AN: As of right now, I do not have any buffer chapters. This is merely due to my being ill and my roommates dragging me out of the house for much of yesterday. They meant well, but it disrupted my flow of thought.
What does this mean for you guys? Nothing really, only that if it continues I probably won't have a chapter ready for tomorrow.
Anyways, thank you all for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concers, please do not hesitate to voice them.
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Before such precedence's occurred, I had decided to call upon my Undying servants and those of whom still resided within the area of our new found base of operations. Replacing them to keep an eye on the prisoners, however, were several dozen of my Dolls which were in the shape of large birds of metal and bone. These Dolls were tasked with keeping an eye on the mouse-kin and beastfolk, and were allowed to attack them if they tried to escape. They were not, on the other hand, allowed to kill them unless various circumstances occurred. Such as them using greater force than necessary to escape.
As to why I summoned up my Undying, it was because I did not wish for them to be left out of that night's festivities. This excited them in various ways, whilst the Scarab-wolves simply milled about everyone with their tails swaying from side to side. Yes. I still ordered them to be cautious when attacking these being of whom foiled my plans with their presence, but this did not mean they could not enjoy themselves as well.
"What do you mean by them 'foiling your plans'?" Many of you wonder about this as I speak of such things. To be fair, I had planned to watch the slaver, and whatever guards it had, to be slaughtered by the draconic folk following under my person. This was to push them towards the darkness which I reveled in, and to bind their fates to my own whims.
Yes. I did desire to watch their features as they witnessed such atrocities before they began their slaughter, but upon realising such a thing was no longer applicable, I switched to a "back-up" plan we've always had in store if something went completely awry. Of which was to summon up my servants of worlds past, whilst plying a berserk state upon the minds of my new servants. This would allow them to attack with abandon, but also force them into serving my person forevermore.
For you see, my dear audience, this brand of berserk mental state allows them to witness every atrocity they afflict upon others. Of which can be quite... mind breaking.
Yes. I've used such tactics before, and would continue to employ such a thing when there were few options left. However, my "apprentices" would not need to endure such a thing, as they already have their fates wound tightly around my clawed fists. Ah, but this is not without some freedom on their part. Unlike those of whom were forced into become my servants, these would be allowed to roam freely, but must return to my side once called upon.
If you are wondering if I had any other apprentices throughout my journeys, the answer to such a query is a "Yes". I've had many, and each proved worthy to inherit some form of my strength, but ultimately failed when such a time arose to utilise it completely. These were then killed off, their abilities and skills absorbed into my person, then forgotten. As such failures were intolerable, and must be destroyed to insure they do not come back to haunt my person and other servants.
No. I did not allow one or more to live, as such a thing would contradict my nature. These three I had selected would either perish under their failures, or move onto greater heights as none others have seen before. Only time will tell.
*
Now, returning to the task at hand.
Once the sun dipped towards the horizon, my servants grew too impatient and erupted from the forest in order to attack a small group of silver-furred wolf beastmen. This led to my right clawed hand slapping my face with disgust, as I slowly dragged it down and off my muzzle. "Lovely," I grumbled, mounting Suun's back with Siuun in front, and San'yuu clinging to my back as the iron-dragon soared high into the clear sky above.
Yes. Shoriin was with us as well, but was currently being held onto by the girl-child. Whereas Umok was left with Sia, and would be guarding him in the event of him not participating in the event before us. It was a rather tedious venture, to be sure, and she expressed her disgust quite vehemently, but grumbled with acceptance once she noticed my being stubborn about such a thing.
Upon reaching the heavens above, I held aloft my staff of bone, and summoned up the storm clouds as I did during the attack of Freeport. However, instead of causing the land to become shrouded in absolute darkness, I opted for something more dramatic. Such as howling winds accompanied by various colours of lightnings and peals of thunder echoing across the land.
As this was happening, Siuun and Shan'yuu stared upon the world below, as three half giants roared whilst they charged with large clubs swinging about their heads. These three were brothers, and wore only a loincloth which barely contained that which was betwixt their legs. As to what the other half of their race was, well, it seemed to be some sort of rock-like creature. For their skin was covered in crystalline flesh, of which caused my person to gravitate towards them in the first place.
These three creatures, upon reaching the first of their many victims, slammed down their clubs upon the silver furred wolf beastmen with enough force to practically vapourise their bodies into a spray of red mist. Yes, and I did see the trio grin with a may full of diamond-like teeth, as they charged the next group of their intended victims.
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Whilst this was occurring, I was alerted by San'yuu towards a great spark of energy being emitted from the centre of the plains. This was a large barrier being erected in order to shield the individuals within it from a pair of vampires. Of whom had been flitting across the battlefield in order to feast upon the blood within their victims' necks. Afterwards, they allowed a few to rise up in order to attack those of whom are deemed an enemy, whilst most of their victims' head were crushed beneath their clawed hands. This was so, as they did not wish to compete with the lesser vampires for sustenance.
I had turned Suun towards the barrier, and raised up my staff to strike down the barrier. However, it was at this time I noticed a line of energy streaking towards our persons. To this, I raised up my free clawed hand in order to erect my golden, translucent barrier in order to intercept such an attack. This streak of energy was powerful, yes, but was not enough to do much beyond scuffing my shield.
Once the energy dissipated, my eyes turned about my person in order to find the source of such an attack, when a second beam erupted from beneath the dragon. To this, my staff of bone was raised with both clawed hands, of which caused my barrier to coat our entire beings. This caused the energy splash outwards upon impact with my dragon servant, as well as cursing to erupt from beneath us.
"Defend them Suun," I growled, standing atop his back before hunching my own as three pairs of endarkened wings erupted from my back. Once completed, these wings of mine launched my being into the air, just as the other flew directly into the storm clouds above their position. This allowed my eyes to spy a small group of robed individuals with plain staves and pointed hats pointing towards my form whilst a few summoned up their own energies to strike at my shielded body.
"Foolish mortals," my voice thundered across the land, as I intoned a spell of my own, "<
Although this spell had no way of chasing the fleeing group, a few of them stayed behind in order to conjure up a blue barrier of some sort. This seemed to calm a few enough to return and help maintain the shield spell, but it did no good. As my own magicks were far more powerful than their own, of which sliced through such a thing with ease.
Now, many of you may believe such a spell would cleave their bodies in twain, but this is not so. For once the arc touched their bodies, they began to wail in pain and anguish, as my energies assaulted their brains with enough strength that it caused their skulls to expand then explode. Those of whom were unlucky enough to have been splashed with the blood and gore of their fellow robed companions also wailed before their own heads were destroyed in a similar manner.
This would continue until there weren't any more victims, of whom had grown wise upon the second group of victims occurred. To this, I merely chuckled before intoning one of my first spells upon our world of Terra. "<
However, "Fell beast! Come down here and fight me!"
Far below my person was an odd creature wearing platemail which covered it completely. The theme of this armour was of a great and angered bear beastman, of which wielded a large sword and toward shield. This allowed it to protect a few of its fallen comrades whilst they fled into the ever growing shield in the centre of the plains. Around such an odd display of magick were my Undying servants and Brutus, of whom were having more success at disrupting one side of the barrier than my other servants upon the other.
The former were using the Lich's own servants, along with the skeletal and shade Scarab wolves, to hammer onto the side of such a spell. This allowed several cracks to form, as they attacked one localised area. Whereas the latter seemed to be attack in an irregular pattern, whilst chasing the various survivors down before they were able to enter such a thing.
Turning back towards the odd creature in a full suit of armour, I merely pointed my staff towards it and summoned up a several portals containing the maddened and foam flecked forms of the Draconians and Dragonocks. This caused the individual to halt in its attack upon a ghostly skeleton, and turned in time to raise its shield. As several of the Draconians howled with madness, whilst they attacked the creature without care for themselves. This then allowed the others to echo such a maddening howl, and surged towards the stunned creature. Of whom recovered rather quickly, and began to fight a desperate battle.
Well, that is until it blade pierced the chest of a small boy-child. Of which caused the other to gasp at what it had just done. This allowed the others to pile on top of it, stabbing, slashing, and clawing at its body until it was still with a river of blood flowing out of the cracks in its armour.
My voice thundered with laughter as I watched such an occurrence. This was echoed by the draconic folk below, as they surged forward in search of prey.