Despite the numerous things he had to do each day, Alaster still found moments of free time. He used these mere moments to pursue projects that he wanted, but that weren’t very important.

Currently, he was riding atop his personal modified Undead Stallion. As large as the Heavy Cavalry’s mounts. The reinforced bones stronger than steel and blacker than a moonless night. Its spiked hooves gave it better traction, as well as a weapon, if needed. Its mouth was filled with fangs and its mane was similar to his own Mana Tendril. Made of tangible Mana, it was long and glowed green with hints of black.

Alaster had pumped so much Necrotic Mana into it that it faintly glowed beneath the layers of bone. It was an intelligent creature as well, capable of making its own decisions, as limited as they were.

Its tail was also reminiscent of Mana Tendrils, except it wasn’t soft, smooth, and flowing. Its tail was split into two, sharp, serrated, Mana Tendrils that it could whip around and cut deeply into the thick and ancient trunks of the forest.

Alaster found himself as giddy as a child once it was finished. Its mere presence was terrifying. It held so much Necrotic Mana that each step corroded the grass around each of its hooves.

Unexpectantly, the System recognized the creation and even modified it a little. It gave it a personalized name as well as a second ‘mode’. It could show its true form, one of death and destruction. Or it could shrink and transform into a normal horse that was pure black and only a little larger than other horses.

Alaster had not expected that, but he certainly appreciated it. He was quite proud of his creation and had already grown quite fond of it. His own personal Nightmare. And he was certain that it would soon become the focus of many nightmares.

However, despite his creation of Nightmare, it was still only a petty project that he did when he grew frustrated or tired of his other side project. This project was vastly more complex and intricate. While Nightmare had been mostly a hardware issue, where he only had to create the frame for the beast, this project was more of a software problem.

He already knew the body he wanted to use for it. He could create it in a matter of hours. The only reason he had not yet done so was because then he would have had to lob it around with him.

The problem was how complex the Magic within the creature would be. This had been a pet project of his since coming to Galmore, and he was still only perhaps forty percent done. Part of the reason he was so focused on the Lich, was that Alaster hoped he could study it and progress further on his project.

That was actually where he was going now. After ten months of warfare, the Lich had finally grown tired of it, and had offered up a white flag. Where the thing could have gotten the white fabric in the middle of a forest, Alaster did not know, or care.

He was more intrigued that the Lich had offered up its surrender. It was smart enough to know what it meant but seemed to have the self-preservation to not fight to the end. Once the flag was waved, Catherine had halted the army’s advancement, and instead encircled the Lich and his, now much smaller, army.

Alaster could have simply appeared there within a few moments using [Swap] with a bunch of Shadow Assassins, but he decided to take the moment to test out Nightmare for the first time. Besides, if the Lich was smart enough to offer its surrender, then it was likely smart enough to feel pressure.

Alaster was very pleased with Nightmare’s performance. It was extremely fast across flat ground, agile across the tangled mess of roots of the forest. It was so fast, that a small tribe of Goblins didn’t have the time to get out of the way. Nightmare had trampled four of them and used its tails to slice apart another dozen, all without stopping or changing anything about its path.

When Alaster finally arrived at the site of surrender, he was amazed. He of course knew the size of his army, but he had not actually seen it all in one place before. The Lich was currently sitting at a bone table on a bone chair, across from another chair. The table was at the bottom of a natural amphitheater.

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From the bottom, the ground steadily rose up from all sides, which Alaster’s army occupied. His army seamlessly parted to allow him, atop Nightmare, to pass. Soon at the bottom, the magnitude of his army finally hit him. It numbered in the thousands. Many of them were not strong enough to fight the average Adept one on one, but there were many who could, and do so with ease.

Alaster had known he was a powerhouse of Humanity; he had simply not understood its full power. While such an army would not solve his goal, it would help in certain aspects.

Alaster dismounted, allowing Nightmare to glare hatefully at the Lich calmly sitting at the table, despite the overwhelming force around it. Of course, its head was simply a skull. Emotion did not show well.

His Death Knights were also there, standing behind the chair meant for him. They silently knelt as he approached. Alaster ignored them and sat down, while he mentally praised them for their good work.

“You offered your surrender. You would not have done so if you did not want something in return. So, speak. What do you want?”

The Lich pulled back its black hood, revealing is pearl skull and purple eyes. It stared at Alaster for a moment before turning its attention to the army of Undead surrounding it, then at the Death Knights behind Alaster, before finally turning its attention back to the man.

As it spoke, its jaw remained closed, but the ancient and cold voice seemed to come from everywhere.

“We fought each other for pride. Our pride as ones who rein over the dead. Our unspoken agreement prohibiting either of us from directly acting on the battle. Had such an agreement not been in place, I would have swept through your army, and its elites, with ease.” It pointed to the Death Knights with a long bony finger.

“However, had such an agreement not been in place, you would have destroyed me with so little effort that I doubt I would even be an afterthought.

I prided myself on commanding the dead, of reigning supreme among them. It is the nature of the Dead to obey their betters. Even to their second death, they would obey. I enjoyed that blind devotion and sought to spread it to your Human Cities so that I might grow even stronger.

However, I am also a member of the dead. It is also in my nature to follow my betters, and you have proven to be my better in the summoning and command of the Dead.

You asked what I want?

I want to serve.

Had you simply overwhelmed me through sheer numbers, as many such beings with power over the dead would have attempted, I would have fought to the end. But you didn’t. You bested me through tactics and diversity.

I have never seen such Undead before. Working together with such intelligence and foresight. It’s amazing. It’s almost as if they were living creatures still. Even while I lived, I had not heard of such a thing.”

“You remember your life as a mortal?” Alaster rose an eyebrow.

“In part. It comes and goes like fragments of ice on a swiftly flowing river. From what little I have been able to catch, I have been able to decipher that I was once a researcher of Magic, specialized in the Magic of Death. However, all else evades me.” The Lich’s gaze, while never changing, seemed to grow distant and distracted.

“My Undead caught your attention so you wish to follow me?”

“Yes. I wish to follow the one with such a mastery over death. I am intrigued to see what else you might create. What you will use your creations to do. Everything.

I might not remember my past life, but I remember this life quite clearly. In the centuries that I have been a member of the dead, I have never felt a single emotion. Even against the Humans and Creatures that hunted my kind, all I felt was cold indifference.

But once we began this contest of ours, I felt something I had once thought was long lost to the cosmos. Excitement.

In some twisted turnabout way, you, something with a control over death that I have never even heard of before, has sparked a small flame of life back into this old Undead.

I wish to follow the one capable of such hypocrisies.”

“And how could I trust you?”

The Lich stood up. The Death Knights grew tense, but Alaster raised a hand to calm them. The Lich held a closed fist against its chest.

“I swear upon my Mage Root to serve and protect you until the time you no longer see fit to use me.”

[An Oath of Old has been spoken

This Oath has not been spoken for millennia, but its power remains absolute. Should those bound by the Oath break it, their Mage Root will be severed, losing their ability to control any Mana.

Do you accept?]

“You will serve me in any manner I see fit?”

“Yes.” The Lich remained with its head bowed.

“I accept your fealty and hope that we may both find what we seek from it.”

[Servant of the Dead has been acquired

Their Status Page will now be accessible to you, though you may not change it.

As Lord of the Dead, you have taken the first step to creating your retinue.

A creature of Death has sworn their loyalty to you.

Be sure not to abuse it.]