Chapter 17:

“Ahhh, yeah, that feels amazing.” Oliver said as he slid into his self built hot tub. He has used his earth magic to create a tub and put four walls around it. The sky, however, was left open so Oliver could bask in the sun's warmth. Oliver then filled the tub with water, and after that all he needed to do was warm up the water.

So he used his new body guards as a heating system for his bath. The two were not angry at their master's request, but they were not happy as Aruelian or Reinhard would have been. These two seemed to lack all forms of emotion. All but pride and loyalty remained in them, pride for their master and loyalty towards him as well.

The new heating systems did their mission flawlessly. It was just holding a few fireballs under the tub. Now, Oliver was relaxing in this bath, cleaning the blood stains and dirt off his skin. The dirt came off easily in the warm water, but the blood was another matter. It stuck to his skin as if it were announcing to the whole world that Oliver was injured and was now weak. But Oliver was not weak, not anymore.

He wanted to be stronger, but he realized that strength alone wasn’t enough to create a kingdom, an Empire. He needed warriors, loyal warriors and he had them, and he was grateful for them. Even Though Oliver himself could easily incinerate all his monsters in an instant, having loyal servants was nice, very nice.

The power of authority and the power of strength (or magic) varied in feeling. They were like twin brothers who fought constantly, each trying to win Oliver over. But, Oliver wanted both brothers at his command, for two is better than one. And with both, he could make his dreams come true.

***

“Knock, knock.” Oliver opened his eyes, he heard someone knocking on his makeshift door.

“Who is it?” Oliver stood up from his bath, looking at the door, then at the sky. The sky was darker now, much darker. Oliver looked over to his two bodyguards, then at his hands. He was a prune. “Oh, I must have fallen asleep.”

After hearing Oliver's voice, the two body guards' eyes lit up purple, it seemed they had fallen asleep. “Is that even possible” thought Oliver, the two guards rose from the floor and faced Oliver.

“Excuse me, are you still in there… sir?” Asked one of the girls voices behind the ramshackle door, “I just wanted to tell you that Reinhard brought back some ‘helpers’ from the city center…. He wanted to show you his ‘quarry’.”

“Sure,” Oliver opened the door right after the girl stopped talking. “Where is he?” he asked, looking at the girl who just turned away from him. “What's wro–,” Oliver looked down and saw something. Well, he saw everything, the Everything that shouldn’t be seen by others. He turned back into the bath and closed the door.

A few moments later, Oliver reemerged from the small hut, fully clothed in his armor and red cape. “Very sorry.” He said, “Where is Reinhard?”

The girl, still in a little distress, brought Oliver to Reinhard just outside the gate of the ruined compound. Outside the damaged walls, Reinhard placed bodies in rows and columns. The dark armored priest laid out these corpses as if they were pieces of dazzling artwork, ensuring that the bodies were divided into their correct species. There were about a hundred corpses laid out, some wolf type monsters, some were goblins, others were like bulls, and Oliver even saw a few humans in the corners of the corpses.

“Reinhard, what's all this?” Asked Oliver to Reinhard, the artist was in a complete trance, and it took a few waves to break Reinhard from his work. “Reinhard?” Asked Oliver again.

“Oh, my master, may I introduce you to your new army!” Reinhard responded, the dark priest was clearly expecting some compliments from Oliver. And, indeed, he would get them.

Oliver looked at the bodies, all lined up in rows, as if they were standing in a military marching formation. “I see, how wonderful!” Oliver raised his arms to the air, “I shall begin my quest, my mission, my purpose on this planet.” Oliver snapped his fingers and dark energy left his body from all of his orifices. “20 each, that should do for soldiers.” He thought.

As his new army began to stand up, the girl asked, “Wh– what is your purpose?”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Oliver turned away from his rising army, and looked the girl in her eyes. “Profit, hahaha...HAHAHAHA, THIS WORLD IS MINE FOR THE TAKING! Everything will be under my domination. Everything will fear my approach, the oceans will calm in my presence, else they dry up!” He held his hands up and the army behind finished rising. He turned back to the army, giving another silent grin that echoed across the area. All of the new bone monsters saluted and gazed at their new master with loyalty and pride.

***

A loud thundering could be heard in the broken streets. The echoes of marching bounced off what was left of the majestic buildings that once stood proud and tall. “Wha– What the Hell is that?!” Screamed a man standing guard outside the gate to the newly formed Latro Camp, “Quick, tell Lord Fur, there's something approaching, something big.”

***

Oliver sat atop Aurelian as he usually did during a journey. Only this time, instead of a cave with five summons, he paraded in the ruined city with a hundred soldiers. He was headed for the bandit camp, the one Mr. McCarthy had requested him to destroy. If the camp was truly just a group of barbaric bandits, then Oliver would use his new army to kill every last one of them, and then he’d promptly take what the bandits had looted from around. But, If the people were somewhat civilized, maybe he could sell some stuff and make some gold.

“HALT!!” Commanded a voice in the distance, there was a man standing on some ruble. He wore leather armor, his hair was gray, and he seemed to be an older man. On his side was a much younger looking man, he wore a plain red shirt with some tears in it. They were equipped with wooden spears, most likely carved from some of the new fauna.

“You shouldn't come any further, I command you to halt!” Screamed the aged man once again.

Oliver did not stop, and neither did his army of hundred bone soldiers. He continued his pace, thinking that the people in front of him were just scavengers. He was still a mile or so away from the location Blaze McCarthy had told him about.

“I command you to halt, in the name of Lord Fur!” Shouted the man once again.

Oliver thought nothing of it at first, but then held his hand up and clenched his fist. “Stop!” He commanded his undead army. The reason Oliver stopped lies in the aged man's wording. When he commanded us to stop, he said “in the name of Lord Fur,” people don’t call people “Lord” in this day and age. Why did he say Lord, it’s unusual, even for the apocalypse. Oliver's curiosity peaked, and that minor detail was the reason.

Oliver, Aurelian, and Reinhard slowly approached the aged man and his companion. Leaving the army where it had stopped to not provoke or scare them away. Once Oliver reached the two men, he stopped and dismounted Aurelian. He approached the aged man slowly, and the aged man also approached him. They met in the middle, leaving both their companions behind. They got close enough to see the color in their eyes, and stopped.

“My name is Senex, and I am a part of my Lord Furs personal army, who are you to intrude on his lands?” Asked the old man.

Oliver looked at him, in his mind, countless questions raced from his subconscious to his conscious mind. But the main questions were, Why? And How?

“Then it is a pleasure to meet you, Senex. My name is Oliver, and I was not aware this land belongs to anyone?” He replied.

The old man snorted, “Of course this land belongs to someone, my Lord Fur claimed this land not long ago, but it is his. Why are you here, and why do you lead monsters?” Said Senex.

“This is my Army, and I am headed to a bandit camp not far from here.” Replied Oliver.

“A bandit camp?” Senex said with a laugh, “Our camp may have been a little rushed, but we are not lowly bandits!” He said.

“I see, then that would mean you're organized?” Asked Oliver, this apocalypse was fairly new, and the existence of McCarthy’s camp was quite a surprise for Oliver.

“Indeed, we are organized, under our Lord Fur… do you know where we are?” Asked the aged man, loosening his grip on his makeshift spear.

Oliver was sure now, anyone should have been able to tell where they were, especially an English speaker of this man's stature. The only explanation was that Senex had come from a medieval setting. Maybe there was more to this apocalypse than just the aging of the buildings, monsters, and magic. The monsters had to come from somewhere, it's possible that magic and the monsters came from another world, and this old man must have also come from that other world.

“I do, this is the ruined city of Washington DC. Let me ask a question… What is the year?” Naturally, the year would be different, if these people still use the terms Lord, then they must come from a medieval setting.

“The year? Why is it 927?” He replied with confidence, “Why would you ask such a thing?”

“You’re not from this world, tell me, did you suddenly appear somewhere strange a week ago?” Asked Oliver.

“Yes, it was like the entire Barony was teleported to this ‘Washington DC,’ do you know why?” Asked the aged man.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t know exactly why. But I know that when you were teleported, my world, this world, changed. And I was given dominion over elements… Magic is the word you’d know best.”

“Oh, so you are a mage, then that army is yours… Since you seem to know more, could I invite you to meet my Lord?” Asked Senex with reluctance, like his pride was split in half, by just the thought of letting an outsider meet his great Lord Fur.

“Sure, that was my reason for coming here.” Replied Oliver, “Lead the way!”