Chapter 209: Prep For War; Organize (P2)

The five disgusting piles of flesh and bone in front of me have barely any use to me outside being turned into undead.

While I was previously hesitant to take living people and turn them into walking undead in a hellish ritual likely involving some Reais daemon or the other, with these ones I figure it wouldn't hurt to indulge in my more…sinister side a bit.

After all, Panda can't be the only self-sustaining undead in the army. I'll need more and more undead capable of moving and acting even semi-independent of me if I'm to succeed in any of my plans.

Kaylin drags herself over to my side, panting and sweating having lost quite a bit of blood, "This isn't even all of them, Asher, you'll want their ring leaders, they've gone into hiding no doubt but-"

"I know, I can use these brave four to sniff out the rest of the party, I might just spare their lives if they get me every single idiot that went into this plan to usurp you."

At my words the Nobles look positively delighted, glad to have a chance to redeem themselves, "Yes!" One jumps on, "I'll tell you where they all are right now!"

The others, not looking to be out shone jump in on the bandwagon of selling out their friends and start clamouring the same way. 

I ignore them and turn my attention to the snivelling mess beside them, the Diviner. I chuckle, "I see you already know there is no redeeming you, there will be nothing you can offer that will appease me enough not to turn you into an undead."

The Diviner, with dead, lifeless eyes from thinking through his life looks up at me, "Please…spare me, I will do whatever you say."

"I spared you once already and look at where that got you." I sigh, shaking my head sadly, "It's so obvious the only thing left for you to do now is…stop living. But rejoice, I won't be killing you just yet."

"You won't?" He gasps, surprised and pleased.

I wag my finger in his face, "No, I want to gather up these guys friends first, when I have all of them tied up and alive, you'll join in. Then in a single ritual, I'll give you all the gift of undeath, true semi-sentient undeath. You will be the first of my undead army's platoon."

"Hah…" He breaths, deflating completely.

"Soul Summon; Healing Dire." I utter, bringing out the familiar silver wolf spirit of healing. "You should rest for now, Kaylin. The Dire will only heal your wounds, it won't give you back the blood you lost."

She nods, collapsing to the floor beside the still wolf.

"You can tell me all about the events that led up to the humans trying to kill you and take back the city once I'm done reorganizing this place." I look from her to Hastra and Aren.

"It's been too long, Aren."

The man smiles shyly, "Yes, I suppose it has."

"I'm sorry I can't catch up right now but I'm glad to see you up and about." I say, "Hastra, please come over here."

The petite lady startles a bit at the sudden call but nonetheless jogs over to me, "Yes Asher?"

I smile but look away as mana flows through my hands in a readied spell, "I'll be needing you to identify any and all the old boys that thought it a good idea to pull this against Kaylin, against me."

She nods, gulping and nervously eying the green swirling mana in my hands. Seeing this I chuckle, "Oh this isn't for you or anything, I'll just be needing more that just Shaco and Anselm to keep an eye over them."

That said I let the mana drop to the floor like a ball. It spreads over like a normal spill except it seeks its targets under my guidance.

In a few moments the familiar sound of bones cracking and flesh falling off can be heard as all the bodies around us turn into Ghouls. Once they're all up I gently push Hastra my way and order them.

"Kill anyone that comes in." They growl and drool in response. I let out a sigh and walk away, not exactly sure about whether or not that order was heard, these kind of undead are for point and fire not long-term waiting games.

But Shaco is watching over them so I don't bother to worry much over it.

Rather, as we head out anew of the Palace, I focus on my brilliant company, "So Hastra,"

"Yes?" She squeals, answering immediately.

"I think you can start giving me a brief summary of how it all came to this, at least until we get back to Kaylin and she can narrate the whole thing."

She nods, "Yes, of course but…where are we going?"

"Where are we going?" I repeat, tasting the question, "Well, we're going to find out where exactly all the elves are, where the main species of my army is…I mean, they've got to be somewhere right?" I grin back at Hastra.

She nods again, "Yes, of course!"

"And what other place to start looking than the Elven North itself?"

***

True to my gut feeling, there they are, all the elves once again gathered in the Eleven North.

They're guarded by several tough looking, leather armoured men and women, and as we stroll in unhindered, humans that we are, I find that the Elves are randomly subjected to abuse of all kinds.

The guards jumping them from above and pour cold, ice water over their heads, the whippings, and of course, there's always that one idiot.

I walk up to that one idiot.

"Hello." I call from behind.

"Uh? Hey man I'm busy!" He yells, shooing me away with the hand he can spare from holding her down.

I frown and grab him by his collar, in one swift and strong motion I pull him off and toss him across the floor.

I can't bear to look at the elf woman below, far too many memories of Elsa.

"Whats the fucking big idea, you want a go wait your fucking turn!" He screams, scrambling to his feet, he looks about himself and I, finding Hastra standing there timidly I know exactly what's going through his head now.

"Oh, so you come with your own bitch?" He reaches out and grabs her arm, "I'll take he-ahhhh!!!"

Before he can complete that sentence or even form a solid grip around her arm I'd removed and coated my Dagger with the necrotic mana and sliced the offending appendage off.

And I sliced from his elbow.

"Ahhh! My arm! My arm!!!"

Hastra squeals a bit, slapping what remains of his forearm clinging onto her off.

He screams so loudly now that we've got no choice but to be the centre of attention. 

I walk up to him, screaming and wailing and grab him by his mess of hair. Looking him dead in his teary eyes I deposit my dagger in his heart, the mana of the Vampiric blade explodes within him, turning into that of another spell.

"Create Undead."

His faces turns grey and his skin falls off bit by bit, as those his hair. I pull out my dagger and twirl it menacingly at the already gather line up of my foes.

I don't mind being the centre of attention right now, it's inevitable anyway.

"You're all going to die." I announce over the horrid sounds of bone cracking and braking behind me.

They don't seem to shy away despite seeing their one-armed comrade be turn into a beast of undead.

The newly created Ghoul rises and stands beside me, groaning. "Kill them." I point straight ahead at he four men with risen blades and axes.

It groans and springs out with speed. It's movements, completely scattered and all over the place throw the men off balance and force them to pay it attention as it circles around them, delivering slashes here and there.

All while I take a leisurely stroll towards the four, my dagger wet with blood and thirsty for more, so thirsty for the blood of scum, of foul creatures like them. Of anyone that stands in my way.

Just like that I walk up to the first one without him knowing I'm there until my arm wraps around him. He startles, trying to turn, trying to fight against my hold but it's too late.

I slice his neck open. Letting a bit of mana seep into the wound and turn him as well.

The others take notice and realize all too late that it's all been a distraction. But in realizing this the one-armed ghouls stops playing with its food and launches its one good arm through a chest, ripping out a heart and tossing it.

There's a numb song playing in the background of all this, it sounds beautiful, and the singer…singers…there are two in front of me. They're the ones remaining.

I chuckle to myself, "To have such beautiful singing voices…and die so quickly." I sigh dejectedly as my second Ghoul comes up, growling at the two. "I will miss your screams…your sweet-sounding screams."

Fortunately for me…I get an encore.

"Ahhhhh!!"