"Wee," cried out Nox with absolute joy as he was tossed into the air by his father, of whom made sure he did not reach the ceiling above. For the pair was within the ballroom of the castle, one that had not been in use for many a turn.
This was due to the fact that after his son was birthed into the world, he would not allow others anywhere near him until he became of age. For there were many who desired the throne in which the Ageless sat upon, and would steal away the child if they could. Though there was the protections laid against the children within the Pantheon, such a thing did not extend to any others. Therefore, any and all events which would use such a place were to be directed towards the Pantheon's or Necropolis's own.
In the meantime, the young hybrid enjoyed the empty space as he was tossed around and caught by his father for a time longer, until the pair embraced one another within the centre. Here, the Ageless conjured up a shortened sofa for himself to sit upon whilst his son was upon his lap. Whereupon he did tickle the child's sides and abdomen, listening to his gleeful cries of, "Noo," and "Stop it, Papa." Afterwards, he did release Nox, who panted with a beaming smile up at the other whilst snuggling into his abdomen.
"Story, Papa," mewed the child softly, the thumb of his left paw lightly being suckled upon as his eyes were upturned towards the other.
To which the Ageless sighed and scratched behind his son's ears, then smiled a soft smile as the other did purr in response, "Very well. Then let us resume a little ways after your Uncle Brutus left off, alright?"
"Okay," the child closed his eyes with another one of his smiles, snuggling more into the other's abdomen once more.
*****
After leaving the forest, we did trek upon a great expanse of grass which was marred only by a treaded dirt path which led from the feline Beastfolk's village, and to a village of others of its kind. Of which was upon the path we desired to take, and was in our way.
This village, by the by, was one that held many a smokehouse for fish, as the felines here had many a farm nearest their collection of huts. Within such a farm was a collection of eleven ponds with many a fish swimming within. Of course, I took not of such a thing as we rolled through with fire and claw. For the village was not hospitable towards us once it became known, by way of Melephas no less, that we were there to fight for the Lizardfolk rather than for themselves.
How they were able to pry that out of him was anyone's guess, as they did attack us with tooth, nail, and stone tip spear. For they were as primitive as their forest loving cousins, as they had been living on the fringes of society for far too long. Neither which desired to return, as I had found out by draining their leaders and magick users of everything that they had.
The latter, by the by, did not need to cast their spells by way of spell circle, incantation, nor of another known method of casting. Instead, they simply visualised the spell they so desired within their minds, forming themselves without of their bodies, and release such a thing upon a target or multiple targets. As such, I desired it all for my person, as I was using intonements to release my desired spells. However, such a thing was not possible for my past self, as such a thing needed practice and could not be taken. To which I spat out many a curse upon whatever and whomever created such a system. Even though I knew it was futile to wish for their deaths, it nonetheless resulted in my mind calming down.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
On the other hand, we did learn of another village to the south of our position. One of which was more of a city this village belonged to, and contained many a slave of the Lizardfolk tribes. They were, by the by, used as labourers and gladiators for the amusement and abuse of others. For although I have seen much in the way of depravity this one "took the cake", as the saying went.
"No," the Ageless shook his head slowly, "I shall not speak of what had occurred. For although you have long since been introduced to the Darkness of the world, this one is too much even for you."
Needless to say, I was quite furious over what the Beastfolk had incurred upon others, and would damn them as I had the Humans upon our world of Terra. However, I had to curb such a thought, for it was what had removed my person from our world in the first place. For if the Humans had not all been eliminated, then none of this would have occurred.
As they say, "Hindsight is twenty-twenty." Of which just means we are able to view the past with more clarity than we are of the future.
After such a viewing within the minds of those I had drained, I gave a shout of, "Brutus," from within the northernmost hut where those of the most import lay dead at my feet. Yes. Melephas was there, poking one of the drooling corpses which was slowly suffocating due to it not remembering how to breathe.
"Yes, my Lord God?" called out my Lich as he approached with hurried steps.
Here, I reached out and gripped his metallic skull, slowing filling it with the memories of those I had drained. Such a method was performed thusly, as I desired to allow those under my person to know what I know, see what I had seen, and so on and so forth. Of which led to many more opinions to form when I needed another idea as to how we should move forward with the task at hand. In this case, I desired to know of the favoured servant's thoughts with whether or not I would be justified in my actions towards those of whom created such abuse towards those who were not of their race.
"My Lord God," Brutus moved aside my hands in order to stare into my eyes which flickered between their own colours and orbs of crimson blood, "They are the same as the Humans who used and abused those upon our world. Therefore, it is only natural that we should purge them from existence."
However, before he could continue, Melephas snorted once at our persons whilst commenting, "Hah. Gay."
Of whom was then rewarded with an orb of sonic energies that hurled his person through the side of the hardened mud hut. Whereupon he did chime out from only a metre away on the ground, "I'm okay," as most of the thatch roof fell upon his body. "Still okay."
Whereas I rolled my illusory eyes at such antics, whilst Brutus's left primary clawed hand had yet to retract itself after flinging such energies upon the hapless Human. Of whom was pulled out of the rubble by way of one of my skeletal Undying reaching in and tossing his person away. There, he did stand up quickly, brushing off his faded endarkened robe, before striding toward our persons.
"But yeah, that was rather gay of you two," he began, and was promptly blasted away by another gout of sonic energies.
To which I sighed a heavy sigh, and called everyone to assemble. For we were to head towards the city in the south, where we would resume that which we had signed up to perform. Which was the conquest over the Beastfolk, and as such, we would need an army of Lizardfolk to help perform our bidding. For how else would we gain the trust of the other tribes, if the conquerors of this land was not of themselves, but of a motley crew of a variety of races?
Besides the skeletal Undying and Brutus, the only ones who are not beastial were, and still are, Sisstra and Iinidra. The former is a dragon given the form of a Human, whereas the latter is a half snake woman with the lower part of her body as a serpent. However, that one was an Undead long before becoming one of my Undying. Which meant she was more skeletal than not, and therefore an enigma amongst my servants. For she is the only one amongst them without a personality, as she was simply a ravenous beast when I came into her life, and has not changed much beyond speaking in a monotone.