The undead soldier controlled by Yorun teleports into the Kolakinta Mountain Fortress with Gira into the small courtyard the fortress has, Gira sees one thing immediately after teleporting there and it is Yorun himself his actual body and the forearm that is gone, the shock on her face is more than apparent and Yorun still controlling the undead notices it.

"I'll explain that in a moment I need to get this undead back to Gantoral" Yorun said

Gira looks at Yoruns real body and snaps her fingers Infront of his eyes as she looks at the arm, his eyes do not react to the snap until a few seconds later when the whole body moves as Yorun returns to it.

"Alright now I can explain" Yorun said with his proper voice

"Good, theres a lot to explain" Gira said

"Well to put the arm issue to bed quickly I was shot with the sun by the god Heltior. I did die not from the sun itself but from being forced down through a section of Deranels city wall. Only reason my whole body isn't gone is simply it was all covered by Raeknars cloak. I was pushing someone else out of the way with this arm and as such it was not covered" Yorun said quickly and calmly as if it were nothing despite the ridiculous tale of survival

"You... have to be joking right?" Gira asked with more than concern in her voice

"He's not" Azkelt said as his soul appears next to them

Giras focus looks at Azkelt even in the state he is in after all this time the spectral body he has is similar to what he was before he was killed, noble looking with ghostly noble clothes but they are slightly tattered after all the pain his soul has been put through.

"Uh... What the fuck?" Gira asked looking at what she thinks to be a ghost of a noble next to Yorun

"This is Azkelt Pertaki, he is dead and his soul is bound to mine. You can ignore him for the most part he was quite the bastard in life" Yorun said

"I'll be saying this a lot but please explain" Gira said

"With the magic I have and the permission of Raeknar those who would otherwise go to Konlair can have at least some form of punishment here and as a result further our goals. I can use the magic of the sounds bound to me and well suffice to say..." Yorun said before he stopped talking

Yorun then makes a fireball in his hand causing Azkelt to scream and his soul to visibly start shaking as if it was being pulled in every direction by an unknown force trying to rip him apart. Gira immediately stepped back somewhat horrified by the intense pain he is going through and the guttural screams indicating its worse than what they can see.

"Its very painful for them" Yorun said over the screams

Yorun gets rid of the fireball quieting Azkelts screams who quickly disappears afterwards.

"...Clearly, things have definitely changed for you from the last time I saw you. You had barely the stomach for killing someone and now what is essentially torture seems fine for you" Gira said

"Raeknar deems this fine and well Raeknar is the god of justice so hard not to agree" Yorun said

"Fair enough I suppose. I sense living people around here so I assume you have other allies than just the undead?" Gira asked

"Most of the people here are from two nearby villages, they provide the fortress with magic however there are two people who are true allies of mine, one you likely cannot sense as his soul is also bound. He was the necromancer before me meaning he can raise the dead and is more knowledgeable on this magic than myself and the other is an elf named Sunhale we met in Gantoral and have aided each other since" Yorun said

"Ok at least you aren't always surrounded by undead having actual people to rely on is good for a lot of reasons especially mental health" Gira said

"I know, don't forget I am no young man, while many things I have done are new to me I have learned many other things in my years" Yorun said

"Right I almost forgot, with how you look and all you've been through anything that denotes your age is kind of ignored in my mind" Gira said

"It is fair anyway back to the explanations so if you see undead dragons around do not worry and do not worry about that one either" Yorun said as he pointed up

Gira confused looks up and sees Ghairlakriars massive body still blocking the sun, she wonders how she hadn't noticed such a beast and stumbles backwards onto the ground. Yorun laughs a little as he helps her back up.

"Her name was Ghairlakriar and the reason you need not worry is she is dead, has been for a little bit now. Dragons apparently become like statues on death so she's staying like this until her body is well gone" Yorun said

"And what about those undead dragons? Surprised you didnt bring her back" Gira said

"Many reasons as to why she wasn't raised but the others are created from her body, more useful to create many from the one. Technically other than the defences the fortress came with those new dragons are the other other defences alongside a token force of undead soldiers" Yorun said

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Is that not dangerous?" Gira asked

"You'd think so however the fortress's defences were created with living armies in mind, we only took this place so quickly and early on because the undead are the way they are. Fearless, unfeeling etc living armies hesitate and feel pain and well die as such I can bring back the soldiers of any army that attacks and if you combine it with abilities I've gained since. We should be fine" Yorun said

"Ok if you are sure I will believe you, I imagine there's a lot to know still but if you don't mind I am going to have a little look around" Gira said

"Fair enough, the fortress's defences recognise you as an ally but you aren't able to teleport yet. Its a lot harder to allow someone to be able to do that here as the defences need to be configured in a certain way to allow for specific people to do so" Yorun said

"Noted" Gira said as she walked away to look around

As Gira leaves however Yorun feels one of the undead sent to the borders be destroyed and then a few more, he quickly takes control of an undead there and immediately makes Raeknars scythe appear in his hands blocking a strike with it, a Fiernian soldier is the one attacking him and Yorun sees a small army attacking. Yorun quickly grabs at the soldiers face and uses his green fire to burn his face and kill him, the unexpected magic from this random undead catching the soldier and others nearby off guard. Yorun in the undead body stands tall holding the scythe.

"I'll take it Emperor Durinkal sent you all?" Yorun asked as his voice begins to creep out of the other undead soldiers nearby in unison with his own

The soldiers all immediately step back away from the undead getting into formation with shields bearing soldiers in the front lines yet a man in full plate armour and with several swords floating around him approaches on a horse, the soldiers move out of his way as he does so. The man is large in stature and he dismounts the horse walking in front of the soldiers he commands. Yorun looks to the figure before him analysing the armour and he very quickly notices a family crest on the pauldrons. The crest embossed onto the armour is that of a fist gripping a thin line with small shapes like buildings along the line.

"That crest... Seems the Emperor not only sent someone but sent family. Which of the illustrious Ghohalan family are you?" Yorun asked somewhat sarcastically but his voice is full of venom

Seeing the opportunity a nearby lighter armed soldier steps forward from behind the horse the man rode.

"This man is Sir Helimiral Ghohalan the third son of his Imperial Majesty Emperor Durinkal and is an honourable Knight of the empire" The lightly armoured soldier said

"A large name, seems 'his imperial majesty' is beginning to take this more seriously" Yorun said

"So you are the one raising the dead then, rumours and reports have been coming to the capital steadily and that you have allied with the elves. You're human and you betray your home? Dishonourable bastard." Helimiral said

"If there's anyone dishonourable its you're family and those who work for you because my village was burned down by those who came to collect money for your fucking family and after that? I was given a purpose by a god to bring justice and your family are a target for it" Yorun said

Helimiral looks at him and then around to his own soldiers as well as that of the undead soldiers of which during this have been moving back and into their own formation.

"You talk of border villages I'd wager, some reports reached us when they were destroyed, unlike most of my family I took interest in these reports since despite everything we rule because not enough people want us gone. Didn't hear anything of survivors though not until a report came back of some soldiers investigating around Orakin and near the destroyed Kurinet saying that 'Raeknar comes from Kurinet' I'll take it they meant you" Helimiral said and Yorun just stares him down for a moment

"Yes. You took interest in what was going on? You realise the position your family can be in, if you are about to say you're a good man and that your men are as well then turn and leave. Do NOT return and when I march upon the capital and bring down your family's reign you will be spared" Yorun said

"And what if I dont? You have killed many people given the size of your army and more than that I'm sure many of them are good people themselves. That cannot be ignored" Helimiral said

"I am Raeknars chosen if ill is to come to me for it then it will but my goal remains. If you do not leave then lets make it apparent what will happen" Yorun said

Green flames begin to spring up from his sides creating a wall of fire blocking Helimirals forces from getting to the undead and suddenly several guttural screams of pain begin to ring out all coming from Yorun yet at the same time not from him. Helimiral is confused at this and then he sees the grass around Yorun beginning to die not from the flames but just around him things start to die.

"Within moments I could kill every one of your soldiers by merely walking too close or even do it from here, I will take soul after soul of those deemed bad enough from your army and once every soul has been taken and everyone else killed their bodies will be raised and poised to attack the lands they were previously protecting. All the while I will kill you sending you to Faelerm and raising your body just the same. I could simply scan you and your men to find out if I need to do this but either you attack and it happens or you go home and be spared or maybe you'll be against me even there but you'll tell everyone what I can do, demoralising everyone because you are the third son of the Emperor not some random lowly soldier. So what will it be?" Yorun said with a cold demeanour he has shown from time to time since this all began

Helimiral stands quiet listening to the screams of the souls as he thinks on what he just heard. His soldiers are now questioning if they want to continue despite whatever decision Helimiral makes.

"Tick tock Helimiral, the longer you ponder the more your soldiers will question you. Leave now or attack" Yorun said

"...A duel" Helimiral said

"What?" Yorun asked confused

"A duel, I win we attack in earnest against a threat to the empire but if you win we leave and you get a new ally in me. Despite your disdain for my family, on my families name I will uphold the deal" Helimiral said

"An duel? Now?" Yorun asked

"Yes, have a problem with that?" Helimiral asked

"I am hardly an opponent who can properly go against you, plus the undead are technically still apart of me unless you want to not include them" Yorun said

"Choose a champion then and preferably one with a soul" Helimiral said

Yorun thinks for a moment and whether this is a good idea and as he thinks on it Raeknars voice enters his mind.

"Yorun accept it, it will endear you to those who hear of it and make your future plans work easier" Raeknar said and Yorun does a small almost imperceptible nod

"I accept however we shall have it in one day from now, I must decide who I shall choose" Yorun said

"Fine with me, me and my men will make camp to the east, a river is nearby there. When time comes meet us there" Helimiral said

Yorun nods and the scythe disappears from the undead hands as the wall of fire and screams suddenly disappear as does the small area of death, this is all fairly confusing to Helimiral who noticed as the person he was talking too suddenly disappears from the body meanwhile Yorun returns to his body in the fortress thinking on what will happen next...