Walter Tye sat on a massive stone throne built from the remains of the temple of Lyons Hel, surrounded by an undying court. Thick fog obscured the sun overhead, casting the ruined city in an eerie twilight. Hagen stayed on his right, while Mockingbird and her cohorts waited their turn on his left.
A pair of terrified and silent living figures stood before him, the dismembered bodies of their three sons lying on the cold stone before them. They were the slaves of some nobles who died while escaping the gathering, leaving the children behind in hopes of distracting the ravenous ghouls who were chasing him.
It failed.
As a group of undead stared dangerously at them, Tyne could see the fear on the faces of these men; the Necromancer could even hear their rampant surface thoughts, thanks to his new [Mind Thief] racial perk.
Will they eat us? Will they kill us?
"No, they won't," replied Walter telepathically, his dead, snake-like throat now speechless. Instead of reassuring the slaves, this further frightened them, and his power overtook them.
Because in the eyes of mortals, Tai is no longer a person, not even a necromancer. He is a dark god; the kind parents tell their children to scare at night.
(disaster).
Ghouls, skeletons, vampires... all kinds of undead creatures were resurrected with the convergence, but when Tai emerged from the hole connecting Leonis and Nastrom, they were captured by his will Charmed. They claimed the city as their own, and as an army they would help him defend his new home from those who would harm them; they even drove Loki's friends out of the area, though the monsters might Will haunt the countryside for many years.
Nastrang will become a safe haven for the undead for a new Brotherhood of the Pale Serpent. A city that wouldn't fall like Castle Black.
Thankfully, Tai has no intention of wiping out humanity. Instead, he was going to save it and prove it right away. The Necromancer holds the elongated Staff of Apophis, uses the energy in the ring, and uses the [Necromancer Stone] as a medium to cast spells. "[Naglfa
]. "
The body of one of the children was repaired intact and began to breathe again. His family members hung their heads, scared yet hopeful; eventually, as the son began to regain consciousness, the mother dropped all caution and rushed to her son's side.
There's nothing better than a new spell layer. Ty can now wield spells up to the ninth level, truly joining the ranks of the Archmages.
Tai cast the spell two more times, tapping into his reserves of rings until he had resurrected the entire family.
"You are free," the necromancer announced. "Free from the bonds of men and gods. You are no longer slaves, nor do you die; you can stay as citizens of my city, or leave unscathed to start a new life elsewhere."
Apparently too scared to speak, the parents held their children in their arms. But he could read their thoughts.
What's the cost?
"If you decide to leave, you will tell the news to anyone who will listen," Tye said. "I would bring anyone back to life if someone would give me a piece of their body. Even ashes would do, or a tooth. I wouldn't ask for any price, and it wouldn't make any difference. Whether they're in Valhalla or There is nothing I can do about Helheim. Death has been abolished."
His work done, there were hundreds more to raise today, Tai waved. Three ghouls take the family to a refugee camp across the Lyonesse River. Like every living creature within a 20-mile radius of Nastrom Cathedral, the Necromancer is able to track and read minds, ensuring their obedience.
In total, Tai swapped his five [Ankou] racial levels for fifteen [Disaster] racial levels; each new perk is more powerful than the last.
In addition to giving him knowledge of his true nature, these new levels grant him near-absolute domination over the undead, enhanced spellcasting, greater defense against gods, immense strength, and control over Nastrom and its borders beyond the control of large areas. The two cities have become extensions of his will, and he can even prevent teleportation and summoning to the extreme.
Unfortunately, his new form comes with its own price. In other words, the [Holy Weapon] and [Sin-Eater] Pe
k’s vulnerability.
"I can only recover HP and SP by consuming sin-tainted corpses," Tai lamented. Although he has found solutions using SP and HP storage rings or using allies' blood as fuel, this is a weakness he can live without.
"Mockingbird," Tai said, his inner whisper filling the room. "I'll listen to you next time."
The robber walked up to Tai with the confidence of a tiger, a knife tied to his waist and a black box in his hand. She used a scarf to breathe in the fog in Helheim, becoming acutely aware of the impact of fog on people's health.
"I want something personal," Robin said, although the Necromancer had read her request in her mind before she spoke.
Ty uses his powers in the city to silence the sounds around them so no one can hear them but him and Hagen. "us".
"First of all, I love what you've done to this place," she replied, looking at the ruins. "I could use this."
This amused Hagen. “Coins are coins, no matter where they come from?”
"Yes, but I would rather the winning party pays," the criminal replied. "Judging from the latest news, your advantage is rising: King Siegfried died yesterday, some say because of illness, others say because of grief for losing all his children at once."
This gave Ty pause. "The royal family of Avalon has become extinct?"
"Yes."
good. Never again will they harm a great cause.
"The capital is in chaos and the chiefs have risen but can't agree on what to do," said the robin happily. As a black marketeer, the weaker the law, the better her chances. "Some people want to convene a convention and establish a new king, some want to conquer your tomb, while others want to gain independence from Avalon and open up their own territory. Orcs and raiders gather at the borders of the kingdom Nearby, the shark smelled blood in the water."
"What about Calvert?" demands; with the royal family wiped out, the evil Archmage may be the most likely to launch a crusade against his new homeland.
"He has not been seen since Siegfried died," answered the robin. "It's unpleasant, but even I couldn't find him. But this guy is suspicious."
"Stop it," Tai sneered.
"Everyone has a past," said Robin. "You, me, Dullahan... no matter how hard we try to cover it up, if you try hard enough, you can always find something." But as far as everyone knows, Calvert only suddenly appeared in the Royal Castle half a century ago , whispering advice into the king's ears. Maybe he wasn't Midgardian after all. "
Asclepius may have known, though he took these secrets to his grave; the Lich also said that his "colleague" had not aged a day since they met. Did the Archmage orchestrate this purge to hide some knowledge he had of his own nature?
If so, Ty would dig them out. Although Calvert cared little for revenge, he had taken a stand against the Brotherhood. He is a threat to the great cause and must be eliminated. "Why do you tell me this?" the powerful undead asked the robin.
"I want to know what you're going to do next," the criminal responded. "Avalon is collapsing, and its carcass will be fought over. Do you intend to conquer it? Or will you watch?"
"I don't want to rule Midgard," Tai replied, his truest wish being to be left alone to conduct research in peace. "But I have learned from the destruction of my orders and repeated attacks on my dungeons. As long as my enemies live, they will not stop destroying me or sabotaging my work."
Especially her, who has made it clear that she will never stop tormenting him; unlike Princess Gwenhyfar, she has a lifespan of centuries, if not millions of years. If he couldn't kill her with his own hands, then the Necromancer would break her hold on Midgard.
"His church, in particular, is non-negotiable and therefore must be destroyed," Tye declared. Hopefully, their goddess will follow suit in time.
"Now that we have strength here, offense is the best defense," Hagen agreed. "We must strike before the enemy regroups."
"I will fortify the area and create a territory where the undead and those who believe in the Great Work can enjoy eternal life in peace," Tai explained his plans. Once this is done, the worshipers of the Lord will know how much they have frightened me over the years. Their temples will be razed to the ground, and the spirits of the dead will hunt them to the ends of the earth. Nor would they feel safe in Helheim. "
"You intend to raid the kingdom of the dead?" Robin asked to confirm, more surprised than frightened.
"Some friends of mine disappeared in Helheim during the rendezvous." Duke fell into a crevice and Spook's body was never found. Thankfully, the border with Helheim is now thin, and the Necromancer can open the gates there at will. "My brother and Lich Mentor have also suffered decades of torture there. Because I cannot resurrect them with Nagelfa, I will resurrect their souls myself."
"An idea crossed my mind about the temples, sir," Hagen said. "Did you hear that the ghouls built an altar to you in Odin's old temple?"
"I know," Tai answered, hearing their whispered prayers. “They moved up in the (chaplain) class.”
"You're the priest, Chief," Hagen added.
"Can you cast a spell and empower a priest?" the mockingbird asked. This time, although she hid it well, the Necromancer could sense the surprise deep inside her.
"Yes, but I don't see the point." Tai doesn't think he is a god, and he doesn't want to start a cult. Religious rituals were expressions of the vanity of the gods and nothing more. "I'm not stopping people from taking these classes, but I'm not trying to convert them either."
Hagen shrugged, a little disappointed. "I'm just saying, what better way to break Hel's hold on Midgard than to replace her?"
"Through your actions, you create a vacuum that others will fill," agreed Robin. "If it wasn't you, it was some other disaster."
"You're implying that I'm their ally," Tai retorted. Trying to shed that label is why he no longer wants to run a blood cult. "I'm not. We have a common enemy, but that doesn't make us friends."
"Strange, for Lord Medrault does not think so," answered the robin, handing over the box, "I have a present to be delivered to your door. An apology, and an invitation to meet you at the appointed place."
She opened the container and revealed its horrific contents to Lord Nastrom.
The disgusted witch's head was frozen in fear. One of her eyes was gouged out, and the ruby she wielded was missing; instead, it was replaced by a [Phylacte
y], this [Phylacte
y] trapped the witch's soul.
It seems that, like Tai, Medlot did not take well to his subordinates' duplicity toward Laufey. This was his way of apologizing to the Necromancer for the trouble he had caused him.
"Okay, I have a complete set now." The Necromancer said, using telekinesis to pick up the [Magic Book] and put it into a bag full of magic books. With the souls of the three witches, he could use their magic.
"So Medelot is Lancelot," Hagen mused. "Is the Knight of the Lake real?"
"Possessed by Mo
ga
e's [Shadow Demon] is killing Gwe
hyfa
He heard the last conversation between him and her before. "After hearing the news, Tai felt infinite relief. He even allowed himself to smile like a child, now free from the princess's interference." Medlott murdered the real Lancelot and took his body Use a mask to infiltrate the Royal Knights"
"I've heard of this ability," said Robin. "Only available to the highest echelons of the Loki Cult"
Ty didn't need to read her mind to know what she meant.
Metro serves the Legion of Doom, and if he can safely kill Loki's Priestess, he won't have to be cunning anymore.
Now is the time for open warfare.
It doesn't take a genius to understand the motivations for Medrut's new faith. The king took his family away, so he killed his own in return; both legally and illegally, if Morgan's "Destruction" is any indication.
Metro calls King Siegfried his brother, which surprises Tai. He heard the rumors, but...
Why hadn't his old friend come to see Ty after he'd done this horrible thing? He'd left Leonis in the middle of the assembly, taking the bodies of Arthur and Gwen Sifhar with him. Whether he intended to raise them as undead or hang their heads on the wall as trophies, the necromancer could only guess.
Maybe Tye was mistaken, but something about the device bothered him.
"Lord Medlot's army has captured the Logres region." "They have raised an army of cultists, monsters, undead, and followers. I believe he intends to march into the capital and sack it."
This is the last revenge against the kingdom that abandoned the Pale Snake Clan. Walter has no love for the city, but he would rather avoid waking up all of Medrut's victims after the trial is over. "I'll be meeting him soon," Tai announced. "As for you, Mockingbird...can I trust you to be on the right side?"
"I want eternal life," the robber said bluntly. "You can offer it to me, and if the end of the world comes, I won't be able to enjoy my wealth."
"Smart. You have a future."
"I still think you should fill the gap," she insisted. "If only to prevent attacks on supply lines."
"Or at least secure the borders, Chieftain," Hagen agreed, "I'd rather avoid spending the next few decades fending off goblin raids and barbarians worshiping Therin."
"Alternatively, you could make peace with them because they don't like Avalon," Robin suggested. "You have hired the orcs, the eastern tribes just want some of their land back."
It's refreshing to meet someone who's morally flexible, Tai thinks, as is Mockingbird and Hagen who openly contradicts views.
It’s much more enjoyable to hold all the cards.
After raising over two hundred more, Tai decided to take a break and walk around the ruined Lyonesse, using a transformation spell to shrink back to his normal human form. Although his strength had not diminished, he suddenly felt so small in his old body.
Even now, days after the convergence, Helheim's poisonous fog has not lifted from the streets. Although the mist can be seen through sight, it is a curse to the living, shortening their lifespan; Tai would not have done this if he had not invented the elixir of life.
In addition to allowing him to cast the first truly perfect resurrection spell (Naglfa
), Tye's [Necromancer's Stone] can produce several pounds of synthetic elixirs per day; the alchemist no longer relies on the Fountain of Life to produce his potions. Eternal life is finally within reach for all.
Unfortunately, few accepted his offer.
Not that Tai can blame the citizens of Lyonnes. For centuries they had accepted Death, brainwashed to see him as a demon that was destroying their cities, and therefore wary of him. But the Necromancer is optimistic; as proof of his good intentions and the effects of the elixir, more people will welcome the gift.
Mockingbird, the savvy wisecracking star once suggested that people would be afraid of free gifts but would accept paid treatments... maybe she had a point. Tai agreed to a test, exchanging the elixir for gold or services until the idea of immortality became accepted in mortal minds. The necromancer will then set it free.
Meanwhile, [Nagel's Law] proved to be a perfect spell. With just a physical memento of the deceased, it can bring anyone back to life, even those who have been dead for years, or even centuries. Those who were resurrected were not punished in any way. The only limitation is the [Necromancer's Stone], which is the magical focus the spell requires.
As he was walking down the street, the undead entity came towards his shop and looked around the area. Many undead took over the homes destroyed by the Convergence, imitating their lost lives; skeletons cleared shop fronts, ghouls rolled dice in taverns, and vampires took over the library. White rats take over roofs and drains and are soon to spread across the countryside. It's a dark, deathless mockery of a normal city, but Tai prefers it that way.
Although Mrs. Soult nearly wiped out a whole swarm of rats, it didn't matter as long as one rat survived. These critters are spreading like a plague throughout the city, their numbers increasing at a nightmarish pace.
Over time, Tai has realized that his presence as a [disaster] spreads the undead. Corpses rise spontaneously in the area, and scavengers multiply at an unusual rate. Maybe in time, no one on Midgard would die without rebirth; that would make his job much easier.
Finally, Walter arrives at the store he's restoring, opens the door, and finds a ghostly [banshee] telepathically moving potions on the shelf.
"Good morning, master," said Laufey's ghostly self, emphasizing the pretended servility. "How was your day today?"
"Tired," the alchemist replied as he supervised the shelves. "Excellent work. Everything is symmetrical."
"as you wish."
To be honest, he preferred her bound elf image to the living Luofi.
As an ironic punishment for her betrayal, Tye puts the witch in charge of repairing, cleaning, and reorganizing his shop. She once despised the peaceful life it represented and now defended it. Centuries from now, once the world has fully embraced immortality and no longer needs gods, perhaps Tai will be back there selling potions.
"Good, I'm glad there's no bad blood between us," Tye said with a smile.
"I'm glad you're so lucky in love," Laufey replied in the same tone.
The necromancer left her to continue her work before moving to the sanctuary above him. Although the apartments had not been used since he settled in Lyon, he allowed some people to settle there since most of the houses were destroyed.
He found Percy guarding the kitchen door and bowed. "M.M.
. Aspects. "At the sight of the Lord of Nastrom, the Night's Watch tensed up like soldiers facing a predator.
"I want you to relax," Tay said, trying to get him to relax. Unfortunately, Percy's house was destroyed during the rendezvous, but the necromancer was a good friend. “My home is small, but I hope it’s enough.”
"I...it's okay." The young man looked away, feeling uneasy about the appearance of the Necromancer.
"I apologize for getting you killed, Percy," Ty said, sounding a little weird when he said it. "While (Nagle's Law) had no ill effects, Spook disobeyed my orders."
"I understand," Percy said, even if he was only half-truthful. "Where is Sir Sigurd?"
"I hid his soul in [Phylacte
y]," Taylor admitted. "If he would rather die, I would either resurrect him or send him back to Valhalla. Now that the great work is done, I no longer care about locking him up. If you want to talk to him, I can summon his shadow. "
Of course, if he wished to be resurrected, Tai would demand an oath from the late Sigurd; if the knight ever took up arms against the undead again, the consequences would be fatal.
"I'd be happy to," Percy replied, a little worried, but polite nonetheless. Although the [Death Lord] frightened the Squire, the fact that he had been resurrected and treated well seemed to calm him; it warmed Ty's heart that Percy wanted to see the good in the necromancer.
"But what will you do once your old master has made his choice?" Ty asked, sensing the squire's insanity. "I will not prevent you from leaving the city, but you are welcome to stay if you wish. We are building a new Lyon and I want you to become its citizen."
The squire made no answer. He didn't know the answer himself.
"Tell Mrs. Se that I would like to invite you both to dinner after meeting an old friend tomorrow." Tai glanced at the closed door and said. "Annie."
"She's in there, praying to Baldy," Percy confirmed. Just like the previous three days, Mrs. Salter had been asking questions to a god who didn't want to answer. "I gave my lady something to eat, but she ate none. But I will tell her."
He sighed. "Percy, this is not an order. If you or Mrs. Severus don't want to come, I won't force you."
The squire did not believe him.
Ty left Percy behind and moved to the next bedroom, where someone now lived. He knocked on the door once or twice, and went in when no one answered.
Anne lay on the dusty bed, curled up in a ball like a wounded and depressed child.
"I hope you make good use of it," Ty said thoughtfully. "I've never."
She looked up at him and said nothing. The sight broke Ty's heart; it hurt him even more to see his cheerful protégé so sad, and to see Mrs. Busser neglecting him. It reminded the Necromancer of himself after Fenrir's children tore his parents to pieces.
"Annie, you were healed and I made sure your family was evacuated during the collapse," the Necromancer said. "You should be able to contact them magically, or meet them in person."
"Yes," she finally said. "They fled to my aunt's territory and wanted me to join them."
"Then why don't you go?" Tai sat on the bed, but the witch moved back a little, which made him unhappy. "Annie, it's still me. I haven't changed."
"Are you already a necromancer?" She bit her lower lip. "When you taught me magic?"
A side nodded. "I assure you, I have no ulterior motives. You are a smart girl, Annie. You deserve a mentor. We had a lot of fun, didn't we?"
"I guess I never knew who you were, Tai." Her voice sounded more sad than hurt or angry.
"If I told you that I was an immortal, would you accept me?" he asked. "I am your friend, Anne. I always have been, and if you will allow me, I always will be. My feelings for you have nothing to do with my nature."
"How is Wulong?" she asked suddenly. "Are you going to raise him too?"
"He dragged your still-alive friend to Helheim, probably to use him against me." It's no coincidence that Helheim kidnapped the group's only Earthling after Tai developed a weakness for them. "I will work with my people to retrieve him."
"Gwe
?Mo
ga
e?”
"Even if someone brings me the body, I will not resurrect Gwen Siffa." Tai replied coldly. "I gave her too many chances to leave. If she fought so hard to get into Valhalla, she'd be stuck there. As for Morgan, I sent her to Helheim, so I'll keep her with your other Find it with a friend."
She looked at him strangely, as if trying to figure out what he meant.
"I don't know what you mean, Ty," the witch said. You killed many people and raised them from the dead. You destroyed this city, but you cured my demonic aura. Now, you will cure anyone who asks you for free. "
"Is it so difficult to believe that life is not black and white?" the Necromancer asked his disciple. "I'm not the bad guy in your story, Anne. I'm not the bad guy that others say I am. I just want to create a world without death. Is that wrong? Do you want to die?"
"No, of course not," she replied, clearly confused by what was happening. "I don't want to fight with you either."
"You're not forced to."
"But... you're a disaster, Tay," she said, with tears in her eyes. "You're a threat to everyone."
"The prophecy said I would start Ragnarok, but I didn't." Maybe that's why he didn't get to level 100 like the other disasters. "The truth is, I want to preserve life, not destroy it. Of course, I've buried some souls in my quest, but these are just a means to an end."
Although he was polite enough not to read Annie's mind, Ty knew he was about to impress her. Anne was a kind, gentle girl; she saw the good things he did, and even though it conflicted with her education, she wanted to be his friend.
"Why don't you go back to your family, Anne? Why do you stay?"
"I don't know," the witch admitted. "I don't know what I want anymore. This world has no meaning anymore. The dead rise, the gods don't answer prayers, my country no longer exists, and you are everything the Royal Academy trained me to fight."
Ty watched her in silence for a long, painful minute.
"Annie, I remember what you told me," he finally spoke, "about your teleportation system. You said your mentor thought it was too dangerous to try... but what if you learned magic among people willing to take risks? ?What if you learned real magic, spells that could change the world, instead of the God-vetted magic taught to you in magic schools?"
Anne frowned. "What does it mean?"
"I'm one of the last necromancers, and...alone," Tai admitted. "While I possess great strength and longevity, I wish to spread my knowledge to others so that it can live on." I was once a member of a fraternity dedicated to pushing the boundaries of science and magic; now my powers are somewhat Now that it's solid, I plan on restoring it. I hope you become a member of the new White Snake. "
"You want an apprentice," Anne realized, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"If you still have reservations about staying with me, I can give you my notes before you leave Leonis," Tai said kindly. "I wrote down most of my knowledge in case any knight Good luck. I can't think of anyone else to inherit this legacy but you."
She seemed genuinely stunned by the offer. Maybe it's because Anne finds it a little weird to be his apprentice after everything that's happened, or maybe because she knows that Tai's notes contain spells that rival the Archmage Calvert himself. Even if she decides to leave, the treasure trove of knowledge he provides is why she joined the Academy. The Necromancer placed a huge amount of trust in her by keeping her fully informed of his research, some of which could be used against him, and she knew it.
But Tae guessed which of her sides would win before she even said those words.
"I..." Annie coughed, trying not to sound too interested. "I wouldn't mind checking the notes."
He had always admired her curiosity.
