The corpses were burnt and the dark fog shrieked as it was torn apart by the flames. It lit up like gasoline and the flames blazed up to the ceiling. The cold and wet sewer hall was quickly transforming into a steamy sauna filled with the smell of charred flesh.
The nobles looked sick. I was pretty sure that they were wishing back the stench of the sewers as it was a better alternative than this.
After confirming that all the corpses were burnt we sealed the hall's entrances with ice and headed for the other locations. Prince Gideon appeared very worried about his father's well being so we headed that way first.
About halfway there we met a messenger who informed us that the emperor was safe and sound. He had similarly been met with a group of twenty vessels and 200 pawns. The battle had gone well but many people had been injured. They were now burning the corpses of the dead and treating the injured. Prince Gideon was to change course and head to prince Amon's location.
Prince Gideon wasn't very happy with this. While the messenger had mentioned that the emperor was safe and sound he hadn't exactly started that he wasn't injured.
"Why should I head over to Amon? As the commander of the army, I am sure that he can handle himself."
"My prince, the emperor has instructed me to send you that way. He gave clear reasoning. All he said was that the sun's eye had opened."
"Shit. Go tell father that I'm on my way to Amon. Everyone, we are leaving now!"
Prince Gideon rushed past the messenger and into the direction of his brother's location. The nobles needed a whole to process what was happening but also made haste to follow their leader.
I remained beside the prince as he was hurrying along the tunnels. He looked quite distressed now. Only moments before he hadn't been worried at all and now this?
"Lord Raven, please hurry ahead and see if they need any assistance."
"Is there enough time for you to tell me what I'm dealing with?"
"Amon has an artifact that holds god's power. Father felt him activate it. My brother would never use that artifact unless he was up against a foe he wasn't certain he could defeat."
"A for that could fight a rank two archmage? Nothing of that caliber should be present in these sewers. I will go take a look. Please be careful on your own."
I left prince Gideon behind and melded into the shadows. The sewer corridors flashed past me as I quickly moved through the tunnels. I burst into the sewer hall as a bundle of darkness and surveyed the area.
The situation seemed under control. Prince Amon was fighting a few dark fog vessels in concert with his officers while the elites held back the pawns and slowly whittled away their numbers.
I reformed my body from the darkness and jumped straight into the vessels swinging my scythe. The vessels weren't expecting me and most of them were decapitated right away. Only two managed to stay out of the range of my swing and they were so busy with evading me that prince Amon got them both.
His sword shot forward and impaled the vessel closer to him. Then, a miniature explosion behind the sword hilt propelled the sword onwards into the second surviving vessel.
Both vessels were stabbed into the heart showing the soldier prince's excellent control over his power. Striking with such precision as a user of explosion magic was a testament to the amount of practice and effort he put into this.
"I'm glad you came to our aid, lord Raven. However, what of my brother, is he safe?"
"We encountered a group of monsters and managed to dispatch them. When we went to meet up with the emperor's group we were informed that they had finished a heavy battle and you had activated the sun's eye. Worried at what might have made you trigger that artifact prince Gideon sent me ahead of the group. He should arrive shortly."
"What a relief. It seems we were the only ones met with an irregularity."
"An irregularity?"
Prince Amon half-turned and pointed at a female corpse that was only partially intact. Many signs of explosions and cuts were visible on her. She must have fought fiercely.
"She called herself a monarch and her powers were strange. Unlike the other monsters, this one seemed to perfectly remember her former human life. She was even able to talk and strategize."
That was unexpected and might even end up being a little troublesome. For a dark fog monarch to appear here was a truly strange coincidence.
"A monarch, huh..."
"I'm sure we will have plenty of time to discuss this creature. For now, we need to burn the bodies and get out of this place."
Prince Gideon arrived not long after and the two groups decided to leave the sewers. Many of the soldiers were in need of medical attention so the groups were disbanded. The two princes and some of prince Amon's officers along with little old me entered the palace and waited for the emperor to return as well.
We hadn't been waiting long when prince Amon sent his officers away under the guise of having them receive the emperor. The moment they had left the room his gaze narrowed and he gave off a menacing aura.
The golden eye amulet around his neck began shining with a divine light and I could feel space around us be locked down. A fourth presence had entered the room but apparently didn't want to be seen yet.
Gideon immediately grew anxious at the energies and aura coming from his brother. I, on the other hand, remained perfectly still and showed no reaction.
"I believe it is time for us to talk seriously for a moment. Lord Raven, what is your connection to the dark fog?"