782 Chapter 782 Absolute Destruction
As Zelthrax's life force ebbed away under the piercing gaze of Aldred, the atmosphere within the Shadow Forge shifted dramatically. A dense, purplish dark shadow began to coalesce around Zelthrax's body, swirling with an ethereal grace that seemed to defy the natural laws of the forge. The shadows danced and twisted, weaving themselves into a spectral form that mirrored Zelthrax's own. When the shadows finally settled, Zelthrax stood once more before Aldred, her appearance now that of a shadowy, purplish figure, eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She was his to command, an undead being bound to his will.
Aldred, observing his new, undead ally, wasted no time in seeking answers. "The weapon, how do we stop it?" he demanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Zelthrax, now a servant to Aldred's will, replied with a voice that seemed to echo from beyond the grave. "The weapon continues to function beyond my death. The waves that have been sent will persist, reaching across the galaxy and transforming all in their path."
"And how do we halt this abomination?" Aldred pressed, his patience thinning.
With a simplicity that took Aldred aback, Zelthrax raised a shadowy hand, making a simple, dismissive gesture. The dark energy pulsing throughout the forge began to dissipate, the weapon's ominous hum fading into silence. "It is done," she stated, as if stopping a galaxy-spanning threat was but a trifling matter.
Aldred's mind, however, quickly turned to a greater concern. "Tell me of Lord Malgorth, the Demonic Tyrant. What is his role in all this?"
Zelthrax's shadowy form seemed to ponder the question, her gaze distant. "This war... it is beneath Lord Malgorth's notice. He rules over trillions of worlds, a force of darkness unmatched in the cosmos. Thousands of demon lords bend their knee to him, yet this conflict, this galaxy, is but a speck in his vast domain."
Aldred absorbed her words, the scale of the threat posed by Lord Malgorth dawning on him. "And your interactions with him?" he probed further.
"I have seldom felt his presence directly," Zelthrax admitted. "Occasionally, his clones would survey the progress here, but they were mere shadows of his true power. Even in my highest standing, I was but a footnote in his grand scheme."
Aldred stood in silence, contemplating the gravity of the information. The battle they had just won, while crucial, was merely a skirmish in the grand tapestry of a war that spanned galaxies and dimensions.
"Your service begins now, Zelthrax. You will aid us in our fight against the darkness that threatens this universe," Aldred commanded, his voice resolute.
Zelthrax, the once-mighty demon lord, now a shadowy specter bound to Aldred's will, nodded her assent. "As you command, my lord."
As the last of the enemy armadas were consumed by the void, the skies cleared, revealing the stars once more. The battlefield, once teeming with the forces of darkness, was now eerily silent, a testament to the overwhelming victory they had achieved.
The officers, regaining their composure, erupted into cheers and applause, their relief palpable. "Incredible..." one of them muttered, unable to find the words to fully express the magnitude of what they had just witnessed.
Aldred turned to his officers, his expression one of grim satisfaction. "Let this be a message to all who threaten the Celestial Platoon."
...
The news about Aldred's successful operation spread far and wide.
Elraya and Cellaeth who was sitting atop a tree with a thin tablet watched the recordings of the siege. They watched the distraction operations, the stealth units entering the Shadow Forge, the soldiers turning into demons, and Aldred fighting against Zelthrax.
However, those feats were surpassed when Aldred turned Zelthrax as his loyal undead slave and even decimate the demonic reinforcement armadas.
"He becomes stronger every time I see him," Cellaeth said, a little bit anxious because she realized she wouldn't be able to catch up.
"Going with him was the right decision," Elraya said. "Being friend with a man like that is so much better than becoming his enemy."
"Elralya, was it our ancestors that told you to accept him?"
Elralya nodded. "The ancestors detected powerful present more than anything they have seen before on him. They were correct. Three years ago, I wouldn't even dare to imagine he got this far at this pace. Once a low level mercenary immediately becoming a top leader of a major organization. The leap is too fast and too big. It's almost unthinkable and impossible."
"I did not expect it too." Cellaeth recalled the past. "We were fighting in some ship at that time, and when Aldred killed an enemy, he suddenly got this godly power seemingly out of nowhere. But, what else does the ancestors told you?"
"That we shouldn't wage war with humans for another 10,000 years."