Aurora

There was smoke rising from the command center when I arrived in the town. Curious as to what might have attacked Maxwell, I made my way over to find that the front of the building had been blown off. I was about to ask what happened when Lapis emerged from the hole with an annoyed expression.

Watching her walk away, I couldn’t help but think of the phrase, if looks could kill. No doubt, if someone crossed her before she cooled down, someone was going to die. After a few moments, a woman that appeared to be of the angel race along with a goblin emerged with Maxwell behind them.

Maxwell gestured for the crowd of people to disperse. “Nothing to see here people. Just a misunderstanding,” he shouted. The crowd which was a mixture of players and NPCs began to thin out. I tried to join the precession, as I just wanted to get back to my cabin so I could transfer back to my dungeon, but Maxwell saw me before I could disappear into the sea of people.

“Kaga! I’m glad you made it back in one piece.”

Unable to escape, I sighed and turned to face him with my best smile. “I wish I could say the same for your building,” I remarked glancing behind him.

“Tell me about it.” He shook his head clearly bothered by it. “Take it from me, be careful with the NPCs you befriend.”

“Noted. What happened anyway?”

“You know, just simple misunderstanding. The goblin guy thought Lapis was a lost child in the woods. I’m sure you can figure out what happened next.”

I chuckled at the thought. “He’s lucky to be alive and you know it. Though, I might charge him for the damage done to your town.”

“That’s a good idea, but I feel like he’d resent me for a long time, and too be honest, I have enough enemies as it is.”

“True.” I was one of his biggest. I wonder how he’d feel if he knew. “Anyway, if I remember correctly, you’re going to the city tomorrow?”

“That’s right. A lot of people need to see trainers and masters to level their class and skills. We’ll probably be gone most of the day.”

“Take care not to piss anyone else off while you’re gone,” I said with a laugh as I turned to walk away. “We might be immortal but someone’s going to figure out how to make immortality a nightmare before long.”

My journey through the town was uneventful after that. Only a few people were really on speaking terms with my Kaga form. That was by choice of course. It was easier to go my own pace if I wasn’t being hounded by everyone that saw me. Even just the pleasantries that I exchanged on my way to my house in the town cost me several minute of my time.

Once I was in the quiet of my room, I was able to unwind some. I quickly checked to make sure the coast was clear then hid my body. After the room was secure, I let my mind return to my body in my main dungeon. With another thought, I was in my Aru body in Twisted Webs.

“Quin. Report.”

The Greater demon appeared from the shadows of my chamber. “Everything was quiet while you were gone.”

“Good deal.” I leaned my head back against the pillow on the bed then accessed the city menu.

Twisted Webs has encountered the Deep Dwarves of Bingran. Current Relation: Tense. Diplomacy: Possible. As Twisted Webs has merged with Scarlet Night, hostilities have subsided as Bingran accesses your nation.

Interesting. I hadn’t had any plans to start any conflict in the Labyrinth other than to increase Twisted Webs defenses. I was still trying to think of a way to reignite hostilities between Alflona and Eblos so that I could get more of that sweet Experience without being seen as the main culprit. I placed a hand on my temple as I focus on Roland. With some effort, I created a telepathic link. Judging from the effort it took, he was at least seventy to a hundred kilometers from my dungeon aura.

“Yes, my queen?” Roland asked as he felt my connection form.

“I would like a report. You encountered deep dwarves?” I asked.

“Yes, my lady. We ran into them during our scouting roughly thirty kilometers from the city edge. I suspect they were a scouting party as well. When they saw that we were not Archane, they made haste to retreat.”

“What did you think of them, threat wise?” I hadn’t encountered any dwarves yet. If they were lore accurate, then they would be durable, physically strong, with access to considerable earth magic.

“They would be harder to subjugate than the goblins. Their weapons and armor were much higher level than that of our previous foes. Judging from the speed of their retreat, should it come to conflict, our speed will be a turning point,” He reported. He really was my best military advisor.

I ran my hand through my hair as I thought about this new problem. The Archnea weren’t defenseless. They just lacked magical resources. That made them easy prey to those that did have access to magic. “Continue scouting. Work up some defensive positions that will be easy to defend in the event of an attack. I also want you to search for Bingram. I want to know where our enemies lay their heads if it comes to it.”

“I shall see to it right away.”

I sent my appreciation then cut the telepathic link. Roland was good at what he did. That was why I hated being suspicious of him over Losa’s death. If I knew he was innocent, I would have spent the mana to raise him to Paragon rank. “The shadows of this world are deep and dark,” I mumbled to myself.

I hoped to my feet deciding that a change of pace would be good. I made my way through my dungeon until I arrived at the Legendary Mural of the demon lords that I painted over a month ago. My artist skill had finally refreshed from its one-month cooldown. I felt it was time to try my hand at something new.

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The question was what should I paint? I closed my eyes as I thought. It would be nice if I could speak to Rezdona. She was the only active Demon lord at the moment. “You rang?”

I jumped at the voice. My eyes flew open, and I found myself in the resort paradise that Rezdona called home. Sighing, I took a seat across from her. “I didn’t know I was able to talk to you so easily.”

“Not easily, but it is possible. Tonight, we just happened to be on the same… wavelength,” She replied with a sultry smirk.

“I see.” I crossed my arms. “So, what have you been up to since we last spoke?”

She spread out on her ottoman. She really made a case for being the Demon Lord of Beauty. “This and that, dear child. Things are changing in interesting ways. You… travelers. I wish you lot had been around in my previous incarnation.”

“The travelers?” I asked, surprised. “What are they doing?”

“All sorts of things. Bloodshed, murder, looting, and general evil. It is like you can not control yourselves.” She pulled in a deep breath. “It is a good~ time to be a demon lord.”

“Is that so,” I replied, not looking at her. I really couldn’t argue. I wasn’t exactly operating with the best of humanity in mind. “I saw a vision of Avarice. Reaven, I think it was.”

“Annoying man.” Rezdona said with the flip of her hand. “Always horning in on everyone else’s territory. Contracts especially. He was always making twisted deals that more or less always ended poorly for those involved.”

“Could he bring back Losa?” I asked.

“No, but it wouldn’t matter. Unlike the rest of us, Reaven was one of the few demon lords that actually found death. Quite an achievement for something that is supposed to be immortal.”

“Seriously?” I was thinking all the demon lords were alive and were simply sealed away. “That’s too bad. I was planning on painting him to see if I could unseal him as well. Could I unseal Astrar like I did for you?” I asked hopefully. While I was making strides, the dungeon that contained Astrar was still nearly seven hundred kilometers away. That was at least seven dungeons to be able to reach him with my real body then there was the whole unsealing him ordeal that I would have to figure out.

“I don’t think so.” Rezdona shook her head. “Other than me, there’s probably only one other Demon Lord that you can unseal through the same method.”

“Oh, who would that be?” I asked since I made them the subject of my mural.

“Sazzaz, the Demon Lord of Whimsy and Fools. Not exactly my ideal choice of a date.” Rezdona replied. “She was very… unstable, to say the least.”

“Sounds like a basket case.” I sighed and leaned back in my seat. “I guess I’ll find something else to draw.”

“Speaking of powers beyond the pale, I smell a certain amount of dust and decay from you compared to last time.” Rezdona even made a show of spraying some perfume. “Have you been flirting with something that is better left untouched.”

I thought about whether I should lie or not, but I had a feeling that she already knew what exactly I had done. Something told me that she knew a lot more about my daily life than she was letting on, but I didn’t exactly have a way to force her to explain herself. “I joined the cult of Death.”

“Oh lovely. Where do you live again, I’m going to stay far away from it,” she said sarcastically.

“What?” I asked surprised by her tone.

“Death is something beyond everything. Everything dies, even us. That is a lot of power to be sure, but…” Rezdona paused as she picked up an fruit that resembled an apple, though its skin was golden. “Death demands a lot. Scarfice, offerings, and more usually. The last time someone of true power got in line with Death, let’s just say an entire continent was turned to ash by the end of it.”

I gulped not realizing that the implications were quite so far reaching. “I’ll take that under advisement, but I might have already dug my grave,” I replied with a shrug.

“Exactly, hence why I asked where you live so I can stay away.”

The scene around us flickered slightly. My dungeon started to impose over the paradise visage. “Looks like our time is up. It was nice talking to you.”

“You too,” I replied getting up.

“Ah, By the way. I think Fate is about to offer you another chance to become a Demon Lord. Since you’re in league with Death, I would take it. You’ll have plenty of sacrifices to offer him with all the people coming for you.”

The scene finished breaking apart and I was back in my dungeon. Glancing at the time, I found that only a minute had passed even though it had been closer to ten or more. Talking with Rezdona was like talking to a good friend. I knew she probably had ulterior motives, but I learned a bit more about the power I had access to every time. I saw it as a sort of give and take.

“That still doesn’t solve my issue of what I wanted to create,” I murmured. I walked over to a blank section of wall next to my first mural. Placing my hand on the spot, I tried to spark some sort of epiphany. Instead, I got a brutal headache as an image of Death’s face appeared in my head. Before I could stop myself, I slipped into the trance that marked my artist side taking over.

When I snapped out of it, I fell back at the sight in front of me. Unlike the mural from before, this one was different. Death was at the center of the picture, while the world seemed to revolve around him. I meant that quite literally, as the painting was moving. The only part that was unmoving was Death at the center. The scenes on the edges were in constant flux. Some were horrifying, while others were almost peaceful. All of them depicted creatures dying.

--

Mural of Death – Legendary. You have created a work of art that will shake the foundations of the world and perhaps beyond. Death is known as the one sure truth of the world. Feared by all, welcomed by some, resisted by most. As an apostle of Death, you have solidified a link to the world of the living from the world of the dead. What this means will only be seen in time.

As a dungeon core, the artwork has been endued with magic, allowing it to persist through the ages of time.

Reward: Reaper.

Personal: Night Queen -> Demon Lord of Death.

Legendary Painting created. Cooldown – Two months. Artist title awarded.

--

New Summon Unlock: Reaper – A spectral being created by Death to serve as his arms and legs in the mortal realm. They hunt those that would deny death his claim. Limit per dungeon: 1.

The air crackled around me. For the second time in as many days, an intense pain hit rushed through my body. I fell to the ground as the air in my lungs was ripped out. I wasn’t sure how long I suffered whatever was happening, but when it passed, I was extremely happy. I rolled over and dropped to the ground. I hadn’t even had a chance to consider what Rezdona had said about becoming a Demon Lord. Now I had it thrust into my lap.

As I collected myself, I saw a rift in the air above me. I sat up getting a better look when a skeletal hand burst out of the rift. In a matter of seconds, the rest of the skeleton pulled itself free from the rift. I scooted back against the wall. The skeleton only stayed like that for a few moments. Flesh appeared then skin revealing a fairly beautiful woman. A cloak soon covered her body from my prying eyes.

She floated down to the floor after her show. I was sure that this person wasn’t a threat to me, but I wasn’t quite sure what she was to begin with. Once her feet were solidly on the ground, she turned and knelt to me. “Lady Aurora. I have come to serve you at my master’s command.”

“And you are?” I asked as I pulled myself off the ground.

“Vhix. Reaper.”

“A reaper, but I hadn’t summoned you yet,” I remarked. Had I accidentally summoned her during my fit of pain.

“I am a gift from Lord Death.”

“I see.” I rubbed my head not sure what to do with her now that she was here. “For now, just hang out with me until I have something for you to do.”

“As you command,” She got up and fell in line behind me. I was momentarily distracted by her eyes which had been closed until this moment. They were amazing! I had never seen anything quite like them. They were jet black, but it was like I was looking into an abyss. The longer I stared, the deeper it went. Such a thing should be terrifying, but I was memorized. The trance was finally broken when she blinked. That was going to be an issue, but I had more pressing matters to deal with, such as the numerous notifications that I had just gotten.