In Zealot Castle, within the grand and imposing throne room, Lich King Drelak sat on the royal throne, his skeletal form radiating a dark, eerie aura. Despite the magnificence of his surroundings, his mind was consumed with frustration and anger. He had been forced to flee to the Mortal World, an indignity that gnawed at him constantly.
Furthermore, the situation was made even worse by the fact that his power had diminished drastically; his level had been nerfed to E-Class. This was a severe blow, given that he had once been an SS-Class being of immense power in the Demigod World. The prospect of climbing back to SS-Class infuriated him, as he knew all too well the immense effort required to achieve that level again.
SLAM!
Drelak slammed his fist into the armrest of the throne, his frustration palpable.
"Son of a bitch! Those damned Demigod adventurers! If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have lost my level or ended up in the Mortal World!" Drelak seethed with rage.
After a while, Drelak’s anger subsided. Just then:
CREAK!
The gigantic throne room door creaked open, and Sasha stepped inside with a sense of curiosity. Only a few minutes earlier, she had heard the unsettling noise of someone entering the castle and, concerned about the disturbance, decided to investigate. She had assumed that Zealot had returned; however, to her astonishment, the throne was occupied by an unfamiliar figure she had never met before.
“W-Who the hell are you?!” Sasha stammered, her voice trembling. As she stepped closer and took in the full view of Lich King Drelak’s skeletal face, a chill of terror washed over her. Even with the bright sunlight pouring through the towering windows of the grand throne room, his undead visage was still both shocking and unsettling. It suddenly struck her with a jolt of fear that she was facing a Lich King—a powerful and malevolent entity she had only heard about in grim tales and dark legends.
‘What on earth is going on?! Why is there a Lich King here?!’ Sasha thought.
Drelak turned his malevolent gaze toward Sasha, his hollow eyes burning with an eerie blue light. "Who am I?" he repeated, his voice a chilling whisper that echoed through the grand throne room. "I am Drelak, the Lich King. And you, mortal, have the grave misfortune of crossing my path.”
Sasha’s heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back, her mind racing to find a way out of this dire situation. ‘No! I can’t die yet—not before I get my revenge!’ she thought, her fear gradually giving way to determination. "W-What do you want from me?!" she demanded, struggling to keep her voice steady.
Drelak rose from the throne, his skeletal form looming menacingly over Sasha. "What do I want?" he mused, a sinister smile curling his bony lips. "I want power. I want to reclaim my rightful place. And for that, I need an army—an army that will make the Mortal World and the Demigod World tremble. In short, you have two choices: join me or face death. So, which will it be?"
Sasha’s heart pounded intensely, her mind a whirlwind of fear and determination. The chilling presence of the Lich King loomed over her, casting a dark shadow that seemed to press in on every corner of the grand throne room. The fear that had gripped her moments earlier now mingled with a desperate resolve. She knew that if she did not act quickly, her life could end in an instant.
‘Join me or face death,’ Drelak's voice echoed with a malevolent finality that seemed to reverberate through her very soul. His skeletal form, illuminated by the daylight filtering into the throne room, appeared even more menacing against the contrast of light and darkness.
Sasha took a deep breath, her fear slowly morphing into a cold, calculated resolve. She couldn't afford to be impulsive; her survival depended on making the right choice. As much as she dreaded the thought of aligning herself with such a malevolent being, she knew that her only chance of survival lay in accepting Drelak's offer.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
‘What’s wrong with my luck?!’ Sasha thought in frustration. ‘First it was Demon Queen Terasia, and now this Lich King?! Ugh! This is all Zealot’s fault! That scoundrel! If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be in this mess!’
“What… what do you expect from me?” Sasha asked, her voice trembling with curiosity and concern. “What would my role be if I joined you? And would I have a promising future by following you?”
“What do I expect from you?” Drelak’s voice reverberated with chilling finality. “You will serve as a pawn in my grand scheme—and nothing more. In exchange, you will be spared.”
Sasha swallowed hard, her mind racing as she weighed her options. The chilling reality of her predicament was undeniable; aligning with Drelak, the Lich King, was fraught with peril, yet defying him could mean certain death. Her instinct for self-preservation warred with her desire for vengeance against Zealot and the injustices she had faced.
"Serve as a pawn?" Sasha echoed, her voice shaky but edged with defiance. "And what guarantee do I have that you won’t turn on me once you’ve achieved your goals?"
Drelak's skeletal visage twisted into a mockery of a smile, his hollow eyes gleaming with malevolent amusement. "Guarantees are a luxury I cannot afford to offer," he said, his voice a chilling whisper. "But consider this: if you prove useful, you may find yourself in a position of greater power than you could ever achieve on your own. Refuse, and you will die with nothing."
Sasha clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she weighed her options. Despite being consumed by fear, she wasn’t going to back down easily. If a chance to escape arose in the future, she would gladly seize it, even if it meant betraying Drelak.
"Fine," she said, her voice steadying. "I'll join you. But know this: I'm not just some pawn. I have my own goals, and I won't hesitate to pursue them."
Drelak's grin widened, a sinister satisfaction emanating from his skeletal form. "Good! I admire your spirit, mortal. Now, kneel before your new master."
With a mixture of defiance and resignation, Sasha kneeled, her eyes never leaving Drelak's skeletal face. "So, what do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice firm.
In a burst of rage, Drelak suddenly vanished from his spot and materialized in front of Sasha, seizing her by the neck. He lifted her into the air with a slow, deliberate motion and snarled, “Watch your mouth, mortal! I do not tolerate rudeness! You’d better be polite and respectful when speaking to me, and make sure to call me master!” He leaned closer, his voice a menacing whisper. “This is your final warning! Do you understand?!”
Trembling with fear, Sasha stammered, “Y-Yes! I apologize, master! I will ensure to be more respectful from now on!”
“Excellent! Now, get down on your knees and kneel once more!” Drelak commanded, releasing his grip on Sasha’s neck.
Sasha, her face pale and her body trembling, lowered herself onto the red carpet. She could feel the icy aura of Drelak’s presence pressing down on her, making her every movement feel like a struggle. The grand throne room, once a symbol of majestic power, now seemed like a prison as she knelt before Lich King Drelak.
Drelak watched her with a mixture of satisfaction and disdain. "Your submission is a start," he said, his voice echoing with a cold, detached amusement. "But remember, mere submission is not enough. You must still prove your worth. Fail me, and your end will be far more brutal than death."
Sasha nodded, her mind racing as she tried to comprehend the full scope of her new role. “Understood, Master,” she said, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil. “I will fulfill your orders to the best of my ability.”
It was at this very moment, Sasha realized her slave-collar had transformed into a bone slave-collar. It seemed that Drelak had broken the original collar when he was gripping her neck earlier and replaced it with a new one. The truth was that Drelak had been aware of Sasha’s collar all along; he had intentionally removed it because it was the only way to force her to betray her former master, Demon Queen Terasia, and serve him instead.
***
Having successfully completed the Event Dungeon, Zealot found himself once more in the embrace of the outside world. With a contented sigh, he took in the vibrant forest scenery around him. “Ah, it’s good to be back!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with relief and satisfaction. He savored the invigorating freshness of the forest air, enriched with the crisp aroma of earth and the sweet scent of colorful, vibrant flowers. The lush, green canopy overhead, dappled with sunlight, seemed to welcome him back with a warm, radiant embrace, and he let the tranquil beauty of the ancient forest envelop him.
GROWL!
Zealot’s stomach growled loudly, reminding him of his urgent need for food. “Ugh... I'm so hungry,” he groaned, rubbing his stomach. “Time to refuel.” He continued, “Alright, let’s head back to the castle and find something to eat.” He muttered to himself as he made his way back to his grand castle, already thinking about the delicious meal he planned to cook upon his return.