After an hour of exchanging insights and comparing notes, Hugo approached, commending Bones for his decision-making skills. "I believe you made the right choice in having minions to complement your fighting style rather than focusing entirely in one area of expertise, like the Bonemancer before you or Necromancers who focus solely on the number of minions."
Curious, Bones inquired, "How so?"
"It's more intriguing this way," Hugo responded with a chuckle. "Right from the beginning, you weren't destined for up-close and personal combat. Opting for minions to fight on your behalf was a wise decision. You possess both supportive and offensive skill sets, and adding soul magic to the mix creates a captivating combination - I look forward to seeing what will become of you when you reach the second tier!"
“If I manage to survive that long. Judging from everything you've told me, the road ahead seems like a journey through the stuff of nightmares,” Bones commented, his tone heavy with the weight of the revelations.
“Well, as I mentioned, I'm here to assist you on that journey,” Hugo reassured Bones.
“And how do you plan to do that?” Bones inquired.
“All in due time, Bones. I'll explain—”
“I know, later. It seems like you have a lot of explaining to do,” Bones interjected.
“I understand your curiosity, but blurting out things like ‘the world isn’t what you think it is’ or ‘to us, undead, the greatest enemy isn’t humans or other living, but demons’ wouldn’t provide you with clarity. It would only open the floodgates to more questions without simple answers,” Hugo explained.
[...]
“What do you mean the world isn’t what I think it is?” After a brief moment of silence, Bones couldn't resist asking.
“See? Baby steps, Bones, baby steps!” Hugo replied, leaving Bones in suspense.
After a stroll through the winding streets of the undead city, Hugo extended an invitation for Bones to stay with him for the time being. As Bones gazed upwards, searching for any sign of dawn in the starless sky, he inquired about the time. His question earned him a puzzled look from Hugo, who almost smacked his forehead in realization. He hadn't informed Bones that there’s no day and night cycle in the Nether Realm, and temporal concepts like days, months, and years were somewhat nebulous in this realm.
“I don’t even know what year it is anymore,” Hugo confessed, making a mental note to inquire about it from the undead agents stationed in the world of living.
It dawned on Bones that he didn’t either! The subject had never come up in conversation, and he hadn’t bothered to ask.
“Then why are we leaving? There’s so much more to see, and I have more questions…”
“I know, Bones, but we have time. It may not look like it to you, but you need rest. Just being here is taking a lot more toll on your body than you think. How many mana potions do you have with you?”
“I restocked in Draycott, so two dozen.”
“Alright, we have around fifteen days before you need to leave!”
“Leave?” Bones exclaimed but immediately understood why after recalling everything Hugo had said about the detrimental effects of chaos mana on him. “You think twenty-four potions will last me fifteen days?”
“I’m glad you’re quick to understand, and yes, a day more or less, but fifteen days should suffice. You will feel the sensation of burning occasionally for the next few days and will need to drink at least two mana potions a day until your body adjusts to the environment here. From then on, one a day will be enough.”
Bones was eager to explore, but what Hugo said held merit. Hugo gestured for him to follow, leading the way into what he referred to as his home – a grand library from a bygone era, a repository of centuries of knowledge. Intricate carvings adorned the exterior, and a central dome crowned the structure, displaying the architectural brilliance of its time. Two imposing wings extended from the central hub, promising a vast collection within.
As Bones entered through majestic doors, the sight proved awe-inspiring. The library's vast expanse housed an immense collection of books, records, maps, drawings, manuscripts, and scrolls. The air carried the scent of aged parchment and the weight of centuries of wisdom.
The central dome, once resplendent with elaborate murals and celestial depictions, now bore faded remnants of its former grandeur. Shelves, stretching endlessly along the walls, were once home to priceless tomes, but time had been unkind. Treasured books turned to dust at the slightest touch, their pages fragile and delicate, serving more as mere decorations than readable material.
The once-marble floors, now weathered and worn, bore the scars of countless footsteps that echoed through the hallowed halls. The chandelier, once bathing the library in a warm glow, now hung like a silent witness to the passage of time.
Furniture, once elegant and regal, stood as weathered relics. Curtains that might have billowed in the breeze now hung still, whispering tales of the library's former glory. Despite the inevitable erosion by time, the grand library retained an undeniable charm—a poignant reminder of the ceaseless march of history.
“How…” Bones started, struggling to find the right words.
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“How did the library become my home?” Hugo finished the sentence, and Bones nodded in response.
“It might be hard to believe, but it was free for the taking,” Hugo quipped, adding that the undead don’t understand the concepts of real estate.
“If you haven’t noticed, most of the Necropolis is empty, so you can pick any place to stay if it's to your liking. Of course, you might have to fight for it if it's taken. The winner takes it all, Bones!”
“I might take a look around then. What about that spire in the center of the city? And where does the Skeleton King reside?”
“You don’t pull punches, do you? Setting your eyes on the master's tower already?” Hugo teased. ”That citadel is Master Vyrus’. I’ll take you there after you get some rest. As for the King’s abode - his palace is on the opposite side, hard to miss.”
“I didn’t mean... I would like to see the citadel up close. What are my chances of seeing the Skeleton King? A figure of legends!”
“Nil!” Hugo briskly said. “It’s been years since the King left.”
“He left?”
"Not for good! He's a battle maniac, always seeking ways to refine his skills further. It's also his way to cope with regrets on everything he missed out on. He had a lot of pent-up anger just waiting to be unleashed upon the world," Hugo explained, observing that he had once again piqued Bones' interest. He found himself appreciating that aspect of Bones.
“Remember that the King was still third tier when he retreated to the Nether Realm the first time?”
Bones nodded, and Hugo continued. “Well, his race was also in the third tier, quite close to ascending too. When he was turned by Vyrus, he lost any chance of ascending his race.”
“What did he want to evolve his race to? He was already a giant!”
“Yes, he was, and he thought giants were the strongest beings in the world.
“They weren’t?”
“Well, they were, not counting monsters. But what he didn’t know and only discovered much later was that giants could ascend into Titans, superior to giants in every aspect.”
“Feel free to look around while I prepare your accommodations,” Hugo finished the conversation and left Bones to wander the halls. Bones browsed through the titles lining the large library bookcases. The wealth of knowledge contained in the books in front of him was beyond his imagination, truly priceless. One of the titles piqued his interest, and as Bones reached to grab it, the book turned to dust at the slightest touch, setting off a chain reaction. Dozens of books in the same row followed suit, disintegrating into dust. Bones took a step back, involuntarily gasping from shock.
“The books!”
“What happened?” Hugo returned and saw Bones in a state of panic.
“The books, I just touched it and it-”
“Turned to dust? Yes, it happens with books as ancient as these. When I first came here, I found a large number of books under the protection of runes, safeguarding them against the passage of time. Unfortunately, the rest of them aren’t readable anymore - I just didn’t have the heart to clear them out.”
“Come, I have a bed prepared for you in the left wing. Thought you’d prefer the bed instead of standing in the corner or something.”
“I would prefer a bed, thank you. What about you?”
“I haven’t rested for years. While you’re getting some rest, I’ll delve into my past research. There's been something on my mind since we met, and I want to check to see if my suspicions are correct.”
“Something related to me?”
“In a way. I’ll share the details once I'm confident in my findings.”
“Alright. So… all the way to the left?” Bones asked, gesturing toward the far left. Hugo nodded, mentioning a small room, a former workspace, in the left wing where he had set up the bedding.
Bones discovered a king-sized bed, surrounded by cabinets, desks, and chairs, with papers scattered on the hard, cold floor, as Hugo had described. After a moment of observation, Bones reclined on the bed, contemplating all the information he had absorbed throughout the day. It took him an hour to sift through the details, organizing the chaotic influx of knowledge and reaching the conclusion that coming here was the right decision. However, Hugo’s master remained a cause for concern. An ascendant entity controlling the Necropolis from the citadel had all the elements of a potential villain. The memory of the pillar of light emanating from the spire, luring the undead outside the city, lingered in Bones' mind. Even he felt compelled to follow.
“I’ll inquire about it later,” were the last thoughts Bones entertained before succumbing to Eternal Rest.
His rest didn’t pass peacefully. Dreams enveloped him, shaped by the ethereal surroundings. Bones found himself standing atop the citadel’s spire, gazing out at a landscape riddled with canyons and crevices, bathed in the eerie light emitted by green miasma flowing underground. The luminosity pierced through the rifts, creating dynamic patterns of brilliant lights, forming rays, spirals, and flickering displays in the sky.
Yet, Bones was not alone. A mysterious figure entered his peripheral vision, but no matter how much he turned, the elusive silhouette remained just out of sight, observing him from the shadows. The figure whispered incomprehensible things to him, and Bones found himself responding, caught in a surreal exchange. It felt as if he were an observer trapped within his own body, lacking control and unable to discern the words being exchanged.
When the exchange concluded, the vision before Bones blurred, the curtain closing until only darkness remained - but not for long. The sound of droplets stirred his senses awake, and he found himself in a familiar yet unfamiliar place: his inner world, taking on the form of the old man he was when alive. Opposite him stood a figure, familiar yet enigmatic, shrouded in shadows. However, this time, both Bones and the shrouded figure were helpless in the grasp of a third entity that controlled Bones’ inner world.
Bones couldn’t move or speak; he stood still, gazing ahead. Barely audible words reached him, carried from the opposite side, urging Bones not to let someone in. The question of who remained unspoken, as Bones struggled to comprehend the unfolding scene. His senses were shambled, blurred, but he thought he saw the third figure approaching the shrouded one. Hours passed, and Bones stirred awake, unable to recollect his dreams and the events that transpired within.
Slowly standing up from the bed, Bones wobbled his way to the right wing, where Hugo sat with a pen in hand, tapping on the desk.
“Bones? You're already up? It's been... less than five hours by my estimate.”
“I had a dream, a nightmare perhaps? It felt surreal, like someone was in control of my dreams, but I just can't remember any of it.”
The tapping ceased, and Hugo fell silent before asking, "Is that so? You don't remember anything?" He inquired once more, and Bones shook his head. "Could be a side effect from being here. After all, it's only been a day since you arrived," he said, but Bones couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to it.
"Come, take a seat. I've found what I was looking for!" Hugo beckoned.
Bones walked over and took a seat beside Hugo, curiosity etched on his undead features. He asked Hugo about the discovery he mentioned.