The Death Knights bodies had bulked up, Duth even witnessed the light within them growing stronger. He could not pinpoint how they leveled up, if it was by the many fallen corpses then even with some math they wouldn't have been able to jump twenty levels. So he gave them SM, to see its effects.
Shifting to the fallen Death Knight that he wanted to name Des, his gaze shifted down and locked on the Knightly corpse, he raised his hand and called out for the corpse to rise.
Yet a message shot in front of him. Its fringes cracked, words buzzing.
[[Warning! Summon Denied!]]
What?
He stared at the corpse. It trembled, it popped! Then he watched as a hand rose, blade skidding along the stones until it anchored in a crack!
Mahel and Ghiel advanced past Duth swords at the ready!
The corpse rose, shakened. It turned towards Duth, eyes bleeding black, jaw unhinged in a silent banshee scream. Then it spoke.
"S-soory cant hav..you take thiiss corpse"
It spat out as a hand reached up towards the neck. An amulet had fallen from behind the metal. This amulet had a human eye surrounded in gold. Red veins just under the golden frame. "You… see.. Bad…things.. Would have happened.. If… you.. Took..this..corpse.."
Duth bowed his head enough to give a deep glare. "Like what?"
The corpse was silent, Duth was about to repeat. Yet he jumped back as 2 metal gloves clamped his boney shoulders. A stretching face inches from his own, blackened eyes and a wail from within the corpse. Whispering amongst his sensories "Your… Possession, vengeful Lich!"
The corpse collapsed soon after. The amulet shiverling up into ash. The corpse skin sank and its bones become brittle, some shattering into dust upon landing!
Neither Death Knights could even react to the speed at which the corpse disappeared, appearing and grabbing Duth, before crumbling. Meaning either Duth was fast enough to listen, which was not possible as he hadn't leveled up to their level. Or there was some form of time magic at work, which was.. Impossible. Duth has never used magic against time, nor has he ever discovered a way or person who could.
"This.."
He was speechless, there is a dozen creatures in this world that could possess a corpse. Like skin shapers and demons, issue at hand here is that skin shapers are parasitic creatures that are harbored in areas deeply saturated in otherworldly forces. In other words, Dark arts. However this area he stands in is not currently or has been affected by dark arts. Therein unless this knight somehow had a way to best a skin shaper whilst he was alive this isn't said creature.
Then was it a demon? Well.. Maybe, but unlikely. Demons had their own bodies and to even steal another goes against their own culture. Not to say they were nice by any means. Considering the coined name, but rather to take a corpse over was.. Well difficult. Now if it was the use of necromancy, he would certainly say that it is a demon. However, demons and necromancy are two entirely different stories. Hell, demons cant even use necromancy, not without dealing with the dead themselves and well, the two forces don't particularly have the greatest of relations.
That said, if a demon did take a corpse it would have to be a powerful one or one with the spell to do so.
Now demons and skin shapers aren't the only ones, but they were the ones that he knew most about. Others like Jubel, Graywalkers and kinslings are lesser known to him. All he knew was that Jubel's were crsytaline nerve virus, Graywalkers were something akin to a blood mage and Kinslings were a rare species that had access to forbidden magics.
All that said, if he took hold of the fallen knight that creature warned that he would be taken as well. Like a medium, yet if that was the case. Then why take the corpse? If it was an enemy they would love a new army, yet it could also be a third party taking the hit. He honestly couldn't say. There was clearly behind the scenes turmoil, leaving him feeling naive to the greater picture. Like a frog in an isolated well, one that was taken outside of it. To see the wider world and the dangers that presented it.
Duth had to be mindful of greater forces. There was a clear sight of powerful individuals behind the veil of humanity. Both human and non-human. He only knew a little of it and thought that little wasn't the full picture. Feeling he was dead wrong, hit a nerve. He hated being wrong. Therein he ignored it for now. Stashing this in the back of his mind until he can actively participate in the war behind the scenes.
###
The city of Garlen burned bright, for upon the sun falling came glimmers of flames. Smoldering wrecks lay there and rising corpses stalk the darkened streets in the hunt of prey!
The night gave rise to the vigor of humans. After three noble houses fell, stormed by a horde of organized troop. Those left had fallen back, the fighters still broken across the city. It was almost time for the final days of Garlen, as the rising sun came. The bloodied streets remained quiet as the forming troops of hundreds gathered around their king!
"Now.." He hissed coldly. "We March Forth To This Cities Destruction!"
The troops around him stomped their boots, rumbling with a silent cry across their ranks!