Chapter 66: Never Fear!

South of the Lowlands was a vast sea with many continents and underwater cities. This was the last part of the Yggdrasil Tree and was considered the roots of this giant tree. This enormous and long winding sea spread out and reached the dark celestial body on which the Yggdrasil was planted.

The roots of the Ygdrassil were known as the Dark Sea. Despite the many years that passed, only about 40% of this region has been explored. It was the most difficult region to explore and a harsh region to inhabit. The Netherlands was even richer due to the potent dark energy in which it was made of. Yet, just like the Heavenly Planes, the Netherlands was the exclusive region for the strongest devilkins and monsters in the entire Planes World.

This Dark Sea was the realm of the Undead, the Animated, the Magic Fueled, and the Forsakers of Flesh. The lifestyles of those alive by unnatural means or who have found ways to stay alive despite the corruption, darkening, or deterioration of the flesh are different.

The environment of the Dark Sea and the Netherlands, which had little or no sunlight, meant that the plants, the people, and the cycle of life were vastly different even when compared to the Lowlands, which received some light.

Most plants that grew in the dark lands matured through skotosynthesis, which used darkness instead of light to grow. And so, the plants that cultivated in the darkness didn't give off food that is only used for consumption, but it became rich in dark magic, which was used to sustain the fake life of all creatures. Just like the golems, the Undead that no longer is alive in the flesh, the Animated, the Magic Fueldm, and the Forsakers of Flesh live by a constant supply of magic.

While humans eat food that nourishes their body, those of the Undead require constant magic to preserve the flesh of whatever body they have and to have the energy to move it.

The only difference between the golems and these Dark Dependent creatures is that the Dark Dependent has always had the means to supply their energy through food. They have ways to stabilize their body and allow plants or other dark artifacts that could harness and even create a small bit of darkness on their own.

Because of this, the Dark Dependent can live and function without worrying that they would be 'drained' of any energy they have, unlike the golems. Just as humans or those alive require food to nourish their bodies, so does the dark-dependent life but only seek other forms of food.

In one of the many kingdoms that existed and bred in darkness on the east region of the Dark Sea was a mighty kingdom that vanquished all of the neighboring dark kingdoms. And even though their conquest in the region was over, they were already making preparations to move to the next region and carry out more wars. 

The dark fruits that grew from the darkness and the many strange vegetation were hauled and prepared for long-distance travel. No longer were the residents sparing to leave a few of the fruits but harvested most. A few farmers, fishers, and other ground cultivators would be left behind, along with some who would be in charge of sending food to the next area. But other than these groups, everyone else would be forced to move. Everyone in the kingdom was enlisted to be part of the army.

Everyone in the kingdom was being forced to migrate. The plan to move on to the next region and conquer the next zone was a bold plan. This kingdom had no plans of returning but would constantly conquer and move forward, and those that remained will be logistical support to fuel the conquest of the kingdom.

In the dark halls of the Vampire Lords, an angry shout erupted.

"I will kill you! Cracky Batcheeks!" The roar was so loud that half of the kingdom heard it.

A dark figure flew, and it was so loud and fast that it left a sonic boom in its wake.

It flew so fast and went towards the camp of the Forsakers of Flesh.

A large number of skeletons watched as the Vampire Lord flew with incredible speed.

"What business do you have, and why are you in such a hurry, Lord Zord Blood Blade?" A large floating skull asked as it hovered overhead.

"Bone General Urrekus. Call Bone Lord Stiggma." Zord Blood Blade impatiently demanded.

"What do you want?" A voice was heard, and piles of dust appeared and reformed into a tall skeleton with bone wings.

"Zid is dead! Who is Cracky Batcheeks?!"

"I believe the question is, who HAS cracky butt cheeks."

"Answer me seriously!"

"I know not of someone with that... horrifying name. To think he could kill one of your sons... Such boldness. Maybe he's some mercenary that managed to luck out and kill your son." The skeleton answered.

"He should be a vampire! The one that killed my son is but a minion of this man! And that minion should be a Vampire Bloodline!"

"A Vampire Bloodline?" The Skeleton's voice grew curious.

"You mean to say... that someone whose master is a Vampire Ancestor killed your son?"

"Yes! I am not mistaken! The killer was even young! So young! And yet he possessed a great power that turned his entire body to a Shadow!"

"You must have seen it incorrectly. Even you, the Blood Blade Lord, is a Forgotten Bloodline Vampire Lord since your Ancestor has fallen into Eternal Sleep. There are no Vampire Ancestors in this world since the great Nether Wars."

"I have seen what I have seen!"

"And you claim that this Vampire Ancestor calls himself Cracky Batcheeks?"

"Yes. Cracky Batcheeks the Naked Offender."

"Of course, his True Title would be 'the Naked Offender.' It's just perfect for him." Stiggma shook his head and answered sarcastically.

"I want you to open another magic portal to send my Elites through."

"Are you insane? We are preparing for war. That magic that will carry your men through the great distance and send them into the Lowlands would be of great cost! I do not have the energy or any desire to support you in your revenge for Vampire Ancestor Batcheeks."

"Stiggma! I am dead serious!" 

"I am also technically dead, and I, too, am serious. Good day, Lord Zord." Stiggma turned to leave.

"STIGGMA!" Another angry roar was heard as a large dead dragon flew through the sky.

"Oh, for crying out loud! Now what?! Necromancer, we've already finished our negotiations!" Stiggma angrily shouted, annoyed that this necromancer who he just finished meeting with would suddenly run to him with an enraged emotion.

The dead dragon had a tall rider that even though the dragon was over 20 meters tall, the man roughly constituted a third of the dragon's size.

"STIGGMA! WHERE IS MY AMULET?! YOU THIEF!" The giant of a man accused Stiggma.

"Necromancer Lorjdenheign. You clearly are unlike the stereotypical necromancers in all of the lands. Instead of a dark, brooding terror of a name, you have a classy name with many silent letters. Instead of a thin, skeleton-like, old man with pale-white skin and summoned bones, we have a large, gigantic, muscle toned man with tanned skin, dashing good looks, and a big D."

"A big D?" Lord Zord asked.

"Dragon." Stiggma pointed at the dragon the necromancer was ridding.

"And finally, instead of a cruel, calculating, otherworldly wise being, we have a forgettable, clumsy fool. Look at your right hand!" Stiggma shouted.

The large, tanned, handsome necromancer with big D looked at his right hand.

"My amulet!" Lorjdenheign cried in delight.

The angry necromancer then laughed.

"You know that thing, where you think you lost something, and all the while you've been holding it? That's what happened! Sorry, friends." Lorjdenheign laughed.

"I'm surrounded by idiots. It's a miracle we won the war."

"Anyway... why is Lord Zord here?" Lorjdenheign asked.

"He's failing to convince me in sending an elite group of Vampires to the Lowlands through portal magic. His son is dead. Killed by an alleged shadow being who also happens to be called Cracky Batcheeks, the Naked Offender. And get this, that crazy person is a Vampire Ancestor!" Stiggma laughed.

Lord Zord was turning red in anger. The way Stiggma pointed these things out and the tone of his voice made Zord's claim sound crazy.

Necromancer Lorjdenheign laughed out loud, but deep inside, he was shocked.

He was meeting the king of their kingdom by some chance and happened to hear an important discussion. The King was talking with various advisors about a man called Cracky Batcheeks! It was a secret mission assigned only to the best of the kingdom! Though he heard of it, he wasn't given a chance to search for this man!

"It seems me meeting with Stiggma and clumsily forgetting where I placed my amulet is the will of the heavens!" Lorjdenheign thought to himself.

"But your son is dead? Although the other things sound suspicious but never fear, I am here!"

"What can you do?" Lord Zord frowned.

"I have a group cultic follower who managed to take control of three Viscount groups in a certain kingdom in the Lowlands. I can communicate with them."

"Is this true?"

"As true as the silent letters in my name."

"Necromancer Lorjdenheign, please! Help me kill those who murdered my son!"

"Where did he die?"

"He died in the mountain regions of Airom Vagat in the Culcrik Lowlands Plane."

"What a coincidence! The kingdom my followers are from hail in the Culcrik Lowlands Plane! This must be Fate, Lord Zord!" Lorjdenheign laughed.