"What... What are you doing?"
Lacha couldn't help but ask as the necromancer glanced around happily. There were corpses left, right and center.
It was simply gruesome.
"You'll see... System, use
A dark haze, accompanied by murmurs, slowly materialized. Lacha's hair stood on end while she felt intense goosebumps.
The 33 dead bodies then melted and formed dark spheres that slowly rose from the ground.
These spheres proceeded to spin faster and faster until they formed small portals beneath them. The scene was quite spectacular.
Derrick was excitedly watching. This would be his personal army that'd be loyal to the death. It was a luxury so rare few ever experienced it.
A few seconds later, skeletons started climbing out of the portals. They were skinny and had bright, flickering red eyes. They were also all equipped with a rusty iron sword.
Meanwhile, Lacha watched in horror. She had never expected to see her previous comrades and friends turn into undead beings.
"Female human, you better get used to this... You'll see things that are way more shocking than this, kekeke..."
The voice resounded in her mind, causing her to yell in response.
"Don't be surprised. Now that you're Master's woman, a bond has been formed, and I'm able to communicate with you... My name's Drako"
"Where are you?! And why can you speak in my mind??"
"I'm hiding in the shadows... We'll probably meet later because it's way too cramped here, and I'd destroy everything... As for why I can speak, it's because I'm an undead creature too, but an intelligent one mind you... I suggest you serve him well, he'll definitely be an extraordinary man in the future"
Lacha remained silent and stunned.
From what she had seen, she could tell Derrick would make waves in the world, and those waves would be filled with chaos and bloodshed. He was undoubtedly, and regardless of his nature, an extraordinary person.
In the meantime, Derrick was ecstatic in front of his small platoon. If he killed 67 more humans, he'd have a company and raiding bigger villages would be a cinch.
He checked their stats and found they were a tad stronger than when they were alive, but the real difference was their vitality. It was twice as high, meaning they would be invincible against soldiers of similar strength.
After feeling satisfied, he hid them in his shadow.
It was finally time to conquer the rest of the village.
"It's time to do your part. I don't want to shed more blood, but I will not spare those who oppose me"
A vicious glint appeared in Derrick's eyes, with Lacha understanding his resolve. Opposition meant death, and there would be little to no leeway.
"I will! Don't bother with this stuff... There's a bath over there, so you can go clean yourself up"
Lacha gave Derrick a forced smile, and he left the room, content.
With the shock finally subsiding, tears ran down her face.
She had betrayed her companions and was the only survivor of this massacre. The only thing left was to atone.
After wiping her cheeks, she left the hut with a resolute expression. She'd try to protect those dear to her to prevent this from ever happening again.
The hut was located at the outskirts of the village because they had been wary of Derrick from the start. She was glad they had taken that precaution, or there would have been way more casualties.
After reaching the village center, she invoked an emergency meeting and began explaining the situation.
Some were shocked, some started crying and some had grave expressions.
Lacha had made it clear : dissidents would be killed without exception.
She also tried to reassure them by saying he could guarantee their safety, and that their futures would be much brighter if they decided to follow him.
"If everybody died, why are you still here?"
Some villagers were suspicious of Lacha's story, since it was one of a man who didn't leave any survivors behind. She paled again, but quickly erased the emotion from her face.
"He accepted me into his harem"
Her voice was firm, and she figured that there was no point in hiding it. They would eventually hear about it sooner or later.
However, what she didn't expect was the uproar it'd generate.
"You whore! Everyone dies and you side with the murderer?! YOU'RE DISGUSTING!"
Insults were flying left and right, with murderous gazes also assaulting her. She had lost control of the situation and if she stayed any longer, they would probably mob her to death.
"WHO DARES?!"
The thunderous voice ripped apart the sky and caused the weather to change, with dark clouds beginning to swirl in their direction.
The pressure instantly assaulted everyone, making them feel like the world was ending.
A gigantic, shadowy and eagle-like creature was flying above, and it let out a deafening screech that injured the ear-drums of everyone below.
On top of it was a man who possessed a dark and murderous aura. His emerald eyes were piercing the soul of whoever looked into them. The villagers all cowered in fear, realizing who had spoken.
Derrick was in the middle of his bath when Drako had warned him of the precarious situation. He had promised her she would be protected, and he was a man of his word. He had promptly rushed there without delay.
"KNEEL"
The deafening voice resonated once again, and the villagers didn't wait an instant before kneeling and kowtowing on the ground. It was time to beg for their lives. They had half-believed the words of Lacha, but now that they had seen it, they were all mortified.
Even she was surprised. It was the first time she had seen Io, and the mount made her body shiver. She also realized that it wasn't the beast that had spoken to her earlier, which made her even more apprehensive.
"Derrick... No, husband... Please, don't hurt them... They were just angry... Please spare them"
She was pleading on their behalf, and when Derrick heard her, he couldn't help but soften up a little.
He guided Io to the ground and unmounted him before walking towards the villagers. His aura relentlessly attacked them, making them cower on the ground.
"Have you reflected on your mistakes? The reason why I killed them all was because they attacked me first, and with killing intent at that. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter if you knew them or if they were your family. When someone fights, they put their lives on the line. Any objections?"
Some villagers gritted their teeth before ultimately giving up. They were powerless against such an opponent.
When seeing that the situation was back under control, Derrick suddenly took Lacha in his embrace, which made her nearly squeal.
"Those who submit will live and those who don't will die. Will you all submit?"
Everyone nodded, with some secretly delighted. They had kept their lives, even after insulting the woman of this terrifying man.
A window suddenly appeared in Derrick's mind, and it greatly startled him.
[You have conquered the village Akata! System is upgrading...]