"This plain is cursed"

"Cursed, the desolates merely made it a playground"

"Curse Mizdram, that maggot infested taint"

"He is not solely at fault Zraah. If only you knew".

Conversations between Zraah Torum and [REDACTED]

It had been thirty minutes since Adam joined the Mystikos, Ikar's caravan. Avoiding as much trouble was his priority. Given the forty eight hours time limit imposed by whatever that being was.

It would be folly to test the patience of an unknown entity that could literally kidnap him from a part of the universe to another. He was deviant, not a fool.

He was sure this was another world, the landmass was literally twice of Jupiter as gleaned from the escorts. Ikar, he noticed, stayed silent except when he informed him about the dangers ahead, and after that is dealt with, he'll be at Reinhert Stronghold, with a teleportation construct.

The only other alternative is through the forest and the territory of an elder Seraphim. Then across the Aeoa lands. Ignoring the twelve days it would take flying at subsonic speed, it was impossible for someone of his station to pull off.

"We should be in sight of that blasted plain any moment now my lords' ' Captain Jarce had been quick to accept Ikar's guest to the group. Since then, he had taken to reporting about the journey personally, announcing reports every so often, relegating his vice captain to watching their backs.

Ikar had since ditched his carriage for a horse, riding alongside his guest. His guest who he noticed had no problem riding the horse, that was one suspicion off his book.

Adam steered the reins with practiced ease, although the horse was of a much more stronger breed than what he was used to dealing with, he got the hang of it since all horses liked being directed.

Asking for the second time " so if I might be clear, we'll be fighting hordes of undead and nasty Mystery slinging beings?"

Ikar gave a nod to that.

"And the odds of encountering beings stronger than an Adept is almost zero?" He continued. Ikar had explained to him the tiers of a Mystikos and how much power each carries.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Zero point nine percent to be specific. Don't be nervous, we might even get lucky and not encounter any being at the Adept tier."

Glancing at Jarce Ikar continued " The captain and his men will protect the caravan and pick off stragglers and any that get past us." He spared Adam a glance " we'll be the glass canons"

As if on cue, a loud howl split the air, followed by low growls and hoots.

Just a few hundred meters in front loomed a wide plain, covered in thick dark fog and scorched with scars, the fog cleared for a brief moment revealing a story of how much conflict had marked the land. Wheels, ruined carriages, all sorts of weapons and even precious metals decorated the plains. Curious enough, there were no bodies.

Another howl rang out, this one followed by beats of drums and marching footsteps.

Each footfall caused the horses to neigh in fright. The group soon got them under control. However, the brief visible silhouette of a marching army of undeads cowed the merchants, the mercenaries on the other hand had solemn looks with captain Jarce calling out instructions to his men, preparing them for the anticipated conflict.

Adam flexed his psychic senses, scanning the number of their foes. They barely numbered less than a hundred thousand with the occasional rotten giants carrying huge rusted cleavers or spiked chains. Large black wolves with sparks of intelligence and promised violence in their eyes, obviously not undead, commanded the undead armies. The eyes of the undeads lit up an eerie green, a mark of the undeath energy flowing through them.

Further extending his senses, he saw what was at the end of the army. A huge humanoid skeleton, easily four meters in height with a red papal robe on it's person, the robe appeared to be stitched with dark golden threads at the edges in a dizzying pattern. It's bone head spotted four eye sockets, whose depths lit up in dark gold flames. It had four bone arms with six digit fingers. One hand clutched a wooden staff of great make and craftsmanship, a crystal green ball sat atop the staff, thrumming with power.

As he examined the creature, he noticed several beasts lugging a huge coffin behind it. Black smoke escaped out of the seams in the coffin, blessing it with a desolate atmosphere.

Adam stopped his ride before leaping off, looking at the Mystikos he cautioned " we're in a bit of trouble here, our enemies are not the usual type you're used to dealing with."

Ikar likewise got off his horse, the rest of the group following suit and captain Jarce telling the merchants to huddle at the back, out of sight of the conflict.

Scowling at being confronted, Ikar's eye lit up in silver, his gaze piercing the fog and landing on the undead army, the sight he witnessed deepened his scowl until he saw the skeleton. It raised it's eyes as if to meet his gaze across the undead army across the vast distance, then snorted. The action caused his eyes to lose their silver glow, blood trickling out of his nose.

"A desolate fiend at the Royal tier, that shouldn't be possible" he mumbled, a touch of caution in his voice. "Captain, prepare your men, we face a tough adversary and there will be a lot of deaths.

Captain Jarce gave a solemn nod, his gaze heavy. He barked out orders to his men, dread filling their eyes at what the command seemed to mean.

Signaling to Adam, Ikar allowed the mercenaries to act as vanguard, they numbered a little more than three hundred in total. Their weapons held out in deadly grips, steely eyes locked in focus. These men had seen combat again and again, for some, this might be their last.

Unsheathing his obsidian greatsword, captain Jarce led the group, taking the first step onto the scorched plain that reeked of death and all things foul.

They were officially on plain 'Tumult'.