We did not have company, as I had believed, but my servants did find Melephas. Of whom was within a cage of wood whilst a village of feline Beastfolk decided upon his fate. Yes. This was what my skeletal Undying had reported, but not through speech. No. For they could not use their voice after such a transition, and instead relied on those who were able to read their thoughts in order to transfer their reports.

As such, the village was a mere kilometre away, towards the easternmost portion of the forest. Of which I directed everyone to venture in that direction, but only after the Gardeners' bodies were attached to their heads. Why did we perform such a task, you ask? Well, we each held a desire for nostalgia. One that only such creatures could give us, as they were of our past, and we missed such a thing.

Now, the bodies of they who tended the forests were given a rough form, which was fine. For their bodies would soon conform to the will of the Forest of Nubai, and as such, did not need a perfect body for such a thing. Instead, they merely required an anchor, of sorts, in order to return to life.

The process for resurrecting these four would take many a sacrifice, but only those full of Life Energy are allowed to be utilised. However, such beings did not need be willing, but it does help. Unfortunately for the sacrifices, such a task was a one way trip into the arms of Death Herself. Whereupon they would forever feel her embrace whilst moving on from this world. However, for these four which were taken from the broken maw of the lion beneath the lake, they will more than likely need the essences of the living in order to make a full recovery. As such, the village where Melephas was kept would be used to recreate the Gardeners.

"Therefore," my voice was spoken aloud, as my body had once again reverted to the old Human which had long since become my default guise, "we shall take care of their persons as we travel to this village."

"But," began Sia, unsure as to how we should perform such a task.

To which I smiled lightly, as my right hand was lifted towards those who we will be helping, and snapped my fingers. Within moments, vibrant green vines erupted from the ground beneath their persons, wrapping themselves firmly around the bodies whilst something stood up. Of which was a golem made up of earth and such vines, and stood at a height of four metres whilst being of two and a half metres wide.

Yes. Such a creature would stand out in a large crowd, but it would perform its duty in carrying the Gardeners forward to the village's centre. Afterwards, it'll be dismissed whilst we prepare for their return to our side.

For the time being, though, we moved forwards towards the east, and would reach such a place was twilight was upon us. This was due to our time gathering the necessary requirements for their return to life. Whereas I, on the other hand, had to gather and compound specific ingredients under the supervision of Rojaahn.

Once again, I must remind everyone that he is our Alchemist, and although I am his God and Master, I was still a novice in such arts. Which meant he became the master in this, and I his servant. Though he did not relish such a fact, nor did anyone else for that matter, the Beastman did not pay it much mind as his voice continued to instruct my person how to create a heart for the four.

This was due to the fact that they normally had their hearts inside their favourite trees, binding their persons to a radius for up to a single kilometre around. However, these hearts were to be placed inside their chests. Thus, giving them the freedom of travel, as opposed to being bound to one specific area for the whole of their life.

As to the ingredients needed? Well, such a thing will not be spoken of. For it is Rojaahn's wish that such things be left out of the history books. Yes. I allowed his wish to come to pass, and have not gone against it even once. Though, I have been tempted many a time, I do keep my promises to those who are of worth in my eyes.

In any case, the trek itself was uneventful, as the whole of the forest had silenced itself around our presence. So that the only sounds flitting through the air was our own movement as we continued forward. Of which was only halted when we came across a reception party awaiting us.

Such a thing contained more than a dozen visible entities, along with close to double the amount within the shadows. Each, however, held up a stone pointed javelin or nocked an arrow of such, directing it towards our persons. Many such faces, that we were able to view, were of confusion and anger. The former was possibly due to the fact that those under my person had metallic coloured furs and bones, whilst the latter was from our trespass upon their territory.

One of such number, a feline of endarkened fur with crimson stripes along its side, opened their small may to speak, "This is our territory, who are you?"

To which I grinned up at the speaker whilst raising my right index finger towards its chest. "Your death," was my response as my servants leapt into action.

They were each tasked with capturing the living Beastfolk so that we could have at least one of the Gardeners revived. That is, until I reiterated my commands. Of which became, "Fly to the village, my Undying, and secure the rest of their kind." This was so, as a few yowled for reinforcements from their village, even if it was rather small.

Of course, such yowlings were quickly silenced, as I allowed Brutus to "play" with their bodies. As such, the yowls became screams of horror and terror, as his laughter echoed throughout the forest whilst his person mutilated their still living bodies. Many of which cried out for a release of their lives, but were denied such a thing by way of his magicks. Therefore, they continued to endure as his magicks coursed through their bodies, keeping their blood flowing, their hearts beating, and their minds aflame.

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"No," the Ageless shook his head slowly, "I will not speak of what he did. For your mother is glaring death upon my person for even mentioning such a thing to you, Nox."

Now, whilst Brutus performed as such, the rest were subdued and bound with vines given to us by my Golem. Of which was magickally enforced, causing even the sharpest of claws to break against such a thing. These were then led forth, towards their little village whilst leaving behind the echoing screams of their fellows with my Lich, and one of my skeletal Undying ,who was quite bored up until this point. As such, he did perform very well when dealing with the Beastfolk in his possession. I was quite amused by such a sight, but could not stay due to the Gardeners needing more life force to fuel their bodies.

As for the village? There was approximately sixty and five individuals within. Within such a place, a good thirty and four percent were elderly in their years, forty and two percent were of those who were young and healthy enough to hunt and breed, whilst the rest were of children. For it appeared within my mind that such a people tended to abandon or slay those of whom were too ill or maimed by some unknown force.

This was, by the by, all gleaned from the minds of those within our care. Causing even more fear to flit amongst themselves, as those who were drained by my person fell away whilst becoming drooling idiots who could only breathe and stare forwards.

Yes. They desired to know why we were performing as such with them, but such inquiries were left in the air, unanswered. For I and mine cared little for their lives, and was only bolstered when I directed them to find our Human, and bring him to my person. This led to my soon-to-be-Chosen dashing towards an alerted village. Whereupon those within did their best to strike against my females, but failed to penetrate their metallic skin, or break their skeletal forms.

However, one of them, Iinidra, my only Lamia, reported than she did spy Shauu hugging a group of kittens close to her chest. Of which mewed pitifully as she carried them from a destroyed hut, and into the arms of a few stunned onlookers. After such a scene, she did return to her search of he who claimed to be my brother.

Of whom, by the by, was found by Amira, who dragged him by his collar and deposited at my feet. "He was drinking and eating with some of the cats, Lord," her eyes became slits as she glared at the apathetic Mage.

"What? They wanted to talk, and I was hungry," shrugged the other as he stood and brushed himself off.

Whereas I replied with a shake of my head whilst directing the captives to reenter their home. This was done so just as Brutus returned to us with a light spring to his step. For it had been a long time since he was able to perform a torture session, and relieved all of his stress upon their persons.

Upon returning to my side, however, I directed his person to conjure up his minions so that they may surround the village and keep its inhabitants from leaving. After which, the rest of my servants were to join the ghostly Undead to keep them in, whilst one was to keep Melephas still and watch what was to occur.

I, on the other hand, directed the Golem towards the centre. Whereupon it did release its charges upon the ground just as I resumed my Devil King self. Here, I did fly into the air, a mere ten metres from the ground, and began my chantings.

Of which conjured up a great spell circle below, and stretched itself to the edges of the village itself. Where the inhabitants down below, after viewing such a circle, did try to flee. Unfortunately for them, what they found was an army of ghosts and spectres at the ready to keep them from performing thusly. There was even a warning shout from those who still had a voice, but were ignored as they sought to escape.

Unfortunately for some of their number, a few spectres happily launched themselves into the bodies of the living, possessing it fully, and pushing them back inside. Whereupon the remaining did watch as those which contained such spirits had their insides absorbed by such creatures until only a husk remained. Afterwards, did the beings remove themselves from the now mummified corpse, and joined the ranks of those on the outskirts, where they did watch as clouds full of darkness rumbled in a circular pattern above the living. Of which then released many a torrent of lightning upon the ground, alighting the houses which led to many a scream to float towards my person high above.

This, of course, was only the first part of the spell, as it was used to call upon the Underworld, and open its doors to allow four essences to come through. If they had been already reincarnated, however, they would be wretched out of the bodies, sent back to such a place, and pulled through the open door which I had caused.

Now, many would understand that such a venture was near suicide. For the Gods and Goddesses below the earth did not enjoy the theft of their charges, and as such, a trade was made. The many souls of the living, for those specified in my spell. Of which were going to be the four Gardeners for the Beastfolk far below my person.

"Would that work?" Many have inquired to my person when such a topic approached their ears, and the answer was always a, "Sometimes." For who could tell how such a thing would occur until after it had done so? However, during that time, it performed as well as I had expected it to. For just as the doors opened above my person, did four essences, the colours of our Great Forest of Nubai, slowly fell towards the bodies offered below.

Yes. Such bodies did have the hearts Rojaahn watched my person create, and they glowed a golden fire from within the chests as the essences entered such a place. Of which then pulled the earth, the grasses, and many a far away tree root. These were then wrapped around their bodies until they resembled naked, female Humans. That is, if Humans were made up of would, magickal energies, and earth.

Afterwards, they did gasp their first breath after who knows how long it was, and stared about their persons with widened eyes. However, their bodies could not fully move, as the spell I cast had another part to it. One in which was used to appease the Underworld's desire for replacement essences. Souls.

Here, those within the village and around our Gardeners, fell to the earth as though they were puppets with cut strings. It did not matter their age, by the by, as all fell dead. Yes. Young, old, newborn, it mattered not to my spell. For all was sacrificed so that we could have those who were once a part of our past. Even if they were a part of this world and not of Terra.