Novels2Search
Dead promises
Ch 38: The Power of a Chosen

Ch 38: The Power of a Chosen

Within the mountain range called Demons Folly lies Yorun and his group while above them stands a still incredibly large dragon amongst the broken down peaks of the mountains. They all still stand shocked by what Ghairlakriar had said, this ancient dragon requests death in exchange for information on Raeknars previous chosen and not a single one of them can imagine a reason. Yorun looks up to Ghairlakriar and pushes past his shock at the words.

"You... want to die? Why do you need me to do that? I highly doubt you couldn't do it yourself or let someone do it to you" Yorun said getting only an annoyed look from Ghairlakriar

"Of course I could however it would do nothing, the god you serve has cursed me with the inability to die" Ghairlakriar said with an annoyed tone

"What? Why would I be able to bypass Raeknars well curse on you?" Yorun asked now confused

"I have lived many years, watched many chosen rise and fall and I know they can undo things such as this though your god has never taken another chosen until now and I know not when they'll do so again so this is my chance to finally die" Ghairlakriar said

"Why was this curse placed on you?" Yorun asked getting only silence in return

"As much as I want this information and you are probably the only way to get it, a request like this suddenly with Raeknars previous involvement? I feel you did something bad enough to deserve this" Yorun said causing Ghairlakriar to growl which alone causes the ground beneath them to rumble slightly

"Raeknar stop angering the giant dragon" Joolak said

"No let her be angry, if she didn't attack when I killed her children she wont with this" Golanier said causing Ghairlakriar to focus on him

"I would have if I could" Ghairlakriar said

"What?" Golanier asked confused but curious

"Are you familiar with the concept of the gods being able to take away apart of you such as emotions and the like?" Ghairlakriar asked seemingly annoyed at having to explain

"Yes Raeknar did that for me fairly recently in temporarily taking my fear away" Yorun said

"It doesn't need to be temporary, alongside that curse of being unable to die they took away violence from my very being, I literally cannot harm another at least intentionally so as much as I wanted to slaughter you or threaten any one over my many years I couldn't" Ghairlakriar said

"In that case, you will tell me what you did to deserve these punishments or I guess we're leaving with no information and no dead dragon" Yorun said causing Ghairlakriars roar to intensify

"Fine" Ghairlakriar said

Ghairlakriar reaches a claw down and digs it into the ground as this is done a wave of magic shoots out from the area in which the claw dug in, the sky darkens and the mountains seem to return to a larger state as if they were never broken nor were they worn down by time, they seem to go right through Ghairlakriar as if stabbing through her yet she makes no notice of it nor does she even seem injured. Above in the skies thousands of dragons of varying sizes fly around and within seconds they all begin to breath fire, lightning, ice and other such things down below destroying everything in their path that isn't rock and other such things, they hear distant screams as the dragons assault on the land from the skies continues.

"A long time ago I lead an army of my kin as well as other dragons against the people of this realm as well as others" Ghairlakriar said

"So what? I did the same shit and all I got was left alone in the curse I put on myself" Golanier said

"Shut up and I'll get to the point little conqueror" Ghairlakriar said angered by his words

"Fine, fine, go ahead oh powerful dragon" Golanier said sarcastically clearly enjoying the fact she cannot attack him

"We did not do as you had done, you conquered, you let people live to serve under you if they were deemed useful but what I did alongside my army was wipe out EVERY living being in the realms except for enough animals for us to eat and sustain ourselves with. We destroyed the people, the land and tore open the barriers between realms to do the same elsewhere just as you see around you now" Ghairlakriar said motioning up with her head

Yorun looks above once more at the legions of dragons above still attacking below them when some look forward and breath a combination of magic in front of them forcefully melting through the barriers between realms to open portals before heading through.

"How are you showing us this?" Yorun asked

"Illusion magic, you can tell given the mountains which got reconstructed aren't stabbing her, watch" Golanier said before trying to kick a rock in front of him which his foot just goes through

"Correct, now the gods were content to let this happen for a while but then I got brazen and in my hubris tried to defy the gods and break into their realms thinking myself a veritable god of destruction, the gods did not take kindly to that. Raeknar stepped in and not even caring to wave a hand or anything, every single dragon that followed me across the realms died immediately, falling from the skies with their souls likely not even going to the afterlife. When it came to me however Raeknar decided to take violence from me forcing pacifism and taking away my ability to die while the other gods undid everything I caused, repairing damage to the realms and repopulating the people we destroyed, this sounds almost good but for me however I am unable to die yet I still age, grow and my scales harden more and more every year that passes making it harder to move. One day I will be a statue due to these scales, cocooned within my own body for eternity all the while I will still see my people hunted or living out lives and dying in front of me so this is why I want death no matter what awaits me in the afterlife I accept it for it will be better than this" Ghairlakriar said

"Gods that is terrible but why would you do all of that?" Yorun asked

"Initially anger brought it, I was sick of watching my people as well those close to my people be killed and my anger blinded me as I stewed on it and well I explained the latter portion" Ghairlakriar said

"You were sick of your people and those close to them being killed and your option in your eyes was kill literally everyone including those in other realms? Gods your mind twisted that" Sunhale said

"As your gods chosen you will be allowed to do this as your trusted by that god in this position, now as I said I want to die, knowing this will you allow that if I give you the information you seek?" Ghairlakriar asked

"If you are sure I can even do it then yes, give us information about my predecessor and I will see if I can grant that request" Yorun said

"Good enough for me, there are three areas I will show you heavily related to the previous chosen, one of them is this mountain range" Ghairlakriar said

Another wave of magic comes from where Ghairlakriars claw has dug into the ground and the illusion changes, the sky is no longer dark it is a normal sunlit sky, the mountain range is virtually the same with only erosion from time passing changing them. All throughout the mountains stand thousands of demons and a portal to Kragrum with more demons coming into Roara from it, they seem to be preparing for something and soon that something is clear as in the sky someone flies over. The person flying there is not using magic to fly instead he uses his large draconic wings that span far enough to be larger than an average house when flared. His head is more draconic than human with it being elongated with small horns at the back top of his head, his body is covered in dark grey scales and while his clothes are unremarkable he wears an all too familiar cloak and wields a similarly familiar scythe.

"Oh that is definitely him" Yorun said with everyone nodding in agreement

"Clearly but that's not my undead general..." Golanier said confused and confusing both Sunhale and Yorun before they all look to the illusion once more

As the demons take notice of him in the sky they begin to say things in a language only Golanier seems to understand yet as they prepare to attack him the figure in the sky conjures a platform beneath his feet then when standing atop it he flares his wings and the membrane of them begins to look different as if it all turned into a portal yet they do not see what is on the other side, only green lights but it soon becomes apparent those lights are eyes as multiple undead dragons fly out of his wings and within seconds the demons see green emanating from the dragons throats shining through their scales from inside them as it travels up their necks until green flames shoot towards the ground burning everything and incinerating demons where they stand unless they actively blocked them with barriers. As the demons defences hold they begin to launch all manner of magic at the dragons above, ripping parts of the mountains out to use against them but while distracted by the draconic menace above only a few notice the large portal appearing on the ground beneath where the chosen stands, heavily armoured soldiers with archers and then what seem to be mages behind them rise from the portal, every single one of them are undead and without a single command they get into formation, the mages put barriers over all of them while the archers fill the skies with arrows once the dragons fly away from the battlefield for a moment. Demon after demon gets filled with arrows but those with barriers begin to struggle as the barriers recieve more and more punishment from the arrows, the undead soldiers then rush into the fray while the undead mages each create green fireballs large enough to be from a giant are shot into the backlines of the demons destroying many demons back there.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"Not a single word from him, has he used the telepathy we can use on our undead?" Yorun asked as he looked to Golanier

"No, while we can't sense anything from this illusion I can tell, those undead are just that intelligent... How long was he active as a necromancer? As a chosen?" Golanier asked himself

"While that question was not directed towards me, I can tell you this. The chosen before you lived five thousand years and was a chosen as well as necromancer for the majority of those years" Ghairlakriar said immediately shocking everyone there

"I was an active necromancer for a hundred years but this person had undead for such a length of time I can't even imagine how powerful his armies were in full scale war" Golanier said staring at the undead before him

They watch as the demons are slaughtered with little undead being destroyed as their defences are too tough for the demons to break through, soon enough demon after demon retreats through the portal back to Kragrum until all of them have retreated or been slain. The demons begin to close the portal yet giant skeletal hands with black flames erupting from them break out from the ground and grab hold of the portal forcing it to stay open as the undead army makes its way through the portal, the chosen flies through soon after letting the skeletal hands crumble to dust and the portal close. The illusion ends leaving them all awestruck save for Ghairlakriar who looks at them almost amused.

"This battle is the second half of this day and as you saw he went into the Demon Realm afterward, I know not exactly how things went there but I was told by people not long after that the realm was devoid of demons for a period of time" Ghairlakriar said

"What completely?" Golanier asked

"Every single demon was systematically wiped out during his time in there, it apparently took months but it was accomplished" Ghairlakriar said

"Raeknar, you notice anything about the portals he seemingly imbued his membrane with?" Golanier asked

"I'll assume it's what you had talked about previously, a small realm created for undead storage and transport" Yorun said

"Correct, the fact he actually did it though, not an easy thing to do never mind imbuing a part of himself with the portals, that alone could allow him unexpected reinforcements in a close situation as the portals could conceivably be activated with muscle control" Golanier said making Yorun nod before he looks to Ghairlakriar

"You said there were three places you'd show us, where to next?" Yorun asked

"To the location the first of half the day this battle took place, the nearby ruins of the elven city Felan'Oritka" Ghairlakriar said

"Not exactly nearby, still a bit away based on what we had seen prior" Yorun said

"Teleport there, I can reach it with my magic to create the illusion" Ghairlakriar said

"Not joining us there?" Sunhale asked

"For me to get there it would be a small jump at which point would cause far too many quakes and destroy those ruins even more than time already has, teleport back here after I've shown you what's there" Ghairlakriar said

Joolak picks up the other three once more and teleports out of the mountain range to what remains of the main gate of Felan'Oritka before putting them back down, Sunhale looks at the ancient ruins and puts his hand to the wall thinking about all that single city could mean when a wave of magic comes from the mountain range and the city is reconstructed before there eyes by an illusion and it is a large beautiful city yet it looks far different to Qur'Anther with less plant life all throughout it and demonic symbols across the city's buildings and the walls especially.

"This is... so different to my peoples cities today and obviously the demonic influence here is beyond what any story could explain" Sunhale said

Before Sunhale can say anything new they're interrupted by voices on the wall shouting something in what sounds like the elven language, Sunhale looks confused as he listens and the others take note of that.

"That elven sound weird to you too?" Joolak asked

"Yes, I can understand bits a pieces but well it seems my peoples language has changed a lot since then, rather unsurprisingly I suppose but I only really understood 'Irankar'" Sunhale said

Joolak looks over to the mountain range where they can still clearly see Ghairlakriar plain as day due to her size and starts using telepathy.

"Great Ghairlakriar we cannot understand what is being said, language has changed much over these years" Joolak said

"I will change their words but their mouths will not reflect that which you hear" Ghairlakriar said

"That is fine, so long as it is an accurate translation" Joolak responded

"I have learned damn near every language to grace this realm and others so trust me I know the right words" Ghairlakriar said

Another wave of magic happens as the illusion essentially restarts and they see soldiers on the walls preparing for something, the city has had work done on it recently as far as everyone can tell with the gates reinforced same with the walls. A few guards begin to point out into the field in front of the main gate of the city and standing alone in the field is the chosen of Raeknar with the scythe firmly planted on the ground and the wind lightly blowing against the cloak, what seems to be the leader of the city comes up to the wall and looks at the chosen.

"Y-you... You're Irankars chosen correct?" The leader asked

"This city has been a hub of villainy and injustice for far too long, demons run rampant across the world calling this place their home, this city has been condemned to die for justice to return to this world" The Chosen said with their voice reverberating throughout the city soft yet deep and full of conviction

"Wait s-surely we can talk about this!?" The leader asked loudly completely afraid

"I know what it is that you are doing, you are trying to keep me talking as more soldiers come to the wall and nearest part of the city, I sense them mustering just past the wall just as I sense the demons approaching from my rear. Bring all the reinforcements you want for you will not survive, this city will fall" The chosen said

"ARCHERS! MAGES! GET THAT SON OF BITCH!" The leader ordered at the top of his lungs

Within seconds the skies are filled with arrows charged with different magics such lightning, ice and fire yet the chosen of Raeknar merely moves his wings above and in front of himself to cover his body as if he cocooned the front of himself but when the arrows reach him and hit against the wings they bounce off or explode upon impact due to magic or sheer force against the wings yet he himself is undamaged his scales and the membrane itself so strong not a single bit of damage is taken. When the archers and mages prepare another volley the chosen moves his wings out of the way of his face as in his neck a black force travels up it until he himself breaths pure black fire just as the skeletal hands in the other illusion had on them and just like the flames that come from Raeknars scythe, the fire propels out of the chosen's mouth like a large beam that cuts a hole through the city's gate and all through the city before going back out through another city gate. Everyone in the city is immediately set into a panic and soldiers in the city quickly run out of the hold in the city's gate and charge towards the chosen quickly trying to surround him alongside the demons who arrive from the rear and begin to come out of portals above. The chosen doesn't even move as a wave of pure death is released around him and in a large area around him everything from the grass, to the people and even the demons fall over dead, the demons above in the sky even fall down to the ground dead. Even with the sea of bodies in front of the city every citizen of the city alongside the soldiers remaining on the walls and inside prepare to fight, the chosen senses this and he picks up the scythe and walks into the city even as archers continue to attack with arrows his wings block those attacks and he walks through the city killing every single person alone, several city districts he isn't even in erupt into green flames as he slices through different districts. Yorun and the others watch this man kill and not even raise a single body to help him, they're both horrified and amazed that he killed everyone alone, the only survivors are people who were kept captive in the city and released by the chosen during the onslaught as well as some demons who fly toward the mountain range which the chosen once finished with the city heads to.

"By the gods, that is... he singlehandedly killed a city of people and demons... how many people are in a typical elven city today?" Yorun asked completely awestruck once more

"With a city the size of this one? Millions and he did it in half a day... that's impossible yet we just saw it and I sense no lying on the part of Ghairlakriar" Sunhale said also awestruck

"We should get back to her, see what final thing she has to show us" Golanier said still amazed at that display himself but he is focussed

"Agreed" Yorun said

Joolak picks those three back up once more and then teleports to Ghairlakriar who looks down at them once more.

"The final place is far from here, teleport upon my back and use magic to anchor yourselves onto a scale and put up some barrier to protect yourselves against the winds" Ghairlakriar said

Everyone nods and teleport on top of Ghairlakriars back and then quickly use magic to hold them in place on her back by piercing one of her scales which she doesn't even notice, Joolak then does everyone the favour of putting up the barrier. Ghairlakriar then regrows to her natural size and flies up the impossibly strong wings from doing so knock over basically every building outside the mountain range in little town and knocking over parts of the Felan'Ortika ruins, even the walls of the distant giant city Gianlocarn are battered by the winds. Ghairlakriar flies higher and higher before she tears open a portal above her with her magical breath and flies through it closing it behind her, once they have arrived through the portal they see nothing but clouds around until some of them are moved out of the way by the wind from Ghairlakriars wings, before them flying amongst the clouds is a city in ruins. Even from the distance they are at they can see ancient bodies, skeletons by now of the people whom the previous chosen were a part of.