Palace of Demeter – 5th Floor (Aeterna)
Astral Keep – Map Room
Day 2 – 6:11 AM Demeter Standard Time
The pizza and wings they had together was great, just like all of the other food they had eaten that day. After spending their entire lives eating nothing but flavored nutrient paste, getting to eat real food was one of the highlights of this new world.
After their meal, the two Players spent several hours in their respective suites to unwind. Not needing to sleep was something the two had to get used to, as they now had so much more time to do whatever they wanted or needed to do.
Asriel decided to spend his time ‘getting to know’ Savina some more, who was more than eager to comply.
Goren, on the other hand, wanted to experiment with his new body. While Onus stood outside the locked door of his suite’s lounge room, visibly disappointed, Goren performed various tests that illustrated his body’s limits. Once he was satisfied with the results, Goren put away the tools, cleaned himself up, and called Onus inside. Onus seeing the mess he made was quite embarrassing, but he got over it eventually, sitting on the couch while he watched Onus clean it up for him.
At 5 AM DST, both Asriel and Goren met up at the Dining Hall to have breakfast. They had bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches with black tea for Goren and coffee for Asriel. The Gourmands kept insisting that they should ask for more, but they politely declined.
Now, the two Players were in the Map Room, the room they set aside to store Skin of Gaia. Due to its utility, they knew that the World Item could be used by several individuals for several things. Rather than allow the World Item to leave the guild base, they decided to keep it within the Map Room and have an Elder Lich on stand-by at all times, whom could be contacted for information on specific locations. It would then provide the inquiring individual the information they need and then the next person could ask.
“This is a big region.” Asriel said as he panned around the map. He zoomed in on a country called the ‘Slane Theocracy.’ He tapped a finger on the pop-up icon near its name, causing it to reveal a small box of text.
“A theocracy, huh? Founded by the Six Great Gods 600 years ago, it is ruled by a council of cardinals. They pursue a humanity first foreign policy, exterminating or dominating all other races.” Asriel read the text on display.
“Interesting. They remind me of the humanoid Players back in Yggdrasil. Do you think they’ll be a threat?” Goren asked.
“Possibly. If their country has been around for 600 years and hasn’t been wiped off the face of the world by other races, then they must have a formidable military. Either that, or their enemies are weaker than they are.”
Goren nodded. “I think the former is more likely. Zombies notwithstanding, we still don’t know how strong people are in this world.”
Asriel nodded. “True.”
Asriel pans the map over to Demeter and zooms in a bit. The map displays several cities nearby, all of them in ruins. Zooming in further revealed no activity aside from undead.
“What is with this region? Everything in this place is in ruins, but just over here and there, the cities are fine and populated by the living.” He said as he pointed to the areas on the map. One such place was a country known as the 'Grand Republic of Pasimos', a nation comprised of an elephant-like demi-human race known as the Locyclans. Zooming into one of the country's cities revealed a bird's eye view of the settlement, the movement of the large creatures visible even from high above.
Goren took a closer look at the map. He pointed at the mountain range nearby, labeled ‘Mount Keitenias.’
“Look at this. All of the ruined cities surround this mountain.”
Asriel took a closer look.
“I see what you mean. It seems to be the center of this wasteland.”
Goren nodded, putting a hand to his chin.
“Do you think whatever did this is located in the mountain? Some kind of superweapon maybe?”
Asriel chuckled. “You saying that takes me back to all those sci-fi games we played together.”
Goren’s lips curved upwards slightly.
“Those were fun times.”
The two spent some time reminiscing, only to be interrupted by a 「Mass Message」 from Kleran.
Goren and Asriel entered the call together.
『My Lords, I apologize for the interruption, but there is a situation on the Surface.』
『Situation? What kind of situation?』 Goren asked.
『Is it another undead horde? Or something else?』 Questioned Asriel.
『The Demetrius Elven Guard report that a carriage pulled by two skeletal horses arrived at the edge of the forest, and out came an Elder Lich. The entity asked to speak with whomever is responsible for the sudden appearance of the forest.』 Kleran answered.
Asriel turned to Goren with a smirk. Goren rolled his eyes.
『Looks like he’s here for you, buddy.』 He teased.
『Like I’m gonna waste my time speaking to it. I have better things to do.』 Goren replied.
『Oh? Like what? Planning on taking another nap?』
『That does sound appealing…』
『Lord Asriel, what about you?』 Kleran asked.
『What about me?』
『If Lord Goren is unwilling to speak with the entity, will you then speak with it?』
Asriel shook his head.
『I don’t think so. I have no idea what that Elder Lich is up to, so I don’t think walking into a potential trap would be a smart thing to do. We should just send one of the Guardians out to meet with it.』
『Understood. Which of the Guardians shall I send?』
『Tatalus. Since the stranger is an Elder Lich, I don’t think it is strong enough to pose a threat to him. And if it turns out to be a trap, you can have the Ennead on stand-by near him.』 Asriel said.
『Very well, Supreme One. I shall send them out.』
With that, the「Mass Message」ended.
----------------------------------------
Palace of Demeter – The Surface
Outskirts of the Forest
Day 2 – 6:39 AM Demeter Standard Time
The black portal appeared at the edge of the newly-created forest, providing instantaneous transportation for Tatalus, who stepped out from it, his black and gray robe fluttering in the wind.
Just as the Gate closed behind him, he spotted the Elder Lich around 202 meters northwest of his location. Using 「Life Essence」and 「Mana Essence」, Tatalus studied the readings the undead gave off. He also casted「False Data: Life」and「False Data: Mana」on himself, to throw off the creature's perception of him.
It does not seem to be a high-level undead. If I were to guess, it is most likely a summon. Its HP and MP match that of a base Elder Lich.
He checked his surroundings using magic, checking for the presence of traps or creatures. None were present, save for the Demetrius Elven Guard hiding in the trees.
Having found no other creatures nearby, Tatalus made his way over to the Elder Lich standing by an undead horse-drawn carriage.
I should approach with caution; there might be a trap or two. Using a 「Fly」spell could be dangerous.
The carriage was made of dead, dark gray wood, and had gold furnishing it. The curtains hanging inside were black, covering the window entirely and blocking all views indoors.
What a poor excuse for a carriage. When the time comes, we shall produce carriages far more beautiful than this trash heap. Perhaps I should destroy it for daring to pollute Demeter with its presence.
Arriving at his destination, Tatalus gave the undead a quick bow of his head, one that he felt the creature did not deserve. The Elder Lich looked him over before speaking.
“Are you the creator of this new forest?” It asked, its voice raspy.
Tatalus nodded.
“I am. What business do you have here?”
The Elder Lich pointed at itself, then at the forest before it.
“This one is a servant of the Night Lich known as Simak Taril Disada. This forest has been erected upon my master’s land, without his consent or knowledge. My master wishes to know why you have created this forest and what your intentions are.”
Tatalus’ non-existent lips curled into a frown.
The Supreme Beings do not need anyone’s permission to do anything.
Tatalus nodded.
“I see. I apologize. I had not known this land was already claimed by another. As for your other questions, I created this forest as part of an experiment in lumber production. I intended to construct a citadel of my own here using new construction techniques developed in a distant country.”
The Elder Lich looked at the forest once more, staying silent for several minutes. Then, it spoke.
“My master has been informed of your intentions. He will not permit you to construct a citadel here, but will allow you to construct a small residence for yourself and any minions you may have. However, you will naturally be expected to pay taxes for both the forest and your residence.”
“Taxes?”
“Yes, taxes. My master cannot permit you to reside here without getting anything in return.”
How dare you presume to demand taxes from the Supreme Ones!
Tatalus’ emotions nearly made him reach over and crush the Elder Lich’s skull, but thankfully they were smothered by his emotional inhibitor.
Taking a mental breath, Tatalus refocused himself on the mission.
“Before I can agree to this, I would first like to know what the tax rate would be for the forest and my residence. I believe speaking with your master would be most sensible.”
The Elder Lich stood silently for a few moments before speaking again.
“Very well. My master accepts your request. He is willing to meet with you at his residence and transport you there immediately by carriage, if you are willing to ride there with this one. You will be under guard and close surveillance for the duration of your stay at my master’s residence.”
Tatalus nodded.
“I understand. Before I go, I must inform my servants of my departure. One moment, please.”
The Elder Lich said nothing.
Tatalus brought a hand to his non-existent ear.
『Lord Kleran, I have made contact with the Elder Lich. I told the entity that I created this forest for the purpose of using its lumber to build a residence for myself. Its master is demanding taxes in exchange for retaining ownership of the forest and building said residence.』
There was a moment of silence.
『Taxes? That is an unreasonable demand. The money of the Supreme Beings belongs to them and them alone.』
『We are in agreement. This creature and its master should be destroyed for demanding such an offensive thing.』
『Stay your hand. The mission takes priority. What else was said?』
『I asked the undead if I could speak with its master to work out an agreement. It said yes. I am to head there at once by carriage for an in-person meeting.』
Another moment of silence.
『Excellent. I have informed Lord Goren and Lord Asriel. They give you permission to proceed.』
『I understand. Please give the Supreme Ones my thanks. I shall contact you when the meeting has concluded.』
『Understood. Please ensure no mistakes are made.』
With that done, Tatalus returned his hand to his side.
“I am ready.”
The Elder Lich pointed at the carriage. The door magically opened.
“You may enter the carriage.”
Tatalus did as the Elder Lich instructed and entered the vehicle.
Let us see how formidable this so-called ‘master’ of yours is.
----------------------------------------
The carriage sped through the decaying streets of the city of Inveria, once the capital of the kingdom of the same name. The enchanted wheels of the carriage spun over the cracked and crumbling cobblestone of the city, eliminating all vibrations and the feeling of motion from the interior, maximizing the comfort of the passengers riding inside, except for the occasional bump as the carriage wheels drove over potholes. While this sort of luxury is not necessary for skeletal undead, it is beneficial in that it prevents goods inside from being damaged by potholes and the like, so the owner of the carriage decided it was worth having, even if those goods could be repaired with magic.
Tatalus and the Elder Lich sat in silence as the carriage brought them ever closer to the lair of its master. Tatalus spent the time observing the scenery through the window, so as to gather intelligence about a potential enemy. He had to ensure that the Supreme Beings would not be harmed if they decided to visit this city.
The state of this city is unacceptable: stone bricks are cracked and smashed; wooden pillars are scorched and broken; windows shattered and glass shards strewn about. How can one abide its current state instead of restoring it? Perhaps this ‘master’ should be exterminated for allowing such a blight to exist so close to the home of the Supreme Ones.
His contempt for the creature ruling over this sorry excuse for a city grew more and more with every deteriorating building he saw. The carriage passed a few undead patrolling the streets, some being Elder Liches, while the majority were skeleton warriors brandishing bows and skeleton mages carrying staffs.
Pitiful. Truly pitiful.
Finally, the carriage arrived at its destination.
The door opened once more, and Tatalus and the Elder Lich stepped out, heading towards the front door of the palace.
Standing beside the doors were two Death Knights, who each gave Tatalus a brief look before returning to their previous postures.
Death Knights. If this master believes Death Knights are adequate to protect his residence, then it might mean that the natives of this world are weaker than we believe.
Tatalus pondered as the doors opened, the Elder Lich entering first, with him just behind the creature.
Either that, or perhaps those they are guarding against are much weaker than their master. The rest of the world might be more powerful.
The two arrived at an arch with a round stone platform in the center of it. Upon planting their bony feet upon its surface, the stone platform began moving up. It was an elevator.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Or perhaps I am giving this master too much credit. Perhaps he is simply an idiot who believes himself invincible.
The platform made its way to the top of the palace, the floor in which the undead made his residence. Tatalus made sure to recast「False Data: Life」and「False Data: Mana」on himself, to ensure that the Night Lich he was about to meet did not see his true power. The elevator stopped, allowing the two to leave it. At the end of the hall, was the door to the chamber the undead’s master was holed up in. It was guarded by two more Death Knights, with two Elder Liches supervising them.
The Elder Lich beside Tatalus approached them.
“I have brought him to see the master.” The Elder Lich said, gesturing to Tatalus. Then, it raised a hand towards Tatalus.
The left Elder Lich nodded, as did the other.
“Understood. We shall check you for dangerous spells or items. Do not resist.”
Several spells were cast twice on Tatalus, to make double sure they were not missing anything. When they found nothing of interest, they lowered their hands.
“No dangerous spells or items were discovered. You may enter.”
With that, the door opened. Tatalus was led inside by the Elder Lich he had been following the entire journey.
The room was ornate, as expected of a chamber within a palace. The walls were white marble bricks, cracked and stained from age. Gray granite tiles made up the floors, while the ceiling was stone. Thick reinforced wooden columns held up the ceiling, decorated with blue paint that was worn away. At the far end was where a bed once stood but had obviously been removed to make room for a study. The undead did not need to sleep, after all. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with tomes likely to do with magic.
At the aforementioned study was the master of this place, the Night Lich known as Simak Taril Disada. He was humanoid in appearance, wore a gray robe with a white hem that was fitted with various magical gems, items that likely granted him various abilities. Atop his hooded head, he wore a crown crafted from white bones and red crystals.
Immediately, Tatalus casted the spells「Life Essence」and 「Mana Essence」on the creature before him.
It matches the HP and MP of a Night Lich. This must be the master.
The Night Lich looked up from his work and turned to face Tatalus and the Elder Lich beside him. He gave Tatalus a look over, as did Tatalus give the Night Lich.
You may dress like a ruler all you wish. It pales in comparison to the regalia of the Supreme Beings.
Tatalus’ opinion of the creature before him plummeted even more.
“I am Simak Taril Disada, the ruler of this city and the owner of this land. State your name, newcomer.”
Tatalus reluctantly bowed his head. He had to avoid antagonizing the Night Lich.
“I am Tatalus, the creator of the forest.”
Simak stared at Tatalus for a moment before speaking.
“Is that all? I had assumed there had to be more to you after doing what you did.”
Tatalus shook his head slowly.
“That is all. I am from a distant land, one you may not know of. I traveled far to find unclaimed land and thought I had found it when I arrived here.”
Simak tapped his bony fingers on the armrests of his chair.
“Distant land, eh? What is the name of this land?”
“It is called Alfhiem. It is a land of the living, where forests reign supreme.”
The Night Lich reclined into his seat, interested.
“Continue.” He gestured to Tatalus.
Tatalus nodded.
“It is the land from I originate. I was once human and was killed in an inferno in battle, burning all of my skin away but leaving my bones intact. A compatriot of mine raised me from the dead as an Elder Lich. He set me free, as dominating me was not something he ever wanted. We parted ways amicably, and I traveled undercover for some time, learning from the living whatever I could. This included the experimental construction techniques I wished to test, using the lumber from the forest I created.”
Simak nodded slowly.
“I see. Fascinating. I assume the living eventually discovered your true identity and drove you from their lands?”
“Yes. I was in the middle of a marketplace bartering for lumber when I was discovered. I barely made it out of there intact.”
Simak’s fingers tapped the armrests once more.
“And now you come here, to create a forest and build a residence on my land. I suppose you cannot be blamed for your ignorance. I do not exactly advertise my claim over this land.”
Tatalus bowed his head once more.
“I apologize for any offenses I may have committed, Lord.”
He hated calling this creature ‘Lord’. It gave him the desire to vomit. If he were capable of it, he surely would have right then and there. His emotional inhibitor kicked in once more, returning him to zero.
Simak seemed surprised by the unexpected utterance of submission. But he was not the kind to correct others for it.
“No matter. All that is required now is to figure out what terms can be agreed to. Here, let us sit at the table.”
Simak rose from his seat and made his way to the table by a large window overlooking the city. He sat down first, and gestured for Tatalus to sit across from him.
“Now, then. How large is the forest you created?” Simak asked, his chin resting on the palm of his right hand. It was a posture he adopted after studying the living for some time. He had quite the fascination with the living, despite his undead desire to kill them.
Tatalus thought over the question. He did not know how big the forest around Demeter actually was, so he had to make up a plausible size.
“Ten square kilometers.” Tatalus replied.
Simak nodded.
“I see. Not as large as I thought. How large of a residence do you intend to build?”
“A three-story structure, thirty meters wide by seventy meters long.”
“Mm,” Simak said.
“I see. That makes my calculations easier. One moment.”
Simak sat silently for several minutes, calculating the total tax Tatalus would have to pay.
Then, he spoke.
“For the land itself, that would be 247,100 gold pieces. For the residence, I’d say an additional 1,000 gold pieces would be fair.”
The Night Lich’s words hit Tatalus’ patience like a hammer, shattering it into a thousand pieces. He would not tolerate this any longer.
“「Dominate Undead」”Was all Tatalus said as he pointed a palm in the direction of Simak.
Before any of the servants in the room could intervene, Simak was under Tatalus’ complete control, as was everyone else in the room by extension.
Tatalus got up from his seat. He pointed a bony finger at Simak, inches away from his forehead.
“You are fortunate I have not destroyed you for your insolence. My masters require information from you that would be lost had I acted on my desire to exterminate you.”
Simak nodded.
“I apologize for offending you. I will answer any questions you ask me.”
Tatalus nodded in turn.
“Excellent. Tell me everything relevant to you. In particular, I wish to know if you are cooperating with other undead.”
Tatalus took out a note pad and a pen. He gestured for Simak to begin.
Simak straightened his posture.
“I am Simak Taril Disada. I am a Night Lich capable of 7th Tier magic and am currently seeking to reach the 8th Tier. I am a member of Corpus of the Abyss, an organization founded four hundred years ago for undead such as myself to collectively strive for greater magical knowledge. I joined the organization five decades ago, and joined the Inner Circle of the organization a half-decade ago. I claimed this city not long after joining Corpus of the Abyss. I have a fascination with the living, and seek to understand their ways, which are alien to us undead beings. My closest friend is a Night Lich by the name of Prudrir Vaqros. We-”
I need to put him back on track.
Tatalus raised a hand up to shush Simak. He had wrote down all of the things the dominated Night Lich had said, but did not want him to continue.
“You are getting off-topic. From now on, I will only ask you one question at a time."
Simak nodded. "I understand."
"Excellent. First, where is the headquarters of Corpus of the Abyss located?” Tatalus demanded.
“It is located at the base of Mount Keitenias, the nearby mountain range to the northeast.”
Tatalus wrote the information down.
“What is the average Tier of magic your fellow members are capable of?”
“The 7th Tier is what most members are currently proficient at. There are a few who have reached the 8th Tier.”
How pathetic. They do not pose a threat to us.
“Is there anything else you can say about this in particular?”
“There is one member who is capable of a different system of magic.”
Tatalus stopped writing in his note pad.
“Oh? And who would that be?”
Simak seemed hesitant to answer, but was forced to do so regardless.
“His name is Cure Elim Los Malvar. He also goes by the title of ‘Elder Coffin Dragon Lord’. We simply refer to him as ‘That One’. He is a Dragon Lord who transformed himself into an undead. He is capable of using both Wild Magic and Tier Magic.”
Tatalus wrote the information down as quickly as he could. His interest was piqued.
“Tell me more about Cure Elim Los Malvar. What role does he play in your organization?”
“He is the leader of our organization. He came to power nearly three centuries ago, displaying his power to the Inner Circle. They had no choice but to accept him as their leader, for he could crush them all without issue. He does not do much for us, if at all. He is a parasite on the body of our organization, stealing everything we have and giving nothing in return.”
Tatalus nodded.
“What can you tell me about this so-called ‘Wild Magic?’”
“It is an ancient form of magic that was once the dominant system of the world. It requires souls as fuel for its spells. These souls can either be one’s own soul or the souls of others. The Dragon Lords are the most powerful wielders of Wild Magic, and had ruled the world for eons until six centuries ago.”
“What had occurred six centuries ago?”
“Tales speak of six divine figures known as the ‘Six Great Gods’, who descended to this world and saved humanity from extinction. Tales also say this is when Tier Magic was introduced to the world, greatly weakening Wild Magic.”
“What can you tell me about these ‘Six Great Gods’?”
“I do not know much about them. All I know is that they were six figures who wielded great power, and that one of them was an undead.”
Six figures, with one of them an undead? I remember such a group had invaded glorious Demeter once. Could it be them, in this world of all places?
Tatalus nearly broke the pen in his grip in half from worry. Fortunately, his emotional inhibitor kicked in.
“Are there any other notable figures who appeared, similar to the Six Great Gods?”
Simak nodded.
“Yes. There were also the Eight Greed Kings, who arrived a century after the Six Great Gods. They used their great power to conquer the entire world after eliminating most of Dragonkind and the last of the Six Great Gods. They soon fell upon each other and death came for them all. Their empire shattered immediately afterwards. Their floating city remains to this day, however.”
Tatalus wrote even faster than before.
If what I believe is true, then the Eight Greed Kings might have been Players just like the Six Great Gods were. The Supreme Beings must be informed of this as soon as possible.
“Any other notable figures I should know about?”
"The 'Evil Deities' come to mind. They are also known as the 'Demon Gods'. They rampaged across this continent two centuries ago, nearly destroying the world in the process. This city, though nothing but ruins back then, was cleansed by flame to rid it of demonic influence that had managed to seep in. The scorch marks you no doubt have seen are reminders of such a time."
Evil Deities. Demon Gods. What undeserving monikers. The only existence worthy of the moniker of 'Demon God' is master Goren Aggoth. All others are pretenders.
"Continue."
"The Evil Deities were eventually vanquished by a group known as the 'Thirteen Heroes'. A collection of survivors from the numerous nations destroyed by the rampage of the demon hordes, the Thirteen Heroes came together under three powerful beings. One wore a suit of platinum armor, though his race is unknown. One was a human by the name of Riku Aganeia. The final member was a human as well, by the name of Kento Serizawa..."
Two humans and one unknown individual in a suit of platinum armor. If they are considered powerful by the standards of this world, does that mean they could pose a threat to us, in the unlikely chance they are still alive?
"...Riku, the leader of the Thirteen Heroes, led the group across the continent, slaying the Evil Deities one-by-one, until his death and the death of his compatriot, Kento. The group continued on, until only one Demon God remained, the God Dragon..."
That answers that question, for the most part. The fact that the one in platinum armor wasn't killed might mean he's still around. I need to know more.
"...they survived their encounter with the God Dragon, but never divulged what happened that day. It is a complete mystery. All that is known is that they survived, and that the rampage of demons ended."
Is that all?
"Is that the end of the tale of the Thirteen Heroes and the Demon Gods?"
Simak nodded. "Yes."
Tatalus penned all of the information in his notepad.
This needs to be brought to the attention of my masters as soon as possible. This individual in platinum armor and so-called 'God Dragon' might pose a threat, however unlikely. Their deaths were not mentioned, so they could potentially still be around. However, this might just be ignorance on this creature's part.
"Tell me, are there any other powerful beings you know about?"
Simak nodded. "Yes, several. However, it will take some time to explain each of them."
Tatalus shrugged. "So be it. Continue."
Over the course of an hour, Tatalus was told about the legends of the Goblin King, Minotaur Sage, the Crystal Princess, her twelve knights and the Crystal City she ruled over, the Winged Hero, and the Mystic Knight. It was quite a lot of information. With every tale told, Tatalus grew more and more worried.
Each of them could have been Players. If I am right about this, then there is a high possibility that one or more Players are currently present in this world. They must be crushed before they pose a threat to our masters.
Putting the notepad away in his Item Box, Tatalus turned to Simak, who was still Dominated.
“I shall keep my hold over you. You have proven yourself quite the wellspring of information for my masters, so I shall delay your destruction for the time being.”
Simak bowed his head.
“Thank you, my Lord. Again, I apologize for offending you.”
Tatalus nodded, gesturing for Simak to stay quiet. He put a hand to his temple.
『Lord Kleran, I have concluded the meeting.』
『Excellent work, Tatalus. How did it go?』
『I have had quite the enlightening conversation with this creature, after I had dominated it.』
『Did I not tell you to not antagonize anyone on this mission?』
『Lord Kleran, this creature would not cease in its blasphemy. I could only tolerate so much disrespect towards our masters.』
An audible sigh was heard.
『Understood. What have you learned from the undead?』
『I have learned that this Night Lich, who goes by the name of Simak Taril Disada, is a member of the inner circle of an undead organization known as ‘Corpus of the Abyss’. Most of its members can use 7th Tier spells at best, but a few are capable of using the 8th Tier. They are led by a dragon by the name of Cure Elim Los Malvar.』
『Their weakness is unsurprising, but a dragon at the head? That is quite troubling.』
『Agreed. I believe this dragon to be the most urgent threat presently. But it might not be the only one.』
『Elaborate.』
『I believe there are other Players in this world as well.』
There was a few moments of silence.
『Other Players, you say? What evidence do you have to support this claim?』
『The Night Lich has spoken of tales that speak of such beings. The Six Great Gods were the first, supposedly. They descended from the heavens and saved humanity from extinction. The Eight Greed Kings came after, wiping out most of the world’s dragons before turning on each other. There are also tales of individuals, such as the Goblin King, who had smaller impacts on the world.』
『I see. I assume this is but a summary?』
『Yes. I have written down the full version of the events he spoke of in a notepad. I shall hand it to you once I return.』
There was another moment of silence.
『Great work. I have informed Lord Asriel and Lord Goren of your success.』
『Thank you. What shall I do with Simak and all of the undead who work under him? He is a member of Corpus of the Abyss, so I was thinking I could have him spy on them for us from the inside.』
『An excellent suggestion. We’ll get access to whatever he has access to within their organization.』
『Precisely.』
『Again, good work. Return as soon as possible. I expect a full report from you. The Supreme Beings have ordered me to condense all of the information you have collected into a more digestible form.』
『Understood. I shall depart immediately.』
With that, the 「Message」had ended.
As he was about to leave the room, a thought came to mind. He turned back to Simak.
“One more thing, do you have visitors over often?” He asked the still-seated Night Lich.
Simak nodded.
“Yes. Prudrir Vaqros often visits me.”
Tatalus’ eyes scanned the room’s bookshelves.
“Would he notice if any of your valuables were missing?”
Simak shrugged.
“It is possible. I do not know for certain.”
Tatalus sighed.
“Very well. I will take a few of your tomes for as gifts for my masters. Lead me to the ones of most value.”
“By that, do you mean monetary value, or-”
“Knowledge. Knowledge of magic, important locations, weapons, items, things of that nature.”
Simak stood up and led Tatalus to the books he asked for and pointed out each of them. When he had everything he was looking for, he put them into his Item Box, then turned to leave the room.
“Remain in your residence for the time being. I shall inform you of what is to come when I receive new orders.”
Simak bowed his head. Tatalus left the room, returning to the forest using 「Greater Teleportation」.
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“...and that is the end of the report, my Lords.” Kleran said, bowing as he knelt on one knee. Tatalus was present as well, but he only spoke when directly asked by the two Players.
Goren and Asriel had sat in their thrones for the entirety of it. Every so often they would pause the report to ask questions, and for Kleran to elaborate on some details. Whenever Kleran could not answer a question, they turned to Tatalus to do so.
Both Players were deeply immersed in the report. It really felt like they were back in Yggdrasil, learning lore for the first time again. It was a feeling they longed for.
Asriel nodded.
“I see. Thank you for your report, Tatalus. And thank you Kleran for condensing it for us.”
Goren nodded as well.
“Indeed. We greatly appreciate your hard work. Both of you.”
Kleran and Tatalus bowed their heads lower.
“I am unworthy of your praise.” Kleran replied.
“As am I.” Tatalus added.
Goren shrugged. He was not in mood to contradict them.
Asriel let it go as well.
“Now, then. Tatalus, you may return to your station. We will be speaking with Kleran.”
Tatalus stood up, bowing.
“Understood, my Lord. I shall return. Good day, Supreme Ones.” He said before leaving the Throne Hall.
The doors closed behind the retreating figure of the Night Lich, creating a metallic echo when they finally shut.
Asriel and Goren turned their attention to Kleran.
“Regarding this ‘Corpus of the Abyss’, do you believe them to be a threat to us?” Asriel asked the Guardian Overseer.
Kleran frowned almost imperceptibly.
“I do not believe the members of the organization pose a threat to us, my Lord. However, I believe this ‘Cure Elim Los Malvar’ to be a potential danger. We do not know what ‘Wild Magic’ is capable of or what its limits are, so we should avoid fighting him directly. Additionally, if he is as powerful as the average dragon from Yggdrasil, then I believe we would require all of the forces of Demeter to defeat him.”
Asriel rested his chin in the palm of his hand.
“You make a good point. We do not know enough about this dragon.”
Goren nodded.
“Agreed. I believe we should avoid direct confrontations until we know everything about him.”
Asriel chuckled.
“Everything? That’s a bit greedy. Are you sure we can learn everything about this dragon? We don’t even know if we can even speak his language.”
“I don’t see why not. If that Night Lich that Tatalus spoke to knew this much about the dragon, then why can’t we learn more about him?”
“I guess so. I just don’t want to spend so much time waiting. I want to get in there and kick his ass already.”
“I understand that. I want to fight too, believe me. But we can’t go kicking people’s asses until we know we can actually beat them into the dirt. What if he has a special ability that can rip you in half, in a single attack? And what if resurrection doesn’t work on Players in this world? You’d have died for nothing.”
Asriel sighed.
“You’re making it sound like I’m a feeble old man who can’t do anything.”
Goren smiled sadly.
“Now you know how I felt before all this.”
Asriel frowned slightly.
“Yeah, I guess I do.”
Sensing his friend’s mood, Goren changed the subject.
“Speaking of Players, do you think any of the legends we’ve learned of could have been Players like us?”
Asriel thought it over.
“It’s definitely possible. They might all be dead, but there still could be Players still around somewhere else.”
“That reminds me. The Six Great Gods that Simak spoke of, they’re mentioned in Skin of Gaia. It says they’re the ones who founded the Slane Theocracy.”
“A nation founded by Players who aren’t around anymore…”
Asriel was intrigued. He wanted to go there eventually to see what kind of country they created. He was also interested in learning more about these so-called ‘gods’.
“Cool, ain’t it? This really is a new world.”
Goren said, grinning.
“It is. We should go there one day and have a look around. In the meantime, we should learn more about Corpus of the Abyss, the dragon, and the region we find ourselves in. We should also strengthen our defenses for the inevitable Second Battle of Demeter.”
Goren chuckled.
“Already thinking like a general.”
Asriel smirked.
“As I should be.”
Goren wiped the smile off of his face.
“So, what do you think we should do with all of the information we now have?”
Asriel scratched an itch on his chin.
“I think it’s time we start exploring this world.”
“Agreed. But, I don’t think both of us should leave Demeter at the same time. One of us should stay behind, just in case something happens.”
“Good idea. How do we decide who gets to go?”
“Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Goren held out a hand.
Asriel nodded.
“Let’s do it.”
They both held out a hand, clearly visible to both parties, and began playing.
“Rock, Paper, Scissors, and, shoot!”
Goren chose scissors; Asriel chose rock.
The Demon Lord balled his hand into a fist and slammed it into his palm.
“Damn it!”
“Ha! I get to go out first!” Asriel teased, sticking his tongue out.
“I’ll make you lick the floors if you do that again.”
“As if. You can’t do shit to me.”
This made Goren grin.
“Are you sure? I have more levels in warrior-type classes than you, and that includes all of my Demon racial classes, too. No doubt my agility and physical strength are far above yours.”
Asriel grinned in turn.
“And I have a much larger mana pool than you. My spells would hold you off easily.”
“Pfft. As if your spells would be enough.”
“Don’t be like that kid on the playground who says ‘nuh uh’ to every move others make in a pretend battle.”
Goren rolled his eyes, then sighed.
“Fine. I concede.”
Asriel chuckled.
“Good,” He said, “Then I’ll get packing for my trip.”
“Where you off to?” Goren asked.
“Inveria,” Asriel replied.
“The city of that Night Lich?”
“Yup.”