Chapter 247: Back in Demme

[Pull of the Dead], [Animate Shadow], and [Venom Cloud]. The three spells I've unlocked since training, the three I've yet to try out in a safe, practise environment. 

Anselm raised us out of the well, though on the way out, we somehow had to fight even more enemies. It troubles me to think what holes and creeps they came out from. 

Now we're taking a break, regrouping and strategizing. To that point I stepped into Demme for the first time in over a week of hunting and fighting. I reek, and the men who stopped to greet me know it. But that's to be expected after such a time. 

The clothes have been discarded though I enjoyed wearing those reds because of the memory of Carbina,I can't have it stinking up the place. Stepping out of the bath, steaming and stretching, feeling renewed at last, I glimpse the spread of clothes set out for me.

A fiery coloured coat hangs on the rack along with a tough, light plated armoured shirt and thick leather hide trousers. Throwing on the shirt and coat I find its a perfect fit, not for the first time I wonder if these people measure me in while I sleep, a similar accuracy happened with Carbina and Frozia.

Overall the spread isn't to my tastes but the addition of little armour here and there helps convince me to put it on nevertheless.

Slipping on the trousers I buckle my trusty purple pouch around my waist, my dagger remains sheathe in it, it rattles with gold and the latest addition, the [Soul Gem]. To be honest we could have kept going up the layers for a while longer, at least two or three more layers if I used [Soul Manipulation] techinques. Though we'd inevitably have to turn back because if the progression so far told us anything it's that the monsters grew in strength the further we climbed.

I didn't bother using [Soul Manipulation] techniques not because I didn't think of it, but more like I couldn't afford to on something that'd make the buff useless. The numbers of souls I can reap are finite, many creatures will die before I can steal said soul, and despite the exhaustive power of a soul, my spells don't always match up to the enemy.

The last ones we faced, the pesky, speedy lizards that were upon me within seconds. They evaded all of my normal range attacks and pounced on a short ranged me, my bone shield's only last once, sometimes two or three and even four bones are needed to take the brunt of an attack. To an enemy as slippery, speedy and strong as that, I am terribly vulnerable.

This short ranged, melee weakness of mine is usually supplemented by a thick horde of undead ahead of me, devouring the enemy before I can even be bothered by it. But the tunnel layers master inhabitants, the children of the Beast Mother, have a terrifying effect of ploughing through my [Undead Servant] horde. 

[Undead Servant] being the only way I have at the moment to raise non-humanoids and an expensive one at that, I am left with no real way to advance through the layers. It would drain through the [Mana Empowering Souls] I create with [Soul Manipulation], it'll all go to waste the moment we come across one of the snakes.

Anselm seems to have noticed this bottle cap, because of it he suggested I look into other, stronger forms of Undead to summon, we'd need an army to push through the layer and kill the Beast Mother, wherever she's hiding.

His suggestion along with the fourth piece of power the System bestowed upon me, the ritual [Bond Wraith] gave me an idea, or rather, reminded me of one of my more forgotten powers.

[Summon Spirit]. The spell I've used most often and the spell that keeps Anselm lingering, it has a particular power one I underrate and hesitate to use. Every spirit I've summoned is dislodged from the point where Anera hammered them to and they become free to roam. I believe the price for this freedom is a loose bond between the spirit and I.

The more I summon a particular spirit, the stronger the bond and perhaps the more permanent it is. This bond is what gave me control over Anselm that night at Carbina, the ability to impose my will on him, to overright his mind entirely to do whatever be my bidding.

It's a power that scares me, and I think he felt the potential of it from the little I used on him, we don't speak about it, but its deeply uncomfortable to have in the back of my mind. Even more so considering what I'm thinking of doing.

The spirits lingering in their plane, parallel to ours are just another type of Undead aren't they? Besides, I think many of them would appreciate getting set free from where the God of Life pinned them. Another reason not to hesitate would be how well it works for me.

If I can wield an army of undead, endlessly regenerating ghost warriors fighting at my behest...well, it would give a lot of credit to the title God of Undead and Unrighteous Souls.

If I can just get past the grinding in my head telling me not to, I can have a dead Beast Mother lying at my feet before this new week comes to a close.

There's a knock at the door and I huff, shaking my head clear of all battle related thoughts, "That better be food!"

The door clicks open and swings aside to reveal that it is food, a pair of servants file in with a table and some trays, their heads bowed and their lips shut. Behind them are three familiar faces, the leaders of Demme.

Alric wears a friendly albeit small smile, Piol, my appointed delegate to the people of Demme, my propaganda on two feet stands nervous looking as always. And Fragus, the tallest, broadest yet only second strongest of the three ducks into the room behind them, a critical look strewn on.

"My food with a bit of bore, at least I get some entertainment."