Haldiram was standing in second church their little warband had hit.
All around him lay the broken bodies of the priests of Kellor unarmed they had falsely assumed that Kellor the god of light would protect his them. Alas they had not expected Haldiram one of the greatest necromancers of his age to knock on their door.
Haldiram Chuckled, he removed his foot from the neck of the high priest who ran this church.
Stepping off Haldiram kicked the high priest onto his back with a loud thud and sounds of pain from the injured high priest.
Haldiram kneeled down beside him and looked around at the carnage “All you are is to be cattle, being led to the slaughter, your purpose is and forever will be to feed my kind”
The High priest looked at him with a sorrowed expression and with his final breath he uttered “Lord forgive them for they know not what they do”
Haldiram looked at him almost pitying almost, He stood up and shouted for Magog not soon after the ghoul captain stepped inside the church, his whole body was soaked in blood from head to toe. “Did you catch the once who fled?”
Magog nodded
“Anyone alive?”
Magog held up one finger
“Bring the mortal to me and find me some nails and a hammer”
Haldiram looked down at the dead high priest “I know exactly what i’m doing”
Magog came back dragging a young blond farm boy by the hair he was kicking and screaming once he arrived he threw the boy onto the ground in front of Haldiram
Haldiram studied the boy he could smell that he had recently wet himself
“You will do, what is your name boy?”
The blond boy simply looked at the ground either too afraid or too stupid to answer
Haldiram nodded to two undead warriors they lifted the boy up and pinned him to the church door. Another undead warrior came forward with a hammer and nails and started to hammer them into the boy's exposed palm.
Haldiram looked on in silence, he was not a cruel man but in his experience having a reputation for it is better than not having it. Psychological warfare is the simplest and cheapest way of conducting a war, if the enemy is too afraid to face you in battle you’ve saved yourself both time and resources.
Haldiram turned to magog “status report”
Magog spoke with a cold calculating voice his allegiance was not to Haldiram but to Marcus but his master had given him an order to follow this new master for the time being.
“20 mortals dead in total, 200 potential graves, 200Kg of gold and silver in the form of church artifacts and personal belongings and 1 barrel of blood.
Haldiram listened attentively this was a good first raid now it was his time to perform.
“Bring the barrel of blood to the graveyard and the corpses of the recently slain. Before moving to the graveyard Haldiram walked up to the Blond boy that was now weeping slowly.
Haldiram pulled out a knife and plunged it into the stomach of the boy with the boy screaming Haldiram plunged his hand into the open wound and pulled out the boys guts and let it hang from his stomach to the earth.
Later
Standing at the crossroads that separated the graveyard Haldiram lifted of the lid of the barrel, he could see the red liquid inside. He scooped up a cup and drank it was delicious and then he started to chant the forbidden words, over and over again he could see the nature around him starting to die, how the tombstones start to crack.
Then the blood started to float from the barrel into the air, Haldiram started to direct the blood to flow around him. He was using the blood to lure the spirits of the dead who were buried here and in exchange for the blood they would animate their old decayed body.
And not long after the earth above the graves started to part as newly animated corpses started to claw themselves to freedom and join the undead horde.
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210 new undead warriors moved to join the herd, but first Haldiram ordered that the graves be reburied and none would be the wiser.
Haldiram and Magog with their horde continued on to sack two more churches before returning to the cave. All in all they had plundered about 600 more undead warriors and 700kg of gold and silver.
Marcus had led his troops through the forest he was leading them towards a lonely monastery it’s inhabitants marcus had a bone to pick with. The monastery was a training grounds for the warriors of Kellor, the hated brotherhood of light.
It was midnight when the small band of 50 undead warriors arrived at the monastery, Marcus surveyed the surroundings around the monastery. The building itself was quite large the centerpiece was the main chapel where they would conduct regular prayers to Kellor the god of light and presumably the senior members of the brotherhood.
There were also a courtyard where the brotherhood of light’s recruits would train until they were released as full members. The courtyard was flanked by two wings the the right was presumably the dormitory and to the left was an administrative building with classrooms and other necessities and the whole complex was surrounded by a 2 meter tall stone wall roughly 20 centimeters thick and a wood gate facing the courtyard.
Marcus decided to sneak up and acquire more information alone since his undead warriors were somewhat useless in the sneaking department.
Marcus quickly and efficiently scaled the wall and was on the other side in seconds without wasting a moment he dashed towards the left wing of the monastery hiding himself in the buildings shadows.
He surveyed the courtyard nobody around the were most likely not expecting any sort of attack since the whole complex is dedicated to creating elite warriors for the brotherhood.
There were no guards at the gate it was locked however, Marcus grabbed the bars on each side of the lock, braced and snapped it Marcus was about to order his warriors to enter the courtyard when he felt it damn…a cleric
Marcus turned around towards the courtyard in the middle of it was a single man he was dressed in a white robe but Marcus saw through the curves of his figure that he was wearing heavy armour most likely enchanted as well.
But then it struck him what was he doing why was he scurrying around like a frightened rat?
Was a mere burglar or the founder and ruler of all vampire kind no no no this would not do.
Marcus walked slowly forward towards the cleric, the undead warriors pushed the gate open and slowly followed their master into the courtyard. From the chapel several dussin white robed individuals holding all manner of weapons started to walk slowly up and stand behind the cleric.
Soon both forces stood face to face one dark another light marcus made a note of commissioning a painting of this moment it was very symbolic.
Marcus and the Cleric both took a step in front of their forces the Cleric spoke first.
“You dare defile this holy place with your filth vampire i have hunted your kind before and i will cherish this moment, praise be to Kellor may his light shine upon us this fortuitous night.”
Marcus simply smirked “you have it all wrong cleric Kellor may rule the day but i rule the night you are free to prove me wrong you and me i relish the challenge.”
The Cleric turned towards two individuals behind him they both nodded “as you wish vampire you and me but i see you have no weapon”
Marcus channeled his shadow magic the magic flowed from his hand until it formed a sabre made from pure darkness. “Oh i have my weapon right here”
If the cleric was surprised he did not let it show as he pulled his sword from his scabbard it erupted in a bright flame illuminating the arena.
Marcus twirled his sword around him simply unconcerned “oh this will be fun”
Marcus made a couple of quick jabs at the Cleric testing the waters, it was easily deflected the Cleric however did not seem to be interested in games and quickly went on the offensive.
Marcus used his agility to evade one strike another he ducked while simply ignoring to attack savoring the battle.
Marcus jumped back to gain some breathing room, the Cleric was clearly not amused “fight”
Marcus twirled his sword “as you wish” and with a smile the true battle began.
The shadow blade struck the clerics flaming longsword the picture was out of legend. The swordsmanship of both combatants was impressive but Marcus had done this a lot longer than his opponent he knew all the tricks and moves in the book some of them he had even invented.
Marcus swung his sword in an arc nearly cutting the cleric apart but he avoid within a hairsbreadth both combatants made an overhand cutting motion locking blades the cleric held his blade with both hands marcus aswell but in an unexpected motion he prepared to evade while he at the same time disabled his shadowblade making the cleric fall forward marcus dodged the incoming blade but the Cleric was stumbled forward and in a quick motion marcus grabbed the clerics head and snapped his neck.
The Cleric motion carried him flying into the dirt, the remaining brotherhood of light warriors looked in stunned silence
“Sorry to interrupt the grieving but i do have a timetable to keep” motioning for the moon
The roar of the warriors of Kellor was music to Marcus's ears he simply smiled as the forces of darkness and light, undead and mortals fighting to the death the battle was glorious and the victory would have surely gone to the warriors of light if not for the sheer battle prowess of Marcus killing with the strength of 100 men he was unstoppable and soon Marcus finished of the last warrior of light.
After the fight Marcus raised the now dead brotherhood of light recruits to join his undead horde, While marcus lost 40 of the undead warriors he set out with he gained 60 new undead warriors from the dead. He quickly ordered them to loot anything of value and all the weapons they could find while he rested and worked on a special project.
Marcus walked over to the dead Cleric laying on the ground he kneeled down and started stripping his armour he had plans for it.
When all was said and done Marcus had a horde of 70 undead warriors, they looted 500 weapons of various kinds, 50kg of gold and silver in forms of religious artifacts and one suit of magical full-plate.