“The demons bided their time, patiently waiting for the land to terraform and allow them to venture freely. Some of the lesser demons didn't possess corporeal forms. They moved within shadows, seeking the weak-minded to possess and aiding in the spread of chaos. Like the undead, the demons don't age. As the first signs of corruption reached civilization, it was only a matter of time before it spread to other villages, towns, and cities. Within a hundred years, the entire world was tainted. The once-vibrant vegetation decayed, rivers and lakes dried out, the air was polluted and the once-beautiful landscape withered away. The greatest of cities fell, followed by kingdoms and empires, leaving only remnants of their once-bountiful splendor.”
“The demons weren't the only ones waiting to take action. The undead servants saw an opportunity to rebel against their captors. The leader of that rebellion was Vyrus, a third-tier ghoulish entity and one of the highest-leveled undead in their ranks. They fought a brutal war, but the demons took appropriate measures against such a rebellion. Collared and weakened, the undead couldn't free themselves from the shackles binding them.”
“The undead can be very driven and resolute when necessary. To win the war, it was decided that Vyrus, the strongest among them, would absorb the rest of the rebels and ascend, giving him the fighting chance he needed to win. The traits of ghouls are well known now – they can devour energy of any kind, and Vyrus did just that. He ascended. He vanquished the demons but couldn't destroy the portal, not from this side. So he left, wandered and searched, until he found one of the Chaos Obelisks deep underground below the remnants of one of the great cities of the then Harmonia Empire. He settled there, built a citadel above the Obelisk, and turned the city into the Necropolis it is today.”
"The war between demons and the undead is ongoing, Bones. Demons continue invading our lands, taking over large territories, building their sanctuaries, and integrating themselves into our world. More portals appear over time, bringing in more demons each day. So far, no ascendant-tier demons have invaded, but it's only a matter of time. That's why we are building an undead army, why we need your help!" Hugo finished, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
"That was quite a history lesson. I never imagined Vyrus played such an important role. But what can I do to help? I'm not even a second tier!" Bones stated, feeling inadequate to embark on such a grand quest.
"Neither the undead nor the demons were meant to be in this world. The demonic interference in worldly affairs was beyond the system's control, but we can rectify this. Though not as united as demons, we have the numbers on our side. What we lack are capable warriors, soldiers, and commanders to lead the army, to venture outside the confines of the Nether Realm and help expand our undead forces. The war is imminent, Bones. Our agents, spread throughout the world, have heard whispers of machinations, plots, and schemes. The orc horde is planning something; the wheels are in motion. When the war starts, we plan to participate and increase our ranks as much as we can. And for that, we need your help."
"The war..." Bones repeated, then asked, "if Vyrus is so strong, why doesn't he lead his army?"
“He can’t. To create the citadel, to establish the Well of Souls, he did something to link his soul to it. As long as he isn't defeated, the citadel won’t fall, but the master can’t leave the Necropolis. If he did, everything he built would crumble. The master uses avatars to traverse the lands of the living, but the amount of souls necessary to create a single avatar is too high and not worth it unless urgency requires his attention."
Hearing everything Hugo said, Bones donned a determined expression and asked, "How can I help?"
"Nothing concrete you can assist with right now, but after you reach the second tier, I want you to visit some of our emissaries sent into the world of the living and remind them where their loyalty lies."
“Wouldn’t it be better to send someone stronger then? You have third tiers in your ranks; I'm sure they would've done a better job.”
"We tried sending reapers before, but they are the undead in the truest sense of the word. They lack independent thoughts and easily succumb to their urges. The last time we sent reapers, they massacred villages and were promptly found and killed, achieving nothing."
"You would be able to do it, easily blending with the living, without drawing attention to yourself! You did express the desire to travel the world! But all of that is in the future. I want to focus on what we can do now during your stay in the Nether Realm!"
“So first, I want to propose a deal, a binding contract between us."
“A contract?” Bones raised his voice, the sudden proposition greatly surprising him.
“For your protection and a necessary precaution to protect our interests with each other,” Hugo stated, handing over a copy of the contract written on a piece of parchment. He explained the details while Bones read the contents. In the name of both masters and the denizens of Necropolis, Hugo committed to aiding Bones in any way possible and assured no harm would befall him. All he asked in return was loyalty, that Bones wouldn’t align with other forces, work against, or directly cause harm to the Necropolis. Additional terms concerning the manner in which assistance would be provided and Bones rewarded would be discussed between the two parties.
The contract was written in a straightforward manner, easily understood. Bones didn’t find any flaws, loopholes, or downsides. He only had to gain from it, but a small section did catch his attention: 'Other forces? Does that mean there are other Necropolises?'"
“Certainly. There are a few, each governed by an ascendant-tier entity. However, I would advise against venturing carelessly to visit them, at least not until you are stronger. Your soul is a highly sought-after commodity among the undead.”
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“And what about your masters? Aren’t they such entities?”
“Fair point, and I took that into account. The Skeleton King, at best, would find you intriguing and welcome you to join our ranks. Vyrus, on the other hand, is a complex being inhabiting hundreds of ancient souls, and sometimes, his personality tends to shift. Even I don’t know what he is capable of then, and that’s why I advised forming a contract. The system would enforce the legitimacy of the agreement, and the penalty for breaching it in any way would be severe for a figure like Master Vyrus, while you would suffer a penalty depending on the severity of the violation.”
[...]
“Would I be obligated to remain in the Necropolis?” Bones asked, breaking the brief silence. Hugo quickly reassured him, emphasizing his freedom to leave at any time, with no coercion.
“And what if I choose not to sign the contract?” Bones inquired further, his decision hinging on Hugo's response.
“Nothing will happen; you can return through the portal and visit whenever you desire. I'll still assist you with the transition!”
“Alright, I agree with your proposal,” Bones accepted the contract. Once Hugo confirmed the deal was made, a warm light enveloped both copies of the contracts, and they disintegrated into nothingness. Immediately after, a system prompt appeared before Bones, displaying the contents of the contract.
“I take it you have received the system notification?” Hugo asked, and Bones confirmed he did, stating that everything was in order.
“Should we celebrate closing the deal with drinks?” Bones proposed, but Hugo raised concern, feeling Bones might have taken a liking to the concoction and might frequent a tavern because of it.
“Nonsense! It is customary to celebrate a done deal between two parties!” Bones insisted, reassuring Hugo he would be fine. Three hours later, Hugo leaned over the table and firmly shook Bones out of his trance, shouting that they were wasting valuable time. Bones snapped out of it feeling groggy and asking if he did it again. Hugo straightened up, fixed his monocle, and asked Bones to refrain from indulging in another drink for the time being, explaining they have work to do.
“What now? What did you have in mind?” Bones asked, wobbly stepping away from the table and following Hugo towards the exit.
“I would like to observe your golems in combat to identify areas for improvement. Additionally, there's something else I want to show you. In fact, I had planned to share more, but time may be limited.”
“About that…” Bones started, prompting Hugo to glance his way. “I might have a way to extend my stay in the Nether Realm.”
Hugo stopped and turned, gesturing to Bones to go on.
"Do you happen to have an alchemy set lying around here somewhere?" Bones inquired. Hugo twirled his mustache, lost in thought, then suddenly stopped, realizing Bones' intentions. "Why haven't I thought of that?" he mused out loud. He then asked Bones if he could craft mana potions and how many he could make. Bones rummaged through his inventory, searching for the ingredients and replied that he might be able to make one batch of twelve mana potions.
"Twelve mana potions, huh?" Hugo repeated, and Bones interjected, correcting himself. "Twelve small mana potions, and only if I manage to craft them all successfully - I don't know how the environment here will affect the result of potion making." Hugo nodded, sharing the same concern over the outcome, and assured Bones that finding an alchemy set wouldn't be an issue. He encouraged Bones to give it a try. He then motioned for Bones to follow him, opened the doors to the outside, and left the tavern, with Bones in tow.
"What did you want to show me?" Bones inquired about their destination, but his benefactor remained elusive, replying that he should wait and see, "it's a surprise."
The two walked in the opposite direction of the inspiring citadel for a while, until Bones broke the silence, asking if they were heading to see the palace, the residence of the Skeleton King. Hugo exhaled in annoyance, the surprise ruined, and confirmed the palace was indeed their destination.
Shortly after, the desolate field, stripped of life and color, unfurled like a canvas of forgotten memories, leading toward the once-majestic royal palace. The garden, once a lively testament to nature's beauty, now lay drowned in bleak colors, its former grandeur reduced to the solemnity of decay.
The royal palace, a mere relic of its former architectural splendor, lingered as a faint echo. A sinister air loomed above the once-majestic structure, casting an eerie pallor over its weathered walls. An undead presence from within, like a spectral sentinel, warding off any intruders in the absence of the Skeleton King, added to the ominous atmosphere.
Approaching the palace felt akin to crossing into another realm altogether, where the very essence of decay clung to every stone. The absence of the ruler left the palace vulnerable, yet an unseen force, a spectral guardian, warned off all who dared to breach its forsaken sanctum. The air carried the weight of unspoken history, and the land itself seemed to mourn the loss of the kingdom it cradled in its desolate embrace.
Hugo remained unfazed in the face of an oppressive atmosphere. He gestured for Bones to follow and continued down the straight path that led through the desolate garden toward the imposing palace. Bones hesitated but eventually quickened his step to catch up with Hugo, who seemed more annoyed than concerned by the foreboding aura.
As they approached the palace doors, the sense of unease heightened, and Bones couldn't shake the feeling that an unseen force was weighing down on him to his very core. The tension peaked until Hugo, seemingly exasperated, pushed the double doors open and shouted, "Quit it already!"
Instantly, the force that had gripped Bones vanished, as if dispersed by an unseen wind. Hugo turned to Bones and apologized on behalf of "his" unseen companion. Bones, puzzled, wondered who Hugo was referring to until a figure descended from above, landing gracefully in front of them. Involuntarily, Bones took a step back, his instincts on high alert as he observed the enigmatic figure before him.
The Death Knight general, a once revered third-tier paladin, now stood as an ominous figure, transformed by the malevolent touch of the Skeleton King. Encased in heavy, foreboding black armor that seemed to absorb the light around it, the Death Knight's presence was a haunting silhouette on the battlefield.
A tenebrous cape, darker than the deepest abyss, unnaturally fluttered behind him, as if stirred by the whispers of the undead. The Death Knight's head was shrouded by a hood of the same stygian hue, concealing the visage beneath. Through the veil of darkness, two baleful blue eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity, piercing through the shadows and sending a chill down the spine of any who dared to meet his gaze. The rest of his face remained obscured, adding an air of mystery to the malevolent figure that led the skeletal forces into battle.