Lucius sat dazed at his desk from the information he just received... An army of Neolith within the borders of Deagoth... Unannounced? Sent on the behalf of the second Consort, Princess Emily of Neolith???

[What the hell is going on in this underworld?!?] Lucius could only think to himself.

This was only something that the God-King could judge on, but it had been two weeks since he went "Closed-Doors."

Lucius looked to the Chronometer on the wall, as he sighed to himself. Shane, Hand Servant of Lucius, spoke while he stood of Lucius' desk to the side, "What's the matter, sir?"

Lucius rubbed his bald skull, as he confided in Shane, as he would always in private.

"It seems that Neolith has sent an army up to Souigak to help with the Dead Tide, but... How did they go unnoticed through our Kingdom to make it to the other side, unless they went through Nation of Borda...? I don't see that though. At any rate, I need to inform the God-King for his decision on how to handle these potential allies, but I know for a fact he's knee deep in Leslie's soul... Haaa~"

Shane began to wonder when sighing out loud became such a custom, among other things, as he spoke, "Why not just rustle him from his land of pleasure... He can always return, right?"

Lucius felt a bit awkward since that time he busted Jack's door down, about the whole situation, buuuuuut... It wasn't like he really had a choice.

"You're right. I'll be right back. Prepare something stronger than Holy Dust, please."

"Yes, sir." Shane nodded, as he began to clear the burnt offering's plate.

Lucius left his office as he made his way through the winding halls to Jack's room.

[...I really need to appoint a new Archbishop over Bellum... Too bad, Archbishop Javon was lost to the bombing of Zitergall... Haaa~] Lucius thought as he sighed again to himself. He found that he enjoyed sighing to release his pent-up frustration.

[I'm unsure how quickly we can throw up Bellum, otherwise Jasper would be a great candidate.] Lucius thoughts became as such, as he stood in front of Jack's door.

He pondered while looking at the door, how best to enter.

[Maybe... Slowly walk in and rap on the tomb led... So awkward... I'm not in the right here, otherwise, I would just kick in the door and storm in! Should I really kick in the door of the God-King? But... He keeps insisting to call him Jack... Such kindness and humility of my Lord. Then... I should just do what I would normally do! wait...] Lucius thought and mulled it over...

[Maybe I am in the right! I mean, it's urgent! Yeah! YEAH!]

Lucius summed himself up, and then with a simple hymn, as light flashed around Lucius' right foot.

He lifted his leg and brought it hard against the door of the God-King's abode.

The Holy Bone door was shattered, and splinters cascaded from the threshold into the room, as Lucius walked in with large strides, now with a commanding presence!

Two steps into the room and two bloody gold eyes full of malice greeted Lucius on his third step, as he paused his foot before taking that step.

"Ahhh..." Lucius was at a loss, as he stared, as a very ill and malevolent-looking Vampire Princess, half lying next to Jack's evening tomb.

"Grand Minister... I believe that's what you are called, Grand Minister... Why have you kicked in my god's door?" Eris asked with an agitated tone.

"I-Uh... I have urgent news for my Lord!" Lucius tried to regain his momentum.

"And this urgent news required you to shatter his door, and walk in like you owned my god's room?"

"Well, you see-" Lucius was interrupted by the sound of the evening tomb lid's mechanism activating.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

[OH, THANK YOU GOD-KING~!] Lucius roared in his mind.

As the lid slide over, Jack raised up from where he was, barebone, and his flaming eyes burst into radiance as he surveyed the room.

He looked to the shattered door on the floor, Eris half laying below him, and Lucius standing with an awkward pose.

He finally spoke, breaking this odd environment, "What the hell-ooooh? Eris, Lucius... What are you guys doing?" Jack looked down to Eris.

Eris' malevolent look vanished as Jack's gaze looked her over, as she purred, "Your pet is waiting for you to rouse. Your pet is dirty and wishes for another bath. Your pet, also, wishes to speak to you about... Things."

Jack didn't want to bath this crazy thing, but what did she want to talk about... He looked over to Leslie who was currently lying next to him dripping with sweat and huffing in fatigue. She had slid down lower in the tomb, even in exhaustion, as not to be seen by either Lucius or Eris given her current state was the same as the day, she received her adult body.

Jack looked back to Eris, "Maybe, I will in a few minutes... Lucius... What's wrong?"

Lucius took a moment to calm himself, as he spoke, "I've come to inform you that an army of Neolith calling itself the Eighth Leg has come to the outskirts of Souigak and states it wishes to ally with us to combat the Dead Tide. They state they are under orders of second Consort Emily."

After a pause, while Jack thought to message Emily, he heard Leslie speaking next to him.

To Lucius and Eris, the disembodied voice of Leslie rang into the room, "It's alright. The Eighth leg was made by the Queen of Neolith to safeguard Emily. I take it she's handed the army over to Emily now that she's Consort."

Jack nodded a few times, not doubting Leslie even slightly. He turned to look at Lucius, "Based on your and Leslie's intel, accept their help, but make sure to also keep them at arm's length. We don't know if Neolith has slipped in some spies. We don't need to be backstabbed while fighting off the Dead Tide either. Inform Emily of her new Army provided by Neolith and see what she thinks. Don't forget to let her know about what I said about spies. She's smart enough to know. Speaking of Emily, what's happened with the Holy Concrete formula?

"Ah, about that." Lucius remembered he was sitting on that information for a week now, "I introduced Consort Emily with High Alchemist Raleigh. Besides him praising Emily as a genius in Alchemy and a travesty that she hasn't been allowed to study it further in her unlife, they were able to produce Holy Concrete, and have perfected the ability to mass produce it. High Alchemist Raleigh also solved the problem with it hardening if left unattended, by consciously moving it."

Lucius glanced at Eris, as she continued to look up at the skull face of her god with an infatuated look. Lucius shook his head.

"Err... That's great." Jack spoke but felt bad he didn't make mention that concrete needs to be always turned or it sets... Oops.

"Have them begin to mass produce it and send them any help they need. I'm sure you know who to send for manual labor."

"Indeed, I do." Lucius thought of the former slaves of Neolith. The soon to be freed workforce of Neolith.

"Alright... Is there anything else?" Jack asked as he wanted to return to his love scape, as soon as possible.

"There is, ah... Emily's coming of age ceremony... You made mention before you retired to your evening tomb, but did you want to make it a big deal, or did you want to just keep it here in the palace?"

Jack thought for a moment, as he turned his head to Leslie, "I'm thinking of keeping it small... After all, I'm supposed to wait until I marry her to do this. What do you think?"

Leslie nodded, "I think that sounds good... Friends and Family kind of thing."

"I agree. Let's keep it low key."

"Alright... Lastly... Doctor Hollowell... She's..."

"She seems to have lost her mind?" Jack interrupted Lucius.

"For a lack of better words, yes."

"Has she researched what I asked." Jack continued.

"She has... And... I find it disturbing, to say the least."

"What do you mean?"

"She has found that for she can replace the blood of a Zombie with liquid Glowstone, though how she made it liquid is anyone's guess, but nevertheless, she can replace black blood with Liquid Glowstone... But only for Light Cultivators."

"...How does this help the Zombie Undead?!" Jack was eager. This was something he hoped for!

"It seems to allow them to go beyond their physical limits. I don't understand any of it really, but it makes them, I guess Super Soldiers? I believe that was your aim when you suggested her to research this." Lucius added at the end, his belief. He glanced back to Eris, who now was staring at him again. In her eyes, he could still see a bit of violence as she was viewing him. He wondered if she could tell that he was looking at her, even though he kept his face pointed to Jack...

"That is indeed my intention, but they are just better soldiers at the moment. What I want is something more... Super. Let Dr. Hollowell know that I will be visiting her soon."

"Of course,... Should I tell her to stop some of her research until you arrive... It seems that she has recruited a number of volunteers among the faithful Zombies of Neolith."

"Of Deagoth now, Lucius... But... No. Don't stop her. Let her continue, but she isn't to force anyone to do anything. Understand?" Jack spoke as his flaming eyes crackled with a fierce light.

"Of course, my Lord, " Lucius bowed low.

"Good. Anything else?"

"No. I shall carry out your wishes now." Lucius turned and left quickly. This whole incident was a train wreck from the moment those baleful eyes stared at him. Lucius wouldn't admit it, but the Vampire Princess creeped him out.

"Leslie... I'm going to let you rest, so We can continue round two, while I go bathe the pet."

"Alright. In the meantime, I will get some agents to look out for the Eighth Leg."

"Good deal." Jack turned his vision back to Eris, "Eris. Let's go bathe you."