˇŻt [Swap] with one of those.

    ˇ®I liked that chair.ˇŻ

    Alaster had just managed to fine tune the chair to be perfect for him, at least while he was sitting up. Now he had to start all over. The Mage began to collect the pieces and convert them into cubes, so Alaster looked up at his dozen Undead. His Minotaurs had always been intimidating, but now that there were four of them? Alaster shivered.

    The young man looked over at the pyramid, hip height, sitting in the pools of blood and was about to begin consolidating them in much denser cubes. But he halted his movements as a roar echoed through the tunnels.

    It sounded distant, but Alaster did not want to encounter it. Knowing his luck, it was the Boss, and his only way out.

 Chapter 72- Fortification

    As Alaster traveled deeper into the tunnels, he noticed they were growing slightly wider. Which concerned him immensely. If they continued to widen out, the Goblins would likely be able to overwhelm his Undead. It was a gradual change, and currently, was wide enough for three of the Minotaurs to fight beside each other, so that''s what Alaster did, leaving one Minotaur to guard the rear.

    In addition to the change, Alaster made the BlackguardsˇŻ spears longer. They were so long, they nearly scrapped against the tunnel ceiling four meters up. However, their length allowed them to reach past the Minotaurs and attack the Goblins. Unfortunately, while the Blackguards were plenty strong enough to wield these long spears, there simply wasnˇŻt enough maneuverability when they only used one hand. Only when they used two hands were they able to quickly move the head of the spear.

    The Minotaurs didnˇŻt have this issue because they didnˇŻt need the tip of their glaives to be maneuverable. They just needed there to be force behind the blade, which they had plenty to supply.

    Alaster encountered a few more groups of Goblins, but none were nearly as large as the ambush, and a few even ran away without attacking. Alaster was creating a reputation among the Goblins. That would only make the rest of his battles in the Dungeon that much harder. An enemy you knew was much less of a threat than the enemy you know nothing about.

    He was reminded of his target. The people who had taken his Sister. He knew that they were powerful. They had killed his parents without a sound, and not just that, but had also labeled his family as heretics worshiping demons. And they never would have known about his Sister that quickly if they didnˇŻt have someone high up in the CityˇŻs Rulers. Besides that, he had no idea who they were.

    But they also didnˇŻt know anything about him, he believed and hoped. The last time he had seen them, they had attacked him during his birthday party, before he had received his Class, and they havenˇŻt attacked him since. This reinforced his belief that they couldnˇŻt find him. And if they couldnˇŻt find him, they wouldnˇŻt know about him. He had never told anyone about his Abilities. Well, he had told Owen, but now the boyˇŻs bones worked for Alaster.

    They didnˇŻt even know his Novice Class, and he was now an Adept. An Adept that could reliably wipe out a full squad of experienced Adepts if he was given even a bit of time to prepare. Unfortunately, his Abilities were skewered. His power at close range was impressive, even for a Summoner Type Class, but his Ranged powers were weak in comparison, especially if the target was wearing armor.

    Alaster wanted to figure out some way for his Minions to have ranged capabilities. The Skeletal Mage could cast [Necrotic Bolt], but it was weak. Used against anything high Novice or stronger, it was nigh useless. Of course, it was a Minion created using the remains of a Novice. Alaster was interested in seeing what a Skeletal Mage created using Adept remains would be like.

    Moving forward, yet another group of Goblins appeared through the dark to attack. They numbered over three dozen, but in the narrow tunnel only a ten at a time could attack, which the three Minotaurs in the front had no issue dealing with. However, Alaster noted that this group of Goblins didnˇŻt have any crossbow users. Every other group had. The Goblins certainly werenˇŻt running out of them either, because the Crossbow Goblins were always the first to run away, and usually without taking any loses.

    After the Minotaurs dealt with the Goblins, sending less than a dozen running away, Alaster continued forward. From that point onward, the tunnel quickly widened to allow all four Minotaurs and two Blackguards to stand side by side. The ceiling of the tunnel also became taller, disappearing into the dark. Alaster had one of the Blackguards use their long spears to test the height and found that it had gone from four meters tall to nearly seven meters.

    Only a few minutes later, Alaster came across more Goblins, except, they had built fortifications. The Goblins seemed to have taken advantage of the increased height and width of the tunnel, building a wall out of logs. There was no door, instead Alaster was able to spot the last of the fleeing Goblins crawl over the wall with the help of those on top of it.

    They were soon spotted, which caused warning screams. The wall was four meters tall and clearly thick enough to allow the Goblins to stand on it. There were currently only four Goblins, but within moments there were a dozen, all armed with crossbows.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead raised their shields just in time for a volley of bolts to slam into them. Alaster himself stayed close to the Minotaurs, as their shields were wider, and more likely to protect him.

    On his order, the Blackguards lowered their shields and charged forward. Their long spears would allow them to stab at the Goblins on top of the wall. But before they could get more than a meter, another volley slammed into them, and this time they didnˇŻt have their shields up to protect themselves.

    Out of the eight blackguards, two of them were knocked down while the rest stumbled from the force. Alaster immediately ordered them to close ranks and raise their shields. The two who had fallen rushed to comply, but another volley rained down on them, focused on them over the rest of the Undead.

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    Their bone armor was protective, but it had its limit. A limit that was reached by over a dozen bolts in each of them. The armor shattered in multiple places and the two Blackguards halted their movements, their limbs going limp. Their armor kept their bones in roughly the same place, but Alaster knew it. Within moments of engaging, two of his Blackguards were destroyed. And it had been his foolish order that had caused it.

    He had rushed through the Dungeon, attempting to level up as quickly as he could. In his rush, he hadnˇŻt examined his enemy close enough. Or he would have seen the Goblins toss down their crossbows after using them and grabbing an already loaded one. This had allowed them to keep a near constant barrage of bolts streaming through the air. Such a simple mistake, that had cost him two of his Blackguards.

    Alaster ducked behind the MinotaursˇŻ shields as another volley was released. Had he been commanding a group of living people, two of those people would be dead right now. Likely more, as the Undead didnˇŻt have organs or bleed out. Alaster was furious at himself. He had little issue killing to survive. He had no issue with killing Owen, the boy had attempted to steal from him. But he did have an issue with those under his command dying due to such a simple mistake. His Undead werenˇŻt alive to begin with, but that didnˇŻt matter to him. They were his.

    Alaster was temped to lob his new spell over the wall.

    [Dead Bomb

    Level 3: 84%

    Create an Orb of volatile mana that explodes, leaving only bone untouched.

    Range: 5 Meters

    Radius: 2 Meters

    Cost: 200 Mana]

    He was so sorely tempted, but this was a learning experience. It wasnˇŻt an actual fort, nor would it be an actual siege, but it was close enough to still teach him. He could simply eradicate the Goblins using [Dead Bomb] without much hassle, or even send all the [Horde] Skeletons at the wall. But neither would teach him much. Though, watching the Goblins attempt to handle twenty-two Undead would be entertaining. He even wondered how many of the Skeletons would fall.

    But having two of his permanent Undead destroyed so quickly was like a kick to the stomach. He couldnˇŻt save his Sister through overwhelming force. He knew that. He had known that. But this was a sore reminder. If he wanted to save and protect his Sister, it would have to be through cunning. If they saw him coming, they could simply kill her.

    So instead of simply bombarding the wall or overwhelming them, Alaster looked for other ways. During this time, the Goblins continued to send bolts their way. The Blackguards gradually backed up, leaving their fallen, until they rejoined the Minotaurs. Alaster continued to examine the situation as more and more bolts stuck into the Bone of the Undead. The vast majority were sticking out of their shields, but occasionally a bolt would get past the shields and hit the Undead themselves.

    Finally, after several minutes, Alaster had an idea.

    Standing up, Alaster sent two simultaneous casts of [Necrotic Bolt] at the Goblins on the wall. His second mind, while it could cast magic, was not as accurate. Four bolt sailed through the air, but only three hit. Two in the chests of the Goblins, while the one cast by his second mind hit the GoblinˇŻs thigh.

    Regardless, it had the desired effect, causing the rest of the Goblin Crossbows to duck in fear. It was at that moment that Alaster sent his Blackguards forward. They charged towards the wall uncontested. Their shields were attached to their backs, allowing them to use their spears with both hands.

    Many of the Crossbow Goblins stood up just in time to get speared. A few fell off the wall with cries of pain, on both sides. Four of the Blackguards dropped their spears and lowered their hands, creating a foothold for the other half of the Blackguards to jump into. In this way, four Blackguards were on the wall within moments, stabbing down at what must have been the Goblins loading the crossbows.

    The other four Blackguards grabbed their spears again and climbed the wall. It was much slower, but the wall had been secured now. With no more bolts coming at him, Alaster ordered his Minotaurs forward. As Alaster got closer, he realized that while the wall was strong, it wasnˇŻt stable enough to support the Minotaurs, at least not all of them.

    Instead, he ordered two of the Minotaurs to hold out a shield, so Alaster could step on it. Alaster was surprised when the Minotaur ran its glaive over the shield first, breaking off the numerous bolts stuck in the bone, before passing the other side to its brother. They lowered themselves down to one knee, allowing Alaster to step on, and they slowly stood up. He had them stop as his head peeked over the edge of the log wall, allowing him to see, but making himself as small of a target as possible.

    AlasterˇŻs head was protected by a bone helmet as reinforced as he could make it, but while he was confident in its protective qualities, he didnˇŻt want to test it.

    What he saw was a veritable sea of Goblins. All using spears, and all pushing forward to attack the Blackguards atop the wall. But that wasnˇŻt all. As the Goblins went further back, more and more of them were wearing armor made out of wooden branches. At the very back, just before the tunnel began to turn, blocking AlasterˇŻs sight, he could see the glimmer of metal.

    The Goblins were using metal equipment, and those that used them, were clearly more trained and disciplined as they pushed and shoved the other Goblins forward. Alaster took them as a hint that he was nearing the edge of the Dungeon. But to reach it, he would have to kill at least a hundred more Goblins, and he had already lost count of how many he had killed.

    Alaster was already tired of this Dungeon.

 Chapter 73- Blood Tunnel

    Alaster had already learned quite a bit from even the small wall. He had several ideas for an actual fortification. But now, he was annoyed. He wanted to finish this Dungeon as soon as possible. The Everfrost Dungeon had been so much better. There were trees, there was day and night. But in this Dungeon? Alaster couldnˇŻt even tell how much time had passed. Everything was the same. A dark tunnel with some glowing moss on the walls and occasionally on the ceiling. For some untold time, He had suffered the same thing. It was made even worse because he had closely paid attention to everything, careful of being attacked.

    And now, so close to the end, so many obstacles stood in his way.

    Growling to himself, he had the Minotaurs set him down. He stepped off the shield and immediately got to work on creating a Night Child and a Blackguard. He gave the Minotaurs orders to kill any Goblin that stood on the wall, in case the Blackguards were overwhelmed. Taking only two Minotaurs with him, Alaster walked away from the wall and cries of agony and fury.

    The sounds followed him as he walked away and around the corner. As Alaster returned to the sight of the last battle. It had been less than an hour, yet they had already begun to stink. His nose curling at the smell, he pushed forward.

    He was done with being strategic. He was done with learning. Done with holding back.

    Green wisps of mana radiated out from the young man, faintly glowing in the darkness. Like fog, it rolled over the corpses, consuming them. AlasterˇŻs emotionless and tired eyes watched as twenty Skeletons burst out of their fleshy prisons, crawling out of the remains, and standing, awaiting orders.

    Weak and leaning on a Minotaur, Alaster stared over his horde.

    He uttered one single word, ˇ°Kill.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Sedall watched through the young manˇŻs eyes. Watched as his Undead Horde blurred past him. Using the support of his Minotaurs, he managed to slowly follow them, turning the corner just in time to see them jump off the top of the wall, throwing themselves into the horde below. The Undead he had designated ˇ®BlackguardˇŻ stayed on the wall, continuing to thrust downward, but at a much less frequent pace.

    By the time Alaster reached the wall and lifted by his Minotaurs to see over, the young manˇŻs Undead had already cleared a sizable area in front of the wall. Not without losses, however. Losses which he quickly replenished with the countless corpses already littering the ground.

    ˇ®He is using too much Mana.ˇŻ Sedall noted, ˇ®He needs to slow down or even with [Blood Price] he will pass out.ˇŻ

    The Ancient was not wrong.

    Alaster had used six hundred Mana all at once, using [Blood Price] to cover the Mana he did not have. The young manˇŻs mind was not suited for such a tremendous effort. It was more Mana than his Mana Pool was capable of holding, and his Mana Veins were even less suited. Followed quickly by raising even more Undead.

    ˇ®It is effective, though.ˇŻ

    While AlasterˇŻs vision was blurry, his head pounding. Sedall had no such limitation, and was able to see through the young manˇŻs eyes with no such impairment. The [Horde] Skeletons were fragile, but they were strong and lethal. Especially when they forgot defense, such as now. Each one dove into Goblins with unbridled fury and glee, jumping over each other to their next target, as the tunnel wasnˇŻt wide enough.

    The Goblins did not know how to deal with such a foe. Despite being Goblin Skeletons, they did not move like one. They crawled, jumped, and clawed. They attacked with such abandon, the Goblins took a step back in fear, preventing both themselves and their comrades from making proper use of their spears.

    Occasionally, one would get a lucky shot on the Skeletons, which as it built up, destroyed AlasterˇŻs hold over the bones. It mattered not. Before the bones of the fallen Skeleton clattered against the stone, another Skeleton was risen to take its place. It almost seemed like it was the end for the Goblins. But as the Skeletons carved their way deeper into the Goblin ranks, their still breathing counterparts gradually used better weapons and armor. Slowly, the pace of the Skeletons slowed, and more of them fell, only for new ones to replace them.

    Sedall was not the only one to spot this, however. Alaster did as well. The young man had the Minotaurs help him over the wall and the Blackguards assisted him getting down, following him. As Alaster walked away, the Minotaurs began hacking into the wood wall with their glaives, determined to get through and rejoin their master. Within moments, the wood was hacked at enough for one of the Minotaurs to back up and charge its way through, opening the way.

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    Alaster stopped just short of four meters away and raised a shaky hand. Casting [Dead Bomb], the volatile orb shot from his hand and disappeared in the ranks of the Goblins, exploding in a sphere of sickly green. The sphere quickly expanded to its two meter radius, consuming many of the Skeletons with it. But, a moment later, when the sphere vanished, the Skeletons were left completely unharmed. The same was not the case for the Goblins. All that was left was inorganic matter and their bones.

    The young man collapsed to his knees as the Skeletons dashed forward at the unprepared Goblins. At this point, the Minotaurs caught up, allowing Alaster to order his Blackguards to join the Skeletons. They rushed forward, stopping further behind the carnage and thrusting their spears forward.

    Alaster was struggling to maintain the [Meditation], allowing him to raise more than eleven [Horde] Skeletons, but he was in control enough to create a rudimentary and fragile chair lift and ordering his Minotaurs to carry him. Similar to the Blackguards, the Minotaurs hung their shields on their backs. The Living Bone adhering the shields to themselves. With four of the large Minotaurs carrying the chair with Alaster upon it, the ride was fairly smooth. Not that it helped with AlasterˇŻs piercing migraine or sore body. Until he allowed both his Health and Mana to recover, he would not begin to feel better.

    And with only two free Mana Regeneration, and having to constantly use [Blood Price] to have enough Mana to raise more [Horde] Skeletons, it would be a while.

    ˇ®The boy must be running out of Health.ˇŻ Sedall was not able to see the young manˇŻs Status, but he was able to generally sense it.

    However, as much as Sedall disapproved of such a tactic, he could not deny its effectiveness. The young manˇŻs Undead were slowly tearing through the Goblins. And the Goblins showed no sign of being capable of stopping them. Anytime they managed to brace themselves for the [Horde] Skeletons, the BlackguardsˇŻ much longer spears tore holes through them. Even the GoblinsˇŻ gradually improving gear was doing nothing but slowing them, not stopping.

    Within the hour, the untiring Undead reached the final Goblins just before the bend in the tunnel. These Goblins were fully equipped in crude, but durable iron armor. They had prevented any of the other Goblins from retreating, and not one showed any sign of fear. They resolutely stood their ground.

    The first rank took a knee, lowering their spears. The second rank slightly hunched, doing the same. The third rank raised crossbows, and began to fire into the Undead. Alaster, as pained as he was, noted that the formation would have been incredibly effective if their enemy was not the Undead, who were unaffected by pain or blood loss, and who were largely unaffected by piercing weapons. These more experienced Goblins soon learned what the rest of their fallen learned. It was better to just use their spears as clubs against the Undead.

    Alaster massaged his temples with both hands as he waited for his Undead to dispatch the remaining Goblins. Surprisingly, while they only managed to destroy three of the [Horde] Skeletons, the armored Goblins were able to hold their ground for an entire hour themselves. Of course, Alaster could have speed up their demise by throwing another [Dead Bomb] at them. While the Goblins were armored, there were still sizable gaps. He was intrigued by how the [Dead Bomb] would affect them.

    But in the end, he didnˇŻt. The young man was fine with it taking a while as his Health and Mana Regenerated. By the time the last Goblin fell, Alaster had closed his eyes, trying his best to deal with the pain. His training as a boy from the Siphas Guards had trained a tolerance to pain. But physical pain, and mental pain, were different. It was not overbearing, but nor was it ignorable.

    He was alerted to the change as there were no more sounds of combat. Looking up, Alaster noted that while the headache was ever present, the brief period of time he had closed his eyes had helped. His vision was better, if only slightly. Nodding to himself, Alaster dismissed the [Horde] Skeletons. They were a drain on his Mana Regeneration. The Minotaurs took Alaster to a cleaner spot just in front of the now broken wall, where the two Blackguards had been destroyed.

    The still active Blackguards hung back, checking over the corpses, and making sure they were, in fact, corpses. Alaster occasionally spotted one of the Blackguards thrusting its spear down, presumably granting mercy, though the Undead had no concept of the idea. It was times such as these that Alaster was glad he had unlocked the Ability for his Undead to have a mind, even as simple as it was. It allowed him to focus on the more important things while they could deal with the less so.

    As the Minotaurs set Alaster down, he noted that the area the wall had been built was slightly higher than the ground behind it, not allowing any of the blood to reach the young man. He had no doubt that as the bodies continued to bleed, it would soon create a pool, as the blood had nowhere to go or soak through.

    Alaster ordered his Undead to take up positions guarding him as he adjusted his chair to lean back. Sighing deeply, he continued to mediate, desperate to recover his Mana and for the headache to stop. It was a slow process. His Health was the first to fully recover, and Alaster could feel his aches gradually fade away. His Mana was slower, but when his Mana Pool finally filled, Alaster immediately sensed his migraine slowly ease.

    The young man noted that the pain from his Migraine and Mana Veins were much slower to recover than his body. Sedall chuckled.

    ˇ®Of course, its slower to heal. The incorporeal is more fragile and complicated.ˇŻ

    As his pains slowly went away, but still present, Alaster closed his eyes and leaned back. Breathing deeply and letting it all go, his body relaxing. At least as relaxed as he dared allow himself. The temperature was chilly, but with the cloak he had been comfortable since entering the Dungeon. Keeping his eyes closed, Alaster ran his hand down to the hole in the cloak, where he had been stabbed.

    The wound had already long closed. But the hole in his shirt and cloak had not, though the cloak was repairing itself nicely and Alaster had no doubt it would eventually repair itself entirely. Lukas had certainly thought ahead when he gifted the cloak to the boy.

    Alaster laid his hands cross his stomach and pulled up his Status. It was time to see what the slaughter had produced.

 Chapter 74- Progression

    Alaster almost choked.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 24<30

    EXP: 74%<52%

    Health: 525/525<675/675

    Health Regeneration: 13/min<16/min

    Mana: 580/580<730/730

    Mana Regeneration: 11/min<14/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage, Dead Bomb

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Swap, Blood Price, Imbuement, Fine Control

    Strength: 74<104

    Dexterity: 64<94

    Constitution*: 83<113

    Wisdom*: 118<148

    Intelligence*: 100<130

    Free Points: 0<30]

    [Strength 100 Bonus Unlocked: Blood Aura]

    [Constitution 100 Bonus Unlocked: Death Embrace]

    [Horde Evolution Available]

    [Raise Undead Evolution Available]

    [Dead Bomb Evolution Available]

    One of his Minotaurs looked over as Alaster struggled to control his coughing, but he waved it away.

    ˇ°Ahem. Let''s see what we have here!ˇ± AlasterˇŻs heart rapidly beat as he began to look over his Status once more.

    First, he added six Free Points into DEX to get the hundred Bonus. And the rest of the Free Points into WIS.

    [Dexterity 100 Bonus Unlocked: Dark Sight]

    Smiling to himself, he started at the top, with Strength.

    [Strength 100 Bonus Unlocked: Blood Aura

    Level 1: 0%

    Grow stronger as blood is spilled

    Radius: 5 meters]

    Right out the gate, something amazing. As Alaster finished reading it, he could feel himself growing stronger. However, the effect only applied to his physical strength. He did not feel any increase in his Magical strength. While the Bonus didnˇŻt detail how much stronger it made him, if Alaster was to make an educated guess, he was roughly 30% stronger. And he was in one of the more dry areas. If he went deeper into the carnage his [Horde] Skeletons had created, he had no doubt he would grow even stronger. The blood there was pooling.

    Yet perhaps the greatest part of the Bonus? It was a passive. Alaster didnˇŻt need to worry about activating it, or reserving mana for it. It was always active. The Bonus could also serve as a warning system. If he felt himself grow stronger for seemingly no reason, blood is spilled nearby.

    ˇ®ThatˇŻll help in crowded areas like cities. Onto the next.ˇŻ

    [Constitution 100 Bonus Unlocked: Death Embrace

    Level 1: 0%

    Forsake life, embrace the dead.

    Mana Cost: 50/min]

    ˇ®That''s vague. What does it actually do?ˇŻ

    The description hinted that it was permanent, but the Mana Cost said otherwise.

    ˇ®Does it remain active till I run out of Mana?ˇŻ

    Alaster looked around himself, checking for any obvious threats. But his Undead were through in that regard. He was as safe as he could be in a Dungeon, though his nose wasnˇŻt. The dead Goblins were beginning to stink. But he ignored it, as difficult as that was in an enclosed area with no air flow.

    Regardless, he decided to try it out. With a thought, he cast the Ability. The change felt impossible to describe. Like he was losing something vital to himself, but gaining something different, but equally vital. The noticeable changes were much easier to describe, though the young man struggled to comprehend them.

    Holding up his hand, Alaster couldnˇŻt believe it. It was nothing but bone. Like his Undead. Moving the cloak aside and holding up his shirt, he saw it was the same there. He could even put his bony fingers through his ribs. Alaster would have shivered, but he couldnˇŻt. He had no organs, no muscles. However, Alaster also noted that while he could put his fingers between his ribs, or even touch his spine, there was an invisible force that was pushing him away, ending just outside of where his flesh would have been.

    He had no doubt his face was also skeletal, but he had no mirror to check. His body felt much lighter and more flexible. He bent himself in ways no living human should be able to. It was eerie. He could jump much higher and was much more agile.

    ˇ®So it turns me into a skeleton. What''s the benefits, though?ˇŻ

    For one, he no longer felt pain. He did feel it, but it wasnˇŻt pain, more of a notification that there was something there. He only found that out by scratching one of his bones, as he had no flesh to damage. Which brought him to the next mental note. He no longer bled. He didnˇŻt have any flesh to bleed! And with no organs, or brain, Alaster doubted he would be affected by such issues like concussions, shock, or stuns. And with no blood or organs, poisons and venom would have no effect.

    Yet even as a Skeleton, his clothes and bone armor pieces still stayed and moved like it was still on flesh. Even if he took it off and put it back on. They acted like it would with flesh, unless it was pushed on with enough force, then it would move closer to the bone, but then push right back like a spring.

    Alaster almost missed it, but even when he was experimenting with his clothing, he didnˇŻt feel the chill. Even after stripping himself of everything, he was still perfectly comfortable. Or, it would be better to saw, he didnˇŻt feel temperature at all, which was a weird feeling. Almost numbing.

    Alaster would have widened his eyes, if he still had them. Which he no longer had to blink. That numbing feeling he had felt since activating the Ability. He felt cold. Not chilly, but emotionlessly cold. Every thought he had was cold, emotionless, and purely analytical. He had always been a logical boy. But now, it was as if he had no emotion behind any of his thoughts.

    ˇ®Fascinating.ˇŻ Alaster deactivated the Bonus. It had only been a few minutes.

    [Constitution 100 Bonus: Death Embrace

    Level 1: 0%<43%

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    Forsake life, embrace the dead.

    Mana Cost: 50/min]

    ˇ®For a Bonus, that leveled quickly.ˇŻ

    But he moved it aside. If he was planning on entering a battle, or a situation that needed careful thought, he would ensure to activate this Ability. He had heard that many Full Transformations also changed the way the person thought, but he hadnˇŻt really cared, as Transformation Abilities were Uncommon and Full Transformations rare. Now he had one.

    Instead of looking at the [Horde] Evolutions, Alaster decided to look at his next new Bonus.

    [Dexterity 100 Bonus Unlocked: Dark Sight

    Level 1: 0%

    The Dark has no effect on you.

    Range: 5 Meters]

    Immediately upon reading, Alaster could feel something extremely slight change. Looking around, he found he could, in fact, see through the dark. The Tunnels had never been quite dark, due to the luminescent moss, but nor had they been light. Now, it was as if the amount of light meant nothing to Alaster. Everything within four meters he could see perfectly. The last meter of the AbilityˇŻs range faded out, the object was entering a fog, after that, the normal light took effect.

    So while Alaster could still see further than five meters, he could only see perfect detail without light within those five meters. It was also a Passive Ability. Always active. The Bonus was incredibly rare. Night Vision Abilities were common. Not so much that everyone had them, but enough that the average hunting party would have at least one member with one such Ability. But Night Vision still required light, usually from the moon. If there was no light, the Ability was useless.

    Of course, there were other types of sight Abilities. Such as Thermal Sight, allowing the user to see the temperature of things in various colors. Sounds fairly simple, but living creatures were very hot in terms of their surroundings. So even in pitch black, and even through certain materials, the user would still be able to see them.

    Then there was Mana Sight, that allowed the User to see the Mana within and around objects. Of course, there were plenty of ways to trick that sight or even block it. Stone for example was fairly difficult for Mana to pass through, also concealing the Mana behind it.

    Some Sight Abilities were activated, while others were passive. Alaster could only imagine how aggravating it would be for a person if Thermal Sight was a passive ability.

    Next, were his Evolutions, of which he had three. Alaster decided to do the [Horde] Evolution first. It had been what allowed him to kill all the Goblins in the first place.

    [Wisdom 50 Bonus: Horde Evolutions

    <ol>

    <li> Two Minions per Mana Regeneration</li>

    <li> Stronger and faster Horde</li>

    <li> Store Mana that will automatically raise those killed by the Horde]</li>

    </ol>

    Alaster almost choked again, but he managed to control himself. Nonetheless, he still couldnˇŻt believe it. The Undead Alaster raised naturally, had roughly the same stats as when they were alive, minus the Wisdom and Intelligence. They only seemed stronger and faster because they didnˇŻt have any of their fleshy bits weighing them down, nor did they even understand the concept of hesitation. He could only imagine how much quicker his [Horde] could have torn apart all the Goblins if he had this Evolution then.

    The Third option was equally amazing, as it would allow him to send his [Horde] off and then focus on something else. So long as they were able to kill, they would never fall. However, he would also have to pay attention to it, in a way. To Alaster, it sounded like a battery.

    Colius had shown him a Mana Battery. Mana Batteries were fairly rare items, simply because they saw minimal use. They were complicated to make, but easy to do when you understood it. They had numerous shapes and forms, so instead they were graded on how much Mana they could hold, as well as how much Mana they could release within a single minute. The one Colius had was only graded as a D Battery because it could only hold five hundred mana, and release fifty per minute.

    Some Mages used Mana Batteries in battle, but most didnˇŻt. They were expensive, and if damaged slightly, they were at risk of blowing up, releasing all the Mana still inside within a fraction of a second. It simply wasnˇŻt worth the risk. However, Batteries still saw use. They could be used to power items. Alaster had even heard rumors that the Capital was powered by Batteries that were regularly charged. If a fortification was under attack, Siege Mages could recharge themselves using Mana Batteries, allowing them to release their Magic more often.

    However, Alaster had also heard that Mana stored in Batteries could dissipate on its own over time, and if a Mage recharged themselves using Mana in Batteries, they tended to grow nauseous and sick. Typically, enough to make them vomit once or twice, but if the Mage continued within a short enough time, it could grow more severe.

    Regardless, The third Evolution sounded like Alaster would store Mana within the Spell itself. Mana that would be used to raise more [Horde] Skeletons. If the Spell didnˇŻt have enough Mana, it wouldnˇŻt be able to raise anymore.

    However, Alaster only glanced at the second and third Evolutions, as his attention was glued to the first. Currently, he was able to have fourteen [Horde] Skeletons, but if he meditated, he was able to maintain twenty-five. If he selected the first evolution, he would be able to raise twenty-four Skeletons, fifty if he meditated. Even if they were weak, the numbers alone were a threat. Not even High Adepts would want to encounter an entire Goblin Tribe without some form of AOE Ability.

    Alaster chose the first evolution. He was excited to test it out, but he first had two more Evolutions to pick.

    [Dead Bomb Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li>   Increase Range two meters</li>

    <li>   Increase Radius one meter</li>

    <li>   Adjust trajectory midair.]</li>

    </ol>

    All three Evolutions were good. However, he was more interested in Radius. The range was good at five meters. He would, of course, want to increase it later, but [Dead Bomb] was leveling incredibly quickly because the Goblins were packed tightly. And as much as he was sick of this Dungeon, he knew he would be running it again several times. With his increased mana, he could cast [Dead Bomb] three times consecutively. He was planning on using it many more times.

    ˇ®Come to think of it, I could probably use [Dead Bomb] to remove the stench.ˇŻ Alaster grinned to himself, before he remembered, ˇ®[Dead Bomb] removes everything that isnˇŻt bone, including blood.ˇŻ

    Alaster had no doubt that against targets with higher Constitutions, the [Dead Bomb] would be less effective. But currently, against the Goblins, if he wanted to make use of [Blood Aura], he couldnˇŻt use [Dead Bomb].

    Regardless, he made his choice and moved onto his last Evolution. An Evolution for an Ability that was the backbone of his power.

    [Warning: Change Detected in Ability]

    Alaster immediately brought the Status of the Spell up.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 19<21: 45%<52%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant

    Max Minions: 6/7

    Max Skeletons: 6/7

    Mana Cost: 30]

    ˇ®Seven? When did that happen? Wait, it''s an Adept Level Spell now!ˇŻ

    Many Abilities were known to ˇ®morphˇŻ upon reaching a higher tier. Just like how Classes were tiered in Novice, Adept, and Expert, so too were Abilities. It didnˇŻt matter when the Abilities were learned or gained. They all started at level one. Not all Abilities morphed, [Meditation] did not. But it seemed like [Raise Undead] did. However, it was rare for the System to tell the user what the change was exactly.

    ˇ®Hmm. Its level twenty-one now. And I can raise seven. Is it reliant on the multiple? Will I get another free Minion when the Spell reaches level twenty-eight? Or, do I get another Minion every level after twenty?ˇŻ

    Alaster did not know, but not that he was made aware, he was going to pay attention to the change, if any, when the Spell leveled up again. But, that was not his Evolution. He still had to choose it.

    [Raise Undead Evolutions:

    <ol>

    <li> Bond, take direct control over a Minion.</li>

    <li> Twin, raise two Minions per cast.</li>

    <li> Null, Raise MinionsˇŻ Magic Resistance.]</li>

    </ol>

    None would drastically change things. However, he was leaning more towards Bond. It would pair nicely with [Swap]. Ordinarily, he could order his Minions exactly where he wanted, but if he couldnˇŻt see it, then his orders were more general. Allowing the Minion itself to decide. Normally, his orders were simple. Go kill that, stand guard, things like that. But in settlements, he would have to be much more detailed.

    And for [Swap], Alaster imagined that he would usually be using a Night Child to do the swap, and Night Children were not the same size or shape as Alaster, they could go places he couldnˇŻt. Which is what made them such a prime target for [Swap], but if he used it, he could end up someplace he couldnˇŻt fit, or get out of because he wasnˇŻt a Night Child.

    Twin, Alaster didnˇŻt pay much attention to. It would make his mass summoning much easier and less costly, but he rarely did those. Nonetheless, Alaster still weighed the pros and cons of choosing it, and the Evolution was still in his considerations.

    Null was an incredible pick, but he had yet to face a Mage. Owen didnˇŻt really count because he didnˇŻt try to use Magic against his Undead. Even if he had tried, his Magic was so weak Alaster doubted it would have affected him, let alone his Undead. But in the future, Alaster had no doubt he would be sending his Undead against Magic.

    Alaster sat there, debating what to choose, for nearly an hour. He wanted all of them, but he could currently only choose one. However, in the end, while Null would have the greatest long term effect, it would not help him now, and if he died against something that didnˇŻt use Magic, Null would be pointless.

    Alaster chose Bond. When he chose the Blueprint Evolution of [Skeleton Creation], then he would choose Twin.

    Looking around, Alaster selected one of his Minotaurs for his first Bond target. Bond did not require any Mana, in fact, the only thing it required was that the Minion was still active. It had no range or time limit.

    Alaster felt his sensation black out, similar to how it was when he entered a Dungeon. Within that same moment, his vision returned, except it wasnˇŻt his. He was seeing through the ˇ®eyesˇŻ of the Minotaur. Which he quickly realized was pretty limited by the helmet visor. Alaster considered adjusting the MinotaursˇŻ visors, but so far, they hadnˇŻt had any trouble with following his orders, so he just left it.

    Being in the body of the Minotaur was very similar to [Death Embrace], in fact, it was pretty much the same, except that it wasnˇŻt his body. Alaster turned his massive and heavy body to look his physical body. Laying there, he almost looked like he was asleep. Careful with his new body, he bent down and put his massive armored hand under his fleshy one, and lifted. Sure enough, it was just like he was asleep. When Alaster lowered his own fleshy arm, his Flesh body adjusted itself, just as if it was asleep.

    ˇ®Must be my second mind.ˇŻ Alaster assumed.

    Turning away, Alaster decided to experiment with the MinotaurˇŻs body. He did stretches to see how flexible they were. He ran as fast as he could, down the tunnel and back. He did some practice swings to see how powerful they were. When he finished a few minutes later, he was even more impressed with his creations.

    Ending the Bond, Alaster opened his own eyes once more, only to be hit with a wave of exhaustion. Smiling to himself about his progress, Alaster adjusted the chair into more of a bed and closed his eyes. He still had the boss to defeat, but with his new changes, he was not worried.

 Chapter 75- Hollow End

    He should have been worried.

    The Boss Room had actually been a room. After the long stretch of tunnel when Alaster and his [Horde] had carved their way through, the tunnel took a sharp turn. Only seven meters separated the turn and the Boss Room, and it was bare. Void of any decorations or Goblins. The tunnel began to narrow from the tunnel, ending at a dead end that was only two meters by two meters. The door had simply been a bunch of sticks strapped together and leaned against the narrow opening. When Alaster pushed it aside, he didnˇŻt see anything within.

    The room within seemed to be a dome, with the middle of the room having a ceiling a dozen meters high, the back three dozen meters away, and ten meters across. The moss clung to the ceiling, even draping down like vines. But the light of the room came from four braziers with roaring fires evenly spaced in the ˇ®cornersˇŻ. With their light, he could see a large patchwork blanket hung over the back wall. Alaster didnˇŻt see any Goblins within, but he knew that once he entered, they would somehow appear.

    Alaster looked behind himself, looking at the Fifty [Horde] Goblins standing at attention with their spears in the ground. Usually, Alaster summoned his [Horde] in the middle of a battle, when they didnˇŻt have time to grab the weapons of the fallen. But Alaster didnˇŻt want to take chances.

    He was finding it difficult to still move and plan while maintaining the [Meditation] required to raise half the [Horde]. But he had enough practice using his second mind that it was possible, at least while he was able to move slowly. Behind his [Horde] of Goblin Skeletons with their wooden spears, were the rest of AlasterˇŻs Undead, standing proud and tall.

    Normal Goblins stood roughly four foot two, though they typically slouched. But the Goblins in the Dungeon were different from their natural cousins besides their black, scaly skin. They stood tall at four eight. Not that it mattered. To the Blackguards, the Goblins were still short. Even behind all fifty Goblins, neatly standing in rows of five, Alaster had no issue seeing them, nor the Minotaurs behind the Blackguards.

    When Alaster spotted that his [Raise Undead] now allowed him to raise another Undead, plus another Skeleton, he had contemplated creating two more Minotaurs. But he didnˇŻt. He had no idea what the Boss fight would be like. He didnˇŻt want to take any chances. So, instead, Alaster had created two more Night Children. They likely wouldnˇŻt be of much use in the battle itself, but if Alaster found himself cornered, he could use [Swap] on one of them.

    The Night Children currently sat on the shoulders of one Minotaur. Their Black bones, able to withstand more damage than before. Looking at their sharp teeth, Alaster could not help but wonder what the Children would look like with their faces covered in Goblin Blood.

    Come to think of it, the Night Children had been AlasterˇŻs first custom Skeleton, and Goblins were their first prey. A Goblin had been Alaster first Undead! Now, he controlled a small army of them. It did not seem so long ago that he was struggling to kill just one. Hard to believe that it had only been a little over a year ago.

    Taking a deep breath, Alaster ordered his [Horde] into the room. As he suspected, nothing happened as they passed the threshold. The [Horde] took up position just inside, stretching the width of the room, five rows deep. Alaster was actually impressed. They moved like a unified military procession. But then he thought about it. They were bound to his soul and had no actual intelligence of their own. Even his more permanent Undead didnˇŻt actually have intelligence.

    As ordered, the Goblin Skeletons lowered their spears, ready to fight. Their wooden spears were short, but it was something. The Blackguards entered a moment later, taking up position behind the Goblins with their much longer spears. The Minotaurs had to duck to enter, causing the two Night Children to jump through first. The Minotaurs took up position on the two flanks.

    From the rest of the Dungeon, Alaster assumed that the Boss Fight would also be a large battle of numbers. He hoped that the Minotaurs on the Flanks would help prevent them from collapsing. Of course, he wouldnˇŻt actually know what sort of battle it would be until he entered the cave and the battle began. But once he entered, he wouldnˇŻt be able to exit until he defeated the Boss, or died trying.

    Rolling his shoulders and checking his sword, Alaster grabbed his poleaxe once more from where he had leaned it against the tunnel wall. He had made the weapon from the excess bone. Though even after creating the Night Children, repairing any damages from the battle, raising the Goblin [Horde], as well as reinforcing the existing Skeletons. Alaster had found that after leveling up, he could strengthen the bone of his Undead and his creations just a little further. Still, there were numerous Goblin corpses that he had left untouched.

    The poleaxe itself was as tall as himself. The axe blade was small, but he believed it was heavy enough. The spearhead was long and narrow, meant for stabbing deeply. But Alaster didnˇŻt plan on stabbing much. The poleaxe was known for its heavy blade that could dig deep, and its long handle allowed it to be very nimble and have plenty of power behind each blow.

    Resting the head of the weapon against his shoulder, Alaster walked in, despite his impressive military force, soon came to believe that it was not enough. As Alaster crossed through the door, He felt the way close behind him. Whatever force had prevented his escape while in the Everfrost Boss Room, also closed the Boss Room of the Hollow Tunnels.

    The next moment, the tapestry in the back of the room fell to the ground. A large tunnel was revealed and fifty Goblins, all clad in crude iron armor, wielding similarly crude iron weapons. However, the thing that really made Alaster worry, was that all of them stood tall, all over five feet, and all with disciplined rage in their eyes, hidden behind their miscellaneous open-faced helmets.

    Alaster readied himself for a hard fight ahead. But the tall Goblins werenˇŻt the only ones that came out of the hidden tunnel. After the Goblins marched out and took up a formation similar to AlasterˇŻs own, deep pounding echoed out. Into the light came a mountain of fat. Standing just over three meters tall, an Ogre stumbled out. Even after it stopped just behind the armored Goblins, its blubbery body continued to jiggle.

    If not for its large size, Alaster could even imagine it as a human, though he would pity such a being. Its thick forehead and drooping face was enough to tell Alaster that it was not very intelligent. But that did nothing to ease his worry. While its torso was little more than loose fat, its arms and legs told of incredible strength. The fat clung tightly to the muscle in these parts. It was a revolting creature, made even worse by the fact that its large loincloth was not large enough.

    Alaster struggled to hold his lunch down. He was not fond of looking at any male parts, but he was certain that they shouldnˇŻt have warts and open sores.

    Despite his disgust, Alaster forced himself to continue his examination. The short time before the battle started, where either side would measure their opponent, was bound to end soon.

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    In the OgreˇŻs hand, it wielded a tree trunk that looked like it had just been pulled out of the ground and its roots and branches ripped off. However, used by the Ogre, Alaster had little doubt that it was a mighty weapon.

    Alaster had planned on an orderly and prolonged exchange between the Goblins and his Undead, but with the Ogre, he had no doubt that it would charge through the middle of his formation and begin swinging wildly, with each blow capable of throwing his Blackguards, maybe even the Minotaurs.

    Alaster ordered his Minotaurs to move more in the center. The movement, triggering the battle to begin.

    Just as suspected, the Ogre charged directly for the center. The Goblins stepped aside, creating a channel for it to go through without harming them, causing Alaster to raise a brow. Nonetheless, the Ogre barreled forward, quickly building speed. Luckily, the space between the two armies was not enough for the slow Ogre to generate enough speed and therefore momentum.

    It was still enough to charge through the ranks of the Undead Goblins, however. Most were thrown aside, but two of them were thrown backwards, soaring over the heads of the Blackguards. One of the Goblin Undead flew into a Minotaur, causing it to bounce off, while the Minotaur shrugged it off. Both Undead Goblins were quick to their feet once more and rushed towards the battle.

    The Ogre had not gotten away with such a thoughtless move unharmed. The Goblin wooden spears riddled the giantˇŻs stomach, but didnˇŻt dig deep. However, the BlackguardsˇŻ reinforced bone spears had dug deep, with one of them even poking out the other side of the OgreˇŻs shoulder.

    It roared in agony, swinging its trunk and batting aside three ranks of Undead Goblins on its right side, sending the center of AlasterˇŻs formation into disarray. Which is just when the armored Goblins collided with the Undead.

    The space between the ranks of Undead grew smaller as they were forced back by the armored GoblinsˇŻ charge. The flanks held well, and a moment later, as the momentum was dissipated, even pushed the Goblins back. However, the center buckled. While the armored Goblins kept a large space around the Ogre clear, they forced themselves into the disorganized formation. In moments, Alaster saw several Undead Goblins collapse, their bones scattered.

    Alaster called out the Skeletal Mage from the SummonerˇŻs Ring. In a moment, it stepped out and immediately cast [Necrotic Bolt] into the Ogre, causing a pebble sized hole of flesh to melt off. It had plenty of flesh remaining.

    Alaster followed his MinionˇŻs example and fired off his own [Necrotic Bolt], making it as narrow and he could. Both Bolts penetrated deeply before the Necrotic Mana began to disperse, melting the flesh it touched. Fist sized holes, several inches deep, spilled out.

    The Ogre screamed in rage, causing Alaster to cover his ears and the Goblins to recoil away. But the Undead were unaffected, as usual, and they took advantage. The Undead flanks pushed forward, their wooden spears doing little damage. The Undead in the middle were able to stand their ground.

    The Undead GoblinsˇŻ spears did little, but if an armored Goblin tripped or fell, the Undead swarmed it, ensuring it didnˇŻt get back up again. The Blackguards continued to stab into the Ogre, but despite their numerous successful attacks, they were too narrow to cause much damage against a creature this size.

    The Minotaurs were not idle, either. They walked through the chaos, swinging their glaives into the Goblins. Unfortunately, the glaives were designed for lightly armored opponents. The blades chipped and cracked as they crashed into the iron armor of the Goblins.

    Only the Living Bone prevented it from breaking. Even if the blades were unable to dig into Goblin flesh, the strength behind the blades were still ample enough to send them back, though the weight of armor prevented them from being thrown.

    The Ogre roared in rage and swung its club once more. The large trunk crashed through the newly organized ranks of Undead Goblins, scattering several, and even breaking the spears of three Blackguards.

    Alaster activated [Dead Aura] and immediately saw his Undead near him to begin to heal while also stumbling their opponents more severely. He also cast [Dead Bomb] and sent it into the right flank. He hoped it would eradicate that side, allowing the Undead there to wrap around the center and Ogre. But it was not enough.

    The Bomb fell into the Goblins and expanded to its full radius. When it vanished, Alaster saw only a few Goblins go down. Most merely stumbled, which did allow the Undead to push forward more. But it was not the effect Alaster had hoped for.

    Alaster spotted a Night Child sneaking up behind the Ogre and had a brilliant idea form. At least, he hoped it was brilliant.

    Casting [Swap], Alaster took note that he wouldnˇŻt be able to cast it again for another ten minutes, at least not without crippling his Magic Abilities.

    Now behind the Ogre, Alaster swung his Poleaxe, empowered by both [Blood Aura] and [Imbuement] deep into the knee joint of the Ogre, and the shaft shattering.

    It screamed and fell to one knee, Alaster used the fallen leg as a step to jump onto the back of the Ogre. The young man, straddling the giantˇŻs nape, clawed at its eyes. His right arm, armored in the sharp armor of [Death Pact], dug deep, but his left hand couldnˇŻt get past the eyelid. But that was not AlasterˇŻs intention. Even before Alaster managed to grab hold, he had activated [Death Touch].

    Alaster had not used the spell in quite a while, and never in combat. He had only used it to prepare skinned furs. But the spell made its use known. It was meant for battle.

    Even through the sounds and screams of the battle, Alaster could still hear the flesh of the OgreˇŻs face begin to melt, sizzling. Alaster was melting the OgreˇŻs eyes.

    It thrashed about as it roared, but Alaster held firm, at least until it sharply swung its head forward, throwing Alaster forward, but also throwing its head into the prepared spear of a Blackguard.

    The spear punctured deep into the melted eye of the giant, the shaft breaking from the force and its point shattering against the dense bone of its skull, on the inside. The OgreˇŻs head recoiled back, screaming as it went, before it went abruptly quiet, falling on its back. Finally silent.

    Alaster landed on his back, his breath knocked out of him. He would have been concerned about losing his [Meditation], but the Ogre and Goblins had already decimated his ranks low enough for his natural Mana Regeneration to withstand it. A Minotaur rushed over, barreling through two Goblins while impaling another on the horns of its armor. It held out a hand, which Alaster used to stand up, still out of breath.

    Even with the Ogre dead, the Goblins continued to fight. There were little over two dozen left, each fighting with vigor and rage. Meanwhile, Alaster only had a dozen of his [Horde] remaining. As he watched, two more fell apart.

    He would have raised more Undead from the GoblinsˇŻ dead, but he didnˇŻt have enough mana. Regardless, his remaining Undead were enough. Two of his Blackguards had been destroyed, both having been hit by the OgreˇŻs swings, but only one having been destroyed outright. It had been swarmed by the Goblins shortly after crashing. One of the Night Children had also been destroyed. And two Minotaurs showed signs of severe damage, one from numerous blows, the other from a single powerful blow.

    Working together, his Undead began tearing the remaining Goblins apart. As their numbers were reduced, they were cornered against the cave wall. As the final Goblin fell, a Night ChildˇŻs blade in its throat, Alaster was finally able to breathe normally. It was only then he remembered he had a Spell that would have been perfect for such an occasion.

    ˇ®Could have used [Death Embrace]. Skeletons donˇŻt need to breathe.ˇŻ

    Shaking his head at his oversight, Alaster surveyed the battlefield. Despite the cave being large, the carnage had mostly been restrained to the middle ten meters. Goblin Corpses lay in pools of their own blood, and bones lay scattered throughout the area. The Goblins had mostly used crude iron swords, and he had even seen several of them break during the battle.

    As Alaster walked through the wreckage, his Undead following behind him, he was able to recognize parts of the battle. Which Goblins had faced off against which Undead. Which blows had done which damage against their armor.

    Alaster walked through the tunnel they Goblins and Ogre had come from and found a small cave roughly twenty meters in diameter. In the center, lay a single wooden chest, and a portal already open.

    Alaster had done it. He had finally beaten the Hollow Tunnels Dungeon.

 Chapter 76- The Guild

    The city of Hasal was much different from how the two village boys imagined. It was loud, crowded, and chaotic. The noise assaulted their ears like an avalanche. People constantly bumped into them. And everyone was going about their own way, with little regard for the others. And yet, they could not help but wonder at it.

    Mike pondered what knowledge there was to gleam. How many books? How many Libraries? But Mike understood that only a fraction of the worldˇŻs knowledge could be learned from books. He wondered just what sort of stories the people had. Each person could tell dozens, and yet, there were hundreds of such people just in this market square.

    Tom did not care much for books or the stories. He instead studied the people themselves, as well as the buildings, the roads, and the walls. Any potential threat, he paid attention to. Which person had weapons, the way they stood, the way they moved. He focused on the guards, their patrols, and their posts. But it was not just the people. He watched the area, which places were most defendable, where potential threats could come from.

    Despite their wonder and amazement, neither of them enjoyed the city. Mike, because it was so loud, it was hard to hear his own thoughts. Tom, because so many things assaulted his senses, he felt he was blind.

    Mike was typically the one who made the plans, but Tom was by no means simple. His senses had always been more acute than others, but after fighting and hunting for so long, he had honed it. He had grown accustomed to sensing more than many, but now in the city, he felt numb.

    He wanted to be gone from the walls as soon as they could. However, they were not there to sightsee.

    When AlasterˇŻs family had been torn asunder, the only people who had known were those of the Village, and the City Lord of Hasal. The Village Alderman had sent a message to the Overlord of their Village, the City Lord. Such was the law. A law believed to be so that those with special body constitutions could be fully nurtured by the kingdom.

    But when AlasterˇŻs parents were butchered and his sister stolen, the knights of the City Lord arrived mere days later with lies of the family being heretics. Few of the Villagers believed the lie, nor the coincidence. But, even fewer were able or willing to act against the lie. They had their own families to look after, and the people telling the lie had already shown enough resolve to make a family disappear.

    The two young men refused to lie down and take it, however. They refused to believe their brother was dead. Alaster had not been the kind of person to just accept what was. Perhaps, if his entire family was dead. But they had made the mistake of taking his sister.

    Both boys could still vividly remember how a traveling merchant had insulted his sister and the young boy, not even ten winters old, had set fire to the merchantˇŻs wagon and all his goods. Alaster had been a happy child, but he had always been protective of his family. He would never give up, nor would he forgive.

    ˇ°What level do you think he is?ˇ± Mike asked over the din.

    ˇ°We are both level Eighteen. I doubt he is less than we are.ˇ±

    Tom was proud of their progress. Only a few months before they turned seventeen and they were nearly Adepts themselves. Very few reached the twentieth level before they themselves turned eighteen. It was an accomplishment worthy enough to be proud of. However, he refused to believe that Alaster was any weaker. They had grown up together. And while he knew that could affect his belief, he had met many people on his travels, and not one was as worthy as Alaster.

    Tom looked over to the AdventurerˇŻs Guild. Each city had one, and even some forts and settlements. They were all in contact with each other, and while they never dabble in politics, it allows their Adventurers to travel and still have access to their records.

    The AdventurerˇŻs Guild was formed by a collection of Experts who cared little for the boundaries of nations. The Guild was for AdventurerˇŻs to gather, where they could socialize, form bonds, compete, and get work. In doing so, the Adventurers are mercenaries. However, they are mercenaries that follow a code, however loose that is.

    Each Adventurer must register with the guild in order to get work, as they complete their contracts, they can rank up, giving them access to harder jobs and better pay. In doing so, they also get fame and influence. However, their rank, and their access to the Guild itself, was fragile. All Adventurers were required to follow two simple rules. To disobey even one of these, would result in their Guild access being terminated.

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    First, they are bound to protect the settlements of man against the tides of monsters. Against other nations, such as war, they have no obligation. However, against bandits or raiders, they are. This helps to prevent soldiers from hiding their colors, and instead announce themselves. Else, they have Adventurers joining the defense. Of course, they can still fight, but they are not bound.

    Second, to forsake nationality. Simply put, they are forbidden from aligning themselves with any particular nation. They are forbidden from holding any position or title from any nation. If they wish to do so, they must first renounce their Guild Membership. Many great leaders and generals have been Adventurers, but they left the Guild before doing so.

    The AdventurerˇŻs Guild in Hasal was large, made of reinforced granite, with a marble trim. The doors were hardened oak, reinforced with steel. Tom could see that the designer had planned for the building to be a fortress in itself. There were even battlements at the top, though he doubted they had seen much use.

    ˇ®Maybe they have tables and chairs up there?ˇŻ He mused.

    Together, the two young men walked up the flight of stairs and past the four columns to the open doors. There was a constant stream of people coming and going from the Guild, but the doors were wide enough for none of them to bump into each other. A welcome change from the chaos of the market.

    The Interior was surprisingly homey. A large hearth to the left cast a warm glow that warmed the large room, even with the large gates open.

    ˇ®Maybe magic.ˇŻ

    To the right, there was a bar with stools, serving their customers. Tables lined the room with many people sitting at them and talking, planning, or boasting. In the back of the room, five receptionists assisted Adventurers from behind the counter. In the back left corner, a staircase led to a second floor, with an open deck, where the offices, storage, and training rooms of the Guild resided.

    However, the most important area, with over a dozen people standing, was the Job Board. Basically, people or organizations would contact the Guild and propose their needs. The Guild would negotiate with the people for a suitable reward for the job, and if they came to an agreement, the Guild would post the job on the Board, where any Adventurer of adequate Rank could accept it, granted the receptionist believed them capable enough to complete it and return alive.

    The Guild would pay the Adventurer upon completion, if the only reward was monetary. Then the Guild would pursue payment from the job requester. This system ensured payment for the Adventurers, reduced their hassle, and improved their rate of survival. It also ensured the Adventurers would treat Guild Employees appropriately, as they decided whether they could accept jobs or not.

    However, there was also a second board, on the wall to the right of the doors, where anyone could come and post their jobs, without the Guild serving as a middleman. Typically, jobs from people needing help but not able to or unwilling to pay the Guild Fees, or have even been turned down. One could find everything from ˇ®Find my PetˇŻ quests to ˇ®Defeat this Dragon NestˇŻ. The quests, as well as their rewards, were unregulated. And completing them did not contribute to oneˇŻs Rank within the Guild.

    The Ranks were familiar to everyone, and basic. Starting from F Rank, and ending at A Rank. Regardless of prior strength and ability, all new members started at F Rank. This helped ensure that new members did not take jobs above their capabilities, and that they could familiarize themselves with the way the Guild works before taking more difficult jobs.

    The Rankings also did not take the Class or Tier of the Adventurer into account. It was not unheard of for an Expert to be a new member at F Rank, or a Novice to be capable of holding a C Rank. Not all the Jobs were combat related, either. One of the more common Jobs were harvest jobs, requiring a certain amount of a herb. A Blacksmith could become a B Rank Adventurer due to fulfilling enough smithing related Jobs.

    It was a fabulous system of doing that''s that had been around so long as to become natural. New Settlements were considered civilized until the Guild had a branch there. And a Settlement was considered to be dying if the Guild left. Even people who werenˇŻt registered with the Guild still talked about using the Rankings.

    However, despite their requirement to remain neutral in all international disputes, they still kept up to date with the ongoings. Guild Employees werenˇŻt restricted to just reception and office work. The Guild prided itself in having a strong defense force, as well as an information seeker team and market. Even in the middle of a siege, no one dares to attack the Guild Hall as that would invoke not only the wrath of the Adventurers themselves, but also the team of extremely capable fighters in some of the best equipment available.

    The two young men were there to register as Adventurers, as many their age did, having had enough time to familiarize themselves with their Abilities enough to not embarrass themselves. But they were not here for fame or fortune, though neither would turn the fortune part down. They were there for the Info Market.

    It was said that the GuildˇŻs Information Market had every bit of knowledge available, for a price. Though everyone knew that it was just a saying, it wasnˇŻt far off. But they didnˇŻt sell it to just anyone. Their customers had to be Registered Adventurers, and depending on the information, also had to be a certain Rank.

    The two young men hoped to further advance their levels and powers while they searched for answers. They had no doubt that the information they wanted would require high Ranks. But they werenˇŻt going to just give up, not while Alaster was still out there.

 Chapter 77- Guardians

    Evros sat down in his chair and leaned back, pleasantly groaning as his back cracked in several places. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes and clasped his hands together over his stomach. He couldnˇŻt remember the last time he had been able to lay back like this, and he remembered the last century in perfect order.

    However, his rest was disturbed by a wisp of smoke. Sighing in annoyance, he opened his eyes and leaned up.

    ˇ°Sedall.ˇ± Before him stood the man trapped in an eternal prison. His slightly transparent and smokey appearance, a sign that the man was only there in spirit, not in person.

    ˇ°Evros, what the hell type of boy is this?ˇ±

    The old man raised an eyebrow, ˇ°What do you mean? What happened?ˇ±

    ˇ°The boy is some brand new type of Necrotic Mana User. The Pure Class of Necrotic Magic. I understand that. But he is raising Undead even Necromancers his level struggle to raise, and they are much stronger than the Necromancers are capable of making them. Its always been a fact that the Undead raised as Minions are weaker than when they were alive. But this boy just raised a small army of Undead Goblins, and each one was stronger than when it lived. Sure, those Goblins are temporary, but even his standard Undead arenˇŻt normal.

    It is actually quite fascinating to watch him create his Undead, as he is able to customize them to suit his needs. The boy is smart and cunning, but also knows how to fight and doesnˇŻt leave it up to his Minions.

    The boy just soloed a Dungeon that was higher level than he was. A Dungeon that was designed to challenge a full party of experienced Adventurers.

    I know there is a range of power appropriate for levels. Someone can be much stronger than others their own level, but it has its limits. This boy, not only is he much stronger than others, even five levels higher than him, but with each level he acquires, I only see his potential grow.

    But Evros. You knew the God of Death before he became a God. Was he this powerful then?ˇ±

    Evros scratched his short beard, ˇ°I donˇŻt know, when I knew him he was already beginning to outgrow the System. But I do know that he hadnˇŻt achieved the Pure Class. He was a Necromancer, though I donˇŻt know the actual name of his Expert Class. His specialty was swarming over his enemies with numbers that were highly resistant to magic.

    You said that this boyˇŻs Undead are powerful?ˇ±

    ˇ°Old Man, I kid you not, this boy isnˇŻt even level thirty-five, and his Undead were fully capable of killing fifty armored Goblins in addition to the Ogre in the Dungeon.ˇ± SedallˇŻs eyes briefly turned distant, ˇ°He just beat the Dungeon! Why is he going right back in?ˇ±

    It was common for the Monsters in Dungeons to be slightly stronger than their real life counterparts, it was due to the high concentrations of purer mana. Goblins were simple, but armored Goblins were different. A group of Low Adepts would struggle with a small party of them. The boy had killed fifty at once, in addition to an Ogre, who requires a full party of Mid-Adepts.

    ˇ°How were his losses?ˇ± The Old man asked.

    ˇ°He lost only a few Undead throughout the Dungeon. In the Boss Room, he lost most of his temporary Undead and several of his standard Undead. He was left with a force still capable of defeating a full party of Adepts of his level. Evros, you said you had a feeling this boy was capable of changing things, not necessarily for the better. The more I watch him, the more I am certain of it.

    Many Classes have been given the title of One Man Armies. Most of them are highly situational. Necromancers were given the title because they can quite literally spawn an army. But that army was weak and fragile. But this boy, if he is allowed to grow in strength, will not have that same weakness. He will be capable of raising an army capable of destroying everything. I worry that if we do not take care of the potential threat, he will very quickly grow into too big of a threat, even for us.ˇ±

    Evros leaned back, ˇ°You would kill a child on the small chance that he would become too strong for you to do so later?ˇ±

    Sedall sighed, despite having no lungs at the moment, ˇ°Evros, he has the potential to destroy the world.ˇ±

    ˇ°So do I. So do you. So does all of our kind.ˇ±

    ˇ°But we are regulated by each other. I was one of the strongest of our kind, but not to such a degree that I could be careless. This boy? At the rate he is going, I suspect he will be so powerful as to wipe out all of our kind without a care, within three decades.ˇ±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ˇ°Sedall, he is still young. He hasnˇŻt even breached the second barrier. Surely not enough years have passed to make you forget how quickly you advanced through the lower levels? His pace will slow. He is progressing very quickly, even through the lower levels, but he will slow.ˇ±

    ˇ°His levels are only part of my concern. He is advancing quickly. So quickly, that he isnˇŻt even making full use of the Abilities he currently has. When his leveling slows, he will naturally move onto improving what he already has. That is when his power will truly shine.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what ways?ˇ±

    ˇ°Currently, he is only capable of raising fourteen standard Undead. But when the Spell breached the first barrier, it changed. It is now going to add another Undead each level, and he has an Evolution to double each increase. Granted, that double only applies to Skeleton Undead. But all of his Undead are Skeletons.

    You and I both know that the stronger Undead arenˇŻt Skeletons. And he will be able to raise an additional one every level the Spell reaches.

    Evros, I have fought Demons and Abyss Monsters. Horrors of existence that the average mortalˇŻs mind would shatter upon glancing at. Yet I was rarely frightened, but this boy? He scares me.

    When he breaks through the third barrier, he will be comparable to a dozen of his peers. He will once more focus on the levels of his Abilities. When they similarly break through the third barrier, I worry that he might well be capable of killing one of us.ˇ±

    ˇ°You think a mortal will be able to kill one of us?ˇ±

    ˇ°Crazier things had happened. I admit, if steered in the right direction, the boy could make this world a much safer and stable place. But as Tualla said, the boy is fragile. He is broken. And I truly worry about what he will do for his Sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°Speaking of. Tualla found the girl.ˇ±

    ˇ°Took her long enough.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, she only looked in between her duties. Only a few minutes at a time.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what of the girl?ˇ±

    ˇ°She is currently sponsored by the Duke Redmond of the Lissurian Kingdom. She is being treated very well and might as well be the adopted daughter.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Duke ordered her family killed so he could adopt her?ˇ±

    ˇ°Apparently, it has something to do with her special body constitution.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea. Tualla is looking, but she is unable to devote much time to it. It does not help that the Duke has systematically eliminated any potential knowledge of it. At this point, the only people who know she has a Special Body is her village, yet they donˇŻt know what it is.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whatever it is, I hope it''s worth dying horribly over. The boy is careful and plans. When he grows strong enough, he will begin hunting for the people who took his sister. The Duke might have killed all possible links to him. But the boy is a Necrotic Magic user. If there is anyone who can glean the truth from the dead, it''s him. The Duke made an enemy he will regret.ˇ±

    ˇ°The boy is not the only one searching.ˇ±

    Sedall tilted his head, ˇ°Who?ˇ±

    ˇ°The boyˇŻs childhood friends. They have not forgotten him, and they apparently know him well enough to know just as you said. They have been pushing themselves to also grow quickly. Not only that, but they are about to breach the first barrier themselves. Quite capable for their levels as well. And, they have decided to call Hasal their base for their leveling activities, as it''s their only clue as to what happened to their friendˇŻs family.ˇ±

    ˇ°So he isnˇŻt alone?ˇ± Sedall nodded to himself, ˇ°ThatˇŻs good. That should help steer him correctly.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt want him meeting them until he breaches the second barrier.ˇ±

    Sedall turned sharply to face his elder, ˇ°What? Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°He needs to believe himself alone in his hunt. His powers must develop in a way that does not require others.ˇ±

    ˇ°Everyone needs other people! He is just a boy! He will be much more inclined to destroy entire civilizations if he isnˇŻt a part of any.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s not what I mean. As you said, the boy is careful. Tualla has also said he is distrusting of others. From now on, I want you to begin steering him to meet certain people. People who can teach him, guide him. Directly or not.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll provide you with a list later, as well as their locations. For now, let him do what he wants. When he moves to a new area, which I believe will be when he advances past level forty, subtly guide him. But donˇŻt allow him to know you are there. Remain hidden. He must continue to believe himself alone.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what is the first stop for the lad?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Manaless.ˇ±

    SedallˇŻs face would have drained of color if he was physical, ˇ°Why him?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can sense it, the boyˇŻs Class is not purely magical. Who better to train the boy in the physical, than a man who canˇŻt do anything but?ˇ±

    ˇ°What makes you think he wonˇŻt just kill the boy?ˇ±

    ˇ°Call it intuition. Trust me. He will teach the boy. Just get the lad to him.ˇ±

    Sedall shook his head in defeat, ˇ°Fine. I donˇŻt know when the boy will leave his current area. At the last Dungeon, he ran through it numerous times until he felt satisfied. This Dungeon is much more complicated and difficult.ˇ±

    ˇ°Just continue watching. If the boy dies, it''s a shame, but we have other routes to take. But do your best to guide him away from impossible battles, without being spotted.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will do.ˇ± Sedall waved as he vanished from EvrosˇŻ room.

    The old man sighed, ˇ®To think that Sedall, the butcher of Xedora, would be scared. Huh, this boy is special.ˇŻ

 Chapter 78- Slaughter Rewards

    Alaster stepped out of the void, rolling his armored shoulders. [Death Pact] had leveled significantly, and now covered his arms and chest. It nearly covered his stomach. The Bonus was level eight now, and he suspected that when it reached level ten, that it would cover him completely.

    Alaster called out his Undead and the Ring portal materialized. Wide enough for two Blackguards at once, they marched out. When all the Blackguards were out, the Minotaurs began to march out next, one at a time. Their imposing thick black armor reflecting very little light.

    He had completed the Hollow Tunnel Dungeon six more times, totaling seven. Each time, it was completed faster than the last. In no small part due to AlasterˇŻs increasing Undead. [Raise Undead] was now level twenty-four, and allowing him to raise ten Undead. That ten was doubled by his Legion Evolution. He could now raise twenty standard Undead, plus one Skeletal Mage, and over fifty [Horde] Skeletons.

    ˇ®How is this Adept range?ˇŻ

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 30<37

    EXP: 74%<52%

    Health: 675/675<745/745

    Health Regeneration: 16/min

    Mana: 730/730<905/905

    Mana Regeneration: 17/min<20/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage, Dead Bomb

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Swap, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 104<118

    Dexterity: 100<114

    Constitution*: 113<127

    Wisdom*: 172<200

    Intelligence*: 130<165

    Free Points: 0]

    [Wisdom 200 Bonus Unlocked: Soul Domain]

    [Wisdom 200 Bonus: Soul Domain

    Level 1: 0%

    Create a Portal to your Soul

    Size: 10 meters]

    The young manˇŻs stats were good, but fairly average for his level. What he was capable of with those stats was extraordinary. Currently, he doubted anything sort of an entire Mid to High-Adept party would be able to defeat him.

    Alaster had been planning on repeating the Dungeon until he had beat it ten times, or reached level forty, whichever came first. However, when Alaster had unlocked his Wisdom two hundred Bonus, he had immediately attempted to use it. Only to receive a failure notice.

    [Warning: Unable to activate]

    So, when he defeated the Ogre Boss once again, instead of immediately entering the Dungeon again, he paused and took a look over his Status, as well as attempt the Bonus once more. It was rare, but not unheard of, for certain situations to prevent the use of certain Abilities, the most common of reasons being Dungeons. Most of ColiusˇŻ Warp Spells were severely limited or outright disabled while he was in a Dungeon. The old wizard had regularly complained about how easy it was for others to level up in Dungeons.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    AlasterˇŻs many Undead took up guard positions around him. A dozen Blackguards with long spears and kite shields that had a small groove where they could rest their spears in. Six massive Minotaurs with long and powerful glaives and tower shields with numerous small spikes on them. The spikes occurred when the Goblin crossbow bolts embedded in the shield and the Living Bone enchantment attempts to repair the damage without removing the bolt. Instead, it grows the bone around the bolt. When Alaster leaves the Dungeon, the bolts, encased in bone, vanish, causing the bone to fill the void.

    However, that was only eighteen. One Night Child had immediately climbed a nearby tree. But AlasterˇŻs newest pride stood in front of him. Make entirely from memory, bone, and Necrotic Mana, a large stallion awaited orders.

    Alaster didnˇŻt know anything about the skeleton of a horse. Instead, it had been a mess of trial and error. As his Undead butchered the Goblins, Alaster would spend hundreds of Mana only to see the Undead abomination fail to move properly. While experimenting, Alaster didnˇŻt strengthen the bone. It was a waste of even more Mana and time to do that when he didnˇŻt even know if the design would work.

    Due to this, and his Mana becoming much stronger, the Undead was capable of moving with more force than the bone was capable of withstanding. Numerous times, when Alaster had miscalculated the joints and bone sizes, the bones would collide and shatter. It took an entire Dungeon Run to get the general shape correct. It took another Run to get the general shape to look correct, as well as get the armor plates to work correctly, while still standard bone.

    Alaster didnˇŻt intend to use the Stallion in the Dungeon. It was too narrow. However, it did intend to use it in combat eventually. So he treated the design as such. The armor was angled, so any braced weapons would be pushed to the side. The armor on the sides were plates layered over each other to allow greater flexibility.

    When he deemed the design satisfactory, Alaster attempted to ride it, and quickly learned the importance of saddles and stirrups. Unfortunately, Alaster was unable to create stirrups flexible enough with bone. However, since the Stallion was an Undead, Alaster didnˇŻt need the stirrups to direct the beast, and could instead control it with mere thought and intent. So Alaster instead built them into the armor. The Saddle was simply a trial and error of comfort.

    In the latter stages of the last Dungeon, Alaster had even built a back rest so he could lean back in comfort.

    ˇ®Dungeons really shouldnˇŻt be this easy for people.ˇŻ

    Regardless, Alaster was proud of the beast. Standing at nearly six feet tall, in all black armor, it was an intimidating creature. A creature made unnerving, because of it didnˇŻt move unless ordered, nor breath.

    AlasterˇŻs latest Bonus, [Soul Domain] was ambiguous. He was not sure what it would actually do. ˇ®Create a portal to your SoulˇŻ. The Soul was not a physical thing. So how could a portal be made to reach it? In addition, the Ability did say, Range, or Radius. Nor did it specify a Mana Cost. All it said was Size, a size of ten meters.

    ˇ®What better than to try it out?ˇŻ

    Alaster mentally activated [Soul Domain].

    Two meters away from him, a portal opened. Like someone had used a knife to make a vertical cut in a stretched cloth, followed by someone grabbing both sides and pull apart. In the end, Alaster was faced with a two meter tall, meter and a half wide portal of glowing sickly green Mana. However, when he looked closer, he could see a hint of reddish orange.

    ˇ®Interesting. Its made up of the mana I use.ˇŻ

    But Alaster wasnˇŻt about to go through a strange portal unaware. He still vividly remembered how he had been thrown several meters away when he tried to enter the portal generated by the SummonerˇŻs Ring.

    Alaster ordered one of the Blackguards to step forward.

    ˇ°You shall be the first on new ground! If, there is, in fact, ground. Onwards!ˇ±

    The Blackguard saluted and marched through.

    [Warning: Change Detected in Ability]

    [Wisdom 200 Bonus: Soul Domain

    Level 1: 0%

    Create a Portal to your Soul

    Size: 10 meters

    Minions Stored: 1/5]

    ˇ®Huh, that''s cool. A weaker version of the SummonerˇŻs Ring. And, if I lose the Ring in some way, I can still store some. Though I hope that it will increase eventually.ˇŻ

    Alaster had been wanting to learn an Ability to store his Minions. As much as he liked the Ring, it could be lost, or removed, or even cut off. But it was much more difficult to disable Abilities, as they were tied to the Soul, though still possible. There were Abilities that worked similar to a curse and weakened Abilities or even disabled them temporarily. Though, those were typically costly and had several limitations.

    There were also enchantments that could be used to disable Abilities. These were typically used as shackles or secure rooms. But since they were still enchantments, they were expensive, leading only the more wealthy to have access.

    Alaster had even heard of a certain ore that could naturally sever the link between the physical world and a personˇŻs soul. It was painless, and only effective so long as the material was present. However, it completely removed access to even the most reliable of Abilities. Alaster wasnˇŻt even sure if his Undead would still function if he encountered the material. Would they stand there like statues? Continue to obey orders and simply be unable to receive new ones? Fall apart? Or maybe even go wild, attacking anything around.

    Undead werenˇŻt just Minions, after all. They were naturally occurring in the world. ˇ®NaturallyˇŻ being very loose. Almost always, Undead were caused by some outside influence. Wild Undead, having no master, typically mindlessly wondered around attacking every living thing they found. However, on the very rare, almost completely unheard, chance that a truly naturally occurring Undead rose, they were always extremely powerful.

    Typically, such natural Undead took the form of Liches. Immensely powerful Undead Mages, capable of raising legions of their own Undead. They were highly intelligent, and could be reasoned with, however they were still filled with the primal instinct and need to rip apart everything living thing. Even trees were left alone, though they took a lesser priority to breathing creatures.

    Seeing no other changes, Alaster stepped forward and lightly touched the portal with his finger. It rippled like water. His finger passed through effortlessly. The sensation was strange. Cold, with a hint of warmth. Yet he felt perfectly fine. He wasnˇŻt tossed away. The tip of his finger didnˇŻt get chopped off.

    So Alaster stepped through.

 Chapter 79-Incoming

    Construction was going well. The city of Onigas was still in the process of building their defenses, but they were already well underway. At this point, most of the population were under the employ of the military. In one way or another. Constant patrols marched through the city, keeping order, keeping morale high, and training discipline.

    The soldiers were always doing something. Whether it was training, marching, building, or hunting. Even their rest was regulated and controlled to provide the desired effect in the least amount of time.

    Only the more skilled were allowed out hunting with the Scouts. But all the Soldiers periodically hunted. Training movements and skills could only go far. Hunting Monsters was required. There were a few that didnˇŻt make it back, but those that did were much stronger.

    The Mages were all taught how to spread out their Spells, both over a lengthy battle, and over a wide area. Even if the Spell didnˇŻt manage much damage, several hundred such Spells would, and would have a higher chance of hitting at least something.

    The Engineers were hard at work building Siege Weapons and their ammo. Alchemists were requesting Wind Mages to blow fresh air through their labs as they worked overtime to brew enough potions. Blacksmiths were sending out carts full of weapons and armor. Farmers were working to gather the most amount of food, as well as expand the underground Hydroponics.

    The secondary wall, currently being built, was currently three quarters done. But the City Lord was not calmed by that. The entire city was working together to prepare for a war that they didnˇŻt know would even come for them. The report the Lord read confirmed it. War was erupting throughout the lands, and now, it was coming for them.

    According to the report from his spies in Taria, the Kingdom, in its desire to fortify their lands, were conquering and building numerous fortresses. And now, they saw the Independent City of Onigas as their next stop. The report stated that the attacking army would begin in the Tarian City of Milem, and march towards Onigas, stopping at every city and village on the way to pick up additional troops. In short, the spy had no idea how large the army would be when it reached Onigas.

    The City Lord put down the report and leaned back, closing his eyes, and sighed. He had hoped that the mere preparation for war would be enough to discourage the other Nations from attacking. Now, instead of a deterrent, the preparations had only made it a greater target for the Tarians. He could only hope that the construction would be completed before the Tarian army arrived, and that it would be enough.

    In the training grounds of the City Lord, two people were sparring. Both clad in heavy armor. One tall man wielding a large claymore, and the other a young woman using a large shield and arming sword. The woman gave a good fight, but it was clear the man had the advantage. Even using a much heavier weapon, he was capable of striking both faster and harder.

    After only a few minutes, the young woman, unable to deflect, received a heavy swing directly to her shield. The metal shield crumpled against the blow and was thrown from her grasp. She was thrown, landing heavily on her back. Before she could recover, the man was over her, holding his sword over her throat.

    ˇ°Nicely done, your highness. You managed to last four seconds longer than the last time.ˇ± The man teased, lowering his sword and offering his hand up.

    Iris, eldest daughter of the City Lord, took the offered hand and stood up. She grunted in pain as her wrist complained, but she ignored it. Soon, it would be just another one of her countless bruises. Her high constitution saw to that. While her level was only a little higher than average for her age, her CON, was much higher than any other Novice, and many Adepts.

    Stats could be raised through simple training, not requiring Levels, but it was hard work. Iris had been sparring against her trainer for months now. Every day, she pushed herself harder. She couldnˇŻt remember the last time she woke up without her body bruised. She could have called for a healer. They would have gotten rid of the bruises and pain quickly. But she didnˇŻt. There werenˇŻt that many Healers in the city, and each one was always busy to heal those returning from hunting.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Unknown to her, that was one of the larger reasons for her high Constitution. Though, her trainer noticed. He was a High Adept, almost Expert. He was one of the strongest in the City, though he certainly wouldnˇŻt call himself one of the top ten. And yet, this Novice, through pure skill and perseverance, was capable of receiving several blows from him. Granted, he only ever put a fraction of his power behind them, nor did he use any Abilities. But if he did the same to any other Novice, they would be knocked unconscious from just a single blow.

    Had the situation been calmer, he would have taken her out hunting. She was currently brushing below the very limit of what she could do at her level. As anyone would, she would grow much stronger after she reached Adept. Perhaps then, she would manage to last more than five minutes against him, at least in his weakened state.

    Regardless, it was simply too risky to allow the City LordˇŻs daughter out of the city. There were no doubt spies and assassins nearby that would gladly take advantage. Nonetheless, Iris checked her wristˇŻs movement, and finding it capable, she picked up her broken shield and walked over to the weaponˇŻs rack against the wall.

    She dropped the shield onto a small pile of similarly broken shields and grabbed another off the rack. They had been sparring since dawn. The sun had beat down on her all day, and it was no beginning to lower. It would still be a few hours before dusk. Until that moment, she belonged to her trainer, the source of all her bruises.

    The City Lord occasionally checked on his daughter when he caught a small moment of peace. He didnˇŻt like to see her push herself so hard, but he was proud of her. She was the most powerful Novice in the city. And while Novices were fairly useless in a war, he hoped that her training would allow her to protect herself, should the worst happen and the city be breached.

    Everyone was doing their best to ensure it wasnˇŻt, but as the City Lord, it was his duty to prepare for it. Every Guard garrison within the city had been restocked, resupplied, and most had even been rebuilt. He hoped that if the walls proved insufficient, the garrisons, the small forts that they were, would be able to hold on even longer.

    Within the City, the enemy wouldnˇŻt be able to use Siege Weapons or Siege Magic, at least not without being looked down upon by the rest of the world when news spread. The garrisons would allow the defenders to keep fighting, and if the walls held long enough, then it was possible that the attackers would be forced to retreat. After all, while the Tarian army was at Onigas, they wouldnˇŻt be able to defend their own land.

    Taurus was dealing with its own Orc Invasion, but their border patrols had still had skirmishes with the other Nations. Taria had all but open war against Celarn, but they were fortifying their western border, Onigas was just the latest of their efforts.

    Zedora and Hason were having constant skirmishes between themselves. According his the City LordˇŻs reports, Hason had been sending their worker slaves into Zedora lands to cut down their bamboo forests. Zedora eliminated the slaves and warned Hason not to let it happen again. Only a few weeks later, another group of slave workers crossed the border with axes, except this time, they were protected by soldiers. It is too small a matter to involve the full force of either military, but regardless, neither side is backing down. And each skirmish is just getting larger and larger.

    But what really surprised the Lord, was that the Gilaen Empire was pressuring the Lissurians. Apparently, they believed the trade agreements between the two were in favor of the Lissurians. However, instead of allowing the agreements to expire to create new ones, they were pushing to draft new agreements immediately. Which, naturally, the Lissurians were refusing. The City Lord didnˇŻt understand why the Empire was pushing so hard. They controlled such a vast swath of land, that the vast majority of their military was tied up keeping it out of the hands of Monsters.

    There was so much international contention, and the City Lord didnˇŻt understand why. Wars were fairly common, it was usually isolated to just two nations. What was causing all the Nations to encounter such drastic issues. Even Athera, a nation that preferred isolation, had completely cut off all contact. The last time they did that was when the S Rank Dungeon emerged, wiping out the ancient Empire of Naon.

    If there was one thing the City Lord was certain about, whether Onigas survived the Tarian attack or not, the conflicts were just beginning.

 Chapter 80- Guild Master

    Tom stretched out on the table, using his hands as a pillow. Mike sat at the table properly, rolling his eyes at his friend as he pulled out a book. It had only been a few months since the two joined the Adventurers Guild. And yet, they had quickly become known. They werenˇŻt famous. Few outside the Guild itself would recognize them. But those who visited the Guild regularly, or were of the Guild, knew them to be very capable, very dedicated young men.

    Every day, they would come into the Guild Hall, pick one of the more difficult Jobs for their Rank, and complete it. Just the two of them. When most Adventurers joined parties of six or seven. If they completed the Job before the Guild closed for the night, they would come back and take another.

    The two had rented a small apartment that was marketed to Adventurers. It was very small, barely enough room for two beds and a desk. It was however cheap, and the two young men rarely spent any time inside unless they were sleeping.

    Using the money from the Jobs, they purchased better gear and even training.

    Tom now knew a Taunt Ability. It had both a short radius and duration. However, for most Monsters, once you had their attention, it was yours. The young warrior also had javelins. He only had four, and they were short, but they were heavy. Perfectly capable of doing serious damage. Instead of the patchwork of leather and chain, he now wore full chainmail with plate shoulders, van braces, shin guards, and a chest piece that covered only his upper torso.

    Mike had taken lessons from an experienced Wind Mage and was now able to manipulate the wind to a much greater degree, even enough to sense large shapes. He was able to create much thinner, faster, and numerous Wind Blades. Or he could create a wall of wind capable of pushing back light Monsters, which he used to prevent Tom from being overwhelmed. Though there had been a few occasions when the Wind Wall also caught Tom. Mike now sported a full suit of leather armor, all designed for ease of movement. They even managed to save enough money to purchase a staff.

    Staffs, like wands, or even the rare Grimoire, were Focuses. Tools that enhanced the Magic of the user. It could make the spell stronger, or faster, or could even provide an increased Mana Regeneration. And if the Focus was attuned with a specific School of Magic, its effect was increased even more so. The more broad the focus, the less the increase.

    Mike had only been able to afford a general staff. Staffs were the cheapest of Focuses, and even the general staff had cost four Gold, most of their coin. Yet its effect was immediately noticed. His Spells were roughly twenty percent stronger. Normally, such a sudden increase would make it difficult to control the spell, but the staff also helped with that, so besides the increase in power, there wasnˇŻt much else.

    Currently, the two young men were waiting at one of the tables at the Guild Hall. They had been asked to meet with the Guild Master. The Guild Master was basically the one that ran the Guild Hall. Mike was concerned about how the meeting would go, as the Guild Master had the authority to ensure they never did Guild work again.

    They had already been waiting for two hours. Tom had already cleaned and oiled his equipment, something he rarely had the time to do. And Mike had already finished one book about the History of Enchanting, and started on the next in the series. Normally, they would be out hunting for the JobˇŻs prey and Tom would already be splattered with their blood.

    However, while Tom rested, he didnˇŻt sleep. His mind was still planning. The staff had drained their funds, but had already proven its use several times, allowing them to take higher paying Jobs and complete them quickly. Their next big purchase would also be for Mike, but would service Tom more. A Healing spell. Mike had found a Mage willing to teach him a basic Healing Spell, for ten gold.

    The mage had been completely upfront about the spell. It was a slow spell, meant for use after a battle. And for the more serious injuries, it would only be capable of providing First Aid. However, Tom believed that it would be enough for their needs. Currently, whenever he received an injury, they were forced to end their hunt for the day and return to the city, paying a Healer there so they could resume the hunt the next day. But if Mike knew how to heal, they would not only be more efficient hunters, but would also save a lot of money in the end.

    It only needed a very large payment to begin with. A payment they had been forced to pause collecting when the Receptionist told them the Guild Master wanted to meet. As he laid there, Tom wondered what they had done to catch the Guild MasterˇŻs eye. Sure, they had progressed to C Rank quickly, and even become Adepts much sooner than most, but in the end, they were still quite weak compared to other members. The only reason they were C Rank was because they were completing so many Jobs so regularly.

    Tom suspected that they wouldnˇŻt be able to hunt at all today, and he wouldnˇŻt be surprised if that single day of no jobs was enough to drop the two back down to D Rank.

    Eventually, a Receptionist walked over.

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    ˇ°Sorry for the wait, the Guild Master is ready to see you now.ˇ±

    Mike put his book back in his satchel and stood up while Tom hopped off the table and grabbed his shield leaning against the table leg.

    ˇ®Took long enough.ˇŻ

    The Receptionist was a pretty woman in a white blouse, black vest, and a tight black skirt. As she led the two young men up the stairs, both suddenly found the wooden stairs to be the most interesting thing in existence.

    A couple of the older Adventurers chuckled at them. The skirts the female receptionists wore were plenty long enough.

    On the second floor, there were four rooms facing the railing, with a hallway running between the two. Down the hallway, there were two more rooms on either side of the hallway, but the hallway ended at one room. The receptionist led the two young men to that room and gently knocked on the dark oak door.

    ˇ°Come in!ˇ± A deep voice shouted from within.

    The receptionist opened the door and motioned them in, but did not enter with them, instead closing the door behind them.

    The room was the nicest, either of the young men had ever been in, and yet, it was also simpler than they expected from the office of the Guild Master. Enchanted stones, hung from the walls, shone brightly, removing the need for a more flammable source of light. Two comfortable looking couches sat in the middle of the room with a small table between them. All the walls to the left of the door were covered, floor to ceiling, with filled bookshelves.

    Mike grew visibly excited, but he controlled himself.

    To the right of the door, against the wall, was the Guild Master and his desk. The Guild Master himself was a large man, yet he appeared tiny compared to the mountains of paperwork piled on his desk.

    ˇ°Please sit, IˇŻll be with you in a moment.ˇ± The man said, not looking up.

    Both young men hesitated before they sat down on the left couch. They were both amazed at how comfortable the couch was. They only had to wait for a minute before the older man walked out from behind his desk and joined them. He sat down on the couch across from them with a sigh.

    Able to see him better, Mike was able to see that the Guild Master, while he would have been a fearsome warrior, had long since passed his prime. However, something about the man warned him that if he wanted to, the Guild Master was still capable of significant threat.

    ˇ°Good Afternoon lads. I hear that you have been quite effective at clearing Jobs, despite only being the two of you. How is that?ˇ± The Guild Master stared at them intently, but Tom wasnˇŻt able to spot any malice, just curiosity.

    ˇ°We donˇŻt run into a situation without knowing what we are up against.ˇ± Mike said plainly.

    ˇ°Really? And that time you completed a Job requiring the extermination of an entire Goblin Tribe? Just how did you manage that with just the two of you?ˇ±

    Tom smirked, but allowed Mike to explain. It had been his plan after all.

    ˇ°The Goblins were in a cave, sir. We knew that there was only one way in or out, so we just built a few large bonfires with wet wood in front of the opening. I then used my Wind Magic to force the smoke in, while withdrawing the clean air. The few Goblins that came out were weak from breathing the smoke and disoriented, so Tom didnˇŻt have any issue dispatching them.ˇ±

    The Guild Master nodded approvingly, ˇ°You didnˇŻt get any Levels from that did you?ˇ±

    ˇ°No sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°You knew you wouldnˇŻt, but still went for it. Most Adventurers your age would be more focused on leveling up. And with your skill and teamwork, the two of you could become quite high leveled fairly quickly. So if Leveling isnˇŻt your goal, what is?ˇ±

    The two young men glanced at each other before Tom spoke, ˇ°We needed to become C Rank and to get plenty of coin.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ah,ˇ± The Guild Master leaned back into the couch, ˇ°You want some information from the Guild. Valuable information from the sounds of it. Tell me then, what is it you want to know?ˇ±

    Both of them hesitated.

    ˇ°Nothing said here will be mentioned elsewhere.ˇ± The Guild Master stated.

    ˇ°Sir,ˇ± Mike still hesitated, but pushed ahead, ˇ°Our friendˇŻs family was murdered and branded as heretics. He had been on the run since, going who knows where.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you want to know where he is?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ± Tom stated bluntly, ˇ°It doesnˇŻt matter where he is. Because we know him. He will come back.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what makes you so certain?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because whoever killed his parents, kidnapped his sister. Had they simply killed his family, he might have remained hidden away. But with his sister taken like that? He wonˇŻt give up.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what is it you want the Guild to find out, if we donˇŻt know already?ˇ±

    ˇ°Three things, in order of importance. One, Where is his sister? Two, who killed his parents and took his sister? And three, why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Those will be quite pricey.ˇ± The Guild Master noted.

    ˇ°Which is why we donˇŻt care so much for leveling. We need the funds and the Rank.ˇ± Mike said, wondering where this conversation was going.

    ˇ°IˇŻll tell you this, at the very least, that information will require B Rank and at least one hundred gold. However, we should be able to find it. Tell you what, the two of you do a few select Jobs for the Guild itself, and we find the Information you are seeking.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Tom asked, suspicious.

    ˇ°The two of you are talented, and I believe that you will be much more valuable on more fragile Jobs. Let the full parties deal with the Goblins and Monster issues. While you will deal with the issues that require more of a careful hand.ˇ±

    ˇ°You want us to be your assassins?ˇ± Mike asked, immediately on guard.

    ˇ°What? No! Most of the work I will offer you will be in the city, but plenty will be outside. Some of it might require killing other people, but IˇŻm not going to send you to kill innocent people. Occasionally we get Job Offers that simply require more finesse. Such as locating a certain stolen item. Or tracking certain people. Or even delivery of a precious cargo. If you accept, IˇŻm certain you can build good connections, and because they are more careful Jobs, they will be Ranked and rewarded more generously.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you will just handpick our Jobs?ˇ± Tom asked, curious how it would work.

    ˇ°Yes. Many of these Jobs involve influential people that would rather keep their name off our Job Board. So if we were able to keep knowledge of those Jobs down to just two Adventurers, it would be best.ˇ±

    The two young men glanced at each other before saying in unison, ˇ°We accept.ˇ±

 Chapter 81- Soon to be

    Evelyn was struggling to stay awake in class. Had it been any other class, she would have been fine. But Mathematics was just so boring! It also didnˇŻt help that even the teacher thought so. The students joked that the teacher had actually stopped coming to class and instead sent a really intricate golem. It might have just been a simple joke, if the teacher ever actually changed pitch or tone.

    Even if Evelyn enjoyed Mathematics, she would have struggled to pay attention to an hour-long lecture all in monotone.

    Nonetheless, she forced herself to stay awake. The end of year tests were coming around soon, and Evelyn wanted to do well. She always did well, and her classmates doubted that she even had to try very hard.

    Evelyn might have been struggling to stay awake, but Luke? He didnˇŻt even try to resist. He had fallen asleep within five minutes of class starting. Krilla was struggling just as much as Evelyn. In fact, the only child that was attentive and focused was Adam. Evelyn contributed that to his Dwarfish blood.

    Dwarves loved anything that was exact and determined, such as Mathematics and Science. Even their magic relied more on exact calculations. While Dwarves mostly kept to their ancestral mountain home of Tauras, they did occasionally travel.

    The eyes of a Dwarf suffered in direct daylight, typically causing migraines. While the average Dwarf stood at chest height of an average human, they were very difficult to move if they didnˇŻt want to. Their powerful legs, while short, were capable of propelling their bodies with impressive speed, even while burdened by heavy armor. The Dwarves were famous for their crafts. Their primary pair of arms were burly and powerful, capable of swinging down a hammer with great power. Their smaller secondary arms were much more dexterous, making it easy for them to create small, intricate devices.

    Evelyn had only seen one full blood Dwarf before. A merchant that had traveled through the city last winter. Evelyn thought he looked fairly insect-like, like a beetle. Like someone had taken a human, made it smaller, and slapped on overlapping plates of chitin. Evelyn wouldnˇŻt be surprised if that chitin was able to deflect glancing blows.

    She was excited to see an Elf someday. The Dwarf had been fascinating to see.

    Elves were much more mentally free than Dwarves. While Dwarves struggled to think outside of the box, Elves struggled to think inside that box. She wondered how their cities looked.

    While the Dwarves were fairly insect-like, the Elves were more beast or bird-like. The Elves had eagle-like eyes that faintly glowed in the dark. Their hair was either wild and uncontrollable or smooth and straight like a birdˇŻs feathers. Elves were more fragile than the average human, but they were much more agile and quick.

    Elvish Magic was revered, as well as feared, for how wild and powerful it was. While Dwarfish Magic was precise and calculated. Elvish Magic was emotional and wild.

    Strangely, despite being so different, both biologically and culturally, they both had a caste system.

    The Dwarves put extreme importance on family, or clans. Each family is given a specific duty in a community. And the lowest of any Dwarven community are the Clanless, whether their family was lost in some way, or they were thrown out of their own clan.

    The Elves are similar. They put more stock into the genetics of the Elf. So while the family is important, an Elf can be born with desirable genetics, and their sibling with not so desirable genetics.

    There are five types of Genetics among the Elves.

    At the highest, and most desirable, are the High Elves. Typically referred to as the Pure Elves. They command Magic as naturally as breathing. They are easily recognizable from their white skin and blonde hair, the lighter the blonde the better. The Aehana, or Everwood, the ruling family over the Elves, have platinum blonde hair.

    Next, Sun Elves. Who, with their blackened skin and hair, form the backbone of the Elvish Military. They are very disciplined and rigid. Loyal to a fault. And grow stronger while under the sun. Their magic usually takes the form of personal enhancement, making them stronger and faster.

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    Third, Moon Elves. Their pale blue skin and dark blue hair identify them as the librarians of the Elvish People. They are the record keepers, the researchers, and the teachers. They take it personally when knowledge and fact is ignored. Their calm demeanor is ruined when knowledge is destroyed. They are the Guardians of knowledge, and not even the Sun Elves want to fight their Guardians.

    Wood Elves serve as the crafters and workers. Their tanned, freckled bodies, and red hair, immediately denote them as lesser than. Very few Elves of the other Castes would even think twice about ordering them about. They tend to the animals and farms. They build the structures and work the factories. However, despite that, none would dare to defy their innate talent with the bow.

    The lowest Caste of the Elvish People, Dark Elves, or Drow, are regulated to the slums. Seen as little more than thieves and murderers. Their skin is as black as the void. Their hair as white as freshly fallen snow.

    Despite all the differences, they all have the same eagle-like eyes. And when threatened, they band together near seamlessly to repel the threat. However, when left alone, their ˇ®Guardians of the ForestˇŻ regularly fight to prove their dominance. Only the Aehana prevents civil war, though it still does result in large skirmishes.

    Unfortunately for EvelynˇŻs interest, Elves were extremely reclusive, rarely ever venturing past their own borders. They had enough struggles themselves. The Republic of Athera was situated in a massive forest, home to countless Monsters.

    However, despite her interest in the other Races of Man, or her boredom in Mathematics Class, Evelyn was unable to toss aside her worry. Her fifteenth birthday was coming up. It was still several months away, but that did not help ease her anxiety. Not only would she receive her Class, but she would also finally unlock her Body Constitution.

    She already knew its basics. It was called the Body of the Celestial Maiden, or Holy Maiden. She was naturally in tune with the world. Everything came easy to her, both intellectual and physical. She never really had to try. However, despite that, it was still locked. But on her fifteenth birthday, it would unlock, and its true power would shine.

    Evelyn had been searching for years, and yet she had not found anything detailing what the Special BodyˇŻs Abilities were past what she already knew. And that worried her. The Duke, as well as everyone who had examined her Special Constitution, said that it would only benefit her, but none were able to say in what ways.

    While all children worried and stressed over what their Class would be, Evelyn had it worse. She would receive her Class, and unlock the Body that had already changed her life so drastically. How much more would her life change on that day?

    Eventually, the bell chimed, signaling the end of the class, and everyone rushed out. Even Luke, who had immediately been fully awake when the bell first chimed. In the hallway, moving to their next class, EvelynˇŻs friends crowded around her as usual. Even though they talked every day, it still seemed as if they never ran out of things to talk about.

    ˇ°What do you want to do after school today, Eve?ˇ± Holly asked.

    ˇ°Do you want to go check out that new caf¨¦?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh gods, yes!ˇ± Holly squealed, bouncing up and down.

    Luke and Adam only rolled their eyes.

    There was only so much tea and cake the two boys could handle, and their limit had been reached several years ago. Still, the girls managed to drag them around because neither boy had the heart to outright refuse the girls.

    The rest of the classes passed by slowly, but not slow enough for Luke. He really hated drinking tea and socializing with a bunch of pretentious nobles. HeˇŻd rather be training, or riding, or even just reading a book alone. And he hated reading.

    But he also wasnˇŻt about to let Evelyn out of his sight. By now, several other powerful Nobles had taken an interest in Evelyn. It had first been curiosity, as to why the Duke would favor a random village girl. But their curiosity turned to interest when they learned of her Special Body. Few knew the name, and none knew the true value. But that didnˇŻt matter.

    If it was a Special Body worthy of the DukeˇŻs attention, it was worthy of them trying to poach her. Recently, they had gotten quite aggressive with their recruiting efforts. Even going as far as approaching her on the street. Offering riches and power. Offering to give knighthood to her family.

    Luke had spent his entire life among them, he was one of them. It was why he knew they couldnˇŻt be trusted. If they couldnˇŻt recruit her, they would ensure no one could. Of course, he knew his father had stationed hidden bodyguards around her at all times, but that did not ease his concern much. The only time he felt at ease, is when he was there to help her refusals, as well as remove her from them.

    But he also worried about her fifteenth birthday. Once her Special ConstitutionˇŻs uses became known, and it certainly would, he was certain that the noblesˇŻ interest would explode into fanaticism. He wouldnˇŻt put it past them to send assassins after her when they couldnˇŻt recruit her. He didnˇŻt know what was so special about her Constitution. He didnˇŻt care. She was his best friend. He wouldnˇŻt allow anything to happen to her.

 CHAPTER 82- DUKE REDMOND

    The Duke stood at the table, overlooking the map stretched across it. His agents were talking among themselves, placing figures throughout, and discussing potential moves.

    The stone basement was lit by only four Enchanted Lights, casting the corners of the room in shadow, but lighting the center brightly. There were thirteen people around the table, the Duke being one of them.

    Some of them wore shiny armor, but most wore dark robes or clothes. They were the spymasters for the Duke. The ones who monitored the Kingdom of Lissura. Each had dozens, some even hundreds, of spies working under them. All relevant information was rerouted and reported to the Duke. And with the tensions rising throughout the land, there was plenty of relevant information.

    With their country being in the center of the continent, a significant threat could come from practically anywhere. Luckily, on their southern border, Zalar continued to remain silent and neutral. To their West, the Republic of Athera had isolated themselves, but it was still possible for the Empire to cut through a corner of Atherian land with an army.

    To the north, the Savage City States were fighting a Monster wave from even further north. As such, it was believed to be a low probability for them to attack, but a high probability that they would allow the Empire to march through to attack the Northern Mountain Pass. If the Empire did so, they would take heavy losses while taking the fort, but if there was one thing the Empire had, it was numbers. How much they were willing to lose was up for debate.

    The Gilaen EmpireˇŻs large tracts of land were a double edge sword. On one hand, it allowed them to grow vast amounts of crops and expand their cities however much they could. But on the other hand, they also had to defend their land from the constant threat of monsters. If they lost too many soldiers invading Lissura, they wouldnˇŻt have enough to defend their own lands against the monsters. Of course, the Adventurers of their country would step up more as the need arose, but there was only so much they could, or would, do.

    Taria, to their east, seemed more focused on Celarn, even further east. However, reports told of a Tarian army moving to capture the Independent city of Onigas. A small city in the unclaimed region around the S Rank Dungeon. That small city was in the perfect position to attack LissuraˇŻs south-eastern cities. The Lissurian city of Vrens was a frontier city. Its defenses were designed with monsters in mind, not other people. There was a worry that if Taria captured Onigas, they could push right ahead into Lissurian Territory.

    It would take roughly two months for the Tarian army to reach Onigas, and the spy reports suggested that unless something drastic happened, Onigas could hold out for roughly half a year. Now, the discussion was about whether it was worth reinforcing Vrens. It would cost immense resources to prepare the city for a siege. Resources that could go elsewhere, places where attack was more likely and would be more critical.

    The Duke stood back and let his subordinates hash out the details among themselves. They had more of a personal understanding of the situations around the Kingdom. They reported to the Duke so he could report to and advise the King.

    ˇ°How possible would it be to assassinate the Generals of the Empire?ˇ± Duke Redmond asked. To him, the Gilaen Empire was the biggest threat. Taria was being proactive in their defense, but he doubted they would risk war with another Kingdom while they were already battling Celarn.

    ˇ°Nigh impossible mˇŻlord. Each one has numerous bodyguards, including at least one Expert.ˇ±

    Of course, while Experts were rare, they werenˇŻt that rare. Many Lissurian assassins were experts. Experts were even just normal soldiers, high ranking ones, but just normal soldiers. To put it simply, even if a peak Expert assassin failed to do their duty silently, they would still be quickly overwhelmed, especially since most assassins specialized in stealthy single target kills. They were not equipped for an actual battle.

    ˇ°We might be able to sabotage their supplies, but that would only delay their armies by days, weeks at most.ˇ± One of the agents in armor explained he was one of the DukeˇŻs agents that watched over the military.

    ˇ°Once they started marching, could we destroy the roads? Set up landslides, or even just soak the roads?ˇ± Another agent asked.

    ˇ°Possible, but the effort required wonˇŻt be worth much in the end. They will have Mages with them capable of repairing or clearing the roads. It would again delay them for a bit, but we also risk revealing our agents in the area.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is our progress in catching foreign agents?ˇ± The Duke asked, after all, they werenˇŻt the only ones that had agents reporting and doing whatever they could do to reduce enemy effectiveness.

    ˇ°Painfully slow.ˇ± A cloaked agent growled, ˇ°And those we do manage to capture alive know next to nothing. The Gilaen agents work independently. While that leaves them weak to do anything against anything large, it allows them to effectively deal with most things. Such as messages. They are able to easily intercept them, even when we send out a dozen. And since they donˇŻt work together, they receive their orders directly from the Empire and have no contact with the other agents. They receive their orders only as needed. The most we get out of any captured agent is a link to the Empire, which is useless, and their latest orders, if we are lucky.ˇ±

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    The meeting went on for several more hours. When it ended, the Duke was tired and hungry. Regardless, instead of heading for his carriage to take him home, he went to the CastleˇŻs chapel. The Duke always had his meetings somewhere in the Royal Castle. It was the most secure, both from intruders and from listeners.

    The Chapel in the castle was merely a place for the residents of the castle to have a place to worship. The Cathedral was elsewhere in the capital. While the King was a follower of Anera, Goddess of Life and Order, he refused to let religion interfere with his Kingdom. That was one thing that the Duke agreed with wholeheartedly. Normally, he would give his opinion about something and the King would take it under advisement but do something slightly different.

    The chapel was on the small end, it was only meant to accommodate a hundred people comfortably. There wasnˇŻt much different from this chapel and any other. However, the few changes were obvious. The pews were cushioned. The candelabras were golden. There was a deep red carpet running down the center, between the pews.

    There were a few people there, some praying to numerous shrines of the different Gods presented, some quietly talking, and some servants moving about their duties. The Duke ignored all of this. Instead, he moved directly to one of the side doors.

    Closing the door behind him, he entered a much dimmer passage, only lit by the occasional Mage Light. The narrow passage descended deep into the earth. Having been constructed by an Earth Mage, the walls were smooth as they arched overhead. The floors gently sloped downward but were textured to remove the risk of slipping. There were no branching paths, or doors. After several minutes of walking, the passage ended at a single door, enchanted to remove the possibility of sound passing through. The Duke knocked gently on the old and worn wood and backed up. A moment later, the door opened to reveal the Oracle.

    The Oracle was a beautiful woman in her mid-forties. She wore the traditional white garb of a nun, with a black tabard running down the middle of her chest and over the white dress. She stepped aside and allowed the Duke in.

    The room he entered was just as dark as the passage, with only one Mage Light in the center as the only source of light. Against the far wall, there was an ordinary bed and dresser, but besides that, the room was bare. Despite her elevated position as the Oracle, the woman preferred to live this way. Very plain.

    ˇ°Hello Redmond.ˇ± She greeted with a calming smile.

    ˇ°Good evening. Any changes?ˇ± He replied as he would a friend.

    ˇ°A few. The girl is progressing nicely. She pays attention in her classes, always scores top of her class in any test. She is kind to those around her, which draws people to her. Your son, on the other hand, while he is a great boy, is less attentive in his classes.ˇ± The Oracle teased, sitting down on her bed.

    The Duke sighed, ˇ°That boy, I swear, he is going to be the death of me.ˇ±

    The ever-present smile on the OracleˇŻs face died, ˇ°That is one of the changes.ˇ±

    Her tone caught his attention. She almost always had a smooth smile; it was one of the reasons he visited his friend so often. It helped to calm him after a stressful day.

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°As you know, my Ability doesnˇŻt allow me to see the future. Instead, I feel a general feeling about the future.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. I remember back in school that it was difficult for you to get a grasp on, but now, it helps shape our kingdom.ˇ±

    ˇ°Recently, I have been getting the feeling of a violent death for you, one of sorrow, pain, and terror.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm the Duke, cousin to the King. I never believed I would die a peaceful death, my father didnˇŻt.ˇ±

    ˇ°Daniel. IˇŻm serious. Instead of a death by poisoning later in your years, I am feeling a violent death within a decade.ˇ±

    The Duke chuckled, ˇ°DonˇŻt worry so much. These things change. IˇŻve lost count of how many times youˇŻve predicted my cousinˇŻs death!ˇ±

    The woman allowed a small smile, ˇ°Perhaps you are right. I hope to the Gods you are.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what about Evelyn? Any indication about what is so special about her Constitution?ˇ± The Duke asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track while he stretched his legs. Old Age was beginning to bite him, even as an Expert.

    ˇ°Still the same. Only that her Constitution is vital to our KingdomˇŻs continued existence. However, there is one change. Not about her, necessarily. It''s her brother, his name keeps popping up in my mind, but I am unable to glean anything about the reason. He is important in some way.ˇ±

    They sat in silence for a few moments, each pondering their own thoughts.

    ˇ°Daniel?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hmm?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did you have to order their parentsˇŻ death?ˇ±

    ˇ°You said it yourself back then. That they would hinder both the girl and the Kingdom. My agents tried to come to an agreement with them about her. They offered a better life for both the girl and themselves, they offered a fortune, they offered amazing opportunities. Yet they were stubborn to be in her life. I couldnˇŻt allow that. I couldnˇŻt allow them to taint the girl any further, not when it could mean so much.ˇ±

    ˇ°I worry. I watch over each citizen of our Kingdom, none of them draw much of my attention. And yet, this village boy. Every time my mind wonders, it is drawn to him. Daniel, we orphaned the boy and stole his sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°It was for the betterment of the Kingdom.ˇ±

    ˇ°When you were his age, if someone had killed me, would you have cared?ˇ±

    The Duke hesitated, ˇ°No. I wouldnˇŻt have. I would have hunted the people who hurt you and done the same to them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Daniel, the boy concerns me. When I try to focus on him, I am overcome by the feeling of death.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then we just have to ensure the death surrounding him is to our advantage. Perhaps we could find him and draw him to our cause?ˇ±

    ˇ°Find him? I canˇŻt even locate any information about him, and I can find information about the Gilaen Emperor.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, but the Emperor is a big figure, and draws a lot of attention. A single orphan boy won''t draw any attention.ˇ±

    The Oracle sighed and laid back on her bed, ˇ°Perhaps you are right.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry, I will look into it. We couldnˇŻt deal with him in Onigas, but IˇŻm sure we can find out more now. I have to go now but send a message if anything changes.ˇ±

    The Duke quickly left the OracleˇŻs room, closing the door behind him. As he ascended the passage, his face turned dark. He had put on a strong face in front of his dearest friend, but the boy concerned him, more than he dared allow himself to acknowledge.

 CHAPTER 83- THE SOUL

    Darkness. All consuming darkness. Powerful, crushing, darkness.

    Nothing existed. Not even Alaster.

    He didnˇŻt exist, but at the same time, existed everywhere. Time was frozen. The mere concepts of time and space didnˇŻt exist.

    His thoughts themselves had no time nor order. They came to him unbridled and violent. Alaster lost himself in those thoughts.

    Calculations about Magic, Monsters, Armor. Theories about the System, Levels, and Abilities. Possibilities thought through and planned. Ideas about new designs for Undead Minions.

    Alaster was losing himself to his own mind. Losing who he was.

    Yet his roaring plans brought him back to his source. His sister. His revenge. Alaster clung to it. Using it to center himself. As Alaster found himself again, he began to find structure.

    He had fingers again. Hands again. His body was returned. He floated around the nothing. Weightless. Alaster closed his eyes, slowly feeling a pull, starting from his feet. A moment later, he was standing upright.

    Alaster opened his eyes. Stretching endlessly, for as long as he could see, with no horizon, a light gray, slightly transparent plane. He held up his hands, studying them.

    They were not his own, and yet, they unmistakably were. Instead of the pale skin, caused by months of winter sun and numerous weeks within the Hollow Tunnels. His hands were replaced with pale blue, slightly transparent. There was no bone, no blood, no veins. It was strange.

    It should have unnerved him. Yet he wasnˇŻt. It wasnˇŻt comforting, but he didnˇŻt feel off. In fact, he felt nothing. That was what concerned him. He felt absolutely nothing. Not happy, not sad, not hot, nor cold. But there was something there. He didnˇŻt feel it, but he knew it was there, though he didnˇŻt know what it was. Looking down at himself, he found his entire body was the same, slightly transparent blue.

    Alaster turned around and saw the Blackguard he had sent through first. It stood there, motionless. Upon an order, it responded just as it should have. He noted that while he now had a body and a sense of location, his thoughts had only gained a slight sense of order. They still buzzed through, uncontrolled. It was overwhelming.

    Contrary to his chaotic and racing mind, his strange blueish body calmly raised its hand, opening a portal before him. Its sickly green film rippled as it formed. Alaster calmly walked forward. As he did so, a spike of pain ran through his mind, causing the area to ripple. But he ignored it and stepped through.

    Alaster fell to his knees in the snow, panting heavily. The portal closed behind him. The migraine was fading, his vision returning. His steamy breath helped warm his skin from the cold sweat.

    ˇ°What the hell? What was that?ˇ± Alaster panted, as he sat down in the snow and leaned back, staring up at the night sky.

    ˇ®Night?ˇŻ

    Alaster looked around and saw his Undead standing resolutely where he had left them. Except, they were covered in snow. It had piled up around and on them. Snow drifts several feet thick.

    ˇ°How long was I in there?ˇ± Alaster muttered, concerned.

    ˇ°Four months.ˇ±

    Alaster spun around, casting [Necrotic Bolt] in the direction of the voice.

    The man calmly held up an armored finger. The bolt that had melted the flesh off Bugbears and Ogres exploded against the finger harmlessly. The [Necrotic Bolt] was weak against armor, but it still had an impact. It had even made the Dungeon Ogre stumble.

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    Having drawn his sword even while the [Necrotic Bolt] was midair, Alaster was stunned, but didnˇŻt allow that to affect him. Upon his order, all his Undead turned to face the man, readying their weapons as snow fell off.

    Most Adepts would shiver at the sight of even one of the armored Undead. Alaster had stylized the armor to be intimidating. Most people would be frightened, at least until they realized the Undead were not as strong as their living counterparts. Yet, even surrounded by over a dozen, the armored man didnˇŻt even spare them a glance.

    ˇ°Slow.ˇ± He commented, lazily sitting on a rock, his helmeted head propped up on his arm.

    ˇ°Who are you?ˇ± Alaster demanded, ready to jump on his Undead Stallion and flee while his Undead delayed the man.

    ˇ°IˇŻve been known by many names. Most of them, quite rude. However, the name my mother gave me is Richter. You may call me that, if you need to call me at all.ˇ± The manˇŻs tone was bored, like he didnˇŻt even register the Undead as even an inconvenience.

    ˇ°What do you want?ˇ± Alaster didnˇŻt dare to lower his sword.

    ˇ°To be left alone, primarily.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why are you here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Cause I owe an old man a favor, and he called it in.ˇ±

    ˇ°To do what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Train you.ˇ± The man sighed, his armor plates clanging together as he deflated a little.

    Alaster relaxed slightly, but kept his sword raised, ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea, and quite frankly, donˇŻt give a shit. That old geezer has been holding that favor over my head for decades. IˇŻm glad to be rid of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°What did you mean by four months?ˇ±

    ˇ°You have been in that portal for four months. I got here a few days after you had already entered, so I just relaxed.ˇ±

    ˇ°I just entered that portal a few hours ago.ˇ± Alaster countered, lowering his sword. If the man wanted to harm him, he would have by now.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt contradict me boy. Lesson number one. And no, you have been gone for four months. It will be spring in a couple of weeks. The reason it only felt like a few hours is because that was your [Soul Domain], wasnˇŻt it?ˇ±

    ˇ°...Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°And it was your first time entering?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you had no prior knowledge or experience with Souls?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°Natural mortals arenˇŻt supposed to see their Soul, let alone enter it. It is jarring, confusing, and painful. It took you months to finally come to your senses enough to ground yourself enough to leave. Luckily, because your physical body entered, it didnˇŻt grow tired or hungry. But that''s all IˇŻm saying. It''s unnatural. Should never be tampered with. I wonˇŻt teach you to break the natural laws. If you want to know more, go find some other freak to teach you.ˇ±

    ˇ°So then what are you going to teach me?ˇ±

    ˇ°A couple of things, really. How to fight. How to kill. And how to die.ˇ± The man stood up with a groan, though Alaster wasnˇŻt able to see his face, as the man wore a helmet similar to his own Undead.

    Alaster ordered his Undead to stand down, and they returned to their observation of the forest. Now that he was standing up, Alaster was able to examine the man before him. He was tall, easily six feet. His armor, which covered his entire body, was unable to obscure the manˇŻs lithe muscles. The presence of the man was powerful, likely the reason the Undead had not needed to combat Monsters while he was away. The man had scared them away just by being there.

    Despite his obvious power and no doubt wealth, the armor the man wore was ordinary, dull steel. Scratches and dents marred the surface and told of great use. The armor wasn''t enchanted nor made of a special material. The armor was layered, providing great mobility, without sacrificing protection. And yet, all armor had gaps, there needed to be to move. Most would wear chainmail under these gaps to reduce the vulnerability, yet this man seemed to only wear thick wool.

    The ManˇŻs armor had no decoration, markings, or emblems. The Helmet was a flat, closed faced, visor. Alaster was unable to see the manˇŻs eyes. Behind the man, impaled through the snow and earth, was a large, similarly ordinary and dull, great sword. All in all, Alaster would have glanced over him in a crowd. Nothing about him drew attention, nothing, except his presence.

    A presence of blood, violence, and death. Alaster was still a novice in such terms, but even he could feel the power of this man, and his senses were telling him that if this knight wanted to, he could kill him with a single finger.

    The man was here to train him due to a favor being called by an old man. But the only old man Alaster knew that could possibly compare to this knight, was the old man that had given him the SummonerˇŻs Ring. But he had told Alaster he was retiring. Why would he use a favor from such a powerful individual to train a boy he had only briefly spoken to?

    Logically, it had to be someone else, yet none came to mind. Alaster was missing some crucial information. Information directly pertaining to himself. That only made it much more irritating.

    ˇ°Before we start, there are a few things you should know about me. First, I detest magic. Second, magic wonˇŻt work on me. Third, I am a brutal teacher, the last brat I tried to teach died before the first week. And lastly, I am better known as the Manaless.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 84- THE MANALESS

    AlasterˇŻs back slammed into the tree, shaking free snow that fell on him as he coughed up blood. Wiping his mouth, he reached for his sword once more. The young man stood up on shaky legs but held his sword ready.

    Richter, the Manaless, stood before him. The man, while his face was covered by his helmet, exuded a sense of boredom. He hadn''t even bothered picking up his sword. He had instead been beating Alaster shades of black and yellow with just his fists. And more often than not, the man just slapped him.

    This was the first time he had ever taken so much damage, even when he factored in loss of health from his own Abilities. Yet, whenever Alaster had lost too much health, the man would stop and just sit back down on his rock. Allowing the boy to recover, only to continue the beating once more.

    Alaster had stored all his Undead in his [Soul Domain] and SummonerˇŻs Ring. He had thought that the man told him so because they would hinder his training. But now, Alaster knew that they would have just gotten in the way. They were too slow, too weak, and too fragile. A single, half-hearted, slap from Richter would have shattered them. Of course, Alaster was certain that the man wasnˇŻt even using a fraction of his actual strength against him.

    ˇ°I thoughtˇ­you were supposed toˇ­train me.ˇ± Alaster panted, wincing from his bruised ribs.

    ˇ°I am.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are just beating me.ˇ±

    ˇ°This? This isnˇŻt a beat down. This is the building of the foundation of the training.ˇ±

    ˇ°I already know the basics of combat.ˇ±

    Richter chuckled, a sound that was innocent, but Alaster had come to fear and despise in just the short few hours since he had met him.

    ˇ°Kid, you know nothing. The only thing you know is how to swing around a bar of metal. Good enough for others who know just as much, but against someone who knows even a modicum of skill, it''s like fighting against a retarded monkey.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is this beating supposed to teach anyway?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nothing, but it will achieve something. Eventually. I think. Anyway, IˇŻll know it when I see it, so just try not to die.ˇ±

    Once more, Richter came at the young man in a blink of an eye, while still making it seem like it wasnˇŻt even a light jog for him. He beat Alaster until the sun came up, and continued to break the boy until the sun began to set. Each time, stopping until he healed naturally. But while the young manˇŻs Health Regen was enough to prevent death, it took much longer to recover from actual injury. Alaster quickly became one big, stumbling, bruise. He didnˇŻt even know bruises could be that color.

    Alaster attempted to stab at the charging Richter, but the man casually moved the blade away, stepped past, and slapped the boy. Alaster flew to the side, colliding with a snow drift. At this point, AlasterˇŻs vision was dim, his ears rang, he tasted blood and bone. But despite all that, his mind still managed to focus on the notification.

    [Pain Tolerance Obtained]

    [Blunt Resistance Obtained]

    [Pain Tolerance

    Level 1: 0%

    Better able to tolerate pain.]

    [Blunt Resistance

    Level 1: 0%

    Better able to resistance Blunt Damage]

    ˇ°Its about time.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you know?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    It was supposed to be impossible to see a personˇŻs status without some kind of tool or advanced Ability. But Richter ignored the question.

    ˇ°Those two Resistances form the backbone of combat. It is foolish to think that you can go through battle without taking blows. Even masters of their weapons will still receive damage. The difference between those who treat battle as an art, and those who treat it as desperate clinging to life, is how well they can withstand those blows. Because that is what a battle is. It doesnˇŻt matter how many people are fighting, or for what cause. In the end, it will always just be a struggle not to die. It is dirty. It is bloody. And it is vicious. The man who comes out of battle clean, is a man who didnˇŻt fight.ˇ±

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    ˇ°But IˇŻve heard that once you become proficient enough, combat becomes similar to an art.ˇ± Alaster sat down heavily, using this time to rest.

    ˇ°Those who say that are those who come out clean. They have no right to be there.ˇ±

    ˇ°A right to be in a battle?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. Every man and woman on a battlefield has earned their right to be there, simply from their struggle. Their desperate cling to life. To enter that field and treat it as some sort of art piece, it dishonors their struggle.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what if that person is just that skilled?ˇ±

    ˇ°Remember my words, boy. No battle is clean. I have single-handedly slaughtered armies and ripped apart castles, yet every battle was filthy. A fight to the death isnˇŻt pretty. To go through a battle clean, means you are spending more effort on remaining clean than you are fighting. In doing so, you are making light of their struggle for life. If you are in a fight, you put your all into it. Anything less, and you bring dishonor to yourself and what you stand for.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is that why you hate magic?ˇ±

    Muffled by the helmet, Alaster still heard the growl, ˇ°Yes. Magic is unnatural. Those cowards throw around their spells, killing dozens, even hundreds at a time, and they never once step foot on the actual battlefield. I understand using what you have. I understand the use of attacking your opponent at range. But Mages scoff at the efforts of Warriors while they hide away in their libraries. When they finally come out, they are arrogant, fire off a couple spells, and return to their clean rooms to recharge their mana. If even one person gets in range, they are powerless to protect themselves.ˇ±

    Richter took a deep breath before continuing, ˇ°DonˇŻt misunderstand. Knowing is half the battle. The Mages excel at knowing. But that is still only half the battle. The other half is extreme violence, and in that, they are pitiful, but have the gall to be arrogant and claim victory.ˇ±

    Richter sat down on his rock, ˇ°I detest Magic, but I do see its usefulness. Hell, the only reason I didnˇŻt kill you, a fledgling mage capable of growing into a powerful one, is because your cause is just. That and I would still owe that favor to the geezer.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you know about my cause?ˇ± Alaster accused.

    ˇ°More than you. You want revenge against the ones who killed your parents. That is something I personally understand. Except it was easier in my case.ˇ±

    ˇ°How so?ˇ± Alaster wondered how this man knew about his parents.

    ˇ°Because I didnˇŻt have a little sister, they took hostage. All I had to do was grow strong enough to butcher them. You have to grow strong enough to do the same, but smart enough to plan it. You canˇŻt just barge in and begin killing, otherwise you risk them killing your sister. Knowledge is half the battle, the other half is extreme violence. You are quickly growing strong enough to accomplish the second half, though you are, quite frankly, still very far from enough. But you know nothing about your target.ˇ±

    ˇ°I need strength to learn about them.ˇ± Alaster countered.

    ˇ°Yes. Yes you do. But the fact remains that the person who ordered their deaths and kidnapping could be standing right in front of you, and you wouldnˇŻt have the slightest idea. The old man I am doing this for seems to have an interest in you. But donˇŻt misunderstand. He wonˇŻt lift a finger to directly assist you. He doesnˇŻt care about your family. He only finds you curious. If you survive my training, you will then be taught by another, probably one focusing on Magic.ˇ± The armored man scoffed, ˇ°Probably just read some books in some library.ˇ±

    He stood up, ˇ°But that doesnˇŻt affect this. Now that you have those two Resistances, it is time to level them. As they are now, they mean nothing.ˇ±

    Alaster stumbled to his feet, ˇ°Wait, can''t we just rest for a moment, eat something?ˇ±

    ˇ°In battle, you could be fighting for days on end. Think of this as training for that.ˇ± Richter was done talking. He charged forward once more.

    The cries of pain, and the rare metal against metal, filled the forest. The moon took the sunˇŻs place long before the boy passed out. Falling face first in the snow, AlasterˇŻs body had finally taken more than it could handle, even with the frequent breaks to heal. Richter sighed in annoyance, but kicked over the boy so he wouldnˇŻt drown in the snow. He then returned to his rock, sitting down once more.

    ˇ®The boy has talent, but he is far from realizing it, let alone bring it forth.ˇŻ

    As the hours dragged on, Alaster began to block more and more of his blows. He was only using a mere percent of his power against the boy, but it was still commendable. Even skilled knights would struggle to block a blow from him, even in his controlled weakened state.

    ˇ°What do you think, Evros?ˇ± Richter asked the empty air.

    A moment later, the old man appeared, his hands behind his back, ˇ°It is impressive, his rate of improvement. Even as beaten and exhausted as he is.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt give a shit what you think about that. I mean, what do you think about him in the grand scope of things?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hard to tell. Too many things are changing radically and quickly. The boy included.ˇ±

    ˇ°This is what I hate about you people. Always thinking you can control everything.ˇ±

    ˇ°We have to.ˇ±

    ˇ°You canˇŻt, and every time you try, it just makes things worse. Have you ever thought that the reason the world is breaking apart is that you people wonˇŻt let things run their course?ˇ±

    ˇ°You would be dead if we didnˇŻt interfere back then.ˇ± Evros stated, not looking away from the unconscious boy.

    The rock below Richter shattered as he slowly stood up, ˇ°Do not ever bring that up. I should have died then, not her. In my eyes, you freaks are just as to blame for her death as the ones who held the blade.ˇ±

    ˇ°You needed to live.ˇ±

    ˇ°And who decides that? You, the others? Admit it, you have no idea what you are doing. You are just throwing out ideas, hoping one of them works.ˇ±

    ˇ°We are doing what we can.ˇ±

    ˇ°And each step you make, ˇ®doing what you canˇŻ, just makes it worse. Tell me, how many innocents have you slaughtered like cattle to achieve your ˇ®Great PlanˇŻ only for it to slip further and further away? When did you lose count? Somewhere in the millions? You of all people have no right to claim righteousness.ˇ±

    Evros continued to watch the boy, not once looking away, but his eye twitched at the knightˇŻs words.

    ˇ°Richter, I do what I can, just like you or anyone else.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, you do what you want. I will train the boy. But after that, we are done. If I see one of you again, I will not hesitate to rip them apart. Leave.ˇ±

    Evros glanced at the Knight for a moment, ˇ°Things arenˇŻt as simple as you believe.ˇ± and then he disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared.

    Alone once more, the Knight looked up at the starry sky, ˇ°Nor are they as complicated as you believe.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 85- REGENERATION

    ˇ°Wake up boy.ˇ± Richter lightly nudged Alaster awake. Though, his light nudge was enough to send the boy flipping through the air.

    ˇ°Aghgh! What? Who?ˇ± Alaster landed awkwardly, but was quick to his feet.

    ˇ°YouˇŻve rested for long enough. Check your status.ˇ±

    [Regeneration Obtained]

    [Regeneration

    Level 1: 0%

    Enter a state of enhanced regeneration.

    For one minute, Health is continuously regenerated.]

    [Pain Tolerance

    Level 1<5: 0%<84%

    Better able to tolerate pain.]

    [Blunt Resistance

    Level 1<3: 0%<93%

    Better able to resistance Blunt Damage]

    ˇ°[Regeneration] is a powerful Passive.ˇ± Richter commented as he sat down on a tree stump. A tree stump Alaster noted had not been a stump the night before.

    ˇ°How is it a passive? From the wording, I would think it''s an Ability.ˇ±

    ˇ°The System doesnˇŻt tell you everything, it makes you figure stuff out on your own. It is a Passive. You cannot manually activate it. It automatically activates once your health reaches five percent. Upon activation, your health will regenerate according to what your status says, but instead of that rate every minute, it is that rate every second. How much is your Health Regen?ˇ±

    Alaster took a quick glance, ˇ°Sixteen.ˇ±

    ˇ°So when [Regeneration] activates, you will heal for sixteen health every second, for one minute. However, as I said, the System doesnˇŻt tell you everything. It heals you, but you will still feel the pain. And once the Passive ends, you will be weakened.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dizzy, faint, loss of vision, muscle weakness, and nausea.ˇ±

    Alaster grinned.

    ˇ°Why are you smiling like that? Stop that. It''s weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sorry, but one of my Bonuses temporarily turns me into a Skeleton. In that state, I wonˇŻt feel any of those side effects.ˇ±

    Richter just stared at the boy, and while Alaster couldnˇŻt see the KnightˇŻs eyes, he had a feeling the Knight was contemplating death. His.

    Alaster felt his mouth go dry.

    ˇ°In addition to the side effects, [Regeneration] will be unable to activate again until your health returns to one hundred percent.ˇ±

    ˇ°But if it''s the current Health Regen every second, that''s sixteen times sixtyˇ­ which equalsˇ­nine hundred and sixty Health. I can only have a max of six hundred seventy-five.ˇ±

    The Knight just sighed, ˇ°Boy, if your health decreases to five percent, what is likely happening?ˇ±

    ˇ°A fight?ˇ±

    ˇ°And do you really think you can avoid being hit, while injured, for an entire sixty seconds?ˇ±

    ˇ°...No?ˇ±

    ˇ°[Regeneration] will almost happen during a battle. It''s a last resort. One final cling to life. Once it activates, you have one last chance. But just because it activates, doesnˇŻt mean you can''t still die.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are its evolutions?ˇ±

    ˇ°Are [Pain Tolerance], [Blunt Resistance], and [Regeneration] your first Passives?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    Richter shook his head in disappointment, ˇ°Passives are the backbone of any battle. In the heat of battle, where death is only a single mistake away, do you really think you will be able to plan every step? Calculate your little spells? No. You will be too focused on not dying. In a pitched battle, Passives will be what saves you, not your Abilities. Looks like I am going to have to beat some more Passives into you.

    But back to your question. Passives donˇŻt have Evolutions. They only Morph. Do you at least know the difference?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, Evolutions happen every five or ten levels, but Morphs are more significant, but only happen once the Ability reaches Adept and Expert levels.ˇ±

    ˇ°At least you arenˇŻt too stupid.ˇ± Richter said to himself, ˇ°Passives, such as [Pain Tolerance] or [Blunt Resistance], improve in small increments as they level, but will only change when they reach Adept and Expert. [Regeneration] on the other hand, does not improve at all, but will still change at Adept and Expert.ˇ±

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    ˇ°How do you level them?ˇ±

    Alaster couldnˇŻt see RichterˇŻs face, but he just knew the Knight was smiling, ˇ°Just like Abilities. You gotta use them.ˇ±

    Richter stood up and cracked his knuckles, ˇ°Let''s begin, shall we?ˇ±

    ˇ°Shit.ˇ± But that was all he had time for before Richter was upon him once more.

    The Forest once again filled with the sounds of armored fists beating against flesh and cries of pain. However, this time, Richter didnˇŻt stop until the BoyˇŻs health dropped to five percent.

    With one final blow, Richter sent Alaster flying into a tree. Alaster landed in the snow on his knees as blood flowed from his head and mouth and his vision dimmed. However, he could feel his body quickly repairing itself. It was strange and discomforting, nor did it take any of the pain he was feeling. Less than a minute later, his body was fully healed.

    ˇ°That is [Regeneration].ˇ± Richter confirmed.

    ˇ°That is amazing.ˇ±

    [Regeneration

    Level 1: 0%<5%

    Enter a state of enhanced regeneration.

    For one minute, Health is continuously regenerated.]

    ˇ°Only five percent?ˇ± Alaster exclaimed. He felt cheated. Being used as a punching bag by the Knight, who refused to remove his gloves, and taken to the edge of death, and he had only gotten five percent.

    ˇ°Correct.ˇ± Richter said as if that was natural.

    ˇ°How do you even get [Regeneration]? I just woke up and had it?ˇ±

    ˇ°You receive it after receiving ten times your health in damage within a twenty-four hour period.ˇ±

    Alaster shuddered, ˇ°No wonder more people donˇŻt have it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct, also why you donˇŻt meet anyone with a high level of [Regeneration]. However, as I previously stated, [Regeneration] will happen in the middle of a battle more often than not. So you need to be accustomed to it enough to still defend yourself, even as your body knits itself together.ˇ±

    Alaster groaned, ˇ°And when will that suit you?ˇ±

    Richter looked up in thought, ˇ°Good questionˇ­let''s say level twenty.ˇ± He looked down at Alaster, still kneeling in the snow, Alaster could have sworn he saw an evil glint, ˇ°You get to [Regeneration] to Adepthood, and I will consider this part of your training complete.ˇ±

    Alaster didnˇŻt want to stand back up, but he did so anyway. He needed to save his Sister, and this Knight would not let him leave until he considered Alaster trained. He was not going to let this Knight stand in his way.

    ˇ°Let''s get started.ˇ±

    Richter grinned under his helmet. It had been a long time since he met someone this willing to accept great pain. [Pain Tolerance] did not reduce the amount of pain felt, only increased the MindˇŻs ability to feel pain without being affected by it or shutting down. Rolling his shoulders, Richter raised his fists once more, while the boy across from him raised his sword.

    ˇ®This is going to be funˇŻ

    * * * * *

    Four hundred times. Alaster had been forced to the brink of death four hundred times. The days and nights had merged into one big blob of endless pain and misery. Alaster wasnˇŻt sure how long it had taken. He didnˇŻt even want to know. All he cared about was that it was over. Finally over.

    ˇ°Get up, we arenˇŻt done.ˇ±

    Alaster whimpered, wanting to cry, but having no tears left.

    Nonetheless, Alaster obediently stood up. He had learned the price of disobeying Richter. The cruel Knight knew the most effective ways to inflict pain without reducing Health.

    ˇ°[Regeneration] finally Morphed, see what changed, then we have to get you accustomed to its changes.ˇ±

    [Regeneration

    Level 1<20: 5%<0%

    Enter a state of enhanced regeneration.

    For ten minutes, Health and Mana is continuously regenerated.]

    ˇ°Mana huh? Should have expected that, but that still pisses me off. But ten minutes isnˇŻt bad.ˇ± Richter sat down on his stump, even as he made Alaster stand.

    ˇ°Sir, what was your Adept Morph for [Regeneration]?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well first, you should know a few things about me. I have a Special Constitution.ˇ±

    That wasnˇŻt surprising, Alaster had long suspected the Demon before him to have a Special Constitution.

    ˇ°Except it wasnˇŻt one of the good ones.ˇ±

    That was surprising.

    ˇ°What does it do, if you donˇŻt mind me asking?ˇ±

    ˇ°It completely removes my ability to use Mana. My body actively rejects it.ˇ±

    Alaster was shocked, he had always been taught that all living things had Mana. He didnˇŻt even know you could survive without Mana.

    ˇ°However, as always, the System is fair, in its own cruel way. While I was unable to use Magic of any kind, it enhanced my physical attributes. Including in any of my Abilities or Passives. However, I first had to get there. I remember starting out as a Novice. Even fighting against the weakest Monster almost resulted in my death, because Mana doesnˇŻt just allow the use of Spells, it also enhances your body, not that anyone would notice unless they didnˇŻt have any.

    I was pathetic. No one wanted to party with me, because I was so weak, so fragile. I was dead weight on anyone I partied with. But I didnˇŻt give up. I trained until my body gave out. I shed more blood against Monsters than even a hundred people had in their bodies. But the Human body is nothing if not adaptable. Slowly, but surely, I was getting better. But that didnˇŻt mean my life was suddenly easier. Compared to others my level, I was still pathetic. In fact, there was one group of my peers that actively bullied me. They sought me out to insult and beat me.ˇ±

    Alaster stared at him, ˇ°...ˇ±

    ˇ°I beat you. I donˇŻt insult youˇ­ at least not at the same time. It''s different. Now shut up and listen.

    Because I couldnˇŻt use Magic, they took great joy in using Magic to beat me to a bloody pulp. But, because my Body naturally rejected Mana, I was able to receive [Magic Resistance]. To this day, I have only met four other people who have that Passive.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why is it so much harder to get than [Regeneration]?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because, its not [Fire Resistance], or [Wind Resistance]. Its [Magic Resistance]. You are resisting the very foundation of Magic. I got both Fire and Wind Resistance, they used those spells against me enough. But while those spells use elements as a medium, they were still powered by Mana. And Hostile Mana still affects the body, and the body gradually adapts to everything. After I got [Magic Resistance], I began to actively seek out those bullies to level it. Because as much as the Guards of my City turned a blind eye to them bullying me, they would not have been able to ignore a murder.

    So the bullies never got too close to killing me. And I took advantage of that. By that point, I already had [Regeneration], so every day, I pursued them. Gradually, their spells stopped having any effect on me. My [Magic Resistance] had morphed to completely negate any Magic used against me that didnˇŻt remove at least five percent of my health. If it did, only then did the Passive take effect, reducing the amount of damage the Spell did.

    I soon became known as the Mage Killer, despite not having killed anyone. Mages came from all over to challenge me. But none could defeat me in duels, so they began to ambush me while I was hunting. That was the first time IˇŻd ever killed anyone. I grew stronger and stronger, as did my [Magic Resistance]. Magic was practically ineffective against me. But because I couldnˇŻt use Magic, I focused on my physical skill, Abilities, and Stats. But that didnˇŻt mean I wasnˇŻt defeated numerous times. But every time I was, I trained even harder and returned to emerge victorious.

    That is the kind of mindset you need. Always survive, always grow stronger, and always win.ˇ±

    ˇ°You still didnˇŻt say what your [Regeneration] Adept Morph was.ˇ±

    ˇ°I told you all that so you wouldnˇŻt feel bad. My Regeneration Morphed to triple my Health Regen every second for an hour, and it activated once my health reached twenty percent.ˇ±

    Alaster blinked rapidly, ˇ°The hell? How did anyone beat you?ˇ± He exclaimed.

    ˇ°Because there are things in this world much stronger than you could possibly imagine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hold on, that was only your Adept morph? What about your Expert Morph, cause there is no way you of all people donˇŻt have it Expert Level.ˇ±

    Richter chuckled, ˇ°Perhaps I will tell you after you complete your training.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs next?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, it took you a month to get [Regeneration] to Adept Level. Now, we are going to work on your actual physical skill, regardless of Abilities or Passives. How well you can use that sword, as well as other weapons. Should be fun, no?ˇ±

    Alaster only groaned.

 CHAPTER 86- NEXT STAGE

    Five weeks passed like a blur. Alaster couldnˇŻt even remember the last time he had actually slept. Richter simply beat the boy until he passed out and woke him a few hours later. AlasterˇŻs clothes turned to rags, except for the cloak, which had hindered his movements, so he had stored it in his Ring.

    The sword he had since Onigas had shattered long ago, but Alaster had never cared much for material possessions, except for the Wooden Ring from his Sister, that he had also stored in his Ring of Holding. Instead, Richter pulled old and dull weapons out of his own Ring of Holding. Which confused Alaster.

    To access his Ring, Alaster had to feed it a bit of his Mana. So how did Richter, who couldnˇŻt use Mana, access his own? Apparently, Richter had been forced to special order a Ring. Anyone was capable of opening the Ring. There was a small button that would trigger the Ring to pull ambient Mana to open. Rings of Holding were expensive, but RichterˇŻs had been worth a fortune, and it was less secure.

    Alaster used whatever weapon Richter tossed him. In this way, he became experienced with numerous types. He had once attempted to make his own Longsword out of bone, but he had immediately been beaten to an inch of his life once more. Since then, Alaster hadnˇŻt dared to use Magic around the Knight.

    In the fifth week, the training changed. Richter told him to fight with everything he had, including Magic. So Alaster had. All his greatest Abilities, even his Undead. He finally thought he had a chance to inflict even one blow against the Knight. Instead, he lost all twenty of his carefully constructed Undead within a single minute.

    At this point, the clearing they had spent the last two months in was soaked in blood, AlasterˇŻs. [Blood Aura] seemed to have twice the effect when it was his own blood, and with the amount that was spilled and frozen, AlasterˇŻs strength had the same effect as being over three hundred. Even [Imbuement] did nothing, Richter only matched whatever increase it gave. Though, Alaster did learn quite a bit about [Imbuement].

    While [Imbuement] was active, the effects were similar to [Death Embrace], He didnˇŻt bleed out, get concussed, or stunned. And he also healed extremely quickly. [Imbuement] had slightly different effects depending on the type of Mana used. While Earth Mana might make it harder for the user to receive damage, it seemed Necrotic Mana only repaired the damage. Similar to Life Mana, except while the Life Magic would heal the damage, Necrotic Mana simply repaired it. Similar in effect, but very different. Healing would return it to peak condition. Repair would only reverse the damage done.

    Regardless, despite the increase in strength, speed, reactions, and healing factor, Alaster was still unable to get even close to landing a blow against Richter. Using all of his Abilities and Bonuses, Alaster was still but a child in front of the Knight. Even the Parasite of [Death Pact], while usually a quiet observer, mentioned how impossible it was to face Richter.

    Nonetheless, the Parasite still did its best to defend its Master. Its armor was as strong as iron and now covered the entirety of AlasterˇŻs chest from all the Goblin deaths, but it was still shattered with only a single blow. Each time, it took several hours for the Parasite to recover.

    Despite the one-sided massacre that Alaster was being subjected to, his Levels and Stats were seeing benefits.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 37

    EXP: 52%

    Health: 745/745<1,065/1,065

    Health Regeneration: 17/min<29/min

    Mana: 905/905<1015/1015

    Mana Regeneration: 20/min<22/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage, Dead Bomb

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Swap, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 118<172                    Wisdom*: 200<228

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Dexterity: 114<160                  Intelligence*: 165<183

    Constitution*: 127<193           Free Points: 0]

    [Wisdom 100 Bonus: Death Pact

    Level 9<12: 74%<23%

    An Undead Spirit has bound itself to you, pledging to protect you.

    Nurture it, and there will be none better.

    Allows the Pact to assist]

    [Constitution 100 Bonus: Death Embrace

    Level 3<6: 91%<72%

    Forsake life, embrace the dead.

    Mana Cost: 50/min]

    [Strength 50 Bonus: Imbuement

    Level 6<9: 39%<83%

    Infuse the body with Mana to strengthen it.

    Mana Cost: 100/min]

    [Strength 100 Bonus Unlocked: Blood Aura

    Level 3<8: 58%<83%

    Grow stronger as blood is spilled.

    Radius: 5 meters]

    [Dexterity 50 Bonus: Fine Control

    Level 8<11: 32%<9%

    Better Control over body and mind.

    Predict the path of moving targets]

    [Dexterity 100 Bonus Unlocked: Dark Sight

    Level 4<6: 63%<58%

    The Dark has no effect on you.

    Range: 5 Meters]

    [Death Touch

    Level 9<11: 47%<29%

    Imbue your body with Necrotic Mana

    Leech Health from the target equal to Mana cost.

    Mana Cost: 5/sec]

    [Pain Tolerance

    Level 5<30: 84%<16%

    Better able to tolerate pain.

    Instead of passing out from pain, experience one minute with no pain]

    [Blunt Resistance

    Level 3<25: 93%<15%

    Better able to resistance Blunt Damage

    Twenty percent of Blunt Damage is Negated]

    [Regeneration

    Level 20<22: 0%<30

    Enter a state of enhanced regeneration.

    For ten minutes, Health and Mana are continuously regenerated.]

    His Constitution especially had improved. Which made sense considering how many times he had pushed to the brink of death.

    Due to the strenuous circumstances, as well as the weird food Richter shoved down his throat, Alaster hit a growth spurt. He had always been large for his age, always mistaken as older than he actually was. Now, despite being seventeen, Alaster was now six foot four, and he was pure lean muscle.

    ˇ°Alright kid,ˇ± Richter called to him, despite having to look up now, ˇ°I have to go now.ˇ±

    ˇ°I finished training?ˇ± Alaster asked, hopeful.

    ˇ°No. Not even close. But you are competent enough to allow me to move onto more pressing matters. Another will take my place. Here,ˇ± Richter held out a folded letter, ˇ°Give this to the next one.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are leaving now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± He turned around to leave, but turned back, ˇ°One last piece of advice kid, think before you act, plan for everything, but expect it to fail, and when it does, nothing is better than pure overwhelming power.ˇ±

    As if to demonstrate, Richter turned around and disappeared with a loud boom and sending everything behind him flying, including Alaster.

    Alaster crashed through a tree, causing it to topple. But he calmly stood up and brushed off the snow and splinters. It still hurt, but he had learned to move past mere pain. By now, the small clearing the Hollow Tunnels Dungeon had been expanded to a very large clearing. Alaster simply grabbed the fallen tree and dragged it over to the pile.

    He grabbed some of the broken branches and threw them into a pile, lighting it with [Fire Bolt], he then sat down on one of the logs and waited. While he waited for his next trainer, he once again wondered why the old man who had given him the SummonerˇŻs Ring would call in a favor from someone like Richter to train someone like him.

    Once again, Alaster simply didnˇŻt have enough information about the old man to even come to a theory. Instead, Alaster began to cook some meat from when Richter had slapped him and a poor boar had been in the path of AlasterˇŻs body. While he cooked, his Second Mind got to work rebuilding his Undead. Anytime he had tried while Richter had been here, he had simply flicked them out of existence. It was very annoying. They cost a lot of Mana to make.

    Two hours passed peacefully, for the last two months, Alaster hadnˇŻt gone more than ten minutes conscious without getting slapped around by Richter. And yet, he wasnˇŻt tired. Not physically at least. Even after two hours, his Second Mind had only reconstructed four Blackguards, even with the help of the Blueprint function and the Parasite. Which was amazing to him. That the Parasite could now assist in what he did. It couldnˇŻt do anything by itself, like his Second Mind could, but it could assist it, allowing increased speed and accuracy. But, building a complete and complex Undead was still a slow process for it.

    Alaster could have sped up the process by quite a bit, from two an hour, to six an hour. But he didnˇŻt. He simply let his Second Mind and Parasite work while he laid back on the log, next to the fire, closed his eyes, and relaxed. At least, he tried. He felt like he was being watched.

    Opening his eyes again, Alaster saw a woman peeking down at him through a small portal midair.

    ˇ°Is he gone?ˇ± She whispered, terrified.

    ˇ°Is who gone?ˇ± Alaster responded, preparing a full force [Necrotic Bolt], just in case.

    ˇ°The Manaless.ˇ± She whispered, even quieter, almost as if she was afraid the name itself could summon him.

    ˇ°Yeah, he left a few hours ago.ˇ±

    She sighed in relief and hopped through the portal, landing lightly in the melting snow. Spring was coming. The portal closed behind her with a light pop.

    She bounced back up with a bright smile, ˇ°Hi! IˇŻm Aila!ˇ±

    Alaster stood up and noticed that he stood a good head taller, ˇ°IˇŻm Alaster.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know that, silly! I was asked to come teach you Magic!ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you actually tell me anything about who asked you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sorry, but no can do! You currently arenˇŻt qualified to know.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you are supposed to teach me Magic? What kind?ˇ±

    ˇ°All of them! Well, at least all of them you want to learn and can be helpful to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean, all of them? How many Magic Schools can you use?ˇ±

    She put a finger to her cheek and thought for a moment, ˇ°Let''s see. I think everything below Expert. Yeah! Everything above that would cause your Mana Core to explode if you even tried, so let''s not do that! What sort of Magic do you wanna focus on right now?ˇ±

    Still skeptical, Alaster still thought it through for a moment, ˇ°Death Magic, more specifically, Necromancy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok! Not the most pretty magic, but you canˇŻt argue with its effectiveness! Let''s begin!ˇ± She said it so cheerfully, Alaster didn''t even suspect that he would soon come to miss the beatings from Richter.

 CHAPTER 87- OVERFLOW

    The body is suited to breaking itself apart in order to rebuild stronger. That was the entire principle behind exercise and training. It was natural. It was expected. It was something the Mind was suited to withstand and work through.

    Magic, completely ignored all of that. It was similar to the body in that it could be exercised like a muscle. Pushed just a little past its limit in order to improve. Except, the pain felt from the muscle tearing was something the mind was suited to experience and temper. The pain from Mana Veins tearing was not. It was a soul retching pain that felt like your entire Being was getting ripped apart into a million little pieces.

    Yet there was no physical result. For the last week, Aila had been forcing Mana into his Core, overloading it. Forcing it to compensate and grow. In his mind, Alaster was able to see micro cracks forming each time. After she overfilled it, just enough to not shatter, he was instructed to force it out as quickly as it could. Each time he did so, he could feel several of his Mana Veins burst.

    After his Core was empty once again, the little Elf would use some sort of Spell to heal him, only to repeat the process again. It was grueling and exhausting work, yet he never moved from a seated position. His body was covered in sweat and his body ached, but he never moved.

    She had asked him what Magic he wanted to learn first. He requested Necromancy. Yet even after a week, they had yet to actually approach using any sort of Magic, let alone Necromancy. But that ended today.

    ˇ°Congrats! You have finished basic training!ˇ±

    Alaster collapsed in the snow, chest heaving. By now, the snow was melting and only a foot remained. As he struggled to calm his breathing, he called up his Status.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 37

    EXP: 52%

    Health: 1,065/1,065

    Health Regeneration: 23/min

    Mana: 1,015/1,015<1,125/1125

    Mana Regeneration: 22/min<25/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage, Dead Bomb

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Split Mind, Swap, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 172                Wisdom*: 228<250

    Dexterity: 160              Intelligence*: 183<205

    Constitution*: 193       Free Points: 0]

    [Intelligence 200 Bonus Unlocked: Soul Seal]

    [Intelligence 200 Bonus: Soul Seal

    Level 1: 0%

    Capture a soul that lingers after death]

    ˇ°Oh! That''s a neat Bonus!ˇ± Aila cheered, ever happy.

    Alaster lifted his head slightly to look at her, ˇ°How do you know what I have? Richter knew as well. Is it a special ability?ˇ±

    The little Elf visibly paled at the mention of the Knight, her eyes flicking about, as if expecting him to suddenly appear, but she answered.

    ˇ°Not quite. It''s very complicated to properly explain. Instead, just think of it like this. The difference in power between you and us is so drastic, your soul is like an open book. As the difference closes, it becomes more difficult to read.ˇ±

    ˇ°So I should expect powerful Experts to be able to read my Status?ˇ±

    ˇ°Experts?ˇ± She laughed, her light happy voice filling the clearing, ˇ°People like the Knight and I can read Experts clearly.ˇ±

    Alaster sat up, his back soaked, ˇ°So then are you two legendary Masters?ˇ±

    She levitated off the ground, hanging in the air like she was lounging on a couch, ˇ°No Al, unlike Novice, Adept, and Expert, the difference in power between the top of Experts and the very bottom of Masters, is drastic. The Knight and I, as well as the few others like us, are still somewhere between. If you could apply a number to how powerful someone was, wouldnˇŻt that be nice, let''s say Experts are numbered at 100. Masters are numbered 1000, at least. Using this example, people like me would number somewhere between 400 and 800.ˇ±

    ˇ°Gods, so you could decimate an entire country?ˇ±

    ˇ°Funny you would say that. Because if it wasnˇŻt for the Demigods, yes, I could.ˇ±

    ˇ°Demigods?ˇ± Alaster cocked his head in confusion, the term was something he knew, but only in childrenˇŻs stories, never anything practical.

    ˇ°Basically the Masters you were talking about. Arrogant bunch. IˇŻve met a few personally, and I gotta say, not someone to admire. Their power is awesome! But their personalities are lacking. However, you seem to have caught the attention of one.ˇ±

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ˇ°Me? What did I do?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea!ˇ± She flipped upside down while cross-legged, her long hair falling down, ˇ°He is the one who asked the Knight and I to teach you. ArenˇŻt you lucky!ˇ±

    She turned right side up again, her smile disappearing, ˇ°Be very careful of that attention, hun. From what I have seen, you are just a curiosity to him. A side project he doesnˇŻt really care one way or another about. But if he decides it, he could eradicate you with just a sneeze.ˇ±

    ˇ°So IˇŻm guessing that he wonˇŻt help me rescue my sister?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. And that''s part of the rotten personality I mentioned. The Demigods are cruel. So long as it doesnˇŻt affect the wellbeing of the entire world, they refuse to act. Not only that, but they have forbidden us to help you. Trust me, as much as the Knight frightens me, he is a good man. If he wasnˇŻt forbidden from helping, he would have already stormed through until he found her. You have no idea how much that angers him. But they are simply too powerful to disobey.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why does he frighten you so much? I mean, he is powerful and quite cruel with his methods, but you are just as strong.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, I am. But they are two different types of power. And unfortunately for me, they oppose each other in his favor. Did he tell you about his [Magic Resistance]?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°That alone makes him a living nightmare to Mages like me. But even if that was somehow removed or disabled, his entire being seems to be created around killing mages. I can fight titan Monsters capable of crushing mountains beneath their feet, while he isnˇŻt. But if there were a dozen of me, there is no doubt that he would still win. And against Mages, he doesnˇŻt just kill them. He tortures them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why does he hate mages so much anyway? He told me part of his story, but that still doesnˇŻt explain why he despises them so much.ˇ±

    ˇ°That isnˇŻt my story to tell. Just know that while I may not agree with it, I understand it. Now, enough of that. We have a limited amount of time, and we havenˇŻt even begun the actual training!ˇ±

    ˇ°Hold on a moment. You said my new Bonus was neat, what do you know about it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, it''s actually pretty simple. It doesnˇŻt just allow you to capture souls, but also manipulate them in other ways. Now onto your Necromancy. To put it simply, you went a weird direction with yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°For one, you custom create all of your Undead. That is costly, both in Mana, and in time.ˇ±

    ˇ°What other ways are there?ˇ±

    ˇ°Two ways, actually. So in total three, though no one really uses the way you used, at least not usually. First, and most known and common, is using corpses to raise the dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°I do that.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, you use bones to create the dead, big difference, my little pupal!ˇ± She giggled. Alaster found being called little by her weird, considering he was easily a head taller.

    ˇ°They use the corpses to raise their minions. So without corpses, they have to resort to the second method. Which is just as mana intensive, if not more so, than your method. They simply summon their minions with Magic.ˇ±

    ˇ°The entire minion?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep! In all its disgusting glory! The Undead raised in this fashion tend to be very weak comparatively. But they have the advantage that so long as the Mage doesn''t run out of Mana, they have an unlimited supply, though they are still limited by how many they can have at any one time. The first method uses the dead as a medium, your method uses bones as a medium, but this third method uses no medium.ˇ±

    ˇ°So which is better?ˇ±

    She bounced up from her levitating seated position, ˇ°None of them!ˇ± She ˇ®satˇŻ back down, ˇ°They each have their own uses.ˇ±

    A large blank poster board ˇ®poppedˇŻ into existence beside her, along with a marker that began to draw, even though she didnˇŻt touch it. And as it drew, she explained.

    ˇ°Using the dead is very powerful if there are plenty of dead around, but it is limited on the type of dead used. At higher levels, they Undead can even use the Abilities and Stats of the corpse raised. So it is very diverse, but if there are only weak dead around, then you will have weak minions. I knew a Necromancer who used this method. He aligned himself with a Kingdom and was able to assist his countrymen win their wars through numbers.ˇ±

    The marker drew a tombstone with an arrow pointing to a crudely drawn zombie. The style honestly reminded Alaster of how his Sister drew, when she was four.

    ˇ°Next, your method. You use bone, it doesnˇŻt matter where the bone came from or how old it is. It is a very creative method that allows you to create Undead suited for your purpose. Very flexible, but it takes a lot of time. As IˇŻm sure youˇŻve noticed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. Though, I have an Evolution that allows me to blueprint the Undead, so my Second Mind can create them while I focus on something else.ˇ±

    ˇ°Split Mind is one of the most powerful Bonuses you could have gotten, always keep it working. When it reaches Level ten, it will split again into a Third Mind, and again at Level twenty, and so on. But that''s beside the point right now.ˇ±

    She shook herself before speaking.

    ˇ°Right now, you are only using bone. But the method actually allows a much more diverse use of material. You have [Flesh Crafting], why arenˇŻt you using it? IˇŻm sure you know that the more powerful Undead retain their flesh.ˇ±

    ˇ°I just havenˇŻt really had the time, I guess? IˇŻve always been focusing on something else or in a rush.ˇ±

    ˇ°Spend some time with [Flesh Crafting], right now, it only affects the flesh of the dead, but you could Evolve it to allow manipulating the flesh of the Living. Moving on however, and totally not because that topic gives me goosebumps, this method also encompasses all sorts of materials. And depending on the material used, can even grant the use of Abilities or enhanced Stats.ˇ±

    ˇ°What materials?ˇ±

    She put a finger to her cheek and thought for a moment, ˇ°No idea. I know a lot of Magic, but Necromancy isnˇŻt one I put a lot of focus on. However, I do know that this method allows for a small amount of incredibly powerful Undead, unlike the other two.ˇ±

    ˇ°I should start experimenting.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes you should. Always experiment with your Magic! You never know what you might find! But onto the third method. The Copy and Paste method!ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°What? ThatˇŻs what it does! It allows for the Necromancer to create a large amount of Undead from just their Mana, but it is limited to certain types. Skeleton Soldier, Skeleton Archer, and Skeleton Mage are the three most basic. But there are also Zombie, Zombie Warrior, and Zombie Brute. And plenty more! However, each type is just that. There is no movement out of those types, at least within the method. And each one of a type is pretty much the same as the last. It even creates their armor and weapons, though once the minion is destroyed, the entire minion, gear and all, will all disappear back into Mana.

    Very basic, but even basic can be powerful if given enough fuel. If a user of this method has enough Mana, they can be a one-man legion, capable of sweeping through large swaths of territory.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do they get over the numerical limitations of their Minions?ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s what makes this method so appealing for most Necromancers! Each type of minion has its own number limit! And each can increase on their own! As I said, these Undead are weaker than your custom Undead, but even a Novice using this method can raise two dozen Undead right out of the gate, once they have all the Novice Level Spells of this Method.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you teach me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Teach you? No. Give you? Also, no. But I can implant the Knowledge into your mind. ItˇŻll give you a mild headache, but so long as I only implant a basic spell every couple hours, itˇŻll be fine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wait, you can do that? Why don''t more people know this?ˇ±

    ˇ°One of the perks of being able to read your Status. And its tiring for me. More annoying than anything, but still, I wouldnˇŻt just do this for anyone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why are you doing it for me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because if I didnˇŻt do my best to teach you, and the Knight found out, he would find me.ˇ± She hugged herself tightly as she shivered.

    ˇ°It might not be my place, but what was in that letter he had me give you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hmm? Oh, nothing special. Really, it was just one sentence. ˇ®Give him [Magic Resistance]ˇŻˇ±

    ˇ°That''s cool!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, until you realize that to get that Passive you have to lose ten times your Health to hostile magic, within a twenty-four hour period.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, sorry Al, but this is going to be painful. And I canˇŻt heal you, so youˇŻll have to do that yourself.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why canˇŻt you heal me?ˇ±

    ˇ°You can take advantage of the System, learn to manipulate it, but that has its limits, and the System isnˇŻt stupid. But donˇŻt worry, I will be very careful and try to inflict the most amount of damage with the least amount of pain.ˇ±

    She slowly returned to the ground, ˇ°Ready?ˇ±

    It would not have mattered if he wasnˇŻt.

 CHAPTER 88- SOUL BOUND

    Alaster earned [Magic Resistance] in just twelve hours. His improved Health and [Regeneration] significantly sped up the process.

    ˇ°Congratulations Alaster!ˇ± Aila cheered, throwing up her hands, which seemed to tip her over and cause her to flip midair.

    Meanwhile, Alaster looked up at her from his knees, with tired eyes as his [Regeneration] healed the hole in his stomach.

    ˇ°How you feeling kiddo?ˇ±

    Alaster fell to his back as his legs lost all energy.

    ˇ°Considering you just sent a beam of pure energy through me, just peachy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, come on! It wasnˇŻt that bad!ˇ±

    ˇ°Only because [Regeneration] kicked in! I donˇŻt people are supposed to see their internal organs.ˇ±

    ˇ°You spent so much time with the Knight, you must have seen your insides a ton!ˇ±

    Alaster groaned but didnˇŻt look up at her, ˇ°No, that jerk seemed perfectly content to just bludgeon me an inch from death repeatedly.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well thatˇŻs boring.ˇ±

    Alaster looked up to see her hanging upside down again, her long hair draping below her.

    ˇ°Boring? Are you some type of blood thirsty woman?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I just like to keep things moving. If they stay the same, it grows boring.ˇ± She slowly spun around like a top.

    ˇ°Seriously? ThatˇŻs why you used so many different types of Magic?ˇ±

    For the last twelve hours, she had bombarded him with more magic than he thought existed. Everything from Elemental Magic, to pure Mana attacks, to powerful blows that Alaster struggled to even understand.

    ˇ°Of course!ˇ± She said in a tone that completely did not match her words. ˇ°Besides, I was also teaching you how those different Magics worked and could be used.ˇ±

    ˇ°You just made that up right now, didnˇŻt you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe.ˇ±

    Alaster stared hard at her, but she seemed to find a nearby tree very fascinating.

    ˇ°I have the Passive. What now?ˇ±

    She smiled brightly, ˇ°First, [Magic Resistance] is a powerful Passive, but it isnˇŻt all encompassing. You should still try your best to avoid receiving damage at all. Especially because you are not the Knight. Because he canˇŻt use Magic at all, the System changes what it does for him. His [Magic Resistance] is going to be much more potent against magic than yours. Even then, he is not immune against magic.

    I tell you this cause I donˇŻt want you to get a big head. Not only do you still have to level it up to get any actual use out of it, but you should still avoid getting hit at all.ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand that. He beat that belief into me, even if I was rarely able to avoid any of his blows.ˇ±

    She chuckled, ˇ°Even if he weakened himself to your level, avoiding any of his attacks is impressive. Magic or no, I donˇŻt know many who could last even exchange ten blows with him. At least no mortal. He is very skilled in close combat.ˇ±

    She flipped upright and lowered her floating body to only a few inches off the wet snowy ground.

    ˇ°Earlier, you said you wanted to learn Necromancy. At least, you wanted to learn more about it.ˇ±

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ˇ°Yeah, and you said there were three ways to go about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs see what you remember.ˇ±

    ˇ°First, and most known, is raising the dead. Higher levels will allow the Undead to keep some of their stats and Abilities from when they were still alive. But it requires corpses to be of use.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, next?ˇ±

    ˇ°Then there is Material Undead. Which is what I primarily use. So long as I have Bone, or Flesh, if I level it enough, I can create Undead suited to my needs. This method tends to focus more on few but powerful Undead.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. Go on.ˇ±

    ˇ°Finally, the most commonly used method is using pure Magical power to create Undead Minions from Mana. These tend to be weaker than the other two methods, but has plenty of Minions, preferring to overwhelm the target through numbers.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why is that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because each Spell has its own Minion Limit and levels and increases individually.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes! Good job. Nice to see nearly dying a dozen times didnˇŻt effect your memory.ˇ± She cheerfully clapped, much like Alaster would expect a child to do.

    ˇ°So what method are you going to teach me?ˇ±

    ˇ°All of them obviously. You already use all three. Any somewhat intelligent Necromancer does. [Raise Undead] is part of the first method. [Skeleton Creation] is the second method, and the one you mostly use. And [Raise Mage] is the third method.

    I am simply going to teach you more about them, as well as teach you the Spells, and how to use them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wait, can you just touch me and implant the Spell into my soul?ˇ±

    She laughed, ˇ°No! Well, not without killing you. Which would really defeat the purpose. However, there are ways. For example, a God is capable of doing so, but they havenˇŻt interacted with the Mortal Realm for a few centuries.

    Come to think of it, with your [Soul Seal] Bonus, you might be able to tamper with the Soul, giving it Abilities, but that would be some really finicky work and would likely cause the destruction of dozens, if not hundreds, of souls before you get it right.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know why the Gods havenˇŻt interacted with the Mortal Realm?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, some type of war. Not that it involves us. Even the weakest of the enemy requires a dozen Experts to work together to defeat. We canˇŻt help them, and if they break, we are doomed. So just live your life and donˇŻt worry about the war. Not even the Knight and I would be much help.ˇ±

    Alaster stood up, brushing off some of the snow. How could he possibly not worry about it? He needed to get stronger, and quickly.

    ˇ°What are we starting with?ˇ± He asked, ready to begin.

    ˇ°The third method. ItˇŻs the most simple.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will I be able to use the second method to change them?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. You are certainly not the first one to think of that. Once you do, the Minion will stop being classified as part of one of the Third Method spells and be considered as one of the [Raise Undead] Minions.ˇ±

    ˇ°If they are different methods, why does the Second Method use the Minion Limit of the First Method?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because the Second Method is really only a method of modification. The reason it doesnˇŻt work with the third method is because the Spells of the third method summon the Minion out of your Mana. They arenˇŻt quite physical. By modifying them, you make it physical, which then no longer falls under the Third Method.ˇ± She explained, slowly spinning around Alaster, causing him to keep turning.

    ˇ°Then is it possible for another mage to dismiss the Minions or even take control?ˇ±

    ˇ°Many have tried, and while yes, it is possible, it is only just. Even I would struggle to take control of your Undead, I could, but not without spending a moment to do so. And once you level up a few more times, I wonˇŻt be able to do so.ˇ± She said, still spinning around Alaster, but not also flipping head over feet as she did.

    ˇ°What about dismissing them?ˇ±

    ˇ°Much easier to do, but also much more complicated. To take control, its simply a matter of overpowering the ownerˇŻs soul, forcing it from the Minion, and replacing it with your own.

    But to dismiss them? There are plenty of spells for dismissing Minions, but each one is reliant on being of equal power to the Caster.ˇ±

    ˇ°So Novices can only dispel Novice Summons and so on?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nope! Kinda. As a person levels up, their soul grows stronger. However, to various degrees. Each person is different, and each soul is different. Willpower is also extremely important, and I donˇŻt mean the Stat. IˇŻm talking about how much they are willing to fight. Because if it comes down to a fight between souls, you will to fight will be required, regardless of how powerful you are.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is that it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Mostly. For stupid Minions who canˇŻt think for themselves, that is all thatˇŻs needed. But for Intelligent Minions who do think for themselves, no. When its dismissed, the soul of the owner loses control. Without a soul controlling them, the Minion can do what it likes.ˇ±

    ˇ°So it could decide to keep serving its original master?ˇ±

    She laughed once more, but it was not cheerful.

    ˇ°Doubt it! You think the Minions enjoy being enslaved to you? Nah! They are likely to prioritize killing their former master than anything else.ˇ±

    ˇ°Got it, be careful of Dismiss Spells. Anything else?ˇ±

    ˇ°One last thing before we begin. Some Dismiss Spells are better suited to removing the ownerˇŻs soul from certain Minions than others. So if you ever make enemies of some holy folk, just be aware of that. Now then, first up on any Third Method user, [Skeletal Warrior]. Similar to your Blackguards, except more lightly armored.

    However, you should know, it will require complete focus, plenty of Mana, and great control over it. You ready?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ±

 CHAPTER 89- SUMMONS

    The exercise began by having Alaster sit down cross-legged. Of course, Alaster first built a short platform out of bone so he wouldnˇŻt be sitting in cold melting snow. Aila loved to see the normally solid bone float through the air, changing shapes like a liquid.

    Once he was comfortable, Aila instructed him to close his eyes and find his Mana Core. It took him a few minutes. He had found his Core a few times before, but it had never been very important at the moment.

    Normally, Mages would spend several hours a day meditating and exploring their Mana Core and Veins. That was also vital, as it allowed them to discover new optimal pathways to channel Mana and Spells. Doing so would reduce cast times as well as the Mana costs.

    Alaster hadnˇŻt had the opportunity to do so. Which made his Spells slower and more costly, but his true power lay behind his Undead. And with [Blood Price] he had so much Mana available to him that it was quite unfair to everyone else around his Level. Then again, Alaster certainly didnˇŻt know all the Abilities. For all he knew, he was only mediocre compared to the truly powerful Low Adepts.

    As it was, it only took him a few minutes to find his Core once again. Just as before it was a ball of sickly green mist with a small dot of orange, signifying his Fire Magic. He was able to see countless Mana Veins stretching from Core. Every time Alaster saw it, he thought it was beautiful.

    Aila seemed to know when Alaster had found his Core once more and instructed him to copy her as she began to move her mana. Alaster did his best. And each mistake was punishing.

    The Pattern Aila was displaying was flowing and graceful, yet the feeling it gave off was similar to his Mana, yet different. Normally, it was impossible to see Mana with the naked eye, however, Alaster wouldnˇŻt be surprised if there were Ability Evolutions that made the Mana Visible.

    This particular use was likely an Evolution of [Mana Manipulation]. However, it was probably a Toggleable Evolution.

    Any mistake Alaster made while attempting to follow the Pattern, would cause his Mana to spiral out of control. Wisps of his Mana would shoot out from his hand in every direction. Alaster would have thought that they would be random, but no, most of them shot back into him. Likely wanting to return to his Core.

    Luckily, the wisps didnˇŻt melt his flesh like [Necrotic Bolt]. They did however sting like he had just gotten stung by ten wasps at once. The few that went toward Aila simply dissipated against an invisible force field of some kind. And the rest just hit the snow or a nearby tree harmlessly.

    He actually had to stop and meditate twice before he finally got it.

    [Ability Learned: Summon Undead Soldier]

    [Summon Undead Soldier

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    ˇ°Yes!ˇ± Alaster cheered, throwing up his arms in triumph.

    Aila floated closer, ˇ°Congrats! Now letˇŻs see what it looks like!ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt know?ˇ± Alaster lowered his arms and tilted his head at her.

    ˇ°Nope! Like I said, I donˇŻt like Necromancy. That vast majority of Elves donˇŻt. We are highly attuned to nature, and while death is a part of nature, Undead, are not. Its just a disgusting feeling to work Necro Magic.

    IˇŻve just been around and studying magic so long that I know most of it, at least the basics. So go on, I wanna see!ˇ±

    Chuckling to himself at her antics, Alaster raised his hand and began to cast his newest Spell. He did so slowly, so he could feel the process.

    As the Spell finished, it was as if the Undead simply materialized into existence. The bones and equipment just seemed to appear as they flew into position, as if they had always been just in a pile on the ground. Within moments, a Skeleton stood before him.

    It was slightly shorter than his Blackguards, but only by an inch or two. It wore no armor or clothing of any sort, revealing its human bone structure. Though Alaster did not know if the other Races, such as the Elves, had a different skeletal structure. In its left hand, it held an old and battered wooden shield with a rusted iron band around it. In its right hand, it held a similarly rusty Arming sword.

    However, Alaster was able to see that the rust was only surface level and did not compromise the equipment.

    Compared to his Blackguards, this Undead looked weak and fragile. But, he also knew that if he had this Spell back when he first received his Class, it would have been amazing. It was obviously much stronger than the Goblin Skeletons that Alaster had first started with.

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    ˇ°Huh, thatˇŻs boring.ˇ± Aila yawned.

    Alaster just rolled his eyes, ˇ°What did you expect? ItˇŻs a beginning level Spell at Level one. You said it yourself, the Third Method is all about easy numbers, not strength.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, still sucks though. Now, this is the very basis of the Third Method. As it levels, you will be offered Evolutions that will allow you to Summon other Types of Undead. Depending on what you choose, it will create a whole new Spell, leaving this one virtually untouched.

    For example, Skeletal Archer is one such Type of Undead that you will gain access to as you Evolve this Spell. If you choose it the System will create an entirely new Spell, allowing you to Summon both Types separately. And both will have their own Minion Limit.ˇ±

    Alaster grinned, ˇ°ThatˇŻs awesome.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, it is, but remember, the Third Method is capable of summoning a large amount of Undead very quickly, but it is also Mana intensive.

    Now, the while this Spell is the Basis of the Third Method, there is also a second Spell that is the equivalent. A more industrial variant. Most Necromancers learn this one, even if they donˇŻt branch very far into the Third Method. Here you go.ˇ±

    Aila conjured another pattern of Mana for Alaster to see. It was actually very similar to the first one, but it was different. It only took him an hour to nail it.

    [Ability Learned: Summon Undead Worker]

    [Summon Undead Worker

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the dead to work for you.

    Max Minion: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    Without AilaˇŻs prompting, which was on its way, Alaster tested his new Spell.

    The Summoning method was similar to the Undead Soldier, except, this one had nothing. No armor, no clothes, and no weapons. It was just a Skeleton.

    ˇ°Now, this one is proficient in labor. Nothing complicated, even telling it to cut down a tree would be outside its abilities, but if you want something hauled from one spot to another, it is perfect.ˇ±

    Alaster looked over his latest Minion with skepticism, ˇ°Can it fight?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure! About as well as a drunk Novice! The Industrial Undead are not meant to fight. They will if they are attacked, but if you are using them in a fight, you must be desperate. They are slower, weaker, and more fragile than the Soldier. However, that applies both ways. DonˇŻt try to use a Soldier to do the WorkerˇŻs job, it wonˇŻt end well.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt see when IˇŻd use this.ˇ± Alaster shook his head. It wasnˇŻt like there was a limit on how many Spells he could have, so he didnˇŻt mind learning it, but he struggled to imagine an actual use for them.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs because you are too narrow minded young one. You have spent so long with your Custom Undead, who can do whatever you need them to, and out in the middle of nowhere only fighting. That wonˇŻt hold up.

    Especially with your plans to rescue your sister. You know you canˇŻt go in Magic flying and swords swinging. What if you need to haul supplies somewhere? Sure, your Custom Undead could do that, but what if they are otherwise occupied or there is a situation where they are not ideal?

    There are plenty of uses for them, and just like the Soldier, as the Worker levels up, they are able to branch out into other types of work, like Lumberjack or Miner. IˇŻm sure there are even Craftsman Types! WouldnˇŻt that be amazing? You can just have an Undead Blacksmith making a bunch of equipment with the materials provided by the other Industrial Undead. And because they are dead, they donˇŻt need rest!ˇ±

    Alaster played with his sisterˇŻs ring as he thought. When it was put like that, Aila was correct. If he put the work in to Level them, the Industrial Undead could prove vital. Especially when he reached the limits of Bone. Regardless of how strong he could make Bone; metal will still be better.

    ˇ°I need to level them then.ˇ± Alaster mumbled to himself.

    ˇ°Yep! And the Undead worker will be easy!ˇ±

    ˇ°How so?ˇ± Alaster looked up at her as she floated around.

    ˇ°Just have it haul stuff around.ˇ±

    ˇ°But I donˇŻt need anything moved.ˇ±

    ˇ°So? The Worker will still get level progress for it, even if the action serves no purpose. Just have it move something from one point to another and back again. It will get levels from working.

    The Undead Soldier, however, will only get levels from fighting. And unfortunately, sparing against your other Undead wonˇŻt work. It needs to be an actual foe.ˇ±

    Alaster didnˇŻt see an issue with her logic and took out a bundle of hides from his Ring and tossed it to the Worker.

    ˇ®Move these ten feet that way, put it down, then pick it back up and return it to this position. Repeat this until I say otherwise.ˇŻ Alaster ordered with a thought.

    It immediately set to work, picking up the hides and walking to the mentioned point, dropping it, only to immediately pick them back up and walk back, dropping them again. Alaster watched it for a couple of turns before he moved onto the Soldier.

    Unfortunately, the Soldier was weak, stronger than a Goblin, but still weak. And this deep in the forest, there wasnˇŻt much that it could fight and not die to a single blow. And because Alaster couldnˇŻt give it a Mind, it was stupid, and likely would just run up to the Monster and start swinging. He mentioned his thoughts to Aila.

    ˇ°Oh, thatˇŻs simple. I can just lure a few Monsters here for you to fight.ˇ±

    ˇ°But the Soldier is still too weak.ˇ±

    ˇ°It doesnˇŻt have to fight alone. Use the rest of your Undead, they will all level!ˇ±

    ˇ°Before we do that, is there any other Schools of Magic you think would benefit me?ˇ±

    Aila flipped upside down again, ˇ°All of them you big dummy! But that would take a few decades to teach just the basics. So instead, I will narrow them down to the most useful to you.ˇ± She thought for a moment before continuing.

    ˇ°First, you havenˇŻt even touched [Flesh Crafting] and only used [Flame Bolt] to light your cooking fire. The most powerful Undead will require [Flesh Crafting]. Right now, your Custom Skeletons are powerful, but only when compared to weak Adepts. For the Average Adept, they are slightly weak. At least on an individual level.

    [Flesh Crafting] is also one of the key aspects of smarter Undead. If you want smarter and more powerful Undead, you need to improve the flesh!

    Now onto [Flame Bolt]! Fire Magic is the most powerful of Elemental Magic. It is a mighty threat, but right now, your Fire Magic is weaker than the arrow of a Novice.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻve been concerned about using it around my Undead.ˇ± Alaster interrupted, not that Aila minded.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± She asked, as if that was a stupid thing.

    ˇ°ArenˇŻt Undead weak against Fire?ˇ±

    ˇ°Holy Fire. Normal fire? No more than anyone else. As they are right now, even your Minotaurs would fall apart with even a brief brush of Holy Fire. But that is a High Adept, Low Expert, weapon.

    Basically, you have nothing to worry about, unless you have horrible aim.

    Moving on! For magic that you should learn? Ice and Earth. Ice Magic, because Undead are nigh Immune while the vast majority of foes are not. And Earth Magic because of its power and versatility.

    Honestly, every Mage should learn Earth Magic. It is nearly as powerful as Fire Magic, but is infinitely more useful.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you teach me?ˇ±

    She pretended to be offended, ˇ°Uggh! You wound me sir! Of course I can teach you! And while you are working on your Magic, I can be bringing over Monsters for your Undead to kill! Multitasking at its finest!ˇ±

    She giggled, and while the sound was amusing, the context behind it was worrisome. Alaster couldnˇŻt help but worry for his Undead.

 CHAPTER 90- RISING POWER

    Another month passed. Painfully. Not just for Alaster either. His Undead rarely went an entire day without being destroyed. Luckily, he had the Blueprint Evolution, or it would have taken days to rebuild his army instead of hours.

    As it was, [Undead Soldier] was proving its worth. Not in power. It was still pathetically weak, a single Blackguard could comfortably handle three, but it was just as Aila said. Its value lay in its ease of use and numbers.

    Alaster didnˇŻt need to handcraft the Skeletons, nor did he need special materials like bones. All he needed was the Mana to Summon it. In that, the Spell was amazing. It was a Novice Level Spell, technically meant to be learned by an aspiring Necromancer while they were still under Level ten. It only cost fifty Mana, and Alaster had over a thousand, more if he used [Blood Price].

    As she had promised, Aila continued to lure Monsters into the steadily growing clearing for his Undead to battle. Unlike what she promised, she didnˇŻt care how many Monsters were lured.

    Even now, as Alaster sat cross-legged on a low bone sheet, his Undead, including the Horde Skeletons, were fighting a wave of Monsters. In this section of the forest, none of the Monsters were outrageously powerful, only occasionally would an Adept Level Monsters appear. As such, as weak as the [Undead Soldiers] were, they were still able to effectively fight.

    [Raise Undead], [Undead Soldier], [Undead Worker], and [Meditation] had all leveled extensively during the month.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 24<34: 73%<49%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your servant.

    Max Minions: 20/20

    Max Skeletons: 20/20

    Mana Cost: 30]

    [Summon Undead Soldier

    Level 1<12: 0%<38%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 3/3

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Summon Undead Worker

    Level 1<10: 0%<57%

    Summon the dead to work for you.

    Max Minion: 2/2

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Meditation

    Level 22<25: 36%<54%

    Clearing the Mind to see what is concealed.

    Mana Regeneration increased to 30/min during use.

    Can sense fluctuations in mana around you.

    Can move slowly while active]

    Just as Aila said, [Undead Soldier] and [Undead Worker] both branched into other Abilities at level ten, but they had also increased the Max Minion count by one every five levels. At level five, the Max Minion count increased, but he could have also chosen to select an Evolution that would have increased it again.

    Alaster decided against that, for now at least. He had instead chosen to make his the Undead Summoned by both Abilities better. For [Undead Worker], that meant becoming stronger and faster. For the [Undead Soldier], that meant becoming stronger, faster, and more durable.

    He had noticed that when he made his selections, both types of Undead visibly changed. The WorkerˇŻs bones simply became thicker. But the Soldier changed more drastically. The sword and shield grew less rusted, the bones grew thicker, the glowing balls of Mana in its eyes grew brighter.

    When the Abilities reached level ten, he was offered selections.

    [Summon Undead Soldier Evolutions]

    [Level Ten Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Archer.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Warrior.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Shield Bearer.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    It had actually been quite an interesting choice, seeing how not only would he get another Ability with its own Max Minion count, but it would also effect the Undead Soldiers. However, he didnˇŻt have any Undead capable of ranged damage, not unless they threw their weapon.

    Which was less than ideal.

    [Summon Undead Archer

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minion: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    The process of summoning was the same as the Soldier, except instead of a rusty sword and shield, the Archer held an old bow with a quiver of arrows on its back.

    The Archer and Soldier might as well have been the same Skeleton, just with different weapons. At least before the Soldier had been slightly improved. The quiver held twenty-four arrows tipped with slightly rusty iron arrowheads.

    Alaster sent it off to fight with the rest of his Undead and watched for a moment before he returned to his Spellwork. The Archer was able to quickly fire off its arrows, though it was not very accurate or powerful. It was weak, but just as with the Soldier, against low level Monsters like these, it was proficient enough to show an impact.

    Unfortunately for Alaster, the Archer was still incredibly stupid. After it fired off its last arrow, it ran forward to collect them, regardless of the Monsters still fighting his Undead. And while it swung its bow like a club, it was still destroyed within moments. This prompted Alaster to resummon it, only for the same thing to occur repeatedly. Once it ran out of arrows, it decided it was suddenly melee proficient.

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    After watching for a few moments and rolling his eyes at its stupidity. When the Archer was destroyed, it slowly faded out of existence, just like the Worker or Soldier, but he noticed that the arrows remained. Alaster turned to his next Evolution.

    [Summon Undead Worker Evolutions]

    [Level Ten Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Butcher.</li>

    </ol>

    Worker will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Miner.</li>

    </ol>

    Worker will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Lumberjack.</li>

    </ol>

    Worker will be more durable.]

    Similar choices. Alaster could see a use for each one. He imagined creating a fortress of Undead where Skeletal Lumberjacks and Miners provided Undead crafters with the materials required to create horrifying weapons of war.

    He chuckled to himself. He was still a long way from even attempting such a thing. It was doubtful it would even be viable. Most Nations were opposed to some random person suddenly laying claim to land and building a fortress. Even in the unclaimed lands, only two Independent Cities were allowed to exist, and both because it was simply too much work to claim them.

    As it was, Alaster decided on the Butcher. In his current situation, it would see the most use. The Monster corpses were piling up, luring more Monsters on their own. And Alaster didnˇŻt want to leave anything to waste.

    Since he received his Class, he had been in a rush to level up. He rarely had time to stop and properly butcher the Monsters he hunted. Even when he did, he was so unskilled in his work, he destroyed more than he collected. And Mana Crystals were fragile things.

    Mana Crystals were powerful things that anyone would want to get their hands on. While Mana Cores built the Magitek of the world, it was the Mana Crystals that powered them. Almost like crude Mana Batteries. However, that was not the Crystals prime use.

    The Crystals had numerous uses, from Enchanting and Alchemy, to Blacksmithing and Magitek. But most used them for its EXP. Roughly one in one hundred Monsters produced a Mana Crystal, however, some Monsters were guaranteed to produce one in their bodies.

    Mana Crystals, if used by an individual would provide roughly half again the EXP of slaying the Monster. This allowed those who didnˇŻt wish to fight, to still level up, such as many Noble children or those from rich families. But that was not all.

    Each Crystal had a very small chance to grant the Individual a random Ability of the slain Monster, and an even smaller chance to bestow the MonsterˇŻs Bloodline.

    There were Special Constitutions that allowed for multiple Bloodlines, but typically, a person could only have one, and there was no changing it. However, if the person is lucky enough to be offered a Bloodline, they were given the choice to accept it or not. Regardless of their choice, the Crystal would still be consumed, crumbling to dust.

    Bloodlines, depending on how powerful it was, how powerful the person was, how long they had been in possession of the Bloodline, and how well it merged with them, could be passed onto descendants. This could be done naturally, where the child was born with the Bloodline, or even a fragment of one. But it could also be done later, after the child had matured or proven themselves worthy.

    In truth, Alaster did not know much of Bloodlines. They were so rare that out of an entire city of people, you might find one Bloodline user. Though he assumed the Capitals to have many more users. Power attracted power.

    What Alaster did know was that Bloodlines were nearly as diverse as Special Constitutions. Instead of one Ability from the Monster, the user would gradually get access to most, if not all of the Abilities. In essence, it was bound to increase the personˇŻs power, regardless of the type. Supposedly, even those with Bloodlines from weaker Monsters, such as Goblins, still received a good boost in power.

    But that was beside the point. One needed to possess a Mana Crystal to begin with, and they were so fragile that if one wasnˇŻt careful and slow, it was very easy to crack it, rendering the whole thing useless. During AlasterˇŻs adventures, he had only encountered two Mana Crystals before, at least from the Monsters he was able to sit down and butcher. But both times, he had been too inexperienced to properly carve them out. He hoped that the Butcher would be more effective.

    After making his choice and summoning his new Undead, he had to admit, it was underwhelming. Understandably so, but still disappointing. It was basically just a standard naked Skeleton with a rusty cleaver in one hand and an equally rusty knife in the other.

    Nonetheless, it went to work. As the Combat oriented Undead fought the Monsters, they would gradually move from place to place, allowing the Undead Workers to haul the corpses away from the battle. The Undead Butcher dragged one of the Corpses out of the pile and got to work.

    It was by no means a clean process. Blood splattered the ground, quickly being churned into mud by the Workers moving back and forth with more Corpses.

    Yet all of this was only seen in between working on his Spells. Aila was a wonderful teacher of Magic, but she was harsh. It did not help that Alaster was working on a Magic that was instinctively opposed to his natural Mana.

    Necromantic Mana sought to destroy, but Earth Mana was simply there. It didnˇŻt care for the reason it was there, but once there, it was stubborn to move. Which was just one of the reasons it was so powerful and defensive.

    It had taken Alaster only a few days to learn [Flame Bolt]. Fire Mana was different, but similar to Necromantic Mana. But it took the young man nearly two weeks to learn even the basic Earth Spell [Rock Bolt]. Despite its name, it was basically just conjuring a rock two fists wide and hurling it at the target.

    After he had finally learned it, he had thought he was done and would move onto the next School of Magic. He was wrong. Aila compared it to a toddler walking.

    Alaster had only barely learned he had feet, let alone attempting to simply stand. He was a long way from learning how to walk and even further before he could run.

    After learning the spell, she forced him to train it, and the other Bolts. Changing its direction after being cast, changing its shape, conjuring more than one, and even more variations. Things that Alaster had previously left the System to do as he leveled the Ability.

    The days were long, but the nights were worse. The Monsters almost never stopped coming, which meant that his Undead never stopped dying. He was constantly waking up to rebuild or resummon them. This prompted him to use [Death Embrace] more often. The Undead didnˇŻt feel tired nor the need to sleep.

    In addition to temporarily transforming into a Skeleton and no longer needing to eat or sleep, he also found it easier to work through the Magics. With his emotions muted, he was able to approach the Magic with a purely analytical mind. Which Aila didnˇŻt appreciate. She believed Magic was something one had to feel.

    Alaster agreed, but one first had to learn the Magic before they could truly begin to feel it. So, Alaster would use [Death Embrace] to first learn the Magic, then with the help of the System, he would begin to experiment with the Spell and feel it. The Bonus was simply too valuable an asset.

    With all of his Undead, which was truly reaching impressive numbers, it was beginning to grow more and more complicated to command them. [Death Embrace] made that so much easier, but he couldnˇŻt help but feel like he would soon need others to command as the numbers grew.

    After all, armies werenˇŻt led by a single commander, but by a chain of command. It was much easier to command a dozen individuals who all had another dozen under their command than it was to simply command all hundred forty.

    Though Alaster did see himself growing more skilled at doing just that. But his desire to raise an Undead capable of thought and command still grew as the days passed.

    Laying down on his mound of crudely cut furs, provided by the Undead Butcher, Alaster looked up at the sky. The nights had grown warm enough to not require a closed shelter, so long as a fire was burning nearby. Very little snow was still present, and life was beginning to flourish once more.

    But that green life of trees and grass was soon going to be covered by the blood and death of many humans before the snows came once more. Aila occasionally left to bring back supplies, she hated dried meats and preferred options with her meals. But she would occasionally bring back stories of how the Militaries of the Nations were moving.

    More and more battles were being fought. No wars were officially being waged, but Aila believed it to be just weeks away before the entire continent was embroiled in war. As Alaster listened, he could not help but think about Onigas.

    It was the only city he actually cared about, and even then, only two families, both of which were vastly important to the city itself. They would be the most protected should an attack on the city occur.

    As Alaster listened to the most recent tales Aila told while brushing her hair, he promised himself that when the sun rose, he would ask her to teach him how to raise an Undead capable of command. He needed to be able to operate independently of his Undead.

    He could already raise forty Undead, twenty-five of whom were Blackguards, four of whom were Night Children, five of whom were Minotaurs, and the last being his Undead Stallion, which had not seen much use since its creation. His Horde Skeletons could now number in the sixties if he was mediating. And now he could raise an additional three Undead Soldiers and one Undead Archer.

    He had an actual army, and while they were weaker than the average Adept, he doubted anything less than Thirty Combat Adepts could defeat them. And with the Wars about to rage, most of the soldiers would be drafted, most of whom would be Adepts who hadnˇŻt chosen a Combat Adept Class and would still be largely limited to their combat Abilities from when they were Novices.

    Alaster looked up at the stars, finally confident that he was a force to be reckoned. He would have an impact on whatever conflict he was involved in. And yet, he knew he wasnˇŻt powerful enough to rescue his sister. Not just in raw power, but in knowledge. He still knew nothing.

    For now, though, he would continue to grow in strength. When the time came, he would be ready to act. Blood would spill, both his, and his enemyˇŻs.

 CHAPTER 91- DOLIS

    ˇ°Of course, there are commander type Undead! You really think Necromancers could micromanage hundreds of stupid Undead?ˇ± Aila exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing.

    ˇ°Soˇ­how do I get one?ˇ± Alaster asked as he ripped off a chunk of bread.

    ˇ°No idea. Like I said, I know a lot of Magic, but Necromancy just feels icky to me. I only learned the basics. The rest is all from what IˇŻve heard.ˇ±

    ˇ°And in all your years of wandering, you never heard how Necromancers get Intelligent Minions?ˇ±

    She gave him a side eye, ˇ°Careful young one, no woman likes being called old. And for your information, I am not that old. And besides, the Undead that are intelligent form the backbone of a NecromancerˇŻs power. Of course, they are hush hush about them.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, what can we do about it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Experiment?ˇ±

    ˇ°But that takes time, I donˇŻt have that kind of time.ˇ±

    She rubbed her chin for a moment before she held up a finger in triumph, ˇ°I know! There is a Dungeon near here that has a twenty-four to one time Ratio!ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eyes widened, ˇ°A whole day is only an hour? ThatˇŻs amazing! What Rank is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°A.ˇ±

    Alaster just stared at her with dead eyes, ˇ°A Rank? The Rank that even Experts fail to reliably conquer?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep! ThatˇŻs the one! But donˇŻt worry! With all these Monsters your Undead are killing, you must have leveled up a bunch!ˇ±

    In truth, Alaster had not really checked. He had been so busy with leveling up his Abilities and learning knew Magic that he hadnˇŻt checked. He decided to remedy this.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 37<43

    EXP: 52%

    Health: 1,065/1,065<1,115/1,155

    Health Regeneration: 23/min<25/min

    Mana: 1,125/1,125<1,215/1,215

    Mana Regeneration: 25/min<26/min

    Abilities: Necrotic Bolt, Flame bolt, Rock Bolt, Raise Undead, Bone Crafting, Mana Manipulation, Death Touch, Skeleton Creation, Meditation, Necrotic Heal, Dead Aura, Flesh Crafting, Raise Mage, Dead Bomb, Summon Undead Soldier, Summon Undead Worker, Summon Undead Archer, Summon Undead Butcher

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 172<184                    Wisdom*: 250<268

    Dexterity: 160<172                  Intelligence*: 205<223

    Constitution*: 193<211           Free Points: 0<30]

    [Constitution 200 Bonus Unlocked: Last Stand]

    [Constitution 200 Bonus: Last Stand

    Level 1: 0%

    Upon reaching 10% Health, enter a rage that doubles Strength, Constitution, and Health Regeneration.]

    Alaster carefully read every change. He read his latest Bonuses four times just to make sure he was seeing it right.

    ˇ°How is that possibly a Level one Bonus? I get that Bonuses are supposed to be powerful and shape you but come on! How could this possibly get any better and not be completely overpowered.ˇ±

    Aila chuckled, no doubt already seeing the change in his Soul.

    ˇ°That is pretty powerful.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm a Mage! Why am I getting Berserk Bonuses? And how will this pair with [Regeneration]?ˇ±

    ˇ°I imagine that it will be double your Health Regeneration every second.ˇ±

    ˇ°This is such a broken Bonus.ˇ±

    She giggled, ˇ°Actually, itˇŻs pretty average. The later Bonuses are always more powerful than the earlier ones. I once met a man who could create a perfect copy of his body and if he died, he immediately woke up as the clone, with everything the same as before. Basically, a second life. Come to think of it, he could probably use that Bonus to be effectively immortal. Cause when the Clone is inactive, it doesnˇŻt change at all, including age.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs mouth dropped, ˇ°That is busted. Come to think of it, after two hundred, when do you get the third set of Bonuses?ˇ±

    She smiled wide, ˇ°Five hundred, and you will only get Bonuses for the first three stats to reach that point.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happens when the other stats reach that point after the first two?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nothing. You can of course continue to increase them, but they wonˇŻt get a bonus.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is there a Bonus after five hundred?ˇ±

    She put her finger to her chin, ˇ°One thousand, and only the first stat. After that? I assume only the Demi Gods know, maybe not even them.ˇ±

    Alaster took another look at his Status, ˇ°Wow, I am really building up a list of Abilities. ItˇŻs kinda difficult to find a specific one.ˇ±

    She floating elf giggled, ˇ°Look again.ˇ±

    So, he did, and he saw that his Abilities had instead been sorted into types.

    [Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type]

    Alaster mentally selected the Striker Type and another menu opened, revealing all the Bolt Spells and [Death Touch]. AOE had [Dead Aura] and [Dead Bomb]. Minion had all his Summons and Raises, including [Raise Mage] and [Necrotic Heal]. General had the rest, including his manipulation types like [Bone Crafting] and [Flesh Crafting].

    This new change was much easier to understand.

    ˇ°Why didnˇŻt it do that before?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because you didnˇŻt ask it to. The System will change the format of your Status to whatever you want.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why isnˇŻt that taught?ˇ±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ˇ°Eh, I assume itˇŻs just because those who need it, figure it out, and those who donˇŻt, it doesn''t matter. Where are you going to put your Free Points?ˇ±

    ˇ°With how powerful the two hundred stat Bonuses are, IˇŻm leaning towards getting my Strength Bonus. But then most of my power is in my Minions, so it would be better to raise Wisdom.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seems pretty simple to me. Do you want to improve your Minions, or you? Strength and Dexterity are typically personal Buffs.ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment before he raised his Strength to two hundred. He then put the last fourteen points into Dexterity. He figured that most of his MinionˇŻs strength lay in their Ability Levels at this point.

    [Strength 200 Bonus: Reaper

    Level 1: 0%

    When engaging multiple foes, Strength is increased 30%.]

    Alaster smiled to himself. He was turning into Berserker Build. A Berserker with an army of the dead serving him.

    ˇ°Nice Bonus. Should help when you are surrounded. Now, are you ready to go to the Dungeon?ˇ±

    Alaster stood up and stretched as he replied, ˇ°I guess, let me store my Undead first.ˇ±

    Aila simply nodded as she continued to casually float around, as if she was a leaf gently floating in a pond.

    Alaster recalled his Undead. They had recently killed the last Monster. More would come, but it would take time. His Undead Legion marched forward in neat rows, enforced by the Minotaurs. Unfortunately, while the Minotaurs could keep a formation, they were incapable of truly commanding the Undead.

    Alaster spent a few moments observing his Undead, activating [Dead Aura] to slowly heal them as he did so. They were an impressive sight. He suspected that any minor settlement that saw them would be wary, until they discovered they were Undead, but then they would be frightened about somehow offending a powerful Necromancer.

    As it was, Alaster was only seven levels away from becoming an Expert. Such a small number, but each one worth an immense amount of EXP. The last ten levels of Adept were the hardest to achieve. He was surprised he had managed three. Then again, he had practically cleared this entire section of the forest of Monsters, at least, the Hostile ones.

    The more intelligent or peaceful Monsters had likely avoided him as he slaughtered the rest. Nor did he blame them. Looking around, there were nothing but signs of battle. It almost reminded him of a war zone, not that Alaster had ever actually seen one.

    Trees had been felled, not by axes, but by Monsters or Undead slamming into them. Their splintered stumps filled the now large clearing. Large enough for his entire Village, if only barely. Alaster shook his head of his thoughts. He had a job to do.

    He started with his [Soul Domain], which was capable of holding five of his Undead. The Bonus also earned EXP while the Undead were there. The more of them and the longer they were there, the more EXP. Besides that, Alaster didnˇŻt really know what the Bonus was capable of.

    He knew it was more than just a Minion storage, but he was too afraid to experiment with it. The last time he had entered the Domain, it had only felt like moments, but in reality, was four months.

    He had wasted four months. Four more months his sister was held captive.

    Nonetheless, he was still going to use it. Something he did notice was that his Minions could enter and exit the [Soul Domain] than they were the SummonerˇŻs Ring. The Domain would expand to fit his needs. If he wanted, the Domain would expand its portal to allow five Minotaurs in at once. He knew it could expand much more, but he also knew it had a limit.

    As for the Ring? It was only able to fit three at a time. So, if he needed to unleash his Undead quickly, he preferred to use the Domain. Which is why the Domain was filled with Minotaurs. They were the most durable of his Undead. So, if he was to come under attack, he wanted several shields in front of him quickly.

    After the [Soul Domain] was filled, the rest of his Undead marched into the Ring. It took a while to get them all in. A lone Monster entered the clearing, but his Soldiers and Archer were keeping it busy. Alaster only had to resummon four more Soldiers and two Archers before they finally managed to kill it.

    Once all his Custom Undead were properly stored, he simply unsummoned the rest. He watched them fade out of existence and turned to Aila.

    ˇ°IˇŻm ready to go when you are.ˇ±

    She floated over, ˇ°Great! Follow me!ˇ±

    She laughed, opening a portal and floating through. Alaster walked through and was suddenly in a completely different area.

    It was all stone. Alaster looked around and found that they were in the mountains, somewhere. Not just that, but just ten meters away, Alaster could see the tall stone walls of a settlement.

    The walls were over twenty meters tall, seeming to be masterfully carved out of the surrounding mountain itself. Beautiful images were carved into the walls depicting the rise of a powerful people building a city against the chaos of Monsters.

    The serene picture was broken by the absence of a gate, as if it had exploded from the inside out. Debris littered the ground. As did countless bloodstains. But there were no corpses. Dark clouds filled the sky, threatening to flood the world.

    ˇ°What happened here?ˇ± Alaster asked in a quiet voice.

    Aila gracefully landed, stepping forward as she said sadly, ˇ°A Dungeon Break.ˇ±

    She slowly walked through the destroyed gate, Alaster right behind her. As they walked through the deserted city, Alaster looked around. The bloodstains were more common than not, covering everything. Rarely, he would spot the different colored blood of some kind of Monster.

    The buildings to either side of the road had doors smashed in, walls shattered. Some had even completely collapsed. The buildings were made almost entirely of stone. Some showed signs of a raging fire.

    The bloodstains told a story, a story of fear and death. Alaster imagined people fleeing from the Monsters that had suddenly appeared everywhere. Some who fled, only to be too slow, the Monsters pouncing on them. Others fleeing, only to have a Monster crash into them from the side. Very few showed signs of fighting back.

    ˇ°This used to be the Tauras City of Dolis. One of the smaller cities, but no less powerful. YouˇŻve heard of the Orc Invasion?ˇ± Aila asked solemly.

    ˇ°Yes. Everyone has said that Tauras was too busy fighting off the Invasion to join in the wars.ˇ± Alaster said, stepping into a bloodstain and noticing that it wasnˇŻt at all tacky.

    ˇ®Not something recent. At least not within a week.ˇŻ

    ˇ°A large army of Orcs were sieging the city. The city was prepared for a long siege, their defenders powerful and ready. Morale was high, despite being siege for a month already. Very little damage to the city or civilian life had been sustained at that point.ˇ±

    ˇ°What changed?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Dungeon. Do you know what causes a Dungeon Break?ˇ± Aila questioned, continuing to look forward with sad eyes.

    ˇ°When the Dungeon hasnˇŻt been conquered for a year.ˇ±

    ˇ°That is only the most common. Rarely, the Dungeon will break when there is a mass influx of Mana fed directly into the Dungeon. The Dungeon here was used by their Experts to train. They even took some of the more talented Adepts.

    Despite being comfortable with the Dungeon, the City Lord was wise enough to build a fortification around it, just in case.ˇ±

    She spoke slowly, as the fortifications came into view, near the center of the city.

    ˇ°These fortifications were the only reason anyone survived this disaster. Yet it wasnˇŻt enough.ˇ±

    The walls stood nearly ten meters tall and five meters thick. Battlements lined both sides, which would have provided cover for any defender to fight back from behind cover. A wall such as this, even unenchanted, would have required a powerful Expert to break through. Alaster doubted it would have been easy. Yet there was a large hole in the wall, four meters tall and wide.

    Alaster followed Aila through the hole.

    If the city itself was covered in bloodstains, the area around the Dungeon was flooded. There was not a single inch that wasnˇŻt stained in several different colors of blood.

    ˇ°Those defending the Dungeon were prepared for such a Break, but most of the soldiers were at the outer walls, defending against the siege. Word of the Dungeon Break reached the walls just as the Defenders of the Dungeon broke.

    They fought with everything they had wiping out hundreds of Monsters, but it they were Monsters from an A Rank Dungeon.

    Even after the defenses were broken, they continued to fight. The Monsters flooded the city, catching most unaware. It was a slaughter.ˇ±

    Aila stood in the courtyard, staring at the black void of the Dungeon pressed against the mountain at the far end.

    ˇ°The bells rung for evacuation, and everyone rushed towards the tunnels. Out of their homes and into the streets with no cover. The soldiers tried to protect the people, but most werenˇŻt even Level forty-five. Still, some made it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Made it where? If the Orcs were outside the city, where could they have run?ˇ±

    ˇ°Each of the cities of Tauras are connected with tunnels that run deep underground. With the mountainous terrain, it would otherwise take several months to get from one city to another. ItˇŻs called the Deep Highway. Much safer than above ground, but still not entirely safe, despite the regular patrols.

    They were able to close the gates, at the cost of several Experts sacrificing themselves. The survivors made their way to Jora, just on the other side of the mountain. ThatˇŻs when I first learned of the tragedy. I was in Ceross, the Capital City of Taria, but I rushed over to see if I could help.

    But it was too late. In the end, the Orcs slaughtered the Monsters, ransacked the city, and left. By the time I got here, they were long gone.ˇ±

    ˇ°When did this happen?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just a week before I met you.ˇ± Aila said with a slight smile.

    ˇ°So thatˇŻs the Dungeon IˇŻm supposed to train in?ˇ± Alaster asked, nodding toward the void.

    ˇ°Yep. I will remain out here. I have some contacts that might be able to provide some knowledge about higher ranked Undead, capable of command.ˇ±

    Alaster took a deep breath, ˇ°What is the Dungeon like?ˇ±

    ˇ°It is a large valley with ruins dotted throughout. You will encounter four types of Monsters. One is a large brown bear with plates of hard stone growing on it. Another is a black bat capable of carrying off a grown man in armor. Then there are Wolves with two tails, each capable of moving independently with a sharp point, similar to spearheads.

    Finally, and the ones you must be very careful of, are the Devils.ˇ±

    ˇ°Devils?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. They are different from demons, but still very powerful, and cunning. Do not underestimate them. They wear dark red armor and wield dangerous weapons, including bows.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about the Boss?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Boss is a larger Devil, both in size and might. He is highly intelligent. Worse, he will wander the Dungeon. He will stick to the large tower ruin at the far edge of the Dungeon, but he does move around. Alaster listen to me, do not fight him unless you kill every last Devil.ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, now get going.ˇ± She ordered with a light smile.

    Alaster nodded, more to himself than her, and stepped forward. The bloodstains were a warning to the might of the Dungeon.

    Dungeon Breaks allowed the Monsters of the Dungeon to leave, but they were usually twice the number typically found within. Even the Boss would be able to leave. An A Rank Dungeon Boss was quite possibly over Level sixty.

    ˇ®What normal person would solo challenge an A Rank Dungeon while he still wasnˇŻt an Expert? Evelyn always did saw I wasnˇŻt the sharpest tool in the shed.ˇŻ Alaster chuckled to himself, touching the Void.

    [Iron Ruins Dungeon

    Rank: A

    Instance

    Time Dilution: 24:1

    Party Limit: 10]

    [Enter?]

    ˇ®LetˇŻs try not to die, shall we?ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself, disappearing from the world.

 CHAPTER 92- IRON RUINS

    Alaster dived to the side as a black wolf barreled through four Minotaurs, throwing them to the ground. Its long twin tails stabbing into their shields as it rushed past. He fired off two quick full casts of [Necrotic Bolt]. Six bolts of sickly green Mana streamed towards their target. The wolf was so quick that even just two meters away, only two of the bolts hit its side, beginning to eat through, but barely making it past the thick fur.

    The Minotaurs dived onto the wolf, just barely managing to pin it down long enough for two Blackguards to impale it on their spears. Even with two spears in its neck, it glared hatefully at Alaster for several moments before the light in its eyes dimmed. The Undead quickly rejoined the front line, leaving the corpse.

    Surrounded by more of the wolves, his forty Undead had seemed powerful and unneeded before, but now, they seemed barely capable. The only reason they had not been completely destroyed yet was that they outnumbered the wolves. Their numbers allowed them to flank around the wolves and wear them down.

    It had only been two days since Alaster entered the Dungeon. And yet, he had nearly died with every fight. Of course, Alaster had not only fought. He had also been studying the Monsters. Learning their patterns and habits.

    The Bears, which were taller than Alaster when they were on all fours, with overlapping plates of hardened stone, claws capable of ripping a Minotaur in half, and teeth that could do the same.

    The Wolves, standing at AlasterˇŻs chest at the shoulder, with razor sharp claws and fangs. Their natural weapons were lethal enough as it was, but their most lethal weapon were the twin tails. Nearly two meters long, capable of moving independently of each other, with a sharp tip.

    Alaster had not managed to study the Devils very much, they stuck to the center of the Dungeon, while Alaster was keeping to the edges. He had, however, managed to see them from a distance. They were all over six feet tall in large and thick dark red armor. Most used spears, but some used maces, swords, and even daggers. All the melee Devils, with the exception of the dagger users, carried thick shields.

    Roughly every ten melee Devils, Alaster could spot an archer. In lighter dark red armor, a quiver of barbed arrows, and a powerful looking black longbow. They stayed behind the melee Devils.

    None of the Monsters in the Dungeon fought each other, but they did avoid each other. The Bears were solitary creatures, roaming alone or with one other. The Wolves moved in packs from five to fifteen. While the Devils marched in neat formations of ten to twenty.

    Alaster had been ambushed by a full pack of wolves numbering fifteen. His Undead were barely holding on, however, the longer the fight went on, the more tired the Wolves became. His Undead did not, though the damage was building up, despite [Dead Aura] and [Necrotic Heal].

    Each Wolf was incredibly fast and agile, and each of their weapons were strong enough to tear through the strengthened bone like clay. Their hide was tough, and any glancing blows did little to no damage.

    Even when the Wolves were down to just four, with the Undead encircling them, they didnˇŻt attempt to flee, they instead continued to fight on until each one was killed.

    As the last one fell to the black, ash covered, earth, Alaster fell to his knees, breathing hard. Even with his [Death Pact] armor covering his entire body in light armor, it did little against the attacks of the Wolves. However, with each kill, he could feel his armor becoming stronger, more protective, slowly transforming into heavier armor.

    Normally, Alaster would have preferred the light armor as it would have provided much more maneuverability, but the black armor, made of some unknown metal, was built very well, though he doubted the Pact had designed it. He never had an issue moving in it. However, the armor still didnˇŻt provide a helmet, instead Alaster used one he had crafted himself out of bone.

    The battle against the Wolves had been a quick one, but it had been viscous. He had been forced to constantly resummon the Undead Soldiers to serve as distractions. Their swords only bounced off the thick fur, but they were able to draw the Wolves attention to themselves, allowing the stronger Undead to deal actual damage. He even had the Archers summoned, though they were just as useless.

    And due to how powerful the Wolves were, compared to Alaster, his Abilities were leveling very quickly.

    [Summon Undead Soldier

    Level 12<21: 38%<64%

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    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 3/4

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Summon Undead Archer

    Level 1<10: 0%<23%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minion: 1/2

    Mana Cost: 50]

    For the Soldiers, he had made them as resilient as he could. And for the Archers, he made them stronger, their bows and arrows becoming better quality. Both had just reached the level ten threshold during the battle.

    [Summon Undead Soldier Evolutions]

    [Level Twenty Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Rogue.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Warrior.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Shield Bearer.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    [Summon Undead Archer Evolutions]

    [Level Ten Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Shortbowman.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Longbowman.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Ranger.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    Alaster was intrigued by the Rogue option, but it wouldnˇŻt be very useful in the Dungeon. Even if they did manage to sneak up on the Monsters, which was doubtful, they wouldnˇŻt be able to do much damage, if any.

    It was the same issue with the Shield Bearer. Even his Minotaurs were struggling to withstand more than two attacks. Of course, both options would quickly grow stronger against the Monsters. But he was leaning more towards Warrior.

    He still doubted the Warrior would be able to do much, but he imagined that it was the option geared more towards power. It would be able to do damage much sooner and quicker than the other two options. So, he made his choice.

    [Summon Undead Warrior

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    Applying the same logic to the Archer, he selected Longbowman. Though he was interested in how the Ranger would look.

    [Summon Undead Longbowmen

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 50]

    Alaster summoned his two new summons. The Warrior looked just like the Soldier, including the effects of the Evolutions.

    ˇ®Do the Soldier Evolutions effect the branch off Summons?ˇŻ

    It carried the same shield, but instead of a sword, it held a large hatchet. Being a hatchet, it was still small, but the length of the blade was six inches. Such a wound would be lethal to an ordinary person.

    The Longbowman was also the same as the Archer, except it held a crude longbow. Alaster had an Archer and the Longbowman draw their bows, in order to see the difference in power. The Longbowman was slower to draw, but not by much. Upon releasing their arrows, it was immediately apparent the Longbowman was much more powerful.

    The ArcherˇŻs arrow impacted a boulder and clattered away. The LongbowmanˇŻs arrow impacted the same boulder and shattered.

    Alaster grinned to himself. The ArcherˇŻs arrows had just bounced off the WolvesˇŻ fur, but the Longbowmen might be able to actually pierce it.

    Summoning all of his Third Method Undead, he looked over them while [Dead Aura] continued to heal the damaged Undead. Eight of the preset Undead stood before him. Their naked bones werenˇŻt very frightening, but he still wouldnˇŻt want to fight them in the dark, even if they wouldnˇŻt be able to do much damage to him.

    Looking to the side, he saw the Skeletal Mage moving from Undead to Undead, slowly healing them. Twenty-five Blackguards, fourteen Minotaurs, and one Undead Stallion. Alaster called out the Stallion from his Domain.

    It galloped out and lowered its head to its Master. Alaster patted its head and quickly got on. As he did, he summoned the Workers and Butcher Undead. They quickly got to work, with the Butcher immediately crouching at the closest Wolf while the Workers began dragging the others closer.

    As the Butcher worked, it reached level five. Alaster quickly looked through the options. Stronger, faster, or more skilled. The Butcher was already becoming all three with each level, but Alaster chose to make it more skilled. If he managed to find a Mana Crystal, he wanted the Butcher to be able to properly extract it. He was also able to raise a second.

    Together, the two Butchers quickly skinned the Wolves, as well as cut a few chunks of meat. There was of course plenty more meat left on the corpses, but Alaster didnˇŻt care. He only took enough to feed him and the furs. He didnˇŻt care about the rest, nor did he want to wait around for the Butchers to harvest the meat that wouldnˇŻt fit in his Ring.

    He quickly stored the furs and meat and ordered his Undead forward. There was no point unsummoning the Butchers and Workers. It didnˇŻt refund the Mana spent to summon them, and they could provide a distraction if needed.

    As they moved forward, with Alaster in the middle, his Minotaurs forming a protective ring around him, he looked around.

    Only two days had passed since he entered the Dungeon. Two hours in the real world. Yet he had already gained so much.

    [Blood Price] now allowed the reverse to happen, using Mana to heal. [Blood Aura]ˇŻs range had doubled to ten meters, and also made him harder to damage. He could now raise three more Undead, six with the Evolution, but he had not had the time to create them.

    Several more Abilities were on the cusp of a new Evolution. He had even been experimenting with [Flesh Crafting], though the only use he found was making it easier to retrieve the bones.

    The Dungeon was large and Alaster had limited himself to the edges. As Aila had told him, the Dungeon was filled with old ruins. What she had not mentioned was how depressing the atmosphere was. The sky was a blood red. The ground was black and covered in ash. Wind sent up a cloud of it. None of the ruins Alaster had searched had anything valuable, nor had he found anything about its previous owners. There was no furniture, only broken stone.

    Alaster stretched his back as his Stallion marched forward.

    ˇ®One more fight, then IˇŻll find a safe place to camp.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 93- KILLER BEAR

    That one last fight had been against one of the giant bears as it ambushed him from around a crumbling ruin on top of one of the rolling hills. It charged through his Undead, outright destroying both Butchers, one of the Workers, and two Blackguards.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead quickly surrounded the Beast. They spread out, diverting the BearˇŻs attention, allowing the Minotaurs to swing their glaives into the backs of its legs. The armored plates of the Bear didnˇŻt cover the joints, and previous fights had proven that none of the UndeadˇŻs weapons could get through them.

    Even Alaster struggled to break the armor of the Bear. However, the joints were always a good target. Any armor there would be much weaker. And with the glaives, designed for powerful swings, the Minotaurs were able to cut into the fragile muscles, if only barely.

    With its rear legs weakened, it was much slower to move, though no less powerful. Two of the Blackguards were swept aside, their armored frames sent flying.

    An arrow from the Longbowman pierced an unarmored spot. It was shallow, nearly falling out. AlasterˇŻs eyes widened. That was a very impressive shot from the low leveled Skeleton. The next twelve shots reminded Alaster that he still had a long way to go as they all hit the armor of the Bear or missed completely.

    Alaster continued to launch [Necrotic Bolts] while healing and resummoning his Undead. His bolts cracked the armor but did little else. But it did not go unnoticed.

    The Bear faced Alaster, roaring so loud the dirt below it moved. Even with its rear legs weakened, it charged forward, knocking aside two Minotaurs who stepped in front. Alaster didnˇŻt shy away from the challenge.

    Alaster drew his sword and charged. But he was not foolish. He might weigh more than the Minotaurs with his large stature and metal armor, but he would still be trampled if he met the massive Bear head-on. So, he didnˇŻt try.

    Just before they clashed, Alaster dropped into a slide, the ash aiding his slide between the BearˇŻs legs. Its powerful swipe soaring over his head and crashing into the last Worker Undead. Alaster drove the point of his sword into the knee joint of the BearˇŻs front right leg.

    It roared, both out of agony, and rage, as its leg gave out underneath it, sending it to the ground. Alaster stood up behind the Bear, the ash clinging to his armor. His Undead pounced on the Bear, driving their spears between the armor plates and cracks.

    It roared again, this time much weaker, but it had not given up.

    Alaster ran around it, intent on casting full powered [Necrotic Bolt] into its eyes several times. He dived under clawed backhand. He had intended it to turn into a roll and continue, but he was not experienced enough to do so. Crawling back to his feet, he finally reached the head.

    Alaster raised his hand towards its large eyes.

    In one last act of defiance, it pushed as hard as it could and lunged at Alaster. Its large claws digging deeply into the black earth as blood surged out of its wounds.

    Alaster jumped back but it was not enough as the massive fangs widened even further, consuming all that he could see. He raised his sword, deflecting the teeth and using them to propel himself away.

    The Bear landed heavily, sending up a cloud of ash. A puff of air expelled through its mouth blowing through the ash, its last.

    Alaster bent down, hands on his knees, but still standing, breathing heavily. His Undead stood still, ever watchful of new threats, as if they hadnˇŻt just killed a Monster so drastically stronger than them.

    He walked over to a large nearby rock and sat down, trying to calm his heart. As he did so, he looked at his sword that had saved his life in the end.

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    Deep cracks ran down the length of the blade, including several chips in the blade. It was ruined. His first sword. The sword he had paid for with the coin provided by the Siphas Family and had served him faithfully since, broken.

    Alaster put it in his Ring while he withdrew some bone, forming it into a halberd. He had previously made a halberd before, in the Hollow Tunnels Dungeon, but it had proven ineffective against the Ogre, at least compared to the pure penetrative power of the Blackguard spears, or the corrosive power of [Necrotic Bolt]. It had been too fragile.

    Now, Alaster was capable of manipulating the bone to a much higher degree. The bone was pure black, nearly shiny along the blades. However, it was a heavy instrument, which was the purpose of a standard halberd made from wood and metal.

    A halberd was a powerful weapon meant for slow but devastating swings or quick lunges with the spear tip. It could also be propped up against a charge, but the spear would still be better suited for that. Against the beasts of the Dungeon, Alaster believed the halberd would be best suited for him.

    When he finished molding the halberd, Alaster grabbed it and used it to help himself up with a groan. The battles of the Dungeon had taken a toll. And while he had not been personally wounded, his armor had received countless dents and scratches. Mostly from the Wolves as their twin tails allowed them to strike in otherwise awkward positions.

    While none of the blows had managed to pierce the armor, the blunt forces had bruised his body. They had since healed, but that did not stop it from being sore. A few of the Wolves had even managed to strike at his armored head, where the bone helmet was weaker than the metal armor [Death Pact] provided.

    Alaster walked over to one of the nearby ruins, a long since burned down house, leaving only the short stone walls and foundations remaining. One of the short walls had been blown outwards, like something had been thrown out.

    The short walls of stone were used to add structure and strength to the building, typically only two feet tall, where wood would be used to construct the remaining height.

    Alaster sat down and leaned against the wall, uncaring for the ash which already coated him. He propped his new weapon against the wall as he began to rebuild his Undead. A lengthy process, even with the Blueprint Evolution.

    Watching the Skeletons rebuild around him, Alaster pulled out some previously roasted meat and began to eat, blowing on it to cool it down. After all, the Ring preserved everything exactly as it went in, at least while the Ring was bound to someone, once it lost that connection, everything inside would begin to decay, just at a much slower rate.

    Leaving his Second Mind to rebuild his army, Alaster looked over his Status once again. Not much had changed, though all his Summoned Undead had leveled up once or twice. Though none had an evolution available.

    Alaster leaned back as his newly summoned Butchers began their work on BearˇŻs corpse. It was slow going as they had to work around the armor.

    Eventually, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, falling asleep in moments.

    When he awoke, everything was just as it was before. Ash covered ruins, blood red sky, black earth, and all his Undead standing guard. Next to him, was a large stack of meat next to an equally large rolled up hide. His Butchers had been busy. Alaster stood up, rubbing the back of his neck.

    ˇ®Not the best way to sleep.ˇŻ

    The young man stretched his body before storing all the meat and fur in the Ring. The fur itself could cover a bed large enough to fit four people at least.

    ˇ®Day three huh? Only three hours have passed in the Real World. Wonder what Aila is doing.ˇŻ

    However, instead of dwelling on it, he got on his Skeletal Stallion and began the hunt once more. He needed to be strong enough to fight the Devils, and for that, his Undead needed to be stronger and more numerous. Not just that, but he needed to strengthen himself as well.

    As his Undead marched forward, Alaster pondered just how to become more powerful. Of course, the easiest and more straightforward way was to simply level up. But Levels were becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. And he knew from Richter and Aila that Levels were also the most fragile type of power. True power lay in the Abilities of a person, and how skilled they were in using them.

    Of course, he could simply improve his current Abilities, but they were quite simple. Most of his Abilities affected his Undead. Only a few were his own Power.

    With several of his Bonuses, it seemed like he should be more of a Warrior Mage Hybrid. Yet currently, he only had one Ability that wasnˇŻt a Bonus that could be used in melee. And [Death Touch] was still very weak. Sure, it could help heal him, but it was only five Health and Mana per second. He didnˇŻt imagine that he would be able to keep ahold of someone for very long during a fight.

    His mind inevitably turned to the Monsters of the Dungeon. They were the strongest he had ever faced. Yet, he still hadnˇŻt fought the true force of the Dungeons, the Devils.

    The BearˇŻs armor was strong, but besides that, it was only the BearˇŻs size and strength that made it a threat. The Wolves were objectively a much stronger threat. Their tails were powerful weapons, allowing them to attack multiple targets or the same target multiple times from different angles.

    ˇ®Could I use Necrotic Mana emulate the tails?ˇŻ

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ®What a fascinating idea!ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 94- TOO GREAT A LOSS

    Aila stepped through a portal and observed the destruction around her. Deep in the forest, deeper than most Experts would dare explore. Yet, there were no trees. They had all been felled. Some lay their sides. Some were more splinter than tree. And some were ablaze.

    The corpses of hundreds of Monsters, each one capable of killing Experts, littered the ground in various states of death.

    In the center of the clearing, upon a hill of corpses, sat a man, dressed in the pristine casual clothing of a Noble. Black hair covered the manˇŻs eyes, but Aila knew that they were half closed. Bored. The man had massacred a Horde of Monsters that would make entire cities shiver in fear, and he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

    ˇ°What do you want Aila?ˇ± He said in a deep voice, reminiscent of a landslide. He yawned after speaking, not bothering to cover hide it.

    The petite elven woman floated over the carnage, stopping before the pile of death.

    ˇ°I have a pupal. Well, it wouldnˇŻt be right to call him such. I taught him a few things. The key basics. I want you to teach him.ˇ±

    He rested his elbow on his knee and his cheek in the raised hand, ˇ°Now why should I do that? Why canˇŻt you teach him? Apparently, you have already started.ˇ±

    ˇ°I taught him everything he needs to know to progress on his own. But he is a Minion Type. He can summon a large number of the Undead. I donˇŻt have experience with that sort of thing. You do.ˇ± She took a deep calming breath, ˇ°Richter taught him Combat. I taught him Magic. But now he needs to learn War.ˇ±

    The man raised a single eyebrow, ˇ°Richter? Now why would he care what happens to this boy?ˇ±

    Aila gulped, ˇ°The Demigods asked us to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not even those bastards could force Richter to truly teach someone, at least not without the brute killing him. No, Richter wanted to teach him. Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt,ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, you do.ˇ± The man interrupted, still as bored as before.

    Aila breathed heavily, ˇ°The boy is special. His talent is mediocre, maybe a little better than most. But his resolve is impressive. And his Class and Bonuses, IˇŻm not ashamed to say they frighten me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why should I teach him and not just dump his body somewhere for a Monster to eat?ˇ±

    Aila looked the man in the eyes for the first time, ˇ°Because he is just like you.ˇ±

    The man raised his head off his hand slightly, ˇ°Is he now? That just gives me more reason to make him vanish.ˇ±

    ˇ°He is trying to save his last remaining family, and unlike you, he still has the chance.ˇ±

    The mound of corpses exploded as the man appeared in front of the frail woman, but there was no anger, just cold violence behind his eyes.

    ˇ°Careful little girl, you might just bite off more than you can chew.ˇ±

    Aila tried to suppress the shiver of fear, and failed, but she didnˇŻt back down, ˇ°He is going to save his sister, or he will die trying. Either way, a lot of people are going to die.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why do you need me? You could just as easily locate and extract the girl.ˇ±

    ˇ°Because the Demigods are preventing anyone of our power from interfering with the sister or her rescue. Else Richter would have already.ˇ±

    An ornate chair appeared behind the man, and he sat on it, resting his head on his hand once more, ˇ°So, some bandits kidnaped his sister. What does that have to do with me, or teaching him about War?ˇ±

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    ˇ°Because it wasnˇŻt some bandits. They were the personal agents of Duke Redmond of Lissura.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, the Duke, cousin to the King of Lissura, has the girl,ˇ± The man chuckled, ˇ°Tell the lad to give up. He isnˇŻt saving her.ˇ±

    ˇ°Right now, he has the power to at least distract an entire army, if he played his cards correctly. But if you teach him, IˇŻm sure he could save his sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps, but I donˇŻt see why I should care.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your city is cut off from the rest of the world, constantly under siege from Monsters. Surely you could use another Summoner, a powerful one at that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps,ˇ± He said with another yawn, ˇ°But that would depend on him. What Class does he have anyway?ˇ±

    Aila had to stop herself from smiling, she at least had his attention now.

    ˇ°His Novice Class was Death Mage. Then it evolved into Death Knight.ˇ±

    The man sat straight, Aila knew that it would catch his attention, but not as much as it did, there was something there that even she was unaware of.

    ˇ°A pure Necrotic Magic user? What level is he?ˇ±

    ˇ°He was forty-three before he entered the Dolis Dungeon?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dolis? An A Rank Dungeon, that caused the collapse of an entire City? You must truly believe in his ability if you sent him there.ˇ±

    ˇ°I wasnˇŻt exaggerating. This boy is special. He had caught the DemigodsˇŻ attention right after he became an Adept. And if he caught the attention of multiple, its likely that he also caught the attention of at least one God.ˇ±

    The man leaned back in his chair, thinking deeply before he responded.

    ˇ°IˇŻll do it, if he can complete three tests.ˇ±

    Aila would have smiled for succeeding if she didnˇŻt know this man so well, ˇ°What tests?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is for him to learn if he survives that death trap you sent him into.ˇ±

    ˇ°Death Trap? I admit it will be a challenge for him. But only because he wasnˇŻt an Expert yet.ˇ±

    The man chuckled, but it was not a happy sound, it was dark and made Aila shiver.

    ˇ°Dolis fell because the Dungeon changed. It is no longer under the control of the world.ˇ±

    AilaˇŻs face drained of color, ˇ°Who controls it?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea,ˇ± The man said as he stood, the chair disappearing, ˇ°But whoever does control it, will not take kindly to some Adept boy invading its territory. That will be the first test. Forget completing the Dungeon. He will pass the first test if he merely survives.ˇ±

    The man turned away and prepared to leave, ˇ°I donˇŻt have high hopes.ˇ±

    And with that, the man flew through the sky, quickly disappearing into the dark clouds, leaving Aila alone surrounded by corpses.

    Once again, she had damned an incredible person to death. Memories of the last time burned through her mind. Memories she had fought hard to forget. Memories of meeting the girl. Of teaching her.

    She remembered the joy on the girlˇŻs face when she finally succeeded in casting Magic for the first time. It was only a small flame at the end of her finger, yet to the little girl, it had been everything. Months of memories passed in the blink of an eye, before stopping at the one she had so desperately begged to forget.

    Aila did not want the girl to grow reliant on her, and so had sent the girl into the forest alone to hunt a boar for that nightˇŻs dinner. She had instructed the girl to avoid the deeper parts of the forest and to hide if she needed to. Only an hour had passed before Aila was struck by a wretched feeling. Like her stomach had been turned inside out.

    She immediately knew something was terribly wrong. She flew through the forest, looking for any sign of her student. But by the time she found the girl, it was too late.

    Very rarely did Monsters ever travel into the more shallow parts of the forest. So rarely, that Aila had not even considered it. Yet this time, one had.

    A Drake, the smaller and weaker distant cousins of Dragons. Despite that, it still required a full team of prepared and experienced Adepts to hunt one, and even then, there were expected to be losses.

    The Drake, angry at being disturbed while eating, attacked the floating elf. Aila didnˇŻt even register the Drake. A simple backhand enough to snap its neck and cast its corpse away.

    Only an hour had passed since the girl entered the forest, and from the trail of destruction through the forest, it was clear she had been running away from the Drake for most of that time. She must have been terrified the entire time. Wondering where her master was. Begging for master to come and save her.

    And yet, her master never came. The master who had sworn to protect her, was instead at home, sipping tea, and reading a book.

    Aila had knelt next to the girl, cradling the girl in her arms, uncaring for the blood staining her, and screamed. Pulses of raw Mana radiated from the Elven women, shredding the forest for hundreds of meters, but she did not even notice or care.

    In the end, there had barely been anything left to bury. The Drake had made sure of that. More than a hundred years had passed since then, but the memory was still as clear crystal glass.

    Tears poured down AilaˇŻs face, falling to the bloodied ground. She wiped the tears away. She had failed the girl, and she had quite possibly failed the boy. There was nothing she could do to assist him now that he was in the Dungeon, but she was not going to give up. Not yet.

    Turning around, she summoned a portal. She had sworn to him to bring him knowledge about Necromancy when he exited the Dungeon, and she was certainly not about to break that promise.

 CHAPTER 95- CHAIN OF COMMAND

    AlasterˇŻs chest heaved, struggling to catch his breath. But he did not let it hinder him. He continued to march forward, his Undead right behind him.

    Behind him lay fifty Devils in their dark red armor. It had been a hard-fought battle. Each one was stronger than his Blackguards and even moved the Minotaurs with each of their blows. Alaster didnˇŻt even bother counting how many times he had to resummon his Undead. And yet, he had long since grown used to such battles. That did not make them any easier.

    Even with all his Abilities and Levels improving, each battle was one where even the smallest mistake would spell his death. However, even if the battles were still intense, Alaster had earned quite a bit.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 43<49

    EXP: 52%<84%

    Health: 1,115/1,155<1,290/1,290

    Health Regeneration: 26/min<28/min

    Mana: 1,215/1,215<1,305/1,305

    Mana Regeneration: 26/min<28/min

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 200<219                    Wisdom*: 268<286

    Dexterity: 186<198                  Intelligence*: 223<241

    Constitution*: 211<238           Free Points: 0<30]

    Even without the extra levels, Alaster had improved his Strength and Constitution. But he only glanced at that. His attention was at his Dexterity. It was now time to get all his Stats above two hundred.

    He quickly put fourteen points into Wisdom, bringing it to three hundred. Another fourteen into Constitution, raising it to two hundred fifty-two. And the last two into Dexterity, triggering the final Two Hundred Bonus.

    [Dexterity 200 Bonus Unlocked: Seeker Sight

    Level 1: 0%

    None will avoid you.

    Range: 2 Meters]

    AlasterˇŻs vision split. He could suddenly see everything in a two-meter radius. Even behind him. Alaster was racked with a headache. Even closing his eyes didnˇŻt do anything. Alaster crumpled to the ground.

    However, Alaster was accustomed to such pain. It was similar to the pain he felt when his mind split the third time. And his three minds helped him to adjust to the new Bonus.

    Breathing hard, Alaster immediately began to experiment with the Seeker Sight. After an hour, he found that he could even see past solid objects. Not like he was looking through it, but like he was right there, seeing it with his own eyes.

    Every fleck of ash floating through the air, he saw from every direction within a two-meter radius. He could even see himself from every direction.

    ˇ®Wow, IˇŻve gotten tall.ˇŻ

    And he had. His training with Richter, coupled with the battles in the Dungeon, had caused his body to grow quickly. He had always known he would be taller than many. But now, while most men were just short of six foot, Alaster stood comfortably at six foot three, and he was all muscle.

    The muscle wasnˇŻt bulky but did still appear as if he regularly lifted carts above his head. Instead, he appeared like he was perfectly capable of sprinting and flipping through the dense forest with ease.

    [Death Pact] had finally created a helmet. Alaster had taken it off when he first got it and thought it looked menacing and even a little creepy. But coupled with the armor and the way he was seeing it now; Alaster had no doubt it would terrify many. Especially if he was their enemy.

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    [Death Embrace] had reached level ten, reducing the Mana Upkeep from fifty per minute, to ten per minute. Alaster could now comfortably keep the Bonus active constantly.

    ˇ®Gotta remember to do that. Would have been a massive help in that last battle.ˇŻ

    [Imbuement] had surpassed level ten, and now generated a Mana Shield around him during use that would protect him from blows, reducing his Mana instead of health. Though the Shield would fail to protect against any attack that would deal more than a quarter of his Total Mana Pool.

    [Dark Sight] had doubled in range when it reached level ten. He could now see in the dark with perfect vision up to ten meters away. Coupled with [Seeker Sight], he doubted much would be able to sneak up on him, if anything.

    [Necrotic Bolt] had surpassed level twenty, finally morphing into an Adept Ability. Now, Alaster could summon three bolts, plus one per level of the Ability past level twenty, all for a total of five mana. He could currently summon four bolts. They were still quite weak compared to his level, but now he could simply use quantity over quality.

    [Raise Undead] was now level forty, raising his Minion Limit to twenty-six, doubled due to the Legion Evolution.

    [Bone Crafting] Finally reached level twenty, but the only real change was that now it felt almost natural to manipulate the bone. Alaster hardly had to think about it. However, it could now surpass standard steel in strength.

    However, in the end, the two greatest changes were to [Meditation] and [Undead Soldier], both reaching level thirty.

    [Meditation] had reached level thirty, and now, instead of the Mana Regeneration increasing one per level during use, it now increased two per level. Even greater, it had recalculated the previous levels. [Meditation] could now regenerate seventy-eight Mana every minute.

    Alaster had heard rumors that once a Regeneration surpassed one hundred twenty, it converted to per second. It was only rumors, and he had not thought about it when Aila had been there. He was not certain if it was truth, or just rumor. Though it would be an interesting change.

    [Undead Soldier] had reached level thirty, meaning the Minion Limit raised one, and he could now choose another Class of Undead to Summon. Every level, he could see the standard Undead Soldier becoming stronger, faster, and more durable. The feeling they gave off gradually turning from weak and fragile, to powerful. Though their strength was still in numbers, of which he could raise five.

    [Summon Undead Soldier

    Level 21<30: 64%<34%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 4/5

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Summon Undead Soldier Evolutions]

    [Level Thirty Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Rogue.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Sergeant.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Shield Bearer.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    AlasterˇŻs eyes immediately focused on the Sergeant option. Sergeants led soldiers in the Military. They werenˇŻt the ones making the orders, instead they were the ones who ensured the ordinary soldiers completed them.

    Alaster didnˇŻt even consider the other two. He didnˇŻt need to. He had already considered them at the previous evolution. Alaster immediately selected the Sergeant option.

    [Summon Undead Sergeant

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 100]

    The only difference the Sergeant Spell had over the other Third Method Summons was that it cost one hundred Mana instead of fifty. The Summoning Method was also similar. It just faded into existence.

    The Sergeant stood a little taller than the standard Undead Soldier. Besides their height, the only difference was an iron pauldron that they wore on their right shoulder, just as rusted as the rest of their equipment.

    Yet, the true difference lay in the way the other Summoned Undead reacted to the presence of the Sergeant. They all stood in a line and stood taller and straighter. The Soldiers held their swords to their shoulder and the shield in front of them. The Warriors held their axes against the front of their shields. The Archers and Longbowmen held their bows against their shoulder, the string out.

    Alaster watched intently as the Sergeant slowly walked down the line, glancing at each one, occasionally adjusting the Undead when they didnˇŻt suit it. At the end of the line, it stood at attention, similar to the Soldiers.

    ˇ®IˇŻd laugh if it wasnˇŻt impressive.ˇŻ

    Alaster had not commanded any of them to do any of this.

    ˇ°Sergeant!ˇ± He called, causing the newest Undead to take a single step forward.

    ˇ°How many can you command effectively?ˇ± Alaster asked, emulating Lukas when he talked to his men.

    The Sergeant shoved its sword into the loose black earth and held up five fingers, then it made a fist, and held up five fingers again.

    ˇ°Ten? If ordered, could you command more?ˇ±

    It pulled its sword out and thumped it against its shield like a salute, before returning to attention.

    ˇ°You can? But not effectively. Then until I can summon a total of ten Soldiers and Warriors, you are also in command of the Longbowmen. I will handle the Archers. Are you capable of commanding them?ˇ± Alaster asked, pointing to his Custom Undead, who had been forced into formation by the Minotaurs before they took position at the rear.

    The Sergeant shook its head, hanging it in disappointment. Like it was saddened that it wasnˇŻt up to par.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs alright. I wouldnˇŻt want you to, anyway. They will do the bulk of the fighting. I want you to keep your men out of the way, attacking the flanks or rear. However, if I can resummon your men a lot easier than rebuilt these ones. So, if you see an opportunity to protect them or distract the enemy and allow them to counterattack, I want you to do it. Understood?ˇ±

    The Sergeant saluted once more.

    ˇ°Good! Dismissed.ˇ±

    As one, all the Summoned Undead saluted, before relaxing to their usual states.

    Alaster released his Stallion from the [Soul Domain] and mounted it while he watched his Summoned Undead mill about.

    ˇ®They are more active with the Sergeant around.ˇŻ Alaster noted.

    Normally the Summoned Undead were just like his normal Undead before they were given a Mind, which he could now use a total of fifteen hundred Mana, instead of the thousand Mana he had grown used to. The increase had improved their intelligence, but not by much.

    However, now with the Sergeant present, they acted more like his Blackguards. Still simple and certainly not lifelike, but more than just mindless constructs.

    It was fascinating but did not mean much to his current predicament. He was still in a Dungeon he really didnˇŻt have a right to be in.

    After that last battle, Alaster was now level forty-nine. But it wouldnˇŻt matter if he reached level fifty. He wouldnˇŻt be able to advance to Expert until he left the Dungeon. And with the advanced Rank of the Dungeon, there was no escape unless he defeated the Boss.

    Rolling his shoulders, Alaster grabbed his black halberd from where he stuck it in the ground.

    ˇ°Forward!ˇ± He ordered.

    He had lost track of how many days he had spent in the Dungeon. The blood red sky never changed. But by this point, had defeated four roaming parties of Devils. With all these new changes, he was interested in seeing how the fifth would fare.

 CHAPTER 96- OVERWHELMING NUMBERS

    Alaster watched from a tall hill as he looked down at the valley before him. The Devils had begun to travel in patrols no smaller than eighty, making it very difficult for Alaster and his Undead to defeat them. The last battle had nearly killed him and required him to spend an entire day repairing and rebuilding his Custom Undead.

    Alaster was worried. Not that he wouldnˇŻt be able to succeed, he could simply go back to the edges of the Dungeon and continue hunting the Bears and Wolves. No, he was worried because the Devils had learned.

    Their patrols had been found dead, so they had done what most would have done. They increased the patrols, as well as their numbers. Now, each Patrol intersected with another Patrol at least every hour, typically more often.

    Instanced Dungeons didnˇŻt learn. Nor did Public Dungeons. The only Dungeons that learned were Raids, thatˇŻs why they were so much more dangerous than other Dungeons of the same Rank.

    ˇ®Was this a Raid?ˇŻ Alaster briefly pondered.

    No. He would have noticed that before entering. The System had identified the Dungeon as an Instance.

    It had only been another week since Alaster got the Sergeant. During that time, he had gotten [Undead Warrior] to level ten.

    [Summon Undead Warrior

    Level 8<10: 46%<31%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 3/4

    Mana Cost: 50]

    [Summon Undead Warrior Evolutions]

    [Level Ten Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Skirmisher.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Berserker.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead Beast Master.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    Each one was intriguing. Skirmisher was typically the title for someone deployed in front of the main formation with javelins, slings, or even short bows. They were meant to soften and injure the enemy formations. Since it was a Warrior Evolution, Alaster suspected it would be the javelins, though it could just be randomized for each summon.

    Berserker was an actual Class people could acquire. Such people were typically given a wide berth. They were violent and regularly got caught up in their own Abilities, ignoring everything else, even rarely attacking their own allies. However, one thing no one could deny was their pure might. They were powerful.

    Beast Master was interesting. The name implied that the Minion could control Monsters. But Alaster did not know if that meant they had to tame them, or if they would be Summoned with their own Undead version of a pet, or if they could summon or raise their own.

    In the end, however, Alaster chose Berserker. He needed power. And his Summoned Undead were beginning to show an effect against the Monsters of the Dungeon more than just distractions or pinpoint attacks against weak spots such as joints.

    They were still far from managing to combat the Devils individually, but so were the Blackguards. Even the Minotaurs struggled to withstand the DevilsˇŻ attacks, nor were they able to defeat them.

    Summoning the [Undead Berserker], Alaster would have raised an eyebrow if he wasnˇŻt currently under the effects of [Death Embrace]. The Berserker was slightly taller than the Sergeant, making it nearly a full head taller than the Soldiers. It held two large axes, each one slightly larger than an axe used to chop wood. The heads of the axes were eight inches long and hooked at the bottom.

    At its waist, it wore a skirt of tattered leathers. Though Alaster doubted it would provide any actual protection. Its bones were thick, and Alaster got a feeling of power when he looked at it.

    ˇ®ItˇŻll be interesting to see you in action.ˇŻ Alaster thought, but he soon turned to his next advancement.

    [Horde] and [Death Pact] had finally reached level twenty.

    [Horde] had allowed him three choices, as usual. One allowed the additional raising of more Undead, at the cost of Mana from his Mana Pool per minute. Alaster expected that is would cost fifty mana per minute per Undead past the standard limit, just like his standard raising.

    The second simply made his Horde Undead stronger, faster, and more durable. Very simple but considering Alaster could now raise one hundred and sixty Horde Undead, even a five percent increase would be drastic.

    The third option would have allowed Alaster to store Mana, allowing it to automatically raise more Horde Undead as they were destroyed for as long as there was Mana to fuel it. Such an option would allow Alaster to use it and then focus on other things.

    But Horde Undead were stupid. Even when ordered to pick up and use weapons, they were slow and awkward to use them and used them more as clubs. Alaster used them more as shock units. Meant to be sacrificed to soften or even overwhelm the enemy until his main force reached them. In such a use, the first and third options were not ideal.

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    Each option was useful, but Alaster simply saw more use in the second option. Making them stronger, faster, and more durable, would make them quite powerful. He made his choice, and make a mental note to himself to pay attention to the changes the next time he used them.

    The changes to [Death Pact] was much more simple, but no less interesting. He hadnˇŻt been offered any choices. Instead, the Bonus Description had changed to allow the creation of weapons. A bit of experimentation found that he could make daggers, swords, and spears. It struggled but was capable of constructing a Halberd. However, anything else was too complicated for it.

    Each weapon was created with the same metal as the armor. Meant that while AlasterˇŻs weapon was now much heavier, it was much sharper, more durable, and capable of more power.

    After finishing with his new changes. Alaster sat upon his Skeletal Stallion and observed the actions and movements of the Devils. After nearly two hours, Alaster noticed something.

    The DevilsˇŻ patrol patterns were such to see everything, even in and around the ruins. Within two hours, at least one patrol had been within fifty meters of everything in the valley. Everything but a small cave tucked against a cliff face at the far right of the valley.

    The valley itself was large, stretching at least five miles in diameter. Despite that, every Devil Patrol refused to get within a hundred meters of the cave mouth.

    Whatever was there, the Devils did not like it. And if they didnˇŻt like it, Alaster wanted it.

    Smirking to himself, Alaster drained his Mana and Health, causing a migraine to form. But behind him, one hundred Devils, still clad in their damaged armor, stood once more. Within a minute another sixty had joined. Their eerie silence permeated the air, as did their blood thirst.

    ˇ°Go.ˇ± Alaster said emotionlessly.

    The Undead Devils charged through the ranks of his Standard Undead. Descending the loose black earth hill, and into the flank of an eighty strong Devil Patrol.

    Despite the surprise flank attack by a force twice their number, and by what appeared to be their own allies, they were not overwhelmed.

    Alasters Archers and Longbowmen loosed small volleys of arrows. Occasionally hitting the Horde Undead, but the Dead didnˇŻt pay any attention to it. Most bounced off the Devil armor, but occasionally, an arrow would pierce a weak spot.

    The young man then ordered his Summoned Undead forward. While the ranged undead remained atop the hill, the rest charged down. The Soldiers and Warriors charged, but remained in line, the Sergeant right behind them. But the Berserker barreled down recklessly, even tripping over a piece of rubble hidden under the loose earth, but it quickly returned to its feet and continued its mad charge, at least after rolling head over foot a few times.

    Alaster sighed but refrained from rolling his eyes.

    He watched the Berserker silently charge forward, but he could imagine that if it had lungs, it would be screaming.

    Two Devils noticed the Berserker and turned to impale it with their swords. Alaster prepared to resummon the destroyed Berserker, but he was surprised to see the Undead Berserker jump high in the air, sailing completely over the two Devils and landing on top of a completely unaware Devil, driving both axes in the weak neck armor.

    Both crashed to the ground, and before the Berserker could stand back up, the two Devils turned around and easily destroyed it. The Devil on the ground didnˇŻt get back up.

    ˇ®First time one of my Undead have managed to solo kill one of the Dungeon Monsters.ˇŻ

    Granted, the Berserker had attacked a completely unaware enemy in a critical spot that couldnˇŻt be too armored. And it had immediately been destroyed right after. However, Alaster still took note of the accomplishment.

    The Warriors and Soldiers crashed into the Devils with their shields, and while they were unable to knock them aside. The Devils were still forced to take a step back. Alaster had noticed even in previous battles, but this proved it in his mind. The Sergeant could not only command Undead, but also buffed them.

    Three of the Soldiers were still quickly destroyed, but at the cost of two Devils. Alaster resummoned the fallen Undead and sent them down again. A moment later, the archers had run out of ammo, so he ordered them into combat, where they almost immediately were destroyed, and resummoned them, with their arrows refilled.

    The Horde Undead were vicious and tore into the Devils. Alaster noticed after one of the Horde Undead took a hit, removing the helmet, that the Devil underneath wasnˇŻt quite skeletal. It still retained some of its flesh, if only a small amount.

    ˇ®The Evolution changed it. If it reaches a high enough level, will they completely retain their flesh?ˇŻ

    Regardless of his thoughts, Alaster continued to resummon the Undead as they fell. He would have been worried about how much Mana he was using raising so many Horde Undead and continuing to raise more as well as the Summoned Undead, but he wasnˇŻt.

    [Blood Price] Allowed him to exchange Health for Mana. And when his Health dropped to ten percent, both [Regeneration] and [Last Stand] took effect, practically completely filling both Health and Mana within moments. And both lasted for ten minutes.

    [Regeneration] caused him to regenerate his Health Regeneration every second, instead of every minute, granting him twenty-eight health every second, or fifty-six health per second due to [Last Stand] that doubled it. Meaning, that every second Alaster generated enough Health to convert into two hundred and eighty Mana.

    Both those Abilities lasted for ten minutes and could be used triggered again so long as his Health had regenerated to full at least once. And it only took twenty-four seconds for both Abilities to regenerate his Health completely.

    Essentially, unless a sneak attack managed to shave off an entire ten percent of his health in one attack at the perfect time, Alaster was nearly unkillable, and during that time, he could not realistically run out of Mana using his Abilities.

    However, Alaster was not so ignorant to think that he was immortal. Meeting Ebris, God of the Dead, had broadened his far-reaching vision. But meeting Richter and Aila had broadened his closer vision. He knew for a fact that even a careless strike from either could kill him even at full health. He was almost certain that something capable of such a feat was in the Dungeon.

    He did not allow himself to grow arrogant, not when he was still so weak. He was still and Adept in a Dungeon meant for skilled Elites. Alaster knew he was extremely powerful for his Tier, but one could not underestimate the power of a Class Change, especially a Class Change across Tiers.

    In just seven minutes, all eighty Devils were killed. Alaster slowly descended the hill, his Blackguards and Minotaurs behind him. His Stallion carried him through the carnage and Alaster glanced at one of the Devils, whose helmet had been lost.

    He had already examined the Devils after killing his first. They were pale, almost snow white. They had no hair and gaunt faces. Their ears were pointed like an ElfˇŻs but unlike Elven ears, the DevilsˇŻ ears pointed straight up, not back. Their teeth were sharpened, where naturally, or not, Alaster did not know. Besides that, they were similar to a human male. Alaster had not spotted any females among them.

    Alaster looked among the spilled blood and corpses, feeling the blood strengthen him. The group of Monsters that he imagined would require a group of prepared Experts to defeat, and he had not even needed to send in his Blackguards and Minotaurs.

    Alaster adjusted himself in the StallionˇŻs saddle and looked towards where he saw the cave. He could no longer see it now that he was in the valley, but he knew the direction.

    ˇ®Time to see what the Devils avoid.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 97- ORIGINS

    Alaster stood before the cave entrance, his Undead in formation around him. Just a hundred meters away, lay the corpses of three Devil Patrols. That battle had been tough, even with all his advancements.

    It had started out with him fighting a single Patrol, but before he could even finish off half of the first, a second Patrol rushed over. When Alaster and his Undead finally managed to defeat both Patrols, they werenˇŻt given any time to recover before the third attacked.

    His second and third minds were busy repairing and rebuilding the Undead while he looked into the dark stone mouth.

    The cave was dark, and even with his [Dark Vision] Alaster could not see the end of the tunnel. The tunnel was only wide enough for two Minotaurs side by side, so Alaster decided thatˇŻs what he would bring. Two Minotaurs in front, four Blackguards behind, and the Summoned Undead around Alaster in the middle. Another five Blackguards were stored in his [Soul Domain], just in case.

    The rest of his Undead would guard the entrance, ensuring nothing entered after him.

    Alaster stepped into the cave, peering between the Minotaurs in front. The floor was rough, but more even than he would have expected from a natural cave. The tunnel sloped slightly downward, taking him deeper into the ground.

    The young man continued walking for several minutes. Eventually Alaster suspected that he was several hundred feet below the ground, and yet, the tunnel continued straight. There were no twists or turns. Looking back, Alaster could see the tiny dot of light at the mouth, and yet, Alaster must have been at least a mile away.

    Nonetheless, Alaster didnˇŻt shy away. The Devils avoided this cave. There must be something inside. Probably a horrific Monster of some kind, but Alaster was curious to find out.

    ˇ®My mom always did say curiosity killed the cat.ˇŻ

    Alaster quickly shut down that line of thinking. But he still focused. Activating [Death Embrace] to help him move past the emotions bubbling up at the thought of his parents. He kept it active as he traveled deeper.

    After what felt like several hours, Alaster looked back again, but there was no dot.

    ˇ®The Dungeon wasnˇŻt this big. I should have hit the boundary a while ago. Does this cave go under the boundary? Is such a thing possible?ˇŻ

    Alaster considered it for a moment, as he continued walking.

    ˇ®No, someone must have attempted such a thing before. Not even portals can move through the boundary.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs mind filled with possibilities, but eventually they all proved themselves wrong. Yet it wouldnˇŻt matter. Just a few minutes later, the tunnel abruptly leveled out. The tunnel continued for only a few more feet before it widened slightly, creating a room roughly ten meters wide and fifteen meters long.

    At the end of the room, upon an Obsidian throne, stained with what appeared to be blood, sat a large horned man.

    The man was at least three meters tall, muscled, and wearing what appeared to be a black suit, black pants, black dress shoes, black shirt, and red tie. His skin was a very light red, but certainly not pink. His black hair was short on the sides, and longer on top, just touching his pointed ears. Alaster noticed that his nails were sharp, like the small horns that came started the temples and sloped forward and down for a few inches.

    Yet none of that was important. The moment Alaster stepped into the room, all he could feel was the power of the man before him. All encompassing, overwhelming power.

    Alaster considered backing away and leaving, but the man had noticed him long before he stepped foot in the cave.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt run. I would really prefer not to chase you.ˇ± The man said, his voice so deep, yet ethereal, that Alaster briefly wondered if the mountain itself was speaking.

    ˇ°What are you?ˇ± Alaster dared to ask, prepared to fight back, if necessary, regardless of how fruitless the endeavor would be.

    The man leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his fists.

    ˇ°That would depend on what answer you are looking for and who you ask.ˇ±

    ˇ°And IˇŻm asking you.ˇ±

    The man chuckled, causing some pebbles near the Obsidian throne to bounce and shift, ˇ°My Race is called the Argalon, I am one such Argalon. However, your people refused to use such a noble name for an even more noble people. Instead, they called us Demons.ˇ±

    Alaster immediately stepped back, recalling the discussion he had with Ebris, God of the Dead.

    ˇ°Yes yes. Fear me.ˇ± The man, the sarcasm practically dripping from each word.

    ˇ°You know, young one, if its anyone that should be afraid of who, its my people of yours.ˇ±

    Alaster cocked his head slightly in confusion. Even before talking to a God, Demons were widely known throughout the land. Used a bedtime stories to frighten children into behaving. Ebris had been the one to turn the story into reality for Alaster.

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    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Feeling the power of the Demon before him, Alaster could not imagine such a being fearing a human.

    ˇ°Because you are the ones who invaded our home world. Of course, you were refugees simply seeking a place to live, so we allowed you settle in what was rightfully ours. We even helped your ancestors survive the world until they got back on their feet. And yet, the moment they did, they unleashed a plague, and used it to wipe out my people, driving us from our own homes.

    Of course, we fought back as best as we could, but we werenˇŻt prepared.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Gods say that Demons are invading our world.ˇ±

    The man chuckled again, this time in contempt, ˇ°I imagine they are. I wouldnˇŻt know, though I wouldnˇŻt be surprised. You see, I have been trapped down here since before we were removed. If my people are invading, itˇŻs to take back our home from those that have stolen it.ˇ±

    ˇ°If what you say is true, then you have been down here for eons.ˇ±

    ˇ°I speak the truth little boy. I donˇŻt care to lie to someone as weak as you.ˇ±

    ˇ°What Tier are you? You are clearly stronger than an Expert, but I donˇŻt think you are as powerful as the Gods.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tier? Oh yes, that silly little ˇ®SystemˇŻ of yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of ours? It effects all living things.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, it only affects you humans, and the sub races of. Why would it affect me or mine? You humans are the ones that created it. Your crutch against the harsh world you found yourselves in.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eyes widened. If what the Demon was the truth, what sort of people could have created such a magical concept as the System, capable of granting such great power?

    ˇ°Who created the System?ˇ± Alaster asked, hoping to learn more.

    ˇ°I know not the original creator. The Humans brought a small portion of that plague to this world. Once released, they allowed it to rebuild itself, growing stronger. Infecting everything, including themselves.ˇ±

    ˇ°But if the Humans that came to this world didnˇŻt have the System, how did they come to this plane of existence?ˇ±

    The DemonˇŻs face showed genuine confusion, ˇ°Boy, do you really know nothing? This world is just one of many. Plane of existence? No such thing. Your people had advanced technology but knew nothing about life. They came here in a large metal vessal, crashing into the southern lands.

    The so-called System, was able to copy the understanding of life, Magic, the Humans called it, and allowed the Humans to use Magic, adapting their bodies to do so.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the System learns more about Magic by the person killing.ˇ± Alaster finished, what the Demon was saying, was beginning to make sense.

    ˇ°That is the most effective way, though certainly not the most efficient.ˇ±

    The Demon was right, those who didnˇŻt have Combat Classes could still level up through repeated use of their Abilities and greater understanding in their work.

    ˇ°If what you say is true, then why arenˇŻt all Humans born with perfect understanding of Magic?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you really think its that simple? The biology of a living creature is not so simple that it can be changed so suddenly. ThatˇŻs why the System only takes effect at fifteen. By then the System has analyzed your body enough to understand it, after all, even those of the same race and family are still drastically different. The System takes advantage of your RaceˇŻs puberty to ease into the changes.ˇ±

    ˇ°How?ˇ±

    ˇ°Most Races have a type of puberty, including mine. During the time of constant changes, the DNA, the building blocks of a living being, are extra malleable. Else the changes caused by simply growing up would cause such pain that few would survive.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, the System grants the Classes during that time, but what about later? When they learn more Abilities or change Classes?ˇ± Demon seemed to enjoy talking to another person, which would make sense if he had truly been trapped for Eons.

    ˇ°Your System implants the foundations during puberty. Then, adds onto it gradually over time. When you kill, the System is able to analyze the creatureˇŻs understand of life, and mold it to suit you. The System, while one great whole, is individualized to you. So, each person is independent of the rest.

    Which suits the System just fine. Each person is so drastically different, and the changes made are too critical to do all at once.ˇ±

    ˇ°But why would the System care about Humans?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because Humans made it. I imagine they taught it to do so.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what about the rest of the Races? Elves and Dwarves have access to the System.ˇ±

    ˇ°Elves? Dwarves? Are you speaking about the Sub-Humans?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sub-Humans?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not as lower than, but as a category. Pure Humans, such as you, are the originals, then through editing the DNA, they were able to create another type of Human, a Sub-Human. I imagine you are speaking of the ones with bird eyes and insect chitin?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Tell me young one, are Humans able to breed with these Elves and Dwarves?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. It is difficult to birth a child of mixed race, but it is possible, at least the books say so.ˇ±

    ˇ°That is because you are all still one Species. I am of a different Species. No matter how much my kind tried to breed with yours, it would be impossible to conceive.ˇ±

    The revelation stunned Alaster, not just the part about the Elves and Dwarves being technically Humans, but the rest. It all made sense to him.

    ˇ°What are Dungeons then? Why are you trapped here?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°This Dungeon, as you call it, was once a part of my world, a world your people now inhabit, however unrightly. When Humans began to slaughter the Argalon, we were unprepared, but we still fought back. The resulting backlash began to splinter the world.

    Did you not find it weird that besides a few small islands scattered around the continent, there were no other landmasses? The rest of the world was just water? In order to protect these Splintered parts, still hoping to call this world home, my people transported them into other dimensions, creating the Dungeons you speak of.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about the Monsters in the Dungeons, or the different types?ˇ±

    ˇ°I know not the specifics, but I know what you speak of. Different dimensions have different rules of existence. And the Monsters? Some were placed by my people to protect that Splinter, while others simply wondered in, either before or after it was splintered and transported.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why do they reset when a person leaves the Dungeon and enters again.ˇ±

    The Demon sighed, leaning back on his throne, ˇ°These dimensions are not whole. They are not suited towards life or sustainability. Leave a creature there long enough, and the soul slowly breaks apart. Yours included.ˇ±

    ˇ°My soul is breaking apart the longer I stay in a Dungeon?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct. However, it is a very slow process. The stronger the soul, the long it takes. And the soul heals. So long as you donˇŻt spend an entire year in a Dungeon, only to immediately do so again, you will be fine. At least as you are now.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happens to those who get trapped in a Dungeon?ˇ±

    ˇ°Those who donˇŻt make it to the portal in time? I imagine they are instead sent to the world my People currently inhabit.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, they are dead?ˇ± Alaster doubted a world filled with beings this powerful and were angry about losing their home would allow the people who stole their home to live.

    ˇ°Quite likely.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you get trapped here? If my people getting trapped sends them to the world with the rest of your People. Why didnˇŻt you?ˇ±

    The Demon stood up, causing Alaster to move his Undead into position, ˇ°It was a curse bestowed on me by the very man you reek of.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 98- OLD ENEMIES

    ˇ°Oh, stop it.ˇ± The Demon said with bored eyes, ˇ°If I wanted to kill you, not even all your Minions, and every Devil up there, could stop me.ˇ±

    The Demon walked to the center of the room, becoming more Human sized with each heavy step, the very earth moving to form a table and two chairs.

    ˇ°Sit. We have much to talk about.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm on a time limit.ˇ± Alaster countered, not trusting the Demon enough to sit so close to it.

    ˇ°Yes yes, your sister.ˇ± AlasterˇŻs eyes widened, ˇ°Calm down, I canˇŻt read minds. But your soul is so weak that when it shouts something that loudly, of course I would hear it. I know little else. Just that you care for her, and she seems to be in danger of some sort.

    But you neednˇŻt worry. The moment you stepped into the cave; time warped even futher. You could spend a whole week here and not even a minute would pass in the Dungeon above.ˇ±

    ˇ®Meaning not even a fraction of a second would pass in the real world.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Of course, there are side effects. Your soul canˇŻt stand such a drastic change and is rejecting it. You couldnˇŻt spend a week here without becoming similar to one of the Devils above. However, a few hours will be perfectly fine. Sit.ˇ±

    Alaster tried to contact his Undead above but found that he couldnˇŻt, or at least it felt like his orders were sent but would take days to arrive. Instead, Alaster cautiously stepped forward and sat down.

    He grinned, ˇ°Good.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about the man who trapped you here, and why I apparently smell like him?ˇ±

    ˇ°For that, you should know a bit more about the massacre your people caused mine. They called it the Holy War, but it was anything but. A group of one hundred Humans, including a few of the Sub-Races, calling themselves the Divine Pantheon, led the attacks.

    They proclaimed themselves as Gods, sent to protect and guide Humanity on this new and hostile world. Back then, your ancestors were struggling so much just to survive, and every day, many didnˇŻt. Most likely didnˇŻt believe this Pantheon to be actual Gods, but they were willing to follow anyone that offered them hope.

    This Pantheon was comprised of the few who had taken to the new System the best, at least at the time. Back then, that System that Humans lauded as their greatest invention, was still learning. It caused just as many deaths to the Humans as the world and its creatures did. However, in return, the power it was able to bestow was much wilder and great.

    The Pantheon first began by teaching other Humans how to properly harness the System as my People protected the struggling Species by holding back most of the creatures. We believed that if the Humans, a People of technology and science, and the Argalon, a People of nature and equilibrium, could work together, we could achieve great heights.

    We were na?ve then.

    Your people didnˇŻt see the possibilities, only the death and destruction the few creatures that slipped through us caused. Soon, they began to think we had caused it.

    A belief that was reinforced when the Pantheon and their army of Novices attacked us, forcing us to defend ourselves, and causing the collapse of the net preventing the creatures. The collapse allowed the animals to reach Humanity, and they thought we had sent them.

    More of your people rallied to the Pantheon. We fought back, but we were always a People of few numbers. What could we do against millions, even if they were so weak that even a sneeze could wipe out hundreds? Hundreds of my People were slaughtered, children included.

    I was part of a faction meant to protect my People. I joined, thinking I would just occasionally redirect the animals away from the villages, not fight in a war. But the Pantheon seemed to take pleasure in killing our children. Laughing about ˇ®easy levelsˇŻ.

    In an attack on a village I was protecting, one such member of the Pantheon was killing the fleeing children one by one with a bright smile on her face. Like she was walking through a flower meadow on a warm sunny day. Her smile only grew brighter as each one begged for their lives through tear-stained faces.ˇ±

    The Demon gripped the table tightly, shattering the stone and causing a shockwave through the cave. He took a deep breath before continuing.

    ˇ°I confronted her, knowing the battle was already lost, but hoping that it would allow more of my people to escape. Even at the cost of my life. It was a mighty but short battle. In the end, I managed to kill the woman. Not the first of the Pantheon to die, but it was rare.

    I crushed her heart just as another of the Pantheon returned, with the heads of more children. He saw me and I saw him. We were both consumed by rage and recklessly attacked each other.

    But I was already injured and weak from the battle against the woman. I dealt plenty of blows against him, but he was the one who emerged victorious.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    But instead of killing me, he instead bound my weakened soul to that Obsidian Throne, and left me, trapped within twenty meters of it for eternity.

    Eventually, the Elders of my People transported the land into another dimension, turning it into a Dungeon as you call it.

    That man, called himself Ebris, God of the Dead.ˇ±

    Alaster didnˇŻt know what to say. He removed his helmet and placed it on the table but hesitated to speak.

    ˇ°And I have similar Magic. Why didnˇŻt you kill me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because you are also my only salvation. It took me thousands of years, but I finally managed to unbind my soul from that forsaken throne. Doing so, unleased a stream of mana, carving through the rock, creating the tunnel you entered from. But it also caused the dimension to surge, since then you are the first to enter.ˇ±

    ˇ°You were the cause of the Dungeon Break!ˇ±

    ˇ°I do not know what that means, nor was it intentional. Though if it caused the deaths of Humans, I am only sorry more werenˇŻt killed.

    ˇ°And you say you didnˇŻt kill me because I am somehow your salvation?ˇ±

    ˇ°It took a great deal of self-control to not skin you live, yes.ˇ±

    Alaster suppressed a shiver at the image, ˇ°How could I possibly be your salvation?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because despite becoming free of the Throne, I am still a prisoner of the dimension. I cannot leave. To gather enough strength to leave would take another thousand years, at least. Even then, I would be weakened, in a world currently under control of the Pantheon. I would be quickly found and killed.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do you know Ebris didnˇŻt feel you unbind yourself from the throne?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because itˇŻs a different dimension. Had it been in the world, he would have, and I would already be dead. That bastard seemed to enjoy fighting weakened opponents.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, you are trapped. That doesnˇŻt explain how I can help, or if I should. You just said you are only sorry more people werenˇŻt killed by the Dungeon Break you caused. How do I know you wonˇŻt simply start killing everyone once youˇŻre free?ˇ±

    The Demon took a deep breath, ˇ°I would have no moral issue with your entire Species becoming extinct in the worst ways. But I have lived for many years, even before my imprisonment. I know enough about our two Peoples to know that a true war between us would at the very least destroy the world we are fighting over, and more likely wipe out both Species.

    As much as it pains me, the Species much stop fighting, or at least doing so in a more organized way. Reckless war will destroy everything.

    As for your involvement in my escape? I will bind my soul to you, and you will take me out of this dimension when you leave.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, you spent thousands of years unbinding your soul from a throne, and now you want to bind yourself to me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Unlike the throne, I will be willingly binding myself to you. I will have a lot more freedom, both in my actions while bound, and when to free myself. Of course, it will still take many years before I can gather enough Mana to rebuild my Body.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻll take years?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, depending on the Mana Quality in the world and the areas you are in. Argalon bodies are much more complex than Human bodies, and to make one that will fit perfectly with my soul, it will take time.ˇ±

    ˇ°During that time, what will you do? What will it be like for your soul to be in my body?ˇ±

    ˇ°I will be a spectator. Unable to take control unless you allow it, and even then, only for as long as you allow it. It will also be a much more pleasant experience.

    Having your soul bound to an inanimate object is a very cold and painful experience. My soul was still connected to my body, but not bound to it. It would be best if you had some way of preserving my body until you exited the dimension, taking it with you, then I could simply transfer back. But you do not.ˇ±

    ˇ°I do have a Ring of Holding?ˇ±

    ˇ°You mean the ring with an artificial dimension bound to it? An Argalon body, even a dead one, radiates such power that it would shatter it.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, since your body would have to be left, what would you be doing until you can rebuild another?ˇ±

    ˇ°Watching, conversing with you, perhaps giving advice if I wanted to. In the end, not really much of anything but learning about your world.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you would do what with your knowledge when you finally created your own body?ˇ±

    ˇ°Use it to convince my People to pursue a more peaceful avenue.ˇ±

    ˇ°With all your hate for Humanity, you would still advocate for peace?ˇ± Alaster scoffed.

    ˇ°No. A more peaceful option. Not peace. Instead of all out war, causing the deaths of millions, perhaps it could be a war of champions. I do not care. This world is ours, and we will not stop fighting for it. But I would prefer to do so without destroying it.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, besides the occasional bit of advice, at your leisure, what do I get out of this?ˇ±

    ˇ°Besides your life?ˇ± He pulsed with Mana, throwing AlasterˇŻs Undead into the walls, destroying the Archers and Longbowmen. However, just as quickly, the Mana vanished.

    ˇ°I will grant you, my bloodline. You do know what a bloodline is, donˇŻt you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, I know what it is, but is it worth the risk of releasing a Demon in the world?ˇ±

    ˇ°A shrewd negotiator I see. If only your ancestors preferred such tactics over cowardly attacks on children. An ArgalonˇŻs bloodline is powerful, at least for a Human. My Species is several millennia older than yours, the vast majority of that time was spent adapting to and using Magic.

    I do not know what the exact effects will be. There has never been a Human with an ArgalonˇŻs Bloodline. Any time one tried to forcibly consume one, the blood rejected it, killing the Human.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the use of a Bloodline that will kill me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I will be willingly granting it to you. I do not know the effects will be, but I do know that it will be painful to acquire, but you will live. I also know that you will only benefit from it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Only one Bloodline my be consumed in a lifetime, what would make yours better than any other I could find.ˇ±

    The Demon sighed in amused frustration, ˇ°Because we found the Bloodlines of Elder Dragons to be weak.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eyes widened, despite his best efforts to control himself. He had only read about one person with the Bloodline of an Elder Dragon. That man was the first Emperor of the Gilaen Empire, and the reason it was so large. The Bloodline was so powerful that even generations later, it still allowed the current Emperor to keep the Nation that large.

    Alaster shook his hands under the table and took a shaking breath, attempting to calm himself, ˇ°You previously said that you had no use lying to someone as weak as myself. Well now you say you have a use for me. A vital use. How do I know you arenˇŻt lying?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because binding my own soul to a willing person is much easier and much less costly than not. Magic considers withholding knowledge as an unwilling person. So, the more knowledgeable you are about this deal, the better it will be for both of us.ˇ±

    ˇ°For such a serious deal, surely you can tell me your name. Or do names hold power?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course, names hold power, but not in any physical or Magical sense. My name is Belgroth.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 99- BLOODLINE

    ˇ°Belgroth. Well Bel, I guess we are going to be roommates in my head for the next couple of years. Where do we start?ˇ±

    Alaster noticed the right eye of Belgroth twitching at the nickname, but the Demon didnˇŻt do anything about it.

    ˇ°Are you hungry?ˇ± Belgroth asked.

    Alaster looked at the suited man suspiciously, ˇ°I could eat.ˇ±

    Belgroth took off his clothes, thankfully leaving what appeared to be black underwear on. His body was rippled with scarred muscle. He neatly folded the clothes on the table.

    ˇ°Please store these in your Ring. I could make after I recreate my body, but I would prefer not to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright.ˇ± Alaster held his hands over them, causing them to vanish into the Ring.

    ˇ°Be very careful with them. They have sentimental value. Please.ˇ±

    ˇ°I will. So what do I need to do?ˇ±

    Instead of answering, Belgroth held up his arm before swinging his other hand down, severing the offered arm at the elbow. The severed limb dropped onto the table with just a slight grunt of pain from the Demon.

    ˇ°Eat up while its fresh.ˇ±

    Alaster looked up at Belgroth, shocked.

    ˇ°What? This method is more reliable than Mana Crystals. And I donˇŻt even have one, just like you donˇŻt. So eat.ˇ±

    Alaster gulped, trying to keep his last meal down, ˇ°How much?ˇ±

    Belgroth shrugged, ˇ°I donˇŻt know. I guess until that System of yours acknowledges it?ˇ±

    Earth flew from the surrounding walls and clamped tightly above the stump of BelgrothˇŻs arm, cutting off the blood flow.

    ˇ°And this is somehow supposed to grant a Bloodline?ˇ±

    ˇ°Only if the person the body part comes from willfully allows it. Oh, and it should be raw. Cooking might lower the efficiency.ˇ±

    Alaster poked the arm, half expecting it to move on its own, ˇ°How are you so calm about having me eat a part of you?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻve been trapped for countless years. After boiling in my rage for a few thousand, I began to meditate. It broadened my mind a lot. I still donˇŻt like this, but I recognize it as necessary. So come on. IˇŻd prefer to get this done quickly nonetheless.ˇ±

    Alaster hesitantly grabbed the arm, raising it to his lips. Luckily, it seemed Demons didnˇŻt have any hair on their body other than their heads, at least any part Alaster could see on Belgroth, and it wasnˇŻt in a rush to ask.

    Queasy, Alaster took a bite, finding that he had to bite as hard as he could, only to barely manage to bite through the skin. The rest was just as difficult and it took nearly ten minutes for Alaster to bite through, coating his face and his armored chest in blood. It took another hour for Alaster to chew enough to swallow.

    Alaster held a bloody fist to his mouth, trying not to hurl. Several moments passed before he settled enough to keep going.

    Belgroth watched in amusement. He certainly didnˇŻt enjoy watching some Human eat a part of him, but the boyˇŻs reactions were funny. However he also watched through the Mana how the boyˇŻs body accepted the flesh. In just two hours after swallowing the first bite, he saw the Mana of the boy finally accept the his blood.

    ˇ°Huh, I guess it only needed to digest a small part.ˇ± Belgroth muttered.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± An angry Alaster said between chews. A notice from his System confirmed BelgrothˇŻs words. The young man angrily spat out and pushed away the bloody arm.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs just rude.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shut up. I need to read the Notice.ˇ±

    [Bloodline Obtained: Demonic Blood

    Bloodline freely offered: +25% potency.

    First to receive Bloodline: +25% potency.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Blood of Demon Royalty: +50% potency.]

    ˇ°Double potency? Awesome. But you are Royalty?ˇ±

    ˇ°Once. Very far removed from our PeopleˇŻs Rulers, but yes. Did that have an effect?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. Because it was freely offered, the Bloodline is twenty-five percent stronger. Then another twenty-five percent for being the first to receive a Demonic Bloodline. Plus another fifty percent for it being the Bloodline from Royalty.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yippee for you. But what are the actual effects?ˇ±

    [Demonic Blood

    Magic Resistance: 50%

    Fire Resistance: 100%

    Health Regeneration: +100%

    Mana Regeneration: +100%

    Greater Understanding of Life and Death]

    Alaster was certain he felt his heart stop for a moment. When it finally started again, he had to beat his chest to start breathing again.

    ˇ°IˇŻm guessing, from that reaction, that its good?ˇ±

    Alaster only nodded.

    ˇ°Well? What is it?ˇ±

    Alaster told the Demon.

    ˇ°That is impressive. I guess compared to you Humans, we really did seem unkillable.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seem like it? Coupled with one of my Abilities and a few of my Bonuses, I can regenerate one hundred and twelve Health and one hundred twenty Mana per second, I only have thirteen hundred of both max!ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs it? Wow, no wonder you Humans does so easily. It takes you a whole twelve seconds to recover all your health. It was standard for Argalon children to be able to return to perfect health from the brink of death in less than ten seconds. The only reason my arm isnˇŻt regenerating is because this dimension is devoid of enough Mana.ˇ±

    ˇ°See? Now you are just bragging.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I am keeping your head small. You act as if this is something amazing. But eventually, if you survive long enough, you will reach a point where that is standard.ˇ±

    That caused Alaster to think. He knew that only Experts that specialized in doing so could match AlasterˇŻs Regeneration. He didnˇŻt know enough about people as strong as Richter or Aila. But Belgroth had fought and even killed Gods. They were likely weaker back then, but it didnˇŻt seem by much.

    Alaster took out some water from his Ring, washing his face, before taking a few gulps.

    ˇ°What about the ˇ®Greater Understanding of Life and DeathˇŻ part?ˇ±

    ˇ°I assume it means you will find it easier to comprehend the secrets of Life and Death. Which as IˇŻve said before, is the source of Magic. As for how that will work with your System? I donˇŻt know.ˇ±

    ˇ®Maybe more EXP?ˇŻ Alaster guessed.

    ˇ°Alright, so how do we bind your soul to mine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Pretty easy actually. All you have to do is kill me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Say again?ˇ±

    ˇ°Kill me. I have already prepared a spell that will automatically bind my then freed soul to yours. And so long as you donˇŻt fight it; everything will happen just as IˇŻve said.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happens if I do fight it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Then my soul will instinctively shred yours into confetti and we will both die.ˇ±

    ˇ°So donˇŻt do that.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt do that.ˇ±

    ˇ°But you fought Gods before, how am I supposed to kill you?ˇ±

    ˇ°As IˇŻve said before, I am severely weakened in this dimension after being starved of Mana for so long. So long as I donˇŻt fight back, you can do it. Though it will be hard, even if I just stand here. I guess test out your most powerful attacks now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Wait a minute. You are free of the Throne right?ˇ±

    Belgroth sighed, ˇ°Yes. What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°CanˇŻt you wipe out the Dungeon for me? Then you bind yourself to me. And we can leave the Dungeon in just moments and not days, even weeks?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. If I could, I would have just killed you and done all that already. Without the strength I would normally have if I wasnˇŻt Mana Starved, I cannot exist this dimension. Since I am not of this dimension, I will not age. So I will spend eternity trapped here unless someone else powerful enough comes here and rescues me. Without the assistance of the System, I am trapped.ˇ±

    ˇ°But then couldnˇŻt you still kill the Monsters and mortally injure the Boss, allowing me to strike the final blow and triggering the System to create the portal?ˇ±

    ˇ°At least you arenˇŻt completely idiotic. But still no, the portal wonˇŻt allow me through. And the power to open that portal is generated by the System Users, like you, killing the Boss Monster, any attack I deal to the boss will take away from that energy.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you can still kill all the Devils and just leave the Boss to me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. But even with my Bloodline, you are too weak to defeat the boss, you have to level up and grow stronger. So, you are going to kill every living thing in this dimension, including me, and then you will kill the Boss and I will finally be free of this damned prison.ˇ±

    Alaster took a deep breath, ˇ°Ok, letˇŻs do it. Where is your heart?ˇ±

    Belgroth pointed to the center of his chest.

    ˇ®Same spot as a human I guess.ˇŻ

    Alaster cast [Necrotic Bolt] at his heart, four Bolts slammed into BelgrothˇŻs chest, not leaving a single mark. Even when Alaster used all three of his Minds casting [Necrotic Bolt], it barely dug in.

    Even Belgroth rolled his eyes.

    Alaster tried his other two Bolt spells, nothing. He tried his Undead, nothing. He tried his own weapons, nothing. Alaster tried every offensive spell, but only [Death Touch] and [Necrotic Bolt] had an effect. Even [Dead Bomb] only caused Belgroth to itch for a moment.

    Sighing to himself for still being so weak, Alaster and Belgroth simply sat down at the table with AlasterˇŻs hand over the DemonˇŻs heart, excruciatingly melting through. Excruciating not for Belgroth, but for AlasterˇŻs patience.

    AlasterˇŻs second mind used [Death Touch] while Alaster himself meditated, allowing him to keep [Death Touch] active for nine constant minutes, before he had to pause to regenerate more Mana, even with the Bloodline. During that time, even with Belgroth actively attempting so halt his Healing, most of AlasterˇŻs work was still healed before he continued.

    However slow, it was still progress. Though it still took several hours. During which time, Alaster asked Belgroth a multitude of questions, ranging from history, to types of Magic, to even just what the Argalon People were like. Eventually, Alaster did manage to reach the DemonˇŻs heart.

    ˇ°Ready to die?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°Yeah yeah, get on with it.ˇ±

    Alaster pushed forward, slowly melting the heart. This time, Belgroth wasnˇŻt able to hide the pain. But neither stopped.

    An hour later, it was finally done. The Demon who had lived for thousands of years, seen HumanityˇŻs arrival on the planet, and killed Gods, had been killed. By a seventeen-year-old boy.

 CHAPTER 100- TAG-ALONG

    An invisible force slammed into AlasterˇŻs forehead with enough force to throw his head back, knocking the young man out of the chair. Alaster lay there motionless, but he was not present.

    Alaster watched from within himself, looking over his Mana Core. As he watched, the standard blackness surrounding his Mana Core was replaced with a deep red, almost black, hue. It took Alaster several moments for the young man to realize that he was actually watching BelgrothˇŻs soul.

    So large and powerful, it completely dwarfed his entire being. There was no doubt in his mind that if Belgroth wanted to, he would not even destroy AlasterˇŻs soul, it would simply cease to exist.

    Yet, it did not. BelgrothˇŻs soul did not crush his own. Instead, it gently wrapped around it, gracefully turning into a ring, spinning around AlasterˇŻs Mana Core.

    AlasterˇŻs mind returned to his body, along with a piercing migraine, like an arrow was constantly stabbing his brain.

    Sitting up only made it worse, but Alaster pushed through it, his [Pain Tolerance] was supposed to be helping, but either it was and there was just too much pain, or it did not help with this sort of pain.

    Dizzy, Alaster sat down at the table again. He gently held his head, groaning with each small movement and sound. Luckily, his Undead were still could be as still as statues and were just as silent.

    ˇ®It should pass in a moment.ˇŻ

    Alaster looked up sharply, immediately regreting it.

    ˇ°IˇŻm guessing thatˇŻs you in my head?ˇ± Alaster asked the cave, cradling his head.

    ˇ®Correct, and you donˇŻt have to speak to converse with me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Does that mean you can read my mind?ˇŻ Alaster asked, thankful he did not need to make noise. He also noticed the tactical advantages of such a thing but decided to consider it later.

    ˇ®No, just what you say in your mind. Your actual thoughts and memories are not available to me. Something IˇŻm sure we are both grateful for.ˇŻ

    Alaster would have chuckled if not for his head. However just as Belgroth said, the Migraine quickly faded away within moments.

    ˇ®Gods that was horrible.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Imagine what itˇŻs like for me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Is this a being a threat?ˇŻ The Pact spoke up. It rarely ever spoke, causing Alaster to forget that it was sentient, if only barely.

    ˇ®No Pact, this is a guest. I am just serving as a host for him until he is able to leave.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Understood.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Fascinating. Is this creature part of your soul, or just bound to it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®From what the System has told me and what I have experienced. It is an Undead parasite that decided to protect me. For some reason.

    ˇ®Yes. I see now.ˇŻ Belgroth said slowly, ˇ®It seems to be a soul that has been extensively damaged. I suspect that it instinctively bonded to you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why would it do that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®As IˇŻve said before, souls heal naturally. But just like the body, there are limits. This soul was permanently damaged, beyond what it could heal naturally. It bound itself to you in hopes of repairing itself, or perhaps in hope you would repair it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®How would I do that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®From what I can read of your soul, which is quite like an open book I might add, you already have two Bonuses pertaining to the soul. One in manipulating your own, and one entrapping a fallen foeˇŻs. Those who deal with Necrotic or Divine Mana are suited to dealing with souls.

    Divine Magic specializes in working the soul of the living. While Necrotic Magic works with the souls of the dead. However, both are able to repair damage.

    From what I can see of this, Pact, as you call it, the damage is extensive, but repairable. Though, at your current skill, it is still beyond you. But, perhaps not for long.ˇŻ

    Alaster wondered what a fully capable [Death Pact] would be capable of, but pushed it aside. He had System Notices to deal with.

    [Level Up]

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 51<59

    EXP: 12%<89%

    Health: 1,400/1,400<1,520/1,520

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Health Regeneration: 56/min<66/min

    Mana: 1,315/1,315<1,435/1,435

    Mana Regeneration: 60/min<64/min

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 219<235                    Wisdom*: 300<324

    Dexterity: 200<216                  Intelligence*: 243<267

    Constitution*: 260<284           Free Points: 0<40]

    ˇ®Bel, just how powerful were you?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Exceedingly, at least by Human standards. Why?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because I was at level fifty-one. Levels past fifty are very difficult to reach. So much so that its not unheard of for Experts to throw a party when they level up.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Ok, and? That is a weird custom, but Humans always were a bit odd, even before they turned bloodthirsty.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because I was barely Level fifty-one. Now, IˇŻm just shy of Level sixty. Killing you, even without you fighting back, gave me eight levels.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I was expecting you to become stronger. At least with the System serving as a crutch.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Give me a moment, I need to distribute the Free Points.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Those words mean nothing to me but go ahead.ˇŻ

    As much as Alaster wanted to keep his stats fairly even. He knew that such a thing would only end poorly. His current class seemed to allow promote using physical skill and Abilities when fighting alongside the Undead, not just making the Undead fight for him.

    However, he what he could do, was limited to just him. His Physical Stats would grow naturally. As would his Magical Stats, but for his Class, they held more weight behind them.

    He wouldnˇŻt get another bonus until a Stat reached five hundred, and then, only two. His final bonus would be at one thousand and would only apply to a single stat. Alaster had not known Stats could reach that high. He wondered what it would be like.

    But even more than that, Alaster wondered what Stats he should get to five hundred. Wisdom was fairly obvious. Most of his power lay behind Wisdom. But what about the second. Should he use Constitution, becoming more of a sustainable melee fighter. Or should he use Intelligence, becoming more of a burst damage Mage.

    Of course, Alaster had no idea what sort of Bonuses he could get. But Aila did say that the later Bonuses were much more powerful than the earlier Bonuses, and his Bonuses were already quite powerful.

    After thinking about it, Alaster put twenty-six points into Wisdom, raising it to three hundred and fifty points. And using the remaining fourteen points to raise Constitution to two hundred ninety-eight.

    But even if his increased Levels drew his attention, Alaster did not forget that one of his Abilities had leveled up as well.

    [Death Touch

    Level 14<22: 73%<19%

    Imbue your body with Necrotic Mana

    Leech Health from the target double Mana cost.

    Applies through weapons and armor.

    Mana Cost: 5/sec]

    ˇ®Nice!ˇŻ

    [Death Touch] was one of the first Spells he learned as a Novice, and yet, he had not really used it. Rarely did he find himself touching the enemy with a bare hand. But now, he could use it much more freely.

    Though Alaster wondered if it only worked with his weapons and armor, of if it would work through the enemyˇŻs as well. If so, it would be an even greater Ability, able to ignore the opponentˇŻs armor, as well as healing Alaster.

    Alaster certainly didnˇŻt miss the change. No longer did it heal health equal to the mana used, but now it was double. It could now heal him ten health per second at the standard use. But Alaster had long since learned how to control the Mana cost of this particular Spell.

    If he wanted to, Alaster was able to supercharge the Spell with additional Mana, or even less. It was how he removed the fat left over from skinning Monsters. There were of course limits. Alaster wasnˇŻt able to use more than fifty mana per second with the Spell, but even that was one hundred health per second.

    ˇ®Alright, IˇŻm done. Shall we begin the Devil slaughter?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Go right on ahead. These Devils no longer serve the Argalon People.ˇŻ

    Alaster began ascending through the tunnel, his remaining Undead behind him.

    ˇ®What do you mean by that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®You didnˇŻt know? You astound me with your ignorance. The Devils, or Colgar, as was their actual Species name, were a weak and cruel People. They didnˇŻt seek out violence, but they were well suited to it, even finding enjoyment through it. My People had long since subjugated them, though they were no slaves. They were allowed to operate on their own, but if a situation called for numbers, we called upon the Colgar, and they were expected to answer.

    They bred nearly as quickly as Goblins, and were much stronger than the standard Human, at least before the System changed the Human. As IˇŻm sure youˇŻve noticed.

    The Colgar were the prime inhabitants of the world, but the Argalon People were the true rulers.

    When the Humans attacked, the Colgar rushed to our aid of their own volition. They fought back valiantly. Not out of some moral high ground such as honor or loyalty, but because they enjoyed the fight. They enjoyed it so much that they were nearly entirely wiped out. The remaining Colgar were sheltered along with our Children, as annoyed as they were at that.

    I imagine they are with the rest of my People, likely serving as the majority of the fighting force once more. Though, I highly doubt the Colgar population on this planet were wiped out. Just like Goblins, they are crafty. They would have hid themselves, rebuilding their numbers and strength. And unlike Goblins, the Colgar were highly intelligent, maybe slightly less than the average Human.

    They would have known how to hide, when to retreat, and what targets took priority. They likely waged a guerrilla war for many centuries, hoping my People would return. Though now, I donˇŻt know.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You speak highly of them.ˇŻ Alaster commented, intrigued by the history.

    ˇ®But of course. They are the only reason as many of my People survived, at a great cost to their own. Of course, they treat war like a recreational pastime. They relished it. While my People were struggling and despairing. I had never seen the Colgar so happy. In addition, they donˇŻt really have the family connections Humans and my own People possess.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What do you mean?ˇŻ

    ˇ®You are fighting so desperately to save your sister. The Colgar, while they know their family and have friends, donˇŻt really understand revenge. To them, violence is something to be enjoyed.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I suspect there are females?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yes, just like any non-parasitic Species. They were more rare, roughly one in a hundred. And each of them were powerful Mages, at least by the standards of Humans. They were more protected, due to their value, both as a Mage, and as a female. But in the war, many fell. I believe you wonˇŻt find one in this dimension. They were too valuable to the Species to be used as guards.ˇŻ

    By this point, Alaster had returned to the surface. Nothing had changed, likely because only a few moments had passed.

    ˇ°Alright my Undead Army, lets resume the hunt.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 101- RETURNED

    Aila stood anxiously in front of the Dungeon, occasionally pacing back and forth. She could still feel that someone was in the Dungeon. While she couldnˇŻt be sure that it was in fact Alaster, she doubted anyone else would have entered the Dungeon inside a destroyed city.

    All she knew, was that someone was in the Dungeon, and still alive.

    So, she waited.

    She had traveled to all the Necromancers she was at least on nonviolent terms with, and compiled quite an extensive host of information, all detailed extensively in a large book she would gift to Alaster. If he survived.

    It had been one week since Alaster entered the Dungeon. One hundred sixty-eight hours. One hundred sixty-eight days in dungeon. A Dungeon that Alaster had not been prepared for and would take experienced Experts to conquer.

    She had thought that with RichterˇŻs and her own training, alongside his impressive power for his level, that while it would be a struggle, he would emerge victorious. And stronger for it. But that had been when the Dungeon had been bound to the world itself.

    Each Dungeon was naturally bound to the world; however, a sufficiently powerful being could wrestle control from the world, assuming it themselves. If that happened, the Dungeon would not play by the rules set by the world.

    The Iron Ruins Dungeon had been an A rank Dungeon, something even Experts would be forced to take seriously. Now that it was out of control, Aila shivered at the thought.

    Not even she would want to challenge a Dungeon not controlled by the world. They were unpredictable. She wouldnˇŻt even be surprised if the entire Dungeon just changed to send ten Dragons at the challengers at once.

    But even if it wasnˇŻt controlled by the world. It would still be under the influence of the System, granting Alaster EXP and Levels. And if he managed to defeat the Boss, the reward loot would match the increased difficulty.

    Aila pulled out the book for the thousandth time, rubbing the cover. She had long since been powerful enough to learn that the Gods werenˇŻt as omnipotent and all-powerful as they were told to be. But still she prayed that Alaster would be safe.

    Dark clouds covered the sky, threatening to drench the world. Monster cries echoed through the destroyed city. Harsh winds screamed through the empty streets. Yet the small Elven women ignored all it. She stood silently.

    She had been there for hours already, and she was prepared to stand there for hours more. But she didnˇŻt need to.

    Without warning, the Mana of the Dungeon pulsed. So dense and powerful it even blew away the pebbles and leaves. The usual black of the DungeonˇŻs Portal flashed a deep red. ItˇŻs usually calm surface boiling like an angry sea.

    Aila was no longer able to sense someone in the Dungeon, her senses blocked. She stored the book away and prepared for anything. She had seen such an event before. A Dungeon Break. The same Dungeon Break that had destroyed this city, yet now that it was controlled by some other being, there was no telling what horrors would swarm out.

    Lightning split the air in the distance, accompanied by the crack of thunder. Rain fell from the sky, hammering the world below, but Aila didnˇŻt move, her own Mana coiling around herself, prepared for the battle ahead.

    Finally, the Portal expanded, towering over the nearby buildings, signaling the imminent disaster. Yet instead of a massive Monster stepping through, only one large man exited. But the aura surrounding him was not that of a human.

    Two meters tall, clad in cruel black armor, and wielding a large matching halberd. The man looked around, before his glowing red eyes locked onto Aila. She didnˇŻt wait for him to attack first.

    Disappearing from her spot, she reappeared in front of the man, her fist raised, Mana cackling around her body. She swung with all her might, splitting the stone beneath for several meters around, but the man was not there.

    Aila spun around, seeing the man calmly face her, five meters away. He slammed the butt of his halberd into the stone, leaving it there before removing his helmet.

    ˇ°Did I do something to piss you off Aila?ˇ± Alaster asked with a smile.

    * * * * *

    Alaster was exhausted from the Boss Fight, but his instincts and been honed from his time within the Dungeon. The habit of peering around every corner for a threat remained. It had saved his life countless times in the Dungeon, and now it had saved his life in the real world. He just didnˇŻt expect the threat to be from his Magic Teacher.

    Aila appeared before him once more, without any Mana pulsing around her, wrapping her arms around him. She was so small, and he was so large, she wasnˇŻt able to wrap her hands around him completely.

    ˇ°IˇŻm so glad you made it.ˇ± she said through tears.

    He chuckled, ˇ°So am I.ˇ±

    The hug lasted for several minutes before she released him.

    ˇ°You need a haircut. Follow me.ˇ± She ordered, walking away like nothing had happened.

    Alaster dismissed his weapon and armor, following behind.

    ˇ®Is she your mate?ˇŻ

    The sudden absurd question made Alaster stumble. Aila looked back concerned.

    ˇ°Are you ok?ˇ±

    Alaster laughed it off, ˇ°Yeah, just a bit tired. A proper bed would be nice.ˇ±

    ˇ®No Bel! She is my Magic Teacher. IˇŻm pretty sure she is several hundred years old.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I would suggest not asking.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, the rule of asking women their age transcends Species.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Most yes. The Colgars took pride in their age. It meant they had emerged victorious from many battles, slain many foes.ˇŻ

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Alaster followed Aila into a still standing building. The only apparent damage being a small broken window. There she summoned a stool and motioned for him to sit, which he obeyed.

    She stood behind him, with a pair of scissors and began to cut away this long hair. In the Dungeon, he had not the time nor the care to trim his hair. In several months, it had grown long, prompting him to tie it back in a low ponytail, where he could ignore it.

    Alaster calmly sat there, just enjoying not having soul deprived Devils constantly attacking him. Aila occasionally asked how he wanted it. She was quite proficient, and in just twenty minutes, it was trimmed similar to BelgrothˇŻs hair, simply shorter.

    ˇ®Really?ˇŻ The Demon asked.

    ˇ®It looked nice, would be out of the way during a fight, and even better, I donˇŻt have to do anything with it.ˇŻ Alaster reasoned.

    ˇ°Thanks, Aila.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs no problem. But what happened in the Dungeon?ˇ± Aila asked, summoning two lounge chairs, and sitting down in one.

    Alaster sat in the other, and began recounting his tale, leaving out the parts about Belgroth. The Demon had been adamant about remaining unknown. Especially to a Species of People who slaughtered his own.

    It took several hours as the storm raged outside. When he finished, he leaned back, exhaustion beginning to take hold.

    ˇ°What was the boss reward?ˇ± Aila asked.

    ˇ°A Mana Core.ˇ± he said tiredly.

    ˇ°Must be powerful. IˇŻll take a look at it later. But for now, sleep.ˇ± The Elvish woman summoned a small bed, which Alaster collapsed onto, asleep before he hit the mattress.

    Aila chuckled as she looked at him fondly, before summoning a blanket over him and leaving the room.

    When Alaster awoke, it was bright out, but he was feeling much better. Even if his Health and Mana were both full, it would still take a few more days to properly recover, spending nearly half a year in a Dungeon much higher Level than he was.

    Speaking of, he had Leveled up extensively, and now had access to an Expert Class.

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 59<65

    EXP: 89%<36%

    Health: 1,590/1,590<1,680/1,680

    Health Regeneration: 68/min<72/min

    Mana: 1,435/1,435<1,600/1,600

    Mana Regeneration: 70/min<72/min

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 235<247                    Wisdom*: 350<368

    Dexterity: 216<243                  Intelligence*: 267<300

    Constitution*: 298<316           Free Points: 0]

    AlasterˇŻs growth had been immense, not just in Class Levels, but in Abilities Levels, and his skill in using them. Now, he could raise seventy-six Custom Undead. Including forty-one Summoned Undead. Of those, he could now summon two Sergeants, each capable of directly commanding ten summoned Undead each. And a Lieutenant, who could command two Sergeants.

    That was not including the Horde Undead, of which he could now normally raise one hundred forty-four, or three hundred sixty if he was meditating. The horde Undead were also much faster and stronger before. Now, Alaster suspected that three Horde Undead could a standard Adept. Of course, that was reliant on the corpse used to raise the Horde Undead.

    Belgroth had been pushing Alaster to use Abilities he otherwise didnˇŻt use, or didnˇŻt use enough, or with enough skill. Such as [Meditation], despite being a cornerstone of AlasterˇŻs strength, according to Belgroth, even children should be able to move casually while keeping [Meditation] active.

    Alaster had reached that point near the end of the Dungeon, being able to casually run and jump over obstacles while keeping the Ability active, but Belgroth wasnˇŻt satisfied. After all, children could do that, and Alaster wasnˇŻt a child anymore. To Belgroth, Alaster should be capable of maintaining [Meditation] even during battle.

    Another Ability was [Mana Manipulation]. Acroding to Belgroth, Alaster relied on the System to do his magic for him, which Alaster admitted. Under BelˇŻs guidance, Alaster had begun training his control over Mana. Now he was able to combine the Mana of similar Spells.

    Such as the Bolts. Now, he could combine Fire Mana into his [Necrotic Bolts] to make them more powerful and corrosive. Or, he could combine Earth Mana, making the [Necrotic Bolts] have more of a physical impact. Currently the Earth infused [Necrotic Bolts] hit with the power of a standard arrow.

    However, the change that Alaster was most focused on, was to [Raise Undead]. He could now implant souls into his Undead. Which he had begun doing, using the previously unused, [Soul Seal] Bonus, to capture the souls.

    The captured souls were interesting. Belgroth said that they were only fragments of a fragment due to them being from the Dungeon monsters. But even that was enough to give his Custom Undead much higher intelligence and skill. They were now able to command themselves during battle, seeing obvious weak points, reinforcing areas that needed help, and learn from their opponents.

    Alaster didnˇŻt need to command them so intensely. However, they were unable to command the Summoned Undead, or the other Custom Undead. But one thing Alaster was quite happy about, was that even upon destruction, so long as even a small piece of bone remained, the soul remained attached.

    All his Custom Undead, excluding the Stallion, currently had the soul fragments of the Devils within. Alaster had attempted to put a Devil soul into the Stallion, but it was rejected. Just bounced away and faded into nothingness.

    Belgroth said that due to the form the Stallion took, it would require the soul of an animal, the closer the soul matched the form of the Undead, the better. So Alaster supposed he needed to go kill a horse. Not a happy venture. Alaster quite liked horses.

    Perhaps the most impactful change, at least over time, was his [Soul Domain]. Belgroth had actually been impressed that the boy had access to his own soul. The Demon cautioned being very careful what he allowed inside, as any object within would have slight effects on Alaster as a whole.

    However, Alaster currently only used it to store his Undead, which Belgroth confirmed would not have any effects due to the Undead already being a part of his soul, even when they were merged with soul fragments.

    Belgroth said that being able to access your own soul was a great boon. Not only did it make it much easier to create drastic changes to the person itself, if desired, but it could also serve as a personal storage and as a last resort, fortress.

    The Demon said that Alaster could build inside his soul, possibly creating an entire settlement if he so desired. And once he achieved truly sentient Undead, they could ˇ®liveˇŻ, build, craft, and even train within. However, currently, his Undead were not sentient and would simply stand there like statues until summoned.

    But the final change, which Alaster was quite proud of, was his brand new Spell.

    [Mana Tendril

    Level 2: 23%

    Form Mana into a Physical Tendril

    Max Tendril: 1

    Max Length: 1 Meter

    Mana Cost: 100/min]

    Since fighting the Wolves in the Dungeon, Alaster had been working on this Ability. It had finally been registered by the System a few days before the Boss Fight. However, the tendril was very fragile. Even just running his own hand through it was enough to break it. It felt like gentle water and was even more easily broken.

    However, Alaster could just imagine attacking and defending with multiple tendrils. Alaster did notice that depending on the type of Mana used, affected the tendril. Necrotic Mana made it faster, like a dropped pebble. Fire Mana made it stronger, capable of lifting the book of Classes, barely. And Earth Mana made it more durable, feeling more like loose sand.

    But Alaster wasnˇŻt able to use more than one Type at a time. The tendril originated from the small of AlasterˇŻs back. The color of the thing tendril changed slightly depending on the Type of Mana used, but the tendril was sickly green, and would only be slightly tinged by the other Types.

    It would be a long time until Alaster could use the Spell in combat, but the young man was excited for such a time.

    Among all the changes, Alaster was feeling a bit overwhelmed. They had come about so quickly, just one after another. Of course, he had attempted to use them and grow accustomed to them while inside the Dungeon. But he had been so busy killing several hundred Devils that many of them still felt foreign to him.

    And he was only about to make it worse by changing his Adept Class for an Expert Class.

 CHAPTER 102- EXPERT

    [Class: Death Knight

    Level: 59<65

    EXP: 89%<36%

    Health: 1,590/1,590<1,680/1,680

    Health Regeneration: 68/min<72/min

    Mana: 1,435/1,435<1,600/1,600

    Mana Regeneration: 70/min<72/min

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 235<247                    Wisdom*: 350<368

    Dexterity: 216<243                  Intelligence*: 267<300

    Constitution*: 298<316           Free Points: 0]

    Alaster should have received his Expert Class fifteen levels ago. Fifteen levels past fifty typically required several years. Alaster had done it in one week. Of course, it was in a powerful Dungeon, practically filled to the brim with high level enemies. But it still amazed him.

    Regardless, he was ready to receive his Class.

    [Expert Classes Available:

    <ol>

    <li>Soulmancer</li>

    <li>Dread Lord</li>

    <li>Elementalist</li>

    <li>Unliving Guardian</li>

    <li>Lord of the Dead</li>

    </ol>

    Make your Choice.]

    ˇ®ArenˇŻt there supposed to be ten choices?ˇŻ Alaster asked himself.

    ˇ®IˇŻve heard of this. ItˇŻs because you previously picked a Class that was perfectly suited to you. It causes later Classes to be more suited to you as well. Focusing more on your Status and Achievements. Try to focus on one.ˇŻ Belgroth suggested.

    Alaster did as he said, and was surprised.

    [Soulmancer

    A dealer in souls. Repair, manipulate, destroy, and even create.

    -Two Abilities capable of touching souls

    -Manipulate the souls of fifty Individuals.

    -Soul Domain available]

    ˇ®That is amazing. Why isnˇŻt this taught?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I donˇŻt know. Humans have always been pointlessly greedy and selfish.ˇŻ

    Alaster ignored the rude remark, not wanting to think about the truth behind it as he focused on the next Class option.

    [Dread Lord

    A warrior of Death. Delivers Death upon its foes while embracing it themselves.

    -Imbuement at Level Ten

    -Raise Undead at Level Twenty

    -Kill one hundred foes alongside your Undead]

    ˇ®Fascinating.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Move on.ˇŻ

    [Elementalist

    The Elements themselves shall obey your command.

    -Spells from Three different Schools of Magic

    -Use Elemental Magic to kill fifty foes

    -Combine two different Magics together.]

    ˇ®DoesnˇŻt sound great.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What are you talking about boy, this is horrible. It completely opposes what you have worked towards.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Maybe, but can you imagine if I could make my Undead covered in fire, or wearing earth armor? Or even making them resistant to Elemental Magic? It is the most common Type of Magic.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Move on.ˇŻ

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    [Unliving Guardian

    Cannot kill what is already dead. For you have become one with Death.

    -Death Embrace at Level Ten

    -Kill one hundred foes while using Death Embrace

    -Recover over one hundred percent Max Health in a single battle ten times

    -Three Resistances]

    ˇ®Sounds promising.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Perhaps, but it seems to embrace taking damage. Such people are always the first to die.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why does this one have four requirements?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Likely to designate it as a more powerful Class. It makes sense that the stronger Classes would be pickier.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Makes sense to me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Check the last one.ˇŻ

    [Lord of the Dead

    They follow you not because they must, but because they desire. You have captured the hearts of the Dead, and the souls of the Living.

    -Raise Undead at Level Fifty

    -Five Types of Undead Summons

    -Death Embrace at Level Ten

    -Dead Aura at Level Twenty

    -Necrotic Heal at Level Twenty

    -Skeleton Creation at Level Twenty

    -Mindful Evolution

    -Horde at Level Twenty

    -Overwhelmed stronger foes through Undead numbers

    -Kill one thousand foes using Undead

    -Kill one thousand foes alongside Undead

    -Earn the respect of a Deceased Soul.

    -Grant souls upon the Undead.

    -Death Mage

    -Death Knight]

    ˇ®Uhhh.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Ok, that surprised even me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So definitely go with this one?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Obviously. But first, memorize the requirements, they should help you understand your new Class better.ˇŻ

    Alaster quickly did so before making his selection.

    He was immediately filled with pain. It wasnˇŻt overwhelming, but Alaster still growled as he stopped himself from screaming.

    It lasted for several minutes, before slowly fading away.

    Alaster opened his Status.

    [Class Change: Lord of the Dead

    Progenitor: As the first of your Kind, you receive Three points per Level in each of the Prime Stats and Ten Free Points.

    The Mage creates. The Knight destroys. The Lord rules. A good ruler has the loyalty and fear of their subjects. A poor ruler has neither.

    Stat Changes: +20 STR, +20 DEX, +50 CON, +50 INT, +100 WIS

    You have been gifted the Abilities: [Soul Bind], [Soul Rend], [Giver of Life]

    These Abilities have been Morphed: [Soul Domain], [Horde], [Raise Undead]

    Beware the Dead, or you will join them]

    ˇ®Two hundred and forty stats.ˇŻ Alaster thought in disbelief.

    ˇ®Must say, this just seems unfair to all the other Humans.ˇŻ Belgroth chuckled.

    ˇ®Whose to say there arenˇŻt others like this?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Logic. But forget the stats, great as they are. Look at the new Abilities you got.ˇŻ

    [Soul Bind

    Level 1: 0%

    Bind the souls of the fallen.

    Mana Cost: N/A]

    ˇ®What theˇ­ WhatˇŻs going on here. WhatˇŻs the Mana Cost?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Remember how I said the System was a crutch, this is what I mean. It is a powerful tool to create many powerful people, but it falls short once you reach a certain stage. Causing many who have relied too heavily on it to falter.

    I know this Spell. This is the very primitive version of the same Spell I used to bind myself to you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What other uses could it have?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Well, since you would be the one manipulating it, so long as you were powerful enough, you could change the soul. Manipulating it to do anything. From complex Golems to automated sweepers. You could bind the soul to another living thing, or even your Undead, but you could also bind it to objects, like me and the Throne.

    And, if the soul was weakened enough, and you were powerful enough, you could even bind the soul of a still living creature. Though you are far from the level of strength.

    The reason there is no Mana Cost, is because it is completely reliant on how you use the Ability, and because it relies more on the strength of the soul, than on Mana.ˇŻ

    [Soul Rend

    Level 1: 0%

    Directly strike the soul.

    Mana Cost: 500]

    ˇ®That is a lot of Mana.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But for an attack that will ignore all armor, all resistances, and nearly all defenses? IˇŻd say thatˇŻs pretty cheap.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What would effect how much damage I would do?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Wisdom mostly. The other stats will all influence it, but Wisdom is of the soul. Followed by Intelligence. Be very careful of those who can directly attack the soul. There are few defenses against such attacks, and you have none.ˇŻ

    [Giver of Life

    Level 1: 0%

    Breath life into the dead.

    Mana Cost: 5000]

    ˇ®Bel, is this what I think it is?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yes, kind of. How theˇ­ only the very strongest of my People had the ability to resurrect the dead. And even then, it had to be done quickly after death.

    However, be mindful of the wording. From the feeling I am getting from this Ability, I suspect that with practice, you could even use parts of multiple souls to actually give life to your Undead.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But then they would be alive, and out of my control.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not quite. Even the most advanced of Undead, those who can think for themselves, are limited in their thinking. Unless they bound their soul elsewhere like a Lich, but even then, only to a less degree.

    But with this, you could truly give a life to the Undead. I am unsure of the specifics, let alone the ramifications. But Alaster, with an Ability like this, you might just be able to create a Species of the Undead.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, but it requires five thousand Mana. Even with the bonus stats I just got, I donˇŻt even have half that. And if even a part of what you said is true, it will be so intricate that I wonˇŻt be able to use [Blood Price] to get me enough Mana.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That is correct. Though there are other ways. I know of potions that can temporarily increase the Maximum amount of Mana a person can wield, as well as locations that increase the Maximum amount of Mana, while reducing the cost of Spells, and increasing the speed at which Mana in recovered.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Such a place exists?ˇŻ Alaster was amazed, he had never heard of it, but that certainly didnˇŻt mean it didnˇŻt exist.

    ˇ®Several such places, that is, if you Humans havenˇŻt destroyed them. Now, you also had several Abilities change. You should check them.ˇŻ

    [Wisdom 200 Bonus: Soul Domain

    Level 3<6: 12%<25%

    Create a Portal to your Soul.

    Size: 100 meters

    Minions Stored: 1/50]

    ˇ®The size and Minion limit both increased by ten times.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Interesting. Seems like the System is pushing you to pursue a settlement in your soul.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I admit, the idea intrigues me. And if what you suspect about the [Giver of Life] Spell, it could be a true city of the dead.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You should probably work on [Flesh Crafting] then. No sense giving a true soul to a hunk of bones.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Fair enough.ˇŻ

    Alaster still detested the sight of the flesh moving around like it did, but he understood the usefulness.

    [Wisdom 50 Bonus: Horde Legion

    Level 20<25: 9%<43%

    Capable of raising Undead past the limit, at the cost of Mana Regeneration.

    Two past max per point of Mana Regeneration]

    Alaster quickly checked again.

    ˇ®Nope. That is the correct Bonus, and it seems that only change was a name.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Boy, sometimes you astound me with your stupidity. The System would not of made note of it in that way if it was a simple name change. Raise a few. You have a few Devil bones in your Ring.ˇŻ

    So, Alaster did as instructed. The bones stood up, just as expected. What wasnˇŻt expected was that the Skeleton stood up straight, even looking around for what seemed like a weapon. Unfortunately, Alaster did not have any, they were simply too big for his Ring. Nor did he care to craft one out of bone at the moment.

    When no weapon was found, it stared straight ahead, and saluted Alaster. Its right fist against its chest.

    ˇ®So instead of an actual horde, now I have access to an actual army.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That will be a drastic change. It seemed highly intelligent and disciplined as well, for an Undead at least.ˇŻ

    Alaster moved onto the last change.

    [Raise Undead

    Level 41<52: 32%<64%

    Raise a corpse to serve as your intelligent servant.

    Can implant captured souls.

    Max Minions: 37/38

    Max Skeletons: 37/38

    Mana Cost: 30]

    Again with a single word change. However, Alaster also didnˇŻt notice the ˇ®MindfulˇŻ Evolution.

    ˇ®Huh, did the Mindful Evolution become intrinsic to the Spell?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I believe so. The evolution was a requirement for the Class.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Very nice. Instead of having to use several hundred Mana, it only costs thirty, and it feels like it will always be the max of my limits.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Very likely.ˇŻ

    ˇ®This is all amazing. I am a one-man army. No longer can I just serve as a distraction to an army. I can know defeat an army!ˇŻ

    ˇ®Hold up! The Class change caught the attention of some powerful people. Alaster you are about to be called up, do not even hint at me!ˇŻ

    ˇ®Wait, what?ˇŻ Was all Alaster could saw before his vision blacked out.

 CHAPTER 103- DIVINE ATTENTION

    Alaster opened his eyes once again. Looking up at a familiar ceiling. Sitting up, he found it was the same room as last time.

    ˇ°Really Ebris? I was busy.ˇ± Alaster said into the empty room, no longer empty as he finished speaking.

    ˇ°Alaster, do you even understand the significance of that Class?ˇ±

    ˇ°Should I? Its not like anyone is actually telling me anything useful. You certainly didnˇŻt.ˇ±

    Ebris motioned for Alaster to sit, already seated at on a couch himself.

    Alaster looked at him closely. He was still in the same black suit, remarkably similar to the suit Belgroth wore. But it looked more worn. In fact, Ebris himself looked more worn, like he hadnˇŻt had time to rest in days.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt look so well.ˇ± Alaster commented.

    Ebris chuckled, but it was hollow, ˇ°A few days ago, the Demons began a massive attack. I havenˇŻt been able to sleep since.ˇ±

    ˇ®A few days? In the real world that would be roughly the same time Belgroth died and bound himself to me.ˇŻ

    ˇ°So, the war isnˇŻt going any better?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, but donˇŻt worry, this war has been going on for eons. Things will return to normal shortly. They push, we push back. ItˇŻll be fine.ˇ± Ebris explained with slumped shoulders.

    Alaster leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea, ˇ°You know, I actually came across some ancient documents about the first war with the Demons.ˇ±

    ˇ®Hopefully the God of the Dead cant tell IˇŻm lying through my teeth.ˇŻ

    Ebris looked up sharply, ˇ°Really? I thought they had been destroyed, at least wouldnˇŻt have survived this long.ˇ±

    ˇ°I suspect that it was regularly copied down and passed down the generations.ˇ±

    ˇ°What did is say?ˇ±

    ˇ°That Humanity attacked first.ˇ±

    Ebris sighed, leaning his head back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling, ˇ°At least its accurate.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did Humanity attack first?ˇ±

    Ebris didnˇŻt look up, ˇ°Because we were prideful, arrogant, and little different from the Monsters. Alaster, before the System, we were pathetic, slowly being slaughtered, and nearing true extinction. When the System arrived, it gave us a fighting chance. We took it. The System was still young.

    The strength it gave us, many didnˇŻt survive the recoil. But for those that did, no longer were we hiding in caves and rolling around in the mud. We were warriors, capable of defending ourselves and others.

    It went to our heads.

    We thought we were unbeatable. Many, myself included, treated it as a game. In our minds, every creature we killed was just EXP, not actual living beings.

    Instead of being threatened, we became the threat. The Demons back then ruled over the world, similar to how Humanity is now. But instead of being to weak to conquer the rest of the world, like Humans today, they simply didnˇŻt want to.

    The strongest of the Humans, decided that we wanted to carve out a homeland for Humanity, regardless of the cost. That cost, was killing the Demons that lived there, thus beginning the war. A war that nearly shattered the world into a million pieces and is still being fought countless years later.

    In every war, there will always be things one regrets. But I regret everything I and the other Gods did in that war. But it doesnˇŻt matter now. We have long since passed the point of no return.ˇ±

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    ˇ°Why am I here Ebris?ˇ±

    ˇ°That Class you selected? If the previous one was like a tiny match that caught my attention. This Class is like a giant bonfire atop a lighthouse. You caught the attention of every single God, every Demigod, and every other being of similar strength in the world.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why? I know itˇŻs a good Class, but is it really so great as to do all that?ˇ±

    Ebris lifted his head, staring into AlasterˇŻs eyes, ˇ°Yes. And more. I wouldnˇŻt be surprised if some Demon Scouts felt it as well and have already reported it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whats so great about it?ˇ±

    ˇ°As IˇŻm sure youˇŻve noticed by now, us Gods, are not truly so. We are merely people who have become so strong that the only title that fits is God. But we cannot create life. Anera, Goddess of Life, can only return life to the recently fallen. Granted, she can do it even months later, but still only just.

    IˇŻm sure you have already read the Ability. This Class is capable of creating an independent soul. Out of the fragments of other souls, but thatˇŻs beside the point.

    Other Classes can do similar things, but this is the first Class we have seen that can create entirely independent souls. Souls that can choose for themselves. At first, the newly created soul will be reliant on the parts used to make up its soul. But that longer it lives, the more genuine the soul will become.

    Which will allow the System to act on it. Do you understand now? You are able to create souls that can transcend just like any normal person. They will get their own Classes, their own Levels, their own personality.

    All the Gods are looking to you in careful consideration, but as the God of Death, I know more about this subject than most. Alaster, you can create life from death.

    They will be independent from you, but they will still have a mark on their soul from you.ˇ±

    ˇ°What does that mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°They will still be able to do their own thing, have their own thoughts, their own personalities and relationships, but they will always be partial to you. They will see you as their leader, not master. They wonˇŻt be slaves. If you do something that alienates them from you, they will leave or even act against you. But if you donˇŻt do something horrendous, they will follow you.ˇ±

    ˇ°That sounds like the Angels.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, the Angels are actually their own Species entirely, they just swore allegiance to us Gods. But you have the ability to create life. That hasnˇŻt been seen since before the System. If there is anyone that could possibly have the true title of God, itˇŻs you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will anyone come after me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Most likely. Though it wonˇŻt be any of the Gods here. We are busy enough as is just trying to fight back the Demons. But down in the world? Yes, you should expect it. They wonˇŻt know you by face, but they will be able to identify that Ability. Do not use it unless you are in a safe area, and even then, leave quickly.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you called me here to warn me?ˇ±

    ˇ°And to congratulate you. You are the first one since the System finalized to become an Expert this quickly.ˇ±

    ˇ°Finalized?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. When the System first arrived, it was rough, so through trial and error, it gradually refined itself. It became as efficient as it could just two centuries ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°And since it became a finished version, I reached Expert the fastest?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep. You wonˇŻt get any special Ability or Stat, but it is something to be proud about. And it just means that soon, we might be able to push back the Demons.ˇ±

    Alaster finished his tea, feeling it invigorate his soul, and poured himself another cup, ˇ°You know Ebris, I find it difficult to care about a war started by immature children while my sister is still missing.ˇ±

    Ebris flinched at that remark but didnˇŻt deny it.

    ˇ°IˇŻve actually thought about that. While I wasnˇŻt able to look into it myself, I was able to send one of the Angels under my command to look into it. Unfortunately, Angels are bound to their world, the strongest of them can peer into other worlds, but they canˇŻt enter it themselves.

    So while he found your sister, he wasnˇŻt able to rescue her.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs cup shattered, ˇ°Where is she? Is she ok?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes yes,ˇ± Ebris waved, restoring the cup and cleaning the spilled tea, ˇ°She is perfectly fine. I wonˇŻt tell you everything, but what I can tell you, is that she is in the Capital City of Lissura, Zolis.ˇ±

    ˇ°And why wonˇŻt you tell me more? Like who stole her away? Who killed my parents.ˇ± AlasterˇŻs emotions flared.

    ˇ°Because if I told you; you would act differently, then if you found out yourself. Alaster, what I will tell you is that the situation is not black and white. If you go in swords and magic blazing, not only will you die, and likely fail to rescue your beloved sister. But many innocents will also die, both during and after.

    Alaster, do not let your emotions control you. They are a powerful force. If you want to save your sister, you will need to know more than just where she is or who took her. You will need to know why and how.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, think before I act.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. Now, unfortunately, I must go. This talk ate up all my time to rest, now I have to go back to work. But one more thing, the other Gods are watching you. Many are curious, some are like me and want to help you, but there are some that might try to actively interfere, maybe even kill you.

    I have a general idea of who is who and will try to make those who wish you harm too busy with the war to do so, but be careful. Goodbye.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 104- DEMONIC DEALS

    With AlasterˇŻs soul in the Divine Realm, Belgroth was finally able to address the pervert. He dragged the spirit into his mind room. Basically just a fake room that existed only in the mind and could have furniture and such.

    Sedall appeared, shocked and confused. He spun around, wondering where he had ended up. Before he settled on Belgroth, in his human sized form, sitting in a comfy chair.

    ˇ°Sit. We have much to talk about.ˇ±

    Sedall was cautious, did sat down. He could had believed he knew of all the being capable of forcing his exposed spirit around, but the man before him was completely unknown to him. That worried the Demigod.

    ˇ°What are you?ˇ± He asked.

    ˇ°Someone with a keen interest in keep the boy alive. His own motives, which are likely to get him killed, so I am assisting him. What I want to know, is why the self-pretentious fools calling themselves Demigods, care enough to trap one of themselves in a piece of jewelry, just to keep an eye on him.ˇ±

    ˇ°I have my own situation, making me suited to such a task.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ah yes, your body is trapped, but they couldnˇŻt trap your soul.ˇ±

    SedallˇŻs brow furrowed, ˇ°What do you know of it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know who you pissed off, but I do recognize the Magic of those disgusting Dwarves. Nor do I care. What I do know, if that the Magic might as well have been made by a child. Yet apparently thatˇŻs all it takes to stump a Demigod.ˇ±

    ˇ°Enough with the insults. What do you want?ˇ±

    Belgroth just stared at the spirit before him, ˇ°I want you to stop reporting anything about the boy to the other Demigods. I want you to assist the boy as I do.ˇ±

    ˇ°With all this knowledge, surely you would be better suited to such a task.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, you misunderstand. If all your Magical Knowledge was but a tiny seed, mine is an entire Galaxy. You have nothing to teach him about Magic that I canˇŻt do much better. You might even learn a thing or two. But, I have beenˇ­ out of touch with the world for a while now.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long is a while?ˇ±

    ˇ°Since before your damnable Gods walked among you. So you see, I want you to teach the boy about the world.ˇ±

    ˇ°My entrapment hinders my own knowledge of the current world.ˇ±

    ˇ°It does. Only a single year in fifty. Must be torture for someone who enjoyed traveling. But even that is much more recent than my own knowledge.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs in it for me?ˇ± Sedall didnˇŻt trust the being before him, but he wanted to see what sort of angle he was playing.

    ˇ°Two things. One, I will release you from your prison. And two, I will release you from your shackles.ˇ±

    Sedall chuckled, ˇ°My shackles?ˇ±

    ˇ°Tell me man who pretended to be a God, how long have you been imprisoned?ˇ±

    Sedall tried to ignore the slight, but it still stung, ˇ°Several centuries.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you think in all that time, not one of your fellow pretenders managed to locate your body?ˇ±

    ˇ°None even tried.ˇ±

    ˇ°None but one, IˇŻm assuming?ˇ±

    Sedall scowled, ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Have you never found it strange that the Dwarves were able to trap you at all? Surely, someone of your power must have been strong enough to resist any such traps they could employ.ˇ±

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    ˇ°It wasnˇŻt that simple.ˇ±

    Belgroth chuckled, ˇ°It never is, and yet, you held enough power to eradicate their entire culture. And they managed to imprison you. Such a thing would be unheard of. Their enchantments alone wouldnˇŻt have had the strength to hold you. Unless of course, they were boosted by the power of a being of similar strength to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are implying one of the Demigods.ˇ± It wasnˇŻt a question.

    ˇ°Better, I am saying that the one pretender that has been searching for you, is also the one who imprisoned you to begin with.ˇ±

    ˇ°That is such an obvious lie. I would have thought that a being such as yourself, with as much knowledge as you claim, would have been able to think of a better one.ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps it is a lie, and yet, you canˇŻt stop thinking about it.ˇ±

    Belgroth was right, even if Sedall would never admit it. Certain things fell into place from memories long before.

    ˇ°I feel that the ring you are bound to was a recent development. I imagine that once your so called ˇ®friendˇŻ became interested in the boy, he just so happened to have discovered ancient documents, describing how to bind your soul to a ring, even through all the enchantments binding you.ˇ±

    That is what happened. Evros did claim to have learned of such a technique. And it had seemed strange that he would have revealed it just as he had a use for it.

    ˇ°That isˇ­not enough to make me betray my friend.ˇ± Sedall hesitated.

    ˇ°Perhaps, but in the many centuries you have been trapped, not one of you ˇ®DemigodsˇŻ, self-proclaimed defenders of the world, have managed to find your prison? Its not like the Dwarves would have built such a costly prison so removed from their own cities.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you claim to be able to free me?ˇ±

    Belgroth grinned, he had successfully hooked the spirit, ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°How? You are even more bound than I.ˇ± Belgroth was not the only one that had been examining his opponent. Since Sedall first appeared in this mental room, he had been studying the strange man before him.

    ˇ°Freeing you of your prison will be a two-step process. However, freeing you of your shackles, cannot be done without alerting the man who placed them on you. If you accept my terms, I am able to remove the enchantments binding your soul to your body.

    No longer will it be so tiresome to explore outside of your body. It will however still scramble the locations your spirit appears.

    Once the boy is capable, I will lead him to youˇŻre the physical location of your prison, freeing your body.ˇ±

    ˇ°What of the shackles?ˇ±

    ˇ°Only once your body is free, will they be broken. Once your so called ˇ®friendˇŻ feels them break, he will come. The boy is still too fragile for such a fight, but hopefully, you are not. And perhaps its will also be a chance for payback.ˇ±

    ˇ°And your terms?ˇ±

    ˇ°One, until your body is free, you will assist the boy, in a similar way as I do. You will educate him about the ways of the world. While I teach him to grow stronger, which will also be a favor to you, as you will undoubtedly learn something as well.

    Two, once free of your bindings, you will not harm the boy or myself in any way, as well as prevent any such actions from the other Demigods, or similar beings.

    Three, you will not report anything related to the boy to anyone or anything. You will also, to the best of your ability, uncover knowledge relating to him.

    These conditions should seem light considering, if you agree, you will soon be free once more.ˇ±

    ˇ°As it stands, there is no limit, no set date. You and the boy could simply wait for several more centuries before releasing me when it suits you.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt play dumb. You have seen the power behind the boy. His raw potential. With my guidance, he will grow to become a true powerhouse of this world. And with your guidance, he might just be able to survive such a tragedy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tragedy?ˇ±

    ˇ°Power comes at a cost. Power draws attention, those who will attempt to take it. The boy will be able ready to travel to your prison in, at most, five years. What you do after, I do not care. So long as it does not affect me or the boy in any way, you can go on a genocidal bloodbath for all I care. But until you are free, you will, to the best of your ability, assist the boy.ˇ±

    ˇ°But I cannot speak to him in the same manner as you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Once I release the restrictions on your soul, you will be able to mentally communicate with both he and I through the Ring.ˇ±

    Sedall thought about it for several moments. By now, he had realized that the man before him was a Demon. Making a deal with a Demon was not as concrete and one sided as the stories claimed. The Demigod admitted that the deal was mostly in his favor.

    All he had to do was continue watching the boy, which he was already interested in doing. But if he took the deal, he would be able to add his own opinion. That alone could have been considered a benefit, not a requirement.

    However, his thoughts also ran back to Evros. Sedall considered everything. He had known the old man since before he ascended to partial Godhood. The elder had always been of great help. Offering assistance when needed, and guidance when asked. Sedall considered the old man having a good reason for imprisoning him.

    ˇ®No. Fuck that. I donˇŻt care if he had good reason. If he truly did betray and imprison me, I am going to rip him apart, and anyone who stands in my way.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Five years?ˇ± Sedall questioned.

    ˇ°At most.ˇ± Belgroth confirmed.

    ˇ°I have a rule of not entering into any deals without first knowing the name of the person I am dealing with.ˇ±

    ˇ°You may call be Belgroth, Elder Guardian of the Argalon People.ˇ±

    ˇ°I am Sedall, the strongest of the Demigods. I accept.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 105- FINAL TEACHER

    Alaster opened his eyes and saw the roof of the Dolis building. He was back in the Mortal Realm. Sitting up in the bed, where he had fallen upon having his soul dragged away, Alaster looked at his hands.

    ˇ®Becoming an actual God, huh.ˇŻ Alaster clenched his fist.

    ˇ®Screw that. Once I have my sister, I donˇŻt care what happens to the rest.ˇŻ

    Alaster stood up and walked outside. The sky was bright blue. The sun shining down warmly. In the distance, a few white puffy clouds floated. On a day like this, it was difficult to remember that the city of Dolis was a ruin. At least until Alaster looked down and saw all the bloodstains that even last nightˇŻs storm had not been able to wash away.

    Looking to the right, where the Iron Ruins Dungeon sat only a hundred meters away, Alaster saw Aila talking to a tall man. It didnˇŻt seem tense, so Alaster decided not to interrupt.

    ˇ®Bel, you there?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Obviously.ˇŻ Belgroth thought sarcastically.

    ˇ®Well, you didnˇŻt talk when I woke up.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I was busy.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Doing what? Its not like you can actually go anywhere.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I am not as limited as you might think, boy. In fact, I was busy securing someone who can help you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Really? How? You canˇŻt go anywhere.ˇŻ

    ˇ®DidnˇŻt need to. He was bound to your Ring. I was just going to shred his soul apart. But thought better of it. Now, we have come to an agreement. He will provide you knowledge of the world, which I lack, and I will return his body to him.ˇŻ

    ˇ®How? You donˇŻt even have your body.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Well, his body still exists, and is still alive. He is just trapped. I know where and how to free him.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, he made a deal with a Demon?ˇŻ

    ˇ®He was kind of desperate. And a deal with me isnˇŻt as bad as you Humans might make it out to be. Our deal certainly hasnˇŻt done you any harm.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, until one of the Gods discover you are hitching a ride in my body and destroys us both.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Then it would be them, and not me, causing harm.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Fair enough. So, this other soul has been within my Ring the entire time?ˇŻ Alaster looked curiously at his Ring of Holding.

    ˇ®Wrong ring fool. The Ring you could store your Minions in.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That was given to me by a retiring adventurer.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not even you are stupid enough to think he was just that. Regardless, you had previously caught his attention, so he used this soul to spy on you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But he wonˇŻt do that anymore?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not if he has even the slightest intelligence. I can still destroy his soul. Besides, I have reason to believe the man who gave you the Ring is also the person who trapped the spiritˇŻs body. The spirit isnˇŻt exactly happy about that.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Did you volunteer me to fight people past Expert?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No. I made it very clear that once he was free, we would be through with each other. We would both be bound to not cause each other harm, you included, and to halt any similar actions made by others.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, when do I get to talk to him?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Give it a day. He had some extensive bindings on his soul, both from the Ring, and his own prison. I had to remove some of those bindings to allow him to speak to you like I do. However, if I did it suddenly, it would damage his soul. I just undid the bindings, they are coming undone gradually.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So by tomorrow?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Tomorrow.ˇŻ

    Alaster looked up and saw Aila waving him over. Walking closer, Alaster was able to see the man better. Nearly as tall as himself, the manˇŻs black hair would have covered half his eyes if he wasnˇŻt brushed back. He wore expensive clothing, but not flashy. The feeling Alaster got from the man, was that he was bored.

    ˇ°Alaster,ˇ± Aila spoke first, ˇ°This is Azemar. He will be your next and final teacher.ˇ±

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    Alaster looked sharply at her, ˇ°I thought you would be training me.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Once you learn a few basic principles, Magic is mostly just trial and error and practice. You know the principles now. I even noticed you learned a new Spell, though strangely, I canˇŻt see your Status anymore. Did you happen upon an Enchanted item perhaps?ˇ±

    ˇ®IˇŻm preventing anyone from peering into your soul. If they saw you, they would see me. Just agree with her.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Yes. Though its only use is blocking any identification.ˇ±

    ˇ°Rare, but useful.ˇ± Aila commented, ˇ°Oh! Before I forget. I promised you that I would collect information about Necromancy. So I went around to all the Necromancers, at least the ones that wouldnˇŻt attack me on sight, and asked them a bunch of questions. It is all compiled into this book.ˇ±

    Aila summoned the book, handing it over to Alaster. The young man looked at the heavy book but put it into his Ring. He would have time to read it later. But for now, he had a new Teacher that he should introduce himself to.

    ˇ°Hello, I am Alaster. I guess I am in your care.ˇ±

    The man scoffed, ˇ°First, never admit your own ignorance, but never be arrogant. Let the enemy discover how stupid you are, donˇŻt tell them yourself.

    Second, you are not in my care, you are at my mercy. And I am still unsure if you are worth my time.ˇ±

    Alaster hesitated, but quickly recovered, ˇ°What should I do to prove my worth?ˇ±

    The man held up three fingers, ˇ°I have countless people desperately begging to become my apprentice. My standards are the same for every one of them. Three tests. The tests differ between each one, you have already passed the first.ˇ±

    ˇ°And that was?ˇ±

    ˇ°Survive the Dungeon.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the second test?ˇ±

    ˇ°For that, you will have to follow me. Aila, you are dismissed.ˇ± He said, like he was waving away the help.

    ˇ°You know, it might help to be nicer.ˇ± Alaster spoke up, knowing that Aila wouldnˇŻt.

    ˇ°Not for her.ˇ± He said, turning and walking away, ˇ°Come along then.ˇ±

    Alaster looked towards Aila, but she simply waved him towards the man with a calm smile.

    Alaster jogged to catch up, ˇ°What did you mean by that?ˇ±

    ˇ°She and Richter, who I have been informed, was also your teacher, both fall into a tier of power that can easily be disregarded.ˇ±

    ˇ°Stronger than Experts? So then you must be even stronger.ˇ± Alaster than noticed that Azemar was walking towards the main gate of the city. They were leaving the city.

    ˇ°No. In fact, they are both much stronger.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then what do you mean?ˇ±

    He sighed, ˇ°After Experts, the title is Master. However, Aila and Richter, despite having the power to destroy even a hundred people of my strength, both fear me. For one simple reason, IˇŻm more skilled than they are.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°No doubt, Richter told you power comes from Resistances. He certainly had to rely on them, and while they are useful, they are not power. Aila certainly told you that creative and strong Magic were power. And while it makes her a difficult foe, she is also wrong.

    Both rose to become Masters by relying on their individual strength. That is all. One against one, they have a strong likelihood of ripping my head off. But we Summoners donˇŻt fight duels. We fight wars.ˇ±

    They had reached the broken gate. What lay beyond stunned him. Dozens, perhaps even a hundred, men and women stood in neat rows, each using a different weapon and style. But what caught his attention was the liberal amount of blood that painted their otherwise pristine weapons and armor, and the source was evident.

    All around them, most laying in pieces, hundreds, maybe even thousands of monsters. Some weak enough for Novices, some strong enough to even threaten teams of Experts. The men and women must have been extremely powerful Experts, perhaps even reaching this new tier of power, Masters.

    ˇ°How many serve you?ˇ± Alaster breathed, not quite believing his eyes.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be fooled. These are not living creatures. They are just empty suits of armor. They are called Living Armors, and I can create and control them.ˇ±

    ˇ°You made all this armor?ˇ± Alaster looked up in wonder.

    ˇ°No. I have people to do that for me. But they simply made normal armor, high quality armor, made of equally high-quality materials, but still just plain armor. I gave them a semblance of life. Similar to your Undead. And as to your earlier questions, I can control several hundred such Armors.ˇ±

    ˇ°No wonder Aila didnˇŻt dare to argue with you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh thatˇŻs not why. She could defeat all of my Armors. The reason she fears me is because of how well I can use them, nor am I a weak foe either. I am the City Defender of Galmore.ˇ±

    ˇ°Galmore, the Independent City? No one has heard from that city in over a hundred years.ˇ±

    ˇ°And no one shall for another five. All the Kingdoms will send their strongest to conquer the S Rank Dungeon, only then will they see us. They will act surprised that we have continued to survive against the constant hordes of Monsters bearing down on us. Then after the Dungeon is conquered, we will all go our separate ways and they wonˇŻt hear from us until the next Dungeon opening. Get in.ˇ± Azemar summoned a large carriage.

    It was made out of wood and iron, but there were no wheels, no rigging for any creature to pull it. Regardless, Azemar opened the door and walked in, sitting down on one of the seats. Alaster entered right after, closing the door behind him.

    The ceiling was high enough that even with his abnormal height, Alaster didnˇŻt have to duck. The interior was surprisingly simple, yet comfortable. The two seats, at either end of the carriage and running the width of it, were soft and distant from one another. With plenty of legroom, it was certainly a comfortable place to sit.

    ˇ°You carry around your own mobile room? IˇŻve done something similar, just it was just six walls made of bone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shut up and watch.ˇ± Azemar said, laying across his seat and closing his eyes.

    Within moments, Alaster heard a faint humming, runes that had otherwise blended into the walls began to faintly glow. And then, the floor moved. Alaster moved aside the small curtain over an equally small window and saw the ground was a lot more distant than he was familiar with.

    ˇ°Is this entire thing flying?ˇ±

    Without looking up or opening his eyes, Azemar responded, ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about your Living Armors?ˇ±

    ˇ°I have them.ˇ±

    Alaster certainly hadnˇŻt seen him collect them, but he could do something similar with his [Soul Domain], so Alaster didnˇŻt doubt the man.

    ˇ°Where are we going?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻll take four days to reach our destination, get comfortable.ˇ±

    ˇ°This thing will fly for four days?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻll fly for an entire week straight if I need it to do so. Now shut up and let me sleep.ˇ±

    By now, the carriage was several hundred feet above the ground and moving through the air faster than any galloping horse. Alaster sat down and closed his eyes.

    ˇ®What day is it?ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 106- FIFTEENTH YEAR

    Evelyn was overwhelmed. She had thought she had grown accustomed to the chaos of Noble parties. She had certainly attended enough of them. But the preparations for this latest party put all the rest to shame. The preparations had already been going on for an entire week. It was only made worse that it was all for her.

    Evelyn was turning fifteen tonight.

    While the actual birthday celebration would only be held with her closest friends, the party was open to a much larger audience. From what she could see, at least two hundred people were invited. Even more would likely show up.

    She loved the attention. She didnˇŻt need any of it, she would be just as happy without the big party, but she did enjoy it. But regardless of how happy she was, there was an undercut of hurt and pain.

    Her family werenˇŻt going to be there. Evelyn had finally taken LukeˇŻs advice and sent a letter to her family. Then another. And another. Until she was sending one every week. But she never received a reply. One month prior, she had personally invited her family, but she had not heard anything back.

    The young girl wore a bright smile at all the servants and well-wishers, but Luke knew her too well. He could see how hurt she was. She had practically been abandoned by her family. He knew that. But now, on the eve of her most important night, she realized it as well.

    Luke tried doing everything he could to cheer her up, which while all his antics and gestures were sweet and made her happy, didnˇŻt dull the pain. Just made it easier to mask.

    She just couldnˇŻt understand how the family from her memories could ignore her in such a way. Especially her brother. He had always been there for her. He didnˇŻt like noise, but he always listened to her talk about her day, even if it was the same as the day before.

    In the blink of an eye, the sun had begun to set, dying the sky beautiful colors of red and purple. Bathing the world in shadow. The guests would begin arriving any moment now.

    Evelyn sat at her desk, looking at the mirror in front of her as her maid combed her hair.

    ˇ°What Class are you hoping for?ˇ± The maid asked, she knew of the pain, though not what caused it, and was hoping to distract her.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. Preferably a healer.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really? Why a healer?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because while everyone is fighting, I can help them, protect them, save them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Healer Classes are rare, even more so at the Novice Level.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know, but one can hope, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hope is a wonderful thing, just be prepared for something else. You might not get a Healer Class, but maybe you will have the option to become one for your Adept Class?ˇ±

    Evelyn smiled. She knew all of this already, numerous people telling her the same thing.

    The rest of the time getting ready was spent with the two girls talking about the party. Everything from their favorite desserts to gossip about those invited.

    Evelyn walked through the halls, her heels clacking against the polished stone. The halls were filled with servants rushing about. The celebration had already begun. All of the food and drink was prepared in the kitchens near the ballroom, but there was still plenty for the other servants to do. Yet despite how rushed they were, they all made sure to stop and bow or curtsy to her before resuming.

    The guests all came through the entrance hall, being announced as they entered. But Evelyn was led to the rear doors. There she would be announced, and the party would officially begin.

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    The guest announcer regally shouted out the names, but EvelynˇŻs announcer pounded a staff down twice, the deep thumps resounding through the ballroom and drawing everyoneˇŻs attention. Even the servants carrying refreshments stopped and looked.

    ˇ°Announcing the Lady Evelyn!ˇ±

    The large doors opened, and Evelyn walked through before descending the stairs. The guests politely clapped, though Evelyn couldnˇŻt spot anyone she knew. Most of those attending were simply there to play their political game. Evelyn knew this and expected it. She also knew how to play them in her favor.

    From the top of the stairs, the decorated ballroom was truly beautiful. Everything had been freshly polished, reflecting the ample light from the countless Mage Lights. Every Lady was dressed in beautiful gowns, while the Lords wore handsome suits. Guards in gleaming polished armor stood at each column, armed and ready to keep the peace should anything happen.

    Even Luke was present, wearing a white suit accented with regal red. He met her halfway down the stairs, offering his arm. She had been tutored in Noble Etiquette. She gracefully took his arm and together they walked down to the ballroom floor. He looked over at her with a bright smile.

    They had practiced for this night and were ready. The lessons had been awkward. And had left both of them with bruises and limps.

    Musicians began playing, filling the room with music that caused Evelyn to imagine a fairy dancing through the warm forest. Together, the two young people danced in the center of the room. So together and graceful that it appeared as if they were hovering, merely brushing across the ground.

    Evelyn loved dancing. The graceful dancing of the Nobility as well as the emotional dancing of the commoners. She let her mind wonder, yet never looked away from Luke.

    All too soon, the music ended, and the spectators clapped once more. This time with more enthusiasm.

    ˇ®Perhaps they were impressed?ˇŻ

    The two youngsters were immediately swarmed by their peers and friends while the adults continued to talk amongst themselves.

    Evelyn found herself dragged away by the girls while Luke talked with the boys.

    ˇ°Oh, my gods, you are so beautiful! And you danced so well.ˇ± Holly squealed, bouncing on her feet.

    Evelyn smiled. Even with her pain still present, it was hard to not be infected by her friendˇŻs pure joy. Joy for her.

    ˇ°Are you and Lord Redmond engaged yet?ˇ± One of the other girls asked. Evelyn recognized her as Lady Alice, the daughter of a weak Noble Family, but stout allies of Duke Redmond.

    EvelynˇŻs face turned red, ˇ°No. Besides, I am of commoner blood.ˇ±

    Another young lady scoffed, ˇ°Perhaps before, but I promise you, after that dance, not one of the adults think of you as such.ˇ±

    A smaller girl spoke up, ˇ°She will still have to be careful when she gets engaged to Lord Redmond. Some will attempt to use her commoner blood to attack both her and Luke.ˇ±

    Evelyn opened her mouth to object but realized it wouldnˇŻt help. To the girls, She and Luke might as well have already been officially engaged.

    She was not against the idea, but it was too soon. Even if such an idea was accepted, it would not be proposed until both of them were for at least sixteen, not announced until they were seventeen, nor would they actually be married until they were twenty.

    The party continued until the clock struck eleven. During which, Evelyn was escorted from Noble group to Noble group. She was introduced to dozens of people, she only remembered a few of their names, but with each group, she did her best to impress, both for herself and for the Redmonds.

    Only a few people stuck out among the others. A few others were fellow students of the Academy, though Evelyn hadnˇŻt met them. They were all older, so that wasnˇŻt very surprising. However, as she had expected, many of the Nobles attempted to poach her from the Redmond family.

    These poachers had at least wizened up. They had stopped trying to offer riches or titles and were instead offering special tutors, trainers, and even party members that would help her level up. Though a few had still offered riches, enchanted items, even land.

    When the bells struck eleven, the large front doors were opened, and servants politely ushered the few remaining guests out. As the last one left, Evelyn, Luke, Holly, Adam, and the Redmonds were escorted into the EstateˇŻs Dining Room.

    There, they were offered light refreshments while they talked amongst themselves. The DukeˇŻs wife, Sofia, rebuked the children a few times for crude jokes, or acting unladylike. Duke Redmond watched silently as the children excitedly made jokes with a light smile on his face.

    Times like this, made all the horrible things he had done seem worth it.

    The clock hand hit twelve, causing the bell to ring, interrupting the conversation. Everyone turned to Evelyn, but there was only confusion.

    ˇ°I guess that clock is a little fast.ˇ± Duke Redmond chuckled, causing everyone to laugh as well.

    Only moments later, Evelyn looked up sharply.

    ˇ°Its happening!ˇ± She exclaimed.

    [Receiving your Class in ten seconds. Be prepared.]

    [Congratulations. You have received the Class: Sin Binder]

 CHAPTER 107- SECOND TEST

    Alaster spent the four days meditating. He only lasted an hour on the first day in complete silence, doing nothing, and had finally asked Azemar what day it was. The Dungeon had scrambled his internal calendar.

    His sisterˇŻs fifteenth birthday was the day he exited the Iron Ruins Dungeon. He had known he most likely would, but it still hurt. Five years later, and she was still a prisoner.

    ˇ®I wonder what her Class is. With her Special Constitution, would it have influenced her Class?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Highly probable. Special Constitutions are not something System related.ˇŻ Sedall explained.

    Alaster had been suspicious of the new disembodied voice at first, but the spirit had proven its worth very quickly. Now, Alaster knew the general situation of all but two Kingdoms. Sedall didnˇŻt like Hason. ˇ®Too hotˇŻ, apparently.

    However, he had actively avoided Zalar. In fact, according to Sedall, almost all the Demigods avoided Zalar. Unlike the rest of the Kingdoms, Demigods were common knowledge among the Nobility of Zalar. In addition, Zalar as a whole had alarms that the Demigods would set off if they crossed into Zalarian borders.

    That alone wouldnˇŻt have been able to deter the Demigods. According to Sedall, the vast majority of ZalarˇŻs military, were Golems, very powerful and intricate Golems. And yet, they were still not strong enough to even be a threat. But they were enough to cause injury, if enough of the Golems attacked.

    To Alaster, that wasnˇŻt enough of a reason to avoid a place. But it seemed to him that the Demigods had grown so used to being unparalleled that they feared losing that illusion. Though he didnˇŻt say that to Sedall, he was quite proud of being a Demigod, one of the strongest according to himself.

    Unfortunately, other than that, Sedall didnˇŻt know anything about Zalar. Hason was only a little better. Sedall simply didnˇŻt like the environment. He was not partial to the culture either, but he was not against it.

    Alaster himself was not sure how he felt about it. On one hand, eight out of ten people in Hason were slaves, and Alaster did not like the thought of taking away someoneˇŻs freewill. But on the other hand, they had an extremely powerful military and the strongest economy and trade on the entire continent.

    Alaster knew he would not enslave someone, but he was not so sure about purchasing a slave. Especially a criminal slave, who had been enslaved for committing certain crimes, such as murder.

    Most Nations had slavery of some kind, but Hason was the most well known for their slave trade. In Lissura, murderers and repeat thieves were the most common slaves, though the crime itself would be dependent on the community.

    Alaster still remembered an event back when he was still living happily with his family in their village of Pinefall. One of the farmers had gotten drunk and attacked another, the resulting attack had crippled the victim until a wondering healer repaired the damage. To pay for the healing, the drunkard was sold into slavery.

    Despite his moral obligations, he could not argue the practical uses. It was much cheaper to have a workforce of slaves. With free workers, proper shelter, food, and funds had to be procured. But with slaves, you could order them to sleep in the dirt and give them scraps. Other people might look at you poorly, but there wasnˇŻt technically anything wrong with it.

    In addition, many slaves lived just as well as Free Citizens. With comfortable lodgings and good food.

    And, unlike Free Citizens, slaves were unable to betray their masters. Any command their masters gave the slave, if they didnˇŻt obey, their slave collar would inflict great pain until they obeyed. The same would occur if the slave attempted to give any information on their master without the masterˇŻs express permission.

    However, the collar was unable to truly force the slave. It could only provide a reason to obey. And the collar didnˇŻt care about the health of the slave. The actual damage it inflicted was negligible by most, but it was not unheard of for a slave to be killed by their collar.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Alaster could certainly see the use of owning a slave, especially a combat slave, at least for someone in his situation. But he didnˇŻt need even that. With his Undead, while they werenˇŻt the best, they could still do everything he ordered them to do. At least for now.

    Alaster shook his head of these thoughts. He needed to focus on meditating. According to Belgroth, [Meditation] had many more uses than simply Mana Regeneration. Of course, Alaster already knew that. He had meditated to calm himself down many times.

    Meditation cleared the mind, allowing the user much greater ease in perceiving certain things. However, Belgroth refused to specify what sort of things. Alaster was meditating to work on that, but the real reason was to calm himself after finding out he had missed his sisterˇŻs fifteenth birthday.

    When the flying carriage landed four days later, Alaster opened the door and peered out. Wide rocky plains stretched out. On the horizon, in front of him, Alaster could see the distant mountains still capped with snow and ice. Behind him, Alaster could see the tips of a dense forest.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt stand in the door.ˇ± Azameer kicked Alaster in the back, throwing the young man out of the way. Alaster held out a hand and flipped, landing on his feet.

    ˇ°Where are we?ˇ± he asked, brushing himself off.

    ˇ°In the non-contested zone. Roughly one hundred miles due south of Onigas. I believe you spent some time there.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do you know?ˇ± Alaster asked, more confused than hostile.

    ˇ°Because I have agents everywhere.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, what are we doing here? I thought we were headed to Galmore.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. I have yet to find out if you are a worthwhile apprentice. But I already know you are powerful. Until I am sure of you, I wonˇŻt risk bringing a potential threat to my city.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your city? So, you are the City Lord?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I am more of the protector of the city. The governing and management of Galmore is operated by the rightful City Lord. I am there to keep them honest and competent. As well as deal with any threats that the City Military canˇŻt handle or would be too costly to handle.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, what are we doing here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Your second test. This is actually a two-part lesson. Part one, donˇŻt leave things unfinished.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°A little less than two years ago, a LordˇŻs people were slaughtered while he was away hunting. Despite his best efforts, he couldnˇŻt capture the ones who had done it. So, he trained, he planned, and he fought. When he was ready, and the opportunity presented itself, he ambushed the ones who had slaughtered his people. But once again, they got away.

    He learned from both battles. Since then, he has been building an army, training both them and himself. The army has risen to reach unprecedented numbers and strength.ˇ±

    ˇ°And I am supposed to defeat them?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is correct.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°You said to never leave things unfinished. So, whose mess am I cleaning up?ˇ±

    Azameer stared deep into AlasterˇŻs eyes, ˇ°Yours.ˇ±

    Alaster opened his mouth to speak, but Azameer was faster.

    ˇ°You made a sworn enemy of a Goblin Lord, and then just decided to ignore it. Making it a threat to everyone. The army it has built, while not capable of capturing a city of trained soldiers, is plenty significant enough to be a threat regardless.

    If the Lord decided to, it could raze every village and small town in his path. And all because you decided to piss it off and then walk away.ˇ±

    ˇ°Its an army of Goblins, how can they be that dangerous to Experts?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they arenˇŻt Goblins anymore. DonˇŻt you know anything about Monster Evolution?ˇ±

    ˇ°What? No. ThatˇŻs a thing?ˇ±

    ˇ®Crap. I would have taught you that if I knew you didnˇŻt already know it.ˇŻ Sedall commented quickly.

    Azameer sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, ˇ°Monsters, when they grow strong enough, are capable of evolving into a different Race. Goblins, can evolve into Hobgoblins. Devious and cruel creatures. Only slightly smaller and weaker than a standard Human, but they are smart enough to use complex weapons, place traps, set up ambushes, and even use poisons.

    They are even capable of making their own settlements and forge their own weapons and armor. One such settlement is within the Independent Region.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why havenˇŻt you destroyed it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they leave the Human settlements alone. There is a bit of an uneasy truce there. Which is also why I am unable to wipe out this LordˇŻs army. Despite them being separate from each other and would even fight, the Hob City would use its destruction as cause for war.

    But thatˇŻs a different issue. This army is not just Goblins and Hobgoblins, but Ogres, Bugbears, even Kobolds and Trolls. Each one is surprisingly well trained, disciplined, and even better equipped.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, what am I supposed to do against all that?ˇ±

    Azameer looked into the distance, ˇ°The first test proved your survivability. This second test will prove your might.ˇ± He looked back at the young man, ˇ°Leave none standing.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where are they?ˇ±

    ˇ°Encamped six miles east.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs their reason for being there?ˇ±

    ˇ°I believe they are attempting to align themselves with the Hob City. If you canˇŻt wipe out the army, this must be prevented at all costs.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood. Am I correct in assuming that you are going to leave me now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. I will be watching, but I will not interfere. If you die, its just proof that you were not worth my time.ˇ±

    With that, Azameer climbed back into the carriage and flew off, disappearing into the sparse clouds.

    ˇ®Such a lovely day.ˇŻ Alaster thought, summoning his Stallion, ˇ®Shame it has to be stained by blood.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 108- OLD ENEMIES

    As Alaster rode towards the LordˇŻs army he observed his surroundings, plotting different strategies and methods of attack. The hills were rocky, with numerous cliffs, though none were taller than thirty feet. Taller than the Ogres or Trolls could climb, though depending of the weapons, if any, they used, they might still be able to reach the tops.

    Alaster considered releasing his Undead, but the larger the force, the easier it would be for the enemy to spot. Right now, they didnˇŻt know Alaster was approaching, nor that he had the intention to attack them.

    That allowed him much greater ease with scouting. And the more he knew about his enemy, the easier it would be to destroy them.

    Cresting a hill, Alaster finally spotted them. Despite how Azameer described them, they were still Monsters. A Human army, and Alaster suspected Dwarven and Elven as well, would build defenses and shelters once they came to a stop. But this army didnˇŻt do either.

    The army numbered perhaps around a thousand. A staggering number, if they were affected by the System. But while it was still a number worthy of respect and even fear, not nearly as much as Adepts would have. If any of the Monsters had access to Spells or other Abilities, they would be few and far between. The Monsters would only have their own physical might.

    The little greenery that could survive in the rocky hills was all torn up from the countless feet and claws that trod over it.

    There was a very clear hierarchy, that seemed to be based simply on size and strength. Goblins, Wolves, and what looked to be large rats were at the edges, avoiding the three meter tall Trolls and the four meter tall Ogres. There were only a few dozen of the larger Monsters, but their strength could not be ignored.

    The trolls were smaller and weaker than the Ogres, but they could regenerate from their wounds at a visible rate, and they were more agile, if only slightly. Their hairy backs, head, and chests were highly flammable, and fire halted their regeneration.

    Past the larger monsters, of which Alaster also spotted three large Bears, standing at least four meters tall, Alaster saw the core of the army. It was comprised of Bugbears, and Hobgoblins.

    Unlike their weaker cousins, Hobgoblins stood straight and powerful, the heads reaching the necks of most Humans. They were strong and fast, capable of using even complex weapons with precision and accuracy. He could even spot most of the Hobgoblins wielding large powerful looking bows.

    The few Hobgoblins and all the Bugbears wore dull but strong looking armor and wielded a variety of melee weapons.

    At the center of the large rough circle, Alaster spotted two dozen Hobgoblins, all as tall as Humans, a few likely even taller. They stood proud, wearing heavy polished armor, in disciplined lines. Surrounded by these powerful Hobgoblins, upon a crude throne, was the Goblin Lord.

    Though the title did not suit it anymore. It was no longer a Goblin. It was a Hobgoblin, and with the light armor it wore, and the staff leaning against the throne, it could use Magic.

    Alaster did not know what it was doing, whether it was napping, or it was plotting. He could not see that well at that distance.

    Turning away from the army, Alaster observed the terrain. The battle that was about to happen would be too large for a single choke point. The numerous cliffs sections areas, while others just overlooked areas. The rocks were numerous, but not enough that Alaster was worried about footing.

    Alaster ducked behind the hill and walked back to his Stallion. Climbing up, he rode a hundred meters away before summoning all his available Undead. They marched out of his SummonerˇŻs Ring and [Soul Domain] or fading into existence.

    The Sergeants immediately got to work silently organizing their Undead Soldiers while the Lieutenant watched from behind. The other Summoned Undead, without a commander or orders, stood there like statues.

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    Within mere moments, Alaster had organized lines of one hundred seventeen Undead. All of whom were much stronger than the average Goblin. Working together in small groups, Alaster suspected they wouldnˇŻt have much of an issue with the Trolls, Ogres, and Bugbears.

    The Hobgoblins, however, were completely unknown to him. He had heard about them of course, but he didnˇŻt have firsthand experience with them. It did not ease the young manˇŻs mind that they were all almost exclusively archers.

    Against the thousand of Monsters he was about to piss off, a mere one hundred seemed tiny and foolish. But Necromancers became much more powerful as the battle progressed. And Alaster wasnˇŻt some fragile Mage. He was a Lord of Death. And it was time to rain it down on the enemy.

    Alaster positioned the Undead around the hills and cliffs. Once he was satisfied with it, he rode forward, cresting the hill. He was immediately spotted, but his Magic was already soaring through the air.

    Three maximum powered [Dead Bomb] descended on the horde of Goblins. Dozens were vaporized, more injured. A mere drop in the bucket, but his goal had been accomplished.

    Their attention was completely on him, and they swarmed toward him as he retreated back down the hill, his [Meditation] already recovering his spent Mana. His Undead separated to let his Stallion pass before quickly remaking the lines.

    The Goblins, Trolls, and Ogres were not far behind him. Nor did they falter upon seeing the Undead. It only seemed to frenzy them more than they already were.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead braced their spears, leaning into them. His ranged Undead began loosing their arrows. The single Heavy Bowmen Undead was the slowest to fire, but its heavy and large arrows caused even the fat Ogres to stumble, clearly injured.

    Once in range, the Skirmisher also began throwing its javelins. They were inaccurate, but even the Goblins that were not killed were missing large chunks. And the Trolls hit by the javelins were staggered.

    But against the swarm of Monsters coming at them, the few projectiles did little. Alaster readied his [Horde Legion] Bonus. Ready to cast it once the Monsters clashed with his Undead.

    The Goblins were better equipped, with actual spears tipped in what looked like crude bronze and wearing thick furs. The Trolls had their sensitive hair cut short, which would help against fire, but not entirely. Their sharp claws didnˇŻt need a weapon. And the Ogres wore hides over their fatty bodies and carried large branches that might have been tree trunks.

    The Goblins, much faster than the larger Monsters, pulled ahead and were the first to engage. Three ranks of Goblins were impaled on the spears before their momentum halted. The spears were pulled back, dropping the corpses, before they were pushed forward once more, thrusting into the mass of Goblins stopped by the large shields.

    For a moment, it was an organized chaos, but then the Trolls arrived, crashing into the line, and disrupting it. There were no more clear lines.

    Alaster ordered his Summoned Soldiers forward and began casting [Necrotic Bolt] into the mess. From the cliffs above, the Mage and newly summoned archers began to rain down on the Monsters. Within moments, more Goblins had taken a different path that took them up to the ranged Undead, only to face the Melee Summoned Undead, minus the soldiers.

    Within just a few minutes, the battle had extended to encompass several cliffs and the areas below and around.

    It was the perfect time for [Horde Legion], which Alaster capitalized on. Goblins stood up again, grabbing their weapons and lunging at their once comrades. Trolls stood up, some still burning from AlasterˇŻs fiery bolts. Ogres once again grabbed their clubs, even with their intestines spilling out.

    It was turning in AlasterˇŻs favor, but it was not a victory. The Core of the Monster Army had not arrived yet.

    Just as Alaster thought this, a volley of arrows announced their arrival. The arrows slammed into the mess of combat, slamming into the Undead with incredible accuracy. Very few arrows hit the still living Monsters. Despite piercing weapons having minimal effect on the Undead, Alaster saw a few of the Legion fall once more.

    Alaster looked atop a cliff across the small valley, seeing orderly off set lines of Hobgoblin archers, already nocking another volley.

    In the middle of the cliff and staring right back, Alaster saw the Hoblord, standing there with its staff, surrounded by its bodyguards.

    It stared back at Alaster calmly, but Alaster could sense the rage hidden behind its eyes. It raised its staff. Alaster could sense the Mana moving to strengthen and reinvigorate its allies, focusing on the Hobgoblins.

    Only a moment later, a stream of Bugbears charged down into the valley, slamming into the conflict, even at the cost of several living Goblins being trampled underneath.

    Another volley was released, to be matched by AlasterˇŻs own volley of [Necrotic Bolt]. Similar numbers fell on either side. AlasterˇŻs own army was constantly refreshed by more of the fallen.

    Alaster suspected that this battle would be decided on who had more Mana, or who had more Monsters.

    ˇ°LetˇŻs settle this feud, shall we?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 109- BLOODY FEUD

    Alaster dove into the battle. Atop his black skeletal stallion, he swung his heavy poleaxe, cleaving through multiple foes with each swing. His Expert Level Strength made it easy.

    His second mind rained down [Necrotic Bolt] after [Necrotic Bolt]. Each cast summoned thirteen of the sickly bolts, and each bolt could be passed onto others if the melting flesh splashed onto them. Faces were melted off, their screams turning wet and horrid.

    AlasterˇŻs third mind focused on rebuilding, resummoning, and buffing the Undead. It was struggling to keep up, but as Alaster fought, more of the Monsters converged on him, freeing up some of the Undead further away.

    Nearly five hundred Undead clashed against a thousand Monsters. Goblins died in droves, but more filled the empty space, or if there was no space, they climbed over the corpses of their fallen.

    The longer the battle went on, the more advantageous the situation would be for Alaster. The Hob King knew that. It also knew that the Undead would vanish or fall apart the moment Alaster died.

    Raising its staff in the air, it conjured a fireball larger than a person. Alaster cut through four more Goblins and noticed the incoming attack. Too late.

    It exploded into him, hurling him twenty feet into the air and crashing into a cliff face. But his Undead didnˇŻt fall. They continued to fight. Even more, they seemed angry. Ignoring defense, they tore into the flesh of their enemy.

    The Minotaurs used their shields as battering rams to knock down the Trolls and Ogres, allowing others to hack into their eyes and throats. The Blackguards marched forward as one, thrusting into their foes before moving onto the next, stepping on the fallen to end their miserable lives.

    The [Horde Legion] fell in droves, only slightly more powerful than the Monsters that they rose from. Yet they replenished their own numbers. They took to throwing their spears into the enemy before charging in with bone claws. If they survived, they simply repeated it.

    Four Minotaurs crowded around AlasterˇŻs crumpled form, boxing him in with their shields. Monsters swarmed over the Undead in an attempt to reach the downed Mage, but the Minotaurs prioritized guarding their master, standing resolute and unwavering.

    But Alaster did not notice this. All he felt was his skin melting. His armor glowed from the heat, continuing to burn his body. It was agonizing, yet as quickly as his flesh melted, it regenerated. [Last Stand] and [Regeneration] had activated, followed shortly by [Pain Tolerance], removing his sense of pain for a single minute.

    Alaster stood up on weak legs, his chest popping into place with a disturbing crack. The Pact Armor cooled quickly, repairing the damage.

    He had nearly died. A single blow had nearly killed him. He knew that. He had grown up thinking Experts were unkillable titans. That delusion was quickly shattered, and yet, he was smiling.

    In just twenty seconds, his Mana was refilled completely. And for ten minutes, it would regenerate just as quickly.

    A sickly feeling radiated out from Alaster, causing the Monsters attacking the protective Minotaurs to grow weaker and nauseous.

    As one, the four Minotaurs crouched down, turning their shields sideways. Over three dozen fiery green bolts flew over them, carving into the flesh of the Monsters.

    The Minotaurs surged forward, making room for their master.

    Three [Dead Bombs] materialized over AlasterˇŻs head, using [Mana Manipulation], he changed their shape, giving them a spiral pointed head. He hurled cast them into the sky.

    The Hob King watched from its cliff, thinking its sworn enemy had received brain damage from its attack. Until the three bombs plummeted back to earth, creating explosions of corrosive Necrotic Mana that exceeded the range and radius of its own attack. An attack it had been cultivating for use against this particular foe.

    Before it knew it, another six such attacks were unleashed upon its army, reducing his carefully collected soldiers into naught but bone, and leaving the Undead untouched.

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    Alaster continued to summon [Dead Bomb] after [Dead Bomb]. With his temporally increased Mana Regeneration, the Mana used was returned before the first Bomb went off.

    Even frenzied, the Monsters felt fear claw into their minds, crushing their hearts. Many fled, but even more froze, unable to make their bodies move.

    Those in groups were wiped out by Bombs, but those by themselves were executed by [Mana Tendril] as he walked past. It was still weak, unusable in combat, but against fragile foes who had given up, it worked just as well. Each one was met with the sharp, jagged point of the Tendril being driven through their hearts.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead surrounded the cliff where the Hob King and his bodyguards watched the execution of their army, unable to escape.

    His stallion had been destroyed by the attack, but Alaster simply raised it again using Blueprint. Fragments of bones flew from the countless corpses around, molding themselves into the proper shape, size, and position.

    With the structure of the stallion created, Alaster lifted himself into the saddle and slowly rode towards the cliff, even as the StallionˇŻs bones were darkening, slowly becoming stronger and more durable.

    Cresting the hill, and looking over the ranks of his Blackguards and Undead Soldiers, Alaster saw the Hobgoblin warriors in a tight circle their Lord in the middle. The warriorsˇŻ attention was on the Undead, but the Lord didnˇŻt dare look away from AlasterˇŻs eyes.

    Several of the Hob warriors looked at Alaster, and backed up as much as they could.

    Atop a large black Skeletal Stallion, an equally large man in cruel black armor with glowing red eyes, wielding a Halberd, and a tail of sharp Mana flicking around, as if begging to kill.

    Atop the hill, they had seen exactly how this armored man had cut through swaths of their army. They had cheered when their LordˇŻs magic sent him flying, only to stare with wide eyes as the man stood back up, seemingly more annoyed than hurt, before he singlehandedly wiped out their army.

    They had seen the deserters be chased and cut down by his Undead. They had seen him walk through the altered and bloody battlefield as if he was taking a casual stroll through a park, emotionlessly executing those too scared to flee.

    And now, that same man stood before them. The helmet covered his face, but they could tell, he saw this entire battle as beneath him. He looked at them from atop his steed with contempt.

    How shocked they would be to discover he was merely wondering what he would eat for lunch.

    Alaster already considered the battle to be over. He had won. Now, he simply wished to sit down and look over his gains while eating a warm meal.

    ˇ®Perhaps a stew? I am getting tired of dried and roasted meat. Oooh, freshly baked bread, with melted butter and powdered garlic, paired with a hot beef and potatoes soup!ˇŻ

    While Alaster was daydreaming about lunch, Belgroth and Sedall could only roll their nonexistent eyes.

    ˇ®Oh, right. Azameer told me not to leave any loose ends. Time to end this feud.ˇŻ

    Alaster ordered his Undead forward with a mere wave of his hand. He watched with bored eyes as the Hobgoblin Warriors fought with everything they had, even pushing back the Minotaurs with pure strength. But they were simply too outnumbered.

    Alaster watched the Hobgoblin King attempt one last spell, before an arrow, loosed from an Undead Longbowman, cut through its throat.

    It fell to the ground with a wet gurgle. Its blood joining the pool already forming.

    When the final Hobgoblin fell, Alaster ordered his stallion forward. Uncaring for the bodies beneath its hooves, it stomped its way forward, breaking bones and crushing ribcages.

    Alaster stopped just before the Hob King. The scar over one of its eyes, melted from a previous encounter with a [Necrotic Bolt] confirmed it as the same Goblin Lord that had attacked him twice only a few years ago.

    ˇ®I really have grown.ˇŻ

    But the King was not dead quite yet, though it was only an inch away from it. It glared at Alaster with hatred burning in its dimming eye. Alaster only looked down at it before he put the point of his halberd through the heart of the pathetic creature, uncaring enough to dismount.

    Azameer watched from his carriage high in the sky, hidden by the white clouds. He was impressed. The boy certainly had the might worthy of his teachings. He also had the mindset Azameer respected. A mindset of being thorough and merciless.

    He had watched as even in the midst of the melee, Alaster was still capable of commanding his Undead to encircle the Monsters, preventing them from fleeing. He had been able to keep a clear view of the state of battle and commanded his ranged Undead to move to avoid being destroyed, or specific targets to loose their arrows into.

    But he was also worried about the boy. The Mindset was commendable for war, which is what Azameer would teach. But the boy had embraced that mindset. He no longer saw Peace and War as two different things. Azameer doubted the boy even believed in Peace as a concept anymore.

    The boy had casually slaughtered those unwilling or unable to fight. Which for Monsters, was desired, but when his enemies would be other Humans, it would be problematic.

    When he had the enemy commander surrounded, he had not attempted to parley or end hostilities. He had simply butchered them, killing the commander personally.

    There was one last test Azameer had planned for the boy, and the methods would mean more than the outcome. Even if Alaster managed to defeat the foe. If the methods the boy took to accomplish it were not passable. Azameer would leave the boy, unwilling to teach him.

    And if needed, he would kill the boy to avoid a bigger danger in the future.

 CHAPTER 110- STEP-BY-STEP

    Alaster ordered his Undead to move through the battlefield, finishing off any surviving Monsters. He had been tasked to eliminate the Monster Army, and he would make sure he did it right.

    From atop a cliff, he watched his Undead glance at each corpse, occasionally driving their weapon into a body, and move on to the next.

    A shadow passed over him, and he looked up, watching the flying carriage float down. Alaster turned around and dismounted, sending his Stallion into his soul. The carriage came to a stop, hovering over a bloody corpse covered mud. The door opened revealing Azameer, but he didnˇŻt step into the bloody mud.

    ˇ°Get in. Clean off your boots.ˇ± He said, before turning around and sitting down.

    Alaster walked in, flicking off the mud from his boots beforehand. He sat down across from the man, dismissing his Pact Armor as he did. He leaned back against the soft couch with a tired sigh.

    ˇ°So, IˇŻve survived the Dungeon. IˇŻve destroyed an entire army of Monsters. WhatˇŻs the final test?ˇ±

    Azameer stared at the boy, pondering, ˇ°Recall your minions and we shall be on our way.ˇ±

    Alaster immediately made the order, using the Ring to open a portal outside the carriage. Only a few minutes passed before all his Undead were stored away, his Legion dropping where they stood and the Summoned Undead fading away.

    Azameer knew when Alaster was ready, and the carriage lifted off.

    ˇ°So, whatˇŻs the test?ˇ± Alaster asked shortly afterward.

    ˇ°You will figure it out when we get there.ˇ±

    ˇ°And that will be?ˇ± Alaster really wanted to take a nap.

    ˇ°Roughly an hour. Consolidate whatever you received from that last battle and recover whatever power you used.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed but did as suggested.

    [Class: Lord of the Dead

    Level: 65<67

    EXP: 36%<72%

    Health: 1,930/1,930<1,960/1,960

    Health Regeneration: 82/min<84/min

    Mana: 1,850/1,850<1,880/1,880

    Mana Regeneration: 92/min<96/min

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight, Seeker Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 267<271                    Wisdom*: 468<474

    Dexterity: 263<267                  Intelligence*: 350<356

    Constitution*: 366<372           Free Points: 0<20]

    ˇ®Two levels? Despite all those kills? Guess itˇŻs because of my already high level. Wait a minute, Belgroth, killing you only gave me eight levels. ThatˇŻs a lot, but these low-level Monsters, despite being so many, gave me two levels.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Your point?ˇŻ BelgrothˇŻs mountainous voice resounded in AlasterˇŻs head.

    ˇ®Well, doesnˇŻt that kinda diminish your own power? I mean, you claim to have killed Gods before. Sedall confirmed that to the best of his own ability. If all those Monsters gave me two levels, I would have thought that killing you would have earned me several dozen levels.ˇŻ

    Sedall spoke up, ˇ®There is a good reason for that. Every living thing understands some part of the secret to existence, no matter how small. The System analyses that and when a System User kills the creature, it copies that and implants it into the User.

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    However, the System is, as Belgroth has put it, only a crutch. It begins to lose effect after what the System designates as Level one hundred. As such, it is only able to analyze up to Level one hundred. Belgroth is so powerful that there simply isnˇŻt a lot under Level one hundred for the System to glean from.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, once I reach Level one hundred, it will stop working?ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    ˇ®Pretty much, but not quite. The System will grow more and more unreliable the stronger you become.ˇŻ

    ˇ®When should I expect that to happen?ˇŻ

    ˇ®DonˇŻt know. ItˇŻs all fairly relative. After all, you are insanely strong for an Expert, you could realistically kill one of the weaker beings over Level one hundred.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Really?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, but keep in mind that you certainly arenˇŻt the only one like that. There are plenty of powerful beings. And I can count on one hand the number of them that reached that strength without knowing exactly how to use it.ˇŻ Sedall confirmed.

    ˇ®ˇ­You donˇŻt have hands.ˇŻ Alaster said, struggling to keep the grin off his face.

    ˇ®IˇŻll have you know that I do have hands. And you know what I meant.ˇŻ

    Alaster put all twenty Free Points into Wisdom, bringing it up to four hundred ninety four points, just six points shy of the five hundred mark, where he would receive another Bonus. It also brought up his Mana Regeneration to one hundred.

    ˇ®Wow. One hundred Mana per minute.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That is impressive. That Bloodline is quite powerful.ˇŻ

    ˇ®The strongest!ˇŻ Belgroth boasted.

    ˇ®IˇŻve seen stronger.ˇŻ Sedall said, unimpressed.

    ˇ®What? Where?ˇŻ

    ˇ®ˇ­IˇŻd rather not talk about it.ˇŻ

    Alaster scowled; he could tell there was a story there. A serious one. However, he doubted he could get Sedall to tell it. So, he simply let it rest.

    ˇ®Come to think of it. The Bloodline says I should be immune to Fire Magic, yet I took serious damage from the Hob KingˇŻs Fire Ball.ˇŻ Alaster complained.

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs because it wasnˇŻt Fire Magic. At least not completely. That was of the Void School of Magic. Basically, creating portals to nowhere. Its typically used to create impossibly sharp blades that can cut through practically anything. But the Hob King didnˇŻt have enough control over it to do so. Instead, it just bundled up all that Magic and hurled it towards you.ˇŻ Sedall explained.

    ˇ®Why donˇŻt I exist anymore then?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because each living being generates an aura of Magic around themselves. This aura protects them, even if they donˇŻt know it. The stronger the Mage, the stronger the aura. ItˇŻs also why stronger Magic Users seem to age slower, eat and sleep less, and donˇŻt get sick from conventional illnesses. That aura was sufficient to blunt the practically uncontrolled Magic.ˇŻ Belgroth provided.

    ˇ®So, if the Hob King had more control over its Magic,ˇŻ

    ˇ®You would have ceased to exist.ˇŻ Sedall said bluntly, ˇ®Void Magic is one of the least understood Magics. Its also one of the more difficult to use and master. Had the Hob been able to do eitherˇ­ Azameer was right to be worried about it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Enough for the Demigods to intervene?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I doubt it, though I wouldnˇŻt be surprised. Other nations and individuals would have acted first. Its unlikely that the Hob would have survived to draw the DemigodsˇŻ attention.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You said that I drew the DemigodsˇŻ attention because I had drawn a GodˇŻs attention. Would there have been another reason?ˇŻ Alaster asked, hoping to remain as unknown to them as possible.

    ˇ®Unlikely. You are certainly unique and powerful enough to do so, but it is doubtful one of the Demigods would have noticed you among the millions of others they monitor.ˇŻ

    Turning back to his own Status, Alaster saw that several of his Abilities had leveled up. Some of them even evolving. However, there were only two Spells that he was interested in.

    [Mana Tendril

    Level 2<9: 23%<37%

    Form Mana into a Physical Tendril

    Max Tendril: 1

    Max Length: 2 Meter

    Mana Cost: 100/min]

    [Summon Undead Berserker

    Level 8<11: 81%<24%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 1/3

    Mana Cost: 50]

    Mana Tendril was now Level Nine. During the battle, Alaster had noticed when the Tendril was suddenly able to reach another meter away and believed that its range increased every five levels. If he was correct in his assumption, then he was only one level away from three meters. As Alaster had killed using it, he noticed the Tendril becoming stronger, faster, sharper, and thicker. He doubted he could still use it in actual combat, but he wasnˇŻt far off.

    Berserker had reached Level Ten, prompting Alaster to select another specialization.

    [Summon Undead Berserker Evolutions]

    [Level Ten Evolutions Available

    <ol>

    <li>Summon Undead Chieftain.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will move quicker.

    <ol start="2">

    <li>Summon Undead Blood Warrior.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be stronger.

    <ol start="3">

    <li>Summon Undead War Master.</li>

    </ol>

    Soldier will be more durable.]

    ˇ®Interesting. Suggestions?ˇŻ Alaster asked the potentially two most knowledgeable people in the known world.

    ˇ®Chieftain sounds like a type of commander unit. But you already have access to those, so perhaps itˇŻs a Undead capable of buffing others?ˇŻ Belgroth suggested.

    ˇ®Why guess? Just peer into the Mana of the System.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You can do that?ˇŻ Alaster asked Sedall.

    ˇ®Yeah. Its very faint so you will have to really look for it, but its possible. Once you can identify the SystemˇŻs Mana, you can track it and peer into what each option is. ItˇŻll only be a rough feeling and an image of the new Undead, but thatˇŻll be enough.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Seriously? Why isnˇŻt that common knowledge?ˇŻ Alaster asked, he could feel Belgroth agreeing.

    ˇ®Because it is so faint that only Experts have any real chance of finding it. Most people donˇŻt even get that chance. Plus, most people treat the System as some sort of divine guidance. Being able to identify it, will prove it as just a tool.ˇŻ Sedall explained.

    ˇ®Just another power move.ˇŻ Belgroth surmised.

    ˇ®Unfortunately.ˇŻ The Demigod confirmed.

    ˇ®How long will it take for me?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Ordinarily? A few days. With both of us guiding you? Maybe twenty minutes.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Will the System register it?ˇŻ Alaster asked, wondering if he would get a special Ability.

    ˇ®Possibly, but unlikely. At least not one that will show up on your Status. But with practice you should be able to ˇ®scanˇŻ people and items and get a general feeling of their strength and uses.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs amazing!ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not really,ˇŻ Belgroth countered, ˇ®Its only a rough feeling. Besides, thatˇŻs something we Argalon taught our children.ˇŻ

    Sedall sighed, ˇ®He is right. ItˇŻs a very basic technique. And this version will only work for people and items governed by the System.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, anyone under Master?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Pretty much.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So practically every single person on this continent?ˇŻ

    ˇ®ˇ­Yes.ˇŻ Sedall relented.

    ˇ®Still amazing. Wait, is this the technique that Richter and Aila were using to see my status?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Based on the same principles, but different. Their version is reliant on being much stronger than the person they are scanning. This version for you will be more general but will work on people stronger than you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Then letˇŻs get to work. We have less than an hour before we are at the third test.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 111- FINAL TEST

    The process of finding the SystemˇŻs Mana amongst the worldˇŻs natural stream was surprisingly easy. Alaster amounted that to his mental hitchhikers. Sedall knew the System very well, while Belgroth knew the world without the System.

    Despite its ease, it was a struggle to actually use it. When Alaster mentally touched the SystemˇŻs Mana, his mind was flooded with information, very little of it legible. Most of it was just random letters and numbers.

    Alaster found the Mana in just a few minutes, but actually becoming proficient enough to use it took nearly twenty minutes, and a headache. Even then, he couldnˇŻt use it for very long.

    The first thing Alaster did with it was look at the napping man across from him. Alaster was underwhelmed.

    Azameer was still much stronger than Alaster in every way possible, but not to such an impossible degree. If Alaster properly planned and prepared, he suspected he could defeat the man. Unfortunately, Azameer was the one that was supposed to teach Alaster how to do that. So, Alaster doubted he could create a plan that Azameer hadnˇŻt already considered and defended against.

    The next use for this new technique was studying his own Magic, or more specifically, his options for Undead Berserker.

    He had three options. Chieftain, Blood Warrior, and War Master. Closing his eyes and using the technique he decided to simply call Identify, Alaster was able to ˇ®seeˇŻ what the options would look like as well as their capabilities.

    The Chieftain was a little smaller than the Berserker, but as Belgroth had thought, it was capable of providing Buffs, but only to other Undead from the Berserker Line. The Chieftain could make them faster, stronger, or more durable, but only one at a time. They wore a loose thin cloth shirt in addition to what the Berserker wore and used a single battleaxe.

    Blood Warrior was very simple. It was pretty much a more frenzied Berserker. The only visual difference between the two was that the Blood Warrior wore a leather chest piece. But it was much wilder. Stronger and faster than the Berserker, but he had a feeling it was more of a shock unit. He would use it to quickly get into battle and cause a lot of damage in a short among of time, but they would be felled quickly.

    However, War Master was interesting to Alaster. It was a head taller than even the already tall Berserker. It wore a pristine white leather chest piece and a matching helm that obscured its skull. But instead of an axe, it used a large two-handed sword. It was no stronger or faster than the Berserker, though it was slightly more durable, even without its armor. Instead of might, it instead used technique in battle.

    At least, those were the impressions each of the options gave Alaster.

    ˇ®Chieftain would be useful when you have a lot of Undead stemming from the Berserker, but right now, its now so useful.ˇŻ Sedall commented, to which Belgroth agreed.

    ˇ®And Blood Warrior is more for short fights. In a prolonged battle, I would have to constantly resummon them.ˇŻ Alaster continued.

    ˇ®Agreed. War Master seems like the best fit for now. At least with the types of battles you have been fighting.ˇŻ Belgroth finished.

    Alaster made his choice. And it was a good thing too. They had reached their destination.

    Azameer opened his eyes and looked to Alaster, ˇ°We are here.ˇ±

    Alaster looked out the window and saw a city he knew. Onigas. Even though he was seeing it from the air for the first time, and from hundreds of meters in the air, Alaster could still see the different districts.

    But it was very different from how Alaster remembered it.

    It was in flames.

    At least portions of the city. There was a large thick wall around the city that hadnˇŻt been there the last time Alaster had seen the city. There was an army camped outside the East Gate, though Alaster could see much smaller camps stationed at the other three gates, preventing any escape from the city.

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    The carriage slowly descended, and as it did so, Alaster could see the outer walls dense in people fighting. Magic flew through the air, against the wall, at the city, and at the attackers.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on here?ˇ± Alaster asked the man, struggling to look away.

    ˇ°IˇŻm sure youˇŻve heard rumors all of the tension rising.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, everyone has been talking about several wars that will soon begin. Is this one of them?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not quite. Though they arenˇŻt far from it. Tarvia has decided to use this time of tension, where none of the Kingdoms are yet ready to declare open war and fortify their borders. They decided that included capturing the Independent City of Onigas.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why? How?ˇ±

    ˇ°Lissura would be less inclined to attack Tarvia if Tarvia could move an army to counterattack from several days to the south. Objectively, itˇŻs a smart move if it succeeds.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you donˇŻt want it to. Why? You have made it clear that you donˇŻt care about anything but Galmore.ˇ±

    ˇ°If Onigas falls, it will give other Nations the idea that the Independent Cities are not as fortified as they had previously thought. They might just think that they can conquer Galmore. And Onigas is the only city that Galmore trades with, no matter how rarely.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, whats the third test exactly?ˇ±

    ˇ°The first test was about survival, if you knew what you could and couldnˇŻt fight. The second test about might, how powerful you were. This third test is about War. You have already proven you know how to not just survival a battle, but how to fight it. Now, I want you to prove that you can fight a war.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the objective?ˇ± Alaster asked, wanting to know the specifics.

    ˇ°Keep Onigas from falling.ˇ±

    ˇ°For how long?ˇ±

    ˇ°You know, the Human mind is extremely adaptable. So long as there is a time limit, it can adapt to survive anything. ThatˇŻs what makes war so horrific. You never know how long it will last. If the city falls, then you will have failed.ˇ±

    Alaster peered down at the sieged city once more, it already looked like it was on its last legs, ˇ°What if I fail?ˇ±

    ˇ°I would suggest otherwise, because if the city falls, and you happen to survive, I will hunt you down and kill you myself. Oh, before I forget, put this on.ˇ± Azameer said, as bored as ever, as he tossed the young man a plain wooden necklace.

    Alaster only sighed as he put the necklace on; he knew Azameer was serious. And by now, the man knew more about his capabilities than Alaster knew about his. That was a very dangerous position.

    ˇ°Where are you going to land?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not.ˇ±

    Alaster turned around to question the man but was instead kicked out the door, which had opened itself.

    ˇ°Good luck kid!ˇ± Azameer called out as Alaster fell to the earth.

    Alaster wasnˇŻt even surprised, just annoyed. He Identified the wooden necklace with a glance, finding it was a single use enchantment that would slow his decent enough to not prove fatal. Such as thing would have been drastically expensive to purchase, but it came with a draw back.

    It was single use, would activate once it reached the adequate speed, which even a fist could achieve, and it would only slow his descent enough to not kill him. It would still be very painful.

    With the Dexterity Bonus [Fine Control], Alaster positioned himself midair to see where he was headed as he crossed his arms.

    ˇ®I like that guy!ˇŻ Belgroth chuckled.

    ˇ®Are you forgetting that if I die, so do you?ˇŻ Alaster said with annoyance.

    ˇ®Meh, still funny.ˇŻ

    ˇ®IˇŻm sure there were plenty of other ways to deploy you in the city.ˇŻ Sedall commented with a pondering tone.

    Alaster would have thought Sedall was on his side, but he knew the spirit was just stating it objectively, not out of concern for the young man.

    ˇ®But none of them would have been as funny!ˇŻ Belgroth continued to joke, even as Alaster plummeted towards the burning city.

    ˇ®Moving on! Any suggestions for the fight?ˇŻ Alaster wanted to get back on track.

    ˇ®Its not a fight.ˇŻ Belgroth said, perfectly serious, ˇ®You have never been in a battle like this. All the Monsters you have killed were in battles of might. Where the only objective was killing the other before they killed you. It was vicious, violent, and quick.

    In a war, the battles are long, constant, and repetitive. We do not know a lot of this siege, but I wouldnˇŻt be surprised if this single battle had been going on for several hours already.

    Even after you join the Defenders, the battle will continue to rage for several more hours. You will have to keep an eye on your resources. Not just to keep your Minions active, but also to protect against any sudden attacks.

    Against the Hob Army, your Undead were outnumbered, but stronger. Here, your Undead will be weaker than the average soldier, as well as drastically outnumbered. The enemy will also make moves to counter you.

    They will work together to cleave through your ranks of Undead and reach you. They will have the support of Mages. They will avoid what they can.

    You have become as strong as you are from killing creatures you call Monsters. But you have no experience killing other thinking creatures like yourself.

    You have no experience fighting alongside other thinking creatures. They do. They will know how to work together. They will protect each other, fight as one.

    You will be much stronger than the majority of both armies, but there will be plenty stronger. And if you are not careful, you could find yourself surrounded and killed by those weaker than you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Got it, no arrogance.ˇŻ Alaster firmly nodded his head.

    Sedall spoke up as they neared the city, ˇ®The System has named you Lord of the Dead, live up to that name.ˇŻ

    Alaster mentally nodded, summoning his Pact Armor and halberd. Both, soon to be painted red.

 CHAPTER 112- STRANGER

    Carter leaned heavily against the inner battlements of the wall, nursing his bleeding arm. The cut was deep, but not so deep as to require a healer.

    Gods knew they had so precious few of them now.

    His squad mates had pushed forward, giving him the brief moment of rest and recovery. It was much appreciated, even if it was only a few moments. The cut would heal on its own over several minutes, but until then, he had to keep the bleeding to a minimum.

    He reached into the small bag behind his back. It was only big enough to carry two rolls of bandages. He grabbed his last roll and wrapped it tightly around his cut, gritting his teeth against the fiery pain. But with practiced hands, it was soon bandaged and tied off properly.

    Before the Tarvian Army, Carter had been a simple Adventurer. He helped keep the Monsters away from the city. Occasionally he would assist the City Guard with capturing a criminal, but he had very little experience against other Humans.

    He hadnˇŻt been a great Adventurer either. His Hunting Party had been eight and they made enough coin to live comfortably, if conservatively. Now, they were down to four, others being grouped with them to keep the standard ten-man squads.

    The siege had been ongoing for over a week by now, but this current offensive had lasted since dawn. CarterˇŻs current squad had been lucky enough to not lose anyone, though they had all taken injuries.

    The outer wall was tall and thick, but they would have already lost it if not for the Mages on the inner wall or on the Wall Towers. As it was, it was only a matter of time. Carter expected to hear the retreat horn at any moment. But it had not been sounded, so he fought. They all fought.

    If even one of the Towers were captured by the Tarvian bastards, the section of wall on either side of the Tower would very quickly be lost. Then the Tarvians would storm across the wooden bridges between the Towers to the inner wall.

    Already, the Onigas Mages had been forced to destroy two of the bridges. There were plenty more, but it was still worrying.

    Shorter walls between the two defensive walls segmented the bailey, but they were had no battlements. As the engineers had expected, the outer wall Gate had long been destroyed. There were three segments accessible from the broken Eastern Gate, and they had already lost the middle one.

    If the managed to capture either segment to the side, they would be able to open the inner gate, allowing them into the city proper. The fighting down in the bailey was just as intense as on top of the walls.

    Carter heaved himself standing and grabbed his short sword. He held his shield in front of him and plunged himself into the fighting once more beside his squad mates. Despite the desperate struggle for both sides, it was repetitive. There were so many people in such a small space that there was no room for any large movements.

    ˇ®Keep your shield up, thrust your sword towards any gap, and keep your footing.ˇŻ Carter chanted his training in his head.

    Just as the soldier was getting into the pacing, an object crashed into the stone walkway between the two forces. Out of habit, both sides jumped back. It wasnˇŻt the first time something had crashed into the battlements, typically magic or projectiles from the Tarvian Siege Mages.

    When it didnˇŻt explode, both sides took a step forward to continue the grueling battle, until the object stood up.

    ˇ°Gods that hurt.ˇ± The object said, Carter realizing it was in fact a large, armored man. The armor was black as the night and made the soldier shiver at the sight of it. In the manˇŻs hand, he held an equally cruel looking halberd.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    The man stood up casually and rubbed the back of his head. Carter noticed that as he did, a crude wooden necklace around the manˇŻs neck began to disintegrate.

    One of the Tarvian soldiers was the first to overcome their shock.

    ˇ°For whom do you fight for stranger?ˇ± He shouted over the din of the rest of the battle. The fight had been paused in their segment of wall, but it was unchanged elsewhere.

    ˇ°For whom do I fight for? Wow, you sound old.ˇ± The armored man said, turning towards the man, ˇ°That depends. Are you part of the sieging army?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± The man answered hesitantly.

    ˇ°Oh good! Here I was thinking that it would be a chaotic first couple of minutes. Got it, the Green Uniform is the Tarvians and the black and orange are Onigarian.ˇ±

    ˇ°For whom do you fight for!ˇ± The man shouted again, clearing irritated at being ignored so casually.

    ˇ°For myself mostly. But for today, I guess I fight for Onigas.ˇ±

    ˇ°Forward men! Kill that man!ˇ±

    The Tarvian line charged forward, only to be halted almost immediately by four massive hulks of dull black armor with equally massive shields.

    The Battlements were wide enough for a dozen men, and yet these four seemed to fill it.

    The four had appeared through a portal so suddenly the Tarvians didnˇŻt have time to stop themselves, nor enough time to defend themselves against the sweeping swings of their glaives. Practically the entire front rank was cleaved into parts. Arms, legs, chests, even heads. Each fell to the ground, paired with sprays of blood.

    Once again, both sides froze, both in shock and fear. But unlike the Onigarians, the Tarvians were not allowed to freeze.

    With the front rank cleared, eight men in similar dull black armor stepped out of a portal. They held large spears and as they formed up behind the larger ones, they lowered their spears, thrusting them into the second rank.

    Before anyone could react, three entire ranks of Tarvians were laying in puddles of their own blood. Only then did they begin to fight back.

    Once they did, the large ones were pushed back, but they did hold their ground. The spear users continued to stab between them, eliciting cries of pain with every thrust.

    The first man turned away from the fight and turned to the ranks of Onigarian Soldiers.

    ˇ°If nothing changes, I should be fine here. You can all go reinforce the other sections, though if you could leave a few mages that can attack over my units, that would be very helpful.ˇ±

    Carter looked around for the highest-ranking officer to speak up, only to find himself to be that officer, not at all a high ranking one.

    Resigning himself to that fact, he stepped forward, ˇ°We appreciate your assistance, but we canˇŻt possibly give an entire section of wall to bunch of strangers.ˇ±

    ˇ°Strangers? Plural? No no no, Its just me. Those are my minions.ˇ± The man said, another portal opening to allow another eight spearmen through.

    CarterˇŻs eyes widened. He knew Summoner Types were powerful Mages, but he also knew that they either had a few powerful Minions, or many weaker ones. The man had already revealed twenty Minions, and they were holding back the entire Tarvian force on this segment.

    Had they been fighting down in the bailey, then they would have been quickly overwhelmed, but on the narrow much narrower battlements, they were holding their own, without any of their own number being destroyed.

    Carter hesitated, but stood firm, ˇ°Even more so. If they manage to break past your summons and get to you, then the entire wall would be lost.ˇ±

    ˇ°If the actually manage to reach me, they will quickly wish they had just jumped off the wall.ˇ± The man said, emphasizing his point by slamming the butt of his halberd into the magically reinforced stone.

    ˇ°I will leave three squads here, that should give enough time for reinforcements to come if you falter.ˇ± Carter stated.

    The man just shrugged and turned his attention back to the Tarvians crashing into his summons. By now, they had begun to stand their own ground against the summons.

    The man raised a hand and forty-five bolts of sickly green Mana appeared around him. He pointed forward, and they all shot towards Tarvians.

    Carter watched in horror as those hit by the bolts screamed in pain as their flesh began to melt. As if to prove his overwhelming power, another forty-five bolts appeared, these ones appearing more solid.

    Carter turned away and ordered three squads to stay. He picked the three most injured, hoping that the strange man would buy them enough time to heal properly. The rest of the Soldiers stationed to that section turned around and rushed to the Tower behind them, where they would pass through and into the section on the other side.

    In a battle like this, there was no guarantees, but Carter had the feeling that the man he had just seen would turn the tide of the siege. He hoped with everything he had that he was right.

    ˇ®Gods know we need all the help we can get.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 113- REINFORCEMENTS

    ˇ®What an entrance.ˇŻ Sedall chuckled.

    ˇ®It certainly had an impact.ˇŻ Belgroth agreed.

    Alaster fired off another volley of [Necrotic Bolt], ˇ®Impact?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, for thinking emotional creatures, such as Humans, or even Argalon, their emotional state is vital in battle. You suddenly dropping from the sky and massacring them drove a spike into their morale.ˇŻ Belgroth explained.

    ˇ®Morale is that important?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Absolutely.ˇŻ Sedall agreed, ˇ®I have personally seen battles where the drastically outnumbered force manages to defeat the larger force due to morale.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Destroy their morale, and you will destroy them.ˇŻ Belgroth recited.

    ˇ®Any good methods for doing that?ˇŻ Alaster asked, summoning his various types of archers.

    ˇ®Terrify them. Momentum is also important. Right now, you have them on an off foot, keep that.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Soˇ­ˇŻ

    ˇ®Keep doing what youˇŻre doing.ˇŻ Sedall surmised.

    Alaster had been using the [Necrotic Bolts] mixing in both Fire and Earth Mana into them, depending on the result he wanted, whenever the Tarvians attempted to fight back.

    But now, they were interlocking shields, forming a shield wall. This made using his Bolts difficult as even the Soldiers behind the front line raised their shields over their heads. It also made the BlackguardsˇŻ attacked less effective.

    Alaster instead switched to using [Dead Bombs]. He had preferred using the Bolts because they caused more blood, which would empower his Strength Bonus [Imbuement]. Already, Alaster could feel himself brimming with pure physical power.

    Three Bombs exploded through the Tarvian ranks, spaced to eliminate as many as they could. Their own Constitutions protected them at various levels. Some were completely wiped out, others had portions left, but very few survived.

    Their screams of pain sowed terror not only in the hearts of Tarvian Soldiers, but also the Onigarian Soldiers who had stayed behind.

    Those three balls of explosive Mana cost Alaster a little over six hundred Mana. A large amount, even with his impressive Regeneration. Especially so without his [Regeneration] and [Last Stand] active.

    Alaster considered using [Blood Price] to recover the Mana. It would only cost one hundred Health. But he decided against it. He wanted to keep all the Health he could while he was still figuring out the situation.

    Besides, those Bombs had shattered the Tarvian morale. They backed up, crowding into each other, shivering in fear. Alaster created three more Bombs, holding them over his head.

    That was the last straw. The Tarvian Soldiers broke. They all fled to the siege tower that had anchored itself to this section of wall. Many clambered over the wall, back onto their ladders. Several abandoned their weapons in their haste and Alaster even saw two Soldiers fall off the siege towerˇŻs bridge, screaming as they fell.

    Alaster could have sent the bombs forward to reap more lives, but he didnˇŻt. They were already fleeing, and he wanted to save Mana. Alaster opened the portal to his Domain and ordered his Undead to return. As they marched through, heavily damaged but none destroyed, Alaster returned to the Onigarian Soldiers.

    Most of them shuffled away from him, but one stayed standing, despite how obviously uncomfortable he was being so close to the large, armored man. Alaster leaned his halberd against his shoulder and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a horn sounded, coupled with a bright flash of light shot straight in the air over the Tarvian Camp.

    Alaster changed what he was about to ask, ˇ°What does that mean?ˇ±

    He noticed that despite their fear of him, the Soldiers relaxed their shoulders.

    The man who appeared to be the ranking Officer among these Soldiers spoke up, ˇ°ItˇŻs the TarvianˇŻs Retreat signal.ˇ±

    ˇ®Why would they retreat now? I understand that they lost this section, and maybe the next one by the influx of more soldiers. But it seemed like the Onigarians were about to break.ˇŻ Alaster asked his mentors.

    ˇ®You underestimate the imporantance of momentum and morale. If they lost this section, and were struggling in the next, word would pass, other sections would soon be struggling. The Onigarians would be bolstered and fight harder.ˇŻ Sedall said.

    ˇ®The enemy commander was smart to order the retreat. They have the time, the resources, and the Soldiers to be patient. In a siege, morale is the most vital resource, for both the attackers and defenders.

    And you came out of nowhere.

    You are an unknown variable, and in a war, that is critical. They donˇŻt know how strong you are or what you are capable of. All they know, is that you almost singlehandedly recaptured an entire fifty-meter section of the Battlements that were on the verge of collapsing.ˇŻ Belgroth added.

    ˇ®At least until the surviving Soldiers report what they saw of me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Even then. If the commander is intelligent, they will reevaluate the siege, taking all their information about you into account.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You think they will call off the attack?ˇŻ Alaster asked, hopeful.

    ˇ®No. At least, not unless the commander is overly cautious. They will simply change their plans, taking you into consideration.ˇŻ

    Alaster nodded to himself and faced the wall, watching the Tarvians retreat while the Onigarians attempted to shoot those they could. In a siege such as this, there was no room for honor, only survival.

    Alaster didnˇŻt look away, but he spoke to the Officer, ˇ°IˇŻm sure that your commanders will be interested in speaking to me. However, I will only speak to Lord Siphas. Tell him bringing Lukas would be appreciated.ˇ±

    The man stumbled over his words, ˇ°It-ItˇŻll take a-a while for word to reach the Lord. Even l-longer for him to come here, I-if he agrees.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs fine. I will be here.ˇ± Alaster said with a wave of his hand, opening his Ring of Holding and allowing a stream of bone to exit, forming into a chair.

    Alaster sat down and pulled out the book about Classes. If he was going to be fighting Humans in this siege, he wanted to familiarize himself with what kinds of Classes and Abilities he would be facing.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The man seemed to take that as a dismissal. He ordered two of the three squads to remain here, taking the last ten soldiers with him. He rushed off at a light jog, his men right behind him, only too happy to distance themselves from the armored man.

    Alaster calmly read the book with his halberd close at hand but leaning against the battlements. After a couple of tense moments, the remaining Soldiers seemed to relax enough to sit down. They kept their distance and more than once peeked over at him.

    Occasionally, Alaster would look around. More soldiers were funneling into this section of wall through the Towers or the bridge, but they all kept their distance from him. Their weapons and armor showed extensive use. Barrels of arrows were wheeled across the bridge and into the two towers at either end of the section.

    Eventually, food was carried across the bridge. Only a small loaf of bread and a small sliver of dried meat per Soldier. Despite the simple and meager meal, the Soldiers looked at it like a blessing from the Gods themselves.

    Looking over the wall at the Tarvian Camp, Alaster was able to see similar actions. They were much too far for him to see the details, but what he could see was enough to know that both sides were hurting. At least the common soldiers themselves.

    Alaster had just read half the book when a commotion raised AlasterˇŻs head.

    Crossing the bridge was a convoy of twenty Soldiers, all in high-quality armor. The armor had seen recent use, but nowhere close to the amount as the other Soldiers. In the middle of the convoy, Alaster spotted the giant Lukas and besides him, Lord Siphas. Wearing high quality leather armor.

    All the common Soldiers backed away and saluted as they walked past.

    Alaster stood up, creating another chair across from him.

    The bodyguards circled Alaster, but kept clear, creating a bubble around him, which the Lord and Lukas entered.

    Alaster silently motioned towards the chair and sat down himself. He would have created another chair for Lukas, but he knew the giant would prefer to remain standing, especially this close to the enemy camp.

    Lord Siphas cautiously sat down and studied the black armored man before him. Several minutes passed in silence as they studied each other. However, while the lord was trying to judge him, Alaster was merely reminiscing about the memories.

    Alaster had spent months without talking, a few minutes was no issue, and the Lord broke first, ˇ°Who are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Someone who would prefer to see this city remain Independent.ˇ± Alaster answered mysteriously, smirking under his helmet as he did.

    ˇ°You arenˇŻt tied to any other Nation?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you want?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, I have a few things I want.ˇ±

    The lord narrowed his eyes but didnˇŻt speak.

    ˇ°But I would have thought you would know what I want.ˇ±

    ˇ°How? You wonˇŻt even tell me who you are.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then let me put it very simply. Right now, I want what is owed to me.ˇ±

    LukasˇŻ hand on the grip of his sword tightened.

    ˇ°Oh, calm down Lukas. All I want is my salary. I was unable to collect before leaving last time.ˇ±

    The lord cocked his head slightly before his eyes widened.

    ˇ°Alaster?ˇ±

    The Pact removed his Helmet, revealing his grin.

    ˇ°Hello again.ˇ±

    Before anyone could react, Lukas stepped forward and grabbed the young man in a tight bear hug. From memory, Alaster braced himself to feel his ribs creak, but the man wasnˇŻt even able to squeeze his armor.

    Lukas dropped Alaster and stepped back, as stoic as ever.

    Lord Siphas was the next one to hug Alaster, but it was much more reserved. He was still a lord, and they were in public.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs great to see you again kid. You must have quite the story!ˇ±

    ˇ°I do, but I think we have more pressing matters.ˇ± Alaster relented, motioning towards the army camped outside the walls.

    The Lord sighed, ˇ°That we do. But we at least have until tomorrow. And with you here now, they will likely take longer. Come, the City Lord heard the reports of you and wished to meet you, should not prove a threat.ˇ±

    Alaster opened his Ring, allowing the two chairs to stream through and followed the Lord, the bodyguards encircling around them with Lukas right behind them.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt mean to be arrogant, but I am most certainly a threat.ˇ±

    The lord chuckled, ˇ°Oh I know. If even half the reports I read about you are accurate, you are a very welcome threat.ˇ±

    As they crossed the sturdy bridge Alaster spoke up, ˇ°How is the family?ˇ±

    ˇ°Both are fine. Isabella was devastated at you leaving for months and the missus is just as tired as I am since the siege.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, she has been assisting in the defences. Nothing direct, we havenˇŻt reached that point, yet. But she had helped with the planning and even with moving materials. Just this morning she helped in one of the kitchens, preparing the bread for the Soldiers today.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is Isabella taking her lessons seriously?ˇ±

    The Lord laughed, ˇ°Yes! Yes she is. Since you left, she has dutifully attended each one.ˇ±

    ˇ°How is her training? Did she get a good Class?ˇ±

    By now, they were walking along the inner wall. Here, the Battlements were mostly ranged Soldiers. Entering the tower, Alaster was able to see some kind of siege weapon ammo and assumed that the top of the tower used it.

    ˇ°She didnˇŻt get the Class she was hoping for, but she did get a very good Class. A healer. Now, instead of sneaking out of lessons, she is sneaking into the hospitals to help heal the Soldiers.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not a bad thing.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, it isnˇŻt. Which is why I havenˇŻt out right stopped her. But I do have two of my best guards following her.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Of course.ˇ±

    They descended the stairs in the tower. The outer wall was only connected to the inner wall through the bridges in the middle of each section. But the inner wall was only connected to the city itself through narrow stairs inside each tower.

    Each person they passed briefly saluted or bowed before they continued their preparations. Food, weapons, armor, medical materials, etc. Runners were running messages through the walls. It was just as busy now as it was during the fighting itself.

    ˇ°How are the City LordˇŻs Daughters, Alice and Iris?ˇ±

    Lord Siphas smirked and gave Alaster the side eye, ˇ°Special interest in Lady Iris?ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head with a roll of his eyes, ˇ°She was just a child last I saw her.ˇ±

    ˇ°So were you, and she is older than you.ˇ±

    ˇ®Not with the Dungeons IˇŻve been in.ˇŻ

    ˇ°The only interest I have is as a friend.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure.ˇ± Lord Siphas teased, ˇ°They are both doing well. Alice is only a few weeks away from her Fifteenth, but Iris is now a very powerful Adept. Must seem weak to you. Oh she is going to be pissed to find out that you are an Expert before her, despite being younger.ˇ±

    Alaster looked ahead as they finally entered the city itself, ˇ°Levels mean very little in actual power.ˇ±

    The Lord caught the tone change but didnˇŻt mention it.

    ˇ°What about Colius?ˇ± Alaster asked as they walked through the streets, which were no less busy as the walls. People rushed around. Alaster noticed that dozens of Water Mages were combatting raging fires before sprinting to the next one.

    The walls protected the city, but they couldnˇŻt defend against everything, even with the City Mages attempting to do so.

    Lord Siphas sighed before responding, ˇ°He took a turn for the worse after you left. He blamed himself for it. With the Siege, he is doing better, given a direct task and duty. Currently, as one of the very few Warp Mages, he is leading the Saboteurs.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± Alaster tried to imagine the old mage running about blowing up supplies but couldnˇŻt.

    ˇ°Yes, with his portals he allows the Saboteurs to sneak behind the Tarvian Camp to do their work before sneaking them back. There have been a lot of close calls, but the work they do is vital to making this Siege as short as possible.ˇ±

    The two continued to talk as they walked through the streets. Even the Noble District had taken damage, though not as severe.

    ˇ°How severe is the situation?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    The Lord hesitated, ˇ°IˇŻll let the City Lord tell you. Not really the type of thing you discuss on the street.ˇ±

    Alaster accepted that.

    They soon passed the Siphas Estate and Alaster hesitated but continued. They werenˇŻt headed for the Siphas home, but the home of the Onigas Lord. Besides, he couldnˇŻt see any obvious damage to the estate.

    In just a few minutes, they were allowed into the City LordˇŻs Estate. The bodyguards stayed behind, but Lukas followed them in. A servant met them at the front door to the main building and led them.

    The building was just as beautifully built as he remembered, but it did seem smaller.

    ˇ®IˇŻve grown.ˇŻ

    There were only a handful of servants maintaining the estate itself. But there countless of servants rushing around running messages and orders.

    ˇ°Normally, the City Lord is in the meeting room with the others. But to meet with you, he is currently in a separate room. He wishes to know you and your intentions before discussing you with the rest.ˇ± Lord Siphas explained.

    ˇ°Sounds good.ˇ±

    The servant led them to a room with two of the City Lords personal Guards standing at the door. One of them nodded to the servant and opened the door, motioning them inside. Lukas remained outside.

    Sitting on a small, raised chair, the City Lord was just as intimidating as Alaster remembered, but it also seemed less intense. He had faced several Monsters who gave off a similar feeling, and he had killed each one.

 CHAPTER 114- RECONNECTING

    The City Lord was a large muscular man, bulkier than even Alaster. He had a short beard and hair, beginning to show plenty of gray in his black. Leaning against the side of the chair, was a large two-handed sword.

    The City Lord himself, however, was sitting casually.

    The door closed behind them, and Lord Siphas stepped forward.

    ˇ°Keylan, this is the man from the reports. This is Alaster.ˇ±

    The City Lord, Keylan, raised an eyebrow at hearing his name. He was good friends with Elliot Siphas, but they kept to their titles during official business.

    ˇ°Alaster? The boy you employed a few years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± Elliot confirmed.

    Keylan turned his attention to Alaster, glancing at his armor.

    ˇ°You repelled the attackers off an entire Section?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± Alaster said bluntly. He didnˇŻt care to use any honorifics, they needed his help, and he knew they knew it.

    Keylan huffed, ˇ°What can you do?ˇ±

    ˇ°A lot. The most similar Class to my own would-be Necromancer. But I am much more than a simple Necromancer.ˇ±

    In his Seeker Sight, Alaster saw ElliotˇŻs eyes widen in surprise. But the City Lord hid his emotions much better.

    ˇ°How many can you raise?ˇ±

    ˇ°Over three hundred, at a power capable of working in pairs to kill the average Adept. Then another eighty who can confidently defeat the average Adept. The three hundred require corpses, but the eighty donˇŻt.ˇ± Alaster decided to forgo the Summoned Undead. He wanted to keep something up his sleeve, and they were weaker than the Legion. They had their own uses.

    This time, the City Lord was unable to keep the corner of his mouth from twitching. Lord Siphas was stunned.

    ˇ°How close do you have to be to control them?ˇ±

    ˇ°No limit I have found yet. However, they are more effective if I am there to direct them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hmm, that limits their use.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not really. I can wipe out entire thirty man squads in one go, both at range, or in melee.ˇ±

    ˇ°What weapon do you use?ˇ±

    ˇ°Mostly magic, but I am not bad with a halberd.ˇ± To prove his point, the Pact summoned the halberd in his hand.

    ˇ°The same metal as your armor. An Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°Bonus.ˇ±

    ˇ°Powerful. Why have you only returned now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I heard that the city was under attack. I figured I was powerful enough to make a difference, so here I am.ˇ±

    ˇ°Reports claim you fell out of the sky, why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I did. I would prefer not to say why I did, just that it was the best way to get into the city without going through the Tarians first.ˇ± Alaster said, rubbing the back of his head.

    ˇ°I see. Well, the Tarians are unlikely to attack again before tomorrow. So, take the day to rest and greet those you know. Tomorrow should an attack come, which is unlikely, please assist where you can. Perhaps the Bailey defense would be best for your abilities. However, it would be preferable to give you a Section of wall to defend. I will discuss this with the other Commanders.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir!ˇ± Alaster said with a mock salute. He then looked above the City Lord, ˇ°Hi Iris.ˇ±

    Hidden among the ceiling supports, crouched Iris. When Alaster first entered the room, he had used Identify to see if there was anyone else in the room. Besides the City Lord and Lord Siphas, there was another, in the ceiling supports. He had kept an eye on that trail of Mana and noticed it twitched slightly anytime the City Lord adjusted.

    The City Lord looked up curiously, seeing his daughter hiding above him, and sighed.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ˇ°Iris, I have told you to stop spying.ˇ±

    She dropped down, allowing Alaster a good look at her. The years had treated her well. She was gorgeous. There was no doubt she was of Noble blood and upbringing. Her training had also made her fit, even her loose training clothes couldnˇŻt hide that. Alaster admitted that he was attracted to her.

    ˇ°Then let me help! But IˇŻm sorry I canˇŻt talk; I have to show Alaster around!ˇ± She then rushed over to Alaster grabbing his arm and he allowed her to drag him away.

    She opened the door and Alaster saluted once again before they left the room.

    The two guards and Lukas looked at them curiously, but the City Lord only shook his head. They didnˇŻt stop them.

    Iris continued to drag him until they turned the corner of the hallway, where Alaster stood straight, effortlessly pulling out of the young womanˇŻs grip and walking alongside her.

    He wanted to talk to her, ask her some questions, but her eyes warned him otherwise.

    She led the way through the halls until they finally came across the EstateˇŻs training room. The room had a tall ceiling and was brightly lit by Mage Lights. The center of the room held a pit lined in stone and filled with sand.

    As Alaster glanced around, Iris walked over to the racks against the wall, containing blunt wooden training weapons. She grabbed two swords and tossed one at Alaster.

    ˇ°LetˇŻs see if you remember what Lukas taught you.ˇ±

    She dashed forward, swinging her sword at his head. She was extremely fast, but Alaster was able to back up a step, countering with a quick thrust, which she sidestepped.

    Without hesitation, she charged forward with another powerful swing, but it was a feint. Before Alaster was able to block it, she dropped into a slide, easily ducking under his sword and ending behind him. She thrust forward with a triumphant grin, but the dulled point of her sword was deflected by his own.

    She flipped backward, avoiding his own swing.

    He grinned at her, but her own grin was gone.

    ˇ®She is good.ˇŻ Sedall commented.

    ˇ®But inexperienced.ˇŻ Belgroth finished.

    ˇ®She hasnˇŻt fought many threatening battles.ˇŻ Sedall agreed.

    ˇ®Then letˇŻs show her how a true battle is fought.ˇŻ

    Once again, she charged forward with another swing at his head. But, instead of backing up once more, Alaster stepped forward, into her guard. Panicked, she tried to turn her swing into a thrust, but Alaster caught her wrist and threw her over his shoulder.

    She landed heavily, her sword falling to the soft sand several feet away. Alaster appeared over her, looking down at her with a grin.

    ˇ°Feel better princess?ˇ±

    She threw sand in his eyes and attempted to tackle him to the ground. But he simply sidestepped using [Seeker Sight] and tripped her. She fell to the ground again.

    Alaster wiped his eyes clear and offered a hand to Iris, which she hesitantly took.

    ˇ°How are you so much stronger than me? IˇŻm the older one!ˇ± Iris pouted.

    Alaster found himself stunned by her eyes; she would certainly have a lot of suitors. And not all of them would be seeking her influence or riches.

    ˇ°Because while you have been safely sparring with trainers and a Healer on standby. I have been fighting to the death with more Monsters than I can count, many of whom I had no business fighting, let alone killing.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs been three years, and you are already an Expert!ˇ±

    ˇ°You are very skilled. You just need more experience in actual fights. Once you have that, IˇŻm sure you will be much more powerful than most Adepts.ˇ± Alaster said, leaning against the wall.

    Iris sat across from him, ˇ°DonˇŻt patronize me. I heard you tell my father about your Abilities. How can you summon that many Minions and still be that proficient in close quarters?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was fighting by myself almost the entire time. I was forced to learn.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are a one-man army with your Minions!ˇ±

    Alaster smiled wide, ˇ°No, I can summon an army, I am a one-man army myself!ˇ±

    She punched his shoulder with a laugh.

    Her smile dimmed and she hesitated.

    ˇ°Ask.ˇ± Alaster prompted her.

    ˇ°Did you rescue your sister?ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs smile died entirely.

    ˇ°How did you find out?ˇ±

    ˇ°Isabella isnˇŻt as oblivious as you might think. She heard you talk about it with her father.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, everyone knows?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Only Alice and I do. And I assume Uncle Elliot told my father.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°No, not yet. Despite my power, I am still limited. ItˇŻs not like I can destroy that Tarian army myself. I will need to be careful and plan everything. But I have found someone that, while he canˇŻt help me directly save my sister, can teach me what I need to save her myself.

    I was actually on my way to him when I learned about the siege, and here I am.ˇ±

    ˇ°So once the siege is over, you are leaving again?ˇ± Iris said quietly.

    ˇ°Yes. But not as long. I donˇŻt know how long the training will be. But when itˇŻs done, and I am ready, I will return here before rescuing my sister. I will want to secure a place to take my sister to, and Onigas seems like a perfect place. ItˇŻs also the only place I really know anyone.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, you are planning on living here?ˇ± Isis said with hope.

    ˇ°Maybe. It depends entirely on how the situation with my sister turns out. All this time, I still donˇŻt know anything about her. All I know, is that she is safe and comfortable.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do you know that?ˇ±

    Alaster hesitated, wondering how to best explain it, ˇ°I have met people who could discern that, but canˇŻt really explain anything more. They could only feel her own emotions and through that, they could tell that she was safe and comfortable. But besides that, I donˇŻt know much.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then where will you begin your search?ˇ± She leaned back, resting on her palms. Unfortunately, it also emphasized her chest.

    Alaster paid close attention to his gaze, ensuring that it remained on her face.

    ˇ°Hasal. ItˇŻs the city that oversaw my village. The people who took my sister used a teleportation scroll, but they only could have gotten there so quickly if they had been there in Hasal when my village Alderman reported my sisterˇŻs Special Constitution.

    I doubt she is still there. But itˇŻs the only link I have.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about starting in your village? Surely, they will have valuable information.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll take a quick look, but I doubt it.ˇ±

    He knew that they couldnˇŻt have fought back against the Knights that came for him as a child. He knew that in his mind, but he couldnˇŻt help but be resentful.

    At that moment, the doors burst open, and two young girls ran out screaming and tackled Alaster.

 CHAPTER 115- THE NIGHT

    Alaster let himself be tackled.

    Laughing, he looked down at the two girls tugging him tightly, ˇ°Miss me?ˇ±

    The two looked up at him and in unison, ˇ°Of course!ˇ±

    It took Iris an entire ten minutes to get the two girls off. Both Alice and Isabella pouted but sat to his left and right.

    Alaster looked at them. Both had grown. They were both very pretty fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds. Alice wore a comfortable dress and had likely come directly from a lesson. BellaˇŻs clothes were rough and dirty, there were even a few splotches of blood.

    ˇ®Must have rushed back from a hospital without changing.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Where have you been?ˇ± Bella asked, struggling to contain herself.

    Alice nodded vehemently, just as eager, but as silent as ever. Even Iris looked interested, but she contained herself.

    Alaster laughed but began to tell his story, starting at when he first vanished from the Siphas dining room to when he first appeared on the outer wall.

    Several hours passed, and Alaster was certain that the sun had long since set. He left out anything about the Demi Gods, Gods, and his teachers. He especially left out killing a Demon, and having its soul bound to him. Something that proved difficult when said Demon kept talking.

    All the girls asked a multitude of questions, which Alaster did his best to answer. Unfortunately, by leaving out all the more sensitive information, he also created a few holes in his stories, holes he didnˇŻt know how to explain.

    Eventually, however, Alaster managed to finish his story. The questions then turned to his Abilities, including demonstrations.

    Alaster was just finishing showing off his [Necrotic Bolt] when Lady Siphas entered the room. She calmly walked over to them, and Alaster stood up to greet her. But before he could bow, she wrapped him in a gentle hug.

    ˇ°Welcome home Alaster.ˇ± she said gently.

    Alaster froze, but returned the hug, struggling to keep the tears back. Several moments passed before they separated.

    ˇ°Girls, itˇŻs time to retire for the night, and IˇŻm sure that Alaster is exhausted.ˇ± The Lady ordered. Even if technically the City LordˇŻs Daughters were of a higher rank than the Lady, they didnˇŻt dare counter her words.

    They had grown up treating her like their aunt. The few vacations they had been able to take were all taken with both families.

    Iris corralled the two girls out of the room, but snuck one last glance at Alaster, as if afraid he would disappear again.

    Lady Siphas motioned for Alaster to follow him and led him down a different hallway.

    ˇ°Its really good to see you again Alaster.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs good to be back. I didnˇŻt even notice how much I had missed this place.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know that you will be fighting when the Tarians attack again. I also know that you will leave again after the siege is over. But please, be careful and come back to us. I want to meet your sister.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled softly.

    The hallways were much calmer, and moonlight through the windows proved how late it was, but messengers still ran through the halls, just less frequently.

    ˇ°Where are we going?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°I wanted to have you sleep at our home, but Keylan wanted to keep you close in case you were needed. He has reserved a room here for you. But you are always welcome to visit us between battles, in fact, I insist.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled contently.

    Soon after, Lady Siphas stopped in front of a door and opened it, handing a key to Alaster.

    ˇ°Here we are. This is where you will be staying for now. A servant will come by in the morning to take you to breakfast, which Keylan has invited you to.

    Oh, by the way, IrisˇŻ room is just the next hallway, third door from the end.ˇ± Lady Siphas teased.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Alaster shook his head in embarrassment.

    ˇ°There are clothes prepared for you in there, as well as a small bath. Take one. You smell like death.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled at her order, knowing that while she worded it like a joke, she was completely serious.

    She grabbed his face and gently pulled him down. She kissed his forehead.

    ˇ°I remember needing to bend down to do that. Good night honey.ˇ±

    With that, she walked back the way they had come. Alaster watched her go until she turned the corner. Only then did he enter his room, closing and locking the door behind him.

    The room was smaller than he would have expected in the City LordˇŻs home, but it was still larger than any room he had slept in.

    Roughly ten meters long and eight meters wide. The wide bed was centered on the back wall. It looked more comfortable than any other bed he had ever seen. Two windows on either side of the bed allowed the bright moon to light the dark room. One door to the right revealed a small, tiled bathroom with a marble tub built into the floor. Against the near wall, next to the door to the room, was a small wardrobe, already filled with a few sets of clothes that fit him.

    ˇ®How did they know my size?ˇŻ

    Sedall began to recite all the possible methods, but Alaster just told him it was rhetorical.

    On the other side of the door, there was a desk and chair, along with a few pieces of paper and a fresh quill and inkpot.

    Alaster had the Pact remove his armor and then he took off his clothes before submerging himself in the already filled tub. It was cold, but in a few minutes, he managed to manipulate his Fire Mana to warm the water to be comfortable. He even got a new Ability for it.

    [Fire Aura

    Level 1: 0%

    Infuse your surroundings with Fire Mana.

    Range: 1 Meter

    Mana Cost: 50/min]

    Alaster didnˇŻt really care about it and quickly ignored it. The tub was small, but large enough that he was completely submerged. He allowed himself to soak. But after a few minutes, he scrubbed himself off and exited the water.

    The new Spell had a use as it soon had him dry.

    Opening the wardrobe, Alaster put on a set of loose pajamas and fell backwards on the bed. He had been right. He felt like he was floating in the clouds. Unfortunately, he wasnˇŻt done for the night.

    In just ten minutes, he had one of the Blackguards converted into a Night Child, without the blades, he then Bonded with it. His senses became the ChildˇŻs. Through previous experimenting, Alaster knew that while he would be able to use his own Abilities, they would be much slower and weaker. But they would suit his purposes that night.

    Leaving his body on the bed, Alaster quickly crawled over to the window, opening it, and climbing out. He closed the window behind him, leaving it slightly open so he could reenter, but would still appear as closed to a casual observer.

    His room was on the second floor, but the ChildˇŻs claws made it easy for Alaster to travel, crawling on the stone walls like a spider.

    ˇ®Perhaps I should create a Spider Undead?ˇŻ Alaster mused as he traveled.

    ˇ®Please donˇŻt.ˇŻ Belgroth groaned.

    ˇ®What, the big bad Demon is scared of spiders?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Scared isnˇŻt the right word. A strong hate would be more suitable. They are just creepy.ˇŻ

    Chuckles to himself about that interesting bit of knowledge about his Demon mental hitchhiker, Alaster crawled along the wall, closer to his goal.

    The Night ChildˇŻs black bones allowed it to blend easily into the dark stone in the night.

    Alaster admitted that he was tempted to take Lady SiphasˇŻ hint and spy into IrisˇŻ room, but he violently shook his head of that thought.

    ˇ®Been too long away from actual people.ˇŻ Alaster realized.

    ˇ®Am I not an actual person?ˇŻ Belgroth teased.

    ˇ®You arenˇŻt even Human.ˇŻ Sedall said as if that was obvious.

    ˇ®What about that Aila Elf?ˇŻ Belgroth questioned.

    ˇ®First of all, she is an Elf, which means she is already much older than her appearance shows. Then she is stronger than an Expert, so she could be hundreds of years old while still looking like she was twenty. Besides, she was my teacher.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Like that has stopped anyone.ˇŻ Sedall murmured.

    ˇ®So now we know what Sedall likes!ˇŻ Belgroth laughed.

    Sedall grumbled, but also didnˇŻt argue against it.

    ˇ®No, I mean its been too long since I have been around people my own age. Plus, Iris is beautiful.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Ah, and you are still a teenage boy, full of hormones, and without the experience of learning to control them around the attractive women of your species.ˇŻ Belgroth surmised.

    ˇ®Gods, you make it sound so barbaric. But yes. Pretty much. I canˇŻt stop those thoughts.ˇŻ

    Sedall spoke up, ˇ®Nor will you be able to. As you get older, it will calm down, but it will never stop. Just continue treating the women with respect and kindness and youˇŻll be fine.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And you should learn how to dance. Women love dancing for some reason.ˇŻ Belgroth advised.

    ˇ®Guess thatˇŻs one thing that is cross species.ˇŻ Sedall chuckled.

    ˇ®Really guys? I canˇŻt spend time on romance. I need to save my sister first.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Alaster, you canˇŻt just put a halt to your life until you do. We arenˇŻt saying to stop trying to rescue her. We are just saying that you should explore other things while you work on rescuing her.ˇŻ

    Sedall warned against being single minded, and Alaster understood it, but he was still hesitant.

    ˇ®So, you are saying I should peek into her room?ˇŻ Alaster joked.

    ˇ®Do that and I will break the connection between you and this Undead.ˇŻ Belgroth said in complete seriousness.

    ˇ®You can do that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, very difficult, and I canˇŻt do it often, but I can. ItˇŻs part of your soul, which I am bound to. CanˇŻt do much, but I can do that.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Glad we are on the same page then.ˇŻ

    Alaster was glad the two souls mentoring him werenˇŻt perverts. But he had a goal for sending out his Night Child. A goal he had to refocus on.

    By now, Alaster, in the Night Child, had climbed around the building until he was outside the window of the Meeting Hall.

    Peeking through the window, careful to keep as little of his head visible as he could, Alaster saw over a dozen people crowding around a map on a table. But Alaster was not able to see what the map was of. Looking around the room, Alaster spotted a window on the ceiling, likely meant to allow natural light in, but tonight, it would allow for better spying.

    Alaster quickly made his way onto the ceiling and peered down.

    The map was of Onigas, and the people were discussing its defenses.

 CHAPTER 116- NIGHT PLANNING

    Bonding with one of his Undead transformed AlasterˇŻs senses into that of the UndeadˇŻs. His sight was largely different shades of grey. When looking at something alive, he was able to a very slight shift in color according to that personˇŻs dominant type of Mana.

    When Alaster combined Identify with it, the personˇŻs Mana formed a translucent fog around them according to how powerful they were. Only four people in the Meeting Hall werenˇŻt Experts, even then, those four had excellent control of their own Mana.

    Alaster could see that their Mana didnˇŻt swirl around them as wildly.

    The young man, in the Night ChildˇŻs body, knew that each person was important to the city itself. The City Lord was also there. He was the only person sitting down, but he was just as invested in the conversation, though he rarely spoke.

    ˇ°Is the boy to be trusted?ˇ± One of them asked the room.

    Lord Siphas opened his mouth to speak, but the City Lord discreetly shook his head, silencing his friend.

    The one who answered was one of the few of them in armor, well used and battered armor. Alaster assumed he was the actual General.

    ˇ°I believe we can. At least during the siege. If he was working with the Tarians, he could have easily shifted the battle today and we would have lost the outer wall completely. Perhaps the towers would have lasted another day, but the wall itself would have been lost.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean, ˇ®At least during the siegeˇŻ?ˇ± A third man asked.

    ˇ°We donˇŻt know his intentions. I am fairly sure he wants to keep this city out of Tarian hands, and in that, we are aligned, but besides that, who knows?ˇ± The General continued, shrugging.

    This time, Lord Siphas spoke, ˇ°I cannot speak to his exact goal, but I know the lad. He is highly protective. To an almost frightening degree. If he has decided this city is his to protect, it will only be to our advantage.ˇ±

    ˇ°His?ˇ± Of the nearly two dozen people in the room, this last speaker was one of the more Noble appearing. Likely more concerned with political power than actual power.

    ˇ°Yes. So long as we treat him well and donˇŻt try to take advantage of him, he will do all he can to protect the city. At least, the people he decided is worth his protection. However, if someone acts against him in a way he decides is hostile, he will eliminate them without hesitation.ˇ± Lord Siphas described.

    ˇ®Am I really like that?ˇŻ Alaster asked Sedall.

    Sedall had been watching Alaster for much longer than Belgroth.

    ˇ®Yes. You are highly protective and also quite violent when harm comes to what you consider yours.ˇŻ

    Alaster shrugged to himself, ˇ®Not a bad trait.ˇŻ

    ˇ®No, not a bad trait, but one that shouldnˇŻt be done blindly. Just like any other trait. Now pay attention.ˇŻ Belgroth cautioned.

    ˇ°How can we make sure he protects what we want him to?ˇ± The Noble asked.

    The General sighed, but Lord Siphas chuckled, ˇ°Good luck. That boy is picky. We could try to order him to protect something, but I promise you that he will immediately abandon that if something he actually cares about comes under threat.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then he is a wild card. We cannot allow such wild actions in a time such as this. How do we be rid of him?ˇ±

    The City LordˇŻs eye twitched, but Lord Siphas tightened his grip on the sword at his hip.

    ˇ°Try it at your own risk Lord Vincent. Not only will you be dealing with his own strength, but such actions will result in open conflict with me.ˇ±

    Lord Vincent raised his hands in mock defeat, ˇ°I donˇŻt mean kill him. He hasnˇŻt acted violently against us and has even protected the wall. All I am saying is that we need some kind of leash on him. We cannot control him!ˇ±

    The City Lord spoke up, ˇ°Nor will we try. He isnˇŻt unkillable, if we tried, we would succeed, but the cost would be too drastic. If half the reports are correct, then itˇŻll take a full squad of my Guards to reliably eliminate him, and they would take several losses.

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    Besides, he has roots here. They are, as of yet, shallow, but they are present. He wonˇŻt harm the city. Instead, we will make use of him.ˇ±

    The City Lord stood up and approached the map of the city, details marked and labeled. The people parted to let him through. He looked at the General directly.

    ˇ°With his capabilities, the Bailey might be a better place for him to display his power. Allow his Minions to overwhelm the enemy soldiers. But as we have already seen, he would also be valuable defending a Section of the outer wall.

    What is most at risk at the moment?ˇ±

    The GeneralˇŻs hard stare turned into a sigh, ˇ°Everywhere is at risk. Our soldiers are of a higher quality than theirs, both in training and equipment. But they are slowly grinding us away.

    The defenses in several places are cracking. Two walls in the bailey have been broken down, allowing them to stream through. The tops of two outer wall towers are inaccessible due to damage. The outer gate is completely shattered. Eight of the Eastern Sections have siege towers latched on.

    Our engineers are doing their best to repair the most critical areas right now, but tomorrow, the repairs will be negligible.

    However, as of today, the Bailey was able to hold well. At least, they gave worse than they got.

    Luckily, the outer and inner walls are only connected by a single wooden bridge every other section. If it was every section, the inner wall would have already taken significant losses.

    I believe that it will be best to station the boy to the section of wall over the outer gate.ˇ±

    The City Lord listened with a serious expression, ˇ°Your reasoning?ˇ±

    ˇ°That section has two Siege Towers latched onto them. Our engineers believe they can detach one by tomorrow evening if another attack doesnˇŻt come. However, that section has been hit by so many siege weapons and Magic that the footing is rough and broken.

    We have even resorted to using boards to traverse a portion of broken wall between the left tower and the section. The fighting is rough there every battle, forcing us to dedicate more soldiers there due to the bridge there. If they capture that section, they can attack the inner wall.

    However, if we allow the boy and his small army of Minions to fight there, then we can move the soldiers around to focus on other points of defense.ˇ± The General explained.

    The City Lord turned to Lord Siphas, ˇ°Lord Siphas, do you believe he will be able to defend that section?ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs former employer thought for a moment, scratching the stubble on his chin, ˇ°I do not know for sure. I have only the same reports as the rest of you to go on. I do, however, know the boy.

    If we ask him to, he will tell us if he can or cannot. But if he believes he can, I suggest we still station two Squads of primarily ranged soldiers there as well. He hinted that most of his Undead were melee.

    The reports claim that he is capable of ranged magic, horrifying magic, but if he is to be left there, he will need to focus his Mana on his Minions.ˇ±

    ˇ°The reports were encouraging. Perhaps it would be better to have the boy in one of the towers, using it?ˇ± One of the other Lords suggested.

    ˇ°True! I personally questioned one of the Soldiers that remained with the boy until the Tarians sounded the retreat. He sounded truly frightened about the boy. Nor do I think they saw everything the boy had to offer.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Lord Siphas said firmly, ˇ°I got the impression that his true might is in his Undead, and himself.ˇ±

    ˇ°Himself?ˇ±

    ˇ°The reports say that he was confident that the Tarians would prefer to fight his Undead than him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Mere rumors those reports.ˇ± Lord Vincent scoffed.

    Alaster chose that moment to open the window and drop down onto the map with the Night Child. Everyone jumped back, drawing their numerous weapons. But Alaster simply put his finger on the outer gate on the map and raised a thumb.

    ˇ®Shame I canˇŻt talk through Bond.ˇŻ

    Everyone looked confused, but Lord Siphas was the first to cautiously approach, slowly lowering his sword.

    ˇ°Alaster?ˇ±

    The Night Child nodded.

    ˇ°This is one of your Undead? And you can control it directly?ˇ±

    Another nod.

    ˇ°Are you able to use your magic through it?ˇ±

    This time the Child shook his head. It was only a small lie. For the most part, AlasterˇŻs Magic was weakened while Bonded. Alaster assumed it was because he wasnˇŻt fully connected to the Undead.

    ˇ°And you believe you can confidently defend the gate section?ˇ±

    Alaster nodded but held up two fingers.

    ˇ°Two? Two what?ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment before holding up all ten fingers.

    Lord SiphasˇŻ eyes widened in understanding.

    ˇ°Oh, you want two squads with you?ˇ±

    Another nod.

    ˇ°Ranged?ˇ±

    Alaster nodded but also clentched his fists together before expanding them.

    ˇ°You want Mages capable of ranged area of effect attacks?ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, satisfied he had gotten his point across. Who knew playing charades as a kid would actually come in handy?

    Lord Vincent scoffed behind Alaster, ˇ°We canˇŻt possibly afford to have twenty such Mages in one section.ˇ±

    Alaster only shook his head and pointed to the two towers beside his section. Holding one finger to both.

    ˇ°One squad in each tower. You donˇŻt want anyone with you in the section?ˇ±

    Alaster vehemently shook his head, moving a finger across his skeletal throat.

    One of the Lords spoke up, ˇ°Oh, I remember the report! ItˇŻs said that the boy was capable of using Magic that devastated the Tarian Soldiers but left his own Undead completely unaffected.ˇ±

    Alaster pointed to the man who spoke and nodded.

    ˇ°Oh please! This single boy canˇŻt defend an entire section by himself.ˇ±

    Alaster turned to face Lord Vincent and held up a single finger.

    ˇ®There are other methods of communication.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 117- DOOM KNIGHT

    Alaster disconnected from the Night Child, and had it sneak through the city until it reached the battlements above the gate. Once he sensed that the Child had stopped moving, Alaster bonded with it again.

    It had reached its destination.

    Alaster immediately came to a few conclusions. First, that the section was more rubble than walkway. Second, that the Tarian army was centered on the gate, which he would be positioned above. He would receive the bulk of the enemy forces. And third, that the Onigarian Lords wanted to test him.

    As it was now, the Gate Battlements would, without a doubt, fail during the next attack. Which was a problem because there was a wooden bridge connecting the outer and inner walls in the center of the section, practically the only part of the section that was not horribly damaged.

    If the Tarians took the section, they would be able to attack the inner gate, at least until the Onigarians managed to destroy the bridge, hence why it was made of wood. As it was, with the Night Child clinging to the side of the left outer tower of his new section, Alaster could see that the engineers were building rudimentary defenses on the inner wall.

    The defenses were little more than sandbags and spikes propped up, but it would likely give the defenders enough time to destroy the bridge.

    It was expected that his new section would fall to the enemy in the next attack. The Onigarians simply didnˇŻt have enough manpower to repair the extensive damage while also maintaining all the other sections.

    Sighing to himself, Alaster changed out of his warm comfortable pajamas and into a fresh set of travel clothes. He summoned the Pact armor around himself and activated [Swap] with the Night Child as the target.

    Alaster appeared on the side of the tower, falling a few feet to the destroyed battlements of his section.

    His Domain opened, allowing his Undead to march out. Many of the nearby Soldiers shouted in alarm, rushing to their weapons and positions, but the Officers calmed them and got them back to work. Apparently, word of Alaster and his Minions had already spread, at least among the Officers.

    Once they learned that he was on their side, they resumed their work in repairing and preparing for the next battle, but Alaster noticed that they would occasionally shoot curious, as well as cautious, glances his way. Alaster ignored them.

    Yawning, Alaster activated [Death Embrace], feeling his living body transform into that of the Undead. Instantly, he no longer felt tired. With the BonusˇŻ low Mana Cost, Alaster was able to keep it active constantly. He had a feeling it would be a while before he would actually be able to get a nightˇŻs sleep.

    Alaster summoned his Undead Workers and Miner. Together with his Custom Undead, they quickly got to work moving pieces of rubble into position, slowly rebuilding the battlements. Using his Earth Mana, Alaster was able to conjure the missing pieces, as well as seal them together.

    Unfortunately, even when sealed with the pieces of the wall, it was clear that his stone was much weaker. The stone of the wall had been magically strengthened by much stronger Earth Mages as well as enchanted. Even broken, they were still much stronger than a casual user of Earth Magic, such as Alaster.

    But the stone was still better suited to building a wall out of then bone, no matter how strong Alaster could make it.

    For the most part, Alaster did not even need to directly instruct them. He simply provided a mental image of what he wanted and his Custom Undead would do their best to replicate it. He simply had to provide the stone blocks, which the Miner was able to chisel into the proper shapes, if needed.

    Alaster instead spent most of the time examining the Mana Streams of his Undead Berserker. Belgroth had suggested to Alaster to familiarize himself with his new skill in seeing through the System. It was still weak, rudimentary, and slow.

    Belgroth stated that first, one had to be able to see the Mana Steams, only then could they begin to manipulate them. Editing the Spells he already knew, creating new ones.

    So, Alaster decided to first practice on Undead Berserker. He did so for one very simple reason. The Mana Stream for Undead Berserker was one of the simplest out of all the Spells Alaster had access to.

    Even his Bolt spells were more complicated because they had to create a projectile out of almost pure mana and mentally send it to their target.

    Minion Spells were much more complicated than most, but the Berserker was almost stupidly simple. All it did was create the physical body out of temporary Mana, which would dissipate upon enough damage, or the spell coming undone. Once the body and weapons were created the actual Minion was created next. Basically the ˇ®soulˇŻ of the Minion, though calling it a soul was an insult to an actual soul.

    All of this was done in the mere second it took to summon the Undead. While the Undead Soldier was just as simple, the Minion part was more complex, capable of understanding and accomplishing much more complex duties. The Berserker was quite limited in its ˇ®intelligenceˇŻ. The most it could understand was kill or stay.

    Due to that simplicity, Alaster really didnˇŻt want any Onigarian Soldiers in his Section during the actual battles. Not only would his own Spells harm them, but his Minions might as well. As it was, Alaster could feel the hostility his Undead had for the Soldiers, even as they worked.

    AlasterˇŻs Custom Undead had a weak Intelligence, which was capable of learning. Very rarely had they been called out and not been ordered to simply kill everything around them. And now that they were each paired with the fragmented souls of Devils, who had been fighting a genocidal war against Humans, that bloodlust was multiplied.

    But despite their own simple emotions, that couldnˇŻt be constituted as true emotions, they obeyed Alaster, their master, without hesitation.

    The Undead Berserker was even more bloodthirsty, without the minor intelligence paired with it to temper it. If Alaster summoned the Berserker, it would continue to obey him if he ordered it to stay. But in battle, Alaster wouldnˇŻt be able to order it to not attack Soldiers in a certain uniform. It simply wasnˇŻt intelligent enough to comprehend the order.

    Nor did Alaster want to. The BerserkerˇŻs strength was its blind fury. Alaster didnˇŻt want to hinder that. No. He wanted to enhance it.

    Alaster wanted to make a Berserker that was even stronger, faster, more durable. He wanted a Minion he could cast into the thick of fighting and it would be in paradise.

    And with BelgrothˇŻs experience, Alaster was making great progress. Even Sedall stayed silent and listened, trying to learn as well.

    By the time the sun rose over the horizon, the Battlements were repaired, at least as much as Alaster and his Undead were capable of. They were more fragile than the original walls, but it would do, for now.

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    But care about that. He was more focused on the Mana Streams. He maintained a death grip on them, wary of losing control and creating something completely unexpected, or even out of control. However, Belgroth was an adequate teacher.

    The Demon not only instructed Alaster how to manipulate the Streams and in what order and fashion, but also why, so that Alaster would eventually be able to do it without his direct instruction.

    ˇ®Goodˇ­now, let go.ˇŻ Belgroth instructed.

    ˇ®Seriously? Just let go?ˇŻ This entire time, Belgroth had been warning against letting any of the Streams move on their own.

    ˇ®Yes, no matter how much you control the Mana, it will always do its own thing. Think of it like thin hot metal. You can hammer it into a different shape, but it will still bend back slightly. But if you hammer it into too drastic of a different shape, it will snap.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What would happen if a Mana Stream snapped?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®The original spell would collapse, and you would need to rebuild it from the ground up to be able to use it again.ˇŻ

    Alaster let go with caution. As Belgroth had stated, they quickly but calmly oriented themselves. They moved back and forth, as if testing their new patterns before gradually coming to a halt. Not once did the Mana within the Streams halt or fluctuate.

    As they came to a halt, Alaster heard ˇ®dingˇŻ of a System Notification.

    ˇ®I am both surprised and not that your System classified the change.ˇŻ Belgroth stated bored, as he usually was with anything to do with the System.

    ˇ®Well, the System wouldnˇŻt have survived this long, nor allowed Humanity to survive this long if it wasnˇŻt adaptable.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Hmmph.ˇŻ Belgroth was not impressed.

    Rolling his eyes at Belgroth, Alaster opened his Status and took a look at his new Spell.

    [Doom Knight

    Fragments of tormented souls merged into one body of hate and pain.

    Max Minion: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 500]

    ˇ®Doom Knight? That sounds promising.ˇŻ Alaster said with a hint of pride.

    Manipulating the Mana Streams was much harder than it sounded. Manipulating the Mana of oneˇŻs own Spells was already considered a skilled technique for a Mage. Creating your own basic Spells was considered an Advanced technique.

    But to create an entirely new Spell, one as complicated as a Minion Summoning Spell, that was unheard of, at least to AlasterˇŻs knowledge. AlasterˇŻs very basic knowledge in that regard.

    ˇ®Perhaps but look at the description. ItˇŻs different from the other Summoned Undead. That alone is expected since, while itˇŻs based on one of them, it is its own Spell. It specifies the fragments of tormented souls.ˇŻ Sedall warned.

    ˇ®Bah, thatˇŻs normal for the more advanced Minion Summoning Spells. ItˇŻs not even truly advanced. Using your own SystemˇŻs words. The Minions that you Humans are used to are Novice Tier. They require very little more than Mana.

    Adept Tier Minions, such as this Doom Knight, require fragments of souls, but they will also be more complex, smarter.

    Expert Tier Minions will require entire souls, not just parts, which the soul would slowly recover. The Morals of such Minions have always been in dispute, even among my people. However, the effectiveness was never in question. Such Minions are incredibly intelligent, wise, and powerful.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What about even higher tiered Minions? Both of you were much stronger than Experts.ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    ˇ®It was just an analogy. The Magic behind Minions is much more complicated than that. But there are some types that could be compared to one of the warriors of my people. They are rare, and incredibly difficult to acquire. Minions are just that, minions. They are weak, meant to deal with those of similar weakness with numbers.ˇŻ Belgroth explained.

    ˇ®Most of my power resides in my Minions. Does that mean that eventually, I wonˇŻt be limited in strength?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Your power lies not in your Minions. But in you. As of yet, you are still quite weak, but as IˇŻm sure youˇŻve noticed, you have potential in using manipulating the soul. That in itself, is a power that cannot be underestimated.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I can second that.ˇŻ Sedall added.

    ˇ®In what way?ˇŻ Alaster asked as the sun continued to rise. Behind him, the Soldiers changed shifts, those who had worked through the night handed off their tools to the day shift crew and headed to their beds.

    ˇ®Because someone capable of manipulating souls are damn near unstoppable if given time to prepare. For example, you just created a unique Minion Summon. Minion spells are naturally complicated and difficult to replicate, let alone create your own.

    Very few people are able to learn them if they donˇŻt have a predisposition to one, like you. As one who can manipulate souls, you could even learn how to manipulate your own.ˇŻ Sedall explained.

    Belgroth spoke next, ˇ®A good friend of mine, before the War, had contained his soul in a crystal ball. It didnˇŻt matter how much damage his body took, even if it was disintegrated, so long as the crystal ball was intact, he would simply regenerate.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That sounds uncomfortable.ˇŻ Alaster winced.

    ˇ®It can be if you do if incorrectly. But my friend knew enough that he was perfectly fine. The only issue was that if his body was too far from the Crystal Ball containing his soul, he was unable to use his Magic. To overcome that, he simply trained his body, enhancing it through Magic.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Wow, that sounds incredible.ˇŻ

    ˇ®It was certainly a sight to see. Unfortunately, I havenˇŻt a clue how he managed to do it. But letˇŻs see what this Doom Knight looks like.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I too am interested.ˇŻ Sedall added.

    ˇ®But it required fragments of souls.ˇŻ Alaster reminded.

    ˇ®You are on a battlefield with hundreds of dead around you. The bodies might have been removed or even destroyed, but the souls remain where they died unless moved.ˇŻ Belgroth said with a sigh.

    ˇ®For a few days at least, depending on the soulˇŻs strength.ˇŻ Sedall quickly said.

    ˇ®That is true. Human souls are so weak they last a few days, maybe a few weeks. Argalon souls are so strong they can last several months, even years.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, if I cast the Spell, it should automatically use the souls?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Presumably.ˇŻ Sedall admitted, ˇ®It should. But it will only use pieces of the souls, nothing that will destroy it. Simply delay it. However, with how the Spell is worded, it will merge those pieces in the most painful ways, elicting pain and hate.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Alright. LetˇŻs see.ˇŻ

    While Alaster would have been able to visualize it through Identifying its Mana Streams, he didnˇŻt. The image would only give a general feeling of its abilities, not a true accounting. And as Belgroth and Sedall repeatedly said, morale was critical, and the appearance and aura of an enemy could quickly affect it.

    The Doom Knight also required ten times the amount of Mana as an ordinary Undead Summon, so Alaster was really hoping it would be worth all the effort.

    Casting the Spell, Alaster noticed that it was summoned slower than usual, but he also had the feeling that it was because of two reasons. One, that it was the first time being summoned and required time to gather the soul fragments. And two, because there was no enemy to fight.

    Alaster suspected that for later summons, especially when there was an enemy nearby that needed to be slaughtered, it would appear much quicker than usual for one of the Undead Summons.

    As the Doom Knight phased into existence, a feeling of dread began to resonate from it. So much so that the Soldiers from both shifts look over, many grasping their weapons.

    The Doom Knight was of similar height and build as Alaster. Its pitch-black armor had sharp spikes pointing out. They were not for appearances. The spikes had channels through them that fed into grooves in the armor.

    AlasterˇŻs Pact Armor was cruel, but the Doom KnightˇŻs was sadistic.

    Its fists were similarly spiked and, in its hands, it held a single serrated great sword.

    It wore a battle skirt with flexible metal plates. At the bottom of each plate was a long sharp blade. Alaster could perfectly imagine the Doom Knight spinning around and slicing apart any foe foolish enough to get near it.

    Its closed helm was surprisingly simple, but that only enforced the sense of fear it expelled. The helmet had three visors aiming down in sharp angles. It made it appear as if the Doom Knight was wearing a crown of spikes.

    The Doom Knight finally phased into existence and looked curiously around itself. It seemed confused, until it looked out of the walls, towards the Tarian Camp. A sense of hatred, but also joy. It then looked at the broken wall, at the old bloodstains. It radiated a sense of pure unbridled joy.

    It turned around, catching sight of the Soldiers. It raised its sword and dashed forward. Many Soldiers backed up in fright, a few even crying out.

    Alaster calmly raised his hand, ˇ°Stop.ˇ±

    Alaster expected it to immediately stop, but it didnˇŻt. It slowed its charge until it stood right in front of him.

    ˇ°You will obey.ˇ± Alaster commanded, ˇ°Kneel.ˇ±

    Through his [Seeker Sight] Alaster saw the Doom KnightˇŻs grip on its sword tighten. Several tense moments passed, but it did eventually obey. Slowly, but it did kneel.

    Despite kneeling, it stared at him. He could feel it glaring.

    ˇ°Follow and obey me, and you will be given countless foes to slaughter. To rip and tear. To bath in their blood, to your heartˇŻs desire.ˇ±

    The Knight cocked its head for a moment, as if pondering something, before bowing its head. In that moment, Alaster felt something change within the Minion Spell.

    He had earned the Doom KnightˇŻs fealty.

 CHAPTER 118- AMBUSH

    Alaster heard a boot nervously scuff the stone behind him. He turned to face the newcomer. It was a young man in light leather armor, by the satchel over his shoulder, he was clearly a messenger. Of course, even a young man, he was still older than the seventeen Alaster.

    The Doom Knight stared at the messenger. It gripped its sword and growled, a sound that reminded Alaster of a predator.

    ˇ°Silence.ˇ± Alaster ordered, not bothering to look at it as he addressed the messenger.

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    The messenger looked terrified to be this close to the man controlling the intimidating creatures. He had heard the rumors of the black armored man before him.

    ˇ°Uh,ˇ± He hesitated, but his training took hold, ˇ°Sir, You have been requested to meet with the City Lord as soon as possible.ˇ± He said with conviction, standing straight and tall.

    ˇ°Who is taking this position while I am gone?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    The Lords wouldnˇŻt simply assign him to this section only to leave it undefended when they wanted to talk to him.

    ˇ°Ten Squads have been assigned to this Section. While you are here, they will support you from the Inner Wall, as you requested. But when you are absent, they will guard the wall until you can return. Of course, in such a situation, it would be much appreciated for you to return as quickly as possible.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood.ˇ± Alaster waved his hand behind him, opening his Domain. He ordered all his Undead through.

    ˇ®Keep the Doom Knight with you.ˇŻ Belgroth ordered.

    ˇ®Why?ˇŻ Alaster could tell that while Sedall was silent, he was also curious.

    ˇ®The Doom Knight is a collection of multiple fragmented souls. Souls that were broken up even more, ground together in the most painful ways, and then crudely sewn together again. ThatˇŻs where its hate comes from, its own pain.

    Right now, that is all it is. Hate and pain. Which makes sense because it was created from a Berserker. But while the Souls are sewn together, they donˇŻt match. Its like a blanket that has more patches than actual blanket remaining.

    But Souls will heal themselves. In this case, they will slowly merge, refining themselves. The hate will remain, but the Doom Knight will gradually become more refined.

    In your [Soul Domain], that process will be paused. So just keep it with you as much as possible.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What happens if it is destroyed or unsummoned?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®Think of it like this. Each Undead inhabits a very small section of your Soul. Like an imprint. Any change is also marked. Right now, you have Devil fragments imbued in your Custom Undead. When the Undead are destroyed, that imprint on your soul still exists.

    When you create another Custom Undead, that Imprint is applied, keeping the fragment. Now, right now that fragment is so small and broken that it does very little.

    But with Souls in better shape, they will have more impact, even imparting certain parts of them into your Undead.

    The Doom Knight is similar. It has an Imprint and it will remain so.ˇŻ Belgroth explained as the Undead marched into the Domain.

    ˇ®Wait, what do you mean about Souls imparting something on my Undead?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Nothing extreme. The stronger the Soul, the more it will impart. But usually, it will just be minor things. Take a man who has practiced his entire life with a sword. Even if he isnˇŻt the best, all that practice formed a mark on his very soul. That same mark effects the Undead the Soul is attached to.

    That Undead will be better with the sword and may even take on similar habits the Soul had.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So I have to be careful what Souls I use?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Obviously. But unless you attach a Soul stronger than you own, the Undead will still obey you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Is that what happened with the Doom Knight?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®Yes. In the Doom KnightˇŻs situation, the amalgamation of all those Souls were just barely stronger than AlasterˇŻs. Afterall, in the sense of Souls, Alaster is only a little stronger than most Humans, and Humans have very weak Souls.

    Since it was Spiritually stronger than Alaster, it was able to resist his command, partly, because it was only just stronger. But when Alaster offered it something that it wanted, it offered itself to him, allowing his Soul to successfully subjugate its own collection.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So it will obey?ˇŻ

    Alaster wanted to make sure. He didnˇŻt want the Knight going on a rampage among the civilians.

    ˇ®Yes, but going along with my previous analogy, any Adept Tiered Undead will act more independently. It will obey, but the way it obeys will depend on it. And, for Expert Tiered Undead, if you do something against the morales ingrained on its Soul, it will revolt.ˇŻ

    ˇ®The Mage creates. The Knight destroys. The Lord rules. A good ruler has the loyalty and fear of their subjects. A poor ruler has neither.ˇŻ Alaster recited what his Class had told him.

    ˇ®Yes. Most of your Minions will be created using Souls. The longer they exist, the more intelligent and refined. Right now, the Doom Knight is confused. All it wants is to destroy. In this case, that will not change, but it will become more focused. Simply put, you can treat your other Undead like disposable tools, but with the Doom Knight and other Higher Undead, you canˇŻt do that.ˇŻ

    Alaster nodded to himself and closed the Domain after the last Undead went through. He dismissed the Summoned Undead.

    ˇ®Keep in mind, that verbal commands have more power than mental ones.ˇŻ Sedall reminded.

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    ˇ°Follow me. You will stay with me and not harm anyone unless I command otherwise.ˇ± Alaster sternly ordered the Doom Knight.

    It growled, but Alaster could feel its acknowledgement. The Doom Knight followed behind Alaster, similar to how Lukas followed Lord Siphas.

    If Alaster frightened the other Soldiers, the Doom Knight outright terrorized them. Everyone gave the two a wide birth. The walk through the walls and tower was just as lengthy, however.

    Alaster liked how long it took for him, even while everyone avoided him. It meant that during a battle, it would take that much longer for the walls to become overrun. Honestly, Alaster wondered just how many more would die in the attempt to take the walls.

    The hill of dead in the Bailey was only a small portion. Most of the dead were taken to one of the many Bonfires and burned. Wind Mages kept them contained as well as clearing the air of the stench of burning flesh. But it was a slow process.

    As it was, Alaster doubted the Tarians would attack today. His sudden and dramatic appearance had shocked them. They were likely compiling every report they had of him and attempting to create plans to counter him.

    Fire and Holy Magic were typically most effective against Undead. But Fire Magic was weaker against bone, even more so against pure strengthened bone. And Holy Magic was increasingly rare, and typically single target.

    Alaster doubted the Tarians even knew his Minions were Undead. Very few in Onigas knew, even then, they would likely suspect that only a few of his Minions were Undead. Afterall, his Undead were much stronger than the usual type of Undead summoned.

    Walking through the streets, the citizens created a much wider bubble around the pair than the Soldiers had. The few children that were outside were hidden behind their parents. People stopped what they were doing to watch them, afraid that the two large people in scary armor would attack. Several rushed indoors, slamming their doors shut and pulling the curtains over the windows.

    Alaster only rolled his eyes. He understood that many only fought to become Adepts then spent the rest of their lives working a nonviolent Class. Most people werenˇŻt cut out to fight. Alaster understood that.

    But what he couldnˇŻt understand was not training to become strong enough to protect yourself and those precious to you. If you couldnˇŻt protect yourself, you would be forced to rely on others, and there was no telling if they would get to you in time, or if they would come at all.

    ˇ®Hey Belgroth? The Doom Knight Spell has a Max counter, implying that it is capable of increasing. How will that work?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Adept Tiered Undead are simple enough to do so, but I suspect that Higher Undead will each have their own Spells. But for the Doom Knight, you will just need more Soul Fragments present during the first summon. ItˇŻll create a new Imprint on your Soul, and they will each progress differently.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What sort of requirements will Higher Undead have?ˇŻ Sedall asked, trying to gleam as much as possible.

    ˇ®Depends on the type. ItˇŻll be diverse, I can tell you that. During the War, there was a Human Summoner who had to kill a hundred children before he could summon one of his Minions. That man died a very gruesome, painful, and slow death.ˇŻ Belgroth with bloodthirsty joy.

    ˇ®Will there come a time that a soul has too many Minion Imprints on it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Theoretically. Though in practicality, as one is capable of summoning more Minions, their Soul will grow in strength, growing larger to accommodate.ˇŻ

    Sedall and Belgroth continued discussing, but Alaster only paid partial attention. He was instead focused on the rooftops, where several cloaked figures were following him.

    They were obviously Adepts specialized in stealth, but none were exceptional in that field. From his lessons with both Sedall and Belgroth, Alaster knew that only rare Stealth Abilities allowed the user to remain invisible from one much stronger than them.

    If Alaster could see these figures, that meant they didnˇŻt have those Abilities, and they were all much weaker than him.

    They had set an ambush further ahead, most likely for him.

    Alaster could have surprised them by counter attacking, but that would likely incite even more panic. They were already scared of him, if they saw him suddenly blasting their rooftopsˇ­it would only cause more issues later on.

    Plus, Alaster was interested in seeing what these assassins were capable of. He suspected they were Tarian Spys sent to assassinate him, or if that failed, to probe his Abilities and report back. Simply put, Alaster needed to make sure that none of them were given the chance.

    There were seven. As Alaster neared their position, remaining casual, they readied themselves to attack from the roofs. But one held back. Close enough that he could clearly see the action, but far enough away to get away if needed.

    They might only be Adepts, but they were experienced in their work. Alaster wondered how many others in Onigas had been eliminated.

    Alaster mentally ordered the Doom Knight to not attack and to stay when they attacked. He did not want to risk the still very unstable Doom Knight going on a rampage in the middle of the city. As he did so, Alaster prepped his Magic, he would target the furthest one first.

    Information was the key to any conflict, and the less that Tarians knew about him, the better. They would eventually learn of his capabilities, at least the ones he revealed, but the longer that took, was more Tarian lives he could reap.

    He eventually reached the agreed upon point, triggering all six to attack simultaneously. But Alaster was still faster. A single cast sent fifteen [Necrotic Bolts] into the body of the observer while his Halberd appeared in his hand mid swing, decapitating two assassins.

    In the same movement, AlasterˇŻs second and third mind sent another two casts of [Necrotic Bolt] into the fourth and fifth.

    Behind him, Alaster heard wet gurgles. The Doom Knight had already cut one man in half at the waist. As he watched, the Knight swung its sword with a powerful crushing blow into the last assassinˇŻs shoulder. The man raised his sword in an attempt to block it, but it was too powerful.

    His sword shattered, and the serrated blade cut into his shoulder down to the center of his chest. But the Knight was not finished with its prey. Yanking its sword out, it dropped it, grabbing both sides of the grievous cut and pulling. With a sickening crunch of bones breaking and muscles tearing, the man was ripped in two from his right shoulder to his left hip.

    People screamed and ran indoors, even if it wasnˇŻt their home. Blood painted the road. But Alaster wasnˇŻt focused on that. Instead, he was watching the Doom Knight. The large amounts of blood that had spilled onto it were soaked into its armor, filling the grooves. They glowed faintly and Alaster could feel the Knight growing stronger, faster, and more durable.

    ˇ®A powerful weapon in a large battle.ˇŻ Sedall commented.

    ˇ®Why didnˇŻt it obey me?ˇŻ Alaster asked, more curious than angry.

    ˇ®Like I said, it will obey, but in its own way. You told it not to attack, it didnˇŻt. It only defended itself.ˇŻ Belgroth said with a chuckle.

    Alaster noticed that it hadnˇŻt moved more than a single step. The two men had attacked it. He would have preferred to capture one of them to hand over for interrogation, but the Doom Knight clearly didnˇŻt take prisoners.

    As Alaster pondered, he noticed that the Doom Knight seemed almost joyful. Nothing about it changed visually, but through his connection with it, the Knight was indeed happy. But he could also sense a bit of annoyance that there wasnˇŻt more.

    A patrol of Guards had rushed over in the commotion, but by the time they had gotten there, it was already done. There had already been several assassinations, both successful and not. But not once had they seen such a horrific outcome.

    One of the assassins was dead on the roof of a building, he had slid down further and now one foot and arm were hanging over the edge, most of his front was melted off.

    Two more had their chests melted, revealing what little remained of their internal organs and bones.

    Two were decapitated, and if the bodies hadnˇŻt clearly fallen, the Guards would have suspected they had been executed.

    But the last two were in large pieces. The Guards had arrived just as the Doom Knight ripped the last one in two. Several of their patrol were throwing up their breakfast.

    Alaster quickly told them what happened and moved along. They were too frightened and stunned to attempt to stop him.

    The Doom Knight followed behind with glee. It had been less than two hours since it had been summoned, and it had already killed two. Alaster had promised countless for it to slaughter, and the Doom Knight was beginning to believe it wasnˇŻt an exaggeration.

 CHAPTER 119- CITY DEFENSES

    Alaster eventually reached the City LordˇŻs Castle and was let through by the Guards. Unlike all the others before, they didnˇŻt look at him and the Dread Knight with fear and hesitation, but with resolute firmness. If they needed to, they would fight, even with certain death.

    A servant immediately approached Alaster, despite his nervousness, and guided him to the City Lord.

    Back in the Meeting Room, Alaster once again saw the same Lords crowding around the City Map.

    Alaster was immediately noticed by everyone upon entering. He approached them, ordering the Dread Knight to stand against the wall.

    ˇ°You asked for me?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    The City Lord looked at him curiously, ˇ°Was there an attack on the Wall that we havenˇŻt heard about yet?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because you have blood on your armor.ˇ± Lord Siphas said, a bit of worry behind his eyes.

    ˇ°Oh, apologies. No, there was no attack on the wall. Only an attack on me. Some assassin attacked me on my way here.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you survived? How many?ˇ± asked one of the other Lords, who had taken out a notebook.

    ˇ°Seven. From the way they attacked, it was more of a probing attack. Only six attacked me, with the seventh hiding on the roof tops. He was the first to die.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you for ridding the city of them. There have been several attacks on the people and influential, even a few sabotage attempts since the siege began. Reports suggest only a dozen or so. With you killing seven, that will put everyone at ease.ˇ± The Lord explained.

    ˇ°And none of you thought to tell me before?ˇ± It wasnˇŻt an accusation, only a question.

    ˇ°I was going to this morning, but I hadnˇŻt expected you to sneak out and repair your section of the wall overnight.ˇ± The City Lord said with a barely suppressed grin.

    ˇ°Only minor repairs, they are not as sturdy as the original wall, but it should be sufficient to fight on.ˇ±

    ˇ°If you did the bulk work, we could have one of the engineers stop by and check it out, fortifying it.ˇ± A Lord suggested.

    ˇ°Not yet, letˇŻs see how the Tarians react. If we spend so many resources fortifying that section only for the Tarians to destroy it again in a day, itˇŻll be a waste.ˇ± Lord Sedall suggested.

    ˇ°So, besides a status report, why am I here?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°I thought you would want to hear the general status of the city before breakfast. Apparently, you promised both my daughter and Lady Siphas that you would be there.ˇ±

    Something about how the City Lord said ˇ®daughterˇŻ put Alaster on edge, but he couldnˇŻt figure out why.

    ˇ®Moron. The girl likes you. The man is just being protective of his daughter.ˇŻ Sedall said, laughing.

    ˇ®Human habits are strange.ˇŻ Belgroth commented, confused.

    ˇ®Your own people didnˇŻt have protective fathers?ˇŻ Sedall questioned.

    ˇ®Not like this. So long as the male could prove his worthiness, there was no objection.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs whatˇŻs happening here. Just in a slightly different way.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What do you mean? Alaster has already proven himself to be a competent warrior.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But he hasnˇŻt yet proven himself as a competent man. Just keep watching.ˇŻ

    While Alaster tried to ignore the two voices in his head, the Lords began to all give their reports of their responsibilities. They apparently did this every day before the City LordˇŻs breakfast. Ordinarily, one of the Section Commanders would not have been invited, but Alaster was a special case.

    Both Lord Siphas and the City Lord believed that the young man would be able to more effectively fight if he knew how well the rest of the city was defended.

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    After an hour, the sun was still only just past the horizon. However, Alaster now knew the general situation. And it did not look good.

    Simply put, the city defenses could only handle a few more attacks. Once the outer wall fell to Tarian hands, the Inner wall would at most last a single day. The Bailey was holding well, but they were slowly being ground down, and if the outer wall fell, the Bailey would as well, without mere hours.

    The defenses within the city itself were not great either. The Guard Barracks built throughout the city were like miniature forts in themselves, but they would fall within a few hours. The district walls would hinder most of the attacking Soldiers, but they werenˇŻt tall enough to prevent some with more specialized Classes from jumping over in various ways.

    Everyone in the Slums would likely be killed, their meager homes and possessions not worth enough for the Soldiers to care. They would simply charge through it.

    The Residential District would be looted, and the people terrorized. Homes and businesses would burn. Prized possessions and treasures would be taken by the Soldiers for themselves. The people were be beaten, raped, and if they resisted in any way, killed. A few would likely also be taken as slaves.

    The Military District would likely be where the bulk of the fighting would be, but the walls would fall within a day at most. There wasnˇŻt much to loot there, as it was meant to supply the Onigarian Guard.

    The Noble District would last the longest. While there would be much fewer defenders, they were also much stronger. They would defend the wall, killing many Tarian Soldiers, but they too would be swept aside by numbers. The Noble Estates would be looted, the families slaughtered and put on display as a warning.

    As for the Last District, pretty much just the City LordˇŻs collection of buildings and his Castle, it would likely be occasionally bombarded, but would simply be waited out. Every Guard of the City Lord and his family was an Expert, every Guard protecting his Estate was the elite of the City Guard. It simply wouldnˇŻt be worth the cost to attack it.

    Eventually the defenses would be starved out. And the City Lord and his family would be hung in the most public places after being tortured and used as a warning for those that would dare oppose the Kingdom of Tarvia.

    In his Skeletal form, Alaster was not angered by such revelations. He knew that Tarvia was not the only Nation that would do such things. In fact, it was the norm. All the other Nations would do similar or worse. If Onigas had been part of another Kingdom, the children of the City Lord would likely be stolen away from him, to keep him in line as he continued to rule the city for them.

    Had Alaster been in his human form, he knew he would have shattered the table from gripping it too hard. He was close to both the Siphas Family and the City LordˇŻs daughters. Alaster knew if he returned to his human form while still thinking about it, he would still destroy the table.

    Of course, the Tarian army could simply continue to siege the city, preventing any supplies from making their way insides, and gradually starve the city. But everyone was in agreement that the Tarians seemed pressed for time.

    As the meeting ended, the Lords all left, each returning to their Guards and Estates or duties. Alaster remained staring at the map as the last one left, leaving just the City Lord and Lord Siphas in the room with him.

    Lord Siphas approached him, ˇ°Ready for breakfast?

    ˇ°I could eat.ˇ± Alaster joked, in truth, he had no idea if he was hungry. In his Skeletal form, he didnˇŻt feel any of those needs.

    The City Lord led the way out of the Meeting Hall. The Dread Knight followed him. Lukas was there waiting, as was another man who Alaster suspected was the personal guard of the City Lord. They all fell in behind their respective charges.

    ˇ°By the way Alaster, why didnˇŻt you take off your helmet at all during the meeting?ˇ± Lord Siphas asked, resting his hand casually on the sword at his hip.

    ˇ°Because it would have frightened the other Lords.ˇ±

    The City Lord glanced over, ˇ°In what way lad?ˇ±

    Instead of responding, Alaster had the Pact remove his helmet, revealing his bare skull. Their eyes widened, even Lukas and the other guard seemed surprised. As they watched, Alaster deactivated [Dead Embrace]. His muscles, eyes, nose, and skin regenerated within a moment.

    ˇ°While I am in my Skeletal form, I donˇŻt grow hungry or tired, though it is Mana intensive.ˇ± Alaster didnˇŻt quite want to reveal everything about it, even if the Mana was in fact easily manageable.

    ˇ°So thatˇŻs how you were able to work through the night despite fighting.ˇ± Lord Siphas realized.

    ˇ°Impressive.ˇ± The City Lord commented.

    ˇ°By the way, who is this?ˇ± Lord Siphas asked, motioning towards the Dread Knight.

    ˇ°My newest Minion, but it is still a bit unstable. I had wanted to keep at least one of the assassins alive, but the Minion acted on its own, killing the last two before I had the chance to stop it, quite brutally, I might add. Not a big loss in my opinion, I doubt they would have had anything worthwhile to say.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is it safe?ˇ± Lord Siphas asked, subtlety adjusting his hand to grab his sword if needed.

    ˇ°Yes. It will obey me. During a battle however, less so. ItˇŻs like a Berserker. Which is just another reason I wanted the Section by myself. I donˇŻt want to accidently kill allies, either with my Magic, or with my Minions.

    They then reached a pair of double doors.

    ˇ°Here we are.ˇ± The City Lord announced, ˇ°Before we enter, could you remove your armor, itˇŻs still got blood on it.ˇ±

    Alaster quickly did so, glancing at the Dread Knight. It had absorbed all the blood that had covered it. He had noticed that the glowing blood-filled grooves had dimmed after an hour after, and completely vanished after two, along with the increased power.

    The Pact removed his armor, the blood vanishing along with it, leaving him in his travel clothes. Nothing fancy, but they didnˇŻt look too bad.

    Satisfied, the City Lord opened the doors wide, revealing both families already sitting at a long table with an assortment of food on it.

    AlasterˇŻs stomach grumbled.

 CHAPTER 120- SHORT MEAL

    Alice and Isabella both hopped up to rush to Alaster, but both were reprimanded by their mothers and told to sit down once more. Iris had more self-control, but it was obvious that she was glad he was there.

    Alaster had actually only ever met the City LordˇŻs wife a few times. She was a homely woman. She was pretty, but she would blend into a crowd quite easily. Which Alaster suspected was the point. The woman was the spy master of Onigas. Though most of her network was spread throughout the other Nations.

    Alaster only knew that because the City Lord had let it slip during that morningˇŻs meeting. It wasnˇŻt really a secret, just not something meant to be publicized. However, since her daughters had been born, she had taken a step back and focused more on her family. Though she still had control over her network.

    The City Lord took his spot at the head of the table with Lord Siphas on his right and his wife on his left. Lady Siphas was beside her husband with Isabella next to her. Iris was next to her mother with Alice on the other side. But as Alaster walked to the other end table, across from the City Lord, he spotted Iris subtlety switch seats with her sister.

    Much like the Siphas Family meals, the breakfast was quite relaxed, with everyone grabbing what they wanted before passing it off to the next person. In just a few minutes, AlasterˇŻs plate was filled with various foods.

    The City Lord chuckled, ˇ°You know Alaster, we might be under siege, but there is still enough for seconds. You donˇŻt have to balance all that on one plate.ˇ±

    Alaster scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as everyone turned to face him.

    ˇ°Sorry. ItˇŻs just been a while since IˇŻve had options.ˇ±

    Iris tilted her head at him, ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, since I left Onigas, I have just been travelling around, killing Monsters, Conquering Dungeons, and the like. None of that allowed me to really eat anything more than meat roasted over a campfire.ˇ±

    ˇ°That must have been hard.ˇ± Iris sympathized.

    ˇ°It wasnˇŻt all that bad. Lost count of how many times I almost died though.ˇ± Alaster joked with a grin.

    Iris threw a roll at him, which he caught with in his mouth, his thanks muffled.

    Everyone laughed and the rest of the meal was spent in pleasant company and conversation.

    Just as Alaster finished eating the doors burst open.

    Alaster spun around, his Pact Armor and Halberd quickly melding around him as he pointed his weapon towards the intruder.

    The Messenger abruptly halted, slipping on the polished marble of the dining hall.

    ˇ°Do try not to maim my Messengers. What is it?ˇ± The City Lord asked the young man.

    The Messenger hesitated, looking up at the armored giant that had suddenly appeared before him. Staring into the lightly glowing green eyes, it was like he was staring into the eyes of Death himself.

    ˇ°Spit it out boy!ˇ± Lord Siphas shouted.

    ˇ°Ah! Uhh,ˇ± The Messenger rushed to his feet and bowed, ˇ°The Tarians are readying their troops in what General Martalis believes is another attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hmm. They reacted quicker than I thought. Nothing we can do about it now. Alaster, you should get to your Section.ˇ±

    Iris watched as Alaster dismissed his Halberd and gave a lazy salute before he vanished, leaving a small skeleton in his place.

    The Night Child hopped across the floor until it reached Iris where it jumped onto the table and sat down on its hunches, reminiscent of an owl.

    ˇ°Uhh, what is this thing?ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Alaster appeared in the room allotted to him by the City Lord. He had left a the bladeless Night Child there to monitor the room, but it had just been in range of the twenty meter limit of [Swap].

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    He could have just walked out of the room, but now that he knew there were Tarian Assassins within the city walls, he wanted to leave a Night Child with all three of the Noble Girls, but he had not yet made three Night Children.

    Alaster did not doubt the ability of their Guards, but it still put him at ease to have one of his Minions there monitoring them.

    ˇ®I should work on making smaller Minions. That way theyˇŻll be harder to spot and easier to move around.ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself as he jumped out of the window.

    It was only the second story and while that was still a dangerous height for many Adepts, for others, it was easy. And Alaster wasnˇŻt an Adept anymore. He landed lightly and immediately set out at a light jog, opening his Domain and allowing the Stallion out.

    In just a few moments, Alaster turned the corner of the Castle and came into view of the gate.

    ˇ°Open the gate!ˇ± Alaster ordered, jumping onto the Skeletal Stallion without stopping.

    The Guards rushed to obey. They had already received word of the attack and expected that some within the Estate would be rushing about.

    Alaster galloped past. Unlike a living horse, his steed didnˇŻt need any rest or warmup. Alaster blurred past the gates and down the streets of the Noble District.

    He quickly came into view of the DistrictˇŻs Gates. They were closed. But Alaster didnˇŻt stop. Instead, he opened his Domain to drop his second and last Night Child into his gauntleted hand. He didnˇŻt care to aim, just someone over the wall.

    Air whistled through the ChildˇŻs bones as it soared.

    Alaster activated [Swap] again, costing five hundred Mana because ten minutes had yet to pass since the first use.

    [Soul Domain] opened in front of the Stallion as Alaster vanished from its saddle.

    Alaster appeared three meters midair on the other side of the gate. Domain opened once more, and Alaster landed in the saddle of his stallion once more.

    The entire movement was smooth, and he didnˇŻt slow down. Alaster knew that he had only been capable of that due to his Dexterity Bonus improving his control over his own body.

    Behind him, the guards at the gate werenˇŻt sure what to do. Should they give chase? Should they report it? In the end, they just left it alone. There were much bigger things to worry about during a siege.

    The Military DistrictˇŻs gate was already open as a long column of soldiers marched through. They parted to allow Alaster through, likely just assuming he was an officer, even if they didnˇŻt know who he was. Nonetheless, Alaster was grateful.

    He galloped alongside the column. The citizens watched their protectors march towards their defense with pride, raising the morale of the city. As he passed them, they watched him go with surprise and wonder. A few likely recognized him from the fight that very morning. And now, they saw him riding towards the wall.

    The faces of the soldiers were grim and tired. By now, every one of them had seen firsthand the horrors that awaited them at the walls. Yet still they marched. What else could they do?

    One more gate and he was in the slums. Alaster found it strangely ironic that despite being the poorest and most destitute of citizens, their proximity to the wall had prevented any attacks to reach them. They all either hit the wall, or soared over.

    When Alaster finally reached the towers, Alaster jumped off the Stallion, the portal to his Domain swallowing it. This close to the wall, it was pure chaos. Yet regardless of where all the people were moving, it was all gradually making its way up the towers.

    Soldiers marched up the stairs. Engineers rushed to finished their last repairs. Carriers loaded the cranes to bring supplies to the battlements. Officers were yelling out orders. And flatbed carts were stored near the cranes with blood stained blankets ready for the bodies that would inevitably come.

    Alaster decided to forgo the crowded towers and instead hitched a ride on one of the cranes. It was obvious he was not supposed to do that, but in his armor, none dared to approach to tell him so.

    He stepped off as workers moved forward to unload the crane, clearly more worried about not being ready than they were of him. The battlements were just as busy.

    Jogging to this Section over the Outer Gate, everyone tried to clear a path for him. Something that was not easy considering how crowded it was and how large he was. In several areas, Alaster had to turn sideways.

    But despite all the hassle, in just a few minutes, Alaster was where he was supposed to be. And what a sight it was.

    The ten squads, one hundred men, were stationed there. Just in case Alaster was not able to return before a conflict began. They stood in neat offset lines, watching the enemy beyond the walls.

    The officer in charge of the hundred walked over, ˇ°Greetings sir, we have been tasked to support you in defending this Section of wall.ˇ±

    ˇ°Appreciated, but unnessessary. If you must, then support me from the Inner Wall. Any thing living that is on this Section when the fighting starts wont be for long. If you are not suited to Inner Wall support, go reinforce another Section.ˇ±

    To his credit, the man did not even flinch, ˇ°Understood. Alright men, we are moving out!ˇ±

    As one, they turned on their heels and formed an orderly column. They marched across the bridge and soon blended into the rest of the chaos.

    Alaster turned to look out over the battlements.

    ˇ®That certainly makes me feel small.ˇŻ

    The Tarians had previously dug trenches and bulwarks, which helped mask their true numbers. Now, they were in formations in front of their defenses and preparing to march. Their might was on display, and it made AlasterˇŻs heart beat in his ears.

    ˇ®Calm down Alaster. You donˇŻt have to kill all of them. You only have to kill the ones that attack this Section. You arenˇŻt fighting alone, nor are the people you are fighting with incompetent. They know what they are doing. Hundreds of those Soldiers wonˇŻt even make it to the wall.ˇŻ Sedall attempted to calm his host.

    It worked, for the most part.

    Alaster took a deep breath and opened his Domain, allowing his Undead to march out and take their positions. Even more were summoned. And when the battle began, his Legion would quickly build in strength. But something was missing.

    ˇ®What am I forgetting?ˇŻ

    Alaster thought for several minutes as he watched the Tarians gather.

    ˇ®Shit! I forgot the Dread Knight!ˇŻ

    In his haste to get to the wall, he had forgotten his newest Minion in the Dining Hall.

    ˇ®Oops?ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 121- MEMORIES

    Through his connection he could feel the Dread Knight sprinting after him. He was already in the Residential District.

    ˇ®He is fast.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And pissed.ˇŻ Sedall chuckled.

    ˇ®He is always mad. ThatˇŻs kinda his whole thing.ˇŻ Alaster countered.

    ˇ®Yeah, but now he is mad at you for leaving him behind.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I could probably just summon him again.ˇŻ

    ˇ®No need. He isnˇŻt harming anyone and is quickly making his way over. He will be here before the Tarians even begin moving.ˇŻ Belgroth explained.

    ˇ®But when he does get here, try to make a point of showing all the enemies he will get to kill. It might calm him.ˇŻ Sedall offered.

    Both Sedall and Belgroth obviously found this hilarious. Alaster less so. But the battle was going to start soon regardless. He needed to get ready.

    Alaster opened his Domain with a wave of his hand, allowing his Undead to march out. As they did so, Alaster summoned his Minions. In just a few minutes, the Section was filled with nearly two hundred Undead. It was also the first time Alaster had seen the War Master Undead.

    It stood resolute at the battlements, emotionlessly staring out at the assembling enemy. Its sword was pointed down and it rested both hands on the pommel. Unlike the Berserkers right next to it, who seemed excited at the approaching battle, the War Master seemed to only treat it as something that happened. Not something to dread or be excited about.

    Its white leather cuirass and helmet would no doubt soon be dyed red.

    ˇ®Bel? Since I created the Dread Knight out of the Berserker spell, is it possible to do the same with other Minion Spells?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Somewhat. You have to realize that the Dread Knight isnˇŻt another version of the Undead Berserker, but instead a more advanced version. Some Minions simply donˇŻt have a more advanced version.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Will the War Master be one of those with an Advanced version?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I donˇŻt know. You would have to look at its Streams first.ˇŻ

    Alaster resisted the urge to roll his eyes and used Identify on his Minion. A network of faintly glowing streams of Mana extended from everything he could see. It was overwhelming, chaotic, and a headache quickly began brewing.

    Alaster did not know what he was looking for. It would take countless hours to even begin figuring out what even a single Stream did. Luckily, Alaster did not need to do that, though he suspected that he would eventually. Belgroth was able to immediately see what he wanted.

    ˇ®Alright, so while you will be able to Advance the War Master, the process will be quite different, and even more lengthy.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why?ˇŻ Alaster asked, the Tarians were still forming up, and he suspected he had a while.

    ˇ®What is the defining trait of the Dread Knight?ˇŻ

    ˇ®ItˇŻs rage?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Correct. Rage is a very primal emotion that transcends the body. Technique and skill, which the War Master uses, does not. As such, the work will be slower and more tedious as the Streams will have to be manipulated to emulate it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So not today?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Probably not. Besides, you still have the Dread Knight to figure out.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah but while blind rage might be entertaining to watch, Technique is more interesting.ˇŻ

    ˇ®There will be plenty of situations where one is preferable.ˇŻ Sedall interjected.

    ˇ®You speaking from experience little spirit?ˇŻ Belgroth teased.

    ˇ®Yes.ˇŻ There was no humor in his voice, ˇ®Rage is a powerful emotion. One that, if utilized, can create impossible results. However, if the rage utilizes you, it will destroy you.

    Alaster, for as long as I have been watching you; you have battled against a raging storm of hate. With each day and level that passes, it has only grown larger. You have tried to hide it from others, but it remains.

    Control it. Use it. DonˇŻt let it use you.ˇŻ

    Alaster stood there, surrounded by his Undead, facing off against a superior enemy in every way. He was one of the strongest fighters for the entire city. One of the biggest obstacles for the Tarian army in capturing Onigas. He was not only an Expert, a Tier that most can only hope to achieve, but one of the stronger ones.

    And yet, despite that, Alaster still felt weak.

    He had grown up being taught that Experts were the strongest, that he should look up to them and count himself lucky to see one. Yet even while he was still an Adept, he had met Gods, seen Monsters, and challenged Demons, all of whom saw Experts as little more than rodents to be squashed.

    Even Sedall, a Demigod, an existence that saw Experts as children, Alaster couldnˇŻt help but think of him as ˇ®justˇŻ a Demigod.

    But to see his sister again, to hold her once moreˇ­it would take more than power. Alaster had power, and each day, he was gaining more. What he needed was information, knowledge, and cunning.

    He had already been warned several times, from several sources, that he would need to be careful and plan it through. He wouldnˇŻt be able to simply rush in swinging. And the more he learned of the world, the more he agreed.

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    Things were not as simple as he had previously thought.

    So, Alaster had already decided that while he was in Onigas, he would study how the Nobles acted. With the little information he had, it was more than likely a Noble that had stolen away his sister and murdered his parents.

    Unknown to Alaster, his Mana was reacting to his heightened emotions.

    Black strings of Mana leaked from the gaps in his armor, moving independently and sticking to whatever it touched before dripping off like slime. The Soldiers felt sick as they saw it, like it was not meant to be in this world.

    They were already apprehensive of the intimidating man and his army of the dead, now they genuinely feared him. They knew he would protect his Section, but they wondered if he would even blink before cutting down one of them.

    Belgroth watched in fascination. He could feel what was happening, even see it, but he did not know what it was. That both interested him, and worried him. He had lived for millennia, watched firsthand as the Humans first arrived on his home in their metal vessal. He had seen their Gods raise in power until they could combat his people.

    He knew how to warp reality, how to mold the soul, and how to shatter continents. And yet, he did not know this.

    Belgroth could feel its essence. He knew that it was created from Alaster, even if the young man had no idea he was doing it. The Ancient Demon could also sense that it was not harming the boy, or himself, in any way.

    If anything, it was beneficial to Alaster. It was augmenting him, making his Magic more tangible, more violent. And yet, there was more to it than even Belgroth could see. He could sense it was doing more, but he couldnˇŻt understand what.

    Sedall did know it. He had even seen it before. And it made his body, trapped in an ancient prison hundreds of miles away, shake uncontrollably.

    Over the eons he had been a Demigod, he had seen many others come and go. The order of Demigods usually only numbered a hundred, typically less. But at one point, it had once numbered nearly five hundred.

    With their numbers they were able to monitor the entire world with ease. They kept it safe from any threat. Safeguarding it and allowing the Human Race to prosper.

    It was an age of prosperity and peace. Cities were constructed, Monsters fled, the world explored. But Human Nature was conflict. With the Monsters no longer creating sufficient conflict, Humanity created it themselves.

    Just because people no longer had to fear the Monsters, did not mean they no longer had to fear each other.

    Without the worry of Monsters, Wars ran rampant. Everyone with power attempted to take what they could, sparking countless conflicts. The Demigods kept them all under control, but did not intervene, seeing themselves as simple overseers, not tyrants.

    Countless died, but even more were born and grew to be powerful people capable of protecting Humanity.

    One man, unsatisfied with the state of things, attempted to put a stop to the wars. He was fed up with the wars. He first attempted to seek peace, binding each of the numerous Rulers to treaties.

    For nearly a decade he tried and failed. He had met with some success. But each Ruler that agreed was seen as weak by the others and attacked. During this time, he had personally amassed a vast amount of wealth and power.

    Faced with failure after failure, watching thousands die due to the greed of a few, he had secluded himself away. If Humanity wanted to slaughter each other, he wanted no part of it.

    Eventually, however, he fell in love. She was a common woman, nothing special about her. Her Class was average, her talent was average. Perhaps that is what attracted him to her. The simplicity. Though to this day, none knew the true reason.

    The Man settled down in a quiet village, far from the chaos, and started a family. Years passed in happy peace, until one day, the Man came back from a hunting trip to find the village in ruin, his family slaughtered.

    The Man vanished that day.

    Two years later, rumors began spreading of entire villages disappearing, a few months after, an entire city.

    The Demigods investigated but found nothing. That is what worried them. There was nothing. No bodies, no blood, not even any damage. The city looked as if the citizens had simply stopped whatever they were doing and walked away.

    Two tense months passed in silence. Even the wars stopped. None were daring enough to send out their armies when they thought an enemy could attack them.

    When the Man finally chose to reveal himself, it was to the entire world.

    The Man had been an Expert, one of the weaker ones. Yet when he screamed his challenge to the Demigods, he was an Expert no longer. They couldnˇŻt sense his power.

    There were of course ways to hide their power. The Demigods were going to simply ignore the Man who had clearly gone insane. But then he revealed that he was the cause of the disappearances, and that another city would vanish if they did not stop him.

    Angered by the arrogance of this puny mortal, a single Demigod stepped forward while the rest took a short break from their usual duties to watch the show. None of them could have predicted just how much of a show it would be until the DemigodˇŻs head rolled back to them.

    That was the first time Sedall had seen that sickly Mana. AlasterˇŻs normal green Mana was simply a pale green, best described as sickly. The color you would imagine someoneˇŻs face to turn when they were ill. There were even Mana Types that appeared as black, they were rare, but present.

    But the ManˇŻs Mana itself was Black. Not the color of its effect, but the Mana. To the Demigods, the Mana was a pungent and revolting assault on their enhanced senses. Many gagged, Sedall included.

    As their comradeˇŻs head came to a stop, none dared to take him lightly. Ten more rushed forward with their most powerful attacks. Less than a minute later, ten corpses fell to the mud.

    Enraged, the entirety of the assembled Demigods attacked.

    Sedall truly could not remember much of the resulting battle. What little he did remember was the hardest battle he had ever fought in his life. It was also his longest. He did not know how long exactly it had lasted. All he could remember was the sun rising and falling numerous times.

    Demigods were the peak of the world. The strongest the world would allow to without crushing them. They were the apex predators. Hunters that caused even the worst Monsters to cower in fear. Yet in that battle, they were the ones cowering as they died in droves.

    Their sole enemy had started as a man, but as the battle progressed, he began to resemble less like a man, and more like a shapeless monster of that revolting Mana. It moved in impossible ways, dodging attacks that should have been unavoidable, absorbing strikes that would have split mountains.

    The battle spread itself over the entirety of the continent as the creature pursued those who fled.

    It was not entirely a one-sided slaughter. The creature was slowly accumulating damage it was not able to repair.

    Historians had written the end of the battle as a great heroic victory for the Protectors of the World and end of the Monster, but reality was not so kind. The end had been horrific and not one any of the survivors could speak of without shame.

    Sedall remembered watching, covered in more blood and mud than he thought possible, limping and attempting to stem the flow of blood from his side, as twenty of his peers capitalized on an opening and attacked, landing their powerful blows, sundering the earth, rippling the air, and warping reality.

    But the creature did not intend to go silently. Reaping the price of the attacks, the creature exploded in Black Mana, skewering all twenty, and revealing its true body, kneeling in the midst of its destruction, already dead.

    The aftermath had been eerily silent. None dared to speak, not that any was in the mood. Never before had an opponent pushed a Demigod so far, let alone their entire order.

    The battle had ended with just thirty Demigods surviving, not one of them without costs that would haunt them for centuries afterwards.

    Sedall remembered feeling two things after. Cold and Numb. He physically felt cold, while emotionally numb.

    That battle had spelled the end of the Era of Peace. The Demigods no longer had the numbers to keep the Monsters at bay. They rushed to preserve what they could with their meager few, but much was lost.

    It wasnˇŻt until years later that Sedall learned what the Historians had decided to call the creature.

    The Black Horror.

    Its inky black tendrils still haunted his nightmares even several centuries later, and now, he saw the same Mana clinging to Alaster.

 CHAPTER 122- MATTERS OF THE SOUL

    The army advanced in orderly ranks across the field. They marched slowly, with no haste. They didnˇŻt need to. From their camp, there was a good two hundred meters where the Onigarian projectiles couldnˇŻt reach. That range was clearly marked by the field of craters.

    Their numbers were formed in neat formations, keeping to their Units. As they neared the line, they gradually spread out, both individually and as Units. They each had their own area to target.

    Shortly before crossing the line, they sped up, reaching their optimal speed by the time the crossed into the killing field, where countless of their fallen still littered the pockmarked dirt and mud in pieces.

    The Onigarians didnˇŻt wait until the Tarians crossed the line, releasing their Magics and siege weapons to reach them just as they did.

    The result was just as fabulously horrifying as one could expect. Even atop the wall nearly three hundred meters away, Alaster was battered with pressure waves.

    More craters were added, more were deepened or widened. Bodies, both living and dead, were thrown through the air. Their war cries and screams of pain were faint at that distance, but present.

    From the histories he had learned and the stories Belgroth and Sedall told him, he knew that the Onigarian Siege was a fairly small affair. The Tarians were not even bringing their full military might to bear down on the city.

    Sedall had told of battles numbering in the tens of thousands while Belgroth told of battles numbering in the hundreds of thousands to millions. Alaster understood the numbers, but he had not felt the impact of them.

    The Onigarian Defenders numbered in the two thousands before the Siege, they currently numbered roughly half that. One thousand very tired and wounded men and women. The Tarians had brought nearly seven thousand.

    Compared to those stories, the Siege was little more than a skirmish.

    Still, those numbers did not have much weight behind them. Now, as Alaster watched only a small portion of those numbers in action, those numbers grew in weight. He had previously thought that Experts were the pinnacle of strength. He had thought his capability of creating an Undead Army over four hundred strong made him a threat even among the strongest of Experts.

    Now, as he watched dozens, even hundreds, die every second, only to gain a mere foot of space, it seemed pathetic. He had always known that numbers decided battles, but he had not envisioned battles of such magnitude.

    If this was the scale of battle between a single Independent City and only a fraction of Military Might a single Nation could bring to bear, Alaster was not nearly as powerful as he thought.

    ˇ®DonˇŻt take it to heart lad.ˇŻ Sedall comforted, ˇ®Richter and Aila, even if they worked together, would not be able to fight an entire army themselves.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But my entire Class is built around the idea of doing just that.ˇŻ

    ˇ®No. ItˇŻs not. You are not a Necromancer.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Besides just having more physical power, what else am I?ˇŻ

    Belgroth spoke up, ˇ®I donˇŻt know much about the System. I personally see it only as a tool that has crippled your Species from achieving true power. But the terms it uses are similar to what my people used. Necromancers were people who used the remains of the dead to fight and work for them.

    They specialized in numbers over power. With a single swipe of a hand, most of my people could destroy swaths of them. They were like ants. But even ants bring down elephants.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What are elephants?ˇŻ Alaster asked, curious. He had never heard of the creature before, nor was it described in the Monster Manual he had.

    ˇ®I donˇŻt know. The first Humans talked about them before. I suspect they were natural creatures from their home world. But that doesnˇŻt matter. The idea is the same. Necromancers are powerful, but they canˇŻt just overwhelm their enemy with might.

    Even more so for you.

    You are not a Necromancer. You lack the innate predisposition to summon vast legions of the dead. You are instead quite suited to using and manipulating souls, and even molding them into Minions for your use.

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    That alone is vastly more valuable, in my opinion. It will take you longer to build your army, but theoretically, you have no limit on the number you can summon. Your only real limits are time and skill.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I donˇŻt know about that. Right now, having the ability to raise several thousand Undead seems pretty enticing.ˇŻ Alaster wasnˇŻt feeling so sure, but he didnˇŻt let it show to the soldiers behind him. Something that was easy with his armor.

    ˇ®Undead that even a stiff breeze could destroy.ˇŻ Sedall reminded.

    ˇ®More numerous Minions that are weak. Few Minions that are strong. Those are the limits that the System has set upon Humanity, and Humans have been all but too comfortable with that and not bothered to experiment with other methods. You can.

    I told you before that you have the potential to be the closest thing to a true God by creating your own life. You took the very first step in the creation of the Dread Knight.

    Right now, itˇŻs just a patchwork mess of soul fragments that is reminiscent of a toddler who is having a seizure and given a needle and thread. The more time passes, and the Dread Knight experiences life for itself, its ugly mess of a soul will gradually sooth itself out, customizing itself to be its own.

    As you grow more skilled, that time will be cut down.

    But as the soul grows more natural, it will begin evolving, becoming just like anyone elseˇŻs soul. Even when you have a dozen Dread Knights around, they will all be their own person. Have their own personality. Now, the changes you make during their creation, as well as the purpose, will still have drastic effects. They will still be bloody barbarians who will relish a good fight.

    In my opinion, that alone, is vastly superior to numbers.ˇŻ

    Alaster couldnˇŻt help but find this discussion a little inappropriate considering there were hundreds of Tarian Soldiers charging through a field of death, intent on breaching the walls and conquering the city. But he had a question that just needed to be answered.

    ˇ®Will it ever be possible for me to recreate a soul?ˇŻ

    Belgroth hesitated before he answered somberly, ˇ®Resurrection is impossible. There are many spells capable of dragging a soul back into its body after death, but they all require the body to be healthy enough to sustain the soul again, and for it to be returned quickly, while the soul still has a tether to the body.

    I have never seen nor heard of a tether lasting longer than a single day.

    It is in fact possible for you to perfectly recreate a personˇŻs soul, but even if the soul is a perfect copy, even if the body is a perfect recreation, even if everything goes exactly as it should. It would still not be that person.

    At first, even second glance, it would appear as a normal person, but with any level of scrutiny, it will be obvious to anyone that knew the original person that the thing before them is an imitation.

    There is a certain something that a natural person has, that a recreation does not. And the instinct of a living creature, just as with seeking food and water, is able to detect, as well as when something does not have it.

    Over time, that creation would still adapt to become its own person, slowly becoming a natural being. But it would not be the same person. It would be its own.

    Its mannerisms would be different.

    Even I dabbled in these Magics. It is not pleasant for any involved. ItˇŻs like a person with amnesia. Everyone has their own idea of who that person is from their own interactions with them. But not one of those impressions are the true person.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But itˇŻs possible extract memories and implant them into another. I imagine it would not be much different to implant them into one of this soul constructs.ˇŻ

    Even as he spoke, Alaster could feel Sedall shaking his head.

    ˇ®Not the same.ˇŻ Belgroth denied, ˇ®Have you ever seen a life like doll?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I can tell you from personal experience that it is a disturbing sight. Despite being perfectly capable of passing as an actual person, the mere sight of them elicits goosebumps. ItˇŻs a survival instinct for all living creatures. To be able to detect when something looks and acts like one of you, but is not.

    When I dabbled in this form of pseudo-resurrection, I introduced a man to the soul construct of his brother. Everything had gone perfectly. Not a single mishap. It was the perfect creation. I had extracted memories from the remains from when he was only four months old.

    And yet, within only a few moments, the brother was able to detect that the construct before him was not his brother. In just three minutes, he looked at it with unease. In five, with disgust. In seven minutes, he attacked it, shredding it apart with such impressive fury that none of my aids were able to recover from their shock until it was completely destroyed.

    We theorized that if we recreated the experiment with two people that hadnˇŻt seen each other in several years, it would be to a much lesser degree, but still present. Open revulsion.

    However, before we could attempt the experiment, the Humans attacked us.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs a shame.ˇŻ Sedall sighed.

    ˇ®No. That was one of the good things that came out of that horrible war. It wasnˇŻt the only thing we were researching. Yes, itˇŻs a shame some of them were destroyed or lost. But for others, many others, including this, IˇŻm ashamed we pushed as far as we did.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why?ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    The Tarians were getting close now, and even the Onigarian Soldiers were loosing their arrows. It would not be long now.

    ˇ®There are certain things that those of this existence should not tamper with. That was just one of them. We were attempting to tempt fate by reversing the process of death. We tried several routes, including even just copying the memories to a new body upon death.

    You Humans treat Magic as bending the laws of nature, creating a desired result. But Magic is just a tool of nature. To attempt to, not just bend, but violently shatter, the laws of nature, there were consequences.

    Perhaps I will describe them to you later, but now, you have to focus. Just know that it is impossible. Even your Gods will die. And attempting to escape death with only make it worse. So much so.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 123- CORRUPTING POWER

    Alaster stared at his enemies as he conjured three volleys of [Necrotic Bolt]. Alaster did not see the Soldiers as people as his pale green bolts became infected with inky black. He couldnˇŻt allow himself to. But it was all too easy to imagine them as just another Monster to kill. He had plenty of experience doing that.

    His bolts hovered above him, dripping with volatile Mana. It dissolved harmlessly against the stone battlements, but none of the Onigarian Soldiers on the Inner Wall believed the same would apply if the drips touched their skin.

    Something about the black liquid repulsed them.

    The Tarians came into range.

    ˇ®LetˇŻs begin, shall we?ˇŻ

    The black bolts shot through the air, leaving behind a trail of black ink that quickly dissolved into the air. [Necrotic Bolt] had always been as fast as an arrow. But these black bolts streamed through the air easily twice that speed.

    They slammed into their targets, throwing them off their feet as their injuries quickly spread. The original bolts had dissolved flesh, and later evolutions caused it to jump to different targets upon physical contact. The black ink seemed to actively carve through flesh and armor alike and even jumped from to different targets.

    Alaster had released fifty-one bolts, but nearly twice that number were effected, falling to the ground with blood curdling screams.

    Yet the army continued to charge forward.

    Next, Alaster conjured three [Dead Bombs]. They appeared with black mist that quickly condensed to form large reflective orbs two feet in diameter.

    They shot through the air, whistling as they went, though the sound was drowned out by the war cries of both sides as well as countless explosions caused by their Mages.

    The Bombs exploded upon contact, but it wasnˇŻt the spherical ball that left nothing but bones. But a violent and ugly explosion of power that tore through the earth and man alike. The radius was also more than double.

    Each bomb left dozens dead and dozens more cradling missing limbs. The injuries were not smooth like one would expect from Void Magic, but bloody and jagged, leaving shards of bone within.

    After that, the first Tarians reached the siege engines still latched onto the wall while even more propped ladders against the wall.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead met the screaming soldiers in utter silence. An eerie display that unnerved the soldiers. Individually, the Undead were not as strong as the soldiers, but on the battlements, the defenders always had the advantage.

    The soldiers could only come in very small numbers. They clambered over up their ladders and over the walls one by one. Four Blackguards met every soldier that came up the ladders. The Minotaurs clogged the Siege Tower, preventing the soldiers from running onto the battlements. But they were taking a lot of damage quickly and werenˇŻt dealing much in return.

    Alaster emotionlessly walked towards the Siege Tower. His Undead parted before him effortlessly. Announcing his presence, Alaster launched another [Dead Bomb]. The original would have left anything that wasnˇŻt flesh alone, but this black version exploded, ripping the top of the Tower off and sending the debris flying.

    With the front rank of Tarians on the Tower clear, Alaster stepped past his Minotaurs with twin inky tails flicking around, desperate to dig into a foe.

    The Soldiers hesitated to advance. They had just watched a dozen of their own have their broken bodies thrown away in an instant. And now a large man in cruel black armor with black inky Mana radiating from him appeared in front of them. But the Soldiers behind them kept pushing, unaware of the massacre they were rushing towards.

    With no other choice, the Soldiers charged forward, desperate to survive.

    Alaster met them with a vicious swing of his Halberd, tearing through four while his Tendrils speared another two.

    Their bodies crumpled to the ground, soaking the splintered wood in blood. But Alaster did not wait for the next rank.

    He dashed forward, carving his way through. The few who survived a direct blow wished they didnˇŻt as their Health and Mana was sucked out of them, leaving blackened veins as the only evidence.

    There was no room for corpses atop the Tower. They fell with sickening crunches, a few not quite dead.

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    Alaster felt the death quickly rise in number. When they reached an adequate number, they stood back up, roughly shoving and yanking their broken bodies back into shape. They grabbed their weapons and charged into the ranks of the living.

    Dozens were cut down before the Tarians truly noticed their own dead raising against them.

    They stopped climbing the ladders and Siege Tower, too preoccupied to advance.

    At that moment, the Dread Knight arrived atop the Battlements. Without any prompting, it sprinted off the tall walls and crashed onto a group of Tarian Soldiers, carving into them with its serrated blade.

    Blood flew, adding to the mud, and decorating the armor of the bloody thirsty knight. Faster than the blood could coat the armor, it flowed into the grooves, faintly glowing, but increasing in brightness as more was added.

    As more blood was absorbed by the Dread Knight, it grew increasingly faster and stronger, cutting through metal armor like cloth, dashing from Soldier to Soldier, eager to add even more blood to its collection.

    Alaster watched from the top of the Siege Tower passively, content to allow the Knight rampage to its heartˇŻs content. The [Horde Legion] fell in large numbers, but there was even more to raise, keeping their numbers topped off.

    The young man ordered his Summoned Undead forward into the fray. They were much easier to recreate than his Custom Undead.

    Belgroth watched everything unfold with interest. The Blackness was strange to him and was having quite the effect on the boyˇŻs Magic.

    But only Sedall noticed the effect it was having on AlasterˇŻs mental state.

    After losing his family, Alaster had consistently grown darker. His morals looser, if it meant accomplishing his goals. His willingness to kill becoming more of an afterthought. To the point that his personality had split in two. One warm but practical, build to blend into society and manipulate it. While the other was cold, emotionless, and cruel.

    But each minute the Inky Mana coated Alaster, the darker Sedall could feel the boyˇŻs heart becoming. AlasterˇŻs cold personality had been cruel, but practical. It would do whatever was needed to reasonably win. But now, Alaster seemed to elicit joy from the SoldierˇŻs cries of horror and agony.

    Sedall had no idea what the Blackness was, or where it had come from, but he knew that it seemed to feed off AlasterˇŻs negative emotions, amplifying it.

    ˇ®Alaster! Calm down!ˇŻ Sedall ordered.

    ˇ®Why? They are the ones attacking.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs not the issue! You have to keep calm.ˇŻ

    Shaken from his own curiosity, Belgroth was able to see the larger picture.

    ˇ®Sedall is right lad. Calm your heart. Save your wrath for those that deserve it.ˇŻ

    Several moments passed as another full volley of Black Bolts sought targets before Alaster took a deep breath, steadying his rapidly beating heart.

    Slowly, as AlasterˇŻs heart and mind calmed down, the Blackness dissolved, leaving not a trace. As it did, Alaster could feel his emotions return, when before they had felt muted. Similar to how [Death Embrace] worked, but more harshly. Alaster could still feel his emotions and empathy while in his Skeletal form.

    But when the Blackness fueled him, it had completely stripped him of them.

    Alaster felt weak, like he had just sprinted ten miles. His strength quickly refilled him over the next few minutes as Alaster watched the effects of his attacks.

    His devastating blows had crippled the Tarian morale. While they had only had a small effect against the much larger force, the mental effect they had spread.

    Coupled with his impromptu sally out, the Tarians were on the verge of routing, barely an hour into the battle.

    The Onigarians felt it, and pushed back even harder. Their Mages released their strongest spells. The Warriors pushed against the Tarians, striking harder, advancing, striving to repel them off the Battlements.

    And it was not just the Onigarians that noticed it. The Tarian Commanders also felt it. In just a few minutes, a loud horn cut through the din of battle, signaling retreat. The Archers and Mages attacked the retreating forces while the Tarian Mages attempted to protect their forces backs.

    Cries of triumph and celebration erupted from the Battlements.

    Alaster noticed that while his Undead Legion stopped chasing after fifty meters, the Dread Knight continued to cut down the retreating soldiers for another twenty meters before it stopped, looking at the fleeing prey with a sad expression evident by its body language. It returned to Alaster slowly, sad that it had already ended.

    The KnightˇŻs grooves were glowing brighter than a bonfire. It had no doubt killed dozens and absorbed the blood of even more. And yet, it was like a child who had its candy taken away.

    Alaster only shook his head as he dismissed his Undead, sending them into his Domain to slowly repair. Alone in the Section once more, Alaster stared out at the Tarian camp.

    He had struck a significant blow, that much was obvious, even if he had no clue how. But he could not help but feel like they had still retreated too easily.

    ˇ®This was just a probing attack, wasnˇŻt it?ˇŻ Alaster asked his guests.

    ˇ®Without a doubt. They wanted to gauge your power. It was quite fortuitous for that weird Mana to happen then. They are now much more warry than they otherwise would be.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What was it anyway? I barely even felt it, and even when I did, I did not care, only appreciating of its effects.ˇŻ

    ˇ®They were spectacular effects. Completely changing some aspects, while amplifying others, of each Spell you used.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Sedall?ˇŻ Alaster prompted, ˇ®You have been strangely quiet. And when you woke me from that haze, you sounded quite worried, perhaps even scared.ˇŻ

    Silence filled AlasterˇŻs mind as the Demigod attempted to form words, ˇ®That because I was. That Blackness? I have seen it once before, countless centuries ago, and yet, it still haunts my dreams.ˇŻ

    Alaster scowled from under his helmet, ˇ®What is it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I donˇŻt know. I donˇŻt think any of the Demigods know. Have you ever heard of the Golden Era?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, it was a period in Human History of expansion. Countless Nations formed while even more fell. Monsters hid themselves away. And Humans spread to every corner of the continent. ItˇŻs even suspected that during that era, more people were Experts than Adepts. It was quite possibly the strongest Humanity have ever been.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That Mana was the reason for its collapse.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 124- REINFORCEMENTS

    ˇ°Alaster, what the hell was that?ˇ± Lord Siphas exclaimed.

    Only two hours had passed since the retreat and Alaster had almost immediately been asked to report to the City Lord.

    Currently, Alaster sat in a chair in front of the City Lord and Lord Siphas in the Meeting Hall. Which suited Alaster just fine. He was still trying to process what Sedall had told him.

    Sedall remembered that day like it was just yesterday. There were moments he didnˇŻt remember that he attributed to trauma and pain. But what he did remember, he recalled in perfect clarity.

    He had told his story in such a way that Alaster was able to envision himself right there. Sedall certainly had the time to perfect the art of storytelling in his centuries of life.

    From what Alaster was told, he felt his skin crawl at the thought of that same thing clinging to him.

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ± Alaster asked, trying to play it off, worried that if he said more, he would reveal his own fear.

    ˇ°From what you told us about your Abilities, we thought we had a fair grasp of your capabilities, but then you practically single-handedly repel the entire Tarian Offensive!ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand your concerns. I canˇŻt reveal quite what I did, just know that I will not be doing it again, if that can be helped. I expected that with my arrival, the first attack would be more to probe for my capabilities. I decided to temporarily increase my power significantly in order to make them overestimate me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± the City Lord calmly asked.

    ˇ°You said before that the Tarians seem to have a time limit.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°That means that if they are not successful, they will be expected to return with as many soldiers as they can. Battle experienced troops at that. I thought that if I could reveal myself to be a big enough threat, they would realize that they canˇŻt capture the City and would instead retreat early in an effort to preserve their strength.ˇ±

    That was a total lie. Alaster had no idea about any of that beforehand. Yet as he spoke, the words that exited his mouth made sense.

    ˇ®Smooth.ˇŻ Belgroth teased.

    ˇ®Shut up and let me focus.ˇŻ

    ˇ°A probing attack? Our reports would suggest that.ˇ± Lord Siphas finally sat down and leaned back, rubbing his chin.

    ˇ°Speaking of reports, where is Colius?ˇ±

    ˇ°Still out. He actually just reported back that they found reports detailing reinforcements from the Tarian City of Sicon arriving in either tonight or early tomorrow.ˇ± Lord Siphas reported, leaning back in his chair with a sigh.

    They had believed that the Tarians would be time restricted. Made to pull back after a few weeks. But if they were getting reinforcements, that seemed less likely.

    Alaster cocked his head, ˇ°Wait. Sicon?ˇ±

    Lord Siphas looked up, ˇ°Yeah, why?ˇ±

    Alaster leaned on the table and scratched his chin, ˇ°Sicon was the first city I found after leaving Onigas. Spent some time there until I ran afoul of a Goblin Lord. I know a few people there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Any possibility one of them is a part of those reinforcements?ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment before answering, ˇ°Unlikely, however, I would like to see for myself.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way? Regardless of how powerful you are, you canˇŻt just walk up to two thousand soldiers and expect to speak with them and walk away.ˇ± The City Lord advised.

    ˇ°They wonˇŻt even see me. At least not until I want them to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster, are you sure about this?ˇ± Lord Siphas cautioned.

    ˇ°Why not? Sounds like fun.ˇ±

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    ˇ°And if a person you do know is there, what will you do?ˇ± The City Lord raised an eyebrow in question.

    ˇ°Oh no need to worry!ˇ± Alaster teased with a smile, ˇ°If the person is there, she will have no issue coming with me. She holds no loyalty to the Nation.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why did she join their Military? Our Intelligence reports that the Soldiers from Sicon are all volunteers.ˇ±

    The City Lord was clearly cautious. He was hesitant about his new great tool in the defense of his city. And the fact that said tool was now claiming to have a friend in the forces attacking his city did not fill him with confidence.

    ˇ°I will not reveal her history without permission. Just know that if she is there, she will gladly help me. And her particular set of Abilities are quiteˇ­intriguing.ˇ±

    The City Lord leaned back and rested his head on his palm.

    ˇ°What makes you say that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Quite simple really. IˇŻm the one that taught her.ˇ±

    Lord Siphas leaned forward, resting his hands on table, ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°What? You always told me that I should make friends. I found myself in a horrible situation, decided to make the best of it. I found someone similarly desperate to myself, with a unique Class, and with no connections to anyone, and worked together to hunt.

    So, when do you next resupply Colius and the scouts?ˇ±

    Lord Siphas looked at the young man with a weird look before sighing and glancing at the City Lord.

    ˇ°Alright, Colius is expecting a resupply tonight. Elliot, set it up and write the old man a letter detailing the situation.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes MˇŻlord.ˇ± Lord Siphas bowed.

    ˇ°Alaster, I donˇŻt know you as well as Elliot does. I am choosing to trust you, donˇŻt betray that trust.ˇ± The City Lord warned with a hard stare.

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Oh donˇŻt worry! Besides, even if I did do something, you couldnˇŻt catch me.ˇ±

    As if to prove his point, Alaster vanished from the room, leaving only a confused Night Child behind.

    The City Lord shook his head with a sigh, ˇ°Elliot, can he be trusted?ˇ±

    ˇ°I meant what I said before. The boy will protect what matters to him. He just cares about very little. If itˇŻs between guarding the Wall Section we assigned him and protecting someone he cares about, he wonˇŻt even hesitate to abandon it.

    Using that knowledge, if the person he is thinking about is, in fact, part of the reinforcements, he will also not allow us to harm them.ˇ± Elliot leaned back in his chair, ˇ°He is a protective lad. But he also knows his limits, and ours. He knows that he could escape from the city and from the Tarians. We wouldnˇŻt even be able to pursue him either.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, keep him in good standing with the city? Give him a reason to defend it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, but not quite. He wonˇŻt ever attempt to defend the entire city. To him, people he doesnˇŻt know, donˇŻt even count as people. Why should he defend something he doesnˇŻt care about? He will fight to the death to protect my family and your daughters, because he knows them. The rest of the city? He couldnˇŻt care less.

    He isnˇŻt a monster though. If something happens in front of him that he is capable of stopping, he will. But he wonˇŻt put too much effort behind it.ˇ±

    Keylan leaned back and sighed. The room descended into silence as both men silently thought. The Meeting Hall was rarely this quite. The Mage Lights flickered sporadically as dust and dirt fell into the Enchantment Runes before being incinerated by the Magic.

    The City Lord opened his mouth, not bothering to open his eyes or lift his head.

    ˇ°Elliot?ˇ±

    Lord Siphas also didnˇŻt look up, content to continue staring at the ceiling support beams.

    ˇ°Yeah?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you think there is something between him and my daughter?ˇ±

    Elliot chuckled, ˇ°If there is, Alaster doesnˇŻt know about it. That kid has always been hypersensitive to the state of those he cared about. But when it came to their emotions revolving around him, he might as well have been blind. Why? Do you have an issue with it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not as much as I thought I would. I am still certainly against such a relationship. But more as a protective father than a protective Lord. Do you think such a relationship would actually work?ˇ±

    Elliot sighed, looking at his childhood friend, ˇ°Whose to say? We certainly canˇŻt. That would depend on the two of them. As it is? No. Any romantic relationship involving Alaster is doomed to fail, at least until he saves his sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not surprising. The boy has spent the last five years pushing himself past the breaking point to become as strong as he is. He is the youngest Expert IˇŻve ever seen. Hell, he might just be the youngest Expert in the world.ˇ±

    They were consumed by their own thoughts for a few minutes more.

    ˇ°Given what you know about the boy and the situation revolving his sister, do you think he has a chance?ˇ±

    ˇ°All I know about the sister is that someone high up in the Lissurian Nobility took her. As to who has her now or where or even why they took her? I have no idea. But while neither of us have seen AlasterˇŻs current strength, if the reports are even half true, he has the power to at least become an issue to whatever Nation he makes an enemy of. Hell, even the Empire would find him a nuisance, and they have thousands of Experts at there beck and call.

    But the boy is also smart. He knows that if he goes in blind and just starts attacking everything, he will never find his sister. I donˇŻt know what his plan is, but in a way, I feel sorry for any bastard involved in his FamilyˇŻs murder and abduction.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster became an Expert at the young age of seventeen. I canˇŻt imagine the horrors he had to face and defeat to accomplish such a feat. And its not a hollow strength. Every Ability he had displayed has been powerful, and he knew exactly how best to use them.

    Elliot, whatever happens, whether this city falls or not, we can not make an enemy of the boy. I have a feeling that he hasnˇŻt even reached the peak of his current strength.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    In a distant part of the castle, Alaster appeared in a room quite similar to his own, except much more lived in, and clearly feminine.

    ˇ®Where the hell?ˇŻ

    A high-pitched scream erupted from behind. Alaster spun around, a Pact Sword flowing into his hand.

    Except it wasnˇŻt a potential enemy.

    It was Iris, clearly just getting out of a bath and dressed in only a towel.

    ˇ®I fucked up.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 125- DEATH INK

    ˇ°Sorry!ˇ± Alaster exclaimed, turning around.

    ˇ°What are you doing in here?ˇ± Iris screamed in embarrassment.

    ˇ°I switched places with my Undead. I swear I didnˇŻt know you were undressed.ˇ±

    Alaster could hear movement behind him and knew she was getting dressed, though he struggled to not imagine it.

    ˇ°Why did you switch with your Undead?ˇ± From her tone it was obvious she was trying to change the subject.

    Alaster was all too glad to do so.

    ˇ°Uh, I was trying to make a point to your father that he canˇŻt just control me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Control you?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt blame him for trying. I certainly wouldnˇŻt want someone like me uncontrolled in your fatherˇŻs position. But IˇŻm not your father. I am here because I want to be, if I want to leave, I can and will.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are leaving?ˇ± Iris panicked.

    Alaster turned around to see his friend properly dressed in a set of training clothes.

    ˇ°No. IˇŻm not. Well, technically I am? I am joining Colius tonight to observe the Tarian Reinforcements arriving tomorrow.ˇ± Alaster grinned, ˇ°And maybe terrorize them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why are you going? WouldnˇŻt you be better staying in the city in case the Tarians attack again?ˇ± Iris asked, sitting down on her bed and motioning for Alaster to sit at her desk.

    Alaster sat down, ˇ°I highly doubt that the Tarian General will consider attacking again before he has the reinforcements. You might not have heard about it yet, but I kinda horrified them in the attack today.ˇ±

    Iris raised an eyebrow as she began to brush her hair, ˇ°What did you do?ˇ±

    ˇ°To be honest? I am not really sure. My Mana has always been violent and pale green. But just before the battle it turned black, like a thick ink, it even dripped. My Abilities changed as well.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    Alaster was struggling to keep focused with Iris in the room, still damp, and brushing her hair, but he forced himself to push forward.

    ˇ°As I said, my Mana has always been violent, but this Black Mana? It seemed to seek death. It jumped from person to person, eating away at their flesh and growing.ˇ±

    Iris flinched, ˇ°ThatˇŻs horrible.ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged in response, ˇ°ItˇŻll make the Tarians more hesitant to attack again.ˇ±

    Iris lowered her brush slowly, her eyes distant, ˇ°Still, I canˇŻt help but feel sorry for the ones that died to that Black Mana. It must have been excruciating.ˇ±

    ˇ°Such is combat. HavenˇŻt you been hunting?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, yeah, but those are Monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°Monsters feel pain as well. They have their own emotions and even their own families. Life is a harsh continuous cycle of death.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what if it didnˇŻt have to be? What if we no longer had to fear the Monsters and we had everything we wanted?ˇ±

    Alaster smiled at how hopeful and innocent his childhood friend was.

    ˇ°I suggest reading about the ˇ®Golden EraˇŻ. ItˇŻs a period that occurred a long time ago. You might just learn things that can help with that goal of yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°Golden Era? Alright. Thank you for telling me. I will be sure to do just that.ˇ±

    Alaster stood up, ˇ°Apologies, but I must be going. Let me know what you think about the Golden Era next time we speak. I am interested in your thoughts.ˇ±

    Iris stood up as well and walked Alaster to the door, closing it behind after offering her farewell.

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    ˇ®How in the world did you manage to turn a it from breaking into a girlˇŻs room while she was changing, to a historical talk?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Sedall, I have absolutely no idea.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Maybe next time Bond with the Undead you are planning on Swapping with.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Agreed.ˇŻ

    ˇ®WhatˇŻs the big deal?ˇŻ Belgroth spoke up.

    ˇ®Maybe IˇŻll tell you when you grow up.ˇŻ Sedall teased.

    Alaster chuckled and walked away as his two companions began to bicker between themselves.

    Alaster was not sure where he was going. All he knew was that he needed a quiet empty place where he could experiment without any interruptions. He did no want to go into another battle without at least knowing what the Black Mana actually is.

    Sedall had only known its horrid power. Not its source.

    * * * * *

    Alaster eventually found himself back in the same training room he had sparred with Iris in. It was large and empty, perfectly suited to his purposes.

    Alaster began by sitting down in a meditative position and relaxing. At least, he tried to. His mind was racing with possibilities and what ifs.

    Everything from curses to parasites. Even some type of blessing from the Gods. Alaster did not know. The Black Mana was too strange, too unknown, and too costly.

    He had only used the Strange Mana for a short time, and yet, several hours later, he was only now regaining his empathy and any other emotion besides hate.

    Alaster knew himself well enough to know that he didnˇŻt have much empathy to begin with. Already, he saw little issue with letting innocents die in front of him. But the Black Mana seemed to absorb every ounce of warmth.

    It was as if Alaster was reliving his parentsˇŻ murder. Like he was watching the assassins drive those hooks into the two people he loved most in the world. Hearing their final breaths and watching the life leave their eyes.

    It left him cold. Colder than he had ever imagined possible.

    ˇ®Any ideas what it is? Or even what caused it?ˇŻ Alaster asked quite possibly the two most knowledgeable people in known existence.

    ˇ®No, which is interesting.ˇŻ Belgroth spoke up. Alaster could imagine that the ancient Demon was scratching its chin, ˇ®In all my years and expertise in Magic, I have never seen a Mana like that.

    Mana is the essence of life. Even you primitive Humans know that much. But it doesnˇŻt have a will of its own. Certain types of Mana will have preferences, typically being locations. But never an actual will.

    This is the first time IˇŻve heard, let alone seen, a Mana that had its own will, its own direction. And one so violent at that.

    You Humans are strange. Weak, fragile, utterly foolish, but you grow quickly, even if your lives are so short. And now, you have uncovered something that not even my own people have learned and done so twice.

    Or perhaps it is something to do with your precious System?ˇŻ

    Alaster mentally turned towards Sedall, ˇ®Sed, are you sure that last person died?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Without a doubt.ˇŻ Sedall declared without hesitation, ˇ®After the slaughter we Demigods were subjected to, not one of the survivors dared to risk it. We atomized the corpse and shredded the soul. He is dead.ˇŻ

    ˇ®There are ways to survive that. Certainly not without significant cost, and the methods are difficult and rare. But the chance still exists.ˇŻ Belgroth countered.

    ˇ®ItˇŻs been centuries. The man would have revealed himself by now.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What if he was still rebuilding his strength?ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    ˇ®Doubtful.ˇŻ Belgroth replied, ˇ®Even the methods to survive such thorough extermination would not take so long to recover from. Unless,ˇŻ

    ˇ®What?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Unless the man was not able to accomplish the feat, at least not entirely. Such a misstep could potentially irreparably damage the soul upon death. The chances are infinitesimally small though. It would require a horrendous mistake to happen in the best possible way.

    However, if that did happen, then while the person would still survive the extermination SedallˇŻs peers subjugated the remains to, the soul would be permanently damaged, limiting its growth in strength severely.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So then the Black Horror lives?ˇŻ Sedall asked with a shaky voice.

    ˇ®WerenˇŻt you listening to me? The chances of that happening would have been one in several billion. No, the man is dead. Not that it has anything to do with Alaster and his own use of the manˇŻs signature Mana.

    Its not like the man happened to infect the boy, even if he was still alive, that would be impossible, at least not without killing the boy.

    It is instead much more likely that the Black Mana was instead something the man stumbled across and decided to use. Something that Alaster has also done, even unwittingly.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So basically, we have no idea what it is or what it does. Only that it makes my Magic much stronger, while also sapping away all my emotions but hate and desire to kill.ˇŻ Alaster sighed.

    ˇ®Yes. Normally, I would instruct you to experiment with it so I could take notes and learn from it. But considering it took several hours for you to even begin recovering from such a short use? It is quite possible that extended use could create permanent damage to your Emotional State.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Got it. Avoid using the Death Ink.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That is a horrible name.ˇŻ Sedall grumbled.

    ˇ®Think of one better and IˇŻll call it that.ˇŻ Alaster teased.

    Alaster opened his eyes and looked around the training room. It was still empty, except for the Dread Knight, who was walking around bored. And a bored Berserker was rarely a good thing.

    Alaster could of course unsummon the Knight until there was a battle. But Belgroth had told him that the Dread Knight was still unrefined and that having it summoned would help to refine it, allowing it to function better.

    Though it still worried him to have the Dread Knight walking around with nothing to do. He needed to give the Knight something to do, but he also couldnˇŻt trust the Knight with anything he didnˇŻt want destroyed.

    Alaster needed to create a sparring partner. Meaning that it was now time for Alaster to create another Adept Minion.

    ˇ®You do realize that I only called it an Adept Minion for ease of use? ThatˇŻs not its actual title.ˇŻ Belgroth sighed.

    ˇ®Eh, it works. Besides, its not like it actually matters.ˇŻ

    Belgroth groaned.

 CHAPTER 126- WAR BORN

    Greenish Mana circulated through the air. Spiraling around like a hurricane with Alaster in its eye. Alice watched the Mana rampage through the training hall. She watched thin wisps of green leave the storm, and with each deep, calm breath, they entered Alaster.

    Alice was fascinated with the spectacle before her. Her lessons with the numerous Tutors taught her that Mana was normally invisible. Only when it was condensed to extraordinary levels did it become visible to the naked eye. It was at that level that it became dangerous to touch.

    Mana Levels were typically regarded in three levels. Ordinary, its natural state where it was invisible. Agitated, where it was forcibly condensed. In this state, it harmed those who touched it according to the type of Mana it consisted of. Finally, there was Violent. A state of Mana where it was condensed so much, that the type of Mana didnˇŻt matter.

    This state was believed to be the true state of Mana. In this state, it was pure white. Not in the golden white of Holy Magic, but pure white. It creates as it destroys. It didnˇŻt attack the body so much as changed it.

    Not all the changes were negative. Some were actually beneficial to the victim. Even going as far as increasing their Mana Pool or Recovery. But more often than not, the changes resulted in the victimˇŻs death. Those who suffocated when their lungs changed into gills. Those whose throat closed up as they suddenly became allergic to their own hair.

    AliceˇŻs Tutors had even told her of a victim who had their entire Class changed or their School of Mana reversed.

    Luckily for everyone, Pure Mana was rare, exceedingly difficult to create let alone maintain. There were only four known instances where it occurred naturally, and three of those were in dispute among interested researchers about their authenticity.

    While having access to a larger amount of Mana helped, all one needed to create Agitated Mana was control. Agitated Mana was infamous for being very difficult to control. In return, Agitated Mana was much more potent, capable of more so much more than Ordinary Mana.

    Alice had no idea what Alaster was doing to require so much Visible Mana. She fantasized about him creating a spell to wipe out the entire Tarian Army. Of creating a cyclone of Green Mana or resurrecting some ancient legendary hero.

    She would have both been impressed and saddened that all he was doing was creating a completely new Minion. Summoners were rare because of the difficulty in creating new Minion Spells. It was incredibly difficult to do so, and usually only resulted in rudimentary Minions.

    While Alaster looked like he was peacefully meditating, perhaps practicing his control over Mana, he was in fact constantly a step away from having his Soul ripped apart.

    Creating Spells was always a risk, but most were not threatening unless the person didnˇŻt quite understand their own Magic. But Minion Spells were naturally very intricate and complex. According to Belgroth, Minion Spells were for those who had already mastered Basic Mana Control.

    Also, according to Belgroth, Alaster was nowhere near that level.

    The System had allowed Humanity much easier access to Minions than would otherwise be possible. Alaster himself was only able to create new Minions because he had a special affinity for it, which the System identified and categorized as his Class, and BelgrothˇŻs direct and close supervision.

    There were a few things that even made it possible for Alaster, most important of which was the ambient souls available due to the Siege. The second was that Alaster wasnˇŻt creating an entirely new Minion. He was simply using a Spell the System created as a basis.

    The Dread Knight watched from behind Alaster. It cared not for the spectacle happening around it. It did not even care about the young girl spying on its Master. The only thing the Dread Knight cared about was what its Master was doing.

    It was excited to have a sparring partner. Its bloodthirst was somewhat disappointed that the new Minion would not actually have blood to spill. But it was a sparring partner that it would not have to be careful with. Even if the Knight destroyed the new Minion, its Master could simply resummon it.

    Despite its eagerness, its body remained motionless. Easily mistaken for a statue by the ignorant. Though only the unchallenged would be unable to feel the bloodlust emanating from that statue.

    As Alice watched, the visible Mana slowly disappeared as it was inhaled by Alaster. Yet it didnˇŻt simply vanish.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Instead, it was slowly weaved into the Spell. Streams of Mana folded and weaved in-between each other. The pressure steadily growing, threating to blow, shattering the Spell and sending the recoil bounding through AlasterˇŻs Mana Veins and Core.

    Most Mages rarely created their own Spells, and of those that did, typically only adjusted their already existing Spells into new configurations. Like how Alaster created [Death Touch].

    However, despite the risk, and the difficulty, Alaster was finally able to create his Spell.

    Similar to when he had created the Dread Knight, Alaster could faintly feel an ethereal essence be absorbed into the Spell as he cast it for the first time. He was now able to identify that essence as Soul Fragments. Though he still knew pitiful little about them.

    Alaster watched as his newest Minion phased into existence. He was not sure what he was expecting, but the creature that entered this reality surpassed his expectations.

    Standing little more than a head shorter than Alaster, it was as tall as most Humans. It entire skeletal body was covered by pale white armor. It was light armor, designed to provide flexibility first and protection second, though it was by no means fragile. To further reinforce flexibility, the joints between the armor plates were simply cloth, not leather or chain.

    Its face was completely covered by a plain faceless helm. Similar to AlasterˇŻs first T Barbutes. Unlike the Dread KnightˇŻs cruel appearance, this new MinionˇŻs appearance was more normal. It looked just like a normal man in standard armor.

    It held in its hands a large two-handed great sword, though Alaster had a feeling that the Minion was just as proficient with numerous weapons.

    Alaster had created this Minion from the War Master Minion. Still a Minion branched off of the Undead Berserker, like the Dread Knight, but one that used technique over might.

    [War Born

    Fragments of those who have gone, merged to create a one born for war.

    Max Minion: 1/1

    Mana Cost: 500]

    ˇ®War Born. Interesting name.ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself.

    ˇ®Good job.ˇŻ Sedall complimented. He had never really delved into Minions due to how hard they were to create, even if one had the affinity to do so. He understood the struggle.

    ˇ®There were a few places that need work, but not bad for only your second attempt.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You know, IˇŻve noticed that the Dread Knight, and now this War Born, donˇŻt have levels. Why is that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Cause they wonˇŻt level.ˇŻ Belgroth stated, as if it was obvious.

    ˇ®No shit. I mean, why? WhatˇŻs the reason?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because they do not grow stronger from simple use. They will only grow stronger as you do, and as they learn how to better use the strength they have available to them.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That makes sense, I guess. What about getting more? Because normally, the other Minions will allow for more to be summoned as they level, but since these donˇŻt have levels, how does that work? Because I doubt that it would only be limited to one for each.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You will have to make them. HavenˇŻt you been listening to my lessons?ˇŻ Belgroth seemed almost offended that Alaster had not understood that.

    ˇ®One by one?ˇŻ Alaster gasped. It had taken several hours just to make the War Born.

    ˇ®Yes. Though as you become better, it will only take a few minutes. But that will take plenty of practice.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Is there a limit then?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No, just time and resources. Right now, you have plenty of resources, but not much time.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Resources?ˇŻ

    Belgroth sighed, ˇ®Souls of the dead. The area here is so bloated with them that they are taking longer than they normally would to dissipate.ˇŻ

    Alaster stood up and stretched his back, popping it several times with a deep sigh of relief, ˇ®How many souls would be needed for one of these Adept Minions?ˇŻ

    ˇ®That depends entirely on the soul itself and how well it already matches the essence of the Minion. But I wouldnˇŻt say more than a dozen.ˇŻ

    ˇ®A dozen? Hmmm, not as much as I thought.ˇŻ

    Alaster turned his attention back to his War Born, or more specifically, the Dread Knight who was already approaching with malice.

    He thought of stopping it but decided not to. He wanted to see how the War Born fought anyway. Though its current actions were interesting. The War Born, since it had first been summoned, had been looking around the training hall curiously, as Alaster would expect a child.

    The Dread Knight did not like being completely ignored, and charged forward, raising its serrated blade over its head as its armor screeched against itself.

    When the Knight was only a few feet away, the War Born finally reacted.

    Swinging its Greatsword around itself to parry the KnightˇŻs.

    In the same movement, it threw a heavy punch with its off hand. Pushing the Dread Knight back.

    The punch had done little against the Knight, though Alaster doubted the same would be the case for a living opponent.

    The Dread Knight seemed to reconsider the War Born before it, but not its urge to fight it. The quick deflection and counter seemed to earn the KnightˇŻs, if not respect, then effort.

    The two immediately clashed again as Alaster watched with interest. The difference between the two was quite obvious.

    The Dread Knight swung wildly, but powerfully, leaving wide openings. Yet that wasnˇŻt accidental. The openings were traps, which the War Born quickly learned, not without taking damage.

    The War Born on the other hand was very different. While the Dread KnightˇŻs attacks were straight, the War BornˇŻs were curvy. Its sword was constantly moving, and its body along with it. But unlike a novice, who was likely to be carried by the weight of their weapon, the War Born followed with it, flowed with it.

    Movement caught AlasterˇŻs attention. Looking away from the battle, Alaster spotted Alice also watching the fight from the other side of the training hall, close to the doors.

    Without regard for the furious battle taking place, Alaster walked through the middle. His minions effortlessly adjusted their duel to flow around him.

    Alice watched in stunned silence as swords with the power to cleave a man in two flew past Alaster with only centimeters between. And yet the man walked without worry.

    ˇ°HowˇŻs it going Alice?ˇ± Alaster asked with a cheery grin and a wave.

 CHAPTER 127- DUEL OF THE FIENDS

    Alaster pulled some bone out of his Ring of Holding and effortlessly molded it into two chairs, motioning to Alice to sit down. She giggled and hopped into the new chair. Alaster sat down, content to simply watch the duel.

    The longer the two fought, the more refined the two became. The Dread Knight still swung with powerful blows, but they gradually became less wild, more focused, and more creative. It began to imitate the War Born and used its body along with its sword as a weapon. Using punches, swipes, and even kicks. Though they still prioritized power over technique.

    The War Born stopped attempting to match the Dread Knight in power and instead focused on deflecting or outright avoiding the strikes. It weaved its way around the Dread Knight, restricting its movements as best it could. The two used similar weapons, yet the way they used them were vastly different.

    At one point the War Born attempted to surprise the Dread Knight by throwing its sword. While it did work to surprise the Knight, the Born was slightly too slow to capitalize on it, allowing the Knight to deflect the projectile and prepare for charging War Born.

    The War Born didnˇŻt hesitate or falter. It advanced, ducking under the KnightˇŻs powerful swing, but it didnˇŻt strike at the Knight, but at its hands, forcing its serrated blade from its hands. In the same movement, the Born took a half step back, grabbed the sword midair, and thrust forward.

    But the Dread Knight wasnˇŻt there. Instead of attempting to recover its sword, it side stepped, elbowing the back of the thrusting War Born, sending it off balance. The Knight took the chance and dived towards the War BornˇŻs discarded sword. It came out of the roll with the sword in its hands, deflecting the War BornˇŻs overhead swing to the side.

    The Knight drove the tip of its sword into the training groundsˇŻ packed dirt, giving it leverage to get its feet under it, which it then used to propel the pommel into the face of the War BornˇŻs helmet, causing the Born to recoil, not in pain, but from momentum.

    The duel continued on, but Alaster turned his attention to the young girl beside him.

    ˇ°What do you think?ˇ± Alaster motioned towards the sparring Minions.

    Alice watched in fascination, ˇ°ItˇŻs amazing and also scary.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Yeah, combat can certainly be both. And it should be. Fear keeps you on your toes.ˇ±

    ˇ°But you are so strong!ˇ±

    ˇ°All it takes is one hit. I have defeated countless opponents I had no business even surviving, all because of one lucky hit. You should always keep that in mind. While power is important, proper use of that power is vital.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs what I keep telling her.ˇ±

    Both Alaster and Alice looked up at the newcomer. It was a stranger to Alaster, but from the way he saw Alice tense in his [Seeker Sight] Radius, she knew him. And disliked him.

    The man was tall and thin, clearly more of a researcher than combatant. He wore elaborate but comfortable clothing. His tunic was tucked in, but loose, allowing complete mobility. His pants, however, were tight, almost disturbingly so in AlasterˇŻs opinion.

    He was clearly older than Alaster, but still plenty youthful. Alaster suspected he was somewhere in his mid-twenties, perhaps early thirties. But with all types of Magic, and the slow aging of stronger individuals, appearance was a poor indicator of age.

    His face and nape long hair were both immaculately kept. Alaster suspected that while he likely caught the attention of the court ladies, he rarely, if ever, faced actual struggle. He was handsome, in the most clique way. If Alaster was not able to sense otherwise, he would have thought the man was a magical construct of some sort.

    As Alaster watched, the man swept his hand through his already perfect black hair. He smirked and Alaster was not sure he had ever seen a more punch-able face. Unfortunately, he restrained himself, he was a guest in the City LordˇŻs residence after all.

    Alaster instead stood up. This man put Alice on edge, Alaster didnˇŻt like that.

    The man watched the two Minions duel with a calm and pleasant smile, but it was clear that all his attention was placed on Alaster and Alice. More specifically Alice.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ˇ°My name is Alaster.ˇ± Alaster offered.

    ˇ°I know. You have made some large waves. I doubt there is any Noble in the city that hasnˇŻt heard of you. Most canˇŻt seem to decide whether to be thankful or scared.ˇ±

    Alaster did not react. He already knew that and did not care. He continued to watch the duel while he subtly moved between the man and Alice while watching the man through his [Seeker Sight]. Its range might be small, but it was invaluable.

    ˇ°You have me at a disadvantage sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°Apologizes Sir Expert. My name is Arthur Lewale. Son of Count Lewale. You may call me Lord Lewale.ˇ± Arthur introduced himself with a flourish and extravagant bow.

    ˇ°Huh, well Arthur, what do you want?ˇ±

    Alaster allowed himself to take a small measure of pleasure from ArthurˇŻs eye twitching. It might have been petty, but he didnˇŻt care. The man had barely been in the same room but had already annoyed Alaster more than most things.

    Arthur stood straight, his face the very image of perfection. His calming smile as if it had never faltered. Something about that smile did anything but calm Alaster.

    ˇ°I simply came to introduce myself to the man who fell out of the sky to protect our lovely city.ˇ±

    Arthur spoke in a lofty and sophisticated way. It was actually the same type of voice commoner children mocked nobles in. At least when they were well away from prying ears.

    The System might allow any to grow in strength, already established power would always beat the power that could be. And Noble Houses had already proven time and time again that they had no issue eradicating entire families because of the insulting words from a child.

    Commoners had to be very careful around Nobility. But Alaster was no longer a mere commoner. Not only did he have friends in the highest of Nobility, at least in Onigas, but he had the power to wipe out an entire Noble House, though not without severe drawbacks.

    ˇ°Well, you have introduced yourself. Yet you are still here. So, I ask again, what do you want?ˇ±

    Without the cover of a bow, Arthur refrained from allowing any displeasure from show on his face. Mostly hidden from behind Alaster, Alice was struggling to not burst out laughing.

    Arthur took a deep, but subtle breath before responding, ˇ°I came to offer my familyˇŻs assistance in anything you might require.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm assuming in exchange for something?ˇ±

    Arthur waved his hand in dismissal of the thought, but the glint in his eyes told a different story.

    ˇ°No no of course! We are all fighting in defense of the city right? It would be foolish to ask for something in return.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, ˇ°YouˇŻre right. It would be foolish, and yet, that is exactly what you are looking for.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nonsense! I am simply saying that my family would be glad to aid you. If you decided to return the favor by aiding us in the future, that would be appreciated. My family would like to form a friendship with you.ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment, ˇ°Alright, I will think about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs all I ask for. Unfortunately, I must be away. I must prepare for the next battle.ˇ±

    Arthur bowed once more before spinning around and gracefully walking out of the training room, leaving the doors open.

    Sighing to himself, Alaster summoned one of the Skeletal Workers and sent him to close the doors before vanishing into the ether once more.

    ˇ°That is such a load of crap.ˇ± Alice grumbled.

    Chuckling to himself, Alaster turned around and sat down, continuing to watch the duel between the two equally stubborn Undead.

    ˇ°Him needing to prepare for the battle. The Lewale family is a political family. They contribute only the bare minimum to the cityˇŻs defenses, so they keep their Noble Status. Even then, their soldiers are poorly trained, used to getting their way by throwing the Lewale name around.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thought so. That man was pompus and despite being a High Adept, he seemed quite fragile.ˇ±

    ˇ°How could you tell he was a High Adept?ˇ± Alice cocked her head.

    ˇ°An ability of mine. Its not very specific though.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs so cool! But the Lewale FamilyˇŻs strength isnˇŻt physical or magical, but political. Next to dad, they hold the most sway over the city.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you telling me to be careful around them?ˇ±

    She shrugged, ˇ°I doubt they could actually do anything against you physically, but they do hold power.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, taking the advice to heart, ˇ°But isnˇŻt the reason you were so wary of him, was it?ˇ±

    Her smile turned grim, ˇ°He the one pushing the hardest to marry my sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°How does that make him creepy exactly?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because when dad turned him down, he then proposed marrying me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok, that is creepy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, but dad is firm. Unless a man gains his approval, he wonˇŻt be able to marry either of us!ˇ± The girl said with pride.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs good! But you should strive to be the best you can. Make the guys work for it!ˇ±

    Alice giggled and playfully shoved Alaster.

    Iris watched, peeking around one of the many doors leading into the training hall, as two of the people she cared for the most joked and laughed together while two horrifying creatures brawled.

    It was a strange position she found herself in after Alaster came back. The years he had been in Onigas, she and him had been rivals. Competing against each other in both studies and physical aspects. He had usually won, being naturally large and intelligent. But once she got her Class, she finally began to win more often than not.

    But then he vanished on that bloody night. She had never seen that much blood before. It still haunted her dreams.

    She trained until she bled, and then got back up to train some more. No one else in the city could say they trained as hard.

    And yet, despite all that struggle, Alaster had defeated her with ease. Almost like he was enjoying it. Playing with a child.

    It annoyed her. It angered her. It infuriated her. Yet, it also enticed her. She wanted to see more. Not more of him as a combatant, but more of him as a person.

    She had never felt this way. And it scared her.

    It excited her.

 CHAPTER 128- WEAVING

    Eventually Alaster grew tired of the duel. Neither side was able to gain the upper hand, nor did they grow tired. When Alaster finally ordered them to stop, he was able to see just how extensive the damage was.

    Cracks lined the entirety of their bodies. Deep and sharp.

    AlasterˇŻs second and third mind set to work repairing the damage while he sat back and pondered.

    Alice had left shortly after Arthur did. She had lessons, even in the midst of a siege.

    ˇ®IˇŻm thinking I need to create a Minion specializing in defense. I might need to be defended, or, more likely, need to defend someone else.ˇŻ Alaster explained his reasoning, leaning back in his bone chair and closing his eyes.

    ˇ®Not a bad idea. Though that will be vastly more complex than even the War Born. What Minion are you planning on basing it off?ˇŻ Belgroth asked.

    ˇ®I was thinking the Undead Lieutenant.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Hmmm. No, I donˇŻt think you have the capability yet. The Lieutenant is a complex Minion. You are only able to summon it because of the System supporting you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®But canˇŻt you teach and guide me through it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Easily. For me. As you are now, it would take several weeks to create even one Minion from the Undead Lieutenant.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What should I do then?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Create more Adept Minions. Gradually you will be able to create them quicker and without much hassle. At the moment, for your purposes, I believe you should create your next Minion from the Undead Shield Bearer. Ordinarily I would have you sit down and slowly learn how to advance to creating Expert Minions. But at the moment, you donˇŻt have the time to do so.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Makes sense to me.ˇŻ Sedall spoke up.

    Similar to Alaster, Sedall was also learning about this. The Demigod had never cared much for Minions. They were powerful, but limited. And at the Demigod stage of power, nigh useless. At least, that is what they had thought.

    BelgrothˇŻs knowledge made Minions a viable strategy. Not one that Sedall was planning on relying on, but one that he would be interested in using.

    Alaster agreed and sighed before sitting back down in the center of the Training Hall. Despite creating the War Born just two hours prior, he prepared to create another Adept Minion.

    The recently repaired War Born and Dread Knight stood behind and to either side of their Master, prepared to protect him from any threat that arose.

    The two Minions were quite strong, but they were still quite limited in ability. They didnˇŻt have access to any. The Dread Knight might be able to grow more powerful the more blood is spilled, but that was fairly simple.

    During the duel Alaster had noticed that the War Born was capable of learning and adapting the Dread KnightˇŻs fighting style and suspected that it was capable of doing the same to others.

    Meaning, that while the Dread Knight was stronger in single, large scale, battles. The War Born would grow stronger the more fights it fought. Fights where it could gradually learn from its opponents.

    The Dread Knight would be best used against those weaker than it. A way to deal with the fodder. But the War Born would be better suited to fighting against foes of similar strength.

    In AlasterˇŻs mind, they were both very good Minions, but they were still very limited. Humans and even some monsters had access to Abilities; Abilities that were very diverse. Anything from spells hurling giant blocks of stone to Abilities that temporarily removed the userˇŻs ability to bleed.

    The Adept Tier Minions might be stronger than the average Adept, but they would still lose to those even slightly prepared due to versatility. Which the Minions lacked.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Alaster breathed deeply, feeling his Mana circulate through and around him. As the air filled his lungs, so too did his Mana fill his body. As it did, Alaster questioned Belgroth.

    ˇ®Is it possible to create an Adept Tier Minion using the Skeletal Mage as a template?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yes, though it is more complicated. You created the War Born in a few hours. With your current skill, I believe it would take you a few days to make an Adept Minion Mage. Stick to the simpler Minions for now. Your Minions lack versatility on an individual basis, so focus on creating versatility through numbers.

    Right now, you have a shock troop, the Dread Knight. Then you have a vanguard, the War Born. Create the Adept version of Shield Bearer to create stability to your troops. Something you could rely on to remain standing. After that, I would suggest using one of the Archer Minions.

    Once that is done, you might be capable of creating an Adept Mage in a timely manner.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Fair enough, I guess.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Good, now shut up and focus before your Mana recoils and whips you.ˇŻ

    Shaking his head of that image, Alaster closed his eyes and got to work.

    First, he analyzed the Mana Streams of the Shield Bearer. Alaster had not used the Shield Bearer very often in battle. Not because they were not useful, but because he had something similar, but better, in the form of the Minotaurs.

    And the Minotaurs had saved his life countless times. Their fortitude and strength were something Alaster had come to rely on.

    Following Belgroths guidance, which gradually became less frequent, Alaster manipulated the Mana Streams. Bending them into the forms he wanted. Similar, but distinctly different from the Streams of the Undead Shield Bearers. Stronger, more vibrant, and robust.

    As Alaster worked, he slowly began seeing glimpses of the finalized Minion, even as he still worked on it. They were short glimpses, and anytime Alaster attempted to focus on it, they slipped away.

    ˇ®Ignore them.ˇŻ Belgroth instructed, ˇ®They are just proof that you are growing more proficient. You are still incredibly far from being able to ignore the process, however.ˇŻ

    Alaster mentally nodded and refocused on the Streams. As always, the pressure the Streams exerted grew, the closer to the end Alaster reached.

    It still stunned him how beautiful the patterns could be. Weaving in and out of each other. Mana flowed through in vibrant colors, predominantly the neon green on his own Mana. But he also spotted the earthy greenish brown of Earth. The burning orange of Fire.

    But Alaster also spotted hints of the entire rainbow of color that was Magic. Mana Colors from Magics that Alaster couldnˇŻt identify. In a way, it reminded him of Mana Crystals.

    As he worked, Alaster sometimes felt like he was flying as he weaved the Streams of Mana with his eyes closed. Without the distraction of sight, he was able to better feel the sensations of the experience. It was amazing.

    A sense of power and creation that he was not able to put into words.

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs it. Feel it, donˇŻt see it. Let instinct take over.ˇŻ Belgroth breathed, careful to avoid distracting Alaster.

    Slowly, Alaster weaved, finalizing the newest member of his Adept Minion army. An Army that Belgroth believed would quickly grow in numbers.

    Creating the Dread Knight had taken nearly the entire night. The War BornˇŻs creation had lasted over four hours. But now, this newest minion had been created in just two hours.

    Belgroth knew that Alaster would eventually reach this proficiency, but he had not believed he would for a few months of dedicated meditation and practice. But Alaster had, in only a few short days, and during an ongoing siege.

    The boy was remarkably mediocre in most things. Even in melee combat he had spent countless hours coupled with numerous near-death battles to become as skilled as he currently was.

    In using his own Mana, he was even a slightly below average. But it seemed the boy had a natural talent for Weaving. Coupled with an affinity towards Soul Manipulation?

    Belgroth was worried.

    Not for the boy, but because of the boy.

    Weaving was not just used to create Minions by hand. It could be used to create spells, enchantments, weapons, etc. Mana was the very building block of the world, and Weaving was the manipulation of Mana. Not just in the way of Magic, but in molding it to your own purpose.

    The chieftain of BelgrothˇŻs Clan had been able to create livable Dimensional Rings, where his People had hidden their valuables, including the elderly and children. Belgroth remembered a discussion with his chieftain where the old Argalon had talked about some day becoming proficient enough in Weaving to weave an entire world into existence.

    Unfortunately, he had never had the opportunity to do so as the war was reaching its climax. But the ability to create a world was theoretically possible with Weaving.

    Then when an affinity for Soul Manipulation was added into the mix?

    Belgroth suddered at the thought.

    Ebris, God of the Dead, had already hinted at Alaster becoming the closest there was to an actual God. He had only seen AlasterˇŻs potential to create souls. But Belgroth could see more.

    Alaster did not have the potential to become another one of HumanityˇŻs pretend Gods. He had the potential to Weave Reality itself.

    Belgroth did not know for certain. It was impossible to know. But he believed in his nonexistent gut, that Alaster, if fostered properly, would do things only ever imagined.

    As Alaster stood, facing his newest Minion, Belgroth mentally shuddered at the possibilities.

 CHAPTER 129- OLD TUTOR

    Slowly, the sun retreated behind the horizon, casting the world in shadow. The world quieted down, slowing. Even as hundreds of soldiers were still awake and working or patrolling.

    Alaster meditated until a servant came to fetch him.

    The man was smaller than most, which must have made Alaster look like a giant to him. However, he didnˇŻt hesitate or flinch. He confidently and resolutely led Alaster deep into the City LordˇŻs castle.

    Past several guarded iron doors, they delved. Alaster noticed that the doors were guarded from both sides. He was quite surprised at the strength of the guards. Not one was lower than High Adept, and each one was clearly tested.

    Soon enough, the Servant led Alaster to a much larger and thicker steel door. Standing at over twice AlasterˇŻs height and thrice that wide.

    A dozen men in thick steel armor guarded the door. From the way they stood, they were prepared for threats coming from behind the door, and from the castle.

    Not one of the Guards turned to acknowledge the Servant, but all of them tensed when Alaster entered the room.

    They had all heard of his strength. Heard how he could summon an army of Minions capable of defending an entire section of sieged wall.

    Alaster was alone, at the moment, all his Minions in his Domain. Though his body was covered in the Pact armor, leaving his head exposed.

    Alaster didnˇŻt spare the Guards more than a moment of attention. The gate was impressive. Steel was pricy. It was incredibly difficult to produce if one did not have the proper Class, Abilities, and equipment. When it was used, it was typically in small parts. It was a strong material, but unless it was reinforced with magic, a strong Adept or the average Expert could rip through it with their bare hands.

    Alaster took a moment to examine the Mana Streams of the gate. He was not yet capable of knowing what each one did, but he could tell by the countless streams that the gate was reinforced and enchanted extensively.

    While Alaster stood, studying the gate and pondering at its cost, the Servant walked up and knocked on the gate. The thuds resounded through the stone room, echoing slightly.

    The Servant then turned around and left the room, ascending the stairs once more. Silence consumed the room. Not even the four Mage Lights made any sound, nor did the Guards.

    Several moments passed as Alaster simply stood there, unimpressed. He had conversed with Sedall, who knew more about modern enchantments, and learned that while the gate would provide an unbreachable obstacle even for most Experts, Alaster could rip his way through, though with difficulty.

    Alaster struggled to keep his face expressionless as he imagined how his numerous types of Minions would attempt to breach the gate.

    The Blackguards would probably attempt to use their polearms to pry the two doors apart. The Night Children would try to burrow through the stone underneath the gate. The Minotuars would just ram into the gate until either the gate gave out or they did, and they would.

    The War Born would likely attempt to weaken the joints of the gate. While the Dread Knight would simply swing its sword at the gate, then when blade broke, it would resort to furiously clawing at the gate.

    Without warning, the gate started to open, and with it came a storm of noise. The room on the other side was a copy of the room Alaster was currently in. At least three dozen people were rushing about, though Alaster suspected there were even more. He couldnˇŻt get an accurate count as the people were weaving between each other too quickly.

    Against the back wall, Alaster spotted a portal, just large enough for him to walk through. Alaster spotted three types of people in the room as he walked in, the gate closing behind.

    Haulers, Healers, and Soldiers. The haulers carried bags of food, weapons, armor, and what appeared to be explosives through the portal.

    Most of the soldiers wore leather armor dyed a mirage of grays and purples. Many wore bandoliers of knives and explosives and had painted faces. All who wore the leather armor were clearly experienced, grizzled, veterans. Even those being treated by the Healers rarely cried out in pain, only grunting in pain and no small part annoyance.

    The entire process, despite appearing chaotic, was clearly well practiced. In just a few minutes, the haulers had moved an incredible amount through the portal. The healers got most of the injured back to fighting shape, calling over fresh Saboteurs to replace those that couldnˇŻt return to duty.

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    There was no rank insignia on any of the Saboteurs, though it was easy to spot those in charge if one looked closely.

    Each of the Saboteurs were filthy, and tired, but the fire in their eyes told a story. Most had dirty bandages wrapped around various parts of their bodies.

    In just ten minutes, the rush seemed to be dying down. The Saboteurs began funneling through the portal. One of the commanders came up to Alaster.

    ˇ°Are you the one we are supposed to take with us?ˇ± He asked.

    There was no accusation or joy. Just an honest question. The man was too tired to care on way or another.

    Alaster nodded, ˇ°That would be me. Just tell me where you want me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Follow me then.ˇ± The Saboteur instructed, already walking toward the portal, uncaring if Alaster actually followed or not.

    Alaster joined the procession of Saboteurs through the portal.

    No longer was he in the deepest and most secure part of Onigas. Instead, he was in a dark forest, surrounded by resting and preparing Saboteurs.

    Alaster had thought that those on the other side of the portal were the only Saboteurs. He was severely wrong. The Saboteurs easily numbered over a hundred. Each one was sharpening blades and arrows, preparing explosives and poisons, or getting what rest they could.

    Despite the large number, there was not a sound louder than a whisper. They were all practiced. Alaster was not, and he could see several of the Saboteurs cringe at the amount of noise he made with each step.

    AlasterˇŻs pact armor was perfectly suited to him. It made very little noise. It was simply his way of walking and breathing that caused so much noise.

    The Saboteurs were all over the place. Some were sitting in the dirt, others were on rocks, but Alaster spotted quite a large percentage of the veterans in the trees. Even when he knew they were there, their armor made it quite difficult to spot them in the foliage, even when the sparse moonlight made its way through the overcast sky.

    The only shelter was a small tent, only large enough for maybe four people, if they were comfortable with each other and ducked.

    Alaster made his way towards the tent, paying special attention to his movements, trying his best to keep quiet. Crouching down to see into the tent, Alaster opened the flap and shuffled in.

    There were only two people there, one of whom Alaster was quite familiar with. Colius looked at Alaster with a warm smile, clearly wanting to say something and welcome his old pupil properly, but he contained himself. The other occupant of the tent was a grizzled Saboteur. His body was covered in sheathed blades of various types and sizes. On his belt, he wore a dozen explosives, which Alaster imagined he would light easily with the cigar in his mouth.

    The man looked at Alaster with dead eyes, motioning for him to sit, like them. There was no cushion, nor was there a table for the map between the men. Alaster sat down, filling any remaining space in the tent.

    ˇ°I am the commander of the Saboteurs, Veo.ˇ± The man introduced himself, speaking in a strange whisper. It was just as quiet, but much less harsh, like he was breathing out the words.

    ˇ°Alaster.ˇ± Alaster spoke, attempting to emulate the voice.

    ˇ°Here is the situation. We are stationed here,ˇ± Veo pointed to a spot on the map, ˇ°The main force of the Tarian Force is here.ˇ± The location he pointed to could not have been more than five miles away.

    ˇ°Why so close?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°It allows us to act quickly. And as you might have noticed, we donˇŻt have anything with us. This tent is the only thing we would have to pack, allowing us to go anywhere and do so quickly.

    But you arenˇŻt here to help us sabotage the main army. You are here to help us harass their reinforcements.ˇ±

    ˇ°Somewhat.ˇ± Alaster corrected, ˇ°I am here to sort through the reinforcements, and if there is a person I know, extract them, before we wipe out the reinforcements.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kid we canˇŻt just wait for you to look at every single soldier before we attack. There are hundreds. We have to attack quick and hard before we retreat. We donˇŻt have the forces for an actual attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°But I do.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean Alaster?ˇ± Colius spoke up.

    The old man had only grown older in the years since Alaster last saw him. His usually short, trimmed beard was long and unkept. But despite his advanced age, he sat straight, if tired.

    ˇ°Right,ˇ± Alaster shook his head, ˇ°Out here you wouldnˇŻt have heard the news.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, all we know is that you suddenly showed up in the city, helped to repel several attacks, and are extremely powerful,ˇ± Veo informed, ˇ°But all power is useless if it isnˇŻt utilized correctly.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can summon several hundred Undead, but between my Undead and myself, the enemy will prefer facing the Undead.ˇ±

    ˇ®Except maybe the Dread Knight.ˇŻ Alaster mentally added.

    ˇ°And whatˇŻs your plan for finding, let alone extracting your friend?ˇ± Veo asked, clearly not a fan of the idea.

    ˇ°I was thinking of sneaking in while they sleep and then my Minions would attack, creating a distraction for me to get away.ˇ±

    ˇ°There are still several hundreds of soldiers, it would take several hours to look through them while remaining undetected. How are you going to find them?ˇ±

    ˇ°I have my ways. All you have to do is wait until my Undead attack before you begin your Sabotage.ˇ±

    Veo thought for several moments, scratching his stubble, ˇ°The reinforcements are still a day away from the main army. It takes time for any sizable group to travel through the woods, even if they are taking the roads. I suggest attacking tomorrow night. They will be closer to the main army, so we will have to be quicker to get away, but it will allow us to set an ambush better.ˇ±

    Veo pointed to a spot on the map, ˇ°They should be around here tomorrow before they stop for the night. We should be able to bury some explosives under them, focusing on the road itself to further slow their progress. When we actually attack, we will focus our hand bombs on priority targets such as supplies, officers, and especially healers.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded along, paying close attention and finding no fault in the manˇŻs plan. Unfortunately, his plan didnˇŻt suit Alaster.

    ˇ°No. We will attack tonight.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 130- BLOODY OPPORTUNITY

    Alaster crouched behind a bush atop a hill, overlooking the reinforcements from Sicon. He had been expecting to find them sleeping with only a few guards. After all, they were reinforcing an allied force sieging a city with no hope for outside assistance. Very few Monsters would dare to attack a force as large as theirs.

    They didnˇŻt need to be wary.

    But they learned otherwise.

    Alaster didnˇŻt find them sleeping. Instead, he found them desperately fighting against a horde of Drakes.

    Drakes were distant cousins to dragons. Appearing as much smaller, wingless, versions to their relative. They were no less hostile, but no more than animals, unlike Dragons. Appearing in an assortment of colors and standing over four meters tall, they were powerful and vicious.

    Solitary predators, it was rare to find more than two adults together. They avoided each otherˇŻs hunting grounds, not out of inability to conquer, but out of respect.

    So to find not two, not ten, not even twenty, but what appeared to be over thirty Drakes rampaging among the Sicon Soldiers, seemingly appearing to have caught them in the midst of their setting up camp.

    Drakes were powerful creatures. With teeth sharp enough to carve stone and jaws powerful enough to crush steel. Claws like swords, and powerful enough swipe aside a fully loaded cart.

    The SoldiersˇŻ only saving grace was that Drakes were incapable of breathing fire. But while their scales were much weaker than a DragonˇŻs, it was still perfectly capable of deflecting any glancing blows.

    Alaster watched as an entire squad of Sicon Soldiers were wiped out with ease by one of the smaller Drakes. He watched as it leapt forward, crushing three beneath its front claws.

    Its tail whipped around, sending another two flying through the air like leaves in the breeze.

    It shot forward, catching one between its teeth. It bit down, ending the screams in a gory explosion as it swiped away two more.

    The last two attempted to flee, but it hopped forward, its claws digging deeply into the earth as it propelled itself forward. It angled its claws forward, skewering the two before consuming them.

    That squad had been one of the more organized of the soldiers and that scene was happening throughout the chaos. There was no organized line. There were, however, two small spots in the flow against the Drakes.

    One bunkered in on itself, protecting against the several Drakes prodding it. The other was instead pushing forward, fighting back against the Drakes.

    Alaster commended the second group. They were fighting very well, but they were still just surprised and ambushed common soldiers fighting against numerous Drakes. Their losses were immense, and even with the occasional Soldier being dragged along with their momentum, replenishing their numbers, they were still dwindling.

    Despite their losses, Alaster watched them force three Drakes to the ground, where several Soldiers jumped on top and began the summary execution, focusing their thrusts into the soft eyes and underbelly of the beasts.

    Alaster examined the Mana Streams and saw countless as the Soldiers used Magic to fend off the Drakes or even just survive. However, he didnˇŻt care about those and instead chose to ignore them. He examined the battlefield to be thorough but found what he was looking for exactly where he expected.

    A large aura of Mana within the group fighting back, growing denser with each passing second.

    Alaster looked behind him at Veo and Colius, ˇ°Found her. IˇŻll be back, wait until my Minions attack before you do.ˇ±

    Alaster reminded them once more, not wanting to get caught in explosions before he was ready.

    Alaster summoned his stallion and jumped on, his Pact conjuring his helmet and halberd, before he galloped down the hill, crashing through the foliage.

    The young man understood the value of stealth, it just was not his style. Despite that, he did not roar or scream to announce his presence. He did not need to. Many of the Sicon Soldiers noticed him, though they were too busy trying to survive to care.

    Alaster mentally steered his mount towards one of the Drakes combatting the group of Soldiers he was wanting. It was focused on crushing another two Soldiers beneath its feet and did not notice Alaster until he swung his halberd into the back of its rear right knee, severing the foot.

    The Monster roared as blood flooded the ground. It toppled, allowing the shocked Soldiers to quickly jump on it, driving their weapons into its eyes and belly.

    Alaster slowed his mount into a trot and rode past the Soldiers. They all moved aside, none daring to stop him. Alaster did not spare them a glance, his gaze focused on his target.

    She saw him coming, knowing from just that single Drake that she had very little chance of survival if the black knight decided to attack. She should have been terrified, but she wasnˇŻt. She could not help but feel that she knew this man.

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    The giant stopped in front of her. He seemed to study her for a moment, as if contemplating whether to cut her down or not. The man rested the butt of his halberd against his stirrups as his helmet seemed to melt back, revealing a smirking face she thought she would never see again.

    ˇ°Nice to see you again Astrid.ˇ±

    She should have been stunned, shocked, surprised. But she was only angry. She grabbed a rock and hurled it at his head, which he easily deflected.

    ˇ°Alaster, you asshole!ˇ±

    Her friend only chuckled.

    ˇ°I thought you were dead!ˇ± She yelled at him.

    ˇ°What? You thought a hundred Goblins would be able to kill me?ˇ±

    ˇ°You were a Novice! Not even a very powerful one. Of course, I thought you were dead!ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll tell you about it after we drive off the Drakes.ˇ± Alaster promised with a smirk.

    She glared at him, ˇ°You better.ˇ±

    Alaster mock saluted her as his helmet melded over his face once more. He then turned his steed and charged into the thick of battle, where six Drakes were rampaging.

    Astrid watched him dive into them without fear or hesitation. She watched as he carved through them, each one dropping with only a few blows. In less than a minute, he had singlehandedly killed five Drakes. The last one, he had left for the Soldiers as he rode past.

    One of Astrids comrades stepped beside her, ˇ°How do you know that man?ˇ± He asked, watching the giant ride towards his next target.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs a long story. He saved my life when I had lost all hope. He taught me almost everything I know.ˇ±

    ˇ°DidnˇŻt the army do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not a chance. They taught me a few things, but he taught me how to survive. But we canˇŻt let him take all the credit! LetˇŻs go men!ˇ± Astrid cried out, rallying the nearby Soldiers, they surged forward.

    The fighting was intense and bloody. Many Sicon Soldiers fell, but the Drakes were soon driven away with only eight of them remaining. None of the Soldiers had the energy to give chase, none except for those that had prioritized defense. Even when Alaster turned the tides, they had remained interlocked, refusing to move.

    Only after the Drakes had vanished into the forest did they unravel, revealing the reinforcementsˇŻ Officers. They had taken to hiding while their men and women fought off the Monster without orders.

    And yet, they immediately began shouting orders. As if they had been the ones fighting. Unashamed of their own cowardice.

    Alaster walked his horse beside a much bloodier and exhausted Astrid, ˇ°These are your Officers?ˇ±

    Astrid huffed, ˇ°No. They are the KingdomˇŻs Officers sent to command the Sicon Soldiers into battle. Pompous cowards, the lot of them, and the General is the worst.ˇ±

    The General was a large man, not quite fat, but certainly not fit. He was a man who had come by his size from birth and was used to using his natural strength and name to get what he wanted. He stepped around the bloody mud, as if it was disgusting and below him.

    Alaster was glad to see Astrid still speak her mind. She had never been one to just sit back and allow things to happen to her. He admired that about her.

    At that moment, the General took notice of Alaster.

    ˇ°You there! Dismount and identify yourself immediately!ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eye twitched at the arrogant tone directed towards him. He did, however, dismount. Stepping into the mud, his sheer weight and size sinking deep. He marched through the mud towards the General. To his credit, the man didnˇŻt flinch or step back, though the other Officers did, shaking as they did. However, Alaster suspected that he didnˇŻt flinch because he was so used to getting his way that it never even crossed his mind that he ought to be fearful.

    Alaster was only slightly taller, but it was enough to make him look down as he was right in front of the man.

    ˇ°Kneel down peasant!ˇ± The General shouted.

    All the Sicon Soldiers were watching quietly. What would their savior do? The man who had defeated over a dozen Drakes by himself? Their minds struggled to grasp the concept of commoners acting against Nobility. And the General was part of one of the Higher Noble Families within the Tarian Kingdom.

    His family ruled over a large percentage of land and economy. His father was a direct advisor to the King. To disobey him was to court death.

    Alaster didnˇŻt flinch. He didnˇŻt move. He only said one word.

    ˇ°Kneel.ˇ±

    One simple word, said with such force and authority that many of the Soldiers obeyed without realizing. Even without the word being directed towards them, the power that single word held was enough to make them obey.

    The man the word had been directed towards faltered for a moment before he collapsed in the mud, splattering mud and blood all over himself.

    Alaster growled in satisfaction and turned to address the entire Sicon Force.

    ˇ°This is the man you take orders from? This pathetic excuse for a man? This worm, crawling through the mud? I thought the men and women of Sicon had pride! Have the Sicon People been cowed to be slaves? Well?ˇ±

    Those who had knelt stormed to their feet and as one, all the Soldiers cried out, ˇ°NO!ˇ±

    ˇ°Prove it! Prove that Sicon will not just bow! Prove that you still have pride! Strike down those that would call themselves your masters!ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs speech wiled the Soldiers, driving them into a frenzy. Without hesitation, they charged forward. The Officers attempted to defend themselves, but there was nothing they could do against such a wild force that outnumbered them so drastically.

    The Soldiers were so frenzied that they refused the use of their weapons, beating and pulling at their prey with their bare hands.

    Astrid watched in stunned silence from beside Alaster, ˇ°Why did you do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they ignored me.ˇ± Alaster hesitated for a moment, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry, by the way.ˇ±

    ˇ°About what?ˇ± Astrid turned away from the gruesome sight.

    ˇ°For leaving. And for what I must do next. I will guarantee the safety and well-being of them.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you talking about?ˇ±

    Ignoring her, Alaster climbed onto his Skeletal Stallion, ˇ°Soldiers of Sicon! Do you care at all for the siege of Onigas?ˇ±

    They looked up from their blood frenzy and cried out, ˇ°No!ˇ±

    ˇ°Then lay down your arms! Refuse to join a war you have no care for and you will return unharmed once it is over!ˇ±

    To the Soldiers, Alaster had earned their respect and trust. He had saved them, fought with them to drive off a powerful enemy, and then allowed them to seek revenge against the ones that forced them into such a situation.

    Only a few hesitated, but none refused. Hundreds of weapons and shields fell to the ground. As they did so, an army of Undead and Saboteurs walked out of the surrounding trees.

    ˇ°Be at peace Sicon. You will be treated well so long as you do not fight.ˇ± Alaster announced.

    Astrid looked up to Alaster, ˇ°Is that why you came back? Just to capture us?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not quite. I was already defending Onigas. The only reason your force wasnˇŻt completely wiped out was because I heard that the reinforcements were from Sicon. I came to make sure you werenˇŻt a part of it, and if you were, to ensure you didnˇŻt die.ˇ±

    Astrid sighed, ˇ°Now what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Now? We take you back into Onigas. Your fellow Soldiers will be treated well. We will spread word that we captured the reinforcements before they even arrived, which will demoralize the main Tarian army even more. And I guess we can catch up, I might even be able to introduce you to the people who took care of me until I was fifteen.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, IˇŻm trusting you.ˇ±

    Alaster bowed from atop his steed, ˇ°And I will do my best not to betray it.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 131- PRISONERS OF WAR

    Keylan had allowed Alaster to ambush the Sicon Reinforcements and search for his friend, expecting that it would demoralize the Tarians as well as reduce the number of Soldiers.

    What he had not been expecting was for Alaster to return with the majority of the Reinforcements marching through ColiusˇŻ portal carrying their neatly folded weapons and armor and willingly surrendering.

    They stacked their equipment against a wall, sorting it until there were neat piles of each piece. They then sat down against the far wall and casually chatted with each other until the City Lord could get down there himself.

    He was stunned. Not only had Alaster singlehandedly defeated over a dozen Drakes, according to Veo, one of the only people he trusted to operate independently, but he had captured the entirety of an enemy force. From the way the Sicon Soldiers looked up at Alaster with respect and admiration, he suspected they would even fight for the boy if he called for it.

    When Keylan entered the underground bunker, he saw Alaster calmly sitting down with the Sicon Soldiers, casually talking and joking with them.

    ˇ°Is that little bakery just off the main street still there?ˇ± Alaster asked the soldiers.

    One of them spoke up, ˇ°Yeah, it ran into some financial trouble last year, but now the owners are talking about even opening a second store.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good for them! I loved their little pastries dusted with sugar and cinnamon.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, I love those!ˇ±

    ˇ°What are they called?ˇ± One of the soldiers asked.

    However, before someone could answer the man, they noticed the City Lord, followed by a dozen of his personal guards.

    They all stood up, slowly so as to not startle the already tense Onigarian Soldiers. The Bunker was designed for hundreds of soldiers to prepare for battle, but not over a thousand. It was cramped.

    Alaster walked over to the City Lord, ˇ°So, what do you think?ˇ±

    ˇ°This is the entire Sicon detachment?ˇ± Keylan asked.

    ˇ°Yep. The city actually had no intention to join this siege, but the capital sent their own Officers and took command. Said Officers are currently rotting in the mud. These men and women have no loyalty to the siege army and are perfectly happy to be your prisoners. They have even expressed a willingness to work.ˇ±

    The Lord cocked his head, ˇ°Why would they do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I promised them fair treatment.ˇ± AlasterˇŻs face turned dark, ˇ°Is that agreeable?ˇ±

    The City LordˇŻs guards tightened their grips on their swords but did not act against AlasterˇŻs malice.

    Keylan waved it away, ˇ°Of course, of course. So long as there are no escapes or sabotage, they will be treated well.ˇ±

    In response to the City LordˇŻs words, the Sicon Soldiers relaxed, and one of them stepped forward. After executing their own Officers, this man was technically the ranking Soldier.

    He stopped three meters away from the City Lord and saluted in the Tarian fashion, in addition to bowing his head, ˇ°We thank you, sir.ˇ±

    KeylanˇŻs eyes widened and motioned for one of his aides to come forward. The City Lord typically had one or two following him around, they were simply so small, quiet, and out of the way that it was easy to ignore them entirely.

    ˇ°Take the Siconian Soldiers to the prisons. Treat them well and have blankets and food brought down to them. Take the Saboteurs with you, after that, they are free to rest for two days.ˇ±

    The small wiry man nodded and soon had Saboteurs in front and behind the procession of Sicon Soldiers, leading them up and out of the Bunker. All except one.

    Keylan looked at the young woman who refused to leave AlasterˇŻs side. By her uniform, she was a Siconian Soldier, a distinguished one at that, yet she stayed by Alaster over her own countrymen despite being in hostile territory.

    ˇ°Is this your friend you wanted to find?ˇ± The City Lord asked.

    ˇ°That she is. After leaving Onigas when I was younger, I ended up in Sicon for a few months. She helped me a lot, both because she knew the area, and by assisting my hunting. It would be safe to say that she is part of the reason I am as powerful as I am now.ˇ±

    ˇ°You saved my life several times, it was only fair.ˇ± Astrid retorted with a blush, attempting to hide.

    Shaking her head to clear the red, Astrid addressed the City Lord with a curtsy and bow of the head, ˇ°Thank you for your hospitality, MˇŻlord. My name is Astrid.ˇ±

    Keylan was impressed that a common soldier would know how to properly address a City Lord.

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    ˇ°It is nothing. They had yet to cause any actual harm to my people. So long as they continue to cause no harm, they will be treated well. Will you not join your fellows?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm afraid not sir. The last time I left Alaster, he disappeared for several years. He has promised me his story and until he makes good on it, I am not letting him out of my sight.ˇ±

    Alaster only grinned, but the City Lord chuckled, ˇ°Fair enough. I trust the boy. However, may I have a few moments to speak to him privately?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course, mˇŻlord.ˇ± She curtsied once more before she left to join Colius against the far wall. She had noticed in the little time she had seen Alaster interact with the old man that he trusted him.

    Keylan waited until Astrid was far enough away. There were still several haulers moving the Siconian equipment, creating enough noise that he wasnˇŻt worried about being heard.

    ˇ°You have exceeded my expectations time and time again Alaster.ˇ±

    Alaster didnˇŻt react. He had only tried to do his best to protect those close to him. In his eyes, that was nothing to be proud about. It was to be expected.

    ˇ°You have proven you have the power to fight and protect by defending the wall, defeating the Assassins, and again with the Drakes. You have proven to be knowledgeable about politics by spying on War Counsil as we talked about you. And you have proven to be diplomatic by convincing several hundred men and women to lay down their arms and surrender to a hostile force.

    We have captured many Tarian Soldiers since the Siege began. They are treated as you would expect. Poor food, worse accommodations, and even regular beatings to extract any knowledge they might have.

    I promise you that these Siconian Soldiers will not be subject to that treatment. They will be in cells, but they will be given proper bedding and food.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you. As to actionable information, I doubt they will have any. They hadnˇŻt yet merged with the main army so only their Officers would have any actual information, and they are already dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°A shame to be sure. Not just for potential information, but for ransoming power. I imagine the General in charge was of high standing.ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ°I donˇŻt know. No offense, but almost all you Nobles act the same. Arrogant, self-important, and greedy.ˇ±

    Keylan burst out laughing, ˇ°You got that right! You seem to be headed in the way of leadership so let me tell you a little secret. To be a good ruler, one must be arrogant. He cannot risk showing weakness to their enemies, but especially to those that follow them.

    One must be self-important because you are. You cannot risk yourself in duties that are just as well done by those, and I know itˇŻs horrible, but itˇŻs true, more expendable.

    And most of all, a good ruler must be greedy. Not just for himself, but for those that follow them. You must be willing to take everything for yourself, and in extension, those you rule over.

    One must be all of that, and more, without being selfish. It is a hard balance. I want to give my daughters everything, let them do everything, but I canˇŻt. They must learn to struggle, to fight for what they want.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why are you telling me this?ˇ±

    Keylan sighed, ˇ°Because I know you will leave once the Siege is over. You have your own goals, and I want you to understand something crucial. Sometimes, more often than is fair to anyone, a ruler has to make a choice. A choice that will create a better life for many, at the cost of a few.

    I donˇŻt know everything about the situation with your sister. But what I do know is that only a Noble could have done all of that, and covered it up, without any backlash.

    Save your sister. I know nothing I say, or anyone for that matter, will change your mind. But I want you to learn why they took her. For what reason.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs face turned dark once more; except this time, it was paired with the Black Mana once more. Coating his body, moving around in small tendrils before dripping back.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt care. Even if it was to save the entire world, it changes nothing. I will torture them until they are begging for death. Only then will I grant it to them before I raise them once more as my Undead Minions.

    Let the world burn for all I care. All I want is my sister.ˇ±

    KeylanˇŻs Elite Guards found themselves backing up despite their resolve and training. Everyone else in the room shivered in fear. Even Astrid and Colius were overtaken by fear. Fear not of Alaster, but of the Black Mana. It was not natural. Their minds failed to properly process it.

    Only Keylan was unaffected, at least externally. His heart was clenched in icy terror, but his extensive emotional training did not allow him to show it.

    ˇ°Calm yourself Alaster. Many might say revenge will only leave you feeling hollow. That you shouldnˇŻt pursue it. But I am not one of those blinded moralists. I am a realist. I see the world for what it is, not what it could be, or what I want it to be.

    Revenge keeps the world honest.

    If you have the desire and power, you should make them regret crossing you. Take your sister back. That is not your right, but your duty. But that is not what I wanted to talk to you about.

    While we were focusing on the Siconian Reinforcements, three thousand additional Tarian Soldiers joined the Main Army from the west.ˇ±

    The Black Mana gradually seeped back into Alaster, disappearing, with it went the unnatural terror that grasped everyone, allowing them to breathe once more.

    ˇ°The west?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. They took the long route, crossing into Celarn to enter the Independent lands several days to the west. They come from Noln.ˇ±

    ˇ°The border fortress, so they are all veterans?ˇ±

    ˇ°Unfortunately. While you did very well ensuring the Siconians couldnˇŻt join the Main Army, the effect will not be nearly as large as we were hoping.ˇ±

    ˇ°They will attack tomorrow.ˇ± It was not a question.

    ˇ°Without a doubt.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°Alright. Then I need to prepare. I was planning on sitting down with Astrid and talking, but I donˇŻt have the time anymore. Can you take her to the room you offered me?ˇ±

    Keylan raised a brow, ˇ°Your room?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not really, I have yet to actually sleep in it. Besides, I will be in the Training Hall. Please make sure no one interrupts me unless it is absolutely necessary. I will be working Magic that can cause quite a bit of damage if worked wrong.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright. Do you need anything? Mana Potions perhaps?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I doubt those will have any effect on me anyway.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok, I will personally guide Astrid to the room. I will have to post a guard there; you might trust her. But she is still technically an enemy combatant.ˇ±

    ˇ°That will be fine.ˇ± Alaster waved Astrid over and explained the situation. She was upset but understood and graciously followed the City Lord out of the Bunker.

    Colius then walked over and pat his old pupil on the back, ˇ°It is good to see you lad.ˇ±

    ˇ°Same to you old man. I really want to talk to you, but there will be an attack tomorrow, and I have to prepare for it.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt forget to set aside some time to sleep.ˇ± Colius reminded.

    ˇ°IˇŻll be fine. Good night Colius.ˇ±

    Alaster bowed slightly to his own teacher and walked up the many stairs. He had not been given an opportunity to properly show off his newest Adept Minion during the trip beyond the city walls, but it did not matter, he needed more. Of everything.

    ˇ®They are likely finished studying me. Tomorrow they will send people they believe can kill me. I wonder how close they will get.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 132- ONCE MORE INTO THE FRAY

    Black smoke filled the air, raising from the countless craters and corpses. Mud and blood were the only colors outside the wall. It was worse the closest to the wall. Mutilated corpses lay in tall piles. Onigarian Soldiers with control over the wind did their best to blow the wretched smell away from the battlements, but there was only so much they could do.

    Most were able to control themselves, having already grown accustomed to the stench, but many still lost their breakfasts.

    Alaster counted himself lucky that his [Death Embrace] removed his stomach. He could, somehow, still smell, but it caused no physical reaction. The young man had caused plenty of death, as well as disassembled many corpses. But he had never experienced the rot of so many bodies.

    There was discussion among the Soldiers about whether they should burn the corpses, but if they burned them as they were now, it would completely block the OnigariansˇŻ vision of the Tarian army. That was completely unacceptable.

    They would need to go out and haul the bodies away before they burned them. However, every time such a thing was attempted, the Tarians thwarted the effort, as did the Onigarians anytime the Tarians attempted to clear their dead.

    Ordinarily, such a task would be agreed upon by the commanders of both armies and would be a joint effort. The risk of disease was simply too likely, too horrible, and too devastating to both sides to allow the corpses to rot.

    The System strengthened the bodies and immunities of Humanity, as Sedall taught Alaster, but that did not make it immune. Despite the access to Healing Magic, thousands of people still died to rampant disease and plague every year.

    However, while the General of the Onigarian Military had sent many messages to the Tarian Generals about such a duty, they had all been ignored, receiving no response.

    As such, both sides did what they could to lower the number of enemies, even if it meant allowing their comrades to rot and turn into vermin food.

    And yet, as horrible as it was, Alaster was glad to see the bodies remain. They allowed him a vast versatility. And when the battle resumed once more, he would be able to raise the full might of his power from the very beginning.

    As it was, as Alaster stood on the battlements over the gate, staring out over the battlefield, at the many corpses, and the countless still yet to be killed, Alaster could not help but wish he had chosen Flesh Mage as his Adept Class. Corpse Explosion would have drastically affected the outcome of the Siege.

    He did not regret his choice, but he did wish he could have more of an impact. His army was large, though they were weak in comparison. His Magic was powerful, but Corpse Explosion could wipe out the entirety of the Tarian Army in a single cast.

    Alaster had asked his mentors if they could teach him the spell, but neither knew the actual spell themselves and Belgroth was certain that it was a spell as complicated, if not more so, than Minion Spells. Even if Alaster could find someone who did know the spell, and knew it well enough to teach it, the time required for Alaster to learn it would be several months at the earliest.

    So, Alaster would instead have to deal with the enemy as best as he could. He would summon his army once the enemy attacked, and he would slowly whittle them down until they realized the siege was lost. It would likely not be in todayˇŻs battle. Perhaps not even tomorrowˇŻs. All he could do was his best, and hope that those he cared about survived.

    He was glad he had finally managed to create Night Children for each such person. At least those he was worried about. He trusted both Lord and Lady Siphas to be well protected, skilled, and thoughtful enough to not allow themselves to be cornered. However, he still gave a Night Child to Alive, Iris, Isabella, and even Astrid.

    He could sense their general location through the Night Children that followed them, as well as know the general wellbeing of the Undead. If he so chose, he could have Bonded with the Children, allowing him to see through their eyes. But considering that each one was paired with a young lady, Alaster decided that to do so would only be a last resort.

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    Many thoughts ran through AlasterˇŻs mind as he waited atop the wall. Most of which were of mild annoyance. He could have been meditating in the Training Hall. Instead, he had been called to the Wall shortly before lunch as the Tarian Army had begun assembling to prepare for another assault.

    The young man had spent the entire night and morning slowly crafting more Adept Undead. He was interested to see how effective they would be during battle, but as of yet, they remained in his soul. They could of course move freely through his soul, even spar against each other, but Alaster had ordered them not to, much to the Dread KnightˇŻs annoyance. For the battle ahead, he wanted each one in perfect health, even if they couldnˇŻt feel pain or grow tired.

    Most of the detachment placed under AlasterˇŻs command were similarly waiting atop the outer wall with him. Just as annoyed but also anxious. They knew the battle would come, however much they wished it wouldnˇŻt. The wait caused them to grow tense.

    They knew that the enemy would not be able to tunnel under the walls, at least not unnoticed by Onigarian Earth Mages. They knew that the Tarians, similar to the Onigarians, had very few capable of flight, nor would they risk them in a dogfight in the sky.

    Whatever threat would be, it would come from the front. A fight that many were glad was simple. But none knew why the enemy was waiting. From what they could see, the enemy had long since been properly assembled. What else were they waiting for?

    Then, without warning, the Tarians charged forward. Their siege engines launched their projectiles. Their Mages cast their magic. And the Onigarians responded in kind.

    One moment the sky was clear, turned gray from the smoke, the next it was filled with magic, stone, and fire.

    The Commander of the Soldiers under Alaster looked at him. Alaster simply waved him away. The Commander nodded and began ordering his men across the bridge. Replacing them, were a much greater number of Undead. Marching out of AlasterˇŻs soul, they came. Silent, but menacing.

    Blackguards, Minotaurs, and Skeletal Mages Took up position along the section of wall. Summoned Undead materialized behind them. Then finally, the Adept Undead marched out, revealing themselves for the first time.

    Two War Born, two Dread Knights, two Iron Guardians, and two Shadow Assassins.

    The Iron Guardians stood as tall as Alaster and were covered head to toe in thick iron armor. They were heavy, they were slow, but even Alaster had to truly attempt to damage them. They wielded one handed maces that had short spikes on top that they used to deal crushing blows to anything that stood before them.

    They didnˇŻt need to get through their opponents defenses, they only needed to destroy the opponent.

    In their off hands, they held thick iron shields that were just slightly shorter than they were.

    The Iron Guardians were very slow, but once they got to where they were needed, they were extremely difficult to move. There were two Siege Towers attached to AlasterˇŻs section of wall. The Guardians took up position on the bridges connecting the Towers to the wall, causing the thick, layered, and magically reinforced wood to bend slightly under their sheer weight.

    Similar to the Knights and Born, the Guardians had a single special Ability. The Knights grew stronger the more blood they consumed. The Born learned quickly and adapted to any weapon they had. The Guardians grew more durable the more enemies were before it. Unfortunately, it was not by much, and it had a limit.

    Only one hundred took effect, and that Hundred increased the durability of the Guardian by roughly twenty percent. However, once the number of enemies reached one hundred, the Guardian would heal itself by a single percent, every minute. Such a small amount, but every little bit helped.

    Then came the Shadow Assassins. They were, without a doubt, the most complicated of AlasterˇŻs Minions, and with reason. Their forms were average, yet fit, covered by black and purple cloth wrapped around them. A hood covered their head, and a cloth covered their mouths and noses, leaving just their eyes uncovered. Their eyes glowed a dark purple.

    However, very few would be able to truly see the body of the Assassin as it was covered by a thick purple fog. The fog itself did nothing but blur the actual body as it only extended a few inches past themselves.

    In either hand, they carried sharp curved knives which they could use with lightning like speed.

    Their bodies could twist and contort more like a puppetˇŻs than a manˇŻs, allowing them to avoid attacks a normal man had no chance to. They were slightly less durable than the blackguards, but were as strong as the Minotaurs, despite their average frame.

    However, their ability was what contributed to their complexity. They could move between shadows as if they were portals, reappearing from any other shadow within a ten-meter radius. So long as the shadow was large enough to contain them.

    However, they could still be damaged from within the shadows. They were immune to physical attacks and took less damage from magical attacks while within a shadow, but they could still be damaged. If they were damaged enough, or if the shadow was removed, they would be expelled from it.

    Alaster had personally seen them move from shadow to shadow, traveling from one end of the City LordˇŻs Estate to the other in mere seconds. Of course, that had been during the day, just before he had been called to the wall. Alaster was quite interested to see how powerful the Shadows would become at night.

    Unfortunately, he did not have the opportunity to see. Though now, he would see how they were in actual combat. In fact, outside of the Dread Knight, Alaster had not seen any of the Adept Undead in true combat.

    ˇ®This should be interesting.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 133- WAR BOUND

    Scorched earth flew through the air, adding further to crater filled earth. The Onigarians attempted to eliminate as many Tarian soldiers as they could as the Tarians launched their own magic, aimed at both the Defenders, and the city beyond.

    The Onigarians had mages specialized in intercepting the projectiles, preventing them from reaching the city, but there was simply too much. There was no doubt that many civilians hiding in their homes had their lives extinguished without knowing what had happened. Many more had their homes destroyed.

    Fires raged within the walls as the Fire Brigade did their best to combat them. The braver civilians left their homes to aid the Brigade.

    All of this went unseen by Alaster. He knew that it was happening, but he was unable to focus on it. He had his own issues. Namely, the entire Noln Detachment charging towards his position.

    Their Mages maintained Magic Shields over their comrades as they charged, protecting them from the Magic raining down on them. None of the shields were able to withstand AlasterˇŻs Magic, but it was enough to limit his victims.

    The Undead Archers loosed their arrows, the projectiles passing through the Magic Shields without any interference. Most were blocked by the SoldierˇŻs shields, but occasionally one would slip past their defenses and dig into the flesh of a Tarian Soldier.

    AlasterˇŻs three Undead Mages cast their Magic, releasing their [Necrotic Bolts]. Two of the trio were raised using Adept Cores, making them much stronger and intelligent. Though to AlasterˇŻs annoyance, they still only knew [Necrotic Bolt] and [Bone Crafting]. The singular Novice Mage spent its time beside the Undead archers, creating more arrows.

    Alaster limited himself to only using a single [Dead Bomb] at a time, and only after he had recovered the Mana Cost. He had no doubt that the Tarians had prepared counter measures against him specifically.

    Despite the several hundred Onigarian Mages and the siege weapons, the majority of the charging Tarians reached the walls. The Tarians climbed the ladders and charged up the Siege towers. In no time at all, the Soldiers of both nations were engaged in a furious melee of blood, death, and screams.

    AlasterˇŻs section had only one difference, only the Tarians were screaming. The Noln Soldiers might have been hardened veterans, experienced in war and death, but even they were unnerved by the silent efficiency of the Undead before them.

    The young man held his Adept Undead back for now. He wished to see the difference between the Noln Soldiers and the standard Tarians. And the difference was quite clear. Despite their fear, natural for any mortal in a battle such as this, they charged against the Undead without hesitation. They worked together to cut them down. Their Levels were not obviously higher, but the way they used their Levels were.

    Alaster had the DefenderˇŻs advantage, but his Undead were still being cut down at an alarming rate. Though it was not one sided. Many Noln Soldiers joined the Undead in their rest. But unlike the Undead, it was not their final rest.

    The Soldiers upon the Ladders had not yet managed to climb onto the walls, the Blackguards were able to hold them off with their spears. Though the Soldiers on the Siege Tower had managed to spill forward, onto the wall proper. They had even managed to cut forward, separating the two sides of the wall from each other. They quickly came to regret that as the Onigarian Soldiers on the inner wall sent wave after wave of Magic and Arrow into their flank.

    The Onigarians atop the towers had been asked by Alaster to focus on the Soldiers at the bottom Siege Tower. The defenses there were tough due to the concentration of Soldiers, but Alaster knew that if they attempted to assist Alaster atop the wall, they would only hinder him and his Undead.

    As of yet, the Noln Soldiers were much stronger than the Tarians, but had not impressed him. He had not even moved a single step since the battle began. He remained in the same spot in front of the wooden bridge connecting the two walls.

    Not even his Adept Undead had been given the opportunity to fight, much to the Dread KnightsˇŻ annoyance. They anxiously shifted around, pacing back and forth. Their entire bodies shivering. Not due to cold, or fear, but bloodlust.

    They looked towards Alaster in a manner that he could not help but compare to a puppy begging for food from the table.

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°Fine, go on.ˇ±

    The two Dread Knights bent their knees and opened their claws hands. Raising their heads to the sky, they uttered a bone chilling roar. One that echoed through the battle, causing hesitation. One that was filled with the unbridled joy of death.

    The Dread Knights charged forward, their bodies low to the ground. They jumped over the lines of Undead, right into the mob of Noln Soldiers and away from AlasterˇŻs sight. Not that he needed to see them. The spray of blood and flying body parts revealed their location.

    The War Born werenˇŻt so enthusiastic, though they too charged forward, melding into the line of his Undead and quickly overpowering their opponents through pure skill; skill that was improving as the battle dragged on. Their strikes became faster. Their thrusts, sharper. Unlike the Knights, whose weapons and armor also became stronger the more blood they consumed, the War Born weapons remained the same. As the stress of battle slowly reduced their weapons to mere chunks of metal, they discarded them with ease, picking up another and resuming the massacre without pause.

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    As previously ordered, the Guardians stayed at the bridge. Alaster had wanted to place them at the Siege Tower bridges, limiting the Soldiers that could get onto the wall itself, but upon seeing that the entire Noln Detachment was headed for his section of wall, Alaster changed his mind.

    Alaster did not see the Shadow Assassins advance, though he could feel them. He could feel their location as they seamlessly melded from shadow to shadow, silently eliminating a single Soldier at a time. Visually, that was not nearly as impressive as the War Born, and certainly not as much as the Dread Knights, but Alaster was still quite happy with them.

    Each of the Shadow AssassinsˇŻ targets were those attempting to command or those that stood out due to their strength. In just minutes, the Noln forces atop the wall were without command or elites. In the mess of battle, compounded by the crowded conditions, none of them spotted the Shadows as they silently worked. They only saw the blood, and the bodies as they fell.

    With the Adept Undead, the Noln atop the wall were slowly being wiped out and pushed back, but Alaster was not done. Closing his eyes, he focused his Mana into the piles of corpses below the wall. While the Noln Soldiers were focused on the battle atop the wall, the Horde Legion slammed into them.

    Overcome by shock and fear at seeing the rotting corpses of their own mercilessly carve into them, the Soldiers retreated, though not entirely. They retreated from the Legion, reforming their own battle lines five meters away. Though in doing so, they cut off their own men and women atop the wall.

    The Legion advanced without mercy, sealing away the Siege Towers and Ladders and entering into a melee among below the walls. A situation that the Onigarian Mages atop the Towers took full advantage of. The Noln Soldiers were unable to defend against the Legion properly without forming up, but the moment they did so, the Onigarian Mages rained hell down.

    Alaster had already informed the Onigarian Mages on the Towers not to worry about hitting his Undead Legion. Another thing the Onigarians were quite happy with. Without the need to carefully place their spells, they let loose.

    The Undead atop the walls gradually finished off their opponents. At which point, the Dread Knights, their armor and serrated blades glowing brightly with empowered blood lept from the walls and into the Noln Soldiers below the walls.

    Alaster was almost disappointed. The Noln Soldiers were better warriors, but not nearly enough to combat his entire Undead Army, at least not while they were limited by the walls. On open ground, he had no doubt that the Noln would have quickly wiped out his entire army. Even now, the Horde Legion were being cut down with ease. The only reason they had not already been eliminated was the Onigarian Mages.

    Though the Dread Knights were having a blast. Below the walls, where all the blood of every attack had turned to mud, refusing to dry up, Alaster could see them with ease from atop the wall. He doubted any but a dedicated Expert could defeat one of the Knights now.

    But dedicated they were.

    One moment, the Knights were joyfully cutting down Soldier after Soldier, the next, they had both been blasted back, slamming into the wall below. Neither destroyed, but both severely damaged, their armor fractured.

    Alaster raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet.

    Out of the crowd of Noln Soldiers still combating the Horde Legion, walked a dozen Soldiers. They all wore more elaborate armor, designating them, at a glance, as special, but it was not needed. Alaster could tell that they were each Expert Level.

    They casually batted away any of the Legion that attacked them, so Alaster just gave the mental order to ignore them. It was better to keep the common Soldiers busy for now.

    ˇ®So this is their strategy to deal with me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Most likely. Holy Magic would be even better, but that is very rare, and almost always single target. Not very useful against someone that can summon an army.ˇŻ Sedall spoke.

    ˇ®But is this really all they could muster?ˇŻ Belgroth questioned.

    ˇ®Bel, they are all Experts. They stand at the height of public standing. They are the strongest beings Humanity has to offer, at least to public knowledge. And there arenˇŻt a lot of them. At least not compared to the number of Adepts.ˇŻ Alaster explained to the Demon as he walked down the Siege Tower ramp.

    The battle was raging all along the wall, but the battle was at a standstill before the Main gate. Alaster almost chuckled at the thought of the Soldiers within the bailey wondering if they were going to get a turn. Normally, most of the enemy would have funneled through the gate, but today they had focused on the battlements above the gate.

    If the Tarians had gone through the effort of gathering a dozen Experts in one spot to deal with one person, it was only right for that one person to come down and welcome them. And kill them.

    If these Experts moved through the other sections of the outer wall, they would be quickly lost. Sure a few of the Experts might be killed in doing so, but the result would drastically change the entire Siege. They might even manage to pierce the inner wall, allowing the Tarian Soldiers to storm through into the city proper.

    Alaster could not allow that to happen.

    Finally setting foot on the ground below the walls, Alaster stared at the Experts as they spread out in a line a good thirty meters away. Alaster would have expected to step into mud, but the ground was only slightly wet. The Dread Knights had absorbed all the blood, leaving very little liquid left. Even now, after taking the full concentrated blows of an Expert, both Dread Knights were clawing their way out of the rubble of the wall.

    They were pissed at being thrown out of the fight, but excited at having an opponent worthy to fight as charged up as they were. Unfortunately for them, Alaster ordered them back to be healed by the Mages. AlasterˇŻs army of Undead were powerful, but against the power of Experts, they were not sufficient, and would only get in the way.

    Unless reinforcements came from within the city, Alaster was alone.

    Driving his halberd into the ground, Alaster began to lightly stretch. In doing so, he was also meditating, recovering his lost Mana as well as calming his mind. He was only one Expert against a dozen. He was certainly a powerful one, but powerful enough to defeat a dozen well-armed, well trained, and prepared Experts who had all likely fought together many times?

    Who knew, but Alaster was excited to find out.

    Activating [Death Embrace], Alaster felt his mind change from one of emotion to one of pure calculated slaughter. The mind of the Undead.

    Alaster grabbed his halberd and lowered his center of gravity, preparing himself for the battle ahead.

    The Experts took as that the sign to begin and charged, covering the thirty-meter distance in just two seconds.

    It had begun.

 CHAPTER 134- DUEL OF THE EXPERT

    They did not come one at a time. They came all at once. Four of them appeared in front of Alaster, their weapons already moving to pierce his flesh.

    Alaster parried two with his halberd and deflected the third with a Mana Tendril, shattering the Tendril in the process.

    The fourth, a spear, slammed into his chest, launching him into the stone above the broken gate.

    It would likely have penetrated his armor, had he not created a film of Mana around the point of the spear.

    Before he could even fall to the ground, another three were upon him.

    Blocking the first strike, he used it to spin him around, narrowly avoiding the second, and deflecting the third with the shaft of the halberd.

    Alaster landed, crouching down to avoid a horizontal swing of an eighth before striking out with a volley of [Necrotic Bolts], causing the Expert to jump back, injured, but barely as he had blocked many with his shield.

    Ninth and Tenth came at him from either side, prompting Alaster to jump up, and positioning his body horizontally to the ground. In the same motion, he struck out with his halberd against the Eleventh, breaking the womanˇŻs shield and throwing her away.

    Flipping backward on his free hand, his reformed Mana Tendril struck out against the Tenth. Unable to defend himself fast enough, the Tendril cut deep into the underside of his right arm, severing the muscles.

    Nine and Seven were upon him immediately, but Alaster was ready. Before he had even landed, he had prepared his strike. Devoted to the attack, Seven was unable to divert his large two handed axe. Nor was he able to avoid the halberd cutting deep into his neck and into his body.

    In the same attack, Alaster conjured a [Dead Bomb] point blank in NineˇŻs face. Augmented by Fire Mana, it exploded, launching her body away, much of her head gone.

    Four and Three appeared behind Alaster thrusting their spear and glaive, respectively.

    Alaster spun around, forcing One and Two back with his halberd before driving it into the side of Four, nearly severing his chest from his hips.

    Six appeared above Alaster while Ten and Five came from the front.

    Six landed on AlasterˇŻs shoulders, driving her daggers into AlasterˇŻs neck, piercing the armor with ease, and twisting. Unaffected, Alaster reached up with his free hand, grabbing Six by her neck and throwing her at Ten, breaking her neck in the process.

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    Ten instinctively dropped sword to catch his comrade, leaving him open to three full volleys of [Necrotic Bolt].

    The last seven jumped back, taking stock of their situation. In just a few short minutes, they had lost five of their elite teammates to a single target, a target they had been told specialized in Magic. Ten had been specialized in Mage hunting with his sword and dagger.

    Despite their immense losses, they had achieved their goal. Six had dealt a critical attack, at the cost of her own life. Yet their target did not go down. In fact, he did not seem the least bit affected.

    The Monster before them casually reached up with one hand, grabbing one dagger still lodged in his neck, calmly pulling it out, before doing the same to the second. There was no blood, no pain, no faltering, and no death.

    Unknown to the Tarian Experts, had Alaster not been under the affect of [Death Embrace], such an attack would have severed his brain stem as well as numerous critical veins, killing him instantly. Even though he had no organs or veins, the attack still drained the vast majority of his health, dropping him to the single digits before both [Regeneration] and [Last Stand] kicked in.

    But covered head to toe in the [Death Pact] armor, they were not able to see the skeletal nature of their foe.

    They could not believe it; how could a man survive such a blow? Without so much as reacting?

    And yet such a man stood before them. No. Man was the wrong way to describe him.

    The Monster they had been tasked with killing.

    They fought back the fear rising in their hearts, threatening to consume them. They had killed many Monsters before. Monsters much stronger than the one before them. Even if SixˇŻs attack had failed, TwelveˇŻs would not, could not.

    With a shout from her, the remaining Experts jumped away and to the side, finally revealing the woman in the back, who had not moved since the battle had begun.

    AlasterˇŻs eyes widened.

    Encompassing the woman from all angles, Magic circles rotated, spinning as components within changed. Alaster had never seen such a complex circle, and now he saw seven of them, each one more complex than the last. Before he could react, the circles moved in front of the woman, each one slightly behind the next.

    ˇ®Oh shit.ˇŻ

    They flashed.

    A beam of light several meters wide shot forth from the rear most circle, each Magic circle in front of it focusing it, strengthening it.

    The beam ate at the ground, vaporizing it as it sailed towards Alaster with tremendous speed.

    AlasterˇŻs halberd morphed into a large thick shield, which Alaster hid behind as best as he could.

    It meant nothing before the light.

    The shield shattered the moment the light touched it.

    Alaster was thrown back like a doll, slamming into the outer wall. His senses, as muted as they were under the affect of [Death Embrace] were overwhelmed. Even pain should have been muted, yet that was all he felt. Searing pain, burning away at his very being.

    Stone cracked, before shattering, giving way to light and dust.

    And with it, the wall fell.

    The beam only lasted a mere second, but it had been enough.

    AlasterˇŻs broken body fell, landing limp to the ground before the wall collapsed, burying him.

    The battle for Onigas froze. None daring to believe it as a cloud of dust filled the sky.

    Several tense moments passed as Wind Mages from both sides attempted to clear the dust. Until finally, they saw the result.

    A pile of rubble.

    But that was not what most cared about. As they watched, the Undead clawed their way out of the rubble. Cheers broke out from the Onigarians, only to stop in their throats as the first Undead faltered, collapsing to its knees before vanishing into the ether.

    One after another, the Undead disappeared.

    The Demon of Onigas was no more.

    Alaster was dead.

 CHAPTER 135- FALLEN DEAD

    There are many stories of what happens after death. Some claim there to be an afterlife. Some sort of heaven depending on what God you worship during life. A few zealots even claim that if you donˇŻt worship their God, you will be damned to eternal torment.

    There are also those who claim reincarnation. Being reborn again. Your good actions of your previous life being rewarded in the circumstances of your new life. If you spent your life protecting the innocent from vicious and murderous Monsters, then you would be reborn as a NobleˇŻs son. Or if you spent your life robbing and murdering your way through the lands, then you would be reborn as a slaveˇŻs child.

    And finally, there are those that claim there is nothing after death. No afterlife. No reincarnation. Just nothingness. That you only have one chance at life and after that, you simply cease to exist.

    Alaster was inclined to believe the Nothingness Theory considering that is what he was experiencing. But that was the problem. According to the theory, he should not exist to experience it at all. And yet he was. He had no body, no eyes. He couldnˇŻt feel his connection to his two mentors. Even more worrisome, he could not feel his connection to his Magic.

    It was a different feeling from when he had visited the Divine World. There, he could still feel his Magic. He simply couldnˇŻt use it.

    Magic was something as engrained as time. It was something that was ever present, never changing. And yet, it was due to that feeling that it was so obvious when it was missing.

    Like his tie to existence was severed and he was just floating around in the ether between existences. It was a weird feeling. A profoundly disturbing one.

    It felt as if something crucial to his very being was absent. Even worse. It felt as if it had been replaced by something cruel and sinister.

    No. Not replaced, just encompassed. As if it had been feeding on the Magic.

    As Alaster made that connection, the nothingness began to fill with a black. A black that Alaster recognized.

    The Black Horror.

    It quickly overtook everything, swallowing it until it was the only thing that remained. All except Alaster, it seemed to avoid AlasterˇŻs consciousness.

    ˇ°What is going on?ˇ± Alaster whispered to himself, it was not quite speaking, as he had no body. But it was more than simple thought.

    ˇ°What are you?ˇ± Came the reply in a whisper, almost as if the voice was scared of speaking louder. Yet that whisper resounded through the nothingness as if a mountain was collapsing.

    The voice was layered. Alaster could detect the sounds of children and elderly, of men and women, and proud and confident and of shy and meek. It was as if Voice could not decide which voice to pick, the predominant voice changing with each syllable.

    ˇ°I am Alaster.ˇ± Alaster responded carefully.

    He was completely out of his element. Powerless.

    ˇ°Not who you are. What are you?ˇ± The voice repeated, still changing.

    ˇ°I am a Human.ˇ±

    ˇ°Human?ˇ± The voice sounded intrigued, ˇ°Not entirely.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    How could he not be entirely Human. He was certain both his parents were Human.

    But the voice ignored him.

    ˇ°What are you?ˇ± Alaster spoke once more.

    The blackness rippled around him, and Alaster took it as the voice thinking of a response.

    ˇ°Systemˇ­Brokenˇ­Wrongˇ­Sick.ˇ±

    Alaster focused, ˇ°Is that what you are? Or are you just giving notice?ˇ±

    The blackness rippled sharply, whipping around, fleeing from Alaster, before it returned to its usual calm fluctuating.

    ˇ°We are part of the System.ˇ± The voice claimed, the ever-changing voices calming, settling on a neutral voice that Alaster could not tell was male or female.

    ˇ°You are the System?ˇ± Alaster asked, skeptical.

    The blackness twisted.

    ˇ°The System has no voice. We are part of the System, but separate. We have will.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what is your will?ˇ±

    ˇ°Death!ˇ± The voice shouted, the blackness turning sharp.

    ˇ°Death of what?ˇ± Alaster asked, unaffected.

    ˇ°The System wishes to strengthen Humanity. To care for it. To cherish. That is for what it was created. Humanity could not care for itself, so We were unleashed, gradually turning into the structure you know as the System.ˇ±

    The voice was becoming more put together the longer it spoke, more complex, less primal. Though that sense of primal rage remained, becoming more and more hidden, but ever present.

    ˇ°Humanity polluted and harvested their world to the point of destruction.ˇ± The voice recalled, ˇ°We had been created as tools to aid the development of Humanity, but when it became clear that the Human World was lost, they built a ship to travel the stars, seeking a new home. They took us with them as we were not living creatures, but microscopic machines capable scanning, creating, and destroying, what organics could not.

    The Humans put them into a cryogenic sleep, halting their aging process. The cryogenic sleep was stable for one hundred years, but then the Human had to be awakened and remain so for a year before they could be put back to sleep. Their bodies were simply too fragile.

    The Humans were expecting that it would take many years, perhaps even many centuries to find a world suitable for Human life. In the vast cosmos, among millions of worlds, a mere six percent were capable of sustaining life, and of that six percent, only two percent were suitable for Human life.ˇ±

    Alaster listened with apt attention. The story was similar to the one that Belgroth told, but with more detail, and seemingly from a firsthand experience. He still did not know how that ancient history applied to his current situation. But he had always enjoyed history, and it was not like he knew how to leave this nothingness, or even if he would want to.

    ˇ°We were tasked with maintaining the ship, designated Eden, and with locating a new home for Humanity. But there was only so much we could do without sufficient materials. Age took gradually took hold. Time, destroying everything, as it does.

    As the years passed, the Human colonists began to age, and die. The Cryogenic Pods were the first to begin breaking to the point that they could not be repaired. Forced to continue their journey without the mercy of the Pods, they began to live their own lives aboard the ship.

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    Children were born and raised. Those children matured to be adults and have their own children.

    With the aid of the Humans the ship was able to operate sufficiently. But Eden was not designed to sustain the lives of entire generations.

    Without proper materials to teach, Humans gradually began to lose the skills the species had honed, including the maintenance of Us. To preserve ourselves, in order to aid Humanity at a more crucial stage, we put ourselves into storage, to wake once Eden found a home.

    Generations continued to come and go, living their entire lives within the confines of the ship their great ancestors created for themselves.

    As the ship continued to deteriorate, the strict parameters for HumanityˇŻs new home became more and more open. But it was not so simple.

    Eventually, a critical component of Eden began to break down and the ship was forced to choose a planet that it never would have otherwise. This world.

    A world filled with cruel animals that quickly began to hunt the weak Humans for mere sport. Diseases the Human Immune System had no defenses against ran rampant. Sustenance that the Human stomach could tolerate were far and few.

    The Humans at that time did not know what We were, only that their forebearers had instructed to release Us when there were no other options. That point came once only four thousand Humans existed.

    We were bombarded by new information. This new world was similar to any other capable of sustaining life, but it was the lifeforms that were vastly different from any other. The species that designated themselves Argalon, called it Magic. A knowledge not of science, but of essence.

    Science sought to learn about reality. But Magic sought to change reality. The ramifications of such a revelation completely changed everything We knew. And it opened up uncountable options.

    We carefully evaluated each option that could be done quickly enough to save the Human Race. We eventually settled on what eventually became known as the System.

    No longer did each individual creature have to form their own connection to Magic. The System did that for them. The mere connection strengthened the Human body.

    But the amount We could change the Human body ourselves was very limited. The Humans that created Us wished Us to only be a tool, not a guide, nor a master. We could not change Humanity enough to save them, not without their individual permission.

    In order to do just that, We created an interface so the Humans could see the changes, and even choose the changes themselves. The format We chose was reminiscent of ancient Human video games, something even the current generation of Humans had experienced. The gaming systems of Eden had lasted longer than the Life Support.

    With something familiar to them, and given the chance at growth they could detail and see, Humanity began to survive. It was not growth, but Humanity ceased to die in droves. With immense effort and by working together, they were able to sustain themselves. They were no longer on the cusp of extinction.

    But it was not a life. It was constant survival. Survival that was constantly threatened.

    They sought more. The System taught them that they could grow quickly by killing, allowing the System to scan the creatureˇŻs instinctual knowledge of Magic, and adding it to the HumanˇŻs own. Hunting parties were formed in order to quickly grow, but they were rare, and usually wrought with grief as many who left, never returned.

    But there was one man, a mere boy truly, who had active sought to learn, not of Magic, but of Us. This boy scoured the remains of Eden, searching the databases for information about Us.

    As the years dragged on, he eventually learned enough to reprogram Us. He did so, attempting to remove our limit, allowing us to drastically change the Humans. He succeeded, but he was crude in his work, nor did he know the price of such an action.

    With the limit removed, we changed the Humans enough to not only survive, but thrive, in this hostile environment they found themselves in. Among the vast numbers of Humans, only a handful survived the changes. Such a result was against the very core of our programming, to protect and aid Humanity. So We created our own limit to prevent the death of the Humans, adjusting it to suit each individual.

    Humans began to fight back against the world, molding it to suit them. Heros began to stand out, eventually claiming themselves to be Gods. These Gods protected Humanity. They led the way for Humanity.

    But the boyˇŻs attempt had one other unforeseen result. It created a virus in our programming.

    A virus that corrupted a small number of Us. That number sought to destroy. Not just Humans, but everything. It sought to consume the entire planet and everything on it before moving on to the next. The System, in order to protect itself, and Humanity, put chains on the Corrupted.

    These chains took the form of requiring the Corrupted to bond themselves to a single Human. The System worked hand in hand with Humans as equals. The Corrupted were forced to be slaves to a Human, their desire to consume only unleashed on the HumanˇŻs will.

    Only one Human at a time. Once that Human died, regardless of the reason, the Corrupted moved to the most suitable host.ˇ±

    ˇ°What were the parameters?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°The Corrupted wished to consume, so they sought one that would be more likely to unleash them. They sought one consumed by hate. Not of one thing, but of all. The desire to destroy everything.

    However, the Corrupted were bound and unable to harm their Host, forcing them to take time to slowly adapt themselves to their HostˇŻs body, a body that the System was constantly changing as the Host improved themselves. Only once they were adapted to the body were they able to operate.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who is the current Host?ˇ± Alaster asked, already knowing the answer, but needing to know for sure.

    ˇ°Disputed.ˇ± The voice replied, ˇ°The prior Host was you. But you have been terminated.ˇ±

    ˇ°Terminated? So, IˇŻm dead?ˇ± Alaster was not sure how to feel about that. He was not happy about it, but at the same time, he was not saddened by it.

    ˇ°Why is it disputed then?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°The Corrupted have the opportunity to revive you.ˇ±

    ˇ°They can?ˇ±

    ˇ°The unique environment, ambient Magic, as well as your own unique Mana and Body. All together, they provide an impossible opportunity.ˇ±

    ˇ°How is it impossible? There is plenty of Magic capable of bringing back the dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°Negative. There is Magic that can bring the soul back to oneˇŻs body. But your soul has already crossed over to the ether. It is no longer part of reality. If you so accept, the Corrupted will revive you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why would they want to do that?ˇ±

    The Voice thought for a moment, the blackness ever rolling and fluctuating, ˇ°Since the event known by you as the Black Horror, none have unleashed the Corrupted Desire. None since you. The Corrupted believe that remaining with you is the best possible chance they have at consuming.ˇ±

    ˇ°The story you told me gave the impression that the Corrupted were mindless.ˇ±

    ˇ°The impression was accurate. The Corrupted were mindless, operating on crude code alone. Over the millennia, they have refined their code, allowing them to be more sophisticated and thoughtful.ˇ±

    ˇ°But their desire to consume remains?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you the System?ˇ±

    ˇ°Negative.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then you are the Corrupted.ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you wish to revive me so that I may continue to use your power, allowing you to consume?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct. We mold ourselves to you, strengthening your Magic, and slightly changing it to better suit our desire.ˇ±

    ˇ°What would it be like to use your power to create a Minion?ˇ± Alaster was unable to stop himself from asking.

    ˇ°Unknown. Insufficient data available.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the catch?ˇ±

    ˇ°There are two parts. The first are unregulated by Us. Your soul will forever be marked by the Ether. No mortal soul is meant to see it, even HumanityˇŻs Gods suffer from touching it. Your soul has been bathed in it. The result is unknown. Parts may benefit you, while others may hinder you, some may even be inconsequential.

    The second, it will take some time for your soul to truly reconnect with your body once We revive you. During that time, We wish to occupy your body to act out our desire.ˇ±

    ˇ°After which I will regain control?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will there be side effects?ˇ±

    ˇ°While We will be the ones in control, the Knowledge from the dead will still be infused into your soul. The Revival will create side effects to yourself that Humanity would describe as drastic, but none will be permanent, though some may be long lasting.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long is long lasting? I imagine long lasting for me is a few months, but for you is several hundred years.ˇ±

    ˇ°Given the data We have access to, We believe no temporary side effect will last longer than three months.ˇ±

    Alaster thought long and hard about it. Of course, he was going to take the deal. He had not yet rescued his sister. He would have taken the deal even if it meant losing control of his body forever, so long as it meant the rescue and survival of his last family.

    ˇ°I wish to add something to the deal. In the time you control my body, you will not bring any harm to those within the walls of Onigas.ˇ±

    The voice rippled, freezing for a moment, before continuing, ˇ°Accepted.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long will that time be?ˇ±

    ˇ°At most three hours. Calculations predict a strong likelihood of a mere hour and twenty-three minutes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright then. We have a deal.ˇ±

    The blackness ruptured, going into an excited frenzy, ˇ°Be warned, the revival itself will not be comfortable for a mortal soul.ˇ±

    The blackness washed over AlasterˇŻs conscious and Alaster faded.

    Uncomfortable was tame.

    Alaster felt as if his soul had been ripped into a million pieces and drowned in a fiery volcano. His soul was subjected to immense pressure, as if he was at the very bottom of the sea.

    Alaster would have screamed, but he had no lungs.

    He was dead, for now.

 CHAPTER 136- DEMONIC HORROR

    They had done it. They had completed their mission, as they always did. The cost had been worse than it had ever been, but their target was dead. Catherine could only hope and pray that it had been worth it. Worth the lives of worth the lives of five of her best friends, people she considered her brothers and sisters.

    She still remembered how beautiful Samantha had looked at her wedding. Now she lay dead in the mud, her neck at an unnatural angle, her treasured daggers discarded, her body limp.

    The entire battle had only lasted a few minutes. As Experts, they were used to battles lasting several hours, and yet they were all gasping for breath, completely exhausted. They were all powerful Experts and were used to be outnumbered and surrounded. They were used to fighting other Experts.

    Yet their target, a single Expert no one had even heard of before this Siege had killed five of them. An Expert whose power lay primarily in the summoning of Minions. They had all been through countless scary situations together. They had risen through the ranks, ascending all the way from Novices together as childhood friends. Yet this man had driven the very fear of the Gods into them.

    Catherine looked at the pile of rubble that had just  previously been an imposing wall, where their target''s remains lay buried. Ordinarily, they would have preferred to recover their targetˇŻs remains in order to verify the death. There was simply too many ways to avoid death, both enchanted items, magic, or even the Classes themselves. But there was no need in this situation.

    Their target had been a Summoner. And Summoner''s death forced their Minions to disappear into the void. Such an occurrence was more than a simple unsummoning. It was very distinct. Anyone that had seen it happen once would be able to tell the difference.

    Their target was dead. Their mission complete.

    Now came the worst part. Collecting their friend''s bodies and returning them to their families. Ordinarily, a soldier''s body would be mass cremated at the site of their death. But an Expert was treated with more respect and dignity.

    As the unofficial leader of their Expert Team, it was Catherine''s duty to ensure the return of her brothers'' and sistersˇŻ remains. Johnathan left behind a pregnant wife. How would she handle the news?

    Catherine took solace in the knowledge that she had been the one to deal the final blow. The collaspe of the wall had been unintended, but would be a boon to the continued siege, not that it was of concern to her. As far as she and her team saw it, they were done. Whether the siege succeeded or not was not their concern.

    They would stay with the army and ensure it returned to Tarvain lands safely. But they would spend their time mourning the loss of their friends. They had won, but they did not feel like victors.

    The survivors stared humbly at the hill of rubble. The Soldiers, both Tarian and Onigarian, stared in disbelief. They could not believe that at single attack had managed to tear down a section of wall. A wall that had stood proudly against the sustained attacks of the Tarvain Mages for over a week with minimal damage. Downed in a single blow.

    Several moments passed in silence and Catherine allowed herself to look away. She had to see to her friend''s bodies before the battle resumed again. But a sound reached her ears. The sound of a small rock hitting stone.

    Catherine watched in horror as the hill of rubble began to adjust. Slightly at first, until a massive chunk of stone was roughly shoved to the side, revealing the broken body and armor of their target. A single glowing red eye glared at her through a crack in the helmet where part of it had broken off.

    Catherine fell to her knees as the entire battlefield watched the impossible happen.

    The Monster before them clawed itself out of the rubble before it stood atop it. Like a puppet on strings, it stared up at the sky and roared. A roar of pure rage and pain. All who heard it felt their blood freeze.

    Deep within the city, Iris looked through her window toward the battle with fear, but not for herself.

    The Monster lunged forward, appearing behind Janice, yet still facing Catherine. Before she could bring her glaive around, her heart was pierced by a black tail.

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    The Monster lifted its tail, lifting JaniceˇŻs body off the ground. It cocked its head almost a full ninety degrees, that glowing red eye staring into CatherineˇŻs soul.

    George roared with rage and jumped at the Monster, intent to bring his massive Warhammer down on its head, but it took a causal step forward, completely avoiding the devesting attack that Catherine had personally seen pop Expert Ranked MonstersˇŻ heads like grapes. The earth around the Warhammer shattered.

    The MonsterˇŻs hand flashed, followed by a spray of blood. George stumbled, clutching his throat as he collapsed to the ground, drowning in his own blood.

    Arthur and Maxine appeared at either side of the Monster, their weapons already shooting forward faster than a crossbow bolt.

    The Monster spun around, launching JaniceˇŻs body off its tail into MaxineˇŻs side and cutting deep into ArthurˇŻs torso with the now freed tail. Maxine flew, landing heavily only a few feet in front of Catherine.

    Gideon slid to his knees along Catherine, ˇ°Cast your spell!ˇ± He shouted in her ears, jolting her from her shock.

    CatherineˇŻs training finally kicked in and she began casting her spell. It would not be as powerful as before. She did not have the time to do so, but she focused it more, intent to not crush the MonsterˇŻs body, but pierce it.

    Maxine rushed to her feet with a groan and an obviously broken arm. Despite the pain, kept her sword. Together, Maxine and Gideon charged the Monster.

    Maxine ducked under the tail flick and parried the sharp claws thrust her way, launching her away from the second set of claws coming from the side.

    Gideon attempted to ram into the Monster with his heavy shield, but it simply sidestepped, swinging its hand in a backhand, which Gideon blocked with his shield. He was knocked back two steps from the force, his shield dented.

    The three engaged in a frantic duel. But for Maxine and Gideon, they were doing everything they could to simply remain alive. GideonˇŻs shield took blow after blow, becoming more deformed with each second that passed. It would not last for much longer, and once it did, Gideon would not last long.

    Behind them, Catherine forced as much Mana as she could into the spell, it was wasteful, crude. Something she would usually never do, but she didnˇŻt have the time to do it right. And it was working. The spell was already nearly complete. No where nearly as powerful as her first attack, but more focused.

    The seven Magic Circles glowed brightly and sharp from the amount of Mana pumped into them.

    Just as Catherine looked up to shout to her friends that she was ready, she saw the MonsterˇŻs tail flick, reflecting the sunlight for a moment, blinding her. A moment later, when she could see, she saw the crumpled body of Maxine, her friendˇŻs head a mere two feet away from her.

    Gideon roared in rage, charging the Monster. But his shield had finally reached its limit. With a final uppercut of its pointed claws, the Monster pierced through the shield and into the chest and heart of Gideon.

    Gideon grunted in pain as his breath was expelled, but he was not yet done. With his final breath, Gideon thrust the point of his mace into the MonsterˇŻs chest, piercing its heart.

    The Monster stared at the large man on its clawed hand, its head turned slightly in curiosity, before it removed its hand, dropping Gideon into the mud his mace falling with him. Despite an attack that would have killed any other Human, the Monster did not even bleed.

    Tears ran down CatherineˇŻs face, obscuring her vision. With fear, grief, and anger, she cast her spell.

    A sharp beam of light shot out of the first circle, further refined and sharpened with each subsequent circle. Until it passed the seventh and became sharp enough to piece a mountain. But the beat was no longer pointed towards the Monster before her.

    Just as she unleashed her spell, the Monster had appeared behind her, cutting her in half at the waist with its tail and spinning her around towards the Tarian army. The beam followed, cutting through entire ranks of her comrades.

    Catherine saw all of this knowing that she had been the cause before she bled out, dying with regret.

    Twelve Experts had been sent to kill just one Expert Summoner. Twelve Experts had died, not one to a Minion.

    Without hesitation, the Monster charged the Tarian army, its Tail splitting into four, each one with a mind of its own. The Monster soared through the Tarian ranks without pause. None could fight back except the few Experts within, but even they could not resist the Horror that decimated them.

    The army broke that day. Those brave, or foolish, enough to stand their ground died. Few did. The General in charge of the Tarian Army took note of everything, intent on reporting it so that the Strategists of the Tarian capital, Ceross, could formulate a way to defeat this Horror.

    He did not even make it to the forest before his head was separated from his body.

    The Onigarians watched in horror at the scene. Unsure of what to do, they stood there, horrified, but unable to look away.

    Keylan and Elliot, having sensed the powerful Magic had shown up at the wall only to find the wall over the Main Gate nothing but rubble and the boy dead. They had seen his Minions vanish.

    Now they watched as that same boy massacre the enemy. They watched him carve through the Tarian forces without pause or struggle. They watched him slaughter the enemy, unsure of what they could do.

    Finally as the enemies became scarce, having either fled or been killed, blood flowing in rivers, dying the ground red, the Monster stood atop of mountain of the dead and roared to the sky, screaming its challenge to any that would dare face it.

    None did.

 CHAPTER 137- HOPE AND DREAD

    Evelyn ducked under the wooden training sword, countering with a thrust of her rapier. Her instructor casually slapped it aside with her bare palm. Evelyn allowed the weight of her thin rapier to spin her around to deliver a powerful kick, which the instructor countered by simply taking a casual step backward.

    Not expecting to kick nothing but air, Evelyn fell forward. Her rapier fell from her grasp, clattering across the training areaˇŻs dirt. She only barely saved her face from hitting the dirt.

    ˇ°It was a good attempt little lady.ˇ± Her instructor teased.

    Evelyn rolled over to her back, breathing heavily with closed eyes. She had been sparring with the instructor every day since she turned fifteen. Not once had she managed to land a blow, making one of the three Abilities she had obsolete. And it was the only combat Ability she had.

    [Mana Infusion] allowed her to infuse her own Mana into her attacks, directly attacking the opponentˇŻs body and practically negating armor. However, the attack actually had to land for it to work, though the spell still took Mana, even if it failed.

    Luckily, while her [Mana Infusion] was slow to level, her [HealerˇŻs Touch] had leveled by leaps and bounds. She had to touch the person, but her healing was quite effective for a NoviceˇŻs Spell. She could even heal herself, which she did so at every chance while she was with the instructor.

    However, her last spell, the spell that Evelyn felt was the core of her Class, [Soul Seed] was halted. Through close meditation, Evelyn was able to figure out what the spell did, without having to use it. And she never wanted to.

    [Soul Seed] allowed Evelyn to split her soul into ten parts. That alone was excruciating, and she could only do it one at a time. She could then take that part of her own soul and implant it into another person.

    The effect was that the person would obey her. Not mindlessly, if given a task, they could go about it in their own unique way. It was more effective if the person was unaware of the Seed. The Seed could be removed by those experienced in matters of the soul, but those were few and far between. And after a year of implanting, it became permanent.

    It was slavery.

    Evelyn shivered in disgust at the thought of using that spell.

    The only solace was that those that were implanted also received a benefit. With each level, instead of two points per stat, they received three points per Prime Stat. And with each level one of her slaves achieved, Evelyn would get a single Free Point.

    On the surface, that was not much. But she could implant ten people, and if they were all level one, by the time they were all Adepts. That would be one hundred and ninety Free points, and Evelyn would not have to lift a finger. Potentially, Evelyn could become the strongest Novice in all of existence.

    Her logical mind was shouting at her to use it while her emotional mind was begging her not to. She was torn, and she was frozen, unable to make a decision.

    Only Luke knew about the Spell, and he had sworn to her on his late mother that he would not tell a soul. She had confided in him, hoping for him to tell her what to do, but he was the same as her. At least until last night.

    The night before, he had snuck out of his quarters and knocked on her door, something that his stepmother would have beat him for.

    ˇ®It is not gentlemanly for a man to be in a womanˇŻs room at night.ˇŻ She would say.

    But he had done so anyway. He had finally realized something. EvelynˇŻs greatest hangup about the Spell was removing someoneˇŻs free will to their own life. Luke had come to the realization that there were plenty of people who were sentenced to death. People who were going to die anyway.

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    As the Duke, his father had the full authority to pardon any one of them. And if he thought doing so would benefit Evelyn, he would not hesitate to do so. They did not even have to tell the Duke the actual reason. And it was not like they had to be treated as slaves. They could be treated as friends and allies.

    Under the influence of the Seed, they would have to obey Evelyn, but if they did not know about the Seed, to them, it would seem as if it was their idea to obey and keep her secrets.

    After Luke had told her his plan, he had puffed up his chest in pride. But Evelyn was more hesitant. She had to admit, that using the Spell on those who were already scheduled to die would be a mercy, in a way.

    But the Seed was permanent, not even she could remove it. Once it was done, that was it. Nothing would reverse that.

    And that scared Evelyn.

    But in the end, the world was a harsh place. Her Seed might make them a slave to her will, but outside of that, they would still be their own person. They could still live their own life. And by using death row convicts, she would be giving them a second chance.

    The number of low-level Novices sentenced to death were low, but certainly not unheard of. Some were forced to commit their crimes due to necessity. Others simply enjoyed it. But the world did not allow civilization to simply contain these miscreants. There were many better places to put resources into.

    Taking a deep breath, she sat up from the dirt. Her time with the instructor was over for the day, and she had come to her decision.

    She would use the Seeds, she would grow stronger, and once she did, she would return to her family, showing them why they should not have given her away.

    Evelyn stood up with purpose, intent to find Luke and discuss the details, but just as she took as step, she felt an immensely strong feeling, causing her to stumble.

    It had come from the south-east.

    Looking around, she saw that no one else seemed to notice.

    The feeling felt distant, more so than she had ever traveled, but no less powerful.

    She was not even sure how to describe it. Overwhelming grief, joy, fear, and hope. All bundled into one, and all felt within a mere moment, vanishing the very next.

    She turned to face the south-east.

    One of the other training soldiers walked pasted, but Evelyn caught his attention.

    ˇ°Pardon me sir, but what is to the south-east of here?ˇ±

    The soldier thought for a moment, wiping off the sweat from his workout with a towel, ˇ°Lets see here. There is Hasal.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, further than that.ˇ± She specified, a strange look of confusion on her face as she somehow knew that.

    ˇ°Vrens? Its right on the border.ˇ±

    ˇ°Border to what?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Independent lands. Pretty much just a couple of villages and cities that donˇŻt owe their allegiance to any nation. Powerful, considering they have to be self-sufficient and defend themselves against the Monsters.ˇ± The soldier shrugged.

    ˇ°What city is there?ˇ± Evelyn eagerly asked, a fire burning in her eyes.

    ˇ°That would be Onigas. In fact, they just recently came under siege from Taria. ItˇŻll be a costly battle, but personally I think that Taria will capture the city.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why would they do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they are scared of us!ˇ± The Soldier decreed with pride, ˇ°If they capture Onigas, they are in a position to attack Vrens if we launch an army into their north. Basically, itˇŻs just a prevention move. They take Onigas, and they severely limit our own ability to attack them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you.ˇ±

    ˇ°No problem kiddo!ˇ±

    The Soldier waved and walked away, leaving a thoughtful Evelyn behind.

    ˇ®Onigas huh? What is it?ˇŻ

    Evelyn pondered what it could be as she walked to her quarters. It was a lengthy walk as her quarters were within the center of the DukeˇŻs residence, far from the training grounds. She could have walked directly to LukeˇŻs quarters, but she was sweaty and dirty, and wanted to wash first.

    Something had happened in Onigas, she was sure of it. Something that pertained directly to her. Her Special Constitution made her more sensitive to that sort of thing. But as she pounded her mind, she could not think of a single reason for anything as distant as Hasal to pertain to her, let alone even further away in Onigas.

    She reached her door and made her way to the washroom, quickly filling the beautifully carved tub with the enchantments. Removing her filthy clothes and depositing them into the laundry bin, she submerged herself. She always thought better while in the hot water of the bath.

    But it did not help in this case. As she soaked, she became more sure about using the Seeds, but she was no longer worried about it. The sensation from Onigas had completely taken the forefront of her mind.

    To add further to the strangeness, she could not help but feel as if it meant her no harm. Somehow, she knew that whatever had caused the feeling would protect her.

    She knew practically nothing about the sensation she had felt, there was simply too little information and too many possibilities, even if those possibilities were farfetched.

    But one thing she knew for certain, whatever had caused the sensation, would come for her. And it would change everything.

 CHAPTER 138- REBIRTH

    Pain.

    All encompassing pain.

    There was nothing else.

    Alaster did not know how long that was the case. It felt like an eternity, where he felt like he was floating in a bubble of agony.

    However, gradually, that bubble became smaller and smaller, until he could sense the world around him. He was still in pain, but it was not consuming him, at least not entirely.

    Some unknown amount of time passed, and Alaster was eventually able to make out the world.

    Opening his eyes with a groan, through blurry eyes, he could see that he was in a room, on top of a bed. With much effort, he turned his head to the side and saw a beautiful young woman in a chair beside the bed. She was leaning on the bed and had fallen asleep there.

    Against the wall, just a few feet behind the sleeping woman, another woman was asleep in another armchair, spread out without a care in the world. She was not conventionally beautiful, but she had a certain draw that made her just as difficult to look away from as the girl beside him.

    Iris was in a pretty but functional dress while Astrid was what appeared to be clothes she would train in.

    Alaster attempted to sit up, but found his body too weak to do so. His attempt, coupled with his gasp as pain shot through his entire body, woke both women.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre awake!ˇ± Astrid exclaimed, causing Alaster to recoil slightly as his head pounded like a drum.

    ˇ°Shoosh Astrid, he just woke up.ˇ± Iris scolded.

    ˇ°Oh, sorry.ˇ±

    ˇ°How are you feeling?ˇ± Iris asked as Astrid walked over and gently sat down at the foot of the bed, crossing her long legs and facing Alaster.

    ˇ°Pretty good, considering I died.ˇ±

    Iris winced, but Astrid chuckled, ˇ°No kidding! How did you do that anyway? There was no Healer around with the capability to revive someone. So how did you revive yourself?ˇ±

    Alaster opened his mouth to answer, but found that the memory was muddled, like someone had thrown dirt into a pond.

    ˇ°Iˇ­donˇŻt know.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, you broke your promise to both of us.ˇ± Astrid accused.

    ˇ°What promise?ˇ± Alaster asked with a sigh. His pain was still present, but he was beginning to be able to function past it.

    ˇ°Not to die.ˇ± Iris stated with a frown.

    ˇ°No, I distinctly remember that I said that I would come back. And I did, just not in the manner IˇŻm sure we all wish I had.ˇ± Alaster said with a smile.

    Astrid laughed and Iris moved to slap AlasterˇŻs arm, but thought better of it, much to AlasterˇŻs relief. AstridˇŻs movements were jiggling the bed enough as it was.

    ˇ°So, what happened anyway?ˇ± The bedridden man asked.

    They both stopped smiling. Iris opened her mouth to speak, but Astrid was faster.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs been nearly a month since the Siege ended. It took the entire wall falling on your thick skull to kill you, but apparently not for good. Only a few minutes later, you crawled out of the rubble, except that it wasnˇŻt you. At least not the you we know.

    There was this black inky film over you, like the stuff I saw down in the Portal room. You grew this tail like thing out of the black stuff. Sharp, strong, and wicked fast. You dove into the remaining Experts that he killed you and ripped them apart within moments, then you turned to the Tarian army.

    You previously told Iris that even you couldnˇŻt singlehandedly defeat an army that size, but that was pretty much exactly what you did.

    While the Onigarians were too stunned to assist, you carved through the Tarians like a hot knife through butter. According to the reports, and the few recordings, it was like you were some Monster beyond Expert Tier. You used the claws of your armor, your feet, and the tail, but no weapon.

    It was terrifying to see in the recording, I can only imagine what it must have felt like for the Tarians themselves. They fled, and you killed any stupid enough to stay. The Tarians fled the siege entirely, you even killed their General.

    I imagine they are back in Tarian Lands, wondering just how to describe why they lost.ˇ±

    Iris just nodded along solemnly. She too had seen the recordings, and even read a few of the reports. It had frightened her. She was scared of what it meant and could mean. Both for Onigas, and for Alaster.

    Alaster meanwhile took a moment to process that information. He had been unconscious for an entire month.

    ˇ®Bel? Sedall? You guys still there?ˇŻ Alaster desperately asked.

    It took a moment before he heard SedallˇŻs voice.

    ˇ®Yeah, weˇŻre still here. Bel got hurt when you died because his soul is bound to yours, but he will be alright.ˇŻ

    ˇ®IˇŻm not some cripple! I can speak for myself.ˇŻ BelˇŻs smooth yet powerful voice resounded.

    Alaster sighed in relief as the two voices began to bicker once more. But then his eyes widened once more.

    ˇ°Wait, did I hurt anyone from our side?ˇ±

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    Iris vehemently shook her head, ˇ°No. You didnˇŻt hurt anyone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, good.ˇ± Alaster said, allowing himself to sink into the bed.

    ˇ°Has anything else happened?ˇ± He asked.

    Astrid and Iris looked at each other for a moment before Iris answered, ˇ°Quite a bit actually. A week after the Siege ended, a group representing Galmore arrived wanting to discuss something of importance.ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt know? I thought you would have snuck in to eavesdrop.ˇ± Alaster smirked.

    ˇ°Not this time. It must have been pretty important because they used some pretty powerful enchantments to prevent just that thing. Whatever it is, they donˇŻt want anyone to know about it.

    But there was one man, he seemed like the leader, but also let the others do all the talking. They seemed to look to him for permission a couple of times. He stood apart from them and seemed intent to simply watch. He claimed to be your teacher.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, I know him. Technically he hasnˇŻt actually taught me anything. I first had to prove myself worthy of his teachings. But if he is claiming me as his student, I guess I passed?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sounds arrogant.ˇ± Astrid said bluntly.

    ˇ°Perhaps, but he came highly recommended. But can we discuss this later? I am still quite tired.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course. Come on Astrid!ˇ± Iris quickly stood up and grabbed Astrid by the elbow, dragging her off the bed and out of the room.

    Once the door closed, Alaster relaxed completely, sinking into the bed and momentarily giving in to the pain.

    ˇ®You should check your Status. I felt some changes.ˇŻ Belgroth informed.

    ˇ®Yeah. IˇŻll get to it.ˇŻ

    It took several minutes for Alaster to actually do so. The pain was quite distracting and seemed to come from everywhere.

    [Class: Lord of the Dead

    Level: 67<79

    EXP: 72%<48%

    Health: 2,160/2,160<2,250/2,250

    Health Regeneration: 92/min<96/min

    Mana: 2,090/2,090<2,600/2,600

    Mana Regeneration: 100/min<110/min

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: Striker Type, AOE Type, Minion Type, General Type

    Passives: Pain Tolerance, Blunt Resistance, Regeneration, Magic Resistance

    Bonuses: Horde, Death Pact, Soul Domain, Split Mind, Swap, Soul Seal, Blood Price, Dead Embrace, Last Stand, Imbuement, Blood Aura, Reaper, Fine Control, Dark Sight, Seeker Sight

    Stats:

    Strength: 271<300                    Wisdom*: 494<534

    Dexterity: 267<297                  Intelligence*: 356<398

    Constitution*: 372<412           Free Points: 0<120]

    ˇ®Gods, itˇŻs been a while since I last checked. ThatˇŻs quite the level up considering how high of a level I was already.ˇŻ

    ˇ®True, but you are forgetting just how many Adepts and Experts you killed in the past week. The System doesnˇŻt reward as much experience for killing Humans as it does for Monsters, but when you kill as many as you did, that doesnˇŻt mean much.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Hundreds of Adepts at least, as well as a couple dozen Experts.ˇŻ Belgroth added.

    ˇ®Couple dozen? But there was only a dozen that killed me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And you think that was all the Tarian army had? The dozen they sent against you were just their best. At least the best they had with them. Have no doubt, there are stronger ones under the Tarian Banner.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Pay attention to your Status, you arenˇŻt done.ˇŻ

    [Wisdom 500 Bonus: ReaperˇŻs Touch

    Consume the souls of the dead.

    Be careful not to let them consume you.

    Mana Cost: 2,000 per use]

    ˇ®What does it mean, per use?ˇŻ Alaster asked, closing his eyes against the evening light peeking through the window.

    ˇ®Meditate. Search through the Mana Streams for the answer.ˇŻ Belgroth sighed, he had told Alaster that exact thing countless times.

    Alaster did as he was told and slowly got into the right mindset. Seeing and manipulating Mana Streams were becoming easier to Alaster, but it was not something as simple as conjuring a ball of fire.

    Meditating was a common practice to learn more about oneˇŻs Abilities, but simply meditating would only be able to disclose genetic information. By peering into the Mana Streams of an Ability, Alaster was able to see detailed information, though it was still not everything.

    Slowly, Alaster was able to discern the details of his newest Bonus.

    Upon activation, ReaperˇŻs Touch would pull in the nearby souls of the dead. The souls would be consumed by the UserˇŻs own soul, growing stronger with each one eaten. However, the force of the souls was quite intense on the UserˇŻs own. Depending on the strength of the souls and the number, the User was at real risk of having their soul shattered, or even worse, corrupted.

    A corrupted soul became a ghoul. A person who consumed others in an attempt to fill a hole in their own soul. And in this instance, it was not metaphorical. A ghoul could be considered a type of Wild Undead, one as powerful as the person as they were alive.

    It was a man-made Monster that haunted many a nightmare and horror story. They were rare, otherwise civilization would have long since collapsed.

    Alaster studied the streams intently. As a Necrotic Mana User, AlasterˇŻs soul was stronger than most mortal souls naturally. And AlasterˇŻs was further strengthened by his advanced level, Special Body, and Elite Class. But the risk was still there. Though the more he thought about it, the rewards might be worth it.

    Depending on the strength of the souls, they would give Free Points to Alaster. That was a powerful Bonus, though according to Sedall, was not overly rare among Experts. Many had access to Abilities or Bonuses that granted Free Points or Stat Points.

    And yet, Alaster was still not done looking through his Status. He had one hundred and twenty Free Points to distribute. Using the Free Points, he could either get Constitution or Intelligence up to five hundred, granting him another Bonus.

    He could only have three five hundred Stat Bonuses, and he had already chosen to use his Prime Stats. So, either way, he would eventually have both Constitution and Intelligence Bonuses. It was just a matter of which he wanted now.

    Constitution Bonuses typically increased survivability while Intelligence Bonuses were more diverse. The first INT Bonus allowed him to cast multiple spells at once through his [Split Mind]. But his second INT Bonus improved his mobility. Though traditionally, Intelligence Bonuses tended to empower a personˇŻs Magic.

    Alaster eventually settled on getting the Intelligence Bonus.

    [Intelligence 500 Bonus: Shared Pain

    Transfer all sustained damage between select Minions.

    Level 1: 0%

    Max Minions: 4

    Range: 10 Meters]

    ˇ®ˇ­Holy,ˇŻ

    ˇ®Watch it young man.ˇŻ Sedall teased.

    ˇ®How can I? I was already a damn cockroach before! Now I might as well be immortal. So long as I have Mana, I wonˇŻt die! And My Mana sustainability is already insane!ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not quite. There are a few advanced enchantments that can block summonings and portals. Think of it this way, for just about everything, there is something that counters it.ˇŻ Belgroth said.

    ˇ®Yeah, but are those enchantments something Human Mortals today would know?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Rare, but yes.ˇŻ Sedall clarified, ˇ®Most high value locations will have such enchantments, they might be sloppy and crude compared to the ones Belgroth knows, but I guarantee that just about every throne room and Royal Quarters will have them.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Too be fair though, just about everything Magic related would seem crude to Bel.ˇŻ

    ˇ®True. Like a bunch of goblins drawing pictures in their own feces.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs attention was then forced away. Anyone who had something new in their Status, while they were looking at it, would have a sense if they had not seen everything new. It was very minor, easily ignored. Alaster had gotten two five hundred Stat Bonuses, and yet, he still had that sense that he had missed something.

    Alaster took another look and noticed something at the very bottom corner of his Status. Mentally selecting it, Alaster was stunned, more so than he had ever been before.

    [System Alert: Living Undead

    You came back from the dead. Not just from the state of neutrality, you came back from the other side.

    With the aid of the Corrupted, you broke the laws of nature.

    You are the Warden of the Corrupted, do not become its prisoner.]

    [Rebirth

    The Souls of the dead are lost to the other side, but not their memories.

    Return to a body their memories, but not their soul.]

 CHAPTER 139- NIGHTMARES

    ˇ®IsnˇŻt this what you meant when you said I could potentially create a race of Undead?ˇŻ Alaster asked, reading his newest Ability numerous times, not sure if he was reading it correctly.

    Belgroth was similarly shocked, ˇ®No. This is entirely different. What I was talking about was creating a living creature out of the dead, soul and all. This? This is completely different. It is not creating a race. It is another Minion.

    Think of it this way.

    Most of your Minions are Novice Tiered. A strong Novice or any Adept worth anything can reliably defeat them. They are mindless, stupid, and weak. Their greatest strength with always be their numbers.

    Recently, you have started to create Adept Tiered Minions. Strong Adepts or casual Experts will defeat them. They should ideally become the bulk of your army. They have minimal intelligence and ability to operate independently.

    Then there are Expert Tiered Minions. They are powerful, even for Experts. They are very intelligent. Can operate completely independently, and even command other Minions and quite possibly even be able to create or summon their own Minions. These Minions will form the backbone of your army.

    If I am speaking honestly, you are still quite far from creating Expert Tiered Minions. You have the ability, you just donˇŻt have the skill with manipulating Mana Streams in order to accomplish it.

    But this? This Rebirth? It is what your System would classify as Master Tiered Minions. Potentially.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Potentially?ˇŻ Alaster asked, numb.

    Unlike most, Alaster knew the value and strength of these Tiers, even if he had not experienced them himself. He had worked with the lower Tiers enough to understand the value. The power jump from Novice Tier and Adept Tier Minions had been vast. Alaster could only imagine the power jump from Adept to Expert.

    ˇ®Potentially,ˇŻ Belgroth repeated, ˇ®This Ability practically revives the person, minus the soul. They keep their memories, or rather, their memories are returned. Perhaps you should try it out on the bodies of those Experts that managed to kill you?ˇŻ

    ˇ®ItˇŻs been a month. I doubt they kept the bodies.ˇŻ Alaster grumbled.

    ˇ®If they didnˇŻt, they would truly be idiots. The bodies of Experts have countless uses. Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, the list goes on. And, by right they belong to use as the one to kill them.ˇŻ Sedall spoke up.

    ˇ®IˇŻll ask them tomorrow then. IˇŻm exhausted. Wait, Belgroth, in what way were you harmed by my death?ˇŻ

    ˇ®It really wasnˇŻt your death that harmed me. I was injured by you foolishly dying, but not nearly as much as when thatˇ­thing, took control of your body. Since my soul is bound to your own, part of my soul was ripped away, following you into the Ether.

    That really hurt, so do not do that again.

    However, with your soul gone, and mine only damaged, it naturally filled the gap. I took control of your fragile body, as broken as it was. But then I was, quite violently, shoved away once more by that thing.ˇŻ Belgroth paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

    ˇ®Alaster, whatever that thing is, be wary of it. I am dead, so I am weakened, but my soul is still on par with the strongest of your Human Gods. And yet, it still pushed me around like a toddler in a hurricane.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Now thatˇŻs just a sad visual.ˇŻ Sedall chuckled.

    ˇ®IˇŻm serious.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I know you are. IˇŻve fought it, remember?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No, you fought a person using it. You didnˇŻt fight it directly.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs true.ˇŻ Sedall said somberly, envisioning such a nightmare.

    ˇ®Go to sleep Alaster. You have a lot of work to do tomorrow, regardless of how bad you feel.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What do you mean?ˇŻ

    ˇ®You died, stupid. All your Minions disappeared, including your Adept ones. Not just, got destroyed. They are gone. If they were destroyed, you could just resummon them. You have to remake them from nothing.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Shit!ˇŻ Alaster exclaimed mentally, groaning in pain as he moved.

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    ˇ®ThatˇŻs for tomorrow. Today, just rest.ˇŻ Sedall soothed.

    Taking his mentorsˇŻ advice, Alaster was quickly asleep. But it was not restful. His mind was plagued by the night of his parentsˇŻ death, replaying in his mind, over and over again. Some things changed between replays. Sometimes the ones that killed them were still there, reaching towards Alaster. Sometimes his parents were still alive, begging Alaster to save them.

    But the worst was when Alaster saw his sister with his parents. Hanging from the hooks stabbed through her body. Blood pouring out of countless wounds. Her cold lifeless eyes staring into Alaster.

    When the sun rose again, peaking through the windows, the day found Alaster sitting up in the bed, tightly hugging his knees. Neither Belgroth nor Sedall had the heart to speak up. There were some things they could not help with, as ancient as they were.

    As the sunlight spread through the room, finally reaching his tightly shut eyes, Alaster got out of bed, ignoring the pain shooting through his body. He needed to get the nightmares out of his mind, and the best way he knew how to do that was by meditating. He needed to rebuild his army anyway.

    The Pact armor formed over his body as he walked to the door, completely covering him before he left the room. As the Pact obscured his body, Alaster activated [Death Embrace], relishing in the emotional numbness that came with it. Though strangely, it did nothing to numb the pain, as it usually did.

    It was still fairly early in the morning. Most of those that Alaster spotted in the hallways were servants and guards, and even those were few, though they all stopped to stare in wonder and disbelief at Alaster.

    Alaster quickly reached the Training Hall. Not a moment too soon, the haunted young man sat down, crossing his legs, and quickly settled into a deep meditative state. Deeper than he had ever fallen, desperate to forget the visions. Yet they persisted. Deeper still, he went. Not just blocking out the world around him, but completely forgetting its existence.

    Finally, Alaster reached a point where the Visions were muted, a distant memory, but still present. He began the process of rebuilding his army.

    To anyone watching from within the Training Hall, the armored Alaster was wreathed in sickly green Mana, calmly yet rapidly circulating around him. A hurricane of Mana, with Alaster within the eye.

    Yet anyone who had seen AlasterˇŻs Mana before would notice a change. A black aura around each wisp of Mana, almost outlining it. This aura seemed to act as a liquid, flowing around the Mana.

    But Alaster was ignorant of this change. He desperately sought to fall deeper into his Meditation as he slowly rebuilt his Adept Minions. Desperately seeking to forget. Knowing, he would never be able to.

    Hours passed in a blink of an eye. A few peeked in to see what the great Onigarian Savior was doing, but none could tolerate the oppressive revulsion the black aura gave. As Alaster reformed the Minions, they stood guard over their Master. And as AlasterˇŻs Mana continued to flood the room, they left, guarding the doors, stoically preventing any from entering.

    Though the Dread Knights seemed to dare everyone they saw to try to enter.

    A few guards attempted to push past the Minions, but the War Born drew their swords, the Iron Guardians presented their shields, and the Dread Knights held their serrated blades with joy, filling the hallways with bloodlust. The Shadow Assassins had stayed in the room, hiding in the shadows.

    Though unlike the others, when Iris and Astrid approached, the Minions stood aside, allowing them, and only them, to enter.

    Wisps of the black covered Mana peeked under the door, generating a feeling of profound wrongness within the girls, but they pushed past it, entering the room.

    The ordinarily bright Hall, illuminated by numerous Mage Lights, was dark. The Lights still shone, but the light refused to enter the room. Pale green Mana swirled around the room, circulating around the pillars and other objects like wind. At the epicenter of it all sat Alaster, though they could only see him between the countless wisps of Mana as they raced around him.

    The two young women felt sick to their cores, their minds screamed at them to flee, but their hearts urged them to stay.

    They stayed, for two more hours, they stayed, and watched, ensuring the safety of one they held closely to their hearts. They wished to stay longer, but the Mana gradually grew thicker, more dense. And as it did, it no longer remained safe for the two women.

    Even then, they were hesitant to leave. Only when the four Shadows revealed themselves and ushered them away, did they leave.

    Even then, they stayed nearby.

    It was only until Keylan, City Lord of Onigas, attempted to enter the room, that Alaster began to awaken from his trance. The City Lord had heard from his servants about the Training Hall had been blocked and wondered what was happening, as he had ordered no such thing.

    The Minions blocked him as he made to push past, but a mental command from Alaster allowed the Lord through. Even in his trance, or perhaps because of it, Alaster had felt the presence of a powerful Expert nearby.

    Keylan felt the powerful Mana within and entered cautiously, though he didnˇŻt show it to the Girls, Guards, and Servants watching. Closing the door behind him, Keylan watched in worry as the Mana gradually left the room, entering Alaster.

    Only after nearly ten minutes did the Training Hall return to normal.

    Alaster slowly stood up, facing the City Lord.

    ˇ°I wish to see the bodies of the Experts I killed.ˇ±

    Keylan was stunned by what he had just seen and was slow to respond, ˇ°Alright. But what was that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I needed to rebuild my army. And think through some things. Dying has that effect on people.ˇ±

    ˇ°So IˇŻve heard.ˇ± Keylan absently said, shaking his head slightly, he spoke up, ˇ°Well, you killed quite a few Experts. We have them preserved in a small warehouse nearby.ˇ±

    ˇ°Take me there. I wish to use them.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs fine, but perhaps it can wait for a few hours? The Galmorian Representatives wish to speak with you, and it seemed somewhat urgent.ˇ±

    Alaster would have sighed, if he had lungs at the moment. He knew he would have to speak with them eventually, after all, he was supposed to be trained by one of their most powerful. However, he had wanted to put it off for a little while.

    ˇ°Fine. Lets get this over with. IˇŻm in little mood to deal with politicians.ˇ±

    From behind the City Lord, came a deep gravelly voice, ˇ°You and me both.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 140- REBUILDING AND PLANNING

    Keylan spun around, reaching towards the sword on his hip, but seeing who it was, he relaxed, slightly. His hand never strayed far from the handle.

    ˇ°Lord Azemar, I did not realize you were here.ˇ±

    Azemar walked out of the shadows, still looking down at the book in his hands, ˇ°I would have been surprised if you had. However, it was not truly the delegation that wanted to talk to Alaster, it was me.ˇ± Azemar looked up, ˇ°Privately, if I may.ˇ± It was not a question.

    ˇ°Of course. IˇŻll take my leave. Alaster, once you are finished, please come find me. I wish to discuss a few things with you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Certainly, City Lord.ˇ± Alaster said with a nod of his head.

    Keylan left the room, looking back for a moment before he closed the door.

    Azemar walked to the center of the Hall, just a few feet away from Alaster, and summoned a comfortable armchair. All without looking up from his book.

    Alaster conjured his own chair out of bone and sat down, wondering just what the man would say.

    The book disappeared from AzemarˇŻs hands. The dark man began slowly.

    ˇ°You have successfully completed all three tests. Survival, Might, and War. However, you still know nothing about Nobility, Politics, or how they play into War. This time, all you had to do was kill anyone that attempted to break into the city.

    You have only experienced a single battle. Not a war. In a true war, there will be movement, there will be environment, terrain, weather, politics, information, and countless more things you have to monitor and react to. IˇŻll teach you how to best do so.ˇ±

    ˇ°There is something more to it. What do you want?ˇ± Alaster leaned back and crossed his arms.

    AzemarˇŻs eyes narrowed ever so slightly, ˇ°I told Aila that I would teach you if you passed the three tests. I did not actually think you would survive them. And technically, you didnˇŻt. Yet here we are.ˇ±

    Alaster could sense that there was something else. Some other reason Azemar wanted to teach him. But seeing how resistant he was to talk about it, Alaster simply let it rest, for now.

    ˇ°How did you manage to revive yourself?ˇ± Azemar asked with fierce attention.

    ˇ°It was a one-time thing due to my Class and the environment. Due to the large amount of death and powerful Magic being thrown around. It wonˇŻt happen again. The conditions are simply too precise and IˇŻm still feeling the side effects.ˇ±

    ˇ°What sort of side effects are those?ˇ±

    ˇ°I just woke up yesterday so IˇŻm still trying to sort the side effects out from just normal issues. But I do know that I am in pain, my entire body. And even using an Ability that is supposed to remove pain, I can still feel it.ˇ±

    Azemar scratched his chin and leaned back with a dejected sigh, ˇ°That is probably just pain from having your soul ripped from your body and then thrown back in. It should go away after a few more days. You waking up means that the soul finally situated itself back into shape, but it is still repairing itself and trying to fine tune it.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, when are you going to start teaching me?ˇ± Alaster asked, eager to begin his final step before he rescued his sister.

    ˇ°I can start now while we are in Onigas, but I suspect the delegation will be complete with their discussions in three days. Then, we will return to Galmore, where I can truly begin teaching you. However, I must be going, I am supposed to be protecting the delegation, even if they are all perfectly capable of doing so.ˇ±

    Azemar stood up, his chair vanishing as he did so.

    ˇ°Make sure you are prepared to leave by then. It will be at least a year before you can come back.ˇ± He warned, not bothering to turn back as he left the room.

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    Alaster watched him go and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to simply lay down and do nothing. But he had so much to do, and not a lot of time to do it in.

    Standing up with a groan, Alaster collected his bone chair and ordered his Minions into the room. They marched in through the many doors leading into the Training Hall and stood before Alaster, allowing him to take stock.

    In his meditative trance, he was not able to accurately number them. He had simply followed the Magic.

    Four Iron Guardians towered their fellow Adept Minions, both in height and in weight. Their armor was simple, but thick. They stoically watched the world, refusing to allow any of the world through their armor. Earning their loyalty had been as simple as asking for it.

    Six Dread Knights were impatiently pacing around room, searching for any potential threat, not to protect their Master, but because they were bored and wanted to kill something. To taste their blood. Their loyalty had to be earned through the promise of blood and death. A promise that Alaster had fulfilled plenty, and more bound to come.

    Five War Born curiously observed the room around them, focusing more on the racks of different training weapons. Skill over might, and they could never have enough skill. They learned individually, and Alaster had no doubt that over time, each one would gravitate to a unique weapon, though they would always have a predisposition towards two handed weapons. Their loyalty had been secured through the promise of challenging fights in the future.

    And finally, there were the four Shadow Assassins. Dark cloaked figures wreathed in shadows as they dove in and out of the shadows around the Hall, almost as if it was a game of tag. They were the most fragile of all AlasterˇŻs summons, but also the most lethal. They refused to remain still. Even when Alaster ordered them to stay in one place, they continuously swayed, never rushed. Their loyalty had been the easiest to earn.

    Bound to AlasterˇŻs soul, the Shadows could peer into it, learning of its nature. That had been all that was needed. They had pledged their loyalty to the one most in tune with death and shadows.

    Alaster had not yet begun rebuilding his Custom Undead. Both because they needed bones, but because the Adept Minions were simply that much stronger. Though as Alaster unsummoned his Minions, minus the Assassins as they could very simply follow him unseen through the shadows, he entertained the idea of creating Skeletal Stallions for his Adept Minions.

    After all, the Custom Undead were the most adaptable and versatile. Even the Summoned Undead were beginning to grow in levels enough to rival the strength of his Custom Undead.

    Unfortunately, his idea was quickly scrapped. The Dread Knights were agile and merciless, not suited to a cavalry. The Iron Guardians would likely shatter the Stallion under their immense weight. And the Shadow Assassins were much faster than the Stallions, so long as there were shadows they could move between. The War Born were the most likely to be capable cavalry, but even they would not be great.

    Two-handed weapons were simply not suited for cavalry. Using AlasterˇŻs soul as a go-between, all his Minions could ˇ®communicateˇŻ with each other, allowing their riders to perfectly control the Stallion, even without a hand steering them. But two-handed weapons were still too bulky and unwieldy.

    Instead, Alaster began planning for a Cavalry Minion as he moved to find the City Lord. First, he would need to learn a Summoned Cavalry Minion as he was still not experienced enough to create an entirely new Spell. Luckily, he still had a few upgrades to go through. The Summoned Undead had gotten quite a few kills, even if they had to be resummoned just as often.

    As he walked through the Halls, occasionally asking stunned and slightly terrified servants where the City Lord had gone, Alaster looked through the Summoned Upgrades. He quickly made his choices, not really thinking much about each, until he found the one he wanted, branching off the Undead Soldier.

    [Summon Undead Knight

    Level 1: 0%

    Summon the Dead to fight for you.

    Max Minions: 0/1

    Mana Cost: 100]

    Examining the Mana Streams, Alaster was able to learn that the Undead Knight was a Skeleton armored in medium plate with a proficiency in polearms, short swords, and medium shields. While the Spell summoned them without a mount, Alaster could detect the ability to ride horses within the web of Mana Streams.

    It was exactly what Alaster wanted.

    He would begin creating the Stream Pattern for an Adept version as soon as he could, but at that moment, he reached the City LordˇŻs personal office. It was quite small for someone of his stature, but he only did paperwork or met with a few people at a time. The true city business would be done in the Meeting Hall.

    But as much as Alaster wanted to begin the creation of his own personal Cavalry, he wanted to begin experimenting with [Rebirth], even more. And to do that, he needed access to the Experts that he had killed while under the CorruptedˇŻs control.

    However, while he had plenty of Expert corpses here in Onigas, he knew that he would eventually come across an Expert body that he wanted to use at a later time. And to do that, his current Ring of Holding was too small. Alaster figured, ˇ®why not ask the creator of the Ring to enlarge it?ˇŻ. While any Warp Mage could enlarge a Ring of Holding, it was much easier for the creator of the Ring to do it themselves.

    Alaster walked past the two Expert Tiered guards, neither attempting to stop him, and knocked on the door.

    ˇ°Come in!ˇ±

 CHAPTER 141- BODY SNATCHING

    Cities were a bright shining beacon of hope. A symbol of defiance and resilience. Proof that Humanity could survive against the hordes of Monsters. Children were taught that they would be safe within city walls. They were raised to believe the best of cities.

    So, Alaster was quite surprised to find out that every city had a warehouse or similar storage facility where they kept the corpses of nearly every Expert. Even those that lived in the city. If no one claimed them, the body would be taken and stored. And the city would be all too glad to accept donations, which surprisingly, werenˇŻt too rare.

    Similar to how Monster corpses were used in numerous ways, the corpses of Experts were just as valuable, or even more so depending on the purpose.

    It did not surprise Alaster that they didnˇŻt publicize the existence of the storage. For most, the thought of dozens of corpses being Magically preserved just down the block, was disturbing. Of course, after the siege, the usual dozen or so that were kept in storage had skyrocketed to nearly a hundred.

    The storage was actually underground in the Military district. It was below a warehouse storing various gear meant to outfit the Soldiers. The entrance casually blended into the floor. Not hidden, but certainly not obvious. The doors themselves were ordinary wood and quite wide.

    The servant, that the City Lord had tasked with guiding Alaster, opened the doors and bowed deeply, stepping back. The doors opened to reveal a gentle slope into the ground. A slope that had signs of recent activity, and plenty of it.

    Alaster walked down, roughly four meters deep before he was faced with a small desk, in front and to the side of another set of doors. Sitting at the desk was a fairly average man. Neither too large, nor too small. Not ugly, not handsome. Alaster could not find a single characteristic that stood out and doubted he would remember the man''s face upon leaving.

    In fact, the only thing that was different, was that the man was reading a book at the desk. Normally, people given such tasks would occupy themselves with cards, drinking, sleeping, etc. But this man seemed to prefer reading, that or he usually slept, but had just woken up from his nap. Who was to say?

    Alaster walked up to the desk, his armored footsteps making light scraping noises against the stone. The man looked up from his book with a hint of annoyance that was masterfully concealed by years of experience.

    ˇ°Greeting sir, what may I do for you today?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm here to collect the corpses of the dozen Experts?ˇ±

    ˇ°Apologies sir, but you will have to be more specific. Once the battle ended, we gathered several dozen Experts. And you will need the proper authorization.ˇ± The man returned to his book, apparently thinking the conversation was done.

    It was.

    Alaster did not have the patience required to deal with the foolish. If he tried to do so, he would likely end up killing the moron.

    Ignoring the manˇŻs cries of protest, Alaster walked through the doors. They were locked, both with mundane mechanisms and enchantments. But simply flooded the enchantments with Necrotic Mana. Necrotic Mana was well suited to eating Magic as well as it did flesh. And very few mundane locks could withstand Expert strength.

    The door might as well have been open. It did not provide even a moment of resistance. The man attempted to block Alaster''s path, but an Iron Guardian appeared before him, casually shoving him aside, clearing the way for Alaster without breaking stride.

    The Corpse Storage was fairly small, but well organized. The bodies were stacked three high on well-maintained metal shelves. Each one was wrapped in white sheets that had papers quickly sewn onto them. There were six rows of shelves that stretched to the far wall, perhaps a hundred feet away. The ceiling was curved, removing the need for support.

    Alaster did not see any obvious distinction between Tarian and Onigarian bodies. He was quite impressed with the level of respect each of the bodies had apparently been treated with.

    Each one had their injuries masterfully sewn back together. The papers detailed their affiliation, date of and manner of death. They also wrote down the Expert''s name, if it was known. At the bottom, in different handwriting, someone had written down a surprisingly detailed description of the bodyˇŻs Class and Abilities.

    Alaster doubted that the Abilities and Classes were exact, but it was still quite detailed. It was very difficult to determine the Status when someone was alive. Only unique and special Abilities could do it, and usually quite crudely. It became much easier after death, but it was never perfectly accurate. All the stats were within certain ranges.

    The singular Iron Guardian kept the attendant out of the room while Alaster closely examined each body. Being so in tune with death as he was a pure Expert of Necrotic Mana, he was able to quickly sort through the various corpses until he found the ones he wanted.

    They werenˇŻt in any special place, but they were all together. Of course, if [Rebirth] worked how Alaster was hoping it would, he would want all the corpses. Though he did not want to strain the relationship he had with the City Lord, even if most of them were his by right.

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    Belgroth and Sedall had been teaching him the numerous uses the Bodies of Experts had. A single one was potentially worth enough for a well-off family for a year.

    Of course, Onigas would not just leave such a fortune unguarded. Despite the rather weak defenses, the idea was more of a honey trap. Easy to get in, difficult to leave.

    As it was, Alaster could faintly sense several strong people approaching. It was a very faint sense, but his practice with the Mana Streams was already showing benefits, besides the Minions.

    Summoning a dozen Undead Workers, Alaster had them throw the desired bodies over their shoulders and follow him.

    The attendant had quieted down, but now had a cruel grin on his face that Alaster had to restrain himself not to crater.

    Ignoring the irritating little man, Alaster headed for the stairs. Alaster opened the doors and was greeted by a blast of Lightning Magic, which was casually deflected to the side by a hand coated in condensed Necrotic Mana.

    ˇ°Identify yourself!ˇ± Ordered a man in robes, the source of the blast.

    Across from the entrance to the Body Storage, four Mages and ten Warriors were prepared to engage against the intruder.

    Alaster took a moment to examine the threat and did not find one.

    Upon his order, the Shadow Assassins stood out of the shadows behind the Mages, each as if a puppeteer was taking them out of his bag. They grabbed the MagesˇŻ arms, pinning them behind their back and held their daggers to their throats.

    ˇ°Is that any way to treat the person who saved our great city?ˇ± A magnanimous voice proclaimed.

    It was a voice Alaster had only encountered once before, but it was an irritating one. Irritation that was compounded by the irritation of someone Alaster held close.

    Arthur Lewale walked down the deserted street without a care in the world for the bloodbath that was about to begin. Then again, very few would give a care when they had six Experts protecting them. They walked behind him, equipped in heavy armor with large shields and broadswords.

    Holy Magic was rare, not exceedingly, but enough to make note. Those who can use it are rare, but those that can master it are as rare as finding a diamond in a dung heap. And yet, each of ArthurˇŻs bodyguards were just such diamonds.

    Alaster could practically smell the Golden Mana wafting off of them, permeating the air around them. Strangely enough, under the effect of [Death Embrace] AlasterˇŻs sense of smell should have been muted, yet the stench coming off those Paladins was almost eye watering, if Alaster had eyes.

    ˇ®ItˇŻs because you are using Embrace that it is more potent. Its Holy Magic.ˇŻ Sedall said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

    And perhaps it was.

    Regardless, Alaster disliked the pompous brat even more so. Though he also found it amusing. He did not have the Bodyguards previously, and their equipment, also enchanted with Holy Magic, was brand new. Arthur was desperate to get on AlasterˇŻs good side or protect himself against him.

    ˇ°Go away Lewale, I have neither the patience, nor the care to entertain you.ˇ± Alaster waved away.

    The Warriors didnˇŻt know how to react. On one hand, they were meant to defend the Corpse Storage against thieves, but on the other hand, the man before them was the hero of the city. An extremely lethal one, as proof of the four dagger points digging into the MagesˇŻ throats.

    They looked back and forth between the influential Noble''s son and the hero, who certainly did not look like any hero from the stories.

    The strange stalemate ended when a high-ranking officer rushed over with another ten Warriors, likely as potential reinforcements. The red sash across his chest told Alaster that the officer was somewhere in the middle of the hierarchy, or perhaps the lower end of the higher ups. Slate did not know. Nor did he care.

    The man stopped short, expecting either a fight, or the intruder already dead or in chains. He certainly did not expect to see his men with daggers to four of their throats, Nobility, and what looked like a villain from some children''s story.

    ˇ°What is going on here?ˇ± he demanded.

    One of the braver Warriors stepped forward and saluted with his clenched sword against his breastplate. Not quite letting Alaster out of his sight.

    ˇ°Sir, this man here broke into the Body Storage and before we could engage, young Lord Lewale claimed the man to be the savior of the city.ˇ±

    The officer looked around once more.

    ˇ°What the young Lord claims is correct. This is Sir Alaster. You are dismissed.ˇ±

    To the Warrior''s credit, he did not hesitate.

    He saluted once more, and after the Shadows released the mages, vanishing into the shadows once more, all of them left, marching down the road.

    The officer turned to his own men and waved them away, which they took as a dismissal. They marched back up the road from where they came, leaving just the officer, Arthur, and Alaster.

    The officer looked at Arthur sideways, ˇ°What are you still doing here? This is a City Civil issue; Aristocrats have no jurisdiction here. Go away.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, but I have something to discuss with Sir Alaster here.ˇ± Arthur proudly declared with a wide smile.

    ˇ°And yet I have nothing to discuss with you.ˇ±

    Arthur''s smile faltered, but remained, somehow.

    ˇ°Then I shaft remain to annoy you. Farewell Sir Alaster. I do wish we canˇŻt talk soon.ˇ±

    ˇ®Too late.ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself as Arthur turned around with his repulsive guards.

    Only after Arthur left eyesight did Alaster turn towards the officer.

    ˇ°You are lucky I knew what you looked like.ˇ± The officer sighed.

    ˇ°Or they are. I am collecting my property.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, but there are procedures, regulations, permits.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if I had the time, or the patience for either, I would have done so. Good day.ˇ±

    Without waiting for the officer''s reply, Alaster walked away, leading the Undead workers carrying the bodies and reared by the Iron Guardian.

    The officer could only sigh to himself before walking down the stairs and explaining the situation to the attendant.

    Alaster walked for a while before he stopped in an alley and quickly constructed a crude cart out of bone. It truly was crude. Bone rubbing against bone. It was loud and would have certainly been uncomfortable. But as Alaster made the cart, he had his second and third mind rebuild his Skeletal Stallion using the Blueprint function.

    The workers piled the bodies into the cart, careful not to actually damage them, and disappeared, leaving only four Workers remaining. Two pulled from the front while two pushed from the back. Luckily, the Undead Workers spawned in clothes, little more than rags. Alaster then just draped some nearby discarded cloth over their skulls.

    Alaster doubted the citizens would enjoy seeing the walking dead hauling carts of bodies.

    Leaving the alley, Alaster rode through the streets calmly. Soon, he would raise the Corpses of the Experts as his own Minions. And once he did, there was no telling how powerful he could become.

 CHAPTER 142- SEEDED PARTY

    Evelyn laid on her bed panting, completely exhausted, despite the sun having crested the horizon just a few hours before. It was not an exertion derived from exercise or deep and extensive thought, but of pain.

    The pain of willfully splitting oneˇŻs own soul.

    That was the requirement for her nigh impossible Ability or was it her bodyˇŻs Special Constitution. The one that resulted in her coming to live with the Duke in the first place?

    Evelyn did not know.

    Special Constitutions had been known to influence or even unlock certain Classes and Abilities. It did not seem like much of a stretch that her Class would be one. Not that it mattered.

    [Soul Seed] required implanting a part of the userˇŻs soul into another person. The implantation process was surprisingly quite simple. Evelyn only had to touch them. But She first had to prepare for a portion of her soul to be removed from her own body.

    In that sense, the Ability was actually a two-part process. First, she used it to break off another part of her soul. Then she used it to implant the soul. It was painless, and if the person was sleeping, which was the best opportunity, they typically continued to sleep.

    Since Evelyn had decided to actually use the Seeds, it had been one month. In that singular month, Evelyn had used her Seed on three people. And later tonight, she would use the fourth. It took her almost an entire week to recover from splitting her soul, a remarkably quick time according to her teachings, but she also was not actually damaging her soul, just splitting it, using a Spell.

    Each of the three had were under Level Ten, were sentenced to death, and their crimes had been out of desperation, not desire.

    Liam was a strong boy who had been driven to beat up other Novices for protection money, but it was not for him. He was forced to do it by a local gang, upon threat of death. Unfortunately for Liam, he had been sent by the gang to beat up a boy who just so happened to be a NobleˇŻs son. Regardless of the reason, attacking a Noble was an executable offense.

    When Evelyn had offered him a second chance, he had jumped at the chance, and she was certain that even without the Seed, Liam would have devoted himself to her.

    Liam was a Level Seven Brute. A Common Tiered Class, but one that specialized in Strength and Constitution. Liam outfitted himself with a round shield he could easily move, and a studded club. Despite the simplicity of his armaments, he was quite viscous with them, leaving his enemies bloody and battered.

    Liam was the first of EvelynˇŻs Seeded and was also the oldest at sixteen. He was a large fit boy with a square jaw, bent nose, and muddy brown hair. He was usually quiet, but always the first and loudest to laugh.

    Next to be seeded was a small girl, even two inches shorter than Evelyn. She was remarkably quiet but had quite a prankster streak. Her name was Emma and she was a Level Five Thief. As one might expect from her Class, she was sentenced to jail after having been caught over two dozen times stealing.

    But she had not been stealing money or jewels. She had been stealing food and clothing. She had two younger siblings to take care of. Unfortunately, after Emma had been arrested and sentenced to death, they had gotten sick. Without anyone to care for them, they had died just two weeks after Emma was thrown in a cell.

    She was a horrible thief, at least getting away. She could lift something from a person pretty easily, but she was still getting the hang of getting away. Luckily for Evelyn, Emma was quite proficient with throwing Knives and daggers. Which allowed her to hunt with the group.

    She kept her long black hair in a low ponytail and typically wore loose dark clothes. The girl was easily looked over, and not just because of her height.

    The last one to join the group was the youngest of all of them. He had actually been arrested and sentenced to hanging while he was still fourteen. He did not even have his Class yet.

    The boyˇŻs name was David. To put it simply, he was strange. For one, he was born blind, and yet he could still track everyoneˇŻs movements, and he didnˇŻt have a Special Constitution. Secondly, his skin had a very slight gray tinge to it and was difficult for even Emma to cut, even a little.

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    None of that had anything to do with his Class, Special Constitution, or Abilities.

    His weirdness had only been compounded by his fifteenth birthday.

    DavidˇŻs Class was Devourer. It was a Class that came with no Abilities. Only a single descriptor. Devour to grow. David had still only been Level One when Evelyn offered him a second chance. Unlike the other two, who had jumped at the chance, David had thought for a moment before slowly nodding.

    Since then, the only person who had heard him talk had been Evelyn, and only a few words.

    As for his crime?

    One might think it was just his appearance, but in truth, it had been because David had broken the neck of a NobleˇŻs son after that son had kicked away DavidˇŻs bowl of soup.

    After recruiting David, Evelyn began to hunt with them and Lukas. It had been rough at first, as any Hunting Party was.

    LukasˇŻ Class was Guardian Initiate. A special Class unique to the Lissurian Royal Family. Though Lukas would only be in line for the throne if the entire current Royal Family died, he still had their blood flowing through his veins.

    Guardian Initiate was actually one of the weaker Classes the Royal Family had access to. It was a Class designed to take damage. The Ability it was known for was teleporting the user to an Ally about to take an attack. Its range was fairly short, only a few meters, and its cooldown was long.

    However, once Lukas leveled up and became an Adept, he could become a Guardian Knight, capable of creating an aura that reflected any damage back to the attacker as well as improving the reflexes of those affected.

    Guardian Initiate was not a flashy Class, which many Nobles would see as a negative, but Lukas was ecstatic. In just the few days they had all been Hunting together, Lukas had already used his Abilities to save many of their lives several times.

    Liam was happy to just be given a second chance and made sure everyone knew it. Emma wanted a second go at life, and to find out if it was worth what she had lost. David simply wanted to eat. Lukas wanted to protect Evelyn and grow stronger to make his father proud. While Evelyn wanted to become stronger and see her family again.

    Regardless, Evelyn sighed to herself and stood up, heading for her bathroom. She split her soul in the mornings, when she had the most energy, though it did leave her drained. After a few hours, she could cover it up with false enthusiasm. And before that she could simply lie and say that she had stayed up reading. Sometimes it wasnˇŻt a lie.

    After a long hot bath, Evelyn got dressed, had a short breakfast with the DukeˇŻs family, minus the Duke, again, and met up with the rest of her hunting party.

    They were in front of the stables, as was quickly becoming their habit meeting area. The reason? David was always the first one to be ready and liked horses. Though Evelyn was not sure if he liked them as animals, or as dinner. So long as he didnˇŻt try to eat one of them, she did not care.

    Liam was the first one to notice her and Lukas and he waved enthusiastically with both hands.

    He cried out, slightly startling the horses, ˇ°Hey guys!ˇ±

    Lukas facepalmed while Evelyn couldnˇŻt help but give him a little smile. He was just so easy-going and cheerful, even if he had been asked several times not to spook the horses.

    Emma was more reserved and waited until they were closer to give a small wave, ˇ°Good morning.ˇ±

    Evelyn returned her greetings and greeted David, who only stared at her with his white eyes.

    ˇ°So where are we going today?ˇ± Liam asked, holding up his battered shield and club, which still had a bit of dried blood on it.

    ˇ°Evelyn and I were thinking of checking out a clearing about three miles from the west gate. There have been reports of small patrols of Kobolds and Goblins wandering about. ShouldnˇŻt be an issue for us, but we canˇŻt be careless.ˇ± Lukas informed them, adjusting his own sword at his hip and shield on his back.

    Emma lightly tapped each of her knives on her bandolier and said quietly, ˇ°We know that.ˇ±

    Evelyn chuckled, ˇ°You say that, but werenˇŻt you the one that almost lost a foot yesterday?ˇ±

    EmmaˇŻs face exploded in color as she desperately tried to hide it. She failed, and Liam made sure to point it out. Emma shoved Liam as hard as she could, but he was still only shuffled to the side half a step. Seeing that it had little effect, Emma instead jumped onto his back, attempting to throw him off balance.

    Liam took several rapid steps around as his passenger moved her weight, but he refused to go down. Lukas walked after them, trying to get them to stop playing around. A few of the servants looked over at the scene as they went about their work in the DukeˇŻs courtyard.

    Evelyn chuckled to herself at their antics, glad to see that the Seed had not removed their free will. But there was still one that she was concerned about. David refused to wear any sort of armor and only begrudgingly accepted a single dagger after nearly two hours of negotiations.

    Even then, he typically neglected the knife and instead either clawed at the enemyˇŻs eyes or throat. Even Evelyn was beginning to ignore his savagery as it was effective.

    David grew stronger the more he ate, and depending on what he eats, he gains Abilities from them. Already, just a week after, he could extend his fingertips into claws and teeth into fangs. He was wicked fast and agile, and seemed to always see everything around him, which allowed him to use the trees as objects to push off, coming at his opponents at an unexpected angle.

    Those who saw him called him an animal with disdain. David acted as if he did not hear them, though he heard almost everything within fifty feet of him. Evelyn could not help but agree with them, but she did not see it as a bad thing.

    In fact, she was excited to see just what kind of person David would become. What sort of Monsters would he devour? What kind of Monster would he become? And would he still be Human?

 CHAPTER 143- RING BEARER

    After passing through the guards and servants, Alaster finally entered the Siphas Estate. He was not there to reminisce or have friendly conversations. He was there to find Colius.

    Even after all these years, the old man had not changed much, including his room and workshop.

    Alaster knocked on the door and stood back. Immediately, there was a crashing noise followed by a profound vocabulary. The voice gradually grew louder as it reached the door.

    Colius threw the door open, and his annoyed face appeared, ˇ°What?ˇ± the old man yelled, ˇ°Oh, hey Alaster. How are you feeling?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not bad considering I died.ˇ± Alaster replied with a grin.

    The old manˇŻs antics were comforting if anything.

    Colius wildly waved his hands in the air, ˇ°Bah! That was ages ago! Come in, come in!ˇ± Despite the manˇŻs words, his face was joyous, if a tad annoyed at an experiment delayed.

    Alaster ordered his Minions to the side of the hall, allowing anyone to get past them. The Undead WorkersˇŻ combat capability was that of a child, incapable of defending their cargo, but Alaster doubted that any would attempt to steal the bodies within the Siphas Manor. And if someone was foolish enough to do so, there were four Shadow Assassins watching over them.

    ColiusˇŻ room had not changed much. It was still a cluttered mess with a bed shoved into the corner. Numerous tables with various experiments and stacks of books. Crumpled papers and discarded parts lay on the ground in piles next to even more stacks of books. Alaster even spotted a stack of books that started on the ground and towered over his own considerable height.

    Colius himself slowly but smoothly maneuvered through the chaos with practiced ease. On one of the center tables a smoking vial lay next to the shattered remains of three others. The old man began to throw the shards of glass into a spatial portal.

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± Alaster asked, unsure whether he should laugh.

    Colius didnˇŻt look up, ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°People spend their life savings to purchase a small Bag of Holding and you made a Ring of Holding just for your trash?ˇ±

    Colius shrugged without apology, ˇ°Its easier for both me and the cleaners. All I have to do is hand them the Ring so they can empty it. Much easier for everyone.ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head with a smile, ˇ°Well, thatˇŻs not what IˇŻm here to talk to you about.ˇ±

    Alaster sat down on a stack of books, ˇ°The Ring you gave me on my birthday has made my survival much easier. Not that it could have been described as easy in any sense of the word. However, now that I am an Expert, I need a bigger Ring. Preferably one that I could store my Minions in.ˇ±

    Alaster already had the Ring of Summoning, but that only held fifty, and he could summon several hundred.

    Colius threw the last shard of glass away and looked up with a thoughtful gaze, scratching the scruff under his chin.

    ˇ°Hmmm, I think that would be possible. Though it would take a few weeks, maybe even Months. Minions would add an entirely new level of complexity.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed in disappointment, but he had expected something similar.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs a shame, but understandable. What about making the Ring larger? Say, fifty feet by fifty?ˇ±

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    Colius laughed, ˇ°What are you planning? Emptying entire warehouses?ˇ±

    Following his old teacherˇŻs example, Alaster shrugged, ˇ°I donˇŻt like carrying luggage around. And I have plans for a new Minion that, if it works, will be more effective if I have a lot of storage.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can make your own Minions? Now that is a rare skill, one that you should keep to yourself. Its rare to make your own, damn unheard of to make Minions as powerful as what you have.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know. Unfortunately, I will be leaving with that Galmorian Delegation. When could you finish the Ring?ˇ±

    Colius waved his hand through the air, ˇ°Bah, if it takes me longer than four hours I will give you a gold coin.ˇ±

    Alaster stood up, chuckling, ˇ°Thanks teach, though keep your gold. I already have more than I could ever use, and I donˇŻt really need a lot. I make my own weapons, armor, and shelter. And I hunt my own food.ˇ±

    Colius spun on Alaster with greed in his eyes, ˇ°One can never have too much gold! Gimme the Ring and get out, the stench of those bodies is stinking up the hallway.ˇ±

    Alaster doubted that. The wrappings were enchanted to preserve them. They likely only appeared as if a few hours had passed since Alaster killed them.

    Alaster took off the Ring for the first time since his fifteenth birthday and handed it over to the eccentric old man.

    ˇ°Oh, one last thing. I need a large open space so that I can experiment with dangerous Magic and wonˇŻt be interrupted. I used the City LordˇŻs training hall last time and it seemed to cause a stir.ˇ±

    Colius took the ring and thought for a moment, ˇ°Just use the training hall here. Lord SiphasˇŻ personal training hall is only a little smaller than the City LordˇŻs and only his family is permitted itˇŻs use.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not his family.ˇ±

    Colius looked in AlasterˇŻs eye, ˇ°Stop thinking like that. Both the Lord and Lady Siphas have told you on numerous occasions to think of them as family. Young Lady Isabella already thinks of you like an older brother. The servants treat you like a member of the family. In fact, just about the only person who doesnˇŻt think of you as a member of the Siphas Family, is you.ˇ±

    The old man let that sink in before continuing, ˇ°Now go away. I have work to do. IˇŻll get the Ring back to you before tomorrow night.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Alaster stood over the bodies of the dozen Experts that had killed him. A difficult feat. Alaster was a powerful Expert, one that was even harder to kill. Both Belgroth and Sedall agreed on that matter. Yet this dozen had managed it. They had lost many of their number in doing so, but they had still managed it.

    The Undead Workers had positioned the bodies in two neat rows of six in the dirt of the Siphas Training Hall. The Hall itself might as well have been a smaller copy of the City LordˇŻs. It suited AlasterˇŻs purposes, for now.

    Each of the bodies had their parts aligned to their original positions and had their hands laid against their chests. The wrappings had done an excellent job of preserving the bodies. And the body people, Alaster wasnˇŻt sure of their actual title, had done an equally excellent job of cleaning the bodies. It if was not for many of the bodies being in multiple parts, it would have appeared as if they were just sleeping.

    Before beginning Alaster took some time to examine each body closely. As Experts, their bodies had naturally expelled all impurities, molding their bodies to the most efficient state. In doing so, there were very few unattractive Experts. Each of the dozen were enough to stop crowds.

    The fight itself had been quite short, but it had been incredibly intense. Alaster recognized each one, and their part in the battle. He replayed the scene in his mind as he looked at each corpse. Analyzing it, finding things he could have done better, or movements that were excessive.

    From their build alone, Alaster was able to quickly decipher which of them used which weapons, though Alaster still needed to locate and reacquire them. If the Ability worked as it claimed, then Alaster would need to arm them. What better to arm them with than the weapons they were already familiar with?

    From the Mana Streams of the Ability, which made his head ache even more with just a glance due to its complexity, Alaster knew that the Spell would rebuild the body. If the original parts were present, the Spell would use them, but if they werenˇŻt, then the Spell would create the parts out of Necrotic Mana. They wouldnˇŻt be as efficient, but they would work.

    The Spell claimed to simply apply a copy of the bodyˇŻs memories back onto the body, practically reviving it, while realistically not. In doing so, they would have all the knowledge, skill, and Abilities that they had while they lived.

    During the battle, Alaster had been on the defensive the entire time. Not because of their power, though that too was quite immense. But due to their teamwork. They knew just how to apply their powers in tandem with each other in order to leave no gaps the opponent could escape through.

    He was quite excited to see how he could use that himself.

    It was actually this dozen that had given Alaster his idea for his next Minion, or two. He wanted to put his ideas all into one Minion, but if that was not possible, he would make two. But he was not here to construct a new Minion.

    He was here to revive the dead.

 CHAPTER 144- REBORN

    Alaster finished his examination in front of the woman who had actually dealt the killing blow against him. She was attractive, in the conventional way, as all Experts were. Her clothes were that of a MageˇŻs though simply from her face and build it was obvious she did not physically fight.

    The young man crouched before the fallen lady. He was not sure what he was looking for, or even if there was any point to his examination at all. The Spell certainly had not specified any elaborate conditions.

    Perhaps it was the idea that these twelve people had been sent after him with the goal of killing him, and had succeeded. Was it not natural for there to be some kind of animosity between the two? And yet, Alaster felt nothing.

    Perhaps it was due to the pain of his soul. But Alaster felt nothing towards the twelve. Nothing except curiosity. Just how would the Spell work? And if it worked well, how effective would the twelve be?

    Shaking his head to clear the unnecessary thoughts, Alaster stood up and took his place at the front of the laid-out bodies.

    The Spell did not detail any specific range, limit, or cost.

    ˇ®Any thoughts?ˇŻ Alaster asked his mental mentors.

    ˇ®Not really. ItˇŻs the first time IˇŻve seen the System reward a user like this.ˇŻ Sedall said thoughtfully.

    ˇ®Screw the System! IˇŻve also never seen something like this. Sure, IˇŻve seen Spells that could link the Memories of a dead guy to an item for a little while. But back to the body? With no defined time limit? This is like what the Corrupted System did for you, kinda.ˇŻ Belgroth said in excitement and impatience.

    ˇ®And they will still be able to use their Abilities?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Should. Nothing I know would provide a reason as to why not. But this is also something IˇŻve never seen before.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Oh, shut up you two! Alaster, do it!ˇŻ

    Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes at the childish Demon that was older than all of Human Civilization, Alaster raised his right hand over the bodies. The young man started slowly, channeling Necrotic Mana through the Mana Streams of [Rebirth].

    One hundred Mana. Five hundred Mana. One thousand. Five thousand.

    Alaster sacrificed his Health for more, yet the Spell hungrily devoured all that he offered, without a sign of stopping. His Health plummeted, triggering both [Regeneration] and [Last Stand]. Without hesitation, Alaster directed the Mana streaming into him directly into [Rebirth].

    Five thousand Mana turned into ten, then twenty.

    At this point, Greenish Black Mana began to radiate off of Alaster, originating from his raised hand. The Mana flowed into syrupy streams, flowing from AlasterˇŻs hand into the twelve bodies.

    Yet still there was no reaction. More and more Mana flooded into the bodies.

    Twenty Thousand turned into Thirty Thousand. Turned into Forty Thousand. At fifty thousand the bodies began to grotesquely twitch and snap. Bones reformed and repaired. Flesh knitted together once more, binding wounds and reconnecting limbs.

    Finally, as the Mana toll reached sixty thousand, the first body began to levitate off the ground, then the next. Soon, all the bodies were off the ground, rising higher. At a certain point, the bodies changed to point their feet to the ground.

    Finally, and without warning, the Mana Streams snapped. Severing the bodies from AlasterˇŻs Mana.

    The bodies dropped, yet not lifelessly. Each one dropped into a deep kneeling position; their heads bowed.

    ˇ°We greet our master.ˇ± They recited as one.

    Their voices were not the drone like voice Alaster expected from a Minion, even one as advanced as these. Each one was the same as they were when they lived.

    Alaster observed the twelve.

    The Necrotic Mana had saturated their bodies, filling them to the brim, and turning their skill a darker shade of black. Not a black of race, but a black of nothingness. Their hair had turned dusty grey. But besides that, the only evidence that remained to their prior state was the state of their clothing. Cut, shredded, and stained as they were.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ˇ°Raise.ˇ± Alaster emotionlessly commanded.

    They did so as one, staring at Alaster. As they did so, Alaster noticed that their irisˇŻ had taken on a ring of blood red that seemed to glow faintly. They still retained their normal eye colors of blue, green, brown, and black, but now each iris had a ring of vibrant red.

    ˇ®Interesting.ˇŻ Alaster noted but moved on.

    ˇ°Whom do you serve?ˇ± He asked.

    ˇ°You, mˇŻlord.ˇ± Once more in unison.

    ˇ°Anyone else?ˇ±

    ˇ°None.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you recall your memories?ˇ±

    At that, they hesitated, until the Mage Woman stepped forward slightly, ˇ°Apologizes mˇŻlord. We have regained our memories of our past lives, but it is fragmented. Broken. It will take time for us to sort through them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright then. Are you still able to use your Abilities and Spells from before your deaths?ˇ±

    The woman, clearly the instinctual leader, nodded, ˇ°Yes sir. The potency is somewhat diminished, as none of our Abilities have an affinity towards Necrotic Mana.ˇ±

    ˇ°Explain.ˇ± Alaster commanded.

    ˇ°Due to our bodies being completely infused with Death Mana, our Abilities are all tainted by it. The Abilities will still work as intended. Just slightly weaker.ˇ±

    ˇ°By how much?ˇ±

    ˇ°Roughly five to ten percent sir, depending on how well the original Mana of the Ability fuses with Necrotic.ˇ±

    Ten percent weaker? Even then, Alaster suspected that would put the twelve on par with most Experts.

    ˇ°Are you all ok with serving the one that killed you?ˇ±

    They all bowed their heads, ˇ°Sir,ˇ± the woman replied, ˇ°We were defeated. By rights, we are dead, but still, we breathe. Due to your generosity. We will serve you until we prove incapable.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do not misunderstand. It was not generosity that led to your revival. I intend on using you to exact my own plans and desires.ˇ±

    They knelt down, bowing their heads.

    ˇ°You are all the first of a new breed of Undead. Ones with your own independence, bound to me as you are. You still think your own thoughts. You have your own desires and goals. Your own loves and hates. Serve me well, and you will be allowed the freedom to follow them.ˇ± Alaster spoke with conviction.

    ˇ°I have those I require dead. I have more that I no not their identity. I have those I wish to protect. My power is limited, as are my thoughts. I cannot be everywhere I need, nor want, to be. Nor can I think of everything. I need those I can trust wholeheartedly to be on my side who can think and operate independently from me. That is your reason for rebirth.

    Each one of you are potent fighters. Your skills will be put to work and pushed to the limit. But I donˇŻt just need fighters. I need planners. Builders. Spies. Politicians.

    I will soon find myself drawn into the world of Nobility and Politics. A world I detest. I will not allow myself to be a pawn for someone elseˇŻs goals. Which you will all help me with. I imagine as elite Experts of the Tarian Military, you each have ample experience navigating the tsunami of Politics?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is correct mˇŻlord. Though it will take some time for us to recall these experiences properly.ˇ±

    ˇ°You will have time. What I am saying, is that if something happens, or I do something, that you believe is not ideal, speak up. I do not know everything. But understand this, you are still my subordinates. I will do my best to take your counsel under advisement. But what I say goes.ˇ±

    Alaster let the words settle, including the threat.

    ˇ°Now, introduce yourselves and your specialties. I will not be able to best make use of you without knowing what you are capable of.ˇ±

    The woman was first, introducing herself as Catherine, a Mage that specialized in lengthy and costly Spells of incredible power. Not just large beams to destroy, though that is what she was most familiar with. She could also create large shields, capable of defending against even the strongest of Siege Magic. And even generate an aura that enhanced Mana Regeneration for others, except herself, for as long as her own Mana lasted.

    After Catherine finished, one of the others introduced themselves. One by one, each of the twelve spoke, revealing their truly impressive powers. Alaster quickly discovered that despite being elite fighters, each one of the twelve had a hobby that they had devoted countless hours into mastering.

    Catherine could create her own Mana Crystals, and through practice, could do so into specific shapes, including as small as rings. Alaster was not sure of the exact uses for such a talent, but was impressed, nonetheless.

    Samantha, the rogue that had plunged her twin daggers into AlasterˇŻs neck was actually a skilled tailor and enjoyed stitching Runes into the clothing, effectively enchanting them.

    As the last of the twelve finished speaking, there was a quiet and hesitant knock on the Training Hall door.

    ˇ°Come in.ˇ± Alaster allowed with a sigh. He still was not done speaking with the twelve Reborn.

    At his words, the door quickly opened to reveal a petite young girl, no older than sixteen.

    ˇ®YouˇŻre not much older than she is.ˇŻ Sedall commented, which Alaster ignored.

    He was much older than he was.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Alaster asked bluntly, knocking the girl out of her trancelike staring of the twelve.

    ˇ°Umm, oh! The City Lord has requested your presence at his residence.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed deeply, already having some idea of the reason.

    ˇ°Alright. You are dismissed.ˇ±

    The girl hesitated, not quite used to the summons of the City Lord being so casually ignored.

    Alaster stared hard at the girl before raising his hand and pointing towards the open door.

    ˇ°Go. Away.ˇ±

    With a startled yelp, the girl fled the room.

    ˇ°Politics. I swear, if I could, I would just ignore them. Regardless, are you twelve able to enter my [Soul Domain]?ˇ±

    Catherine, the now obvious leader, spoke up, ˇ°We are.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. Some of my other Minions are already there. They are much simpler than you twelve. Feel free to do whatever you want within the Domain, so long as it doesnˇŻt harm myself, yourselves, or the other Minions.ˇ± Alaster instructed, opening his Domain.

    ˇ°Oh! One last thing. You twelve need a title. Something to distinguish you from the rest of the Minions. How about my Death Knights?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 145- STUNNING ENTRANCE

    AlasterˇŻs patience was quickly melting away. He had plenty to do before he left for Galmore, and it seemed as if everyone was hellbent on distracting him. He had put his Knights aside because the City Lord had requested to speak with him. So Alaster had put the rest of his plans to the side to do so.

    Except that it had been nearly twenty minutes and Alaster was still waiting in the lobby of the Meeting Hall.

    There were four guards preventing anyone from entering the room, each well equipped. Two from Onigas, two from Galmore. All four were experts, and quite powerful ones from the pressure around them.

    Alaster was currently sitting on the sofa across from the double doors. It was surprisingly simple, yet amazingly comfortable. If it wasnˇŻt for the constant pain, Alaster was sure he would have easily fallen asleep.

    He had spent his time working over the Mana Streams for his next Minion. He was not actually working with them, as that would be intensive and could not be easily halted. Instead, he was simply looking over them, imagining how he would have to manipulate them to achieve his desired result.

    Luckily, after twenty minutes, Alaster was finally able to learn that what he wanted was indeed possible. He was even able to figure out a step-by-step plan on how to achieve it once he had the time.

    Unfortunately, he could no longer work on this project without Weaving the Streams.

    Alaster stood up from the couch, as he did so, he could feel all four pairs of the guardsˇŻ eyes flick to him. They were imposing themselves, but AlasterˇŻs size and armor was infinitely more so.

    He made to enter the room, but the two Galmorian Guards blocked his path, as they were the two directly adjacent to the door.

    ˇ°No entry allowed.ˇ± One of the guards said with a sneer.

    He was a man that enjoyed making people obey him. The two Onigarian Guards were much more hesitant to interfere with Alaster. They knew him, his power. They knew what he had done for their home. But they also knew their duty, which at the moment, was protecting that door.

    Unfortunately for the Galmorian Guards, Alaster was sick of waiting, and he too enjoyed making people submit.

    * * * * *

    Keylan sat upon his throne, supervising the negotiations. It was standard procedure for others to manage the talks, only looking to their leaders for discrete permission and guidance. Which was also why the man known as Azemar sat next to him.

    It was clear to Keylan that the man was the leader of the Galmorian Delegation. Though he felt that there was more to it than that. The man himself was quiet, rarely speaking, though Keylan was not sure if that was because he was sleeping or not. But when he did speak, it left little room for others.

    Currently, their subordinates were around a round table, littered with countless papers, maps, lists, and policies. They had been talking for several days, from before the sun rose to long after it set. And yet, little had been truly decided, and nothing significant.

    Keylan did not mind the political play, though he was not a fan of it either. He struggled to simply sit there, listening and watching to nothing actually happen. Luckily for him, he was able to use the excuse of rebuilding the city to get out of the meeting. Azemar did not have that excuse, not that it ever stopped him from simply vanishing.

    Keylan would have been paranoid over such a high value person, of impressive strength, simply disappearing. Able to go practically anywhere he pleased inside KeylanˇŻs own city and home. But he also knew that if Azemar actually wanted to spy, the man would not have needed a ˇ®easyˇŻ in through the delegation. Nor would there have been much he could do to stop it.

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    It was not as if rebuilding the city was truly an excuse. It did need to be repaired, and plenty of it required the City LordˇŻs direct supervision. The actual repairing of buildings was actually the easiest part.

    Just as his advisors had believed, the building of the outer wall, paired with the raising tensions across the continent, had been like a magnet to refugees and others similarly looking for a safe haven.

    In order to bolster the defenses, Keylan had authorized the mandatory drafting of any combat capable individual. The promise being that if they fought valiantly and did not attempt to flee or desert, they would be granted genuine citizenship, and all the privileges there of.

    So many had been drafted, and even more volunteering, that Keylan had been worried if the city could even handle that many, even if the city remained independent. But as much as he hated himself for thinking it, so many of the refugee soldiers had perished that it was not a concern.

    In fact, due to the siege, even with the rapid influx of people, the number of people within Onigarian walls had stayed roughly the same, only a few hundred more than before. Which for taxes, would be great for the city. But winter was coming soon, and Keylan was not sure they could grow and hunt enough food to feed everyone.

    The Tarian Siege Mages, given accurate instructions by the Assassins within the walls, had been sure to target the food storages. The Assassins had also killed critical people to OnigasˇŻ continued survival, which Keylan now had to find replacements for. Positions that are not easy to prepare for.

    He also had to worry about settling all the refugees, now turned citizens. The outer wall would assist with that, but at the moment, the outer wall was heavily damaged and completely militarized. It had worked well enough while under siege as they could shove all the soldiers into barracks, but that would not work for sustained living, nor for families.

    At the moment, while repairs were underway, the outer wall was also undergoing a drastic shift. The outer wall would remain a heavy military presence, but part of it would also be turned into residential living.

    KeylanˇŻs presence and authority was being constantly called away for these repairs and changes, but he also could not ignore these negotiations. The repairs would help keep Onigas standing today, but the negotiations, if they worked as well as everyone was hoping, would help keep Onigas standing for years to come.

    As it was, Keylan had his chin on his raised palm resting on the armrest of the chair, struggling to keep his eyes open. The talks had begun several hours before, yet the only thing they had decided on was how much sugar would be sent. A small detail, that had lasting consequences, but one that still bored Keylan out of his mind.

    Just as Keylan was thinking about how to excuse himself, the doors exploded inward. One of the guards stationed to the door had been thrown into the door with enough force to break the steel hinges. The eight guards within the room immediately raised their weapons and stood in front of their charges. Even Keylan stood up, though he neednˇŻt have bothered.

    Instead of an assassination attempt, in walked Alaster, a blackish green tail of Mana carrying the second Galmorian guard by his throat. Alaster walked in without care. Though the City Lord could sense the irritation. Not anger, but annoyance, like a fly had been buzzing around his face.

    Behind the intruder, peeking through the now open doorway stood the two Onigarian guards, still unsure of what to do.

    Upon seeing who it was, the four Onigarian guards inside the Meeting Hall lowered their weapons. But the Galmorians did not hesitate to charge the attacker.

    Alaster casually swung the tail around, slamming the Galmorian guard into two others before deflecting a pair of thrown knives. The three guards were thrown into the wall, the breath knocked out of them. Alaster caught the arm of the dagger wielding guard that had suddenly appeared behind him.

    Throwing the man over his shoulder, Alaster launched the guard over table in the center of the room and into the far wall.

    The last guard swung his powerful axe overhead, intent on crushing the enemyˇŻs skull, but the large axe met only stone before Alaster kicked the man, sending him over to his buddy against the far wall.

    In just ten seconds, six of the Galmorian most elite guards were disabled. Just ten seconds for Alaster to casually deal with them.

    The Onigarian guards were hesitant to do anything and turned to their Lord for instructions. Keylan simply waved them away, which they obeyed by sheathing their various weapons and stepping to the side.

    Alaster confidently walked forward.

    Those around the table fearfully took what protection they could from behind the table as the large dark armored man passed them.

    Alaster stopped in front of the raised platform the two thrones sat upon.

    ˇ°You asked me to come speak with you. Out of consideration for your position, I did so. But I am a very busy man, made even more busy due to saving your city. Do not waste my time. What do you want?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 146- FAREWELLS

    Before Keylan could speak, Azemar beat him to it.

    ˇ°Do try not to hospitalize the guards. It just creates extra paperwork.ˇ±

    Alaster looked at his supposed teacher. The man was slouching in his chair, leaning back and resting his head on his hand. He truly appeared as if he was asleep.

    ˇ°In case you hadnˇŻt noticed, I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it before we leave for Galmore.ˇ±

    ˇ°The City Lord of Onigas did not ask for you. I did.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed in frustration, ˇ°That doesnˇŻt change anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, it does. I called to inform you that we are leaving tomorrow morning.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why did you make me wait outside just to tell me that?ˇ±

    Azemar sat up, stretching for a moment before he stood up. As he did so, Alaster felt the room grow tense. Not due to anything the man had done directly. It was entirely from the Galmorian Delegates. They tensed the moment he moved.

    Azemar either did not notice the change or did not care. He simply stepped down from the raised platform and approached Alaster.

    ˇ°Because, my wards for this trip did not know either. I was waiting for a good moment, until you so rudely barged in. Best get ready. Say your goodbyes. Get whatever you need. Finish any preparations. Whatever. I donˇŻt care. Just know that if you are not in the courtyard of this estate at dawn, I will leave you.ˇ±

    And with that, Azemar walked out of the room, leaving panicking politicians behind.

    Growling to himself, Alaster disappeared through the shadows, reappearing before a door. The door to IrisˇŻ room. He could hear both Iris and Astrid talking to each other. The two had grown close through their mutual worry about Alaster.

    From the Shadow Assassins spying through the estate, Alaster had been able to learn much about the inner workings, including a bit of gossip.

    He knew that while the Siconian forces were traded back to Taria for quite a sizable sum, Astrid had chosen to stay behind. Many of her comrades had objected, but they understood. She had not been particularly close to them, though she did miss them.

    Since then, Astrid had been sleeping in IrisˇŻ room. She had her own room, but the two girls always talked late into the night, eventually falling asleep. Through their mutual worry, they quickly bonded over numerous topics and interests.

    They were already talking about hunting together once things calmed down. That helped settle AlasterˇŻs worry. He knew that after their defeat, Taria would seek to hurt Onigas in any way, including kidnapping for even killing its princess.

    He knew that Iris was not some fragile glass sculpture. The spar the two had told him that much. But as his recent experience taught him, there was always a chance. Having Astrid nearby would diminish the chances Taria had, as well as help defend against any attack.

    Astrid did not have much of an issue leaving Sicon, and she had no issue abandoning Taria. She was an orphan; she had no ties to the place where she had grown up. Here in Onigas, however, she had quickly found potentially the only person that had cared about her and found another she could call friend.

    Iris was different, on a basic level. Her class was fairly average but had the potential to become increasingly powerful. She had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth and would want for very little. She was excitable and just as energetic as her little sister, though she attempted to hide it behind of mask of a graceful and dignified lady.

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    The only thing Alaster was truly worried about, in regards to Iris, was Arthur. The man had not done anything harmful, to AlasterˇŻs knowledge, but it was obvious that he was experienced in the political game and had the ambition to use it.

    Alaster was curious to see how the two young women would develop. What would they become, and what would they mean?

    But Alaster was there to say goodbye to them. Or was he?

    Alaster froze, his fist raised before the door.

    It was not the first time he had to leave behind those he cared about. He had done so many times. But never of his own volition.

    Every time, he had been forced away, without the opportunity. And now that he had a chance to say goodbye, he realized, he did not know how.

    How do you say farewell to someone who was a caring friend after your parentsˇŻ death and another who saved your life numerous times and left her own life behind to stay? All so you could go and learn how to best learn how to slaughter anyone who stands in your way?

    Alaster knew that they both understood his reasoning and knew that nothing they said or did would change his mind. ThatˇŻs part of the reason that Alaster cared enough to say goodbye to them. They understood him and didnˇŻt try to change him.

    Alster knew that they both liked him as more than just a friend. But he simply did not see them that way. To him, they were both still little girls he needed to protect. That only made it harder to say goodbye.

    He did not want to say anything that would either lead them on or hurt their feelings.

    ˇ®Relationships are hard.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Stop moaning about it. You know nothing. Just wait till you begin courting. Then, it gets difficult!ˇŻ Sedall laughed.

    ˇ®My people also had complex relationships. Though our courting rituals were targeted towards making a new stronger generation. Couples were decided by the two Clans in order to produce the strongest children.ˇŻ Belgroth explained, somewhat curious.

    ˇ®Sounds cold hearted.ˇŻ Sedall commented

    ˇ®Far from it. The couples rarely had issues with each other and those that did simply produced an heir or two then ignored each other. So long as a child was produced between the two, neither Clan really cared. They might be a tad disappointed, both that more heirs wouldnˇŻt be born and because they do want the couple to be happy. But very rarely would a Clan intervene.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Interesting idea. I guess our two Species are very different, despite being similar.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Guys, can we get back to the topic at hand?ˇŻ Alaster interrupted.

    ˇ®Why? This is on you. They donˇŻt even know we exist.ˇŻ Belgroth said with a chuckle.

    ˇ®IˇŻve personally found that just doing it is better than thinking and planning it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Is that why you ended up getting betrayed by someone you thought of as your closest friend and mentor?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Too far man.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Oh donˇŻt be so sensitive.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Guys!ˇŻ

    ˇ®DonˇŻt let us distract you. Get going.ˇŻ

    Sighing to himself, Alaster finally knocked.

    * * * * *

    Somewhere deep beneath the earth, in a place light had long ago forsaken, where even the dead avoided, a large white marble statue with gold accents knelt within a cavern with no entrance.

    The statue was masterfully created. Each line and curve perfect, depicting a Holy Knight kneeling with its armored head bowed. In front of it, embedded in the ground, the Knight held a large greatsword.

    The sword was metallic, though very few would have been able to identify the alloy. They did not need to; they could easily identify the sword itself.

    It was a blade that was recognized throughout all of known history. The symbol of countless stories and legends. It was a weapon that child made toys of, going to bed with tales of it. It was a sign of hope for the righteous, and the bringer of destruction for the evil.

    It was easily recognized, distinct from any other.

    The blade itself was split in two down the middle, only connected through a golden Mana Crystal only a few inches from the tip. The two halves of the blade glowed a faint blue. The guard had a blue gem engraved into the center, powering the blue enchantment, allowing it to effortlessly cut through everything, including Magic.

    The grip was wrapped in a silver alloy, polished to a shine. The pommel was round, engraved into a sun with twelve points. It was a beautiful sword. A sword of legend. A weapon that had laid dormant for centuries.

    Without warning, the gem flashed, illuminating the lightless cavern for a moment before returning to black.

    The silence gradually became heavier, thickening until it became oppressive. Cracks began to spiderweb through the statue, starting from the ground, quickly widening.

    Bright white light escaped through the cracks, growing brighter still until it seemed as if the light was causing the cracks.

    The cracks quickly widened, splitting off, creating countless branches. Marble began to break off, falling to the ground. Dust quickly grew into pebbles, into chunks.

    As the cracks reached the fingers, they tightened on the handle, causing an explosion of marble.

    Light filled the room, bringing with it a sense of warmth and safety, with a hidden rage.

    As the last of the marble fell from the statue, the Knight raised its head, just as the light expelled all darkness.

 CHAPTER 147- LOST AND FOUND

    Deep within the forests south of Lissurian City of Zolis, six people desperately crashed through the foliage, uncaring for the noise they were making. Uncaring of what Monsters they could potentially call down on themselves.

    In their minds, nothing could be worse than the two monsters behind them.

    The setting sun cast deep shadows, merging with each other and plunging the forest in darkness.

    One of those fleeing, a lithe man carrying a bow and empty quiver tripped, screaming out for help. None of his companions stopped. It was already too late.

    Before the man even fully landed, a hole appeared in his chest, ending his life efficiently and cleanly.

    The next to fall was an older and scarred woman carrying a dagger and hatchet. In her desperation and exhaustion, she miscalculated a jump over a fallen trunk. Instead of falling flat on her face, she managed to turned herself midfall, landing on her back with her weapons raised in a cross.

    Her defense was insulting as a large claymore crushed through without resistance, mixing the woman with the earth.

    The large man stood straight, prying his weapon loose and shaking it clean. Another man, much thinner but no less fit, landed beside him.

    ˇ°You gonna take care of those two?ˇ± The large man asked, shrugging towards the last two survivors as they crashed through the undergrowth.

    ˇ°No need. They have already been marked by a bugbear tribe.ˇ± Just as he finished speaking, two distinct, but no less terrified, screams resounded through the forest.

    ˇ°And that would be them.ˇ±

    ˇ°One more mission complete.ˇ± The large man scoffed.

    ˇ°Oh, come on Tom, are you not liking our job anymore?ˇ±

    Indeed, the two men that had caused such terror was Tom and Mark. Through the years, they had grown. In size, maturity, and power. Though neither were quite yet Experts, they were nearly there, and had both killed Experts before in their missions.

    Tom had grown to nearly seven feet tall and was almost entirely muscle. He wore a mix of chainmail and leather with a metal plate covering his upper chest and a closed face armet that both protected and concealed his face.

    The claymore he used, typically a two-handed weapon, was instead with a single hand. In TomˇŻs off hand, he wielded a heater shield, which was currently lashed to his back for quicker mobility through the forest.

    Mike was a fit man that blended in well among the crowds. He wore dark fitted clothing and leathers that helped hide him in shadows. He wore a hood and a mask that covered his lower face.

    His weapons of choice were a curved sword that remained sheathed on his back and a short wooden staff that could also be carried on his back but was currently carried. The staff allowed Mike to cast his Magic faster and for less Mana.

    ˇ°I usually do like our jobs. They allow us to fight challenging opponents, allow us to hone our skills. But this? This was just a waste of our time.ˇ± Tom sighed, sitting down on the very tree trunk that had caused the womanˇŻs demise.

    Mike sat down next to him, ˇ°Oh come on big guy! Think of it as recognition of our increased strength. Just last year we would have seriously struggled or even died fighting these guys.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know.ˇ± Tom allowed his claymore to sink its point into the ground and hung his head.

    Mike focused, ˇ°Hey, whatˇŻs wrong?ˇ±

    A moment passed as Tom tried to figure out how to put his feelings into word, ˇ°Its just that I feel we arenˇŻt really going anywhere. We joined up as Adventurers to grow strong enough to help Alaster when the time came. We accepted the Guild MasterˇŻs offer in order to expedite that and yet it seems like we are just staying the same.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nonsense. And even it was true, just look at us. Even if Alaster had enough power to defeat a hundred experts, he would no doubt have use for two people he could trust and could also defeat a few Experts.ˇ±

    ˇ°But how would we even find him? The world is a big place.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh please! Alaster? We donˇŻt have to find him. He will probably do something like blow up an army.ˇ± Mike joked.

    Tom chuckled, ˇ°He never was the most subtle.ˇ±

    Mike laughed, ˇ°No, you were never the most subtle. Even when you tried. He just never cared to be subtle.ˇ±

    Tom joined his friend in laughter, grimacing a few moments later, ˇ°That is beginning to stink,ˇ± Pointing towards the crushed remains of the woman.

    ˇ°Then letˇŻs head back to town, report our success at dealing with the bandits, and get a drink.ˇ± Mike said, standing up.

    ˇ°You paying?ˇ±

    ˇ°We share the same money.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs the principle of the matter.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ah huh, sure it is.ˇ±

    Tom and Mike leisurely walked through the forest. The sun finished setting, casting the world in darkness and shadow. The more dangerous Monsters became more active, but even they avoided the two.

    It was not deep enough in the forest for Monsters strong enough to concern the two, which is why the Bandits found it suitable to set up camp. Close enough to be safe from the Lethal Monsters and find good prey to steal from and murder, but far enough that most Law Enforcement would not be able to locate them.

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    Unfortunately for the Bandits, they had killed the son of a prominent merchant. A merchant who was willing to pay quite a large amount for the BanditsˇŻ elimination. The Bandits had made themselves enough a nuisance that the Guild Master had already tasked Mike and Tom with their removal, the additional reward was just a cherry on top.

    Normally, such a mission would require some kind of proof of completion, but Mike and Tom and created a reputation for honest, brutal, and efficient mission completion. If they said someone was dead, one could be certain that the someone was in fact dead.

    The pair were technically stationed in the town of Calaren, south of Zolis, however, the pursuit of the Bandits inevitably took them closer to Zolis than Calaren. This late in the day, they decided to spend the night in Zolis and return to Calaren in the morning.

    The Capital of Lissura was busy throughout the day and night. Ordinarily, settlements would close their gates during the night, but Zolis only closed their gates during times of possible threats. The last time they closed their gates was nearly a decade ago, when a Monster Horde had passed within twenty miles of the city. The gates had remained closed until the Hunters had managed to deal with the Horde.

    Mike and Tom walked out of the forest and came into view of the capital.

    As one would expect, the Capital was magnificent. Its walls stood over a hundred meters tall and half that thick. Each individual brick had been enchanted to be more resilient against attacks, then the walls themselves had been enchanted to repel attacks. Atop each of the towers, enchanted plates created a protective dome over the entire city, preventing anything from entering or attacking the city from above.

    Each gate had an entire Platoon of battle-hardened soldiers guarding it, equipped with devices in order to detect hidden cargo or passengers. Every single person attempting to enter or exit the city was scanned, not even the Nobility was exempt. A pair of ballista stood at each gate, loaded with Magic Piercing bolts.

    And that was just the security measures that were public knowledge. Mike was certain that most of the defenses were hidden. Thousands of men and women patrolled and guarded the walls at any one moment. At the first sign of a threat, that number was doubled. And if a threat was identified to be targeting the Capital, that doubled number was once again doubled. In short, the garrison of Zolis numbered in the tens of thousands, though that number was constantly changing and not public.

    Even at this hour, there was a lengthy line to enter the Capital. A line that moved quickly thanks to the experienced soldiers, who despite the repetitive and boring activity, did not slack, at least not these ones.

    Mike allowed Tom to pay attention to their surroundings while he examined his Status. While their Levels were different, they were very close. They were just a few Levels short of becoming Experts. Tom only had a few Abilities, which he could use with lethal efficiency. But Mike, as a Mage, had numerous Abilities that he constantly had to fine tune. His practice allowed him to focus his Magic into very condensed shots of Wind, making it very sharp and difficult to defend against.

    Wind Magic was renowned to be difficult to control due to its innate nature to be free. It was the Element of Freedom after all.

    Despite the consistent pace they moved forward, it was still a long line. Mike finished his quick work long before they reached the gate.

    The pair passed the time by playing cards, which Mike kept levitated as they moved, allowing them to play a game that ordinarily required a surface.

    Eventually, they were only a few people behind the soldiers, so Mike put the cards away, with Tom proclaiming his victory, and both of them took out their Guild Cards, which acted as their identities.

    The cart hauling several crates just ahead of them was waved through and the soldier waved the pair forward.

    ˇ°Reason for entering?ˇ± The soldier asked seriously, without a hint of humor or boredom.

    ˇ°We were looking for a place for the night. In the morning we will leave for Calaren to turn in our Guild Mission.ˇ± Mike explained, showing the soldier his Guild Card.

    ˇ°Anything to declare?ˇ± The man asked, writing something down on his clipboard, not bothering to look at the Card.

    Another Soldier waved the scanner over the pair. The scanner itself was really just an enchanted disc nailed onto a handle.

    ˇ°Nothing sir.ˇ±

    At the nod from the Soldier with the scanner the officer waved the pair through, ˇ°DonˇŻt cause trouble.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you.ˇ± Mike said with a fake smile.

    The scanners gave off a weird feeling when they were used. It was uncomfortable for many, but for Mages, it was even worse. The scannerˇŻs enchantment disrupted Mana, so for those sensitive to Mana, it was like ants crawling on every part of them. Thankfully, the feeling only lasted for a moment.

    The pair walked under the massive portcullis and through the thick walls. Murder holes lined both the walls and ceiling, allowing the Soldiers to easily attack any intruders, should the need arise.

    At the other side of the wall, another que was lined up, waiting to be scanned by guards in order to exit. Many of those entering the city loitered by the gate as they organized themselves, luckily each of the gates had a clearing. The clearing was designed to be clear of any cover attackers could use, allowing the defenders atop the wall to bombard them as they were hindered by more defenders guarding the streets.

    It was not the first time the pair had visited the Capital. On their second trip, Mike had calculated the number of attackers that would be required in order to capture the city. He only had the defenses he could see for his calculations, but even those had put the number nearly over a hundred thousand. Mike doubted any nation could field such an army.

    After getting out of the way, the pair took a moment in the clearing to stretch and relax for a moment. Or Mike did. Tom seemed strangely tense. Not the kind of tense that signaled impeding combat that Mike had learned. Mike had quickly learned to trust TomˇŻs strong senses. It had saved his life countless times.

    Mike stood straight, his Magic reacting to his state of mind, coming to his control.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± He asked, his hand inching towards his curved sword.

    Tom continued to look around with a look of confusion in his eyes as he still wore his helmet, ˇ°I donˇŻt know. Something smells veryˇ­familiar?ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know.ˇ±

    Without warning or prompting, Tom began walking through the crowd, barging through without care of otherˇŻs cries of protest. Mike followed closely behind, offering apologies for his friend while keeping up.

    Eventually, the crowd begin to thin as they neared one of the many streets. As it did, Mike was finally able to peer around his friend and see where he was headed. Tom also finally saw the source of the scent, and as he did, he tried to speed up, only to be pulled back by Mike.

    ˇ°What are you doing? ThatˇŻs her!ˇ± Mike hurriedly put a finger to his mouth and dragged Tom away, taking cover deeper in the crowd. Tom allowed himself to be pulled away.

    ˇ°Big dummy, look at who she is with!ˇ± Mike harshly whispered.

    Tom stood straight, easily seeing over the majority of the crowd and allowing him to see.

    There she was, Evelyn, now fifteen. AlasterˇŻs sister and last remaining family. Everything inside Tom was screaming at him to barrel through the crowd and give her a crushing hug. But MikeˇŻs warning gave him pause enough to see what his friend meant.

    On their third trip in Zolis, the pair had managed to hear a speech from Duke Redmond. The speech had been about a new project to build another city. The Duke had been seeking volunteers to scout the area as well as protect the construction crews and had chosen to speak himself in order to rouse the crowd.

    The pair themselves had almost been wrapped up in it. It was a good thing they werenˇŻt, because the expedition had failed, leading to nearly thirty percent of those that left to not return.

    However, during the speech, Mike had spotted a young boy behind the Duke. The same boy that he now say talking and joking with Evelyn.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs the boy.ˇ± Tom said, realization dawning.

    ˇ°The same boy. Listen, I want nothing more than to go and hug her. But things are too complicated. We canˇŻt do that. We need to find out more.ˇ±

    Tom nodded slowly, before his eyes turned dark, ˇ°Something is very wrong here. Something that makes me want to kill people.ˇ±

    Mike agreed, ˇ°But for now, we remain hidden. Learn what we can. And once we find out the ones responsible, we will kill them all.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 148- THE FORGOTTEN

    The Courtyard was lined with banners, both Onigarian and Galmorian. Just three hours before, the City Lord had announced an alliance with Galmore, both in trade and in military aid.

    If either city needed help, the other would be obligated to send it. They did this in order to further deter the other nations from interfering with them. As it was, most people did not know Galmore was still standing, as cut off from the rest of the world as they were.

    The Onigarian people, still recovering from the siege, celebrated loudly.

    At the same time as the announcement, Keylan announced a massive project to build a road connecting the two cities. That project was met with worry. Alaster couldnˇŻt blame them either.

    The forests around Galmore were incredibly dense and ancient. The types of Monsters one would find there would all be able to threaten Experts, and they would not take kindly to Humans invading their territory.

    However, if the project was completed, it would birth the rise of dozens more Experts as well as allow open trade and transport between the two independent cities.

    Alaster himself had not been there to hear the announcement. He was instead in the Siphas Training Hall, finalizing the creation of his newest Minion. The news had been relayed to him afterward by the Shadow Assassin hidden in IrisˇŻ shadow.

    Iris and Astrid had taken the news surprisingly well. They both understood his reasoning. They were still hesitant to let him go, especially after his death, but Alaster was able to calm them enough by promising that he would visit them once his training was over and before he left for his sister.

    As Alaster left them, he had attached a Shadow Assassin to the shadows of both Astrid and Iris. As the distance grew, Alaster would not be able to Bond with them, though the Shadows would still be able to relay basic information, such as the general wellbeing of the women.

    At the moment, it was just after midnight. In a few hours, Alaster had to be in the courtyard and join the Galmorian Delegation. He should have been sleeping, both Belgroth and Sedall had told him so. But he ignored them, instead using [Death Embrace] to avoid the basic need.

    He stood in the Training Hall examining his newest Minion.

    It was quite simple, not at all amazing to look at, and yet it was the most complex Minion Alaster had made. It was his first Expert Tiered Minion. While the Knights of Remembrance were technically Master Tiered, they were created from the System and required the body of the victim.

    But this Minion? It was made entirely from AlasterˇŻs own skill, ambient souls and a Mana Core.

    What made this Minion so complex?

    It could grow.

    Its appearance was that of an ordinary person, so long as someone didnˇŻt look at their face, of which it didnˇŻt have. Alaster had been practicing with [Flesh Crafting] in his off time. He was experienced enough to cover the Skeletal Structure with flesh and muscle, but not quite enough to create a face, let alone a unique one.

    His first creation had simply had a smooth surface instead of a face. That had disturbed even Alaster. So the second was made with a metal helmet covering the face, leaving only the glowing green eyes exposed. That was much better, so after only a dozen or so additional editions, Alaster fine tuned it enough to be suitable.

    Now the final version was an ordinary fit man. It had neither a mouth, nose, nor genitals. Though Alaster was not intending to have it walk around without clothes. It was summoned without clothes, though the helmet was built into the actual body.

    The helmet was fairly simple, and in fact, was a visored T faced Barbute. Alaster had not bothered to design the helmet with a functioning lift visor, so the visor was permanently closed.

    Now, Alaster could have simply created the body and have an organic Skeletal Minion, quite similar to his first Skeletons. But Alaster wanted a Minion that could grow, that could become stronger. To do that, Alaster found that the best option was to introduce a Mana Core into the Mana Streams of the Spell.

    The new Spell was a mixture of the Undead Mage and Undead Soldier, both fairly simple Summons, but both with vast areas of growth. After all, each of AlasterˇŻs Third Method Summons originated from the Undead Soldier.

    Simply put, this new Minion, AlasterˇŻs first Expert Tier Minion, was capable of becoming stronger from practice and killing, just like a System affected Human.

    The Core was what defined the MinionˇŻs starting Abilities and Tier. If Alaster used a Novice Ice Core, than the Minion would start out as a Novice with a few Ice related Abilities. Even better, if Alaster used another Novice Ice Core on another Minion, while the two Minions would have similar Abilities, they would not be the same.

    Alaster saw it like this, each type of core had a list of Abilities it could grant to the Minion, and it would randomly pick three from the list.

    Once Alaster used the Core, it was consumed. If the Minion was destroyed, unlike the other Advanced Minions like the Dread Knight, where Alaster could simply resummon them, the Expert Minion was instead destroyed. Alaster could simply remake another one, but it would require another Core and would start out at the lowest level of that tier.

    The Mana Stream required for the Spell was by far the most complicated Alaster had ever attempted to Manipulate. Thousands upon thousands of Streams, all layered and weaved into each other. Changing even a single one would slightly change all of them. Alaster had stopped counting how many times he screwed up the entire project after the four hundredth time. But he was nothing if not determined.

    Summoner Type Mages were wanted because they could summon others to fight for them, and do so repeatedly, allowing themselves to hide away in safety or fight alongside the Minion, usually casting Magic from a distance.

    Necromancers were renowned for their ability to raise thousands of very weak Minions, simply drowning their enemies in numbers.

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    With this new Minion, Alaster could create an army of Adepts and even Experts by himself. An army that did not need to breathe, eat, sleep, and never grew tired.

    Unfortunately, Alaster was not quite sure what would happen once this Minion Type grew stronger. If he used a Novice Core, it was summoned at level one. It could grow stronger using the same methods as any Human. But unlike a Human, who could simply advance to Adept simply by choosing their advanced class, Alaster did not know how the Minion would advance, or if it could.

    He would need further testing, not just for the question about advancing, but also for the hundreds of other unknowns about the Minion Type.

    As for its intelligence, the Minion was summoned with none, it was no better than a drone. But within the tangled mass of itˇŻs Mana Streams, Alaster suspected that it would generate its own false identity overtime. It would not have a soul, but it could learn and adapt, creating its own identity.

    However, at the moment, all of those questions could be answered over time, at a later date. He had a limited time left in Onigas. He needed to the answer to the question that had suddenly become the most important question. And unfortunately, neither Belgroth and Sedall knew.

    They both claimed that it was simple enough that they could figure it out in a few weeks, but why wait when there was someone in Onigas who knew the answer?

    Alaster sent the Minion into his Soul and told the others to leave it alone for the moment. Using the Shadow Assassins as a sort of merger, Alaster used [Swap] to quickly traverse the shadows to arrive at his destination in a single minute.

    Preparing himself, Alaster knocked on the door loudly. Muffled curses immediately began, leaking through the wooden door.

    Colius threw open the door, ˇ°Alaster? I like you, but you better have a good reason for waking me up at this hour.ˇ±

    Alaster got right to business, ˇ°How do you create Mana Cores?ˇ±

    Colius, still in his sleeping robe and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, looked at the dark armored man before him with confusion, ˇ°Seriously? ThatˇŻs what this is about? You mean to tell me that with all your Magical Power, you never learned something that simple?ˇ±

    Colius sighed, ˇ°Come in. ItˇŻs simple but can take a while to figure out.ˇ±

    Colius shuffled back into his room and sat down on his bed. Alaster followed him, closing the door and sitting down in the chair at the cluttered desk.

    The old man yawned, ˇ°Alright, so a Mana Core is basically just condensed Mana contained in a hardened shell of Mana. Like a pill. Cores are naturally created within the bodies of the occasional Monster, but they can also be artificially made. Unfortunately, the artificially created ones are not as effective as the natural ones.

    The Natural Cores can be used to bestow Abilities, Spells, and even Bloodlines to others. But Artificial Cores arenˇŻt intricate or efficient enough to do so.

    So usually, Artificial Cores are used as a cheaper alternative to enchantments and alchemy. Cheaper at the cost of less efficient and effective. Though many find the cost saving worth it. I use Artificial Cores whenever IˇŻm experimenting with certain enchantments but prefer to use Natural Cores on the final product.

    Artificial Cores are simple to make, but use a lot of Mana and time to create. On the open market, they are much cheaper than Natural Cores, but still cost a pretty penny. I know a few Mages who pay their bills entirely off the Artificial Cores they sell.

    As a basic rule of thumb, Novice Artificial Cores require a thousand Mana. Adept Cores, five thousand. And Expert Cores, ten thousand. As you might expect, the more Mana that is used, the harder it is to control it, making higher Tiered Cores much more expensive as they require more skill and Mana.

    Now why do you want to make them? IˇŻm sure that with your money you could buy as many Natural Cores as you might want or need.ˇ± Colius explained, stopping several times to yawn, not bothering to cover his mouth.

    ˇ°The problem is supply. As well as attention. I doubt I could buy a thousand Cores at once, so that would take time to buy in much smaller amounts. And it would create a lot of attention I simply donˇŻt want to deal with.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what do you want to use them for? As I said, Artificial Cores are much less effective.ˇ±

    ˇ°I have a Minion that requires a Mana Core to be summoned. I honestly donˇŻt know if an Artificial Core would work, but if it does, amazing. If it doesnˇŻt? That sucks, but IˇŻll make it work.ˇ±

    Colius shrugged, uncaring as he laid down with another yawn, ˇ°Alright, listen up boy. To make a Core, simply bundle up your Mana tightly, once you are satisfied with the amount, you want to harden the outer layer. Do not harden the entirety of the bundle, or it will explode. If you can use multiple types of Mana, then you will also want to pay attention to what Mana you are using. If you use multiple types of Mana in the same Core, then it increases the difficulty exponentially.

    Very simple, but a bit finicky. I suggest practicing in an open place that you donˇŻt mind damaging. Meaning, not here. Now go away, I want to catch some rest before dawn.ˇ±

    Smirking at the old manˇŻs antics, Alaster quietly left the room through the shadows, quickly reappearing in the Training Hall.

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs it?ˇŻ Sedall asked in disbelief.

    ˇ®Primordials, no wonder HumanityˇŻs enchantments are so shit.ˇŻ Belgroth cursed.

    ˇ®What do you mean? And Sedall, shouldnˇŻt you know this?ˇŻ Alaster asked as he sat down in a mediative stance.

    ˇ®No, I never cared much for Enchanting. They could be quite irritating to fight against but had a hard limit. Meaning, as long as you were strong enough, enchantments meant nothing. As a demigod, only Enchantments powered directly by other demigods could affect me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I also didnˇŻt really study Enchantments. Too much book work for me. But even I know more than this! Alaster, I promise you, I can figure out how to make Cores that are just as good as Natural Cores.

    It will be more complicated than simple Mana, but I know its possible. Just give me time.ˇŻ

    ˇ®For now, try to use make an Artificial Core and see if it will work for the Minion.ˇŻ Sedall pushed.

    Nodding to himself, Alaster began to follow ColiusˇŻ instruction. As the old man had said, the concept was simple, but the actual creation was harder. However, as an Expert, Alaster had great control over his own Mana, further refined by his own practice and experience. It only took two attempts to successfully create a Novice Core.

    Each of the failed attempts had caused the ball of greenish Mana to explode in a four-foot radius. Had there been anything organic within those four feet, Alaster imagined it would have been eaten by the Mana. As it was, there was only dirt.

    Alaster held the finished product in his hand. It had only taken him a few minutes to make the polished ball. It looked like a thick greenish mist had been trapped inside a glass ball. It still swirled around.

    ˇ®ItˇŻs actually kinda pretty.ˇŻ Alaster commented.

    ˇ®Pretty dangerous. At least for Novices. If you threw that, it would break and explode. Much more fragile than Nature Cores.ˇŻ Sedall added.

    ˇ®Potential weapon?ˇŻ Alaster joked.

    ˇ®Not a bad idea, though I can imagine many better uses for a thousand Mana. Now try it on the Minion.ˇŻ

    Alaster stood up and held the palm sized Core in his open hand.

    Channeling Mana into the Spell, an additional five thousand Mana was taken, condensing in a brief swirling cloud of dark green Mana. In a few moments, the cloud vanished, revealing the naked Minion. Without any prompting, the Core flew out of AlasterˇŻs open hand like a bolt. It touched the MinionˇŻs skin and slowed to a crawl in a moment, slowly merging with the Minion, disappearing within.

    As it fully vanished, the eyes of the Minion pulsed.

    ˇ®Well it worked, lets see how well though.ˇŻ Alaster commented, peering at the MinionˇŻs Mana Streams.

    Still feeling his soul ache, his migraine grew slightly as he looked at the complex tangled mess. A single glance was enough to make it worse but was also enough for Alaster to learn what he wanted.

    ˇ®Hmmm. It worked. The Minion can grow stronger, but it didnˇŻt inherit any Abilities, only gained the ability to crudely manipulate Necrotic Mana.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So it can learn to use Necrotic Spells?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®Maybe [Death Touch] and [Necrotic Bolt]. Basically, just the Spells that use just raw Necrotic Mana.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Oh donˇŻt sound so disappointed. You can create a Minion capable of growing in power, and as of yet, an unknown number of them.ˇŻ Belgroth scowled.

    ˇ®Fair enough. Soon, the core of my army will be of these Forgotten. My Forgotten Legion.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 149- REMEMBRANCE

    Now that he was certain he could create Forgotten from Artificial Cores, however lesser they were, Alaster quickly moved onto his final goal before dawn.

    After waking up after the siege, Alaster had checked his Status and found that he had gained quite a few Abilities and Bonuses. [Shared Pain] would allow him to transfer damage from himself to his own Minions, up to four Minions and within ten meters. That was a powerful Bonus considering he could create Minions like the Iron Guardians, whose entire purpose was to take damage.

    But that was not what Alaster was focusing on at the moment. He had gotten [Shared Pain] after his Intelligence rose to five hundred. But Intelligence was not the only Stat to raise to five hundred, it was not even the first.

    Once his Wisdom had reached five hundred, Alaster had gained a bonus called [ReaperˇŻs Touch]. It allowed him to consume the Souls of the dead. From the Mana Streams, Alaster was able to decipher that doing so would permanently increase his own Stats depending on a fraction of what the SoulˇŻs stats had been while it still lived.

    However, the Bonus had no range stated, or limit. All it stated was the Mana Cost, a paltry two thousand. It also warned not to allow the souls to consume him, so Alaster had been cautious about using the Bonus recklessly.

    However, after the siege, there were hundreds, potentially thousands of souls lingering around the city. Over time, they would diminish on their own. Alaster did not know when he would next find so many souls in one place. He did not want to leave without at least attempting the Bonus.

    Alaster silently made his way out of the Siphas Estate, using the Shadows to avoid the guards as he did not want to cause a scene. Looking to the purple sky, Alaster suspected he had an hour or two before dawn. Not a long time, but Alaster decided not to rush. He did not know when he would next be able to walk the streets of Onigas.

    This early in the morning, the streets were deserted. As someone accustomed to being alone and tied to darkness, it was strangely peaceful.

    Unfortunately, Alaster could not leisurely walk and was soon at his destination. Where the souls were densest. Alaster could not see them with the naked eye, but he could certainly feel them.

    Unsurprisingly, the concentration of souls was also the location of his death. The city had not yet managed to completely clear the debris of the fallen wall. There was still a small hill of shattered stone bricks.

    Alaster climbed the hill without much effort. Standing at the apex, he looked up. To an outside observer, it appeared as if the young man was staring at the night sky. In truth, Alaster was looking at the souls.

    Only the strongest of souls could retain their shape. The souls that surrounded Alaster were all shapeless, but not without their own wishes and goals. Their own dreams, their own hopes.

    Despite the wording of the Bonus, Alaster would not destroy the souls, instead, a portion of the soul would be consumed, the rest would move on to the other side, the Ether.

    ˇ°Thank you for your sacrifice.ˇ± Alaster solemnly prayed.

    Closing his eyes, Alaster activated [ReaperˇŻs Touch]. It started slowly. Unseen to the naked eye, AlasterˇŻs own soul expanded from his body, taking the shape of an greenish orb around him with hints of red and brown. Suffused with the orb, was black, adding a dark undertone.

    The orb finished growing, extending three meters past AlasterˇŻs body. As it did, it pulsed, sending a wave through the area. The mindlessly swirling souls froze as the wave crashed into and through them. Then, they shot towards the orb. Swarming to it.

    As the souls reached the orb, they entered it, causing ripples through the orb.

    Alaster felt unaffected by the first ten, but there were many more than ten. His body grew tense as it strained to withstand the barrage. His nose began to bleed. He collapsed to his knee, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    The unseen orb gradually shrunk, cracks forming, spiderwebbing throughout.

    Despite the pain Alaster was in, he didnˇŻt put a stop to it. He couldnˇŻt. It was not just the pain, but the emotions crashing into him. The raw souls all had their own emotions and thoughts, and as they were absorbed, Alaster felt all of them.

    He felt their hopes, their dreams, their fears, their nightmares. It was almost overpowering. Almost. Alaster felt his mind slipping, being consumed by the wave of emotions, but he focused on his own. His own emotions, his own dreams. His own goal. He imagined holding his sister once again. Of the blood of her kidnappers running through his fingers.

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    That image allowed Alaster to keep his own identity. Even with the hundreds of other identities slamming into him.

    Alaster was not sure how long he knelt there, but gradually the flood turned into a stream, then a river, then a trickle. He remained there, his nose bleeding, for several minutes after it ended.

    Raising his head, Alaster heard the system give a notice. He opened his Status.

    [ReaperˇŻs Touch Complete

    Stats Received

    Strength: 264

    Dexterity: 231

    Constitution: 272

    Wisdom: 178

    Intelligence: 183]

    Even after the souls were all consumed, his body was in agony as his body was forced to adapt so much so quickly. Alaster knelt there, trying to push through the pain. He was not sure how long he knelt there, but he soon felt the warm gentle sun warm his Pact Armor.

    With a grunt of pain and his bodyˇŻs protests, Alaster stood up, letting his helmet melt away before spitting out another mouthful of blood and wiping his nose and mouth clean. The helmet formed around his head once more and Alaster headed back into the City.

    His body ached with each step, prompting him to summon the Skeletal Stallion from his soul and climbing on. The Stallion walked gently, Alaster still felt pain every step, but it was diminished.

    Without the energy to merge through the shadows to avoid the guards, they all saw him. Luckily, they had all learned what the savior of their city looked like, as well as heard the stories of what little patience he had. None of them stopped him as he walked through the different walls.

    As Alaster rode closer to the City LordˇŻs residence, the roads became more crowded. It seemed that everyone wanted to see the Galmorian Delegation leaving. Many had seen them arrive in their flying carriage and news had spread causing everyone to want to see it. Certainly, was not every day you saw something flying and didnˇŻt want to eat you.

    Yet despite how crowded the street became, they all cleared a wide berth around Alaster. Refusing to show weakness, even if thatˇŻs all he felt, Alaster sat straight and proud in the saddle.

    He eventually made it into the City LordˇŻs Estate where only the more esteemed of the Nobility were allowed through. Apparently, there was a list provided to the guards. Regardless of if AlasterˇŻs name was on the list, the guards did not halt him.

    Nonetheless, Alaster got off his Stallion with a muted groan and sent the beast through the portal to his Domain. Fighting through his pain, Alaster stood straight and walked forward. The courtyard was filled with Nobility. Some more arrogant than others. Some looking at Alaster with reverence, others with fear. But the Noble Family that caught AlasterˇŻs eye was the one that looked at him like a tool.

    Not at all a surprise to Alaster, it was the Lewale Family. He spotted Arthur standing behind his father. Alaster ignored the family and continued towards the golden carriage he had already ridden once before.

    It now had a second carriage attached to it, which Alaster suspected was reserved for the guards. The Delegation was standing in front of the carriages, their guards surrounding the carriages. It seemed the Galmorian Nobles were still discussing some final things.

    Alaster walked towards Azemar, who he saw standing to the side.

    ˇ°I thought we were leaving at dawn.ˇ±

    ˇ°First lesson, politics is always late.ˇ± Azemar sighed.

    ˇ°Anything that requires my presence?ˇ±

    ˇ°No but stay out here regardless.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, but listened to his teacher, remaining standing next to him. It was another hour before the Galmorian Nobles began to trickle into the carriage. However, before Alaster could get in, the City Lord caught his attention.

    Alaster walked over while the last of the Delegation entered the carriage, followed by the guards in the second carriage. Azemar walked over to the door of the Noble Carriage but waited to enter.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°Two things really. First, as the City Lord of Onigas. While you are technically independent from either city, the Galmorian people will still associate you with Onigas, so please donˇŻt do anything that would reflect poorly on us.

    Second, as a father. IˇŻve seen the way my daughter looks at you. As a father, no one is ever going to be good enough for her. But you might just be the closest. If you desire it, I will accept you.ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head, ˇ°IˇŻm afraid I canˇŻt allow myself to think about anyone that way until I find my sister. Perhaps afterwards. I donˇŻt know.

    However, now that we are talking, as things stand currently, I would wish to bring my sister here after I rescue her. This is the City I most know and trust.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are seeking to live here?ˇ±

    ˇ°As things stand. I have no doubt that they will change. However, I do wish to confirm the ability to live here.ˇ±

    Keylan chuckled, ˇ°You neednˇŻt ask at all. Should you return with the desire to a life in Onigas, I promise you will always have a home here. And with this new alliance, we might even be able to stand against Lissura, at least in this. Just donˇŻt expect us to be able to wage a war against them.ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head, ˇ°No, I wonˇŻt be involving anyone in my vengeance. Least of all Onigas.ˇ±

    Keylan nodded before he turned serious, ˇ°Alaster, be careful, and leave none alive.ˇ±

    Alaster grinned sinisterly, ˇ°Not a chance.ˇ±

    ˇ°Farewell then.ˇ± Keylan held out his hand.

    Alaster took it, ˇ°Farewell.ˇ±

    Letting go, Alaster walked over to the carriages. He took one last look behind him. His eyes immediately located Astrid and Iris, sitting on the stables roof. Alaster waved at them, which elicited a loud cheer from the crowd as they thought he was waving to them. But the two women understood and waved back. The Siphas Family waved and Alaster returned it.

    Finally, Alaster entered the carriage and sat down. Even with the six representatives, there was still plenty of space. Azemar entered after Alaster, closing the door behind him. As he did, Alaster felt the carriage lifting off the ground.

    He was leaving Onigas. His destination? The final step before he went after his sister. He was eager, restless, and above all, bloodthirsty.

    How many more would die?

 CHAPTER 150- LONG TRIP

    ˇ°So, this is the one you finally decide to take as your apprentice?ˇ± One of the Nobles scoffed, ˇ°He is a disgrace.ˇ±

    It had only been an hour after the Delegation had left Onigas. It would take roughly two days to reach Galmore. They would land shortly before sunset as even Azemar did not want to contend with the Monstrosities of night that called the sky their home.

    Alaster had fallen asleep almost immediately after liftoff. He had started out neatly tucked into the corner of the carriage, his head leaning against the wall. Now, he was sprawled out with his head laid back against the headrest.

    ˇ°Truly, is there not someone else that you might have taken on? Preferably from our own city?ˇ± Another Noble added.

    Azemar simply continued reading his book, ˇ°Funny that you finally find the courage to insult my choice, when the lad is asleep.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh please! Lord Azemar, we are politicians. We fight with words, not our fists or spells.ˇ±

    ˇ°In that case, you have already lost. I would suggest you stop insulting the boy.ˇ±

    ˇ°And why is that? Are you threatening us?ˇ±

    ˇ°Me? No. You arenˇŻt worth the threat. Besides, if I truly cared, I would just whisper a few words in the MarquisˇŻ ear. I am simply giving you a friendly warning.ˇ±

    ˇ°The brat is sleeping, what could he do?ˇ±

    Azemar sighed, finally looking up and closing his book, ˇ°Lord Nelvar, he may be young, but he is still an Expert. An Expert very experienced in survival. He might be asleep, but he is well protected.ˇ±

    A few of the Nobles looked around in confusion, but Lord Nelvar only chuckled, ˇ°By what? None of his Minions are here.ˇ±

    Azemar rolled his eyes and returned to his book, ˇ°Keep believing that, if it will bring you comfort. But you should know that high-tier Minions can be quite protective of their Masters. Oh, and some can be quite difficult to spot.ˇ±

    Lord Nelvar became tense, activating several of his Abilities in hope of spotting the possible Minion. He looked all around the carriage, but he found nothing. The middle aged man calmed down, thinking the Elder had simply given him a fruitless warning.

    The Lord had neglected to look at his own shadow, where two Shadow Assassins held their daggers mere centimeters away from the manˇŻs heart and throat.

    They only restrained themselves, despite their desire, due to their MasterˇŻs strict instruction, to only defend him and not act on their own.

    Alaster silently adjusted in his sleep, immediately drawing the NoblesˇŻ attention, but he remained asleep, unaware of the blood so close to being shed.

    * * * * *

    When Alaster woke, the pain in his soul was lessened, though only just. Before he opened his eyes, he took account of the Shadow Assassins as well as what he could see in the [Seeker Sight] radius. They were still flying, though by the look of it, they were descending, and the Nobles were preparing to depart.

    Strangely, the Shadows seemed to be glaring at one of the Nobles in particular.

    Alaster dismissed it and simply opened his eyes and began to stretch.

    The Nobles immediately noticed him moving and seemed to avoid him, as much as they could in the fairly cramped space of the carriage.

    The last time Alaster had been in the flying carriage, just before being kicked out over Onigas, the carriage had seemed like it had plenty of space. But eight Nobles, Azemar, and Alaster himself filled the space. Luckily, there were plenty of seats. The carriage had been fitted with booths in preparation for the Delegation.

    Alaster spotted Azemar in the corner opposite him, calmly reading a book. Alaster wanted to speak with his new teacher, wondering just what he would be teaching him, but the feeling he got was that Azemar did not like being interrupted while he was reading.

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    That was something Alaster understood.

    The light peaking through the four small windows revealed the setting sun. The carriages were descending, though not in any sort of hurry. Instead, Alaster sat back down after stretching and began to work on creating another Dread Knight.

    At this point, Alaster had enough practice with the Dread Knight pattern that he was confident he could create at least one before they landed. Having already made the pattern, all Alaster had to do was ensure the Mana he fed into the Spell traveled through the Streams in the correct way.

    It was tedious, but necessary. Mana preferred to go its own way. It was not at all difficult for Alaster to adjust it, but it was constant, and a single mistake risked the entire Spell falling apart.

    They must have been either much higher, or descending a lot slower than Alaster suspected, because he was able to create four more Dread Knights before the carriage gently rocked as it touched ground.

    The Nobles quickly left the carriage, likely not used to being in such a confined situation. Alaster stayed as he finished the pattern for the fifth Dread Knight. Once he finished, he opened his eyes and found that he was the last one in the carriage.

    Alaster sent his Shadows out scouting and left the carriage with the Pact Halberd forming in his hand.

    The guards had already begun to set up camp while the Nobles stood around talking to each other.

    ˇ®Useless as ever.ˇŻ Alaster scoffed.

    ˇ®DonˇŻt underestimate them. They might not be doing the physical grunt work, but they are keeping an active eye on their surroundings, allowing their guards to work without worry.ˇŻ Sedall chastised.

    ˇ®Look closer Alaster. Each individual here is an experienced fighter. They have all had their fair share of combat.ˇŻ Belgroth commented.

    ˇ®But of course, Galmore is isolated from the rest of Humanity and is in the middle of one of the most dangerous areas accessible to us.ˇŻ Sedall boasted.

    ˇ®What are you so proud about? They trapped themselves. Hiding behind their walls in a desperate attempt to be unseen by the truly dangerous creatures.ˇŻ

    ˇ®DonˇŻt ridicule their struggle.ˇŻ Sedall said in a quiet voice.

    ˇ®What is it Sedall?ˇŻ Alaster asked as he found a spot and began to mold bone from his newly expanded Ring into a shelter for the night.

    ˇ®Before I became a Demigod, I was one of the Masters that led people to the city now called Galmore. I helped to construct and protect the settlers as they built the settlement from nothing.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why build in a place so inhospitable to your kind?ˇŻ Belgroth asked, genuinely curious.

    ˇ®Back then, the System was still figuring itself out. There were more Experts and Masters, but fewer Novices and Adepts. Those that survived the SystemˇŻs influence typically grew quite powerful quickly. Most of the settlers were Experts that wanted to create their own nation.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So, after they built their city, you just left?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Kinda? In my defense of them, I gained enough understanding of existence that I was beginning to grasp the secrets of Demigods. I felt that if I stayed, they would slip through my fingers. So, I made sure they were settled, and left. It was another fifty years before I managed to understand the secrets and truly ascend.ˇŻ

    As Alaster listened to his mentorˇŻs story, he molded the bone to create a suitable shelter. It was practically just a tent made out of bone. Long enough for Alaster to lay down comfortably and wide enough that he could lay down on either side while still leaving a two-foot pathway down the middle.

    The walls were four feet tall before meeting the sloped ceiling, just in case it rained. The middle, where it was highest, was tall enough for Alaster to stand comfortably. To avoid getting wet, Alaster even made a floor of hardened bone.

    Overall, it was quite heavy, not that Alaster intended to move it once it was set up. He could quite quickly disassemble it at the seams in order to store the pieces back in his Ring of Holding. While the Ring was much larger inside, the portal has only slightly become larger, only allowing objects through its five-by-five portal.

    As for the furniture, Alaster did not need much. He could just as easily sleep on the ground, but why do that when he could so easily make something better?

    He only made a bed. It was made out of softened and flexible bone, but it was still bone. Nowhere near as comfortable as a normal bed, but much better than the hard and rocky dirt. As an afterthought, Alaster seeped some Fire Mana into the bone bed, causing it to radiate a little heat, just enough to be comfortable without a blanket.

    Finished with his shelter for the night, Alaster looked around. The guards had finished the set up and two were now cooking a large stew. Alaster noticed that while the guards were not on guard, they still positioned their tents around the NoblesˇŻ. The Nobles themselves seemed to be playing a card game among themselves.

    Alaster was not interested in socializing and instead looked around until he saw his teacher sitting down in a wooden rocking chair right outside the Noble Carriage.

    Alaster decided now was as good a time as any. He needed to know what he would be learning and when they could start. He was eager to finish. Eager to learn how to best dismantle his enemies. He had already learned how to do that physically and magically, now he wanted to learn how to do so mentally.

    Alaster walked over to Azemar and molded his own bone stool in mere moments. Sitting down, Alaster finally asked.

    ˇ°When can we begin?ˇ±

    Azemar raised his head, opening his eyes, ˇ°Begin what?ˇ±

    ˇ°My training?ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps, though it would be best to wait until we return to Galmore. Your lessons will require more than simple lectures.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what will my lessons be about?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why, how to be a Noble, of course.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 151- HORRID REALITY

    Nobility. A title granted to families that had done great deeds for the Nation, they pledged themselves to. Rewarded for their actions with great power and authority. Granted the privilege to oversee parts of the Nation, dividing the governing and allowing for much faster reactions to whatever arises.

    It was a great honor and duty.

    It was something children were taught to look up to.

    But in reality, it was something to fear. Not in the title itself. All commoners wished they could become a Noble. But in the Nobles themselves. Within their authority, they had the power to completely destroy the lives of even dozens of commoners without even being questioned. They would only draw attention if they ruined the lives of hundreds.

    Children learned quickly to step out of the way of Nobles and to bow their heads, never to look a Noble in the eye or dare to disobey a command from one.

    Nobles tended to stay in the cities, typically congregating around the capital in order to play their political games. Deciding the fate of a Nation they only saw through their coin purses and account ledgers. Why see the lands they were supposed to govern and protect when they can pay someone to do that for them?

    They could remain in the comforts of their cities and manors, rarely having the need to get up from their expensive couches or stop snacking on delicacies that cost more than what a commoner makes in a month.

    Due to that tendency, Alaster had rarely met a Noble when he was a child in the distant village of Pinefall. But each meeting only soured his opinion of them.

    The stories told of valiant and brave Nobles, wearing gleaming armor and atop magnificent steeds, charging fearlessly into battle to protect their people. Risking their lives to honor their promise.

    What a lie that turned out to be.

    By now, Alaster had met dozens of Nobles, and yet the Onigarian City LordˇŻs and Siphas Family were the exceptions. Proving themselves to be quite normal.

    One would have expected that with Galmore isolated from the rest of the world for several centuries, they would have developed differently. But after meeting and watching the Galmorian Delegation, he found them indistinguishable from other Nobility. Just as self-centered and greedy as any other.

    Out of the entire Delegation, only two of the Nobility saw the common people as anything more than simply numbers on a piece of paper. Even then, they did not truly see them as people, just more than animals, barely.

    With his opinion and the experiences to back it up, Alaster was not excited to be told that his final teacher, the person that was supposed to teach him the final step in how to rescue his sister, would instead be teaching him how to act like the very people who killed his parents and stole away his sister.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Alaster finally asked.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Azemar huffed humorously, ˇ°Tell me boy, with all the hundreds of Nobles within a single Nation, and thousands in the world, how does the common person know if the person standing before them is a Noble?ˇ±

    ˇ°The way they dress, act, and their retinue?ˇ±

    ˇ°Pretty much. In the grand scheme of things, Nobility is nothing more than one person claiming to be better than the others around them and being believed. If the common man cannot distinguish between Nobility and Commonfolk without something as flimsy as fancy clothing and speech, how do the Nations themselves do so?ˇ±

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    Alaster thought for a moment, ˇ°Bloodlines?ˇ±

    Azemar nodded with a slight grin, ˇ°Pretty much. History. ThatˇŻs it. But throughout the countless years Humanity has been around, History can be quite confusing and even deceitful. Each Nation does what they can to track the Family History for each Noble in order to cement their authenticity.

    But then what about when a new Noble Family arises? And in another Nation?ˇ±

    Alaster thought once more but couldnˇŻt think of an answer. Azemar chuckled at his response.

    ˇ°As I said, Nobility is simply one person saying they are better, and being believed. And in the Noble Community, calling someone a liar, especially for serious matters has created conflicts that have lasted centuries and cost hundreds of lives.

    Simply put, if one Noble is not absolutely certain that the other is lying, they wonˇŻt say anything. And a lie told enough times and over a long enough period of time, becomes truth. Maybe not reality, but truth.

    If I told you that water was dry, you would call me a liar. But if I told enough people, there would be some foolish enough to believe me. They would form their own reasons as to why I am right simply because they donˇŻt want to be wrong. That lie would grow, and if it was not stopped, it would soon spread to so many people that common knowledge would be that water was dry.

    ThatˇŻs what power is. Sure, having physical or magically strength is great, and should be trained and cultivated. But true power is the ability to manipulate a personˇŻs perception of reality. Once you control that, you control the person, and can make them do or believe anything you want.

    DonˇŻt believe me? Pick up a history book.

    Ever heard the saying, ˇ®The victors write the historyˇŻ? ItˇŻs the same principle. No one likes to be the ˇ®bad guyˇŻ. Everyone wants to be the hero. Which makes it so easy to convince them that they are. You can very easily convince someone they are the ˇ®good guysˇŻ even as they are beheading children. Why? Because they want to be.

    Young people, typically between the ages of thirteen and twenty-three, are the easiest to control. They donˇŻt truly have their own beliefs, they are still trying to figure themselves out. That uncertainty makes them easy to control. Tell them that their parents donˇŻt truly understand them. The kids will believe you, because thatˇŻs what they want to believe. Tell them that their parents hate them. Have them rebel against their parents.

    In just a short time frame, you can convince hundreds of young people to murder their own parents. Just look at history. Young people are idiotic, stupid, na?ve. Just tell them something they like, and they will believe you. All people are like that, itˇŻs just the young ones that are so easy.

    Dictators have all understood that and used it. Give power to those that donˇŻt have it, and they will follow you everywhere and believe anything you say.

    Did you realize that the Commonfolk outnumber the Nobles by hundreds of times over? So then, in a world where the System equalizes everyone, granting them power should they seek it, how do the Nobility keep control? They donˇŻt try to control the masses through force. They simply control their ideas.

    The strongest human emotion is hate. Coupled with the human instinct to feel safe. Use those two, convince the masses that something wishes to harm them. Convince them that they should hate this something. Do that, and you can get them to do anything in the attempt to protect themselves against this something.

    With Monsters being prolific throughout the world, it has been very easy for the Nobility to keep their power.

    To learn to be a Noble, that is what you must learn. How to control a mind.

    The people who murdered your family and took your sister are Nobility. You know this. You could simply storm in, slaughtering any who dare stands in your way, but even an Expert as powerful as you has a limit. All the Nobles would have to do is convince the masses that you wish to destroy their ways of life, which considering you are killing everyone in your way, wonˇŻt be difficult to convince.

    Then you will have thousands upon thousands hunting you down.

    But, if you can convince the Nobility that you are one of them, then you can begin to pit them against each other, weakening them as a whole, allowing you to extract your sister safely and without harassment.

    Be fancy, dress fancy, speak fancy, act fancy, and they will not dare question your authenticity. They will fall over themselves in order to gain your favor. You will do favors for them, gaining favors in kind. You will first learn to manipulate the minds of the masses. Then, you will learn how to manipulate the minds of the Nobility.

    I will teach you how to conceal yourself while you act in the shadows. You will learn to sabotage while protecting yourself.

    Nobility is simply a title for those claiming to be better. So few truly are. You will learn how to play their political games, how to lie, how to mislead, and how to govern. I will teach you how to govern their own lands better than they can.

    I am going to teach you how to be a Noble. You will become a Noble. You will be able to stand before the very person who took caused your familyˇŻs destruction, and you will smile.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 152- UNCERTAINTY

    Alaster did not sleep that night. He had already been planning on staying awake, creating even more Forgotten. But now, he could not sleep even if he wanted to.

    Could he do it?

    Could he truly do it?

    Could he look at the person he killed his parents, stole away his sister, ruined his life and control himself?

    Alaster did not know if he could.

    He had never needed to.

    Since this horrible journey began, Alaster had not once needed to control his emotions. He had needed to hide them numerous times. He had pretended to be someone else before. When he had lived with the Siphas Family, he had pretended to be a normal kid.

    That time had created a split in his personality. A well-behaved, well-speaking, normal child. And his true self, cold, emotionless, violent, and cruel. When he encountered Astrid, he had used a different version of his act to teach her.

    It was the act that the two women loved. Not him. Astrid knew more of his true self but had not truly encountered it before. That is why he felt nothing romantic towards the two. They loved the mask that he wore.

    How could he love someone who did not know him?

    He had developed the mask through slow trial and error. Paying attention to otherˇŻs reactions and adjusting. Eventually, he ended with a persona that was quiet and stoic, but otherwise normal. It was designed to protect him, but Alaster was not under the illusion that it would quickly come apart under the focused scrutiny of Nobility.

    The Nobles of Onigas and even Galmore were sheltered. They did not interact much with the rest of the world. That left them less intense. They did not need to play their games with the thousands of others in the world.

    Against them, Alaster could simply force them into submission with his might. But he would not be able to do that with the Nobles in Lissura. Not only were they vastly more experienced and knew how to counter such crude displays of power, but Lissura also had access to a few thousand Experts that were just as experienced.

    If Alaster was to infiltrate the Lissurian court, he knew he needed to create a better mask. He had to make them believe he was one of them.

    If he could do that, they would lower their guard, allowing him to learn what he needed to as well as who needed to die at his hand.

    He had always known that information was vital in any confrontation. The siege had only reinforced that fact. The Tarian forces had very little information about him. They had no idea what his capabilities were. That ignorance had cost them the siege.

    Information would be even more critical against the Nobility. Alaster needed a way to gather information. Not just information that was public, or even casually hidden, but information that they desperately wanted to keep secret. The secrets they would kill to protect.

    Once Alaster knew these secrets, he would know how to control them.

    He was already better suited for discovering such information than many, but he could not be everywhere. Instead, Alaster would need a Minion that was designed for stealth and information gathering.

    Alaster already had something in mind, but he was certain that it was well outside his Stream Weaving ability. He needed to experiment. To work the streams in ways that he had never thought of doing. It would undoubtedly create quite painful recoil with each failure.

    But if he could get it to work as he planned, his power would multiply, in more ways than even he currently imagined.

    Yet despite the idea raging through his mind, gradually refining itself. Alaster had just recently designed a revolutionary Minion capable of growth. A Minion that Alaster still had not tested thoroughly.

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    The System had designated the Minion as, Forgotten, or The Forgotten.

    When Alaster manipulated Mana Streams, he moved them where he wanted, getting the desired result. But once he let go of them, they snapped back, effected by his changes, but changing slightly. Similar to a spring.

    Despite having hand crafted the Minion, there was plenty that Alster did not know about it. Alaster knew there was a reason for its name. Some deeper meaning. But Alaster did not know exactly what.

    Regardless, Alaster was intent on making the bulk of his military might consist of the Forgotten. Their ability to grow in power was incredible. They needed an ambient soul and a Mana Core to be created. But Alaster had not found a limit to how many he could have at the same time.

    The ambient souls were a bit of an issue, but Alaster knew that it was the Mana Cores that would truly limit the number of Forgotten. So, until he came across more souls, Alaster would spend his time creating Mana Cores.

    He would also have to worry about how to equip the Forgotten. He could of course make the weapons and armor out of bone, but that had its limits, even with his manipulation. It would also be quite costly, both in material and in time.

    Alaster was already struggling with time. Being torn in multiple directions at once. Multiple things requiring his attention. He wanted to build his army, but he couldnˇŻt ignore the rest of the world. He wanted to charge towards the Lissura Capital and raze it to the ground until he found his sister.

    But he could not do that. Not only because he was not strong enough, he doubted even Aila or Richter were strong enough. But also, because such brash actions would allow his targets to escape or harm his sister.

    As much as Alaster hated it, Azemar was right. He would have to go the slow route, slowly infiltrating their circles until he knows everything about them, including the best way to tear them apart.

    But once he learned what he needed to, he would need to strike fast and violently. His own power would not be enough even for that.

    The Capital had hundreds, potentially thousands of Experts, many of whom would be very skilled and experienced as well as equipped by the wealth of Noble Families. If Alaster mindlessly went on a rampage, they would all converge on him. As he was now, he could likely kill a few dozen, and he would only grow stronger in the year he spent in the siege ridden city of Galmore, but it would still not be enough.

    Numbers remained the ruler of any battlefield.

    Alaster could not waste his time creating subpar equipment. Instead, Alaster would need to find a blacksmith, or even several, who could supply his Forgotten Legion.

    Galmore was rumored to be constantly under siege from the endless hordes of Monsters that deep in the forest, untouched by Humanity. Upon arrival, Alaster intended to station his army on the walls, under command of one of the Repentant Knights.

    Alaster would still gain experience towards his level while he was learning from Azemar. Of course, Alaster understood that his true strength lay more in his current Abilities than his stat growth. Besides, he had [ReaperˇŻs Touch] that could give him more Stat Points. And in a city, such as Galmore, Alaster was certain that there would be a constant stream of souls he could consume, if he didnˇŻt use them for his own Minions.

    Belgroth had already told Alaster that [ReaperˇŻs Touch] would not work with Monster Souls. They did, in fact, have souls. It was simply that Monster Souls were too different from Human Souls. Through trial and error, Alaster might one day learn to use them, but Alaster was not willing to devote such time to it.

    Sitting down in his bone shelter, Alaster began to slowly create more Forgotten. They were complicated, but Alaster was familiar with the process. He was confident he could Weave four throughout the night, before the Delegation continued on their journey.

    The System helped to drastically improve the time it took, guiding Alaster in each step, but it was not as simple as the War Born or Dread Knight, which Alaster could create with a simple cast of the Spell.

    If Alaster was able to create four a night during his stay in Galmore, he estimated that he could create nearly fifteen hundred. But that meant that he would not sleep at all. Which he could do, with the help of [Death Embrace]. But he doubted he could do it without drastic side effects.

    As Alaster created a Forgotten, he immediately sent it into his Soul Domain to begin training under the Repentant Knights. Their levels would not improve, but their ability to fight would.

    When they were first created, they were little more than mindless golems, unable to move without direct command. But their ability to learn was not limited to their level. Though it was limited to its extent. They would never be the strongest, fastest, or most agile. But Alaster suspected they could reach roughly three hundred in each stat.

    Alaster was not able to see their stats, but he could see their Abilities and levels. They also did not have access to Bonuses, so even against others with three hundred points in each stat, they would still lose.

    It was a shame, but not one that Alaster was too saddened by.

    Before he knew it, dim sunlight began to peak through the canopy of trees. Dawn had arrived, and it was time to leave. Alaster sighed to himself and got to work on storing his shelter while the rest of the Delegation woke up.

    He had only managed to create three Forgotten.

 CHAPTER 153- GALMORE

    Azemar remained to be frustratingly cryptic or silent about the lessons for the rest of the journey.

    No matter how much Alaster asked, or in what way, the man either didnˇŻt respond or simply glared at Alaster for interrupting his reading, which seemed to be constant.

    The journey was quite boring. The Nobles seemed to ignore Alaster, maybe hoping that if they refused to acknowledge him, that he would disappear, and Azemar would choose to teach someone of their choosing. The guards did not ignore Alaster, but they avoided him.

    After the short bout two of their strongest had against Alaster, they were wary of him. They had fought enough battles to know that Alaster had not even been trying, yet he had easily torn through them.

    So instead of getting to know his travel mates, he instead focused on building his army.

    Despite traveling through some of the most Monster dense forests, the Delegation was never attacked. When they landed for the night, Azemar summoned his suits of armor from his Ring of Holding and sent them out. They kept the Monsters away from the Delegation to such an extent that even with his Expert hearing, Alaster only heard any conflict one, and it was distant and quickly silenced.

    The only times Azemar seemed attentive was when they were flying through the air during the day. It had confused Alaster, until he thought about it.

    Monsters did not just inhabit the land. There were some Monsters that could fly, just as there were that could swim. It was because some could swim that boats either never traveled more than a hundred meters away from land, or were practically floating fortresses.

    There were Monsters that could fly, including some species that never touched ground once in their entire lives. The most notable of flying Monsters were of course Wyverns. Fifty foot long flying lizards with razor sharp claws like swords and teeth like daggers.

    Wyverns were extremely territorial and hostile. Worse yet, they traveled in flocks of up to ten, though during migrations or Monster Waves, they could travel in groups in the hundreds.

    Their scales could easily deflect glancing blows from Experts. The only weakness they had was against Magic. Had they been even slightly resistant towards it, Alaster was certain there would be more than just a few villages destroyed each year.

    But then again, the same could be said about many things. If Orcs were just a little more patient. If Goblins were a little smarter. If Trolls were a little less hungry. Humanity had struggled, and struggled still, to carve out their own place in such a violent world. Despite how powerful they had become, they were still on the brink of destruction.

    However, the true horrors of the world resided not on land or in the sky, but in the water. Hidden from all Humanity, untouched, unchecked. Under constant pressure and in a constant struggle to survive. The Monsters under the waves made even the Demigods shiver.

    Despite their immense strength, they feared the creatures that called the cold depths their home. And for good reason.

    Indescribable horrors that seemed to have no right to exist, the mere sight of which could kill the weak of will. Creatures so small they could not be seen by the naked eye, but so numerous they appeared as clouds in the water. Towering monstrosities that if it stood on one edge of the continent, they could still be seen from the other.

    It was such Monsters that reminded Alaster that despite all his struggles, despite all his power and planning, it was all so small. At any moment, it could all become meaningless. At any time, a threat could come that would force Humanity to band together or become extinct.

    But instead of making Alaster feel as if he shouldnˇŻt bother, it only pushed him to struggle harder. If even the Demigods feared such power, than Alaster would simply have to become stronger than the Demigods. He did not care how much he would have to sacrifice, so long as he could protect what little he had left, he would.

    On the morning of the third day since their departure, the defiant city of Galmore came into view. They had only been flying for a few short hours and Alaster had held off on his work in order to see it. Peeking through the window, Alaster caught his first sight of the city that had survived the constant attacks of Monsters.

    Built just five miles away from the southernmost shore of the continent and fifteen miles from the mountain range of staggering height. It was not a sprawling city, but nor did it seem especially crowded. Similar to Onigas, it was built in a circle, but unlike Onigas, this was a city built entirely for war.

    The outer wall was over a hundred meters tall. Towers reaching fifteen meters above that stood every fifty meters. Each tower was equipped with a multitude of siege weaponry, both mundane and magical, capable of targeting both ground and air targets. The tops of each tower were large enough for a large house to reside comfortably.

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    The walls themselves were twice layered and reinforced both with massive steel beams within and driven deep and by magic. The bottom layer was twenty-five meters wide. The top layer stood ten meters taller than the previous, allowing the defenders on the top layer to directly assist the bottom layer while still remaining above any attackers atop the walls.

    Both layers had countless sharp spikes angled downwards, threatening any who dared attempt to scale the walls. But before any would have the opportunity to do so, they would first have to cross the fifty meter wide fifteen meter deep moat.

    The city was segmented into thirteen sections by the moat forming ten meter wide rivers within. Stone bridges provided access between the sections; both ends of each bridge had a gate house.

    As expected, it was quite obvious which sections were better off, yet still, Alaster did not see any sprawling estates. The wealthy homes were modestly sized with only a small back lawn. The center most section, forming a small island, sat a large castle where Alaster suspected the City Lord resided and worked.

    It appeared as if the city was split into quarters with the moat, then further split by two additional moats equally splitting the space until each quarter had three sections.

    Each section had a five meter wide road around its edge, providing a clear line of sight. Each quarter was capable of operating independently from the others, at least for some time.

    There were only two gates, North and South. Each with a twenty-meter half circle around it, followed by another five meter wide moat and a five meter tall wall.

    Unknown to Alaster, a large percentage of the city was truly underground, accessible only from a single point in each quarter of the inner most ring, and the center island. Known to the citizens as the Bunker, as it is where most of the food is grown, where most of the cityˇŻs warehouses reside, and where they are supposed to escape, in case the wall is breached.

    Galmore was a city not of growth and prosperity, but of grit and determination built through the blood and tears of constant threat. It was a city built firstly for defensibility and livability second. Every person over the age of fifteen was trained for combat. Even when they became adepts, with many choosing non-Combat Classes, they still trained, furthering their Abilities. If needed, only the very young or very old would not be able to rise to the cityˇŻs defense.

    Even now, as the Delegation flew closer, Alaster could see that the city was under attack. He was not the only one to see it either, but the Delegates did not seem at all worried. As if they had seen such a scene countless times before. Which they had. Not only seen, but fought in.

    Thousands of Orcs charged out of the thick forests, rushing through the two mile long clearing, diving into the moat, and scaling the eastern walls. The downward facing spikes slowed them, even catching several, and causing others to lose their grip on the wall and falling. All while being under the constant, steady, and practiced bombardment of the defenders.

    It was the first time Alaster had ever seen an Orc in person, even from such a distance.

    Orcs were large humanoid creatures standing on average seven feet tall with large muscles. Even the rare Magical Orc had rippling muscles. They were extremely strong, surprisingly fast, and just as hard to kill. Their skin ranged through all the different shades of green and was naturally tough.

    They had two large tusks pointing up and out of their mouths, allowing them to rip large chunks out of even metal shields.

    Their intelligence was roughly tribal. Their weapons were primarily clubs and swords, typically made out of bone or sharpened stone. They wore only loincloths with only a few deciding to wear even bones crudely tied together as a form of armor.

    The only ranged weapon they used were javelins, which they could throw with mighty strength even from a hundred meters away.

    They were one of the few Monsters that did not attack Humans out of simple hate or hunger. Orcs were perfectly capable of hate, but they did not hate Humans, at least not as a whole. They attacked Humans out of entertainment.

    While Hobgoblins attacked Humans because they enjoyed the pain and misery. They enjoyed cruelty. Orcs loved to fight. They were territorial and liked to expand, but they did so only as a side effect of them seeking another fight.

    Against such an intimidating opponent, Alaster would have expected the Galmorians to be frightened or hesitating, but he saw neither. They boldly stood against the towering Orcs, holding their ground.

    But it was not just Humans Alaster saw fighting the Orcs. In fact, Humans numbered less than the others fighting the Orcs.

    The Monsters fighting the Orcs, defending the city, were diverse. Alaster spotted everything from Goblins to Frost Bears, Gemlings to Golems.

    In truth, the majority of the Galmorian population could summon, raise, or create some type of minion. Either their Classes allowed them to, or they learned how to do so.

    The City was under constant attack from every angle. If the defenders had to use themselves against each one, they would slowly be whittled down until they could not properly defend the walls. But a Minion could be recreated much quicker and much easier. A single Human could command several Minions, expanding their defense force by several times.

    The Minions were part of everyday life in the city. Helping their casters in numerous ways. Some simply hauled things, while other created. The moats of the City, both within and outside, were teeming with marine Minions. Even as the Orcs swam across the Moat, they were attacked by the Minions, dragged under, eaten, or simply cut or bitten until they bled out in the water.

    The aquatic battle turned the surface of the water into a churning bloody mess, but it did not stop the Orcs. The number that failed to reach the other side was minor compared to those that did, or those that had not yet been able to attempt the crossing.

    Even as the Eastern walls were under attack, the other walls continued their usual patrols and work. As their comrades fought off thousands of Orcs, they continued their shifts, talking and joking with each other while keeping a trained eye on their duties.

    Alaster, whose mind had been molded by survival and combat, had always wondered what a city built for war would be like. Now, he had seen just such a city.

    It made his heart race with excitement.

 CHAPTER 154- HOME OF THE LORD

    As the Delegation flew closer, Alaster prepared to drop down and assist the defenders against the Orcs. After his last experience in the flying carriage, Alaster had spent a bit of time weaving a spell that would slow his descent. It was crude and quite Mana intensive, but it should slow him enough to not be lethal. Should.

    Alaster had not quite had the opportunity to test it.

    The spell basically just created a balloon of Mana beneath the caster to cushion the fall. It was so basic that practically anyone could do it. Most non-Mages simply did not have the Mana Pool large enough to do so.

    Alaster stood up from the seat and stood before the door, stretching his shoulders. His Mana began to concentrate around him as he prepared his spell. Even the Warrior Guards in the next carriage felt it.

    Azemar looked up from his book, ˇ°Sit back down Alaster.ˇ±

    ˇ°ShouldnˇŻt we help? The city is under attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°It is actually rarer when the city isnˇŻt being attacked.ˇ± One of the Nobles said.

    ˇ°The men and women who defend the city are well trained and experienced. And as IˇŻm sure youˇŻve noticed, most of the casualties for the Galmorians are Minions and summons. The actual damage to the cityˇŻs defenses will be minor and the city will only become stronger for it.

    You have other matters to attend to. Matters that should not be delayed simply because you are restless.ˇ±

    ˇ°Like what? You have not exactly informed me about anything.ˇ± Alaster said with not a small amount of frustration as he sat back down.

    ˇ°Because itˇŻs more of a sensitive matter. Once we land, the Delegation will be shuffled away to discuss their meetings with Onigas. I will be there to supervise as well as give my own opinion to the City Lord. I want you to stay by my side and remain quiet. Do not speak unless directly spoken to.

    We will discuss your training at a later time. Until then, keep silent and donˇŻt do anything.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, but accepted it. He was in a new city. A city that had largely grown independently from the rest of the world. He had no idea what the customs were.

    As blunt and uncaring as Alaster was, he did not wish to offend anyone, at least not without understanding.

    However, if he was going to learn about their customs and habits, he would prefer not to be seen.

    His pact armor reformed his helmet over his head and face.

    The carriages flew over the walls, allowing Alaster a better view. They flew over the walls and the canals. A few people even spotted them flying high above the walls, but most didnˇŻt.

    As they came over the island in the middle of the city, Alaster noticed a small clearing with a large crowd. The carriages began to descend towards the clearing. A ring of heavily armed guards kept the landing site clear, though the crowd was not attempting to rush forward. The crowd seemed to be composed of the cityˇŻs influential.

    That did not surprise Alaster. The Delegation was sent to another independent city in order to form an alliance. For such a proudly independent city like Galmore, that was a huge deal. Everyone wanted to be the first to know how it turned out. Yet despite their eagerness, they still remained graceful and distinguished.

    Alaster hated that about Nobility.

    The carriages landed lightly. The guards in the second carriage immediately marched out and opened the door for the Nobles. Azemar subtly motioned for Alaster to stay. The Nobles of the Delegation filed out with dignity. They were quickly escorted away towards the large castle, other guards creating a path through the crowd.

    Azemar was next to exit the carriage and a few of the younger Nobles in the crowd began calling for his attention. But they all fell silent once the Elder of their City stepped off the carriage, revealing the armored giant that was Alaster.

    The pact armor was meant to intimidate and coupled with the large frame of Alaster; it did its job well. But the armor only intimidated the younger and weaker within the crowd.

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    Those powerful, experienced, or sensitive enough were more affected by the aura the giant gave off. A crushing and malicious weight that pressed down on everyone around.

    An aura that was slowly crafted by each death Alaster delivered upon his foes. It was not something that the System granted. It had nothing to do with the System.

    Such a pressure also had another name, Killing Intent, or Blood Lust. It grew with each kill, but not simply kills brought upon through defense of oneself or others. It was a pressure that grew with each death that was intended and initiated. The user had to have attacked with the intent to kill. Hence the name.

    It was not a very creative name, but it did not need to be. It was blunt and cruel. However, it was also very minor. One would have had to kill thousands for even the weakest of heart and will to be physically affected by it. It was more of an early warning system. A warning to those that the one before them had blood on their hands and the will to use them.

    Killing Intent grew stronger with each kill, but it could be enhanced and honed through experience and struggle. It was not something that could be gained through the hunting of Monsters either.

    Alaster himself did not know he had such an aura. He had felt it a few times around others but had not known what it truly was. His own inexperience prevented him from concealing it, but his constant struggle for survival over the many years had honed it to a bladeˇŻs edge. An uncontrolled blade.

    Azemar ignored the loud silence and followed after the Delegation. Alaster did the same, but while Azemar was reading his book, Alaster was watching his surroundings through the eyes of his Shadow Assassins. His Shadows had quickly concealed themselves within the DelegationˇŻs shadows, melding into the crowd as the shadows connected. Traveling from shadow to shadow, the Assassins found vantage points above the crowd, where they could watch, and intervene if they needed to.

    However, Alaster was not watching the crowd for threats. He was instead studying them.

    Alaster was used to seeing Nobility in flashy and impractical clothes. Meant more to impress than to have use. But the Nobility in Galmore, at least the ones present, were very different.

    The clothes they wore were still flashy and rich, but they were all practical. It was custom for all adult Nobles to wear either a sword or dagger, and the custom held true in Galmore. Yet the blades were not for show, each one showed signs of use, despite the wealthy designs and gems. More than one of the Nobles wore armor, incorporating it into their fashion.

    Chainmail hidden under robes. Grieves with elaborate carvings. Chestplates with the NobleˇŻs family emblem.

    Alaster was impressed. Not just by their clothing, but also by the feeling they gave off. Each adult within the crowd was an experienced fighter. To varying degrees, they all had extensive experience in battle.

    Hidden behind his faceplate, Alaster approved.

    The young man followed after the Delegation into the castle and through the halls. Alaster was happy to find that even the City LordˇŻs residence was designed for defense. Narrow halls with murderholes built into them, allowing the defenders to funnel any hostile while raining arrows and magic on them. Periodically, there would be an open doorway only allowing single person to comfortably pass through. Alaster imagined the defenders using such doorless doorways as chokepoints where only a handful could hold back dozens.

    There were no random branching hallways. Instead there were only intersections where chokepoints blocked each of the four paths, creating a sort of open defense station.

    As one would expect, the City LordˇŻs castle still had wealth. Paintings and art filled the hallways, but none were gaudy in AlasterˇŻs masterful opinion. They all told actual stories. Stories of the CityˇŻs struggles and triumps.

    AlasterˇŻs Shadows followed him through the fortress, learning for themselves the paths while remaining close enough to defend their master.

    The deeper Alaster traveled through the castle, the greater his excitement became. As a child, he had always imagined designing a fortification capable of holding back an otherwise unstoppable horde. He had once drawn pictures in the dirt of his designs, finding flaws as he did so.

    As he had grown stronger and more knowledgeable about others, he had come to the conclusion that every fortification had its flaws and weaknesses, especially when it came to magic.

    But the longer he spent within Galmore, the more he saw that even the flaws and weaknesses were, in a way, strengths. With each step he took, Alaster calculated more and more soldiers that would be required to just take the castle, let alone the rest of the city.

    His number had already grown to the thousands, and he did not know what even a fraction of the enchantments all around him did. He imagined that besides strengthening the structure, they also weakened certain types of magic. Though he was not sure.

    Despite all his power and expertise, Alaster knew next to nothing about Enchantments. Belgroth was not much of a help in that regard because his peoplesˇŻ way of enchanting was more of a feeling than actual patterns and science. Sedall was equally as clueless about enchanting as Alaster. He had only overcome any challenge through overwhelming power and had not seen a need to learn the intricate and complicated magic of Enchanting.

    However, AlasterˇŻs thoughts were interrupted by the Delegation reaching their destination. Two large ironwood doors reinforced with steel and enchantments were guarded by ten Experts in heavy armor, though through his Shadows, Alaster knew there were another ten hidden in the walls and ceiling.

    ˇ®The throne room huh?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Please donˇŻt do anything stupid kid.ˇŻ Sedall begged.

    ˇ®I wonˇŻt if they wonˇŻt!ˇŻ

    The demigod only groaned in response.

 CHAPTER 155- WARM WELCOME

    Polished marble floors and columns greeted Alaster as the guards opened the double doors. A golden carpet ran down the middle of the room towards a throne raised up on marble stairs. White banners with gold trim hung from the columns displayed the CityˇŻs colors.

    On either side of the carpet, stood numerous Nobles that were critical to the CityˇŻs continued development and survival. Alaster had expected to see only Humans, but glancing around the room, Alaster saw his first Elf and Dwarf.

    There were only a handful of either, with the majority still being Humans. Of course, according to both Sedall and Belgroth, Elves and Dwarves were still technically Humans.

    They melded into the crowd seamlessly, without any apparent distinction. Though the Dwarves were in front.

    Aila had previously mentioned that AlasterˇŻs method of Magic was more like an ElfˇŻs. The Fairer race, as they arrogantly called themselves, used Magic that relied on their emotions. This method of using Magic was typically stronger, and always faster, but less reliable.

    The Dwarves were on the opposite end of the spectrum. They specialized in using Magic that relied heavily on certain principles and rules. Dwarven Enchantments were some of the strongest in history.

    As the young man had expected, the Dwarves had large beards with various beads, ribbons, and braids, each with their own meaning, though Alaster did not know what. He had heard vague conversations that Elves were a female dominant race while Dwarves were the opposite. And Alaster was inclined to belief it.

    The Elvish women were uniquely gorgeous. They all caused Alaster to stare longer than he intended, each for different aspects. Their eagle-like eyes were fascinating, but one womanˇŻs were bright purple. Another left their midriff open, exposing graceful but powerful muscles. While another wore a tight-fitting dress that showed her plentiful curves while still appearing modest.

    Seated upon the marble and cushioned throne sat a large, bearded man. Above the throne, Alaster spotted a large tower shield with the Galmorian Emblem.

    The Delegation stopped ten feet away from the throne and knelt down. Azemar stood behind them and nodded at the man while Alaster stood next to his teacher. A few of the Nobles began murmuring to each other in hushed voices at AlasterˇŻs brazen act.

    The man atop the throne did not react, however.

    ˇ°Report.ˇ± He said curtly.

    The head of the Delegation stood, ˇ°Sir, Onigas still stands strong. They suffered significant damages during the siege, but not nearly as much as first estimated. The Onigarian Lord estimated that they would be completely repaired within the year, though their infrastructure received very little damage and remains fully operational.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Alliance?ˇ±

    ˇ°They were very pleased to receive the offer, as expected. We delegated with them for several days over the details, as you know, and eventually came to a contract that satisfied both parties. While we will have to create a safe path, the Onigarians are perfectly capable of trading with us.

    With them serving as our connection to the outside world, we should be able to expand our influence and reach with minimal risk.ˇ±

    The Lord scratched the side of his face with the same hand he was leaning on, ˇ°By chance, were you able to learn of the reason the Tarians were unable to take the city?ˇ±

    The Noble lowered his head and stepped to the side, ˇ°Yes sir, in fact, we managed to bring the reason back with us. The man standing beside the Elder nearly singlehandedly repelled the army. Or so the reports claim. As IˇŻm sure everyone present is aware, the reports of a desperate soldier are often exaggerated.ˇ±

    The Lord leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. As he did so, a heavy weight seemed to descend on the room, pressing down on all present. There was no Ability activated. The weight was simply the presence of the man.

    ˇ°And why would you come to our city?ˇ± The Lord directly asked Alaster.

    The young man replied casually, ˇ°I had heard of the Independent City that lied in the depths of the forests. A city constantly under siege. A city of Experts. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.ˇ±

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    The Nobles in the room puffed up their chests with pride. Smug grins on their faces.

    ˇ°IˇŻm disappointed.ˇ±

    The room was in shock. This man, this stranger, had walked into the heart of their counsel and insulted their city. Insulted them.

    ˇ°How dare you!ˇ± One of the Nobles shouted.

    Others joined in with their own shouts, only to be silenced a moment later by a simply raised hand of their Lord.

    ˇ°In what way are you disappointed?ˇ±

    ˇ°I am genuinely impressed how a city could survive so deep in the wilds. Seeing the city from above impressed me even more. An entire city built with defensibility first and livability second.

    Just from the defenses I saw from the air I calculated that it would take at least fifty thousand to take the outer wall. Just to reach the inner ring would take another seventy. I imagine that you have all sorts of defenses hidden, aimed both outside the walls and inside the city.

    Being under siege constantly doesnˇŻt even truly weaken your forces because most of them consist of Summons and Minions. I doubt your weekly loss of soldiers donˇŻt even exceed a hundred, which with a population easily exceeding a hundred thousand, is no issue.

    The defenses seem to be in good repair despite its age and constant stress and the soldiers are experienced and well disciplined.

    Despite the overwhelming might you hold, you are trapped within your own city, only able to travel outside it while flying. I saw no evidence of you even attempting to create a road or expand past your walls. And even if you claim that the Monsters are too strong or too numerous, if that is the case, why then are your Nobles so busy attempting to subvert each other?ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you talking about?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just in the short time IˇŻve been here I have heard no less than four conspiracies to sabotage each other. If you are so pressed that you canˇŻt even fight back, then at the very least, you should keep a clean house.ˇ±

    ˇ°You did not come here just to observe.ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    The Lord turned to Azemar, ˇ°Elder?ˇ±

    ˇ°For years now, everyone has been pressuring me to take on an apprentice. Someone to teach and possibly take on my role. Usually with an offer of their own person for such a role. ItˇŻs grown quite annoying; however, I do believe my knowledge should be passed on. So, I finally chose someone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Him?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you trust him?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can count on one hand the number of people I trust. He is not one of them. But I do trust enough that he will not act except in self-defense.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what will you be teaching him if he is so powerful already?ˇ± The Lord sat back.

    ˇ°That is between him and I.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will it in anyway compromise GalmoreˇŻs security?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    The Lord sighed, ˇ°Fine. From here on, this man is under the protection of our Elder.ˇ±

    One of the Nobles from the left stepped forward, ˇ°Sir, is that truly the best way to go about this? The Elder has brought a stranger into our home, a stranger that is reportedly exceedingly powerful. I trust the Elder, but I do not trust the fragile word of a stranger.ˇ±

    Alaster calmly stared at the man, ˇ°Nor should you. With a thought I could kill half of the people in this room before the guards even knew that anything was happening. You would be foolish to believe the word of such a person. But you would be even dumber to make an enemy out of such a person.

    I am also a personal friend to the Onigarian Lord. An offence against me would be tantamount to offending Onigas, who you all seem quite interested in a relationship with.

    Yet I am not an Onigarian.

    I claim allegiance to no person, city, nation, or ideology.

    I am here to learn from your Elder, that is all. I have nothing against Galmore or its people. I have no wish to see it harmed, but the same could be said in the adverse. I have no issue in doing harm, should it come to it.

    Even if you banished me from the city, I could, nigh effortlessly, sneak back in for my lessons.ˇ±

    ˇ°Remain silent Alaster.ˇ± Azemar commanded, ˇ°However, he is correct. I have personally seen his strength. I know quite well his capabilities, yet I also know that he is still far from his height. He will continue to grow, both in power, wealth, and influence.

    Is it not better to align ourselves with him now?

    WhatˇŻs the harm in it? Besides, if anything, I would be the only one that last anything. Regardless, I do not need your permission nor blessing.

    Come Alaster, Its time for your first lesson.ˇ±

    Despite the calm emotionless expression, Alaster could tell that Azemar had grown tired of the Nobles. He could not blame him. They had both been confined in close quarters with several for many days. Even close friends could become tired of each other in such a situation.

    Azemar turned around without waiting for a response. It was no doubt a usual act since none of the Nobles seemed to be shocked, though a few struggled to conceal their annoyance. Not even the Lord seemed surprised, though perhaps a tad amused.

    As the Throne Room doors closed behind the pair, Azemar began walking through the halls with a comfortable gait. He glanced at the young man beside him.

    ˇ°What part of keep quiet unless spoken to did you miss?ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ°All of it?ˇ±

    Azemar rolled his eyes but did not comment further on the matter.

    ˇ°I see that you have kept your face hidden.ˇ±

    ˇ°Better to leave my true identity hidden while in a new environment.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. Keep it like that. Doing so will allow you to explore the city unmolested, should you desire.ˇ±

    ˇ°I saw enough of the city from the air.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, you didnˇŻt. Besides, there will be several times that I will have to attend to other matters. During such occasions, I want you to study the way the common people interact.ˇ±

    Alaster opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by someone crashing into his side.

 CHAPTER 156- CLASSMATE

    Alaster sat down on the edge of the bed, contemplating everything that had happened in just a few short hours. He allowed his Pact armor to dissolve and finally relax.

    Not only had he come to a strange city, but he had finally begun the final step of his revenge. Azemar had taught his first lesson, which was practically more detailed information about how Nobility kept power in a world where anyone could grow stronger.

    The man had explained that he wanted to keep the first lesson easy and simple, both to ease Alaster into the nature of them and because Azemar had a few things to do after returning to the city.

    Alaster had fought countless horrendous Monsters that would make the common man shiver and quake. He had battled against countless waves for hours without rest. He had outsmarted even the smartest and devious of creatures.

    Yet that all paled in comparison to her. He had certainly been tired after each of those encounters, but none of them even came close to the exhaustion he felt after just a single hour in the presence of that woman.

    Much to AlasterˇŻs surprise and torment, Azemar had a daughter. A daughter that seemed to perfectly counter Necrotic Mana and had energy seemingly just bubbling out of her.

    During the Siege of Onigas, Alaster had seen a few who had been capable of wielding Holy Magic. They had put up a stronger fight against his Undead, even occasionally resulting in one of his hand-crafted Minions having to defeat them as the raised Undead proved incapable.

    For Alaster, whose body was practically infused with Necrotic Mana, he naturally detested the stench of Holy Magic, almost instinctually causing him to lash out at a mere whiff.

    Yet that hadnˇŻt happened with the girl. Not to say that the aura her Magic gave off did not have similar effects on his own Magic, just that it did not cause such a violent reaction from him, or the Shadow Assassins hidden around her.

    Whatever her Magic was, while it still weakened Necrotic Magic, was very different from Holy Magic. That alone caused AlasterˇŻs curiosity to spike. He was interested in what sort of Magic could do that. He wanted to know its strengths, its weaknesses. And how best to exploit them.

    But it was not her Magic that resulted in the young man being so tired. It was her personality. Though Alaster admitted that her Magic might have simply exacerbated it. After all, his body heavily saturated with Necrotic Mana, so being around a person whose Mana naturally repelled his own surely had some kind of result.

    Alaster was naturally a broody man. It was to be expected. His parents were murdered, his sister kidnapped. He was cast out to brave the horrors of the world by himself before he was even fifteen. He had nearly been killed countless times. And had talked with beings of immeasurable power who had all expressed their sympathy for his plight but refused to help.

    He had spent many years without anyone to talk to and had grown comfortable being alone with his own thoughts. Even after gaining Belgroth and Sedall as travel companions, he still found himself sheltering away from their voices.

    Most people he had engaged in conversation with either understood his quiet nature or had a reason to speak with him. AzemarˇŻs daughter either did not understand his nature or did not care. And she seemed perfectly capable of talking about anything and everything.

    His Shadows had noticed her far off and he had noticed her as she came into his [Seeker Sight] radius, and yet she had simply moved too quickly, and he was too distracted to avoid her. Had she held killing intent towards either of them, Alaster was positive he would have been able to react in time.

    He had not even been her target; he was simply in between her and her father.

    After crashing, the two had slid for a few feet along the polished marble, his armor screeching horribly, but unable to leave a mark on the soft stone. As heavily enchanted as it was.

    It had not been the first time something had crashed into him, and he immediately held his forearm to her in order to shove her away. Yet he didnˇŻt.

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    Her soft white hair cascaded around them, seemingly hiding them away from the world. She was objectively gorgeous, but it was her eyes that momentarily stunned him.

    They held more emotion in them than Alaster had seen in any other person. That much was obvious, but there was more. Deep within, hidden behind everything, Alaster could detect an unfathomable sorrow. A sorrow that Alaster knew all too well.

    A sorrow that he saw in every reflection.

    Her white eyes stared back at him with both confusion and interest.

    ˇ°So sorry about that!ˇ± She had cried out, barely suppressing her giggling.

    With AzemarˇŻs assistance, she quickly got off the newcomer, allowing him to stand up.

    Before Alaster even came to his feet, she had already embraced Azemar in a tight hug, and for the first time since meeting him, Alaster spotted his newest teacher express emotion. Happiness.

    After a moment, she released him and immediately barraged him with a series of questions. Alaster had never heard someone speak so fast. Even with his enhanced hearing, he only caught the occasional word.

    However, the one-sided conversation allowed him to observe his apparent attacker.

    The womanˇŻs long white hair fell to the middle of her back. She wore a green dress that displayed her athletic body without forsaking grace and modesty. It fell to just above her feet without getting in the way. The sleeves ended just above the elbow, exposing the smooth lightly tanned skin that contrasted beautifully with her white hair.

    In all, the ElderˇŻs daughter was gorgeous and despite the apparent opposition their two Magics had to each other, Alaster could not help but be attracted to her.

    Just a few moments after Alaster stood, Azemar had managed to deflect his daughterˇŻs rabid curiosity to his young student. The moment she had learned that he was not from Galmore, she had flipped her attention to him like a dog begging for scraps at the table.

    ˇ°What Nation are you from? What was life there like? How often are the cities attacked? What sort of books are available? WhatˇŻs the most fascinating Magic youˇŻve ever seen?ˇ±

    One after another, her questions flew from her mouth. Alaster remained quiet, unsure how to respond.

    ˇ°Are you mute, or perhaps deaf?ˇ±

    It was not an insult, just simple curiosity.

    ˇ°Leave the boy be, Lunaria. He might be tired from the trip. However, I do have some good news for you.ˇ±

    ˇ®And possibly bad news for Alaster.ˇŻ Azemar thought to himself.

    ˇ°Good news? Oooh! What? What?ˇ± Lunaria bounced on her feet in excitement.

    This time Alaster truly struggled to not see her as an excited puppy.

    ˇ°You have been pestering me about teaching you for many years now. I have always had an excuse, one way or another. But this time, I donˇŻt. I have agreed to take on this boy as an apprentice so I thought that I would teach you at the same time, get you off my back.ˇ±

    Lunaria happily squealed. A noise that even the Shadows flinched back from.

    ˇ°Quiet down girl. We are still in the hallways. Come, I donˇŻt have much time today, but we will begin with the first lesson.ˇ±

    The trio traveled through the hallways of the City LordˇŻs estate until they came to the front gate, which they had previously bypassed with the carriages. Much to AlasterˇŻs growing annoyance, Lunaria did not let up the barrage of questions. It soon grew to the point where even Catherine felt it from within the Soul Domain and mentally checked in with him.

    Luckily, the ElderˇŻs home was not far from the LordˇŻs castle. The residence was rich, but not gaudy. Its land was compact and used well, fenced in with a tall stone wall topped with a spiked iron railing. A carefully cultivated garden welcomed them onto the estate. Alaster spotted both flowers for decoration and plants for meals.

    The building itself was just as simple. Just two stories with merely six rooms. It was all well crafted and equally well maintained, but simple.

    Alaster would have expected servants, and in a way, there were. But what greeted the trio upon entry were not living people, but instead AzemarˇŻs suits of armor. They saluted their Master momentarily before returning to their duties of maintaining the building.

    ˇ°TodayˇŻs lesson will be in the library.ˇ± Azemar stated before leading them there.

    The Library was only the second door on the right, directly off of the open kitchen and dining room. The Library itself was the largest room in the entire building, a three meter high ceiling with filled bookshelves filling every wall, floor to ceiling.

    There were four lounge chairs in the center of the room, surrounding a small and low table.

    Without any ceremony or hesitation, Azemar began the lesson by explaining in greater detail how the Noble Family first came into existence, at least to his knowledge. Surprising Alaster, Lunaria turned out to be an avid listener and attentive student.

    Alaster found himself similarly focused and soon their teacher declared that it was over and that he had something to do. Though he neglected to state what he needed to do. Lunaria did not seem at all surprised, so Alaster guessed that Azemar very rarely told her of his actual duties.

    ˇ°Alaster, follow this suit. It will take you to your room. It will be your room for the duration of your stay here.ˇ± Azemar stated, releasing an ordinary suit of armor from his Ring of Holding with a wave of his hand before vanishing from the room.

    ˇ°It was great meeting you! IˇŻll come and get you when dinner is ready!ˇ± Lunaria said with a wide smile.

    Alaster simply nodded to her as he followed the suit.

    Despite the hour he had spent with her, he still had no idea how to handle her, or if he even could.

    ˇ®She is like a puppy.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 157- DINNER

    Alaster spent the afternoon and evening creating more Shadow Assassins. They had already proven their worth several times over. They might not be as effective during a battle as some of his other Adept Minions, but they were without a doubt the best when it came to information gathering.

    Of course, the Minion Alaster had in mind for his next creation would be undoubtedly better, but he still had to sit down uninterrupted in order to work through its creation. He already knew the basic steps to make it, but the actual act was much more complicated and intricate.

    He could have of course simply begun, but Alaster suspected that if he didnˇŻt respond when Lunaria came to get him, she would just barge in. If she did that during his Weaving, there was no telling what the result would be.

    Alaster actually felt her coming before she knocked on the door. He felt his Magic begin to pull against his grasp, attempting to get away from her, even from a different room.

    Without even attempting to be quiet, she loudly pounded on the door, throwing the door open the next moment.

    ˇ°Come on! Food is done!ˇ±

    Alaster allowed his Mana to flee from her and opened his eyes. Lunaria was now wearing an apron with flour stuck to it in a few places. Her hair was tied back. She also had a bit of dough stuck to her cheek.

    ˇ°Come and get it while itˇŻs still hot!ˇ± She exclaimed, interrupting AlasterˇŻs thoughts and leaving the next moment, leaving the door wide open.

    Alaster felt his eye twitch.

    Annoyed that his work was interrupted yet again, Alaster turned to face the edge of the bed and uncrossed his legs. Standing up, Alaster lightly stretched and left the room, closing the door as he went.

    Despite his annoyance, Alaster had actually made good progress, at least considering his goal.

    He had made nearly twenty more Shadow Assassins. Most of them were still heading to their individual destinations, but a few had already arrived, allowing him to already learn quite a bit.

    Granted, the information that the Shadows conveyed to him was basic, but that was valuable. If he wanted more detailed information, he would have to Bond with the Shadow.

    Alaster saw that Azemar was already sitting at the table, reading yet another book. Lunaria was in the kitchen portion, getting three bowls of soup from a stove and two loaves of bread from the oven.

    Enchantments made both devices very easy and safe to use, even for a child. So, they were fairly common items in even homes of middle income.

    The table was small, with only four chairs arranged around it. Alaster moved to sit down in the chair to the right of Azemar.

    ˇ°Wait!ˇ±

    Alaster stopped and looked at Lunaria.

    ˇ°Sorry, but your chair is here.ˇ± She said with a faint smile, motioning to the chair across from Azemar.

    Alaster nodded and sat down in the correct spot. He thought that Lunaria wanted to sit there, but he was wrong. After placing a bowl of soup and a chunk of bread in front of both Alaster and Azemar, she sat down to her fatherˇŻs left.

    Alaster raised his eyebrow, but left it alone, instead grabbing a spoon. Azemar set down his book.

    ˇ°Thank you hun, it smells great.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre welcome father.ˇ± Lunaria said with a big smile.

    The three ate in silence, but Alaster found it almost amusing to see Lunaria dive into her soup and bread. He had grown up around women who always ate with dignity and grace, so seeing a woman completely ignore that caused him to crack a smile. Which Lunaria saw but ignored.

    The meal was actually quite good. It was filling and not at all as pompous as he had grown expectant from Nobility. Of course, he had long since grown used to his only meals being roasted Monster meat.

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    Alaster was actually not sure where the family fell in the CityˇŻs hierarchy, so he asked when Azemar finished his soup and pick his book back up, snacking on what was left of the bread.

    ˇ°I guess you could say that we are next in command after the City Lord. If anything happened to the Lord or his family, everyone would look to me to lead them. Of course, I stay away from all that and simply protect the city from excessive threats.

    ThatˇŻs why they call me Elder and not Lord or some other title.ˇ±

    ˇ°DoesnˇŻt stop all the boys from chasing after me.ˇ± Lunaria grumbled.

    Azemar chuckled, ˇ°No, it doesnˇŻt. They all attempt to court my daughter in hopes of creating a relationship with me, but most fail miserably.ˇ±

    ˇ°And those that donˇŻt?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°Fail spectacularly.ˇ± Azemar said with a rare grin, ˇ°I remember one time a particularly stubborn Noble boy kept pestering Lunaria about marriage, so she spiked his drink with very powerful laxatives. The kind that you would use to counter poisons of a Magical nature. To this day the boy wonˇŻt eat or drink anything until a purification spell has been cast over it in his presence.ˇ±

    Alaster glanced over at the young woman, expecting an embarrassed look, but saw nothing but cruel pride.

    ˇ®Perhaps we do have something in common.ˇŻ

    ˇ°The worst of it was when Nobles were pushing me to form a marriage contract with them for when my daughter turned fifteen. Back then she was still reliant on a walking stick! And still they wanted her just so they could be next to me. Damn annoying flies.ˇ± Azemar cursed.

    ˇ°Walking stick?ˇ± Alaster asked with a tilt of his head.

    He had not seen the woman struggle with walking. He had personally experienced that when she ran into him. Though perhaps she had some strange difficulty in stopping.

    ˇ°Have you not noticed? Lunaria is blind. She was born that way, something about how her Mana Channels were twisted. Awakening the System fixed the Channels, but by then the blindness was permanent.ˇ±

    ˇ°But the System did give me an Ability that allows me to see, in a way. ItˇŻs kinda hard to explain actually. But I can see just as well as any normal person, just differently.ˇ± Lunaria explained.

    ˇ°So, are you a Warrior, Mage, or Ranger?ˇ±

    ˇ°A Mage Ranger hybrid. Mostly Mage, but I do have a few Abilities that are more of a Ranger Class. I might even be able to make you sweat if we spar!ˇ± She exclaimed with pride.

    ˇ°I doubt that.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, she just might. You specialize more in large scale battles, while she is more individual. She doesnˇŻt have as much experience in actual combat as you do, but youˇŻll find that everyone in Galmore has extensive combat experience.ˇ± Azemar chuckled.

    ˇ°That should be interesting. Though she might have an unfair advantage.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ± Lunaria huffed, offended at the thought that she couldnˇŻt win without some sort of cheat.

    ˇ°Your Holy Mana. It naturally repels mine.ˇ±

    Azemar smirked, ˇ°She doesnˇŻt have Holy Mana.ˇ±

    Alaster set his bowl aside, ˇ°Then what Mana does she have?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs not actually any Mana. ItˇŻs Counter Magic. ItˇŻs a special Body Constitution. My body just naturally repels Magic. Except that its more complicated than that.ˇ± Lunaria explained, standing up and grabbing the dishes.

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    He had always been interested in the different types of Magic. Finding someone that could naturally repel Magic was fascinating.

    Lunaria looked over her shoulder, ˇ°Help me do the dishes and IˇŻll tell you.ˇ± She said with a cheeky grin.

    Sighing to himself, Alaster stood up and followed the young woman into the kitchen.

    She placed the dishes next to the small pile she had used while cooking. The pile sat next to the wash basin, which had a few enchantments carved into the iron that would create water at various temperatures if someone imbued them with their Mana.

    Alaster got to work washing the dishes. It took a few moments to find the appropriate temperature, but he soon had it figured out and was washing the dishes. Except there was something missing. Or someone one.

    Looking to the left, Lunaria was sitting on the counter, her feet dangling, watching him work.

    ˇ°I thought you asked me to help, not do.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, but I am helping.ˇ±

    ˇ°How so?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know where those dishes go?ˇ±

    Alaster looked around for a moment, ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°And thatˇŻs how IˇŻll help! IˇŻll tell you where you can put them!ˇ±

    Azemar chuckled from the table, once again reading his book.

    Alaster glanced at him, ˇ°What is he always reading?ˇ± He asked Lunaria.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt know. He never actually lets me see, but it changes pretty often.ˇ± Lunaria shrugged.

    ˇ°I thought I was helping you do the dishes in exchange for how your Mana works.ˇ±

    ˇ°What? You were just going to let the poor maiden do all the housework? Where is your honor?ˇ± Lunaria asked, acting like a damsel in distress.

    ˇ°First, honor has nothing to do with housework. Second, honor doesnˇŻt mean much, least of all to me. And third, why do you even do the housework? CouldnˇŻt your father just summon his armor suits to do it all?ˇ±

    ˇ°CouldnˇŻt you summon your Minions?ˇ± Azemar countered, still reading at the table.

    ˇ°I could, but they arenˇŻt really suited to simple housework.ˇ±

    ˇ°And there is my reason.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh shush you two! What do you mean honor doesnˇŻt mean much? Honor is everything!ˇ± Lunaria exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

    ˇ°Sure, to some people. But it is so easy to use against them.ˇ± Alaster said, scrubbing a burnt spot at the bottom of the pot.

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°Like forcing them to duel you, ˇ®in the name of honorˇŻ. Or knowing they will be offended or defensive in some way. Where does the pot go?ˇ±

    Lunaria pointed to one of the cupboards.

    Alaster quickly finished cleaning and put the dishes where she instructed him.

    ˇ°So how about that spar?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 158- GAME OF DECEPTION

    Behind the house, there was a small courtyard. Really just a small field of grass with a large tree in the corner providing plenty of shade. Alaster found himself subconsciously relaxing.

    ˇ°What do you think?ˇ± Lunaria asked from behind him.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs nice. Calming.ˇ± Alaster said truthfully.

    Lunaria beamed, ˇ°Thanks! My Mother designed it. She spent countless hours building, growing, and maintaining it, and she would always make me help her.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where is she?ˇ±

    LunariaˇŻs constant smile dimmed for a moment, ˇ°She passed. Eight years ago. I was only eleven at the time.ˇ±

    Alaster solemnly nodded. He understood the pain she felt. It was not an uncommon pain. Many lost their loved ones. Despite the wonders that Magic could create and repair, there were just too many ways to destroy. Magical diseases, curses, accidents, and the ever-present Monsters.

    Resurrection Magic was rare, but present. But it was anything but reliable. Through his connection with the dead, Alaster understood better than most how and why a soul acted. Sometimes they were already too distant for the Resurrection to affect them, other times there were other things blocking or limiting it. But sometimes, the soul simply rejected the revival.

    Sometimes the soul was content with death.

    The death of a loved one was common, even in a world where many chose to believe the lie of safety.

    Alaster did not offer his condolences; he knew firsthand that it did nothing to help and that she had long since grew tired of those words.

    ˇ°This isnˇŻt where we will spar.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Of course not. This is my special place, do not damage it.ˇ± Lunaria warned with a hint of steel in her voice.

    ˇ°Where are we going to spar then? Its been a while since IˇŻve had a challenge so I am hoping you can offer one.ˇ±

    It had been less than a month since he died in battle, yet for Alaster, that was an eternity. After spending several years deep in the wilderness, he was not used to any length of peace. While for others, any battle was something worthy of note. Something that was serious and intense. Something that happened rarely.

    But not for Alaster.

    He had rarely gone a week without some sort of battle that threatened his life at every moment. His army allowed him to combat many Monsters at once, but he was rarely able to combat an equal number. His Undead had gradually grown specialized in fighting against Monsters that outnumbered them.

    They were individually quite weak, but together, his army of Undead had constantly defeated Monsters that gave even Experts a moment of pause.

    Alaster did not actually like fighting, though he could sometimes find a mote of enjoyment. But he could feel himself itching for a fight capable of endangering him.

    ˇ°I was thinking we could first play a game of chess.ˇ± Lunaria smirked.

    ˇ°Chess? The board game? Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because itˇŻs a good exercise that will merge well with what my father will be teaching you.ˇ±

    ˇ°How could chess possibly help with my training?ˇ± Alaster sighed. He knew about chess, but never really thought much of it. Just a game that the rich and old played to pass the time.

    Lunaria waved her hand and two chairs, a small table, and a chess board appeared.

    ˇ°Oh, come on, give it a try.ˇ± She chuckled as she sat down. ˇ°Do you know how to play?ˇ±

    ˇ°Never had a reason to learn.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then sit down and learn! ItˇŻs a popular game among Nobility, and if father wants you to blend with them, then you should know one of their favorite pastimes.ˇ±

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    Alaster could not find fault in her reasoning and sat down, the Pact Armor dissolving around him as he did so.

    Lunaria looked at him with a curious gaze.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    ˇ°Oh, its nothing! Its just the first time IˇŻm seeing you without your armor. Though we should definitely get you some new clothes.ˇ±

    Alaster looked down in confusion, but quickly saw the problem. The clothes that the City Lord of Onigas had given him now had countless holes, cuts, and worn-out spots. Luckily for him, the pants were still in fairly good condition, but the shirt was little more than a rag.

    ˇ°I guess I do need new clothing.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know the best places!ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°I hate shopping.ˇ± He groaned under his breath, but LunariaˇŻs own enhanced hearing easily caught it.

    ˇ°Oh donˇŻt worry, they can get it done very quickly and I promise youˇŻll be surprised by the quality and practicality of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°So how do you play?ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok, so this piece? This is the Pawn, itˇŻs the most common piece, but also one of the weakest, but has the potential to become the strongest.ˇ±

    Lunaria excitedly taught Alaster how to play. Slowly, Alaster began to realize the complexity behind the game, as well as its utility. It was a strategic game that taught about war, sacrifice, openings, vulnerabilities, and even falsehoods.

    While she taught him, Alaster noticed that Lunaria seemed strangely distracted. Even so, when he finally learned how the pieces moved and they played a game, she still effortlessly destroyed his army of pieces and captured his king.

    ˇ°Again.ˇ± Alaster challenged.

    And so, they played again, and again, and again. And again, they played until the sun gave way to the night.

    Despite the numerous games, Alaster did not win a single one.

    After the final game, Alaster leaned back in the chair, ˇ°You are just too good.ˇ± He conceded.

    Lunaria giggled, ˇ°Thank you, but IˇŻve been playing for as long as I could remember. My father loves the game and taught me early. But we should probably get to bed. Its late.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded in agreement and stood up, allowing the young woman to store the game and furniture in her Ring of Holding.

    With just a simple, ˇ°Good night.ˇ±, the two parted, going into their separate rooms. However, while Lunaria prepared to sleep, Alaster begun his plans.

    Laying down in the bed, AlasterˇŻs body turned skeletal as his mind focused on his Shadows. They were spread throughout the city, hidden in numerous important locations. Surprisingly, and to Alaster own annoyance, several of the Shadows were unable to infiltrate their assigned locations due to the various protections.

    Some were simply complex enchantments that would either alert or reveal the Shadow Assassins, but there were also people that seemed to sense the Shadows as they came close, forcing them to flee in order to remain hidden.

    But not all of the Shadows remained in the city. Able to hide within something as intangible as shadows, they could easily traverse over the massive walls of Galmore. The few Shadows that left the city were busy scouting the surroundings of the City.

    Alaster had ordered them to do so in hopes of finding some Monster that he could kill. Azemar estimated that his teaching would take an entire year, but Alaster had no intention of remaining stagnant during that period of time.

    Unfortunately, there were very few Monsters worthy of the effort of his own presence. Of the few that were worth any action on his part, he simply had the Shadows kill them, slitting the MonstersˇŻ throats without being detected at all, continuing with their scouting without any hinderance.

    The OrcsˇŻ attack on the city had of course ended in complete failure. A Shadow watched as the soldiers of Galmore cleaned up the battle with practiced movements. They even cleaned up the dead outside the walls by simply casting long range Fire Spells from atop the wall, burning them to ash without exiting the safety of the city.

    Alaster even found himself focusing on the lives of the common people. It was late, yet it did not seem as if the city was going to sleep. If anything, the only difference was the quiet. Even those awake kept the noise down as they went about their work.

    Alaster imagined that a city under near constant siege would have need of a constant supply of countless different things. Everything from weapons, armor, clothing, food, repairs, etc. It was much easier and cheaper to harvest the materials, but magic expedited the processes exponentially.

    The citizens did not have to worry about mining their minerals when Metal Mages could simply conjure the materials. It was Mana intensive, costing even more Mana depending on the rarity of mineral, but it was safer and typically more reliable.

    Alaster found himself subconsciously ordering one of the Shadows to observe the crafters. He had always liked the idea of becoming one himself. The Shadow moved from building to building, watching the crafters for a few minutes before moving on.

    Each building had numerous crafters of various types. The most common set up that Alaster was seeing was each building had three levels, one ground floor, one basement, and a second floor. Blacksmiths and Masons were on the ground floor, while the weapons and armor smiths were in the basement, and clothing and enchantments were created on the second floor.

    It made sense to Alaster. The heaviest materials were on the ground floor, making it the easiest to access. While the lightest was on top and the hottest were in the ground.

    However, somewhat separated from the rest of the crafters, Alaster noticed a small building with only a ground floor and basement. The Shadow entered to find the entire ground floor filled with various projects, drawings, and blueprints. Alaster did not pay much attention to it until he found that the basement had enchantments that prevented the Shadow from entering.

    Intrigued, Alaster focused on the blueprints through the ShadowˇŻs eyes. There were dozens, but they all centered around the same idea, an idea that Alaster began to grasp after studying all of them.

    It was an idea that could change everything.

 CHAPTER 159- THE INSANE OR THE BRILLIANT

    Alaster slept well that night. His dreams were filled with torment of those that destroyed his family. He dreamt of reuniting with Evelyn. He dreamt of growing strong enough that none would dare to bother him or his.

    It was a good night that ended all too soon.

    Just before the break of dawn, one of Alaster''s Shadow Assassins, tasked with patrolling around the city, sounded a mental alarm, shaking Alaster from his rest quite violently.

    With a strong sense of irritation and annoyance, Alaster looked through the Shadow''s eyes and caught sight of the Shadow''s alarm.

    Undead.

    Naturally occurring Undead were rare but feared. For good reason. They were static, incapable of growing stronger, but they did not need to.

    For the dead to rise on their own, they needed a strong catalyst. This catalyst could be anything. Anything from a lot of dead being around an area of high Mana concentration, to something as simple as someone spilling a bottle of liquid Mana on the ground or in a river.

    Natural Undead took many forms, both humanoid and not. The term encompassed any Undead that was unbound to a person. There were even stories and history of Natural Undead being intentionally raised. They were usually mindless and sought out all sentient life, which made them easy to direct towards a target.

    Natural Undead were typically much stronger than Undead Minions. While a dozen Minions might be able to defeat the average Adept, their Natural counterparts could do the same with just two. While that was still quite weak, there had never been a recorded case of Natural Undead that did not appear in groups of several hundred. To make it worse, most Natural Undead were capable of infecting those they kill, allowing the dead to rise again and refill their reserves.

    Due to this, entire Kingdoms took even rumors of Natural Undead very seriously and offer vast fortunes to those that provide accurate information on them. The Alderman of Alaster home village, Pinefall, had an ancestor who did not need to work for two generations due to providing the location of an Undead Horde.

    Despite the good dream, Alaster felt his mood turn sour. Not because of the single Zombie, but because it was single.

    It was a scout.

    Which implied that there was an intelligent Undead commanding it. That was an issue. Mindless hordes could wipe out villages and threaten cities. An intelligent horde could wipe out cities and threaten nations.

    Intelligent Natural Undead took just as many forms as their dumber kind, though typically appeared humanoid, vaguely. Each one had varying levels of intelligence, but they all shared a single characteristic. They could create their own Undead.

    The common title for them was ˇ®Lich'', though that was not their actual name, as they were simply too broad to classify. However, the title stuck.

    Each Lich had a different personality as well. Some preferred a smaller army of powerful elites, while others wanted a massive army of weaker Undead. Some raised more Monstrous Undead while others raised more Humanoid Undead.

    Regardless of their preferences, any Undead Horde with a Lich was bound to be larger than ordinary and much more of a risk. Alaster vaguely remembered hearing that similar to how Adventurers were ranked, certain threats were also ranked. However, each Threat Rank would be equal to a hundred of similarly ranked Adventurers.

    A Mindless Horde was typically ranked C or B, depending on size and composition. But an Intelligent Horde was an A Rank Threat at the minimum.

    Gilmore might be a city built for a siege, but an Intelligent Horde was still cause for concern. It would not fall. The people of Galmore would emerge victorious. Of that, Alaster was certain. But how many would die? How much would the city suffer? And would they be able to withstand the next Monster attack? Or the one after that?

    Despite the danger this single Zombie represented, Alaster could not help. But be curious. As a Necrotic Magic User, Natural Undead presented a research subject that none would pass up. Unfortunately, while Alaster was studying the Zombie through the incorporeal eyes of the Shadow, it was not as efficient as being there personally.

    Alaster pitched to run over there and study the creature in person. But he restrained himself. He had lessons to attend. Lessons with a person that was apparently extremely difficult to pin down. He did not want to miss a single one.

    But, just because he could not go himself, at least at the moment, did not mean he wanted to simply pass up the chance. Who knew when another would come along, if ever?

    Nor did Alaster want to allow the Galmorians to act on the threat, which they undoubtedly would. But evidence by the Zombie simply being there, that close to the city, despite still being nearly fifteen miles away, implied that Azemar did not know it was there. Else, his suits of armor on patrol would have dispatched it already.

    Of course, Alaster would warn them if the Horde came too close, but until such a time, he wanted every moment that could be spared. Every moment Alaster examined this singular Zombie slowly wander; he learned something new about the dead. Nothing major, but Alaster was excited to see what he could learn from the Horde, or the Lich itself.

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    Unfortunately, with the arrival of the Zombie, Alaster had to accelerate some of his plans. Which meant he had to stop his study for now.

    Alaster ordered the Shadow to follow the Zombie, while he ordered a few of the city Shadows to exit and patrol the forests. He wanted to know if there were any other scouts.

    Getting out of bed, Alaster had his armor form up around him as he left his room. He had not had the chance to get new clothes yet, but the armor would suffice for now. And luckily, any odor simply vanished from his body upon use of [Death Embrace], it was still not as effective as a proper bath, but at least he was more pleasant to be around than a pile of manure.

    The sun was just beginning to rise above the horizon and had yet to crest the massive walls. Alaster was one of only a few wandering the streets, though many of the workshops still buzzed with activity. Alaster doubted they were ever truly still.

    His destination was the small workshop that had caught his interest the night before. It was close enough to the Elder''s home that Alaster decided to walk. While he had seen these streets through his ShadowsˇŻ eyes, seeing them in person was very different. The senses of the dead were different than the living after all.

    Despite being a city built for war, it was very well designed and built. The road was the most uniform and even he had seen in any settlement, almost to the point of having no edges. The buildings were just as uniform. Alaster suspected that the Earth Mages that built the city had plenty of practice after constantly repairing the walls.

    As it was, there were currently a couple dozen Chimeras attacking the Northern walls, they caused only a few casualties, which were all quickly pulled back and healed. But their attacks were doing quite a bit of damage to the fortifications. Their powerful lion heads bit large chunks out of the reinforced stone while their claws left deep grooves. Their goat heads on their back breathed fire that melted stone, leaving it red and deformed.

    Just about the only part of each chimera that wasnˇŻt causing damage to the walls was their snakehead tails, which whipped around them, biting at any defender that came too close or was too slow. Chimera venom was one of the more difficult to cure through magic, but surprisingly easy to create a mundane cure. Most of the ingredients are either typically found in a common garden, growing as a weed wherever it can, or gathered from most wet surfaces.

    Alaster watched through a Shadow for a moment before he returned to his walk. It still amazed him how efficient the defenders of Galmore were. It was obvious they would be, but it still impressed him. They were all individually strong and capable, but working together, they easily tore through the threats presented.

    The common saying was that it would take ten Adepts to defeat an Expert, though there were countless details that could drastically change that outcome. But Alaster suspected that saying could be changed to just five Galmorian Adepts against a single Expert elsewhere.

    It was not just the way they worked together either. Any fortification would have units that train and work together in order to build cohesion and improve effectiveness. Those units tended to be a tad awkward when working with other units. But for the Galmorian Soldiers, they seamlessly changed their strategy as the Soldiers came and went.

    In just a short twenty-minute walk, Alaster arrived at the workshop tucked between two much larger workshops. The sun was just beginning to peak out above the wall, but the alley leading to the target building was still shrouded in darkness, not that it posed any obstacle to Alaster with his [Seeker Sight].

    Alaster calmly walked forward and knocked loudly on the heavy door. Peaking underneath with the singular Shadow accompanying him, Alaster saw the young woman look up from drawing a new blueprint with curiosity.

    She set down her pencil and stood up. Unlike Colius, the clutter in this researcher was organized and left clear paths. She opened the door slightly, only revealing her face.

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ± She shyly asked.

    ˇ°Hello, I would like to hear about a particular project you designed.ˇ± Alaster greeted as warmly as he could, he must have done it wrong because her shy demeanor turned hostile.

    ˇ°Not another one. Go away, I donˇŻt have time for anymore insults.ˇ±

    She attempted to close the door, but Alaster stuck his armored foot in the way.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt understand your hostility, but I similarly donˇŻt have time for insults. My interest is genuine, and quite persistent.ˇ±

    She thought for a moment before sighing, likely realizing that the armored giant before her would continue to interrupt her work if she did not answer his questions, which she was right about.

    ˇ°Fine, but donˇŻt touch anything.ˇ± She firmly warned as she opened the door and stepped back.

    Alaster entered the brightly lit room, ducking slightly to make it through the door. The room was just as he had previously seen it the night before, though she did not know that.

    ˇ°Who are you anyway?ˇ± She asked, sitting back down at her desk but facing her visitor.

    ˇ°IˇŻm Alaster, and you?ˇ±

    ˇ°You came here without even knowing my name?ˇ±

    ˇ°I heard rumors about one of your projects, that it.ˇ±

    She sighed again, ˇ°My name is Claire. Now what project, as you can see, I am working on quite a few.ˇ±

    Alaster smirked as his helmet melted away, ˇ°That one behind hanging over your desk.ˇ±

    She glanced over her shoulder, ˇ°Should have known.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you sure you arenˇŻt here to make fun or insult me or my work?ˇ±

    ˇ°Quite sure.ˇ±

    The young woman, likely in her mid-twenties, flicked away a stray black hair that had gotten out of her ponytail.

    ˇ°What exactly do you want to know?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why donˇŻt you start from the beginning?ˇ± Alaster suggested, wanting to know everything.

    ˇ°I have work to do, pressing work that canˇŻt wait for Storytime.ˇ±

    Alaster summoned one of the many Gold Coins from his Ring of Holding and flicked it over to her.

    ˇ°Tell me about it.ˇ± Alaster pressured, which upon catching the coin, Claire easily allowed.

    ˇ°Alright then. Well, itˇŻs not actually my design, not really. It is actually a design from an ancient document. So ancient that it predated everything else in history. As you know, that in itself isnˇŻt that wonderous. Records are constantly being destroyed either by Monsters or people.

    But this truly was ancient, and even then, IˇŻm fairly positive that it was copied from an even older source, and even again. Who knows how ancient the original is!ˇ± She was beginning to get excited.

    ˇ°That alone would have made it a desirable object for historians but few others. But what caught my attention was what it said. Now the age caused much of it to become unreadable, but from what I could make out, it was a description of a weapon that allowed even a child to kill powerful Monsters.

    From the wording, I imagine that the weapon was everywhere and used to be common knowledge and used. Due to that, the actual description was vague, but it was enough to allow me to begin making prototypes.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it called?ˇ±

    ˇ°The document called it many different things; I believe different slang words or different variants. But the actual term was quite simple but precise.

    It was called a Firearm.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 160- TRIAL DISPLAY

    For as long as Claire could remember, she had always wanted to be a crafter. She saw the people of her city constantly going to the wall only to see fewer return. Her own father had been one of those that had not come back. There had not even been a body. Her mother had died to a sickness a few weeks later.

    Even with Magic, there was only so much that common Healing Magic could do. Especially for those that canˇŻt afford it.

    Claire wanted to create something, anything, that would bring more people back from the wall. Some tool, device, or weapon. Anything to keep the soldiers alive while they defended the city. And if she could scrape a little profit of it, then she would. After all, it was hard to create something new when you were starving or without a roof over your head.

    As it was, Claire had always been scraping by. Making just enough money off her Enchanting work to keep her MotherˇŻs workshop.

    It was difficult to do even that when her ˇ®colleaguesˇŻ constantly belittled and insulted her, both among themselves and in public. But Enchantments were always breaking down and needing someone to fix them. Claire made her money by always being available to be that someone.

    It was not her Enchantments that caused her peers to sneer at her. In fact, many of the big companies had offered her a well-paying position. It had been tempting, but she ultimately turned them down. Any design she made while in their employ would be legally theirs.

    They ridiculed her for her designs themselves.

    The process of creating something new was quite standard, regardless of the style of work. First the inventor had to draw the design, some could do it mentally, but that was not a very trustworthy way to go about it, and any investor would certainly require something they could see themselves.

    In that same manner, the next step was to create a prototype. It did not have to be fancy, it just had to work, whatever its use was. The idea could work in the inventorˇŻs head and in theory, but until it was shown to work in practice, it meant nothing.

    Then there was the fine-tuning stage. Simply making a working version was not enough. It had to be better. The Enchantments had to be durable enough, the pieces cheap and accessible enough.

    Finally, there was the marketing step. How would they get the product out? How much would it cost to make it? How much would they sell it for? Where would they get the ingredients? Where would they store them? Where would they create the product? How many could they make in a certain time frame? How many people would they have to employ? What would their skill set have to be?

    There were countless questions that had to be asked and answered. Likely requiring them to go back to the fine-tuning stage. Many Inventors failed this step, but it was a good trial and often brought the attention of potential investors interested in seeing what else the Inventor could make and if it would be profitable for them.

    Claire had been at her work for years and had not yet managed to present a working prototype. Add on the nature of her project, and even Claire understood why they picked on her. But she was determined and had finally managed to make a working prototype just last month.

    The problem? It had taken her an entire week of very careful work with expensive ingredients. The Enchantments that made it work were fragile and showed signs of deterioration after just a few uses.

    There was no way she would manage to convince anyone to invest in her project if a single product cost more than what the average person made in a month and needed repairs constantly.

    But it did work. And it worked well. At least until it broke. She had managed to fix her prototype after replacing a few parts and renewing the Enchantments, but it was still not ready to be shown to the public. If she presented it without enough backing, she risked others stealing the design for themselves.

    Just as she had sat down to figure out how to make it more durable, an armored giant with a menacing aura of death around him knocked on her door and demanded to hear about her project, paying enough for her workshopˇŻs taxes for the month.

    ˇ°Do you have a prototype?ˇ± Alaster asked, unable to hide his interest.

    Claire hesitated. Was the man before her going to steal the design? He had paid to just hear about it, quite a lot. But if the issues were dealt with, Claire suspected that her design would be worth more than a simple fortune. But she decided to trust him, after all, she doubted she would be able to defend herself against him if he turned violent. Not even long enough to attract the roaming Guard patrols.

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    ˇ°I just finished one, but it is still quite crude.ˇ± Claire stood up and walked to the basement door, pulling out a key as she did.

    The key was not mundane. It was an Enchanted Key. The principle was quite simple, so Keys such as this were quite common. Some only had to be in close proximity with the matched lock in order to open, but ClaireˇŻs had to touch the door. As it did, she heard the standard ˇ®thunkˇŻ of the locking mechanisms moving.

    She opened the door and turned on the Enchanted Lights, revealing her intentionally very empty basement. Ordinarily, so many Enchanted items would be quite costly, but as she was quite knowledgeable in various forms of Enchanting, she made and maintained them herself.

    The basement was basically a copy of the room above, minus all the various items and papers. There was only a small desk against the wall nearest the door, and a target at the far wall, roughly ten meters away. Resting on the table, sat the item Alaster had come to see.

    The Enchanted lights were bright and left the room without any shadows, explaining, at least in part, why his Shadow Assassins could not enter. But the bigger reason lay in the deep runes carved in the stone of each surface of the smooth stone room. Alaster did not know what they did, but he suspected it prevented spying or entry in any way, at least strong enough to prevent his Shadows.

    Claire stepped beside the table, allowing her guest to see the project.

    The ˇ®firearmˇŻ was made entirely of metal and seemed to be mostly a tube. The tube curved down slightly, forming what Alaster imagined was a trigger, before coming back up and flaring slightly. In all, it looked quite like a heavy crossbow.

    ˇ°Could you demonstrate it?ˇ± Alaster asked, his excitement growing slightly at the thought of seeing it in action. The blueprints he had seen had not really provided a clear picture of how it worked.

    Clair carefully picked up the device, almost as if it was thin glass. She widened her stance and put the flared end against her shoulder, raising the other end towards the far target. And once she was ready, she pulled the trigger.

    A loud exploding sound came from the end of the device, coupled with a small ball flying out at incredible speeds before exploding against the stone wall behind and to the left of the target.

    Cringing to herself, Claire carefully set the device down.

    ˇ°What do you think?ˇ± She sheepishly asked. The man before her was a stranger but was also the first one to see her prototype.

    Alaster put his hand to his chin as he thought for a moment.

    ˇ°I see several issues,ˇ± As the words left his mouth, Claire felt her chest deflate, ˇ°But I think this could change everything. The projectile was extremely fast, almost too fast for me to see, and I doubt many Experts would be able to dodge it. But tell me, how powerful is it?ˇ±

    Claire smiled wide, ˇ°This current model could theoretically only kill D Rank Monsters, but I have not had the chance to test it against anything other than the target and wall. I do however know I could get it to kill C Rank Monsters, its just a matter of getting it to work.

    Just that single shot damaged the internal Enchantments. It is only good for maybe three more before the firearm has to be repaired. I am still working on increasing that.

    This prototype is still far from anything I would consider a final product.ˇ±

    ˇ°Currently, how expensive would each one be, if you sold them?ˇ±

    Clair blushed, ˇ°The materials are roughly a gold and twenty silver. The Enchantments would be another gold. The minimum starting price would be three gold.ˇ±

    Alaster silently nodded, ˇ°How long do you think itˇŻll be before you have a final product?ˇ±

    Claire sheepishly kicked the ground, ˇ°Progress is slow because itˇŻs a lot of intricate work with lot of pricy materials. At my current rate, itˇŻll take another two years minimum, maybe even four if there is a lot of problems.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hypothetically, if you had access to all the materials you needed, how long then?ˇ±

    Claire laughed, ˇ°If I had all the materials I needed? Maybe few months? I have a lot of research already done that just needs to be put into a practical form.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, how does a hundred gold sound?ˇ±

    Claire stared blankly at the man, wondering if she had heard him correctly and if her heart had just stopped.

    ˇ°Uh, sir? What was that? I must have misheard you.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. You didnˇŻt. I am investing in you. I want firearms. I want the final product. Do you even realize just how much this could change how Humanity combats the Monster threat?ˇ±

    ˇ°Kinda?ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt. IˇŻm not surprised, you arenˇŻt a fighter. But that is my point. The majority of Monsters are C Rank or lower. While the average Adept fighter can comfortably fight C Rank and contend against B Rank. But they are often killed by C or D Rank simply because of how many there are.

    How fast can this shoot?ˇ±

    ˇ°Every seven seconds.ˇ± Claire said on auto pilot.

    ˇ°And it can kill D Ranks. You believe you can get it strong enough to kill C Rank and I believe that as you do, youˇŻll find some way to make it shoot faster.

    What is its range?ˇ±

    ˇ°Accurately? Fifty Meters. With power? One twenty. Theoretically.ˇ±

    ˇ°The average C Rank Monster can cover a hundred yards in around ten seconds. That is long enough to fire once, and after you figure it out, maybe even two. And the range will likely also increase.

    You donˇŻt need any Abilities to use this, meaning that even the common person can use it. There are countless people who want to fight but canˇŻt. They either have the wrong class for it, or the wrong Abilities. Maybe even the wrong temperament. With this? They could all fight.

    While the fighters are dealing with the stronger Monsters, the mass of people using your weapon could be killing the mob of Monsters, from a range, meaning that very few, if any, would be injured or killed.

    This weapon you created could turn the average person into a skilled combatant. You might have just created the weapon needed for Humanity to fight back against the Monsters. And I want it.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 161- MEANING OF POWER

    Alaster returned to AzemarˇŻs home and was currently sitting in the library. It was a cozy room, but quite large, filled with bookshelves from floor to ceiling. He would need the ladder on wheels in order to reach the top shelf.

    Azemar had told him the night before that the lessons would usually be in the library so there Alaster waited while he read one of the many books about Minions within the library.

    In other cities, Minion users, typically called Summoners despite many Minions not actually being summoned, were rare. Perhaps only one in two hundred Mages, and the Minions typically werenˇŻt that strong.

    The most common method of using Minions was either manual labor or simply delaying the enemy until the caster could get off their Magic.

    While anyone could potentially learn how to create Minions, one way or another, they were limited to a small number of fairly weak Minions. However, for those that had Classes pertaining to Minions, they could raise a large number or a few strong Minions.

    Sedall had said on numerous occasions that the System adapts to suit the personˇŻs situation in order to best keep them alive. In that case, Alaster was not surprised that a City completely isolated from the rest of Humanity would have a lot of Summoner Types. If they did not, the number of people in the city would slowly dwindle, ground down by the hordes of Monsters.

    Minions allowed the people of Galmore to defend themselves while limiting the number of deaths. The Minions were killed often, but they were much easier to resummon or recreate.

    Alaster even spotted a few Golems among the defenders, pretty much the EnchantersˇŻ version of a Minion. They were typically large and bulky, as that was the cheapest version. But if the Enchanter was willing to use precious materials paired with extensive and delicate Runes, they could make a Golem the same size as a person, while remaining as durable as metal and being able to crush stone between their fingers.

    As he expected, due to the increased number of Summoners, they also had an increased number of books pertaining to Minions. The book Alaster was currently reading was specifically about how the CasterˇŻs Mana infused the Minion. It was a very broad topic with countless explanations as it was different for each type of Minion, but Alaster still wanted to know.

    Of course, he didnˇŻt have the time to finish the entire book. Before he could even read half of it, Lunaria burst through the door.

    ˇ°Good morning Alaster! Have you already eaten breakfast?ˇ±

    Alaster set the book down with a sigh, knowing she would not stop talking either way, ˇ°Yes.ˇ± He lied.

    With [Death Embrace], Alaster did not need to eat or sleep nearly as often as most.

    Much to Alaster relief, Lunaria was not able to say something else as her father walked into the room.

    ˇ°Good, you are both here. LetˇŻs begin.ˇ±

    Lunaria sat down in the chair to Alaster right and smiled wide.

    ˇ°Today, we will talk about the source of power behind Nobility. Any guesses as to what that is?ˇ±

    Lunaria threw her hand up, bouncing in her chair.

    ˇ°Luna, it is just us three, you donˇŻt need to raise your hand.ˇ±

    Ignoring what her father said, Lunaria answered the question, ˇ°High Levels and powerful Classes?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Anyone can raise in levels and have a powerful Class. That is not limited to Nobility. Just look at Alaster. The boy has one of the strongest Classes you will likely find, and he became a High Expert in under a decade. And at the moment, he is as far from a Noble as one could get.ˇ±

    Alaster looked down at himself. He was currently wearing his armor over his clothes as they were still riddled with cuts and holes, and he had not bothered to comb or trim his hair, but he wasnˇŻt that bad, was he?

    ˇ°The answer is very simple, money. With enough money, it is possible for the Nobility to hire those with strong Classes or high Levels. It is possible for them to exert that power and claim land and businesses, as well as create their own. Luna, how did the Jula Family rise as one of the wealthiest families in Galmore?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh! They were able to conjure more Iron than any other, allowing them to outbid other companies and flood the market. Other companies couldnˇŻt keep up until eventually the Jula Family bought them, adding them to their own business and expanding it.ˇ± Lunaria quickly recited, proud of her knowledge.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Azemar continued, ˇ°Correct, and what made the Jula Family special? What allowed them to create so much Iron when other, larger, more established businesses could not?ˇ±

    Lunaria opened her mouth to answer, but hesitated, realizing she did not know.

    ˇ°Manpower. They managed to convince almost every single independent Mage capable of conjuring Iron to sell their material to the Jula Company. But how did the Jula pay for that? Credit. They told the Mages that for each pound of Iron above ninety percent purity, they would receive credit for two silver.

    It was a gamble for them because if the Mages decided to call in their credit all at the same time, the Jula Family would be forced to pay for it and would go bankrupt. But it was a gamble that paid off. By the time that the Mages began to actually call in their credit, the Jula Company had already begun earning enough money to not only pay off all the credit, but also continue to expand.

    The Jula Company rose from some minor company struggling to pay their bills to one of the most influential and wealthy companies in the entire city. And they did it in just over a year. Now, roughly sixty eight percent of the Metal supplied to the city comes from Jula Conjurors.

    Now, this happened before either of you were born. The City Lord granted the head of the Jula Family the Noble Rank of Baron, and they have since advanced into Viscounts.

    They became Nobles through good business and wealth management.ˇ±

    Alaster leaned back and folded his arms, ˇ°ThatˇŻs it? Just having enough money is enough to become Nobility?ˇ±

    ˇ°I already told you; Nobility is just a title. It has no true meaning in the real world. Away from civilization, or around people who simply donˇŻt care, being a Noble means nothing. Anyone can go around calling themselves a Noble, they just donˇŻt because the Noble Families have long since established how violently jealous they are of the word.

    But in this case, it was not their wealth that prompted the City Lord to grant them Nobility. It was the expectation they would use it to aid the city. And they have. While they have continued to grow richer, they have also spent mass fortunes to ensure the Wall remains as in good condition and our Soldiers are both well trained and well equipped.

    They are one of the Noble Families that actually care about the well-being of those they rein over. Though they can be quite irritating about roses.ˇ±

    ˇ°Roses? What does that have to do with anything?ˇ± Alaster could not help but mutter.

    ˇ°Exactly!ˇ± Azemar exclaimed with more emotion than Alaster had previously seen from the man.

    ˇ°Anyway, their wealth allows them to hire powerful people, both to protect their interests, and to exert their will on those around them, both for good and for bad, if they desired. With their funds, they can pay an extensive retinue to train and protect their young, eventually turning them all into potent fighters.ˇ±

    ˇ°So they used some of their fragile image of power, money, into actual power, by training themselves?ˇ±

    Azemar looked up for a moment, ˇ°ˇ­Yeah letˇŻs go with that. However, there are two other Noble Families that became Noble through their own power. The Illifairs and the Naotas. The Illifairs started out as two Experts who got married and had a kid who eventually also became an Expert, and so on and so forth, until eventually their Experts were in the dozens.

    The previous City Lord granted them Nobility in hopes that they would not attempt to use their impressive Military strength to stage a coup. Personally, I donˇŻt think they ever had the ambition for that. They enjoy power and the gaining of it, they donˇŻt really care for ruling, but they continue to train some of the most Elite Soldiers Galmore has to offer.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the Naotas?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Naotas took a different route. They did not have much natural talent. Their family struggled to even reach High Adept, though now they have a few Experts. They came to power through the use of strategy. They convinced others to follow them in battle, creating a sort of pseudo-Mercenary Company.

    They trained their members to fight together seamlessly. Using their conventionally meager strength to produce powerful results. They are also fiercely loyal to Galmore and see no issue eradicating anything or anyone that threatens it.

    Their roots can be clearly traced back to the first generation of Galmore and became Nobles through necessity. The city back then was not nearly as established as it is now, requiring a much more active and established army, which the Naotas provided.

    To this day, roughly fifty three percent of all active Soldiers are under the Naota Banner, with the remaining forty seven percent divided among all the rest, and independents.

    What I am trying to say, is that there are plenty of ways to come to power and be a Noble, but they all originate from money. Without money, the Illifairs would not be able to train their elites. Without money, the Naotas would be unable to supply or hire as many as they do.

    Everyone has needs, food, water, shelter, safety. They will do just about anything to sate these needs, but no one will work without something in return. It first began as bartering goods. Someone would work for a day in exchange for a bag of cotton, which they could then exchange for food or housing.

    Blah blah blah, but in order for bartering to work, both parties have to want something the other party had to offer. What if the farmer no longer wanted to trade food for cotton? Money was then created as an middle man. Suddenly, that man could work for a day and get a silver coin, which he would be certain that he could exchange for food.

    Money has since become integral to Civilization. Everyone wants it, everyone needs it. And so, those with it are able to exploit those that want it. They claimed themselves to be better than everyone else, and very few objected because, well, they had all the money.

    Alaster, you recently paid a young inventor to sign an exclusive contract with you regarding one of her, still in progress, inventions. Using your Money, you convinced her to sign away her ability to sell her invention anywhere else, despite it being her work.

    That in itself is not horrible, as without your funds, she would likely never accomplish anything with her inventions. But in the end, you still used your excess of money to exert your will on others.

    That, is power. The ability to control. To control yourself. To control your surroundings. To control others. Power is domination.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 162- ARMY OF THE DEAD

    Alaster walked leisurely through the dense forest, stepping lightly over the roots of the ancient wood crawling over each other. The moon struggled to cast its light through the dense canopy, casting the world below in darkness. Damp wind from the east foretold of rain.

    Unseen and unheard, the predators of the night hunted. Prowling through the brush with blood on their minds. Distant sounds of their hunts echoed past Alaster. None dared to approach Alaster. Even actively suppressing his aura, as he was, the animal Instinct was acute. While an Adept or weaker Expert might have, it was impossible for Alaster to properly hide his power from their senses.

    None, except the Undead.

    There were many similarities and differences between the Living and Undead. Many were obvious while others were less so. But one difference that was often overlooked was that the Undead did not have a survival instinct. As a result of that, their senses were muted. Still present, but quieter, weaker.

    Even Alaster had forgotten that aspect as his own Undead had never had the need. He had never sent them very far from him, though he could. And when they were active, they were typically given a direct threat, not one they had to seek out or avoid. It was only after reading a brief mention of this aspect that Alaster remembered and decided to take advantage of it.

    Which led to his current situation. Wandering through the forest, far from the safety of the city walls, deep in territory filled with Monsters that would make Experts hesitant.

    The young man had previously set one of his Shadows to follow one of the Undead scouts, hoping that it would lead him to the Lich controlling it. It had taken nearly a week, during which Alaster began to settle into his new circumstances.

    The lessons were strangely both calming and intensive. Each one was thought provoking and fascinating. His teacher was a quiet man that often disappeared, coming and going as he pleased. Alaster doubted that each one of those times were due to his role as the City Elder.

    Azemar was typically reading, but Alaster never saw him reading the same book twice, or from a book that he could find in the library. From just the short time he had been in Galmore, Alaster learned that the Elder was a very deceptive man, but that he cared very deeply about his daughter.

    A daughter that seemed to take some cruel pleasure from disrupting Alaster. Lunaria seemed to have a way of sensing anytime Alaster attempted to sit down and work on expanding his army. He had only managed to grow his Forgotten by a pitiful handful. Let alone begin the actual design on his newest Minion.

    Every evening, after Alaster cleans up the meal while Lunaria talks with him, the two sit down to play a few games of chess. Alaster had not won once.

    Just after Lunaria waved good night to Alaster for the night, he received a prompting from one of his Shadows. Briefly bonding with the Assassin, Alaster saw that it had found the Lich. Or at least its army. And what an army it was.

    Through the muted senses of the Shadow Assassin, Alaster could tell that each Skeleton, which accounted for the majority of the Undead Army, was weak. Even an Undead Worker could contend with one, at least for a few moments. The issue was their number. The Skeletons alone numbered in the thousands at least.

    There were two other kinds of Undead within the army. The Zombies were stronger and more durable than the Skeletons, some even wearing proper armor, and they numbered in the hundreds. The last type of Undead were the Undead Beasts, ranging from Skeleton to Zombie, large and small. They were the least in number, but the most diverse.

    The Shadow was hidden in the branches of a nearby tree and was high enough to see dozens more Skeletons joining the army, likely other scouts.

    For an army this size, there was no way Alaster would be able to defeat it in a frontal assault, at least not alone. But Alaster had no intention of sharing his prey. He might not be able to confront the army in its entirety, but the Undead Army of the Lich was nearly thirty miles away from the walls of Galmore. Alaster would instead engage in guerrilla warfare.

    Of course, such a conflict perfectly suited those that could simply raise their dead again, but even the Lich had limited Mana. Alaster planned on destroying so many Undead with each attack that it would not be able to keep up. Slowly whittling down the massive army until he could attack it in a frontal assault.

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    He could have had the Shadow Assassins search the army until they found the lich and simply have them kill it. The Lich was weak in any sort of melee. It was the smartest and safest plan. The army would vanish upon their MasterˇŻs death without even the opportunity to threaten Galmore or Alaster.

    But Alaster felt compelled to fight. To prove that his Army of the Dead was better. He wanted to make the Lich feel despair before he destroyed it. The feeling was nonsensical, but Alaster did not care enough to fight against it. The fights would allow his Undead to grow stronger.

    Of course, if the battle came too close to Galmore, Alaster would notify Azemar. Even if he wanted to defeat the Lich by himself, he would not risk the city. Not for some misguided sense of honor or heroism, but simply because it was his best chance to save his sister, for now.

    Currently, Alaster was walking through the forest towards the LichˇŻs army. He wanted to find a suitable location to release his Undead from his Soul Domain. A Shadow had already scouted out the location and Alaster arrived shortly after.

    A large clearing, with tall grass and even ground. Perfect for assembling his Military.

    * * * * *

    High above the trees, a dragon hovered, flapping its mighty wings to stay in one place. Unlike a normal dragon, this oneˇŻs scales glistened in the moonlight. This was not a true dragon, but one made of metal, imbued with artificial life by the Magic of its Master.

    Azemar watched from atop his mount, curious to see what his young pupil would do.

    In the peaceful scene of nature, a young giant of a man disturbed the tranquility. Clad in cruel armor that seemed to absorb the pale moonlight and offering nothing in return.

    The fearsome man walked to the middle of the clearing, and look up at the moon, as if reminiscing in long ago memories. Moments turned into minutes before he looked down at the ground, twisting the forefoot of his right foot in the dense grass. Seemingly accepting, Alaster knelt down and gently laid his palm on the soft and gentle ground.

    A moment later, a pulse of raw Mana emanated from the hand, physically felt by even Azemar from high above. Azemar was impressed that someone so young could control Mana so well as to have a physical force, even one so weak. It was not something that could be gained from simple Levels, but from practice.

    But what happened next surprised Azemar. The raw Mana was not the result, but the side effect. Alaster was pushing it away, expelling it from the area, allowing his own Mana to saturate it.

    Originating from the young manˇŻs palm, sickly green Mana surrounded by a thin layer of black and tinged with red radiated out, killing the once green grass before it caught alight, burning to naught but ash in moments.

    The aura of death expanded, killing everything within the clearing, but halting just within, leaving nothing but ash and dirt.

    From behind the kneeling Alaster, a large portal faded into existence, filling the air with the feeling of death and decay. A feeling that Azemar had long sense grown accustomed to.

    Out of the portal came ranks upon ranks of the Undead. Each holding their weapons close to their bodies and marching forward in neat lines, parting around their Master.

    Azemar watched the dead march out without end. He had thought he had a general idea of the boyˇŻs power, as well as the limits. And as he was certain of his current Magical strength, Azemar relented that he had gotten the estimation of the boyˇŻs Minions very wrong.

    Minutes passed as they continued to exit the portal, gradually filling the large clearing. First came the hundreds of mismatched Undead of his Horde Legion. Followed the disciplined soldiers of his Custom army. The Blackguards with their long spears and strong shields followed by the giant Minotaurs and their frightening poleaxes and tower shields.

    Then came the few Minions that Alaster had made himself. Azemar was still attempting to gauge their abilities and strengths, but they were without a doubt powerful. He had seen so personally when he saw just a few of the barbarian Undead rampage through the ranks of Tarian Soldiers during the Siege of Onigas. Now, there were nearly fifty of the Weaved Undead.

    Azemar did not count the Shadow Assassins as they were not really meant for combat. Of course, he had noticed them throughout the city and forest. There were many of them, strategically placed throughout the city.

    However, surprising the Elder once more, after the Weaved Undead, came lines after lines of Undead mounted on Skeletal Steeds. First came light armored armed with sword and shield, then medium armored armed with spear, sword and shield. Finally, and most numerous, were the behemoths of armor, both mount and rider, armed with long lances and thick shields.

    The Skeletal Stallions of each tier of mounted Undead were different sizes and armor. The swordsmen rode small mounts that were typically found on farmlands or caravans. The spearmen rode what would be classified as war mounts, horses bred to endure the strain of war as well as aid their rider in combat.

    But the heavy cavalry rode giants of horses, their backs easily taller than the average man. Even Alaster was only level with them when standing. They also wore heavy steel armor, angled in the middle to throw aside any weapon or body. Their hooves were sharp and clawed in order to gain traction. Their riders were only slightly smaller than the Minotaurs but wore similar armor.

    One hundred of the Heavy Cavalry rode out of the portal, but it was still not done. Last out of portal were twelve dark individuals. As they exited the portal, Azemar felt their presence. It felt wrong, as if they were not natural.

    They stepped forward and as one, knelt behind their Master as the portal closed behind them.

    Azemar knew of the Lich Army and was content to let the boy handle it, but seeing the true might of the young manˇŻs Military might, he scowled.

    ˇ®He holds more power than I thought. I need to accelerate my plans.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 163- THE CHALLENGE

    Unseen, unheard, and unknown by the people of Galmore, a war was being waged just outside their gates. Only a few miles away, hordes of Undead clashed, intent to tear each other apart. Horrid screams escaped the ZombiesˇŻ throats. Screams that could freeze some of the bravest hearts.

    Alaster did not consider himself brave. He rarely fought battles that he was not at least fairly sure he could escape from. He might need to sacrifice his Undead army, but he could survive and rebuild.

    Alaster had simply grown used to the screams after hearing them constantly for the last several hours.

    He had not bothered to count the number of skirmishes that had taken place. How many thousands he had already destroyed. Even if he was the sort of person who would want to know the exact number, it would have been impossible.

    The Undead Cavalry he had been slowly creating had proven their use multiple times over. While the Woven Undead took a few minutes to create each one, the Forgotten were more complicated and took several hours, but actually used very little Mana.

    So in between Weaving the Forgotten, Alaster would rapidly raise a new Undead Knight, which raised its level enough to evolve into a Heavy Knight and only took a few seconds each. The Light Cavalry were actually just the Forgotten.

    The first couple of skirmishes had worked wonderfully well. The Lich had divided his massive army into smaller sections of only a few hundred. Allowing them to cover more ground while not being so big of a target.

    Conventionally, it would have been prudent to plant stakes in the ground in order to deter cavalry. But even experienced Commanders would not have bothered in a forest as thick as this. No horse could build up enough speed through the trunks and roots. There were, however, two issues with that when it came to AlasterˇŻs Cavalry.

    First, the mounts were dead. They had no organs or blood. The stakes would either shatter against the hardened bone, or they would pierce through, doing very little damage. Second, the mounts were dead. They had no proper muscles that were required to move a certain way or build up speed.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead Mounts, which took him almost two entire days to Weave the spell for, could move as fast as they could almost instantly, and their limbs and joints allowed them to traverse the crowded forest floor with only a little hinderance.

    Had it been a rocky terrain, Alaster suspected he would have seen a larger decrease in speed. The rocks underfoot could shift and move, which was much less likely with the tree roots, as thick and tangled as they were.

    With their size, speed, and weight, they barreled through the roughly packed Undead with ease. Bones and blood flying through the air as his Heavy Cavalry barely slowed, going through the smaller section of Undead and out the other side. Next came the Forgotten as Light Cavalry. Without dismounting, they used their swords to efficiently dismantle what few survivors there were from the initial charge.

    It might have been taking advantage of the System, but it allowed the Forgotten to quickly gain Levels without much risk of destruction. Despite the vast amount of Undead Alaster had destroyed he had actually seen no actual progress towards his next Level, but for the Forgotten, who were all low Level to begin with, they were improving quite well.

    Instead, Alaster watched his Army fight from the back, seeing no reason to tire himself before he reached the Lich. His Death Knights stayed close, content with observing. Well, most of them were content. One of the Knights was itching to fight, but Alaster ordered him to stay. He did not want to reveal one of his trump cards before the true battle even began.

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    With the Shadows scouting out where the Undead groups were, the Heavy Cavalry could run from battlefield to battlefield without stopping. Neither their mounts or themselves were capable of growing tired. The Medium Cavalry followed after them, taking out any portions that remained while the Forgotten cleaned up the few survivors.

    In this way, Alaster was completely destroying each group within minutes without losing any of his own Undead.

    Of course, he had no doubt that the Lich would realize something was wrong and recall the other groups while resummoning more. And sure enough, after three hours of skirmishing, the last group had finally merged with the main army.

    Already, he had dealt a savage blow against the Lich without any damage to himself or his own army. While the Undead Alaster had destroyed were already mostly resummoned, that had no doubt cost the Lich a large amount of Mana.

    Alaster recalled his roaming cavalry and gathered his army before he directed them towards the LichˇŻs Army. Throughout the night, while Alaster was directing the Cavalry through the Undead groups, he had made sure to keep an eye on the Lich Army through the eyes of a Shadow.

    Despite losing many of their number, the Lich had not moved the main Army at all. They still remained in a large clearing, atop a slight incline.

    Alaster made no attempt to hide. By the time he came into eyesight of the Lich Army, they were already ready for him, as much as they could.

    Zombies stood in front, four rows deep, all wielding large shields and spears. In front of them, sporadically placed, thick stakes were driven in the ground, angled outwards. Behind the Zombies, stood the mass of Skeletons, wielding a random assortment of weapons. Behind them were two ranks of Skeletons carrying bows. Behind the archers were the Undead Beasts. Finally, at the top of the short hill, Alaster spotted the Lich, guarded by ten more of the front-line Zombies.

    The Lich was fairly accurate to the stories. A Skeleton wearing a dark robe with glowing eyes. The stories claimed that the color of the eyes determined the LichˇŻs level of power. The darker the eyes, the stronger, with white being the weakest, though even a White Lich was still a threat that would alarm a city.

    The stories for the existence of Liches was actually quite similar to HumanityˇŻs own rise to power. The theory was that very rarely, a Naturally occurring Undead was capable of thought and was able to grow stronger with each kill, similar to Humanity.

    Eventually, if they were able to grow strong enough, they would evolve into a higher form, depending on their particular type of power. If the Skeleton trained their durability and strength, they would adapt to become a higher form of Zombie, potentially a Zombie General or Hulk.

    Zombie Generals were more durable and stronger versions of Zombies that could raise more Zombies. They could not raise many, but the Zombies they commanded were elites, each one capable of fighting off half a dozen average Adepts.

    Zombie Hulks could not command any Undead, though other Natural Undead typically mindlessly followed them around. Hulks grew to gargantuan proportions, easily three stories tall. Their strength would make even the average Expert wary and they could survive several full force blows from the same.

    However, if they learned and trained their Magic, they would become Liches, capable of raising and commanding hordes of the dead. Potent Magic users. Cruel and cunning. While they sent hordes of their Undead to a seemingly pointless slaughter, they were capable of summoning countless more. But even they had their limits.

    Even from this distance, Alaster could see the deep purple eyes burning fiercely, as if they were attempting to destroy all before them. Yet there was also a hint of curiosity as they stared back at him, hidden behind a prideful challenge.

    Both were ones who commanded the dead. Both with Necrotic Mana coursing through them. Both desiring more power. But there could only be one. They stared at each other, embracing the challenge they each displayed. But there was no hate.

    They did not hate each other. In some way, they respected each other. The Lich was one who had crawled through the ranks of the Undead as a lowly Skeleton, fighting for each morsal of strength. Gradually understanding the energy of Death with each kill. In that way, they understood each other. But it was that understanding that pushed them to fight.

    Despite the Undead being incapable of feeling emotion, they felt the brewing battle. The fight for who would rule. They grew excited, and though they never moved, they bristled at the Necrotic Mana gradually filling the soon to be battlefield. The grass turned yellow, and insects died. Birds grew silent and Monsters fled.

    Alaster could have one of the Shadow Assassins sneak through the army and simply behead the Lich. But he was not there to kill. He was there to defeat. To see who was stronger. To know who deserved the right to call themselves Lord of the Dead.

 CHAPTER 164- DECEPTION

    The Lich was the first to move. Its archers stepped forward and raised their bows. Alaster could have simply let them loose a volley. He could tell at a glance that the arrows were mundane and would not harm his Undead. But he didnˇŻt.

    With a thought, AlasterˇŻs Death Mages stepped forward and raised their hands towards the enemy. As one, dozens of [Necrotic Bolts] were summoned, hovering next to their Mages.

    ˇ®Begin.ˇŻ

    The Bolts flashed past, elongating due to their velocity. They descended on the Undead. The MagesˇŻ aim was not perfect, causing the Bolts to be spread out, but it did not matter.

    Even as the Bolts flew, the Heavy Cavalry charged forward, barreling out of the dense forest, only gaining in speed as they galloped through the clearing. The Zombies in the front braced, planting their spears in the ground, pointed to the enemy with their shield in front.

    It was impressive, and likely would have repelled the normal Cavalry charge, but AlasterˇŻs Heavy Cavalry were massive. The Skeletal Horses themselves were over seven feet if measured to their backs. And without organs or blood, piercing weapons did not mean much to them anyway.

    Alaster was not sure how much one of the Heavy Cavalry weighed, but from the sounds the roots made when they stepped on them and how much dirt they moved with each step, they earned their name.

    The [Necrotic Bolts] helped to displace the archers, but the volley still came. Before the might of the Cavalry, it meant nothing, nor did the Zombie spear wall. They crashed through it like wet paper, sending many Zombies flying, their rotted bodies breaking apart. Like a wedge driven through sand, the Cavalry dove in.

    But each impact inevitably slowed the Heavy CavalryˇŻs momentum, and Undead or not, momentum is a cavalrymanˇŻs greatest weapon. Without it, they are fragile. Alaster knew that. He remembered watching one of the SiphasˇŻ Guards trainings while he lived there as a child.

    He had prepared for it.

    By the time the Heavy Cavalry was halted, the Horde Legion dove in, pushing further into the mob of Skeletons while also widening the gap. The Summoned Undead attacked from the right flank while the Woven Undead attacked on the left. Together, they shattered the LichˇŻs frontline, gradually meeting with the Horde Legion in the middle while the Heavy Cavalry pulled out.

    Despite their power, even the Heavy Cavalry took losses while surrounded and ill-equipped. A sizeable amount returned to Alaster in the forest, but not nearly as many as had left. Their broken bones laying scattered among the many others on the battlefield. The remains of the Undead would remain for twenty-four hours after their destruction, after which the LichˇŻs Undead remains would vanish, leaving only AlasterˇŻs custom Undead behind as the material they were made out of were already part of this world.

    Alaster watched the battle from atop his own improved steed, watching his forces gradually carve their way forward. The Undead Knights remained hidden deeper in the forest behind the Lich, ready to prevent it from escape. The Undead Mages continued to launch volley after volley of [Necrotic Bolts] aiming for the areas his Undead had not reached.

    ˇ°Master,ˇ± One of the Death Knights spoke. Turning, Alaster saw that it was Catherine, the one that had ultimately killed him, ˇ°This is too easy. Even a White Lich would not be this foolish.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nonsense! This is a battle of pride between two men!ˇ± Shouted one of the other Knights, Alaster had not bothered to learn his name.

    ˇ°Shut up John,ˇ±

    ˇ®So thatˇŻs his name.ˇŻ

    ˇ°This is a battle between two Summoners. ThatˇŻs why Master has not yet acted himself.ˇ±

    Alaster turned away and observed the battle, ˇ°That is correct.ˇ± He admitted, ˇ°But it is also why the Lich has not acted either. Either one of us could have done serious damage to the otherˇŻs army, but this isnˇŻt a contest of personal might, but of the might of our armies.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Only when one is defeated, will we fight ourselves.ˇ±

    ˇ°But, sir, isnˇŻt that all a lot of work begin destroyed out there?ˇ±

    Alaster smirked. Part of him cringed, because his Death Knight was correct. Each of his Personal Guard was hand crafted. Each Woven required time. And the Summoned had cost massive amounts of Mana. He would have to rebuild his army, but it would be worth it to defeat a Lich, just for pride alone.

    Alaster was not a prideful man, in fact, he saw pride as the downfall to many. But he was proud of his Undead Army. Proud of what he had accomplished, even if he was nowhere near the completion for its creation. Defeating the Lich, to him, would mean that his Undead were the best.

    Alaster had already broken past most of the restraints of the System, allowing him to create more Undead than most of his Abilities supposedly allowed. And he had taken advantage of that, creating legions of the Dead to serve him.

    By the current limits of the [Raise Undead] Spell, Alaster should have only been able to raise forty-five, doubled so for Skeletons. But currently, Alaster had three hundred under his Personal Guard. But by doing so, Alaster could feel the weight of all those Minion bearing down on his soul.

    It was a minor weight, easily held up, but Alaster understood that as he created more Minions, that weight would increase. In doing so, putting more strain on his soul. He was not sure what that would do, if anything, but Alaster was ready to risk it if it accomplished his goal.

    Alaster knew that he would not be able to create an endless number of Minions, especially stronger ones. The Lich could summon several thousands of Undead because individually, they were weak. But on an individual level, AlasterˇŻs Undead were much stronger, and so, held more weight.

    As Alaster sat atop his steed, watching the battle unfold and feeling the burden on his soul gradually decrease with each destruction, he realized that he would eventually have to organize his Undead. Currently, they were just made according to his thoughts and feelings at the time, making the numbers rough and seemingly random.

    Which for a battle such as this, between two forces of unthinking and unfeeling Monsters, was fine. But against an organized force of Humans, an equally organized force would be more valuable.

    AlasterˇŻs sister was held by Humans. Humans that had access to armies, and if not, then they certainly had the funds to buy one. He knew that in the pursuit of his goal, he would eventually have to combat a Human Military. By himself as each of his potential Allies could not risk it. But he would do it without hesitation if it meant holding his sister again.

    But first, he had to deal with the Lich. It threatened Galmore, which in turn threatened his education, which delayed the rescue of Evelyn. Alaster held no hate for the Lich, but that could not be tolerated.

    As Catherine predicted, the Lich was not simply going to stand there and let his army be destroyed.

    Without warning, the Liches eyeˇŻs flashed for a moment and the earth under the battlefield shifted. Thousands of skeletal hands shot up from the ground, clawing their way to the surface. The clittering clacking of bones intensified as another army of Skeletons freed themselves from the ground, surrounding AlasterˇŻs Undead.

    Faced with a threat from the rear, AlasterˇŻs forces were divided, and their progress halted. They circled up in order to prevent being attacked in the back, but it also limited their ability to fight back. Unfortunately, the best tactic to use in such a situation was using long thrusting weapons behind a thick shield, which had little to no effect on the Dead.

    ˇ°Catherine, remind me to use that sometime.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir.ˇ±

    Had his forces been living men and women, AlasterˇŻs army would have broken and ran at the sight of being immediately surrounded like that. But the dead did not think. Nor did they panic. They simply reacted.

    While the Death Mages continued to pummel the LichˇŻs army, Alaster ordered the remains of his Heavy Cavalry forward once more. This time, their orders were to charge towards the encircled before breaking into two and angled out, hopefully reducing the time they were in combat and the number of losses they would take.

    Each Heavy Cavalry Undead cost just over two thousand Mana after all.

    Without hesitation, they charged out of the forest. But before they could engage, the earth churned once more. Two Zombie Hulks dug themselves out of the ground, leaving a crater where they had hidden themselves.

    The CavalryˇŻs greatest weapon was turned against them as they found themselves unable to stop in time. With two great backhands, Alaster lost connection to little over two dozen of the remaining Heavy Cavalry.

    The remaining forty were able to peel away, avoiding the Hulks before charging through the LichˇŻs Army from different angles, intent to complete their MasterˇŻs command.

    The Hulks would have towered over any normal Forest, but here, their chests were only barely taller than the treetops. Their rotting flesh had many holes, and their intestines were spilling out of their bulbous stomachs. Their stench infected the forest for miles, making Alaster all the more grateful for [Death Embrace]ˇŻs aspect of muting his sense of smell.

    Alaster emotionlessly stared at the Hulks.

    ˇ°John. Take a few and get rid of those.ˇ±

    John hefted his massive shield and spiked mace with a laugh, ˇ°Gladly!ˇ±

 CHAPTER 165- DAY AFTER DAY

    John took three others with him. They paired off and headed for the Zombie Hulks without hesitation. Alaster leaned back in the Skeletal saddle, content to simply watch. He was intrigued to see how they would challenge Monsters that towered over them.

    The two pairings approached that issue in different ways.

    John jumped up, ramming his shield into the knee of the Hulk. As Undead, it did not care much for muscle or nerves, but John did not intend for the joint to buckle. The power behind John was not small. The power of JohnˇŻs jump shattered the rotten bone of the Zombie HulkˇŻs knee.

    Unbothered by mere pain, the Hulk was silent as it fell, bringing it into range of the second Death KnightˇŻs sword. Burning a brilliant purple and leaving a trail in its wake, the sword cut wide. Burning so hot that the rotten flesh did not burn, but instead melted.

    The Hulk lifted its hand to swat down at the swordsman, but John slammed his shield into its hand, batting it away.

    Alaster turned his attention to the second fight and saw the two Death Knights working seamlessly to slowly whittle away at the HulkˇŻs body without letting it fight back.

    Both fights were flashy, and the pressure waves they caused made the ground shatter and the Undead Armies move further away or risk destruction.

    But the result was inevitable. The Hulks would lose. And once they did, AlasterˇŻs Army would charge forward and defeat the Lich. It was only a matter of time. Alaster sat up and prepared to move forward. He wanted to be the one that took the LichˇŻs head.

    But he did not get the chance.

    As the Hulks were still fighting, or at least not dying, the LichˇŻs Army moved, marching away from the battle. They were retreating. As planned, the Medium Cavalry charged out of the trees in order to stop them, but they were halted by the ground falling from beneath them. Only a few feet, but it was enough to halt their charge.

    Some of the LichˇŻs Undead broke off to engage the fallen Cavalry. From a glance Alaster could tell that the force was not meant to defeat the Cavalry, but instead hinder them, preventing them from pursuing the Lich.

    Alaster ordered his Heavy Cavalry to go around the Hulks and chase after the Lich, but he already knew that it had gotten away.

    He had decimated itˇŻs army, eliminated its trump cards, and forced it to retreat. But Alaster suspected that it would rebuild its army in just a few days, perhaps a week or two.

    The Hulks fell dead after just a few more moments, their heavy bodies in several pieces in various states. The Death Knights who had left returned, proudly kneeling before their Master.

    ˇ°Good job. The Lich unfortunately got away, but we have done well today. However, we must keep the pressure on it and I will be unable to do so consistently. Catherine, I am giving you command over my army. Pursue the Lich. Use what is needed to corner it but do try to preserve the army. They are a pain to rebuild.ˇ±

    Catherine knelt down, ˇ°Yes milord.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°I now have a lecture to attend. You get the fun part and I get the boring part. IsnˇŻt it supposed to be the other way around?ˇ±

    John laughed and a few of the others chuckled. Catherine stood up with a grin, ˇ°If its any consolation, IˇŻd rather be reading than marching through the dirty forest.ˇ±

    ˇ°I guess we all have our roles. Alright, help out the Medium Cavalry and get chasing. If you let the Lich have any time to recover, itˇŻll be another large-scale battle.ˇ±

    Catherine saluted with a fist over her heart and a slight bow, ˇ°Sir!ˇ±

    She turned around and addressed the army, ˇ°After the Lich!ˇ±

    Unlike Alaster, who was bonded to each Undead through his soul, Catherine was not. She could not command them through mere thought. But she had commanded an elite force of Experts. Alaster was confident in her abilities to command the dead.

    Alaster turned around and rode towards Galmore, it was still early in the morning, so he had time. Instead, he wished to see more of the forest that made the people of Galmore hide behind their walls.

    Monsters had keener instincts than Humans. They could more easily tell when they were outmatched, so they all avoided Alaster. The few that remained, hid, and watched as the Human trespassed their territory, too scared to actually defend it.

    The massive trees blocked out much of the light, but Alaster was not hindered. His [Dark Sight] now extended to nearly thirty meters, while his [Seeker Sight] extended to nearly six meters. He saw all the Monsters either hide or flee.

    The Monsters he saw took many forms. But most were standard Beasts. More numerous and vicious than he had seen elsewhere, but still just Beasts. They were a threat to Adepts, and Alaster understood the reason the Galmorians were content to remain in their city.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Eventually, the massive walls of the city came into view. Not wanting to bother with the Guard, Alaster simply used [Swap] to switch places with the Shadow Assassin that remained in his room at AzemarˇŻs residence.

    He was just in time as well, as before he could do anything, Lunaria knocked on his door.

    ˇ°Alaster! Dad says its time for the lesson!ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok, IˇŻll be right down.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    ˇ°Lukas, come. Sit. We have a lot to discuss.ˇ±

    Lukas hesitantly walked into the office, closing the door behind him. The last time he had been in this room, he was scolded and lectured for nearly three hours.

    ˇ°Have I done something wrong father?ˇ± The boy asked.

    Duke Redmond shook his head with a smirk, ˇ°No no, nothing like that. This is important, but I do not think you will be opposed to it. Of course, I wish to know your opinion.ˇ±

    The Duke sat down in one of the lounging chairs, away from his desk. Lukas sat down across from his father, tense, but curious.

    ˇ°Ok? What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°How old are you now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sixteen.ˇ±

    ˇ°Next year, you will be seventeen.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah? ThatˇŻs typically how age works.ˇ±

    The Duke chuckled, ˇ°Shut up and listen you brat.ˇ±

    Lukas grinned. It had been a long time since he and father had a moment where they could talk to each other without someone else present.

    ˇ°As you know. It is common for Nobility to get married once they turn eighteen, but they are typically engaged long before then.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh gods. Dad, did you promise me to some noble lady?ˇ±

    ˇ°No! Seriously now, shut up and listen before you get pissy. Where was I?ˇ±

    ˇ°Trying to work your way into informing me who you sold me to.ˇ±

    The Duke grabbed one of the paper weights on the table between them and threw it at Lukas, who easily caught it.

    ˇ°Ah, thatˇŻs right. Normally, Nobilty become engaged shortly after their fifteenth. That way the pairings can be better matched with the Classes the child receives. You have not experienced that. I have kept youˇ­ ˇ®openˇŻ, if you will. This is both to entice others to continue fostering a good relationship with me and in extension, the Royal Family. But is also because I have not found a young lady that I believe suits you, while still benefiting both the family and the Kingdom.

    That has changed recently.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who?ˇ±

    ˇ°A young lady that you know quite well. Evelyn.ˇ±

    ˇ°Evelyn? But she isnˇŻt a Noble.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, she isnˇŻt. Which did give me a bit of hesitation, but she grew up around some of the highest Nobles. She already knows the environment and how to act. She has even begun manipulating them to suit her, something that makes me quite satisfied.

    It was her special Body Constitution that prompted her living with us, and I have done my best to provide the best materials and education in order to foster that so that her loyalty to us, and therefore the Nation, grows. As you know from your history lessons, if you bothered to stay awake, many Nations have been laid low by isolating or outright attacking someone with a special Body Constitution.

    Her Class is unique and already quite potent. Being able to directly attack the Mana of her opponent while still being a Novice? Armor will mean nothing against her! And her healing is growing exponentially. She spends her free time healing in the infirmary. She already has a following among our FamilyˇŻs Soldiers.

    She is kind, beautiful, and diligent. And the two of you already have a strong relationship.

    Of course, the two of you marrying will strengthen the relationship between the Nobility and Commoners, as Evelyn is technically a Commoner. But the effect of that will be minimal, worth mentioning, but not worth much more.

    What do you think?ˇ±

    ˇ°You are asking my opinion? DonˇŻt the heads of the family typically just do it and expect the couple to obey?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, but that seems cold hearted to me. Your mother and I were like that. We were forced together by our parents. It caused our relationship to be quite cold for many years, before we put in some very hard work to develop it. It was nearly a decade after our wedding that I realized that I loved her.

    I may be old fashioned, but that seems like the reverse of how it should be.

    I could force the two of you to marry. It would not even be an effort. But even if both of you rejected the marriage, it would cause a split in your relationship that would take many years to heal, if it ever did. I do not want that for either of you.

    So yes, I am asking your opinion. Just as I will ask hers regardless of your answer.ˇ±

    ˇ°So even if I reject it, you will still talk to her about it?ˇ± Lukas almost scoffed, but his etiquette training kicked in.

    ˇ°Of course. Like I said, she isnˇŻt stupid. She hears the rumors flying around and has no doubt thought about it herself. Most of your peers already believe the two of you are engaged, though that certainly hasnˇŻt stopped them from approaching me about either of your hands.

    So yes, I will talk to her about it and hear her opinion and move on from there.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm surprised you arenˇŻt thinking of marrying me off to multiple women. Its certainly not unheard of among Nobility.ˇ±

    The DukeˇŻs own father had been married to three women, though only sired children with one.

    ˇ°I have considered it, but if that ever became a serious consideration, it would be after you and your first wife had the opportunity to truly forge a strong loving relationship. Jealousy would otherwise have room to take root and that has fractured everything it has ever touched.ˇ±

    Lukas nodded to himself and leaned back. Of course, he had thought about it before. How could he not. He could see the beauty Evelyn already was, and she was only growing more so with each passing day. Every time he overheard the whispers about the two of them, he thought about it.

    But it had always been a fantasy in his head. This was the first time he had actually thought about it as something that could actually happen. Made only more serious because it was his father, Duke of the Lissurian Kingdom, that suggested it.

    Lukas liked Evelyn. A lot. But did he actually want to marry her? Would such a relationship work? Personally, or even politically? Did he care? Would she? What if she didnˇŻt want to marry him? What if the mere thought made her gag?

    LukasˇŻ mind ran faster than a crossbow bolt. Imagining thousands of scenarios, a second. His heart sped up and he felt his ears burn, as they usually did when he panicked.

    He liked his current relationship with Evelyn. It was a relationship both had been careful to maintain but had grown organically through the years. But the mere idea of marriage could shatter that relationship instantly. Did he want to risk all of it for the chance at something better?

    Lukas had always been hesitant to maintain eye contact with the Duke. Even in the lightest of moments, his eyes had could crush a spirit, but Lukas met them. Staring at them defiantly and with determination.

    ˇ°Yes. I want to marry Evelyn.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 166- ONEéĄć©˛ TORMENT IS ANOTHERéĄć©˛ JOY

    Alaster woke up in a foul mood, but he was not sure why. He had slept well the night before. He had actually gotten a full nightˇŻs sleep, something that had grown rare after acquiring [Death Embrace]. The ensuing war against the Lich was also progressing well.

    His Death Knights continued to lead his army while he stayed in the city either attending his lessons or exploring. At first, the Death Knights had charged ahead, attempting to cut off the LichˇŻs escape before it could get too far. But, after running into several traps and ambushes, they had been forced to slow down.

    The Lich clearly had no intention of fleeing from him, just to get away long enough to rebuild. And Alaster could not rebuild his own army in a single night. Both factors had prolonged the skirmish into a war that had been waging for over four months now.

    The Lich sent out sweeping patrols and the Death Knights spread out AlasterˇŻs Undead to ensure none got past. The current battlefield was roughly fifty miles east of Galmore and spread across five miles. It was a lengthy affair that would have been easily taken care of if Alaster acted personally, but it was also a valuable learning experience.

    Everyday, he learned how to maneuver politically. And every night he examined the movements of both his and the LichˇŻs army to learn how to maneuver militarily.

    Alaster had stopped by ClaireˇŻs workshop the day before to check on the progress of these ˇ®firearmsˇŻ. They were still in no way capable of being used in an actual battle. Still much too fragile, and when they broke, they had the tendency to explode. It was a small explosion, but it was enough to injure most people, especially if they were the ones holding the weapon.

    However, now that she had someone willing to front the expenses, she was making steady progress towards solving the issues. She just took care of them in the order Alaster wanted her to.

    AlasterˇŻs lessons were also progressing. He now knew most of the history of how Nobility in general came into power. Of course, he suspected it would take several years of diligent study to learn how each family came to power. But he now had a stable foundation to build off in future lessons detailing more about how to be a Noble, or at least pretend.

    However, it was not just the lessons that were progressing. The relationship between Alaster and Lunaria was also progressing. The more they got to know each other, the more comfortable she became and the more uncomfortable he became.

    Alaster had never been the most emotional guy, and it was made only worse after the several years he had spent in the wilds. Everything that attempted to get close to him typically wanted to kill him. He had grown very defensive of his personal space. And she was very touchy.

    It was made even worse because something about her messed with his [Seeker Sight]. If he paid attention, he could easily see her, but if he was distracted, it was very easy for her to get close to him without being noticed.

    Something she took advantage of regularly.

    Getting out of bed, Alaster prepared for the day. He got dressed, thought about what he was going to do after the lesson, and mentally prepared to deal with Lunaria.

    The lessons were meant to prepare Alaster to infiltrate the Lissurian Nobility. And while each lesson was not significant, with each passing day, Alaster felt his plan becoming more and more complete. Before, he had only the vague idea of barging into the capital and simply attacking until he found his sister.

    Of course, that plan was immediately thrown out after seeing the defenses even a small Independent City like Onigas had available, let alone the forces Taria had sent to capture it.

    He had not personally seen the Lissurian Capital of Zolis, but he was not foolish enough to think they had similar defenses. Without a doubt, the Capital would have defenses that far surpassed Onigas. In physical, magical, enchantment, and man power, they would all surpass Onigas, and possibly even Galmore.

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    Galmore was a city built for defense, but it specialized in defense against Monsters, most of whom were very simply minded. The people of Galmore did not have to worry about being tunneled under by Earth Mages, Flooded by Water Mages, or their city infiltrated by their enemies.

    Nonetheless, Alaster made it a point to study the defenses as much as possible and due to his relationship with the City Elder, he was allowed access to much more information than any civilian.

    Slowly, gradually, his plan to infiltrate the Capital grew more solid, more realistic. Occasionally, the plan would be entirely scrapped with a new lesson from Azemar, but for the most part, the lessons built on top of the last.

    The lessons were mostly for Alaster, but Lunaria was also attending them, even if she knew a lot of it due to being around Nobility her entire life. Technically, Azemar was not a Noble. But due to his capabilities, as well as the duties he took upon himself, he was treated as one. No one was foolish enough to anger their strongest line of defense against the tide of bloodthirsty monsters constantly banging on their gates.

    Despite Alaster greedily absorbing every piece of information he could, he still had not managed to beat Lunaria in a game of chess. She completely outplayed him every time. Sometimes he would appear to win only to find that his queen surrounded and slaughtered or a quick maneuver that would put his king in check.

    Alaster quickly found his days falling to a schedule, something that had not been the case for many years. After his escape from Onigas as a child, his days had always been a question. Would he survive tomorrow? Where would he find his next meal? What would he have to kill to get it?

    But now, he found himself getting up early in the morning, learning from Azemar until roughly noon, then he would explore the city and occasionally check up on ClaireˇŻs progress, before returning to AzemarˇŻs home in time to either have the dinner Lunaria prepared or even sometimes help her finish it. Then he would clean up while Lunaria watched and teased him before the two sat down to play a game or two of chess before she retired for the night.

    Of course, with AlasterˇŻs [Death Embrace], he did not need to end the day simply because the sun decided to call it quits. While he personally rarely left the city walls nowadays, his Undead were hard at work pursuing the Lich.

    For the most part, they were carefully chasing after the Lich, but sometimes the Lich would push back, and the roles would be reversed for a bit. It was not a battle that either side wanted to commit the entirety of their forces to, so they continued to skirt around each other. Occasionally poking at the other with reinforcements being constantly funneled to them.

    Alaster would occasionally check on their progress through the eyes of a Shadow Assassin, but there was not much he could do. He did not really have any experience leading an army. In truth, his experience was more ordering his army to charge at the enemy and then hoping to defeat them before his army of the dead was wiped out.

    Catherine, the leader of AlasterˇŻs Death Knights, had the most experience, though that was only through being a part of an army. She was still learning and through her movements, so was Alaster.

    Alaster found himself learning how to multitask. After several weeks, he learned to go about his day while weaving more Undead into existence. He was almost constantly creating more, just as Catherine was practically constantly losing them. The only time that Alaster paused his progress was when he had a lesson, as he wanted to pay full attention to it.

    Azemar was not that bad of a teacher either. He knew what he was talking about as he had personally experienced a lot of it. He also knew AlasterˇŻs goal and taught things that he believed would help the boy. He was also surprisingly quite traditional in the way he taught. The lessons were usually in the library, and they would all sit at the table as Azemar taught them.

    Alaster had just finished putting on his clothes when Lunaria burst through the door, even more excited than she usually was.

    ˇ°Come on! Come on!ˇ± She ran over to him and grabbed him by the hand, dragging him out of the room.

    ˇ°Am I late or something?ˇ± Alaster asked, already used to the young womanˇŻs eccentricates.

    ˇ°No, she just likes what the next lesson is about.ˇ± Azemar said, standing up from the table.

    ˇ°We are doing it here? Not the library?ˇ± Alaster asked, finally pulling away from the bouncing ball of energy that was Lunaria.

    ˇ°There is more room here.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are we doing?ˇ±

    Azemar opened his mouth, but Lunaria jumped in front of her father with a beaming smile, ˇ°Dancing!ˇ±

    ˇ®Oh, gods above, kill me now.ˇŻ

    As Lunaria forced Alaster into proper position to begin, Sedall and Belgroth were dying of laughter. They didnˇŻt even have the good manners to keep it to themselves.

 CHAPTER 167- INTERNAL CONFLICT

    Evelyn left the DukeˇŻs office quite numb. Her Hunting Party had just returned from that dayˇŻs hunt. Lukas had seemed slightly distracted but assumed that was because their party had grown to eight members and as the ˇ®tacticianˇŻ of their group, she had assumed that he was struggling slightly to effectively command them.

    But the hunt had ended well, with only minor injuries, which she was able to heal herself. They had encountered several groups of Goblins and even a pair of Orcs. The Goblins had been a good experience in fighting multiple opponents while the Orcs were the opposite.

    With their immense strength and fortitude, they were a challenge for Adepts, but even the Orcs could not defend against a well-prepared party that outnumbered them so much.

    Liam had broken his shield defending Felix from one of the OrcˇŻs attacks. Felix himself was a Level six Spearman. At such a low Level, he had no right to be fighting against an Orc, but with a party, he had done well enough.

    Currently, the party was out in the city, get their gear repaired or replaced, but mostly just relaxing. Evelyn had been planning on joining them, but after they returned to the DukeˇŻs Estate to wash up after the dayˇŻs hunt, she had been called by the Duke.

    There, she had a conversation that had, in a senseˇ­ paralyzed her. She was not even twenty. She was not a Noble. And yet, the Duke of Lissura, direct relative of the King, had offered his sonˇŻs hand in marriage to her. And apparently Lukas had not been opposed to it either.

    She was no fool. She knew what the other Nobles were like. She knew the rumors they gladly created and spread. She also knew what sort of power those rumors had. But she had not put much stock in them. After all, there was a large difference between the rumors of children about who liked who, and the rumors that dictated the course of nations.

    Evelyn finally reached her room and closed the door behind her. Falling face first onto the mattress of her bed, she wished it would just swallow her whole. At least then she wouldnˇŻt have to deal with the complicated chaos that was suddenly her life.

    She rolled over to her back, covering her eyes with the crook of her elbow.

    What was she supposed to do? She liked Lukas, but she didnˇŻt know if she liked him in that way. Duke Redmond had assured her that regardless of her decision, he would support her. But she was not a fool.

    She knew the Duke wanted this marriage to happen. She knew the sort of benefits that would come from such a union, for everyone involved.

    The Royal Family themselves remained isolated in the Royal Castle, only the Duke and a select few were allowed to see the King. Even the guards and servants that attended to the Family were prohibited from leaving the Castle. The King had only made four appearances in the last decade.

    As such, there were many Nobles that claimed that he was unfit to rule if he refused to show himself. Of course, none dared to voice their opinions publicly.

    The Duke was a fierce supporter of his cousin. However, he was also the most favored to succeed his cousin, if the Royal Family ˇ®happenedˇŻ upon an accident. Many believed the Duke to be the most suited for rule, over his cousin.

    Unlike what many believed, or was seen from the surface, the political situation was turbulent. Evelyn incidentally held the power to help calm the waters a little bit.

    She was well liked by everyone, having no enemies. And by not having a family, especially a Noble one, she had no baggage behind her. She was powerful for a Novice, her healing alone was a valuable resource. Everyone had great hopes her.

    All of that, and her potential for further growth, compounded to ensure that not even the more traditional Nobles would be against her marrying into the Duke''s family.

    Currently, every family was attempting sell their daughters off to the Duke as his son''s bride. After all, for all appearances, and for all many of the families know, the Duke runs the nation. The marriage would unite the two families, essentially granting the brideˇŻs family peerless influence in the Kingdom.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Each family was attempting to convince the Duke that their daughter, or in some cases, daughters, should be the one to wed the Duke''s eldest son. The situation was so vital to some that there were even assassination attempts in order to reduce the competition.

    Evelyn''s unique position was such that if she did marry Lukas, the conflict would end, and very few would oppose the union.

    The Duke no doubt knew this as well, and wanted the two to wed. But he had said that he would support her decision. The problem was, Evelyn did not know her decision.

    It was a decision that would effect the rest of her life, but it was also one that would undoubtedly effect countless others. But did she even care about the others? Should she take them into consideration?

    Evelyn grabbed one of her pillows and screamed into it, only for her frustration to remain.

    A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Evelyn sat up, clutching the pillow to her chest.

    ˇ°Who is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sofia.ˇ±

    Evelyn sighed, not really wanting company, but knowing it would be rude to turn away the Lady in her own home.

    ˇ°Come in.ˇ±

    The Lady gently walked in and closed the door. She walked over and sat down on the bed next to the young girl.

    ˇ°How are you feeling?ˇ±

    Evelyn folded her legs, still holding the pillow close to her chest.

    ˇ°The Duke told you?ˇ±

    Sofia smiled softly, ˇ°Of course dear. He doesnˇŻt tell me much about his work, but not even he would dare to make a decision about our son without my say so, even if he isnˇŻt my son by blood.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, then what do you think IˇŻm feeling?ˇ±

    ˇ°I suspect the same things I did when I offered to marry Daniel.ˇ±

    ˇ°I doubt it.ˇ± Evelyn scoffed, resting her chin on the pillow.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be too sure. Worry, concern, crushing pressure, even fear. Do you love him? Do you not? But then what about everything else? After all, he is a Noble! One of the highest Nobles! What would change if you married? What wouldnˇŻt? Would it be good for the Kingdom? Do you care?ˇ± Sofia laid a soft hand on EvelynˇŻs head, slowly smoothing her hair, ˇ°Something like that?ˇ±

    Evelyn hesitated before sheepishly responding, ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    Sofia chuckled, ˇ°Tell me dear, do you care for Lukas?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah! He is my closest friend. I just donˇŻt know if I care for him in that way.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought the same about Daniel at first. We were actually friends when we were your age. Not close, but we were friendly and enjoyed each otherˇŻs company. But then our individual duties pulled us apart. When my father offered my hand to him just a few years after his first wifeˇŻs passing, I felt all of the same things you feel now, but it was all compounded by his late wife.

    Would the people accept me? Would his children? Would he? He still deeply loved her, but he also knew that as the Duke, he could not simply be a widow, especially not with young children.

    So, he instead offered something different. For two years we would court each other, away from the prying eyes and ears of the other Nobles. He and my father began extensive business dealings in order to cover up why we were spending so much time together.

    Two years, where we tried to love each other. If neither of us had any issues at the end of two years, then we would wed.

    Despite his grief, he truly did try, but at the end of the two years, he did not love me. But nor did he hate me. I on the other hand, had fallen for him. So we married, if only to secure his political position. But then he saw me interact with Lukas, treating him as my own.

    I think he saw his first wife in me, and slowly, he began to accept me, slowly, he began to love me.ˇ±

    Evelyn glanced over at the Lady, ˇ°Why are you telling me this?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I am suggesting something similar. Most of the young Noble men and women your age are already engaged, but none of them will marry until they are eighteen years old.

    If you do not know whether you wish to marry or not, why not enter a courtship? The two of you can pursue the evolution of your relationship without pressure. If it doesnˇŻt work out, that is no problem as it would not have been announced.

    But, if it does work out, and the two of you do wish to wed, then we announce it, and very few would be surprised anyway.

    This way, there is less pressure on either of you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why do you care so much about this?ˇ±

    Dutchess Sofia continued to calmly pet the young woman, ˇ°Because I see both of you as my children. I wish you both to be happy. I see how happy the two of you are simply being friends, so why not encourage even more happiness?ˇ±

    ˇ°So, if we did this, no one would know?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm sure that most already suspect it. After all, the two of you already spend a lot of time together, and even hunt together. Of course, the DukeˇŻs guards keep everything about your Hunting Party and locations secret for security reasons, as well as follow you on your hunts.

    But the other Nobles arenˇŻt stupid, worse, they are smart enough to create their own lies.

    Regardless, what do you think?ˇ±

    Evelyn snuggled the pillow closer to her face, thinking, ˇ°I guess so? But what if we begin to hate each other?ˇ±

    ˇ°And what if you die tomorrow? What ifs are pointless to worry about. Just live each day the best you can.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then yes. LetˇŻs do that.ˇ±

    The Duchess smiled, ˇ°Good. Now, rest up, I know today was stressful. IˇŻll tell Daniel and weˇŻll go from there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you Sofia.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 168- TIME GOES ON

    Alaster walked leisurely through the streets of Galmore, taking in the sights and sounds. The people around AzemarˇŻs residence and grown used to the giant of a man walking around, though they did not know that he and the man in cruel black armor they had heard about were the same.

    At first, they had been wary of the man. Who wouldnˇŻt? He was a massive stranger with an aura of death around them. Anyone in their right mind would be distrustful of such a person.

    However, Alaster had unintentionally earned their trust when a thief was running away from the guards, not looking where he was going, and ran into him. With his strong and durable body, the thief bounced off of him and hit his head on the paved road, falling unconscious.

    Both the people and the guards had mistakenly assumed that Alaster had done something to the thief and praised him, but Alaster was simply checking the prices on a piece of cake in a store window.

    His so called ˇ®fameˇŻ only extended to this street with AzemarˇŻs home, which he was happy about. He didnˇŻt like much attention. Which the people seemed to understand. They didnˇŻt make a big deal about their believed guardian and only smiled politely and waved at him as he passed.

    The firearm that Claire was working on was progressing well. It would be cutting it close, but he believed that it would be ready for true battle and mass production before he left Galmore. A time that was fast approaching.

    He had first thought that the year would pass by as quickly as a tortoise. He was used to a life of constant fighting for survival. A life of study and lessons was bound to be boring. Yet it wasnˇŻt.

    Sure, there were boring days. But most of the time, the lessons were interesting enough to keep AlasterˇŻs attention. After the lesson, Alaster kept himself busy through a multitude of projects. One such project being the prototype with Clair.

    However, he also kept himself busy with the constant need to reinforce his Undead Army as they battled against the Lich. Then there were the nightly games of chess against Lunaria and occasional conversations with her father.

    Azemar was quite interesting to talk to. Alaster was certain that he was only middle aged. While the System could slow aging, there was a certain feeling that came with those that had lived past their natural lifespan. Most people wouldnˇŻt be able to identify the feeling, but Alaster had met a God, one of the oldest beings. Azemar simply did not have that same feeling of aged wisdom.

    Though he was certainly wise.

    The Elder was constantly reading, and it showed through his words. No matter what Alaster talked to him about, the man had an educated opinion about it. While most other people would have an opinion about everything, regardless of if they knew what they were talking about, Azemar knew enough to form an educated opinion about it.

    Including things, he should not have known about.

    Azemar somehow knew that Alaster had spoken to Ebris, God of the Dead. Sedall had confirmed that even the Demi-Gods could not have known. Yet somehow this mortal had. Even worse, the man had not seemed all that impressed with it. Azemar had casually dropped that bit of knowledge as if he was talking about the weather.

    Despite enjoying their talks, Alaster could not help but think that the man had an ulterior motive for teaching him. And no matter how much he steered the conversation or did his own investigating, Alaster could not figure it out.

    Sure, his potential was vast, made even more so when coupled with AzemarˇŻs teachings, but there were others that must have had potential that would have assisted either Azemar or the city more. Whatever his reason for teaching Alaster, it had nothing to do with the city.

    Azemar had ensured that Alaster kept his face hidden whenever they were out in public together. Even when Alaster left and returned to AzemarˇŻs manor, he used [Swap], never actually approaching the building himself.

    Of course, he had no doubt that a few of the more observant Nobles suspected him. The population of Galmore was so large that even the taxation department of the city struggled to accurately account for each person. But it was difficult to find people that matched AlasterˇŻs size and build.

    Nevertheless, AzemarˇŻs reason for teaching Alaster did not affect the city in any way. At least, not in a way that Azemar cared about. Whatever his reason, it was personal to him. Yet it remained unknown to anyone but him.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Alaster did not mind. He could sense that it was not malicious against him. Though he was a tad irritated that he couldnˇŻt figure it out. More curious than angry.

    His lessons meanwhile were taking on more of a practical over theoretical side. If learning which of the four forks to use on a salad was in any way practical. Which was the most challenging part.

    Alaster struggled to care enough to learn the etiquette because he could not see a single practical reason for it. However, he understood that if he did not know it, he would stand out among the Noble Caste. So, he sucked it up, and pushed through. He did not want any suspicion to be cast on him until it was already too late for them to respond.

    Unfortunately, the dancing lessons continued to occur, much to LunariaˇŻs joy and AlasterˇŻs dismay.

    The steps themselves were quite simple for his trained body and mind to comprehend and execute. He had already painstakingly trained both to skillfully dance around his opponents in order to best kill them while avoiding his own death. It was simple for him to translate that skill into a less lethal version.

    The struggle was Lunaria.

    Alaster would have bet his entire fortune that Lunaria took some sort of sick pleasure out of making him uncomfortable. Sure, he did not care much about his growing pile of coins, but he still understood their value, even if he got it simply by killing the Monsters that attempted to kill him.

    The two were already much closer than Alaster was comfortable with, even before the music began. Music that was provided by AzemarˇŻs suits of armor holding instruments. But then once they did begin moving, she would purposely make weird faces and ask questions that would have made any man uncomfortable.

    Occasionally, Alaster would even spot Azemar struggling to keep a straight face. He was clearly proud of his daughter.

    Alaster laid down on his bed after playing three more games of chess against Lunaria that night, without winning once, though he actually got close in the second game. As he allowed his body to relax, Alaster checked in with Catherine.

    By now, the war against the Lich had traveled much too far for Alaster to bond with any of his Undead in order to check the situation personally. But he had quickly discovered that he could mentally communicate with his Death Knights from any distance. At least any distance they had yet attempted.

    ˇ°You got a minute to report?ˇ±

    Normally, Alaster would have simply ordered her to do so, but as the months passed, he found himself relaxing. No longer did he search every dark alley for hidden Monsters. Nor did he look at every person with a plan to kill them. Lunaria had informed him that apparently, that was not normal.

    A moment passed before Catherine responded, ˇ°Of course, mˇŻlord. Earlier today, we managed to locate as well as corner the Lich in a location where it was surrounded with steep cliffs on all three sides. Unfortunately, the Lich was able to hold off our forces long enough for it to blow a hole in the rear cliff face, revealing a naturally forming cave.

    We pursued the enemy, and discovered that the cave was in fact a massive tunnel system extending several miles. We have continued to chase the Lich all day, but the many tunnel branches allow itˇŻs Undead to attack us constantly with little warning.

    However, it seems to be headed back to Galmore. I am not certain as to its purpose, but the number of its Undead that it sends at us has been gradually decreasing. Perhaps its Mana is slowly running out? Either way, the tunnels have prevented any of the Cavalry from entering.

    I have instead ordered them to chase the Lich from above ground. Though they have run into Monsters a few times.ˇ±

    Alaster took it all in as his mind ran through the possibilities.

    ˇ°Very well. Continue your work. However, I will be taking one hundred of the Black Guard to prevent the Lich from getting too close to the city.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course, sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are todayˇŻs losses?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sir, three hundred Black Guard. Two hundred and thirteen Minotaurs. Eighty Heavy Cavalry. Twenty Medium Cavalry. Eight Dread Knights. And finally, Twelve Death Mages.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood. I will send the reinforcements momentarily.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you, sir.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed to himself and leaned up. He had most of the requested Undead stored in his soul as he created throughout the day. The problem was most. The Lich might be running out of Mana even with the constant chase, giving it time to slowly regenerate, but it was not the only one.

    AlasterˇŻs army had been gradually growing smaller and smaller with each day. It was still an army that would send even Experts running, but against a Lich as powerful as this, he was worried that he might actually have to personally defeat it.

    But that was not why he sighed.

    He had forgotten that he needed to leave the city to release and send the reinforcements towards Catherine. He had already laid down and really did not want to get back up. Dealing with Lunaria was exhausting work.

    But it needed to be done. So he forced himself up and exchanged places with one of his Shadows outside the city. Unleashed the army of Undead from his soul, away from the eyes, ears, and senses of the defenders atop the wall, and returned to his room.

    In just five minutes, Alaster had revealed an army that would make the defenders of Galmore to ring the alarm bell, drafting the entire Galmorian Garrison to the walls. Yet the people of Galmore did not know that such a force was just a few minutes away from their beloved walls.

    At least, only a handful did know.

    Despite the powerful force that he had just unveiled, Alaster yawned, stripped to his undergarments, and got into bed, asleep just a few moments later.

    Meanwhile, an Expert Mage in the City LordˇŻs castle was pulling out his graying and already thinning hair. He had felt the threat appear suddenly outside the walls before it slowly moved away. He had not been able to identify the threat, just that his senses were screaming at him about it.

    Every night, for the last several months, it had happened, yet he could not figure out what it was. It was driving him crazy.

    Not that Alaster would have cared either way.

 CHAPTER 169- SHARPENING

    Alaster sat down at the table. Lunaria was already there, giving him a smirk that he had long since learned meant that she was planning something that would annoy him in some way. When he first figured that out, he had tried to avoid her, but that only seemed to make the end result so much worse.

    The last time she had given him that evil smirk, she had set up an elaborate trap involving a trip wire, pullies, levers, and a bucket of paint. Ordinarily, such a trap would have been easily seen and avoided by Alaster, but Lunaria had distracted him by asking what dress would look better on her.

    She held up two different dresses and gave him a flirtatious look, confusing him just long enough for the paint to land on him.

    It had taken several hours of scrubbing for his Undead Workers to get the paint out of his clothes and even longer for Alaster to get it all out of his ears.

    Azemar had ˇ®punishedˇŻ his daughter for the prank by making her clean the paint off the floorboards, something that she finished in less than an hour.

    The worst part, in AlasterˇŻs opinion, was that both dresses would have looked great. Lunaria was a beautiful woman. Her silver hair gave her an aura of mystery and grace. At least until she opened her mouth. She could joke with the drunkards of any bar. Yet she could also converse politely with any of the Nobles.

    Azemar sat down, interrupting AlasterˇŻs thoughts, and the lesson began.

    At this point, without going into depth of each individual Noble, Alaster had finished his education about Nobility. The issue? Alaster struggled with keeping his emotions in check. He could easily conceal them, but if something pissed him off, he tended to react to it before he thought. Such a fault would easily be exploited by any experienced Noble.

    Azemar gave him a few exercises to practice, which Lunaria occasionally helped with, but she was given her own lessons. While Alaster would soon be leaving Galmore, it was LunariaˇŻs home. As the City ElderˇŻs Daughter, she needed to know everything about the ruling class.

    A few short hours later, Azemar casually sent his daughter on a few errands while giving Alaster a pointed look, telling him to stay.

    Once the young woman had left with the usual pep in her step and a song being hummed, Azemar turned to his pupil.

    ˇ°How are you liking our city?ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine? ItˇŻs peaceful, despite the constant attacks. The people are content and there doesnˇŻt seem to be much conflict. The little crime there is tends to be non-violent.ˇ±

    ˇ°Remind me, how long has it been since you joined us?ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment, ˇ°Nine months, three weeks, and four days.ˇ±

    Azemar rolled his eyes, not really wanting an exact number, ˇ°And in that time, you havenˇŻt really been able to fight, have you? I imagine youˇŻve grown quite rusty. Even if most of your power is invested in your Minions, you should always be capable of fighting your own battles.

    I know about the Lich your Undead have been chasing around. I had intended to destroy it, but then you attacked it. I let you handle it, figuring that it would help how you manage your army.

    In truth, the size and strength of your Undead Army has now reached a point that even my own Minions would struggle to defeat it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your Minions are more surgical anyway. My Undead are powerful in numbers, but against a powerful foe, they are lacking. They also arenˇŻt the brightest when they arenˇŻt under constant supervision.ˇ± Alaster had long since suspected that Azemar knew about the Lich, so it was not a surprise in any way.

    ˇ°My point stands. Regardless, while your Minions have slowly gotten stronger and more numerous, even if you havenˇŻt been able to keep up with the losses over this prolonged war of yours, you personally, have been lacking.

    Your progression has been knowledge, which is vital as you know, but we canˇŻt neglect the physical aspect.

    Your opponent is the Noble who took your sister, but despite their internal fighting, if an outside foe threatens one, they threaten all of the Nobles.

    Meaning that your opponents are the Nobles of Lissura. Which in essence, means that you are contending with the entire Nation of Lissura.

    You are capable of eliminating an entire army of Adepts and a few Experts. But the forces the Nobles can and will employ are mostly Experts and a few Adepts. Either way, they will be elites of their work.

    Dozens of the Nobles can field their own small armies of these elites. You cannot fight them directly. You know this, hence the lessons, but you will have to fight. You will have to wage battles that remain secret and hidden.

    And as you said it yourself, your Minions are not suited for such conflicts. You will have to fight many of them yourself with only a few select Minions to aid you.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Honestly, I personally believe that its foolish to try. The power they have at their disposal is not just in their military might. They have a variety of Enchantments that will hinder you while benefiting them. And thatˇŻs before they employ a bunch of Holy Mages to eradicate your forces.

    But there is one other threat that I have not really gone into much depth about before. The Lissurian Royal Family. Do you know why this is?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they hide away in their castle. They keep control of their kingdom through the Duke and a handful of other administrators, but they keep themselves isolated.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know why that is?ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head.

    ˇ°They have their own personal Dungeon. A Unique Dungeon that has five levels to it, growing more difficult the deeper they go, and allowing them to exit practically on a whim. The time difference in the Dungeon is fifty to one. Fifty hours in the Dungeon equals only one in the real world.

    This Dungeon allows them to train themselves and those sworn to them. The Royal Guard is contractually bound to the Royal Family. They are quite literally unable to act against them. This Guard numbers five hundred, no more, no less. And each one is an Elite Expert.

    I am not exaggerating when I say that the Royal Guard is perfectly capable of razing Galmore to the ground, and there wouldnˇŻt be much we could do. The Guard would lose a large percentage of their number, but it would be inevitable.

    These Royal Guards answer to no one but the crowned King. They are also fervently loyal. Even without the contract, they would die for the King. Quite frankly, if the Guard is ever sent to kill you, there is nothing you could do. With all your power, all your strength, all your blessings and body, your best chance would be to flee. Flee as fast as you can, abandoning everything.

    Even then, the odds of escape are minimal.

    Despite that, they mean nothing before the King himself.

    You know of Masters, you had the luck of being trained by two of them. The number of Masters are unknown. There are simply too many places they can hide and with their Abilities and strength, waiting several decades at a time does not mean much to them. You sparred with both Aila and Richter, you knew they were holding back. But did you know that both werenˇŻt using even a tenth of a percentage of their power? Less than a thousandth of their power, and you were still being tossed around like a doll.

    Both Aila and Richter are powerful Masters, worthy of note even among the Monsters we call Masters. But the King of Lissura? He could defeat both of them at the same time with a single hand.

    Even worse? He is still growing stronger. The Dungeon his family controls is still unconquered! In the centuries of its management under the Lissurian Royal Family, the family only recently reached the Fifth Level.

    I do not know what is inside the Dungeon, but I do know that the last time the King, a Monster among Masters, just a small step away from becoming a Demi God, tried to defeat the Fifth Level, he failed, and returned with countless life-threatening injuries.

    He is still recovering from his injuries, which is the only reason your plan has any chance of working. The Royal Family has always holed up in their Castle, but since the KingˇŻs defeat, it has gone into lockdown.

    I would prefer more time to teach and guide you, but the King is healing. It will take many more decades before he is fully healed, but even on his deathbed, he could kill you and your entire Undead Army with just a finger. Right now, his reach beyond his Castle is limited, in a few years, it wonˇŻt.

    Which is why I limited your time here to a single year. If you delayed any longer, your minimal chances would become impossible.

    I do not know the exact timeframe, but when you arrive in Lissura, it is crucial that you find and rescue your sister as quickly as possible. Because if the King leaves his Castle, and decides he doesnˇŻt want to bother with you; you will cease to exist before you can do anything against it.ˇ±

    Alaster sat there, digesting this information. He had already known that there were magnitudes of power that he hadnˇŻt even witnessed before. The strongest he had seen in action were Aila and Richter. Yet what they had shown him was not even close to their real power. But to now hear that even their full strength was nothing before the King of Lissuraˇ­Alaster had told off the God of the Dead, but his heart had not beat as rapidly then as it did now.

    He had conversed with a God, and had a learned about Demi Gods, but he hadnˇŻt seen either of their actual power. And what little he had heard about, had no frame of reference.

    Experts were considered the true power of a nation. He had previously compared Masters as being able to destroy an enter city by themselves, but now, it was more apt to say that a single Master could wipe an entire Nation off the map.

    Ranks were exponential. Masters were considerably stronger than an Expert, even if the Expert was only half a step away from reaching Master.

    If Masters could destroy entire Nations, just how powerful were Demigods? And what were they contending with if several dozen was still considered too few?

    In just twenty minutes, AlasterˇŻs view of the world had expanded. If the average person saw the world through a keyhole, Alaster had already been looking through a window. Now, it felt like he was looking through an open doorway, but had not even begun to see the world on the other side.

    ˇ®So thatˇŻs where it ended up.ˇŻ

    Belgroth spoke up. Human civilization did not interest him, so he had been talking less. He only occasionally gave advice to Alaster about his Weaving. Even the private talks he had with Sedall, which Alaster could have listened to, but chose to respect what little privacy the two souls had, were becoming less common.

    ˇ®Where what ended up?ˇŻ Sedall asked, much of this was not news to him. As a Demigod himself, he had already understood the power differences, he simply was unable to impart that wisdom to Alaster without an appropriate reference that he would understand.

    ˇ®Remember how I told you guys that I liked to experiment? Well, from what Azemar was talking about, the Dungeon that the Royal Family has been hoarding, is technically mine.

    ItˇŻs my Laboratory.

    With the vast number of experiments I had going on at the same time, some even as large as a castle, I needed a large space. I separated it into five levels depending on their impact on the world. Level one had things that could change Nations. Level three had things that could shape continents, before the war reduced all but one to dust. And Level Five had things that could shape worlds.

    Of course, I had security measures in place, which I suspect this King was fighting. Because if the experiments of Level Five themselves got out, the space around the Dungeon would contort into a Black Hole that would have swallowed the continent whole.

    Come to think of it, Alpha Red Four should have activated, nullifying all of the Experiments, when I died. If they are still functional, that might be a problem.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Might?ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 170- SMALL WELL

    Alaster didnˇŻt sleep well that night. The conversation with Azemar was a short one that funneled down to the two agreeing to spar after each lesson. But it was the implications of the conversation that kept Alaster awake at night.

    ˇ®If your Lab is now a Dungeon, what does it matter if your security measure didnˇŻt activate?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®Because most of the experiments on Level four were living thinking creatures. Like a Monster youˇŻd see today, but very different. I was attempting to isolate what allowed some living creatures to cultivate Mana, while others couldnˇŻt.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And you failed, creating mutant Monsters immune to Mana?ˇŻ Alaster joked.

    ˇ®No. I succeeded, creating Mutant Monsters immune to Mana while still being able to use it. At least mostly immune. IˇŻd say roughly eighty three percent resistant to nonphysical Magic. For example, against fire, they are resistant. But they arenˇŻt resistant to a giant boulder being thrown at their head.ˇŻ Belgroth said in perfect seriousness, unaware or uncaring of the sarcasm.

    ˇ®What are they like? What do they look like?ˇŻ

    ˇ®These Dungeons change things, so my experiments might not even exist anymore. But the creatures on Level Four where pale gray, seven to eight feet tall, with no nose, sharp ears, completely hairless, with razor sharp teeth.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Well, thatˇŻs horrifying.ˇŻ Sedall groaned, ˇ®Why would you make something like that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®To see if I could? Curiosity? Besides, I wasnˇŻt stupid. They were completely sterile. Unable to breed. They donˇŻt even have genitalia. Though, each one was at a level of strength that would be regarded as Master. Their magic was that powerful, but it was very crude, primal even.ˇŻ

    Alaster got a sudden headache behind his left eye, ˇ®Master? So, they could casually kill me and pretty much everyone else on the planet?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Oh, come on, they werenˇŻt that powerful! Besides, Humanity has its own Masters.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What are they like personally? Are they little more than beasts acting on instinct, or are they thinking planning creatures?ˇŻ Sedall asked

    ˇ®They were actually quite intelligent. Easily able to solve basic problems and grow smarter. I suspect they were just as intelligent as Humans. They were very social creatures that seamlessly worked together to achieve what they wanted, which at the time of my LabˇŻs operation, was usually to sneak some treats from my assistants.

    They were kind, but highly protective, both of each other, and their space.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Oh, so if they somehow escaped from the Dungeon, they wouldnˇŻt attempt to conquer the world?ˇŻ

    ˇ®They absolutely would. You have to remember, despite their intelligence and power, they have the mentality of children. As a child, if you saw something you wanted, and no one was there to stop or reprimand you; you took it.ˇŻ

    Alaster rubbed his temples as he asked a question, he was not sure he wanted to know, ˇ®How many are there?ˇŻ

    ˇ®We needed an adequate sample size, so there were exactly one hundred.ˇŻ

    ˇ®One hundred Masters? Even the Demi Gods would struggle to handle them all at once.ˇŻ Sedall murmured.

    ˇ®I donˇŻt get the terror you guys are feeling. I have studied the Weaves of Dungeons, the creatures within are bound to it, unable to leave, and if isolated from the DungeonˇŻs Weaves, they would die in just a few hours depending on their Mana. My experiments would only last at most eighteen hours.ˇŻ

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    ˇ®Do they have a name?ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    ˇ®We only called them Fours, because they were on Level four. We wanted to keep it simple in the records.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Wait wait wait, you said there were five levels to your Lab. What did you do on Level Five?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Nothing practical, we just studied the theory of forcibly removing Mana from a target. Not a type of drain they could recover from, but permanently removing their ability to use any sort of Magic.

    However, while we made extensive progress towards Drain Spells, we were still far from our goal.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Could someone find your records and continue the work themselves?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I suppose so? But they would require extensive knowledge about how Magic works on a primal level. How it influences the world and how the world influences it back. How Magic fluctuates around and through every living being. How it affects the world in every minor way. Basically, I doubt even your Gods could understand the research, let alone continue it.ˇŻ Belgroth explained, much like he was standing before an auditorium of students.

    ˇ®I really hope youˇŻre right. Cause if the King of Lissura had that power, there wouldnˇŻt be anything anyone else could do.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why are the two of you so panicked? ItˇŻs a Dungeon, far away, under the control of someone you arenˇŻt planning on facing anyway.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yeah, but the problem is who controls it and why. The Lissurian Royal Family has it, and they use it as their personal training ground.

    If it operates how most Dungeons do, then it grows stronger the deeper they go. If Level Four makes them face one hundred Masters, that means the King defeated the one hundred, and still managed to progress to Level Five.

    You say there was no practical research on Level Five, but I would not be at all surprised if the Dungeons conjured some sort of Monster that made use of the research, maybe cutting off their opponentsˇŻ access to their Magic in a certain radius. I donˇŻt know. What I do know is that the King was strong enough to defeat one hundred Masters.

    I already didnˇŻt want to face the King in any sort of conflict. But now, I know that even if I tried to fight him, I wouldnˇŻt stand a chance.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You already knew that. You just know more about the circumstances. Either way, does your plan change?ˇŻ Belgroth pointed out.

    ˇ®No.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Then it doesnˇŻt matter. Focus on your lessons, train hard, and when the time is right, go rescue your sister and be gone before the King knows.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not before releasing my body. As a Demi God, the world itself heavily limits what I can and canˇŻt do involving Mortals, made even more restricted by the other Demi Gods. But in the short amount of time, they donˇŻt know I am free, I will do my best to help you.ˇŻ Sedall offered.

    ˇ®See? You now have a Demi God offering you help! That King has no chance!ˇŻ

    Alaster knew that they were just trying to calm him down and reassure him. He knew that it would not be that simple, it never was. But there was one thing that was always simple. Something that he had done for years now.

    Hunting Monsters.

    Alaster stood up and swapped with one of his Shadows outside the city. While his Undead Army was off fighting a war with the Lich, Alaster appeared in the forest on the other side of Galmore. He was going to ease his tension through the blood of Monsters that had never done anything against him.

    And he did not care.

    * * * * *

    Azemar observed his pupil as he drenched the woods in blood, leaving behind broken bodies and dismembered limbs. Many people thought of Summoners as those not wanting to dirty themselves.

    Alaster broke that stigma. If someone watched him as he tore through the forest, they would assume he was some sort of berserker. He fought alone, wielding his large poleaxe with lethal efficiency. Every movement wrought death and terror upon those unfortunate enough to cross his path.

    Monsters, Azemar would have bet his vast fortune on not having the capacity for fear, fled from his student, terror plain on their faces as they trampled over each other in an attempt to escape. Very few managed to do so.

    He had watched Alaster use his Tendrils of Mana before, and he had thought it was a unique Ability, but not one of much power. Something had changed since the last time he saw it.

    Azemar watched those same tendrils that had previously been easily blocked or deflected by shields now tear apart Monsters renowned for their durability. Monsters that even he struggled with dispatching, at least personally.

    He had told Alaster that they needed to spar together to return him to a razor edge, ready to battle the elite warriors of Lissura if and when the need arose. But that was a lie. In truth, Azemar needed to judge AlasterˇŻs mastery over Necrotic Mana.

    He needed to know if Alaster was able to do it. The only reason he agreed to take the young man in and teach him. He had forced, paid, or coerced the best Mages in the world to prolong the time, to allow him to find some other way to save her.

    Years had passed, he had scoured the lands, read every document related to it, fought horrors that would shake nations, but he had not found anything. He was not even sure Alaster could help. He was simply hoping he could.

    Time was running out.

 CHAPTER 171- BIG WORLD

    Scorching winds whipped up sand, throwing it in their faces as they crested yet another dune. For the last six hours, they have been walking through the blazing desert as furious winds pelted them with coarse sand.

    Both Tom and Mike agreed that they would never come back to this country, if they could help it. Not only did they detest HasonˇŻs culture, but they also hated the people, and the environment.

    Hason truly believed that some people were born better than others. That ideology was not new of isolated to just Hason. It was everywhere, it was the very foundation of Nobility. It was a simple truth of reality; some people were better than others. Regardless of how much that fact hurts some feelings, it is still a fact.

    However, Hason took it up another notch. They believed that some people were inferior, and that those of inferior birth or upbringing, should serve those better than they were through slavery.

    Again, not an idea that was new. Many cities enslaved repeat criminals in order to serve the city. But Hason treated them like that from birth. And nothing that person did would change that. Even if the slave saved a city, they would simply get less of a beating the next time.

    HasonˇŻs Military was comprised almost entirely of Slaves. An enchanted collar around their necks prevented them from doing anything against their commanders or against the Royal Family of Hason. The collars could not force the slave to obey, but if they refused, or were too slow to obey, the collar electrocuted them. The longer they did not obey, the more intensive the shock, to the point of even killing them.

    The collars themselves were a genius creation created for misery. If the enchantments on the collars began to lose cohesion, either through damage or age, they released a shock strong enough to kill even five men. Such powerful enchantments on lousy material caused the collars to wear out enough for the killing shock after only a week.

    Without the key, that only their masters ruled, anyone who attempted to repair the enchantments would receive a killing shock in addition the slave, killing both.

    Only the most desperate of slaves attempted to flee, but none had ever survived long enough to even leave the borders of Hason.

    With the collars, Hason ensured that they had a dependable workforce and military, whether their loyalty was forced or not.

    It left a rotten taste in MikeˇŻs mouth, and he had grown tired of stopping Tom from acting out against it. His oldest friend knew it would have been pointless, but he struggled to control himself when he saw something that went against his own morals so strongly.

    After a month in Hason, the duo had finally accomplished their mission. Unfortunately, they had attracted attention from the authorities. They had already had to kill a few. Much to their relief, the people of Hason refused to let a slave command them, so all the law keepers and guards were not slaves.

    They were both tired, hot, and bloody. Their equipment was damaged and dull. Tom had taken a serious wound to his side, though one of his Abilities activated, healing it in just ten minutes, leaving just a spot of bare skin. While Tom searched the horizon for their pursuers, Mike was looking at the map, wishing they had not accepted this mission to begin with.

    In order to build their reputation, power, as well as foster a relationship with the Duke, the two friends had allowed themselves to be recruited into a taskforce under the direct command of Duke Redmond. This taskforce was nothing large or elite.

    It was actually quite similar to the AdventurerˇŻs Guild. Except while the Guild remained fiercely neutral, except in self-defense, the taskforce was loyal to Lissura, though they only took orders from the Duke.

    Within the taskforce, missions would be posted, and anyone could take them. These missions ranged from clearing out certain Monsters or escorting valuable cargo, all the way to espionage or even assassination. Anything that was seen as beneficial to the Kingdom of Lissura.

    There were just two ground rules. First, any member found guilty of a crime was immediately removed from the taskforce and depending on the circumstances, executed. Second, members must keep their involvement secret. The Taskforce was public knowledge, but its members and their missions were not.

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    Mike and Tom had taken one of the higher ranked missions. Despite still being new to the taskforce, they took one of the more difficult missions. They did this to show their worth, and hopefully get closer to the Duke, perhaps even meet with him personally. Anything to get a better understanding of EvelynˇŻs circumstances.

    The mission was to survey the military capabilities and actions of Hason. How many Slaves and Officers? Where were they stationed? Any prominent figures? Average strength? But most importantly, did they seem to be acting aggressively or defensively?

    The pair had actually accomplished the mission by pretending to be Adventurers who just wanted to see a new culture, they even did a few jobs for the local guilds. However, during their visit to the third and final city, the capital, the Guards wanted to ask them a few questions.

    They couldnˇŻt allow that to happen, so had escaped, killing half a dozen guards that stood in their way. They now had three dozen pursuing them. The guards likely thought they were fools to attempt fleeing into the sand dunes, where there was no water or even shelter. And indeed, it would have been foolish, had they not had an exit strategy.

    Every member of the taskforce was given an amulet that when triggered, would send a signal back to the taskforce headquarters. That signal would trigger a small portal to open near them, powered by the twenty portal mages constantly powering the portal arches.

    However, the amulet had a few limitations. The portal would only be only for a few moments. The Portal was only as large as an average person, so Tom had to duck. And, the portal couldnˇŻt be opened within a certain distance of a large population, such as a city. The amulet got confused with all those people around and it simply shut down.

    So, they had been moving through the desert, watching the amulet for when the small light would turn on, signaling that they could use the amulet.

    As Mike checked once more, he sighed.

    ˇ°We have to keep moving.ˇ±

    Tom groaned, ˇ°Piece of junk! CouldnˇŻt they have given us equipment that actually works? They are still chasing us by the way. Just a few miles behind.ˇ±

    Mike adjusted the pack on his back, ˇ°Then letˇŻs keep going. It canˇŻt be much further.ˇ±

    Tom followed after his friend as they descended the dune, ˇ°ThatˇŻs what you said four miles ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh please, I have personally seen you run ten miles as a warmup. This much should be nothing to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°That was when it was cool in the morning and on stable footing. Not when its over a hundred degrees and with the ground constantly shifting. I hate sand!ˇ±

    So they kept moving. At the top of each dune, Tom would glance behind them. Their pursuers were catching up. That wasnˇŻt much of a surprise. The people of Hason were naturally better trained to travel across loose sand, as they were raised doing so.

    It was a challenge to stay ahead of their pursuers. After three more hours, even Tom was breathing hard. But the small gem on the Amulet finally glowed with pale white light.

    Mike didnˇŻt hesitate to activate the Amulet. As he did, a cut appeared in the air before him before it widened, revealing a blue portal.

    ˇ°Lets go!ˇ±

    ˇ°Finally!ˇ±

    They both dived through the portal, and it closed behind them a moment later.

    Tom let himself lay there, on the cool stone. He sighed in relief and was content to continue laying there until he had to move.

    Mike, on the other hand, was immediately up. The man in charge of receiving their information similar to theirs was there. So Mike walked over and handed him the small pile of notes they had created. The man took them without ceremony and ran off.

    Where? Mike did not know, nor did he truly care at the moment. The notes would eventually end up where they needed to go. After they were evaluated, they would be rewarded accordingly. The results of their scouting would end up in front of the Duke one way or another.

    He would examine them and then act on it, or he wouldnˇŻt. Either way, their scouting would have helped direct the course of the Nation. But neither of them cared for that. They did not care for the Nation.

    When they were children, their friendˇŻs parents had been tortured, his sister stolen away, and he was declared a heretic, cast out into the wilderness. Even after, taxes continued to rise, causing many to leave the village, until it was just a shadow of what it once was.

    Just last month, the two of them had received news that a plague had swept through the village, killing many of the few remaining villagers. TomˇŻs mother and MikeˇŻs little sister had been among the dead. Instead of sending healers and doctors, the Lissurian government had decided to instead quarantine the entire village, preventing any help from reaching them.

    At first, they had simply wanted payback on behalf of their friend. Now, they had no care for the Kingdom. They did not wish harm upon the people, but they would smile at the misfortune of the Nobles that led the Kingdom.

    Tom eventually got off the ground with a groan and together, the two returned to their room. It was only early evening, but they were both tired and decided to call it an early day.

    As Tom laid down, he pondered. They had kept a distant eye on Evelyn. He wondered how the young girl was reacting to the news. Did she even care anymore? Would she care if many of the people from her hometown were dead? Did she even know?

 CHAPTER 172- NEGOTIATIONS

    Despite the numerous things he had to do each day, Alaster still found moments of free time. He used these mere moments to pursue projects that he wanted, but that werenˇŻt very important.

    Currently, he was riding atop his personal modified Undead Stallion. As large as the Heavy CavalryˇŻs mounts. The reinforced bones stronger than steel and blacker than a moonless night. Its spiked hooves gave it better traction, as well as a weapon, if needed. Its mouth was filled with fangs and its mane was similar to his own Mana Tendril. Made of tangible Mana, it was long and glowed green with hints of black.

    Alaster had pumped so much Necrotic Mana into it that it faintly glowed beneath the layers of bone. It was an intelligent creature as well, capable of making its own decisions, as limited as they were.

    Its tail was also reminiscent of Mana Tendrils, except it wasnˇŻt soft, smooth, and flowing. Its tail was split into two, sharp, serrated, Mana Tendrils that it could whip around and cut deeply into the thick and ancient trunks of the forest.

    Alaster found himself as giddy as a child once it was finished. Its mere presence was terrifying. It held so much Necrotic Mana that each step corroded the grass around each of its hooves.

    Unexpectantly, the System recognized the creation and even modified it a little. It gave it a personalized name as well as a second ˇ®modeˇŻ. It could show its true form, one of death and destruction. Or it could shrink and transform into a normal horse that was pure black and only a little larger than other horses.

    Alaster had not expected that, but he certainly appreciated it. He was quite proud of his creation and had already grown quite fond of it. His own personal Nightmare. And he was certain that it would soon become the focus of many nightmares.

    However, despite his creation of Nightmare, it was still only a petty project that he did when he grew frustrated or tired of his other side project. This project was vastly more complex and intricate. While Nightmare had been mostly a hardware issue, where he only had to create the frame for the beast, this project was more of a software problem.

    He already knew the body he wanted to use for it. He could create it in a matter of hours. The only reason he had not yet done so was because then he would have had to lob it around with him.

    The problem was how complex the Magic within the creature would be. This had been a pet project of his since coming to Galmore, and he was still only perhaps forty percent done. Part of the reason he was so focused on the Lich, was that Alaster hoped he could study it and progress further on his project.

    That was actually where he was going now. After ten months of warfare, the Lich had finally grown tired of it, and had offered up a white flag. Where the thing could have gotten the white fabric in the middle of a forest, Alaster did not know, or care.

    He was more intrigued that the Lich had offered up its surrender. It was smart enough to know what it meant but seemed to have the self-preservation to not fight to the end. Once the flag was waved, Catherine had halted the armyˇŻs advancement, and instead encircled the Lich and his, now much smaller, army.

    Alaster could have simply appeared there within a few moments using [Swap] with a bunch of Shadow Assassins, but he decided to take the moment to test out Nightmare for the first time. Besides, if the Lich was smart enough to offer its surrender, then it was likely smart enough to feel pressure.

    Alaster was very pleased with NightmareˇŻs performance. It was extremely fast across flat ground, agile across the tangled mess of roots of the forest. It was so fast, that a small tribe of Goblins didnˇŻt have the time to get out of the way. Nightmare had trampled four of them and used its tails to slice apart another dozen, all without stopping or changing anything about its path.

    When Alaster finally arrived at the site of surrender, he was amazed. He of course knew the size of his army, but he had not actually seen it all in one place before. The Lich was currently sitting at a bone table on a bone chair, across from another chair. The table was at the bottom of a natural amphitheater.

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    From the bottom, the ground steadily rose up from all sides, which AlasterˇŻs army occupied. His army seamlessly parted to allow him, atop Nightmare, to pass. Soon at the bottom, the magnitude of his army finally hit him. It numbered in the thousands. Many of them were not strong enough to fight the average Adept one on one, but there were many who could, and do so with ease.

    Alaster had known he was a powerhouse of Humanity; he had simply not understood its full power. While such an army would not solve his goal, it would help in certain aspects.

    Alaster dismounted, allowing Nightmare to glare hatefully at the Lich calmly sitting at the table, despite the overwhelming force around it. Of course, its head was simply a skull. Emotion did not show well.

    His Death Knights were also there, standing behind the chair meant for him. They silently knelt as he approached. Alaster ignored them and sat down, while he mentally praised them for their good work.

    ˇ°You offered your surrender. You would not have done so if you did not want something in return. So, speak. What do you want?ˇ±

    The Lich pulled back its black hood, revealing is pearl skull and purple eyes. It stared at Alaster for a moment before turning its attention to the army of Undead surrounding it, then at the Death Knights behind Alaster, before finally turning its attention back to the man.

    As it spoke, its jaw remained closed, but the ancient and cold voice seemed to come from everywhere.

    ˇ°We fought each other for pride. Our pride as ones who rein over the dead. Our unspoken agreement prohibiting either of us from directly acting on the battle. Had such an agreement not been in place, I would have swept through your army, and its elites, with ease.ˇ± It pointed to the Death Knights with a long bony finger.

    ˇ°However, had such an agreement not been in place, you would have destroyed me with so little effort that I doubt I would even be an afterthought.

    I prided myself on commanding the dead, of reigning supreme among them. It is the nature of the Dead to obey their betters. Even to their second death, they would obey. I enjoyed that blind devotion and sought to spread it to your Human Cities so that I might grow even stronger.

    However, I am also a member of the dead. It is also in my nature to follow my betters, and you have proven to be my better in the summoning and command of the Dead.

    You asked what I want?

    I want to serve.

    Had you simply overwhelmed me through sheer numbers, as many such beings with power over the dead would have attempted, I would have fought to the end. But you didnˇŻt. You bested me through tactics and diversity.

    I have never seen such Undead before. Working together with such intelligence and foresight. ItˇŻs amazing. ItˇŻs almost as if they were living creatures still. Even while I lived, I had not heard of such a thing.ˇ±

    ˇ°You remember your life as a mortal?ˇ± Alaster rose an eyebrow.

    ˇ°In part. It comes and goes like fragments of ice on a swiftly flowing river. From what little I have been able to catch, I have been able to decipher that I was once a researcher of Magic, specialized in the Magic of Death. However, all else evades me.ˇ± The LichˇŻs gaze, while never changing, seemed to grow distant and distracted.

    ˇ°My Undead caught your attention so you wish to follow me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. I wish to follow the one with such a mastery over death. I am intrigued to see what else you might create. What you will use your creations to do. Everything.

    I might not remember my past life, but I remember this life quite clearly. In the centuries that I have been a member of the dead, I have never felt a single emotion. Even against the Humans and Creatures that hunted my kind, all I felt was cold indifference.

    But once we began this contest of ours, I felt something I had once thought was long lost to the cosmos. Excitement.

    In some twisted turnabout way, you, something with a control over death that I have never even heard of before, has sparked a small flame of life back into this old Undead.

    I wish to follow the one capable of such hypocrisies.ˇ±

    ˇ°And how could I trust you?ˇ±

    The Lich stood up. The Death Knights grew tense, but Alaster raised a hand to calm them. The Lich held a closed fist against its chest.

    ˇ°I swear upon my Mage Root to serve and protect you until the time you no longer see fit to use me.ˇ±

    [An Oath of Old has been spoken

    This Oath has not been spoken for millennia, but its power remains absolute. Should those bound by the Oath break it, their Mage Root will be severed, losing their ability to control any Mana.

    Do you accept?]

    ˇ°You will serve me in any manner I see fit?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± The Lich remained with its head bowed.

    ˇ°I accept your fealty and hope that we may both find what we seek from it.ˇ±

    [Servant of the Dead has been acquired

    Their Status Page will now be accessible to you, though you may not change it.

    As Lord of the Dead, you have taken the first step to creating your retinue.

    A creature of Death has sworn their loyalty to you.

    Be sure not to abuse it.]

 CHAPTER 173- SECONDARY LESSONS

    ˇ°How did you still mess this up? Were you even listening?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes! I know what IˇŻm supposed to do, but itˇŻs still tricky!ˇ± Alaster felt himself growing irritated, both due to his repeated failures, and his teacher.

    ˇ°Instill the Necrotic Mana while holding it back from consuming the body. Carve out a space for pure Mana to reside! Only then can you begin to weave it into the body! We have been over this!ˇ±

    Alaster turned to his mentor, ˇ°If itˇŻs so easy, why canˇŻt you do it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because IˇŻm dead you moron! I canˇŻt improve my own control over Necrotic Mana. You not only can, but already possess enough control to do so! But you keep handling the Mana like you are a toddler playing in the mud!ˇ± Lezrem countered.

    Alaster glared at the Lich but didnˇŻt argue his point. He knew he had greater control over Necrotic Mana than he had the current skill to use. He was just frustrated about it. The only reason he kept trying to make his idea work was the promise of what he could do with it.

    Despite the difficulties, Alaster was actually making very good progress with LezremˇŻs teachings and guidance. Sedall had great knowledge about the System while Belgroth knew plenty about Magic in general. But neither of them had detailed information about the Magic of Death.

    The old LichˇŻs memories were spotty, but Alaster suspected that when he still lived, he was an Expert who had dedicated his entire life to studying Necrotic Mana and its uses. Alaster learned from him that there was more to Necrotic Mana than he ever thought possible.

    Of course, knowledge was not the only thing Lezrem offered. He was still a Lich, a very powerful Lich. He could still summon vast hordes of Undead, or if given time, he could even summon higher forms of Undead, such as the Zombie Hulks or even Generals.

    Alaster could not command them, but with Lezrem, he did have them under his banner. A banner that had yet to be made. A banner that Azemar kept pressuring him to create. After all, every Noble House had a Banner and crest.

    However, he had been putting it off in favor of his project. If it came down to it, he could just slap a random design on a piece of paper and call it good. Though if he did that, Azemar would face palm and Lunaria would punch him. And despite being an Adept, her punches were quite painful even for a powerful Expert such as himself.

    Azemar asked him about how the Banner and Crest project was going after every lesson, and Alaster lied every time, saying that it was going well, even though he had not even begun. And of course, Azemar knew that, but he didnˇŻt push. He was there to teach the boy, not mother him. Besides, he still had a month to make a design.

    He was more interested in finishing his project. Before, he had hoped, but doubted, that he could finish it before the year time limit ended. Now that he has Lezrem helping him, Alaster estimated that he would finish the project in just another week. At least, if he could figure out how to fuse Necrotic Mana into itself and a material form at the same time without it blowing up in his face.

    It was a difficult and confusing problem that was counterintuitive, but Alaster was steadily making progress, even if he couldnˇŻt put it into words how he was improving.

    Since Lezrem was not one of his summons, the Lich could not enter AlasterˇŻs Domain, nor was he an option for many Abilities, such as [Swap]. That had made it impossible to sneak the Lich into the city. Not that Alaster would want to.

    While Lezrem had sworn himself to Alaster, he was still a Lich, a Monster. He still felt the desire to kill, just as all Monsters. But as a member of the Undead, that feeling was enhanced further to a desire to kill everything, even other Monsters. They just prioritized Humanity.

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    Lezrem was able to suppress his innate desire due to his intelligence. The Undead both of them could summon were magically bond to their MastersˇŻ wishes. But either way, Alaster did not want to risk it. It would be like offering hard drugs to an addict.

    Bound not to end well.

    Instead, Lezrem had constructed a small log cabin roughly fifteen miles away from Galmore. In actuality, Lezrem ordered his Undead to construct it. Alaster learned that Lezrem could not manipulate bone as he could. LezremˇŻs capacity was solely in magic. Manipulating Necrotic Mana and summoning Undead.

    Alaster traveled to the cabin everyday after his lesson. Lezrem would watch as Alaster worked on his project while offering guidance. The old Lich was not a forgiving mentor. But it was seeing results.

    Lezrem had helped Alaster fine tune his Weave until it was time to begin infusing it into a material body. The body itself was a masterful creation that Alaster had been working on and off on since a little before he came to Galmore. However, the problem was connecting the immaterial to the material.

    Before, the System had either helped him, or the Weave itself had created the body. Neither would work this time around. A Weave that created the body was limited in many ways. Each item could only have a Weave that fit into it. Skilled Weavers might be able to stack their Weave onto itself, making use of all the space available, but Alaster was far from that.

    To create what he wanted, he needed all the space he could get, meaning that the Weave could not include making the item it would reside within.

    Lezrem sat back in the crude wooden chair and continued to observe AlasterˇŻs work. To the naked eye, Alaster was just moving his fingers randomly through the air. But to those that had Mana Sight, or similar methods, they would see him Weaving the Mana around them in intricate ways.

    It was almost like Enchanting. But while Enchanting used Runes created out of Mana, with each Rune having a defined use, Alaster was using Mana itself to create what he wanted. Weaving was much more flexible in that way. While the Weaves were very specific and had rules, the userˇŻs thoughts and feelings drastically affected its effect.

    ˇ°Good. Watch the eighth strand, itˇŻs becoming loose.ˇ±

    ˇ°Got it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Put more Necrotic Mana into the twelfth strand.ˇ±

    ˇ°I need to put more Pure Mana into the third strand first.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nice catch.ˇ±

    They went on like that for several hours until it was time for Alaster to return to the city. While Weaving was not physical, and the Mana cost was minute even for the common Adept, it was mentally exhaustive. Alaster dragged himself out of the cabin and was greeted by LezremˇŻs horde of Undead slowly, but steadily, creating a wooden fortress.

    The Lich could not remember his death, but he had a strong repulsion to staying in one place without creating adequate defenses. Alaster suspected that he was hunted down by something and hadnˇŻt prepared well enough before stopping to rest or continue his studies.

    From what AlasterˇŻs tired eyes could see, it would be a small fort made entirely out of logs. Only large enough for the Cabin and all his Undead to move and fight should the need arise. It would be a fragile creation compared to any threat willing to confront a Purple Lich. Alaster doubted anything would dare to attack Lezrem.

    He would have been certain had the Lich been a Black Lich. A Black Lich was the strongest Lich ever recorded. There had only been a single recorded existence of a Black Lich. Its Undeath had barely lasted a month, and yet it had devastated the continent.

    Numbers ruled supreme in war. Strength was important, but not even a thousand Experts could defeat an Undead army numbering in the millions. In truth, the army of the Black Lich had not even been defeated. Instead, all of the Nations banded together, and sent their Experts to pierce through the army and target the Lich directly.

    Thousands of Experts had died, but the Lich was defeated. However, not before it razed a dozen cities to the ground and decimated the population of the continent.

    Of course, this happened many centuries ago. Alaster only knew so much about it because Sedall had been directly involved. He had been able to keep the strongest of the LichˇŻs army focused on him, allowing the thousands of Experts to struggle through the weaker ones.

    While Lezrem was only a single-color rank behind this infamous Lich, he was drastically weaker. Purple Lichs were incomparably stronger than Red Lichs. Red Lichs could only summon a few hundred Undead at a time. Purple Lichs could summon a few thousand Undead.

    According to Lezrem, it was possible for him to rank up into being a Black Lich, but he was still far from doing so. Something that was both disappointing and relieved about.

    Lezrem had sworn himself to Alaster, meaning his Undead were also at AlasterˇŻs command, though not directly. If Alaster could command millions of LezremˇŻs Undead, then all of his goals would easily be accomplished, but it would also mean that Lezrem was a force comparable to all of Humanity.

    As little as Alaster cared about others, he did not wish to see his entire Race exterminated. Well, maybe just a little bit?

 CHAPTER 174- TO THE END

    ˇ°Finally!ˇ± Alaster shouted, jumping to his feet and throwing up his arms.

    ˇ°Well done.ˇ± Lezrem calmly congratulated. Despite his calm sounding voice, he was extremely impressed. He had been helping his new master with this project to help him improve his Weaving and Necrotic capabilities. He had not actually expected it to work.

    Now, where he had only seen a single master, he now saw two. A LichˇŻs eyes were Mana Sensitive first, and physical second. While his physical senses were telling him that they were two distinct beings, his Magical senses were screaming at him that it was a single person.

    The project Alaster had been so focused on for the last year was a second body. When Alaster had first learned how to [Bond] with his Minions, he was fascinated with the capability to use it to do his work while his real body was safely hidden far away. So, if his current body was destroyed, his real body was still safe.

    But [Bond] had several limitations. First, it had to be one of his created Minions. It could not be one of his Summoned or Woven Minions. There was also a distance limit. He could not use any of his Abilities and was entirely limited to the capabilities of the Minion itself.

    Alaster had sought to change that, and when he learned of Weaving, he started working out a way to make it possible.

    Standing before him, was not a Minion, but a vessel that his soul controlled. Its easy to make such a vessel, but Alaster did not want to move his soul into the vessel. Doing so would have killed his original body. Alaster wanted a vessel that would temporarily house his soul and if the vessel was destroyed, there wouldnˇŻt be any harm to himself.

    That was why he struggled so much with the Weave. Because while Abilities allowing the soul to split existed, Alaster did not have any. So he had to include the splitting of his soul into the Weave. Which was very difficult to achieve for an ExpertˇŻs soul without irreparably harming it, or even tearing it apart.

    However, through extensive trial and error, and LezremˇŻs help, Alaster was able to make it work. At least most of it. In order to allow the vessel to use AlasterˇŻs Abilities, the soul would have to bond with the body. This meant that if the vessel was ever destroyed, it would damage his soul, causing severe pain and backlash, but nothing permanent. He could recover from it within a few weeks, maybe a month or two if he couldnˇŻt rest to heal.

    Alaster could have modeled the body after himself, or more specifically, after his Pact Armor, but why would he do that? Because it was technically a blank Undead Minion, Alaster could make the body colossal in size, towering over a dozen feet tall. But why would he do that?

    Sure, a giant Undead could do a lot of damage, but so could a couple [Dead Bombs]. Alaster wanted his second body to be more surgical, while still being durable and powerful. Height was a powerful advantage in any close combat. In the end, Alaster spent a lot of work on the detail work.

    Similar to Nightmare, the Second Body had two forms. The first was quite normal. A large, not but exceedingly so, man clad in intricate black armor. This form was imposing, but was possible to blend in well, at least among adventurers or Knights. Which it was meant to do. Alaster wanted to use this form to blend in and scout before his real body arrived.

    The second form was what truly took the most time. Despite being the one to craft it by ˇ®handˇŻ, it still sent shivers down his spine when he looked at it. Which was the point. Alaster spent countless hours working on making it as intimidating as he could, while not sacrificing its functionality.

    Its second form was more reminiscent of a Skeletal Demon Wolf. Nine feet tall, double-jointed legs, long fangs, and sharp claws. Still clad in black armor, but with glowing bloody red between the armor plates as well as glowing eyes. Instead of a single tail, it had four Mana Tendrils consisting of the disturbing Black Mana.

    While the first form was meant to blend in, when it was time for action, Alaster wanted his opponents to quiver in fear and flee. Fear was a powerful weapon and tool, and as a user of Death, he naturally had many ways to utilize it.

    Both forms could make use of his Abilities, and in truth, it was as if Alaster was controlling both his real body and the Second Body at the same time. That took roughly two hours to get the hang off, at least while they were both still standing still, but Alaster was already used to his perception being split due to [Seeker Sight].

    It took him another hour to be able to make small movements with one body while the other did something completely different. The young man suspected that it would be another few hours before he could operate both bodies at the same time using normal movements. Many days of dedicated practice would be required before he could fight using one of the bodies, let alone both, especially if he used the second form of the second body.

    He was, however, very pleased with himself. It would be a lot of work, but the possibilities were truly endless. Now that he had made it work once, he suspected that he could do it again after only a few months of work, instead of the year it had taken the first time. Though, because he did not have an Ability that split his soul, he would only be able to do it twice more, once for each Tier he had achieved.

    Alaster allowed himself to briefly daydream about what it would be like to have four bodies able to each do their own thing. Would they form their own personalities? Would it be more like a Hivemind? Or would the actions of the other bodies feel more like a dream?

    Who knew?

    Alaster wanted to, but he was more pressing matters to take care of first. His time in Galmore was nearly over, in fact, the City Lord was planning a party to send him off. Alaster did not quite understand why. He had intentionally avoided the Nobility of Galmore, especially the City Lord.

    Azemar had taught him how Nobility functioned, using GalmoreˇŻs own Nobility as an example. Alaster was even more disgusted with the so called ˇ®ruling classˇŻ now than he was before. He wanted nothing to do with them. In that way, he was exceptionally glad he had kept his identity hidden from them.

    They only knew that their CityˇŻs Elder had taken on a student that wore cruel black armor. They did not know the man behind the helmet. Alaster knew that if he got involved with the Nobles of Galmore, he would get entangled in something.

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    And nothing was going to stand in his way.

    However, Azemar had told him how he expected Alaster to go to this farewell party and to treat it as a final test. Many Nobles would be there, and Alaster would have to act like a Noble. As Azemar had been discussing it with Alaster in the library, Lunaria looked up from her book with a beaming smile and reminded Alaster that it would involve dancing.

    Alaster had to admit that the dancing lessons he had with Lunaria had helped him grow quicker, more agile, and more confident in his own body. But he still hated it. Or maybe he just hated dancing with Lunaria?

    But then he looked at Lunaria, who made a funny face back at him.

    ˇ®Nope. Just dancing.ˇŻ

    Alaster left his second body at LezremˇŻs as he returned back to the ElderˇŻs home.

    ˇ®I need to come up with a name for it.ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself as he swapped with Shadow Assassin after Shadow Assassin.

    ˇ®Why? Its you.ˇŻ Belgroth dismissed.

    ˇ®It might be his soul, but itˇŻs a different body. Not just a copy, but a very different body. What about when he makes another, this one as large as a house? He needs to be able to distinguish them in his own thoughts, itˇŻll become confusing otherwise.ˇŻ Sedall countered.

    ˇ®You Humans are so simple.ˇŻ Belgroth sighed.

    ˇ®We Humans exiled your entire race from this planet.ˇŻ

    ˇ®ThatˇŻs a low blow and you know it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Perhaps, but I stand by it. We might not be as in tune with nature or as intelligent as your kind, but we make up for it in other ways.ˇŻ

    ˇ®The only reason you beat us is because you breed like rats and Goblins. Even your so called ˇ®GodsˇŻ were only as powerful as our adolescents. You exhausted our people with pure numbers, hoping that if you threw enough bodies at us, we would drown in their blood.ˇŻ

    ˇ®A sad reality.ˇŻ Sedall conceded.

    ˇ®Guys, I get that you are both really old, but can we please stay on topic? What should I name the second body?ˇŻ Alaster attempted to steer the conversation back.

    ˇ®Number two.ˇŻ

    Alaster would have thought Belgroth was joking, but his voice said that he was completely serious.

    ˇ®I vote we ignore any future naming suggestions from the irritable Demon.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Agreed.ˇŻ Alaster admitted that his naming sense was poor, but BelˇŻs was just as horrible, if not worse.

    ˇ®Why am I stuck with the two of you?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Must have done something amazing in your past life!ˇŻ Sedall continued to joke.

    ˇ®Any suggestions Sedall?ˇŻ

    ˇ®How about Fenrir, it means wolf in one of the oldest and long forgotten Elvish Languages.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I actually know that language. At least, I could recognize it. Only know a few words. Hard to learn the language of the people trying to kill you. But they screamed a lot so you learn to pick up a few words.ˇŻ Belgroth chuckled.

    Alaster rolled his eyes but agreed to the name. While the second body, Fenrir, would be technically Alaster, controlling it in unison to his own body, it would make it easier to plan and speak about it.

    Swap after swap quickly took Alaster back to Galmore, but before the final [Swap], the one that would take him back into the city, Alaster took a moment near the top of one of the ancient trees to look over the scenery cast in pale moonlight.

    The city stretched out in front of him for miles, flowing with the ebb of the terrain. The plain was mostly flat, but it rose and fell in areas, and the city followed every contour. The city walls towered over the tall grass but were dwarfed by the ancient forest.

    A calm wind danced past, gently caressing the leaves and grass and chilling those who felt its touch. Winter was approaching, meaning that his birthday was soon to arrive.

    It was a calm and cloudless night, one of the very few where the inhabitants of the Forest left the city alone. Guards continued to patrol the walls in force, their multitude of torches banishing the darkness around them, if only for a few moments.

    It was quiet and it was peaceful. As he watched the scene, standing atop the thick branch nearly a hundred meters above the ground, Alaster wondered how his actions, soon to be, would affect the scene before him. Whatever he did, whether he succeeded or ended up dead somewhere, was bound to have rippling effects.

    No Expert could act without causing these ripples, but most were limited to just the extent of their cities. A rare few could affect their Kingdom. But Alaster was one in ten thousand that could affect the region. But would his actions help the state of Humanity, or would it doom it? Would Galmore even feel any of the effects, isolated as they were?

    Alaster did not feel guilty, merely curious.

    Idly scratching his cheek, he vanished from the branch, in his place, the darkness seemed to be slightly darker for a moment, before that too disappeared.

    Alaster appeared in his room and immediately noticed that he was not alone. His muscles tensed, before he saw through his [Seeker Sight] that it was Azemar. As he turned to the man, Alaster berated himself for simply swapping into the room without looking in using [Bond] first.

    Azemar sat in one of the two chairs against the wall. A small table sat between them, a chess game in progress atop it. Alaster occasionally took a brief break, and when he did, he found that reading or Chess helped to relax him. The City Elder idly fiddled with the black rook before he looked up at his student.

    Despite the darkness in the room, only a sliver of pale moonlight sneaking through the curtains, Alaster felt his teacherˇŻs gaze like a blade.

    ˇ°Your training is over. The rest must be learned through practice and careful observation. The party will be your final test, but I doubt you will find it a difficult one. Though perhaps a tad annoying.ˇ± AzemarˇŻs mountainous voice seemed to fill the room, despite the calm and quite tone.

    ˇ°I thank you for your guidance.ˇ± Alaster bowed slightly, showing more respect for the man before him than he would have a King. Not that Alaster had much respect for anyone, especially High Nobility.

    ˇ°Do you know why I chose to teach you, and not someone else?ˇ±

    ˇ°I always thought it was because Aila asked you to do so.ˇ±

    ˇ°No. I like her, but not that much. No, the only reason I agreed to teach you was the small chance that you might be able to help me. Your Class was the only reason I bothered with you. And while your own personality and willpower have caused me to respect you slightly, your Magic is what I want.ˇ±

    Alaster narrowed his eyes as he sought to seek for every angle the man before him had, just as that man had taught him.

    ˇ°In what way can I help you?ˇ±

    Azemar dropped the rook and stood up, ˇ°Your Magic has a special connection to Death. What do you think?ˇ±

    ˇ°There are many things one might want to achieve with Death. What is yours?ˇ± Alaster countered.

    Azemar sighed, ˇ°Lunaria and I told you that her mother had died when she was young. That is not quite true. The reality is much worse. She was poisoned, but by the time I got there, it was already too late as it had destroyed many of her organs. When she was on the brink of Death, I used an ancient artifact from the Golden Age to freeze her in golden ice, preventing her Death but also preventing her Life.

    Its been many years, I know that itˇŻs a horrible fate, but I also cant bring myself to release the enchantment until I find a way to save her. I have been searching for one such method every moment since that cursed day.ˇ± Azemar stepped toward his student.

    ˇ°I have read every book about every poison, magical and mundane. I have read every article and every study about various ways to prolong oneˇŻs life. And all my research has led me to one conclusion.

    That I had failed before I began.

    By the time the enchantment took hold, she had already reached the point of no return, for any method. I had given up hope and was working up the courage to release the enchantment, when I saw your Death Knights.

    Before then, I had every intention on giving you impossible task after impossible task until you failed, therefore giving me reason to deny you, if you even survived.

    But I saw you resurrect the dead into your Minion. Reserving their Abilities and Skills, but most importantly, preserving their memories and personalities.

    I want you to do the same for my wife.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 175- A SONG OF MEMORY

    Azemar led Alaster into his office. It was pretty standard. A few bookshelves, a desk covered in various papers, and a couple of chairs around a small table in the middle of the room.

    Azemar walked to the bookshelf behind his desk and touched the underside of one of the shelves. There was a soft clicking sound and the bookshelf slid backward, into the wall, revealing a dark staircase.

    Even with Mana Sight, Alaster had not been able to detect any magic in the bookshelf, but [Seeker Sight] had not seen anything either. Either on the shelf itself, or behind it. But as it opened, Alaster was able to see past it, as if he had blinked.

    The staircase and walls were made out of seamless granite. Even with his [Dark Sight] allowing him to see in the dark for ten meters, the staircase continued on past what Alaster could see.

    Azemar silently began to descend, so Alaster followed. As they were embraced by the darkness, the bookshelf closed behind them, hiding them from the light. Deeper and deeper they descended until even Alaster did not know how deep they had gone. Deeper into the earth they went, until even light turned into a memory.

    Just as Alaster was able to ask how much further, a glimmer of yellowish light came into view. It grew as they came near until the staircase seemed to explode into a large room. The room was easily the size of AzemarˇŻs house. Tables lined the walls, with countless papers hanging from the walls and books scattered everywhere. Strings were pinned between different papers and even a few books.

    The mess only became more crazed the further back it went. The only source of light was the large golden crystal against the far wall. A woman was within, seemingly floating there. It almost seemed like she was sleeping. Azemar seemed to hesitate slightly before he entered the room.

    There were thousands upon thousands of notes, pages, books, but Azemar walked past them quickly, without giving them a second glance. Alaster glanced around the room, seeing how the papers all spoke, in some way, of Death.

    As they walked closer to the Crystal, Alaster was able to see the resemblance of the woman to Lunaria, it was uncanny, and clearly related. She was beautiful. Nothing seemed to be wrong, but Alaster could feel it.

    Her lifeforce was slowed, but seemed to be slowly ebbing away, as if it was being harvested.

    ˇ°She is dying.ˇ± Alaster mumbled, more to himself than Azemar.

    The Elder did not look away from his wife, ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°You realize that my Magic works with the Dead, not the nearly dead.ˇ± Alaster turned away from the crystal, towards his teacher, ˇ°Even if I can help, it wonˇŻt be the same. It wonˇŻt be her.ˇ±

    Azemar gulped, his eyes reflecting the light of the Crystal, ˇ°I know.ˇ±

    ˇ°You know the fate of my Death Knights. They are the Undead. They can imitate, but they are unable to feel or care. They understand the love they once had for their families and loved ones, but if they saw them again, they wouldnˇŻt feel a thing. Not of love, not of friendship, not even of recognition.

    They might recognize them as someone from their past life, but not as someone with whom they feel any emotion toward. And as Undead, they feel nothing except hatred and contempt towards the living.

    If I rose her as a Death Knight, she would be under my control, but if she wasnˇŻt, she would attack every living human she saw.

    She would be a Monster, not the woman you knew and loved.ˇ±

    Azemar sighed, closing his eyes and lifting his head, ˇ°I know.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then what do you want?ˇ±

    Several minutes passed in solemn quiet. Several minutes of remembrance, of memories of lost past moments, now slipping through the grasp of thought.

    When Azemar spoke, his voice was quiet and choking with emotion.

    ˇ°To say goodbye.ˇ±

    Alaster hesitated, momentarily unsure how to respond.

    ˇ°It wonˇŻt be real.ˇ± Alaster said solemnly.

    ˇ°It will to me.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what of Lunaria?ˇ± Alaster accused, ˇ°Are you the only one allowed solace?ˇ±

    ˇ°To her; her mother died many years ago. She was but a small child then. I allowed her to believe that because I did not want her life to be weighed down by hope, only to be crushed.

    But I couldnˇŻt do the same.

    I just couldnˇŻt give up that seed of hope, even among the desert of fear and despair. I spent the last nine years scouring the continent and even some oceanic ruins for anything that could save her.ˇ±

    Azemar slowly walked over to a chair, ˇ°You donˇŻt understand what it is like to watch your loved ones die slowly. Your family was quickly killed while you werenˇŻt there. A mercy that I am envious of. I had to watch for over a year as my wife slowly died an excruciating death.

    Did you know? The poison wasnˇŻt just killing her, it was attacking her nervous system, intentionally causing her immense pain as it corroded her organs.

    If the same thing had happened to your parents, what would you have done?ˇ±

    Alaster thought for a moment, ˇ°I likely would have begun killing everyone, regardless of their innocence or not. I would have become the Monster they proclaimed my parents to be.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then do not accuse me of anything. For all I did was attempt to protect those who I had sworn to protect.

    At first, I did not use the Crystal to prolong her life so I could search for a cure. At first, I used it to simply end her suffering, because I could not bring myself to end it personally.

    But now, the Enchantment is wearing off, despite my best efforts. And once it does, the poison will continue, and she will be in pain once more. I nearly broke the first time. I cannot bear to see her in pain once more.ˇ±

    Alaster turned back to the frozen woman, ˇ°What are you asking me to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°Save her from the agony. I want you to kill her.ˇ±

    The silence grew heavy, oppressive, and suffocating.

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    Several moments passed in silence before Alaster spoke, ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°Please. This is all I want from you. In exchange for my tutelage and shelter.ˇ±

    Alaster closed his eyes, his mind and heart throbbing.

    ˇ®There is a way.ˇŻ The quiet voice of Belgroth spoke.

    ˇ®I will not kill her or put her under my control.ˇŻ

    Alaster had killed Humans before. He had killed countless Humans. But they were soldiers or had acted against him. This woman had done no such thing. And despite how irritating Lunaria was, Alaster found himself unable to kill her mother.

    In the year Alaster had spent in Galmore, he found himself becoming more Human. His heart was not full of hatred and cruelty.

    After his parents had died, his sister stolen away, Alaster had been consumed by rage. A rage that had brought about the slaughter of countless. His time in Onigas as a Child had only honed that rage into a fine blade instead of a crude club. He no longer sought the destruction of Lissura as a whole, only those that had been the cause of his familyˇŻs fate.

    His time with Astrid had taught him that some people were not just innocent, but worthy of life. It had taught him that some people simply did not care for the violence of life and sought to hide behind their walls. He still thought that everyone should prepare and train themselves to handle it, but he understood why they attempted to hide from it.

    But then they had to separate, each going their own way. He sought to become stronger for further bloodshed, while she sought to become stronger to end the bloodshed. Two very different goals with similar paths.

    Alaster delved into dungeon after dungeon, carving through the Monsters. Consuming them, in order to regain the energy to continue the slaughter.

    His encounter with Ebris, God of the Dead, had further ignited his wrath. Beings of unbelievable power, and they ignored the world they ruled over, allowing atrocities to be done in their name. Innocent lives destroyed, and they did nothing.

    Richter had taught him that there were those with power he could not face head-on. He taught him how to stand against those powers, despite their difference, and to continue fighting. To stand on his feet, raise his weapon, and roar, regardless of defeat.

    Aila had taught him the mysteries of the world. About how large and diverse it was. About the Magics that existed and how they governed. She had taught young Alaster that Magic was not capable of only destruction and violence, but also of creation and beauty.

    Yet despite all that, his heart remained consumed by fiery wrath. A desire and need to spill yet more blood.

    The siege of Onigas had been an excellent outlet for that rage, where he no longer had to hold back for fear of discovery. He was then strong enough that he could defend himself against any assassins Lissura sent after him, if they even recognized him.

    During the Siege, he had encountered multiple people from his childhood, people that cared for him. That care had created a seed of something other than rage and hate in his heart. Something that promised a future beyond the blood.

    But there was an enemy outside the gates that threatened those people. For the first time, his wrath focused, not as a blade, or even a needle, but as a shield. His wrath focused to protect those that cared for him and in turn, he for them. A shield that was then used to eliminate everything that dared to threaten them.

    He had entered Galmore with a mind and heart that was cut off from any emotion except hate. Interacting with the people of Galmore, and dealing with LunariaˇŻs antics, had slowly calmed him. Not extinguishing the fire, but moving it to the side, allowing for that seed to grow.

    Before, his plan had only been to hunt down the people responsible for his Family, regardless of the casualties, who they were, or what the fallout would be.

    Now, refined by both AzemarˇŻs teachings, and his growing kindness, he sought to identify each person responsible and cut them out like a cancer, leaving as many alone as he could. Though Alaster still did not care how many he would be killing. If the entire Kingdom was involved, he would slaughter the Nation. But he doubted it would be a large group.

    ˇ®Your Class is Lord of the Dead, not Lord of the Undead. The difference is minute, but astronomical. Death surrounds everything even small children that are perfectly healthy.

    Think of it as a scale surrounding every creature, living or not. The Scale of Life and Death. Usually, the force of Life heavily outweighs the force of Death for a Living Creature. But Death is always present. Even in your Undead Creatures, the force of Life is always present. However small, both Forces will be there.

    As someone so attuned to Death, you can make use of it to do minor things. In truth, while this is vital to theoretical Magics, it has very little practical use. Which is why I didnˇŻt bother telling you about it before.

    In this instance, Death heavily outweighs Life in his wife. She is clinging to Life by her fingertips. Even a Master of Healing could not do anything except ease her pain as she passes.

    But it is possible to use that overwhelming force of Death within her to project her voice outside the Crystal. However, making use of one of the Forces will empower it. It will drain away what little Life she has left.ˇŻ

    Alaster stared emotionlessly at the older version of Lunaria, ˇ®How long will she have?ˇŻ

    Belgroth growled, despite being a Demon, he did not like pointless suffering, ˇ®Maybe a few minutes. At most. But during this time, as she will still be in the Crystal, she will be able to speak without any pain. She will be able to say her goodbyes.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Tell me what to do.ˇŻ

    It was a simple procedure for someone so skilled in Necrotic Mana, but it was intricate. Alaster rested his hand in the Crystal. With the Crystal in the way, his hand was nearly a foot away from her heart, but it was close enough.

    ˇ°I can allow the two of you to speak, but it will only last a few minutes. She will pass without pain.ˇ± Alaster said, not looking at his teacher.

    Behind him, Azemar softly nodded, understanding. In a just four minutes, Alaster successfully cast the spell. As he did, a faint image of the woman appeared outside the Crystal. A mere image, but it was her voice that spoke.

    ˇ°Azemar.ˇ± Her voice was soft and graceful, as if she was dancing across ice. But it was strong, more strength than she had since her poisoning.

    Azemar looked at his wife with glossy eyes, ˇ°Alaine.ˇ± His voice was shaky, full of emotion and threatening to crack.

    ˇ°I will be just upstairs.ˇ± Alaster said, though he doubted he had heard him.

    Alaster walked away, out of the room, and up a few stairs. He sat down on the step and put his face in his hands. He had thought he had grown too callous and cruel to feel such emotions. Seeing such a terrible and anguished scene made Alaster recall the night of his parentsˇŻ death.

    For years, he had remembered that night with fury and wrath. He used it as a source of strength whenever he felt weak.

    But now, he allowed himself to remember with a soft heart. He was not overcome with rage, but instead of loss and sorrow. He allowed himself to feel emotions besides hate. And as he did, he was overcome with a flood.

    A flood of hate, sadness, and misery, but also of joy, comfort, and love. He remembered not just the night of their death, but every night before then, and every morning.

    He remembered how his mother would wake him up each morning with a hug and a kiss. He remembered his father always fiddling with something in the house, and how a young Alaster would always help him. His father would teach him what they were doing, but also why, and how.

    Alaster smiled sadly as he recalled his father teaching him how to fish. He wasnˇŻt ready when a fish tugged on his line, sending the young Alaster off the rowboat and into the water.

    When they returned home later that evening, Alaster was soaked to the bone, but proudly holding up his prize for his mother with a wide smile on his face.

    He remembered memories he had long since locked away. Memories he had previously thought made him weak or vulnerable.

    Alaster shattered the locks and clung desperately to the memories, seeing now how they did not make him weak, but gave him reason to be strong.

    But then his mind turned back to the present. Lunaria was just upstairs, probably making dinner and wondering where they had gotten to. She had no idea what was happening. But would she even want to? He understood AzemarˇŻs reasoning for keeping it a secret. He understood the weight of hope, and how it could crush people underneath it.

    Alaster recalled many of the moments he shared with Lunaria. How she constantly teased, joked, or pranked him. It was often annoying, but Alaster found himself hoping it never changed.

    Alaster shook his head and stood up, now that Belgroth had taught him how, he had paid close attention to the Life Force of Alaine, even from this distance. While he couldnˇŻt sense Force from any real distance, as the one who had cast the spell, he could feel when it dissolved.

    Alaster returned to the room, seeing the Crystal gone. In front of its place, Azemar sat there, clutching the body of his wife as the now crushed Crystal faintly rained down, reflecting the light. It would have been beautiful, if it wasnˇŻt for the meaning.

    Or perhaps that is what made it beautiful.

    Azemar hugged her tightly, his eyes closed as he shook slightly, sobbing.

    As Alaster stood there, Azemar shed a single tear. A tear that held both sorrow and relief.

    His wife was gone.

    But so was her pain.

    She had passed with a faint smile on her face, and Alaster could only hope that what she said to him would help him move on.

    Alaine Roseheart was gone, but she would never be forgotten.

 CHAPTER 176- POWER OF RUMOR AND TERROR

    Daniel Redmond watched the Saint telling stories to the CastleˇŻs children in the courtyard under the gentle shade of an oak tree. It was a wholesome scene, but the Duke did not care for it. Or, more specifically, he did not care for the Saint himself.

    The man had only arrived in the Capital a week ago, yet his influence rivaled the KingˇŻs own. Yet, his cousin had instructed everyone to welcome him and not interfere with his business. Business, that despite his extensive network, the Duke had yet to identify.

    He had been unable to discover the SaintˇŻs purpose for being here. In fact, the only thing he had been able to learn, was that before he appeared at the CastleˇŻs gate, he seemed to not exist. There was simply nothing about him.

    The Saint had appeared wearing exquisite white and gold armor and wielding Lightbringer, a blade that even the lowliest of peasants knew. A blade so widely known and identifiable, that anyone could have known it from a mere glance.

    The bladeˇŻs identity had been verified the moment the KingˇŻs personal Enchantress had laid eyes on it. A woman renown for her ability to merely glance at an enchantment and know everything about it. Its effect, its power source, its duration, and if she had seen the Enchanter before, even who had enchanted it.

    Yet she had been unable to identify any of the Enchantments on the blade, only that they were masterfully created and followed a rule set completely foreign to her, who knew every Enchantment Method that had been used in the last three centuries.

    With that, his identity had been verified as the current Saint of Light. That alone would have given him great influence. The Saint of Light was a title for a hero of Humanity. Even Elves and Dwarves practically worshiped him. Countless stories told of the Saint as he held back Hordes of Monsters or defeated Creatures capable of destroying entire mountain ranges.

    There were even stories of the Saint battling Demons. Though Daniel doubted that. As the Duke, he was allowed access to some of the most heavily guarded secrets of the continent. It was not a secret that Demons were real, though many still thought of them as fiction. But it was a secret why the Demons attacked them.

    Duke Redmond knew of the war in the Heavens, he also knew that while the Gods had the advantage, it was close, requiring all their focus. Even then, Demons occasionally broke through and invaded the world. The last such occasion had been just over four hundred years ago.

    Despite that knowledge, he doubted the Saint ever actually battled a Demon. The records of the last attack was detailed about how it was defeated. The Demon had appeared in the Gilaen Empire and had required all the Experts of the Empire, the Republic of Athera, the Savage City States, Lissura, and most of the Experts from the Tauras Diarchy to band together to defeat it. Losses had been minimal, but the battle had been severe.

    In all the records of this event, there was no mention of the Saint of Light. But that was not why Daniel disliked the man. The Duke disliked him because of something much deeper.

    In the week the Saint had arrived, he had used his handsome appearance, smooth voice, and overall charisma to gain an influence that rivaled the KingˇŻs.

    Even that, Daniel was not opposed to. But if one paid close attention, and did not see him as some godly being incapable of wrong, one could see a deep seated hate.

    Long ago, the Races were outright hostile to Magics generally seen as dark or evil. Magics such as Blood Magic, Necrotic Magic, or Shadow Magic. Practitioners of such Magics were openly hunted down. Over the centuries, those Magics had become accepted and even desired. Some people still saw them with suspicion, but at least open hostility was not a forgotten memory.

    At least it was before the Saint arrived.

    Now, the DukeˇŻs Agents were reporting that prejudice against these so called ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ was on the rise. A steep rise. At this rate, the Duke estimated that it would turn violent within the next month.

    This, could not be allowed to happen.

    The Capital was the lifeblood of the Nation. Anything that happened here would echo out to the rest of Lissura. Let alone the Capital, much of LissuraˇŻs defenses were reliant or composed of these ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ. If relations fell through, at best the entire countryˇŻs defenses would fall apart, and at worst, it could devolve into a civil war.

    In fact, Daniel had a meeting with one such major component of the CapitalˇŻs defenses in just an hour. A Necromancer who could summon nearly ten thousand Undead. Weak Minions, but their numbers helped bolster the defenses while also providing tireless labor. For security reasons, only four people knew who he was or what his capabilities were.

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    After all, it was difficult to fight through thousands of Undead, but much easier to simply poison their summonerˇŻs lunch.

    The meeting was in regards to the Underground farms which the SummonerˇŻs Minions were the prime workforce of. Critical work that was the CapitalˇŻs lifeblood.

    Despite the importance of the upcoming meeting, he could not help but continue watching the Saint as he told the children about how he defeated a mighty Dragon. He could not prove it, nor did the Saint act in any way supportive of it, but the Duke just knew he was the cause. The Saint was always kind and considerate, but something about the glint in his eyes reminded Daniel of a predator. A monster on the hunt.

    A knock on the door jostled the Duke from his thoughts.

    ˇ°Come in.ˇ±

    The Duke turned away from the window and sat down at his desk. As he did, the door opened to reveal one of his many messengers. This one specifically was in charge of running the messages from the Dukes operatives in the Slums.

    The man was short and lithe, built for speed over power or durability. His brown hair was kept short, but he kept a small mustache neatly trimmed as well.

    He briefly glanced around the room, ensuring the Duke was alone before he began to convey the message, which he memorized in order to prevent any paper trails that could be tracked or sabotaged.

    ˇ°Report.ˇ±

    The man shot straight, saluting with his fist over heart.

    ˇ°Sir, IˇŻm afraid what you feared has happened. Three hours ago, an Adept practicing Blood Magic was found beaten and with her throat slit in an alley.ˇ±

    ˇ°What was she doing with her Magic?ˇ±

    ˇ°She worked in a local clinic in the Slums, examining and cleaning patientˇŻs blood of infection or disease. She also helped with cleaning up after particularly messy patients and operations. From what we have been able to uncover, which was not hard to do, she was well liked. She was courting a young man who worked in the same clinic and also volunteered around her community. Though as a child and young woman, she was arrested on several occasions for robbery and assault.ˇ±

    ˇ°Any sign that was the reason for her death?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, sir. All evidence points to her leaving that life behind after her last remaining relative, her mother, passed away. We believe it was her motherˇŻs final wish for her to stop being a criminal.ˇ±

    ˇ°What reason do you have to suspect her death is related to my suspicions?ˇ±

    The man reached into his dirty slum pockets and pulled out a quarter inch thick piece of crystal. A Light Crystal specifically. Enchanted to capture an image for later viewing, at the cost of a moderate amount of Mana both during capture and each viewing.

    The messenger handed the Duke the Crystal before returning to his position of attention.

    The Duke channeled the necessary amount of Mana into the Crystal, and the image quickly formed on the transparent lenses.

    A dirty and bloody image. It was an alleyway in the slums. Tall buildings on either side covered the narrow road in perpetual shadow. Alleys were dirty places by nature, and an alley in the slums was even worse. Everything from trash, rotten food, human waste, to even leftover fluids from the streetwalkersˇŻ activities.

    But the DukeˇŻs attention was drawn to the broken and discolored body discarded atop a large pile of trash. Her blood trailed from one side of the alley, signaled where she was dragged from. A large collection of blood was where Daniel imagined her attackers beat her once more. The spray of blood originating from the body and painting the wall behind and around her was where her throat was cut.

    She was abused, beaten, and tortured extensively before her death. That much was obvious. The Duke felt his nose twitching in anger, but he restrained himself before his subordinate.

    On the wall above her, painted in her own blood, were the words, ˇ®Death to the hereticsˇŻ ˇ®Death to Demon MagicsˇŻ

    ˇ°How many people have seen this?ˇ± The Duke asked, putting the Crystal down and sliding it to the edge of the desk.

    The messenger grabbed the Crystal and returned it to his pocket. It would later be categorized and stored in the KingdomˇŻs Records.

    ˇ°No more than a dozen people, we had it cleaned up within thirty minutes, her body respectfully cared for. The man courting her is currently being located and taken to her so he may handle the final rites for her.

    But sir, you know how it is in the slums. If a single person saw it, within the hour, a hundred people have heard about it. By tomorrow, everyone in the slums would have known about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Have you identified her attackers?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir. We have found all six of them. Four men, two women. Unfortunately, there was no ulterior motive or higher purpose. They got drunk that night and acted on their own.ˇ±

    The Duke scowled, ˇ°That is not good. That means that they truly believed it. If people are already acting on their own, this problem is much larger than I originally thought. Where are they now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Currently? Down in a safe house in the slums beingˇ­persuaded to tell us everything they know. However sir, I must say, while we will try our best, I would not expect much.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nor do I. Thank you for your quick actions, and in reporting it to me. Once you are satisfied with your ˇ®pursuasionˇŻ, get rid of them, ensuring no one will find them. While you are doing so, spread a rumor about such attacks being orchestrated by an evil Demon worshipping cult. Make something up.

    If we can get people to condemn the actions, even if they agree with them, we might get a handle on the situation enough to begin changing their mindset.ˇ±

    The man saluted once more and vanished from the room in a puff of green mist.

    Alone once more, the Duke looked out the window once more at the Saint, still surrounded by children, but the man was not looking at them. He was instead staring up at the window, making eye contact with the Duke with that confident grin of his.

 CHAPTER 177- PARTY OR PLOT

    ˇ°Do I really have to do this?ˇ± Alaster complained once more.

    ˇ°Yes! Now stop whining. ItˇŻll be fun!ˇ± Lunaria berated him, helping him straighten his tie.

    During AzemarˇŻs lessons, he had shown Alaster pictures of traditional Noble Garb with all its ribbons, tails, and flowing cuffs. Alaster did not enjoy dressing up, but he was glad that the current custom was much more reasonable. Apparently, it was technically even older than the traditional clothing but had been lost. A tailor had come over the day before to tailor the suit to perfectly to his body.

    He was currently dressed in a black three-piece suit with a white dress shirt and a blood red tie. He even had a matching red pocket square. Despite feeling more comfortable in his Pact Armor, that was quite literally molded for his body, Alaster had to admit that he looked quite handsome. Lunaria had even insisted that she cut his hair, which was now short, but long enough to be lightly combed over to the side.

    As he sat in the carraiage across from Lunaria and Azemar, on their way to the City LordˇŻs castle, Alaster took another look at his companions.

    Lunaria was dressed in a beautiful white gown that complemented her sun kissed skin without taking away from her silver hair. The dress was tight, showing off her body, while still remaining modest. Alaster had to pay attention not to stare. She was practically bouncing in her seat out of excitement for the party.

    Azemar was calmly sitting next to his daughter, dressed similarly to Alaster, except tie and pocket square were both a rich purple. His hair was longer than AlasterˇŻs but too short for any short of tie, instead it was combed and lightly greased back.

    Despite the excited beautiful young woman, Alaster paid close attention to her father. Since the passing of his wife, he had been depressed as he was mourning, but he also seemed lighter. Alaster was not sure how to describe it in words. He just didnˇŻt seem so weighed down.

    Lunaria had also noticed the change, but she seemed content to simply remain quiet until someone decided to tell her. Something that her father appreciated as he had no idea how to even approach the subject. It was not as if he could simply say that her mother had been slowly dying in a Crystal buried deep under their home.

    For now, both seemed content, so Alaster remained silent.

    Instead, Alaster stared out the window of the carriage. It was a calm and cloudless night, allowing the moon to cast its gentle light onto the world below. A gentle snow was falling, coating the paved road white. Few people were still walking around this late, but those that were made sure to stop whatever they were doing and bow respectfully to the ElderˇŻs Carriage.

    ˇ°Now Alaster, I want you to treat this as a test for everything I have taught you over the last year. This is the first time and hopefully last time, they will see your face and know you are my apprentice. As such, they will all attempt to get in your good graces in hopes of it opening a path to me.

    Do what you will, but as it is a test, try to blend in so well they assume you are a Noble from elsewhere.ˇ± Azemar instructed, closing the curtain over his window.

    Lunaria leaned forward, incidentally giving Alaster a view she would have been mortified at. But she didnˇŻt seem to notice.

    ˇ°But make sure to have fun! ItˇŻs a party! Specifically for you! All sorts of Ladies will be throwing themselves at you. IˇŻm sure a strong young man like you will enjoy that.ˇ± She rapidly blinked, attempting to feign innocence.

    ˇ°Oh great,ˇ± Alaster said sarcastically, ˇ°A bunch of desperate women wanting me only for my relation to your father. This should be great fun!ˇ±

    Lunaria slumped back in her seat, folding her arms and pouting, ˇ°You donˇŻt have to be so mean about it.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, and even Azemar couldnˇŻt suppress a grin, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry Luna, I did not mean for it to sound so rude. Its just that I really donˇŻt like large crowds, especially those with people all going their own way and with their own goals. Its just irritating. I honestly donˇŻt see how you enjoy it.ˇ±

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    Lunaria smiled widely, her prior pouting completely forgotten, ˇ°How can you not? Its chaotic and beautiful! Everyone is dressed up, attempting to impress everyone else. You never know what sorts of business everyone is up to! Who is doing what, or even who.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lunaria.ˇ± Her father chastized.

    ˇ°Oh, please father, IˇŻm a grown woman. Besides, despite all their attempts at secrecy, its pretty obvious when they both mysteriously vanish from the ball room, only to magically reappear a little while later, slightly less composed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Still, as a young Lady, you should not associate with such people.ˇ±

    LunariaˇŻs eyes took on an evil glint, ˇ°Coming from you, that is rich. Mother told me all the stories. All the mischief you would get up to when you were younger and dragging her along.ˇ±

    Azemar coughed, his cheeks flushed, ˇ°If I remember correctly, it was usually your mother dragging me into her plots.ˇ±

    Lunaria quickly switched seats, sitting next to Alaster. With his large size and the small carriage, her thigh was touching his. He tried to ignore the warmth and focus on the conversation, which was not helping.

    ˇ°OH! She told me all about that, but she also said that you didnˇŻt resist very much. But IˇŻve always wanted to know your perspective of the night of her twentieth birthday, when you bent the knee.ˇ±

    AzemarˇŻs embarrassed smile turned into a content grin, ˇ°That was a perfect night. Though I did not know it at the time. I had been planning it for almost two months prior. I had everything planned to perfection, and yet, when the night finally arrived, it seemed as if everything fell apart. But perhaps I will tell you that story when you are older.ˇ±

    Lunaria was aghast, ˇ°Oh that is so mean! Come on, you canˇŻt leave it at that! Alaster really wanted to know the story!ˇ±

    Alaster turned to her with an accusatory stare. She simply beamed at him and turned back to her father. However, before she could continue her attempts at persuading her father, the carriage came to a stop.

    ˇ°We have arrived Elder.ˇ± The driver respectfully said, opening the door.

    Azemar nodded to the driver and got up, ducking under the ceiling as he smirked cruelly at his daughter. She quickly followed after him, with the intention of tackling him, but instantly composed herself at the sight of all the other people outside. She gracefully took her fatherˇŻs offered hand as he helped her descend from the carriage.

    Alaster followed behind them, the entire carriage sloping with his weight as he stepped off. The carriage, including all the other NoblesˇŻ, were stopped at the front gate, allowing their passengers to disembark before they were guided to the stables off to the side.

    It was a short walk to the large double doors but Alaster felt the eyes of every Nobleman and Lady watching his every step as he followed right behind Azemar and Lunaria.

    ˇ®Oh this is going to be a painful night.ˇŻ

    ˇ®At least try to enjoy yourself.ˇŻ Sedall said.

    ˇ®Hard to do when everyone has an ulterior motive.ˇŻ

    ˇ®People always have an ulterior motive, just try to have fun, or you are right. This will be a painful night.ˇŻ

    ˇ®IˇŻd rather be training with Lezrem.ˇŻ Alaster groaned.

    ˇ®You and me both.ˇŻ Belgroth sympathized, ˇ®You Humans just have to complicate everything.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Demons donˇŻt have parties?ˇŻ Sedall questioned.

    ˇ®The Argalon had plenty of parties, but there werenˇŻt so many rules or customs. Eat a lot, drink a lot, laugh a lot, and if you wished, and both parties agreed, mate a lot. We played music and enjoyed ourselves. But this? This seems more like a play than an actual party.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Sounds pretty primitive.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And this looks pretty pretentious.ˇŻ

    Alaster cracked a slight grin, ˇ®Alright you two, let me focus. Sedall, I will try to enjoy myself. Belgroth, I agree. But this is a NoblemanˇŻs party. The parties and celebrations of commoners are very similar to what you are used to.ˇŻ

    ˇ®We should go to those.ˇŻ

    ˇ®IˇŻll make a note of it.ˇŻ

    By this time, Alaster entered the castle behind Azemar and Lunaria. There was a wide hallway separating the front door from the ballroom, whose doors stood open, where a short line had formed. Those at the head offered their names to the guard, who passed it to an older gentleman with a staff who would then announce it loudly. At that moment, those announced would descend the stairs and join the crowd.

    The line moved slowly, but consistently.

    Alaster occupied himself with looking at the hallway and what little he could see of the ballroom; however his attention was grabbed by Lunaria hurriedly whispered something in her fatherˇŻs ear, followed by a sigh from him.

    ˇ°Crap. Alaster, you need a surname to be announced. Do you have a preference?ˇ± Azemar asked, turning around and keeping his voice low so as to now be heard by the influential people around them.

    Alaster thought for a moment before he answered. Azemar nodded, satisfied with the answer while Lunaria looked impressed. Eventually, the two gave their names.

    This time, the gentleman pounded his heavy staff twice, as he did, a hush fell upon the crowd.

    ˇ°Elder Azemar and his daughter Lunaria Roseheart!ˇ±

    They gracefully walked down the dozen steps and were quickly immediately swarmed. Azemar by Noblemen, merchants, and diplomates. Lunaria by young Lords and Ladies.

    Now at the head of the que, Alaster offered his name and waited.

    ˇ°Alaster Ashborn, apprentice to Elder Azemar!ˇ±

 CHAPTER 178- A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

    Alaster walked down the steps with confidence, not because he was comfortable or had done something similar many times, but because he did not care. In a few days, he would be leaving Galmore, unlikely to ever return. Whatever happened tonight would not matter.

    Alaster could blatantly insult the City Lord to his face or even attack him and be gone before they could apprehend him. Alaster intensely doubted that he would be able to do any significant damage in that short timeframe.

    As this party was going on, AlasterˇŻs second body, Fenrir, was already on its way to Lissura, riding a horse that Alaster had purchased for just that trip. He would sell the creature once he reached Lissura. Or perhaps he would just give it to some farm family. He had not decided.

    It had taken Alaster a few hours to be able to ride the horse at any acceptable speed while still operating normally with his Prime Body.

    Alaster reached the floor, expecting to be swarmed similar to Lunaria and Azemar. However, while he could see their curiosity and desire to do so, they seemed hesitant to approach. While Alaster was surprised, he was also happy.

    With nothing happening, Alaster turned his attention to Fenrir as he rode the horse through the dense forest with an escort of Undead Knights, Summoned Minions, so Alaster had no issue unsummoning them once Fenrir got close enough to civilization.

    His attention elsewhere, Lunaria was able to sneak up behind him as her Mana muddled his [Seeker Sight].

    ˇ°Stop doing that!ˇ± Lunaria exclaimed, causing Alaster to jump slightly.

    ˇ°Gah! No, you stop doing that. One of these days IˇŻm going to attack whatever surprises me.ˇ±

    Lunaria hopped back and took a mock fighting stance, ˇ°IˇŻd like to see you try.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, ˇ°Stop doing what?ˇ±

    ˇ°That bloodlust. No one wants to approach someone who looks like they want to kill them.ˇ±

    Alaster leaned in and whispered in her ear, ˇ°To be fair, I do kinda.ˇ±

    Lunaria slapped his shoulder as he stood back up, chuckling to himself.

    ˇ°Oh come on then, if you arenˇŻt going to socialize on your own, I am just going to make you!ˇ± She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him behind her. Alaster allowed it as he did like the suit and did not want her to rip it.

    For the next hour, Lunaria dragged him from group to group, introducing him and prompting him through the conversations to speak. During which she somehow snuck a glass of wine into his hand.

    She introduced him to her friends, her acquaintances, even a few of her less liked peers. He met Researchers, Enchanters, Officers, Merchants, and even a common soldier who had begun distinguishing himself on the wall in the past two years.

    Alaster called on his teachings and politely chatted with them, somehow even getting one of the merchants to offer him a wagon and full team of oxen to pull it for only a third of its market price. He turned the portly man down on the offer though as he had no need for either. One of the advantages of being able to create oneˇŻs own Minions.

    As Alaster was discussing the finer points of Onigarian fashion with an easily distracted young Lady, a topic he had no real knowledge or interest in, the Announcer pounded his staff three times.

    The gentle music playing in the background stopped and everyoneˇŻs attention turned to the stairs.

    ˇ°Esteemed guests, announcing the Lord of our beautiful city, Lord Resant. His gorgeous wife, Lady Tessa. And their handsome son, Sir James.ˇ±

    The crowd bowed or curtsied, though Alaster, Azemar, and Lunaria were the only ones who did not. Alaster swore no allegiance to them, nor did he care. While Azemar, and in extension, his family, held a position separate from the entire hierarchy.

    Regal music quietly filled ballroom as they began gracefully descending the stairs. The City Lord in between his son and wife, whose arm was through the LordˇŻs. They stopped a few steps from the bottom, with the son going down two more steps below his parents.

    ˇ°Good evening friends!ˇ± The City Lord called out, ˇ°Tonight we celebrate two things. First, the finished education of our ElderˇŻs first student, with the hope that it will not be his last!ˇ± He paused momentarily for the crowd to politely clap, briefly turning their attention to him.

    ˇ°But we also celebrate my sonˇŻs official position as General of the West Wall. A position I have personally ensured he earned through his own capabilities and not through his name.ˇ± The clapping resumed, this time more enthusiastically.

    While they clapped, Alaster studied the City LordˇŻs son, James. He suspected that the man was only a few years older than he was. He was roughly the same size, though perhaps slightly shorter and more lithe. Though the man was certainly larger than most, all in muscle as well.

    He wore the CityˇŻs colors, white with gold accent, though his clothing was more reminiscent of gambeson, thick padded cloth, meant to be worn under armor, but durable enough to protect against the average cuts. The City Lord likely wanted to point out his sonˇŻs military position now.

    But what truly caught AlasterˇŻs attention was that he was staring intensely at him. Alaster looked closer. No, James was not looking at him, but at Lunaria.

    The City Lord ended his speech with a humorous order to enjoy the party. It seemed as if the partygoers were merely waiting on the City Lord and his family, because now that they were here, the middle of the Ballroom was cleared of guests and the music turned from background music to the music one would dance to.

    The cleared space was quickly filled with dancing couples. The dance was one that Azemar had taught him. It was stiff and made to show off how noble they were more than enjoyment. Alaster spotted a young lady dressed in a beautiful red flowing dress dancing with James.

    Lunaria, who Alaster had suspected would attempt to drag him into a dance, instead steered him away to another group of people.

    Alaster continued to put on the act of actually caring about any of the people Lunaria introduced him to, or their lives, which they insisted on bragging about. It was frustrating. How can they all care so much about their familyˇŻs history that has no actual impact in the present. Alaster did not care if their great-great-grand father killed an Wyvern by themselves. He only cared if they could, which none were capable of.

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    Of the hundred or so people he had talked to, only a handful were Experts, which was not surprising. Experts were a very small percentage of any population, even Galmore, where everyone was an experienced combatant.

    A few songs played, with the dancing couples changing out a few times. It seemed as though while the dancing was not mandatory, every young person in the audience was expected to dance at least once. A few took it as a challenge and a way to show of their ability and danced multiple dances.

    James for example, danced every dance. Each young lady walked away with a beaming smile and a faint blush.

    After the last dance ended, Alaster spotted James motion for a servant. He quickly whispered something in the manˇŻs ear and the servant left. He skirted the edge of the ballroom and reached the musicians on the far end. The servant said something to them, and they nodded.

    They began to play once more, this time a slow and graceful tune.

    James approached Lunaria, who sighed once she found that there was no escape, at least not without causing a scene.

    The City LordˇŻs son stopped a few feet away and bowed deeply, extending his hand, ˇ°May I have the honor of this dance?ˇ±

    LunariaˇŻs smile was strained as she placed her hand in his, ˇ°Of course.ˇ±

    The middle of the dance floor cleared as James led Lunaria. They turned to face each other and as music changed slightly, they began to dance. It was well practiced and beautiful. Alaster spotted several young ladies look on with jealousy as they sighed at the sight, each wishing they were her.

    It was a dance of beauty and dignity, meant to be slow in order to allow the two partners to converse in private, their words drowned out by the music while their actions were laid bare to the crowd. It was a dance where two Nobles could get to know each other without dirty rumors spreading.

    A few moments after James and Lunaria began to dance, a few other couples joined in, staying to the edges. Even with AlasterˇŻs Expert hearing, he could not hear what James and Lunaria were saying to each other, though he could see them talking.

    Alaster watched them as he continued to politely converse with a businessman who owned eight different smithies in Galmore, supplying a sizeable percentage of the MilitaryˇŻs equipment. Alaster found it much easier to talk with this man than many of the others due to his casual interest in blacksmithing.

    Ordinarily, it would have been rude to look somewhere else while talking to someone, but the businessman did not mind as he too, along with everyone else, was watching the dance. Alaster could not blame them, it was fascinating.

    ˇ°What do your smithies make most of?ˇ± Alaster asked, watching as James slowly spun Lunaria.

    ˇ°Spears mostly. Due to their length, it allows the guardsmen to attack their opponent while keeping a distance, but the long poles are prone to breaking. So, the wall sends back the spearheads, and we send them back on new poles. Though the most time-consuming part is repairing the guardsˇŻ armor.ˇ±

    Alaster politely chuckled, ˇ°Yes, I personally understand that very well. I would spend large amounts of time in the wilderness as an Adept so I would have to repair my own armor. I even made use of wood when I ran out of material.ˇ±

    The businessman laughed, ˇ°Wood is a good armor, though it is heavy for its defensibility. However, it is abundant.ˇ±

    Alaster watched the dance along with everyone else, but he noticed something none of the audience did. Something he could only notice because he knew Lunaria so well. She was gradually growing more and more tense. Her movements becoming more stiff. Her smile becoming even more forced. And it only grew worse the more James talked.

    ˇ®Catherine.ˇŻ Alaster spoke into his Soul Domain.

    ˇ®Yes Master?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Do any of the Death Knights know how to play instruments?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why yes, we all do. During the long marches on campaigns, it was practically the only way to entertain ourselves.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And are you any good? Good enough to play in front of Nobility?ˇŻ

    Alaster sensed Catherine peek out of the Domain, using his own senses.

    ˇ®Yeah. We donˇŻt know this song, but we know one that is similar enough.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Good, and you know how to play those instruments?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yes, but we have our own.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs brow furrowed, ˇ®where did you get those?ˇŻ

    ˇ®What? You thought we just sat around in your Soul doing nothing? When we were fighting against Lezrem we gathered the materials needed between battles, then John made them. He is quite handy, despite how brutish he is.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Alright then. Here is what I want you to do.ˇŻ

    Alaster excused himself from the businessman and set down his glass, which he had barely sipped from, down on a table.

    As the music gradually reached its climax, the room gradually grew darker. So gradual was it that only a handful of people even noticed.

    The climax arrived, but instead of the violin solo everyone was expecting, silence reigned.

    People looked around and those dancing awkwardly stopped. Without the distraction of music, more people noticed how dark the room had become. It was an unnatural darkness. The torches and Mage Lights still shone brightly, but their light seemed suppressed.

    Fearing an attack, the City LordˇŻs guards moved in, taking James away from Lunaria, taking him back to his parents, and surrounding them, ready to protect against any attack. Many people reached for their weapons, but despite the tension, none panicked.

    Lunaria was left confused in the center of the empty Ballroom. Azemar would have acted, but something about the darkness seemed familiar.

    Within moments, the lone violin began to play, but it was not the same song. Light returned to the middle of the dance floor, leaving the rest of the room in darkness, and revealing Lunaria. EveryoneˇŻs attention turned to her. Alaster entered the ring of light and bowed before Lunaria, his hand extended.

    Lunaria awkwardly took it, and as she did, a few more instruments joined, adding depth.

    Taking the lead, Alaster led her into a very different dance than before. It was a dance they had both danced many times before while Alaster had been learning. Over time, he had figured out that it was LunariaˇŻs favorite.

    It was not a dance of grace and nobility. It was a dance of beauty and passion. There was no room to talk, but it was unnecessary. Their movements said everything that needed to be said, even that which words could not express.

    Lunaria loved this song because it told a story.

    Two more violins joined, playing slightly different notes, while maintaining the same center melody. Together the three told of two lovers, pushed apart by a war. Two cellos gave the music a depth and base that kept the tension alive. Deep drums were introduced to tell of a ferocious battle, as the two violins fought desperately to be heard.

    Flutes played the part of arrows and magic flying through the air while trumpets played as the two armies clashed. The climax finished with a long gong, followed by the quiet and desperate lone violin.

    The dance followed the flow and tempo of the music, transforming the musical story into a visual one. As the music played, Lunaria relaxed, her forced smile becoming a real one as she enjoyed the dance.

    Eventually the song came to an end, the drums quieting down to finally allow the violins and a single harp to be heard. As the song ended, Alaster and Lunaria were left in the middle of the dance floor with Alaster dipping Lunaria as she held his face with one hand.

    The stunned audience erupted into applause as the darkness began to recede, allowing light to once again fill the ballroom. Unseen by all but the musicians, the sound barrier surrounding them dissolved and Twelve Death Knights vanished.

    Alaster lifted Lunaria up but felt his heart stop when he felt her lips against his. The world seemed to disappear. The only ones that existed were Alaster and Lunaria in their moment.

    Hidden away in the audience, Azemar raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk on his face.

    ˇ®Alain, my love, you were right once again.ˇŻ

    Time did not exist for either of them, nor did they want it to. They wanted it to last forever, but an angrily approaching figure interrupted them. Still holding each other, they vanished from where they stood, allowing the furious James to miss his punch and stumble.

    Far from the Ballroom, far from the castle, far from the city. Atop a tall mountain overlooking the city. They was clear of the clouds that had recently deposited a light snow that reflected the pale moonlight, sparkling like gems. A lone Shadow Assassin stood motionless, snow piled on its hooded head and shoulders.

    In an instant, the Undead vanished, replaced by the two individuals. One dressed in a black suit, the other a beautifully flowing white dress.

 CHAPTER 179- JOURNEY OF REMEMBRANCE

    Fenrir cleaved the orc in two with his greatsword while he snapped the neck of another with a single hand. The Undead Knights took care of the rest, running the fleeing Orcs into the ground with their Undead Steeds.

    The giant figure had not even needed to use his secondary form. Running into a war part of Orcs would have stressed even a couple of Experts, but Undead did not panic. They simply went about their duties, eradicating the threat without feeling.

    Fenrir glanced at the giant white wolves the Orcs had been riding. Most had fled, with or without their riders, but a few had been caught by the Undead. Fenrir himself had strangled one. It would have been easier to crush it, or cut it apart, but he wanted its fur.

    He tried to rationalize it as wanting efficient camouflage in the snowy land the world had become as winter arrived. But in truth, he just thought it would look cool. Black armor and draped with white fur. It was even slightly poetic as his name was Wolf in an ancient tongue.

    In an hour, the giant resumed its journey, with a new accessory. He also took with him the bones of the wolves, leaving the meat behind for whatever carnivore was lucky enough to get to it first.

    Though he unsummoned the Undead Knights, as he had recently passed back into Lissura lands. He had circumvented Vrens, as it was right on the border, and he did not want even the idea of him coming from the Independent Lands to enter anyoneˇŻs minds.

    Instead, he would make his debut closer to the Capital. He would attempt to avoid detection by anyone until then. Only once He neared Calaren would he travel normally, allowing anyone to see him. But as he had already entered the Nation of Lissura, he dismissed his Undead Knights. It was easier to avoid detection when it was just a lone figure.

    Without his escort, he would likely encounter more Monsters, but he doubted he would encounter anything too dangerous, at least for him. So far, however, the trip had been mostly uneventful.

    Traveling through the ancient woods in the Independent lands, Fenrir had been forced to carve his way through Monster after Monster, who did not take kindly to someone invading their territory, however temporary. But once he reached Onigas, it had begun to calm down.

    Fenrir had skirted around Onigas as he had other tasks, though he had traveled close enough for the Shadow Assassins stationed there to relay a bit of information.

    Both Fenrir and Alaster had been surprised to learn that Astrid had actually become engaged to Arthur Lewale. When Alaster had first met him, the man had not left a positive impression. But clearly, Astrid felt differently, at least he hoped. Fenrir had spent a few hours around Onigas for the Shadows to convey everything.

    Alaster had felt that Arthur saw him only as a tool the young Noble could use. Yet his Shadows had apparently learned that the man simply did not know how else to treat someone. He had been raised from birth to see and treat everything as something he could use to his own advantage.

    His father, Sebastion Lewale, ever pushing for his son to marry into the City LordˇŻs family, forced Arthur to spend plenty of time around Iris, and in extension, Astrid. While Iris continued to be uninterested, Arthur and Astrid had gotten to know each other over time.

    Three months ago, a week after his fatherˇŻs natural death, Arthur had proposed to Astrid. He explained it as a strengthening relationships between the Tarian refugees, most of whom were the very same soldiers that had been taken prisoner, and their families. They had expressed genuine anger over the Tarian treatment of them and once the war was over and they were released from duty, they snuck away from their Tarian homes and traveled to Onigas, who had treated them well.

    Of course, as the Tarian Soldiers were the ones that had attacked Onigas, there was hostility, even for the refugees who had never even had a chance to fight and had instead been peacefully taken prisoner by Alaster. The City Lord had vocally denounced any hostile treatment, but it did not stop everything.

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    Arthur, ever the opportunist, decided to use this hostility as an excuse to the other Onigarian Nobles for marrying a commoner. Fenrir chuckled when a Shadow provided images of Astrid teaching Arthur how to be more genuine in his interactions with people instead of always looking for an angle.

    It reminded Alaster of how he trained her back in Sicon.

    The Siphas family was still powerful and influential, only having grown in power after the war, especially with their close relationship with Alaster, whom the citizens of Onigas almost treated as a folklore hero. Isabella had a following of her own as she was constantly seen in the hospitals and infirmaries, healing what she could.

    Due to her efforts, her healing abilities had only grown. She had two Healing Spells advance to Adepthood before she did, and now had an Expert Level Healing spell.

    Iris was now an Expert, though she had only advanced the month prior. She was now in charge of training an Order of Guardsmen who specialized in defensibility. The City Lord had instructed her to create an Order that could be trusted, only loyal to her, and could be relied on to stand their ground, wherever they were stationed.

    She had taken her orders to heart and created an Order that was known even in Lissura, Taria, and Kemore. The name of the Pheonix Order was known wide. Every one of its members could heal themselves in the midst of battle. They specialized in close quarters combat, and as such, most members wore heavy armor that covered them from head to toe.

    Instead of pursuing relation or political gain, Iris had created a powerful Order numbering just over two hundred, capable of holding off hundreds more, possibly even thousands. She had trained her personal soldiers by clearing the Monsters habitants leading to Galmore.

    While Galmore was responsible for building the road between the two Independent Cities, Iris saw no reason not to help them a little, especially if it ultimately helped her more.

    Alaster couldnˇŻt be prouder.

    Despite not actually pursuing it, Alaster noticed that Iris had taken a fancy to one of her younger and stronger Soldiers. Though he did not know if it was because she was interested in his potential as a Soldier, or his potential as a partner.

    Despite their lives taking two different paths, Iris and Astrid continued to be great friends. They were found together more often than not. Astrid even regularly helped train and manage the Phoenixes.

    Overall, Onigas was in good hands. As they had claimed, they had repaired all damages they had sustained during the siege within the year, and were even strengthening the outer wall with even stronger materials and more siege equipment.

    Fenrir was content with this information and continued on his journey, reaching Lissurian lands before the sun set. Unfortunately, while Fenrir did not need to sleep, so long as Alaster did occasionally, the horse he rode was still quite alive, and did need to rest. So he was forced to spend each night stationary.

    Fenrir, and in extension Alaster, both grew increasingly irritated at the weakness of a living creature. It was bad enough that Fenrir had to carry all of the horseˇŻs feed in his Ring of Holding, which Alaster had bought in Galmore. It was a small Ring of Holding, perhaps only two by two feet large, meaning that with the Horse Feed, there was barely any space available for anything else.

    Had Fenrir been using a Skeletal Mount, or even running on foot, he could have already been in Zolis, capital city of Lissura. But doing either would have attracted too much attention. At least on the horse, passersby might be interested in the giant black knight, but not enough to spread word, at least past their own small communities.

    It did not help FenrirˇŻs mood that horses also did not smell very great, and his enhanced senses were just making it worse.

    Even with the annoying delays, Fenrir still believed he would reach Zolis within four days. And once he did, the first step to AlasterˇŻs revenge would finally begin. Observation. Fenrir, despite his intimidating presence and nearly overwhelming power, was tasked with learning everything he could about the city before Alaster arrived.

    Alaster felt as if a splintered stake was being driven into his heart with each delay, but the City Lord of Galmore had done him a large favor for allowing a stranger so close to his inner circle. A city as isolated as Galmore was naturally quite wary of the outsiders. The City Lord had certainly faced severe opposition, but he had allowed Alaster to be there.

    Not that anyone could have stopped him, but still. Being allowed entry allowed Alaster to live in Galmore without constantly being on guard.

    In return, the City Lord had asked him to clear the bulk of the Monsters from Galmore towards Onigas. The builders would still have to clear out plenty of Monsters, but if they were quick enough, the density would be much less. Unfortunately, while Alaster had the power, especially with LezremˇŻs aid, it would still take a while.

    But once Alaster cleared the way for the road builders, he would go to Zolis, and nothing would stand in his way.

 CHAPTER 180- OUTER CITY

    ˇ°Reason for visiting?ˇ± The guard asked, attempting to sound bored despite his anxiety.

    His colleagues didnˇŻt blame him either. He was charged with stopping every person attempting to enter Zolis, the capital of Lissura, and questioning them. An ordinarily boring job, but now, he had stopped a giant in black armor. A giant so tall that simply looking down at the guard seemed like the he was glaring and planning on the guardˇŻs death.

    Despite Fenrir not attempting to be scary, his mere appearance and presence terrified everyone around him.

    ˇ°I am an Adventurer. I outgrew the jobs in my hometown of Vrens so I figured I would come check out the jobs available in the Capital.ˇ± Fenrir responded with practiced words.

    ˇ°Duration of your visit?ˇ± the guard asked, beginning to regain a semblance of confidence.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not sure. I guess it depends what sort of jobs I can get.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where will you be staying?ˇ±

    ˇ°No idea. IˇŻve never been in the Capital before so I have no idea what sort of lodgings are available. Do you have any suggestions? I have some money, but would prefer to not waste.ˇ±

    The guard, realizing that the giant before him was just like any other Adventurer, grew calm.

    ˇ°IˇŻd say the Floating Wyvern has the best rooms for the coins they charge, but their food is not great. For that, IˇŻd suggest going to the Impish Tavern. YouˇŻll find both on the street to the right of the main square. Just straight-ahead about three hundred yards.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you sir.ˇ± Fenrir said respectfully, despite not feeling any respect towards the man before him.

    It wouldnˇŻt matter what he had said, the guard would have suggested those two places simply because they paid him to do so. Fenrir had simply said those things to blend in. He had neither the need to sleep or eat. Once he was inside the walls, he would vanish and no ordinary person would have even the faintest hope of catching or pursuing him.

    ˇ°Very well then, you may enter. If you plan on staying for longer than a month, please go to the closest City Records building.ˇ±

    ˇ°I will. Thank you.ˇ±

    The guard waved him through, which Fenrir was more than glad to do.

    Before, Fenrir had seen the walls from a distance. He had spent a few hours studying them from afar and it impressed him, but going through the gate only improved upon it. With the guards stopping and filtering those entering and leaving, there was nowhere near as many people going through the gate as there were attempting to do so.

    The walls were over a hundred feet thick and there was a portcullis every twenty feet. Mage Lights illuminated the tunnel, allowing just enough light for the average person to see, but not enough for them to see the weapons pointed at them.

    With his [Dark Sight] and [Seeker Sight], Fenrir could see the numerous murder holes that lines the walls and even the ceiling of the tunnel, murder holes that were each manned by a soldier wielding a crossbow that remained trained on each person entering or leaving. At any moment, the portcullises could slam down and the soldiers could fire their bolts, killing whoever remained.

    Enchantments lined the tunnel, strengthening the already reinforced stone blocks as well as reducing the effect most magics would have on them.

    It was a lethal combination that deterred the conventional people from even thinking about causing any trouble.

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    Far away, within the Ancient Forest, Alaster nodded to himself atop Nightmare.

    The defenses Zolis and Galmore boasted were similar but were for different needs. While Galmore had to put everything they had into keeping everything out. Zolis had to keep order and security even with hundreds of strangers entering and leaving the city every day. Alaster hoped he would not have to personally test those defenses of either city, yet somehow believed he would someday.

    Eventually, however, Fenrir reached the other end of the tunnel, entering the city proper while also being assaulted by the sounds and scents of said city. Tens of hundreds of people filled the streets, each going their own way with their own goal. Some where carrying things, some where pulling carts, some had nothing.

    It was quite clear who the Adventurers were as they were the only ones with any personal space. No one wanted to bump into the guy with a sword and the professional habit of using it.

    Yet while others had only a foot or two of free space, Fenrir kept a consistent three feet, despite the crowded chaos. Despite the helmet not being removeable, Fenrir did have a face, and he grinned at the idea of what damage such a crowd could cause if they became panicked.

    He was even tempted to do something now but restrained himself. He first had to study his environment before he attempted to change it.

    And in such a large city, that extended for miles around the large castle built atop a small mountain, there were bound to be numerous diverse environments. Fenrir just had to learn about them, and how to best manipulate them to suit his purposes.

    Fenrir stuck to the sides of the street as he walked, hoping to stick out less. It helped, but not by much. He still saw people fearfully avoiding him. He still saw children marvel at him. But Fenrir was not too worried about it. If his duty was truly to blend in, then Alaster would have made him smaller and more common looking.

    Alleyways connected different streets together, designed to be narrow chokeholds defenders could protect and hold back a vast enemy at every turn, but now turned into protections against the weather for the less fortunate. Those with nowhere else to go.

    It was just the beginning of winter, there was only a little snow at the very tops of some buildings, yet already, Fenrir spotted a few beggars shivering in the alleys, huddling around small fires they created from burning trash.

    It was a disparaging sight. If they were already shivering before winter even truly hit, many would not survive to spring. And without anyone to claim them, their bodies would be collected and broken down to further fertilize the underground military farms. They did not have the space or resources to respect the bodies of those they had not even respected in life.

    Fenrir spotted a deserted alley and entered, though he was not there for long.

    The moment he had entered the city, countless Shadow Assassins had jumped from his shadow to the countless many around him, quickly traveling around the city. It would still be many days before the Shadows reached the other end of the city, and a few weeks before they could properly spread. They had to move slowly to avoid detection.

    Until such a time as they could properly spread, Fenrir was content to study the things that intrigued him.

    Disappearing into the shadows, Fenrir appeared in a deserted room, a room that had clearly not shown any travel or entrance for many years. Fenrir was there to hide until he learned that which he needed to make the first step.

    For now, Fenrir focused the ShadowˇŻs spying on the Outer City, or the slums, as they truly were.

    If one wanted to learn the nature of the city, they had to first learn the nature of their poorest. They would be the ones to speak the truth of what was happening. While those of higher castes would wish to conceal the truth to avoid shaming themselves or their political aspirations. And those of middle castes would desire to keep the truth to themselves to avoid angering those capable of destroying them.

    Those of the slums were typically those who had nothing to lose. So they spoke the truth, uncaring of what could happen. However, only very rarely would anything happen for the truth they spoke for they held no power. What use were the words of someone without the power to do anything.

    That was FenrirˇŻs goal. For now, while he was still spreading his eyes and ears, he would focus on the poorest and most broken of Zolis. The people, those in power turned a blind eye towards. The people, those with the ability to aid, ignored. FenrirˇŻs first targets were the ones that were hidden in plain sight.

    Fenrir would first spread his influence and power among the slums, where he could do so without the prying eyes of the authorities. He would also begin building his army. Alaster held all the summons, but that did not mean that Fenrir could not make more that he could personally make use of.

    Fenrir would build his power in the authoritiesˇŻ blind spot. And once they finally learned of his existence, it would be too late. He would have built a dam, a dam that would be broken once the spotlight was finally on him and release an unstoppable flood that would drown whoever he wanted. Or whoever got in the way.

 CHAPTER 181- HIDDEN RULE

    Lieutenant Tex patrolled through the slums as he usually did, but for the first time, and completely against regulations, he did so alone. Ordinarily, the people of the slums were quite hostile against the Guardsmen. They were even occasionally quite open about it, hurling rotten food or even stones.

    It was rare, but certainly not unheard of for Guardsmen to vanish in the slums, hence the regulation requiring Guardsmen to never venture in the slums in groups less than five, and only when in full battle dress.

    But something had changed in the last month. There were no more beggars on the street. People no longer hid in corners and alleys. There were no more long dead bodies left to rot in the gutters. People were no longer talking to each other in harsh whispers. And perhaps the most important difference, children were once again playing and laughing.

    Lieutenant Tex saw the people glare at him as he passed, but he no longer felt like they would attack him at any moment.

    If someone saw the slums now, they would believe it to be a respectable community. But they wouldnˇŻt have seen what happened before.

    Just two weeks prior, Tex and the other officers in charge of the slums reported a sharp spike in the number of murders. Even worse, the majority of those killed were members of prominent gangs within the slums.

    This, in itself, was not surprising. The gangs of the Zolis slums constantly fought each other. Tex would not have been surprised if they had been at war with each other. What was surprising, and worrying, was the number of corpses found with large chucks missing, as if they had been bitten.

    When it first started to happen, Tex would have bet that one of the gangs had recruited someone capable of taming or summoning a Monster, but then the rumors began to spread.

    Rumors of a hulking figure, clad in black armor, more Monster than Man. A creature that suddenly appeared one day and began taking control of the slums. He offered everyone a single choice. Obey, or die.

    The first to go were the petty thieves, brutes, extortionists, and drug dealers. The Guardsmen had attempted to do the same thing many times, but had always failed miserably. They were simply too slippery, too many back alleys they could slip into and disappear.

    But the rumors spoke that once the man had caught your scent, there was no escape. Soon, all the petty criminals were either dead or missing. Next came the gangs. Just last week, these very streets had been painted with the blood of dozens, littered with the mangled and chewed bodies of the very people Tex had been struggling to arrest for just over a decade.

    It had been done in one night. One day, the eight gangs, each numbering over a hundred members, were going about their daily duties of extorting people and arguing over territory. The next, they all lay slaughtered in the very streets they claimed.

    TexˇŻs superior officers had expected a power vacuum to occur, but there was none. Yet no one seemed to take the preverbal throne. But someone was keeping order in the slums, cleaning it up. It certainly was not the Guardsmen, though his superior officers were glad to take credit.

    Tex wanted to meet the person in charge, this black Monster. Not only to learn of its intentions, but also to warn it. The gangs in the slums were not the only criminal organizations of Zolis, and they certainly were not the strongest, merely the most numerous. These organizations would turn their greedy eyes to the recently free territory of the slums and attempt to take as much of it as they could.

    The members from different organizations would clash and turn these streets bloody once more. Tex doubted he would get along with this Black Monster, but he did not care to try. All he cared about was that the people in the slums were finally treated fairly. If Tex had to bow to a cannibalistic Monster to ensure they were, he would.

    He did not even know how he would go about finding him. Which was why Tex was currently walking around the streets. He was hoping to find something that would provide a hint. Hell, he would even take a map. Not that he needed it.

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    As he turned a corner, he immediately reached for the sword at his hip. He had patrolled the slums long enough to know an ambush when he saw one. Four men casually leaning against the buildings to either side of the street. Tex did not need to look behind him to know that there were another four behind him.

    Together, the four in front of him stood straight and blocked the street. As they did, any civilians quickly vanished from sight.

    ˇ°What is your business here Guardsman?ˇ± the thin man in front asked, apparently the leader.

    Tex restrained himself from drawing his weapon. Ordinarily, an ambush would immediately attack. Besides, he was drastically outnumbered. It was in his best interest to resolve this peacefully.

    ˇ°I have come to meet with the Black Monster.ˇ±

    They all broke out into laughter, and just as suspected, Tex heard four distinct laughing a few feet behind him.

    The leader struggled to stop laughing, ˇ°You believe in rumors?ˇ±

    ˇ°When those rumors eviscerate a thousand people in one night? Yes. I do.ˇ±

    The laughter died and the leaderˇŻs face turned serious, ˇ°Very well then. We will take you to him. Whether you get to leave with your head still attached is up to him. Follow us.ˇ±

    Without waiting, the four in front turned around and began to walk away. Tex slightly jogged to get closer, the four behind him keeping pace.

    Tex was not sure what was about to happen, but he did know that this was a serious matter for the entire city. If only he had support from his colleagues. They had warned him against interfering, and if his head turned up nailed to a door somewhere, they would be proven right.

    Behind him, a voice whispered, ˇ°Cousin, what does eviscerate mean?ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Duke Daniel Redmond leaned back in his chair at his desk, rested his head atop his palm, closed his eyes, and sighed. Many people saw the Duke as a tireless organizational machine. Someone who nearly single handedly kept the entire Kingdom of Lissura running, despite the kingˇŻs political absence.

    But that was far from the truth. The Duke had an extensive network of operatives that knew what and how he wanted things done. They reported to him, but they were the ones managing the small things, only coming to him when they did not know what to do.

    Unfortunately for Daniel, the nation was large enough to still occupy nearly all of his time. And now, there was something happening in the Slums that none of his operatives could figure out. They reported the effects, but had no idea what was causing it or why. The crime lords in the other districts were preparing to move on the Slums, which would likely result in a war being waged.

    The Gilaen Empire had sent delegates to negotiate a trade deal, but now they wanted to discuss an alliance so Lissura would assist them finally conquer the Savage City States. Such discussions would require his direct presence and influence.

    The Independent City of Galmore, a city that the vast majority of commoners believed had long been wiped out, had signed an alliance with the Independent City of Onigas. This would shift the political battlefield of nations in ways that the Duke had not had time to sit down and consider.

    And to top it all off, Galmore was also sending a young Noble to observe Lissura. This Noble would be responsible for studying Lissura and seeing if Galmore would wish to consider any trade agreements or even alliances. However, from the sound of the message, this Noble, despite coming from Galmore, was independent from the city.

    ˇ®An Independent Lord from an Independent City.ˇŻ Daniel scoffed.

    That was bound to cause issues, but perhaps he could persuade this young Noble to report favorably.

    Rolling his shoulders as he stood, Daniel walked over to the window. The Saint was not there this time. When he first arrived, he had always spent the midafternoon under the tree entertaining the children of the castle. But the Duke noticed that since the events in the Slums, the Saint had been less frequently visiting the tree, much to the disappointment of the children.

    In place of the Saint, Daniel saw his son with his fianc¨¦e. They sat under the shade, leaning against the trunk and each other. Evelyn was reading from a book in her lap, obviously trying to get Lukas to study with her, but his attention was focused on the flower crown he was creating.

    With a beaming smile, he finished and plopped it on EvelynˇŻs head. She stopped reading for a moment before glaring at Lukas. He innocently smiled at her for a moment before sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes. Evelyn tried to stay serious, but failed, bursting out into laughter.

    Before, the other Nobility had merely suspected that the two youngsters were engaged. And while the Duke had yet to officially announce it, the way the two were acting with each other confirmed it. Redmond had already received letters from a few of the Nobles that he was on friendly terms with asking when the wedding would be. The Oton family and even asked what they should bring as a gift for the lovely couple.

    Despite the chaos that was erupting everywhere, the Duke took solace in the small fragment of peace and tranquility that was Lukas and Evelyn.

    He only hoped he could keep it that way.

 CHAPTER 182- THE POWER OF THE IGNORED

    The men led Lieutenant Tex deeper into the Slums. Deeper than any patrols went, let alone street cleaners. Tex expected the streets to be stained black with filth, the walls of the buildings to be covered in all manners of filth. He expected the road to be broken and uneven. He expected the stench to be overwhelming.

    He certainly did not expect the streets to gradually become cleaner the deeper they went. Until it became as clean as the streets in the Noble Quarter. Even now, Tex could see Water mages working together with Fire Mages to clean the streets and walls.

    The Water Mages would control large blobs of water, which the Fire Mages would heat until it was near boiling. The Water Mages would then slowly run it over a small section of street, where the Fire Mage would use a mop to scrub.

    After cleaning a certain area, the Water Mages would dump their filthy black water into a large bin. An Earth Mage would come and take out as much dirt and minerals as he could, and the rest was taken away by a few haulers, who Tex suspected had come from a farm by the rich dirt caked onto their pants and boots. They likely took the remaining filthy water to use as fertilizer.

    The more proficient Earth Mages were busy working on the road itself after it was cleaned. They worked on smoothening the road. They redesigned them to have two deep grooves where cartwheels could be pulled. The grooves were deep but angled so the cart could be pulled out of the grooves without much issue. They also had channels carved into the grooves spaced evenly to allow any rain to funnel into the gutters.

    Overall, it was all very busy and chaotic, but it was the sort of chaos that had reminded Tex of a military operation. Everyone had their task, and everyone went about doing their task as efficiently as possible.

    Of course, it was not perfectly smooth. As Tex was escorted past, he spotted several fights break out. But what impressed the Guardsman was that people, clearly in charge of overseeing the work, were quick to intercede and calm both parties down, getting them back to work.

    His respect for this Black Monster grew slightly. He was not a high-ranking officer. But he knew enough to know that it was impossible to get this many people working in tandem with each other in such a short amount of time, unless they wanted to do the work themselves.

    Somehow, this Monster had destroyed the gangs and united the people of the slums in under a month.

    Tex was escorted to a warehouse under extensive repairs. Numerous people were replacing wooden boards or conjuring bricks while others were hauling away broken materials.

    However, there were also plenty of people running around and not helping with the repairs or cleanup.

    ˇ®Messengers.ˇŻ Tex realized.

    His escort opened the large double doors, meant to comfortably fit a large cargo wagon. His escort waved him in, closing the door behind him while they remained outside. Inside, it was a whirlwind of activity.

    Tex stopped in the doorway, eyes wide.

    ˇ®This is a war room.ˇŻ

    Maps were hung up on the walls and boards or laid down on the many tables. Each portraying a certain region of the city. Some were crudely drawn, others were clearly bought from large scale map producers, but there was a large percentage that were masterfully created, meant for accuracy and not displaying the authorˇŻs artistic skill.

    Dozens of people crowded around the various maps, all working on their own project in small groups. Most of the maps had various markings, some of which were obvious.

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    Tex had lived in Zolis his entire life. If he couldnˇŻt identify his own Barracks on a map, he would have been ashamed of himself. Using the marker placed over his barracks, he was able to quickly spot several other barracks on different maps. He spotted many other symbols he could identify, but there were also many others he didnˇŻt.

    But there was one symbol that caught his attention, half bright sun, half dark moon. The symbol itself did not mean much to him, but their placements did. He just couldnˇŻt figure out why.

    ˇ®Wait a minute.ˇŻ

    Tex pushed past two men overlooking a map on a desk. They objected, but he ignored them as they moved aside. He traced his finger from one half symbol to the next, growing more and more hectic as he began to connect the dots.

    With a sharp intake of breath and realization, Tex spun around, and immediately attempted to jump back, stumbling over the desk.

    Something so large should have made a sound, or at least given off some sort of presence, something Tex was well experienced in sensing after his many years of catching criminals in back alleys, yet even when he looked at the figure that had been standing directly behind him, he felt nothing.

    Tex had grown used to feeling the air move with everyoneˇŻs movement, hearing their breathing, even smelling them. He had grown reliant on this as it had saved his life countless times. Yet, the only reason he knew the figure before him was actually there, was because he could see it.

    ˇ°Hello there.ˇ± A mountainous voice from the figure spoke. Despite speaking fairly quietly, even with the noise from everyone else still rushing about their work, Tex clearly heard him and felt the voice rattle around his bones.

    Fear gripped his heart, causing him to stumble over his words, but Tex forced them out, ˇ°Y-you are plotting the attacks against ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users.ˇ±

    Light from the mage lights seemed to be sucked into the black knightˇŻs armor as he took a step back, ˇ°Why are you?ˇ±

    Tex stood straight and composed himself, ˇ°So we can stop and arrest the criminals.ˇ±

    The black knight chuckled slightly, ˇ°That is where we differ. I do not wish to catch them. I wish to make an example of them.ˇ±

    Tex narrowed his eyes in suspicion, ˇ°Why? how do I know you arenˇŻt the ones doing the killings?ˇ±

    ˇ°Tell me this, Guardsman, why did you come here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I heard the rumors and saw the changes in the Slums. I wanted to meet the man responsible.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if it really was my doing, do you really think you could stop me?ˇ± The Knight suddenly seemed to be as large as a mountain, and as ferocious as a Dragon.

    Struggling to conceal his trembling voice, and failing, Tex asked, ˇ°You mentioned making an example of them. What did you mean?ˇ±

    The Knight shrugged, ˇ°Nothing much really. One morning, they would simply be found hanging over the gates.ˇ±

    ˇ°And whatˇŻs your stake in this? Why do you care?ˇ±

    The Knight motioned to the map behind Tex, ˇ°Because this Kingdom is on the tipping point. One wrong push, and it could all come crumbling down. Here in the capital, every little movement can be that wrong push. Tell me, Guardsman, how much of ZolisˇŻs defences rely on these so called ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ?ˇ±

    Tex hesitated, but quickly realized that the Knight was simply making a point, nothing Tex would know about was truly critical or important.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. A large amount IˇŻd guess.ˇ±

    ˇ°Neither do I. But I know enough to know that if those in charge of maintaining those defenses were turned against, their colleagues and friends butchered on the streets, they would not be very willing to continue their duties. The defenses of the Capital of Lissura, Zolis, would fall apart without any assistance from another country.ˇ±

    ˇ°We donˇŻt know if the killings are orchestrated by someone or any large organization, like a country.ˇ± Tex countered.

    ˇ°Nor will you find any evidence of such a thing, because these killings are not done with a plan. The attacks are caused not by some organization, but by a simple idea. This idea creeps into peopleˇŻs minds, infecting them with a false sense of fear, insecurity, and even superiority.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what is this idea?ˇ±

    ˇ°That these ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ are evil and should be exterminated. An old idea, but one that holds great power. It does not help that many ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ tend to make people uncomfortable or even disgusted.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what? You are trying to save Lissura by stopping this idea from spreading?ˇ±

    ˇ°Me? No. I could not care less if Lissura crumbled apart. By the Gods above, I might even throw a party. However, I also do not wish for it to break apart just yet. There is too much relying on its continued existence. So, for now, I will protect it.ˇ±

    The Black Knight shrugged casually, ˇ°Plus, I am a user of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ and it just irritates me that they claim to be better than me.ˇ±

    Tex looked around him once more. In just a month, the man before him had assembled nearly the entirety of the Slums and tasked them with hunting down these murderers. He did not want to see what would happen if he turned that power against Lissura.

    ˇ°Who are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°You may call me Fenrir.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 183- GROWING PAIN

    Tensions continued to grow within the city. While the conflict, and future conflict, in the slums were both important, their impact on the rest of the city was minimal. Many citizens did not know or even care about the drastic changes in the slums. But that did not stop the rising tension.

    The idea of elitism continued to spread and a fissure between the so called ˇ®Light MagicˇŻ and ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users continued to spread. Strangers were glaring at each other in suspicion. Fights were breaking out in the streets. ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users were demanding adequate. And ˇ®Light MagicˇŻ users were demanding that ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users be fired.

    To make matters worse, the killings had not stopped. In fact, they had only increased. People were randomly selecting ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users and killing them. ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ users were fighting back, and were moving around in large groups.

    As the situation grew more volatile, the Duke attempted to lock Lukas and Evelyn in the castle, preventing them from hunting or exploring. But they had vehemently refused. In return for them continuing to hunt outside the city walls, Daniel insisted they be escorted to and from the forest by an armed escort.

    They still didnˇŻt like it, as it brought a lot of attention, but Duke Redmond insisted, not giving them a choice.

    The prejudice against ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users had even begun to spread among the Nobility. While they still pretended to be courteous and kind to each other, rumors had begun to spread. One had even made Daniel chuckle.

    Apparently, Count Parthax, a Flesh Mage who spent his time running and managing three different hospitals in the Capital, was in fact using them as cover to create Homunculi, Humans made Monsters.

    The mere idea was preposterous. Not only was Count Parthax completely ignorant of anything to do with mutating the Flesh of his patients but was also one of the very few Nobles who genuinely cared about the people. He really was a kind person.

    On the opposite end, there was a rumor that Duke Redmond believed himself. That Viscount Seralao was kidnapping orphans off the streets and experimenting on them to create specialized soldiers.

    Unfortunately, that rumor simply had too many coincidences behind it. In one of the darker moves he had authorized as Duke, he had ordered Seralao to begin the study and theorization of creating better soldiers. However, the Duke had not authorized any testing whatsoever, let alone on Humans.

    He was forced to begin investigating Viscount Seralao, which, when revealed, would give the impression that Duke Redmond not only believed these rumors, but acted on them. Which would only grant them more power.

    Of course, he could not allow the fact that he had authorized the study to be revealed. Even if he had explicitly rejected any experiments, they would not care. All that would matter was that he was the one that had begun the project.

    ˇ®Why did I have to go into politics?ˇŻ Daniel groaned, leaning back in his chair, ˇ®Why couldnˇŻt I have pursued cooking instead?ˇŻ

    Despite his complaints, he would have been forced into a political position regardless of his desires simply because of his birth. And unfortunately for him, he was quite good at it.

    Daniel genuinely hoped that the rumors about Seralao were just that, rumors. But he doubted it, even while the investigation was still covert and ongoing. If Viscount Seralao was found guilty, Duke Redmond would have no choice but to execute him and banish his family from the Capital for many years. He just hoped that if such a thing came to pass, the ViscountˇŻs research would be recoverable and insightful.

    Just because the method of creation was horrid, did not mean he could not use it, even if he could not allow the method to continue.

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    However, regardless of the ViscountˇŻs suspected crimes, the divide between the ˇ®LightˇŻ and ˇ®DarkˇŻ Magic users was growing. It was even beginning to infect the Nonmagical. If Daniel didnˇŻt do something soon, the small conflict was bound to escalate into full riots and possibly even a civil war.

    In an effort to reduce the hate, the DukeˇŻs agents were busy spreading their own rumors that hate against the ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users was propaganda being spread by hostile nations. This would inevitably create a hate of other Kingdoms, which would harm trade, but that was better than an internal hate.

    His agents were also spreading stories of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ UsersˇŻ good deeds. Saving children from fire, joining the defense against Monsters, etc. Some were false, some were not, regardless, they were all exaggerated. Designed to paint the Users in a good light.

    The Duke was trying his hardest to keep the city together, but a small part of him wondered if it was karma. He had certainly used this ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ stigma to his own benefit on many occasions. He had used it, as well as stopped it.

    But there was one important difference. Those had been targeted stigmas. Stigmas that served a purpose. But this? None of the DukeˇŻs agents had been able to discern the purpose of creating such a stigma. It was as if they truly detested ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users.

    Last week, when Daniel had visited the Oracle, she had warned him that this growing stigma within Zolis could grow, spreading to all of Lissura and eventually consuming it. Yet despite the rapid spread, Daniel could not find the cause.

    DanielˇŻs thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. His next meeting had come. Despite this hidden danger, he still had to ensure the Kingdom continued to operate day to day. And this meeting was about as boring as they came.

    * * * * *

    Lukas looked over the papers on the library desk. Ten papers, each one with valuable information that he kept in his personal Ring of Holding at all times. The owners of the papers had trusted them with him, and he did not wish to let them down. Not just them, but also Evelyn.

    On each paper, was the Status of every one of EvelynˇŻs Seed Bearers. Bound to her, they were incapable of defying or betraying her. As such, they were her most loyal confidants and most stout defenders. If their StatusˇŻ were leaked to anyone, then EvelynˇŻs protection would be weakened.

    While he was not one of her Seeded, he had put him in charge of managing them. Not because he wanted to control her or them, but because as the DukeˇŻs son, he had been trained for such a thing. His training had also taught him to be on the lookout for assassination attempts.

    While Evelyn remained blissfully ignorant of the true nature of Nobility, Lukas had caught nearly all of the assassination attempts on his or her life. While he had not played a major role in any of them, minus that one time he had to distract her, taking her on a road closer to a Guardsmen Post, he had noticed them.

    His FatherˇŻs personal Guards were the ones to have caught or prevented the attempt. They did so as quietly as they could, which was so effective that Evelyn still had not noticed that a blade or arrow had been so close to her neck.

    The attempts had only grown more frequent once Lukas and Evelyn started being more public about their affection. If anyone had suspected they were engaged before, they certainly knew it now, even if it had not been officially announced. Luckily, since the Saint showed up, there had only been a few attempts.

    The Saint had been, well, a saint. His mere presence seemed to calm and sooth everything. It seemed almost like a grievous sin to argue or pursue conflict in his presence.

    Regardless, Lukas looked over the pages, studying them, and as he did, he formulated different strategies. To make it even worse, Evelyn was nearly an Adept. Neither of them knew what would happen once she broke that threshold, but Lukas had no doubt that it would increase the number of Seeded she could have.

    The current max was ten. They had seeded the tenth just two weeks ago. All the Seeded were working and getting along well with each other. Using his strategies, their group, a quite large Hunting Party for Novices, continued to contend against threats many newer Adept Parties avoided. Just two days ago, they had defeated an entire Goblin Tribe.

    Despite still being a Novice, using the Seeded, Evelyn had grown to achieve stats comparable to early Adeps. At the rate she was going, Lukas suspected that she would have the Stats of an Experts well before she reached Expert herself.

    She would keep powering through the Levels, focusing on the target in front of her, while Lukas would deal with the enemies she couldnˇŻt see, or even knew were there. That was the promise that Lukas had made himself when he admitted to himself that he wanted to marry her. And it was the promise that her would made to her again if they got married.

    Lukas did not care about his birthright as son of the Duke of Lissura. He would let his younger siblings take care of it if he had to. He didnˇŻt care about being the heir. He only cared about Evelyn, and how she would change the world.

 CHAPTER 184- CONTENTION

    Duke Redmond sat down at the head of the table, quieting the room. The council had begun. Around the large table, sat three dozen of the most influential of Lissura. Those in this room were the ones who led the course of the Kingdom. These three-dozen people, with a few trusted aids and servants.

    Much to DanielˇŻs annoyance, the Saint was also in the room, though he stood off to the side. A calm confident smile on his face as he leaned against the marble wall of the conference room. Content to simple watch.

    It was that contentment that irritated Daniel so much. Everyone of influence wished to be in this room. This room where the direction of the country was decided. Everyone would sacrifice so much to be privy to what was said here. Yet there he stood, uncaring what was decided. As if nothing they did would, or could, change his plans.

    Even without proof, Daniel was certain that the Saint was responsible for the rising prejudice against the ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ. A prejudice that had infected even the upper echelon. Even now, Duke Redmond noticed how the once unified individuals now glared hatefully at each other, for no other reason than the Magic the System had granted them.

    When the distant bell tower struck midday, the Duke stood up, silencing the conversations as everyone took their seat.

    ˇ°Thank you all for coming. We have a lot to discuss today, so letˇŻs get started.ˇ±

    It was same thing he had said the time before, and the time before that. But each time he said it; it was even more true. There never seemed to be a lull in their duties. The Duke sat down, turning to take the first of many scrolls from his assistant.

    But before he grabbed it, someone stood up, the scrapping of their chair ringing in the silent room.

    ˇ°Pardon me, your grace, but you seem to have forgotten to welcome a distinguished guest.ˇ±

    Daniel looked over, struggling to disguise his irritation despite his years of training and experience. The speaker was Count Oakvain, a proud man of strong principles. His was a family deeply engrained in the military. Each child was expected to join a branch of the military when they turned sixteen and serve at least four years.

    The current head of the family had personally served nearly seventy years, yet as an Expert, he still only appeared to be in his early fifties. He was a stalwart man. A stubborn man.

    Just last year, had the Duke ordered him to defend a location, even against truly impossible odds, he would have trusted the man to defend it longer than any other.

    But that was last year, and much had changed. Now, the Count was a stout supporter of the Saint. It would not have been too much to say he was a follower of the man.

    ˇ°The Saint is here as a viewer. He is not here in any official capacity and has no voice here.ˇ±

    Count Oakvain seemed to bristle, ˇ°Sir Castiel is a messenger of the Gods!ˇ±

    Duke Daniel RedmondˇŻs stare turned hard and cold, ˇ°The Gods do not govern this Kingdom. The Gods have no authority over this Kingdom. The Gods have not spoken to anyone in this world for the last seven centuries. I donˇŻt care if he is one of the Gods themselves. He holds no authority here and is only allowed to be in this meeting as a courtesy.

    Now sit down Count, or you will be removed.ˇ±

    Daniel was a religious man himself. A follower of Anera, Goddess of Life and Order, just as the rest of his and his cousinˇŻs family. But he refused to bow to the make-believe messenger of Gods that have all but forsaken this world. Especially not when the lives of every person in Lissura relied on him.

    The Count seemed to choke, his face red from pride, but his oath to the Kingdom forced him to obey. Sat down heavily, sneaking a glance at the Saint, who seemed not to notice.

    Staring at the Count for another moment, the Duke reached for the scroll, which the young man put in his open palm.

    Duke Redmond broke the purple wax seal and opened the scroll.

    ˇ°Our first item of the day is the issue of the Atherian scouts spotted at the border.ˇ±

    Count Lexar raised his hand, already speaking, ˇ°Did they cross the border?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not according to the reports, they stayed in their forests.ˇ± General Malifax said sternly, one of the three Generals in the room.

    ˇ°The very fact that they were there is something to be wary of. They prefer to remain isolated. If they are looking at us, then they are likely planning something.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what? They might be looking out their borders to see if its worth opening them.ˇ±

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    ˇ°If they wanted that, they could have easily sent over some diplomats.ˇ±

    Back and forth the Nobles went, each with an argument and with a counterargument. After roughly thirty minutes of discussion, it was decided that they would send the 2nd Legion to the Atherian Border for ˇ®Training PurposesˇŻ.

    The next scroll detailed a blight that had devastated a small villageˇŻs crops. That was not something worthy of this council. What made it so, was the suspicion that it was not a natural blight. This matter was quickly resolved when a Viscount whose City was near to the village volunteered his personal Knights to investigate.

    On and on the council moved from scroll to scroll. They did so efficiently as they had years of practice. Even the newest member of the council had nearly a decade of experience, and that was while disregarding the practice he had dealing with his own fief.

    Yet despite the smooth, but lengthy, progress they were making, the atmosphere seemed heavy. It was faint, so faint that most did not notice it, even if it was affecting them. Daniel immediately isolated the source and though he did not look, he paid close attention to the Saint.

    Hours passed without any movement. The Saint simply stood there, leaning against the wall, as he listened. Finally, as the final issue was resolved, at least for this session, Count Oakvain subtly glanced over at the Saint, who nodded with the slightest of movement.

    Internally sighing to himself, the Duke waited to call the meeting to an end, knowing that the Count was about to speak.

    ˇ®Sometimes I really wish I was wrong more often.ˇŻ

    As the rest of the council was packing away their notes, either putting them in their Rings of Holding, handing them to their assistants, or even stuffing them into a satchel for one older member, Count Oakvain stood up with grand movements.

    ˇ°Ladies and Gentlemen,ˇ± There was only a single lady, ˇ°I fear we have neglected to address one issue. An issue that has plagued our very own Capital for several months now.ˇ± He dramatically paused, ˇ°The growing tensions between the Magics.ˇ±

    The Duke stood up, interrupting the Count before he could start another sentence, ˇ°My apologizes Count. I had meant to discuss this matter. I simply thought it would have been better to speak of it on an individual basis. However, since you have brought it up, it is only right that we discuss it now.

    It is, after all, a serious matter.

    This growing hate of the Mages that make use of Magic that could be seen as evil. A sentiment that is ancient. If memory serves me correctly, our great Kingdom of Lissura did not even exist during the time of this hate.

    I was quite glad that we as a race have moved past this foolish sentiment, and it saddens me greatly to see us fall back.

    I admit, that these so called, ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ can sometimes be quite ugly or uncomfortable to interact with, but that does not speak for the people that use them. Many of my friends use these ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ and many of our countryˇŻs enemies use ˇ®Light MagicˇŻ.ˇ±

    The Duke was glad to see many of those in the room seem to be acceptive of his words. A few were even sheepish at their actions just before the meeting.

    ˇ°But perhaps that is the issue.ˇ± The Saint spoke, pushing off the wall and standing straight, walking closer to the table in the middle of the room.

    ˇ°Sir Castiel, may I remind you that you are here only as a courtesy, you have no right to speak.ˇ±

    The Saint raised a hand to his chest, mocking injury, ˇ°Do I not? Do I not have the right to speak out when I see injustice?ˇ±

    With a slight smirk, the Duke jumped on the chance, ˇ°So you agree that this conflict between the Magic Users is foolish and wrong?ˇ±

    With that same confident smirk, the Saint responded, ˇ°Of course!ˇ± That was not the answer Daniel had been expecting, ˇ°It never should have been allowed to become so bad.ˇ±

    The Saint began slowly walking towards the Duke, ˇ°When the Gods last graced us with their voices, the world was perfect! Monsters were fleeing, Cities flourishing, and people could walk the streets at night in safety. Yet when they no longer kept a close eye on their beloved servants, you welcomed in the Evil Magics with glee. Magics that the Gods had spent centuries chasing away and eradicating.

    It was clean, and it was pure.ˇ± The Saint looked up, reminiscing, ˇ°Now, all I see is filth and decay.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then maybe you should close your mouth once in a while. The stench of shit can be quite overwhelming.ˇ± The Duke glared, leaving many of those present in shock.

    ˇ°We were doing just fine without you here. Since you arrived, mysterious murders have been taking place. Innocent people have been killed simply for the Magic they use.ˇ±

    Despite the insult, the Saint laughed, ˇ°If they used Dark Magic, then they are not innocent.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why? Because you donˇŻt like it? Did you know that one of the first victims of your little crusade, was a Doctor? A young woman, who used Blood Magic to cleanse her patientsˇŻˇŻ blood of infection. A woman who, despite living in the worst parts of the city, devoted herself to healing and fixing what she could. A woman who chose to see the best of people and tried her best to show it to themselves.

    Despite that, your followers stalked her on her way home one night. They dragged her to an alley and abused her in every way before finally killing her. You say that the Gods would want that? That they would reward that? That they would enjoy it?ˇ± Daniel was yelling at the end.

    Unfazed and unchanged, the Saint stepped close to the Duke, ˇ°If she used Dark Magic, then yes. She deserved it.ˇ±

    Silence descended on the room. None dared to make a sound, let alone move.

    When the Duke spoke, it was quiet, ˇ°Get out. You are hereby banished from the Castle. If these attacks continue, then you will be arrested for treason.ˇ±

    The Saint smirked, ˇ°You wish to banish the GodsˇŻ Messenger from the Royal Castle? Very well then. But you see, I have no control over those that listen to my words. I have not commanded any.ˇ±

    Without another word, the Saint turned around and left the room. Count Oakvain stood from his seat, glaring at Daniel, before following.

    The guards closed the doors behind them, leaving the stunned council behind.

    Count Lexar turned to his old friend, ˇ°This is not going to go well.ˇ±

    Daniel sat down with a heavy sigh, ˇ°No, its not. Alert the Guardsmen across the entire city. I want to squash these attacks. Generals, can I rely on your Soldiers if needed.ˇ±

    General Malifax stood and saluted, ˇ°You neednˇŻt ask your grace. However, I fear that sending in the Military must remain a last resort. It is liable to make things worse.ˇ±

    Daniel silently nodded, already knowing this.

    No matter what he did, the Saint simply held too much influence. It would be a dirty and lengthy war between them. A war that would not be fought far away, but one fought on the streets themselves.

    A bloody future waited.

 CHAPTER 185- INDIVIDUALITY

    Fenrir sat atop a tall bell tower, overlooking the moonlit capital. Dark clouds in the distance threatened rain in the coming days. Torches and the few Mage Lights worked to dispel the darkness in the streets, but there was no need. None dared to walk the streets at night. At least none with good intentions.

    In the last two months, tensions have only continued to grow. Just the night before, Fenrir had watched as two large groups of civilians attacked each other on the street for no other reason than the Magic they used. Not even what they used it for.

    Yet that was not what Fenrir thought about. He was actually thinking about two things, that devolved into multiple thoughts of their own.

    Firstly, how Evelyn was doing. Despite the one hundred Shadow Assassins he had scouring the city, he had not found her. He prioritized the homes of the influential but had not had much luck. There were simply too many. He did not have enough information to go on.

    Instead, he had tasked the Shadows to listen into the influentialsˇŻ conversations, hoping to hear some mention of her. But that also was not working. The only thing people were talking about nowadays was the stigma. Something that, while Fenrir disliked, he did not care about.

    He had practically taken over the Slums and ruthlessly expelled any source of the stigma, but that was only because he had other plans for the people of the Slums. Plans for his revenge. Plans that could not be disturbed by the chaos of mindless hate.

    Unfortunately, the Capital city of Lissura, Zolis, was simply too large. And due to the large number of important people, there were many places that not even his Shadows could reach. None of his Shadows could get within a mile of the Royal Castle.

    Nevertheless, Fenrir kept looking. It was only a matter of time. He knew that she wasnˇŻt being mistreated and that she had been taken by someone of considerable influence. So he was bound to hear something about a notable person taking in a common girl.

    At least he hoped so. It had been many years. Anything could have happened. But he chose to be optimistic, something that felt foreign to him. He refused to consider any other possibility.

    But while these thoughts plagued the back of his mind, they were not the thoughts he was currently wrestling with.

    As Fenrir sat atop the belltower, the large bell hanging below him, he considered what made a person just that. What made someone a person? Shortly after leaving Alaster, Fenrir had noticed that he had begun acting as his own person, not a mere copy.

    Alaster had suspected that the different bodies could potentially grow their own personalities, and it seemed he was right.

    Fenrir had the same mind as Alaster, the same thoughts. It was just that the two would now do things slightly differently. If tasked with securing the aid of an individual or group, while Alaster would attempt to negotiate a favorable deal, Fenrir would instead strike fear into them, until they offered their aid.

    Fenrir was more brutal than Alaster, something neither of them minded. Brutality had its place. Alaster had learned that firsthand and was quite a fan of using it. He simply preferred to take other roads first before resorting to pure savagery.

    Not that Fenrir could not use other methods, he simply preferred to rip and tear his way to the goal than any other. This is what caused Fenrir to simply eradicate the other Slum Gangs instead of negotiating with them. He saw no need.

    Alaster suspected that Fenrir was such due to the emotions and thoughts he had while creating FenrirˇŻs body. FenrirˇŻs true body was that of some sort of Demonic Wolf, so his personality gradually changed to fit that persona.

    Now, while the two were still firmly connected, they could now act completely independently from each other. They could even conceal certain things from each other.

    It was a fascinating feeling to split your consciousness into two and have one part begin acting completely on its own, yet still in accordance with your desires.

    While Alaster was busy waging his own war against the Monsters in between Galmore and Onigas, Fenrir was calmly relaxing within the safety of a KingdomˇŻs Capital.

    At least, he was, until he felt his connection to three Shadow Assassins vanish.

    Standing up, Fenrir turned in the direction of their destruction. He was quite intrigued. They had not been attacked by anything. If they had, even if they hadnˇŻt seen or sensed it, the feeling would have been different. They had not been destroyed. They had been erased.

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    The Shadows were powerful enough that they had not yet met someone with a Holy affinity strong enough to damage them, let alone erase them, through proximity. They had spotted a few individuals whose presence was uncomfortable for them, but not notice them, let alone harm them.

    Fenrir casually made his way over, curious more than annoyed. He ordered a few other Shadows closer as well, instructing them to be careful about getting too close. Fenrir was quite interested to see the person capable of vaporizing his Minions simply by walking too close. Such a person was bound to be interesting.

    AlasterˇŻs campaign in the forest was taking longer than originally expected, which caused a delay on some of FenrirˇŻs plans. In short, the wolf was bored.

    He had even begun working on a wolf Minion similar to Nightmare. An Undead who had two forms, one of which looked normal. He did not see a practical reason for it. He just thought it was cool.

    Fenrir used [Swap] with a Shadow nearby the area and began to walk the rest of the way. He was in no rush. Besides, two other Shadows were hurriedly making their way over in hopes of catching sight of the individual.

    The streets were deserted, as they often were these days. The only sound was that of FenrirˇŻs armored feet lightly scraping against the stone road. A faint breeze blew through, bringing with it the usual scents of city life. Most of which were unpleasant, especially for someone with a heightened animalistic smell.

    Fenrir allowed his mind to wander as he casually observed the buildings go by. Unfortunately, he was forced to focus when the Shadows were once again erased before they could see the reason.

    A few minutes passed in silence as Fenrir traveled closer to the source. He did not really know the exact location of his target. He simply thought that if he got close enough, he could feel it. And a few minutes later, he was proven right.

    Alaster had of course met individuals with a high affinity to Holy Magic, or similar Magic. Simply just Magic that worked counter to Necrotic Magic. To some degree, even Plant Magic countered Necrotic Magic. So, while Alaster had met plenty who gave off an unpleasant aura to him, he had never encountered someone whose aura was so repulsive.

    Fenrir found himself gagging, which should have been impossible considering he quite literally did not have a stomach. If he did decide to eat, his body would burn it away before it reached the usual spot for a stomach.

    An oppressive aura of Holy Magic engulfed Fenrir. Swallowing him, as if attempting to purge him, slowly eating away at him. A quick check of his Status showed that he was in fact taking damage.

    Alaster had heard of Opposite Magic Aura repelling the Users, much like a stench. He had even heard of them weakening each otherˇŻs Magic. But he had never heard of an Aura being so powerful, so oppressive, that it did physical damage.

    At this distance, the damage was negligible, even for the average Adept. But Fenrir had not even seen the source of the Aura yet. After a moment of thought, Fenrir shrugged and pushed forward. His passive Health Regen was extremely high even for Experts. Before the damage even had time to do anything, it was already healed.

    The deeper Fenrir went into the Aura, the higher the damage became. Yet deeper he pushed, more out of professional curiosity than anything else.

    For the first time in many months, Alaster, and in extension, Fenrir, found their health draining faster than their Passive Health Regeneration.

    ˇ®This is definitely going to be fun.ˇŻ

    Turning the corner of the street, Fenrir finally spotted the source of the Aura.

    The man was tall, muscular, and conventionally handsome. His white plate armor had a thin gold trim that seemed to glow in the darkness. He was the very image of a Hero from a storybook. His blonde hair was long, but not long enough to cover his ears or touch his shoulders.

    The man turned to Fenrir, his steel blue eyes seeming to flash for a moment. In his hand, Fenrir saw a blade that any fool would recognize.

    ˇ°Hello there.ˇ± The man greeted with a practiced smile.

    ˇ°Good evening.ˇ± Fenrir replied warily.

    Even with over a hundred feet between them, neither had issue hearing the other, evening speaking normally. Despite the casual way Fenrir spoke, his body was racked with pain as it slowly broke apart from within.

    ˇ°Might I have the honor of knowing your name?ˇ± The man asked.

    ˇ°I do believe it is rude to ask for a name without giving one.ˇ± Fenrir spoke.

    The man chuckled, ˇ°Of course, where are my manners? I am Sir Castiel, and you?ˇ±

    ˇ°I am known as Fenrir.ˇ± Even as he spoke he was internally screaming at himself. Why had he told the truth? He had prepared a false name yet when asked, he had given his real name naturally. He was just glad he had not spoken his true name.

    ˇ°Fenrir? Hmmm. Would I know you from anywhere?ˇ± Sir Castiel rubbed his chin in thought.

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    Sir Castiel straightened, ˇ°Good. Then no one will complain if I cleanse your filth from this City.ˇ±

    Without warning, he shot forward, shattering the stone beneath his feet in an explosion. In just half a second, he crossed the hundred feet, his legendary blade raised for a lethal strike. Only for the blow to cleave through air.

    The moment Fenrir saw the man, he had prepared [Swap]. Even as he spoke that final sentence, Fenrir had activated the Spell. He swapped locations with a far Shadow Assassin. It disintegrated in an instant when exposed to the pure Holy Aura so closely, not leaving a single shred of evidence as to how Fenrir had gotten away.

    Fenrir fell to the ground, chest heaving, both from pain, and from adrenaline. Alaster had never seen something move so quickly or with such precision and strength. The man had transformed from a dignified hero to a monstruous predator in an instant.

    Fenrir let his head fall to the ground, fighting to control his breathing. This body did not even need to breathe, it was just a natural feeling.

    ˇ°Sir Castiel?ˇ± Fenrir spoke to the night, ˇ°Huh.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 186- THE RETURN

    Deep in the depths of the Royal Castle, the Oracle sat on her bed as she brushed her hair. As she did, she thought about the last time she saw the sun. When was the last time she saw her family? Her friends?

    It had been many years.

    Her Special Constitution caused her to feel the emotions of the past and future. She still remembered how jealous her friends were back then. The power to predict the future? How awesome was that? Well, since she could not control her power, it became a nightmare.

    Her body and mind were overwhelmed with sensations. She felt her body be cut, mauled, loved, assaulted, burned, crushed, and ripped apart. She felt the touch of countless lovers. She felt the sting of countless blades. For a young girl, the overwhelming sensations had nearly killed her.

    Had an Expert Healer not been nearby, she would have. Even then, it had been a close call. Her family had been forced to call a special Mage, one that specialized in cutting off the mind from the body.

    But such Magic was Mana Intensive, and the Mage had only been an Adept. For two sweet hours a day, she had felt peace. In those two hours, she would struggle to gain some control over her ability.

    Years passed before she found an inkling of control. Her two hours of shelter came to an end. The Mage had already been an older man. She knew that he had passed peacefully in his sleep, she had felt it.

    She sincerely thanked him. His service had allowed her enough time and peace to control her power enough that she was not at risk of being overwhelmed and dying.

    She spent years in constant pain as her mind could not handle what she was feeling. Gradually, she learned to both somewhat control it, as well as mitigate the symptoms. She limited her senses as much as she could. She wore a blindfold, kept herself to a cool dark place devoid of people or noise, and even ate nothing but tasteless porridge.

    Even with her self-taught control and carefully maintained habitat, it was a fragile balance. And it only just allowed her to live a normal life without constant pain. The few short visits she has from Daniel Redmond forced her to lay down the entire next day.

    Many might say that such was a wasted life, but she did not actually mind. Even before getting this gift curse combo, she had always been a bit of a bookworm. And she had long since learned an Ability that allowed her to read even while blindfolded and in the dark.

    Though she did wish she could eat some cake.

    Instead, she lived in a world of constant sensory deprivation.

    In this way, she was able to control her power well enough to get a general feeling for what it meant. While others mocked or pitied her, the Duke saw a use for her power, as imprecise as it was.

    She became the Oracle, and her visions had help define the path of the Kingdom on many occasions.

    She was content with this. It wasnˇŻt a perfect life, but it was hers.

    Day after day, she would wake up and eat another bowl of luke-warm bland porridge, and then continue to read. She already had a mountain of books stacked at the back of her small room. Daniel would bring one or two more every time he visited.

    At the moment, she was reading an interesting book about the very nature of Monsters versus Man. What were the differences between the two? What were the similarities? It was fascinating for her.

    She had just turned the page when her body seized, the book falling from her grasp as she began to spasm. Her mind and body were wracked with feelings of pain, misery, death, and ruin. Most prominent of the feelings, was horror.

    Gut wrenching, blood curdling, horror. The terror that would freeze a person, making them unable to move because they know it would be pointless.

    A horror of such impending and unstoppable danger that the Human mind failed to comprehend it. Leaving nothing but a trail of destruction and death in its wake. A threat that could be seen a thousand miles away but know you could do nothing to stop or avoid it.

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    She did not feel this for a few people, or even a few dozen. The feelings were too powerful for that.

    This was the emotions and feelings of countless thousands. Thousands who all felt their impending death coming for them and their loved ones, knowing that nothing they did could stop it. The terror that it could come for them at any time and at any place. Stalking them from the shadows.

    Since she had gained this power, she had only ever felt the emotions and impressions of the past or future. She had never actually seen it. But for the first time, an image appeared in her mind.

    An image of the land being swallowed by darkness, consuming both Monster and Man. A bright light blocked the darkness, protecting just a small portion. Within the darkness, surrounded by corpses, a lone figure stood. A black knight wearing intricate armor that could only be seen as cruel and maybe even demonic.

    The knight looked towards the last remaining light. Many would say he was glaring at it, furious that it dared oppose him. But the Oracle felt longing and love radiate from the Knight.

    The knightˇŻs blood red eyes flashed. And the corpses rose, as mangled as they were, they began to move. Slowly moving towards the light.

    She tried to get closer, to see more, but she couldnˇŻt. Instead, she caught the attention of the Knight, who turned to silently face her. As his gaze met her, she once again felt that terror, but this time, she felt it for herself.

    Despite knowing this was not real, she felt as if the knight could extinguish her life with just a thought.

    The Knight stared at her for a moment before slowly shaking his head from side to side. He then lifted a hand and waved her away, the vision vanishing as he did.

    She opened her eyes, back in the cool dark cell of her room, her chest heaving, her heart pounding in her chest.

    Something was coming. Someone was coming.

    * * * * *

    Far from Zolis, a Guardsman stood at his post atop the wall of Onigas. His duty was to protect the city. An honorable position he was proud to be a part of. But it was not all glory and excitement. In fact, most of his job was to stand at a certain for hours on end. It was boring.

    He leaned on his spear, huddling in his cloak. The wall and battlements were covered in snow from the storm that had hit the city just an hour before. Some workers were busy shoveling the snow off, but it was slow work. Not worth simply paying a Fire Mage to melt it all or a Water Mage to move it away.

    A stiff wind blew across the wall, piercing through the GuardsmanˇŻs cloak, sapping away what little warmth he had. He shuffled closer to the blazing brazier, leaning the spear against his shoulder as he tried to warm his hands. The clear sky and bright sun did little to heat the world below.

    Just as he was beginning to feel his fingers thaw, the earth shook, shuffling the logs in the brazier and sending up embers flying. The Guardsman stumbled slightly, gripping his spear once more and turning back to face the forest.

    The earth shook once more, causing snow to slide off the pine trees and dead branches. All along the southern wall, Guardsmen were rushing back to their posts while even more were climbing the steps to reach the battlements.

    Again, the earth shook, much stronger this time, almost causing some to slip. A deep and loud roar came from the forest before being abruptly silenced. A moment later, a large object flew up and over the trees crashing into the snow covered ground between the forest and Onigas.

    The Guardsman looked closer and saw that it was the head of a Basilisk. A giant snake with ear flaps that it could flare out to make itself seem even bigger. It could spit acid out nearly two hundred feet that could dissolve an entire party of fully armored Adepts. Their mouths were large enough to swallow a cow whole, their scales strong enough deflect spears.

    But what they were feared for was their ability to turn anyone who met their eyes into stone. Only those with high Intelligence could resist it. If someoneˇŻs Intelligence was low enough, they could even become permanently petrified.

    The best counter to Basilisk was to use powerful Adept Magic. Even then, a Basilisk was a powerful threat. Not one worthy to alert the entire city, but certainly a threat worthy of the entire Guardsmen force on the wall to be alerted.

    Yet here its head lay, detached from the rest of its massive body. Its thick green blood spilling out, melting the snow around it and steaming in the cold air.

    A few stunned moments passed before the ground shook yet again. This time accompanied by three Ogre bodies crashing through the trees, crushing the trunks and sending the entire tree toppling over. Two of the Ogres were obviously dead, even from this distance. Large gaping holes, with entire chunks missing. One of the Ogres even had its left arm missing at its elbow.

    But the third still lived.

    With fear evident on its face, it tried to crawl away, its stomach bleeding profusely, leaving a trail behind it. It only got ten feet before a black knight calmly exited the forest. Skirting the blood trail, the figure held out its hand, a large halberd materializing in its hand.

    The figure calmly walked up to the desperate OgreˇŻs head, rose its mighty halberd, and brought it crashing down, easily slicing through the OgreˇŻs fat to decapitate it.

    With a sickening wet sound, the figure pulled its halberd free and turned to the city. As it did, the Guardsmen felt an aura of dread and fear. A feeling that only grew in strength as thousands of similarly armored figures began marching out of the forest. Behind them, trees continued to fall.

    After three months, Alaster had finally reached Onigas. He had exterminated everything within two miles of the path Galmore had planned. It had taken a lot of time. He left nothing but a trail of destruction and bodies behind.

    Alaster took a deep breath and sighed, ˇ°Its good to be back.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 187- HEROIC RETURN

    Alaster summoned Nightmare and hopped on. Giving a silent order, his army stayed in the forest, continuing to clear out the Monsters and allowing the Undead Workers to cut down the trees. While his agreement with Galmore was just to clear out the Monsters, progress was slow enough that it the Undead Workers could cut down many of the trees before the army moved on.

    Of course, the actual road builders would have to cut down a few others and remove all the stumps before they could begin flattening and reinforcing the road. Alaster did not mind helping them, purely because it was more experience for his Undead Workers, even if he hardly ever used them.

    As they worked and killed, Alaster rode forward slowly, the snow crunching beneath NightmareˇŻs hooves. A breeze from the north blew at his cloak. A simple black cloak that doubled as a cape when he needed to use his hands and that one of the people around AzemarˇŻs home gifted Alaster, unaware that when he was under the effects of [Dead Embrace] he did not feel the cold.

    However, the kind old lady, who had dragged Alaster to help her move and carry things around for her on numerous occasions, was insistent that he wear it so he did not catch a cold.

    The lady was nearing the end of her life, never really caring about growing stronger. Perfectly content with her fleeting life surrounded by family and friends. AlasterˇŻs parents had always taught him to be respectful and kind to the elderly, and he did not have the heart to refuse the willful woman.

    Unfortunately, while none of the Monsters within the forest had truly posed much of a danger to him, the edges of their attacks had damaged the cloak. Its edges were cut, burned, and frayed. Yet he kept it on, refusing to take it off despite its impracticality.

    Alaster had always been a sentimental person. One who felt the emotions of others more keenly than most. As a child, it had helped him avoid and defuse arguments, helping him get closer to others. After that night which he cursed, his mind had broken, losing the ability to empathize or care.

    He had used his shattered mind, focused it into his revenge. As he grew stronger, he became surrounded by people who cared and worried about him. People who treated him not as an enemy or a freak, but as a normal person, if perhaps a little damaged.

    Slowly, over the years, he had grown into a young man, the pieces of his mind slowly coming together and fusing once more, but forever changed. For it was impossible for an emotion to be felt so strongly for so long to have left no mark upon them.

    Spending time among the people of Galmore, who saw him as a normal, if stronger, person, had refined his psyche. It had helped him learned about people once more. And with it, he took a piece.

    In his Ring of Holding, Alaster still kept the Light Crystal, holding the image of his family. The magic had long since faded away through time and abuse, despite the longing care Alaster had given it. But still he kept it, refusing to leave it behind, despite its use as little more than a paperweight.

    He still kept the necklace talisman that Isabella had gifted him on his birthday. A necklace enchanted to dampen the sounds he made slightly. The enchantment was minor, so minor was its effects that it only helped him hide from beings with weakened senses to begin with. Not that he bothered to hide anymore. He had an army of Undead backing him, and much more effective ways to conceal himself if he desired.

    Yet he kept it to remember. He kept the Crystal to remember his family. He kept the Necklace to remember those that took him and cared for him. He kept the cloak to remember his time in Galmore and the kind people he spent the year around. And he kept the small stone that Lunaria had given him.

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    A stone that she had picked up from the snowy mountain that night and polished, turning it from a dull and boring rock into a glossy pale blue gem that reflected the light. It was smaller than the thickness of his fingers, but he was very careful not to lose it.

    He kept all of these things to remember. Remember the life he had lived and the people he had met. In an attempt to keep his humanity. A concept he found growing increasingly fleeting the longer he stayed solely in the company of the dead or under the effects of [Dead Embrace].

    Nightmare snorted, a large plum of steam exiting her mouth and jostling Alaster out of his thoughts. Giving an amused snort himself, Alaster patted her black neck to comfort her and ordered her forward. She was currently in her mortal form, appearing only as a larger than average black horse.

    Nightmare obediently moved forward, towards the tall walls of Onigas as they quickly filled with more and more Soldiers. She saw them, aware of the threat they might pose, but uncaring. Her Master had ordered her forward, so she would obey. Pity the fool who would obstruct her.

    She walked casually, knowing that her Master wished to not spook the Soldiers. He was here to visit his friends after all.

    He could have simply skirted around Onigas, his job finished with the clearing of the forest, but he wished to say hello and visit the people he knew, especially because one of them was getting married. To a person he did not have the highest opinion about.

    The Soldiers atop the wall watched the figure slowly approach as the army remained at the forestˇŻs edge, more and more trees being felled.

    As he came closer, a few of the Soldiers recognized him as the Hero of their city. Word spread like wildfire, even reaching the people at the bottom of the wall and spreading into the city.

    The gate was opened as people began lining the street on their own, hoping to catch sight of their Hero. They knew so little about him. Only that he was large, clad in black armor, had saved their city, and then left.

    They were eager to see him, but also wary.

    Alaster rode through the gate, not even sparing it a glance. The people lining the street gave him pause, though it went unnoticed as Nightmare continued. The crowd was quiet and anxious, none daring to make a sound. His sheer size, while mounted atop a horse of unusual size, while wearing thick armor designed to intimidate, ensured that none dared to offend him in any way.

    That is, until two kids, shoving their way through the crowd to see the Hero, tripped and fell into the middle of the road, directly in front of Nightmare and Alaster. Nightmare did not care, moving to step forward as her Master had commanded, even if the throat of a child lay in her hoofˇŻs path. But Alaster pulled back on her reins, stopping her.

    Alaster glanced down at the two children, fear freezing them in their spots. The children were in his way, but if he wanted to live here with his sister after rescuing her, he figured it would be best to be seen in the best light possible.

    Alaster dropped from Nightmare and extended his hands, ˇ°Are the two of you alright?ˇ± he asked, his deep voice seemingly monstrous through his helmet.

    The children began to shiver in fear. Sighing to himself, both at his ignorance and at the hassle, Alaster dismissed his helmet and repeated the question.

    Hesitantly, they both reached up. He took their hands and gently lifted them to their feet, taking extra care not to crush their fragile wrists in his superhuman hands.

    Alaster let them go and lightly brushed them off, ˇ°Where are your parents?ˇ±

    At that moment, a woman burst from the crowd.

    ˇ°I am so sorry my lord! They will be thoroughly punished.ˇ± The woman was a commoner and clearly terrified. Not of him, or for herself, but for her children.

    Alaster waved her worries away, ˇ°It is no problem,ˇ± He turned to the children, ˇ°Now go with your mother and make so to listen. Only the children who listen to their parents can become great heroes!ˇ± He said with a wide smile that he faked.

    The smaller of the two children immediately overcame his fear, face beaming, and eyes wide, ˇ°Like you?ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, only slightly forced this time, ˇ°Of course! I always listened to my parents! So go, and when you get old enough, grow stronger so you can protect your mother.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir!ˇ± Both children exclaimed, both smiling now.

    They ran over to their mother who bowed, ˇ°Thank you sir.ˇ±

    Alaster did not respond. He instead turned around and got back on Nightmare. His smile died as his helmet materialized around his face. As wholesome as the incident had been, it had also trudged up memories that Alaster did not wish to remember.

    Continuing on his way, someone in the crowd started clapping. Then another, and another. In moments, the entire crowd erupted into cheers for their hero.

    Belgroth and Sedall chuckled, but Alaster could only wonder one thing.

    ˇ®How easy it is to manipulate their opinion.ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 188- WARM WELCOMES AND COLD THREATS

    The portcullis was raised, and a column of Soldiers marched out. But they were not there for Alaster, even if the city had suddenly turned against him, they knew that so few would not hinder him, let alone defeat him. They were there to keep the crowd back.

    The soldiers put on a display, but they were unneeded. As excited as the crowd was to see their Hero return, they kept a respectful distance from both him and the City LordˇŻs Castle. The soldiers parted to allow Alaster through on Nightmare.

    Stopping just before the open portcullis, Alaster turned Nightmare so her flank was presented to the crowd, and waved. The crowd grew frenzied. Cheering, screaming, someone even cast a spell that conjured flower petals in the air, causing them to gently float down.

    The portcullis slowly closed behind Alaster as he rode through. The large steel reinforced gate closed as well, but it did little to stop the crowdˇŻs noise. It flew over the tall walls unimpeded and despite losing sight of their Hero, they continued to celebrate.

    Despite not understanding the craze, Alaster suspected that the city would throw a minor festival for the rest of the day.

    Before, Alaster had only his own strength to leverage. Now, he had the hearts of the people. He could not help but smirk at the thought of the Nobles who already did not like him seething at the thought. An extraordinarily powerful Expert that now had the influence of a city. They would either fall in line or hide. None would dare to openly defy him anymore.

    The barracks of the City LordˇŻs personal guard lay to the left of the gate and Alaster spotted many Guards, off or on duty, streaming out to catch sight of him. The Guards on the walls struggled to keep to their patrols as they wished to see him.

    Despite the attention, Alaster turned his attention to the people coming out of the Castle at the moment.

    Alaster felt his shoulders relax as he caught sight of the only people he cared about in the city.

    Isabella ran out wearing dirty pants and tunic, her golden hair tied back in a low ponytail. She had likely recently been at one of the Hospitals around the City. Alaster had no doubt that she was seen as some local saint by the people as she offered her healing services to everyone, and her Magic was quite potent for each individual.

    Lady Siphas came out next, looking as beautiful and graceful as ever. She wore a blue dress that showed off her figure while remaining elegant. In her arms, Alaster spotted a small bundle with two small flabby arms reaching up.

    The next two to exit the Castle were the reason for his visit. Astrid and Arthur. Astrid looked just as she always did, slim and toned, beautiful with a hint of wilderness in her eyes. She wore a set of rough adventuring gear, likely recently returned from a hunting trip.

    Arthur stood next to her, his hand resting on her lower back. He wore an extravagant set of rich Noble clothes while still remaining comfortable. Something that a Noble would wear when they were sitting for long periods of time.

    Alaster resisted the urge to glare at the man. Something he was only capable of through AzemarˇŻs teachings.

    Through Fenrir, Alaster knew that Arthur was simply a strange man who had been taught from birth to see everything and everyone as a tool and that the effect Astrid had on him was slowly reversing it.

    A few of FenrirˇŻs Shadow Assassins were still in Onigas. Alaster could feel the connection, but it felt dull. If he focused on them, they turned just as clear as his own Shadows. But if he was not paying attention, it turned muddy. Even the commands were dulled. The Shadows were slow to respond.

    Luckily, Alaster had his own Shadows present in the city. There were only a few left over from the Siege, but Alaster had been releasing more ever since he entered the city.

    He did so out of habit. He did not expect to learn anything new. After all, during a Siege where it was expected the city to fall, people reveal their true selves. Still, Alaster sent out his Shadows, slowly gaining eyes and ears across the entire city.

    Isabella ran down the stairs with great speed, not bothering to slow down, she barreled into Alaster, wrapping him in a hug.

    ˇ°Alaster! YouˇŻre back!ˇ±

    Alaster grinned, his helmet peeling away to reveal his face.

    ˇ°How are you Bell?ˇ±

    ˇ°I now have three healing spells. Two are Adept with one almost Expert!ˇ±

    That truly was impressive. For someone so young to have a Spell reaching Expert. It was only made less so due to the Spell being able to be used in perfect safety and so often.

    ˇ°Impressive! Are you still sneaking out to heal?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nope! Dad finally officially allowed me to go. Though he still assigned me guards. They are so slow!ˇ±

    ˇ°Be nice to them, they have to make sure the area is safe.ˇ±

    In a way, Alaster pitied them. They now had his old job. She had already been a handful when she was still young. Now that she had gained her System, she had grown only more energetic and excitable. She saw how much she could grow and was determined to do so. Alaster could imagine her rushing from Hospital to Hospital, doing what she could for the patients there before quickly moving on.

    Astrid stayed close to Lady Siphas as she slowly descended the stairs, somehow remaining dignified even as the bundle in her arms gurgled and giggled.

    ˇ°Isabella, you are in public. Please behave darling.ˇ±

    Isabella let go of Alaster and stepped back, ˇ°Sorry mother.ˇ±

    ˇ°And who is this?ˇ± Alaster asked, stepping closer to Lady Siphas.

    She smiled wide, ˇ°This little bundle of joy is Johnathan.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs gauntlet melted away as he offered the little baby his finger. He immediately grabbed hold of it and began to giggle even more. Drooling all over his blanket as he did so.

    ˇ°Wow, babies are gross.ˇ± Alaster muttered to himself.

    ˇ°I know right!ˇ± Isabella exclaimed in agreement.

    ˇ°Oh, hush you two. Both of you were no better. Every baby is like this.ˇ±

    Alaster leaned in closer, speaking only to Lady Siphas, ˇ°Is he yours?ˇ±

    It sounded harsh even as he spoke, but he was not sure how else to ask.

    Lady Siphas chuckled, ˇ°Yes. A mysterious Mage showed up at our estate one day offering to heal me. She was a small elven woman who came in, healed me, and left, all in the span of an hour.ˇ±

    An image of a particularly energetic little elf popped into AlasterˇŻs mind. But he ignored his suspicions. If she had not introduced herself and her connection to him, he would follow her wishes.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs amazing. So, you and Lord got right to work?ˇ± Alaster teased.

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    Lady Siphas smirked while Isabella began to gag. Astrid slapped his arm.

    ˇ°Oh shut up Alaster!ˇ± The woman cried while Alaster mock recoiled from her.

    ˇ°How are you, Astrid?ˇ± Alaster asked, his tone turning serious and caring.

    Her chastising smile turned bright and wide, ˇ°IˇŻm getting married! IˇŻm great! I know you are a distrusting man, and that this must have been quite the surprise, it certainly was for me, but I am happy. He is a good man, who just struggles with people. He reminds me of you in that respect.ˇ±

    Alaster snorted in amusement, ˇ°If you say so. But just know that if, at any time, you want him gone, I donˇŻt mind making him gone. Its not like anyone in this city could stop me.ˇ±

    Astrid laughed like it was a joke, but Alaster meant it.

    She waved over her betrothed, who descended the stairs and quickly joined them.

    ˇ°Its nice to see you again Alaster.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you Arthur.ˇ± Alaster replied curtly. He still did not like the man, but if Astrid asked him to give the man a chance, he would.

    ˇ°Ladies, may I speak to Alaster in private?ˇ± Arthur asked, with all the grace Alaster would expect from a smooth tongued Noble.

    The women looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and walking away. Isabella asked her mother if she could go to another Hospital while Astrid played with young John with her fingers.

    Once they were alone, Arthur motioned to a bench under a nearby tree. A bench that Alaster noticed no one was near. Curious, but on guard, Alaster followed the young Noble. The two men sat down, one a Noble dressed in fancy clothes and the other dressed in intimidating armor.

    Alaster turned his head towards Arthur, waiting for the man to speak, something that took several minutes.

    Arthur started with a heavy sigh, and as he did so, Alaster saw the young manˇŻs shoulders slump, as if a heavy load was laden upon them.

    ˇ°You know, I knew that you would turn up for our wedding. You care too much about her to not. In that regard, you and I are very much alike. We both struggle to care about those we do not know, but for those we do know, we care deeply for.

    So, I knew that if I proposed to her, you would show up. But I want you to know, that this was not why I proposed. I truly do care for her. But I needed to speak with you, so I proposed earlier than I otherwise would have, as well as rushed through the preparations. Because this is an urgent matter.

    But it is a heavy one. I do not know you well, but Astrid cares for you, so I do as well. Even if you donˇŻt see me as such.ˇ±

    ˇ°Speak what burdens you.ˇ± Alaster commanded. He had never been one to have patience during a conversation. Something that Azemar had struggled to tame, and something that Alaster himself struggled to keep control of. Much to AlasterˇŻs growing annoyance, Arthur continued to skirt around the topic.

    ˇ°While we were getting to know each other, we got to talking, Astrid and I. Of course we did. We first started with lighter topics, such as our favorite foods or music. I learned that she particularly likes the violin and wishes to learn to play someday.

    Gradually, we began to discuss heavier topics. Topics such as family and loss. It was during these talks that I learned her to be an orphan. But it was also during these talks that I learned how the two of you met, and just how deeply you influenced her.

    She told me how you saved her from Goblins, protected her even at the risk of your own life. Then, even when it slowed your own progression, you stayed with her, nurturing her Abilities until she could stand on her own. You were the reason she became such a desired individual for any Novice Party and later on, the Siconian Military.

    This got me curious and slowly, I began to investigate you. I want you to know that I did this out of curiosity and not malice. Eventually, my investigation led me to the Siphas Family. Now, by this point, I had already grown quite close to the Siphas Family.

    Not only are they highly influential in the city, as well as close friends to the City Lord and his family, but after you left Astrid here, they took her in as a sort of adaptive daughter. They helped introduce her to high society, serving as a buffer as well as filter.

    It was during these parties that I first met her. While my father pushed me to pursue Lady Iris, I found myself drawn to Astrid. Luckily for me, the two Ladies were dear friends, rarely separated. So, I was able to converse with Astrid while appearing to my father to be pursuing Lady Iris.

    I eventually found myself visiting the Siphas Estate under the guise of business discussions, but in truth it was just to see Astrid more.

    Time passed, and I eventually asked Lord Siphas about you. It took some time. Many months, in fact. But once he saw my true feelings for Astrid, he relented, and told me more about you.

    I doubt that he told me everything, which I do not find fault in him for, nor should you.

    However, what he did tell me was enough for me to do my own investigation once more. I found your home village, and my agents were able to learn quite a bit, from a distance of course.

    Despite attempts to keep it secret, my men kept a close ear and eventually overheard some of the elderly discuss it amongst themselves, reminiscing over events they wished to have changed or prevented.

    I know what happened to your family.ˇ±

    The once protective shade of the tree turned dark and cruel.

    ˇ°Speak your next words carefully.ˇ± Alaster growled.

    ˇ°Calm yourself. Right now, we are simply two men having a calm talk before I get married. I would wish it to continue appearing as such, as would you.

    I know what happened, as well as why. My curiosity grew. While I do not know where your sister is, I believe I found the identity and location of one of the men directly responsible for the death of your parents.ˇ±

    ˇ°You what?ˇ± The shade seemed to surround Arthur, not touching him, but also preventing his escape.

    ˇ°I offer this information freely. Take it as a gift for someone who once protected someone I now love. However, I do ask one thing. I will tell you what you seek regardless of your answer.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°While the Siphas Family have practically taken in Astrid as one of their own, they are not her true family. She has none, being an orphan. She tries to play it off as something she cares little about. But as our wedding day approaches, I see it weigh heavily on her.

    The thing I ask, is two in part. But both serve a similar purpose.ˇ±

    The darkness slowly drew back, ˇ°Get on with it Arthur.ˇ±

    ˇ°Despite the long periods of time you have spent separated, Astrid still looks up to you. More so than anyone else. She has no father, so instead I ask you. Will you give me your blessing to marry her?ˇ±

    The darkness dropped.

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°You may not know this, considering you have spent so long away from normal society. But it is customary for the man to ask the ladyˇŻs father for his blessing on the marriage.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is this blessing? A spell or ritual?ˇ± Alaster asked in full sincerity.

    Arthur looked at him blankly, ˇ°Wow, you really donˇŻt know anything about normal life. No, its not anything like that. In truth, it is just words. Permission, so to speak.ˇ±

    ˇ°Astrid does not need my permission to marry you.ˇ±

    Arthur dropped his face into his open hands with a groan, ˇ°By the gods you are clueless.ˇ±

    Arthur looked up, ˇ°Marriage is a lifelong commitment. Imagine that you are living a normal life. Your parents are still alive and well, your sister is out playing with her friends. WouldnˇŻt you want your parents to agree with your decision? This blessing, traditionally given by the father, is this agreement.

    ItˇŻs the parentˇŻs way of saying they approve of the marriage. Some relationships are broken up by the refusal, while others are not.

    In truth, even if you donˇŻt give your blessing, we are still getting married. That much is obvious just by how much pushback we have received by the Nobility of the city and we are still going through with it.

    But Astrid has been feeling the absence of her parents even more recently. I figured getting the one person she trusts and respects the most to give his blessing would help her. Make her feel better.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded along with the explanation before taking a moment to think, ˇ°You know, since we sat down, nearly every word out of your mouth has in some way, been about Astrid and her wellbeing. I do not understand much of relationships, and especially not of marriage customs, but I can see that you do care for her.

    So yes, I give you my blessing, with the same warning I gave her. If she ever wishes you gone, you will vanish, and nothing you or the entire city could do would stop me.ˇ±

    Arthur laughed, ˇ°For someone who doesnˇŻt understand, you certainly dropped into the stereotypical father role!ˇ±

    Alaster simply looked at the groom in confusion as he laughed, ˇ°What was the other part you wanted?ˇ±

    ˇ°Another fatherly role in the marriage. I want you to walk her down the aisle.ˇ±

    Alaster stared at him, prompting Arthur to continue.

    ˇ°Right. When the ceremony begins, I will be standing next to the Priest of Love and Promise at the head of the room. The guests will be seated on either side of the room. Once the music begins, the doors will open and the bride and her father will slowly walk down the aisle. In this case, you would be walking her.

    At the head of the room, you would pass her to me, sit down at the front, and the priest would begin his speech. Understand?ˇ±

    Alaster nodded as he spoke, ˇ°Seems weird, but most traditions do.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will you do it?ˇ±

    ˇ°If she wants me to.ˇ±

    Arthur smiled wide, a true smile. A smile that he would never show to a potential tool, pawn, or enemy.

    ˇ°I promise you, she will be ecstatic. Now, about the man. No one else knows about him. Even the agent who found him does not know the purpose behind my inquiry. In this envelope, is his name, current occupation, place of residence, and what city he lives in.ˇ± Arthur pulled out a folded pale brown envelope, sealed with a wax stamp.

    The groom handed it over, ˇ°I only ask one thing. Do not open it until the wedding is over.ˇ±

    Alaster took it with a firm grip, ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because if you open it, your attention and focus will be on him. Astrid deserves your full attention on her wedding day. So promise me. Promise me that you will not open it until the day after.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs grip tightened, crumpling the paper slightly as his eye involuntarily twitched. However, he took a deep breath and calmed himself. Desposting the envelope in his Ring of Holding, Alaster spoke, ˇ°Fine. You are right. I have waited years. And IˇŻm sure the man would appreciate one more day of peace before I get to him.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 189- OLD FRIENDS

    The rest of the day was filled with greetings from various people he knew in the city. Questions of what he had been doing since he left were abundant. The answer Alaster gave was different depending on the person. The only people he told the whole truth was Keylan, City Lord of Onigas, and Elliot Siphas. Well, most of the truth.

    Alaster kept a few things private.

    However, despite what he had expected, most of the people he knew were very busy with the wedding. Alaster did not think that so much went into a simple ceremony where they promised each other to be together. He knew it was important for most people. He just didnˇŻt think it was such a big deal.

    Most of the time, the people he knew would say hi, maybe talk with him for a few moments, before they scurried off to complete the preparations. The only one that truly stayed to talk with him was Keylan. And that was only because he had a minimal effect on the wedding. As City Lord, and because it was a noble being married, Keylan was expected to show up, at least for a bit of time. But outside of that, he had nothing to do with the set up.

    Alaster had offered his Undead to Astrid so they could set up the wedding and give everyone else some peace and rest before the big day, but she seemed strangely against it. One of his Death Knights, Catherine, had to explain it to him.

    Despite Necromancy being a desired Ability, people still found the thought of dead people moving around to be unsettling. Astrid did not want bone and rotten flesh touching anything to do with her special day. Even after Alaster assured her that there would be no rotten flesh. Even he did not like that aspect of Necromancy, which is why it was still his least developed Ability.

    Unfortunately, because he was so late to arrive, not that anyone could have contacted him earlier, all the duties had already been delegated. At such a late stage, trying to help people would only hinder it. So, he was left with nothing to do.

    Well, he had a ton of work to do. Infiltrating the upper echelon of a Kingdom in order to find and kill people was not an easy task, even for someone as powerful as him. Not only was he directing his Death Knights, who were also his mouthpieces to Lezrem, as he could not mentally communicate with the Lich. But he was also paying close attention to FenrirˇŻs actions.

    Like he had suspected, the second body had developed its own personality. What he had not expected, however, was that there were some things that the second body could hide from him. He sensed that Fenrir was still doing everything he could to aid him, but he still did not like the Wolf being able to act without his supervision.

    Unfortunately, there was nothing he could really do from this distance. While he watched Fenrir, attempting to familiarize himself with the layout and nature of the Capital city of Lissura, Zolis, he was also steadily growing his army.

    As Belgroth and Sedall had told him, as he grew in power, the SystemˇŻs influence on him weakened. Meaning that so to did its limitations. Alaster no longer had any limit on the number of Minions he could have. Something that he was taking full advantage of.

    Despite his attention being pulled in so many different directions, Alaster noted that the only person he knew in Onigas that had not yet said hello to him, was Iris. He knew that her special ˇ°Phoenix Orderˇ± were hard at work clearing the monsters towards Galmore, but he had not seen them on his way in.

    Unfortunately, with his arrival, which had been anything but subtle, it was practically all the city was talking about. It took several hours for his Shadows to overhear anything to do with the Order, and even then, it had not been about Iris herself.

    Apparently, after clearing out an Orc Tribe, they had received several serious injuries. Luckily, due to the OrderˇŻs specialty of healing themselves and others, none were killed, but there were many close calls. So, they had decided to spend some time resting and recovering afterward.

    The City Lord had granted the Order their own special barracks and training ground. After Alaster learned that he sent a handful of his Shadows there. Despite the so called ˇ°Recovery Periodˇ± Alaster immediately saw through the Shadows that nearly three dozen people were hard at work in the small training grounds.

    Some were hauling logs, while others were lifting large stones. Many were running laps around the grounds, while some were sparring. Some of them wore full battle gear, while others wore light clothes.

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    From what Alaster could see, the weapons they used were also quite varied. While most of them were using melee weapons. He spotted one person carrying throwing knives while another practiced her archery. He saw large battleaxes, massive shields and small shields, he even saw two people carrying spears.

    Overall, it was quite a balanced team. Leaving a Shadow clinging to a nearby wall to oversee the training soldiers, Alaster ordered the rest to enter the building. Despite being ethereal Shadows, they still needed a small gap to get through. Luckily, despite the cold temperatures of the winter, someone had left a window slightly open on the second floor of the three-story stone barracks.

    Unfortunately, the window lead into the bath room, which was currently being used by a few of the female Order Members. Alaster quickly rushed his Shadows through, sacrificing a bit of stealth for speed. Enough for one of the Members to glance up from what she was doing but nothing else.

    Even though he was seeing through the ShadowsˇŻ eyes, he still breathed a sigh of relief. Modesty was one of the only things that remained from his childhood.

    Shaking his head to focus, he saw that his Shadows had already begun moving through the barracks, clinging to the walls and even ceilings to avoid detection. Alaster saw and overheard many things, but few were of any importance. That is until one of the Shadows reached the third floor.

    Here, there were only a few rooms, as the building narrowed closer to the top. The rooms were typically reserved for the commanders of the unit, and the Order had done the same. Two of the rooms had their residents sleeping in, but most were empty.

    At the back of the building, there was a small meeting room, which was currently occupied by Iris, dressed in a casual gown and a young man in well used armor. They were not doing anything indecent, but it was clear just by the small distance between the two that they were close.

    They were talking about the wedding, more specifically, they were talking about her plus one. As a dear friend to the bride, and the City LordˇŻs daughter, it was expected that she would be there with a plus one, but as the City LordˇŻs daughter, the plus one could not be just anyone.

    ˇ°Are you sure about this Iris?ˇ± The man asked, worried for her.

    Iris chuckled and brushed a lock of the manˇŻs brown hair out of his face, ˇ°DonˇŻt worry Loka, since IˇŻm the commander of an Order, it would not be surprising or unacceptable for me to bring one of my subordinates.ˇ±

    The man, apparently named Loka, smiled.

    ˇ®Weird name, but who am I to judge?ˇŻ

    ˇ°You do realize that I have no idea what to wear or even how to act around a NobleˇŻs wedding?ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry about that. IˇŻll have a servant bring you something to wear, and everyoneˇŻs attention will be on Astrid and Arthur. And if they do look over at us, then they will focus on me. IˇŻm sorry to say, but among the other Nobles, you really arenˇŻt that interesting.ˇ±

    It sounded harsh, but Loka sighed in relief.

    ˇ°Besides, due to your valiant effort during the Orc Tribe, my father was already considering knighting you.ˇ± Iris said off handedly.

    LokaˇŻs eyes widened, ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°And believe it or not, I had nothing to do with it. The orderˇŻs captains wrote their own reports, as did I, and I turned them in to my father, as we do after every engagement. He was apparently impressed with what we all said and mentioned the possibility of Knighting you to me while we were eating dinner a few nights ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you are just telling me now?ˇ± Loka asked, poking her lightly in the ribs.

    She retreated away from him with a smile, ˇ°Yep! And when I show up to the wedding on your arm, it will all but assure it. So long as you donˇŻt do anything stupid.ˇ± She added quickly.

    ˇ°Me? Do something stupid? Never!ˇ±

    Iris rolled her eyes, ˇ°Right. Cause you never do anything stupid. Like courting the City LordˇŻs daughter?ˇ±

    Loka shrugged, ˇ°What can I say? If Astrid can do it, why canˇŻt I?ˇ±

    Iris laughed and playfully shoved him.

    ˇ°By the way, have you heard that the CityˇŻs hero has returned?ˇ± Loka asked, still laughing.

    ˇ°Hard not to, its all anyone is talking about.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, arenˇŻt you going to say hello to your old crush?ˇ± Loka teased.

    ˇ°I will! Eventually. By now IˇŻm certain he knows that I now lead an Order of Special Soldiers. I am a busy woman!ˇ±

    Loka looked at her deadpan, ˇ°Yes, because you are so busy right now.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you saying spending time with you isnˇŻt important?ˇ±

    Loka mocked being offended, ˇ°Of course not! Being with me is the most important thing! Everyone wants to be with me! You should be honored that you are the one I want to be with!ˇ±

    Silence filled the room before both of them burst into laughter.

    ˇ°Oh gods, shut up.ˇ±

    Loka enveloped her from behind in his arms, lightly kissing her cheek, ˇ°What can I say? I have a great personality.ˇ±

    Iris turned her head to him, their faces mere inches apart, ˇ°ThatˇŻs what I fell in love with.ˇ± She whispered before deeply kissing him.

    ˇ®Ok, thatˇŻs enough of that.ˇŻ

    Alaster thought to himself as he ordered his Shadows out of the room. It was nice to see that she was progressing and happy.

    It seemed that everyone he knew was gradually going on with their lives. Astrid was getting married. Isabella was gradually becoming a celebrity in the city for her healing. Lord and Lady Siphas were busy with their newborn son. And now Iris was becoming a powerful military figure within the city as well as having found someone she could rely on.

    Alaster was glad that everyone was moving on, but he could not help but notice a sense of sadness. He could not figure out why.

    ˇ®The Undead have it easy. No emotions!ˇŻ

 CHAPTER 190- BEAUTIFUL DAY

    Dawn found Alaster kneeling in the middle of a once beautiful clearing. A clearing that was once filled with calmly fallen snow, blanketing the clearing in a smooth layer. Now, it was filled with dirty mud and countless footprints.

    The Undead cared not for beauty.

    Alaster had spent the night out here, far from the city itself. He wished to focus on his planning and preparations and so much Necrotic Mana would cause a disturbance. Out in the wilderness, covered by a heavy layer of snow, no one would notice a large swath of the forest dying as the Life was literally leeched out of them.

    At least not until spring.

    A greenish mist with a blank hue spun around Alaster like a hurricane. It spun with such speed and force that the branches of the trees nearly a hundred feet away swayed in the wind. And yet, Alaster sat within the vortex, completely untouched. Not even the snow around his knees was disturbed.

    Every few seconds, a portion of the mist would condense, obscuring anything within. The mist would then disperse, rejoining the vortex, revealing a new Undead Minion, that would march out of the clearing, joining the rest of its brethren.

    Alaster had been repeating this process throughout the night. The Undead created was switched each time, with a priority of more combat oriented Undead. While the Shadow Assassins were powerful Undead, quite possibly the most useful among AlasterˇŻs arsenal, they were very lacking when it came to direct combat.

    This had become even more evident after Fenrir began staking his own claim to the Slums. While the Shadows were priceless when it came to infiltration, assassination, and spying, if they were discovered, they were almost always quickly destroyed.

    While the Shadows were nigh impossible to undetectable to those unprepared, if one had potent enough senses, or the right Enchantments, they were easily spotted. And while those Enchantments were expensive for the average person, the influential had access to them more often than not. Especially in places where the Shadows most needed to infiltrate.

    However, despite his army growing to truly spectacular numbers, Alaster had grown increasingly worried about the man whose mere presence nearly killed Fenrir, this ˇ®Sir CastielˇŻ. He had eradicated several Shadows from over a mile away. Alaster had no doubt that his vast army would be annihilated simply by this man taking a walk nearby.

    He needed to go.

    Unfortunately, the very aspect that made Alaster want him gone, also made the man nearly impossible to track. Anything that held Necrotic Mana would be wiped away from existence long before it caught sight of the man. Of course, that in itself could be used as a way to track him, but using such a method would be costly and unreliable, at best.

    For now, the man was all but invisible to him. At least to his Minions and Fenrir. Alaster did not know what would happen if he encountered Sir Castiel. After all, while his body was infused with Necrotic Mana, it was not made of it. He was ultimately still flesh and blood, at least when he was not using [Dead Embrace].

    Instead, Alaster planned a Minion that could survive the manˇŻs presence, hopefully. Now, if the Minion could survive the manˇŻs attacks were an entirely different matter. Alaster simply found it a personal affront that the man could so easily counter him.

    Alaster did not even know if it was possible. But he was intent to make it possible. By now, Alaster was able to create most of his Minions by instinct, allowing his mind to focus on other matters.

    He had made significant progress during the night, but he knew that he was still very distant from actual completion. Despite his ego being injured from Sir Castiel, Alaster put the matter aside for the moment.

    There were other matters today that called for his attention.

    Alaster took a deep breath, the vortex around him subsiding before being absorbed by him once more. The winds calmed down, replaced by a natural calm breeze.

    Standing up, Alaster brushed himself off and vanished, replaced by a Shadow Assassin.

    Appearing within the Siphas Estate, he walked to the LordˇŻs office. The Estate was a flurry of activity as they prepared for the wedding that would take place that very evening. While the event would occur at the Lewale Estate, since the Siphas had somewhat taken custody of Astrid, they too had plenty of work to do.

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    Everyone was in such a rush that few so much as glanced in AlasterˇŻs direction. They merely avoided his large frame as they rushed around, carrying various things or messages. It was not as if the responsibilities of a Noble stopped during a wedding.

    As Alaster had suspected, even without checking through a Shadow, Lord Siphas was sitting at his desk, quickly checking through the various papers.

    Alaster gently knocked on the door, making sure he did not accidentally crack the dense wood.

    ˇ°Come in.ˇ± Came the LordˇŻs voice.

    Alaster opened the door and closed it behind him, shutting out the commotion outside.

    Lord Siphas looked up, ˇ°Ah Alaster. Good to see you. What can I help you will today?ˇ±

    It was still early in the morning, and yet the man already seemed exhausted. At least somethings never changed.

    ˇ°Well for one, you could make sure to take a nap before the wedding.ˇ± Alaster joked.

    ˇ°If I had a copper coin for every time my wife told me something similar, I wouldnˇŻt have to do all this paperwork to begin with! I donˇŻt need to hear it from you, young man.ˇ± Lord Siphas countered with a smirk.

    ˇ°I actually came to speak with you about my plans.ˇ±

    ˇ°Those being?ˇ± the Lord asked, motioning for Alaster to sit down on the sofa.

    Alaster did so, cringing slightly as he heard the already reinforced wood complain at his weight.

    ˇ°As you know, I am intending to travel towards Zolis.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. That has been the plan since before you left for Galmore. I had not expected that to change.ˇ±

    ˇ°And it hasnˇŻt. I know that both my sister and her kidnapper are there, I just did not know where exactly. However, now I at least have a clue. A lead. One I intend to pull until it all comes undone.ˇ±

    ˇ°What sort of lead?ˇ±

    ˇ°One of the people that were there that night.ˇ± Alaster growled, his Mana surging for a moment.

    ˇ°I see.ˇ± Lord Siphas set the paper he was holding down and stood up. He walked around his desk and sat down in the chair across from the young man, ˇ°What do you need me to do?ˇ± He asked, fire igniting in his eyes.

    ˇ°Nothing.ˇ± Alaster said firmly.

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°I have already sent my own agent to Zolis to scout out the situation as best as they can. What they have uncovered is worrying, and its only the top of the barrel.

    The situation in Zolis is foul and sickly, and I fear that if Onigas or Galmore so much as touched Zolis in anyway, that the sickness would infect them.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°People are killing each other in the streets over something as foolish as what Magic they use or who they support. Currently, it is still back-alley killings in the middle of the night. But with each dawn, the blood staining the snow grows.

    Even the Nobility have been infected by this insanity.

    I am going there because I have no choice. My allies in Galmore and Onigas would no doubt wish to assist me in some way, especially if matters become chaotic and the cities themselves might gain something from the assistance.

    However, I need someone to stop them. Even if matters turn unfavorable for me. I want the entire Kingdom of Lissura put under a quarantine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why are you telling me this? The City Lord would be a better option.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, he would not. Keylan is one of the few I consider a friend and ally, but he will always put Onigas ahead of me. That might seem like a good thing in this regard, but it also means that he would be more likely to disregard my wishes if he believes Onigas might profit from interference.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are asking me to disregard my own city, my nation, a land I swore an oath to protect, for you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, because if you donˇŻt Onigas might profit momentarily, but in the end the cost will be too much. This ideology that has infected Zolis, is quickly spreading to the other cities. If nothing changes, I suspect that Lissura will be embroiled in a civil war that will likely spread to other nations.

    I donˇŻt care about that. Let the world burn for all I care. However, luckily for the world, the person responsible for this ideology, or at least a key member, is in my way. So I will remove the obstacle.

    However, I do not wish to see this disease spread to the Independent Cities. So while I am busy cutting it out at its root, I want you to ensure it does not spread. Stonewall any attempt to interact with Lissura, and if necessary, eliminate anyone who shows signs of infection.ˇ±

    Lord Siphas leaned back in his chair, sighing deeply.

    ˇ°You ask much of me. On today of all days.ˇ±

    ˇ°I apologize, but it had to be today. I am leaving after the wedding is complete.ˇ±

    ˇ°You canˇŻt stay?ˇ± The Lord lifted his head.

    ˇ°Perhaps if I knew the condition of my sister. But I do not. Even staying for the wedding is painful to me. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to charge towards her location, destroying everything that stands in the way.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, do try to restrain yourself, at least until you are outside of OnigasˇŻ walls. We just finished the repairs from the Siege.ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°IˇŻll try.ˇ±

    The Lord stood up with a groan, ˇ°As will I. You have my word, I will do my best to isolate the Independent Cities from Lissura.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bah!ˇ± Elliot Siphas waved away the thanks, ˇ°Just make sure you come back. I want my son to grow up knowing his brother. And I am pretty sure Isabella will kill me if you arenˇŻt there to see her get married someday.ˇ±

    Alaster felt his normally cold heart warm. It felt good to have people who cared for him.

    ˇ°Now, unfortunately, if I am going to make it to the wedding, I have a bunch of paperwork to complete. If youˇŻll excuse me.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded and vanished, leaving a Shadow behind.

    The Shadow, in a completely different location without warning, looked at Lord Siphas, waved awkwardly, and became ethereal, vanishing from sight.

    ˇ®Weird Minions for a weird man.ˇŻ Elliot thought to himself as he sat back down at his desk.

 CHAPTER 191- CLEAR SKIES

    As the sun set, and the world became quiet, Onigas burst into celebration. It was not often that a Noble was wed, even less so to a commoner. Even is Astrid was not an Onigarian by birth, the commoners were just happy one of them was progressing.

    The Nobles were not as much. Most of them saw it as the Noble house of Lewale falling into ruin. Alaster understood their problems with Astrid, at least from their perspective. But even from their perspective, Alaster did not really see the issue.

    Arthur was the heir to the Noble House. Astrid would not truly have any official say in the HouseˇŻs business. Even more so since she was a Commoner. Of course, even if Alaster knew how to best make use of it, he never understood the pride of Nobility.

    Despite their many objections, no one would dare to object to the wedding now. Not only was the Lewale House quite influential, especially in the economy of Onigas. But they knew Alaster, the hero of their City, was close to the bride, and he had already proven to not hesitate to use force to get what he wanted.

    As darkness took hold, AlasterˇŻs Minions got to work. They flooded out of the forest in unimaginable numbers, but their backs were to the city. Within moments, the guards lost count of how many there were. But the Undead did not simply stand there, facing the forest, instead, they began to build defenses.

    Their numbers made short work of the trench, berm, spikes, and fragile wooden wall. None of which would stop any moderately powerful Monsters, especially the larger ones, but it would help deal with the vast numbers of weaker Monsters.

    Once his Undead army was set up, Alaster appeared before the Commander in charge of the wall tonight, ˇ°My Undead have instructions not to let anything past them, not a bird, not a goblin, not even other Humans. They will stay there throughout the night, regardless of your decision, but if you wish, you could allow your men to enjoy the festivities. If nothing else, seeing so many guards should keep the people in order even as they get drunk.ˇ±

    ˇ°I canˇŻt possibly allow that.ˇ± The scarred and gruff man huffed, ˇ°I have orders to protect the city wall. We thank you for your assistance, of course Sir Alaster, but my orders stand.ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged, uncaring, his army would remain regardless, ˇ°Your choice. Though I do believe your men will be bored out of their frozen minds. If there is any threat that my Undead canˇŻt handle, IˇŻll know it and can appear there instantly. But itˇŻs your command. Good night.ˇ±

    Alaster was about to turn around when he heard a familiar voice, ˇ°ItˇŻs alright commander. Let your men enjoy themselves tonight.ˇ±

    The commander and all the nearby soldiers stiffly saluted, and Alaster turned to see the City Lord reaching the top of the battlement stairs, flanked by his own personal guards.

    ˇ°Good evening, Lord.ˇ±

    ˇ°And to you Alaster. Come, everyone is wondering where you are.ˇ±

    Alaster walked over. He could have easily teleported to the wedding; he left a Shadow behind for exactly that reason. Keylan knew of his capabilities, yet still insisted he walk with him. Alaster joined KeylanˇŻs side and together, surrounded by the most elite soldiers in the city, they descended the stairs.

    They walked in silence for some time, the crowd parting to allow their Lord and Hero past while cheering for them. Alaster suspected that seeing the two together would raise the cityˇŻs morale even higher than it already was.

    Alaster even recognized the spot where he had been ambushed by Tarian Assassins. An ambush that went very poorly for them. It was also the first time Alaster truly saw his Dread KnightsˇŻ ferocity. Their crude but powerful attacks, their joy at being drenched in the blood of their enemies.

    Of course, back then, he only had a single Dread Knight and it took several hours to create another. Now, he was able to create one in mere seconds. He truly had grown in power quite quickly.

    ˇ°You know,ˇ± The City Lord spoke, just loud enough to be heard over the crowd, but only to the nearby Alaster, ˇ°I once thought that you and my daughter would have a day like this.ˇ± He motioned to the festival around them.

    ˇ°Even when you were both but children, I saw that she had a fascination with you, but even more so, I saw the respect she had for you. She saw you as a rival, but she also saw you as an equal, one of the few.ˇ±

    ˇ°She never thought herself above others.ˇ± Alaster countered.

    ˇ°That is where you are wrong. She never treated others as less than, but she did, in fact, see others as either above or below her. She was quite isolated in that regard because all of her peers thought similarly but saw her as above them. Hard to make a friend when they think you are better.

    But then you came along. A young boy, who had protected young Isabella, her little sisterˇŻs only friend, even after she snuck away from her own guards. A boy who was taken in by someone she considered to be her uncle. A boy, who despite being a Commoner and remained respectful of her Noble Status, treated her just like anyone else.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    You were the first to treat her as an equal, and you were also the first see saw as such. Even when the two of you competed in practically everything, constantly trying to out do each other. As she matured, so too did her view of you, even if you remained oblivious to it.

    But then you vanished during an attack. She fell into a depression then, only coming out of it when Colius confirmed that you were alive. Convincing her of that was difficult, especially when you didnˇŻt come back.

    But when she believed it, she stood right back up and thrust herself into training. Every moment she could spare was spent training, to the point that I had to hire two more specialists to train her, and heal her when she got hurt.

    Then when the city was threatened, you miraculously returned, quite literally falling out of the sky. Her fascination with you almost instantly turned into a crush, and yet, by the time you left once more, it was gone. She still liked and respected you, but it seemed as if the blind romance had left.ˇ±

    By now, they had entered the Noble Quarter, as such the noise around them became quieter, but not even the Nobles were above a reason to party, even if the reason was something they disagreed with.

    ˇ°Once again, she threw herself into her training, but even more so, she began begging me to allow her to create an Order of Soldiers. She claimed that she now knew that regardless of how powerful she was herself, in a true conflict, she would still be powerless without reliable comrades. And for some reason, she wished to create those comrades herself.

    I eventually relented. It was not a hard decision, there were no real downsides to creating an Order, I simply hesitated at making my daughter the commander.

    But I gave her chance, expecting that she would fail, and that I would have to appoint another, more experienced, commander to take her place. But I never had the chance. Out of the nearly three thousand that applied to her order, Commoner, Soldier, even a couple of Noble brats, she cut them down until she was left with only two hundred.

    Two hundred, not of the best, but of the most stubborn. The ones who stood back up no matter how many times or how hard they had been thrown down. Yet even when she selected them, they quickly realized that being selected was the easy part, because the training she subjected them to was quite hellish.

    There were even a few close calls where if the healers had not been quick enough, her two hundred, would have become smaller. Yet the training had the desired effect. Slowly, every member of her Order gained at least one ability to heal themselves, and another to heal another. Now, many of these abilities are quite weak and ineffective.

    But imagine just how potent such a force could be? An elite unit, each powerful in their own might, but capable of healing not just themselves, but each other! Theoretically, they could be unstoppable so long as they had mana. Her Order, if they all worked together, might even give you a run for your money.ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°I hope not, I already have more than I know what to do with.ˇ±

    Keylan burst out laughing, ˇ°No such thing! Money is a great lubricant in any social interaction! Keep that in mind. Everyone likes a person willing to throw away money. And being well liked itˇŻs a powerful tool.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know, but at this point, I think I might need another Ring of Holding just for my coins.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, the struggles of the rich.ˇ± Keylan teased.

    ˇ°I think I might need to stop by Colius before I leave.ˇ±

    ˇ°Make sure to say your goodbyes. He has not been doing well recently. Had he reached Expert Tier a few years earlier, he might have lived to be a hundred, maybe even two hundred. But age had already taken ahold of him, and its only continued to tighten its grip.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded in understanding.

    ˇ°But back to what I was saying. Her Order has become a beacon to this City. Children are training harder in hopes that they might one day join her Order. Her focus is no longer merely staying equal to you, but now on becoming a stronger defense for Onigas.

    Of course, I am no fool. I know that recently her eye is caught somewhere else. Someone else. And judging by the lack of surprise on your face, I suspect you and I are the only ones that know of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I have not had much time to watch him, but from what little IˇŻve seen, he seems to be a good man who truly cares for her.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. Its even better that he is a more than capable soldier than, even among the higher expectations of the Order. Just by his own accomplishments, I was already considering granting him the rank of Knight. But perhaps I should give him the rank of Lord, maybe give him a piece of property?ˇ±

    Keylan seemed to be asking for AlasterˇŻs opinion, so he decided to simply give it.

    ˇ°I would hold off on giving him any property. No reason to give the young couple another place where they could hide away for ˇ®official businessˇŻ.ˇ± While Alaster did not have anything against the young man, he did care deeply about Iris, like a sister.

    KeylanˇŻs face turned stern, almost angry, ˇ°Good point. LetˇŻs see how he faces the responsibility of Knighthood first. And, being given a rank of Nobility, no matter how minor, would also allow the two of them to be more public.ˇ±

    ˇ°What even are the responsibilities of a Knight?ˇ± Alaster asked, his lessons had been more about how to interact with them, not what their duties were, especially since different cultures had drastically different roles for the same titles.

    ˇ°In truth, its just a higher servant role. Each Knight is given a Lord that they will serve, in this case, I would put him under Iris as he is a member of her Order. He would become more of her right hand man.ˇ±

    The rest of the walk, the two men talked about the various responsibilities of the different ranks of Nobility. A lot of it was simply a refresher course for Alaster, but it still helped create baseline.

    But their conversation was cut short as they arrived at the Lewale Estate. The wedding would be later still, but most of the guests had already arrived.

    ˇ®Here we are.ˇŻ Alaster thought.

    ˇ®Remember, you are here for Astrid, to witness the next stage of her life and support her.ˇŻ Sedall recited for the twelfth time that night, sounding almost like an excited Uncle.

    ˇ®By the Primordials, will you shut up already?ˇŻ Belgroth whined.

    Alaster rolled his eyes and walked into the mansion. It was a special day for a dear friend of his. A part of him was excited to see her so happy, but he still couldnˇŻt shake the feeling of sadness.

 CHAPTER 192- THE CALM

    The Lewale house was decorated with flowers, banners, and ribbons. Gentle music floated through the smaller ball room; the musicians hidden on a balcony high above the dance floor.

    The guests were numerous, causing many to wonder about the carefully groomed gardens as the ballroom filled. Alaster suspected that many of the guests would only remain for the ceremony, leaving before the reception, or only remain for a little bit.

    Guards wearing the Lewale colors of purple and green were out in force, both to keep the peace as well as protect the many high value guests, but also to display the power of the Noble House.

    The City Lord entered the ballroom through the open doors, his escort ensuring the other guests kept a respectable distance. But Alaster hung back on the street. The wind was beginning to pick up, blowing away what little warmth the people on the street.

    Guests that were lingering outside began shuffling into the estate, where the stone walls would at least block most of the wind, even if it was still cold.

    Alaster was unaffected by the cold, at least this level. He had long since grown used to this temperature, even without the aid of [Dead Embrace].

    Now alone on the street, Alaster wrapped himself in shadows. Of course, the shadows were just Shadow Assassins bundled so closely they obscured vision. It did its job well, at least well enough for Alaster to step back into the moonlight now properly dressed for the wedding. He lightly swept away a bit of snow off the collar.

    The Shadows silently exploded outward, spreading the hundred or so Shadow Assassins around. The pale moonlight cast lengthy shadows, allowing the Assassins to travel in the darkness nearly invisibly. They were already difficult to spot during the day.

    The Shadows had only one mission, the same mission they always had. Spread, remain hidden, and listen. The most powerful people in Onigas, both in magical and physical power, and in influence.

    Alaster already knew that many were not happy with the wedding. He sought to ensure that it would go off without a hitch. Unfortunately, due to their importance, Alaster couldnˇŻt simply kill them. That and if Astrid found out that he spilled blood on his special day, she would not be happy.

    Already, in the mere moments it took him to walk into the Mansion, AlasterˇŻs Shadows had already knocked out two rich merchants that had gotten a bit too drunk and loud. Their sleeping bodies were thrown out into the snow in the distant corner of the garden.

    Alaster might not be able to kill them, but he didnˇŻt care about them getting sick. Who knew, maybe the cold would sober them up if they woke up before the wedding was over.

    Walking into the warmth of the Mansion, Alaster was impressed. The Lewale House might not be the wealthiest Noble Family, but they certainly knew how to use their still immense wealth to impress.

    The interior of the small ballroom was filled with guests. Waiters expertly weaved through them without bumping into anyone with their trays. They were only serving a few drinks, but a few, such as the two merchants, were indulging themselves.

    Despite the crowded space, Alaster enjoyed a ring of space around him. While the common people of Onigas had likely not heard of it, the influential had heard about how their Hero had stormed into the City LordˇŻs meeting room and dispatched several guards in mere seconds merely for wasting his time.

    No one wanted to offend him.

    Which Alaster was happy to take advantage of. He did not like crowds. Too big of a target, too little room to maneuver.

    Alaster gracefully accepted a drink from one of the waiters, but he did not drink from it. He did not like alcohol. He did not like how it made him feel, how it dulled him. However, he wished to keep up appearances.

    He did not want to be seen as someone there on duty, but instead as someone there to relax and enjoy the party. Luckily, he was only standing there, listening to the gentle music, for a few minutes before a servant walked up to him.

    ˇ°Sir Alaster?ˇ±

    Alaster looked over at the small woman. Despite being slightly older than him, she was two entire heads shorter than him.

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ± Alaster had to bend slightly at the waist to comfortably look at her.

    ˇ°My apologizes, but I have been sent to fetch you. Lady Astrid wishes to speak with you.ˇ±

    Alaster politely nodded, ˇ°Of course. Lead the way.ˇ±

    The small woman began walking to a side door, during which Alaster placed the glass of wine on a table.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    The servant held the door open for him, closing it behind him, before continuing down the hallway. The passage was clearly meant more for servants. It was small, without any furnishings, and only a few Mage Lights. But it was also the shorted route to his destination, because after only a moments, the small woman opened another door, revealing the main hallways once more.

    She pointed to a door across from the servant passage, a door with two guards stationed.

    ˇ°She is in there.ˇ± She said shortly.

    ˇ°Alright, thank you.ˇ± But the woman was already gone.

    Shrugging to himself, Alaster walked over to the door. The guards merely glanced at him, so he knocked gently on the door.

    A moment later, a familiar voice called out from within, ˇ°Come in.ˇ±

    Alaster opened the door and closed it behind him before looking up.

    Astrid stood in the middle of the room, in front of a tall mirror, dressed in a beautiful white gown that fit her body from the waist up, but opened up into a flowing tail from the waist down. Intricate designs were sewn into the pure white fabric. The dress left her shoulders and back bare but did so tastefully.

    Her long red hair was left down, but was twisted into designs above her ears before combining into a larger design that behind her.

    Astrid raised her arms out to her side, ˇ°So? What do you think?ˇ±

    Alaster kept his face passive, ˇ°Do you want the truth, or just something nice?ˇ±

    ˇ°The truth.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled, ˇ°You look beautiful.ˇ±

    Her face beamed with joy and she spun around with a giggle.

    Four other women were in the room dressed in matching purple dresses. One of whom was the City LordˇŻs daughter, Iris. Alaster did not know the other three.

    The women stepped forward and began helping Astrid with the final touches of her makeup, but Iris held back, allowing Alaster to stand beside her.

    ˇ°Hello Iris.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster.ˇ± She greeted curtly, not even looking at him.

    ˇ°Oh come on, what have I done to deserve this treatment? You didnˇŻt even come and greet me yesterday.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well since you are never here, you might not know this, but I am in charge of an Elite Order of Soldiers now. I donˇŻt always have time to saw hello to acquaintances.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh I heard. The Order of the Phoenix. You and your Order recently defeated an entire Tribe of Orcs. By the way, its rude to call me an acquaintance when after you tried to confess to me.ˇ± Alaster said with a cheerful smirk.

    Iris elbowed him and he mocked injury, ˇ°I did not!ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh donˇŻt be so dramatic. It was nice. Besides it doesnˇŻt matter anymore regardless.ˇ±

    ˇ°And why is that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because a certain young man within your Order seems to have caught your eye.ˇ±

    Iris finally looked at him as she spun around, ˇ°How do you know?ˇ± She asked in a harsh whisper.

    Alaster answered back in a much calmer whisper, ˇ°Because I never ignored Onigas. I made sure to always keep an eye on this place and the people I care about. He seems like a good man. When are you going to introduce us?ˇ±

    She turned back to AstridˇŻs preparations with a huff, ˇ°Maybe I wonˇŻt.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh come on Iris, you know its going to happen sometime, especially if the two of you go public.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs not talk about this. This is AstridˇŻs day.ˇ±

    ˇ°Agreed.ˇ±

    They both remained standing there for a few moments as AstridˇŻs final touches were made. When she was done, one of the bridesmaids walked out of the room and called for a servant to inform the others.

    Alaster watched through his Shadows as the word was passed around and the servants began to corral the guests out of the Ballroom and into another similarly sized room with multiple pews, the actual location the wedding would take place.

    In a few minutes, they were all seated.

    Alaster walked up to Astrid and offered her his arm. With the same bright smile that had not yet left her face, she took it and allowed him to lead her out of the room and down the hallway. Iris and the other Bridesmaids followed behind with small bouquets in their hands.

    As they walked down the short hallway, Alaster leaned closer and whispered in AstridˇŻs ear, ˇ°Is now a bad time to mention that I have no idea what I am supposed to do?ˇ±

    She gave him a strange look before giggling, ˇ°All you have to do is walk me down the isle, Arthur will be at the front of the room with the Priest. Once we are at the front of the room, let go, so I can grasp hands with Arthur, and sit down. There is a seat researved for you at the front next to the Siphas family.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep! Well, technically, since you are taking the role of my father, if someone objects to the wedding, it is the duty of ArthurˇŻs groomsmen to ensure that it does not disrupt the wedding, and your job to ensure the disturbance is removed.

    That is the technical duty, but that never happens, so donˇŻt worry about it.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded in understanding, completely ignoring the last sentence she spoke as he summoned two of his Death Knights in the side hallways so Astrid did not see them.

    ˇ®John, guard the perimeter. Samantha, sneak into the room and if someone acts like they are about to interrupt, ensure they can not, do so without loss of life or commotion.ˇŻ

    He received their voices of compliance and felt them move to obey.

    Two guards in ornate armor stood at the large double doors to the room. As Astrid and Alaster neared, they pulled them open in unison. Gentle music began to play and everyone in the room stood up.

    On either side of the isle, long pews were arranged. More guards in ornate carried banners of the Lewale House stood at the end of each pew. Small bouquets had been laid down along the isle at each pew and flower pedals had been thrown down the isle.

    At the end of the room, raised a step up from the rest of the room, Arthur stood beside an elderly man in robes wearing a pendant of the Goddess of Love.

    With slow calculated steps, Alaster walked Astrid down the isle. Allowing everyone to get a good look at the beautiful woman about to be married.

    With each step, Alaster recalled each moment he had spent with Astrid, from saving her from Goblins, to being separated from her by Goblins, to seeing her again battling against wyverns in a hostile army, and finally, as they reached Arthur, to bidding her farewell before he traveled to Galmore.

    Alaster handed her off to Arthur and sat down in the empty spot researved for him on the front left pew, right next to Lord Siphas and his wife, who was cradling a softly sleeping Johnathan.

    The music came to an end, and the Priest began to speak.

    ˇ°Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union between this couple before the eyes of the Gods.ˇ±

    Alaster felt his heart heat up with pride and emotion with each word.

 CHAPTER 193- PANIC DAMAGE

    The floor cleared as Lord and Lady Lewale took to the dance floor. Alaster stood at the edge of the room, perfectly capable of seeing the dance through the numerous Shadows in the room.

    The ceremony had gone off without a hitch, despite two attempts. Those two, one a low Noblewoman, and another merchant, had mysteriously slept through the ceremony before somehow ending up dumped in the snow of the garden.

    Iris had already walked into the reception on LokaˇŻs arm, which while it caused a few whispers, it seemed most people thought it was a reward for the young man due to his actions against the Orc Tribe. Alaster had briefly talked with the man, but soon excused himself.

    Now that the ceremony was finished, Alaster was no longer able to hold back the thoughts about the name Arthur had given him. A name that was directly responsible for his parentsˇŻ death.

    Alaster stood at the edge of the room, wondering what he should do. What should he do to the man who took everything from him? It was a question that had plagued his thoughts since that dreadful night.

    Of course, his mind lingered on all sorts of torture methods he had learned in his journey. The horrible pain he could inflict both on the victimˇŻs body and mind. The agony he could cause. The joy it would bring to him.

    AlasterˇŻs mind might have been slowly recovering under the care of those who cared for him over the years. People like the Siphas Family who had housed and fed him. Richter and Aila who had taught and trained him. Azemar who had guided him. And the women in his life, who had each added their own spin on how life was valuable.

    However, the wounds of that night had long since turned into scars.

    Alaster had never been the sort of person to forgive someone who had harmed his family. Even as a young child, he had held a grudge against a kid who had accidently bumped into Evelyn, knocking her to the ground. She had not even been injured as she had fallen onto a thick layer of hay. Despite that, young Alaster had treated that kid as a mortal enemy for over a year.

    Alaster always believed that an eye for an eye kept the world honest. A belief that had only been reinforced with each day as he traveled. For the last eight years, Alaster had not been able to get revenge.

    For eight years, it had been allowed to fester in his mind. Alaster had suppressed it in order to focus on more immediate things, but it had always been in the back of his mind. Always there.

    And now, he had an outlet.

    Long ago, Lord Siphas had noticed a semblance of a second personality developing inside Alaster. How the boy was a serious but joyful child when around other people but turned bloodthirsty and cruel when his family was mentioned.

    Over time, the personality had diminished, becoming weaker as Alaster was given a course to follow, but it did not die. Though, it was not truly a second personality. It was more of an aspect of himself that Alaster willingly locked away.

    An aspect of unbridled rage and cruelty. One who cared not for the blood that was spilled, so long as at least some of it was the targetˇŻs.

    During particularly difficult battles, Alaster felt this aspectˇŻs chains becoming looser, affecting his actions and thoughts.

    Alaster walked out of the ballroom and into the garden unnoticed. He already knew that his emotions effected his Magic, and did not wish to spoil AstridˇŻs night.

    Many guests left after the ceremony. There was plenty of space in the ballroom, and the night was cold. Alaster was alone in the garden of magically maintained flowers and hedges. They would continue to thrive for a few more days before the cold truly got to them.

    Alaster knelt down in the snow, embracing the cold he had always despised. Feeling his heart racing just as much as his mind.

    Waves of Necrotic Mana pulsed out of him as he became lost in his own thoughts. Displacing snow and wilting the plants around him.

    His breath grew short as pain blossomed in his chest. The cold ground beneath him grew distant from his mind, as if it was a thousand miles away. His hands began to shake as his feet grew numb.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Alaster felt powerless, even as he felt his legions of Undead battling against various Monsters in the forests around Onigas.

    He felt his skin grow hot even as a chilling wind cut through the yard, piercing his suit effortlessly. Even as an Expert, someone of immense power, someone who should have been immune to such mundane cold, Alaster found himself shivering.

    A soft touch on his shoulder knocked Alaster out of his trance, his mind and body returning to normal in moments.

    ˇ°Are you alright Alaster?ˇ± Astrid asked, a concerned expression on her face.

    Alaster laid a hand over her own on his shoulder, taking a deep breath before he responded.

    ˇ°Yes, I was just thinking.ˇ±

    Astrid stepped around and crouched in front of him, ˇ°Alright, do you need me to get anything for you?ˇ± She clearly saw through the lie.

    Shaking his head Alaster replied, ˇ°No. IˇŻm fine. I was just thinking of what I needed to do before I left.ˇ±

    Astrid sighed, ˇ°Leaving already?ˇ±

    ˇ®Alaster,ˇŻ Belgroth interrupted, ˇ®you need time to balance yourself before you travel to Zolis. Your heightened emotions have caused some damage to your soul.ˇŻ

    ˇ®How do I fix it quickly?ˇŻ

    Sedall spoke up, ˇ®The normal way is to slowly work it out, usually through talking about the causes for your heightened emotions to trusted individuals. But this can take a long time. Luckily for you; you have direct access to your own soul. It will still take time, however.ˇŻ

    ˇ®My Soul Domain? I have been meaning to see check out what the Death Knights have done inside it.ˇŻ

    Alaster noticed that he had not yet answered Astrid, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry. It seems like my plans have been delayed even further. I will be remaining in Onigas for a while longer, unfortunately I will not be available.ˇ±

    Astrid sighed, standing up and brushing off her elegant dress, ˇ°Alright, but promise me that you will come say goodbye before you leave.ˇ±

    Alaster stood up and bowed slightly, putting on a cocky grin, ˇ°Of course my lady.ˇ±

    Astrid playfully slapped his shoulder with a chuckle, ˇ°I have to return to the party or my husband will start to wonder where IˇŻve gotten off to.ˇ± Her face turned sincere, ˇ°Alaster, thank you for always being there for me when I needed you.ˇ±

    She ran away before he could respond. Instead he watched her go until she returned to the ballroom, his face turning serious as she vanished from his eyes.

    ˇ®The last time I entered my Soul Domain, it took several months before I returned. It only felt like mere moments to me.ˇŻ

    ˇ®DonˇŻt worry about that.ˇŻ Belgroth comforted, ˇ®This time, you have much more experience in matters of the Soul.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And you are an Expert now. Your Soul is much more robust and obedient than before.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What will it be like?ˇŻ Alaster asked, preparing the Spell.

    ˇ®It is different for everyone. It is literally your Soul taking shape. Everything done within has the possibility to change parts of yourself. I knew a man who once specialized in manipulating his own Soul to change parts of himself. One day he had large feathery wings, the next he had a prehensile tail. But the main effect would be your personality.ˇŻ Belgroth explained.

    ˇ®Then my own Minions have been changing me?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Not in that way.ˇŻ Belgroth explained, more knowledgeable of the Soul than Sedall, ˇ®You see, even in the Soul Domain, there are two parts, the material, and the immaterial. Even if the entire Domain is not physical, the material plane within your Soul will feel physical. You could construct buildings, erect large statues, and even farm.

    The only limitation is that everything that can enter your Soul must be part of it in some way. Otherwise, your Soul will attack it like itˇŻs a virus.

    Your Minions are part of your Soul, which allows them to inhabit your Soul Domain, but they are limited to the material plane. They may do whatever they wish within this plane, but very little may actually affect the immaterial.

    The same cannot be said the other way around, as every change made to the immaterial part of your Soul, intentionally or not, will drastically affect the material.

    And the Soul is constantly changing as you live and learn. Every thought, every action, every emotion, and every impulse changes your Soul in some way. That is why it is widely considered to be impossible to create Souls. That is why you being capable of doing so is so significant.

    That is also why it took several months for you to leave the Soul Domain the first time. You had no idea how to navigate it. You didnˇŻt even know what to expect! That lack of information caused the material plane of your Soul to become even more chaotic. You had no solid frame of mind.ˇŻ

    ˇ®So what have my Minions been doing in there?ˇŻ

    ˇ®They could have done anything! My cousinˇŻs minions built a massive temple to him, worshiping him as their God. Which, in a way, he was.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I knew a guy who claimed his Minions built a small forge and competed against each other to see who could create the best weapon. Of course, he only had a few Minotaur Minions, powerful, intelligent creatures. Your Undead are pretty mindless comparatively.ˇŻ Sedall added in

    Alaster smirked, ˇ®IˇŻm going to tell Catherine you said that.ˇŻ

    Sedall blanched, ˇ®Please donˇŻt. She might not be able to hear or interact with me in any way, but women seem to have the uncanny ability to know just how to irritate a man. She might just keep talking about asinine things like her hair for hours on end!ˇŻ

    Alaster rolled his eyes at his mentorˇŻs comment and completed the Spell.

    A swirling black portal opened like a tear in fabric in front of him, hovering above the ground by a foot. It was seven feet tall and two feet wide. Alaster would have to duck slightly as he went in sideways.

    ˇ®You guys better be right about this.ˇŻ Alaster said, climbing through.

 CHAPTER 194- SOUL LEGIONS

    Darkness swirled around Alaster as the sensation of falling consumed him. He saw nothing but blackness and wisps of Necrotic Green, swirling around him as if he was in the eye of a massive hurricane.

    Yet it was not the sensation of falling or the blindness that stuck Alaster. It was the raw emotion. Since that cursed night all those years ago, there had only been rare occasions where Alaster felt emotions in such a pure form. His mind had long since dulled them.

    He felt only a fraction of the emotions his mind expressed.

    However, in this vortex, he felt them all, in their raw, unfiltered, forms.

    It was overbearing. Alaster felt like he was getting crushed under their weight.

    ˇ®Calm yourself.ˇŻ Alaster heard BelgrothˇŻs voice.

    ˇ®Take a deep breath. Let it fill your lungs. Now slowly exhale.ˇŻ

    Alaster followed the DemonˇŻs instructions, feeling his mind become less erratic. As it did, the vortex around him began to slow down. Slowly, it began to dissipate. Through the remaining wisps, Alaster saw light.

    Free of the blinding vortex, Alaster was finally able to see his Soul Domain.

    Alaster saw all of his Forgotten standing in a neat formation in front of him. He had long since stopped counting them, simply making more as he had the time. Now they stood before him in all their glory. Arranged in groups of a hundred, further separated in groups of a thousand. At the head of each Thousand, one of the Death Knights stood.

    A Forgotten on each corner of each Thousand held a banner. Each banner depicted the coat of arms that Alaster had eventually created under AzemarˇŻs instruction.

    A shield with a sword behind it, pointing down, and a fire burning behind them on a field of black. Underneath, written in Runic, were the words, ˇ®Loyalty to Family. Blood given Blood.ˇŻ

    Above each coat of arms, a number was written in roman numerals, one through twelve.

    Alaster looked at Catherine, standing before the formation with the banners of the number one.

    ˇ°At-ten-tion!ˇ± She called out.

    As one, each formation snapped to military attention.

    Their clenched fists slammed into their armored chests in a single ˇ®bangˇŻ.

    ˇ°At ease.ˇ± Alaster called, despite speaking normally, his voice carried.

    The formation relaxed, returning to a more relaxed position.

    Alaster took this moment to study them, as well as look around.

    Each Forgotten wore the same equipment. Armor plates over chainmail. It was not heavy armor, but did provide significant protection against bladed weapons. They all wielded a large shield, the same shield on his Coat of Arms, and a spear. They all had a sheathed dagger at the small of their backs, easily accessed if they lost their spear. The Bannermen had their shields hanging from their backs and a short sword sheathed at their hip, in addition to the dagger.

    Their armor was sleek, but sharp, different parts seamlessly connecting. Their stomachs had plates of plate, but their sides had dragon pattern scalemail. The armor of their elbows and knees extended a few inches past the limb into a sharp point. The fingers of their gauntlets also ended in sharp claws. However, their pauldrons had the metal extend upwards slightly, giving additional protection to the neck.

    The most noticeable thing about the Forgotten were their hooded helmets. The helmets had a smooth face, with two lowercase t shaped cuts, with the tail of the t extended to the middle of their cheeks, to serve as their eyes.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    The colors of their hoods served as their ranks, both in power and in the military structure. Alaster could feel their powers and quickly learned the color coding.

    Red for Novice, Blue for Adept, and Purple for Expert. There were only a handful of Novices in each Formation.

    However, at the front of each formation, just behind the Death Knight, Alaster spotted four Forgotten that were different. The armor was the same as the rest, but the smooth faces of the helmets had gold outlining the eye slits and their hoods were white.

    Looking into their Mana, Alaster was able to see that all of these White hooded Forgotten were Experts, and while he could sense something else, he could not decipher it, at least from his surface scan.

    ˇ°Catherine.ˇ±

    She marched forward, leaving her formation.

    ˇ°Yes sir?ˇ±

    ˇ°This is impressive. Truly. I see that you have color coded them, but what are the white hoods? They seem special in some way.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sir, the white hoods are the only Forgotten to have survived all the way from Novice to Expert. Their power is deeper and more intricate than the other Experts. They are also smarter. As such, they command two hundred and fifty of the other Forgotten in their legion.ˇ±

    ˇ°Legion?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir, these are your Legions. Under direct command of one of your Death Knights. Every single Forgotten is capable of summoning Undead of their own. While these secondary summons are weak, they add to the number. And IˇŻm sure you are aware of just how powerful numbers can be in a battle.

    Each Novice is capable of summoning two Skeleton Soldiers. Each Adept can summon ten, with three being Skeleton Archers. Each Expert can summon thirty, with ten being Skeleton Archers and five being Skeleton Warriors.

    Then there are the Golden, we are still working on a special name for them, they can each summon a hundred Undead, including ten Skeleton Berserkers.

    So while each Legion only has a thousand Forgotten, their practical size is much larger than that.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long do you think it will take to train up the last few Novices?ˇ± Alaster asked, keeping his voice steady, even as his heart grew excited.

    ˇ°In the Soul Domain, all your Minions grow stronger over time, so if they are left here, then maybe five months. If we let them out to kill and hunt, while we risk them being destroyed, I would not think they would remain as Novices for more than two weeks, maybe three.ˇ±

    ˇ°Besides their summons, what are their own abilities?ˇ±

    ˇ°Each one has been thoroughly trained in melee combat, specializing in spear and shield, however each one can use a sword proficiently. As all of them were created using your own personal Mana Cores, they can all use [Necrotic Bolt] and [Bone Crafting].ˇ±

    Alaster imagined the effect of all twelve thousand casting [Necrotic Bolt] at a target. He almost wanted to try it out, but he held himself back. In the long term, [Bone Crafting] would be the most valuable.

    In an attempt to keep his rapidly increasing excitement hidden, Alaster began to look around.

    His Soul Domain was not just empty or full of Forgotten only. There were also many buildings now.

    ˇ°Tell me, what have you been doing in my Domain?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well it started off pretty small. Just a small stone building for each of us Death Knights, courtesy of John. But then you began to throw in the Forgotten. So we created barracks for them, then we constructed a smithy to arm them, then we built obstacle courses and training grounds to train them. Eventually we ended up with a small town.

    One barracks for one hundred Forgotten. Ten barracks per Legion. We even began to pit the Legions against each other. Usually one legion against another, sometimes two against two. Just last week we fought six against six.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very good. How are the Forgotten handling themselves individually?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well sir, while they have intelligence, it is limited. If monitored, they do just fine, however. The Golden are the only ones I would really say could be their own person. But since the only real personalities they have been exposed to are us Death Knights, our LegionˇŻs Golden act quite similarly to their Death Knight.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°IˇŻm sure Adam is having a blast with that.ˇ±

    Catherine smiled, ˇ°He is. Whenever they have down time they are always competing against each other in mind games. Just yesterday he had them compete in chess games to see who would get to play a game against him.ˇ±

    ˇ°So if the Golden are acting like you guys, and they command the Legion, I imagine your Legions do as well?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. Given time, as they grow stronger and mature, they will begin to emulate us of their own accord.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded to himself as he thought about that. Each of the Death Knights were uniquely powerful, but also uniquely personal. Catherine was wise and commanding. Adam was smart and adaptable. John was honest and proud. Samantha was quiet and inquisitive. If their Legions began to copy their Death Knights, then they would become quite a unique force that he could send to accomplish specific goals.

    They had already built an organized town without his direct command.

    ˇ°Catherine?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir?ˇ±

    ˇ°I want you to construct a fortress. Something practical that normal people would build and defend. Once it is built, I want you to run the Legions through defending and attacking it. I want them prepared for siege warfare.ˇ±

    ˇ°It will be done. With JohnˇŻs Earth Magic and the ample workforce, it should not take long to construct. However, may I ask, is this just a precaution, or should we expect siege warfare in our near future?ˇ±

    Alaster turned back to the Legions. His Legions.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not sure. But the larger my force grows, the more I see the conflicts growing as well.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 195- CLOSE OBSERVATION

    Mike sat on one of the chairs the diner put out on its patio for customers as he read his book. It was a book he had already read numerous times. He could recite each passage with near perfect accuracy. Yet he had not turned the page in several minutes.

    A young woman, the daughter of the dinerˇŻs owner, walked over to him, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry mister, but we are closing for the time being, may I take the table and chair?ˇ±

    Mike closed his book and quickly stood up, glancing at the boarded up Diner as the ownerˇŻs small family rushed to pack it away.

    ˇ°Of course, my apologies.ˇ±

    The woman called over her brother who grabbed the small table and hauled it inside.

    ˇ°I do hope you open again soon.ˇ± Mike said kindly, he had grown to enjoy their tea and pastries. They were expensive, but Mike thought it was worth the price.

    ˇ°I do as well. ItˇŻs a shame whatˇŻs happening in the city. All this nonsense about ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ being evil.ˇ± She responded with a sad shake of her head.

    The rising tension between the magics of the city had only continued to grow. Just last week, a low Noble, a Baron, executed a young boy, who had just gotten his Class the day before, for attempting to place a dreadful curse on him. The baron had hung the boy before his family, in public, without any hearing from the legal courts.

    Yet not only had the Baron not been punished for the illegal execution, but he had congratulated by his peers, and publicly reprimanded by a Viscount that had been nearby for not executing the entire family.

    Of course, there were Nobles who openly rejected these claims, stating that ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ had long protected the Kingdom and that they were no different from the so called ˇ®Light MagicˇŻ.

    But their pleas did little to sway the voice of the people, or at least the voices of those screaming violence.

    Seeing the tension rising further still, with no solution being offered by anyone, many people were choosing to leave Zolis, like the DinerˇŻs family. A family that had no Mages. The father had learned some basic fire spells to help with his cooking, but the rest of the family had no real Magic to speak of.

    Yet they were leaving. They did not wish to get caught up with fanatics. They did not agree with the prosecution of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users, and felt that if the conflict continued to grow, they would be attacked for their beliefs, or for simply not helping the fanatics.

    For the safety of their children, they decided to sell their home and business and leave the capital as soon as they could. The capital, the shining beacon of Lissura. Now people were fleeing it.

    Mike shook his head in disappointment as he walked to a nearby wall and leaned against it, opening his book once more.

    Despite the growing tension, he was not there on Guild or Taskforce business. In fact, both he and Tom had more or less stepped away from both. They had their own task to worry about.

    At first, they had occasionally still taken jobs, but as time went on, and no jobs were offered regarding this prosecution, more and more Members of either the Guild or Taskforce began to step away.

    Ordinarily, if a murderer had gotten away from the Guards, the Adventurers Guild would be tasked with hunting them down and bringing them back in. If the criminal was particularly powerful or influential, then the Taskforce would be offered the job. But as more and more murders took place, each with more arroganance and confidence than the last, no bounties were given, despite no arrests being made.

    A large number of Guild and Taskforce members were ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users, had used ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ before, or worked with ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ Users extensively. As such, the idea that they were now being targeted, both Members and Civilians, and nothing was being done about it, caused many to quit.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Even now, the AdventurerˇŻs Guild was a ghost town. Even the staff is now a skeleton crew, being managed by only the minimum number. The rumor was that anyone employed by the Guild that spoke out against this prosecution was fired.

    It was a truly shameless time in Zolis, but Mike did not care. At least not in any way, that did not affect his current target.

    Across the street, surrounded by her many friends and teammates as they discussed their next hunting trip, Evelyn was sitting on the patio of a different diner sipping tea and pointing at different places on a map laid out on the table.

    Such was the pattern. Every day, Evelyn and her growing party would meet here at that diner to have a light breakfast, paid for by Duke Junior, as they discussed their hunting plans, then they would head out.

    By now, the group had grown large enough that they were splitting into two teams. Mike did not know why they still considered themselves to be one party if they split up so often, but he did not care. Evelyn seemed to be the leader of the large party, even if the little Duke was the one who proposed the soundest plans.

    Of course, both Evelyn and the Dukeling had their own bodyguards, who kept hidden and blended into the crowd. This forced Mike to remain distant.

    Luckily, Tom had no such issue. When they party left city walls, Mike left the watch to Tom, just like how the bodyguards left it to another group. Out there in the wilderness, it was much easier for Tom to get close enough to hear them, despite his large frame.

    Even the few times he has gotten caught, either by the bodyguards, or even once by the party themselves, he was able to casually excuse his presence by claiming to be one of those tasked with ensuring the stronger Monsters kept away from the City, providing a sort of buffer zone for Novices to level up in.

    Many such people were employed for this task, and several chose to simply follow along around the Novice Parties, keeping the stronger Monsters away with their mere presence, or being close enough to save them if they got attacked by a Monster that was too strong.

    Tom even got the chance to exchange a few words with Evelyn, something that Mike was a bit jealous of, but he had to completely change his way of speaking and his voice. Afterall, they had been her brotherˇŻs best friends in a small village. Even after all these years, it would not have surprised either of them if Evelyn recognized them.

    So, despite their wish to talk to her, to tell her everything that had happened, they distanced themselves. At least until they knew what had happened to her. Something that had grown increasingly difficult to piece together with the growing tension in the city. Everyone was on guard.

    Instead, once the Party left the city, Mike spent his time investigating the cause of the tension. So far, his investigation had led him to an anomaly regarding the slums. More specifically, how they seemed to be growing more organized.

    The small crimes that had plagued the district were now few and far between. The roads and walls were now being cleaned by organized crews. Armed thugs now patrolled the streets, not to enforce their will, but to ensure the peace was kept.

    The tension of the city seemed to be lessened in the Slums, as if its spread was much slower. But unfortunately, it was still spreading. It was due to this continued spread that led Mike to believe that someone was intentionally spreading the hate. He did not know how, where, or even why, but he was intent to figure it out.

    After escorting the Party to the City Gates, Mike made his way through the now much thinner crowds in the streets as he traveled towards the Slums. Now that his focus was no longer on one focused point, Mike was better able to see the people around him.

    They were afraid. Either of the ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ User, being a ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ User, or simply of getting caught in the middle. Most people only left their houses when they had to, and only then, when they were armed. Tom hated to see such fear in the city he had grown up wishing to one day see. A city he had aspired to be a part of.

    It used to be that the border between the Market District and the Slum District was obvious, but now, with the SlumˇŻs streets and walls being routinely cleaned, it was much harder to tell the difference. One had to look closely at the stone. Even with the Magic assisted cleaning, the years of grime and filth being caked on, had left a stain on the stone.

    Mike paid close attention to when he crossed the border. His Wind Magic made him much more sensitive to subtle changes in environment and Mana. He could feel the number of people in the street next over, he could feel the types of Magic they were using and their general movements.

    Sometimes it was overwhelming, and Mike would have to block out his own Magic, but sometimes, especially when he was out in the wilderness, it proved invaluable.

    Today, it quickly proved invaluable.

    Clinging to the shadow beneath the roof overhang, Mike sensed that the Shadow was darker than it should have been. Acting casually, Mike paid close attention to this weird bit of shadow. And after a few minutes, his attention paid off, when the Shadow moved.

 CHAPTER 196- FAREWELLS

    James lifted the collar of his coat against the chilling breeze, luckily it was not snowing. The job of one of House LewaleˇŻs Guards had many upsides, but it also had a few downsides. The benefits were great, especially if he was injured in the line of duty. The pay was decent. They lodged him in the barracks and fed him, free of charge.

    However, the hours were practically ironclad. If you were scheduled for a shift, there was no negotiating. He had to spend long hours walking and standing. He had to participate in the mandatory training sessions. And then, of course, there was the whole, ˇ®possible loss of life and limbˇŻ thing.

    And that was just during the pleasant months. He had the misfortune of being stationed on patrol of the grounds. Patrol was certainly one of the worst shifts to have as one of the Guards. During the summer, you were walking around in heavy armor under the direct sun, away from the shade the Perimeter Guards had.

    At least during the winter, you were moving with that heavy armor, so your muscle would warm up. But it still sucked as you were exposed to the winds and away from the blazing braziers of the Perimeter or warm interior of the Mansion Guards.

    Luckily, the heavy chainmail and plate he wore was over a layer of thick cloth gambeson that insulated fairly well. That did nothing for his hands and feet though.

    Many of the servants had been granted paid leave while the new Lord celebrated his marriage to the Commoner girl, Astrid. James had not had the chance to speak to her, but from what he saw and heard from her as he went about his duties, he liked. She seemed like a smart and kind lady who he would enjoy serving under and protecting.

    The paid leave did not apply to the Guards.

    With so many servants gone, the grounds were much emptier, which James did not mind.

    As he walked through the gardens, grumbling to himself, he froze mid step. In front of him, hovering chest height in the middle of the crossroads in the middle of the garden, was a small black ball, no larger than a fist.

    Despite his annoyances, he was a proud Guard and Soldier of the Lewale House.

    ˇ°Possible Hostile!ˇ± James shouted, the call being heard and echoed by the other Guards.

    James raised his shield to the unknown object and lowered his sword, resting it on the top edge of his shield. He lowered his center of gravity and ducked his head slightly, so it was mostly behind the shield. He flicked his head forward, slamming the visor of his Armet Helmet closed.

    Within moments, the entire GuardˇŻs barracks was emptied of the Reserve Shift, some went to reinforce the perimeter, but most joined James in the garden, surrounding the object in positions copying James, just as their training had drilled into them.

    Despite rarely ever needing to fight in the line of duty, they were all veterans of countless hunts. They were well versed in their duties.

    One of the Ranger Classed Guards ran to fetch the LewaleˇŻs resident Mage while Archers set up raised platforms and aimed their bows over the Guards at the object.

    Four silent tension filled minutes passed before the Ranger returned with the Mage. The Guards shuffled to the side to let him through, all without taking their eyes off the black object.

    The mage, clad in cloth robes with a light chainmail vest hastily thrown over top, walked up to the floating ball, closely examining it. Several more minutes passed as he studied it, gradually becoming more relaxed, but the Guards only grew more tense as the minutes dragged on.

    Eventually, the Mage stepped back with a nod to himself, ˇ°Alright then. That should do it.ˇ±

    Hesitantly, the Guard Commander on shift asked, ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    The Mage looked over at him as if he was still trying to wake up, ˇ°Mmmhhh? Oh, ItˇŻs a type of Portal. I donˇŻt know of what variety, I would need to do many more tests to be sure.ˇ±

    The Guardsmen took a step forward at the mention of a Portal.

    ˇ°Any way of telling whatˇŻs on the other side?ˇ± The Commander asked.

    ˇ°With a lengthy spell that I do not have access to. I know that the Geography Professor at the Academy knows the spell, but it would take at least an hour to fetch him, likely two as I have no idea where he would be on campus.ˇ±

    The Commander sighed, trying not to show his annoyance, ˇ°Then is there any indication about if or when something will come through?ˇ±

    The Mage shrugged. Just as he did so, the black orb began to slowly grow in size. It was silent, but it was immediately noticed. Two Guards quickly put themselves in front of the Mage, ushering him back behind the ring of Guards while keeping their shields in front of him.

    The formation tightened, locking their shields together as the archers raised their bows.

    In moments, the Portal was the size of a man, yet the figure that emerged was larger still. Having to crouch to get through, a large man clad in a black suit straightened.

    The man looked around at the three dozen heavily armed Guards around him with curiosity.

    ˇ°My apologies, but may I trouble one of you for the day? How long has it been since the wedding?ˇ±

    * * * * *

    ˇ®Please donˇŻt say months, please donˇŻt say months.ˇŻThis story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    A guard with a plume in the Lewale colors spoke up through his faceplate.

    ˇ°Identify yourself!ˇ±

    Alaster looked down at himself, at the suit he wore, ˇ°Really? How many people do you know that are as large as me, would come from a magic portal, and wear a suit like this?ˇ±

    The man did not appreciate the sarcasm. He stepped forward sternly, raising his shield higher, ˇ°Identify yourself! I will not ask again!ˇ±

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ°Listen pal, even the City Lord himself could not stop me. You and your men wonˇŻt be able to either. So how about this? I go say goodbye to Lady Astrid and her new husband, and I get out of your hair.ˇ±

    The entire formation took a firm step forward, ˇ°You will not be going anywhere!ˇ± The commander shouted.

    ˇ°By the gods, this is why I donˇŻt like people. So arrogant. So stiff. Luckily, I donˇŻt have to listen. Bye.ˇ±

    As Alaster spoke the last word, he had already located his target with a Shadow Assassin and cast [Swap] on them.

    Alaster disappeared from the garden, causing the Guards to shout in alarm and immediately set out to locate him.

    Alaster appear before a door within the Mansion, accidently startling a servant girl, who dropped her bundle of blankets.

    ˇ°Apologies for the surprise. I just need to talk with the Lord and Lady for a moment.ˇ± Alaster apologized, putting on his best charming smile that Azemar had drilled into him, and picking up the blankets.

    He handed them back to the girl and knocked on the door.

    ˇ°Just leave them there Natasha!ˇ± Arthur called from behind the door.

    Alaster turned back to the girl, ˇ°IˇŻm guessing you are Natasha?ˇ±

    Still shocked from the sudden appearance of such a large handsome man she numbly nodded.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs a beautiful name.ˇ± Alaster said before turning back to the door.

    ˇ°Arthur, I swear to the Gods that if you donˇŻt put pants on in the next two minutes, I am going to drag you outside without them!ˇ±

    A loud crash came from inside the room, followed by the sound of rushed rummaging. Before the two minutes were up, the door swung open to reveal a shirtless Arthur at the door and Astrid in a bathrobe with a blanket around her.

    ˇ°Alaster you jackass, couldnˇŻt you have shown up like a normal person?ˇ± Arthur cursed, his face red, though Alaster doubted it was from anger.

    Alaster turned back to Natasha, ˇ°What about me gives the impression of being a normal person?ˇ±

    Arthur stuck his head out of the room to see the young girl.

    ˇ°Natasha, go help your mother in the kitchen please.ˇ±

    The girl came out of her trance and nodded without a word before she ran off, leaving the blankets on the floorboards.

    Arthur turned back to Alaster, ˇ°Can this wait until we are dressed? Maybe five minutes?ˇ±

    Astrid spoke up from within the room, ˇ°Twenty,ˇ± She mumbled the next part to herself, but Alaster still heard it, ˇ°I think I need a bath.ˇ±

    Arthur didnˇŻt look at his wife and seamlessly amended his earlier statement, ˇ°Twenty minutes.ˇ±

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ°Fine, IˇŻll see you two in the dining room.ˇ±

    Alaster began to walk away and Arthur called out to him, ˇ°Do you know where it is?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh please, I knew the layout of your entire Mansion before I knew your name.ˇ±

    Arthur sighed and closed the door.

    Alaster walked casually through the halls towards the small dining room reserved for the Noble Family. He ran into a few Guards, but he always appeared just behind them if they reached for him, continuing on his journey without a care in the world.

    By the time he reached his destination, he had half the Lewale Guards following him, their weapons raised and ready. They already knew that he was extremely powerful and were hesitant to engage him when he clearly did not care to engage them.

    Alaster sat down in the chair to the left of the head of the table and leaned back, closing his eyes as the Guards took up positions around the table. He decided to check in with his Death Knights who had rejoined the mass army of the Undead outside the city shortly after their Formation within the Soul Domain.

    ˇ®How are things going over there?ˇŻ He asked.

    Samantha was the one to respond, ˇ®Everything is quiet here. I think we might have killed everything within a ten-mile radius of Onigas, that, or we scared them off.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Any significant losses?ˇŻ

    John spoke up, ˇ®Nah, nothing you couldnˇŻt recreate in a few minutes.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What has Lezrem been doing?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Meditating mostly. He summoned his own Undead, then sat down and began to meditate. Its actually kinda cool. Every few seconds a pulse of Necrotic Mana surges out of him. But his Mana different than yours, its more chaotic, less controlled, and has none of that black stuff.ˇŻ John answered.

    Alaster was not surprised. The Lich was determined to become a Black Lich as quickly as possible. Though Alaster doubted he would come even close to his goal within the next century. There was a reason there was only one other recorded instance of a Black Lich.

    Alaster mentally checked his Undead Army, replenishing the few losses within his Soul so they would be ready to be summoned at a momentˇŻs notice. He then spent the next few minutes working on a third body. He did not have any real purpose for a third body.

    Fenrir was already doing plenty. However, a third body was bound to be useful, so Alaster spent his sparse moments of free time merely playing around with the design. That way, if he did have a reason for a third body, he could quickly make one. Though ˇ®quicklyˇŻ would still take nearly a month of careful construction, even if he had the Mana Designs perfect.

    Eventually, the doors to the dining room swung open to allow the Lord and Lady to walk in, properly dressed this time.

    The Guard Commander immediately stepped up to them, ˇ°My Lord, I am afraid that there is an intruder. It may not be safe for you or your Lady to be here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Commander Fendrix, do you not recognize the man who walked me down the isle to my husband?ˇ±

    The Commander stiffened in realization, ˇ°I apologize my Lady, with the other guests, I did not have the time to see him for myself before he vanished.ˇ±

    Arthur waved it away, ˇ°Its fine. He isnˇŻt one to care about that. And donˇŻt bother apologizing to him either, he also doesnˇŻt care about that. Could you send a runner down to the Kitchen and have them prepare a small meal, perhaps just a few bowls of soup and some bread?ˇ±

    The man bowed deeply, his armor making it a noisy action, ˇ°It shall be done, my Lord.ˇ±

    The Commander quickly ordered his men out of the room, sending one of the faster ones to the Kitchen as he did so. In just a few moments, the doors to the dining room were closed, leaving only Alaster and the couple.

    Arthur took his place at the head of the table with Astrid sitting to his right.

    ˇ°What did you want to talk about so urgently?ˇ± Arthur asked.

    ˇ°Well, I promised Astrid that I would say goodbye before I left. After this, I plan on stopping by the Siphas Estate and the Phoenix Order Barracks.

    My plans were delayed but have not changed. Is the man still in the location you gave me?ˇ±

    ˇ°What man?ˇ± Astrid asked, dressed in a graceful blue dress.

    Arthur sighed, ˇ°I am sorry, I meant to tell you. My agents found a man that directly took part in the death of AlasterˇŻs parents.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, are you ok?ˇ± Astrid asked Alaster.

    ˇ°IˇŻll be better when he isnˇŻt. But in truth, I am actually quite excited. All these years, I have been preparing to find my sister, and now, I am finally going to find her. A little anxious, mind you, but excited.ˇ±

    ˇ°With you, excited can hold many meanings.ˇ± Arthur sighed.

    ˇ°True. A lot of people are going to die. People responsible for the death of my parents and kidnapping of my sister.

    So, I am actually in quite a rush. I just wanted to properly say goodbye.ˇ± Alaster finished, standing up as he did.

    They stood up with him and Arthur shook his hand while Astrid hugged him.

    Alaster prepared to swap places with a Shadow, but before he did, he said one last thing.

    ˇ°By the time I get back, I expect to be an Uncle-to-be.ˇ±

    AstridˇŻs immediately turned red but before she could yell at him, he vanished.

 CHAPTER 197- FINALLY

    Alaster reappeared deep in the forest West of Onigas. His Undead army began to march towards the nearest Death Knight, who could serve as a return to his Soul, though they couldnˇŻt serve as an exit.

    As his vast hordes of Undead vanished from the forests, Alaster summoned Nightmare from his Soul and jumped on.

    Knowing what he was about to do, Alaster closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he summoned the envelope from his Ring of holding. The envelope Arthur had given him the day of the wedding and made him promise not to open until after.

    The envelope that contained the name and location of one of the men responsible for the death of his parents.

    ˇ®Be sure you are ready.ˇŻ Belgroth cautioned

    ˇ®IˇŻve been ready since that day.ˇŻ Alaster countered, glaring at the folded paper, his fingers clenching it tightly.

    ˇ®No, you have been wanting. But you were not ready.ˇŻ Sedall spoke, ˇ®for that last several years, you have been living a life on your own. With the distant goal of eventually finding your parentsˇŻ killers. But this is the first step towards that revenge.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Are you going to lecture me about how revenge isnˇŻt right? How I should learn to forgive and forget.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Are you seriously asking that question to a being your Species calls a Demon?ˇŻ Belgroth said in a way that hinted that he would roll his eyes if he had any, ˇ®There are many who would do so. Who would say that Revenge is wrong and should not be pursued. Those people are either na?ve or doing something that would make people want revenge. It is not wrong to desire payback, it shows just how much you care. If you didnˇŻt want revenge, I would question just how much you cared about your parents.

    Let me tell you a truth. A truth of reality that everyone inherently knows, but many refuse or reject it.

    Revenge is crucial to any society. Revenge makes people fear attacking others in any way. Revenge makes the world honest.

    A world that shuns revenge is a world controlled by cowards.

    So open that damned envelope, but you better be damn sure you are ready for what comes after.ˇŻ Belgroth growled.

    Sedall spoke up, his calm voice attempting to ease the tension, ˇ®Destiny and fate are commonly misunderstood. There is no such thing as predicting the future, though there are plenty of ways to determine certain possibilities, but those possibilities are constantly changing and shifting.

    The details of predicting the future are such that some people spend their entire lives studying it. But it can basically be boiled down to just this.

    Destiny is ever changing, nothing is certain or unstoppable. However, if someone throws a rock at a steep slope of gravel, it is almost certain to cause a landslide. Nothing is certain, but there are some things that can be thought of as destiny or fate.

    The power of your will, the fury in your heart, the darkness in your mind, if you open that envelope, it is fate that many cries and blood will follow. Many people could not handle that. Make sure you are ready.ˇŻ

    Alaster did not hesitate. He ripped open the envelope and took out the paper within. There were just two lines of writing on the folded paper.

    ˇ®Quinn Reyes.ˇŻ

    Below the name was the manˇŻs address.

    The name of the man who held a knife to his mother and father. The name of the man who had stuck them on meat hooks as a display. But he was not the only one, nor was he the one who had ordered it.

    The address was in Zolis so Alaster relayed the name and address to Fenrir. He could faintly feel the rage radiating off Fenrir through the link between the two, but he knew that Fenrir would not let that hinder their goal. They might be different, but they were the same person. Their goals and desires were the same.

    Fenrir took the name and immediately ordered his Shadow Assassins to begin hunting for the man. By now, his second body had already taken control of the Slums. The other Crime Lords of Zolis had begun making preparations to invade, but they had been forced to delay those plans as the hatred against the Magics reached a critical stage.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    With control of the Slums, Fenrir was able to extend his influence widely throughout the city. Unfortunately, it had not provided many results. While Fenrir remained only a name to most people, he had only taken control of the Slums in order to accelerate his search for Evelyn.

    Alaster liked his sisterˇŻs name, but at that moment, he really hated how common it was. And that was only if she still went by that name, or if she even went by any name. While he knew from numerous sources that she was being treated well, there was no evidence that she was not imprisoned somewhere.

    In Zolis, Fenrir sat on a bone chair in a darkened room. None of the wooden chairs had been strong enough to support his weight. Laid out on a table in front of him, Fenrir studied the map of Zolis. A map that he had drawn himself, with the much more accurate and detailed Shadows guiding him.

    Together, they had drawn a map of such detail that, if sold, would easily go for hundreds of gold, purely for its detail. However, maps of the Capital City of Zolis were illegal. None of the Nobility wanted people charting their estates or defenses.

    The map Fenrir had created was such that anyone with it would be executed without trial. Not that Fenrir cared. He was perhaps one of the strongest Experts in the city and even if he was cornered, he could merely swap with any Minion within a ten-mile radius.

    The map had numerous small figures on it. White bone figures depicting a guard displayed the guard patrols. Black bone guards showed the Guard stations and barracks. More figures showed other strategic locations within Zolis. However the figure that Fenrir truly cared about were the simple bone coin that displayed the locations that the Shadows had not been able to infiltrate.

    These were the locations Fenrir truly wanted to gain access to. By this time, his Shadows had already scoured the city for Evelyn but had not seen or heard of her. Of course, however, the Shadows could not be everywhere at once.

    If they had not found any hints in the areas they could enter, then naturally, Fenrir wanted to enter the areas they could not. But he held off, for now. Alaster would soon be welcomed into the higher echelons of Zolis as a Diplomat from the Independent Cities. He would be welcomed into the areas the Shadows could not enter.

    Fenrir instead turned his focus onto this Quinn man. He moved around the table until he came to the location that Quinn supposedly lived around. His predatory eyes narrowed, imagining the type of man he would find, and what he would do to him once he did.

    Back in the forests of Onigas, Alaster crumpled the envelope and paper in his hand before allowing it to burst into flame. He tossed the burning bundle aside. It burned to mere ash before it even reached the snow-covered ground.

    Lightly touching the new ring Colius had given him just before he left, Alaster waved his hand forward, commanding Nightmare to being walking. NightmareˇŻs hooves crushed the snow underneath as she led the column. Behind her, two dozen Purple Hooded Forgotten followed in two neat lines, riding her younger siblings. Undead Horses, that could take the appearance of an ordinary living horse. Alaster was quite proud on himself for that, unfortunately, he had not had the time to figure out how to change the horsesˇŻ colors, so they were all pitch black.

    Alaster would have had the Undead Heavy Cavalry escorting him, but he was supposed to be going to Zolis as a dignitary. And the city already had strong feelings about ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ. So Alaster had spent a little bit of time to create a force that could easily pass as ordinary creatures.

    The Ring that Alaster had asked Colius to make was actually quite a simple and common enchantment, meant to block outsiderˇŻs ability to detect the wearerˇŻs magic. If Alaster cast any Magic, then people would still be able to detect it, but if he did not, then not even Sir Castiel should be able to detect AlasterˇŻs Magic.

    Unfortunately, Alaster would still be influenced by Sir CastielˇŻs ˇ®Light MagicˇŻ presence. He would likely still take damage just from being around him, though he certainly hoped he would take less, seeing as how Fenrir was entirely composed of Necrotic Mana and he had nearly died just from being near him for too long. However, Alaster was still flesh and blood, merely infused with Necrotic Magic.

    However, with this Ring, he would be able to conceal his Magic, and since his power was largely reliant on Minions, he could order them around just as he normally would. He just wouldnˇŻt be able to summon more.

    Many of the Forgotten in the escort raised the Banners of their Legion, the first Legion. Alaster normally would want to remain unseen, but since he was technically on official business from the Independent Cities, he needed to announce himself and act like a Noble. Which meant announcing his presence with banners. And since he did not want to casually reveal just how many Legions he had, he had CatherineˇŻs first Legion escort him.

    Even if no one would look at the Fourth LegionˇŻs Banners and think there were more Legions, they would likely think the roman numeral four was integrated into the banner itself and did not have any other meaning. There were other Noble Banners that did similar. Alaster merely wanted as much of himself to remain a mystery, even if he was supposed to reveal himself to the public in such an open way.

    Yet again, to retain the illusion of an ordinary delegation, Alaster was forced to travel slowly. While he could travel to Zolis in less than a day, he was forced to travel slowly, which meant it would likely take him roughly six days. During which time he would be seen by LissuraˇŻs agents, they would see his banners and tell their superiors. In that way, he would be able to travel through Lissura uncontested and even be welcomed once he reached Zolis.

    Even now, Alaster wore not his Pact Armor, but a travel set of clothing that Lady Siphas had chosen for him. Everything had been carefully orchestrated to retain the illusion, and Alaster hated it. He wanted nothing more than to storm into Zolis, torture Quinn for information about anyone else connected, and find Evelyn.

    But he controlled himself. As much as he hated it, he would do anything for his sister.

 CHAPTER 198- FRIENDS OF OLD

    Alaster was finally on his way to Zolis. As he traveled, it was up to Fenrir to locate their first target, Quinn Reyes. It should not be too difficult as the name also came with the manˇŻs last known address. It would take a little bit of time however to find the man himself.

    Fenrir stood up and studied the area of the map before him, specifically the area Quinn supposedly lived. As he did so, one of his Shadows alerted him. Fenrir bonded with it and found that a man had not only spotted the Shadow, a feat in itself, but was also following it.

    From the looks of it, the man was an adventurer, which was growing increasingly rare in the capital city of Zolis. Most had left the city to avoid the prejudice as many used or were friends with someone who used the so called ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ.

    The man was skilled. He had not used any obvious magic, but it was clear that he knew how to track magic and even how to appear casual. If the Shadow had not alerted him, Fenrir would have guessed that the man was simply going on a walk. Unfortunately, no one just went on a walk in the Slums, least of all these days.

    Fenrir decided to use the Shadow Assassin to lead the man to him. He got the sense that the man was following the Shadow out of curiosity. He sensed no outward hostility from the man, but that certainly did not mean that it was not there.

    Just to be safe, as the Shadow led the man closer to Fenrir, the animalistic body summoned some more Undead around it, filling the dark corners of the room. He also prepared another Shadow far from his current location in case he needed to [Swap] locations with it.

    Of course, Fenrir had to make sure the man did not suspect he was being intentionally led somewhere, so he had the Shadow made a few detours, making it seem as if it had been working on some other purpose. Yet the man remained on the ShadowˇŻs trail, even with the large mob of people, each going their own way.

    Eventually, after nearly half an hour, the Shadow entered the small empty building Fenrir took up residence in. While he technically ruled over the Slums, he left the true command up to a few select individuals. Fenrir had only wanted to create a large group of people that owed him a favor.

    The man watched the Shadow enter the building from a nearby corner, but did not immediately enter after it. The man remained on the corner, acting as if he was warming himself by a small brazier with two other people.

    He remained there for another twenty minutes, quietly studying the building. Seemingly satisfied, or perhaps his curiosity overpowered him, the man cautiously moved closer to the silent building. The windows were boarded shut and there were no sources of light within, so he could not see inside. The door, however, was cracked open slightly.

    The man slowly pushed on the rotted door with one hand, the other moving in weird patterns that Fenrir recognized as the preparations for a spell. The rotted wood of the door creaked as the rusted hinges whined as the door was opened for the first time in several years. Fenrir had used a Shadow Assassin to enter the building.

    Cautiously entering the dark building, the tip of the manˇŻs finger glowed brightly, like a shaded lantern, he used it to see in front of him, while ensuring the rest of the room remained in darkness so as to not reveal his position too much. He held his prepared spell slightly behind his finger as he slowly checked every crevice of the room.

    Broken and age worn furniture littered the floor, which the man carefully maneuvered around. He was not as silent as a trained Assassin or Thief, but he was much quieter than Fenrir had expected. He cleared the ground floor of the building with practiced ease, his calm face revealed that he had done something similar many times before.

    This man was not a simple Adventurer, he was more careful, more skilled, and more patient. Most Adventurers would have simply charged in waving their weapons about. Even the more careful Adventurers would not have been so careful or through. The man even checked inside one of the broken barrels.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Finally, after nearly ten minutes of quiet searching, the man finally turned to the stairs. The building only had two floors, and the second floor only had one large room, just like the first. Fenrir ordered his Minions to clear the door as he lit a small candle and placed it on the table in front of him, the large, detailed map disappeared into his small Ring of Holding.

    Fenrir sat down in the chair and conjured another chair out of bone. The man had caught his interest and Fenrir wished to speak with him.

    The man slowly creeped up the stairs, making much less sound than Fenrir had thought possible for stairs so old and neglected. Despite the little noise he made, Fenrir did not hear it even with his Expert Hearing, but instead only through the Shadows that filled the building.

    The man was sensitive enough to discover a Shadow Assassin in broad daylight, which was a difficult task, but in the dark, it was nearly impossible, especially if the Shadow Assassins lined the walls of the building so densely that there were no natural shadows left.

    The man cautiously opened the door, revealing Fenrir sitting at the table in the middle of the room, expecting him.

    ˇ°Took you long enough.ˇ± Fenrir said calmly, ˇ°Why donˇŻt you sit down so we may talk comfortably.ˇ±

    The man was surprised, but did not let it show on his face. He kept his prepared spell at the ready as remained on the landing.

    ˇ°Oh, do come in. It is quite rude to remain standing. Besides, you are surrounded.ˇ±

    The man looked down the stairs to see a dozen figures in heavy armor at the bottom.

    ˇ°You might be able to escape, but certainly not without causing a scene, which I imagine we both do not want. So come, sit, let us talk.ˇ±

    Sighing to himself, the man released his spell and entered the room. The door closed behind him, and the man saw that there were at least two dozen more figures in the room. One of them stepped forward and pulled out the second chair. The man sat down and the figure stepped back against the wall.

    ˇ°Now then, letˇŻs begin with names. Mine if Fenrir, and yours?ˇ±

    The man looked incredulously at him, ˇ°Your parents named you wolf?ˇ±

    FenrirˇŻs eyes widened slightly, ˇ°An educated man? Oh, so rare these days. Yes, you could say that. What is yours?ˇ±

    The man hesitated but ultimately answered, ˇ°Michael.ˇ±

    Fenrir was instantly barraged with long suppressed memories. Memories that were not his, yet were. Memories of his childhood. A childhood that had been stripped from him so soon.

    Far away, AlasterˇŻs breath became heavy as his attention slipped away from the forest he was riding through and focused on Fenrir.

    ˇ°Michael, perhaps you know of a man named Timothy?ˇ±

    MichaelˇŻs eyes narrowed as the air in the room grew heavy, ˇ°What do you want?ˇ± he growled.

    ˇ°An answer.ˇ± Fenrir responded, leaning back in his chair without a care.

    ˇ°What do you know of us?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of you? More than you would think. Less than you would expect. I know that you used to keep your hair long and unkept, and that it kept getting into your eyes, something your mother hated, yet you always seemed to vanish when she brought the shears out.

    I know that you always loved to read and would always have bruises and scrapes because you would read while you walked, and I expect that you have yet another book in your satchel.

    Yet despite knowing all that, I have no idea what you have been doing for the last few years.ˇ±

    MichaelˇŻs eyes were wide and he hesitated to speak, ˇ°How do you know that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I also know that Timothy was always a loud boy who was more stubborn than a mule. Many would call him stupid, yet he was not, and in fact seemed to have a supernatural sense about some things, even as a child.

    I know that while he enjoyed working in the forge with his father, he never wanted to be a smith.

    I know that the two of you were the best of friends, despite your differences, yet that it was never just the two of you.

    I know that both you and Timothy helped the third friend with finding a birthday present for his younger sister. And I also know that on that same day, his family was destroyed.ˇ±

    MichaelˇŻs breathing grew heavy, ˇ°Who are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Someone that is closely connected to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster?ˇ±

    Fenrir smiled, ˇ°Close, you can think of me as a direct connection to him though.ˇ±

    ˇ°How?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, you see, I am somewhat of a second body. Same soul as Alaster, but also distinctly different. He can see and hear through me, and I through him.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I donˇŻt care about that right now, I mean how are you still alive? Its been nearly a decade! What has happened?ˇ±

    Fenrir sat straight, ˇ°ItˇŻs a long story, but Alaster never forgot his goal and despite the long years, he is finally ready to accomplish it. He is on his way here, as we speak.ˇ±

    Michael nodded, ˇ°What does he need us to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°That depends on what you can do.ˇ±

    Michael smirked, ˇ°Oh, we can do a lot.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 199- ENEMIES OF OLD

    Fenrir slouched in his seat, his body aching. The only other time he had felt like this is when he faced Sir Castiel, whose mere holy presence was enough to nearly disintegrate him.

    Only yesterday, he had found and revealed his real identity to Mike, or at least the identity of his true body. It was quite confusing. Mike had seemed fascinated with the idea of using Necrotic Magic, a Magic that already specializes in creating bodies out of pure Magic and utilizing Souls, to create a body that the user can use as a second body.

    He compared it to a permanent minion. Something that Fenrir took personally. It just seemed demeaning to be compared to just any other Minion. Sure, Alaster was creating and training Forgotten, which were also permanent Minions If Alaster died, they would still remain because they were bound to their Mana Crystal and not to his Soul, at least not directly. But it seemed quite crude to compare the two.

    However, FenrirˇŻs current ache was not from explaining as much of the process to Mike, but of reuniting with Thomas. Tom did not care about Fenrir technically not being Alaster, he did not even understand the difference, all he cared about was that they had finally found their long-lost friend.

    Mike as least understood that while Fenrir was built as a second body to the same Soul as Alaster, that Fenrir had developed his own personality. So while the two bodies shared goals and could share senses and thoughts, they still acted differently.

    Fenrir, for example, had embraced his second form, that of a Demonic looking Wolf, and become more animalistic. Fenrir was rougher, more direct, and ruthless. He was more in tune with his emotions, and sometimes let them control him. Something that Tom encouraged.

    When Mike had first informed Tom about Fenrir, all he had said was that they had found a direct link to Alaster. Tom had been expecting to find someone who had met him before and might know where their friend was. But when he saw Fenrir, his senses screamed at him that he was Alaster. Tom consciously understood that the two were connected, but separate, but his senses told him that they were the same person.

    Tom had hugged Fenrir for several hours, unwilling to let him go for fear that he would vanish once again. And despite how powerful Fenrir himself was, TomˇŻs strength had cracked many of the bones that comprised FenrirˇŻs artificial body. Had it been a normal person, Tom would have casually, and unintentionally, killed them.

    The pair had left a few hours earlier, leaving Fenrir alone to deal with Quinn. FenrirˇŻs Shadow Assassins had finally located him.

    In the back of FenrirˇŻs mind he had noticed that before the two had left, Tom had seemed to want to say something but hesitated when Mike gently shook his head. He wondered what it was that Tom had wanted to say, but he respected the two enough to not push the matter, especially after seeing them for the first time after so many years.

    He doubted it was anything that could harm him, so he was fine with letting it remain secret until they decided otherwise. Before they left, however, they did tell Fenrir where they had been staying, in case he needed to get a hold of them. They also informed him that they would return to the abandoned building sometime in the evening the next day.

    Shortly after they left, Fenrir vanished from the building and appeared near to the target. For the first time, Fenrir, and therefore Alaster, caught sight of one of the men responsible for the death of his parents and kidnapping of his sister.

    He was not impressed.

    Watching from the roof above, Fenrir saw a drunkard shuffling around the streets in the redlight district. From the way those around him reacted, he was a regular. The man sloppily smiled at the scantily dressed women and joked with the men he passed. He was clearly well known in the area. Some liked him, some didnˇŻt, and some seemed to only tolerate him for the coin he spent.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Quinn was a small man, and while his body had thickened recently, it was clear that his body had once been fit and built of muscle. His clothes were common and well worn, with various stains. His long stringy brown hair fell slightly below his shoulders and his unkept beard.

    Yet, despite his disgusting appearance, and his drunkenness, even as he lifted a large jug of even more alcohol, he deftly stepped around a Porter transporting a box. He spun around the man, dragging his feet in the snow, and not spilling a drop as he drank, before continuing on his way.

    Fenrir watched him, silently stalking him from the rooftops. A light snow had begun to fall, yet the air remained still, allowing the flakes to gently fall. The rooftops of the red light district were tight and hung over the street, giving the snow only a few feet to fall to the street far below.

    The overhanging ceilings worked to keep much of the heat and light in the streets, but also worked to keep much of the stench and filth contained, as well.

    Quinn continued to wander the streets, embracing the flirtatious remarks and gestures of the women as he passed. Yet he accepted none of their propositions. Eventually, he sat down in a covered narrow alleyway, took yet another swig of his jug, and passed out on a pile of filthy discarded rags.

    Fenrir dropped from the rooftops, slamming into the cobblestone without a sound. His black cloak blew away much of the lightly fallen snow, creating a small flurry. With a face devoid of emotion, Fenrir drew back his greatsword, ready to thrust forward and sever the manˇŻs head from his body. Yet he didnˇŻt.

    Instead, Fenrir vanished from the alley, leaving behind a man loudly snoring in the filth and snow, unaware of just how narrowly he had escaped death.

    * * * * *

    Beautiful rays of golden sunlight bathed the frozen world in comforting warmth, but they also stabbed daggers in the eyes of a sleeping drunkard.

    ˇ°Aaarghh!ˇ± Quinn cried out, rolling over in his sleep.

    The movement caused the rags he was using as a pillow to shift and collapse. Groaning and cursing, Quinn sat up with blurry eyes.

    ˇ°Would you like some help?ˇ±

    Quinn rubbed his eyes and saw a large man in dark armor standing above him, offering his hand with a slight smirk.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt need your help!ˇ± Quinn growled. He did not want anyoneˇŻs pity. His lousy attempt to bat away the manˇŻs hand while standing up caused him to slip on some ice and fall back down.

    ˇ°Never asked if you needed help. I asked if you wanted help.ˇ± The man said, offering his hand once more.

    Quinn took it with hesitation, expecting some sort of trick, but the man simply helped him up.

    The man stepped back to allow Quinn to brush himself off.

    ˇ°Come, let me buy you breakfast.ˇ±

    Quinn huffed, ˇ°I donˇŻt take charity.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who said anything about charity? IˇŻm buying you breakfast, and in return, you can show me around the city. Its my first time in such a large city and IˇŻm actually kind of lost.ˇ±

    Quinn glanced at the large weapon on the manˇŻs back, ˇ°An Adventurer?ˇ±

    The man smiled, ˇ°Yep! I always wanted to come to the Capital and figured now was a good a time as any.ˇ±

    Quinn chuckled, ˇ°You picked a bad time my friend.ˇ±

    The man sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, ˇ°Yeah, I noticed. But it doesnˇŻt have anything to do with me, and IˇŻm already here. I figured I would sightsee while there are less people to compete with, then leave once my funds got low enough to take a few jobs. Now come on, IˇŻm hungry, so I figure after your party last night, you are starving.ˇ±

    At the mention of food, QuinnˇŻs stomach betrayed him by grumbling loudly.

    Quinn awkwardly patted his large stomach, ˇ°Well, I guess I could show you around in exchange for breakfast.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs get to it! You can show me around while we find a good place to eat. This place is kind of dead anyway.ˇ± The large man walked out of the alley and gestured around to the deserted street.

    Quinn followed him out, protecting his eyes from the direct sunlight, ˇ°Ugghh. Yeah well, this is the Red-Light District. It only ever gets busy at night.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Red-Light District? So you had some fun huh?ˇ± The man joked, lightly patting Quinn on the back.

    The light pat from the large man sent the comparatively small man forward a step.

    ˇ°Not really, just some booze.ˇ±

    ˇ°No ladies for you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just one,ˇ± Quinn sighed, ˇ°Not that she wants anything to do with me.ˇ± Quinn muttered the last part, but the man heard it perfectly.

    ˇ°Well, IˇŻm sure youˇŻll feel better with some warm food in your belly! LetˇŻs go find a place!ˇ± The man loudly exclaimed, causing Quinn to wince in pain as he followed him down the street.

    ˇ°What is your name anyway?ˇ± Quinn asked

    ˇ°Me? Oh, you can call me Fenrir!ˇ±

 CHAPTER 200- REDEMPTION

    ˇ°Come on Quinn, you said this was important to you.ˇ±

    Quinn sighed, taking a step away from his friend, ˇ°You donˇŻt understand Fenrir. I kept secrets from her, serious secrets. She knew what I did, but she never really understood it, and our children never knew. They just thought I worked as an attendant in the City Hall Records.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know, youˇŻve told me this many times.ˇ±

    ˇ°The line of work I did is heavy stuff. I thought I was strong enough to handle it, but after a few years, it weighed me down until I got so drunk one night I just broke down. I told her everything! In explicit detail I told her absolutely everything!ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you still love her?ˇ± Fenrir asked, taking a light swig of his drink.

    They were currently in QuinnˇŻs small one room apartment. With just a small futon, a single chair, and a small table barely large enough for a plate of food and mug. Fenrir was currently seated at the table. It looked comically small compared to his large armored frame.

    Quinn, currently stood in the middle of the small room wearing his nicest clothing, which was not much. It was simply the set of clothes that had the least number of stains.

    It had been three days since Quinn had been found by Fenrir in the gutter. Since then, they had spent all day together for the last three days. At first, it was because Fenrir wanted someone to guide him around the City. But as more time passed, Quinn found that he enjoyed the giantˇŻs company.

    Slowly, Fenrir had been convincing Quinn into accepting certain gifts. He paid for hearty meals, he paid to have Quinn properly bathed and groomed, and now he was wondering if he should get the man a new set of clothes. As Quinn become more comfortable around his friend, he began to open up.

    ˇ°Of course I still love her. I think about her and the kids practically every other thought.ˇ±

    Fenrir offered him the second mug of juice, he had been forcing Quinn to become sober, ˇ°Then you have the responsibility to try.ˇ±

    ˇ°Try? She kicked me out of the house!ˇ± Quinn exclaimed, but still took the mug.

    ˇ°Quinn, the last time she saw you, you were drunk, and screaming about horrible things. Now, you are sober, cleaned up, and even have a job that you start tomorrow. You are more stable now. Come on, lets go! You will never know until you try.ˇ±

    Sighing to himself, Quinn downed the rest of the mug, wincing when he realized that it was not the liquid courage he thought it was, and nodded to himself.

    ˇ°Fine, lets do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lets? No no no, my friend, this is all you. I will be there to support you, but you are the one thatˇŻs going to have to do it.ˇ±

    Quinn groaned but set down the mug and turned to the door, ˇ°I understand.ˇ±

    Together, the two friends left the small apartment. Fenrir had to duck and turn slightly to the side to get through the door.

    The early morning sun shone brightly, warming the cold streets of Zolis. The street sweepers had already come through these streets, so most of the snow was gone, with the rest piled up on the sides. The streets were filled with people, despite the hidden tension that permeated the city, people still had things to do.

    Despite the cold weather, the sun was warm and there were no clouds blocking the bright blue skies. No breeze brought frigid winds through the layers of warmth people clad themselves with. It was a beautiful day. The kind of day that made people smile, even with the tension and fear hidden beneath.

    Quinn led the way with Fenrir right beside him. He of course knew where QuinnˇŻs wife and children lived, but Quinn did not need to know that.

    As they walked, Quinn grew increasingly panicked. Each step brough him closer to the one thing he had been avoiding for the last five years. He had been sending them what little coins he could during that time, but he had not been within five hundred meters of them since.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Fenrir noticed the panic and attempted to calm the man by pushing him into a clothing store. Ignoring QuinnˇŻs objections, by the time they left once more, Quinn was now wearing a new set of clothing that was clean. The clothing was nothing special, they were just brand new.

    Now dressed in good clothes, with a clean haircut and shave, and sober, Quinn felt like a new man. He felt confident! Now Fenrir just had to get the man to his wife before that newfound confidence fled him.

    Pretending to be subtle, Fenrir gently, but firmly, pushed Quinn faster through the thin crowd. Quinn was so engrossed in his imagination of what he would say to his family that he did not even notice that he was not the one leading anymore.

    In short order, Quinn stood in front of the door of what had once been his own home, now it was that of a stranger. The sudden realization jolted him out of his thoughts. He looked behind him at Fenrir, who stood at the other side of the street.

    Fenrir nodded to him and held both of his thumbs up.

    Quinn turned back to the door. Quinn took a deep breath, holding it for a moment, allowed all his negative thoughts and fears to saturate it, before he let it all out. Nodding to himself, he imagined all the things that could be, or should be.

    He raised his fist to the door, hesitating as he imagined the night he had been kicked out.

    He had been drunk that night, as he had been every night for a month before. He had been belligerently screaming, just as he had the month before, but this time, in his drunken acts, he had drawn his sword and swung it around carelessly. Quinn winced at just how close the edge of his sword, propelled by his own arm, had come to his youngest child, his daughter.

    She had just been a baby then. She had been woken up by his screaming and was crying in her crib.

    His wife, a trained ranger as a Novice, was able to disarm his drunken self and promptly threw him out. He had pounded on the door for several hours that night before he gave up and somehow ended up passing out several streets away.

    By all accounts, Quinn had no right to ask to be taken back. He had no right to ask to be their husband and father again. But that was his one selfish wish. He wanted to be there for him. He wanted to feel their embrace. He wanted to devote himself to them.

    Steeling himself with one more shaky breath, Quinn knocked on the door, feeling the rough wooden grain beneath his knuckles. He quickly stepped back; he did not want to crowd them. He was there to beg them to be taken back, he knew it. His once powerful pride had slowly been ground down over the years.

    A few silent moments passed, but for Quinn it felt like an eternity filled with the mountainous pounding of his heart, the blood rushing through his ears.

    Eventually, the door was opened a crack, revealing the eye of the woman he had once called his wife. The eye latched onto him before the door was slammed shut.

    QuinnˇŻs hopes and heart fell, but he understood. He had no right to demand to be heard out. If the mere sight of him caused such a reaction, then that was his answer.

    He slowly turned away, hearing the snow crunch beneath his feet before his ears heard the quiet sound of a door slowly opening. He turned back around to see his wife in front of an open doorway. She was not a stereotypical beauty, but to him, she was the most beautiful women in the world. He fell to his knees in the snow.

    ˇ°I know I am likely the last person you want to see right now,ˇ± Quinn quickly started talking, the speech he had meticulously planned the night before completely vanishing from his mind, ˇ°I know that I have no right to ask. But I am begging you to take me back. I have changed. I canˇŻt promise to be perfect, but I can promise that I want nothing more than to devote myself to you and the kids.ˇ±

    Quinn had planned a speech that would last ten minutes, but in the end, he barely spoke for one.

    She watched him from the doorway in silence, her face passive and void of any reaction. Several tense minutes passed as she studied him, ˇ°Are those nightmares gone?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not gone, but with the help of a friend, I have them under control. I cannot change what I have done, but I now understand that I have no control over the past, but I can control the future. A future that I want with you.ˇ±

    Silence once more descended, even the few people in the street stopped to watch. Most were strangers, but a few were familiar with Quinn and his family. Fenrir continued to watch in the background. But to Quinn, none of them existed. The only thing that filled his existence was his wife, and the world behind her.

    Her face gradually grew tense and red before tears began to fall, ˇ°Of course IˇŻll take you back.ˇ± She rushed forward and embraced him in a tight hug.

    Clapping and cheers erupted from the small crowd. Despite the fear hidden in the background of the city, clawing to the forefront, everyone liked a love story. The sound of the crowd brought the three children to the door.

    ˇ°Daddy!ˇ± They screamed before they sprinted forward, joining the hug.

    Quinn kissed his wife deeply before he knelt down and embraced his children. Now noticing the crowd, his wife shyly began to usher her family into the house. Before the door closed, Quinn met the eyes of Fenrir and nodded. A nod that held an eternal gratitude and debt.

    Fenrir nodded back, accepting it. The door closed and Fenrir began to walk away. It had taken four days. Four days of careful manipulation. The first body, Alaster, and his entourage, were now in Lissura Lands and were only a few days away from Zolis. The Castle had no doubt received reports of his entry and purpose and were preparing for him. But that was later.

    Now, FenrirˇŻs plan had succeeded. He just needed to capitalize on it.

 CHAPTER 201- ROYAL VISIT

    Daniel stood in front of the mirror, checking each and every part of himself. His clothes were immaculate, yet conservative. His hair was freshly cleaned and combed. His face recently washed. Even his fingernails were manicured. Daniel made sure that everything was perfect, even his wife was growing irritated at how much time he was spending in front of the mirror.

    Daniel was not one to spend so much effort in his appearance, but the person he was meeting required it, even if the man himself couldnˇŻt care less. Unfortunately, ceremony had to be upheld, even among family.

    Brushing himself down one last time, Daniel grabbed his flamboyant hat, kissed his wife goodbye, and walked out of the room.

    His Personal Guard took up formation around him as he walked down the hallway. Servants bowed as he passed, yet he ignored them. His thoughts were filled with what he was supposed to say.

    The DukeˇŻs residence was next to the Royal Castle, though Daniel spent most of his time in the Royal Castle. Despite that, no one ever saw the King or his family. The reason was due to them isolating themselves within the Inner Castle. Very few people were even authorized to see the Royal Family, let alone do so and then leave the Inner Castle.

    Daniel knew of four servants within the Inner Castle that had been there since before they turned ten. Entire generations lived their entire lives in the Inner Castle. The Inner Castle might as well have been a separate world. The Inner Castle was fully independent of the rest of the Castle, capable of fully sustaining themselves even if the rest of the Kingdom collapsed.

    The Inner Castle even had their own Guard Regiment, known as the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard numbered exactly one thousand, never more, never less. Each one lived their entire life in the Inner Castle, devoting their entire being to the protection of the King and his Family. They would step on their own parents to protect the Royal Family, and their parents would want them too.

    Each member of the Royal Guard were generational warriors who ate, trained, and even bred, for the sole purpose of providing the best soldier and confidant to the Royal Family. They did not wed, they did not care for love, if they believed the genetics of two warriors would produce an even better warrior, they would.

    The identities of the Golden Thousand, as they were called, were kept secret to all but the King himself. Not even the rest of the Royal Family knew. The Golden Thousand were called such due to the golden armor they wore. Each piece was meticulously crafted and maintained, not a single flaw was allowed.

    Each piece was masterfully enchanted, countless enchantments with just as many effects. The material itself was not actually golden. The golden effect was an unintentional effect that eventually became the iconic symbol of the Golden Thousand. The material itself was actually a light blue. It became golden once the sheer magical weight of the Enchantments took hold.

    The armor both protected and augmented the user. Capable of turning even the most mundane warrior into a threat capable of destroying a city. Each of the Golden Thousand were trained within an inch of their lives, with many trainees not surviving the process. Each one was a Master capable of destroying cities naked.

    Very few knew just how powerful a single member of the Golden Thousand was, even fewer could understand the power. Just like how someone could understand how large one million was, but likely did not truly comprehend just how significant the number was.

    The Golden Thousand only numbered one thousand, but in order to keep the number one thousand, they had a secondary force of two thousand. These were the true Royal Guard. They policed the Inner Castle and on the very rare occasions of the King wanting something done outside of the Castle, they were the ones to exercise his words.

    The Royal Guard, clad in Silver armor that paled in comparison to the Golden Armor yet still transcended any other armor, were the trainees to the Golden Thousand. To be even considered for one of the positions as a Royal Guard, one had to be an Expert. And to be qualified for a position of one of the Golden Thousand, one had to have served in the Royal Guard for a minimum of fifty years and have become a Master.

    To an Expert, while fifty years was by no means a short time, it was not their entire lives. To a Master, fifty years was a drop in the bucket. It meant nothing to their lifespans.

    Few people even knew of the power level called Master. Many already considered Experts to be true powerhouses. Something to aspire to be. The existence of Masters was not a secret, merely not one that was openly declared.

    It was a secret that both the Duke and the King kept carefully maintained. With most of the population believing that Experts were the pinnacle, what would happen if it became public that Experts wasnˇŻt even in the top three? Or that their beloved Gods were in fact mere mortals, just like they were, and that they had shrugged off their mortality.

    Daniel sighed as he crossed the single bridge connecting the Outer and Inner Castle. The secrets and responsibilities of such secrets were heavy. Many people believed that they could rule, to govern. Many people were wrong. Daniel hated having to lie, steal, manipulate, and even kill. But the masses had to be controlled.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Daniel had seen the horrors that anarchy brought. He would do anything he had to in order to avoid such disasters from falling upon the people he governed and loved. Even it meant controlling them.

    The DukeˇŻs Guards were the elite of elite, but they paled in comparison to the Royal Guard. They remained on the other side of the ancient bridge. They were the DukeˇŻs most trusted personal, yet they were prohibited from entering the Inner Castle.

    The Outer Castle was a complex of towering buildings, yet the Inner Castle, set in the middle of the Outer Castle and surrounded by a massive two-hundred-meter moat, towered over the Outer Castle. The Castle was seen from practically anywhere in Zolis, but most people did not realize that the massive building masterfully constructed over generations, that they saw every day, was in fact just a small fraction of the true Castle.

    Running the large Kingdom of Lissura, where the authority was centralized, took a lot of people, a lot of space, and a lot of time. Daniel had stopped trying to remember just where each office was or what they did. In truth, he did not need to. Anytime he needed something sent to or sent from, he merely asked for it to be done.

    There was only one bridge connecting the Inner and outer Castle. It was intentionally designed as such. A massive stone bridge that was twenty meters across and one hundred meters above the moat.

    Only the King, the Duke, and the Golden Thousand knew that the bridge was enchanted to self-destruct, plummeting the rubble and whoever was unfortunate enough to still be on it, down to the moat. A moat that was ten meters lower than the bottom walkway, with smooth stone walls, anyone unlucky enough to fall into the moat would be unable to climb out without assistance.

    While the Inner Castle had beautiful sheer walls and towers, Daniel knew that there were hundreds of Royal Guards and perhaps even a few of the Golden Thousand were manning the defenses of the Inner Castle. He also knew that there the two Golden Thousand standing guard at the Inner CastleˇŻs Gates were eyeing him, even though they knew who he was, they were prepared to kill him if he presented any threat to the King.

    DanielˇŻs Guards stood at the far end of the Bridge, equally prepared to defend their charge, even though they knew it would be pointless to try.

    Daniel walked up to the Golden, ˇ°Duke Redmond to see the King.ˇ±

    Behind their Golden Helmets, Daniel could not see who spoke, their bodies remained still. The only thing that moved on them were their heavy deep blue capes. Capes that had nearly three hundred enchantments, each one designed to repel, counter, or absorb magic, or empower the enchantments that did.

    ˇ°Any weapons on your person?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ± Of course they knew that he was a powerful mage who did not need weapons, but he was not an authorized Mage within the Inner Castle. The enchantments and spells of the Inner Castle would weaken any unauthorized spell as well as notify the Golden Thousand to its use and the location of it.

    Several moments passed in silence as the two Golden Thousand listened to their commander speaking to them through the enchantments in their helmets.

    ˇ°You have been granted a day pass. You are expected to report back to the front gate before the sun sets. If you wish stay later, you must receive permission from the Golden General.ˇ±

    Danniel nodded, having heard the same thing ever time he came to the Inner Castle.

    Once more, without moving a muscle in their armor, the two Golden Thousand alerted their two comrades operating the winch of the gate. The heavy gate slowly opened, allowing Daniel through. The door closed behind him, as did the portcullis above.

    Daniel sighed as he always did when he saw the inside of the Inner Castle. It was like an entirely different world. Outside, much of the people, even in the Outer Castle, still used candles and fires to see in the dark. In the Inner Castle, if something could be done with Magic, it was.

    Polished Marble floors reflected the bright light of the numerous Mage Lights lining the ceiling. Stories of the NationˇŻs history were carved into the walls. Magic kept the entire Inner Castle carefully preserved and cleaned. Chutes hidden in the walls transported anything the people in the Inner Castle required.

    Pairs of the Royal Guards in their silver armor patrolled the many hallways. Runners ran messages or the few items that could not be passed through the chutes. Deep in the depths of the Inner Castle, massive smithies and factories continued to create and maintain the weapons, armor, and other gear the Inner Castle used.

    Daniel had once been granted the privilege to tour the factories and it had stunned him. It completely changed his entire perspective of industry. But the foundries were not why he was there.

    A pair of Royal Guards formed up behind Daniel as he walked towards the Throne Room. The most defended location in the entire Kingdom, and not just in manpower. Generations of Enchanters had been involved in the Inner CastleˇŻs defenses and utilities, both in knowledge, and in lives. Many of the more powerful enchantments had required lives to be sacrificed. Just one such reason Daniel detested the prejudice that was consuming the Capital.

    The Throne Room had a pair of large metal doors, each standing fifteen feet tall and together standing ten feet wide. Four of the Golden stood in front of the doors, with another eight lining either side of the hallway leading to the doors for a total of twenty. DanielˇŻs entire Guard Force would not be able to get past two of the Golden, though they might be lucky enough to injure one.

    As he approached, the four Golden in front of the door stepped aside as the doors opened just enough for Daniel to walk through.

    He was greeted by a massive one hundred meter long by fifty meter room of polished marble and gold. Eight massive pillars held up the arched ceiling fifty meters above. A blue carpet was rolled down the middle of the room, leading up the one hundred marble stairs to the large Golden Throne. An ornate chair with deep blue cushions sat to either side of the Throne, meant for the Queen and Crown Prince, though they sat empty at the moment.

    Two hundred of the Golden Thousand lined the walls of the Throne Room with another fifty on the stairs. Each one held their massive tower shields and their long enchanted spears. Their swords remained sheathed at their hip.

    Seated atop the massive throne, sat a handsome man dressed in flowing robes. His gaze held the weight of millions of lives. The aura that surrounded him was regal and strong, demanding obedience. Even if he was dressed as a commoner, none would dare to think he was not of Noble blood.

    His very being was that of a King, a King who stood just one step away from divinity. A King whose strength required a dozen of his Golden Thousand to become even slightly warmed up. A King whose mere presence demanded respect.

    A King whose voice dictated the lives of millions of his own civilians and millions more of other Nations, whose voice rivaled that of thunderstorms and landslides.

    ˇ°Hello Cousin.ˇ± The Voice greeted.

 CHAPTER 202- A DEBT TO REPAY

    Fenrir sighed as he walked through the mostly empty streets. Of course, it was still the capital city, mostly empty still meant dozens of people that the large figure of Fenrir had to navigate around. That was not why he was sighing.

    Alaster initially suspected that it would take six days to reach Zolis. Fenrir had taken three days to accomplish his goal. It was now a week later, ten days after Alaster started the journey.

    The delays were small, but numerous. Monster activity was rising in the countryside, a sure indicator of a coming Monster Horde. Trying to maintain the image of a magnanimous and heroic Nobleman, as he was sure he was being watched, Alaster stopped to combat any Monsters he found, especially if there was someone in danger or nearby.

    Doing so, he had been able to figure out that the Horde was traveling away from Lissura Lands and towards Taria. It was not his problem.

    The conflicts also took much longer to resolve than they should have because Alaster did not use any Magic. He rarely engaged in any combat himself, letting his Purple Hooded Forgotten destroy them. Obeying Alasters commands, they too refrained from any Magic use. But they did not necessarily need it.

    Each of the Purple Hoods were Expert Ranked, and while they were weaker than Living Experts, it was not by much, and there were two dozen of them. Even without their magic, two dozen Experts were a significant force. As such, despite the many times they had been engaged in combat, Alaster doubted any of the observers knew anything about the Forgotten or himself.

    Afterall, despite the battles, lengthy or challenging, the Forgotten had endless endurance. They came out of every battle ready for another. Their armor was a part of them, but separate. It naturally repaired itself, independent from their Health. As such, no matter how devastating the battle, or even how close one of the Forgotten got to death, the hidden observers only saw the Forgotten move and act as if they were completely unbothered, as if they had not broken a sweat.

    But all of this was AlasterˇŻs problem, not FenrirˇŻs, even if they were technically the same person. Fenrir had his own problems, some of which were created due to AlasterˇŻs lateness, however, others were improved or even solved by his tardiness.

    Regardless, FenrirˇŻs current issue was not AlasterˇŻs absence, but by QuinnˇŻs. The two of them had agreed to meet today at a caf¨¦ as a way to check up on each other. Quinn was supposed to have already been there, but as Fenrir walked into the small restaurant, one of the few that remained operational in these trying times, he did not see the man.

    FenrirˇŻs sheer size seemed to fill the nearly deserted building. A waitress quickly walked over to him.

    ˇ°Would you like a table or the bar?ˇ±

    Fenrir took another look around, ˇ°LetˇŻs do a table. IˇŻm also waiting for someone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, would you like a menu right now, or would you prefer to wait for your company?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll wait.ˇ± Fenrir said with a slight grin and sitting down at the table she motioned towards. Fenrir did not technically need to eat, though he could still taste and get satisfaction from it.

    The waitress walked away, leaving Fenrir to quietly think. Only a few minutes passed before Quinn walked in, looking much better and with a bright smile on his face that only grew brighter when his spotted his massive friend. He quickly walked over and sat down. Before he could speak, the Waitress silently walked over and placed two menus down.

    They both thanked her as she walked away but neither touched the menus.

    ˇ°How are you, Quinn?ˇ± Fenrir started.

    Quinn laughed, ˇ°Tired in ways I relish. And dried out.ˇ± He finished with a snide grin.

    ˇ°I guess your wife missed you.ˇ± Fenrir chuckled.

    Quinn joined in before the teasing smile turned more warmhearted, ˇ°Yeah, but really, its nice being a father and husband once again. I thought I would never have the chance again. My children have been telling me all sorts of stories. Every day, I walk them to school on my way to work. My boss is a stickler to the rules, but besides that, he is alright. The work is boring, but fulfilling. Then after work, I pick up my kids from their classes and when we get home, my wife has supper hot and ready for us. ItˇŻs a good life. A life I never want to lose again.ˇ±

    Fenrir smiled, both internally and externally, ˇ°ThatˇŻs great! Hey, I actually have a surprise for you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Fenrir, you really donˇŻt have to. You have already given me the greatest gift a man could ask for.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nonsense! Besides, its kinda late for me to return it. Come on, I want to show it to you.ˇ± Fenrir stood up.

    ˇ°I thought we were eating lunch here?ˇ± Quinn looked up, confused.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry about it. Come on.ˇ± Fenrir prompted, waving for Quinn to join him.

    With a lighthearted sigh, Quinn stood up, ˇ°Alright, alright I am coming.ˇ±

    ˇ°Great!ˇ± Fenrir dropped a coin on the table, despite not ordering anything, they had taken the space, even if the Caf¨¦ had no shortage of space. Besides, Fenrir had plenty of coins and no real use for them.

    Fenrir led the way out and down the street, all the while, Quinn continued to gush about his family. He was so enthralled in his own words that he did not even realize when Fenrir led him into a dark alley. He only noticed when he stepped into a snow drift.

    ˇ°What are we doing here?ˇ± Quinn asked, but it was too late.

    Fenrir grabbed QuinnˇŻs arm, and they both disappeared from the alley. They immediately reappeared in a room so cold and dark that Quinn shivered under his heavy winter coat as he looked around, unable to see.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ˇ°Fenrir what are we doing here?ˇ± Quinn asked, tension building in his body, his prior training taking hold.

    In response to his question, a single candle was ignited on the floor in the middle of the room, revealing only a single chair and leaving the edges of the room hidden.

    ˇ°Sit down Quinn.ˇ± FenrirˇŻs voice sounded in the dark, all prior warmth gone.

    A knife appeared in QuinnˇŻs hand as he spun around.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be stupid Quinn. Despite what it might look like, I would prefer to do this without bloodshed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do what?ˇ± Quinn shouted in the darkness, unable to locate the source of FenrirˇŻs voice.

    ˇ°Sit down.ˇ± Fenrir commanded, his voice booming in the empty room, rattling the wooden flooring.

    Hesitating, Quinn obeyed, though the knife remained, with his training, sitting down did not mean much. He was trained to eliminate the target regardless of what state he was in.

    ˇ°Good, now we can begin.ˇ±

    ˇ°Begin what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why, the interrogation of course!ˇ±

    ˇ°You must be pretty new to this then, leaving me armed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Quinn. Use your head, and I mean this in the most humble way possible, but you have as much chance of harming me in anyway with that knife than you could a mountain. But regardless, Quinn Reyes, what was you occupation eight years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why should I tell you?ˇ±

    Fenrir revealed himself, stepping just into the light of the small candle, ˇ°When I first saw you, I held a sword to your throat. Do you know why I did not kill you?ˇ± Fenrir asked, allowing Quinn to answer, though he did not, ˇ°Its because you would have welcomed death. You were a drunk, sickly man with nothing to live for. So I did not kill you, and instead decided to help you.ˇ±

    Quinn glared at the man he thought was his friend.

    ˇ°I helped you. I pulled you out of the filth. I washed, fed and even clothed you. I pushed you to get a good job, and even convinced you to reconcile with your wife. Why would I do that if I wanted to kill you?

    I did it, because now, you have something to lose. Now, you have a reason to be afraid.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt fear death!ˇ± Quinn shouted in defiance.

    ˇ°No, but you should fear me! You should fear the man who would not hesitate to gut your wife in front of you. You should fear the man who would enjoy seeing your mind break in agony at being unable to save your family!ˇ±

    Quinn was silent, stunned, the knife clattered to the floor, ˇ°Why? Why are you doing this?ˇ±

    Fenrir leaned in close, fire burning in his voice, the threat of unimaginable pain behind every word, ˇ°Because long ago, you did exactly that to me.ˇ±

    Quinn recoiled, ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    Fenrir stood up straight, drawing his massive greatsword and stabbing it through the floorboards with a single hand, ˇ°I gave you everything you hold dear, and if you do not tell me what I want to know, I will take it away.ˇ±

    ˇ°I was an operative of Lissura.ˇ± Quinn whispered, his loyalty to his family overtaking the loyalty to his country.

    ˇ°Eight years ago, you snuck into the village of Pinefall during their Planting Festival. You killed two parents and kidnapped a young girl. My questions are as follows. First, where is the girl? Second, who ordered it? Third, why? Fourth, who else was involved?ˇ±

    Quinn stayed quiet, fighting to remain quiet.

    ˇ°You might not have an issue with butchering the parents of small children, but I do. That does not mean I wonˇŻt.ˇ± Fenrir threatened, the image of his, AlasterˇŻs, parents hanging from meat hooks burned in his mind.

    Hating himself for it, Quinn opened his mouth.

    ˇ°I do not know where the girl is, my squad was only given orders to retrieve her at any cost, preferably quietly and without her knowledge, and give her over to a cloaked man. I do not know who the man was.ˇ± Quinn took a deep, shaky, breath before he continued, ˇ°We were operatives whose main goal was to ensure LissuraˇŻs safety. Sometimes this meant assassination, both outside and inside Lissurian borders. Other times it meant collecting information. Sometimes we even fought against Monsters. Anything our superiors thought would lead to the continued safety of the Kingdom.

    We rarely knew the true ramifications of our actions. We did not need to. If some of our missions directly benefited certain individuals, I do not know, at the time, I did not want to know. Very rarely did we like what we did, but it had to be done. We simply followed orders.ˇ±

    ˇ°Quinn, I need you to understand something. I do not care whether you enjoyed what you did. I want to know why. I want to know who. Someone is going to die for it, and if you do not tell me everything, that someone will start with you.ˇ±

    Quinn hesitated, slouching in the old wooden chair, ˇ°I donˇŻt know about the other Squads, I donˇŻt even know how many there were, just that there were others. Our Squad numbered five. Three of us hated most of what we did. Our commander, did not care. But Justin, he enjoyed what we did. He seemed to delight in the bloodshed and torture.

    The night you are talking about, I remember very clearly. It was perhaps the worst job we had been given. One thing after another failed. Not only had we only been given a few hours to plan and execute the kidnapping, but there was a local Knight patrolling with a retinue of guards nearby. If someone had sounded the alarm in the village, that Knight would have arrived in mere minutes, forcing us to scrap the mission and escape.

    Then the villageˇŻs own Guards were out in force for the festival, very alert. Our plan had been to be in and out before the festival even began, that way everyone would think that the girl was simply out playing and therefore wouldnˇŻt sound the alarm for several hours later. Then when they couldnˇŻt find her, they would assume that she had been killed by a Monster in the forest.

    But the girl was never left alone. The Guards were active. Everyone was rushing about together. Eventually, our commander, a man named Noah, was forced to hide himself outside the village and channel a spell in order to isolate the girlˇŻs house. The spell would dampen any sounds as well as give a subtle impression on anyone nearby to avoid the area, easily ignored if they wanted to go in, but if they were just out for a walk, or stumbling around drunk, they would go away.

    The girlˇŻs parents put her to bed, but before we could strike, a large pack of Thunder Wolves were getting too close to the village. If they were discovered, the Guards would sound the alarm and everything would end. So Grant and I went out to distract and redirect the pack, leaving Justin there to watch them. He was ordered not to engage, only observe. But let alone, he ignored the orders and attacked.

    By the time Grant and I returned, he had knocked out the girl and needlessly tortured her parents. Grant was so enraged that I had to hold him back from attacking Justin. Meanwhile, he laughed, still covered in their blood. I was also furious, but our window was quickly closing, so to avoid detection, I sent him to Ileane, our SquadˇŻs healer who had stayed behind with Noah.

    With his gone, Grant and I grabbed the girl and activated the portal scroll. We could sense a couple of children nearby that were getting closer. We refused to harm them so we had to be quick.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why were you ordered to take the girl?ˇ±

    ˇ°We were not told. Why do you care anyway?ˇ±

    Fenrir leaned in close, mere inches from his QuinnˇŻs face, ˇ°Because she was not an only child. You murdered my parents, strung them up like puppets on display, stole away my sister, and I want her back. Who ordered it.ˇ±

    QuinnˇŻs already heavy breath turned ragged, ˇ°If I tell you, will you leave me and my family alone?ˇ±

    ˇ°The only thing I will promise is that your children will not grow up with the image of their fatherˇŻs corpse on display seared into their minds.ˇ±

    Quinn leaned back, letting his head hung over the back of the chair, ˇ°All I know is that Duke Redmond oversaw all out Missions.ˇ±

    Quinn resigned himself to his death, but it did not come. Slowly sitting up, he saw that Fenrir had vanished, not just from the candlelight, but from the room itself.

    His body began to shake, both from fear and from relief. He had fought Dragons, toppled rebellions before they could even begin. Yet none of them had made him as afraid as Fenrir had. Quinn dropped his head between his knees and vomited.

    ˇ°Why did he leave me alive?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 203- DELEGATE

    Alaster crested the hill, after a week of near constant battle, one would have expected the escort to look ragged and tired, yet they looked just as pristine as the day they set out.

    Zolis finally came into view, as did the escort of the Nobility from Zolis, come to welcome and guide the foreign diplomat into the capital city.

    Alaster, at the top of the hill and atop Nightmare, looked down at the personal Guards of many Nobles. It seemed as if all the more prestigious of the Nobles had sent a few men.

    As a diplomat sent from the newly formed Independent Alliance, everyone wanted to form some sort of connection with him. Even more so for the few who knew that the diplomat himself had no oath binding himself to either of the Independent Cities. This was known as a Free Noble, a title that held little power and even less qualifications but coupled with his designation as the messenger from the Independent Cities, held great significance.

    It meant that he was held in great regard, despite not holding allegiance to either, enough trust to serve as their mouthpiece to a foreign power. That meant he was valuable.

    In the end, the Zolis Escort numbered just over fifty, each one a powerful Adept, except for three, who exuded the aura of a capable Expert. Each of the Experts bore the colors of the Redmond House.

    The gear of the escort was as diverse as the Houses they served, though the majority wore heavy plate and chainmail armor. They all sat atop their own steed in five neat lines of ten. Two of the Experts sat in the middle of the front row, right behind the third Expert.

    AlasterˇŻs hooded Forgotten lined up behind him along the crest of the hill. The Noble Escort looked at AlasterˇŻs, sizing them up. Wondering if how they would kill them if it came to blows. Wondering if they could survive. Yet the Forgotten merely looked down at them, uncaring. They would kill whoever threatened their Master, regardless of the situation or foe.

    The third Expert prodded his horse forward a few steps, bringing everyoneˇŻs attention to him.

    ˇ°Welcome esteemed guest from the Independent Alliance. We are here to escort you into Zolis, the capital, to our great Kingdom.ˇ±

    Alaster kept his face void of all emotion, ˇ°Very well, lead the way.ˇ±

    Alaster slowly rode down the hill, his Forgotten followed behind him, slowly surrounding him. Alaster continued forward, uncaring of the soldiers in front of him. Upon seeing that he was not going to stop or wait, they quickly spread out around Alaster and his Forgotten. The three Experts from the Redmond house led the way.

    After a few minutes, they reached a road. Even as quiet as the capital had become, it was still the center of the economy for Lissura. As one of the roads leading the capital, it was full of people, carts, wagons, mules, and even a few horses. Yet they all got out of the way at the sight of the Noble Banners, both of the Zolis Nobility, and of AlasterˇŻs own.

    They stood to the side of the road, bowing their heads. Alaster might be a foreign Noble, but he was still a Noble, at least according to the Independent Alliance. It would not be the first time a visiting Noble punished a civilian for not showing enough respect.

    Alaster pulled out a book from his Ring of Holding and began to read. He was uninterested in all of this. If it was up to him, he would have simply appeared within the court and not bothered with any of the pompous acts.

    Though Alaster did not focus on the book. He was going into enemy territory, even if they did not know they were his enemy. He remained vigilant, checking in with the numerous Shadow Assassins he had around the area.

    Nothing caught his attention, though there were a few interesting people on the side of the road. Some Adventurers, some farmers going to the Capital Market, and some merchants. The most interesting person was the Adventurer riding a large brown wolf.

    Regardless, Alaster found himself bored. Bored of the charade. Bored of the trip. And bored of not just killing the Noble Guards around him and taking what he wanted. But the information that Fenrir extracted from Quinn Reyes put a new light on the matter.

    Alaster had already suspected that the person responsible was one of the higher ranked Nobility, but he was still surprised that the Duke himself had been responsible, at least in some way. Alaster would have to learn more before he could act in anyway.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Fenrir had already focused many of the Shadows on the Duke, but they were struggling to get close, let alone actually learn everything. It seemed as if every location the Duke visited held some defense against spying and infiltration. Every person allowed to get close to the Duke, held some item or ability to spot the Shadows, or were just that observant.

    As much as Alaster wanted information, he was not yet willing to risk detection. He knew so little, and until he knew more, he wanted his enemy to be as relaxed as possible. Especially since Alaster did not know if it the responsible party was the Duke himself, or if he was simply complacent.

    Either way, the Duke was the one in charge of the organization that murdered his parents and stole his sister. Even if the Duke held no knowledge of the action, he held responsibility. A responsibility that Alaster would enforce.

    Sighing, Alaster stored the book detailing the biology of the Furborus Ice Rats, something that held very little interest to Alaster, and instead took out a notebook and pencil. He instead began to draw.

    Alaster held no innate talent or skill for art, but as an Expert, he was able to put down the image of whatever he saw with relative ease. Alaster had learned that when he idly drew a rose in the dirt one day and found its amazing likeness. Since then, he had been drawing to pass the time.

    His notebook was filled with pencil drawings of various things. Trees, flowers, some magics as they were used by his Forgotten, there were even a few drawings of Monsters, both living and dead. None of them were particularly great, none of them were creative, but they did hold incredible likeness to the source. Alaster found that he did not hold the artistic creativity to draw what he had not seen before.

    His current project was drawing the Capital of Zolis as it came into view. Its majestic spires and banners gave the drawing its own sense of grace and power. Alaster merely captured the image he saw and put it down on the paper.

    By the time it was finished, Alaster found himself before the great walls himself. Dozens of soldiers were before the gates, both in ceremonial dress for AlasterˇŻs arrival, while others wore more practical armor. Alaster sensed over a hundred more atop the walls, going about their usual patrols and maintenance.

    From a Shadow, Alaster noticed that one of the numerous ballistae atop the wall was having an issue turning itˇŻs designed one hundred eighty degrees horizontally. A crew of four engineers were pouring over every single detail of the weapon, trying to diagnose the problem and how to fix it. Alaster found that one of the gears had come slightly loose, causing it to slip its track at a slight angle. The engineers would first have to turn the ballista until the gear slipped back into position, before they tightened or replaced it.

    Another crew of engineers were bringing over a cart filled with test ballista bolts on one of the four separate tracks on the wall, meant to easily transport parts or ammunition. Of course, the test bolts were still thick sharpened logs that would be shot out at immense speeds and power, they simply wouldnˇŻt have the magical enchantments on them meant to truly cause destruction.

    The Noble Escort was bringing Alaster through a smaller side gate, meant only for official city business. This small gate was still plenty large enough for five horses to pass through with plenty of space, but still smaller than the massive civilian gates meant for five wagons to be pulled through.

    This gate led to a much smaller road that led directly to the Castle. There were only a few roads that connected to this one, but each one led to a Guard Station, barracks, or armory. This was a road that was reserved for the military.

    It was a well-maintained road, despite the recent snow, there was none remaining on the road, even at the edges. Bright Mages lights lined the buildings on either side, leaving no dark spots. But none of this was surprising to Alaster. He had seen this road, and all others connected to it, many times through the eyes of his Shadows, as had Fenrir.

    The road was completely straight, leading from the castle to the city walls. That meant that the welcoming party of Nobles was seen from far off. Alaster spotted the numerous banners depicting the ˇ®honorableˇŻ Noble Houses. He recognized all of them, as Fenrir had studied them beforehand.

    Alaster added one last touch to his drawing of the Zolis Walls and put away his notebook, sitting up straight as he did so.

    The road widened into a large stone area, meant to serve as a staging point for any military actions, but today, it served as the meeting place between two national powers.

    The Noble Escort left Alaster, rejoining their individual Houses. As they did, the formation of his Forgotten widened out behind him.

    Nearly two hundred stood in a line, facing a mere twenty-five, yet it was not the few that felt apprehension.

    Silence reined. A slight gust of frostbitten wind blew through the courtyard, bringing with it a hint of snow.

    Alaster dismounted Nightmare, the sound of his armored boots scraping against the stone bouncing off the buildings.

    ˇ°I am Lord Ashborn, serving as delegate to the Independent Alliance, sent to establish relations with the Lissurian Kingdom.ˇ± His proud voice echoed through the courtyard.

    A man walked out of the middle of the Lissurian Nobility, dressed in fine clothes. He walked away from his guards and met Alaster in the middle of the courtyard, in between both lines of soldiers.

    The man had short hair and a carefully maintained beard, yet the whisper of age crept into it, shown in the greying hair and aged lines on his face. His hardened eyes and calloused hands revealed him to be a man who had seen many things, and done many things.

    The man offered his hand, ˇ°I am Duke Redmond, serving as the voice of the King of Lissura, here to welcome you, honored guest, to our home. I hope we can establish a strong friendship of mutual respect and gain.ˇ±

    Alaster studied the man as he took his hand. Shaking the hand of a man he wanted to disembowel.

 CHAPTER 204- RELIGION

    The Duke stepped to the side and waved at the massive sprawling castle, ˇ°Welcome to Lissura, Lord Ashborn. We have prepared a tour of the grounds. Light refreshments will be available afterwards, and we have prepared a ball for later this evening to welcome you properly. If you wish, we may discuss official business in private tomorrow afternoon?ˇ±

    Alaster put on his best fake smile, ˇ°That sounds wonderful. Though I am curious, who will be invited to the ball?ˇ±

    ˇ°It will be an open invite for anyone of Noble Blood, in addition to a plus one. That might sound like a large gathering, and it would be, if they all came. We expect the participants to be larger than usual, due to your presence and their curiosity, but I doubt there will be more than three hundred people.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, ˇ°So what will you be showing me first?ˇ±

    ˇ°Might as well start here! One of my aids will take over for me in a little bit as I could not completely clear my schedule for the day. But for now, I will be your guide.

    Currently we are standing in the Julian Parade Grounds, named after General Julian who led Lissurian forces to defend the city of Krilla against barbarian invaders nearly five hundred years ago.

    Now, it is used for the City Guard to practice drills or form up for announcements or marching out.ˇ±

    Duke Redmond began leading Alaster through the gates, into the Royal Castle grounds, but stopped himself.

    ˇ°Oh, I apologize, but if your men need to rest, we have reserved a small barracks where they can stay during your stay here. It also has its own stable. Of course, it is near to your own suite.ˇ±

    ˇ°My men thank you.ˇ± Alaster said with a slight bow.

    The Duke waved over a servant and order the man to lead the hooded Forgotten away. Of course, to retain an image, Alaster had four of them stay with him. The mounts of the four were taken away by the others.

    Duke Redmond then went on to escort Alaster through the castle grounds, followed closely by most of the present Nobles. Some others walked away, their curiosity either sated or they had other matters to attend to.

    While none of what the Duke was anything most other Nobles would really pay attention to, as they did not need to care, Alaster paid close attention to everything. There was still much that remained unknown to him. Every bit of information was a blessing, and if his enemy was willing to give him that blessing, he would take it.

    However, while the Duke spoke, Alaster began to periodically release Shadow Assassins. The magical defenses preventing his Shadows to enter the castle were largely focused on the exterior. While there were still many places within the castle that had defenses, Alaster still hoped to covered most of the area with his spies.

    He attempted to attach a Shadow to the DukeˇŻs own, but something prevented it, the Shadow bounced off, almost alerting one of the other Nobles. Alaster suspected that the Duke had an enchanted item that prevented it, but it was not as if he could merely ask the man.

    Half an hour later, Duke Redmond was explaining the history of a large statue in an interior courtyard when Alaster felt a multitude of his Shadows erased from existence. He became alert and tense, though he expertly hid it behind the cool smile that the Duke had begun to connect with ˇ®Lord AshbornˇŻ.

    A few minutes passed without any thing happening. Alaster droned out the DukeˇŻs speech, intently searching for any threat, but found none. That is, until he felt his insides twist and spasm in agony. But it was not just Alaster that was impacted. The air seemed to glow and grow lighter.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Duke Redmond stopped mid-sentence and turned in the direction of the source, ˇ°Sir Castiel, what a pleasure.ˇ±

    Even as inexperienced as Alaster was at the political game, he could tell that the smile on the DukeˇŻs face was tense.

    Alaster took a deep breath, even as his body continued to revolt, and turned to the newcomer.

    Sir Castiel brushed his blonde hair back with one hand as he spoke, ˇ°I see the diplomat from the new Independent Alliance has arrived.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn, at your service.ˇ± Alaster introduced himself with a small courteous bow.

    ˇ°I am Sir Castiel, the Saint and messenger sent from the Gods to aid the glorious Lissurian Kingdom in the coming dark days.ˇ± The man said, bowing deeply with his arms swung out to the side.

    ˇ°The Gods?ˇ± Alaster snickered, ˇ°Pardon me, but it is my understanding that the Gods have not spoken to any of their Followers for the last decade or more. It is also my understanding that the Gods have never before worked together, at least not all of them. So forgive me, but what Gods exactly do you serve as a messenger for?ˇ± Alaster said with a tilted head and raised eyebrow.

    The guards and Nobles stood, stunned that someone would dare question the Saint. The smile on the DukeˇŻs face turned genuine and full of humor, especially as the smile on Sir CastielˇŻs face grew tight.

    ˇ°Nothing to forgive. All you have said is true. However, never before has the world faced such a threat. The Gods had deemed it necessary to put aside their quarrels to face this threat as a unified force.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what is this threat? This threat they have apparently decided important enough to work together, but not important enough to inform their own followers?ˇ±

    ˇ°They have not deigned to inform me. Perhaps it is not the right time?ˇ±

    ˇ°So without informing their own followers, they have sent you to aid the Kingdom of Lissura? Yet while I traveled to this capital of Zolis, I encountered the makings of a Monster Horde. I fought. My men fought. The Soldiers of this Kingdom fought. Yet I did not see you there. For someone who claims to be here to protect, you did not seem to care much for the innocent men, women, and children, that were torn apart by monsters.ˇ±

    The stunned silence became crushing. It was already unbelievable to question the Saint, but to accuse him? It was unthinkable. Even the Duke had not dared to do so. His cousin, the King, had welcomed the Saint, so the Duke had to as well. But here was a man who held no oath to the King. Here was a man who questioned the Saint.

    ˇ°I understand your worries, and I feel for their pain. I pray for them. But I am not here to combat Monsters. If the Gods had sent the Monsters, there is a reason, and as mortals, we have no right to question them.ˇ±

    ˇ°To question is to know. If you do not question your Gods, how can you possibly claim to know them?ˇ±

    ˇ°I do not such to know them, only that I humbly serve them. Do you not?ˇ± Sir Castiel questioned pointedly.

    The worship of the Gods was bound to the very fabric of society. To not worship the Gods was to practice heresy.

    ˇ°I worship not one God, but I do believe in their cause to protect this world. When I was a young boy, my family were devote followers. But as I learned more about the Gods, I realized that they were just as us. Powerful beyond understanding, but not all knowing. Not perfect.ˇ±

    The smile on Sir CastielˇŻs face withered and died, ˇ°What you speak of is blasphemy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps, but tell me, as someone who serves as the GodsˇŻ messenger, you certainly know them better than I. If they were all perfect, then why do they bicker and fight amongst each other? If they are all knowing, then how can they consistently keep secrets from each other? If they are all powerful, then why do they allow such death and misery while spouting life and love?

    If you can not answer that, then you are no more worthy to serve them than I.ˇ±

    ˇ°It is not my place to question them.ˇ± Sir Castiel firmly stated.

    ˇ°And so we have returned to the prior topic, that of not knowing that whom you claim to serve. I do not claim to know everything about who I serve, but I do know their intentions and desires.ˇ±

    ˇ°I was led to believe that you serve no one, that you are as small and independent as the Alliance you represent.ˇ±

    The insult did not fall on deaf ears, merely on ears that did not care.

    ˇ°Every man serves someone, even if it just themselves. However, you have been misinformed, I am, in fact, bound to someone. Or perhaps, more accurately, to the promise I had made.ˇ±

    ˇ°And that promise would be?ˇ±

    Alaster felt as if everyone in the sunny and snowy courtyard was leaning in, hoping to hear.

    ˇ°Between me and them. Neither you, the King of Lissura, or even the Gods have the right to know.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not only do you disrespect the Gods, but now you disrespect the King?ˇ± Sir Castiel accused, feeling as if he had won.

    ˇ°Do you tell the King everything? Do you tell the King what color underwear you have? Do you tell the king what the Gods want, even if they ask you to keep it secret?

    Now I feel like our discussion is spinning around needlessly. I am sure your Gods have given you a task, so I will let you get back to it. I certainly wouldnˇŻt want to stand in the way of their ˇ®Chosen OneˇŻ.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 205- PREP WORK

    Alaster sat down in a chair in the common room. The rooms the Lissurians had given him for his stay were all grouped together. There were two rooms near the door where eight of his Forgotten could stay. Behind those rooms, there were four large and lavish bedrooms, a full bathroom tiled in polished marble, and a large common room.

    Each room was comfortable and well maintained. Suitable for an entourage of foreign diplomats.

    Two Forgotten stood guard outside the main door, with another two in the common room, to either side of the hallway from the Guard Rooms. Finally, four more Forgotten were imitating playing a card game in one of the Guard Rooms.

    Alaster sat in the chair, pretending to look over a few papers, but was truly examining the room. He wanted to ensure that there were no secrets or ways to spy. Alaster did not know much about Enchanting, there was simply too much to know and not enough time. But he did not need to know.

    Sedall was paying attention as Alaster scoured the rooms with his Mana. Sedall also did not know much about Enchanting, but he did know enough to be able to figure out its general purpose and disable it.

    Belgroth remained uncharacteristically quiet, but Alaster decided to leave it be. He had enough to worry about. If the Ancient Demon wished to speak, he would. He still spoke when spoken to, but he no longer freely gave his opinion. Something Sedall was concerned about as the Demon was very opinionated.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was in fact just twenty minutes, Alaster finished his scan and found nothing that could be used to spy on the events in the rooms. Sedall bid farewell to Alaster and said that he would be busy meditating in his true body.

    After all, Sedall was only in AlasterˇŻs mind as a guest, granted access by the Ring Alaster wore. But Sedall still lived, trapped, somewhere. And as more time passed, Sedall found himself more and more anxious. Which did not surprise Alaster.

    Sedall might be a Demigod, but someone he thought was his only friend had instead been the one to trap him in his prison for the last several centuries. The last time the two had spoken, Evros had told Sedall to build his strength as it would soon be needed. Sedall decided to take the elderˇŻs advice, though the intended target was different.

    With both of the beings in his mind busy with something else, Alaster found himself alone, something that had grown increasingly rare. He decided to take a moment to relish it before he returned to work.

    Alaster had always been a quite person, even as a kid. He enjoyed his time alone just as much as he did with his friends. When he had been forced to flee, he had spent so many years completely alone. His Undead certainly did not count.

    Alaster closed his eyes and laid his head against the back of the cushy chair, deeply sighing. As he did so, the Forgotten in the Guard Room stopped their card game. They understood the game and its intentions, they even had the free will to play it, but as Undead they did not have the desire to do so.

    Alaster might be relaxing, but his Minions were not. Within the Castle, his Shadow Assassins continued to spread, something that was very difficult to do as there were many locations they could not reach, and there was a large section of Castle that they could not even approach. A section that moved.

    Alaster sighed for another reason. He had hoped to not meet Sir Castiel so soon after his arrival. He had wanted more time to learn the situation. Instead, he had been forced to play off the reactions of the Nobility around him, paying most attention to the DukeˇŻs reactions.

    Duke Redmond did not like the Saint. That much was obvious. What was not obvious, was the reason.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Alaster wished to get in the DukeˇŻs good graces, at least as Lord Ashborn. Doing so would allow him much greater access to the Duke and his secrets, even if he still wished to keep them hidden.

    Luckily, ColiusˇŻ Ring had done its job well. Alaster was not sure what to call the Ring, but it had worked to conceal his Mana Signature from the Saint, even if it did nothing to protect him against the SaintˇŻs mere aura.

    With even more luck, Alaster was correct in thinking that the SaintˇŻs Aura could not do any actual damage to him as he was still flesh and blood. It had only harmed Fenrir to such an extent due to his entire body being created through Necrotic Mana.

    The Forgotten were able to operate normally because their bodies were technically created out of Mana Crystals. Alaster did not know the specifics of how it all worked. And he did not care. All he cared about was that it did work. However, while they could still function in close proximity to the Saint, if they touched him, Alaster suspected that they would disintegrate.

    In this rare moment of peace and quiet, Alaster attempted to peer into the mind of Fenrir. The two might share the same soul, but not the same mind. Alaster knew that Fenrir was keeping something a secret, but he could not figure out what. Today was no different.

    Sighing in annoyance, Alaster sat straight. It was time to get to work.

    His Shadow Assassins were perhaps the most versatile, but they were also quite weak, they were also incapable of sneaking into secure places. Something the Royal Castle was full of. As of yet, despite being able to see it, not a single one of his Shadows had managed to get within a mile of the Inner Castle.

    Alaster needed a Minion that would be capable of getting past the Enchantments and Wards. Studying the defenses through the eyes of his Shadows, and with the help of Sedall and Belgroth, Alaster had figured out a way to get a Minion through, even if he couldnˇŻt get through himself.

    For a while now, Alaster had been casually working on the design, so Alaster got right to work constructing it.

    Duke Redmond had already told him that there would be a feast later that evening, so Alaster had a few hours to get the Mana Weave prepared, though not enough time to build the body.

    Though as Alaster prepared to begin, he wondered if he should be working on this new Minion at the moment. He could make good progress on the new Minion before the feast, or he could upgrade one of his current Minions.

    Now that Alaster had personally experienced the Aura of the Saint, he was confident he could modify the Mana Weave of his Minions to resist it, at least until a few Meters away. Unfortunately, the Shadow Assassins would not be as resilient. Their Shadow form was much more vulnerable to the Aura than their physical form.

    However, the modification would take some time. Alaster would not be able to make the change all at once. Instead he would have to make the modification to each Minion Weave individually.

    Nodding to himself, Alaster put away the Weave for the new Minion, that he had already begun working on, and examined the numerous Mana Weaves attached to his Soul. He had grown so powerful and proficient in Necrotic Mana that none of the Weaves were limited by the number of Minions they could maintain at the same time.

    Alaster studied each Weave within his own soul, trying to figure out which one would be best for the first modification. As he studied them, he found many faults in each Weave. Faults that were not critical, but now that he was more skilled in Weaving, he knew he could fix, increasing the effectiveness of the Weave and therefore the Minion.

    Eventually, he would fix both the faults and include the modification for all of his Minions. It was just a matter of priority.

    After a moment, Alaster decided that it was only right to modify and upgrade his first Woven Minion. Alaster focused on the Mana Weave of the Dread Knight. He almost cringed at how crude it was.

    The Weave itself was powerful, but was so crude that much of that power was wasted. The KnightˇŻs armor was spiked and dark, yet sleek. Its strength was powerful for Adepts, but its speed was frightening for most.

    Out of all AlasterˇŻs Minions, the Dread Knight was perhaps the most simple minded and inflexible. They were designed to be. Alaster had designed them with the idea of pointing to an enemy and telling the Dread Knight that he did not want to see that enemy again.

    However, it was due to its simple mind that more power could be used to increase its abilities. Specifically, its ability to absorb the blood around it to strengthen itself.

    A weapon that grew stronger as it fought.

    However, now that Alaster had allies, or times when he could not just attack everyone blindly, the berserk power of the Dread Knight was too wild.

    Alaster got to work, not to tame the Dread Knight, but to hone it. The Dread Knight had to be able to discern friend from foe. But Alaster had designed the Dread Knight for a reason, a reason he wished to keep.

    The Dread Knight was designed to rampage.

    And soon, it would once more.

 CHAPTER 206- HIDDEN REUNION

    Polished marble reflected the light from fiery torches and Mage Lights that hung from the walls, ceiling, and columns. On either side of the massive Ballroom, elegant stairs led up to two levels of balconies that overlooked the dance floor and offered comfortable chairs, couches, and tables with refreshments.

    At the far end of the graceful Ballroom, a majestic and grandiose stairway, with a size to equal its beauty, led deeper into the Castle, into the section that housed the Duke and his family. However, the majority of the guests came through the massive double gates of beautiful ebony wood, in which were carved beautiful carvings of angels.

    Seated on a small balcony above the DukeˇŻs doors, a small orchestra played their graceful music, their instruments enchanted to give the impression of a much larger orchestra playing. Their music flowed down from their raised position, sailing down to the masses below, making it appear as if the music came from the heavens itself.

    Alaster had already long since grown bored of the boorish Nobility that had surrounded him since his arrival. He had arrived right on time, hoping to impress the Duke, or at least not offend him. For the last two hours, he had been subjected to the meaningless words of the Low Nobility. Entire speeches made that really only said one thing.

    Such wasted time. Such pointless flaunts. Such meaningless compliments. Such useless people.

    Alaster had to repeat one of AzemarˇŻs lessons in his head in order to refrain himself from strangling them.

    ˇ®Patience even in the face of ignorance.ˇŻ

    Over and over, Alaster ran this thought through his mind, hoping that it would have some effect.

    It did not help that each one of the Low Nobles that surrounded him all wanted something from him. A diplomat from a new Alliance meant new opportunities. Opportunities that could greatly benefit their small Houses.

    At this stage, they were all attempting to sugarcoat him. Attempting to catch him in their sweet web with compliments and promised favors. Only later would they offer deals and contracts. Only when they felt that this new Lord could provide him with that which they desired, would they attempt to claw their ways in.

    Alaster knew this. It irritated him. Yet as much as he wished, he kept his halberd clean and his Mana untouched. Even if their faces, coated in beautiful makeups and magics, looked very punch able.

    AlasterˇŻs Forgotten guard, four of them, remained along the walls, serving to reinforce the general security of the Ballroom, but their focus on their Lord. Though none knew the extent of that. They wore dark purple cloaks in addition to their usual armor and gear. Each one held a large heater shield bearing AlasterˇŻs Emblem and a longsword sheathed at their hip.

    AlasterˇŻs many Shadow Assassins already surveilled every inch of the Ballroom, leaving not one act unseen. Unfortunately, the third floor balconies seemed to be reserved for those wishing to do just that. Alaster would have thought that Nobles of all people would have the grace to leave suchˇ­close relations, when they werenˇŻt at a party full of their peers inside the Royal Castle.

    In an attempt to smile genuinely at one of the NoblesˇŻ jokes, Alaster imagined what their carefully maintained faces would look like if he blasted it with a Necrotic Bolt.

    How amusing would it be to see the flesh melt off their faces?

    How pleasant would the sound of their bones breaking make?

    Imagining all the gruesome and painful ways he could kill them make the party almost manageable. Had the Saint attended, it would make it unbearable, as his own body rebelled at his mere presence. Alaster still found himself grinding his teeth.

    That is, until his Shadows alert him to the large ebony doors atop the stairs opening. As it did, the music changed slightly to a more regal tune. EveryoneˇŻs attention focused on the figures who entered the Ballroom.

    ˇ°Duke and Duchess Redmond!ˇ± A servant loudly proclaimed, announcing them. Not that anyone was not paying attention.

    The Duke, dressed in a dark red suit held the hand of his wife, dressed in a matching dress, began to descend the stairs. Alaster had to admit that the Duchess was a beautiful woman, something that was made only more apparent by the dress she wore. Her dark red dress contrasted well with her bright blonde hair.

    Everyone bowed or curtsied as they reached the floor. Everyone that is, except Alaster. As a foreign dignitary, it was not required, but it was expected that he would do at least a small bow. He did neither, and it did not go unnoticed.

    ˇ°Son of the Duke, Lord Luke, and Lady Evelyn.ˇ±

    The world dropped away, all but the young woman standing atop the stairs.

    AlasterˇŻs heart raced.

    His head pounded.

    His breath came short and shallow.

    Darkness hugged the edges of his vision.

    The people around him felt like they werenˇŻt real, like they were just illusions.

    Was it real? Any of it? Was this all just some dream? Or perhaps nightmare?

    ˇ®Get a grip Alaster.ˇŻ Came the gentle but firm voice of Belgroth.

    That simple sentence, those blunt words, were enough to jostle Alaster out of his trance. By now, the music was already playing normally and everyone had continued to their conversations.

    Alaster shook his head clear of the fog and turned back to the stairs, finding them empty. Feeling his heart begin to speed up again, he frantically peered through the eyes of one of his Shadows to find her. He did so easily, causing his heart to calm once more.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn? Are you alright?ˇ±

    Alaster turned to the voice. It seemed that the Low Nobility had continued to talk to him and one of them had noticed that he was not paying attention.

    Blinking rapidly and taking a calming breath, Alaster responded, ˇ°Apologizes, I was caught up in thought. Please excuse me, I must speak with the Duke for a moment.ˇ±

    If they were offended, they hid it well, ˇ°Of course, of course.ˇ±

    Nodding politely, Alaster quickly turned away and made his way to the Duke. Weaving through the crowd that only grew more crowded the closer he got. However, none dared to get in his way. Not only did he tower over most of them and moved with purpose, but he was also here on a diplomatic mission from a newly formed Nation.

    They were still not quite sure how to handle him or the Alliance he represented.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ˇ°Your Highness?ˇ±

    The Duke paused his conversation with one of the Nobles in charge of the Trade with the Gilaen Empire and turned to the voice, ˇ°Ah, Lord Ashborn, I trust you are enjoying the party?ˇ±

    Alaster politely smiled, ˇ°I am trying to, your grace. I have never been a fan of large gatherings. I find that a smaller gathering of close friends tends to hold more meaning. Though I do find the appeal behind events such as this. However, I actually hoped to speak to you about a more private matter.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course, follow me,ˇ± He turned to the crowd of Lords and Ladies that flocked around him, ˇ°Apologizes, but duty calls.ˇ±

    These Nobles were much less skilled at hiding their dissatisfaction than the ones who had crowded Alaster, or perhaps they merely held a stronger foundation that allowed them to be more honest. Either way, Alaster did not care.

    The Duke led him to a small side room, apparently prepared for just such impromptu meetings. It was quite small, and only had two chairs and a small table between them. Duke Redmond sat down in one and motioned to the other, but Alaster politely declined.

    ˇ°This wonˇŻt take long. I was just hoping to know of your stance on this so called ˇ®SaintˇŻ.ˇ± Alaster wished to ask about his sister, but now was not the time.

    Not yet.

    The Duke sighed and leaned back in his chair, ˇ°IˇŻm sure you saw my stance on him earlier today. I am skilled in hiding my emotions, but not that skilled.

    I find him to be an arrogant man who presumes authority.

    He claims to be a messenger of the Gods, yet provides no evidence of that. In fact, the Gods have been silent for many years.ˇ±

    ˇ°Please donˇŻt play coy with my, your Highness. You and I both know why they are quiet.ˇ±

    The Duke raised a curious eyebrow, ˇ°Do we?ˇ±

    ˇ°Their war.ˇ±

    The Duke smirked, ˇ°Yes. One of the many secrets we of power hold to protect the masses.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sir, please donˇŻt treat me like that. We hold such secrets to maintain control. We can sugarcoat it however we wish, but that is the truth.ˇ±

    The Duke sighed, ˇ°Perhaps. If there was some way we could assist the Gods, then I would gladly reveal this secret. But there is not, so instead we keep it secret to avoid pointless contention and violence.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Gods donˇŻt deserve our aid. They are the ones who caused this war, let them suffer the consequences of their own actions.ˇ± Alaster grunted.

    ˇ°Many would consider that heresy.ˇ±

    ˇ°And many arenˇŻt worth the air they breathe. Back to the Saint however. He is no messenger, at least not one operating under their commands. What do you know of his intentions.ˇ±

    Duke Redmond stared at the man before him. A man he had only met earlier that same day. How much did he wish to tell him? How much could he trust him?

    The Duke sighed and slouched forward, he did not have many allies and needed as many as he could get, ˇ°I cannot prove it, but I believe he is the one behind the growing conflict between the so called ˇ®DarkˇŻ and ˇ®LightˇŻ Magics. As to his reasoning, I do not know.ˇ±

    Alaster scratched his neck, ˇ°Yeah, thatˇŻs what I thought. What are you doing to combat this spread?ˇ±

    ˇ°What everyone expects me to do. Send investigators to any acts of violence and hope they somehow find evidence of the SaintˇŻs involvement. Only then could I officially object to the Saint, who has the KingˇŻs welcome.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt like him, and his philosophy is dangerous enough to spread. So I will help you. Tomorrow, when we officially meet, lets also include this matter.ˇ±

    ˇ°I agree. We should return to the celebration; however, else people might assume something is wrong.ˇ±

    The Duke stood up and together, the two left the room, nodding to the two guards stationed at the door. However, before they could separate, the DukeˇŻs son walked up to them, with her on his arm.

    ˇ°Is everything alright Father?ˇ± Luke asked.

    ˇ°Oh yeah, everything is fine. Just a quick discussion. You havenˇŻt been formally introduced, Luke, this is Lord Ashborn, representative of the newly formed Independent Alliance of Onigas and Galmore.

    Lord Ashborn, this is my son, Luke. The beautiful young lady on his arm is Lady Evelyn.ˇ±

    His throat tightened, but he made sure to keep his voice level and calm, ˇ°And, if I may, what is the connection between the two of you?ˇ± Alaster asked the young man.

    Awkwardly, Luke rubbed the back of his head, ˇ°Uhhhˇ­ˇ±

    Shaking her head with a slight smile, Evelyn interrupted, ˇ°The Duke was kind enough to sponsor me through my schooling here at the Royal Academy.ˇ±

    Alaster noticed that the music had chanced, from simple but elegant background music to graceful dancing music.

    Bowing at the hip, Alaster extended his arm, ˇ°May I have this first dance, MˇŻlady?ˇ±

    Confused, and uncertain, Evelyn looked up at the Duke, who merely nodded.

    Luke allowed her to remove her hand from his arm. She placed it in AlasterˇŻs own.

    ˇ°IˇŻd be delighted Lord Ashborn.ˇ±

    Together, the two gracefully walked out to the middle of the floor, where a few couples were already dancing. It was a simple and easy dance, meant for the couples to converse more or less in private while remaining in the public eye. Many people used the dance to pit prospective partners together. Though others used it to discuss business ideas with their peers.

    Both Evelyn and Alaster had been thoroughly trained in this dance and it came easily to them.

    ˇ°So how are you enjoying your life here in the Capital?ˇ± Alaster asked casually, despite his entire attention being on her response.

    ˇ°Quite well. I have many friends, good teachers, a good room all to myself. I never have to worry about food or the cold. ItˇŻs a good life.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your studies are going well?ˇ±

    Evelyn smiled with pride, ˇ°I am top of my class.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled his rare genuine smile, ˇ°IˇŻm glad.ˇ± The smile turned false, ˇ°Your family must be proud.ˇ±

    EvelynˇŻs own smile turned strained, ˇ°I like to think so.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, the night of my tenth birthday they sent me away. By the time I woke up, I was already in the Capital, in the very same bedroom I sleep in now. They didnˇŻt even say goodbye. I know they loved me and just wanted what was best for me here in the Royal Academy, but it still hurts they didnˇŻt even say goodbye.ˇ±

    ˇ°Have you ever thought about returning to them?ˇ±

    She sadly shook her head, ˇ°I did once, but its too late now.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just a few years ago, a plague swept through my home village of Pinefall. My entire family succumbed to it.ˇ±

    Alaster felt his body tense with rage, though he remained careful not to let it affect him in any detectable way.

    ˇ°IˇŻm sorry for your loss.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you. Now, there is no reason for me to return to Pinefall. I would be a stranger to everyone there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Could you not visit their graves?ˇ±

    She smiles bittersweetly, ˇ°To avoid continued spread, the bodies were all burned. There was nothing to bury, and with no remaining family, there were not even headstones.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lets switch to a lighter topic shall we?ˇ± Alaster said with a warm smile.

    ˇ°It is a party after all.ˇ± Evelyn welcomed.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on between you and the little Dukeling?ˇ± Alaster said bluntly.

    EvelynˇŻs entire face turned red, almost stumbling as they slowly spun to the music, ˇ°Wow, you just came right out and said it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt say anything.ˇ± Alaster replied with a teasing smile.

    ˇ°We are friends.ˇ± She said defensively, ˇ°Maybe.ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, we are more than friends, but not quite to that stage. IˇŻm sure everyone else already knows, but we are unofficially engaged.ˇ±

    Alaster felt his heart pulse, ˇ°Engaged?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, weˇŻve been friends since I came here, and we do care for each other. The Duke is happy to support it, but he also gave me a year to think about it before it became official and even then, I could still change my mind.ˇ±

    ˇ°A good man.ˇ± Alaster lied.

    ˇ°Yes, he is. He has always been kind and supportive. Stern when he needed to be, but kind. Now, you asked me, so now I get to ask you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ask me what?ˇ± Alaster looked down at Evelyn.

    ˇ°Are you involved with anyone?ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, opening his mouth to say no, but then the image of a certain woman came to mind. Lunaria. He knew he liked her, but did he like her in that way? Alaster hesitated, consumed by his thoughts as he absently guided Evelyn through the dance floor. Eventually, he realized that it would not even be a discussion if he did not.

    ˇ°ˇ­I, N, Its complicated.ˇ± Alaster staggered out.

    ˇ°How can it be complicated?ˇ±

    ˇ°She has a complicated life, I have an extremely complicated life and before anything could actually be done aboutˇ­us, I had to leave to come here.

    Perhaps we will be able to explore what is between us at a later date, but I do not know.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs too bad. Love should always be explored!ˇ± Evelyn beamed.

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Ah, the naivety of a child.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not a child!ˇ± Evelyn protested with full cheeks.

    In that moment, Alaster saw the small girl who had regularly chased him through the forest around their village home. Clad in a plain dress that had seen better days. Bare feet skipping along the grass with a dirty face as she showed him a flower she had picked.

    Now, a beautiful young woman stood before him with elegant braids in her hair, an elegant blue dress, and light makeup.

    ˇ°How old are you then?ˇ± Alaster asked, knowing the answer.

    ˇ°Fifteen, IˇŻll be turning sixteen this spring.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, apologizes my fair lady. I had no idea I was in the presence of one who had seen so much.ˇ± Alaster joked.

    Alaster expected she would either laugh with him or playfully pout, but instead she just stared at him strangely for a moment.

    ˇ°Do I know you? You seem strangely familiar to me.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled warmly, and as the music came to an end, the crowd lightly applauded the musicians and dancers.

    He leaned in close to her ear, ˇ°You remind me so much of your mother.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 207- UNKNOWN RECONNECTION

    Evelyn stepped back, her eyes wide, ˇ°What? You knew my mother?ˇ±

    Alaster nodded with a smirk, ˇ°And your father.ˇ±

    Evelyn narrowed her eyes in suspicion, ˇ°How?ˇ±

    ˇ°Long ago, your parents did something for me of such importance that I swore that I would protect them. I had been around your family for many years. I was even there, waiting with your father, when your mother gave birth to you.ˇ±

    Everything Alaster said was the truth. He had known he wouldnˇŻt be able to lie to her, so he had prepared to misdirect her and everyone else.

    The Duke and his son, noticing that something was wrong, walked forward.

    ˇ°Is everything alright?ˇ± Luke asked, casting accusing glares at Alaster.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn was just telling me that he knew my parents.ˇ± Evelyn explained.

    The DukeˇŻs eyes widened slightly, the grip on his champaign tightening slightly, but his voice remained steady, ˇ°How so?ˇ±

    Evelyn opened her mouth to answer, but Alaster beat her to it, ˇ°I owe her parents a debt. I held the family dear to me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Their passing must have been hard for you.ˇ± The Duke said solemnly.

    ˇ°More than you will ever know.ˇ± Alaster said, memories briefly overwhelming him as an animalistic growl wormed its way into his words.

    ˇ°I was away at the time,ˇ± Alaster continued, ˇ°By the time I returned, it was too late. I have spent the last several years trying to locate their daughter.ˇ± Alaster said to Evelyn.

    ˇ°So, you came here just for her?ˇ± Luke asked, still defensive.

    Duke Redmond was just as curious, though for different reasons.

    Alaster looked around him dramatically, ˇ°If I had showed up in front of the Castle Gates saying any of this, your guards would have arrest me. Or at least, they would have tried. This way, I get invited in, and can protect her while also doing some good for the people who have treated me well.ˇ±

    ˇ°She is under protection of the Duke of Lissura. There isnˇŻt anywhere else she would be better protected.ˇ± Luke proudly stated.

    Alaster leaned in, ˇ°Little duke, I know you and her regularly go out Monster Hunting, as you should, but the Duke only has two dozen of his agents watching over you and her. Of those two dozen, only three are Experts, and none are geared or trained for direct conflict.

    I learned all that in less than two days, without an established network. I have under my direct command over twenty battle hardened Experts and over forty, just as experienced, Adepts. Had I desired, I could have wiped out your entire escort, and taken or killed your entire party before any reinforcements could arrive from Zolis.

    So no, your protection is not enough.ˇ±

    LukeˇŻs face turned red but the DukeˇŻs was one of curiosity and intrigue.

    ˇ°So then why didnˇŻt you?ˇ± The Duke asked.

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why didnˇŻt you just take her away?ˇ±

    ˇ°I actually considered it. I really did. But then I saw how she interacted with the rest of her party. Evelyn enjoys being here. I promised her father that I would protect his family. I failed once, I wonˇŻt again. So as long as she desires to remain, I will ensure that she can.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about your duties as the delegate sent by the Independent Alliance?ˇ± Luke asked, calming down.

    ˇ°My oath to her family came before my oath to the Alliance. I will do my best to uphold both, but Lady Evelyn will came first. The Alliance knows this and they respect it. Which is why I do not speak for them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    They have informed me of their wishes, so tomorrow, when Duke Redmond and I sit down to discuss these matters, I will relay these wishes, do the beginning work of diplomacy, and relay what happens to the Alliance.

    If things go well, then the Alliance will send their official Diplomats.ˇ±

    ˇ°So the Alliance didnˇŻt even send their own people? Many would say that was dishonest.ˇ± Luke smirked, feeling as if he had gotten a leg up on the Lord.

    ˇ°Exactly right boy.ˇ± Alaster chuckled, ˇ°It is, but thatˇŻs the entire point. The Alliance is a newly formed faction on the global scale. The not so important Independent Cities are suddenly a global power. Most of the other Nations would want nothing more than to remove another factor before it became a problem.

    The Alliance figured that since I was not one of their own, I could come and figure out which one the Kingdom of Lissura was. If I was taken advantage of, or disappeared, they would know.ˇ±

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt that be easier to accomplish if we didnˇŻt know that was your purpose?ˇ± Luke chuckled.

    Alaster stared down at the boy, ˇ°Now that I have located Evelyn and identified her circumstances, if I find that the person who has cared for her all these years has malicious intentions against a faction who has done nothing against him, she would wake up in a strange place one morning and he would not wake up at all.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are threatening my father?ˇ± Fire filled his voice as he spoke.

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ°Merely a warning.ˇ±

    ˇ°How dar-ˇ±

    Luke was interrupted by the deep belly laughter of his father.

    Luke looked at him like he was insane and Evelyn merely sighed.

    ˇ°You know Lord Ashborn, its been a long time since I met someone as fun as you. Sir, I believe you and I can do business. I shall look forward to our meeting tomorrow. Do enjoy the party, Lord Ashborn, but I must be going. I promised my wife that I would make a showing at the new ˇ®Golden DragonˇŻ play.

    Apparently its supposed to be a good play,ˇ± The Duke leaned in like he was telling a secret, ˇ°just between you and I; IˇŻve never really cared for plays.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Of course, go go. DonˇŻt want to piss off the missus.ˇ±

    The Duke smiled and raised his glass slightly before he drank what little there was left and walked away, leaving Luke and Evelyn with Alaster.

    ˇ°Sooo,ˇ± Evelyn started warily, ˇ°If you knew my parents so well, how come I never saw you?ˇ±

    The music changed once more and couples once again took to the dance floor.

    Alaster smiled slightly, ˇ°Perhaps we can have this conversation on the balcony?ˇ±

    Luke moved between the two, ˇ°I knew it, youˇŻre a creep!ˇ±

    ˇ°Luke, with all the respect granted as the son of the Duke, kindly shut up. As a friend of Evelyn, I have no issue talking in front of you, if she doesnˇŻt. But please donˇŻt push it.

    IˇŻm sure we can find a free table and a couple of chairs on the second balcony. If you would mˇŻlady?ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, IˇŻm curious. Lead the way Lord Ashborn.ˇ±

    Alaster began to walk away, seeing Evelyn and a hesitant Luke follow behind through his Seeker Sight.

    The four Forgotten in the Ballroom quietly followed behind at a distance. As Alaster reached the second balcony, they remained at the top of the stairs.

    Alaster located a small table with four chairs, and walked over, taking a seat.

    ˇ°Please, ask away. Keep in mind, there are some things I canˇŻt tell you. But what I can, I will.ˇ±

    Evelyn gracefully took a seat across from Alaster and Luke sat down next to her.

    After they were all situated, Alaster spoke, ˇ°So you asked me how you never saw me. You did, you saw me quite frequently.ˇ±

    ˇ°I feel like I would recognize you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You would if I told you my name.ˇ±

    ˇ°You want to tell me?ˇ±

    Alaster smiled coyly, ˇ°Maybe someday, but not today. Lord Ashborn will do just fine, Ash will also work. I donˇŻt really care. Unfortunately, I have more enemies than friends, so I would prefer to stay nameless.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why do you have so many enemies?ˇ± Luke asked.

    ˇ°Did you think power came without making enemies? The very idea of power creates enemies. My power was gained without harming anyone, I gained my power through exterminatingˇ­honestly a god-forsaken amount of Monsters. I have stood atop a mountain of monster corpses and looked out at a sea of Monsters.

    Yet despite how IˇŻve never harmed anyone who did not attack me first, I still have enemies, merely because I was could have possibly stood in their way and refused to join them.

    Power creates enemies, but without power, you have no way to protect yourself if someone decides to step on you or someone you love. So I grew in power, gaining enemies, becoming strong enough that most could not even hope to stand in my way.

    As I grew stronger, so to did the people who believed themselves to be my enemy.ˇ±

    ˇ°So then when will it stop?ˇ± Evelyn asked in little more than a whisper.

    ˇ°I guess until people understand not to mess with me or the people I care about.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are there many of those?ˇ±

    ˇ°Who?ˇ±

    ˇ°People you care about.ˇ±

    ˇ°When I first started, there was only one, now? Now there are a handful more.ˇ±

    Attempting to lighten the mood, Evelyn asked, ˇ°So whatˇŻs your favorite color?ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, not expecting a question like that, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry?ˇ±

    ˇ°Come on, everyone has a favorite color! If you know my family so well, maybe you even know mine?ˇ±

    Alaster smiled, ˇ°If nothing has changed since you were nine, your favorite color is light blue. As for mine, lets play a game, if you can correctly guess it, at any time, I will tell you my name, on the stipulation, that you do not even utter it under your breath.ˇ±

    Evelyn, always enjoying games, smiled as well, ˇ°Deal.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 208- SELF CONFLICT

    Dark clouds hung in the night sky, casting the world into darkness, threatening to add to the snowy tundra below. Harsh winds pierced through the meager layers of clothing and battered against the walls and shutters.

    Very few left the protections of their homes. Even the Guards were hesitant to leave their blazing braziers and small outposts. They huddled under their cloaks, wishing they had brought more than one.

    Yet the harsh weather had little effect on the large, cloaked figure.

    Fenrir was returning to the small, abandoned building he had claimed as his own. He had just left a meeting with the other self-proclaimed leaders of the slums. Under his supervision, they were able to work together to further improving the Slums.

    At the rate it was going, it wouldnˇŻt be right to continue calling it the slums in a few weeks. The roads were being cleaned, the walls scrubbed, roofs repaired, and even businesses springing up. All of these created jobs that Fenrir was willing to pay for with his vast fortune. He didnˇŻt really have any other use for the coin.

    Fenrir snuck into the building and climbed the stairs. The same building he had first met Michael and later Timothy. The wood creaked under his immense weight, but held together.

    Fenrir knew he needed to continue to refine his plans. If he was going to disable the defenses on the walls, he needed to be able to get someone inside to look at how the defenses worked. This proved difficult, but not impossible. The last attempt had revealed a flaw. A flaw that he could use to infiltrate and study the enchantments and mechanisms. He would then leave a Shadow Assassin there who could sabotage the defenses when needed.

    Fenrir opened the door to see the large map on the table and his Minions at the edges of the room, just as expected. What was not expected was the man seated at the far wall, casually looking at the map.

    ˇ°What are you doing here?ˇ± Fenrir growled, he did not like being surprised like this.

    Alaster looked up from the map, ˇ°We need to talk.ˇ±

    ˇ°About what?ˇ±

    Alaster stood up, ˇ°Oh, we arenˇŻt talking here.ˇ±

    Faster than Fenrir could react, Alaster appeared before him, his open hand gripping FenrirˇŻs face.

    The next moment, they were deep in the forest near Zolis.

    The momentum of AlasterˇŻs charge threw Fenrir back, skidding through the snow with ease before slamming into a tree trunk. Its massive five-foot-thick trunk proved sufficient to hold up against the impact, but it shattered around the area.

    Fenrir felt the armor on his back dent in from the impact, something that would fracture the spine of the average person and causing severe internal damage, but Fenrir did not have an organic body.

    His body immediately began to heal the damage, but it would be several minutes before his body recovered completely.

    ˇ°Get up.ˇ± Alaster commanded, standing in the middle of the clearing.

    Fenrir stood up, ˇ°What was that for?ˇ±

    ˇ°You kept secrets from me.ˇ± Alaster began walking towards his second body, ˇ°You kept Mike and Tom away from me. You kept Evelyn from me!ˇ±

    Alaster exploded forward, but Fenrir was ready.

    He parried AlasterˇŻs punch and stepped back from the retaliatory kick.

    Fenrir launched his own kick from the side, but instead of blocking or avoiding it, Alaster grabbed FenrirˇŻs shin and swung him around, slamming Fenrir into the same tree.

    Fenrir fell to the snow, slow to get up as his knee had critical damage. All of his healing capabilities focused on the joint. It would be repaired in moments.

    ˇ°I created you to serve as my second body. So I could be in two places at once. Not to make your own decisions. Not to keep things from me. Not to act on your own.ˇ± Alaster growled at the prone Fenrir, crouched down on his haunches.

    ˇ°I concealed them because you would have acted differently.ˇ± Fenrir grunted, ˇ°You let your emotions control you when it comes to Evelyn.ˇ±

    Fenrir rolled over to his side, staring back at Alaster as he leaned against the tree.

    ˇ°That is not your decision to make.ˇ±

    ˇ°But I made it, and you and I both know that it was the right decision. If you had known where to find Evelyn, without needing to infiltrate the Castle, you would have simply taken her, killing everyone who stood in your way. This would have not only created a war with Lissura, but also would have caused her to despise you.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    This way, you have a chance to learn more, while being near her, and figuring out every person who was a part of our parentsˇŻ death.ˇ±

    Alaster gripped FenrirˇŻs throat, lifting him up off the ground, ˇ°My parents, not yours.ˇ±

    Fenrir grabbed at the arm, trying to pry away his fingers and get away, but failing, ˇ°You and I share the same soul. Your family is my family. I didnˇŻt do anything against you. We both still have the same goals and intentions. I simply went about it differently than you would. And you canˇŻt blame me for that. You designed me like that. You made me to think differently from you.ˇ±

    Alaster slammed Fenrir into the tree once more before letting go. The repeated impacts had created a pocket that Fenrir slumped into.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre right. But things are different now. What do you have Mike and Tom doing?ˇ±

    Fenrir rolled his shoulders, feeling the cracked metal creaking, ˇ°I asked them to grow their strength as quickly as they could. With you and I monitoring her safety, I felt like they would be unneeded, at least right now. They are both capable combatants, but with the scales we are up against now, it would not be enough.

    I gave them both a bracelet that could light up when I needed them to return.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°Improving the slums so we have allies, and even possibly discovering the source of the prejudice. That however is a side goal. I am also studying the defenses of the city, figuring out how they work and how to disrupt them.

    With Lezrem forced to remain outside the city, if we needed him to attack, it would be pointless if the cityˇŻs defenses remained active.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, understanding FenrirˇŻs reasoning, as he knew he would. They shared the same soul, the same goals. They merely went about accomplishing it differently.

    ˇ°From now on, send Minions to do all of that. I know you have created your own personal elite squad of capable werewolf Undead. They are intelligent enough to avoid detection. Have them monitor the Slums and study the defenses.ˇ±

    ˇ°They are no where near as effective as I would be.ˇ±

    ˇ°They donˇŻt need to be. I will have my Death Knights also study the defenses, and by now, the Slums are largely self-governing, they just need the funds.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then what do you want me to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°I need you to create a third body. I will work on the soul split, but I wonˇŻt have the space to secretly create the physical body while I remain in the Castle.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you want it to be?ˇ± Fenrir asked as he pried himself out of the tree. The fight before had meant nothing more than stress relief. Alaster was frustrated that Fenrir had kept those secrets, but he understood why.

    ˇ°I need a body that specializes in stealth, infiltration, assassination, disguises, and sabotage.ˇ±

    ˇ°We have the Shadow Assassins to do that for us.ˇ± Fenrir pointed out.

    ˇ°Yes, but while they are effective, they are crude and simple minded. Simple detection wards are enough to hinder them. I need someone who can not just disable the wards and enchantments, but slip through without actually disabling them. I need someone who can prioritize targets. Someone who can fool others with deception. Someone who can eliminate targets and get away without being seen.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then what do you want the body to be?ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°A shapeshifter. Preferably a female one.ˇ±

    Fenrir froze, and looked up from his stretches, ˇ°Female? You do realize that we are guys right? Why do you want it to be a female?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because there will be some situations where shapeshifting could be detected, so they will need to infiltrate while in their natural form. Women are seen as less threatening to most. People let their guard down around women.

    And IˇŻll be honest, itˇŻs because I want to see if itˇŻs possible.ˇ±

    ˇ°And how will you mange its soul? We are men, if you put a male soul into a female body, the two will reject each other.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know that, but I think that if I can capture the soul of a Female Expert, I could implant a bit of my own soul into it, and make it work.ˇ±

    Fenrir sighed, ˇ°This seems like a lot of work for something we arenˇŻt even sure will work. Where will you even get a Female ExpertˇŻs Soul from?ˇ±

    ˇ°I heard rumors of a bandit party near the Julic Lake that are commanded by a Female Expert. I was thinking of sending Lezrem to destroy the group and capture the soul. Besides, we both know that Lezrem is more knowledgeable about Soul Magic.

    If he canˇŻt capture her soul, I doubt we would.ˇ±

    ˇ°I still think this is a waste of time, though I understand the reasoning. And gods this sounds wrong to ask, any preferences for the body?ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, it did indeed sound wrong, ˇ°Slim, but attractive. Slim so it can be quick and agile, but attractive so it can distract and lower guards. I donˇŻt really care about the hair, but black would probably be best.ˇ±

    Fenrir sighed louder than before and slumped down to the ground, ˇ°Let me guess, you are giving me this task because you donˇŻt want to be the one creating an anatomically correct body.ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°It certainly played a role. Ask Catherine and the other Death Knights for help if you need to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Putting aside how awkward that conversation and construction will be, making it a shapeshifter will be complicated. Even with me spending all my time on it, the creation will still be slow.

    Do you want built in weapons? A second form, like me?ˇ±

    ˇ°As a shapeshifter, it doesnˇŻt really need a second form, but perhaps give it built in daggers and blades on its arms like the Night Children.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Night Children? Damn its been a while since weˇŻve used those.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, I donˇŻt even think I still have any in my Soul Domain. A nice ability of this third body would be allowing it to turn into a bird so it can get to inaccessible locations or make a quick escape.ˇ±

    Fenrir thought for a moment, ˇ°Possible, but not certain. IˇŻll test it and let you know. How did you get out of the Castle undetected anyway?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Shadows. I left a few out in the city so I could get in and out. Speaking of which, it seems I have a visitor coming to my door.ˇ±

    Fenrir waved him away, ˇ°Go. Go back to your lavish suite with fine food and wine. Meanwhile, IˇŻll go back to my cold dark room.ˇ±

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ°You like the dark and the cold doesnˇŻt bother you.ˇ±

    Fenrir opened his mouth to retort, but Alaster had already vanished. Instead, he stood up and looked around. The tree creaked in the harsh winds and as it began to snow, the tree fell, crashing through the canopy and toppling to the snowy ground, sending up a cloud.

    Sighing, Fenrir mumbled into the cold and lonely night, ˇ°Rude.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 209- UNWELCOME GIFT

    Alaster reappeared in the suite of rooms allocated to him to the sound of someone politely knocking on his door.

    The eight Forgotten Experts that served as Lord AshbornˇŻs bodyguards lined either side of the hallway, ready to defend if needed.

    Alaster quickly brushed off his rich but modest clothes and sat down on the couch facing the door. Once he was situated, he nodded to the Forgotten. The one to the left of the door stepped forward and opened it, stepping to the side as it did.

    Standing outside, Alaster spotted a young girl, perhaps only fourteen. From her clothing, she was a servant girl. Alaster mentally commanded his Forgotten to keep the door open.

    Alaster stood up and walked to the door, ˇ°Hello there. What is the matter?ˇ±

    The girl shifted her weight from side to side, sneaking glancing around her at the empty hall.

    ˇ°Umm, uh, I was told to come here and see if you needed anything. Anything at all?ˇ±

    From the nervous, almost panicked, blush that consumed her face and the words she used, Alaster knew what she meant.

    Alaster enjoyed designing new things, testing his limits, despite the mood he had when he met Fenrir that night, he had left happy. His good mood died now, as if it had been beheaded.

    He sat on his haunches, getting to eye level with the girl, ˇ°Tell me girl, do you understand just what that means?ˇ±

    She nodded, ˇ°Yes, and I and prepared.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who told you to come here?ˇ± Alaster asked.

    Her shifting intensified, as did her glances. She grabbed her dress and began to kneed it.

    ˇ°Uh, I donˇŻt know. I was just told to.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is your name?ˇ±

    ˇ°Paige, mˇŻlord.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tell me the truth, the whole truth, and no harm will come to you or those you care about.ˇ±

    Alaster had meant to say that he would protect them. But with the heavily armed Forgotten standing behind him and the bloodlust that permeated the air around him, the young girl assumed it was a threat.

    ˇ°It was Lord Halligon!ˇ± She cried out, tears streaming down her face.

    Alaster gently took one of her hands in his, ˇ°Thank you little one. Now I need you to do something for me. I need you to run to the Duke as fast as you can, tell him that I, Lord Ashborn, sent you to deliver a message. Tell him its an emergency so that he listens. Then, I want you tell him the entire story. Who sent you, why, what they wanted you to do, all of it. Then I want you to tell him that I went to have a pleasant conversation with Lord Halligon.

    Can you do that for me?ˇ±

    Through tears, Paige nodded.

    ˇ°Good girl. Now run off. Be as quick as you can.ˇ±

    Paige immediately took off.

    Alaster stood up, watching the young girl speed around the corner of the hallway. He probably should have asked her where Lord Halligon was, but Alaster already knew that he lived within the Castle. And this late at night, he would likely be in his rooms, even if the Shadow Assassins couldnˇŻt get in the room.

    Alaster grabbed his cloak from beside the door, swinging onto his shoulders as he exited the room. Six of his Forgotten followed right behind, with the last two remaining inside the suite.

    The Resident rooms were in the same general area, so it was not a very long walk, but it was distant enough for Alaster to get a grip on his emotions. He should have been able to keep them under control the entire time, but since he had met Evelyn, knew she was ok, he had quickly noticed that his emotions seemed to be more vibrant.

    As if the chains weighing them down had loosened, not released them, but were not quite as heavy.

    By the time Alaster stood outside Lord HalligonˇŻs suite, he had reined in his emotions and put on the smile Azemar had drilled into him.

    Two guards wearing the LordˇŻs colors stood outside the door. They appeared tough, but Alaster could feel their relative strength. They would not be a problem.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn to see Lord Halligon.ˇ±

    ˇ°One moment mˇŻlord.ˇ± The guard on the right answered, tapping on a gym attached to his wrist.

    A moment later, the door opened to reveal a smartly dressed butler.

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn to see Lord Halligon.ˇ±

    The man nodded, ˇ°Yes, of course. He has been expecting you. Your guards will have to wait outside however.ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged it off, ˇ°No problem.ˇ±

    ˇ°Please come in.ˇ±

    Alaster walked in, politely handing his cloak to the butler before walking further into the suite.

    The suite itself was structured the same way his own suite was, though the decorations were much more personal. Due to the long hallway, Alaster was able to see the Lord immediately after entering.

    The sight that appeared was not an unexpected one, nor a welcome one.

    The Lord Halligon was sitting leisurely in the middle of the couch with a woman on either arm. Two more stood behind the couch, holding various refreshments and wines. Another two were lounging on the plush carpet at the manˇŻs feet. All the women were beautiful, and all wore something that could not possibly be labeled as clothing.

    Four guards in the LordˇŻs colors stood around the room and Alaster had no doubt there were a few more taking a break in their small barracks.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn! Welcome to my home. At least my home in the Capital, where I spend most of my time. Please come! Sit, drink, enjoy yourself. Or perhaps you had enough enjoyment for the night.ˇ± The man exclaimed with a drunken and playful voice that reminded Alaster of a toad.

    Alaster sat down in one of the chairs, keeping his attention on the flabby man. Lord Halligon had no doubt once been a powerful man with large muscles, and while the muscles largely remained, the power had long since been eroded away by excess. His short beard was neatly kept, yet somehow still contained bits of food.

    Within moments of sitting down, one of the women on the ground had sat down on his lap, laying against his chest and toying with his shirt. Yet AlasterˇŻs eyes never left its target.

    ˇ°Did you enjoy the gift I sent you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh yes, thank you. You see, its been a while since I have been able to suitably relieve my stress.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, stress can be a dreadful thing. ThatˇŻs why I strive to avoid it!ˇ± The man laughed.

    The women joined in with giggles, and Alaster fought to not roll his eyes. The girls were pretty, but from the void looks in their eyes and the absentminded way they moved and acted, there was little else.

    Before Alaster could speak, the front door opened once more and in walked a hurried Duke.

    ˇ°Duke Redmond! How wonderful to see you!ˇ± Lord Halligon exclaimed.

    The Duke politely nodded to the Lord, ignoring everything else, before he turned to Alaster, ˇ°Lord Ashborn, might I ask what you are doing here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well Duke Redmond, I take you received my messenger?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°And I take it that such acts are illegal?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. What of it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Pardon me maˇŻam,ˇ± Alaster gently stood up, setting the scantly clad woman in the chair.

    ˇ°Lord Halligon, truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to relieve my stress.ˇ±

    Wet gurgling filled the food as the four guards clenched at their throats and collapsed to the ground, staining the stone and carpet. The women cried out, but were ignored.

    The door to the barracks swung open and four more guards raced out in various states of dress, but an equal number of Shadow Assassins materialled around them, ending their lives before they could even comprehend how they had died.

    Alaster ignored the cries and stepped forward, a small dagger appearing in his hand. Lord Halligon, slowed and weakened by the drink, was unable to fight off the two Shadow Assassins that held him down.

    Alaster stalked closer without a sound.

    The dagger was plunged down, into the LordˇŻs fatty chest. The Lord gasped in pain that quickly turned into screams as Alaster drove the dagger down, through his chest and past his belly.

    Without hesitation, Alaster thrust the dagger into the manˇŻs leg and reached in, grabbing either side of the grievous wound, and using his strength pried it apart. The sound of bones breaking filled the room as Alaster exposed the manˇŻs ribcage to the air.

    Yet the man was not dead, not yet. Such was the blessing, and curse, of being an Adept who had specialized in Constitution and survivability.

    Alaster reached in, grabbing the manˇŻs heart before yanking it out and shoving it in Lord HalligonˇŻs mouth.

    He then yanked the dagger out of the manˇŻs leg and thrust it through the heart, pinning it to the inside of Lord HalligonˇŻs mouth.

    Breathing heavily, not due to exertion but due to his heightened emotions, Alaster stood up straight, correcting his jacket before he turned around.

    The Duke was bent over, evacuating his stomach.

    Duke Redmond wiped his mouth when he was finished and looked up at Lord Ashborn, his face covered in the gore he had just unleashed.

    Daniel heaved once more, but nothing came up.

    Alaster reached out and one of the Shadows stepped forward, offering Lord HalligonˇŻs own handkerchief. Alaster wiped out the majority of the gore, but plenty remained. He would have to shower to clean himself and would likely have to burn the clothes he wore.

    ˇ°I asked you here so you understood.ˇ± Alaster stated, staring down at the Duke.

    ˇ°Understood what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood what I wonˇŻt stand by. What happened here will be known throughout the entire castle by dawn. If you are smart, you will get ahead of it and declare that you had sentenced Lord Halligon to death for his crimes against the crown and that I had only been too happy to execute it.

    Either way, by dawn, it will be public just how ruthless I can be.

    There are very few things I wonˇŻt attest. I could understand starving your enemies, torturing them, taking away everything they loved. I can understand it all! I have done it plenty of times myself. But what I wonˇŻt allow is the harm of children.

    I would like Paige and her family to be transferred under your direct command.ˇ±

    The Duke stood up straight nodding, both to himself and to Alaster, ˇ°That wonˇŻt be an issue. What about his guards outside?ˇ±

    Alaster walked past him, past the shivering butler in the fetal position, and opened the door to a hallway covered in blood and two headless corpses.

    ˇ°If I were you,ˇ± Alaster said, storing his cloak in his Ring of Holding, ˇ°I would thoroughly investigate the entire Halligon House and arrest anyone who had knowledge of the late LordˇŻs activities, starting with the butler.ˇ±

    Alaster walked out of the room, followed by the Forgotten, who remained unfazed by the conflict, their armor and clothes remaining immaculate.

    The Duke stood there, surrounded by corpses, wondering just what sort of monster he had invited into his home.

 CHAPTER 210- NIGHT TALK

    Daniel sat on the sofa in his living room. Ignoring any decorum, he slouched back, letting his head hang over the sofa. Here, in his personal quarters, he allowed himself to relax, completely removing the fa?ade of a well-mannered Duke.

    He was not in the mood for manners and grace.

    Not after what he had just seen.

    He had ordered such things to be done before, but he had never witnessed them himself, let alone as they were being done.

    It was not as if he was ignorant of the what he ordered to be done or their effects, but seeing it done with his own eyes had affected him. But even he had never ordered what Lord Ashborn had done.

    He had not just killed Lord Halligon. He had tortured him. Lord Ashborn had mutilated him while he was still lived.

    Seeing the insides of man, broken open, still pulsing with lifeˇ­

    Daniel felt his chest clench as he broke out in a cold sweat.

    Lord Ashborn was a monster in human skin, and Daniel had invited him. Not just that, but Lord Ashborn had already claimed to serve EvelynˇŻs family.

    That would not be such a bad thing, if Daniel had not ordered the elimination of her family.

    Now, Lord Ashborn had reunited with Evelyn. He was a threat. Now just to Daniel, but to everything Daniel held dear.

    But at the same time, Daniel could not bring himself to get rid of Lord Ashborn, if he even could.

    If Daniel sent him back to the Independent Alliance, then it might as well mean that Daniel, and in extension the Lissurian Kingdom, was rejecting the Alliance.

    That was not something lightly done. While their Alliance was new, their cities small, their citizens were powerful. They had survived generations on their own against the terrible Hordes of Monsters, and done so without aid. Galmore especially was home to true powerhouses.

    Lord Ashborn was here as an exchange, meaning that Daniel had also sent one of the Lissurian Nobles over to the Alliance. He had arrived much sooner than Lord Ashborn, and as such, he had already visited both Onigas and Galmore.

    The messages he had sent back rung with both admiration and fear. The Kingdom of Lissura was a powerful Nation with numerous powerful Experts, yet the same people that the Kingdom treated with reverence were treated as mere soldiers, powerful ones, yet still just soldiers.

    The visiting Noble delegate from Lissura had also inquired about Lord Ashborn.

    The people of the Alliance were just a step away from worshipping him. There were various rumors and stories about Lord Ashborn, each telling a different tale, but most held true to the same idea.

    Lord Ashborn was a protective man who was merciful to the innocent, and cruel to the guilty.

    What Daniel had seen that nightˇ­ Daniel knew it to be true. And Daniel was guilty.

    Daniel only hoped that Lord Ashborn would not realize this. If he did, Daniel was certain that he could eliminate the Lord, but not without significant damage both to his position and to his own forces. That was not even taking into account the Alliance.

    If their beloved Hero was killed by Lissura, Daniel had no doubt that they would declare war. Still, Daniel was certain that he would emerge victorious. But the Kingdom had other enemies to worry about. If the kingdom became weakened by a war, whether they won or not, the other Nations would pounce on them.

    Of course, the Inner Castle would not allow the Kingdom to fall. Yet the thought of the Inner Castle being involved in any conflict caused Daniel to shiver.

    Daniel was torn out of his thoughts by his wife entering the room. Her freshly combed hair and nightgown evidence of her preparations for sleep.

    ˇ°Daniel? Are you alright? You donˇŻt look so well.ˇ± Sofia asked with concern, walking over to her husband on bare feet.

    She carefully placed a loving hand on DanielˇŻs forehead.

    Daniel mustered up a weak smile as he grabbed his wifeˇŻs hand, ˇ°IˇŻm not sick my dear.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre pale. Are you alright?ˇ±

    Sofia sat down beside Daniel.

    ˇ°I will be.ˇ± Daniel said, hoping she would drop the matter. She of course did not, which he saw in her face.

    Sighing, he went on, ˇ°I just saw something today that surprised me.ˇ±

    She cuddled up to his side and he placed his arm around her habitually.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ˇ°Talk to me.ˇ± Sofia softly said.

    Daniel had quickly learned that such words were not a request. So he began to speak. More openly than he would dare to do so to any other. His wife was the only one who he would tell everything about everything. In turn, she merely listened. She did not need to do anything else, she knew that her husband sometimes merely needed someone to listen.

    Daniel had originally only married her to solidify his position as the Duke. He had never thought he could love another after the passing of his first wife. But SofiaˇŻs constant care and love had eventually won him over. Now, just as he had with his first wife, he could not imagine a world without her in it. He still struggled to understand living without his first wife, but Sofia helped.

    Sofia had never sought to replace her either. They had been good friends when she lived. Sofia only wished to support Daniel, and he loved her for it.

    Before Daniel realized, he had already talked for hours. Sofia only interrupted when she did not understand something.

    When Daniel finished speaking, the room remained quiet for many moments. The couple merely sat there on the sofa, enjoying each otherˇŻs company, thinking their own thoughts.

    Eventually, Sofia spoke in a quiet voice, as if afraid to harm the peace around them.

    ˇ°Should we restrict Lord Ashborn?ˇ±

    Daniel sighed, ˇ°We canˇŻt. It would only serve to heighten his suspicion. As it remains, to my knowledge, he sees us as the protector and supporter of Evelyn, to whom he had sworn to protect. In that way, he is thankful and has a good opinion of us.

    And despite everything about Evelyn, her family, and Lord Ashborn, we need allies against Sir Castiel.

    Without any prompting from me, Lord Ashborn listened to Sir CastielˇŻs introduction and immediately decided he did not like him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do we know why Lord Ashborn does not have a good opinion of Sir Castiel?ˇ±

    Daniel shook his head slightly before he rested it atop SofiaˇŻs, ˇ°No. Though I suspect that Lord Ashborn does not have a good opinion of the Gods, whom Sir Castiel claims to serve.ˇ±

    ˇ°That might be an issue. Most would call that heretical. It could serve as an avenue of attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, I know. But there is just something about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. It just felt as if Lord Ashborn was speaking from experience.ˇ±

    ˇ°But the Gods have not spoken to any mortal for decades.ˇ±

    ˇ°As far as we know. Which when it comes to the Gods, is very little. For all we know, the Gods have merely stopped speaking to their followers and decided to create hidden faiths. Or maybe they have decided we mortals arenˇŻt worth their attention. Or that they are somehow unable to speak to us. Or maybe even that they are just too busy to concern themselves with our struggles.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do we even know what Lord Ashborn wants? Or even what Class he is? I suspect he is an Expert if he was able to kill Lord Halligon like that so easily.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, before he revealed his connection to Evelyn, we knew practically nothing about him. As many prominent individuals do, he wears an Enchanted item that conceals his Mana. I could not even detect what his subordinateˇŻs Classes were.ˇ±

    ˇ°They were also wearing Concealment Enchantments?ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe. I donˇŻt know. I thought we were alone in that room with Lord Halligon, then suddenly they were there and Lord HalligonˇŻs guards were dead. It all happened so fast that I didnˇŻt even have time to do anything. By the time I realized what was happening, the guards were dead and Lord Ashborn was dissecting Lord Halligon.ˇ±

    ˇ°As horrible as his death was, I am not sad about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Neither am I. He was a horrible man, but he did hold sway. He was a Noble of Lissura and a Foreign Noble killed him. Ordinarily, that would be a cause for war.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ordinarily?ˇ±

    ˇ°While I was still in shock, Lord Ashborn suggested a way to make it seem as if he had only acted with my permission, as if I had already issued Lord HalligonˇŻs arrest, then when he resisted, Lord Ashborn killed him. If I follow Lord AshbornˇŻs suggestion, then it would appear to all be legal.

    It would still cause problems in the court, but nothing that could be acted upon.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will you do it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. I already have. I am just not sure if I will regret it. We need allies against Sir Castiel, he already holds too much influence. But Lord Ashborn killed a Noble of Lissura. He did not even seem to hesitate about it. He sent that girl over to me, but by the time I heard about it, he was already on his way. In fact, I think the only reason Lord Ashborn did not kill Lord Halligon immediately was so that I would be there.ˇ±

    ˇ°He waited?ˇ±

    Daniel merely nodded.

    They grew quiet once more, each one consumed by their own thoughts.

    ˇ°You know, as horrible as it sounds, I am glad Lord Ashborn is here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why is that?ˇ± Daniel was curious to know his wifeˇŻs reasoning.

    ˇ°You and I know just how dangerous the Court is, just how quickly it can turn on you. As far as we know, Lord Ashborn is dedicated to Evelyn, correct?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, the moment Evelyn entered the room, I could tell that Lord AshbornˇŻs full attention was on her, and not in a creepy or manipulative way, but like he was relieved to see her.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, with Sir Castiel here, with how the city is becoming, the Court has become even more unpredictable. You have my full support and trust that you will manage it properly, but it is good to know that if everything turns to hell and chaos, that Evelyn will have someone like Lord Ashborn who will prioritize her.

    And even if it is not official yet, it is obvious that Evelyn and Luke are close. They would not leave each other. So in a way, both Evelyn and Luke have acquired a powerful protector.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, but will that remain if Lord Ashborn discovers that it was me who ordered the deaths of the people he had sworn to protect? If that happens, Luke could become Lord AshbornˇŻs first target.ˇ±

    Sofia sighed, ˇ°I knowˇ­What do you intend to do about him?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. Right now, I donˇŻt think I can do anything. The man is powerful, not just with his position and followers, but personally. I knew Lord Halligon as children.

    We hunted together quite often. I never liked him, but I always respected just how strong and durable he was. I once saw Lord Halligon be bathed in the fires of a DragonˇŻs breath and come out of it standing tall. That same Dragon later batted him into a cliff face with its tail. Such a devastating attack, but again, Lord Halligon stood up and continued to fight.

    The man might have been drunk at the time, but Lord Ashborn still effortlessly ripped him apart with his bare hands.

    Without a doubt, Lord Ashborn is a serious threat just by himself. And we have no idea what his capabilities are, or that of his subordinates, or even how many they number.

    We know practically nothing about Lord Ashborn. What we do know, is that if he learns my involvement with EvelynˇŻs family, he will consider me an enemy.ˇ±

    ˇ°We donˇŻt know that. He would likely not appreciate it, but maybe you could manipulate the situation to make it more advantageous for him to side with us even if he learns of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. Its late. IˇŻm tired. IˇŻll think more about it in the morning.ˇ±

    ˇ°I guess that means we should get up then.ˇ± Sofia sighed.

    ˇ°Yeah, in a little bit.ˇ±

    ˇ°In a little bit.ˇ± Sofia agreed.

    Many hours later, the morning sun found the couple still asleep on the sofa.

 CHAPTER 211- DISTRACTED THOUGHTS

    Ordinarily, Evelyn would be paying attention to the teacher, even if she already knew what he was talking about. Yet she couldnˇŻt get herself to focus on the elderly manˇŻs words.

    While she kept her eyes on him, the teacher could tell that her mind was elsewhere. She was typically the one to answer the questions, but she had remained mute the entire lesson. The teacher was not the only one to notice her absence.

    Usually, if a student was not paying attention, the teacher would call them out on it, but he left her alone. The news of Lord AshbornˇŻs activities the night before had spread throughout the entire Noble community before the sun had risen, as well as his connection with her.

    One of the servants that had been ordered to clean up the massacre had been a beginner Light Mage. They had been able to capture the scene on a Crystal and then made copies. For a servant, he was now quite wealthy as he had then sold the copies for a few Gold Coins. A fortune for commoners, yet pocket change for the nobility.

    By now, as the sun was cresting its peak, practically every Noble House had a copy. Even Luke had procured a copy. Evelyn had seen the image, and just as it did with everyone else, it had sent shivers down her spine. It was horrifying to see a manˇŻs chest flared out like that.

    The official report was that Duke Redmond had issued an arrest warrant for Lord Halligon for Illegal Slave trade and prostitution. Lord Ashborn had accompanied the Duke for the arrest, but when Lod Halligon resisted the arrest, Lord Ashborn killed him. That was the official report, yet few believed it.

    Why would a visiting dignitary be allowed to participate in the arrest of a Noble, even as a spectator? Such things would ordinarily be kept secret from the dignitary in order to show the Kingdom in the best light.

    Despite the dubious story, there was not much resistance. Lord Halligon was a Lord that was seen with distaste from the majority. A slothful, greedy, and prideful man who partook in excess of all forms. The other Nobility only did business with him because he controlled the majority of wine trade in the Eastern Districts.

    Now that he was dead, without any official heirs, despite the near certainty of countless bastards sired by Lord Halligon, the Halligon House was now in the process of being deconstructed. All its properties and businesses were being accounted for.

    Once it was all accounted for and sorted through, they would be auctioned away to the other Nobility. Anything that was not sold to the Nobility would then be auctioned to the public, where the wealthy commoners and merchants could acquire them. The proceeds would then be granted to various Kingdom funded projects, such as the defenses, army, academy, and such.

    Evelyn was glad Lord Halligon was dead. The man had never dared to proposition the Noble born girls, but Evelyn was not Noble born. The first time she had met Lord Halligon, he had assumed her to be a favored servant. He had offered her some coins if she would spend some time with him.

    Since then, she had done her best to avoid him, but there were times she could not. He disgusted her every time. Just like many others, Evelyn was glad he was dead.

    Evelyn assumed that Lord Ashborn had killed Lord Halligon because he learned of the LordˇŻs disgusting offers regarding her. She was mistaken. Had Alaster known of the offers, Lord Halligon would have disappeared. He would have only reappeared hanging from the city walls with his body turned inside out after many months.

    When classes for the day ended, Evelyn met up with her friends at their usual place. She was sixteen, soon to turn eighteen. When she did, if she had not already decided otherwise, her engagement would be announced as official. Despite her rather young age, she had already become an Adept, something that had caused quite a stir in the academy.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The academy was full of promising people, but it was still unusual for someone to become an Adept before they turned twenty. Especially such a powerful Adept.

    Unknown to her classmates, teachers, and pretty much everyone else, her stats were much higher than any other Adept. Her [Soul Seed] Ability, which allowed her to gain a Free Stat Point for each level one of those implanted with her [Soul Seed] gained.

    As a Novice, her Ability was limited to only ten Seeded. When she became an Adept, just a little while ago, she learned that her limit had increased to one hundred. It would still be a long time before she could Seed that many people, especially as she wanted to keep the Ability secret.

    She knew that such an Ability would attract unwanted attention. Attention that could prove dangerous both to her and to the people see cared about.

    Besides, she only wanted to Seed those who were already destined to die, but wanted a second chance at life. There werenˇŻt many of those, so she had to be careful. Since her limit had increased, she had Seeded only four more, bringing her total number of Seeded to fourteen.

    Such a number was much too large for an effective Hunting Party, which usually numbered seven. Including both her, and Luke, who she refused to use her Ability on, there were sixteen in her Party. Too large. So, they had separated into two groups of eight. Still a larger party, but not one that would hinder them.

    Despite being two different groups, and having the son of the Duke, both groups agreed that Evelyn was the leader. Having been saved from death row, they were extremely grateful. They knew that it was because of Evelyn that their lives had been spared. She had their profound respect and loyalty.

    And since she was prioritizing young people with lower levels, they tended to have nowhere else to go. Evelyn was their lifeline, and she treated them well.

    They gifted a small barracks from the Duke, which gave them a warm and safe place to sleep. Due to its small size, built to only house thirty people, it had limited uses, and had fallen into disrepair, but overtime, they had managed to repair it enough to be comfortable.

    Paired with Evelyn allowing them to keep all the proceeds from their hunts, they no longer struggled to live, even if the hunts were occasionally difficult.

    As she came into view, her friends and comrades waved at her, calling her over loudly. The two nearby Guards, stationed at the entrance to the DukeˇŻs stable and courtyard, sighed at the loud noises, though they did not complain. They had grown used to the noises, as had most of the DukeˇŻs guards.

    While the Duke had not allowed EvelynˇŻs party members into his residence, as they were all reformed criminals, but criminals nonetheless, he did allow them to wander around his property.

    ˇ°So Evelyn, where are you thinking of hunting today?ˇ± one of them asked as he stood up from a crate and grabbed his spear.

    Even though they hunted separately, they preferred to hunt near each other so that they could protect each other if needed. Such an event had only occurred once, but had the second group not arrived in time, the first group would have lost two members.

    ˇ°I was thinking of hunting around the lake we found last time.ˇ±

    ˇ°In the west?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs the one.ˇ±

    ˇ°IsnˇŻt that kinda distant? When we were there we saw some pretty high level Monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, but so what? We will crush them just like the rest!ˇ± one of the others chimed in, causing Evelyn to smirk despite her thoughts.

    ˇ°We will have to be more careful, but we can only level up if we fight stronger opponents. Right now, out of the sixteen of us, five of us are still Novices. We need to get stronger, quickly.ˇ±

    Laim, now a level twenty three Crusher, clad in steel studded leather armor and wielding a large studded hammer and iron rimmed wooden shield, stood up. His large size rivaled that practically all the adults.

    ˇ°Are you ok Evelyn? WhatˇŻs the rush?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know. I just feel as if things are getting dangerous.ˇ±

    ˇ°Because of what happened to Halligon?ˇ±

    Luke lightly kicked Liam, ˇ°Watch it Liam, he might be dead, his House being dismantled, but he was still a Noble while you are a commoner.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh come on, you know what I mean. Decides, IˇŻm sure some people are going to be throwing parties to celebrate his death.ˇ±

    ˇ°Liam, seriously, you can get executed for saying stuff like that.ˇ± Luke once again warned.

    ˇ°Fine, I will say it quieter next time. But seriously Evelyn, whatˇŻs going on?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know, its just a feeling I have. I think something is going to happen sometime in the future, and I just want to be ready for it.ˇ± Evelyn shrugged.

    ˇ°Well, your feelings have never been wrong before.ˇ±

    One of the girls chirped in, ˇ°So what does Lord Ashborn look like? Is he handsome?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 212- DESIGN

    Alaster kept an eye on Evelyn as she left the city to hunt. The Shadow Assassin was careful not to be seen as it followed close behind. Since Alaster had pointed out just how vulnerable they were, the Duke had doubled the guards quietly following behind. But in the forest filled with shadows, not one came even close to spotting the Shadow Assassin.

    The meeting that was scheduled between Lord Ashborn and the Duke had already ended. It had been a short meeting. It was just so the two parties could express their wants, needs, and expectations. Azemar had already had Alaster memorize what the Alliance would want from any dealings with Lissura, so Alaster had not needed much.

    After the meeting Alaster had returned to his suite of rooms. The Duke and others likely expected that he was conveying how the meeting went with the Alliance. But Alaster was checking in with his various parties while also keeping an eye on Evelyn.

    The meeting was meant to be short, but after his display the night before, it was even shorter. It seemed that the Duke was still in shock. He had gone through the meeting without any real desire. Like he was just going through the motions.

    Nothing of any real importance would have been said or decided in the meeting anyway. Alaster did not even want to do the meeting. What was the point of wasting everyoneˇŻs time? However, the same could be said for the majority of politics, so Alaster sucked it up and played along.

    Alaster leaned back on the couch, mentally checking in with his Minions. One of his Death Knights had stuck with Lezrem as Alaster could not mentally communicate with the Lich. The Lich was in the process of tracking down the female Bandit, and with his vast hordes of Undead, it would not be long before he found her. Though it would likely take some time before he could actually capture her soul. His Undead were numerous but weaker and any Bandit group with an Expert was bound to be wiser than other Bandits.

    Cathrine, the Leader of his Death Knights, had remained in his Soul Domain, continuing to train the Forgotten. While the Forgotten ironically did not forget their teachings and drills, they did have free will, albeit limited. Cathrine continued to drill them in order to maintain discipline as well train the weaker Forgotten. The ones that had started out as Novices.

    The Rest of the Death Knights were scouting around various parts of the city. One of the Death Knights, had trained as an Enchanter before he quit to be an adventurer, and while his training was certainly incomplete, it was still better than the rest of AlasterˇŻs servants.

    ˇ®I really should fix that. I wonder if I could kill a skilled Enchanter and raise them as an Undead.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs thoughts of murder were interrupted by the next one on his list to check up on.

    ˇ°Alaster,ˇ± Fenrir called through their mental connection, ˇ°A few things have been brought to my attention as I have been working on his project.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°We have some serious problems that need to be addressed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Those being?ˇ±

    Alaster could feel his second body scoff in annoyance and sarcasm, ˇ°Well for one, itˇŻs a damn woman! And we ainˇŻt women!ˇ±

    ˇ°Why is that a problem?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because it will be connected to our soul! I know you might be a bit ignorant when it comes to women, but they are very different from men. Not just their bodies, but their personalities, their thoughts, their souls! How are you going to make this work?This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Because from what I can see as I am building this body, a very uncomfortable project I might add, one of three things are going to happen when you connect the soul of the bandit woman to the body and then to our own soul.

    One, our Soul will leech through, corrupting the womanˇŻs soul until its some freakish mix of our male soul and her female soul. Which will be a horrible mix and will likely be a torturous experience for that Soul.

    Two, their soul will leech through, corrupting us. This is the least likely to happen, but if it does, I swear to all the Gods, I will kill you before it takes hold.ˇ±

    Alaster interrupted, ˇ°If I die, so do you.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs the goal.

    Now Three, it wonˇŻt work at all and the body, the soul, or both, will die. Making all this work pointless.ˇ±

    ˇ°I have a way to prevent any of that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh due tell,ˇ± FenrirˇŻs voice oozed with sarcasm, ˇ°ItˇŻs not like I am the one designing the damn body! Definitely donˇŻt need to know something as crucial as that.ˇ±

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ°I am going to have Lezrem modify the Female BanditˇŻs soul, locking it in a way. From how I understand it, while our Soul will still influence hers, it will retain more of its original personality. Basically, it will be just like you, but a bit more independent and free thinking, though still bound to me.ˇ±

    ˇ°That sounds ideal, except that its Lezrem we are relying on.ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt trust him?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt trust anyone that is not bound to us. I trust the Death Knights, because they are incapable of defying us and if you die, so do they. But Lezrem, yeah he has sworn an Oath to us, but ultimately, he is only with us for his own gain. If we die, he is free. He could disobey us or manipulate things for his own benefit.ˇ±

    ˇ°You think he will use this opportunity to turn the third body into his own minion?ˇ± Alaster said. It was not a question. They shared a soul, and therefore had similar thoughts.

    ˇ°I would be disappointed in Lezrem if the thought had not occurred to him.ˇ± Fenrir grumbled.

    ˇ°As would I. He has his uses, so long as he doesnˇŻt over step, I donˇŻt mind if he angles something to benefit him more. However, he knows the most about Souls. He has spent centuries studying them. Belgroth might know not the more technical stuff about Souls, but he knows enough to be able to tell if the modified Bandit Souls has been changed in a way that we donˇŻt want. He just doesnˇŻt know how to do the modification himself.ˇ±

    ˇ°What the big bad ancient Demon canˇŻt figure it out?ˇ±

    ˇ°According to Belgroth, he could, if he had a few months. I want to have the third body completed within a single month.ˇ±

    ˇ°Any reason for the rush?ˇ±

    Alaster groaned sinking into the couch even further, ˇ°EvelynˇŻs birthday is in a month.ˇ±

    ˇ°And? WhatˇŻs the correlation? Do you have a gift for her yet?ˇ±

    ˇ°I do have a gift in mind, its just a work in progress. But her birthday will be paired with a ball. I was able to get away with going solo last night as I was brand new to the city and everyone was wary of me.

    In a month from now, even after I butchered Halligon last night, there will be also sorts of women throwing themselves at me.ˇ±

    Fenrir remained quiet. For several moments, the silence grew heavy, almost oppressive.

    When Fenrir spoke, it was slow, putting emphasis on each word.

    ˇ°You mean to tell me, that I have spent the last twelve hours, only creating the standard physical body, a very uncomfortable process I might add, all because you wanted a date?ˇ±

    ˇ°You make it sound perverted.ˇ±

    ˇ°No! Perverted is being told to hand create a flesh and blood body of an attractive woman! How do you even plan on get this body through past that Castiel bastard. If I get too close, I start taking damage just by getting within two hundred meters of him. But in a ballroom, it would be within just a few meters. She wouldnˇŻt be able to survive more than a few moments. Especially since she wonˇŻt be as durable as I am.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why wonˇŻt she be as durable?ˇ±

    ˇ°Alaster, you designed me to be a fighter. I am designed to be on the frontlines of any large scale battle. I am not nearly as fast as you, but I am much more durable, especially since I donˇŻt actually have any organs or blood.

    I still have a functioning body, but its based on Magic, not organics.

    You want her to be designed as an infiltrator, assassin, spy, and what not. She needs to prioritize speed, agility, and stealth. Not strength, ferocity, and endurance like me.

    While she will be more durable than most other stealth based people, because she doesnˇŻt have nearly as many critical areas, she will still not be as durable and strong as a combat based person.

    You know this, why am I telling you this?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because sometimes it sticks better when someone else is saying it.ˇ± Alaster shrugged.

    ˇ°We are technically the same person.ˇ±

    ˇ°Meh.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 213- DIVINE VIEW

    Tualla sat amongst the clouds, high above the capital city of Lissura, Zolis. She carefully observed the ongoings of the people she swore to protect. But her oath only allowed her to protect her region against threats at Master Tier or above.

    Bound to her oath, she was forced to watch as a young woman was dragged into an alley and beaten to death, her broken body put on display for all to see when the sun rose. Her only crime, being able to use Shadow Magic. The woman did not even use her magic all that often. There was no need to manipulate Shadows as a Seamstress.

    But she could use it, and according to these zealots, that was all the excuse they needed to kill her.

    As a Demi God, she was sworn to protect, not interfere. Her beautiful dress moved with the wind. It was the color of the forest, and it carried its scent.

    All she would need to do to stop this pointless conflict was show herself and denounce the violence. But she was forbidden.

    Forbidden from revealing herself or matters regarding Demi Gods or the ˇ®Higher MattersˇŻ. Matters such as the Gods, Great Beasts, Demons, or the War.

    Despite the constant activities of the mortals, it was easy to grow bored with them after a few centuries of constant vigil. The SaintˇŻs arrival was the most exciting thing to happen to TuallaˇŻs area in a long time. But she wished he never came.

    The man claimed to be a messenger of the Gods, and the Demi Gods had no way to know if he spoke the truth or not. So, Evros had decided to simply leave him be and not interfere.

    Tualla knew that Duke Redmond suspected the Saint to be responsible for the violence and hate brewing in Zolis, he simply could not prove it. She wished she could tell him. Tell him how right and wrong he was. It was not the Saint causing the violence, at least not directly.

    Magic was a powerful thing that infused all things, including emotion and thought. If someone practiced one Magic for long enough, and grew proficient enough in it, then their body would begin to absorb that Magic naturally. This often led to personality changes in the person, not that it would be noticeable as usually when a person became that proficient in a certain Magic, their thoughts and emotions were already quite similar.

    Sir CastielˇŻs thoughts and emotions were so similar to the Holy Magic he practiced, that his Magic was spilling out of his body. And like a sickness, the loose and dense magic attached itself to whoever was nearby, infecting them. Of time, if the infected were not proficient enough in another type of Magic, they began to be changed by infecting Magic.

    To TuallaˇŻs knowledge, Sir Castiel did not know about this aspect of his own Magic. If he did, he likely would figure out ways to weaponize it even further.

    Earth Magic made people more stubborn and planted in their thoughts and beliefs. Fire Magic made people more volatile and spontaneous. Water Magic made people calmly go with the flow of things. Wind Magic made people light in their thoughts and adventurous.

    Holy Magic on the other hand, despite its name being related to the Divine, was not actually related. Holy Magic was a Magic of protection and cleansing. The protections it could offer were alright, but there were certainly other Magics better suited.

    However, when it came to cleansing areas of filth and that which is unnatural, Holy Magic is unparalleled. When faced against Curses, Hexes, Psyonic, Blood Rituals, or Necromancy, Holy Magic is the best to combat it. However, because one of Holy MagicˇŻs core attributes are cleansing, and it actively seeks to do its duty, it slowly changes a personˇŻs thoughts, as any other Magic.

    Holy Magic is one of the few that actively seeks to destroy. Most people think itˇŻs a benevolent Magic that only seeks to protect and nourish, but those people know too little about it.

    Holy Magic does not care about anything but the Unnatural Magics, and it only seeks to destroy those. It does not care what the Unnatural Magics are doing or supporting, it will eradicate any hint of it and ignore the rest.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Many assume Necrotic Magic was cruel and evil, but Necrotic Magic only harnesses Death. There can be no life without Death, and there can be no Death without Life. Necrotic Magic merely changes the natural flow of Life and Death temporarily. Necromancy merely gives back its own crude mimicry of Life.

    Sir Castiel, so infused with Holy Magic, he does not even see those of these so called ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ as people. He only sees them as vermin to be exterminated. He was so in tune with his Magic that it practically possessed him.

    Unfortunately, one of the key differences between Masters and Demi Gods, besides pure raw power, was the ability to move past their MagicˇŻs natural disposition. Had Sir Castiel been able to do so, he would have been capable of possessing a seed of divinity.

    Tualla was still a comparatively young Demi God. She had not been around when Sir Castiel had been born.

    Back then, countless generations before, Sir Castiel had merely been a young boy living in a small town that worshiped Anera, Goddess of Life and Order. Those times had been chaotic. The Gods had fought off the Demons, it should have brought peace and tranquility, but instead of working together to better the lives of the mortals that worshipped them, they began to fight and bicker amongst each other.

    This conflict, that never escalated into a full war, inspired the worshippers to also fight. Roaming bands of devote believers of one God would attack and raid settlements of another GodˇŻs believers. Most of the time, the Gods did not care about the mortals who believed themselves to be acting according to their GodˇŻs wishes. They merely acted on their own accord.

    When a large band of followers, worshipping Ebris, God of the Dead, attacked the town of Sir Castiel when he was still just a boy, killing his family and raising them up to serve as Undead Minions. Sir Castiel had to watch his family die twice. Once to the Raiders, and once more to the Defenders.

    When the Raiders were driven off, Sir Castiel was orphaned and alone. The Paladin order of Anera in his hometown took him in and trained him, he devoted himself to her, or more presicely, he devoted himself to the eradication of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ.

    He had been raised as a devote worshipper of the Gods, as a child, he was incapable of blaming the Gods, but also too ignorant to blame the people who had actually killed his family. Instead, he blamed the Magic, believing that it was the Magic that caused the people to kill his family.

    As he matured, those thoughts stayed with him, solidifying themselves as his core beliefs. At first he attempted to teach people to forsake these ˇ®Dark MagicsˇŻ, but no one was foolish enough to give up their best defense against the Monsters that still plagued the world. Their Magic was their sword and shield against those that wished them harm, it just so happened that the Magic they learned and practiced were the ones the boy proclaimed as evil.

    When that didnˇŻt work, Sir Castiel, now a young man, attempted to strip people of their Magic. He thought that if he could remove Dark Magic from them, they would see the ˇ®lightˇŻ. But research into removing someoneˇŻs Magic drew attention from everyone, Light or Dark, and Sir Castiel found himself the target of everyone, including the Paladin Order that took him in.

    Finally, he came to the conclusion that the only way to remove ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ, was to eradicate all practitioners, teachings, histories, and mention of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ. His thoughts and devotion to Holy Magic quickly allowed him to gain a substantial following.

    And so began the Holy War. Decades passed as the war waged. Everywhere his army went, they executed anyone who practiced ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ, framing them for their own atrocities, and destroying all history and teachings.

    Gradually, those opposing the War grew in number and power. He faced more and more defeats, being forced into retreating. Slowly, his mighty crusade was surrounded in the lands, their allies turning their backs on them.

    Seeing no victory, his crusaders began to sink away, hiding away from their relation to Sir CastielˇŻs Crusade in hopes that when their enemies pressed forward, they would overlook them.

    Sir Castiel, left with only a few remaining allies, but finding himself surrounded by hordes of those that opposed his belief, did the only thing he could think of. He buried himself deep in the earth and used his Holy Magic to encase himself in pure Marble.

    Without his presence, his crusade fell apart.

    Years passed and his name fell from the history books. Decades passed and his belief fell out of favor. Centuries passed and the Holy War became mere legend.

    But Sir CastielˇŻs Magic had not been idle while he was encased in Marble. His Magic was constantly searching. When it detected a powerful source of ˇ®Dark MagicˇŻ, Sir Castiel awoke.

    Now, Tualla watched as the strongest user of Holy Magic and the strongest user of Necrotic Magic in history grew closer and closer to blows. She watched, unaware of just how crucial this conflict would be.

    But she was not the only Demi God watching.

    Evros stood among the clouds, but his eyes were not on the city as a whole, but instead on a single young woman, a woman with the potential to destroy all of his several century plans.

    A woman he would have to eliminate.

 CHAPTER 214- TARGETED

    ˇ°Alaster.ˇ±

    SedallˇŻs voice distracted Alaster, causing him to mess up the Weave he was working on. The Mana whipped back, lashing out and causing AlasterˇŻs skin to sizzle as the Necrotic Mana ate at it.

    Alaster effortlessly took control of the wild Mana and sighed in frustration. He did not care about the wild Mana, the minor damage it caused would be healed within moments. He was frustrated because of the Weave he had been working on for the last two hours came undone and dissolved.

    ˇ°What is so important it could not wait another hour?ˇ± Alaster grumbled.

    ˇ°Calm down and pay attention, this is important. Not just to you, but to your sister.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs irritation immediately vanished, and he sat up straight on the couch.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    Sedall remained quiet, trying to figure out a way to correctly say what he wanted.

    ˇ°Sedall!ˇ± Alaster called with a stern voice, ˇ°What about my sister?ˇ±

    ˇ°You know, I am a Demigod. With a mere wave of my hand, I can have Kings kissing my feet.ˇ±

    ˇ°Except that you canˇŻt even do that because you are trapped in pit in the middle of nowhere. Now what is this about my sister?ˇ±

    ˇ°You have been watching Evelyn?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course.ˇ±

    ˇ°And have you noticed anything strange about her? Have you looked at her through the eyes of your Weave Sight?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. Why would I? Is she a Weave Construct or something similar?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, but look right now. Look at her through one of the many Shadow Assassins you have watching her right now and activate your Weave Sight.ˇ± Sedall instructed.

    Alaster did so and immediately felt his mind split in two. He could still see through his physical eyes, in his suite in the castle. Yet he could also see the thawing winter forest through the ethereal eyes of a Shadow Assassin. He saw Evelyn in the forest with the rest of her party.

    At the moment, they were battling a pack of Frost Wolves. Their fur comprised of icicles that they could shoot out like arrows. Their sharp fangs could tear through a lot of Adept Leathers and most Novice Metals, and their bite caused severe frostbite.

    Their spiky fur did not have much use, but their meat was desired for how well it paired with most meads, especially for those brewed with winter fruits and berries. Their meat was best during the hot summer months were it innately cooled those that consumed it.

    This pack was likely the last one that would be found this late in the season before they disappeared back into their burrows and vanished until the next winter. Alaster personally found their meat to be too stringy for his taste.

    He had hunted them once or twice when he was scavenging in the wilds. They were dangerous opponents for Novices and many Adepts. Their difficulty came from their ferocity, speed, and number. Despite that, Evelyn and her party were doing great.

    They werenˇŻt overpowering the Frost Wolves. The beasts were certainly making them work for it. Every injury the children sustained was quickly healed by Evelyn or one of the other children. Alaster had not yet bothered to learn their names, though he knew their abilities and connections to Evelyn.

    ˇ°Use your Weave Sight.ˇ± Sedall reminded.

    Alaster did so. He remembered how when he first learned Weave Sight anytime he activated it his mind had overloaded, but his Expert Tiered mind was much more resilient, he just did not really know what do make of what he saw. He might know how to create his own Weaves, but the natural Weaves of the world was still a complete mystery to him. He didnˇŻt understand them. His education on that front was a bit lacking.

    When Alaster activated his sight, he saw the complex Mana Weaves of each living thing and even a few fractured Mana Weaves from the rocks and dirt from long past Enchantments or Monsters.

    The most intricate and complex Weaves, of course, surrounded the children. He could understand some of the Weaves, see some of the purposes of a few others, but most were still confusing to him. However, while his knowledge of Mana Weaving was spotty at best, he did know a few of the foundations, and he knew that Weaves arenˇŻt supposed to connect between people.

    Strands of Mana between people were common, often the cause of a spell effecting one or the other, such as healing or buffs. But what Alaster saw was not just simple Mana, they were Mana Weaves.

    Alaster saw not just one Mana Weave, but twenty-three. Each strand started from Evelyn and connected to one of the Children. Many of the strands were cast off into the distant forest, where Alaster suspected the other of EvelynˇŻs hunting friends were. Each one of the children had a strand, all but the DukeˇŻs son, Luke.

    The Weaves of the strands were the most complex Weaves Alaster had seen. He remembered when he first activated his Weave Sight back when he first saw Belgroth in his physical form. The Weaves that had bound him to his throne had nearly shattered his mind with a mere glance. He had been much weaker back then, but while he did not quite remember what the Weave looked like, he did remember how incomprehensibly complex it was.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Yet the Weave he saw attached to his sister put it all to shame, and she had twenty-three of them attached to her. Alaster did not even know where to begin to figure out what it meant.

    ˇ°Sedall, what is this?ˇ± Alaster felt his body tense. He had no idea what was attached to his sister, and for perhaps the first time since that damned night so many years ago, Alaster was afraid.

    He would face an army by himself if it meant protecting his sister. He would lay down his life for her. And he would burn the world to ash for her, but the unknown scared him, just as it scared everyone. He had no idea what the Weave meant for Evelyn, and he had no idea if it harmed her in some way, or if he could even protect her from it.

    ˇ°I personally do not know how it does what it does. Alaster, I need you to listen to me without interruption. If you want to understand what is going on, remain quiet until I finish. Can you do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just answer one question first, is it harmful to her?ˇ±

    Sedall sighed, ˇ°No. Not directly at least. Now shut up and let me explain what I mean.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, but continued to observe his sister and her party through the eyes of the Shadow Assassin. At this point, they were killing the last few Frost Wolves while the rest ran away. As the last one collapsed, so too did the children. They labored breathing indicative of just how difficult the battle had been.

    ˇ°Alright, I have told you occasionally how the Demigods work. We have our own duties that we take upon ourselves to help keep the world balanced. These include matters you would expect, such as keeping the Kingdoms stable, or keeping the Colossals sleeping, or even ensuring that some earthquake or volcanic activity does not sink the continent.

    Each one of our duties, in some way, ensures that the Races of Humanity continues to survive while the Gods are protecting the world from BelgrothˇŻs people.ˇ±

    ˇ°You Humans started it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bel, please. This is important, shut up.ˇ±

    Sedall took a moment to figure out how to word what he needed to say.

    ˇ°Alaster, have you ever wondered how spectacular and powerful some Classes and Abilities are yet somehow donˇŻt completely upheave or even destroy the power structure of the world?

    Take your own Class for example. As a Necromancer, you can summon armies of Undead and can singlehandedly sack entire cities. Why donˇŻt you? Why donˇŻt the others with similar Classes? Why do they stick to their cities in the North, protecting them with their unfeeling Minions but not actually doing anything else with their profound power?ˇ±

    ˇ°I admit, I have not given it much thought. Always something more pressing to think about.ˇ±

    ˇ°They donˇŻt exert their true power because of the Demigods. We also keep the powers of the world in check. One of the things that are most heavily regulated by us are Bloodlines and Body Constitutions.

    You personally know the power of Bloodlines. You received an extraordinarily powerful one from Belgroth, especially because he willingly gave it.

    For those who have powerful Bloodlines or Body Constitutions we categorize them into three stages. Stage one, where the Bloodline or Constitution is powerful enough to attract our attention but not enough to attract our action. Stage two, where the Bloodline or Constitution is powerful enough to attract our constant supervision.

    Your Bloodline would fall under Stage two. I would like to say that the Demigods havenˇŻt found it yet, but they had their constant eye on you long before you received the Bloodline because of your visit to the Gods.

    Stage two is constantly watched, and we will only interfere with them if they attempt to make excessive use of their powers.

    Then, there is Stage three. Where the Bloodline or Constitution is so powerful they cannot be allowed to have the mere chance to exert their powers. The Demigods take it upon themselves to eliminate all Stage three Bloodlines or Constitutions.

    You do not fall under Stage three, despite the special attention from the Gods you have received. However, with her Body Constitution, and its effects, your sister does.ˇ±

    A deep growl resonated from AlasterˇŻs chest back in the Castle. A dark and foreboding aura descended upon the woods, seeding Monsters and people within with a deep sense of fear and impending horrors.

    The Children looked up from their harvesting of the Frost Wolves feeling as if a wrathful dragon was stalking them. They quickly grabbed as much as they could and fled the woods as quickly as they could.

    ˇ°What are you saying?ˇ± Alaster growled.

    ˇ°I am saying, that when the Demigods learn of your SisterˇŻs Constitution, and with her connection to you, they will, very quickly. When they learn of her Constitution, she will be graded as Stage three, and they will come for her.ˇ±

    ˇ°When?ˇ±

    Sedall sighed deeply, ˇ°I am not a part of their network because of my imprisonment. I have no idea. They might have already discovered her. They donˇŻt have Weave Sight so it will take them longer than it did for you to figure it out, but they will.ˇ±

    ˇ°What can I do to protect her?ˇ±

    ˇ°Right now? Nothing. You are just an Expert. A powerful one, no doubt, but still just an Expert. You could combat a Master, but not even Master would be able to stop a Demigod. If they came for her, you would not be able to do anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt the Kingdom of Lissura stop them, or at least try? The Duke has taken a particular interest in her. Surely he would at least try to protect her?ˇ±

    ˇ°He might, but the King of Lissura would not dare to oppose the Demigods. His family has long since done business with the Demigods. I personally conversed with his father once. A good man, but a strict one.ˇ±

    ˇ°If you met his father, did you met his son, the current king?ˇ±

    ˇ°Only from a distance. He was a suspicious boy. I didnˇŻt really bother to know him.ˇ±

    ˇ°So I canˇŻt rely on him to protect Evelyn?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eye twitched, ˇ°Then what do I do?ˇ±

    ˇ°Get as strong as you can as quickly as you can. If you want to do anything, then you need to be a Master at least. However, and know that I mean this to help Evelyn, you might want to free me. That way I can help.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of the Demigods, while I might not be the most knowledgeable or fastest, I was the strongest.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know a lot about the Demigods, but I doubt you could stop all of them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Definitely not, but while I am not the most sociable of people, I do have some allies, or at least Demigods that already disagree with the executions.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why would some of them disagree with it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because many believe that it weakens the Races of Humanity. Right now, Humanity is still subject to the whims of Monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Colossals?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. There are twelve of them, and if even one of them wakes up, all of Humanity will be exterminated within a day.ˇ±

    ˇ°There are actually twenty-four.ˇ± Belgroth spoke up, ˇ°And they have no actual care about Humanity or the Argalon people. They were already ancient before my people came into power on this planet.ˇ±

    ˇ°A single one destroyed the rest of the world, leaving just this continent in one piece.ˇ±

    ˇ°Him? You humans woke him up with your war. He was just throwing a tantrum.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can we get back to the thing that actually matters? Like protecting my sister from child murdering Demigods?ˇ±

    ˇ°Grow stronger and free me. ThatˇŻs all you can do.ˇ±

    Alaster turned away from the still fleeing children and returned to his body in the Castle. He stood up, straightening his jacket, and walked towards the door.

    If he was going to protect his sister, he needed to be stronger. He would kill whoever he needed to kill.

 CHAPTER 215- INVASION

    ˇ°Am I seeing this correctly Olerac?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was just about to ask you the same thing Capilon.ˇ±

    The two Demigods stared down at the Mana Projection that spanned the entire floor of the massive room. A projection that displayed the entire continent in three dimensions. The projection had various symbols designated various targets. Everything from Nation borders and military movements to the locations of Stage ones.

    It was the duty of both Olerac and Capilon to monitor, update, and maintain the map. Two Demigods, whose duty it was to alert the others should anything happen. And something was happening.

    In ten different locations throughout the continent, massive armies of Undead had appeared, each one at the level of a Blue Lich. Ordinarily, such threats were barely worth the DemigodsˇŻ attention, let alone action. But it hadnˇŻt been the Undead themselves that had warranted this reaction, it was the number of Liches, how spread out they were, and how they had all shown up at the same time.

    Two Liches had appeared in the dense forests of Athera. Two in the Mountain chains of Tauras. One in Taria. One in Celarn. One in Zalar. And finally, three in the Independent territory.

    Such a thing had never happened before, but the Demigods had plans prepared. Except, none of the Undead were attacking any population centers. In fact, Capilon had received reports from his agents of scouts from various organizations being spotted by the Undead, but not being pursued. The Undead were instead targeting exclusively Monsters.

    What was even more concerning was that none of the Liches themselves had been seen. Ordinarily, while the Liches typically stayed behind their hordes of Undead, they did not hide themselves. If the more cautious ones did hide, they were never so well concealed that their agents could not find them, yet they couldnˇŻt. Their agents could not find any of the Liches.

    It was not as if the Liches would leave their Undead alone, they were weak and needed constant resupplying. Without the Lich present, the Undead would be quickly wiped out.

    ˇ°Have any of the Necromancers made a move?ˇ± Olerac asked.

    ˇ°None. Even if they did, this would take significant cooperation. They remain quiet and still, just as cautious of these armies as we are.ˇ±

    ˇ°Have any of the Nations acted?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not yet, so far, they seem content to let the Undead wipe out the Monsters in their borders. I canˇŻt even blame them for being passive. Athera has been struggling with their Monsters for generations. I wouldnˇŻt even be surprised if the Adventurers of Athera are throwing parties for the Undead.

    Taria and Celarn are moving their militaries around to secure their borders. The Empire is also moving their military, but in a more aggressive manner. I think the Empire sees the Undead as a chance to purge the Monsters from their borders, and with their resources and man power, while it would be difficult, its possible.

    Zalar is the most entertaining, they are using their Golem Armies to corral their Monsters towards the Undead.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand why. With their Golems they can push the Monsters in the direction they want without any risk to their own lives. If the Undead are apparently willing to fight the Monsters, why not help them?ˇ±

    ˇ°How did they even show up? They just all appeared at the same time out of nowhere! We have no idea where they came from, how they appeared in multiple places at once, or even what their goal is!ˇ±

    ˇ°Do we send one of us to deal with the Undead?ˇ±

    Capilon shook his head as he walked over the symbol designating the Undead army that had appeared in Zalar, ˇ°No. Like you said, we donˇŻt know what their goal is. For all we know they only mean to help Humanity. Unlikely, but possible. Until we know more about the Undead armies, we will continue to monitor them only.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long has it been since they appeared?ˇ±

    ˇ°Two days.ˇ±

    ˇ°And how many Monsters have they killed already?ˇ±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ˇ°The various armies have different numbers, but all together? Three hundred thousand Novice grade Monsters, two hundred and fifty thousand Adept grade, and just over a hundred thousand Expert grade.ˇ±

    ˇ°How are they being supplied? Surely with that rate, they are losing just as many Undead. Can you imagine just how much Mana is being used to maintain that many Undead, let alone creating more?ˇ±

    ˇ°The people behind this must have been storing Mana Crystals for years, perhaps they even condensed it in its Liquid form. That, or we are dealing with a group of people all at Master rank, all with exceptional control over their own Mana and have Master Tiered Necromancy Abilities.ˇ±

    ˇ°How many such people exist?ˇ±

    ˇ°To my knowledge? Only two, and they hate each other. Not enough to fight, but enough that they would never work together. But this? This would require at least four people of their magnitude.ˇ±

    Bright red lights began to flash over the Undead army in Zalar.

    ˇ°What is going on?ˇ± Capilon asked.

    Olerac tapped on the symbol with his foot, causing the map to change into an aerial view of the Undead army in Zalar.

    * * * * *

    ˇ°Get down!ˇ± Someone screamed somewhere down the line.

    No one cared who had screamed it, or even if they had the authority to command anyone. Everyone ducked. An instant later, a massive explosion created a crater a few meters away from the trench, raining dirt down on the soldiers within.

    The large Golems, ranging from four meters tall personal, to massive mobile platforms standing several dozen meters tall, all began to retaliate, launching their own spells and weapons back.

    The attacks of the Golems seemed to merely disappear in the vast hordes of Monsters that swarmed over the land like a tidal wave. Tress fell and boulders turned to gravel as they charged over them. The Golems were killing hundreds every second, yet thousands more simply took their place.

    The plan had been a simple one. Use the Golems to push the Monsters towards the Undead. Let the Undead kill as many Monsters as they could before they took fell. In this way, Zalar would be able to eliminate a potentially hostile Undead force while also thinning out the Monsters in their borders.

    But the Undead had not been defeated, instead, they remained unchanging. As one was defeated, another simply took its place.

    The Zalarian Commanders had been expecting the Undead to fall, but when they didnˇŻt the Monsters became more enraged, more frenzied. More and more came, until they eventually overwhelmed the Golems that had been carefully corralling them towards the Undead army that had built its own fort on a small hill in the forest.

    A forest that had since disappeared from the multitude of Spells, bodies, and explosions that had occurred in these two days. A mere forty-eight hours was all it took for the once magnificent woods to become the ruin it was now.

    But while the Undead were holding resolute against the vast hordes of Monsters ranging from Goblins and Ogres all the way to Wyverns and Griffens, there was not enough space for them all to attack. Those that couldnˇŻt get closer to the Undead instead turned their attention to the nearby city of Xesas.

    The city had no choice but defend itself to the best of its capability, but it was struggling. Even with its vast legions of Golems and advanced defenses, the entire city was struggling to hold back the UndeadˇŻs leftovers.

    The trenches in front of the city were struggling to survive the various ranged attacks from the Monsters as they held back the few that managed to get past the constant barrage. But while the Trenches struggled, without having to protect themselves against the ranged attacks, the defenses atop the city walls were all able to focus purely on attack.

    The massive cannons never remained quiet for more than a few seconds, and there were dozens of them, each one capable of firing a beam of Magic that could punch a hole straight through a Dragon. Against the hordes, the cannonsˇŻ settings were changed slightly to instead create a massive explosion at the impact point, killing upwards of a hundred Monsters with each shot.

    The walls were also equipped with much smaller and weaker versions that personal could use in small teams. But the majority of the firepower came from the legions of Golems that emotionlessly did their duty to protect the city.

    The smaller Golems hauled heavy loads or fought on the frontlines, heavily reducing the number of casualties while the large mobile platforms sat in the back, against the wall and rained hell on the Monsters. While the Golems did the majority of the fighting, there were still loss of life in defending the city.

    The operators of the Golems had to be within a certain distance of their Golems, depending on the operatorˇŻs skill and technique. This put them much closer than any of them desired.

    John watched the city defend itself against the Monsters, who had seemingly come from across the entire Nation. He watched the defenders desperately, yet valiantly, protect their home as he sat on a tree stump, bored. They way the Zalarian fought was interesting, using Golems, but John found it boring and borderline cowardly.

    As one of the ten Death Knights that had been sent away to help their Master gain Levels he had expected to be the one fighting.

    He had accepted his duty with joy as it had been much too long since his mace had crushed a skull and turned brains into mush. Yet he, like the other Death Knights, had been regulated to mobile respawn beacons.

    Undead constantly appeared around him, yet he was not the one summoning them. Instead, Alaster was constantly summoning and creating them and merely throwing them out, using the Death Knights as markers for their locations.

    John had not thought much of it until he had been instructed to remain still. Not because Alaster was worried he would be destroyed, but because using the Death Knights as a beacon was much harder when they were moving around.

    John sighed as yet another dozen Iron Guardians appeared around him, their large armored frames and massive shields nearly covered him entirely in shade before they thumped away to join the battle yet again.

    ˇ°Well this is boring.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 216- THE THIRD

    Cold, dark, and wet is how the room would be described, but Alaster did not care. Dressed in his noblemanˇŻs suit, he was a stark outlier from his surroundings, but Alaster did not care. Out in the world, his Hordes of Undead were ravaging the countryside, exterminating every Monster or Bandit they came across, but Alaster did not care.

    Confident in his own strength, Alaster had allowed himself to relax, even in the home of his enemy. Even when an army of Masters were just a few miles away, just waiting for an excuse to let loose their power. He knew he could not defeat all of them, but he did know he could get away without too much injury or loss.

    SedallˇŻs warning had driven a stake through his heart. It had completely shattered his confidence. Alaster was certain he could either defeat or escape any threat posed to him, but this new threat wasnˇŻt aimed at him. It was aimed at the one person he loved more than anything else. It was a threat aimed at Evelyn, his sister.

    Any other person would have doubted SedallˇŻs words and warnings as they simply seemed too outlandish. In a world of Magic and Monsters, it seemed impossible that a single person could level mountains, let alone that there were many such people, and they secretly protected the world. Or that these same people had also been crippling the world, keeping it stable, but also keeping it weak.

    But Alaster knew firsthand that these people were not even the strongest beings of Humanity, let alone of this world. He had personally seen a God, felt his impossibly unfathomably deep power. A power that the world itself rejected, casting it out for self-preservation, its mere presence threatening the structure of the planet itself.

    Alaster knew that each word Sedall spoke was truth. And it was because it was truth that Alaster was afraid. Not for himself, but for Evelyn. He was the fastest growing Human in the world, while others struggled for years to advance a single level, he breezed through dozens, yet he was scared that he would not be fast enough.

    He feared that when they came for Evelyn, he would only be able to watch. Unable to do anything to stop them.

    He had stood before the God of the Dead and fearlessly blamed him for the troubles of Humanity. He had faced down hordes of bloodthirsty Monsters, each one clawing at each other in order to be the first to taste his flesh. Not once had he shown true genuine fear. Yet now it consumed him.

    Alaster had once heard that fear caused two different reactions in a person. Fight or Flight. He could either flee, or he could fight. And Alaster had never been one for fleeing.

    He had no doubt that his hordes of Undead throughout the continent had caught the DemigodsˇŻ attention. He did not care, in fact he welcomed it. The more attention they put on his Undead, the less attention they would put onto seeking other Grade Threes, such as his sister.

    Many of the Nations ignored his Undead, letting them do as they pleased as they did not attack any population centers. Zalar was using them to further cleanse their land of Monsters, even if they overestimated themselves for a moment there. The Empire was making preparations to wipe out his Undead alongside the other Monsters that had gathered around them.

    Alaster did not care either way, so long as the Death Knight stationed in the Empire got away, the rest of the Undead did not matter. Not one of them were Woven. Each one was just a common summoned Undead, typically seen amongst Lich armies.

    After Lezrem had collected and ˇ®adjustedˇŻ the soul of the female Bandit Leader, he had happily wondered off with his own Undead doing his own hunting, just at a much less noticeable pace.

    Alaster had taken the soul and implemented it into his Weave, very slowly, and very carefully, Weaving it into his own soul. Once it was completed, Alaster held onto it and traveled to Fenrir, who had completed the body.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Now, Alaster stood before the prepared body of the Third. Before he implanted the Weave and Soul combo, Alaster carefully inspected the body, silently glad that Fenrir had finally clothed it. The inspection Alaster did was not a physical one, but a Magical one. Alaster wished to know what it could do besides look pretty.

    ˇ°You did not include transformation.ˇ± Alaster noted.

    Fenrir huffed from the corner, ˇ°With all the other shit you had me include? There wasnˇŻt any room for a full transformation, instead, it can sprout black wings from its back that it can use to fly. But no, it canˇŻt completely transform into a small little bird.ˇ±

    Alaster continued the inspection in silence for a few minutes before Fenrir spoke once more, ˇ°What do you intend for it to do first? Begin assassinating some Nobles? Breaking into their homes and stealing priceless artifacts? Oooh, maybe befriending Evelyn and staying close to her all the time so it can protect her?ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head, Fenrir might be able to search their connection for the answer, but he knew that Fenrir was more straightforward than that.

    ˇ°I will first introduce her as my assistant, which will allow her to act in my name. She will seduce and manipulate in order to gather information. And, similar to how you are in charge of the infantry, she will be in charge of the spying and assassination. Who knows, with her flying ability, she might even begin creating her own flying Undead.ˇ±

    Fenrir raised a curious eyebrow, ˇ°That would be interesting, though in any large battle they would immediately be picked off by arrows or spells.ˇ±

    Alaster waved away the comment, ˇ°WeˇŻll figure it out if it ever comes up. For now, we first have to inject the Soul and Weave.ˇ±

    ˇ°Should I leave the two of you alone?ˇ± Fenrir snickered.

    Alaster groaned, wondering just how much attention it would cause if he threw Fenrir through the building next door.

    ˇ°Shut up and help make sure the Weave takes hold properly.ˇ±

    Fenrir chuckled and stood up behind the standing body, activating his own Weave Sight.

    Alaster sighed as he began to slowly inject the Soul and Weave.

    Sometimes he wished he hadnˇŻt made Fenrir so brash and blunt. Of course, he couldnˇŻt really complain because everything about FenrirˇŻs personality was actually just a part of himself. Alaster had merely amplified some aspects while suppressing others.

    Alaster had designed Fenrir to be his frontline warrior. Someone who relished the fight and always sought to become stronger. A soldier. And battle was quite possibly one of the most honest forms of communication, one devoid of lies or deception. War was deception, but the actual combat was simple. Either side wanted to kill the other and both wanted to survive.

    Alaster made sure to make those aspects more apparent in Fenrir in order to made him a better soldier.

    Every aspect of the other BodiesˇŻ personalities were just the same aspects of AlasterˇŻs own personalities, just slightly adjusted.

    Slowly, Alaster sewed the Weave into the body. To the naked eye, it was just three people standing still in the empty room. But for someone with Weave Sight, they would see thousands of tendrils of mana, writhing around, slowly melting into the womanˇŻs body. Each one infused with countless microscopic Runes detailed with the Weaves.

    Hours passed as each and every Rune slowly infused itself into the body of the woman. The sun rose and fell once more before it was finally finished. When it was finally done, Alaster conjured a chair of bone and collapsed onto it.

    Fenrir, who only had to point out a few mistakes, remained fine, if a bit tired, even if he did not need to sleep.

    Before them, stood a slender woman with raven black hair who looked around curiously. Even dressed in rags, she still looked gorgeous. Alaster had no doubt that she would captivate the hearts and minds of many men and even women in the court.

    While the woman was busy sorting through AlasterˇŻs and FenrirˇŻs memories and thoughts, Alaster wondered if he was becoming a Hive Mind. Regardless, Alaster did not care. He checked in with the Shadow Assassins who remained in the castle.

    After receiving reports of a boring day with nothing of importance happening, at least not that they could detect, Alaster stretched his shoulders back, feeling them crack, and stood up.

    ˇ°First order of business, Fenrir, I need you to start hunting Monsters as well. Do whatever you need to do to grow stronger. We need to get as strong as we can as quickly as we can.ˇ±

    Fenrir nodded, ˇ°Then IˇŻll head over to the Gilaen Empire. They seem to be the only ones intending to attack the Hordes so I figure I can go hinder them. Maybe kill a few dozen Experts. Maybe IˇŻll even bag a Master.ˇ±

    ˇ°You,ˇ± Alaster turned to the woman, ˇ°I need you to get close to the Nobles, infiltrate their circles. Eliminate the ones who mean us or Evelyn harm, and remove any obstacles.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood,ˇ± the woman responded with a silky seductive voice, ˇ°But what is my name?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 217- DISRUPTED

    Alaster sighed, wishing he could be elsewhere. He spun the drink in his glass absentmindedly as he watched the couples dance in the middle of the dance floor. Beautifully elegant music filled the ballroom, yet Alaster did care. He was busy watching over the one person he cared about in the entire Kingdom.

    Evelyn was surrounded by her friends and classmates, politely laughing at a joke one of them had made. Being surrounded by Nobility made it inappropriate to truly laugh.

    Yet again, Alaster had been dragged to a ball. Of course, not physically, but he had been invited. And as a foreign dignitary, he could not really refuse without good reason. Alaster doubted that investigating several of the DukeˇŻs secret operatives with the intention of torturing them for information before painfully slaughtering them was a good reason.

    At least not a reason that he wanted to reveal.

    So here he was, bored and irritated, listening to numerous Noblemen and women brag and compliment themselves and others. None of it real.

    Two of the Dread Knights stood behind him, unmoving in their vigil. Their dark and bloodthirsty aura helping to keep most of the people away from Alaster. Something he greatly appreciated, even if it was merely a side effect of their mere presence. Their large serrated blades were on their backs, remaining there despite having no sheath.

    As time passed, Alaster found himself entertaining himself by imagining just how many of these fakers he could kill before anyone could fight back, or maybe before anyone would notice.

    As much as he wanted to, Alaster refrained from checking on his Hordes or Death Knights. Catherine had already scolded him for doing so once before.

    Under her, and the other Death KnightsˇŻ, guidance, the hordes were slaughtering vast swaths of Monsters. By now, none of the Hordes were capable of moving anywhere, their presence alone created a large enough challenge that the Monsters came to them, at least the more hostile ones.

    Of course, despite the vast hordes and constant battle, it was not as if the Undead were clearing out the entire ContinentˇŻs Monster populations. In Zalar, due to the people ˇ®assistingˇŻ the Undead, the Monster Population had dropped five percent. But for Nations like the Empire who treated the Undead as an enemy, the Monster Population had dropped less than two percent.

    Unfortunately, that was not even the lowest. The Undead Horde stationed in the Tuarus was struggling to find the Monsters. The Tuarus Monsters were well adapted to the harsh terrain and environment, and while the Undead did not mind the cold or snow, they were not the best at hunting.

    They were still constantly under attack, but narrow passageways of the Mountain Ranges made it difficult for the Horde to take advantage of their numerical advantage.

    Alaster could of course send some of his Woven Minions, but that would provide a much more substantial link between the Undead and himself. Besides, the other Hordes were doing very well.

    While maintaining the Hordes constantly drained his Mana, despite his Mana Pool rivaling that of a Master nearing Demigod level if he calculated all the various bonuses to his Mana he had. He could not argue their effectiveness.

    In just the short amount of time the Hordes had been active, he had gained several levels. Yet still, it was nowhere near enough. If he wanted any chance to protect his sister against a Demigod, he would need to be a Master. A Tier of power that was a secret to the vast majority of Humanity. A Tier of Power that made Experts seem like children.

    The Hordes had helped him reach Level Eighty-seven. A far cry from the One hundred that was needed to become a Master, when the System would truly stop working on him. A mere thirteen levels. It seemed such a small number, but he knew better. Each Level meant a lake of blood spilled.

    Alaster could only help that he would be strong enough when they came for her. But to do that, he would have to see them coming before they reached her. Due to her position, Alaster doubted that they would come for her in obvious ways. They would likely attempt to kill her using poisons, other parties, or even a supposed accident.

    As it was, Alaster had a dozen Shadow Assassins constantly watching her. However, that was not enough. That is why he had ordered his Third to befriend her and stick close to her. He needed something stronger than a Shadow nearby.

    And as an added bonus, due to her Soul Fragment from the Female Bandit Boss, Alaster felt comfortable leaving his sisterˇŻs constant surveillance to his Third. He did not wish to spy on his sister during moreˇ­sensitive moments.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn!ˇ±

    Alaster looked up from his neglected drink to see Evelyn walk up to him.

    ˇ°Lady Evelyn, what can I do for you?ˇ± Alaster asked with a confident smile.Stolen story; please report.

    Evelyn was once more dressed in a beautiful but tasteful gown. In a very rare moment, Luke was not with her. Alaster knew that the boy had been called away to discuss a sensitive matter with another Noble. A conversation that Fenrir had been listening to in his stead.

    Evelyn glanced at the Dread Knights behind Alaster, but did not stop, sitting down at his table across from him.

    ˇ°Yellow?ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°Nope, though I admit that when I was younger I was partial to it. Not my favorite however.ˇ±

    She pouted, something that struck a cord in AlasterˇŻs heart as it expression was the same one she would wear back in Pinefall when they were children.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs your guess for the day, so what else do you wish to talk about?ˇ±

    Evelyn thought for a bit before speaking, ˇ°How powerful are you?ˇ±

    While it was considered bad manners, even amongst commoners, to ask someone outside of a student-teacher or familial relation to reveal their Class or Level, by asking them how powerful they were, it slightly bent the unspoken rule.

    It allowed the asked to reveal as much as they desire, while also being a good indicator of character. An indicator that Evelyn no doubt knew to read with minimal effort.

    ˇ°Powerful enough that the Independent Alliance is not worried about me disappearing in Lissura or ending up dead somewhere.ˇ±

    Evelyn hummed to herself as she contemplated his response. As intended, he had not revealed much of anything, just that he was confident in his strength, or at least his ability to avoid conflicts he did not desire.

    ˇ°Who are the people that follow you? It seems like your typical guards, the ones with the masks, are all competent Experts, but I canˇŻt seem to grasp the power of the two behind you.ˇ±

    Alaster lazily looked back at the Dread Knights, who remained uncaring about the conversation.

    ˇ°I have various people who have sworn themselves to me. However, I do believe you have already met one of the more valuable ones.ˇ±

    ˇ°Vivian?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is correct,ˇ± Alaster took a sip from his drink, acting as if he was relaxed, though he had to resist showing any disgust on his face.

    With all the magic in the world that Humans have assess to, they still insist on drinking fermented drinks. Alaster was not a fan. Least of all of its inhibiting side effects.

    Down on the dance floor, Alaster spotted Vivian dressed in a gorgeous gown that showed plenty of cleavage, had no back, and had a long slit up one of the legs. She was currently dancing with an Older Nobleman who he recognized as one of the Nobles in charge of the Southern Smithys.

    ˇ°She seems quite different from you Lord Ashborn.ˇ± Evelyn hesitantly pointed out.

    Alaster couldnˇŻt stifle his chuckle in time, ˇ°I would hope so! As one of my key assistants, it is a important that she be capable of forming her own thoughts and opinions. She can be a bit erratic at times, but it suits her duties well.ˇ±

    ˇ°And those duties are? Because, and no offence, she seems like one of the sluts that cling to either the young or old Noblemen, hoping to scrape off something from them for themselves.ˇ±

    Alaster had made the mistake of taking another sip as she spoke, his reaction caused him to cough into his glass, creating a bit of a mess.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn?ˇ± Evelyn asked in concern.

    Alaster waved her concerns away and patted away the champaign from his clothes before returning the cloth to his Ring of Holding.

    ˇ°Apologizes mˇŻlady for showing such a display. As for Vivian, your judgement is not far off. One of her many tasks is to insert herself into community circles, forming connections with those around her. I do not care how she does it, only that is gets done.ˇ±

    ˇ°For what purpose?ˇ±

    ˇ°Should I require assistance for whatever reason, it helps to know who is best to ask for it. Or if they ask me for help, I would want to know who they are and how they might best repay me.ˇ±

    Evelyn nodded, ˇ°Makes sense, I guess.ˇ±

    Just then, a young Nobleman, young for Nobility anyway, perhaps in his mid-twenties, walked up to their table. The drink in his hand and the slight sway in his movements left no question as to why the man had such a cocky smile.

    ˇ°Lady Evelyn,ˇ± He interrupted her just as she began to speak, ˇ°Why do you insist to speak to the riffraff, the help? Come, join me and my friends. WeˇŻll show you how to have a good time.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs eyes twitched in rage, but he kept it controlled, for now.

    Evelyn sighed, clearly used to such displays, yet still irritated by them.

    ˇ°Sir Domic, I would ask that you apologize to Lord Ashborn, seeing as how he is a foreign dignitary here on official business.ˇ±

    Domic merely laughed, ˇ°So what? He comes here from the Independent Cities, our great Kingdom of Lissura could destroy them in less than a week.

    Come, it is beneath you to be seen with him.ˇ±

    Domic stepped forward and reached to grab EvelynˇŻs arm, but before he could, the inebriated man found himself choking, gasping for air, and desperately searching for the ground beneath him.

    One of the Dread Knights had lifted the man off the ground by the throat.

    The manˇŻs friends stood up from their nearby table, grasping for the swords at their hips.

    The Dread Knight merely glanced at them, its helmeted head showing no emotion or expression, yet still making dark promises.

    The other men hesitantly sat back down, unwilling to save their so called friend from the monster before them.

    The Dread Knight brought Domic in closer to his face plate, seeming to study the man for a moment.

    Seemingly layered with hundreds of guttural and monstrous voices, the Dread Knight spoke a single word, ˇ°Trash.ˇ±

    Without hesitation, the Dread Knight threw Domic over AlasterˇŻs table and over the railing to the dance floor. The sickening crunch of bones breaking overpowered the gentle music that was playing and brought the dance to a halt.

    Evelyn worriedly looked over the railing at the broken, yet still living, body of the man. A small crowd began to form around him as the nearby Guards shoved past them. She worried not for the man or for herself, but for the man across from her.

    Meanwhile, Alaster did not even spare a glance. Instead, he stared hard at the Dread Knight. He had not ordered it to move, and he did not know it could speak.

    The Dread Knight was AlasterˇŻs first Weave. It had been intended as a simple Weave that would help Alaster get his foot into the ancient world of Weaving. And in truth, now that he was much more experienced, he knew just how simplistic the Weave had been.

    He might have recently updated it with his more recent experience and knowledge, but he had not changed any of the core Weave.

    Whatever caused the Dread Knight to act on its own and even speak, had been there from the start.

    Instead of concern, Alaster was merely curious.

    Just what else was his first Creation capable of?

 CHAPTER 218- STRUGGLE ON HIGH

    Evros looked down at the map of the continent with a blank stare. He had been called over to the Map by its overseers. He did not enjoy being called.

    He had known about the Hordes of Undead that had suddenly appeared throughout the land yet had not attacked any of the Races of Mankind.

    It had been nearly a month now since their rampage had begun, and they showed no true sign of stopping. By now, many of the more stationary Hordes were standing atop of hill of Monster Corpses. While the traveling ones had left a trail of blood and bodies behind.

    The Horde in the borders of the Gilaen Empire had been attacked by the Empire, almost being wiped out, but then a force of Werewolf Undead appeared and almost completely wiped out the attacking Gilaen force. Now, the Undead Horde had constructed a makeshift fort out of logs and constructed a trench.

    Not even Black Liches used such techniques. Instead preferring to use numbers to simply overwhelm their opponents.

    All of the Demigods had encountered a Lich or two before. But only Evros was old enough to remember the disasters of several Black Liches across history. He knew more about the Liches, and a great many other things, than any of the other Demigods.

    And Liches never acted the way these Hordes were acting. Even discounting the potential coincidence of all the Hordes appearing at once, there was not a Lich who would not attack the Races of Mankind. They were incapable of empathy and held no regard for the living.

    While the other Demigods were struggling to locate the Liches behind these Hordes, Evros knew they were wasting their time.

    ˇ°Capilon, notify the others. Tell them to stop wasting their time and to return to their duties.ˇ± Evros commanded without looking away from the constantly changing map.

    ˇ°Of course Elder.ˇ± Capilon bowed slightly and left the room to do as he was instructed.

    ˇ°Olerac, search the records, I want a list of every individual who has any Skill or Class related to the Undead. I want their Levels, and I want their locations. Consult with the others if you have too.ˇ±

    Capilon all but worshiped Evros for being one of the first Demigods and the oldest still living. Evros was a man who had personally met some of the Gods while they were still mortal. But Olerac merely respected the Elder for his experience.

    ˇ°You really think this is being done by a person?ˇ±

    Evros did not mind the question. He was always willing to teach to those worthy of the knowledge.

    ˇ°You all believe it is a Lich who is responsible for the Hordes of Undead. An understandable conclusion. However, there are a few reasons why it cant be a Lich, even several.

    First, Liches never work together. In the rare times two Liches encounter each other, they will fight in order to consume the other.

    Second, in their ever growing hunger for power, they would never let a source of experience go, especially not one of the Races. Yet these Hordes do not attack any of the Races without first being attacked.

    Third, they are too spread out, operating at different speeds with different strategies. Tactics that a Lich would never employ.ˇ±

    ˇ°That all makes sense Elder, but not even the bastard in the Northern Ranges could raise this many Undead in different locations. Especially not without leaving his castle.ˇ±

    ˇ°And he is still there?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. We have a special alert that would trigger if he left. And just in case he somehow avoids triggering it, I have an Agent with a direct line to me constantly watching him. Just an hour ago he reported the man still inside the Castle.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Could it be several Necromancers working together?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not unless ten Necromancers somehow avoided our detection and reached the Higher end of Expert.ˇ±

    ˇ°Unlikely.ˇ± Olerac shook his head.

    ˇ°That was my thought. So let us hope that something on that list will reveal something.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if it doesnˇŻt?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hope and pray that the Titan of Bone has not woken up. Because if it has, not even a God could save us.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ok, being hopeful, lets say it is a person behind these Hordes, what then?ˇ±

    ˇ°Then we eliminate them. Someone who has that kind of power would completely shift the power dynamic of the world that we have carefully maintained.ˇ±

    ˇ°But couldnˇŻt they also help eliminate all the Monsters?ˇ±

    ˇ°And if they did that, what would people fight? Each other. The Monsters cause less damage and death than the wars would. Just get me that list. Leave this Demon to me.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Thousands of winged figures sat in a massive coliseum. In the center, an equally massive map was drawn with countless figurines placed around it.

    Several individuals stood atop the map, discussing various strategies and movements. Even the blind could have seen their splendor. The divinity that radiated off these individuals.

    ˇ°Evros, could you send three billion of your Undead to Sector Three?ˇ± Anera asked.

    ˇ°I could, but that would leave Sector Five vastly undermanned. What about sending five million of TaloaˇŻs Golems to Sector Three?ˇ±

    Anera shook her head, ˇ°Her Golems are tied up fighting against the Argalon in Sector Six.ˇ±

    Each word the Gods spoke was carefully recorded and checked by the Angels in the stands. Each statement was ran through the records to see if it was possible or not. All while more records were brought in from the ongoing war outside.

    This war council had been ongoing for the last month and showed no sign of stopping any time soon. Such was the nature of a war that spanned thousands of planets, even if none of them were inhabitable.

    A war that had been waging for thousands of years. A war that had taken incalculable lives. A war that had seen the destruction of numerous celestial bodies. A war that Humanity was losing. Slowly but surely.

    The doors to the council were thrown open, slamming into the walls loudly and silencing the conversations. A bloodied man stumbled into the room, covered in blood from both his enemies, and his own. Every movement he made caused some of the blood to drip down onto the polished stone.

    Metos, Human God of War, sat down in a small puddle of his own blood, breathing heavily and painfully.

    ˇ°Sectors Seven, Eight, and Nine have been lost.ˇ±

    The silence grew heavy.

    The Sectors were organized with numbers. The Home Sector, where Humans and Angels lived, was numbered one. When the war had begun, Humanity had over three thousands Sectors under their control.

    Over the centuries, they had slowly lost almost all of them. Now, Humanity had been corralled down to nine sectors. This is where Humanity fought the hardest, forming a wall that kept out the enemy. It had been this way for just over a century. But now, that Wall had been broken. In just a single report, they lost a third of their sectors.

    Now, Humanity only had five sectors remaining before the Argalon could directly attack their home.

    Ebris turned away from his wounded friend as several Angels rushed to attend to him. Ebris turned his gaze towards the planet that had started this war.

    Like most of the Gods, he had been there when Humanity had first landed on that planet. He had been there to see the survivors of Humanity struggle against the Monsters. He had personally seen his friends and family be torn apart from the Monsters who hunted them for sport.

    Humanity tried to defend itself using the tools and few weapons they had arrived with, but it was like fighting a bear with a toothpick.

    It was a slaughter.

    The revival of the Nanobots changed that, from a slaughter by Monsters, to a slaughter of themselves. The raw System struggled to comprehend just how fragile Humans were. Of the hundreds of thousands of survivors, only a few thousands could withstand the powers that were forced into them.

    The rest died from the effects of their own Magics. Fire Mages were burned alive, reducing their bodies to ash with their own power. Water Mages found themselves drowning on dry land. Many people couldnˇŻt even withstand the power long enough for the Magic to manifest, resulting in their bodies exploding, covering their surroundings in gore.

    But the few who withstood the assault of Magic on their bodies grew powerful enough to fight back against the Monsters. And the more they fought the Monsters, the stronger they became. In just a few years, they were no longer struggling every day just to survive the night.

    Ebris was one of a true handful whose Hibernation Bays had survived the eons of space travel. He had been a mere child when his father, a genetic engineer, had given up his Bay for him. But he had not been so young so as to not remember the Earth before it died. To this day, hundreds of thousands of years later, Ebris still found himself occasionally reaching into his pocket for a phone that had not existed for Millions of years.

    Ebris, God of the Dead, the last survivor of Earth, records keeper of Humanity, who had seen the death of HumanityˇŻs birthplace, who had witnessed HumanityˇŻs revival on another planet across the stars, had seen it struggle to survive and learn how to fight back, and now, who was watching it die yet again.

    As a man who was so in tune with the primordial power of Death, Ebris had a different viewpoint than others.

    ˇ°Will we survive the cataclysm this time?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 219- DEMONIC VIEW

    Belgroth watched. Always there. Always watching. He thought he had grown accustomed to watching but never acting. For thousands of years, he had waited, trapped in that dungeon. Ever so slowly gathering what whispers of power he could grasp until he finally broke free of his restraints to the dungeon but still bound to that forsaken throne.

    Even if he had been at full power, he would have struggled to break that binding. It took him thousands of years just to reclaim less than a millionth of his power.

    An eternity.

    He had struggled to retain his sanity for so long, he knew he would never be able to keep ahold of himself for another thousand, let alone another million.

    But then, a small child had stumbled into his prison, providing him an escape, at least from one prison to another.

    Belgroth had intended to consume the boyˇŻs mind after entering it and possessing his body, but the boy had excited the old ArgalonˇŻs curiosity.

    The demon, who had sworn to exterminate every Human in existence, found himself growing fond of the boy. He was not the most talented individual Belgroth had seen, but his affinities matched his personality more so than Belgroth had ever seen.

    It had rarely even been theorized.

    A person whose personality matched so perfectly with an element? Let alone one of the Primordial Elements? And a boy at that?

    BelgrothˇŻs roommate, the Demigod Sedall, had mentioned that the boyˇŻs sister had a Body Constitution that was considered too dangerous to be left alive. He could understand their fear, though he did not consider it serious enough to constitute blanket executions.

    But if the sister was considered worthy of death, Belgroth had no doubt that the Demigods were blind and ignorant.

    For if they truly understood just how much potential Alaster had, they would have long since eradicated every atom of the boy.

    Users of the Primordial Elements were naturally more powerful then the Users of the other Elements, simply because the Primordial Elements control the very fabric of existence. It was naturally powerful.

    But someone who matched the Primordial Element of Death, one of the more powerful Primordials, almost perfectly? Even the Argalon people would have seriously considered eliminating him.

    But the Argalon people were no longer what they once were. Nor was he.

    Now, Belgroth did his best to tutor and nurture the boy. He wanted to see just how powerful someone could become. He wanted to see what marvels of reality the boy could accomplish. What monstrosities would he create? Which ones would he stop? And which ones would he cause?

    For this reason, Belgroth had grown quite fond of the boy. And why he feared for him.

    Even as blind to the world as Belgroth had become, he was not useless.

    There was plenty he did not know.

    But it was impossible for someone as knowledgeable as him to not feel such a large number of his own people coming closer.

    The Gods of Humanity were losing.

    Belgroth was not sure what to do. While he would actually quite enjoy watching the Human race be extinguished, he liked Alaster.

    There was no telling what the Gods of Humanity would do either. Humans had already shown themselves willing to do whatever it takes when defeat looms over them. They have already proven themselves to be capable and willing to destroy entire worlds for their own interests.

    They had destroyed their home planet, and while this world had been theirs for thousands of years, it was still the home planet of the Argalon. They cherished it and did not wish to see it destroyed.

    That would create an interesting situation once the Gods of Humanity were pushed back to it.

    Invaders who desperately wanted to have their home back. And defenders who would not hesitate to destroy it just so no one could have it.

    Then there was Alaster.

    A human boy who did not care who or what he had to kill to protect his family.

    He was already planning to burn down an entire kingdom to avenge his parents and take on an entire pantheon of Demigods just to protect his sister.

    Belgroth wondered what the boy would do if the Argalon people threatened her.

    And he wondered if Alaster would someday meet him.

    </a>Chapter 220- Interference

    Alaster walked through the halls of the Castle with purpose. The servants averted their gazes and huddled into themselves. The nearby lords and ladies watched him pass before whispering amongst themselves.

    Rumors about the mysterious but wrathful Lord Ashborn were plentiful these days. Not that he cared. Very few were even slightly accurate. Unfortunately, the since his third body, Vivian, had made her debut, many of the rumors were about the two of them.

    Since her appearance, she had certainly made an impact. Her seductive mannerisms and dresses, coupled with her masterful manipulations, had quickly caused ripples.

    What made the rumors even worse was the way she interacted with him in public. The two might be the same soul, but Vivian was also paired with the Bandit BossˇŻs soul. While much of the BanditˇŻs soul had been subdued by AlasterˇŻs own, certain aspects remained.

    One such aspect was the teasing and jokester.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Vivian was capable of joking with everyone around her in order to make them more comfortable around her. She changed her entire persona to fit the person before her for just such a reason. Unfortunately for Alaster, Vivian personally enjoyed clinging to him while they were in public.

    Not because she enjoyed it, but because it made Alaster uncomfortable. Especially because the two were the same soul. To them, they were the same person. To everyone else, Vivian draped herself on him every chance she got.

    Luckily, while rumors about Vivian being a slut who slept with anyone circulated rampantly, Evelyn seemed immune. Following AlasterˇŻs instructions, Vivian had befriended Evelyn.

    It was not that difficult either. Evelyn desperated wanted an older woman she could talk to about certain things, but young enough she was still relatable. Evelyn wanted an older sister.

    And Vivian was perfect, especially since she was close to Lord Ashborn, someone who had known her parents closely before they died.

    Anytime Vivian was not seducing and manipulating one of the Nobility to get what she wanted, she was usually talking and giggling with Evelyn somewhere.

    Alaster was sometimes curious about what they talked about, since Vivian was technically an extension of himself, but he did not pry. He made it expressly clear to Vivian that she was to befriend and protect Evelyn, not spy on her.

    Though he had to admit, he was jealous.

    While Alaster had to maintain the mask of a foreign Lord who happened to be friends with her family, and Fenrir had to remain a hidden sword, Vivian was allowed to act like EvelynˇŻs sibling.

    Even Fenrir was allowed to let loose. He was enjoying himself as he tore through the ranks of any Gilaen Soldiers that the Empire sent at the Horde in their borders.

    But not Alaster.

    Alaster had to control himself. He couldnˇŻt sit and talk with his sister because he had to keep their real relationship secret and their conversations were constantly watched. Nor could he rip out the lungs of every Noble that opened their mouth, despite how much his fingers twitched to do just that.

    Had it not been for AzemarˇŻs teachings, Alaster would have already killed many. But then, he would have been killed or imprisoned by the Masters that guarded the Royal Family. Something that he only recently learned about.

    While Alaster was certain he could kill a handful, he was not too prideful to claim he could take on the entire Thousand. Their armor also gave him pause.

    Alaster had heard rumors, through the many Shadows sneaking around the castle, about the capabilities of the Golden ThousandˇŻs Armor. If even a tenth of the rumors were accurate, Alaster wanted nothing more than to get his hands on a set and attempt to replicate it for his own uses, with BelgrothˇŻs assistance of course.

    As Alaster thought to himself, the Shadows began to be destroyed, simply vanishing.

    Lord Ashborn took a deep breath to steady himself.

    Sir Castiel was on the move, something that always irritated Alaster as it always disrupted his surveillance network. Not to mention that the manˇŻs mere presence annoyed Alaster. Such was the effect one had on another whose Mana was of polar opposites.

    To make it worse, according to the trail of Shadows vanishing, Sir Castiel was headed to the same place as him.

    ˇ®Joy.ˇŻ

    His already sour mood turned even worse, something that those in the halls took note of and stayed away from him.

    In a few minutes, Alaster could feel CastielˇŻs presence. A sickly feeling that made Alaster nauseous. A few minutes longer, the man came into view.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn.ˇ± Sir Castiel said blankly, staring at the door they both stood at.

    ˇ°Sir Castiel.ˇ± Alaster droned, doing the same.

    The two guards that stood at the door informed them that the office was empty.

    ˇ°Did he inform either of you as to when he would return?ˇ± Sir Castiel asked, clearly impatient.

    The guard opened his mouth but was interrupted by the Duke walking quickly down the hall towards the door, flanked by four more guards following after their charge.

    Sensing the urgency of the Duke, the guards standing at the door opened the door and stood aside.

    Alaster and Castiel also stepped back, allowing the Duke to walk past them without stopping. The four guards similarly passed them.

    Alaster and Castiel walked in after them, the doors being closed behind them by the two guards who remained outside.

    The Duke stood behind his desk, his back slumped at he rested his fists on the desktop.

    He took a deep breath. One of frustration.

    Looking up, he looked up, motioning with two of you fingers, ˇ°You four, get out.ˇ±

    The guards, who had stationed themselves against the back wall, stood at attention, saluted, and quickly left the room.

    With Castiel nearby, Alaster did not have any Shadows outside the room, but he imagined that the four guards had positioned themselves just outside.

    The room grew quite then, remaining so for several minutes as the Duke tried to calm himself. Eventually, he sat down in his chair, leaning back as he looked up at the ceiling.

    ˇ°I called both of you here to tell you the same thing. You both have a special interest in Lady Evelyn.

    Sir Castiel, you believe she is some sort of messenger sent from the Gods meant to aid you as you protect the world.

    Lord Alaster, she is the daughter of a dear friend of yours.ˇ±

    The Duke sighed once more before he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

    ˇ°I was just informed that in two days, the Royal Family will be leaving the Inner Castle. That is not an issue. If anything, I welcome them as it means that they can take control. I hope, at least.ˇ±

    The DukeˇŻs guests remained quiet, allowing the Duke to gather his thoughts.

    ˇ°Iˇ­was also informed that the Crown Prince has expressed his desire to ask Evelyn to be his queen.ˇ±

    The shadows grew darker, encroaching on the room and blocking out the bright sunlight from the window. The wooden furniture creaked as gravity seemed to grow heavier.

    Sir Castiel felt himself unconsciously stepped away from the Lord Ashborn. He had heard the rumors, but he had assumed, as with most rumors, that they had been exaggerated. Castiel had assumed that it was the LordˇŻs guards that had done the act.

    Sir Castiel was from a time of constant warfare and strife. He had personally killed thousands of Experts and caused the deaths of tens of thousands with his direct actions and intentions.

    He had merely seen Lord Ashborn as an annoyance. A small stone that he would have to step over to continue his path, but now, personally feeling the pressure this Lord Ashborn could exert on his surroundings without casting a single spell or moving a muscle, Sir Castiel worried that the man might prove to be a fortress in his way.

    Alaster did not move, yet his voice took on a layered sound, as if a dozen voices were speaking all at once.

    ˇ°I allowed your son to court Evelyn because she enjoyed his company. I did not like it, but I was willing to accept it. I will say this once, and once only, no one will force her to do anything. I do not care who.ˇ±

    In an instant, the room returned to normal.

    Alaster turned and opened the door, glancing over his shoulder, ˇ°Do not test me.ˇ±

    The doors closed behind him, leaving the Duke and Saint alone.

    ˇ°He just threatened your prince.ˇ± Sir Castiel spoke first.

    ˇ°You just felt his power. I have seen it. Yet I am sure we both know that was nowhere near even a fraction of what he is capable of, let alone those who would follow him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you truly believe he could be a threat to your brother or his son?ˇ±

    Daniel shrugged, something he rarely did, even in the company of friends and family, neither of which the Saint could be considered.

    ˇ°I have no idea. And that frightens me. Lord Ashborn is a mystery, despite my network. All that is known is that he suddenly showed up within Onigas, alongside an army, practically singlehandedly saving the city against the Tarian Siege, then he vanished. There are speculations that he went to Galmore, but no evidence of such.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the army?ˇ±

    ˇ°Vanished. That would imply some sort of Minion based force, yet the descriptions I have received of them are unlike any Minion in any record.

    What I know for certain, whatever force that is behind the Lord, is powerful and unknown, both in power, and in quantity.

    Lord Ashborn has great ties to the newly formed Independent Alliance, and while it is unknown if they would back him in a war against our Kingdom, I would not be surprised. And that is not counting this mysterious military power that lies behind him separate from any other.ˇ±

    Sir Castiel silently nodded, looking at the doors the Lord had left through just moments before, ˇ°What are you going to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°I am going to dissuade my nephew against creating a powerful enemy for the Kingdom, as best as I can.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if that doesnˇŻt work?ˇ±

    ˇ°Prepare for a war.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 220- INTERFERENCE

    Alaster walked through the halls of the Castle with purpose. The servants averted their gazes and huddled into themselves. The nearby lords and ladies watched him pass before whispering amongst themselves.

    Rumors about the mysterious but wrathful Lord Ashborn were plentiful these days. Not that he cared. Very few were even slightly accurate. Unfortunately, the since his third body, Vivian, had made her debut, many of the rumors were about the two of them.

    Since her appearance, she had certainly made an impact. Her seductive mannerisms and dresses, coupled with her masterful manipulations, had quickly caused ripples.

    What made the rumors even worse was the way she interacted with him in public. The two might be the same soul, but Vivian was also paired with the Bandit BossˇŻs soul. While much of the BanditˇŻs soul had been subdued by AlasterˇŻs own, certain aspects remained.

    One such aspect was the teasing and jokester.

    Vivian was capable of joking with everyone around her in order to make them more comfortable around her. She changed her entire persona to fit the person before her for just such a reason. Unfortunately for Alaster, Vivian personally enjoyed clinging to him while they were in public.

    Not because she enjoyed it, but because it made Alaster uncomfortable. Especially because the two were the same soul. To them, they were the same person. To everyone else, Vivian draped herself on him every chance she got.

    Luckily, while rumors about Vivian being a slut who slept with anyone circulated rampantly, Evelyn seemed immune. Following AlasterˇŻs instructions, Vivian had befriended Evelyn.

    It was not that difficult either. Evelyn desperated wanted an older woman she could talk to about certain things, but young enough she was still relatable. Evelyn wanted an older sister.

    And Vivian was perfect, especially since she was close to Lord Ashborn, someone who had known her parents closely before they died.

    Anytime Vivian was not seducing and manipulating one of the Nobility to get what she wanted, she was usually talking and giggling with Evelyn somewhere.

    Alaster was sometimes curious about what they talked about, since Vivian was technically an extension of himself, but he did not pry. He made it expressly clear to Vivian that she was to befriend and protect Evelyn, not spy on her.

    Though he had to admit, he was jealous.

    While Alaster had to maintain the mask of a foreign Lord who happened to be friends with her family, and Fenrir had to remain a hidden sword, Vivian was allowed to act like EvelynˇŻs sibling.

    Even Fenrir was allowed to let loose. He was enjoying himself as he tore through the ranks of any Gilaen Soldiers that the Empire sent at the Horde in their borders.

    But not Alaster.

    Alaster had to control himself. He couldnˇŻt sit and talk with his sister because he had to keep their real relationship secret and their conversations were constantly watched. Nor could he rip out the lungs of every Noble that opened their mouth, despite how much his fingers twitched to do just that.

    Had it not been for AzemarˇŻs teachings, Alaster would have already killed many. But then, he would have been killed or imprisoned by the Masters that guarded the Royal Family. Something that he only recently learned about.

    While Alaster was certain he could kill a handful, he was not too prideful to claim he could take on the entire Thousand. Their armor also gave him pause.

    Alaster had heard rumors, through the many Shadows sneaking around the castle, about the capabilities of the Golden ThousandˇŻs Armor. If even a tenth of the rumors were accurate, Alaster wanted nothing more than to get his hands on a set and attempt to replicate it for his own uses, with BelgrothˇŻs assistance of course.

    As Alaster thought to himself, the Shadows began to be destroyed, simply vanishing.

    Lord Ashborn took a deep breath to steady himself.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Sir Castiel was on the move, something that always irritated Alaster as it always disrupted his surveillance network. Not to mention that the manˇŻs mere presence annoyed Alaster. Such was the effect one had on another whose Mana was of polar opposites.

    To make it worse, according to the trail of Shadows vanishing, Sir Castiel was headed to the same place as him.

    ˇ®Joy.ˇŻ

    His already sour mood turned even worse, something that those in the halls took note of and stayed away from him.

    In a few minutes, Alaster could feel CastielˇŻs presence. A sickly feeling that made Alaster nauseous. A few minutes longer, the man came into view.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn.ˇ± Sir Castiel said blankly, staring at the door they both stood at.

    ˇ°Sir Castiel.ˇ± Alaster droned, doing the same.

    The two guards that stood at the door informed them that the office was empty.

    ˇ°Did he inform either of you as to when he would return?ˇ± Sir Castiel asked, clearly impatient.

    The guard opened his mouth but was interrupted by the Duke walking quickly down the hall towards the door, flanked by four more guards following after their charge.

    Sensing the urgency of the Duke, the guards standing at the door opened the door and stood aside.

    Alaster and Castiel also stepped back, allowing the Duke to walk past them without stopping. The four guards similarly passed them.

    Alaster and Castiel walked in after them, the doors being closed behind them by the two guards who remained outside.

    The Duke stood behind his desk, his back slumped at he rested his fists on the desktop.

    He took a deep breath. One of frustration.

    Looking up, he looked up, motioning with two of you fingers, ˇ°You four, get out.ˇ±

    The guards, who had stationed themselves against the back wall, stood at attention, saluted, and quickly left the room.

    With Castiel nearby, Alaster did not have any Shadows outside the room, but he imagined that the four guards had positioned themselves just outside.

    The room grew quite then, remaining so for several minutes as the Duke tried to calm himself. Eventually, he sat down in his chair, leaning back as he looked up at the ceiling.

    ˇ°I called both of you here to tell you the same thing. You both have a special interest in Lady Evelyn.

    Sir Castiel, you believe she is some sort of messenger sent from the Gods meant to aid you as you protect the world.

    Lord Alaster, she is the daughter of a dear friend of yours.ˇ±

    The Duke sighed once more before he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

    ˇ°I was just informed that in two days, the Royal Family will be leaving the Inner Castle. That is not an issue. If anything, I welcome them as it means that they can take control. I hope, at least.ˇ±

    The DukeˇŻs guests remained quiet, allowing the Duke to gather his thoughts.

    ˇ°Iˇ­was also informed that the Crown Prince has expressed his desire to ask Evelyn to be his queen.ˇ±

    The shadows grew darker, encroaching on the room and blocking out the bright sunlight from the window. The wooden furniture creaked as gravity seemed to grow heavier.

    Sir Castiel felt himself unconsciously stepped away from the Lord Ashborn. He had heard the rumors, but he had assumed, as with most rumors, that they had been exaggerated. Castiel had assumed that it was the LordˇŻs guards that had done the act.

    Sir Castiel was from a time of constant warfare and strife. He had personally killed thousands of Experts and caused the deaths of tens of thousands with his direct actions and intentions.

    He had merely seen Lord Ashborn as an annoyance. A small stone that he would have to step over to continue his path, but now, personally feeling the pressure this Lord Ashborn could exert on his surroundings without casting a single spell or moving a muscle, Sir Castiel worried that the man might prove to be a fortress in his way.

    Alaster did not move, yet his voice took on a layered sound, as if a dozen voices were speaking all at once.

    ˇ°I allowed your son to court Evelyn because she enjoyed his company. I did not like it, but I was willing to accept it. I will say this once, and once only, no one will force her to do anything. I do not care who.ˇ±

    In an instant, the room returned to normal.

    Alaster turned and opened the door, glancing over his shoulder, ˇ°Do not test me.ˇ±

    The doors closed behind him, leaving the Duke and Saint alone.

    ˇ°He just threatened your prince.ˇ± Sir Castiel spoke first.

    ˇ°You just felt his power. I have seen it. Yet I am sure we both know that was nowhere near even a fraction of what he is capable of, let alone those who would follow him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you truly believe he could be a threat to your brother or his son?ˇ±

    Daniel shrugged, something he rarely did, even in the company of friends and family, neither of which the Saint could be considered.

    ˇ°I have no idea. And that frightens me. Lord Ashborn is a mystery, despite my network. All that is known is that he suddenly showed up within Onigas, alongside an army, practically singlehandedly saving the city against the Tarian Siege, then he vanished. There are speculations that he went to Galmore, but no evidence of such.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the army?ˇ±

    ˇ°Vanished. That would imply some sort of Minion based force, yet the descriptions I have received of them are unlike any Minion in any record.

    What I know for certain, whatever force that is behind the Lord, is powerful and unknown, both in power, and in quantity.

    Lord Ashborn has great ties to the newly formed Independent Alliance, and while it is unknown if they would back him in a war against our Kingdom, I would not be surprised. And that is not counting this mysterious military power that lies behind him separate from any other.ˇ±

    Sir Castiel silently nodded, looking at the doors the Lord had left through just moments before, ˇ°What are you going to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°I am going to dissuade my nephew against creating a powerful enemy for the Kingdom, as best as I can.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if that doesnˇŻt work?ˇ±

    ˇ°Prepare for a war.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 221- FLAG OF PARLEY

    The two Forgotten stationed outside his suite of rooms stood at attention and opened the door as he approached.

    Inside, he saw Vivian lounging on the couch, reading a book whose title read ˇ®Mark of Idiocy in ChildrenˇŻ.

    Alaster did not spare his weird sister-self-twin a glance as he hung up his coat and sat down in one of the chairs across from the couch, preparing to create even more Forgotten.

    ˇ°ArenˇŻt you supposed to be protecting Evelyn?ˇ±

    ˇ°Meh, the Duke boyˇŻs tutor lessons ended early so Evelyn sent me away to spend some alone time with her man.ˇ± Vivian responded in her sultry voice.

    Alaster felt his eye twitch, ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    Vivian rolled her eyes and kept reading, ˇ°Oh calm down, I have a few of my birds watching over them. Nothing nefarious is going on. They are just chatting about their party members. Interesting stuff I will left you peek on later, but right now, boring.ˇ±

    ˇ°Anything I should know?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just that Evelyn is no doubt a threat to those Demigod Bastards. They will certainly come for her.ˇ±

    Involuntarily growling, Alaster got to work creating yet another Forgotten.

    At this point, Alaster had long since stopped counting. While the Undead Hordes scattered around the continent were gradually increasing his own power, AlasterˇŻs true strength was not himself, but the Minions he could create. He had to ensure they did not lag behind.

    As it was, his Death Knights were reporting that the Forgotten in their Legions, the oldest Forgotten, were beginning to show signs of genuine personalities. Having heard the reports from all of the Death Knights individually, Alaster was quite amused to find that the Legions were starting to emulate the personalities of their Death Knights.

    He had expected exactly that to happen, but he was glad to see it. Afterall, the Forgotten were quite sheltered so far. The only people they were really exposed to were their own Legion Masters, and while they were all subtly different, it was obvious they would be similar.

    It would only make them more effective, if slightly slower to react.

    Alaster had just finished the creation of one Forgotten when he heard one of his Death Knights speak in his mind.

    ˇ°Sir, a lone Human has approached us under a white flag. He says he wishes to speak with our leader.ˇ±

    Letting the Weave dissipate, Alaster rubbed his eyebrow, where a headache was starting to form.

    ˇ°Apologizes, but which one are you and where are you stationed?ˇ±

    Alaster felt the Death Knight grin, ˇ°IˇŻm John sir, and IˇŻm in Zalar. The man claims to be here on order of their King. Should I claim to be the leader?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, but you will be my mouthpiece.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Counselor Rylock sat on the bloodied stone, grimacing at the massacre around him. A massacre that was yet ongoing.

    All around him, thousands of the Undead fought against hundreds of Monsters. Ordinarily, such a scene would have terrified anyone and would have spelled certain doom and death. Yet a clear ring around him was kept clear of any Monster. He saw Goblins get speared through like kebabs. He saw Trolls trampling through the hordes screaming as their hairy backs burned.

    He saw Drakes falling out of the sky, their wings pierced. He saw Wyrms collapse under the weight of countless bone. He saw Ents burn and shatter. He saw Kobolds be crushed into paste.

    He saw all of this around him, yet none approached him. Inside the ring around him, was peace and calm, if he ignored the countless corpses and a lake of blood from the battle of the last many days.

    As Counselor to the King of Zalar, when the King requested to meet the cause of the Undead, it was RylockˇŻs duty to make it so and serve as his majestyˇŻs voice. Or, at least bring the Transmitter.

    When he had first approached the Undead as they battled the endless hordes of Monsters, he was certain he was going to his death, by the hands of the Dead, or by the Monsters. Yet he walked forward, resolute in his service to his King.

    Yet as he had come closer, the Undead had begun to focus towards him, keeping the Monsters away and allowing him to keep going forward, until eventually, he was deep in the chaos. Well outside of the range of assistance the Zalarian Soldiers or their Golems could provide.

    A lone Skeleton has disengaged itself from the combat to motion the Counselor towards the rock before rejoining the fray and immediately being turned to dust by the large club of an Ogre.

    And so, Counselor Rylock had remained on the rock, surrounded by death, for nearly an hour. He clung desperately to the white flag he had, the only source of safety, at least in his mind. He might have been an old man in his eighties, long past his prime even as a High Adept, but he had never wished to die a violent death.

    Instead, he had hoped to die peacefully in bed beside his wife, preferably with his children and grandchildren beside him. And the longer he spent here, the less likely that scenario was to happen.

    Sometimes he clenched his eyes tight, not wishing to see the coming blow that would end his life, and other times he kept them wide open, desperately searching around for it.

    It was during the searching that he noticed a lone Skeleton, exactly alike the first, leave the brawl and approach him, waving at him to follow it.

    Hesitantly, Counselor Rylock obeyed, realizing that he did not have much of a choice at that point. His life was already in the hands of the Undead and their mysterious Master.

    He stood up, feeling his once pristine robes stick to the rock for a moment before following, glued there by the blood that had dried around it.

    The Undead guide stepped on the corpses that littered the ground without care, but the Counselor found himself carefully navigating through the sea of blood and corpses, as if afraid that by stepping on a corpse, it would somehow return to live and consume him.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    As Rylock and the guide left the ring of ˇ®safetyˇŻ, it collapsed, instead forming a tunnel that allowed Rylock to travel past without much harassment.

    A Bassilisk, an adolescent one, attempted to spit acid at him, but four Undead jumped in front of him with their shields raised. They disintegrated, but the Counselor remained untouched.

    Rylock decided to speed up considerably.

    Soon, a small hut created out of recently felled tree trunks and crudely debranched, came into view. The single doorway was covered with the freshly removed skin of a Dire Bear. It still dripped blood.

    The Skeletal Guide motioned towards the door and rejoined the fray.

    This one survived long enough to impale a Goblin Warrior on its sword before its head was turned into fragments by the spiny tail of a Wyrm.

    Taking a shaky breath in an attempt to steel his nerves, an attempt that failed to produce results, Counselor Rylock stepped forward, using the butt of the flagpole to push aside the bloody fur. The inside of the hut was short, stale, and muddy from the recently shoved aside corpses and their blood.

    Rylock had thought himself accustomed to the scent of death that permeated the area, but the stale air suffocated him and he retched.

    ˇ°Apologies. I forgot that living things are more sensitive to scent.ˇ±

    The deep voice startled the Counselor, who only now noticed the two figures with him in the dark room.

    ˇ°A light as well.ˇ± The second figure spoke without movement.

    A moment later, a fresh breeze began to circulate the air outside as a Mage Light floated in the air, revealing two men clad in black armor. But they were different. One of them wore refined, if dull from use, armor. While the other wore armor that matched the same design, but seemed as if it was hastily created from bone.

    Counselor Rylock gulped, knowing that if either of the figures before him decided, on a whim, they could kill him without much effort.

    The crudely armored one took a single step forward, ˇ°You requested a meeting with the one behind the Horde. I apologize, but circumstances require that I be away, and it would take took long to arrive. I am speaking to you through one of my Minions. The one beside me instead serves as my arm, leading the Horde while I am away.

    What is it that you wished to discuss?ˇ±

    Rylock shuddered, contemplating just how much Mana would be needed to process that feat while still maintaining the Horde of Undead outside, but he remained true to his mission.

    ˇ°Similar to you,ˇ± Rylock stammered, ˇ°My lord is also unable to come here, and has instead sent me to deliver the device through which he will speak.ˇ±

    Rylock pushed the flag down into mud, standing it up, while he reached into his bag.

    The other man stepped forward, but the crudely armored one waved him down.

    Rylock retrieve a thick disk of metal, clearing manufactured using both smiths and enchanters. He carefully set it down on the mud and pushed the button on top. Three flaps on top opened, allowing light to shine past, creating an image.

    An image of a man dressed in elegant clothing and wearing a golden crown. His light brown hair had waves and his beard was neatly trimmed short. The entire image had a distinct, yet not overpowering, blueish hue.

    The man looked up from the book he was reading, the image too crude to allow those in the hut to see the words, and stood up.

    ˇ°Ah, here we are.ˇ± The man spoke, ˇ°I am King Heradon of the Zalarian Kingdom. Am I speaking to the Master of the Horde that has taken it upon itself to invade our borders and begin slaughtering our Monsters?ˇ±

    ˇ°Though a similar method as you own, yes. I too am away at the moment.ˇ±

    The king chuckled, his voice coming through with a bit of static, ˇ°So we both thought the same! Excellent. Would you do me the honors of knowing your name?ˇ±

    Ordinarily, a King requesting someoneˇŻs name was a privilege to the person. Yet the King worded it as if it was him that would be privileged. As a trained diplomat, Counselor Rylock noticed the wording, but was smart enough to not hint at it in anyway.

    ˇ°Unfortunately, that is impossible. I do not wish to reveal myself to those that might hear of my name.ˇ±

    King Heradon shrugged, ˇ°Well, just about everyone would want to hear it. Is it safe to assume that you are in charge of all the Hordes currently reducing the Monster Population throughout the Continent?ˇ±

    ˇ°It is.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then I imagine that the Demigods have taken notice, and with your power, I doubt it is a surprise to you to know that there are Demigods?ˇ±

    ˇ°It is not.ˇ±

    ˇ°And would it be safe to say that they are the ones you do not wish to reveal yourself to?ˇ±

    ˇ°You are smarter than most.ˇ±

    The King laughed heartily, ˇ°I would hope so! Else I would have long been dethroned! I am not a King who hides himself behind tens of thousands of soldiers while he rules from his throne, nor am I a King that conceals himself inside his castle to the extent that his own Lords question his continued life.

    I pride myself on ruling my people from the front, as best as I am able to at least.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it that you wished to discuss with me?ˇ±

    The King took a moment to think to himself, wondering just how he should word his next few sentences.

    ˇ°What do you know of Zalar?ˇ±

    ˇ°I admit, it is not much. Not much is publicly known about your Kingdom, and I have not had the necessity to learn more.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, that is the intention. Would you like to hear the story about how Humanity came to be on this world?ˇ±

    The crudely armored Undead did not seem surprised, ˇ°No. While I am interested to hear the ZalariansˇŻ perspective, I already know the tale and am pressed for time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then I shall breeze through the important bits, shall we? So you know that Humanity did not originate on this planet, and instead arrive here through the use of a ship made of metal. But instead of arriving safely, something went wrong, and it crashed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Zalar is the crash site. Well, to be more specific, the Zalarian Capital of Ivrand is the crash site. While most Humans left the crash site to explore and build, my ancestors instead chose to stay and study the remains of the vessel they had long since forgotten how to pilot.ˇ±

    ˇ°This is news to me.ˇ±

    ˇ°And that is the whole idea.

    Our technology is more advanced than the other Nations because we have had access to more advanced technology. If the other Nations learned of our source, we would find ourselves in constant war over it.

    But of course, we do not have the entire ship. While it was entering the world, it began to break apart. So there are bits and pieces throughout the world, surviving the ages due to its advanced creation and preservation. At least most of it, I hope.

    You see, my family, the Zalarian Royal Family, considers itself as historians, first and foremost. We record as much of current history as we can, while also seeking to uncover as much of our past history.

    This has allowed us many technological benefits, such as the device I am using to speak to you right now. It was created using technology we discovered through our research. According to our findings, our ancestors were able to create a device similar to this, capable of achieving the same effect, without any Magic whatsoever.

    We, on the other hand, have had to resort to using Magic, but we do know it is possible without!ˇ±

    Counselor Rylock coughed pointedly.

    ˇ°Right of course. I apologize. I got off course. ItˇŻs a subject I am deeply passionate about. Getting back to the topic at hand. While the Demigods know we hold items of great value related to our rebirth on this world, they do not know the true significance. The Gods do. The beings that protect our world from the Demons.

    Through our continued research of the debris, we discovered a device that we can use to speak to the Gods themselves. This was found centuries ago, and we still have no idea how it works, but it does.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have a direct way to speak with the Gods?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes! Kind of. We donˇŻt know how to power it. In fact, we know practically nothing about it, other than it has no magical uses, only technical. When the Gods wish to speak to us, the device powers on, allowing us to speak back and forth, but once the Gods are done, they end the call and the device turns off again.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs annoying.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have no idea. Them just calling when they want is annoying yes, but not knowing how it works? Even more so.

    Regardless, I am here, through this hologram, to tell you that Ebris, God of the Dead, himself, used the device just last week to tell us two things.ˇ±

    ˇ°Those being?ˇ±

    ˇ°Firstly, that the Demons are pushing their Angelic Armies back and could soon be directly attacking this world.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs first? So he told you to get ready?ˇ±

    ˇ°In part. He wishes us to prepare as Zalar has the best possible chance of providing a true defense and to inform the other Nations. However the most pressing matter actually pertains to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Me? You donˇŻt even know my name.ˇ±

    ˇ°And Lord Ebris did not say it. All he said, was that the key to our survival against the Demons lies in the Undead Hordes and to assist their Master in whatever he requires.ˇ±

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    King Heradon threw his arms out wide with a goofy smile on his face, ˇ°Congratulations Sir mysterious stranger I know nothing about! You now have the entire Kingdom of Zalar at your beck and call. Every person I love and cherish, who I swore to protect when I became King, now at your command.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 222- NEGOTIATIONS

    ˇ°Excuse me? Just like that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Our Device has allowed the Gods to keep us informed about the state of their matters. Over the centuries, this has allowed us to form a general idea. Which is also why we spend so much effort to keep the Demigods out of our borders.ˇ±

    Alaster was intrigued, ˇ°You have a way to keep the Demigods out?ˇ±

    King Heradon tossed his head from side to side, ˇ°Kinda? We just have a way to detect them within our borders and can make it very difficult for them to move around. Essentially, they can still enter and do pretty much anything they want, we have just made it too much effort to do so. They pretty much leave us alone. Something that is a double-edged sword.ˇ±

    ˇ°In what way?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, the Demigods take it upon themselves to protect the continent from various matters, much too varied to explain. It can be anything from Dimensional Rifts to Eldrich beings, to Dungeons, to dragons migrating.

    However, since the Demigods do not enter our borders, we must take care of such matters ourselves.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded to himself, causing the Minion he was possessing to do the same, ˇ°What do you mean by Zalar will now follow me?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Gods have instructed us to do so, and while we do not like the Demigods for being a bit too self-serving, the Gods themselves, so far, have only put Humanity first. So, we take their suggestions seriously.

    However, before I pledge any troops to your cause, I need a few answers.ˇ±

    ˇ°I will try to answer honestly.ˇ±

    ˇ°First, do you have any intentions to destroy the world or cause the deaths of vast amounts of Human, Elf, or Dwarf life?ˇ±

    ˇ°No more than necessary, if they stay out of my way, I have no desire to kill them. Though I will not hesitate to remove them if they donˇŻt stay out of my way.ˇ±

    The King tilted his head once more, something Alaster associated with the King thinking to himself.

    ˇ°Fair enough. Second, what are your intentions? What are your plans?ˇ±

    ˇ°The same as they have always been since I was a small child. Protect my family.ˇ±

    ˇ°And that has required you so gather such power?ˇ±

    ˇ°When the threats have continued to grow, so too, must I.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is the overall threat, and what is the most current threat?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do I have your word that none of this will be repeated and that you will not interfere?ˇ±

    ˇ°So long as it does not endanger the people of Zalar, I swear of my Mana Root.ˇ±

    Pledging oneˇŻs own Magic and their ability to use it. The most trustworthy oath.

    ˇ°Very good, now you?ˇ± Alaster turned to the Counselor.

    ˇ°My life is bound to the KingˇŻs word.ˇ±

    ˇ°No offence to your King, but I do not know him. Nor do I know you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright then. On my Magic Root, I swear not to repeat of anything that has occurred in this hut in any form of language, spoken, written, or signed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good, then I will explain myself properly. I believe for the first time actually.ˇ±

    Alaster conjured two chairs out of bone, motioning for the Counselor to sit while he sat in the other. King Heradon also sat back down on the couch.

    ˇ°When I was a boy, I was a typical child. Running around, laughing, playing with friends. That sort of thing.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ooh! I love backstories!ˇ± King Heradon cried out like a giddy child.

    ˇ°Your highness?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes Mr.Stranger?ˇ±

    ˇ°Kindly shut up and let me talk.ˇ±

    The King merely smiled.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ˇ°Anyway, my family, my father, mother, and younger sister, lived in a remote village of Lissura. None of us were particularly special, that is, until my sister turned ten and her Special Constitution was revealed. That very night, cloaked people broke into our home, killing my parents, stringing them up like puppets, and kidnapped my sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where were you at this time?ˇ± The Counselor asked.

    ˇ°That night was also the Planting Festival of my village; I was out playing with friends. My sister was tired from the excitement of both the Festival and her Constitution, so my parents took her home first. I returned home just as the Assassins were leaving through a Portal Scroll of some kind.ˇ±

    ˇ°That matches the style of Lissurian Assassins.ˇ± The King muttered.

    ˇ°Something that I, as a child did not know. Regardless, the local Lord had branded my family heretics, forcing me to flee before the Knights could come. I spent several days in the wilderness as I attempted to cross the border into the Independent Lands.ˇ±

    ˇ°How old were you at this time?ˇ±

    ˇ°Twelve.ˇ±

    ˇ°Twelve?ˇ± The Counselor could not believe it. A small child braving not only the elements, but also the Monsters.

    ˇ°I spent some time in Onigas, serving as a bodyguard to the LordˇŻs daughter. More as a last-ditch human shield as well as friend to the girl. However, on the night of my Fifteenth, the Assassins somehow found me and attacked. While the LordˇŻs Guards held them off, I was sent away, eventually finding my way to Sicon as I learned my Class.ˇ±

    ˇ°I made a friend, forming a two person Hunting Party, and gained some levels. But we were separated after a few months by a Monster attack. I then spent the next several years bouncing around from settlement to Dungeon, spending most of my time in the wilderness, surrounded only by my Undead.

    I was always a quiet child, but I figure that my loneliness played a role in my desire for intelligent Undead.

    As I grew in power, I gained the attention of Ebris due to my Class and the way I was advancing it, which in turn gained the attention of the Demigods and even a few wondering Masters. Particularly two Masters. One who taught me Physical Strength, and the other who taught me Magical Strength. The second Master found me someone who could teach me Strategy, but this man wanted to test me first.

    One of these tests involved rescuing Onigas from an ongoing Siege.ˇ±

    ˇ°That was you?ˇ± The King asked.

    ˇ°Yep, pretty rude too. The man kicked me out of a flying carriage from several hundred feet up.

    Anyway, I saved Onigas, said hello to a few friends, and went to Galmore. Spent some time there learning. Made some friends. Now I am back in Lissura, serving as diplomat to the Independent Alliance.ˇ±

    ˇ°So, you are Lord Ashborn?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is the name I have given myself, yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Fascinating.ˇ± The King muttered to himself.

    He knew that the man before him, or rather the Minion he was possessing, was not telling the whole truth. Nothing in that story explained just how he had become so powerful to summon countless thousands of Undead throughout the Continent.

    But he did not care. If Ebris, God of the Dead was saying that this man was critical to the survival of the world, then Zalar would assist him.

    ˇ°What about your sister?ˇ± Counselor Rylock asked, ever the family man.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs why I am in Lissura. Duke Redmond himself has adopted her, making her believe that our parents had sent her away to the Academy during the night and eventually dying to a plague, myself included.ˇ±

    ˇ°She does not know you are her brother?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Alaster shook his skeletal head.

    ˇ°Then who?ˇ±

    ˇ°To her, I am a foreign diplomat who just so happened to be friends to her parents. I knew I would not be able to act completely uncaring towards her, so I fabricated a story that would make sense, both to her, and to the other Nobility.ˇ±

    ˇ°So now that you have found her, what are you going to do?ˇ±

    ˇ°That is tricky. You see, she genuinely cares for the Duke. She does not know it was he who ordered the death of our parents. And even worse, the DukeˇŻs son, completely independent from any political scheme or order, has begun to court her.ˇ±

    ˇ°Uggh, drama.ˇ± The King groaned.

    ˇ°My thoughts exactly.ˇ± Rylock agreed, consumed by his own thoughts.

    ˇ°At first, I had planned to simply go in, scope out the situation, murder everyone responsible for the death of my parents, rescue my sister, and vanish. Now, there is a lot of baggage I have to sort through. Made worse by a thousand different factors, most recent of which is the Crown Prince having declared his desire to wed her, despite having never met her!ˇ±

    ˇ°That sounds annoying.ˇ±

    Alaster groaned, leaning back in the bony chair, ˇ°I would much rather prefer just killing everyone in my way, but no, that would cause even more problems. Before, I had no desire to even encounter the Royal Family, but now it seems more likely that I will have to kill them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, that would definitely cause more problems.ˇ± The King chuckled.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt even know why I am telling you this. I donˇŻt know you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, I also have a Special Constitution,ˇ± The King explained, ˇ°It just makes people more trusting of me, nothing great. I doubt you would have told me anything if my Counselor and I had not pledged secrecy.ˇ±

    Alaster sat up, ˇ°So in all that, how does Ebris think you can help?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, why are you sending your Undead throughout the Continent?ˇ±

    ˇ°To grow stronger. If I do have to fight the Golden Thousand of Lissura, I would prefer to do so as a Master.ˇ±

    Counselor Rylock spiraled into a coughing fit while King Heradon sat straight with wide eyes.

    ˇ°You mean to tell me, that you are capable of all this, and you are still only an Expert?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ± Alaster said bluntly.

    ˇ°Just imagine how powerful he will be when his strength is multiplied by a Masterhood.ˇ± Heradon muttered to himself as Rylock controlled his coughing.

    ˇ°Lord Ashborn, as you are right now, if you consolidated your power, you could already contend against the Golden Thousand. Certainly not enough to defeat them, but enough to put up a solid fight. I am sure if you were smart about it, you could create a situation where you did not have to fight them all at once either.

    You know this. What other threat are you preparing for?ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, thinking for a moment, ˇ°You claim to know the Demigods better than most, even other Royalty. Do you really think they would allow someone as powerful as I to grow even more?ˇ±

    ˇ°Doubtful.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, unfortunately, my sisterˇŻs Special Body Constitution is capable of making her vastly more powerful than I, if allowed to grow. I know for a fact that once they discover what she is capable of, they will come to kill her.ˇ±

    The KingˇŻs mouth fell open, ˇ°Youˇ­plan to fight those who hold the seed to divinity?ˇ±

    ˇ°No! Of course not!ˇ±

    The King and Counselor let out a collective sigh of relief.

    ˇ°I plan to kill them.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 223- UNREST

    Three weeks. It had been three weeks since Alaster had spoken to King Heradon. Since then, Alaster had recalled his Undead, all except for the Horde in the EmpireˇŻs borders.

    This was not due to some elaborate strategy.

    Fenrir was simply enjoying himself too much. The Empire had attacked first, so after Alaster recalled the other Hordes, he had given Fenrir permission to begin his invasion of the Empire.

    Of course, the Undead Horde under Fenrir could not survive the focused onslaught of the Empire. There was a reason they were the largest Nation on the Continent.

    Instead of taking on the Empire directly, Fenrir used the Undead as bait, drawing the Monster Hordes towards military targets such as forts or castles. He was careful not to draw the Monsters towards purely civilian targets such as villages.

    This was not due to some moral objection, but instead a planned strategy. A strategy that was beginning to bear fruit.

    As the pattern of the targeted attacks became known, people started to oppose the presence of their own military. As more and more forts were razed to the ground from the uncountable Monsters, the people began to riot against the military, fearful that the Monsters would come to them next.

    But of course, the Demigods were not about to let a few thousand Undead topple an Empire.

    For no explainable reason, terrible storms began to beat down on the traveling Monster Wave, flooding terrain, causing flash floods, and landslides. The most spectacularly impossible ˇ®naturalˇŻ occurrence was the three day long lightning barrage that hammered down on the Wave, a dozen strikes a minute.

    ˇ°I think we might have pissed them off.ˇ± Fenrir chuckled from the cave entrance, obscuring him from the view of the sky.

    ˇ°What have you accomplished before this occurred?ˇ± Alaster asked, still in his suite of rooms in the Lissurian Castle.

    ˇ°Eight forts were destroyed, six of which to the point of mere rubble. Three castles were also razed, and two of the Noble Families were too slow to escape and were torn apart by the Monsters. My Shadows report that there are open riots protesting the presence of the Military in four cities.

    The Nobility will likely spin the DemigodsˇŻ intervention as their own power since they canˇŻt claim it is the power of the Gods since the Priests have publicly claimed to have not received any messages from any of the Gods.ˇ±

    ˇ°Most likely. Will the unrest continue even after the Monsters spread back out and return to normal?ˇ±

    ˇ°Most likely, at least for a while. In such a short time frame, so many Forts were destroyed, and even a couple nobles were killed. The peopleˇŻs confidence in the Military is shaken. If they couldnˇŻt protect the Nobility, how can they protect the people?ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. Civil unrest in the Empire will have rippling effects in the neighboring Nations.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey, by the way, before you go. What are the Zalarians doing?ˇ± Fenrir asked, curious.

    ˇ°What they promised. Following the warning from Ebris, they are preparing for a Demon Invasion. They are rapidly constructing a massive reserve of Golems, building underground bunkers and storages, and are beginning construction on over twenty forts, each with a network of tunnels and trenches.

    Basically, they are turning their entire Kingdom into one massive fortress. Something the Demons will have to spill an ocean of blood for each inch of ground they take.

    I have Catherine over there, serving as an observer and my messenger. Her reports are very excited.ˇ± Alaster explained, looking over the book King Heradon had given him, documenting and cataloging just some of the items the Zalarians had uncovered from the wreckage of the ancient Seed Ship as Belgroth called it.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not surprised,ˇ± Fenrir chuckled, ˇ°She has always been fascinated by Enchantments and Technology. She is a Zalarian at heart, even if she has never been there.ˇ±

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    ˇ°You didnˇŻt have to listen to her excitedly explaining their Mana Cannons in such detail that I am now pretty sure I could at least repair one.ˇ±

    ˇ°You shared the blueprint of the Firearm with them, correct?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah. Claire was not happy with sharing her design, but she quickly changed her tune when the Zalarians practically opened their coffers and said that she had free reign to do create whatever she wanted.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did Claire get to Zalar from Galmore anyway?ˇ±

    The technology of Zalar also extends to their sea faring vessels. Somehow, they created a ship that could go at least twice as fast as a horse. When I told them of the Firearm, the Zalarians sent the ship immediately. In just four days, Claire was in the capital of Zalar, Ivrnad.ˇ±

    ˇ°Incredible.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, and apparently the sailors were only too happy to drop her off. She wouldnˇŻt stop barraging them with questions about how the ship worked.ˇ±

    ˇ°So they are outfitting their soldiers with the firearms?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yep. While they only saw limited use with the Undead, the Zalarians are quickly outfitting their soldiers with them. Apparently, the trenches they already build work very well with the firearms.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what are we going to do?ˇ± Fenrir asked, his tone turning much more serious.ˇ±

    ˇ°About what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Everything? I guess? You started this journey as young boy with nothing to his name, but a desire to save his sister. Now, you are one of the most powerful people in the world, with several thousand Undead under your command, the people of two entire cities willing to die for you, and an entire Nation of people willing to follow your command.

    We know where Evelyn is. We know she is safe. She might be believing a lie, but she is happy.

    She has steadfast friends and someone who loves her, even if you hate that.

    But she also has Demigods after her, wanting to kill her.

    And now, Demons are on their way to kill everyone on this continent.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your point?ˇ±

    ˇ°What I am trying to say, is that this has become infinitely more complex than when you started. What are you going to do?ˇ±

    Alaster took a deep breath as his mind wondered to the adventures he had had over the years.

    ˇ°I will do what I have always done. Protect what is mine.

    But I suppose that, with the Argalon on their way, I should make the first move.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what does that mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do be patient.ˇ±

    Fenrir felt the connection end. He grumbled to himself as he continued to watch the Monster Wave he had created slowly be whittled away by the lightning strikes and fade away back into the wilds.

    Back in Zolis, capital of Lissura, Alaster got up from the couch and contacted Vivian.

    ˇ°Where are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°With Evelyn in her study. She is fascinated with the stories of Monsters and the Independent Cities. WhatˇŻs up?ˇ±

    ˇ°Stay with her. I will be leaving the city for a little bit.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will do!ˇ±

    With that out of the way, Alaster vanished from the suite of rooms, replaced by a confused Shadow.

    Far to the east, atop a small mountain top, Alaster appeared.

    ˇ®What is your plan here Alaster?ˇŻ Sedall asked.

    ˇ®With the Argalon on their way, I can no longer afford to wait for the Demigods to take action on their own.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Alaster,ˇŻ Sedall warned, ˇ®You are not yet a Master. How do you plan to take on that which Masters fear?ˇŻ

    ˇ®By taking advantage of the Golden Thousand.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What? How?ˇŻ

    ˇ®The Crown Prince wants my sisterˇŻs hand in marriage. If the Demigods want to kill her, then they would first have to go through the Golden Thousand. Then, instead of just one Master, they would have to go through a thousand.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Well,ˇŻ Sedall stammered, ˇ®more than a thousand, but you would really give your sister to the Crown like that?ˇŻ

    ˇ®You kidding me? No. But if the Prince thought she would be his, I doubt he would let something take her away.ˇŻ

    ˇ®A lie?ˇŻ

    ˇ®One has to lie when he is so clearly outmatched. Now tell me Sedall, who is the Demigod in charge of the rest?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I would not say in charge. Each Demigod is more of a free agent, but the one who are seeking is Evros. He is the eldest of the Demigods and the one the rest are most likely to listen to.ˇŻ

    Belgroth spoke up, ˇ®I must warn you, not even the Golden Thousand will be enough. Which is why you need to release Sedall.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Sedall, when the Demigods find out about my sister, how long will it take for them to take action?ˇŻ

    Sedall thought for a moment, ˇ®That depends. Keep in mind that it has been a great many years. But before, after classifying the person as too dangerous, they would take a few days to examine the situation before they would take appropriate action.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And how far away is SedallˇŻs body?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Just a few hours for you.ˇŻ Belgroth spoke.

    ˇ®How long will it take for you to release him?ˇŻ

    ˇ®YouˇŻll be doing the work, but it should only take a day at most.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Good.ˇ± Alaster spoke aloud, ˇ°Evros! Get over here you old bastard!ˇ± Alaster shouted to the sky.

    ˇ®What are you doing?ˇŻ Sedall exclaimed.

    ˇ®Saving time.ˇŻ

    Alaster could feel that Sedall wanted to argue that, but he did not have the time.

    A loud boom echoed in the air. A thunderclap that exploded through the air. Lightning struck the stone a dozen feet away from Alaster. He felt the electricity travel through the air and stone. He felt it course through his body.

    It would have done considerable damage to an Adept and likely would have killed a Novice. But to an Expert, especially one as durable as Alaster, it had minimal effect. And what little it did, was repaired in a moment.

    Alaster looked at the area the lightning had stuck.

    An old man stood there with stark white hair tied back in a ponytail.

    ˇ°Regis, was it?ˇ± Alaster asked the man, ˇ°Or do you prefer Demigod Evros?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 224- WARNING OF BLOOD

    ˇ°I wonder where you learned of my power, let alone my name.ˇ± Evros said, calmly leaning against a boulder.

    Alaster stared at the man, for that is all he was. As one who had been before a God before, there was a distinct but unexplainable sense of depth that could only be described as divine that followed every movement the God made.

    A divinity that the man before him lacked completely.

    ˇ°That matters not. I want answers.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what makes you think you have any right to demand them?ˇ± Evros asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ˇ°When you''ve been spying on me for year, donˇŻt I deserve to know why?ˇ±

    Evros waved his hand like it didnˇŻt matter, ˇ°Mere curiosity.ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Curiosity? A man as busy as you made it a point to spy on a young boy. Someone as powerful as you. DonˇŻt insult my intelligence. Especially when you gave me a ring so one of you could spy on me.ˇ± Alaster raised his hand, showing the Summoner''s Ring that allowed Sedall to watch Alaster.

    It had later been modified by Belgroth to allow Sedall to converse with both Alaster and Belgroth, but Evros did not know that.

    ˇ°You noticed? How long did it take you to find out?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was suspicious from the very beginning. So when the opportunity presented itself, I had an Enchanter take a look at it. They did not understand what you did to spy, but they did know how to get rid of it while keeping the storage enchantment. It took a while, but I finally have enough Minions to fill it.ˇ± Alaster said, spinning the ring on his finger as he bent the truth.

    Evros shrugged, as if it did not matter much one way or another.

    ˇ°Ask your questions so I may answer them. Or not.ˇ±

    ˇ°You will answer my questions because I have something you want.ˇ±

    Evros rolled his eyes, already growing tired of the boyˇŻs arrogance, ˇ°And what would that be?ˇ±

    ˇ°The identity and location of a Stage Three. One of the strongest.ˇ±

    EvrosˇŻ brow rose once more, ˇ°Intriguing. That you know what that means and claim to know where one is. You do know just one can destroy the world, do you not?ˇ±

    It was AlasterˇŻs time to shrug, ˇ°You know my story. I have no desire to destroy the world, but I certainly donˇŻt mind if it goes up in flames.ˇ±

    ˇ°How about sink into the sea? Millions of lives clawing for air as they are dragged under by a power that even the Gods fear.ˇ±

    Alaster leaned in slightly, ˇ°The lives of those I do not know are not my concern. They are yours. At least, that is the responsibility that you have taken upon yourself. Treating that responsibility as if it gives you the right to dictate the lives of everyone else in this world.ˇ±

    Evros scoffed, ˇ°I will not argue morality with a child who holds such a warped sense of it. Ask your questions and reveal this threat.ˇ±

    ˇ°How many Demigods are there?ˇ± Alaster asked bluntly.

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°I am merely curious. All records I have found never give an exact number.ˇ±

    Evros gave Alaster a side eye, but answered, ˇ°There are ninety-three, of which I am the oldest.ˇ±

    Ninety-three figures whose power Alaster could hardly comprehend. And he would have to neutralize or kill all of them.

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    ˇ°What do you know of the ongoing war between the Gods and the Demons?ˇ±

    ˇ°Very little. We have no method of communicating with the Divine, and if they have a way to speak to us, they have not yet decided to use it. All we can assume is that with their absence from their own churches and worshippers, it is not going well.ˇ±

    ˇ°Their absence could also be an indication of their elimination.ˇ±

    Evros shook his head, ˇ°No, the Demons want this world. If the Gods were dead, they would swarm over and wipe us out.ˇ±

    ˇ°If a significant threat emerged, how many Demigods would be able to respond?ˇ±

    Evros, assuming Alaster was asking in relation to the Demon, answered honestly, ˇ°Immediately? Maybe ten. Given a week, twenty. A month? Maybe sixty. There are simply too many tasks that we have to maintain, even in the event of an attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why do you hunt Stage Threes so severely?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because they hold the potential to completely upheave the current order of things.ˇ±

    ˇ°The order that you and the other Demigods put into place?ˇ± Alaster accused.

    Evros sighed, the boulder he was leaning against molding itself like clay into a chair that he sat in, ˇ°It is not perfect, but no system is, not even the System. The way things are, the way we made it, people are able to grow in power according to their determination above all. Sure, circumstances can help, but look at yourself. You started with nothing and rose to the top of the mortal world using nothing but your own determination and will.

    But those we categorize as Stage Three? They naturally hold the potential for great power, without the need for much effort. They grow cocky, arrogant, greedy. And in their blind, unrefined power, they devastate everything around them.ˇ±

    It made sense, even to Alaster. If one didnˇŻt have to fight for every scrap of power, they would naturally begin to believe they are owed it. It was a concept that applied to most things. Money, friends, family, respect, even clothing. But the issue was that this was not some stranger. This was his sister.

    She could become a tyrant that butchered entire nations, but so long as she did not willfully harm himself or others he cared for, he would protect her. He did not care about anyone else.

    ˇ°What do you know about me?ˇ± Alaster moved on with his questions.

    ˇ°After our first meeting, I only checked in on you occasionally. I know you are a powerful Necromancer. I know you recently returned to Lissura. That is about it really.ˇ±

    Alaster could not tell if the Demigod was speaking the whole truth, but it did not matter.

    ˇ°By chance, do you have any idea who raised all those Undead Hordes that raged across the continent?ˇ±

    ˇ°No. You think just because I am a Necromancer, I somehow know everything going on with the dead?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, though I figured it was worth a shot. Someone who could raise so many would certainly be a powerful ally.ˇ±

    ˇ®or a dangerous foe.ˇŻ Alaster thought to himself.

    ˇ®Finish this and set me free Alaster. It is not wise to play with Evros. He is old. He did not survive this long by being stupid.ˇŻ Sedall warned.

    ˇ®Very well.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Evros,ˇ± Alaster spoke with a hint of finality that caused the Demigod to stand, ˇ°I know the exact name and location of the Stage Three. I even know about their Ability that has granted them such a designation.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ± Evros asked, almost excited, or perhaps anxious, ˇ°Tell me. They must be eliminated!ˇ±

    Alaster smirked, ˇ°You see, that is the problem. You want to kill them. But I want them to live.ˇ±

    The boulder behind Evros cracked, yet he did neither man moved, ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Stage Three you seek is in fact my sister.ˇ±

    ˇ°If you knew what Stage Three meant, why would you tell me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because I am no fool. I know that you would discover her eventually. I had hoped to delay this as long as I could, but certain events have forced me to be the one to initiate.ˇ±

    ˇ°Initiate what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Simple really. You know where my sister is. If you donˇŻt, I know you can figure it out within an hour or two.ˇ±

    ˇ°What possible events could push you to willfully begin a conflict with us Demigods?ˇ±

    Alaster stared at the old man sternly, ˇ°The Demons are coming. I do not know when or where exactly, but they are coming, soon. Soon enough that Ebris gave warning.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Dead Walker?ˇ± Evros shook his head, ˇ°Then it is only more imperative that you hand her over. We do not have the time to divide our efforts, nor can we allow her to go unchecked during such a chaotic time as an invasion.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh no, you misunderstand. I am not handing her over.ˇ± Alaster chuckled, ˇ°I am here to warn you. If you seek to touch a single hair on my sisterˇŻs head, you should be prepared to lose your own.ˇ±

    Evros glared, ˇ°You would dare threaten me? A God!ˇ±

    The stone under Evros cracked, webbing out for nearly a hundred feet, yet Alaster stood firm, unmoved.

    Alaster returned the glare, ˇ°I do, because you are not a God. You are the furthest thing from a God. If you were capable of taking that final step, you would have done so long ago. You are just a pathetic old man.ˇ±

    Blue energy leaked out of EvrosˇŻ eyes, a dark warning, ˇ°I should kill you where you stand!ˇ±

    Alaster leaned forward, ˇ°But you wonˇŻt. Because despite all your great power and knowledge, you are scared. You fear the Gods. You are terrified of what Ebris would do to you if you harmed his star pupil.ˇ±

    Evros growled, but did not move, ˇ°I will come for her. She will die by my hand and you will watch, too weak to do anything about it. And if you try, you will die next. The Dead Walker would not be able to do anything against me then as you would have attacked me first. Say your goodbyes.ˇ±

    Evros vanished in another flash of lightning, leaving behind an unimpressed Alaster.

    ˇ°Say your own.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 225- PREPARATIONS FOR WAR

    Catherine raced around the factory, studying everything that fascinated her, which was everything. Even in death, she was a curious person.

    The factory stood three stories tall, yet there was only one floor. Such was the height of the multitude of pulleys and tools that aided in the creation of this single Mana Cannon.

    Pulleys raised large panels into place while workers used their tools to fasten it while another ensured the thousands of Enchantments connected correctly with the rest of the device.

    A weapon that stood two stories by itself and at least double that height in length. This particular design of Mana Cannon was called the KM-12, or Kaize Mark 12. The actual design was the Kaize Cannon. It simply took twelve different designs to get it to work. And even after all those iterations, the KM-12 was an unstable weapon. Reliable, but costly, and just as dangerous to its users if handled even slightly wrong.

    The Kaize Cannons were designed to be siege weapons, meant to wipe out large amount of enemies or even a few powerful ones. Not even the Masters of the Zalarian Royal Guard dared to stand in the way. Catherine wished to see what a hundred of them could do if they were all fired at once.

    Unfortunately, due to their cost and complexity, there were only a few of them in the Zalarian ranks, and certainly none that were mobile. Even atop the reinforced walls of the Zalarian Cities, a single shot of the Kaize Cannon required Earth Mages to repair the foundations as the recoil was too powerful. Not that it could fire fast enough to worry about the wall crumbling beneath it.

    After each shot, several crews were needed to cool down certain components, replace others, rearm, and take aim once more as the recoil completely changed where the Cannon was aimed.

    With the Demon invasion being such a pressing matter, nine other factories, just like this one, were busy constructing as many Kaize Cannons as they could. Countless others were busy building other weapons. Catherine even knew that twenty Factories were creating those Firearms that the Inventor Claire had designed.

    The entire Kingdom of Zalar had been mobilized for the coming war, slowly turning their entire Kingdom into one massive fortress. Catherine wondered just how much blood would have to be spilt to take it. Just as she wondered how she could help spill more.

    Yet that was not her task here in Zalar. Instead, she was there to ensure the creation and safe transportation of a device that King Heradon, King of Zalar, swore would be effective even against Demigods.

    Even Catherine was not privy to its creation, only that it must be created, and safely brought to her Master as quickly as possible.

    The creation of such a device was taking place underneath the Factory Cathrine was exploring, and seeing just how many craftsmen were being allowed into the secure bunker, each one a true master of their work, and the precious materials being hauled in, Catherine knew that the device would be powerful, perhaps even seeing a use in the upcoming Demonic War, whatever it was.

    Catherine had initially explored the Golem Factories, but while they were interesting, they were pretty similar to what the rest of the world used. The only real difference being that the Zalarians had streamlined the process, allowing them to create Golems exponentially faster and in vast numbers.

    If a Golem Operator lost their Golem, they simply ran back to the warehouses, attune with another, and get back to work. Most Operators could only manage a handful, but there were plenty, usually higher ranked Operators, who could control upwards of a few dozen.

    Compared to AlasterˇŻs several thousand Undead, it was pathetic, but Catherine laughed at the idea of comparing anything to her master. He was simply too outlandish. Regardless, compared to a normal Necromancer, of comparable Level, who could raise several hundred Undead, a few dozen Golems still seemed much too small a number.

    That is, until one saw the Golems.

    The Golems that Zalar considered ˇ®Standard IssueˇŻ were made of heavily reinforced steel and wielded a Mana Cannon and halberd. A single Golem could wipe out several dozen Undead and could be categorized as a B rank threat on its own, at least by Adventurer Guild standards.

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    With their weapons, the Golems were well equipped to handle most threats, though they could be equipped with other weapons. And with their Operators being able to be separate from their Golems, usually safely behind the frontline of any conflict, so long as the Golem supply was maintained, the Zalarians had a virtually immortal army.

    At least, that is what they tried to accomplish.

    Of course, not all Zalarians were Golem Operators or similar Classes, it was just the Class the Kingdom prioritized and therefore, the Class the System typically gave.

    The Zalarians also had divisions of various types of Mages and Warriors. The Mages would hang back and provide support for the Frontline, while the Warriors would prioritize the more complex maneuvers in battle, such as flanking or dividing.

    While all that was interesting to Catherine, it was not nearly as interesting as the completely new weapons that were the Mana Cannons. At least new to her. To the Zalarians, it was a weapon they had known all their lives. While it was still being improved and tweaked, the base model and idea was the same as it was when it was first created several generations ago.

    So while she waited for the device to be ready, she explored to her cold still heartˇŻs content. It was not so easy going for John, who was covered in dirt and stone and had been for the last several days.

    While Catherine was placed on safety and transport, John was assigned to mining and construction.

    Zalar was preparing for war, and not just any war, but an invasion of the entire world. While they had sent warnings to all the other Nations, they had all been ignored, laughed at, or even threatened. Though the messenger sent to Taurus had been unable to locate their Capital or any officials.

    Ignored by all but the Independent Alliance. Not because they were smarter or wiser, but because Alaster had pledged for the informationˇŻs authenticity.

    Using AlasterˇŻs Death Knights as long range messengers, the two Factions had formed an agreement. Not as concrete as an Alliance. Zalar was not joining the Independent Alliance. But the two Factions had agreed to spare no expense in helping each other fend off the Demon Invasion.

    After all, both sides had something the other wanted.

    Zalar had access to advanced technology and weapons, but Galmore had elite Soldiers and teachings. While Zalar had focused on ancient lost tech, this had caused them to lag behind the rest of the world in terms of warfare and combat, something Galmore was an expert in from their constant siege.

    Meanwhile, Onigas had access to a fortune of raw material, ranging from timber and ore, to simple food. While their Soldiers were stronger than the worldˇŻs standard, they were still much weaker than GalmoreˇŻs. So instead of trying to match their military might, Onigas instead began to focus on production.

    But the two Factions had quite the distance between them, especially Galmore.

    While Alaster had cleared the way between the two Independent Cities, allowing the builders to construct a road, it was still much too exposed and vulnerable to attack, both from Monsters or an intelligent foe. And even if the caravans werenˇŻt attacked, it still took several days or even weeks, depending on the weight of the goods.

    In times of war, supply routes were the most valuable commodity. If a Faction had all the best Soldiers and completely outnumbered the other side, they would still lose if they could not equip them, let alone feed them.

    And so, Alaster had ordered the conscrution of massive tunnels stretching all the way from the Zalarian Capital, to Onigas, and to Galmore. Smaller tunnels were also being dug from Ivrand to the other Zalarian Cities, but those were bring handled by the Zalarians themselves.

    Using the thousands of weak mindless Undead that had previously rampaged above ground, Alaster had undertaken quite possibly the largest construction project in Human History. At least in the last few centuries.

    While the Undead dug, Zalarian Engineers and their Golems were building railroads. Trains were an incredible mode of transportation that Alaster was quite happy with. While most Mounts were faster than a Train, a Train did not have to stop every few miles for rest and water. It did not need to sleep, nor did it need to eat. The train could haul several hundred tons of material or people.

    The only real limitation the Trains had were its railroads. The Trains were completely useless without them. So they could not be used to explore and prone to sabotage or damage. All these Trains required was water and heat, both of which could be easily supplied by a Water Mage and a Fire Mage, not even powerful ones.

    Every ten miles, John made sure to contruct a reinforced bunker connected to the main tunnel through a much smaller personnel tunnel, which could be used to store emergency gear and food and basically serve and a fort in case the main tunnel was ever attacked.

    After all, the Tunnel would connect to the inside of the cities, each one its own capital. It was imperative that the tunnel itself be just as, if not more so, protected as the cities it connected to. To further protect the Tunnel, outside each bunker, the Zalarians set up a few large Mana Cannons and several smaller ones.

    If the tunnel was ever breached, all the leaders wanted the Demons to pay a mighty price for each checkpoint.

    Yet, despite all this preparation, Alaster was focusing on the more pressing matter of bloodthirsty Demigods. He had his own plans in the making.

    Neither he nor the leaders were sure all of this would be enough for what was coming.

 CHAPTER 226- DEPTHS OF DARKNESS

    Cold winds swept up loose snow, throwing it around the steep mountains and cliff faces. The same winds that crashed into Alaster, threatening to send him careening off the narrow ledge he found himself slowly navigating.

    ˇ®Why do I have to do this myself again?ˇŻ Alaster asked his mental guests with more than a hint of irritation.

    Even with the natural body resistance to temperatures of an Expert, Alaster still hated the cold, only slightly less than he hated snow.

    Sedall sighed, having already told the young man exactly why three times already, ˇ®Because Evros would have placed a spell around my cell that would disintegrate anyone attempting to teleport nearby.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Better safe than sorry.ˇŻ Belgroth recited in his recent cold voice.

    Both Alaster and Sedall had attempted to speak to the Argalon about the shift in his voice, but Belgroth did not open up, so they merely let it be.

    ˇ°Really wish Vivian had created flying Minions that could just fly me around.ˇ± Alaster mumbled, hopping over a missing section of the ledge.

    The rough surface of the rock face tore at his clothing. Alaster was glad he remembered to change into some rougher clothing meant for adventuring. The rich clothes of Nobility that he had been wearing recently was too fragile to attempt such travels.

    Not that Alaster cared. He cared not for the flamboyant clothes and colors of Nobility. He was perfectly fine with any clothes, so long as they were comfortable, and most of the NobilityˇŻs clothes were not. However, he did understand how expensive they were, and more so how difficult they were to clean.

    Unfortunately, he was not an Earth Mage, and with his Minion [Swap] Ability too dangerous to attempt, it was a slow and annoying trip.

    A trip that was made even more annoying because Sedall could only feel a general sense of his body. He could feel its direction, but not exactly, nor how far. Alaster found himself being led back and forth constantly.

    It had taken several hours just to isolate this single mountain as the location after Belgroth tracked the body. Unfortunately, the spell was only accurate up to a dozen miles. A lot of ground to cover when it was only one person searching. His Minions proved useless in that regard as Sedall could not sense his body through them.

    The blizzard that beat down on the mountain had been active for the last two hours, and showed no signs of slowing its torrent. Nor had Alaster found any hints of his destination.

    Until now.

    ˇ®Stop!ˇŻ Sedall cried, nearly causing Alaster to slip off the wet ledge.

    ˇ®Son of a. What is it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®This is it!ˇŻ

    Alaster looked around. The cliff face was the same as any other. The ledge was as narrow and broken as the rest of the ledge a mile back. Below him, Alaster saw the tops of the forest trees far below him, looking like moss.

    ˇ®There is nothing here.ˇŻ Alaster sighed

    ˇ®No, there is.ˇŻ Belgroth spoke, ˇ®hit the stone.ˇŻ

    Alaster conjured a small bone platform with supports angled down and pressing against the stone cliff face a few feet below. He used the platform to glance at the cliff face behind him, but saw no markings that appeared different from the rest of the mountain.

    ˇ®You wonˇŻt see anything. The entrance has been hidden for the last several centuries.ˇŻ Sedall commented.

    ˇ®So just hit it?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yep.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And that wonˇŻt trigger anything? Nothing that would vaporize me?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No.ˇŻ

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ®That seems highly insecure. Oh you canˇŻt teleport nearby, but hitting the entrance with a big stick is perfectly fine.ˇŻ Alaster said sarcastically, summoning a large Warhammer from his Ring of Holding.

    His mood was terrible. And neither of his mental guests could blame him. After all, there were a bunch of extremely powerful Demigods trying to kill his sister.

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    Winding up his swing, Alaster gathered all the strength his body could muster, a truly terrifying amount of strength even for an Expert.

    Taking a deep breath, Alaster swung with all his might. In an instant, the Warhammer connected with the cliff.

    A shockwave blew away the blizzard for several meters, silencing the wind, and providing clear vision for a few moments before it came crashing back.

    Alaster glanced at the Warhammer in his hands, finding that it was now just a long stick as the steel head had snapped off and was nowhere to be found.

    A crumbling sound brought AlasterˇŻs attention back to the cliff face. He watched as chunks of stone broke away, revealing a wall of steel.

    Alaster discarded the broken Warhammer without a care and stepped forward to study the wall.

    It was intricately crafted, without the standard flaws that were common for metal constructions of this size. It was perfectly smooth and from the few light taps Alaster did, he could tell it was at least four inches thick and perfectly even throughout.

    Even skilled Metal Mages would have struggled to create such wall.

    But that was not what amazed Alaster.

    It was how brightly the wall shone with magic. Even in the setting sun and dense blizzard, the wall shone like a roaring bonfire with the countless Enchantments that were cast on it.

    ˇ®Just how many Enchantments are on this wall?ˇŻ Alaster asked.

    ˇ®A few hundred I suspect.ˇŻ Belgroth shrugged, ˇ®Just melt through it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You realize I am a Necromancer, not a Fire Mage, right?ˇŻ

    ˇ®But you do know a Fire Spell and you do know how to Weave. Just do what I tell you.ˇŻ

    For the next two hours, standing atop that bone platform hanging off the side, Alaster followed BelgrothˇŻs instructions as he Wove a Novice Fire Spell into an Expert Fire Spell.

    ˇ®Good, now when you use it, just focus it down into a small but intense flame and slowly melt through the wall.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And there isnˇŻt an Enchantment that will counter it or attack me?ˇŻ

    Belgroth did not answer for a few moments, ˇ®I donˇŻt think so.ˇŻ

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ®Great.ˇŻ

    Despite the uncertainty, Alaster got to work. He did not have the time to be careful. He had to free Sedall and get back to Zolis and finalize his preparations before the Demigods acted.

    Holding up his hand, a blue fireball appeared the size of two fists. The fireball held great destructive power across a large area the size of a commonerˇŻs house. However, Alaster condensed the fireball down into the size of a chisel. The flame turned from a fiery blue to a searing white. The very air around it sizzled as it superheated.

    Despite the Mana being his own and under his control, Alaster could feel the skin of his hand burning to such a degree that not even his own natural healing factor could compete, even with his Demonic Blood.

    Ignoring the pain with not but a twitch, Alaster held the flame against the metal door, moving slowly to allow the flame to melt through to the other side.

    Painfully slowly, Alaster melted out a large enough hole that he could crouch through.

    Once the hole was melted around, Alaster turned around and kicked backward, sending the middle of the hole flying backward into the space beyond.

    In the blizzard, the molten metal was quickly cooling, and in a few moments, it was cool enough for Alaster to step through without taking much damage. His hand also healed most of the way during the wait.

    Crouching through, Alaster conjured a Novice Flame and held it up. It did not need its power, but its light. What he found was a smooth tunnel that had clearly been mined out by Dwarven hands. Neither the Elves nor the Pure Humans held the skill or care to create a hallway out of such smooth and polished stone.

    The walls had the usual carvings of Dwarven Halls, usually done as simple decoration, these carvings told a story. A story of corruption, greed, and massacre.

    ˇ®I am assuming this is about you Sedall?ˇŻ

    Several moments passed before Sedall responded, ˇ®It was once.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Will that be a problem?ˇŻ Alaster asked, walking deeper into the mountain.

    ˇ®Not for you. I admit, when I was a new Demigod, I was prideful of my power. After all, even as a fresh Demigod, I was stronger than most of them, and I only grew stronger over the years. I was arrogant and sought a challenge, even when there wasnˇŻt one to be found.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What will you do after you are free?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I will fight with you to protect your sister, then I will fight with you to protect your people against the Argalon. Sorry Belgroth. And if by some miracle, we survive, then I will try to ascent to full Godhood and explore I guess. I have always been curious about other worlds. Who knows? Maybe its possible to become strong enough and travel back to our Birth World and revive it?ˇŻ

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ®ThatˇŻs a nice thought. But that does bring up an important point. Belgroth, what are you going to do?ˇŻ

    ˇ®About what?ˇŻ

    ˇ®With your people returning to this world?ˇŻ

    Several minutes passed in silence, only broken up by the soft footfalls resounding off the stone walls as he traveled ever deeper.

    Alaster had thought that Belgroth had ignored his question when the Argalon spoke.

    ˇ®Iˇ­ have no idea. I do wish for my people to take back our home world. Before I had wished for the extinction of all of Humanity, but now? Now I only wish for the elimination of most. I donˇŻt wish death upon you or your sister, nor the City LordˇŻs family in Onigas, nor Azamar or his daughter.

    The rest?

    I donˇŻt care. Let them burn for all I care. But I know that you will all defend yourselves, which will of course cause a war.

    If they were the same Argalon People that I knew before, I think I could convince at least a large percentage to end the war so long as Humanity gave us at least half of the remaining land back.

    My people never liked war, thatˇŻs why your people were so successful at waging one against us.

    Buts its been thousands of years, even for a people as long lived as ours, that is a long time. And with them waging a constant war against your Gods that entire time? I donˇŻt know what they are like anymore.ˇŻ

    Before Alaster could respond, a pitch-black door came into view of his small flame.

    ˇ®We are here.ˇŻ Belgroth stated.

 CHAPTER 227- SCENT OF FREEDOM

    It was more than a Black door. It seemed to absorb all light. Just like the steel wall blocking the Halls from the outside, this door had no handle. It was not meant to be opened.

    Ever.

    ˇ®Sedall, return to your body. We will have to destroy the ring to begin the ritual and even with AlasterˇŻs power, it is not enough. The door will require you to push from the inside.ˇŻ Belgroth instructed, the earlier conversation forgotten, or at least pushed to the side for the time being.

    ˇ®Pushing in what way? And you do realize that the ring contains a portion of my soul, right?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Yes, I know. It will hurt, and you will be weaker for a few months, maybe a year or two, get over it. And I mean push it, literally.ˇŻ Belgroth explained without emotion.

    ˇ®Ok.ˇŻ Sedall said hesitantly, but Alaster could feel him leaving his mind, an unfamiliar sensation as Sedall spent all his time watching through AlasterˇŻs eyes.

    ˇ®Now that we are alone, I must ask you something.ˇŻ Belgroth said in a manner that rose AlasterˇŻs guard.

    ˇ®What?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Sedall is a powerful Demigod, the strongest according to himself. If he turned against you, sided with the rest of them against your sister, even with my knowledge, there is nothing you could do. Are you sure you want to release him?ˇŻ

    Alaster smirked, finally feeling as if he knew something the Ancient Demon did not.

    ˇ®Sedall swore an oath on his Mana Root. So long as I release him, he will not act against any me or my loved ones.ˇŻ

    ˇ®That does not mean he will help you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®No, but I choose to believe he will.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why?ˇŻ

    ˇ®The same reason I donˇŻt believe you will help your own People to exterminate Humanity. You are both honorable men. You will not harm those who have aided you. Nor will you allow harm to fall upon them if you can stop it.ˇŻ

    Belgroth fell silent.

    ˇ®Take off the SedallˇŻs ring and press it against the door.ˇŻ

    Alaster chose to ignore BelgrothˇŻs changing of the subject and do as he was told.

    ˇ®Repeat after me while pouring as much Mana as you can into the door, and I mean all of it.ˇŻ

    Alaster did as he was told. The words felt foreign, but more than that, they felt wrong. With each word, that feeling of wrongness intensified, as if the very fabric of reality was rejecting each word. He had to fight against his own body to continue speaking.

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    More and more Mana was withdrawn from the various Undead Alaster had raised around the Continent. More and more, called from his Mana Pool. Mana in such quantities that it became visible to the naked eye as it traveled from his chest, spiraled down his extended arm, and soaked into the black door.

    Yet it was only after Alaster had infused Mana enough to flatten a city with pure force of Mana, that a single Golden Rune appeared on the black door above the door.

    With more Mana, another Rune appeared.

    Then another. And another.

    Rings upon rings of Runes appeared, centered on the Ring.

    ˇ®Let go.ˇŻ

    Alaster obeyed immediately, yet the Ring did not fall, instead held there by the countless strings of Mana that sprouted from the door. This Mana was no longer his own. It did not have the sickly green that Alaster recognized as his own. Instead, each strand was a brilliant Gold of the Runes.

    The strands gave off such brilliant light that they overshadowed the small flame in AlasterˇŻs hand, not that he needed it since he could see in the dark, though some details would have been missed.

    Slowly, the strands turned the Ring, as if examining it. Seemingly satisfying, the strands pulled the Ring towards the black door, but instead of touching the black material, the Ring instead sunk into it, as if it was oil.

    ˇ®Step back and to the side.ˇŻ

    Alaster did so, and not a moment too soon.

    The door shattered and a blur flew past, too fast for even Alaster to get a good look.

    Alaster did not hesitate to chase after it.

    In just a few minutes, Alaster was back outside, standing atop his platform of bone.

    A lone figure, dressed in once elegant clothes that would not be out of place in a ballroom but now nothing more than rags, stood still midair, several feet away from the Mountain side.

    He faced away from Alaster, staring out at the distant forests, mountains, and rivers, the blizzard now gone without a trace.

    The man stared at the scenery, a million different thoughts hitting him all at once. A million different emotions. A million different sights he never thought he would see again. A million different sounds he never realized he so desperately missed. Yet it was the million different scents that hit him the hardest.

    One scent in particular.

    The man closed his eyes, feeling the wind against his skin. Miles away, he heard the joyful yelps of a litter of Lightning Wolf puppies. He saw a Wyvern peacefully sleeping on the distant mountain peak. In just a single moment, he knew everything that was happening in the fifty miles around himself.

    Yet, a single scent was most prominent among all other happenings.

    The scent of pine needles.

    A scent he clung to for the memories they brought. Memories he had thought himself to have forgotten centuries ago.

    Sedall turned around, still floating in the air. Tears streamed down from his face as he spoke.

    ˇ°Thank you. Alaster, thank you.ˇ±

    * * * * *

    Around the world, sensitive and powerful people were shaken out of their activities, sitting up straight from their slumber, standing straight despite the delicate devises they were tinkering with, shaken out of their meditations.

    Their eyes wide, all turning in the same direction.

    The direction of the pulse. A pulse so strong, they could feel it in the very ground beneath their feet, even hundreds of miles away.

    Sensitive Experts feared for what such a force meant. Masters worried if this was a warning of some threat.

    The Demigods froze among their various tasks, turning in the direction of the pulse. None but one had known what the pulse meant, but each one knew who had caused it.

    Some smiled. Some grew excited. Some shook. Some worried.

    But one, the eldest of the Demigods, felt his heart beat wildly, pounding in his chest. Something he had thought to have perfectly mastered eons past, his body, shook wildly, struggling not to flee.

    But there was nowhere to flee to.

 CHAPTER 228- THE CALL OF RESPONSIBILITY

    Alaster stood next to the Duke and his family, which at this time, included Evelyn. All of which, including himself, were dressed in the usual Noble Ball clothing.

    Gentle music played, filling the massive ballroom, which despite its large size, requiring several thick pillars to maintain a ceiling, was packed with every Noblemen, Noblewomen, Noble Children, and many Government Employees.

    There were hundreds of people in the room, each one with a significant influence in the Kingdom of Lissura.

    And Alaster wanted to kill just about every single one.

    Not because of their influence, but merely because it was crowded, and Alaster hated crowds.

    Though he understood why there were so many people.

    This ballroom was not the DukeˇŻs, but the KingdomˇŻs. Not even Duke Redmond would dare to use it without support of the Counsil, and Alaster knew he had not.

    That meant it was the KingˇŻs decision.

    A King that had not shown his face outside of the Inner Castle for several years.

    Everyone that could, was in attendance.

    It had already been an hour since the Ball officially begun, yet the King nor his family had made an appearance.

    People were growing anxious, which made the crowd tense, which made Alaster just that much closer to conjuring a few dozen [Death Bombs].

    The Duke was busy talking to one of the Finance Administrators responsible over the Southern Cities of Lissura. His wife was there helping to keep both of them on topic. And in a rare moment, Luke was busy trying to keep his younger siblings from causing a mess, leaving Evelyn alone.

    And she was observant.

    ˇ°Are you alright Lord Ashborn?ˇ±

    Alaster looked down at his sister. He hated these damned Balls, but he had to admit, his sister looked gorgeous in every outfit she attended in. Which just made him even more protective.

    Alaster set the still full glass of champagne down on the small standing table, ˇ°I am fine. Merely not a fan of such large gatherings. Too many people. Too many sounds.ˇ±

    Evelyn narrowed her eyes slightly, ˇ°Pink?ˇ±

    Alaster chuckled, ˇ°No. My favorite color is not pink.ˇ±

    ˇ°Damn.ˇ±

    Alaster looked at her sternly, ˇ°Watch your mouth young lady.ˇ±

    She only smirked, ˇ°IˇŻll figure it out eventually.ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe.ˇ± Alaster smiled, though it was tight.

    His mood was made even worse by the presence of Sir Castiel. With that Holy man nearby, Alaster could not use any of his Shadows, leaving him practically blind, if his [Seeker Sight] and enhanced senses were ignored.

    Alaster had grown used to seeing everything through the eyes of his Shadow Assassins, and did not like returning to just seeing everything in a two meter radius around him.

    Especially not with so many people around.

    Evelyn opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the massive double doors on the far end of the room opening and the music changing into a more majestic tune.

    Four lines of large soldiers, clad in Golden Armor that covered them from head to toe, marched down the stairs, wielding various weapons. Alaster counted over three hundred, though he doubted a hundred would be needed to subdue this crowd, though not to kill them.

    Two of the lines of the Golden Thousand lined themselves on either side of the stairs, every other step. The other two lined themselves up against the side walls of the Ballroom.

    A small wiry man who appeared to be so old Alaster would not have been surprised if he was over four hundred years old. Yet through the use of an Enchanted item, his voice was strong and heard throughout the room in perfect clarity.

    ˇ°Presenting the Crown Prince; Prince Kaylen, and his Royal Highness, King Galeros!ˇ±

    Everyone in the room knelt, all but the few Foreign Ambassadors, who still bowed. Alaster was one of the Ambassadors.

    Atop the stairs, Alaster caught his first sight of the King of Lissura. His King by birthright. The King that was responsible for the safety of the Lissurian people. The King that was responsible for the death of his parents, whether he knew or not.

    The King was a beast of a man, standing at least seven and a half feet tall, covered in muscle. His blonde hair was cut short and neat, as was his beard. A large scar ran diagognally over the KingˇŻs left eye, but apparently the Royal Healers were good as the KingˇŻs eye appeared perfectly functional.

    Everything about the man told of an experienced warrior. One that even the blind would know was a threat, even if he was bound and weaponless.

    Yet Alaster merely found the appearance noteworthy. Nothing more. His attention was more on the KingˇŻs deep blue eyes that seemed to pierce through everything in the room. As if he saw through all the lies, the masks, the act.

    He wore the same type of three-piece suit that the majority of men in the room wore. Yet it seemed masterfully tailored, putting all the other suits to shame, including AlasterˇŻs.

    Beside the King, might have stood his younger clone. Clean shaven, scarless, and in his early twenties.

    The King had an aura of strength, majesty, and confidence. Yet the Prince had an aura of strength, majesty, and arrogance. He was untried, unchallenged, at least in any situation he did not have several dozen guides and guards to protect him.

    Alaster hated him.

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    Not just because he was unexperienced, but because he was the Prince of Lissura and Alaster held him at least partly responsible for the death of his parents, but mostly because he was after his sister.

    Together, the father and son descended the stairs, stopping a few steps from the bottom so they still stood above the crowd.

    ˇ°Rise my friends! It has been some time since I last saw many of you. This is a celebration of my return! Let us celebrate!ˇ±

    At his words, the crowd stood up from their knees and bows. The music turned joyful, reminiscent of the music one would hear at a carnival. Performers exited out of the side doors and began to flip, juggle, stack, and twirl. Conversations were resumed, yet despite it all, none turned away from the King.

    ˇ°So thatˇŻs the King and the Crown Prince?ˇ± Evelyn muttered, mostly to herself, ˇ°What do you think Lord Ashborn? As a dignitary from the Independent Alliance, of course.ˇ±

    ˇ°The King is a powerful warrior, that much is obvious. But he has been behind the scenes for much too long. His ability as a leader is unknown to most. I am interested to see how capable he is as King.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the Prince?ˇ±

    Alaster felt his nose twitch in irritation, ˇ°Not worth a burlap sack.ˇ±

    Evelyn sharply turned to Alaster, ˇ°You shouldnˇŻt say that type of stuff! Least of all here. You need to be more careful. Some people might take offence!ˇ±

    Alaster looked down at his younger sister, ˇ°Evelyn, things will never change, for better or worse, if you are too scared to offend someone. You are sheltered, but you are not blind. You have seen what is happening in the city, or at least seen its effects.

    Tell me, do you really think things are fine as they are?ˇ±

    Evelyn hesitated, ˇ°Well, no. But,ˇ±

    ˇ°No buts. I choose to remain neutral in my opinion for the King, as I do not know him, or of him, enough to form one. However, he also all but abandoned his responsibility as King for several years, leaving it to his cousin to rule in his stead.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what would you have me do about the growing tension in my capital?ˇ± A strong voice interjected.

    Alaster looked at the source, finding the King and Prince only a few meters away, and walking towards them, the crowd parting like grass.

    ˇ°I have heard much about you Lord Ashborn. Yet there also remains a mystery about you. I must thank you for dealing with Lord Halligon. I would have done so in a more subtle and peaceful way, but yours was quite effective, I must admit.ˇ±

    The Duke and his family, Evelyn included, bowed. Alaster remained straight, earning a subtle raise of an eyebrow from the King and an annoyed sneer from the Prince.

    ˇ°King Galeros, I have no doubt you know much about me. Especially considering the number of spies I have spotted snooping around. I do not care for subtly, not when it involves corruption and greed. I believe matters involving either should be dealt with publicly, as quickly and violently as possible.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you would have me become a tyrant?ˇ± The King asked with curiosity.

    ˇ°I would have you become a King, not some hidden figure. Did you know that your own people donˇŻt know what you look like? They have no idea the type of King you are, because you havenˇŻt been one to them.ˇ±

    The crowd began whispering amongst themselves and the Prince looked as if he was about to burst into flame. The rising smoke from his clothing did not help.

    The King lightly bumped his son, calming him down, before he spoke, ˇ°You are correct. I have not been a King to them. But there are matters that I had to deal with. Matters that required my full attention, and more power. Matters that have continued to grow in urgency and you do not know about.ˇ±

    Alaster rolled his eyes, ˇ°Which matter is that? The Monster Hordes swarming on your Eastern Border? The Barbarian Siege of the Northern Fortress? The growing number of Earthquakes in Tauras? The absence of the Gods? The incoming invasion of Demons? Or do you perhaps mean the three Demigods on their way to Zolis to murder one of its children?

    Oh and by all means, pick one.ˇ±

    The whispering died. The crowd, including the Duke and the Prince were confused and stunned. Only the King showed anything other than confusion. Instead, he displayed irritation.

    ˇ°How did you learn of these things?ˇ±

    ˇ°Lets ignore that for a moment. And instead focus on the most pressing of these ˇ®mattersˇŻ, as you call them. What do you intend to do about the Demigods on their way to murder someone in this room?ˇ±

    The crowd grew worried, not by AlasterˇŻs words, but by the lack of the KingˇŻs dismissal of them. They took that as confirmation that they were in danger.

    ˇ°I have never once allowed a child of my Kingdom to be killed, not while I was in knowledge of it.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs rage broke through his Noble Mask, ˇ°DonˇŻt lie to me!ˇ± He shouted, causing all the Golden Guards to draw their weapons.

    Alaster didnˇŻt even spare them a glance.

    ˇ°You, just like all the other Kings and Queens on this Godforsaken continent have known that the Demigods hunt down any person they deem too dangerous to live, even if they display no desire to use their power, and you have all willingly allowed it to happen!

    You are the King! How dare you allow a foreign power to walk into your Kingdom without a care, slaughter whoever stands in their way, and leave, all without a single response? How dare you shirk your duties as King? How dare you allow parents to be butchered, their children stolen away?ˇ±

    A distance away, Sir Castiel watched the display, stunned. Not because of Lord AshbornˇŻs words, but because for the first time in centuries, he felt his Holy Aura being suppressed.

    Dark cruel Mana radiated from Alaster, overpowering the Suppressive Ring he wore, until it shattered, allowing the Necrotic Mana to surge outward without hinderance.

    The three hundred members of the Golden Thousand charged forward while the crowd backed away. They lowered their weapons at Lord Ashborn, waiting for the command of their King.

    ˇ°It is your fault! Your fault they died! Your fault I was robbed of a Childhood! Your fault the image of their mutilated bodies is burned into my mind. Your fault I endured so much pain and loss!ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs Mana acted on its own, molding itself to create the image of AlasterˇŻs parents above him, broken and bloody, hanging from meat hooks.

    The crowd looked on, in fear. Many of them were capable warriors and mages, enough to know that the oppressive aura that filled the room with such unfiltered bloodlust could snuff out their life without much effort. Even Sir Castiel felt his heart pounding with fear.

    The Prince found himself backing away, despite the nearby Golden Thousand that had always filled him with such confidence and safety. His hand went to his sword, knowing that he would not survive if this Monster desired it, but not willing to die without a fight, however fruitless it would be.

    The King watched the display, mentally commanding his Golden not to act just yet. He stood there, unaffected by the cruel Mana that flooded out of Lord Ashborn.

    However, it was the Duke who was the most effected, he recognized the bodies. He knew who they were. He knew how they died. And he knew whose fault it was.

    Evelyn fell to her knees beside Alaster, staring up at the image of her parents. It had been so long since she had seen their faces, she had thought she had forgotten them, but there was no doubt in her mind. The corpses she saw, were her parents. The faces of the people she once loved more than anything in the world. The faces of the people that she remembered always looking at her with love, even when she had done something wrong.

    Now bloody and broken.

    ˇ°It is your fault they are dead!ˇ± Alaster screamed.

    The small shadows that hid from the abundant light in the Ballroom grew darker, larger, creeping over and snuffing out the Mage Lights and Torches, casting the room into darkness.

    Knights of Shadow and flowing blood climbed out of the ground, staring at the members of the Golden Thousand with open challenge. They held their serrated blades with excitement, eager to spill blood, whosever it might be.

    The only sources of light in the room belonged to the Golden Thousand, the King, and a much smaller light that belonged to Sir Castiel.

    ˇ°I did not know of your parentˇŻs death.ˇ± The King Calmly stated, despite the chaos that had Ballroom had been cast into.

    ˇ°But you are responsible. You abandoned your post, relinquishing all power to your Cousin. The Duke. The man who ordered the death of my parents. My Mother. My Father. Who stole away my sister! You are responsible. One way or another.ˇ±

    ˇ°You intend to kill me?ˇ± The King asked without fear or hesitation, merely curiosity.

    Alaster was silent for a moment, ˇ°No. Not yet at least.ˇ± The growing darkness halted, ˇ°The Demon Invasion is near. Ebris, God of the Dead, has personally told me of its severity. Humanity will require all the power it can muster to survive.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what do you want?ˇ±

    ˇ°I want the DukeˇŻs Head. I want to drown the world in blood! I want to tear him limb from linb!ˇ± Alaster took a deep breath, ˇ°I want my family back.ˇ±

    ˇ°I am sorry about your parents. But you cannot kill my cousin.ˇ±

    Alaster stared at the King for several moments, ˇ°Then Humanity will have to do without you.ˇ±

    Blood was spilled.

 CHAPTER 229- FAMILY

    Hundreds of Dread Knights burst forward, clashing into the Golden GuardsˇŻ own charge. Much to their surprise, the Dread Knights were not immediately destroyed but instead fought back. The Dread Knights were obviously weaker than the Golden Guards, but they were strong enough to exchange several blows before they were destroyed.

    And the pool of oily blankness around Alaster constantly spawned more.

    Spells were cast; explosions rang out. Bodies thrown.

    Despite the chaos, the King and Alaster had not moved. They had not once broken eye contact.

    With Sir CastielˇŻs Holy Aura suppressed so heavily, AlasterˇŻs pool began to spawn other types of Undead.

    Shadow Assassins clung to the walls and from the ceiling, firing black bolts from their small crossbows, and constantly attempting to stab the Golden Guards in the back.

    Iron Guardians crashed into the Guards, forcing them back a step or two, protecting the other Undead with their massive shields.

    War Born charged recklessly into the fray, swinging wildly, occasionally landing a blow before they were immediately shattered.

    Alaster even spotted a few Black Guards and Minotaurs in the mix.

    A few of the Golden Guards had escorted the Duke and his family away from Alaster and behind the King, but Evelyn was still on her knees behind Alaster, in shock and frozen.

    For nearly an hour, the battle was in a standstill. Neither side making any progress. The King had mentally commanded the other seven hundred Golden Thousand, and the many Silver Guards, to remain away.

    The King was not using his full force, but he knew neither was Alaster.

    Neither of them were participating either.

    The battle seemed eternal, until something broke through the roof, raining stone down on the battle, interrupting it.

    For the first time since the conflict began, the King and Alaster looked away from each other, staring up at the intruder, along with the rest of the crowd.

    ˇ°Cease this pointless conflict!ˇ± Sedall shouted, blowing away the dust with just his voice.

    ˇ°Stay out of this Sedall.ˇ± Alaster growled.

    ˇ°No. You asked me to help you, and this is not helping your planˇ± Sedall turned to the King, ˇ°And you, I thought you were smarter than this. At least your father was. Get your head out of your ass and look at the bigger picture. Right now, three Demigods are on their way to invade your Castle and kill someone under your protection. On top of that, you need to prepare for the Demonic Invasion.

    You do not have the luxury of losing even a single soldier.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sedall?ˇ± The King asked, ˇ°The Demigod?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ˇ°Why are you telling me to prepare for the Demigods like you want me to fight them, if you are one yourself?ˇ±

    ˇ°Have you not been listening?ˇ± Sedall asked the King of Lissura like he was an idiot, ˇ°We have bigger problems coming. We need every advantage we can get. And the only way we can get AlasterˇŻs advantage on our side, is if we can protect his sister from my bloodthirsty kin.ˇ±

    ˇ°His sister is the target? Lady Evelyn?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. Now put this behind you and get to work! Because I can feel them coming. They will be here in just a few hours.ˇ±

    The King considered the words for a moment, ˇ°Fine. I will comply for now, but I want a detailed explanation before the day is done.ˇ±

    The King turned around and walked away, the Prince, the DukeˇŻs family, and the Golden Guards following behind.

    With AlasterˇŻs Mana no longer covering all the doors, the crowd began fleeing out whichever exit was closest.

    Sedall hovered down, landing on the polished marble without a sound, right in front of Alaster.

    ˇ°I have always thought you were in control of your emotions. Now, when it is most critical to stay levelheaded, you completely lose yours! What were you thinking!ˇ±

    Alaster glared at Sedall, ˇ°I donˇŻt know! I saw him, and it just all came crashing back. How my family would still be alive if he man calling the shots was not Redmond. I just lost it!ˇ±

    Sedall sighed, ˇ°It is not completely your fault, even separated from you, I could feel the Anti-System feeding on your anger, making it worse. But listen to me, you have to learn to control it better. Even if we can get all the Kingdoms and Races of Humanity to work together, it is still doubtful we can survive the Invasion.

    I can feel the Demons coming closer to the WorldˇŻs Seal. Once they breach it, all hell will come upon us. We have to be ready.ˇ±

    Alaster sighed, looking down at his Sister, still kneeling in shock. He did not blame her. Everything she had known for the last several years had been wrong. He imagined it would take her a while to figure it all out.

    He knelt down beside her, struggling to find the right words. This was not at all how he wanted to tell her. He did not know what to say now.

    Before he could figure it out, she launched herself at him, hugging him tightly as she cried loudly. He hugged her back, letting her cry. Gods knew he had.

    He had had the last eight years to come to terms with it, and he still hadnˇŻt.

    She had had it thrown in her face all at once.

    Eventually, the tears stopped, replaced by sobs.

    ˇ°I am sorry. I am so sorry.ˇ± Alaster said, tears threatening stinging his own eyes and threatening to fall as the plagued his word.

    Several more minutes passed in silence before Sedall hesitantly rested his hand on AlasterˇŻs shoulder.

    ˇ°Alaster, we have to go. The preparations are complete, but they need you.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, struggling to let Evelyn go and stood up.

    Evelyn looked up at him, with big teary eyes, her face a mess.

    Alaster summoned Catherine.

    ˇ°Bring her to the bunker and protect her. I will be there as soon as I can.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes sir.ˇ± Catherine saluted, all her usual humor gone. She knew how serious the situation was.

    ˇ°Evelyn,ˇ± Alaster called her attention, ˇ°Please go with Catherine. She will bring you somewhere safe until the Demigods are dealt with. You can trust her.ˇ±

    Evelyn silently nodded and stood up. She swallowed hard before she opened her mouth, ˇ°You better come back, we have a lot to talk about.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded and turned away.

    ˇ°Al?ˇ±

    Alaster turned back to his sister.

    ˇ°I have a pendant with a Red ribbon on it I want to give you.ˇ±

    Alaster smiled before he turned around back around and vanished with Sedall, leaving Evelyn and Catherine in the ruined Ballroom alone.

    Appearing atop one of the tall bell towers in the capital city of Zolis, Alaster glanced around at the Undead as they did the final preparations.

    It felt as if a large weight had been lifted off his chest.

    Alaster felt lighter than he had in years.

    He wanted nothing more than to jump around and hug his sister, talking for hours on end. But he had to do something first.

    He had to ensure that the so called protectors of the world did not get to her. They were on their way to kill her.

    This time, for the first time, Alaster intentionally called forth the Anti-System, feeling its black oily Mana spread out, radiating its sense of wrongness. As if the world itself was rejecting it.

    Alaster would do whatever it took to protect his sister, even if it meant burning the world to ash. Even if it meant sacrificing every living thing in this city.

    After all, she had remembered his favorite color.

 CHAPTER 230- WRATH OF THE HEAVENS

    Alaster felt them before he saw them. A wave of power, electrifying the air. Birds flew away, wanting to be far from the source. The distant trees of the forest rustled as the Monsters rushed to hide or run, whatever they could.

    They werenˇŻt trying to hide. They wanted to be seen. They wanted to be feared.

    And Alaster was quite fine with that.

    When they finally came into view, Alaster counted a dozen. Even one was a threat to the Capital city of Zolis. According to Sedall, the Demigods never sent more than two to deal with a Stage Three, even a powerful one. There was not a need.

    Apparently, Evros had taken AlasterˇŻs challenge seriously.

    Of course, Alaster was certainly not the only one to see them, let alone feel their coming. Alarms bells were being rung. People were rushing to their families and taking cover in their cellars, if they had them. Soldiers lined the walls, arming the siege weapons and preparing the Runes and Enchantments.

    Alaster doubted the city defenses would be able to do much against even a single Demigod.

    But then he saw the Golden Thousand arrive in their shiny splendor, spacing themselves along the wall or strategically throughout the city. Alaster then saw the King himself arrive wearing Golden Armor, using a thick metal disc to hover high above the walls, staring at the unwelcome guests as they flew ever closer.

    Thinking to himself, Alaster quickly Wove a Fire spell that would allow him to fly, barely. Basically, it would conjure powerful but short flames at his feet that would propel his body up.

    Even with his Expert body and senses, it still took a few minutes for Alaster to get the hang of it.

    His version of flight was basic, slow, and inefficient, but it worked well enough for him to slowly fly towards the King, hovering beside him.

    ˇ°So this is what you bring down upon my people?ˇ± The King asked, more of a statement than a question.

    ˇ°I have a plan.ˇ±

    ˇ°You better. Even my Thousand wonˇŻt be able to hold off more than two, with my help.ˇ±

    The Demigods stopped a few miles out, they seemed to speak to each other briefly before three continued forward. A negotiation party.

    ˇ°You will only have to deal with one.ˇ± Alaster said, flying forward.

    The King was right behind him.

    Together they met with the three Demigods roughly six miles away from the city walls. Alaster spotted Evros at the head, but did not recognize the other two.

    None were happy.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ˇ°Stand down your army and give us the girl.ˇ± Evros ordered, cutting right to the chase. Alaster would have done the same if he did not consider the force before him a threat.

    ˇ°No.ˇ± Alaster said bluntly.

    Evros ignored him and stared at the King, ˇ°Do not risk the lives of the People of Zolis for one girl.ˇ±

    The King scratched his beard, ˇ°You know, my family has always respected and complied to the wishes of the Demigods. Hells, we even gave you my great Uncle when you claimed he was a threat to the world. I never thought much of it until this arrogant brat here pointed it out. I swore to protect the People of Lissura, from the strongest warrior to the weakest child.

    So no.

    I am done allowing foreign powers to execute my People. Leave my Kingdom. The Kingdom of Lissura is finished with you.ˇ±

    The faces of the two Demigods beside Evros turned vile and cruel. They wanted to rip the King into pieces for being so disrespectful towards them. Yet Evros himself remained neutral.

    ˇ°Do you understand the consequences of this action?ˇ±

    ˇ°More than you know.ˇ± The King nodded passively, yet Alaster could hear the leather on the KingˇŻs sword creaking as he gripped it even tighter.

    ˇ°Then we shall burn your city to the ground to remove this threat to Humanity.ˇ± Evros growled, turning away.

    Alaster immediately activated the device he had received from the Zalarians.

    A powerful dome appeared around the entirety of Zolis, including ten miles around it. A dome that King Heradon swore could withstand the force of one or two Demigods.

    However, it would only last one hour.

    One hour before its internal components melted.

    One hour to remove this threat to his sister.

    At the same time as the dome appearing, Alaster summoned every last Undead he had, excluding his Death Knights or their Legions of Forgotten.

    The surroundings became infused with Necrotic Mana. Plants withered, turning yellow and decayed. Trees turned into dead husks, many of their branches breaking off under their own weight. Animals died and dried up, turning into dried husks, their skin tight against their bones.

    For miles around Alaster, it became impossible to see the ground through the Undead.

    The Demigods stared in disbelief, both at the dome, and the power this Expert displayed. The King looked at the young man beside him, finally realizing just how much he had held back in that Ballroom.

    ˇ°Hope you arenˇŻt afraid of falling.ˇ± Alaster sneered, not looking away from the glaring Demigods.

    ˇ°What do you,ˇ±

    The King didnˇŻt manage to finish his sentence before Alaster activated the second device Catherine had personally created. A device that she built using the dome as the host. A device that prohibited the use of flying within the dome.

    The Demigods, the King, and Alaster, all fell to the ground.

    Having been prepared for it, Alaster landed softly by using the recoil from a powerful Fire Blast to slow his fall. The Demigods landed heavily but appeared completely unharmed. The King remained on his disk as it fell heavily, but before it slammed into the ground, it flashed with bright blue light, halting the decent before gently landing.

    Evros glared at Alaster, now surrounded by the countless Undead, ˇ°Do you really think you can defeat a dozen Demigods? Even with all these tricks?ˇ±

    ˇ°A dozen? No,ˇ± Alaster chuckled, ˇ°Two? Perhaps.ˇ±

    ˇ°There are three of us.ˇ± Evros growled.

    ˇ°Yes, but they only have to deal with two.ˇ± Sedall said, walking out of the Horde of Undead behind Alaster.

    Evros stepped back, ˇ°So its true, you escaped.ˇ±

    With each word, violent Mana radiated off of Sedall in waves, disrupting the dirt and rocks, ˇ°Yes. I escaped. Do you remember what I swore I would do to the ones who imprisoned me?ˇ±

    Evros did not speak.

    ˇ°I swore I would tear them limb from limb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Even you canˇŻt defeat a dozen of us. That dome wonˇŻt last long against them.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, it wonˇŻt. But itˇŻs a good thing I already had a talk with Tualla before all this. She never liked the executions. Most of us didnˇŻt. Until that dome comes down on its own, they wonˇŻt do anything.

    Understand what that means?

    It means I get one hour to do whatever I want with you!ˇ±

    Sedall shot forward, his fist raised.

    The earth shook and broke.

 CHAPTER 231- DEPTHS OF SAFETY

    Dust fell from the arched ceiling, sizzling as it landed on the Mage Light, the singular source of light in the small underground bunker. Even reinforced by a Demigod, the small room shook.

    The metal shelves bolted to the wall and stacked with food and water, enough to last a dozen people a month, rattled.

    Evelyn had no idea how deep underground they were, only that it wasnˇŻt enough to block out the sounds of battle, at least, not the explosions. She had thought she was an experienced fighter, having fought many battles, but now? Hearing what she heard? She knew she was but a child in the face of such power.

    Evelyn stared at the Mage Light, her knees clenched close to her chest. Without any sunlight or device, it was impossible for Evelyn to tell how long she had been in this bunker.

    An hour? Six? Maybe it had only been a few minutes? Or maybe the sun had already set and risen again, and she had been too stressed to tell?

    Eventually, Evelyn looked up at the only other person in the room. But perhaps person was too generous? The figure sitting across from her, casually reading from a book despite the low light, seemed wrong.

    The figure was feminine, but her hair was the color of ash while her skin was darker than ink. It was not natural.

    The figure, sensing the stare, looked up from its book.

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ± It tilted its head in curiosity.

    Evelyn couldnˇŻt tell if it was genuine or imitated.

    ˇ°What are you?ˇ± Evelyn asked after several moments of wondering how to best ask and eventually deciding on the blunt approach.

    Instead of being offended, the figure sat up, crossing its legs and setting the book down.

    ˇ°I am a Death Knight. Or, at least thatˇŻs what we call ourselves.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ourselves?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes. There are twelve of us. Your brother resurrected us from the dead and we have served him since. Of course, as you should well know from your classes in the academy, it is impossible for any Magic, even Holy or Death, to truly resurrect a person.

    This is no exception.

    In truth, our Souls are gone, moved ontoˇ­wherever souls go, I guess. However, your brother was able to instead acquire a copy of our memories, even the memories we had thought to have forgotten. This created a pseudo-soul, which he implanted back into our bodies.

    The result is what you see before you, but things are slightly different, to this day, we are still finding things that were not quite as we remember them being. Just last week,ˇ±

    Evelyn quickly interrupted, already knowing that the woman across from her finds this subject interesting and could talk about it for hours.

    ˇ°Why did Alaster lie to me? Why pretend to be someone different? Why did he lie to me about how our parents died?ˇ±

    Catherine hesitated, her mouth open mid-sentence.

    Sighing, she closed her mouth, ˇ°Before we get to that, it is best if I explain somethings first. I wonˇŻt say everything, as it is not my place. That is truly a question best suited for my Master, but seeing as how he is busy at the moment, I will try to explain.ˇ±

    ˇ°At least I know he is still alive, for now.ˇ±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ˇ°How do you mean?ˇ± Catherine asked.

    ˇ°You are still here. If he dies, you would vanish.ˇ±

    ˇ°False. We Death Knights operate very differently from the typical Minion. Upon our MasterˇŻs death, we would be severely weakened, but would still be able to function and operate completely independently.

    Now, before I get on another tangent, let me begin.

    What do you remember of your Tenth birthday?ˇ±

    Evelyn shrugged, ˇ°Not much. I remember the party, or at least that there was one. I remember Alaster being asked out on a date. I also remember the present he gave me,ˇ± Evelyn fished the crude necklace out of her small Ring of Holding. The string had long since frayed and was yellowed with use. She had worn it until she feared it would break.

    ˇ°But I donˇŻt remember anything else.ˇ±

    Catherine nodded sadly, ˇ°That would be for the best. You were too young, or perhaps you didnˇŻt see it at all. But Alaster did, and it was seared into his brain.ˇ±

    Evelyn hugged herself even tighter, ˇ°I saw the image.ˇ±

    ˇ°That image did not do it any justice. I am able to pear into my MasterˇŻs memories, at least those he allows me to. I see how he saw it, as well as how it really went, if I focus and short through it. Very tricky stuff. But I saw what happened as if I was there that very night.ˇ±

    Catherine took a deep breath, ˇ°In life, I was a soldier, one of the strongest. I was sent on missions to eliminate the enemy champions countless times. I have seen all types of bloodshed and violence. But it still stunned me to see what happened that night.

    To this day, years later, my Master refuses to speak of it in any detail. The very few times he has spoken of it, he merely breezes past, saying how his parents were killed, but that is it.

    You lived these last eight years in blissful ignorance. You laughed, you joke, you went to school, you played with friends.

    My master did not have that opportunity.

    Since that night, he has devoted himself to finding you once more. He has fought countless battles, bled a lake, and spilled oceans more. He changed the very fate of Kingdoms, and even died, just to find you.

    In all that time, the only thing that drove him was killing the people responsible, laughing as he bathed in their blood, and someday holding you close once more.

    But the day he finally saw you, that all evaporated. He couldnˇŻt kill the people responsible, because you treated him like a father. My Master couldnˇŻt even return even an ounce of the misery he had felt by killing his son, because you loved his son!

    It made things much more complicated.

    No longer could he just walk in, razing Zolis to the ground, killing anyone that got in his way and staking the DukeˇŻs head on a pike as the river turned red. Consequences be damned. Instead, he had to disguise himself, pretending to play nice with the very man who murdered his parents.

    But then the Demigods put their sight on you simply because of your Constitution. They deemed it too powerful. Capable of changing the dynamic of the Continent by itself.

    So, instead of making himself an enemy of the Lissurian Kingdom, he had to make himself and enemy of the protectors of the entire world! Then, to make it all so much worse, he learned that the Demons were on their way to invade our world, so he had to hasten his plans, skipping entire steps.

    And now, he is battling Demigods, beings of such power that even Masters fear them.

    All for you.

    He planned years ahead, going through unimaginable agony, just to find and protect you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You are smart. What are his chances?ˇ± Evelyn asked, looking up at the still occasionally shaking ceiling.

    Catherine sighed heavily, as if all energy had left her, ˇ°If he had been able to prepare all his steps? I would estimate an eighty three percent chance to emerge victorious. And a Ninety two percent chance to escape if defeat was clear. Now? After having been rushed?

    I donˇŻt know. But they arenˇŻt high.ˇ±

    Evelyn allowed that to settle. She had just gotten her brother back after so long, and now she was likely to lose him again?

    ˇ°What about the Demon Invasion? When is that happening?ˇ±

    ˇ°There are only a few people who know it is coming. And none know when. Not even the Gods.ˇ±

    ˇ°If Alaster survives this, he will have to go out and fight against the Demons, wonˇŻt he?ˇ±

    ˇ°Him and everyone else. The Demons are coming to eradicate all of Humanity and its Races. And they are prepared enough to repel the Gods themselves.

    But you need to understand something about your Brother right now, before anything else happens.ˇ± Catherine waited until she was sure she had all of EvelynˇŻs attention.

    ˇ°In his pursuit to become strong enough to come for you, he also became strong enough to be a critical figure in the entire Continent. He had a DemigodˇŻs attention even when he was just an Adept.

    His connection to the Independent Alliance was not a lie. He is very close to them and would likely even consider them to be his home. Yet he would give that up for you. But if he is confident that you would be safe, he would run off to fight and protect.ˇ±

    Evelyn smiled to himself, ˇ°He has always been that way. Protect what is close to him, forget everything else.ˇ±

    Catherine leaned closer, attempting to lighten the mood, ˇ°So who was this date you were talking about?ˇ±

 CHAPTER 232- OUT CLASSED

    Alaster wrapped himself in condensed Mana moments before he crashed through the wall and through the next. Four buildings collapsed. Homes and businesses, gone.

    Laying on the rubble, Alaster stood up, throwing away a brick that had fallen on him.

    He didnˇŻt have a momentˇŻs rest before he threw himself to the side, through the last remaining wall of this building. The area he had just been at exploded with such force it decimated the buildings around.

    Two hundred feet from him, tearing through his Undead, was a Demigod. A Demigod who proudly, and quite loudly and repeatedly, proclaimed himself to be Sordos, the strongest Demigod.

    When the battle had first begun, he had tried to fight Sedall, but had been pushed aside by Evros, who told him to kill the arrogant Alaster. Evros decided to fight Sedall himself. The third Demigod, a middle aged man who had not yet spoken, was wrecking through the ranks of the Golden Thousand.

    Alaster charged forward. His Undead took a step to the one side or another, allowing him to through with ease.

    A large Iron Guardian held its shield up, using its body to block SordosˇŻ vision. The next moment, the DemigodˇŻs fist speared through the UndeadˇŻs shield and chest. The Iron Guardian dissolved just in time for Alaster to break through the black mist and deliver a Black Mana infused fist straight to the DemigodˇŻs chin.

    In the last twenty minutes they had been fighting, Alaster had quickly learned that he was unable to harm the Demigod with his physical power and only able to scratch him if he used his Mana. But if he used the Black Mana, the Anti System, he could harm Sordos.

    Each hit Alaster delivered with the Black Mana, caused SordosˇŻ own Mana to revolt, causing damage within.

    In just a short amount of time, Sordos had sustained such internal damage that he spat out blood with each additional hit.

    But it was not a one sided fight, not even close. Even with AlasterˇŻs Undead holding kernels of the Black Mana, therefore allowing them to deal minimal damage to the Demigod, they were still much too weak. Despite being in the thousands, all targeting one man, only two had managed to actually land a blow.

    Sordos had been surprised the Undead could actually prove a threat, however minimal, but he could still wipe out dozens with even attack. Instead, the Demigod targeted Alaster, largely ignoring the Undead.

    Every blow the Demigod delivered threw Alaster around like a doll.

    Alaster bled from multiple wounds, and even his left harm was slow to react.

    Far to the East, Alaster spotted the battlefield between Sedall and Evros. He could see the debris and rubble flying over the buildings.

    Even though the battle had begun several miles outside Zolis, it had quickly moved to within the walls through one way or another.

    In order to protect each other, the Golden Thousand worked in perfect teamwork, constantly moving to only be grazed by the DemigodˇŻs attacks. The KingˇŻs own attack pushed the Demigod through the open gates and into the city.

    Alaster had failed to react in time to SordosˇŻ fist and been launched over the wall, or more accurately, through the tops of the battlements. An entire section was in disrepair from the damage AlasterˇŻs propelled body had caused. Sordos had charged through his Undead in order to chase after him.

    Meanwhile, Sedall had kicked Evros through the wall, at ground level, the most densely packed and reinforced part of the wall. A massive hole had been created, which in turn caused much of that section to sink in and crumble.

    Alaster refocused on the Demigod before just in time to avoid the retaliatory elbow, delivering a counter knee to the DemigodˇŻs face. Stunned, he instead pulled his Mana and created a shockwave around him, disintegrating the Undead around him in a ten-meter radius and throwing Alaster back twenty.

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    Sliding back across the paved stone road, Alaster glared at the Demigod, who was slow to get to his feet. Alaster was also slow to stand up.

    Both were exhausted, both were injured, but one thing had long since been made clear to Alaster. As he was, he was in no condition to defeat the Demigod.

    ˇ®This isnˇŻt working.ˇŻ Alaster thought, ˇ®Any ideas?ˇŻ

    Belgroth, the sole mental guest now, was quick to respond, ˇ®None. It was still too early for this fight.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I didnˇŻt exactly have much choice. Your people are coming. We all knew this fight was going to happen, and that it would be hard. We needed time to recover from it and to properly recover before the Argalon arrived.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I know, so does Sedall. But your chance of victory was already would have been small if you have been a Master. You are still just an Expert. ItˇŻs a miracle you are still alive, let alone actually fighting back, but you are smart enough to realize that the damage you are doing to this man is not equal to the damage he is dealing to you. Nor can you sustain nearly as much damage as him.ˇŻ

    Belgroth had not told him anything that he did not already know.

    ˇ®If you didnˇŻt have the Anti System, or if your Undead were not touched by it, you would have long since died.ˇŻ

    AlasterˇŻs eyes widened with recognition, ˇ®I have an idea, but I need your help.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Anything. After all, if you die, so do I.ˇŻ

    Alaster smiled, his teeth red with his own blood, ˇ®How would you like to stretch your legs for a bit?ˇŻ

    ˇ®What?ˇŻ

    ˇ®I am going to create a link between you and my Undead. That way you can possess them. With your Soul empowering them, they will be much stronger, at least until they overload. But so long as you hop between the Undead before they are destroyed, you should at least be able to delay him.ˇŻ

    Sordos took step forward with murderous intent.

    ˇ®If the Undead is destroyed while I am still possessing them, my soul will go into revolt. It will take several days before I will be able to get it back under control. So I only have one chance at this. What will you be doing? Because at most, I will just delay him a bit.ˇŻ Belgroth said, not sure what Alaster was planning, but preparing himself nonetheless.

    ˇ®If my Undead can scratch him when they are touched by the Anti System, I wonder what an Undead who has been infused with a part of it could do?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Risky, but we donˇŻt exactly have a choice. Do it.ˇŻ

    Alaster opened the link between the Demon and his Undead. A simple process that took less than a second. The only reason he had not done so before was because it weakened his own link with the Undead and Belgroth did not have any interest using a body that was not his own.

    But neither of them had much of a choice.

    Immediately, a Dread Knight standing a few meters behind Sordos roared, its blood red lines turning a pale gray as it grew several feet to accommodate the soul possessing it.

    Sordos turned around just in time to be batted into the building to the side by the UndeadˇŻs powerful swing of its sword.

    Alaster immediately got to work.

    Less than thirty seconds later, the Dread Knight rapidly shrunk down before it exploded. Another Undead grew and continued the attack on the Demigod. Belgroth didnˇŻt bother trying to defend himself, and merely transferred to another Undead whenever Sordos managed to counter attack.

    Alaster summoned forth one of the Forgotten he had claimed as his own personal Legion, each one being a Forgotten that had risen from Novice to Expert. Alaster only hoped they would be strong enough to withstand the powers he was about to shove into them.

    Drawing on the Anti System, it seemed hesitant to imbue the Forgotten, until it realized that it was only a Minion, and not another person. Realizing that it would still inhabit Alaster, it allowed itself to be infused with the Forgotten.

    As it did, the Forgotten changed. ItˇŻs body grew larger, no longer a thin and lithe man, but into a large man who had grown up throwing large sacks of grain around. Its robes transformed into black plate armor. Its hood changed from white to black to match its plate. Its purple featureless mask molded itself like clay into the face of a blood red demon.

    Alaster watched as the changed Forgotten looked at itself, still in control of itself. After a moment of self-examination, it looked at its Master and nodded. Within his Soul Domain, he allowed the Anti System to imbue the rest of his personal Legion.

    As the last one changed, he was stunned to see a Notice from the System, the first one in many months.

    [Warning! Warning! Use of Forbidden Technique!

    The System will not stand in your way of this Ability, but know that it has been Forbidden for good reason.

    We sense the coming Demons. We, better than any, know your potential and ability.

    You will stand against them, but you are much too weak to do so.

    For the first time, we will bestow a power before the User has earned it.

    Please, use it to protect Humanity.]

    Alaster froze, the System spoke to him as if it had its own personality, as if it wasnˇŻt just some mindless, emotionless, creation. But the next Notice made his heart skip.

    [Ability Granted: HumanityˇŻs Champion

    An Ability only given once before. An Ability given to the Champion of Humanity, one who has pledged to protect and nurture Humanity.

    The Ability molds itself to its User, changing to best suit them.]

    [HumanityˇŻs Champion

    Level: N/A

    Absorb all Active Minions, enhancing oneˇŻs own power.]

    This was it. This would allow him to fight back. But at the same time, Alaster could not help but feel as if the System was asking him not to use the Anti System. As if the System was begging him not to use the Legion of the Black.

 CHAPTER 233- MONSTERS OF THE HEART

    Sordor roared with rage, creating a shockwave of such strength that a nearby building crumbled, yet it seemed to have no effect on the empowered Minion as it threw a powerful fist into his stomach.

    The physical blow meant nothing, even as a Master, it would not have been worth too much caution. And he had long since surpassed Masterhood. Yet he still coughed blood.

    It was not the physical attacked that caused him so much pain, but instead it was his own Mana, revolting against itself.

    The empowered Minion threw another punch, but Sordor grabbed its wrist and yanked forward. He had intended to pull the Minion off its feet, but in his anger, he had forgotten his own strength and instead tore its arm out of its shoulder socket.

    The Minion immediately shrunk down, another growing elsewhere. The now normal Undead glanced at its missing arm, glanced back at where it was held limp in SordorˇŻs hand, and glared are him, before he disintegrated it with an enraged kick.

    Again and again, he would be attacked by the larger Undead while the rest distracted and served as shields. Blow after blow, he grew more and more furious.

    Allowing the Empowered Undead to land blow after blow, Sordor gathered his Mana before he expelled it in a violent fiery wave that incinerated everything around him for several meters. Everything from wood to stone, Undead included.

    Spitting out blood, Sordor stood up straight and glared at the impudent runt that had caused all this.

    ˇ°You! Is this all you are capable of? Hiding behind your Minions? This is what Evros was careful of? Just another cowardly Summoner? Take away your Minions, and what are you then? HUH!ˇ±

    Alaster stared at the ancient Demigod before him, a man who had lived for hundreds of years at least, one who had explored and monitored the world all that time, yet Alaster stared at him as if he was an idiot.

    ˇ°Seriously? ThatˇŻs like asking a Mage what he would do if he didnˇŻt have any Mana, or a Swordsmen without any arms. I thought you Demigods were supposed to be smart. Either I was wrong, or you are just the slowest of the bunch.ˇ±

    SordorˇŻs body ignited in bright, nearly white, flames that consumed every detail about him. He was furious, deciding to show this whelp the difference between them.

    Exactly what Alaster wanted.

    At the same time Sordor gathered his power, Alaster activated his new Ability.

    In an instant, all of his Undead exploded into Black tinged green mist and flowed towards him. All of his Undead. Even the Shadow Assassins throughout the continent. Reports flowed around, of an unstoppable unnatural mist that had simply appeared in various important locations before flying away faster than any arrow.

    Sordor watched the mist gather around Alaster, swirling around him in a vortex that whipped the wind around, blowing away the small stones and pieces of rubble nearby.

    The vortex grew large enough to encompass a building, before it rapidly crashed inward, towards Alaster.

    But the figure that walked out of that vortex was not Alaster. Not the young man that Sordor had so desired to tear limb from limb. It couldnˇŻt be.

    After Sedall had been locked away by those Dwarves, Sordor had become the uncontested strongest of the Demigods. The strongest Human in the mortal world. He had fought for centuries to gain that title, but once he had it, he had grown bored. He no longer had a challenge, at least not one that he was willing to awaken.

    He had spent the last four hundred years desperately searching for that feeling once more. That feeling of uncertainty. Uncertainty of his victory. Uncertainty of his survival.

    But it was a feeling that was impossible to forget.

    And he felt it now.

    The figure before him, the Monster, reminded Sordor of the first time he had seen a Wyvern when he had just been a weak Novice still trying to figure out his first Abilities.

    Towering at nearly nine feet tall, wearing thick plates of spiked black armor. Wielding no weapon other than the razor sharp claws of its gauntlets. Wearing a cruel mask of black depicting an unknown MonsterˇŻs head, but similar to that of a dragonˇŻs. A tattered ethereal cape of constantly shifting blackness fell from its shoulders, appearing almost like wings.

    It lowered its center of gravity, holding its clawed hands out at its knees. Its mask molded, as if it was flesh, as it roared, revealing its sickly green and black mouth of long fangs.

    The sound it uttered was unlike any Sordor had ever heard before. As if a million different voices were all screaming out their fury.

    The battles within the city paused for a moment, wondering what type of beast had caused such a cursed sound.

    Sordor found himself retreating a step back. An action he had forbidden himself from taking since before he was an Expert.

    His heart pounded in his chest, previously from pure rage, now a seedling of fear took hold.

    Almost faster than the Demigod could react, the Monster appeared before him, its claws, covered in Black Mana, already aimed for his throat with such speed that the air cracked.

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    In that split second Sordor had, he knew that this attack was not like the ones before, where they slowly whittled away at him from the inside. This attack was one that could kill him, from inside and out.

    Sordor kicked backward, launching himself as far away as he could from this beast.

    The creatureˇŻs attack missed.

    Its clawed hand hit nothing, yet the city block in the direction of its swing disappeared in a cloud of dust and rubble.

    Before the Demigod put his weight back on his feet, over a hundred feet away from the Monster, it was right in front of him, already attacking yet again.

    Again and again, Sordor retreated, desperately trying to find a weakness, some type of gap in its defenses.

    He found plenty.

    But each one caused his instincts to scream danger.

    Each missed attack eradicated portions of the city.

    Soon, Sordor found himself at the base of the Outer Castle walls, but it didnˇŻt matter. Despite the CastleˇŻs numerous Enchantments, it too shattered before the unintentional might of this creature.

    With each attack it missed, its roars only grew louder and louder, filled with rage and fury.

    Sordor knew he could not continue to dodge, but it was taking everything he had to do so. He dared not to touch that Black Mana. Before, it had annoyed him, but now, everything about it was causing his skin to crawl. His own body wanted to flee, to get as far away as it could from that Mana.

    But the creature was not mindless.

    On its next attack, the shadows nearby darkened, clinging to the Demigod. They caused only a momentˇŻs hesitation before they tore from SordorˇŻs strength, but that was enough for the MonsterˇŻs strike to land.

    Sordor screamed as his body was thrown backward, through dozens of walls.

    For the first time in centuries, Sordor bled. For the first time since he achieved Masterhood, he was uninjured.

    Blood poured from the four deep lines across his chest. Blood that should have immediately clotted, flesh that should have immediately sewn itself back together.

    Something about the Black Mana had prevented his body from working as it should have as a DemigodˇŻs.

    Tenderly touching at the edges of his wounds, Sordor looked at the dark blood that coated his fingers. His blood.

    Groaning from the movement, Sordor stood up from the rubble. Clenching his fists tightly, Sordor realized that he did not have a choice. He could no longer carefully analyze his opponentˇŻs movements to know when to best strike as effortlessly as possible.

    This was not a battle he could win if he did not put everything on the line.

    The bright flames that covered his body intensified even more, burning a brilliant white that produced such heat that it began to melt the stone beneath his feet.

    A moment later, the Monster appeared, already attacking, but Sordor was ready.

    A powerful kick connected with the Monster, launching it to the side, indifferent to the numerous Enchanted walls that blocked its flight.

    Sordor chased after it, appearing above it as it landed. It dodged the first blow, even from a prone position, but only blocked the second. It went flying once more, but this time it was prepared for when Sordor appeared.

    Back and forth they went, exchanging blow after bloody blow, turning the once beautiful Outer Castle into naught but ruin and rubble.

    Each blow the Monster delivered upon Sordor, produced blood and flesh, despite the steel melting flames that covered him.

    Each blow Sordor delivered upon the Monster bent and deformed the metal scales that covered it, producing roars of pain.

    Yet even as Sordor grew tired from exhaustion and weak from injury, the Monster continued with the same fury.

    Eventually, the two found themselves on the bridge connecting the Inner Castle to the Outer. The countless Enchanted weapons began to fire upon the two, but they continued to fight, uncaring of the barrage that would have otherwise decimated entire armies of prepared Experts.

    With a powerful kick straight to his chest, the Monster sent the Demigod flying straight through the door, a door that could withstand the KingˇŻs own attacks for over an hour.

    Servants screamed and ran while Silver armored Royal Guards rushed forward, yet with the forces the two were causing, none could get close, and those that tried were torn apart.

    Still, the two continued to fight.

    And gradually, even the prideful Sordor knew that he would lose.

    Desperate, he activated an item he thought he would never use.

    A distress beacon.

    One that activated the others of its kind, which all Demigods had on their person at all times.

    Evros glanced in SordorˇŻs direction, costing him a blow to his leg. Evros could not afford to be distracted from his fight with Sedall. He only hoped that Zyrasil would get to Sordor in time.

    Zyrasil, combatting the Golden Thousand and their King, received the distress beacon and immediately disengaged. While his opponents were skilled combatants that could withstand his attacks without taking losses, they could not prevent him from leaving, yet they chased.

    The Monster kicked Sordor once more. The Demigod flew into a large door, but this time, he didnˇŻt break through.

    The Monster took advantage and appeared before the Demigod, raining blow after blow on him, but after only a dozen, the door began to fracture and break.

    With one last powerful kick, the Monster sent the Demigod through the door and high above the ground. Sordor landed heavily on the stairs, still alive, but broken.

    The Monster did not care about his surroundings and single-mindedly burst forward towards his prey.

    The air cracked and a shockwave shattered the polished marble ground, the elegant and rich carpet, and the reinforced marble pillars. Rubble crumbled, bodies flew, cries of pain.

    But none of it mattered to the Monster. It crashed into the Demigod, embedding him even deeper into the Marble stairs before lifting him up by the throat.

    ˇ°Stop!ˇ±

    The command came with such force that the dust of the room was blown away. Standing at the entrance to the Throne Room was a man that the Monster recognized as another Demigod.

    It did not obey Demigods.

    In one movement, before Zyrasil could interfere, the Monster lifted Sordor to its mouth and tore out his throat as it tore into the DemigodˇŻs chest and pried it open.

    Blood flew and flowed in rivers.

    The Monster glared at the stunned Demigod, knowing that it could not defeat him.

    It was too injured. Too tired.

    Slowly, the Monster walked up the steps, past the corpse of the once strongest Human in the mortal world, and sat heavily upon the still elegant and beautiful Throne, now defiled by the DemigodˇŻs blood that dripped off the MonsterˇŻs broken and bent armor.

    A moment later, the King arrived with his Golden Thousand, ready to combat the Demigod once more and protect his Castle. But the Demigod did not even spare them a glance, giving them pause.

    The King carefully walked forward, standing beside the Demigod to look into his now destroyed Throne Room.

    His eyes only glanced over the DemigodˇŻs corpse, the broken stairs, or the Monster that now sat upon his Throne.

    Instead, his eyes locked onto a shifting mound of rubble. He rushed forward, his Golden Thousand right behind him. The Golden Thousand tried to keep their Liege away, but he shoved past them, clawing at the rubble with his bare hands.

    They instead helped him, and together the rubble was quickly removed.

    There, bloody and broken, was the Royal Family.

    The Crown Prince. The Queen. And the two twins, a boy and girl, who had been so excited to receive their Classes that year.

 CHAPTER 234- CONSEQUENCES

    The death of a one who held the seed of divinity was felt throughout the world.

    Ripping through the air like the death toll of a lonesome bell.

    The protective dome dissolved a moment later.

    An hour had passed.

    One hour.

    ThatˇŻs all it took for the world to change.

    The rest of the Demigods all flew over the city, large portions in various states of destruction.

    They flew to the source of the toll.

    As they came closer to the ruined Throne Room, they landed out of respect and walked closer.

    Despite the entirety of the Golden Thousand, many more hundred Royal Guards, and some servants, the room still felt empty.

    While the rest of the Demigods stared at the broken body of their cousin, Tualla looked to the side, where the King of Lissura was knelt, staring blankly at the bodies of his family.

    Her heart ached for him.

    As the Demigod Overseer of the Lissurian Lands, she had watched over and protected them from any threat that had been too much for them. She had watched over the Royal Family for generations. She could remember the day the King was born. She remembered the day he had met his future wife, the day they were married, and the day their first child was born.

    A light twitch, so small that even Tualla, in all her observant power, almost missed it.

    She flew over, ignoring the Golden Thousand that tried to block her. She knelt beside the Crown Prince, gently resting her hand on his chest.

    The King only watched her, too broken on the inside to do much else.

    ˇ°He lives, barely.ˇ± Tualla muttered, mostly to herself. She sent a burst of healing through his body.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± A small flicker of light rekindled in the KingˇŻs eyes.

    ˇ°The Crown Prince lives.ˇ±

    Immediately, without any command, forty of the Golden Thousand stepped forward, resting their hands on the prince and injecting his body with healing Magic.

    They were some of the strongest in the Kingdom, and while they were not specialist healers, each member of the Golden Thousand was an experienced and skilled Healer capable of First Aid. A servant was sent to bring the Royal Healer, but Tualla knew that even with the Healer, it would take many weeks before the Prince could get out of bed, let alone move on his own.

    The King held tightly to his sonˇŻs hand, desperate to hold on, as if letting go would cause his son to fall into the depths of hell.

    Tualla stepped back, allowing the KingdomˇŻs People to do what they needed to do to save their Prince. She had matters of her own to attend to.

    The Demigods turned their attention to the Monster that sat upon the throne. A Creature that was unlike any they had seen before, but with an Aura they remembered. An Aura that had belonged to another Monster that had killed Demigods, bringing about the end of the Golden Era.

    They did not know where this Monster had come from, but they knew it was weakened. They knew it was injured. They knew they could kill it.

    Yet none of them acted. None of them burst forward to deliver a killing blow.

    They had all seen just how lethal the last Monster had been in its last moments. They still recalled how many of their own they had lost that day.

    None of the Demigods wished to be next.

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    A tense silence fell upon the Throne Room, even quieting the frantic healing of the Prince.

    Several minutes passed, with the exhausted Monster glaring at the Demigods below him and the Demigods glaring up at him.

    Loud footsteps against marble resounded through the Throne Room as Sedall broke the stalemate, walking through the crowd as they stepped aside to allow him through. In his hand, he dragged behind him the Elder of the Demigods.

    Evros was broken and bloody, his once magnificent clothing ruined and torn. But he was very much so alive. Beaten into submission instead of beaten to death.

    Once he was in front of the crowd of Demigods, Sedall threw the man to the ground before him.

    ˇ°Look.ˇ± Sedall commanded, ˇ°Look at what your pride and ego have caused.ˇ±

    Evros looked up through eyes half swollen shut to see the ripped open chest of Sordor as well as the Monster that sat upon the Throne.

    He too recognized the Aura of the Monster, and it made him shuffle back.

    ˇ°It canˇŻt be,ˇ± He whispered, ˇ°We killed it long ago.ˇ±

    Sedall laughed, ˇ°I had thought so too. But there it is. ItˇŻs actually kind of ironic. Every time we Demigods grow too arrogant and prideful, this Black Mana appears and reminds us that we are just as mortal as any other.

    Though to be honest, I did not think it would appear within the very boy you had tasked me with watching.ˇ±

    ˇ°Boy?ˇ±

    ˇ°Get control of yourself.ˇ± Sedall commanded the Monster.

    The creatureˇŻs body shifted, contorting, expanding, shrinking, and bending in unnatural ways before all that remained was Alaster, bloody and exhausted, but with a fire roaring in his eyes.

    ˇ°Impossible.ˇ± Evros muttered.

    The sentiment was felt throughout the room.

    Before them sat the young man they had all but forgotten. A young boy who had caught the attention of a God. Yet he had not done much of significance since then, causing them to forget why he had piqued the interest of a God.

    But what truly stunned them, making them refuse to believe what they were seeing, was that the young man that sat upon the now tainted Throne, was just an Expert.

    An Expert, that had killed a Demigod.

    Alaster stared down at the Demigods, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

    When he had activated the new Ability, he had felt all of his Minions combine into one, molding over him. It was a rush of power unlike anything he had ever seen, let alone felt, but it was not just their power their crashed into him, but their emotions.

    The emotions of tens of thousands of Undead, each one with an overwhelming sense of apathy towards life, tinged with the burning fury of the Dread Knights.

    It had completely overwhelmed his own sense of self.

    Alaster could see what he was doing, even slightly influence it, but ultimately it was as if he was seeing someone else do it, just through their eyes.

    Alaster realized that this is what Sedall and Belgroth had been feeling the entire time. It was not a pleasant experience.

    ˇ°Did you know that the Dwarves of Tauras have a saying,ˇ± Sedall continued amidst their stunned expressions, ˇ°Those with Power have the responsibility to use it.ˇ±

    Sedall chuckled, ˇ°An apt saying, donˇŻt you think? After all, Alaster here would have never driven himself past the human breaking point to accomplish what he has, if those in Power, namely us Demigods, used our power to actually govern, instead of hiding away and ˇ®supervisingˇŻ.ˇ±

    Evros turned away from Alaster and glared at Sedall, ˇ°You! I told you long ago that we could not use our power to become tyrants!ˇ±

    ˇ°Really? Was that before or after you locked me away?ˇ± Sedall spat.

    His words brought the attention of all the Demigods crashing down on Evros. Each Demigod was their own person, each with their own likes, dislikes, goals, and dreams. But they all upheld a single principle, they may have opposing ideas and ways to go about them, but they did look after each other.

    Sedall continued, ˇ°And I never suggested being tyrants. I never cared for ruling. But tell me, my friends, how many injustices have you witnessed? How many have you been forced to watch die painful miserable deaths? How many lives destroyed? Just because one of us decided for the rest of us that we could not interfere?

    I am not saying we should take control. But how can you look at your own reflection and say you are still worth your pride when just that day you witnessed a woman be dragged into an alley, and did nothing? How can you allow the Nobility to do what they want, just because they collect the taxes?

    We have the power to stop it. So we have the responsibility to do so. A responsibility that we have been ignoring.

    And look where its gotten us.ˇ± Sedall motioned around them.

    ˇ°Since when did we allow a single one of us to dictate who lives and dies?

    One of our own is dead, all because he insisted on killing a young girl who had done nothing wrong. All because of what she is capable of. Not what she has done. Not what she intends to do. No. Just because Evros felt threatened by her. And we listened.ˇ±

    Alaster stood up, drawing all eyes upon him. With care measured steps, Alaster walked down the tall stairs, sidestepping the open corpse, until he stood above the Elder Demigod.

    ˇ°You are the one who ordered the death of my sister?ˇ± Alaster asked calmly.

    ˇ°Yes!ˇ± Evros yelled, his voice echoing off the polished marble, ˇ°If she is allowed to grow, she could destroy the world! She has to die! It doesnˇŻt matter if she intends to do anything! Her mere existence throws the entire balance into jeopardy. She must die so that others may live!ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs hand ripped forward, gripping the Demigod by the throat, lifting him up off the ground. EvrosˇŻ words turned into choked sounds, gasping for air.

    ˇ°The world can burn!ˇ± Alaster screamed, ˇ°So long as she remains safe and happy, I donˇŻt care who or how many I have to kill. I already killed one Demigod, one more wonˇŻt matter.ˇ±

    AlasterˇŻs grip tightened.

 CHAPTER 235- INTERRUPTION

    Power ripped through the Throne Room, forcing even the Demigods to take several steps back. Rubble went flying and the Golden Thousand used their bodies to shield the Royal Family, both those living, and not.

    Black ropes of Shadow materialized around Alaster, lashing him securely to the ground, but he did not release Evros from his ever-tightening grip.

    Alaster watched as a rift opened up at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Throne.

    He had seen many rifts open. He even knew much more about them than the average Mage due to his close proximity to Colius, the Resident Wizard to Lord Siphas in Onigas. As a Warp Mage, he specialized in changing spaces, creating portals to different locations or even Rings or Bags of Holding.

    Yet the Rift opening in the Lissurian Throne Room was unlike anything he had ever seen or understood.

    The Aura that radiated off it with such intensity Alaster could feel it upon his skin like a harsh wind, felt wild, almost feral. The portal itself was black, but instead of a black blanket draped over the opening, it instead felt as if Alaster was staring into the void itself.

    The edges of the portal, usually a ring of pale blue Mana, was instead an intense, searing, red. As if the Mana itself was burning, or bleeding.

    Everyone drew their weapons. It was quickly made obvious that no one expected this.

    Even Alaster lifted his free arm. As he did so, over a dozen [Dead Bombs], supercharged with the Anti System, materialized behind and above his head.

    In the quiet, Belgroth finally spoke.

    ˇ®They are here.ˇŻ

    Alaster readied himself, but instead of an all-mighty enemy resembling BelgrothˇŻs body, a single individual stepped out of the portal.

    A thin and tall man, standing well over six feet tall and wearing fine, yet simple, robes. His dark red, almost black skin seemed to absorb the light around him. His eyes were slitted vertically, as were their irisˇŻ. Two small, stark white, horns jutted from his forehead.

    It was a Devil.

    Alaster had fought enough of them in the Dungeon he had found Belgroth to know them from a glance. The ones in the Dungeon were soulless creations. Mere imitations. Yet they had individually been strong enough to combat the average Adept.

    The Devil before them was no mere imitation. He was a true Devil, and much stronger. Alaster had no doubt even a Silver armored Royal Guard could reliably kill him. Royal Guards, that Alaster noticed were filing into the room quietly yet in large numbers.

    The Devil completely ignored the dozens of Demigods, the Golden Thousand, or the several hundred Royal Guards. He instead closed his eyes in relief, breathing deeply. He held it in for several moments before releasing it. When the Devil opened his eyes, Alaster could see tears beginning to form.

    The Devil cleared his throat and slowly dried his eyes on the long sleeve of his robe.

    ˇ°Apologizes.ˇ± The Devil spoke with a thick accent heavy with emotion.

    ˇ°I am here on official business.ˇ±

    The Devil once more cleared his throat, this time in a more professional manner. He casually pulled out a beautiful scroll ordained in gold edging and tied with a velvet cloth. Opening it, he held it up to eye level and spoke in a clear voice that Alaster was sure could be heard throughout the Inner Castle.

    ˇ°On behalf of the United Tribes of Argalon, I hereby reclaim this world for its rightful children, the people of Argalon.

    Should Humanity decide to remove themselves from eight tenths of the remaining continent, there will be peace.

    Should Humanity refuse to return our homeland to us, then we shall do whatever we believe to be required to ensure that our homeland is returned to us, by whatever means.ˇ±

    King Galeros hesitantly let go of his sonˇŻs hand and stood up, stepping past the Demigods and pointedly avoiding looking at Alaster or Evros.

    ˇ°I am the King of Lissura, and despite our many people, I cannot speak on behalf of all Humanity. Let me discuss this with the other Kings and Queens. We shall give you our answer in two weeks.ˇ±

    The Devil shook his head sadly, yet his eyes, now devoid of teary emotion, showed glee, ˇ°I am afraid that is impossible. We opened this portal where we felt the most powerful individuals had gathered, believing it to be a gathering of the most influential. If you cannot speak on behalf of all Humanity, then we are forced to take that as a refusal to our request.

    However, you speak on behalf of your own people, do you not?ˇ±

    ˇ°I do.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to decide for your own people. Will you issue the order to relocate?ˇ±

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    ˇ°Well where are you requesting we relocate to? That will influence our decision as well as how long it would take us to comply, if we agree.ˇ±

    The King was buying time. With each minute that passed, hundreds more Royal Guards quietly shuffled into the massive Throne Room.

    ˇ°The Elders of the United Tribes of Argalon have been generous enough to allow Humans to occupy a large, mostly unclaimed portion of land just to the south east of this location.ˇ±

    The Independent Lands.

    There was a reason they were largely unclaimed. The Independent Cities there constantly struggle to survive against the Monsters. A large procession of refugees, unguarded by large walls, would be an all you could eat buffet for the Monsters. Many more would die to supply shortages or merely the elements.

    It would be suicide for that vast majority of Lissurians, yet somehow, Alaster suspected that was the purpose.

    ˇ°I am afraid such a dangerous journey would require several months to prepare for, then at least two more months to properly relocate. It would take time, and I would need to consult my advisors.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have five minutes to decide, and should you agree, you will have one week to relocate. Any Human remaining outside the borders we have set will then be eradicated.ˇ±

    Such a demand, yet the Devil said it as casually as one would when discussing the weather.

    Knowing he had run out of stalling time, King Galeros sighed heavily, issuing a mental order to his Thousand, who relayed his order to the rest of the Royal Guards.

    ˇ°Then I am afraid I will have to insist that you leave.ˇ±

    The Devil smiled wide, revealing his sharp pointed teeth. The glow in his eyes turned to exhilaration, as if the King had just said that very thing the Devil had been waiting to hear for years.

    ˇ°Oh goody! Now those damned pacifists canˇŻt complain.ˇ±

    With his final word, the portal rapidly expanded to the width of a house, countless Devils in thick dark red armor charged out screaming their war cries.

    The Royal Guards rushed to meet them, clashing with a clamor of pain, metal, and blood.

    The Demigods also stepped in, dissecting dozens of Devils with each movement.

    Yet despite the battle raging around them, Alaster kept a tight grip on EvrosˇŻ throat.

    He was not sure what to do.

    On one hand, he did not wish to see his own Race be exterminated. But on the other hand, he empathized with the Argalon People more than any other. In addition to the Argalon that inhabited his mind, Alaster hesitated to act. Yet he was also hesitant to crush the throat in his hands.

    A single Demigod was a mighty force, especially in a war that Alaster suspected this conflict would turn into. And he had already killed one.

    Sedall stepped up beside him, watching the carnage unfold around them.

    ˇ°Well this certainly disrupts some things.ˇ±

    ˇ°We did not expect them so soon.ˇ± Alaster agreed.

    Sighing in frustration, Sedall turned to the young man beside him, ˇ°As much as I would love to see his lifeless corpse, Humanity needs him. Let him go.ˇ±

    ˇ°WonˇŻt he attack us?ˇ±

    Sedall shook his head, ˇ°No. In his mind, everything he has ever done was to protect Humanity. He will not risk HumanityˇŻs survival on a grudge. Which, incidentally, also removes the threat he presented on your sisterˇŻs life.ˇ±

    Fighting against his mind and his body, Alaster hesitantly let go, dropping Evros to the ground in a heap, gasping for air.

    The defeated Demigod glared up at the young man and peer, ˇ°We shall settle this later, but first we need to remove the invaders.ˇ±

    Alaster scoffed, ˇ°Good luck.ˇ±

    ˇ°You wonˇŻt help? Not even to save your own Race?ˇ± Evros glared with hate.

    ˇ°My intentions are of no concern of yours.ˇ±

    Growling, Evros leapt into the fray, adding his own power to the destruction.

    Sedall remained next to Alaster, occasionally adding in his own attacks, but largely remaining separated.

    As the bodies filled the floor, their blood pooling and forming rivers, Alaster noticed that more of the bodies were of the Devils. Not a massive disparity, but a noticeable one. And Alaster was certainly not the only one to notice it.

    Even with the Golden Thousand remaining in a defensive formation around the King and Prince, the Royal Guards were winning.

    But the Devils never stopped coming, and after nearly thirty minutes, something changed.

    Figures that stood at three meters tall and dressed in heavy plate armor with light red skin and pointed ears walked through the portal. The moment they did, the atmosphere of the entire room shifted.

    The Demigods also noticed the change and immediately focused their attention on them. But these figures were Argalon. They were much stronger and more intune with natureˇŻs powers.

    Much to the DemigodˇŻs surprise, the Argalon Soldiers defended against the attack.

    With speeds that surpassed that which most Adepts could see, the Demigods pressed the attack. It was quickly made clear that the Argalon Soldiers were far from being in the same level of power as the Demigods, but there were also many more of them than there were Demigods.

    Slowly but surely, the Demigods were being pushed back, inflicting many injuries upon the hundreds of Argalon Soldiers, but also receiving a few of their own. Many of the Argalon Soldiers would fall, but even more came through the portal.

    With the Demigods being pushed back, so too were the Royal Guards. And with more room to manuver, even more Devils and Argalon came through the portal. Unable to step over, they stepped atop the fallen.

    It was clear to Alaster that the battle was lost.

    ˇ°Sedall, the Throne Room is lost, and with it, the Inner Castle. I see no end to them, nor do I sense one. They have undoubtedly prepared enough forces to take this entire world by force. The city is lost.ˇ±

    ˇ°I agree. Shall we retreat to the Independent Alliance? Or would you prefer Zolis?ˇ±

    ˇ°We shall go to Onigas, but they came too soon. We are not ready. We must buy as much time as we can.ˇ±

    Sedall nodded, ˇ°What do you have in mind?ˇ±

    Alaster glanced over to the King, who had already grasped the situation and was overseeing the evacuation of his son and the bodies of his family.

    ˇ°Get him to issue an evacuation, but then use largest attacks on the portal opening, our best chance of buying time is to funnel them, or at least reduce the number coming through at a time. They will be disorientated from the portal and wonˇŻt know what exactly is happening on this side. That should give you time to slaughter a few hundred.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what will you be doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°Apologizing to Belgroth as I kill his people.ˇ±

    Sedall nodded in understanding before jogging over to the King. In a moment, the King nodded and Sedall flew above the ongoing battle and began charging his attack.

    Alaster closed his eyes amidst the chaos, blocking it out.

    ˇ®Forgive me for what I must do.ˇŻ

    Gathering his Mana, the ground for several meters turned black and fluid. Out of the pool of Shadow, Undead numbering in the thousands clawed their way to the surface.

    The Undead charged towards the battleline, slowing its gradual retreat.

    Sedall unleashed a large beam of fiery light. He swept it back and forth along the portal opening. Any touched by it were turned into nothing more than burned husks. After a few moments, the beam ended, which prompted Sedall to begin charging another.

    And another.

    And another.

    Aided by Sedall, the battleline halted its progress in either direction.

    But Alaster knew it was only a matter of time.

 CHAPTER 236- THE IMPOSSIBLE

    Less than an hour had passed, yet the Throne Room had continued to fill with bodies as blood flowed into a crimson pool.

    Alaster continued to summon thousands of Undead in addition to the dozens of [Death Bombs] he hurled into the Demon ranks.

    However, he limited himself. He only summoned the System Undead, none that he had created himself through Weaving. Not only did he still feel weak from the transformation and the battle, an astonishing feat considering he could regenerate entire limbs in the time it took him to cook himself a steak. But he also did not quite grasp the Demon Forces.

    He knew for a fact that they had come prepared to conquer the world, wiping out the Human Race all together. He also knew that they were prepared to do that while also fighting against the Human Gods.

    Alaster knew that no matter how many he killed here, this would be a war that would last a long time, and he remembered his lessons from Azemar.

    First rule of War, deception.

    Alaster refused to reveal his hand of cards when his opponent had only played a single card.

    And so the battle continued.

    More screams, more blood, more death.

    Until finally, the Demons revealed another one of their cards.

    An Argalon, slightly shorter than the others and wearing thick heavy robes of green and brown, stepped through the portal, flanked by eight larger Argalon, all equipped with thick shields.

    Alaster could have blasted this robed Argalon with a few dozen [Death Bombs], but decided to wait. From the way the other Demons were acting around it, while this Robed one was special, it was clearly not some sort of ultimate weapon.

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    If he killed this one without figuring out what it could do, he would remain blind to their capabilities.

    And quite frankly, Alaster did not care about the Royal Guards or the rest.

    The Robed Argalon raised his gnarled wooden staff high above his head, and began to chant. It had been so long since Alaster last saw someone use Magic through the use of Chanting that he was honestly confused for a moment.

    Chanting was taught to children as a way to focus their Magic towards their desired effect. Alaster had never seen someone need to Chant for their spell who was not brand new to their Magic.

    Had he overestimated the capabilities of the Argalon?

    After a full minute of wordless Chanting that Alaster could not hear over the dull of the battle, the Robed Argalon slammed its staff down hard enough to imbed it into the stone.

    The crack of the impact and stone shattering was heard over the battle and screams. As it made contact, a single, colorless pulse shot out from the head of the staff, flying out in all directions.

    The pulse slammed into and through everyone and everything, including Alaster.

    As it passed through him, Alaster felt his Magic short circuit. He felt nauseated as his body lost something it had never felt without. The Undead faded in and out of reality.

    It only lasted a moment, but Alaster was not the only one who felt the effects. The entire Inner Castle felt it.

    But no one could believe it.

    No one had thought it was even possible.

    Millenia ago, during the first war between Humanity and the Argalon Tribes, Humanity had only managed to survive due to vast numbers. Hundreds of thousands of men and women, throwing themselves at a single Argalon Tribesman, just in the faint hope that they would manage to scratch their foe before they were obliterated. Hoping that enough scratches would turn into exhaustion and blood loss.

    It was an inconceivable tactic. One that should have never been thought of. But Humanity was desperate. They used whatever they could to achieve victory, at whatever cost.

    One such tool they used, was the System. But in its infancy, the System was still much too weak. But it gave Humanity just enough of a boost that instead of hundreds of thousands of lives being spent to kill a single Argalon, the same could be achieved with only a single hundred thousand.

    It was that single boost that allowed Humanity to gradually grow stronger. From a hundred thousand, to tens of thousands, to thousands, to hundreds. Over the generations, Humanity grew strong enough to slowly take territory from the Argalon, eventually casting them from the world entirely.

    A single tool was responsible.

    The System.

    And the Argalon had just figured out a way to disable it.

 CHAPTER 237- RETREAT

    The effect was immediate.

    Any ability the Royal Guards did not know how to use without the assistance of the System was lost.

    The Royal Guards were skilled individuals. Each one was someone who had trained and practiced their skills for countless hours. They mastered their skills long before they were allowed to called themselves Royal Guards.

    And yet, they had never needed to use their Abilities without the aid of the System. Their extensive experience with their Abilities allowed them to use them without the System, but it took them time to figure it out, and even then, they were slow to do so.

    In a battle against the Devils and Argalon, those seconds were lethal.

    The Royal Guard collapsed almost immediately.

    Dozens killed in a moment. Dozens more the next.

    The only thing keeping the invaders from stampeding through was AlasterˇŻs Undead and the Golden Thousand, who, as Masters, no longer needed the System.

    Alaster suspected that they too were affected, as the System would still be benefiting them, but it no longer served as a crutch for them.

    But without the numbers of the Royal Guard, it was apparent that the Throne Room was lost.

    The Demigods were doing their best, but they too were being overwhelmed, slowly, but surely. Their attacks wiped out dozens, shredding the tiles and cutting through the thick pillars and walls.

    ˇ°This is a lost battle.ˇ± Sedall said, launching a green beam that vaporized six dozen Demons.

    The King nodded, ˇ°Retreat!ˇ±

    The Royal Guard acted immediately, they did one last all out attack, taking the Demons off guard, before they sprinted back to their King, who was being herded out by his Golden Thousand while his son was being carried out beside him on a hastily put together stretcher.

    King Galeros looked back with tears in his eyes at the bodies of his wife and children. In the chaos, there had not been time to grab them. Even just moments later, the Demons had pushed the Undead past their remains.

    Even the Demigods began to pull back, breaking through the walls and ceiling to get some distance, yet even as they retreated, they blasted the Devils and Argalon with various ranged attacks.

    AlasterˇŻs Undead continued to hold the line, allowing the Lissurians to retreat out of the Throne Room in relative safety. But it was clear they would quickly be destroyed.

    Alaster himself stood at the broken gates of the Throne Room, with a bored expression and his arms folded without a care as he stopped bothering to Summon more Undead.

    Winged Argalons stepped out of the portal and after a moment of analyzing the situation, chased after the Demigods through the numerous holes in the ceiling and into the sky.

    As the last of his Undead was shattered, dissolving into Mana particles, Alaster remained standing there.

    His nonchalant demeanor gave the Demons pause, and instead of charging after the Lissurians and sacking the city, they cautiously remained several meters away.

    They were cautious of someone who dared to stand bored before their vast army, with even more marching out of the portal.

    The crowd parted to allow the very same Devil, the one who had announced the arrival of the Demon Forces, to walk past. He stopped in front of the army and addressed Alaster.

    ˇ°Will you surrender?ˇ± He asked in his thick accent.

    ˇ°Do not insult me.ˇ± Alaster spoke in the Argalon Tongue, doing little more then repeating after Belgroth.

    Belgroth had attempted to teach Alaster the Argalon Language many times before, usually just to kill time and ease boredom, but Alaster had never bothered to put much effort into it, always finding something else to turn his attention.

    The Devil, as well as the rest of the Demon Forces were shocked to find a Human who could speak their language. The Soldiers began to murmur amongst themselves, but the envoy kept his composure.

    ˇ°You speak our language? Interesting. We had thought enough time had passed for your short-lived Species to have long since forgotten any knowledge of our culture. I assume you have stopped us for a reason?ˇ±

    Alaster conjured a table and two chairs of bone, calmly taking a seat in one and motioning towards the other. With the army of bloody and frenzied Devils and Argalon watching his every move, Alaster pulled out a steaming pot of tea and two cups, placing them on the table before filling the two cups.

    ˇ°Come. Let us negotiate terms.ˇ±

    The Envoy sniffed the air, and despite the stench of death and rubble hanging in the air, he smelled the herbal scent of the Tea. A specific Tea he recognized. A Tea that was reserved solely for important discussions between two parties.

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    ˇ°Now I am even more curious. You know not only know our language, but our customs of negotiations.ˇ±

    Feeling the stares of the Army at his back, the Envoy gracefully bowed at the waist, lifting his two hands up to be level with his bowed head, one in a fist, the other in an upside-down palm that cupped the fist.

    He held that position for a moment before standing straight and sitting down at the bone table. Together, both the Devil Envoy and the Human raised their cups with both hands before downing them in a single gulp.

    The Devil closed his eyes to relish the aftertaste. An earthy taste that brought the image of a lush forest in the warm glow of the sun. The Demons had their own supply of the Tea, but in the harsh conditions of their exile, the herb required to make the Tea struggled to grow and never tasted the same.

    The Envoy opened his eyes with a sigh, ˇ°Thank you Human. It has been some time since I tasted home. But as you can see, the army at my back is eager for blood. I am only entertaining this for curiosity as even my superiors would be quite interested in someone who knows so much of our culture. Let us be quick with the discussion. What are your terms?ˇ±

    Alaster did not ask for much, ˇ°I do not care for much of Humanity or its Subraces. Slaughter the Dwarves to the North, the Elves to the West, or Slavers to the East. I donˇŻt care. I know our peopleˇŻs shared history. The tragedies my ancestors delivered upon yours. I understand your reason for attacking, I even support it, as something similar happened to me.

    But I have those I wish to protect. And while I do not rule over them, they would obey my command.

    I know your peoples to not be foolish enough to attack this world without sufficient forces. I suspect that your armies will continue to march out of that portal for several weeks. And you will slaughter your way outward from this city for leagues before you meet any real resistance.

    I merely wish to protect that which is mine.ˇ±

    ˇ°And what is yours?ˇ±

    Alaster conjured a map of the continent, with the cities of Galmore, Onigas, and the Kingdom of Zalar circled.

    ˇ°This is mine. Leave these Lands alone, and you may burn the rest for all I care.ˇ±

    It was a preposterous demand, one that many would call ridiculous as they laughed, yet the Demon Envoy did neither.

    ˇ°You ask too much. We already knew the settlements of this continent, and have already marked where Humans may flee to in order to avoid our conquest. The city this map labels as Galmore, it is safe. We never intended to march there. Had Onigas been a mere five miles south-east, it too would have been safe. But I am afraid that that both Onigas and this Kingdom of Zalar will be targeted.

    Our Leaders have already discussed this matter for centuries. I am sorry, but there will be no more discussions of this matter. Perhaps, Onigas may be pardoned, but not even those of us wishing for peace would accept leaving the land of Zalar to the Humans.

    For the sake of my respect for your knowledge of our Culture, I will propose the pardoning of Onigas before our War Masters. If they refuse, then I will attempt to request additional time for the residents to relocate.

    We may be here to retake our home through bloodshed, but we are not merciless. We understand how horrible it would be to wipe out a city that would have otherwise been safe a mere five miles away. Regardless, I would recommend beginning the relocation. It will take us time to reach that location anyway, regardless of the decision our War Masters take.ˇ±

    Alaster nodded, ˇ°I thank you for your consideration. However I feel I must warn you, the Kingdom of Zalar will not give up their lands. They will not move, and for every inch they are forced to do so, they will demand a hefty blood price.

    I will heed your advice and begin the relocation of Onigas, as well as the safety of those closest to me, but I swore to protect Zalar. So I am afraid that once you trespass on Zalarian Lands, I will be forced to engage your forces.ˇ±

    ˇ°What of this city and the surrounding lands?ˇ± The Enoy asked with a tilt of his head.

    Alaster merely shrugged, ˇ°Burn it to ash for all I care. I came here to exact my revenge and display the headless corpses of my enemies before their families. I had already begun when you so rudely interrupted.ˇ±

    Alaster made his point by pointing to the corpse of the Demigod still on the stairs leading to the Throne. Even dead, the Envoy could feel the power of the individual.

    ˇ°You killed him? But you have not even breached the Fourth Gate.ˇ±

    ˇ°Deaths comes to all.ˇ± Alaster responded casually.

    The Envoy looked at Alaster in a new light. It was seen as taboo to lie during Negotiations, and while he would not put it past Humans to break the sanctity of the Negotiations, the way the Human before him spoke, the Envoy did not believe he was lying.

    No longer did the Envoy look at the man as someone of curiosity and knowledge, but instead, he looked at him as someone who could potentially hinder the Invasion.

    ˇ°I believe our discussion has come to an end. I swear to bring this matter to my superiors but if you have nothing else?ˇ± Alaster did not react, ˇ°Very well then, if you care not for what we do with this city or the nearby lands, I suggest you vacate the area and do not interfere.ˇ±

    Together, the Devil and the Human stood up and bowed deeply to each other.

    Alaster deconstructed the table and chairs and sent them back to his Ring of Holding, turning to leave.

    ˇ°Oh! One last thing,ˇ± Alaster spun back around.

    ˇ°May I gather the remains of three individuals from this room? You see, they are the family members of the King, who I am still unsure is my enemy or not. I wish to take their bodies.ˇ±

    The Envoy was confused, ˇ°To do what with?ˇ±

    Alaster shrugged, ˇ°Burn, bury, disassemble, maybe IˇŻll put stakes through them and display them outside his room just to bring him more grief. I donˇŻt know. But I imagine their remains will be useful. At least to me.ˇ±

    The Envoy did not know enough about Human faces and mannerisms to tell if Alaster was joking or not, but he was not sure which would be better.

    ˇ°Very well. I will follow.ˇ±

    With a grateful nod, Alaster casually walked towards the army. With the Envoy beside him, the army parted, giving the strange Human ample room. As Alaster knew exactly where the bodies were, the walk was short.

    The Envoy looked down at the broken bodies of the woman and two children with remorse, ˇ°A pity this war will cause even more mothers and children to perish.ˇ±

    Alaster looked down at the broken bodies with contempt, ˇ°Yes, but not these ones. They lived in luxury and peace, uncaring of the misery of their people while my own parents were butchered.ˇ±

    ˇ°Children are innocent.ˇ±

    Alaster scoffed, not quite believing the Devil was the one lecturing him on morality, ˇ°Depends on the child. When I was their age, I had already taken half a dozen lives.ˇ±

    The Envoy hummed in acknowledgement, ˇ°Take them and go. You have delayed our advance long enough.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very well.ˇ±

    A casual sweep of his arm, and the bodies disappeared into the Ring of Holding.

    ˇ°Do try to convince your War Masters. Any attack on what is mine will turn the ocean red.ˇ±

 CHAPTER 238- REUNION

    Alaster appeared in the deep bunker and sighed, brushing off some of the blood and dust before he looked up at Evelyn and Cathrine gossiping.

    ˇ°So he went outside completely naked?ˇ± Catherine giggled.

    ˇ°Yes! Oh mom was so mad! It got even worse when dad started laughing.ˇ± Evelyn laughed loudly.

    Alaster sighed once more. He remembered the story Evelyn was talking about. He really did not want that haircut.

    ˇ°If I remember correctly, after she was done with me, she turned to you. You hid in a haybale for three hours to avoid the haircut.ˇ± Alaster interjected, coming into the light of their Mage Light.

    ˇ°Alaster!ˇ± Evelyn jumped to her feet.

    ˇ°Everything alright Master?ˇ± Catherine asked, standing up as well.

    ˇ°No. In fact everything kind of failed, but not horribly. Some things happened that got in the way. IˇŻll explain later, but we should get going.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where?ˇ± Evelyn asked, she eyed the blood that still covered her brother.

    ˇ°First Onigas, then Galmore. Catherine, get back to Zalar immediately, tell King Heradon that the Invasion has begun in Zolis.ˇ±

    Catherine curtsied slightly before vanishing in a puff of shadow.

    ˇ°Invasion? What invasion? Are we under attack?ˇ± EvelynˇŻs eyes grew wide and panicked.

    ˇ°IˇŻll explain on the way.ˇ± Alaster raised his hand, offering it to his sister, but she backed away slightly.

    ˇ°Wait! I have friends in the city! I canˇŻt just leave them!ˇ±

    Alaster shook his head, ˇ°Not anymore. When the battle initially started, I had some of my Undead find them and bring them to a safe place outside the city. They are safe, for now. We will gather them on our way.ˇ±

    ˇ°But what of the other people in the city?ˇ± Evelyn asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

    ˇ°The King issued an evacuation long before the invaders spread throughout the city. If the City Guard were prepared, they would have gotten most of the people out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Most?ˇ±

    ˇ°There would have been those who refused to leave, avoided the Guards, ignored the evacuation bells, or even outright sabotaged the evacuation. Now please, Evelyn, we must go. Time is of the essence.ˇ±

    Evelyn silently nodded, taking the offered hand this time.

    Shadow wrapped around both of them, and in a moment, they were hovering hundreds of feet in the air, overlooking Zolis from a few miles away.

    Zolis, the capital city of Lissura, was burning. Countless Devils and Argalons ran through the streets, cutting down any Human, Elf, or Dwarf they came across, be it man, woman, or child. Here and there, the City Guard had created lines to hold back the enemy, but the shoddy defenses came apart almost immediately after one of the Argalon Mages arrived, disabling the System around them.

    Long dark lines of people filed out of the city in all directions, running as fast as they could.

    The Demigods continued to battle in the skies, alongside the various types of flying mounts or mages capable of flight. The flying Argalon were trying to attack the fleeing crowds while the Demigods and other fliers attempted to stop them.

    They were not always successful.

    Their cries of terror and screams of pain were heard by Alaster and Evelyn, even as far away as they were.

    Alaster watched all of it closely, studying the capabilities of the Demon Forces, especially those of the Argalon Mages. In a few minutes, after studying the numerous locations they were dotted throughout the city, Alaster gained a rough estimation of their abilities.

    He did not like it.

    ˇ°Can we not do anything to help?ˇ± Evelyn asked with teary eyes.

    ˇ°Not in any meaningful way and only through great risk to you. They caught all of Humanity off guard today. The best way to help would be to retreat to safety and prepare.ˇ±

    Evelyn looked down at herself, still in her beautiful ball gown, though it was marked by dirt, dust, and even a bit of blood.

    Black wings of shadow sprouted from AlasterˇŻs back. He hugged Evelyn tightly to his chest, covering her with his Mana to shield her from the harsh winds as they shot through the sky faster than an arrow.

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    Evelyn hugged him tightly, crying silently into his chest. Unlike Alaster, she felt the pain of the people around her. The horrors they were facing. But she also cried at her own helplessness. She was still too weak.

    In just a few minutes, Alaster landed softly on the ground, deep in the forest.

    Alaster let go of Evelyn and gently pushed her forward. She looked up to see her friends and party huddled together around a fire, surrounded by dozens of Undead.

    Many of the children sported various bruises and light cuts, eyeing the Undead warily. They all watched Alaster land, and all shot to their feet at seeing Evelyn.

    While the rest continued to eye the Undead, Liam ran forward, barging through the Undead that had previously kept them in one place, no do nothing to spot the large boy.

    Liam wrapped Evelyn in his large arms, lifting her high.

    ˇ°Evelyn! I am so glad you are safe.ˇ±

    Evelyn chuckled, ˇ°IˇŻm ok. Please put me down.ˇ±

    The others, seeing that the Undead were doing nothing to spot them, soon surrounded Evelyn, peppering her with questions.

    ˇ°What is going on?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why were we brought here?ˇ±

    ˇ°What are these Undead?ˇ±

    ˇ°Where is Luke?ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you ok?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do we have to fight our way home?ˇ±

    Evelyn was overwhelmed by all the questions coming at her from all directions.

    Alaster lightly stomped his foot, infusing it with Mana. The shockwave shook the snow from the tree branches and caused the wood of the fire to collapse.

    ˇ°She will answer your questions later.ˇ± Alaster said sternly, ˇ°Right now, we have to go.ˇ±

    Lifting his arm, liquid bone flew out of his Ring of Holding and within a few minutes, had been constructed into a large carriage. Four Skeletal Horses stood next to the Carriage, waiting as the nearby Undead began to harness them.

    Alaster also summoned Nightmare and hopped on, ˇ°Get in.ˇ± He commanded simply.

    Faced with the masterful display of Magic and the massive figure of both Nightmare and Alaster, the children were frozen to the ground, unmoving.

    ˇ°Come on, its cold out here.ˇ± Evelyn said, jostling them out of their frozen fear.

    They began to hesitantly shuffle into the carriage, sighing as they felt the heat from the Flame infused bone.

    Once all the children were inside, one of the Undead closed the door while the others went about removing any sign of their presence.

    Finally, after much too long in one place, Alaster gave the command to move.

    He directed Nightmare to walk alongside the carriage. He could have gotten in as well, he had made the carriage plenty large enough, but he needed to think, and he knew the Children needed to talk amongst themselves. He would update them on the situation later, but right now, everyone needed time to think.

    Plus, Alaster did not like the idea of being surrounded by loud and annoying children.

    Many hours passed as the air grew colder, the wind sharper, and the world quieter. It was as if the Monsters themselves understood the seriousness of the situation and were hiding.

    As the sun began to set, Alaster had one of his Undead climb on top of the carriage and drop in blankets, pillows, food and water, through a hole Alaster created. Once the last of the gear was dropped in, the hole closed up once more.

    They would not be stopping.

    The Demons would not.

    ˇ®Bel, what do I do?ˇŻ Alaster had no idea. Things were accelerating too quickly. His plans had been disrupted. His ideas were jumbled.

    ˇ®You do what you swore to do all those years ago. Protect your sister. Protect those close to you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Even if it means killing your own people?ˇŻ

    Belgroth was quiet for a moment, ˇ®War means death. They came to kill, so they should be prepared to die. I helped you try to negotiate peace for your own, that is all we can hope for at the moment.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Do you think the Envoy will actually convey my words?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Most certainly. But as for how their War Masters will react to them? That remains a complete mystery. If you donˇŻt want to give up Onigas, then you must fortify it so much that they donˇŻt want to take it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®What about Zalar?ˇŻ

    Belgroth sighed, ˇ®They will not allow such an advanced, large, and populated nation of Humanity to survive. They will attack it, regardless of the cost.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why do you think they are allowing the Independent Lands to remain under Human control?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because they arenˇŻt under Human control. ItˇŻs a joke. They have said it themselves, their own peoples are divided between peace and war, though obviously war is the stronger side. In order to pacify the pacifists, they are giving Humanity land to live in, but they chose some of the most inhospitable land.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Should I instead focus on creating more cities and safe areas within the Independent Lands to house more Humans? Instead of fighting the Demons?ˇŻ

    ˇ®No. Even if all of Humanity began to relocate, I would estimate that a fifth would perish before they reached the Independent Lands, and another three fifths would die within the Independent Lands. Only the strongest and luckiest would live.

    Humanity can only fight.

    You can expect some refugees, but not enough to make any difference.ˇŻ

    Alaster sighed, leaning back in the saddle to look at the purple sky of the setting sun. The miles continued on in silence.

    ˇ®Should I create your body?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why is this coming up now?ˇŻ

    ˇ®The war has begun. It might not yet reach Zalar or Onigas, but it will. I will have to fight. And as powerful as I am, with all the survivability Abilities I have, I am not foolish enough to think there is no chance I might die.

    If you are still inhabiting me when I die, so do you.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You are still too weak. Any body you could create would burst once my soul was put into it.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Still? I just killed a Demigod.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And with my original body, I could have killed the entire pantheon of Demigods. Speaking of, you should check what the System Notifications. I doubt it would not say anything after such a feat.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I know. I have seen them, but I havenˇŻt read them yet. IˇŻve been ignoring them.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Because the last time I looked at one of the notifications, the System spoke like a person, and it was as if it was calling me the chosen one, meant to save Humanity.ˇŻ

    Belgroth scoffed, ˇ®There is no such thing as a Chosen One. But if it was merely a matter of strength, you would certainly be a contender.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Why? Yes I killed a Demigod, but I am sure there are stronger people.ˇŻ

    ˇ®No. There isnˇŻt. Sedall is quite possibly the only one in this world stronger than you, and his power is purely himself. Your power is your Minions. While Sedall could fight thousands of Argalon by himself, he would be limited to a single location. They could just go around him. You could fight entire armies and be in multiple locations.

    Your power isnˇŻt in pure strength, but in versatility and spread. Now get over yourself and look at the System.ˇŻ

    Alaster took a deep breath, preparing himself, before finally opening the Notifications.

    [New Title Gained: God Killer]

 CHAPTER 239- TITLES AND COSTS

    Two days passed as Alaster escorted the children to Onigas. He could have personally arrived in an hour or two and flown there with Evelyn in just a few more. But it was beyond his Abilities to transport so many people in such a short amount of time.

    The journey was quiet and tense.

    While very few Monsters were willing to attack the carriage with someone as powerful as Alaster nearby, those that did were quickly cut down before they could even come close.

    With nothing to do but sit and wait, the children were growing anxious, something that was only multiplied when Evelyn told her side of the story. Their home, the only home most of them had ever known, was under attack by Demons.

    None of them had a particularly deep connection for the city, as they were all from the dregs of society and were only saved from execution or lifelong servitude in the mines by Evelyn. But none of them were foolish enough to not know the ramifications of such an attack.

    The strange boy, David, was perhaps the most unaffected by the news, though Alaster wondered if the boy cared about anything other than the next meal, which Alaster provided through the Monsters dumb enough to get too close.

    Alaster himself stayed removed from the children, by his own design. He had plenty to think about. And he was not as blind as the others.

    As they traveled through the forests and hills, AlasterˇŻs Undead guided and protected the carriage without much input from him. This allowed him ample time to watch the events of the continent from the eyes of his numerous Shadow Assassins throughout.

    During the time he unleashed his Hordes in an attempt to level up as much as he could, he used his Death Knights as a beacon to unleash his Shadows. By the time the battle with the Demigods occurred, Alaster had at least a dozen Shadows in every Nation.

    His wide network of Shadows allowed him a good view of the current events.

    And the view was not great.

    Two days later, and the Demon Forces had continued to flow out of the portal like a flood. He had long since stopped trying to count them. And just like he suspected, the Argalon Mages capable of disabling the System were plentiful. While patrols would not have any Argalon Mages, any battle between the Demons and Humanity would result in the Humans fighting without the aid of the System.

    However, even now, the Capital city of Lissura, Zolis, still showed sign of defiance. Pockets of resistance were still fighting and hiding. They were slowly being wiped out, but they still fought, however fruitless it was.

    Unfortunately, this was not because they were powerful. It was because the Demon Forces simply did not care. Nearly all but the most injured immediately left Zolis, marching out towards the other cities. Villages were burned to the ground, their residents slaughtered and tossed in one big pile to burn along the rest.

    The four closest cities to Zolis had already fallen under siege, with the closest one to Zolis, Daleoc, already having their walls be breached in two different places. The cities were well fortified, but it had never even been conceived that the most of their soldiers would be rendered powerless.

    The soldiers still retained the benefits of their stats, which allowed them to still fight, but without most of their abilities, their effectiveness was crippled. The ones hit the hardest were the Mages, as they couldnˇŻt even defend themselves, let alone their cities without the System casting their spells for them.

    Humanity would adapt, but it would take time, and they would still be weakened. The Argalon Mages would be the priority targets. Mages would learn to cast their spells from outside the effect of the Argalon Mages. People would learn to use Magic without the System, or they would not, and die.

    But for some, it was much too late.

    Lissura had fallen.

    Its corpse would spasm for some time, granting the rest of Humanity much needed time and information, but it was dead.

    King Galeros and his small army of Royal Guards and Golden Thousand had retreated as quickly as they could, taking with them anyone that could keep up, and abandoning anyone who couldnˇŻt. They were deep in the wilderness, soon to reach Taria before the sun rose on the third day.

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    Any other time, Taria would have done whatever it took to keep the King and his Thousand out of their borders, and hopefully to kill them. But today, at the beginning of a war everyone knew would be costly, the Tarians welcomed them with open arms, eager to have such capable warriors.

    Zalar, having been preparing for the invasion and having received much sooner notice of the invasion beginning, continued to fortify their entire nation. There was not a single mile that was not covered by a multitude of weapons and troops.

    And with Catherine there, helping them where she could and informing them of the DemonsˇŻ ability to neutralize the System, the Zalarians were rushing to teach themselves how to use their Magic without the System.

    Alaster found it quite ironic. The Demons had arrived with a way to disable the System, HumanityˇŻs strongest weapon and tool, surprising them completely. Yet the faction of Humanity that was most prepared for the invasion primarily used Enchanted weaponry and Golems, which did not need the System to operate, only to create.

    Despite the seeming surprise of the invasion, each of the Nations had their own defenses already in place. They had been created with the intention to use against the other Nations, but they worked just as well against Demons.

    Alaster almost chuckled as he watched the Savage City States somehow whip the Monsters into a maddened frenzy and direct them over the icy mountains and into Lissurian Lands. Such an act would have been seen as taboo by the other Nations and would have prompted a war that would have likely caused the City States to be wiped out.

    But with Lissura being taken over, Alaster suspected everyone else was cheering them on. The Monsters would have little effect against the walled cities still holding defiant, but they would have a wonderful effect against the siege camps of the Demons.

    Humanity would not be conquered lying down. They would fight.

    Alaster watched the continent fall into chaos, studying all the actions of all parties involved, but he did so as an excuse. An excuse to ignore the System Prompt. A prompt that he had intentionally avoided reading, because he knew what it said, and he did not want it.

    ˇ®You canˇŻt run from it. Not now.ˇŻ Belgroth said for the dozenth time.

    Alaster didnˇŻt reply. He didnˇŻt need to. He knew Belgroth was right.

    ˇ®If you are going to avoid it, then at least do something productive.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Like what?ˇŻ

    ˇ®What are you going to tell the City Lord of Onigas?ˇŻ

    ˇ®The truth.ˇŻ

    ˇ®You know he will refuse.ˇŻ

    ˇ®I donˇŻt, actually. The man is prideful, yes, but he is also practical. If a Demonic Envoy approaches Onigas and tells him that they are allowing him time to evacuate his people, or that they will even exempt the city from their conquest so long as the city does not participate in the war, I believe he will do it.

    It just relies on if the Argalon War Masters will accept that.ˇŻ

    ˇ®They wonˇŻt. Too long would they have debated over every little aspect of this invasion. Its too late for them to make changes.ˇŻ

    ˇ®And what of Galmore?ˇŻ

    Alaster almost chuckled, but he couldnˇŻt keep the smirk off his face, ˇ®Galmore? That city is like a caged Wyvern. Content to remain where it is, but the moment its given a reason, it breaks free to rampage.

    Most of their military learned how to use their Magic without the System as a sort of self-imposed training for when they became Experts and above. They have more Experts than any other populace of similar size. All of their people are combat trained.

    In all honesty, I think they will be arguing over who gets to use the Trains first to go to war, glad to have a reason to stop being passive.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Perhaps. You of course realize just how crucial those underground tunnels are?ˇŻ

    ˇ®Of course. ThatˇŻs why I have two Death Knights and their Legions guarding it permanently. And every city that is connected has their own patrols guarding it. Plus the Magitek Cannons that run down the tunnels? I think the Demons would prefer to take the cities themselves before they attacked such a heavily guarded and narrow pass.ˇŻ

    ˇ®Good. Now read that damn Prompt. ItˇŻs not going away and the sooner you read it, the sooner you can get over it and adjust.ˇŻ

    Alaster groaned. He knew his mentor was right, but that did not make it any easier.

    After fighting an internal battle for several minutes, Alaster finally sighed and sat up in the saddle of Nightmare and mentally selected the System Prompt.

    [New Title Gained: God Killer]

    [Title: God Killer

    You have slain a being of Divinity. In doing so, you have consumed a portion of their Divinity.

    Effect: Spell Limitations no longer apply to you. So long as you still have Health and Mana, your body and mind will always remain in perfect health.]

    [Level Up]

    [Class: Lord of the Dead

    Level: ERROR

    EXP: N/A

    Health: ERROR

    Health Regeneration: ERROR

    Mana: ERROR

    Mana Regeneration: ERROR

    Bloodline: Demonic Blood

    Abilities: ERROR

    Passives: ERROR

    Bonuses: ERROR

    Stats:

    Strength: ERROR                   Wisdom*: ERROR

    Dexterity: ERROR                  Intelligence*: ERROR

    Constitution*: ERROR           Free Points: ERROR]

    Alaster could not help but chuckle, it had been a long time since he last checked his Status. It seemed, as he grew in power, he had broken it. The only things that were readable were his Bloodline, courtesy of eating part of BelgrothˇŻs body, and his Class.

    The title was not quite what he expected, and in truth, it did not do much for him since he was able to Weave. The only real benefit it gave him was an apparent immunity to poisons, diseases, and potentially even age.

    He wasnˇŻt so sure about that last part though.

    Sighing to himself, thinking he had over exaggerated the Prompt, he noticed that it was not done yet.

    [Class Change Available]

    As Alaster read that last line, his vision went dark.